Roswell Rudd – Trombone Tribe // Bobo Stenson Trio // Bonerama

Roswell Rudd – Trombone Tribe

Der amerikanische Posaunist Roswell Rudd ist einer der letzten lebenden Musiker, die den Übergang vom Hardbop zum Free Jazz nicht nur miterlebt, sondern aktiv gestaltet haben. Auf der Suche nach möglichen Aktivisten für ein Newport ’58 ‘Klassentreffen’ wurden wir fündig bei Eli’s Chosen Six, der mobilen Dixie-Task Force, deren Posaunist Roswell Rudd war.

Seit Anfang der sechziger Jahre suchte er jedoch unentwegt mit Musikern wie Archie Shepp, Steve Lacy, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry und Pharoah Sanders nach neuen Ufern. Das New York Art Quartet mit Rudd, John Tchicai, Milford Graves und Lewis Worrell war die schlüssige Antwort des Free Jazz auf das Modern Jazz Quartet. Bei all seinen Eskapaden in der Avantgarde behielt er stets den erdigen Blues seiner frühen Jahre bei.

In jüngerer Zeit öffnete er sich mehr für afrikanische Musik, doch mit seiner neuesten Gruppe Trombone Tribe vereint er wieder Tradition und Freigeist des Jazz. Gemeinsam mit der Posaunisten-Frontline Steve Swell und Deborah Weisz sowie Tubist Bob Stewart lässt er das Publikum tief in die Rohre lauschen. Unterstützt werden sie von zwei alten Meistern der freien Rhythmik, Drummer Barry Altschul und Bassist Henry Grimes, der an der Seite von Thelonious Monk schon in Jazz on a Summer’s Day zu sehen war.

Bobo Stenson Trio

Swedish master pianist Bobo Stenson and long term bassist Anders Jormin – now joined by responsive young drummer Jon Fält – have developed a richly detailed sound-world like nothing else in modern jazz.
www.musicconnection.org.uk

The lazy assumption is that Bobo Stenson is the archetypal ECM pianist; of course the reality is completely different. And even to suggest that there is an archetypal ECM pianist is to miss the point. It’s the mixture of jazz, classical and folk influences that marks Stenson out, and Anders Jormin on double bass and Jon Fält on drums are equally adept in all these fields.
thejazzbreakfast.wordpress.com

To re-invite Bobo (after the 2001 solo of the former) was one of the most spontaneous and authentic decisions by Swedish compatriot Nils Landgren on the eve of the 2nd time around as musical director of the latter.

Bonerama

“New Orleans Brass Funk Rock”

When Bonerama struts onstage with its four-trombone frontline, you can guess it’s not quite like any rock ’n’ roll band you’ve seen. When they tear into some vintage New Orleans funk, there’s no questioning from which city these guys hail. And when those ‘bones start ripping into Hendrix and Led Zeppelin licks, all stylistic bets are off.

Even in a city that doesn’t play by the rules, New Orleans’ Bonerama is something different. They’re not a traditional brass band, but they’ve got brass to spare – even with no trumpets or saxes in sight. They can evoke vintage funk, classic rock and free improvisation in the same set; maybe even the same song. Bonerama has been repeatedly recognized by Rolling Stone magazine, hailed as „the ultimate in brass balls” (2005) and praised for their „crushing ensemble riffing, human-feedback shrieks and wahwah growls” (2007).

Bonerama carries the brass-band concept to places unknown; what other brass band could snag an honor for „Best Rock Band” (Big Easy Awards 2007)? As cofounder Mark Mullins puts it, „We thought we could expand what a New Orleans brass band could do. Bands like Dirty Dozen started the ‘anything goes’ concept, bringing in the guitars and the drumkit and using the sousaphone like a bass guitar. We thought we could push things a little further.”