Michael Dessen Trio, Resonating Abstractions

In the aftermath of the passing of the master of new jazz, Ornette Coleman, we experience an example of the pianoless avant jazz ensemble, something in many ways Ornette institutionalized, though Rollins and Mulligen prefigured.

It's a matter of trombone, acoustic bass and drums today, in the example of the Michael Dessen Trio and their album Resonating Abstractions (Clean Feed 291). Michael prevails on the trombone and electronics, Christopher Tordini plays an out-front acoustic bass, and Dan Weiss gives us some very inventive drums.

It is a seven-part suite composed by Michael especially for this trio. There are intricate composed figurations that act as guideposts throughout, and serve as springboards for free improvisations of an advanced kind. Dessen's electronics seem generally to be activated by his trombone playing and in a very real sense give us a second set of timbral colors from the front line.

So Dessen comes forward in three important ways and sets the definition for what happens on the suite via compositions, trombone prowess and electronic manipulations. Tordini and Weiss have a huge impact on the outcome, though, with what they do inside and outside the compositional structures. The end result is very contemporary avant trio work that includes new music abstract elements along with "post-jazz" improvisational brilliance.

It's one of those recordings where one finds more and more to appreciate as one listens repeatedly. The trombone work is examplary, the trio as a whole fully integrated and advanced, the bass and drumming in the front ranks of innovation and the compositional structures definitive.

It all works very well as a total aesthetic statement. Michael Dessen takes us to a very good place. Highly recommended.

Jeb Bishop and His Trio in Terrific Form, 2009

The confluence of factors that go into a great session by improvising artists can be many. But when the band is just ON IT, the rest becomes of minor significance (so long as everything in the digital world is in order). That's what happened on Chicago trombonist Jeb Bishop's new 2009 (Better Animal 1) CD.

This is one of those fortuitous deals when everything is in alignment. Jason Roebke (bass) and Frank Rosaly (drums) are on fire and Jeb Bishop is burning things up like a pyromaniac. It is a set of very nice Jeb Bishop compositions, geared to getting the juices flowing in no mere perfunctory way.

There may be a fair amount of trombonist's albums out this year. This one is at the very top so far, and will surely remain so. Jeb is fluid and inspired; he lets loose with a torrent of great lines from the beginning of this CD to the end. This is a must listen for anybody into the trombone and/or the loose but impassioned and intelligent jazz one comes to expect from Mr. Bishop. Hell this is a great listen whether you are into the trombone as a rule or no!

Samuel Blaser, His Trombone, His Quartet

Samuel Blaser is not somebody I am very familiar with. He plays an impeccably solid balladic trombone, at least on his Pieces of Old Sky CD (Clean Feed). He is well served by his quartet, which includes Todd Neufeld on electric guitar, Thomas Morgan on contrabass and Tyshan Sorey on drums. We took a look at the latter's Koan in the August 19, 2009 posting of my Gapplegate Music Blog at http://www.gapplegate.com/musicalblog.htm. That CD has Sorey, Neufeld and Morgan minus Blaser.

Like Koan, Pieces of Sky has meditative moments and a kind of sprawling free balladic style that owes something to Charlie Haden and Paul Motian's earlier work, though not in any direct sense. Blaser's trombone builds expressive musical sequences that are a pleasure to hear and the trio gives a subtle, nuanced accompaniment.

It's not all balladic though. "Red Hook," for example gets a head of steam going and Todd Neufeld sounds terrific combining unusual chording and impassioned single lines.

This is a record that deserves your attentive ear. Blaser genuinely contends as a trombonist deserving recognition and the trio has something good to say musically. Recommended.

Papajo Trio Offers European Improvisational Abstractions

The European improvisational scene has been flourishing for many years. Avant Europe improv differs from its American counterpart in that it tends to be more abstract, less blues-based and rhythmically more consistently anarchic. This is of course a gross generalization. It does hold true for the CD at hand today.

Papajo is a trio of Paul Hubweber on trombone, Paul Lovens, drums, and John Edwards on bass. Their new release Simple Game (Cadence Jazz) freewheels through five improvisational pieces in ways that should intrigue the serious listener.

Hubweber has been based around Moers and has been a part of the Euro improv scene for many years. His musical mind seems to have a direct relationship to his technical abilities on the trombone; he seems to deftly and swiftly execute what he imagines and hears. Now I can't know that but it comes out in the ease of his articulations and confidence in his phrasing. Paul Lovens is well known as a rambunctious but abstracted drummer. He is so here. John Edwards is new to me but plays plenty of bass and fits into the open-ended dialog well. The late Peter Kowald had the bass chair in this group before his death so Edwards has some serious shoes to fill. He does fine.

Simple Game covers a lot of ground. Moods range from quietly somber to boisterously elated. Hubweber gets much out of his trombone and might be considered the logical successor to the late Paul Rutherford for Euro-Bonemaster, if such a position exists.

It's all good music and a definite addition of worth for those who wish to keep up with what's going on in Europe.