Jazz Recommendations – 2011 Releases

Sep 9 2013

Einar Scheving – “Land Mins Fodur (The Land Of My Father)”

 

Einar Scheving - "Land Mins Fodur"On his 2011 release Land Mins Fodur (The Land Of My Father), drummer Einar Scheving seeks to honor not just his departed father, but all the Icelander’s who came before him in making his home country what it was.  It’s a concept of great scope… one fraught with the risk of rambling incohesion and an insubstantial identity.  Howver, Scheving deftly overcomes those risks by focusing his vision through a lens of poetry, folkloric imagery, and Icelandic song.

The end result is an album of striking icy beauty and a home fire warmth.

Your album personnel:  Einar Scheving (drums), Eyþór Gunnarsson (piano, Fender Rhodes), Óskar Guðjónsson (tenor sax), Skúli Sverrisson (acoustic & electric bass), Guðmundur Pétursson (lap steel guitar, dobro, electric & acoustic guitars), Davíð Þór Jónsson (Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, piano), and guest vocalists:  Kristján Kristjánsson, Ragnar Bjarnason, Ragnheiður Gröndal, Sigurður Guðmundsson, Egill Ólafsson, and Sigríður Thorlacius.

The album opens with “Nu Vil Eg Enn I Nafni Thinu,” an Icelandic hymn with an enthralling sway.  The refracted notes of Pétursson’s lap steel guitar match perfectly with Guðjónsson’s languid saxophone lines, while Gunnarsson’s skittering piano contribution balances the sleepy ambiance with engaging flairs and asides.

Second track “Land Mins Fodur / Haettu Ad Grata Hringana” continues the use of Icelandic folk songs as the basis for Scheving’s performance.  Combining two songs into one composition, the music’s lullaby demeanor is further emboldened with electric guitar shadowing saxophone’s patient expressions of melody.

About half of the album tracks include guest vocalists singing Icelandic poems as accompaniment.  A ballad with a grim pragmatism, “Sorgardans” speaks of lost love and sorrow.  And on “Afturhvarf,” the despairing words of poet Steinn Steinarr are delivered with a sardonic tone reminiscent of Tom Waits, with piano’s effusive accompaniment the kind of muted cheery blues that just such a song requires.

And though the album never retreats from its general state of serenity, some tracks drive up the heart rate a notch.  The rhythmic groundwork set by Scheving and Sverrisson on percussion and bass provide the other musician’s the platform from which to launch “Maistjarnan” into higher elevations.  And then there’s the Icelandic rhyme dances of “Dyravisur.” where the combination of Scheving’s rushing-tide brushwork, Sverrisson’s pronounced leaps on bass, and the shuffling steps of Guðjónsson’s saxophone incite the noble elegance of a waltz and the congenial informality of a night amongst friends.

The mix of different variations guitars and keys bring further texture to this subtly detailed recording.  Jónsson’s organ on “Draumalandid (Dreamland)” provides a soulful ambiance to Icelandic composer Sigfus Einarsson’s dedication to the Summers of his home country.  And on album-closer “Mamma Aetlar Ad Sofna,” Pétursson’s lap steel gives vocalist Sigríður Thorlacius’s airy recitation of Davíð Stefánsson’s poem a shimmering presence, as if sunlight dancing on the surface of an undisturbed lake.

Just a beautiful albums, and one of the best that 2011 had to offer.

Released in 2011, this album is Self-Produced.

Jazz from the Reykjavík, Iceland scene.

Available at eMusic MP3 | Amazon CD | Amazon MP3

*****

Some Additional Notes:

The CD of the album is very nicely presented.  Lots of great photos and detailed liner notes.  I know the price difference between CD and digital can be substantial at times, but between the quality packaging and the way the music sounds when not compressed in MP3 format might make it worth it for you.  I’ll actually be showing more of the CD itself in an upcoming new Bird is the Worm series… For the Love of CDs, in which I obsess over great CD (and LP) packaging, showing plenty of pictures and whatever else floats my boat.  Stay tuned.

Einar Scheving - "Cycles"Also, I previously reviewed Scheving’s 2008 release Cycles.  You can read that review HERE.  I still listen to that album on occasion, and find it no less enjoyable with the passing of time.  Still comes highly recommended by yours truly.

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Aug 24 2013

Tim Collins – “Castles and Hilltops”

 

Tim Collins - "Castles & Hilltops"Lyricism is an ephemeral quality.  While it is very often expressed with a storyteller’s linearity… a statement of melody followed by travels outward, encountering new rhythms and harmonies and improvisations until achieving a final chapter that returns to the melodic home… it can be just as powerful a sensation when the musician’s story isn’t told so much as that it simply happens, an all-encompassing presence like an occurrence of nature, seemingly, from out of nowhere.

The music of vibraphonist Tim Collins is emblematic of this quality.  A musician who displays a healthy respect for a strong melody, he often reveals it more as an illusionist eliciting a grand image than a writer typing out the opening lines of a chapter.  Melodies fade into view and then gradually fall into obscurity.  They are very real and easy to grasp, and the method with which they’re presented is resplendent with pretty magics and tender care.

The pulse of Collins’ 2007 release Valcour could be most easily found in its groove.  Though some tracks certainly had a statuesque elegance, the album was most represented by its jaunty cadence.  On the other hand, with 2008’s Fade, the addition of a string trio and guitarist Charlie Hunter’s inimitable twang brought a strangely haunting ambiance to relatively chipper music, refracting melodic light into unusual forms and shapes.  For Collins’ 2011 release Castles & Hilltops, he captures the spirit of his two previous releases, and blends their preeminent qualities into a singular, new voicing, and provides it with his particular emergent lyricism.

Your album personnel:  Tim Collins (vibes), Danny Grissett (piano), Matt Clohesy (bass), and Tommy Crane (drums).

Right from the outset, the quartet establishes the compositional rules of engagement.  “TNT” lays down a shifty groove, over which Collins lays fluttering vibe lines, thus creating even more rhythmic variation.  And whereas “Pond” is a meditative tune at heart, the dynamic rhythmic pattern maintains a brisk heart rate.

The multifaceted approach via percussion earns more dividends with “Army Brat.”  Riding the back of an insinuated groove while simultaneously spinning in place at increasing speeds, the quartet transforms what amounts to a straight-ahead tune into a montage of minor diversions and welcome distractions.

A neat little surprise on Valcour was Collins’ rendition of the Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.”  Collins covers two songs on his latest release.  The first is a rendition of Bjork’s “Anchor Song,” in which the quartet attains some lightness and elevation from the original’s folk song earthiness… Clohesy’s bass and Collins’ vibes flutter about one another with the hypnotic quality of fireflies on a Summer eve.  The other rendition is a cover of Tom Petty’s “Into the Great Wide Open.”  The quartet stays to the original’s melody, but gives the song a woozy late night presence… an impression less of Tom Petty and something more along of the lines of how Tom Waits might tackle the song.  Grissett’s sound on piano screams darkened bar, warm whiskey, and a mix of hopefulness and broken dreams.

“The Tunnel” is arguably the album highlight.  Led by Crane’s multi-pronged percussive attack, the quartet charges ahead with a staggered loping cadence that provides an illusory perpetual forward motion while building tension with some brief intervals of quick-witted retreats… not unlike how, at the right speeds, a swiftly spinning wheel can appear to reverse direction.  The album ends with a reprise of “The Tunnel,” in which the rhythmic attack is more direct and juxtaposed nicely over Collins’ swirling vibraphone eddies.

A solid album from an outstanding musician.

Released in 2011 on the Nineteen-Eight Records label.

Jazz from the Salzburg, Austria scene.

Download a free album track at AllAboutJazz, courtesy of the artist and label.

Not available at (U.S.) Amazon or eMusic.  However, you can purchase the album directly from the label (linked to just above), and the prices of $7 for the download, $10 for the CD are very reasonable.

*****

Some additional notes:

Eventually I’ll be publishing a review of both of Collins’ previous albums, Valcour and Fade, in the coming months.  You should also check out other entries for Tim Collins on this site… specifically two different entries in the These Are Videos That I Like series, in which Collins is performing live with his Hellgate Strings ensemble.  God help me if I ever see a Kickstarter campaign for Collins to record a full album with the Hellgate Strings ensemble… budget cuts will be made to help fund that thing.

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Dec 10 2012

The Safety Net: Kit Downes Trio – “Quiet Tiger”

The Safety Net, a Bird is the Worm series which highlights outstanding older albums that may have flown under the radar when first released.

*****

 

I became familiar with UK pianist Kit Downes about a year ago.  I can’t quite recall the details of how it happened, and quite frankly, god knows how I come upon much of the music I do.  It was probably a tweet.  Somebody tweets out something about their new album with a link to a site where I can stream the music, and pretty much 100% of the time, I follow it.  I refuse to pass up an opportunity to listen to full songs streamed on a trusted site.  Anyways, my introduction to Downes was via his participation in the Threads Orchestra.  I wrote two different columns on their first album, titled Threads, first as part of the short-lived review series called First Impressions, then again, later, as a formal album review.  I then reviewed their follow-up album, Ranch.  Since then, I’ve covered Downes with other projects, including his membership in Troyka, the George Crowley Quartet, and The Golden Age of Steam (which will be getting reviewed very soon).

When a musician is involved in a bunch of projects that catch my ear, I go spend some time on their site.  I also pay attention to anything that mentions that musician’s name.  A bunch of labels got together and created a free music sampler, called Label Love, and available on Bandcamp.  That’s when I discovered 2011’s Quiet Tiger.  It’s working out pretty well for me.  This is a wonderful album.  Let’s talk about it…

Your album personnel:  Kit Downes (piano), Calum Gourlay (bass), James Maddren (drums), and guests: James Allsopp (bass clarinet & tenor sax) and Adrien Dennefeld (cello).

The album has a brooding temperament.  Some tracks, like album opener “Boreal,” have a stalking cadence, with each instrument on tip-toes.  Downes’ piano wends in between the cadence with lines that curl around the rhythm.

Some tracks play with tempo, like second track “Tambourine,” which sounds like straight-forward post-bop, but gets shifty at times and presents a shimmery icy sheen.  On drums, Maddren throws punches in bunches, and bass plays tug-of-war with the rhythm.  Piano sounds like its shadowboxing with the rhythm section at times.  Or how about “Frizzi Pazzi,” which is a lively throwback to the Keith Jarrett American Quartet.  Asynchronous lines, spastic rhythms, competing angles of progression, even the odd vocalizations… and yet it all moves forward as one, sounding tuneful and fun and exciting.

Many tracks sound like moonlight serenades.  On “With a View,” Allsopp’s sax sighs across the room, and Gourlay’s bass floats in the upper registers, bouncing along the ceiling.  And, of course, the composition “Attached,” which I originally fell for on Threads Orchestra‘s Threads.  Moody and dark, and yet strangely inviting.  Dennefeld’s cello brings the right ingredient to the tune, which was served equally well on Threads.  On that version, multiple strings and guitar were added for a more expansive, though still quite moody tune.  But on Quiet Tiger, Downes shows that the composition has room to breathe, and it affords the same opportunity to fill the air and sound Big, even when speaking very soft.  Just beautiful.

But it’s not all brooding and melancholy.  Sixth track “In Brixen” begins with some sunny phrases on piano, with drums and bass offering up optimistic rhythms.  And seventh track “Wooden Birds” is a free form piece.  Sax wails, though often with its inside voice.  Piano runs circles about the room.  Drums chatter nervously.  And then there’s “Fonias.”  Downes’ piano in the spotlight for what amounts to a love song.  No idea what Kit Downes thinks the song is or what he intended, but this is an expressive tune with that particular mix of heartbreak and longing and hopefulness.  It’s a love song.

The album closes out with, first, “Skip James,” which has that rustic tone and gentle sway that I enjoy so much about Threads Orchestra.  This tune is nice and slow, ambles pleasantly from step to step.  Piano is delicate and light, but it’s the song delivered up by Gourlay’s bass that lies at the heart of this lovely tune.  When Allsopp’s sax enters near the end with some nifty harmonization, it’s a beautiful thing.  Quiet Tiger then reaches its finale with the title-track, and with the same brooding temperament initially stated in album-opener “Boreal.”  It’s a great way to go out.

Don’t let this one get by you.  It’s wonderful albums like these is why I have the Safety Net review series.

Worth noting that it appears that Kit Downes has a new album coming out in 2013, with the same quintet, though with a different person in the cello seat.  Something more to look forward to.

Released in 2011 on the Basho Records label.

Jazz from the UK scene.

Download a free album track at AllAboutJazz, courtesy of the artist and label.

And here’s a link to that free Label Love Jazz Edition sampler on Bandcamp.

Available at eMusic.  Available at Amazon: CD | MP3

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Sep 13 2012

São Paulo Underground – “Três Cabeças Loucuras”

 

Mixing genres and influences can be a heady process, and the risks are numerable.  To then attempt to simultaneously advance those art forms forward raises the stakes to an even higher degree.  On one hand, blending genres can result in the best of qualities washing each other out, and leaving a sanitized version of What Once Was.  On the other, even if the genre-mixing experiment works, the stab at innovation can transform art into dissertation, and turn creative interaction into just another classroom exercise.

That on Três Cabeças Loucuras, the São Paulo Underground were able to blend the Brazilian-psych-trip of Tropicalia of the 60s and the new-millenium-introversion of modern post-rock, and then focus it through a matrix of laptops, electronics, and effects with the end result of a thoroughly delightful and engaging album, it’s an accomplishment that is truly remarkable.  It’s also terrifically fun music.

Your album personnel:  Rob Mazurek (cornet, electronics), Mauricio Takara (cavaquinho, drums, percussion, electronics), Guilherme Granado (keyboards, loops, samplers, percussion), Richard Ribeiro (drums), Kiko Dinucci (guitar), and guests:  Jason Adasiewicz (vibes), John Herndon (drums), and Matthew Lux (bass guitar).  All of the main players also lend their voice to sections of album songs.

Originally founded by Chicagoan Rob Marzurek and Brazilian Mauricio Takara, the group has expanded its breadth of sound over the course of three albums, and what was once a sparse dissonant music has grown into a constantly flowing ever-present auditory sensation.

This is an album with infectious danceable grooves, wailing coronet lines, the crackle and pop of electronics, psychedelic reflections and echoes, strong builds up to soaring moments and sharp downturns of song deconstruction.  Most admirably, even the moments that bring the noise have a pleasant charm to them, not dissimilar to the odd warmth of an ugly laugh.

The Brazilian rhythms imbue the music with an amicable chatter, and the post-rock embrace of simple yet mysterious melodies bring a feathery blush to quick-step tempos.  The laptop effects and electronica flourishes are anything but superfluous stabs at “being modern”… they provide ornamentation to the architecture of the tunes, and spotlight the beauty inherent in the organic foundation of traditional instruments.  The keyboards are the rich soil from which everything incubates, and though there is no overlooking the keyboard’s presence, there is a graceful understatement to the way it comports itself.  This music is joyful and euphoric and, at times, it could induce a little dancing… but the musicians allow that to happen on its own, without becoming overly melodramatic, without getting in the listener’s face.  For an album of music that is so drenched with sound and dynamics and textures, it’s an album that lets the listener come to the music.

And you couldn’t get an invitation any better than from the music on Três Cabeças Loucuras.

Released in 2011 on the Cuneiform Records label.

Available at Wayside Music.

Available on Amazon: CD | MP3 | Vinyl

NOTE:  São Paulo Underground are currently on tour.  They’re mostly hitting spots in the middle section of the U.S.  Follow this link to the Cuneiform website for tour dates.  I’ll be seeing them in Kentucky on both dates.  Hope to see some of you there.

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Aug 23 2012

Splashgirl – “Pressure”

My review of Splashgirl‘s Pressure has been pubbed over at the Music is Good site.  After the lead-in, you can follow the link to read the rest of the article.

*****

The Nordic Jazz sound has situated itself solidly at a distance from Jazz’s epicenter… introspective, austere, with drifting melodies, and rhythms that often eschew swing for drama.  And as musicians from that fold push the envelope ever outward, it gets to where, perhaps, the music stops being Jazz at all.  In the face of whether an album is of value, this genre philosophizing is a small matter.

What is of more compelling, though ancillary interest, is that by pushing the borders of Jazz outward, musicians who typically play other types of music are testing the waters of Jazz.  Some, like Splashgirl, have actually built a foundation in one of the slight areas of fuzziness where genres cross over.

Combining element of a Jazz piano trio, ambient electronica, and alt-classical new-schoolers like Nils Frahm, with Pressure, Splashgirl has created an intoxicating brand of music that may be tough to categorize, but… (read the rest of the article, HERE, at Music is Good)

Released in 2011 on the Hubro Music label.

Jazz from Norway.

Available at eMusic.  Available at Amazon: CD | MP3 | Vinyl

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