Dominique Pifarély – “Time Before and Time After“ (2015, ECM)

We present to you a new release of “ECM Records”. It’s the newest album “Time Before and Time After” which was played by French violinist Dominique Pifarely.

Album “Time Before and Time After consists of 9 compositions. All of them are interesting and unique sound compositions, which has a big variety of music styles and stylistic turns. Almost all of them are dedicated to world famous poets and poetry – compositions are dedicated for  Mahmoud Darwish, Fernando Pessoa, André du Bouchet, Henri Michaux, Paul Celan, Juan Gelman and Bernard Noël. All of them are excuisite and distinctive sound. The variety of timbres, exclusive sound and unexpected stylistic turns fascinates in all compositions. The structure of compositions are similar to poems. This should not be surprising because Dominique Pifarely is a big fan of poetry. Improvisations represents unique and exclusive talent and wide abilities of Dominique Pifarely improvising. The violinist improvises very sensitive, extuingishe and contrasting. Various jazz styles are combined in these compositions. Here meets swing, modern jazz, free jazz, academic avant-garde, modern classic and other various music styles. All the playing techniques and unexpected, peculiar timbres are the main elements of all improvisations. This album also fascinates hypnotic, engaging, lyric sound, creativity, unexpected musical and stylistic turns.Contrasting and absolutely different episodes are combined together and that’s further inreases the originality of this album.

The last composition of album – very well-known jazz theme write by Victor Young “My Foolish Heart”. Dominique Pifarely interprets this theme very originally, exposes the most beautiful elements and motifs of this famous theme. Very much attention is paid for melody. This compositions fascinates with glamurous, engaging and very melodic sound.

So all the compositions of this album are unique and fascinating improvisations, that masterfully, virtuosically and creativelly played by phenomenal violinist Dominique Pifarely. Each compositions differs from other with unique character, playing techniques, variety of timbres, rhytmics and other subtleties of improvising. The melodies of compositions are decorated by virtuosic passages and other elements. Various and absolutely different music styles are gently and organically combined in those compositions.

Original, with unexpected turns and engaging, unique sound – that’s the album “Time Before and Time After”. Album was released by “ECM Records” in August.

eighth blackbird – “Filament” (2015, Cedille)

“eighth blackbird” – one of the most famous contemporary music sextet. This year “eighth blackbird” released great and exclusive album “Filament”.

“eighth blackbird” – contemporary music sextet from Chicago. This sextet is one of the most famous music collectives in the world. Sextet mostly plays avant – garde, experimental music and contemporary music composers compositions. “eighth blackbird” collective is famous for contemporary, modern and innovative sound and creative interpretations of contemporary composers compositions. Collective was formed in 1996. By that time it was a group of students from Oberlin Conservatory. Because of it’s innovative and modern sound, masterful and professional playing, creative interpretations of famous composers works sextet very quickly became well known and appreciated. Within 20 years sextet “eighth blackbird’ became one of the in the world, won 3 “Grammy” and numerous other awards. Members of sextet – percussionist Matthew Duvall, cellist Nicholas Photinos, pianist Lisa Koplan, flutist Natalie Joachim, clarinetist Michael J. Maccoferi, vilinist and violist Yvonne Lam. Collective play academic avant – garde and is famous for creative, innovative interpretations of David T. Little, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Steven Mackey, Missy Mazzoli and other famous contemporary music composers works. All the members of this sextet are highest level professionals and virtuosic musicians. They all play masterfully, expressive, emotionally and innovative.

The latest album “Filament” includes 11 compositions of Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly, Son Lux and Philip Glass. All compositions have similar stylistic elements, but differs from each other by character, texture and other elements. The first composition -Bryce Dessner cycle of compositions “Murder Ballades”. Compositions by this composer represents Bryce Dessner’s individual composing style. All compositions of the cycle “Murder ballades” are fast, lively tempo, constantly changing rhytm, very expressive melodies and sound. Repeating melodic elements are heard a lot in all compositions. All the compositions by Bryce Dessner are expressive, lively and modern sound.

After energetic and lively compositions of Bryce Dessner sextet is playing Nico Muhly “Doublespeak”. This composition is completely different from earlier. “Doublespeak” is slow tempo, lyrical character. Composition’s texture consists of repettitive elements and minimalism. Slow tempo, calm and lyrical sound, repettitive melodic and rhytmic elements create hypnotic sound of this composition. Avant-garde, various modern composition techniques and minimalism are combined in this composition.

Culmination of this album – Philip Glass composition “Two Pages”. This composition has a very difficult music language – there are many monotonic rhytmic and repettitive elements played in very fast tempo. “Two Pages” is the most fascinating and effective sound composition of this album. This composition from musicians also requires the highest level of professionality, virtuosic and masterful playing. The musicians of sextet turns Philip Glass composition into fascinating and very beautiful sound minimalistic composition.

The last composition – another one Son Lux work “This is my Line”. This composition is fast tempo, energetic sound and constantly changing rhytmic elements. Different instruments melodies and unusual timbres combine a very interesting texture. Each instrument has his own melody. There’s also heard short repettitive vocal elements. In background, passages of flute repeats constantly till the end through all composition.

All the compositions combines minimalism and avant-garde music styles. There’s also combined various contemporary music composition techniques. All compositions are very expressive, contemporary sound, different character and texture. Members of the sextet “eighth blackbird” again demonstrate the highest level of professionality, masterful, virtuosic playing and create magic, exclusive sound.

Original, exclusive sound and played by masterly musicians – that’s the album “Filament”. Album was released by “Cedille” this year.

John McCabe – “Piano Music“ (2015, Naxos)

Very famous and talented british composer, conductor and pianist John McCabe died this year. John McCabe (1939 – 2015) is one of the most famous composer of 20th century. He had consistently developed modernist tendencies, combined it with tonality and atonality. John McCabe had created over 250 compositions, in which he also used his own techniques of composition, tonality, atonality, dodecaphony and other modern music composition techniques. All these elements formed individual John McCabe composition style. Big part of his compositions consists of music for piano. John McCabe compositions for piano we will hear in recently released album “Piano Music”.

The album “Piano Music” includes the most famous  John McCabe works for piano. All compositions was played by John McCabe and recorded several years ago. Album consists of 1963 – 1983 created compositions. The first composition – “Variations”. It’s a very bright, joyful sound and emotional composition. Composition consists of main theme and very contrasting variations. All of them are individual and different from each other and the main theme. Variations are united by one aspect – warm, lively and emotional sound. After “Variations” sounds another composition – it’s “Aubade”. This composition is a very dreamy and poetical sound, In this composition there are abundantly used virtuosic passages, arpeggio and other extended music techniques. After “Aubade” album contains of more exclusive sound compositions – “Gaudi“ (1970), “5 Bagatalles“, “Mosaic“ and the last one “Haydn Variations“. Very colorful and unique harmony is used in all compositions. Episodes of compositions is based on contrasts ande unexpected turns: after loud and episodes very subtle, pastelic and soft sound episodes are heard. All the compositions were played masterfully, virtuosic, emotionally and professionally by John McCabe.

Album was released this year by “Naxos”

Cortex – “Live!“ (2015, Clean Feed)

Famous jazz musicians from Norway for many years astonishe jazz world with creativity and original improvisations, innovative music decisions. Recently released album “Live!“ is original example of contemporary free jazz. Album compositions was played by Norway musicians quartet “Cortex“.

“Cortex“ – talented Norway musicians quartet. All of this quartet members – talented and original jazz masters. “Cortex“ members – saxophonist Kristoffer Alberts, double bassist Ola Høyer, drummer Gard Nilssen and cornet player Thomas Johansson. These musicians represents the new generation of Norway jazz. Their music is creative, innovative, full of unexpected stylistic turns and surprises. Musicians often combine elements of different music styles. All musicians experiment and search for new extended techniques and timbres.

The album “Live!“ consists of 7 compositions. They combine modern jazz styles and free jazz elements. Elements of blues are also heard in slower and calmer compositions. All the compositions are based on very precise structure collective and solo improvisations. All Improvisations are organic, precise structure compositions, full of the most varied stylistic turns. Memorable and expressive themes of compositions, excellent rhytmic base – these are the elements who turn these compositions into unique and innovative sound improvisations. Especially distinguished saxophonist Kristoffer Alberts playing. The saxophonist plays very expressive and virtuosic. His improvisations are full of unusual timbres, virtuosic passages and unexpected turns. Saxophonist tries a wide variety of playing techniques and provides unusual, unique sound, timbres and sound effects. All musicians of this quartet improvising masterfully and original. Especially beautiful sounds saxophone and cornet duets, which perfectly complement drums virtuosic rhytmic elements. Drums and double bass keep solid and stable rhytmic base in all compositions. Drummer Gard Nilssen plays a wide variety of rhytmic elements, diversify texture of compositions and gives an unusual and unique sound for them. Virtuosic solos of saxophone, a little calmer themes of cornet also sounds glamurous in this album. Masterful and expressive playing of all musicians, their talent to combine completely different musical elements gives us a whole album of innovative, original and creative compositions of free jazz.

Original, exclusive and distinctive sound and full of innovative, creative improvisations – that’s the album “Live!”. This album was released by “Clean Feed Records”.

https://cleanfeed-records.com/product/live-double-lp-gatefold/

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In this website I will publish reviews of new or recently released CDs of modern classic, various styles of jazz, academic avant – garde music styles.The most attention is given for free jazz, improvised music and academic avant – garde music, but I also review new or recently released CDs of 20th century modern classic, experimental, minimalistic and other contemporary music styles CDs