FRANCO AMBROSETTI QUINTET - Long Waves
Unit Records
Franco Ambrosetti: flugelhorn; John Scofield: guitar; Uri Caine: piano; Scott Colley: bass; Jack DeJohnette: drums
Swiss flugelhornist Franco Ambrosetti has been the doyen of the Switzerland jazz scene for decades. He comes from a strong family lineage including saxophonists Flavio and Gianluca that truly put the Switzerland jazz scene on the map in the mid to late 50’s and early 60’s. They lead a quartet with pianist George Gruntz and drummer Daniel Humair that eventually converged in the 70’s to form one of Europe’s most important and longest lasting big bands, the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. Over the ensuing years, Ambrosetti lead a number of sterling ensembles, and the quintet that graces his latest recording Long Waves, the term all star is an understatement. The quintet features the dynamic crew of John Scofield on guitar, pianist Uri Caine, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Jack DeJohnette all musicians who have worked with Ambrosetti in the past and with each in various configurations.
All star dates are sometimes underwhelming when the final result is delivered. In jazz’s illustrious history there have been numerous all star affairs that have looked tantalizing on paper, but have failed to deliver in the musical department. In the heyday of major label jazz albums in the 80’s and 90’s many of the albums were all star conglomerations instead of working bands, some like The New Standard (Verve, 1995) by Herbie Hancock (with Scofield and DeJohnette in tow) worked beautifully while others didn’t. Long Waves is fortunately one of the dates that works very very well, and is in part due to the fact all of them had previously worked in Ambrosetti in the past. Scofield, and DeJohnette go all the way back to the guitarist’s Grace Under Pressure (Blue Note, 1989) and more recently the two had superlative hook ups on the cooperative Trio Beyond’s Saudades (ECM, 2006) and Hudson (Motema, 2017) and their rapport is evident on the five Ambrosetti originals and two standards. Uri Caine last worked with the flugelhornist in 2007 on The Wind and Colley’s bass is new to the fray.
Ambrosetti’s graceful tango “Milonga” finds his flugelhorn gliding over DeJohnette’s busy, but never intrusive alluring beat, and Scofield is marvelous with his signature rhythmic choppiness. The flugelhornist’s dark tone prances and darts inside of DeJohnette’s heavy swinging, and the drummer’s turn is of interest as he plays phrase variations around his ride cymbal pattern and pulse. As Keith Jarrett reflected in his notes to the Standards Trio’s My Foolish Heart: Live at Montreux (ECM, 2006) “Jack bustles through the music, creating whirlwinds and traffic jams from which he re-emerges (as do we) unscathed and somehow better for it” and that’s exactly what DeJohnette does here, creating whirlwinds and traffic jams for the soloists, that are completely in reaction to what’s going on around him and always in service to the music. Caine really digs in on the tune thanks to DeJohnette’s strong prismatic cymbal, and the drummer is especially effective on “One For The Kids” which juxtaposes a down and dirty New Orleans second line groove with swing on the bridge. On “Silli’s Long Wave” which has a driving modal “A” section with changes on the “B” section, Scofield really goes for it, and the flugelhornist have thrilling interplay towards the close. Ambrosetti really let’s his tone sing on “Old Folks”, and plays with fluid assurance on the closing “On Green Dolphin Street”.
Long Waves is an enjoyable journey from 5, brilliant, seasoned musicians. At age 70, Ambrosetti sounds absolutely tremendous, delivering a batch of memorable, singable tunes for blowing that have a lot of sustenance underneath. The complimentary rhythm section enables him to toss of a bevy of stimulating ideas, that reward repeated listenings. His golden tone and imagination assures his place in jazz history is set, and with outings like these, they are impossible to not like.
Reviewed by CJ Shearn
Unit Records
Franco Ambrosetti: flugelhorn; John Scofield: guitar; Uri Caine: piano; Scott Colley: bass; Jack DeJohnette: drums
Swiss flugelhornist Franco Ambrosetti has been the doyen of the Switzerland jazz scene for decades. He comes from a strong family lineage including saxophonists Flavio and Gianluca that truly put the Switzerland jazz scene on the map in the mid to late 50’s and early 60’s. They lead a quartet with pianist George Gruntz and drummer Daniel Humair that eventually converged in the 70’s to form one of Europe’s most important and longest lasting big bands, the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. Over the ensuing years, Ambrosetti lead a number of sterling ensembles, and the quintet that graces his latest recording Long Waves, the term all star is an understatement. The quintet features the dynamic crew of John Scofield on guitar, pianist Uri Caine, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Jack DeJohnette all musicians who have worked with Ambrosetti in the past and with each in various configurations.
All star dates are sometimes underwhelming when the final result is delivered. In jazz’s illustrious history there have been numerous all star affairs that have looked tantalizing on paper, but have failed to deliver in the musical department. In the heyday of major label jazz albums in the 80’s and 90’s many of the albums were all star conglomerations instead of working bands, some like The New Standard (Verve, 1995) by Herbie Hancock (with Scofield and DeJohnette in tow) worked beautifully while others didn’t. Long Waves is fortunately one of the dates that works very very well, and is in part due to the fact all of them had previously worked in Ambrosetti in the past. Scofield, and DeJohnette go all the way back to the guitarist’s Grace Under Pressure (Blue Note, 1989) and more recently the two had superlative hook ups on the cooperative Trio Beyond’s Saudades (ECM, 2006) and Hudson (Motema, 2017) and their rapport is evident on the five Ambrosetti originals and two standards. Uri Caine last worked with the flugelhornist in 2007 on The Wind and Colley’s bass is new to the fray.
Ambrosetti’s graceful tango “Milonga” finds his flugelhorn gliding over DeJohnette’s busy, but never intrusive alluring beat, and Scofield is marvelous with his signature rhythmic choppiness. The flugelhornist’s dark tone prances and darts inside of DeJohnette’s heavy swinging, and the drummer’s turn is of interest as he plays phrase variations around his ride cymbal pattern and pulse. As Keith Jarrett reflected in his notes to the Standards Trio’s My Foolish Heart: Live at Montreux (ECM, 2006) “Jack bustles through the music, creating whirlwinds and traffic jams from which he re-emerges (as do we) unscathed and somehow better for it” and that’s exactly what DeJohnette does here, creating whirlwinds and traffic jams for the soloists, that are completely in reaction to what’s going on around him and always in service to the music. Caine really digs in on the tune thanks to DeJohnette’s strong prismatic cymbal, and the drummer is especially effective on “One For The Kids” which juxtaposes a down and dirty New Orleans second line groove with swing on the bridge. On “Silli’s Long Wave” which has a driving modal “A” section with changes on the “B” section, Scofield really goes for it, and the flugelhornist have thrilling interplay towards the close. Ambrosetti really let’s his tone sing on “Old Folks”, and plays with fluid assurance on the closing “On Green Dolphin Street”.
Long Waves is an enjoyable journey from 5, brilliant, seasoned musicians. At age 70, Ambrosetti sounds absolutely tremendous, delivering a batch of memorable, singable tunes for blowing that have a lot of sustenance underneath. The complimentary rhythm section enables him to toss of a bevy of stimulating ideas, that reward repeated listenings. His golden tone and imagination assures his place in jazz history is set, and with outings like these, they are impossible to not like.
Reviewed by CJ Shearn
