Piano Trios!! (Part 3): Matthew Shipp, Steve Boudreau, Manel Fortià

  The Matthew Shipp Trio, with pianist Shipp, bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Newman Taylor Baker, first recorded in 2015, with The Conduct of Jazz on the Thirsty Ear label. Since then, three more CDs as a trio have appeared, and they’ve also recorded with saxophonist Rich Halley (on Terra Incognita and The Shape Of Things, both on Halley’s Pine Eagle imprint) and with flutist Nicole Mitchell (All Things Are on Rogue Art). The latest trio release is the magnificent World Construct, where this unit’s power, delicacy, and sublimely interactive approach to Shipp’s compositions are deftly and constructively balanced. The eleven tunes range in length from under two minutes to over ten minutes. Some pieces, like the brief opening track, Tangible, hint at the blues. The meditative Sustained Construct, a solo piano piece, continues with a late-night bluesy feeling, but considerably more abstract. With Spine, we move into even freer territory, with assertive bass by Bisio and careful commentary by Baker. Shipp and Bisio spend most of the four minutes provoking one another in an extended dialogue. The tempo of Jazz Posture is pretty fast, with Shipp working across the full range of the piano as he unleashes long convoluted lines. Fast fingers from Bisio and a liberated Baker drive him along and keep the momentum going when the piano drops out for a spell. Beyond Understanding is both simple and mysterious, with Baker’s cymbals and Bisio’s deep tones hovering around Shipp’s skeletal melodies. The slightly meandering free movement of Talk Power is rather lovely, a carefully caressed melody with rhapsodic bass and minimalist drumming. At three and a half minutes, the music is a prime example of the taut constraint of the trio’s interactivity and their essentially ego-less unity of intent. It doesn’t surprise me that this revelation comes at the midpoint of this carefully sequenced disc, which juxtaposes changes in tempo to achieve an emotional arc to the full hour. Talk Power is followed by the explosive Abandoned, with an attack that’s strong enough to blow you out of your seat even if you’re expecting it. The band’s triologue continues with the less-fearsome A Mysterious State, with both Shipp on piano and Baker mostly on snare drum getting downright obsessive as Bisio’s bass dances all around them. Stop the World, not at all an unusual sentiment in this turbulent era, is a somber dialogue for piano and bass, with Bisio playing a powerfully heartfelt solo against Shipp’s sparse chording. Sly Glance is funky and in the pocket, which comes as a bit of surprise this late in the program, but definitely a welcome interlude. It tells me that they’re still having some fun with the music, even in the middle of a pandemic. The finale is the title track, and the longest piece. It opens with Shipp alone at the piano in a classical vein, and soon joined by Bisio and then Baker to embark on a deeply engrossing extended musical conversation. This driving upbeat number features Baker’s spectacular brushwork, Bisio’s patient throb, and Shipp’s endlessly flowing lines. World Construct is an instant classic, and very highly recommended. 

ESP-Disk ESP 5059; Matthew Shipp (p) Michael Bisio (b) Newman Taylor Baker (d); Brooklyn, NY, April 15, 2021; Tangible/ Sustained Construct/ Spine/ Jazz Posture/ Beyond Understanding/ Talk Power/ Abandoned/ A Mysterious State/ Stop the World/ Sly Glance/ World Construct; 58:12. www.espdisk.com

Canadian pianist and composer Steve Boudreau leads his trio with bassist Adrian Vedady and drummer Jim Doxas through nine original tunes and a Wayne Shorter piece on the distinctly pleasurable Cherished Possessions. There’s an easy-going charm to Boudreau’s songs and playing, and with Vedady and Doxas in elegant and engaged support, you can’t go wrong. Boudreau’s limber pianism and bright melodies give the trio plenty to work with. Especially fine are the title track, which opens the date with a prime example of the sonic pleasures that await you over the rest of the disc, the touching ballad Words of Hope, the buoyant and upbeat Rolling Oil, and the dancing rhythms of Charlie’s Family Reunion, which sounds like it was quite a party. Shorter’s immensely attractive Go, from Schizophrenia (a 1967 album on Blue Note) receives an effective mid-tempo treatment. Also worthy of note is the introspective Hear Wisdom. This piece is played very slowly, at a tempo that in lesser hands might drag and almost fall apart. Here the players treat the piece with just the right amount of movement and delicacy, with Vedady’s lyrical bass at the core. All in all, Cherished Possessions is a joy to listen to, and it’s warmly recommended. 

