Sonore: Live At Cafe Oto

Sonore (trio)

Live at Cafe Oto (Trost; 2012)

Peter Brotzmann (tenor, alto sax, clarinet, taragato)
Ken Vandermark (tenor sax, clarinet)
Mats Gustafsson (baritone sax)

When this trio gets together you can always expect high decibels and sonic architecture. Live at Cafe Oto is probably the shorter but most palatable of the four albums this trio has recorded. There's still a lot to digest over the span of four songs  in just under 40 minutes.

Each musician attacks the notes with aggression but also a sense of beauty, as they softly create and destroy patterns. "Fragments For An Endgame" comes swirling down upon you like hail drops through a funnel. The tones are sharp and crisp with spikes that build and build. They hit there peak quickly before descending further into a overpowering arpeggio.  The trio is all the while improvising each note. But these three have played together so often they know each other movements and changes down to a tie.

"Le Chien Perdu" see Brotzmann rip through the scales at will. The piece has a perfect balance between Brotzmann's howls and improvised segues accompanied by subtle tones of Vandermark and Gustafsson around the edges. "Oto" is just sheer fire in the well. The trio let loose a wall of sound but shift effortless back and forth between blistering chords changes and gentle swathes of harmonics. Only to end with a resounding joyful call to arms, New Orleans style.

Live At Cafe Oto is powerful stuff and by far the best Sonore record to date. Highly Recommend.

Admiral Awesome

Admiral Awesome (group)

Admiral Awesome (Gateway Music; 2011)

Jacob Danielson (sax)

Christian Windfeld (drums)

Thomas Sejthen (bass)

Fredrik Lungkvist (sax)

Admiral Awesome are a young new Danish trio whose work is fresh and cracking with energy. Their self-titled debut is aided by legendary saxophonist, Fredrik Lungkvist of the group Atomic. As with Bobo Stenson's work with the young Swedish trio Plunge, Lungkvist gives a hard, grittier edge that challenges the group to reach new heights with each track.

In terms of experience, Admiral Awesome is not new. Each member has considerable work with artists such as Arve Henriksen, Fuzz n' Us, and Jakob Bro in addition to individual efforts. So there is no shortage of skill and creativity within this group. Admiral Awesome grew out of a number sessions and live performances over the last year or so. And the fruit of those experiments has resulted in a exciting and all around triumphant debut, consisting of live and studio material.

While your first thought might be the bombastic brass that sits on top of the melodies--this is more than just your usual free jazz session. The quartet quietly introduces itself on "LSB Vals" with a heavy downbeat from Windfeld just before the rest of the group come soaring in. Eventually the piece steams towards a jubilant cacophony only to return gently to its organic beginnings. "Different Directions" is a fierce little number with a jumpin' bebop touch that Charlie Parker would be proud of. The improvised moments are fun and still keep within a linear compositional structure. Something even the uninitiated to free jazz might still be able grasp hold of and enjoy.

"Stockholm Wilderness" has elements of spy-jazz, improvisation and what feels like a little tribute to Dizzy Gillespie's "Salt Peanuts" mixed in. There is a beauty duel between Danielsen and Lungkvist makes this one of my favourite cuts on the album. The stop/start pace and electricity of the performances here from the entire quartet are killer. "Piratsangen" begins in Brotzmann-esque style with powerful blustery notes from Danielsen. His improvised notes take listener or rocky ride that worth all the eight minutes. As the rest of the group slow move into focus the tune becomes more a bluesy ballad. It's haunting and beauty and closes with band singing farewell to a live audience. And that's a perfect way to end the album.

Admiral Awesome is one of those records I assure you will sneak up on you as the year continues. It is currently available on the Admiral Awesome website and will be released widely later in the year. This is an excellent debut and exciting on multiple levels. It's creative, well balanced and fun between the improvised lines. A great listen. Enjoy...