Jazz Today Online - Summer 2011

Walsh Set Trio: Urgent Ape from Set One (Nine Winds). Brian Walsh, clarinet; Colin Burgess, bass; Trevor Anderies, drums.

Julio Resende Trio: Improvisacao (Call It Whatever) from You Taste Like a Song (Clean Feed). Julio Resende, piano; Ole Morten Vagan, bass; Bruno Pedroso, drums.

Bassdrumbone: The Blue Light Down the Line from The Other Parade (Clean Feed). Ray Anderson, trombone; Mark Helias, bass; Gerry Hemingway, drums.

Vyacheslav Guyvoronsky: Forced Landing in Mexico from Pieces for String Trio and Trumpet (Leo). Vyacheslav Guyvoronsky, trumpet; Vladislav Pesin, Dmitry Yakubovsky and Mikhail Degtyarev, strings.

Blacksheep: Perishing Wind from Blacksheep 2 (Doubtmusic). Yoshida Ryuichi, baritone sax; Goto Atsushi, trombone; Suga Dairo piano.

Steiner Raknes: Tango Rachetti from Tangos, Ballads and More (Park Grammofon). John Pal Inderberg, baritone sax; Ola Kvernberg, violin; Steiner Raknes, bass; Hakon Maset Johansen drums.

Peter Scharli Quartet: Calabrian Nights from Jazz at Prague Castle 2010 (Multisonic). Peter Scharli, trumpet; Glenn Ferris, trombone; Hans Feigenwinter, piano; Thomas Durst bass.

Chris Biscoe: J-Yarde from Profiles of Mingus (Trio). Chris Biscoe, alto sax.

Didier Levallet Quintet: Blue Berlin Tango from Songes, Silences (Sans Bruit). Airelle Besson, trumpet; Sylvain Rifflet, clarinet; Jan Vanek, guitar; Didier Levallet bass; Francois Laizeau, drums.

Jazz Today Playlist: 3rd July 2011

Rolf Kuhn & Tri-O: Rollercoaster from Rollercoaster (Jazzwerkstatt)

Michel Portal: Ombres from Bailador (Emarcy)

Fanfareduloup Orchestra: Calbalacrab from Oh! (Labeloup Production)

Bertrand Renaudin: Contemplation from Chateau Rouge (Cristal)

Vein: Travlin’ Bone from Vein Meets Glenn Ferris (Self-produced)

Albatrosh: Albatrosh on Skies from Mystery Orchestra with Grenager & Tafjord (Inner Ear)

Blacksheep: Perishing Wind from Blacksheep 2 (Doubtmusic)

Cargo Cult: I Know from Discovers (CIMP)

Backing gig guide – Bojan Z: Ashes to Ashes from Xenophonia (Label Bleu)

Laurent Mignard Pocket Quartet: Contemplation from Good News (Juste Une Trace)

Rich Halley Quartet: Requiem for a Pit Viper from Requiem for a Pit Viper (Pine Eagle)

Rick Stone Trio: Ballad for Very Sad and Very Tired Lotus Eaters from Fractals (Jazzand)

Vein: Blue Sun from Vein Meets Glenn Ferris (Self-produced)

Peter Scharli Quartet: Calabrian Nights from Jazz at Prague Castle 2010 (Multisonic)

Eric Hofbauer and The Infrared Band: La Ligne de Chance from Level (Creative Nation Music)

Listen: America’s Greatest from Listen (Schmell)

Vicious World: Peach Trees from Plays the Music of Rufus Wainwright (Spinaround)

Michel Portal: Citrus Juice from Bailador (Emarcy)

Jazz Today Playlist: 19th June 2011

SubTrio feat. Paulo Fresu: Line for Lyons from Live at Sting (Dravle)

The Quentin Collins / Brandon Allen Quartet: No Way Jose from What’s It Gonna Be? (Sunlightsquare)

David Lopato: Unrequited Love from Many Moons (Global Coolant)

Die Enttauschung: Rocket in the Pocket from 5 (Intakt)

Anne Mette Iversen: North (Allegro) from Best of the West / Many Places (Brooklyn Jazz Underground)

Michael Vlatkovich: Somehow We Can’t Catch a Glimpse of Our Future in a Passing Train Window from Three3 (Thankyou)

Daniel Erdmann & Francis Le Bras: Double Stupid from Daniel Erdmann & Francis Le Bras (Vents D’Est)

Brice Martin Quartet: Danse des Mirages from Jazz Migration 2007 (Afijma)

Russ Lossing Trio: Caldron from Oracle (Hatology)

Mostly Other People Do the Killing: Round Bottom, Square Top from Forty Fort (Hot Cup)

Ola Kvernberg Trio: Roland from Folk (Jazzland)

Fredar: Heroism from Irukandji (Cam Jazz)

Jesse Stacken: Magnolia from Magnolia (Fresh Sound New Talent)

Jesse Stacken: The Whip from Magnolia (Fresh Sound New Talent)

Eric Boeren 4tet: A Fuzzphony from Song for Tracy the Turtle (Clean Feed)

Trio Chemirani: Dordaneh from Invite (Accords Croises)

Daniel Erdmann & Francis Le Bras: Duo from Daniel Erdmann & Francis Le Bras (Vents D’Est)

The Quentin Collins / Brandon Allen Quartet: Dark Shadows from What’s It Gonna Be? (Sunlightsquare)

Jazz Today Playlist: June 1st 2010

Fiorenzo Bodrato: Clap Your Hands When You Listen from Main Scream Five (CMC)

Quinsin Nachoff: Bogardus Place from Horizons Ensemble (Musictronic Productions)

Trio Chemirani: Flamenco Mar from Invite (Accords Croises)

Steiner Raknes: Tango Rachetti from Tangos, Ballads and More (Park Grammofon)

Lokomotiv Kanarone: Greatest Hits Revisited from LK2 (CMC)

Giovanni Ceccarelli Trio: The Ever-Changing Sky from Meteores (Bonsai Music)

Sakoto Fujii Ma-Do: Heat Wave from Heat Wave (Not Two)

Gato Libre: Patrol from Kuro (Libra)

Solveig Slettahjell: Precise Content from Tarpan Seasons (Jazzland)

Ideal Bread: As Usual from Transmit (Cuneiform)

John Lindberg’s Tripolar: Send Off from [A]Live at Roulette, NYC (Jazzwerkstatt)

John Lindberg’s Tripolar: Ways from [A]Live at Roulette, NYC (Jazzwerkstatt)

Jørn Øien Trio: It Should Be Obvious from Digging in the Dark (Bolage)

Fredar: Plumpa from Irukandji (CAM Jazz)

Richard Nelson Large Ensemble: Search from Pursuit (Heliotrope)

Alexander von Schlippenbach & Manfred Schoof: Canto Dedicato from Blue Hawk (Jazzwerkstatt)

Fiorenzo Bodrato: Hangover from Act No Strange (CMC)

Jazz Today Playlist: May 18th 2011

Plunge: Life Lite from Tin Fish Tango (Immersion)

Didier Levallet Quintet: Blue Berlin Tango from Songes, Silences (Sans Bruit)

The Tigers of Love: Genau! from Un Amour Fou (Jazzhausmusik)

Phronesis: Love Song from Alive (Edition)

Walsh Set Trio: Urgent Ape from Set One (Nine Winds)

Bruno Tocanne: Birthday Memorial from 4 New Dreams (Instant Musics)

Roland Neffe: Heavy Line from Vibes Beyond (Jazzhausmusik)

Plunge: Diddlin’ from Tin Fish Tango (Immersion)

James Singleton String Quartet: Foxy Roxy from Gold Bug Crawl (self-released)

Laia Genc’s Liaison Tonique 5: Polyfangastronose from Polyfangastronosia (Jazzhausmusik)

Isabelle Olivier: Wae from My Foolish Harp (Enja Yellowbird)

Keefe Jackson Quartet: Put My Finger On It from Seeing You See (Clean Feed)

John Ruocco: Am I Asking Too Much? from Am I Asking Too Much? (Pirouet)

Bruno Tocanne: Van Gogh from 4 New Dreams (Instant Musics)

Eivind Opsvik: Planned Future from Overseas II (Fresh Sound New Talent)

Blue Lotus: Rainy Day from Blue Lotus (Stunt)

Walsh Set Trio: Blues for Lee Van Cleef from Set One (Nine Winds)

Moholo-Moholo/Pukwana/Dyani/Wright: Ancient Spirit (extract) from Spiritual Knowledge and Grace (Ogun)

Jazz Today Playlist: May 4th 2011

Chris Biscoe: Boogie Stop Shuffle from Profiles of Mingus (Trio)

Obara Special Quartet: Morph from Four (Ars Cameralis)

Hera: Cefalu from Hera (Multikulti Project)

Chris Biscoe: PSPPH from Profiles of Mingus (Trio)

Chris Biscoe: J-Yarde from Profiles of Mingus (Trio)

Harris Eisenstadt: Now Longer from Canada Day II (Songlines)

L’Orkestre des Pas Perdue: Acetominophene from Maison Douce Maison (Ambiances Magnetiques)

Prysm: Temps Dense from Five (Plus Loin)

Big Air: The Wizard from Big Air (Babel)

Bobo Moreno: 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover from 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Stunt)

Mats Eilertsen: Night Song from Radio Yonder (Hubro)

Michael Feinberg: Fighting Monsters from With Many Hands (Self-released)

Christophe Schweizer Moonsun: Omen from Cocoa (Unit)

Chris Biscoe: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat from Profiles of Mingus (Trio)

Carlo De Rosa’s Cross Fade: For Otto from Brain Dance (Cuneiform)

Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Eirik Hegdal: Country from Triads and More (MNJ)

Harris Eisenstadt: To Be from Canada Day II (Songlines)

Forgotten Gems

Every so often I’ll be dusting off an album that deserves to be better known, in a series called Forgotten Gems. The first of these is a classic from the Hat catalogue....

Urs Blöchlinger Tettet:  Neurotica (Hat Art)

During his lifetime, Swiss saxophonist Urs Blöchlinger recorded in solo, medium and large group settings on labels such as Plainisphare, Unit and Creative Works. He performed with the cream of Swiss jazz talent (such as George Gruntz, Hans Kennel and Peter Schärli) as well as visiting musicians (Carla Bley, Tom Varner). He also wrote music for theatre and film.

Neurotica was recorded by his 7-piece Tettet and released as a double LP on Hat Art in 1984. The band comprised five Swiss musicians, reedsmen Hans Koch and Ruedi Häusermann, pianist Jürg Amman, bassist Thomas Dürst and drummer Dieter Ulrich, plus America trombonist Glenn Ferris.

Nine of the eleven tracks on the recording were written by Urs, with theatrical (!) titles such as King Arthur meets Hanns Eisler in Hollywood. The soloing is first class, and the arrangements appropriately quirky. There is a great energy to the album, and a sense of fun.

Urs took his own life at age 40 in 1995. Neurotica stands as reminder of a fascinating musician and an excellent band. Sadly it has never been released on CD.