Five-Way Split: Modus Operandi
According to trumpeter & flugelhornist Quentin Collins, this contemporary/hard bop quintet has no leader – hence the sharing of responsibilty reflected in the name. Its members are inspired by the classic bands of the 50s & 60s such as Horace Silver’s quintet and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Each member brings a wealth of top-class experience to the ensemble, Hungarian bassist Mátyás Hofecker having played with Harold Mabern and Sheila Jordan, drummer Matt Home with Barry Harris and Herb Geller, pianist Rob Barron with Phil Woods and Al Jarreau, and trumpeter Collins with Fred Wesley and Kyle Eastwood; Greek saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos is active in three different jazz scenes – British, Greek and Cypriot.
Their new release follows the same format as their successful 2023 debut All The Way, with seven originals penned by members and two covers – this time, Henry Mancini’s Dreamsville and Peter Nero’s Sunday In New York. Every band member contributed to the album’s arrangements.
I had the good fortune to witness several of the tracks being road-tested at last year’s Scarborough Festival where the band’s masterly performance wowed the packed-out audience and we learnt the background to some of the numbers. Barron’s Dr Stohl is Lots Rd backwards – the home of London’s 606 club. Two Little Alphas, set by Home to a Latin rhythm, is named after Xenopoulos’s two young sons and XO Buzz references Collins’ favourite brandy. The whole of the album dazzles with creative energy but it’s not all hard-driving – there are passages of unexpected delicacy within the mix. Go here for a listen. Enjoy the ride.
Discography
Dr. Stol; Modus Operandi; Soho Soirée; Two Little Alphas; Dreamsville; Pandora’s Box; Viennese Whirlwind; Sunday In New York; X.O. Buzz (54.20)
Quentin Collins (t, flh); Vasilis Xenopoulos (ts, ss); Rob Barron (p, elp); Matyas Hofecker (b); Matt Home (d). London, February 2025.
5WS Records CD0001
Grammofon: Fabelagtige Forviklinger
Grammofon is a Danish quartet led by saxophonist Niels Oldin and guitarist Jakob Frandsen. The pair got together 25 years ago to play as a duo in Copenhagen’s jazz venues and eventually became a trio. In 2023 they grew into a quartet with Torben Westergaard on electric bass and Victor Dybbroe on percussion.
Sadly, Westergaard died recently, after a short illness. He was 65. The bassist developed a pleasing expertise in melding Nordic jazz with Argentinian tango as reflected in this album. He studied music at New York’s New School with Chris Potter, Bill Stewart and Brad Meldau and during his career released 20 albums of his own compositions.
Fabelagtige Forviklinger (translated as Fabulous Entanglements) was recorded in a studio on the Danish island of Møn. The live nature of the music stems from all four musicians playing together in the same room with few takes. Five of the eight compositions were written by Oldin with three by Frandsen.
Apart from electric bass, this is an acoustic album. Frandsen employs three different guitars – a nylon string for the Latin-based pieces, a steel string for those requiring a longer sustain and an ageing, rusty guitar with old strings to achieve the sound in Backwards. Oldin uses three horns – tenor sax, clarinet and bass clarinet with the latter adding a darker, more ruminative cast to the sound on several tracks.
Melodic, Latin-inspired jazz – sometimes wistful, often atmospheric – lies at the heart of this music. The thoughtful collaboration between all four artists in its delivery is excellent. Whilst the album is just short of half an hour it’s worth every minute.
Discography
Backwards; Absinth; Ferdinand; De Muzen; Louie; Ella; Contempo; Moonflow (29.50)
Niels Oldin (ts, cl, bcl); Jakob Frandsen (g); Torben Westergaard (elb); Victor Dybbroe (pc). Denmark, 12-13 June 2024.
Zack’s Music GR2601CD
