La Diversité: Last Train Jazz Essential Recordings #3

Until I stumbled across a secondhand copy of this 2017 release in Ray's, I'd only previously come across Belgian tenor saxophonist Nicolas Kummert on Flow, the 2015 outing from Drifter, fronted by labelmate Alexi Tuomarila. I'd seen the album promotions but not heard it, so my decision to exchange hard-earned wedge for it was based on the presence of mind-bogglingly talented Beninese guitarist, Lionel Loueke. That, and the reliably high-quality output of Edition Records - I hope their A&R team are on a seriously good bonus scheme!

I wasn't disappointed on first play, although this album does improve with repeated listening - two years down the line, it gets a regular spin on my HiFi. 

Though Kummert composed all the originals here, this album sounds much like a joint venture between the saxophonist and Loueke, who makes the most of the ample space he's allowed. Stripped-down duets like Gnossienne à deux and And what if we're not? crackle with so much jam-session like spontaneity that they're standout tracks on an album brimming with great compositions. And that's not to overlook the contributions of drummer Karl Jannuska and Nicolas Thys, whose driving double bass securely anchors the front men's free-flowing approach. 

This is a recording that resists pigeon-holing - by turns beautifully melodious, free, avant-garde, wistful... Kummert's tenor sound is simply irresistible throughout: clear tone coupled with precision of attack, occasional breathy overtones and overblowing. He and Loueke strike sparks off each other on every tune. 

We get two interpretations each of eccentric French classical composer Eric Satie's Gnossienne and Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. That the band makes the latter - decidedly overplayed in the media following the Canadian miserabalist's death - sound as fresh as it does here, is testament enough to the musicianship on display. And the band rocks out on Well be alright, which sounds like they had great fun recording.

If you don't have this in your collection, do yourself a favour and buy it now.

Bit of a splurge!

I've heard lots of jazz fans of a certain age (i.e. older than me) talk about the heady days of Ray's Jazz Shop, when Ray still owned it. I only found out about and visited the old Ray's, in its Shaftesbury Avenue location, a couple of times before it was bought out by Foyles bookshop. I vaguely remember punters hunched over racks packed with vinyl, but it doesn't hold a nostalgic place in my heart, because I never really spent much time there.

Since its relocation to Charing Cross Road, new Rays  does seem to have been relocated, remodeled and reduced - in fact it seems to get a little smaller each time I go there - and now primarily stocks CDs. Not being a vinyl devotee like Jazzy G (I don't have the space or spousal agreement to store it) that last bit doesn't stress me too much, and the shop's still worth a browse. There's a wide selection of new releases and older stuff, plus a fair-sized chunk of second hand CDs, many of which seem to be very recent promo copies. 

Whenever I'm 'up west' with a bit of time on my hands I head in there and have a rummage in the second-hand section. Sometimes it doesn't turn up much, but yesterday's trawl uncovered some rich pickings:







Some recent and recent-ish releases here, plus some older stuff - just things that caught my fancy. 


I can't believe I hadn't already got the Alice Coltrane or EST in my collection! 


I got a bit carried away and splashed out on the new Sons of Kemet release while I was there.