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A decade into her remarkable career, Norah Jones moves in a Testylish new n direction Ye a rs A f te r Jamie Cullum Interviews Paul McCartney Paul Simon Joins Wynton Marsalis Sonny Rollins Dr. John Matthew Shipp John Pizzarelli Jenny Scheinman Kenny Garrett Summer 2012 Display untIl SePteMber www.jazziz.com Grégoire Maret Summer Variations OnFor more information regardingDisc this and more than 100 other JAZZIz discs available for purchase, go to www.jazziz.com Following in the “tootsteps” of the venerable monica ace with guest spots on his album, most honest and direct message I have ever Toots Thielemans, and Thielemans blesses Maret by perform- let out of my heart,” the Bulgarian-born Grégoire Maret is ing a duo with his young compatriot. Vitchev writes in the liner notes. And that’s poised to make his The emotionally shifting “Lucilla’s Dream,” not hard to believe, as the pair wend their mark among the our selection, showcases Maret’s wistful-to- way through the sometimes melancholy, relatively small joyful sound, as he engages with his sometimes exuberant expressions. Vitchev fraternity of jazz- superb quartet of pianist Federico Gonzalez alternates acoustic and electric instru- harmonica virtuosi. Peña, bassist James Genus and drummer ments and displays a strong Metheny Now in his mid-30s, Clarence Penn. influence on both. Despite its title, don’t the Swiss musician has just released his look for echoes of Monk’s “Crepuscule for self-titled debut recording for the eOne label. The musical partnership of Hristo vitchev Nelly” on the lovely “Crepuscular Rays,” or Trained at the New School University in and Weber Iago its brief prelude, which we’ve included here. New York City, Maret established himself has produced rich Instead, the pair evoke the warm colors of as a first-call player, whose talents were and evocative twilight painting the evening sky. sought by headliners from Youssou N’Dour results. On the heels and Meshell Ndegeocello to David Sanborn of their quintet Pioneers of acid jazz and neo-soul, the U.K.’s and Cassandra Wilson. He subsequently recording The Incognito continue toured and recorded with the Pat Metheny Perperikon Suite, to craft superbly Group and the bands of Marcus Miller and reviewed elsewhere funky tracks with Herbie Hancock. For his debut recording, in this issue, the guitarist and the pianist bright horns and Maret dips into the songbooks of important have just released their second duet record- big vocal perfor- influences such as Metheny, Chick Corea, ing, Heartmony (First Orbit Sounds). Once mances. On their Milton Nascimento and Stevie Wonder, again, Bay Area-based guitarist Vitchev latest recording, whose chromatic-harp sound is reflected in called on his Vancouver-based colleague to Surreal (Shanachie), his own blowing. Former employers Miller interpret his very personal-sounding music. founding member, guitarist and producer and Wilson show their esteem for the har- “The 11 compositions presented here are the Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick calls on the vocal JAZZIz ON DISC is a 2-CD music compilation from the artists of yesterday, today and tomorrow, bundled in the subscriber copies of the print editions of JAZZIz Magazine. this issue’s theme is “Piano variations and Summer variations.” Disc One contains a selection of songs by prominent pianists. Disc two is a collection of music drawn from recently released albums. 32 summer 2012 jazziz tion seamlessly. The performances on this she loves to warp the sound of her guitar in and pianist Ivo Neame. And while Eger’s two-disc set reflect the personalities of both unusual ways, such as the spooky, B-movie “Democracy,” for example, points the group the composer and a large, revolving cast of effects she coaxes on “The Periphery of in a new direction, individual tracks form players. For example, it’s often impossible to Scandal.” Her compositions are obviously a cohesive set. Compare the introductions distinguish between written and impro- abstract, with disjointed melodies, harmony to the title cut, by Høiby, and to Eger’s “The vised melodies in the sextet pieces “No that always seems in flux and rhythms Economist.” The latter kicks off with a Exercise” and “The Fugue No. 2.” that suddenly fall apart and reconfigure. frantic figure by Neame, regularly supple- “Love in the Middle of the Air,” an Even the titles of her songs, which are also mented by cymbal smacks that are equally astonishing duet for vocalist Dee Dee numbered, command extra attention. witty and exciting. The pace of the former Bridgewater and bassist Reggie Workman, “Deformed Weight of Hands” starts as hard- may be considerably more deliberate, but vacillates naturally between composed and charging experimental rock, briefly settles the elements, and the precision of their improvised passages. Abstract yet lyrical, into a mellow jazz groove then explodes in a presentation, are quite similar. structured yet remarkably free-flowing, barrage of free improvisation. Which