A few weeks ago, enthused by the release of an impressive album of duets by Thomas Strønen, I followed my review with a list of some of my favourite duet CDs released by ECM over the years. Perhaps one of the least known of the albums I included was Poros, a 1998 release by the … Continue reading But Is It Jazz? Another Fine Album of Duets…
If by any chance you read my recent ‘best of 2024’ post, you may have noticed, among the new musical releases, the inclusion of an album entitled Relations, attributed to Thomas Strønen, Craig Taborn, Chris Potter, Sinikka Langeland and Jorge Rossy. That would be a rather eccentric line-up for a group – a Norwegian percussionist, … Continue reading It Takes Two to Tango… or the Magic of Musical Duets
I’ve been posting my ‘best of the year’ lists since I first started writing here in 2016, and on each occasion I felt a need to mention in passing the state of the UK and of the world. Well, we may have got rid of the wretched Tories, but what with Trump, Musk et al, … Continue reading My Best Movies, Music, Books, etc, in 2024
It’s strange: the Norwegians Trygve Seim and Frode Haltli undoubtedly count among my favourite musicians, and both – the former a saxophonist, the latter an accordionist – have been mentioned fairly frequently on this website. (Indeed, Haltli featured in my very first blog.) Nonetheless, while preparing a few notes for the following piece about Our … Continue reading Their Time: Trygve Seim and Frode Haltli on Stunning Form
The last couple of months have seen ECM release four wonderful albums by some of my favourite jazz musicians. There was September Night with the late, great trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, his Polish quartet – its members later the Marcin Wasilewski Trio – recorded at their peak in a Munich concert in 2004. (I recall seeing … Continue reading A Musical Cornucopia: Five Great New Jazz Releases
A few days ago, I read a post by Richard Williams on his excellent blog, The Blue Moment; he was reviewing Orchestras, the new double album by renowned guitarist-composer Bill Frisell, which I’ve subsequently listened to and certainly agree is excellent. I’ve been happy to check out Frisell’s music ever since I first heard him … Continue reading Musical Goodies from Bill Frisell… and Michael (Mike?) Gibbs
It’s emphatically a reflection not of their musical quality but of how busy I’ve been recently that I’m only now writing to pass on my enthusiasm for three rather wonderful albums released by ECM in January and early February. I’ve been listening to each of them a lot, but due to work I was so … Continue reading But is it jazz? (Yes!) Three more musical gems
As anyone who has seen Decasia (2002) or Dawson City: Frozen Time (2016), by the New York-based artist and filmmaker Bill Morrison, may be aware, there can be something strangely beautiful about film –film, the physical entity – decomposed by the passing of time. Even before I saw the former title, I’d already been intrigued … Continue reading Deciphering film’s decadent beauty: Bill Morrison’s Village Detective
For some years now I have been a regular attendee at concerts by the estimable Nash Ensemble, chamber ensemble in residence at London’s Wigmore Hall; their themed seasons of programmes are consistently intelligent, wide-ranging and illuminating, the level of musicianship dependably excellent. At one such concert, in November 2018, I was intrigued to see, sitting … Continue reading Viola, viola (II): the remarkable Timothy Ridout
Somewhat belated happy New Year! At the end of 2023, as usual, I posted about my best movies, music, etc, of that year. I mentioned there my uncertainty about whether Nitai Herszhkovits’ Call on the old wise should have made my top five jazz/folk/other CDs. For what it's worth, I’m still undecided about that (should … Continue reading Holdovers: Belated January additions to my best of 2023.
notes and observations by Geoff Andrew 