The Miniature Chamber Music of Olivier Manchon

Orchestre de Chambre Miniature—Volume 1
By Olivier Manchon
ObliqSound

His credits include work with the indie bands My Brightest Diamond and Clare and the Reasons, as well as the pit orchestra for the hit Broadway alt rock musical Spring Awakening, yet his latest CD is a fusion of jazz and classical forms that would probably bring a smile to the late great Third Stream composer John Lewis. Indeed, Manchon gets a full rich sound from his string quartet augmented by several special guest soloists on Orchestre de Chambre Miniature—Volume 1, which releases today in America.

Right from the first strains of “Breakfast Queen,” the driving nature of Manchon’s string arrangements is immediately audible. It is clear the OCM will not be playing warmed over covers of “Pachelbel’s Canon.” The quartet, comprising the leader on violin, his Spring Awakening pit-mate Hiroko Taguchi on viola, Christopher Hoffman on cello, and Alan Hampton on bass, shows a remarkable facility for the darting and roiling introduction, but turn on a dime to provide a lushly supportive accompaniment for guest soloist John Ellis on tenor saxophone.

There is definitely a romantic quality to Manchon’s music, perhaps best heard on the explicitly nostalgic “Memoires,” perfectly marrying the elegance of the string quartet with the yearning sound of Gregoire Maret’s harmonica. It is a lovely track, similar in vibe to some of the Quincy Jones charts featuring Toots Thielemans, yet more classically-oriented. In a radical shift in tone, the following “Just a Second” is distinguished by its dark tonal hues and a plaintive solo from Ellis on bass clarinet that approaches Dolphyesque “out” territory.

While Manchon originals account for three quarters of the OCM program, cellist Hoffman also contributed the intriguing “The Hanged Man,” which evolves out of a minimalist prelude into a striking (and quite catchy) melody, providing a launching pad for a dramatically eloquent tenor solo from Ellis. Fittingly, it ends on a stately Continental note with a sophisticated yet playful rendition of Sibelius’s “Valse Trieste.”

Throughout OCM, Manchon varies the mood nicely, creating a richly textured musical tapestry, anchored by the tightly synchronized but still swinging ensemble work of the string quartet, which presumably we can look forward to hearing more from, since the “Volume 1” clearly implies future installments to come. Enthusiastically recommended, OCM is a hip and urbane dialogue between jazz and classical that deserves attention from both camps.

(Photo Credit: Murat Eyuboglu)

QSF Plays DB

QSF Plays Brubeck
ViolinJazz Recordings

Though never really a part of the West Coast “Cool” jazz movement, Dave Brubeck is the quintessential California jazz artist. The son of a hardy cattle rancher, Brubeck would study at Oakland’s Mills College with the acclaimed French émigré composer Darius Milhaud and first came to prominence on the Berkley-based Fantasy label. Renowned for his experiments with unusual time signatures, Brubeck would also compose several large scale sacred orchestral pieces, combining classical and jazz idioms. Given his roots and influences, it seems quite fitting that the genre-defying Bay Area-based Quartet San Francisco would interpret his compositions on their latest CD, logically titled QSF Plays Brubeck.

Brubeck’s Time Out is one of the bestselling jazz records of all time, so it makes sense the quartet chose many of those familiar compositions, starting with “Three to Get Ready,” a jazz waltz that seems particularly well suited to the string quartet format. Yet the QSF (violinists Jeremy Cohen and Alisa Rose, violist Keith Lawrence, and cellist Michelle Djokic) still preserve a sense of Brubeck’s muscular rhythmic drive. They also faithfully translate “Strange Meadowlark,” retaining Brubeck’s elegant introduction and Paul Desmond’s sweetly sincere alto solo in violinist Jeremy Cohen’s string arrangement.

Departing from Time Out and subsequent “Time” themed albums (Time In, Time Further Out), the QSF also cover “The Golden Horn,” a composition inspired by Brubeck’s 1958 U.S. State Department of Eastern Europe and the Mid East. Again, Cohen’s arrangement and the Quartet’s seamless ensemble playing effectively capture the exotic vibe of Brubeck’s melody, derived from “Choktasha-keraderam,” the Turkish words for “thank you.”

“The Duke” was Brubeck’s tribute to Duke Ellington, his longtime Columbia label-mate and inspiration. The arrangement, by Brubeck’s cellist son Matthew, is as buoyant and lilting original, slyly quoting from several Ellington standards in its swinging prelude. Also quite rousing is the brief rendition of “Unsquare Dance,” with Rose getting down-home with the jazz waltz.

Even though it was composed by Desmond, the QSF had to include “Take Five,” arguably the single most recognizable jazz tune ever waxed, which Brubeck has probably played nearly every night of his life since it was first recorded in 1959. In their improvised solos, Rose and then Cohen nicely express their distinctive musical personalities, while Cohen’s arrangement evokes the cool mood of the original.

The QSF conclude with an exploration of the sacred Brubeck, giving a stirring rendition of “Forty Days” (a reference to Christ in the Desert), originally a “Time” composition that evolved into the extended composition Light in the Wilderness. Spotlighting Djokic’s cello, it is the dramatic highpoint of the disk. Their moving performance is appropriately followed by the traditional “What Child is This” (a.k.a. “Greensleeves”), the ringer of the set, but qualifying for inclusion because Brubeck performed as a piano solo on a Christmas CD in the 1990’s.

Throughout the program, the QSF show the discipline of a fine classical chamber ensemble, but also a surprisingly swinging approach to time. The result is an excellent hybrid of jazz and classical forms that should particularly appeal to those well steeped in Brubeck’s music. It is a classy tribute that even carries the endorsement of the Jazz Ambassador himself.

New Music from the Hot Clubs of the World

Bohemian Maestro: Django Reinhardt and the Impressionists
By the Hot Club of San Francisco

Django Music
By the Hot Club de Norvege

The Belgian Roma guitarist Django Reinhardt easily remains the most influential European artist in the history of jazz. His sessions with the original Quintette du Hot Club de Paris, with Stéphane Grappelli on violin and brother Joseph as one of two rhythm guitars, still inspires guitarists of all genres, resulting in the world-wide proliferation of “Hot Club” combos playing Reinhardt inspired jazz. There are Hot Clubs of Sweden, Hungary, New Orleans, Detroit, Las Vegas, and even Spokane. Some have developed international reputations through Django festival appearances and recordings, including The Hot Club of San Francisco and the Hot Club de Norvege (Norway), who have recently released Bohemian Maestro and Django Music respectively.

Very definitely on the Parisian scene during the Impressionist period, Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club often performed for and occasionally jammed with Maurice Ravel. Jumping off from that point, the Hot Club of San Francisco (HCSF) pays tribute to their inspiration with Bohemian Maestro, an ambitious program of Reinhardt’s influences, the contemporary sounds of his era, and the Roma maestro’s little known compositions that illustrate an affinity for classical, particularly Impressionist music.

Bohemian starts with two originals that channel the Django spirit, particularly the brief opener, “Le Surdoue,” which lead guitarist Paul Mehling pieced together from Reinhardt’s melodies and improvisations. In tribute to Ravel, the HCSF add classical pianist Jeffrey Kahane (music director for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Colorado Symphony Orchestra) for a fleet rendition of Reinhardt’s “Vendredi 13,” as would befit a spontaneous club jam. Kahane also joins the HCSF on the more relaxed “Diminushing Blackness,” a tune Reinhardt once recorded under the title “Go Tell Mozart,” getting a chance to stretch out nicely with an elegant solo statement.

Reinhardt was eight years old when Claude Debussy died, so it is safe to assume they never jammed, but as a longtime resident of Paris, the HCSF reasonably assumed his familiarity with Debussy’s music, mixing into the program two brief but evocative extracts from “Pour L’Egyptienne” and a sensitive rendition of “Clair de Lune,” all which spotlight Evan Price’s expressive violin.

The HCSF expands the sonic range by adding the woodwinds of the Aeros Quintet for two Reinhardt compositions originally written for large ensembles. “Nympheas” was originally a big band piece, which the HCSF speculates may have been inspired by Monet’s “Water Lilies.” The woodwinds give it a warm lushness, while Mehling’s guitar solo is appropriately thoughtful. The Aeros Quintet is also featured front-and-center on “Messe,” Mehling’s transcription of the surviving overture from Reinhardt’s lost mass for the Roma, before segueing into Reinhardt’s so-called “Improvisation.” It is a lovely performance in a rich and inventive tribute.

The Hot Club de Norvege (HCN) has also recorded some more ambitious Reinhardt tributes, but in Django Music they largely return to the essentials of Djangology. After a “meh” of a vocal opener with “I Can’t Give You,” they settle into the Reinhardt repertoire with a swinging “Blue Drag.” “Nuages” and “Tears” are absolutely indispensible for any Django greatest hits collection, and the HCN does right by them both, with violinist Finn Hauge’s harmonica particularly effective capturing their sophisticated melancholy.

While more traditional than the Villa-Lobos and Poulenc of the HCSF’s Bohemian, the HCN still includes some adventurous tune selections, like the traditional Jewish songs, “Joseph, Joseph” and “David,” which give an idea how Reinhardt’s Hot Club might have approached the Benny Goodman hit “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen.” However, their most inventive and rewarding Hot Clubbing of a tune is “Danse Norvegienne” from their homeland. After an exotic (almost Celtic sounding) opening dominated by Hauge’s violin, guitarist John Larsen brings it back to gypsy swing, soloing eloquently while Hague maintains the Scandinavian vibe.

Larsen, second guitarist Per Frydenlund, and bassist Svein Aabostad have been playing together since 1979 (with Hauge the relative newcomer, joining in 1985) so their rapport is well attuned at this point. Laying claim to the first Norwegian jazz to have digital life on CD with Swing de Paris, they also prove many Hot Clubs of the world are significantly more than mere cover bands. Both the HCSF and HCN demonstrate the lasting inspiration of Django Reinhardt, putting intriguing spins on his sophisticated Hot Club style.

Classified Brothers

Classified
By the Brubeck Brothers
Koch

The saying goes: like father, like son. The Brubeck family has frequently collaborated in jazz contexts, but on their latest release, Classified, the Brubeck Brothers, bassist/trombonist Chris and drummer Dan (sans brother Darius) again followed in their celebrated father Dave’s footsteps with a fluid fusion of jazz and classical idioms.

While Dave Brubeck’s jazz-classical pieces often were of a sacred nature, involving large ensembles and choral arrangements, Classified is more in the tradition of chamber music, of both the jazz and classical varieties. The first seven tracks are highly melodic, swinging jazz. For the three movement suite Vignettes for Nonette and the elder Brubeck’s classic “Blue Rondo a la Turk,” the Brubeck Brothers augment their quartet with the Imani Winds.

The CD kicks off with the easy-going “Good Question,” giving ample solo space to the non-Brubecks in the quartet, Chuck Lamb on piano and Mike Demicco on guitar. The following “Cool on the Coast” evokes the West Coast Cool scene their father was not really a part of, but is often lumped in with.

Chris Brubeck doubles on trombone for “Dance of the Shadows” and “Friends Beyond Time,” blending with Demicco’s guitar for an intriguing combination of tonal colorings. “Dance” is the more up-tempo of the two, but the entire program has an upbeat vibe, which never lets the mood or the energy flag.

Throughout Chris Brubeck’s Vignettes suite, there is a regular ebb and flow between more classical sounding passages for the Winds and more swinging stretches for the jazz rhythm section, but the transitions are smoothly realized. Not surprisingly, the third movement is the most insistent, with the Winds sounding particularly swinging, and featuring a well integrated drum solo for Dan Brubeck. It concludes with “Rondo,” a major part of the Brubeck family legacy and a highlight of the session. Even with the fully orchestrated sound of the Winds, the jazz solos are downright down-home, with Chris Brubeck going gutbucket on trombone.

Classified keeps a good groove on, even when blending jazz and classical with the Winds. It would be good summer spin for general listeners, but has plenty of nutritional value for experienced jazz ears.

(Remember tonight is the Jazz Foundation of America’s Great Night in Harlem benefit concert. Proceeds go to a great cause so consider attending. Even if you don’t have a reservation, I imagine if you show up with money, something can be worked out.)

The Spaces In Between

The Spaces In Between
By John Surman
ECM 1956

There is a long tradition of jazz and classical double threats, stretching back to Benny Goodman, who was never known to be intimidated by a clarinet concerto. Coming from a diverse jazz background, including jazz-rock and adventurous big band sessions, John Surman has also composed for classical idioms as well, including his latest collaboration with the Trans4mation string quartet, The Spaces In Between.

The final selection of Spaces, “Leaving the Harrow,” illuminates the pastoral spirit of the session best. Surman describes the inspiration for the composition, a local pub named the Harrow in rural Kent. According to Surman: “the idea for the piece came from leaving there—possibly buoyed up with a couple pints of best bitter—walking home on a beautiful evening in harvest time and the harvest moon was enormous.”

It starts with more of a nocturne, “Moonlighter,” appropriately featuring Surman’s baritone cradled by the string arrangement. There is a distinctly and traditionally English flavor to many of Surman’s compositions, as in “Wayfarers All,” which gives a darker hue to the strings before Surman comes in on Soprano.

Spaces is tightly arranged, but there is some, well, space for individual expression. While there is not a traditional rhythm section, Surman enlisted the talents of bassist Chris Laurence, proficient in both jazz and classical idioms, to maintain a propulsive element and lend his jazz sensibilities to the endeavor.

The title composition is an unaccompanied solo feature for violinist Rita Manning, coming appropriately at the midpoint of Spaces. An austere, challenging piece that does indeed make use of space, “In Between” is the longest composition of the session. It is followed by he shortest, “Now See!,” a spritely English jig of a miniature.

“Mimosa” is the only expression of Surman’s exploration of Eastern music. Originally written for, but not recorded by, his “Thimar” combo, it still gets a nocturnal vibe from Surman’s baritone but the rhythmic arrangement for the strings suggests someplace east of Kent. Spaces concludes with “Leaving the Harrow,” a contemplative vehicle, again for baritone.

Throughout Spaces, Surman’s reeds integrate remarkably well with the strings. The lush combination of baritone and strings is a particularly warm sound that makes one wonder why bari features have not been more popular in classical music. Its unhurried thoughtfulness conveys the pastoral experience to its listeners quite effectively.

Fantasy

Fantasy
By the Bill Mays Inventions Trio
Palmetto Records

It is a bit surprising to see a list of the film and television scores Bill Mays has played on, including the diverse likes of Adaptation, Interview with a Vampire, and Dallas. Despite this obvious flexibility, Mays’ own recordings as a leader reside primarily in the traditional jazz realm of piano trio. As a composer though, he has penned some extended suites for varied instrumental aggregations, and now a three movement suite for his new chamber jazz group, the Inventions Trio, as featured on his new release Fantasy.

The Inventions Trio consists of Mays on piano, Marvin Stamm on trumpet (and flugelhorn), and Alisa Horn on cello. The presence of Stamm’s polished trumpet tones is particularly logical. In addition to being a longtime friend of Mays, Stamm has long shown a facility for challenging arrangements. His Verve LP Machinations featured the arrangements of Johnny Carisi (and ought to be available on CD). With Horn as the Invention Trio, they display a bright, clear sound on a program consisting primarily of classical composers and Mays’ original suite.

Fantasy begins with “Baubles, Bangles, and Beads,” one of four duets with Stamm recorded in 2001 prior to the formation of the trio. It has a light, swinging approach appropriate to such a frothy standard. It establishes a nice dramatic contrast with the following “Vocalise.” Here, Horn’s cello brings out darker hues, blending nicely into the trio.

The longest cuts on Fantasy are the three movements of the eponymous suite. The first movement begins with Horn, and indeed much of its sound is defined by the cello, as when a passage of insistent bowing marks a turbulent mood swing around 5:05, before Mays piano comes swinging out of it. Although Horn has much less experience as an improviser, she interacts well with her colleagues. The second movement has an overall more contemplative feeling, largely voiced by Stamm’s plaintive tones. The third movement maintains that vibe until about the three minute mark, when Mays and Stamm cut loose and Horn follows with some legit jazz phrasing of her own.

The highlight of Fantasy is actually the final duo track, a medley of Bach’s “Invention #8” and Charlie Parker’s “Ah-Leu-Cha.” It is a surprisingly natural pairing, with Parker’s standard lending itself to a classically oriented chamber interpretation remarkably well. It also features short, but rousing solos from Mays and Stamm in a pleasingly upbeat conclusion.

Although Fantasy might have benefited from more contrasts within its set, it is an undeniably strong venture into chamber jazz. The trio plays effectively as a unit, approaching the material with the respect of classical musicians, but showing the improvising chops of jazz artists.

(Note: Bill Mays and the Invention Trio will be playing Wed. at St. Peter’s 1:00 Midtown Jazz, and at the Kitano Fri. and Sat. nights.)