Jazz Recommendations

Here is some very good new music.

Walter Smith III – TWIO (Whirlwind Recordings)

You really can’t go wrong with this set from Walter Smith III.  This is for those times when you just want to hear some serious tenor saxophone lyricism… perhaps something original and new and perhaps some new takes on old classics.  That’s what you get with TWIO.  I’m always down with a saxophonist’s take on a Monk tune; something about how the wind instrument floats like a butterfly when applying Monk’s skittering melodicism makes tracing the flight patterns a real delight.  Smith’s cover of “Ask Me Know” is Exhibit A for why I gravitate to that combo.  But it’s Smith’s canny rendition of Wayne Shorter’s “Adam’s Apple” that shines brightest on this recording, and how an icy melody slowly dissolves into a rhythmic mist.  Drummer Eric Harland and bassist Harish Raghavan round out Smith’s trio, with Christian McBride and Joshua Redman guesting on bass and tenor sax.  Music from Los Angeles.

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Kekko Fornarelli – Abaton (Eskape Music)

Kekko Fornarelli has always had a flair for the dramatic.  The key to the pianist’s success is his talent for pushing the emotional intensity to the very edge and never sacrificing its sincerity.  His 2011 release Room of Mirrors still stands as the embodiment of that trait, but his newest release has plenty of moments that match it.  A rendition of Beck’s “Lonesome Tears” is the most obvious example, and the one most likely to resonate strongest.  And, just as Beck did on Sea Change, Fornarelli brings in a string section for this session.  Fornarelli’s trio is comprised of himself on piano, bassist Federico Pecoraro and drummer Dario Congedo.  Music from Bari, Italy.

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Fabien Mary Octet – Left Arm Blues (Jazz & People)

Nice throwback sound from trumpeter Fabien Mary, who hits the sweet spot where the consideration of arrangements allow the free flowing expressionism of bop to thrive.  It’s an album where the simple joy of thoughtful solos is all the reason you need to hit the play button.  And it’s always nice to hear Thomas Savy in action, this time with baritone sax (instead of bass clarinet), and part of an octet that comes strong with the brass (five vs. guitar, bass and drums).

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Giacomo Zanus Trio – Searching for the North (Self-Produced)

Why, yes, if your album reminds me of various Bill Frisell works, I will gladly say something nice about it.  With its moments of looping effects and bracing tranquility and a lively hop, this trio set by the Giacomo Zanus Trio was right up my alley.  How this music resonates from the slightest of gestures, like a fiercely burning ember in a cold fireplace, is its winning quality.  The pieces that hit more straight-ahead territory are all well and good, but those tunes that echo the music of Frisell’s In Line and Ghost Town are when this album shines its strongest.  All of these Frisell references should in no way obscure the fact that Zanus is expressing his own voice and his own point of view.  It’s also an especially nice touch when Zanus switches over the classical guitar, as are those tracks when David Boato sits in on trumpet and flugelhorn.  Double bassist Mattia Magatelli and drummer Max Trabucco round out the trio.  Music from Treviso, Italy.

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Zach’s Moonshine Runners – Bootleg 11-18-2017 (Self-Produced)

There’s an appealing languid atmosphere to this music, even though it moves predominately at a brisk pace.  Zacharie Bachand‘s sextet works straight-ahead territory, though sometimes that’s in an old-school context and sometimes a modern one.  Two saxophones and a trombone give the music plenty of harmonic loft to just float away upon, while guitar, bass and drums keep things focused and upbeat.  It’s retailing at Name Your Price, so you have a nice opportunity to explore new music at a price you can afford.  Music from Montreal, Québec.

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Here is some very good new music.

Wayne Escoffery – Vortex (Sunnyside Records)

I adore how Wayne Escoffery articulates on tenor saxophone at high speeds.  There’s something so magnetic about how clear and crisp he sounds in the midst of volatility, like picking out the way light catches individual raindrops within the storm.  His latest is certainly a case in point.  It’s unsurprising that he collaborates with those who gravitate to that form of expression.  Pianist David Kikoski has some standout moments picking up a solo where Escoffery’s left off.  Bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Ralph Peterson, Jr. are just as often the catalyst for this album’s fireworks, especially on those tracks that feature percussionist Jacquelene Acevedo.  There are some seriously thrilling moments when Peterson and Acevedo enter a rhythmic confluence and just go to town.  Music from NYC.

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Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra – Bohemiana Vol. 1 (Self-Produced)

There’s something special when a big band can scoop you up with a melody and use it to carry you all through a piece, even when the melody becomes a distant memory.  That’s what happens on Bohemiana: The compositions and arrangements of Dan Roberts Volume 1.  This straight-ahead session from Brad Linde‘s 17-piece orchestra comes with the big sound and harmonies that generate a warmth strong enough to beat back an Alaskan winter, but it all hinges on those inviting melodic statements.  After that, the swinging tempos spur things along, and it’s an even draw between the soloists and ensemble play as to which will win over your attention.  Music from Washington, DC.

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Kaladin Quartet – Apropos of Nothing (Self-Produced)

There’s an appeal to how Kaladin Quartet makes a bold statement with each recitation of melody.  There’s plenty of life to them just by way of their construction, but the quartet of pianist Henry Walsh, bassist David Storelli, drummer Marc Celestini and saxophonist Christopher Greene really breathe life into them, accenting the melodies with just the right amount of emphasis for a dramatic splash and avoiding the risk of it sounding contrived and over-the-top.  The music is situated firmly in modern territory, with tempos just as inclined to rock as they might swing.  Overall, an album with a magnetic personality.  Worth nothing it’s retailing at Name Your Price, so it’s an opportunity to explore new music at a cost that suits your ability.  Music from North Carolina.

