One minute we’re hearing the funkiest grooves (Jeremy Pelt’s voodoo trumpet) on “427 Mass Ave”, a few tracks later it’s the most gently elegant showcase for marimba on “How I Feel at This Given Moment.” Judging from his eponymous recording debut as leader, mallet master/composer Warren Wolf is perpetually able to capture his feelings in music at any given moment. I’ve heard Wolf in several contexts over the past few years, at the Detroit Jazz Festival and with the Christian McBride band Inside Straight at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. Each time, the now 31-year-old has demonstrated why many critics and fellow musicians consider him to be the heir apparent to Stefon Harris. 

Bassist and employer (and here, co-producer) McBride plays sideman, along with pianist Peter Martin, drummer Greg Hutchinson, and saxophonist Tim Green, with trumpeter Pelt on two compelling tracks. The set showcases Wolf the composer as well as vibes man, with six original compositions;  Green and Martin each contribute a tune; jazz standards “Emily” (an exquisite vibes rendering of Mercer and Mandel’s classic) and a magical marimba/vibes overdubbed arrangement of “Señor Mouse” (Chick Corea) fill out the recording.  

Of the originals, Wolf’s “Sweet Bread” for the full sextet shows off the composer’s sophistication in developing lines for horns that blend energetically with his vibes. This one swings from the git-go, sax and trumpet twist and turn delightfully; McBride ensures a constant groove; Martin somersaults gracefully yet aggressively across the sonic turf. Green’s “Eva” bounces along like an updated Modern Jazz Quartet signature, a playground swingset for Wolf that highlights his speed and agility with the mallets, while Green himself mirrors the leader’s sinewy phrases. Martin’s closing “Intimate Dance” is aptly titled, a deliberate, wistful journey without horns, with Wolf’s stunning balladry floating above the subdued foundation laid by Martin and McBride. Although Wolf says “I like to play really hard, fast and kind of flashy,” he clearly also likes to play with considerable nuance and melodic tenderness. 

Wolf has a busy schedule ahead this fall following the August release, including stints with Inside Straight and the Aaron Diehl Group as well as with his touring quartet. If he comes to a venue near you, don’t miss the opportunity to hear a young master as he begins his ascent. 

The Boston Herald described Daniel Bennett’s music as “exploratory folk-jazz,” and that’s as good a label as any, should one be needed. The NEC-trained multi-reedman is quickly gaining a reputation as a composer who combines folkloric elements with the minimalist chord progressions of Steven Reich and Philip Glass, yielding music that is fresh, accessible, and just a bit quirky. Peace and Stability Among Bears on his Bennett Alliance label is the third release in the Bear Trilogy, following the acclaimed Nation of Bears (2007) and The Legend of Bear Thompson (2009). All three installments share the same Boston-based quartet (with Bennett on alto sax, flute and clarinet; Chris Hersh on guitar; Jason Davis on bass; and Rick Landwehr on drums) as well as companion cartoons featuring the fictitious character, Bear Thompson. Notes Bennett, “I wanted to add a visual element to the music.  I actually gave music samples to my artist [Timothy Banks] and then let him develop the plot based around what he was hearing… My long term goal is to develop an animated short that would go with the music.” 

All composed by Bennett, the ten track titles reflect the cartoon character and related contexts, e.g., “The Local Sheriff,” “Dogs of Our Time,” “Farmer Joe Was a Bear,” “Bears in a Covered Wagon”; the music typically features the harmonies of reeds and strings, the pulsating, danceable rhythms of an African or Latin flavored percussion, and deceptively simple, trance-inducing melodies filled with folky charms suggesting Americana, Eastern European and African origins. The set opens brightly with “The Local Sheriff,” and the lilting sax/guitar suggest a country meander, harmony and the ever-present drum rhythm as significant (and appealing) as the simple melody. The same elements carry over to “The Lost Treasure of Lunta,” with some additional percussive thrust from Landwehr that adds hints of African ceremonial music. “Arizona” slows the pace, beautifully, Hersh on guitar and Bennett on clarinet adding a layer of bluegrass, even klezmer, to the sounds of rural Africa; basslines from Jason Davis keep the ensemble on a steady course. The first notes of  “Ghost” recall Simon & Garfunkel before moving more toward the vistas of  Metheny and Frisell. 

“The Andrew Variations” build around Bennett’s whirling dervish melody line, his alto sax riding above Davis’s thick bass figures; Hersh’s own variations suggest Middle Eastern or East European tradition. Bennett’s prowess on flute shines on “Dogs of Our Time,” adding a wistful, American folk touch particularly buoyed by Davis’s basslines.  Going off (or “out”) in a new direction, “The Village” pits twisting alto sax against a backdrop of electronic effects and, further along, against a rattletrap percussion outburst from Landwehr. Very Bohemian. The finale, “Bears in a Covered Wagon,” seems to sum the whole, Bennett’s alto sax tracing a somewhat jagged arc, the strings dark and sinewy, Landwehr shaking everyone’s cage. There’s the eerie effects of “The Village” and the spiraling shapes of “The Andrew Variations” -–as if this covered wagon journeys from East to West, past to future, and back again. 

Whether or not this music induces “peace and stability among bears,” this is music that could bring peace and stability among humans, while keeping our ears (and imaginations) on full alert. 
 

In 2009, with members of his Iowa-based Koplant No ensemble, saxophonist Joel Vanderheyden released a set of his original compositions titled Complete Life. In late 2010,  the ensemble released its debut, self-titled recording, with Vanderheyden now stepping away from the composer’s chair. Koplant No features the original works of two of its members, with 7 pieces from Brian Lewis Smith (trumpet, keyboards, drum programming) and 3 from Drew Morten (bass, synthesizers, French horn), while Vanderheyden and drummer Rob Baner easily contribute their share of the collective imagination. 

Smith’s compositions share some common elements—ambient keyboards and strings; an underlying rock feel; melodic, often very beautiful horn passages where harmony typically, not always, trumps extended melody. The resulting sound suggests a modern European sensibility, particularly when Smith takes up the trumpet, which he does often and elegantly. “Baby (With a Monocle)” is a soft rock-meets-jazz track with songful horns harmonizing with synth, the long sustains and reverbs conjuring space travel. “Cave Troll” starts a bit on the eerie side, trumpet and sax rolling over thumping percussion and string effects, modern postbop with an overlay of patient electronic experimentation. The only urgency comes from the drums, suggestive of the Dave King Trucking Company where horn conversations are pummeled by percussion without being annihilated. 

Two tracks seem related by both title and sound, “Stubby McGhee’s First Second Place Finish” and “Stubby McGhee Is Somewhat Less Than Confrontational” –even the titles suggest Dave King! Here Smith’s horn harmonies have unexpected twists yet generally create a melodic, lyrical European elegance. Vanderheyden provides a gorgeous sax workout on “Travelin’ Man,” set off in space by the underlying hymnal keyboards and synths, all energized by Baner’s frenetic drumming. “So Far” conjures a marimba echoing from outside our gravitational pull; the rounder horn could be Morten’s French horn, while the repeating basslines give a prayerful ambience. Smith’s closing track, “Quartet til Dawn,” similarly mixes haunted-house sound effects and melodic passages, his electric piano fade-out particularly lovely. 

Drew Morten’s contributions are no less a mixed bag of harmonies, rhythms and electronic effects. “Pitch Dark” is the most melodic, with an R&B feel to the beat, but its modern jazz harmonies hold the most interest as Vanderheyden climbs and descends, as if searching for lyrics. “Cracked Out Cyber Mouse” suggests a rambunctious tune, but it starts more as a dark soundtrack, the ghostly quality hastened by what sounds like some quasi-spoken, or rather whispered, passages toward the end, culminating in an electro-zoo of animal growls, chirps and screeches. “What a Way to Go” is a delightful blend of melodic, folkloric and electronic elements. Just like Koplant No. 

I caught this band a month ago at the Iowa City Jazz Festival, playing on one of the side stages. They belong on the main stage. Koplant No brings together talented writers/performers who make the most modern music accessible. Quoting KFAI jazz broadcaster Larry Englund, Koplant No  “knows how to use electronics and still sound like a jazz band.”  

Guitarist Assaf Kehati joins a rapidly growing list of transplanted Israeli artists who are adding new wrinkles and textures to the American jazz soundscape. Since arriving in Boston in 2007 to pursue graduate studies at the New England Conservatory, the graduate of Israel’s acclaimed Rimon School of Jazz has worked with Ran Blake, George Garzone and particularly Billy Hart. Flowers and Other Stories is his second release in two years, and features fellow Israeli musicians Alon Farber on saxophones, Daniel Sapir on bass and Udi Shlomo on drums. 

Kehati’s seven originals share common threads of an “Old World Meets New World” elegance that characterizes the works of many of his contemporaries, yet in the hands of this quartet, the music never gets bogged down in the floaty grace that can turn flowing water into stagnant pools. Three tracks offer extended (10+ minute) opportunities to explore among the four voices: The opening “Calling Me Home” presents beautiful harmonies that glow with Middle Eastern/East European traditions, Kehati’s sustained guitar tones adding a wistful, even mysterious air before the very fine Farber breaks into an engaging sax vamp. Kehati solos gently but assertively against a strong bass and percussion pulse, while Farber’s probing journey prompts an undercurrent of adventure from Sapir. “The Most Beautiful Flower” suggests a more Americana backdrop, as if slowly releasing a Pat Metheny riff as it descends the scales. Farber’s revelry is touched a bit by Coltrane while the guitarst’s solo reveals as much through sustained tones as from new notes. Deep lines from Sapir conjure a back country sunset. “Don’t Attack” initially seems far too peaceful to contemplate any aggression, but the prominent basslines and dissonant horn/guitar harmonies create a more prickly energy, as does the jagged interplay among Kehati and Sapir. 

The remaining four compositions are shorter but no less filled with a gentle drama. A quirky introduction from percussion and bass kick off “Mr. Mario” with clickity thumps, while sax and guitar align to create the sound of a horn choir slightly off register. Percussion and bass add to the echo effect, keeping things on edge, while Kehati’s single-note lines suggest a wariness reinforced by Sholmo’s cymbal splash. The lovely ballad “Tali” features guitar and soprano sax harmonies, percussion and bass asserting themselves just enough to propel the rhythm. In just over three minutes, the lyrical Farber recalls Charles Lloyd. Guitar and bass give the folkloric “The Snow and the Sun” a singable melodic line, and again the gentle flow of Farber and Kehati suggest the majestic country feel of Lloyd’s ensembles, particularly on The Water Is Wide. The set closes with “Invisible Green,” the most gentle of all, with Sapir shining through as a resonant foil for Kehati, Shlomo sitting back, listening and inserting subtle accents, Farber sitting this one out to give the trio it’s own special space. 

In sum, Flowers and Other Stories puts Assaf Kehati and friends in their own special space, vitally part of a new global warming within modern jazz. 

One of the brightest stars in the jazz galaxy, Terell Stafford bloomed as a sideman with Bobby Watson, McCoy Tyner, Matt Wilson and more. But he has most clearly marked his territory heading his own ensembles with six distinguished releases. Arguably, the best is his new MaxJazz recording, This Side of Strayhorn. Or it could be titled “The Many Sides of Stafford,” as the trumpeter brings a wide range of moods to a set of both popular and less familiar compositions. Joining Stafford are long-time cohorts Tim Warfield (soprano and tenor sax), Bruce Barth (piano) and Dana Hall (drums), as well as the highly versatile bassist, Peter Washington. 

Versatility of the ensemble is as much a theme here as the diverse music of Strayhorn:  The quintet steams like a roiling thermal pool on the opening “Raincheck” and closing “Johnny Come Lately,” sways south of the border on “Smada”; oozes dark romantic notions on “Lush Life” and sultry flirtations on “Lana Turner;” and gives old school blues new life on “Multi-Colored Blue.” Stafford is a multi-colored presence, ultra-bright on “Smada,” casting muted slides and grins on “My Little Brown Book,” deliciously resigned and melancholy on “Lush Life,” virtuosic with his whines, squeals, whinneys and wails on “Multi-Colored Blue,” simply crackling on “Johnny Come Lately.”  

Tim Warfield steals some thunder from the leader, from his twisting soprano on “Johnny Come Lately” to Ben Websterish tenor on “My Little Brown Book,” “Lana Turner,” and –like a throwback to the great tenors of the 40s-- on “Multi-Colored Blue.” The rhythm section glows throughout, Washington keeping the pulse on the up-and-up while at times taking giant strides, Hall’s dynamic range spanning the gentle cymbal wash of “Lush Life” to the closing fury of “Johnny Come Lately,” while Barth generally swings hard, putting a more delicate touch on “Lush Life” and “Day Dream,” a more jagged edge on “U.M.M.G.” 

We so often hear Strayhorn with lyrics; This Side provides a welcome opportunity to to consider the depth of the music itself through the interpretations of a cohesive ensemble. The inter-twining of tenor and trumpet atop popping drums give “Raincheck” (and the CD) a brisk start, with each artist impressive in a sequence of spinning improvs that keep the elements of melody and rhythm in mind. “Lana Turner” seems a good fit to its namesake, so danceable and luxurious that one readily imagines glittery long gowns and tuxes. 

And ensemble interplay is never better than on the final track (“Johnny Come Lately”), building an early head of steam thanks to Hall’s fire-starters and Warfield’s snake-charmer antics on soprano, Stafford traversing irregular terrain as if an easy walk in the park, with Barth in full workout mode as Hall splatters little percussive bombs, ultimately taking the kit apart and revving the collective’s engines for a final herkyjerky end. 

This Side of Strayhorn is the best side of Terell Stafford.