Jason Adasiewicz: Spacer

Jason Adasiewicz's Sun Rooms (trio)

Spacer (Delmark; 2011)

Jason Adasiewicz (vibes)

Nate McBride (bass)

Mike Reed (drums)

Jason Adasiewicz is burning a lasting impression on the Chicago jazz scene and the global scene as of late. His last album, and introduction to his new trio, Sun Rooms (Delmark; 2010) garnered justifiable critical acclaim. His trio have followed that up with the mystical Spacer (Delmark). While I've always seen him as this combination of Elvin Jones, Billy Higgins, Dave Pike and Bobby Hutcherson, Adasiewicz has really come into his own with unique structures and patterns on Spacer that really are astonishing.

The quiet improvisational "Solo One" opens the proceedings to be followed by the hypnotic "Hi-Touch" which slowly gathers each member's thoughts and patterns and wraps them around a more modern bebop groove. The unity that the trio exemplifies on "Run Fly" is sublime. There's an understanding between Adasiewicz and Reed where as they are almost performing in counterpart, somehow it all burns together as one. Then midway into the piece, McBride's thumping and plucking boils in the background and your senses start to move from one instrument to the other. Reed's brief solo towards the end allows the band to turn and refocus as a unit in order to head out to the conclusion.

"The Volunteer," written by McBride is a slow angular groove that while dominated by pulsating tones of Adasiewicz and Reed are molded around some bright and crafty lyricism from McBride. The soft brushes, subtle mallet touches and string movements that open "Bobbie" is beautiful. This ballad, written by one of Adasiewicz's fellow collaborators, Eric Boeren, is soft, sweet and romantic but still has the ethereal affect circling around the melody.

There's certain timbre to Adasiewicz music that most fans are familiar with. It's the way the tunes build, float and gravitate. "Waiting For The Attic" is just that kind of tune. It builds nicely and there are a number of improvised sections that are played to such a perfection that they feel like written notes. The piece then travels to climax in the middle with all instruments rolling along. And then gently settles you down for the conclusion.

I had been wanting to write a piece on Spacer for weeks now. I had intended it to be on my best of 2011 list but I just didn't get the time to absorb the music as much as I liked in order to put word to paper. I'm actually glad I waited, because no matter what, this is definitely one best records to have heard at the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012. Jason Adasiewicz has reinvented the vibes and turned the sound into something more other-worldly. And with Spacer, he has created his best work yet. Highly Recommended.

The Intersection: Go Go Beuys Band

The Intersection is an ongoing segment dedicated to global artists that are pushing and changing our definitions of genres.

Go Go Beuys Band

Markowi Nedzinskiemu in Memoriam
(Audio Tong; 2011)

Marek Cholniewski (electronics; guitars; vocals)

Krzysztof Knittel (electronics; guitars; vocals)

Olga Szwajgier (vocals)

Marek Nedzinski (sax)

Janusz Dziubak (vocals)

One of the greatest finds for me in 2011 was this unearthed collection of two mid-eighties sessions from the briefly assembled Go Go Beuys Band. Originally conceived by Cholniewski and Knittel as a series of electronic experiments, the Polish group while definitely influenced by many of the electronic group from Germany and England; should now be considered along side those pioneering bands like, Kraftwerk, Amon Duul, YMO, Faust, Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle as one of the important bands of then unknown Eastern Europe.

Markowi Nedzinskiemu in Memoriam opens with "Czad Z Latyny" and it hits with loud bang of percussion and Brion Gysin-esque vocal manipulation. The electronics are primitive but played so interestingly you get caught in a very trippy little loop that doesn't seem to let up. "Szkocka Wojna" deconstructs itself across the board. There seems to be a lot improvising but somehow these musicians all meet in the middle of weird hallucinogenic groove. 


"Rockroll" is the closet piece that has some hallmarks of aiming towards an experimental dance beat (similar to mid period Cabaret Voltaire). It's got some spacey rhythms and hand-claps that are all in the right place and show the group was expanding its ideas.

"Heavy Love," the longest track of the two sessions (just under 8 minutes) feels like Herbie Hancock's Headhunters meeting with Kronos Quartet. There's a funky vibe throughout but with this strange  cello cutting across the groove. Crazy but it works beautifully. "Chodzisz Po Ulicy" plays with reggae beats and distrorted vocals while "Avant Garde" is the synth-droning polar opposite with Throbbing Gristle type movements. Still experimenting with vocals, classical movements, funky sax work and electronic beats, "Heavy Baby" is more than a just a groovy song title. It's an attempt to merge a lot of the albums growing motifs into something even more cohesive. And it works well.

Markowi Nedzinskiemu in Memoriam is more than a treasure trove of lost grooves. It's a historical document into what was happening in Poland and you realize they were diggin' the same material and utilizing those ideas to craft some great and what has to be influential work. If you can find this album it is a must for fans of the aforementioned groups but also a nice beat early electronica, industrial, prog, and whatever else you would like to call it. We just consider it an Intersection. Highly Recommended.

