Rush Hours, Part 1 - Nonet & Octet

 Lots of music yet so little time –– here begins a series of shorter reviews of the more exciting releases of the past several months. 

Commissioned by SF Jazz and the Hewlett Foundation, Miguel Zenón composed "Golden City" for sextet and a three-member trombone section (two of whom double on other brass - see below).  A musical history of San Francisco, the piece made it debut at SF Jazz in 2022 and was recorded a year later for the composer's Miel Music label.  Zenón makes sure each member of the ensemble has a feature, often at the beginning of the track. The album opens "Sacred Land" – the leader's sweet alto tone plays the intro alone before the brass enter for support and then the whole band arrives.  The story moves quickly to "Rush" (yes, the 1800s Gold Rush) to "Acts of Exclusion" (the 1862 law that curtailed the immigration of Chinese works) to "9066" (FDR's Executive Order that authorized the interment of Japanese Americans, the majority of who were already American Citizens).  One can sense the urgency and poignancy in the melodies and musicianship.

Photo: Herminio Rodriguez

Not only is the writing excellent but the performances stand out. Drummer Dan Weiss stands out as a master framer of the pieces and as a melodic presence. Pianist Matt Mitchell is the other "builder" of the foundation; along with bassist Chris Tordini, the two give the "front line" great support throughout. Percussionist Daniel Diaz creates rhythmical excitement but also adds colors that are necessary to the success of the music. Guitarist Miles Okazaki is solid in support and his ensemble work plus his solos stand out.  The three brass players – Diego Urcola, Alan Ferber, and Jacob Garchik – truly fill out the sound thanks to the splendid arrangements.  Perhaps the best part of this project is how Zenón gives so much room to the band that when his "voice" appears, his playing delights in flights of joy, power, sweetness, all while being highly melodic.

There's so much to like on "Golden City" from how Miguel Zenón tells the sprawling story to how the musicians give so much life and heart to the music to the wonderful playing over the course of 69 minutes.  Highly recommended! 

For more information, go to https://miguelzenon.com/. To hear more and to buy the music, go to  https://miguelzenon.bandcamp.com/album/golden-city. 

Listen to "Acts of Exclusion":

Personnel:

Miguel Zenón - alto saxophone
Matt Mitchell - piano
Chris Tordini - bass
Dan Weiss - drums
Miles Okazaki - guitar
Daniel Díaz - congas, tripandero and percussion
Diego Urcola - trumpet and valve trombone
Alan Ferber - trombone 
Jacob Garchik - tuba and trombone

Trombonist, composer, and band(s)leader Ryan Keberle is quite busy but he must have jumped at the opportunity to make this album for Marc Free and Posi-Tone Records. He's been doing a lot of smaller group work with Reverso (trio), Collectiv Do Brasil (quartet), and Catharsis (now a quintet) but it's been 14 years since his last Double Quartet album. "Bright Moments" is his first album as a leader on the label and, arguably, it's one of the 10 best Marc Free has ever released. Why?  Because Keberle had the opportunity to arrange the songs, all originals, to utilize the talents of a brilliant rhythm section – pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Rudy Royston –  and have his melodies "sung" by the great "voices" of Pat Cornelius (reeds, flute), Diego Rivera (tenor sax, flute), Alex Norris (trumpet, flugelhorn), and Michael Dease (baritone sax).  All but one of the songs have appeared on previous albums – the new versions give both the composer and the audience a different perspective.

You can hear the influence of Keberle's immersion into Brazilian music on "Edu" – the music rolls forward on the power of the drums and the deep baritone sounds. The expansive melody is shared by the reeds and brass before Norris steps out for a handsome solo. "Despite the Dream", which the trombonist composed for Catharsis's 2020 "The Hope I Hold". This powerful ballad opens up in the middle as the tempo speeds up and short solos lines are created by Cornelius (alto sax) and Norris. Later, Cornelius and Dease (whose bari work is mighty impressive) take longer solos. "Sisters of Mine" was originally recorded by Reverso. Here, the tribute to the composer's two sibs serves as a vehicle for a lovely tenor solo from Rivera. To get there, the melody is presented by Cornelius (soprano sax), Norris, and Keberle (such a lovely tone).  Melody sharing abounds on this album.  The bass clarinet (Cornelius), trumpet, and flutes (Rivera and Cornelius) each introduce the melody on "All Ears", which is repeated twice without a solo. Yet, the piece is so satisfying because of how all the voices are utilized to make the piece so successful.

Photo" Anna Yatskevich

"Bright Moments" closes with the oldest piece in the collection. "When I'm Away" is from 2006 and was on the first of Keberle's two Double Quartet albums.  The arrangement is similar but the 2024 "voices" includes reeds whereas the older take has a four-piece brass section. Either way, it's a beautiful piece of music and features an excellent from the leader, brilliant backing from the great rhythm section.

If you're a Ryan Keberle fan, this is yet another gem in his growing discography (plus there's a new Catharsis album coming in October). Great music played by a great band – "Bright Moments" indeed!

For more information, go to https://ryankeberle.com/.  To hear more and purchase the album, go to https://ryankeberlejazz.bandcamp.com/album/bright-moments. 

Here's the opening track, "Quintessence":

Personnel:

Ryan Keberle - trombone
Alex Norris - trumpet; flugelhorn 
Michael Dease - baritone saxophone
Patrick Cornelius - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, and alto flute
Diego Rivera - tenor saxophone; flute 
Art Hirahara - piano
Boris Kozlov - bass
Rudy Royston - drums

Saxophones A'Plenty (Part One)

Over the last several months, I have received a slew of excellent albums that feature the saxophonist as a leader or co-leader.  Here are the three of the best.  

In March of 2022, Argentinean-born saxophonist and composer Julieta Eugenio's debut Trio album. "Jump", was issued on Greenleaf Music.  Backed by Hartford, CT-born Jonathan Barber (drums) and Hartford-area resident Matt Dwonszyk (bass), the music displayed the leader's melodic tendencies and softer tones on the tenor. Even better, the rhythm section joined in the conversation, making the music come alive.  Ms. Eugenio composes music that leaves plenty of space for her compatriots to display their talents –– overall, a solid effort that made one wish for more.

Now we have "Stay", her second release on her own label, Christalyn Records.  With the exception of two duets with Leo Genovese playing Fender Rhodes, the new recording features Messrs. Barber and Dwonszyk.  The two years between recording dates shows a band that has gelled even more through numerous gigs. Listen below to the title track.  Dwonszyk's bass sets the pace pushed ahead by Barber's drums while the leader paints a handsome and somewhat mysterious canvas with her Middle-Eastern sounding melodies that dance out of the tenor.  "Trapped" follows with its modified samba beat and various tempo shifts. The vocal quality of the tenor sax meshes well with the bassist's counterpoint. One can hear a tinge of Charles Lloyd in Ms. Eugenio's sweet tone.  One hears it in "Sunday Stranger" as well plus even a touch of Lester Young in the saxophonist's melodic bent.

Photo: Alexx Duvall

There are four duets, each carrying the title "Breath" ("I-IV"), scattered through the 10-song program. The first two feature Genovese; "1" opens with solo tenor before the Rhodes enters and the music takes on the feels of a walk through a rain forest.  "II" starts in a more stately manner with a classical feel and maintaining that throughout the piece. "III" and "IV" feature Ms. Eugenio in musical dialogue with Barber. The former track finds the tenor dancing atop the African-inspired drum while the latter cut dances to a darker beat. It's more sensuous, a touch of Persian rhythms for the whisper-soft tenor to improvise over.

Before "Breath IV" closes the album, Ms. Eugenio and the rhythm section dig into Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady".  After a lovely unaccompanied tenor saxophone opening, the piece becomes a sweet, slow, ballad. Here you hear a touch of Ben Webster in the saxophonist's sound. Barber's brushes, at times, sound like gentle sighs while the melodic bass accompaniment pushes the saxophonist to dig deeper during her long improvisation.  The bass solo features short snippets of several other Ellington melodies before Ms. Eugenio returns on the bridge and then to a sweet final verse and cadenza.

"Stay" is an excellent leap forward for Julieta Eugenio.  Her debut Trio release introduced the world to her sound and ideas while the new album allows her more freedom of movement. Kudos to both Jonathan Barber and Matt Dwonszyk for their splendid work.  If you like saxophone-led trios that simmer instead of burn, that favor well-developed melodies instead of long solo-filled tunes,  take an extended dive into "Stay". 

For more information, go to www.julieta-eugenio.com/. To purchase the album, go to  https://julietaeugenio.bandcamp.com/album/stay.

Here's the title track:

In November of 2022, tenor saxophonist and composer Willie Morris went into a Brooklyn, New York, studio and recorded his debut album as a leader. Aptly named "Conversation Starter", the album was released on Posi-Tone Records to positive reviews.  Less than three months later, he returned to the same studio (Acoustic Recording) to record "Attentive Listening" for Posi-Tone. Alto saxophonist and flutist Patrick Cornelius plus pianist Jon Davis return from the first session while bassist Boris Kozlov takes the place of Adi Meyerson and Rudy Royston takes over the drum chair from E.J. Strickland.  The first five tracks of the 10-song program are Morris originals while both Cornelius and Davis provide two pieces each and Kenny Dorham's "La Mesha" (composed by the trumpeter for Joe Henderson's 1963 album "Page One") is a lovely ballad.  Morris, a native of St. Louis, MO, now on the faculty of his alma mater The Juilliard School in New York City, is a perfect fit for producer Marc Free's label as he can swing like crazy plus is a strong writer.  

The program opens with the John Coltrane-inspired "Water Fountain of Youth".  The rhythm section sets a fiery pace (Davis channels McCoy Tyner in his powerful chordal work) and after a quick reading of the theme, Morris takes off on a powerful solo –– to his credit, his sound leans more to the afore-mentioned Joe Henderson than "Trane".  Cornelius (on alto) and Davis follow both riding the waves of energy produced by Kozlov and Royston.  Instead of continuing in the no-holds-barred mode, "Terminal Lucidity" follows; it's a contemplative ballad that takes its time to work through the main theme. The leader's solo is introspective and so melodic. Pianist Davis follows for a short yet rich solo before the reeds return to the main theme.  Listen below to "The Imitation Game" to hear how the quintet handles a hard-bop tune.  Love how the bass and drums leap out of the speakers setting a "wicked" pace. The soloists have such a great time matching their energy to the rhythm section. It all makes the music snap, crackle, and pop! 

Photo: Anna Yatskevich

Later on in the program, Davis's "Moving Right Along" balances between two tempos during the opening thematic section before Cornelius's lively alto leads way into the solos. Morris follows, at first tamping down the energy of his enthusiastic predecessor before he catches fire which leads to a sparkling piano solo over Royston's rollicking drum work.  Cornelius switches to alto flute for  his piece "Leaving Paradise".  It's a lovely bossa nova with opportunities for delightful solos from Davis and Morris (displaying more than a hint of Stan Getz in his fine solo).  "Et Tu, Caribou?", also from Cornelius, bounces like one of the mid-1940s Charlie Parker cuts that earned so much fame. The composer leads the solo parade with a swinging romp before Morris enters ––  he sounds as if he's having time of his life dancing over the changes.  Davis follows with his own romp. There's room for Royston to strut his own stuff before the theme returns.

The album closes with Davis's "Daly Minor Blues" for two. The solo piano opening is so fine and introduces Morris who plays the main melody with the pianist.  The tenor solo opens with the gravitas of Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster before Morris takes flight.  The composer plays a modified "barrelhouse"-style solo that is quite witty. Then, the two musicians take the tune out bring this most delightful program to a gentle close.

"Attentive Listening" calls for just that. Pay attention to what Willie Morris and this fine band are playing for a most satisfying experience. 

For more information, go to https://williemorrismusic.com/. To hear more and to purchase this album, go to https://williemorrisjazz.bandcamp.com/album/attentive-listening.

Dive into "The Imitation Game":

Here's an intriguing grouping, a trio led by Dan Weiss (drums, compositions) and featuring Miguel Zenón (alto saxophone) and Matt Mitchell (piano). For Weiss's new album, "Even Odds" (Cygnus Recordings), the drummer composed six of the 20 pieces with the remainder being created from snippets of solo drum pieces that he recorded and his bandmates soloed over.  Because the leader has such "big ears", this music goes in multiple directions. The opening piece, "It Is What It Is", jumps out of the gate like a trimmed-down but sped-up version of Keith Jarrett's "The Windup" (from his 1974 recording "Belonging" with Jan Garbarek, Jon Christensen, and Palle Danielsson). The music has a reckless abandon feel yet never loses its way (which is amazing because there are moments when the three musicians are soloing at the same time).

Listen below to hear how the trio navigates through "The Children of Uvalde".  It's a mournful tune dedicated to the victims and survivors of the 2022 school shooting in their small Texas town.  Zenón plays one of the most powerful, emotionally moving, solos of his career followed by an impressive and evocative Mitchell solo. The program features pieces named for drummers such as "Bu" (a shortened version of Art Blakey's Buhaina nickname) and "Max Roach" (self-explanatory) plus "Nusrat" (for Pakistani singer Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan).  There's the occasional drum solo ("Recover the Mindset", "Too Many Outs", and "Bribes and Ultimatums") but really the focus is on the trio.  That the three musicians could create such impressive sounds from the sketches of rhythms Weiss created is also most impressive.  Tracks such as "Runner-Runner" and "Nineteen to the Dozen", though short (56 seconds and 1:13), sound through-composed. 

This is such an interesting sonic journey, one that never runs out of ideas or surprises. "Fathers and Daughters" is another lovely ballad, more like a lullaby, with such quiet percussion, an introspective alto sax solo, and and folk-like piano chords.  "Conversing With Stillness" starts off in a hurry but slows down into a very slow pace not unlike certain piano works by Erik Satie. The afore-mentioned "Nusrat" brings the program to a close. There is a real bounce in both the alto saxophonist's melodic lines and Weiss's dancing drums yet note the shimmering piano background, sounding like a summer downpour. Such a positive close to a fascinating collection of pieces.

"Even Odds" takes its time to grow on the listener. It's not really background music; if you pay attention, the richness of the ideas, melodies, and rhythms that Dan Weiss creates with more than a little help from his friends Matt Mitchell and Miguel Zenón, is worth exploring time and again.  

