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Music > South Africa > Jazz
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Evolution
(CD)
Fonda, Stevens Group the
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R500
Discovery Miles 5 000
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Out of stock
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This recording catches bassist Joe Fonda and pianist Michael
Stevens leading their legendary quintet in a compilation of three
different European concerts. Fonda and Stevens wrote all the pieces
on this CD, which also features new music trumpeter Herb Robertson,
drummer Harvey Sorgen, and alto saxophonist/clarinetist Mark
Whitecage. While most of these performers are identified with the
freer styles of jazz, Evolution is a chance to hear them in a
diversity of contexts. "Song for my Mother" is a lovely, lyrical
ode that encompasses melodic invention and avant-garde playing.
"Birdtalk" is dedicated to Charlie Parker and offers some rare bop
soloing by Robertson. The head of "Second Time Around" was written
only with rhythmic notation, but without predetermined pitches.
"Strayhorn" is a moving remembrance of the titan arranger that
stretches as it looks back. Robertson and Whitecage are
particularly strong performers throughout and clearly enjoy the
variety of moods and tempos. While the recording suffers somewhat
from poor sound quality, the outstanding musicianship clearly
compensates. ~ Steve Loewy
Behind Tales of Love and Death lies a simple idea that had rarely
been put to such convincing use: to bring together jazz and
operatic singing. Eugenio Colombo brought his current quartet to
the studio (Colombo on saxophones and flutes, Gianni Lenoci on
piano, Ettore Fioravanti on drums, Bruno Tommaso on bass) along
with Micaela Carosi, Masha Carrera, and Elisabetta Scatarzi, three
classically trained opera singers. Tales of Love and Death
comprises two Colombo compositions: "Toxon," based on a scene from
The Odyssey, and "Giuditta," based on the apocryphal Book of
Judith. A Colombo/Tommaso improvisation serves as an interlude.
"Toxon" opens on a jazz-rock number very reminiscent of Canterbury
prog rockers Hatfield and the North, but soon the music shifts to a
ground where contemporary classical, Verdi, tango, and avant-garde
jazz meet. Inspired by the ancient themes of Greek Gods and the
Bible, Colombo embedded his music with some of the spirit of
ancient ritualistic music, both profane and sacred. The listener
catches references (actually, more moods than references) to
African tribal music, Italian pagan songs, and religious chants.
Therefore, the music shifts from solemn to cheerful, but always
remains deep and somewhat serious. More than a genre exercise, this
is breakthrough material, genre-bending, ears-opening. The only
comparable work would be Canadian singer Karen Young's "Canticum
Canticorum," where she blended Arabic traditional music with jazz
and contemporary classical in a large-scale work based on this book
from the Bible. The idea was similar but the results are quite
different, with Colombo being jazzier and avant-gardist. Strongly
recommended, especially for jazz listeners with an ear for operatic
voices. ~ Fran‡ois Couture
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Nature Morte
(CD)
Nabatov Quartet Simon, Simon Nabatov
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R500
Discovery Miles 5 000
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Out of stock
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"Nature Morte" is the title of a poem written in 1971 by Joseph
Brodsky. He and pianist Simon Nabatov were both born in Russia and
later resettled in America. Nabatov took the ten-part poem, a rich
conjuration of life and death, and wrote what can only be described
as an ambitious song cycle, even though the fact that Phil Minton
sings it means one must stretch his usual definition of the word
"song." Trombonist Nils Wogram and saxophonist Frank Gratkowski
(also heard on clarinet, bass clarinet, and flute) complete this
impressive quartet. Nature Morte is a work of symbiosis, first
between Brodsky's words and Nabatov's music, then between the music
and the very talented musicians, the words and Minton's
interpretation of them (both intellectual and physical), Minton's
interpretation and Nabatov's. One immediately thinks of the
singer's Mouthful of Ecstasy, another quartet which rooted in
literature (this piece used excerpts from James Joyce's works). But
the two pieces stand very much apart: Nature Morte is less
improvised, abstract, and arid, a lot more soulful, gentle, and
organized. Minton's voice goes from warm ("Part 8") to guttural
(his solo at the beginning of "Part 9"). Nabatov's piano provides
the backbone of the music, with his complex chords and rhythm
patterns framing the songs, while Gratkowski and Wogram dialogue
with each other and develop the harmonic contents. A peak is
reached in "Part 4," where an insisting motif clashes against
Minton's idiosyncratic vocal improvisations. This Nature Morte is a
thing of beauty, revealing itself a little more at every listen.
Very strongly recommended. ~ Fran‡ois Couture
This fourth effort is by far Not Missing Drums Project's best album
to date. While the previous ones tended to lack focus, multiplying
short tracks, guest contributors, and approaches, The Gay
Avantgarde has a clear purpose. Joachim Gies (saxophones,
keyboards) and Thomas B”hm-Christl (cello, keyboards) have
selected texts from the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, particularly
those pertaining to music, and set them in contexts that add an
interpretive dimension. The lineup is restricted to six musicians:
the two leaders plus trombonist J”rg Huke, bassist Matthias Bauer
(who also doubles as speaker), Alex Nowitz (voice and effects), and
mezzo-soprano Ute D”ring. The ten pieces take the general form of
a contemporary song cycle, with D”ring occupying center stage.
Each track offers a different dosage of certain basic elements:
composition versus free improvisation, contemporary classical
versus jazz, acoustic (two horns, two strings) versus electronic
(keyboards and treatments), singing versus speaking, legibility
(written text) versus gibberish (vocal improvisation). If this
breakdown sounds mechanical, the music doesn't. Nothing is stated
in black or white; the interest of each piece resides in the
displacements on these various axes and how a whole set of choices
enriches the philosopher's aphorisms. It's simply brilliant, both
as concept and result. Luckily, the booklet includes English
translations. ~ Fran‡ois Couture
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Disambiguation
(CD)
Karayorgis Pandelis & Mat Mane, Mat Mane
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R495
Discovery Miles 4 950
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Out of stock
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This recording session involving leaders Pandelis Karayorgis and
Mat Maneri along with their supporting cast (Tony Malaby, Michael
Formanek, and Randy Peterson -- all musicians they had both worked
with before) was put together hastily. It falls to the jazzmen's
credit that Disambiguation sounds so unforced and rehearsed, and
flows so naturally. The pianist and violist know each other well
enough to share a level of comfort that often finds improv
musicians turning lazy and remaining on previously charted ground.
If this quintet doesn't explore new, cutting-edge territories, it
sure can't be accused of laziness. Karayorgis came up with five
loose compositions: heads and sub-group sequences (a bass/piano
duet here, a trio section there, etc.). The group members made the
music their own (rather than "learned" it) and recorded it as if
they had been playing it for years. Nothing here stands out of the
ordinary: the pianist's tumbling lines, Maneri's deep viola lines,
the rhythm section playing in and out often at the same time.
Detractors of free jazz will say that this has been done before,
and so forth. But these five players do it well, more than that
they do it casually. Unpretentiously, like it is their everyday
bread and butter, they pour their hearts and souls into Karayorgis'
post-bop themes (that Monk signature again in the opening theme of
"Three Plus Three"), break down their sound into every possible
combination of players to show everything they can do, and bring it
softly "Home" in the end. All in a day's work, right?
Disambiguation is the work of professionals still thrilled by what
they do. ~ Fran‡ois Couture
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Healing
(CD)
Fonda-Stevens Group
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R496
Discovery Miles 4 960
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Out of stock
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This version of one of the great and often underappreciated jazz
groups of the modern era features trumpeter Herb Robertson with the
usual all-star rhythm section of bassist Joe Fonda, pianist Michael
Jefry Stevens, and drummer Harvey Sorgen. The co-leaders share the
responsibility for the compositions and arrangements, the intricacy
and delicacy of which are a large part of what gives this group its
distinct character. If the sensitive nature of some of the pieces
causes anyone to question whether any of these players have chops,
Fonda wrote the riveting "Fast," for an uplifting, blistering
workout. Robertson is the sort of brass player who sends up an
endless array of spidery, rubber phrases that wail with the
authenticity of a laughing coyote. Favoring mutes and always
throwing in touches of humor, the trumpeter impresses with his
agility, range, and command. One strength of the quartet is the
ability and willingness of each of its idiosyncratic members to
subordinate to the ensemble sound. Fonda is a gas when he sings
lightly while his fingers bounce along in solo, while co-leader
Stevens' more abstractly intellectual approach adds a classically
infused element, tempered by his sense of swing. The quality of
sound is a bit subpar on the three live numbers, but overall this
is another highly satisfying outing from this outstanding ensemble
that bills itself as the Fonda-Stevens Group. ~ Steven Loewy
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LIVE
(CD)
GRUPA JANKE RANDALU
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R394
Discovery Miles 3 940
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Out of stock
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