self-produced; Steve Boudreau (p) Adrian Vedady (b) Jim Doxas (d); Québec, PQ, October 2021; Cherished Possessions/ Words of Hope/ For Staff Only/ Descending Blues/ Encumbered/ Hear Wisdom/ Go/ Rolling Oil/ Isobel/ Charlie's Family Reunion; 47:35. www.steveboudreaumusic.com

When I started listening to Despertar, I was immediately grabbed by the soulful bass of Manel Fortià, evoking Charlie Haden as he played the introduction to Dormir, the brief opening track. With pianist Marco Mezquida and drummer Raphaël Pannier alongside, Fortià enjoys thoroughly dynamic and sympathetic support for this suite of original compositions. The CD is structured as a musical dream diary of New York City. The set opens with the brief Dormir (“to sleep” in English). Most of the next eight pieces reflect various aspects of the city, starting with the energetic bustle of Circular, dedicated to the JFK airport AirTrain. Other pieces are dedicated to some of New York’s vibrant neighborhoods, including Harlem (Espiritual), Astoria (Saudades), and Jackson Heights (the bouncy Simple). For just one track, El Día Después, the dream returns to Spain and La Rambla de Barcelona. Otherwise, we treated to the lasting impressions of Fortià from his stay in the city between 2016 and 2020. And then Despertar, and he awakens with a wistful and vaguely optimistic theme that morphs into a more anthemic style. Fortià has worked with both Mezquida and Pannier before, but on separate projects. United here, they form an ideal vehicle for Fortià’s vigorous and varied compositions. Track after track reveals the workings of a restless musical mind brought to an exciting realization by this finely honed trio. A triumph, and heartily recommended. 

Segell Microscopi; Manel Fortià (p) Marco Mezquida (b) Raphaël Pannier (d); Girona, Spain, no dates indicated; Dormir/ Circular/ Saudades/ Espiritual/ El Día Después/ Crescente/ Aires de Libertad/ Simple/ Despertar; 54:13. www.microscopi.cat

Jones Jones: Just Justice

  In an era of tremendous social upheaval around the world, a listener might expect rage and driven intensity from improvising musicians. After all, that’s what has heard on a lot of early ESP albums from the turbulent 1960s. But the world-class musicians of Jones Jones take a decidedly more thoughtful route for most of Just Justice, their new ESP-Disk CD. Larry Ochs on tenor and sopranino saxophones, Mark Dresser on bass, and Vladimir Tarasov on drums and percussion brought many hours of mutual musical encounters to the studio for this session, their first US release. The three first toured as a unit in 2008, with a few pieces released from concerts in Amsterdam and St. Petersburg. The flow they’ve developed for what the back cover describes as “spontaneous evocations” is nothing short of astonishing. All three of the musicians have been members of ground-breaking ensembles. Ochs is a founding member of the Rova Saxophone Quartet, begun in 1977 and still going strong. He has also participated in a number of other configurations, including this gem with a long-time collaborator, drummer Donald Robinson. Dresser was a member of the Anthony Braxton Quartet from 1985-1993, while Tarasov was one-third of the influential Ganelin Trio from the mid-Seventies until 1986. When you take a trio of masters who are committed to ego-free and deliriously empathetic music making, something special is liable to happen on a good day. And this January 2020 session in San Diego came on a very good day indeed. Musicians often have curious senses of humor, which explains the plain moniker they’ve attached to this band and the evocation of “Jones” in all of the titles assigned to their spontaneous inventions. From the nuanced Jones in the Sonar System to the wistful RBG Jones to the gently conversational And His Sisters Called Him Jones, Jones Jones’ music is carefully shaped in the moment, the result of deep listening and the kind of collective interaction that’s become second nature to these seasoned veterans. Highly recommended. 

ESP-Disk ESP5072; Larry Ochs (ts, sop s) Mark Dresser (b) Vladimir Tarasov (d, perc); San Diego, CA, January 16, 2020; Articulating Jones/ Bali Hai Jones/ Call of the Jones/ Jones in the Sonar System/ Jones Free Jones/ RBG Jones/ The Further Adventures of Ms. Microtonal Jones/ And His Sisters Called Him Jones; 49:53. www.espdisk.com

Alternative Guitar Summit: Honoring Pat Martino, Volume 1

  The late Pat Martino is one of the most influential and respected guitarists of the modern era. Obscured perhaps by his reputation as a killer guitarist are his many compositions. For its 2021 gathering, the Alternative Guitar Summit, helmed by guitarist and organizer Joel Harrison, aimed to showcase some of his tunes as played by a slew of other six-string players. Typically, as Harrison notes, there would have been a live show to celebrate and “honor a living composer/guitarist,” but the Covid epidemic got in the way of those plans. Instead, a number of musicians gathered at a recording studio in Brooklyn to pay tribute, resulting in the wonderful collection Honoring Pat Martino, Volume 1. Martino, who passed away in November 2021, was involved in the planning, even sending scores of unrecorded tunes to Harrison for possible inclusion. The performances in the Brooklyn studio were live-streamed, with Martino watching from his South Philadelphia home. Working with what Harrison describes as “treasure chest of the imagination,” he put as much variety into this set as Martino himself displayed over the course of his career. A quick look at the formidable list of players represented here, from Kurt Rosenwinkel, Peter Bernstein, and Russell Malone to Oz Noy and Rez Abbasi, should be more than enough to whet the appetite of jazz guitar fans. There’s no sense picking favorites on this nine-track collection, as the musicians’ respect for a master and an abiding love of his music come through loud and clear in every note. Definitely recommended. 

HighNote HCD 7333; Inside Out* (Adam Rogers, Peter Bernstein, g; Dezron Douglas, b; Allan Mednard, d; Brooklyn, NY/ Black Glass (Kurt Rosenwinkel, g, b, d)/ Line Games (Fareed Haque, g; Kevin Kozol, kybd; Alex Austin, b; Greg Fundis, d; Richard Christian, tablas; Chicago, IL)/ Willow* (Sheryl Bailey, Ed Cherry, g; Douglas, b; Mednard, d; Brooklyn, NY) Noshufuru* (Rez Abbasi, Jeff Miles, g; Douglas, b; Mednard, d; Brooklyn, NY)/ Lament (Russell Malone, g; Bellmore, NY)/ On the Stairs* (Dave Stryker, Paul Bollenback, g; Douglas, b; Mednard, d; Brooklyn, NY)/ Joyous Lake* (Nir Felder, Oz Noy, g; Chulo Gatewood, b; Tobias Ralph. d; Brooklyn, NY)/ Country Road (Joel Harrison). Tracks marked with *, Brooklyn, NY, March 20, 2021; other pieces recorded in Chicago, IL [Line Games], Bellmore, NY, [Lament], and private studios, all 2021. 59:08; www.jazzdepot.com

GULFH Of Berlin

Aggressively bold live sound manipulation by Michael Haves makes all the difference in giving the freely improvised music of GULFH Of Berlin its special character. The group’s name is derived from the names of the participants: “G” is for Gerhard Gschlössl, playing trombone and sousaphone. “U” is for Gebhard Ullmann, heard on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet. “L” is for Jan Leipnitz, on bass and cello. “F” is for Johannes Fink, drums and objects. “H,” of course, is Haves. A quartet of freewheeling improvisers can generate plenty of surprises without electronics, but Haves’ continual manipulation of his instrumental surroundings makes virtually every moment fresh and invigorating. The prolific Ullmann is probably the best known player on the date, and his many innovative recordings have led to him being described as a “disciplined sculptor of sound” (Steve Loewy), someone who shapes “his improvisations like a sculptor” (Neil Tesser). For this ensemble, he seems to have abdicated his usual role by inviting Haves and his electronics into the band and letting him have the lead in tailoring the results. It’s generally pointless to attempt to describe improvised music, but in this case, it seems even more meaningless than usual. Let’s just say that you’re in the mood for three-quarters of an hour of vigorous, uncompromising and utterly fascinating improvised sound, this one’s for you. Recommended, especially for headphone enthusiasts. 

