A Sonic Taste of "Thisness" + Classic "Thatness"

 

In 2015, guitarist, composer, and conceptualist Miles Okazaki built a new ensemble which, ultimately, took its name Trickster from its 2017 eponymous debut Pi Recordings. Utilizing the brilliant rhythm section, bassist Anthony Tidd and drummer Sean Rickman, from Steve Coleman's Five Elements plus pianist Craig Taborn (replaced in 2018 by Matt Mitchell).  The music couldn't help but be affected by the guitarist's many appearances with Coleman's group. But, the music has matured.

Okazaki's latest album with the quartet, "Thisness" (Pi Recordings), has a different feel from its three predecessors. Besides piano, Mitchell plays Fender Rhodes and Prophet–6 synthesizer and the four original pieces are the longest (all between 9:27 and 10:04). The song titles were adapted from the Sun Ra poem "The Far Off Place"; the music does have an exploratory feel throughout. Also, to get the full effect of the music, listen through headphones or in a room with really sensitive speakers. There is a lot going on over the course of these songs, overdubs of several guitars and keyboards that one will want to hear to get the full sonic picture.  The mix of the thick bass tones, the powerful percussion, the strong piano chords, and Okazaki's fascinating acoustic and electric guitar work keeps one's interest throughout.  The music feels "in the moment", spontaneous each time you listen.

"In Some Far Off Place" opens the album in subdued fashion. This listener is reminded of several ballads of Jimi Hendrix (as well as John Lennon's "Julia" later on) in the early moments as the leader's overdubbed guitars move gracefully through the aural landscape. Listen closely, there are wordless vocals that show up now and then.  Halfway through, the music changes direction, becoming more rhythmical (noticeable in the guitar solo and work of the rhythm section. Synth washes can be heard and then the tempo picks up with much more urgency. It's never overwhelming even as the guitars move around in the mix. The various trails of the music intersect as the band moves forward––kick back, enjoy the journey.

Musical magic can be heard on each track. The rock-solid rhythms beneath the guitar and rippling piano phrases on "Years in Space", the song powered by Tidd's hard-hitting bass lines clearing the path for the soloists while Rickman hits the snare, it pops! "I'll Build a World" literally jumps off the starting line but pay attention to the calming Fender Rhodes underneath the rapid-fire melody lines.  As the piece develops, the pace slows for a moment for a piano solo while Rickman (listed as co-writer) dances beneath.  Halfway through, the drummer instigates a musical call-and-response with the guitar and piano––such an invigorating interaction.

"And wait for you" truly kicks in on the strength of the funkified drums and pumping bass lines. The electric guitar and Fender Rhodes dance atop Tidd's solo phrases until Okazaki plays a rhythm figure that could easily have been created by Nile Rodgers (Chic) or Leo Nocentelli (The Meters).  The guitar solo moves back and forth into the groove until music changes directions for an acoustic piano solo that turns into an interaction between guitar phrases from several overdubbed guitars. 

"Thisness" is an album to play on repeat. Not only does the music sound alive but also, on subsequent listens, one begins to understand the pathways in these compositions. This music is never static; like a river, its current can be swift but the eddies are enthralling. Miles Okazaki continues to mature as a composer and musician while the Trickster ensemble is a wonderful vehicle for both his playing and conceptual adventures.

For more information, go to www.milesokazaki.com.  To hear more and purchase "Thisness" and other albums with this ensemble, go to https://milesokazaki.bandcamp.com/album/thisness. 

Hear Miles Okazaki & Trickster perform "I'll Build a World":

1970 was quite the year for Soft Machine. The trio of Mike Ratledge (Hohner pianet, Lowrey Holiday Deluxe organ), Robert Wyatt (drums, vocals), and Hugh Hopper (electric bass) continued its move towards electric jazz-fusion by adding Elton Dean (alto saxophone, saxello) and Lynn Dobson (soprano and tenor saxophones, flute, harmonica, vocals) as well as, for a very short time in late 1969, trombonist Marc Charig (as far as I know, there are no live recordings with him).  The new quintet's music sounded influenced as much by Miles Davis's move towards fusion on "In A Silent Way" as by American composer Terry Riley's mixture of electric instruments and improvisation on "A Rainbow in Curved Air". 

There are a slew of bootleg "live" albums of the band in 1970 but now Cuneiform Records has officially released "Facelift France and Holland". Both sets, the first recorded on January 17, 1970 at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, the second on March 2, 1970, at the Théâtre de la Musique in Paris, feature the Quintet in full flower. Both the CD and vinyl versions have the full video of the later show. The 2-CD + DVD and the 2-Lp + DVD (this package won't be available until 12/31/2022) as well as the digital version are programmed with the March concert first.  The later show is longer (71:15) than the earlier one (44:36) but fans won't mind.  The sound quality on the January concert recording is fairly impressive (editing at the end of the first track is sloppy though) while the March show sounds a bit more distant at times (CD buyers get a third disc with a previously unreleased soundboard recording of the March program.

As for the music, four of the songs played in these concerts would appear on the Soft Machine's Columbia Records June 1970 debut "Third".  Those tracks include "Facelift", "Slightly All The Time", "Moon In June", and "Out-Bloody-Rageous".  The older album's "Facelift" does feature the Quintet as it was recorded on January 4, 1970, two weeks before the Paris concert version.  It's fun to hear the bigger group. Both Dobson and Dean play with abandon as does Wyatt. While his playful vocals would soon disappear from the band's repertoire as would he the following year. He was the right drummer for this music bringing the zany yet rhythmically strong performances this music called for.  The sounds that Ratledge gets out of the organ are often other-worldly, blending well with the soprano sax and the saxello (a Bb soprano sax). Hopper's electric bass lines help the music from flying totally out of control while his "fuzz" bass really thickens the sounds,.

Pieces such as "Mousetrap" and "Eammon Andrews" blend jazz and rock while the afore-mentioned "Facelift" and "Slightly All the Time" are prime examples of "electric jazz".  If you are curious about this most fertile time of jazz-fusion, "Facelift France and Holland" gives a particular English take. The Soft Machine would go on to influence distinctively British bands like Hatfield & The North, National Health, and Gilgamesh. Wyatt started Matching Mole after his departure continuing to mine his unique vocal style to adventurous music.  Ratledge, Hopper, and Dean would add drummer John Marshall, guitarist Allan Holdsworth, and reeds/keyboard player Karl Jenkins who would take over the group in 1976.   Still, this fascinating release illustrates just how impressive an ensemble the group was in 1970. 

The group still exists with Marshall on the drums, Holdsworth's replacement John Etheridge, young reeds player Theo Travis, and the newest member bassist Fred Thelonious Baker who joined in January 202 (replacing Roy Babbington who had replaced Hopper in the mid-1970s).  To find out more and get a history of the band, go to www.softmachine.org. 

For more information and to purchase "Facelift France and Holland", go to  https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/facelift-france-and-holland-3.

Here's a taste of "Moon in June" recorded 01/17/70 in The Netherlands:

Workshops, Concerts, Album, Guitar!

Spoke with guitarist, composer, bandsleader (bands, as he fronts several different ensembles), and author Joel Harrison and discovered he's also the founder of the Alternative Guitar Summit.  It's an event where guitarists and music fans can learn from a number of the finest guitarists in the world.  This coming Saturday and Sunday (March 6-7), Harrison and cohorts once again take the AGS online.  There will be Masterclasses taught by people such as Nels Cline, Sheryl Bailey, Adam Rogers, Ben Monder, Adam Levy, Harrison, and Special Guest Bill Frisell. 

Classes start at 10:30 a.m. both days –– there will be time in each workshop for Q&A sessions.  Day One concludes with a concert at 7:30 pm featuring Ben Monder and Adam Rogers. You have to register for each day separately ($80. apiece) which not only gets you into each class but also you have 30 days of access to the sessions. Every class is different; for instance, on Day One, Adam Rogers and Mike Stern will teach  "Playing inside and outside the changes in jazz and rock" while on Day Two Joel Harrison and  Stern will share a workshop on "Creating great lines as a soloist with approach tones, diminished and altered scales."   

For more information, go to www.alternativeguitarsummitcamp.com/ags-online.  

Harrison also shared that two weeks later (March 20-21), the Guitar Summit will present a two-day Festival. Saturday at 8 pm, the AGS brings 12 guitarists for a concert dubbed "Honoring Pat Martino"  –– there will be five sets of duos including Adam Rogers and Peter Bernstein, Dave Stryker and Paul Bollenback, Rez Abbasi and Jeff Miles, Oz Noy and Nir Felder, and Sheryl Bailey with Ed Cherry, each duo playing with the rhythm section of Dezron Douglas (bass) and Allen Menard (drums).  There will also be two solo guitar sets, the first with Joel Harrison, the other with Kurt Rosenwinkel.  

On Sunday from 2 - 5 p.m., the concert, "Virtual Visionary Solos", features guitarists from around the world playing solo, with one exception. The amazing lineup includes Nguyen Le, Nels Cline, Michael Gregory Jackson, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Mary Halvorson with drummer/ percussionist Tomas Fujiwara, Henry Kaiser, and Anthony Pirog.  Both of these shows are free but the organizers would appreciate a donation to cover the cost of production as well as for the ASG Education Fund. For more information, go to https://joelharrison.com/ or 

https://alternativeguitarsummit.com/concerts/. 

On top of that, Harrison has a new book coming in May.  "Guitar Talk: Conversations with Visionary Players" (Terra Nova Press) is a collection of conversations/ interviews the guitarist conducted with 27 of his contemporaries including Nels Cline, Pat Metheny, Fred Frith, Bill Frisell, Julian Lage, Elliott Sharp, Michael Gregory Jackson, Ben Monder, Anthony Pirog, Henry Kaiser, Mike and Leni Stern, Vernon Reid, Mary Halvorson, Nguyên Le, Rez Abbasi, Ava Mendoza, Liberty Ellman, Brandon Ross, Wayne Krantz, Dave Fiuczynski, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Miles Okazaki, Sheryl Bailey, Rafiq Bhatia, and Ralph Towner. If you have any interest in the role of guitar in creative music and the people involved, this book is for you.

For more information, go to Harrison's website (listed above) or to www.terranovapress.com/books/guitar-talk-conversations-with-visionary-players.

Photo: Mark Coehlo

Guitarist, vocalist, composer, and performer Michael Gregory Jackson first came to notice as a member of saxophonist Oliver Lake's Quartet in the early 1970s playing both acoustic and electric guitar. His first solo release, "Clarity, Circle, Triangle, Square" (Bija Records), featured the 23-year old Jackson in the company of Mr. Lake, Wadada Leo Smith, and David Murray playing music that explored myriad streams in Black Music.  Jackson went on to record numerous albums through the 80s, ranging from the avant-garde to contemporary r'n'b.  Although he disappeared from the jazz press for several decades, the guitarist remained quite busy in Europe and the United States.  He appeared on Wadada Leo Smith's 2009 album "Spiritual Dimensions" (Cuneiform Records) which served to reintroduce the guitarist to the press.

Golden Records has just issued "Frequency Equilibrium Koan", a live concert that Michael Gregory Jackson recorded live in 1977 at the Ladies' Fort in New York City. For this gig, he interacted with three amazing musicians including Julius Hemphill (alto saxophone), Abdul Wadud (cello), and Pheroan aKLaff (drums).  The four tracks are indicative of the Loft Scene in NYC in the 1970s yet sound timeless as well.  Wadud's amplified cello pushes against Jasckson's crackling electric guitar on the title track while Hemphill's alto dances and scurries alongside them. aKLaff's ability to fit in and create his own colors as opposed to having to "lock down the rhythm" allows one to hear the ruminative quality of the piece.  On "Heart and Center", the quartet do lock in with Wadud creating a bluesy bass line over the rollicking drums –– the saxophone and guitar play a bluesy theme before Jackson jumps out into a short, rock-influenced solo.  Listen to how he and Hemphill converse, connect, and then Jackson creates counterpoint to the raucous sax solo.

