New Adventures in Jazz Listening - Jamie Baum Septet with "Solace" and The Zen Bicycle Band with "Zen Bicycle"

Jamie Baum Septet "Solace"

The opening track, Solace, is an inviting, beautiful melody which charms and soothes. It is constructed from modern (altered) scales with nicely balanced call and response, contrapuntal, melodies.

Baum skilfully uses changing timbrel combinations of flute/alto flute, trumpets/flugel horn, bass clarinet/ alto sax, and French horns with a tight four piece rhythm section in delicate yet warm unisons, and edgy but not strained harmonies. Solace never feels crowded, but has an open spacey mood over a grounded pulse. Baum’s alto flute solo expands the mood and her later brighter interplay with trumpet leads to an engaging coda.

Wheeler of Fortune ups the tempo, and has a similar texture but with strong bass clarinet. In this, soloists stretch out, beginning with a fleet alto flute taking inspiration from a modern but well navigated harmonic chord map.This is a group of musicians who play well together. An integrated unit with a unique group sound; the ensemble players seem always aware of the inspiration they feed to soloists. Much of the success of this CD is because of Baum’s fine, sophisticated compositions.

Far Side is a little more subdued, but still smoldering and featuring concert flute, completes a trio programme of moody introductions before the four movement Ives Suite. This work, totalling around thirty minutes, is a major contribution to the contemporary third stream genre. I find it more engaging, even exuberant, with a serious playfulness sometimes absent from modern jazz concerts. As well as strong alto flute, there are ear-thrilling bass clarinet sections from Douglas Yates, another stand-out soloist in the (sometimes augmented) septet. Baum’s writing, like Ellington’s, helps feature and show-case her players’ wonderful personal improvised solos in ways that surprise and delight the listener. The music unfolds unpredictably and the moods are many within an ensemble that has its own unique voice. Part 3: Questions Unanswered with vocal reading by Kyoko Kitamura as well as John F. Kennedy’s spoken text provides another successful, inspired musical experience.

Following the Ives concert section are a further trio of engaging works. In Passing is a moderately slow bluesy feature for alto flute and double bass that may tempt flute jazzers to join in. Pine Creek is a bright 5/4 romp enjoyed by all players, and Dave’s Idea is a fine up-tempo small group piece, with the players rising to challenging melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic material in a breezy fashion.

Cheneour & Maquenzie "Sound Sculptures in Walmer Castle"

NSMCD846
www.redgoldmusic .com
Track one, Sound Sculptures, opens with a relaxed walking pulse and a d minor pentatonic melodic improvisation on bass flute from Paul Cheneour, and vocal duetting from Maquenzie . These are enhanced by the natural acoustics of the castle . This is an immediate invitation to flute players (and vocalists) to join in and play along, or listeners to relax and enjoy .

The twenty-one tracks, sixty-two minutes, offer varying combinations of flutes in many shapes and pitches from bass to piccolo, and ney, duduk, indian flute, and siblisi along with voices high and low with touches of overtone and throat-singing techniques .

With titles such as Wall Flower, Meander Into Twilight, The Rain Clears All, The Rose Moon, this is overall a peaceful, meditative program with the two musicians improvising mostly along modal melodic lines and taking inspiration from their natural environment . There are many captivating solo and duo moments enhanced by the natural reverberation and echoes of the castle auditorium .

The Zen Bicycle Band - "Zen Bicycle"

These three experienced improviser, composer, performers: Paul Cheneour, flutes, neys, duduk, and siblis; Dave Robinson, mallet Kat, and hand claps; and Clive Fletcher double bas, EUB, and bass guitar, combine to create a concert of eleven spontaneous performances, enhanced with a little editing and mixing.

The basic trio format of bass, mallet/percussion, and flute is treated with plenty of variations. Track titles such as Body Language, Be Free, The Light Makers, The Art of Thunder, and The Meeting of the Clouds and Rain, suggest that inspiration was taken in large part from nature, with simplicity rather than complexity as a key element.

Their music is a stream of flowing, changing interest, with an over-reaching mood of joyful meditation, supported by regular and contrasting pulses from bass and percussion. A friendly, interesting musical trip for three. Also a wonderful inspiration for musicians wanting ideas to use in jamming together on a spring or summer day!

NSM862 (RGM308CD) www.Justflutes.com

Jim Langabeer is a flute player, teacher, composer and lecturer, and a jazz specialist. He is an international multi instrumental performer with many concert and recording credits.