Fred Lonberg-Holm & Piotr Melech: Coarse Day

Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello)
Piotr Melech (clarinet)

Coarse Day (Multikulti; 2011)

Avant garde duos are pretty prevalent at the moment, no matter what the instrument(s). But what makes the best ones stand out is the quality of the musicianship and the depth of the material.


As with my earlier discussion on the Daniel Levin/Tim Daisy release, The Flower and The Bear, Fred Lonberg-Holm and Piotr Melech have created a richly diverse and highly challenging document that is both absorbing and thought provoking.

Lonberg-Holm, a member of various outfits in Chicago (most notably The Vandermark 5) and Melech, a growing presence of the Polish avant garde scene (including his trio Enterout) together, explore a strange world of soundscapes on Coarse Day. It's a densely packed session with movements that are multi-layered and demanding of the listener's concentration.

"Cloudburst" is pops and crackles with a sense of adventure. Lonberg-Holm maneuvers up and down the scales like a cat stuck in an aqueduct. Melech's clarinet(s) create an echo chamber that is both haunting and exhilarating. "Tangle Of Loops" feels almost anti-avant garde. I felt Longberg-Holm and Melech have a number of exchanges that are humorous and well improvised. My mind drifted into a jovial exploration into Raymond Scott (although I'm certain that was not the composers intentions). The use of electronics and sound manipulation on "Tangle Of Loops" gives the piece a schizophrenic edge that is genuinely exciting.

"Mildew Gourmets" moves out melodically in a somber spiritual pattern, similar to Coltrane's "A Love Supreme." It's hypnotic and relaxing tone is a calming departure point for the session and provides further insight into the duo's composition talents.

Coarse Day while challenging, is an album that once it sinks in--will become a fixture on your stereo. Lonberg-Holm and Melech have created an album that is filled with improvisation but also subtle accessibility that deserves intense listening. Haunting, beautiful and emotional.

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.

Resonance Ensemble: Kafka In Flight

Resonance Ensemble (group)

Kafka In Flight (Not Two Records, 2011)

Ken Vandermark (sax, clarinet)
Mikolaj Trzaska (sax, clarinet)
Mark Tokar (bass)
Michael Zerang (drums)
Tim Daisy (drums)
Steve Swell (trombone)
Per -Ake Holmander (tuba)
Dave Rempis (sax)
Magnus Broo (trumpet)
Waclaw Zimpel (clarinet)

This is an album I have been waiting for since I read about it on Ken Vandermark's twitter feed a few months ago. The Resonance Ensemble is the brainchild of the great Chicago saxophonist, Ken Vandermark. In the similar vein to Peter Brotzmann's Tentet (which Vandermark is also a member), Resonance embarks on large scale compositions. But where PBT tend to move into the upper stratosphere in theory--Vandermark is keeping things within a linear pattern as far as the tone is concerned. There is a great deal of improvisation happening but its within the melody and rhythm of the writing.

Resonance Ensemble was first developed out of a series of concerts and studio sessions that were later recorded in 2008 (Live In Lviv) and then for the 10CD box (Resonance Box). What's remarkable is that as Vandermark states in the notes to this album, because of the size of the band and the various groups they lead and projects they participate in, its difficult to get any rehearsal time before live shows or recording. I don't think any of us would notice or care. Why you ask? Because the results are something truly unbelievable.

For the group's third album Kafka In Flight, recorded live in Poland, Vandermark guides the group with three lengthy pieces of jubilant free form that would make you feel as if Ellington, Coltrane, Cherry, Coleman, Blakey, Chambers (and take the your pick of the rest) had gotten together in your backyard. Kafka In Flight is smokin'. Unlike even Vandermark's main group (The Vandermark 5), Resonance Ensemble seem to enjoy mixing the past in a large bowl and coming up with interesting and riviting concoctions. The opener, "The Pier" is fast moving and allows for moments in which each member can contribute and expound on Vandermark's material. It's a real treasure of ideas that surface. The always incredible Tim Daisy delivers an excellent improvised mid-section, accompanied by a good portion of the horn section and Vandermark on clarinet, explore and exchange some intense possibilities but it works unbelievably well.

"Rope" is a bit more cinematic, led by some great performances from Per-Ake Holmlander on tuba (a rare instrument in modern free jazz) and Magnus Broo (trumpet). "Rope" moves from funky to experimental to comforting (so-to-speak) and gives the listener a lot to absorb. Michael Zerang and Tim Daisy are superb as they duel it out with sharp intersecting chant from each of the wind players. "Coal Marker" rounds out this hour long journey in style. It's the ensemble releasing all it's force into your speaker (and you better be able to deal with it). There are spontaneous moments that sees the group in unison but also exchanging circular rhythmic patterns. This is a group that somehow, despite little time together, knows exactly what the other is going to do and each is up for the challenge.

Kafka In Flight is an album and performance that is built around the ability of Ken Vandermark to write excellent material that is interchangeable for each member. You can picture most of these notes performed by different members and each coming up with a different result. But the result would still be amazing. Kafka In Flight is yet another step in the already legendary career of Ken Vandermark. While the first two albums are both hard to find and in the case of the boxed set--expensive--you should definitely seek out Kafka In Flight. It is well worth every avant garde fan's dollars. One of our Top Albums Of The 2011.

JazzWrap Best Albums Of 2010 Recap

It was a fantastic year for music. Here's a recap of JazzWrap's Best Albums Of 2010.

Mary Halvorson
Mikrokolektyw
One For All
Soweto Kinch
Soil & Pimp Sessions
Jason Moran
The Vandermark 5
Polar Bear
Bobby Avey
Dave Stapleton

There were a couple of albums I didn't get a chance to write about in our Best Of 2010 list. More because I was ill for a few days and couldn't put brain to computer to get the words out. These are by no means "honorable mentions". These are fantastic and in some cases (Jason Adasiewicz, Curtis Fuller, Kris Davis and Ricardo Gallo) phenomenal records that are worth every moment hunting down.

Ricardo Gallo Resistencias (Laidstrito Fonica)
Kris Davis Good Citzen (Fresh Sounds/New Talent)
Brian Eno Small Craft On A Milk Sea (Warp Records)
Curtis Fuller I Will Tell Her (Capri Records)
Tom Rainey Pool School (Clean Feed Records)
Keefe Jackson Seeing You See (Clean Feed Records)
Magnus Broo Swedish Wood (Moserobie Music)
Jason Adasiewicz Sun Rooms (Delmark)

I discovered a lot of new music this year. This was in part to some great friends, musicians, record labels and other blog writers. I especially wanted to mention my two favourite blogs Minimalistic Music and Jazznyt. Both are a little more avant garde than JazzWrap and provide a different perspective on the global community.

In addition, contributing editor, Kristopher Spencer has the insansely insightful site Scorebaby that discusses soundtrack music from every part of the globe as well as a great book on soundtracks that he wrote a year ago which you must own. I highly recommend you check them all out.

We have enjoyed working with and hearing from everyone and we hope to continue with some great new material in 2011. I hope you dig the music and have discovered some cool stuff. For us its all about turning people on to music that's both accessible and adventurous. As always we want to hear from you as well. So if you have a record you feel would be a great fit for us to know about please let us know.

And we are looking forward to another solid year of adventure in 2011.

Video: Tom Rainey Trio (Tom Rainey, Mary Halvorson and Ingrid Laubrock)From all of us at JazzWrap, thank you.