Nils Wogram - ROOT 70: ROOT 70

The prizewinning German trombonist gets a chance to flaunt his remarkable chops on this briskly articulated outing. The artist’s Root 70 quartet abides by something akin to a rolling and tumbling musical demeanor. As Wogram and alto saxophonist Hayden Chisholm, guide the rhythm section thru a cavalcade of ebulliently executed, and routinely complex unison choruses. Brimming with bouncy and swiftly enacted modern jazz style arrangements, the trombonist exhibits astounding faculties by spewing forth impossibly fast 16th notes atop the rhythm section’s wavering pulses. On the piece titled “My Friend,” the band’s extremely tight, in-the-pocket groove is marked by drummer Jochen Ruckert’s Latin style beats and the soloists’ fluently exercised patterns. They tone it down a bit on Sushi High,” although the vibrant pace reappears on “Deep and Warm,” where Ruckert injects sweeping press rolls into the mix. In addition, Chisholm resides as a noteworthy foil for Wogram’s fleet-fingered excursions while balancing out the overall proceedings with airy voicings and softly stated lyricism. But the duo frequently engages in high-octane type fare during the majority this recording, which brings about a minor complaint. Many of these works seem to dovetail, as a sense of invariability surfaces on more than one occasion. And while there’s a whole lot of good stuff happening here, a few well-placed changes in the directional flow might have provided a bit of diversity. Yet Wogram’s latest contains some of the most invigorating small ensemble performances you’ll likely hear! *As of this writing, this CD is only available by mail order. For additional information you can visit Loft or Nils Wogram

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