* I realize that the bands and the artists to which I’ll address this review are not in the Archives (and will probably not get in the Jazz-Rock entourage of Progressive Rock Archives at all, therefore a “non-prog” (such a shallow word) live performance review among so many prog entitled ones in inconvenient; knowing that, I think however that the focus should be rather on live performance reviews rather than prog strict distinctions. Of course, I don’t want now to create trends of reviewing non-prog stage acts, but I would appreciate if this personal, appreciative and interpretative mention over brilliant values of jazz gets accepted here.

** just like in my previous live performance review, of Al Di Meola, which turned of a whooping 1700 words, I advise you to read this in comfort and in a relaxed time, cause I’ll go deep and...well, you know me as a reviewer…

nuances and satisfactions

Or

Tord Gustavsen Trio

day 1, December 1 2006

Eberhard Weber & The Ultimative Trio

day 2, December 2 2006

Esbjörn Svensson Trio

day 3, December 3 2006

Most likely I’ve been dreaming so far, or skepticism prevent any real knowledge into the matter (the skepticism, of course, of hoping, wishing, but also of being granted), but things get lately the color of value and of legendary “visits” that end in eulogies. If just two months and a half ago, a group of students worshiping good music in uplift tempos managed to make out a cultural event for everyone’s taste, plus highlighted the entire even with Al Di Meola’s special and beautiful performance (which I’ve attended and reviewed it over here), now came again, in a more official tone (the Jazz Banat organization isn’t, after all, a student’s galore and a wishful thinking slight significance), the chance of three jazz magic nights, with both diversity and autochthony emanating, in symbols. What else then to be glad.

Now I’m not saying up here the thing of good music (in mostly meant jazz/classical legendary/notorious valences) is or was desired, but never. Only if we are to refer about Jazz, there are annual chances, like the Gărâna or (most astoundingly) Sibiu major Festivals (Sibiu, being in 2007 designated cultural European city, will surely fulminate as a Jazz Festival). Only that, as I’ve said, I happen to find just recently the taste of grands coming and playing memorably (though the detail of first editions says much about expanding the horizon…recently). When we’re up to the wonderful and the eloquent, the surprise begins to fade as a motto, becoming a true spirit of the not underdog, but prominent enough effort and interest.

Enough generalization. In short, if at Gărâna, over at the passed July, came Jean-Luc Ponty and if in September Al Di Meola played for the provincials, in the mild-winter atmosphere of fresh December, the Timişoara Jazz Festival’s first edition brought legends among moods: Tord Gustavsen, Eberhard Weber and Esbjorn Svensson Trio. Thus, jazz out of discretion.

On a personal level, it happens that I go through a full period of jazz passion, listening at least one album per day and experiencing the delights of many referential artists. Just to mention, I have the impression of Chick Corea’s all major albums, I know much about McLaughlin’s amazing music, I’ve listened to some other artists John Abercrombie, Barbara Dennerlein, Jan Garbarek, Charlie Haden. And (to get in touch more closely with the subject) I have bought and purchased and listened to all 10 prime albums made by Esbjorn Svensson Trio. Regarding them it’s interesting to say that I’ve chosen them by a simple reference. Up on their latest album, Tuesday Wonderland,  there’s was this catchphrase “best jazz band in Europe” that made me decide, among the impulse of not going only by the heavy names (though I got a heavy name itself, not a contemporary shadow), to try them out. And the reward was very nice, because they are very good.

Upon the news that E.S.T. will come enthusiasm got hold of both me and my father (who also considers them beyond valorous) and, in quick tempo, we got hold of tickets. The festival was somehow costly, ranging from 100 RON (30$) top seats to 20 RON (7$) up the third balcony, where you can probably see just the top of the artists’ heads. In a rather quick decision, I also spent some more money on going alone to say Eberhard Weber, whom I also knew from listening to his Chorus album.

The National Theater in Timişoara is a place hosting numerous events (focusing of course on theater and opera). The acoustic challenge of a rather medium size performance house was acceptable in my opinion, since I stayed over the second day in the front seats and the music “gently collapsed” on me, while in the third day I listened from the second balcony and everything was fine too. Organization had gaps but that’s nothing to observe from the perspective of someone who comes, takes his seat and gets on with the show. Just that there were moments when you wished “they” have moved (or started, given situation) faster and more consequent.

First day performance Trigon from Moldova (presumably in relations with our country’s jazz manifest – though I’ve read later that it would have high value and array in the European interest) and Tord Gustavsen Trio. I didn’t actually attended this day out of…resources and out of going in the end to the artist I knew and to the quality I’d recognize or anticipate. So I’m afraid this one’s a blank page over here.

Second day was one of compromises and freely played music, of conventional style and exquisite mood – all in a good flavored experience. The band to start (and to open, by most intentions, the day in a light mood) was Bright White Line, one group of musicians and students from Timişoara along with one foreign bassist and one titled saxophonist, who portrayed a dynamic small exuberance, but in the casual pattern of band improvisation, of solo addiction (saxophonist and the pianist, also band leader), of theme composition and modulation, of the usual dynamic touches that you get from a well-minded talent and a free and easy play spirit. Not bad at all, but only of perspective (considering what came, but mostly where they stood).. For the ear and for the groovy soul, nothing was anything but comfortable, but critics will look after them moderately. I didn’t like the bassist and the two percussionists (who I actually know from school) didn’t impress me much. The sax has talent and the pianist has touch. (Outside conversation, it wasn’t bad to see how the recently made University of Jazz, here in town, accomplished some results either).

The second act was the one of wind instrumentalist Liviu Butoi and pianist Mircea Tiberian, friend in jazz and mature players in the business (Tiberian is one of the two existent doctors in jazz from Romanian). The style was gracefully mature and profound and the mindset was all on deep motions. They played for over one hour and a half, presenting five epics of at least 15 minutes each of fantasist improvisation, ambient color, overwhelming experimental and feisty technique of surrounding, capturing, manifesting the ardor of nuances. Progressing from ambient to over-powered, from present to surreal, from alive to aberrant, the movement of the Dark project from which they’ve played selections was certainly interesting, but not surely in greatness’ skill and essence and definitely not perfect. I would actually say that to moments that sounded great and responded to an imaginary emotion were also things of a lento unwanted atmosphere, of a bruising on-going style and of a stretch too hard to swallow. The duo’s effort has intuition in being innovating, but not in pleasing the atmosphere. My belief: they did most upside-down and they sketched one hour of gloomy tasteless jazz. Okay with eloquence and maturity, but not to turn the evening and the dynamic meaning of the festival in to your mind reflections.

Relieved after the experimental infusion considerable mess and with already three hours having gone in an instant, Eberhard Weber ended the night in an elegant boom and in a wondrous, memorable sign. The ultimative trio was him on the electric upright bass along with percussionist Reto Weber (drums, cymbals, Senegalese and Indian percussion) and a world valor beatboxer, Nino G. This last artist was part of performance’s hit, doing impressive solos, in theatrical and humorous opportunities, plus playing along the trio’s composition, in a bop rhythmed, even „gangasta” scent, style, pleasing the audience to extremes never distinguished in the entire day (certainly not to the moody BWL and for sure not in the duo’s credits). The UT mostly went for total exuberance in unimaginable (by standards) craft and a wakening enfold. Total greatness coming down upon us and in our souls was the only possible argument to an exceptionally made class driven musically essentialized performance. Eberhard Weber in sober style, but in a freely gesturized outtake, gave the wanted example of renowned value, of amazing grace and instrument wield and of jazz sense above so many other things. He played two times in solo style and that was, by me, the most eclectic moment of the one hour, plus frenetically asked encores, recital. Of lucid dramatic sound, of theme sublimity (D-lirium tremens, a work of art), dramatic, impulsive, ethereal….  Polyphony, harmony, orchestration (yes, only by the EUB, Weber created an ambiance of sound and of theme collided upon each)... Complete success! Fantastic! Again, I’m the “child” who discovered sublime interpretation, but there’s no way Weber’s conduct isn’t outstanding in everybody’s eye.

Large comma and a deep breath before starting again, cause there is lots to say about day two. A day of just two performances, but the most awaited and, in the end, most exciting day of the festival (which never lost spark).

