blows soft sounds over the gently intertwining guitars; The driving “Memo (g. learson)” features brisk Taborn finds his place between them, practically statements from tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III disappearing in their harmonic flow. Opening track and Altura while jagged “Bubbles (john william “Laxness” is representative, a fragmented, falling sublett)” gives bassist Harish Raghavan ample space to melody between instruments like sunlight touching tangle with pianist Sam Harris’ rapid-fire phrases over various leaves on the same tree. “Kong Oscar” picks up a hypnotic groundswell and drummer Justin Brown’s the tempo, the combined rolling melody and plucked skittering funk. Elsewhere, haunting textures creep instrumentation recalling a large Thumbelina. Bro is like fog. Vocalist Becca Stevens appears on her “Our definitely part of the Frisell school of guitar, the two at Basement (ed)”. The sparse arrangement deals in

December Song times sounding like mirror images. December Song silence with pulsating strings, heightening Stevens’ Jakob Bro (Loveland) advances slowly, as if disturbing the surrounding air impassioned quaver. The same strings weave a nearly by Ken Micallef might break the music’s delicate spell. Celtic palette for “The Beauty of Dissolving Portraits”, allowing Akinmusire to sputter over a chamber group’s Danish guitarist Jakob Bro is a musician for whom For more information, visit jakobbro.com. Bro is at Cornelia long tones. Vocalist Theo Bleckmann continues that time, space and melody seem relative and related Street Café Mar. 13th. See Calendar. misty backdrop, accompanied primarily by solo piano things. A luminous composer whose guitar is more a on “Asiam (joan)”, his multi-tracked vocals spinning vehicle for cerebral exploration than for solo spectral dust over the bare landscape. expressions, Bro’s latest album, December Song, is the “Rollcall for Those Absent” is Akinmusire’s most final in a trio of recordings that started and ended with direct social statement. The tune features him glacially drummer Paul Motian in mind. Bro was a member of surveying on a Juno keyboard as a child recites the Motian’s Electric Bebop Band and the drummer played names of recent high-profile, unarmed murder victims on Bro’s Balladeering and Sidetracked albums. By the like Amadou Diallo and Kendrec McDade. The time the sessions for December Song began, Motian had repeated invocation of the names Trayvon Martin and passed. But Bro’s music capitalizes on the late Oscar Grant are particular reminders of the hostility drummer’s idea of the group as a collective organism, young black men like Akinmusire can face without where solos rise and fall at will and directing merit and without warning. The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint improvisation is as often a collective determination as Not surprisingly, Akinmusire’s return exudes Ambrose Akinmusire (Blue Note) a single musician’s effort. by Sean O’Connell confidence. He has a way with intervallic leaps that are Bro guides his group of guitarist Bill Frisell, bassist uniquely his and shows great patience in embracing Thomas Morgan, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz and After a highly praised Blue Note debut, trumpeter the more languid instincts of his pen, the same one that pianist Craig Taborn through ethereal, shimmering and Ambrose Akinmusire has returned with an album that seems to relish cryptic song titles. He can blow like even spectral, music, which floats, rises in intensity, maintains a kitchen-sink embrace of styles and nobody’s business but seems more intent on then dissipates - calm, intricate ruminations gelling, textures. He penned all but one of the tunes, showcasing his way with emotion and instrumentation. then melting away. Performed without drummer, this collaborating with a handful of vocalists and adding collective breathes as one. That breath is at times a mist, the explosive guitarist Charles Altura. But with a few For more information, visit bluenote.com. This project is at other times a slowly undulating, delicate breeze. Konitz exceptions, this is an unquestionably somber record. Jazz Standard Mar. 13th-16th. See Calendar.

FEB 27–MAR 2 MAR 17 the music of dexter gordon: music of the nat king cole trio a celebration MAR 18–20 MAR 3 hugh masekela & larry willis combo nuvo: nyu steinhardt jazz studies faculty ensemble MAR 21 newish jewish music festival anat fort MAR 4 carnival caravan: from recife MAR 22 newish jewish music festival to new orleans oran etkin: reimagining benny goodman MAR 5–9 eliane elias MAR 23 newish jewish music festival steven bernstein’s MAR 10 diaspora soul new york youth symphony jazz MAR 24 MAR 11-12 msm jazz orchestra joe farnsworth quartet MAR 25–26 featuring harold mabern toshiko akiyoshi-lew tabackin MAR 13 jazz quartet charles turner cd release MAR 27–30 MAR 14–16 freddy cole quintet jazz meets flamenco: dani de morón & aaron diehl MAR 31 monday nights with wbgo aruán ortiz orbiting quartet

swing by tonight set times 7:30pm & 9:30pm jalc.org / dizzys

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall Broadway at 60th Street, 5th Floor, nyc

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | MARCH 2014 27