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Regional |
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All About Jazz CD Reviews
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Uros Markovic/Gospel Jazz Trio: Jesus Saves
It's no secret that many roots of the jazz tree burrow deep into the church. There's more than a little gospel influence in the style of innumerable jazz artists, most noticeably in the work of pianists such as, for example, Oscar Peterson and Keith Jarrett. With drummers, perhaps, such traces are harder to discern, but in the case of the remarkable Uros Markovic, there is no mistaking his devotion to the (big G) Gospel. Markovic both serves with Christian missions on the streets of New York City and leads the Gospel Jazz Trio, whose excellent new record, Jesus Saves, should lead many to convert, at least, to his kind of jazz, if not to the Lord...
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Zen Zadravec: Coming of Age
Once in a while you come across a young, new artist who presents an exciting new sound that few words one can say about the music seem inadequate. Such is the case with Canadian-born pianist Zen Zadravec, his quartet and this first effort.
Dedicated to the memory of his late mother Irene, Coming of Age is one of the most impressive debut recordings released this year. The music is vibrant, straight ahead jazz that offers eight fresh new compositions and a hard-driving couple of covers; the Burke/Van Heusen "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" and the Rodgers and Hart classic, "Have You Met Miss Jones," perhaps two of the best scores on this disk...
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Tim Turvey: Autodidactic
A dazzling jazz drummer first, for sure, Tim Turvey is also an up-and-coming multi-instrumentalist and composer with an aptitude for recording his own work.
In this brief four-song debut EP, the Brantford, Ontario native demonstrates sharp, thundering skills on his primary instruments as a percussionist. The piano, clarinet, bass and guitar work is all his doing as well...
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Mostly Other People Do The Killing: This Is Our Moosic
The cover of the third release by the avant-bop quartet Mostly Other People Do the Killing (MOPDtK) suggests the obvious for anyone who has listened to this excellent ensemble. They reference the classic 1960 Ornette Coleman Quartet Atlantic recording, This Is Our Music, not only by the precise, though humorous position of its members on the cover (an awareness in the greater narrative of jazz) but also in substance and spirit. The classic Coleman recording featured a rare interpretation of Gershwin's "Embraceable You," spinning its beautiful theme way beyond the articulations of the composer and Charlie Parker. Following Coleman's exemplary lead, MOPDtK--comprised of bassist Moppa Elliot, trumpeter Peter Evans, saxophonist Jon Irabagon (winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition,) and drummer Kevin Shea--is ready to challenge current conventional concepts. These include those within the jazz genre and also cultural sources--country, punk, and music similar to American modern composers John Cage or European thinkers such as Jacques Attali and Roland Barthes...
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Trevor Dunn: Four Films
Trevor Dunn is chiefly known as a bassist, but this collection of soundtrack work displays his skills as composer and multi-instrumentalist, either working totally solo or by inviting out a small posse of guest players. Over the years, he's been involved with Mr. Bungle, Fantomas and John Zorn's Electric Masada, among many more, so it's gratifying to observe that Dunn's soundtracking tactics take full advantage of such a diverse background...
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Ramiro Musotto: Sudaka
Musical impresario Ramiro Musotto is Argentine-born and Brazil-based--argento-brazuka, he would say. His Civilizacao and Barbarye (Los Aos Luz/Circular Moves, 2006) won critical acclaim for its mix of traditional South American musical forms with electronica. Perhaps in response to that record's favorable reception, his 2003 debut effort Sudaka has been reissued on the Fast Horse label...
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Claude Pauly: Mind Meets Matter
Legions of saxophonists were mesmerized by the sound of {{Lester Young = 11573}} and {{Charlie Parker = 10115}} and to this day, {{John Coltrane = 5851}}; for trumpeters, {{Miles Davis = 6144}} continues to ensnare many, and for fusion guitarists {{John McLaughlin = 9281}} and {{Allan Holdsworth = 7678}} continue to fascinate. As a bright light does moths, they are sucked in, and if not careful, their own voice is consumed in the flames of reverence. Mind Meets Matter reveals Claude Pauly--eyebrows singed--to be as talented as he is informed by these two great guitarists, although fusion fans will undoubtedly find plenty to admire in an energetic, promising debut recording...
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Jackie Henrion: Mama Loose
Mama Loose is a low-key affair that is actually more downbeat than its cute album title might suggest. Recalling the mood-spinning and haunted vocals of Marianne Faithfull as much as she does the folksy fragility of Joan Baez, Henrion sweetens her acoustic folk arrangements with touches of jazz and even country. The end product is a record that could have been released during the late '60s or early '70s, the kind of quiet, introspective singer/songwriter album that dominated dorm-room chatter at the time...
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Jazz Arts Trio: Tribute
Rightfully so, more tributes to Oscar Peterson continue to appear. On its debut CD, the Jazz Arts Trio combines six tunes by this late piano legend with one song each from kings of the keyboard Erroll Garner, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, Herbie Hancock and Horace Silver.
Tribute, released on JRI Recordings, is an attempt to re-create specific moments in jazz history...
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Townhouse Orchestra: Belle Ville
Okay students, take out your notebooks and follow along with this two-CD live recording made at the inception of a super group. Like looking through a telescope at the formation of a new galaxy, the Townhouse Orchestra delivers a weighty performance of improvised music.
The quartet is made up of master British saxophone legend Evan Parker and a Scandinavian dream team. Bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love have also combined forces in bands including Atomic, The Thing (with saxophonist Mats Gustafsson), and Scorch Trio (with guitarist Raoul Bjorkenheim). Townhouse Orchestra's fourth member is Sten Sandell, a pianist very familiar with all three of his partners...
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Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Sanrei
Satoko Fujii has a rock and roll soul and heart, judging from the opening cut on Sanrei, by her Orchestra Nagoya. The tune thumps and slashes to life on a bass/drums/guitar intro that sounds like Deep Purple searching for the groove on "Kentucky Woman," an early burst (1968) in the heavy metal mode...
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Massimo: The Visionary
If jazz-fusion has a future--or even a presence in this day and age--drummer and composer Massimo is certainly the one to provide its direction. One of the few fusion exponents on the scene today, Massimo expounds on sounds that breathe with a certain air of electrified creativity that's been repudiated in the main for at least two decades now...
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 Thursday, 04 December 2008
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