Undiscovered Soul: Micatone

Micatone (group; formed 2001)

Lisa Bassenge (vocals)
Boris Meinhold (guitar, electronics)
Paul Kleber (bass)
Sebastian Demmin (keyboards)
Stefan Rogall (electronics)
Tim Kroker (drums)

On a recent trip to the U.S. city of Atlanta, I visited a couple of record stores. Most of them were quite exceptional considering the economic culture and the state or record retail in the U.S. But one store stood out for me and I was a little upset that I wanted to make this my last stop of the day. Moods Music was a slight goldmine for me. I found a number soul, acid jazz and electronica records that I had been searching for over the last year or so. I also stumbled upon a few records that I heard about but never actually got a chance to listen to. One of the groups that I discovered was Micatone.

I really hadn't heard Micatone before. I remember seeing there name pop up on my "Amazon You Might Like These" list but didn't give it any attention. I asked the clerk if they could play a little of it for me and to my shock they did!

Micatone are an incredible band from Germany. Lead singer Lisa Bassenge has a lovely soulful voice that wraps Jodi Watley, Bille Holiday,N'dea Davenport and Corrine Bailey Rae in with the funkiness of Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies and trip-hop sensibility Rae & Christian. It's a nice blend of nu-jazz and electronica that works well immediately on first spin.

The first album, Nine Songs (Sonar Kollektiv) combines soul, drum n' bass with a Bassenge's late night jazz cafe vocals for a bright and inventive debut. Setting the tone in the beginning are vibraphonic sounds of "Still In Time" and "Tranquilo". Both of which feature some nice funky beats against a moody hypnotic electronics. As Bassenge sings in the chorus of "Tranquilo", "...I'm for real". While this track is more about the feeling one gets from their significant others love, it can also state the intention of the band. They are for real and the lyrics and music make that case crystal clear.

The follow up, Is You Is (Sonar Kollektiv) moves things forward with more concentration of the bands soul jazz elements. While tracks like "Plastic Bags & Magazines," "Mon coeur" still hold the electronic flavour its the soulful tracks like "Quiet Boy" and "Sweet Child" that really stuck with me. Micatone seemed to be growing on both the lyrical and musical side. While still projecting ambient, trip hop foundation songs like "I'm Leaving Anyway" and "Sit Beside Me" are crafty love songs that will have you intoxicated and wanting more.

Nomad Songs (Sonar Kollektiv) is that something more you might be looking for. Nomad Songs is more lyrically focused and the instrumentation is also placed more squarely on live/acoustic. The electronics are still there but a little more in the background. There's also an element of diversity in theme going on. "Trouble Boy" takes on a more reggae feel while "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" is definitely in the Jamiroquai/BNH camp as far as the vibe is concerned. "Out Of The Game and "You've Taken All" really highlight Bassenge's vocals and the band crafty lounge feel.

Micatone may bring reminders of some previous acid jazz standard-barrers but believe me, this band is getting better with each album. For anyone interested there is a compilation called Best Of Three (Sonar Kollektiv) which covers some of the more important tracks from each of there albums. It is available online so I would definitely check them out. I great discovery for me and it also shows that there are still good record stores out there with great knowledgeable people that are willing to turn you on to something. Big ups to Atlanta!

Alexander McCabe: Quiz

Alexander McCabe (sax)

Quiz (Consolidated Artists Productions; 2010)

Ugonna Okegwo (bass)
Uri Caine (piano)
Greg Hutchinson (drums)
Rudy Royston (drums)

Alexader McCabe has been on the scene since the mid-eighties. You may not know the name but you more than likely have heard his big, bold alto on records by the Chico O'Farril Afro-Cuban Big Band. He has rich, fiery tone in manner of John Coltrane or Branford Marsalis that lights many of the tracks on only his second album as leader, Quiz.

Quiz opens with two wonderful numbers "Weezies Waltz," and "Lonnegan", both of originals written by McCabe. Each track features two different drums which provides an interesting background for the interplay between all of members. "Weezies Waltz" is more laid back with some delicate timing from Hutchinson and great accompaniment from Caine and Okegwo. This a beautiful opening piece.

"Lonnegan" is a blistering number with some superb interchanges between Caine and McCabe but also some surefire rolling beats from Royston. Both tracks show a nice depth in McCabe's writing and solid mastery on the sax. It's bewildering that Alexander McCabe has only recorded two albums as leader.

