Record Reviews
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  | ANTHONY BRAXTON ~ CHARLIE PARKER PROJECT
HATOLOGY 612 (Barcode: 752156061229) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1993 Released: 2004
This is a long overdue reissue of the legendary album by American musician / composer / bandleader Anthony BraxtonFind albums by this artist, one of the most iconic figures of the late 20th Century Free Jazz and Avant-Garde music scene and probably the most important Jazz pioneer in the post John ColtraneFind albums by this artist era. The album captures a live recording of the Braxton´s sextet in Switzerland and Germany, with him playing saxophones and clarinet, accompanied by saxophonist Ari BrownFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Paul SmokerFind albums by this artist, pianist Misha MengelbergFind albums by this artist, bassist Joe FondaFind albums by this artist and drummers Han BenninkFind albums by this artist and Pheeroan AkLaffFind albums by this artist (each playing on one of the two CDs). The music is a loving tribute to Bee Bop and includes mostly compositions by the genre´s pioneer Charlie ParkerFind albums by this artist with three tunes by Dizzy GillespieFind albums by this artist and one each by Tadd DameronFind albums by this artist and Miles DavisFind albums by this artist. Braxton re-visits Bee Bop with respect and love, but of course applies his completely unique interpretation of the music, which is, as usual, completely breathtaking. The level of virtuosity in interplay is simply astounding and this album surely deserves an honorable place in any serious Free Jazz collection. The intercontinental meeting of improvising forces and talents works beautifully, soaring to previously undiscovered heights. This is an absolutely essential example of Free Jazz, for those who are connoisseurs of the genre, which is not to be missed, especially for the second time around.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | STEVE LACY ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE
CAM JAZZ 1033 (Barcode: 8052405141385) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz
Recorded: 1976 - 1993 Released: 2014
This superb Box Set collects recordings by the American saxophonist / composer Steve LacyFind albums by this artist on the Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label labels. It is the second such collection, this time dedicated to quartet, quintet, sextet and octet recordings, following the previous Box Set with solo, duo and trio recordings. It includes nine albums (one a 2CD set): "TricklesFind albums with this title" with trombonist Roswell RuddFind albums by this artist, bassist Kent CarterFind albums by this artist and drummer Beaver HarrisFind albums by this artist, "RevenueFind albums with this title" with saxophonist Steve PottsFind albums by this artist, French bassist Jean-Jacques AvenelFind albums by this artist and drummer John BetschFind albums by this artist, "TroubleFind albums with this title" with Potts, Swiss vocalist / violinist Irene AebiFind albums by this artist, Carter and drummer Oliver JohnsonFind albums by this artist, "RegenerationFind albums with this title" with Rudd, Dutch pianist Misha MingelbergFind albums by this artist, Carter and Dutch drummer Han BenninkFind albums by this artist, "Change Of SeasonFind albums with this title" (*) with trombonist George LewisFind albums by this artist, Mangelberg, Dutch bassist Arjen GorterFind albums by this artist and Bennink, "Dutch MastersFind albums with this title" (*) with Lewis, Mangelberg, Dutch cellist Ernst ReysegerFind albums by this artist and Bennink, "The CondorFind albums with this title" with Potts, Aebi, pianist Bobby FewFind albums by this artist, Avenel and Johnson, "The CryFind albums with this title" (2CD) with Aebi, saxophonist Tina WraseFind albums by this artist, harpsichord player Petia KaufmanFind albums by this artist, accordionist Cathrin PfeiferFind albums by this artist, Avenel and percussionist Daniel GioiaFind albums by this artist and finally "VespersFind albums with this title" with Potts, Aebi, saxophonist Ricky FordFind albums by this artist, French horn player Tom VarnerFind albums by this artist, Few, Avenel and Betsch. Most of the music is by Lacy, except the albums dedicated to the music of other great composers like Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist and Herbie NicholsFind albums by this artist.
