Life has been busy around this reviewer's household and different communities but that does not stop (thankfully) the new releases coming through the mail or the ether. This column starts a series of shorter reviews of recordings that arrived over the past few months.
Saxophonist, composer, and arranger Quinsin Nachoff is no stranger to utilizing strings in his compositions and performances––in fact, his 2006 debut "Magic Numbers" (Songlines) featured his quartet paired with a string quartet. Violinist Nathalie Bonin played on that project as well as on 2008's "Horizons Ensemble" so she asked her fellow Canadian (she's from Montreal while Nachoff is from Toronto) to write her a concerto. It took the composer a number of years but the piece was first workshopped in 2014 and then recorded in 2018. Nachoff decided to collect his classical or classically-inspired works on one album. The results, three different pieces, can be heard on "Pivotal Arc", released this month (August 2020) on Whirlwind Recordings.
The "Violin Concerto" is in three parts, nearly 46 minutes long and features all the musicians listed below save for the composer. Very much in the traditional form but quite non-traditional orchestration, the music features Ms. Bonin's striking and powerful playing throughout but one cannot ignore the work of the Molinari String Quartet as well as the rhythm section of Michael Davidson (vibraphone), Mark Helias (bass), and Satoshi Takeishi (drums, percussion) plus the colorful reeds and brass (kudos to bass trombonist Bob Ellis for his strong low tones). In his research, the composer paid close attention to a number of 20th Century composers, among them Alban Berg, Igor Stravinsky, Kurt Weill, and others but one also hears folk, jazz, and African elements in the rhythms.
Photo: Evan Shay
The 16+ minute "String Quartet" was commissioned by and is performed by the Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based Molinari Quartet. This music is brash like the Concerto but with even more allusions to the experimentation of 20th Century classical composers. Through-composed, there are moments in each of the movements that feel "free', as if the musicians were "cueing" each other to make quick shifts in intensity.
The 15-minute title track closes the album opening with a powerful bowed bass solo from Helias. Ms. Bonin plays the first theme, joined first by the string and then the composer on tenor saxophone. Various voices move in and out but pay close attention to impressive and, at times, playful percussion of Takeishi. The brashness of the earlier pieces is replaced by an airiness, a sense of swing instead of flow: listen to the sections float around above the tenor solo and how, as the intensity picks up, for just an instance, so does the tempo. Ms. Bonin returns closer to the end, the storminess of the middle section is not replaced by a lengthy melody shared by several instruments until the bowed bass returns to take the piece to its gentle conclusion.
As an album, "Pivotal Arc" serves to show the world the versatility and maturity of the composer Quinsin Nachoff. Listeners might prefer to listen to the "Violin Concerto" in its entirety then come back at a later time to listen to the "String Quartet" and the title track. There's a lot happening in this music and you really want to pay close attention to hear the richness of the melodies, the excellent musicianship, and the powerful work of violinist Nathalie Bonin. One of this year's more fascinating releases, "Pivotal Arc" is worth your time.
Here's the "Second Movement" of composer Nachoff's "Violin Concerto", Natalie Bonin, violin soloist:
Personnel: Nathalie Bonin - violin soloist Molinari String Quartet: Olga Ranzenhofer - violin I Antoine Bareil - violin II Frédéric Lambert - viola Pierre - Alain Bouvrette - cello
Quinsin Nachoff - tenor saxophone, composer
JC Sanford - conductor Michael Davidson - vibraphone Mark Helias - bass Satoshi Takeishi - drums, percussion Jean-Pierre Zanella - piccolo, flute, clarinet, soprano sax Yvan Belleau - clarinet, tenor saxophone Brent Besner - bass clarinet Jocelyn Couture - trumpet I Bill Mahar - trumpet II David Grott - trombone Bob Ellis - bass trombone
Photo: Brian Cohen
Bassist and composer Michael Formanek has been in ears of creative music listeners for nearly five decades. He first came to critical attention when he joined drummer Tony Williams's ensemble and has gone on to play with Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Fred Hersch, Jane Ira Bloom, Marty Ehrlich, Harold Danko, Tim Berne, and a host of others. Currently, he is one/third of the cooperative trio Thumbscrew with guitarist Mary Halvorson and drummer Tomas Fujiwara. He's recorded for ENJA Records, Screwgun, Intakt Records, and ECM, the label that issued "The Distance" by his amazing Ensemble Kolossus. His latest release is the third in a trio of albums that bassist Adam Hopkins issued in July and August of this year on his Out of Your Head Records label. All of the albums (the others include bassist Nick Dunston in a quintet setting and saxophonist Anna Webber's Quartet) were recorded live under less-than-ideal conditions or "Untamed" as the label has written on each release).
Formanek's contribution is "Pre-Apocalyptic": recorded in 2014 (but the artist is not sure where), the music, all tracks composed by the bassist, features Tim Berne (alto saxophone), Craig Taborn (piano), and Gerald Cleaver (drums), the same group that recorded his first two albums for ECM in 2010 and 2012––in fact, five of the seven songs come those albums, one from Ensemble Kolossus, and one newer work. This quartet lives and breathes the music with the ability to stop and start without a dropped note, play complicated melody lines, and all solo with creativity. Because the four musicians had worked together so often by the time of this gig, their familiarity with the music gives them license to push it forward. And they do!
The album opens with "Pong", a melody built of repeated three-note phrases which shift in to a circular five-note phrase. Then Berne and Taborn take off soloing in and around each other, both building off the intensity of Formanek and Cleaver. The bassist leads off the expansive (14:07) "Rising Tensions and Awesome Lights" with a long solo, melodic and percussive, before dropping into a walking bass line while the saxophone and piano work through the melody. Taborn's wide-ranging powerful, and exciting solo leads into Berne's exploratory jaunt supported by throbbing bass hand-held percussion. The other 14-minute track, "Intro and Real Action", starts quietly before Cleaver takes over for a lengthy solo that builds in intensity but drops back into a quiet mode for Berne to begin his statement. There's a bluesy feel in many of his short phrases but he soon begins to interact with the other musicians, making the music louder. Yet, the music never boils over. This Quartet may have been the first of Formanek's groups to perform "The Distance"––it's such a lovely ballad with an excellent solo from Berne, strong counterpoint from the composer, and excellent colors created by the pianist and drummer.
"Pre-Apocalyptic" overcomes its supposed "lo-fi" beginnings, hence a tip of the hat to mixing and mastering engineer Nathaniel Morgan for making this music sound so alive. Michael Formanek has always been an impressive musician plus he is also one of the better composers in Creative American Music. At times noisy, at others subtle, this album documents a quartet at the height of its power. Let these sounds move you!
Pianist Emmet Cohen, 27 years old, has been one busy musician over the last decade. He graduated from The University of Miami, did graduate work at the Manhattan School of Music, has worked with bassist Christian McBride, with drummer Ali Jackson, is the music conductor for Lea DeLaria, and has toured schools as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center's "Jazz for Young People" programs. He's recorded with drummer Herlin Riley, trumpeter Brian Lynch and has three CDs as a leader (the new one is reviewed below.)
On Friday night April 7, young Mr. Cohen brings his Trio to The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme. Joining him for the two-set program will be bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Joe Saylor. You'll hear that his music features both standards and originals plus he's one of the finer pianists playing today. Not just technically but with a deep emotional well that gives new life to the older material he chooses to play.
The Emmet Cohen Trio hits the stage at 8:30 p.m. For more information, go to thesidedoorjazz.com or call 860-434-2600.
Here's a track from Cohen's 2010 debut CD with bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Rodney Green:
On Saturday night, The Side Door welcomes the fine young harmonica player Grégoire Maret and his Quartet. A native of Geneva, Switzerland, Maret has worked with many artists, from Pat Metheny to Bebel Gilberto to Marcus Miller to David Sanborn to the late vocalist Jimmy Scott. He's issued two CDs as a leader, the latest being "Wanted", issued by Sunnyside Records in April of 2016.
Joining him in Old Lyme will be Romain Collin (piano, keyboards), Antoine Katz (bass), and John Davis (drums). Expect a mix of standards, originals, and the occasional "pop" tune. For reservations, call 860-434-2600.
Here's a funky take of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" from the new recording:
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Emmet Cohen's latest release is the first in a series he's dubbed the "Masters Legacy Series" (which he explains in the video posted below.) "Volume 1" (Cellar Live Records) finds the pianist in the company of bassist Nakamura and special guest, drummer Jimmy Cobb. Although the drummer is 6 decades older than Cohen, they certainly speak the same musical language. Mr. Cobb, while not as prolific a session player as bassist Ron Carter, has played with scads of musicians and groups, from Miles Davis to Dizzy Gillespie to Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, George Coleman, and Dave Holland. The drummer has led his own bands and recorded, at least, six albums under his own name.