Fore more information, go to www.danweiss.net/. To hear more and purchase the album, go to https://even-odds.bandcamp.com/album/even-odds.

Listen closely to "The Children of Uvalde":

Large Ensemble: Roots Music

Composer, arranger, trumpeter, and educator Daniel Hersog seemingly burst onto the jazz scene with the release of his debut Large Ensemble album "Night Devoid of Stars" (Cellar Music). Of course, nobody just appears on the "scene"––Hersog, a native of Victoria, British Columbia, is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA, and, as a trumpeter, has played throughout North America with artists such as drummer Terry Clarke, trumpeter Brad Turner, the Vancouver Legacy Jazz Orchestra, and the Jaelem Bhate Orchestra (with whom he recorded two albums).  Hersog is currently on the faculty of Capilano University in Vancouver, BC, where he is an Academic Coordinator and Instructor in the Jazz Studies Program plus leads a trumpet ensemble.

Now, the second album from the Daniel Hersog Jazz Orchestra has dropped.  "Open Spaces: Folk Songs Reimagined" (Cellar Music) states its mission in the title.  The majority of the pieces come from traditional musics of Canada and the United States interspersed with pieces by Gordon Lightfoot and Bob Dylan plus several Hersog originals. The ensemble (listed below) is composed of musicians from both countries as well as classmates (Noah Preminger and Kim Cass) and instructors (Frank Carlberg and Brad Turner), many of whom appear on the first CD.  The addition of reed master Scott Robinson and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel gives Hersog a bigger palette to work with and he does so liberally. The 10-song program opens with the late Mr. Lightfoot's "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"––Preminger's hard-edged tenor solo represents the blowing winds and Carlberg's piano the roiling waves while Dan Weiss's drums are the sound of the boat splitting apart. That's followed by a rousing coda leading into Hersog's imaginative take on Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In the Wind".  Titled "How Many Roads", there's a flowing guitar solo over the responsive reeds and supportive brass.  The reeds and brass play a "call-and-response" with the piano before Carlberg digs into his solo over the rough and tumble bass and drums.

After a stately introduction, "Shenandoah" becomes a beautiful ballad featuring an amazing baritone sax solo from Scott Robinson. Heartfelt, emotional, melodic, the listener is transported out of the crazy world by the stunning and brilliant arrangement that supports him (kudos to Carlberg as well) and the simple yet generous melody.  Robinson returns to the spotlight on "Rentrer" but not until after Cass's lovely solo bass introduction and Carlberg plays the rambling theme which, in turn, leads into Rosenwinkel's short but sweet solo.  Robinson's baritone solo goes deep and then swoops to the higher register of the big instrument. The final two minutes of the piece features the sections swirling around the guitar, rising like the murmuration of starlings before the the abstract finish.

Photo: Robert Iannone

Other highlights include the playful "I Hear", a piece that opens with the ensemble "barking" at other until Weiss falls into an up-tempo rhythm for a hard-edged tenor solo before the tempo changes abruptly into a Fellini soundtrack interspersed with a swing beat for Ben Kono's fine clarinet spot. The longest track on the album (11:10), the playful tune makes room for a sharp and humorous romp for trumpeter Turner. Later in the program, the Hersog original "Sarracenia Purpurea" (named for a Pitcher Plant that grows in marshes and bogs) starts off on fire but quiets down for Robinson's baritone solo which slowly and steadily picks up in intensity as the rhythm section pushes him to dig in. Soon, the brass and reeds begin to color behind him before everyone frolics around the drums as the music arrives at its rousing finish.  

The album closes with a sweet reading of "Red River Valley" (for all its connections to Cowboy movies, the song actually was composed in Canada during the 1870s). After a pretty introduction, Rosenwinkel's guitar joins the brass and reeds to play the theme. After a second verse and a striking variation played by the Orchestra, the guitarist plays the melody once more and then plays his striking solo.  Even sweeter, the entire ensemble sings two choruses before the ensemble plays the melody before the lovely crescendo that ends the piece and the album. 

You will hear the influences of many large ensemble arrangers and composers in the music of the Daniel Hersog Jazz Orchestra but the leader's vision plus eloquent arrangements for this ensemble are clear and truly his own.  "Open Spaces: Folk Songs Reimagined" grew out of the composer/arranger's need to move his music forward after a successful debut as well as to adapt to the changes in his life (teaching and marriage).  There are interpretations of beauty and breaths of humor (and occasional chaos) throughout the album; the music flourishes on the collective work of this fine group of instrumentalists.  Do sit and listen––the rewards are abounding!

For more information, go to www.danielhersog.com.  To hear more and to purchase the album, go to https://danielhersogjazzorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/open-spaces-folk-songs-reimagined.

