Carla Marciano Quartet Psychosis: Homage to Bernard Herrmann

Carla Marciano Quartet
Psychosis: Homage to Bernard Herrmann
Challenge Records

This writer became aware of Italian saxophonist Carla Marciano and her Quartet from her album "Stream of Consciousness" (Alfa Music). That was her fourth album (her first three were on Black Saint). Starting with the opening "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," I was struck by how she and her band played with such tenacity and energy. Her band includes her husband Alessandro La Corte on piano and keyboards, Aldo Vigorito on double bass, and Gaetano Fasano on drums. The music was evocative of the classic Coltrane Quartet (thinking of Coltrane's rendition of "Greensleeves," for example) but performed with such vigor and belief.

Marciano (who plays alto and sopranino saxophones) explains the inspiration for this album, "This album is my heartfelt homage to one of the greatest geniuses of film score, the composer and conductor Bernard Herrmann, whose music has dazzled me since I was a child. It has been very interesting to arrange, revise and adapt, for a jazz quartet, some of the best known themes from outstanding soundtracks Herrmann wrote for equally outstanding films - all psychological thrillers (hence the title Psychosis) … . Bearing a classic feel and originally conceived for orchestras, the tracks in this album were arranged in full respect of the originals, leaving intact, for example, the beauty of the melodies, while at the same time creating new improvisational spaces that would allow our Quartet to maintain its own identity."

While having only a casual acquaintance with Herrmann's work, I was impressed by Marciano and her Quartet's capture of the dramatic aspects of Herrmann's musical themes. This starts with "Theme From 'Taxi Driver,'" where her statement of the theme initially is backed by atmospheric chords from La Corte. A dramatic opening of "Theme From 'Marnie,'" launches into a performance that illustrates her robust tone as well as musical inventions. In contrast, the performance evolves with La Corte suggesting McCoy Tyner. At the same time, Vigorito and Fasano propel this performance before Marciano reenters with further dynamic saxophone in a post-Coltrane vein. Her fiery sopranino sax captures the listener's attention on "Theme From 'Twisted Nerve,'" that showcases Vigorito and La Sorte while Fasano dazzles. La Sorte's opens "Theme From 'Psycho,'" a Vigorito performance marked by atonality, dissonance, Marciano's ecstatic playing, and a well-crafted drum solo.

After the group's memorable renditions of Herrmann's themes, the album closes in a Coltrane-ish mode. Marciano plays swirling, serpentine sopranino sax on La Sorte's arrangement of John Williams' "Theme from 'Harry Potter' (Hedwig's Theme)." It is another engrossing performance on an outstanding recording.

I received a review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the January-February 2021 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 394). I have made a couple minor edits. Here is a clip of the Carla Marciano Quartet in the studio.

Jungsu Choi Tiny Orkester Tschuss Jazz Era

Jungsu Choi Tiny Orkester
Tschuss Jazz Era
Challenge Records

Jungsu Choi has brought together a contemporary jazz ensemble with twelve of Korea's finest jazz musicians including: Jinho Pyo (voice), Eunmi Kim (flute), Yusun Nam (alto saxophone), Hachul Song (tenor saxophone), Yejung Kim (trumpet), and Junyeon Lee (trombone) to perform his compositions and his arrangements of jazz standards. This ensemble has an unusual instrumentation of five horns, cello, male voice, a four-piece rhythm section. This is the group's first European and North American release.

Jungsu Choi's compositional and arranging skills are readily evident on the opening "Stolen Yellow" with its tempo shifts as well as employment of Pyo's scatting as another horn voice, along with the fusion guitar styled solo by Sungyun Hong, a fiery trumpet solo by Kim and Nam's free-sounding alto sax with interesting mix of horns to help frame the solos. Choi's arrangement of Charlie Parker's "Anthropology" similarly displays his imagination in the reconstruction of the Parker melody with the horns playing short unison phrases and pianist Lee taking an Monk-influenced approach in his solo. Bae's tenor sax solo is outstanding and then there is an interlude where Bae and flautist Kim playing off each other unaccompanied, before the band joins in on the repeated phrase they state. Even those who have heard countless version of this tune will be impressed by this inspired and very original performance.

"What If Ellington Didn't Take The 'A' Train?" similarly reworks the Billy Strayhorn in a manner that again displays the originality and invention of Choi and the superb playing by the Orkester. There is also another inspired original, "Nach Wien 224," and an inspired interpretation of Chick Corea's "Spain," with Pyo's hornlike scatting to the fore. Jungsu Choi Tiny Orkester is a terrific large ensemble and with Choi's creative leadership, compositional and arranging skills has produced this exceptional recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared originally in the July-August 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 379), although I made minor stylistic edits to that review. Here is a live performance of "What If Ellington Didn't Take The 'A' Train?"

Steve Hobbs Tribute To Bobby

Steve Hobbs
Tribute To Bobby
Challenge Records

Marimba / vibes veteran Steve Hobbs has dedicated this new recording to Bobby Hutcherson who mentored him as a young player. The dedication came after Hutcherson's recent death shortly after this program of mostly originals by Hobbs that encompass modern mainstream examples of post bop, Latin, Funk, Calypso, and the such. Emphasis on this date is on the woodier marimba. He is joined by a terrific band including Adam Kolker on saxes, Bill O’Connell on piano, Peter Washington on bass and John Riley on drums. Hobbs himself in the booklet elaborates on the renditions of ten originals and three covers.

On the opening "The Craving Performance," one observes how tight the rhythm section is as Washington's firm bass anchors this lively swinger. Kolker's tough tenor solo is followed by Hobbs on marimba on a solo displaying imagination as well as precision. "Into the Storm" opens with Riley's drums and a short period of controlled chaos between marimba and piano. It transitions to a 5/4 on an animated performance with several metric changes and superb piano from O'Connell. On the wonderful interpretation of "Besame Mucho," Hobbs states that he "wanted a West African Naningo feel … ." This is a quartet performance with his marimba lending more of a Caribbean than Afro-Cuban flavor. Both O'Connell and Hobbs are spectacular while Washington and Riley are superb throughout. Kolker returns with authority on the vibrant, driving "New Creation," followed by Hobbs who states Hutcherson's influence on him is perhaps most evident here. Washington also solos on this selection.

The breezy latin-flavored "Tres Vias" has Kolker on soprano with a serpentine solo, followed by the lovely "Millie," with nice brush work from Riley and then, "Thelonious Funk," which has a playful, funky tone. "The Road to Happy Destiny" is a a gospel-rock-R&B flavored song having lyrics about hope and service where the backing track was recorded first and the vocals added later (including a brief scat solo). Then comes a reflective rendition of Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind," a punchy latin-flavored "El Sueno de Horace Silver," with hot mallets and tenor sax. "In From the Storm," is a pop-flavored composition  having a light bossa nova groove, and vocals. It is followed by an ebullient calypso romp, "Let's Go To Abaco!"

The quartet has a brisk take on the Rodgers and Hart standard "Where or When," that is kicked off by Riley, before Hobbs' sterling marimba solo with Riley taking a crisp, drum solo. It concludes this recording in an impressive manner.

I received from my review copy from a publicist. I have edited, for clarity, the review that appeared in the November-December 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 375).
 

Vein Plays Ravel

Vein
Vein Plays Ravel
Challenge Records

Comprised of pianist Michael Arbenz, drummer Florian Arbenz and bassist Thomas Lähns aim to achieve with their music - their understanding of music - is nothing less than the greatest possible balance of their three voices - not simply the musical interplay of a piano trio. This genre-bending trio turns their focus in the present recording on the works of the impressionistic French composer Joseph Maurice Ravel. One of the most enigmatic figures of classical music, Ravel lived in an era during which tradition transitioned into abstract modernity and he encompassed many styles of music into his compositions including baroque, Spanish music and jazz. In a similar fashion, VEIN breaks new ground without rejecting the traditional values of jazz. This album also features one of Europe's most distinctive saxophone voices, Andy Shepard.

Certainly the trio's dazzling musical approach is evident on the three pieces from "Le Tombeau de Couperin." On the opening "Prelude," their romanticism isn't inhibited from liveliness of their improvisation. It is followed by the lyrical, meditative "Forlane," with the interplay of Michael and Lähns complemented by Florian's adept use of brushes. The adaptation of the final piece "Toccata," is primarily a duet between the brothers with Florian very prominent here. "Blues" is taken from a violin sonata and anchored by Lähns's arco playing with Michael's use of riffs, single note runs and chords supported by an a temporal employment of cymbals.

"Bolero" is the most familiar, and iconic, of Ravel's compositions, and one of the two tracks on which saxophonist Shepard is featured, along with a horn section that expresses the opulent orchestral aspect of this provocative work. His saxophone is embedded with the trio as the mesmerizing performance builds in intensity, becoming more heated until reaching an orgiastic climax. Shepard is a wonderful player with a marvelous tone and impeccable sense of dynamics and the interplay of him with trio set against the smoldering fire of the horn section is riveting.

After the fiery "Bolero," "Pavane pour une infante defunte," provides a welcome calm. Shepard returns on "Mouvement de Menuet" from the sonatina for piano, adding the warmth of his saxophone here. The trio is gripping in the closing "Five O'clock Foxtrott," with each member making significant, and unexpected contributions in a performance marked by moments of fire and lyricism. It closes an imaginative take of Ravel's music, true to the spirit of the composer, yet fresh in the adaptation of his compositions.

I received as a download from a publicist. Here is a live performance of Vein performing "Bolero."

Natalia M. King Bluezzin T'il Dawn

Natalia M. King
Bluezzin T'il Dawn
Challenge Records

Brooklyn born, but based in Europe, Natalia M. King has a fascinating recording of what is described as jazzy takes on the blues. The singer and guitarist has a band of bassist Anders Ulrich, pianist Anthony Honnet, drummer Davu Honnet, trumpeter Ronald Baker, and reed player Xavier Sibre on the seven originals and two interpretations found here.

Billie Holiday's influence is evident in the opening "Traces in the Sand," a slow blues with tight backing with Sibre's clarinet setting the mood as well as soloing, as Natalia sings about her regrets about a love that is no more. Holiday is not the only influence, as she can belt a song out in a manner Holiday never did as on Holiday's "Don't Explain." This starts off almost as a hot jump blues with Sibre on tenor sax, with a middle section done as a lament, before the groove picks up for the closing vocal chorus. Bassist Ulrich and her own rhythm guitar add much to this performance as well. Her original, "Insatiable," has a ambience similar to the Etta James recording of "At Last," and has her strong vocal complimented by strong tenor sax and pianist Honnet's sterling accompaniment .

Baker's muted trumpet and Honnet's piano establish the tone for the lament "This Time Around," as she sings about being lied to, cheated before and had her clothes on the pavement. There are times her conscious phrasing as on "Baby Brand New," comes off as mannered, but is a minor point with Sibre's wooly sounding tenor sax providing a responsive voice to the vocal with an added treat of the incorporation of "Take Five" in Sibre's solo. Baker's growls, slurs and blasts add to the flavor of "Paint It Black & Blue," as she sings about stumbling in her sorrow about unreturned love with the backing suggestive of the late Charles Brown's latter recordings. "You Came and Go" is a folky lament set against a sparse backing and effective use of flute in the performance. The final number matches her evocative vocal take on Fred Neil's "Little Bit of Rain," against some wonderful muted trumpet.

She is a fascinating singer, with a strong jazz leaning, and supported here by a terrific backing band with some well structured solos. The result is one of the more fascinating recent recordings straddling the blues and jazz worlds and hopefully does not get overlooked because of this.

I received my review copy a publicist. Here is a preview of this recording.