Trombone tracks - Loft-off as core booster Barnett formula can be rigorously applied

She stood out at one particularly unforgettable Jazzahead gig in the Schlachthof this year even within a stellar horn section blend. And however blink and you'd miss it the gone in the air statements of that Lucia Cadotsch and Wanja Slavin led gig …

Published: 31 May 2023. Updated: 10 months.

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She stood out at one particularly unforgettable Jazzahead gig in the Schlachthof this year even within a stellar horn section blend. And however blink and you'd miss it the gone in the air statements of that Lucia Cadotsch and Wanja Slavin led gig were, the consummate touches of the Australian trombonist underlined the notion of the genius of the Shannon Barnett formula application once again. And here on some newly released tracks in a different playing context entirely, mercifully evident on both the stylistically divergent 1950s Ornette Coleman Something Else!!!! classic 'When Will the Blues Leave' and the 1930s Arthur Schwartz standard 'Alone Together' and not at all loftily cold in the execution from a new live album out this summer. There is certainly more space and the leadership role suits.

On 'Alone Together' sans lyrics although even in an instrumental version the Howard Dietz words, ''beyond the crowd'' say as swooningly sung and swung by Peggy Lee on 1959's Things Are Swingin', are inescapable and yet above all we are immediately turning to the J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding version on 1961's The Great Kai and J.J for a certain historical perspective and trombone nirvana.

While Kai and JJ and many other masters of jazz trombone in recent years including the great Curtis Fuller, Slide Hampton and Chris Barber have shuffled off this mortal coil, Barnett shows again that this WDR Big Band stalwart is one of the living greats in whatever context you hear the fortysomething in. The others in the living great bracket we reckon in case you were wondering are numero uno Fred Wesley, then Robin Eubanks, Ray Anderson, Wycliffe Gordon, Trombone Shorty, Delfeayo Marsalis, Annie Whitehead, Samuel Blaser, Nils Wogram, Ku-umba Frank Lacy, Mark Nightingale, Conrad Herwig, Ryan Keberle, Steve Davis, Dennis Rollins, Steve Turré and Alistair White. Quite a constellation.

The Barnett tracks are drawn from Klaeng release Alive at Loft with tenorist Stefan Karl Schmid, bassist David Helm and drummer Fabian Arends

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Top jazz trombone release so far in 2023 of any style is the blisteringly feelgood trad jazz epic Uptown on Mardi Gras Day release by Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra. Frankly nothing can come close this year - it's a while to the next mardi gras, after all

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Jochen Rueckert, With Best Intentions, Colonel Beats ***1/2

Shipmates, it's not 1975. It's not an opera house, there's no Keith. It's not the Köln concert. But it is Köln. Whittled down here judiciously in largely absorbing fashion recorded live at Cologne's Loft jazz club over a couple of nights last year …

Published: 30 May 2023. Updated: 10 months.

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Shipmates, it's not 1975. It's not an opera house, there's no Keith. It's not the Köln concert. But it is Köln. Whittled down here judiciously in largely absorbing fashion recorded live at Cologne's Loft jazz club over a couple of nights last year drummer Jochen Rueckert leading - who is handily from the German city and who is now living in the US - reunites once again with long time playing chum the Warne Marsh inspired tenor legend Mark Turner.

Interestingly in the band too is old Ted Poor mucker Joris Roelofs of Amateur Dentist repute, a head that you'd be rueful to miss the new aquaintance of if oblivious hitherto to his charms. French born Amsterdammer Roelofs on bass clarinet certainly raises the roof in Dolphy fashion enjoyably as if possessing tentacles that flail everywhere on the scrabbling 'Muetze Glatze'. Quintet bassist Doug Weiss nudges the band along unobtrusively.

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Trombone ace Nils Wogram also isn't used enough in the shape of all the tunes. But he wins the day rumblingly on the title track. As for Rueckert he drives hard when he needs to and can hustle the beat along like Adam Nussbaum a bit even on 'Unmitigated'. Check out the video for album track 'Rainbow Road' by scrolling up.

But if you want to hear Mark Turner at his very best it isn't on a Rueckert record it's on his own 2022 career high water mark Return From the Stars and further back Temporary Kings duetting with Ethan Iverson. Make both ports of call. But first sink the tot, don the bell bottoms and take shore leave to catch this not at all rum do of a Rueckertship landing at your earliest convenience before clambering back to ever serenely sail on to your next listening destination. l-r: Joris Roelofs, Doug Weiss, Mark Turner, photo: still from the video

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