Lars Fiil Kvartet: Reconsideration

Lars Fiil Kvartet
Reconsideration

Lars Fiil (piano)
Jens Mikkel Madsen (bass)
Lis Kruse (sax)
Andreas Skamby (drums)

So I've been eagerly awaiting the album that would knock my ears off at the beginning of 2011. And I think I've found it. Danish quartet, Lars Fiil Kvartet led by pianist Lars Fiil, saxophonist Lis Kruse, bassist Jens Mikkel Madsen and drummer Andreas Skamby. Their debut album Reconsideration, is a sublime piece of work.

In the same manner which Dave Stapleton's Between The Lines was both British jazz and beyond British--Lars Fiil has created a document filled with original material that is clearly post modern and European. But Reconsideration aims much higher and beyond many of it's Scandinavian counterparts.

Reconsideration is thoughtful, respectful of its influences (so much so, it's sometimes it hard to find) and improvising when necessary. "Reconsideration" is a beautiful opening number that is reminiscent of the quieter moments of the great Esbjorn Svensson and Tord Gustofsson pieces but things really set fire on the next track. "The Opener" moves from forceful hard bop to groove-laden melodic harmonics without missing a beat. Fiil's playing is truly impressive. I don't know if McCoy Tyner was an influence but for me there are shades--more so in the calmer moments on Reconsideration.

The performances from the rest of the quartet should not be understated. This is demonstrated excellently on "After..." in which Kruse, Skamby and Madsen share some emotional passages before Fiil comes in to round out the sound. The band then jump headlong with steam into some improvised but well structured movements before Kruse and Fiil bringing everything to gentle conclusion.

The full stretch moment is "Xenophobiaphobia", a jumpin' piece that I think Monk would be proud of. Fiil's playing is rich, spirited and challenge when it needs to be. Lars Fiil has a voice and character that far surpasses this debut.

Reconsideration is impressive from start to finish. An album filled with all original material played at a high level and well crafted and delivered by each individual member. Lars Fiil has delivered the first great record of 2011 and I believe we will be talking about this album again as part of our Best Albums Of 2011 in twelve months. Reconsideration is Highly Recommended.

Ricardo Gallo:The Great Fine Line

Ricardo Gallo (piano)

The Great Fine Line (Clean Feed; 2010)

Ray Anderson (trombone)

Dan Blake (sax)
Mark Helias (bass)
Satoshi Takeishi (drums, percussion)
Pheerdan Aklaff (drums)

I've discussed Ricardo Gallo's many virtues recently. He is an artist who continually gets better with each album. The Great Fine Line, his first album for Clean Feed records is another marvelous addition to his growing cannon of material.

This sextet recording was done just a few short weeks after his mainstay quartet had finished its third release, Resistencias (Ladistrito Fonica). The Great Fine Line is a more expansive and freedom exploring outing in which the musicians including Gallo stretch their emotional muscle with wonderful results.

The album's title refers to the famous Argentine author, Julio Cortazar (author of the amazing novel, Hopscotch) and his belief that music is a no-mans land and that everything becomes blurred. This is true when it comes to The Great Fine Line with it's varying passages and moments of exploration by each member.

On "Stomp At No Man's Land" Ray Anderson and Dan Blake take prime space to rip through chord changes as Ricardo Gallo controls the balance around the edges. An intricate battle ensues on "Three Versions Of A Lie" in which the interchanges from each musicians is bold and vibrant. Gallo's use of two drummers for this session is also a wonderful choice. It does give distinct to each track. Takeishi's performance on "Three Version Of A Lie" is superb and dominates the proceeding.

"Hermetismo" starts in melodic, gentle tones with Helias, Gallo and Aklaff leading way until Blake and Anderson join in to make it almost a contemporary bop-ish affair. It's probably the most straight-ahead piece on the album but still having abstract undertones. Contradiction? I don't think so.

"La Pina Blanca" starts like a homage to New Orleans before spinning quickly into varying level of free form point/counterpoint. Lovely stuff as each member quickly shuffles back and forth in time.

With The Great Fine Line, Ricardo Gallo continues to make his name on the new jazz community. The diversity of his projects and his compositional work is truly setting him apart from the pact. Another well deserved must listen.

Sylvie Courvosier: Signs And Epigrams

Sylvie Courvosier (piano; 1968)
Signs And Epigrams (Tzadik; 2007)

In the world of improvised piano, Sylvie Courvosier is one the best. A friend turned me on to her music only recently. Very difficult to give you a good reference point but maybe a combination of John Cage, Keith Jarrett and Cecil Taylor might be appropriate.

Born is Switzerland and now living in Brooklyn with her husband and fellow musician, cellist, Morton Feldman. Courvosier has performed with some of the best avant garde musicians on the New York scene including John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Joey Baron, Tim Berne to name a few. I don't allot a Sylvie Courvosier's music but one of the albums I constantly listen to is a solo piano release entitled, Signs And Epigrams on John Zorn's Tzadik label.

Signs And Epigrams is jazz improvisation and classical thought moving in various patterns and structures. Moving through different tonal structures, "Ricochet" bounces back and forth in a delicate pattern that is both challenging for the listener both introspectively rewarding. The harmonic structures Courvosier utilizes over the course of Signs And Epigrams is simply startling. This is a subtle study in construction of sound and deconstruction of sound. There are moments in which Courvosier's playing sounds like an ensemble instead of a solo piano (that was the intention after all).

That intention is evident on the three part suite "Epigrams I-III" as Courvosier manipulates the piano in various points. There are moments of intricate joy and periods of intense exaltation. It's as if Glenn Gould and Keith Jarrett performing a recital together playing completely separate pieces. Amazing.

"Soliloquy" closes out this harmonic journey with multi-levels of sounds that connect with a sheer range of beauty that the piece takes on a whole character of its own almost separate of the rest of the album. Midway through "Soliloquy" Courvosier turns gentle and emotional before returning to a multi-textured plain of sound and then quickly moving to a close.

Signs And Epigrams is one of those rare solo piano records that enveloped in sound, compelling and dynamic in its construction. It's an undiscovered treasure in my opinion. Go find it...

Emergency!: Live In Copenhagen

Emergency! (group; formed 2001)
Live in Copenhagen 2006 (JVTLandt)
Otomo Yoshihide (guitar)
Ryoichi Saito (guitar)
Hiroaki Mizutani (bass)
Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (drums)

The Japanese experimental free jazz scene has really evolved over the last decade with artists such as Otomo Yoshihide and Yasuhiro Yoshigaki leading the way in their various groups and collaborations. One of the best groups both perform in is the quartet Emergency!. I'm assuming an homage to the legendary Tony Williams, Emergency! combines elements of the aforementioned drumming legend (thanks to the groups founder Yoshigaki), King Crimson and Last Exit. But unlike Fripp and Laswell's tour de force, Emergency! takes very specific moments to spin the guitar wall of sound into layered ambient soundscapes.

Live In Copenhagen documents the group's first exploration outside of its native country and takes their free form vehicle to the fertile grounds of one of Europe's more experimental countries, Denmark. And Emergency! really do impress.

The Yoshigaki penned "Re-Baptizum", opens the evening with a bold exchange between Yoshihide and Saito that shift between gentle and storm-threatening. This all with some superb playing by the founder, Yoshigaki.

Things get really intriguing after Yoshigaki's original as the group move through three covers to finish out this live concert. A bizarre choice--"Sing, Sing, Sing" is fascinating, fun and soaring. Lots of action going on in this one. It's worth continued listens and probably worth the price of the CD altogether.

Two beautiful and complicated compositions from two legends that seem completely appropriate in the hands of this quartet close out the evening. First, the Charles Mingus protest piece, "Fables Of Faubus". Yoshigaki's playing throughout this live recording moves from rippling to atmospheric with ease. The quartet tackles Rahsaan Roland Kirk's classic, "The Inflated Tear" as the final number and it is as intense, deep and touching as its original.

At this point in 2006 when this was recorded, Emergency! had only recorded two albums, but those albums are phenomenal and worth seeking out. While Emergency! are categorized as an experimental outfit, Live In Copenhagen demonstrates that this quartet has vision and structure that goes far beyond experimental. Highly Recommended.

Mike DiRubbo: Chronos

Mike DiRubbo (sax; b. 1970)
Chronos (PosiTone Records, 2011)
Brian Charette (organ)
Rudy Royston (drums)

It's funny, I don't own a single Mike DiRubbo album, which now sounds like a crime. But I actually own almost ever album his performed on as a sideman. Weird. I checked before I started writing this entry and its true!

DiRubbo is one of those rare breeds in the new crop of straight-ahead musicians. His style is very reminiscent of his influences, Coltrane, Parker and his mentor/teacher Jackie McLean. But he has developed his own vision and approach which has made him an in-demand sideman since his debut in 1999. He has worked with a plethora of his contemporaries and legends including Steve Davis, Eric Alexander, Peter Washington, Harold Mabern, Bruce Barth and of course Jackie McLean.

DiRubbo's latest, Chronos (PosiTone) is a sheer delight. It is a change in direction compared to the rest of his catalog. Mainly in set up. This outing is a trio lineup with the stellar Rudy Royston on drums and Brian Charette on organ.

Organ sessions can be a tricky affair. The organ while emotional and funky can sometimes overwhelm the session. On Chronos it is a major compliment. This sounds like a group that has been together for years. Chronos is a face paced session with tracks like "Rituals" and "Minor Progress" moving with rich vibrant tones but also keep the listener engrossed with the individual activities of each performer.

