The Intersection: Brandt Brauer Frick

The Intersection: An ongoing feature on JazzWrap that looks at artists that have blended jazz, world and electronica in new and highly creative ways.

Brandt Brauer Frick (trio)

Miami (K7! Records; 2013)

Daniel Brandt (electronics)

Jan Brauer (electronics)

Paul Frick (electronics)

Miami is the German group, Brandt Brauer Frick's third and most dramatically cinematic album so far. While the previous albums, Mr. Machine and You Make Me Real had elements of dance, free jazz and experimentalism mixed throughout, Miami strips things down to the deeper introspective parts. And it delivers on every level.

Harboring more dark beats and themes than its predecessors, Miami is a intricate leap forward and exciting listening experience. The opening title theme is a slow plodding movement based on basic two or three chord piano notes, some eerie electronics, slow bowed cello (possibly even a tuba!) and haunting vocals from Erika Janunger. A lengthy opening piece with a lot of emotional impact that resonates throughout the album.

"Plastic Like Your Mother" has a dense, soulful vibe to it that is almost reminiscent of early Tricky or mid-period Massive Attack. The dance elements finally emerge towards the middle of the piece with trippy repetition and vocal loops. And just as you think the piece is about to explode--it ends. Intelligent and crafty.

"Empty Words" is like walking through a hall of mirrors in any horror flick. Slow descending heart-thumping paces on the keys and lots of improvised moments with Jamie Lidell's loving and cries floating in and out. And then having the slicing bass lines defining each movement made this one of my favourite tracks in the session.

"Fantasie Madchen" keeps true to the Bodo Elsel original with simple electronics and infectious attitude and the rough vocal treatment by Gudrun Gut. Gut's vocals give the piece a little more of a sexy vibe with the instrumentation making this late 90s dance piece more futuristic.

Yes, musicians want to challenge themselves every time out. But you don't get many that succeed with each effort. With Miami's more improvised vision the trio of Brandt Brauer Frick manages to do that over and over and over. This is an excellent session and must have for music fans. Highly Recommended!

Zero Centigrade: Selce

Zero Centigrade (duo)
Selce (Nothing Out There Music; 2012)
Tonino Taiuti (guitars)
Vincenzo de Luce (trumpet; electronics)

Zero Centigrade has always been a duo pushing boundaries and corrupting perception. Selce, finds the duo with another unique task--pulling their minimalistic approach even further backwards. And in essence, exploding the theory of what "genre" should be.

"Blue Dress" mixes a two note chord with sound collages and electronics that at first sound like tuning to find the journey. But as the piece moves forward you realize this tuning is the journey. It's a path to find what can come next in this improvisational structure. It's gentle and well crafted with new sound emerging every few minutes.

"Dougmouth" and "Selce" both ride a folkish, country theme hidden behind dense echo chambers of sound that reverberate from Taiuti's guitar. DeLuce's electronics and distant trumpet line the atmospherics in both pieces giving them an other-worldly tone and keeping the listeners interest peaked. With "The Far Road" Taiuti and DeLuce stretch the notes as far as the can go, utilizing as much space as possible. Found effects come into the forefront later in the piece only to accentuate the notes.

Zero Centigrade is all about exploring new territory. Sitting back and experiencing each movement for how it can transform is the best way to evaluate Selce. It is an album that has surprises with every listen. And once again Zero Centigrade pull off another fabulous experiment in sound.

David Weiss: Venture Inward

David Weiss (trumpet)
Venture Inward (Posi-Tone; 2013)
Nir Felder (guitar)
Luques Curtis (bass)
Jamire Williams (drums)
J.D. Allen (sax)

Venture Inward is an interesting third outing from David Weiss' quintet, Point of Departure. Technically, in recording order, this would actually be the first Point of Departure album. The album features the studio versions of tracks that would later be performed on the live albums, Snuck In and Snuck Out. It's still a solid release that is worth every bit of the money. And real document of the organics that the group is and would result in their later live dates.

While the four tracks that would be featured in the live dates have the same vibe here in the studio; it might be "Snuck In" that feels slightly different. This studio version opens with Felder's guitar lines instead of the ferocity of Weiss' trumpet. But the energy of the performance is still there but a little subdued. This gives the piece a little bit more depth and allows you to focus more on the interaction between the members.

"Venture Inward" and "Pax" both classic Andrew Hill tunes illustrate the desire that Weiss has to re-invigorate and educate jazz fans about hard bop. The group expresses some colourful tones throughout "Venture Inward." On "Pax" you can almost feel a note for note annotation but with real reverence.

David Weiss & Point Of Departure is one of those groups that Weiss uses to explore the more raw and free form elements of jazz history. He seems to be doing an extremely excellent job with this group. Let's hope they stay together. Point Of Departure are giving a superb jazz history lesson with Venture Inward. 

Fusk: Super Kasper

Fusk (group)
Super Kasper (Why Play Jazz; 2013)

Philipp Gropper (sax)
Rudi Mahall (bass clarinet)
Andreas Lang (Bass)
Kasper Tom Christiansen (drums)

So, a few years ago I reviewed the debut album from Fusk. A rich combination of hard bop and free jazz. The quartet have finally returned with their follow up, Super Kasper. And I have to say, this is a massive step forward. Challenging chords, imaginative thinking and superb performances. Super Kasper is a more mature and effective record than its predecessor. And that's what you want to see in a band--right?

"Music Eins Punkt Null" and "Lauft" open playfully but both illustrating an adventurous spirit. Mahall and Lang provide a forceful bottom up approach that allows Gropper and Christiansen to mold different tones through. Especially on "Lauft." Both pieces are a survey in sound structures and where they will go next. It's beautiful to hear how each instrument interacts with the next note.

I enjoyed the swirling nature on the first half of "Suburbia Surreal." It's hypnotic and abstract but soon levels out into almost blues-like structures. Very nicely done and crafty. "Led Right, Gleen Right" adds a little humour to the proceedings. Another rolling piece that doesn't complicate the melody but does show the complexity of musicians and ongoing kinship to each other.

The real thing that struck me from the first listen to Super Kasper was how many times I kept coming back to the record throughout the first week I got it. Fusk is a quartet of veteran musicians. But a quartet that has matured in its compositions and performances faster than you would expect. I really really loved this record. And it will be one of my best of albums of the year. Highly Recommended!