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 

Tom Harrell: Alternate Summer

  Trumpeter and composer Tom Harrell has a very full discography, beginning with his recording debut as a member of the Stan Kenton orchestra in 1969. He made his first album as a leader in 1976, and he has recorded steadily since then. His latest is Alternate Summer, with a new batch of tunes to intrigue and inspire his stellar cast of musicians. The rhythm section of Luis Perdomo on keyboards, Ugonna Okegwo on bass, and Adam Cruz on drums has been with him for a few years. For this outing, he’s brought in two of the most prominent and stimulating tenor saxophonists of the day, Dayna Stephens and Mark Turner, as well as the accomplished guitarist Charles Altura on four tracks. Harrell’s exceedingly lovely and burnished trumpet sound is intact as he nears 80 years young. The groove is paramount in his compositions, a lesson no doubt learned in his tenure with Horace Silver from 1975-1979. Highlights of the disc include the funky UV with Perdomo on soulful organ, the mellow Heliotrope with its enticingly poised trumpet solo and delicate acoustic guitar from Altura, the dramatic Plateau with inspired solos by Stephens and Perdomo, and the lengthy and inventive Wind with its sinuous Turner solo. And a shout-out to Okegwo and Cruz, a most adaptable and dynamic bass and drums duo that provides the lift that Harrell’s music thrives upon. Alternate Summer is an hour of sheer delight, and one of the best albums of the year. 

HighNote HCD 7344; Tom Harrell (tpt) Dayna Stephens (ts on 4-6,8) Mark Turner (ts on 1-3,9-10) Luis Perdomo (p on 4,6-10; Fender Rhodes el p on 1-3; B-3 org on 5) Charles Altura (ac & elec g on 2,3,5,7) Ugonna Okegwo (b) Adam Cruz (d); NYC, November 28 & December 27, 2022; 1.Miramar/ 2.Peanut/ 3.Alternate Summer/ 4.Intermezzo/ 5.UV/ 6.Chalcedon/ 7.Heliotrope/ 8.Plateau/ 9.Wind/ 10.Radius; 59:52. www.jazzdepot.com

Wadada Leo Smith: Sacred Ceremonies & Trumpet

  The trumpeter, composer and musical theorist Wadada Leo Smith turns eighty at the end of 2021. A number of significant releases are planned during the year to celebrate that milestone. First out of the gate are a pair of 3-CD sets on the TUM label, a Finnish imprint that has previously issued a batch of his projects in various formats. Reading the tune titles on Sacred Ceremonies, collaborations with electric bassist Bill Laswell and percussion master Milford Graves, and Trumpet, a solo set, provides a firm sense of Smith’s abiding interests. Music, of course, is a primary concern, and it’s worthwhile to note the breadth of his inspirations, which includes such figures as Baby Dodds, Albert Ayler, Amina Claudine Myers, Prince, and Minnie Riperton. Writers and poets are another focus for Smith, with dedications to James Baldwin and Henry Dumas. Social justice (Social Justice - A Fire for Reimagining the World, one of the Sacred Ceremonies) and spiritual concerns (Discourses on the Sufi Path, on disc 3 of Trumpet) also figure into Smith’s insatiable curiosity about the world. The unique trajectory of Smith’s life began in Leland, Mississippi, where his family home was a meeting place for blues artists like B.B. King and Elmore James. He played in the high school concert and marching bands, and composed his first piece (for three trumpets!) at age 12. You can read all about his career in the extensive biographical notes that TUM includes in the thick booklets that accompany the music. Even with his extensive experiences playing in Army bands for about 5 years, his move to Chicago in 1967 as an early member of the AACM, and his subsequent development of a music system that he calls “ahkreanvention,” Smith maintains that “the Blues was my first language and it never went away.” The truth of that statement is in the playing, where his acute sensitivity and the vocal-like aspects of his trumpet playing are continually on display. 