Charette's playing is really outstanding. On "Nouveau" the trio are in complete ballad mode. It helps temper the more upbeat rhythm of the opening tracks and displays the diversity of DiRubbo's talent. "Eight For Elvin" is DiRubbo's tribute to legendary John Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones. It's a moment where history meets influence and works perfectly. Royston is fantastic and infectious. Charette seems calm and relaxed. And DiRubbo intermingles with the two superbly and romantically.

It would have been interesting to hear Coltrane mixing it up with Jimmy Smith or John Patton. Maybe the closet comparison would be Jimmy Smith's work with Lou Donaldson or the emotional work Jackie Mac did with Mal Waldron (piano).

Chronos is definitely a side step for DiRubbo but its a beautiful side step that I think every jazz fan will dig. It's emotional. It's funky. It's crafty. And most of all it's got a vision and pace that is worth repeated listens. I really think you're all going to dig it.

John Esposito: Orisha

John Esposito (piano; b. 1953)

Orisha (Sun Jump Records; 2010)

Ira Coleman (bass)

Peter O'Brien (drums)

It looks like tradition is running wild at JazzWrap this week.

New York native, John Esposito has been on the scene for over three decades. He has worked with a variety of jazz artists including Dave Douglas, Ryan Kisor, Dave Holland and Sam Rivers among others. He has a style that is relaxed but also complexed. There is a beautiful side to his compositions that reminds me of the craftier moments of Bill Charlap or Blue Note era Herbie Hancock.

He has played in a variety of contexts but the two albums that have always drawn my attention are his trio dates. The latest, Orisha (Sun Jump Records) is a wonderful collection of originals (unlike the previous release Down Blue Marlin Road, which heavily featured standards and originals) that are joyous and jumpin'.

While Esposito is the leader on this date, this is definitely a group affair. On "Myanmar" the trio move through uptempo and midtempo without hesitation. It's a lovely introspective listen that is emotional effective.

"Fly" written and performed by drummer, Peter O'Brien, while short is nicely and fiercely delivered and moves quickly into "Stygian Bright", a multi-patterned piece with some nice chordal changes by Esposito. "Personal Blues" while based on a blues structure doesn't move in a blues fashion. This is a fast paced number that delivers a night club feel that you are bound to find intoxicating.

Orisha is a stellar collection of high spirited originals performed by a trio that while not playing regularly, demonstrates years of experience of which they all hold, rolled up into just over an hour of marvelous listening.

John McNeil/Bill McHenry: Keeping Tradition

John McNeil/Bill McHenry (trumpet/sax)

Chill Morn He Climb Jenny (Sunnyside Records)

Joe Martin (bass)

Jochen Ruecket (drums)

This is a bloody brilliant record. I wish I had heard about this a few weeks ago, it would have made of Best Albums Of 2010.

Chill Morn He Climb Jenny is the follow up to the duo's previous quartet effort, Rediscovery (Sunnyside; 2008). Both albums explore compositions written by largely unheralded jazz musicians of the past. The genesis for both these sessions came out of live performances over the last few years. On Chill Morn... McNeil and McHenry re-imagine with ease and beauty numbers from Russ Freeman, Thad Jones and one of my all-time favourites, Wilbur Harden.

The lineup is the same as Rediscovery, with Rueckert and Martin bringing in the rhythm. McNeil and McHenry compliment each other very well. They share duties and intermingle these tunes with traditional reverence. "Three And One" (originally written by Thad Jones) is an excellent display of the quartet's hard bop sensibilities. It rolls and rumbles with each member having an opportunity shine. Joe Martin's subtle movement along the scales is quiet but resonates just underneath. Jochen Ruecket drum work keeps the rhythm flowing freely throughout. The interplay between McNeil and McHenry is really something for the listener to key in on. This is a tight and at time blistering performance, especially when McHenry sets off on a solo midway through.

"Wells Fargo", a classic piece of hard bop written by Wilbur Harden (and originally featuring John Coltrane) is a magnificent tribute. This is a track you probably wouldn't hear that often. Harden is definitely a forgotten figure who really needs to be reexamined by the jazz community.

At times you really do feel like you fallen by into a late '50s - 60s jazz club and are setting listening to one killer performance after another. That is highlighted again on the Russ Freeman piece "Bea's Flat" a smokin' piece where the band rip through a series of chord changes and rhythms that will leave you quite astounded. The album closes with will a great but unfortunately short rendition of Mile Davis' "No Blues". It goes for a slightly different tone than the original and feels like an appropriate way to close out this sizzlin' outing.

Chill Morn He Climb Jenny is a great homage to some well deserved and truly underrated hard bop figures. It's an album that really should appeal to everyone. An album built on tradition but exudes a modern style that is a must listen for sure.