#jeanszlamowicz

[spiritofjazzparis-blog]

Baptiste Herbin,Dreams and Connections

The young Frenchman has been on the radar of jazz fans for several years as a truly talented alto player. This album shows why—his fluency and aggressive bite are fiercely lyrical. 

His technical proficiency is almost too much of a good thing as he uses all the possible effects reaching the verge of showiness on the title track. The overall effect remains one of impressive mastery and athletic enthusiasm. It is reinforced by the immaculately muscular and refined nature of the rhythmic support he receives. Darryl Hall is both sturdy and sophisticated, bringing substance and high-powered agility to the deeply complex and colourful lines of Eduardo Farias while Ali Jackson establishes a clean sonic presence that manages to be both restless and well-defined. The music is assertive but not excessive, varied but focused. And while it never shies from modernistic bravado, it retains enough melodic content to keep the listener constantly interested.

Jean Szlamowicz (Spirit of Jazz & Down Beat)

Tracks. For Julian ; Dreams and connections ; Mia Sorella ; For JC ; Confusao geral ; Idriss ; The sphere ; Mister X ; Poor Butterfly ; Um a zero

Personnel. Baptiste Herbin (as, ss), Eduardo Farias (p), Darryl Hall (b), Ali Jackson (dm)

Recorded October 2017

Space Time Records

[spiritofjazzparis-blog]

Willie Jones III, My Point Is…

The drummer quite deservedly landed an article in Down Beat in the January 2018 issue. It’s fitting that such a stalwart jazz advocate should be prominently featured—he is giving so much to jazz, through his relentless grooves as well as his knack for producing impeccable albums. His latest offering is a marvel. Crisp and inventive, without any of the conceptual tinsel that the industry expects to market jazz, his latest albums focuses on the essential: the compositional material and the expressive interaction between creative players. In the same spirit as his previous album dedicated to Cedar Walton (Groundwork), this is about making the most of great tunes, including three by the leader. There’s a clever funky reworking of Hancock’s “The Maze”, Buster Williams’s superb ballad “Christina”, his swinging compositions “The Wind of an Immortal Soul”, a deft original by Eric Reed (“Manhattan Melodies”) and Horace Silver’s “Peace” to add another touch of sensitive introspection. This aspect of the leader’s musical world is especially prominent here with his splendid “Early Morning” and the title track, clearly anchoring the date in a somewhat grave ambiance. The balance between hard blowing and more contemplative moods is a delicate affair based on the players’ personal commitment. One can only enjoy the subtle drone and conversation of Buster Williams’s lines, the drummer’s tasteful accents, the colours provided by Eric Reed and the lyricism of Moore and Henderson—two deeply original voices— all of this merging into a refined and intense set of deep and determined musical declarations. Each outing by Willie Jones III is a statement, one of devotion and passion—this one particularly vivid and heartfelt.

Jean Szlamowicz (Spirit of Jazz & Down Beat)

Tracks. Manhattan Melodies ; The Wind of an Immortal Soul, Christina ; My Point Is… ; The Maze ; Early Morning ; Peace ; Bluez for Dat Taz

Personnel. Willie Jones III (drums); Buster Williams (bass); Eddie Henderson (trumpet); Eric Reed (piano); Ralph Moore (saxophones)

Recorded March 2017.

WWJ3 Records

[spiritofjazzparis-blog]

Kenny Barron, Concentric Circles

Kenny Barron's "Concentric Circles" is a truly excellent of a record. KB has long been an expert at the Quintet format and this one is reminiscent of his 1980s line-up with Eddie Henderson and John Stubblefield. There are many superb compositions (a lost art in straight-ahead jazz?) and a lot of eventful soloing. KB's creativity, sense of colours, rhythmic variety is at its constant best, Kitagawa and Blake providing a very musical backdrop to his unique piano sound. Dayna Stephens and Mike Rodriguez add the touch of excitement and sonic weight that a quintet date should have. Kenny Barron is a rarity in the musical world—someone with taste and personality who's not trying hard to be original because he simply is… Unmissable.

Jean Szlamowicz (Spirit of Jazz & Down Beat)

Tracks. DPW; Concentric Circles; Blue Waters; A Short Journey; Aquele Frevo Axe; Von Hangman; In The Dark; Baile; L's Bop; I’m Just Sayin’; Reflections

Personnel. Kenny Barron (p), Kiyoshi Kitagawa (b), Johnathan Blake (dm) Mike Rodriquez (tp, flh), Dayna Stephens (ts).

Blue Note Records

[spiritofjazzparis-blog]

Thelonious Monk, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Producer Fred Thomas has been a dedicated specialist in LP reissues (Lester Young, Chet Baker, Donald Byrd) and his first CD is nothing but a gem. Unreleased music is not infrequent but rarely of this calibre and significance. This two-Cd set recorded in 1959 for the film by Roger Vadim, Les Liaisons Dangereuses is complete with out-takes and presents good texts documenting the session and never before published photographs.

With Sam Jones and Art Taylor, the music flows with remarkable sparkle. Finding Monk in such spirited and swinging company showcases his more sprightly side, even his articulation sounding sharper and bouncier than usual on “Rhythm-a-Ning” and “Well, You Needn’t”. The addition of French tenorist Barney Willen adds a welcome interest but it is Charlie Rouse who shines, his sound particularly pristine and intriguing. The version of “Crepuscule for Nellie” with Sam Jones playing arco is a miracle of unrestrained freedom and sensitivity. Monk’s solo take on “Six in One” is radically intense, as is his dialogue with Rouse on “By and By”. Every minute is a treat, an intense moment whose presence has travelled time with spectacular vividness.

Jean Szlamowicz for Spirit of Jazz

Tunes. Rhythm-a-Ning, Crepuscule with Nellie, Six in One, Well, You Needn’t, Pannonica (solo & quartet), Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are, Light Blue, By and By ; Rhythm-a-Ning, Crepuscule with Nellie, Pannonica, Light Blue, Well, You Needn’t, Light Blue

Personnel. Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone), Barney Wilen (tenor saxophone), Thelonious Monk (piano), Sam Jones (bass), Art Taylor (drums)

Recorded 1959, New York

Sam Records

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Delfeayo Marsalis, Kalamazoo

When jazz musicians get together to play without a specific agenda and simply blow on standards and the blues, they are really put to the test. Some could say that this is where the essence of jazz is revealed as the lack of window dressing exposes the bare truth of an individual’s expressive powers. Delfeayo Marsalis takes such a risk with this unpretentious quartet date, recorded during a seven-day tour which also included Marvin ‘Smitty’ Smith on drums and playing a children-show the same day. Without rehearsing time and with two students sitting in, the music takes the rather safe route of standards. The results are mitigated as the songs are a bit hackneyed, even by non-fussy standards like ours. And yet, each song reveals a layer of depth that only great musicians can turn out. Veal and Peterson treat “Autumn Leaves” with the confident invention that makes the song interesting again. Delfeayo makes moving statements on “My Funny Valentine” and “Do You Know What It Means”, establishing his sound with strong presence, making great use of his plunger on “Sesame Street Blues”. Ellis Marsalis shows his laid-back, melodic invention on every tune like a Southern Hank Jones. At times tender or easy-going, this is a nice set of true music whose mild swing exudes charm and subtlety.

Jean Szlamowicz for Spirit of Jazz

Tunes. Tin Roof Blues, Autumn Leaves, My Funny Valentine, Sesame Street Theme, If I Were A Bell, The Secret Love Affair, It Dont Mean A Thing If It Aint Got That Swing, Introducing The Blues, Blue Kalamazoo*, Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans

Personnel. Delfeayo Marsalis (trombone), Ellis Marsalis Jr. (piano), Reginald Veal (bass), Ralph Peterson: drums), Christian O’Neill Diaz (voc)*, Madison George (drums)*

Troubadour Jazz Records

[spiritofjazzparis-blog]

United Colors of Méditerranée, Sirocco

‘Fusion’, ‘world-music’, all those terms usually describe the fanciful ideas that musicians devoid of artistic compass dream up as a way to make up for their lack of rooted purpose. Inventive and lost, they use their technical abilities to create a flimsy figment of shallow music. Not so here. Some of those excellent compositions “Bird’s Eye View” and “Countdown” are really enduring melodies. There is gusto and passion in spirited solos, reflexive but colourful passages. 

