top of page

The remarkable Tranxit



Sic transit gloria mundi.


Fame is fleeting.


But some things you just know are made to stick around.


It's enduring news that United is to be released this autumn, led off by this piece of riff/groove Afrojazz alchemy, 'Tranxit.'



Clicks for kicks

Nearly all the tunes are by Herbie Hancock guitarist & vocalist Lionel Loueke, icon of the music ever since Gilfema days and his classic 'Benny's Tune' with Terence Blanchard was issued on Flow.


This is new from Benin great Loueke and bass don Englishman Dave Holland. Their first collaboration as a duo, according to issuing label Edition, this was recorded in the Catskills at Scott Petito's NRS Studio in August last year.


What a room it must be

NRS is the same studio where the fabulous Motéma 2017 Jack DeJohnette supergroup album Hudson (with John Scofield, Larry Grenadier and John Medeski) was recorded.



It is also where Dave with long time chum sax leviathan Evan Parker, Craig Taborn and Ches Smith recorded 2017 free improv masterpiece Uncharted Territories (Dare2, 2018).


United is produced by Loueke and is issued by England based indie Edition with whom both Dave and Lionel have issued recordings.


Franco factor

In LL's case recall Gilles Peterson reworking some Herbie classics with the Franco and George Benson-influenced Lionel on HH Reimagined put out in 2022.


Preternatural stillness

Holland made jazz history with Miles Davis transitioning into what became Miles' jazz-rock language changing pomp moving through Filles De Kilimanjaro to the beautiful preternatural stillness of In a Silent Way to the mind blowing nature of Bitches Brew. Jazz lover the best 20 minutes of your day will be spent should you choose to listen to the Joe Zawinul In a Silent Way title track from that 1969 jewel of 20th century music. Fact.

Massively vibrational

The title track of United is a massively vibrational Wayne Shorter composition first recorded in 1961 but not released until Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' Roots & Herbs was issued by Blue Note in 1970. (Medeski, Martin & Wood did a flying version of the piece in the 1990s on Notes From the Underground.) Look for United on 8 November.

Comments


bottom of page