Don Ellis - Out Of Nowhere

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:24
Size: 105,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:11)  1. Sweet And Lovely
(4:28)  2. My Funny Valentine
(4:39)  3. I Love You ( Take 2 )
(3:33)  4. I'll Remember April
(3:41)  5. Just One Of Those Things
(3:47)  6. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(6:10)  7. All The Things You Are
(3:45)  8. Out Of Nowhere
(3:32)  9. Just One Of Those Things (take 5)
(5:36) 10. I Love You (take 1)

This formerly unknown date was released for the first time on this 1988 CD; chances are that the short-lived Candid label died before the music could be put out. Don Ellis, one of the most original trumpeters to emerge in the early 1960's, performs ten standards on a trio session with pianist Paul Bley and bassist Steve Swallow (who was making his recording debut) but the music is far from routine or predictable. Ellis takes an unaccompanied trumpet solo on "Just One Of Those Things," "All The Things You Are" is a trumpet-bass duet and Ellis interacts with Bley on a moody "My Funny Valentine." The players constantly take chances with time but there are few slipups or hesitant moments. A fascinating and long-lost session. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/out-of-nowhere-mw0000202922

Personnel:  Don Ellis - trumpet; Paul Bley - piano; Steve Swallow - bass

Out Of Nowhere

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The Carla Bley Band - Carla Bley live!

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1982
Time: 41:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 95,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:10) 1. Blunt Object
(7:24) 2. The Lord is Listenin to Ya Hal
(7:59) 3. Time And Us
(9:06) 4. Still in The Room
(4:26) 5. Real Life Hits
(7:30) 6. Song Sung Long

Around 1980, Carla Bley seemed to find herself torn between several possible avenues of expression. On the one hand, you had her wild (and wildly successful) projects like Escalator Over the Hill and Tropic Appetites, where styles and musicians were combined with inspired abandon. Then there was the romantic classical aspect as shown in her composition "3/4" and, with jazz influences, her fine, ambitious Social Studies release.

But, always lurking beneath the surface was her itching desire to have essentially a jazz-rock band, drawing heavily from funk and demonstrating a loose and bawdy humor. Unfortunately, this last impulse was responsible for some of her weaker efforts though, in fairness, it brought her a level of popularity hitherto unreached. Live! demonstrates the pitfalls of this approach.

Though the ten-piece ensemble features some very capable musicians (including altoist Steve Slagle, French horn virtuoso Vincent Chauncey, and electric bassist extraordinaire Steve Swallow), the compositions tend to plod toward their goal and the soloing doesn't rise very far above what one might expect from a David Sanborn session (how one yearns for a youthful Gato Barbieri, a Perry Robinson, or a Don Cherry to inject some life!).

Bley's themes here, once so ravishingly, bitterly gorgeous, are relatively dull or awkward in turn; when she tries her hand at gospel, as on the embarrassingly titled "The Lord is Listenin' to Ya, Hallelujah!," the results are cringe-inducing. Swallow has a nice introduction to "Still in the Room" and Earl McIntyre on tuba and trombonist Gary Valente do their best to get things rolling, but the lackluster compositions and leaden drumming (by D. Sharpe) never allow the project to take off. Listeners looking for prime Carla Bley would do better to search out her earlier, far more adventurous and creative work.
By Brian Olewnick https://www.allmusic.com/album/carla-bley-live%21-mw0000191553#review

Personnel: Carla Bley - organ, glockenspiel, piano (track 3); Michael Mantler - trumpet; Steve Slagle - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Tony Dagradi - tenor saxophone; Vincent Chancey - French horn; Gary Valente - trombone; Earl McIntyre - tuba, bass trombone; Arturo O'Farrill - piano, organ (track 3); Steve Swallow - bass guitar; D. Sharpe - drums

Carla Bley live!

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Steve Kuhn - At This Time

Styles: Piano Jazz 

Year: 2016

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:50

Size: 137,3 MB

Art: Front

(6:32)  1. My Shining Hour

(9:19)  2. Ah Moore

(6:10)  3. The Pawnbroker

(7:33)  4. All the Rest is the Same

(5:48)  5. The Feeling Within

(5:51)  6. Carousel

(5:47)  7. Lonely Town

(5:44)  8. This is New

(6:02)  9. I Waited for You

The wonderful and deeply satisfying At This Time... brings together pianist Steve Kuhn leading a trio comprised of electric bassist Steve Swallow and the ubiquitous (and always smiling drummer) Joey Baron. The immediate impulse for the recording was an extended set by this trio at Birdland, in New York City in 2015. Swallow and Kuhn go back forty years to Kuhn's ECM debut, Trance, with Kuhn knowing Baron for more than twenty years. This trio also recorded Kuhn's latest ECM release, Wisteria in 2012. The set list comes from the tunes played at the gig, and, even though these players all know each other very well, this very feeling of familiarity is enhanced by the fact that they had just played together. Granted, pros can be called together on short notice to play live or record and perform admirably, but there is an ineffable something about the atmosphere created by this album that gives it its special sound. The nine tracks are mostly in the six-minute range, with Kuhn's "All The Rest Is The Same" taking seven and a half minutes, and "Ah Moore" by Al Cohn reaching over nine minutes, so there is quite enough room for stretching out. However, the record feels as if it flies by, primarily because of the multitude of details that fit together perfectly and which flow ever forward. There is not a moment of fluff or indecision; each tracks sounds like first take, spontaneous creation with nothing to improve upon by trying again. This feeling of spontaneous perfection is only enhanced by the quality of the recording itself -the piano is crystalline (as is Kuhn's touch), Swallow's amazingly smooth electric bass sound is centered and full, but soft on the edges, while Baron knows exactly what to do and when to do it. The tunes themselves range from the well known opener, "My Shining Hour" to lesser known standards such as Kurt Weil's "This Is New," "Lonely Town" by Leonard Bernstein and Quincy Jones' "The Pawnbroker" among others. The Kuhn originals are placed in the middle of the set, with the perfect choice of "The Feeling Within" being performed solo, adding just the right touch of intensity. At This Time... will command attention without demanding it, and the attentive listener will find much in which to revel many times over. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/at-this-time-steve-kuhn-sunnyside-records-review-by-budd-kopman.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Joey Baron: drums.

At This Time

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Steve Kuhn Trio - To And From The Heart

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:42
Size: 109,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:49)  1. Thinking out Loud
( 6:15)  2. Pure Imagination
( 6:00)  3. Away
( 4:38)  4. Never Let Me Go
( 5:29)  5. Into the New World
(16:29)  6. Trance / Oceans in the Sky

Now an octogenarian, Steve Kuhn's career has in 2018 spanned nearly sixty years, never having a long lull of time without recording new music. It becomes something of a marvel then that after all this time, the pianist still finds something new to say; he is still able to surprise listeners with songs they don't expect and improvisations they don't anticipate. He continues with the same trio he used on his previous release, At This Time... (Sunnyside, 2016) It should surprise no one how well these three mesh, considering their history. Kuhn and bassist Steve Swallow have worked together as far back as the 1960s, when they recorded with trumpeter and flugelhornist Art Farmer, who had yet to help create the Flumpet. Joey Baron meanwhile, has played drums on four albums with Kuhn, dating as far back as 1995. The trio has To And From the Heart open with the radiant "Thinking Out Loud," an original composition by Swallow, before easing perfectly into a beautiful and instantly recognisable rendition of the now classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tune, "Pure Imagination." With it's warm, romantic tone the song conjures the images of a crisp, cool city night, strolling hand in hand past pool halls, restaurants, and towering hotels. Swallow's long electric bass solo is rained over by Baron's cymbals before Kuhn masterfully brings the melody around for a final pass. In both these first songs it becomes clear how perfectly complementary the members of this trio are to each other. 

It's a kind of chemistry often taken for granted, but which exists only within a group of musicians such as this one. "Pure Imagination" is followed by two tender ballads, "Away" and "Never Let Me Go," the former of which is the second Swallow original and a simple, romantic song that feels just at home on the album.  Baron's cymbals spur Kuhn forward on Michika Fukumori's mid-tempo "Into the New World" before descending into a 16-minute long convalescence of two of Kuhn's original compositions, titled "Trance/Oceans in the Sky." The lengthy, latter half of this musical concoction is a wonderful, emotional ride. At times ominous, at others hopeful, yet never jarring. It's this song that draws the listener in, demanding full and complete attention to the band's technical prowess. Baron's drums weave through speakers left and right while Kuhn's piano lays out a remarkable turn reminiscent of the spectacular finale to a fireworks show. It's not just the perfect ending to a thoughtful, emotional album, it's the song that makes the entire 50 minute ride memorable. Despite the relative age of the group, To and From the Heart never feels geriatric. Meting out innovation with the sort of self assured aplomb which comes from experience and long-honed talent, the Steve Kuhn Trio has yet another solid addition to their catalogue. ~ Peter Hoetjes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/to-and-from-the-heart-steve-kuhn-sunnyside-records-review-by-peter-hoetjes.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Joey Baron: drums.

To And From The Heart

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John Scofield, Steve Swallow, Bill Stewart - Swallow Tales

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:52
Size: 121,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:29) 1. She Was Young
(5:24) 2. Falling Grace
(3:31) 3. Portsmouth Figurations
(9:24) 4. Awful Coffee
(7:10) 5. Eiderdown
(4:11) 6. Hullo Bolinas
(4:50) 7. Away
(4:30) 8. In F
(4:22) 9. Radio

It was Gary Burton who brought Steve Swallow with electric bass in tow into the teaching ranks of the Berklee College of Music in the early 1970s. Burton had already introduced Swallow's songs to the students, one of whom, a fresh-faced John Scofield, would go on to play and record with both men. Scofield and Swallow's musical partnership has proven the more durable, having begun in the late 1970s. Here, the former teacher and student pick up where they left on the Grammy-winning Country For Old Men (Impulse! 2016), with Scofield putting his inimitable stamp on nine Swallow originals. The nine straight-ahead tracks cover almost half a century of Swallow's career, from the early-mid 1960s, when Swallow was part of Burton's innovative groups, up until the early 2010s. Singable melody and harmonic depth are the common threads throughout. "She Was Young," originally tailored by Swallow to a poem by Robert Creeley a major influence and sung by Sheila Jordan on the album Home (ECM, 1980), is a beautiful feast. Bill Stewart no stranger himself to Scofield switches back and forth between brushes and sticks as the music waxes and wanes. Swallow keeps the melody flowing as Scofield, in top form, digs deep, but it is in the trio's extended workout where real sparks fly.

These compositions could almost have been written for Scofield, who revels in the ever-bright melodic terrain, the effortless swing that Swallow and Stewart engender, and the changes that invite fresh improvisational impetus at every turn. Swallow's compositions are rooted, but always moving forward. They are also rather handsome. The aforementioned "She Was Young," and the exquisitely tender ballad "Away," are particularly gorgeous. Scofield is one of the most exciting electric guitarists of his generation, but he is often at his most alluring at relaxed tempi; the slower reworking of "Awful Coffee," which features a typically singsong solo from Swallow, and the gently strolling "Hullo Bolinas" reveal the nuance and soul in Scofield's broad-ranging vocabulary. The modern-day jazz standard "Falling Grace" sees Scofield and Swallow in expansive mode, their respective solos imbibed with the composition's underlying melodic charm. Stewart, a dynamic presence throughout, comes into the spotlight with a solo turn on "Eiderdown," but in truth, his ceaselessly inventive playing throughout the album is a constant source of surprise and delight. Here, Stewart employs his ride cymbal like a cracking whip that spurs Scofield on. "Radio," from the Times Square (ECM, 1978) album with Burton, Roy Haynes and Tiger Okoshi, sees Swallow's deceptive walking bass line and Stewart's more overtly fractured rhtyhms provide the friction that ignites Scofield's blue touch paper. Swallow Tales, Scofield's heartfelt homage to a significant figure in modern jazz, exudes the spontaneity and excitement arising from a single afternoon in the studio. Swallow's playing is as lithe as ever, while his compositions, channelled through such caring, intuitive hands, sound evergreen.~ Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/swallow-tales-john-scofield-ecm-records

Personnel: John Scofield: guitar; Bill Stewart: drums; Steve Swallow: bass.

