Sunna Gunnlaugs: Long Pair Bond

Sunna Gunnlaugs (piano)

Long Pair Bond  (self produced; 2011)

Scott McLemore (drums)

Thorgrimur Jonsson (bass)

I discovered Sunna Gunnlaugs only earlier this year, but since then I have consumed alot of her music and have been truly captivated. Her style is intimate and her use of space is exciting and has you hanging on every note.

Sunna Gunnlaugs is an independent artist who has created her own path with seven unbelievable albums that go from strength to strength. I loved her last album The Dream (in fact I raved about it). But I think her new album, Long Pair Bond is phenomenal! An even more intimate and introspective album than its predecessor, Gunnlaugs continues to elevate as a composer and a musician.

The trio setting demands more of the listener. It's an opportunity to absorb the emotion of the session and feel the movement of each instrument. "Long Pair Bond" sets sail with a lovely tone. Gunnlaug's playing carries you along slowly and gently down a rugged stream. Jonsson's bass fills the room but never overpowers the notes. McLemore adds poignant timing that gives a "Long Pair Bond" an additional punch towards its conclusion. On "Thema" Gunnlaugs and Jonsson's mixture of Latin and classical merged into a solemn progression that somehow is still quietly uplifting.

"Crab Cannon," a piece originally performed by the same trio a year ago, sounds more invigorating here in the studio. The production is obviously more crisp than its live sister version but Gunnlaugs obviously performed this piece on a number of occasions so this version delivers more impact through experience. McLemore's drummer jumps out with freedom and spirit that should really get any listener excited. "Fyrir Byrnhildi", a richly driven piece buoyed by Jonsson and Gunnlaugs, is warm and inviting. A delicately crafted number with almost gospel touches that has quietly become my personal favourite on Long Pair Bond.

"Vicious World" closes the album beautifully, with the focus squarely on Gunnlaugs. McLemore and Jonsson add light swatches of colour to the outside but momentum lays within the vibrant and inspirational performance of Gunnlaugs. This is an intimate piece that would probably bring the house down in a large recital hall.

In the independent spirit of the 21st Century, Sunna Gunnlaugs has taken the exciting and adventurous journey into the fan-supported release world (a grass-roots version of venture capital). Utilizing the organization of Kickstarter we can all support the physical production of Long Pair Bond with a small donation to the creation of the album. There are a number of different levels of support that we can contribute. Each with the right and appropriate reward for you.

This is a great opportunity for artists and fans to be a part of something special. If you are a fan of Sunna. A fan of jazz. A fan of exemplary jazz. Then this is an opportunity for us all to put our collective spirit and force together for the good of great music.

Join Sunna Gunnlaugs and enjoy a truly phenomenal album--Long Pair Bond.

Side A: A New Margin

Side A (group)

A New Margin (Clean Feed; 2011)

Ken Vandermark (sax; clarinet)

Havard Wiik (piano)

Chad Taylor (drums)

A Ken Vandermark record is always a welcomed addition in the JazzWrap office. And Vandermark's newest project, Side A is a massive inclusion to the catalog.


The trio formed last year but somehow it feels like they've played together for much longer; Vandermark and Wiik have been together in various projects (Vandermark 5, Atomic/School Days, and Free Fall). A New Margin (Clean Feed), the trio's debut, is a document of their collaborative efforts over the last year. 

Side A kicks the proceedings off with the slow moving and haunting "Boxer." It's like a mystery ride that never seems to end and you're constantly turned on to some new element in the piece. Whether it's the plodding downward keys of Wiik, the sky-rocketing velocity of Vandermark on sax, or Taylor's free-wheeling movement on the kit--this is a journey that's going to take many different shapes before its done.


"Arborizaltion" flows peacefully with each member improvising in between the space. It's not wild movements; more a steady pattern of ideas that all fold together in one harmonic gesture.

When "The Kreuzberg Variations" first came on I was startled by the spacial depth of the piece. It's a classical movement as the title would suggest but with more owed to the Steve Reich motif than Brandenberg. The piece builds and builds until its boisterous conclusion where musician and sound collide in what is quite a beautiful noise.


"Giacometti" is a blustery but euphoric number that sees the trio bouncing sound off each other. Taylor adds a delicate touch in the beginning, while Vandermark and Wiik create some vivid colour spectrums. This comes to a rousing denouement that nicely bookends the possession filled opening of the "Boxer."

Side A is yet another in long list of progressive outings from Ken Vandermark and company that challenges the way we think of jazz and how it will expand. A New Margin is by far one Vandermark's best projects (outside of Vandermark 5) of the last 12 months. Great stuff.

Anne Mette Iversen: Milo Songs

Anne Mette Iversen (bass)

Milo Songs (Brooklyn Jazz Underground; 2011)

Otis Brown III (drums)

John Ellis (sax)

Danny Grissett (piano)
(photo: Courtney Winston)

With a background in classical you would expect the compositions of the Danish born bassist turned Brooklynite, Anne Mette Iversen, to be more subdued and wrapped in more chamber tones. Well, you do get that but you also get a whole lot more to study. With skill and theories that personal and complex, Iversen is slowly rising above that "best-kept secret" theme. She will be one of the stars of the new generation of composers over the next decade.

