Perfect Sounds

Listening Booth week 7: Charles Gayle Trio

2012-02-13T15:12:00.017+01:00

Charles Gayle Trio: Streets (Northern Spy Records, 2012) - Streets is Charles Gayle's first studio album since his two 2006 releases, Consider the Lilies (Clean Feed) and the solo piano Time Zones (Thompkins Square.) Streets is also the first album to feature Gayle's alter ego, Streets the clown, the significance of which I shouldn't speculate too much on, although Gayle has performed in clown painting for a while. Me, I figure the title refers to his many years spent homeless on the streets of New York. If the clown somehow allows him to put himself in the mood of that period, well, then all the better. Charles Gayle has become somewhat of a sax-bass-drum trio specialist over the years. 'Though he hasn't performed exclusively in that format, much of the time he has, and his most memorable albums are trio albums: the soulful Homeless (Silkheart, 1988), with the deep rolling bass of Norris "Sirone" Jones and Dave Pleasant on drums, and the heady rush of the now deservedly classic Touchin' On Trane (FMP, 1991), with William Parker's rumbling, talking drum-like bass lines and the fleeting drumming of Rashied Ali. As with those two albums, Streets is a trio recording, and also one very much marked as much by Gayle's compatriots as his own distinct style and timbre. Bassist Larry Roland's playing here is the very essence of plucking, creating percussive patterns with only minimal sustain, barring the odd sections such as the intro to "March of April." Gayle himself has never been too occupied with themes or melodies. He is all about feel. It's as if he just steps up to the podium and speaks his mind. So it is perhaps fitting that the first thing you hear on Streets is the sharp sound of Gayle's tenor. He has, either by age or by design (I'd be inclined to say the latter), by and large abandoned the lung bursting runs and screams that used to be synonymous with much of his music. Rather, him and Roland play in bursts, with sudden stops or pauses, and the rhythmic pattern becomes almost Monk-like, especially on "Compassion II." Drummer Michael TA Thompson is much more of a constant, laying down a platform for Gayle and Roland's interplay as well as pushing them on. Although these are patterns and elements you'll find throughout the album, they are used to different effect: "March of April", with Roland's aforementioned menacing bass intro, is ominous, the closing "Tribulations" is fierce and a nod back to Gayle's older material, and the prayer "Glory & Jesus" is peaceful and gorgeous. Streets is not only a worthy addition to Gayle's discography, I'd be tempted to say it's also his best since Touchin' On Trane. 8*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

Pazz 'n' Jop 2011: notes

2012-01-18T15:41:00.006+01:00

As you may know by now, The Village Voice's 2011 Pazz 'n' Jop Critics Poll results were announced last night. The albums winner is tUnE-yArDs' w h o k i l l, which surprised me a bit, albeit pleasantly so; even if it is some way down on my personal 2011 favorites list, I can hear why it is an affecting record, warts and all. The singles winner is Adele's Rolling in the Deep, which seemed like a safe bet beforehand.

My ballot can be found here. My top seven records have been pretty much nailed on for a long time. Those seven records stand out, for me, by being more consistent and more solid works than the rest, and I attempted to indicate that by the scores I handed out for my ballot. Below those seven, there has been some fluctuation -- compare my pazz 'n' jop ballot to the latest revision of my favorites list -- though have revisited Paul Simon numerous times lately, I'm tempted to put it in the same category as my top 7.

A couple of points:

None of my top 10 albums finished in the poll's top 10, but two are in the top 20, Frank Ocean and Fucked Up. If we go to the top 25, there are three counting Pistol Annies.
My number one pick, Wussy's Strawberry, landed at 109th place, getting ten mentions.
I was the only one to vote for Avram Fefer's Eliyahu and Wadada Leo Smith's Heart's Reflections (misspelled in the poll). Both are jazz records, and Eliyahu got only two votes in Rhapsody's Jazz Critics' Poll, from Tom Hull and myself, so that's no surprise, really. Darius Jones Trio's Big Gurl (Smell My Dream) , the third jazz record I voted for, got two more votes, from Steve Dollar and Tad Hendrickson.
Matana Roberts' Coin Coin Chapter One... was the highest placed jazz album at 78, unless you count Colin Stetson, which we probably should, at 42.
My sole Norwegian pick, Razika's giddy ska tale about the pains of growing up in "Vondt i Hjertet", got one other vote, incidentally by current poll organizer Maura Johnston.

Hoping to post some non-list related writing here during next week. I have a piece on jazz drumming in the pipeline plus, hopefully, a 2011 catch-up of Listening Booth notes, and the return of The 1984 Box Set.

The 2011 Jazz Critics' Poll + notes

2012-01-12T13:16:00.010+01:00

Late last year, I was invited by Francis Davis to vote in the 6th edition of the Jazz Critics' Poll, which he has been running the past five years at the Village Voice, but has now been moved to the US based streaming site Rhapsody. Over 120 jazz writers participated, and the results were posted yesterday. Tom Hull has the individual ballots at his site, including mine (look for me in the batch "Kaplan - Nastos", or under Ballots [4])

I predicted the runner-up to win it, based upon what I've read on over the past year, 'though I suppose Sonny Rollins was among the favorites also. A few quick observations:

Six of my chosen ten picks made the top 60
Of those, Wadada Leo Smith placed highest, at no. 13.
My runner-up, Darius Jones Trio, was second highest at no. 19.
My number one pick, Avram Fefer, received only two votes: Me and Tom Hull, who had it as his runner-up.
I count 13 among the top 60 that are also on my "2011 favorites" list (records graded 7, i.e. recommended, or higher.) (Though, I have some five records in my pending pile that made the list.)

My three picks for best reissue also made up the top three in the results, albeit not in the same order. I'd also note that had I known Monk's Music had been reissued this year, it would have been my number one pick, it quite possibly being my favorite Monk album. Then again, the record has been widely available for a while in various formats, so it doesn't quite feel like a reissue in the same way my top three does.

R.I.P. Sam Rivers

2011-12-27T21:29:00.004+01:00

The sad news broke today of the passing of saxophonist, composer, "free bopper" and Loft Jazz great Sam Rivers. In the wake of some Twitter and Facebook rumors, Peter Hum was one of the first to write about it on his Ottawa Citizen jazz blog. Sam Rivers deserves more time and space than I'm able to give him now, so I'm hoping to return at a later time with a lengthier post, remembering some of his great and, sadly, largely forgotten musical output. R.I.P.

EDIT: More from Nate Chinen in the NY Times and from others via Chinen's blog.

Listening Booth, week 52, 2011

2011-12-26T11:03:00.003+01:00

Mats Eilertsen: Skydive (Hubro) - Bassist and composer Mats Eilertsen (b. 1975) was born in Trondheim, Norway, and got his education at that city's renowned Jazz Academy. He's been an in-demand session musician since the 90s-- among others for Jacob Young, Solveig Slettahjell as well as playing on a trio of Sonny Simmons releases -- 'though he has in recent years also been releasing several albums of his own compositions, the last of which is Skydive on the tiny Hubro label. As a bassist here, he doesn't assert himself much, eschewing vamps, riffs, and walks/runs, and instead keeps a rather low profile, staying in the background, grounding and accentuating Olavi Louhivuori's drum beat as well as the occasional cymbal hit with full and rich sounding drawn out notes, making the tunes seemingly glide along. There's little in terms of heads or themes here, instead there are narrative-like melodies, which saxophonist Tore Brunborg, guitarist Thomas T. Dahl and pianist Alexei Tuomarila take turns in moving along. It's all very sweeping and wooshing, contemplative and "calming" if not very exciting music. But the records is wonderfully produced and it sounds great, as most Hubro releases do. 6*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 47: shorts: Magic Pocket

2011-11-24T07:38:00.007+01:00

I don't write much about Norwegian jazz here. That's partly a conscious choice -- Norwegian jazz releases are well covered in mainstream media (I feel dirty using those words with Fox "News" in mind) media, which I was always trying to provide an alternative to -- but considering the bulk of those who visit these pages live abroad and may be curious about jazz from these shores, I'm making an exception today. Also, it's a damn fine record.

Magic Pocket: The Katabatic Wind (Bolage) - Magic Pocket is a young-ish brass and drums quartet (all born between 1975 and '82) consisting of Erik Johanessen on trombone, Hayden Powell on trumpets, Daniel Herskedal on tuba, and Erik Nylander on drums, tabla machhines and drum machine. For this release, they're augmented by the electronics and piano of Morten Qvenild. The music here is atmospheric, drawn out melodic lines and sheets of sound underpinned by understated grooves. The tuba moves in and out of it's rhythmic "bass" role, the brass blends with the electronics, trickles of piano here and there without ever getting ambient territory. The bolero-esque "The Thar Desert" is particularly enchanting, while the bouncy "Darts" showcase their more playful side. Lovely stuff. 8*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 47: Greg Ward's Phonic Juggernaut

2011-11-22T05:23:00.012+01:00

Greg Ward: Greg Ward's Phonic Juggernaut (Thirsty Ear) - Chicago born, now New York residing saxophonist and composer Greg Ward's credentials indicate that he's a man of varied tastes and that he's a musician willing and capable of handling several genres, from various strains of jazz, to Klezmer and classical music. I know him best from his collaborations with drummer Mike Reed. This is Ward's second album as a leader after 2010's Fitted Shards: South Side Story -- which I missed -- on 19-8 Records. Phonic Juggernaut is a sax-bass-drums trio record, and an enthralling one at that. The impressive opener "Above Ground" moves through several stages, starting off with Ward's blocks of intervals over the hectic yet forceful polyrhythms of drummer Damion Reid, into pockets of near calmness, and then back again. Much like the album as a whole. Reid's drumming, which reminds me a little bit of Ronald Shannon Jackson, provides much of the sonic freshness of this record. The drums are very much front and center, almost relentless, throughout, and especially so on the more heady pieces. And Phonic Juggernaut is fast paced at times, as the name would suggest, but combines that with the spacious and lyrical, such as on the lovely "Velvet Lounge Shut-In". Bassist Joe Sanders is the minimalist in the trio, relatively speaking, working off and in between Reid's busy rhythms and Ward's sharp and clear alto leaps with a mixture of insistent vamps and lyrical playing -- check his melodic interplay with Ward on the closing "Sectionate City". The bass is mixed unusually low and given little bottom, and although I miss its fullness and punch at times, the result works remarkably well within the sonic whole of the record. I'm hoping there's more to come from this trio, because there's clearly a unique musical chemistry between the three. 7*

Thirsty Ear Recordings

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 46, 2012: ASAP Rocky

2011-11-20T14:55:00.006+01:00

ASAP Rocky: LiveLoveA$AP (mixtape/selfreleased/liveloveasap.com) - This Harlem, New York native declares an affinity for Houston and doesn't want to be likened to a certain New Orleans rapper. Still, his slightly-behind-the-beat flow as well as the nasal timbre of his voice certainly has similarities with the Carter. The lyrical universe of LiveLoveA$ASP is filled with references to recreational drugs, reveling in it's effects. But it's the sonics of the record that really impresses. Delightfully produced, especially the tracks by Clams Casino and Beautiful Lou, it conjures up the sort of trippy soundscapes that Tricky once mastered so well - note in particular the laid-back groove and the sampled guitar lick of "Trilla", produced by Beautiful Lou. Additional color is provided by syrupy beats and rumbling bass (and hence the Houston love, I guess), Clams Casino's "Bass" a case in point. When the moods do get darker, they do so without succumbing to the techniques of horror core schlock, neither sonically or lyrically. No stoopid shock effects here. ASAP doesn't need such cheap tricks to be interesting. 8*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 46, 2012: Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet

2011-11-17T19:30:00.005+01:00

Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet: Apparent Distance (Firehouse 12) - A four piece suite, originally commissioned through a New Jazz Works grant. The sextet consists of Ho Bynum on trumpet, Jim Hobbs (of Fully Celebrated "fame") on alto sax, Bill Lowe on bass trombone and tuba, Mary Halvorson on guitar, Ken Filiano on bass and Tomas Fujiwara on drums. Ho Bynum and Halvorson has played under the tutelage of Anthony Braxton, but there's not a whole lot of traces of him here, barring the odd twirling theme here and there. The obvious center piece of the album is the 20 minute long "Source", where Ho Bynum and Halvorson play interweaving melodic lines that Hobbs and Lowe eventually join in on and create their own paths out of, over Filiano and Fujiwara's funky and propulsive rhythms. The piece builds to a cacophonous crescendo during Hobbs' solo, and slides back into grove. There are a lot of interseting things going on here, with Hobbs in particular shining alongside Ho Bynum, while Halvorson often stays in the background for long sections, riffing with Filiano to help create dense grooves. 7*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 41, 2011: Darius Jones Trio

2011-10-10T10:06:00.010+02:00

There haven't been much activity here, and there won't be until after the 15th of Nov. at the earliest. Below are a few notes on Darius Jones latest plus some grades for a couple of other records I've listened to lately, but do not have any notes to speak of.

Darius Jones Trio: Big Gurl (Smell My Dreams) (AUM Fidelity) - Darius Jones debut, Man'ish Boy (a Raw and Beautiful Thing), was stunning. A riveting and deeply moving album by a saxophonist with a distinct voice, both in terms of his playing and his compositions. His new record, Big Gurl (Smell My Dreams), may lack some of raw emotion of his debut, but it makes up for it in power and groove. Replacing multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore and drummer Rasid Bakr in the trio is Adam Lane on bass, an original musician and composer in his own right, and Jason Nazary on drums, who both played on the debut's "hidden track". Big Gurl is full of hard hitting, groovy free-bop sprinkled with more contemplative pieces, such as the haunting "I Wish I Had a Choice". Jones alto sound is stirring, sometimes piercing, and he is wont to leaps and shrieks, but always maintains a strong sense of melody and theme. Adam Lane plays thick, powerful, syrupy yet somehow nimble lines and riffs as only he can, while Nazary glides in and out of the beat. The opener "E-Gaz" and the menacing closer "Ol' Metal-Faced Bastard", with it's rhythmically stumbling sections, come charging at you with swagger and purpose, while the above-mentioned "I Wish I had a Choice" and "My Special 'D'" are quieter, more reflective pieces. There's also a reworking of "Chasing the Ghost", one of the center pieces of Man'ish Boy. While much of the allure of he original version was how Jones sounded like he was losing his way on this headlong chase, here, augmented by Lane's stubborn bass lines, it sounds galvanized, more confident, as if with a renewed sense of mission. Somehow very fitting, I think. 9*

Dave Alvin: Eleven Eleven (Yep Roc) - 7*
Girls: Father: Son, Holy Ghost (True Panther) - 8*
Jens Lekman: An Argument With Myself (Secretly Canadian) - 8*
Mekons: Ancient and Modern: 1911-2011 (Bloodshot Records) - 8*
Kanye West & Jay-Z: Watch the Throne (Def Jam) - 8*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

R.E.M. - a few quick words

2011-09-23T08:10:00.006+02:00

R.E.M. called it quits this week. The web is flooded with eulogies by now, but even though we've grown apart, so to speak, in recent years, I thought I'd write a few words as a way of saying my final goodbye.

R.E.M. grew out of the prolific (and under-appreciated) so-called Amer-Indie scene of the 1980's into one of the biggest rock'n'roll bands on the planet (read more about that in the Slate piece I've linked to above). They worked together for over 30 years, and over that time they honed their original voices as songwriters and created a thoroughly distinctive sound, which has resulted in an extremely consistent oeuvre; even if I haven't cared much for their records since New Adventures in Hi-Fi, the worst I can say about their most recent albums is that they've sounded uninspired (Ok, some songs are downright boring, but still).

R.E.M. was also rare in that they are one of the few bands since, well, the 70's where the record buying masses and critical approval went hand in hand, especially in the early 90's. Granted, that rise to mass fame coincided with the alternative rock/grunge explosion, but their's felt separate somehow, and the groundwork for their popularity arguably was laid with the late 80's records Document (peaked at no. 10, 33 weeks on the chart, certified platinum) and Green (peaked at 12, certified double platinum).

Their popularity is just a side note, though. It means they'll probably stay in the public consciousness as one of the "great bands", but it's not their popularity that has made them that. It is, quelle surpirse, the quality of their music (than you, Mr. Obvious).

On a personal note, I discovered Green via the striking video for "Orange Crush" some time in 1989, and it became one of the first records that got me seriously interested in music as something more than, eh, "entertainment", though I might not have been able to articulate that at the time. So in a way, R.E.M. was integral to my coming of age as a consumer, in every possible sense of the word, of music. Thank you for that, as well as for the great songs.

To end this short note, my thoroughly off-the-cuff ratings of R.E.M. records up to and counting Hi-Fi:

Chronic Town EP (1982, I.R.S.) 7
Murmur (1983, I.R.S.) 8
Reckoning (1984, I.R.S.) 7
Fables of the Reconstruction (1985, I.R.S.) 6
Life's Rich Pageant (1986, I.R.S) 7
Document (1987, I.R.S) 9
Green (1988, Warner Bros.) 8
Out of Time (1991, Warner Bros) 9
Automatic for the People (1992, Warner Bros.) 8
Monster (1994, Warner Bros.) 7
New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996, Warner Bros.) 7

R.I.P Graham Collier

2011-09-20T17:33:00.002+02:00

Sad to hear that English bassist, bandleader and composer Graham Collier passed away recently. More here.

Listening Booth, week 35, pt. 2: F*cked Up

2011-08-31T16:27:00.010+02:00

Fucked Up: David Comes to Life (Matador, 2011) - The basics of this record, the whirlwind guitars, the propulsive rhythm section and Pink Eyes' growling vocal, have been there for a while. It seems that their decision to write an opera of sorts -- which story you'll need a lyric sheet to follow -- has helped them to focus those elements into catchier, more purposeful tunes while at the same time expanding their palette sonically. As a lyrics person, vocals such as Pink Eyes' could be a barrier, as one may only catch the odd phrase here and there. Sometimes that's enough, of course, but one may tire over several songs. Here, the music kept dragging me back and demanded my attention for sustained listening. I'm glad it did, and I'm glad I have the lyrics too. Hardcore doesn't come much more ambitious than this without losing its intended punch. Some have compared the music on David... to Hüsker Dü, and although only "A Slanted Tone" sounds like it could be a Hüskers song, in terms of sweeping, big, emotionally engaging punk rock, the analogy is appropriate. 8*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 35: Avram Fefer Trio

2011-08-29T14:59:00.010+02:00

Avram Fefer / Eriv Revis / Chad Taylor: Eliyahu (Not Two, 2011) - Even though I've known of these guys for a while, I somehow missed their previous album Ritual on Clean Feed (2009), and so I came almost unprepared for this gem of a record. Well, not entirely. Saxophonist Avram Fefer has played with several heavy hitters over the years, but I became especially curious after his work on Adam Lane's fantastic Ashcan Rantings (also Clean Feed) from last year. Eric Revis has played bass with the likes of Branford Marsalis and J.D. Allen, but has lately popped up in ensembles that lean even more towards the rampant sides of jazz, having played a central role in Tarbaby as well as backing up Peter Brötzmann during this year's Vision Fest. Drummer Chad Taylor is perhaps the one I know best of these three, as he has worked with several Chicago musicians of note, and particularly the ever interesting trio Digital Primitves, with Cooper-Moore and Assif Tsahar. The music Fefer, Revis and Taylor has created together on Eliyahu is enthralling, lithe yet groovy, bouncy and emotionally rich. Much of the material here is based around seemingly simple melodic lines, themes or rhythmic patterns that they expand upon, usually while at least one of the trio keeps the originally stated theme going, with the others joining in again later on. The opening, Taylor penned "Song For Dyani", for example, centers around Revis' repeated, fleet-footed melodic bass pattern, a pattern he sustains throughout the tune, and plays with such effortlessness that you cannot but admire his stamina, technique and wonderful sense of rhythm. Taylor's drumming supports the groove, but also adds a bit of punch. Fefer starts the tune with a different melodic line on top of Revis', occasionally dropping in on a note or two, but generally staking out his own course, until towards the end, when Taylor starts to accentuate Revis' bass line, and Fefer joins in. "Song For Dyani" is among the fastest pieces on the album, only the rough 'n' tumble of "City Life" is more energetic. The rest of the material flows at significantly slower tempo, but remains true to it's emotional scope. There is a quality to this music -- the combination of flexibility, groove, keen sense of melody and musical interaction -- that reminds a bit of Air. That's high praise coming from me. When you add that they have some lovely melodic material at the center of things, this has the makings of becoming one of the highlights of the year. 9*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

Eliyahu is available at SquidCo (link) and other well stock jazz merchants.

Writing about jazz (I'm a dying breed, not likely to be missed, it seems)

2011-08-25T11:01:00.002+02:00

There was a panel discussion during the recent Oslo Jazzfestival concerning the stat of jazz journalism, in Norway in particular ('though, there were representatives from abroad on the panel too). I was prevented from participating, but from what I've heard, most, if not all, were seemingly of the view that jazz journalism was in dire straits, some even going as far as saying it was redundant.

The latter view seems to stem from a misconception of what writing about music entails. So I stumbled accross this tidbit from Patrick Jarenwattananon on NPR's A Blog Supreme in a piece concerning the question of whether jazz scribes need to know how to play too, but it which fits perfectly into this discussion as well:

‎"[I]t seems as if what is most needed from jazz journalism today is not strictly criticism of sounds themselves, but also explication: gathering context, making connections, lending new perspectives or otherwise giving a "way into" this stuff for the common non-musician. We need to remove the intimidation factor. We need to redefine jazz's connections to the world around it. And we need to render all this artfully."

R.I.P. Jerry Leiber & Nick Ashford

2011-08-23T09:32:00.004+02:00

(50 Coastin' Classics, Rhino 71090)

Jerry Leiber, one half of songwriting duo Leiber & Stoller, passed away yesterday. Probably most famous for hits like "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock" and "Stand By Me", I loved him most for his work with The Coasters, for whom Leiber & Stoller wrote clever, playful and often funny tunes with theatric elements, some of which mocked elements of mainstream America's popular culture -- see "Along Came Jones" -- and some that had underlying serious themes; for every "Yakety-Yak" there was a "Shopping For Clothes."

On the same day, Nick Ashford passed away. Ashford, along with partner Valerie Simpson, wrote huge hits for others, such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "You're All I Need To Get By" and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing". But they also performed as a popular R&B duo, and had hits with such great songs as "Is It Still Good To Ya" and 1984's "Solid".

Listening Booth, week 33, 2011: Planetary Unknown

2011-08-16T15:39:00.009+02:00

First installment this fall. Taking things step by step, but I am hoping to step it up a bit from now on.

David S. Ware, Cooper-Moore, William Parker & Muhammad Ali: Planetary Unknown (AUM Fidelity, 2011) - I initially struggled to write about this. While I found it intriguing from first listen, I had some trouble finding something to hook on to. Even the most raucous of Ware's music tends to build from themes or melodic launch pads, but this sounded tentative at first. Until I realized, that is part of the point. This is exploratory music, and suddenly you notice small patterns emerging within each composition, and the conversation that develops from there: from the hushed to the rowdy, and the sections in between, never staying in the same place for too long. These four wonderful musicians - by now all legends in their own right - have played with each other in various constellations before, but never together as a quartet, to my knowledge. Their understanding of each other's musical language, how they react to what is being "said" by the others and the ideas they develop from there, is part of what makes this a wonderful and very interesting record. 8 *

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes rather than final reviews.

PS: Check out the recent Jazz Session interview with the guys in Planetary Unknown.

Please support The Jazz Session

2011-08-08T14:35:00.003+02:00

Friends and colleagues. Please give me a moment of your time.

The Jazz Session is a member-supported online interview show focusing on in-depth conversations with jazz musicians, and it is run solely by Jason Crane, jazz aficionado, poet and an all-round terrific guy. Since he started the project in 2007, Jason has interviewed a host of famous and up-and-coming jazz musicians such as Don Byron, Vijay Iyer, Mary Halvorson, Steve Lehman, Cecil McBee, Myra Melford, Jason Moran, William Parker, Matana Roberts, Matthew Shipp, Henry Threadgill, David S. Ware and, most recently, saxophonist Ingid Laubrock and drummer/composer Tyshawn Sorey. And those are only a select few of the many interviews available. My claim is that Jason Crane is doing some of the best work in the field of jazz journalism these days.

However, such work takes time and costs money, and so Jason has set up a membership program in order to keep it going. The goal has been to reach 100 members by the 300th show. The Sorey interview is the 299th, and he needs 20 more members by Thursday, when episode 300 becomes available. I urge you to head over to the Jazz Session site, have a listen or two (or more), and if it's to your taste and interest, become a member. The cheapest option is a mere 10$, which if you live in Norway, is about what two cups of coffee would cost you at a coffee shop. Make your coffee at home instead, donate the money you'd save to The Jazz Session, and we could be lucky and get even more great interviews with some of the best jazz musicians around today.

http://thejazzsession.com

Thanks for your time.

Chris M

NB: A Listening Booth/summer jazz round-up will be posted here in the coming days, and hopefully more regular updates will appear from then on. There seems to be some light at the end of this tunnel, too.

July 22, 2011

2011-07-23T17:27:00.003+02:00

Posting will resume at a later date. Now's not the time. Rather, it's a time for reflection and compassion, and my thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims of these horrible and senseless acts. Peace!

Billy Bang - "Prayer for Peace"

Molde Jazz 2011, Tuesday 19th

2011-07-20T14:57:00.003+02:00

Went to see double bassist Michael Duch and saxophonist Kjetil Møster at Molde Jazz's smallest venue, Reknes, yesterday (Tuesday). Both played a solo set each, while joining forces for a closing number.

Duch played one longish (didn't take the time) entirely improvised piece, as well as Howard Skempton's composition For Strings (waves, shingles and seagulls). As you may gather from that, he works as much, if not more, within improvised new music slash contemporary music as he does jazz, though by now these musics can hopefully be seen as extending into each others idioms. Duch uses pretty much every part of his instrument to create sounds; largely playing arco with his right hand, he plucks, slaps and scratches with his left, while occasionally also hitting the body of the instrument. Much of his arco work happens near the bridge, which creates sharp and shrill sound, but he shifts effortlessly into "cleaner" territory. Inventive music, nevertheless.

Møster started his session just breathing through his tenor sax, which built into a hushed, gospel like passage, eventually raising in intensity into a shout of sorts. From there, the piece gathered pace into something reminiscent balkan folk music, and ending in punk-like rapid screams and honks, Møster working the flaps for percussive effect. The result wouldn't have sounded out of place with duo Lightning Bolt.

Duch and Møster joined up for an encore, the bassist now mostly playing pizzicato, creating rumbling, free rolling sounds and patterns. I kept paying so much attention to him that Møster, now having switched to baritone sax, dropped into the background except from when they hooked up down in the lower registers.

Molde Jazz 2011

2011-07-18T18:17:00.003+02:00

I leave for Molde and the 2011 Molde Jazz Festival in a few hours time. I may post daily updates, depending on what gigs I'll be attending, but I'll definately be catching up with Misha Mengelberg with Tyshawn Sorey and Mostly Other People Do the Killing, to name but two.

Lost Eric Dolphy Session, via Phil Schaap

2011-07-12T08:44:00.003+02:00

Phil Schaap just wrote some info on Facebook on a lost 1963 session with Eric Dolphy, likely a private demo recording. Perhaps not the most likely of collaborators -- Seldon Powell played mostly swing and R&B, and while Major Holley did play with Charlie Parker and later Rashaan Roland Kirk, he's perhaps better know for his work with Coleman Hawkins & Oscar Peterson -- but I really would've liked to hear some of this:

I can confirm the personnel - Eric Dolphy (as); Seldon Powell (bars); Joe Newman (tpt); Melba Liston (tbn); Major Holley (bass); Earl Williams (dr); & Hale Smith (pno/leader) - for a lost session that the recently deceased Hale Smith was the contractor for. It was a private date or demo session for a neighbor of Smith’s who had written at least two tunes that Hale arranged. The session is definitely not from 1964 and most likely occurred in 1963. A photograph – that may still exist – showed the musicians. Earl Williams, either going to another gig or coming from one, is in a tuxedo and the others are far more casually dressed. The material still exists and is presumably with Hale Smith’s widow or, perhaps, his son Marcel.

Finally, this item is distinct from those on tape that Eric Dolphy had deposited with Hale Smith shortly before Dolphy left for Europe.

Duke Ellington Orchestra live in Holland, 1958

2011-06-28T16:03:00.006+02:00

A big "thank you" to Kalamu ya Salaam for posting this fabulous 81 minute concert of the Duke Ellington Orchestra live in 1958, apparently the earliest know full-length Ellington gig caught on tape. Mr. ya Salaam writes in the accompanying blog post:

"Filmed at Amsterdam’s famed Concertgebouw (The Netherlands), this 80-minute concert features the 16-piece Duke Ellington Orchestra two years after their stunning performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, which Duke considered his second birth. This epic performance includes legendary players Clark Terry, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Paul Gonsalves, Quentin Jackson and Ray Nance performing some of the most beloved American music ever written."

The sound quality here is very good, too.

Since there seems to be no restriction on embedding, I'm posting the 'tube video here, but all credit must go to Kalumu ya Salaam.

Listening Booth: grade round-up.

2011-06-27T18:57:00.006+02:00

Really poor week, writing wise. In particular, I've been stuck on an article that should've been a piece of cake, but is now overdue and needs finishing. Posted another mix tape on the 1984 page (see the sidebar), and did get through a good few records, but somehow never wrote any notes worth posting here. I figure it's best to just throw them out there and move on. Note that more than the regular Listening Booth, which normally include notes, these grades are particularly tentative, and are probably only useful to me as, say, a means to "cross out" records on my "new(-ish) records" shelf. Nevertheless ...

JD Allen Trio: Victory! (Sunnyside) - They've become a tight group, focusing on short, rough and bluesy tunes. There are shades of post-Coltrane in Allen's music and saxophone playing, always has been, but I like how they hold back length wise, and instead focus on blowing full steam for the ca. 3 minute they allow themselves. As if say "I've said my piece on the matter, now let's move on." 7
Art Brut: Brilliant! Tragic! (Cooking Vinyl) - Not as sharp as they used to be. Not as funny, either, and Eddie Argos is a better reader/shouter than he is a singer. 6
Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO (And Other American Stories) (Lost Highway) 7
Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble: The Prairie Prophet (Delmark) 8
Let's Wrestle: Nursing Home (Merge) 7
Wadada Leo Smith's Organic: Heart's Reflections (Cuneiform, 2CD) - Pheeroan akLaff is as much the star of this as Wadada Leo Smith, who provides his customary trumpet stabs and echoes, or any of the other "Organics" for that matter. akLaff pushes the record along with a most solid, funky back-beat. Powerful and groovy stuff. 8
TV on the Radio: Nine Types of Light (Interscope) - Dear Science was snarly and punchy, this one's trudges along by comparison, though the musical scenery is nice enough. Prefer TVOTR snarling and punching, though. 7
The Weeknd: House of Balloons (mixtape/self released download) 8
Yuck: Yuck (Fat Possum) 7

I am holding back a few records, and may revisit a couple of the above if things improve in the coming week.

2011-06-20T19:51:00.000+02:00

A quick post to point out that the blog is not dead, with some notes and a preliminary grade for Brad Paisley. The 1984 project is still going strong, and I'm also busy doing some work for [secret]. I will have a proper Listening Booth up in a couple of days, or Monday next week at least, with notes and grades for the latest Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble, Wadada Leo Smith's Organic, Matana Roberts, Frank Ocean (has crept up to the top of my 2011 list), TV on the Radio and a few others.

Quick Listening Booth: "I'm not dead yet", says blog.

2011-06-09T10:16:00.008+02:00

Brad Paisley: This Is Country Music (Sony Music Entertainment) - Disappointed that he feels the need to take the "we may not be hip, but we sing about real life" defense in the title track - country music ain't got the sole rights to "real life" subjects, and you're smart enough to know that, Brad. Also, I can't imagine he ever got much stick from "hipsters" (whoever they are), as the liberal minded country fans' (myself included) great hope. Wish he held back a bit with his virtuosic guitar picking too, but aside from this this is vintage Paisley, smart a** fun songs ("Working on a Tan") and bitter sweet luv (sic.) songs ("Remind Me") included. 7 *

Update log:

2011-05-24T13:12:00.002+02:00

Nothing too important, but I've started using blogger's "pages" options for my lists (the "Jazz Archive"-section apart) instead of starting new blogs to publish them. Gives the site a more cohesive lay out, too. You'll find the links on the side-bar, just above where they used to be.