Swallow Tales

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Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, Steve Swallow - Life Goes On

Styles: Piano, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:44
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:00) 1. Life Goes On: Life Goes On
(4:46) 2. Life Goes On: On
(4:10) 3. Life Goes On: And On
(9:02) 4. Life Goes On: And Then One Day
(4:35) 5. Beautiful Telephones - Pt. 1
(6:13) 6. Beautiful Telephones - Pt. 2
(6:16) 7. Beautiful Telephones - Pt. 3
(5:29) 8. Copycat: After You
(0:17) 9. Copycat: Follow The Leader
(9:51) 10. Copycat: Copycat

The endless staircases of M.C. Escher’s castles don’t demand a soundtrack to be appreciated, but if you bask in Carla Bley’s “Copycat” while absorbing a few of the Dutch artist’s impossible labyrinths, you might be in for extra fun. One of Life Goes On’s three micro-suites, Bley’s piece arrives with a process mandate: Each line of the group’s performance should be an echo or variation of the preceding line. That leads to a wonderfully fluid symmetry. The choices pour forth, pensively at first, and then puckishly, as is often the esteemed composer’s wont. The fourth album in a quarter-century’s worth of collabs by the buoyant trio of the pianist, bassist Steve Swallow, and saxophonist Andy Sheppard, Life Goes On teems with the kind of balance that has marked their previous discs, but it also boasts an extra dose of eloquence.

Though I’m still citing the band’s masterpiece as 2013’s “Utviklingssang” (as finely cut a jewel as the MJQ’s “Django”), the level of detail at work on this latest disc is unmistakable. “Beautiful Telephones,” the pianist’s gibe at 45’s cluckish oogling over the Oval Office’s squawkbox, glows with the ominous tone of an étude penned by Bernard Herrmann. Bley knows we’re in deep shit these days, so her allusion to Chopin’s “Funeral March,” along with wry references to “It’s a Grand Old Flag,” “Yankee Doodle,” and other American chestnuts indicts us all for allowing Trumpian freedom to ring. As each passage inches forward, Sheppard’s concise moves match Swallow’s plush choices. The group’s chemistry is ultra-refined at this late date; the carefully calibrated sharing of duties brings a quizzical serenity to this improv-slanted chamber music.

Bley has told interviewers she’d like to be writing for a big band, but current economics demand a more scaled-down stance. No worries. The 81-year-old’s trademark humor still gets its moments in the sun. For example: “Copycat” ends a 15-minute-long parade of slippery tradeoffs with a curt three-note phrase that finds each musician in perfect accord. Same place, same time, at last. Feel free to put your grinning-face emoji right there.~ Jim Macnie https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/carla-bley-andy-sheppard-steve-swallow-life-goes-on-ecm/

Personel: Piano – Carla Bley; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Andy Sheppard; Bass – Steve Swallow

Life Goes On

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John Scofield - EnRoute

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:57
Size: 167,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:24)  1. Wee
( 7:25)  2. Toogs
( 6:30)  3. Name That Tune
( 9:26)  4. Hammock Soliloquy
( 9:01)  5. Bag
( 6:39)  6. It Is Written
( 6:49)  7. Alfie
( 7:23)  8. Travel John
(11:15)  9. Over Big Top

Some artists are revolutionary, making periodic stylistic leaps that herald in a completely new direction or approach. Others are more evolutionary, with a gradual development that often unfolds over a number of years. John Scofield clearly falls in the second camp; while the context of his albums may vary wildly from one to the next, the actual meat of his style has matured at such a slow and steady pace that differentiation over the short term might be difficult to discern. But compare one of his earlier albums, like 1981's live trio recording Out Like a Light , with his new trio release, the live EnRoute , and you'll find an artist who has, in fact, made quantum leaps in his growth as a player, writer and bandleader. The two records share another common element, that of bassist Steve Swallow who, along with drummer Bill Stewart, lends an energy to the proceedings that is characteristic of many of Scofield's bands. But whereas Scofield has spent the last couple of years on jam-band turf with his younger quartet, this record returns him solidly to jazz territory, although with grooves from the New Orleans grease of "Hammock Soliloquy" and "Over Big Top" to the up-tempo swinger "Travel John"; from the straight-ahead blues of "Bag" to the tender reading of the Bacharach/David standard "Alfie," this is hardly a mainstream set. Aside from a clearly more mature linear conception, since the early '90s Scofield has also grown considerably as a chordal soloist. 

The roots of this style go as far back as his early '80s trio with Swallow, but his harmonic sense is now just that much deeper. Recorded during a weeklong engagement at New York City's Blue Note in December of 2003, the album manages to capture the energy that was clearly in the room at the time. This, in no small part, thanks to Stewart, who continues to be as inventive as always; of his generation he is arguably the drummer who most ably combines a solid footing in tradition with a more progressive rhythmic edge. But everyone rightly smokes. Scofield, armed only with a guitar, amp and whammy pedal, his one nod to the more effects-laden work with his quartet, burns through Swallow's contrapuntal "Name That Tune"; Swallow blends an ability to anchor with inciting Scofield to further heights; the riff-based "Over Big Top" gradually builds in intensity, never letting up over its eleven minute duration. Scofield has managed to attract a whole new generation of listeners to his music through his association with his current jam-band quartet. And the good news is that the success of that project has resulted in those same listeners checking out more straightforward projects like EnRoute. In a time where jazz is a marginalized genre, that's a remarkable achievement. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/enroute-john-scofield-verve-music-group-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: John Scofield: guitar; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

EnRoute

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Steve Kuhn, Steve Swallow - Two by 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:00
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Gentle Thoughts
(3:51)  2. Two By Two
(5:56)  3. Remember
(4:33)  4. Wrong Together
(5:33)  5. Eidertown
(5:47)  6. Lullaby
(6:30)  7. Ladies In Mercedes
(6:32)  8. Deep Tango
(6:39)  9. Poem For # 15
(2:57) 10. Mr.Calypso Kuhn
(5:35) 11. Emmanuel

Few musicians possess anything like the lyrical capacity of Steve Kuhn and Steve Swallow, whether as composers or performers and this album of duets recorded in 1995 achieves an ideal of empathy. With the compositions roughly divided between the two, there's as much emphasis on the construction of durable melodic material as spontaneous interaction. Kuhn's opening "Gentle Thoughts" immediately achieves a limpid beauty, a vaguely Oriental theme that suggests light shimmering on water, while his "Two by Two" manages to reanimate traditional blues lines with sheer good spirits and just the lightest touch of ironic bluster. A triptych of Swallow compositions follows, with Kuhn buoyantly exuberant on "Remember," before the composer supplies the most guitar-like of electric bass solos, providing a slightly dissonant counterfoil to Kuhn's ebullience. Some of the best bop composers Tadd Dameron, Herbie Nichols seem to underpin "Wrong Together," a somber theme with a sprightly undercurrent that testifies to Swallow's ability to construct compound moods with subtle harmonic suggestion. 

There's more of the same in his familiar "Eiderdown," a fine performance of a genuinely memorable tune. Kuhn's "Lullaby" returns the two to the quiescent grace of the opening with Swallow achieving a glassy, resonant sound. There's a kind of Latin melodrama to Swallow's "Ladies in Mercedes," Kuhn's bright, soaring lines and Swallow's resilient underpinnings summarizing the duo's strength an ability to develop complex harmonic dialogue with grace and wit. Latin elements are even more pronounced in Kuhn's passionate "Deep Tango" and the brisk frolic of his "Mr. Calypso Kuhn." Kuhn's spoken-word performance of his "Poem for #15" recalls Swallow's deft settings of poems by Robert Creeley and focuses the recording's emotional intensity, suggesting how often this is music about something. In all, it's a superior performance by two masters of micro-ensemble intimacy. ~ Stuart Broomer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/two-by-2-steve-kuhn-sunnyside-records-review-by-stuart-broomer.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass.

Two by 2

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Jamie Saft - You Don't Know the Life

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:14
Size: 95,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:30)  1. Re: Person I Knew
(5:41)  2. Dark Squares
(4:22)  3. Water from Breath
(6:09)  4. You Don't Know the Life
(2:13)  5. Ode to a Green Frisbee
(4:19)  6. The Cloak
(3:16)  7. Stable Manifold
(3:56)  8. The Break of the Flat Land
(3:07)  9. Moonlight in Vermont
(3:37) 10. Alfie

Since his 1997 recording debut, keyboardist Jamie Saft has carved out a dynamic profile, first (mostly) with John Zorn's Tzadik label and, since 2011, with RareNoise Records. A string of four releases on the label set the stage, beginning with 2014's trio outing The New Standard, through Loneliness Road (2017) (another trio set, with Iggy Pop sitting in on a few tunes), Solo A Genova (2018), and the quartet recording, Blue Dream, featuring saxophonist Bill McHenry. It was a busy and artistically fruitful few years for Saft. You Don't Know the Life has Saft switching gears, plugging into Hammond and Whitehall organs and an electric Baldwin harpsichord. The organ trio tradition is a long one Jimmy Smith, Grant Green, Jack McDuff but You Don't Know the Life doesn't sound like an attempt to adhere to that groove-based, urban, soul-drenched template. The Saft Trio, with the team of bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bobby Previte, seems to be pushing through on a new path breezy and freewheeling at times, reverential and church organ-like at others, and even psychedelic, on the opening cut, pianist Bill Evans' "Re: Person I Know," where Saft breaks out the electric harpsichord.  "Dark Squares" is attributed, songwriting-wise, to Saft/Swallow/Previte, so it is most certainly a trio improvisation, a measured and contemplative music that seems like a trip to church. "Water From Breath" flows down the same path, in a more lighthearted manner. The title tune from ZZ Top-er Billy Gibbons' pre-ZZ Top psychedelic blues band, Moving Sidewalks sounds like a lonely stroll down a midnight alleyway, immersed in the pondering of a love just lost. The album wraps up with a couple of unexpected considering the eclectic batch of tunes that precede them familiar standards, "Moonlight In Vermont," taken at a loose and leisurely pace, and Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Alfie." Pure loveliness, Saft's organ a cool and cleansing breeze. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/you-dont-know-the-life-jamie-saft-rarenoiserecords-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Jamie Saft: Hammond organ, Whitehall organ, Baldwin electric harpsichord; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Bobby Previte: drums.

You Don't Know the Life

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Paul Bley Trio - Closer

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:04
Size: 65,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:53)  1. Ida Lupino
(2:19)  2. Start
(3:26)  3. Closer
(2:53)  4. Sideways In Mexico
(3:15)  5. Batterie
(2:14)  6. And Now the Queen
(3:21)  7. Figfoot
(2:28)  8. Crossroads
(2:55)  9. Violin
(2:16) 10. Cartoon

Pianist Paul Bley is an innovator whose imagination eclipses the norm. He never wavers from a challenge and there is always an air of expectancy each time Bley sits at the piano. He is comfortable in any setting and his music has been shaped by several peers. Among them were Sonny Rollins, Carla Bley, Jimmy Giuffre, Charles Mingus, Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman. In the final analysis, however, it is his vision that propels the music forward. He fills it with vigor and dynamism, with space and lyricism; nothing is out of focus, every challenge is within his grasp. His eloquence is shaped by his ability to balance silence with sound, as well as his penchant for, and skill with, unusual phrasing. Bley recorded Closer in 1965. He took a different direction from the previous album Barrage (ESP Disk, 1964) which he had recorded with saxophonist Marshall Allen, trumpeter Dewey Johnson, bassist Eddie Gomez and percussionist Milford Graves. 

On Closer, with bassist Steve Swallow and Barry Altschul on percussion, Bley concentrated on compositions by Carla Bley, with a tune each from Ornette Coleman and Annette Peacock, as well as an original. Bley caresses melody. He gives it an organic soul with an illumining beauty as he does on "Violin." He goes off on a slight tangent, adding space, giving Swallow the room to ruminate on the bass with delicate phrases. The mood is reflective and quietly effective. "Sideways in Mexico" is a more collaborative effort. Bley acknowledges the melody and then punctuates chords and phrases with a two-handed attack. There is a change of emphasis and direction as his lines dart and scamper and then open the door for Swallow and Altschul to hold an interweaving rhythm convention. Another song of remarkable beauty and feeling comes in "Ida Lupino." The melody has an immediacy that nestles in the mind and Bley lingers over it, his phrases rippling like a gently flowing brook. He unleashes a couple of thunderous chords that startle—this only adds to his stature as one who stamps his credentials with extraordinary signposts. Bley makes a welcome return with one of his best. ~ Jerry D'Souza https://www.allaboutjazz.com/closer-paul-bley-esp-disk-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php

Personnel: Paul Bley: piano; Steve Swallow: bass; Barry Altschul: drums.

Closer

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Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - Uncharted Land

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:59
Size: 140,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:14)  1. Moving Pictures
( 4:13)  2. Uncharted Land (vocal)
( 2:51)  3. Natten er Se Stille
(18:12)  4. Nordavind
( 6:55)  5. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
( 2:27)  6. Someday My Prince Will Come
( 6:24)  7. Joron
( 5:47)  8. Too Many Names
( 3:01)  9. Uncharted Land (instrumental)
( 5:50) 10. Blank Space

A virtuoso who mostly played in bop-oriented settings, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen was in great demand since he was a teenager. One of many superb European bassists to emerge during the 1960s, Pedersen originally studied piano before starting to play bass with Danish groups when he was 14. He had to reluctantly turn down Count Basie's offer to join his orchestra when he was just 17, but worked steadily as the house bassist at the Club Montmartre and as a member of the Danish Radio Orchestra. Whenever American jazzmen passed through Scandinavia, they asked for Pedersen; during the 1960s he played with Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Roland Kirk, Dexter Gordon, Bud Powell, and even Albert Ayler (although the latter's session was not too successful). In the 1970s, Pedersen was featured in a duo with Kenny Drew. Starting in the mid-'70s, he was an occasional member of the Oscar Peterson Trio and he recorded several dates as a leader for SteepleChase. Pedersen also recorded in many different settings for Pablo Records during the era. He remained very active until his sudden death in April 2005. He was 58. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/niels-henning-%C3rsted-pedersen-mn0000404907/biography

Personnel: Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - acoustic bass, co-producer; Jan Garbarek - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, programming; Steve Swallow - electric bass, producer;   Michel Petrucciani - piano;  Mehmet Ozan - acoustic guitar;   Marilyn Mazur - percussion;  Søs Fenger - vocals;  Ole Kock Hansen - piano;  Ars Nova - ensemble;  Bo Holten - conductor;  Bente Vist - soprano vocals;  Helle Petersen - soprano vocals;  Hilde Ramnefjell - soprano vocals;  Ulla Munch - alto vocals;  Tine Jarl - alto vocals -  Mette Greiffenberg - alto vocals;   Ivan Hansen - tenor vocals;  Palle Jensen - tenor vocals;  Villy Nielsen - tenor vocals;  Johan Reuter - bass vocals;  Claus Hansen - bass vocals;   Hans Henrik Råholt - bass vocals

Uncharted Land

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Don Ellis - Giants Of Jazz

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:07
Size: 180,1 MB
Art: Front

( 3:31)  1. I'll Remember April
( 6:09)  2. Sweet And Lovely
( 3:42)  3. Out Of Nowhere
( 6:06)  4. All The Things You Are
( 3:43)  5. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
( 4:26)  6. My Funny Valentine
( 4:37)  7. I Love You
( 3:39)  8. Just One Of Those Things
( 4:54)  9. Johnny Come Lately
( 4:19) 10. Angel Eyes
( 3:24) 11. Lover
(10:08) 12. Form
( 4:38) 13. Sallie
( 6:28) 14. How Time Passes
( 4:15) 15. A Simplex One

Before his untimely death in 1978 at the young age of 44, Don Ellis was one of the most creative and innovative jazz musicians of all time. In a career span of less than 25 years, Don Ellis distinguished himself as a trumpeter, drummer, composer, arranger, recording artist, author, music critic, and music educator. However, Don Ellis is probably best remembered for his work as a big band leader. His orchestra, which was active from 1966-78, achieved enormous popular appeal at a time when the influence of big band music was noticeably fading. Ellis's significance lies in his use of groundbreaking musical techniques and devices, new to the world of jazz. Ellis's innovations include the use of electronic instruments, electronic sound-altering devices, experiments with quartertones, and the infusion of 20th century classical music devices into the jazz idiom. Ellis's greatest contributions, however, came in the area of rhythm. New rhythmic devices ultimately became the Don Ellis trademark. His compositions frequently displayed time signatures with numerators of 5, 7, 9, 11, 19, 25, 33, etc. His approach within more conventional time signatures could be equally innovative through the use of rhythmic superimpositions. Ellis's rhythmic innovations, despite much criticism, were not gimmicks, but rather a direct result of his studies in non-Western musical cultures, which included graduate work at UCLA's Department of Ethnomusicolog Ellis ultimately applied his experiences and knowledge of the music of non-Western cultures to the rhythmic language of jazz. He was one of the first to have accomplished such a fusion of ideas, and his works as a composer and an author stand as a memorial reflecting a significant stage in the evolution of jazz. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/donellis

Personnel:  Don Ellis – Trumpet;  Jaki Byard – Piano, Alto Sax;  Paul Bley – Piano;  Ron Carter – Bass;  Steve Swallow – Bass;  Gary Peacock – Bass;  Charlie Persip – Drums;  Nick Martins – Drums

Giants Of Jazz

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Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley, Steve Swallow - Fly Away Little Bird

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:29
Size: 175.1 MB
Styles: Post bop, Modern Creative
Year: 1992/2003
Art: Front

[ 6:35] 1. Fly Away Little Bird
[ 3:39] 2. Fits
[ 4:49] 3. I Can't Get Started
[ 5:38] 4. Qualude
[ 6:38] 5. Possibilities
[ 6:20] 6. Tumbleweed
[ 6:30] 7. All The Things You Are
[ 3:14] 8. Starts
[ 4:34] 9. Goodbye
[ 0:27] 10. Just Dropped By
[ 5:13] 11. Lover Man
[ 4:51] 12. Postlude
[ 6:26] 13. Sweet And Lovely
[11:26] 14. Bats In The Belfry

Jimmy Giuffre, soprano sax, clarinet, voice; Paul Bley, piano; Steve Swallow, electric bass.

