Europe Jazz Media Chart

Anna Filipieva, Jazz.Ru

Alexey Kozlov AND THE SECOND APPROACH TRIO OBERIU, ArtBeat

For 30 years the Soviet jazz pioneer, altoist Alexey Kozlov, was thinking about a project based on the poetry by nearly-forgotten Soviet poets from the 1930s, members of OBERIU (Association for Real Art,) the last Russian avant-garde poetry group before political purges destroyed all avant-garde for the next three decades.
In 2008, Kozlov finally found partners brave enough to walk a thin rope between jazz and poetry: the Second Approach Trio with their brilliant classical / jazz / ethno / improv crossover approach. Kozlov played the alto and recited the absurdist verses by OBERIU poets, while pianist Andrei Razin, bassist Igor Ivanushkin and singer Tatiana Komova surrounded the poems with their music, alternating between ironic readings of jazz standards and humorous / macabre free improv. One is not required to understand spoken Russian to catch the sparkling vibe of this live date, released ten years after for the Second Approach Trio’s 20th birthday.

 

Jan Granlie, salt-peanuts.eu

Event Horizon SPACE GEODE, Chant

 

Viktor Bensusan, jazzdergisi.com

Arve Henriksen: ‎THE HEIGHT OF THE REEDS, Rune grammofon

Jazz Nomad Arve Henriksen and his Soundscapers, Jan Bang, Eivind Aarset and Jez Riley French capture the natural and urban sounds, as if they are picking apples from new but familiar territories. Worth listening over and over again...

 

Henning Bolte, Written in Music

Myra Meldford’s Snowy Egret THE OTHER SIDE OF AIR, Firehouse 12

A wondrous album title appealing to imagination, has been chosen because of the sheer, lively beauty of this music and the endless pleasure of listening it gave to me with its shifting shades, its pirouetting whirls, its wonderful juggling of playful particles, its volatile grandeur, its jumpy groove and lyrical graciousness, its completeness and lightness, its atmospheric generosity, its all over astonishing coherent and organic way to expand, turn around, twist, to break down and let reappear wonderful clear and captivating lines. It is five wonderful master musicians in great synch and full individuality: Myra Melford (p), Ron Miles (tre), Liberty Ellman (g), Tyshawn Sorey (d) and (my special personal favorite) Stomu Takeishi (b-g).

 

Patrik Sandberg, Orkester Journalen

Oddjob: JAZZOO 2, Headspin

The band's music integrates playfully and effectively with the animal world which is visualized in the richly illustrated book that accompanies every album and through animations in concerts.
Oddjob’s imagination and their love of children result in a craftsmanship and a groove in the often intriguing and intricate compositions. Oddjob is really in their right element here.

 

Cim Meyer, Jazz Special

Blood, Sweat, Drum + Bass: CONCIERTO DE SCHEHERAZADE, BSM 04

A heartrending amalgamation of a very modern big band, a sinfonietta and Eastern music.

 

Lars Mossefinn, Dag og tid

Hedvig Mollestad Trio: SMELLS FUNNY, Rune grammofon

 

Axel Stinshoff, Jazz thing

The Art Ensemble Of Chicago AND ASSOCIATED ENSEMBLES, ECM

 

Luca Vitali, Giornale della Musica

Andrew Cyrille, Wadada Leo Smith, Bill Frisell: LEBROBA, ECM

 

Madli-Liis Parts , Muusika

Harriet Tubman: THE TERROR END OF BEAUTY, Sunnyside

 

Mike Flynn, Jazzwise

Rymden: REFLECTIONS & ODYSSEYS, Jazzland