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Honey Ear Trio – Swivel – Little (i) Music

by Audiophile Audition | Nov 14, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

A piano-less trio which combines electronics, a post-bop inclination and a modern jazz outlook. Honey Ear Trio – Swivel – Little (i) Music 616892358541, 54:32 [10/21/16] ****: (Jeff Lederer – tenor and soprano saxophone; Rene Hart – acoustic bass, electronics; Allison Miller – drums, percussion; Kirk Knuffke – cornet (tracks 3, 6, 10)) The Honey Ear Trio is an improvisational jazz trio which sporadically and deliberately veers from typical jazz territory. The threesome’s sophomore album, Swivel, is well named. This nearly-hour long, 11-track outing unpredictably goes in directions where jazz typically doesn’t go. Honey Ear Trio consists of saxophonist Jeff Lederer, bassist Rene Hart, drummer Allison Miller plus guest cornetist Kirk Knuffke (who is heard on three pieces). Honey Ear Trio’s 2011 debut, Steampunk Serenade, featured saxophonist Erik Lawrence and the album displayed a modernist outlook. Swivel continues that viewpoint and Lederer (who joined Honey Ear Trio in 2013) fits right in. Each member of the trio has extensive experience in jazz, improv music and other genres. Miller heads a jazz group, Boom Tic Boom, and has backed singer-songwriters Ani DiFranco and Natalie Merchant; Lederer fronts the jazz ensemble Brooklyn Blowhards and is part of the Matt Wilson Quartet; Hart […]

The Girshevich Trio featuring Eddie Gomez – Algorithmic Society – Tapestry

by Audiophile Audition | Oct 4, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

The Girshevich Trio featuring Eddie Gomez – Algorithmic Society – Tapestry 76026-2, 59:34 ***: A release that has coherence of approach and concept. (Vlad Girshevich – piano, synthesizers/ Aleks Girshevich – drums/ Eddie Gomez – acoustic bass) Baroque music is a particular classical style that lasted for a period of 150 years from 1600 to 1750. Its principal feature, tonality, was an approach to writing music in a particular key. Vlad Girshevich writing in the liner notes to Algorithmic Society acknowledges that the underlying framework for some of this musical excursion is the Baroque period. While not necessarily a concept album, there is a central musical construct that is musically identifiable. Of particular interest on this recording is bassist Eddie Gomez. A most compelling accompanist, Gomez spent eleven years with the Bill Evans Trio, starting in 1966 where he filled the long void left by bassist Scott La Faro who died in 1961. His big tone and expressive solos are a singular feature to the compositional work of pianist Vlad Girshevich starting with the opening track: “Healing The Chaos”. Bursting with requisite vigour, the music is supplemented with a string section that adds a tonal depth that is accentuated by […]

Antonio Ciacca Quintet – Volare, The Italian American Songbook – Cellar Live

by Audiophile Audition | Aug 21, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Antonio Ciacca Quintet – Volare, The Italian American Songbook – Cellar Live CL101815, 55:31 ***: A mostly robust and assertive session. (Antonio Ciacca – piano; Paul Gill – acoustic bass; Peter Van Nostrand – drums; Cory Weeds – tenor saxophone; Benny Benack III – trumpet & vocals) The Italian word Volare means “to fly” in English. It was the title to a popular song of the same name with a sub-title of ‘nel blu di pinto di blu‘ ( translated as “in the blue that is painted blue”). Composed, recorded and sung by Domenico Modugno, it won a Grammy in 1958 for record and song of the year. Although the other tracks on this Volare release do not have Italian-sounding titles, their congruity comes from the composers. Pianist Antonio Ciacca who is originally from Foggia, Italy composed six compositions, Harry Warren (born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna) two numbers, and Frank Signorelli one. While the titling may be the thinnest pretension, the music itself is mostly robust and assertive. The trio of Ciacca/Gill /Van Nostrand open the session with the title track “Volare” in sprightly-swinging fashion and while Ciacca shows he has the chops to hold the tune together, he often falls […]

Roswell Rudd, Jamie Saft, Trevor Dunn and Balazs Pándi – Strength & Power – RareNoise

by Audiophile Audition | Apr 4, 2016 | Jazz CD Reviews

Multi-generational free improvisation. Roswell Rudd, Jamie Saft, Trevor Dunn and Balazs Pándi – Strength & Power [TrackList follows] – RareNoise RNR060, 64:35 [2/26/16] ****: (Roswell Rudd – trombone; Jamie Saft – piano; Trevor Dunn – acoustic bass; Balázs Pándi – drums) Two generations of free improv musicians come together on the 64-minute RareNoise release, Strength & Power. This collaborative quartet features 80-year-old trombonist Roswell Rudd, a veteran artist known chiefly for his work in the free jazz and avant-garde jazz scenes. He has had extensive connections to saxophonist Archie Shepp, pianist Cecil Taylor and saxophonist Steve Lacy. The much younger members are pianist Jamie Saft (who has performed and recorded with John Zorn, Bobby Previte and Merzbow; and led many of his own sessions); bassist Trevor Dunn (he became recognized in the 1990s as part of the experimental band Mr. Bungle, and in the 2000s in the equally outré group, the Melvins); and drummer Balázs Pándi (he has also been involved with Merzbow; was in the ensemble called Cuts of Guilt—with Sonic Youth co-founder Thurston Moore—as well as Metallic Taste of Blood and Slobber Pup). Strength & Power has been issued as a CD digipack; as a double vinyl LP; […]