Recorded a year before this trio's final record in ’93, Fly Away Little Bird delivers a more grounded, earthy performance than Conversations With a Goose. Here, Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley, and Steve Swallow explore their blues roots, particularly Giuffre. And, in addition to their trademark spontaneous inventions, they lovingly render five standards and a surprisingly strong composition by Juanita Odjenar Giuffre, Mrs. Jimmy. This was their third album for Owl after a 27-year hiatus.

Giuffre’s credited with the title track, a wistful group piece with Jimmy on clarinet. The three musicians easily revolve in and out of their solos and supporting roles. “Fits” gives Swallow a solo run that carries a vaguely Spanish flavor with classical counterpoint. All three give a heartfelt reading to Vernon Duke’s “Can’t Get Started.” After Jimmy’s mournful turn, Swallow bends his notes bluesy, and Bley takes a theatrical interlude. Bley goes solo on “Qualude,” working a walking bass line through some minor harmonies. The modal inventions that follow are pure Bley, some deceptively simple ideas the build into a complex off-kilter blues. Juanita Giuffre’s “Possibilities” starts with a rubbery throbbing Swallow and Giuffre making short statements on soprano. Bley plays the progression in a clipped style, before blowing it apart. Giuffre goes on one of his amazing solo excursions on “Tumbleweed,” a clarinet workout that includes extended techniques, vocals sounding like Italian operetta, and sweet bluesy musing.

Kern and Hammerstein’s “All the Things You Are” gets a stiff intro from Bley and Giuffre, then Swallow enters in hyper-swing mode, and everyone gets on his bus. Bley manages to tweak his chords enough to keep it from being a totally straight interpretation. “Starts” continues Swallow’s solo exploration, this time less jaunty, less Spanish, but no less contrapuntal. The Gordon Jenkins composition, “Goodbye,” originally showed up on the trio’s second album for Verve, Thesis in 1961. Giuffre’s clarinet sings the sad song, with Swallow and Bley finishing his and each other’s phrases. Swallow’s unique bass approach creates a call and response role with the clarinet. The long group improv “Bats in the Belfry” begins with a few lines from Giuffre on soprano that echo back from Bley and Swallow, and the variations commence. After various changes, Giuffre switches to clarinet, and in one sequence Bley sounds as if he’s playing prepared piano. ~Rex Butters

Fly Away Little Bird mc
Fly Away Little Bird zippy

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Carla Bley, Steve Swallow - Are We There Yet?

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:27
Size: 108.6 MB
Styles: Avant garde jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 3:34] 1. Major
[ 7:13] 2. A Dog's Life
[ 8:41] 3. Satie For Two
[ 5:14] 4. Lost In The Stars
[ 4:37] 5. King Korn
[ 4:41] 6. Playing With Water
[13:24] 7. Musique Mecanique Part I, Part II, Part III

Carla Bley and Steve Swallow's third outing as a duo captures them live on their 1998 European tour sounding fabulous. Three of the seven tunes are by Bley: "Major," an infectious triadic shell game; "King Korn," a whimsical run through rhythm changes in the keys of E flat and C; and "Musique Mecanique," an ambitious three-part suite adapted from Bley's 1978 album of the same name. Three other compositions are by Swallow: "A Dog's Life," a Ray Charles-style tune in a slow 6/8; "Satie for Two," an affecting tribute to the minimalist composer; and "Playing With Water," a bossa nova previously performed by Swallow's 1991 sextet. The only non-original of the set is Kurt Weill's ballad "Lost in the Stars," which Bley and Swallow play beautifully.

Bley's piano is remarkably versatile and passionate, and Swallow's signature electric bass sound tickles the senses, especially during the Weill song where one moment he makes the room vibrate with low notes, and the next reaches the stratosphere of his range with singing melodies. ~David R. Adler

Are We There Yet? mc
Are We There Yet? zippy

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Gary Burton, Stephane Grappelli - Paris Encounter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:17
Size: 80.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1972/2005
Art: Front

[4:05] 1. Daphné
[3:36] 2. Blue In Green
[3:12] 3. Falling Grace
[5:26] 4. Here's That Rainy Day
[3:57] 5. Coquette
[3:39] 6. Sweet Rain
[3:43] 7. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
[3:23] 8. Arpege
[4:12] 9. Eiderdown

Drums – Bill Goodwin; Electric Bass – Steve Swallow; Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Gary Burton; Violin – Stéphane Grappelli. Recorded at Studios Europe Sonor, Paris, France.

Atlantic has thus far been very slow to reissue its six valuable Gary Burton records. This particular set is the most accessible of the group, for it matches the advanced vibraphonist with the classic violinist Stephane Grappelli in a quartet also including electric bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Goodwin. The music alternates between standards and originals (including Swallow's famous "Eiderdown"), and both Grappelli and Burton prove to be flexible enough to have much common ground despite a 35-year difference in age. A frequently delightful set. ~Scott Yanow

Paris Encounter mc
Paris Encounter zippy

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Kenny Wheeler - One of Many

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:26
Size: 120,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Phrase 3
(5:25)  2. Anticipation
(5:59)  3. Aneba
(3:16)  4. Any How
(4:05)  5. Canter #5
(3:06)  6. Ever After (Duo version)
(5:13)  7. Now and Now Again
(6:58)  8. Old Ballad
(6:26)  9. Fortune's Child
(5:41) 10. Even After

In a 2001 Norma Winstone interview, the British vocalist referred to Kenny Wheeler as "the Duke Ellington of our time." Wheeler, whose reputation has grown almost in spite of his own quiet humility, may not possess Ellington's populist cachet, but that doesn't mean the trumpeter's music is any less distinctive or groundbreaking, and with no small reach: his music, studied in detail at universities around the world; his large ensemble work, grist for many a big band. Not being a household name needn't mean lack of significance, with Wheeler's place in jazz history long since assured as one of the most important composers of the last half century. Equally influential on his instrument with immaculate control facilitating the peppering of his unmistakably melancholic lyricism with sudden leaps into the stratosphere there's no denying the harsh realities of age. The 81 year-old Wheeler may be predisposed to the middle range of his flugelhorn on One of Many, but he can still surprise, executing thrilling intervallic leaps during "Anticipation," the second of nine charts appearing, for the first time, on this, Wheeler's fifth recording for the Italian Cam Jazz label since the sublime delicacy of his duo debut with pianist of choice, John Taylor, Where Do We Go From Here? (2004).

