Tomasz Stanko Live At Birdland

Tomasz Stanko Quintet
Live At Birdland 14.4.2010
(Hey it's not the best picture in the world but I tried.)

A dark, melodic, roaming evening with the new Tomasz Stanko Quintet the iconic jazz club, Birdland in New York. The "jazz corner of the world" was about 2/3 filled as the legendary Polish trumpeter approached the stage in support of his new release Dark Eyes (ECM). The band went through a series of short pieces that highlighted each of Stanko's new members exquisitely. For me, Jakob Bro (guitar) and Olavi Louhivuori (drums) where the major standouts. Bro's interplay throughout the earlier pieces was sublime. Louhivuori's time changes were delicate and inventive. Tomasz Stanko's playing picked up towards the final two pieces as he finally let loose with some vintage work.

The new quintet has a vibrant attitude that is definitely a contrast to his previous quartet led by Marcin Wasilewski (piano), Slawomir Kurkiewicz (bass) and Michal Miskiewicz (drums) which feature more introspective and emotional detail. Dark Eyes sizzles with Jakob Bro's almost Abercrombie-esque atmospherics and the rest of the bands subtle exuberance making the album truly fresh in quality. Live the quintet are still working through a number of new directions but it's a journey worth jumping aboard--impressive and open. An all around thoughtful evening. (The following videos are not from the show last night.)

Dan Berglund's Tonbrunket

Dan Berglund (bass)
Tonbrunket (ACT Music)


Dan Berglund starts his solo career after a decade in the highly influential Swedish trio E.S.T. (Esbjorn Svensson Trio). The untimely death of his close friend and co-founder Esbjorn Svensson obviously still has a profound effect on him and it shows in his new quartet Tonbrunket (Swedish expression for factory).

Tonbrunket is an album that is definitely different from what Berglund did with E.S.T. It is an album fueled by jazz, folk and rock experiences of its members. The album is calmer and more ethereal all around than most E.S.T. outing as well. The band's catalyst may actually be Johan Lindstrom (guitar) who's dreamscapes on guitar seems to meld perfectly with Berglund's always impressive and adventurous use of distortion on bass. The aforementioned fuel of the album is very apparent on the opener "Sister Sad" in which Lindstrom sets the tone for the entire session with some powerful atmospherics that for me are reminiscent of Michael Brook, Pink Floyd and Bill Frisell.

Tonbrunket moves so freely between the genres that you at times almost forget its essentially a jazz album. "Salior Waltz" is where Berglund shows his uncanny beauty over the bass accompanied by Martin Hederos on piano. It is a piece that will have the listener encompassed in its subtle emotional warmth and elegance. The album does have its big cacophonous moments driven by Lindstrom and drummer Andreas Werliin (the tracks like "Stethoscsope", "Monstrous Colossus" and "Gi Hop") but these are welcomed and fit marvelously within the mellow, bluesy and folksy jazz oriented pieces. "Wolverine Hoods" is another track that breaks for tradition sounding almost like an instrumental from a Mazzy Star or Opal album with hazy effects and trippy organ work from Hederos.

"Song For E", while most people who didn't know of E.S.T. will find it a lovely piece, its definitely emotionally gut-wrenching and a thoughtful tribute to his friend. Tonbrunket's closing tracks "Cold Blooded Music" and "Waltz For Matilda" are again both evocative and exploratory. The haunting percussion's, pedal effects and bass distortion leading the way of "Cold Blooded Music" into the journeys end with a smoothly and gentle return under the guidance of Berglund and Lindstrom's almost alt-country ballad magic of "Waltz For Matilda".

For those who are E.S.T. fans like myself its has been a difficult year and a half to reconcile not hearing any new E.S.T. music ever again but trust me Dan Berglund's Tonbrunket is a great way to start a new chapter for us. This is album of year quality hands down. If you've never even heard E.S.T. don't worry you can start here and work your way backwards if you like--you will be satisfied.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (voice, b.1948 - d.1997)

Everyone has their all time favorite musician or band. For me it's John Lennon, Thelonious Monk, Bob Marley and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Nusrat as you will hear and see, has one of the most distinctive voices in all of music.

He is revered by musicians from all genres as well as an inspiration to all his fans. The music which he performs is known as quwwali. Quwwali originated in Northern Pakistan over 500 years ago. It is consideration an ancient Sufi spiritual music that many listeners believe could transport them to a higher state of mind during the experience. While there are many South Asian performers who still perform Quwwali, its popularity in the Western world has been mainly due to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

While he has over 150 recordings--many of which are bootleg live recordings of extremely high sound quality--a number of studio recordings were released by Peter Gabriel's Real World label during the nineties. These recordings while great were sometimes washed out by slight overproduction, they are still worth buying or downloading as they are easier to digest for new listeners. I would recommend either Mustt Mustt or Devotional and Love Songs, both on the Real World label. Of the more traditional albums I would recommend downloading either The Final Studio Recordings (American Recordings) or The Best Of Khan (Oriental Star).

For jazz and reggae fans Nusrat can be an easy transition if you have listened to Bitches Brew or Agharta by Miles Davis, OM or Love Supreme by John Coltrane, and Exodus by Bob Marley. The same spiritual nature that these albums exude can be heard and felt in Nusrat's music. It's an acquired taste for sure but if you are willing to take the time and open your world fully you will find out why so many people, myself included find Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to be one of the most import voices of all time.

Christian Scott: Now For Something Different

Christian Scott (trumpet; b. 1983)
Yesterday you said Tomorrow (Concord)

Just a short entry today. I'm writing this one with very little knowledge, so if you are a fan please feel free to give us some feedback. I've been listening to the new Christian Scott album Yesterday you said Tomorrow (Concord). I don't own any other Christian Scott's albums and I wanted to check this one out because I've heard a lot about him. Christian Scott is one of a new legion of young jazz musicians with some serious chops and great vision. I haven't seen this much excitement surrounding a trumpeter since Roy Hargrove came on the scene a little over 20 years ago. He has been compared to Miles Davis which even he feels is a little overboard. I can hear some similarities within his compositions.

Yesterday you said Tomorrow is an eclectic blend of jazz, rock and funk themes that one first listen seem to be all over the place. When sat down with it again it really hit. Yesterday you said Tomorrow starts out emotionally deep with some terrific interplay between Scott, drummer, Jamire Williams and guitarist, Matthew Stevens on "K.K.P.D." The album highlights vision and complexity of society at large from the eyes and horn of Scott. His playing is touch-notch throughout, especially on my favourite track "Jenacide" which at times feels like I left a Keith Jarrett trio album on in one room and E.S.T on in another. This is gritty, thought provoking stuff.

Yesterday you said Tomorrow was a really cool discovery for me this week and now I'm really excited about checking out his previous albums and I think you should all do yourselves a favour and take a listen.

Celebrating Freddie Hubbard

Freddie Hubbard (trumpet; b. 1938 - d. 2008)

This week would have been Freddie Hubbard's 72nd birthday (April 7th). Yes, I probably should have written this early but things happen...

Freddie Hubbard was one fiercest hard bop players around. As some may know he was heavily influenced by the great Clifford Brown and Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong. But Hubbard would develop his own voice very quickly and would become a major influence on a new generation of trumpeters today (Ryan Kisor, Nicholas Payton, Roy Hargrove, et el.).

Freddie Hubbard performed with a host of legendary jazz musicians including John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and Herbie Hancock to name just a few. Hubbard's style was robust, exuberant and well rounded; much more so than many of his contemporaries. When he played you knew it. I was lucky enough to see one of his last concerts and while he had definitely lost allot of his chops--due to a serious lip infection/injury during the 90s--you could still feel the powerful and energy in his performance. Freddie Hubbard like many of the legends of the '50s and '60s hard bop era played in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers before branching out on his own to record some stellar work for Blue Note Records.

Freddie Hubbard's first album, Open Sesame (Blue Note; 1960) is must have for any fan of jazz. It features some fantastic phrasing from Hubbard but also incredible performances from fellow greats McCoy Tyner (piano), Sam Jones (bass), Clifford Jarvis (drums) and the highly under-rated Tina Brooks (sax) who wrote two wonderful tracks, "Open Sesame" and "Gypsy Blue". Hubbard contributed the lovely closing piece "Hub's Nub which features some exciting solo work that for me is staggering ever time I listen to it.

You could say the Blue Note years saw Hubbard at his peak--you might be wrong. In the 70's Hubbard signed with the CTI/Epic Records after a brief unsuccessful period with Atlantic Records in the late 60s. The albums he produced for CTI would become some of his most commercially successful of his career.

One of the critics and my favourites is Red Clay (CTI; 1970) is a double-edged sword. It can easily be seen as a response to the direction jazz was going in after Miles Davis' Bitches Brew and even some of the work of contemporary Donald Byrd with the collision of funk, soul and jazz. It can also been seen as the trumpeter really taking to the new sub-genre and making it his own in one session.

There's a host of killer performances on this album including the interplay between Joe Henderson (sax) and Hubbard. The album also featured a who's who of jazz greats: Herbie Hancock (piano), Stanley Turrentine (sax), Johnny Smith (organ), George Benson (guitar), Ron Carter (bass), Lenny White, Billy Cobham (drums) and Airto Moreira (percussion)--all I have to say is wow! The album is obviously highlighted by the funky almost psychedelic blues of the title track but you can solid mixture of his crisp Blue Note playing in an updated more rhythmic arena. This isn't completely a funk record by "funk/soul" standards. It's an album built on the soul of the musician with some terrific grooves laid in by his friends.

While the 80s were sporadic for recording and the injury to his lip finally took its toll on the legend, Freddie Hubbard's final two albums still show he could play in with the young cats. The albums, New Colours (Hip Bop) and On The Real Side (Four Quarters) both feature Hubbard running through some previously recorded material but with the help of a new generation which included Kenny Garrett and Javon Jackson (sax) Steve Davis (trombone), Joe Chambers (drums) and Russell Malone (guitar) among others. These two album are not essential in the canon of Freddie Hubbard but they are well worth listening to after you've experience some of his others.

His love of the trumpet and playing never die and it always should right up to his final days. Freddie Hubbard was a remarkable musician with a catalog that stands up against many of the other legends in jazz and should not be overlooked. Happy Birthday Freddie.

Jimmy Giuffre

Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet, sax; b. 1921 - d. 2008)

The Texas born, Jimmy Giuffre is sometimes a mythical figure even amongst jazz fans. He was classically trianed on clarinet--learned and perfected counterpoint (harmonic structure of two different musical lines which function together) which would be make his work standout high and above many of his contemporaries.

With well over 30 albums to his credit, he is widely known for his pianoless/drumless trios from the 50s/60s. These groups were unprecedented and highly inventive (saxophonist Gerry Mulligan also had a pianoless quartet) are recorded a series influential albums over the span of 10 years. The trio feature Jim Hall (guitar) and Ralph Pena (bass) and later a second trio with Hall and Bobby Brookmyer (trombone). The two trios performed some absolutely beautiful folksy and blues influenced jazz sessions during the mid to later 50s.

The bulk of these are extremely hard to find individually but Jim Hall/Ralph Pena sessions can be found on a great import collection entitled, The Origial Studio Recordings (Gambit). This contains some stellar material including the wonderful "Train and The River". The Brookmyer sessions can be found on a very expensive boxed set, The Complete Capitol & Atlantic Recordings (Mosaic Records). This also includes some killer performances of "Blue Monk" and "Pickin' em Up and Layin' em Down". A later Giuffre trio featuring would create another influential trio with Paul Bley (piano) and Steve Swallow (bass) which would record series of even more influential records.

The most famous sets were 1961 (ECM) (aka the two albums Fusion and Thesis) and Free Form (Columbia). These were part of what Giuffre were early experiments in Free Jazz. Unlike what some would associate with Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy or even John Coltrane, these sessions were introspective yet adventurous for their use of space. It is a melodic session were Bley, Swallow and Giuffre each explore different aspects emotionally. This is a landmark recording in jazz history and well worth seeking out.

Giuffre would record and teach throughout the 70s and 80s but made a return to recording during the late 80s and 90s and even recorded two more sessions with Bley and Swallow which saw the three still in top form after a twenty year hiatus. Jimmy Giuffre's lineups may sound complete out of left-field for the uninitiated but when you hear them (jazz fan or not) you will be spellbound at how powerful and creative the groups could be.

The Intersection: Nicola Conte

Nicola Conte (guitar)


Nicola Conte, the Italian deejay, jazz guitarist and label impresario (Schema Records), is a thoroughly modern musician who records both traditional sessions of Latin lounge jazz as well as groove-based acid jazz and dance remixes.

Conte first hit the scene in 2000 with Jet Sounds, a Schema release later reissued by Thievery Corporation's label Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL) as Bossa Per Due, followed by the remix platter Jet Sounds Revisited in 2002.

Both releases are classic examples of Conte's early approach to bossa nova (the title track), samba ("The In Samba"), exotica ("Missione a Bombay") and soundtrack-influenced ("Dossier Omega") acid jazz that blend home grown samples with genuine musicianship. Not only did Conte grab the attention of ESL and lounge revival fans, luxury carmaker Acura used "Bossa Per Due" in a TV commercial.

Two years later, however, Conte returned with Other Directions for Blue Note's European subsidiary, an impressive release that eschews samples altogether in favor of polished live group performance, with and without male and female vocals. Here, Conte, a classically trained musician, demonstrates his gifts for composition and arranging and his love of bossa nova in particular. He's tapped the creme de la creme of the Italian jazz scene who clearly share his sophisticated swinging sensibilities. Stand-out numbers include the title track, "The Dharma Bums," "Kind of Sunshine" and "A Time for Spring," but the whole album is solid. It's a shame Blue Note didn't release it domestically, because Other Directions is very accessible without alienating jazz aficionados.

In 2008, Conte delivered Viagem, the first of two collections of '60s Brazilian bossa nova and samba nuggets (for Far Out Recordings) as well as another platter of original jazz for Schema called Rituals. Again, this ensemble recording demonstrates Conte's composition and arranging skills more so than his guitar playing, which he, as producer, has relegated to a purely supportive role. Five male and female vocals get the spotlight on many of the tracks, and they prove quite capable. The mood throughout is light, breezy and romantic. It's another solid set that deepens Conte's interest in ethnic percussion and exotic moods while offering a pleasingly laid back vibe that will appeal to both jazz lovers and people who normally shy away from it. Among the standout numbers are the title track, "Karma Flower," "Like Leaves in the Wind" and a vocal version of Duke Ellington's classic "Caravan."

In late 2009, however, came the release we've all been waiting for: The Modern Sounds of Nicola Conte: Versions in Jazz-Dub, a winning double CD collection of the various side projects, remixes, singles and EPs that Conte's put out over the past decade. From his Latin cover of Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer's movie theme "Charade" to his reworking of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes' classic "So Danco Samba" to his Gil Evans' inspired remix of Re:Jazz's vibrant "Quiet Nights" Conte solidifies his vision for a modern jazz sound that appreciates its traditions but doesn't neglect the modern music fan's love of a danceable groove. Just get it already.