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30 May 2005

Jazzmatazz Newsletter
#228

Recent jazz releases
[recent.Jazzmatazz.info]

As always, more titles and personnel information follow below. Information on releases for the future are on our website.

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Keith Jarrett - Radiance - 2 CDs (ECM Records 1960/61) May 3

     After his illness several years ago, pianist Keith Jarrett wasn't sure if he would have the ability to resume performing solo concerts. Instead, he concentrated on performing with his Standards Trio.

     However, in October of 2002 he performed solos concerts in Osaka and Tokyo and ECM has now released Radiance, a double-CD containing the complete Okaka concert (from 10/27/2002) and portions of the Tokyo concert (10/30). This is the first release of a solo improvised concert recording from Jarrett since 1997's La Scala (recorded in 1995).

     Unlike most of his other solo performances, the Osaka performance consists of thirteen shorter improvisations, ranging in length from several minutes to fourteen minutes. His intention was to perform without any preconceptions, with each piece based on an idea from the previous segment and ending at a natural stopping place. (The booklet includes a short note by Keith Jarrett explaining his conception.)

     The approach here seems midway between his previous concert-length improvisations and the standards and songs he recorded on the solo piano The Melody At Night With You. Although I miss the long sweep of his earlier concerts, there are many interesting portions of the Osaka concert, which has contrasting pieces that emphasize various parts of his playing, including free improv, ballads and classical sounds. The mood ranges from intense to meditative.

     The two-disc set is rounded out with selections from the Tokyo performance to make the collection into a more complete statement. (ECM will issue a DVD of the complete Tokyo performance this Fall.)    — ALAN LANKIN

Marc Copland Solo - Time Within Time (Hatology 619) May 2

     Songs about time, songs in elapsed time, song in different metres of time.

     Time Within Time is a new solo piano album from the prolific Marc Copland. He performs hauntingly original interpretations of tunes by Wayne Shorter, John Lewis, Miles Davis and Don Sebesky as well as four originals. These pieces are bracketed amongst four different versions of Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time" (from the musical "On the Town").

     Copland takes his time exploring these pieces. He's put together a very strong program with beautiful playing that almost manages to suspends time.    — ALAN LANKIN

     Track Listing: Some Other Time I (Leonard Bernstein); River’s Run; Pirouette; Footprints (Wayne Shorter); Some Other Time II; Time Was; Round She Goes; Django (John Lewis); Some Other Time III; All Blues (Miles Davis); You Can’t Go Home Again (Don Sebesky); Some Other Time IV

     Personnel: Marc Copland (solo piano)

David Gibson featuring Randy Brecker and Wayne Escoffery - The Path to Delphi (Nagel Heyer 2052) May 3

     Original compositions and arrangements by trombonist David Gibson that look back to early 1960s Blue Note ensembles for inspiration. They may not be horribly innovative, but they're enjoyable, upbeat, hard bop tunes with some fine, relaxed solos.

     Personnel: David Gibson (trombone), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Wayne Escoffery (soprano sax), Rick Germanson (piano), Dwayne Burno (bass), Joe Strasser (drums)

Jazz Mandolin Project - The Deep Forbidden Lake (Lenapee Records) May 3

     The Jazz Mandolin Project is a group led by Jamie Masefield that incorporates the mandolin into a jazz setting.

     On their new album, The Deep Forbidden Lake, they perform gentle, sometimes dreamy acoustic renditions of pop tunes by Neil Young, Tom Waits, Radiohead and jazz tunes by Horace Silver, Billy Strayhorn, Ornette Coleman and Django Reinhardt in a style that mixes folk, jazz and country. The album evokes the beauty and purity of nature with a melancholic nostalgia.    — ALAN LANKIN

     Track Listing: 1. Winterlong (Neil Young) 4:06 / 2. Ol' 55 (Tom Waits) 4:34 / 3. Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) 4:20 / 4. Tears (Django Reinhardt) 4:30 / 5. Peace (Horace Silver) 4:52 / 6. Everything in Its Right Place (Radiohead) 4:07 / 7. My Little Brown Book (Strayhorn) 7:32 / 8. Tom Traubert's Blues (Tom Waits) 5:19 / 9. Black and White (Django Reinhardt) 4:50 / 10. I Will (Radiohead) 3:55 / 11. The Deep Forbidden Lake (Neil Young) 3:27 / 12. When Will the Blues Leave (Ornette Coleman) 4:33

     Personnel: Jamie Masefield (mandolin), Gil Goldstein (piano and accordion) and Greg Cohen (acoustic bass)

Borah Bergman/Lol Coxhill/Paul Hession - Acts of Love (Mutable Music 17519) May

     Acts of Love is a set of free improvisations from the trio of American pianist Borah Bergman, who displays a strength and power comparable to that of Cecil Taylor; British soprano saxophonist Lol Coxhill, whose strong vibratoless tone and use of short evolving phrases are reminiscent of the late soprano saxophone master, Steve Lacy; and British free jazz drummer Paul Hession (who should be better known).

     The trio performs a burning set of capsule-sized free improvisations (averaging around four minutes); some pieces are very free and intense, others have more space. The album has notes by Brian Morton.    — ALAN LANKIN

     Personnel: Borah Bergman (piano), Lol Coxhill (soprano sax), Paul Hession (percussion)

Ron Brendle Trio - Photograph (LoNote 05) May

     Bassist Ron Brendle has been influenced by the improvising of the Ornette Coleman quartet (Brendle covers three Ornette tunes here) and Charlie Haden (in his use of space and the singing quality of his playing).

     In addition to the three Ornette tunes, Photograph has three original tunes by the excellent pianist Frank Kimbrough plus one by Brendle. If the performance sounds relaxed and direct, it's probably because they thought they were just testing recording equipment during a rehearsal—when they heard how well it came out, they decided against doing a formal recording session!

     Personnel: Frank Kimbrough (piano), Ron Brendle (bass) and Al Sergel (drums)

Pierre Bensusan - Altiplanos (Favored Nations) May 3

     French musician Pierre Bensusan is an excellent steel string acoustic guitarist whose music combines Celtic music, American folk, Middle Eastern, and jazz.

     Altiplanos was recorded in his home studio. The album is mostly acoustic, although several pieces have guests and there are two quiet vocal numbers (in French).

Louise Rogers and Rick Strong - Bass-ically Speaking (Rilo Records) May 3

     An agile bass and vocal duo, performing a well-balanced program of tunes. They perform a jazzy and intimate set of bop, ballads, classical and folk songs that work well together. Parts of the disc make me think of vocalist Sheila Jordan, who's done quite a few duets herself.

     Track Listing: 1. Bass-Ically Speaking (Hooper) 3:53 / 2. Angel in the House (Brooke, Levine) 4:49 / 3. Twisted (Gray, Ross) 2:17 / 4. Willow Weep for Me (Ronnell) 5:51 / 5. Autumn Leaves (Kozma, Mercer, Prevert) 3:41 / 6. Peace on Earth (Ferrell) 4:57 / 7. Dat Dere (Brown, Timmons) 3:09 / 8. Nana (DeFalla) 2:21 / 9. I Thought About You (Mercer, VanHeusen) 4:36 / 10. Shenandoah (Traditional) 5:24

     Personnel: Louise Rogers (vocals), Rick Strong (acoustic upright bass and six-string electric bass)

Eric Comstock - No One Knows (Harbinger Records) May 1

     Jazz tunes and standards by young vocalist Eric Comstock, backed by a set of veteran jazz musicians. Despite the jazz material, his voice still shows his cabaret and pop music background. The disc has liner notes by writer David Hajdu.

     Track Listing: 1. Easy on the Heart (Haden, Hamilton) 4:11 / 2. To the Ends of the Earth (Sherman, Sherman) 4:45 / 3. No One Knows (Strayhorn) 3:12 / 4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Ellington, Russell) 2:46 / 5. Jump for Joy (Ellington, Kuller, Webster) 2:53 / 6. Small World (Sondheim, Styne) 2:40 / 7. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes (Bernier, Brainin) 4:24 / 8. Grievin' (Ellington, Strayhorn (6:06 / 9. Imagination (Burke, VanHeusen) 4:31 / 10. I Do It for Your Love (Simon) 4:05 / 11. Hazel's Hips (Brown) 2:49 / 12. When Lights Are Low (Carter, Williams) 3:29 / 13. Old Devil Moon (Harburg, Lane) 4:38 / 14. There Will Never Be Another You (Gordon, Warren) 3:55 / 15. If I Had My Druthers (DePaul, Mercer) 2:21 / 16. I Hear Music (Lane, Loesser) 2:31

     Personnel: Eric Comstock (vocals, piano), Frank Wess (tenor sax, flute), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Eric Reed (piano [5 tracks]), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Peter Washington (bass), Matt Wilson (drums)

Other New Issues
3 May 2005

other recent jazz releases
(from January to last week)
[recent.Jazzmatazz.info]

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2004 jazz releases
[jazzmatazz2.home.att.net/cds2004.html]
[jazzmatazz.home.att.net/releases/jazzmatazz_cds2004.zip]

non-jazz items of interest

Clicking on the album title will link to the CDuniverse and Amazon sites, which include sound samples (indicated by ) for many of the CDs. Sound samples often aren't posted until the CD is released, so be sure to check back for them on the recent releases and earlier year 2004 and year 2003 pages.

(Also take a look at our list of music coupons and my sale list. )

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last update 30 May 2005