Record Reviews
29 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | IAIN BALLAMY ~ PEPPER ST. INTERLUDES
FERAL 102 (Barcode: 766013010220) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2000 Released: 2000
This is another criminally little known album, this time by British Jazz saxophonist / composer Iain BallamyFind albums by this artist, recorded with Norwegian button accordionist Stian CarstensenFind albums by this artist and British vocalist Diva Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist, cellist Matthew SharpFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin FranceFind albums by this artist (on one track only). The album presents fourteen pieces, two of which (one of them repeated three times) are original compositions by Ballamy, one is by Carstensen, one is by the Jewish British composer Michael CarrFind albums by this artist (repeated twice) and the rest are mostly unique arrangements of Jazz standards.
The entire concept of the album is to present intimate duets of saxophone with accordion or with cello, and on two tracks featuring Winstone singing the lyrics of songs and adding vocalese on two others. The atmosphere is utterly enchanting and misty like the London fog. Ballamy´s playing is full of lyricism and heartbreaking melancholy, and the album is a great tribute to the Jazz standards, which are an endless source of great and moving tunes.
Although focusing on the saxophone, the album offers some extraordinary accordion playing and of course the vocals by Winstone are always a joyful occasion to hear her Artistry and alone a worth having this album in your collection.
Overall this is a very unusual album, full of deeply reflective music, which might take some time to get in love with, but that is bound to happen sooner or later. It definitely deserves to be discovered, if a copy can be found, which probably won´t be easy. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 15/01/2021Posted: 14/01/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | CARRIER / LAMBERT / MAZUR ~ UNKNOWABLE
NOT TWO 928 (Barcode: 5901549185904) ~ CANADA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015
This is a live recording by the Improvised Music trio consisting of Canadian saxophonist Francois CarrierFind albums by this artist and drummer Michel LambertFind albums by this artist and Polish acoustic bass guitarist Rafal MazurFind albums by this artist. The trio performs six spontaneously improvised pieces, credited to all three trio members. The music was recorded at the Alchemia Jazz Club in Krakow.
Although improvised, the music is characterized by a high degree of melodic content as a result of Carrier´s contributions, which are mostly long lines of melodic themes. Mazur´s bass guitar is always very melodic and here it harmonizes perfectly with Carrier´s leading lines. Lambert is a very delicate and sympathetic drummer, supporting his cohorts with his dense, precise rhythmic patterns, but keeping the volume well in control in order not to dominate the proceedings.
There is a wonderful interplay and exchange of ideas between the trio members, who are listening attentively to each other, weaving together a multi-colored tapestry of sound. The music is remarkably relaxed and serene, even in its most intensive moments, completely avoiding any signs of aggression and competitiveness, which so often completely dominates Improvised Music. As a result this is one of the few cases when an Improvised Music recording actually makes sense to be released on record and manages to recreate the actual experience. The excellent recording quality of this album is also very helpful.
Overall this is a very impressive piece of music captured for eternity on record and deserves to be heard by all Improvised Music connoisseurs. Perhaps not particularly groundbreaking, nevertheless is offers many magic moments which happen only in that particular musical idiom. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | CLAMAN / STRYCHARSKI / CHOJNACKI / PRATS ~ QUARTETT NON LOCALITY
MULTIKULTI MPSMT 015 (Barcode: 5903068683336) ~ SPAIN ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019
This is an album by international Improvising Music ensemble Quartett Non LocalityFind albums by this artist consisting of New Zealand (resident in Barcelona) violinist Sarah ClamanFind albums by this artist, Polish flautist Dominik StrycharskiFind albums by this artist and accordionist Zbigniew ChojnackiFind albums by this artist and Catalan drummer Ramon PratsFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven improvised pieces not attributed to specific composers.
The album is a part of the "Spontaneous Music Tribune Series" dedicated to Iberian Free Improvised Music, curated by my friend and colleague Maciej LewensteinFind albums by this artist, who lives in Barcelona since many years and who is a passionate music lover in parallel to his scientific career.