ESP-Disk ESP5054; Gerhard Gschlössl (tbn, sous) Gebhard Ullmann (ts, bcl) Johannes Fink (b, clo) Jan Leipnitz (d, objects) Michael Haves (live sound processing); Berlin, Germany, March 6, 2018; Nether/ K3/ Joja Romp/ GG/ Tellus/ Serenade/ Prisoner’s Dilemma/ Mann aus dem Himmel/ 5 Elements/ Jeton; 43:33. www.gebhard-ullmann.com www.espdisk.com

Piano Trios!! (Part 2): Dave Brubeck, Cyrus Chestnut

 

Remember Paul Desmond’s old joke about being asked “how many of there are you in the quartet?”? Well, for one night in Vienna in 1967, there were only three musicians on stage instead of four, so the Dave Brubeck Trio played a set instead. Desmond never made it to Austria in time for the gig, after getting “distracted” during a night on the town in Hamburg. The audience’s loss back then is our treat today, as Live From Vienna 1967 documents the only known recording of Brubeck, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello performing as a trio. This show comes from near the end of the famed unit’s final tour. The band played their last performance in Pittsburgh on Boxing Day 1967 (issued on Columbia as The Last Time Out). All the pieces in the trio set were being played by the quartet on this tour, as we know from various recordings. But of course the audience could not have known how the same pieces might have sounded in Paris or Holland, so they get to savor these renditions in the trio format with more space for bassist Wright and drummer Morello. In his brief liner note, Dave’s son Darius Brubeck writes that his father had said “that the best concerts by the Classic Quartet took place when he was angry.” He was surely angry on this night, and the best way to make the crowd get past their expectations was to inject that frustration into the music. The trio comes roaring out with St. Louis Blues, a staple of jazz repertoire for decades by then, and frequently performed by the Brubeck quartet. The swinging never stops. Wright and Morello were one of the best bass and drums teams of the era, but since their work together was limited to Brubeck and his many projects, the pair didn’t get the respect they might have engendered if they’d had the chance to work in other contexts. Be that as it may, their contributions make this release a real standout in the extensive Brubeck discography. The crowd is loving it too, as their strong applause for a furious rendition of Someday My Prince Will Come makes clears. Live From Vienna 1967 is strongly recommended. 

Brubeck Editions BECD20220301; Dave Brubeck (p) Eugene Wright (b) Joe Morello (d); Vienna, Austria, November 12, 1967; St. Louis Blues/ One Moment Worth Years/ Swanee River/ La Paloma Azul/ Someday My Prince Will Come/Take the "A" Train; 42:39. brubeckeditions.com

We all know that musical ability runs in families. For instance, four of Dave Brubeck’s six children became professional musicians. It turns out that the estimable pianist Cyrus Chestnut started playing when he was “between 2 and 3 years old” when his legs “were strong enough to climb up on the bench” and sit next to his father as he played the piano. The elder Chestnut, who was self-taught and played extensively in church, nurtured and inspired the talented youngster. McDonald Chestnut passed away in May 2021, at the age of 85. My Father’s Hands, with Chestnut joined by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash, is the pianist’s “statement of gratitude” to his father. Chestnut has frequently done sessions in a trio format, and very successfully I might add. His penchant for soulful, churchy playing has long been recognized. For this very personal outing, Chestnut has chosen songs that have a special meaning for him, including a quartet of original compositions. The immense rapport of the musicians is apparent from the start, with the hard-bopping original Nippon Soul Connection. That should be no surprise: Chestnut and drummer Nash have played together many times over the years in varied contexts, while Nash and Washington have an almost unbelievably extensive mutual discography. They first teamed up on a Grady Tate session in 1989, and since then they’ve worked with everyone from Tommy Flanagan to Jimmy Heath and on and on. Their almost telepathic link helps the music dance and come alive. Chestnut’s one solo performance on this disc comes on a suitably emotional reading of I Must Tell Jesus. My Father’s Hands is a beautifully crafted tribute, and a story, in Chestnut’s words, “of a son being grateful to his father for all of the lessons taught.” Don’t miss it. 

HighNote HCD 7339; Cyrus Chestnut (p) Peter Washington (b) Lewis Nash (d); NYC, December 14, 2021; Nippon Soul Connection/ Thinking About You/ Cubano Chant/ Baubles, Bangles and Beads/ Yesterday/ I Must Tell Jesus/ Working Out Just Fine/ There Will Never Be Another You/ But Beautiful/ Epilogue; 49:29. www.jazzdepot.com

Mingus At 100: The Lost Album From Ronnie Scott's & Mingus Three Deluxe Edition

 

The Charles Mingus Sextet was in the middle of a European tour in the summer of 1972 when the band stopped in London to play at the famed Ronnie Scott’s club. Mingus was signed to Columbia Records at the time, and the company had the final two nights of the engagement recorded for use as a live album. But Columbia dropped all of its jazz signings (except for Miles Davis) unexpectedly in the spring of 1973. Mingus’ widow Sue Mingus has had the multi-tracks since then. So, on the centenary of Mingus’ birth in 1922 and nearly half a century after this music thrilled the British audiences, we have a chance to hear The Lost Album From Ronnie Scott’s. Many of the exemplary historical releases of the past few years have been sourced from radio network archives, often from Europe, which makes this set even more of a treasure. The band that Mingus brought to Europe was a short-lived version of the Jazz Workshop, lasting only as long as this tour. Trumpeter Jon Faddis was on hand, accompanied in the front line by Mingus stalwart Charles McPherson on alto and Bobby Jones on tenor and clarinet. John Foster was at the piano, and also sings on Noddin’ Ya Head Blues. On drums and musical saw was Roy Brooks, himself the subject of a 2021 vault release. While this may not be anyone’s favorite Mingus aggregation, no Mingus performance is without its highlights. The bassist himself, moved way forward in the mix, is in wonderfully propulsive form, and a study of his playing alone over the nearly two and a half hours presented here would be an education all by itself. But of course there’s much more to listen to, especially Brooks’ controlled explosiveness at the drums and McPherson’s unflappable neo-bop solos. Zev Feldman, who co-produced this project with David Weiss, has assembled a typically comprehensive booklet to accompany the music. There are liner notes by veteran British jazz writer Brian Priestley, who actually attended a couple of the sets. He also interviewed Mingus and McPherson at the club, also included. Reminiscences by McPherson, bassist Eddie Gomez, and Ronnie Scott’s widow Mary Scott are also part of the package, which also features an appreciation by bassist Christian McBride. Most surprising of all is an interview with Fran Lebowitz, who met Mingus around 1970 when she worked at Changes, the arts magazine run by Sue Graham, soon to be Sue Mingus. If this had been edited for a live single album, we might never have heard these full half-hour or so versions of Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk, Mind Readers’ Convention in Milano, and Fables of Faubus, featuring one of the greatest bass solos you’ve ever heard. So let’s welcome the deluxe expanded edition of the 1972 lp that never was! One of the top historical releases of the year, and strongly recommended. 

Resonance HCD-2063; Jon Faddis (tpt) Charles McPherson (as) Bobby Jones (ts, cl) John Foster (p; vcl on *) Charles Mingus (b) Roy Brooks (d, musical saw); London, England, August 14-15, 1973; Disc 1 (51:37): Introduction/ Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk/ Noddin’ Ya Head Blues*. Disc 2 (30:47): Mind Readers’ Convention in Milano (a/k/a Number 29)/ Ko Ko (Theme). Disc 3 (63:10): Fables of Faubus/ Pops (a/k/a When the Saints Go Marching In)/ The Man Who Never Sleeps/ Air Mail Special. www.resonancerecords.org

