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DEXTER GORDON - Something Different (1975)

April 20, 2013, 3:37 pm
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What is different about this set (recorded in a particularly busy year for Dexter Gordon) is that the veteran tenor is joined by a trio (guitarist PhilipCatherine, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Billy Higgins) that does not include a pianist. Otherwise, the music is at the same high quality level and in the same modern bop genre as one would expect. In addition to one of his originals and Slide Hampton's "Yesterday's Mood," Gordon stretches out on some standards, making a classic statement on the ballad "When Sunny Gets Blue." All of his SteepleChase albums (particularly those from the 1975-76 period) are well worth acquiring.  -  Scott Yanow

Tracks
01. Freddie Freeloader (Miles Davis)
02. When Sunny Gets Blue (M. Fisher)
03. Invitation (Bronislaw Kaper
04. Freddie Freeloader [Take 3] (Miles Davis)
05. Yesterday’s Mood [Take 4] (Slide Hampton)
06. Winther’s Calling (Dexter Gordon)
07. Polkadots and Moonbeams (James Van Heusen)
08. Yesterday’s Mood (Slide Hampton)

DEXTER GORDON  tenor saxophone
PHILIP CATHERINE  guitar
BILLY HIGGINS  drums
NIELS HENNING ORSTED PEDERSEN  bass

Recorded September 13, 1975
SteepleChase  SCS - 3136
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CHARLIE HADEN, BILLY HIGGINS, ENRICO PIERANUNZI - First Song (1992)

April 22, 2013, 1:57 am
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"...a set that grows in stature almost every time it's heard. Pieranunzi takes an even stronger claim for major league status with a well-structured and resonant performance, dark-toned lyricism that chimes with Haden's romantic attack and with the clipped swing dictated by the drummer."  -  The Penguin Guide to Jazz


Tracks
01. First Song (Charlie Haden)
02. Je Ne Sais Quoi (Enrico Pieranunzi)
03. Polka Dots And Moonbeams (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke)
04. Lennie’s Pennies (Lennie Tristano)
05. Newsbreak (Enrico Pieranunzi)
06. All That Way (Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn)
07. Si Si  (Charlie Parker)
08. For Turiya (Cahrlie Haden)
09. IN The Moment (Charlie Haden)

CHARLIE HADEN  bass
BILLY HIGGINS  drums
ENRICO PIERANUNZI  piano

Recorded April 26, 1990 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano
Soul Note – 121222 - 2
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LESZEK MOZDZER, LARS DANIELSSON, ZOHAR FRESCO - Between Us And The Light (2006)

May 16, 2013, 3:23 pm
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Another sparkling gem in Leszek Mozdzer’s rich catalogue, Between Us and the Light (which, as far as I know, despite its English title has been published only in Poland) sees the Polish piano genius in a jazz trio context, alongside Swedish bassist and cellist Lars Danielsson and Israeli percussionist Zohar Fresco. Like the previous album of this exciting trio (2005’s The Time), Between Us and the Light has garnered double platinum award in Poland. It’s not difficult to understand why. Highly recommended.

Tracks
01. Requiem 18/09
02. Light Up The Lie
03. Ex Ego
04. The O
05. Adama
06. Abraham's Bells
07. Fake Master's Hypnosis
08. Psamem
09. Edem
10. Pub 700 (Between Us And The Light)
11. Abraham's Bell II

LESZEK MOZDZER piano
LARS DANIELSSON double bass, cello
ZOHAR FRESCO percussion , vocals

Outside Music OMCD 002
Publicado 25th February 2012 por guairao

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MAL WALDRON, STEVE LACY - Sempre Amore (1987)

May 16, 2013, 7:14 pm
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Among the many things that Mal Waldron and Steve Lacy have in common when it comes to music is a special reverence for two of the most distiguished composers in jazz - Thelonious Sphere Monk and Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington. This album offers a dedicated salute to the compositions of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.