The music is a typical Improvised Music experience, which sadly suffers from the characteristic recorded Improvised Music malady, which haunts most albums of the genre. This music might have been highly interesting for the musicians to play, and perhaps might have been a fascinating live experience, but is much less interesting to listen to at home from a record and is unable, at least to me, to recreate that potential excitement, closed in a recorded time capsule. Sadly since making a recording and releasing albums have become accessible and inexpensive in the last two decades, there is a deluge of Improvised Music albums on the market, which only under rare circumstances make a lasting statement and deserve repeated listening.
Strycharski and Chojnacki are both formidable musicians and have already created numerous excellent recordings, but sadly on this album one can hardly find significant evidence of their individual abilities. Although I painstakingly listened to this music, enjoying some fragments, I don´t envisage myself doing it again.
Overall this is perhaps of interest to the hardened Improvised Music enthusiasts, who are deeply enthralled by the intricacies of the genre, but for listeners beyond that intimate circle it is most probably impenetrable.
| | Updated: 12/01/2020Posted: 09/01/2020 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | FLAMEN DIALIS ~ SYMPTOME-DEI
MIO 014 ~ FRANCE ~ Progressive Rock
Only album (recorded 1978) by this French Prog group. They were one of the most bizzare and advanterous groups to ever appear on the French scene with a musical style totally undescribable. There are elements of free improvisation, humor, esoteric outwordly atmosphere, etc., all this excellently performed and somehow making perfect sense. This reissue includes their ultra-rare single as bonus tracks.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | FLAMINGO ~ FLAMINGO (SWINGING TRICITY VOL.4)
SOLITON 250 (Barcode: 5901571092508) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1961 - 1963 Released: 2012
This is the fourth installment in the excellent archival series documenting Polish Jazz created in the country´s Tricity on the Baltic Sea, one of the important centers where Polish Jazz thrives and over the years produced numerous first-rate musicians and superb bands. The series presents material, which in most cases never previously appeared in any form and therefore is of immense historic importance.
This chapter presents the FlamingoFind albums by this artist ensemble, a Traditional Jazz outfit, which was very popular locally as well as in the rest of the country and even participated in the prestigious annual Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw. The group was founded in the late 1950´s, following the great Polish Jazz rebirth after the two historic Sopot (one of the Tricity cities) festivals in 1956 and 1957, which were a turning point in Polish Jazz history. The ensemble existed for about a dozen years until the late 1960s, and unfortunately never managed to record even one album, which sadly was the fate of many Polish Jazz artists during the Socialist regime. However they did record for the Tricity Polish Radio station in Gdansk, where most of the material included on this album comes from, except for five tracks that come from the 1961 Jazz Jamboree Festival, which were previously released by the state owned record label Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label (MuzaFind albums on this label).
Flamingo was one of quite a few Polish Jazz ensembles playing Traditional Jazz, i.e. Ragtime, Dixieland and New Orleans, as part of the Traditional Jazz Revival, which swept Europe in the 1950s and 1960s. It was founded by pianist Jerzy DerfelFind albums by this artist, bassist Henryk PietrewiczFind albums by this artist and banjoist Lucjan WozniakFind albums by this artist. They were soon joined by drummer Janusz NalaskowskiFind albums by this artist and clarinetist Eugeniusz PudelewiczFind albums by this artist. Other group members present on this album were trumpeters Piotr NadolskiFind albums by this artist and Ryszard PodgorskiFind albums by this artist, and trombonists Andrzej DorawaFind albums by this artist, Edward RykaczewskiFind albums by this artist and Jan TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist. After the group folded, several members joined other groups; like Rama 111Find albums by this artist, which appears on an earlier release of this series, and even NiemenFind albums by this artist´s group AkwareleFind albums by this artist.
The group performed mostly Traditional Jazz standards, with their youthful energy and zest overcoming the lack of experience. The overall level of performances was nothing short of excellent, which gained them quite a following and respect at the time. They performed in several European countries and participated in many jazz festivals. Since their split they managed to get briefly reunited a few times celebrating their past. Most of the Flamingo members live now outside of Poland.
