Jussi Reijonen: sayr: salt thirst (in the studio) & sayr: kaiho (in concert)

     Finnish guitarist and oudist Jussi Reijonen spent a day in the studio to record sayr: salt thirst, a solo performance on steel-string acoustic guitar. Sayr is Arabic for “course” or “motion”, a metaphor for “ a musical pathway unfolding through improvisation in a memory palace of sound,” according to Reijonen’s website. There was just one take of about 40 minutes to take up both sides of an Lp, split into two “suites” titled salt and thirst. At the beginning of salt, his main influences seemed to be John Fahey at his most devotional and Robbie Basho. The music here is meditative, intimate and calming. The next section, sarvi (‘horn’ in English) is fragmented and atomized, though equally intimate, as if the listener is allowed to intrude upon Reijonen’s guitar musings. Then I noticed that in the booklet for this release, Reijonen cites Lightnin’ Hopkins, Ali Farka Touré, Paco de Lucia, Hamza El Din and others “for leaving us trails.” Clearly his influences are broad and partake of many styles and approaches to string instruments. The playing is impeccable, the recording is transparent, and it all makes it easy to get lost in ths music. Totally improvised, and quite lovely as well. Recommended. Unmusic UNCD12025/UNLP12025 ; Jussi Reijonen (performed on steel-string acoustic guitar in one improvised take); Helsinki, Finland, March 1, 2025; salt (sola/ sarvi/ sae/ keinu)/ thirst (koto/ kuori/ kaarna/ säe/ kiedo/ aina/ ennen); 40:00.

    Six months later, Jussi Reijonen brought his guitar and oud to play in the same personal spirit for an audience in a small space in Helsinki. The Black Box seats between 220 and 350 people, depending on the room’s configuration. The name of the venue is perfect for the live improvised nature of sayr: kaiho (roughly “longing” or “nostalgia” in Finnish). The “input” is Reijonen’s vast array of influential music, as filtered through an individual personality. The “output” of course is the music that we’re hearing. But how this happens is a bit of a mystery, perhaps even to Reijonen himself. Two sets of instant compositions that make a stunning matched pair. Unmusic UNCD22025/UNLP22025; Jussi Reijonen (steel-string acoustic guitar, oud*); Helsinki, Finland, September 19, 2025; halla (kuura/ pihka/ suisto/ kaaripeili/ sarvi)/ fes* (irti/ iki/ eri)/ vielä (entä); 42:14. www.jussireijonen.com

Sarah Wilson: Incandescence

     Trumpeter Sarah Wilson’s latest release is the always fascinating and often beautiful Incandescence. Wilson’s original compositions are intricate and develop in idiosyncratic pathways. The perfectly poised sextet of Mara Fox on trombone, Kasey Knudsen on alto sax, John Schott on guitar, Liza Mezzacappa on bass, with Jon Arkin and Tim Bulkley sharing drum duties, gives her smartly crafted arrangements a spirited workout. The combination of the charts and the assured ensemble work gives the aural impression of a larger group than just six pieces. Everyone gets a chance to solo, with the imaginative Wilson and the veteran Bay Area guitarist Schott prominent. But as strong as the solo work is, for me, it’s really about the ensemble passages and the ever-shifting blend of voices. Solo passages turn into duets and lead into further permutations within the ensemble. From the start of Architecture in Space I found myself captivated by Wilson’s music, which seems to invite the listener to come in and explore. Standout tracks include the joyful title track with its high-life feeling, the stately and somber Music Appears to Stand Still, the unusual Lullaby, featuring John Schott in a playfully abstract mood, and the moving Echoes Refrain, which closes the set in style. Highly recommended. 

Brass Tonic; Sarah Wilson (tpt) Mara Fox (tbn) Kasey Knudsen (as) John Schott (g) Liza Mezzacappa (b) Tim Bulkley or Jon Arkin* (d); Oakland, CA, April 13-14, 2024; Architecture in Space/ Incandescence/ Hopeful Sorrow/ Music Appears to Stand Still/ Epilogue/ Jubilant*/ Dancing with Cierra*/ Fully Unfolding*/ Lullaby*/ Trifecta/ Echoes Refrain; 45:11. www.sarahwilsonmusic.com 

Zack Lober: So We Could Live

     Catchy melodies and a profound sense of creative joy infuse So We Could Live, the second release by bassist Zack Lober and his NO FILL3R ensemble. Adding tenor saxophonist Jasper Blom to his trio with trumpeter Suzan Veneman and drummer Sun-Mi Hong increases the range of sonic possibilities while retaining the brisk interplay within the band. With the well-established Blom on hand, Lober acquires not just a new voice in his group, but another composer. Lober and Blom split song-writing duties for this effort, along with one standard. One of the real highlights of the set is Lober’s busy and emotionally fraught solo bass medley of his original Dad, played in a medley with Consuelo Velázquez’s Besame Mucho. Veneman’s clear trumpet sound and her thoughtful and elegantly constructed solos make a nice contrast with Blom’s grittier tenor and more angular approach to his solo excursions. Lober and drummer Hong are beautifully matched, with a seemingly intuitive link that establishes a firm rhythmic foundation for the music to develop. Hong is generally content to keep things moving without calling much attention to herself, but when she does step out on Blom’s hard-bop flavored Feathered Head, she contributes an appropriately vigorous solo. Lober’s title track concludes the session with an inspired composition that leaves this listener with a calm and peaceful feeling. So We Could Live is definitely recommended. 

ZenneZ ZR2025015; Suzan Veneman (tpt) Jasper Blom (ts) Zack Lober (b) Sun-Mi Hong (d); Hilversum, The Netherlands, April 22 & 23, 2025; Joe Type Tune/ Behind a Myth/ The Loose End/ Vignette/ Dad; Besame Mucho/ Landscape/ Feathered Head/ So We Could Live; 37:56. zennezrecords.com

Horace Silver Quintet: Silver In Seattle: Live At The Penthouse

     It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when live jazz was broadcast on the radio from clubs across the country. Zev Feldman, who has produced reissues for many labels over the last decade or so, has presided over the release of music by a number of prominent artists (like Cal Tjader, Cannonball Adderley, and Wynton Kelly with Wes Montgomery) recorded from the stage of Seattle’s Penthouse club. The latest to appear features a short-lived edition of the Horace Silver Quintet. Short-lived because the unit heard on Silver In Seattle: Live At The Penthouse has a front line of trumpeter Woody Shaw and tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, who were in Silver’s group together only from the spring of 1965 until perhaps the first half of 1966. Drummer Roger Humphries was with Silver from mid-1964 until 1967, with various bassists joining him in the rhythm section. That role was often filled, as it is here, by Teddy Smith. But here’s the thing: if you are a fan of vintage hard bop, especially on the Blue Note label, you love Horace Silver’s music practically by definition, no matter who is on the bandstand. The five tunes here include Henderson’s The Kicker, the well-known Silver originals Song For My Father and The Cape Verdean Blues, which was first recorded a couple of months after the Seattle appearance. The quintet is excellent form on this pair of broadcasts, a week apart. That’s another relic of the past. Bands would frequently appear at the same club for a couple of weeks or even longer. This situation provided the musicians a chance to learn the room and make any necessary adjustments required, with the added benefit of staying in one city and keeping off the road for a spell. Jim Wilke of KING-FM hosted the broadcasts, and he wisely recorded many of them for fans to enjoy decades later. Silver’s blend of buoyant groove and memorable melodies will never go stale, and here’s another vault issue to prove it. Easily recommended. 

Blue Note; Woody Shaw (tpt) Joe Henderson (ts) Horace Silver (p) Teddy Smith (b) Roger Humphries (d); Seattle, WA, August 12 & 19*, 1965; The Kicker/ Song For My Father/ The Cape Verdean Blues/ Sayonara Blues*/ Band introductions*/ No Smokin'*; 53:45. www.bluenote.com