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Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival 2017
Vilnius, Lithuania
November 15-19, 2017
Introduction
Although a going concern since 2002, Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival doesn't possess the high profile internationally that its longevity might suggest. Set amid the baroque beauty of the Lithuanian capital, in an assortment of venues, the festival has brought together performers from Europe, USA and beyond for the last fifteen years. The 2017 edition boasted two unique selling points. The first, a celebration of one of the founding fathers of Lithuanian jazz and the second, a Showcase Stage which offered artists, embracing a healthy proportion of Lithuanian groups, an opportunity to present themselves to festival promoters and critics from overseas (of which this writer was one) as well as local listeners.
Very much at ground zero of modern Lithuanian jazz stands the renowned
Vyacheslav Ganelin
pianob.1944
Vladimir Tarasov
drumsb.1947
Vladimir Chekasin
saxophoneb.1947
Jones Jones
First was the conjunction of three white-haired maestros in Jones Jones, with Tarasov joined the by the Americans bassist
Mark Dresser
bass, acousticb.1952
Larry Ochs
saxophoneb.1949
Anthony Braxton
woodwindsb.1945
Rova Saxophone Quartet
saxophoneA conversational spurt from bass and drums launched their set, as Tarasov sprinkled his mallets around his extended kit. Ochs inserted short distinctively wiry tenor saxophone kernels into the discourse and they were away in an ebb and flow of changing dynamics. Though the tidal metaphor might suggest something preordained that was emphatically not the case. With so much experience at their fingertips, it was no surprise that they felt able to take their time to explore the blossoming of unpredictably dovetailing exchanges in which no one instrument predominated.
Neither Tarasov or Dresser accepted the usual allotted roles. Tarasov moved in abrupt bursts of activity, often letting the resonance ring out from exquisitely delicate interventions on an array of metallic implements, as well as more forceful snaps on tympani and kettle drum. Dresser's mastery manifest itself in the panoply of unusual timbres he drew from his bass, whether creating a rippling pizzicato with two hands at the neck of the fingerboard or bowing in terse strokes to conjure an increasingly buzzing legato. At one stage Dresser's vocally flexed slurs found a match in Ochs pitch bending tenor. An unapologetically abstract player in the post-Coltrane tradition, Ochs dug in without rhythmic inflection, mingling animal bleats, harsh yells and sudden altissimo shouts, in a responsive participative way which was the antithesis of showboating.
They extemporized two lengthy pieces which mesmerized the packed auditorium of the National Drama Theater, and prompted demands for an encore. Tarasov began with a rattling clip clop, but both Dresser and Ochs avoided against the meter. Undeterred the drummer switched to sticks to generate a free pulse, while the reedman issued guttural cries and Dresser pursued a contrasting but complimentary throb. After reaching a sustained crescendo they all stopped on a dime. But, in yet another instance of the trio's unpredictability, just when you thought that might be it, Tarasov reverted to shakers and the initial clip clop, until finally he too chose to halt.
Vladimir Tarasov and the Lithuanian Art Orchestra
The second part of the evening was billed as Tarasov and the Lithuanian Art Orchestra with special guest Vladimir Chekasin, a rare reunion of two thirds of the legendary trio. Tarasov founded the Orchestra in 1991 and it has continued with a variety of line ups uniting the cream of the nation's talent since then, appearing at several previous editions of the Festival. The surprise here was that it was Chekasin who took charge of the 13-strong Orchestra from the off, vigorously organizing and directing with hand signals in the style of a Butch Morris, but also using a headset microphone to sing lines for the musicians to follow. That was in addition to the charts and unmistakably notated sequences.
Chekasin set up a pounding beat from the rhythm instruments on the left side of the stage, then devoted himself to selecting soloists from the assembled horns to the right, and instigating backing riffs. Among the featured turns, the wailing tenor saxophone of
Liudas Mockūnas
saxophoneb.1976
There were more reflective moments too as a drifting pointillistic section ensued in which Chekasin blew on curved soprano saxophone, demonstrating that he had lost none of his facility. He enjoyed brief double acts first with bassist " data-original-title="" title="">Eugenijus Kanevi?ius and then pianist
Arnas Mikalk?nas
percussion
Vytautas Labutis
saxophoneb.1960
Juozas Milašius
guitarb.1968
Midway through the set, Tarasov hobbled onstage to present the third installment of his piece "Tapestry." While he continued the same conductive approach, his orchestration seemed smoother and jazzier, perhaps a consequence of the ensemble's familiarity with his ideas. However that did come at a price, as the tension was no longer as palpable. An actor recited from a text at various points in the piece, over an impressionistic backing. Towards the close, Ochs, Dresser and Chekasin all returned, and Tarasov settled behind his kit to direct proceedings. Ochs growled and spluttered over a simmering Orchestra, and then reveled in a pungent push and pull with Chekasin.
