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Back to British jazz with 3 albums by the legendary Brotherhood Of Breath – all live recordings:

This album collects three concerts recorded by the legendary British Jazz ensemble Brotherhood Of Breath, led by pianist / composer Chris McGregor. The first recording captures the ensemble in its early days (1971) whereas the other two come from four years later (1975), towards the end of the life cycle of the first edition of the band, which came to its end with the death of trumpeter Mongezi Feza just a month after the last of these concerts was recorded. The collective lineup (which changed slightly over time) includes: Harry Beckett, Marc Charig and Mongezi Feza – trumpet, Nick Evans, Malcolm Griffiths and Radu Malfatti – trombone, Mike Osborne, Evan Parker, Dudu Pukwana, Alan Skidmore, Elton Dean, Bruce Grant and Gary Windo – saxophone, Chris McGregor – piano, Harry Miller – bass and Louis Moholo and Keith Bailey– drums. It is interesting to compare the development of the ensemble over this relatively short time period and see how well integrated musically and spiritually the ensemble really was. Both the individual and collective improvisations are all breathtaking and the entire concert is an orgy of sound and musical creativity. A must to all British Jazz enthusiasts and definitely worth investigating for all open-minded music lovers.

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Back to British jazz with 3 albums by the legendary Brotherhood Of Breath – all live recordings:

The saga of the British ensemble Brotherhood Of Breath and their leader pianist / composer Chris McGregor stretches back in time and space to South Africa in the early-1960s, where McGregor founded the first mixed-race Jazz group in the country, the Blue Notes. For the Apartheid regime mixed-race groups were hardly a welcome activity and the group suffered many hardships and found it difficult to perform for the white public. In 1964 the group got permission to travel to Europe and eventually arrived in London, where they decided to stay. The Blue Notes played around UK initially as a sextet (McGregor – piano, Dudu Pukwana – alto sax, Nick Moyake – tenor sax, Mongezi Feza – trumpet, Johnny Dyani – bass and Louis Moholo – drums) and later as a quintet (after Moyake returned to SA). In spite of the fact that they were one of the most innovative and inspiring Jazz acts at the time, they never achieved proper recognition. The pioneering work of Jazz-World Fusion, with the emphasis on African music, which the group presented, was surely quite ahead of its time. By the early 1970s McGregor managed to form a large ensemble, combining the Blue Notes players with some of the most prominent British Jazz musicians of the time, which was called Brotherhood Of Breath. The resulting ensemble was surely one of the highlights of the British Jazz scene in the early to mid-1970s, offering an incredibly powerful stage act, which included a superb amalgam of modern Jazz, Free, Improvised Music and strong African music influence. The ensemble recorded but a few studio albums, but luckily many of their splendid concerts were recorded by radio stations and festivals, mostly around Europe, where they were always received warmly. This album documents a performance captured by the German Radio Bremen and is a superb example of what they were all about. The lineup (which changed slightly over time) includes: Harry Beckett, Marc Charig and Mongezi Feza – trumpet, Nick Evans and Malcolm Griffiths – trombone, Mike Osborne, Evan Parker, Dudu Pukwana and Gary Windo – saxophone, Chris McGregor – piano, Harry Miller – bass and Louis Moholo – drums. Both the individual and collective improvisations are all breathtaking and the entire concert is an orgy of sound and musical creativity. A must to all British Jazz enthusiasts and definitely worth investigating for all open-minded music lovers.

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I’ll take a short break from the British Jazz releases and present 4 albums by one of my all-time favorite musicians, the Polish genius Czeslaw Niemen. These are the 4 album Niemen recorded outside of Poland:

This is the 4^th and last album recorded by Polish singer / keyboardist / composer / lyricist / poet Czeslaw Niemen as part of his 4 albums deal with CBS. Following the recording and release of the first three albums in Germany, CBS decided to pass the torch to the parent company in US, Columbia Records, and this album was recorded in New York. Produced by one of Columbia’s resident producers Sol Rabinowitz, who had a lot of experience with Jazz-Rock, and surrounded by some of the best US players at the time, the album had all the potential to become a monster hit, but alas things turned out differently. The music world was obviously not ready to accept a non-English speaking artist to the hall of fame, regardless of how good he really was. The players on the album include (among others) Jan Hammer (drums), Rick Laird (bass), Steve Khan (guitar), John Abercrombie (guitar), Don Grolnick (keyboards) and another great Polish musician, violinist Michal Urbaniak. Niemen wrote all the music for this album, some of it new and some taken from his Polish releases. The sound quality and production are the best he ever had up to that point and the album is perfect in every respect, except perhaps for the producer’s effort to “Americanize” the final result in order to make it more accessible. This affected the slick sound the album (similar to many other Columbia albums at the time), but overall the album is an absolute knockout. Niemen’s complex, but beautiful melodies and his unique vocal delivery are completely unrivalled. The album’s title track (taken from the Polish album “Enigmatic”) gets here an absolutely stunning new arrangement, using a choir to deepen the already profoundly dramatic atmosphere of the suite. In short, this is a monster album, sadly overlooked at the time by Western music community, but a momentous achievement for one of the most unique Artists on this planet. One can not even imagine what one is missing not ever listening to this album. Essential listening!

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I’ll take a short break from the British Jazz releases and present 4 albums by one of my all-time favorite musicians, the Polish genius Czeslaw Niemen. These are the 4 album Niemen recorded outside of Poland:

This is the 3^rd album recorded by Polish singer / keyboardist / composer / lyricist / poet Czeslaw Niemen as part of his 4 albums deal with CBS. It was the last of the albums to be recorded in Germany and is the must unusual of all of his albums ever recorded. “Russische Lieder” (or “Russian Songs” in English) take Niemen back to his childhood and give him an opportunity to re-examine his musical roots. He was born is a small village in Bielorussia, near the Niemen river (his artistic pseudonym “Niemen” comes from that river’s name, his real name being Czeslaw Wydrzycki). His family was Polish (before WW II large parts of Bielorussia and Ukraine were part of the Polish State) and they immigrated to Poland in the late 1950s. As a highly sensitive and musical child, Niemen was exposed to a wide range of Russian music, both classical and folklore, which undoubtedly became deeply embedded into his musical personality and a well trained ear can often hear echoes of these influences in his later work. On this album Niemen performs 10 Russian folk songs, all arranged and performed by his own. He plays several instruments and overlays vocal tracks to achieve an effect of transcribing the original material into contemporary setting. Although almost completely detached from his usual Prog and Jazz-Rock output, this is a fascinating album, especially in view of the fact that the song’s musical treatment is highly original and unusual. Although some of Niemen’s fans found this album difficult to swallow, any sensitive music lover will recognize the artistic value of this recording. This reissue includes also 2 bonus tracks taken from the CBS single, which includes a single version of the “Strange Is This World” title track and a non-album track – both extremely rare. Definitely worth investigating.