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Tleikak – Tleikak (Self-Produced)

There’s something about the catchy melodies and breezy tempos of the duo Tleikak that I find a little addictive and plenty fun.  Comprised of Japhlet Bire Attias on the Chapman Stick and synths, and Manuel Caffarena on drums and percussion, the duo finds the sweet spot where contemporary jazz and indie pop come together.  The result is music that is easy to embrace while retaining qualities that keep the head engaged sufficiently to keep from just drifting off.  Music from Mexico City, Mexico.

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Francis Hon – Before Dawn (Self-Produced)

I do really try to stay away from the approach of comparing one artist to another… especially a modern artist with one from the classic jazz age.  But this lovely set from pianist Francis Hon had me thinking wistfully about how long it had been since I’d given a Duke Pearson recording a spin.  Hon has a way of gently coaxing a melody to resonate with impressive strength.  Much of the album echoes the hard bop era, but there’s some modern influence that makes its presence felt, too.  Hell of a nice debut.  Hon is joined by bassist Jeong Hwan Park and drummer Billy Drummond.  Music from Brooklyn, NY.

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Here is some very good new music.

Zion80 – Warriors (Chant Records)

There’s a joyfulness to this music that leaves its mark.  Zion80 grooves heavy and hard, but there’s never a time the music doesn’t stay light on its feet.  It’s easy to see why Jon Madof‘s dectet was such a nice fit in John Zorn’s Book of Angels series… the ensemble can work subtle shifts between influences without causing even a ripple of disturbance in the rhythmic chatter.  The melodies of Warriors are like beaming smiles, full of warmth and friendliness.  Mysticism is a pretty big deal in the modern Zorn songbook, but it’s something that Zion80 clearly had in their back pocket before those sessions began.  There’s a spirituality that bleeds out of tunes designed for letting loose on the weekend, and that Zion80 doesn’t appear to view that as a contradiction is likely the reason for the music’s success and why it comes off as so damn genuine.  Ensemble members saxophonist Jessica Lurie and pianist Brian Marsella are just two of the names familiar to this site.  Music from NYC.

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Tim Daisy’s Fulcrum Ensemble – Animation (Relay Recordings)

It can’t be easy navigating a path that attempts to be wide open and modern and free while also drawing thick lines tracing back to jazz in its early stages of life.  This inside-out recording from Tim Daisy’s Fulcrum Ensemble is wild and effusive, and sometimes it echoes the swinging affairs from New Orleans past and sometimes it explodes in an avant-garde fury reminiscent of New York City loft scene of the seventies.  But in every instance, there’s a strong presence of the modern day, that the form of expression is always focused through the lens of musicians who know exactly where their feet stand and that they breathe the air of today.  But aside from matters of influence and style, what matters most is that this music is supremely fun.  Its unpredictability is manifest even when the sound is something intimately familiar.  Clarinetist James Falzone, trombonist Steve Swell, cornetist Josh Berman, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and saxophonist Dave Rempis all leave their mark on this excellent recording.  It’s always difficult for me to get to all of the music out there and still meet my submission deadlines, and that’s the only reason this wasn’t one of my Best of Bandcamp Jazz recommendations when this album was released.  Don’t be surprised if it makes an appearance in a later column.  Music from Chicago.

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Menagerie – The Arrow of Time (Freestyle Records)

Menagerie‘s updated soul jazz is like the first day of Spring after a long winter.  The music’s melodic warmth and cheerful grooves are a signal to emerge from a state of hibernation and set to motion.  Lance Ferguson‘s ensemble steps up with a big sound, but its presence is laid-back casual.  That seeming contradiction between potential force and resultant calm creates its own form of tension, and thus a special kind of beauty… like when storm clouds gather overhead, but it never rains and a streak of sunlight is allowed to shine through unimpeded.  Fallon Williams adds a nice spoken word touch on the opening track.  If you liked their 2012 release They Shall Inherit, their newest will also float your boat.  Music from Melbourne, Australia.

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MABUTA – Welcome To This World (Self-Produced)

This debut from MABUTA is a nice example of how doing something a little bit different doesn’t necessarily have to be an obstacle to creating supremely embraceable music.  The sextet’s mix of South African jazz and contemporary electronic music is all kinds of friendly and forges a strong connection, even as it simultaneously creates an environment that sparks an introspective reaction.  The core group of bassist Shane Cooper, guitarist Reza Khota, pianist Bokani Dyer, tenor saxophonist Sisonke Xonti, drummer Marlon Witbooi and trumpeter Robin Fassie-Kock get some solid assistance from an array of guest musicians… notably saxophonists Shabaka Hutchings (who has got to have a ton of frequent flier miles for all the guest spots he’s been up for lately) and Buddy Wells (who lights the album up on his guest spot).  Also in a guest role, Tlale Makhene demonstrates that percussion is another form of electricity.  Music from Cape Town, South Africa.

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Yves Arques & Miguel Crozzoli – Drops of Sun (Nendo Dango Records)

The tension ranges from simmering to explosive on this duo outing from pianist Yves Arques and saxophonist Miguel Crozzoli.  Passages of silence are just as fearful as the unleashing of sonic fury… and just as enchanting.  Arques adds some melodic textures, either by preparing his piano or keeping a bit of odd percussion nearby.  There are moments of extreme focus when the music becomes an immersive experience.  Music from Paris & Buenos Aires.

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