Lacy is considered as one of the most influential and prominent American Jazz personalities and a great master of the soprano saxophone. He started his career as a Dixieland player but quickly moved into Bebop and later on Avant-Garde idioms. He was also one of the first American Jazz musicians who discovered European Jazz and understood its importance. He visited Europe in the 1960s and moved to live in Paris in 1970, where he spent his entire life, returning to the US only a couple of years before his death. He left a most impressive recorded legacy of well over a hundred albums.
The music is absolutely timeless, and offers a perfect glance at Lacy´s diversity as a composer and player. It is also a unique document of European Jazz, as most of his albums involved European musicians playing side by side with their Americans partners. For serious Jazz connoisseurs this Box Set is a pure delight and an absolute must!
The albums marked with (*) were also included in other Box Sets of this series.
Side Note
The Italian independent record label Black SaintFind albums on this label was founded by the music critic / author / producer Giacomo PellicciottiFind albums by this artist in 1975. It was taken over by the producer Giovanni BonandriniFind albums by this artist in 1978 and a year later (1979) a sister label, called Soul NoteFind albums on this label, was established. The twin labels were run by Giovanni and later his son Flavio BonandriniFind albums by this artist, until they were sold in 2008 to the Italian KEPACH Music Group, which already owned the CAM JazzFind albums on this label label, and which also bought another Italian independent record label Dischi Della QuerciaFind albums on this label.
The mission of the Black Saint / Soul Note labels was to record and document the Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde scene, mostly from the US but also from Europe, which continued between mid 1970s and late 1990s and produced a staggering collection of almost 550 albums recorded by world's most important Jazz innovators active at the time, providing an opportunity to American (mostly Afro-American) musicians, who would have never managed to make these recordings at home, ridden by racism, alienation and closed-mindedness. Without these two labels most of this fantastic human creativity would have been never documented.
However, the Black Saint / Soul Note Box Sets produced under the CAM JazzFind albums on this label moniker are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty.
These Box Sets have no booklet which presents researched historical background and exact discographical information of the albums included, and most importantly an overview of the music and its meaning and contribution to the Jazz Art form. Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, the information is in most cases too small to be readable at all. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap!
| | Updated: 15/05/2020Posted: 15/05/2020 | CD 10 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BARTLOMIEJ OLES / TOMASZ DABROWSKI ~ CHAPTERS
FENOMMEDIA 012 (Barcode: 5907604327128) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015
Trumpet / drums duo recordings are a very special chapter in Jazz history and they include some fascinating interplays recorded over time by American Jazz musicians, such as the legendary Don CherryFind albums by this artist / Ed BlackwellFind albums by this artist or Max RoachFind albums by this artist / Dizzy GillespieFind albums by this artist recordings. Some American / European trumpet / drums duos are also worth mentioning, such as the Leo SmithFind albums by this artist / Gunter SommerFind albums by this artist, Dave DouglasFind albums by this artist / Han BenninkFind albums by this artist or Bill DixonFind albums by this artist / Tony OxleyFind albums by this artist, documented on their respective recordings. On the contemporary Polish Jazz scene this relatively rare pairing of instruments seems to be quite favorable, with such excellent examples like Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist / Jacek BuhlFind albums by this artist, Artur MajewskiFind albums by this artist / Kuba SucharFind albums by this artist and others. Trumpeter / composer Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist already has one trumpet / drums album under his arm, recorded with the American drummer Tyshawn SoreyFind albums by this artist and now he joins the brilliant drummer / composer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist in a new trumpet / drums duo, captured on this album.
Bartlomiej Oles is of course known to all Polish Jazz connoisseurs as half of the Oles Brothers rhythm section, which in time achieved a legendary status as one of the best modern Jazz rhythm sections around, but this album focuses on his work as composer. Of the ten pieces presented on this album, Oles composed eight, and co-composed one with Dabrowski, with the remaining piece, which closes the set, being a Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist composition.
In comparison to the trumpet / drums albums listed in the opening paragraph, this recording is definitely the most lyrical and deeply melodic of them all. Oles demonstrated his lyricism and love of melody over the years in the numerous compositions he contributed to the vast Oles Brothers recorded legacy. Additionally, his treatment of the drums as a melodic instrument has always been his particular trademark, as he almost never simply sets a rhythm but rather plays the drums in par with his musical partners in various ensembles. The intimacy of just two instruments is an ideal opportunity to place these compositional and performance qualities at the center of the listener´s attention.
Dabrowski, whose meteoric rise to fame is fully justified, seems to be an ideal partner aiding Oles to achieve his goals. His virtuosic attack, combined with the intrinsic lyricism, turn his trumpet into a seemingly unlimited tool able to express an enormously diverse set of emotions, from whisper to shout, anger to joy, despair to mellow melancholy. Playing side by side with Oles, who is of course more experienced and mature, pushed Dabrowski really hard to reach and than cross his limits, which resulted in the best performance of his life so far. Oles managed to catalyze and crystallize Dabrowski´s unique style and mannerism, molding them into a perfect musical entity.
There is so much music on this album that a true comprehension and appreciation of it requires several listening sessions even for the most experienced music lovers. Peeling off the layers of aesthetic and emotional essence captured herein by these two Masters is a delightful and rewarding experience. There is no doubt that this is a monumental achievement in every sense and a model of lofty, almost spiritual communication between an Artist and his audience.
Personally I have a deep satisfaction from the fact that I have always considered these two musicians as representatives of what is best about Polish Culture in general and Polish Jazz in particular: honesty, consistency and a proper usage of a God given talent. Thank you both for such a wonderful gift!
| | Updated: 02/01/2017Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANNETTE PEACOCK & PAUL BLEY ~ DUAL UNITY
BAMBOO 7018 (Barcode: 4752817701811) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2016
This is a reissue of the iconic Avant-Garde recording by the American vocalist / pianist / composer Annette PeacockFind albums by this artist and her partner, Canadian pianist / composer Paul BleyFind albums by this artist, released originally on the British FreedomFind albums on this label label in 1971. This album preceded the release of Annette Peacock’s debut solo album “I`m The OneFind albums with this title” from 1972 and is the first release with her name on it, but her outstanding compositions appeared on albums since 1966. The music on this album was recorded live during their first European tour in 1970. The first two tracks were recorded in Netherlands with Dutch drummer Han BenninkFind albums by this artist and are taken from the same session, which produced the “ImprovisieFind albums with this title” LP by Bley, released by the French AmericaFind albums on this label label the same year. The two other tracks were recorded in France with American bassist Mario PavoneFind albums by this artist and drummer Laurence CookFind albums by this artist.
Bley plays mostly synthesizer on this album and he was one of the first Jazz musicians to do so. Annette also used synthesizers extensively and she received her first one from no other than Robert MoogFind albums by this artist. She also sings, growls, plays bass guitar and piano, as appropriate for her many talents. She wrote one of the compositions (a rework of her Mr. Joy composition) and co-wrote the other three with Bley.
The music is mostly freely improvised, except for the melodic first track, synthesizer soaked and so Avant-Garde, that it even sounds Avant-Garde today by any standard, making most contemporary Avant-Gardists sound like pussycats, even though the music was conceived and recorded fifty years ago!
Although the album only lasts thirty-three minutes and twenty-one seconds, there is more searching, exploring and invention herein than probably in the entire Improvised Music recorded in the entire 2010s decade, which is sadly almost all déjà vu (with some notable exceptions of course).
Overall, for music lovers interested in discovering the source of everything, this is an indispensable document capturing the essence of discovery.
| | Updated: 23/06/2021Posted: 23/06/2021 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | SKEREBOTTE FATTA ~ APPAZ
FOR TUNE 0152 (Barcode: 5906395808670) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021
This is the second album by Polish Free Jazz duo Skerebotte FattaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Jan MalkowskiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Jan SkerebotteFind albums by this artist) and drummer Dominik MokrzewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions credited to the duo members. As the album’s title and the track titles (when read in reverse) suggest, the album is a tribute to icons of creative music, as diverse as Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, Albert AylerFind albums by this artist or Han BenninkFind albums by this artist.
Both Malkowski and Mokrzewski already participated in several Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music recordings, including the RdzaFind albums by this artist ensemble and the Infant Joy QuintetFind albums by this artist, the latter also released on the For TuneFind albums on this label label.
The rather unusual saxophone – drums duo obviously immediately prompts for comparisons to similar recordings on the world scale, but honestly it’s hardly relevant to compare these relatively young musicians with world-class veterans like Max RoachFind albums by this artist / Anthony BraxtonFind albums by this artist or John ColtraneFind albums by this artist / Rashied AliFind albums by this artist. It’s better to keep things in proportion.
The duo members display an obvious rapport and excellent partnership, while building their performances, usually driving them to an explosive crescendo. Both also display excellent technique and evident understanding of the Improvised Music idiom. As a result, the music they create offers honest effort and inventive excitement, which are perhaps more appropriate for a live performance than a studio recording, but that is just a mere observation.
The problem with Improvised Music is always its long-term musical value, which faces the obvious conflict between spontaneous / momentary creation and its lasting significance. In plain words, will a potential listener return to listen to this music ever again? In times when listeners are constantly bombarded with an endless flow of new releases and the opportunity to discover older recordings made available, the chances of Improvised Music recordings become ever slimmer, unless they are truly unique and everlasting. As wonderful as the Polish Jazz scene has become in the last two decades, Improvised Music is unfortunately not one of its fortes.
Overall, this is an ambitious and generally successful Free Jazz / Improvised Music duo recording, with a lot of passion and technique involved. For lovers of the genre, it is certainly a worthy excursion into the Polish flavor of the idiom.
| | Updated: 25/09/2021Posted: 25/09/2021 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | SPRING HEEL JACK ~ AMASSED
THIRSTY EAR 57123 (Barcode: 700435712324) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2002 Released: 2002
This is an album by British electronic music duo Spring Heel JackFind albums by this artist, consisting of John CoxonFind albums by this artist and Ashley WalesFind albums by this artist. Following the release of three Drum & Bass albums in the 1990s, the duo switched their musical direction and with the turn of the Millennium released a series of recordings made with international group of Free Jazz / Avant-Garde musicians, like those appearing on this album: British saxophonist Evan ParkerFind albums by this artist, trombonist Paul RutherfordFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist and bassists John EdwardsFind albums by this artist and George TrebarFind albums by this artist, American pianist Matthew ShippFind albums by this artist, Dutch drummer Han BenninkFind albums by this artist and others. The album presents eight original compositions co-composed by the participating musicians.
The music is as experimental and weird as one might expect from the above lineup, which of course is something some of us love dearly ;) Long improvisations and intimate conversations between these wonderful musicians are always worth listening to and honestly the electronic music elements by the duo are not really significant here, more like background and general ornamentation.
The music is very serene and held back, offering a multitude of wonderful soli, in particular those by Evans and Wheeler, which are nothing short of spectacular. The musicians form duos, trios, quartets and a constantly changing lineup, which offers not one dull moment for the duration. The overall atmosphere of freedom and lack of boundaries contributes greatly to the creative powers of the participants and the result is really surprising.
For British Free Jazz / Improvised Music enthusiasts this album, which they are most probably nor aware of its existence, is a treasure chest of great discoveries and something definitely worth checking out, well deserving a place in their record collections. Apparently this album is still available, so grab a copy as long as those last.
Overall this is a little known gem, which is definitely a great surprise!
| | Updated: 14/10/2020Posted: 14/10/2020 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
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