The ten albums that have given me most pleasure over the past year. Most released in 2025, but a few from 2024. As always it was a difficult choice. Most are on small independent labels and few appear on other end of year listings. So, who knows, you might find a hidden gem in amongst!
Ternion Q
Expanded – Marbles (Brooklyn Jazz Underground)
An international band led by Danish bass player Anne Mette Iversen. A band centred on her quartet Ternion Q, but now expanded to a septet with the stellar international lineup of Silke Eberhard and Julius Gawlik on reeds, Percy Pursglove trumpet, Morris Kliphuis french horn, Geoffroy De Masure trombone, Anne Mette on bass and Roland Schneider at the drums.
Anne Mette was born in Denmark, spent time in New York, and
now resides in Berlin, where Marbles was recorded. The addition of Percy,
Julius and Morris broadens her musical palette. In fact what is striking about
this album are the fascinating compositions and arrangements, skills the leader
has honed working with larger ensembles such as the Norbotten Big band. Anne
Mette is also Professor of Jazz Composition and Arranging at the University of
Applied Sciences in Osnabrück.
According to Anne Mette the music had a difficult gestation,
both challenging and time consuming. The result however is eight intriguing
originals from the leader that come across as a kind of suite. Sophisticated
and multilayered.
And you know the saying ‘pressure makes diamonds’? Well,
these diamonds are marbles.
Gard
Nilssen Acoustic Unity – Great Intentions (Action Jazz)
Another augmented band, this time centred on drummer Gard Nilssen’s long-standing trio with saxophonist André Roligheten and bassist Petter Eldh. A trio that has appeared before on my end of year list. This time with the addition of two other reed players; Signe Emmeluth and Kjetil Møster.
And at times they sound like a mini big band, with some striking
harmonies from the front line. Underpinned by what must be one of the best bass
and drum teams in the business. At times there are shades of Ellington. Oliver
Nelson also comes to mind. But all through a 21st century lens.
Each of the band members provide compositions, some with an
African tinge. There’s also a take on Paul McCartneys Waterfall. Which also has
a delicate reprise at the end of the album.
If you want to find out why Scandinavian jazz is held in
such high esteem, then start here. Let’s hope Gard can keep the quintet version
together for future recordings. And who knows, maybe bring them to the UK.
The
Hemphill Stringtet – Plays the Music of Julius Hemphill (Out of Your Head)
It seems strange to be adding a string quartet to my selection. But as the title indicates, they revisit the music of the late Julius Hemphill, a jazz saxophonist who is best remembered as a co-founder of the Black Artists Group and the World Saxophone Quartet. A musician that many writers acknowledge did not receive the recognition he deserved in his lifetime.
And these string players are musicians well versed in jazz,
free improv and contemporary classical. All approaches that appear in some form
in this fascinating album. Curtis Stewart and Sam Bardfeld are on violins,
Stephanie Griffin, viola and Tomeka Reid cello.
They interpret four Julius Hemphill compositions, music
originally written for the World Saxophone Quartet, together with three Charles
Mingus pieces that Julius adapted for string quartet. The latter go under the
heading Mingus Gold.
It’s an intriguing release. Let’s hope the foursome
investigate more of Hemphill’s music, and maybe even music from other jazz
composers. Although they might need to change their name.
Bruno
Angelini, Angelika Niescier & Sakina Abdou – Lotus Flowers (Abalone)
A musical treatise about the state of our planet. More specifically, those individuals that are striving, or have striven, to make a difference, politically, environmentally or through music.
The album gives us nine compositions from pianist Bruno
Angelini, dedicated to the likes of Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela and Wayne
Shorter. And here, he’s more than ably supported by saxophonists Sakina Abdou
and Angelika Niescier.
Bruno and Angelika are regulars on Jazz Today, but I believe
this is my first encounter with Sakina Abdou who, like Angelika, often performs
at the freer end of the jazz spectrum. Here though, both women interpret Bruno’s
comps with a more mainstream approach, but still incorporate elements of
freedom into their playing.
It’s a heartfelt statement from the trio, exemplified by the
track Madres de Plaza de Mayo which captures the anguish of the ‘mothers of the
disappeared’ in Buenos Aires. Powerful stuff.
Magne
Thormodsaeter – L’Arte Della Persuasione (Ozella Music)
An album released in 2024, but one that only came my way at the beginning of this year. It features a 16-piece band led by bass player Magne Thormodsaeter, comprising a jazz octet alongside a string octet. In the former are the likes of saxophonists Kjetil Moster and Atle Nymo, trumpeter Eivind Lonning and guitarist Thomas T Dahl.
It’s a striking piece of work. The music was composed and
arranged by the leader, a suite in five parts with a short solo bass
intermission. Apparently Magne scored the work, then placed the musicians in
the studio and said ‘go’. In amongst he allowed space for improvisation.
The music was commissioned by and recorded at the Grieg
Academy in Bergen, Norway. At times it’s romantic, at others raucous. And
special mention must go to drummers Hakon Mjaset Johansen and Ivor
Thormodsaeter who underpin proceedings with verve.
Theres a lot of jazz classical crossover happening at
present. This is one of the best I’ve heard. And frankly, I’m persuaded.
Nexus –
Plays Dolphy (Red)
A band I’ve been following with interest for the last four decades. Originally conceived by drummer Tiziano Tononi and saxophonist Daniele Cavallanti, it has taken many forms over that time. The latest iteration is all Italian, with reedsman Achille Succi, trombonist Alessandro Castelli, violinist Emanuele Parrini, vibes player Luca Gusella and bassist Andrea Grossi joining the pair.
Over those four decades, Nexus has amassed a sizeable
discography, with tributes to many icons in the history of jazz. They’ve also
played alongside international stars such as Glenn Ferris and Steve Swell, as
well as Italian stalwarts such as Pino Minafra and Roberto Ottaviano.
And as the album title suggests, here they revisit the music
of Eric Dolphy, a jazz icon who died far too young. The septet get stuck into
half a dozen of Eric’s best known compositions, plus a take on Fats Waller’s
Jitterbug Waltz. And they do it with gusto, leaking blue notes all over the
place.
Its a powerful tribute to the late reedsman, from a band I
suspect he would have been happy to perform alongside.
Joe Fonda
& Bass of Operation - Joe Fonda & Bass of Operation (Fundacja Sluchaj)
Another release from 2024. It comes from bass player Joe Fonda, a musician I first encountered on record in the early 90’s with the Mosaic Sextet, a band featuring trumpeter Dave Douglas, bassoonist Michael Rabinowicz and drummer Harvey Sorgen.
Joe then went on to raise his profile further, being a key
player in many of Anthony Braxton’s bands, and recording with the likes of
Barry Altschul, Wadada Leo Smith and Gebhard Ullmann.
Here he’s with a
band that he got together for a tour in 2022. A band Joe calls Bass of
Operation. It also features Michael Rabinowitz and Harvey Sorgen. This time along with woodwind player Jeff
Lederer.
According to the
liner notes, Joe sent the musicians his charts in advance of the tour, with the
view of combining Jeffs saxophones with Michaels bassoon. However Jeff
suggested that the music felt better when he was using clarinets and flute. It
worked well on tour, and produced a unique sound that you can hear on this,
their eponymous debut.
It’s a kind of
freebop, very rhythmic, almost funky at times. And, as always, Michaels
dexterity on the unwieldy bassoon is amazing.
Max Nagl
Quintet – Phasolny (Rude Noises)
As regular listeners know, Max’s jazz outings are a regular feature on Jazz Today. And I specify jazz outings as his repertoire covers everything from chamber music and opera to theatre and dance. His solo and trio recordings also incorporate elements of rock and electronica. In fact his contributions to music recently won him a major prize in the Austrian capital.
On Phasolny, his band contains what could best be described
as the usual suspects; musicians that have been performing alongside Max for many
years. Martin Eberle trumpet, Phil Yaeger trombone, Georg Vogel piano and
Gregor Aufmesser bass. With Max himself completing the lineup on his trusty
alto sax.
We get sixteen shortish and quirky pieces, all bar one
composed by the leader. And the lack of percussion means it sometimes comes
across as an improvising brass band, although its unlikely the Salvation Army
will give you this much polyphony.
Max is one of those musicians not widely known outside of
his homeland, although he has recorded with the likes of Ken Vandermark, Steven
Bernstein and one of his inspirations, the late Lol Coxhill.
And no, I don’t know what Phasolny means. You search online,
and all that turns up is this album.
James
Davis’ Beveled – Arc and Edge (Calligram)
Another band with unusual instrumentation, this time two flugelhorn, two bass clarinet, double bass and drums. Recorded in Chicago just over a year ago.
And as you might expect they create a wonderfully warm
sound. James and Chad McCullough combine on flugelhorns, Geof Bradfield and
Michael Salter bass clarinets, Daniel Thatcher bass and Juan Pastor drums.
The band first took shape at the Green Mill Jazz Club in the
Windy City twelve years ago and this is their third recording. And although the
instrumentation points to a chamber jazz outing, there’s much more than that
here. There is a mellow feel as you would anticipate, but there’s fire as well,
the band containing musicians well versed in Chicago’s creative legacy.
James’ original music and arrangements are key to the albums
success, framing solos in an intriguing manner. And although the group is named
Beveled (their spelling), there are still cutting edges to be savoured.
Ted Morcaldi
– Celestial Stranger (Clonmell Jazz Social)
Its wonderful to be able to include an album in my selection from locally-based talent. Albeit a musician who originally hails from the USA. And include not simply because he is based in Cambridgeshire, but that he has produced an album that has a sense of mystery, something that appeals to me in all forms of art.
On Celestial Stranger, Ted utilises both electric and
acoustic guitars on a selection of originals, plus a take on David Bowie’s Art
Decade. Often his guitars are overlayed, sometimes creating soundscapes to embellish.
There are rock elements to some of the pieces, whereas others, particularly
those alluding to his home town of Ely have a wistful charm. Yet throughout
there is a haunting sense of unease.
On many of the pieces Ted is joined by bassist Joel Humann
and drummer Joshua Blackmore, a trio that also goes by the name Celestial
Stranger. And on the Bowie number, US bassist Tim Lefebvre sits in.
I know that one of Ted’s heroes is Ralph Towner, which makes
me think it would be great to hear a solo acoustic date from Ted in the future.
Until then this ‘stranger’ will do nicely.
There were plenty more albums that have given me great enjoyment
over the past year, which I have not been able to include here. In fact my
starting list for consideration was over fifty releases. And if you ask me to
select tomorrow, then I might well choose differently. In fact, now I think of
it.....
