#1209『Samuel Blaser Quartet／Spring Rain』(2015: Whirlwind Recordings)
text by Kayo Fushiya
WR4670
Samuel Blaser (trombone)
Russ Lossing (piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Minimoog)
Drew Gress (b)
Gerald Cleaver (ds)
1. cry want (04:05)
2. missing mark suetterlyn (05:38)
3. temporarily (03:46)
4. homage (01:06)
5. umbra (02:10)
6. the first snow (03:42)
7. scootin’ about (02:23)
8. trudgin’ (05:27)
9. spring rain (05:38)
10. trippin’ (03:45)
11. counterparts (03:20)
12. jesus maria(08:00)
All compositions by Samuel Blaser except 5 by Samuel Blaser and Russ Lossing, 1,7,8 by Jimmy Giuffre, 3,12 by Carla Bley
Recorded by Dave Darlington on January 3-4, 2014 at Water Music, Hoboken, New Jersey (tracks 2,3,6,8,9,11) and by Tobias Lehmann on December 19, 2014 at Teldex Studio, Berlin, Germany (tracks 1,4,5,7,10)
Mixed and Mastered by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Recording,
NY on January 9, 2014 and January 5, 2015
Artistic Director: Robert Sadin
Producer: Samuel Blaser
Exective Producer for Whirlwind Recordings: Michael Janisch
静謐な凄みただようサミュエル・ブレーザーの新作—ジュフリーへのオマージュ
サミュエル・ブレーザーについていつも感じるのが、音間にただよう圧倒的な貫禄である。音楽が始まる前からの佇まいですでに一歩も二歩も抜きん出ているのである。これをどう説明すればよいのだろうか。サミュエルのアルバムは第一作からレヴューしているが、隅々まで見通しの行き届いた、透徹したサウンドクリエイト力にまず感嘆するばかりだ。本作はフリーミュージックの先駆者ともいえるJimmy Giuffre（ジミー・ジュフリー）へのオマージュ。ジミーに創作意欲を刺激されるミュージシャンは数多いが、このサミュエルの作品もまた、楽器間の縦横無尽なインタープレイを推進したこの先駆者にならうがごとく、多様な音の満ち引きに絡め取られるスリリングな一作だ。サミュエルと双頭を担っているのが ピアニストのラス・ロスィングであり、アコースティックとフェンダーの巧みな使い分けとオーバーダブが、アルバム全体の緊迫性とドライヴ感の手綱をにぎる。屹立した音色とメカニックで、筋の良さが一聴して明らかなピアニストだ。また、こうしたオマージュ作品の場合、インプロヴィゼーションの質や新曲以上に、既存の楽曲（本作の場合はジュフリーとカーラ・ブレイ）を活かすも殺すもミュージシャンの底力次第。サミュエル・ブレーザーは、ジュフリーの音楽人生のなかに緩やかにダイヴし、その軌跡を現在のコンテクストのなかでさり気なく蘇生させる。ある種の懐かしさとともに新鮮な輪郭をもって、広大なアンサンブ ルの一翼をなすのだ。非常に感覚的でありながらも的確に楽曲の機微を捉えたサミュエルのアレンジメント・センスに唸る。作曲／編曲／即興が平等な地平で花 開く成熟の境地。フリー・ジャズといえば、縦ノリ・轟音・楽器間格闘、といったイメージからいまだに抜け切らないわが国の傾向とは対照的。演奏能力云々を はるかに超えた次元で勝負できる数少ないグループである。（伏谷佳代）
*English
Drifting Shades of Tranquil Awe— Samuel Blaser’s New Production: A Tribute to Jimmy Giuffre
What I always feel about Samuel Blaser is an overwhelming air of dignity drifting among the sounds. His mere presence even before the start of the performance has already put him one or two steps ahead of others. How can I explain this? I have reviewed Samuel’s albums from his very first work, and above all I am always struck by his sound creation ability in which his lucid foresight penetrates every nook and cranny.
This CD is a tribute to Jimmy Giuffre, known as a forerunner of free music. There are many musicians whose creative spirit is inspired by Jimmy, and in the CD by Samuel as well we find a thrilling piece of work where the ebb and flow of diverse sounds capture the listener, as if he is following in the footsteps of Jimmy who drove the unrestricted interplay among instruments. The pianist Russ Lossing shares lead with Samuel, and his skillful and varied techniques of playing acoustic and Fender pianos, and over dubbing hold the reins of the tension and sense of drive throughout the entire album. With soaring tone colors and mechanics, he is a pianist whose natural aptitude clearly stands out with just one listening. In the case of such homage, the question of whether to make or break the earlier compositions (in this case, penned by Giuffre and Carla Bley) depends on the potential power of the musician, more than the quality of the new pieces and improvisations. Samuel Blaser gently dives into Giuffre’s musical life, and discretely brings its locus back to life in the present-day context. With some kind of yearning and fresh outline, he plays a part of the vast ensemble. Samuel’s arrangement is very sensory but at the same time precisely captures the subtleties of composition, and I gasped at its sensual nature. It is a mature garden where the flowers of composition, arrangement, and improvisation bloom equally on the borders. It is also in contrast to the trend often found in Japan where people have still not left behind such images of free jazz as jumping up and down to the beat, ear-splitting rumbles, and much grappling among the instruments. This group is one of a few that can play a game in a dimension far exceeding the performance ability and so on (Kayo Fushiya).
http://www.samuelblaser.com/
http://www.russlossing.com/russlossing.com/home.html
http://www.drewgress.com/drew.html
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gerald-cleaver-mn0000945381
