Thumbscrew: Wingbeats

 

City of Asylum in Pittsburgh, PA, described as the world's largest sanctuary for writers in exile, hosts musicians as well. The cooperative trio Thumbscrew (Mary Halvorson on guitar, Michael Formanek on bass, and Tomas Fujiwara on drums and vibraphone) has enjoyed a series of weeks-long residencies there over the years, with an eye to developing new material. Their latest endeavor is Wingbeats, their eighth album, with just over an hour of stirring originals by each member of the group, plus their take on Charles Mingus’ Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk. The combination of intense workshopping at their residencies and the musicians’ dedication to composing specifically for this grouping results in music of impressive resilience and power. Their nuanced interactions and the freshness of their improvisations make for a genuinely stimulating musical experience. Fujiwara’s xylophone-like sound on the vibes provides a fresh angle to the ensemble. His work on Formanek’s mildly chaotic Somewhat Agree is especially impressive. I’m also drawn to the groove of Formanek’s How May I Inconvenience You Today?, the peaceful aura of Fujiwara’s Irreverent Grace with a soulful Formanek solo, and Halvorson’s sinuous solo on Fujiwara’s Knots. Their arrangement of the Mingus tune, with its myriad parts that somehow all fit together, is perfectly suited to the band’s talents and sensibilities. Wingbeats is a winner from start to finish. Highly recommended! 

Cuneiform Rune 520; Mary Halvorson (g) Michael Formanek (b) Tomas Fujiwara (d, vib); Brooklyn, NY, September 21-22, 2023; Wingbeats/ Greenish Tents/ How May I Inconvenience You Today?/ Irreverent Grace/ Pyrrhic/ Wayward/ Knots/ Singlet/ Somewhat Agree/ Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk; 61:15. www.cuneiformrecords.com

Rich Halley 4: Dusk And Dawn

  Portland, Oregon saxophonist Rich Halley has the best of two worlds in the Rich Halley 4. On Dusk And Dawn, he gets to collaborate with his son Carson Halley on drums, and with a pair of very long-term (26 years and counting) musical companions in the persons of trombonist Michael Vlatkovich and bassist Clyde Reed. That’s a lot of experience to pack into this energetic collection of four Halley originals alternating with a trio of group improvisations. I’ve been fortunate enough to hear all of these musicians live many times over the years, and it’s always a joyous occasion to spend time with them. The combination of Halley’s tenor roar, Vlatkovich’s sly trombone, Reed’s grounded bass, and Carson Halley’s uncluttered but forceful drumming gives the music an undeniably positive and searching spirit. The original compositions leave plenty of room for improvising within the form. The group improvisations, on the other hand, allow for spontaneously generated melodies. At times, it is easy to be unsure of whether or not the underlying structure was written or improvised. But it doesn’t really matter, since the music maintains its grasp on the listener at all times. Especially remarkable passages include the unaccompanied trombone and bass dialogue in Retrograde, the soothing opening section of After Dawn, the swaggering Spatter with a typically rapturous tenor solo and a talkative trombone solo, and Carson Halley’s superbly constructed drum solo on Stretching the Sinews. Dusk And Dawn is. for this listener, a gas from start to finish. Check it out and you’ll probably agree. 

Pine Eagle 016; Michael Vlatkovich (tbn) Rich Halley (ts) Clyde Reed (b) Carson Halley (d); Portland, OR, November 18-19, 2023; Spherical Aberaton [sic]/ The Return/ Retrograde/ After Dawn/ Spatter/ Stretching the Sinews/ The Hard Truth; 52:46. richhalley.bandcamp.com

Randy Ingram: Aries Dance

  On the wholly enjoyable Aries Dance, pianist Randy Ingram and his trio with Drew Gress on bass and Billy Hart on drums straddle the line between the early paradigm of piano with accompaniment and the more modern approach of engaged interaction among the players as pioneered by Bill Evans and his trios. The program consists of six originals, a pair of well-chosen standards, and Wayne Shorter’s Penelope. Ingram notes that he “wanted to make [his] compositions as streamlined as possible, to give Billy and Drew room to interpret.” It’s clear from the start of his Toward Polaris, an elegant and mellow waltz, that the musicians are highly attuned to the nuances of one another’s playing. The impeccable Drew Gress has recorded a couple of sessions previously with Ingram, in duo and trio formats. The propulsive and sensitive Billy Hart happened to catch Ingram in performance in New York and was attracted to his style. The pianist’s graceful and subtly swinging approach to the piano and the quality of his tunes give the whole date a genuinely warm and relaxed feeling. It no doubt helped the project that they played a club gig before recording, and had the services of esteemed recording engineer James Farber in the studio. Aries Dance is a delightful listening experience. Recommended. 

Sounderscore SO 008; Randy Ingram (p) Drew Gress (b) Billy Hart (d); NYC, May 3, 2024; Toward Polaris/ Para Milton e Pedro/ Into the Night/ You and the Night and the Music/ Penelope/ Aries Dance/ Castle and Fog/ Guimarães/ Dedicated to You; 46:44. www.sounderscore.com

Darius Jones: Legend of e’Boi (The Hypervigilant Eye)

  Alto saxophonist Darius Jones conjures a pungent and complex tone out of his horn, with forceful lines and a genuinely exciting way of moving from phrase to phrase. On Legend of e’Boi (The Hypervigilant Eye), he gets astute accompaniment from bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Gerald Cleaver. The results are magically entrancing as Jones plays like a man possessed. In a brief liner note, he writes that the “stigmatization of trauma and mental health prevented me from getting the help I needed to start healing my wounds ... Just as we do for our physical health, we must create space for our mental health.” A large portion of Jones’ healing process consists of his ambitious Man’ish Boy project. Legend of e’Boi (The Hypervigilant Eye) is the seventh of nine CDs. Each album features a different line-up, and all, except for his solo effort on Northern Spy, have been released on the critically acclaimed AUM Fidelity label. Jones composed all the pieces here, except for his inspired arrangement of No More My Lord, “based on a prison song recorded by Alan Lomax in Parchman, MS.” Jones is at his most fervent on this piece, buoyed by Lightcap’s resonant and plangent arco bass and Cleaver’s clattering drums. Another standout track is We Outside, structurally intriguing and powerfully executed by the trio. It starts out as a dialogue for Lightcap and Cleaver with occasional bursts of Jones’ alto sax as commentary. Jones takes charge around the half-way point of the eleven minute track, building an ornate and increasingly authoritative solo. For a delicious contrast, We Inside Now follows. As the title suggests, this is a sweet ballad, lovingly limned by the trio in an ultra-slow tempo. While Jones’ sometimes daunting intensity brings to mind such luminaries of the alto sax as Jimmy Lyons and Marshall Allen, on We Inside Now, he displays his softer and more vulnerable side. Jones’ epic project puts Albert Ayler’s dictum that “music is the healing force of the universe” into practice. Heartily recommended. 

AUM Fidelity AUM120; Darius Jones (as) Chris Lightcap (b) Gerald Cleaver (d); Brooklyn, NY, no dates specified; Affirmation Needed/ Another Kind of Forever/ No More My Lord/ We Outside/ We Inside Now/ Motherfuckin Roosevelt; 55:17. aumfidelity.com

Denny Zeitlin: Panoply

  Pianist Denny Zeitlin has worn a lot of musical hats since his debut in a trio format on Columbia in 1964. Over the years, he’s performed as a soloist, as leader of a trio, and, adding synthesizers, in a series of duets with percussionist George Marsh. Typically, these are discrete projects, but for his latest Sunnyside release, Panoply, he’s decided to program a lengthy CD with previously unissued music from a variety of sessions. Zeitlin’s latest trio features Buster Williams on bass and Matt Wilson on drums. They’re heard on four tracks that were performed in New York at Mezzrow’s, a 2019 gig that previously resulted in the Live At Mezzrow CD. The trio leads off the disc with a gently swinging version of Gershwin’s I Was Doing All Right. Next up is the heavily electronic Excursion, the first of five improvised duets with Marsh. The duets were selected from a decade of sessions held at Zeitlin’s home studio in California. As much as I love Zeitlin’s acoustic work, I’ve never really warmed up to the music that’s resulted from what Zeitlin describes as “a marvelous adventure.” But with the duos interspersed among the trio and solo selections, I expect that they will start to make more sense to me. The three solo pieces that are present were recorded at Zeitlin’s annual gig at the Piedmont Piano Company in December 2012. Among the standout tracks in this carefully selected and intelligently sequenced disc are the tender and boldly romantic solo treatment of Bill Lee’s Only One, the hyper-speed romp through Cherokee (another solo), the duo’s soothing A Raft, A River, and the trio’s emotional journey through Stordahl and Weston’s I Should Care. Panoply offers a heartily enjoyable listening experience. Definitely recommended. 

Sunnyside SSC 1741; Denny Zeitlin (p; p, hardware, & virtual synthesizer on duo selections) George Marsh (d, perc on duo selections) Buster Williams (b on trio selections) Matt Wilson (d on trio selections); solos, Oakland, CA, December 1,2012; duos, Kentfield, CA, 2013-2023; trios, NYC, May 3-4, 2019; I Was Doing All Right (trio)/ Excursion (duo)/ Only One (solo)/ Ambush (duo)/ Music Box (duo)/ Cherokee (solo)/ Regret (duo)/ Weirdo (trio)/ A Raft, A River (duo)/ Limburger Pie and Beeswax Crust (solo)/ I Should Care (trio)/ Johnny Come Lately; 77:32. sunnysiderecords.com

Jim Witzel Quartet:

  It doesn’t take very long to discern the compatibility and unified purpose of a group like the Jim Witzel Quartet. Except for a rather drab guitar-piano duet version of Paul Simon’s Old Friends, from Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends (1968), the program on Breaking Through Gently is comprised of original compositions by guitarist Witzel and pianist Phil Aaron. On bass is Dan Feiszli, who also recorded and mixed the CD. The drummer is accomplished Bay Area stalwart Jason Lewis. Witzel has recorded infrequently since his debut on record with saxophonist Dave LeFebvre back in 1981. He’s been woodshedding and gigging with pianist Aaron since sometime in the Nineties while Aaron was in the Los Angeles area. Breaking Through Gently is the first documentation of their collaboration. Witzel’s clear tone and flowing solos mesh very nicely with Aaron’s sparkling solos and tasty comping. Feiszli and Lewis make a fine team, swinging hard from start to finish. The whole ethos of the music’s feeling can be summed by one of Aaron’s titles, Hello My Friend. Witzel and Aaron sound genuinely happy to be playing together, and that feeling comes through loud and clear. Recommended. 

Joplin Sweeney J&S 203; Jim Witzel (g) Phil Aaron (p) Dan Feiszli (b) Jason Lewis (d); Berkeley, CA, July 26-27, 2023; My Compass/ Firefly Waltz/ The Celebration/ Abjohn/ Hello My Friend/ The Little Dragon/ Old Friends/ Breaking Through Gently; 45:02. www.jimwitzelmusic.com

Day Dream: Duke And Strays Live

  It’s hard to go wrong with a program devoted to the works of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. On the eminently pleasing Duke And Strays Live, drummer Phil Haynes’ Day Dream trio is captured in performance at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA. Beginning with the gentle ballad African Flower, the trio of Haynes, pianist Steve Rudolph and bassist Drew Gress elucidates the melodic contours of the music with flair and a deeply rooted sense of swing. The connection between Haynes and Gress goes all the way back to the drummer’s first album in 1986, and they’ve performed together on a wide range of projects since then. A pianist with a deft touch and a pleasing warmth to his improvising, Rudolph works beautifully with Gress and Haynes to illuminate these well-known compositions. Generally, the arrangements are direct and unfussy interpretations. Among the highlights are the extended treatment of Come Sunday, Strayhorn’s Lush Life featuring Gress’ rich arco introduction, and the closing medley of My Little Brown Book and the Ellington band’s theme song, Take The ‘A’ Train, played with exciting and unexpected shifts in tempo. The close-miked recording is especially kind to Haynes’ delicate cymbal work, though it leaves the audience sounding very far away. All in all, an extremely enjoyable release, quite happily recommended. 

Corner Store Jazz CRJ-0140+0141; Steve Rudolph (p) Drew Gress (b) Phil Haynes (d); Lewisburg, PA, September 10, 2023; Disc 1: African Flower; Perdido; Single Petal of a Rose/Sophisticated Lady; U.M.M.G.; Lush Life. Disc 2: Come Sunday; Rockin’ in Rhythm; T.G.T.T.; Lotus Blossom; My Little Brown Book/Take the ‘A’ Train. Total time: 77:27. cornerstorejazz.com

Steph Richards: Power Vibe

  Trumpeter and flugelhornist Steph Richards combines commanding technique with a bountiful musical imagination on Power Vibe. She gets devoted assistance from her band, with the versatile Joshua White on piano, the always impressive Stomu Takeishi on acoustic and electric basses, and the highly skilled Gerald Cleaver on drums. There’s also Max Jaffe, who supplies “sensory electronics” triggered by drum-mounted sensors on the studio tracks. He gets behind the drumkit for Supersense, the final track, recorded in concert in Bolzano, Italy. Richards’ original compositions put a lot of faith into her bandmates, with anyone in the group free to move the music into another direction. The results are absorbing and playful, with Jaffe’s generally subtle electronic textures adding another element of unpredictability into the music. There’s an appealing spaciousness in the ensemble’s sound, with almost endless possibilities as the tunes develop. One of the standout pieces is Moutons, where bold trumpet lines are surrounded by tinkly piano, bass rumbles, excitable drums, and a dollop of mild electronics. But on every piece, there’s obvious trust among the musicians that something very interesting is going on, and astute listeners will find plenty to enjoy. Recommended. 

Northern Spy NS 164; Steph Richards (tpt, flgh) Joshua White (p) Stomu Takeishi (b, electric bass guitar) Gerald Cleaver (d, exc on *) Max Jaffe (sensory electronics; d on *); Brooklyn, NY, no dates indicated; Prey/ Power Vibe/ October to July/ Moutons/ Reculez/ Supersense (Live in Bolzano)*; 40:06. northernspyrecs.com 

Alice Coltrane: The Carnegie Hall Concert

 

    It was quite a band that pianist and harpist Alice Coltrane assembled for a all-star benefit in February 1971 to raise funds for the Integral Yoga Institute run by her guru, Swami Satchidananda. Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp were the saxophonists, Jimmy Garrison and Cecil McBee each played bass, and Ed Blackwell and Clifford Jarvis were the drummers. Also present were Tulsi playing tamboura, and Kumar Kramer on harmonium. It’s taken many decades for this music to finally appear as The Carnegie Hall Concert, thanks to Ed Michel, who supervised the recording after producing Alice Coltrane’s Impulse albums Ptah, The El Daoud and Journey In Satchidananda. The original 4-track tapes have been lost, and all we have now is a reference mix that Michel made back in the Seventies. In his extensive and highly entertaining liner notes for this release, he notes the mix he made yielded a “quality being about 80 to 95% of that of the ‘master mix’”. With some modern processing tweaks, it sounds pretty good, although a dearth of microphones means Tulsi and Kramer are barely audible. The 80-minute program consists of four long performances. In order, there are two tunes composed by Alice Coltrane (both the title track and Shiva-Loka from the just-released Journey In Satchidananda) and two written by John Coltrane, Africa, from his 1961 Africa/Brass album, and Leo, first recorded in 1966 with Alice Coltrane on piano. The first two pieces unfold as distinctly spiritual and “within a specifically Vedic context - in sound and message,” as Lauren Du Graf testifies in her liner essay for this release. The drummers begin Africa in a blaze of tom-toms and cymbals before Alice enters on piano to set up the saxes for the main theme. It’s a boisterous and invigorating performance that maintains its high-spirited intensity for half an hour, notable for Shepp’s lengthy tenor solo and Alice’s powerful piano work. It is worth noting that according to Du Graf there were “no group rehearsals,” making the cohesiveness of the large ensemble a bit of a surprise and a testament to Alice Coltrane’s vision and tenacity. The closing performance of Leo features more of Alice’s piano and a drum duet for Blackwell and Jarvis before the saxophonists lead the ensemble for the closing crescendo. It was a rather strange evening at Carnegie Hall. Opening the concert was Laura Nyro, another devotee of Satchidananda, with a 20-minute set of solo piano and vocals. Next up was the Alice Coltrane band, who were asked to keep things short to make room for the closing act, the Rascals. That band’s singer and organist Felix Cavaliere was also a disciple of Satchidananda, and he notes that “The spirit of that event took hold from the beginning ... I kind of remember the spaciousness… I'm sure the audience was a little overwhelmed because it was kind of hard to figure out what exactly was happening up there.” Even so, you can hear the enthusiasm of the crowd at the conclusion of Africa, when the group had already been on stage for an hour. All in all, The Carnegie Hall Concert is an amazing document of an almost-lost performance and a fascinating chapter in the development of modern music. Impulse!; Pharoah Sanders (ts, ss, fl, fife, perc) Archie Shepp (ts, ss, perc) Alice Coltrane (p, harp, perc) Jimmy Garrison, Cecil McBee (b) Ed Blackwell, Clifford Jarvis (d) Tulsi (tamboura) Kumar Kramer (harmonium); NYC, February 21, 1971; Journey in Satchidananda/ Shiva-Loka/ Africa/ Leo; 79:29. www.impulserecords.com

John Alvey: Loft Glow

  Drummer John Alvey grew up with a musical father, pianist Michael Alvey, who encouraged his son in many ways, including finding him a first-rate drum teacher and exposing him to a lot of recorded jazz. Eventually, father and son played together for seven years in a trio that had a steady gig in his home town of Nashville. Loft Glow, John Alvey’s first album as a leader, has been a long time coming. He’s performed with jazz players like Brian Lynch, Greg Tardy, and Joel Frahm, whose warm tenor sax is a welcome presence here. Alvey’s key influence, perhaps surprisingly for a drummer, is saxophonist and composer Benny Golson, who turned 95 this past January. The well-known and much loved Moanin’ album by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers was, he says, his first exposure to hard bop, and he couldn’t stop listening to it. Loft Glow is a winning effort, with music that swings from start to finish. Alvey, working closely with trombonist Roland Barber, selected a good batch of tunes, including his own Azure, which leads off the set in high style. The band, with Alvey and Barber joined by alto saxophonist Jovan Quallo, tenorman Joel Frahm, the dynamic Matt Endahl on piano, and bassist Jacob Jezioro is impressive from the start. They maintain their appealing sound throughout the varied program, which makes listening to the entire album at once a genuine pleasure. In addition to Alvey’s lead-off track, there are two other pieces by band members. Trombonist Barber contributes the gentle Winslow Nocturne, while Quallo offers his quietly grooving June 23. John Stubblefield’s Baby Man, a favorite of Mary Lou Williams, is performed with an appropriately bluesy and down-home feel, courtesy of Endahl’s deft pianism and Alvey’s relaxed beat. Barber’s old-fashioned trombone solo is a nice touch. Of course, the set includes a piece by Golson. From his many compositions, Alvey chose Terminal 1, the title track of a 2004 CD for Concord. It’s a lovely tune, imbued with Golson’s trademark lyricism, and a rollicking Frahm makes the most of it. Alvey gets a chance to shine as well, with a tasty drum solo that moves the music right along. The set ends with a soulful canter through Ron Carter’s Blues For D.P., which first appeared on Parfait (Milestone) in 1980. Loft Glow is an excellent debut release, well worth checking out.

Jazz Music City; Roland Barber (tbn) Jovan Quallo (as on 2,3,5,6) Joel Frahm (ts on 1,2,4-6) Matt Endahl (p) Jacob Jezioro (b) John Alvey (d); Nashville, TN, August 15, 2022 (2,3,5) or July 14, 2023 (1,4,6); 1.Azure/ 2.Winslow Nocturne/ 3.Baby Man/ 4.Terminal 1/ 5.June 23/ 6.Blues for D.P.; 45:49. johnalveymusic.com

Travis Reuter: Quintet Music

  Without a drummer as adept as Tyshawn Sorey to negotiate its fractured rhythms, guitarist Travis Reuter’s Quintet Music would not have been nearly as exciting and enjoyable as it turned out to be. Enlisting Sorey, along with tenor saxophonist Mark Shim, vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, and bassist Harish Raghavan, gives Reuter plenty of choices in his arrangements. Sometimes Shim and Reuter are blazing up front over the vibes, bass, and drums rhythm team. At other points, like when Schlamb is laying down a furious vibes solo on #13 F34, the saxophonist seems to act as part of the rhythm section. There’s a lot going on all the time in Reuter’s music, and it can seem a trifle nervous at times. That’s only one reason to be glad for the three interludes, short features for Reuter, Shim, and Schlamb. They aren’t devoted to unaccompanied solos. Instead, each piece is focused on an individual instrumental voice as an oasis of relief in the midst of the more complex pieces. Of the longer tracks, I’m especially fond of Fast Louis, which starts out with an excitable guitar line from Reuter and deeply engaged responses from Sorey. The entrance of Shim and Schlamb, at around the two-minute mark, ups the ante considerably. Reuter’s wild guitar solo towards the end of #9 Low/High 1 is another exciting high point in the program. #15 and Carrico Real deliver a slam-bang finish to Quintet Music. I, for one, am sorely tempted to take a couple of deep breaths, and start back at the beginning. Highly recommended! 

Self-produced (digital only); Mark Shim (ts) Peter Schlamb (vib) Travis Reuter (g) Harish Raghavan (ac b) Tyshawn Sorey (d); Brooklyn, NY, April 21-23, 2024, additional recording Bern, Switzerland, October 10, 2022; Same Song/ #13 F34/ Interlude 1 (Reuter)/ #8 D@z/ Fast Louis/ Interlude 1 (Shim)/ #9 Low/High 1/ Interlude 1 (Schlamb)/ #15/ Carrico Real; 45:17. www.travisreuter.com

Bobby Hutcherson: Classic Bobby Hutcherson Blue Note Sessions 1963-1970

  Bob Blumenthal, in his typically comprehensive and thought-provoking style, begins his liner notes to the Classic Bobby Hutcherson Blue Note Sessions 1963-1970 by writing that “every boxed set tells a story ...” In fact, this marvelous collection of Hutcherson albums tells more than one story. There’s the coming-of-age tale that Blumenthal identifies, but there at least two other stories lurking in this set. One is the ongoing evolution of the storied Blue Note label, as the music slowly changed over the course of the Sixties into more commercial directions. A third and more personal story is the close relationship between Hutcherson and Michael Cuscuna, late co-founder of Mosaic Records who passed away in April 2024. He ends a brief remembrance of Hutcherson in the booklet by writing that “It was an honor to spend chunks of my life with Bobby and [his widow] Rosemary.” It is altogether fitting that Cuscuna’s final project for Mosaic should be this Hutcherson collection. For dedicated jazz fans who have enjoyed Mosaic’s endeavors since their first release in 1983, it’s been an honor and a distinct pleasure to spend so much time with all the music that they’ve unearthed over the decades.

After arriving in New York in early 1963 with a band led by trombonist Al Grey, Hutcherson’s vibraphone playing came to the attention of another trombonist, Grachan Moncur III. Moncur, a much more exploratory musician than Al Grey, was in the process of forming an ensemble with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean. He thought Hutcherson would fit in well, which led to the vibraphonist’s first Blue Note appearance, on McLean’s One Step Beyond, recorded on April 30, 1963. Further sideman appearances on Blue Note and other labels came along throughout the year, and at the end of December, 1963, his first session as leader. The Kicker went unreleased at the time, finally seeing light of day in 1999. By the time the label shut its doors in 1979, only Hutcherson and Horace Silver still remained from the Fifties and Sixties. This package collects eleven albums, fitting them on seven CDs. Six of these (Dialogue, Components, Happenings, Stick-Up!, Total Eclipse, and San Francisco) were issued contemporaneously, while five more sessions (The Kicker, Spiral, Patterns, Medina, and Oblique) came out much later, in various vault issue programs headed by none other than Michael Cuscuna. These CDs have been sequenced in chronological order, so The Kicker comes first. Along the way, we get to hear such notables as trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, reedmen Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, James Spaulding, and the perpetually underrated Harold Land, and pianists Andrew Hill, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock (1965-67), and Stanley Cowell (1968-69). On bass, the players include such luminaries as Richard Davis, Bob Cranshaw, Ron Carter, Reggie Workman, and Reggie Johnson. Joe Chambers is on drums for all but three of the dates. In typical Mosaic fashion, there are seven previously unissued alternates, and one previously unissued Stanley Cowell composition, Photon in a Paper World, recorded for the 1968 Medina album. There are three dozen atmospheric black and white photos taken by Blue Note co-founder Francis Wolff. Sound, as always, is impeccable, with the latest mastering techniques brought to bear via high-resolution transfers of the original analog tapes. 

Bobby Hutcherson was a wonderfully inventive and hard-swinging performer, particularly on marimba, a fine composer, and a genuine catalyst for group interaction. A previous Mosaic Select 3-CD set collected Hutcherson’s final five Blue Note albums from 1974-77. Classic Blue Note Sessions completes the picture of one of the most significant and influential vibraphonists of his era. Totally recommended. 

Mosaic MD7-278 (limited edition of 5,000 sets, available here; Disc 1 (74:48): The Kicker, Dialogue. Disc 2 (71:52): Dialogue concluded, Components. Disc 3 (69:51): Happenings. Disc 4 (71:06): Stick-Up!. Oblique. Disc 5 (75:32): Oblique concluded, Patterns. Disc 6 (78:56): Total Eclipse, Spiral, Medina. Disc 7 (78:00): Medina concluded, San Francisco. Complete discographical details available here 

Louis Hayes: Artform Revisited

  I started my day listening to Lee Morgan’s 1962 Riverside album Take Twelve, with Louis Hayes on drums. When I checked my mail in the afternoon, there was a promotional copy of Hayes’ fresh new release, Artform Revisited. Sixty plus years seemed to vanish in a flash as I listened to Hayes and his devoted quintet of Abraham Burton on tenor sax, Steve Nelson on vibes, David Hazeltine at the piano, and bassist Dezron Douglas, who also acted as co-producer with Hayes. This unit was first heard on 2021's Crisis, followed by 2023's Exactly Right!, both on Savant. For his third release for the label, Hayes had it in mind to revisit, in Maxine Gordon’s words, “the music that had influenced him and the musicians who were so important to his life.” That translated to the band tackling compositions from Dizzy Gillespie (with a jumping Tour de Force to start things out), John Lewis (Milestones), Ray Brown (the classic Ray’s Idea), Billy Strayhorn (the timeless A Flower is a Lovesome Thing, here spotlighting Nelson’s flowing vibes), and no fewer than three Charlie Parker gems in My Little Suede Shoes, Cheryl, and Dewey Square. There’s also the lesser-known Bobby Troup composition You’re Looking At Me, featuring Burton at his balladic best, and a pair of original compositions to round out the program. Hayes’ Ruby, dedicated to his mother, is a bouncy tune that came into his mind all at once, sympathetically arranged by Hazeltine. Closing the session is G, a straight-forward piece that Douglas describes as a “Kansas City barbecue style blues.” The tune rolls right along, a fitting capstone for the date. Hayes was quite happy with the sound that engineer Chris Sulit got for his drums on his last session, so they want back to Paramus, NJ, to make this one. It helps immensely that the drummer was working with a group where, he writes, the individuals “enjoy each other’s company and ... communicate as friends.” Good tunes, a convivial band, and the best working conditions all contribute to the goal to “play the music on the highest level possible and always respect the past.” Mission accomplished. It’s another winning outing for NEA Jazz Master and national treasure Louis Hayes. 

Savant SCD 2218; Abraham Burton (ts) Steve Nelson (vib) David Hazeltine (p) Dezron Douglas (b) Louis Hayes (d); Paramus, NJ, January 25, 2024; Tour de Force/ Milestones/ My Little Suede Shoes/ You’re Looking at Me/ Ruby/ Cheryl/ Ray’s Idea/ A Flower is a Lovesome Thing/ Dewey Square/ G; 50:32. www.jazzdepot.com

Mathias Højgaard Jensen: Is As Is

  On his first recording session, bassist and composer Mathias Højgaard Jensen sounds remarkably self-assured. For Is As Is, he has gathered a deeply compatible quartet with alto saxophonist David Mirarchi, pianist Jacob Sacks, and drummer Stephen Crammer. Sacks, the veteran of the band, has recorded with the likes of Eivind Opsvik (who mixed and mastered this CD), Jacob Garchik, David Binney, and Dan Weiss, among others, since he first appeared on record towards the end of the Nineties. He anchors the rhythm section with a brisk angularity and incisive harmonic choices. Saxophonist Mirarchi, making his own debut on record, has a sweet and unhurried sound, and happily seems more devoted to the realization of Jensen’s tricky compositions than to showing off what he can do on his horn. About those tunes: it’s hard to get a handle on the way Jensen writes his tunes because they continually move in unexpected directions. But the craftsmanship of the arrangements and playing, plus the undeniable flow of the music, make for an extremely attractive listening experience. Highlights include a long series of trades by Sacks and Mirarchi on Forbigået, with lively accompaniment by Jensen and Crammer, the gently rolling Is As Is featuring a prominent bass part and carefully modulated brush work by Crammer, Sacks’ robust piano solo on Hill, and Jensen’s delicate solo on Post August Blues. Vijay Iyer has written about what he calls the New Brooklyn Complexity, noting the “particular amalgamation of high-modernist compositional knowhow and cutting-edge improvisational expertise,” a description that seems eminently suited to Is As Is. Happily recommended. 

Fresh Sound New Talent FSNT 678; David Mirarchi (as) Jacob Sacks (p) Mathias Højgaard Jensen (b) Steven Crammer (d); Brooklyn, NY, September 29, 2022; Off-Set/ Sleeping Silver/ Hjemstavn:Hometown/ Afklaret/ Forbigået/ Kastle/ Is As Is/ Hill/ Post August Blues; 51:53. www.freshsoundrecords.com

Phillip Golub: Abiding Memory

  There’s plenty of music out there that bludgeons the listener with unabashed intensity. Pianist Phillip Golub’s music, on the evidence of Abiding Memory, is more insinuating and subtle. Working in a quintet format, with electric guitarist Alec Goldfarb, cellist Daniel Hass, bassist Sam Minaie, and drummer Vincent Atria, Golub’s music weaves lengthy melodic lines into an often surprising, perpetually fluctuating compositional style. As is often the case, track titles betray the way Golub thinks about his music. The opening pair of pieces, Catching a Thread and Threads Gather, establish the key metaphor for these tracks. It’s not easy to talk about “solo” and “accompaniment” in this music. Guitarist Goldfarb is prominent on Threads Gather, but until the last minute or so when he’s heard all by himself, the rest of the band is off on individual tangents that somehow all fit together. It’s a boon to the listener that the revelatory mix by drummer Atria allows all of the complexity of Golub’s arrangements to shine through. The Group to Hear is notable for the basic structure of piano and guitar playing a game of musical tag over a fairly sparse ensemble sound. For the slowly moving and mildly dissonant A Regrouping, Golub’s arrangement features harpsichord and piano, bowed bass and cello, lightly tapped cymbals and drums, and a smattering of guitar. The music picks up towards the end before morphing directly into Unspooled (Waiting Quietly). This is one of the less complex tracks, with a comparatively straight-ahead groove under an electric piano solo by Golub and a guitar solo by Goldfarb. The multi-part Where Lapses Elapse gets back to the layered strategies that characterize his music. The ominous At the 11th Hour threatens to explode around a repeated cello riff, but Golub on piano and Atria on drums hold things together. The harpsichord is back for the eerie A Moment Becomes, which leads right into Abiding Memory. For the title track, Golub puts his piano front and center, with hints of Jaki Byard, Don Pullen, and early Cecil Taylor in his generally dark and fragmented style. Vijay Iyer, who contributed a luminous liner essay for his one-time student, lauds the “impassioned sincerity [and] irrepressible ardor” of the music. This is a very young band, and they all sound ready for anything that a composer or fellow improviser throws at them. If, like me, you use your knowledge of particular players whose work you enjoyed to follow them in other projects, here’s a quintet of names to keep in mind. Definitely recommended.

Endectomorph Music BR324045; Phillip Golub (p, Rhodes el p, harpsichord) Alec Goldfarb (el g) Daniel Hass (clo) Sam Minaie (b) Vicente Atria (d); Astoria, NY, no dates indicated; Catching a Thread/ Threads Gather/ The Group to Hear/ A Regrouping/ Unspooled (Waiting Quietly)/ In a Secret Corner/ Where Lapses Elapse/ At the 11th Hour/ A Movement Becomes/ Abiding Memory; 58:17. www.endectomorph.com

Pedro Melo Alves: Conundrum Vol.1 - itself through disappearance

  Portuguese percussionist Pedro Melo Alves had an idea in 2019 that was at once simple and radical. The simple part was to arrange an performance series that convened on a regular basis. But each show in this adventure would feature Alves playing duos, as he writes, “with musicians I admire (and with whom I’ve never played before).” That’s a genuinely radical idea, and Alves cemented his enthusiasm for the unknown by recording all the shows and videotaping the events since 2022. His new CD is called Conundrum Vol.1 - itself through disappearance, with a baker’s dozen of duets with all kinds of folks. Four tracks team Alves with vocalists utilizing a broad range of vocal styles: Audrey Chen (screamy), Sara Serpa (playful, in what sounds like an invented language), Gil Dionísio (shouts. murmurs, and processed vocal), and Ece Canli (ethereal). The instrumentalists are similarly varied, with such sound sources as turntables and sampler (Ignaz Shick), MIDI accordion (João Barradas), electric guitar (Nuno Rebelo), harp (Jacqueline Kerrod), cello (Violeta Garcia), electronic and acoustic feedback, modified amplifier, and electrode oscillator (Rafael Toral), and healthy doses of electronics. Over the course of 13 untitled tracks, I find myself partial to the high-energy instrumental tracks, like the tough grooves of Alves and Shick, the savage electronics of Toral, and the introspective duet with pianist Marta Warelis, but the truth is that there’s something here for anyone even faintly interested in the excitement and unpredictability of free improvisation. The album’s title arises from the post hoc decision to made a CD compilation, “because the whole series wasn’t thought of with an album flow in mind.” Alves has done a yeoman’s job in listening back to all the shows, picking tracks, and coming up with an extraordinarily cohesive set of performances. The result is like the soundtrack to the wildest dream you’ve ever had, full of unusual sounds, strange characters, and an array of quick changes in attitudes and feelings. And it’s perfect on headphones! 

Clean Feed; Pedro Melo Alves (d, perc, elec) with 1. João Barradas (accor, MIDI accor)[5/14/22]/ 2. Audrey Chen (vcl, elec) [11/11/22]/ 3. Ignaz Schick (turntables, sampler, elec) [9/29/22]/ 4. Nuno Rebelo (elec g) [2/22/19]/ 5. Marta Warelis (p) [12/20/23]/ 6. Violeta Garcia (clo, elec) [4/12/23]/ 7. Jacqueline Kerrod (harp) [2/11/09] 8. Carlos Barreto (b) [5/13/22]/ 9. Sara Serpa (vcl) [7/9/22]/ 10. Rafael Toral (electronic and acoustic feedback, modified amplifier, electrode oscillator) [3/4/22]/ 11. Grilo (prep p) [2/12/19]/12. Gil Dionísio (vcl, elec) [10/19/23]/ 13. Ece Canli (vcl, elec) [2/9/23]; 74:03. Recorded in Lisbon, Portugal, exc. 4,7,9,& 11, Coimbra, Portugal and 4, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. cleanfeed-records.com

Ivo Perelman & James Emery: The Whisperers

  Tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman & James Emery, the acoustic guitarist and co-founder of the String Trio of New York, engage in a series of spirited dialogues on The Whisperers, as Perelman’s leaps and skitters of sound find their match in Emery’s fractured guitar lines. Perelman’s sudden jumps in pitch and his exploitation of the altissimo range of his tenor are on the left side of the stereo image. Emery’s unusual voicings, and an immaculate technique which allows him to switch rapidly between single-note runs and flurries of strummed chords, plus his own grab bag of extended techniques, are all on the right. Their excursions into sound, transparently recorded by Perelman’s usual engineer Jim Clouse, make for exquisitely involving headphone listening. The delirious high-wire act of track two, a high-velocity improvisation that’s full of blustery and excitable tenor and jagged bursts of guitar, grabbed me right away. Track ten, with its twisted and abstracted take on the blues, is a marvelous concoction. Track four is another of my favorites of this set, as a braying Perelman and a hard strumming Emery come together and apart and then together again in a genuinely audacious display of the improvisers’ art. This set came out in August 2023, and got lost in the shuffle. I’m glad I found it again; highly recommended. 

Mahakala Music MAHA-065; Ivo Perelman (ts) James Emery (g); Brooklyn, NY, February 2022; Twelve untitled improvisations; 52:59. mahakalamusic.com

The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis

  The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis bring the noise, and I mean that as a compliment. Genre-smashing guitarist Anthony Pirog teams with electric bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty as the Messthetics, a collaboration that began in 2016. Lally and Canty got their start playing in Fugazi, the Washington, D.C.-based band that lasted from 1986 until the group took an “indefinite hiatus” in 2002. They play with the locked-in ferocity and drive of the best punk music, leaving Pirog to dip and dive and soar on guitar. Add in the big brawny sound of tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and you have the right ingredients for a funky and rocking good time. This unit’s blend of elements reminds me of music by the likes of Ron Shannon Jackson and his Decoding Society or the Sonny Sharrock Band. At their best, the Messthetics are playing hard, just on the edge of crashing and burning up. The few attempts at slower tempos, like the overly long and dirge-like Boatly or the mellow Railroad Tracks Home, don’t fit the rhythm section’s style nearly as well. Lewis’ invigorating solo on the latter almost pulls it of the doldrums, but not for long. Favorites include the rousing That Thang featuring a raging solo by Pirog, the relatively sedate groove of The Time is the Place, and the impressive Fourth Wall, which closes the album with its headlong pace and some inventive blowing by Lewis. Recommended. 

Impulse! (CD and vinyl); James Brandon Lewis (ts) Anthony Pirog (g) Joe Lally (b) Brendan Canty (d); Takoma Park, MD, no dates specified; L'Orso/ Emergence/ That Thang/ Three Sisters/ Boatly/ The Time is the Place/ Railroad Tracks Home/ Asthenia/ Fourth Wall; 46:19. www.impulserecords.com

Nicole Connelly: Stamp In Time

  Trombonist Nicole Connelly makes her recording debut with Stamp In Time. Most of the pieces are in a revealing trio format, with a steady Zachary Swanson on bass and the dynamic Kate Gentile on drums. Trumpeter (and twin sister) Erin Connelly guests on a few pieces, and Andrew Hadro brings his baritone saxophone roar to Sky Piece. Connelly has a warm and enveloping sound on trombone, with occasional forays into grittier tones. The growling drone that opens the lead-off title track gives way to a sweet sound when Swanson and Gentile drift into the picture. Roswell Rudd’s Bamako follows with a bright groove stoked by Gentile’s peppy drumming and Swanson’s solid walking bass. Connelly is smooth as silk on this one, with an unhurried presence and an imaginative solo. Erin Connelly makes her first appearance on Shadow Self, as the sisters loosely duet over busy rhythms for just a couple of minutes. The assertive groove of Malaton is a real standout. It’s a fairly simple tune, energized by the robust interplay of the trio. Brown Recluse is a charming ballad, featuring lovely counterpoint by Erin Connelly. The brief Rising Wide-Eyed combines bowed bass and cymbals with a gentle melody for trombone. Thomas Chapin’s Sky Piece is the most boisterous song of the date, thanks to Hadro’s gruff baritone. Connelly takes a fine unaccompanied solo right in the middle. The appropriately somber Lullaby of the Doomed, an obscure Babs Gonzalez tune recorded by Bennie Green in 1958, is a showcase for Connelly’s multiphonics, with Swanson and Gentile providing delicate support. The jumping Day by Day is another highlight, as Gentile’s drums push Connelly into a broadly swinging mode that suits her to a T. And Counting ... ends the set with a free-sounding duet between trumpet and trombone. At not much more than two minutes, it’s the kind of piece that leaves you wanting more, and in fact I feel that way about many of the tracks. At 32 and a half minutes, Stamp In Time offers a relatively brief but thoroughly enjoyable look into Nicole Connelly’s musical world. An auspicious debut, well worth hearing. 

Self-produced; Nicole Connelly (tbn) Zachary Swanson (b) Kate Gentile (d) Erin Connelly (tpt on *) Andrew Hadro (bari s on #); Brooklyn, NY, August 2023; Stamp in Time/ Bamako/ Shadow Self*/ Malaton/ Brown Recluse*/ Rising Wide-Eyed/ Sky Piece#/ Lullaby of the Doomed/ Crow Song*/ Tiff*/ Day by Day/ And Counting...*; 32:31. nicoleconnelly.bandcamp.com

Wendy Eisenberg • Damon Smith • Stefan González: Balloon Of Ruin

  A gleeful collision of noises emanated from the first-time trio of Wendy Eisenberg • Damon Smith • Stefan González when they played at Infinite Ohm, a record label in Denton, Texas. On Balloon of Ruin, guitarist Eisenberg’s thoughtful and spiky skronk, Smith’s springy and adventuresome bass, and drummer González’s tasty and often explosive drumming make for a curiously absorbing experience. Song titles like Crushed Bits of Rubbish and Swamp Asylum are a real indication of the trio’s sensibilities. A wide dynamic range, from surpassingly quiet to rip-roaring passages, result in surprising juxtapositions of sound in this wild and woolly batch of improvisations. Definitely worth a listen. 

Joan Of Bark JOB 001; limited edition cassette (sold out) + digital album; Wendy Eisenberg (g) Damon Smith (b) Stefan González (d); Denton, TX, May 1, 2022; Crushed Bits of Rubbish/ Nutmeg Resin/ Swamp Asylum/ Filth Clogging Audibly/ A Single Bite of Sweet Potato/ Half a Liver/ Balloon of Ruin; 46:46. joanofbark.bandcamp.com/album/balloon-of-ruin

Ivo Perelman, Mark Helias & Tom Rainey: Truth Seeker

  Tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman continues to enlist new faces and sounds into his world of totally free improvisation. On Truth Seeker, the line-up is Ivo Perelman, Mark Helias & Tom Rainey for over an hour of robust instantaneous music making. Bassist Helias made his first recordings in 1977 with an Anthony Braxton quintet. Since then, he’s been heard with Dewey Redman, Anthony Davis, Barry Altschul, Jane Ira Bloom, and many, many others. The equally experienced Tom Rainey has played drums for a vast array of leaders, including Jane Ira Bloom, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Tim Berne, and dozens more. And naturally enough, Helias and Rainey have found themselves in the studio together regularly since Helias’ Attack The Future CD for Enja (1990). Not long before Truth Seeker was recorded, Helias and Rainey joined Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp for a Rogue Art release, which set the stage for this trio date. From the very first notes of the title track which opens the disc, their capacious rapport is apparent. Perelman starts the piece exploring the bottom ranges of his tenor sax, but within 4 minutes, he’s screamed his way to the outer limits. A charmingly peaceful bass and drums duet ensues as Perelman takes a short break, and the range of possibilities comes into view. Whether the music is peaceful, frenzied, or somewhere in-between, the collective inspiration never flags. Perelman’s gorgeous inventions on Devotion are breathtaking (no pun intended), as the rich throb of Helias’ bass and Rainey’s propulsive drums provide a suitably energetic backing. Bass and drums slowly grow quiet and then drop out, allowing for a calm and careful saxophone coda. Helias and Rainey kick off Mystical Vibration, then proceed to play with assertiveness when Perelman sneaks in with melodies in the upper reaches of his sax. Soon, Helias is wielding his bow and Rainey is paying a lot of attention to his cymbals. Things get awfully squeaky and dramatic for a few minutes before settling down again to explore new directions. And that’s the way the program proceeds, as they investigate some of the myriad sonic textures of a sax, bass, and drums unit. One of the more impressive aspects of this date is their uncanny synchronization in producing shifts in the velocity of the music. While it’s pointless to pick favorites on a session like this, as each piece proceeds to offer its own distinct rewards, I will note the fury of Spiritual Growth, the chattering introspection of Ubiquitous Light, and the tangled shards of melody on Life’s Meaning as particularly gripping excursions. Unreservedly recommended. 

Fundacja Słuchaj; Ivo Perelman (ts) Mark Helias (b) Tom Rainey (d); Brooklyn, NY, December 2022; Truth Seeker/ Devotion/ Mystical Vibration/ Spiritual Growth/ Ubiquitous Light/ Life's Meaning/ Intuition; 66:43. sluchaj.bandcamp.com

Jim Snidero: For All We Know

  Alto saxophonist Jim Snidero has always had a beautiful tone and a bountiful musical imagination. With For All We Know, his latest offering for Savant Records, he has recorded in a trio format with just bass and drums for the first time. Bassist Peter Washington initially worked with the saxophonist in 1987 for a Snidero album on Criss Cross. Snidero must have really liked what he heard on that occasion, since Washington has played on a lot of his recording sessions since that first encounter. Drummer Joe Farnsworth was on Snidero’s last two outings alongside Washington. The two have established a intuitive link that gives Snidero a firm but flexible foundation for his improvisations. I was pretty much hooked by the time Naima came around. That’s the second track in a well-selected range of standards and jazz compositions. He mostly just caresses the exquisite melody of Coltrane’s famous ballad, and that’s enough for me. Other high points include a slowly drifting excursion through Alec Wilder’s Blackberry Winter, featuring a warm-hearted bass solo and lovely brushwork by Farnsworth, the deep blues of Parker’s Mood and the playful exuberance of Willow Weep For Me. For All We Know is a thoroughly bewitching session, and I’m looking forward to Snidero’s further explorations of the trio setting. Definitely recommended. 

Savant SCD 2215; Jim Snidero (as) Peter Washington (b) Joe Farnsworth (d); Saylorsburg, PA, October 24, 2023; For All We Know/ Naima/ Love For Sale/ Blackberry Winter/ Parker’s Mood/ Willow Weep For Me/ My Funny Valentine/ You Go to My Head; 53:27. www.jazzdepot.com

Sun Ra: At The Showcase: Live In Chicago, 1976-1977

  With so much music available by Sun Ra and his Arkestra, you might not think there was room for more. But At The Showcase: Live In Chicago, 1976-1977 is special, with excerpts from two performances at Chicago’s premier jazz spot. The Arkestra on these occasions was one of the man from Saturn’s finest assemblies of musicians, with the all-time great reed section of Marshall Allen, Danny Davis, John Gilmore, Eloe Omoe, and Danny Thompson, a trumpet section that included Ahmed Abdullah and Michael Ray, and the mighty percussion team of Luqman Ali, Eddie Thomas, James Jacson, and Atakatune. I had the pleasure of seeing the Arkestra a number of times during the Seventies and Eighties, and I can truly say that there is nothing like a Sun Ra concert. There was always a galaxy of sound, including Sun Ra’s amazing electronic keyboard solos, plus Afrofuturist spectacle, space chants, wild costumes, and more. Let’s just say it was always a trip into the unexpected and his music thrilled audiences like nothing else could. At The Showcase was judiciously assembled by Michael D. Anderson, who was appointed by Sun Ra as the band’s archivist in the late Seventies. It’s been issued with the full cooperation of impresario Joe Segal’s estate and the Sun Ra estate. These sections of two sets, separated by nearly two years, provide a taste of what could be happening on stage (and sometimes in the aisles!). Both sets are in excellent sound, likely with a feed directly from the club’s mixing console. The 1977 performance feature the Arkestra in peak musical form. Starting out with New Beginning, an exotic flute and percussion piece, the band moves into View From Another Dimension, a riot of electronic keyboard, blaring trumpet, and percussion madness, before moving on to Ra perennials like Ankhnaton and Velvet, plus the swing-era tune Rose Room. The 1976 set on disc 2 is pretty wild, heavy on the chants and Ra’s other-worldly keyboards. It also features one of the most insane things I’ve ever heard, Ebah Speaks in Cosmic Tongue. A 36-page booklet features Hal Rammel’s photos from the Chicago shows; he also contributes his recollections of being on the scene. There are more photos from an October 1980 show in San Francisco, taken by Tom Copi. The main liner notes are by the multi-talented John Corbett. He begins his piece by writing “Sun Ra had a storied history with Chicago,” and goes on to discuss the evolution of the Arkestra’s involvement in the city as well as these particular shows. Anderson also writes about his life with Sun Ra and his close collaboration with Corbett. Between the two of them, they “have everything Sun Ra did.” Given the Arkestra’s peripatetic wanderings, it comes as no surprise that the tapes are “a puzzle,” often with little or no written information as to dates, venues, and songs. It’s taken heroic efforts by Corbett, Anderson, and Irwin Chusid of the Sun Ra estate to bring this high-profile project to fruition. We also get to read reflections on Sun Ra’s music by the great Marshall Allen, nearly 100 years old and still leading the Arkestra. Finally, there are comments by a broad array of musicians: Michael Weiss, Dave Burrell, David Murray, Jack DeJohnette, Matthew Shipp, Amina Claudine Myers, Reggie Workman, and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. I think I’ll leave the last word to Mr. Shipp: Sun Ra “occupies his own position in the jazz firmament.” 

At The Showcase: Live In Chicago, 1976-1977; Michael Ray, Ahmed Abdullah, Emmett McDonald (tpt) Vincent Chancey (Fr hn) Marshall Allen (as, fl, kora) Danny Davis (as, fl) Eloe Omoe (as, bcl) John Gilmore (ts) Danny Thompson (bari s, fl) Dale Williams (g) Sun Ra (p, electronic kybds) Richard Williams (b) Luqman Ali (d) Eddie Thomas (perc) Atakatune (cga) James Jacson (ancient Ihnfinity d, oboe) June Tyson, Cheryl Banks-Smith, Wisteria (Judith Holton) (vcl); Chicago, IL, November 4 & 10, 1977 (disc 1) and February 21, 1976 (disc 2); Disc 1 (52:14): New Beginnings/ View From Another Dimension/ Synthesis Approach/ Ankhnaton/ Rose Room/ Moonship Journey/ Velvet. Disc 2 (36:46): Calling Planet Earth & The Shadow World/ Theme of the Stargazers/ Space is the Place/ Applause/ Ebah Speaks in Cosmic Tongue/ Greetings From the 21st Century. deepdigsmusic.com

Mal Waldron & Steve Lacy: The Mighty Warriors

  Mal Waldron & Steve Lacy first played and recorded together in 1958, when Waldron was the house pianist for Prestige Records and the soprano saxophonist was making his second album for the label’s New Jazz imprint. That album, called Reflections: Steve Lacy Plays Thelonious Monk, is a wonderful exploration of Monk tunes at a time when programs of only Monk songs was a rarity. Lacy and Waldron bonded over their mutual love of Monk. Waldron went through a very rough period in the Sixties, after a breakdown caused by a drug overdose. Treatment left him without the ability to play piano, and he relearned it over several years. His sound had grown darker and somewhat obsessive when he re-emerged late in the decade. He settled in Munich in 1967. Lacy became an expatriate as well, moving to Paris in 1970. Their proximity in Europe led to a reunion in 1971 when they made Journey Without End, a quartet session recorded for the Japanese Victor label. The continued to meet in studios and on stage throughout the Seventies, Eighties, and the early Nineties. Their work, recorded once or twice a year in a wide variety of formats including duets, has been documented on many different labels in Europe and Japan, and finally, in 1990, on an American label, with the duo set Hot House for Novus. The release of The Mighty Warriors brings their awe-inspiring collaboration to a rousing conclusion, with 98 minutes of music from a 1993 concert celebrating Waldron’s 70th birthday in Antwerp, Belgium. Bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Andrew Cyrille are on hand to help “lift the bandstand,” a saying of Monk’s that Lacy took to heart. “That's magic, man,” he said in an interview, “when the bandstand levitates. I didn't know how to do it but I knew what he was talking about. Old dreams but they're still valid." The professionally recorded tapes of the concert were in the archive of Patrick Wilen, son of Belgian saxophonist Barney Wilen. The program, which was played without an intermission, starts with a lengthy version of Waldron's hard-driving What It Is, a perennial feature of Waldron’s set after its initial appearance on a 1981 quartet session. Epistrophy follows, the first of two Monk pieces that surround Lacy’s recent Monk-like composition Longing. Workman’s mini-suite Variation of III gives everyone a chance in the spotlight. The concert ends with a spectacular excursion through Snake Out, an insistent Waldron original that was frequently performed by Waldron after it debuted on a 1973 Enja album that featured Workman and drummer Billy Higgins. Among the many highlights of the Antwerp performance are Cyrille’s beautifully constructed solo on Monk’s Dream and his no holds barred assault on Snake Out, the interplay between Waldron’s piano and Workman’s bass on Variation of III, Lacy’s wide-ranging solo on Snake Out, and Waldron’s unaccompanied introspective solo Variations on a Theme by Cecil Taylor, curiously played before the return to the theme of Snake Out. The booklet, filled with Hugo Peeters’ black and white photographs of the performance, includes informative liner notes by Adam Shatz, a reminiscence by Hiromi Waldron (Mal Waldron’s widow), and reflections by Andrew Cyrille, Reggie Workman, Jane Bunnett, David Virelles, Dave Liebman, Vijay Iyer, and Evan Parker. Together, these personal and musical memories help to paint a fuller picture of their long-running collaboration. Great music in superb sound, loving comments, and pictures of the band on stage: what more could you ask? Heartily recommended. 

Elemental Music 5990446 [CD; also on vinyl]; Steve Lacy (ss) Mal Waldron (p) Reggie Workman (b) Andrew Cyrille (d); Antwerp, Belgium, September 30, 1995; Disc 1 (48:32): What It Is/ Epistrophy/ Longing/ Monk’s Dream. Disc 2 (50:11): Variation of III/ Medley: Snake Out, Variations on a Theme by Cecil Taylor. www.elemental-music.com

Sonny Rollins: Freedom Weaver - The 1959 European Tour Recordings

  I’ll leave to the likes of Joe Lovano and Branford Marsalis to sing the praises of the saxophone colossus, Sonny Rollins. It’s long been an article of faith among the intense Rollins fans to hold the sax, bass, and drums trio format that was his main setting from 1957-1959 in the highest esteem. The existence of recordings from the trio’s brief European tour was no surprise; they had all been bootlegged. But Freedom Weaver - The 1959 European Tour Recordings presents the first authorized release of this material. The bassist throughout is Henry Grimes. Pete La Roca started the tour on drums, was replaced by Joe Harris on one occasion, and later by bebop pioneer Kenny “Klook” Clarke. The repertoire is a mix of standards (including a few he never otherwise recorded), a handful of jazz compositions, and a few of Rollins’ original tunes. The first thing we hear, appropriately enough, is St. Thomas, one of Rollins’ most endearing songs. It’s the only surviving piece from a March 2 concert in Stockholm. The rest of the first CD is given over to two performances in the same city on March 4. Joe Harris plays on the evening show at the Södra Teatern. La Roca is back behind the drum kit the next day in Zürich. The aim of producer Zev Feldman was to present these tracks in chronological order, but he got blindsided by late-appearing information. Although the printed material credits three performances in Laren, The Netherlands on disc 2 as occurring on March 7, an errata sheet included with the booklet reveals that the Laren concert took place on February 21, at the very start of the tour. The balance of the second disc was recorded at a concert in Frankfurt, Germany, on March 9. Blumenthal notes that “[T]ensions that make the music crackle with energy proved insurmountable on a personal level,” and La Roca left the tour the next day. Luckily, expatriate Kenny Clarke was available. We get to hear him on the third disc, with three lengthy tunes recorded at a club appearance in Aix-en-Provence, France. Right from the start of Dizzy Gillespie’s classic Woody ‘n’ You, we can hear the difference that a new drummer makes. There’s a taste of that effect when Harris takes over for those 3 tracks on disc 1, but the presence of Clarke really moves things onto a new level. As well as Rollins has sounded up until now, he sounds even better here, more relaxed and exploratory. The 56-page booklet, copiously illustrated, includes notes by Bob Blumenthal, plus interviews that Feldman conducted with Marsalis, Lovano, James Carter, James Brandon Lewis, and Peter Brötzmann. Perhaps the best thing is the commentary by Rollins himself. He reflects on the trio format, and on the 1959 tour specifically. He notes that sax, bass, and drums afforded him “the best opportunity to do whatever I could do, whatever that was that had some resonance with people.” About Grimes, he says that he “seemed to not be afraid of playing without a piano, whereas a lot of bass players need a piano.” He has nice things to say about La Roca and Harris, but he saves most of his praise for “Klook,” whom he describes as “one of my giants.” Listening to these tracks from the past, the notoriously self-critical Rollins has to say “that they do have merit” and that they “do have a certain flair.” Fans of the great Sonny Rollins have had to put with inferior sounding examples of these songs for decades, so it’s a wonder that this sounds as good as it does. If you love to hear Sonny Rollins, and who doesn’t, don’t miss this release. 

Resonance HCD-2065 [CD; also on vinyl]; Sonny Rollins (ts) Henry Grimes (b) Pete La Roca, Joe Harris*, or Kenny Clarke# (d); Disc 1 (68:39) : Stockholm, Sweden, March 2, 1959: St. Thomas; Stockholm, March 4: There Will Never Be Another You/ Stay As Sweet As You Are/ I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star/ How High the Moon/ Oleo/ Paul’s Pal; Stockholm, March 4 : Sonny Rollins interview/ It Don’t Mean a Thing*/ Paul’s Pal*/ Love Letters*. Disc 2 (57:43): Zürich, Switzerland, March 5: I Remember You/ I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star/ It Could Happen to You/ Oleo/ Will You Still Be Mine?; Laren, Holland, February 21: I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star/ I Want to Be Happy/ A Weaver of Dreams; Frankfurt, West Germany, March 9: It Don’t Mean a Thing/ Cocktails For Two/ I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star/ I Want to Be Happy. Disc 3 (52:26): Aix-en-Provence, March 11: Woody ‘N’ You#/ But Not For Me#/ Lady Bird#. www.resonancerecords.org

Art Tatum: Jewels In The Treasure Box: The 1953 Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings

  One day while working for Fantasy Inc., I was entrusted with compiling The Best Of The Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces of the great pianist Art Tatum, selecting from a 7-CD boxed set. A more pleasant task is hard to imagine. Listening intently to that much music made me even more of a life-long Tatum fanatic. Although he is often thought of a solo performer, Tatum led two very successful trios during his career. His second trio, with Everett Barksdale on guitar and Slam Stewart on bass, lasted from 1951 until Tatum’s death in 1956. A new multi-disc package, titled Jewels In The Treasure Box: The 1953 Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings, captures this under-recorded unit at roughly the mid-point of its lifespan. With thirty-nine tracks recorded at a Chicago night spot in the summer of 1953, all previously unreleased, we’re privileged to hear these 70 year old performances that somehow manage to sound as fresh as the day they were made. Tatum, who can barely stop soloing at all times, is ably accompanied by Barksdale, a fine, if underrated, electric guitarist, and Stewart, a rock-solid bassist and a pioneer of humming along with his arco solos. The trio swings like mad as they offer a survey of the Great American Songbook. Dip in anywhere to be carried away on waves of excitement that are flowing from the stage. As a special treat, we get to hear Tatum’s resonant speaking voice several times, introducing songs and thanking the audience in a relaxed and friendly manner. It’s easy to be dazzled by the sheer virtuosity of Tatum’s playing. Many pianists, hearing him on record for the first time, have been convinced that it wasn’t possible for one person to play that much piano. But it was, and from a man who drank copious amounts of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer while he performed. Brent Hayes Edwards contributes a general outline of Tatum’s life and career in the booklet, making valuable observations about Tatum’s piano mentors and conceptional framework. The booklet also includes appreciations by Sonny Rollins, Terry Gibbs, pianists Ahmad Jamal, Michael Weiss, Spike Wilner, Monty Alexander, ELEW, and Johnny O’Neal, plus photos and memorabilia from the club. Like all of producer Zev Feldman’s projects, this collection is fully authorized. This one originated with the family of Frank Holzfeind, who operated the Blue Note in Chicago for fifteen years. These tapes come from his personal collection, which makes me wonder about what else is in that vault. While we’re waiting, there’s nearly three hours of Art Tatum to treasure and hear again and again. Absolutely recommended. 

Resonance HCD-2064 [CD; also on vinyl]; Art Tatum (p) Everett Barksdale (g) Slam Stewart (b); Chicago, IL, August 16, 21* & 28#; Disc 1 (53:41) : Night and Day/ Where or When/ On the Sunny Side of the Street/ Don’t Blame Me/ Soft Winds/ These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)/ Flying Home/ Memories of You/ What Does it Take/ Tenderly/ Crazy Rhythm/ The Man I Love/ Tea For Two. Disc 2 (59:21) : I Cover the Waterfront/ Body and Soul/ Laura/ Humoresque/ Begin the Beguine/ Medley: There Will Never Be Another You; September Song/ Just One of Those Things*/ Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams*/ St. Louis Blues*/ After You’ve Gone*/ Someone to Watch Over Me*/ Elegy*. Disc 3 (60:31) : Sweet Lorraine*/ (Back Home Again in) Indiana#/ Tabu#/ Judy#/ Lover#/ Dark Eyes#/ Stompin’ at the Savoy#/ If#/ Out of Nowhere#/ Would You Like to Take a Walk?#/ Stardust#/ Air Mail Special#/ I’ve Got the World on a String#/ The Kerry Dance. www.resonancerecords.org

Matthew Shipp Trio: New Concepts In Piano Trio Jazz

  The Matthew Shipp Trio, with Shipp on piano, Michael Bisio on bass and Newman Taylor Baker on drums, has been together for nine years, recording both as a self-contained unit and in quartets with flutist Nicole Mitchell (once) and with tenor saxophonist Rich Halley (three times). New Concepts In Piano Trio Jazz is their latest effort, and although the title is reminiscent of classics like Bill Evans’ New Jazz Conceptions (1957) or Stan Kenton’s New Concepts Of Artistry In Rhythm (1952), this freely improvised set is most assuredly music of today. To be more precise, a specific day: August 2, 2023. That’s the day Shipp and company arrived at Park West Studios in Brooklyn to record New Concepts In Piano Trio Jazz. It surely would have been at least a little different the day before - or the day after. As producer Steve Holtje writes, “Shipp comes in with a plan sketched out - not compositions, but a roadmap for all the tracks ...” There’s a stark simplicity to the openings of many of the pieces, often with short repeated phrases that develop and evolve through the complex interactions among the players. The overall feeling is ruminative and meditative, with occasional bursts of more feverish playing. As in most long-term relationships, whether personal or musical, Shipp, Bisio and Newman frequently appear to be mind-readers, but they have their little spats as well. The closing piece, Coherent System, is both the longest track (11:39) and also the most uninhibited. Shipp’s busy pianism is matched by Baker’s exuberant attack, as Bisio holds down the center with his usual calm approach. I really loved their previous ESP release, World Construct, and the more time I spend with New Concepts In Piano Trio Jazz, the more I delight in its nuances. It’s worth concentrating on each individual player while listening. Shipp’s time sense and use of unexpected silences form the foundation for these explorations. Bisio’s fat sound and unerring sense of the absolutely correct note is always a pleasure. And Baker’s work throughout the set is exceptionally fine, from his exquisite brush work on Sea Song to his assertive duet with Bisio that opens the jittery Non Circle. But it’s the occult alignment of the trio’s sensibilities that truly elevates this set into a gem of the improviser’s art. Absolutely recommended. 

ESP-Disk' ESP5085; Matthew Shipp (p) Michael Bisio (b) Newman Taylor Baker (d); Brooklyn, NY, August 2, 2023; Primal Poem/ Sea Song/ The Function/ Non Circle/ Tone IQ/ Brain System/ Brain Work/ Coherent System; 47:23. www.espdisk.com

Samo Šalamon/Vasil Hadžimanov/Ra-Kalam Bob Moses: Dances of Freedom

  Three boldly imaginative musicians, Samo Šalamon, Vasil Hadžimanov & Ra-Kalam Bob Moses, combine for Dances of Freedom. The set opens with Cream of Emotion, where Šalamon’s banjo, Hadžimanov’s synthesizer and Moses’ percussion create an ominous feeling of space music mired in Mississippi mud. Šalamon’s busy electric guitar and Hadžimanov’s ethereal electronic keyboard washes are buoyed by Moses’ aggressive percussion on Free Dances, where the music doesn’t develop as much as it just keeps pushing forward. On Ocean Calimba, Šalamon is back on banjo. He manages to evoke the sound of a thumb piano, with Moses clattering on what sounds like hand drums and cymbals while Hadžimanov contributes some other-worldly tones to the proceedings. For Dirty Zone, Hadžimanov moves to piano, and the music is mostly an upbeat duet between piano and drums, with occasional interjections by Šalamon on acoustic guitar. The meditative Morphbed is worth savoring again and again thanks to its mysterious blend of organ-like swells, piercing electric guitar, and chattering percussion. Even more shrouded in haze is Pans, where the combination of acoustic guitar, lightly tapped percussion, and unusual synth timbres yields a track of alluring beauty. Hapi Mai ends the album. This intriguing and introspective piece features subdued but insistent percussion over which Hadžimanov on piano and Šalamon on insistent electric guar. trade melodic lines to excellent effect. Endlessly stimulating and full of surprising textures, Dances Of Freedom makes for rewarding listening. Recommended. 

Samo Records; Samo Šalamon (el & ac g, bjo) Vasil Hadžimanov (kybds, p on *) Ra Kalam Bob Moses (d, perc); Moribor, Slovenia (probably), August 2021; Cream of Emotion/ Free Dances/ Ocean Calimba/ Dirty Zone*/ Conga/ Morphbed/ Pans/ Indian Base/ Hapi May*; 44:14. samosalamon.bandcamp.com/music