Winnipeg Free Press

Keith Black for Winnipeg Free Press

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Spirituality expressed in jazz is nothing new. From the Coltranes to Brubeck, Ellington, Charles Lloyd and many others, jazz folks have used their musicality to share their deepest spiritual feelings.

Yelena Eckemoff is a classically trained pianist who converted to Christianity in her native Russia and brought her love of jazz and her faith to the United States some years ago. Since moving to the States she has carved out a powerful career as pianist and composer in various configurations. A strong undercurrent has been to write compositions perhaps more and more regularly that reflect her fascination with the Psalms.

I Am a Stranger in This World is a two-CD release that continues that project. With a stellar cast of trumpeter Ralph Alessi, bassist Drew Gress, guitarist Adam Rogers and drummer Nasheet Waits , it adds violinist Christian Howes, guitarist Ben Monder and drummer Joey Baron on some tracks. Each track references a specific Psalm, with a wide range of moods and styles. Several tracks are straight-up blues, or complex with quite edgy dissonances.

The tunes are excellent; Eckemoff says her melodies that come from the words of the Psalms “are the best melodies I create.” The opening track, As Chaff Before the Wind (Ps. 35) is 12 minutes of laying the groundwork for the album. There is intensity and beauty in much of this music, and if one didn’t know the concept, the music would stand on its own solidly in the contemporary jazz groove. I Shall Not Want (Ps. 23) is a great blues number, while Keep Not Your Silence (Ps. 83) has exceptional solos by Alessi and Rogers. Wine of Assessment (Ps. 60) moves into very edgy moments, as do a number of other tracks, always with control and meaning.

While the concept might be a major turnoff for some, this is fine jazz at both the spiritual and “secular” level. Highly recommended. ★★★1/2 out of five

STREAM THESE: I Am a Stranger in This World (Ps. 119 Gimel), I Shall Not Want

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Keith Black for Winnipeg Free Press

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JAZZ
Yelena Eckemoff

Adventures of the Wildflower (L&H Production)

Pianist/composer Yelena Eckemoff was classically trained in Russia before moving to the United States with her family. Since then she has developed a constantly growing and well-earned jazz reputation. This album is arguably her most ambitious and extended. Her pattern over her last few releases has been to develop a theme through the scope of the compositions. This two-CD album builds on the thematic style by basically following a sequential story. The music follows the growth of her columbine flowers from planting and germination through all the seasons and complexities of the garden environment to the eventual end of the life cycle. Eckemoff’s compositional skills are wonderful here – evocative, sensual, moving and gentle as needed. Rain opens with obvious “rain drops” and develops into the complete feeling of the nourishment of this garden necessity.
Eckemoff has the backing here of a Finnish quintet: Jukka Perko, saxes; Antti Lötjönen, bass; Panu Savolainen, vibraphone; Olavi Louivuori, drums; and Jarmo Saari guitars, theremin and glass harp. They are a treat, working with this material in complete empathy with the topics and Eckemoff’s direction. Titles are simple and define the mood of the track: Chickens, Thundershower, Winter Slumber, Waking Up in the Spring all set the mood clearly. Drought is tense and dissonant in an extended description of troubled emotions.
While beautifully melodic, the harmonic variations, dissonant passages and rhythmic changes are fully contemporary. The effect in all cases, however, is to make you smile or recognise the intent of what are lovely tone poems. The flitting ¾-time of Butterflies is perfect. The tangible truth here is that these compositions and the skill with which they are presented show a real love of the concept and the theme. Eckemoff has developed into a major compositional force in the jazz world as well as bringing exceptional pianistic skill. This is a beautiful release.

★★★★1/2 out of five

STREAM THESE: Hummingbirds, Winter Slumber

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Keith Black for Winnipeg Free Press

Keith Black for Winnipeg Free Press

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Russian born pianist/composer Yelena Eckemoff was classically trained before moving to the United States in the ‘90s, but has now reached a wonderful blend of her classical skills and background with contemporary jazz approaches.

Her latest concept album is a tribute to the Arabian Desert with a series of thematically linked compositions. The moods leave no room for anything but visions of sand, expanses, and the people who live there. Eckemoff’s quartet has Paul McCandless on oboe, English horn and saxes, Arild Andersen bass and Peter Erskine drums. The inclusion of McCandless’ oboe is an inspired move.

Eckemoff says, “I thought of Paul McCandless and his oboe, on which he is so expressive, and decided this is the sound I wanted. Peter (Erskine) helped me connect with Paul, who really is the reason for this group. As for Arild (Andersen) and Peter, they had just the right voices for my melodies and compositions. I feel like when I have these guys around, I can do anything.”

Titles such as Bedouins, Mirages, Desert Cry, Oasis, Dust Storm and others all evoke the corresponding feelings. At times dissonant, but overwhelmingly melodic, this is current jazz at the highest level of both sophistication and visceral imagery. The seamless mix of all the musical influences in her life makes Eckemoff’s music simply extraordinary. Highly recommended.

****1/2 out of five stars

Steam these: Bedouins, Dance

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Keith Black for Winnipeg Free Press

Keith Black for Winnipeg Free Press

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Russian born pianist Yelena Eckemoff is establishing herself strongly in the North American jazz world. Since moving to North Carolina with her husband in 1991, she has shown that her classical training has proven most compatible in her move into jazz expression.

Her new double-CD album is a continuing example of her playing and compositional skills. All the compositions are hers, as is the production, and there is a 28-page booklet of poems and background to accompany the music.

She recruited some pretty impressive help for this project, with Chris Potter on saxes, Adam Rogers on guitar, Drew Gress on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums. Much of Eckemoff’s compositional inspiration is drawn from her memories of her earlier Russian life.

The titles reflect this — Fishing Village, Picnic In The Oaks, On The Motorboat — and the mood is balanced by the memories. While thoroughly modern in approach and sound, there are no hard edges here; simply accessible, sometimes driving and often introspective “tone poems” if you will.

The collective experience and maturity of the band brings the word confidence to mind. Saxophonist Potter said the writing “awakens a feeling” and the result is supported with repeated listenings. There is a calmness to the music that is very evocative of the memories being represented in sound. Highly recommended.

★★★★1/2 out of five stars

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Keith Black for Winnipeg Free Press

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Pianist Yelena Eckemoff was born in Russia and was classically trained. She came to the United States in the 1990s with her husband, and since then has developed a highly acclaimed jazz style that incorporates her classical technique and influences very effectively. This new two-CD release is a fascinating exploration of sense of smell and other nature-related ideas. Eckemoff’s band -a quartet of young Finnish musicians – are totally in sync with the concepts here. Trumpeter Verneri Pohjola and vibraphonist Panu Savolainen are particularly notable. The music is mainly gentle and meditative while remaining nicely rhythmic, with depth and subtlety behind an immediate emotional response. The discs are given seasonal divisions – one “Summer Smells” and the other “Winter Smells.” Both Eckemoff and her lesser-known Finnish colleagues are impressive here. Concept albums can seem forced or too cute at times, but this one works at every level. Often simply beautiful and always engaging, this is a winner.

****1/2

Keith Black for Winnipeg Free Press
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