Record Reviews

FUSK ~ ABSURD ENTHUSIASM WHYPLAYJAZZ 060 (Barcode: 4250459992609) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the fifth album by International Jazz quartet FUSKFind albums by this artist, led by Danish drummer / composer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist, with Polish trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, German clarinetist Rudi MahallFind albums by this artist and Danish bassist Andreas LangFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Christiansen, recorded “live” in the studio. This album celebrates 15 years of the quartet’s existence and is released five years after the previous album “The Jig Is UpFind albums with this title” from 2018. The music continues pretty much where it was left before the lengthy break, with excellent modern Jazz padded by a large degree of freedom, based on the excellent and very complex compositions by the leader. All members of the quartet are first class musicians, with extensive experience, so nothing can really go wrong. FUSK offers a unique sound as it misses a harmonic support and the trumpet / clarinet front line has to create all the melodic messages, which they of course manage to handle beautifully. The excellent rhythm section offers full support for the two soloists, who play most of the time in tandem, often unisono, which creates the distinctive sound effect the quartet offers. Overall, this is another splendid offer by this quartet, which explodes with talent and creativity. The open borders of the European Union make it easy for international cooperation to blossom, which this quartet personifies, but it is by far not the only gathering of the kind. Hopefully we won’t have to wait for another five years to hear the next outing by FUSK.

Updated: 26/02/2023Posted: 26/02/2023

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FUSK ~ FUSK WHYPLAYJAZZ 005 (Barcode: 4050486034583) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the debut album by the Danish / German quartet FUSKFind albums by this artist led by Danish drummer / composer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist, which also features the Danish bassist Andreas LangFind albums by this artist and the German saxophonist Philipp GropperFind albums by this artist and bass clarinetist Rudi MahallFind albums by this artist, who is also a member of the Kasper Tom 5Find albums by this artist ensemble. The album presents nine original compositions, seven of which are by Christiansen and the remaining two are group compositions. This album is a superb example of contemporary modern European Jazz developed and created by a young generation of greatly talented individuals who are lucky to grow up in the affluent borderless Europe, which enables a much wider access to musical education and international cooperation than just a few decades earlier. These young musicians are able to size the moment and exploit this new reality, which results in an explosion of young international groups playing Jazz and Improvised Music all over the continent. Christiansen, who has been recoding music both as a leader and a sideman for several years before forming FUSK, established his position as one of the leaders of this new European scene, playing extensively with Scandinavian, German, Polish and other young musicians and additionally developing his skills as a composer, which came to full fruition with FUSK. Here he presents his most adventurous works and the quartet turned out to be an ideal vehicle for exploring his music. He is one of the relatively few drummers, who are bandleaders and principal composers in their ensembles. As a team Christiansen and Lang are one of the strongest and most imaginative rhythm sections on the European scene and this album is full of wonderful examples of their telepathic interplay. Supported by such an excellent rhythm section the two soloists are able to spread their wings and explore the freedom of improvisation in full. Both Gropper and Mahall gently weave their lush structures, both individually and collectively, creating a highly aesthetic whole. Overall this is an exciting and wonderful album from start to finish, full of surprises and one that keeps the listener on his toes from start to finish. Considering the fact that it is a debut recording, the result is even more commendable. Well done indeed!

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FUSK ~ SIEBEN ACHT GUTE NACHT FOR TUNE 0048 (Barcode: 5902768701548) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014 It´s been a while since Shakespeare pointed out that "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark"; as a matter of fact nothing could be further from the truth as far as the state of Danish Jazz in the second decade of the 21st Century is concerned. The country is enjoying an incredible renaissance of its Jazz scene, which thrived between 1950s and 1970s, when the legendary Copenhagen Jazzhus Montmartre club often seemed like one of the epicenters of European modern Jazz, and a long list of great American expatriates lived in Denmark at the time. The difference is that this time around it is the young generation of incredibly gifted Danish Jazz musicians who are setting the tone. The last few years of the Danish drummer / composer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist´s career have been definitely good years; a succession of recordings and concerts as a leader of a number of ensembles firmly established his position as one the most prolific and outstanding young European Jazz musicians and his progress and development are continuously in full swing. Kasper Tom is quite an unusual musical figure, firstly being one of relatively few drummers / leaders and secondly and even more extraordinarily being the main composer of the material performed by his ensembles. We all know the jokes told about drummers and Kasper Tom simply shatters all these stereotypes. One of the effects of today´s European reality is the fact that international cooperation is easier and more common today then ever. Kasper Tom definitely seems to be able to explore that degree of freedom to the max, playing with other young musicians not only from his native Denmark, but also those from Poland, Germany and other countries. The quartet FUSKFind albums by this artist is an example of such international collaboration, with joins two Danish (Christiansen and Andreas LangFind albums by this artist) and two German (Philipp GropperFind albums by this artist and Rudi MahallFind albums by this artist) players. This is the quartet´s third album and the first live recording, captured at the legendary Warsaw Pardon, To Tu club, one of the most important alternative Jazz venues in Europe. The music is a wonderful display of Kasper Tom´s talent as a composer. His tunes are always somewhere between a catchy melodic theme and an open structure ideal for improvisation and exploration. Such incredible balance is quite rare and difficult to achieve and yet Kasper Tom manages to create these tunes with astonishing ease and versatility. Handled by the FUSK quartet, these tunes playfully follow one after another effortlessly, although they are anything but trivial or easy on the ear. The incredible strength of this music lies exactly in the fusion of melodic approach and complex execution, which result in aesthetic pleasure experienced by the listener, often unaware of its ingredients. It is quite educational to compare the music captured here with the studio version of the same tunes presented on the previous album, called "Super KasperFind albums with this title", which was recorded almost immediately after the Pardon, To Tu session. The ambience and the audience of the club, which I know personally very well from first hand experience, have a distinctive influence on this performance. In an ideal world we would always have an opportunity to hear the same music recorded live and in the studio; this album is therefore the ideal partner to the studio recording. European Jazz still manages to reinvent itself and push its boundaries ever further away from the stale mainstream tradition. Thanks to the young generation of Jazz players, which fearlessly explores the Jazz aesthetic, often against all odds, shunning from fads and fashions of contemporary non-culture, we are able to see our beloved music alive and kicking, going through another stage of its evolution. Kasper Tom and his colleagues all over Europe are our hope for the survival of what we consider true Culture, even if we need to enjoy it in the catacombs rather than in the amphitheaters. Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 19/09/2018Posted:

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FUSK ~ SUPER KASPER WHYPLAYJAZZ 009 (Barcode: 4050486086735) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the second album by the Danish / German quartet FUSKFind albums by this artist led by Danish drummer / composer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist, which also features the Danish bassist Andreas LangFind albums by this artist and the German saxophonist Philipp GropperFind albums by this artist and bass clarinetist Rudi MahallFind albums by this artist, who is also a member of the Kasper Tom 5Find albums by this artist ensemble. The album presents eleven original compositions, eight of which are by Christiansen and the remaining three are group improvisations. Christiansen is one of the most prolific young European Jazz personalities in the last decade and participates in several diverse ensembles in parallel, both led by him and by others, which involve musicians from different European countries. This kind of international collaboration is one of the most creative ingredients of the new European Jazz scene, where the artists can enjoy the freedom of movement without any restrictions and some take advantage of it quite broadly. As a result of his recordings Christiansen has established quite a reputation not only as a player and bandleader, but particularly as a superb composer of diverse stylistic approaches. His work is worth following across the broad spectrum of his creative output, of which FUSK is just a singularity. The music presented here emphasizes the freedom and openness in his compositions, which are based on short melodic themes which are then explored by the quartet quite liberally and without limitations. Of course even if the music is mostly improvised, both harmonically and rhythmically, it is neither chaotic nor disorganized, keeping well within the boundaries of group improvisation. The quartet members obviously listen to each other attentively and support each other constantly. There is an overall feeling of tenderness and respect and none of the aggression often associated with group improvisation is present here. The individual performances are all first class, with the two soloists obviously standing up front most of the time, but with the rhythm section firmly involved as well. Lang´s bass and Christiansen´s drumming are an excellent example of superb contemporary rhythm section work, which is nonabrasive and nonaggressive and yet keeps the music moving forward on a solid track. The music recorded on this album was also recorded live at the legendary Warsaw Pardon, To Tu club shortly before being recorded in the studio, and it´s highly recommended to listen to both versions, in order to appreciate the dramatic influence of a live audience on a Jazz performance. The live album is scheduled to be released on the Polish For TuneFind albums on this label label. Kasper Tom Christiansen and his cohorts are the new generation of European Jazz and judging by their accomplishments we have little to worry about the quality of the music they will create. What kind of impact this kind of music will have on the general Culture of the continent is another question…

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FUSK ~ THE JIG IS UP WHYPLAYJAZZ 043 (Barcode: 4250459991442) ~ DENMARK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the fourth album by the European Jazz quartet FUSKFind albums by this artist, led by Danish drummer / composer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist, which also includes for the first time Polish trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, and founding members: German bass clarinetist Rudi MahallFind albums by this artist and Danish bassist Andreas LangFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by the leader. Christiansen and Dabrowski cooperated and recorded together many times in the past and therefore the fact that Dabrowski joined the quartet is only natural, replacing German saxophonist Philipp GropperFind albums by this artist, who was a member since the inception of the quartet. Although the music of FUSK is first and foremost a reflection of Christianson´s compositions, the presence of Dabrowski changed the internal balance and the overall sound of the quartet, taking it slightly back towards the American Jazz tradition and the early Free Jazz explorations of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Of course it is only one of the many aspects of this music as a whole and FUSK retains all its European Jazz qualities, but at the same time pays tribute to the Free Movement innovators. As usual, the music is based on highly complex and yet wonderfully melodic themes, which Christianson so ably creates, which in turn provide ideal platform for the quartet members to develop their individual and collective statements. The beautiful bass clarinet / trumpet double parts are one of the highlights of this album, as both Dabrowski and Mahall are able to keep an almost "romantic" form of dialogue between them, which is intriguing without being aggressive. Lang and Christiansen are a highly sensitive and technically fabulous rhythm section, which is standing shoulder to shoulder with the two soloists, participating equally in the process of group improvisation and mutual creation. The scope of the compositions, and as a result the scope of the music presented on the album is very diverse, which creates an element of tension with the listener not sure as of what to expect next. The music movies in and out between the improvised and precisely composed parts, often several times within the same track, with the rhythmic parts changing from no time to almost swinging time in an blink of an eye. However a blissful and relaxed feeling of order and coherence is present at all times and the music never falls apart in spite of its intricacy. For an experienced Jazz connoisseur this album is a lecture of Jazz, and especially Free Jazz history, delightfully illustrated by the music. Not surprisingly it is a wonderful piece of music, which should be enjoyed by as many listeners as possible and another milestone in Christiansen´s path, which is one of the most consistently excellent on the burgeoning European Jazz scene. Hats off, again, Maestro!

