Record Reviews

JOHN MAYALL ~ TALK ABOUT THAT FORTY BELOW 015 (Barcode: 888295485630) ~ UK ~ Blues-Rock Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 Despite the fact that British Blues Guru John MayallFind albums by this artist is already in his eighth decade of his life, he continues to release new albums with a Swiss Clock regularity, as if time stood still for him. This album, recorded in a quartet setting, finds Mayall singing and playing a plethora of keyboard instruments, including the Hammond organ, as well as guitar and harmonica. He is supported by guitarist Rocky AthasFind albums by this artist, bassist Greg RzabFind albums by this artist and drummer Jay DavenportFind albums by this artist. Guitar legend Joe WalshFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. Some of the tracks feature brass arrangements. The album presents eleven tracks, eight of which are Mayall originals and the rest are by other Blues songwriters. The music is as fresh and sparkling as always and although Mayall has been at it for six decades, his talent to reinvent himself and his music remains unexhausted. Following him on a regular basis, his faithful fans have been exposed to an ever changing panorama of excellent instrumentalists, whom he picks up carefully, always fitting his idiosyncratic style like a glove. His awareness of current social / political matters and his honesty about them are another steady feature of his artistic path and he was never shy to criticize the illnesses of our society. Many musicians reach a point in their lives that clearly indicates a time to retire and pass the torch to the next generation, but in Mayall’s case that time is simply not here yet. Thank you John for all these marvelous years and the Blues, which always was a part of the Soundtrack Of My Life.

Updated: 03/06/2021Posted: 03/06/2021

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PASCAL NIGGENKEMPER / LE 7EME CONTINENT ~ TALKING TRASH CLEAN FEED 373 (Barcode: 5609063003734) ~ GERMANY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2014 - 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by the ensemble Le 7eme ContinentFind albums by this artist, led by German-French resident in NY bassist / composer Pascal NiggenkemperFind albums by this artist. The ensemble also called sextet, double trio and triple duo includes two pianists: Eve RisserFind albums by this artist and Philip ZoubekFind albums by this artist (who both play prepared piano), two clarinetists: Joris RuhlFind albums by this artist and Joachim BadenhorstFind albums by this artist and Spanish flautist Julian ElviraFind albums by this artist who plays the pronomos flute he invented and the sub-contrabass flute. Bassist Constantin HerzogFind albums by this artist guests on one track. Together the ensemble plays nine original compositions, all by Niggenkemper. The music is a wonderfully weird extreme Avant Garde amalgamation of sounds that seem completely random at first, but start making sense soon enough, after attentive listening. The individual instruments do not produce any "normal" notes one might expect to hear from them, but rather generate an ambient wall of sound with small variations and monotonic almost motionless ambience. There is little development within each of the "tunes" and even within the entire album, as the sound changes with an excruciatingly slow rate, requiring the listener to enter a meditative state of sorts in order to submit to the music. There is no intellectual analyzing needed here, just complete Zen like acquiescence. The only piece on the album, which comes remotely close to what most people consider as music is the title track, where finally one may hear the piano, flute and clarinet producing almost "normal" notes in a group improvisation environment. One must admit that this music would be probably deemed completely unlistenable by the vast majority of the inhabitants of this planet, but sadly the same applies to most of Avant Garde art at any given moment in the human history. Thank God some people have the courage to think differently and disregard the norms, in their quest for the unknown, like the musicians involved in the making of this music. The aesthetics involved might be shocking or even repulsive to some, but highly inspiring to others and only time can tell if this music had any significant impact on the development of the music Art Form. I invite the open minded and courageous music lovers to embrace this music, even if it does not offer the instantaneous satisfaction we are all conditioned to expect from everything around us. There are treasures to be discovered here, even if it takes time and effort. No instant gratification is to be found herein, but once we are able to penetrate the seemingly uninviting exterior, the essence makes perfect sense even without melody, harmony or steady rhythm. Although Niggenkemper lives in NY, the team assembled here is all European and it seems that the audience for this kind of music is also mostly European based. I wonder why he decided to move to the US; surely not for musical openness.

Updated: 17/12/2018Posted: 09/07/2016

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JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ TALKING GUITAR (POLISH JAZZ VOL.93 DELUXE) MUZA 1093 (Barcode: 5907783420931) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1984 Released: 2007 This is an excellent debut album as a leader by Polish guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, presenting a set of ten original compositions performed by a superb team of musicians, including his ex-cohorts from the Extra BallFind albums by this artist ensemble. The list of names reads like a who’s who of the local scene at the time and includes keyboardist Wojciech GroborzFind albums by this artist, bassist Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist, percussionist Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew JaremkoFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Henryk MajewskiFind albums by this artist and Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist (father and son), trombonist Roman SyrekFind albums by this artist and flautist Jan BaytelFind albums by this artist. The music is all Fusion oriented, with great melody lines. Smietana plays some excellent solos and is well supported by his partners. Overall this is mainstream Fusion, which ruled in the 1980s, so one must not expect complexity and innovation in what is supposed to be “good time” music, which it certainly is. The level of professionalism and talent expected from Polish Jazz are certainly there. Recommended to Fusion fans!

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