Unrest is a new collection of masterly collages from the hand of Erik Honoré in which he captures, with absolute precision, the moods and tonal imagery of improvisations and weaves them together in a personal and evocative musical process. He has been joined by an impressive array of Norwegian improvisational musicians: Sidsel Endresen, Eivind Aarset, Arve Henriksen, Stian Westerhus and many others.
Sebastian Sternal – Home {feat. Larry Grenadier and Jonas Burgwinkel} (realised on 31stof March 2017) Label: Traumton Records / JAZZ
Sebastian Sternal should be well recognised on these pages as we reviewed his both Echo Jazz wining orchestral projects here as well as a calm and charming duo entitled Canada or quartet recording with his friend Frederick Koster. Here he continues to explore his fascination in jazz piano trio classic approach. And to make it even more exiting both of his partners are top piano trios members. Grenadier is a bass pillar of Brad Meldhau’s group when Burgwinkel is an extremely mighty drum-force of the Pablo Held Trio, among the others.
As should be expected then those three are perfectly merged in together here and they are all feeling easy like a fish in a water. From an opening I am the Ocean intro’s however it becomes clear that it is not going to be another modal piano game. Sternal’s approach gains vastly from his symphonic landscapes and this path attracts his colleagues in crime vastly with their capability to follow whatever comes.
Go is a super modern piece with fascinating piano fingering coming more from the classical music than from choppy or beefy rich jazz school represented by others. Accordingly following bass riffs as well as spacious drumming are up to tempo. Additionally rhythmic landscapes set by drummer are the quality of its own .
Coming after Sand slows almost into the border of de-fragmentation. It’s almost like a piano tune anatomy lesson with the surgeons precision of drum bits lines precise like a scalpel’s cuts with the firm grip of the bass catch. Title piece takes my imagination from the piano trio territory to the landscape I remember from Pat Matheny’s Group with Sternal – Burgwinkel conversation bringing back memories of dialogues between Lyle Mays and Paul Wertigo from his 70’s super-group.
Gravity comes as a more dance piece, but groovy passages that Sternal plays here holds on groups voice strongly. Following Winter gives more opened space for Larry to shine and his bass walk is here both, lyrical and incredibly charming. Jonas is a drummer that every bass-man is dreaming about. Sound-scapes he creates around the bass lines as well the ground prepared under the piano lines are striking like thunder. This is probably he most elegiac piece, reminding me with its intensity cooperation between Tord Gustavsen and Mat Eilertsen.
Allias falls into similar territory but bass had been given much more narrative capacity here, which had been very well used indeed. All of You , the only standard on this CD tributes its author obviously but as it comes from musicians like those here we are not getting usual approach based on the choral quotes. Pretty much opposite. Sternal with friends are acting here like psychologists researching the subject, dragging pieces of memories from your head, touching moments and referring to this secret associations which All of Us are holding inside of our most private inner space. It comes in a similar way as the Masabumi Kikuchi’s trio used to build up momentum. Quote with anti-quote, hold the line with minimalist touch but an incredible emotional tension.
I could continue finding connections and revealing paths for you another page but it would be sadistic to take all this pleasure out of you. Instead I am leaving it here as it is. Needless to say that what we are finding on this recording is a real treasure chest. Full of absolute erudition and understanding of what happened in the jazz and classical piano world during the last hundred years. Cherry picking from this Master Cake is a real debauchery for everyone who loves to rob Sweet- shops.
Buy Sebastian Sternal – Home here…
Niels Klein – Tubes and Wires – Life in Times of the Big Crunch (realised on 28th of April 2017) Label: Traumton Records / CONTEMPORARY, JAZZ, PROGRESSIVE
Multi reeds and clarinets player Niels Klein is also a multiple musical awards holder, just like the rest of members in his Tubes and Wires quartet. As I mainly know him from his work with EJO I hardly had any exclamations once this music arrived. Watching instrumentalists there one would expect some electric jazz like approach perhaps ? But its a no , no.
With Burkwinkel on drums I am confident that they can play whatever they like. Remaining two musicians , guitarist and keyboardist are new faces to me as well, which is always a nice challenge.
Music presented here is quite extraordinary. It deviates from a jazz idiom significantly, exploring different sorts of fusion territory. There are traces of rock and psychedelic influences, but also numeric reminiscences to the chamber music of the modernism era.
All is merged together in clever way bringing wonderful textures to the surface.
In a piece like Perpetual Waves for example we are getting some kind of alienation, almost sci-fi picture with the way the electronics is used to co- sound with wind instrument. After the break guitar with connection with rocky drums extending it into a more psychedelic plot , but still the leader’s contra-alto clarinet supported by electronic effects are making a core of the tune.
Similar suspense like sound-scapes are coming from another tittle: Beams. Here the feeling of open space builds on the wave background supplied by Rhodes brings very holographic feelings. Camarudo changes that hang on laid back with speedy bravado theme supplied in fast tempos from the bass clarinet solo, soon joined by all band ride thickening the structure of the picture. More hymnal Gleam brings me memories of Arne Domnerus due to its bluesy and antiphonal character and a gentle harmony build between the clarinet and organs, but rhythmic section takes it back to the Scofield-esque aesthetic of his group from the 80-ies.
Closing tittle tune is one of the most attractive to me as it builds on lovely clarinet riffs joined by the grudge like section aka early bass lines from The Pixies. On such a background leader’s trips occasionally dialogue with Moog piano supplying wonderful musical tissue full of subtle tonal weaving masterly made by both musicians.
Same qualities come with an opening Launch Pad Disco tune which sets up the mood for the land of changes. Worn Out Lifelong Machine is probably the most challenging in that regard. Sounds coming from the synthesisers are merged with electronically modulated lines from clarinets in the way which makes is hardly possible to recognise what is what. On the other hand this enhanced octaves experience is like listening to the voice of the castrato, which is equally beautiful as it is unreal.
All together it is very unusual recording exploring a lot of virgin lands and bringing a charm of something new to my ears. Sonority of this acoustic- electric passages are spelling charm over the listener and engage an imagination. Simple beauty of the harmonies alone would be enough to be pleased, but the fact that they are also extraordinarily composed makes them timeless.
[ 2nd edition of the Berlin’s Scope Festival 2017 Oct 18 – Oct 30 is about to start]
Dear friends and jazz lovers !
The second edition of Scope Festival starts next week! We are pretty happy that we were able to convince some of the most talented musicians from Scandinavia to perform at our little festival. You find more infos and tickets on our website and the full lineup below. And if you have some time check out our festival trailer here.
Fiium Shaarrk – We are Astonishingly Lifelike (realised on 10th of March 2017) Label: Not Applicable; CONTEMPORARY, AMBIENT, ELECTRONICA
Five years on from their debut album ‘No Fiction Now!’, Fiium Shaarrk, the trio of Rudi Fischerlehner(drums),Maurizio Ravalico (percussion) and Isambard Khroustaliov (electronics) return with their second album; “We Are Astonishingly Lifelike”. The album documents various stages in the recent life of this continent-scattered ensemble, and was written and recorded in different studios between Berlin, London and various other European cities that have hosted the band for festivals and concerts.
Giving the fact that the two drumming gents both completed architectural studies would put some new light on that far from usual sonic proposition. Reviewing recently Khroustaliov’s colaboration with Tom Arthus I am well aware of his capabilities.
All seven titles on this recording comes with some memory notes which suppose to constitute the way that listener would deal with this sonic universe presented here , but TBH I would live it for everyone to explore for himself as words tend to have a different meaning to all of us . So do sounds. And here sounds are challenging, just like the cubic spirit of Architecture is.
As I mentioned above the drumming here has just such character. It is a conversation of two voices on one hand . On the other they are like two monologues. But it still counts as a verbal alike sort of communication. Or at least an attempt of having one. Sound is very spacious and keeps flying and changing directions. Lots of that is probably trafficked like that by Isambard who is a kind of director for this spectacle. But solo voices of the two gentleman have both its own distinctive tone.
The music is full of re-verbs, remixes and changing tempos. It is mostly very rich and incredibly engaging and absorbing. If you loose your spot you more likely fall into the noise. But you can climb back soon. As it also has some melodic side. More calm and relaxed when you can actually rest and regain your powers back. I tried different approaches with this multi-layered tissues and I must admit that it never brings you back to the same place.
It all depends on the mood of course and it is also a little bit like a light trapped in the complex building. It meets edges and and smooth surfaces. It sometimes soaks silky gentle way inside of the passed by layers. Other times it bends sharp. It forges the shape on the resistive contour. Catapults on that or decays gently fading.
Needless to say it is very narrative too. Those like myself ,who’ve grown on Laurie Anderson , Brian Eno , Harry Parch or Pierre Dørge like will trace a lot of influence coming from these directions. Other might hear a spirit of Cage or Hovhaness in it too. And it will be equally accurate.
This music is not for everyone, but it is brilliant and those who dare to listen to it will be greatly rewarded. More of that they will be coming back for more. Just like I do.
[Headspin Recording November 2017 release : Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Arkestra’s The Reason Why Vol. 3 ]
Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Arkestra’s The Reason Why Vol. 3 is released in the UK on the 3rd of November on Headspin Recordings. In addition to the CD and DL versions here will be limited edition pressing available on yellow or purple vinyl.
