Duo

Darren Pickering/Chris Cody

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Three (Darren Pickering Small Worlds)

Darren Pickering’s third Small Worlds album, ‘Three’, is a welcome addition to the earlier volumes. While it follows the successful formula developed in volumes one and two, it sounds fresh and endlessly explorative. Throughout the album, snaking lines float, dreamlike, over repeating patterns and carefully layered grooves. Out of this comes the quartet’s cinematic sound. Jazz and cinema are twin arts as they evolved together, often feeding from the same well of resonance. Because of that focus on imagery, you can get inside the sound and experience it on many sensory levels. Listening to this is like watching a great movie – in a theatre – on a rainy day. 

This is a superb quartet; unsurprisingly, after two previous albums, they are hyperaware of interplay. This is particularly important in an album like this, as the soundscape is so open. The liner notes indicate they have equal input into the artistic direction, which makes sense; the democratised approach is evident. This is jazz for our times, probing but gentle and unashamedly open to influences. 

As with the first two albums, the tune times vary in length, enhancing the listening experience. Nothing is extended beyond its natural endpoint. Like the written word, contrasts like this punctuate the ebb and flow. There are small, meaningful solos, but they are skillfully interwoven into through-composed pieces.

Immediately noticeable is Pickering’s touch, and the underlying digital or analogue wizardry never overwhelms. While often understated, his pianism shines throughout. Pickering is a thoughtful composer and writes to his strengths.

Guitarist Heather Webb is pitch-perfect throughout, her sound is so distinctive, with lines that fold effortlessly into the mix. Her avoidance of anything showy or unnecessarily loud marks her as a mature player. I wish more guitarists understood this. The same can be said for the drummer Jono Blackie and bass player Pete Fleming. Both blend into the mix, thus enhancing the music, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. 

The rainy day groove is particularly evident in ‘Soft Life’. With Webb running her silken lines over Pickering’s synthesised arpeggiation, and the measured, but perfectly placed, beats like slow-dancing footsteps. And the faster-paced ‘Tauhou Waltz’ has a similar vibe. The album maintains this flow, touching on various moods, but always speaking in a calm voice. The album can be accessed from Rattle Records or Bandcamp. https://darrenpickeringsmallworlds.bandcamp.com/album/three

Under Ocean (Chris Cody/Charlie Tait)

I have long been an enthusiast for Chris Cody’s work, and his two latest releases, each different from what went before, enhance an already impressive discography. Cody has a gift for examining cultural intersections. He gathers events and places, past and present and puts them under a musical microscope, always leaving us with a sense of what it means to be human.  

‘Under Ocean’ is a fresh approach with electronic enhancements and a duo format. The album traverses mental and physical landscapes in unexpected ways and, in doing so, expands not only Cody’s repertoire but the boundaries of improvised ambient-style music. The album is co-led by Charlie Tait, a multi-instrumentalist, sound designer and engineer. Tait is no stranger to sonic creations like this, and the resultant cross-fertilisation of jazz, classical, and ambient electronic music is fascinating. 

There is an increasing imperative for improvising musicians to create music like this as a reaction to the realities of our overly commercialised modern life, to examine our interior landscapes or the natural world. It also reacts to the ugliness that intrudes on the quieter spaces. They combine new and old musical technologies to good effect, as evidenced in the atmospheric opening track, ‘Salt’, which contrasts with ‘Rumble’s’ free playing and the melancholic ‘Lost World’, bringing different moods together as a satisfying whole. 

Mountain to Sea (Chris Cody) 

Landscape itself is a featured guest artist on most of Cody’s albums, as his writing always conveys a strong sense of place. I am not referring to specific geographic locations, although they sometimes feature, but to something deeper – cerebral. Cody has a gift for inviting introspection, and as we listen, we examine our relationship to the landscapes and regions he evokes. It is the first thing you become aware of when listening to his albums; ‘Mountain to Sea’ is no exception. 

His compositions and arrangements impress here, but his thoughtful playing is also notable. His lines and voicings convey an instinctive lyricism, an organic sound that has always defined him. The tunes contain nostalgic echoes, but speak of hope too, a heart-on-the-sleeve musical humanism. And, as in previous albums, he conveys more with less. There is ample room for his bandmates to shine, and they do. The care and loving attention each one brings to the project is evident. It is no wonder the unit sounds so good when you consider the musicians, a mix of veterans and younger players, but all exemplary: bass player Lloyd Swanton (a member of The Necks who appeared in Auckland recently) and who appeared on an earlier album ‘The Outsider’ (reviewed recently on this blog), and Sandy Evans, an acclaimed saxophonist on the Australian jazz scene, and lastly Tess Overmyer, a gifted young Australian alto saxophonist, presently based in New York.    

‘Mountains’, a ballad, opens with Ellingtonian chords that speak of grandeur, followed by two beautiful solos, lifted to further heights by bass lines that never intrude, but soar like a raptor. Similarly, ‘Quiet’ reminds me of Evan Parker’s opening on Kenny Wheeler’s ‘Sea Lady’ (Music for Large and Small Ensembles). Ripples, bird calls, lead into an elegiac anthem for the natural world, a place not separate from humankind, with alto, tenor and soprano perfectly balanced, drawing from the same musical well. This is also evident in ‘Dream’. 

As with previous albums, Cody’s daughter Maya has created marvellous cover art.    

Both albums are available on Bandcamp at https://chriscody.bandcamp.com/

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, a Judge in the 7VJC International Jazz Competition, and a poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission. 

Alex Ventling/Nik Bärtsch

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The artists profiled here have some things in common. Both have Swiss heritage, work in countries other than the ones they were born in and take a fearless approach to improvising. They are separated in years and in experience but not in their approach. Both seek to extend the language of improvised music and have something interesting to say.  

Alex Ventling ~ The View

This is a beautiful duo album; it will stay with you if you listen with open ears. It is fresh and original but snatches of the tradition are still evident, nestling in the compositions. From the opening track, ‘Spiders Steps’, Monkish elements creep in, as jagged spidery lines evolve into a gentle swing. The tune is perfectly rounded. It says a lot and yet does so concisely and simply. It is the perfect beginning for a superb album. Ventling’s pianism is evident throughout, but strikingly so in his resonant ‘In the Mists’. Good pianists know what to play and when, but gifted pianists understand how to sculpt sound and curate even the decaying chords. There are synths but they are used in ways that never once spoil the acoustic mood. That is so on ‘First Train to Finse’ which features guest artist Kim Paterson on trumpet. How lovely to hear him again in this ‘Silent Way’-like setting. 

It is an album of surprises as the moods shift constantly. Importantly, they do so without once breaking the flow. Out of it all shines a radiant simplicity, a ‘mysterioso’ simplicity. One blended with oblique Monkish references and a northern European sensibility, a very Nordic soundscape, evoking open spaces, where the music breathes. 

With Ventling is a gifted drummer, Phelan Burgoyne. He is the perfect foil for the pianist as he is a master of subtlety. He possesses an acute sonic awareness and understands how to work in the spaces between the notes. He is especially attuned to the harmonic possibilities as he adds his textural touches. This is a masterclass in colourist drumming and I cannot imagine any drummer doing better. He is co-credited as a composer, a collaboration which goes back years. Their synergy is evidenced in every minute of this recording.  

This is a very mature album for a musician embarking on his musical journey. The album was released by the Trondheim label Sonic Transmission Records and is available on vinyl and digitally via Bandcamp (or the streamers).

Nik Bärtsch Ronin ~ Spin

Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin has been around since 2002, established following his earlier Ritual Groove Music album (2001). Since then Ronin has released 9 albums with cultural and musical influences scattered throughout; the most obvious being Steve Reich, John Cage and Morton Feldman. He was a drummer before he was a pianist and intricate rhythmic patterns and cycles are evident in everything he does. The other important influence is his abiding interest in Zen Buddhism and taken as a whole, those influences have coalesced, resulting in a unique musical path. His style has been dubbed Zen Funk, but it is improvised music of the highest order and the band has been delighting Jazz critics and Jazz-festival-goers for many years. His seven ECM albums brought him wide critical acclaim.

‘Spin’ works the rich seams opened in earlier albums. This band adheres to its minimalist principles while introducing freshness and open exploration. I have always been drawn to mesmeric or trance music, and this music is, but the tunes also invite quiet reflection. There is freedom within constraints, and that appeals to the heart and intellect. 