Taylor is back for One of Many, bringing the kind of comfortable chemistry the two have shared dating back to Wheeler's early large ensemble recording, Song for Someone (Psi, 1973). But the wildcard in this trio set is surely Steve Swallow, who last collaborated with Taylor on New Old Age (Egea, 2005). Swallow has intersected with Wheeler before, but this is the first time he's appeared on one of the trumpeter's recordings and the first time Wheeler has used an electric bass on any of his Cam or ECM releases. More than the obvious change in complexion especially with Swallow's instrument, whose warm, full-bodied tone also possesses a unique clarity in the upper register it's the bassist's comfortable dual-role as contrapuntal melodist and rhythmic and harmonic anchor that makes One of Many stand out in Wheeler's discography. Nowhere is this more evident than on "Now and Now Again," reprised from The Widow in the Window (ECM, 1990). On that quintet session, Dave Holland's robust double-bass kept things firmly in ballad territory; here, Swallow keeps it equally simple, but occasionally moves seamlessly into a double-time feel, lending the track a different kind of swing. Wheeler sticks to flugelhorn throughout this elegant, largely low-to-mid-tempo set, though the trio does turn the heat up on "Anticipation," where Swallow's upper-register playing intertwines with Wheeler for its serpentine melody, leaving Taylor largely responsible for maintaining forward motion. Returning to more straightforward blowing after the string-driven Other People (CAM Jazz, 2008) doesn't mean less compositional weight, only that there's greater emphasis on the trio's interpretive interaction. Another superb entry in the discography of an artist whose career has been marked by consistency and the sound of surprise, One of Many is, well, one more reason why comparing Wheeler to Ellington is astute and right on the money.~John Kelman http://www.allaboutjazz.com/one-of-many-kenny-wheeler-cam-jazz-review-by-john-kelman.php
 

Personnel: Kenny Wheeler: flugelhorn; John Taylor: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass.

One of Many

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Steve Kuhn - Childhood Is Forever

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:18
Size: 85,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(6:52)  2. Spring Can Really Hang You The Most
(5:06)  3. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
(3:45)  4. The Meaning Of The Blues
(5:52)  5. All That's Left
(5:10)  6. I Waited For You
(4:26)  7. Eiderdown

Steve Kuhn has had an interesting career. A talented jazz pianist, he has worked in many types of settings through the years. He began classical piano lessons when he was five, studied with Madame Chaloff, and accompanied her son, baritonist Serge Chaloff, on some gigs when the pianist was 14. He freelanced in Boston as a teenager, graduated from Harvard, and moved to New York where he worked with Kenny Dorham's group (1959-1960). Kuhn was the original pianist in John Coltrane's Quartet, playing for two months before McCoy Tyner succeeded him. He was with the bands of Stan Getz (1961-1963) and Art Farmer (1964-1966), lived in Europe (1967-1970), and then returned to the U.S. in 1971. Kuhn doubled on electric piano in the 1970s, recorded for ECM, and co-led a group with Sheila Jordan in the latter part of the decade. After a period playing commercial music, he formed an acoustic trio in the mid-'80s, which has been his main vehicle ever since. Steve Kuhn has recorded as a leader for Impulse (1966), Contact, MPS, BYG, Muse, ECM, Blackhawk, New World, Owl, Concord, and Postcards. ~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/steve-kuhn/id994171#fullText

Personnel:  Steve Kuhn – Piano;  Steve Swallow – Bass;  Aldo Romano - Drums

Childhood Is Forever

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Lee Konitz, Steve Swallow, Paul Motian - Three Guys

Styles: Post-Bop, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:56
Size: 115,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. It's You
(5:31)  2. Come Rain or Come Shine
(7:47)  3. Thingin'
(4:08)  4. Luiza
(3:14)  5. From Time to Time
(5:39)  6. Ladies' Waders
(6:44)  7. Johnny Broken Wing
(6:11)  8. Eiderdown
(5:36)  9. A Minor Blues in F

Lee Konitz continues to record at peak form, as clearly evidenced by this trio with Steve Swallow on electric bass and Paul Motian on drums. All of the nine pieces are originals by members of the trio, the exceptions being a compelling version of "Come Rain or Come Shine" and a gorgeous take of Jobim's "Luiza." As to be expected, these three veterans mesh well together. While there are few extraordinary moments, there is plenty of well-played, emotionally satisfying jazz, the way Konitz has been doing it for a lifetime. You might confuse his pinched alto for a soprano at times, but there is no questioning his immaculate phrasing. Konitz has always shined best with a repertoire of standards, and the choice of tunes here is slightly less interesting. Motian is a good choice on the sticks, while Swallow remains an acquired taste. ~ Steve Loewy  http://www.allmusic.com/album/three-guys-mw0000246402
 

Personnel: Lee Konitz (alto saxophone); Steve Swallow (electric bass); Paul Motian (drums).

Three Guys

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Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow, Bobby Previte - The New Standard

Size: 134,4 MB
Time: 57:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Clarissa (4:06)
02. Minor Soul (6:18)
03. Step Lively (6:45)
04. Clearing (4:50)
05. Trek (4:09)
06. The New Standard (6:34)
07. I See No Leader (5:38)
08. Blue Shuffle (6:40)
09. All Things To All People (6:08)
10. Surrender The Chaise (6:26)

From a record label that’s decidedly askance from the mainstream, RareNoise dispenses with the noisy (Mumpbeak) and the experimental (Chat Noir) to release a record that’s, well, pretty darn jazzy. Entitled The New Standard, it features young New York Downtown pianist Jamie Saft as bandleader and chief composer, working out a handful of straight-ahead jazz charts with the venerable rhythm section of bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bobby Previte.

Recorded and mixed on the fly, direct to ½-inch analog tape, The New Standard feels like a late night eavesdropping session from behind the living room drapes, as if the listener were a 12-year old kid, sneaking down the midnight stairs to hear the grownups kicked back with a little food, maybe a little wine and a whole lot of inspiration.

From Previte’s point of view, that’s very much how the session felt in the studio. "It was the simplest, chillest record I have ever done. We set up, went out and had a nice lunch, went back to the studio and three hours later it was all done in one take. It's kind of incredible it actually worked out as it did. And my 1965 Rogers Holiday model tubs, which I got when I was 14 years old, have never, and probably will never sound better. The sound is so full, so creamy I feel like licking it!"

For Saft, whose Plymouth collaboration with Joe Morris we reviewed back in April, the relaxed atmosphere of the recording session started with Previte’s idea they’d work off of simple strong structures. "Bobby suggested that I put together simple structures for us to use as starting points," he explains. "I tried to put together pieces that were super soulful and honest. I wanted compositions that would highlight Steve's absolute mastery of melody and Bobby's incredibly soulful approach to groove. They took my simple pieces and made them into grand structures on which to improvise. Beginnings and endings were all improvised and this gives the album a special type of magic."

The New Standard begins with “Clarissa,” the first of seven Saft compositions included in this 10-song set. As with all the tunes on the record, it’s a compact no-nonsense, sparsely appointed jazz tune, this one built on Previte’s shuffling brushes and Swallow’s easy going electric bass in support of Saft cuddling up to all the notes he could find behind the back beat. “Minor Shuffle” is a head-bobbing, body-weaving waltz that’s not really a waltz, anchored by the booming bass drum of Previte’s Rogers Holidays, a comfortably melodic tune with no overtly showy improvisational choices from Saft’s corner of the room.

“Step Lively,” one of three trio-penned tunes of The New Standard, boasts Previte’s heavy right foot and Swallow’s subtle yet gritty bass playing in a modified Latin blues configuration…until they kick into a straight swing groove about midway through the tune. "Clearing," another band co-write, is a straight-ahead slow blues hallelujah, a time to get religion, with Saft wheeling out the B3 and the swirling Leslie cabinet. “Trek” sounds like a tall walk up a slow hill, around the corner from that restaurant in Chinatown, Saft’s flittery piano playing the part of the noodles and Previte’s bass drum going “kung pow.” The title cut’s not the most interesting tune on the record but its successor, “I See No Leader” is a fun, double-time swing set that may well be an homage to that white plastic tape that spins around the recording hub before the session rolls in earnest.

Though it was the first musical meeting of these three players – and their stellar engineer Joe Ferla – it sounds as if they’ve been playing together for years. So it goes with the legacy of jazz music, where like minds are usually meeting in spirit before they meet in person.

The New Standard is a classy record of cool compositions, played with style and fun and spirit. ~By Michael Verity

The New Standard

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Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard & Steve Swallow - Trios

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:17
Size: 129,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:55)  1. Utviklingssang
( 7:22)  2. Vashkar
(14:59)  3. Les Trois Lagons (D'apres Henri Matisse): Plate XVIi - Plate XVIII - Plate XIX
(11:34)  4. Wildlife
(14:24)  5. The Girl Who Cried Champagne: Pt. 1, 2, 3

In a career more defined by memorable compositions than instrumental acumen, it's easy to forget that Carla Bley may not be the most virtuosic pianist on the planet, but she's a far more than capable one, as evidenced on duo recordings like Are We There Yet? (Watt, 1999), with life partner/bassist Steve Swallow, and Songs With Legs (WATT, 1995), a trio date with longtime collaborator, saxophonist Andy Sheppard also heard in Bley's larger ensemble of Appearing Nightly (Watt/ECM, 2008) and quartet session, The Lost Chords (Watt/ECM, 2004). On Swallow's recent Into the Woodwork (XtraWATT/ECM, 2013), Bley proved a clever, quirky and comedic organist; with Trios an album that, perhaps for the first time ever, features absolutely no new compositions Bley reunites the Songs With Legs trio, refocusing attention on her thoughtful, precise piano work. That's not to suggest there isn't still a clever compositional mind at work in these fresh, intimate arrangements of music ranging from Bley's elegiac "Utviklingssang," her most-recorded ballad that first appeared on Social Studies (Watt, 1981), to lesser-known but still previously recorded suites including "The Girl Who Cried Champagne," from the aptly titled Sextet (Watt, 1987) and "Wildlife," heard for the first time on the larger ensemble session Night-Glo (Watt, 1986). Only the dark-hued "Vashkar" one of Bley's most well-known tunes, having appeared on Tony Williams' fusion classic Lifetime (Polydor, 1969) and, most recently, on John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana's Invitation to Illumination: Live at Montreux 2011 (Eagle Vision, 2013) is played on record by Bley for the first time. 

Driven by Swallow's superb time all the more essential to a group's without a drummer Bley's reading of "Vashkar" opens with the pair exploring its mid-eastern modality for a full ninety second before Sheppard comes in, on soprano, to double its memorable yet quirky melody with Bley's right hand. Sheppard's star has been on the ascendancy for years, but most recently on the superb Trio Libre (ECM, 2012), his second recording as a leader for the label. Here, he demonstrates the same kind of care-ridden patience, his solo reflecting a trio whose ears are wide open, meticulously responding to each others' every move. Even as they adhere to the song's form, there's the sense that were this to be immediately followed by another take, it would be an entirely different experience. 

Swallow introduces "Utviklingssang" alone, its haunting melody soon joined by Bley, whose thoughtful introduction of a contrapuntal theme and spartan supporting chords yield to sparer accompaniment still when Sheppard finally enters. While time is something to which the trio adheres carefully when required Swallow's inimitable swing fundamental to the first section of "Les Trois Lagons (d'après Henri Matisse)" Trios' ultimate beauty is in the interpretive nuances that allow time to be ever-so-slightly pliant subtly stretched and compressed to imbue these five pieces with their own personalities. The balance of the program consists of longer, multipart compositions, but remains underscored by the same attention to detail. 

Without muss or fuss, Bley, Swallow and Sheppard have, with Trios, created that most perfect of chamber records, filled with shrewd surprises and a delicate dramaturgy that reveals itself further with each and every listen. ~ John Kelman   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/profile.php?id=398

Personnel: Carla Bley: piano; Andy Sheppard: tenor and soprano saxophones; Steve Swallow: bass.

Trios

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