Jazzmospheric Edition: John Ellis, Tonbruket & Ross Hammond And Vinny Golia
By Aaron Stein Dec 14, 2016 • 9:01 am PST
John Ellis: Evolution: Seeds & Streams
How about a little atmosphere to reset your mood for the holiday season? First up is John Ellis, not to be confused with the jazz saxophonist in the United States. Ellis is a pianist based in Manchester, England and his newest album, Evolution: Seeds & Streams, is quite a stunning piece of music. Stretched over eight tracks, it feels like a singular piece, an organic composition formed spontaneously by a breeze through a tree or something. Horns and the Malian kora provide a compelling ambient that is quite breathtaking. A mellow, understated soul-refresher, the kind of under-the-radar music you need right now, trust me.
Tonbruket: Forevergreens
Since it is more than likely that you are not reading this from somewhere in Sweden, it is more than likely that you have not heard of Tonbruket. Tis a shame, really. My brother turned me on to their newest record, Forevergreens and I, in turn, am urging you to give it a listen as well. This is the kind of wide-ranging sure-call-it-jazz-if-you-must album that will have you repeatedly asking yourself “wait, is this the same band?” Yes, yes it is and keep going, because as they dynamically bounce around between styles and moods and subgenres and maybe instruments, the music they make is truly excellent. Enjoy it!
Ross Hammond And Vinny Golia: Ross Hammond And Vinny Golia
Last, but not least … well, the least number of musicians, maybe … is the newest record from Ross Hammond. Hammond is a Sacramento-based guitarist who has been featured in this column before (and probably will be again, a new solo record in the works for early 2017 to keep your eye out for). This one is a duet record with Hammond’s 12-string countered by Vinny Golia who plays a variety of flutes, saxophones and the like. The two musicians and their instruments play off of each other almost like two people speaking different languages but still finding a way to communicate. The simplicity of a horn and a guitar unfolds in increasingly interesting and complex ways. The different instruments played by Golia give an incredibly different feel to each track: exotic, engaging, relaxing at some moments, tension-filled at others. Really interesting stuff, for sure, especially if it catches you in the right mood.
