Tag Archives: modern jazz

Matt Penman – Good Question

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Modern jazz, with its emphasis on rhythm, above harmony or melody, has swiftly become one of my favourite and most sought-after subgenres of jazz music. I believe this was kickstarted in me by the amazing group Ikarus, which commonly uses various metres against one another to great effect. Today’s subject follows that train of thought on Good Question.

As a starting point, the first track starts off with what sounds like a \(\frac{13}{16}\) melody over \(\frac{13}{8}\) chords. While these two voices resolve every two measures, it’s interesting to hear and a bit jarring at … Read more

Kali – Riot

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

You really can’t go wrong when you combine musicians from bands such as Marena Whitcher’s Shady Midnight Orchestra, Sha’s Feckel, and Sekhmet! The result of this heavenmade match is Kali, and their debut album, Riot. Diving straight into that hot new trend of playing polyrhythmic post-rock-influenced modern jazz, they lose no time and open up the ball with “Trope”, a ten-minute slow burner that immediately shows their colours. I’d put Riot somewhere between the more math rock Schnellertollermeier and the jazzier Ikarus, although all three play in a similar field.

The album is generally … Read more

Tin Men and the Telephone – World Domination, Part One: FURIE (Federal Union for Restoring Intergalactic Equilibrium)

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Aliens have been watching us. They have been for a long time, and they now feel like they have to intervene in order to counter the global rise of populism and demagogy in politics. This extraterrestrial commando is called FURIE (Federal Union for Restoring Intergalactic Equilibrium), and their modus operandi is to come and abduct world leaders that fall into this category. You can command the operation yourself by going to this interactive website!

This is the story behind the newest album from Amsterdam’s modern jazz band Tin Men and the Telephone. The … Read more

John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble – All Can Work

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Twenty-one. That’s how many people play in this so-called “large ensemble”. This jazz orchestra is noticeable in many regards, but the most important of which is their musical output. All Can Work came out on January 26, and it represents over an hour of amazingly well put together modern jazz compositions that often remind me of some of the best prog rock out there. I’ve got to say this might be due to Theo Bleckmann’s voice, which is perhaps the most reassuring thing in this quite avant-garde environment. While the aim of the work here is … Read more

Garrett Wingfield’s Octopod – Monoliths and Sepulchres

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Thoughts

For full disclosure, yes, I’ve backed this project on indiegogo. Nonetheless, I think this album is a really awesome one! Monoliths and Sepulchres is the debut full-length from Denton, Texas-based experimental jazz unit The Octopod. The aptly-named Octopod features eight musicians, including three horn-blowers (correction: five). As such, their music is heavily textured and rich. The album moves from free jazz during the prelude, postlude, and interludes to composed scores in the main tracks. Consequently, the result is a highly aberrant album that’s nonetheless a more than recommended listen. Its theme is to grow progressively … Read more