Jazz Articles
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Nicolas Meier World Group: Peaceful
by Mark Sullivan
London-based Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier (heard mainly on nylon string guitar here) leads his World Group quartet in a program of his compositions. The group is well named, as Meier takes inspiration from all over the world; Turkish music, Middle Eastern music, samba, flamenco and tango all mix with jazz in this sound. “Besiktas Cafe" opens the set with a sprightly waltz, Meier executing the first of many technically difficult passages with a smile and a dance step. ...
read moreGabrielle Ducomble: Across The Bridge
by Roger Farbey
Belgian-born and London-based chanteuse Gabrielle Ducomble is gifted with an irresistible voice. Obvious comparisons can be made (and usually are) to the great Edit Piaf or at a pinch, a jazzier Mireille Mathieu, but this does Ducomble a disservice since she exudes her own unique vocal charm. Across The Bridge follows in the footsteps of Ducomble's first two albums, J'ai Deux Amours (2011) and Notes From Paris (2014), remaining stylistically true to form to its predecessors. In common with the ...
read morePeter Oxley and Nicolas Meier: Chasing Tales
by Bruce Lindsay
Pete Oxley and Nicolas Meier are guitarists. This is an accurate statement, but it goes only so far in describing the two musicians' virtuosity across a range of guitars and guitar-related instruments. Chasing Tales demonstrates their talents far more clearly than any written attempt to do so--between them, Meier and Oxley play around a dozen instruments and compose all but one of the tunes. This is Oxley and Meier's second album as a duo but both men have ...
read morePete Roth Band: Circus In The Sky
by Bruce Lindsay
It's virtually impossible for any contemporary musician to have emerged in isolation--to have developed a style or technique unaffected by those who have gone before. Guitarist Pete Roth is no exception--the press release name checks John McLaughlin, Jonathan Kreisberg and John Scofield as contributing to the German-born, London-based player's approach to his chosen instrument. On Circus In The Sky, Roth's second album, he makes use of these influences--and more--to craft some skilfully written and played tunes. Roth's writing ...
read moreNicolas Meier: Kismet
by Bruce Lindsay
Guitarist Nicolas Meier is blessed with precise intonation, fluid technique and mastery of a range of different styles. As a composer, he mixes influences from Turkey, central Europe, Iberia and the Americas to craft accessible, melodic tunes. On Kismet his talents as musician and writer come together to create what might be his best album to date. Meier is not only one of the jazz world's most exciting guitarists, he's also one of its more prolific recording artists. ...
read moreNicolas Meier: From Istanbul To Ceuta With A Smile
by Bruce Lindsay
Long ago, when the world was younger and far more innocent, a British TV commercial challenged its viewers. Take a particular brand of fruit pastille (Rowntree's, to be specific), place it in the mouth, resist the temptation to chew. So deliciously fruity was the pastille that such resistance would be futile. A similar challenge might be initiated for From Istanbul To Ceuta With A Smile, from the Swiss-born, UK-based guitarist Nicolas Meier. Take the album, press Play, listen, resist the ...
read morePete Oxley and Nicolas Meier: Travels To The West
by Bruce Lindsay
Guitar duos may not be quite as rare as hen's teeth in the world of jazz, but they're far from common. Yes, there are classic pairings such as Bucky Pizzarelli and George Barnes, or John Abercrombie and Ralph Towner; but given the instrument's ubiquity it's perhaps surprising that there aren't more such partnerships around. On Travels To The West, a live album recorded during a short UK tour in late 2011, Pete Oxley and Nicolas Meier demonstrate the qualities that ...
read moreGabrielle Ducomble: J'ai Deux Amours
by Bruce Lindsay
Belgian singer Gabrielle Ducomble began her recording career in 2003, after reaching the finale of French television's Pop Idol. After hearing Dee Dee Bridgewater Ducomble started to move towards jazz, relocated to London and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. So, while J'ai Deux Amours is not her first recording, it is her jazz debut. Ducomble's voice is lightly expressive, with a slight vulnerability that adds emotional depth to the more romantic or melancholy ...
read moreEclectica!: Flight Of Fancy
by Bruce Lindsay
Eclectica! is a European string quartet that brings together four exceptional musicians from the realms of jazz and classical music. Flight Of Fancy, the band's second album, continues with its fusion of musical genres, mixing classical, pop and original tunes in a beautifully performed collection. String quartet is an accurate description of Eclectica!, but not one that does justice to the depth of the band's talents or its musical diversity. The combination of strings--violin, cello and two ...
read moreNicolas Meier Trios: Breeze
by Bruce Lindsay
Breeze is a guitar trio album. To be more precise, it's a Trios album--a combination of original tunes and standards being performed by acoustic and electric bands. The result is an imaginative and creative recording that further establishes Nicolas Meier's reputation as one of the finest guitarists on the contemporary jazz scene. Most of Breeze is performed by Meier's acoustic trio, with Demi Garcia on percussion and Paolo Minervini on acoustic bass. The electric trio--bassist/harmonicist Pat Bettison ...
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