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Italian baritone saxophonist Carlo Actis Dato is deluded. He either thinks he’s leading a Balkan travelling circus orchestra, or he thinks he’s Gerry Mulligan living in a cartoon world of pre-war Algiers. Either way, his music is darn fine, especially live (you can read my post on his quartet’s gig in Auckland in October last year here). Dato has repeatedly been named as one of the top baritone players in the world by Downbeat magazine, and his bands have chops to burn.

Evidence for above statements follow:

Carlos Actis Dato Quartet – Ababa
Carlos Actis Dato Quartet – Tarfaya
From Swingin’ Hanoi: Splasc(H) CDH907.2 [Buy]

Oh, and if you think space stuff is cool, check out NASA’s new spaceship.

New Zealand may seem like a couple of tiny, inauspicious islands to find interesting and inspiring improvised music, but there are lively enclaves of madness, bloody-mindedness and sheer tenacity in Wellington and Auckland. And if you play the “Six Degrees of Separation” game with the players in both cities, just about everything leads back to Wellington saxophonist Jeff Henderson.

Although Jeff’s main WMD is an atomic-powered baritone sax, he is also heard on alto sax, bells, whistles and, increasingly, hilarious polylingual vocalisations. Jeff has been a member of comet-busting groups such as the Ortiz Funeral Directors, Syzygy and Birchville Cat Motel, and is the creative force behind progressive “freak magnet” performance venues in Wellington. Jeff has made an enormous contribution in the past decade to expanding free improv in NZ to the point where it is arguably a far more vital, populous and interesting scene than anything happening with our straightahead jazz community.

Jeff’s solo performances are shock-and-awe projections of force into hostile territory. Fans of Peter Brötzmann will find a lot to like in these selections. All three mp3s are available for download under a Creative Commons license from Postmoderncore.

Jeff Henderson – fuck you you bureauratic fucks (parts 1 and 2)
Jeff Henderson – A

Courtney Pine – Oneness of Mind
From Underground: Antilles 537 745-2 [Buy]

Courtney Pine – Don’t X’Plain (Roni Size Remix)
From Another Story: Antilles 536 928-2 [Buy]

In the 1990s, the term “Acid Jazz” was used to justify a multitude of sins, and took the sheen off many triumphant musical moments. Now we’re in the 21st Century, perhaps we can bypass the hype.

Perhaps we can look back and pick out some of the great music to emerge from this grand meeting of dancehall head-nodders, rappers, Coltrane worshippers and Horace Silver tribute bands.

British saxophonist Courtney Pine probably needs little introduction. His albums, many featuring the cream of the crop of current straightahead players from the US, have sold remarkably well. Young, black and sharply dressed, Pine’s debut disc, Journey to the Urge Within, went Top 40 in the UK in 1987. And Mr Pine has not looked back since.

Albert Ayler – Angels
Albert Ayler – Spiritual Rebirth
From Live in Greenwich Village – The Complete Impulse Recordings: Impulse! IMP 22732 [Buy]

I don’t understand Albert Ayler. Listening to his music is like walking across Antarctica – no reference points to aid navigation. But every listen reveals more layers, more depth. The initial incomprehension disappears into the clarity of individual voices. Logic, structure and beauty begin to emerge.

Maybe I understand more than I think. Or maybe there is nothing to understand.

NDR Jazz Workshop Band – Waltz of the Jive Cats
Etta James and Friends – Stormy Monday Blues
From Doldinger’s Best: ACT9224-2 [Buy]

Born in Berlin, German musician Klaus Doldinger is probably best known for his “fusion” (what a yucky term) band Passport, which has been operating since 1971, and for his film scores for Das Boot and The Neverending Story/Die Unendliche Geschichte. Perhaps he is the polar opposite of his fellow countryman and reedman Peter Brötzmann?

Nathan Haines – Judge
From Soundkilla Sessions Volume 1: huh!/Polydor huh7 [OOP]

Nathan Haines – O Misterio
From Squire for Hire: Chillifunk 336622 [Buy]

Even the briefest survey of jazz music in New Zealand must, at some point, touch on Nathan Haines. A saxophonist and flautist by trade (and no mean singer either), Nathan has been portrayed as the nerdy kid at school who was hip before his time: listening to Coltrane, Miles Davis and Monk when his classmates were headbanging to Guns ‘n’ Roses.

His musical family (father Kevin is a bass player, and brother Joel is a respected guitarist and composer) was also probably a major factor in Nathan becoming the powerful musician he is today. Initially released just in New Zealand, Nathan’s 1995 debut Shift Left was picked up by Verve – not bad for the kid from Northcote College…

While cutting his chops playing straightahead bop, Mr Haines has always been interested in the melding of jazz and dance music. The two songs here mark steps along this road. Judge is from a 1998 album recorded live at nightclubs around Auckland (yes, this was definitely dance music). O Misterio features on 2003′s album Squire for Hire, recorded with Mark de Clive-Lowe and Phil Asher in London.

Today Nathan Haines splits his time between New Zealand and London. What is most exciting is that this guy has yet to make his definitive musical statement.