Quick Hits

I am falling behind. I have a pile of new things I've been listening to but have been distracted lately by work and life in general. So here are some capsule statements about some of music that might slip by unoticed.

Benoit Delbecq and Fred Hersch Double Trio "Fun House (Songlines 2013). Most readers will recognize Fred Hersch's name and pedigree, whicle most probably don't know about the fantastic and creative Benoit Delbecq. Delbecq has a string of interesting records behind him -- "The Sixth Jump", "Cresendo in Duke" are two --  and a facility for not only using the piano keys but also the piano's innards, plucking strings at times, preparing them with foil, etc. His music is always fascinating and highly listenable, sometimes ethereal even. This CD is full of great music as the two trios mesh nicely in a set of creative, impressionistic piano works by two very sympathetic leaders. This is a highly recommended outing for those who like their music a bit on the unusual side.

Karl Seglem "NORSKjazz.no" (Ozella 2009) came to me because I have enjoyed a lot of music from Ozella featuring Northern European musicians and becaue Seglem expressly stated that he wanted to do an all accoustic recording with a piano trio. I don't recognize any of the names but I do recognize the style and hear a bit of Jan Gabarek in the tenor tones and tempos.  The seven pieces reflect the combination of Western Jazz, Norwegian folk songs, and the adaptations of other Norwegian jazz players in a stew of impressionistic tunes that are captivating and recognizable not in their melodies but in their use of tempos, rhythms, and interplay. Nice recording very much in tune with our definition of Northern European jazz.

Soren Gemmer "At First" (Ilk Music 2013) is more Northern European music, this time a piano trio plus electric guitar led by the Dane Gemmer. It blends his background in classical music with jazz as well as the electro impuses of indie recordings into a creative stew of great interest. A little more edgy at times because of the guitar, it still is well within the bounds of the tradition of the jazz piano trio with nice melodies and strong rhythms. This is for those who are a bit more eclectic in their tastes.

Laszlo Gardony "Clarity" (Sunnyside 2013) is just the latest in a string of wonderful CDs ("Signature Time", "Dig Deep") by this Hungarian born pianist and educator now residing in Boston and teaching at Berklee. As he states in the lining notes he simply sat down one evening and in a burst of inspiration created these 10 solo pieces, not realizing he would use them later to create this CD. It is a set full of interesting ideas, different melodies and rhythms and styles, and just a wonderful listen as he always is. Pick this up, and also any of his prior generally mainstream trio recordings -- you won't be disappointed.

Jan Lundgren, "Man in the Fog (Bee 2013), is another veteran with a long list of really nice CDs, most recently a trio set "Together Again from the Jazz Bakery" and previously on the exquisite "Mare Nostrum" with Paolo Fresu and Richard Galliano.  This solo set is a bit more brooding than Gardony's and is based on pieces selected from a range of composers in the classical, jazz, and folk worlds as interpreted by Lundgren. So, for example, there is the theme from "Chinatown" by Jerry Goldsmith alongside "The Maids of Cadiz" by Delibes and "Apres un Reve" by Faure. This is a set of lovely impressions by a really fine pianist.

Paolo Fresu and Friends: Setting the Mood

Two of my favorite recordings for kicking back and relaxing are linked by the always lyrical trumpet and flugelhorn player Paolo Fresu. The two discs are ripe for contemplation, perhaps over a nice glass of red wine, or more precisely, per the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, with "a loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou."

Mare Nostrum (2008)
ACT

Paolo Fresu: trumpet, flugelhorn

Richard Galliano: accordion, bandoneon

Jan Lundgren: piano

Mare Nostrum was the Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea, and one can easily picture sitting on its sun drenched coast, on a beach or in a small square, listening to this elegant recording by three acknowledged European masters at their craft. Wistful at times, playful at others; tranquil and restrained often, but then light and up-tempo in others; the images evoke the pleasures of the late afternoon when work is done and the pleasures of the evening begin. The accordion in particular creates a Parisian mood, and nostalgia for sitting at a cafe, idling in a park, or strolling the streets of the Latin Quarter or other quaint arrondissements.

The surprising trio of accordion, trumpet and piano sounds natural in its combination, on an album clearly led by all three masters. The 15 compositions include originals by all three musicians and several covers, and range from jazz and tango to classical and folk music. The easy camraderie delights the senses and the peaceful mood is maintained thoughout both the slow and fast pieces, balanced neatly between playfulness and restraint. The recording ends with the lilting, melancholic Swedish folksong "Varvindar Friska", a lovely end to a uniformly warm experience. 

Chiaroscuro  (2010)

ECM 

Ralph Towner: Acoustic Guitars

Paolo Fresu: Trumpet and Flugelhorn

As with " Mare Nostrum", the title of this album "Chiaroscuro" sets a clear image of the  music to come. In painting chiaroscuro is a technique of painting or drawing using light and shade to achieve a three-dimensional quality. In this recording, the two musicians use the arrangement of  their musical sounds -- light and dark, piccolo and forte, sound and silence, guitar and horn -- to create outstanding aural pictures that captivate  the listener. Again, the mood is tranquil, but the suggestion of evening is even stronger than in the previous record, as light and dark begin to merge. This is not a recording that suggests the bright light of day. Note how the cover art is in absolute harmony with  the music within, and sets a mood even before the first note is played.

And what notes they are. Fresu’s trademark lyricism, soulful and uncluttered, is among the album’s most alluring aspects. Towner's deep woody tones, particularly on his baritone guitar are a marvel of simplicty. The baritone's lower register is featured on Towner's solo piece "Sacred Ground." The CD never steps too far to the dark side, and seems to be heavily influenced by sounds reminiscent of Miles Davis' classic "Kind of Blue", no more clearly than when Fresu plays a muted horn on a cover of Davis’s “Blue In Green.” The lyrical mood is offset at other times by more flowing and rhythmic passages, which keeps the CD from becoming monotonous. Overall, the album is a study in virtuosic precision between two complementary players and instruments.

This, too, is a recording with which a glass of wine would be perfect. It is a recording to enjoy in the company of friends and family while sitting back and savoring the day.