Tuesday, September 10, 2013

NEW RELEASES - THE INVENTIONS TRIO, JONAS KULLHAMMER, WEBSTER WRAIGHT ENSEMBLE

THE INVENTIONS TRIO - LIFE'S A MOVIE

Life's a Movie is the third project by Bill Mays' highly imaginative Inventions Trio, and his first recording for Chiaroscuro. Featuring the versatile and impeccable Marvin Stamm on trumpet, and the excellent young classically-trained and vividly swinging cellist, Alisa Horn, the Inventions Trio embodies the essence of synergy and masterful interplay that is so important to successful "chamber" jazz. The album is centered around an imaginary soundtrack - the title suite - that beautifully displays Mays' compositional and conceptual skills. There is also a heartfelt tribute to the immortal Bill Evans with a medley of four Evans' originals; a tour of Spain with the trio's version of Joaquin Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" (which earned a permanent place in jazz history through Miles' Sketches of Spain) and Chick Corea's own classic "Spain," inspired by the same piece; and a three-piece medley from the utterly unique Thelonious Monk.

JONAS KULLHAMMAR - LAT DET VARA

An incredible step forward for reedman Jonas Kullhammar – an album that's put together as a summation of his feelings after taking a brief break from the recording business – but which also stands as one of his greatest moments to date! We've always loved Jonas' music, but there's a sense of power and majesty here that we've never heard before – at least not this clearly – an unbridled love of jazz-based expression, served up with longtime partners Torbjorn Gulz on piano, Torbjorn Zetterberg on bass, and Jonas Hongersson on drums. The vibrancy of these players has been documented before on other recordings by the quartet, but there's really something special going on here – possibly because the album's slated to be the group's last (as might be guessed by the Let It Be cover image), but also just because Kullhammar's tenor work is so expressive, so personal, and at the same time, so much more straightforward than ever before – a sound that will definitely get him the attention we've been saying he deserves for years – one of the greatest voices on his instrument of the past few decades. All material is played by the quartet – save for the title track, which features a larger group with guests who include Goran Kajfes on cornet, Per Rusktrask Johansson on alto, and Janne Kullhammar on drums – and titles include "Alvsalavals", "KBT", "Fodelsedagen", "Julaftonsfan", "Domedagen", and "Lat Det Vara".  ~ Dusty Groove


WEBSTER WRAIGHT ENSEMBLE - NO LUCKY DAYS

A really stunning collaboration between Charles Webster and Peter Wraight – the former mostly known for his house music, the latter an arranger for the Herbert big band sessions – coming together here in a lush new sound that's totally their own! There's an expansive feel to the record that definitely lives up to the cover – a rich landscape of sound, but also a bit misty at times too – never just a straight representation of Wraight's jazz and soundtrack modes, and instead this very textured, painter-like approach to music – one that's shimmering with beautiful tones and soulful vocals from Emilie Chick and Paul Randolph. Webster handles the keyboards and samples, and Wraight conducts a large group with reeds, brass, and even a bit of harp – and the record's got a far-reaching sound that's very unique, but which might sit nicely next to projects by Cinematic Orchestra or Chris Bowden. Titles include "A World Of Fire", "Rise", "Storm Clouds", "Unexpected News", "Nature & Light", and "The Ruins Of Britain".  ~ Dusty Groove


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