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Tanaka/Lindvall/
Wallumrod
3 Pianos
NAKAMA 007
An unlikely union, 3 Pianos brings together
kindred spirits with a shared aesthetic that
betrays convention. Japanese pianist Ayumi
Tanaka, Swedish pianist Johan Lindvall and
Norwegian jazz pianist Christian Wallumrod
(all now based in Norway) manage to play as
if one piano were in the recording studio. The
results are at times fascinating when they aren’t
charming or outright playful.
Supersilent
13
SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND 282
As a rule, Supersilent’s name doesn’t match up
with its aesthetic. This much we know about the
striking and uncompromising Norwegian free
improvisation group, which can be known for
producing a super-dense and noisy sound. Yet
as with everything Supersilent does, the squall
is not without a keen sense of sonic poetry.
The fascinating sound range continues.
With a history going back nearly two decades
and now consisting of trumpeter Arve
Henriksen, artful electronics-wielder Helge
Sten and keyboardist Ståle Storløkken (heard
in Humcrush with Sidsel Endresen), the group
has entranced and mystified fans and critics
over the course of a dozen albums for the Rune
Grammofon label. Enter the album numerically
titled 13, the group’s first for the label out of
Oslo, and ranking amongst their finest—and
most enigmatic—to date.
Recorded mostly in 2014, with a couple of
tracks from 2009—just after the departure of
drummer Jarle Vespestad—13 consists of nine
tracks, each identified by a number and each
with a different musical agenda. The diverse set
of textures and ambiences add up to a cohesive
The trio approaches the piano as a sound
source with a particular timbral range, not as a
conventional rhythm instrument. In fact, pulse
is almost buried throughout the seven pieces
of composed and improvised music. And
while the album dispenses with theme, melody,
tempo and any sense of formalism, there are
minute variations—intermittent repetitions,
with sustained moods inside each selection. In
general, the moods tend to be of a serene, floating
nature with the occasional spunky, more
percussive approach.
That said, the three pianists exhibit incredible
restraint, patience and a deep listening as
one track leads into another. Harmonics and
glissandi permeate “34” and “33,” the pianists
sharing spritely counterpoint, bell-like tones,
contrasting dynamics and gentle chords. The
combination of three pianists untethered from
key centers or chord changes might seem like
a recipe for discordance and a frayed listening
experience. Instead, a piece like “Till Patrick
Modiano No. 2” highlights how a suspended
sense of forward motion can transcend the
mind’s need for harmony and traditional organization.
—John Ephland
3 Pianos: Till Patrick Modiano No. 1; 34; Till Patrick Modiano No. 2;
31; Till Patrick Modiano No. 3; Romaine Brooks; 33. (35:13)
Personnel: Ayumi Tanaka, Johan Lindvall, Christian Wallumrod,
piano.
Ordering info: nakamarecords.no
“suite”-like whole. Hints of Indonesian gracefulness
in “13.1” contrast with the roiling retro-synth
ruckus of “13.3” and the avant-gothic
organ gestures of “13.5.”
Supersilent proposes a personal variation on
the theme of electronica. This model has plenty
of musicality to draw on, resists the tyranny of
lockstep grooving and heeds an in-house mantra
about creating free-ranging music as a search
party without end.
—Josef Woodard
13: 13.1; 13.2; 13.3; 13.4; 13.5; 13.6; 13.7; 13.8; 13.9. (57:00)
Personnel: Arve Henriksen, trumpet, electronics, percussion;
Helge Sten, electronics, percussion; Ståle Storløkken, keyboards,
percussion.
Ordering info: smalltownsupersound.com
Richard Sears Sextet
feat. Tootie Heath
Altadena
ROPEADOPE
Altadena is an area of Los Angeles County that
Albert “Tootie” Heath has been calling home
for about four decades. It is also the title of
a five-part suite by Brooklyn-based pianist
Richard Sears, originally commissioned by the
Los Angeles Jazz Society in 2013 in tribute to
Heath. Sears recorded it two years later—soon
after legendary drummer turned 80.
With Altadena, Sears penned a constantly
engaging work that brims with imagination
and various influences, one that Heath can be
proud to be part of—it will only enhance an
already spotless reputation.
The leader can be credited for leading the
drummer into territories that one would not
immediately associate with him. In the company
of younger musicians, Heath seems ready
for a new beginning, and takes advantage of
his vast experience to adapt to each situation
instead of relying on an old bag of tricks.
Although the pianist’s music has a strong
melodic content, it does not preclude forays in
freeform improvisation. Fortunately, the emotional
range of the horn players is vast; they
can build carefully crafted solos or let it rip
with abandon. Steve Lugerner, Patrick Wolff
and Kirk Knuffke are also expert at providing
countermelodies or a complex background
when they are not the leading voice. And each
musician gets multiple opportunities to shine.
Each part of the suite follows a unique format,
including a ballad and a tone poem. More
surprising for an American musician, Sears’
writing in the final section echoes the folk-infused
compositions of French musicians such
as reed player Louis Sclavis or bassist Henri
Texier.
—Alain Drouot
Altadena: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5. (35:47)
Personnel: Richard Sears, piano; Steven Lugerner; alto
saxophone, bass clarinet; Kirk Knuffke, cornet; Patrick Wolff, tenor
saxophone; Garrett Lang, bass; Albert “Tootie” Heath, drums.
Ordering info: ropeadope.com
84 DOWNBEAT FEBRUARY 2017