There used to be a time, when I was in the early years of my jazz fascination, that every album I came across had something new and interesting for me to hear. Everything I heard seemed important and essential. Are these next three entrees the type that would make me continue my jazz journey? Hmmm…
Alto and soprano saxist Roman Filiu leads a group with David Virelles/p, Adam Rogers/g, Reinier Elizarde/b and either Dafnis Prieto or Marcus Gilmore/dr. Filiu wrote and arranged all of the material as well, with the music, such as “Summer Song” for example, being a bit on the dark and rhythmically complex side. A couple of times there are short seques of jams that veer into agitated pieces like “Ojos” and “La Monana.” Rogers’ dry guitar has some nice lines during solos, but there are no high peaks or valleys here, just one level swamp.
Baritone saxist Jonah Parzen-Johnson’s release just qualified for the “30 things you can do with a cd besides listen to it.” Maybe use it as a reflector on my fruit trees to keep birds away? All you’ve got here are a bunch of “tracks” in which JP-J does solo meanderings, sqwacks, burps, blurps and other various self indulgent effects for close to an hour. The last two songs in which he adds some electronic noodlings simply changes the means of torture. Just think-he’s already done almost as many solo albums as Steve Lacy. Who would you rather choose?
Tenor saxist Russ Nolan actually delivers a pretty good romp. Besides some originals that show some composing skills, he tackles a few clever modern pieces with Art Hirahara/key, Michael O’Brien/b, Brian Fishler/dr and Zach Brock/violin. His arrangement of Joe Zawinul’s “A Remark You Made” sounds fresh and contemporary, while the Beatles’ “Nowhere Man” has an ethereal quality to it. The mix of tenor and violin makes “Stolen Moments” come alive, while his own “Beyond Arbitrary” has some nice harmonies. This has a feel of what we used to call in the 70s “adult contemporary.”
Dafnison Music
Primary Records
www.primaryrecords.com
Russ Nolan Music