Kathrine Windfeld - Orca

Styles: Piano
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:23
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:04) 1. Undertow
( 5:21) 2. The Lifting
( 6:36) 3. Orca
( 7:01) 4. Dark Navy
( 6:59) 5. Harvest
( 7:51) 6. Fish
( 5:11) 7. Ferry
(10:17) 8. Seaweed

The Danish pianist Kathrine Windfeld has a burgeoning reputation around Europe as both leader and composer. This is the third album by her multi-national big band; in addition, she leads a sextet that performs regularly around Scandinavia and appeared here last year as a follow up to the well-received UK visit by this ensemble in September 2018.

Backed by plentiful support from home-land arts organisations, Windfeld's new album of eight original compositions mostly evokes her relationship with the sea, a not uncommon Danish fixation.

I'm trying to resist the idea that she is Denmark's equivalent to Maria Schneider but there are obvious similarities: a personal approach to repertoire, sudden shifts in musical moods and intensity, the skillful deployment of soloists and distintive voicings. All this is evident first on ‘Undertow’, the surging ebb and flow of the ocean mirrored in the writing, with quick motifs and rushing movements, Thueland's grainy alto surfing over an ostinato rhythm and Oseth's ethereal flugel heard over the piece's resolution. The title track reflects the essential grace of this ocean predator before the hurly burly of the chase as Løkke and Drasbæk close in on the kill. ‘Harvest’ is non-maritime, livelier but essentially autumnal in tone, Abelli's jubilant trombone perhaps signaling the end of the working day. Guest tenorist Bolla carries the weight throughout ‘The Lifting’ riding the ensemble's roller coaster moves with panache.

Here and there, Windfeld comes in, often to carry a theme or establish a rhythmic figure but also to solo, her interjections invariably pertinent. These pieces offer a compendium of possibilities; nothing is predictable, and much is startling, the orchestrations rich and invigorating, with the influence of Gil Evans occasionally seeping through.By Peter Vacher https://www.jazzwise.com/review/kathrine-windfeld-big-band-orca

Personnel: Kathrine Windfeld (p), André Bak (tp), Rolf Thofte Sørensen (tp),Magnus Oseth (tp, flh), Maj Berit Guassora (tp), Göran Abelli (tb), Mikkel Vig Aagaard (tb), Anders Larson (tb), Andre Jensen (tb), Jakob Lundbak (as), Magnus Thuelund (as),Roald Elm Larsen (ts), Ida Karlsson (ts), Aske Drasbæk (bs, bcl), Viktor Sandström (g), Johannes Vaht (b), Henrik Holst Hansen (dr), Claus Sørenseen (cond)

Orca

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Ember with Orrin Evans - No One Is Anyone

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:10
Size: 129,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:49) 1. Reanimation (Zombie Tune)
(5:55) 2. Josephine and Daphne
(5:11) 3. No One Is Any One
(8:24) 4. Pilot Light
(3:37) 5. Glass House
(6:04) 6. Peace of Deoxygenated Sleep
(8:37) 7. Thomas
(5:26) 8. Graceful Without Grace
(4:10) 9. Chia-Sized Standing Desk
(3:53) 10. Harvey Pekar

To truly be in the headspace to appreciate the music of Ember, an understanding of the individuals making up the collective is paramount. The original compositions are not mind boggling, complex exercises brandishing the challenging dynamics of jazz composition in the 2020s. Refreshingly, the writing is open ended, containing melodies that come across as recitable mantras. The individual approaches to modern melodic improvisation within the collective memory of the musicians so easily rise to the surface of No One is Any One, in a way that is both intellectually interesting and at the same time free of intellectual distractions. The participants, including the listener, are free to explore their own intrinsic detachment and experience the sensory reception of the sound itself.

Alto saxophonist Caleb Wheeler Curtis, bassist Noah Garabedian, and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza have been down this road before. They met and began playing in 2017, with their gatherings being as much about conversation about music and values as about actual playing. In time, the trio released New Year (Outside in Music, 2018) under their individual names in 2018, and were just getting things rolling when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020. From the outset, the members were aware of an openness and ease of expression that clearly grew from their mutual understanding of musical needs and ambitions, and shed light on a path of inspired development to come.

The natural chemistry between the three is an interesting study, with Garabedian and Sperrazza stemming from the tradition of groove- based instrumental r&b music, and Curtis more an adoptee of the jazz tradition. The union of the three is in many ways emblematic of the jazz scene growing in Brooklyn that often crosses lines of genre in joyous and innovative ways.

For their latest venture, Philadelphia based pianist Orrin Evans is added for four tracks, bringing a dimension in terms of harmony for sure, but as well spreading things out spatially within the context of the collective. Evans has had a significant impact on the creative development of Curtis' playing, both in small group settings and that of Evan's twice Grammy nominated Captain Black Big Band.

With the pandemic raging in New York, the trio began meeting outdoors in Prospect Park, their rehearsals becoming impromptu performances for a public starving for live music. The very organic quality of this recording is linked to those times of hardship that were nonetheless accompanied by a strong desire to keep things moving forward musically. The trio went into the studio in July of 2020 to record, bringing Evans into the fold.

The opening salvo, Curtis' "Reanimation (Zombie Tune),'' speaks loudly as to the identity of the trio. Bassist Garabedian holds down the bottom with a riff-rock bass line, carrying Wheeler with him in a sort of musical undertow. Garabedian leads us into his "Josephine and Daphne," a piece inspired by the film "Some Like it Hot," where the characters played by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon adopt female personas to play in an all- female jazz band. Sperazza's title cut comes from the blues, employing its simplicity to eschew the "cult of personality." "Pilot Light" is a real time application of collective improvisation in a sense, with Curtis' detached referencing to the lead line mirrored by Garabedian's careful insertions and Sperrazza's embracing rhythms.

Evans is front and center on "Thomas," vibing the melody with Curtis. The intensity level of the record meters upward considerably, with Curtis laying down a riveting, on point solo. The dynamic and tonal range of his playing comes to full fruition, passing through moments both of sheer intensity and passive repose. Sperraza's fine work passes through the same emotions in such a way that defines his role on this recording. As Evans refers to the melody and moves on to his beautifully dynamic solo, Sperrazza is there in unbridled intensity, and is still able to reign it in with the pianist, in a titanic, symphonic splash of cymbal work.

While the collective process is stunning on this recording, what continually draws the listener in is Curtis' playing. It is strikingly interesting that in this new decade, perhaps the two most interesting alto saxophonists on the scene are both descendants of Evan's Philadelphia based "village" of musicians that move in and out of his Captain Black Big Band. Both Curtis and Immanuel Wilkins are creating groundbreaking music both as musicians and composers. While the twosome can be both caustic and genteel, Curtis has achieved a maturity and focus that manifests in his melodic approach to playing. His tunes are recitable to the listener, taking the melodies with them long after they have been heard. There is an almost ghostly presence to them. His improvised solos have the same qualities in a more unbridled sense. On the album's finale, "Harvey Pekar," those qualities are easily accessible. Curtis seems to sing on the instrument, more than playing it. Those reverberations throughout No One is Anyone are what will continue to draw the listener back time and again.By Paul Rauch https://www.allaboutjazz.com/no-one-is-any-one-ember-with-orrin-evans-sunnyside-records

Personnel: Caleb Wheeler Curtis: saxophone; Vinnie Sperrazza: drums; Noah Garabedian: bass; Orrin Evans: piano.

No One Is Anyone

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Jessica Williams - Blue Fire

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:57
Size: 164,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:48)  1. Blue Fire
( 9:16)  2. The Vision
(11:34)  3. Soul Sister
( 5:56)  4. Somebody's Waltz
(11:42)  5. Blues 2k
( 6:07)  6. Kenny Kirkland
(10:08)  7. Elbow Room
( 8:24)  8. Everything Happens to Me

Jessica Williams is a no-nonsense person. You can hear this in conversation with her, you can feel this from her liner notes and you can sense it from her music. The attitude stems not only from confidence but also with being comfortable with her craft, something that leaps out each time you listen to her music. In writing the notes to this record, Williams makes several pertinent points. One is that the tradition in her music will not go away while it grows and changes all the time. Who could argue when the results are as electrifying as they are here?  Williams builds several sonic layers enveloping each in reverberating passion. She has able mates in Dave Captein and Mel Brown who are pivotal in adding to the dialogue. Together they move like one well-oiled machine. The title tune unfurls slow and sensual with Scott Hall getting his tenor into the thick of the melody before Williams traces the evolution with lines that dance lithely through a becoming tempo shift. Hall is also featured on "Everything Happens To Me" which flows like a gentle stream. It is at once peaceful and meditative. "Blues 2K" comes out swinging. Williams shapes the progression aggressively on a hot bed of melody all the while propelled by Brown and Captein taking this one right into the metier of excitement. The tempo slows down for "Kenny Kirkland". The tribute to the late pianist is a lyrical and heartfelt testimony. At the end of it all, there is one definite manifestation: this album says a lot and says it eloquently. ~ Jerry D'Souza https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blue-fire-jessica-williams-jazz-focus-records-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php

Personnel: Jessica Williams: Piano; Dave Captein: Acoustic bass; Mel Brown: Drums; Scott Hall: Tenor saxophone

Blue Fire

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Thomas Marriott - Live from the Heat Dome

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:37
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:49) 1. Angel Of Sunlight
( 5:16) 2. Front Row Family
( 7:57) 3. The Joint Chiefs
( 4:44) 4. Chick's Lullaby
( 9:47) 5. How It Works
( 7:44) 6. H.A.L.T.
(10:19) 7. Anything Helps

Night after night, week after week, jazz performances take place in the city of Seattle that inspire the local jazz community. They take place in clubs, dive bars, theaters and concert halls, featuring national and international jazz artists as well as prominent resident artists from the dynamic Seattle jazz scene. On occasion, an individual jazz performance serves as a signpost of things to come. The September 26 performance of the Thomas Marriott Quartet at Jazz Alley was all of the above. Marriott had assembled a stellar quartet to celebrate the release of his fourteenth album as a leader, Live From the Heatdome (Imani, 2022).

The stage at Jazz Alley has seen the best of the best since its opening in 1980 as an intimate bistro in the University District. For the first six years of the club, it was common to see an artist of international prominence perform with a supporting cast of Seattle jazzers such as Chuck Deardorf, Dean Hodges, Marc Seales and Jerry Granelli among others. After moving to its more spacious digs downtown in 1986, full touring bands were and are featured, with Seattle based performances becoming less common. Over the years, there have been periods when Monday nights were reserved for the local scene, either in the form of an individual artist’s show, or a jam session that featured top Seattle players such as Hadley Caliman and Don Lanphere. Taking on Marriott’s album release was a rarity that needed support from the Seattle jazz community. That support was received in abundance with the club nearly full house.

Marriott has had a musical connection with Philadelphia based pianist Orrin Evans since a chance meeting at a jazz festival in Idaho over a decade ago. Live From the Heat Dome is the fourth release from the trumpeter that features Evans. His appearance, along with legendary bassist Essiet Essiet and sensational drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr., gave the performance a huge kickstart, with Marriott delivering a top flight performance of original tunes and a triad of well chosen standards.

The quartet started with Marriott’s “Tale of Debauchery,” extracted from his Urban Folklore (Origin, 2014) album that featured Evans on piano. On this evening, it served as a vehicle for Marriott to find his sound and cadence, serving up a long solo that began with longer tones and finished with a flurry of rapid fire runs. Evans, Essiet and Whitfield were immediately playful with the tune, something that would continue throughout the ninety minute set in plenitud.

“Front Row Family,” an ode to Marriott’s uber-supportive family over the years, was a mood changer that featured his ultra refined trumpet tonality that served as a warm invite for the audience to join in the intimacy of the moment. Essiet’s solo was a telltale sign of his unique artistry, his exquisite sound framing intricate passages and chordal brilliance. Marriott for his part appeared to be just getting started, not quite unleashing the hounds, so to speak.

“Mo-Joe,” Marriott’s homage to vibraphonist Joe Locke pushed the set forward into an uptempo, swinging foray into his post-bop, modernist leanings. His solo and that of Evans were telltale statements of their deep connection to the blues and the swing rhythm that defines the Black American art form they so ably express. Just as strongly, Evans launched into a quiet, beautifully harmonic intro to Marriott’s “Chick’s Lullaby,” serving as a beautiful interlude of quiet focus and meditative thought. In a tune dedicated to his wife, Marriott’s muted soliloquy was embracingly romantic and had a magical impact on the audience, roping them into the emotional aspect of the performance.

Essiet’s thunderous intro to Wayne Shorter’s “General Assembly,” served as a passageway to melodic freedom for the quartet, with Marriott’s searing solo setting the bar high for his positively respondent bandmates. Evans has always had a percussive aspect to his playing that has supplied a degree of separation between him and the majority of pianists in modern jazz. His solo seemed to ignite Whitfield on drums, whose focused intensity and supportive dynamics were unabashedly a highlight of the entire performance. In essence, Shorter’s thunderous composition seemed to light the fuse for the next few tunes. Easing into Vernon Duke’s classic, “I Can’t Get Started,” the quartet seemed to settle into a comfortable place with Evan’s playfully daring solo and Essiet’s beautifully pensive offering leading the way.

“The Joint Chiefs,” which appears on Live From the Heatdome, and “Both Sides of the Fence,” the title track from Marriott’s 2007 release, operated at an elevated degree of intensity and featured Whitfield’s spirited playing. Marriott and Evans exchanged glancing blows back and forth with the young drummer, the spirited response of the near capacity crowd seemingly lifting the roof off the place. The finale, Duke Ellington’s “Things Ain’t What They Used to Be,” was a fitting ending for the band, wrapping up their fourth consecutive night on a high. The foursome had spent two nights at Frankie’s in Vancouver, followed by a night in Bellingham. They had earned their repose.

Jazz Alley has never been much of a “hang” spot after a gig since the U District days when it was all of that. This evening was an exception, with an audience that represented a broad cross-section of the Seattle jazz community. It seemed everyone wanted a piece of the trumpeter, a prime indicator of the love and respect that Marriott inspires in his home town. With community elders like Julian Priester, Jim Wilkie and Marvin Thomas in the room and many of the city’s prominent jazz musicians as well, the respect factor was plainly evident. As far as the love factor, that was something felt upon entering the room, was elevated by the performance, and expressed with warm embraces post-show. For anyone that has spent any amount of time on the Seattle jazz scene, and at Jazz Alley in particular, this was a beautiful and welcoming sight. Let’s hope it portends to a re-ignited relationship between Seattle’s best jazz musicians, and its city’s most renowned stage.

By Paul Rauch https://seattlejazzscene.com/2022/09/thomas-marriott-album-release-live-from-the-heatdome/

Personnel: Thomas Marriott - Trumpet; Orrin Evans - Piano; Essiet Essiet - Bass ; Mark Whitfield Jr. - Drums