Tracks
01. Johnny Come Lately (Billy Strayhorn)
02. Prelude To A Kiss (D. Ellington / I. Gordon / I. Mills)
03. Stars Crossed Lovers (B. Strayhorn / D. Ellington)
04. To The Bitter (Duke Ellington)
05. Azure (D. Ellington / I. Mills)
06. Sempre Amore (Duke Ellington)
07. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (Billy Strayhorn)
08. Smada (B. Strayhorn / D. Ellington)

MAL WALDRON  piano
STEVE LACY  soprano saxophone

Recorded February 17, 1986 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano
Soul Note   121170 - 2
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PAUL BLEY - Sonor (1984)

May 16, 2013, 7:59 pm
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For Paul Bley to comment that this 1983 recording is the best collection of his music to emerge since 1961 is a provocative statement unless, knowing Bley, he's just kidding around. Since this is even more spaced-out than some of his famous "slow" recordings such as Ballads, does that mean he really wanted those recordings to be even more minimal than they were? The drummer not only featured but supposedly introduced on Sonor, George Cross McDonald, has a style that is so strange it makes the abstract impressionist school of Bley drummers such as Barry Altschul and Paul Motian sound like Motown backbeaters. And for this recording, Bley dropped the bass entirely. Does that mean he wasn't satisfied with the playing of Gary Peacock, for example, on many of his earlier albums? If so, it arouses curiousity as to why Bley gave his bassists so much solo space, if he didn't like their playing.
All the pieces on Sonor are free improvisations, and again the comment by Bley begs the question of whether spontaneous composition is really his preferred mode of operation. He certainly has crossed the line many a time in his interpretations of tunes at live performances, and even listeners familiar with his style might not be able to tell if a given performance is completely improvised or a reflection on a written theme. Listening to Sonor, a track such as "Speed" sounds like a rapidly executed, confusing jazz head such as "King Korn" by Carla Bley. The pianist executes a series of stunning runs here, utilizing intriguing voicings and generally sounding like he could play anything he wanted to on the piano. McDonald truly drums in an odd manner here; the closest comparison might be some of the drum solos on Jandek records. In other words, McDonald doesn't sound like he knows how to play the drums, or at least not to backup a fast-paced piano solo.
Now, it would be a lot to assume that Bley would drag a total amateur into the studio with him, even given his strange sense of humor. According to the liner notes, this is a seasoned percussionist with decades of experience. It says McDonald has played with Neil Young, although it would be hard to imagine what from this album -- perhaps a game of hockey. It must be the only Bley record where the drummer either lacks a sense of swing or has done a masterful job of expunging any clue of this feel from his playing. For the most part McDonald goes for the pure sound of the drums, while avoiding rhythm almost entirely. Bley uses lots of space in the majority of the performances; McDonald sees this as an opportunity to play less, not more. On one level, the result is a Bley album which pushes a certain extreme of musical reasoning. Near the end of the first side, on "Joined," there is a marvelous section where Bley is adding sounds from inside the piano, muting the strings with his hands, the whole time showing how quickly he can move from idea to idea and how he absolutely is not bound to exploit each motif to the point of fatigue. The drummer taps around; even Lassie could have come up with a good accompaniment here, Bley's mood is so strong. There are not really that many moments like that on Sonor. The demanding listener may not forgive Bley for having tapped a vein of boredom, but perhaps this enigmatic jazz figure was trying to prove that there is no such thing.  -   Eugene Chadbourne


Tracks
01. Little Bells (Paul Bley)
02. Landscape (Paul Bley)
03. Spedd (Paul Bley)
04. Recollection (Paul Bley)
05. Joined (Paul Bley)
06. Sonor (Paul Bley)
07. Waltz (Paul Bley)
08. Set (Paul Bley)
09. Darkness (Paul Bley)
10. Tight Rope (Paul Bley)

PAUL BLEY  piano
GEORGE CROSS McDONALD  percussion

Recorded May 22, 1983 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano
Soul Note   121085 - 2
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PAUL MOTIAN - The Story Of Maryam (1983)

May 21, 2013, 12:25 am
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The Story of Maryamis the first album by Paul Motian to be released on the Italian Soul Note label. It was released in 1984 and features performances by Motian with Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano, along with Ed Schuller and Jim Pepper.


