Polyhymnia＜数量限定盤/Virgin Orange Vinyl＞

UKジャズシーンの天才トランペッターYazz Ahmed
最新アルバムとカタログ作品3タイトルが数量限定カラー・ヴァイナルで発売!

ジャズワイズの2019年トップ20アルバムの一つに選ばれた作品の『Polyhymnia』がカラー版で発売!
本作は、女性の勇気や決意、創造性を称える作品として、若いミュージシャンや女性アーティストを支援するイギリスの音楽教育団体のTomorrow's Warriorsから2015年に依頼され、新しい才能を育成することを目的としたオーケストラのNu Civilisation Orchestraのために制作されたアルバム。この作品は、ロンドンでの国際女性デーに開催されたWomen of the World Festivalで演奏された。
アルバムのタイトルは、音楽や詩、舞踊の女神ポリヒムニアにちなんでおり、優れた女性たちへの賛辞として、いくつかの楽曲が制作された。 前作『La Saboteuse』とは異なり、よりポジティブなメッセージが込められている。

Polyhymnia is the third full-length from British-Bahraini trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Yazz Ahmed. Her remarkable meld of post-bop jazz, Arabic folk traditions, and electronic sound design has brought her to a prominent and influential place on Londons vibrant jazz scene. Like 2017s La Saboteuse, the album is adorned with a stunning six-panel sleeve design by Sophie Bass. The music here is an extended suite-like work commissioned by Tomorrows Warriors in 2015. It was performed by members of the Nu Civilisation Orchestra in a concert at the Women of the World Festival on International Womens Day. The album is titled for the name of its inspiration: ancient Greeces muse of poetry, music, and dance. Each of the works six compositions is inspired (and often named for) women of historical and cultural import: film director Haifaa Al-Mansour, civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, activist Ruby Bridges, saxophonist and bandleader Barbara Thompson, female education advocate Malala Yousafza, and, of course, the suffragettes of the early 20th century. This music conveys an extended message of empowerment that is not without struggle. It is performed by a large ensemble of more than 30 musicians and singers playing in varying groups; they include members of Ahmeds band, Hafla, and favorite players on the London scene. The recorded version of Polyhymnia has been expanded considerably from its live version. Ahmed added elements such as her newly designed quarter-tone flugelhorn that expands the possibilities of the Western scale toward the blue notes of Arabic modal music. All of these pieces are extended; none is shorter than eight-and-a-half minutes. Opener Lahan al-Mansour (Melody of Al-Mansour) is dedicated to Saudi Arabias first female film director. It has a minor modal intro played in layers of overdubbed flugelhorn framed by hand percussion, elliptical Rhodes piano, guitars, bass, drums, violin, and swirling saxophones. Composed lines and improvisations are intertwined in Ahmeds arrangement. In Ruby Bridges, loping post-bop framed by flugelhorn and guitar meet a funky, pulsing bass line, swinging drums, and expansive, polytonal reeds and brass. 2857 (for Rosa Parks) is introduced by a bluesy Middle Eastern bass line and drum kit. Ahmed leads the horn section in a tune where gospel, folk, classical, and jazz intersect. Closer Barbara (for Barbara Thompson) juxtaposes contrapuntal statements on bass clarinet, multi-tracked alto saxophone, flugelhorn, and electric guitar with boisterous brass, strings, vibes, drums, percussion, and Rhodes. Avant and modern jazz meet pop and classical music in sections that range from propulsive, dynamic, and knotty to blissed-out and nearly pastoral, delivered in gloriously upbeat tones, myriad textures, and brilliant colors. Evidenced by Polyhymnias ambitious scope and flawlessly executed meld of compositions, charts, and focused improvisation, Ahmed and her work no longer belong strictly to London, but to jazz the world over. ~ Thom Jurek

レディオヘッド作品にも名を連ねるバーレーン出身UKのトランペット奏者、ナイームからリリースした作品は個人的にここ最近で最も刺激的なジャズだと思っている。そしてこの 〈ロープアドープ・レコード〉からの新作も期待を裏切らない。ルーツに根差したアラビックの旋律を残しつつ、表現の幅の拡がり方は尋常でない。新境地のカラーにもフィットするラージアンサンブル的アンサンブルやポストロック的昂揚感を携えたスピリチュアリティはとにかくサイケでエモーショナルだ。エフェクティヴな音色は宇宙を浮遊しつつ、時に夜を切り裂く。ハイライトはヌビア・ガルシアとの二管がタイトに絡む展開、昇天すること必至。
intoxicate (C)片切真吾