For this album, the band (augmented by alto saxophonist Godwin Lewis on two of the 11 tracks) recorded front of an invited audience in the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York City. The Trio romps through the opening three tracks starting with a fun take of Ferde Grofe's "On The Trail" then sliding right into "Tin Tin Deo" and "Two Bass Hit" before a gentle and generous reading of "When I Fall In Love."
Saxophonist Louis makes his first appearance on Cohen's uptempo "Folk Song", his warm tone blending sweetly with the Trio. The leader's rolling two-handed solo is a highlight as are the single-note runs he adds throughout. Louis also appears on the bluesy "Hard Times", a track that Mr. Cobb first recorded with David "Fathead" Newman - one cannot miss the gospel feel that both Louis and Cohen add to the swinging feel of the rhythm section.
photo by John Abbott
The program closes with Cohen's "Concerto for Cobb", a high-energy swing piece on which the drummer not only lays down a strong tempo but also adds smart fills and creates a powerful solo. His energy does not ebb at any time during the concert or on the recording. Bassist Nakamura does his usual excellent job of keeping the music moving forward, laying down a melodic or percussive foundation on every track. Cohen's solo are, more often than not, joyful, playful, and pleasing. He's played standards throughout his career and understands that songs familiar to a jazz audience need an imaginative touch yet he also makes the music accessible to those unfamiliar with the "canon."
Emmet Cohen is onto something really good with his "Masters Legacy Series" and his choice of Jimmy Cobb as his initial collaborator is quite inspired. You will be inspired as well by this delightful album. Let's see and hear where this goes from here.
For more information, visit Emmet Cohen's website (listed above) or go to www.cellarlive.com.
Here's a preview:
Over the past decade, pianist Matt Mitchell has made quite an impact on contemporary music. Not only does he lead his own groups but he is also a member of the Dave Douglas Quintet, Rudresh Mahanthappa's Bird Calls, Jonathan Finlayson's Sicilian Defense, Anna Webber's Simple Trio, and Tim Berne's Snakeoil (and there are many more).
For his new recording, "FØRAGE" (Screwgun Records), Mitchell turns to the music of Tim Berne and rearranges, reimagines, and a reworks a number of Berne works for solo piano. I have listened to Tim Berne for over three decades, since he came east and began to work with saxophonist and composer Julius Hemphill. His recording career began with quartet of self-released albums before going on to record for JMT, Soul Note, Winter & Winter, Columbia, Thirsty Ear, and others plus starting Screwgun Records in 1996. If you've listened to Berne's music, you know its a mashup of numerous styles and approaches, with long episodic compositions, raucous sounds, frenetic beats, and experiments with textures and sounds. While Snakeoil has issued three albums on ECM (and one on Screwgun), he has not tempered his approach.
Robert Lewis image
On their own in a solo setting, Berne's music and Mitchell's interpretations take myriad forms. There are moments, such as throughout"ŒRBS", when one can hear the influence of Keith Jarrett's more "open" improvisations. The heavy chords that lead into "TRÃÇĘŚ" give way to high-energy exploration of melody and improvisation. There's even a touch of "boogie-woogie" for just a few seconds in Mitchell's active left hand that catches the ear. The ballad feel at the onset of "RÄÅY" goes away but the piece picks up and loses speed over the course of seven minutes. "CLØÙDĒ" also begins as a ballad and stays for the first third of the 13-minute piece. The pianist starts pushing the tempo, there's a hypnotic flow in the rhythmic pace, and, soon, the piano begins to thunder, shards of melody flying off the right hand. But the bombast simmers down as the music slows and returns to the calm of the opening minutes.
photo by Peter Gannushkin
You need to play "FØRAGE" all the way through to understand the story Matt Mitchell is telling. The music of Tim Berne is often thorny yet a different kind of beauty also inhabits the music. Don't waste time attempting to categorize this music; to these ears and mind, the various shapes and melodies are in a class of their own. But, do listen. If you like a challenge and are willing to follow the lead of the composer and pianist, this is an amazing journey.
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