Dec 23 2015

This Is Jazz Today: Sylvain Rifflet, John Hebert, Nick Mazzarella and more!

 

BitW square avatarSo, we’re still playing some catch-up here, both from the site downtime and, well, there was a tidal wave of new releases in the last quarter of the year.  So, what you’ll get today and next week are some wrap-up columns of notable (and recommended) albums released between October 1st and today.  But make no mistake, This Is Jazz Today.

This is gonna be the last TIJT column of 2015.  The rest of the year is going to be Best of 2015 posts.  When we return in 2016, we’ll be writing about brand spankin’ new recordings… stuff that came out late in December or are just hitting the new release bins at the dawn of 2016.  So, with all that out of the way…

Let’s begin.

 

Sylvain Rifflet – Mechanics (Jazz Village)

Sylvain Rifflet - "Mechanics"A stunning work from multi-reedist Rifflet, who put out an equally imaginative recording last year with a take on the music of avant-garde music Moondog.  With his quartet comprised of Benjamin Flament on percussion and processed metals, Philippe Gordiani on guitars and Jocelyn Mienniel on flute and kalimba, they cast a spell of rhythmically hypnotic tunes that let loose one gorgeous melodic fragment after the other.  There are tracks that zig zag like crazy in every direction, then interwoven with gentle drones and harmonic washes to bring both clarity to the motion and comfort to the edge.  Rifflet’s creative vision just keeps finding new ways to surprise.  All kinds of personality to this one.  A wonderful recording.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  eMusic – Amazon

*****

John Hébert – Rambling Confessions (Sunnyside)

John Hebert - "Rambling Confessions"“September Song” closes the deal in under two minutes.  Drummer Billy Drummond starts in immediately with an infectious chatter on drums, talkative as all hell but with an unimposing delivery that borders on surrsurrant.  Jen Shyu’s voice imposes itself on the scene slowly, a murmur trying to break out into a shout.  When her words begin to truly emerge, pianist Andy Milne and bassist John Hebert set down the melodic framework using both sunlight and shadows as their building blocks.  It’s a song that draws the listener in and then sets about the task of mesmerizing, and it’s an effect carried out on each of the album tracks… all that really changes is the element that sits in ascension above the others as the process of enchantment is carried out.  The work of Carmen McRae is the common thread woven through this album, but the result is one that transcends the theme that inspired it in the first place.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Marcello Giannini – Frammenti (Auand)

Marcello Giannini - "Frammenti"A real oddball personality to this offering by guitarist Giannini.  Basically a trio, but with a number of different guests on violin, cello, soprano sax, Fender Rhodes, vibes, trumpet and a whole bunch of electronic effects thrown in for good measure.  Tempos are pretty chatty from first note to last, and Giannini and crew weave melodic fragments into the stream of conversation at regular intervals.  Sort of a jazz-rock-electronica fusion.  Some moments on this recording are noticeably stronger than others, but when this ensemble’s vision fully coalesces, well, those moments are pretty damn stunning.  Nothing ordinary about this one.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Nick Mazzarella Trio – Ultraviolet (International Anthem)

Nick Mazzarella - "Ultraviolet"Not sure that enough credit can ever be sufficiently attributed to the Chicago free-improv jazz scene and the way they deftly toe the line between bop-familiar and unstructured freedom.  Alto saxophonist Mazzarrella as well as anybody from that scene is able to express his roaming inclinations with a sound that is strangely straight-ahead, making something familiar out of the ingredients of the unexpected.  He’s joined on this excellent set by bassist Anton Hatwich and drummer Frank Rosaly.  If you’re sitting around and thinking, hey, I’m really jonesing for some serious saxophone action, just go hit the download button on this one and walk away happy.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Slivovitz – All You Can Eat (MoonJune Records)

Slivovitz - "All You Can Eat"I tend to shy away from the descriptors used by musicians for their own music, but the septet Slivovitz describes their music as “progressive gypsy electro-ecletic jazz,” and that’s really about as good as anything I could have come up with myself.  Comprised of saxophone, guitar, trumpet, violin, harmonica, bass and drums, they spend as much time on All You Can Eat working a folk or rock angle as they do jazz, and that slippery genre action is one of the elements that really brings out the music’s charged personality.

I wrote more about this album on this site.  Read it here (LINK).

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Tom Hewson Trio – Treehouse (CamJazz)

tom hewson treehouseSomething sort of enchanting about this trio session of pianist Hewson, vibraphonist Lewis Wright and bassist Calum Gourlay.  Even at its most active, the music retains a starry-night-sky peacefulness to it.  The meshing of melodic and rhythmic elements is the primary driver of the music’s lively tranquility.  There are times on this recording that the trio comes together harmonically and it is absolutely absorbing.

Artist site | Listen | Buy:  eMusic – Amazon

*****

Dave Baron – Introducing Dave Baron (Outside In Music)

Dave Baron - "Introducing"Enjoyable straight-ahead set from bassist Baron.  On this, his debut, he brings a nicely staffed quintet of tenor saxophonist Lucas Pino, guitarist Alex Wintz, trumpeter Mat Jodrell and drummer Jimmy Macbride.  Aside from solid musicianship and tasteful solos, there’s nothing particularly remarkable for the first half of this recording.  But the album ends with the 3-part “Los Pollos Hermanos,” and this is the kind of sign you hope to hear on a debut album… a definitive point-of-view reflecting something imaginative, expressed cohesively. Also, I’m just fond of recordings that end strong.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Lovely Socialite – Toxic Consonance (Self-Produced)

Lovely Socialite - "Toxic Consonance"A mixed bag of influences on this cross-genre recording, with a diverse array of instrumentation that includes a trombonist, cellist, vibraphonist, various percussion and rhythm unit instruments, as well as less conventional stringed instruments like the gaohu, pipa and guzheng.  Also, a mess load of electronics and effects.  It’s also a group that concentrates on building a melodic atmosphere even though they don’t necessarily serve up a traditionally framed melody.  Something of a quirky personality to this recording, and I wanted to be sure to slip in a quick mention in the column.  Go check it out.

Artist site | Listen | Buy: Bandcamp – eMusic – Amazon

*****

Diego Figueiredo – Broken Bossa (Stunt Records)

Diego Figueiredo "Broken Bossa"Nice solo set from Brazilian guitarist Figueiredo, who finds a nice balance between a contemplative tone and the generation of warmth.  He brings in a number of guests for some duo and trio collaborations to round out his solo pieces.  Notably, pianist Steen Rasmussen really develops a wonderful rapport with the guitarist, and a cool turn by vocalist Cyrille Aimée brings out another side of the recording.  Good stuff.

Artist site | Buy:  eMusic – Amazon

*****

Arnault Cuisinier – Anima (Melisse)

Arnault Cuisinier - AnimaLikable recording from bassist Cuisinier, who leads a quartet of (frequent fellow collaborator) pianist Guillaume De Chassy, drummer Fabrice Moreau and the soprano sax of Jean-Charles Richard.  Not quite straight-ahead… there’s some strong fluctuations into jazz-folk territory… and there are times that the focus on melodic and harmonic development lead into expressions of an unusual beauty.  Note: checking out the other recordings with De Chassy’s name stamped on them will lead to some other solid music.

No artist site | Sorry, no audio | Buy:  eMusic – Amazon

*****

 

Have a great time digging through the list!

And remember, it’s simple:  You like what you like.

Cheers.

***

By • Jazz Recommendations - 2015 Releases • 1

Dec 21 2015

On the air: Tuesday, 6-8pm (EST) on ARTxFM Mingle

 

BitW square avatarTomorrow night, Tuesday (12/22/2015), I’ll be returning as a guest tonight on the Louisville-based ARTxFM show Mingle, hosted by Kevin Coultas.

I’ll be featuring some of my favorite music from 2015, as well as some new releases that came out just as the year was winding to a close.

The show runs from 6-8pm (EST) on WXOX 97.1 FM.  They’re still testing their antenna signal, so if your radio connect isn’t picking it up, then visit this station site page (LINK) to either listen via their embedded audio player or download one of their recommended apps.

And if you can’t check it out live, I’ll be posting the audio archive of the show, as well as some links to write-ups of some of the albums featured on the show.

And, remember, if you’re playing the custom ARTxFM Mingle drinking game… each time I mispronounce a musician’s name, you take a shot.  Double it if I also misidentify the correct album title, song title, or geographical location.  If I forget either Kevin or my own name, then it’s three shots.  Might be a good idea to be proactive and call in sick to work for Wednesday right now.

Cheers.

By • Announcement - Site & General, On the Radio • 0 • Tags:

Dec 20 2015

Recommended: Slivovitz – “All You Can Eat”

 

Slivovitz - "All You Can Eat"I tend to shy away from the descriptors used by musicians for their own music, but the septet Slivovitz describes their sound as “progressive gypsy electro-eclectic jazz,” and that’s really about as good as anything I could have come up with myself.  Comprised of saxophone, guitar, trumpet, violin, harmonica, bass and drums, they spend as much time on All You Can Eat working a folk or rock angle as they do jazz, and that slippery genre action is one of the elements that really brings out the music’s charged personality.  No less notable, though, is that no matter how far out on the fringes the ensemble travels, they always take care to turn back and give a big wave to the melody.  Those melodies, by the way, are often as catchy as anything you’ll find on the pop music scene.

Album opener “Persian Night” immediately gets around to showing that this group is unlikely going to just stand in one spot for very long before moving on to the next, unexpected landing point.  It also goes a long way to proving that their diversity of sound is no obstacle to providing some seriously tuneful music.  The way that violin swoops in and takes the pretty melody out for a ride is one of many thrilling moments on this recording.

