Tord Gustavsen Trio: Seeing (ECM Records 6516879)
Pianist Tord Gustavsen was born in Oslo in 1970. He studied music at Oslo and Trondheim universities, then made his highly successful ECM debut with Changing Places in 2003. It was followed by two other trio albums, The Ground (2005) which reached No. 1 in the Norwegian pop charts, and Being There (2007). Seeing is the fourth trio album, and his ninth release on the label. It features longstanding partner Jarle Vespestad on drums, and new bassist Steinar Raknes.
Seeing continues Gustavsen’s synthesis of jazz, Scandinavian folk and religious music. Performances are compact, with five originals, two cantatas by J. S. Bach, a traditional Norwegian hymn, and the 19th century English chorale Nearer My God To Thee. As the pianist recalls, “I played in churches and local settings of different kinds, combining classical training with writing my own songs and performing gospel.” He adds that “being creative has a much better chance of happening organically, avoiding alienation and stiffness, when done in energetic connection with my roots – with the sensuality and groundedness of the hymns and the spirituals and the lullabies.”
One writer called Gustavsen “the man who puts the piano in pianissimo”, and there are various permutations on that witticism. Restraint and patience are keywords of his style, and for some, the uniformity of mood and low volume begins to pall. In my view, Gustavsen’s approach remains distinctive – he’s an artist with a vision, not an entertainer with a brand. There’s a parallel here with the allegedly “cerebral” cool school of Tristano, Konitz and Marsh. It’s clear that Gustavsen is a thinker both in his music, and his writing and speaking – but as with the Tristano players, “cool” does not mean “unemotional”.
I don’t see any major changes for earlier releases, but rather, a thoughtful development of style. Only the test of time can tell whether Gustavsen is one of the great jazz pianists – originality is the question here – but he’s certainly a very fine one.
Sam Norris: Small Things Evolved Slowly (Resonant Postcards RPC001)
With alto saxophonist Sam Norris on this excellent release are his regular trio, Jay Verma (piano), Will Sach (bass) and Harry Ling (drums). All compositions are by Norris. The album title comes from an Erik Satie quote – “I took to my room and let small things evolve slowly” – and the music is a homage to the process of developing a band sound. Its influences are eclectic, and include free improv, contemporary classical and – so Norris comments – hip-hop. However, this last influence is submerged compared to explicit jazz/hip-hop fusions I’ve encountered.
Both compositions and improvising are strong. The outstanding track, I reckon, is the very attractive opener, The Fulcrum, and the leader’s affinities with cool-school saxophonists, particularly Lee Konitz, are very evident from the start. As Norris astutely comments, “Konitz was my main influence during my college years, especially in terms of timbre. I love the way he makes standard forms abstract harmonically and rhythmically but always retain the spirit of the composition. A true improviser!”
The Fulcrum‘s theme comes across like a blues-inflected cool contrafact, if you pardon my French. It’s an intensely memorable line, and Norris’s solo is compelling. Jay Verma’s piano solo is equally eventful, and exploits the composition’s harmonic and melodic features admirably. Other highlights include the furious and exciting Azazello, and the plangent Chorale. The band features young players, whose work will surely get looser and freer – something that comes with age and experience. Small Things Evolved Slowly is a very promising album, and Norris and his band are certainly talents worthy of wider recognition.
Ben Monder: Planetarium (Sunnyside SSC176)
The album publicity is right: Ben Monder’s recordings are mind-bending, and have a visionary intensity. The guitarist has contributed to the work of David Bowie, Maria Schneider, Guillermo Klein and The Bad Plus. But though he’s perhaps best known for these contributions, his own large-scale projects should stand the test of time.
The latest is the project that became Planetarium. It originated in 2014, when Monder was awarded a Shifting Foundation grant. Then, during the pandemic, he was commissioned to compose what became Ataraxia, which features acoustic guitar. At 23 minutes this is the longest track on the album, together with The Mentaculus. Also during the pandemic, Monder met producer Joseph Branciforte at the latter’s studio in Mount Vernon, New York. The pair later invited drummers Ted Poor and Satoshi Takeishi, bassist Chris Tordini and vocalists Theo Bleckmann, Charlotte Mundy and Emily Hurst to appear on the recording – Branciforte also appears on drums.
After three years’ work, this remarkable three-disc set is the result. It shows how the guitarist’s influences include contemporary classical, metal and alt-rock as well as jazz. The opening track Ouroboros II, on which Charlotte Mundy’s wordless vocalising is prominent, is compelling, with prog-rock and metal influences submerged in the stylistic mix. The Mentaculus is like a guitar concerto for jazz band, with an extended solo section in ad-lib tempo.
Wordless vocals resume on 1973 and Li Po, in the form of Theo Bleckmann’s remarkable sonorities. The title track is for solo electric guitar and – eventually – other instruments and/or electronics. Globestructures: Option II is inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro’s strangest and most avant-garde novel, The Unconsoled.The standard Where Or When gets a masterly 10-minute interpretation for solo electric guitar. On the brief version of the standard Wayfaring Stranger, Monder plays baritone guitar, accompanying a recording of his mother singing.
There is much superb music-making to be found on Planetarium. My main reservation may result from my personal taste – wordless vocals are very prominent, and I’m not a huge fan of them. If you don’t have that issue, you’ll certainly find the album very worthwhile indeed.
