Is there life beyond jazz standards and “I Got Rhythm” changes? Here are three recent releases that push the boundaries so far that you might need a new GPS!
Thomas Gansch/tp and Georg Breinschmid/b are nothing if not fun. They’ve put out albums that have a heart similar to Spike Jones’. Great chops with a tongue planted firmly in cheek. Here, they are caught in a concert and are as entertaining as technically adroit. Material ranges from a mix of “Donna Lee” with a Strauss polka (“Unter Donner Und Lee”) as well as some tricky time signatures on “Geilomat” an d”5/4”. Wagner even gets into the act on “Low N Green” (love the puns!) while the evening ends with a medly that goes from the Blue Danube to Something Stupid to a rousing “Tea For Two.” If they didn’t have impressive chops, the night could be a disaster, but they win you over with a mix of technique and guile that is reminiscent of Tom Lehrer.
.John Brown’s Body boasts of a snappy little horn section of Drew Sayers/sax, Sam Dechenne/tp and Scott Flynn/tb, and they supply some hot little frames for this reggae band. Vocalist Ellint Martin makes this band a bit different than kindred spirits like Toots and the Maytalls in that he adds intriguing little electronic programming into the mix. “Step Inside” has his vocals run through some gizmo, while “Empty Hands” has an infectious electronic groove. The horns, however make everything work as they simmer on the laid back “Plantation” and slide along on the lazy “Fall on Deep.” A double Desmond Dekker bus of fun.
Lead by Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari, who provides voice, electronics (love that description), organ and guitars along with bassist Lorenzo Feliciati, Berserk! is a free form synth jazz group that has more rotating members than a Russian novel. You’ve got trombones, pianos, keyboards, saxes, guitars, and drums, drums, drums on such head banging pieces such as (the titles say it all) “Macabre Dance” “Fetal Claustrophobic” and “Wait Until Dark.” Bombastic, aggressive and head banging, this is not for getting into the mood to be wooed, but maybe to get you up after a long regretful night.
www.johnbrownsbody.com