Tracks
01. 9 x 9
02. 5 Miles to Wrentham
03. The Owl of Cranston
04. Trieste
05. Look to the Black Wall
06. The Story of  Maryam

PAUL MOTIAN  drums
BILL FRISELL  guitar
JOE LOVANO  tenor saxophone
JIM PEPPER  tenor and soprano saxophone
ED SCHULLER  bass

All compositions by Paul Motian
Recorded July 27 and 28, 1983 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano
Soul Note  SN  1074   /   C.A.M.  121074
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STEVE KUHN - Trance (1975)

May 27, 2013, 4:20 am
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Trance, Steve Kuhn's second recording for ECM, was actually recorded a mere ten days after Ecstasy, his solo piano debut for the label. Trance features Kuhn playing both electric and acoustic piano, bassist Steve Swallow, drummer Jack DeJohnette, and percussionist Sue Evans. Two of the album's compositions, "Silver" and "Life's Backward Glance," are re-recordings of tunes appearing on Ecstasy. Adventurous and wide open, Trance is a mixed bag full of knots, twists, and turns. While firmly in the jazz idiom, Kuhn also draws on classical sources (check his solo in "Squirt"), drawing on Luciano Berio and Olivier Messiaen as well as Cecil Taylor. Performed on electric piano, "Silver" is a chugging, repetitive riff with a Latin rhythm, and Kuhn swings it like mad as Swallow's bass pops and spits along the melodic line as well as the rhythmic undertone. This is jazz that touches on fusion, modal, and the new spirit of the music as ECM came into the 1970s as a player. There is restlessness and calm, tempestuousness and serenity, conflict and resolution, and -- above all -- creativity and vision. - Thom Jurek

1. Trance
2. A Change of Face
3. Squirk
4. The Sandhouse
5. Something Everywhere
6. Silver
7. The Young Blade
8. Life's Blackward Glance

STEVE KUHN piano, rhodes piano
STEVE SWALLOW bass
JACK DeJOHNETTE drums
SUE EVANS percussion

All compositions by Steve Kuhn
Recorded at Generation Sound Stidio NYC, November 11 and 12, 1974
ECM 1052 / POCJ - 2794
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STEVE KUHN - Motility (1977)

May 27, 2013, 4:32 am
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This is one of Steve Kuhn's more unusual studio sessions, which was recorded for ECM in 1977. At times, the pianist seems less like a post-bop musician and more like someone dabbling in new age music, especially in his opener, "The Rain Forest." But his formidable technique is quickly brought center stage, so the deceptively mellow setting, with Steve Slagle's birdlike flute and Michael Smith's sparse percussion, develops into something tantalizing, even though it seems unlikely that it could be played in a nightclub. The swirling theme of "Oceans in the Sky" suggests an intense summer downpour, while "Motility" is a wild vehicle swerving back and forth through several genres. Bassist Harvie Swartz contributed the exotic "Catherine" (a piece that never seems to go where one expects) and the Latin-flavored "Places I've Never Been." This long unavailable LP may be somewhat difficult to acquire.  -  Ken Dryden, All Music Guide.

Tracks
01. The Rain Forest (Steve Kuhn)
02. Oceans In The Sky (Steve Kuhn)
03. Catherine (Arvie Swartz)
04. Bittersweet Passages (Steve Kuhn)
05. Deep Tango (Steve Kuhn)
06. Motility (Steve Kuhn)
07. The Child Is Gone (Steve Kuhn)
08. A Danse For One (Steve Kuhn)
09. Places I’ve Never Been (Harvie Swartz)

STEVE SLAGLE  flute, soprano and alto saxophones
STEVE KUHN  piano
HARVIE SWARTZ  bass
MICHAEL SMITH  drums


Recorded January 1977 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, Germany
ECM  1094
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STEVE KUHN - Ecstasy (1974)

May 27, 2013, 4:46 am
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Producer Manfred Eicher (who had admired Kuhn’s work since the 1966 album The October Suite), came to New York in September 1974 to record the quartet album Trance, and then mixed the record at Oslo’s Arne Bendiksen Studio. During the mixing session, Eicher suggested that Kuhn record a solo album the next day. “It was the furthest thing from my mind, “Kuhn recalls, “and I didn’t sleep the night before. I had only done a flew solo concerts at that point – half concerts, really, as part of a tour with Oregon – so I had to come up with a point a view quickly. But Manfred led me through it, and was quite helpful as a guide, as he always is when he believes in a project.”
Ecstasy, the resulting album, is among the most melodically fertile and emotionally expansive recitals from a period that (thanks in large part to ECM) reestablished the solo improvising pianist’s art. It contains five of Kuhn’s most lyrical compositions: “Silver” (his nickname for Zetterlund, and one of his earliest recorded pieces), “Ulla” (later retitled “Remembering Tomorrow”), And three pieces he would reprise five years later with Sheila Jordan, plus the improvised “Prelude In G.”
Kuhn is closer to the energy surges of Don Pullen than the introspection of Bill Evans or the orchestrated grids of Ahmad Jamal.  -  Bob Blumenthal

Tracks
01. Silver
02. Prelude In G
03. Ulla
04. Thoughts Of A Gentleman – The Saga Of Harrison Crabfeathers
05. Life´s Backward Glance

STEVE KUHN  piano

All compositions by Steve Kuhn
Recorded November 1974 at Arne Bendiksen Studio, Oslo
ECM  1058
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STEVE KUHN - Playground (1977)

May 27, 2013, 4:56 am
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After many years off records, Sheila Jordan began to become more active in jazz in the mid-'70s. Her two recordings as part of pianist Steve Kuhn’s quartet, of which this was the first, gave her both a higher profile and a challenging vehicle for her improvised words and adventurous scat singing. With bassist Harvie Swartz and drummer Bob Moses completing the group, Jordan performs six of Kuhn’s originals and lyrics (including "The Zoo" and the 10 1/2-minute "Deep Tango") as a member of the quartet, rather than as a dominant vocalist. Intriguing music.  -  Scott Yanow

Tracks
01. Tomorrow’s Son
02. Gentle Thoughts
03. Poem For No. 15
04. The Zoo
05. Deep Tango
06. Life’s Backward Glance

BOB MOSES  drums
HARVIE SWARTZ  bass
SHEILA JORDAN  voice
STEVE KUHN  piano

All compositions by Steve Kuhn
Recorded July 1979 at Columbia Recordings Studios, New York
ECM  1159
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STEVE KUHN TRIO - Quiereme Mucho (2000)

May 27, 2013, 5:30 am
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Veteran pianist Steve Kuhn and his trio (with bassist David Finck and drummer Al Foster) dig into six Spanish and Mexican melodies with Quiereme Mucho, turning them into straight-ahead jazz. Latin rhythms are largely absent from a set that includes "Andalucia" ("The Breeze and I"), an up-tempo "Besame Mucho" and "Time Was" ("Duerme"). The music in general is boppish and full of wit, with Kuhn often quoting other unexpected songs along the way. Finck and Foster have their brief spots but this is largely Steve Kuhn's show. The music may have been largely de-Latinized but the result is one of Kuhn's most swinging recordings.  -  Scott Yanow

Tracks
01. Andalucia (E. Lecuona)
02. Bésame Mucho (C. Velasquez)
03. Siempre En Mi Corazón (E. Lecuona)
04. Duerme (M. Prado)
05. Quiéreme Mucho (G. Roig)
06. Tres Palabras (O. Farres)


STEVE KUHN  piano
DAVID FINCK  bass
AL FOSTER  drums


Recorded at Clinton Studio "A" in New York on February 20, 2000
Venus  TKCV - 35520  Japan
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STEVE KUHN - Pavane For A Dead Princess (2006)

May 27, 2013, 5:54 am
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Anything that pianist Steve Kuhn does is likely to be beautifully executed and tasteful, and Pavane for a Dead Princess is no exception. Here, he and his empathic collaborators David Finck (bass) and Billy Drummond (drums) address themselves to the stock classical repertoire, jazzing up eleven popular pieces from Debussy, Rachmaninov, Tchaikowsky, Grieg, Brahms and Chopin. (There are actually two "Pavane"s—the title track, by Ravel, and Faure's version.)
The result is nothing less than terrific. These are not classical melodies sitting stiffly on a jazz beat; instead, the trio digs deep into the structure of these well-worn compositions and thoroughly explores and expands them. Who knew "Swan Lake" or "Fantasy Impromptu" could swing like that? Or that Brahms's treacly "Lullaby" would make such a moving ballad?
Listeners familiar with this music in its original form will get the biggest kick out of this release, and those who've been intimate with Chopin's piano scores will especially appreciate the brilliance of Kuhn's improvisations. But any listener can enjoy what happens to strong, beautiful melodies in expert hands like these.
The recording is clear and warm, the pacing ideal. The musicians are in peak form, sounding positively inspired, and they swing like mad. What a delight!  -  Dr. Judith Schlesinger 

Tracks
01. I´m Always Chasing Rainbows – Fantasy Impromtu (F. Chopin)
02. Pavane For A Dead Princess (M. Ravel)
03. Moon Love – Symphony # 5 2nd Movement (P. Tchaikovsky)
04. One Red Rose Forever – Ich Liebe Dich (E. Grieg)
05. Swan Lake (P. Tchaikovsky)
06. Nocturne In Eb Major Op9, No2 (F. Chopin)
07. Reverie (C. Debussy)
08. Prelude In E Minor Op28, No4 (F. Chopin)
09. Full Moon And Empty Arms – Piano Concerto # 2 3rd Movement (S. Rachmaninov)
10. Pavane (G. Faure)
11. Lullaby (J. Brahms)

STEVE KUHN  piano
DAVID FINCK  double bass
BILLY DRUMMOND  drums

Recorded at The Studio in New York on August 18 & 19, 2005
Venus Records  TKCV - 35361
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SCOTT COLLEY - Subliminal...(1997)

May 27, 2013, 8:13 pm
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Scott Colley's writing reaches new heights on this very fine record. Joined by Chris Potter on tenor sax and bass clarinet, Bill Carrothers on piano, and Bill Stewart on drums, the bassist delivers some of his most memorable compositions to date. "The End and the Beginning," an uncommonly serene ballad, stands out among the others. But "Out of the Void" is also excellent, as are the hip title track and the veiled Cole Porter salute "Is What It Is." (Carrothers lays out on these latter two.) Potter and Stewart also contribute one composition each, and the quartet runs down Charlie Parker's classic blowing vehicle "Segment," with the drums soloing first -- not something you hear every day. A superb, well-rounded, cohesive effort.  -  David R. Adler

Tracks
1. Don't Ever Call Me Again (Bill Stewart)
2. Subliminal (Scott Colley)
3. The End And The Beginning (Scott Colley)
4. Turangalila (Scott Colley)
5. Out Of The Void (Scott Colley)
6. Segment (Charlie Parker)
7. Is What It Is (Scott Colley)
8. Impossible Vacation (Scott Colley)
9. Verbatin (Scott Colley)

SCOTT COLLEY bass
CHRIS POTTER tenor sax, bass clarinet (3)
BILL CARROTHERS piano
BILL STEWART drums

Recorded December 20, 1997 at RPM Studio, New York City
CRISS 1157 CD (Holland)
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ENRICO PIERANUNZI, PAUL MOTIAN - Doorways (2004)

May 28, 2013, 12:04 pm
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Enrico Pieranunzi is one of the most recognized jazz pianists in Europe, but he doesn't get enough exposure in the United States, since he has recorded almost exclusively for European-based labels. These sessions are a bit unusual since the pianist omits a bass player, utilizing only veteran drummer Paul Motian, with saxophonist Chris Potter guesting on three tracks. All of Pieranunzi's compositions were written specifically for these studio sessions, while "Double Excursion" consists of three separate improvisations, all of which sizzle. Potter's tenor sax is added for the mournful "Doorways," with Motian's drumming providing a bit of tension. "Blue Evening" is in the same mold, though with Potter sitting it out. Potter returns for the turbocharged "Anecdote," which dabbles in the avant-garde. None of this music can be fairly evaluated with just a single hearing, though anyone who is familiar with these musicians should take the time to do so.  -  Ken Dryden

Tracks
01. Double Excursion 1
02. Double Excursion 2
03. Doorway
04. No Waltz for Paul
05. Utre
06. Blue Evening
07. Anecdote
08. Suspension Points
09. Double Excursion 3
10. Words of the Sea
11. Shifting Scene
12. Heart of a Child
13. Utre

ENRICO PIERANUNZI  piano
PAUL MOTIAN  drums
CHRIS POTTER  soprano and tenor saxophone

All music composed by Enrico Pieranunzi except # 1,2, 9 by Enrico Pieranunzi – Paul Motian
CamJazz  CAMJ  7765 – 2
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AKI TAKASE, DAVID MURRAY - Blue Monk (1993)

May 30, 2013, 3:55 am
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Aki Takase has recorded quite a few duets with reed players sinse this was put out back in the early nineties and most of them are quite satisfying. Blue Monk with David Murray is in that category as well.

From the first notes on, it's clear that Aki Takase has a great feel for Monk's music (partner Alex Schlippenbach shares her affinity). Takase's confident pianistics are outstanding throughout. Although just four of the ten numbers are from Thelonious' pen, the session itself is somehow permeated in Monk.

David Murray would seem to be a logical choice for a Charlie Rouse replacement, if Monk were alive today. He has always been a strong player with an infinite amount of energy and imagination. His musical contributions on numerous projects are always an added bonus. His tenor and bass clarinet work on this album are typical Murray, full of zest and spunk, probing, daring, and true to the roots melodic.

