Rodrigo Amado: Burning Live At Jazz Ao Centro

Rodrigo Amado (sax)

Burning Live At Jazz Ao Centro (JACC Records; 2012)

Jeb Bishop (trombone)

Miguel Mira (cello)

Gabriel Ferrandini (drums)

A brief set but long in the compositional sense, Burning Live At Jazz Ao Centro, sees Rodrigo Amado in blistering form. This is a fierce recording of a live event that was probably exciting and very intense on concentration.

This group consists of Amado's Motion Trio augmented by trombonist Jeb Bishop (known not only for his own groups as well as his work with Ken Vandermark). For this live evening, Bishop provides strong, bold muscular lines that challenge the rest of the trio. "Burning Live" is just as it says--a fiery opener that later rounds into a rhythmic pattern that hovers almost blues-like thanks to Bishop. Ferrandini adds the abstract passages against Bishop's notes as both Amado and Mira quietly begin to re-emerge and set the piece aflame again. The quartet finally comes resting with calm clashes but still a heavy spirit.

"Imaginary Caverns" moves like a ballad but with the philosophy of free association. Quiet motifs soon rise and fall with Amado and Ferrandini's perspective on the harmonics. Midway through Amado's tone becomes a scorching mixture of Ornette Coleman/Albert Ayler. It's intense and beautiful but not for every ear. Bishop, Mira and Ferrandini beam with solid atonal exchanges that drain you until just the right moment when Amado returns to add some toppling hues to the closing bars.

Rounding out the evening is "Red Halo," led by Mira sounding fully focused and moving the group in a calm fashion toward the inevitable wall of sound. Mira's pace quickens while Amado and Bishop's dialogue starts to sound like one instrument. The quartet finally roll into one another in the final moments bringing an intense jubilant session to its logical yet bewitching end.

Truly, an absorbing performance and another very creative outing for Rodrigo Amado. There are only a handful of saxophonists on the European scene today that are as acute and descriptive as Amado. Burning Live At Jazz Ao Centro is a perfect example as to why. This same group will also have a new studio album out on Not Two later this year. 

Klang: Other Doors

Klang (group)

Other Doors (Allos Musica; 2011)

James Falzone (clarinet)
Jason Adasiewicz (vibraphone)
Jason Roebke (bass)
Tim Daisy (drums)

Guest Musicians
Jeb Bishop (trombone)
Josh Berman (cornet)
Keefe Jackson (sax; bass clarinet)
Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello; electronics)

There once was a time when Benny Goodman was considered "avant garde", "outside the mainstream" or just plain "what the hell was that he just played". Goodman's ground-breaking benchmark, Live At Carnegie Hall is evidence of how left of center Goodman was for his time. Fast forward just under 75 years later to Goodman's hometown of Chicago. You will find a vibrant avant-garde/free jazz scene that while not based on Goodman's playing, definitely has Goodman's spirit of collectiveness. Enter the quartet Klang led by clarinetist, James Falzone. Klang, with an unusual lineup of clarinet, vibes, bass and drum have set forth a different direction compared to their more veracious Chicago contemporaries.

Klang's third album, Other Doors investigates the music and legacy of Mr. Goodman but with a very unique free form spin. The album was originally born out of a Chicago Jazz Festival performance that paid tribute to the Chicago native and legendary clarinetist. Other Doors is fun, crisp and filled with improvised moments that turn this session into one of the best Chicago outings of the last few years. "Stompin' At The Savoy" sounds completely fresh and revitalized in the hands of this quartet. It contains all the elements of the swing classic but it's infused with spontaneous exchanges and ethereal swirls (led by Jason Adasiewicz's always sublime performance on vibes). Falzone's playing is respectful but never imitating. He brings some gentle phrasing to certain lines raising this version far above homage and places it into a post modern must listen.

"Memories Of You", a midtempo ballad gets deep, dark re-visitation under Klang's direction. With some great manipulation of space by Falzone, Adasiewicz, and guest Longberg-Holm. Falzone's performance is passionate and introspective and reflects Goodman's own moments were he gets lost in the music but the listener become wrapped inside the rhythm. The title track has an impressionist approach. It's lyrically beautiful and paints a slow but delightful picture that is led by the horn section. Rich and textural with a free spirit, you will find very rewarding.

"The Already And The Not Yet", a track originally written on one of Falzone's earlier albums by the same name, is a delicate but operatic piece that becomes hypnotic and enveloping towards its conclusion. "Goodman's Paradox" is the moment in which the group let's loose (sort of) and delivers an extended workout of swing and experimentation that will take you by surprise but it fits perfectly in context. Goodman would be wowed.