This is another great piece of Polish Jazz history, which should definitely be told and preserved as part of the country´s Cultural Heritage. Kudos to Marcin JacobsonFind albums by this artist for creating this series and keeping it going!
| | | CD-R 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANNIE HASLAM ~ BLESSING IN DISGUISE
VOICEPRINT 354 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded in 1994 (and released under the banner Annie Haslam`s Renaissance) this is one of Annie`s strongest solo albums since leaving the mother group. Produced by the legendary Tony Visconti (who also plays on the album and composed some of the tracks) the album resembles the original Renaissance in every aspect - sound, atmosphere, instrumentation, etc. The material is exceptionally strong (in fact much stronger then the late Renaissance albums), Annie`s voice crystal clear as ever - in short a masterpiece. Considering the fact that she recorded this album just after recovering from a breast cancer is a miracle in itself. The bonus tracks, although written in 1992, were recorded in 2002. Essential!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANNIE HASLAM ~ DAWN OF ANANDA
VOICEPRINT 356 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded in 1999, this is Annie`s most serious solo project in many years. She wrote all of the lyrics to the songs included on the album and the wonderful music was composed by her veteran colleagues such as Michael Dunford (Renaissance), Rave Tesar and the legendary Tony Visconti, who also co-produced the album. The songs are all based on Annie`s deep personal feelings and experiences and the manages to transform those into music in full. This gentle, melodic, blissful music is perhaps to `sweet` for some, but I absolutely adore it.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANNIE HASLAM ~ IT SNOWS IN HEAVEN TOO
VOICEPRINT 357 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Before you read any further - this is a `Christmas` album! So how come it is classified as Prog? Well, Annie Haslam has been associated with the genre since we all can remember and her vocal qualities are beyond dispute. And who better to record those songs then the Lady with the voice of an angel? Annie sings just brilliantly, and the songs, carefully arranged by Rave Tesar, sound just wonderful. The choice of material and the atmosphere are nothing like all those tacky X-mas albums we all know and despise - this is a masterpiece. The album was recorded in 2000.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANNIE HASLAM ~ LIVE STUDIO CONCERT
VOICEPRINT 020 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Considering how rare any footage by Annie Haslam / Renaissance is, it is a great feast to have an opportunity to see and listen to this wonderful performance. Filmed in 1997 at the Prism TV Network studios in Philadelphia, Annie proves that she is still as good a singer as she ever was and her angelic voice remains intact. She gets a most sympathetic support from three musicians / friends (Rave Tesar – keyboards, David Biglin – keyboards and guitar and Joe Goldberger – drums) and the material includes some of her best known songs from her solo career and a few older Renaissance songs. The intimate setting of small studio audience provides Annie with an ideal environment to display her ability and get immediate feedback from the listeners. For the many Annie Haslam’s fans this is a Godsend.
| | | DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANNIE HASLAM ~ LIVE STUDIO CONCERT
VOICEPRINT 379 (Barcode: 604388322022) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1997 Released: 2006
Recorded in 1997 at the Prism TV Network studios in Philadelphia, Annie proves that she is still as good a singer as she ever was and her angelic voice remains intact. She gets a most sympathetic support from three musicians / friends (Rave Tesar – keyboards, David Biglin – keyboards and guitar and Joe Goldberger – drums) and the material includes some of her best known songs from her solo career and a few older Renaissance songs. The intimate setting of small studio audience provides Annie with an ideal environment to display her ability and get immediate feedback from the listeners. For the many Annie Haslam’s fans this is a Godsend. This CD includes the audio material on the DVD by the same name, with the addition of one bonus track.
| | | CD 1 Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANNIE HASLAM ~ LIVE UNDER BRAZILIAN SKIES
VOICEPRINT 355 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded live during Annie`s 1997 tour of Brazil, this nice album spotlights her solo career years after leaving the legendary Renaissance. The music includes a few Renaissance classics, as well as songs from her later solo albums. Haslam has never lost neither her absolutely wonderful, crystal clear voice, nor her tremendous feeling and ability to express music, which make her one of the greatest performers in Prog.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANNIE HASLAM ~ ONE ENCHANTED EVENING
VOICEPRINT 358 (Barcode: 604388319824) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2001 Released: 2005
Recorded live in 2001, this is the latest (so far) solo album by the legendary vocalist. As she herself describes it - it contains a number of songs that she has wanted to record for a number of years, and that she feels have played an important role in her career. Some truly exqusit renderings of classic songs, including her version of `She`s Leaving Home` by the Beatles. What a delight! In 2002 Annie started (seriously) to paint and the cover art of this album is one of her paintings.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PETROS KLAMPANIS ~ CHROMA
MOTEMA 219 (Barcode: 181212002195) ~ GREECE ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017
This is the third album by Greek (resident in NY) bassist / composer Petros KlampanisFind albums by this artist, recorded with Israeli guitarist Gilad HekselmanFind albums by this artist, Israeli pianist Shai MaestroFind albums by this artist, American drummer John HadfieldFind albums by this artist and Japanese percussionist Keita OgawaFind albums by this artist. The quintet is accompanied by a string octet. The album was recorded live and presents seven compositions, five of which are by Klampanis, one by Hekselman and one by the Greek Jazz pianist / composer Spyros ManesisFind albums by this artist.
