(Modern Creative, Avant-Garde Jazz) [WEB] John Hollenbeck, Alban Darche, Samuel Blaser, Sebastien Boisseau - JASS - 2014, FLAC (tracks), lossless

JASS as in John, Alban, Samuel, Sébastien. Or as in jass, a centuries-old card game for four players, also called chibre, that is popular to this day in Switzerland and in the Austrian region of Voralberg. Or also as in jass, the term used by the Original Dixieland Jass Band lead by Nick La Rocca in March 1917 for the very first jazz-album recording.*
Thus Jass can be viewed as a semantic connection of little importance or simply an amusing etymological coincidence.
One might also suppose that some perceptive intuition, chance encounters and unplanned events such as Alban Darche’s admiration for John Hollenbeck’s Claudia Quintet and his fortuitious meeting with their drummer, the development of a real bond between Samuel Blaser and Sebastien Boisseau or the playfulness shared by the four protagonists have guided them to reveal an aesthetic glee generated by a music both modern and deeply rooted in jazz history. A music that is eminently collective, that is expertly composed but yet its natural flow allows the meaning to emerge as much in the silences as in the musical motif wrought from listening to each other’s ideas and feelings.
A first concert in Berlin in July 2011 and later, an artist's residency in Nantes in January 2012 (where the current album was recorded ) were sufficient for these four highly demanding musicians to create, in such a natural fashion, a striking sequence of original themes whilst maintaining the group performance at its heart, whilst keeping in check demands of organisation and balance in order to allow free-flowing elements of interference, of effervescence, of intoxication and yet avoiding being side-tracked on an excess or effusiveness.
As compact and well-constructed as it appears, this music cannot be easily encapsulated by one single interpretation. It invites the listener to create one’s own impression derived from the different alternatives suggested by it’s framework and networked connections which suggest that at any moment anything is possible. The precise attention given to the form of each piece and the constant concern for a clear structure are a fertile basis for the melodic voice and the many micro-narratives which intertwine consistently on a palette of incandescent chromatics. (Bernard Aimé)

J.A.S.S. as in the first letters of the names of American drummer John Hollenbeck, French saxophonist Alban Darche and double bassist Sébastien Boisseau and Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser. But Jass also as the term used by the Original Dixieland Jass Band in March 1917 for the very first jazz-album recording or just the name of centuries-old popular card game in Switzerland and Austria.
All of the above references relevant to this quartet who first played together in Berlin in July 2011 and recorded its debut after an artist's residency in Nantes, France, the hometown of Darche and Boisseau. The music features the highly personal, distinct compositional skills of Hollenbeck, Darche and Blaser, observing in an amused manner on the history of jazz, and packed with strong, playful and nuanced melodies.
This collective quartet keeps a delicate balance between its four musicians, emphasizing the organic highly melodic flow within its compact, well-constructed compositions. Darche and Blaser's playing stresses a beautiful singing and conversational quality while Hollenbeck and Boisseau vary the rhythmic basis constantly, alternating between loose pulses, exploratory sounds, and light swinging ones.
The quartet enables Hollenbeck to re- contextualize some of his past compositions within a new setting. "Jazz Envy," which he previously performed, and Jazz Bigband Graz on Joys & Desires (Intuition, 2005), is anchored within a strong pulse, but within this rhythmic framework the musicians have the freedom to keep exploring its theme. "Limp Mint," originally from Claudia Quintet's Semi Formal (Cuneiform, 2005) retains its dramatic story narrative, delivered now from four sonic angles that intensify its enigmatic story lines. "No D," from Claudia Quintet debut (CRI, 2002) has the most complex and demanding structure, shifting between pulses and cyclical loose, and dense forms of interplay.
Darche's "Water" and "Driving License" highlights the immediate, intuitive bond with Blaser. Both exchanging back and forth ideas, constructing thick, detailed articulations. His ironic "Miss Univers 2031" and "Tricéphale" unfold like a dense stories with many twists. Blaser's two compositions, "Recurring Dreams" and "It began to get gark," stress his unique, searching vocabulary on the trombone.
Highly impressive debut that calls for following meetings of this quartet. (Eyal Hareuveni)

Since there is no definite goal in life, no prescribed target to get to, there can be no regret only joy when pathways meet and another piece of music enters your sonic experience to take hold. This one is by JASS, four initials luckily coinciding with the Original Dixieland Jass Band, the group credited with the very first jazz recording, way back in 1917. Way here in 2014 there’s so much to take from, extending the bow of tradition into the now, playing freely.
Let’s break it up:
Recurring dreams: A nice unison start, splitting in counterparts and evolving into an exploratory trombone solo, how do I work this,sturdily shod by bass and drum, alto underpinning and taking over with repetitive theme, speeding up and bringing the whole to a boil.
Saj’s: A broken melancholy theme interrupted by some quiet weird eruptions, almost Cageian prepared piano, resulting in very subdued conversation well, not about the weather.
Jazz Envy: Theme explored and re-explored, a dash of elephants in the background and rustling rhythm this time, segueing into broken swing.
Water: quiet conversation, telling stories, then the marching drums pop up at the horizon and once again we dive into the mean slow music I so like, always together always alone, getting urgent, pushing each other, never punishing, and coming back to the lovely unison again. Water indeed, after a long trip in the desert. Or something like that.
Limp mint: Melodica kicking off this time. Indian drone, and long sustained breaths, savouring tones under and over. Rhythm underneath off kilter, but right on the money. Yeah, that hits the spot baby.
And off again, 4 guys on the road, seen from above their paths intertwining separating yet painting a stunning picture.
Driving license: Popping and spurting, feeling out the sounds again, some rainsticks, and so slowly so elegantly building up the frame, whereinto the melody is woven, drumkicks all over, densing up (if that’s a verb and it should be) and playing it far out.
No D.: Some industrial drumming here and two urgent pleas, until the drive catches on and propels the whole ever on ever on. Feet tapping head bobbing and again a fierce blowout. Great stuff.
Miss Universe 2031: is a curvy blonde, moving on stage with sinuous abandon, and that’s all she has to say. “We approach the divine by enlarging our souls and lighting up our brains.” (Tom Robbins)
It began to get dark: but we’re all alight now. And it ends with a better world, no doubt. No more words. Press play.
I could choose some adjectives, smart, funny, enthralling, aware, defiant, respectful and you can choose your own, but this album needs to be heard. Make it so. (Hugo Truyens)