While each of the members and the guest musicians on Other Doors lead their own groups, as Klang they together achieve something completely different from their respective groups. This is a dynamic quartet that experiments with past themes and creating future music. Other Doors is no tribute. It's a complete enlightened re-imagining of one of the most legendary and important figures in jazz. Highly Recommended.

Keefe Jackson: The Future Of Chicago?

Keefe Jackson (sax)

Keefe Jackson, a native of Arkansas, is slowing becoming a major force in the ever-evolving Chicago Free Jazz scene. A combination of complex and complete compositions and bold well-rounded playing is making a lot of people outside of Chicago stand up and take notice.

As discussed here at jazzmusic24 many a time, the Chicago Jazz scene is a breeding ground for some of the most solid, hard framed improvisational jazz coming out of the U.S. Yes, many New Yorkers would argue this point but I'm moving forward with my statement.

Keefe Jackson was already a well toned musician by the time he arrived in Chicago in 2001. But his association and contributions to such local groups as Chicago Luzern Exchange, Lucky 7s, Fast Citizens and the Josh Berman Quintet really established his credibility within the scene. In a town where Ken Vandermark looms large, it probably is extremely hard to break out from the presence. Keefe Jackson is doing just that. Not by following the same avant garde path as Vandermark but creating a rich base of post bop sensibility filled with forward-thinking lyricism.

While I do recommend any of the albums by the above mentioned groups (definitely Josh Berman and Lucky 7s), I want to really focus on the three albums Keefe Jackson has made as leader. These all show a progression to imploding convention of free jazz and resurrecting it in a cohesive exploration of free ideas. Ideas which many listeners will find challenging but highly rewarding.

Ready Everybody (Delmark; 2006) is a fantastic debut as leader by Jackson. The album is actually under the title, Keefe Jackson's Fast Citizens (named after the collective which the musicians belong to). The opening number "Ready Everybody" travels some similar territory as Atlantic era Ornette Coleman or Charles Mingus but with a very playful nature wrapped by some illuminating song structure and phrasing from Jackson.

"Signs" is haunting piece with some fabulous distortion work from Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello) and additional brilliance by both Josh Berman (trumpet) and Anton Hatwich (bass). Frank Rosaly, whose omnipresent drum work can be found on many Chicago jazz albums is superb here as well as the rest of this session. "Saying Yes" is a number where Jackson, Berman and Aram Shelton (alto sax) have some seriously delicious interplay that is both rhythmic as well as inventive.

While Fast Citizens documents a collective that has become a truly cohesive force on the music scene; it also shines light on creative writing of Jackson. This idea is moved forward on Jackson's second release as leader, Just Like This (Delmark; 2007). Just Like This is a massive 12 piece brass/woodwind ensemble that takes starts in foundation on themes of Ellington, Armstrong and other large swing ensembles and injects them with a large dose of Chicago improvisation.

The group includes such Chicago luminaries as Jeb Bishop (trombone), James Falzone (clarinet), Dave Rempis (alto sax) and more. A beautiful exchange expression and melodies moves throughout Just Like This, giving the listener a real sense of depth and freedom by this group Jackson has constructed.

"Dragon Fly", a funky, avant garde yet mid-tempo opener fills the airwaves with its complex arrangements and chord changes but shows a real sense of unity amongst the many players. There's a lot going on here but you are captivated by the varying passages and performances. The title track, "Just Like This" is another mid-tempo gem filled with hard hitting moments of colour by Jackson and clarinet/cornet section (including Berman again in this session).

A real standout here is "Wind Up Toy" written by drummer Frank Rosaly is a tempo shifting ride that feels like elements of crime jazz, swing and avant garde put through the mixer and coming out as an exquisite sundae delight. Just Like This may have Ellingtonian touches but also paints a Jackson Pollack-esque picture with Jimmy Giuffre and Ornette Coleman type brushes.

In 2010, Keefe Jackson returned with the magnificent Seeing You See (Clean Feed Records). Here Jackson pairs things down to a quartet featuring regular collaborators Noritaka Tanaka (drums), Jason Roebke (bass) and Jeb Bishop (trombone). Jackson and Bishop play point/counterpoint throughout Seeing You See with beautiful results. "If You Were" is a great example of their scintillating stylistic duel. This is aided by the subtle rhythms of Roebke and crisping (Billy Higgins-like) timing of Tanaka.

With the previous two albums exploring various themes and influences, Seeing You See approaches things from a slightly straight-forward free form of ideas and utilization of space. For me it's like listening to Giuffre's Free Fall. This is especially evident on "How-A-Low" a downtempo blues where the quartet maneuvers with gentle grace and beauty.

