Bobby Previte, Jamie Saft, Nels Cline, Music From The Early 21st Century, RareNoise

Some of the lead-off tracks from Music From The Early 21st Century were great. But listening to it all through however is a different, patchier, experience. While the album has some great moments I am not sure if it is altogether a satisfying …

Published: 18 Mar 2020. Updated: 4 years.

Some of the lead-off tracks from Music From The Early 21st Century were great. But listening to it all through however is a different, patchier, experience. While the album has some great moments I am not sure if it is altogether a satisfying experience overall. Take the overall organ solo on 'The New Weird': yes it hooks you in but then what…?

Bobby Previte, Jamie Saft and Nels Cline have combined to write all the music and maybe the tunes work better as a journey rather than prove capable of building up that ultimate sense of arrival.

All three are star leaders in their own right and yes certainly exude rapport on this prog/free organ-guitar-drums outing. But the trajectories of the tunes are often too loose and rambling.

Recorded live on a US tour last year in east coast places such as Quinn's in Beacon, New York state, described online as a ''low-key hangout with an old-timey vibe offering Japanese fare, craft beer & a lineup of live music'' it is also certainly authentic, again a plus.

Maybe I'm just being too picky about the overall experience. Still, there's a nagging feeling of wanting more here and not finding enough of it beyond a few tracks. I drifted off towards the end against my better instincts but nonetheless was not gripped enough to stick around. Being there might have been tons better. SG

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Raoul Björkenheim, Solar Winds, Long Song Records

Björkenheim has always been a galaxy ahead. He has an incredible spirit that remains undimmed by age. He deploys a blitzkrieg of tactics in his preferred jazz-rock-free-jazz style and while not microtonal in a David "Fuze" Fiuczynski sense shares …

Published: 18 Mar 2020. Updated: 4 years.

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Björkenheim has always been a galaxy ahead. He has an incredible spirit that remains undimmed by age. He deploys a blitzkrieg of tactics in his preferred jazz-rock-free-jazz style and while not microtonal in a David "Fuze" Fiuczynski sense shares some vocabulary and certainly heat with Fuze and deep down Hendrix as well. Probably Sonny Sharrock and Terje Rypdal are in there too in the labyrinth of his improvisations.

I enjoyed Solar Winds issued on Italian label Long Song. To be honest however the band with Björkenheim are not really up to giving the guitarist quite what he needs on this Coltrane tribute stocked with a few Björkenheim originals including the title track and plenty of Coltrane improvisations drawn from the more adventurous end of his canon. Emanuele Parrini on violin gives it a good go but needs more firepower although he inhabits the world of Leroy Jenkins on Swift Are The Winds Of Life. Silvia Bolognesi on bass and Tiziano Tononi on drums do what they can. Fair play to them. However you can't always climb Everest even if you really want to however you come equipped.

Highlight? Well the cover of 'Peace on Earth' from the posthumously released Concert in Japan is fabulous. Full marks for intent and execution. Actually it does not matter that the record only goes half way to heaven because Björkenheim still soars even when he needs some better reactions. And there is somehow a sincerity that transmits person to person in a very organic way that wins you over. If you share my feelings you'll want to make excuses for the bits you don't like. There aren't many. SG