Using all the possibilities of various musical traditions from North Africa, Spain and the Middle-East in a sober acoustic setting, this album possesses a rhythmic persistence and understated trance-like quality. Only the beat of “Silence After Blow Up” (and the dreadful remix) is on the heavy side and not as tasteful as the rest. The lead voice tends to be that of the excellent violinist Guillaume Dettmar but the album is powerfully served by the interventions of Jean-Jacques Taïb on clarinet and Jason Marsalis on marimba. Great rhythmic support by Bluteau, Haiouani and Drai who provide a colourful foundation. The clever intro to “Egyptian Dream” uses the intro to “Delilah”—while Jason Marsalis quotes “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise” in his solo— thus discreetly weaving jazz into the Eastern fabric of the music. This is not folk’s music but it’s not jazz either. It is a collective take on cultural traditions that have been filtered by a contemporary artistic vision. An enjoyable album that makes the most of its rhythmic zest. ‘Fusion’ but only in the best sense of the term.

Jean Szlamowicz (Spirit of Jazz & Down Beat)

Tracks. Count Down, Sahara, Silence After Blow Up, Parfum d’Orient, Bird’s Eyes View, Aramaïc Prayer, Egyptian Dream, Andalucia, This World is Getting Wrong, Constantinople, Andalucia Remix

Personnel. Guillaume Dettmar (vln), Brahim Haiouani (b), Philippe Draï (perc), Pierre-Henri Bluteau (g), Jean-Jacques Taïb (ts, cl, ss) + Jason Marsalis (marimba, perc), Jean-Pierre Smadja (oud)

Recorded January 2018

Label Ô Jazz

[spiritofjazzparis-blog]

Brian Charette & George Coleman, Groovin’ with Big G

We’ve already covered Brian Charette’s outstanding work here but this outing is yet another aspect of his jazz work that deserves to be heard. The encounter with one of the stylistic heavyweights of modern tenor saxophone is a proper discographic event. 

Memphis-born George Coleman has played with Herbie Hancock and Miles, with Ray Charles and B.B. King, which may be impressive to some but is not half the important story: his output as a leader, his original sound and musical world are major components of contemporary jazz. Both a tough tenor and an advanced one, he has been a model and mentor for decades. His more pensive and romantic side is at the forefront here (“On a Misty Night”, “Autumn Leaves”) but the blues remains a fundamental part of his voice, “Father and Son” is a pure churchy delight in that respect. George Coleman Jr. is an elegant drummer (as could be expected from someone who’s been so close to Billy Higgins) who is perfectly at ease in such a session that requires listening chops and good taste.

The colours brought by Juris have long been very distinctive (he’s played with Richie Cole, David Liebman, Lee Konitz) and he delivers some challenging lines here in his usually inventive way.

Charette can play with sophistication or grit—and he usually blends the two. He’s in very good company with Big George who has the same ability and Charette not only acts as a leader but also as a great comper and organiser of the music by providing the adequate ambiance on top of his excellent soloing.

Jean Szlamowicz (Spirit of Jazz & Down Beat)

Tracks. On A Misty Night ; Autumn Leaves ; Tenor Madness ; Maiden Voyage Alligator Boogaloo ; Body And Soul ; Father And Son ; Never Let Me Go Stella By Starlight

Personnel. Brian Charette (org), George Coleman (ts), Vic Juris (g), George Coleman Jr. (dm)

Recorded December 2017

Steeplechase Records