Voyager reviews
Voyager reviews
Ivan rod
All About Jazz
Free Jazz Blog
Mos Eisley Music
Salt-Peanuts
Møller's melodic sophistication is immediately on display on the opener "Spirit Soul." His varied accompaniment helps propel the catchy composition while saxophonist Ole Visby sings the melody.
Guitarist Michael Møller Porsborg's playing is somewhat reminiscent of the dwelling chords of Jakob Bro, but he also moves into twang territory on "Departure" and "Bricks." On the latter, Møller switches successfully to Fender Rhodes and Albæk Jakobsen's subtle use of electronics and delayed drum patterns bring extra atmosphere to the piece. Bassist Kenneth Dahl Knudsen is the safe anchor throughout the album. He is not afraid of space and pauses, but also establishes solid grooves.
Albæk Jakobsen wanted to create a musical journey with the album and he has succeeded. The pieces gradually develop a narrative where melody is just as important as texture. It is between the clear rhythmic patterns and clear melody of "Spirit Soul" and the searching soundscape of "Long Johns" that Voyager finds its own expression based on accessible immediacy and meditative beauty.
The ambitious approach to the music succeeds in full with this new album and there’re even times when I must completely surrender in excitement.……..
This album is in many ways a good take on contemporary jazz with a strong personal interplay between the five musicians.…….
Voyager is recommendable and it is one of those albums that grows every time you’re listening to it.
….it all manages to pull you in. The pieces on Voyager convey a wide range of emotions while also focusing on the strong connection between these five musicians. It's all of a piece, yet, in keeping with the group's name, completely in flux.
… in fact it is the journey and impetus, the nooks and corners, the open spaces and it’s improvisatory potential, that’s explored and staged by the quintet.
Voyager is enquiring, inquiring and airy music….
….(The) melodic parts are recurring on this record and provide the basic structure for Jakobsen's compositions in a very cinematic fashion.
…..you will find different kinds of moods on this record, though the important thing is that they never stay static throughout the songs - they evolve through the free structures.
The record start with the fine tune Spirit Soul where all the musicians get themselves well introduced. Sax player Ole Visby has a little flat tone on the tenor sax but takes a good lead on this tune with guitar player Michael Møller Porsborg following without getting in the way. Piano player Søren Møller is doing well and bass player Kenneth Dahl Knudsen sounds a little like Charlie Haden. And behind it all Thomas Albæk Jakobsen steers the course on the drums with superior control.
Relationships reviews
Relationships reviews
Scandinavian Jazz
JazzNyt
Nordjyske
GAFFA
Lyddreng.dk
Reviews in english
Jakobsen's well-crafted compositions have a strong melodic approach but with enough suggestive segments that invite the Flux members to expand and to draw these compositions to more open, poetic ends……..
"A New Beginning" and "Sunday Morning in Late Winter" have dramatic narratives, its tension is built slowly and both shift between energetic, playful parts to darker, enigmatic segments…….
A promising debut.
You have to respect Thomas Albæk Jakobsen for his courage in doing this demanding project……
It makes demands of every musician. Especially Ole Visby must be praised for his enthusiastic and varied playing on tenor saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet. Inception pt. 1 is a fine example where he uses clarinet.
Reviews in danish
Den indledende "Prologue" er et stykke sagmodigt, eftertænksomt øjeblik, før vi åbner mere for godteposen i "Blade-ish". Her bliver budt på nykomponeret melodisk materiale, og skønt der også er plads til improvisation, er numrene mere fast strukturerede. Her er temaer og genkendelighed, og på den måde er Flux en mere umiddelbart tilgængelig plade. Og der bliver spillet nydeligt af hele holdet. Nyd eksempelvis den vedmodige nysnesknitrende stemning i nummeret "Sunday Morning in Late Winter"
Thomas Albæk Jakobsen er meget ambitiøs og har lavet en plade med avanceret musik. Det stiller krav til de enkelte musikere. Her skal specielt Ole Visby have ros for et afvekslende og veloplagt spil på både tenorsax, klarinet og basklarinet. Her er specielt nummeret Inception pt. 1 et glimrende eksempel, hvor Visby spiller på klarinet. Thomas Albæk Jakobsen skal have ros for, at kaste sig ud i et så krævende projekt. Det stiller omvendt også krav til lytteren om at følge med, når først musikken spiller.
Kvintetten forløser disse kompositioner og improvisationer rigtig godt. Derfor – og ikke på grund af begrebet / temaet – er Relationships et lytteværdigt album.
Fede numre og arrangementer med en fælles "sound" på hele skiven. Utroligt lyrisk spil af sax/(bas-)klarinettisten den atonale stil taget i betragtning krydret med velklingende soli og -voicings fra pianistens side. Groovet i starten af "Asjahaa" er super fedt og jeg er vild med "A New Beginning"! En utroligt velspillet og homogen plade med jeres helt egen lyd. Stort tillykke med udgivelsen!
At lytte til pladen er som at rejse igennem en forestilling af lyde og klimaks. En lytteværdig rejse hvor hvert nummer har egne historier. Det er en melodisk perle, der dog til tider kan virke tør, men så springer man bare videre til næste nummer. Klaverspillet på Largo (part II) er et drømmescenarie der sammen med den dybe klarinet og bas gør det til et værk som selv jeg kan forstå. Sammenspillet mellem bas og klarinet er smukt balanceret, mens klaveret styrer showet.
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Thomas Albæk Jakobsen | Telephone: (+45) 28761921 | Email: info@jazzformidling.dk
- Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
Voyager is recommendable and it is one of those albums that grows every time you’re listening to it.
- Niels Overgaard, JazzNyt
- Jakob Bækgaard, All About Jazz
- Ivan Rod, music critic
Thomas A. Jakobsen - drums & compositions | Ole Visby - sax, clarinet, bass clarinet |
Søren Møller - piano & rhodes | Michael Møller Porsborg - guitar | Kenneth Dahl Knudsen - bass