seen from Finland
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seen from Singapore
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Page 99 - New album out now...
Page 99 – New album out now…
Brand new album from Page 99 called “For imagination’s sake” is out now. The second album from classic-sounding Yacht Rock and West Coast artist Page 99 features a stellar cast of musicians including Bill Champlin, Tamara Champlin, Peter Friestedt, Paul Pesco, Russ Fitzpatrick, Duane Allen Harlick, Colton Weatherston Andrea Di Puccio, Chip Kipps, Carlos Severiche, Bill Salisbury, and Chase…
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Circuit Kisser: Faking The Moon Landing, (Soundsabound, 2019)
Dan Chmielinski: electric bass, and synthesizers; Chase Baird: EWI; Mathis Picard: synthesizers; Diego Joaquin Ramirez: drums. Synthesizers used: DSI Prophet ‘08, Korg Polysix, Korg Prologue, Moog Grandmother, Moog One, Moog Subphatty, Moog Voyager, Oberheim OB-8, Roland Juno-106, Roland SE-02, Yamaha CS-60
Circuit Kisser is the brainchild of bassist and multi instrumentalist Dan Chmielinski. It is a unique ensemble in that the quartet, featuring “Chimy” on bass and synthesizers, Chase Baird on EWI, Mathis Picard on keyboards, and Diego Joaquin Ramirez on drums are a performing unit that with the exception of drums are completely based in analog synthesis. The band also plays live in real time without sequencers. What makes Faking The Moon Landing the group’s debut so fascinating is how the bassist’s interest in analog synthesizers contributes to a unified whole, often going far beyond the scope of “jazz” music. Chmielinski, who first fell in love with analog synths while scoring a soundtrack often has ingenious ways of blending each synthesizer so it’s nearly impossible to decipher the instruments from each other. A great example is how on “No Known Universe”, the odd metered 7/8 ostinato hinted at by Baird in it’s Coltrane ish introduction is later echoed flawlessly from Picard’s keyboards. Picard is effervescent, here and elsewhere such as on the intro of “Atomic Bliss”. The ostinato conceived as the bassist/multi instrumentalist was walking down the street, creates a visual picture within the listener of a 80’s CGI rendered model spinning in space. Baird’s EWI is volcanic, ripping fierce arpeggios with the portamento of his custom Roland GR300 inspired patch called “light bender” baked right in. The ostinato also is a launching pad for the Irish born Ramirez to dive into audacious ideas.
“Circa 1986” features a chordal based riff a bit reminiscent of Louis Cole’s projects including Knower. It’s brightly swinging groove brings Baird back into the forefront with a bridge almost out of a Bob Mintzer era Yellowjackets tune, again Ramirez shines over an ostinato.
The rest of the album creates some wonderful sound portraits, with the cheeky theme of “Boss Level” providing irony to the music of a boss level in a game, and the closing title track providing an epic conclusion.
Sound:
Faking The Moon Landing was recorded at Redacted Studios in New York, recorded by Nathan Prillaman and mixed and mastered by Prillaman and Chmielinski. Sonically, it really is a pleasure to listen to. Chmielinski took a hands off, classical style approach to the mastering and the synths themselves almost dictate the dynamics naturally. Synths cover the rear of the sound stage as well as the sides and foreground. Picard’s leads and solos naturally bounce with stereo delay, Baird’s EWI also bounces with delay from the left and right channels, and Ramirez’s drums provide the organic element with the acoustic contrast. The album is a subtly layered effort that not only shows care and consideration of the musical vision but just as much care and consideration for the listener as well.
Concluding Thoughts:
Circuit Kisser brings forth a strong statement on where jazz influenced or improvised music is in the present era. It’s evident from listening that all the musicians bring their influences and where they come from to the table and the biggest reward is eminently accessible but complex music that will interest everyone from fans of progressive rock, to the jazz-rock of the 70’s, fans of video games music, synthwave and more. Faking The Moon Landing is a fabulous debut, and the band’s future progress and recordings are eagerly anticipated.