With three stellar albums already under her belt and a quartet that has remained intact for well over five years, Iversen has a certain vocabulary and mediation with this group that is unique among even the longest running quartets/ensembles. This closeness allows the musicians to move freely within Iverson's compositions. And Iversen has grown as a composer as well as a bassist. Not to mention the founder of the quickly rising and important label Brooklyn Jazz Underground.

With her latest album, Milo Songs, Iversen shows a deeper understanding of the human conscience as well as uncanny way of crafting tunes from a child's eye (meaning her own). Milo Songs was born out of a number of musical ideas brought out through her children. The music moves and grows like one's life. There are uptempo movements and exquisite somber moments all with calculated effectiveness.

Milo Songs opens gently with "The Terrace," a piece that slowly builds on the dexterity of Grissett and Ellis. Iversen settles in the background adding nice tonality and steady space to the rolling patterns her bandmates have created with her composition. It's a lovely piece that is playful and engrossing.

Iversen has a style that reminds me of both the calm pace of Jimmy Garrison and jubilant nature of Paul Chambers. This is on display throughout Milo Songs but on tracks like "The Storm" and "Milo's Brother" you get a sense of both. "The Storm" unfolds rotating conversation between Ellis and Grissett before Brown and Iversen join in on the build up. The piece soon takes off and each member makes a creative impact on the piece. It's weirdly soft but fierce at the same time. "Milo's Brother" employs a softer tone that Chambers could effortlessly switch on and off. This is a caring piece that both holds the attention of its audience but give you moments to think about the session as a whole and the point at Milo is at (or even yourself) in relation to life and family.

"Cortot's Wheel" ends Milo's journey on a sweet but touching note. A number of passages on "Cortot's Wheel" allows the group to stretch and speak in a tone that connects to the listener more personally than most other compositions you might hear all year.

Anne Mette Iversen is no longer and an up and coming bassist/composer, she is part of the next standard in jazz. And everyone needs to know about her. Her ability to combine modern themes and classic structures into something that reaches on a deeply personally level with each record is rare among composers in recent years. Milo Songs is a definite must listen for everyone.

Miles Davis: Tutu

Miles Davis (trumpet)

Tutu Deluxe Edition (Warner; 2011)

Well, its been a very busy year on the Miles Davis estate front. There have been a slew of official and unofficial releases. All surprisingly with good merit. The latest, a deluxe edition of the the 1986 album, Tutu.


Originally both loved and derided by fans and critics alike, it has somehow stood the test of time. It's not a terrific album by any means but it does show Miles continuing to play with funky/snyth rhythms of the early '80s and trying to carve out a new voice.

On Tutu, his trumpet sounds inspired even while it lacks a little bit of the strength that even the last few Columbia records possessed. The production was crisp and musicianship also pretty sharp (for the '80s). The album marked one of the few moments when Miles would make subtle political statements, hence the tilted, named after Bishop Desmond Tutu. Miles didn't really speak about the political message he was trying to convey; instead keeping the focus on the music. He had only discussed it a few times in interviews.

The album opens with the forceful impact of the blues funk title track. Miles has a soft tone that actually blends well with the synthesizers and thumping basslines provided by the soon to be long relationship with Marcus Miller. One of the best tracks from the session, "Portia" is a sweet ballad which Miles allows the band to move from freely. The drums and percussion provided by Paulinho da Costa are simplified here but complement Miller's Brazilian vibe that the piece captures. As with Miles' expanding venture into pop music, he includes a cover of British pop/alternative band Scritti Politti's "Perfect Way," which is startling (if you already know the original) but still quite affective in this funky jazz arrangement.

The snyth sound that Miles had absorbed on his last few Columbia albums blossoms under the influence of Marcus Miller here. While Tutu obviously doesn't stand up against anything Miles produced prior it is one of the last albums (with the addition of its follow up Amandla) that still retain a rich source of quality instrumentation and organization. 

The deluxe edition of Tutu comes with a bonus CD of live material from the Nice Festival in 1986. This concert is more a stage for the band than it is Miles but its a solid performance nonetheless. A Chicago blues treatment is given to the classic "New Blues" that makes it feel fresh and lively. Roben Ford plays guitar in this octet and feels a lot more steady than John Scofield did a few years prior.

Bob Berg, always superb, standout throughout this evening of hot jazz-funk. His extended solo work on "Maze" is smokin', while Steve Thornton and Felton Crews provide a pounding backbeat on percussion and drums. "Splatch" features some heavy percussion and bass but is offset by Berg and Miles employing some beautiful harmonic work. This concert has some great sound quality and stands up better than the studio album. It's feels like a giant jam session.

The Tutu deluxe edition is well worth whatever you pay for it. An important document in the late and final period of Miles' career. You may feel it's dated from an ideas point of view but if you think about the jazz of that decade you start to realize Tutu was one of few treasured moments. Recommended.