Jesper Zeuthen Trio

Jesper Zeuthen Trio

Jesper Zeuthen (sax)

Adam Pultz Melbye (bass)

Thomas Praestegaard (drums)

Jesper Zeuthen has been an enigmatic presence on the Danish and European jazz scene for over four decades. I first discovered him on a couple of Jakob Bro albums from a few years ago. Exerting a free jazz style that would remind you of Orenette Coleman or mid period John Coltrane, Zeuthen still manages to create his own unique vision and language that is captivating and inspiring. In 2009, Zeuthen began to focus on a new trio which has since garned quite a bit of well deserved recognition of the last few years.

"Andedans" starts our journey through the group's self-titled debut (Jesper Zeuthen Trio). It's a gradual movement and as the notes unfold you realize this will be not only be an exotic free flowing trip; it will also be one with a lot of spirituality. The more philosophical aspect of the music could be derived from Zeuthen's long and illustrious career working in various European forms. It makes for an exciting experience with his new trio.


"Piru Tulee" feels like an old children's rhyme gone spiralling down a dark hole and then picked up by Albert Ayler. Great stuff. Playful, exquisitely improvised and highly effective. "Vilden Sky" opens with some wonderful improvised strumming from Melbye and as Zeuthen and Praestegaard join in the piece becomes an interesting staccato ballad of sorts. Lots of stop/starts and a few blistering notes from Zeuthen but in all an emotional piece underneath some chaos.

Live (Blackout Music; 2011), recorded after almost a year of touring Europe begins almost like Mats Gustafson's The Thing. It's a slow, calm opening of a few bars and a gradual introduction to each members style and then the trio let loose on adventure. The trio seem more at ease with each other after two years of being together. "Husene Pa Volden" and "Sin Skaeve Gang" both are solid laid back pieces that set a rich more mature tone for the evening.


Zeuthen seems more focused on structure here but is definitely not afraid to let the group fly when it has to. And fly they do on "Lad Som Ingenting." Zeuthen runs up and down the scales with fiery abandon. Both Praestegaard and Melbye are in free flowing form that matches note for every chaotic note. Melbye has some terrific, intense, swirling passages about five minutes in that you really start to gravitate to.

The trio maintain a nice balance between fiery improvisation and measured notation. The closing number "Marie Pa Baenken" illustrates this nicely. Zeuthen delivers some beautiful notes through what essentially feels like a classical chamber piece. It's dark and emotive but closes out the evening performance nicely and the audience repays the group in kind.

Unlike some larger European players over the decades (Surman, Przybielski, Brotzmann, et al) Jesper Zeuthen has quietly made his mark throughout Europe. But I hope that this current line up is something that he sticks with. They have grown leaps and bounds in just a few years and I think the next record will be quite astounding. Here's to good listening my friends...you should really check out both albums from the Jesper Zeuthen Trio.

Carlos Bica & Azul: Things About

Carlos Bica (bass)

Things About (Clean Feed; 2011)

Frank Mobus (guitar)

Jim Black (drums)

I have to admit, I knew pretty much nothing about Carlos Bica until a few weeks ago. And then to find out this trio has been around for two decades made me feel pretty silly. But somehow Bica's Azul trio's new album, Things About (Clean Feed) really hit me. An album with a real sense of emotion and elegance that brims from the group's lyrical structure. It's unassuming at first, but as the disc moves forwards you begin to get sucked into the lovely tonal nature that each musician has created.

"Things About" feels like something America indie group, Low could have drawn up. It's a gentle midtempo piece that floats between folk, rock and jazz. Written by Bica and Mobus, who also share some beautiful interplay throughout the piece. Black adds soft touches as needed but also steps up the beat towards the end, giving the track some additional force.

There are times when Things About feels like the great trio records made by Gateway (John Abercrombie, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette). More for the mellow passages of the aforementioned than their uptempo fusion tracks. "Cancao Vazia" is one of those moments. A gentle piece that has traditional Portuguese qualities but also a sense of longing and adventure. Bica's bass wraps around you like a warm blanket. It's slow maneuvering but without this pace you can't fully digest the beauty of the material.

"2011" has a few distinct time signatures that help shift this piece beyond the normal jazz trio. It's rich with harmonics and patterns that definitely feel like an avant rock piece. Black and Bica change direction and improvise with real muscle, which also challenges the textured force of Mobus' performance. With "Sonho De Uma Manha De Outono" I may be again reminded of Gateway, only slightly. Bica delivers a well focused closing number that moves softly but embodies a number of different structured notes.

Maybe it was the time of day. Maybe it was the music I was listening to prior to this. Or maybe it was just the right time. But Things About is a quiet and richly diverse work that settled in after the first spin. For this newcomer to Carlos Bica, I have been completely blown away. I hope you are too. Highly Recommended.