The Security Project feat. Peter Gabriel and King Crimson members JERRY MAROTTA and TREY GUNN to tour US in support of new live album “Contact”
The Security Project has once again reinvented itself, this time with vocalist Happy Rhodes. Together withJerry Marotta (drummer from Peter Gabriel’s first five records), Trey Gunn (King Crimson), Michael Cozzi(Shriekback) and NY keyboardist David Jameson, the group continues reimagining the early work of Peter Gabriel (and also, on this disc, Kate Bush), but with Happy’s impressive four-octave vocals adding an entirely new dimension.
[ October 2017 release from Rune Grammofon]
Here we got the latest upcoming recording from Norwegian renowned Rune Grammofon label.
Following in the footsteps of In The Country and Espen Eriksen Trio, Kjetil Mulelid Trio is the third piano trio to appear on Rune Grammofon. Although they can be placed in the same musical landscape, it ́s also fair to say there are certain obvious differences. There ́s a solid dose of youthful playfulness and curiosity at work here, at the same time they show an assured maturity that belies their age (26, 26 and 29).
ICP News! Han Book Launch & Exhibition Opening/NL Concerts/Norway, UK and Ireland Tours.
Dear All. Here are the latest news from our dearest friends from ICP.
ICP is just back from a glorious tour of Colombia, where we played for some wonderfully enthusiastic (and large: see photo above) audiences. Now we’re equally thrilled to move on to more domestic matters: first, we have a few shows in Nederland:
Friday, October 6th at 20.30: De Doelen, Rotterdam
Saturday, October 7th at 20.30: Paradox, Tilburg
Sunday, October 8th at 15.00: Museum Kranenburgh, Bergen
Elvind Opsvik – Overseas V (realised on 17th of March 2017) Label: Loyal Label
Norwegian born and raised bassist – (composer now), as one can say watching his quartet long time NY resident. His Overseas cycle started some 14 years back and this package is the latest one carrying number V. I am not familiar with all of them hence won’t comment on continuity. Judging from what I am listening to here I must say it is very eclectic on the one side , but on he other it really holds on its own and definitely represents specific style. Nine tunes last about 40 minutes and there is no gaps between them to random play so I am taking an order as it comes from the score.
Drummer Kenny Wallessen is well known to me from the numerous Knighting Factory collaborations and I heard him playing everything from Klezmer Bernstein’s formations to Bill Frissell’s country or jazzy folk alike or John Lourie’s Noir syle. Tony Malaby equally is a multi tasked figure on the NY scene with long membership in Hayden’s LMO and Motion’s EBB. Guitarist Brandon Seabrook and keyboardist Jacob Sacks seems to be related to KFW once you try to search , but both of them are new musicians to me.
Overall aesthetic sounds to me a bit New Age like. I can trace a lot of the New Order like bits. Dark side of Joy Division is audible to me as well. So are guitar cannonades reminding Brian Ferry’s Roxy Music or Talking Heads . Echoes of early Brian Eno’s electronic experience comes to me as well , a bit like No Pussy Footing or My Life in the Bush Full of Ghosts. All that music I’ve grown on hence it is not difficult for me to trace it.
But those are just ingredients, and those might sound familiar when a similar dish is cooked. It does have however its own taste. Musical inspirations of Elvind who is pretty much in the same age as my self does not surprise me.
From starting I am on this Step I like this a lot. There is a lot of the NY sound in it Not Just Knighting Factory alike, but in general. This intellectual twist which is also so present in Myra Myelford music or numerous John Zorn formations.
Hold Everything is Malaby’s show off. He rides his sax with incredible emotional intensity riding on the back of New Model Army alike rhythm section.
Extraterrestrial Tantrum is the most ghostly one. It contains wonderful lament played on double bass on a marching beat. Counterpointing piano ,alone or unison with sax are completing this cold Nordic aesthetic. This is like a mix of spacious ECM alike sonic universe walking around with New York-ish intellectual posh-ness hand by hand.
Brapps, crazy cartoon like piece of music makes me thinking about the Yello, but guitar lines here keep arguing with rich sax lines in the way which is far from the Belgian duos predictability. Again minimalist bass Arcos which are shifting gears among the lines are counter-pointing an easiness of the rhythm in some distressing way.
I am leaving a few others for your own pleasure of recognition then . Is it worth it ? For God’s sake – Yes! Very much so, it intrigued me enough to make me getting back to this music on the regular basis and inspired to dig back in time and learn more about Overseas.
Elvind Opsvik – Overseas V on Soundcloud