Jazz Articles about Liudas Mockūnas

About Liudas Mockūnas

Album Review

Agustí Fernández / Liudas Mockūnas: Improdimensions

Read "Improdimensions" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
November 27, 2020

As one of Lithuania's premier improvisers, reedman Liudas Mockūnas has partnered an enormous array of visiting luminaries over the years. The duet is a favored format which has seen the multi-instrumentalist in tandem with bassist Barry Guy, drummer William Hooker and guitarist Marc Ducret, just to name those documented on NoBusiness Records. Here the accomplished Catalan pianist Agustí Fernández acts as the foil. The limited edition LP (also available as a download) comprises two three-part encounters recorded ...

Album Review

Liudas Mockūnas: Hydro 2

by Mark Corroto
March 23, 2019

Hydro 2 is water music, but it's not to be confused with the orchestral pieces composed by George Frideric Handel back in the early 18th century. Lithuanian saxophonist Liudas Mockūnas is headed even further back in time, back to some Darwinian vision of evolution from the murky primordial seas, forward to our bipedal momentum. Note: If you happen to be a follower of creationism, you might want to skip forward a bit here. Mockūnas, who might be best known as ...

Album Review

Liudas Mockūnas: Hydro 2

Read "Hydro 2" reviewed by Vitalijus Gailius

by Vitalijus Gailius
January 16, 2019

Liudas Mockūnas, an iconic Lithuanian improvisation and jazz figure, still continues his exploration of water. By combining water and reeds he steps into an unpredictable and unique sonic meadow. His first attempt to put the bridle on water, Hydro, was released in 2017 by NoBusiness Records. At the end of 2018 the same label presented the second part, Hydro 2. Like its predecessor it is a solo record. Water and solo? On one hand that sounds promising, but on the ...

Album Review

Liudas Mockūnas / Arnas Mikalkenas / Håkon Berre: Plunged

by John Sharpe
February 5, 2018

Recorded at the 2014 Vilnius Jazz Festival by a band comprising two Lithuanians and a Norwegian, which was one of the standouts of the 2017 Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival, Plunged proves an unexpected delight. Of the three participants, reedman Liudas Mockūnas is likely best known, having recorded with bassist Barry Guy, drummer William Hooker and saxophonist Mats Gustafsson for the NoBusiness label, although drummer Håkon Berre performs on disc with German saxophonist Peter Brötzmann and Portuguese trumpeter Susana Santos Silva ...

Album Review

Mockuno NuClear: Drop It

Read "Drop It" reviewed by AAJ Italy Staff

by AAJ Italy Staff
September 7, 2012

Drop It riunisce tre diverse sedute di registrazione, di cui due dal vivo, nelle quali il leader Liudas Mockunas esegue per la prima volta con un trio tutto lituano composizioni già affrontate nel corso degli ultimi anni con diversi tipi di formazione. Mockunas si esibisce al tenore, al baritono, al soprano con grande personalità sfruttando al meglio le caratteristiche degli strumenti e piegandoli alle esigenze delle sue improvvisazioni, passando da momenti di furiosa veemenza ad altri di insospettata dolcezza. Ma ...

Album Review

Mockūno NuClear: Drop It

by John Sharpe
April 22, 2012

In its enterprising catalogue of modern day masters and loft jazz rarities, the Lithuanian No Business imprint also documents local musicians. Chief among them is one of the country's premier improvisers, saxophonist Liudas Mockūnas. Previous appearances on the label have placed him in a Peter Brotzmann-like trio on Live at 11:20 (2010) and in an impromptu freewheeling duet with Japanese pianist Ryoji Hojito on Vacation Music (2011). On Drop It by the self-referential Mockūno NuClear, Mockunas corrals a changing cast ...

Album Review

Liudas Mockunas - Marc Ducret: Silent Vociferation

by AAJ Italy Staff
September 17, 2009

Anche la Lituania chiede un suo spazio vitale nel panorama sempre più globale della musica jazz contemporanea. Lo fa in maniera autorevole, con l'ottima proposta di questa nuova etichetta che provocatoriamente si è chiamata NoBusiness e ha affidato la sua prima uscita al duo composto dall'ottimo saxofonista (per l'appunto lituano) Liudas Mockunas e al chitarrista francese Marc Ducret, partner abituale di un saxofonista importante come Tim Berne. Le cinque lunghe improvvisazioni che costituiscono questo album sono esternazioni ai limiti del ...