JAZZ
The Jason Lindner Big Band
Live at the Jazz Gallery
Anzic Records
Double disc sometimes means insufficiently edited. Live disc sometimes means messy.
But sometimes, a double disc of a live recording means twice the pleasures of some fabulous performances. That’s the definition that applies to the Jason Lindner Big Band’s Live at the Jazz Gallery, a wonderful compilation of nine imaginatively arranged and passionately delivered tunes from Lindner’s dodecatet. Keyboardist Lindner wrote most of the numbers.
He assembled the group in 1995 to play Mondays at Smalls, and they’ve clearly developed that wondrous mix of independence and cohesiveness marking the best of recent big-band experimentation, which aims to entertain even as it stretches the boundaries of genre and convention.
“Intro: Song for Jason,” by Avi Lebovich, and “Suheir,” by Lindner, start us off with characteristically invigorating cross-rhythms, rhythm changes, and a delicious layering of big brass, bebop, and funk elements, the last whipped up into a froth with an enticing electric piano solo.
The third number, “Rumors,” features some great introductory Rhodes-sounding reverbed and waved chordal work from Lindner on his Nord Electro 2 keyboard before gyrating into a slow triplet swinger.
“Inbal’”s exotic Middle-Eastern scalar improvisation subsides into a wistfully wobbly group-sax ramble. Then a mellow flute solo fractures into intriguing calculated dissonances before concluding in gospel sighs.
Piano gravitas in the lower registers initiates bassist Omer Avital’s “Song for Amos,” which then sets off on a tambourine-accompanied trot into a sax-introduced bemused theme and variations. Some tough brass contrast with the subsequent fluid bass solo, followed by an ice-breaker of a trumpet solo and a musing clarinet that works itself up into klezmerish high jinx. Sound like quite a ride? Hey, it’s 16-plus minutes long. This band doesn’t skimp on portions.
In “Freak of Nature,” spaced-out synthy organ sounds flower into strange brassy blossoms and end in a weirdly confident joyous space.
I enjoyed the Orientalish bass solo of “Life Light,” but, ironically, found the number overall to be the least lively of the album.
Things pick up distinctly again, though, with the idiosyncratic percussion/organ bubbles of “The Five Elements and the Natural Trinity.” The trombones do some heavy construction, before being overcome by the bickering saxes. The piano segues into a rhythm shift to a slower, more punctuated section, before a final acceleration.
“Poem for You Today” is a relaxed, bluesy ender featuring sax/flute player Jay Collins on vocals. He wrote the song, too. Following a series of meaning-of-life questions, he sings, “I believe I’ll grow and know a little more tomorrow, but until then, this is a poem for you today.”
Sweet, sassy poetry in general, this album’s a real gift that will whet your appetite to hear Lindner and friends live.
ELECTRONICA
UnderWORLD
Oblivion With Bells
It’s been five years since the English duo Rick and Karl’s 1992-2002 anthology album, A Hundred Days Off. But the lads, known as UnderWORLD, haven’t been lazing about; rather, creating film scores for Anthony Minghella’s Breaking and Entering and Danny Boyle’s Sunshine.
Now they’ve released another richly textured disc, Oblivion With Bells, in turn dizzying, seductive, and stellar. Yes, it’s basically ambient music, but intelligently and playfully devised.
“Crocodile’”s a dancy bopper, for instance, and “Beautiful Burnout” a relatively gentle Moby-like trance. “Holding the Moth” is booking a spot at your next fashion show, and “To Heal” an ascent into Eno-ic effervescence. “Ring Road” (my fave) is a percussive slam poem with some delightful harmonic voice couplings joined by a jaunty Peter Gabriel-style flutey timbre. “Glam Bucket” is makeout music for stylish insects.
Something for everyone, provided everyone’s reclining, it’s late evening, and they want to forget their chores for a while in a wash of mildly mad music.
-Alexander C. Kafka
The Jason Lindner Big Band
Live at the Jazz Gallery
Anzic Records
Double disc sometimes means insufficiently edited. Live disc sometimes means messy.
But sometimes, a double disc of a live recording means twice the pleasures of some fabulous performances. That’s the definition that applies to the Jason Lindner Big Band’s Live at the Jazz Gallery, a wonderful compilation of nine imaginatively arranged and passionately delivered tunes from Lindner’s dodecatet. Keyboardist Lindner wrote most of the numbers.
He assembled the group in 1995 to play Mondays at Smalls, and they’ve clearly developed that wondrous mix of independence and cohesiveness marking the best of recent big-band experimentation, which aims to entertain even as it stretches the boundaries of genre and convention.
“Intro: Song for Jason,” by Avi Lebovich, and “Suheir,” by Lindner, start us off with characteristically invigorating cross-rhythms, rhythm changes, and a delicious layering of big brass, bebop, and funk elements, the last whipped up into a froth with an enticing electric piano solo.
The third number, “Rumors,” features some great introductory Rhodes-sounding reverbed and waved chordal work from Lindner on his Nord Electro 2 keyboard before gyrating into a slow triplet swinger.
“Inbal’”s exotic Middle-Eastern scalar improvisation subsides into a wistfully wobbly group-sax ramble. Then a mellow flute solo fractures into intriguing calculated dissonances before concluding in gospel sighs.
Piano gravitas in the lower registers initiates bassist Omer Avital’s “Song for Amos,” which then sets off on a tambourine-accompanied trot into a sax-introduced bemused theme and variations. Some tough brass contrast with the subsequent fluid bass solo, followed by an ice-breaker of a trumpet solo and a musing clarinet that works itself up into klezmerish high jinx. Sound like quite a ride? Hey, it’s 16-plus minutes long. This band doesn’t skimp on portions.
In “Freak of Nature,” spaced-out synthy organ sounds flower into strange brassy blossoms and end in a weirdly confident joyous space.
I enjoyed the Orientalish bass solo of “Life Light,” but, ironically, found the number overall to be the least lively of the album.
Things pick up distinctly again, though, with the idiosyncratic percussion/organ bubbles of “The Five Elements and the Natural Trinity.” The trombones do some heavy construction, before being overcome by the bickering saxes. The piano segues into a rhythm shift to a slower, more punctuated section, before a final acceleration.
“Poem for You Today” is a relaxed, bluesy ender featuring sax/flute player Jay Collins on vocals. He wrote the song, too. Following a series of meaning-of-life questions, he sings, “I believe I’ll grow and know a little more tomorrow, but until then, this is a poem for you today.”
Sweet, sassy poetry in general, this album’s a real gift that will whet your appetite to hear Lindner and friends live.
ELECTRONICA
UnderWORLD Oblivion With Bells
It’s been five years since the English duo Rick and Karl’s 1992-2002 anthology album, A Hundred Days Off. But the lads, known as UnderWORLD, haven’t been lazing about; rather, creating film scores for Anthony Minghella’s Breaking and Entering and Danny Boyle’s Sunshine.
Now they’ve released another richly textured disc, Oblivion With Bells, in turn dizzying, seductive, and stellar. Yes, it’s basically ambient music, but intelligently and playfully devised.
“Crocodile’”s a dancy bopper, for instance, and “Beautiful Burnout” a relatively gentle Moby-like trance. “Holding the Moth” is booking a spot at your next fashion show, and “To Heal” an ascent into Eno-ic effervescence. “Ring Road” (my fave) is a percussive slam poem with some delightful harmonic voice couplings joined by a jaunty Peter Gabriel-style flutey timbre. “Glam Bucket” is makeout music for stylish insects.
Something for everyone, provided everyone’s reclining, it’s late evening, and they want to forget their chores for a while in a wash of mildly mad music.
-Alexander C. Kafka