The 1984 Box Set

2011-05-22T14:54:00.003+02:00

Just wanted to note that the Perfect Sounds 1984 Box Set project is now up and running. Five "discs" have already been posted -- Soapbox, Honk vol. 1, Rattle vol. 1, Street and Fringe -- and the plan is to post one or two discs a week, depending on my schedule, until I've exhausted my library. I think I may have enough tracks for at least ten more discs. You'll find the info you need over at the box set site.

Listening Booth, week 19, 2011, pt. 2: a couple of quickies

2011-05-12T14:19:00.001+02:00

Gang of Four: Content (Yep Roc) - The songs feel purposeful and full of conviction, the lyrics too, and the band seem wholly engaged in delivering them with sincirety. Jon King's singing is better than it's been in years, and Andy Gill augments his famous guitar jabs'n'stabs with some atmosphere. This is their best since bassist Dave Allen last left the band ca. 1981/'82, after two excellent albums and two equally good EPs. Without Allen, Gof4's bass -- such an integral part of their sound -- didn't have the same the flow, groove and propulsive qualities, but new boy Thomas McNeise makes up for that with plenty of punch, and drummer Mark Heaney does a good Hugo Burnham. 7/10*

Raphael Saadiq: Stone Rollin' (Columbia) - Heavier, rockier and more funk oriented than The Way I see It, but at times that seems to have happened at the expense of great songs. This is one for the booty more than for the mind and soul. And there's nothing wrong with that, really. 7/10*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 19, 2011

2011-05-10T11:47:00.010+02:00

Four jazz record with more than a touch of rock, with the bass pretty much at the center of the action, and two much-hyped recent "indie" records, one I like plenty, the other one is trash.

Ben Allison: Action-Refraction (Palmetto) - Ben Allison is a refreshing character in jazz in many ways -- just listen to his recent interview on The Jazz Session with Jason Crane and you'll hear a modest, intelligent and thoughtful man with many interests and passions outside of the jazz norm. Musically, he has increasingly been incorporating elements of rock into his writing and playing, emphasizing on group interplay with subtle grooves, steady beats, and expanding upon simple melodic lines over flash and complex solos. So it makes sense that he would eventually take it upon himself to record an album with rock and r&b covers, which four out of the seven tunes here are, the other three Monk'a "Jacky-ing", a Samuel Barber song, and an Allison original. Action-Refraction reunites Allison guitaris Steve Cardenas, who has played with Allison since 2006' Cowboy Justice, and with the frim backbeat of Rudy Royston, JD Allen's drummer who also played on Allison's previous record, Think Free. Additional musicians are Brandon Seabrook on guitar, Michael Blake on tenor sax and bass clarinet, and Jason Lindner on keyboards. The Carpenter's tune "We've Only Just Begun" is given an interesting and successful arrangement, starting with Allison's jogging bass line circling the careful steps of the band, and then joining in at the bridge, lifting the song to a new level. Neil Young's "Philadelphia" and Donny Hathaway's "Some Day We'll All Be Free" are both beautiful, while PJ Harvey's "Missed", albeit played with a firmer groove, is played pretty much straight. Allison's sense of space and rhythm makes his Monk cover a success, too. 7/10*

Jim Black, Trevor Dunn, Oscar Noriega & Chris Speed: Endagnered Blood (Skirl) - Speaking of rock informed jazz, Trevor Dunn's solid bass lines here boom and rumble like few others', and pushes the double saxophone attack of Oscar Noriega and Chris Speed forward. Jim Black drumming floats over and under, as well as providing propulsion in conjunction with Dunn. Ben Ratliff of NYTimes recently wrote with Dunn in particular in mind "You were wondering where a rock aesthetic has improved jazz rather than compromising it? Here." Although I can certainly think of a few other jazzmen deserving of similar praise, particularly Adam Lane, it certainly fits Endangered Blood too. They also do one of the best Monk re-workings I've heard in quite a while. Powerful and exciting stuff. 8/10*

Honey Ear Trio: Steampunk Serenade (Foxhaven Records) - Several of my favorite jazz records of recent years have been sax, bass & drum trios. HET follow a similar path to one of those, The Fully Celebrated Orchestra, in taking a fairly minimalist approach, with saxophonist Eric Lawrence the most expressive, his full and rough sound at the front of most things HET do. That said, both drummer Allison Miller and bassist Rene Hart bring a lot to the table, informed by varied musical backgrounds -- Miller, for example, have played with people like Ani DiFranco and Marty Ehrlich. Hart focuses on the low end, at one point filtering his bass through a fuzz box. Miller's playing is flexible in terms of time, but can suddenly locks into grooves for propulsion, sometimes with the aid of electronics. But this isn't all heavy duty: the soft ebb and flow of the opener "Matter of Time" as well as a lovely cover of "Over the Rainbow" show they have a softer side to them. 8/10*

Jim Lundbom & Big Five Chord (Hot Cup) - Appropriately named, this band plays a lot of big chords. Produced by Mostly Other People Do the Killing master mind MAtthew "Moppa" Elliott, this is Lundbom's fourth record as a leader, as far as I kow, and only the second I've heard. Groovy, heavy swinging, rock infused jazz is the order of the day, the starting point is riffs from which altoist Jon Irabagon (also of MOPDtK fame) and tenor player Bryan Murray play swirling and skronking melodies. Mr. Elliott's relative restraint exemplifies BFC's approach, where in MOPDtK he alternatively plucks, slaps, walks and grooves, here he mostly sticks to the latter, laying down deep and heavy notes that underscore Lundbom's riffs. This is tough and headlong stuff, albeit perhaps at times a bit too chunky for it's own good.

Tune-Yards: W H O K I L L (4AD) - I won't bother with the typography of the band name, even if it in some way exemplifies Merrill Gerbus and her cohorts' music: sort of cut and paste. This is augmented by some guitar plucking here, sampled beats there, and the addition of new band member Nate Brenner's funky bass lines gives this record a fuller sound than the previous record, Bird Brains. Gerbus also has an impressive voice, but her vocal gymnastics and shrieks at times distract me from the lyrics, which is a shame. Still, there is a lot of playfulness resulting in some original and arresting music here. 7/10*

Fleet Foxes: Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop) - There's a lot of talk about how this is an ambitious record by main fox Robin Pecknold & co, but don't be fooled: this is basically made with the same template as their first: simple strum-strum folk tunes and harmonic vocals -- albeit cold rather than warm harmonies -- just with the added saxophone here and some strings there. It is style over substance, but a style which symbolizes "back to basics" or "back to nature", not to be confused with profound. Pecknold's dismissal in the title track of the uniqueness of the individual in place of being part of some big superstructure has been interpreted as both a fascist statement as well as a Christian one, but above all else it is just bad writing. As one who is not big on self-pity in art or life in general, I dreaded what the refrain would be. I was somewhat appeased when he had the sense to ask "what good is it to sing "Helplessness Blues?"" Sadly, he fails to convince me he has an answer, at lest on worth listening to. 4/10*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 18: Other Dimensions in Music feat. Fay Victor

2011-05-03T12:58:00.011+02:00

I've been slow getting these latest notes out, but I have at least jotted down a few and hope to post them during the week. First one out, Other Dimensions in Music.

Other Dimensions in Music feat. Fay Victor: Kaiso Stories (Silkheart) - Other Dimensions in Music first recorded in 1990. The core of the group have been Daniel Carter on alto and tenor saxes, flute and trumpet, Roy Campbell on trumpet, pocket trumpet, flügelhorn, and William Parker on bass plus various instruments, as well as Rashid Bakr on drums with, Hamid Drake taking over drum duties on a couple of tours. Matthew Shipp joined them on the live Times Is of the Essence Is Beyond Time (AUM Fidelity, 2000). Their music is apparently fully improvised, 'though you perhaps wouldn't realize that upon listening. And listening is the key to their interplay as well: the four men seem so attuned and attentive to what the others are doing, that even at its most ferocious moments, their music never breaks into sheer cacophony except for dramatic effect. They bring melodic lines out of each other, rather than contest for supremacy. William Parker knows his role in this setting, and sticks to it, concentrating on playing two, three or four note riffs or vamps with only the occasional shift in direction, providing both bottom and stability. Bakr's drumming is loose, and mirrors rhythmically what Carter and Campbell does melodically. At their best, when their imaginations and interplay really click -- as on 1998's Now (AUM Fidelity), a record I admittedly once may have underestimated -- ODiM create very enthralling music. On their new record, Kaiso Stories, they return to Silkheart, the Swedish label where they recorded their first record. The project is a collaboration with jazz vocalist Fay Victor, where they put music to various old kaiso -- a pre-calypso style -- lyrics. Victor's singing here is heavily accented, as one would expect in Caribbean music, and her voice is both powerful and slightly raspy. Her voice as well as her song melodies work very well with Carter and Campbell, who swirl around her lines without getting in her way. Parker provides a groovy bottom as well some push. Songs like "De Night A De Wake" snarls, while "Saltfish Refried" is much looser and lighter in tone. The lyrics are at times both angry and humorous, and political on a very human level. ODiM have conjured up some imaginative music to accompany these stories. Never stooping to jazz pastiches of calypso music, the album is instead free in spirit and purposeful in its execution, with hints of Western African and Caribbean rhythms and tones. A highly enjoyable record. 8*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

The JJA Jazz Awards 2011 Nominees - Some quick thoughts

2011-04-27T16:48:00.008+02:00

The 2011 JJA Jazz Awards nominees were announced earlier today. Not surprisingly, I have issues. The glaring omission of Adam Lane, who for my money should have at least been nominated in the "Recording of the Year", "Large Ensemble of the Year", and "Bassist of the Year", and possibly the composer and arranger categories as well. Below, the music categories, my picks in are in bold, some with added comments:

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN JAZZ

Jimmy Heath
Muhal Richard Abrams - Prime mover behind the formation of AACM, and has released a heap of great music for many years.
Paul Motian
Phil Woods
Wayne Shorter

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Esperanza Spalding
Jason Moran
Joe Lovano
Sonny Rollins
Vijay Iyer - Iyer's been around for a while, operating in several formats (the group Fieldwork is my favorite), and although I don't think his last record is anything near his best, I'd pick him over the rest of these, 'though my love for Sonny Rollins knows no bounds Moran will probably win it, 'though.

COMPOSER OF THE YEAR

Henry Threadgill - About time he gets his due. Overlooked great of modern jazz (I'll admit, I'm biased, seeing as I'm a huge Threadgill fan). Again, I'm guessing Moran will win this.
Jason Moran
John Hollenbeck
Maria Schneider

UP AND COMING ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ambrose Akinmusire
Darius Jones - One of the most exciting new musical acquaintances I've made in the last two years or so. Great solo debut from 2009, and his new duet album with Matthew Shipp is beautiful.
Gerald Clayton
Jon Irabagon

RECORDING OF THE YEAR

Apex - Rudresh Mahanthappa and Bunky Green (Pi Recordings)

The Art of the Improviser - Matthew Shipp (Thirsty Ear)

Bird Songs - Joe Lovano Us Five (Blue Note)

Mirror - Charles Lloyd Quartet (ECM)

Ten - Jason Moran (Blue Note)

Comment: Hard to pick one. Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra's Ashcan Rantings was my top record in 2010, by some distance, and none of my other top 10 jazz records of 2010 are in with a shout here. If I had to pick one, I guess I would go for Apex. I'm guessing Moran will win this, based on the consensus from 2010 polls.

HISTORICAL RECORDING, BOXED SET OR SINGLE CD REISSUE OF THE YEAR

Bitches Brew: 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition - Miles Davis (Columbia Legacy)

The Complete Ahmad Jamal Trio Argo Sessions 1952 - 62 - Ahmad Jamal Trio (Mosaic)

The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia, and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra - Duke Ellington (Mosaic)

The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air – Henry Threadgill & Air - Mosaic - No contest. The box set is chuck full of excellent jazz by one of its forgotten geniuses, as well as by one of the best jazz trios of all time. It contains two records I have rated as 10s -- Air's Air Lore and Threadgill Sextett's Rag Bush & All -- one 9, two 8s and none I rate below 7. Will Miles win this, 'though? I mean, just because it's Miles? (Cheap shot, I know.)

The Complete Revelation Sessions - John Carter and Bobby Bradford (Mosaic)

RECORD LABEL OF THE YEAR

Blue Note
Clean Feed - They continue to release exciting and challenging jazz records by artists from both sides of the Atlantic. Sadly, their best release from 2010, Adam Lane's Ashcan Rantings, is not represented anywhere else here.
ECM
Pi
Sunnyside

FEMALE SINGER OF THE YEAR

Cassandra Wilson
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Gretchen Parlato
Rebecca Martin
Roberta Gambarini

Comment: No picks here. Haven't heard a new record by any of these.

MALE SINGER OF THE YEAR

Bobby McFerrin
Freddy Cole
Giacomo Gates
Gregory Porter
Kurt Elling

LARGE ENSEMBLE OF THE YEAR

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Mingus Big Band
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

Comment: Again, it's a shame the have omitted Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra. Is it because they are only a recording band, and not a touring one? Darcy James Argue's Secret Society and John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble would both be decent picks, 'though.

SMALL ENSEMBLE OF THE YEAR

Charles Lloyd Quartet
Henry Threadgill Zooid - Mostly Other People Do the Killing should have been nominated, in my opinion, but they have time on their side. Zooid is a good pick.
Jason Moran and The Bandwagon
Joe Lovano Us Five
Wayne Shorter Quartet

ARRANGER OF THE YEAR

Bill Holman
Carla Bley
Darcy James Argue
David Weiss
Maria Schneider
Vince Mendoza

TRUMPETER OF THE YEAR

Ambrose Akinmusire
Dave Douglas
Jeremy Pelt
Nicholas Payton
Tom Harrell
Wynton Marsalis

Comment: Peter Evans for me, but he's not here. Nor is Taylor Ho Bynum. Dave Douglas it is, then.

TROMBONIST OF THE YEAR

Conrad Herwig
Roswell Rudd
Steve Davis
Steve Swell - Released the very good 5000 Poems with his group Slammin' the Infinate last year. On that basis alone, he's my pick.
Steve Turre
Wycliffe Gordon

TENOR SAXOPHONIST OF THE YEAR

Chris Potter
Joe Lovano
Jon Irabagon - What? No Ken Vandermark? Irabagon is great, 'though, and gets my pick. I like Malaby a lot too, and Sonny, of course.
Sonny Rollins
Tony Malaby
Wayne Shorter

ALTO SAXOPHONIST OF THE YEAR

Lee Konitz
Miguel Zenon
Ornette Coleman
Phil Woods
Rudresh Mahanthappa - Could've gone for Ornette, obviously, but even though he toured last year, I'll go for Mahanthappa, who played on two good albums released in 2010.
Steve Coleman

BARITONE SAXOPHONIST

Claire Daly
Gary Smulyan
James Carter
Joe Temperley
Scott Robinson

SOPRANO SAXOPHONIST OF THE YEAR

Dave Liebman
Evan Parker
Jane Bunnett
Jane Ira Bloom
Sam Newsome
Wayne Shorter

CLARINETIST OF THE YEAR

Anat Cohen
Ben Goldberg
Don Byron
Evan Christopher
James Falzone
Ken Peplowski

FLUTIST OF THE YEAR

Charles Lloyd
Henry Threadgill
Lew Tabackin
Mark Weinstein
Nicole Mitchell

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

Bill Frisell
Jim Hall
Marc Ribot
Mary Halvorson - Would've nominated Nels Cline, too, but Mary Halvorson is an exciting musician and composer.
Russell Malone

PIANIST OF THE YEAR

Fred Hersch
Geri Allen
Jason Moran
Kenny Barron
Matthew Shipp - Tough choice. Could go for Iyer, but I liked Shipp's last record a bit better than Iyer's.
Vijay Iyer

BASSIST OF THE YEAR

Charlie Haden
Christian McBride
Dave Holland
Ron Carter
William Parker - Parker is a giant of modern jazz, and an original bassist and composer, but sadly not very well known. I blame a by-and-large conservative jazz press, obsessed with heroes past and once great jazz labels like Blue Note. Haden, Holland and Carter have had their time. Would've nominated Adam Lane, myeslf. But you're probably sick of hearing this by now. "Moppa" Elliott of MOPDtK is another guy they could've looked to, as is Lisa Mezzacappa.

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

Eric Harland
Lewis Nash
Matt Wilson
Nasheet Waits - Would have nominated Mark Lomax and Mike Reed myself. Possibly MOPDtK's Kevin Shea, too, but his style is maybe too "out" for this poll.
Paul Motian
Roy Haynes

PERCUSSIONIST OF THE YEAR

Adam Rudolph
Bobby Sanabria
Cyro Baptista
Hamid Drake
Kahil El'Zabar

ORGANIST/KEYBOARDIST OF THE YEAR

Craig Taborn
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Gary Versace
Joey DeFrancesco
Larry Goldings

MALLET INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR

Gary Burton
Jason Adasiewicz
Joe Locke
Stefon Harris
Steve Nelson

Comment: I have no pick here.

VIOLINIST OF THE YEAR

Billy Bang - Sadly passed away recently, but mangaed to release the glorious Prayer for Peace last year.
Christian Howes
Jenny Scheinman
Mark Feldman
Regina Carter

PLAYER OF THE YEAR INSTRUMENTS RARE IN JAZZ

Bela Fleck, banjo
Fred Lonberg-Holm, cello - has been doing great work in several of Ken Vandermark's ensembles recently.
Howard Johnson, tuba
Rudi Mahall, bass clarinet
Scott Robinson, specialty brass and reeds
Toots Thielemans, harmonica

A special mention to Hank Shteamer for his nomination in the best Liner Notes category (for the Henry Threadgill box set).

R.I.P. Poly Styrene, Hazel Dickens & Phoebe Snow

2011-04-27T14:56:00.006+02:00

I haven't got much to say. Incredibly sad. Tom Hull has a good post up on his webpage, and also some nice words for Hazel Dickens and Phoebe Snow, who both recently passed away too.

Coming up!

2011-04-20T15:56:00.002+02:00

This place isn't dead, but I've been unlucky with my internet connection lately, only having a cell phone running on android to get by. I have Listening Booth notes on the new Ben Allison, Honey Ear Trio, Other Dimensions in Music & Fay Victor, Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord and a few others that I hope to post sometime early next week.

Until then, have a good Easter period and/or Passover.

R.I.P. Billy Bang

2011-04-12T15:32:00.011+02:00

I was truly saddened to learn that Billy Bang passed away yesterday, April 11th, 2011. Free jazz violinists don't grow on trees, but between him and Leroy Jenkins, some truly amazing music has been created. Ottowa Citizen has more. EDIT: Tom Hull has a mini CG and more links here. Post on npr's A Blog Supreme.

Billy Bang played on many great records, both as leader and with people like Sun Ra, William Parker, Kahil El'Zabar, Marilyn Crispel, William Hooker and Bootsy Collins to name a only a few. Below, some picks of my favorite Billy Bang recordings, off the top of my head and probably missing a few gems:

Billy Bang Quintet: Rainbow Gladiator (Soul Note, 1981)
Billy Bang Sextet: The Fire From Within (Soul Note, 1985)
Billy Bang: Bang On! (Justin Time, 1997)
Billy Bang: Vietnam: The Aftermath (Justin Time, 2001)
William Parker Violin Trio: Scrapbook (Thirsty Ear, 2003)
Sirone-Bang Ensemble: Configuration (Silkheart, 2005)
Billy Bang: Vietnam: Reflections (Justin Time, 2005)
Billy Bang Quintet feat. Frank Lowe: Above and Beyond: An Evening in Grand Rapids (Justin Time)

Never got a copy of Prayer for Peace, Bang's last record and one much praised by Tom Hull.

EDIT: Finally got a digital copy of Prayer... yesterday. Also, if this happens to be your first visit (thanks to Hull for the link), please note that my jazz library/list/grades haven't been properly updated in ages. Hoping to sort this out sooner rather than later.

EDIT 2: Thanks to Destination: Out!'s lovely Billy Bang farewell post, I came across the rare album Intensive Care, released under the group name Jazz Doctors in 1984, a one off project with Bang, Frank Lowe, drummer Dennis Charles and bassist Rafael Garrett. It's a highly well-played and enjoyable record that deserves a mention among those above (see my Jazz pages for grades).

Listening Booth, week 13: MOPDtK

2011-04-01T15:19:00.009+02:00

Mostly Other People Do the Killing: The Coimbra Concert (Clean Feed) - What MOPDtK do is not really deconsrtuc jazz history, but rather weave elements from across the board into a mesh that make them sound truly unique. Ragged rhythms and brassy timbres from New Orleans jazz, speedy bebop and post bop, skronky outbursts and sudden stops 'n' starts that point to both Monk and free jazz are melded together in a way that suggest both love for and defiance of conventions and traditions, and in turn proves great knowledge and grasp of jazz history. Live, though, deconstruction does happen. But not really of the jazz traditions as much as their own compositions. One tune will suddenly take a different turn not only by way of "regular" jazz improvisation as one would expect, but at any time any one of the group may take the opportunity to start quoting a different composition from their own repertoire, just as Sonny Rollins might have quoted a standard or a pop tune during one of his solos back in the day ('though MOPDtK do that kind of referencing here too). The opening track here is a case in point: at trumpeter Peter Evans' cue, the groovy "Drainlick" (from This Is Our Moosic) speeds up and turns into the splendidly heady "Shamokin!!!" (off the album of the same name) as he starts playing the lead melody from that tune. This certainly keeps their music fresh, and will surprise even those who know their compositions well. Maybe not as solid and concise as their studio recordings, but that is probably not the point. The Coimbra Concert is a highly entertaining, exciting and engaging nearly two hour long document of überjass from one of the best jazz groups today. Oh, and the cover photo is fantastic (nudge nidge)! (8/10)*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 12, 2011

2011-03-23T07:54:00.007+01:00

Freelance writing doesn't make for a good living these days, as you may know, especially when your main focus is jazz. My only real outlet on jazz have been non-profit magazines. And so, the economic situation isn't good. Add to that, I got some news yesterday regarding my academic prospects that left me totally deflated.

Now, this is not a personal blog, but I'm saying this because for the time being I'm not sure I'm in the mood to write much on these pages, even though I have things to say about Bob Geldof's rant at SXSW (the monoculture's been dead for decades, Bob) and the Smithsonian's new jazz anthology (have a listen to last week's NY Times popcast. EDIT: or read Ben Ratliff's excellent piece here, which draws in the Martin William's "curated" Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz (which I have, btw.)). Hopefully, things will sort themselves out, one way or the other, but until then expect no frequent updates (may add to the 2011-list, though). No words here, just grades.

The Baseball Project: Volume 2: High & Inside (Yep Rock) (7/10)*
Hayes Carll: KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) (Lost Highway) (7/10)*
Honey Ear Trio: Steampunk Serenade (Foxhaven Records) - Sax, bass, drums trio. Got this just recently. Sounds great, juxtaposes calmness and skronk, and it may benefit from more plays. (7/10)*
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Belong (Slumberland) (7/10) *
Lucinda Williams: Blessed (Lost Highways) - Picks: "Seing Black", "Convince Me" (6/10)*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Listening Booth, week 10, 2011

2011-03-10T12:14:00.006+01:00

Not a lot of words here, or records for that matter, but I wanted things to get going, so I'm posting this anyway.

Mike Watt & the Missingmen: Hyphenated-Man (Clenched Wrench/Original Recordings Group) - Mr. Watt apparently got the idea for this 30 song album (opera) from Hieronymus Bosch's famous painting/triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights. The songtitles refer to several of the strange figures in that work, who Watt takes to represent different aspects in his own life. These are short, snappy songs, linking the styles of Minutemen and Firehose -- the Missingmen is also a bass, guitar & drums trio. The bass is very much the primary driving force, and Watt delivers his associative words in his distinctive, rough voiced, sea-chanty style. As you'd expect, it's dynamic and jumpy, even if the barrage does make seem a bit samey towards the end. Picks of the bunch: the spikey "Belly-Stabbed-Man" and the mellow guitar-driven "Hollowed-Out-Man". (7/10)*

PJ Harvey: Let England Shake (Island) - Collaborating with both John Parish and Mick Harvey, this music is sparse in terms of instrumentation yet powerful in terms of impact. The autoharp is prominent throughout, which lends the music and eerie feel, and critique of war mongering politics is the overriding theme. Picks of the bunch: "The Words that Maketh Murder" & "The Colour of the Earth" (7/10) *

Drive-By Truckers: Go-Go Boots (ATO) - Murder ballads, DBT style. Pick: "Used to Be a Cop" (7/10)*
Jamaladeen Tacuma: For the Love of Ornette (Jam All Productions) - The most interesting electric bass player (and one of the best dressed gentlemen) in jazz since the mid 70s, Tacuma makes a convincing harmolodics inspired tribute to Ornette Coleman. Pick: "Tacuma Song" (6/10)*
Bright Eyes: The People's Key (Saddle Creek) - (6/10)*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

EMP Pop Conf. 2011 Links + bits

2011-03-01T13:25:00.005+01:00

The annual EMP Pop Conference took place this past weekend, much earlier in the year than it has done previously. I understand that Twitter has been the chosen arena for quick peaks into the goings on of the conference, but I try to stay far far from that place. Fortunately, Ned Raggett has posted longer notes from the weekend here, here and here.

Edit: Christgau has posted a report here.

A lot of thing has happened since I went vacationing a few weeks back, and generally spent as much time as possible offline. The Grammys, for example, but I'm not in the mood to write too much about that. I admire Spalding's talent, and I'm happy she won, but her music interests me very little - to me it's all chops, no substance. As for Arcade Fire, well theirs was easily my favorite album of the ones that were nominated.

Hoping to have a fresh Listening Booth up by early next week. Other than that, check out the recent links from the web, "Subject to Change", on the right hand column.

Listening Booth: Mario Pavone, Rodrigo Amado & more

2011-02-08T22:38:00.007+01:00

Started writing these a few weeks ago, but held the post back until I got to at least five write-ups. Sadly, things have prevented me from writing more here, and as I had hoped to put 2010 on the shelf come the end of January, I'll just post the ones I managed to write now, with a few more records below with only the (tentative) grades added. My apologies to both the artists and potential readers.

Mario Pavone Orange Double Tenor: Arc Suite t/pi t/po (Playscape Rec.) - Veteran bassist and composer Mario Pavone has a knack for writing twisting and twirling themes, but always with a solid sense of propulsion, most often provided by his own bass work. This time around he gets a lot of assistance from pianist Peter Madsen in that department. Long time associate Tony Malaby plays tenor and soprano, Jimmy Greene also plays tenor, and together with trumpet player Dave Ballou they explore the interwoven melodies. The always reliable Gerard Cleaver plays drums, while Steven Bernsein assists with slide trumpet on one track. The music is slightly jagged but equally sure footed and rhythmically engaging, 'though at times perhaps a bit too restrained. I was actually at more than one time reminded of some of the early George Russell compositions, perhaps because of some of the shared duties by the bass and the piano. Not quite as good as Deez To Blues or Ancestors (both on Playscape), but still enjoyable (6/10) *

Rodrigo Amado, Kent Kessler & Paal Nilsen-Love: The Abstract Truth (European Echoes, 2008) - A trio date with Kent Kessler on bass and Paal Nilsen-Love on drums, Amado playing tenor and baritone saxophone. With Kessler (Vandermark 5 and others) and Nilssen-Love you'll get both hard swing and some solid punch, which is exactly what they provide here, complementing Amado's deep sound, who swivels around the rough'n'tumble rhythms with gruffs, riffs or spurts of melodic ideas, every now and then slowing things down, which leaves us with some welcome breathers. The album is not very heavy on melodic themes, though, so some of the numbers seem to glide into the next, separated more by changes in tempo or mood than anything else. That said, the tough "Universe Unmasked" is a highlight, with deep, rumbeling bass vamps that release more driving sections, Amado huffing and puffing on baritone. (7/10)*

Rodrigo Amado, Taylor Ho Bynum, John Hébert & Gerald Cleaver: Searching For Adam (Not Two, 2010) - This quartet recording was apparently at least partly inspired New York and the traffic of cities. There is a lot of ebb and flow -- quiet and loud, organized and free -- in the music here, so that makes sense to me. Amado plays more melodically here, while Ho Bynum (trumpet) brings in the more abstract elements, as Hébert (bass) and Cleaver (drums) keeps things moving along nicely. (7/10)*

Note: Rodrigo Amado was recently a guest on Jason Crane's The Jazz Sessions. Go listen!

I also received a third release by Amado, Motion Trio (European Echoes, 2009), with Miguel Mira on cello and Gabriel Ferrandini on drums, but I have not gotten around to play it more than once yet, so I'll refrain from writing anything on it here.

Jason Adasiewicz with Mike Reed and Nate McBride: Sun Rooms (Delmark) 7 *

Chris Lightcap's Bigmouth: Deluxe (Clean Feed, 2010) 7

Lisa Mezzacappa Bait & Switch: What Is Known (Clean Feed, 2010) 7*

Mike Pride's From Bacteria to Boys: Betweenwhile (AUM Fidelity) 7 *

Jason Moran: Ten (Blue Note, 2010) 6*

Addendum: I've written a lot about the Moran record in various posts on the blog previously, and there's no point in repeating all of it. There is no doubting Moran's talent, I just happen to find his musical ideas and themes fairly uninteresting, especially here (I like Black Stars quite a lot, though). Also, though I don't hold the following against Moran, it deserves a mention: The fact that Tom Hull apparently got stick for not appreciating the record enough after the Village Voice Jazz Critics Poll was announced, which Ten won in a landslide, says a lot about the state of a section of the modern jazz audience as well. To them, Moran is the new leading star; the John Coltrane or Miles Davis of his generation. Fact is, though, jazz was never just about Coltrane or Davis. It was and will always be much, much more than those two, just as the jazz of 2010 was much more than Moran.

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, though quite often a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Pazz & Jop 2010

2011-01-19T07:48:00.003+01:00

The results for The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics poll have just been posted. This year, not very surprsingly won, in a landslide victory, by Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. A quick count reveals that eight of the top 10 are on my own year-end list, even if not all of them are very high on said list, which has to be a record of some sorts. The highest placed jazz record is Mary Halvorson's Saturn Signs at 135.

Catching up with last year's records: William Hooker's Earth's Orbit

2011-01-10T18:07:00.010+01:00

Inspired by various year end lists ,as well as some late purchases/arrivals, I've be assessing and/or reassessing some records from last year. More will be posted in the coming days.

William Hooker: Earth's Orbit (NoBusiness) - A limited edition double LP, the first of which, "Bliss (East)", is a live recording with Adam Lane on bass and Darius Jones on alto from The Stone in New York. "Bliss (East)" is groovy, freewheeling jazz, where Hooker's wonderfully skitting drums is pushed along by Lane's deep and rumbeling bass, while Jones honks and screams on top. They mix the heady with mellower parrts, which adds dynamics, and Lane's knack for a groove plus Jones bluesy tone give the music some focus between and during the more rip-roaring parts. Highly exciting set, slightly reminicent of Charles Gayle's great Touchin' On Trane. The secod part, "Bliss (West)", is a live quartet set recorded in San Fransisco with Aaron Bennett on tenor, Weasel Walter on guitar, and Damon Smith on bass. It leans more towards free improvisation, with plenty of skronk provided by both the sax player, the guitarist as well as some bowed bass. In between, they slip into some sludgy noir-like bluesy parts, and with Hooker shouting from behind his kit. "Bliss (West)" is the less engaging of the two sets (I'd say "Bliss (East)" is even close to an 8) but not without it's charms and exciting parts. As a whole, though, Earth's Orbit showcases Hooker as an inventive and lively drummer, playing in two different set-ups with slightly different outcomes, but still keeping an artistic unity which works very well over the space of two vinyl LPs. (7/10)*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, sometimes a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Tom Moon and Don Was on Liner Notes

2011-01-06T23:37:00.004+01:00

"When somebody downloads an album from most places on the Internet, what they get is a file containing fairly decent digital representation of the music and a tiny image of the front cover. For those who come to music to expand their horitons, it’s essentially a dead-end. More than that, the absence of information sends a signal: The folks who were involved in the creation of this work are relatively meaningless, just a shade more important to the end-user than the factory worker who bolted the player together. "

Go read the thing! Liner notes provide more than fodder for fact geeks. More importantly, they provide info on who made/provided what on a given record, and can point those interested in the direction of these other musicians' work, should they be so inclined. Which we often are. Of course, a lot of information on recordings is available online nowadays, on Wikipedia, discography pages and so on, but when you buy a physical record, most of this info comes with the package. Downloading files, in order to get this information, you'll have to do exstra work.

