Scott Hamilton meets Jesper Thilo

Straightahead / Mainstream Jazz
premiera polska: 2011-07-07,
Wydawnicto Audiofilskie
kontynent: Ameryka Północna
kraj: USA
opakowanie: digipackowe etui
opis:
multikultiproject.blogspot.com - ocena: * * * * 1/2
Legendarna kreatorka mody Coco Chanel zwykła mawiać, że "moda przemija, styl pozostaje".

Te słowa przyszły mi do głowy gdy słucham płyty "Scott Hamilton meets Jesper Thilo". Ci starsi panowie dwaj, owszem mają szron na głowie ale zdrowia i frajdy z grania mają tyle, że zakasowaliby niejednego młodziaka. Fascynujące jest być świadkiem muzyki zagranej bez pozowania na techniczne mistrzostwo świata, bez atmosfery wyścigu formuły 1.

Tradycja pojedynków saksofonowych [Tenor Battles] sięga lat 30. XX wieku, kiedy to Lester Young i Herschel Evans w Orkiestrze Counta Basie'go elektryzowali publiczność. Później Dexter Gordon z Wardellem Gray'em czy Gene Ammons z Sonny Stittem i wielu innych po nich zachwycało jazzfanów. Scott Hamilton rocznik 1952 i Jesper Thilo rocznik 1949 reprezentują to samo pokolenie muzyków, ukształtowanych w tych dziwnych czasach (lata 70.), kiedy to nawet zdeklarowani "akustycy" podłączali się do prądu. Trzeba wiedzieć, że niewielu jazzmanom wyszło to na dobre.
Jednak wielu fanów jazzu do dzisiaj, tych muzyków, którzy nie próbowali zmieniać stylu uważa za wytwór epoki dinozaurów, nie mających już nic nowego do powiedzenia na artystycznej niwie. I tutaj pojawia się miejsce na sentencję Coco Chanel, wydaje się jednak, że to ona ma rację, bo koniec końców "moda przemija, styl pozostaje". Scott Hamilton i Jesper Thilo wsparci klasycznym jazzowym trio w składzie Soren Kristiansen na fortepianie, Jesper Lundgaard na kontrabasie i za perkusją Kristian Leth dają w tej dyskusji garść argumentów nie do obalenia.

Bezpretensjonalne granie, saksofonowe gawędy bardziej niż bitwy, zapierające dech w piersiach, wyczerpujące improwizacje, eksponujące oryginalne brzmienia saksofonów obydwu muzyków i fantastyczna w swoim rodzaju praca trio przywracają wiarę w kondycję jazzowego środka jazzu, który potrafi być "nieuczesany", pełen nieprawdopodobnej wprost witalności.

Siedem doskonale dobranych standardów, w których muzycy prezentują całą gamę warsztatowych możliwości od uroczych współbrzmień w "Good Bait" przez wspaniałe call and response w "Blues Up And Down" po perliste improwizacje w "Blue Monk" i "Blues Up And Down", dużą paletę emocjonalnego nasycenia od enrgetycznego "Blue Lou" poprzez niewymuszony swing w "Just Friends" po przejmującą balladę "Body and Soul". Do tego dodać należy, jak przystało na słynącą z wysokiej jakości nagrania Stunt Records audiofilską realizację i niebanalną szatę graficzną a otrzymamy skończone jazzowe dzieło.
autor: Andrzej Majak

Editor's Info
"We don't fght - this isn't a war," tenor saxophonist Jesper Tilo informs the audience, when welcoming them to concerts with American sax man Scott Hamilton and himself. Tey do not consider their performances traditional tenor battles, where the soloists are combatants trying to outdo each other.

Tenor battles are an old tradition in jazz. Back in the 30's, Lester Young and Herschel Evans played up an unrelenting storm in Basie's orchestra even though they were the best of friends. Battles have always been a favorite with audiences, and saxophonists like Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray and Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt continued the demanding exercise a few years later, as did Johnny Grifn and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Zoot Sims and Al Cohn. But, although there are moments that send sparks fying, it is obvious that Scott Hamilton and Jesper Tilo are not trying to outplay each other.

Jesper Tilo explains that they both have a similar approach to music.
"If you have a story to tell, the choice of tune isn't that important. As long as you feel that you can give a part of yourself, then everything is fne. And everything was fne - we played at the Copenhagen Jazz House on the three evenings preceding the recording session, so there were no problems in the studio. Afer fve hours, we had plenty of material, and a lot of the tracks were frst takes. Scott is a great guy, easy to work with and easy to get along with. Te frst time I played with him was in 2005. We discovered that we enjoyed playing together, and since then we've performed now and then without forcing anything - if it happens, it happens. If not, it wasn't meant to be."

On SCOTT HAMILTON MEETS JESPER THILO, the diferences between their styles are apparent, and these diferences highlight their individual strengths. Tey share common roots in mainstream and swing jazz. Hamilton is introverted, and his tone is lighter. At frst, Tilo seems more outgoing, more exuberant - perhaps a touch more "modern". Jazz isn't always about fnding new approaches. It is equally important to keep the fame burning, and no one keeps tradition alive more beautifully than Tilo and Hamilton. Both are iconoclastic to afcionados of early jazz.

Born in 1952, Scott Hamilton's heroes include Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins and Lester young - the founders of swing sax. When he emerged in the 70's - the heyday of jazz-rock - his fondness of early jazz made him a rare and strange species. But Hamilton stuck to his chosen path, and over the years he has toured steadily and released a long string of albums for the famous Concord label.
Afer the fne CD, SCOTT HAMILTON LIVE AT NEFERTITI, featuring the American saxophonist with two Swedes, guitarist Ulf Wakenius and pianist Jan Lundgren, and two Danes, bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Kristian Leth, Stunt Records is proud to release yet another summit, this time featuring Hamilton with soul-mate Jesper Tilo, and another sparkling rhythm section led by a blazing Soren Kristiansen on piano, closely followed by bassist Jesper Lundgaard's rich lows and Kristian Leth's straight forward, swinging drums.

Born in 1949, Jesper Tilo has probably never played better than right now. However, that statement has ofen been heard since the early 60's, when he began performing. Over the years he has played with slews of jazz greats - Ben Webster, Harry Edison, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge,
J.C.Higginbotham and Vic Dickenson would be just scraping the surface.
He held a long-time chair in the DR Big Band, where he digested every musical infuence that came his way. Tilo originally studied classical clarinet, an instrument featured on his CD Stunt Records, JESPER THILO ON CLARINET. Since 1990, he has led his own quartet. If you listen clo-sely, you may still hear traces of Webster and "Lockjaw" Davis, but they come out as pure Tilo.
"...without exaggeration two of the fnest living artists in mainstream jazz, Danish Jesper Tilo and American Scott Hamilton continue on CD a collaboration which began on stage. Teir love and knowledge of the music of the 30's and 40's and the tenor greats of the period is genuine and sincere.
Tilo is dark and robust, Hamilton has a brighter tone and a greater reve-rence for Lester Young. Tere is no battle between the two, it is the joy and pleasure they share for the same music, which makes this meeting so succes-sful and meaningful. Retro? Not at all." Information, April 2011

muzycy:
Scott Hamilton, Jesper Thilo: tenor saxophones
Soren Kristiansen: piano
Jesper Lundgaard: double bass
Kristian Leth: drums

utwory:
1. Blue Lou
2. Good Bait
3. Blue Monk
4. Berbies Tune
5. Body And Soul
6. Blues Up And Down

total time - 57:18
wydano: 2011-06
more info: www.sundance.dk