JAZZ PROG
Gordon Beck: Jubilation (Turtle) is a beautifully packaged three-disc set crammed with previously unreleased performances and voluminous, authoritative liner notes.
Gordon Beck, who died in 2011 and worked with John McLaughlin and
Nucleus, among others, is heard in a variety of line-ups between
1964 and 1984, featuring some of
British jazz’s finest. Be it dreamy introspection or melodically deft interventions, Beck’s work on acoustic and electric piano acts as an accelerant on these priceless live and studio recordings. A brilliant tribute to a gifted player.
Mike Gibbs’ work as an arranger and composer has always been a rallying point for some of the best players on the planet. Symphony Hall, Birmingham 1991 (Dusk Fire) captures him in charge of a 12-piece band, with guitarist John Scofield adding his trademark finesse. Bursting with his customarily rich orchestration, Gibbs leaves plenty of space across two discs for Scofield and his fellow soloists, trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and pianist John Taylor – all sadly no longer with us – to infuse their graceful magic into the music.
SkyDive Trio’s Sun Sparkle (Hubro) effortlessly tumbles through the spaces between explosive rock, contemplative jazz and pensive post-rock atmospherics.
Knitting smartly crafted tunes to a capricious expressionism, guitarist
Thomas T Dahl channels gnarly experimentalist tones, wiry county twanging and glistening meteoric arcs that occasionally suggest a pre-Dark
Side Of The Moon Floyd. Drummer Olavi Louhivuori and
Mats Eilertsen’s supple bass dig deep into harder, darker sonics, not only leavening the mix, but also adding to a sense that nowhere is out of bounds.
Trippy electronics, punchy beats and distortionsaturated guitar and keyboards occupy the foreground of Tonbruket’s Live Salvation (Act). Bassist Dan Berglund’s guiding presence presides over a powerful, sometimes transgressive force that thrashes with a knowing bravado and full-on risk-taking that leaves you wondering how they’ll bring it home. Exciting stuff. It’s released at the same time as e.s.t Live In London
(Act) marking the 10th anniversary of the tragic and premature death of Berglund’s friend and colleague, pianist Esbjorn Svensson.
In the late 70s, Weather Report began losing their edge in concert thanks to crowd-pleasing medleys and onstage showbiz showboating. Back in the studio, 1980’s Night
Passage (Vocalion) was a welcome return to form. Leaving the standard CD dead in the water, this SACD version brings both focus and intensity to the Ellingtonian swagger of Joe Zawinul’s keyboards and Jaco Pastorius’ typically nimble percolations. Wayne Shorter remains a frustratingly reticent presence but when he does step forward, it’s quite simply a blast from heaven. With fresh context-setting liner notes, this album has never sounded as good as it does here.
SID SMITH rounds up the best releases from prog’s jazzier reaches.