Blue Note was widely known as a prestigious jazz record label in 1950s and 1960s. Although its management has been changed in various ways since then, it has always been a source of fascinating jazz music. Some stars, such as Robert Glasper, have added a hip-pop sensibility to jazz and promoted a new sound, but of course there are also many musicians who continue to perform the jazz of today while maintaining the authentic spirit. Let me introduce you some new albums of the musicians who represent the contemporary Blue Note sound.
#190 Joel Ross’ Emotional New Album
The Parable of The Poet / Joel Ross
(Blue Note 3891818)
Joel Ross, a rising star of jazz vibraphone, was introduced in this column in January 2020 (♯79). “The Parable of The Poet” is Joel Ross’ third release on Blue Note. It should be called an expanded version of the concept of the previous two albums performed by an eight-piece band with four added horn instruments. The seven originals, begun with ＜Prayer＞ and ended with ＜Benediction＞, are all structured like a suite, but each number is highly expressive, and the welled-up emotions are amazing.
The multilayered harmonies in “Guilt” overlay on top of each other. Immanuel Wilkins’ saxophone wails, as the title suggests, accompanied by the plaintive horn harmonies in ＜Wail＞. ＜The Impetus＞, a journey from sorrow to hope, features an impressive solo by the trombonist, Kalia Vandever. It is quite thrilling to listen to the leader, Joel Ross’ performance emerging from the fusion of the ensemble’s melody and the solo. The spiritual unity pervades the entire album. This is the superb album that we can feel Ross’s strong leadership in the sense of tension he brings out by each note in any circumstance.
#191 Profound Trio Work by Veteran Saxophonist
Trios: Chapel / Charles Lloyd
(Blue Note 4526649)
Veteran saxophonist, Charles Lloyd, now 84 years old, was also introduced in this column in May 2019 (♯47). Lloyd’s expression has been simple and refined, which is truly one-and-only, seems to have increased even more depth in recent years. “Trios: Chapel” is the first installment of his latest project called “Trio of Trios.” Lloyd is planning to release three different trios’ performances with different members, and “Trios: Ocean” and “Trios: Sacred” will follow.
Five tracks that Lloyd has played and recorded in the past delve deeper in this album by being performed together with a guitarist, Bill Frisell, and a bassist Thomas Morgan. The sound is meditative, seemingly simple but it makes us feel the depth of life. The folk music like sound of guitar played by Frisell adds breadth to Lloyd’s tenor sound, while Morgan’s bass provides a solid support to the beat. Lloyd’s performance transforms not only such classic tunes as ＜Blood Count＞ written by Duke Ellington, but also Latin tunes like ＜Ay Amor＞ written by Cuban composer, Villa Fernández, into something profoundly resonant. ＜Beyond Darkness＞, a flute-driven piece that depicts a mystical world, is also included. Even the original ＜Dorotea’s Studio＞ with calypso flavor, has been transformed into a mature sound. The beautiful timbre utilizing the spatiality of the chapel in the live concert held at Coates Chapel in San Antonio at the end of 2018 is also well captured.
#192 Melissa Aldana’s Performance Full of Intellectual Emotion
12 STARS / Melissa Aldana
(Blue Note 3882780)
Melissa Aldana’s performance is a bit elusive, and the arcuate structure of the phrases is showing a unique beauty of formation. Her latest album released from Blue Note is “12 Stars.” Melissa is a female saxophonist born in Santiago, Chile, who drew the attention in 2013 when she became the first South American player to win the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Competition, which is considered as a gateway to success for novices. In 2016, she was selected by the magazine, Down Beat, as one of the “25 Future Leaders of Jazz.”
She formulated her own “Crash Trio” and quartet mainly in New York City, and keeps tremendous momentum. She said the COVID-19 pandemic had changed her music, and as a musician she could not grow stagnant, therefore she actively wrote songs thinking about how she could grow as a musician. As she said her music went inside of herself, and the eight originals written for the album tend to have more introspective, speculative, and restrained timbre. The album’s title, “12 Stars,” is taken from the 12 signs of the zodiac, her favorite tarot reading. The performances are full of cool and intelligent emotion. The producer of the album is Lage Lund, a guitarist with whom she has often performed together. Lund’s guitar is adding a great dimension to the band’s sound, which cannot be missed.
About the Author
Masamichi Okazaki
Surrounded by various kinds of music from his childhood, Masamichi Okazaki joined Waseda University Modern Jazz Club. He started contributing articles to music magazines when he was a student. He covers wide range of music not only trad, modern and contemporary jazz, but also from pops to classics. He writes liner notes for CDs and LPs, and is a regular contributor to “JAZZ JAPAN,” “STEREO,” and others. He joined a big band, “Shiny Stockings,” as a saxophone player. He is a director of The Music Pen Club Japan (MPCJ).
