For this installment of Quickies, the inaugural releases of a new label dedicated to presenting the music of talented up and coming jazz musicians are highlighted. These musicians are all members of an artist collective, the Brooklyn Jazz Underground, and this spring saw the launching of the collective's Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records.
BJU Records' mission statement goes like this:
"Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records is an independent and artist-run label committed to creative and adventurous contemporary improvised music. We strive to put out quality recordings that define the shape of today's jazz. BJU Records is a sister company of the Brooklyn Jazz Underground bandleader collective."
Sounds to me like a worthy goal to aspire to.
These three releases feature a couple of bassists/composers and a democratic guitar/piano/bass/drums ensemble. All of these recordings contain excellent support, including from some artists who we've spotlighted here previously. And each of these three CDs reveal three distinct personalities that utilize different approaches to achieving the BJU Records' lofty ideals.
Here's the rundown on each record:
Alexis Cuadrado Puzzles
Of the three we're presenting here, this one has the most varied material. The Spaniard bassist Cuadrado co-founded the BJU collective and shows much diversity and acumen as a group leader and composer.
I like the harmonic invention Cuadrado shows across different styles, whether it's the light, pop-ish bop of "Bright Light," the Dave Holland-styled challenging shifts of the sprawling "Quintessential" or the seamless combination of blues-rock and jazz of the catchy "East 10th Shuffle."
Backed by an able crew consisting of Loren Stillman (sax), Brad Shepik (guitar) and Mark Ferber (drums), the keyboard-less quartet is supplemented on three tracks by Alan Feber's trombone and organist Pete Rende for "B&W Pop." Speaking of "B&W Pop" this soulful, slow-funk tune is one of the spots where Shepik is provided plenty of space to shine. "Canon" contains some wonderful three-way interplay between Shepik, Stillman and Alan Ferber. You just don't encounter such demanding and exciting contexts like that much in tonal jazz that much nowadays.
Perhaps the inspiration for Puzzles came from Cuadrado's fixer-upper residence; he wrote all those compositions in the midst of renovating his house and ultimately decided to record these songs with his quartet in the living room (rock has garage bands...jazz has living room bands. Go figure). If Puzzles is right at home with jazz that's tuneful but challenging, that's because Alexis Cuadrado went to extremes to make sure it would sound that way.
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