Mentioning Coltrane's name in this piece may seem a little strange but there is some serious work going on here and you have to acknowledge that McCabe has studied and mastered his craft extremely well. There are moments on the title piece "Quiz" that I am left mesmerized by how powerful his performance is. "Quiz" also features some excellent work from the always fantastic Uri Caine as he translates McCabes notes into a truly beauty storyline.

"Good Morning Heartache" has shades of 'Trane written all over it. This is probably the most adventurous track on the album but demonstrates the perfect balance of "out there" and "accessible" you'll hear in one track all year. The band is in fine form and this is one of many shinning moments on Quiz. Closing out the session is the under-rated standard "How Little We Know" which is sound wonderful in the hands of McCabe and his quartet. A very laid back piece that bookends the Quiz perfectly with some quiet, romantic yet still buoyant individual performances. This is a number which if heard in the club setting will probably bring the audience to its knees.

Alexander McCabe's Quiz is brilliant piece of work from a musician who has spent to much time on the sidelines so-to-speak. I hope this is his coming out party. Another one of those albums this year that if you are serious about jazz (either new fan or old jazz head) you should check it out. Lot's of surprises are in store. Recommended.

Steve Tibbetts: Natural Causes

Steve Tibbetts (guitar; b. 1954)
Natural Causes (ECM; 2010)

(A short entry today everyone. Need to take a small break and relax.)
Steve Tibbetts is rare among the jazz/world music artists. He has been able to meld the two genres beautifully into this recordings. While his recording output seems infrequent (Natural Causes being his first in eight years) when he does release an album you stand up and take notice. Tibbetts is a native of Minnesota. This northern Midwesterner seems to have the same minimalist nature in his music that fellow Scandinavian jazz music posses.

Natural Causes (his 13 album overall) has stunning rhythmic elements wrapped in truly a world of adventure. Tibbetts guitar fret-work has always been seamless and his mastery of Eastern and Western cultures runs throughout Natural Causes. With undulating guitars and gently pulsating gongs added by longtime collaborator, Marc Anderson on drums give this record immense depth. Tracks like "Attasha," "Chandorga," "Lakshmivana" and "Lament" illustrate a beauty that for some might be reminiscent of David Sylvian's instrumental work on Gone To Earth.

Steve Tibbetts mainly works with 12 string guitar but his manner of playing is breathtaking and gives unique quality and ethereal beauty that many contemporaries cannot match. For anyone not familiar with Steve Tibbetts work, Natural Causes is a great place to start.

David S. Ware: Onecept

David S. Ware (sax: tenor, stritch, saxello)
Onecept (Aum Fidelity; 2010)
William Parker (bass)
Warren Smith (drums)

David S. Ware's newest release, Oncept (Aum Fidelity) is a celebration on multiple levels. First it is a celebration of a half century of playing saxophone and creating music which has engaged and challenged listeners and the structure of jazz itself. Second it is continued documentation of an artists overcoming adversity (dialysis, kidney transplant) and pushing forward with the exploration of spontaneous sound.

Oncept was recorded just a few months after his return to live performances (as documented on Saturnian (Aum Fidelity; 2009)). The trio which he has worked with in various forms (most recently 2008's Shakti) is in supreme form on Onecept. This is free form improvisational album similar to the solo concert album Satunian. Ware utilizes the same saxophones he used for that concert on this session. While there is a distinct difference in the sound of each horn that Ware uses, the main theme that runs throughout the recording is the unity of the trio.

"Book Of Krittika" opens the set in gripping ascendancy. Ware performs on the stritch sax. Both Smith and Parker are exquisitely in snyc with Ware's vision on this piece. Ware and Parker have a wonderful battle about midway through that is truly magical. "Celestial" is smokin' piece which Smith's drum work is slice of brilliance. Parker and Ware appear to follow along but you soon realize this is one unit playing a breakneck pace. That pace bleeds into "Desire Worlds" (with Ware playing saxello) which see Smith and Parker keep time on a feverishly changing of patterns from Ware. Absolutely stellar stuff.

"Astral Earth" and "Bardo" (Ware playing tenor on "Bardo") are two slightly midtempo gems with emotional resonance that exude the joy and bliss. There is a special connection on Onecept that for me highlights three musicians whose harmonic relationship has produce a collection of brilliant recording over the years. Oncept is just another jewel in the David S. Ware's ongoing career of excellence and creativity. Here's to his 50 years of playing saxophone and hopefully many more.