William Parker Trio & Wroclaw Philharmony Orchestra (16,11) / Tony Malaby TubaCello Quartet & Polish Cello Quartet (17.11) at Jazztopad Festival

The 2nd and 3rd day of the Jazztopad festival presented to the audience specially commissioned projects, all three posing a question of a possible interjections between composed, classical music and improvisation - an ambitious task in any circumstances and kudos for the festival's for taking such a pro-active attitude, kudos for the artists for jumping on the train.

William Parker has quite an experience writing and leading for a big jazz bands but I believe that "Ceremonies for those who are still" written for a full scale 40 piece orchestra is a first of its sort in his musical activity. The amount of colours and textures you can get from such group may be in many ways overwhelming. The composition dedicated to a late friend of the composer, Moscow-based bassplayer Rustam Abdullaev and the mourning aspect of it seemed clearly present the ominous chants by the choir section. The colourfull passages would be linked together by the improvising trio.

Ab Baars & Ig Henneman Duo - Autumn Songs [Wig]

Ab Baars - tenor sax, clarinet, shakuhachi
Ig Henneman - viola







Stichting Wig 2013

I've featured on the blog previously two releases by Ig Henneman's sextet ("Cut a Caper"  and "Live @ The Ironworks Vancouver") both great albums with crossing the boundaries between free improvisation and modern chamber music, delivered by a stellar sextet, exploring valiantly the sonoristic and arrangement possibilites of such a group. "Autumn Songs" is played in much more intimate duo setting and it's content is somehow given away by the apt title and the very pretty cover.

Ivo Perelman on Leo Records part 3 - "Serendipity" and "The Passion Accoding to G.H"

The follow-up to the few posts on the blog including the "Ivo Perelman on Leo Records part 1" and this week "part 2". No other parts are scheduled to be posted at the moment, but given how prolific an artist Ivo Perelman is, it's safe to assume more will appear.

Serendipity
Ivo Perelman - tenor sax
Matthew Shipp - piano
William Parker - bass
Gerald Cleaver - drums

Leo Records 2013


The recording session was scheduled as a trio date with Ivo, Matt and Gerald (eventually recorded a week later and released as "The Foreign Legion"), William Parker was called at the last moment to fill a spot in the recording studio. It turned out the missing musician made is as well, hence a quartet recording and hence the title "Serendipity".

Maya Homburger & Barry Guy - Tales of Enchantment [Intakt]

Maya Homburger - baroque violin
Barry Guy - double bass


Intakt 2012

Improvised music attracts the rebelious minds with roughness, wildness, vitality and spontaneity. Its intention and direction are born from chaos. On the contrary, classical music strived always for th orderly perfection of sounds - pure, harmonious and balanced. The two opposite worlds are integrated within the music of this duo - Maya Homburger's an acknowledged violinist while Barry Guy's is a one of the leading musicians of European improvised scene.

When the couple play together the musical boundaries disappear and in the middle of the classical vs avant-garde opposition you can see the bounding element of the two traditions - a will of human soul to express itself.

Theo Jorgensmann & Albrecht Mauer [Nemu]

Theo Jorgensmann -  g low clarinet, voice
Albrecht Maurer - violin, viola, voice

Nemu Records 2011

"Melancolia" is inspired by Albrecht Durer's engraving from the 1514, symbolic picture produced in times scarred by the inhumane Peasant Wars. Nonetheless the improvised suite presented on the cd is not necesseraily sad.

Cello in duos - Reverie Duo - Stagioni [Slam] / Anto Pett / Bart van Rosmalen - Playwork [Leo]

Two completely different duos with cello. Both worthy of recommendation:

Reverie Duo - Stagioni

Redi Hasa - violoncello

Valerio Daniele - acoutic guitar

SLAM Productions 2012

For something completely different a surprising release from SLAM records, a label that usually presents british improv scene. Instead here we have something simple, crystal clear and, well, incredibly enjoyable. A chamber duo of guitar and cello sound beatifull, the compositions are joyfully melodic, the sound light and bright. It's a collection of instrumental songs filled with the classical beauty of acoustic sound (the way the tones of arco cello and struck guitar chords corrispond is just perfect) and non genre-specific melodies. Simple, charming, mostly nostalgic, (although there are some more heated moments), beautifully played, precious. Just check the heartwarming melody of "Reverie" or "Frymemarrje", the gypsy passion of "Baci e Ferraglia", dramatic "Il Valzer dell'Arancio", the peacefull "Dodico Voci".

An incredibly refreshing music, a well needed rest for mind and body, uniqely inspiring. Enchanting. The kind of music, the kind of sound for which the word is one and simple - beauty.

the cd is featured in the playlist presented 10.09.12.

Anto Pett - piano and prepared piano

Bart van Rosmalen - cello

Playwork

Leo Records 2012

Anto Pett and Bart van Rosmalen not only play (improvise) but are also working professionals in the theoritical field of the improvisation. And vice-versa, so to speak, I invite you to read the liner notes in which they explaing their conceptrion of the improvisation. Of "play" that becomes a "work" - a final, finished artistic act, and how, at one point, it's the "play" that takes over the performance, and the musician's task is just to surrender and follow it. But mostly I invite you to listen to the music they "playworked" which is registered on the cd.

Deep, searching, immaginative improvisations, fillled with passages of wild and harsh passion, of sheer virtuosity but also thoughtfull minimalism. And, as they say, the play can go in any way. Playfull (with the toy sounds of prepared piano and hand drumming on the cello, Playwork 1), dark and menacing (dense chord piano clouds in Playwork 2), mysterious and misty (metallic noises of Playwork 3). There's classical elegance and chamber beauty to the tone, avant-guarde harmonic, dynamic, timbral richness and the emotional immediacy of improvisation that comes from the passion of unknown, unusual, undiscovered and unpredictable. Being thus a perfect confirmation of their own words  - while improvising in life situations is looking for ways that "in the meantime, till the real thing arrives, will do", the musical improvisation has its start and end, its direction (however unpredictable) and, its performance acquires all the qualites (focused, cohesive, intentionall act of expression) of any other work of art.

A highly recommended to anyone interested in the kind of music where tradition of european classical music meets the avant-guarde in the act of on-the-spot creation.

the cd is featured in the playlist presented 10.09.12.

Machaut Quartet at Piwnica pod Baranami (26.07)

I admit I missed some recent concerts due to external obstacles as well as bit of summer laziness but I put a mental note about this date quite some time ago. The idea of saxophone quartet playing medieval mass from XIII century seemed too intriguing, too unique opportunity to pass by lightly.

As the french quartet (two altos, tenor, baritone) plays the music by Guilleme Machaut you can feel the spiritual depth of this music, the immense richness of the harmony, the cerebral tone. This is truly a celebration of sacrum and the fluid, everchanging chords of the choral rise slowly as a prayer to the sky. The paradigm order of this vocal music, its clarity and purity is put into focus, paradoxically, by the improvisation elements, which, to my much enexpected pleasure, the quartet is far from any conservatory one could think of. 

Every player shares a fair spotlight. Two altos battle in the prayer of shrieking, spiritual cries that cuts through the air raising as high as possible in the second piece of the evening. After a faithfull to the notation reading of "Sanctus", there's a baritone solo that first interlays sudden blast of slaptongued low-note and metallic whisper, soon squeezing out of the horn every possible rumble and hum and growl, the sonorus experience being magnified by the echo on the speakers (effect probably set to emulate the acoustics of the mediaval church). The interlude leads to a group improvisation, a chorus of alternating chords and dissonances, cut suddenly and finished by the short coda, one would be hard to immagine a possibile more contrasting music together. There's also the heavenly lyrical tenor interlude to "Kyrie". They finish the program with "Gloria".

While the idea of medieval music might not be to the fancy of a regular jazz listeners, I hope among the blog's reader there are no listeners of "regular jazz" nor "regular listeners of jazz". The music played by the french group is powerfull, monumental and illuminating. Magnifique.

MACHAUT Quartet

(I'm afraid I can't really find the personnel details anywhere on the web, hope I'll manage to complete the data)
17th Summer Jazz Festival
Piwnica Pod Baranami. Krakow.27.07.2012

Lysander Le Coultre / Albert Van Veenendaal - A Cool Tree [Evil Rabbit]

Lysander Le Coultre - cello
Albert Van Veenendaal - piano


Evil Rabbit Records 2011

I admit both names present on this cd are completely new to me. Which is even more exciting, but also quite sad as this is a posthumous release, tribute to the talent of Lysander Le Coultre who died on january 29, 2009.

In a way he comes from beyond the grave to share this with us - but I don't want to play any metaphysics wordplays. This is a true pearl, a gem of spontaneous improvisation, born from the tradition of european chamber music and contemporary avant-guarde. Wonderfull unity of piano and cello, dialogue of two noble instruments, both well rooted in the history of classical music. 

On one hand there are some passionate, fiery and virtuosic exchanges, gypsy-like flights ("Ping Pong", "Totterdown"). "Calabrone" displays incredibly intensity of communication,"call and response" sequence so rapid that is almost visible how perfectly the musicians are able to act and react to each other continously, how profound is their communication.

On the other hand there are pieces of incredibly intimate, haunting and mysteriously enchanting music. Echoes, whispers, delicate harmonies and melodies - sacred mystery filling each note and each pause. Like the romantic melody of "Firefly" with its charming Satie-like piano melody and beautifull pizziccato solo on cello, and the captivating crescendo to end the piece. Or delicate as a moon's light ray "Summer Night's Dream" (achingly beautifull track). Or haunting beginning and ending of "In the middle there is no end" with its long pauses and single, suspended piano notes, echoing in silence, closing inbetween a sharp, dense, fiery improvisation of fast arpeggios and clusters. 

At 36 minutes this cd is almost painfully short. Feels like there was so much more to tell. Like it all ends too soon. And the only thing I can do is to press 'play' again and start with the first track. Absolute treasure of spontanous composition, of chamber music. This is music of beautifull soul. Captivating, engaging, illuminating. 

4 pieces from the album available in this playlist.

Samuel Blaser. Russ Lossing, Thomas Morgan, Paul Motian - Consort in Motion [Kind of Blue]

Samuel Blaser - trombone
Russ Lossing - piano
Thomas Morgan - bass
Paul Motian - drums

Kind of Blue Records 2011

Samuel Blaser's name already resonates on jazz scene thanks to his quartet's releases and he has proven himself to be among the most accomplished trombone players of young generation in jazz music. "Consort in Motion" is another step in his career and it is a step in quite a different direction.

Blaser embarks on a difficult and ambitious project as he tries to merge two distant musical traditions - Jazz and Baroque music. He selected and re-arranged for this jazz ensemble compositions by Claudio Monteverdi, Biagio Marini and Girolamo Frescobaldi (or wrote his own compositions - using their music as an inspiration). Now I'm hardly to be called classical music afficionado and that robs me plenty of the intellectual pleasure one might find in deciphering the ways Blaser adapted the original material, but I still find here much to appreciate.

Lisa Mezzacappa & Nightshade - Cosmic Rift [Leo]

Cory Wright - Bb and bass clarinet
John Finkbeiner - electric guitar
Tim Perkis - electronics
Lisa Mezzacappa - acoustic bass
Kjell Nordeson - vibraphone and percussion

Leo Records 2011

Autumn comes lurking around and this album fits great this kind of weather (quite aptly named group indeed). And while Lisa Mezzacappa cites various inspirations on some pieces, her personal compositional stamp and the group's cohesive sound make this work whether you're familiar or not with the source of inspiration (which you can read about in the liner notes).

The instrumentation of this band is crucial to the resulting music - the brooding, dark and melancholy and somehow elegant sound, while the smooth velvety-heavy textures are fractured with subtle electronics accents. 

Ig Henneman Sextet - Cut a Caper [Wig]

Ig Henneman - viola, compositions
Ab Baars - tenor sax, clarinet, shakuhachi
Axel Dorner - trumpet
Lori Freedman - bass clarinet, clarinet
Wilbert De Joode - double bass
Marilyn Lerner - piano

Stichting Wig 2011

Just a quick glance on the names list can tell you this group gathers some among the finest improvising musicians in Europe. And this geographical association is crucial for this music as this drumless sextet presents music that is european through and through. With rich harmonies and lyrical melodies rooted deep in classical music. With improvisations being the extension of this language while reaching into the territory of sound's detail exploration. With precise arrangement that makes this ensemble sound like a small yet fully-equipped orchestra.

Fred Frith and ARTE Quartet - The Big Picture [Intakt]

ARTE Quartet:
Beat Hofstetter - soprano saxophone
Sascha Armbruster - alto saxophone
Andrea Formenti - tenor saxophone
Beat Kappeler - baritone and alto saxophones

special guests (tracks 1-6):
Katharina Weber - piano
Lucas Niggli - drums

Fred Frith - composer

Intakt 2010

I got this cd after Fred Frith's concert in Warsaw, still absolutely mesmerized by his performance and although I'm disappointed that Frith's guitar is nowhere to be heard on this one (nonetheless the booklet puts it on the list) it does fulfill all the high hopes I had for this album.

Joelle Leandre Tentet / Trio - Live at the "Ulrichsberger Kaleidophon" [Leo]

Tentet - Can You Hear Me

Joelle Leandre - double bass; Sussana Gartmayer - alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Boris Hauf - tenor saxophone, clarinet; Lorenz Raab - trumpet; Bert Mutter - trombone; Burkhard Stangl - electric guitar; Thomas Wally - violin; Elaine Koene - viola; Melissa Coleman-Zielasko - cello; Kevin Norton - vibes, percussion

Trio
Joelle Leandre - double bass
John Tilbury - piano
Kevin Norton - vibes, percussion

Leo Records 2011

It's a silly thing really, but I'm always excited when I get to have the first cd of the new year, and this is the first 2011 released record I listened to. And I can begin by saying that this double cd, part of celebration of Joelle's 60th birthday, is a great start to, hopefully, another year full of new and exciting music

Jeremiah Cymerman - Under a Blue Grey Sky [Porter]

Under a Blue Grey Sky

Olivia De Prato - violin

Jessica Pavone - viola

Christpher Hoffman - cello

Tom Blancaforte - bass

Jeremiah Cymerman - composition, electronics

Porter Records 2010

With a couple concerts of Jeremiah Cymerman coming this week I decided to gave this one a few closer listenings, never mind it doesn't exactly fit the blog's profile (meaning it's most definitely not jazz). And I can definitely say that this is a very rewarding record, even if it takes some time getting into it. With string quartet and electronic treatments (subtle ones) this one takes You into a sonic world that is rich and deep, both classical and forward-thinking. 

Mikolaj Trzaska Ircha Clarinet Quintet feat. Joe McPhee - Lark Uprising [Multikulti]

Ircha Quintet:

Joe McPhee - alt clarinet

Mikolaj Trzaska - alt & bass clarinet

Waclaw Zimpel - bass clarinet, clarinet, tarogato

Pawel Szamburski - clarinet, bass clarinet

Michal Gorczynski - bass clarinet

Multikulti 2010

Imagine a foggy night at the sea, and the sound ships sirens emerging from the silence and the darkness,  five of them, calling each other out, responding to voices coming from all the directions. Finding a freindly waters, where they can exchange some personal stories, with the listening choir commenting on those all the time. They reach an agreement and start singing together (absolutely stunning and oh so peacefull harmonies in the middle of the track) and then move back and forward between the solo narration, duos and the entire choir parts, with everyone finding a role to play and never looking for a front spot. That is how this albums starts on "Ant-hill Builder".