I don’t think it’s possible to surpass the talent in this supergroup quartet, featuring drummer and bandleader Jack DeJohnette, double-bassist Larry Grenadier, keyboardist John Medeski and his sometimes-collaborator, guitarist John Scofield.
Fusion
[Music] Polish Jazz: Era-Defining Records From Behind The Iron Curtain
Cezary Lerski lived in Los Angeles last I remember, and his label should be sainted for providing so many re-releases of classic Polish Jazz. This new series is being handled by Languidity Records, and they also do amazing work.
Liza Premiyak of The Calvert Journal has more here.
[Music] Marimba Plus – Apocalypse (The 15th Anniversary Concert)
With all due thanks to my friend in Kazakhstan, Vyacheslav Popatov, who introduced me to the work of Marimba Plus, a Russian ethno-prog-jazz-fusion band whose work is currently blowing me away. You can hear more from the band at their Bandcamp page.
[Music] James Hill + Santiago Fradejas – Requiem
The Fradejas family is no stranger to this blog. Both Santiago and A.M. have had releases featured here. This one is yet another feast for the ears.
Santiago’s guitar compositions can be explosive at times, but this more subdued, but intense performance couples beautifully with the trumpeting of James Hill, a brand new name for me to explore. ECM Records, or a label of equal quality, really ought to consider re-releasing an album like this in the future.
[Music] Verneri Pohjola – Pekka
I’m absolutely pleased to announce an upcoming album by Finnish trumpeter Verneri Pohjola, titled Pekka. For those of you whose age hovers between 45 and 70 and were card-carrying members of the magic-hat-and-bunny-slippers brigade of prog rock aficionados, you will remember the legendary bassist Pekka Pohjola, who performed with such bands as Wigwam and collaborated with Mike Oldfield, among many others.
Verneri’s album will be a tribute to his father’s memory, and judging by the quality of the track being shared at the moment, it’s quite a lovely tribute.
[Music] The Orchestra of Mirrored Reflections – Dead Beat
This has to be the release of 2017, as least as far as March!
Our friends The Orchestra of Mirrored Reflections have graced our blog once before, in April of 2016 for a review of an incredible live performance in Odessa. The band return with a new, seven-track album which is as rich, dark and sumptuous as anything released by groups like the Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Bohren & der Club of Gore and other such acts. In fact, I’d be willing to say that the beauty of this album surpasses these stalwarts.
The album consists of smoky jazz that sits somewhere between fusion and trip-hop. The guitar playing is minimal, gentle, but totally in keeping with the darkness of the music. The drumming, however, is what makes the release for me. It is sparse, minimal, with singular beats, serving as a wonderful linchpin to the rest of the instrumentation floating above.
After such a splendid release, we wait more magic from the band
[Music] Larry Coryell – Spaces
Larry Coryell, one of the founders of fusion, passed away last week. We post this video to give a taste of what was lost by his departure. RIP.
[Music] Christian Brendel & Zomb – Odyssée
I have a lot of friends who introduce me to music I would have never discovered on my own, and I’d like to think that I do the same for them in return. I’m indebted to my good friend Slava, who hails from Almaty, Kazakhstan, and is a fine musician himself, for learning about Christian Brendel (link is in French). Apparently, he’s an actor and poet was well as collaborator with the fusion group Zomb.
[Music] Hans-Joachim Roedelius & Noël Akchoté – Opus (2013)
To review each and every release by Noël Akchoté would be impossible for this one-man blog to do, but I have the luxury of cherry-picking some real treats. This one, in particular, pairs Noël with Hans-Joachim Roedelius of Cluster fame, as well as a maestro in his own right. The album is a guitar/piano improvisation recorded in Vienna, Austria in 2013. Gentle, plucky sounds which cross into fusion territory at times.
[Music] Zakir Hussain – The Great Indian Desert
Zakir Hussain is one of India’s national treasures. The tabla player is featured here providing a wonderful beat for this tune.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 