Simon Moullier: Elements Of Light (Candid 33441)
The basic quartet here of Moullier with piano bass and drums is a strong post-bop unit. Moullier’s fleet lines on vibes flow along neatly enough and contrast with pianist Lex Corton’s bright and chunky chords. Both these two are good improvisers and the vibes man plays some solos in double time effectively. The problem is that this album has been given an electronic overlay that masks much of the solo work or reduces volume levels on the quartet. Lotus works rather better than most tracks as the group is joined by trumpeter Marquis Hill. The trumpet lines are strong and brassy and not so easily masked by an electronic haze.
The quartet and guests are inventive post boppers with a contemporary approach to the music, much of it obscured here by electricity. If you live anywhere near or in NYC a trip to hear this group live without digital additions would be a strong recommendation. Moullier has a style of his own on vibes that appears to owe nothing to previous masters. The album is worth having for the musicians and the way they play but it could have been a lot better.
Frank Sinatra: In The Wee Small Hours (Number One Essentials 291012)
Sinatra was in a period of rediscovery and success when he recorded this album for Capitol Records. He had won an Oscar for best supporting actor in the blockbuster movie From Here To Eternity. But the recent, painful breakup with Ava Gardner perhaps prompted him to make an album full of sad songs, all reflecting love lost, love missing, doubt, pain, a single, sombre midnight mood. Whether or not he realised he was creating the concept album a good 20 years before the Beatles came up with Sergeant Pepper is another thing.
Sinatra means it though, when he expresses a mood – painful or otherwise. Listen to him croon painfully through I Get Along Without You Very Well. Every track here is given a smooth, feelingful rendition, aided by the gently swinging Nelson Riddle orchestra with many jazz soloists included.
Although 16 classic standards form the ballast for Sinatra’s great talent, it was a good idea by the record company to add Stormy Weather with the Gordon Jenkins Orchestra from 1959. It fits the mood of the album perfectly adding only higher fidelity and stereophonic sound.
One of Sinatra’s greatest albums to be sure, but don’t listen to it any time you’re feeling a little depressed.
Dafnis Prieto: Si O Si Quartet: 3 Sides Of The Coin (Dafnison Music 010)
Cuban drummer Prieto here leads his quartet through nine Latin-jazz selections laced with bop solos from his saxophonist and pianist. All the tracks are written and arranged by the leader and are mainly Rhythm-based variations on Latin themes. Pianist Martin Bejerano is the main soloist, with some boppish, inventive lines. Peter Apfelbaum alternates tenor and soprano saxophones, his lines simple and straight ahead. The opening track, Caprichos Cubano, is a nine-minute workout for tenor sax, piano and choppy, stop-start type rhythm. The leader’s drum solo is a basic workout set against an ostinato from the pianist.
A conga rhythm follows with basic piano and soprano sax solos. Humanoid is a funky exercise in Latin melody with a blues flavour. Funky Humanoid is more of the same but more so. It starts with a basic bass guitar and drum duet and develops from there. The band’s idea appears to be to keep it simple and easy with everything developing from straightahead Latin rhythms. Ideal for dancing or background music.
A Plane To Catch: Soul Piece: (April Records 136CD & 136LP)
This Danish sextet offers a programme of funk and rock jazz, mainly presented as ensemble music. The first selection, Bamako Convention Center is a tightly knit piece with just one short solo segment near the end, Simon Eskildsen playing organ sounds on electronic keyboard. The next piece features rocking trumpet and the third has both trumpet and tenor sax solos. At Least The Sky Is Blue is a funky ballad. Soul Piece is funk with a blues flavour.
This sextet composed all the tracks heard and they are attractive melodies mostly. The ensemble sounds throughout are well integrated and it often sound as though more than six musicians are playing. The rock-style bass and drums sometimes sound a little out of place, particularly when the group launch into a brief free-jazz ensemble. The music overall is bright and breezy and is well recorded, live at the Royal Danish Academy of Music.
Bright, clear, open sound on this one, particularly on the vinyl album.
Otis Rush: I Can’t Quit You Baby: The Cobra Sides (Blues Joint 8030 LP)
This collection is from Rush’s first Cobra Records sides made 1956-58. There are also five bonus tracks recorded 1960-62.
Rush was one of the best of the early blues singer-guitarists who had the ability to fuse early Mississippi blues with the urban electric Chicago blues of the 1960s.He had a way of bending notes in a slide-guitar configuration without using a slide. Although he struggled later in his career, these authentic blues selections for the Cobra label are considered his very best by many enthusiasts.
Rush could sing the blues with great passion and play his guitar licks in the same white-hot manner. If many of these licks sound over familiar it is probably because you have heard them copied by Eric Clapton, Mike Bloomfield and others in the 1960s. Rush was also an influence on the music of Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and many others. I Can’t Quit You Baby was Otis’s first and only big hit but he set the stage for hundreds of others. All the music on this collection is played with energy and skill and benefits from sturdy bands featuring the likes of Walter Horton on harmonica along with Red Holloway and Harold Ashby on tenor saxophones.
This is the authentic Chicago blues of the 1950s and 60s, not brilliantly recorded but sounding great musically on a 47-minute programme on crisp 180-gram vinyl. This quality LP sound is likely the best it is possible to get.
Sara Oschlag: Yeah (saraoschlag.com)
Danish vocalist Oschlag lives and works in the UK and is here supported by a sterling British band. Starting as she means to go on, she sings her own lyrics to Mingus Fingers, although she soon segues into wild scat. Using a wide-ranging voice effectively she hits and holds the high notes with no trouble at all. Sara has that rare ability to sing and phrase as a jazz singer and not just as a vocalist who performs with a jazz band. Her expert phrasing and jazz timing are most evident on ballads, here demonstrated on Lazy Afternoon and East Of The Sun. Mark Edwards on piano and Arnie Somogyi on bass are sympathetic accompanists who provide their own strong solos. On East, Alan Barnes adds stinging alto sax as the rhythm section cruise along.
The vocals receive a variety of jazz backing enhanced by Edwards’ use of piano, Wurlitzer, organ and glockenspiel. Alan Barnes adds clarinet and baritone to his alto on his featured spots. Ms Oschlag adds the final qualification for jazz acceptance by proving to be a moving blues interpreter. Some Of My Best Friends Are Blues is a typical bop-style selection, sung with great gusto by Sara. Echoes of Parker’s Mood and other classic blues readings are evident here. Alan Barnes’ soprano and baritone add distinction.
Ms O can manage the fiercest uptempo tunes with ease as well. The Song Is You goes like lightning. Perhaps the secret of success here is natural jazz singing plus first-rate backing by seasoned musicians and an excellent choice of material.
Looking forward to Samara
On the subject of exceptionally good vocalists, I see that Samara Joy has a new album just out and it’s a goodie. Somebody sent me a couple of tracks as samples and now I am keen to hear the entire album.