Inevitably the audience demanded an encore. Tarasov complied, initiating a sprightly cadence over which he introduced the Orchestra and gave each member the chance to express themselves in a concise solo, pianist Mikalk?nas notably obliging in a flurry of fingers and elbows. The set convinced as a stunningly unorthodox presentation, in a good way, and the Orchestra and its two directors well-merited the standing ovation at the evening's end.
The Showcase Stage: Lithuanian Bands
Six Lithuanian bands, with some overlap in membership, featured on the Showcase Stage in the lobby of the National Drama Theater during the final two days of the Festival. Most striking was the collective trio of reedman Liudas Mockūnas, pianist Arnas Mikalk?nas and Norwegian drummer
Håkon Berre
drumsb.1980
The degree to which they blurred the boundaries was neatly exemplified by a passage during which Mockūnas belayed a weighty four note phrase on the gargantuan bass saxophone, while the pianist and drummer went hard at it. Then amidst all the fury, the pianist calmly turned the page of his score. Whether notated or on-the-fly, the upshot was spellbinding music which both delved into the extremes but also touched on diverse genres, one instant invoking Middle Eastern muezzin, the next recasting a melody by Sibelius.
Another wild duo between Mikalk?nas and Berre culminated in a drum solo in which the Norwegian went from crashing bombast to scrapes and scratches using a medley of cymbals on his drum skins. Mockūnas also delighted in polarities, as well as co-opting the granddaddy of the saxophone family, he used his skill at circular breathing to take his soprano on a screeching roller coast ride. On clarinet he could be similarly dog bothering, but more often coolly looking towards the chamber. In the absence of a bassist, the pianist sometimes held down the vamps with his left hand, but embarked on freewheeling digressions with his right, which nicely encapsulated the trio's use of fragmentary themes to illuminate their powerful interchange.
Of the other Lithuanian groups on the Showcase Stage, KU.Piece effectively combined improv and fusion in a set full of informal colloquy. D?iazlaif (pronounced Jazzlive) explored oppositional gambits in pieces which skipped between genres from free to big band swing, in and out of time, juxtaposing shouting sections with elements like an acoustic bass solo, or introspective muttering between the two saxophones. The venerable Shinkarenko Jazz 4N executed new compositions by leader electric bassist Leonidas ?inkarenko, which relished tricksy convoluted heads and modern mainstream blowing, one tenor solo by Vytautas Labutis being particularly noteworthy.
Labutis was back again with his Silent Blast Quintet which featured a young rhythm team of his former students who will likely go far. Away from the melodic themes and horn solos, much of the time was given over to their rousing interplay. Their flair is plainly already recognized as drummer Jonas Dr?ma Gliaudelis fuelled all three Showcase sets on the final Sunday, also joining the Deimantas Jurevi?ius Group and the Liutauras Janu?aitis Quintet, while pianist Domas Zeromskas and bassist Nojus Dr?sutis were also part of the former.
The Main Stage
Of the other acts on the main stage, the
Pharoah Sanders
saxophone, tenor1940 - 2022
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
He still luxuriates in a wonderful buffed tone, and though his famous upper register flare-ups were limited to a few dissonant blasts in passing, he still radiated a blissful warmth, well appreciated by the audience. His band of long time associate " data-original-title="" title="">William Henderson on piano, and European-based rhythm section of bassist
Oli Hayhurst
bass
Gene Calderazzo
drums
Get The Blessing
band / ensemble / orchestra
Neil Cowley
pianob.1972
The Showcase Stage: Overseas Bands
Tamsta Club, a bright modern space with good acoustics on the edge of the picturesque Old City, furnished the venue for the overseas acts on the Showcase Stage, attracting a sizeable audience of mixed ages and gender for the first three nights of the Festival.
Like many acts on the festival circuit Romanian piano trio " data-original-title="" title="">Jazzybit channeled the successful but sadly no more, (following the death of pianist
Esbjorn Svensson
piano1964 - 2008
Electric bassist Mihai Moldoveanu's booming contours and Szabó Csongor Zsolt's crisp drums interlocked with the keys to draw an enthusiastic response from the crowd. Illustrative of their attention to detail were how Zsolt mirrored Pop by striking a distinct cymbal for each chord on the head of "A Moon Ra," and the way Moldoveanu extended Pop's keyboard arpeggio on "Cura?ao," all without interrupting the flow. They already have a couple of commended albums under their belts and on this showing will be likely to garner many more accolades.