Anca Parghel or the Carpathian nightingale, an already aged value of our Romanian jazz, and not only – if that Jazz Podium magazine resonates to you, then it’s good to know that Parghel was the only jazz vocalist from up here to make it out there (to add, a life experience and performance in Europe and in the States and a worthy character song that’s played by herself and not even, just instinctively) opened the evening with a good hour of melodic singing, emotional interpretation, some curios moments and some freely made gestures that made the atmosphere warm and lightfull. In close touch with the audience and in a relaxed mood herself (giving nothing else to us as well).The repertoire went from two blues compositions of her wisdom to referential songs (Caravan, Summertime etc.) in dedication to fine masters of the past (Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, G. Gershwin). Also an improvisation of one heart folk song of hours, Ciocârlia, to spark the moment in charisma. She played in the full over the corepetitive (as no definition was the essence) good judgment of Next Generation, a trio out of which the bassist and the drummer were Anca Parghel’s sons (and with a newly received pianist, who did his best to outstand the night). The trio had an intro solo, plus in the occasional mentioned curios moments (during one piece, Anca Parghel handed over the vocal super-swing to all three musicians) or just in solos of interpretative beauty. The bassist is most talented in my opinion. And Anca Parghel did a sweet job. Blues, swing, vocal, surround.

And the most magical and delirious moment of two jazz evenings straight lasted for a whooping one hour and forty minutes (which, to be honest, it’s sheer generosity), as Esbjörn Svensson Trio, the most renowned, expected and acclaimed band of the entire festival and, as proven, the most eclectic and challenging listen of all, made their mark and played their music like gentlemen, music masters and philosophical ascenders towards the perfect being friendly, reachable, lasting. Esbjörn Svensson dazzled me (the pianist, the easily-said connoisseur and, ultimately, the simple liker) with soft played or strength luminated sound or with moment of first-rate inventive improvisation. Dan Berglund generated a master-tone by his natural in essence modified by plugs double bass play, making a generate grave emotion trembles, plus giving several slides of positive extravagance, from hard rockish lamento with bow deep cut, to pinches in the specific style of short dexterity ,from sensual to gorgeous or (inversed) to simple ambiance that even those sounded more than fine and more than “just” double bass justifications. Magnus Örström did the eclectic, the wild, the powerful and the eyes-opening rhythm of E.S.T. with one or two solos that captured and blessed, otherwise with some active art, from culminant electricity to well-designed mood, from chic abstract (rare) to some sound modulation, modification and experimentation himself. E.S. gave the lead and the touch, but other than that it was the clear case of three whole outstanding musicians, each dominating their instrument and making out of their ability a supreme pleasure (relations again, as always).

Music was the fourth entity, the sixth sense or whatever you wanna name it.  They played dynamically overall, with some acoustic climax that knocked the normal feelings out of everyone, but didn’t forget that tranquility has its sublime emotion as well; they went for themes and, even more accurately, with a specific program, with pieces from their known albums, but “forgetting” about the convention or about the rigorous play with experimentations of sound (by modified mechanism), with intermezzos of different kind, by elixiric solos and by full use of free mature style over at the “clique” of taking one theme and jazzistically improvising it at complete valences.  From what they’ve mentioned and what was easily recognized by me, they played four or five moments from their latest album, Tuesday Wonderland (I actually think they’re on a tour of promoting this one, but the accent wasn’t on their latest and on their strict form of that creation), they interpreted the epic pieces from Viaticum (which happens to be one of my favorite E.S.T. compositions, so you can imagine the enthusiasm), plus that first encore was the Dodge The Dodo hit (which is also one of my preferred), in another fabulous improvisatorial from Esbjorn and Dan. Open-minded rock small flavor, modern jazz with its groove perspicacity, experimental fragments and fractals, wondrous improvisation, massive imagination, soul-driven passion – these are the tags of music, of perfection, of everything you could have wished for. They simply left me speechless and in adoration (that to mention my personal astonishment among the perplex frantic and general

Just like in my first live concert (jazz) experience appreciation, everything seems to be the eulogy and the type of things that sound splendid, without much to talk in other direction (what’s criticism after all? Should I say that “we”, in the jazz domain, are slightly behind the times or the innovation or go in strange influences? Or should I mention how some things could have actually missed from the entire festive jazz power manifest? Of no use). But I assure the reader (who managed so far to understand and, hopefully, to imagine what I’ve had as a musical live through) that, at such great names who played in such a fantastic way, with such a normal devotion, without smokes and fanciness and with an appealing of rare kind, I can only feel extremely comfortably in greatness and can only conclude in upright satisfaction, in provocative content and in the light of something truly valuable having been so close to my ear and to my soul. (there is also no equivocal or contradictory thing towards saying that you’ve seen these two brands in a live act, right in your comfortable town).

Masterliness E.S.T. and Eberhard Weber!  And kudos to a Jazz Festival that had absolute benefits.

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Bright White Line

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Liviu Butoi & Mircea Tiberian

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Eberhard Weber & Ultimative Trio

Anca Parghel & Next Generation

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E.S.T.

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