Music rating: 10/10
Sound rating: 9.5/10
Equipment used for review:
Audiolab CDT6000 transport
Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC
Marantz NR 1200 stereo receiver (as pre amp)
Marantz MM 7025 power amplifier
Focal Chora 826 speakers
A deeper look at: The Brecker Brothers- Live and Unreleased (Piloo Records, 2020/rec. 1980)
Randy Brecker: trumpet & vocals; Michael Brecker: tenor sax; Mark Gray: keyboards; Barry Finnerty: guitar; Neil Jason: bass & vocals; Richie Morales: drums
At the dawn of the 80's Randy and Michael Brecker had been one of the hottest commodities on the music scene. They initially made a splash in 1970 as part of the horn section on Dreams (Columbia) the self titled debut album from the studio driven band of the same name. Dreams, the brainchild of vocalist/producer/composer Jeff Kent is significant because like Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1969, rel. 1970) and the Tony Williams Lifetime's pivotal Emergency (Polydor, 1969) it ushered in an amalgamation of jazz and rock that was completely fresh and something that would continue into the decade most notably with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, and the Latin driven sound of Caldera. Dreams, featured luminaries like Billy Cobham, guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Doug Lubahn (who appeared on three of the Doors' albums) and trombonist Barry Rogers, and with the vocal driven+ horns combination the group entered territory close to early Terry Kath era Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears. The Brecker Brothers would then move on to join the Horace Silver Quintet-- Michael would only appear on In Pursuit Of the 27th Man (Blue Note, 1972) while the trumpeter would appear on three albums: You Gotta Take A Little Love (1968), The United States of Mind Phase I , That Healin' Feelin (1970) and the aforementioned In Pursuit Of the 27th Man. As the seventies wore on, the brothers would log valuable time as members of Billy Cobham's group and individually as session musicians running the gamut from Parliament Funkadelic, Frank Zappa, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Michael Franks among others.
At this time, the Breckers' had found themselves in the midst of something incredibly creative. As session musicians, there was a movement among several, including vibraphone innovator Mike Mainieri, the late pianist Don Grolnick, David Sanborn and Steve Gadd to fuse the harmonic and rhythmic complexities of jazz, with funk and other popular music. As a result of the fruits of these musical inventions Mainieri formed Steps, better known as Steps Ahead with Michael Brecker, Grolnick, and Gadd (later replaced by Peter Erskine) in tow plus bassist Eddie Gomez. The band would record the classic Smokin' In The Pit (Better Days/NYC Records, 1979) Step By Step (1979) and Paradox (1981). All this music was recorded during the Brecker Brothers' peak, they also owned the storied Seventh Avenue South club, an incubator for like minded musicians who were interested in exploring this unique style.
The recently unearthed two CD Brecker Brothers: Live and Unreleased recorded at the famous club Onkel Po's in Germany on July 2, 1980 features the band in their absolute prime. The set list consists uncompromising versions of well known tracks that are mostly drawn from the then recent George Duke produced Detente (Arista, 1980) and their other Arista recordings, including The Brecker Bros (1975), Don’t Stop The Music (1977) and extended, far superior versions of nearly all of the compositions that appeared on Heavy Metal Bebop (1978). The album is also the first chapter in a new phase of Michael Brecker's playing with this gig occurring just a month after taping Pat Metheny's 80/81 (ECM, 1980) and album that signaled a marked shift in the tenor man's facility and conception. As the sadly missed saxophone icon said in Metheny's podcast on the making of the album, “there was everything before 80/81 and everything AFTER 80/81”. This is also the first “new” music heard from him since the final album as a leader with Pilgrimage (Heads Up, 2007).
Live And Unreleased catches the group absolutely on fire. The group includes Randy on trumpet and vocals, Michael on tenor, Barry Finnerty on guitar, Mark Gray on keyboards, Neil Jason on bass and vocals and drummer Richie Morales. Over the ten selections which form a nice cross section of their catalog, they take on this spunky, New York rawness that eschews the slick heavier production of the studio albums. The tunes with their slick, and wry humored harmonic complexity and pounding funk are wonderful blowing vehicles for high octane solos. The saxophonist's “Strap Hangin'” from the band's yet to be released final Arista recording the next year, is a portrait in a nutshell of what this music is all about: fun. Often, within the problematic linear jazz narrative, upon it's release, outside of serious musician circles at Berklee and local levels where these tunes were oft played, jazz critics derided these albums as empty musical effluvia conforming staunchly to the decade's stylistic and production tropes. While yes, some of the music on the studio recordings is very of it's time, there is some serious meat on the bone in these tunes. The tongue in cheek intro conjuring images of the Queen's Guards at the British Royal Palace gives way to the composition's sinewy, tough street wise melody. The bridge chords allow for both Breckers' to glide with hard swinging, behind the beat phrasing in their solos. Randy showcases tremendous range and agility with a Freddie Hubbard like bravura, and Michael ravenously eats the changes, unfurling furious cascades that are now much beloved phrases that are much copied by his disciples. “Tee'd Off” is a sultry example of rhythmically driven funk, but the most significant piece on the album, is the 18 minute plus version of “Funky Sea, Funky Dew”. Each night, as Randy Brecker alludes to in the liners, the band would leave Michael on stage alone for a lengthy cadenza. Here, the saxophonist engages in the best solo of the entire set, dipping into gravity defying acrobatics, funky, swinging asides (with Barry Finnerty behind him) and most important, a display of pre EWI electronic experimentation. Many hallmarks of Michael's EWI approach are found here in this predecessor. Disc 1 finishes with the explosive “I Don't Know Either”, where Richie Morales is in his deepest Steve Gadd groove mode.
A Doobie Brothers style shuffle is employed on “Inside Out” where everyone lets loose soloing on blues changes for the most part, albeit with a trickier more ornate prelude setting up the blues changes. Mark Gray soars in particular with his Jan Hammer and George Duke flavored Moog solo, and Michael Brecker displays his affinity for Stanley Turrentine in spots. “Baffled” features a lengthy drum solo from Morales investigates the Mozambique and bembe rhythms, and an exploratory, angular, Randy Brecker solo in Woody Shaw territory. “Don't Get Funny With My Money” a Zappa-esque slice of absurd silliness closes the album with vocals from Randy Brecker.
Sound:
Taken from masters from the NDR Radio vaults, Live and Unreleased is about as pristine as one could get. Saxophone and trumpet timbres are particularly vivid, trumpet left center and saxophone right center. The drums, as the recording is from 1980, have that familiar dead punch familiar to the era, Morales’ toms had black dot heads with no bottom head, again typical of the era. Dead, deep snare in the center channel with equally dead toms across the sound stage, and shimmery cymbals. The sound stage though wide and nicely separated is quite close up. This is very amped up, electric music afterall!
Closing Thoughts
Live and Unreleased is a wonderful addition to the Brecker Brothers discography. The raw, stripped down nature is a conduit for crackling solos, and lockstep group interplay, with absolutely unhinged Randy and Michael Brecker at their absolute best. It's a reminder of how sorely missed the saxophonist is, and the towering influence he had on several generations of players that continues to the present.
Music rating: 9.5/10
Sound rating: 8/10
Equipment used:
HP Pavilion laptop
Yamaha RS 202 Stereo receiver
Focal Chorus 716 Floor Standing speakers
Schiit Modius DAC
Musicbee (for WAV file playback)
Single review: Chase Baird “Pulsar”(Outside In Music, 2020)
Chase Baird: tenor saxophone, EWI; J3PO: Fender Rhodes, synthesizers; Dan Chmielinski: Moog bass; Steve Lyman: drums.
Saxophonist Chase Baird (now burgeoning guitarist and singer-songwriter!) made waves last year with his most fully realized composition and band leader statement yet A Life Between (Sounds A Bound) featuring an all star band with Brad Mehldau, Nir Felder, Dan Chmielinski and Antonio Sanchez. Another one of Baird's passions is electronic music and synthesis; something explored on his brand new single “Pulsar”, featuring his tenor and EWI, Julian Pollack (also known as J3PO) on piano, Fender Rhodes and synthesizers, Dan Chmielinski on Moog bass and Steve Lyman on drums. The track, initially conceived as an electronic dance oriented piece becomes more of a hybrid with jazz improvisation in the center. “Pulsar” paints a broad post futurist portrait of the unknown, and discovery. J3PO's ring modulated Fender Rhodes speak of this uncertainty of a new world, visions in the listener's mind reminisce about early 80's videos and space and technological innovation as juicy, throbbing Moog bass wiggles it's way into the open, minimal space. Triumphant chord progressions signal the delight of exploration and signs of life as astronauts explore the new world. Baird's saxophone and J3PO's acoustic piano in tandem, stake claim boldly of this new world, Baird's EWI euphorically states the anthemic chorus while Lyman all the while is slicing the beat different ways acoustically emulating the programming of Aphex Twin and Squarepusher. The drummer weaves in and out of these divisions during an intense solo over a bass ostinato before themes resurface to close.
Production:
Early demo versions of “Pulsar” were rendered from Baird playing every single part on EWI, to which J3PO decided to eventually play the parts himself. As this track was created during quarantine of the post COVID 19 era, it's truly remarkable that it sounds like a live band playing in real time. The entire group played their parts separately to a click! Unlike decades past, where it could be occasionally clearly heard parts were done separately and phoned in (think Frank Sinatra's hugely successful Duets albums) modern recording technology is to a point where tracks can be recorded in different cities, and continents and sound completely of a piece. The 24 bit/48 kHz master file has a huge soundstage, the authoritative crack of Lyman's reverbed snare is impressive, as are the floaty, weighty analog synth pads, and present atmospheric EWI. The Focal Chorus 716 again shows it's strength with the percussive snare cracks, and sinewy Moog bass. The Schiit Modius DAC presents clear separation and a very wide sound stage equivalent to a 2:35 aspect ratio in film if there was an aural equivalent.
Track rating: 9/10
Chase Baird, A Life Between, 2019
Escuchando Jazz! Chase Baird, A Life Between, 2019
A Life Between (2009)
Ya por estas fechas bien entrado este raruno 2020 y aún ando escuchando novedades del 2019. La que nos ocupa hoy, no quería para nada que se me olvidara de recomendárosla. Es el segundo trabajo como líder del saxofonista Chase Baird, A Life Between, publicado en 2019 para Soundsabound Records.
