js Attempts to combine electronic artists with jazz artists in a recording or performance setting can often be clumsy and ineffective, often leaving the two camps in separate worlds while sharing the same space. Patrick Gleeson’s work with Herbie Hancock was successful, but they were the exception. Since the early 90s or even earlier, many contemporary acid jazz and nu jazz artists have made extensive use of electronics to good effect, but any attempt to fuse an electronic performer with a live band usually ends up with nothing more than some gratuitous scratching and repetitive sample bites that don’t really do a lot for the spirit of live improvisation.

In 2023, sound artist BlankFor.ms (Tyler Gilmore) set out with a new project in which he manipulated the live performances of pianist Jason Moran and drummer Marcus Gilmore and the result is one of the more successful mergers of live electronic artist and jazz artist to date, and it is all presented on Tyler’s album, “Refract”. In this performance, Marcus and Moran improvise while Tyler loops there efforts on the fly and in general morphs and bends what they play into new shapes. Their interplay is absolutely seamless, it is really hard to tell what is being played and what has already been played and is undergoing treatments, it’s a truly captivating performance and a real breakthrough in the world of improvisation. It doesn’t hurt that such creative and eclectic musicians such as Jason and Marcus are involved, Moran in particular is probably one of the most versatile and creative pianists happening today.

The music is very varied, moving from intense atonality to drifting ambience and many points in between. Some highlights include “Inward Curve”, on which Tyler takes Marcus’ busy drum work and turns it inside out while Moran takes flight on a solo. “Tape Loop A” also takes drumnbass type beats and scrambles them up. “Release”, features Moran’s piano work while Tyler grabs bits and pieces and loops them. This sort of busy activity is the highlight of the album, but there is also a fair amount of ambient tracks as well. The ambient tracks can be effective, but this sort of thing has been done before as some of this sounds like it could be on the next Roger Eno album. Unfortunately, for the last third of the album Marcus is barely present which is a shame. If these three do another project together, it would be nice to hear more of the scrambled beats and intense piano work outs.

snobb I spent last week almost locked in by cold windy and rainy weather in a small apartment in "Dear old Stockholm" (which didn't look all that dear under occasional snowflakes falling around in the second half of April). Under lead-heavy clouds, the only things that brightened my mood there were seagulls' screams flying over the town and a few CDs I took with me for the trip. Shabaka's "Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace" was one of them.

Band leader and reeds player Shabaka Hutchings is with no doubt the most significant figure of a new generation of the London jazz scene. For a decade he dictates musical fashions with his projects, Sons of Kemet, The Comet is Coming and Shabaka & the Ancestors covering the wide range of genres from space-jazz to Afro-beat and avant-garde jazz. Still, till now his music was always very rhythmic, energetic and often explosive.

On "Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace", Shabaka's first real solo album, he plays predominantly flute (not saxophones or bass clarinet, as he usually did before). As a result, we got a very much flute-jazz album, which can be an acquired taste.

Shabaka, quite predictably for such kind of music, starts somewhere between new age and world fusion here on his new album, fortunately he develops it towards more sophisticated and tasteful contemporary jazz with melodic songs and touch of electronics. There is a list of renown musicians participating here, but still it is obvious that Shabaka is an obvious leader. Even playing the music which doesn't associates with him a lot (predominantly Far Eastern, Eastern European and Latin American flutes), Shabaka sounds a bit like Shabaka from Comet... or Shabaka from Sons of Kemet.

Among the guests, there are participating pianist Jason Moran (on two songs) and rising South African star Nduduzo Makhathini, Floating Points on Rhodes electric piano, renown bassist Esperanza Spalding (on two songs), respectable New York drummer Nasheet Waits and even freshly established flutist André 3000. Still there are vocalists/rapers who's participation is probably most influential.

Differently from all of Shabaka's previous music, "Perceive Its Beauty..." is a heavily meditative and quite relaxed work, fortunately it doesn't slip into esoteric sleepy listening. Arrangements are all tasteful and quite original, rhythm changes are presented too, each of the songs included has it own face.

Never a big jazz flute fan, I chose this album because of my interest in Shabaka's music. Still, this music really made my day brighter, more comfortable and harmonic, even under dark Nordic sky. I believe those appreciating flute in jazz will find much more to enjoy.

js Trumpeter Curtis Taylor released two EPs late in the previous decade, but the recent, “Taylor Made”, is his first full length album as a leader. Curtis is hardly a new comer to the jazz world, having already worked with Gregory Porter, Patrice Rushen, Cyrus Chestnut and many others. His new album reflects some modern trends in post bop jazz with its fusion and art rock/pop influences as in what you might get if you mixed pianist Bill Evans with Radiohead or Blur. Curtis has a clean and precise sound on the trumpet and avoids any gimmicks associated with the instrument in a style similar to current players like Marquis Hill and Wynton Marsalis, or going further back, Clifford Brown. Pianist Theron Brown reflects the art pop meets post bop sound of Brad Mehldau with a grounding in Herbie Hancock, and on the ballad material he might display grand loungey flourishes that recall Ahmad Jamal. Saxophonist Marcus Elliot recalls Joshua Redmon, with, once again, an ability to mix post bop and more current pop/rock type flavors.

“Taylor Made” is a fairly eclectic outing, one highlight is the high octane bop of “Heightened Awareness”, it would be nice to hear more tracks like this in the future. “Kham’s Dilemma” is abstract post bop with a fusion drive and “For Her” is the romantic ballad in 3/4 time. The last three tracks on the album get more into their art pop meets post bop blend with the imposing buildup chords of “Indomitable” sounding like an acoustic prog rock number. “Hashtagged” is in 7/4 time that is somewhat disguised as almost in waltz time. “Journey” has a driving snare rim click and sounds like something Miles’ second quintet would have played in the mid 60s. This is a nice start for Curtis, and with his background in jazz, RnB, pop and gspel, its hard to predict where he might head next.

Carmel Randy Bernsen, a figure whose roots extend from the quiet corners of Needham, Massachusetts, to the vibrant musical mixing pot of South Florida, has carved a niche for himself within the jazz fusion genre. His latest album, "Heart Mind and Soul," released on June 16, 2023, under Jerico Jams, is a 32-minute journey through six glowing compositions. The sounds in this project showcase Bernsen's virtuosity and the collective genius of the various bands joining him, including luminaries like Bob Mintzer, Jimmy Haslip, and others.

The album's opener, "With You Always," encapsulates the essence of Bernsen's musical philosophy: a blend of emotional depth and technical cleverness. The relaxed fusion groove of "Prodigal Son" then sets a sophisticated scene, with Bernsen transitioning seamlessly between electric and acoustic guitars, underpinned by a richly textured backdrop provided by Haslip's bass and the Nizri brother's piano and drums. This song, in particular, illustrates Bernsen's musical language, which weaves engaging musical ideas into emotionally resonant phrases.

"Shepherd's Heart" shows Bernsen's compositional skills are also built on soul-stirring melodies. Here, his acoustic guitar sings over a backdrop of rich synth sounds, with a bassline that converses eloquently with the melody, highlighting Bernsen's flair for creating music that touches the soul. Including Mintzer's warm saxophone tones adds a layer of color and energy, enriching the song's texture.

Bernsen's exploration of different tonal landscapes is evident in tracks like "Abba Father" and "Billy Gate Blues." The former is characterized by stylized melodic musings against a backdrop of graceful keyboard lines, and the latter by its gritty blues tone married to a bopping jazz fusion beat. "With You Always" has a balmy atmosphere, created through Bernsen's melodic guitar riffs that soothe and invigorate equally.

As a guitarist, Bernsen is a master of expression, utilizing his formidable technique not for display but as a tool for musical storytelling. His ability to meld various styles—blues, funk, jazz, or Latin jazz—into a cohesive whole speaks volumes of his playing skill and deep understanding of the fusion genre.

"Heart Mind and Soul" is a tone narrative woven through the strings of Bernsen's guitar, each note a word, every melody a sentence, telling hip musical stories. The ensemble's chemistry is palpable, and each musician's contribution is vital to the album's overall impact. This album is a fun listening experience. A maestro of the modern jazz fusion genre, "Heart Mind and Soul" is a solid addition to the collection of any discerning fusion listener.

snobb My interest to music comes from my early teens, and Polish music was a huge influence during my formative period. Two years of accordion private lessons didn't impress me a lot, later I tried to become a drummer in a school band, without a significant success. My hometown, Vilnius, in Russia's occupied Lithuania wasn't a very inspiring place, with a lot of people in gray military uniforms, dark blue militiamen and civilians, wearing same gray clothes, usually silent. There was quite a lot of music on state TV and radio stations (private stations didn't exist at all at that time), but it was predominantly kitsch versions of (mostly Russian) folklore and hyper-enthusiastic Soviet propaganda-pop. Plus some classics – classics sounded especially boring for my ears.

And there was Polish Radio – one of two foreign radio stations I could listen to regularly. The other was a BBC Russian services, banned in the Soviet Union. Its signal was usually weak, but time to time it was possible to listen to their excellent Friday night radio shows, dedicated to rock music.

Differently, Polish Radio had a strong and high quality radio signal. There was lot of short talks in a language I didn't really understand, and a lot of music between the talks too. I learned my basic Polish trying to understand what the voices on the radio were talking about, and my musical aesthetics were formed under the heavy influence of music I listened to regularly on Polish Radio.

That music was similar to what I already knew, but different at the same time. Doesn't matter, what genre it was – pop, rock or even r'n'b and reggae, it sounded richer, more full-bodied, brighter, much more colorful. As a teenager, I had no idea, where this difference came from. Only later I find out, that this difference in sound (and in general aesthetics too) was the result of different arrangements. It was quite often JAZZY ARRANGEMENTS, making almost any music sound fabulous.

Some years and decades later I found the genius of Tomasz Stanko trumpet, jazz, Polish fusion and many more. But even now, from almost half-a-century time distance, Poland for me is a land where all music sounds jazzy. Crossing the country by car, every time I impatiently wait for the moment when my car's radio is able to catch the first possible Polish radio station – almost always I get that very specific soulful, sometimes slightly melancholic jazzy sound of Poland, doesn't matter who plays.

It's a shame on me. I didn't know before who Krzesimir Dębski and Tadeusz Sudnik are. True, I knew Polish fusion stars from the 80s, The String Connection, and I knew Stanko's Freelectronic project, but I never knew the names of both band's members. As a foreigner, I knew even less about Krzesimir Dębski's films soundtracks and classical works. Then, two Polish jazz seasoned artists' new work comes for me as a discovery of sort.

Listening to a lot of jazz (hundreds of albums annually) for a few decades, it's not a regular situation when you start listening to a new album of seasoned artists without expectations, you are not familiar with their music and simply don't know what to expect. It's quite a good thing, history teaches us that expectations often lead to disappointments.

So, Krzesimir Dębski and Tadeusz Sudnik Borello, present a comeback album after long pause. Four longish (between 9+ and almost 15 minutes long) free form compositions, recorded by a duo of violinist/keyboardist and a live electronics wizard. The music which could be formally tagged as “jazz-electronica” has nothing in common with New Millennium jazz related electronica, like played by Squarepusher or Flying Lotus. With an absolute dominance of analog sound, this album's electronics are much closer to American composer and early Moog player Richard Teitelbaum's music.

Album's opener, “Borro”, dedicated to Tomasz Stanko, sounds very much as a variation of early Miles abstract fusion, with Dębski's violin soloing instead of trumpet. Warm and tuneful, this song sounds very much as if had been composed, not fully improvised. “Rebo”, the album's longest piece, is of a more amorphous nature, centered around vintage electronic rhythms. Quite relaxed though.

“Lerro” is a mid-tempo song with violin soloing over the (warm) synth loops and bubbles, in moments quite unpolished and almost nervous. “Rero”, the closer, same way as a previous piece, sounds more improvised, freer than the first two album's songs. Still, there are lot of tuneful snippets and emotively colored violin.

Not really a revolutionary album, still it's a very impressive standing alone work of two masters. Maturity, knowledge of the past world without even traces of sentimental melancholy, and that soulful jazzy feel so important for Polish jazz. Bravo!

Matti P This is the seventh album by the Finnish jazz vocalist IRA KASPI (b. 1964). Seemingly, surprisingly, it's still her latest. On her earlier albums she's more or less oriented towards new compositions made for her (sometimes also co-written by her), but this one's dedicated to international classics -- although not entirely. The musicians in "Jazz Diva Band" are pianist Mikael Jakobsson, Jussi Kannaste on tenor sax, Ape Anttila on guitar, bass and percussion and Markku Ounaskari on drums. "With Strings" refers to the Lohja Town Orchestra led by Esa Heikkilä.

On her debut album Inner Voices (2001) I sensed a little Suzanne Vega in her voice. I liked that, but I don't deny her expression has matured in eleven years.

Kaspi herself was especially pleased by the beautiful orchestration on the opening song 'Don't Go to Strangers'and I fully agree, it is gorgeous in its romantic feel. An obvious highlight. The title track where the arrangement focuses on the band has a nice atmosphere that makes you forget that the piece is so often covered. Slightly melancholic 'How Do You Keep Up the Light' was written by Kaspi and Anttila but it fits in harmonically among the standards.

I've heard great interpretations of 'Someday My Prince Will Come', by e.g. Cassandra Wilson, and IMHO this relatively lighthearted version loses the needed romantic aspect. 'The Gentle Rain' was composed by Luiz Bonfa and originally (?) performed by Astrud Gilberto whose soft expression I prefer. The orchestration is nice, though. 'Call Me Irresponsible' emphasizes the band, especially the sax.

'The Good Life' immediately makes me think of Tony Bennett. Kaspi's version also has romanticism in the delicate arrangement, making this one of the better tracks. After two further standards the album closes with another Kaspi-Anttila composition 'The Best Is Yet to Be Coming'. It is surprisingly uptempo and groovy, but apart from a cool piano solo it's not among my faves here.

All in all, I think years back I liked Kaspi's aforementioned debut over this one. I would have wanted more of the lush orchestrations that are at their finest in the opening piece, and the set feels slightly worn-out and unoriginal. Worth three stars anyway.

Matti P Guitarist ATTE AHO from Helsinki, Finland, was 27 years old at the time of releasing his eponymous debut album. He has played in several combos, not only in jazz but also in pop, e.g. vocalist Anna Abreu's group. With this solo album he proves to be a gifted composer in addition to being a great musician. His electric guitar is accompanied by Kasperi Kallio's keyboards, Mikko Kuorikoski's bass and Johannes Pakkala's drums. The all-instrumental album also features some guest performances, even some strings. Upon my very first impression I'm really charmed by the lush, bright, rich and elegant soundscape.

As a guitarist Aho recalls big names such as Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana and perhaps slightly David Gilmour -- not that he'd imitate anyone. We're dealing with rock oriented fusion with a fairly melodic and accessible approach, by which I definitely don't imply this music to be simple or diluted. The vibrant jazz groove is there. Atte Aho's many-sided background as a musician in the popular field surely shows here in a good way, the same way as with Jeff Beck.

There are eight tracks on this 50-minute album. The track lengths are between 4:49 and 7:35. 'Labyrinth' is an excellent opener and a good example of what's on offer. The guitar has the lead role but the keybaords and the rhythm section are not left in the background. Everyone plays excellently. The dynamic sound is juicy, nuanced and enjoyably airy instead of being stuffy in the least. On 'Ulan Bator' the spotlight is momentarily on the electric piano.

Already on the third composition 'Wave' the listener is guaranteed that there's also a more emotional and sensitive level to the music. 'Guidance' is a beautiful, slow and mellow piece. The more energetic side is showcased on the aptly titled 'Elastic Energy', and even it maintains a good balance without becoming too hectic. The sound is at times very big and bold but never crosses the line of being overblown and self-indulgent.

I'm very pleased that I accidentally found this artist and album. without a doubt this is among the finest jazz/fusion albums of recent years that I've listened to. A pure delight to ears, mind and heart. Let's leave a half star's growing space for future releases.

js “Barefoot Boy” is one of Larry Coryell’s earliest albums and features the rugged fusion style that was popular in the early 70s. The early days of fusion were somewhat exciting with musicians combining the freedom of Coltrane with the sonic effects of Hendrix into a new style of music that paid the bills a little better than post bop. Larry was one of the major leaders in this new style and you can certainly hear his influence on John McLaughlin, Pat Martino, Bill Connor and a host of others. Like a lot of fusion from this time period, “Barefoot Boy” is really just a jam session. There is very little structure at work here, but the immense talent of the musicians involved make it a worthwhile listen for the fusion fan.

The album opens with Gabor Szabo’s “Gypsy Queen”, which most people know from the Santana “Abraxas” album. The Coryell version is barely recognizable as the musicians waste no time getting straight into the solos. Saxophonist Steve Marcus channels Coltrane’s soprano sax style with a million notes sheets of sound. Larry follows with Sonny Sharrock styled noise onslaughts followed by a very Hendrix inspired rock solo. Hendrix’s sound mixer, Eddie Kramer, is on hand and he gives Larry’s solo all the wild panning effects that Eddie used on “Electric Ladyland”. Side two closes out with the funky RnB of “The Great Escape” which has Steve Marcus doing a much more soulful solo on tenor saxophone. The driving guitar riff on this one is one of the more focused points on this record.

Side two is given entirely to “Call to the Higher Consciousness”, which starts off as a Coltrane style modal post bop jam, but the riffing soon morphs into a somewhat tired sounding Grateful Dead cliché. This track lacks rhythmic excitement as there is little to back up the increasingly indulgent solos. Marcus does his Coltrane soprano thing again and ace drummer Roy Haynes takes a ride as well. Since this is the great Haynes, this is a very musical solo and not just your typical rock n roll display of thunder and power. Pianist Michael Mandel tries to interject a little jazz into this one, but overall this number just sort of drags along.

For the jazz fan looking for some challenging in depth listening, “Barefoot Boy” isn’t exactly “Out to Lunch”, or “Giant Steps”, but for those who enjoy the kitsch sounds of early 70s psychedelic fusion, Coryell and his cohorts deliver the goods.

snobb "Crescent With Love" is a Pharoah Sanders album released on the Japanese Venus label, a label well known for its specialization in "late night jazz" (or predominantly hard bop ballads) - original recordings of renown artists, released on albums with erotic-art covers. This album is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Coltrane's death. Even if Sanders played in Coltrane's band during his avant-garde (post-1965) times, "Crescent With Love" contains material strictly from the mainstream jazz category. Which perfectly fits under Venus label philosophy for sure.

There are five Coltrane hard bop-period songs included, plus Duke Ellington's "In A Sentimental Mood", Erroll Garner's "Misty" and other jazz standards. Sanders leads a competent acoustic quartet with double bassist Charles Fambrough, drummer Sherman Ferguson and pianist William Henderson - his regular quartet of the early 90s.

Sanders doesn't try to imitate Coltrane's sound here, he plays his own warm, a bit sentimental, soulful jazz deeply rooted in the r'n'b and blues of Sanders' youth. The trio on support do their job well, building an unpretentious background for Sanders' slow to mid-tempo soloing. The musical material is of excellent quality, so fans of regular Venus releases will find this album really attractive. Not much is offered for freer and more explosive Sanders music fans though. The album has been released in US in 1994 (with alternate cover art), and reissued a few times after, so everyone interested can find it without big problems.

Rexorcist It's nice to see that the music community still has an appreciation for jazz, otherwise I wouldn't have found out about Brazilian jazz musician Amaro Freitas. Although his first album is barely more than a standard bop bit, his second album shows a lot of improvement in the spirit and composition departments.

Most of these songs are pretty active and fairly spiritual, but no matter how many emotions the album's tracks each take, there's never a break in the flow of the album. This is largely due to the leadership of Freitas on piano. However, the slower tracks do drag on a litt,e which means he clearly has the edge in energy. Although a couple of these songs feel incomplete, as if they're building up to something which is never realized for lack of a second half, most of these songs get their jobs done.

This is the album where Freitas is really developing his style. It's got moods, atmospheres and surprises. its songs don't reach stellar heights, but they're fun enough to check out.