"Ellingtonia" with Murray on bass clarinet and Takase's old school finger popping is one of the highlights for these ears. "Body and Soul" is given a gut wrenching workout that doesn't break a sweat, but doesn't have to. The final-and longest-cut on the disc, a Murray original entitled "Ballad For The Blackman" is an emotional tour-de-force indicating that Murray's playing definetely is a continuance of the tenor tradition. The rest of the program is just as varied and interesting.  -  John C. Graham

Tracks
1. Blue monk (T. Monk)       
2. Ask me now (T. Monk)     
3. Presto V.H. (Aki Takase)
4. Body & soul (Johnny Green)        
5. Ellingtonia (Aki Takase, David Murray)
6. Bright Mississippi (T. Monk)        
7. Ba-lue bolivar ba-lues (T. Monk)  
8. Mr. Jelly roll (Jelly Roll Morton)  
9. Kaiso (Eiichi Hayashi)      
10. Ballad for the Blackman (David Murray)          

AKI TAKASE  piano
DAVID MURRAY  tenor sax & bass clarinet

Enja Records CD 7039 - 2
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BILL CARROTHERS - I Love Paris (2005)

June 1, 2013, 10:58 pm
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One great thing about jazz is that an artist is more likely to be measured by his or her career arc, rather than the success or failure of a single release. It also means that, when an artist releases a career-defining record, subsequent releases are less likely to measured against it. Instead, they are seen within the broader context of the artist's larger body of work.
Take pianist Bill Carrothers, whose Armistice 1918found its way onto many a reviewer's 2004 top ten list. An ambitious work that integrated Carrothers' not inconsiderable musical talents with his interest in history, the sprawling two-disc release also raised the bar for integrating visual arts with music—the packaging of the disc by Philippe Ghielmetti of the sadly now-defunct Sketch Records was as beautiful as the music's narrative was vivid and poignant. That an artist like Carrothers could create such a powerful and moving piece of work at such a relatively early stage in his career clearly portended greater things to come.
If Armistice 1918were a rock record, the industry would be looking for his next step to be even bigger. Thankfully the jazz world is less driven by such concerns. While Carrothers' followup, I Love Paris, may not have the kind of grand ambition of Armistice 1918, it's every bit as compelling—just in a smaller, more intimate way. Moving ahead in time from the music of the First World War, Carrothers brings together nine tracks from the 1920s through 1940s; some familiar, like Cole Porter's title track, others less well-known by name, but—like some of the music on Armistice 1918—such a part of the larger collective unconscious that one recognizes them without actually knowingthem. And, true to form, Carrothers manages to show just how far you can stretch the mainstream while still remaining within its general boundaries.
Carrothers is a harmony-rich player with an uncanny ability to see the greater potential of both hands in concert. While some pianists are fairly linear with their right hand and eke out accompaniment with their left—and there are times when Carrothers is more linear—he has a vivid sense of larger voicings, like British pianist John Taylor, sometimes creating eight- and nine-part harmonies that move smoothly, and in ways that makes every subsequent note feel perfectly logical, yet somehow unpredictable.
Bassist Nicolas Thy and drummer Dré Pallemaerts are intuitive players, supporting Carrothers as much as pushing him into areas of further possibility. While an underlying sense of swing pervades the entire set, the trio also takes more liberties; the title track and "Moon Love serve as examples of how familiar tunes can be re-imagined—recognizable yes, but undeniably new as well.
With a gradually growing and significant body of work, Carrothers is clearly an artist to keep an eye on, and I Love Paris is another fine addition that skirts the mainstream while providing plenty of surprises for the more adventurous at heart.  -  John Kelman

Tracks
01. Beyond The Blue Horizon (Leo Robin, Richard Whiting, Frank Harling)
02. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime? (Edgar Harburg, Jay Gorney)
03. Button Up Your Overcoat (De Sylva, Brown, Henderson)
04. Stars Fell On Alabama (Frank Perkins, Mitchell Parish)
05. I Love Paris (Cole Porter)
06. It’s A Blue World (Chet Forrest, Bob Wright)
07. I Apologize (Al Goodhart)
08. Moon Love (Mack David )
09. Sleep Warm (Alan Bergman, Law Spence, Marilyn Keith)

BILL CARROTHERS  piano
DRÉ PALLEMAERTS  drums
NICOLAS THYS  bass

Recorded May 19, 2004 at Realistc Sound Studio, Munich
Pirouet Records  -  PIT3012
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JASON MORAN - Black Stars (2001)

June 19, 2013, 5:15 pm
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Thirty-seven years ago, Sam Rivers helped bolster the debut Blue Note album of a Boston drum prodigy named Tony Williams. While pianist Jason Moran's no newcomer, the 77-year-old Rivers is doing the identical thing for Moran's latest Blue Note date. Rivers' unyielding personality and commitment to extending jazz's frontiers has always been inspirational to young players. The 26-year-old Moran has resisted the easy lure of the young-lion mentality and concentrated on making highly personalized music. His teaming with Rivers on Black Stars ensures that it won't be another trip down memory lane.
Rivers' can still deliver lengthy, furious and agonizing solos on tenor, soprano or flute, though tenor remains his top instrument. His playing on "Foot Under Foot" immediately establishes the date's framework and agenda. Moran's trio includes two other assertive, skilled youthful players in bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits. They aren't content to sit back and let Moran set the pace. Instead, they engage, confront, interact and counter his leads. This interaction and tension results in songs that can be dashing, hushed or explosive.
Although Rivers can easily take over any situation, he doesn't try to dominate these songs. Moran's capable enough as a player and bandleader to retain control. Sometimes he adds splintering, attacking clusters; on other occasions, he's more melodic or sentimental, playing tender phrases or cute lines to ease the pace. Mateen and Waits add excellent contributions, especially Waits, whose work on the ride cymbal and drum set is often reminiscent of the edgy qualities Williams provided on Spring. Still, this is Moran's album, even on those tunes where Rivers offers monster tenor or soprano solos. Moran's never overwhelmed or undone by Rivers solos, and smoothly glides between being the session leader and retreating into the section.
Despite having a great stylist like Rivers aboard, most of the disc's songs are less than six minutes. They place a premium on disciplined, condensed statements and quick reaction and response. The trio and Rivers never encounter any problems in meeting the test.
Moran also gives a great lesson to many of his peers via his cover of Duke Ellington's "Kinda Dukish." He doesn't depart from or distort the song's familiar melody, yet he finds something new to say while playing it. Midway through, Moran takes the music into a totally different direction, crafts a definitive statement, engages the other members, then smartly concludes the number. His treatment is a repertory performance without turning the song into a relic. This approach should be carefully studied, absorbed and utilized by musicians seemingly obsessed with making jazz a musical fossil.  -  Ron Wynn

Tracks
01. Foot Under Foot (Jason Moran)
02. Kinda Dukish (Duke Ellington/Irvin Mills)
03. Gangsterism on a River (Jason Moran)
04. Earth Song (Sam Rivers)
05. Summit (Jason Moran)
06. Say Peace (Jason Moran)
07. Draw the Light Out (Jason Moran)
08. Out Front (Jaki Byard)
09. Sun at Midnight (Jason Moran)
10. Skitter In (Jason Moran)
11. Sound It Out (Jason Moran)

JASON MORAN  piano
SAM RIVERS  soprano and tenor saxophones, flute, piano (11)
TARUS MATEEN  bass
NASHEET WAITS  drums

Recorded March 16-17, 2001 at Systems Two, Brooklyn

Blue Note – 7243 5 32922 2 5
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BOBO STENSON - Reflections (1996)

