Tastes Like Chicken

Marty Ehrlich’s Rites Quartet, Frog Leg Logic
Clean Feed

Marty Ehrlich – Alto and Soprano Saxophones, Flute
James Zollar - Trumpet
Hank Roberts - Cello
Michael Sarin – Drums

Marty Ehrlich is one of those unsung heros of modern jazz. He’s been a great player for years, but doesn’t seem to enjoy a consistently high profile. Other alto players, most notably Steve Lehman and Rudresh Mahanthappa, have gotten a lot of press in recent years. Ehrlich made a series of excellent albums for Enja in the nineties and early aughts, but I sometimes yearned for him to break loose a little more; he could be tasteful to a fault.

I’ve lost track of what he’s been up to the past few years, but he’s made a strong statement with Frog Leg Logic. The record is a perfect balance of memorable melodies, all by Ehrlich, with solos that straddle the inside and the outside. Ehrlich being Ehrlich, the blues is never far away in his sound. James Zollar is another under-recognized player who is excellent throughout, and it’s great to hear Hank Roberts' funky cello again. Michael Sarin is another name I don’t see quite as often as I did a few years ago, but he provides the drive and the nuance as needed.

If you’re a fan of mainstream-modern playing, you’ll like this. If you’re a fan of the avant-garde, you’ll like this.

New Cecil Taylor Live Recording

The Destination Out boys are making available, through FMP, a previously-unreleased concert by Cecil Taylor. From the site:

"Almeda (To Matie) features a previously unreleased concert by Cecil Taylor’s band from November 3, 1996. His large ensemble work has never been documented enough, so this is an especially welcome addition to his discography. The first three tracks feature different permutations of the group essaying musical variations of the theme. Although Cecil doesn’t play on these tracks, they offer a prime opportunity to focus on his skills as composer and bandleader.

The entire piece pulls together in the 36-minute final track, featuring Taylor at the piano, along with five horn players, Tristan Honsinger on cello, Dominic Duval on double bass, and Jackson Krall on drums. "

My week just got a little brighter...

A Fitting Tribute

Clare Fischer Orchestra, Extension
International Phonograph

Clare Fischer - Compositions, Piano, Organ
Various Musicians

This reissue of the 1963 big band date by Fischer, who died in January of this year, has been the topic of considerable conversation on the Organissimo forums. It's been lovingly remastered and released by Jonathan Horowitz of International Phonograph, the same label that has reissued Julius Hemphill's Dogon A.D. and Bill Dixon's Intents and Purposes. The debate has centered on whether this is a work of arranging and composing genius, or simply a well-crafted effort in line with other recordings of that period. I've listened to Extension about 4 times now, and I agree with the person who posted on Organissimo that it rewards patient listening. It sounded pretty "loungy" the first time through, partly because of the organ, which is probably my least favorite instrument. But repeated listenings reveals depth to the arrangements and some interesting voicings. I hear echoes of Gil Evans, but Fischer had his own style, based on this one piece of evidence. It's also interesting because the music draws me in, but I feel an emotional distance from it, some sense of remove. I think aspects of the recording, especially the closing "Canto Africano", mark it as a period piece. And I take points off for the organ. But overall, I like it and I'm glad I bought it.

From A Whisper To A Scream

Catatumbo, Catatumbo
Babel Label

Ingrid Laubrock - Tenor Saxophone
Ollie Brice - Bass
Javier Carmona - Drums

Ingrid Laubrock is often seen in the musical company of Kris Davis, John Hebert and Tom Rainey, but on Catatumbo she fronts a trio with bassist Ollie Brice and drummer Javier Carmona. Laubrock plays tenor throughout the date, recorded in November of 2010 at the Vortex in London. It begins a little tentatively, with Laubrock’s horn getting into dog whistle territory, but that quickly morphs into a more frantic section that shows an Evan Parker influence, somewhat unavoidable one supposes in this context. The group does a good job of negotiating through several peaks and valleys of intensity in what sounds like a freely-improvised set. Much of Catatumbo is played at less than full throttle, but this gives the group time to really investigate what is being played and respond to each other.

Laubrock varies her sound between extended techniques and a full-bodied tone, an approach reminiscent of Ellery Eskelin. I wasn’t familiar with the bassist or drummer; Brice has a meaty tone and a lot of ideas, and Carmona is also impressive with an approach that marries free jazz drumming with a dash of the “kitchen sink” school of Lytton and Lovens.

Babel Label has done a nice job with the presentation; purchasers receive a gatefold album, CD, and download. There’s a download-only option available as well. 

Steady Improvement

Kris Davis, Good Citizen
Fresh Sound New Talent

Kris Davis - Piano
John Hebert - Bass
Tom Rainey - Drums

Ms. Davis is fast becoming one of my favorite contemporary pianists. While I wasn't totally knocked out by her 2007 release Rye Eclipse, I could hear her potential. And to be fair, the harshness of Tony Malaby's playing on that recording, though I usually love what he does, had a lot to do with my reaction. Good Citizen is from May of 2009 and shows a quick progression. Davis can go inside or outside, and shares that Monk-Nichols-Hill lineage that is a favorite of mine. Of course, Hebert and Rainey give great support. Just over two months after this date, she went back into the studio with Ingrid Laubrock and Tyshawn Sorey and recorded Paradoxical Frog (Clean Feed), one of the best releases of 2010. She's one to keep an eye on.

Video for Airbag by Julio Resende Trio

Here's a video of the Radiohead song Airbag performed by the Julio Resende Trio, with photos by Ann LT: