Music from the very well-known to the newly discovered is featured in New In Music This Week: June 21st.
My top pick is:
JAZZ: ABIDING MEMORY – Phillip Golub – Endectomorph
In Vijay Iyer’s liner notes for this impressive album he writes, “Let’s call this the New Brooklyn Complexity, for its particular amalgamation of high-modernist compositional knowhow and cutting-edge improvisational expertise, it’s rough-and-tumble small-group flair and its chamber-music transparency, a type of artistry trained both in classrooms and in clubs, equally adpeted at nested tuplets and fiery grooves.”
I couldn’t have said it better or even in those terms. What I will say is that this is a stunning album that is worth repeated listening so that you can discover more and more layers to this incredibly layered and thoughtful music. Put it on, tune out the rest of the world and listen with an open heart and an open mind and you will create your own abiding memories of hearing Golub’s music.
Here are the other albums I’ve selected for New In Music This Week: June 21st:
CHAMBER MUSIC: SYNTHESIS: THE STRING QUARTET SESSIONS – Ryan Truesdell – ArtistShare
What do you get when large ensemble jazz composers are asked to write string quartets. Would the end result be predominantly classical? Lean heavily into jazz? Become something unique.
First and foremost, this recording is unique – in all the best possible ways. The composers did provide a mix of music that encompasses both classical and jazz influences with some more overtly classical and others more overwhelmingly jazz. But it’s all fascinating.
Truesdell composed for the album as did Joseph Borsellino III, John Clayton, Alan Ferber, Miho Hazama, John Hollenbeck, Christine Jensen, Asuka Kakitani, Oded Lev-Ari, Jim McNeely, Vanessa Perica, Rufus Reid, Dave Rivello and Nathan Parker Smith.
Amongst my favorites are Playground for String Quartet 1. Copycat and Playground for String Quartet 2. Ropes & Ladders by Oded Lev-Ari; Truesdell’s Suite for CIarinet and String Quartet which features Anat Cohen and John Clatyon’s Tidal Wave.
Synthesis proves that labels/genres are best used as marketing tools and not to describe music.
CLASSICAL MUSIC: GABRIEL FAURÉ – Renaud Capuçon/Orchestrre de Chambre de Lausanne – Deutsche Grammophon
French composer Gabriel Fauré’s Violin Concerto isn’t part of the standard repertoire given that only the first movement was completed. That work launches this 71 minute exploration of Fauré’s work and makes one wish that the composer had completed the work.
Capuçon also performs the composer’s Masques et Bergamasques, Pelléas et Mélisande Suite and more. Fauré’s very popular Pavane is performed in a version for orchestra as is Berceuse arranged for violin and orchestra.
This is a great look at Fauré’s career with beautiful playing by Capuçon.
CLASSICAL MUSIC: VERDI: Inno Delle Nazioni; Quattro Pezzi Sacri – Riccardo Chailly/Orchestra Del Teatro Alla Scala, Milano – Decca
Fans of Verdi’s operas will certainly recognize the name Arrigo Boito as the librettist who wrote the libretti for Falstaff and Otello. His first collaboration with the composer was on Inno delle nazioni which was composed and debuted in 1862 as part of the 1862 International Exhibition in London.
Tenor Freddie De Tommaso joinsed the Coro Del Teatro Alla Scala Di Milano for this recording of this nearly 14-minute work.
Also on the album is the composer 4 Pezzi Sacri (Four Sacred Pieces). These were written over a period of 11 years and began around the same time that Verdi was composing Otello.
These are not the most commonly recorded or performed of Verdi’s work. I was much more impressed with the 4 Pezzi Sacri, but this impressive recording is a welcome reminder of Verdi’s non-opera works.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: JULIUS EASTMAN Vol. 4 – THE HOLY PRESENCE – Wild Up – New Amsterdam
This is the fourth year in a row that Los Angeles’ Wild Up has released an album of Julius Eastman’s music. Each year their dedication to Eastman’s music becomes more and more important.
That work continues with The Holy Presence. The opening track is astonishing and eye-opening. Our Father finds Davóne Tines singing two vocal parts accompanied by Wild Up. It starts strongly and becomes more impressive as the recording goes on.
Pianist Richard Valitutto performs Piano 2 before Tines returns to sing Prelude To The Holy Presence of Joan d’Arc.
These three tracks are the warm-up for The Holy Presence of Joan d’Arc which showcases the work of cellist Seth Parker Woods who performs ten cello tracks that are multi-tracked and combined to a staggering result.
There’s so much music of Eastman’s yet to be discovered. I can’t wait to see what next year’s Wild Up recording of his work will offer.
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL: BETWEEN BREATH – Scott Wollschleger – New Focus Recordings
Composer Wollschleger was commissioned to write music for four different artists. Those artists have recorded each of those commissions for this album that is not for those who don’t want to be challenged by music.
The album opens with Violain(Parts I and II) composed for violinist Maya Bennardo and violist Hannah Levinson who performed as andPlay. That is followed by the title track performed by pianist Anne Rainwaiter with trombonist William Lang.
Mezzo-soprano Lucy Dhegrae and pianist Nathaniel LaNasa perform Anyway, where threads go, it all goes well and the album closes with Secret Machine no.7 performed by violinist Miranda Cuckson.
Fans of contemporary classical music will find a lot to admire on this album.
JAZZ: CHARLES MINGUS EPITAPH – BigBand of the Deutsche Oper Berlin/Randy Brecker – Euro Arts Music International
In 1989, a decade after the death of Charles Mingus, his epic composition Epitaph was rediscovered. It’s a mammoth work that runs over two hours and requires a large ensemble.
Amongst those who recorded this work in 1989 was trumpeter Randy Brecker. He revisits this work in this incredible recording from the 2022 Musikfest Berlin which celebrated the centennial of Mingus.
I didn’t know that Deutsche Oper Berlin could swing or that they had a BigBand (that’s the way they spell that ensemble). But they can. Listeners are more than rewarded by spending 136 minutes listening to this album.
JAZZ: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY – Michael Eckroth Group – Truth Revolution Recording Collective
I truly feel like this New In Music This Week: June 21st has something for everyone – particularly jazz fans. Eckroth is on the piano on this album that is multi-cultural in the best possible ways.
Musical influences from Cuba and Puerto Rico meet up with traditional jazz that finds Eckroth supported by some incredible musicians to play his music. Seven of the eight tracks on the album were written by Eckroth.
They include Alex “Apolo Ayala” on bass, Peter Brainin on tenor saxophone; Mauricio Herrera on percussion; Matt Hilgenburg on trumpet; Carlos Maldonado on percussion; Joel Mateo on drums; Alex Norris on trumpet; Edward Perez and Raul Reyes on bass.
No two jazz albums on this week’s list find themselves mining the same terrain. Eckroth’s album is a joyful excursion to two incredible islands rich with music.
JAZZ: WANDERING TALK – Orlando le Fleming & Romantic Funk – Whirlwind Recordings
This is jazz that dabbles in music with a funky side. Music that is both free flowing with improvisation while sometimes maintaining a groove that is undeniable. This is a brisk 37-minute album, but one that will make your commute more enjoyable, your daily tasks less irksome and put some pep in your step as day turns to night.
Joining bassist/composer le Fleming on this album are Tom Cawley on piano and keyboards; Philip Dizack on trumpet; Nathaniel Facey on saxophone and James Maddren on drums. Chris Martin of Coldplay and his daughter Nadia are special guests for one track.
Not every track is funky, but we all need to pace ourselves, right? Wandering Talk has the perfect balance to make all this talk wonderful.
JAZZ: INVISIBLE CINEMA – Aaron Parks – Blue Note Records Classic Vinyl Reissue Series
This vinyl release marks the first time pianist/composer Parks’ Invisible Cinema has been released in that format. It’s a great opportunity to revisit this remarkable album from 2008.
Drummer Eric Harland, guitarist Mike Moreno and bassist Matt Penman joined Parks for this album.
It has been quite a few years since I last listened to Invisible Cinema, but as soon as I heard Travelers, the track that opens the album, it was like coming home.
This two-LP set also includes two tracks that had previously only been released in Japan: Memory of a Flameand an alternate take of Travelers.
If you aren’t a vinyl collector, I urge you to check out this album. If you are, I bet you can’t wait to hear Invisible Cinema!
JAZZ: SEPTEMBER NIGHT – Thomasz Stanko Quartet – ECM
This live recording of the late Stanko and his musicians dates from 2004 and was recorded in Munich. The trumpeter/composer is joined by bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz , drummer Michal Miskiewicz and pianist Marcin Wasilewski as he had often been up until the last year before he passed away.
All of the songs are, in some way or another, theatrical which is also the name of the last track on this incredible album. This music feels like it would be right at home in movies like Body Heat or Double Indemnity.
Stanko composed six of the seven tracks on this nearly hour-long album. Kaetano is credited to all four musicians. He was well-known as a free jazz musician. That style is fully on display here but it is performed in such an understated and beautiful way that this is an album I will be returning to over and over again.
VOCALS: DON’T COMPROMISE YOURSELF- THE VERY BEST OF MARY BRIDGET DAVIES – Mary Bridget Davies – Center Stage Records
Davies was a 2014 Tony Award nominee for her performance in A Night With Janis Joplin. There’s a reason she was cast in that show as she has the perfect rock/blues voice which is showcased in this two disc set.
The first disc has 13 tracks and includes Piece of My Heart, Stay With Me/Cry Baby and the title track. The second disc that has studio recordings of a few of the same songs that appear on the first disc.
On that second disc is Master of Disguise which finds Davies asking “which one is the shadow, which one is me?” These two discs prove that yes, Davies can rock with the best of them, but she can also take things down a few notches and be equally impressive.
This is truly a fun album.
VOCALS: PARTING GIFT: THE SONGS OF GERALD GINSBURG – Various Artists – PS CLASSICS
Composer Ginsburg is not someone with whom I was familiar. Chances are you aren’t either since it wasn’t until his death in 2019 that most of his songs were discovered. Most of them are less than 3 minutes, but they are little gems.
That they are makes it easy to understand why such artists as Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Jordan Danica, Telly Leung, Kelli O’Hara and Elizabeth Stanley have recorded them for this collection. All the artists are accompanied by a 17-piece orchestra.
Ginsburg set poems by Byron, Cummings, Hughes, Millay, Shelley and more for these 23 songs. The album is released digitally today with a CD scheduled for release on July 12th.
That’s all for New In Music This Week: June 21st.
Enjoy the music!
Enjoy your weekend!
Main Photo: Part of the album art for Abiding Memory