Charles Mingus would have been 100 on April 22. To mark the occasion, Rhino released a deluxe reissue of Mingus Three, his 1957 trio date for Jubilee Records. Hampton Hawes is at the piano, and Dannie Richmond is on drums. It was near the start of Richmond’s tenure with Mingus, which lasted, with some interruptions, until the bassist’s final recording session in 1973. It’s a rare trio session for Mingus, and there are more standards than original tunes. For Mingus, this was a creative year. He was recording The Clown for Atlantic just before Mingus Three and starting work on Tijuana Moods for RCA just nine days afterwards. Hawes was, arguably, at his best in 1956 and 1957. His deep affinity for the blues makes him a fine partner for the earthy bass of Mingus. Richmond, for his part, largely stays in the background, cutting loose for a solo just once. There’s no doubt that piano and bass are the co-stars with plenty of spirited dialogue. Nat Hentoff noted that in his original liner notes, and frequent Mingus associate Sy Johnson makes the same point in his new notes. The musicians make the peppy swing of the original seven tracks sound so easy, but of course, it takes work to make it sound that way. By chance, according to the press release, the session tapes were recently uncovered in the vaults of London Parlophone. For the first time, we’re treated to no fewer than six alternate takes and two takes of an untitled blues. It’s a delightful and instructive array of songs, highlighted by the bassist’s playing on the untitled blues and Hawes’ rollicking solo on the alternate of Hamp’s New Blues. Mingus fans shouldn’t miss this release. 

Rhino (Lp, CD, & streaming); Hampton Hawes (p) Charles Mingus (b) Dannie Richmond (d); NYC, July 9, 1957; Yesterdays/ Back Home Blues/ I Can’t Get Started/ Hamp’s New Blues/ Summertime/ Dizzy Moods/ Laura/ Untitled Blues (take 1)*/ Untitled Blues (take 2)*/ Back Home Blues (take 6, incomplete)*/ Hamp’s New Blues (take 4)*/ I Can’t Get Started (take 4)*/ Yesterdays (take 2, incomplete)*/ Dizzy Moods (take 2)*/ Summertime (take 3)*; 75:48. Tracks marked with * are previously unissued. store.rhino.com/artist/charles-mingus.html

Piano Trios!! (Part 1): Pete Malinvervni, Armen Donelian, Tyshawn Sorey, Alan Broadbent

  The piano trio format never seems to go out of style. And why should it, when a unit of piano, bass, and drums is capable of taking advantage of virtually any musical approach, from playing faithful versions of standards on the one hand to totally free improvisation on the other, and everything in between. Each season seems to bring forward a new batch of recordings, so here’s a look at some of the latest releases. 

    A concept that has proved successful time and again is a collection of tunes by a single composer. On The Town, wherein Pete Malinverni Plays Leonard Bernstein, is a solid addition to the trio literature. With the simpatico backing of bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Jeff Hamilton, the veteran pianist Malinverni offers an hour of Bernstein’s music, plus A Night on the Town, an original composition in his spirit. The material is mostly drawn from Bernstein’s music for Broadway in the shows On The Town (1944), Wonderful Town (1953) and West Side Story (1957), recently revitalized by the Steven Spielberg film. Save for Some Other Time, a particular favorite of Bill Evans, Bernstein’s music has not been played all that much by improvisers, but Malinverni makes a case for revisiting these songs. From the first chorus of New York, New York, you know that you’re in for a treat for the next hour. Malinverni’s keen melodicism, Okegwo’s emphatic groove, and Hamilton’s joy-filled drive make a perfect combination. As a bonus, Malinverni’s liner notes relate a few choice anecdotes relating to Bernstein, plus a brief discussion of the maestro’s characteristic musical patterns. He concludes by passing on his hope that in listening to On The Town, “you will be reminded of the greatness of Leonard Bernstein while seeing that his wonderful songs can take a little twisting and turning, without losing their innate beauty.” Mission accomplished! Highly recommended. 

