COVID-19 Lockdown: Day 2

Root 70’s Riomar kicked off the day. This is quartet’s album with a string trio and it had a darker vibe than I remembered (or maybe it was the cloudy skies and pouring rain, as the music brightened up along with the weather after lunch). If they ever return to the “Conceptual Works” series, may I suggest “Root 70 Plays Root 70”, featuring compositions from the band members’ other projects.

Then later in the day it was time for Magic Ocean Tree – an EP from The Woods. I’ve only managed to catch them live once and it was a fun evening. It’s taken me too long to pick up their two recordings. If you’re after groove-heavy, feel-good instrumental music, The Woods could be place to find it. It was a nice way to mellow out at the end of the day. Very rarely do I listen to music while at work so this is making a very pleasant change.

A few tracks on a Sunday afternoon

I spent some time on Sunday listening to a few tracks from three albums that have been getting regular airtime since I picked up just before Christmas. In addition to some distinct individual voices, all three groups display a sense of ensemble unity and conception.

Benjamin Schaefer: Quiet Fire (Nwog)
"Snow Globe Night Watch," "Nautilus" and "Elegy." I'm this group has the chance to work and record together more.

Nils Wogram Quartet: Construction Field (Altrisuoni)
"Tricky's Food," "Quiet Place" and "Hostile Moves." I haven't checked too much of Nils' playing outside of his work with Root 70 and I'm keen to check out his trombone quartet - Vertigo.

Root 70: Wise Men Can Be Wrong (Nwog)
"You Stepped Out of a Dream," "Darn That Dream" and "Too Marvelous for Words." The latest from one of my favorite groups is an all standards affair. Hayden and Nils weave effortlessly while Matt Penman and Jochen Rueckert are one formidable rhythm section.

listenings from the past week

Nils Wogram's Root 70 - Getting Rooted (Enja 2003) Wogram (trb) Hayden Chisholm (as/b.clar) Matt Penman (b) Jochen Rueckert (d)
The Root 70 albums are regulars on my listening rotation. Great group sound - a very distinctive ensemble. They have a new album due out this year - "Root 70 with Strings."

Dejan Terzic - Melanoia (Enja 2013) Terzic (d/perc) Hayden Chisholm (as) Ronny Graupe (g) Achim Kaufmann (p)
This one is new to me and it's only had one and a bit listens so far. Very intricate melodies with the sax, guitar & piano often each playing interweaving lines, lots of ostinato in the accompaniment - first impressions have me feeling that things are over composed. But this one needs more listens. Saxophonists, it's worthwhile taking note of the effortlessness of Hayden's playing (here, and on the album above).

Kaufmann's name in the line up above led me to Palaë (Leo 2007) by the trio of Kaufmann (p) Wilbert de Joode (b) Frank Gratkowski (as/clarinets). Seven free improvisations recorded during 2006. Often the trio sounds like a contemporary classical group (If you are searching for straight ahead, deep swing look elsewhere). I'm not a huge fan of prepared piano but Kaufmann uses it pretty well here without overdoing things. All three players have a large and varied palate to contribute to the group sound - Gratkowski brings out all kinds of sonic possibilities from his horns (alto sax, clari, bass clari & contrabass clari) - an amazing player. The trio's many subtleties are captured nicely on a well recorded album. I heard this group at Roulette during 2009 (possibly got the album at the gig) not long after meeting Frank in Greece. Palaë is the 3rd album (of 4) from the trio - I would like to hear the others.

Count Basie - The Atomic Mr Basie (Roulette 1958)
This one seemed like the perfect accompaniment for cleaning the kitchen - time flew by. I can't remember the last time I listened to this album. It made a nice contrast to the odd time signatures/micro-tonality/free improvisation etc of the above albums too.