Things are looking up in the main library in my area. I don't go there that often, but last time I took out a couple of CDs by young German jazz artists, and yesterday I got three more European jazz CDs, including this. It comes from a classics/jazz cross-over perspective. Three tracks can be streamed here.
The Ring Trio, as it was in its original form had already gained much attention with their debut album, "Orchidee". They have performed with greats such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Markus Stockhausen, DJ Illvibe and Marta Topferova. They have peformed everything from jazz and world music to hiphop and electro.
For their new project - The Ring Ensemble the trio has assembled a quartet of Dresdens Baroque musicians (who are involved in ensembles: like La Risonanza, the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Chapel Rhénane).
The compositions of The Ring Ensemble come from the pen of their pianist, Simon Slowik. With these compositions they have created ther own stylistic world. It is based on modern aesthetics, it sounds quite well even after electronic music, and simultaneously has the sophistication of classical music. Particularly appealing is the blend of instruments within the trio: Fender Rhodes / viola and drums / Thorben.
There are plenty of credible heirs to the sax legacy of the late Michael Brecker, but most mimic Brecker's hurtling virtuosity without adding much colour of their own. Marius Neset, the 25-year-old Norwegian saxophonist who surfaced in the UK last year with Django Bates (his teacher and mentor at Copenhagen's Rhythmic Music Conservatory), not only combines Brecker's power and Jan Garbarek's tonal delicacy, but has a vision that makes all 11 originals on this sensational album feel indispensable, and indispensably connected to each other. Bonuses include an inspired Bates on piano and synths, and the formidable Phronesis rhythm section of bassist Jasper Høiby and drummer Anton Eger. The title track begins as a contrapuntal tenor-sax soliloquy that becomes a funky clamour when the band arrives; the breakneck-bop theme of City on Fire demonstrates the group's breathtaking tightness; the multiphonic Saxophone Intermezzo is a majestic hymn; and the lyrical, cruising Angel of the North is like a sax-led Pat Metheny band. On this evidence, Neset is on his way to being one of the biggest new draws on the circuit.
The loss of Swedish pianist Esbjörn Svensson in a diving accident in 2008 confronted his two long-time partners, bassist Dan Berglund and drummer Magnus Ostrom, with a dilemma as well as a personal loss, since neither had played outside EST in 15 years. Ostrom (like Berglund, on his Tonbruket venture last year) avoids EST mimicry, but seeks links between the trio's evolution and his own prog-rock and synth-texture roots. The influence of the Pat Metheny Group on EST surfaces in some of the pulsing grooves and swelling vocal chants Metheny and Berglund even make a guest appearance on the poignant Ballad for E. Otherwise, Ostrom and his new group explore pumping-heartbeat electronics that power simple, ringing melodies, quirky themes reminiscent of Zappa or early Soft Machine, plus wistful pop song or hymnal melodies, and a good deal of jazz-rock drive under whirling wah-wah guitar solos from the excellent Andreas Hourdakis. The improv is limited, and it's clearly a new partnership feeling its way, but this is a more convincing start than Berglund's Tonbruket.
released 02 March 2010
B.R.A.D. - voice
Eyvind Kang - viola
Monica Schley - harp
Aiko Shimada - voice
Dave Carter - trumpet
Jessika Kenney - voice
Lori Goldston - cello
Paul Rucker - upright bass
Eric Houghton - throat whistle
Climax Golden Twins - electronics
Seattle Harmonic Voices - vocals
Matt Chamberlain - drums/percussion
Christopher DeLaurenti - electronics
Ben Thomas - vibraphone/glockenspiel
Shahzad Ismaily - electric bass/keyboards
Hans Teuber - saxophone/clarinet/flute/bass clarinet
Steve Moore - keyboards/prepared piano/trombone
Bill Horist - acoustic guitar/electric guitar/keyboards baritone guitar/bass drum
- Emusic.
The band put all of their pre Sacred Bones releases and rarities up for free download. Self-Titled magazine compiled them: here. Great noise rock band.
- "A missile-shaped assemblage of sounds, beats and vocals to get spazzy on the dancefloor. Beats, beats, breaks, beats, sneaky hooks and viciously overloaded electro funk; a Melvins riff replayed on a Gameboy; a tribute to Betty Davis and a Linn beatbox; an ominous pumpy techno English/Japanese lesson. Monolith is a labor of love and noise for
deviant dancefloors, or for taking a walk in Shibuya or Nakameguro on a hot Sunday afternoon."
- Audio Dregs; 2006
"O.lamm is a Frenchman named Olivier and his work expounds on a idealistic and perhaps particularly narrow view of French music. Thinking of disco balls, underwater filter sweeps, and a tendency towards unfettered fun. O.lamm upholds the strong pop sensibility and smart hooks inherent in all great French electro wizardry."
- Last FM.
You know, I am starting to really feel a need for a new genre classification in my library to group for navigation purposes all of the good stuff that's coming out that has some classical-ish cello, some piano, some grainy electronic treatments, some field recordings, the odd beat here and there. Somewhere to put Olafur Arnalds, Peter Broderick, Sebastian Plano, From the Mouth of the Sun, Illuha, maybe even Deaf Center, et. al. Neither "ambient" nor "electronic" nor "classical" seem quite right, and even the sometimes used "neo-classical" makes me think more of the Johann Johannson end of this range of stuff, with pretty violins. Labelling things "experimental" or "alternative" has in most cases always felt like evading the issue. There's also a growing question with some stuff as well regarding how to apply the "electronic" tag - is some of the recent stuff 12k has been putting out "electronic" because it's put together using software, even though all of the sounds it contains may be acoustic and made with objects and instruments?
Comments
Things are looking up in the main library in my area. I don't go there that often, but last time I took out a couple of CDs by young German jazz artists, and yesterday I got three more European jazz CDs, including this. It comes from a classics/jazz cross-over perspective. Three tracks can be streamed here.
New from emusic
Bill Horist - Covalent Lodge
released 02 March 2010
B.R.A.D. - voice
Eyvind Kang - viola
Monica Schley - harp
Aiko Shimada - voice
Dave Carter - trumpet
Jessika Kenney - voice
Lori Goldston - cello
Paul Rucker - upright bass
Eric Houghton - throat whistle
Climax Golden Twins - electronics
Seattle Harmonic Voices - vocals
Matt Chamberlain - drums/percussion
Christopher DeLaurenti - electronics
Ben Thomas - vibraphone/glockenspiel
Shahzad Ismaily - electric bass/keyboards
Hans Teuber - saxophone/clarinet/flute/bass clarinet
Steve Moore - keyboards/prepared piano/trombone
Bill Horist - acoustic guitar/electric guitar/keyboards baritone guitar/bass drum
- Emusic.
"Superdisque is the first album of the French trio formed by David Fenech (electric guitar) with Jac Berrocal (trumpet) and Gh
The Men - Immaculada
The band put all of their pre Sacred Bones releases and rarities up for free download. Self-Titled magazine compiled them: here. Great noise rock band.
Craig
Cool, thanks Craig!
Enjoying this a lot, get it if you haven't yet!
- "A missile-shaped assemblage of sounds, beats and vocals to get spazzy on the dancefloor. Beats, beats, breaks, beats, sneaky hooks and viciously overloaded electro funk; a Melvins riff replayed on a Gameboy; a tribute to Betty Davis and a Linn beatbox; an ominous pumpy techno English/Japanese lesson. Monolith is a labor of love and noise for
deviant dancefloors, or for taking a walk in Shibuya or Nakameguro on a hot Sunday afternoon."
- Audio Dregs; 2006
"O.lamm is a Frenchman named Olivier and his work expounds on a idealistic and perhaps particularly narrow view of French music. Thinking of disco balls, underwater filter sweeps, and a tendency towards unfettered fun. O.lamm upholds the strong pop sensibility and smart hooks inherent in all great French electro wizardry."
- Last FM.
Another Brighternow depth charge that finally exploded in my SFL - thanks!