Tag: Free Jazz Blog
I haven’t yet heard Overseas I through III, but catching the series here at IV is quite a pleasure. Eivind Opsvik, with his instrumentally eclectic group, creates a world of unfolding soundscapes that run the gamut from precious to powerful. It’s an excellent collection of music that packs a lot of surprises.
Possibly the most inter…
I’ve enjoyed listening to albums by the Norwegian power trio Bushman’s Revenge over the past couple years, but their latest offering is the most impressive by far. ‘A Little Bit Of Big Bonanza’ is a powerful collection of tunes, that while downright heavy at times, also seems to be constructed with a little more attention to dynamics and composit…
Lama is an electronically enhanced acoustic drum, bass and trumpet trio that has delivered an excellent album with “Oneiros”. The pieces fit together so tightly that there’s hardly room for a wasted note, beat or breath as the musicians move gracefully through the set of songs, nimbly riding the contours between structure and freedom.
Fo…
ByStef
Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson is without a doubt one of the most forceful players ever, combining a ferocity that surpasses Brötzmann with a technique equalling the best and adding an emotional howl that is his unique signature. He is on top of this a real music lover, collector of music in all its diversity and form, interested in…
I thought it may be interesting to take a quick tour of some of the free jazz releases that have come this way over the past couple months. The following is in no way an exhaustive list, just a sampling of some of the great music out there that has caught my ear recently.Stanislav Bobrytskyy, Andy Gone – Live at Babuin (self released, 2012) ****We …
Somewhat reminiscent of Terje Rypdal’s more rock oriented work, the Finnish power trio Bogdo Ula creates soaring sonic tapestries that showcase the power of near telepathic interplay. Entirely based on group improvisation, the trio works so well together that they create spontaneous music that could very well pass for composed songs.Throughout, gui…
‘As The Crow Flies’ is an inspired collection of songs and ideas brought to life by a group of musicians that hardly need an introduction to readers of this blog. Saxophonist Jim Hobbs, cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum and guitarist Mary Halvorson have each been busy garnering praise leading their own ensembles. They have also worked together in differe…
The album is spinning on my turntable but the font is so small and hidden in the lushly decorated label that I’ve given up on figuring out if I’m on side A listening to ‘Sloo’ or side C listening to ‘Enberg’. I’m starting to think that this obfuscation is by design, to let the fantastic music coming from the grooves speak for itself. Unawar…
Gunter ‘Baby’ Sommer’s ‘Melting Game’ recorded with The New Trio begins with a mournful and longing sound. The folk like melody of ‘Hymnus’ rolls from Floros Floridis’ clarinet as Sommer’s drums roil below. As the forlorn melody progresses, bluesy shadings and shouts fill in the spaces, while Akira Ando’s bass provides just the right amount of coun…
Hammond makes a grand entrance on the anthemic ‘Adored’. The title track kicks off with some sound effects but quickly segues into a Neil Young inspired mash of chords from his slightly overdriven guitar. But, it’s when Vinny Golia comes in with a keening line from his sax that things ratchet up a notch. Alex Cline’s percussion propels the swee…
I love hiking, often hitting trails in the New York area that I’ve covered time and time again. While I often feel the need to explore new and exotic, it’s always a pleasure to come back to the more familiar and have it feel fresh again. In a sense, Nick Moran Trio’s ‘No Time Like Now’ and Dan Messore’s ‘Indigo Kid’ are kind of like new trips from…
A work that features bass clarinet, and especially the contrabass clarinet, will usually rise to the top of the pile for me, and Chicagoan Jason Stein’s work does not disappoint. Invoking the spirit of Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy at times, Stein’s latest collection is an excellent mix of original compositions and choice selections from some pas…