The music is beautifully melodic and offers superb string arrangements, which together create an atmosphere of elegance and Classically influenced mood, spiced with the European Jazz stylistics, in spite of the fact that it was created by musicians resident in the US, which apparently did not manage to take away their sensitivities. Lyrical and melancholic, the music moves majestically from one composition to another, keeping the listener engulfed within the magical atmosphere of anticipation.
The personal performances are all top class. Klampanis not only plays the expected bass lines which hold the music together, but explicitly leads the compositions via his bass intros and solos. Hekselman is one of the top guitar players today and his lead parts are always right on the money, with his electric guitar sound adding another dimension to the music, but not dominating it stylistically, which saves this album from moving into the Fusion idiom. Maestro plays mostly in the background but his harmonic parts are exactly what this music needs. Hadfield and Ogawa delicately add the rhythmic layer, carefully staying away from overly disturbing the gentle flow of the music.
Overall this is a wonderful, delicate and intelligent album, which should make many open-minded Jazz and Jazz-Classical Fusion listeners ecstatically happy. Definitely recommended and worth investigating!
| | Updated: 20/02/2018Posted: 20/02/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | LAM ~ LAM
INSTANT CLASSIC 048 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is the debut album by Polish Improvising Music trio LamFind albums by this artist, which comprises of veteran Polish Avant-Garde activists: clarinetist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist, pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist and drummer Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist. Berlin based producer moorycFind albums by this artist, who was involved with the production, adds some electronic sounds. Together they present seven original compositions, all composed by Zimpel, two of which were co-composed by mooryc.
Listeners familiar with the music of Zimpel will find this album closely following his usual concept of contemplative, meditative music, which develops painfully slowly and progresses on a very limited emotional level, almost like the music of Far Eastern cultures, which serves mostly for meditation and prayer. This music has a restricted melodic content, with short melodic themes, which are then repeated in an endless cycle, changing only marginally within each piece. Of course serial, cyclic, minimalistic and repetitive music techniques exist also in the Western Classical Music idiom, but Zimpel´s music has more affinity to the folkloristic directions.
Personally this is not a kind of music I´d listen to intentionally, as usually I find it rather limited and annoying. Nevertheless this particular album is an exception, as I quite enjoyed the music herein and listened to the entire album with interest and pleasure. Zimpel´s highly emotional and expressive playing on one of the pieces is the absolute highlight of the entire album and justifies getting a copy of it.
Dys, who is a brilliant piano virtuoso, sadly has little opportunity to show his super technique and exceptional ability, staying mostly in the background. Same applies to Zemler, who is a very creative drummer but this music hardly allows him to show his entire arsenal of possibilities.
But all the limitations are balanced by a tight correlation between the musicians and the aesthetics of the musical concept, which inspires calm personal introspection, which perhaps is the main purpose of this music.
Not for everybody of course, but Zimpel has many fans on the Polish scene, who will welcome this album openheartedly, which is always a good thing. Personally I´d love to hear Zimpel playing other kind of music for a change, perhaps more Jazz oriented, but I respect his consistency and obvious talent.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 08/11/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | LAMBERT, HENDRICKS & ROSS ~ SEVEN CLASSIC ALBUMS
REAL GONE JAZZ 415 (Barcode: 5036408153128) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1957 - 1962 Released: 2013
This is a reissue of all the recordings by the legendary American vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums by this artist, which consisted of Dave LambertFind albums by this artist, Jon HendricksFind albums by this artist and the British born Annie RossFind albums by this artist. This set collects recordings made between 1957 and 1962, which present the trio shaping the future of Jazz vocals for generations to come.