Updated: 12/05/2018Posted: 12/05/2018

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PHILIPP GROPPER / PHILM ~ LICHT WHYPLAYJAZZ 007 (Barcode: 4050486070048) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the debut album by the quartet called PhilmFind albums by this artist, led by German saxophonist / composer Philipp GropperFind albums by this artist and including Norwegian pianist Havard WilkFind albums by this artist, Danish bassist Andreas LangFind albums by this artist and German drummer Oliver SteidleFind albums by this artist. Gropper is also known as the leader of the trio Hyperactive KidFind albums by this artist and the group TauFind albums by this artist, as well as a member of FUSKFind albums by this artist, SONNEFind albums by this artist and several other projects. With over thirty albums as a leader and sideman he is one of the most prolific German (Berlin based) Jazz musicians since the turn of the Millennium. The album presents six original compositions, all by Gropper. The music presents a set of passionate statements, beautifully crafted by their composer and wonderfully executed by the quartet, which combines four individual talents into a fresh amalgam, where the total is greater than the sum of its parts. Since I´m already familiar with Gropper, Lang and Steidle from other recordings, it is Wilk who is the nicest surprise of this album, playing some superbly imaginative lines and proving to be pianist definitely worth following in the future. Lang plays his usual wonderful bass staccatos and keeps the rhythm section as an integral part of the collective improvisation. Steidle, who is another veteran on the German scene and has a fine reputation as a highly imaginative and gifted drummer justifies his standing in full. Although most of the music is improvised, it has a strong melodic ingredient, sometimes clearly noticeable but most of the time only present subconsciously. This music has a clearly defined direction and a sense of purpose, which many Free Jazz / Improvised Music recordings simply lack completely. To be completely free and unrestrained within specified harmonic and melodic boundaries is a much more sophisticated form of expression than complete tonal anarchy, something free improvisers tend to forget. Overall this is an excellent debut group effort and I´m looking forward to hearing more from where this music came from, hopefully soon!

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MAREK KADZIELA ADHD ~ IN BLOOM FOR TUNE 0079 (Barcode: 5902768701807) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by an international Jazz quartet ADHDFind albums by this artist, led by Polish Guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist with German bass clarinetist Rudi MahallFind albums by this artist and a Danish rhythm section: bassist Andreas LangFind albums by this artist and drummer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist – the latter three being all members of the excellent FUSKFind albums by this artist quartet. Two distinguished Polish Jazz musicians participate as guests: saxophonist Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions (one appears in two versions), all by Kadziela and one standard by Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist. Although free spirited and unconventional, the music is perfectly well rounded and aesthetically pleasing, flirting with Free Jazz and Improvising Music but also presenting melodic motifs and straight forward progressions. Across the board this music is quite accessible even to listeners who are embedded within modern mainstream Jazz. Kadziela´s guitar playing on this album is quite different from his earlier recordings, and most of the time it is pretty straight forward, almost acoustic, and avoids the usage of electronics and heavy sound effects. He manages to completely keep away from the dreaded Fusionist banalities that most modern guitar players suffer from, which is truly praiseworthy. Therefore it is perhaps the first time the listener can truly appreciate his ability to play melody and complex improvisations, which sound perfectly clear and vivid. The solo guitar piece on this album is definitely one of its absolute highlights. The contributions by the other members of the quartet, as well as those by the guests, are all excellent as well. I have already written much about the FUSK quartet and these are some of my favorite European musicians, so their performances here are hardly surprising. The Lang / Christiansen rhythm section in one of the top of its kind at the moment and Mahall´s legendary status is already well established. Kadziela couldn´t have found better partners for his musical explorations anywhere else to be honest. The two Polish guests are also masters of their trade and the tracks that feature their contributions add generously to the diversity of this album. I admit to having digestion problems with some of Kadziela´s earlier recordings, but I completely love this one, and I am very happy to say so. This music makes perfect sense to me, worms up my brain cells and keeps me smiling. For me it definitely is the best piece of music I have heard, that he produced. But of course the future is ahead of us…

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