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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Jazz CD reviews
New CDs reviewed by Chris Parker
For the full review click on the CD title.
Sara Colman Ready
'A
genuine feel for the elasticity and playfulness of swing phrasing and a
true improviser's art' are the qualities Ian Shaw admires in Sara Colman's
singing, and anyone who attended her recent Vortex gig would no doubt agree
with him. She also has an excellent ear for a good rock/pop song, one that
might profit from a jazz version, and thus begins her album with three such:
the Rafferty/Egan (Stealer's Wheel) classic, 'Stuck in the Middle with You'
(the intoxicated muddle of which she conveys wittily but tastefully); 'How
Do You Stop' (a song written for James Brown by the late Dan Hartman, which
resurfaced on a relatively recent Joni Mitchell album); and Walter Becker's
pungent 'Book of Liars'.
Alyn Cosker Lyn's
Une
Courtney
Pine is quoted on the sleeve of this album, describing Alyn Cosker as 'a
fantastic drummer who plays with a lot of heart, swing and passion', and
the twelve tracks on it all thoroughly justify this praise. Cosker's bandmates
– saxophonists Tommy Smith and Paul Towndrow, trumpeter Ryan Quigley,
pianist Jason Rebello, guitarist David Dunsmuir and bassist Ross Hamilton
– are all discernibly energised by the the leader/composer's drive,
bristling power and precision...
Tony Woods Project Wind
Shadows
Described
by reedsman/flautist Tony Woods as 'music of light and dark, sweet and bitter,
the wind and the shadow', and containing in its notes references to Eric
Dolphy, religious poet George Herbert and traditional children's songs,
this album comes from what might be termed the lyrical/spiritual/pastoral
section of the jazz spectrum. Woods himself plays saxophones, clarinet,
wood flute and hulusi, Rob Millett vibes, marimba and gongs, and it is chiefly
their interplay and the resultant textural variety that defines the music
of the 'Project'.
Boris Savoldelli/Elliott Sharp Protoplasmic
One
of Boris Savoldelli's strongest admirers is Mark Murphy, who calls the Italian
vocalist 'one of the great undiscovered proponents of simply superb singing',
but if this leads to the presumption that Savoldelli, like Murphy, is an
individual interpreter of standards, then Protoplasmic will come
as something of a shock. Even listening to Savoldelli's (mainly) solo album
Insanology (see CD Reviews), which sets out his stall in a glorious
blaze of Bobby McFerrin-style solo-choir pieces mixed with judicious use
of various electronic gizmos to produce a quite remarkable series of original
pieces...
Makiko Hirabayashi Hide
and Seek
Tokyo-born
pianist Makiko Hirabayashi was (musically) educated in Boston and has lived
in Denmark since 1990 – hence the presence on this, her second album
for Enja, of that country's foremost husband-and-wife rhythm section, percussionist
supreme Marilyn Mazur and bassist Klavs Hovman – and her approach
is consequently utterly cosmopolitan, taking in influences from the worlds
of jazz, traditional and classical music and melding them uncontrivedly
into a compelling and vibrant trio sound.
Susie Arioli Night
Lights
For
this, her fifth album (but her first for World Village; she previously recorded
for Justin Time), Canadian singer Susie Arioli has chosen songs from the
very centre of the jazz standard tradition ('Can't We Be Friends', 'Out
of Nowhere', 'Blue Skies', 'How Deep is the Ocean', 'The Very Thought of
You' et al.), the odd pop song (the Toni Fisher/Del Shannon classic 'The
Big Hurt'), and a couple of French-language songs (one, the self-explanatory
'Je Bois', by legendary trumpeter/writer Boris Vian, the other a Gerry Mulligan
melody, 'Night Lights', here rendered as 'Lumière de Nuit').
Phronesis Green
Delay
'Vibe
and atmosphere on a jumping bed of melodic and dancing grooves' is how bassist/composer
Jasper Høiby describes the music on this, his trio Phronesis's second
album, and it's an accurate summary of the recording's strength. Pianist
Ivo Neame is on board this time, replacing Magnus Hjorth, but drummer Anton
Eger remains from the trio's debut album, Organic Warfare, and the
albums share a powerful, almost brooding intensity centred on Høiby's
trademark lithe, propulsive bass...
Alyson Green On
My Way to You
'Slow-burning,
romantic songs with a touch of the dramatic are singer Alyson Green's speciality,
judging by her selection of material for this, her second album. Leslie
Bricusse's 'When I Look in Your Eyes', the Shirley Horn favourite 'Here's
to Life' and the Michel Legrand-penned title-track all suit her sincere,
heart-on-sleeve, confiding style perfectly, and the unfussy but elegant
arrangements of pianist Mark Edwards, not to mention the accomplished playing
of the likes of John Parricelli, Andy Cleyndert and Troy Miller (plus the
odd solo from saxophonist/flautist Ben Castle) all contribute to a classy
recording.
Joel Harrison Urban
Myths
'My
goal on this outing was to center the music in that playground where jazz,
funk, rock and the blues are one.' Thus New York-based guitarist Joel Harrison,
describing the music on this, possibly his most immediately approachable
album to date. Punchy, driving themes rub shoulders with more broodingly
meditative pieces, on one of which Harrison memorably (and aptly) comments:
'there are times when Steve Coleman and Jimmy Page seem to be in the same
room, while the rhythm section navigates with fluid certainty'.
Troyka Troyka
A
'visceral mash-up of rock, jazz and dance music', written and performed
by three musicians (keyboardist Kit Downes, here playing organ; guitarist/loops
man Chris Montague; drummer Joshua Blackmore) who 'live in post-hip-hop
world where you can take whatever source materials you like and do your
own singular thing with it [and]...to whom the old question "What is it?"
is replaced by "Is it any good?"' is how Troyka's music is described in
their album's accompanying Edition press release, and it's entirely accurate,
encapsulating the band's powerful appeal perfectly.
Partisans By
Proxy
Despite
the fact that they've been together, with an unchanged line-up, for well
over a decade now, Partisans have made only four albums, generally recording
material that has been thoroughly 'road-tested' at venues such as the Vortex.
Such careful quality-control has paid rich dividends on this, their first
album since 2005's Max, the band's ease and familiarity with the
compositions it contains immediately obvious in the bristling vitality and
exuberance with which they tackle everything...
Chris Parker
Chris Parker was commissioning editor for Quartet Books jazz list and
publisher of Wire magazine and has written on jazz forJazz Review
and Jazzwise, the Independent, the Daily Telegraph
and The Times).
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