Rantala’s tribute to John Lennon, entitled after one of his most known songs is something special. I know Rantala’s music well and I am familiar with his other recording for ACT and before. That includes his previous solo piano recording lost heroes, which also is a tribute, but dedicated to many, not single personalities.

With his eloquence, classical education, and flirts with a pop music over two last decades he clearly established his reputation as a man who can play everything. From concert with heavy metal band to classical repertoire, from Bach, through Mozart to Sibelius. He has specific talent to merge to other people music unlike anyone else. Or simply adopt his playing to whatever comes as music is simply MUSIC for him, despite the genres. Those are for critics, like me.

As he proved himself so many times before I had no doubt that this recording will be nothing but sensation. And it simply is. What makes it special, on every occasion, not just here is his respect for the music he plays and adores. This is where his special talent comes from. He simply does not want to change anything. He has this rare capability to drop his EGO and adopt himself to the music endlessly. The rest just comes naturally.

Once he is in he starts to explore the theme, finding ways to show the best of it. And this is it. Hence natural beauty of the melody and honest simplicity of Lennon’s tunes are treated with an incredible respect. He is building up between melody lines, like in Norwegian Wood, before bringing the theme to your ears and makes it recognisable. Shows what no one else have seen before.

You want another example? Help, everyone can hum this, but not many can find entire blues and buggy scales between the lines and bring it to people’s attention, still didn’t dropping single note from the song.

Another? Woman: this other way naturally dance track makes you swing. Here it starts from heavy left hand clusters which are showing that the tune is nothing but the blues. Step by step it takes listener to the dance-floor without scarifying anything.  More of that he is showing such a lot between that it is fascinating to listen to the way he delivers it.

Or Imagine, to take it to the extreme. This is sacred tune and for many equally important as religion. Here main theme again comes veiled in little fiesta rhythm, from which the tune just blossoms in the blink of an eye into fully grown flower. With a bit of Jarrett-ish expressive intro, which still gets back to the core, just after raising culmination.

No point describing them all. That would be just boring and listening to this project is anything like that. That’s the music which needs to be experienced, not just heard, to be understood and fully appreciated.

Bite by bite, tune after tune. And over and over again. There is enough capacity in it to keep you entertained for long. And winter did not even started yet.

My working class hero ACT PR

After his cracking Follow the White Rabbit début on ACT Music and following Alter Ego which established his reputation of one of the most interesting young personalities in music it is Yaron’s time now to début again, this time under legendary Blue Note label.

Given his late approach to the instrument and mind-blowing progress he achieved it was a matter of rather short time to him to move to the Big Apple. With his every day hunger for new music, this is a melting pot and the place to be. Herman’s approach raises on fascination in classic piano trio and one can clearly hear that he researched the paths his masters followed before.

You can hear in his music open organic improvisation core, like in Jarrett’s recordings, but also intellectual twists ala Paul Bley. All put cleverly together. But there is a  tad of Meldau’s and Mcoy Tyner’s  touch in his lines, too. The more you listen the more you find. On the top of this comes parallel fascination in classical piano and deep studies of the harmonies as well as research of the instrument boundaries.

Here he comes however with a DUO set with his equally talented colleague Ziv Ravitz behind the drums. He is a crazy capable musician and we still have a lot left to hear from him. It won’t take long as he is already signed to Swiss Intact. That suits his spirit for an improvisation well. This way Herman makes a comeback to his beginning.  All due to the way he started. Some twelve years back on his début for Sketch it was a duo with another percussionist Sylvain Ghio.

This recording wins my heart with its intensity. From the first notes of opening Fast Life , it takes control and literally glues listener to the melody. Here is where Yaron explores Jarrett and Bley to the bottom, but still includes his own tissue to the piece. His left hand is operating with knocking out authority.

Coming after Vista is an extraordinary layout built on drum and piano conversation. It starts slowly and builds up on amazing connection between two players, but this is in choruses when culmination riches climax in quickly changing tempos. Intensity is so great that the piece seems to be much faster than it really is, and the piano clusters with last accord coming from the triangle is simply marvellous.

True Tour de Force comes on the piece called Nettish. Intensity of the dialogue which is happening here puts highest demand on the listener. One can’t listen to it in the background. But seriously, this power and passion just keep blossoming in every single piece. And they get you back just within seconds.

The only exception here is Volcano, a piece involving Islander vocalist Helgi Jonsson. That reminds me strongly Bjork’s universe and it comes out quickly that it was in fact produced by the same man.

This recording is psycho -motoric trip inside your mind. Driving you fast and keeps in your memory just a glitter of passed by lights. It is romantic and furious. So honest that any open soul can’t avoid it.

This is most fascinating piano & drums recording I heard since Mal Waldron and Max Roach. And it shares the same inner soul connection.

This amazing collaboration came from artists whom I have known for a long and often am listening to. This venture however in fact did take a whole new direction. Danish Vocalist and Swedish bass virtuoso are not just a DUO, but also a marriage. That gives it a entire new sense.

Saying that they do know each other artistically would be colloquial, as they obviously do work together as well as share label, despite of many separate projects they have been both involved in. But the fact that they are also living together brings new meaning to  phrase “understanding each other”.

Tracklist here sports two well known hits: Opening Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now and closing Cohen’s Hallelujah. Additionally two pieces of the Great Abbey Lincoln are paying tribute to one of Caecilie’s most important inspirations and unforgettable Jazz vocalist. The rest of 13 compositions are couple’s own contribution.

Abbey’s And it’s supposed to be love is an remarkable example of Norby’s talent to make over an existing songs. Even such like this iconic original to bring a completely new feeling to it. Same applies to two other covers above. Sung with more flash and blood they both come with more vivid, less nostalgic way. There is another reflection in them now. Plus Lars’ beautiful cello arcos, adding more melody to the classic lines. Caecilie’s vocalise, closer to operatic bell canto here than a jazzy scat is another cherry on the icing.

The Wholly Earth doesn’t have the same freshness and reminds you the earlier version from Silent Ways. While here surrounded by other lyrics, all about the wisdom of life somehow, it catches up lovely with entire new context. Reduced arrangement helps to focus more on vocal than on percussive accompaniment.

Double Dance brings the sense of this collaboration even more up front. Here her vocal and his bass response are like carpet for the legs. Each step just lands on the piece of sonic texture which is perfect for it and gives it absolute support.

Listening to this project is like resting in hot and foamy bath, with still new aromas attracting your sense of smell. It’s modern or classic or both whatever music demands.Despite of being DUO project, use of percussive instruments. Lars swaps between bass, cello and guitar and Caecilia’s vocal abilities make it richer that one would expect from two musicians alone.

Lyric wise connection of classic songs together with artists own output tell the continuous story. Therefore it is both hypnotic and charming. It is easy listening of course, but not in the usual meaning. They both make you believe that it is a easy plot where they stay, but this is a beauty of this illusion. In fact they merge together in the way that your mind refuses to analyse that any further and just buys it. If that supposed to be love then they must be a perfect marriage 😉

just the two of us: ACT PR

That is another interesting realise from label’s VOCAL JAZZ… series. Over two years passed since Thorsten‘s last recording Love Comes to Town. The latest came out with the band shaved down to quartet. The drummer, Wolfgang Haffner remains present from the last squad.

For this reason that is completely different album. Without rock alike kick and funky and vivid brass section made on label mates. Also there is no vocal duets here. Overall concept is completely different and it refers to artist teenage days. All the Spiritual, Blues, Soul and Jazz he was listening to growing up and which therefore shaped him out as he is now. Hence the repertoire covers a lot, from traditional songs, via Lead Belly, Ray Charles and Oscar Brown like.

From an opening Work Song written by Adderley/Brown everything got a facelift here and comes to new life. That loses its repetitive pattern which makes it slow and tedious like a rhythm of hard tiring work. It is more like working today, long hours and hard sometimes, but due to the choice.

I found artist’s originals to be really interesting and much more involving. It was nice to trace where they possibly came from. Midst of your Love , for example has been build exactly on the same riff as Branford Marsalis‘ Mo’ Better Blues. However its vocal lines are showing a fascination of Gregory Potter ,  especially in the way he is phrasing. Lovely song.

Another original, Lord I need a Women, is very well written piece with funny lyrics and fantastic groove going under the bluesy lines. Lovely bass riff keeps it highly energised. Vocal here, again remains me Peter Cincotti. Particularly in the way he stays over the beat.

How sweet it is the famous Motown hit written by Dozien and Holland bros., comes surpassingly as a delta styled blues. That is far from Spiritual interpretation which Marvin Gaye made an unforgettable standard. But it bridges nicely with Ray Charles’ Halleluyah ,I love her So.

Lead Belly’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night, in opposite comes as a much focused interpretation, really going dark and deep, with surprising guitar accompaniment, far from blues original. If compared to Nirvana’s version from the 90’ties it somehow describes dynamics of the time just right.

Closing standard, Everything Must Change by Benard Ighner, is quite funny as this is the one on which Thorsten’s guitar reminds me most George Benson’s style, but song itself which he also sung ,is deeply rooted in Soul, when Goods’ approach is light and kind of pop-ish. However it really suits lyrics well in my opinion. Still love Nina Simons’ one most.

Lots of good things is going on here and again , just last his last recording was one of my favourite permanent car keepers , this one with its chilling and pleasant character has all the chances to win listeners hearts. Give it a go and it will  surprise you how old, well known and often a bit forgotten, but great songs can win you over and over again.

THANK YOU BABY! ACT PR

Latest outcome from Adam Bałdych, incredibly talented and versatile Polish violinist is titled Bridges and it holds to some more complex symbolism.

It is worth to note that he is only 29, which many would fail to guess without knowing and purely judging on sound. As a prodigy child he finished his classical study in the age of 16 as a youngest graduate ever, and he only picked up violin in the age of 9, which is pretty late for anyone considering solo carrier.

Well. Back to the subject. First of all this project is very different from previous duo with pianist Yaron Herman, mostly due to he is such a different personality to Helge Lien. Norwegian pianist has completely different approach to melody. His background roots in Scandinavian folk. So it matches Adam’s temper and his Polish soul in more natural way.

Furthermore, when The New Tradition was an inter cultural dialogue, Bridges instead is all about connection between Soul mates. That gave Bałdych new ability to express his composition more via piano and violin sound universe, followed by carefully listening rhythm section, than fly solo over the trio.

Purely anchored in European Romantic classical music tradition and further influenced by modern Jazz trios, like Mehldau’s or Svensson’s alike it suits violinist’s Slavonic soul very well. With folk music always present in Chopin’s or Debussy compositions, here they build a bridge, one of many. Between Classical and Folk Universe, between Scandinavian and Polish Folks.

Like in pieces Polesie or Karina. Both musicians are simply immersed in sound. Due to the balance between the strings, carefully controlled dynamic it simply is the master class. In addition use of silence in space and Bałdych’s articulation is stunning. As a result the way he plays is nothing but hypnotic. Those who remember Zbigniew Seifert would be able to find how much he learnt from a heritage of  prematurely deceased legendary master.

The music is simply sparkling here. Just like a dew in the morning light. Listening to this reminds me the joy of the children’s discoveries in a marvellous garden. It does not happen too often to find music so fresh and involving. But again this delight comes of their joy of playing together. Ability to build the… bridge between performer and listener. Whatever they come with is stunning you with the beauty of the fragile balance and incredible power in the same time.

To challenge you let’s jump to the closing title: Teardrop. This one is far from folk influence as it came from the Massive Attack play-list. Consequently then, here violinist takes original vocal lines and converts its melody to the riff. That one drives the piece, underlined with piano holding harmony and drums putting groove under entire music tissue.

Simply marvellous. And as such, hugely recommended.

Die Verwandlung means Transformation and in fact suits the music perfectly in this recording led by trumpeter Frederik Köster, who also composed all the music on the disc. All gentlemen are in their middle 30’s(-ish). All of them also are well regarded and recognizable figures on the European Jazz firmament. Not to mention having significant artistic approach, both well documented and rewarded. Some even reviewed on these pages.

Here they come with the project which is going to bring a smile to any Bebop fan. Not that they are  getting back in time. It would be counterproductive for musician with their skills and imagination, neither not quite possible for those who were born after Bitches Brew period. The best template to suit this music would be Neo –Bop, but again that’s just a half truth.

It have to be said that leaders tone reminds Hubbard, but not only there is also Miles, and this is the later one, definitely hooked in an electric period. Shot and vigorous blows served on Shiva, the piece coming after more classic Opening, are clearly showing that.

Sternal’s piano is both modern and progressive, far ahead bebop days, but hey, we are not in 40-ties any more. Drums under Burwinkel’s control are very dynamic and contemporary. Bass follows in the same manner which was unknown in a bop days. What keeps it in tradition are chords progression and a love for staying in melody lines.

The way the melody is explored however is entirely different thing. Lovely ballad Ocean Park gives a good view of that and in the same time settles back a gentle mood. What the Heck is lovely spacious. Use of Rhodes gives space different dimension and vigorous and groovy bass makes a ground for leader’s trips.

It is all written music, but I can sense that something is happening here and actually musicians are breaking behind the border of the notation. Title tune Tension /Release opens with choral sounding almost like Renaissance Gabrieli’s music. It quickly turns to jazzy landscape, but again shows innovative approach. Here again I can sense improvisation going on intelligent and well set up drum beat.

This is kind of symbolic pattern: in music generally, but in jazz particularly. Not even mentioning life with its push-pull cycles. This is very intense piece as should be expected coming to the end with sublime trumpet outro floating over shimmering sea of cymbals.

They even got vocal track here. Alone, sung by Tobias Chrisl is James Joyce’s poem which had been adapted to the music. I never heard him before but I have to say that lyrics are handled incredibly well. His voice with slightly matt timbre is  beautifully on pair with leader’s light tone with subtle vibrato. It blends naturally into the tissue of this recording. It’s tender and expressive in the same time and perfectly teamed with accompanying piano.

Then comes Closing. It makes perfect finishing touch and together with intro tune makes a frame for this recording. It’s short and elegant with trumpet waving good bye with grace. And once music stops I wish to play it back.

TENSION / REALISE Traumton PR

This year’s Jazzpańa Live project is something very special in ACT Music’s catalogue. This is simply come back to label’s roots. An original idea on which the whole concept was created. It did proof to be right and demanded. And it was so well received that it won a German Grammy award on the heart rate in 1992. It did it again in the Millennium when the second act, simply called Jazzpańa II, came to life.

Now 15 years later when revisited Live tour hit the Philharmonic and festivals it is simply condemned to success. What started as a fusion of Jazz and Flamenco Nuevo stars two decades back evaluated further, as did the life itself. But it never lost its freshness and natural vitality. At the beginning Jazz element was probably the most catching power one. When teamed with unstoppable drive of Andalusian folk it is now present here in slightly different way.

After over two decades of being with us this blend appears natural, with Jazz‘s obvious ability to explore and adopt. Whatever fits from a different music spheres. On contrary it became now more like exploring deeper into the roots of its Ibero –Hispanic tradition. That, in turn,  took it previously itself from an Arabic scales at the early Middle ages. That again includes Latin American contribution which had been first spread into native folk with post Columbian conquest to feed two hundred years back. That power hit Jazz world in 70’ties bringing 1st inspiration of the Latin Music to already heavily evolving Jazz itself and created entire Latin Jazz culture. That somehow closes the circle.

It all started with migration and influence spread. Then followed with the fascination in entire process of re-discovering new in that old we know so well. As a migration is today’s life daily bread there is no surprise that these seeds fall in to the fertile ground. Amount of new music coming today from Europe shows that ACT was so damn right with their prejudice about what’s going to happen. Just listen to this music and you will find all that present there.

Without getting to the details it is obvious that the world we are living in now has no borders. Whatever it is: Flamenco, Fiesta, Sol , Jazz with all its styles , you name it. It is all there sparkling and vivid and keeps communicating with today’s listener sensitivity.

With line up based on label trusted names and guests which are equally highly eloquent entire band is like a bulldozer going through the young forest. Simply unstoppable. When I bought Jazzpańa when it first appeared I was just going through transition from Rock music moth to the Jazz butterfly.It opened my mind and it was love from the first note. It shaped me and today when I am writing these words  I can not be more grateful for that privilege. Without that it could never even happen.

Listen to that and be prepared for a challenge to come.

An American vocalist is well known across the world for his extended songbooks, touching many subjects.  With the love included in it naturally. One my say that he knows enough about that to make a dedicated album. But this one goes far beyond normal love song boundaries.

It comes to passion, a much deeper layer. Harvesting from travels around the world and gathers from many cultures to complete the complexity of the human land of affection. Uses songs from around the world, sometimes with original lyrics, like Scottish Loch Tay Boat Song or U2’s Where The Streets Have No Name.

Those two are among perfect examples with their cultural context already deeply anchored in the tradition. They possessed certain mood already, but with artist’s make over they came to a completely new shape.

To complete that challenge and take things even further, he sings them often in original languages, like Portuguese Voce Ja Foi A Bahia, or Spanish Si Te Contara. That brings the listener into another territory and gives him a chance to explore the contest of the song through the specific sense of feeling that every nation posses.

I was surprised to find Pat Matheny’s Another World composition here, re-arranged and with new title and lyrics given: After the Door. Lovely melody had been kept as a core of the composition making a perfect nest for the challenging reflection on life that lyrics bring.

Another change of the mood comes with French La Vie en Rose. With the brand new arrangement it appears more like a Broadway big band hit. Famous chorus and accordion intro however keep it still in its original heritage. New lyrics expand the song’s capability of phrasing la joy de vivre with Kurt’s benchmark vocalise. Blended with orchestral glitter and Gershwin like cadences it strikes with Art Deco’s ballrooms wealth.

Nicht Wandle,Mein Licht on contrary takes us to the World of emotional depth of Schubert’s romantic Lieder with all that sublimity which belongs to that. But, again with Kurt’s unique capabilities it also refers somehow to origins of it: Bach’s Oratorios recitatives. Something that I never heard in that obvious way before listening to classical recital.

Bonita Cuba, the song which originated from Arturo Sandoval’s longing for his homeland. It is based on artist’s original tune and posses ineffable deposit of nostalgia. Choosing it confirms Elling’s ability to go incredibly deep to gain from the story once heard.

Same applies to Billie, brilliant Galliano’s tribute to The Lady Day. Kurt’s lyrics gather from exploring singers sad love story and loneliness, despite being the star.

As a Finale, Where Love Is comes. James Joyce’s poem declaimed to lovely ballad music played in the background written by Irish composer Brian Byrne. That mysterious piece has a lot in it. From first love discovery, through the routine of sadness to the mature acceptance of the life as it is.

This miraculous album is not only the journey through life and love’s twisted paths. It explores humans nature differences too. The complexity of life meets the complexity of all the music styles. All mixed here with Jazz. Too much to list them all,, but enough to show Jazz’s incredible vitality and ability to blend with everything around ,to survive. Just like Love and Life.

And he didn’t even scat once.

This title is the trio’s older recording but it tempted me to listen to it due to its electric squad. I rate Asaf highly for his versatility and bravery to jump into different territories, to explore, learn and provide even more into his vast artillery of expression.

Here we got something more minimal in concept that other music I know him from, hence it looks very interesting to me. Additionally it is not even particularly rooted in jazz only. Neither is it a fusion despite an initial thought. Careful listening however helped me to discover much more connections between the band members and I have to admit that I am still learning more and more from this disc.

On the jazz inspirations it is easy to point Zavinul’s influences in the way that Gary Husband uses his keyboard, but his own composition, The Bridge on contrary shows very classic melodic approach which clearly brakes all what happens on the set. On the guitar landscape collaboration it brings me back to Lyle Miles and Pat Matheny approach. Music I have grown on, but long time had not been listening to. It made me go back to those recordings again to find out if memory serves me well. It did indeed but again, it is just a layer on which brand new Inner Noise concept had been build. There is much more in it.

Composition wise it shows great maturity in the way it’s written. Asaf’s drumming is creating here very three dimensional structures on which guitar notes are finding foundation. It reminds me of climbing, where one wouldn’t survive without other’s belaying. Bassist Yaron Stavi, Asaf’s compatriot is supplying with his tight walking the core for these rampant rides that Greek guitarist Tassos Spiliotopoulos comes with. He seems to be very interesting musician with his roots difficult to trace. He can play like Scofield in his Blue Matter period, in the middle of eighties like on piece called The Journey Home, but switch to Dream for example or End of the Circle and all goes upside down drifting between Jeff Parker and Oren Bloedow like experiments. It blends many schools on his paths and keeps challenging listeners who are prepared for finding those loose ends and points in which they knot.

Interesting view inside comes on a piece called Alone on which guest drummer Adriano Adewale takes leader’s stool. It shows clearly how important and fragile is the space based on drum frame work. The other man’s command changes direction significantly. It is like a personal space in full respect for what score says.

The Monk talks to me and touches my imagination supplying still new layers of engagement into listening pleasure and that is its strongest point I believe. I am really interested to hear more music from the trio to find out if there are any borders.

This is Blanchard’s second great project since his comeback to Blue Note two years back with the “Magnetic” session I reviewed in back in 2013. Despite the apparent lack of recordings he’s always busy and in the meantime even recorded his first ever jazz opera. I would die to hear that, honestly. Hopefully someone is going to issue this, Please!!

Here, he has assembled the band E-Collective to explore a world of groovy fusions, funky harmonies and R&B plethora. From the previous squad he only kept his keyboardist Fabian Almazan, an incredibly gifted young musician. Along with Fabian, the band features Charles Altura (guitar), Don Ramsey (bass), and Oscar Seaton (drums). The sugar-icing on this eclectic cake is soulful vocalist P.J.Morton. Right from the opening bars, their version of Les McCann’s standard Comparing to What rides straight over the unsuspecting listener’s head and takes no prisoners. With the phrasing of the trumpet howling and the band following in a damn funky manner, P.J’s vocal brings straight to mind the memory of Prince with The Revolution at their best. It’s not just the phrasing, but also his voice has a similar timbre.

I’ve not yet mentioned the choirs. These come as a surprise for the jazz fan, but after this initial shock one realises that Terence has jumped into territory he never explored before. Many of the greatest jazz icons, whose paths he is following did though: Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones or the great Miles Davis, his most-revered Master to whom he himself is often compared. Hence I can easily understand this natural progression. And as always honest he comes after with his own See me as I am. This slows down after it’s initial fury and brings the spacious floating sound of Terence’s trumpet as we all know it drifting over the nice and groovy backdrop provided but the band. That smoothly moves into Everglades, the longest piece of the session which builds with excellent pace and passion bought about by a twisted and hypnotic interplay between the leader and Fabian Almazan.

The title song Breathless, brings us to another check point. Here it becomes clear that this rebellious project is not made for fun and dance only, but it also carries a much more serious message. The title originates from the tragic story of Eric Garner, the alleged victim of brutality by USPD and his now worldwide recognised words “I can’t breathe “. That makes it involved in an entire human movement which this tragedy triggered and which is a part of today’s American fight for equality and freedom.

Confident Selflessness which follows brings a Funkadelic-like bass stomp dialogue with Scofield-like quilter figures. It is a very peaceful tune with lovely piano interludes bringing a break after the previous tension. The following composition Shutting Down, written by Terrence’s son Jrei Oliver completes with its lyrics a menu of songs with meaning on this album. Next, to P.J’s pop-ish version of Hank William’s I Ain’t nothin’ But Time.

There are also heavier moments present a la carte, leaning towards the progressive rock genre, like the propulsive Cosmic Warrior with its wall of overridden guitar sound or the marching rhythms of Soldiers.

We also have the protest song Talk to Me, with an arrangement including original samples from Dr. Cornel West’s speeches interspersed with groovy rap poetry.

There’s even some musical slapstick on the track Tom & Jerry, where the interplay between guitar and piano voices bring to mind a crazy fight between those famous cartoon characters!

All together this is a versatile and eclectic project, which really is easy to enjoy and more time spent really listening to it reveals ever greater intellectual layers.

Still, even for the dance-floor there is plenty here that is fit for purpose. As always with Terrence I like his adoration for tradition but with the rare ability to make it sound fresh, not even getting into his spectacular skills as an arranger. The instrumental tracks need no further introduction. It is difficult to handle controversial subjects in the way they did here. To me this is an absolute revelation and the most important thing in American popular music since the Rap movement in the eighties which ultimately spawned groups such as Public Enemy.

The meaning is the same here, just with different texture.

SOUND QUALITY:

BREATHLESS BLUE NOTE PR