Short Reviews [Various Artists - 2022 - "ZZAJ. Jazz From The 23rd Century"]

I am not sure how we first got in contact, but I have been fortunate enough to have become friends with Jerry King (Cloud Over Jupiter, Moon X, John Shirley & Jerry King) a few years back, and through him then became friends with Dave Newhouse (The Muffins, Manna Mirage, Moon X), since when my musical horizons have expanded exponentially. These wonderful musicians continue to push the boundaries of what can be expected with jazz and jazz-inspired progressive rock, not only with their own releases but also with their huge contributions to the scene in general. This album finds us with 34 new tracks, where the contributors were asked to interpret jazz from various conceptual viewpoints, particularly avoiding traditional jazz sounds. Says King, “It’s more about where jazz is going, rather than where it’s been. It’s a style of music that’s meant to keep evolving, so that was the goal we set forth for the artists. Not only are all the tracks very different, stylistically and genre-wise, but the various productions are very different as well, from slick to raw. And it’s that variety, I think, that’s really going to make this album stand out. It’s like reading a novel, with surprising twists and turns in it.” “Variety” is certainly a word which stands out with this album, as while jazz may be the starting point, everyone has then gone off in their own directions. Take Alfred Harth (sometimes referred to as A23H) for example. He has been at the cutting edge of improvisational music since the Sixties, and his “Czernowitz” is recognisable as jazz, but the repeated patterns he uses as a backdrop are exciting, vibrant, and pushing the genre in a totally different direction to many, while the following number by The Marmhelodic Rascals shows what can happen when a very tight fusion outfit combine scored and improvised music in one song. It is dynamic, enthralling, exciting, and so off the wall that one never knows just what is going to happen next. I was raised on the Golden Age by my dad, and while there is something very special about the more formulaic styles, it is free jazz and avant garde to which my ears turn most often, and there is plenty of that on this collection. There are many well-known names involved, including the likes of Geoff Leigh, Henry Kaiser, Elliott Sharp, Amy Denio, Haco, Anthony Coleman and more, and comes in a 2-CD set with a wallet of artist biographies, in their own words. There’s also visual artwork by musicians Dave Newhouse, Pete Prown and the graphics artist Dan Sauer from Jackanapes Press. Jazz continues to evolve like a living breathing beast, and this collection shows just some of the futures that are possible, from those who have been involved with the scene for many years to those who are now building their own reputations and is a wonderful way of hearing so many musicians demonstrating their own views of where it is going go. Enjoy this album for its own sake, as I have found myself playing it to the end and then starting again at the beginning, such is the variety and excellence on offer, but also as a jumping off point to discover more of these artists and what they are delivering. Your ears will thank you later.