The Inquiring Mind, Chico Hamilton.
How do you keep the title “Living Jazz Legend” after you pass? Release a record three months later and still blow people away.
Legendary drummer Chico Hamilton, who passed away at the age of 92 on November 25, released his 65th and final studio recording on February 25. The new record features his longtime band, Euphoria, who will be continuing to perform in his honor for the first half of 2014.
Hamilton will be remembered for his subtle and interesting instrumentation, the series of quintets he led from 1955-1965, and his ability to talent scout. His first band featured Jim Hall on guitar, Buddy Collette on reeds, Carson Smith on bass, and Fred Katz on cello. Charles Lloyd, Eric Dolphy, and Gabor Szabo were also later members of the quintet, which will always be championed for being one of the last great West Coast jazz groups. He helped put California on the jazz map in the 1950s.
The posthumous album is cool, groovin’ and relatively eclectic. The opening track, “Joy of Spring,” combines samba grooves, creating the exciting ramp up for the most beautiful season of life.
Perhaps the best track on the record, “Out of Sight, Out of Mind,” has a mellow, late-night feeling: a hipshaking slink with touch of sleaze. It’s mildly sexy — the way classic jazz did a terrific job of it in the past. Evan Schwam’s saxophone captures the essence of Chico Hamilton’s vision on this original composition.
“Tone Poem” is contemplative and sober, while “Money Wish,” is jaunty, enticing, and fun. “Cho = Chico Hamilton Organization” is solid 60’s West Coast, mid-tempo hardbop, creating a feeling of a mildly hot, Southern California day.
“The Inquiring Mind” is proof that a creative mind doesn’t fall away with age. The album takes the listener on a journey, oscillating from warm to cool, fast to slow, fusing in waltz, samba, bop, and blues. The album, Chico Hamilton’s last, is the product of a man who lived a jazz life to his fullest.
2014, Joyous Shout! Records.
Macroscope, Nels Cline Singers.
Nels Cline, a jazz musician and lead guitarist in the rock band, Wilco, wails and sings gracefully on his guitar, but there’s no actual singing. At least, not in the traditional sense.
It’s safe to say there is probably nothing traditional about Cline in the slightest. Taking cues from Miles Davis’ electric period, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and John McLaughlin, just as much as Sonic Youth and Deerhoof, Cline embodies the spirit of youthful jazz culture, even though he is 58 years old.
“The title ‘Macroscope’ speaks to the idea of the mutt within,” Cline says, “the fact that I’m not in any one genre, and never have been. I was a rock and roll kid, but after hearing Coltrane and Miles and Weather Report, then Indian music and Nigerian pop and that sort of thing, there was no turning back. From that point on, the idea of purism just was not possible.”
Fair warning for the purists: you’ll probably hate this record. But for the rest, it’s steeped in rock and roll, cool grooves, and adventure, all while maintaining a level of accessibility perhaps absent from his previous records. It is a jazz record, as much as it is an “everything else record.” It’s a “who cares what it is record.” It’s simply a “good music” record.
“Red Before Orange” is a sleek, mellow groove most of the way through before it changes to a psychedelic Jimmy Hendrix type tune, unleashing the “inner-George Benson,” as his website describes. Who new Cline had it in him?
This is an electric jazz-rock fusion trio with Cline on guitar, new bassist Trevor Dunn, and Scott Amendola on drums. Notably however, the sound is much grander than simply a trio record. Amendola’s long-time knowledge, loops and electronic processing often makes the record feel like multiple guests were invited to play.
“Macroscope” is a successfully executed, genre-defying adventure that comes highly recommended. Cline says his goal for this record was “to arrive at a point that has no boundaries, that’s totally amorphous. It’s like sunshine or mist, it’s everywhere and nowhere.”
2014, Mack Avenue.
Extended Circle, Tord Gustavsen Quartet.
Watching Norwegian pianist Gustavsen play is like watching an artist delicately paint the keys of his piano. When he speaks it’s barely above a whisper, his calmness contagious, unfolding through a room like the tantalizing scent of a bakery in the cold hours of early morning. The way he guides his quartet is remarkably parallel to the way he carries himself.
For the past decade, Gustavsen has released records exclusively for the ECM label. This is the third release with his quartet after a trilogy of previous trio recordings. The record is subtly playful, creating textures through space, time and motion. As the title suggests, the harnessed kinetic energy is released as the songs grow and extended, as does the cast of musicians he’s interacted with over the years.
Pushing the boundaries of the extended circle is the minimalist saxophonist Tore Brunborg, bassist Mats Eilertsen, and drummer Jarl Vespestad. On “The Embrace,” perhaps the most modern, soulful song on the record, Brunborg and Gustavsen make every note count, playing slowly, carefully, and complimenting each other on this whimsical flurry of pastels.
The opener, “Right There,” is a restrained and graceful piece, shifting timbres, and painting textures. It’s melancholy in nature, but hopeful, and probably influenced by the church Gustavsen was raised with.
The traditional Norwegian hymn, “Eg Veit I Himmerik Ei Borg” (A Castle in Heaven), has a spiritual melody on piano and saxophone in the foreground, but is backed by funky drums and bass.
There are many words that could describe Gustavsen’s newest outing: cerebral, whimsical, spiritual, calm. A decadent soundscape of timbres and textures and minimalist harmonies that you should listen to late at night lying on your hard, wooden floor with your eyes closed, letting thoughts and secrets consume you.
2014, ECM.
Ticket to Ride: 16th Anniversary Show Vol.1 & More Today than Yesterday: 16th Anniversary Show Vol. 2 Mel Brown B3 Organ Group.
“If this band played in New York City, they’d be a sensation!” These are words from legendary jazz guitarist George Benson, describing Portland’s long running soul-jazz outfit, the Mel Brown B3 Organ Group.
In 1997, the group began their long-running weekly performance at Jimmy Mak’s, Portland’s premier jazz club. When Jimmy Mak’s moved locations in 2006, the band followed and have now been performing as the house band for more than 16 years.
The band plays fiery soul-jazz, but the fire lies less in the style of music they choose to play, and more in the hearts of the talent who play it. Drummer Mel Brown heard Louis Pain’s scorching Hammond B3, and during a meeting with Jimmy Mak, they hand-picked the rest of the original members: long-time trumpeter and educator, Thara Memory; guitarist Dan Faehlne; and the saxophonist Renato Caranto.
Since the early days, Curtis Craft has come on board as percussionist and Dan Balmer replaced Faehnle on guitar. This torching new jazz band took the up-and-coming Pearl district by storm, and they became a sensation!
The double-disc anniversary collection presents Thara Memory as a special guest on these live Jimmy Mak’s performances. On “Ticket to Ride,” Memory gives a hilarious vocal performance, capturing his sass on “Five Dollah Blues,” a song about his trouble with women. Poor Thara, it’s a little over ten full minutes of trouble.
The rest of the album is mostly fiery soul-jazz covers of rock songs from the ‘60s through the ‘80s. They nail Van Morrison’s “Moondance,” (Google the original if you don’t remember, you definitely know it). They also cover Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean,” and two John Lennon/Paul McCartney songs, “Let it Be,” and a fiery version of “Ticket to Ride,” which opens the record. It’s fun and lighthearted, with tight playing.
The second volume focuses less on rock songs, and, although it still burns, it’s a little more like a constant simmer than a raging fire. The track that you’ll probably put on repeat is “Spooky,” a funky tune with Craft adding another layer on his percussion and Caranto’s saxophone up front and center. “Blues for J” is so straight-ahead it sounds like it’s on an out-ofprint Prestige vinyl from the 60s.
These two records were both recorded during two Jimmy Mak’s performances at the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014. Both records burn, but “Ticket to Ride” is more focused on remakes of pop songs. Clearly in these last 16 years, these guys have mastered their crafts and hopefully will continue to be the house band at Jimmy Mak’s for another sixteen.
2014, Self-produced.
Anthem for a New Day, Helen Sung.
What do Thelonius Monk, microbrews, and the Portland Jazz Festival have to do with pianist Helen Sung?
“Brother Thelonius” was commissioned by North Coast to be its theme song. North Coast sponsored the 2014 Portland Jazz Festival with their Belgian-style ale, and Sung got to write a crisp, funky tune in honor of the great pianist. The song opens up the new record, with Sung’s technically-proficient piano and Ingrid Jensen’s scorching trumpet — a funky, bop number of the highest order.
Sung’s accessible version of Chick Corea’s Latin-tinged “Armando’s Rhumba” is full of style and merriment. The light-heartedness of Seamus Blake’s soprano saxophone, and the hand clapping, rollicking percussion from Samuel Torres, makes this the most fun song on the record, and the one I turn to when I air this album.
Before Sung found jazz, she received a master’s degree in classical music, and her highly-technical training can be heard on a sweet, not-so-swinging opening of “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got that Swing). As the tune progresses, she swings with fervor, seamlessly blending the two worlds.
Monk’s “Epistrophy” sounds more like a modern-day big band, confident and tight. Joining Sung on the record are several esteemed guests: Regina Carter on vioin, Paquito D’Rivera on clarinet, and John Ellis on bass clarinet.
From start to finish, the album is a swinging, straight-ahead affair. Impressively, Sung didn’t discover jazz until after college. It was Tommy Flanagan’s solo on Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation” that hooked her on jazz. She approaches her music with the intensity of a musician who projects a shining excitement because the music is still relatively new to her.
After winning the 2007 Mary Lou Williams piano competition, Sung released a string of five jazz albums. The sixth record, and her first for Concord, reveals her advancing maturity as a jazz musician and arranger.
2014, Concord Jazz.
Balance, Mimi Jones.
A record label devoted to the female jazz instrumentalist? Jazz has certainly come along way, and Hot Tone Records would make grandmothers of jazz, Mary Lou Williams and Melba Liston, proud.
Hot Tone was founded in 2009, and according to their website, they “provide support for jazz artists – very much including women -- who may have been overlooked and who need additional opportunities to advance their careers and their music.”
And like the heydays of Blue Note, all the women play on each other’s records.
Bassist Mimi Jones’ sophomore release is the most interesting of the recent Hot Tone recordings, featuring their recording artists — saxophonist Shirazette Tinnan and drummer Camille Thurman. Ingirid Jensen, the Canadian trumpeter, also joins the cast.
Like Esperanza Spalding, Jones doubles as a bassist and vocalist. The most intriguing song on the record is the old children’s song, “The Incy Wincy Spider,” played ominously with a cascading piano, minimal drums, and a rain stick. Jones’ vocals portray a late-night melancholy feeling – maybe the spider was some place it shouldn’t have been. The song picks up midway through with a light swing.
The record opens with “Nothing Like You,” and Jones immediately shows off her chops on her bowed bass solo. The tune is upbeat, swinging and bright – a solid introduction to the other artists on the record.
The rest rotates through sweet ballads, funky numbers and swingers. Jones’ voice isn’t the most developed of jazz singers, but pleasant enough. Mostly however, Hot Tone is still in its infancy and it’s a cutting-edge project that hopefully will succeed in advancing female jazz instrumentalists by bringing them to the forefront of the modern jazz world. It’s well on it’s way.
2014, Hot Tone Records.