What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XIII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2017
2017 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread can be found here;
Clive B posted:Having rediscovered 'Don Juan's Reckless Daughter' last night, I thought a little more of Joni. Tonight I'm playing 'Turbulent Indigo' which I have decided is either my 4th or 5th favourite Joni album. First would be 'Shadows and Light' (naturally), followed by 'Hejira', 'Court and Spark' and the other album to challenge 'Turbulent Indigo' for the 4th slot would be 'The Hissing of Summer Lawns'. There you have it!
For me this would be number one.
With Cirklar, the Tingvall Trio, having received numerous awards, present their fifth studio album since the founding of the trio in 2003 alongside the live album "In Concert" from 2013. The cast of the Tingvall trio residing in Hamburg has remained constant over the years with the Swedish pianist Martin Tingvall, the Cuban contrabassist Omar Rodriguez Calvo and the German drummer Jürgen Spiegel. Another noteworthy constant is that all the predominantly melodious compositions performed by this jazz trio come from Martin Tingvall, who regularly backs out to the productive silence of his southern Swedish home town Snarestad. The pieces on Cirklar circulate around stories that life wrote, about very individual experiences of Martin Tingvall, such as experiences with his children. The listener, who is primarily concerned with music, and perhaps with the mood in which it was created, may be less interested in the personal background of the music than in its expression and in the quality of making music. And the new Tingvall album is overflowing therewith - not unlike its predecessors exuding highest improvisational art in typical, unmistakable Tingvall sound, shimmering between progressive and catchy jazz.
"Evighetsmaskinen" is a typical Tingvallian work mirroring as a microcosm the virtues of the trio embracing tremendous playfulness and nurturing a distinct sound. The piano refinedly builds up simple melodies to modify them modestly in an exceedingly lively and very fresh manner. Nordic melancholy now and again attracts attention. Quietly the song dies away. A masterpiece of jazz. What a trio!
Anyone who expected "Skånsk Blues" being a heartbreaking blues, coming along melancholically in the kind as originally practiced at the Mississippi Delta and at Chicago, will learn to be completely wrong. A "blues" can hardly be intoned and passed through more life asserting than in this case. Maybe this is the Scandinavian way of singing the blues preferred by the Tingvall Trio in Cirklar. In the title song, the bass has the opportunity to a detailed solo, which is a rather rare event for the Tingvall Trio preferring the habitus of attaching importance to a continuous flow of music. The short "Det Gröna Hotellet" acts gloomy and sufficiently melancholic like a Scandinavian counterpart of the Chicago blues. "Tidlös" exudes sheer optimism very well blatantly served by the piano. In "Karusellen" we find the trio in a very good mood after a thoughtful, rather introverted "psalm", even in a decided champagne mood. Ultimately, Cirklar culminates in "Elis Visa", whose untroubled, graceful melody is presented by the trio loosely and easily just like a top chef presents as the last course of a masterfully successful menu, an airy soufflé. We can look forward to what the team of the formidable Tingvall Trio, under the guidance of his top chef Martin Tingvall will present as next delicious menu.
Tingvall Trio
This is a really wonderful collection. I have had it for many years but I understand that it was only available for a matter of weeks as GA had no involvement in its issue and sued Polydor as soon as it was released. He didn't want the demos issued etc. A great shame as they are really good and the whole collection is a great blues/southern soul collection. I am told it goes for silly money as a result.
Dieter Ilg (bs) Rainer Bohm (pno) Patrice Heral (drs)
It is well over half a century since The Jacques Loussier Trio launched the first of their forty plus Bach themed albums upon the world. Although the French pianist enjoyed huge commercial success with the project, he had to bear the wrath of most critics and others within the music world. It is very unlikely that either fate will fall upon this trio of highly talented contemporary jazz musicians. The leader and bass virtuoso Dieter Ilg is from Offenburg in Germany. A graduate of The Manhatten School Of Music famed for his duo performances with saxophonist Charlie Mariano, solo projects and work with US heavyweights Mike Stern, Bob Berg and David Leibman. He also has fourteen albums to date under his own name. For the Bach project(s) he has called upon his fellow countryman, the award winning pianist Rainer Bohm who is a lecturer for the instrument at The Mainz University in Mannheim as well as the recipient of The New German Jazz Prize as soloist of the year for 2016. Completing the trio is drummer Patrice Heral from Montpellier in France who is one of the busiest rhythm players on the scene and has recently appeared within bands led by trumpet players Markus Stockhausen and Tomaz Stanko.
It is often said that "You cannot play jazz without playing Bach". This may well be so, but the problem could be where and when to improvise whist at least interpreting in some way the sentiments that the father of western classical music intended. Mr Ilg overcomes this problem perfectly by prefacing the title of each piece with the very important words "inspired by". Listeners will find that Rainer Bohm processes an exquisite touch on the keys, ideal for interpreting this music, while the leader's bass is strong and searching adding the jazz feel to proceedings. The drummers decorative cymbal work also complements the musical soundscape well. There is certainly more variation than improvisation throughout, but at the same time the excellent musicianship more than keeps interest alive. The four "Goldberg" pieces, the two Praludium's plus the strong melody of "Air" adapt best to the format. The technicality and structure here will certainly appeal to those with a good knowledge of Bach, although other ears may find the recording a little cold and academic.
Now playing.......
George Michael - Ladies & Gentleman
Something slower and mellow for the start of this Wednesday Morning.....
lutyens posted:
This is a really wonderful collection. I have had it for many years but I understand that it was only available for a matter of weeks as GA had no involvement in its issue and sued Polydor as soon as it was released. He didn't want the demos issued etc. A great shame as they are really good and the whole collection is a great blues/southern soul collection. I am told it goes for silly money as a result.
Totally agree with you great collection of demos etc and yep it goes for big bucks. Lucky I have a copy.
Listening to each disc in order.
I can still remember the first tiome I heard Albatross.
Quite engaging album...
On vinyl...
On CD:-
Kaipa - Children of the Sounds
Followed by more PT, Fear of a blank planet...
On vinyl...
On CD:-
Kamasi Washington - Harmony of Difference
(1981)
Seen a couple of posts recently on here from people listening to Van the Man (Duets) inspired to give this brilliant album from August 1973 one of his classic periods 1968 - 1977.
CD
On vinyl...
(1979)
I always preferred Fleetwood Mac with Greeny but this is my favourite of theirs after he had left.
Sean Rowe - New Lore
Yes, this old chestnut.
Great stuff!
Stevee_S posted:
(1979)
I always preferred Fleetwood Mac with Greeny but this is my favourite of theirs after he had left.
I remember having a promo copy of this a week before it was issued and we were told it had to be played everyday whilst in work. Got sick of it for awhile.
Still think it would make stunning single dics album.
I have posted this a few times here and have usually said if you are a Mellencamp fan you should get a copy.
This is a boot but recorded live in the studio before his 92 tour.
Trust me look out for it you won't regret it if you are a Mellencamp fan as he could have released this as a live album it is that good an album and the sq is good to.