The first track, ‘Modul 66’, was composed to showcase bass player Jeremias Keller, who recently joined the band. This highlights a subtle shift in emphasis, without changing the ever-present groove.  The deep grooves are especially evident in ‘Modul 70-51’ which is mesmerising. A pulse that pulls you deeper into the music without once dulling the senses. This is achieved by surprising chordal and modulation shifts which function like Zen surprises. This is apparent in  ‘Modul 40’ which is endlessly inventive.  

The way this band works together is extraordinary, moving the emphasis mysteriously as they dance around each other like voodoo priests. It was recorded live at the Big Ears Festival, so ‘Spin’ should be enjoyed in one listening; each ‘module’ informs the next. I recommend that you listen with headphones or in a quiet room. It would be a shame to miss the subtlety. Nik Bärtsch (piano, Keyboard), Sha (bass clarinet, alto saxophone), Jeremias Keller (bass), Kasper Rast (drums). ‘Spin’ is self-released and available on Bandcamp or the streamers.

Other Recommendations to Check Out.

Rob Luft and Kit Downes are artists I have profiled before. Both appear on an interesting album by vocalist Paula Rae Gibson. The album, ‘The Roles We Play To Disappear’ has been referred to as ambient, electronica, and Avante-jazz. It seamlessly embraces many genres and is evidence of how improvised music is growing in multiple directions. Albums like this bring fresh audiences and that is a healthy thing. It is refreshing in these days of awful commercial music to see artists forging uncompromising artistic paths. It is available as a CD or download from Bandcamp.

Rob Luft and Elena Duni recently met with Manfred Eicher to discuss a new ECM release. This is welcome news as the first two releases were stunning. I interviewed Luft during lockdown and have reviewed his albums often. If you haven’t done so already check them out. My review of ‘Lost Ships’ is on this site at http://www.jazzlocal32.com/?s=Luft

Alex Ventling and Kim Paterson recorded on Ventling’s recent tour through New Zealand. ‘Conversations’ is a lovely standards album and is available on Spotify.

One of my favourite Jazz musicians Chris Cody (Sydney/France) has just released two interesting albums. The first is ‘Mountain To Sea’ with Sandy Evans, Tessie Overmyer and Lloyd Swanton. The second and most recent is ‘Under Ocean’, co-credited to Charlie Tait, an ambient improvised album conjuring powerful images. An interesting development from an artist who never fails to please. More on this soon.

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, a Judge in the 7VJC International Jazz Competition, and a poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission. 

Conversations ~ Nacey/Haines

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It is not the first time Kevin Haines and Dixon Nacey have recorded together and I hope it won’t be the last. There is a symmetry binding these musicians, one born of respectful dialogue between generations. Both are well-established and neither has anything to prove. When the stars align in this way, the conditions are right for intimate conversations and that is what we get here. In a departure from their earlier trio albums with Samsom  (Cross Now and Oxide), there are a number of standards here, which are balanced by originals composed by the pair. From the swinging rendition of ‘Stompin’ at the Savoy’ to the Nacey original , ‘Sco’, the album establishes the depth of its conversational credentials.

It is surprisingly rare to come across ‘standards’ gigs these days as new music is in the ascendency. It was at such a gig that I first saw Nacey, Haines and friends, play these lovely tunes, vehicles that have stood the test of time. In a quieter moment during the second set, they played Herb Ellis’s Detour Ahead. It was extremely well realised and I thought at the time; these guys should record a few standards as their interpretations bring something fresh to bear. 

The album arose from a MAINZ project and there is an irony in that MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) is considering closing the school. That would be shameful and a disservice to the wider community. There has seldom been a time in human history when we need the arts as much as in the present times. This is especially so with music which can guide, calm, challenge and interpret life’s vicissitudes. The pandemic, however, has given cover to the philistines and everyone from Councils to Academic institutes is wielding a destructive knife. 

The album was self-released and is available on streaming platforms. If you type ‘Dixon Nacey & Kevin Haines, Conversations’ into your search bar you’ll find it. Past and present sit comfortably here and a touch of nostalgia is always welcome in troubled times like these.

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, a Judge in the 7VJC International Jazz Competition, and a poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission. 

Recent Releases ~ February 2021

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            Recent Releases ~ Feb 2021

The pandemic hasn’t stopped the music, and while it is true that the clubs, bars and concert halls are placed out of reach for many, music has the qualities of water. It will flow through the cracks until it has found its own level. The recent Kiwi lockdown was mercifully short, and in random and serendipitous ways new music found me. As always, I was happy when it did. Below are three very different albums – check them out.

Early Risers ~ John Scurry’s Reverse Swing

During our recent lockdown I received an album in the post from Lionsharecords. The album, ‘Early Risers’ is John Scurry’s Reverse Swing ensemble, his second such release.  Scurry’s earlier Reverse Swing album ‘Post Matinee’ was showered with praise, with one American reviewer describing it as ‘Ellingtonian’. The 2020 album has 19 original tunes spread over two CD’s and we are invited to view each volume as distinct but complementary.  

Having recently travelled to New Orleans, I detected those influences in this band immediately. When you spend any time in NOLA, you realise that that city’s influences are very broad indeed. Everything from swing to soulful gator-funk, from Sun Ra to the various free jazz offshoots. It is a living, breathing up to the minute music and one with its own flavour. So it is with ‘Early Risers’, and with this album there are also a multiplicity of rich local influences.

I loved the album for its warmth and approachability. It is instantly engaging, but this is not a nostalgic romp. There is real depth here and many treasures are revealed to the deep listener. The interplay between the musicians is simply stunning and their time feel beyond caveat. Track one on the first album is my favourite and while comparisons can be odious, this gave me the same feeling as I had when first hearing the Cy Touff Octet & Quintet album. Perhaps there is even a hint of ‘West Coast’ as well – Sheldon ?

There are many moods and whether a gentle ballad or a hotter number, all contribute uniquely to the whole. Underpinning each number are the quiet urgings of leader John Scurry’s guitar. We hear swing style guitar infrequently these days and more’s the pity. The tunes here were all penned by Scurry and he is also the co-arranger and producer. He has been a popular feature of the Australian scene for many years and I wonder what took him so long to launch this particular project.  to listen go to Early Risers Lionsharecords

The other arranger (and horn arranger) is trumpeter Eugene Ball.  Ball is another veteran of the Melbourne scene and a Bell award winner. I associate him with the moderism of Andrea Keller. Here you are overwhelmed by the richness of his sound. His tone production is often reminiscent of the latter-day swing trumpeters like Harry Sweets’ Edison and Henry ‘Red’ Alan. 

I have also encountered James McCauley, and again I associate him with Keller. He is perfect in these very different rolls. The band members here are John Scurry (guitar, arrangements), Eugene Ball (trumpet, arrangements), Brennan Hamilton-Smith (clarinet),  Stephen Grant (alto sax), Matt Boden (piano) Howard Cairns (bass), Danny Fischer (drums), + Sam Keevers (piano). The textures, tunes and uncanny interplay render this a terrific album. It may have its roots in traditional swing, but I defy anyone, whatever their taste in jazz, not to love this. It is released on Julien Wilson’s lionsharecords.com and on bandcamp. All art-work by John Scurry.

Wax///Wane ~ Lucien Johnson

Wax///Wane was released over summer and I’ve just caught up with it. I am always keen to check out gigs or albums featuring Lucien Johnson, so I downloaded it on Bandcamp. There was no information about the band or the recording on the album page, but my ears began to fill in the gaps. John Bell had to be the vibes player, surely it was him (an online search confirmed that)? Few south of the equator punch out modal grooves quite as convincingly as Bell. Of the remaining four musicians, two were known to me and two not. Michelle Velvin was on harp, Tom Callwood on upright bass, Cory Champion on drums and Riki Piripi on percussion (listed under the undividual tks).  

The album features six compositions and each of these has an evanescent quality. They hint at places we think we might know, but can’t quite remember. Blue Rain, Forest Rendezvous, and Rubicon appear as if in a dream and as with the missing liner notes, we are encouraged to fill in the gaps with our imagination. 

Blue Rain

Johnson has chosen his bandmates well. Bell and Callwood are genre defying and have open-ears, and as with Johnson are well immersed in the freer regions of improvised music. I have seen Cory Champion several times, but never heard him in this context; very impressive. Adding a harp player and percussionist added texture in finely hued layers, and this gave the album that delightful Alice Coltrane feel. It’s great to see the harp revived as an improvisers instrument and especially with the vibes. They could get in each others way, but in skilled hands this is avoided and a shimmering pulse arises to good effect.