The seven albums included here are: "Sing A Song Of BasieFind albums with this title" from 1957, "Sing Along With BasieFind albums with this title", from 1958, "The SwingersFind albums with this title" from 1958, "Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums with this title" from 1960, "Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Sing EllingtonFind albums with this title" from 1960, "The Real AmbassadorsFind albums with this title", a soundtrack of a Jazz musical which also features Dave BrubeckFind albums by this artist and Louis ArmstrongFind albums by this artist, from 1962 and the final album they recorded "High Flying With Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums with this title" from 1962.
The trio´s usage of vocalese (i.e. wordless singing) advanced the idiom of Jazz vocals considerably, contributing to the voice being recognized as having instrumental abilities equal to those of traditional instruments used in Jazz. Although they were undoubtedly pioneers, they were almost immediately overshadowed by the French vocal group Les Double SixFind albums by this artist, which pushed the innovative vocal concepts to the next level and beyond, later followed by The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist and many other vocal ensembles.
Overall this is a fascinating collection of great vocal Jazz music performed by the best vocalists at the time, and which has additionally also an enormous historical value. I can’t imagine any true vocal Jazz fan missing this set!
Side Note
The Real Gone JazzFind albums on this label label releases hundreds of album collections, which include usually between three to eight original albums in a two to four CDs sets. Most of these albums were recorded and released in the 1950s and early 1960s. These collections provide the track lists and lineups of the original albums, but no recording information, liner notes and any background information whatsoever. The label takes advantage of the copyright law in UK, which limited the length of the copyright protection of recorded works to 50 years, after which recorded works become public domain. In 2013 UK implemented a correction of the copyright law extending the protection of recorded works to 70 years (like the rest of Europe), but the correction does not apply retroactively, which means that recordings which entered the 50 years rule prior to January 1, 2013 (i.e. recorded before January 1, 1963) remain public domain.
There are two great advantages to these releases: they are really inexpensive and they bring back to life many albums not reissued previously on CD, which means it would cost a collector an arm and a leg to get a copy of them. Many of these albums are absolute gems and essential pieces of Jazz history.
The disadvantages are: the lack of proper information, original cover art, combining tracks of several original albums on one CD and the sound quality, which depends on where the label gets the source material. From my experience most of the releases have quite excellent sound quality but I have not listened to all of them and some people have complained about it.
| | Updated: 27/05/2018Posted: 29/09/2016 | CD 4 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARSUPILAMI ~ ARENA
ESOTERIC 2007 (Barcode: 5013929710726) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2007
2nd and last album by British Prog / Jazz-Rock band MarsupilamiFind albums by this artist, one of the best kept secrets of the burgeoning local scene form the late 1960s / early 1970s. The band was a sextet, which played only original, highly complex music strongly Jazz influenced. All the musicians were excellent instrumentalists and the long instrumental passages are all very interesting. A female flute player, who also sang backing vocals, completed the bill, which adds another interesting layer to the music. Altogether it is pretty amazing that this group is almost completely unknown, even by the hard-core Prog fans, as this stunning album is as good as any of the albums released at the time by groups that turned into legends. After being lost for so many years, now the new generation of Prog fans is able to rediscover and enjoy this band, as it surely deserves a much wider recognition.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARSUPILAMI ~ MARSUPILAMI
ESOTERIC 2095 (Barcode: 5013929719521) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1969 Released: 2008
1st album by British Prog / Jazz-Rock band MarsupilamiFind albums by this artist, one of the best kept secrets of the burgeoning local scene form the late 1960s / early 1970s. The band was a sextet, which played only original, highly complex music strongly Jazz influenced. All the musicians were excellent instrumentalists and the long instrumental passages are all very interesting. A female flute player, who also sang backing vocals, completed the bill, which adds another interesting layer to the music. Altogether it is pretty amazing that this group is almost completely unknown, even by the hard-core Prog fans, as this stunning debut album is as good as any of the debuts released at the time by groups that turned into legends. After being lost for so many years, now the new generation of Prog fans is able to rediscover and enjoy this band, as it surely deserves a much wider recognition.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANCESCA PALAMIDESSI ~ AMBER HAZE
HEVHETIA 0137 (Barcode: 8588005257954) ~ ITALY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017
This is the second album by Italian (resident in Belgium) vocalist Francesca PalamidessiFind albums by this artist, recorded with Belgian keyboardist Hendrik LasureFind albums by this artist and drummer Casper Van De VeldeFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen original compositions, all except one composed by Palamidessi, some of which feature lyrics (in English) also all except one written by her as well. Six of the tracks are described as being freely improvised.
