Europe Jazz Media Chart – September 2024
Ook deze maand publiceren wij weer de Europe Jazz Media Chart, een lijst van de belangrijkste jazzalbums van dit moment volgens toonaangevende Europese journalisten binnen de jazz. Journalisten die voor Europese magazines, zowel print als online, hun artikelen en recensies schrijven.
Bird’s Eye – David Leon (Pyroclastic)
Nuno Catarino, Jazz.pt (Portugal):
In his latest album, “Bird’s Eye,” released by Pyroclastic Records, David Leon leads an unlikely (and very likely unprecedented) trio: woodwinds, drums, and gayageum—a Korean instrument similar to a zither, with twelve strings that are plucked. In this instrumental collaboration, David Leon plays soprano and alto saxophones, as well as alto and piccolo flutes; the gayageum is played by DoYeon Kim, a Korean musician who is considered a virtuoso of the instrument; and on drums and percussion is Lesley Mok. Initially, we might find the sound of the stringed instrument unfamiliar (as it is quite uncommon to our ears), but as the music progresses, we turn our attention to the strong musical interaction of the trio. From this melting pot of mixtures and influences—Leon’s original compositions (which draw on elements from Cuban tradition), Korean music, and Mok’s curious percussion—emerges an incomparable music, difficult to classify. Over the themes, we hear a constant dialogic interaction between the three musicians, who articulate and communicate with each other in a continuous process of sonic communion. Read more (in Portuguese)…
As Time Passes – Arild Andersen / Daniel Sommer / Rob Luft (April Records)
Dick Hovenga, Written in Music (Netherlands):
One of the most remarkable jazz trios of this year is undoubtedly that featuring Danish drummer Daniel Sommer, Norwegian bass legend Arild Andersen and the young, so promising, British guitarist Rob Luft. Their album As Time Passes is one of this year’s jazz highlights. With Andersen mentioned first on the album’s cover not without reason, as an old crack, who has been releasing his albums through the renowned ECM since the early 1970s and still plays fantastically, Sommer and Luft are still beginners, but what great counterpoint they give Andersen, pulling him to his very highest level. As Time Passes is a masterful collaboration of three exceptional musicians. Sommer and Andersen could not have invited a better “extra” musician as Luft. In recent years he has become one of the most versatile guitarists in the world and knows how to inspire everyone around them to get the very best out of their playing. As Time Passes is definitely one of the best jazz albums of the year. Read more (in Dutch)…
Outpost of Dreams – Norma Winstone & Kit Downes (ECM)
Krzysztof Komorek, Donos kulturalny (Poland):
After a gap of six years, new recordings by Norma Winstone appear in the ECM catalogue. This time in duo formula with pianist Kit Downes. The album features ten compositions and Norma Winstone herself wrote the lyrics to all of them (with one exception). The whole thing adds up to forty minutes of beautiful, elegant, poetic storytelling that can be enjoyed endlessly. Read more (in Polish)…
New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz – Matthew Shipp Trio (ESP-Disk)
Bega Villalobos, In & Out JAZZ (Spain):
Matthew Shipp’s latest album, New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz, presents a new stimulus to the free jazz scene, showing once again an innovative Shipp, in continuous search and with no complex to include sound textures from different mental galaxies. Released in 2024 under the ESP-Disk label, the album features Shipp on piano, Michael Bisio on bass, and Newman Taylor Baker on drums. Read more (in Spanish)…
In Trance We Trust – Morpheus Trance & Christy Doran (Double Moon Records)
Jacek Brun, Jazz-fun.de (Germany):
Powerful, swirling music full of surprises. Not only Christy Doran impresses with his usual original ideas and sharp sounds, also Lukas Mantel and Wolfgang Zwiauer do their best to make the whole thing as interesting as possible. The sounds are sometimes undefined and although the number of instruments is clear, you can’t really count them. A very interesting album that should not be missed! Read more (in German)…
BleySchool – Pat Thomas, Dominic Lash, Tony Orrell (577 Records)
Peter Slavid, LondonJazz News (UK):
This is the second album made in tribute to pianist Paul Bley, by the trio of Pat Thomas (piano), Dominic Lash (bass) and Tony Orrell (drums). Thomas is definitely more percussive in his technique than Bley, but he has a similar commitment to experimentation.
There is no one better than Thomas at taking a standard, deconstructing it and creating something fresh and new from the bones, whilst still retaining the essence of the original. As well as standards on this album the trio tackle several Carla Bley tunes, and throw in a thunderous rendition of “Monks Mood”. None of this is what you would call a conventional piano trio, but all three members deliver fierce and imaginative improvisation.
Live in Munich – Jordina Millà & Barry Guy (ECM)
Georges Tonla Briquet, Jazz’Halo (Belgium):
Live In Munich is divided into six parts of twenty-two, ten, four, eight, eleven and four minutes respectively. Essential in each case is the overarching silence from which both start or which they insert. Rearranging and interweaving structures is another of the duo’s tactics. Sometimes they slightly shift the focus, other times they do so abruptly. It leads to whimsical contrasts that turn out to be wonderfully complementary. Read more (in Dutch)…
Vibe Provider – Emmet Cohen (Mack Avenue Records)
Kaspars Zavileiskis, Jazzin.lv (Latvia):
American pianist Emmet Cohen continues to pay tribute to the golden names of previous generations in jazz. The latest performance in this series is a tribute to his friend – the Nigerian-born New York jazz vibe provider Michael Funmi Ononaiye, who was an influential music explorer, chief programmer at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and passed away last year. In the album, named in honor of Ononaiye’s memory – Vibe Provider – you can find both – passionate bop and delicately felt lyricism. The album includes both an unusual selection of standards and new Cohen originals. Emmet, together with colleagues, including veteran trombonist Frank Lacy, has created a great piece of timeless jazz. Good vibes only!
Breezy – Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Exit) Knarr (Sonic Transmissions Records)
Matthieu Jouan, Citizenjazz.com (France):
With his white-hot Scandinavian band and his dense, meaty, and as always, in-motion compositions, the double bassist hits hard with this second Knarr album. The energy is similar to the previous album, but the subject matter is different. The record is dedicated to trumpeter jaimie branch, who died just two years ago and was a friend of Flaten’s. This tribute (featuring the excellent Erik Kimestad on trumpet) is in line with the trumpeter’s musical image: high energy, a touch of madness and an appetite for groove-driven environments.
Utos – Sulida (Clean Feed)
Jan Granlie, Salt-peanuts* (Pan-Scandinavian):
Saxophonist Marthe Lea, bassist Jon Rune Strøm and drummer Dag Erik Knedal Andersen are three musicians who have had the opportunity to play in different connections at most of the jazz clubs in Norway in recent years. And now, probably after a musical meeting at the club Hærverk in Oslo, they have gone into the syudio to create this wonderful release. We get several collective improvisations, plus a composition by Lea, and one by Strøm, before they finish with Charlie Haden’s “Song for Che”.
It has become an incredibly creative, interesting and beautiful release, where the three musicians show themselves in the very best way. Lea with convincing tenor saxophone playing, Strøm with bass playing in the Charlie Haden class and Knedal Andersen with a drumming that fits perfectly with the other two. Done to perfection! Read more (in Norwegian)…
Celebration, Volume 1 – Wayne Shorter (Blue Note Records)
Patrik Sandberg, Jazz Orkesterjournalen (Sweden):
Blue Note now releases Celebration Volume 1, the first in a series of archival releases that sax icon and composer Wayne Shorter curated before his passing in 2023. This stunning live recording from 2014 captured Shorter’s acclaimed quartet with pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade during the then ongoing Stockholm Jazz Festival at the Konserthuset in Stockholm.
Ravel – Dieter Ilg (ACT)
Cim Meyer, Jazz Special (Denmark):
Dieter Ilg (b) has gained a reputation performing interpretations of famous classical music by i.e. Bach, Beethoven and Ravel. And indeed, Ilg releases have several times found their way to this chart.
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) admired Bach, Mendelssohn, and Schubert, and was influenced by Mozart, Chabrier, Saint-Saêns, Satie and Rimsky-Korsakov. Ravel’s work coincided with the beginning of jazz. In 1928, Ravel was on four-month long, 25-city concert tour of the U.S. He befriended Gershwin and went to hear jazz in Harlem and New Orleans. At home in Paris Ravel heard ragtime, and he heard Duke Ellington and others in the U.S. All left a mark on Ravel’s music. Impressionism in general opened the doors for the contemporary music of the 20th century.
And it seems that Ravel’s impressionistic music is tailor-made for Ilg’s trio with Rainer Böhm (p) and Patrice Héral (d), who recorded this music in 2021. The sound, not least the full-toned natural bass sound, is fantastic. The balance between attack and sustain is perfect. Ilg can rest and be grounded in adagio and briskly move all over the register in fast tempos. Maybe the bass is mixed a tad too much in front and the drums may be a little too subdued.
Anyhow: the interaction in the trio is exquisite. They do not reproduce Ravel’s music but make something of their own, which keeps the masters in mind. “Ravel leaves us latitude and uncertainty as to what is right or wrong … Freedom of interpretation is already inherent in his music, so it can be transformed into jazz quite organically”, says Ilg.
Brink – Ingrid Laubrock & Tom Rainey (Intakt Records)
Kateryna Ziabliuk, Meloport (Ukraine):
Brink is the collaborative album by two professionals of simultaneous playing and listening — saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and drummer Tom Rainey, who are running a duo since 2017. The album features seven compositions and six “brinks,” short and subtle sound textures that divide the mesmerisingly melodic sections. These “brinks” seem less like independent pieces of music than evocative images that glue the whole together, sparking the listener’s imagination. While the music is full of bright expressions from both musicians, there is also a wealth of contemplative melodies that are both unpredictable and ultimately logical and consonant.
Gyezz – Söndörgő feat. Chris Potter (GroundUP Music)
Viktor Bensusan, Jazz Dergisi (Turkey):
World music may or may not be jazz but jazz is definitely world(‘s) music. If you want to hear Chris Potter at his best as well as the Woody Herman standard “Laura” with Balkan instruments, Gyezz is the album. And if Gyezz is not a jazz album, I ain’t a jazz critic, either…
Voor de volledige lijst en meer links: Europe Jazz Media Chart – September 2024