Personnel:

Daniel Hersog- Conductor

Ben Kono- Oboe, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
Ben Henriques – Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet
Noah Preminger- Tenor Saxophone
Tom Keenlyside- Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo, Tenor Saxophone
Scott Robinson- Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute

Michael Kim- Trumpet and Flugelhorn
Brad Turner- Trumpet and Flugelhorn
Derry Byrne- Trumpet and Flugelhorn
Jocelyn Waugh- Trumpet and Flugelhorn

Jeremy Berkman- Trombone
Jim Hopson- Trombone, Euphonium
Andrew Porrier- Trombone
Sharman King- Bass Trombone

Kurt Rosenwinkel- Guitar
Frank Carlberg- Piano
Kim Cass- Bass
Dan Weiss- Drums

Listen here to "Jib Set":

Here's the DHJO in the studio:

The Sounds of 8 Hands Playing

 

Although best known for his work in saxophonist Noah Preminger's Quartet, guitarist and composer Max Light is just now climbing into the spotlight.  His debut album, "Herplusme" (Red Piano Records), was a trio date recorded in 2018 but not issued until February 2020, just a month before the COVID-19 Pandemic shut the door on touring musicians (and the rest of us).  He'd already recorded two live albums with trumpeter Jason Palmer, two studio albums with Preminger's ensemble, and albums with Yong Lee, Kevin Sun, Chris McCarthy, and others. Last year, SteepleChase Records released "Songs We Love", a collection of 14 tunes (mostly standards old and new) performed by Preminger and Light––it's well worth seeking out for the delightful conversations the two musicians over the course of 65 minutes. When producer and label owner Nils Winther offered Light the opportunity to record his second album as a leader, it was obvious from the get-go the guitarist would reach out to Preminger.

In fact, the new album, "Henceforth", is the Noah Preminger Quartet (bassist Kim Cass and drummer Dan Weiss fill out the lineup) recording a program of Light originals save for the tenor saxophonist's "High or Booze" that closes the recording.  One can hear that this is a "working ensemble" as the band has no trouble making each song sound fresh and alive.  The album opens with "Barney and Sid", a medium piece that has a touch of funk in its rhythm and angular melodic lines.  After an unaccompanied guitar opening statement, and feeding off  the band plays through the theme and then into the tenor sax solo.  Preminger has the time and the talent to truly develop his solo, working up a sweat over several minutes. Light is next, picking up on the energy of the previous solo and feeding off the insistent rhythms.  

The title track is next. The rhythm lopes along giving the piece an "Americana" feel.  As the four musicians move through the theme, the music picks up in intensity (pushed by the thrashing drums) before moving back to the gentle lope (listen below).  Check out how both Cass and Weiss move in and out of the foundation as Light builds his intense solo.  The bass solo is impressive for its power, its playfulness, and melodic flourishes.  Later in the program, "Animals", originally composed as an assignment in college, is a mature ballad––the guitar solo flows like a mountain stream while the rhythm section offers gentle support (Weiss on brushes, Cass playing counterpoint).  "Half Marathon", so named for the John Coltrane piece "26-2" that influenced it, gives Light the opportunity to strut his stuff before Preminger jumps into the high-speed dance.  

"High or Booze" is the final track. It has a strong, well-developed, melody (no mere blues, this) that leaves room for an emotionally rich tenor sax solo and a fiery guitar spot (it's a joy listening to the rhythm section interact with the soloists and each other.

Listen to "Henceforth" several times before passing judgement.  Max Light has created an excellent quartet recording filled with substantial melodies and spirited playing.  Having listened to Noah Preminger live and onstage for the past 14 years, it's a joy to hear how he has matured as a musician to the point of possessing his own sound.  Kim Cass and Dan Weiss are excellent throughout (no surprise there). A major step forward for young Mr. Light!

For more information, go to www.maxlightguitar.com.  

Take a listen to the title track:

Five by Twos

Photo: John Rogers

Believe it or not, the duo of Dan Weiss (drums) and Miles Okazaki (guitar) has been together for 25 years playing with other musicians in various combinations; saxophonist and composer Ohad Talmor just issued his latest album "Mise en Place" (Intakt Records) with the duo serving as his musical partners. Both Weiss and Okazaki were commissioned to compose pieces for their duo by John Zorn's Stone Commissioning Series in early 2020; only the guitarist's eight-part "The Memory Palace" received its performance debut (2/26/2020). The drummer's debut of "Middlegame" was set for late March but was postponed due to the pandemic. 
 

Now Cygnus Recordings has issued the two suites on CD, digital download, and as a two-Lp set.  Aptly titled "Music for Drums and Guitar", the music is a fascinating amalgam of the two musicians various interests and how they communicate in sound.  Okazaki's 36-minute piece,  has moments of sly funky beats, throbbing grooves, flourishes of folk and classical influences, prog-rock and more. Plus there's a feeling of playfulness that inhabits pieces such as "Part II" and "Part IV" –– the guitarist digs in to the groove Weiss lays down and the dance forward.  The melody of "Part VII" is long but flows atop a river of percussion that builds in intensity until a flurry of guitar notes rain down on the frenetic drums.  "Part VIII" closes the suite slowly at first but the circular guitar riff begins to expand –– note how the snare echoes the rapid-fire guitar riffs. As the performance builds to a fiery climax, Okazaki steps on the "fuzz' pedal and the proceedings explode right up to the final chord.

