Gig Review - Uri Caine at the Vortex 18th Jan 07'

I hope Uri will forgive me this analogy, but on Kingsland Road a stones throw from the Vortex there is a Chinese restaurant called Shanghai. Chinese restaurants abound in London but this place serves the best Dim Sum I have ever tasted, the steamed pastry filled pockets of delight present themselves like actual sea creatures, delicate, huddled together in the steaming basket, resting on a film of rice paper - the taste buds squirt in quasi-erotic excitement - well that's how my ears felt waiting for the great Uri Caine's hands to touch those keys on Friday night.

Caine did not disappoint, every note had flavour, texture, colour, wit and grace - a master chef of the keyboard is Uri. Eclectic is a word much maligned in any discussion of contemporary jazz but Uri Caine's mind is a musical map of a world that incorporates Fats Waller, Ellington and Gustav Mahler in an interchangeable topography.

Caine’s interpretation of Monk's ‘Round Midnight’ was one of the best renditions either I or Kevin had heard to date - incorporating a Don Pullen-esque series of punctuated rhythms developing into rich harmonic and melodic rendition of this classic theme that would have pleased Thelonius himself.
From standards like Honey Suckle Rose to Mahler's 3rd Symphony the stops on this particular journey where both emotionally fulfilling and testing in the best sense. The venue was packed and the atmosphere was sparkling. After the gig I got the great man to add to my pension fund in the form of his signature on a prized copy of ‘Shelf-Life’ and he seemed to have enjoyed the performance almost, but not completely I’m sure, as much as the audience did.

A joy

Monday Jan 15th Track Listings

This week Kevin was away in warmer climes so I was in the hot seat. In keeping with the midwinter subdued mood in London I kept half the show pretty mellow. Passing through Brussels last week I was able to pick up some classic Belgian recordings. I found two excellent sessions on the Carbon 7 label based in Brussels - firstly an excellent mid 90's album by Erwin Vann titled Eleven and a reissue of the legendary Belgian trio AKA Moon titled Rebirth. The bass player Michel Hatzigeorgiou turns up on both recording. I did'nt have time this week to feature the AKA Moon record but we'll squeeze it in soon. I played a wonderous Erwin Vann track called Djana - Vann's saxophone sketches out a very simple bitter/sweet melody to the sound of a childs gurgles, I love the track but my girlfriend Ruth who was in studio thought it creepy, there you go music is a subjective thing.

Uri Caine is performing on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th of Jan at the Vortex which is surely gig of the year and we are not even mid way through January! I played a stonking funked up sizzler of a tune from Uri Caine's album 'Shelf Life' recorded on the Winter & Winter label the track was titled 'Steakjacket Prelude'.

The theme of this week's show in homage to Uri's pending solo piano performances was solo piano and coincidentally I was sent through the stunning Irene Schweizer CD 'First Choice - Piano Solo KKL Luzern' which is on the ever excellent Intakt Label. This is a stonking recording with Schweizer show-casing her impressive abilities as a musician and improvisor - in an acoustic that is achingly perfect. Intakt have made a stupendous recording, the quality of which is comparable to ECM at it's best. I can't recommend the record more. I admit I was not fully aware of Irene Schweizers brilliance so this record has put me back on track.

I ended on a stunning track by the Dublin tentet The Fuzzy Logic Ensemble , I played a track called Happy New Year which is striking in it's melodic complexity and bodes really well for this Ensemble output and the state of Jazz in my home town Dublin.

I also gave away a pair of tickets to see Abram Wilson perform from his new release on Dune Records. The winner was Lucas, and we got loads of calls, the answer was Louisianna, so figure out the question!

Here's the full listings of this weeks show:

* Prayer Meeting – Langston Hughes – Smithsonian Folkways

* Djana – by Erwin Vann – from his album Eleven recorded in 1995 Carbon 7 label in Brussels - ft. Michel Hatzigeorgiou (he of that other legendary Brussels trio AKA Moon) on bass and Dre Pllemaerts on Drums.

* Perenne – by David Binny – taken from the album Balance – released on the ACT label – featuring Uri Caine on piano, Wayne Krantz on guitar, Tim Lefebvre on Bass and Jim Black on drums.

* I Want More For Me Than This – by Abram Wilson – from his forthcoming if slightly delayed album ‘Ride! Ferris Wheel To The Modern Day Delta’ on Dune Records – ft Abram on vocals and trumpet, Neil Charles on Bass, Ben Burrell on piano and Shaney Forbes on drums to name a few.

* He Still Carries A Torch For Her – by The Nels Cline Singers – from the album 'The Giant Pin' on Cryptogramaphone – the trio includes - Devin Hoff on Contrabass, Scott Amendola on Drums and of course Nels Cline on guitar and all manner of effects.

* Oddfelt - by Jim Black with the AllasNoAxis Qaurtet – ft Chris Speed on Tenor Sax, Hilmar Jenson on Guitars, Skuli Sverrisson on Basses and Jim Black on Drums – track is taken from the album Dogs Of Great Indifference on the Winter & Winter label aus Munchen in Germany.

* Gbede Temin – by the group Gilfema – who are Lionel Loueke on guitar and vocals / Massimo Biolcati on Bass and Ferenc Nemeth on Drums – this track is taken from the eponymous album released on Oblique Sound.

* Dispatches - by Thomas Stronen - from his album 'Pohlitz' on the Rune Grammafon label.

* Out To Lunch – Eric Dolphy’s signature composition - performed by the Daniel Levin Quartet – taken from his Hatology Release ‘Some Trees’ – featuring the dynamic bass of Joe Morris, Matt Moran on Vibes, Daniel Levin on Cello and Nate Wooley on Trumpet. First release ‘Don’t Go It Alone’ was released in 2004 on Joe Morris’s imprint Riti Records.

* Rentals – Mike Ladd & Vijay Iyer – this track is taken from their album ‘In What Language?’ released on PI Recordings – voice is Ajay Naidu – the project was inspired by the story of the Iranian Film maker Jafar Panahi – pre 9/11 - while in transit from Hong Kong to Bueno Aires – passing through JFK he was held by immigration, shackled – kept in a cell for seven hours and deported back to Hong Kong – Panahi wrote an account of his ordeal, a plea to his fellow passengers that he was not a thief but could not at first figure out what language he should proclaim his innocence in, hence the title of the album.

* Steakjacket Prelude – by Uri Caine from his Bedrock project album ‘Shelf Life’ released in 2005 on the Winter & Winter label - featuring the dangerously funky back line of Zach Danziger on drums, Tim Lefebvre on bass & guitar along with a massive line up including most interestingly the electronic wizadry of nnnj, DJ Olive and Luke Vibert.

Theme - Solo Piano

* Jungle Beats II – by Irene Schweizer – taken from her recently released album ‘First Choice – Piano Solo KKL Luzern’ a recording made at the Culture & Congress Centre Luzern – the tune I chose is a homage to the late Don Cherry. Schweizer is famous for her solo performances throughout her long career - but this concert was a bit special – playing as she was within the hallowed walls of the Luzern Concert Hall.

* Solobsession - by Bojan ZULFI / KARPAS – EECH or Bojan Z as he’s more tidily refered to on occasion – track is the title song from his solo piano recording for Label Bleu in 2000.

* Happy New Year – by The Fuzzy Logic Ensemble – this ten piece Dublin outfit are lead by arranger and hammon organist Dylan Rynhardt - too many musicians to (check out their website!)name but the rather haunting voice is provided Sue Brady – you can check them out and download this tune for free. Along with The Crash Ensemble, The Kai Big Band and Zoid there’s a real buzz about jazz in Dublin at the moment. I plan to feature more Irish jazz on the show soon.

FIN

Welcome to 2007

Hope all our listeners have got 2007 off to a good start.

Kevin has scooted off to the Carribean for several days and I was in Holland and Brussels so we have not hooked up for a while - hence last Monday's playlist is drifting in the ether - but I'll post it as soon as I find it!

I'll be in the hot seat this coming Monday 15th presenting our weekly Nows The Time on Resonance FM. I'm putting the playlist together as I write, listening to the Daniel Levin Quartet release Some Trees - on Hatology 2006. It's an album that passed me by but I picked up a bargain basement copy over Christmas and I've been playing it constantly since. To be honest I was as interested in Joe Morris featuring on the recording and particularly as he's playing upright bass - Morris is a looming figure in my musical journey through life and his move from one of the great guitar improvisors to playing bass on a host of excellent recordings means I rarely pass up a disc with his name on! Levin is a gifted cellist, composer and improvisor - I'll talk more about the record on Monday's show but for no other reason then to hear a wonderous version of Eric Dolphy's 'Out To Lunch' this record is worth picking up.

Myself and Kevin are really keen to up the listener involvement in the show this year, we are straining at the bit to hear your recommendations and reactions to the artists we feature on the radio show - email us or post a comment on the blog, but let us know your ideas and reactions, Nows The Time as we say!