New Jazz from Italy part 3 - Gianni Mimmo & Daniel Levin [Amirani Records]

Gianni Mimmo - soprano saxophone
Daniel Levin - cello


co-produced by Amirani Records and Teriayki Records 2012

There are many ways to look at improvisation and many metaphorical ways to describe it. Like the similarities it presents to the art of pottery. Allow me to cite Bill Shoemaker's liner notes to the cd by Carnival Skin*:  "Artists who work with viscous materials like clay and grass are acutely aware of turbulence and how it may turn a potentially bold form into a worthless heap. They push the material right up to the line, allowing a smoothly flowing centrifugal force to do its thing without compromising the integrity of the material".

Rob Brown & Daniel Levin Duo - Jazz @ Alchemia (23.03)

After the concert by Mihaly Dresch Quartet was cancelled, this one started the series of interesting concert events that have to take place in next 2 months at Alchemia. Rob Brown & Daniel Levin played together a series of improvised duos which is only a simply and easy to put description of a creative act that is far from simply and easy.

No sense in trying to descript the particular phrases, parts or pieces as this was music of constant change, where one keeps the other alert and ready, constantly on the toes. Music could go from hushed to ecstatic, from beautifully fluent lines (Rob Brown's agility and mastery of the instrument's language is impressive) to dotted pizzicato sounds (so is Daniel Levin's). They could go low and high, moving forward, far outside, deep inside but never back. Constant interaction and fearless creation.

I must say that I was most impressed by Levin's playing (first time I saw him on stage) who becomes completely united with the cello, whether he's shredding the strings with the bow or plaing gently, whether he's taking the bass role, or singing like a violin (espiecially once he goes completely acoustic in the 2nd set), or just tapping the body of the instrument with his fingers. While he's assuming the more accompanying role quite often, he plays also a few unaccompanied solos that are really mindblowing. Raw, passionate, rich and immaginative. He's the fire in this mixture, he has this mad look, completely gone inside the world of sound, while Rob face is more focused, his playing is more intellectual maybe. Obviously all simplyfications as there are no easy rules nor possible ways to put words around it.

Together they create music that is intense and passionate, that, following all the possibilites given and created is incredibly demanding, almost exhausting, but also very satisfying.

The concert was/is also a part of small tour that promotes their duo released late last year by Not Two - "Natural Disorder" and this title fits great their music, there's natural flow to their playing that is so energetic and limitless that it is very much like lookig for an order in the nature's caos or disordering the nature's order.

some photos from the concert available here.

The duo has still to play in Poznan and Wuppertal in the next days so if you live nearby - don't miss it.

Rob Brown - alto sax

Daniel Levin - cello

Alchemia. Krakow; 23.03

Jazz Alchemist votes for El Intruso 2010 Poll - part III

3rd portion of my votes for El Intruso 2010 Poll

Trombone

1. Steve Swell

2. Samuel Blaser

3. Jeb Bishop

-Steve Swell leads the pack with his Slammin’ The Infinite release “5000 Poems”, or his apperances on Sabir Mateen/Frode Gjerstad “Sound Gathering (both Not Two) and Lou Grassi’s Po Band “Live at Knitting Factory vol.1” [Porter Records] (release will be posted tomorrow).

-Samuel Blaser is probably the best polyphonic trombone player since Albert Mangelsdorff. The precision he displays when utilizing this technique is impressive as was to be heard on  concert with Pierre Favre (Krakow Jazz Autumn Festival) and on the duo’s cd – “Vol a Voile” [Intakt].

-Jeb Bishop playing is simply great and his compositions are kicking on his trio outing (“2009” [Better Animal Recordings])  as well as on the 2nd cd by The Engines (“Wire and Brass” [Okkadisk]) or Hamid Drake’s Bindu “Reaggelogy” [RogueArt].

Violin / Viola

1. Szilar Mezei

2. Maya Homburger

3. Rosie Hertlein

-Szilard Mezei viola playing is inspiring throughout his quartet’s “February Fadontes” lp [NoBusiness] as well as on “Bot” [Not Two] – a symphonic, large-scale project.

-Maya Homburger virtuosic solo performances of Barry Guy’s compositions were incredibly satisfying if ‘and now for something completely different’ moments of the Barry Guy New Orchestra week in Krakow.

-Rosie Hertlein appears on Ivo Perelman’s “Near the Wild Heart” record and her “strings duo” with Dominic Duval is a pure, chamber pleasure for Your ears.

Cello 

1. Daniel Levin

2. Fred Lonberg-Holm

Daniel Levin owns this spot for his duo with Rob Brown – “Natural Disorder” on Not Two.

Fred Londbergo-Holm contributes strongly to the sound of Vandermark V Special Edition (“The Horse Jumps and The Ship is Gone”  [Not Two]) and Vox Arcana led by Tim Daisy (“Aerial Age” [Allos Documents]).

Guitar

1. Mary Halvorson

2. Raphel Roginski

1-Mary Halvorson caught jazz-lovers' attention with her trio’s outing “Dragon’s Head” and with her last year quintet release she keeps it as she makes the “Saturn sings” [Firehouse 12] combining her incredible guitar sound with great compositions and strong leadership.

2-Raphael Roginski is polish guitarist who possesses an extraordinary sound. Example of his playing can be heard on debut Cukunft cd [Lado ABC] but should be experienced live to really appreciate it.

I leave the third spot empty but I’d like to mention two great pairing of guitars :

-Ava Mendoza and John Finkbeiner contribute to the unusual sound of “Hardboiled Wonderland" [Not Two] by Vijay Anderson.

-Geoff Farina and Dan Littleton combine team up together in the unusual line-up of “West” [Clean Feed] by Lawnmower (with Luther Gray and Jim Hobbs).

final part will be posted later today