Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Kenny Wollesen: LATRALA

Kenny Wollesen: LATRALA

By Glenn Astarita
August 29, 2024
View read count

When a February 2022 gig at

John Zorn

saxophone, alto
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">John Zorn's experimental showcase The Stone was unexpectedly canceled due to Covid protocol, Wollesen seized the lemon juicer and booked the band into Shahzad Ismaily's famed Figure 8 studio in Brooklyn for the following two days. The session was engineered by Lily Wen and produced by Will Shore, a composer who plays vibes alongside Wollesen in the utopian art-jazz group U?upis. Playing together for the first time, LATRALA recorded nearly the entire album and its first session together in a flurry of extraordinary first takes. "I love that energy, that first-time feeling," says Wollesen. "I'm a big believer in the early stages of creating something. It's really exciting! You don't know where you're going, but you're playing with incredible musicians so it somehow works." It is a testament to the band's trust in each other and their willingness to embrace spontaneity and imperfection. This approach ensures that every nuance, every spontaneous idea, and every moment of collective inspiration is preserved, providing listeners with an intimate snapshot of a fleeting, yet powerful creative moment.

The linchpin is lauded drummer, percussionist

Kenny Wollesen

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Wollesen who hammers out themes and improv statements on the marimba and vibes. The A-list session artist has graced productions by

John Zorn

saxophone, alto
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">John Zorn,

Bill Frisell

guitar, electric
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Frisell, Sean Lennon and countless others. Yet here, he also incorporates organ, tenor sax and more within his equipment arsenal.

Each track feels like an unfolding narrative, a conversation between the musicians that never settles into predictable patterns but rather thrives on unpredictability and exploration. On this release, Wollesen and his ensemble craft a landscape where boundaries dissolve and genres intermingle. The synergy between the musicians is palpable, and their collective improvisation generates a vibrant and ever-evolving sonic tapestry. "My other solo albums have been either duos or solo efforts," says Wollesen. "This was more of a proper session. It actually worked out much better than simply doing the Stone show, because we got this amazing recording out of it."

"Agora" is the leadoff track exuding bliss and liberation, blending a Brazilian-infused fusion with

Tony Scherr

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Scherr's crunchy e-guitar lines and the leader's marimba. Synth effects, funky bass grooves, and a magnetic syncopated rhythm make this piece truly delightful. "Empress" is soaked in slinky jazz-funk, as this piece evokes the warm, dry summers of California. Exotic touches and Wollesen's jazz-inflected roots make it playful and memorable as they up the ante towards the closeout.

"Heart in Hand" is a tender embrace of R&B balladry, gently brushed and tactfully layered. Exotic touches add depth to this heartfelt track, complete with a soft, memorably melodic primary theme, rendered by Wollesen's lyrically rich vibes performance. Yet "Serious Drinking "is an off-centered and whimsical journey through syncopation and shifting rhythms, including drummer

Nasheet Waits

drums
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Nasheet Waits' peppery rock beat. Moreover, Wollesen and his cohorts mix it up via a haunting free jazz motif amid background EFX and Scherr's mid-toned lines. It is like stumbling upon a musical tavern. The session closes with "Cavalier Da Baton," complete with a breezy and quirky calypso-framed theme.

Throughout the album, Wollesen's compositions resonate with emotional depth, brought to life by the ensemble's joyful performance. This is fun music! Ultimately, LATRALA is a bold statement of artistic freedom and a testament to the power of collaborative creativity. It challenges listeners to abandon preconceptions and immerse themselves in a world where the only constant is the thrill of discovery.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Agora; Fifty Five; Sam; Johnny Garr; Empress; Uptown; Heart In Hand; Serious Drinking; Sea Change; Cavalier Da Baton.

Personnel

Kenny Wollesen

drums

Nasheet Waits

drums

Tony Scherr

bass

Michael Coleman

piano

Christopher Thomas

bass, acoustic

Additional Instrumentation

Kenny Wollesen: electric vibraphone; marimba; songs; bells; glass marimba; congas; tenor saxophone; organ; tenor steel pan; Wollesenics. Michael Coleman: electric piano, synths; Tony Scherr: guitar.

Album information

Title: Latrala | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Otherly Love

PREVIOUS / NEXT

The Cry!
< Previous

San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2024
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.