Roy Brooks and the Artistic Truth 'Ethnic Expressions' [Jazzman 2010]

The calling-card of Britain's Jazzman label is ultra-rare soul, but with this release --the sixth installment in their Holy Grail series -- they're making a sharp turn in my direction. 'Ethnic Expressions', a 1973 recording by Roy Brooks and the Artistic Truth, is a burner straight up and down. Prior to reissue, original copies were a big ticket item at auction, and the first run of the reissue (by Japanese label P-Vine) quickly sold out at the tail-end of 2009.

Roy Brooks came up in the early days of booming Detroit and started a career in music as a young man. By 1959, he'd begun relationships that'd last until the mid-1960s with Horace Silver and Yusef Lateef, with whom he cultivated his own tough, fluid style of hard-bop drumming. Had his career ended right there, he'd go down as one of the most accomplished drummers of the era, but his prowess and exploratory impulse took him to New York City right as the New Thing hit stride. From the get-go, the young drummer took the drum chair behind many canonical figures of 1960s jazz -- Charles Mingus, Randy Weston, Dexter Gordon, et al -- in addition to dabbling in polyrhythms with Max Roach's M'Boom. In New York he also took up writing, and it's his ability as a composer that really sets him apart. In order to flesh out his work, he pieced together a band of his own for the first time in 1972. Personnel in flux, the band would follow him elsewhere over the years, but for the first (NYC) incarnation of the Artistic Truth, he drew from the cream of the city's jazz players. 'Ethnic Expressions', originally released on the legendary Im-Hotep label, includes Brooks (drums and percussion), Olu Dara (trumpets), Hamiet Bluiett (baritone sax, clarinet), Reggie Workman (bass), Joseph Bonner (piano), Black Rose [aka Dee Dee Bridgewater] (vocals), Eddie Jefferson (vocals), Cecil Bridgewater (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Stubblefield (tenor sax, flute, bass clarinet), Sonny Fortune (alto sax and flute), Hilton Ruiz (piano), Richard Landrum (percussion), and Lawrence Williams(percussion).

Though this music emerged from the black-consciousness movement of the 1960s and 1970s, it stands proud in its own right, regardless of the often brilliant artistic legacy surrounding it. 'Ethnic Expressions' was recorded live in Harlem at Small's Paradise in 1973. It's large ensemble spiritual jazz at its funky, sprawling best. Roy Brooks has an undeniable talent for writing catchy tunes, and the five tracks offered up are all built on endlessly heavy melody lines that Brooks floats over the bump and swing of his booming drum kit. He's rock solid and carries the whole of the band's weight, such that the other percussionists are only colorists. There's little (if any) flash in his playing -- his only concern is setting up the rest of the group (which he does masterfully!). Bass and keyboards only emulate the rhythms Brooks is exploring, and devote most of their energies to carrying the melody for soloists as the chorus of horns drops out.

Brooks' pieces allow for a good bit of exploration full of AACM-style 'little-instrument' tinkering, excellent arco work by Reggie Workman, and a horn section working either by committee or as individuals soloing. In particular, Sonny Fortune, Olu Dara, and Hamiett Bluiett (if I'm correct in picking out the soloists) are responsible for some especially juicy solos, and the sheen of syrupy the vocals are every bit as memorable as the ecstasy of the horn section at full tilt. But this program is all about group dynamic, and Brooks' band is a well-rounded corps of adept observers on their tip-toes, ready to let loose. They're on fire.

Here's my vote for reissue of the year.

Stephen Haynes 'Parrhesia' [Engine Studios 2010]

The newest release for Steven Walcott's Engine Studios is another quietly realized trio recording made in New York City, quick on the heels of the William Hooker Trio's 'Yearn for Certainty'. Some quick research lists parrhesia as meaning 'to speak everything/to speak boldly/to speak freely', as if obliged to do so. 'Parrhesia' is trumpeter Stephen Haynes' debut recording as a leader, and the title suggests much about what's inside.

Improviser, composer, and educator Stephen Haynes has worked with many figures in creative music and specializes in the area of directed improvisation. Prior to Bill Dixon's recent passing, Haynes was one of the legendary trumpeter/composer's long-time students and collaborators, and Dixon's presence is clearly felt on 'Parrhesia'. Haynes is joined by Joe Morris (he's returned with an electric guitar this time around) and one of Engine Studios' favorite sons, Warren Smith (percussion, voice).

For 'Parrhesia', the trio rigorously fills a very large space. They quickly break one expectation suggested by the title from the start: this isn't a blow out. That established, it's fairly easy to place Haynes' method. The band is very well practiced, and have learned to work off of one another in an interesting way. The energy level is subdued, but I get the feeling that it could explode -- and probably did, early on in rehearsal. Haynes is in the lead, hurling contorted trumpet lines like darts at his collaborators. His many years working with Dixon have done him well -- he's excellent at wrestling the absolute best from a short, muted trumpet line. Morris matches Haynes, but he takes a back road around the strategy simple logic might indicate. By and large, his signature clean delivery and wry phrasing (which would be right at home in Haynes' band) get shelved in place of an almost pointillist, rubbery approach. When Smith brings out the marimba, they're at their best. His quaint work at the marimba fills the deep canyon between Smith and Haynes with melody, just enough to tie fast the two lead players. Accordingly, his drumming is forcefully unobtrusive and he keeps his playing to a minimum, letting off a resonant boom to hover in the air every now and then, which he might chase with a few thoughts on cymbals or marimba. Smith even pulls out some spoken word, which I have, for once, no problem with! 'Parrhesia' is a hell of an exercise in improvised finesse by a mighty capable trio.

Han Bennink, Brodie West & Terrie Ex 'Let's Go' [Terp Records, 2010]

We're mid-way through 2010 and Han Bennink has already made himself heard in a big way. One of the top records to come my way so far -- Tobias Delius 4tet's 'LuftLucht' -- owes much of its success to the drummer's rare ability to spin a straight rhythm in so many odd directions. 'Let's Go' comes from a different place altogether. This LP comes from a winter 2008 session in the Netherlands, taken when Dutch guitarist Terrie Ex and Canadian saxophonist Brodie West took time off from the Ex and Getatchew Mekuria's European tour (a 2006 recording of the band fronted by the legendary Ethiopian saxophonist can be heard on the recently reissued 'Moa Anbessa'). Terp Records, the stellar Dutch label run by members of the Ex, provides a fine platform for Bennink, Brodie, and Ex to show off their wares as first-class improvisers.

This time out, Bennink and Co. operate in a curiously accessible improv mode. Its certainly not a spacious affair with the participant's instruments slowly dragged across an enormous room, nor is it a claustrophobic blood-bath of volume. The sound is firmly rooted in between the two extremes and for the forty minute duration, it doesn't budge. This firm stance is most likely the result of the nature of the performance -- the band is trapped in-studio. I'm positive that, given the stage and its trappings, the trio would sound off in a far more outwardly exploratory manner. That's no detractor to 'Lets Go'; the studio environment forces the collective energy into a single spot to stew. The oft-noted grievance that Han Bennink is misrepresented on his many live recordings gets reduced to naught and 'Lets Go' forces the vigor of Bennink & Co. straight into the aural field.

The trio works almost flawlessly, in a way that duos of years past (Bennink/Ex, Bennink/Brodie) were incapable. Over two sides of an LP, the trio rumbles on with just as much excitement and grit as on Bennink and Ex's projects, but with the raw finesse hinted at by Bennink and Brodie's collaboration. Terrie Ex's offerings as an improviser just keep getting better, and he's well-served by the meaty tone and calculated delivery of Brodie West's alto. The pair do the majority of the leg-work to keep the sound in a forward direction, and pass off the lead seamlessly. Bennink just stomps along as he sees fit, giving a swift kick here and there to break a thought and keep his comrades on their toes. West and Ex respond triumphantly and, seemingly, from nowhere they pull out some Cooper-Moore-eque rubber-band bass from a detuned guitar or an uncharacteristic squeal-shot from the alto. This collaboration is an immensely rewarding, fresh look at improvisation from a mighty strong trio that I seriously hope to hear more from. Hot stuff!

Kali Z. Fasteau 'Animal Grace' [Flying Note 2010]

Its been a few years since I've heard a peep from Kali Fasteau's Flying Note label, and 'Animal Grace' is a welcome return. Kali Fasteau has been active in creative music for a solid 40 years and, as an improviser, is known for an improvising strategy that cancels the weight of the individual idiom by incorporating as many as she can juggle -- and more often than not, she's pretty good at it. 'Animal Grace' picks up two live performances for issue: one subtitled Live in Harlem, a June 2007 recording at the Big Apple Jazzspace, and the other Live in the Alps, a May 2005 recording at a festival in La Prese, Switzerland.

The Harlem half of the record is a series of duets with legendary London drummer Louis Moholo -- their first meeting since the 1970s. Right away the audio fidelity sticks out like a sore thumb (too much of the room makes it in to the mix). Their playing is almost suited to what sounds like a cavern. The duo is very rough around the edges as Fasteau rifles through her pile of instruments, offering up mizmar, piano, nai flute, soprano sax, and her own heavily altered voice. Less of a drummer might get lost in this shuffle, or else just stick to some mediocre catch-all method. But Moholo can match Fasteau, and provides ample material for his collaborator to work with. The result is a large, undulating sound which is appropriately rough around the edges, and it moves along at quick pace. The two are a perfect match.

The Alps portion of the disc is a much smoother affair, both in performance and audio quality. Recorded live at Switzerland's Uncool Festival, Kali Fasteau is joined by the legendary first wave free-jazz pianist Bobby Few, and two members of Archie Shepp's band: bassist Wayne Dockery, a longtime straddler of the in/out fence, and drummer Steve McCraven. All three are American ex-pats living in Paris. Fasteau's wilder tendencies, as evinced in the recording with Louis Moholo, are reigned in only slightly, the result of being surrounded by a 'proper' group. She breaks into her stable to pull out a drumset and a sanza, in addition to the five she used with Moholo. When she, more or less, is in straight jazz mode, that eccentricity doesn't go such a long way; the strongest moments of the ensemble set come when she's playing her own well-worn compositions on the soprano saxophone. She's got an ear for a catchy tune, and its this vibrant, expressive material that Bobby Few really runs with on 'Animal Grace'; his playing here can't help but hint at his days playing fire music, with the added sheen of the years tacked on. Fasteau can't invoke the majestic heights of Few's playing, as the pianist reached with Steve Lacy, but thats no detractor to the performance in question.

The two sections of the record are completely divergent but, for me at least, present Fasteau in the best possible way. She's set up with a cast of players completely attuned to what she's doing -- it is never necessary for her to carry the weight of her collaborators. And, rather than diving in too deeply to her eclecticism which kind of irks me, I get a taste of everything. And here, apart from questionable fidelity, Fasteau and co. deliver handily on two burners. Nice.

Steve Coleman & Five Elements 'Harvesting Semblances and Affinities' [Pi Recordings 2010]

At the beginning of the 1980s a novel technique emerged, thanks largely to Steve Coleman. It was m-base, a kind of unitarian universalism for the jazz world. Coleman, a highly under-rated and under-heard saxophonist, is still an ardent practitioner and, undeniably, its most accomplished proponent. Coleman and m-base have produced a lot of music over the years which is widely divergent album to album, both stylistically and in terms of quality: work ranges from forgettable funk experiments to mesmerizing solo work (see 2007's 'Invisible Paths' [Tzadik]!). Somehow, a distinct current runs through everything he's done and it manifests itself in this new disk for Pi Recordings through its ambitious program of scrupulously arranged charts which allow plenty of room for the imagination, and a heavy metaphysical bent. Coleman and his band reach some far-flung areas within the idiom (some, perhaps discovered for the first time) -- but with the crisp familiarity suggestive of a jaunt down a worn path. And though this isn't my thing, I can't get around calling it a success.

Lapin/Poore/Schubert/Turner/Bledsoe 'Seek it Not With Your Eyes' [Red Toucan 2010]

The newest release from stellar Canadian improv label Red Toucan comes from an impromptu session led by Russian pianist Alexey Lapin. The material for 'Seek it Not With Your Eyes' was taken from a June 2009 performance at Cologne's LOFT, where a trio of Lapin, Melvyn Poore (tuba, euphonium), and Matthias Schubert (tenor saxophone) turned into a quartet with the addition of Roger Turner (percussion) and, later in the night, a quintet with the addition of Helen Bledsoe (flute). This is the second record featuring Lapin as a leader (see also his recent collaboration with Ukrainian Yury Yaremchuk 'Anatomy of Sound' [SoLyd 2010]), and marks his first live performance outside of his home country. From his home base in St. Petersburg, the pianist is an elite traveller within Russian improv circles, and has played with Anthony Braxton's Moscow Quartet (which also includes Helen Bledsoe). Since this recording he's introduced himself into fertile German jazz and improv scenes; he recently surfaced on a Leo Records release led by Frank Gratkowski.

'Seek it Not With Your Eyes' is a compelling work-out in group improvisation. With the exception of the second track, which is based on a gently descending melody composed by Lapin, the whole of the album is an unscripted free for all. The group slides through five nebulous pieces with deceptive ease. For the duration, the players around Lapin remain taut, maintaining a dense static, one way or another, which the piano skitters over as Lapin sees fit. His spacial awareness is clearly his greatest strength, and he embellishes the improvisations with a poise reminiscient of Misha Mengelberg. His personality doesn't rely on a bold presence -- his is anything but imposing -- but instead makes his mark through a wry delivery which seems to always find the mark and determinedly pursue it. German saxophonist Matthias Schubert plays best against Lapin's lead, and moments where the two interlock in discordant chorus take the cake on this one.

Arthur Doyle with Rudolph Grey 'Ghosts II' [Foreign Frequency 2010]

'Ghosts II' was cut a few months after drummer Beaver Harris (Cecil Taylor, Frank Lowe, et al) joined NYC no-wavers the Blue Humans. The band featured a revolving door of downtown musicians pitted against a turbulent electric guitarist -- Rudolph Grey -- in improvisation and, at the time of this recording (1980), included Arthur Doyle. Since the late 1960s, Doyle has been possessed by perhaps the most brazen, extroverted voice ever to work a saxophone; he's capable of stunning, archaic beauty as easily as overblown psychosis. Among various factions in the jazz world and its outliers over the years, his unique take has made for some of the most exhilarating recorded moments I've heard.

This previously shelved 7" (intended for release on Charles Tyler's label) was done without a drummer, and the free space provides Grey and Doyle the opportunity to slow it down. Two short sides -- right at five minutes, total -- place Doyle in the driver's seat, where he leads an intense blues (side A). Grey bucks at Doyle's lead on side B, revealing himself before quickly receding. Doyle stands alone in a peculiar way -- half-ranting, half-crying -- as Grey fades, and the track cuts off. This one's short and sweet.