The exuberant bounce of “Passannante” gets balanced out with some electric guitar crunch and grind, resulting in a song that serves up both a wide smile and a sharp edge.  “Mani In Faccia” works similar territory, but focuses in tight on the groove while occasionally breaking with some lovely melodic interludes.  “Hangover” does away with the concept of interludes, and provides the sole instance of conventional strong structure… it also allows the group to show how their melodic talents extend to expressions of a greater duration than introductory statements and transitory passages.

“Barotrauma” gets up to dance, but some nice harmonic action between saxophone and harmonica infuses the motion with a dose of atmospheric fuzziness to counterbalance the crisp rhythmic moves.  On the other hand, “Yahtzee” leads out with a slow exhalation of the prettiest melody, and then manipulates the imagery when they release the melody to the soloists and watch it drift away… not unlike a child letting go their balloon and giving it up to the sky.

The album closes out, first, with “Currywurster,” a song that stomps its feet while etching a thick groove into the surface of the song.  In an interesting turn of events, the song dissipates, loudly, with dissonance, effects and an undercurrent of harmony that softens all the harsh edges just enough to bring it all together.  They close the album out with “Oblio,” a song that opens with a gentle embrace, transitions to a stomp and twirl, and then just runs off to the horizon with the melody held out before them.

A very cool album, constructed with a smart balance of beauty and intelligence.

Your album personnel: Pietro Santangelo (tenor & alto saxes), Marcello Giannini (electric & acoustic guitars), Riccardo Villari (acoustic & electric violins), Ciro Riccardi (trumpet), Derek Di Perri (harmonica), Vincenzo Lamagna (bass guitar) and Salvatore Rainone (drums).

Released on MoonJune Records.

Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Jazz from the Naples, Italy scene.

Available at: Bandcamp | eMusic | Amazon

By • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2015 Releases • 0

Dec 17 2015

Recommended: Emil De Waal + Gustaf Ljunggren and Søren Kjærgaard Feat. Elith “Nulle” Nykjær – “Handmade in Denmark”

 

Emil de Waal "Handmade in Denmark"In 2013, the quartet of drummer Emil de Waal, pianist Søren Kjærgaard, clarinetist Elith “Nulle” Nykjær and saxophonist Gustaf Ljunggren (who also performs on banjo) released a self-titled recording that was among the year’s best.  An impromptu recording of a live performance, it captured the supreme joy and sublime melodicism that can result from a group of talented musicians all coming together in unison, where the sum is greater than the individual parts and where group interplay can be just as dramatic as the solos it invites.  There is a warmth and intimacy to that recording that is positively intoxicating.

The success of that collaboration led to a sophomore release.  This one, the 2015 release Handmade in Denmark, clearly sounds more planned out, as the musicians attempted to build on what came before.  This leads to songs that stretch further out, and forms of expression that aren’t as content with keeping to the same patch of turf.  So, now you get “Christiania” diving head-first into a thick groove while rearing back and letting the woodwinds roar.  It’s part 1970s tv theme song, part new cool collective jam, and 100% catchy.  There’s also the cagey dance of “Den Dumme Prins,” with its slippery cadence and a melody that can’t sit still.  And then there’s the keyboard effects shadowboxing with the darting banjo lines on “Almerida,” a song that is as whimsical and it is tuneful.  A similar approach is taken to their rendition of “Sound of Silence,” which begins with a music box and then follows through with a laid-back, sunny delivery.

But don’t think for a second that they’ve dispelled the magic they conjured up on their initial foray.  “Min Nordiske Bror” could sub in as a children’s lullaby or just as easily snap into place with whiskey neat, a view from the window and the hope that the full moon will shine down on your one true love.  “Gräns” is plenty playful, but its gorgeous, heartbreaking melody means serious business.  And both “Dukko” and title-track “Handmade in Denmark” hit that dreamy sweet-spot between wakefulness and a night of peaceful sleep.

The quartet closes out the album with “Hans-Henrik Ley-Medley,” displaying one final time the strong magic that bound them together on their first recording… an inviting melody, a chipper attitude, and plenty of personality to spare.

I cannot possibly recommended both of their recordings more enthusiastically.  They are, both of them, a delight to hear.

Your album personnel:  Emil de Waal (drums, music box, percussion), Gustaf Ljunggren (tenor sax, banjo, guitar), Søren Kjærgaard (keyboards) and Elith “Nulle” Nykjær (clarinet).

Released on Danish Music & Entertainment.

Listen to another album track at the artist’s Soundcloud page.

Jazz from Denmark.

Available at:  eMusic | Amazon CD | Amazon MP3

And be sure to read up on their excellent first recording (LINK).

By • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2015 Releases • 0

Dec 17 2015

These are videos that I like: Trabant Echo Orchestra – “Winter Suite Part II”

 

Here’s a neat video that incorporates the song “Part II” from Trabant Echo Orchestra‘s Winter Suite… a recent recommendation here on Bird is the Worm.

The video was put together by cinematographer Philip Fleischer.  Here’s a LINK to some other videos he has up on Vimeo (a YouTube equivalent, for those unfamiliar).

 

And be sure to check out that album recommendation (LINK).  I’m really enjoying this album.

By • These are videos that I like • 0

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