Sacred Ceremonies combines separate duet sessions with Graves and Laswell recorded on successive days in May 2016 with a trio session from the previous December. Smith is no stranger to duets with percussionists, having previously recorded sessions with Ed Blackwell (1986), Yoshisaburo "Sabu" Toyozumi (1994), Hamid Drake (1998), Adam Rudolph (2002), Gunter “Baby” Sommer (2006), Jack DeJohnette (2008), and Louis Moholo-Moholo (2011). Graves’ very personal sense of rhythm, centered in the body and his researches into the heartbeat as a healing force, dovetails with Smith’s expansive sense of open forms and free improvisation. Their duet session on the first disc is a searching exploration of their connection and a distinct manifestation of what Smith calls Graves’ “conscious heart that’s over-flowing with Divine Love.” On the second disc, Bill Laswell, with a seemingly limitless capacity for fitting into any musical situation, proves that he is one of a handful of electric bass guitarists who can go head to head with Smith and create beauty in the process. Their duets are often rather delicate, like Donald Ayler’s Rainbow Summit or the somber Mysterious Night. One of the set’s many highpoints comes when, appropriately enough, Smith evokes the sound of a muted Miles Davis on the pair’s tribute to the great drummer Tony Williams. Laswell’s complementary throbbing bass part, with some subtle electronics in the mix, keeps the music moving smartly. Smith’s assertive trumpet makes a great combination with Laswell’s subdued and enveloping bass on Earth - A Morning Song, another of the CD’s highlights. Finally, on the third disc of the set, there’s the majestic sound of all three. For a little over an hour, the trio digs deeply into their connection as sonic adventurers who recognize no boundaries in their music. There is some history among the players: Laswell and Graves performed together in New York and recorded a duet album of their own for TUM in 2013, and the bassist contributed to Smith’s Najwa CD in 2014, also on TUM. First is Social Justice - A Fire For Reimagining the World, with a blazing Smith, the loose and free drums of Graves, and Laswell’s resourceful electric bass. on. Next up is the urgent improvisation of Myths of Civilizations and Revolutions with a loose-limbed Graves alongside Smith and Laswell’s sophisticated call and response interaction. The bassist starts off Truth in Expansion with an extended solo that mixes string sounds and effects that make it sound more like an organ. Graves soon sets up a beat, the bass falls right in, and Smith joins the fray. Graves begins The Healer’s Direct Energy with his Afro-Cuban styled drums and the steady shake of his hi-hat. The piece develops into a rich conversation among Smith’s clear and relaxed tones, Graves’ busy clatter, and Laswell’s bass with that organ effect at work. Waves of Elevated Horizontal Forces starts out with forceful bass and trumpet; the entrance of Graves’ drums after the first two minutes settles things down into a dancing groove. Smith’s trumpet, with his characteristic unhurried approach to improvisation, unfolds in contrast to the more animated rhythms of Graves and Laswell. The effect is to give the track a degree of inner tension that pulls the listener briskly along. The plaintive cry of Smith’s horn on An Epic Journey Inside the Center of Color is yet another illustration of the centrality of the blues to Smith’s aesthetic. He has the first two minutes to himself before bass and drums create a suitable atmosphere for further musical travel. The closing Ruby Red Largo - A Sonnet is loose and free as the music sweetly strolls and bobs along. It’s a fitting end to this enlightening musical journey. Sacred Ceremonies is highly recommended. 

Even a single CD of solo trumpet can prove challenging to many music enthusiasts, but Wadada Leo Smith’s first album in 1971 for his own Kabell label was titled Creative Music-1: Six Solo Improvisations. He’s continued to mine the possibilities of the format over the decades, including the superb Solo: Reflections And Meditations On Monk in 2015. The recently released triple-CD set, simply titled Trumpet, offers two and a quarter hours of solo music recorded in a fifteenth century stone church in Pohja, Finland, during four days in July 2016. Over the course of fourteen pieces, we’re treated to a cornucopia of trumpet sounds, from a clear clarion call to a pinched, nasal tone, and much more. The natural resonance and reverb time of the room becomes another tool for Smith to manipulate, as the space itself becomes a duet partner. I think of the three discs as separate recitals. There’s a mixture of pieces dedicated to a pair of Sufi teachers, one for James Baldwin: No Name in the Street; War, and another devoted to the joys of a sauna bath, Finnish style. Most of the pieces are inspired by other musicians, including bassist Reggie Workman, trumpeters Howard McGhee and Miles Davis, saxophonist Albert Ayler, and fellow AACM members drummer Steve McCall, violinist Leroy Jenkins, and keyboardist Amina Claudine Myers. Finally, there’s a twelve minute suite entitled Family - A Contemplation of Love, Parts 1-4, and a finale called Trumpet. There’s a mindful and emotional clarity to Wadada’s every note, and his creative meandering takes the listener on an absorbing journey. In typically comprehensive TUM fashion, the lavish booklet includes a few short poems by Smith, a poem by saxophonist Oliver Lake, Smith’s notes to each of the pieces, an illustrated discography of his previous solo efforts, a biographical note, and even a note about the church’s history, along with photographs of the building inside and out. Sitting down with the music, reading Smith’s words, and looking at his self-portraits used in the art design, make you feel that you’ve been in the presence of a warm, thoughtful and distinctly creative individual. Happily recommended. 

Sacred Ceremonies: TUM BOX 003; Disc 1: Wadada Leo Smith (tpt) Milford Graves (d, perc); West Orange, NJ, May 27, 2016; Nyoto (in 3 parts)/ Baby Dodds in Congo Square/ Celebration Rhythms/ Poetic Sonics/ The Post: Play Ebony Play Ivory; 53:41. Disc 2: Smith, Bill Laswell (basses); West Orange, NJ, May 26, 2016; Ascending the Sacred Waterfall - A Ceremonial Practice/ Prince - A Blue Diamond Spirit/ Donald Ayler’s Rainbow Summit/ Tony Williams/ Mysterious Night/ Earth - A Morning Song/ Minnie Riperton - The Chicago Bronzeville Master Blaster; 55:36. Disc 3: Smith, Graves, & Laswell; West Orange, NJ, December 11-12, 2015; Social Justice - A Fire for Reimagining the World/ Myths of Civilizations and Revolutions/ Truth in Expansion/ The Healer’s Direct Energy/ Waves of Elevated Horizontal Forces/ An Epic Journey Inside the Center of Color; Ruby Red Largo - A Sonnet; 64:45. 

Trumpet: TUM BOX 002; Wadada Leo Smith (tpt); Pohja, Finland, July 26-29, 2016; Disc 1 (50:01): Albert Ayler/ Rashomon (Part : The Film/ Part 2: The Killing/ Part 3: The Court/ Part 4: The Memories and Reflections/ Part 5: The Verdict/ Howard and Miles - A Photographic Image/ Metallic Rainbow/ Sauna - A Healthy Journey. Disc 2 (44:53): Malik el-Shabazz and the People of the Shahada/ The Great Litany (Part 1 - The Opening/Part 2 - First Meditation/ Part 3 - Second Meditation/ Part 4 - Third Meditation/ Part 5 - The Closing)/ Leroy Jenkins Violin Expressions/ James Baldwin - No Name in the Street: War/ Amina Claudine Myers. Disc 3 (41:29): Sonic Night - Night Colors (For Reggie Workman)/ Discourses on the Sufi Path - A Remembrance of Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh (Part 1 - Chivalry; Noble Attributes; Unity of Being/ Part 2 - Festival of the Two Breaths/ Part 3 - Pilgrimage; The Heart; The Valley of Annihilation; Divine Unity/ Part 4 - Presence of Breath; Presence of Heart)/ Family - A Contemplation of Love (Part 1 - Agape - Unselfish Love/ Part 2 - Philia - Love, Friendship, Affinity and Beloved/ Part 3 - Eros - Representing Love or the Power of Love/ Part 4 - Agape - Unselfish Love; The Love of God for Humankind)/ Trumpet. www.tumrecords.com

Michael Sarian’s New Aurora

  In my imaginary hunt for the widest range of material on an album of improvised music, we have a new contender in the beautiful music of Michael Sarian’s New Aurora. The disc opens with the calm and deeply soulful medley of Dle Yaman and Portrait of a Postman. The first theme was composed by Komitas, an Armenian priest (1869-1935) was also a pioneering ethnomusicologist. The second is Sarian’s own wispy melody. At the end of the album is a sly duet by Sarian and pianist Santiago Leibson as they dig into Ask Me Now, composed by Thelonious Monk, frequently described as the High Priest of Bebop. (Hmm, maybe it’s not that much of a stretch after all.) In between are 7 more originals by Sarian plus Chinar Es, another composition by Komitas. Sarian is ably abetted by Leibson at the piano, Marty Kenney on bass (replaced on two tracks by Matt Pavolka), and Dayeon Seok behind the drums. Particularly fine are Aurora, the gentle ballad that gives the band its name, Primo, the uptempo wailer that follows, and the complex Scottie (33), which the quartet negotiates with understated authority. Sarian, with his crystal-clear tone and impressive technique, is an adept and thoughtful improviser. The fine audio engineering is by co-producer (with Sarian) Luis Bacque, who also recorded the recent Diego Urcola CD. The result is that the clarity of the arrangements and tight interactions of the musicians are fully revealed on this thoroughly enjoyable CD. Recommended. 

Ear & Eyes ee:20-16; Michael Sarian (flgh, tpt on 1) Santiago Leibson (p) Matt Pavolka* or Marty Kenney (b) Dayeon Seok (d); Roselle, NJ, late 2018* or December 2019; 1. Dle Yaman / Portrait of a Postman/ 2. This Is Only The Beginning*/ 3. Aurora/ 4. Primo/ 5. Colorado Yeta/ 6. Scottie (33)*/ 7. The Morning After/ 8. Chinar Es/ 9. Mountains/ 10. Ask Me Now; 58:08. www.earsandeyesrecords.com