ALC16 #12: Borderlands by Lisa Ullén Quartet

[Grzywa]

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Borderlands by Lisa Ullen Quartet

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3DGprMGn99qGDtA3QzvUZ6
YouTube: not too much of their work is available, but for those who want to catch a glimpse, here's a clip of them doing the first track off Borderlands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTpIL-tenbw

My personal focus this year has been largely on free jazz/improvised music and I will always be thankful to our ex fellow Satie for introducing me to artists such as Albert Ayler or Gracham Moncur. I try to keep up with more recent developments in this area - for those interested, I frequently use this page http://www.freejazzblog.org/ as a valuable resource.

One of the new releases that caught my ear is Borderlands: my interest was immediate, but it took me a couple of weeks to fully appreciate the album. Behind the surface frenzy and instrumental anxiety there's plenty of surprises, like the unexpected twist into a warm ballad in Sisters, Brothers, Here's Another, which showcases one of the Quartet's undeniable skills: competent application of the loud-quiet-loud strategy.

What makes Borderlands different from 1960s predecessors is the use of electronic layer which underlie the otherwise traditional jazz equipment. Nowhere is this more visible than in my personal highlight A New Leaf, which evokes a sort of ambient or psychedelic atmosphere.

Tags: Jazz, Free Jazz, Improvised, Jazz&Electronic, Jazz&Ambient, Jazz&Krautrock(?)
Listen when: you're not too tired or sleepy.
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Always shouts out something obscene

[Tap]

oh hey sorry I've been having a busy week with minimal posting time, but this is a good listen! nice mix of clean and relatively uglier timbres, and good use of dynamics as noted. I'll post something more substantial with some more listening under my belt, but yeah thanks for the heads up on this one (and that site, seems like a good one).

[jwammo12]

Great pick. Usually it takes me a few listens to know whether I like anything in this genre, but Borderlands clicked right away for some reason. Thanks!
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discogs

[Grzywa]

Thank you guys (Tap and jwammo12) for checking it out so far. I don't expect a free jazz record to become the most discussed release this year , but if this might help encourage others to give it a try, having listened to it like 15 times, I still can't quite capture this record in its entirety, and some of the tracks (like Waiting Room) just sound different each time.

Also, I'm more or less familiar with 1950s/1960s pioneers of free jazz, and several releases over the last decade or so. Therefore, let me ask those of you who might be more knowledgeable: how do you find Borderlands against the tradition and history of the genre ? Do you find there anything innovative, or is it more of "I've heard it" ? Can you think of other records which combine electronic background with improvised jazz stuff on the top ?