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I’ll take a short break from the British Jazz releases and present 4 albums by one of my all-time favorite musicians, the Polish genius Czeslaw Niemen. These are the 4 album Niemen recorded outside of Poland:

This is the 2^nd album recorded by Polish singer / keyboardist / composer / lyricist / poet Czeslaw Niemen as part of his 4 albums deal with CBS. It was recorded in Germany (same as the debut CBS release “Strange Is This World”) and with the same musicians: Józef Skrzek on keyboards and electric bass, Antymos Apostolis on guitar and Jurek Piotrowski on drums, but without Helmut Nadolski, who returned to Poland. Skrzek, Apostolis and Piotrowski were about to form SBB soon after, and the album’s sound bears a strong resemblance to the early SBB albums as these sessions crystallized their sound and their unique approach to Jazz-Rock. Skrzek composed and co-composed several of the tracks present here, which of course emphasizes even more the process of the build-up of the trio as a future independent unit. Their parting with Niemen was unfortunately not a happy one, as he felt they were using his name and popularity as a vehicle for their success, but such incidents are of course quite common in the music world. Dominated by the Jazz-Rock attitude, the album presents some superb melodies and excellent musicianship, but is slightly less adventurous than its predecessor. Nevertheless it is as good if not better that most of the music created at the time by other Western European or American musicians. Niemen’s powerful music, his completely unique vocals and the virtuosity of his band create together a musical experience that stands the tides of time wonderfully and remains a superb achievement of Polish musical heritage. It goes without saying that the album is an absolute must for any Niemen fan, but most Prog and Jazz-Rock lovers anywhere in the world should be able to enjoy this great music.

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I’ll take a short break from the British Jazz releases and present 4 albums by one of my all-time favorite musicians, the Polish genius Czeslaw Niemen. These are the 4 album Niemen recorded outside of Poland:

Polish singer / keyboardist / composer / lyricist / poet Czeslaw Niemen was one of the greatest musical geniuses to come out of Eastern Europe. His extraordinary life and personality has been already a subject of several books, but much more will be written about him in the future, especially since he’s sadly no longer with us. Niemen and his music served as a lighthouse to generations of East European musicians, who had limited access to music recorded and released in the Western world. His prophetic vision and out-of-this-world talent enabled him to create a whole universe of music, which was so powerful, pioneering and light-years ahead of its time, that it single-handedly educated whole generations of musicians, who studied, copied and learned from the Master. With the release of his debut album in 1967 (entitled “Dziwny Jest Ten Swiat”, or “Strange Is This World” in Polish), Niemen was instantly crowned as the absolute monarch of Eastern European Rock, and his subsequent releases, which documented his faster-then-light development, were all absolute musical marvels, cherished and adored by fans and musical peers alike. Following his stellar career in Poland, Niemen tried to build up a career in the West. He moved to Italy, where he performed and released several singles, but his music was obviously way too advanced for the popular market. He did manage however to get signed by CBS Europe, with a contract to record 4 albums. The first 3 of these albums were recorded in Germany and the last in the US. This is the first of these albums and presents Niemen at his absolute best in every respect. With enough material written over the years for his Polish releases, Niemen selected just four of his most notable compositions, rearranging them musically and spiritually for the (then) present, including the translation of the lyrics into English and expanding the framework of the songs dramatically. The phenomenal quintet that recorded this music includes Niemen on vocals and organ, Józef Skrzek on keyboards and electric bass, Helmut Nadolski (a visionary Polish avant-garde musician) on acoustic bass, Antymos Apostolis (as the name suggests a Greek born Polish resident) on guitar and the extremely talented young drummer Jurek Piotrowski. People, who are somewhat familiar with the Polish scene, might know that Skrzek, Apostolis and Piotrowski were about to form SBB, the greatest Polish Prog / Jazz-Rock group of the 1970s, soon after leaving Niemen’s group. The music on this album is majestic and sublime in every sense – dramatic vocals, superb instrumental work, beautiful melodies and complex arrangements, all coming together just perfectly. Nadolski inserts some incredible avant-garde bow work and Apostolis supplies some of the hottest guitar licks ever recorded. It is extremely difficult to categorize this music as far as genres are concerned, as it constantly shifts between Prog, Jazz-Rock and even Free Jazz. Niemen was simply beyond any one single musical category, producing total music, which is eternal and always stimulating. In retrospect this music remains 100 % valid and relevant today, with very few examples of anything done then and since to rival its brilliance. Of course only very few people beyond Poland ever heard about Niemen, but that is definitely their problem. Beyond essential!

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Back to British Jazz with two new fabulous releases from the great Vocalion label:

Following the release of “October Woman”, British pianist / composer Michael Garrick and his quintet were asked to record a new album soon after. Unfortunately the original quintet member, trumpeter Shake Keane, left UK to join the Kurt Edelhagen’s radio Big Band in Germany – one of the best Jazz Orchestras on the continent – where he was to stay for the next four years. Garrick swiftly recruited a replacement, turning to his “half boss” (in the Don Rendell / Ian Carr quintet) trumpeter Ian Carr to step into Keane’s shoes with a few days notice just before the recording. Since his writing was becoming more complex and elaborate, Garrick also expanded his quintet into a sextet with the addition of saxophonist / clarinetist Tony Coe. Legendary saxophonist Joe Harriott, bassist Coleridge Goode and drummer Colin Barnes, the original quintet members, completed the lineup. The album includes all original music, composed by Garrick, with the exception of one arrangement of a George Gershwin tune. Of the 10 tracks present, 7 are played by the sextet and 3 by a piano trio, where bassist Dave Green replaces Goode. The music is absolutely marvelous, with Garrick’s writing reaching maturity and self-confidence. The performances are stellar, with Harriott playing perhaps more beautifully than on any other album. The entire album is complete uninterrupted musical bliss from start to finish and a remarkable example of early European Jazz of the highest quality. Even the most dedicated Garrick followers will have to admit that this is definitely one of his best achievements, a magic moment captured for posterity for us to enjoy and revere. Essential stuff!

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Back to British Jazz with two new fabulous releases from the great Vocalion label:

2^nd (and last) album by British multi-instrumentalist / composer Johnny Almond recorded under the Johnny Almond Music Machine moniker. Although recorded only a few months following the debut “Patent Pending”, it is a completely different affair, as the album was recorded in the US and all the musicians except Almond come from the US West Coast. The opportunity to record this album arrived, when Almond visited the US to perform at the 1969 edition of the Newport Jazz Festival with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Legendary producer Mike Vernon came up with the idea to record an album with Almond and some local musicians. For the recording session a rhythm section was assembled, which included organist Charles Kynard, legendary guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Neapolitan and drummers Earl Palmer / Joe Harris. On the front line Almond was paired with one of three saxophone players: Hadley Caliman, Curtis Amy and Vi Redd. He plays several instruments (as usual) – tenor and alto saxophone, flutes, organ and vibraphone. Almond wrote most of the music on the album, with just a couple of standards used. The result is a delightful, funky, soulful session with excellent music and some remarkable solos. Almond’s playing bears a distinctive European approach, which when consolidated with the American natural bluesy sound fits just perfectly. The album is much more jazzy that the debut and perhaps less adventurous, but nevertheless and excellent document of the fine music that was happening at the time and cross-pollination of musical ideas. Most warmly recommended!

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The Israeli Kadima Collective label just released two new albums, so here they are:

French bassist Joëlle Léandre is one of a relatively few women pioneers on the Free Jazz and Improvised Music scene to earn a legendary status. Her activities on the scene have brought her in contact with the most distinguished performers, both European and American (such as Anthony Braxton). She also worked in the field of contemporary Classical music with composers like Pierre Boulez and John Cage. Her partner for this recording is no other than another bass virtuoso – American born (but living in France since the early 1970s) Barre Phillips, one of the most esteemed Free Jazz and Improvised Music players, with a career stretching back to the 1960s and cooperation with such great musicians like John Surman, Derek Bailey, Paul Bley and many others. His ECM album with Dave Holland “Music From Two Basses” was the first bass duo recording (1971), which brings us to this superb duet. Excellently recorded by the French Radio, the music is a completely improvised set, full of beautiful conversations and exchanges between the players, who display almost telepathic contact. Full of deep feeling and lyricism, but always inspired by the fire and passion for the music, the duo performs some incredible music, which although demanding, is most enjoyable. It is a great example of how Improvised Music can stay being avant-garde in nature, but become mature and technically flawless. Highly recommended to lovers of acoustic bass and challenging musical experiences.

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The Israeli Kadima Collective label just released two new albums, so here they are:

2^nd album by Israeli Improvised Music quartet Tanaka, which consists of Adi Snir (soprano & tenor saxophone, clarinet), Roni Brenner (guitar), Michel Mayer (guitar) and Ofer Bymel (drums). These four young musicians play some of the most extreme Improvised Music I ever came across, which is pretty unique and astounding, but extremely difficult and uncommunicative. The music bears some resemblance to musique concrete, incidental music and industrial. The album consists of a series of 13 relatively short pieces and one extended performance, with the musicians using their instruments in completely unconventional manner and the overall result is very difficult to describe, especially to people who have no experience with hard-core avant-garde music. Nevertheless adventurous listeners might find this stuff fascinating and it does expand the borders of “music making”, which is always commendable. This stuff is for people, who are extremely open-minded and ready to test their intellectual capacity, regardless of the effort this requites.

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Rounding off the British Jazz new addition is the first on my site album by the legendary Tubby Hayes:

British Jazz legend Tubby Hayes was one of the greatest representatives of the genre and also one of the very few British musicians to get US exposure due to his frequent performances there. Although primarily revered for his tenor saxophone playing, he was also a superb flautist and vibraphonist. The bulk of recordings come from the period between mid-1950s to mid-1960s. By late 1960s Hayes became seriously ill and subsequently died (in 1973) at a ridiculously young age of 38. His musical legacy is of immense importance, as it laid the foundations for the European Jazz and its emancipation from the American Jazz tradition. His virtuoso playing and extraordinary sense of improvisation enabled Hayes to extend the be-bop tradition, established by Jazz giants like Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, into a new plane with added European sophistication and culture replacing the raw energy and often rage of American Jazz. This album is an extremely important document of Tubby’s magnificent performance, especially so due to the fact that it contains all previously unreleased recordings. The source of the music comes from the famous BBC “transcription service” recordings – a blessed initiative of the BBC to record British Jazz and subsequently broadcast these recordings on the BBC World Service stations around the world. These recordings were pressed on vinyl and distributed worldwide, but never released commercially. The album includes four such sessions, recorded for the Spanish-speaking listeners (see the announcements in Spanish) with his quartet, which includes Gordon Beck on piano, Jeff Clyne on bass and Johnny Butts on drums. The first three sessions are devoted each to a separate instrument and feature Hayes on tenor saxophone, vibraphone and flute. The fourth session features his playing all three instruments, each on a separate track. The recording quality is excellent (as is the remaster) and the result is a magnificent album, which deserves the title of a true classic of the British Jazz. The many fans of Tubby Hayes will find this album to be essential for their collections and it deserves a honorable place in any decent Jazz album collection. Genius at work!

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz and this time I’ll introduce a series of recordings by one of my all time favorites – pianist / composer Gordon Beck:

Pianist / composer Gordon Beck continues to perform and record as if time stands still for him and his music. At the age of 70 his piano playing is as energetic and flawless as it has been throughout his glorious career. This live recording at a Parisian Jazz club, captures Beck with his regular “French” trio (Bruno Rousselet on bass and Philippe Soirat on drums), expanded ad hoc to a quartet with the addition of saxophonist Pierrick Pedron. They soar through a set of standards, as appropriate for a club date and a first meeting with a new member, which BTW is not evident at all, since they sound as if they had time to rehearse together – a result of obvious skill and professionalism. There is nothing groundbreaking presented here, just some first class modern jazz, done extremely well by four superb musicians. Of course Beck’s playing is never ordinary and his exceptional skills can be enjoyed to the fullest. This album should be enjoyable to a wide range of Jazz listeners, with its highly spirited performances and familiar material. Beck’s followers will of course love this stuff.

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz and this time I’ll introduce a series of recordings by one of my all time favorites – pianist / composer Gordon Beck:

Pianist / composer Gordon Beck is one of the key figures in the history of British Jazz and this album is a great document of his vital input as one of the pioneers of modern European Jazz. Recorded quite spontaneously during an Italian tour of the last version of the European Rhythm Machine, of which Beck and the other two musicians present here: British bassist Ron Mathewson and Swiss drummer Daniel Humair, were members together with US saxophonist Phil Woods, who was living in France at the time. The entire recording session took just a few short hours and captures Beck and his colleagues performing two extended compositions, each of which occupied an entire side of the original LP. The first, written by Beck, is a Jazz suite in three parts with the opening and closing sections being relatively “straightforward” and the middle section open up to free group improvisation. The second was a completely improvised piece of Free Jazz, co-composed by the trio. The music is simply breathtaking, full if incredible interplay and magic moments, with virtuosi performances. This is Beck’s most advanced venture into Free Jazz (although only partially so), previously attempted only on the fabulous “Gyroscope” album, and therefore of immense historical importance. Although Beck usually stayed inside a more “conventional” Jazz framework throughout his career, his improvisational power is beyond reproach and his ability to operate in the Free Jazz realm is well proven by this album. Unfortunately this recording was know only to a very limited group of listeners, even the most dedicated Beck’s followers, so the CD reissue is most welcome. I’ve had this album for 36 years now and always regarded it as one of my favorite European Jazz releases, now others can also enjoy it. Brilliant stuff!

Side Note: The original LP was released on a small Italian Jazz label called Dire Records, owned by Tito Fontana. Fontana owned a recording studio in Milan, called Studio 7 (or studio Fontana), which was famous for producing soundtracks for the burgeoning Italian film industry. Tito was a dedicated Jazz buff and had a great taste and vision in Jazz. His produced and released some of the most incredible European Jazz albums in the early 1970s, which (as far as I know) were not reissued on CD so far (except this album), which is a great pity and a true tragedy. Italian Jazz fans should note that the legendary pianist Guido Manusardi recorded for the label, as did Claudio Fasoli and other great Italian Jazz musicians. Polish Jazz fans should note that both Zbigniew Namyslowski and Michal Urbaniak also made albums for the label. I remember visiting Tito in Milan in 1974 and spending a few lovely days with him, talking Jazz day and night, drinking Italian wines and coffee and eating some incredible food. He was a gentle, highly intelligent person with a rare and boundless love for the music, which we both shared.

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz and this time I’ll introduce a series of recordings by one of my all time favorites – pianist / composer Gordon Beck:

Pianist / composer Gordon Beck is one of the key figures in the history of British / European Jazz. His consistently excellent output, which now spans over four decades of activity, has always been a source of inspiration and a fountain of musical purity. The piano trio has always been Beck’s main vehicle for expressing his musical vision, starting with his early recordings as a leader in the late 1960s and continuing up to this very day. This album, recorded live at the Appleby Jazz Festival, captures his recent “French” trio with Bruno Rousselet on bass and Philippe Soirat on drums. Obviously in high spirits, they fly through a set comprised mostly of Beck’s originals, with just a couple of standards. Beck seems to be completely unaffected by his age and his technical capabilities are in fool blossom. Aided by the virtuosity of the bass player and limitless energy of the drummer, Beck is able to fly all over the keyboard with ease and elegance, developing his inspired improvisations with their aid. The unity and interplay between the musicians is remarkable, regardless of the age difference between them. A bonus track, recorded live at a Parisian Jazz club, closes the album. The album is an instant classic as far as Jazz piano trios are concerned, and can be listened to repeatedly, always revealing new facets of Beck’s genius. A must for all Beck’s followers and piano trio enthusiasts.

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz and this time I’ll introduce a series of recordings by one of my all time favorites – pianist / composer Gordon Beck:

Pianist / composer Gordon Beck is a living legend. Considered as one of the true forefathers of modern British and European Jazz, has been a source of inspiration and musical joy to Jazz connoisseurs since the 1960s. Fortunately for us, Jazz lovers, Beck continues his remarkable career, producing exquisite musical marvels, now in his 7^th decade. He seems to be untouchable by time and his playing is as vigorous and energetic, as it was 40 years ago. This marvelous solo piano concert brilliantly recorded by the BBC, portraits Beck, as he truly is – a romantic, gentle and highly intelligent musician with thousands of volts running through his magic fingers. The album is a tribute to the genius of Bill Evans, including one of his compositions and standards Evans often played. But it is way beyond just a tribute; it is a re-examination of the entire Jazz piano tradition, and even a reflection on Beck’s entire lifetime as a pianist. Although very much an innovator and ceaseless explorer, Beck never ignored the 100 years of piano playing by other Jazz piano giants. Therefore in addition to traces of Evans, there are subtle hints of such divers musicians as Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett and countless other piano players creating an amalgam, which in Beck’s hands become a unique new creation. Listening to the uplifting music could be one of the most enjoyable hours ever spent while listening to music and I wish every Jazz enthusiast would come across it. The album also includes a bonus track, which has Beck performing a composition by his life-long musical partner, guitarist Allan Holdsworth, who collaborated with Beck on many recordings. This album is an absolute must have for Jazz piano lovers of all ages, a work of rare sensibility and artistic perfection. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz and this time I’ll introduce a series of recordings by one of my all time favorites – pianist / composer Gordon Beck:

Pianist / composer Gordon Beck, one of the true forefathers of modern British and European Jazz, has been a source of inspiration and musical joy to Jazz connoisseurs since the 1960s. His formidable technique and more importantly overwhelming musicality are completely unique and unrivaled. This, his 4^th recording as a leader, deserves a special notice for many reasons. Stylistically it is somewhat atypical to Beck’s usual output, as it marks his exploration of “free form” Jazz, which was enjoying a period of unparalleled prosperity in Britain at the time this album was recorded, with momentous recordings by other British piano giants like Howard Riley, Michael Garrick, Keith Tippett and others. However, in Beck’s case the “free form” remains somewhat tamed by his immense love of melody, thus creating one of the most formidable examples of early European “free form”, which even the most conservative Jazz listener can easily savor. This is Beck’s genius, but the credit must also go to his two partners: bassist Jeff Clyne and drummer Tony Oxley. The trio plays here in complete unity, with telepathic interplay and cohesiveness. Clyne is a monster player, incredibly melodic and with a sublime sense of rhythm and Oxley is a complete genius, the most intelligent and technically proficient drummer to come out of the British Isles. This is a marvelous opportunity to hear Oxley’s work at the time he was still playing “time”, although of course in his very special way of doing so, with the “time” being felt rather that actually played, since he is all over his kit doing stuff that is not recommended to be tried at home. This album was originally released on the tiny Morgan Records (owned by the famous Morgan Recording Studios in London) and disappeared from the shelves soon after, becoming one of the British Jazz most sought after collector’s items. The reissue on Art Of Life brings back to life a masterpiece of immense importance, which is an essential piece of the complex musical puzzle created in Britain by the end of the 1960s. I can’t imagine any serious British / European Jazz fan not having this momentous recording in their collection. Beyond essential!

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It’s time to return to the British Jazz and this time I’ll introduce a series of recordings by one of my all time favorites – pianist composer Gordon Beck:

Pianist / composer Gordon Beck is one of the true forefathers of modern British and European Jazz; a pioneer and revolutionary in every sense and a giant musician, who managed to free himself from the boundaries imposed by the American Jazz tradition and take the music a step further to a new sphere. What is even more remarkable and amazing is the fact that in contrast to most British and European musicians, who took their emancipation from the rigors of the past towards Free Jazz and Improvised Music, Beck remained firmly within the seemingly “mainstream” form, playing melodically and in strict time, and yet so much “out there” that for people who are able to hear the difference it’s truly staggering. Beck first came to prominence when he joined the group led by British Jazz legend Tubby Hayes in 1962 and remained with him for several years as his regular pianist, performing and recording some of the most remarkable albums in the British Jazz history. Since 1967 Beck started to record as a leader and his trio became the “house band” of the famous Ronnie Scott’s London club. By the end of the 1960s he took part in the development of the British Jazz-Rock Fusion, playing with Phil Woods in the European Rhythm Machine and later with Nucleus. He became increasingly involved with other musicians from the European scene, especially with many French Jazz players (an association that thrives to these very days). His extensive discography accumulated over the years, both as leader and sideman, is a formidable body of work, which stands out as one of the most consistently excellent and creative. This album was Beck’s second (out of three) release on the tiny independent Major Minor label, which in time became one of the most sought after British Jazz collector’s items. For the recording Beck expanded his trio (Jeff Clyne – bass and Tony Oxley – drums) to a quartet, with the addition of no other that guitarist John McLaughlin, known at the time as “Johnny”. Apart from the fact that this is one of the very few early McLaughlin recordings, and therefore of immense historical value, the entire quartet is probably one of the strongest and most extraordinary European ensembles, pioneering the European approach of collective playing. McLaughlin’s brilliant arpeggios, Oxley’s prophetic time keeping away from time, Clyne’s innovative bass explorations and Beck’s flights all over the keyboard collectively create an new amalgam of sounds, taking the music to a new dimension, previously unexplored. How ironic, considering that the material consists entirely from Pop songs popular at the time (hence the album’s title), but in the hands of these players the music becomes truly experimental, as promised by the album’s title. The album’s producer Ray Horricks writes in the original liner notes: “This could be the most creative Jazz quartet album ever recorded in Europe… previous quartet recordings in London, or on the Continent, and including the best, have consisted of a rhythm section accompanying a leading soloist; whereas this one features a genuine collective development along lines which no other group, except Gary Burton’s in America, has yet proceeded”. How perceptive and prophetic… Kudos to Paul Kohler of Art Of Life Records for bringing this timeless masterpiece back to circulation. This music, 40 years after it was recorded, sounds better and more exciting than most of what one hears in contemporary Jazz. Absolutely essential!

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By complete coincidence I’ve met on Net the US guitarist Dom Minasi, a great musician, so I’ll introduce all his recordings on my site, as they have taken me by surprise and opened a window to his wonderful world:

This album is a result of a meeting of two kindred spirits, both guitarists / composers, who present a fresh and unique approach to Jazz and guitar playing. Danish guitarist Jon Hemmersam and his US partner Dom Minasi first met in 1994, but the friendship and mutual admiration had to wait for many years until it was finally documented on record. Each of them brought for the session one of their countrymen – Jon brought the drummer Kresten Osgood and Dom brought his faithful bassist Ken Filiano. The resulting quartet performs a set of originals written by Jon and Dom, all perfect vehicles for the amazing display of the guitar skills on both acoustic and electric guitars. The compositions vary from up-tempo modern Jazz with freely improvised passages to melodic lyrical ballads and bossa nova pieces. The emphasis is of course on the interplay between the two master guitarists, exchanging licks, chords and ideas spontaneously and complementing each other on the fly. The freer passages might be a bit difficult for a casual Jazz listener, but overall the album is full of great melodies, exceptional playing and musical interplay, enough to satisfy even the most demanding connoisseur. Guitar duets often evolve into a competition, with the musicians trying to frazzle dazzle each other in the process. There is none of that here – Jon & Dom simply play with each other rather that against each other, creating a total that is more than the sum of its parts. I hear a lot of the Gypsy Jazz heritage on that album, especially on the acoustic pieces, which was one of the first genres to feature a double guitar lineup. Listening to this album, with all the elegance and intelligent performances it contains, is a delightful musical journey, which I recommend wholeheartedly.

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By complete coincidence I’ve met on Net the US guitarist Dom Minasi, a great musician, so I’ll introduce all his recordings on my site, as they have taken me by surprise and opened a window to his wonderful world:

This momentous masterpiece by US guitarist / composer Dom Minasi is one of the most ambitious large scale avant-garde recordings I’ve come across since the turn of this Century. Although large scale avant-garde projects flourished in European Jazz in the late 1960s / 1970 (Keith Tippet and his Centipede ensemble, Mike Westbrook’s Orchestra and many others), the complexity, cost and logistics involved with such projects basically doomed the prospects for such recordings over time with the cultural climate and openness for such endeavors virtually disappearing. Therefore, before even examining the music as such, one must take one’s hat off to Minasi for pulling it all together. The album presents a concept Free Jazz suite, inspired by the writings of Ann Rice, to which Minasi was first exposed in the mid-1990s and since then was slowly building up his material for a large scale work on the subject of Vampires – one of the most mysterious and fascinating themes in our world of fantasy, legend and imagination. The last pieces of this complex work were completed just shortly before the recording actually took place. For the recording Minasi assembled a formidable gathering of his “regulars” - his trio members Ken Filiano on bass and Jackson Krall on drums, his DDT cellist Tomas Urlich, his singer wife Carol Mennie, his quartet member saxophonist Mark Whitecage and his former quartet member saxophonist Blaise Siwula. In addition he enlisted some of the most prominent names on the US avant-garde scene like Borah Bergman on piano, Perry Robinson on clarinet and others. A total of 22 musicians participated in the recording sessions for this album, including the conductor Byron Olson, who conducted the immensely complex big ensemble pieces. Describing the music is a task beyond any lingual skills – it is meant to be listened to rather that written about after all. I’ll only say that there is so much music here that it will take even the most experienced listener several listening sessions to start digesting this immense work. Moving between quiet contemplative moments and crescendos of expressionist power, the music tells a story, which each listener might interpret differently, but none can stay indifferent to. Even the most experienced Free Jazz and avant-garde listeners will find innovation and exploration of uncharted territory here, which in today’s music is such a rare commodity. It’s demanding, overwhelming, complex and intricate and at the same time communicative and deeply moving. A brilliant piece of modern music, which although known to few, constitutes a ray of hope in contemporary music, symbolizing the pursuit of new horizons by the few musicians, who still care about expanding them. Amazing stuff!

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By complete coincidence I’ve met on Net the US guitarist Dom Minasi, a great musician, so I’ll introduce all his recordings on my site, as they have taken me by surprise and opened a window to his wonderful world:

This quartet date by US guitarist / composer Dom Minasi is quite different from his two trio recordings, which brought him back from a quarter of a century long self-imposed exile from recording and stormed the Jazz world with his amazing performances. Together with Mark Whitecage on tenor saxophone, Kyle Koehler on organ and John Bollinger on drums, Minasi presents a laid-back session, which re-examines the Jazz heritage in a contemporary setting. Of the nine compositions included on here, three are re-workings of standards and the other six are Minasi’s compositions, all kept in the “spirit” of Jazz tradition. Minasi’s followers might find this approach surprising, but it is really quite natural for him to play more or less “straight ahead” Jazz, as long as he retains his unique guitar voicing, which of course he does with flying colors here. His delicate and ever so sophisticated solos are truly delightful, time after time, with traces of Wes Montgomery chords hidden under the surface. The other quartet members play along splendidly, with Whitecage and Koehler adding their tasteful solos, Koehler (when not soloing) supporting the perfect background layers and the basses (with his pedals) gluing the music together and Bollinger driving them all rhythmically. The retro sound of the organ is really delightful, at times somewhat resembling what Larry Young was doing in Tony Williams Lifetime. Playing “straight ahead” is a real challenge when the musicians want to retain the element of originality and creativity, which is exactly what happens on this album. For the less experienced Jazz lovers, who might find Minasi’s avant-garde work difficult to swallow at first, this is a great introduction to the magical word of his music. Grab it!

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By complete coincidence I’ve met on Net the US guitarist Dom Minasi, a great musician, so I’ll introduce all his recordings on my site, as they have taken me by surprise and opened a window to his wonderful world:

This debut album by US singer Carol Mennie, wife and life companion of guitarist extraordinaire Dom Minasi, is full of surprises. Stepping into the domain of extraordinary Jazz vocal heritage can be extremely risky and many vocalists failed miserably while trying. Mennie manages to avoid the precarious trap by doing the only thing an artist should do – rather that copying prior achievements by others she simply does her own thing. Her deep, sexy and seductive alto is clear and strong enough to carry any tune and she chose material that suits her vocal abilities perfectly. Of course a part of the credit goes to Minasi, who arranged the tunes and was the album’s musical director, as well as to the wonderful cast of contributing musicians, which includes Minasi’s “regulars” bassist Ken Filiano and cellist Tomas Urlich and other musical friends like Patience Higgins on reeds, Valery Ponomarev (ex-Art Blakey) on trumpet, Michael Jefry Stevens on piano, Jay Rosen on drums and Tom McGrath on percussion. Minasi’s guitar work is, as usual, superb, showing his deep knowledge of the guitar tradition and ability to play “straightforward” and still be unique. The material includes some favorite standards and five original Minasi’s songs (both music and lyrics), that are as good as the standards. The singer can be both deeply lyrical on the slow ballads and funny and humorous on the up-tempo songs, preserving her personal touch with elegance and gusto. The album is full of precious moments, beautiful instrumental solos and touching vocal delivery, which together create a piece of music that doesn’t try to be pretentious, yet is interesting, intelligent and highly unusual at all times. This is a kind of album that works both in rainy evenings and sunny mornings – a music for all seasons. I truly enjoyed this and honestly await Carol’s next album, hopefully sometime soon.

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By complete coincidence I’ve met on Net the US guitarist Dom Minasi, a great musician, so I’ll introduce all his recordings on my site, as they have taken me by surprise and opened a window to his wonderful world:

Listeners familiar with the two trio albums by US guitarist / composer Dom Minasi will find this, his 3^rd release on his own label CDM Records quite a surprise. It turns out that the uncompromising pioneer of avant-garde guitar has a romantic / lyrical alter ego, which is as refreshing and fascinating as his highly improvised output. In parallel to his regular trio, Minasi also leads a string trio called DDT, which includes his regular bass player Ken Filiano and the extraordinary cellist Tomas Ulrich. For this album the trio was expanded to a quartet with the addition of drummer John Bollinger and Minasi’s wife, singer Carol Mennie, makes a guest appearance on one track. The music Minasi presents here is mostly contemplative with an emphasis on melody and chamber ambience. Although the album starts and closes with a standard, all the rest of the tracks are by Minasi, revealing his exceptional strength as a composer. These beautifully sad and melancholic tunes are moving and penetrate straight to one’s deeper emotions. I find a lot of Gypsy elements here, hidden traces of Django Reinhardt and his fusion of Gypsy music and Jazz. This album is in many respects a continuation of that tradition, brought up to date by Minasi’s vision. The performances are, as expected, brilliant all the way: Filiano’s bass and Ulrich’s cello sound great both as accompaniment and when soloing, Minasi’s modern approach to guitar playing makes this music fresh and Bollinger adds exactly the right amount of delicate rhythmic ornament this subtle music needs. If Minasi’s avant-garde recordings might be just a bit over the top to an average listener, this album should be accessible to every music lover on this planet, even to people who don’t listen to Jazz on a regular basis, as it presents music that is basically beyond any specific genre and completely universal. Don’t even think twice!

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By complete coincidence I’ve met on Net the US guitarist Dom Minasi, a great musician, so I’ll introduce all his recordings on my site, as they have taken me by surprise and opened a window to his wonderful world:

2^nd album released on his own label by US guitarist / composer Dom Minasi and his trio with bassist Ken Filiano and drummer Jackson Krall. The album continues the direction of the wonderful tribute to Duke Ellington, as presented on their debut release, but adds in addition to the unique treatment of standards also original compositions by Minasi. This album was recorded in the studio, as opposed to the debut, and therefore is somewhat more laid-back, but none of the brilliance and virtuosity of the musicians is lost in the process. Minasi’s completely unequaled technique is evident every step of the way, with frantic runs over the scales and sublime chords. Filiano’s bass playing is also equally enthralling, and since he serves as the backbone of the trio with his impeccable timing and superb bow work, he is an ideal partner allowing Minasi the freedom to explore his improvisations. Krall is also an ideal drummer for this kind of music, being able to supply the rhythmic ornamentation without trying to impose the pulse. The level of interplay and telepathic communication between all the three musicians is awe-inspiring. Avant-garde Jazz is never an easygoing listening experience, but Minasi’s work should be accessible to most serious Jazz enthusiasts, providing they are open-minded enough to absorb innovation and unbounded creativity. It might take more that one listening session to truly appreciate this exceptional music, but the end result is guaranteed. Give it a try and you will never regret it later. Not to be missed!

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By complete coincidence I’ve met on Net the US guitarist Dom Minasi, a great musician, so I’ll introduce all his recordings on my site, as they have taken me by surprise and opened a window to his wonderful world:

US guitarist / composer Dom Minasi is surely one of the most original and innovative Jazz artists active today and hearing his music is a true revelation. A veteran of the NY Jazz scene, Minasi was influenced by the Jazz Giants like John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Eric Dolphy, all of which he heard performing live at NY clubs during his adolescence. Very early on Minasi realized that Free Jazz and Improvised Music were something he wanted to do and he’d stay faithful to that decision throughout his entire career. That does not mean he didn’t study the entire tradition of the Jazz genre (with an emphasis on guitarists of course) and even played “straight ahead” Jazz, which he still enjoys to do from time to time, but his true passion is the more challenging highly improvised and boundless facet of Jazz making. Minasi debut recordings as a leader were released in the mid-1970s by the legendary Blue Note label, which unfortunately by that time was already taken over by the Majors and attempted to produce mass-market music. Completely disappointed and frustrated by the treatment received from the Music Industry, Minasi decided to abstain completely from recording music, dedicating his time to live performances, teaching, writing and educating. Almost a quarter of a century later he finally made his return as a recording artists and soon after established his own recording label – CDM Records – which is now his base of operations. This album is the first release on that label and a triumphant return of Minasi to public exposure, spotlighting his amazing talent as a player and improviser. Recorded live at the legendary NY Knitting Factory it features Minasi and his regular trio with the extraordinary bassist Ken Filiano and drummer Jackson Krall. As the title suggests, the material consists entirely of Minasi’s far-reaching interpretations of classic Jazz standards written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Hearing this music is a true revelation. Minasi does things with his guitar, which are simply unimaginable, displaying a technique and virtuosity of staggering proportions, as well as amazing improvisational ability. He can be gentle and lyrical one moment and ferocious the next, all in perfect sense and impeccable taste. Guitar lovers can hear the entire history of Jazz guitar playing in his lines, from Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, Larry Coryell, John McLaughlin and up to Derek Bailey. His supersonic speed is breathtaking and overwhelming, but never flashy and always in total control. Filiano is also amazing, both plucking and bowing his heart away, and Krall displays a rare sensitivity and attention, all of which turns them both into ideal partners for the ride. This is an amazing album, which ought to be heard not only by every guitar player on this planet, but also by every true Jazz lover. Considering the fact the American Jazz is now mostly a vast wasteland of meaningless mainstream doodling, a rare oasis like Minasi is especially refreshing. A gem!

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Time to add some new Israeli stuff:

The debut album by Israeli singer / songwriter Asaf Avidan (born in Jerusalem and aged 28) and his group the Mojos is undoubtedly the most sensational Rock album ever released in the country. Apparently we had to wait for 60 years to get some real Rock happening here. Israel has produced some superb music over the years, but none of it was “real” Rock. We had plenty of excellent Pop, Art and Alternative Rock, even Progressive Rock, not nothing as gutsy, bluesy, smoky and throaty as this, ever! Imagine a hybrid between the young Robert Plant and Janis Joplin (if you can) and you get an idea how Asaf’s voice sounds. When I was first told about this album, I naturally thought the enthusiasm is a gross exaggeration. But the minute I heard the first sound uttered from the singer’s throat I understood this is real. His voice is not only unique in Israel, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s universally special. I have not heard anything like this anywhere. Add to this the fact that Asaf sings in English, completely without a trace of any foreign accent, as if he was born somewhere between West Bromwich and Texas. And of course he also wrote all the tunes and lyrics present on this album – all fifteen on them. I have no idea how to explain all this; it’s a bit early for genetic engineering so karma and reincarnation will have to do in the meantime. The fact is that this guy takes us all back 40 years when Rock really rocked. The material - all excellent with great melodies, non-trivial lyrics and intelligent arrangements – can be basically divided between two categories: hard-rocking up tempo tunes a la Led Zeppelin (first album) and quiet introvert acoustic ballads Janis so wonderfully spilled out of her heart on “Pearl”. The band (the Mojos) support the singer all the way, with scorching lead guitar solos and rock-solid backing on the up-tempo numbers and delicate (acoustic guitar, cello, etc.) accompaniment behind the ballads. I know all this sounds just too good to be true – well, you won’t know unless you try it, will you? An instant classic!

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Time to add some new Israeli stuff:

The Israeli experimental Rock ensemble Kruzenshtern & Parahod are definitely a completely unique phenomenon on a world scale. Unbound by any preconceptions, they create a mixture of cross-pollinated avant-garde music, with Rock, Jazz and folklore serving as the basic building stones, and intelligence and ingenuity serving as the cement. This completely improvised session was recorded by the combined personnel of Kruzenshtern & Parahod (led by Igor Krutogolov) and the Ukrainian experimental band Gruzovik, which visited Israel at the time. Although completely spontaneous, the music creates the impression that the musicians played together for ages. The only drawback is the short timing of this album (EP size), but the music captures a unique moment and is an important document of the local scene. Those listeners, who are already familiar with the work of Kruzenshtern & Parahod, will undoubtedly want to put their hands on this release as well.

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Here is another album by singer Sonja Kristina of Curved Air fame:

Ten years after recording her last solo album, British singer Sonja Kristina (of Curved Air fame) recorded this, her 4^th solo project. Considering the fact that she is normally associated with Prog and later Folk-Rock, this time she makes a complete about-face and turns to Jazz, quite a surprise to her numerous fans and admirers. This is quite a daring step, as Kristina presents here her interpretations of the classic Jazz songbook, which was recorded repeatedly before by the greatest Jazz singers – definitely not an easy pair of shoes to step into. She wisely chose to use up-to-date arrangements, beautifully done by Israeli (living in London) pianist / arranger / composer Tsivi Sharett, and a intimate setting of a Jazz trio, which includes Tsivi on piano, the excellent Ben Haselton on bass and Brian Edwards on sax & flute. Subtle string arrangements were added on several of the tracks. Overall Kristina stands up to the challenge, even though she freely plays around with the both the tempo and the melody of the original standards. The instrumental arrangements are very good and Kristina’s voice is still strong and unique as ever. Jazz purists will probably shrug at this recording, as it often steps beyond what they expect to hear, but for open-minded listeners there are plenty of nice surprises to enjoy.

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June continues with British Jazz additions, building up quite a formidable selection of this music now available on my site. Here are more of the great FMR label releases:

British drummer John Stevens was one of the great heroes of the local scene and a great pioneer of the European Free Jazz / Improvised Music. Together with such distinguished British improvisers as Kenny Wheeler, Evan Parker, Paul Rutherford, Trevor Watts, Derek Bailey and Barry Guy, Stevens laid the foundations of the modern British Jazz revolution in the mid 1960s, when he started his Spontaneous Music Ensemble (SME), which he led for many years. SME recorded extensively through the 1970s, when the Improvised Music movement was at its peak. Later on he also recorded with many other European improvising musicians from the continent and continued to record for small independent labels. Stevens died in 1994 (at the age of 54) and left an immense legacy of recorded music, as well as a crucial contribution to the development of the Jazz Art Form. This live recording at the legendary London pub “The Plough”, which served as the meeting place of the Improvised Music scene in the 1970s, captures the John Stevens Trio with saxophone giant Mike Osborne and superb young (at the time) bassist Paul Rogers. The set was recorded on a portable tape machine, which means that the sound quality is limited, but it does not affect the intensity and the brilliance of the music. The trio performs three Osborne originals and three interpretations of Jazz standards, which of course get quite a work-over. All three musicians are simply brilliant and the fans of this music should be grateful it was preserved for posterity, especially in view of the rather limited availability of live material by Osborne. Great to have this lost treasure rediscovered and available for all of us to enjoy. A gem!

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June continues with British Jazz additions, building up quite a formidable selection of this music now available on my site. Here are more of the great FMR label releases:

British pianists / composers Howard Riley and Keith Tippett have both been on the forefront of the avant-garde musical scene since the 1960s, recording and performing some of the most daring and advanced music originating in Europe. Although each one of them creates quite a different musical universe, they found time and inclination to cooperate as a duo since many years and recorded several albums together. This live performance in Switzerland is considered both by themselves and their fans as a peak of their musical cooperation and constitutes a sublime document of Improvised Music. The sheer power and endless possibilities available by two grand pianos facing each other are simply staggering. The music is all spontaneous and unrehearsed, but it sounds as if these two marvelous musicians played with each other constantly. The ability to listen to each other and complement each other musically is omnipresent here, creating a total that surpasses by far the sum of the ingredients. Listening to the music and moving between delicate and quiet passages to stormy explosions is a journey every music lover should undertake at some stage. The level of interplay and mutual respect these two musicians hold for each other is truly admirable. All that is left for us to do is to float on the wings of this music and let it take us to uncharted territories, having a ride of our life. Superb!

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June continues with British Jazz additions, building up quite a formidable selection of this music now available on my site. Here are more of the great FMR label releases:

It might sound strange at first to see the British pianist / composer Keith Tippett, who is after all a representative of the Free Jazz and Improvised Music genres, in the context of contemporary Classical music. Nevertheless this project is exactly what this music is all about – a synergy of Improvised Music and contemporary Classical. In 1995 the Kreutzer String Quartet, one of the world’s most famous and revered classical ensembles, commissioned Tippett to write a piano quintet, to be performed by him with the quartet. Tippett stood up to the challenge admirably, composing a brilliant piece of contemporary music, which although mostly written, includes sections, which allow for spontaneous improvisation and collective free interplay between the performers. The piece was performed several times over the years and eventually recorded five years later, for all of us to enjoy for posterity. The music is truly stunning, combining hundreds of years of the European music tradition with modernism at its best. Although the music might sound strange at first both to Classical and Jazz listeners, the beauty and the emotional power of this extraordinary piece is able to transcend all barriers. Of course this is not intended for casual listening and requires both attentiveness and open mindedness, but the pleasure inspired on the listener is boundless. I wish as many people as possible would be exposed to this music, alas this treasure will be known quite a limited circle of “insiders”. I dare everybody to try this one.

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