Glass’s “Metamorphosis” remains one of my favourite compositions.

Simple piece of Music based on repetitive motives looped into the five suites suppose to be straight forward to interpreters. As the title seems to suggest the piece is all about changes. Whatever listener would like to visualise himself. The Universe, nature seasons, life cycles ?Like a short film inside the brain one just see dying in the car accident – sort of feeling.

Unlike some really complicated and partially open modern compositions this seems to be pretty obvious. However ,as much as I heard ,no performance was exactly the same. The latest is just love is the one reviewed here from an Italian pianist. My previous reference was from Serbian Branka Paric. Both recorded and issued the same year. Both for very first time performed on the romantic side ,like it never happened before to this music. It would be great to know if Alessandra had ever heard Branka’s version before ? They share a lot if it comes to influence a repertoire and recording selections.

What is probably most touching in her version ,except already mentioned romanticism and so human navigation through this music, is the tempo. I like writing about Glass’s music like about the movies – he was involved in many scores written for the cinema industry. Grammy nominated for at least three. Some of them became already classics today – like famous “Koyaanisqatsi”.

Listening to “Metamorphosis” in this manner pushes you into specific way of thinking about building narration and dynamism of sequences to describe scene or motif. If you thing about original “Cape Fear“ movie for example, as I need something here what lived to see the remake done, and the latest version of the same story? What hits visibly is an action speed. Things tends to speed up during the gap time between both ,and same applies to this music ,or other aspects of life. Twenty years old productions seems to be very old fashioned, too slow, lagging behind today’s generation perception. And as such are exposed to the risk of being forgotten.

Funny thing the memory is. How do you remember your childhood ? Pianist goes through ‘I’ track very quick ,like no one else before. It suits me very well regarding the question.

In a similar fashion, ‘II’ begins where ‘I’ departed. Opening klang appears now as much more colourful repetition – more details and abilities to explore the world ? More mature memories?

‘III’ takes it from there ,swings it ,dances with it – makes it a melody. Brings nostalgia, memories of love ,but also some notes suggesting early disappointment ,regarding to the key I have chosen to describe it.

In ‘IV’ sounds became heavier. Weight is definitely bigger. Attack on the keys and multiplied leitmotif suggesting various feelings , different approach to the same old truths.

Naturally darker key of the closing piece is referring to an elderly age clearly.

Memories are sneaking between the notes here. Repetitive has different shade every time.

Another point of view ? Or maybe another look at something beloved ? Live is never going to be the same any more. The Cadences had changed. A Melody dances ones quick and vigorous, another time again slows down ,until final chord – with short delayed wave like a memory of the single human being.

Tremendous recording of the one of the best “Glass-ian” scores ever. With marvellous piano sound.

This record had been given to me by one of my musician friends and immediately caught my attention . This is the latest output coming from 74 years old Dutch saxophonist and composer. Recording seems to be done from pieces recorded in different places. Non only different musicians are listed ,but also when listening to this on proper equipment, one can hear different acoustic of the places.

At least 3 sets had been accommodated on this CD. All pieces are recorded live in clubs, and well, regarding to circumstances it had to be said that it is a really good job done behind the consoles. First track brings us straight on into pure funk. Propulsive rhythm of the bass with guitar response make fantastic carpet for leader’s melodic walks. Especially duos with the trumpet are ear catching. Reminding standards set up years ago by Miles and Train.

Gijs’s blow and tonal control is simply mind-blowing. It momentary brings to your head tradition of playing coming from such a masters like Dexter Gordon or Joe Henderson. But it has some elements of virtuosity reminding Branford Marsalis or James Carter as well. Much younger and dynamic players ,what truly amazes and surprises on the same time.

Coming after Christiane is one of my favourites here and belongs to the same set. Oriental rhythm married with Hawaiian like guitar riff . On that background Gijs builds up a theme which is so lyric on the one hand and on the other simply blowing with energy. All perfectly controlled all the time.

Third track called Instant Composing Music NR1 8 .42 seems to refer to Dutch improvising tradition with its more experimental lines.

Next two tunes ,came from another set up and are definitely different from an opening lot, ,more main stream in comparison. On a Misty Night is a lovely piece of blues. It brings to my mind Marsalis’ “Trio Jeepy”. There is a room for everyone for an elegant solo. All fits between repetitive rhythmic lines. Following, called Joe, starts with pure Henderson like solo ,with this hallmark thrill, moves on the end to ecstatic Jarret like, ardent piano invocations ,with leader’s howling overblown notes in response to fingering intensity in the final culmination.

The last tracks are taking us back to the ICP roots. These are Duos with piano only. First one starts like a storm. Leader’s sax sounds like he is swapping from baritone to alto , but … he is not. This is a Pure Mastery and I would like to hunt for more sound like that for God sake. Following lament is almost a Solo ,as a piano counterpoint is so restrained ,that is hardly noticeable. However its ornamental character frames this fragile piece beautifully. Both are improvised and set up on roughly sketched lines for sure. But what an improvisations they are. If Hell would look like this I would swap Heaven for it without thinking twice ; )

This recording is special . Twenty person band led by his young music commander Daniel Glatzel takes us on the cosmic crusade. All related to this band has a taste of the great adventure. Starting with cosmic graphic art in the booklet through titles of the compositions to the final climax . All written by a 25 year old leader. Music here is played with a manical devotion and with the greatest fun in the same time. You can feel this delight with every single note. It is very impressive as we are dealing here with a serious musical erudition mixed mischievously with very specific sense of humour.

Its for sure that all these youngsters did their homework well. Opening Gamma Pluto Delta is a very psycho-motoric tune running on the locomotive like beat and keeping us in readiness for whatever is going to happen. Listener is finding himself immediately mobilised and ready to follow those chaps.

Following Asteroids with crazy mixed tempos, changing endlessly, employs in arrangement everything from the Big Bands history . Starting from the ballroom like dancing tunes, then with strings added on the top to smooth the path when needed ,to the individual brass solos ,both written and improvised. Slowing down on the end leaving us to hang on in space awaiting the next step.

Lava Lovers after that swings gently decorated by a smooth ride of cellos on the top of the calypso beat. Once we believe we started to discover something new ,the band proves us wrong and immediately turns the opposite direction. Bringing back memories of almost forgotten lapidary tunes decorating class B movies alike. Eventually television advertisement or fragments of serious 20 century music, but broken into little pieces and reconstructed back in the way that makes them hardly recognisable and impossible to name. The culmination of such a practise is  Radioactive People , middle tune taking us to the Galactic Circus of Madness.

Following Scene 3 is slowing down just in time as there is not as many listeners capable to handle such an intensity. Band swing us gently now, on the harp riff taken from Debussy and bridged with lovely brass tapestry to the well anchored vibraphone rhythmic bypass. The Space Trip goes on! Until  Cotton Candy Nebula group improvisation. This piece shows a collective maturity of the band. They keep their ranks tight. Minimal concept of the piece brings memories of Glass and Sun Ra. In response ,following  Milky Way Fables with its Cage like structure and sparkling brass glissandos flying over the loops is pumping up with the speed making our ears ringing.

But again – there is a brake in the middle and we are landing gently on the parachute build by sonic circles of the moving pipes. Closing Postludium announces an arrival and the end of the trip. A landing does not disappoint at all. I love this new place we came too. But all memories of the journey are still alive in my head .

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Tribute to Nina Simone is not the latest recording supplied by the British singer ,but at least is the newest one to me .With Barb it is always hard to guess what will be a leading direction for her subject to explore. That’s why I keep coming back to her and awaiting her new recordings. Nina’s tribute is an another example of her amazing talent.

Simone was very special artist herself. With her deep involvement in fighting for racial rights and with her understanding of social problems she created songs which became flags. Such a things are like catholic dogmas. Many believe it could be said different way ,but not too many dare to do so. Simone’s power had always been laying in her great lyrics and deep strong and dark voice. This Voice always did underline the proud of the race she came from. Her piano self accompanying, especially in later RCA period was a class for its own and a hallmark of her unique style.

Many factors to look after. They have to be recognised and threaded carefully to avoid degradation. Here ,as always ,Jungr did not disappoint. Being perfectly aware of her own vocal abilities she tracked Nina’s songs from late period ,more melodic and lighter – more suitable for her own voice. But she did more than that. She studied carefully lyrics and made for them some new arrangements ,which turned them into completely new beings. Even if we are all aware that they are not. The sonorous aspects of the songs had been kept and Nina’s gentle way of phrasing survived in every single piece of the music that Barb sung.

Pieces like  Just like a Women  or Angel of the morning  with new rhythm structure and chorales shown Nina’s sense of humour in completely new light and easily did prove their timelessness. Some accents hidden in originals ,appeared now more clear and changed a balance of the songs ,giving them brand new life.

The  Lilac wine  or “Don’t let me be misunderstood  are songs with a massive ballast of a honesty. They are holding Nina’s own fears and weaknesses like a personal statement. Those had been interpreted by Barb with a deep sensitivity and emotional understanding. Her own preface to this program in the linear notes from the booklet are clearly marking the fact that she grown with those songs and Nina was her heroine during all her life.

I can only guess that ,being obviously the male ,that some notes in Nina’s poetry are simply touching Ladies souls in completely different way. I am listening to her all my life, bit shorter than Barb’s own ,and she remains a deep mystery to me. So when Barb sings  To love somebody  I feel immediately that I understand even less than I believed I do. Barbs tribute to Nina is not only the great recording. It’s a fuel for keeping Nina’s flame alive. Closing Feeling Good  proofs again that the secret of life is endless.

One have to be said yet to pay the justice that quality of this recording is lifelike .Simply breathtaking.

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Youn Sun Nah is a 42 year old Korean singer ,but actually it is easy to be fooled by her much younger appearance. Same Girl is the 7th LP in her discography ,and a second one recorded for a prestigious German ACT Music Label and following debut „Voyage”.

After listening to the first one I had a massive headache as this music was simply incredible. Have to say that the current one is nothing but a killer too. There is a mix of few classics, not particularly jazzy ones, a couple of her own tunes and one from Ulf Wakenius, Swedish guitarist and her musical partner and label colleague.

Opening My favourite Things by Rogers/Hammerstein is ordinary overwhelming. Well known tune in her interpretation becomes a philosophical reflection. Words ,so simple have there a mark of lifetime wisdom. Hard to forget feeling and have to be heard to be believed.

Next, Frank’s My Name is Carnival is closer to original interpretation ,but framed with Youn’s amazing vocal abilities becomes again ,completely new quality. The same definition applies to Metalica’s Enter Sandman which is presented in a similar fashion just with a simple guitar accompaniment by Wakenius ,but whole palette of vocalise techniques employed there, from groaning and snarling through wailing incantation reaching areas of high pitch scream makes her interpretation almost impossible to imagine. The fact that she has no struggle to fill the gap left by heavy metal band with just her own voice speaks for itself. I can not feel there anything lacked myself.

Guitarist’s Breakfast In Baghdad is a wonderful and hi-drive piece ,with vital beat set up on traditional oriental rhythm. Duo seems to understand each other perfectly – and Nah’s singing is nothing but brilliant. Artist’s own compositions are sharing this modern dynamic vitality represented by him and all together constitute the core of this recording.

Traditional Korean Kangwondo Arirang together with Song of Regret and closing La Chanson d’Helene, sung as a French origin, are perfectly balanced counterpoint for the most dynamic parts on this recording and set up the mood permanently.

Especially trumpet’s inter-medium after words and Ulf’s guitar walking reminding late M. Davis collaborations with J. Scofield. Paradoxically Terry Cox’s Moondog, a tribute to Louis Hardin – famous modern Viking from New York streets, became the most jazzy piece of music on this tremendous recording. Obviously only from the arrangement point of view. As original is not at all ,it is quite a surprise. But to be completely honest with you not more than the others.

This record is a whole festival of surprises and what a surprises they are. I don’t like giving stars , but even if I liked it would be hard to decide here. So individual it is that it deserves highest intimacy . Can not recommend it enough.

Plus extraordinary recording quality, a hallmark of ACT Music pays the justice fully to the unique artistic quality.

Erica Angell and Josef Kallerdahl is a young Swedish Duo I heard on the stage and I liked this so much I got their latest recording Floods straight after the set ended. Well done as other way it would be hard to source. Not having any previous experience with artists I had no expectations either.

In fact the music they present is an intelligent collage of all – jazz ,rock ,folk – more you know about music, the more inspiration you will find. On the other hand it is very personal due to the lyrics ,which are very honest and sometimes intimate. All music seems to be written by both artists without pointing out who wrote what, however some of the songs are so remarkably feminine, if you know what I mean, that it becomes obvious they must came from Erica.

An opening Blow Life in my Soul says about love and expectations in such a maternal way they could not come out of the male. Very simple poetry ,but truly touching. Musical formula reminds me alike Joni Mitchell and a little of Lori Anderson too. It’s due to songs not being just sung ,but sometimes whispered, sometimes spoken straight ,depends on the lyrics of course.

Erica with her gentle, slightly matte voice seems to be responsible for vocal duty ,but sometimes Josef joins her and they make chorales in perfect unison. Josef is the groove men in the duo. He holds tempos and builds a basement for all the pieces. On both Double bass and Bass Guitar. For this project the Duo also employed the Brass Trio : flugelhorn, french horn and tuba. It builds up very interesting arrangements. Usually Erica self accompanies herself with little organ dialoguing with the bass or brass. But here special parts had been written for the brass section or soloists to counterpoint selected lines of the piece or the singer.

Piece called Roller Coaster with its gentle rhythm marked by tambourine and vocal stepping out of the shiny brass base reminds some Irish folk songs and … the Velvet Underground.

Following Silence starts with some brass riff ,borrowed from Nyman’s “Draughtsman’s Contract”, and originally sourced from Purcell’s music. Set up on Erica’s organ burdon, with variety of the vocal patterns to serve the subject. It shows artists’ unconventional erudition and complexity.

Interactions between brass and strings (Erica’s zither and synthesiser) are among most beautiful moments on the recording. Especially Emil Strandberg’s solo (flugelhorn).

Next ,tittle song Floods is wonderfully stretched between Medieval like brasses call and responses and synthesised background. Vocal is here very emotional and slow. Overall mood reminds that what we remember as 4AD hallmark sound briefly, but it is just taken from there to the next stage, re used and not abused. With completely unexpected coming out after the break in the middle of the piece.

Following four pieces on the recording are bringing even more unexpected solutions ,mostly being a result of combining nicely blended achievements of the classical music, including latest minimal,with new romanticism, this what we remember from decades of rock and folk evolution and so many vocal inspirations that’s it is almost impossible to name them all. In one word what they presented here is very eclectic mix on one hand and very new on another. But definitely marked by both artists personalities .

Swiss pianist Nik Bartsch and his Ronin ensemble play music hard to be compared with anything else I know. The fact that the band appeared under ECM label makes things even more enigmatic. Being known mostly responsible for projects more nostalgic and lyric. But there is something in early label reputation which might explain Manfred Eicher’s choice. If you think about an emotional intensity and abandon of Jarret’s famous Koln Concert – it may be a key.

In fact compositions are very trance but it is the only link to a mentioned concert ,if even that. This music can hardly be called spontaneous. It appears as a full filled perfect interaction between every member of the band. And it definitely is written and hackneyed very well ,but on the other hand possible to hear expression and general enjoyment of being a part of the project is easy to spot. Titles are called Modules. They say nothing to help understand this concept. They are some numbers matched to them. But again ,they look random and useless.

Quintet draws handfuls from minimal music achievement. There is not that much jazzy things. Compositions are highly sequential ,built on repetitive motives blended with micro tonal sounds coming out of prepared piano – one more Cage-y ?;) idea. Percussion brakes are usually breaking the momentum build up and make a room for brass interludes. Rhythm could be called rather funky. Or at least ethnic due to poly-rhythmic structure and use many of different sort of percussion instruments, which remain hard to be recognised in the mix.

