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Steve Swell: Kanreki: Reflection & Renewal
by John Sharpe
To mark his sixtieth birthday (December 6, 2014), trombonist Steve Swell, long the pre-eminent trombonist on the NYC free jazz scene, invokes the Japanese custom of Kanreki. Although it is said to signal both a rebirth and a handing on of responsibilities, Swell shows no signs of allowing the occasion to inhibit his ambition. Over the ...
Marcelo Dos Reis / Angelica V. Salvi: Concentric Rinds
by John Sharpe
Guitarist Marcelo dos Reis has become a fixture on the Lisbon experimental music scene, where he also helms the newly created Cipsela imprint. His guitar contributed an attractive wild card element to Chamber 4's eponymous release (FMR, 2015) and he has worked with Elliott Sharp, Burton Greene and Evan Parker among others. Among his many outlets ...
Giovanni di Domenico / Peter Jacquemyn / Chris Corsano: A Little Bit Off The Top
by John Sharpe
Three adept protagonists in the free improv arena assemble in a multinational gathering on A Little Bit Off The Top. Both Italian pianist Giovanni Di Domenico and Belgian bassist Peter Jacquemyn are active on the Brussels scene, while American drummer Chris Corsano shares experience with the pianist of hook ups with the likes of guitarist Jim ...
The Turbine!: Entropy/Enthalpy
by John Sharpe
Among a stream of US/French collaborations documented on the Rogue Art label, The Turbine! represents an unlikely combination: two double basses and two drum kits. One pair hails from each side of the ocean with the Chicago team of Hamid Drake and Harrison Bankhead matched against Benjamin Duboc and Ramon Lopez (in fact a Paris-based Spaniard). ...
Chamber 4: Chamber 4
by John Sharpe
Recorded live four days before the studio session which produced For Sale (Clean Feed, 2015), with three of the same participants, it's not surprising that Chamber 4 shares many of the same positives too. A similar blend of nationalities holds sway. French brothers Valentin and Théo Ceccaldi reaffirm their mastery of cello and violin respectively. Portuguese ...
Bobby Bradford / Frode Gjerstad Quartet: The Delaware River
by John Sharpe
This live date from Philadelphia in 2014 forms the seventh in a string of releases by the Bobby Bradford and Frode Gjerstad quartet. Their association dates back to 1986 when cornetist Bradford first encountered Norwegian reedman Gjerstad as part of co-operative group Detail, convened by drummer John Stevens. All of that experience shows in the relaxed ...
Joe McPhee / Jamie Saft / Joe Morris / Charles Downs: Ticonderoga
by John Sharpe
As the liners explain, this date was inspired by bassist Joe Morris and pianist Jamie Saft's shared love for the seminal John Coltrane Live At The Village Vanguard Again (Impulse, 1966) album. In the subsequent discussion with the other participants, it transpired that reedman Joe McPhee actually witnessed that gig from the center of the front ...
John Sharpe's Best Releases of 2015
by John Sharpe
Here in no special order are ten new releases, reviewed in All About Jazz, which stood out among those I heard this year. Mats Gustafsson Hidros 6 Knockin' (Not Two Records) An avant-garde jazz composition based on the songs of '50s rocker Little Richard. Really? Yep, that's the premise ...
Bram De Looze: Septych
by John Sharpe
Young Belgian pianist Bram De Looze leads a 7-piece outfit of unusual instrumentation and multinational origin through a captivating and ambitious journey on Septych. While De Looze might be best known for his small group work, with his own LABtrio and drummer Dre Hocovar's combo (checkout Coding of Evidentiality (Clean Feed, 2015)), here he flexes his ...
Free Jazz Group Wiesbaden: Frictions / Frictions Now
by John Sharpe
History is written by the victors. That holds as true for art as for war. When looking for pioneers from the formative days of free jazz in Germany, the names of reedmen Peter Brötzmann and Gunter Hampel, trumpeter Manfred Schoof and pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach are likely to spring to mind. But now the Lithuanian No ...
