Jazz Recommendations – 2013 Releases

Bajan Jazz Routes Vol.1, the debut EP by the 1688 Orchestra, is an example of why I enthusiastically pour over the new release listings and give everything a listen.  A big band that utilizes steel pans as part of its mix of Jazz and Caribbean music, the 1688 Collective is the vision of Stefan Wolcott, who wanted to provide a platform for both professional musicians and students alike to collaborate and develop.  The Collective consists of different ensembles, with the full orchestra presented on this recording.

This is music that comes right out swinging, with the shimmering electricity of pans meshing with punchy cadences and the boisterous attitude of a platoon of wind instruments and a rhythm section with a driven determination.  The array of pans is the most compelling aspect of this recording, especially in how their unique expressions are able to differentiate themselves while still interacting as simply another facet of a standard big band presentation.  Adding to the intrigue is the way in which the resonant warmth of the pans pair with a violin solo on “For Very,” illustrating yet another captivating aspect of this ensemble’s sound.

But this isn’t some sort of novelty.  The ensemble’s buoyant demeanor, shouting out melodies while riding the waves of fluid grooves possesses an enthusiasm that is undeniably catchy and abounding with personality… the kind of energy that is so easy to embrace and the kind of music that is 100% fun.  I’m absolutely thrilled to have stumbled upon this recording.

Your album personnel:  Stefan Wolcott (double seconds pan, percussion, artistic director), Shawn Layne, Kevin Moore, Erin Hazelwood, Kweku Jelani, Kevyn Lynch (trumpets), Jomo Slusher, Matthew Squires (trombones), Romaro Greaves, Joseph Callender, Gary Goodrige (alto saxophones), Nicholas Timothy, Davian Alleyne, Shawn Yarde (tenor saxophones), Jerome Clarke, Huge Griffith (baritone saxophones), Rosson Wiltshire (pans), Dwain Gill (tenor pan, violin), Andre Forde (guitar pan, tenor pan), Jason Morris (tenor pan), Mark Forde (double tenor, tenor pan), Maria Beckles (double seconds pan), Petra Welch, Farakhan Stephens (drums), David Haynes, Richard Evans (bass), and Richard “Salief” Smith (percussion).

The album is Self-Produced.

Jazz from the Barbados scene.

Available at:  eMusic | CDBaby | Amazon MP3

The Collective also appears to be involved in social activities, mostly centered around working with youth through the arts.  It seems like most retailers have the digital album download set between four and five bucks.  Go and buy yourself some fun music and support a worthwhile organization in the process.

Here again is a link to their Facebook page, which documents both their music and outreach.

I find myself perpetually fascinated by the expansive sound and intimate warmth of Elevenette, the debut by Dan Peter Sundland.  Utilizing classical compositions and jazz improvisation, he rounds out the vision by marrying his music to the words of poets such and Christopher Buckley, Campbell McGrath, and Allen Ginsberg.

The large ensemble, bolstered by instruments typical to the orchestra setting, provide the music with a large voice… one they’re not afraid to use when they stand up and roar.  But the phrasing of the music lends to introspective pauses and peaceful interludes, and that big sound begins to behave more like a sonic blanket to wrap oneself in.

Your album personnel: Dan Peter Sundland (bass & compositions), Emilie Nicolas Kongshavn (vocals), Erik Lefsaker (flute), Nils Marius Kjøsnes (clarinet), Martin Myhre Olsen (alto sax), Hanna Paulsberg (tenor sax), Torstein Lavik Larsen (trumpet), Henrik Munkeby Nørstebø (trombone), Ola Lindseth (violin), Tabita Berglund (cello), and Hans Hulbækmo (percussion, vibes).

And while the music does lend itself more to classical, Hanna Paulsberg’s contributions to a track like “Cuttings and Cuttings” illustrate quite nicely that there’s some jazz running through the veins of this fascinating album.  Opening track “A Western Ballad” is the best example of the balance between the two, seamlessly shifting between a lofty string interlude and saxophone heat.

Kongshvn’s poetic delivery is a joy each time she makes an appearance, but just as importantly, she remains within the fold of the ensemble, her voice one with the other instruments, and, thankfully, preventing the album from becoming simply a series of transitions between vocal sections and instrumental.

Just a really wonderful debut album, with a rich and engaging personality.

Released on Øra Fonogram.

Music from the Berlin scene.

Available at:  eMusic | Amazon MP3

This is an album with a breezy presence, utilizing space and motion to allow the seeds of strong melodies to bloom patiently and rhythms to develop a conversational tone that is soothing and engaging both… even when the gas pedal gets depressed.  Ponto de Partida, the debut album by guitarist André Santos, gains that wide open feel despite bringing several influences to the table.  Aspects of jazz, rock, folk, and Portuguese music all inform this recording, and by matching the commonalities of each, Santos keeps the album from getting cluttered, allowing songs to retain a cohesive personality throughout the length of this fine recording.

Your album personnel:  André Santos (guitar), João Hasselberg (double bass), João Pereira (drums), Ricardo Toscano (alto sax), and guests:  Gianni Gagliardi (tenor sax), Joana Espadinha (vocals, lyrics), and Margarida Campelo (vocals).

Opening track “Zion” is high energy, but behaves as a controlled force of will.  Guitar’s rhythmic attack is both comforting and catchy, especially as it switches between applications of tempo and melody.  The song’s reliance on repetition speaks to its varied influences, especially those of rock and folk, though the interludes between those sections shepherds it back into jazz territory.

“Reverso da Mehalda” is the most intriguing of all the album tracks.  A song that switches things up a few times through its duration, each new evolution revealing a quality not so different from the previous, yet possessing the appealing unpredictability of an about-face.  It begins with a rustic folk music ease, a contemplative demeanor that allows the ear to consider both the qualities of the small sounds slowly expressed while also concentrating on the wide open expanse of the silences allowed to settle in the spaces in-between.  The subsequent shifts into post-jazz and jazz-rock territories kick the temperature up a notch or two, and the contemplative demeanor is traded for a personality much more inclined to extroverted activities.

There’s the modern jazz-rock of “Siso,” in which Santos’ electric guitar sears a speedy path through the heart of the song, eventually passing the baton to saxophonist Toscano, who brings the heat, too, but balances things out by emitting a heat more akin to a post-bop solo.

The sunny presence of title-track “Ponto de Partida” provides some nice moments, most notably the interplay of guitar, sax, and Hasselberg’s bass section, in which they all tread lightly about one another, an almost blithe demeanor, but which results in its entirety as a delicate weave of sound that’s quite lovely.

“Avô João” is a nice little straight-ahead tune, with guest Gagliardi’s tenor sax strolling pleasantly out front, and keeping the genial melody close by at all times.  “Qwerty,” also, keeps things pretty straight-forward, mostly a vehicle for sax and guitar to get some work in, but then it goes through a costume change, and comes back heavy, with a grind and crunch of electric guitar and the bullet spray of drums.  It’s one of two moments where the group veers off course on this album, and eschews the enjoyable breezy atmosphere it had spent so much time constructing.

“Viagem de Olhos Vendados” brings things back in line where the title-track had left off.  A smoky tune with a thick melody that drifts airily on by, languorous expressions on saxophone and guitar carry the tune, though Pereira’s brief outbursts on drums interspersed throughout may be the tune’s strongest element… providing a bit of contrast without sacrificing the song’s predominant ease.

“Mutantes” brings in guest vocalists Campelo and Espadinha for a cantabile, singing about the way a life changes when in love, and giving the album a romantic aspect before the edgier emotions of the album’s final track.

The album ends with “Presságio,” and it goes out with a bang.  It’s the “other” moment that discards the album’s serene attitude, but in this instance (as opposed to the interruption of Avô João), there’s something more logical about this rise of voices and intensity… that an album that has expressed itself with the tranquil ease of a lazy Summer day would conclude things by slowly building up to a roar for the grand finale… there’s a logic to that construction that transcends genre and time.  And after that big wave of big sound finally crests, the song, and album, end with a gentle sonic dispersal of sound, on a quiet note, much like it began.