But Module 31 for example ,to brake the rules starts with melodic motive which makes strong connotations with French impressionism ,particularly with Eric Satie’s compositions. But it turns into funk’a’delic further trip for a while as well , to come back into the same lines later on ,just in slower motion.

Next Modul ,called 46 ,again starts with Cage like looped sound with an counterpoint piano framework provided ,to match very simple bass line and constitute the structure of the tune.

Funky bass walking seems to be one of the hallmark of this concept too. They set up tempos for ever changing sound wall collectively build by every member of the band.. Have to be said too, that it is pure acoustic project with no looping electronics and any of modern toys. Whole precision context of the music comes strictly out of the musician’s skills.

Regarding piano ,which is recorded incredibly well, there are many different sound patterns coming out ,which makes me concern about the number of preparations used . Some are for instance more sonorous than the other. Twinning greatly with sax and bass clarinet.

For sure conscious choice of the composer to fulfil sonic assumptions. To sum up – it’s a solid dose of fantastic sound worth the highest recommendation. Plus excellent recording as the cherry on top of the cake.

ECM PR: Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin: Holon (ECM 2049)

I would not be myself if I did not mention some Jazz from Poland on this first occasion. I‘d like to make it my hallmark, due to both ,my knowledge about Polish Scene and its incredible quality ,which truly deserves wider recognition. This CD is very special for many reasons.

As a live recording, a part of seven happening performances realised on main streets of Gdansk – Mikolaj’s  native city, it poses some unusual qualities ,mixing surrounding sonic environment to the complexity of project. But also changing improvised parts of music according to what’s happening in this landscape and creating on the same hand completely new qualities. Trzaska is playing on his sax and bass clarinet in his usual improvising style ,based on the Ayler /Coleman core inspiration and accompanying him in this project rhythmic section – Oles Brothers ( Marcin – Bass ,Bartek – Drums) ,Young Lyons already at that time – now truly well recognised and completely cut diamonds.

The music presented here ,except Coleman’s Lonely Woman is all written by trio itself. Trio which became further few years well known as O.T.O ( Oles-Trzaska-Oles). To say that once and not get back to it in the future: All Kilogram Records issues are completely finished masterpieces ,starting from being completely controlled by artist/label owner recording techniques to final finishing touches regarding publishing cover shape and complexity of graphic design. Nuff Said. Now the Music.

Opening Long Coast is an intro mixing street sounds with the bell from a church on the Mariacka Street all recorded as a one take in the same time. On that bit percussion shimmering with deep and reflective clarinet steps becomes Pigeon By Night with no brake. Oles Twins as a section posses a unique appearance of being like a single organism. Their rhythmical anastomosis has truly unprecedented quality. It’s more biologic than fusion in pure musical meaning. Piece possessing quality of the folk tune runs beautifully to the ending double bass outro.

The Mottlau Heart  ,tribute to picturesque Danzigen river spins around lazily driven by partially set up oriental rhythm ,cut out by pulsing walking on the bass and clarinet melody. Like in the best jazz tradition ,that one is build as well on a folk theme explored in repetitions of the melody and changes of speed showing true virtuosity of players.

Following Hanza Soul, is above all the show of Bartek’s incredible understanding of building tension of the piece. His talent to support creative brass improvisation by an ability to dose just enough notes to make steps for leader’s climbs, to accent collective achievement without a smallest trace of his own shine. It’s rare and hard to find quality.

Coming after  Machandel & Dagoma  is the most melodic piece on the disc. Gentle sax vocals keep reminding me deeply the rough beauty of Nordic chants , teamed with as always perfect section support. Kill still Good Night is the next of many Trzaska’s pugnacious motifs I love so much. They are brilliantly clever. Showing artists tremendous sense of humour spelled into short words, sometimes just few sounds. Phrases are followed closely by brothers. They share a lot of this qualities themselves and mutual understanding and a joy of playing together is “visible” all the time.

There is no sound too difficult to cut off. And whatever it is it never stops them from looking for newer and newer solutions to say the same story in different notes. Closing Coleman’s standard is heart-rending lament showing both : virtuosity of the composer and his followers. There is many ways to tell the Truth ,but just a few did it in the way that it had been noticed. This is the one of these very few sonic treasures.

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