Solar Plexus: Shows Pink

Modern Jazz
premiera polska: 2006-07-27
kontynent: Europa
kraj: Dania
opakowanie: Jewel Caseowe etui
opis:
All About Jazz:
Keyboard player Michel Heise is not widely known outside Copenhagen jazz circles, where he has established something of a following with his band Solar Plexus. This release features fellow Danes Kaspar Vadsholt on bass and Francis Norgard on drums, comprising the core trio, a keyboard led fusion unit tackling a selection of eight tracks, recorded live at the Copenhagen Jazzhouse. Of these, five are covers from a broad spectrum of composers, with the first two tunes coming from the diverse pens of Richard Strauss and Jim Morrison.

Central to these pieces, and obviously prominent in his own compositions, are Heise's keyboards, inspiring comparisons with veteran British prog practitioners Vincent Crane (Atomic Rooster) and Dave Stewart (Hatfield & The North, National Health). This music is maybe not as original as that of those pioneers, but achieves a similar result. Time signatures are less complex, and evolutions are essentially defined by the interplay of colour and expression between Heise's three different instruments—Wurlitzer, Hohner and Korg. Within these parameters the band achieves an interesting mix of mood, as, notably, on their swirling rendition of Count Basie's "Li'l Darlin'." They run it close at times but generally manage to avoid the pyrotechnical excesses of other keyboard-driven power trios, in no small part due to the presence of Niels Vincentz on soprano saxophone.

It is on the tracks where the band plays as a quartet that the balance is most complementary and the sound most complete. At these times there is genuine interplay and tension, trades and duels—which the trio only approximate on the closing title track. But this is nevertheless an entertaining album. One request for the future: more of those genuinely integrated sounds please, Mr Heise.
By ANTHONY SHAW

muzycy:
Michel Heise: Wurlitzer, Hohner D6, Korg C3
Kaspar Vadsholt, Francis Norgard: drums
Niels Vincentz: soprano saxophone (2,4,6)

utwory:
1. Also Sprach Zarathustra
2. Light My Fire
3. China Syndrom
4. Li'l Darlin'
5. Funky Town
6. Freedom Jazzdance
7. Suture
8. Solar Plexus Shows Pink

total time - 50:42
nagrano: Recorded live at the Jazzhouse, Copenhagen, Denmark on August 8, 2006

more info: www.coperecords.com