JJ December 2018
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Rec Revs_1218JJ 19/11/18 10:59 Page 20 Record Reviews ence. With a judicious embrace JJ STAR RATINGS of electronic textures and pro- ૽ Family members only cessing, Sonic is a more layered ૽૽ Good playing with moments of inspiration, derivative concept and composerly affair than ૽૽૽ Professionally executed, perhaps with originality in playing or concept Hatch. Illustrating the group’s ૽૽૽૽ extraordinary range, Sonic Com- Exceptional in concept and execution, a once in a decade recording plete transitions from a low-key ૽૽૽૽૽ Epoch-making recording demonstrating hitherto unheard concept sine wave tone through Métaau’s raw psych-rock meltdown before A bracketed star indicates a half-star resolving in anthemic grandeur. Introduction is an all too brief passage of icy minimalist elec- Thormodsaeter (d); Julie Dahle AERIE Aagard (v). Oslo, 9 and 10 tronica which leads into the January 2017. SONIC dreamy soundscapes of Fuchs- Ozella Music 088 Hits 100 001 stiH; Sonic teufelswild. Along with the ૽૽૽ Complete; Introduction; brooding In The Dumps, it leaves a deeper impression than many Fuchsteufelswild; Bad Trash Fish; An engaging enough combina- of the more conventionally In The Dumps; Monochrome; tion of styles here: boppish jazz, animated pieces. It closes with Abeilmmmost (54.00) dreamy beatscapes and the occa- the enigmatic Abeilmmmost, sional foray into atmospheric Sam Comerford (ts); Ingo Hipp (as); Laurent Métaau (elg); David gossamer lyricism juxtaposed electronics. In-demand session Helm (b); Matthew Jacobson (d). against a spiky rhythmic vamp, musician Anders Aarum seems Ludwigsburg, December 2016. and it strikes me that the great comfortable across these different QFTF Records 041 appeal of Aerie’s music lies not styles, and overall the music is ANDERS AARUM ૽૽૽ so much in its many discombob- very heavily influenced by those ulating stylistic collisions, but SHAKIN’ OUR SOULS dreamy, tripped-out sounds of After the unashamedly proggy more in the skilful way that even Another Day In Suck City; If I Was Fender Rhodes and Moog. In debut Hatch And Host (Neuk- the roughest of junctures is clev- places there are strong influences A Panda; Where The Wild People lang, 2015), Ingo Hipp’s multi- erly smoothed over. from French synth group Air, Go; The Slenderman Can; The national ensemble return to the shades of the James Taylor Quar- famous Bauer Studio in Lud- Fred Grand Perks Of Being A Loafer; Master Of tet and some of the music Eric wigsburg to give their eclectic Disaster; Tell Me It’s Raining; Una Legnini put out on his Trippin’ musical kaleidoscope another Muy Bonita (50.45) album. vigorous shake. Other than the Aarum (kyb, syn); Magne arrival of German bassist David Thormodsaeter (b); Ivar Brothers Ivar and Magne Thor- modsaeter are the driving duo Helm, who replaces Estonian Peedu Kass, Aerie’s Irish-Swiss JJ CONTENT behind much of the album’s suc- Material is received for consideration cess, with solid, inventive and axis remains unaltered. If you of review by Jazz Journal (that term sympathetic performances on bass heard the group’s striking debut including its website) only under the and drums. This rock-solid but then you’ll know that any given following conditions: Any party supplying flowing foundation gives space for piece can run the gamut of post- any material for review automatically ECM introspection, churning indemnifies JJ Publishing Ltd and its staff Aarum and friends to noodle against any consequences whatsoever around and lose themselves – and Krautrock rhythms, furious post- arising from publication of review of that the listener – in a variety of pleas- fusion unisons and visceral free material and accepts that the material antly dreamy compositions. Inter- jazz. Yet Aerie’s music seldom is non-returnable. All letters published estingly the release notes make sounds contrived, and while they J.D. ALLEN in Jazz Journal appear only under the fol- much of the fact that Aarum’s might lack a star soloist, the lowing conditions: Any party submitting LOVE STONE any letter for publication automatically music is not designed to leave the group’s strong collective identity indemnifies JJ Publishing Ltd and its staff listener feeling too comfortable for provides ample compensation. Stranger In Paradise; Until The against any consequences whatsoever long. That would tend to suggest The staccato horn lines and Real Thing Comes Along; Why arising from publication of such letter. more variety and surprises than pounding meter of the palin- Was I Born?; You’re My Thrill; Although every care is taken to ensure are actually on offer. As with lots Come All Ye Fair And Tender accuracy and propriety, neither the dromic Hits 100 001 stiH sug- editor, nor the publishers necessarily