Really, just a nice debut recording, presenting a point of view that doesn’t closely resemble much else on the scene.  A tuneful album, with an enjoyable breezy disposition.

Released on TOAP Music.

Jazz from the Lisbon, Portugal scene.

Available at:  Bandcamp CD&Digital | CDBaby Digital | Amazon MP3

*****

Some Other Things You Should Probably Know:

Santos appears as a guest on another recent release from the Lisbon, Portugal scene… Andre Carvalho‘s Memoria de Amiba, a solid recording released near the end of 2013, and which (I believe) was my eMusic Pick of the Week when it came out.  Read the review HERE, on Bird is the Worm.

If you enjoyed the breezy nature of this recording, you might want to check out my review of Quartetto Minimo‘s 2013 release Pomelö.  It has a slightly different sound, but that same airy feel that made Ponto de Partida so successful.  Read that review HERE.

On previous albums, saxophonist Manuel Dunkel displayed an ability to play it straight from both past and post-bop perspectives.  On 2004’s Manuscript, Dunkel’s quartet kept things more in the mainstream jazz arena, and illustrated his ability to draw evocative tones from patient expressions.  On 2010’s A Step Forward, Dunkel’s quartet turned up the heat, hitting notes that sang of modern post-bop jazz sounds, though hinting at roots of that music with quick turns of phrases and a rhythm section that could turn on a dime.

On his latest recording, 2013’s Meeting Point, Dunkel brings those elements together.  Furthermore, he adds the Proton String Quartet to the mix, providing a new dimension to his music as his sound evolves creatively.  It’s what puts this recording over the top, eclipsing previous efforts.

Your album personnel:  Manuel Dunkel (tenor & soprano saxes), Seppo Kantonen (piano), Ville Herrala (bass), Mika Kallio (drums) and the Proton String Quartet: Teppo Ali-Mattila (violin), Ilkka Lehtonen (violin), Maarit Holkko (viola), and Veli-Matti Iljin (cello).

The balance between the saxophone quartet “side” and the string quartet “side” is most fascinating in the way their negative correlation expresses itself.  On opening track “Sustaining,” Dunkel’s languid sax lead is offset by urgent coaxing of strings, and when the sax quartet speaks in clipped phrases, the string quartet offers up long slow washes of harmony.  On “Le Calife,” Dunkel’s sax rides the turbulent drafts of Kallio’s drums, while strings provide a smooth jet stream just beneath the expanse of the solo.

“Fortitude North” develops a little swing, as Herrala walks down Dunkel’s opening salvo.  When Dunkel states the melody, strings hit the gas pedal on the harmony, then slams on the brakes, inching forward to add some emphasis to the rhythmic chatter.  On piano, Kantonen works the seams between the two, while running in a direction opposite that of bass.  The sense of intersecting lines heading it opposite directions adds some welcome tension to a tune that verges on a season of swing.

Of course, it’s not all a matter of counterbalancing… the expressions in tandem offer plenty to get excited about.  The opening of “Stones” sees the octet skipping determinedly forward, and then all as one, leap off a cliff and begin to soar.

“Range of Moods Pt.2” and “Kevätkoivu” slip into ballad form, letting strings tell a love story while Dunkel adds that tone of heartbreak inherent in all romantic expressions.  But “Outlines” is a different kind of demeanor.  Raucous right from the start, the ensemble speeds through an upbeat tune, featuring a nice turn by Kantonen on piano.

The album ends with “Sustaining 2,” a reprise of the opening track.  And where the first rendition of this song slowly built drama right from the start, the reprise has a sense of finality, both Dunkel and Kantonen offering up shorter and crisper statements on sax and piano, drums still pronounced, but with less insistence.  Strings, intriguingly, add a soft layer of dissonance in the background, which contrasts greatly with the rest of the ensemble, yet, strangely, serves to enhance the tempered wind-down.

A nice example of how to add an element of strings to an existing sound without changing everything up, and, also, just an enjoyable recording that I find myself coming back to from time to time.

Released on Texicalli Records.

Jazz from the Vantaa, Finland scene.

Available at:  eMusic | Amazon MP3