Jason Moran - Black Star (Bluenote) - Featuring the wonderful Sam Rivers on sax. Moran is a very accomplished painist and the record is full of ideas. Gets better after several listens. Best tracks are Kind of Dukish and Out Front a Jaki Byard tune. Ultim ately too muc h going on and a bit disappointing really.
Greg Osby (Bluenote) Symbols of light. As above Ultimately needs editing of all the ideas. Also dont really get on with the strings.
Dave Douglas (Bluebird)- Witness. Bigger ensemble recording from DD and very complex recording. One long tune ( Mahfouz) features low growling Tom Waits vocals. Quite political concept album with dedication to various activists around the world. I rather like this one and will play it more. Very good vibes playing.
Vandermark 5 Accoustic Machine (Atavistic). Ken Vandermark is at the centre of the Chicago free music/improv scene. I saw this band live last week and they were superb. First up the record is far from free with some relatively straight ahead tunes. A f ew feature his h igh energy style blowing but even these are very accessible (I may be more immune to this than others) This is a great effort full of interesting ideas and great sounds ( Jeb Bishop superb on trombone). Anyone interested in the current j azz sce ne should check out this excellent record.
John Lindberg Ensemble The Catbird Sings (Black Saint). Featuring the wonderful Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet, Larry Ochs on sax, and the great Andrew Cyrille on drums. This also incorporates elements of freer jaz z but Lin dberg's work mig ht be best described as chamber improvising jazz. This is a truly lovely record and I have gone out and tried to buy all of his other stuff on Black Saint. For my taste among the best jazz music around today. Excellent and highly r e comme nded.
( Boring au dio note) Atavistic and Black Saint are independent jazz labels. The quality of recording is astonishing on these labels. The Lindberg record in particular captures the sound of his bass with uncanny brilliance.A truly brilli an t soun d on CD.
JohnnBng
