James Brandon Lewis and Chad Taylor, Live in Willisau, Intakt

Another sax and drums duo album and possibly along with Divine Travels James Brandon Lewis' most significant statement to date. It seems more concise, mature and wise… but he's always been a great player and isn't afraid to take risks. Here the …

Published: 20 Apr 2020. Updated: 3 years.

Another sax and drums duo album and possibly along with Divine Travels James Brandon Lewis' most significant statement to date. It seems more concise, mature and wise… but he's always been a great player and isn't afraid to take risks. Here the tenorist is with drummer Chad Taylor at the 2019 Willisau Jazz Festival. While Brandon Lewis still hasn't found the ultimate spritual sound he clearly craves (don't believe me? Listen to some Albert Ayler or late-period Coltrane and you'll know what the aim is) the journeying is part of his appeal and this comes close in terms of power, ideas and freeness to a shattering breakthrough. SG

James Brandon Lewis photo: via Bandcamp

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Jon Balke returns with Discourses

It's noun or never: each of the 16 titles on Discourses containing at least one 'the', solo piano from Jon Balke is in focus once again on this upcoming album to be released on ECM in mid-May. Recorded in Lugano four months ago you can listen to …

Published: 20 Apr 2020. Updated: 4 years.

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It's noun or never: each of the 16 titles on Discourses containing at least one 'the', solo piano from Jon Balke is in focus once again on this upcoming album to be released on ECM in mid-May.

Recorded in Lugano four months ago you can listen to 'The Why', a dark lento meditation, sequenced in the middle of the album above.

This latest is the Norwegian's third such album, and is the next on from Warp released four years ago Balke notes: "As the political climate hardened in 2019 with more and more polarized speech, the lack of dialogue pointed me towards the terms that constitute the titles for the tracks."

Jon Balke, photo: ECM