2010 Voice Jazz Poll - Moran the same

2010-12-29T17:25:00.011+01:00

The 2010 Voice Jazz Poll just went online, not surprisingly won by Jason Moran's well made, but not terribly exciting Ten (and I stand by my claim that the Monk cover is not very good at all). I find the choice a bit uninspired, but there you go. Nice to see Mary Halvorson, Henry Threadgill, Nels Cline and Mostly Other People do the Killing among the top 50, and Threadgill deservedly won best reissue.

Very disappointed, 'though, that Adam Lane's wonderful Ashcan Rantings nor Mark Lomax Trio's bluesy-and-kicking The State of Black America are not on the list at all. Was Tom Hull the only one voting for them? Lane's record was released late in the year (in November, if I remember correctly), so that may have played a part, and both his and Lomax's are on failry small labels and may have limited review copies available, but surely records as good as these must have been picked up by a few others ("go buy a copy, you tight ass") and my disapointment stands nevertheless (naturally, differences in taste come into play as well. I'm just being a bit of an ass here to get my feelings accross). I guess it is up to mr. Hull and myself to continue to spread the word about these two very good records.

EDIT: just got around to the individual ballots, and both Troy Collins and Jeff Stockton have Ashcan... in their top 10s, Ludwig van Trikt have Lomax' as his third favorite of 2010.

Comments on the year in jazz by Tom Hull can be accessed here, and his thoughts on the poll itself here. Good comments regarding review copies, or "who gets what", and we seem to be on the same page re: Moran. Some of his older records are very good indeed.

Everybody else is doing it... Jazz faves of 2010

2010-12-21T10:30:00.011+01:00

I've been reluctant to post this now, as I often am, since I still feel there are a few more records to cover. This year, more than the previous five or so years, I've also not been able to hear a handful of well received albums that I suspect might have had an impact on the list.

In a few cases, such as William Hooker's Earth's Orbit (NoBussiness) - which also has contributions from Adam Lane and Darius Jones, who ended up topping this year's and last year's lists respectively - the albums have been exclusively available as vinyl only imports. The same goes for Jason Ajemian's Protest Heaven (482 Music), much praised by Stef Gijssels. I'm very much pro-vinyl, but it makes it difficult for jazz writers like me to get a listen (copies have been ordered, but will probably not arrive until well into the new year). Another one I am yet to hear is Billy Bang's Prayer For Peace, which Tom Hull has as his number one pick. I've not been able to find it on eMusic, which I rely on for a good percentage of new jazz, nor on iTunes or any of the streaming sites available to me. I am currently not on TUM's mailing list, either, so ... (EDIT April, 2011: Got the Bang record just after his passing. It would certainly make a push for a top 5 spot. Still, I'll let the list below stand as published).

I have, 'though, been spinning a few of records that have popped up on various year-end lists here and there, such as Jason Moran's Ten (Blue Note), but none of them have impressed me in any particular way. The Moran record seems to be a hot tip for consensus jazz album of the year, but apart from a promising first few tracks, to me the bop-derived albeit modern sounding music on the album seems too safe, and Moran over plays at times, especially on the (failed, in my ears) Monk cover "Crepuscule With Nelly". For Monk interpretations, I have more faith in the more humor friendly and angular approach of The Microscopis Septet, whose new record of Monk tunes, Friday the 13th (Cuniform), is another one I'm yet to hear.

Anyway, complaining about the records I haven't gotten around to is useless, so here is a list of the jazz records I have been able to hear, "won", as it were, by a record of vibrant post-Mingus jazz (even Ellingtonian at times) filtered through Loft Jazz and informed by avant-rock, full of both powerful and beautiful music: Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra's Ashcan Rantings.

Adam Lane: Ashcan Rantings (Clean Feed)
The Mark Lomax Trio: The State of Black America (Inarhyme Records)
Mostly Other People Do the Killing: Forty Fort (Hot Cup)
Dual Identity (Rudresh Mahanthappa & Steve Lehman): Dual Identity (Clean Feed)
Angles: Epileptical West - Live in Coimbra (Clean Feed)
Wadada Leo Smith & Ed Blackwell: The Blue Mountain (Kabell, rec. 1986)
David S. Ware: Onecept (Aum Fidelity)
Mike Reed's Loose Assembly: Empathetic Parts (482)
The Nels Cline Singers: Initiate (Cryptogramophone)
Henry Threadgill's Zooid: This Brings Us To, vol. 2 (Pi Recordings)

Ten more:

Mary Halvorson Trio & Quintet: Saturn Sings (Firehouse 12)
Mike Reed's People, Places & Things: Stories and Negotiations (482)
Vandermark 5 Special Edition: The Horse Jumps & The Ship Is Gone (Not Two)
Jon Irabagon: Foxy (Hot Cup!)
Steve Swell Slammin' the Infinite: 5000 Poems (Not Two)
Henry Grimes & Rashied Ali: Spirits Aloft (Porter)
Zanussi Five: Ghost Dance (Moseróbie)
Rudresh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green: Apex (Pi Recordings)
Juxtaposed: Tsar Bomba (Bolage)
Tarbaby: The End Of Fear (Posi-Tone Records)

Edit (Dec. 29th, 20109:

I did not add a list of reissues when I wrote this, and as I don't have a reasonably good overview in front of me as I write this addition, I won' t attempt to make one ('though, I know Air's Air Raid and Marion Brown's Why Not? is on the list on the 2010 section of the blog). Still, I'd be surprised if any reissue could topple the Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air box set released by Mosaic. Threadgill was, and still is, one of the most exciting and original jazz composers of the past 35 or so years -- not to mention a terrific sax player -- and both his Sextet(t) and not least Air with Fred Hopkins and Steve McCall were among the best and most exciting groups during that same time frame. Add to that statement the fact that I regard both Air's Air Lore and the Sextet recording Rag, Bush and All, both included in the set, as solid 10s (or A+, if you are so inclined), and that all of the other albums on here are interesting and exciting, and most of them highly engaging and original to boot, both in terms of composition and execution, my reasons for naming it my fave reissue of 2010 should be clear. If there is one draw back to the set, it would be the the orignal albums are spilt between discs, meaning one half of a record may appear on one disc, the other half on another, with the first few tracks of a second album following. Since I own the ones I truly treassure on original vinyls and/or CDs, this is not a big issue with me. But other listeners may want to program their CD players (or import the discs to iTunes or similar and spilt them into their respective albums there) to get the record by record listening experience.

My smile is stuck, I cannot go back to your frownland.

2010-12-17T23:59:00.000+01:00

R.I.P. Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart

A quick glance at JJA's year-end bonanza

2010-12-05T14:12:00.005+01:00

The Jazz Journalists Association webpage have invited their members to post year-end lists in their blog section (late November, early December is always too early for me to finalize a list, for various reasons, but mostly because I use the first weeks of December to catch up.)

The lists point in all different directions, which makes consensus less of a given, but on the plus side it suggests that writers out there are able to spread the word about most every strain of what we know as jazz (whether they are any good at backing up their "likes" in writing, I can't say. I've only read a few, from what I can recall.) Still, only a few of the lists have piqued my interest beynd glancing through, mostly because they contain a few or more touch-stone releases (e.g. MOPDtK, Mary Halvorson, David S. Ware or others), which suggests that our tastes may be similar enough for me to happily check out or reassess whatever else is on their respective lists (most interesting so far: Geoffrey Himes, Laurence Donohue-Greene, Gordon Marshall (still aching to hear that William Hooker record. Wish they would make some mp3s available, as the price is too steep for me to import it myself, at the time of writing), and Tim Duroche.

That said, I usually take time to listen to as many of the albums as possible, especially if they recieve multiple mentions, even if some of the choices initially may seem uninspired to me (based on my biases, that is.) Jason Moran's new record is listed plenty of times, and I've given it a quick spin (first impression: OK, nothing more. Messes up a Monk tune big time.) Another record that pops up more than a couple of times is the Ruresh Muhanthappa & Bunky Green album, which I've written about already. Fine record though it is, the "up-and-coming youngster teaming up with rediscovered forgotten older statesman" formula certainly seems like it could win you extra votes, no matter how the record actually sounds (again, based on my biases.)

Anyway, I hope to have a Listening Booth ready in a couple of weeks, containing some of the records I've been able to pick up from these lists (mostly, by using Spotify, WiMP or other streaming sources) as well as other things (for example, I came to Mike Reed's Loose Assembly's Empathetic Parts a bit late, but it does sound very good indeed.)

Kanye receives plaudits

2010-11-22T14:22:00.005+01:00

Full score for Kanye's latest opus at Pop Matters, P'fork and Rolling Stone. The P'fork write-up spends too much space delving into the backstories that may or may not have had an impact on the creative process, and way too little on the album itself. The other two work better: the PopMatters review, among other things, discusses the filmatic aspect of the record, while Rob Sheffield in Rolling Stone inevitably -- but perhaps fittingly -- calls it a "rock-star manifesto". But I take issue with this excerpt:

"Nobody else is making music this daring and weird"

If I were nice, I'd call it hyperbole. In reality, though, it's just plain wrong, and doesn't serve the review well. A truer statement, if one really needs to include it, would be "Nobody this popular is making popular sounding music this daring and weird."

Sometimes, no matter how excited you may be, holding back a bit just makes more sense.

Recents updates

2010-11-19T23:27:00.003+01:00

I've just added the five most recent articles that I've contributed to FAN Fanzine on the Norwegian section of the blog. These are fairly short pieces on Mike Reed, Nels Cline, Bill Dixon, Mike Watt and Minutemen, and David S. Ware. No versions in English, I'm afraid.

Quick Notes

2010-11-09T11:17:00.004+01:00

Updated the "best of" 2010 list this weekend. Nothing much, but some tweaks and a couple of new records added. Here are the (tentative) grades of the new additions (no write-ups this time around. I'm sorry):

No Age: Everything In Between (Sub Pop) 8
Eskmo: Eskmo (Ninja Tune) 7
Steve Reich: Double Sextet/2x5 (Nonesuch) 7
Of Montreal: False Priest (Polyvinyl) 7
Taylor Swift: Speak Now (Big Machine) 7

Also, I want to remind any visitor to have a look on the "Subject to Change" links section on the sidebar, which I update regularly even if there may not be any new posts on the blog. Most recently, William Parker guests Jason Crane's The Jazz Session. And an interview with David S. Ware to come on Thursday. Looking like a very good week, Mr. Crane.

Quickfire Perfect Sounds Listening Booth: Fall 2010, vol. 3

2010-10-29T11:00:00.004+02:00

Rock/pop/other:

Superchunk: Majesty Shredding (Merge) & The Thermals: Personal Life (Kill Rock Stars) - Superchunk and the Thermals seem like kindred spirits to me. Both play energetic heart-on-sleeve and punky music when the "indie" landscape otherwise have seemed to prefer a slightly slower pace and emotional disengagement ('though you'll be able to find other artists with similar knacks in both cases -- Sebadoh in the 90s and Titus Andronicus spring to mind). The Thermals made a very good album with 2006 The Body, the Blood, the Machine, while in Superchunk's case the pick hit is their early comp Tossing Seeds, which contains the brilliant "Slack Motherfucker". Both of their respective new albums are stocked with fuzzy power-popish tunes: Superchunk's is buzzing and sprightly, while The Thermals have eased up their politics (which were more eloquently put than most others) as well as slowing down the pace somewhat. Both records also have one killer tune each, Superchunk's "Digging for Something", and The Thermals' "I Don't Believe You" (7/10 & 6/10)*

The So So Glos: Low Back Chain Shift EP (Green Owl) - Tourism/Terrorism was a spunky, loose-knit garage punk record that mixed tales of affections for ones neighborhood with disbeleif in political descisions to great effect. On this EP, they're less overtly political, and their sound is cleaner and fuller -- e.g. the addition saxophone and piano on the jumpy "Lindy Hop" (7/10)*

The Books: The Way Out (Temporary Residence) - (7/10)
Bottomless Pit: Blood Under the Bridge (Comedy Minus One) (7/10)
El Guincho: Pop Negro (Young Turks) (7/10)
Johnny & Jenny: I'm Having Fun Now (Warner Bros.) (7/10)
The Corin Tucker Band: 1,000 Years (Kill Rock Stars) (6/10)
Neil Young: Les Noise (Warner Bros.) (6/10)

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, sometimes a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Work in Progress

2010-10-26T15:24:00.006+02:00

I have been doing some tinkering with the layout of Prefect Sounds, as you may have noticed, trying to optimize readability (the previous layout, which you can still find on the other PS pages, was a bit too white and I felt it put too much strain on the eyes to look at for more than a few minutes at a time) as well as giving some prominence to the links in the sidebar. I'm still not fully satisfied -- the header is still not right -- so there may be a few hick-ups in the upcoming week or so. Any comments are welcome.

Marion Brown, R.I.P.

2010-10-19T13:19:00.005+02:00

Just learned that altoist Marion Brown passed away on Oct. 10th last week. One of the (many, admittedly) forgotten men of the 60s avant garde/New Thing movement, he is perhaps best know for having played on Archie Shepp's Fire Music (1965) and Attica Blues (1972), as well as John Coltrane's Ascension (1965. All on Impulse!), but he had a substantial career as a leader, too. Though as with so much important avant garde jazz from the late 60s, 70s and onwards, the recordings are hard to come by. His very fine album Why Not?, recorded for ESP in 1966 with such notables as Rashied Ali on drums, Sirone on bass, and Stanley Cowell on piano, has just recently been re-released on CD, and is well worth checking out. The only other records that seem to be in print is his debut, Three For Shepp (Impulse!), an ECM release with Anthony Braxton, among others, and Offering from 1993.

Clifford Allen has posted an interview with Marion Brown on his blog, and there is also an interview form 2003 on All About Jazz.

Edit: WKCR are currently having a 24 hour memorial broadcast in Marion's honor.

Perfect Sounds Listening Booth: Fall 2010 vol. 2

2010-10-18T14:20:00.005+02:00

A few more records, this time jazz and hip hop. More rock and related later in the week.

Jazz & related:

Jon Irabagon: Foxy (Hot Cup) - Sure, the cover is a tacky if slightly funny take on Sonny Rollins' Way Out West, and the fact that most of the song titles have variations of -xy endings makes this seem a bit gimmicky, particularly when you consider that instead of the 12 tracks named, the album is in fact one long and quite hectic improvisation, only separated by slight changes in themes or temper, and often quite subtle changes at that. But it's the music that counts, and this is a loud, rumbling set of free rolling post bop. Irabagon blows all the way through the set, moving between short melodic bursts and cry outs. Given his free spirited wailings, it is perhaps no surprise that bassist Peter Brendler plays more conservatively than Moppa Elliott from Mostly Other People Do the Killing, the group Irabagon is perhaps best known from, though Brendler's bass booms with the best of them now and then. 67 year old semi-legendary drummer Barry Altschul provides skitting rhythms and keeps the trio moving. The music here is very impressive at times, but themes tend to be lost ones they are stated, replaced by non-linear blow outs rather than varitions of the themes. It is a trick I can appreciate greatly - note e.g. Charles Gayle & cos terrific Touchin' On Trane - but at a single piece at album length, the music gets a bit one paced and can lose a bit of dynamism that way. (7/10)*

Rudesh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green: Apex (Pi Recordings) - Altoist Bunky Green had a short stint with Charles Mingus' live band ca. 1960 (can't find a credit on any Mingus record that I recall), brought in to replace Jackie McClean. Left shortly after and moved from NY to Chicago, but had only passing contact with the city's AACM movement. Recorded a few records as a leader in the 60s, a couple in the late 70s, and a few more in the 80s, before moving to Florida on to teach music, only resurfacing on record around 2006. His 60s records were fairly straight ahead post bop, not too gruff and informed by a pop sensibility, marked by Green's clean alto sound and only occasionally hinting at more avant garde territories, while his later efforts have been credited as foreshadowing the M-base sounds of Steve Coleman et al. Green's new record Apex, a collaboration with fellow altoist Rudesh Mahanthappa, takes more risks than I think his previous output have done. Sprightly, mostly very fast and inspired hard bop, with great interplay between the two altoists, taking turns at leaping solos as well as tricky, interwoven melodic themes. Only having access to a digital copy of the album at the moment, I have no idea who the composers of the respective tunes are, though having heard some of Green's past material and knowing Mahanthappa's records fairly well, I'd bet Green has discovered a newfound fondness for experimentation from his younger acolyte. The hard driving band has such mainstream stars as pianist Jason Moran and Jack DeJonette, who takes turns with Damion Reid on the drums (again, not been able to tell on which tracks), with long time Mahanthappa collaborator Francois Moutin on bass. This may have potential beyond this initaial grade. (7/10)*

Henry Grimes & Rashied Ali: Spirits Aloft (Porter Records) - A live duo recording by two elder statesmen of the avant garde. The often primitive sounding Grimes switches between violin and the upright bass he is known for, plucking and bowing. Ali's skitting and occasionally funky drumming moves purposefully over and under Grimes' almost tentative but increasingly assertive bass lines, and the interplay between the two is enjoyable. This is sparse free jazz, but quite enganging at that. (7/10)*

Mary Halvorson Trio & Quintet: Saturn Sings (Firehouse 12) - Tricky, subtle, noodeling guitar lines, offset by the occasional fuzzy riff, and nicely balanced by a nimble but laid back rhtyhm section. This time, Halvorson moves from a trio to a quintet format on about half of the album's ten tracks, without losing her knack for weaving and intricate melodies. (7/10)*

Mixtapes: So much good hip hop today is released as downloadable mixtapes only. This is not an easy landscape to find your way in, so I tend to consult Southern Hospitality and Jaywalkers, among others, for guidance. These are three of the most interesting I've been able to hear.

OFWGKTA: Radical (Odd Future) - Bratty young'uns with a wicked sense of humor and a penchant for odd sounds. Sure, the subject matters, where they are decipherable, seem dumb at times, but so did the Angry Samoans'. Like them, they seem fully aware of their childish hang-ups, and exploit them for effect. Tyler the Creator's deep voice over off-kilter soundscapes conjure up some of the best weirdo hip hop this side of Old Dirty, Kool Keith and MF Doom. (7/10)*
Young Gully: The Graant Station Project - GSP recalls jazz tinged 90s hip hop in the best possible sense. Steady flow over mostly laid back beats, barring the "Revolution Will Not Be Televised"-sampled fight song named "Peace", oddly enough. (7/10)*
Wacka Flocka Flame: Flockaveli - The most gangsta, and probably convetional, sounding of these three. Synth heavy, booming hip hop. Wacka a hang-up with guns and money, but he sounds convincing in his role, and his husky rapping and the threatening soundscape makes it a worthwhile listen. (7/10)*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, sometimes a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Perfect Sounds Listening Booth, Fall 2010: Adam Lane

2010-10-11T11:01:00.011+02:00

Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra: Ascan Rantings (Clean Feed, 2010) - Adam Lane's talents as a distinctive bassplayer, composer and bandlander continue to shine on Ashcan Rantings. While the speed and agility of the music Lane has played in nimbler, smaller ensembles has always been full of excitement, the full punch and power of his compositions came into fruition on his previous record with the Full Throttle Orchestra, New Magical Kingdom, a brash and joyfull record by a little big band that seemingly took it's cues from Charles Mingus and David Murray's Octet while at the same time being spurred on by an affinity for the noisier realms of rock. At least half of the ten compostitions on Ashcan Rantings have appeared on previous Adam Lane related albums. The ominous title track, for example, was a highlight on the 4 Corners album from 2007 that Lane recorded with Ken Vandermark, Paal Nilsen Love and Magnus Broo, but appears here in a more fully formed version. The band on Ashcan ..., an octet consisting of several up-and-coming players -- such as trumpet player Tylor Ho Bynum -- sounds great; full bodied yet loose, with the man himself leading from the center with assertive basslines. While the music here shares the energy and confidence, as well as the occasional excursions into skronkier territories that was typical of much of New Magical Kingdom -- as for example in "Nine Man Morris" and the playful "House of Elegant" -- the compositions and arrangements are now more lush and expansive than before. Ashcan Rantings is just as fierce and lively as it's predecessor, but it is also much more than that. Listening to songs such as the closing "Bright Star Calypso", you realize that it is also at times very, very beautiful. (8/10) * (Reassesed grade as of Dec. 1st, 2010 9/10).

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, sometimes a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Note: the write-up has been slightly corrected and edited for clarity since it was first posted.

Involuntary hiatus

2010-09-27T14:54:00.003+02:00

Being on the road plus a spell of illness have meant little to zero updates here. Things will pick up. In the meantime, I have updated the "recent links" with things around the net I deem worth a read under the Subject to Change column to your right.

Back soon.

SR & OC

2010-09-14T19:00:00.007+02:00

Sonny Rollins created a piano-less trio, and freed his soloing. Ornette Coleman created a piano-less quartet, and freed up not justhimself, but the rest of the band too. Seems appropriate that they should team up for Rollins' 80th birthday concert. The recording isn't the greatest, but it's a whole lot better than nothing at all.

Henry Threadgill Mosaic Box Set update

2010-09-08T17:44:00.003+02:00

Image from Mosaicrecords.com

Just received notification from Mosaic that the Henry Threadgill box set Complete Nvus/Columbia Recordings is now available for pre order, though its official release is at the end of September.

Quickfire Perfect Sounds Listening Booth: Summer 2010

2010-09-07T17:07:00.003+02:00

A few of the records that have been "processed" over the summer. By and large without comments this time around, and mostly for my own need to keep the score, so to speak, but thought I'd post them here anyway.

Big Boi: Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (Def Jam) - Big, boisterous, confident, but also funny, charming, quirky and just that little taste of "avant" weirdness that the old OutKast records have always had. 8

Les Savy Fav: Root For Ruin (Frenchkiss) - They have that rare knack for creating catchy, hard hitting, slightly abrasive and joyously noisy avant-punk, while remaining emotionally engaged, and convincingly so, in their increasingly well written tunes. 7

Dual Identity (Rudresh Mahanthappa & Steve Lehman): Dual Identity (Clean Feed) 8
Arcade Fire: The Suburbs (Merge) 8
Pierre de Gaillande: Bad Reputation: Pierre de Gaillande Sings Georges Brassens (Barbes Records) 7
Pernice Brothers: Goodbye Killer (Ashmont Records) 7
Daniel Carter: The Perfect Blue (Not Two) 7
The-Dream: Love King (Def Jam) 7
The Eastern Seaboard: The Sound Power (Black Saint) 7
Tokyo Police Club: Champ (Mom & Pop) 7
David Karsten Daniels & Fight the Big Bull: I Mean To Live Here Still (Fat Cat) 6

* The grades are tentative and may be subject to change, and unless backed by a review of sorts, should only be considered as a means for me to map out the releases.

Back In the Saddle - summer recap, Øya and Oslo Jazz

2010-09-03T02:05:00.010+02:00

Photo by Chris Monsen (c)

An eventfull summer, involving a long but lovely coastal drive, a couple of music festivals and involvement with the release of ENO, Norway's first music mag proper for quite some time (who said printed arts journalism was dead?) is (mostly) behind me. Hopefully, this space will be updated on a more regular basis from now on. I have, however, in addition to having seen quite a bit of live music, been able to catch up on some recent album releases, both jazz and non-jazz, meaning the 2010 list may see a facelift in the upcoming days.

Øya 2010 was one thing (many good to great gigs - none mentioned, none forgotten), but two of the most anticipated concerts of the summer were Ornette Coleman and Mostly Other People Do the Killing, who both played during this year's Oslo Jazz Festival (as did Charles Gayle and Archie Shepp, both of whom I missed).

Ornette Coleman brought long time associate Tony Falanga on double bass, and son Denardo Coleman on drums, together with Al McDowell on electric bass. Playing on the main stage of Oslo's (fairly new) Opera, the sound was impeccable, as one would hope from any new opera house. This meant that Falanga's arco work was more clear and audiable than I've experienced before (this was the fourth time I've seen Falanga with Coleman). Since the group have recently dropped the second double bass player, Falanga played more riffs and walks than he has done previously, and locks into grooves more often than Gerg Cohen and Charnett Moffett - who played on previous tours - used to do. McDowell's bass playing almost doubles as an electric guitar, tending to stay up on the register, but he also brings in the feel of Ornette's 70s electrified groups. Denardo bashed on the drums, in contrast to many of his father's often quiet if forceful melodic bursts, much to the annoyance of some I've since talked to. Though I remind them that Ornette have often had juxtaposed elements in his music. Of the tunes they played, many of which were culled from Ornette's late 50s early 60s records, another new rendition of "Sleep Talk(ing)", a cracking "Blues Connotation", and the closing "Lonely Woman" were just a few of the highlights.

Mostly Other People Do the Killing played their rip-roaring fireball of über jazz to a much smaller, but no less enthusiastic audience the following Saturday. Their ability to both channel, deconstruct and reinterpret the jazz canon in their own idiosyncratic way is made even more clear as they take exactly the same route with their own material -- they quoted some five or six of their own tunes during their first piece of the night, without losing track of where they were headed. MOPDtK sure are a bundle of energy and humor, and drmmer Kevin Shea in particular is bringing back jazz shtick -- at one point a "tussle" with one of his cymbals during an imrpovisation ended with him using it as a stearing wheel behind his drum kit. You know, Monk used to get up and dance during gigs. A great band, both live and on record.

Xgau's Consumer Guide & Molde Jazz '10

2010-07-19T09:56:00.008+02:00

The more observant of you may have noticed that I've put up a section on the right hand bar of this blog called "Subject to Change". The idea was (and is ) to post links to things that I find worth reading, but don't feel the need (or the time) to comment on myself.

At the top of that section as of now, is a link to Tom Hull's comments regarding the demise of Robert Christgau's Consumer Guide, which I do feel the need to say something about myself.

The influence of Christgau's CG can be felt on several planes. His great writing - joyful celebrations of the art form as well as acerbic put downs and the in-betweens - has inspired me and others to try to reach for a higher level of how to write and think about music, especially in how to convey those thoughts to others. And Christgau could unfold the essence of a record using fewer, but more telling, words than most. His immense appetite for music has meant that he has discovered more gems than most other critics, which has certainly also meant sifting through hours of crap. With the CG, he had an opportunity to cover more of that music in writing per month than any other critic.

Much of the above has been said by many commentators allready. But what has perhaps been his biggest influence on me has only been mentioned in passing or by extention by others.

Christgau crystalized the idea that music communicates - implicitly and/or explicitly - attitudes, values, ideas and emotions, and the question becomes not only what those qualities are, and if or how they resonate, but also how they are communicated. No one "genre" has the monopoly on the attitudes and ideas I find valuable (even if, at first glance, some may seem better equipped to convay them more than others, or certain "genres" seem to have more of one attitude or value than the next). That is the reason I more often than not have tended to agree with Christgau's accessments: because our world views are similar. Sure there have been disagreements, as there should be if you're an autonomous being, but these disagreements have just as often as not tended to regard how well or not I've thought the above mentioned qualities have been communicated more than what was valuable in the first place.

--------------------------------------------------

On a different note, Molde Jazz 2010 kicks off today, and for the first time since setting up this blog I won't be in attendance. This is partly because of practical reasons, but also that barring Sonny Rollins and the Brötzmann/Kondo/Pupillo/Nilssen-Love project Hairy Bones, there really wasn't much that tickled my fancy. Instead, I hope to bring extended coverage of Oslo Jazz Festival in August, which has a great line up this year with Ornette Coleman, Mostly Other People Do the Killing, Charles Gayle and Archie Shepp among the highlights.

R.I.P. Fred Anderson

2010-06-25T12:26:00.003+02:00

R.I.P. Bill Dixon

2010-06-17T20:15:00.003+02:00

Sad to hear Bill Dixon passed away yesterday, June 16th, apparently after long time illness, which has not prevented him from making music: His last album, Tapestries For Small Orchestra, came out as recently as late last year. Stumbled accross the clip below, which was record during his residency with Firehouse 12 (the label that released Tapestries...).

JJA Jazz Awards 2010 - a comment

2010-06-15T17:59:00.008+02:00

The 2010 JJA Jazz Awards took place last night. You can see the full list of winners and nominees here.

Many congrats to Vijay Iyer, who won the award for musician of the year. Well deserved recognition for a guy who contines to deliver exciting and fresh music. I must say, though, that some of the picks seem totally uninspired to me.

It may just be a simple matter of taste, of course, but when the consensus is that a safe (but rather dull) Joe Lovano record is the pick of the bunch in a year when there were plenty of really good jazz records - many of which released by fairly young artists - you'll have to question whether the majority of the voters have bothered to look beyond name recogniton when they checked out new records. Or it may simply be that their tastes are too damn conservative. Yes, I've been on that horse before. To me, part of the joy and excitement of jazz is a willingness to experiment, try new things, twist'n'turn and look at things a bit differently, seek new paths, whether indivudual voices or the structures of jazz music itself. After all, that has been a large part of the history of jazz. When did those qualities stop being important?

The "Bassist of the Year" category is a case in point. Won by Dave Holland (63) - who admittedly still delivers from time to time but is still a pretty safe pick - and where only Christian McBride of those nominated is under the age of 50 - Ron Carter (73), Charlie Haden (72, bless him), John Patitucci (51) filling the other spots. None of them can really be said to be particularly adventurous these days either. Where are the Adam Lanes and the "Moppa" Elliotts? William Parker (who is over 50, but is more experimental than those nominated), Joe Morris, Ben Allison, Hilliard Greene or Linda Oh? I could go on.

I may do a rundown of the categories later this week if I feel like it. Allthough I disagree with a good few of the picks and nominees, others were not too shabby. To close this post, though, I want to congratulate Nate Chinen on winning the Helen Dance-Robert Palemer Award for Review and Feature Writing. Chinen is a seeker, and kudos to him for that.

Vision Festival XV

2010-06-13T17:04:00.003+02:00

This year's Vision Fest kicks off next Sunday (the 20th of June) in downtown Manhattan, and the line-up is full of treats.

The first day is dedicated to various combos of words/poetry and music. Darius Jones Trio, with Adam Lane on bass and Jason Nazary on drums, and Lowest Common Denominator (Tim Berne ++), as well as William Parker's Little Huey Septet and the Roy Campbell Trio would be my picks for Monday the 21st. Celestial Funk Band, with Parker, Cooper-Moore, Kidd Jordan, Hamid Drake, Vernon Reid and others should be worth checking out on Tuesday 22nd. Wednesday is packed with various ensembles that include several of the above-mentioned musicians, as well as Rob Brown, Matthew Shipp and others. Muhal Richard Abrams plays two gigs on Thursday, one solo and one trio.

But those are just a few picks from the first days. The festival continues right on through to Wednesday the 30th, with Billy Bang and David S. Ware among those playing in the second week, so I suggest you click the link above and check out the full line-up for yourself. Once again, though, I'm stuck on the wrong side of the Atlantic, but I'm hoping to be able to attend next time around.

Perfect Sounds Listening Booth, week 23, 2010

2010-06-09T16:37:00.006+02:00

The Mark Lomax Trio: The State of Black America (Inarhyme, 2010) - A drums, bass and sax-trio, and like a couple of the good trio records from last year (of which there were a few), noteably JD Allen Trio's Shine and Marcus Stricklands Idiosyncrasies, it has shades of post-Coltrane. But where Allen's had a groovy blues feel, and Stickland's added R&B-like rhythm patterns, The State of ... rumbles and screeches a lot more when it needs to, and the bluesier and slower songs feel a lot more rough-hewn and raw, befitting the theme as hinted to in the record's title. At times this resembles Charles Gayle's own great Coltrane-homage Touchin' the Trane, if not quite as free. The opening track, "Stuck In a Rut", is especially riveting, starting off with the group setting up a theme, before bassist Dean Hulett plays a two note bass vamp as if to say "wait for it ... waaaait for it", and then BOOM, the tune blasts off. Hulett's bass playing is deep, raw and solid, using the lower register of the instrument to great effect. Drummer Mark Lomax II and sax player (tenor) Edwyn Bayard let themselves go more often than Hulett, but the interplay is excellent. The production gives the music an intimate and "up close" feeling, as if they are playing in a small club. A powerful and enjoyable set. (8/10)*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, sometimes a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Amazon.com Widgets

R.I.P. Arne Nordheim

2010-06-06T01:50:00.003+02:00

The State of Mark Lomax Trio

2010-05-27T14:48:00.002+02:00

WOW!

More and hopefully more eloquent on this at a later date.

But, DAMN!

Mid-week jazz related linkage

2010-05-26T14:52:00.005+02:00

Simply because there are a couple of very interesting stuff out there:

Richard Davis, jazz bassist extraordinaire, was recently celebrated with a marathon broadcast on WKCR, with interviews and selected tracks that included everything from his work with Dolphy and Hill up to sessions with Van Morrison and Springsteen. Archival files of the programmes should still be available @ Dark Forces Swing Blind Punches. Massive kudos to Hank Shteamer!
Destination-Out! on Steve and Iqua Colson. The overlooked AACM. The last track previewed there is from The Untarnished Dream, which is available from CdBaby. Reggie Workman and Andrew Cyrille plays on it, damn it!
A belated note that Nels Cline was interiewed by Jason Crane on the Jazz Sessions recently. Cline plays with Wilco, of course - who had a very good gig in Oslo this past Monday - but also has his own projects. Initiate, the Nels Cline Singers' double album released earlier this spring, and the basis for most of the conversation, is highly recommended.

R.I.P. Hank Jones

2010-05-18T00:21:00.004+02:00

Pianist Hank Jones, older brother of trumpet player Thad jones and drummer Elvin Jones, passed away on May 16th, aged 91.

My knowledge of his work as a leader is sketchy at best: only The Hank Jones Quartet-Quintet is listed in my jazz section (which needs to be updated, btw), but his work as a sideman is pretty impressive, having played with Charlie Parker, and on Coleman Hawkins' Hawk Flies High, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk's We Free Kings to name only a few. Tom Hull has a longer list.

Air's Air Raid reissued

2010-05-17T12:45:00.012+02:00

Note to self: read my e-mails once I get them!

Received notification from the JazzLoft on May the 13th that they have Air's second studio album, Air Raid (Why Not, 1976. 2010 reissue by Candid), available for orders (original recording details, courtesy of Lars Backström).

Air Raid is at times edgier and tougher than their first record, Air Song, and perhaps even better. The title track and opening piece of the record, starts off at rip roaing speed, but travels through some mellower patches, only to return to the "action" the title suggests we're in for. It's both a disturbing and almost beautiful contemplative piece of music. Fred Hopkins' powerful bass lines, or should I say "thundering runs", are particularly enthralling. That's not to say that Threadgill and McCall are out of step, by no means; Air Raid proves that this was a gorup whose interplay was second to none. The embodiment of free jazz' democratic principles, as outlined by Ornette Coleman.

Having said that about the album's opener, I thought I'd leave you with teaser of the second track instead. "Midnight Sun" slows things down after the heady run of "Air Raid", and stands as an early proof that Threadgill was developing a knack for a writing a damn good tune. Have a listen:

Note: the embedded track was lifted off a previous reissue of the album, and may not be indicative of the sound quality of the new version.

The Singles Jukebox debacle

2010-05-11T19:53:00.007+02:00

I visit the Singles Jukebox nearly every day. Recently, I wrote this comment under the reviews of Robyn's "Dancing on My Own" which sparked some back'n'forth:

"Funny how how certain Singles Jukebox reviewers occasionally turn “rockist” or use the very same “indie scenester” logic they claim to oppose, as long as it suits their agenda.

“(…) scores two American top tens in the nineties, ignored by the rock press and Pitchfork; burrows into a studio with Klas Ahlund a few years later; rediscovered by Stylus and Pitchfork indie kids even though her American handlers treat her like she’s Amerie.”

“It’s not the band I hate, it’s their fans” as Sloan once so accurately put it. Once in a while, it would be wise to hand people a little more credit when it comes to their likes (and dislikes), even if this may lead to a windfall of praise for one artist you may not “get” or deem unworthy. Or better yet, write about the god damn music."

It was the quoted passage in the middle there that rubbed me the wrong way, but perhaps I should've taken a short breath before I wrote the comment.

I've enjoyed the Singles Jukebox as a safe haven away from the worst sins of the anti-pop post-Adorno music journalism, where pop fans are treated as a herd bereft of their own opinions, a rhetoric most often associated with certain "indie scenesters". One reason why the quoted passage annoyed me, was because it used a similar argument but turned it against "indie kids", as if the recent appreciation of Robyn by that paricular group of people was a good reason to dock a grade or two.

But I have no idea what stance the author of the review has re: rockism and "indie scenesters", and Matos took me to court for that (he also wrote "writing about the music is a nonstarter to me. Music encompasses everything around it, just like any other subject." to which it would've been tempting to comment "What?!? And you write about music?!?", but I know his writing well, and understands what he meant, and if you're used to reading my stuff you know I don't treat music as if it was in a vacuum either).

So what I perhaps should have written in the comments is something along theses lines:

"It was a bit dissappointing to see a review use a (bad) rhetoric usually associated certain "indie scenesters", when I'd considered the Singles Jukebox a safe haven from such low blows"

The rest is fine, though maybe I should've added "Write about the god damn music in a social context" to avoid (deliberate) misreadings.

There's one other thing that has puzzled me recently on the SJ. One Alex McPhearson doesn't seem to enjoy much of the music he's asked to review. The last ten reviews he's done for the site are graded like this: Roll Deep ft. Jodie Connor - "Good Times" 2; Christina Aguilera - "Not Myself Tonight" 5; Joy Orbison - "The Shrew Would Have Cushioned the Blow" 6, M.I.A. - "Born Free" 3, Robyn - "Dancing on My Own" 3, Robyn - "Fembot" 0, The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" 4, Sophie Ellis-Bextor - "Bittersweet" 3, Kate Nash - "Do Wah Doo" 2, Marina and the Diamonds - "I Am Not a Robot" 1. That's an average of 2,9 per song.

Two song by one artist apart, that's a pretty low average for what I deem to be a decent spread in both sound and quality. And only twice during the five reviews before those does he go above 6, Hole receives an 8 for their/her "Pacific Coast Highway" and Nas w/Damien Marley a 10, while tracks by Kelis (4), Titus Andronicus (3), and LCD Soundsystem (0).

Said writer also considers the opening of TA's track "A More Perfect Union" faux-desperate, comparing it unfavorably to Hole (whose singer I find to be the biggest melodrama queen of all, and lately not very convincing at that.) Chuck Eddy, on the other hand, says it sounds like "Hold Steady if they really meant it". Hmmm.

Still, I've written about the zero grade before, so go read there for further info. What I'll say for now is this: if you consider LCD Soundsystems "Drunk Girls" - a pretty dumb, unoriginal, straight forward stomper, though not without a certain silly charm - only worthy of a 0, you're living a too sheltered life.

Perfect Sounds Listening Booth, week 17, 2010

2010-05-02T22:00:00.006+02:00

Steve Swell's Slammin' the Infinite: 5000 Poems (Not Two, 2010) - I know trombonist Steve Swell from his plying on records by William Parker, Ken Vandermark, and Bill Dixon, but allthough he has also been putting out records as a leader or co-leader since the mid-nineties, this is only the second record I've heard with him in that role. The other one being the 2008 self titled Rivers Of Sound Ensemble release, with Hilliard Greene on bass, Roy Campbell on trumpet, and Sabir Mateen on saxes and Klaus Klugel on drums. Klugel and Mateen return on this fourth (if I'm correct) Slammin' the Infinite release, together with Matthew Hayner on bass and John Blum on piano. The music here seems rooted in NY's loft jazz tradition from the 70s - and by that I mean free jazz with a strong sense of propulsion and swing - where strongly stated opening riffs are used as a launching pads for improvisation. Bassist Hayner's riffs are prominent themes or anchors on at least two occasions, and the walk that both opens and closes "The Darkness Afoot" has shades of Mingus. Amid the violent sections and sound clusters the band conjure up, with Blum in partiuclar hammering away on the piano, they also slow down and use space and near silence, which are both welcome breathing spaces as well as serving as suspenders for the next turn of events. As such, the music is also quite playfull. Such playfulnes can also be found in the opening of "Sketch 1", where Swell plays with a mute, giving it a noir-like atmosphere. (7/10)*

Mike Reed People, Places & Things: Stories adn Negotiations (482 Music, 2010) - The third installment of Reed's PP&T project, where the aim is to revisit Chicago's considerable hard-bop to free-bop legacy, up to the Vandermarks of the city via AACM. On the first album of the project, Proliferation, the piano-less quartet (Reed on drums, Jason Roebke on bass, Tim Haldeman and Greg Ward on saxes) played mostly material by the citiy's past masters. The second, About Us, consisted of mostly self-written material, and added Jeb Bishop on trombone, David Boykin on tenor, and Jeff Parker on guitar on various tracks. Both are highly enjoyable free-bop records. On Stories and Negotiations, Boykin and Parker are gone, but three elder statesmen join in: Julian Priester on trombone and Art Hoyle on trumpet, both former members of Sun Ra's Arkestra, and Ira Sullivan on tenor. The Sun Ra link is mirrored in the music too, as S&N has more of an avant swing feel to it. There are also shades AACM co-founder Muhal Richard Abrams' work on records such as Blu Blu Blu. Recorded live in Chicago's Millennium Park, the group rev up some great numbers, finely balanced with some mellower moments. The opening, "Song of a Star", is especially good. The musicians start off individually, plying little trills and riffs, as if arriving from separate places, only to convene at the same place/piece at around 2:30 in, and the song lifts into a riveting piece of hard grooving avant swing. That kind of ebb and flow, propulsive rhythms, mixing fine solos and skronk, bouldering basslines and purpuseful swing makes this a very enjoyable record. (8/10)*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, sometimes a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

Buy:

Rollins and Threadgill on The Jazz Sessions

2010-04-27T14:14:00.004+02:00

Here's a shout out for Jason Crane's The Jazz Sessions.

Together with Stef at Free Jazz blog, the lovely guys at Destination: OUT!, npr's A Blog Supreme, Bad Plus' Do the Math (and, not to forget, my main man Tom Hull, Nate Chinen and the boys at NY Times, Gary Giddins, and a host of others), Crane is doing as much as anybody in spreading the word of jazz on the internet right now. His interview series takes an all-embracing view on the jazz world, and is conducted with equal parts curiosity, knowledge and respect. In the past, he's done sessions with such Perfect Sounds faves as Cooper-Moore, Vijay Iyer, John Hollenbeck, Matt Lavelle, Steve Lehman, Joe Morris, Mike Reed, and Matthew Shipp.

If you're unfamiliar with the series, now's a good a time as any to start listening, because this week, Crane brings out the big guns with interviews with Sonny Rollins and, available from Thursday 29th, Henry Threadgill.

Make yourself a fresh batch of coffee, sit down, and listen!

Ludvigsen R.I.P.

2010-04-22T02:30:00.004+02:00

You foreigners won't get this, but one of my first musical heroes, Gustav Lorentzen a.k.a. Ludvigsen of the musical duo Knutsen & Ludvigsen, passed away yesterday. I can't begin to explain what their music and (mostly, but by no means always, nonsensical) lyrics have meant to me, and indeed whole generations of Norwegian children, young and old. Thanks for the memories.

Perfect Sounds Listening Booth, weeks 14-16, 2010

2010-04-20T15:50:00.001+02:00

Wrote this a week or so ago, and had initially thought I'd have at least two more before I threw it out there, but the blog needs some action. So here's the first PS Listening Booth.

Brad Mehldau: Highway Rider (Nonesuch, 2010) - Sure, he's melodically strong, and yes both his playing and the band is exceptionally solid and well tempered, but I find very little of what I look for and enjoy most in jazz in Mehldau's music; the tempered playing means the music is emotionally moderate and one dimensional as well. There's very little heart, no guts, no push and pull, no fun, no bursts of energy. His music feels brainy as in cold and calculated, not as in witty and smart. Highway Rider only confirms those impressions, though at times there are slightly more expansive and even filmatic themes here, augmented by a string section here and there and perhaps bent that way by Jon Brion's production. At their best, the band has a nice shuffle, reminicent of, say, Randy Newman (without the bite), but even here I miss something. Maybe it is vocals. At other times it's pretty, but very little else. For melodically strong low key jazz I'd rather look to Ben Allison. (5/10)*

* Grades are tentative, based on three or four listens, sometimes a few more. Much of the writing is done during listens, and should be considered notes more than final reviews.

EMP Pop Con 2010 - I fail, KEXP delivers

2010-04-20T02:17:00.005+02:00

Failed to deliver on my promise to preview the panels/abstracts for Saturday and Sunday, but the fine folks at KEXP's blog have been doing reviews. Part one, part two, part three.

EDIT:

Christgau has a report on EMP here.

EMP Pop Conference 2010

2010-04-14T16:19:00.005+02:00

The 9th annual EMP Pop Conference kicks off tomorrow, so I figuered I'd browse the abstracts to see if anything tickled my fancy.

The theme this year is The Pop Machine, and revolves around "stories of sounds and the machines that make them", which sounds a bit drier than the body and music-theme of last year. However, the first thing on the schedule tomorrow is a discussion between Nile Rodgers, Joe Henry, and Janelle Monáe, which should be very interesting.

Being a jazz fan and critic, Jason Toynbee's paper on "Jazz and the Politics of Recording" seems interesting: "It's been suggested that recordings of jazz are unrepresentative of the genre, even untrue to it. (...) In this paper I want to question the assumptions that lie behind the critique of jazz recording. Interestingly, that critique runs counter to the conventional wisdom in rock and pop criticism which has embraced recording not only as predominant medium, but also as a kind of muse, and sometimes even as the essence of the form (...)" (Friday, April 16)

Geeta Dayal will talk about Brian Eno and the studio as an instrument. (Friday, April 16)

As much as I'm tired of discussions on hipster culture (and the inevitable hipster bashing), Elizabeth Keenan's talk on the Dirty Projectors and cultural capital could be worth checking out. (Friday, April 16)

Douglas Wolk will do a talk on the future of listening to music (the abstract doesn't say, but I'd assume a discussion on Spotify, Rhapsody and the like may come into it at some point). (Friday, April 16)

Allen Lowe, musician, jazz historian, and compiler (and the man behind the great American Pop: An Audio History and the That Devilin' Tune-book and compilations, has a paper called "Looking at Down from Up: Blues from Blackface to Whiteface (or: All the Blues You Could Play By Now if Stanley Crouch was Your Uncle)", in which he among other things seems to take on Wynton Marsalis (who does deserve a beating every now and then). The subtitle of the paper, inspired by Charles Mingus' brilliant "All the Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother", is also the title of one of Lowe's own composition, which you can hear from his website here. (Friday, April 16)

Will have a look at the schedules for Saturday and Sunday tomorrow.

Shutterbug

2010-04-12T13:45:00.005+02:00

Updates coming during the week. 'til then:

Criticism, Bill Eaton, Alex Chilton, Glenn Kelly and me

2010-03-25T12:46:00.005+01:00

"(...) a post-gig hangout with Chilton in the late '70s during which Supertramp's hit "The Logical Song" comes on the jukebox. Eaton is all ready to sneer at the thing when he sees Chilton bobbing his head to it. Once he gets over his initial shock and confusion, he processes his problem as, well, everybody else's problem. "[R]ock snobbery is an exercise in aural flagellation--a way to punish yourself because girls ignored you back in high school."

(...) a lot of people look at the critical impulse, and the work that it sometimes produces, as some kind of attempt to kill their buzz. And, beyond that, to force-feed them stuff that they don't like. It never occurs to Bill Eaton that the fact that he needed Alex Chilton to approve of a Supertramp song before he could do likewise actually says more about Eaton's own insecurities than anything else, as far as I'm concerned."

Glenn Kelly takes on Bill Eaton in Snobbery, Projection, Resentment

Agree with mr. Kelly here. Try to view criticism as a step in a disourse, with arguments - some may be good and some may be bad, some convincing while others less so - to make ones case. You may agree, wholly or not, to the arguments and the conclusion, or disagree by joining in on the discourse, whether in writing or more usually in your own head or in conversation with friends, but by golly, don't blame the critics because you haven't been able to make up your own mind.

Soon...

2010-03-24T03:01:00.001+01:00

... I promise.

Music of the Week 11/10

2010-03-20T00:44:00.004+01:00

I'm planning a change to this. Updates have been infrequent at best. Something along the veins of Tom Hull's jazz prospecting and Rhapsody Notes may be a good option: I could write down a few lines on any bunch of music, good or bad, I hear during a week. Not reviews as much as just jot down some impressions and thoughts, maybe even tentative grades. Updates would need to be on a specific week day, though. I'll see what I'm able to come up with. For now, quite possibly the last Music of the Week.

Titus Andronicus: "A More Perfect Union" (from The Monitor, XL Recordings)
Tomboyfriend: "Almost/Always"
The Great Plains: Lenght of the Growth 1981-89 (Old 3c Records - lovely rediscovery!)
Little Women: "Thoat 1" (AUM Fidelity)
Steve Swell's Slammin' the Infinate: 5000 Poems (Not Two Records)

R.I.P. Alex Chilton

2010-03-18T05:54:00.002+01:00

Had planned a post on Chopin, but just got the news that Mr. Chilton passed away yesterday. Too sad. Thanks for the music. More from The Commercial Appeal.

Happy birthday Ornette!

2010-03-09T11:40:00.003+01:00

The great man turns 80 today. The good people at WKCR will celebrate the day with a special Birthday Broadcast dedicated to the man and his music. Go listen!

FAN and jazz-links

2010-03-04T00:26:00.005+01:00

FAN #11 will be out tomorrow, so I have now posted my article on Mostly Other People Do the Killing, written for the previous edition, on the Norwegian section of Perfect Sounds.

Chicago drummer Mike Reed, whose last few records I have liked a lot, talked to Jason Crane on the frequently enjoyable Jazz Session podcast at the end of January. Mr. Reed is in the middle of a three album project inspired by Chicago's considerable, but underrecognized, hard bop-and-beyond jazz music. Around the same time, WFIU did a show on that very topic, discussing and playing the music of some of the unsung heroes of Chicago hard bop. You can listen to the program here.

Belated by:Larm reports

2010-03-02T02:40:00.004+01:00

The Nordic mini-version of South by SW that is by:Larm went ahead and finished just over a week ago, and just like last year I watched some gigs and did some writing. If you're interested, the paper I wrote for can be downloaded here. I only had entries for the Friday and Saturday editions, and the gigs I reviewed were Massely, Pow Pow, and Supersilent for the Friday edition, and Anna von Hausswolf, plus Kira Kira as well as Kråkesølv at the Stereogum stage for the Saturday edition.

Didn't get to see much, though, so I really can't comment on the hypes. My pick of the ones I did get around to see would be Masselys, whose electronically seasoned no wave funk caught me off guard. In a good way. Here's a taste, a song called "Better and Better", albeit not my favorite of theirs.

Music of the Week 6/10

2010-02-12T10:46:00.002+01:00

One pretty decent song off a not-so-great album by a returning funky spoken word hero, a chirpy one from Hot Chip, a joyous piece of garage pop by a re-named band, a new monster of a tune by a power jazz group, and a re-discovered (at least for me) recording by a "super group" (via Destination-Out!)

Gil Scott-Heron: "I'm New Here" (XL)
Hot Chip: "Brothers" (Astralwerks)
The Soft Pack: "C'mon" (Heavenly/Kemado)
Fight the Big Bull: "Mothra" (Clean Feed)
New York Contemporary Five: Consequences (Fontana)

Coming back ...soon + Lavelle on Davis on the New Thing

2010-02-11T14:51:00.003+01:00

I don't intend to use this blog on a too personal level outside the spheres of music consumption and the like, but I have had a few very busy weeks, hence the lack of updates. As things calm down, posting will resume.

Meanwhile, I stumbled across a post by jazz trumpet player Matt Lavelle on the Brilliant Corners blog, discussing the grumpy side of Miles Davis and his problems with "the new thing". Go read!

Jerome David Salinger, 1919-2010. R.I.P.

2010-01-29T01:50:00.003+01:00

He was getting old, it was bound to happen at one time or another. Still, I was very sad to learn that J.D. Salinger has passed away. A fine tribute over at NYTimes.

Favorite Jazz of 2009

2010-01-28T09:37:00.002+01:00

I've put off posting my 2009 jazz list for long enough. Pazz & Jop came up the other week, and most other lists were done even before then. I had a plan to revisit records that placed high on some of those lists, and got through a few. For the most part, I stand by my initial opinions, which I dare say I nearly allways do. A few I didn't get too, others have been slightly upgraded or down graded, albeit not by much. I also thought about writing a few words about every album here, but in the end figured there's really no need (only a few of the lists at Jazz House have comments, so I guess I'm home free). Anyway, here goes:

A few months back, 2009 looked like it was going to be a good year for larger ensembles, with interesting records by the Steve Lehman Octet and Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, and later on records by Wadada Leo Smith and Graham Collier, among others. Then a flurry of sax/bass/drum-trio records tickled my fancy, notably Fully Celebrated, J.D. Allen Trio, Marcus Strickland and later on FLY. Add to those the less traditional trio set-ups of Darius Jones Trio and Digital Primitives, as well as the Matthew Shipp, Vijay Iyer and Tyshawn Sorey records, and jazz trios certainly made their mark on Perfect Sounds in 2009. A very welcomed and strong comeback by Henry Threadgill and his Zooid and a new incarnation of David S. Ware's Quartet (guitar replacing piano) saw old(-er) masters plow new ground.

My favorite jazz (and overall) record of 2009 is Darius Jones Trio's Man'ish Boy (a Raw & Beautiful Thing), with Darius Jones on alto saxophone, Cooper-Moore on the bass-like diddley-bo and piano, and Rakalam Bob Moses on drums. Raw and beautiful are certainly fitting words to describe the music on Man'ish Boy. The melodies are often rough-hewn and blues-like, and Darius Jones' ability to switch from teeth grinding grit, as on the epic 'Trane-crashes-into-Ayler "Chasing the Ghost", to the subtle and almost carfully quiet, as on the painfully lovely "Forgive Me", makes him a stand out saxophonist in today's jazz.

That said, Cooper-Moore is all over Man'Ish Boy. He is no stranger to the raw and beautiful himself. Often playing, as he does on several tracks here, the diddley-bo (or bow, if you will), an ancient instrument that functions more or less as a bass. It sounds at times like a slapped upright, at other times like a talking drum. His piano playing is assured and can sound jagged, almost Monk-like at times. Especially note the rough blues walk on the noir-like "Cry Out". His lovely Satie-like playing on "Forgive Me" demonstrates his range as a pianist as well.

Listening to Man'ish Boy from start to finish can give the impression of a journey of some kind: the get-up call of "Roosevelt", the confident and playful stride of "Cry Out", the harrowing ride of "Chasing the Train", and the thoughtful and beautiful "Forgive Me" at the end (that is, barring the bonus cut "Chaych" with the equally talented bassist/composer Adam Lane, as well as Jason Nazary on drums). Man'Ish Boy is a great album and well deserving of my top spot.

Now, for the list:

1. Darius Jones Trio: Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing) (AUM Fidelity)
2. The Fully Celebrated: Drunk On the Blood Of the Holy Ones (AUM Fidelity)
3. David S. Ware: Shakti (AUM Fidelity)
4. Digital Primitives: Hum Crackle & Pop (Hopscotch)
5. Henry Threadgill Zooid: This Brings Us To, Vol.1 (Pi Recordings)
6. Matthew Shipp: Harmonic Disorder (Thirsty Ear)
7. Vijay Iyer Trio: Historicity (ACT)
8. Tyshawn Sorey: Koan (482 Music)
9. Abdullah Ibrahim: Senzo (Sunnyside)
10. Brötzmann / Kondo / Pupillo / Nilssen-Love: Hairy Bones (Okka Disk)

11. Wadada Leo Smith: Spiritual Dimensions (Cuneiform)
12. J.D. Allen Trio: Shine! (Sunnyside)
13. Mike Reed's People Places & Things: About Us (482 Music)
14. Steve Lehman Octet: Travail Transformation & Flow (Pi Recordings)
15. Marcus Strickland: Idiosyncrasies (Strick Muzik)
16. John Zorn: Alhambra Love Songs (Tzadik)
17. Allen Toussaint: The Bright Mississippi (Nonsuch)
18. Graham Collier: Directing 14 Jackson Pollocks (Jazz Continuum)
19. Darren Johnston: The Edge of the Forrest (Clean Feed)
20. Fly: Sky & Country (ECM)
21. Tresspass Trio: Was There to Illuminate the Night Sky (Clean Feed)
22. Bill Dixon: Tapestries for Small Orchestra (Firehouse 12)
23. Quartet Offensive: Carnivore (Self released)
24. Ben Allison: Think Free (Palmetto)
25. Linda Oh Trio: Entry (Linda Oh)

Others of note: Darcy James Argue Secret Society: Infernal Machine (New Amsterdam), Gerald Cleaver, William Parker, Craig Taborn: Farmers by Nature (AUM Fidelity), Profound Sound Trio: Opus de Life (Porter), Circulasione Totale Orchestra: Bandwidth (Rune Grammofon), IPA: Lorena (Bolage), John Hollenbeck: Eternal Interlude (Sunny Side Records)

Lazy ears

2010-01-20T12:32:00.010+01:00

Some of the points made by composer Graham Collier in this post, for example this passage "there is a pack mentality among many critics which, unfortunately for some of us, means they rarely look beyond the pile of CDs they receive to see what else is around", squares with what I wrote a while ago about how certain ever-presents on year end lists made me think too many jazz writers have "lazy ears" (That said, we all have our biases, of course. I wont deny I have mine).

I still have issues with a few of his points:

1. Seeking out new jazz (or new music in general) is time consuming work, but should be part of any reviwers job. Not merely sit and wait for CDs to fall into ones lap. However, being as it is that jazz writing in particular is being cut from the arts pages of newspapers and magazines, as well as the fact that it doesn't pay very well and that jazz PR is virtually nonexcistent these days, it can also be expensive work. We're more in need of word-of-mouth and communication - critic to critic, fan to fan, critic to fan and vice versa, musician-to-critic and vice versa - than most other arts writing departments. This need not necessarily take the form of free, physical copies being mailed to us, but dropping a line about upcoming releases does help. (For my own part, I pay for 99% of the jazz I write about. It's fair to say my jazz writing is a labour of love. I make my money from doing other things).

2. The comment borrowed from Chris Kelsey about some of the "formally conventional" big band records, is A): something I feel is not entirely correct in all instances (more formally conventional, perhaps, than Collier's) and B): makes me want to point out that paying attention to formality is something that, while certainly especially important to jazz composition, must not take the place of other important aspects of music, such as attitudes, values, stories and meanings, and the musicianship necessary (or adequate) to convey these. This is, for example, where critics of classic cinema often fail. Formality is part of the package, and can inform other aspects, but it is not the be all and end all.

By the way, at #49, is Vijay Iyer Trio's Historicity the highest placed jazz record on the Village Voice's Pazz & Jop in recent years? (Album list here. Other jazz records I've spotted so far: Darcy James Argue, Henry Threadgill's Zooid, Wadada Leo Smith, Ben Allison, Darius Jones Trio (whoop-whoop!), Steve Lehman Octet and John Hollenbeck. There are probably more).

RIP Kate McGarrigle

2010-01-20T08:39:00.003+01:00

Touching words from Carl Wilson here.

RIP Teddy Pendergrass

2010-01-14T17:36:00.000+01:00

RIP Jay Reatard

2010-01-14T03:04:00.002+01:00

As you may know by now, Jay Reatard, née Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr., passed away in his sleep last night. He lived (and played) fast, that's for sure, but I didn't expect him to die so young. More here.

MOPDtK's Forty Fort is a winner

2010-01-13T15:30:00.006+01:00

I have to say that Mostly Other People Do the Killing is fast becoming one of my favorite bands of recent times. 2007's Shamokin!!! won me over with it's high energy and catchy tunes (and remains one of my fave albums of the noughties), the follow up This Is Our Moosic confirmed that here we had a unique and magnificent band with a refreshing take on the jazz idiom, and the new Forty Fort hammers down that they are truly a great band. The record is currently top of my (admittedly early and short) 2010 list.

Forty Fort is available at Dusty Groove America and SquidCo, with more merchants to follow.

Ben Ratliff on NYC Winter Jazzfest

2010-01-10T10:00:00.000+01:00

Go read Ben Ratliff's piece on the NYC Winter Jazzfest, which featured Perfect Sounds favorites such as Vijay Iyer, JD Allen Trio, Mike Reed's People Places & Things and others. It drew a crowd of about 2.500 on Saturday. That's a creditable turn out, I think.

2009 Voice Jazz Critic's Poll + Happy New Year

2009-12-31T19:46:00.003+01:00

My personal fave jazz records of 2009 with comments will be posted sometime over the weekend. My apologies for the delay. Until then, a happy new year to all readers & music fans (jazz and other), plus a few thoughts on the 2009 Voice Jazz Critics' Poll results that were posted on Tuesday (29th of Dec.).

The list turned out to be pretty interesting. The top two of Vijay Iyer's Historicity and Henry Threadgill's This Brings Us To, Vol. 1 are both great records and near the top of my list, too. Darcy James Argue's on 4th (winner in the debut category) and Steve Lehman's on 5th are also enjoyable releases. My fave of the year, Darius Jones Trio's Man'ish Boy made it into the top 20 (17th, 2nd best debut), while J.D. Allen Trio, David S. Ware and Tyshawn Sorey also made the list. Nice to see Allen Toussaint, Bill Frisell, Wadada Leo Smith and Ben Alison there, too. I've yet to hear the latest Bill Dixon as well as the FLY record.

Dissapointing, though, not to see personal favorites (and great records) such as Fully Celebrated's Drunk On the Holy Ones, Matthew Shipp's Harmonic Disorder, and Mike Reed's About Us anywhere. Perennial entries by Joe Lovano (ok-ish record) and Keith Jarret (yawn) makes me think too many Jazz critics have lazy ears, don't search hard enough for good music anymore, or are plainly just too conservative. Fair enough, I just wanted to have a pop there.

Xgau on Monk

2009-12-25T20:28:00.004+01:00

The only thing disappointing thing with this piece on Monk is that Xgau fails to mention Wilbur Ware. For me, Ware's distinct, percussive approach to the bass fit Monk more than any other bassist he worked with. He is all over Monk classics such as Monk's Music and Thelonius Monk with John Coltrane. For more, see Ethan Iverson's piece on Do the Math from 2006. Other than that, the Dean is spot on.

Listmania, Nate's a mate, & more

2009-12-22T09:57:00.004+01:00

NY Times' Nate Chinen's 2009 list proves that the expressions of values, emotions and attitudes he looks for in music is not found merely within one "field" (I'm loathe to use "genre") of music. This is a view that seems to be a rarity among jazz-based music writers, who perhaps are just being protective of their field of expertise, which is understandable. We wish to make the point that jazz can be and still is a relevant music today. However, I think Chinen's juxtaposition of different types of musical expressions in his 2009-list argues that point in a more convincing way than "genre" specific ones.

Nate's picks are interesting in their own right, too. The only record I don't like particularly well is the Grizzly Bear one, though I'm yet to hear Fly's Sky & Coutry. Brad Paisly's "Then", Sonic Youth's "Antenna" and Miranda Lambert's "Making Plans" are all my favorite songs off their respective recent records, too.

The only other jazz-based writer I can think of off the top of my hat who seems to think about music in a similarly "all-inclusive" way is mr. Tom Hull (see e.g. his Pazz & Jop ballot).

Ironically, just to regress to the genre specific, I plan to post my year in jazz here in a few days time. I don't think I'll bother with a decade overview. My much touted 25 anniversary celebration of 1984 will have to wait a bit because of technical issues, but it's pretty much finished.

'Til then, happy holidays!

Perfect Sounds - in Norwegian is alive

2009-12-10T18:26:00.004+01:00

Perfect Sounds - på norsk is up-and-running again, but will only be used for the purpose of linking to or posting articles I have written for publications in Norway. Many of the articles I've now put up there are taken from the free music mag FAN Fanzine, and have been posted on the blog as they were when I sent them in, sans editing (more info at the bottom of each article). Since FAN is a paper only magazine, the idea is that once a new issue is published, I'll post the article from the previous issue on PS - på norsk.