Here are four distinctively different projects that fall, to one degree or another, under the jazz umbrella—from the Dan Tepfer and Miguel Zenón duo, Myra Melford’s Fire and Water Quintet, Billy Mohler’s chordless quartet, and Lafayette Gilchrist’s sextet. They offer distinctly different musical experiences, but they all share one thing: no one else sounds anything like any of them.
Artrio—one, a new release from saxophonist Alex Murzyn, pianist John Funkhouser, and bassist Terry Burns—resident New Mexicans all—offers a master class in small ensemble jazz and a satisfying reminder of the high quality of the musicians here in New Mexico. They’ll celebrate their work with a CD release party at Q Bar, Friday, October 6. I was honored by their invitation to write the album’s liner notes, which, slightly adapted, also provide this review.
Bear Proof, the new release from bassist/composer Todd Sickafoose and my first encounter with his work, offers a chamber music adventure in an exhilarating jazz setting, featuring eight exceptional, genre-fluid musicians and a deep, articulate, and arresting compositional voice.
Award-winning ethnomusicologist, anthropologist, linguist, documentarian, sound artist and ecologist, musician, and UNM professor Steven Feld encountered Por Por (pronounced paaw paaw), Ghana’s honk horn music, 20-some years ago and has continued to work with the musicians, documenting this unique genre. The exclusive players of this squeeze-bulb klaxon horn music are the drivers in the La branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (La is a district of Accra). In his most recent effort on their behalf, Feld combines them with the Texas Horns, a preeminent U.S. soul, blues, and roots trio. The result is an astonishingly strange and familiar hybrid.
I’ve fallen behind in my listening and reviewing, so to catch up a bit, here are four short reviews of ear-worthy releases from reedman Michael Blake’s septet, bass soloist Brandon Lopez, pianist Jean-Michel Pilc’s trio, and the duo of altoist Pierrick Pédron and pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Happy listening, to one and all.
