Record Reviews

PHILIP CATHERINE ~ SEPTEMBER MAN EDEL CONTENT 4029759088806 (Barcode: 4029759088806) ~ BELGIUM ~ Jazz Recorded: 1988 Released: 2013 This is a reissue of a beautiful album by Belgian Jazz Guitar virtuoso / composer Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio which also includes Dutch bassist Hein Van De GeynFind albums by this artist and Italian (living in France) drummer Aldo RomanoFind albums by this artist. Together they perform ten pieces, three of which are original compositions by Catherine, one is an original composition by Van De Geyn and the remaining six are standards. Catherine recording career goes back to the early 1970s and he has always been one of the greatest European Jazz guitarist and my personal favorite. His unique touch and approach to the instrument, which amalgamates the Genius of Django ReinhardtFind albums by this artist with modern Jazz and Jazz-Rock idioms, has been an inexhaustible source of superb musical achievements. This intimate album is his seventh release as a leader, and is often neglected even by his fans, but in many respects it presents him at his best, playing almost acoustically and supported amicably and skillfully by his partners. The guitar is up front here, which enables us to hear Catherine´s artistry in full, even in the most delicate moments. Clear traces of Reinhardt´s characteristics are of course present, but those are used out of respect and only as a small part of Catherine´s incredible palette. For guitar aficionados this album is a true treasure chest, which is fascinating from the first note to the very last. Catherine´s fans should enjoy the opportunity to get hold of this timeless gem, which was quite difficult to find before the reissue. All Jazz connoisseurs should find this a most welcome and worthy addition to their music library. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 02/04/2016Posted: 02/04/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

ROLF + JOACHIM KUHN QUARTET ~ IMPRESSIONS OF NEW YORK MPS 600753227572 (Barcode: 600753227572) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1967 Released: 2009 This is a reissue / remaster of the legendary album by the German Kuhn Brothers, clarinetists / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist and pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist. The quartet includes also American bassist Jimmy GarrisonFind albums by this artist and Italian drummer Aldo RomanoFind albums by this artist. The album presents two tracks, corresponding to the two sides of the original LP, which are in fact four parts of a suite, which gave the album its name. All the music was co-composed by the both brothers. Following the unification of the Kuhn Brothers in West Germany, with Joachim leaving the DDR and moving to West Germany, they were invited to perform at the legendary Newport Jazz Festival. Their performance was witnessed by the legendary producer Bob ThieleFind albums by this artist, who invited them to record this album on his iconic Impulse!Find albums on this label label. The album was recorded on July 27, 1967, just a few days following the death and funeral of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, which the brothers attended, and which had a tremendous impact on the music on this album, considering the fact that Coltrane was the most revered American musician and an instigator of Free Jazz / Improvised Music, as well as the fact that Coltrane’s bassist played on it. This album was the first Impulse! release to feature German Jazz Musicians. The Kuhn Brothers recorded another album for Impulse! some forty-four years later, called “LifelineFind albums with this title”. The album is an outstanding example of early European Free Jazz / Improvised Music, of the absolutely highest standard and imagination, which took the seeds of American Free Jazz of the period and took them to another plane, way more sophisticated, Artistic and imaginative. The performances are blood-chilling and absolutely unique, in many ways probably exposing the very peak of the Jazz creativity, which to be honest never managed to climb much higher than what can be heard here. Rolf Kuhn is for me the true hero of this session, considering the fact that he was deeply rooted in American Swing and Mainstream, playing in the US for many years, and yet managed to detach himself from that tradition in such a radical way, which is way more difficult than plunging into Improvising Music straight on, like his younger brother. Obviously, the comparison of his clarinet performances herein with Coltrane’s saxophone playing is immediately a point of interest, as are the piano parts against those of Coltrane’s pianists. Rolf’s death almost two years ago (2022) was a huge personal loss for me, since we have been Friends for so many years and I truly admired his talent and wisdom. Overall, this is one of the most pivotal Jazz albums in European Jazz, despite the fact that it is only known by relatively very few Jazz listeners. I have owned a copy since day one and listened to this album countless times in the almost sixty years since it was released, and each and every time I managed to discover something new in the music. I can only hope some more listeners will discover it one day, although admittedly it is quite difficult to find a copy.

Updated: 01/10/2024Posted: 08/07/2024

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

ROLF + JOACHIM KUHN QUINTET ~ TRANSFIGURATION MPS 602527224787 (Barcode: 602527224787) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1967 Released: 2009 This is a reissue / remaster of the legendary album by the German Kuhn Brothers, clarinetists / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist and pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist. The quintet includes also German vibraphonist Karl BergerFind albums by this artist, French bassist Bernard GuerinFind albums by this artist and Italian drummer Aldo RomanoFind albums by this artist. The instrumentation mimics the classic lineup of the Benny GoodmanFind albums by this artist quintet, but the music is of course from another musical sphere. The album was conceived and produced by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, and was the first recording by the Kuhn Brothers following their unification in West Germany, but their third album overall, following the no less legendary “SolariusFind albums with this title” album recorded in 1964 and released in DDR on the AmigaFind albums on this label label and the “Re-Union In BerlinFind albums with this title” album recorded in 1965 and released in West Germany on the CBSFind albums on this label label. The album presents four tracks, three composed by Joachim Kuhn, and one co-composed by both brothers. The album is an outstanding example of early European Free Jazz / Improvised Music, of the absolutely highest standard and imagination, which took the seeds of American Free Jazz of the period and took them to another plane, way more sophisticated, Artistic and imaginative. The performances are blood-chilling and absolutely unique, in many ways probably exposing the very peak of the Jazz creativity, which to be honest never managed to climb much higher than what can be heard here. Although Joachim Kuhn is the focal figure of this album, and the music itself, Rolf Kuhn is for me the true hero of this session, considering the fact that he is deeply rooted in American Swing and Mainstream, playing in the US for many years, and yet manged to detach himself from that tradition in such a radical way, which is way more difficult than plunging into Improvising Music straight on, like his younger brother. Rolf’s death almost two years ago (2022) was a huge personal loss for me, since we have been Friends for so many years and I truly admired his talent and wisdom. Overall, this is one of the most pivotal Jazz albums in European Jazz, despite the fact that it is only known by relatively very few Jazz listeners. I have owned a copy since day one and listened to this album countless times in the almost sixty years since it was released, and each and every time I managed to discover something new in the music. I can only hope some more listeners will discover it one day, although admittedly it is quite difficult to find a copy. Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 08/07/2024Posted: 24/06/2024

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

PORK PIE ~ TRANSITORY PROMISING MUSIC 44108 (Barcode: 602517602427) ~ NETHERLANDS ~ Jazz Recorded: 1974 Released: 2008 Dutch keyboardist / composer Jasper van`t HofFind albums by this artist was one of the most prominent young Jazz musicians on the European scene in the late 1960s / 1970s and a pioneer of the new European Jazz, which emerged like a Phoenix on the ashes of the stagnant Jazz tradition. A founding member of the legendary Association P.C.Find albums by this artist, van`t Hof left the group in 1972 (to be replaced by Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist) and a year later formed his own ensemble Pork PieFind albums by this artist (the name being a tribute to a famous Lester YoungFind albums by this artist tune) with four other excellent musicians: the veteran American (but resident in Germany) saxophonist Charlie MarianoFind albums by this artist, Belgian guitarist Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist, French bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist and Italian (but resident in France) drummer Aldo RomanoFind albums by this artist. The group recorded a couple of albums on the legendary German MPSFind albums on this label label, of which this was the first. The group played a completely innovative music, which moved freely between genres and included Free Jazz, Jazz-Rock Fusion, Psychedelic and World Music elements. All five members of the group were splendid musicians, blessed with virtuosity and inspiration, and the rapport between them was phenomenal. This album sounds today as advanced and oracular as it did at the time of the recording, losing nothing of its freshness, a true timeless masterpiece. The Brazilian percussionist Ivanir “Mandrake” Do NascimentoFind albums by this artist appears as a guest on some of the tracks and adds his magic to the mix. In retrospect this is a superb example of what was happening on the European Jazz scene at the time, underlining the perpetual quest for new forms of expression and ceaseless search for new musical vocabulary. Superbly remastered and elegantly packaged by Promising MusicFind albums on this label, this is a treasure and a great trip down the memory lane. Hopefully the other MPS recording by this group will follow soon. Brilliant!

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

BARNEY WILEN ~ DEAR PROF. LEARY PROMISING MUSIC 44106 (Barcode: 602517024816) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1968 Released: 2008 French saxophonist / composer Barney WilenFind albums by this artist is known to Jazz fans mostly for his role in the 1957 recording with Miles DavisFind albums by this artist of the legendary “Ascenseur pour l`échafaudFind albums with this title” soundtrack. But a decade later, Wilen left standard American Jazz behind and took an active role in the burgeoning new European scene in search of new musical adventures. He formed a group called Amazing Free Rock BandFind albums by this artist with young upcoming players like Swiss guitarist Mimi LorenziniFind albums by this artist, German keyboardist Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist, German bassist Gunter LenzFind albums by this artist and two drummers, Italian Aldo RomanoFind albums by this artist and German Wolfgang PaapFind albums by this artist. As the group’s name suggests, they combined contemporary Rock with Free Jazz, creating an amalgam they called Free Rock. This album is a document of this attempt, and one of the earliest Jazz-Rock Fusion recordings. The material includes mostly contemporary Pop and Rock anthems, with a couple of original compositions and one Jazz composition by Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist. The result is one of the wackiest albums ever recorded and a great document of the era. As the title suggests, Psychedelic instances probably had much to do with the resulting music. Although the music did not withstand the test of time as well as other MPS recordings, producer Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist thought at the time that this experiment was worth preserving for posterity, and we are (in retrospect) grateful. Superbly remastered and elegantly packaged by Promising MusicFind albums on this label, this is a great trip down the memory lane. Definitely worth investigating.

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend