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It is time once more for a solo sax assessment. Albums have been piling up once more since our final overview in September 2022. And on account of your humble servant’s unimaginable slowness, some albums have within the meantime already been reviewed by extra expert – and sooner – reviewers. Patrick Shiroishi’s album was already reviewed right here by Irina, Rob Brown by Gregg right here, and Camila Nebbia by Jury right here. All three come really useful, so it is a good factor they get a number of critiques.
My choice on this checklist of ten is that this outstanding and really private album by Patrick Shiroishi. Recorded in a “cavernous parking construction beneath a scorching pot restaurant in Monterey Park” round 1.30 am in a single take, the album has a singular voice, with sparse alto tones reverberating within the ampty area. Shiroishi explains “the Japanese idea of ‘Ma’ or detrimental area, or the area in between. ‘Ma’ refers back to the notion of detrimental area as a constructive entity, slightly than an absence of one thing else. The pauses between notes should not empty vacuums void of substance, however slightly are full and current, legitimate contributions to a balanced composition’.
Shiroishi makes use of this area to most impact, as a pause between bursts of sound, as a distinction to offer deeper worth to his typically stunning phrases, as a second of reflection on what you simply heard, or simply to expertise the silence. At occasions there’s background noise within the silence (a automotive? a bus?). It offers the voice of the alto a way of desolation, not all the time in a detrimental means, typically as constructive solitude, but additionally typically as shrieks of anguish.
The only take and the distinctive sound makes this like an idea album, on which the totally different songs are all an built-in a part of a a lot bigger complete. Shiroishi additionally splendidly manages to make use of his giant array of technical abilities to serve the final word sound he desires to realize. No sound is affordable, however fastidiously crafted, balanced and paced, translating his deepfelt feelings into his personal aesthetic.
The vinyl model has already been offered out, however fortunately the digital model continues to be out there.
Hear and obtain from Bandcamp.
Josh Sinton – Couloir & E book of Practitioners Vol. 2 (Self-Launched, 2024)
As our first album assessment for 2024 wen can current this double album by Josh Sinton on baritone saxophone.
The primary one, “Couloir” is a set of fifteen quick items that Sinton describes as ‘pondering out loud musically’ . He takes the listener to varied corners of a really giant musical room, with unimaginable and mild decisiveness, typically stunned himself at what he’s exhibiting us, but the compactness of the items, their particular character, starting from relative playfulness to improvisations with a gravitas that’s extra appropriate for the instrument’s sound, make this an exquisite hear.
Hear and obtain from Bandcamp.
Rob Brown – Oceanic (RogueArt, 2023)
One other solo alto album was launched earlier this yr by Rob Brown, one of many mainstays of the New York jazz scene for many years. Acting on at least 140 albums, that is his second solo launch, since “Silver Solar Afternoon” from 2003, an album that I’ve by no means heard, so a comparability just isn’t potential.
It is nice to listen to him play solo. Brown has a really clear and heat tone, and a pure tendency to lyricism in his improvisations, that are additionally his core trademark right here. His taking part in is comparatively easy, with restricted use of prolonged methods or timbral explorations, and he doesn’t have to, as a result of his strategy lies elsewhere, in a form of pure storytelling by way of music, translating impressions and emotions into sonic narratives, with moments of urgency, calm, pleasure or simply pleasure.
Hear and obtain from Bandcamp.
Amalie Dahl – Reminiscences (Sonic Transmissions Information, 2023)
Danish saxophonist Amalie Dahl is somebody to look out for. She solely ended her training on the Jazzdepartment at Norwegian College for Science and Expertise in Trondheim in 2021. One yr later she already launched her first album as a bandleader, “Dafnie”, and now, one other yr later, her first solo album.
She is an artist with a daring imaginative and prescient, presenting sounds which might be typically arduous to categorise, such because the mixed taking part in and singing on the primary observe, or the whispered sounds throughout the intro of the second. Her tone is regular, decisive whereas on the identical time sufficiently fluid and versatile to let the music evolve nearly naturally and organically. She can be not afraid to let silence play its function, which is stunning for such a younger musician. She is a kind of artists who clearly does her personal factor, very private and heartfelt.
The theme of the album is a play on ideas across the notion of time of “right here and now”, and of the reminiscence that follows. “Life consists of a collection of moments, a collection of right here and now, a few of which stay as essential occasions and discoveries that assist to form what’s to return. Our identification is a sum of reminiscences. These reminiscences and moments can set off chain reactions that encourage and work together with new individuals in a relentless move”. A second can turn out to be a reminiscence to revist again and again.
Hear and obtain from Bandcamp.
Tom Chant – Solo (Hera Corp, 2023)
Irish saxophonist Tom Chant is a musician with many faces and musical genres. I first acquired to know him within the late ’90s with the Cinematic Orchestra, in an earlier musical section I used to be in, easy, rhythmic, hypnotic music for imaginary motion pictures. He additionally acquired to know the London free improv scene within the meantime, which has turn out to be his extra pure habitat. Stuart Broomer reviewed one other of his album just lately with “A Vibrant Nowhere” (truly/coincidentally at present once I write this).
On this solo audio cassette, he presents his private imaginative and prescient the solo style: the items are throughout 5 minutes lengthy, whether or not on the tree tenor or three alto improvisations. That is actually music that it ‘within the second’, as you possibly can count on from free improv. Chant explores the chances of multiphonics on his horn, creating superb sounds, a few of which stay secure whereas others change pitch. The sound is uncooked and unpolished, direct and unadorned.
Hear and obtain from Bandcamp.
Camila Nebbia – Una Ofrenda A La Ausencia (Relative Pitch, 2023)
In sixteen comparatively quick improvisations, Argentinian saxophonist Camila Nebbia demonstrates her artwork in all its versatility and creativity. I feel it is already her third solo album, and it’s endorsed listening for followers of this sort of musical publicity of private emotions and sentiments. The standard of her work resides not solely within the technical abilities on her instrument – that are diversified and at occasions astonishing – however within the confident energy of her presence, and the braveness to disclose herself in such a means with no place to cover. Even when many of the items are quick, she manages to convey one thing deep and significant, giving herself totally to the music. The title means ‘an providing to absence‘, the paradox for the wealth of her providing us her musical presence.
Hear and obtain from Bandcamp.
Audrey Lauro – Sous Un Ciel D’Ecailles (El Negocito, 2022)
We have praised French altoist Audrey Lauro earlier than on her albums with Giotis Diamandis “Darkish Ballads“ and right here (2021), with Lauroshilau “Stay At Padua” (2021), with Rachel Musson and Naoko Saito “点字呼吸の領域 [The Region of Braille Respiration]” (2020), with Giovanni di Domenico on “The Ear Can’t Be Crammed With Listening to” (2018).
Now she treats us to a twenty-four minute lengthy solo album, with a title that roughly interprets as “Below a sky of scales“. The efficiency was recorded at la Chapelle du Grand Hospice, a kind of well-hidden venues in Brussels, on April 6, 2022.
It’s a refined, delicate and ingenious file, with a sound that resonates within the area of the chapel, the perfect setting for her multiphonic abilities. The music is gradual and treasured, with the occasional burst of energy, however largely disciplined, managed and free. Each sound seems to be treasured and precious to her, and that is the best way we prefer it.
Hear and obtain from Bandcamp.
Adam Pieronczyk – On The Means (Self-Launched, 2023)
Indubitably, Polish saxophonist may be referred to as a virtuoso on his instrument, which he demonstrates to the complete on this third solo soprano saxophone album recorded dwell at a live performance in Gdansk in December 2022. This yr can be the tenth anniversary of his solo mission, which began with “The Planet Of Everlasting Life” (2013), and “Oaxaca Constellation” (2022).
For as soon as, it is also good to listen to the enthusiastic viewers throughout the efficiency.
Bruno Parrinha – Da Erosão (4DA Information, 2023)
Portuguese altoist Bruno Parrinha is – at the very least to me – finest identified for his collaborations along with his fellow countrymen Ernesto Rodrigues (seven albums collectively this yr!), Sei Miguel and Luis Lopes, however right here we discover him on his frist solo album.
The sound is direct, as should you have been standing subsequent to him, listening in to his personal expressions of unhappiness. On some tracks, reminiscent of “Condição Eólica“, he takes a extra adventurous tone, expressing the sound of wind. The final observe is an unimaginable feat of round respiration, that not solely reveals his abilities on the instrument, but in addition encapsulates the essence of the album by way of its kaleidoscopic but coherent variation.
Music straight from the center.
Listen and obtain from Bandcamp.
Nicolas Stephan – Null (Petit Label, 2023)
‘Null’ is a comparatively quick thirty minutes of solo improvisation by French saxophonist Nicolas Stephan. He needed to strip his instrument of all superfluous issues, and let it take the lead, accepting minor errors, and observe wherever the second brings the sound. He performs tenor and straight alto, and at moments additionally synth and trumpet. His taking part in is nice, heat, intimate, pleasurable, till he provides abrasive background taped sound to problem his music. It distorts his authentic intention, and – for my part – reduces the standard of his taking part in. The perfect observe on the album is the third, a transferring, stunning and really tightly managed improvisation. On the final observe, pattern music creates the general sound. I am considerably mystified what this provides to the music, however I am going to let the reader resolve. I am certain the artist had a transparent plan, nevertheless it’s a missed alternative.
Hear and obtain from Bandcamp.
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