pacificlectic : concert reviews & eclectic music news

So, I usually don’t do album reviews, but I get tons of music (some comp’ed and some purchased); so I figured I’d do little snippet reviews once a month or so… here are some recent jazz CDs I got recently.  All of them were pretty darn fabulous…

Mostly Other People Do the Killing – Forty Fort (Jan 2010) So, I’m a fan of composer Moppa Elliott and trumpet player Peter Evans.  Peter’s solo show in Eugene a couple of years ago was an avant-garde delight.  MOPDTK is a little more straight forward than Peter’s solo stuff.  It’s a fun jazz group… very similar in feel and youthful, party jazz energy as Reptet (up in Seattle).  This is their second album that I’ve heard but their fourth released.  My favorite tracks are “Nanticoke Coke” and the title track “Forty Fort.”  I’m looking forward to more from this killer band ensemble.
http://www.myspace.com/mostlyotherpeopledothekilling

Big Crazy Energy New York Band – Inspirations (Feb 2010) Led by trombonist Jens Wendelboe, BCENYB’s latest record is a delight.  The big band lead-off track, “Pleasant Pheasant,” is my favorite.  There are a few slower tunes on the record, and even a vocal song or two (of which I’m only “so so” on).  It ends strong with a big band instrumental version of the Beatles classic “A Day in the Life.”  This record is only available on CD Baby, from what I can tell.  Support indie music!
http://www.myspace.com/jenswendelboe

Charles Evans & Neil Shah – Live at Saint Stephens (Dec 2009) Slow and meandering in spots with nice piano, this live recording from baritone saxophonist Charles Evans and pianist Neil Shah touches on the minimalist and sublime.  It’s a primarily improvisational and free-jazz in nature.  I think it gets a little tedious in parts (too long of movements that I felt didn’t go anywhere), but that’s sort of the nature of the beast with improvisational free-jazz.  Charles & Neil end of very strong with “What Worked, What Didn’t, What Wouldn’t, What Would’ve.”
http://www.myspace.com/charlesevansneilshahduo

Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord – Accomplish Jazz (Dec 2009) Moppa Elliott (from the aforementioned Mostly Other People Do the Killing CD) is also involved in this album… via playing bass.  Jon Lundbom is a jazz guitarist, and his pieces definitely gear towards that instrument.  A meandering piece and a more classical-influenced piece split up the album.  My favorite tunes were “The Christian Life” and the more energetic “Baluba, Baluba.”
http://www.jonlundbom.com/

Prana Trio – The Singing Image of Fire (Jan 2010) World music meets jazz… I dug the instrumental pieces moreso than the ones with vocals (that’s the nature of what I’m liking as of the past few years).  It features classic poetry from ancient Persia, India, and China – and I’m sure it’ll grow on me fairly well.  The music is very fit well with the poetry, very colorful and nuanced.
http://www.brianadler.com/prana.htm

Next up will be the January 2010 Tzadik & Franck Smith/Zn’shñ releases – which I just got and need to find some time to digest (soon)…

~Dan – np: John Zorn/Mike Patton/Ikue Mori – Hemophiliac