THE WAY AHEAD (ROLIGHETEN / ALBERTS / BARNO / ALEKLINT / STAHL / HOYER / OSTVANG) — Bells, Ghosts And Other Saints (review)

THE WAY AHEAD (ROLIGHETEN / ALBERTS / BARNO / ALEKLINT / STAHL / HOYER / OSTVANG) — Bells, Ghosts And Other Saints album cover Album · 2018 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
The Way Ahead is a new Nordic mini-big band in a tradition of popular co-patriots Angles. Their debut's title says a lot about the source of inspiration - "Bells" and "Ghosts" are well known Albert Ayler compositions, and (Marching)"Saints" are both Ayler spirit and his music roots.

Similarly as "Angles" a decade ago (who grew up from sextet till nonet in few years), "The Way Ahead" are a brass-section centered septet with vibist playing heavy-brass arranged soulful compositions in a manner of marching bands. The main difference is Angles's source of inspiration were Balkan rhythms and Serbian Guča Trumpet Fest folk marching bands style, The Way Ahead are inspired by Albert Ayler interpretation of early New Orleans marching bands jazz.

Both play music without trying to sound authentic - both bands' starting point and interpretation method is free jazz first of all. Similarity in sound isn't accidental though - trombonist Mats Aleklint and vibist Mattias Stahl are members of both projects. Swedish trumpeter Niklas Barnö is a member of another extremely successful and influential modern Swedish progressive big band Fire! Orchestra (led by Mats Gustafsson).

No strange that having such genes new project from their very first release sound as very professional and matured collective. They don't try to sound as raw as Ayler or original early New Orleans marching bands, instead they uses their legacy producing more rounded European sound still having lot of fun but partially attracting more sophisticated listener.

"Bells,Ghosts And Other Saints" doesn't sound revolutionary, it is an evolutionary continuation of Angles/Fire! Orchestra works which most probably will attract fans of both above mentioned bands.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cecil Taylor Unit : Live At Fat Tuesdays, February 9, 1980 First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
CECIL TAYLOR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Solo Bern 1984 - First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ANTHONY BRAXTON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Bruno Parrinha & Johannes von Buttlar : Whispers and Reveries Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Nuno Torres & Johannes von Buttlar : Cosmic Collision Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Carlos Bechegas, João Madeira & Monsieur Trinité : Free to Open Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 1 day ago
“INFLUENCES” by Jared Hall, trumpeter & composer
JARED HALL
js· 1 day ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 1 day ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 1 day ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed