LESTER BOWIE

Live in Mińsk Mazowiecki
Obara International (ForTune)
The Other Side Of If
NAK Trio (Doublemoon)
by Fred Bouchard
Poland has stood firm in the vanguard of jazz in
Eastern Europe since the ‘50s, in the wake of
enthusiastic swing bands like Melomani, with gleeful
anti-Soviet fervor embracing ‘decadence’ and strong
boosts from Willis Conover’s “Voice of America” radio
programs. There’s way too much history to go into
here so let’s fast forward to today.
Drummer Jacek Kochan writes NAK Trio’s book
and alto saxophonist Maciej Obara writes all but two
for his band’s live set at the House of Culture in Mińsk
Mazowiecki, a Warsaw suburb. Their common thread
is the commanding piano of Dominik Wania, a canny
wild-man with classical chops, adventuresome fluidity
and dramatic flair, skills he honed studying on
scholarship in Boston with Danilo Pérez.
Wania anchors Obara International’s linear
wanderings as “Sleepwalker” gathers momentum and
applies chordal glue as horn lines dip and fray on
“Magret” but he also flies untethered in widening
gyres of Cecil Taylor-esque lightning arpeggios on
“M.O.” and clambers through thorny horn harmonies
to illuminate the aforementioned “Magret” with
Bartók-ian winking fireflies.
Obara’s lyrical alto has roots in Herb Geller and
Charlie Mariano, which bear fruit in free-blown
sections, of which there are many, as the set evolves in
a languid flowing jam. British trumpeter Tom Arthurs’
tart tone and lean technique make for a modest
counterfoil, especially as horn solos often overlap.
A Norse rhythm section fills out the band: bassist Ole
Morten Vågan goes from energetic pizzicato into
meditative arco on “M.O.” and drummer Gard Nilssen
scores atypical solos with long, quiet rolls early on and
pensive brushes on the closing ballad “Joli Bord”,
reminiscent of the world-weary style of trumpeter
Tomasz Stanko, a revered ex-boss. Wania
doublehandedly turns “One For…” from somnolent
dirge into frisky swagger with dominant technique
and runaway ideas; the horns stand tall to witness his
rolling into an extended coda. And Wania powers the
lively climactic “Idzie Bokiem” with aggressive lockhand
chugging, then storms into a commanding,
tumbao-flecked solo over tight bass and chattering kit;
when the horns falter, he comes back for more, firing
off new-world heat into old-world languor.
Voices are in better balance in the NAK Trio, where
the creative exhilaration is mutual and the intimacy
immediately apparent in the highly synchronized
“Fortitude”. The title track rises amiably in 6/8, its
jagged cross-rhythms played tautly yet at their ease.
“Everything Is A Good Sign” emerges as a relaxed,
melodic ballad that confidently gathers speed and
raises body temperature. “Wooing to Woo” plays with
short phrases with beats added, cheerful accelerations,
careful attention paid by all while tumbling headlong,
as Kochan slips from sticks to brushes for Michal
Kapczuk’s bass solo. “Between Now and Never”
begins as an introspective piano ballad then builds
steam with marvelous cross-rhythms. Kapczuk opens
“I Have Two But One Is Not Mine”—jumpy left-handed
funk with a shuffling sidestep and dry dialogue
between piano and electric keyboard. “Illegal Sleeping”
wraps this three-way conversation with more natty
polyrhythmic games and speedy, elliptical free-play.
Whee, baby. NAK? It’s just the last letter of each
member’s surname—playful, cryptic, philosophical.
For more information, visit for-tune.pl and doublemoon.de.
Dominik Wania is at Jazz Standard Jun. 21st with Obara
International and Cornelia Street Café Jun. 25th, both as
part of Jazztopad Festival Presents. See Calendar.
Live at Montreux (1993)
Al Jarreau (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
by John Pietaro
Al Jarreau is an icon of crossover jazz. Far from a
slight, as the vocalist is one of the true talents of the
genre, an auteur of quality material in the company of
leading instrumentalists, he wears the honor well. For
the uninitiated, Jarreau was a staple of programming
on New York’s long-lost WRVR-FM jazz radio due to
his unique reimagining of jazz vocals. His abilities are
on fine display on this live recording from 1993.
Though he appears to revel in faithfully reproducing
the hits, Jarreau leaves just enough space for
improvisation to keep the music fresh. His dreamy,
reaching sound, riding on subtle funk propelling the
rhapsodic, gospel-like turns of phrase, is only enhanced
with scat vocals to elevate the listener further still.
Super-star studio/fusion musicians like drummer
Steve Gadd, guitarist Eric Gale, keyboardist Joe
Sample, bassist Marcus Miller, synthesizer player
Philippe Saisse, percussionist Paulinho Da Costa and
horn player Patches Stewart lay it down well, though
many may wish they got to open up more. Still, there
are moments: check out a very hip Sample piano solo
on “Mas Que Nada” (yes, the wonderful old Sergio
Mendes hit) or Miller’s hyper-funky flight on the
closing cut. Sample, Stewart and Gale also color The
Beatles’ “She’s Leaving Home” beautifully blue.
The selections cover a swath of Jarreau’s early
discography, beginning with 1975’s “We Got By”, but he
throws in a few surprises. Highlights include the
aforementioned titles, Gershwins’ “Summertime”,
Jarreau’s “Alonzo” and a slow take on Sample’s “Put It
Where You Want It”. If Jarreau had closed the set with
his noted version of “Take Five”, all may be well in the
world, at least for a while.
For more information, visit eagle-rock.com. Jarreau is at Town
Hall Jun. 25th as part of Blue Note Jazz Festival. See Calendar.
While We’re Still Young
Patrick Cornelius (Whirlwind)
by Thomas Conrad
Since 2006, Patrick Cornelius has released a good
record roughly every two years. He is a little late with
his new one, probably because it is the most ambitious
undertaking of his career. His first five albums showed
a top-tier alto saxophone improviser. While We’re Still
Young is his breakout as composer, arranger and auteur.
It is a six-part suite inspired by the poetry of A.A.
Milne. It is initially paradoxical that Cornelius
describes his tribute to another artist as “a musical
self-portrait” but in Cornelius’ family, the verse of
Milne has been inseparable from childhood. His
grandmother read Milne’s poems to his mother. His
mother read them to him. When his own daughter was
born, the family copy of the book that gives this album
its name was passed on to Cornelius.
This music about the joy and wonder of youth is
affirmational but never sentimental and only
sometimes tender. The band is Jason Palmer (trumpet),
John Ellis (tenor saxophone/bass clarinet), Nick
Vayenas (trombone), Miles Okazaki (guitar), Gerald
Clayton (piano), Peter Slavov (bass) and Kendrick
Scott (drums). Cornelius writes graceful melodies and
then sets his adept ensemble into motion to take his
themes through many shapes and colors. His
arrangements, intricate with secondary motifs and
contrasting counterlines, create vivid musical
counterparts for Milne’s imagery. On “Water Lilies”,
Okazaki portrays quiet pools; Clayton bathes them in
light; Palmer introduces the action of the winds.
All eight individuals contribute compelling input,
but their solos are organic to the suite. They slip
seamlessly into and out of Cornelius’ evolving forms.
“Vespers” is probably Milne’s best-known poem.
(“Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares!/Christopher Robin
is saying his prayers”) Okazaki opens it, his notes
glittering like stars in a night sky. Clayton, Palmer and
Cornelius each take the rapt moment away, expanding
and intensifying the story. “Vespers” fades away as it
began, with peaceful nocturnal guitar.
By the end, Cornelius’ self-portrait belongs to all of
us. In art, the universal always begins with the personal.
For more information, visit whirlwindrecordings.com. This
project is at Cornelia Street Café Jun. 26th. See Calendar.
26 JUNE 2016 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD