Latest CD releases reviewed
BRAD MEHLDAU
House On Hill Nonesuch *****
From the sessions that produced Anything Goes, this last hurrah of Mehl-dau's trio with Larry Grenadier (bass) and Jorge Rossy (drums) concentrates on the pianist's originals. It's striking for Mehldau's sheer command of what he can do with the varied compositions, conducting long, cogent right-hand/left-hand dialogues within them when the pieces favour this, or simply feeding off the group's interaction when that seems the more logical way to go. But regardless of how the focus shifts and how it impacts, in terms of line, harmony and rhythm, on his improvisations, the results are compelling. And, with Mehldau in such form and everyone so mutually connected, pieces like House On Hill, August Ending, Bealtine, Backyard, Waiting for Eden and the songlike Embers emerge as being among the finest performances of this superb trio. Ray Comiskey
HOWARD ALDEN/DAVE CLIFF
Everything I Love Zephyr ***
Besides their consummate craftsmanship, this meeting of guitarists Alden and Cliff is marked by a notable degree of empathy and lyrical, melodic playing of a high order. The repertoire is mostly drawn from the Great American Songbook, with the duo expanded to a quartet on four tracks by Dave Green (bass) and Allan Ganley (drums). Green also duets with (to these ears, since the sleeve doesn't identify who's on which track) Dave Cliff on two numbers, while Alden has a solo outing on George Harrison's Something. Although Cliff is arguably the more fluent and adventurous, the two guitarists are ideally matched and the album is suffused with the relaxed warmth and palpable pleasure they exude in performing together. Guitar fans should love it. Ray Comiskey
GEBHARD ULLMANN/CHRIS DAHLGREN/JAY ROSEN
Cut It Out Leo Records ***
Named a rising star by DownBeat magazine last year, the near-veteran German composer Ullmann (bass clarinet and bass flute) links with Dahlgren (bass/ electronics) and Rosen (drums/ percussion) for some freeplaying taped in Dahlgren's home. Inevitably, some things come off better than others; the aural feeding frenzy of No Mouthpiece and the lengthy, episodic Bass/Bass seem somewhat self-indulgent. But Calling Mr Waits No 1 has a kind of low-register, lumbering, Brobdingnagian grace, while No 2 is redolent of primal ritual, and both USO Ballad and Epilog (Ballad No 2) possess a melancholy beauty limned by Ullmann's bass flute. The latter two are also distinguished by some intensely concentrated collaboration, especially between Ullman and Dahlgren. www.leorecords.com Ray Comiskey
