'Altered Feelings' by Max Kochetov Quartet

'Altered Feelings' marks the brand new album release by the Max Kochetov Quartet released via Italy's A.MA Records.

For his first release with A.MA, saxophonist Max Kochetov unveils a hugely ambitious project that sees him and his wonderful team of musicians present a 42 minute suite of tracks split over eight compositions.  Recorded live - and in one take - at Serbia's FNS Studio between the 7-9th June 2021, this inspired perspective lends itself to an equally inspired narrative that embraces varying styles and genres as its respective story progresses.

Born in Kiev, Ukraine, and eventually moving to Serbia in his early-20s, Kochetov gravitated to the saxophone from a young age which saw him study at the R. Glier Kyiv Institute of Music and then serve as a member for a few years with the Ukranian ska, punk and folk rock band, Mad Heads XL.  After moving to Serbia, Kochetov secured a coveted spot as the lead saxophonist amongst the line-up of the RTS Big Band (Big Band of Radio Television Serbia) in 2010 before going on to form his first quartet in 2013.  This incarnation of the Max Kochetov Quartet saw their first independent release in 2014 with the 7-track project '13:30' which saw Kochetov also assume the role of the album's producer and composer.

Now backed by a new formation of Quartet members including pianist Andreja Hristic, drummer Milos Grbatinic and Boris Sainovic on the double bass, 'Altered Feelings' is representative of Kochetov's fascinating evolution as an artist and a band leader in his own right.  

There are concepts and ideas executed throughout 'Altered Feelings' that are not just bold but also brilliantly conceived and realised.  From the joyous swing of 'Groovin', the romance of 'Rhetorical Morning', the lament of 'Waltz' and the aptly-titled 'Sultry Requiem', each track showcases another gleaming perspective from the project fusing all of these incredible facets together.  The near ten minutes of the album's title track warrants special mention for its impassioned playing throughout making it an excellent centrepiece to the project.

The first full-length release from A.MA Records this year kicks what is sure to be another fantastic year for the label off perfectly - 'Altered Feelings' embodies so much of the creativity attributed to A.MA's ever-expanding roster and is a brilliant project to introduce listeners to the boundless talents of Max Kochetov.

'Live at the BBQ' by DLG 3

'Live at the BBQ' marks the new EP release from New York City-based collective, DLG 3.

Serving as the official follow-up to 'Grease Trap' which was released at the tail-end of 2019, DLG 3 continue their affections for the gritty recounting of anthemic soul numbers initially introduced to us via their debut EP.

Tracks surmising the harsh realities of street life as initially created at the hands of masters like The Crusaders & Randy Crawford, Bobby Womack and Stevie Wonder were lovingly reimagined and positioned alongside original DLG 3 recordings that, at the time of the project's release, we described as serving as something of a love letter to soul music and its icons.

'Live at the BBQ' proves to be a wonderful extension to the ideals as established through 'Grease Trap'.  With a line-up comprising of drummer Mike DeConzo, guitarist John Lynch and Eric Finland on organ, the trio offer up a real treat via these live recordings that demonstrate the band's skill as live performers and as a fiercely cohesive unit.  

The live recordings in this instance further benefit from the inclusion of Bob Franceschini - the revered saxophonist whose resume includes having toured and performed with Willie Colón, Tito Puente and Paul Simon amongst many others.  And in this case, it's a really fantastic union as the four tracks presented here are wonderfully performed and, at running times that average at about 9 minutes per track, each is afforded a thrilling new life as the band allow themselves to rediscover the songs offering their own distinctive takes within these more-than-generous time frames. 

The beloved number by William DeVaughn 'Be Thankful For What You've Got' - a song that has seen itself covered numerous times by names as diverse as Massive Attack to Omar - may very well steal the show here.  Over the course of its 12 minutes run-time, the playful, almost joyous jazz-funk that is evident throughout really injects some inspired energy into the project.  Another immeasurably popular track, 'People Make The World Go Round' originally by The Stylistics is another winner and perhaps a track that would also have found a comfortable home on 'Grease Trap' in light of the song's subject matter.

'Live at the BBQ' hits as another great release for DLG 3 and their ever-expanding catalogue.  Having now cemented their talents within both the studio and the stage, it will be interesting to see what the trio unveil next and certainly interesting to catch them live should you ever be lucky enough to have the opportunity.

'The Love-Chord' by Allie Wilding

'The Love-Chord' marks the new two-track EP release from the multi-talented Allie Wilding.

Serving as the EP's producer, composer and saxophonist, Wilding presents two fantastic tracks that really seek to forge their own musical path.  Having grown up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and now residing in Washington, the educator, writer and musician conveys such a unique perspective through her art that just bursts with creativity and personality.

As she describes via her website, "I'm interested in the intersection of storytelling and sound".  It's an inspired approach but Wilding's explorations don't necessarily end there as her genre-defying, no rules approach to music-making finds its joy within these incredible cross-sections that unify the aesthetic as a whole.  The end-result subsequently becomes this fascinating concoction of equal parts jazz, soul, electronica and hip-hop.  'Tell Me', in particular, is brilliantly reminiscent of classic 4 Hero compositions with its crashing drums, haunting vocal and trip-hop-esque soundscape all beautifully navigated by Wilding's masterful saxophone.

The official release of 'The Love-Chord' must certainly come with great excitement with it serving as the culmination of many years of work and honing of one's craft and skill.  While 'The Love-Craft' marks the official debut release for Wilding, a quick rummage through the 46 tracks(!) - currently the number at the time of this writing - on her Soundcloud page really demonstrate how long these explorations have been carried out for.  (Fingers crossed that some of these will be available for official release/download at some time as well.)  

And when considering Wilding's music to date, "explorations" seems like such an apt term - whether it's the tracks from Soundcloud or the tracks on 'The Love-Chord', everything comes together as its own exploration into new concepts and ideas.  As effortless as each track seems, nothing here is play-it-safe with Wilding clearly thrilled at the chance to walk these untrodden paths.

We're incredibly excited about the 'The Love-Chord' and more so about the wonderful mind of Allie Wilding and where her explorations will take us all next.

'Andalusian Love Song' by Avishai Darash & The Marmoucha Orchestra

It was just a little less than a year ago since we last heard from Avishai Darash via his 'Quarantine Blues EP' released via Italy's A.MA Records.  The exquisite five track selection - as the title suggested - was given birth during the world's initial quarantine period which limited the scope of the recordings to a trio format recorded during one afternoon in Darash's living room. 

And when I say "limited the scope of the recordings", that is in no way to be diminish the staggering achievements of the project and its players - with a trio comprised of Darash on piano, Arin Keshishi on bass and Udo Demandt on percussion, 'Quarantine Blues' depicts these lovingly created and beautifully performed compositions displaying all the passion, joy and creativity that went into the creation of each one. 

Initially introduced to audiences in 2018 through his 'Nomadic Treasures' collective and the following year through his solo full-length 'Samskara', the Amsterdam-based pianist and composer had introduced his distinct perspective on contemporary jazz - masterfully interweaving elements of his Middle Eastern heritage with the western influences he had started to become exposed to while studying in New York and before ultimately relocating to The Netherlands.

What 'Andalusian Love Song' strives to achieve - in the same way that Darash's projects have always strived for - is the celebration and fusion of varying musical cultures and styles that have all contributed to what andalusian music is indicative of today: a style of music bursting with influences from North Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. 

While the world continues to fluctuate between its state of crises as dictated by a certain global pandemic, things have at least progressed enough to promote Darash from outside of his living room into a recording studio with the fifteen musicians that comprise the Marmoucha Orchestra.  An inspired collection of artists and musicians that each come from different backgrounds and musical disciplines but collectively create something incredibly magical that acts as an extension to the groundwork as established by 'Quarantine Blues'.  

Such is the collective's varied approach to music, even the recording process differs between its members in regards to the backgrounds they bring to the table.  As described by the "Meet the team of Marmoucha Orchestra" YouTube video, Marmoucha Orchestra oboist and artistic co-ordinator, Maripepa Contreras described the various approaches within the group in regards to her penned scores, "We have classical musicians and they need to read the music from the score; but the jazz musicians know what to play by reading the chords, and the Arab musicians mostly learn and know the songs by heart.  And with the arrangements we try to bring them all together."

'Andalusian Love Song' thrives off of such diversity and interplay between the musicians.  What must have come as a considerable source of pride for Darash is to have the opportunity to expand upon ideas and concepts from 'Quarantine Blues' with four of its songs reimagined for this full-length release sitting alongside some wonderful new additions.  'Arriving Home', 'Prakriti' and the album's opening title track deserve unreserved praise for their fiery and impassioned energy while the more introspective and achingly-brilliant orchestral numbers like 'The Day After' and 'Longing Sadness' are wonders in their own right.   

As mentioned earlier, Avishai Darash has carried his musical mission statement with him for many years across a variety of impeccable releases but it's hard to imagine his vision being realised in a more appropriate way than what has been achieved with 'Andalusian Love Song'.  It's inspired, it's joyful and very much a masterpiece.

'Feel Like Making LIVE!' by Bob James Trio

When considering the latest release from the iconic Bob James, there's a quote from Alexander McQueen that seems an apt way to kick this off, "It's good to know where you come from.  It makes you what you are today."  

There's a lot of variations to that quote attributed to a variety of great minds and thinkers from Maya Angelou to Lewis Carroll but whichever one you pick, it's a sentiment that rings true in regards to this incredible new project.  Courtesy of evosound, pianist and composer, Bob James, continues with his current trio formation comprised of drummer Billy Kilson and bassist Michael Palazzolo for an exquisite, live recounting of some of the gems that date back to James' debut album release 'Bold Conceptions' in 1963. 

Much has often been made about the impact that Bob James' music has had on hip-hop over the years.  While revered classics by James Brown, Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes have always served as obvious sources for inspiration for a range of 90s hip-hop DJs and producers including Pete Rock, DJ Premier and Erick Sermon, countless compositions by Bob James have served as the building blocks for countless more 90s releases.  

Naturally, this conversation dates back to an era of sampling before legislation had come into force so it was naturally understandable for artists to not be thrilled at hearing their music employed in ways that was tantamount to theft; but hip-hop's use of sampling could very much be argued to have given back to artists in ways perhaps people never fully realised.  For devoted fans who had become accustomed to trawling through the inlay cards of albums to pick out names of collaborators and producers of tracks - just like this very reviewer did - their path would inevitably lead them to those very architects whose music formed the basis of tracks all of those years later.  For a generation of music fan, hip-hop's greatest gift was the introduction of those aforementioned soul legends but also the introduction to jazz via the works of Roy Ayers, Bobby Hutcherson, Ronnie Laws and of course... Bob James.

'Angela' (or more commonly referred to as the "theme from Taxi") formed the basis to 'Cab Fare' by the Souls of Mischief; 'Westchester Lady' was famously adopted by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince; James' version of 'Feel Like Making Love' became another of several songs sampled by Onyx, and 'Night Crawler' would be sampled by MC Eight and Mic Geronimo.  And then of course there's 'Nautilus' which whosampled.com currently references as being sampled by 365 songs having informed classics by Slick Rick, Eric B & Rakim and Ghostface Killah.  The impact of 'Nautilus' beyond hip-hop is worthy of another thesis all of its own as well when examining interpretations by Kenny Dope and Louie Vega's Nuyorican Soul project in 1997 to that of the Japanese jazz trio, Nautilus (actually named as tribute to the song) in 2017 through Agogo Records.

And this is really why the article's opening quote holds relevance... while the music naturally is being created as a tribute to Bob James and his glorious catalogue - which has warranted the right to be celebrated a hundred times over - the project also serves as an unintentional love letter to hip-hop.  These inspired interpretations that make-up 'Feel Like Making LIVE!' reintroduce you to the songs you may have come to know and love over the years but for many others, they may conjure up memories just as exciting while you consider the original path that led you to their discovery in the first place.