Martin Jacobsen - Current State

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 67:37
Size: 125,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:54)  1. Witchcraft
(4:10)  2. Backwater
(9:53)  3. Stairway
(8:46)  4. Forest Flower
(5:21)  5. This I Dig Of You
(7:15)  6. Everything I Love
(5:02)  7. Arrival
(7:58)  8. Polkadots And Moonbeams
(6:29)  9. Funk In Deep Freeze
(4:45) 10. Current State

Tenor saxophonist Martin Jacobsen certainly falls into the latter category, a young Danish man seeking his fortune in the niche market foothills that are today’s jazz scene. Like many saxophonists of his generation, Jacobsen admits to a strong Coltrane influence. Though his preferred vintage of Trane isn’t as common, drawing on the saxophonist’s lesser touted Prestige years for inspiration and guidance. The chosen songbook also reflects a deep interest in Fifties hard bop and incorporates a pair of Hank Mobley tunes along with a handful of standards that were favorites for blowing sessions back in the day. Jacobsen opts for only a pair of originals, preferring instead to pack the program with an assortment familiar and lesser-known vehicles by others. His own tunes, the hard swinging “Backwater” and the title track, show him to be a composer of promise. While it’s instructive to hear his interpretations of familiar standards, the presence of only a few of his own pieces leaves the program feeling somehow incomplete. Jacobsen’s colleagues evidence an equal affinity for this balance of blues and bop and guitarist Raney in particular fits beautifully as chief chordal foil. Frenchman Naturel and American Hollander achieve a relaxed, but propulsive rapport and effectively fuel the action. Raney’s lustrous comping frames Jacobsen’s dry cerulean lines on the opening entry “Witchcraft.” The guitarist’s own solo, steeped in bright fleshy single notes, is in turn accented by the steady rhythmic push of Naturel and Hollander. 

Naturel’s elastic arco approach recalls Paul Chambers in the swinging saw-tooth pitch of his tree-felling lines. Charles Lloyd’s “Forest Flower” receives a lengthy reading and the syncopated Latin melody matches Jacobsen’s plush warm tone exquisitely. Raney’s effusive comping weaves with Hollander’s syncopations to create a lush tropical backdrop. The surprise comes with Naturel’s early pizzicato solo, thick and ripe with a succulent fulsome groove. It’s a pleasing trick he repeats on Cole Porter’s “Everything I Love.” The two Mobley tunes, “The I Dig of You” and “Funk in Deep Freeze,” accentuate the quartet’s sterling bop credentials. The four men sound like their having a ball blowing through the blues-plentiful changes and Jacobsen echoes the spirit of the composer, but with a greater urgency and resiliency to his tone. Raney’s cleverly constructed solo on the latter piece is easily his finest of the date. By his astute choice of album titles Jacobsen seems well aware of what makes jazz a vital music. It’s the constant sense of growth and discovery, taking the old and making it new. While this is a fine debut, there’s little doubt that future endeavors will prove even more impressive as the both Jacobsen and the band continue to mature. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/current-state-martin-jacobsen-steeplechase-records-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Martin Jacobsen- tenor saxophone; Doug Raney- guitar; Gilles Naturel- bass; Rick Hollander.

Current State

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Martin Jacobsen - At The Jazzhouse

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 63:02
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:42)  1. Reggie Of Chester
(10:50)  2. Forest Flower
( 8:35)  3. Stairway To The Stars
( 7:40)  4. U. M. M. G.
( 9:56)  5. In A Sentimental Mood
( 9:49)  6. Witchcraft
( 8:26)  7. This I Dig Of You

Although Danish-born Martin Jacobsen considers Paris his home base, the busy saxophonist travels extensively throughout Europe and abroad, performing with such notable jazz performers as David Sanborn. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, he began playing the tenor saxophone at the relatively late age 19, driven by a strong urge for musical expression after listening to jazz for about a year, especially the Miles Davis group with John Coltrane of the 1950s. He received a few lessons from fellow tenorman Tomas Franck, but largely taught himself to play. "It isn't always the best way to learn because you can make mistakes, do things wrong and then you have to waste time correcting bad technique. But also, doing it the hard way, you can make discoveries. You definitely find out what is really important." Through the 1990s, Martin worked with a host of talented young jazz players on the Copenhagen scene and was heard with the Bust'n Bloopers Big Band with among others Bob Mintzer and formed his quartet with guitarist Jacob Fischer in 1993. In 1995, he took the advice of saxophonist Bob Rockwell who suggested he move to either New York or Paris. Martin plumped for "Paree" and has since been performing and recording CDs, radio and television shows with Doug Raney, Bobby Durham, David Sanborn, Gil Goldstein, Rick Hollander, Jesse van Ruller, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Antonio Farao, Mark Taylor, Yutaka Shiina and many others.  Martin Jacobsen has his base in Paris, but is a busy traveler in Europe and abroad and has performed in more than 25 countries, including Japan, Italy, England, Germany, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia, Singapore, China, Mongolia, Macedonia, Albania, Scotland, South Korea, Canada, Indonesia, Spain, UAE, Mozambique, Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Netherlands, Belgium, Lebanon and of cause in Denmark. http://www.martinjacobsen.com/biography.htm

Personnel:  Martin Jacobsen, tenor sax;  Doug Raney, guitar; Jesper Lindgaard, bass;  Rick Hollander, drums

At The Jazzhouse

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