Photo: John Rogers

Weiss's seven-part suite "Middlegame" displays all of his strengths without the music turning into a mere display of technique. First and foremost, not only does the drummer "swing", he is quite a melodic player. Note how "Parts I and II" set up the template for the rest of the work.  Weiss leads the guitarist in, all the while creating rhythms that have power and depth.  "Part III" finds the drums up front with Okazaki as the support and melodic foil. By the last 90 seconds of the piece, the guitarist is locked into the beat, his percussive lines in step with Weiss. The longest piece in the suite and on the album (12:52), "Part V", is also driven by the rhythms with the guitarist being the "foundation" while Weiss steps up.  The drummer moves in and around the guitar switching from swinging the beat to being "conversational" on his kit.  

Dig deeply into "Music for Drums and Guitar" and you will find a world of endless possibilities.  As stated above, Dan Weiss and Miles Okazaki have history together so they know each other's strengths.  There are no 'dead" spots in this program; instead, the music continues to move forward, slowly down now and then to contemplate textures and introspective interactions.  There's much to discover!!

For more information, go to www.milesokazaki.com/. To purchase the album, CD, or digital download, go to https://mfdag.bandcamp.com/. 

Here's "Part II" from each suite:

 

The duo of Mary Halvorson (guitar, effects) and Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) first recorded together on 2017's "Crop Circle" (Relative Pitch Records), a collection of tracks that highlighted each musicians strengths as well as how they intuitively move through both composed and improvised material.  In June of this year, the duo got back together and recorded the 12 tracks that make up the two musicians second album and debut for Pyroclastic Records.  "Search for the Disappeared Hour" features five pieces composed by the guitarist, four by the pianist, and three improvisations.  The music draws in the listener while also challenging one's expectations. 

Ms. Halvorson's "Golden Proportion" opens the program; the opening melody is played by the guitar supported by powerful piano chords and rippling runs. On occasion, the musicians venture outside the stated rhythm yet never lose sight of the main thrust of the music.  Listen carefully and, right before the end, you'll hear a quote from Beethoven.  The pianist's "Mind Out of Time" finds Ms. Halvorson experimenting with sounds from the guitar while Ms. Courvoisier plays a dark, 20th Century style classical background.  The guitarist's "Bent Yellow" has a piano rhythm that references the music of Robin Holcomb; note how both musicians move in and out of blues patterns from the middle of the track forward. there are splashes of humor, the playful interactions of the duo creating a lightness that's hard to ignore. 

Photo: Self-portrait

Among the many delights on the recording is how the duo frame melodies so that they stand out. "Gates & Passes" is a ballad that builds up from the opening long melody into a long, dissonant, guitar solo. Note how Ms. Courvoisier never changes her pace or mood building her solo off the song's handsome chord structure. "Party Dress", an impromptu piece by the duo, has such a gentle feel even with the extended reverb on the guitar. "The album's closing piece, "Blizzard Rings", is also an improvisation that sounds like a dream, one in which someone is in a room full of wind-up toys –– the piano and guitar move in and around each other through to the soft finish.

"Searching for the Disappeared Hour" is quite an aural adventure through the creative minds of Mary Halvorson and Sylvie Courvoisier. If you are a fan of the two musicians, the music will delight and surprise you; if you are new to their explorations, keep an open mind and notice how the duo feeds off each others ideas, energy, and melodies.  

To learn about the individual artists, go to www.maryhalvorson.com and to www.sylviecourvoisier.com.  To purchase the album, go to  https://sylviecourvoisiermaryhalvorsonpyroclastic.bandcamp.com/album/searching-for-the-disappeared-hour. 

Here's the opening track:

 

Braithwaite & Katz · Golden Proportion - Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson

Photo: Steve Mullensky

Does the end of Daylight Savings Time get you down?  Knowing that the evening starts earlier and the night lasts longer truly bother you?  My prescription for surviving the next several months is a healthy dose of "Reconvexo". No, it's not a new drug like the ones you might see on the nightly newscasts –– it's actually the new Anzic recording by the duo of Anat Cohen (clarinet, bass clarinet, voice) and Marcello Gonçalves (7-string guitar, voice). Recorded in January of 2020 while the duo was quarantined in Rio de Janiero, the nine-song program features songs from the Música Popular Brasileira songbook.  Their debut collaboration, "Outra Coisa: The Music of Moacir Santos", came out in 2017 so this time, they decided to play songs by some of Brazil's most popular composers.  

The album opens with the title track. Composed by Caetano Veloso for his sister Maria Bethânia for a 1989 album, the song has been covered by a slew of artists.  It's a bright melody that Ms. Cohen exults in while Gonçalves provides not only support but a percussive drive that pushes the song forward. Veloso and Milton Nascimento co-wrote "Paula e Bebeto", an episodic piece where the guitar and clarinets (Ms. Cohen overdubs bass clarinet) share the melody before the pace slows down for a lovely clarinet solo. The brightness of the guitar is expertly recorded so that you marvel at the brilliant accompaniment and how the piece moves organically.  Nascimento had his hand in composing two other songs on the album; he composed the words for Fernando Brant's lovely "Maria, Maria" which comes from a 1978 album about the legacy of slavery in Brazil while "Ânima" (composed with Zé Renato) is the title track for the singer's 1982 album.  The performance is truly beautiful with a melody that sounds like birds singing on a Spring morning. 

Other composers included in the program are Dori Caymmi, Gilberto Gil, the team of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luis Bonfa, the 19th Century Venezulean composer Heraclio Hernandez, and the team of Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright.  "Never Dreamed You's Leave in Summer" is the tune that closes the album –– the sparkling arrangement of the Wright/ Wonder song does not sound out of place in this delightful collection.

"Reconvexo" is splendid from start-to-finish, sounding lovely at any time of day (early morning as the sun rises works for me) –– the duo of Anat Cohen and Marcello Gonçalves has created a delight-filled alternative to moping and negativity. One should feel cleansed after listening to this music!

For more information, go to www.anatcohen.com/index. To hear more and to purchase the album, go to https://anatcohen.bandcamp.com/album/reconvexo.

Here's "Ânima":

Photo: Whitney George

There is something soothing about two steel-string guitarists playing through their way through a set of songs that makes you long for sitting around a fire soaking in the sounds.  Cameron Mizell and Charlie Rauh have played together for a number of years but never like they have over the eight-plus months it took the duo to record its second album, "Local Folklore" (Destiny Records).  Both players contributed five songs to the program and both recorded in their own studios.  Despite the "remote" recording, this music sounds bright, collaborative, highly melodic and harmonic with a wistful quality permeating the songs.  Mizell and Ruah are busy leaders on their own yet when they come together, their musical conversations feel like a respite from the road, a quiet evening lost in melody and stories.

That's what "Local Folklore" is, a melody-laden journey into the heart.  Mizell's title song leads off the program on a uptempo note,, the strumming guitars setting the pace for the well-crafted melody and the fine, articulate, solos that follow. Rauh's "Petey & Kyle" follows with its Beatles-like melody just begging for words.  Yet, you can tell this is a story of two friends walking through life together   Still, Mizell's pieces also have stories connected to them whether. When you just sit and listen, you probably know people who the guitarists describe with their instruments and melodies.

Mizell switches to electric on several tracks mostly for the sustain and effects that add atmosphere and an orchestral feel to pieces such as Rauh's "A Forgiving Sort of Place" and lovely "Arolen".   The sounds are not intrusive; instead they add a sense of shimmering light off a mountain lake to the songs.  On he album closing "On Sundays I Walk Alone", the overdubbed electric plays both rhythm and the theme while Rauh's acoustic plays counterpoint.

"Local Folklore" is music for early in the morning and late in the evening.  The melodies are soothing, the musicianship impressive, a cooperative journey into the human heart and soul.  Cameron Mizell and Charlie Rauh may have had to curtail their "live" shows in the pandemic but, judging by the quality of their new album, both musicians made good use of their time.  

For more information, go to www.cameronmizell.com/ and www.charlierauh.com.  To purchase the album, go to https://destinyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/local-folklore. 

Here's the sweet "Greenwood Waltz":  

Braithwaite & Katz · Greenwood Waltz - Cameron Mizell & Charlie Rauh

Catching Up January 18 (Pt. 1)

Over the past several decades, guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi has been "fusing" sounds from India and his native Pakistan with the varied influences of Western Music, specifically jazz and blues. His 12th album as a leader, "Unfiltered Universe" (Whirlwind Recordings), features his long-time companions Vijay Iyer (piano), Rudresh Mahanthappa (alto saxophone), Johannes Weidenmueller (bass), and Dan Weiss (drums) and adds the cello of Elizabeth Mikael.  Iyer, Weiss, Mahanthappa, and Weidenmueller appeared on 2011's "Suno Suno" and 2009's "Things to Come" and the leader sees this record as a third in a trilogy of recording that use South Asian music as touchstone for his compositions and the improvisations.  The blend of alto sax, acoustic piano, and guitar with this highly active rhythm section makes for a winning combination.