The music floats somewhere between Avant-Garde Pop and Improvised Music, creating some of the most unique and bizarre soundscapes, which even the most experienced music listeners come across pretty rarely. Very minimalistic on one hand but deeply expressive on the other, this is a formidable example of uncompromised artistic chase for individualism and originality.
Although the vocalist uses texts, she treats her voice just like an instrument, singing also improvised melodic bits and vocalese. The accompaniment becomes merged with the vocal parts, creating a fluid tapestry which changes in intensity from whisper to shout. Although there is almost no melody in the conventional sense, the music has an intrinsic continuity and fluidness that lets the listener follow the sonic developments on a lucid path.
Overall this is a very unique piece of music, which requires open mindedness and several listening sessions to get into, but which exemplifies the everlasting urge of Artists to pursue their own visions, even when this results in staying well outside the mainstream. A wonderful, challenging experience, which I wholeheartedly recommend!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 04/04/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANCESCA PALAMIDESSI ~ IN OTHER WORDS I AM THREE
RAGTIME 003 ~ ITALY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015
This is a vocal tribute album to the music of Charles MingusFind albums by this artist by Italian (resident in Belgium) singer / arranger Francesca PalamidessiFind albums by this artist, who is accompanied by an excellent quintet consisting of pianist Hendrik LasureFind albums by this artist, clarinetist Matteo PastorinoFind albums by this artist, guitarist Simone SchirruFind albums by this artist, bassist Francesco GalatroFind albums by this artist and drummer Armando LuongoFind albums by this artist. It presents six classic pieces by Mingus, arranged by Palamidessi. This is her debut album.
Palamidessi treats the Mingus material with a lot of flair and individual elucidation, which allows her and the quintet members to spread their wings and play their hearts out, rather than present yet another mainstream interpretation of this music, which has been done so many times before. As a result this album is full of surprises and unexpected quirks, which every great Jazz album should be full off.
She has a strong, clear voice and a lot of bold ideas, which she´s not afraid to try out. She sings both lyrics and vocalese, which is her true forte. The long improvised vocalese passages are a true inspiration. She gets a superb and sympathetic support form her band mates, who all contribute to the overall effect of this album. Lasure is with her literally hand in hand, Pastorino plays some naughty bass clarinet inserts that send sparks down your spine, Schirru is all about ambient mysticism, which creates a beautifully weird background, and of course the rhythm section carries all that craziness bravely forward, with Galatro in charge of the pulsation and Luongo keeping everybody in the right timeframe.
This music might not be very easy for the less experienced listeners. Mingus was a space alien as far as his twisted melody lines are concerned, so even before the musicians here start to go all over the place this is already far from trivial and when the ensemble moves away from the basic melody lines, things get a bit twisted, in a wonderful way of course. So if you don´t "get it" in the fist attempt, listen again as this music is definitely too good to be left aside.
Respecting the Masters and stretching their music to new vicinity is the perfect recipe for making good music. I´m glad it was used here and happy it worked as well as it did. In view of so many mediocre vocal albums released in the Jazz idiom, this album is a breath of fresh air, not to be missed. If this is her debut recording, she is surely going to surprise us again, soon I hope.
| | | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | SALAMON / HADZIMANOV / MOSES ~ DANCES OF FREEDOM
SAMO ~ SLOVENIA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2024
This is an album by Slovenian guitarist Samo SalamonFind albums by this artist, Serbian keyboardist Vasil HadzimanovFind albums by this artist and American drummer Bob MosesFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, all of which are co-composed by the trio members.
The music is a wonderful amalgam of many elements, and although it is mostly improvised, it offers various melodic snippets, references to Balkan Folkloristic themes, Ambient layers and electronically generated effects. There is a confident, clearly defined flow and coherent progress, which makes this music accessible to open-minded listeners, who are patient enough to experience the music slowly, and follow it where the musicians take it.
