Michael Dessen

Michael Dessen (trombone;electronics)
photo: Daniel Theunynck

Michael Dessen has an uncanny ability to craft pieces that are delicately structured but also uncharacteristic of his contemporaries.

Similar in vein to Ray Anderson, Dessen also has the ability to move between genres with ease. While he has recorded in many different settings, it has been his recent trio work that has really caught my ear.

Formed only a few years ago, Dessen uses the trio format to explore a number conceptual rhythmic structures. This makes for intensive listening but also a high degree of discovery. 

On their first album, Between Shadow And Space (Clean Feed; 2008) along with Christopher Tordini (bass) and Tyshawn Sorey (drums) create a dense, evocative and fluid mixture of acoustic and subtle electronic instrumentation that is really mind-blowing on first and repeated spins.

The title track deploys a rich counterpoint and improvisation. Tordini and Sorey are the perfect counter for Dessen's compositions. This trio challenges and explores each other's strengths. Patterns are structures are slowly built up and quietly torn down over the course seven minutes on the opener and the listener gets a full understanding of what Between Shadow And Space will be for them--A journey through space, sound and thought.

"Chocolate Geometry" moves along in multi-layered fashion. It's like meditative suite. Gentle introspective passages delivered by simultaneously by Sorey's complex brushes and some dense strokes from Tordini. Dessen's trombone turns into a manipulated trumpet augmented by just the right amount of electronics to mix things up and send the piece soaring.

"Water Seeks" comes flying in to the close out the session. A beautiful and searching piece dedicated to Alice Coltrane with all the harmonics and resonance that would be associated with great composer/harpist/keyboard player. It's loaded with rich texture, sharp hues and rising atmospherics that quietly fades leaving the listener some traces of a long beautiful journey.

Dessen reassembled his trio for the even more rugged Forget The Pixel (Clean Feed; 2011). This time with Dan Weiss on drums and Tordini remaining. The results are the same but Weiss does pack a aggressive punch to Sorey's more insular and thought-provoking approach. Both drummers are perfect in this setting though.

"Fossils And Flows" rips through the speakers introducing the lineup and direction. The trio never let up. Its sound quickly becomes an avalanche and Dessen's use of electronics feels like a thousand aliens sending a message that things will be different this time as his group visits your stereo. "Fossils And Flows" is actually an observation on the BP oil spill in the U.S. and and when listening, you get the feeling how things quickly got out of hand in the Gulf is similar to how unique the sound of this trio moves shapes and patterns.

"Forget The Pixel" is a more organic and improvised piece with each member exploring different aspects of Dessen's composition. It's a number that moves, and moves with light but an effective pace. Dessen and Tordini's exchanges are tight and beautiful well placed. Weiss' drums come in first like a military band and quickly turn impressionistic. Tones and utilization of space is one of the reasons why I have been so captivated by Michael Dessen's trio work. "Three Sepals" is another exemplary mark of his unique writing skill. It's a subtle ballad that stretches from note to note. It also has just the right amount of hard tones to keep the listener engaged, waiting for the next unknown marker. A real treat for the ears.

I have to admit, I've only just discovered Michael Dessen's work in the last year so I have a lot of catching up to do. But from his trio work and a couple of other albums I've gotten over the last few months I am completely absorbed and excited by his material and direction. His playing and writing are superb. He doesn't use the electronics as a gimmick. The sounds are more a subtle aid moving in and out time. They never overtake the rhythm or the meaning of a tune. And that's pretty hard to do. Michael Dessen has proven he is a gifted artist with the trombone, electronics and in composition. An artist who is continually thinking and rising above.

Ricardo Gallo:The Great Fine Line

Ricardo Gallo (piano)

The Great Fine Line (Clean Feed; 2010)

Ray Anderson (trombone)

Dan Blake (sax)
Mark Helias (bass)
Satoshi Takeishi (drums, percussion)
Pheerdan Aklaff (drums)

I've discussed Ricardo Gallo's many virtues recently. He is an artist who continually gets better with each album. The Great Fine Line, his first album for Clean Feed records is another marvelous addition to his growing cannon of material.

This sextet recording was done just a few short weeks after his mainstay quartet had finished its third release, Resistencias (Ladistrito Fonica). The Great Fine Line is a more expansive and freedom exploring outing in which the musicians including Gallo stretch their emotional muscle with wonderful results.

The album's title refers to the famous Argentine author, Julio Cortazar (author of the amazing novel, Hopscotch) and his belief that music is a no-mans land and that everything becomes blurred. This is true when it comes to The Great Fine Line with it's varying passages and moments of exploration by each member.

On "Stomp At No Man's Land" Ray Anderson and Dan Blake take prime space to rip through chord changes as Ricardo Gallo controls the balance around the edges. An intricate battle ensues on "Three Versions Of A Lie" in which the interchanges from each musicians is bold and vibrant. Gallo's use of two drummers for this session is also a wonderful choice. It does give distinct to each track. Takeishi's performance on "Three Version Of A Lie" is superb and dominates the proceeding.

"Hermetismo" starts in melodic, gentle tones with Helias, Gallo and Aklaff leading way until Blake and Anderson join in to make it almost a contemporary bop-ish affair. It's probably the most straight-ahead piece on the album but still having abstract undertones. Contradiction? I don't think so.

"La Pina Blanca" starts like a homage to New Orleans before spinning quickly into varying level of free form point/counterpoint. Lovely stuff as each member quickly shuffles back and forth in time.

With The Great Fine Line, Ricardo Gallo continues to make his name on the new jazz community. The diversity of his projects and his compositional work is truly setting him apart from the pact. Another well deserved must listen.

Ricardo Gallo: Resistencias

Ricardo Gallo (piano)
Resistencias (Ladistrito Fonica)

Jorge Sepelveda (drums)
Juan Manuel Toro (bass)
Juan David Castano (percussion)

Colombian born, Ricardo Gallo has been making waves on the American scene for a few years now. Since moving to US in the late nineties he has worked with such distinguished luminaries as Ray Anderson and Peter Evans. He has also recorded a stellar series of albums in duo, ensemble and group settings. His most exciting recordings for me have been with his formidable quartet.

Gallo has well rounded and enterprising style that sizzles with each album he produces. While mixing avant garde tendencies and Latin American influences may sound frightening to the uninitiated, you may be very surprised by the results. They are always staggering and will undoubtedly convince you.


With his third quartet release, Resistencias (Ladistrito Fonica), Gallo continues an amazing fusion of his Latin roots with contemporary jazz tradition. His long standing quartet featuring Juan Manuel Toro (bass), Juan David Castano (percussion) and Jorge Sepulveda (drums) deliver their best combination yet of Latin cultural aesthetic and post modern jazz. Beginning with "Bailemesta", a wonderful and vibrant piece that is set in the polyrhythmic Latin tradition but with superb improvised undertones. The percussion and drum work from Castano and Sepelveda on this opener is truly staggering.

Gallo's writing continues to grow and become more complex as evident on "Auroa Parcial". "Auroa Pracial" is a melodic ballad which begins with a deep solo from Manuel Toro and seamlessly moves into avant garde territory with intricate work from Gallo at the piano.

A hint of fun, adventure and might I say funk enters with "Kitchen Kuartet Kumbia" with Gallo playing melodica and Toro plucking away some rough basslines. It's as if Astor Piazzolla and Stanley Clarke were performing in your backyard (well maybe not but that was best I could think of at the moment). The percussion work from Castano and how Galo interacts on both "Kitchen Kuartet Kumbia" and "Iky" is mindblowing. This is definitely a group that has played together for quite some time and knows each other very well.

Resistencias closes with "Viejo Presagio" a beautiful midtempo number that is almost anthematic in nature while softly leading the listener down from an exhilarating ride of Latin experimentalism. Resistencias states that Ricardo Gallo is an emerging artist/composer that should not be overlooked. This is one of the best Ricardo Gallo albums to date. It's a refreshing date and definitely worth your money if you are looking or something original and different to put on the stereo. Check out Downtown Music Gallery when you're finally ready buy this.