of music like this, it’s pleasant, gests business as usual, and Ladies; Put On A Happy Face; agree with opinions expressed in JJ by soothing and all rather the same while the two albums are Prisoner Of Love; Someday (You’ll contributors, nor indeed by readers in their by the end of 50 minutes. undoubtedly kindred there are Want Me To Want You); Gone published letters. John Adcock some notable points of differ- With The Wind (44.51) 20 JAZZ JOURNAL RECORD REVIEWS Rec Revs_1218JJ 19/11/18 10:59 Page 21 Record Reviews Allen (ts); Liberty Ellman (g); Gregg August (b); Rudy Royston (d). CRITICS’ CHOICE New York, 9 January 2018. Savant 2169 The 10 CDs JJ critics most wanted to hear from this month’s review pile ૽૽૽ Tony Bennett & Diana Krall Love Is Here To Stay Decca, no number Ballad projects used to be a Black Art Jazz Collective Armor Of Pride HighNote 7313 requirement for tenor saxo- Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers Complete Concert At Club Saint Germain Essential Jazz Classics 55745 phonists – one of John Coltrane’s Dave Brubeck Bossa Nova U.S.A State Of Art 81242 commercially most successful Joe Farrell Quartet/Outback/Moon Germs Beat Goes On 1346 albums was Ballads. J. D. Allen is known as a modernist, but Dexter Gordon Espace Cardin 1977 Elemental 5990431 here he returns in some ways to Jim Hall Concierto/Big Blues/Studio Trieste Beat Goes On 1342 tradition, with this established John McLaughlin & Jimmy Herring Live In San Francisco Abstract Logix 059 format. The album features long- Wayne Shorter Emanon Blue Note, no number time trio partners, bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Lester Young The Complete Aladdin Recordings Essential Jazz Classics 55748 Royston, plus guitarist Liberty Ellman. In fact it’s the trio’s sec- Is The Ocean; Lazybones; It’s The Bert Ambrose was born in Lon- guarantee, the music has been ond collaboration with Ellman Talk Of The Town; Who’s Been don in 1917. He travelled to New perfectly transferred and thor- after 2017’s Radio Flyer. Ellman Polishing The Sun?; The York as a violinist when he was oughly researched. is also known as an experi- Continental; Embassy Stomp; I’m 20, spending most of the next Ambrose liked to stand in front menter, but here shows consider- On A See-Saw; Hors D’Oeuvres; decade working in American of the band at society gigs. That’s bands. He eventually returned to able sensitivity to the tradition. Big Ben Is Saying Goodnight about all he did. It was people England in 1927 when he was Born in Detroit, and now based (78.23) like Sid Phillips and Tommy in New York, Allen had a forma- appointed musical director of the McQuater who ran the band for CD2: (1935-1944) Streamline Mayfair Hotel in London. His tive tenure with Betty Carter, and him. Strut; Maracas; B’Wanga; American experience shows, for, worked with Lester Bowie, Louis Anything Goes; I’ll Never Say right from 1928, these bands Steve Voce Hayes, Butch Morris and David were superbly rehearsed and fea- Murray. His work is of a high Never Again; Copenhagen; She’s tured a very high quality of quality, though perhaps this A Latin From Manhattan; musician. The BBC regularly album isn’t quite pulling me in Limehouse Blues; The Piccolino; broadcast live from London’s as much as his more contempo- Night Ride; Wood And Ivory; Hick Mayfair Hotel, and as a result rary work. He hews to a Dexter Stomp; Escapada; Champagne Ambrose’s band became one of Gordon model – slow tempos Cocktail; Cotton Pickers’ the most popular in the country. and a fat sound – though with a Congregation; Caravan; Deep Deservedly so, for his was the hard, post-Coltrane edge. But Henderson; Moonlight On The only British band to rank with its then I think I’m right in saying Waterfall; Message From Mars; US equivalents. Only Lew that Gordon himself, like other Two Sleepy People; Blue Skies Are Stone’s band came near as com- saxophonists of the bebop gen- Round The Corner; My Prayer; I’m petition. eration, emulated the Coltrane In Love For The Last Time; I Don’t sound in his later career. The The earlier records were made only soloist apart from the Want To Walk Without You, Baby; for HMV, but classic Ambrose leader is Liberty Ellman, whose Lili Marlene; When Day Is Done came in the 30s on Decca. That’s STRAT ANDRIOTIS approach to standard material is (79.31) where, on the second volume, NIGHT MANAGER oblique and fragmentary. CD1 includes Max Goldberg (t); you’ll find Night Ride, Cotton Ted Heath (tb); Danny Polo, Sid Pickers’ Congregation and all the (1) Song 21; (2) Secrets; Chili’s It’s an intriguing selection of Phillips (cl, as, bar); Harry Hayes other fine arrangements by Sid Blues; (3) Can’t Wait; Avid; well-known and lesser known (as); Billy Amstell, Joe Crossman Feverpitch; The Arrival; (4) I Hear A (cl, ts); Max Bacon (d).