Michael Janisch - Banned in London (2012)

This album is dedicated to the memory of Richard Turner.

ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT GIGS AT THE 2011 LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL took place at the Pizza Express in Soho’s Dean Street by the Aruán Ortiz & Michael Janisch Quintet. Janisch, the Wisconsin-born bassist, now a London resident after living in NYC, is an exceptionally accomplished musician who has arguably done more than anyone to bring about world-class collaborations between American and British jazzmen, culminating in a well-received 2010 album, Purpose Built. Ortiz, a truly remarkable young classically-trained Cuban pianist, has made a major impact on the New York scene since he arrived there in 2003. Currently a member of the Wallace Roney Quintet (and prominently featured on their recent HighNote CD, Home), he has also recently launched his own Quartet featuring guitarist David Gilmore, talented bassist Rashaan Carter and one-time Jackie McLean pupil Eric McPherson. Their stunning debut CD, Orbiting on Fresh Sound New Talent has already received rave reviews everywhere.

Trumpeter Raynald Colom, 34, is French-born but Barcelona-based. Much traveled, he is unquestionably one of his country’s most internationally acclaimed musicians. His music is firmly rooted in flamenco and recent sojourns in New York have resulted in two striking recordings on Jazz Village— Evocation (with Aruán, Eric and Israeli bassist Omar Avital) and the more recent Rise featuring Aruán, Rahsaan and Rudy Royston in the outstanding rhythm section.

Royston, from Ft. Worth, Texas, the dynamic drummer with this Quintet, has recently become one of the most in-demand, first-call percussionists in New York, partly through his appearances with tenor saxophonist JD Allen’s pianoless Trio on Sunnyside and Savant. For this writer, he is to JD what Elvin was to Coltrane.

Finally the featured guest star: one of the most respected and iconic alto saxophonists in jazz today, relative veteran Greg Osby. Sadly we haven’t heard him much on record since he finished his lengthy stint with Blue Note, but he has now formed his own label. As you’ll hear, his sound is even more personal than before and his improvisational skills are as inventive as ever.

A few impressions about the five extended workouts heard here…'Precisely Now': composed by Janisch, for your annotator this track personifies everything that is so creative and stimulating about the very best of contemporary jazz and shows there is as much passion in our music now—possibly even more—than there ever was. From the off, Janisch’s deep-felt bassline inspires superb slowly building solos from everyone and Rudy is in fantastic form. 'Jitterbug Waltz': Osby at his most inventive. Ortiz is ruminative before launching into a cascading waterfall of notes. Only glimpse of the original melody comes from Colom towards the end. 'Orbiting': Ortiz’s outstanding haunting theme with stark challenging changes and no apparent musical resolution, since re-recorded for Aruan’s own album. The piano solo floats before entering almost Tristanoish territory. 'Ask Me Now': Monk’s classic is interpreted from a totally different perspective. Wry observations from Colom and Osby in a conversational, even dream-like approach to the tune before a rhythmically quirky groove takes us out. 'The Maestro': Colom blows over a restrained broken-up rhythm pattern, growing in intensity, then Osby swings like there’s no tomorrow. Ortiz takes over, looking reflectively inward before starting to create—and then solve—ingenious rhythmic and harmonic puzzles, becoming increasingly complex and heated, like a dog harrying a tasty bone. An astonishing solo.

Aruán Ortiz - piano
Greg Osby - alto saxophone
Raynald Colom - trumpet
Michael Janisch - double bass
Rudy Royston - drums