Ted Rosenthal: Out Of This World

Ted Rosenthal (piano)

Out Of This World (Playscape Recordings)

Noriko Ueda (bass)

Quincy Davis (drums)

It is difficult to judge a standards album sometimes. Many argue, "why repeat perfection?" Or "that version doesn't sound as good as the original?" Well, those are obviously the wrong/thick-headed way of thinking about standards material done by new artists, especially over the last 20 years. But similar to David Berkman's NY Standards Quartet releases, pianist Ted Rosenthal has done a wonderful job re-imagining ten standards in his own vision.

Throughout his entire career, Rosenthal has been able to travel between various settings and arrangements. Whether it's with legends like Gerry Mulligan or Benny Golson, or with his trio through classical compositions on his last record, Impromptu, he turns the pieces into his own and add a new vitality to them that is intoxicating and engaging.

On The Rosenthal Trio's newest release, Out Of This World, Rosenthal continues with his previous trio lineup which balances a tight and well-woven relationship with the timeless history they are re-interpreting. Opening with the title track written by Mercer & Arlen, Rosenthal and Co. sound fresh and pepper the piece with colourful shades of happiness. Ueda's bass is pounding with bright tones like the sound of a good Ray Brown beat.  Cole Porter's "So In Love" swings with a happy beat and Ueda and Rosenthal have a comfortable banter that make it a festive listen.

"Embraceable You" stays relatively intact with Gershwin's arrangement, but here Rosenthal and Davis add a feather like touch that lets you close your eyes and slowly drift away with the notes. "Cry Me a River" while exuberant, has a humble and blues-like manner that is delicious to the ear. Rosenthal delivers a mixture of Cedar Walton, Ahmad Jamal and Thelonious Monk all the while shining with his own voice and texture.

Out Of This World has all the designs of a beautiful club date - Vibrant, exciting and bouncing with energy that really gets a crowd hoppin'. But what makes this studio session so remarkable is the creative manner in which Rosenthal, Davis and Ueda work with such sweet unison that the tunes have urgency and new life. This is a real sleeper of a record that would really benefit any one's record collection.

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.