Johnson is a musician we most often associate with the Wellington scene, but these days he is perhaps better termed an international musician. Like all modern saxophonists, there is a foundation of Coltrane in his sound. There is also an airy freedom. Here, he has curated a groove fest. The sort of grooves that Bobby Hutcherson, Alice and John Coltrane, Julian Priester and others explored. It is what might be loosely termed spiritual Jazz. Music defying the mundane, an invitation to a better place where gravity is abandoned. In times like this we need music, and actually, we need more music like this. Music that stimulates the imagination and doesn’t preach.  The playing here is superb but don’t over think the experience, sink into it and enjoy the trip.  The cover-art is by Julien Dyne. Available on Bandcamp Lucienjohnson.bandcamp.com

Alan Broadbent/Georgia Mancio  ~ ‘Quiet is the Star’

Alan Broadbent has an unerring ear for melody and this is in part, why he makes such a sensitive accompanist. While his albums can really swing, they also take direct aim at the heart. An astonishing technical mastery is evident but it is never allowed to obscure the essence of a tune. To put it more simply, he connects us to real emotions and to human life with its manifest joys and frailties. There are innumerable facets to his long and formidable career and none should be overlooked. 

Most recently, he released ‘Trio in Motion’ his second album with bassist Harvie S and drummer Billie Mintz. And if you haven’t done so before now, check out his discography, a body of work that astounds; critically acclaimed albums, two Grammys and so it goes. The man is a legend. 

‘Quiet is the Star’ is the second album from the Broadbent/Mancio duo. Their last album’ Songbook’ aired in 2017 and it was pure delight; this new release is a welcome follow up. Georgia Mancio is a London-based award-winning vocalist and lyricist and the pairing has reaped dividends.  They have performed together since 2013 and toured Europe and elsewhere to acclaim. 

Mancio has a lovely voice and she uses it to great effect, her emphasis though is on breathing life into her lyrics. The stories she reveals are intimate and she invites the listener to share in these experiences. While all good duos are conversational, here we are invited in on the conversation and it is a privilege.   Released by Roomspin Records 27 March. Cover artwork Simon Manfield.

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association. some of these posts also appear in other music sites. When purchasing, please support the Bandcamp platform whenever possible. Respect musicians rights.  

Choi/Howell ~ Kõmanawa

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Kômanawa is a duo, and duos are seldom heard in the bigger Jazz clubs. The gig was billed as a first for the CJC, but what of ‘Showa 44’ I thought? That was an Australian duo featuring Carl Dewhurst & Simon Barker, so I checked back, and although Showa 44 was a duo, they had included Roger Manins as guest. So yes, Kõmanawa was a first. 

There is a unique kind of intimacy to a Jazz duo performance and it is quite unlike other configurations. It is a fluid conversation between equals and in that regard Chrystal Choi and Michael Howell were well matched. They may have different styles, but they are both attentive listeners and they showed respect for each other’s musical space. 

Over the years there have been plenty of fabulous Jazz duos and the best of the duo albums remain perennially popular: Charley Haden & Pat Metheny, (also Haden with Hank Jones or Kenny Barron), Bill Evans & Jim Hall, and my favourite, Carla Bley & Steve Swallow. The Jazz duo is a unique form and especially suited to nuanced musical conversations.  Out of that a skillful interplay arises. People took particular note when Evans cut the two albums with Hall, because a piano and guitar can all too easily occupy the same register and get in each-others way. 

All of the above had been assimilated by this duo and they wove around each other with care. Their performance was also warm and engaging, and as they played, you felt like you were eavesdropping on an intimate conversation. That is how a duo performance works best, avoiding any fireworks, and by modulating showiness. The audience got that and paid close attention. 

While both musicians contributed tunes, the majority were from Choi. I was so engaged that I failed to notice that I had not switched on the external camera mic. The absence of the small green light dawned on me just before the end of the gig and the tune that I most wanted to post is recorded as a well-choreographed silent movie. The tune in question was titled ‘Playground Song’ (Choi) and it swung softly like a Carla Bley/Swallow tune. You will have to take my word for that, but it really did. There is an EP or an LP waiting to happen here, and I hope that they record this material. I captured only one tune, the second to last tune. It is an arrangement of a tune that Choi wrote for her Indie pop group.

Throughout, Choi moved between the piano and vintage Wurlitzer, Howell sometimes used a slide and produced wonderfully atmospheric sounds. The gig took place at the Creative Jazz Club, Anthology, November 18, 2020.

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association. Many of these posts also appear on Radio13.co.nz – check it out.