Seasoned Swedish quartet Amazonas stood out as the real deal from the fusion acts which dominated the Showcase Stage: excelling at loose structure and good-natured interaction, above all between
Biggi Vinkeloe
saxophoneb.1956
Gustafsson invoked a folky lyricism in his slowly uncoiling soprano runs incorporating microtones and slurred notes, while Vinkeloe took her time to build momentum as she paused between phrases on alto, hitching slight blues infusions to her insistent figures, over a deliberate stalking tattoo from drummer Anders Kjellberg and electric bassist Annika T?rnqvist. But it was the voluble interweaving of the two reeds, occasionally recalling Steve Lacy in their nagging reiterations, along with T?rnqvist 's pulsating basslines which gave the band its distinctive flavor.
Also bringing to mind EST, but with more emphasis on the jazzy lyrical side was the
Lorenzo De Finti
pianob.1975
His experienced crew, including co-writer Stefano Dall'Ora on double bass and Marco Castiglioni on drums, was sensitive and quick to respond to his needs. Trumpeter Gendrickson Mena Diaz helped accentuate the melodic aspects, while cutting through with incisive lines as the temperature rose. Other points of reference might take in some of
Kenny Wheeler
flugelhorn1930 - 2014
Enrico Rava
trumpetb.1939
Ukranian trio H.Soror also stood out but for different reasons, plowing a constricted furrow with great effectiveness at the juncture of rock, metal and jazz. While tenor saxophonist Mykola Lebed stood immobile, electric bassist Natasha Steel strolled around the stage, narrowly avoiding entanglement in the maze of wires. Drummer Natasha Pyrohova was an energetic presence, alternating between funereal beats and all out battering with not much in between.
On the opening number Lebed intoned a unhurried doomy sax shape over a slow drag, which gradually accelerated into a death metal thrash. Thereafter they explored similar territory, with Steel adding wordless vocal figures to augment the reeds whose periodic strangulated shrieks enhanced the expressive movement of the songs.
The fourpiece Naked from Serbia was perhaps the biggest hit with the gathered throng. Their infectious brand of Balkan folk music, strutting funk and wild freeform embellishment had the late night crowd baying for more. Imposing bass guitarist Branislav Radojkovic was an irresistible presence, anchoring the group's bottom end alongside drummer Goran Milosevic's explosive outbursts. Completing the cast was the unusual front line of saxophonist Rastko Uzunovic and violinist Djordje Mijuskovic, whose incendiary polyphony and frantic gypsy swing provided little respite from the rhythmic excitement.
Bands traveled from far and wide to take part in the Showcase Stage. All the more remarkable as application to the competitive selection process was on the basis of accommodation only, but no performance fee or travel costs, symptomatic of the difficulty in gaining exposure for new and even established groupings. In addition to those already mentioned, the Bodhisattwa Trio from India came furthest, Poland supplied the Quantum Trio and the Pawe? Kaczmarczyk Audiofeeling Band, Switzerland DogOn, and Latvia Very Cool People, while Quite Sublime contained a multinational cast.
Jazz Margins
Concurrent with the music was Jazz Margins, a series of moderated discussions on various aspects of the jazz music business, focusing on the economics, the apparent success of jazz development in some countries, principally neighboring Estonia, questioning the dominant role of festivals in the music ecosystem, and the way forward in the digital age. Indicative of the profile the festival benefits from domestically, two of the sessions were broadcast live on National TV.
Perhaps it's worth finishing with the revealing words of the Mayor of Vilnius Remigijus ?ima?ius who in his Opening Speech clarified what the Festival meant to the City. He explained that the Festival brought value to the City by enhancing its cultural life. When he asked businesses what they most needed from him, their message was that they wanted to attract young talent. Obviously public spaces, kindergartens and public transport were key parts of that, but so was making the City an interesting place to live. And as a result the City was pleased to invest in the Festival to help elevate it above the mundane. That's a message that must surely resonate much wider than just Lithuania.
Tags
Live Reviews
Vladimir Tarasov
John Sharpe
Lithuania
Vilnius
Ganelin Trio
Vyacheslav Ganelin
Vladimir Chekasin
Mark Dresser
Larry Ochs
anthony braxton
Rova Saxophone Quartet
Liudas Mockūnas
Pharoah Sanders
John Coltrane
William Henderson
Oli Hayhurst
Gene Calderazzo
get the blessing
Neil Cowley
JazzyBit
Esbjorn Svensson
Biggi Vinkeloe
Lorenzo Dei Finti
Stefano Dall'Ora
Kenny Wheeler
Enrico Rava
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