Boschamaz - Rød (2011)

Boschamaz - Rød (Hecca, 2011)

Personnel:

Erland Dahlen: drums, samples, elecntonics
Bjørn Charles Dreyer: guitar, slide-guitar, pedal steel

Tracklisting:
01 - Sailor
02 - Bosch Amass
03 - Svalbard
04 - Sous la Tonnelle
05 - Citadell
06 - Idona Boldel
07 - Triptan's Troika
08 - We're Leaving In the Morning

[PLEASE, BUY IT HERE]

And get it in comments.

Boschamaz - This Is Not Sweden (2007)

Boschamaz - This Is Not Sweden (Hecca, 2007)

Personnel:

Erland Dahlen: drums, samples, elecntonics
Bjørn Charles Dreyer: guitar, slide-guitar, pedal steel

Tracklisting:
01 - Boatman
02 - Warthogs
03 - Clint In Hawaii
04 - Insole Pox
05 - Tierra del Fuego
06 - Know Nun
07 - Sifaka
08 - Wonk Nun
09 - Larches

Boschamaz is a collaboration between Bjørn Charles Dreyer, who was played with Eivind Aarset, and Erland Dahlen (Kiruna, Madrugada, Phaedra), who was a Xploding Plastix live drummer and played with Nils Petter Molvær.

[PLEASE, BUY IT HERE]

And find it in comments!

Ben Holmes Quartet - Anvil of the Lord (2012)

Ben Holmes Quartet - Anvil of the Lord (Skirl Records, 2012)

Personnel:
Ben Holmes: trumpet
Curtis Hasselbring: trombone
Matt Pavolka: bass
Vinnie Sperrazza: drums


Tracklisting:
01 - Doodle for Rhapsody
02 - Magic Mondays
03 - Moved Like a Ghost
04 - Kingston
05 - Otesánek
06 - Anvil of the Lord
07 - Malach Hamovis
08 - Song for Creel Thompson
09 - Nada vs. Armitage

There is a subset to contemporary jazz that is avant in a slightly different way than flat-out free jazz: there is often a modern compositional bent with evolved rhythmic and harmonic complexities in the head structures that are very contrasting to the sort of symmetrical and short phrases bop favored, and tend to be more evolved than some of the fully free improvisers's setup motifs. The compositional element can often extend beyond the head format and come into play at any point in what otherwise would be the solo routines.

The music usually pulsates, but it may do so with odd-time signatures or rhythmic figures that fall between swing and rock yet have variational interest in the hands (and feet) of an imaginative drummer and a keen-sensed bassist (though the bassist does not ordinarily use his feet...). Finally there of course is room for soloing of the principal front liners.

Dave Holland's group has been exemplary for this sort of contemporary sound. But of course there are many others out there. A new, very good one is the Ben Holmes Quartet, as heard in their recording Anvil of the Lord (Skirl 020).

Ben Holmes wields the trumpet with distinction and writes the compositions, in which you can hear myriad influences, gelled together in ways that have a wholeness of style and concept.

His trumpet playing is inventive and direct toned--a little like Dave Douglas to my ears in sound and approach, but with a fluidity and sureness that points him forward. He is well served by his fellow groupmates: Curtis Hasselbring on trombone serves as a beautiful foil in the contrapuntal, two-line compositional heads, and shows good form in his soloing. The two-headed hydra of a rhythm section shows excellent teamwork. Vinnie Sperrazza sounds as creative and catalytic as he ever has and Matt Pavolka's bass is both structurally keyed to the song form and rhythmically rock solid, giving Vinnie excellent foundational support so that he can loosen up and get the variations going. Matt does interesting solo work when called upon as well.

So there you have it. An excellent effort from all concerned and a sign that Ben Holmes has arrived. I look forward to his ever-increasing presence on the scene in the coming years. [Gapplegate Music Review]

[PLEASE, BUY IT HERE]

Find it in comments!

Plutino - Plutino (2012)

Plutino - Plutino (Spacebone Records, 2012)

Personnel:

Bobby Previte: drums, voice
Beppe Scardino: baritone sax, voice
Francesco Diodati: electric guitar, voice

Tracklisting:
01 - Austerity
02 - Downgranding
03 - Contagion
04 - Rollover
05 - Default
06 - Volatility
07 - Tranche
08 - Contango
09 - Bailout

1. A heavenly body in a 3:2 motion resonance with the planet Neptune. 2. A trio featuring two of the best young musicians in Italy, Francesco Diodati, guitar, and Beppe Scardino, baritone saxophone, directed by the legendary American drummer/composer Bobby Previte.

Plutinos, originally following their own orbits, were captured by Neptune into resonances. The 3:2 resonance is the strongest among all resonances, yet Plutinos rebel and break free, finding a different rhythm. Previte captures these two rebels and pulls them into his orbit. Resonance, Rhythm, Rebellion. Spacebone. [Official site]

[PLEASE, BUY CD HERE]
[PLEASE, BUY DIGITAL HERE]

Find it in comments!

Faruq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers – Primal Waters (2012)

Faruq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers – Primal Waters (Sagittarius A-Star, 2012)

Personnel:
Faruq Z. Bey - Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone
Skeeter C. R. Shelton - Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Mike Johnston - Bass, Bells, Shaker
Mike Carey - Flute, Bass Clarinet, Kalimba
Mike Gilmore - Vibraphone [Vibes], Kalimba
Nick Ashton - Drums, Drum [Drum Log]

Tracklisting:

01 - Kins

02 - Primal Waters

03 - Cat and Mouse

04 - Talon

05 - Kahtuhlpa

06 - Mamaka II

(cd version?)

A recent recording from the legendary Faruq Z. Bey – working here with the highly creative Northwoods Improvisers! Bey's tenor and alto are very much at the front of the recording, but the album also really draws a lot from the other players in the group – the vibes of Mike Gilmore, bass of Mike Johnston, drums and log drum of Nick Ashton, and additional reeds of Mike Carey and Skeeter CR Shelton – who all work with Faruq in ways that almost seem more structured than before – really held together with a great sense of composition on the longer tunes, while still stretching out with some freedom on the solos. The blend – possibly because of the bold use of vibes – reminds us a lot of the Chicago work coming from artists like Mike Reed or Jason Adasiewicz – and titles include "Kins", "Primal Waters", "Talon", and "Kuthuhlpa".

[PLEASE, BUY IT HERE]

Find it in comments!

Black Motor - Club El Toro (2008)

Black Motor - Club El Toro (Ruby Red Editora, 2008)

Personnel: 

Sami Sippola - tenor saxophone

Ville Rauhala - double bass

Simo Laihonen - drums

Tracklisting:

01 - Homeward 

02 - Club El Toro

03 - Nekala High

04 - Amur

05 - Tulee Päivä

06 - Farewell

07 - Homeward

Black Motor was founded in Tampere in 2005 as an improvising trio of saxophonist Sami Sippola, bassist Ville Rauhala and drummer Simo Laihonen. From the beginning, the group was devoted to free jazz in the tradition of Rashied Ali, Albert Ayler and Peter Brötzmann and soon began an active performance schedule both in Tampere and elsewhere. Beginning in 2005, Black Motor has been largely responsible for the program of the Fly-Rite Festival club in Tampere organizing approximately ten events per year featuring various guest performers. During 2008 and 2009, Black Motor organized a monthly Hertta Jazz Monday club, also in Tampere. During the past few years, Black Motor has also begun to receive increasing national attention and has organized club events outside of Tampere as well. In 2009, Black Motor began organizing music workshops at various elementary and high schools around the Tampere region, an activity that still continues today with children of different ages. In 2011 and 2012, Black Motor performed school concerts under the rubric "Jazz Before And Now" around of Finland as well as organizing club events at the Telakka Restaurant in Tampere.

Almost from the outset, Black Motor began featuring various guest artists in their performances. One of the very first was guitarist Jukka Orma soon followed by trumpeters Mike Koskinen and Verneri Pohjola, saxophonists Juhani Aaltonen, Mikko Innanen and Jorma Tapio, guitarist Raoul Björkenheim, bassist Teppo Hauta-aho, pianist Samuli Mikkonen, guitarist/singer/songwriter P.K. Keränen and many others. They have also performed with circus acts, dancers, poets, rap artists and DJs in addition to fellow improvisers. In July 2012, Black Motor even performed with one of their early heroes, saxophonist Peter Brötzmann, at Häiriöjatsit, a mini-festival organized in Tampere.

Black Motor released its first two recordings in 2007 (On Duty and Black Motor). Five additional recordings have followed (Club El Toro in 2008, Vaarat Vastukset in 2008, Never Out Of Fashion−Live In Amsterdam in 2010, Hoojaa in 2011 and Jumehniemi in 2012).[TUM Records]

PLEASE, BUY IT HERE 

And find it in comments!

Steve Reid Trio - Invitation (2002)

Steve Reid Trio - Invitation (CPR Records, 2002)

Personnel:

Steve Reid - drums

Boris Nersvetaev - piano

Chris Lachotta - bass

Tracklisting:

01 - Invitation

02 - Manteca

03 - Lover Man

04 - Impressions

05 - Nature Boy

06 - Blues

07 - Stolen Moments

08 - Just One Of Those Things

09 - Milestones

10 - Along Came Betty

"We'll have a chance to maybe acknowledge the people's musical menu without the large record companies directing it. Like in the movies the studios used to control everything, but that broke down. Now it's happening in the record business. The musicians are on top calling the shots, and the record companies have to readjust and get back into putting out creative music. And this is the answer to their revival".[Steve Reid and AllAboutJazz]

OUT OF PRINT!

Find it in comments!