MAX LUTHERT
One of the most in-demand bassists of his generation, Max Luthert is known for his distinctive sound and approach to improvisation. In the last couple of years Luthert has been performing in the UK and Europe with artists such as Zara McFarlane, Benet McLean, Duncan Eagles, Gareth Lochrane, Mark Mondesir, Ollie Howell and Peter Edwards; and has featured on a number of albums as a co-leader and sideman including the debut, eponymous album of co-led trio Partikel with the bands second album Cohesion, released in 2012 to rave reviews.
Luthert’s debut album, Orbital, features nine original compositions that showcase his compositional talent with enticing melodies, intricate harmony, subtly complex rhythms and forms. More ambitious than most debuts, Orbital is written for a sextet, as Max explains "Orbital was a project put together with the intention of galvanising myself into writing music with certain structures and sounds that had been interesting me for a number of years. A number of the tunes are named after phrases or places in books I had been reading and I was especially keen that the individual songs, as well as the album, had a sense of a story unfolding with spikes of energy, but also moments of calm to keep the listener listening."
When it comes down to his Top Ten favourite albums, Max says:
Luthert’s debut album, Orbital, features nine original compositions that showcase his compositional talent with enticing melodies, intricate harmony, subtly complex rhythms and forms. More ambitious than most debuts, Orbital is written for a sextet, as Max explains "Orbital was a project put together with the intention of galvanising myself into writing music with certain structures and sounds that had been interesting me for a number of years. A number of the tunes are named after phrases or places in books I had been reading and I was especially keen that the individual songs, as well as the album, had a sense of a story unfolding with spikes of energy, but also moments of calm to keep the listener listening."
When it comes down to his Top Ten favourite albums, Max says:
KENNY GARRETT - Songbook
I couldn't do this list without putting a CD on by Kenny Garrett. When I first started playing improvised music I went and saw Kenny Garrett's quartet at Ronnie Scott's and from then on I was totally hooked. His playing is full of energy, language and emotion that was almost like a drug to me as I spent all my time listening to his records and this album for me represents everything that I love about Kenny Garrett.
DAVID SANCHEZ - Cultural Survival
This is one of my all-time favourite albums and was an automatic pick. All of the compositions are fantastic with a great balance of melody, harmony and rhythm. I've always been into guitars and quartets with guitars in and this is a really great, contemporary album with that line-up as the core of the CD.
I couldn't do this list without putting a CD on by Kenny Garrett. When I first started playing improvised music I went and saw Kenny Garrett's quartet at Ronnie Scott's and from then on I was totally hooked. His playing is full of energy, language and emotion that was almost like a drug to me as I spent all my time listening to his records and this album for me represents everything that I love about Kenny Garrett.
DAVID SANCHEZ - Cultural Survival
This is one of my all-time favourite albums and was an automatic pick. All of the compositions are fantastic with a great balance of melody, harmony and rhythm. I've always been into guitars and quartets with guitars in and this is a really great, contemporary album with that line-up as the core of the CD.
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE - The Imagined Saviour Is Far Easier To Paint
Ambrose Akinmusire is a musician that I really admire and this album is a really formidable piece of work. What I really like is the ambition of the album and how he uses loads of different formats and instrumentation but the album still has it's own sound as a whole.
JOHN COLTRANE - A Love Supreme
I'm aware it's a bit of a cliché choice but when compiling this list I was thinking about albums/artists that I would happily listen to for the rest of my life and John Coltrane is an artists that I couldn't live without. I still remember the first time I heard this album and I was immediately struck by the emotional content of the album.
Ambrose Akinmusire is a musician that I really admire and this album is a really formidable piece of work. What I really like is the ambition of the album and how he uses loads of different formats and instrumentation but the album still has it's own sound as a whole.
JOHN COLTRANE - A Love Supreme
I'm aware it's a bit of a cliché choice but when compiling this list I was thinking about albums/artists that I would happily listen to for the rest of my life and John Coltrane is an artists that I couldn't live without. I still remember the first time I heard this album and I was immediately struck by the emotional content of the album.
PETER GABRIEL - Secret World Live
I'm a massive Peter Gabriel fan and I love this album as it features a load of my favourite tunes of his and the groove that the band set up is amazing.
KURT ROSENWINKEL - The Remedy
What I love about this album is how far the musicians push themselves and each other. The energy is incredible and relentless and the guitar sounds/effects that Kurt Rosenwinkel uses are wicked!
THELONIOUS MONK - The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall
Monk's compositions have always intrigued me and so when I bought this album I was really interested to hear his tunes taken to another compositional level by the man himself.
I'm a massive Peter Gabriel fan and I love this album as it features a load of my favourite tunes of his and the groove that the band set up is amazing.
KURT ROSENWINKEL - The Remedy
What I love about this album is how far the musicians push themselves and each other. The energy is incredible and relentless and the guitar sounds/effects that Kurt Rosenwinkel uses are wicked!
THELONIOUS MONK - The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall
Monk's compositions have always intrigued me and so when I bought this album I was really interested to hear his tunes taken to another compositional level by the man himself.
HANK MOBLEY - Soul Station
I came across this CD relatively recently and it's become one of my favourite recordings. Hank Mobley's lines are unbelievably melodic and the rhythm section has to rank as one of the greatest ever, the vibe and interaction is incredible.
SONNY ROLLINS - The Bridge
Sonny Rollins is a hero of mine for many reasons but one reason is how freely he plays and how creative he can be in a more traditional setting and this album epitomises that to me.
STEVE LEHMAN - Mise En Abîme
I've been listening to this CD almost every other day since it came out, it really is outstanding. The level of detail in the compositions as well as the improvising is out of this world. Everything is really clear and precise despite the complexity of the music and I can't recommend it enough!
I came across this CD relatively recently and it's become one of my favourite recordings. Hank Mobley's lines are unbelievably melodic and the rhythm section has to rank as one of the greatest ever, the vibe and interaction is incredible.
SONNY ROLLINS - The Bridge
Sonny Rollins is a hero of mine for many reasons but one reason is how freely he plays and how creative he can be in a more traditional setting and this album epitomises that to me.
STEVE LEHMAN - Mise En Abîme
I've been listening to this CD almost every other day since it came out, it really is outstanding. The level of detail in the compositions as well as the improvising is out of this world. Everything is really clear and precise despite the complexity of the music and I can't recommend it enough!
Max Luthert tours music from Orbital
18 January – Ashburton Jazz Club
19 January – North Devon Jazz Club, Appledore
20 January - The Spotted Dog, Birmingham
21 January – Dempsey’s, Cardiff
22 January – SoundCellar, Poole
23 January – Sheffield Jazz Club
25 January - Southampton Modern Jazz Club, Southampton
To read our review of Orbital by Max Luthert click on the album cover.
For more information visit www.maxluthert.co.uk & www.whirlwindrecordings.com
18 January – Ashburton Jazz Club
19 January – North Devon Jazz Club, Appledore
20 January - The Spotted Dog, Birmingham
21 January – Dempsey’s, Cardiff
22 January – SoundCellar, Poole
23 January – Sheffield Jazz Club
25 January - Southampton Modern Jazz Club, Southampton
To read our review of Orbital by Max Luthert click on the album cover.
For more information visit www.maxluthert.co.uk & www.whirlwindrecordings.com
