Record Reviews

JON HEMMERSAM / DOM MINASI ~ THE JON HEMMERSAM / DOM MINASI QUARTET CDM 1008 (Barcode: 616892902720) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006 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 HemmersamFind albums by this artist and his US partner Dom MinasiFind albums by this artist 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 OsgoodFind albums by this artist and Dom brought his faithful bassist Ken FilianoFind albums by this artist. 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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MANERI / KALMANOVITCH / JACOBSON / OSGOOD ~ VARIATIONS ON NO PARTICULAR THEME – PART 2 GOTTA LET IT OUT 50 ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the second part of the “diptych” recorded by the international Improvised Music quartet, which comprises of American violist Mat ManeriFind albums by this artist, Canadian violist Tanya KalmanovitchFind albums by this artist, Polish bassist Tomo JacobsonFind albums by this artist and Danish drummer Kresten OsgoodFind albums by this artist. The album presents six improvised pieces, all called “variation” and numbered, probably according to the recording sequence (my guess). The music is as improvised as it gets, with no melodic continuity whatsoever, with everything happening in a spur of the moment, exactly as expected in such circumstances. However, the unusual instrumentation, which is a sort of string trio with drums, has a natural appeal and manages to attract the attention of listeners used to the Improvised Music ambience. There is no doubt that these are highly original musicians with a wide experience, which helps them to develop the crisscross conversations between them, which create a series of solo / duo / trio / quartet statements, weaved within the time continuity, and which eventually start to make sense to the open-minded listener. Overall, this is an almost “romantic” excursion within the Improvised Music scene, which might be able to reach a somewhat wider audience than most of such recordings eventually do. Kudos to Jacobson and his Gotta Let It OutFind albums on this label label, which is one of the most prolific independent Improvised Music labels active in Europe today.

Updated: 16/03/2023Posted: 04/10/2022

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MOONBOW ~ WHEN THE SLEEPING FISH TURN RED AND THE SKIES START TO SING IN C MAJOR I WILL FOLLOW YOU TO THE END ILK 264 (Barcode: 5706274007374) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by a European septet MoonbowFind albums by this artist consisting of musicians based in Copenhagen. It includes Polish saxophonist Maciej KadzielaFind albums by this artist and bassist Tomo JacobsonFind albums by this artist, Norwegian saxophonist Danielle DahlFind albums by this artist, Danish saxophonist Mads EgetoftFind albums by this artist and drummer Kresten OsgoodFind albums by this artist, German pianist Lucas LeidingerFind albums by this artist and Swedish guitarist Anton JanssonFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all by Jacobson. The album´s artwork also presents a poem written by the legendary American Improvised Music giant William Parker, who wrote it in response to the music. The music, mostly freely improvised, displays the infinite possibilities of a large ensemble, which allows encounters which range from solo performances to the entire septet involved in group improvisation. It is very engaging and fascinating, bold and free-spirited, but at the same time completely coherent. The melodic themes are briefly stated and later disappear into the subconscious plane beneath the improvisations. In spite of the incredible power of a large ensemble, the music is completely devoid of conflict and wonderfully illustrates the concept of collective improvisation, based on mutual respect and almost telepathic communication between the players. There are many superb individual statements by the musicians involved, but the collective result is definitely more that just a sum of its ingredients. Although the album is relatively short (under forty minutes), it is full of emotion and tonal beauty, which should be highly appreciated by fans of Improvised Music. Hopefully this ensemble will make another album, as they surely have much more to say musically. Well done!

Updated: 02/06/2017Posted: 02/06/2017

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