isn’t to suggest the recording Stadler’s pieces take many of the players in But the proceedings also bear a strange lacks variety. On Neame’s “Passing Clouds,” directions they never pursued elsewhere. beauty. The opening moments of “Sea Cut the pianist creates a bucolic environment Trumpeter Jimmy Owens seems especially Like Snow” exude a chamber-like delicacy, that subtly builds in urgency, the aural inspired by the challenging music on the with trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson and equivalent of a sunny day giving way to a sextet tracks. And Tyrone Washington, who alto saxophonist Jon Irabagon deliver- sudden storm. In contrast, Høiby’s “Suede achieved fame as a fusion saxophonist, ing their most fluid lines on the disc. On Trees” swings with practiced assurance, plays with unsuspected fire and intricacy. “That Old Sound,” Halvorson bends chords as epitomized by a bass solo so confidently A European big band performs a previ- and single notes to create a sustained rendered that it doesn’t need to swag- ously unreleased arrangement of Russ atmosphere of mystery. And there’s often ger. And then there’s “American Jesus,” a Freeman’s “Bea’s Flat,” and features vivid a compelling contrast in the jagged forms compendium of oddball snippets, courtesy solos from trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff, that Halvorson, bassist John Hébert and of composer Neame, which shouldn’t cohere trumpeter Manfred Schoof and saxophonist drummer Ches Smith play on top of the but somehow does. The track not only Gerd Dudek. When the album was originally fairly tight horn arrangements. rewards repeated listens, but demands issued, the jazz world wasn’t ready for what Bending Bridges won’t be to everyone’s them. As does Walking Dark, satisfying with was then a novel concept — the music of liking. Some of it, to be sure, is downright the lights on or off. —Michael Roberts one composer, and an unknown one at that, unsettling. But venturesome listeners will played by several different ensembles. Even likely find themselves intrigued at first, then Hristo Vitchev Quintet with the presence of heavy hitters like Joe going back for more. —John Frederick Moore The Perperikon Suite Chambers and Workman, it was likely a tough (First Orbit Sounds) sell. However, judging by the recent critical Phronesis Concept albums devoted to ancient civiliza- acclaim for Brains on Fire, and the 2011 reissue Walking Dark tions are common of Stadler’s A Tribute to Monk and Bird, the jazz (Edition) in prog-rock and world may be ready now. —Ed Hazell The title of Phronesis’ latest recording alludes classical music, but to concerts the are rare in jazz. The Mary Halvorson Quintet European three- ancient Thracian Bending Bridges piece has played in city of Perperikon (Firehouse 12) total darkness. Their inspired this resplen- Mary Halvorson’s music is tough to pin down. performances were dent seven-part jazz Jazz, avant-garde rock, inspired by double suite from Bay Area guitarist Hristo Vitchev, punk and classical bassist Jasper Høiby’s who composed and performed it at the 2010 are all in evidence. sister, who was Monterey Jazz Festival. An intricate ECM- The guitarist’s second blinded by cataracts. Nonetheless, Walking influenced offering, The Perperikon Suite disc with her quintet, Dark does follow a roadmap. Each of the 12 truly manifests the spirit of a mystical place. Bending Bridges, is numbers has a single author and displays Dating to 5000 B.C., Perperikon was a even more adventur- the structural integrity achieved by reading religious center and natural fortress atop ous than their previ- from the same page. Yet the intuitive playing a rocky hill in present-day Bulgaria. Today, ous outing, 2010’s excellent Saturn Sings. is suffused with lessons learned from their the city’s ruins are an archeological site and The only constant is Halvorson’s relent- “sightless” experiments. Four albums in, these historical attraction in Vitchev’s homeland. less experimentation, both as a musician guys know where their cohorts are headed, Vitchev’s multihued compositions and a composer. Her aggressive picking with or without a destination in view. are like impressionistic sound paintings technique results in spiky, Marc Ribot-like Original tunesmith Høiby now shares — melodic yet understated. In fact, the solos and sharp-edged, crunchy chords. And writing duties with drummer Anton Eger guitarist is also a talented artist whose jazziz summer 2012 119 paintings adorn his CD covers. While Albert Ayler’s New Orleans-influenced taining an even-keeled intensity. Vitchev’s music feels fully composed, the style of extemporization. In contrast, on The sextet handles the challenges of players impart a sophisticated spontaneity. “Quadraphonically,” Eskelin and Ballou compositions such as “Shape One,” which Vibraphonist Christian Tamburr lends a support their leader with brief, ingenious, contains multiple layers of time, without strong Gary Burton-like feel to the music.

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