June 21, 2013, 1:18 am
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While not every cover photo necessarily gives insight into its album, the sleeve of the Bobo Stenson Trio’s Reflections reveals something at the heart of this music: light. The first time I laid eyes upon it, I swore I was looking at a flock of birds in the clouds. Closer inspection revealed, of course, one of the title’s more obvious meanings. If this little guessing game revealed anything to me, it was that what I was about to hear would feel the same: at once sky below and earth above.
And where better to begin than in the leader-penned “The Enlightener,” which paints an aerial view of territories he will soon explore with long-lost brothers Anders Jormin (bass) and Jon Christensen (drums). Stenson keeps his left hand entrenched in a haunting monotone here, giving ample ground for the right’s erratic yet ever-purposeful flights, achieving somewhere along the way a transcendence one hears perhaps only in the Keith Jarrett Trio at its best.
George Gershwin’s “My Man’s Gone Now” provides our first dip into the pool of standards. Like a bird jumping from branch to branch before finally settling where it will make its nest, Stenson binds drumsticks with bass strings and makes a home. His playing can thus be very dense at times, and to ensure that we don’t get pulled under, Jormin gives us a refreshing change of bass in two compositions. “NOT” opens with a lyrical gesture from Jormin against mere tracings of piano and cymbals before locking into a lumbering groove, which is mixed to bold consistency by a wider pianistic embrace. The agitated reverie of “Q,” however, sports the finest moment in the set in Jormin’s flowering solo.
After the frothy runs of Stenson’s “Dörrmattan,” we are treated to a breathtaking rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Reflections in D.” Stenson treads almost stealthily here down a path of Tord Gustavsen-like balance, taking the tune to a cosmic level before closing with two more of his own: “12 Tones Old” (another bass vehicle in which notes crawl like spiders content in their webs) and “Mindiatyr.” This last is one of his most impressionistic, beginning in cascades supported by some lovely arco bass, which then hones itself into the buzzing exuberance of a spirit setting out on its first journey. Christensen’s enviable rhythm work plays us out alongside a Byzantine flourish from the keys.  -  between sound and space,  http://ecmreviews.com/2012/03/09/reflections/

Tracks
01. The Enlightener (Bobo Stenson)
02. My Man’s Gone Now (George Gershwin)
03. NOT (Anders Jormin)
04. Dömmattan (Bobo Stenson)
05. Q (Anders Jormin)
06. Reflections In D (Duke Ellington)
07. 12 Tones Old (Bobo Stenson)
08. Mindiatyr (Bobo Stenson)

ANDERS JORMIN  double bass
JON CHRISTENSEN  drums
BOBO STENSON  piano

Recorded May 1993, Rainbow Studio, Oslo
ECM  1516  /  523 160-2
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WALTER NORRIS, GEORGE MRAZ - Drifting (1974)

June 21, 2013, 8:02 pm
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"Although the pianist Walter Norris first recorded in an avant-garde context with Ornette Coleman in 1959, he is primarily a lyrical musician with a fine, pianistic touch. And this is nowhere more evident than on DRIFTING, his haunting 1974 duet recital on Enja with the bassist George Mraz. Included are crystalline originals like the title track and "Space Maker" as well as lush, exploratory interpretations of jazz ballads such as Thad Jones's "A Child Is Born" and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most."   Joe Sarno

Tracks
01. Drifting (Walter Noris)
02. A Child Is Born (Thad Jones)
03. Nota Cambiata (Walter Norris)
04. Spacemaker (Walter Norris)
05. Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most Fran Landesman (Tommy Wolf)
06. Rose Waltz (Walter Norris)
07. Thumbs Up (Walter Norris)
08. Synchro nicety (Walter Norris)
09. Spacemaker (Walter Norris)
10. Drifting (Walter Norris)

WALTER NORRIS  piano
GEORGE MRAZ  bass

Recorded at TRIXI-Studio, Munich on August 18, 1974
Enja Records  2044  (Germany)
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CARLA BLEY - Live (1982)

June 22, 2013, 8:09 pm
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This is a live set recorded in 1981 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Much of this same band also recorded the half-live I HATE TO SING album at the same venue a few years later. Bley's music always works well in front of a live audience, with it's strutting loopy gusto and emotionally resonant dramatics. Her six compositions touch on all of her then major musical interests, making this a very good overview for the uninitiated. "Blunt Object" is raucous and relentless. "The Lord Is Listening to Ya, Hallelujah!" draws upon Bley's childhood musical upbringing as the daughter of a church musician. "Time and Us" evokes a Latin American bearing with its melodic figures, as filtered through Bley's own harmonic sensibilities. The 10-piece band, with six horn players, is rich with inventive soloists who use Bley's compositions as a wonderful springboard for further exploration.

Tracks
1. Blunt Objeet
2. The Lord Is Listenin' To Ya, Hallelujah
3. Time And Us
4. Still In The Room
5. Real Life Hits
6. Song Sung Long

MICHAEL MANTLER trumpet
STEVE SLAGLE alto & soprano saxophones, flute
TONI DAGRADI tenor saxophone
GARY VALENTE trombone
VINCEY CHANCEY french horn
ERL McINTYRE tuba, bass trombon
CARLA BLEY organ, piano, glockenspiel
ARTURO O' FARRILL piano, organ
STEVE SWALLOW bass
D. SHARPE drums

Recorded August 19-20, 1981 at The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, California

WATT Works – WATT/12,  ECM Records - ECM
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