NEWS
Review by Richard Mortifoglio (New York, 2012)
"This excellent new jazz release is
the happy result of cross-national internet file sharing -- often a
recipe for clunky step-on-each-other's-foot instrumental interplay but
you wouldn't know it from the seamless results to be heard here. Among
the many multi-talents on display is trumpet from Cologne (Hans Peter
Salentin), saxophone and guitar from Oklahoma (Brian Mitchell Brody, Max
Ridgway), flute and bass from New York (Cheryl Pyle, Tony Cimorosi),
electro bass from Tennessee (Sean O'Bryan Smith) -- all under the benign
leadership of keyboardist Stan Zaslavsky (from Russia), who has dubbed
the whole project Kazhargan World. Drummer and percussionist Papa Z
(Stan's father) provides the supple rhythms which hold the whole thing
together. In some ways this is a sunlit version of an intriguing,
noirish ECM session from a few years back called NEW YORK DAYS, released
under Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava's name but which also included a
even-handed mix of American and European musicians. Likewise the sound
on WONDERFUL TIMES is a post-fusion melange of late-Miles themes and
other contemporary jazz tropes. But it's never overly abstract or
typically avant-garde or, worse, second-hand. Instead there's a happy,
dancing quality to the whole bright affair. Hans Peter Salentin's strong
trumpet work (alternating on mute) predominates but it is Cheryl Pyle's
fluent flute work which truly shines in the mix. Pyle also contributes
some evocative spoken word interludes ("Invisible Celebration," "Irene
Was Here"), her unmistakable American accent grounding this ostensible
world project in some ideal, imaginary USA of the ear. Throughout
Zaslavsky provides sympathetic support on acoustic and electric keys,
giving ample room to his selected group of soloists, and never once
hogging the proceedings."
