STAFF PIX 10/17: JAZZCRATE
“October” by Okonski
I won’t lie: I’ve never been a fan of jazz. There. I said it. But it’s only because I’ve never gotten into the genre. When my mom sent me a jazz playlist just last week, I was skeptical… I shouldn’t have been. “October” by Okonski has officially indoctrinated me into the jazz fan club. It perfectly captures the fleeting feelings that October brings—the slight melancholy of saying goodbye to warmer days, the bittersweet acceptance of incoming winter, the in-between season of pumpkins, new chances, and falling leaves. “October” encompasses the burgeoning autumn optimism that anything is possible. The song is brimming with emotion from the first fluttering keys to the deeper notes that flourish into an unspoken story—one that’s written beautifully and free to fly. — Heather Thorn
“Malibu” By Masayoshi Takanaka
Bringing some light to the cloudy weather, Masayoshi Takanaka once again proves he can make anyone happy with his music. While his music is most known for its summery vibe, this song crosses the barrier of seasons, I could be anywhere at anytimie listening to this song and will feel at ease. Masayoshi Takanaka is one of those musicians who talks with his instruments, every song has so much emotion in it and this one really stands out for that, it makes you feel like you just built a big lego set, and now you just get to admire. — Griff Giacchino
“Meeting of the Spirits” by Mahavishnu Orchestra
I feel like I’ve picked this band multiple times now across multiple different prompts, but can you blame me? There are few bands in history who went as unrepentantly hard in the sauce as Mahavishnu Orchestra, and even then, “Meeting of the Spirits” may be the most sauced-up track across the entirety of their discography. Every single musician playing here is a top-of-the-line, all-time player (hard to argue otherwise when you have THE Billy Cobham on the drums), but it’s the diabolical John McLaughlin guitar solo at the center of the song that’s the real draw. Listen to that tone; scuzzy, raw, but clear as day and sharp as a knife, as if McLaughlin’s strings are bursting into flames in real time from the sheer force of his attack. It’s got all the finesse of jazz, without losing any of the virtuoso shredding showmanship of prog. McLaughlin’s guitar is the lifeblood of “Meeting of the Spirits,” an unstoppable propulsive energy that every musician on the track is meticulously balancing themselves around as the music moves higher and higher, losing steam only for a moment before the guitar and drums steamroll their way back into the fray and rocket off into another bout of mindblowing, eye-wateringly beautiful musical wizardry. If you’re a musician, “Meeting of the Spirits” will dumbfound you. And if you’re not, it still will. That’s just how much power Mahavishnu Orchestra has. — Lucca Swain
“Star Song” by Vince Guaraldi and Bola Sete
The Spotify algorithm is rarely spoken about with good words, but every once in a while it’ll bring you something in a sparkling little package, like a gift from a fairy. “Star Song” came to me on the Vince Guaraldi radio and felt exactly like a present. Maybe jazz just isn’t my area of expertise, but this was my first encounter with Bola Sete, a Brazilian guitarist and composer, and I was very happy to make this discovery. “Star Song” comes from the album Vince & Bola, which has become a good friend to me on my walks. With the weather getting colder and Halloween approaching, jazz music has reentered into my daily music rotation – I would recommend this for you, too. “Star Song” is a fun, mellow backing track for any and all fall adventures. My suggestion is a warm drink in one hand, a friend’s company in the other, shared headphones, and a walk down a street covered in orange leaves (if you can find one). Songs like these are best when shared. — Ana Achata
“Circular Flexing” by Squarepusher
This is one of those songs that I still remember stumbling across for the first time. It was about a year ago when I was in an electronic dance phase and needed something to switch up the energy, so I decided to check out Squarepusher’s album Music Is Rotted One Note, an artist that I had kept hearing about but had no idea what their sound was like and figured I should give them a try. As someone who didn’t listen to jazz very often, I remember being totally blown away by just how unique and atmospheric Squarepusher’s particular flavor of jazz was, coming off as this sort of Lynchian, dreamy nightclub soundscape. The standout of that album is absolutely “Circular Flexing,” with the modulated garbled vocals over a melody that sounds like a heavily reverbed wind chime recorded on a VHS tape being right up my alley when it comes to experimental sounds. The song’s momentum is really something to behold as well, with the understated yet highly energetic hi-hats sounding like tribal drums that gives the song a very spiritual energy. Distorted piano keys accelerate towards the ending of the track, giving the song a climactic structure that elevates it beyond just having an ethereal sound. The song is both compositionally excellent as well as slightly discordant and nearly offbeat. Listening to this feels like hearing a ghostly orchestra play in a haunted house, from one room over while you’re half asleep. If I could only pick one song to describe as completely otherworldly and trance-inducing, this would have to be it. — Diego Gonzalez
“I Shall Be Released” – Nina Simone
Jazz is as much of a feeling as it is a genre.
My last memory of this song is driving to work and only realizing I was crying at a stop light, when a woman rolled her window down to ask if I was okay. But believe me when I say the ensemble of this song will have you in tears as well.
Weldon J. Irvine’s organ produces a drawn out whine that makes the listener feel as if their back is on the pavement after one too many, recalling something they can’t quite let go of. Simone’s voice accompanies the instrumental religiously, making the song feel more like scripture. It gives you a sharp warm feeling in your throat, swallowed down to your chest on que with a kickdrum.
In the end, everything will be okay as long as you have love. And even when you think there’s none left, it will find you. — Salem Ross
“Tezeta (Nostalgia)” by Mulatu Astatke
I remember when I received a text from my friend (who continues to be the main influence on my music taste over the years) of an album cover. It had a different sent me Ethiopiques 4: Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale 1969-1974, and after listening to the whole album I was in awe. “Liberty” and “From All the Time I Have Passed” were standouts. This is one of those albums that you know just sounds better on vinyl; Astatke’s words don’t describe how I felt about this song in particular. — Ronan Canzoniero
“Terra” by Geordie Greep
In the intricately wound layers of production, a wall of sound is forming to house a fusion of jazz referencing the airs of Brazil and broader Latin America. Geordie Greep’s “Terra” is alive, it jitters with momentous anticipation, rising to a payoff of horns and belts. It momentarily falls and simmers down into an array of playfully quiet bongos and maracas just to reach another boiling point of evocative yelps and moans from Greep himself. He plays a character that necessitates emotional validation yet inspires breaking out in sways and twirls. Simply, it’s a rollercoaster ride that, in its lyricism, flaunts the pain and suffering it was born out of, one that calls for desperate affection and attention of the most severe degree. With its uncomfortable voyeuristic desire to be pitied, the track is accompanied by upbeat trumpeting that trickles into the vocal quality of Greep who warbles in satisfaction. By the track’s close, we get the impression of a death of sorts, one that commemorates the life of a narrator we knew only in brief begs and prolonged brags. Greep’s storytelling and playful lyricism approaches its peak here as he creates an atmosphere of its own, one that’s packed with witty referential jazz that makes it remain one of my favorite tracks of the past few years. — Sophie Parrish