Chase Baird es un saxofonista norteamericano al que conocemos en La Montaña…
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Antonio Sánchez and Migration (28º Guimaraes Jazz, Portugal. 2019-11-07) [Concierto]
Antonio Sánchez and Migration (28º Guimaraes Jazz, Portugal. 2019-11-07) [Concierto]
Por Pachi Tapiz.
Fecha: jueves, 7 de noviembre de 2019.
Lugar: Grande Auditorio, Centro Cultural Vila Flor (CCVF), Guimaraes, Portugal.
Grupo: Antonio Sánchez and Migration Antonio Sánchez: batería Chase Baird: saxo tenor y EWI John Escreet: piano y Fender Rhodes Orlando Le Fleming: contrabajo y bajo eléctrico de cinco cuerdas Thana Alexa: voz, electrónica y efectos
Tras el contundente arranque…
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Chase Baird: A Life Between (Soundsabound Records, 2019)
Chase Baird: tenor saxophone; Nir Felder: guitar; Brad Mehldau: piano; Dan Chmielinski: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums.
31 year old saxophonist Chase Baird returns with his second recording as a leader after nearly a decade gap following 2010's Crosscurrent. Quite often, when musicians release albums sparingly over lengthy time periods it's usually a period of personal research and development, and with this album Baird comes back with a bang. He recruited a jazz super group for seven fascinating originals (and 1 classical adaptation) comprised of one of the most influential pianists of his generation, Brad Mehldau, guitarist Nir Felder, bassist Dan Chmielinski, and Baird's current band mate in Migration, Antonio Sanchez on drums. What this quintet shares is an selfless devotion to having their fingers on the pulse of a particularly fertile movement in New York jazz, of which musicians like Chris Potter, Mark Giuliana, Kendrick Scott, David Weiss Donny McCaslin, Camila Meza and Adam Rodgers among others have been a vital part.
Baird was born in Seattle, and exposed to music by his father where rock was an early influence. He picked up tenor saxophone at the age of ten, and at age fourteen was mentored by the late great Michael Brecker, arguably one of the most important post Coltrane tenors. He has also played or recorded with vibraphonist Mark Sherman, Chaka Khan and the Mingus Big Band.
Baird has an appealing sound, quite warm, and dark in the lower and middle registers, and bright up top combined with fluid, flexible ideas. He brings forth a strong melodic stamp informed by a lot of modern pop music with a rockish freedom that all the quintet members tear into at will; after all, the inter generational group of musicians all grew up on pop, rock, and electronic music in addition to jazz. The rockish bent that mood wise at times recalls Nirvana and Radiohead is apparent right at “Ripcord”. Felder wields crunchy power chords, Sanchez leans hard into a thudding dead snare at the intro into a singable melody. The rapport the drummer and saxophonist share is evident immediately, and Brad Mehldau is right at home with a careful reflection. “As You Are” finds Baird lyrical in a lilting waltz, but “Reactor” once again brings the rock heat. Chmielinski's effect laden bass and Sanchez's drums are in lockstep with each other as the drummer subdivides beats in his signature way at the start of the track, and the rhythm section locks into the crevices of the groove during his solo on a vamp. The saxophonist is at his absolute best on the title track sharing the solo spotlight in chunks with Felder, “Dream Knows No End” supported by the guitarist's atmospheric reverb drenched backing, and “Wait and See”. The track is explosive as the saxophonist and drummer duel a la Elvin Jones and Trane, Trane and Rashied Ali or Michael Brecker and Jack DeJohnette. The tune is an outright swinger, guitar and bass dig in as well. The well rounded program closes with Schumann’s “Imwunderschonen Monat Mai”, which Mehldau renders introspectively during his solo, almost as if one of his own compositions. Felder's hymn like support is a plus as well.
Sound
A Life Between is a terrific sounding and well mastered recording. Most new jazz recordings these days are immune from the loudness wars that plagued much of the late 90's and early 00's. The sound stage contains natural sounding piano, bass, and drums with subtle slick production touches when called for such as reverb on snare, and delay on tenor saxophone, dipping into modern pop and rock post production. Baird's saxophone is rich, has weight, Sanchez's drums have percussive snap and the sound of wood sticks on drum heads and metal rims. The mastering is vivid and dynamic. The sound is overall consistent with well recorded jazz albums over the past 3 decades.
Closing thoughts
Chase Baird is a very strong writer, and the crack quintet sounds as if it is a road band, honed over a lengthy period of playing together. Fortunately, when a group comes together that shares the same vision, that kind of gel happens. Baird is also a provocative improviser, and his contribution to Sanchez' Migration, as well as the present album make one hope it won't be too long before another record of his own happens.
Music: 8.5/10
Sound: 8/10
