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James Davis' Beveled: Arc and Edge
by Mark Corroto
Trumpeter James Davis' sextet is aptly named Beveled--a word that means transforming a sharp, square edge into something smoother, more refined. That concept of reshaping and softening defines both the ensemble's instrumentation and its sonic character. Davis sets the tone by trading his bright trumpet for the warmer, more introspective voice of the flugelhorn. He deepens this resonance by adding a second flugelhorn, played by Chad McCullough, alongside two bass clarinetists, Geof Bradfield and Michael Salter. The bass clarinet, known ...
Continue ReadingJames Davis' Beveled: Arc and Edge
by Jack Bowers
Beveled, according to Webster's, translates roughly to “slanted" or “grooved." On Arc and Edge, flugelhornist James Davis' Chicago-based sextet clearly has its own slant on contemporary post-bop jazz wherein the groove ranges from typically improvised passages to cutting-edge motifs and classical chamber music, using a second flugelhorn, two bass clarinets and rhythm to flesh out the leader's sonically unique and harmonically sophisticated compositions. The second flugelhorn is that of Chad McCullough. Geof Bradfield and Michael Salter man ...
Continue ReadingBonzo Squad: Pachyderm
by Kyle Simpler
The Chicago-based quartet Bonzo Squad describes their music as “comfort in chaos." While this description might give an impression of free-form experimentation, it is not the case. The chaos aspect of their sound comes from a unique mixture of structure and improvisation, and for these guys, the comfort definitely outweighs the chaos. With Pachyderm, the group offers a perfect example of this description put into practice. Comfort implies an association with a memory, as is the case with ...
Continue ReadingSamuel Mösching: Ethereal Kinks
by Kyle Simpler
Two words that frequently get overused when talking about jazz are “fusion" and “eclectic." In many cases, if something is difficult to categorize, one of these terms will probably apply. Unfortunately, in many cases, these terms also fail to truly capture the essence of the music. However, for Samuel Mösching's Ethereal Kinks, both eclectic and fusion seem very appropriate, and this becomes evident upon listening. Mösching is a Swiss-born guitarist who started playing guitar when he was ten ...
Continue ReadingSteve Million featuring Sarah Marie Young: Jazz Words
by Richard J Salvucci
Evocative. Soulful. Regretful. Plaintive. But in no sense downbeat. Oddly edifying, joyful in places. Steve Million's compositions and Sarah Marie Young's voice were plainly intended to blend. And they do so in an emotionally stirring landscape of the heart which is powerfully affecting. You find yourself conjuring up quiet journeys, emotional and otherwise, from the past. Wintry, yes, but hopeful too. This is music of the heart, by and for the heart. Starting out with “Heavens to ...
Continue ReadingJoanie Pallatto: My Original Plan
by Jack Bowers
"Give my new disc a spin," Chicago-based vocalist Joanie Pallatto e-mailed. “I think you'll like it." That was more than twenty years ago, and Pallatto was right. That album, Words & Music (Southport Records, 1999), was splendid, as was Pallatto, reciting memorable lyrics by Rodgers & Hart, the Gershwin brothers, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hoagy Carmichael, Bob Dorough and others. It's now 2021 and Pallatto has recorded another “new disc," My Original Plan, on which she sings as well as ever. ...
Continue ReadingHans Luchs: Time Never Pauses
by Budd Kopman
While it does not scream downtown, avant-garde, uber originality, guitarist Hans Luchs debut recording, Time Never Pauses, is far from a vanilla, “jazz as style" offering, and, in fact has much going for it. For one thing, his band, consisting of drummer George Fludas, bassist Clark Sommers, pianist Stu Mindeman and Shaun Johnson on trumpet is extremely tight, precise and, in many spots, smoking. Luchs does not dominate the session, and is part of the rhythm section for ...
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