Jackson and aKLaff open "Clarity #3" with a short percussion interaction before Hemphill and Wadud roar in.  The slippery, squiggly, saxophone riffs over the frantic bowed cello lead Jackson's squalling, clicking, guitar in to join the fray while the drums dance and skitter below.  The final track, "A Meditation", is just that.  Opening with bells and low rumbling drums as well as intermittent plucked cello notes, the music moves slowly forward with Jackson on bamboo flute supported by aKLaff's cymbals.  Hemphill adds occasional flute lines in the background.  The piece has a softer intensity for a few minutes in the middle of its nine-minute run but ends quietly and gently.

"Frequency Equilibrium Koan" comes out on the heels of the seven-CD Julius Hemphill document "The Boyé Multi-National Crusade for Harmony" released by New World Records on the saxophonist, composer, and performer's birthday, January 24.  This rediscovered Michael Gregory Jackson date comes from around the same time as the majority of the larger set.  While Jackson's recording is much more modest, it's no less important.  With the death of John Coltrane, Creative Black Music had gone in various directions but the self-determination of organizations like the AACM in Chicago and the BAG in St. Louis plus artists such as Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Oliver Lake , Julius Hemphill, Wadada Leo Smith, and many others was empowering younger musicians like Chico Freeman, David Murray, and Michael Gregory Jackson.  Listen with open ears and you will be rewarded.  

For more information and to purchase the album, go to https://michaelgregoryjackson.bandcamp.com/album/frequency-equilibrium-koan.  To learn more about the guitarist, go to www.michaelgregoryjackson.com. 

Here's a snippet of the album:

Twenty Recordings for 2020 (Part 1)

 At the beginning of this year, many of us knew that we would have to suffer through the Presidential Election cycle, that the amount of money spent on Federal and State elections would reach epic heights, and the possibility of lies and half-truths flying through the air might rent this country asunder.  We did, it did, but hardly anyone predicted that a deadly virus would kill so many people, close up so many businesses, turn cities into deserts, and touch so many families around the country and the world.  

Here at the cusp of 2021, there are now vaccines to fight the virus beginning to be distributed around the world, there will be a new administration in Washington, D.C., and we will soon be able to venture outdoors to begin the process of healing our communities. On a personal note, my older sister passed in April and my wife's brother in September; like many older people, our family is spread around the country and we only see them on FaceTime or via ZOOM. Our friends suffer in the hospital and we cannot visit to help buoy their spirits. Even worse, unless we can go outside, there's no breaking of bread, no sharing of wine and desserts, no going to plays or concerts or galleries.  

Yet, music remains a constant and 2020 was a sparkling time for Black American Music. Whereas many of the albums that topped the "Critics List" were recorded in 2019 or before, by the end of the year we were hearing music produced in the pandemic months. The spirit of creativity has not suffered even as so many musicians, who depend on live performances to pay the rent and feed their families, often have to apply for grants and gifts to stay afloat. As a reviewer, I am blessed with plenty of promotional CDs and audio files; artists appreciate reviews but the only money they will see form that are the royalties when the album is sold.  Many of them have turned to Bandcamp, perhaps the fairest of all the music sellers in the world (the website's "First Fridays", a day when over 90% of the money paid for a music file or album goes directly to the artist)––you'll see links to the artist's Bandcamp page at the bottom of nearly all the albums in Step Tempest.  Listen when you can, purchase what you can.  Music brings hope, solace, awakens our senses and emotions, and makes our blood flow.  

Below are albums that I reviewed this year and that stand out from the rest.

Chad Taylor Trio - The Daily Biological (Cuneiform Records) –  This album arrived several weeks after my sister's passing. The energy and beauty in the music reminded me that music has the power to cut through grief, to amplify emotions, and to soothe us in times of loss. Listening to the music created by drummer and composer Chad Taylor, tenor saxophonist Brian Settles, and pianist Neil Podgurski wafting through our house as the Spring breezes danced through now-open windows shook me from my lethargy and mourning to confront and savor how these three musicians tackled diversity, melody, and rhythm over the course of nine songs in 61 minutes. Sounds fresh each time I listen and it remains a "go-to" recording.  To listen and purchase, go to https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-daily-biological. 

(Honorable mention: "Live in Willisau" – James Brandon Lewis and Chad Taylor - (Intakt Records)

https://jamesbrandonlewis.bandcamp.com/album/live-in-willisau).

Eric Revis - "Slipknots Through a Looking Glass" - (Pyroclastic Records) -  Bassist and composer Revis, a mainstay of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, releases the most interesting albums as a leader and this one is no exception.  With a band that includes Chad Taylor (drums, mbira), label head Kris Davis (piano, prepared piano), Darius Jones (alto saxophone), Bill McHenry (tenor saxophone), and Justin Faulkner (drums on two tracks), this music is experimental, funky, fiery, loud, and soothing, an album that makes you sit up and dig in.  Taylor and Revis together could light up the night sky; mix in the piano and reeds and the music takes off in so many fascinating directions.  To listen and purchase, go to https://ericrevispyroclastic.bandcamp.com/album/slipknots-through-a-looking-glass.  

Aubrey Johnson - "Unraveled" - (Outside In Music) - It took three years for this album to reach the public but Ms. Johnson's performance, her song choices, and the delightfully simpatico quintet of musicians was well worth. Her voice is supple, emotionally full, and she sounds so invested in the material that you believe ebery word she sings.  Her ability to take a piece like Jimmy Rowles oft-recorded "The Peacocks" and make it her own (kudos to the bass clarinet of Michael Sachs for her fine counterpoint) or the opening "No More I Love Yous" (made a hit by Annie Lennox) which brings the lyrics into focus is a listener's delight.  The pandemic cut off the "Album Release Tour"––let's hope she gets to bring this impressive group and music to the public soon.  To listen to more and purchase the album, go to. https://aubreyjohnson.bandcamp.com/album/unraveled. 

Doxas Brothers - "The Circle" - (Justin Time Records) - This recording snuck up on me, quietly but stealthily invading my brain and my heart. Brothers Chet (tenor saxophone) and Jim (drums), along with Adrian Vedady (drums) and the magnificent Marc Copland (piano) present a nine-song program (eight originals, one standard––Gordon Jenkin's "Goodbye") that is rich in melody, inventiveness, and, when called for, great fire.  Copland's solos and support are fascinating to listen to throughout, eschewing cliches for thoughtful interaction and melody.  The Brothers, who play with Dave Douglas and Steve Swallow in Riverside, are mighty impressive players who do not overplay.  For more information and to purchase the recording, go to  https://doxasbrothers.bandcamp.com/album/the-circle.

Matthew Shipp Trio – "The Unidentifiable" - (ESP-Disk) – Pianist and composer Shipp turned 60 a few weeks ago (December 7) but shows no signs of slowing down.  He's on a slew of albums again that were releases in 2020 including this delightful Trio recording on ESP.  With his tremendous rhythm section of Michael Bisio (bass) and Newman Taylor Baker (drums), the pianist pounds, darts, dashes, swings, and sings a splendid 11-song program.  Over the last few Trio recordings, Shipp has embraced melody in a way that is adventurous and not cloying, thoughtful without technical histrionics. He can still wail on piano but his music is concerned with texture, interplay, and finding the links between darkness and light.  To listen and to purchase, go to https://matthewshipp.bandcamp.com/album/the-unidentifiable. 

(Honorable mention goes to "The Piano Equation", Shipp's solo piano recording for drummer Whit Dickey's TaoForms label––check it out at https://taoforms.bandcamp.com/album/the-piano-equation. 

Max Bessesen - "Trouble" - (Ropeadope Records) – There were a number of debut albums this year (Aubrey Johnson, for instance) but none that captured my imagination more than young Mr. Bessesen's recording. The Denver, CO, native began playing alto saxophone as a teenager and mentored by great cornettist Ron Miles. He attended Oberlin Conservatory and, after traveling the world through a Fellowship, he settled in Chicago and started his own band. The death of one of the band members––guitarist Zac Nunnery––spurred the saxophonist to bring the his (now) quartet into the studio. The resulting album is quite exciting, musical, and well worth exploring.  An added bonus is the presence of Mr. Miles on six of the 10 tracks!

To listen to and purchase the album, go to https://max-bessesen.bandcamp.com/album/trouble. 

(Honorable mention––Ron Miles 2020 Blue Note release "Rainbow Sign". For more information, go to www.bluenote.com/artist/ron-miles/. 

The first half of this list of 20 also includes four of the Large Ensemble albums I posted about the other day. They include Felipe Salles Interconnections Ensemble "The New Immigrant Experience: Music Inspired by Conversations with Dreamers", Maria Schneider Orchestra "Data Lords", Gregg August "Dialogues on Race, Vol. I", and Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra "The Four Questions". 

Second half will be posted next week!

Guitars Galore (Part 2)

      Three more albums which feature guitars in different settings are featured in this post––each one has its own strengths and should interest the curious listener.

Will Vinson (saxophones, electric piano), Gilad Hekselman (guitars), and Antonio Sanchez (drums) have created an album for Whirlwind Recordings with the punning title Trio Grande. All three have crossed borders to make New York City their base with Vinson coming from Great Britain, Hekselman from Israel, and Sanchez from Mexico.  They are at the top of their game; this album illustrates how each brings different styles and how they have so much fun "playing" with melody, sound, dynamics, and more. 

Even though there is no bassist, the first sounds one hears is the keyboard bass on the drummer's "Northbound".  The feel and sound of the piece may remind some of Marc Johnson's Bass Desires but with a soprano sax in place of one of the guitars in that group. The joy is in the interplay, the chuckling as well as expansive playing of Hekselman juxtaposed with Sanchez's dancing drums.  The opening moment of the guitarist's "Elli Yeled Tov" (Good boy, Elli) sound like a piece by Lionel Loueke, especially the tone of the guitar. Again, it's Sanchez playful drums that capture one's attention as does Vinson's delightful alto sax solo.  Vinson's "Oberkampf" is a melancholy ballad with the feel of a Joni Mitchell piece. The soprano sax solo near the end of the piece has a more optimistic feel, lifting the energy of all involved.

Other highlights include Hekselman's super-funky "Scoville" which bops along atop Sanchez's conversational drums. The raucous guitar solo features stop-and-go rhythms which the drummer executes like a race car driver.  The drummer's "Firenze" (the Italian name for Florence, Italy) is a handsome ballad, its fine melody lines pushed forward by the alto saxophonist who dashes off into an energetic solo.  Sanchez's spare solo is a treat, he interjects silence into the spot while the sax and guitar move melodically behind him.

"Trio Grande" closes with the guitarist's "Will You Let It", a lovely ballad with an emotional melody, a splendid guitar solo which has a touch of Bill Frisell in Hekselman's solo.  The sparkling cymbal work surrounds the other instruments with a glowing effect.  The really fine aspect of this album from Will Vinson, Gilad Hekselman, and Antonio Sanchez is that the music defies categorization––is it Americana, jazz, rock or is it all that and more?  Go with the latter and just listen and enjoy!   

For more information and to purchase the album, go to https://triogrande-whirlwind.bandcamp.com/album/trio-grande.

I first heard "A Love Supreme" by the John Coltrane Quartet in the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college, basically 1967, the "Summer of Love".  The music was unlike anything I had listened up until then, having cut my teeth on AM radio and enamored of The Beatles and The Kinks.  The person who played the album for me had been searching for new music and had been blown away by Coltrane's declaration of spiritual love and devotion.  The album was my personal door that opened up within the next few years to Miles Davis, the AACM, Chick Corea, ECM, and beyond.  Over the years, there have been versions by Turtle Island String Quartet, the Branford Marsalis Quartet, and others plus various recordings of particular movements––a favorite is Kurt Elling's brilliant take of "Part II: Resolution" that he recorded in 2004.

Drummer John Hanrahan (born December 9, 1966–two years to the day that the Coltrane Quartet recorded the album) had interviewed the group's drummer Elvin Jones in 2003 who led him to Ashley Kahn's incisive history of the album. That whetted the younger drummer's appetite and when he moved back to Chicago, he formed A Love Supreme Quartet. In 2017, Hanrahan met guitarist and conceptualist Henry Kaiser who introduced the drummer to Coltrane's 1966 album "Meditations" which many people, including the guitarist, feel is the "spiritual follow-up" to "A Love Supreme." The newer Lp, recorded nearly a year to the day after "...Supreme", added the musical voices of saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and drummer Rashied Ali to the Quartet––the sessions would the last time Coltrane recorded with Elvin Jones and pianist McCoy Tyner.

Kaiser and Hanrahan formed a quintet with saxophonist 

Vinny Golia, electric bassist Mike Watt, and organist Wayne Peet. They went into the studio on February 19, 2019, and recorded the two-CD set "A Love Supreme Electric: A Love Supreme & Meditations" (Cuneiform Records). Subtitled "A Salvo Inspired by John Coltrane", the music captures the power of the original pieces and pushes the volume.  Instead of the steadying piano of Tyner, Kaiser's often-raucous guitar is the "second voice" while Peet takes on the pianist's supporting role.  His organ work hearkens back to the sounds of the Black Church but with a modernist twist. He does "fill out the sound" nicely.  Golia, an impressive musician who's the dean of the New Music scene in Southern California, does not try to play like John Coltrane and, unlike the great master, does play soprano saxophone on several of the suites movements. He sets the tone on the opening "Part 1: Acknowledgement", producing his own fiery sounds.  Mike Watt, a veteran of rock bands such as Minutemen and Firehose (currently, he's working with guitarist Mike Baggetta), is a steady presence, making sure his bandmates and listeners do not miss the four-note foundational bass line throughout the opening suite.  

Photo: R.R.Jones

Hanrahan (pictured left) opens "Part 3: Pursuance" with a 3 minute-plus solo that really builds in intensity until Golia (on tenor) jumps into the theme before taking off into a powerful solo. Kaiser's off-balance attack and mighty roar comes next, with a call-and-response with the over-amplified Yamaha organ of Peet as Golia's baritone joins in the fray. 

"Meditations", the lesser known of the two works, has more dynamic variety yet still has moments that rattle the rafters. Peet's organ has a more prominent place in the performance; his interactions with Watt and Hanrahan, especially on Love", stand out. He joins the fray on "Consequences" connecting with Kaiser and Golia to create a fascinating three-way conversation while the bassist and drummer create a maelstrom.  The beat falls out in the middle, the volume drops out, and Golia steps up.  "Serenity" opens quietly with Golia's tenor weaving in and out of the curious guitar sounds and Watt's bass serving as counterpoint.  Hanrahan's solo is next and it has definite bounce and shape before the quintet crashes into a noisy, free-style, reprise of the opening section of "Meditations" titled "The Father and The Son and The Holy Ghost."  The music is harsh with little reprieve but, like the original version, the overall performance can serve as a cleansing.

CD 2 and the program closes with "Acknowledgement reprise", another take of the opening movement of "A Love Supreme."  Recorded at the same session, this take features Golia on both tenor and soprano sax plus a fine organ solo.  The song ends as the the opening of the program started, witg John Hanrahan striking a gong. 

"A Love Supreme Electric" uses the power and the glory of the original performance by the John Coltrane Quartet, expands its sonic blueprint, reminding us of how timeless this music is.  The volume of this music may put some listeners off but do listen to these fine artists make this music their own, doing so with respect and wonder.

For more information and to purchase the album, go to  https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-love-supreme-electric-a-love-supreme-and-meditations. 

Here's the opening track:

One can tell from the title of the new album, "Forest Standards Vol.2" (BIG EGO Records), from guitarist and composer David Lord that this is not his debut album.  In fact, from his home in Wichita, Kansas, he has recorded solo guitar album under the monicker Francis Moss and with the groups The Wonder Revolution and Miki Moondrops. 2018's "Forest Standards Vol. 1" featured Chad Taylor (drums, mbira) and Devin Hoff (acoustic bass)––Taylor returns for "...Vol.2" but the bass chair now is filled by Billy Mohler plus guitarist Jeff Parker shows up on eight of the 14 tracks. 

What's fascinating about this album is that the music moves in unexpected directions; the liner notes (written by Dave Segal of Seattle, WA's newspaper The Stranger) explain that Lord wrote all the tunes in the Lydian mode and how that changes how the pieces resolve.  Listen to how Mohler and Taylor create the flow on the opening "Cloud Ear"––Lord and Parker weave their guitar lines in and around each other in a gentle manner.  Chad Taylor, who can push a group with the best of them is often understated yet still helps to propel many of the pieces.  His rhythmic dance on "Conifer Tuft" has a lightness as well as an urgency.  The two guitarists take turns on solos but also support each others.  Vibraphonist Sam Hake joins the quartet on several pieces include "Coltricia" where Lord overdubs his guitar lines but opens the middle for the ringing vibes.  

There's a gentle yet probing quality to many of the pieces. The fine duet of Parker (electric) and Lord (acoustic), "An Amanita", allows the former to move around the sound spectrum like a wild while the latter keeps the structure of the piece.  Hake and Lord handle the melody on "Nectaries" but you should also attention to Taylor's excellent brush work and Mohler's counterpoint as well as the backwards guitar loops at the end of each verse.  Even though many of these pieces are short in duration, they are long in attention to melody and detail. Both Parker and Lord overdub multiple guitars on "Mossy Maze Polypore" and the textures mixed with quiet background noises first pull the listener in then make one pay attention to the various sounds.

One's appreciation of "Forest Standards Vol 2" grows each time you listen.  This is not music for one impressed by flashy technique but for people who love to hear finely constructed music that embraces melody and experimentation.  David Lord and his talented associates want you to take your time with this music––the sonic experience is well worth it!

For more information, go to www.foreststandards.com.  To listen to the album and for purchase information, go to https://davidlord.bandcamp.com/album/forest-standards-vol-2. 

Here's "Nectaries":

Sing The Songs of Drummers and Others

Coming to jazz through John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Dave Brubeck, I did not realize the import of organ trios until doing a deep dive into Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and others in the mid-1970s.  One can understand the influence of gospel music on jazz when he hears a Hammond B-3 organ swelling its way through changes.

Drummer, composer, and devilish wit Jochen Rueckert has assembled a small group for his latest album "Stars and Garters" (self-released).  The basic band is drums, tenor saxophone (Chris Cheek), and organ (Brian Charette) with guest guitarists Jeff Miles (on three tracks) and Yotam Silberstein (on two tracks)

The 11-song program has its share of swingers, rockers, and ballads. Opening with the easy-grooving "Corey and Trevor" and then moving right into "Finger Finger", one might expect the album to be a late-night set at a downtown bar. Cheek plays with controlled abandon in the style of Hank Mobley, especially on the latter track. Silberstein joins the trio and bounces along atop the dancing drums.  Next the band (with Miles on guitar) rips into "Mind Parasite", a tune by Ryan Power –– it's a rip-roaring rocker that, at high volume, shakes the speakers to their core.  Of course, the next track, "Radioland", is a quiet, Latin-esque, medium-tempo treat with soft burbling organ, delight drumming on the toms, and a pleasing tenor solo.

The title track brings one right back to the 1950s and 60s organ trio. Charette keeps a steady bass line –– when he solos, he and Rueckert have a swinging interaction. They don't rush, don't settle for cliches, they just play.  In another unexpected move, the trio (plus Miles) interprets The Deftones' 1997 tune "My Own Summer", keeping the melody and chord structure but toning does the punk-rock mayhem save for the hard-edged guitar sounds.

"Stars and Garters" closes with one more cover.  "Cannonball" was a hit in the mid-1990s for The Breeders; The trio (plus Silberstein) capture the nervous quality of the original yet also make the piece swing like mad. Even if you don't know the original, this version is a lot of f-u-n!  And we all need a big dose of that these days...actually, just about any time.  Hats to Jochen Rueckert and his gang who knocked the album out in a couple of hours just this past March 5, before the world went into lockdown.

To find out more and to purchase, go to jochenrueckert.bandcamp.com/album/stars-and-garters.

Here's a swinger!:

Drummer Phil Haynes (pictured left) can be heard in a number of different groups, several of which he leads.  His saxophone trio with Dave Liebman as well as a duo with the NEA Jazz Master, Free Country (his radical and fascinating interpretations of Country songs), organ trios, and more plus solo drum programs, all point to a person for whom borders are meant to be crossed if not ignored all together.  Haynes also performs in a piano trio with bassist Drew Gress and pianist Steve Rudolph, an ensemble for whom melody and improvisation, swing and flow, are of the utmost important.

In 2009, the trio recorded its debut album under the three musicians names with the title "Day Dream".  That's now their collective name and their second album, "Originals" (CornerStore Jazz), is just that; 10 new compositions, four by Rudolph and three each by Gress and Haynes. The music and performances are reminiscent of the work of Bill Evans, Fred Hersch, and Frank Kimbrough.  What stands out is both the musicianship and the lyricism –– you can hum these melodies but the joy of the music is hearing how the trio interacts.  Solos grow intelligently out of the melody, easily flowing from composition to improvisation and back.  If you take your time to listen deeply, each song stands out.

There's the Evans-esque beauty of Rudolph's "Wedding Waltz" (listen to how Gress underlines the melody and Haynes color with his cymbals) as well as Gress's mysterious, hypnotic, "Afterwards" with its ascending then descending bass line over a steady 4/4 beat. One of Haynes's three contributions, "Spell", opens with a swinging brushes solo, dramatic piano chords as well as a bluesy bass line. Gress goes right through the melody into his solo and an impressive one it is.  He dances atop the funky rhythm turning the spotlight over to Rudolph who gets in the groove and does not let it go! The drummer also composed "Beloved Refracted" (listen below), a melody built on a two-handed piano theme and powerful interaction between Rudolph and Gress.

"Originals" closes with the bassist's "Let Fly", a bopping tune with both a bluesy feel and a delightful swing.  Day Dream will not put you to sleep –– instead, it's an album that you can listen to in one sitting and then listen again.  Steve Rudolph, Drew Gress, and Phil Haynes are a trio of equals and the music they create together is powerful, music with a heart!

Here's a taste:

Photo: Peter Gasnnushkin

Drummer, composer, and bandleader Chad Taylor (on the left) may be best-known as the co-founder (with trumpeter Rob Mazurek) of the Chicago Underground Duo. The Arizona native grew up in Chicago where he worked with Fred Anderson, Nicole Mitchell, Matana Roberts, Ken Vandermark, and so many others.  Currently, he's working in a duo setting with saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, in guitarist Marc Ribot's ensemble, with trumpeter Jaime Branch, saxophonist Avram Fefer, bass clarinetist Jason Stein, and others.  He's issued three albums under his own name including 2018's solo percussion album "Myths and Morals" (my review here).

Photo: Paul de Lucena

The drummer has a new trio that bears his name, featuring tenor saxophonist Brian Settles (Tomas Fujiwara, Michael Formanek, Jonathan Finlayson) and pianist Neil Podgurski (Tim Warfied, Captain Black Big Band).  The trio has just released its debut album,  "The Daily Biological" (Cuneiform Records) –– Taylor has known his bandmates since the 1990s but they did not coalesce as an ensemble until several years ago. Taylor had moved to Philadelphia four or five years back after splitting time between Chicago and New York City. The pianist has lived in Philly for over two decades while Settles has moved back to his native Washington D.C. so the band is not too far apart.

The album, composed of all originals pieces by the trio members, is startling, music that verges on "free" yet there are times when the beat is so powerful it feels as if the drums could knock you off your feet.  The opening track, "The Shepherd", roars out of the gate driven by Taylor's conversational drums, Settles' powerful tenor (he's the composer), and Podgurski's thunderous attack. Because the drums are so well-miked and up front in the mix and the pianist has such a strong left hand, one does not miss a bassist.  Depending on your speakers, the bass drum thump is quite noticeable.  The pianist's "Resistance" starts quietly, the piano chords and crisp cymbal sound leading to Settles and Podgurski reading the theme.  Settles stays with the poignant theme while the pianist takes a powerful solo with Taylor ramping up the intensity.  The trio calls down for just a second when the saxophonist begins his solo but soon he's being pushed by the drums and insistent piano.

Photo: Paul de Lucena

There is so much to enjoy in the hour+ recording.  "Birds, Leaves, Wind, Trees" is a delightfully impressionistic piece from Podgurski with the trio taking parts throughout.  Settles and Taylor argue like two birds fighting over a crust of bread, then Podguski joins with his notes dropping like rain on the leaves.  "Swamp" kicks butt in the opening moments, stopping for an unaccompanied tenor solo that blends longer lines with fluttering notes and silence. The pianist takes over, engaging in a rapid-fire dialogue with Taylor that builds in intensity until the composer Settles returns to join the pianist in the bass line while the drummer solos through to the fade.

Photo: Paul de Lucena

The final two tracks, penned by Taylor, include the thunderous "Recife", which opens with a muscular drum solo over a repetitive figure by the sax and piano. Then the pianist takes over for a short statement and Settles gets the final minute through to the fade. The program ends with the longest track, the 12-minute "Between Sound and Silence" –– the drummer has the opening minute to himself before Settles jumps in followed shortly by Podgurski.  The piano lines have a nervous feel prodded by the drums as the saxophonist struts and frets atop them.  The music quiets down, Podgurski's searching piano lines move the piece forward, heading towards silence, supported only by a distant rumble of floor toms. When the saxophonist returns, he plays a gentle, gospel-influenced melody, over the tolling piano.  Taylor returns, his drumming raising the intensity level but not pushing the emotions to the background.  The tolling piano continues while Settles searching and Taylor's shimmering cymbal create a stunning final 30 seconds.

"The Daily Biological", if you listen deeply, will change your idea of "power trios."  No over-amped guitars, fuzzy bass lines, no ponderous drums; instead, this is music teeming with ideas, interactions, inventive solos, intelligent writing, and more.  Such an auspicious recorded debut for the Chad Taylor Trio that one can just imagine how great they must sound in a live setting. In the meantime, find this album and let the music play. Play it loud!!

For more information, go to www.chadtaylordrums.net –– purchase the album by going to cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-daily-biological.

Here's one of the great tracks:

Sounds Familiar, Strange, Loud, & Quiet

Photo: NEA

I have known Taylor Ho Bynum since his student days at Wesleyan University. He earned both his BA (1998) and Master's Degree (2005) there, all the while playing with various members of the faculty including Bill Lowe and Anthony Braxton.  After graduation, he played with numerous musicians and group but especially with pianist-conceptualist Cecil Taylor, trumpeter-conceptualist Bill Dixon, and with numerous ensembles led by Professor Braxton.  In fact, Bynum was the Executive Director of Braxton's Tri-Centric Foundation from its founding in 2010 until 2018.  He currently is teaching at Dartmouth College and leading the jazz and creative music ensemble. Bynum is a founding partner of Firehouse 12 Records, one of several labels that issue his music.

His latest record, "The Ambiguity Manifesto", is his sixth for the label, each one featuring a different ensemble.  The new one features his 9-tette, composed of two brass, two reeds, two basses (one electric, the other acoustic), a cellist, drummer, and guitarist. All seven pieces are Bynum originals and, as usual, the music goes in many different directions, often in the same piece.  Those of you familiar with Bynum's recordings for Firehouse may be surprised by the James Brown-style drumming that opens the album – to these ears, it also sounds somewhat like Julius Hemphill's "Hard Blues."  The song, titled "neither when nor where" utilizes that funky beat to introduce the different instruments.  Tomeka Reid's cello lines shows the influence of Abdul Wadud and it's fun to hear Jim Hobbs' alto sax in counterpoint to  Ingrid Laubock's tenor sax.  In the bridge, Bill Lowe's trombone dances over the sympathetic reeds.  Tomas Fujiwara is rock steady behind the drum while the rest of the band frolic.

The material ranges from the free-wheeling "anter ally" to the circus-like noise of "enter (g)neither" which at 18+ minutes gives the different voices of the ensemble a chance to converse together. Mary Halvorson's guitar lines have quite a percussive feel and supported by Professor Lowe's tuba is quite playful. The section where the guitar interacts with Ken Filiano's acoustic bass and Stomu Takeishi's electric bass leads into a slow marching beat where the music feels like a slow merry-go-round – note the smooth sounds from the leader, a bluesy feel even.  A lot goes on and all of it is absorbing.

Photo: Peter Gannushkin

The last two tracks, "enter ally" and "unreal/real (for old music)", are "freer" in their structures yet there are still multiple conversations going on in each song.  The former gets a bit noisy in the middle especially when the effects-laden guitar rolls in with the droning tuba. Since the piece is continually evolving, one must listen several times to absorb the soundscapes created.  The final track opens with the leader's cornet sputtering and wheezing alongside the rippling soprano sax (Ms. Laubrock) with the bowed cello, chattering guitar , and thrumming acoustic bass leading in the trombone, drums and alto sax.  Listen closely for the clucking electric bass and alto sax and the tenor sax – in the wink of an eye, the music falls into a gentle martial beat while the other voices either create sonic effects or play melodies.  Hobbs alto sax leads the ensemble forward as Fujiwara creates a straight-forward rhythm.  Roll with it and you'll be surprised where the 9-tette takes you.

"The Ambiguity Manifesto" does not beat the listener over the head but does take one on quite a journey.  Taylor Ho Bynum seems to relish composing for a larger palette (his Firehouse 12 albums range from sextet to septet to octet to nonet to 15 members) – this album shows his continued growth as well as his need to be part of the band and not in front all the time.  There's no plans to tour the band as of its September 27th release date but the Sextet appears at Firehouse 12 on November 8, 2019.

For more information, go to taylorhobynum.com.

Here's the opening track:


Three of the four musicians pictured below – Mary Halvorson, Tomas Fujiwara, and Tomeka Reid – are on the album above plus are members of Ms. Reid's Quartet. They, along with bassist Jason Roebke, have just released a new album.

The Tomeka Reid Quartet recorded and released its eponymous debut album for Thirsty Ear in 2015.  Since then, Ms. Reid has relocated to Queens, New York, and has entrenched herself in the contemporary music scene. She plays with Anthony Braxton and Nicole Mitchell and was featured on the latest Art Ensemble of Chicago album. Ms. Reid also is part of Hear in Now, a string trio with violinist Mazz Swift and bassist Silvia Bolognesi not to forget her collaborations with Roscoe Mitchell.   Ms. Halvorson and Mr. Fujiwara works together in the trio Thumbscrew (with bassist Michael Formanek) as well as with Taylor Ho Bynum, Chris Speed, and Ben Goldberg.  Mr. Roebke is a fixture on the Chicago music scene – he studied with Roscoe Mitchell and plays in or leads numerous groups.

"Old New" (Cuneiform Records) is, if anything, even more exciting than the fascinating debut from four years ago.  What stands out (what doesn't?) is how many of these pieces – all composed by the leader – are so rhythmic.  The title track comes bursting out of the speakers with an urgency and pace sure to raise the temperature.  Reminiscent of of the opening track of saxophonist Julius Hemphill's 1977 Black Saint Lp "Raw Materials and Residuals" (with drummer Famadou Don Moye and cellist Abdul Wadud), Roebke and Fujiwara lock in and push the music forward.  Ms. Reid creates a powerful solo (with Ms. Halvorson adding playful counterpoint) and she wails away.  The melody line, which is repeated at the end of the piece, is a delightful blend of plucked notes and melodic, flowing, lines.

Photo: Jasmine Kwong

The energy continues to flow on the following track "Wabash Blues." Again it's Mr. Roebke's muscular bass and Mr. Fujiwara's powerful drumming that leads the way.  In fact, the drummer gets the spotlight right after Ms. Halvorson's solo, one that's filled with her trademark "bent notes" and rippling phrases.  "Niki's Bop" follows, ushered in by the dancing New Orleans-style drumming and contains a boppish melody line played unison by guitar and cello that will have bobbing your head.  They stretch the lines out for over a minute before Ms. Reid and Ms. Halvorson dance/solo together.  Dedicated to flutist Nicole Mitchell, the music make sone want to get up and dance.

Photo: Jasmine Kwong

The recording has so many moments that turn your head with their inventiveness and the Quartet's splendid interactions.  For instance, "Sadie" swings with glee with Ms. Reid playing pizzicato throughout – the "boppish" quality of the song brings to mind the groundbreaking cello work of Oscar Pettiford as well as the "baby bass" playing of Percy Heath and Ron Carter. Ms. Halvorson's raucous guitar playing gives the piece a more modern bent.  Listen to her "shred" on "Edelin", roaring above the solid rhythm section.  The cello solo has a power of its own, filling up the "bottom" of the sound with deep notes.

"Old New" closes with "RN",  a piece with a handsome melody yet there is a pleasing rhythm to push the music along.  Mr. Roebke actually solos before the band can introduce the melody;  before long, Ms. Reid's lovely flowing lines produce a magical solo as does Ms. Halvorson although she fills her solo with echoing phrases that feel like bubbles about to burst.  There's a "singing" quality to the track tha promises new directions for the future of the Tomeka Reid Quartet.  This program is a delight-filled group of performances that shine, swing, rock, sway, explode, and push their way into your ears and mind.  And, it's an excellent effort from start to finish – give a listen, give 10 listens!

For more information, go to www.tomekareid.net.

Here's the title track:

There is something about the music of Thelonious Monk that allows it to be very much his own yet totally open to interpretation by others.  Pianist Michael McNeill, who have been active inBuffalo, NY, but currently resides in Saluda, VA, is a member, composer, and arranger for several groups including the Buffalo Jazz Octet plus a trio with drummer Phil Haynes and bassist Ken Filiano. He's also a member of the cooperative trio with bassist Denny Ziemann and drummer John Bacon.  It is with that rhythm section that McNeill has recorded "Refractions" (Jazz Dimensions Records), a seven-song program comprised of Monk tunes, all of which are pretty well-known.

The trio approaches the music from numerous directions. Whereas the album opener, "Ugly Beauty", has an abstract impressionistic, rubato, opening, "Hackensack" swings delightfully from the opening note.  Once the former piece "opens up" into its rhythm, the music remains exploratory but retains the handsome melody, especially thanks to the fine piano solo.  The latter is the longest piece on the disc, replete with delightful interactions between the piano and drums plus a long, wonderfully melodic, solo from the bassist.  The trio takes "Light Blue" as a ballad with rich solos from McNeill and Ziemann – "Reflections" is taken even slower with the bass and piano caressing the melody, both musicians basing their solos off the opening verse.  "Let's Cool One" has that "sit back and relax" groove. McNeill creates a delightful, two-handed, solo filled with spirit while Bacon's spotlight is playfully minimalistic.

The last two tracks start with a solo piano reading of "Monk's Mood."  McNeill gives the handsome melody a Gershwin-like spin, accentuating the harmonic possibilities and leaving just the right amount of breathing room to let the notes ring n the listener's ears. After a short melodic bass intro, "Straight No Chaser" jumps into an energetic rhythm and swings forward on the power of the piano solo and Bacon's propulsive drums.  Pay attention to Ziemann's solo latter in the piece: he's plays both melodically and rhythmically, managing to steer clear of clichés throughout (plus his dialogues with Bacon really kicks nicely.

Though Thelonious Monk has gone nearly four decades (and had retired from playing 11 years before his passing), his music continues to reverberate loudly through contemporary music.  On "Refractions", the trio of John Bacon, Michael McNeill, and Danny Ziemann honor his legacy by not playing it safe, but playing with joy and with an exploratory spirit.

For more information, go to michaelgraymcneill.com.

Here's the "long" song: