Customer Reviews

From the Green Hill (Reis)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I played this disk for a friend and fellow jazz fan - we both lament the backward-looking nature of contemporary American jazz - and he turned to me, after a moment of awe following Stone Ridge, and wondered aloud if Wynton Marsalis has heard this music. And if he has, what does he think? We both concluded that Marsalis ought to be thinking, "Stanko is kicking my butt." Not that Stanko is a better trumpeter, Marsalis is a brilliant player, but it's just that Stanko is forging ahead creatively, mining the available techniques, music and talent to make astonishing art. Meanwhile, Marsalis and other American talents like Joshua Redman, Wallace Roney etc. seem to be wishing it were 1958 all over again. Just go to the list of latest Jazz releases and you'll find half or more are retrospectives. And if they're not looking back in time they're riding the coattails of hip-hop. Stanko's "From the Green Hill" proves to me that Jazz isn't an antique; there's still quality work to be done that's fresh and interesting.

This disc follows the pattern of much of ECM's recent output in deploying a carefully assembled band in a highly democratic manner, often breaking it down to smaller groupings for a series of short tracks; the album features the leader, the Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, only slightly more prominently than the other musicians. Stanko is about as far from ECM's other favourite trumpeter, Kenny Wheeler, as you can get--he has a passionate, vocalized, rough sound that is like no one else's in the music except perhaps occasionally Dave Douglas. He's in the past managed to fit into contexts running from straightahead jazz to folk musics to electronica to the band of Cecil Taylor (the superlative _Winged Serpent, Sliding Quadrants_).

On this album he's joined by John Surman on baritone & bass clarinet, Dino Saluzzi on bandoneon, Michelle Makarski on violin (an excellent player I've never heard before, though sadly she only appears on a few tracks), & the expert European rhythm section of Anders Jormin on bass & Jon Christensen on drums. The music is lively & atmospheric--Surman is in ebullient mood (much more so than on some of his own albums like _The Road to St. Ives_), & the bassist & drummer are endlessly inventive. The dynamic range here is exceedingly wide, which I wasn't expecting for an ECM disc--the bandoneon will let things settle into a melancholy & reflective mood, & then Stanko will let 'er rip or Christensen will boot things along.

This disc manages to be both beautiful & sharply intelligent. One might especially point fans of Dave Douglas's forays into European folk & classical musics in the direction of this disc, but I'd imagine that anyone interested in good contemporary jazz will enjoy it. Listeners might also check out some of Stanko's work with Bobo Stenson, Jormin & the British drummer Tony Oxley--they've released a number of discs on GOWI & ECM.

This new release by Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko will likely be stocked in the Jazz section of most record shops, but that categorization does not begin to describe the majestic music on this astonishing album. Stanko has joined forces with a who's-who of international avant garde jazz and classical musicians to create this sonic painting. His co-conspirators include master Argentine bandoneonist Dino Saluzzi, violinist Michelle Makarski from Detroit, Swedish double-bassist Anders Jormin, Norwegian drummer Jon Christensen, and Englishman John Surman on baritone sax and bass clairnet. Who could have ever dreamed up such an eclectic assemblage of instrumentation? Listen to the opening bars of the first song, Surman's "Domino," however, and you will swear that these instruments were made for each other. The tones and timbre of violin, bandoneon, and bass clarinet are ideally suited to each other, allowing Stanko's trumpet to wind its way in and out of the other sounds with serpentine fluidity. The sextet moves from mournful to joyous at the drop of a hat, evoking colors and moods and emotions with their fine interplay. This is modern jazz at its finest---a blend of traditional jazz, folk music, and classic sounds that breathes with a new life.

The noteworthy elements of this music are: instrumentation, influences and compositions. The most important conditioning element in the instrumentation of six, is the BANDONEON which is related to the harmonica and accordian. Of German origin (c 1846) one Heinrich Band altered the concertina fingering to one of his own liking. The BANDONEON is believed to have been introduced to Argentina at an early stage where it quickly became popular as the instrument for the TANGO. The combination of the BANDENEON, VIOLIN and DOUBLE BASS on this CD of music creates a melancholy, Spanish, duende-type timbre which is immensely attractive. Over this background, a throbbing soundscape or a chant the trumpet of Mr Stanko or the reeds of Mr Surman, soar or surge as they twist and turn their improvisations on the melody. This darker background is complemented by the BARITONE SAXOPHONE and BASS CLARINET of Mr Surman. Influences suggested to me include Italian Folk music, Hasidic music, jazz, modern European improvised music, Bartok and Spanish music - the musicians take what influences they will to create their own sound. I felt moved and intrigued by the results on this CD. Nine compositions are by the leader, three by Mr Surman and two by Mr K. Komeda famous for his moody musical contribution to Roman Polanski's classic thriller KNIFE IN THE WATER. Although the sense of composition and arrangement predominates, the music has room for improvisation especially by the trumpet and bass clarinet (my personal bias coming out here) and has "the sound of surprise". This is democratic music- not a trumpet player backed by a quintet - in which considerable room is given to individual musicians, including the full and beautiful woody bass of Mr Jormin and the masterly drumming of Mr Christensen. THis Cd is a brilliant programme of music played at an outstandingly high level of musicianship which will provide listening pleasure over many years. The engineering and sound quality are at the normal ECM standard of excellence. Highlights, and they are many, include Stone Ridge by Mr Surman and his upbeat bass clarinet improvisation. Oh Yeah!

Sicuramente lo definirei un disco importante, una di quelle cose che ti cambiamo la vita in meglio...
Se ne apprezza appieno la bellezza, almeno così è stato per il sottoscritto, dopo qualche ascolto (meglio se notturno).
Assolutamente consigliato.

When I first put this on, I listened distractedly while working and found I did not like it much. But then I listened one evening while relaxing and it hit me, From The Green Hill is one heck of an album! Maybe it is the melancholic bandoneon of Dino Saluzzi, or maybe its the mysterious violin of Michelle Makarski, but the sound here takes the Stanko fan to places Stanko has never before gone.
There is so much to like here, but the reason I do not give it five stars is that there are a few missteps that break the sonic continuity of the album. But that's a minor matter. The opening tune, Domino, sets the scene. Then the music really becomes interesting on the gorgeous Stone Ridge where the combination of Saluzzi's bandoneon and John Surman's clarinet combine to make it one of the most delightful pieces on the album. Stanko puts on a couple of great shows himself with Love Theme From Farewell to Maria and some stratospheric meanderings on Buschka. The CD ends in great style when it revisits the introduction to Domino on (what else?) Domino's Intro then segues into the dreamy Argentyna.
Those used to Tomasz Stanko's more austere and cerebral approach to jazz on most of his albums may be startled to hear him stepping out on From The Green Hill. Not only will the listener hear strains of exotica, he/she will also hear hints of Stravinsky and Debussy interwoven throughout. One reviewer who didn't like this described it as chilly. Well, that's precisely why I do like it! Listen and you will be glad you heard another side of Stanko.

This is another record where several titles should be put into the "ECM Scrapbook" (for a definition see my comments under Bobo Stenson's "Serenity"). But the last title of the CD, "Argentyna", is overwhelming, and some others are quite good as well. Unfortunately Dino Saluzzi gets too little exposure with his bandoneon, however, he sparkles in "Argentyna".