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

Andrew Boudreau: Neon

  After many decades of writing about music, snap judgements come easily to me. So it’s always a welcome surprise when I press “play,” the music starts, and I’m immediately intrigued by what I’m hearing but not at all sure what to think about it. That was the case with Neon, the superb debut release of music by pianist Andrew Boudreau. Boudreau met bassist Simón Willson when they both studied at the New England Conservatory. Tenor saxophonist Neta Raanan and drummer Eviatar Slivnik were students at the nearby Berklee College of Music when the four became acquainted. As a unit animating Boudreau’s tricky but appealing compositions, the quartet achieves a distinct sense of unity and cohesiveness. The keys, I think, are thoughtful understatement coupled with a self-assured attitude that lets the music breathe without ever sounding forced. Raanan’s snaky tenor solo on the opening track, Mile Ex, reveals a vivid musical imagination and the taut energy of spirited give and take with the rest of the band. She’s even better on the next piece, the snappy Ribbons, highlighted by a playful passage with Boudreau’s energetic piano. Boudreau’s crisp touch at the keyboard, thoughtful accompaniments, and melodically rich solos are a big part of the music’s success. In bassist Willson and drummer Slivnik, Boudreau has found a team that works beautifully together, keeping the music flowing with infectious energy. Boudreau’s inspirations are as varied as Canadian artist Maud Lewis, childhood summers (the expansively grooving Ghost Stories), his suddenly trendy Montréal neighborhood (Mile Ex), and the fiction of Julio Cortázar (the forceful and intricate Hopscotch). The Water's Cold, with its intricately intertwined introduction of arco bass, lush piano chords, brushes on drums and cymbals, and a slightly muted saxophone line, is a particular favorite. That’s just one of the disc’s many highlights. While it’s still early in the year, I’ll be surprised to hear a better rookie effort in 2022. Definitely recommended. 

Fresh Sound New Talent FSNT 631; Neta Raanan (ts; out on *) Andrew Boudreau (p) Simón Willson (b) Eviatar Slivnik (d); Astoria, NY, August 13, 2021; Mile Ex/ Ribbons/ Maud Lewis/ Neon*/ Ghost Stories/ One Day/ The Water’s Cold/ Hopscotch/ Welcome Oak*; 46:40. freshsoundrecords.com

Simon Moullier Trio: Countdown

The Simon Moullier Trio adroitly reinvents a number of familiar jazz compositions and a couple of standards on their beautifully realized debut Countdown. A lineup of vibes, bass, and drums is not that common; more often than not, there’s a piano or guitar included to make it a quartet. But vibraphonist Moullier and his bandmates Luca Alemanno on bass and Jongkuk Kim on drums seem perfectly at home in the trio configuration. The combination of the unusual setting with relatively well-known material makes for a special listening experience. Especially fine are the two Thelonious Monk tunes, Work and Ask Me Now, Charles Mingus’ immortal ode to Lester Young, the much-recorded Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, and the trio’s bouncy look at Jerome Kern’s The Song Is You. The hard-driving drummer Kim is impressive throughout the set, keeping things moving smartly. His featured role on Tadd Dameron’s Hot House is a delight. The steady Alemanno acts as a fulcrum between the drums and vibes, with a couple of exceptional solos along the way, while Moullier’s bright vibes sound and his astute sense of melodic invention lead the way. Countdown is an elegantly creative and rewarding release. 

Fresh Sounds New Talent FSNT-622; Simon Moullier (vbs) Luca Alemanno (b) Jongkuk Kim (d); NYC, May 2020, except *Los Angeles, CA, November 2017; Countdown/ Work/ I Concentrate On You/ Goodbye Pork Pie Hat/ Nature Boy/ Turn Out the Stars/ The Song Is You/ Beijo Partido/ Hot House/ *Ask Me Now; 41:26. www.freshsoundrecords.com