Although this is a trio recording, the music often sounds much fuller, with the instruments often disguised into instruments, which are not used in reality. The brilliant drumming by Moses keeps everything perfectly organized and the consequent tunes offer a diversity, which is rarely present in Improvised Music.
Salamon is an extremely prolific musician, who recorded almost fifty albums since the turn of the Millennium, mostly released on his own SamoFind albums on this label Records label, with involve dozens of European Jazz musicians, and he definitely deserves to be followed.
Overall, this is another document of Salamon’s feverish activity, which, as always deserves the attention of open-minded and aesthetically minded listeners. He manages to re-invent himself time and again and keeps an excellent company doing so! Highly recommended!
| | Updated: 16/02/2024Posted: 16/02/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MICHAL SALAMON ~ LION`S GATE
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903802495409) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020
This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Michal SalamonFind albums by this artist recorded in a quintet setting with trumpeter Zbigniew SzwajdychFind albums by this artist, violinist Mikolaj KostkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Milosz SkwirutFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Salamon.
The music is all very melodic, melancholic and lyrical, developing very slowly and without much dynamics. It is only marginally Jazz oriented and could be easily considered Smooth Jazz or New Age. Although the team includes some very talented young Polish Jazz musicians, there are very little opportunities offered to Kostka or Szwajdych to improvise and solo extensively and the music is dominated by repetitive waves of piano phrases.
The melodies are pretty similar to each other and there is not much happening for the duration of the album musically beyond what one can hear in the first few minutes. Yes, it is all very pretty and smooth, but it does not convey any musical message unfortunately. The album’s artwork is full of mystical / spiritual symbols as are the titles of the compositions, reflecting the New Age spirit behind the album.
Overall for me this album is quite disappointing, especially since Salamon’s earlier recordings sounded way more promising. This music often sounds very similar to the music of Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist, who is a master playing such soulless music – lots of notes, no content. Of course this is only me, sorry Michal, not this time…
| | Updated: 19/03/2021Posted: 19/03/2021 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | SAMO SALAMON ~ DOLPHOLOGY
SAMO ~ SLOVENIA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022
This is a solo guitar album by Slovenian Jazz guitarist / composer Samo SalamonFind albums by this artist, which is a tribute to the American Jazz pioneer Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist, with an emphasis on Dolphy’s compositions, which are a lesser known facet of his personality. The 2CD album presents twenty-eight tracks, all played on 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars, except one played on mandolin, all composed by Dolphy. The two versions of the tune “Inner Flight” (see the “Other AspectsFind albums with this title” album by Dolphy) are the closing tracks of each CD.
The tunes should sound familiar to avid Jazz fans, although most probably won’t associate them with Dolphy as their composer. Dolphy’s death at the ridiculous young age of 36 cut his career short of course, yet his lasting influence on the development of the Jazz idiom is felt to this very day.
Salomon treats Dolphy’s composition with respect and obvious love, moving carefully between pretty straightforward renditions of the basic melody lines and completely improvised approach based on the harmonic structures and beyond. These different stylistic approaches create in intrinsic dynamics within the album’s flow, which otherwise might have been perhaps somewhat monotonous.
The music was recorded at Salamon’s home with a simple setup, and offers a clear, pleasant sonic ambience, which exposes the music as nakedly as possible, which is probably the optimal approach in this case. Obviously influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic and travel limitations, Salamon decided to spend his isolation wisely and productively.
Salamon’s extensive career and recorded legacy speaks for itself and his obvious talent and dedication to Jazz is also obvious on this album, which involved a lot of work and stamina to produce.
Overall, this is a very interesting musical project and a true labor of love, which definitely should be listened to by all serious Jazz enthusiasts around the world. It offers not only a great musical value but a lot of European aesthetics and educational importance. Guitar lovers should find this fascinating as well, and the aspiring young guitar players could learn a lick or two here. Hats off and thanks for the music!
| | Updated: 16/02/2024Posted: 21/01/2022 | CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | SAMO SALAMON / ARILD ANDERSEN / BOB MOSES ~ PURE AND SIMPLE
SAMO ~ SLOVENIA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022
This is an album by Slovenian Jazz guitarist Samo SalamonFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with two Jazz icons: Norwegian bassist Arild AndersenFind albums by this artist and American drummer Bob MosesFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, five of which are original compositions co-composed by the trio members, one is co-composed by Salamon and Moses, one each are by Anderson and Moses and finally one is the trio’s interpretation of a standard by Albert AylerFind albums by this artist.
The music is absolutely delightful, based on sketchy melody lines and improvised extensively, keeping the volume low and the creativity high at all times. Salamon is an amazing guitar player, with an extensive recorded legacy to his credit, and a respectful position on the scene, despite his relatively young age. His guitar creates ambient layers of sound, which are completely unique, which is truly astounding considering the fact that the guitar is after all the most popular instrument out there.
Andersen, my favorite bass player of all time, provides the melodic layer with his virtuosic plucking and amazing sound. I have known him for almost as long as I have listened to music, and never heard him play anything less than heart wrenchingly beautiful. He is probably the most melodic bass player among his peers, and this album clearly shows why. Moses goes back to the sources of modern Jazz and his equally unique approach to drumming and sense of rhythm is obviously legendary. On this album his playing is kept somewhat at a distance, but at the same time present at all times, adding a heartbeat pulse and keeping the music on a chronometric track.
Overall, this is a brilliant and highly unusual album, full of superb playing and Jazz aesthetics of the highest caliber. If Salamon is a new name for you, it’s high time to catch up, as he is definitely a musician to put on one’s watch list. If you are a guitar player, well listening to this album might make you think twice about your future. If you love great Jazz, this album is an absolute must!
| | Updated: 21/07/2022Posted: 21/07/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | SNOWY WHITE / WHITE FLAMES ~ KEEP OUT – WE ARE TOXIC
VOICEPRINT 397 (Barcode: 604388324828) ~ UK ~ Blues
Recorded: 1998 Released: 2006
This is a reissue of Snowy White’s little known album, which never gained the recognition it deserved. Recorded with his White Flames trio, a group White fronted for several years since the mid-1990’s, it is a superb example of Blues / Rock. White’s incredible guitar playing and his soulful voice comprise an ideal vehicle for this type of music and the band plays extremely well together. Add to this White’s great talent to compose those heartbreaking bluesy melodies and you have all it takes to make a most enjoyable album. This should appeal to a wide range of listeners from classic rock to blues, each and every one finding everything they like in this music. I’m glad to see this album available again.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | SNOWY WHITE / WHITE FLAMES ~ LITTLE WING
VOICEPRINT 396 (Barcode: 604388324729) ~ UK ~ Blues
Recorded: 1997 Released: 2006
This is a most welcome reissue of a little known Snowy White album, which was released only in Europe. White returns to the Blues / Rock format, which of course is his forte. The trio format serves him perfectly and the rhythm session is superb. He wrote all the music except the title track (by Hendrix of course) and one track contributed the drummer. He re-visits a few older songs, but most of the material is new. There is plenty of space for some formidable guitar playing, as the tracks are relatively long (up to 9+ minutes), which should make his many fans quite happy. Definitely one of his better albums and far superior to his mainstream efforts. Warmly recommended.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | SNOWY WHITE / WHITE FLAMES ~ NO FAITH REQUIRED
VOICEPRINT 398 (Barcode: 604388324927) ~ UK ~ Blues
Recorded: 1996 Released: 2006
This is a reissue of Snowy White’s first album with his excellent White Flames trio, with some help from other musician friends (including John “Rabbit” Bundwick on keyboards). A superb example of Blues / Rock, where White’s incredible guitar playing and his soulful voice comprise an ideal vehicle for this type of music. White wrote all the music on this album and his love for the blues form is evident. Guitar freaks will of course enjoy White’s long guitar solos, but the material is generally very strong and the entire album is a most pleasant listen. It is great to have this album back in circulation, especially in view of the very limited exposure it received when originally released. Warmly recommended.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | SNOWY WHITE / WHITE FLAMES ~ THE WAY IT IS...
WHITE FLAMES 001 (Barcode: 604388656028) ~ UK ~ Blues
Recorded: 2003 Released: 2004
What a pleasure it is to hear this legendary guitarist again, after many years of silence. This new album proves that Snowy did not loose one iota of his wonderful touch and is still one of the best electric blues guitarists out there. The album includes a new version of the mega-hit `Bird Of Paradise`, which is a blues evergreen. Blues fans rejoyce!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
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