Planet Arts; Pete Malinverni (p) Ugonna Okegwo (b) Jeff Hamilton (d); Englewood Cliffs, NY, April 11, 2021; New York New York/ Lucky to Be Me/ Somewhere/ Cool/ Simple Song/ I Feel Pretty/ Lonely Town/ Some Other Time/ It’s Love/ A Night on the Town; 59:30. www.PlanetArts.org

Pianist Armen Donelian composed five of the songs for his latest CD, Fresh Start, with his new trio of bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Dennis Mackrel. The balance of this largely compelling release comes from writers as varied as fellow pianist Richie Beirach (Gale), Indian drummer Vatan Rajan Singh (Ferry Maiden), and the late multi-instrumentalist Makanda Ken McIntyre (Day Break, from a 1975 quartet date on SteepleChase), plus a brief group improvisation (Tales in the Western Night) that fades out to end the disc. Also on the program are a pair of standards (I’m Stepping Out With a Memory Tonight, from 1940, and Never Let Me Go, from 1956). On the former, Donelian sings and plays piano, with Anderson and Mackrel overdubbing their parts later. Let’s just say that Donelian is not much of a singer, but given all the work that went into the production, the lyric must mean something special to him. The mood of Donelian’s new music, written during the pandemic, naturally enough is often melancholy and wistful but with an optimistic core of innate lyricism. One key to the success of this release the way the instrumental focus keeps shifting, often unexpectedly, from piano to bass to drums. It helps, naturally, that Donelian has such astute companions in this journey. Bassist Anderson is a stellar accompanist in this setting. He is no less formidable and inventive as a soloist, and his frequent solos are a pleasure. Drummer Mackrel, a solid and understated swinger, completes the superbly balanced trio. His delicate cymbal work is especially fine. Some of the highlights: the slow to develop In the Western Night, which unfolds rather beautifully over six minutes, the captivating Noviembre which opens the CD, and the way the trio caresses the melody of Never Let Me Go. All told, this session is indeed a Fresh Start for a reinvigorated Armen Donelian. It’s well worth your time. 

Sunnyside SSC 4036; Armen Donelian (p, vcl on *) Jay Anderson (b) Dennis Mackrel (d); Saugerties, NY, June 14, 15 & 17, 2021, exc. *piano & vocal, October 16, 2020; Noviembre/ Fresh Start/ Ferry Maiden/ Madagascar/ Gale/ Never Let Me Go/ Tirado/ In the Western Night/ Day Break/ Janet Left the Planet/ I’m Stepping Out With a Memory Tonight*/ Tales in the Western Night; 64:23. www.sunnysiderecords.com

Tyshawn Sorey, usually playing drums, has been involved in at least 100 recording sessions since his debut in 2002 on saxophonist Andre Vida’s Child Real Eyes. Since then, this endlessly creative musician has worked with such luminaries as Anthony Braxton, Vijay Iyer, Billy Bang, Steve Lehman, Steve Coleman, Kris Davis, Henry Grimes, Pete Robbins, Roscoe Mitchell - the list goes on and on. But the 2017 MacArthur Fellow and Professor of Music, is also a composer of note, who attracted a great deal of attention early in 2022 for his Monochromatic Light (Afterlife). This piece, for chamber choir, keyboards, viola, bass-baritone, and percussion, was written for the 50th anniversary of the Rothko Chapel in Houston. His latest venture is rather different, to say the least. Mesmerism is a thoughtfully selected batch of standards and jazz originals played by the Tyshawn Sorey Trio, with pianist Aaron Diehl and bassist Matt Brewer. Sorey enlisted his drum teacher and mentor Michael Carvin to produce the date, and the results are riveting. Sorey is working here for the first time with pianist Aaron Diehl, with whom Sorey cites “a brotherly connection,” and bassist Matt Brewer, a rhythm section partner on a number of projects over the years. The set leads off with Horace Silver’s Enchantment, with a refined Diehl introduction setting up a snaky groove. From the start, it’s crystal clear that this is a supremely relaxed unit, immersed in powerfully intuitive playing. With Sorey’s sublimely elegant drumming and the unfailingly supportive bass of Brewer prominent in the mix, the music easily fulfills Sorey’s wish to “document the unwavering love and appreciation” he has for these songs. The longest piece here is Detour Ahead, introduced in 1948 and a favorite tune of Bill Evans. Sorey chart takes the title literally with an arrangement that keeps slipping harmonic modulations into the structure to build a beguiling and continuously fascinating performance. Joseph Kosma’s 1945 Autumn Leaves, the oldest piece on the disc, has inspired countless versions over the decades. The Sorey trio’s downtempo take on the familiar melody is utterly relaxed and absorbing. Brewer plays a countermelody to Diehl’s piano while Sorey dances around them before the bassist steps out for a tasteful solo that picks up the pace a bit. Diehl then follows with his own ruminations to take the tune out. Paul Motian’s From Time to Time, premiered in 1991, is the most recent of Sorey’s selections and the song subjected to the most alteration. The taut atomistic arrangement puts particular emphasis on the resonances of each note and the space created by the relationships of the instruments. The trio is effectively “sneaking up” on the melody in a masterful performance. Muhal Richard Abrams’ Two Over One first appeared on Sightsong, the pianist’s 1975 duet album with bassist Malachi Favors Magostut. It’s a simple tune that receives a straight-forwardly swinging rendition here, with bluesy variations by Diehl and loose but slamming drums from Sorey. When a piece by Duke Ellington is performed by a group, it’s always revealing to see what’s picked, since the possibilities are nearly endless. For his Duke selection, Sorey gets right to the core of swinging jazz with the downhome REM Blues. This piece was first heard as Blues For Blanton on a 1950 date for Mercer Records, then revived and retitled for Money Jungle, the phenomenal meeting of Duke, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach in 1962. The trio concludes the CD version of this release with a happy groove, guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Mesmerism is an instant classic, and strongly recommended. And lest you think that the multi- disciplinary Sorey limits himself in any way, I urge you to check out his contribution of a new composition for Johnny Gandelsman’s latest project, This Is America: An Anthology 2020-2021, his remarkable three CD collection of commissions for solo violin that comes out within a week of Mesmerism. 

Yeros7 Music; Aaron Diehl (p) Matt Brewer (b) Tyshawn Sorey (d); Brooklyn, NY, May 26, 2021; Enchantment/ Detour Ahead/ Autumn Leaves/ From Time to Time/ Two Over One/ REM Blues*; 47:54. *on CD and streaming only. tyshawn-sorey.bandcamp.com

On their third Savant release, the Alan Broadbent Trio explores even more deeply the obvious connection that pianist Broadbent, bassist Harvie S and drummer Billy Mintz share in the making of seriously swinging trio music. The aptly-titled Like Minds touches on repertoire from across the jazz spectrum, with just one Broadbent original (the gently flowing Prelude to Peace). In my view, any album that opens with This I Dig Of You, my favorite Hank Mobley tune (from Soul Station, 1960), is a sure winner. Broadbent and his mates do the happy groove real justice, and it sets the stage for this satisfying and enjoyable recording. All three players have lists of credits that are long and varied, and anyone paying attention to jazz over the last fifty years has surely encountered these musicians in multiple situations over the years. Let’s just note that they sound better than ever here, having established an authentically organic telepathic connection with this particular trio. Particularly fine are their tasty dissection of With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair, heard a lot after its introduction by Kay Kyser in 1940 but seldom afterwards, the finger-snapping version at Sonny Rollins’ classic Airegin with some lovely brushwork by Mintz, the perennial Stairway to the Stars, played very slowly and poignantly, and Bud Powell’s Blue Pearl. This one was first heard on disc in 1957 and performed infrequently since then. This trio’s lightly grooving rendition features an inspired series of trades between bass and drums, with Broadbent taking over about halfway through. I was quite taken with the trio’s second album, Trio In Motion, and I’m equally impressed with Like Minds. Happily recommended. 

Savant SCD 2198; Alan Broadbent (p) Harvie S (b) Billy Mintz (d); NYC, April 29 & July 27, 2021; This I Dig Of You/ Prelude to Peace/ With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair/ Dance Only With Me/ Airegin/ Stairway to the Stars/ Blue Pearl/ This is New/ Yardbird Suite; 59:37. www.jazzdepot.com