"Seeing You See" is rich with space and tonal structures that get bent in different directions by Roebke during a solo midway through the piece. The proceedings get jumping (slightly) with "Turns To Everything" where the group becomes one force of sound-in-rhythm with ripping chord changes and patterns that better experienced on headphones. "Word Made Flesh" a fierce composition which Frank Rosaly and Jackson have done as a duo previously, sounds even more venomous as a quartet.

"Close" silently takes you through a final journey a spacious undertones. This is led by Roebke's delicate bass lines and some wonderful and haunting movement from Bishop and Jackson (on bass clarinet) combined. Seeing You See really shows how Keefee Jackson has grown as a musician and more importantly a leader and composer.

Listening to the progression not just over these three records but over the course of the last decade in various groups encapsulates how significance Keefe Jackson has had on the Chicago scene. Among the new breed of Chicago improvisers, Keefe Jackson is becoming as prominent and as important as Ken Vandermark was a decade earlier. Keefe Jackson is a talent that everyone needs to start following if you haven't already. Start with the Delmark releases and then move forward to Seeing You See.

Scorch Trio

Scroch Trio (group; formed 1998)
Melaza (Rune Grammofon; 2010)

Raoul Björkenheim (guitar)
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass)
Frank Rosaly (drums)

Helsinki based, Scorch Trio have been active for over a decade now. All three members are successful musicians with various other bands and solo projects (most notably The Thing and Atomic). But Scorch Trio is no "jazz supergroup". This is a unit that functions flair and an intent on pulling at the boundaries of jazz.

Originally the group started with Paal Nilssen-Love on drums. He has recently left the band to continue his other projects. The even more versatile Chicago native, Frank Rosaly (who has preformed with Ken Vandermark, Jeb Bishop, Josh Berman and Keefe Jackson among others) settles into the kit chair for now. And the result are quite interesting for me especially.

I have to admit, I own all four Scorch Trio albums, but I haven't been totally convinced--that is--until today. I'm definitely not saying the previous records lacked anything. I think I wasn't hearing what I was supposed to hear (if that makes sense). With the their new album Melaza (Rune Grammofon), this trio has created a document with solid compositional structure that moves like a great rock/jazz album. Like Bill Laswell's Last Exit fused with Tony William's Lifetime and Mahavishnu, Melaza has really blown me away.

The title track "Melaza" really spells things out. It's a pounding bit of fusion that has all the elements you would want--swirling McLaughlin-esque guitar, deep wrenching bass lines and pulsating timing on drums. This is three minutes of bliss jazz rock bliss. "Fajao" is another stunner that truly how well Rosaly has integrated into the band. The interchanges between Rosaly and Björkenheim here are absolutely fantastic. "Raitru" displays the more improvisational and intimate side of the trio. Midtempo patterns with some nice individual colour expressed by the band members.

Melaza isn't going to be for everyone, but if you are fan of the above mentioned influences and especially if you are a fan of some of free jazz and eclectic releases from the venerable Rune Grammofon label, Scorch Trio is well worth investigating. This is bright, fun, electrifying stuff that's will turn your ear (possibly upside down).

Now I have to go back and sit with the previous three records and see where my ears went wrong. Talk to you all later. Enjoy...

This video is of the original lineup with Nilssen-Love on drums.

A New Vision Of Chicago: Josh Berman

Josh Berman (cornet; b. 1972)
Old Idea (Delmark Records)

Keefe Jackson (sax)
Jason Adasiewicz (vibes)
Anton Hatwich (bass)
Nori Tanaka (drums)

(photo: Jim Newberry)

Surprisingly, this is cornetist Josh Berman's debut album. But Old Idea (Delmark) shows a lot of strength from an artist who really is a veteran player on the Chicago scene. Josh Berman's resume is deep; with solid Chicago credentials that include Lucky 7s, Umbrella Music collective, Luzern Exchange, Exploding Star Orchestra, Fast Citizens and Rolldown (led by Jason Adasiewicz). So he has been around the block and in the circuit long enough. A first album really shouldn't be a surprise. Neither should it surprise anyone how fantastic Old Idea truly sounds.

On first spin Old Idea could sound like many of the other free jazz brass ensembles that have come out of Chicago in the last decade. Many emulating the power and creativity of the revered Ken Vandermark/Vandermark 5. But after closer inspection you realize that all of them stand apart quite nicely. And this quintet stand up forcefully well, all led on strength and direction of Berman.

Fueled by multiple inspirations ranging from the fellow Chicago native, Brad Goode, the late Bill Dixon, Miles Davis and Dave Douglas, Berman has created his own lyrical style which is both inventive as it is sensitive. His band has played together in various forms in the aforementioned bands since around 2001.

The beauty interplay throughout this group is phenomenal. On the opener "On Account Of A Hat" you can hear the mixture of improvisation, creativity and sensuality in the playing as each member slowly comes into the performance. Starting with Jackson and Berman on horns, Adasiewicz with Hatwich gently nimbling his way and resulting in Tanaka on drums mixing it up with Adasiewicz until Jackson and Berman come counterpointing back.

What sets Berman's Old Idea apart is the free sparse arrangements he written for this group. While it is definitely based in the Chicago Free Jazz tradition, it definitely utilizes the aspects of space and breath for the listener to jump in and absorb. On "Let's Pretend", one of my favourite new Chicago performers Keefe Jackson, delivers some near perfect phrasing that is muscular but delicate. Delivered in a Rollins-like model, Jackson moves the material along as Adasiewicz adds the spacey earth-tone elements to proceeding. As the piece strays into "Out There" territory, Berman turns in a veracious yet cerebral performance that sort of tells you all you need to know---this cat is bold, serious and highly engaging.

The ballad "Almost Late" is a lovely piece led by Adasiewicz's moody Dave Pike meets Bobby Hutcherson momentum with swathes of rhythmic beauty from both Tanaka and Hatwich with Berman and Jackson combining to add some lush overtones. "Almost Late" is a exquisite piece of writing that had me coming back to this track over and over.

There are three short pieces entitled "New Year (A, B and C)" spread across the session that demonstrate the duo and collabrative efforts of the members within Berman's material. While the three pieces are different, they definitely show top-notch musicianship of the players. Particularly New Year C in which the full band add elements of space, colour and subtle improvisation that make it an absolutely beautiful way to close out a great recording.

Overall, Old Idea is an album highlighted by veteran performers with a leader in Josh Berman who's absorbed a lot over the last decade and it's finally made its way into the studio. This is an awesome debut if you want to call it that. Chicago has a rich tradition of Free Jazz artists. It's sometimes very hard to know where to start; I think Josh Berman is a great, creative and accessible way to dig your ears in for a taste of an artist with true vision for the future. I hope that he continues to strike out on his own in addition to the performances with his collective in Chicago.

Lucky 7s: Chicago/New Orleans Big Beat

Lucky 7s (group; formed 2006)
Pluto Junkyard (Clean Feed; 2009)

Jeff Albert (trombone)
Jeb Bishop (trombone)
Josh Berman (cornet)
Jason Adasiewicz (vibes)
Quin Kirchner (drums)
Matthew Golombisky (bass)
Keefe Jackson (sax)

Lucky 7s are an incredible ensemble that has somehow merged the vibrant, gritty and ethereal aspects of both their native cities (Chicago and New Orleans) into an intoxicating yet accessible concoction that is well worth seeking out.

Developed by Jeb Bishop and Jeff Albert in 2006--featuring fellow chicago members from other bands, they then were joined by Matthew Golombisky and Quin Kirchner who migrated to Chicago, originally to perform with the others members on a few dates. This turned into a full-fledged band later that year.

Lucky 7s has a similar sound in line with other Chicago bands (Vandermark 5, Exploding Star Orchestra, Chicago Underground, etc.) but this group seem to find another way to turn what looks similar into something completely different. A well balanced and well placed focus on driving brass rhythms combined with spacey free from atmospherics sets this ensemble apart from its Chicago neighbors (of whom some members do belong actually).

The band debuted in 2006 with Farragut (Lakefront Digital), a fierce attack of complex arrangements and mood changes that made clear that Jeb Bishop and Jeff Albert were terrific song writers outside the groups they performed in regularly. While Lucky 7s is loosely led by Bishop and Albert, each member is allowed to express themselves in this septet.

Pluto Junkyard (Clean Feed) is the groups second album and advances the sound and structures even further. The album is jubilantly moved along by the perfection of Jason Adasiewicz on vibes and stellar work by Keefe Jackson on sax. Adasiewicz adventurous other world soundscapes and Jackson's muscular dexterity add real colour to the proceedings as apparent on "Culrual Baggage" and "Future Dog".

The somber yet beauty "Afterwords" is an emotional meditation on the originals of the band--developing as a result of members Albert, Golombisky and Kirchner moving to Chicago after Hurricane Katrina. This is well documented if you already follow the band it is significant in that the roots of both New Orleans and Chicago jazz live harmoniously through Lucky 7s. "Afterwords" displays this richly through the what could almost be journey walking down a New Orleans street in the aftermath. The basslines from Golombisky are haunting and easily detached you from session to fill you emotions of sorrow and the hope that follows.

"The Dang Hang" is smoldering piece as the liner notes state based around a late night bender possibly? Either way, its a fantastic divergence for the album in a more hyper-rock, free jazz mode. It's fun and show the band can really let rip when it needs too. The always reliable and creative Jeb Bishop takes up electric guitar for this piece with unbelievable results. But "The Dang Hang" has so many changing parts it makes for fascinating listening. The trombone interaction with Adasiewicz's vibes is beauty laid in the middle of the piece and resets the band for a nail-biting conclusion.

"Sunny's Bounce" is nice ode to psyched out sounds that influence Lucky 7s (mainly being Sun Ra) but also the New Orleans legends take flight here as well. It's a gentle midtmepo number creating number hip patterns that will keep your feet tapping but with an interchanging of "what was that note" mixed in. "Sunny's Bounce" is jumping, fresh, but yet interwoven with enough free thought that is not just a homage as it is a statement of intention.

Lucky 7s hopefully is a group that these members will continue to come back to in addition to their usual gigs. Pluto Junkyard definitely stands apart from its Chicago counterparts as a vehicle infusing the roots of two great jazz towns but it also show the immense talents of the entire outfit. This band could easily be making as many records as V5 or CU in the coming years. If you get a chance definitely venture out Lucky 7s..

Exploding Star Orchestra: Stars Have Shapes

Exploding Star Orchestra
Stars Have Shapes (Delmark; 2010)
Rob Mazurek (cornet, electronics) Matt Bauder (clarinet, sax)
Jeb Bishop (trombone) Jason Stein (bass clarinet)
Nicole Mitchell (flute, voice) Jason Adasiewicz (vibes)
Greg Ward (sax) Matthew Lux (bass)
Josh Abrams (bass) John Herndon (drums)
Mike Reed (drums) Damon Locks (word rocker)

Exploding Star Orchestra is a rotating ensemble led by cornetist Rob Mazurek, a free jazz fixture on the Chicago scene. ESO is one of many groups Mazurek heads up including The Chicago Underground Trio/Quartet, The Chicago Underground Orchestra, Isotope 217, Tigersmilk and the Rob Mazurek Quintet. Stars Have Shapes is an album I couldn't put back on the shelf. Each day for two weeks I would stop and think about one of the songs and remember a passage that I had to hear again. I kept thinking to myself, "wait a minute, there's something else going on here."

Stars Have Shapes builds on the previous efforts of ESO "We Are All From Somewhere" and two self titled albums featuring the late Bill Dixon. Each of these albums circles around the slow ascension of found sounds. In the case of Stars Have Shapes it is rain from the the Amazon, various field recordings and sound manipulation of basic woodwind instruments. The comparisons to the latter material of Coltrane (especially his epic "Ascension"), Sun Ra and even the Detroit collective led Phil Ranelin, The Tribe, are right in discussing. But these legends are only the foundation on the which Stars And Shapes might use to catapult into the stratosphere.

Opening with the episodic journey "Ascension Ghost Impression #2, for me reminiscent of the larger ensemble pieces of Alice and John Coltrane, Mazurek states the case that outing is clearly spiritual trip inward for the listener. Mazurek took the listener on a similar path with "Cosmic Tomes For Sleep Walking Lovers" from the We Ar All From Somewhere. It's a piece that builds and moves through hypnotic and caustic with relative ease. As I mentioned the piece is lengthy (20 minutes) but you quickly get swallowed by wonderful world Mazurek and the musicians have built that you never notice the songs length until you move into the more groove laden beat of "ChromoRocker."

"ChromoRocker" is the shortest piece on Stars Have Shapes but is has beat led by Jason Adasieicz (vibes) and Josh Abrams (bass), two other Chicago stalwarts, that's fast paced, exploratory and shifting in melody.

"Three Blocks Of Light" is the second long player on this never ending journey. It's patterns are a more electronic and densely focused with the ensemble setting a more ethereal tone throughout. There are muted trumpets, tone pitches, insect noises and other manipulated reconstructions are making for some highly inventive listening.

The final piece "Impression #1" is slightly more structure with delicate pulsating touches from Adasiewicz and some rich playing from the horn section. It's a slow moving ballad. Almost gospel like in nature but with a very cerebral tone.

Mazurek's writing and direction on throughout this piece and the entire recording is teeming with originality and diversity. Mazurek dedicates the Stars Have Shapes to Bill Dixon and Fred Anderson, two of the most important avant garde icons to the Chicago scene. Rob Mazurek has turned Exploding Star Orchestrea into one of the most innovative and dynamic avant garde collectives of the new century. And I think both Anderson and Dixon would be extremely proud.