Carlos Bica & Azul, More Than This, with Frank Mobus and Jim Black

A bass player led trio? Yes. Carlos Bica steps out with a loose-tight offering that puts forth a trio of distinction. Bica's eloquent acoustic bass pairs with a great feel from guitarist Frank Mobus and the ever-strong drumming of Jim Black. It is, to give it its proper name, Carlos Bica & Azul on an album called More Than This (Clean Feed 398).

What gets this one your ear is a sort of semi-spooky spaciness and electricity of the Mobus guitar (something with roots perhaps of Frisell, Abercrombie, and the like but also a distinct personal edginess), the post Eberhard Weber, rich-toned bass thoughtfulness of Bica and the open inventiveness of Black's drumming.

These are nicely wrought pieces, mostly written by Bica, who takes care that he forwards the sound with melodic leads that have gorgeous harmonic fleshing out by Mobus as called for. Or alternately Mobus handles the melodic head only perhaps to then hand it on to Bica.

It is both edgy and lyrical, sometimes both at once. There are nice solo moments to hear throughout and a kind of open jazz-rock-space zone that attracts magnetically if you listen properly.

This is hugely pleasurable music from Bica and a beautiful trio. I strongly suggest you listen!

Daniel Fortin, Brinks

Today another brick in the wall of good sounds out there to be heard. Consider contemporary jazz bassist-composer Daniel Fortin and his album Brinks (Fresh Sound New Talent 473). OK, so with all the new releases coming out weekly, why do I think this one deserves you ear? This may be review number four-thousand and something on these blogs, but I as always only pick out the ones I think you might want to hear, that I myself like. Why this one? I'll try and explain.

Start with the instrumentation/players. It's Daniel on acoustic and electric bass, David French on tenor sax, Michael Davidson on vibraphone and Fabio Ragnelli on drums. When you think about it, you may realize that such an instrumentation is not as common as perhaps it might be. More importantly Fortin has chosen his mates wisely and given them music that gives life to who they are. Davidson is a complete vibist harmonically and line-wise; French plays a straightforwardly clear-toned tenor that gives us the compositional impact of the melody and comes up with nicely turned solos that follow the changes but not in any cliched way; Ragnelli plays often enough quietly but busily in a loosely swinging fashion that is filled with good percussive ideas.

This is foremost an expression of Daniel Fortin, his involved and often brilliant complexities, his nicely wrought tunes. If you listen just to the bass once through, you will appreciate the artistry there, because it is very present! He is something.

In the end everybody contributes with good playing. And the whole stands out as slightly cool but never vapid, always full of content.

That all makes this one stand out as a recording of definite merit!