John Rogers photo

"Propensity" opens the program and, right from the start, the listener should pay attention to the different components. The extended melody, the powerful combination of bass and drums, the vocal characteristic of Mahanthappa's alto sax, the way the arrangement includes the cello as counterpoint. and the excellent solos.  The title track follows.  This melody, played by the alto and guitar, has a lovely almost melancholy flavor especially when the cello enters shadowing the lines played by the piano.  Notice the "freedom" yet structure in the rhythm section during the solos as well as Iyer's heavy chordal work.  The rhythms slow down at the onset of the piano solo and one can really hear the articulated notes and how, slowly, surely, Iyer works in tandem with Weidenmueller and Weiss.

With exception of "Thoughts", a short (1:41) but rambunctious guitar solo, the songs stretch out but no piece is overdone.  It's fun to hear how the tempos change within songs, how the different voices interact, how the power of the alto sax is matched by the guitar and piano but is not a "war" of virtuosi.  The leader plays with great fire throughout yet there are moments of simple beauty as well.  The longest track (11:54), "Turn of Events", take its time to get going but once the song hits a rhythmic stride, the musicians still don't hurry.  The mysterious melody finally arrives, played by the guitar, sax, and cello and it's as if everything as fallen into the right places. Soon, Mahanthappa and Abbasi are soloing together as the pianist pulls the rhythm section forward.  But, they drop for a piano solo framed by only the bass and drums yet you can hear how Iyer builds his powerful spot from the main melody and rhythm of the composition. Ms. Mikael steps out for a quick solo with Weidenmueller's bass as a counterpoint before the bass is by himself.  Guitar and piano create a percussive dialogue before the sextet returns for the reprise of the opening theme.

"Unfiltered Universe" is structured yet has such a "free" feel at times it seems as if the musicians are spinning a magic story.  While Rez Abbasi talks about the importance of carnatic music to this album, all the influences seems to have merged into an original sound.  Give a listen and then another - this music all seduce you.

For more information, go to www.reztone.com.

Here's the title track:

It was Peter Margasak in the Chicago Reader who hipped his readers to the "Flow", the new Delmark album from the Paul Gialorrenzo Trio.  I went out and purchased the album on the power of his suggestion.  Yes, it's a piano trio album, released at a time when one get lost easily in the plethora of piano trio recordings. But, I understand his enthusiasm.  Pianist and composer Gialorrenzo, a native of Long Island, NY who now resides and works in Chicago, has crafted an album that may remind some of work of Herbie Nichols or Bud Powell or Thelonious Monk. He's not afraid of changing tempos in mid-phrase and is blessed to have the rhythm section of Joshua Abrams (bass) and Mikel Patrick Avery (drums) who not only follow his creative paths he creates but push, poke, prod, and "swing like mad" along the way.

Listen to how "Rolling" does just that, how it rolls along on the walking bass lines and ride cymbal and how the melody and solo dances atop it.  Throughout the nine-song program, the emphasis is on melody, interplay, and  the narrative Giallorenzo weaves into every track.  Feet have to tap on "Flipd Scrip" and heads will lean in on the opening melody of "Interstice": with the entrance of bassist Abrams on the latter track, the piece moves in a "freer" direction but never goes all the way out. In fact, there's a section that is "deep" blues.

The two pieces that bookend the album, "A-Frolicking" and "A Way We Go", point to the playfulness of this music, the type of repertoire that make audiences sit up and smile.  The Paul Giallorenzo Trio swings with glee, the music never feels forced, and you can see the musicians are paying close attention to each other.  "Flow" is a delight from start to finish.

For more information about this fascinating musician, go to paulgiallorenzo.com.

Saxophonist Nick Hempton (alto and tenor) has issued four fine albums on Posi-Tone Records, mostly with his fine Quartet.  With the release of "Trio Stonk: Live at Smalls" (SmallsLIVE), the Australian native has downsized but not to the detriment of his music. With his rhythm section - George DeLancey (bass) and long-time associate Dan Aran (drums) - Hempton moves his way through seven pieces, five of which are originals.  Not hard to compare some of the pieces to the 1950s Trio work of Sonny Rollins - listen to the opening of "Dropping A Franklin" or the playful take of "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" and you can hear it in the way Hempton phrases and the gentle swing of the rhythm section.  There are even a few Rollins quotes on the opening of "Not That Sort of Jazz That Stewart Likes", a delightful romp that has an easy groove.

The lovely take of the standard "Poor Butterfly" is a highlight, the alto sax dancing around the structural work of the bass and drums. The singing tone of the sax, the gentle brush work, and intelligent counterpoint from the bass, all combine for a sweet ballad.  "A Whistling Blues" opens with just sax and bass playing a "down home" tune with the feel of David "Fathead" Newman supporting Ray Charles.  The blues gets deeper when the drums enters to slowly push the tune forward.

Trio Stonk plays with verve, a sweet sense of humor, and the desire to entertain people who like jazz. Neither confrontational nor challenging, Nick Hempton and company make music that's filled with joy, soaked in the blues, not afraid to swing, and possessing a sense of humor.  Relax and dig into these tasty sounds.

For more information, go to nickhemptonband.com.

Give a listen: