„I don’t know what jazz is“ – two cups of Usambara (and Alabaster speaking)
This may look like some wild journey through the worlds of jazz and beyond, „zigzagging“ is the keyword here I once learned from a Robert Wyatt song, still unable to write it correctly. And it IS a wild journey, an special mix of records either loved for ages, or records I‘ve heard for the first time like „Gravity“, or never before, like the „spirituals“ of Paul Robeson. Sorry for the „echoey“ sound of Alabaster‘s speaking, i had to record it from a speaker to place it here. I think you can handle it, and, maybe, you discover some wonderful music. For example Alabaster‘s „A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole“. To be released on my birthday on March 14.
I really use music as part of my survival kit, this is why i don‘t do yoga or zen meditation. The kind of music that takes risks, creates mysteries, haunts me with decent portions of light and shadow. Necessary in times like these anyways, and no escapism. Or the best escapism of all. It‘s an anti-depressant. A horizon.
Today, early in the morning, K7 (Berlin) delivered, to my surprise, the vinyl of „Gravity“, by Finnish Joona Toivanen Trio. Hearing it, I remembered their fresh approach to the piano trio format from an earlier album that was more on the moody side. No cultural baggage on their shoulders that can‘t be dissolved in fresh air. Pure joy to listen to, and go for the tiniest details. First 2025 release of WeJazz Records, Helsiniki.
Later in the afternoon a friend came by, who finally wanted get inside – with daylight vanishing behind the curtains – one of the last recordings of Charles Mingus, the quadrophonic version of „Mingus Moves“. Two big cups of Usambara for the journey, piano, bass and drums up front, the reeds coming from the rear speakers. Pure joy, part 2 (and more revelations in the lines to come…) The way Don Pullen hits the piano shows how to courageously handle the bass wizard!
And another „jazz vibe“ of the day: Marshall Allen, a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra since 1958 and its leader since 1996, has just released his debut solo album „New Dawn“. He is 100 years old now (and allows himself to be quite nostalgic). This makes him the oldest artist to ever release a debut album, and, by the way, when he was 90 or so, I saw him at Stadtgarten, Cologne, on a birthday of mine. It was – pure joy! As an inhabitant of too many caves, I mildly regret not having seen some of my old heroes when they were still around. For example, John Coltrane in 1961 at the Village Vanguard. I was six years old, I would have been ready for it. (In fact, Brad Mehldau, look at his early revelations Lajla has posted days ago, was a huge fan of Trane‘s „Live At The Village Vanguard (Again)“, more on the free side of jazz!)
And last, but not least, there is another cracker reappearing, from the mid-70‘s. On vinyl. A hidden gem from the few fusion-fuelled albums by saxophone giant Joe Henderson, named „Multiple“, with the infamous „stellar“ ensemble at his side. Time traveling at its best! Closing the circle, I cannot recommend Joona Toivanen‘s trio music of „Gravity“ high enough. Stephan Graham may have some minor quibbles in his 3 1/2 star review on Marlbank, but finally he concludes: „It’s not a band to get the party started. More it’s a unit made for deep rumination and some serious soul searching.“ I deliberately offer four glowing stars for this long lived trio that, instead of exercising a formula once found, acts with a „beginner‘s mind“ from album to album. There‘s a little mystery in each and every track here, let‘s call it „the blow away zone“!
Postscriptum mit „Interview“: Alabaster DePlume about three albums from the „spiritual“ side that sent him places: that one „Japanese Folk Song“ of Thelonious Monk‘s „Straight No Chaser“, „Paul Robeson’s „Live At Carnegie Hall, 1958“, and „Angels And Demons At Play“ by Sun Ra.
LISTEN NOW (in the words of Alabaster)
Ich war natürlich gespannt, welche drei Alben Gus Fairbarn alias Alabaster auswählen würde. Und als er auf dieses Stück aus „Straight, No Chaser“ zu sprechen kam, fiel mir ein, dass ich schon öfter eine gewisse „soulmateship“ zwischen Robert Wyatt, dem lange Zeit dezidierten Atheisten sowie „Humanisten“ Robert Wyatt (ich gebrauche das Wort „Humanist“ ohne elitären Ballast) und Alabaster DePlume wahrnahm, ihre Sicht auf die Kriegsverbrechen Netanjahus und seiner „Bande“ (Robert schrieb Lieder über das Grauen dort, Alabaster nahm Musik vor Ort auf): beide agieren mit einer sanften Stimme, eher untypisch für politische Songs, und beide finden einen Antrieb für ihre Musik in dem Mitgefühl für die Opfer, nicht in politischer Programmatik. Und beide haben einen besonderen „Draht“ zur Musik von Thelonious Monk.
11 Kommentare
Michael Engelbrecht
When „the King of New York“ made it clear one more time that he is a pathological liar, a criminal, a piece of shit believing in white supremacy and using Planet Earth as a playground for his madness, I felt more than ever that music (that takes risks) will always belong to my survival kit. It will never be the healing force of the universe, but, no matter if we’re atheists, agnostics or believers, it can offer strength, consolation, love, and good fighting spirit in the weirdest of times!
Brian Whistler
interesting that you resurrected the spirit of Paul Robeson in this little essay. He is one of those people who always champion the downtrodden. His voice still rings out loud and clear in the 21st-century. Jazz has always been a beacon of freedom. They’re plenty of examples of people speaking out throughout th eras. Charlie Haden comes to my instantly with liberation Orchestra and his famous anti facist statement onstage in Spain when he was touring with Ornette. He got thrown into jail and had to be bailed out. But Charlie is just one of countless examples of freethinking creatives who don’t just take it lying down but speak truth to power. Freedom and the quest to achieve it is literally embedded in the DNA of jazz itself.
Michael Engelbrecht
Thanks to Alabaster I now heard from Paul Robeson for the first time in my life.
And, yes, Haden’s bass playing always has an uplifting energy. When did I hear him last time? About some days ago, on Joe Henderson’s THE ELEMENTS.
I never had Monk‘s album with that Japanese Folk Song. Now it will come. On that Impex version with 2 LPs, it covers a whole side.
Brian Whistler
That’s a beautiful tune and a fine album.
Michael Engelbrecht
I am curious to fall into that Japanese Folk Song… if you did mean that one.
THE ELEMENTS and MULTIPLE are so damned good albums from the mid-70’s!!! A sax giant from old Blue Note Classics days (Henderson) touching Fusion and Global Music with the same depth he once played along with the old cats.
Olaf Westfeld
„Thank you for living. I love that you bother to live. Living is hard and you are doing it. Thank you for being a human being. It is a blessing to be with you on this earth. You’re doing very well, it is not always easy.“ Alabaster DePlume – unique human being – thank you!
I think I listened to that Monk Album 25 years ago on a friend’s stereo – no distinct memories. Necer heard of Paul Robeson.
Last Toivanen Trio Album was deep listening stuff, night music. Haven’t checked the new one yet.
Michael Engelbrecht
This Joona album is more experimentasl. Every track a little challenge. BOTH ONLY, their penultimate album really is night music…
My strolling contains that Joe Henderson album with dave Holland on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Terrific work. I rember, on the same label, the same time at least, i was 18, 19 years amd had these two fusion filled albums by Joe and one album by Sonny Rollins. Not the ones that comes up every best of Sonny list, but a really good one. I had no comparisons at that time. Its name: HORN CULTURE. I remember a five star review in Jazzpodium. And i have no eidetic memory.
An interesting phenomenon: i often have detailed, nearly photographic memories of the day I first read about an album that mmediatel jumped on ky desire’s list. Or the moments I saw it in ine of my record shops.
1976 or so. My fiancee and I at Elektro Egger Gleichmannstrasse 10, the record shop of Jazz by Post in Pasing. The headquarter of ECM one or two floors up. A special moment. I looked througj the shelves. ALONE AGAIN popped up before my eyes. On Paul’s label International Aetists Inc. you love OPEN TO LOVE? Yiu will love ALONE AGAIN. On that day there was Fön or Föhn in München. I felt like a hammer hat hit me on the head. But i couldn’t wait for the needle to land on that second solo piano album.
Olaf Westfeld
I know these memories. Funnily I also have them – in some cases – of the moments I saw an album and did not buy it.
Olaf Westfeld's Weenkend Nourishment
Jimmy Giuffre 3, 1961
Bark Psychosis Hex
Donny Hathaway Live
Steve Reich Tehilim
flowworker
Michael’s weekend nourishment:
Nico: The Marble Index*
Vijay Iyer / Wadada Leo Smith: Defiant Life **
Joni Mitchell: Hejira (Demos) ***
joe Hemderson: The Elements ****
* always a special experience to listen to this in the dark.
** es gibt drei und „nur“ ECM Alben aus Januar, Februar und März, die mich „umhauen“, die von Jon Balke , Vijay Iyer und Anouar Brahem
*** nur Joni und die Gitarre: vor uns hörten das weitgehend nur Jaco und Wayme und die anderen Mitspieler des Travelogues…. die Musik fliegt, die Verse fliegen, eine der Platten, bei denen man die Texte unbedingt kennen sollte, und die trotzdem toll ist, wenn man nur hier und da eine Zeile aufschnappt…
**** charlie haden’s bass is as magic as any other moment on this modern day masterpiece
OLAF WESTFELD'S WEENKEND NOURISHMENT II
Music
Giuffre 3, 1961
Free Harmonic Sounds
Bark Psychosis
Late To The Party – only discovered the album a few years ago (reissue) – love it
Donny Hathaway
Soulful Showmanship
Tehilim
Ear Calibration
Movie
Tatami – moving film. impressed by the strength of the women (empfehlenswert auch: Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums – ließ mich leider etwas …ratlos zurück)
Book
Finished Reading Nexus (Harari) – und angefangen mit Zuhören von Bernhard Pörksen und aus Versehen schon ein Drittel des bUches gelesen (hatte Zeit auf einer Bahnfahrt).
Jetzt
ARDZDFARDZDFARDZDF – hoffentlich wird es auch ein bisschen gut!