Barry Witherden enjoys high-energy ensembles and stride piano reinvented

February round-up

Patrick Cornelius’s Acadia takes its name from an area in Maine, the inspiration for much of this music. On Way of the Cairns Cornelius celebrates the beauty, mystery and freedom of National

Parks and other tracts of wildness in nine varied, highly-engaging compositions by him and (one each) drummer Paul Wiltgen and pianist Kristjan Randalu. Cornelius says he wanted the band, rather than his tenor, to be the lead voice, and this has largely been achieved. The title track could almost be called, after Beethoven, ‘cheerful feelings on arriving in the countryside’.

The album has an airiness and freshness all too desperately needed. (Whirlwind WR4766) ★★★★★

Stride piano evolved from ragtime in the 1920s and continued to have some degree of influence on major figures like Duke Ellington, Erroll Garner and Thelonious

Monk later in the century. With Future Stride, award-winning composer and pianist Emmet Cohen brings it exuberantly into the 2020s. In fact, the spirit of stride is often only in the background, and the overall tenor is post-bop with excellent solos, notably by trumpeter Marquis Hill, saxophonist Melissa Aldana and Cohen himself whose versatile playing brims with pleasing ideas and dry humour. (Mack Avenue MAC1181) ★★★★

Trio Grande is the impressive debut album by the multi-national group of that name, which consists of Will Vinson (saxes and electric piano), Gilad Hekselman (guitar) and drummer Antonio Sánchez. Without descending into fusion or jazzrock they tap heavy rock and jazz traditions as well as folk music and electronics. The performances range from lyrical romanticism (the early parts of ‘Firenze’ and ‘Oberkampf’) via danceable pieces like ‘Elli Yeled Tov’ to ferocious free-for-alls. They do thoughtful, well-crafted melodic development and no-holds-barred melées with equal conviction and effectiveness. (Whirlwind 497663) ★★★★

Afterglow by Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi and

Belgian trumpeter Bert Joris is appropriately named: these exquisite duets impart a warm, relaxed and satisfied feeling. Both musicians have played with numerous US and European heavyweights and bring a maturity and depth to this programme of original compositions. Pieranunzi says, ‘Sometimes the moment you don’t play adds to the significance of what you do play’ and the duo’s use of simplicity and space demonstrates this. They can also do busy and intense, as on Joris’s ‘Millie’, Pieranunzi’s ‘Five Plus Five’ or the bop-tinged ‘What’s What’, but the predominant mood is lyrical and subtle. (Challenge Records CR 73460) ★★★★

On High Heart Ben Wendel addresses concerns similar to those manifested in Maria Schneider’s recent Data Lords. The album reflects tenor saxophonist Wendel’s artistic journey in ‘a society of increasing complexity, oversaturation and social imbalance’. He sometimes fights fire with fire, with bustling, intense passages that create tension as much as excitement, and which never fail to grab the attention. Michael Mayo’s clear, wordless vocals, particularly affecting on lyrical tracks such as ‘Less’ and Traveler’, are used instrumentally throughout. (Edition EDN1162) ★★★★

Just room to mention Charles Mingus: Bremen 1964 & 1975 – storming concert performances featuring, amongst others, Eric Dolphy and George Adams. (Sunnyside SSC1570) ★★★★