https://javiervercher.bandcamp.com
VALENCIA JAZZ TOP 7 *
Auditorio Nacional en Madrid el pasado 12 de abril. Muchísimas gracias a todo el equipo del Auditorio Nacional que nos trató con elegancia y cariño.
VALENCIA JAZZ TOP 7*
Perico Sambeat Ales Cesarini Albert Sanz, Miguel Asensio David Pastor, Toni Belenguer, Javier Vercher, Victor Baxter Vilaplana
Texto de VALENCIA JAZZ TOP 7* por el magnífico PABLO SANZ:
LATEST NEWS ON AGRICULTURAL WISDOM:
Grabación del album Agricultural Wisdom. Milenia Estudios, 29 de diciembre de 2018 y 4 de abril de 2019.
Grabación del album Agricultural Wisdom. Milenia Estudios, Valencia. 29 de diciembre de 2018 y 4 de abril de 2019.
Javier Vercher presenta «Agricultural Wisdom» El saxofonista cuenta con la colaboración figuras consagradas como Carlos Martín, Albert Sanz, Ales Cesarini o David Gadea, y nuevos talentos como Iván Cebrián. Javier Vercher presenta Agricultural Wisdom, un proyecto musical en el que este saxofonista y compositor de carrera internacional ha contado con un sexteto formado por algunos de los mejores músicos residentes en Valencia. Con un estilo muy personal, creativo y progresivo, además de un carácter inquieto y productivo, Vercher, uno de los saxofonistas españoles con mayor alcance internacional; ha grabado como líder con grandes nombres del jazz, como Larry Grenadier, Lionel Loueke, Sam Yahel, Francisco Mela, Dave Kikoski, Robert Glasper, Rakalam Bob Moses, Kevin Hays, Jordi Rossy o Billy Hart. Después de una década en EUA, repartida entre Boston y Nueva York, ha continuado su carrera en Valencia, tanto produciendo discos propios como participando en proyectos ajenos. Agricultural Wisdom está pensado como un espacio abierto a la improvisación y el desarrollo orgánico del jazz, con una riqueza armónica llena de matices y un lenguaje libre de excesos y claramente sensitivo. Este inspirado proyecto ha pasado desde hace algunos años por diferentes etapas en las que han participado distintos músicos. Es ahora cuando Vercher percibe la madurez de esta idea y decide darle mayor trascendencia con una formación de gran calidad con la que ya está realizando algunos registros para un futuro álbum. Este genial proyecto cuenta con la participación del guitarrista Iván Cebrián, el pianista Albert Sanz, el contrabajista Ales Cesarini, y los percusionistas David Gadea y Carlos Martín.
July 2018, Barcelona – Nota 79 – Promotional Concert Jorge Rossy / Javier Vercher – Filantropia Quintet featuring Billy Hart. Jorge Rossy : Vibes Javier Vercher : Saxophone Marco Mezquida : Piano Masa Kamaguchi : Double Bass Billy Hart : Drums
July 2018, Barcelona – Nota 79 – Promotional Concert Jorge Rossy / Javier Vercher – Filantropia Quintet featuring Billy Hart. Jorge Rossy : Vibes Javier Vercher : Saxophone Marco Mezquida : Piano Masa Kamaguchi : Double Bass Billy Hart : Drums
July 2018, Barcelona – Nota 79 – Promotional Concert Jorge Rossy / Javier Vercher – Filantropia Quintet featuring Billy Hart. Jorge Rossy : Vibes Javier Vercher : Saxophone Marco Mezquida : Piano Masa Kamaguchi : Double Bass Billy Hart : Drums
ARTICULO POR PABLO SANZ EN EL PERIODICO EL MUNDO (2 DE MARZO 2018)
El refranero español continúa resistiéndose a los cambios, incluso en estos días de la tan manida globalización. Hoy sigue valiendo aquel que dice que nadie es profeta en su tierra, y diablos, duele. Este fin de semana comparecen en madrileño Café Central dos jazzistas que vienen de conquistar las afueras y, más aún, de convencer, de ser aplaudidos y admirados: el saxofonista y clarinetista Javier Vercher y el baterista, pianista y vibrafonista Jorge Rossy. El primero tocó el cielo de Nueva York hace un buen tiempo, siendo solicitado por los prebostes de la ciudad, mientras que el segundo recorrió el mundo 4 y 5 veces escoltando nada menos que a Brad Mehldau, militando en el primero de sus tríos como baterista. Ahora Rossy se emplea a fondo con las blancas y las negras, más que con los parches y baquetas, mientras que Vercher ha sumado a su lenguaje sonoro el eco mágico del clarinete bajo.
En esta pareja de diez hace años se reconoce el talento, por lo que la creación de una obra por colegas era ineludible. Y la obra llegó, bajo el título Filantropía (Supertone Records, 2018), un trabajo realizado en la intimidad de sus respectivas inspiraciones. El registro incluye un total de once cortes, acotados en los horizontes abiertos de la improvisación y entregados con mucho aliento guerrillero, composiciones breves a lo John Zorn, temas que unas veces son latigazos, otras caricias fugaces con aliento de balada.
La textura del vibráfono y la marimba maridan armoniosamente con el sonido épico del clarinete viaje, expresándose con audacia en títulos como Cleptocracia o el genérico Filantropía, siempre abandonándose todo al fraseo improvisado de los dos poderosos intérpretes, con independencia del instrumento que empleen en cada momento, Ahora toca asistir a la exposición natural y orgánica del proyecto y la ampliación de las líneas instrumentales augura una mayor riqueza en la combinación de lenguajes.
El joven saxofonista valenciano tiró la puerta del jazz nacional en 2003, cuando publicó su primer disco en Fresh Sound, Introducing The Javier Vercher Trio, en alineación de trío y junto nada menos que a un -por entonces- desconocido Robert Glasper y Bob Moses. Vercher tenía hambre de experiencias y conocimientos y decidió instalarse en Nueva York, donde enseguida se hizo un merecido hueco en la ciudad y empezó a ser solicitado por jazzistas como como Lionel Loueke, Henry Cole, Ferenc Nemeth, Brannen Temple y Chris Higgins, con quienes formó banda. A su regreso a nuestro país ha firmado éxitos como el reciente homenaje a Frank Zappa liderado por su paisano, amigo y maestro Perico Sambeat u otras producciones discograficas como la de Ales Cesarini Nyabinghi, Miquel Asensio Senda Nova, bandas sonoras para los documentales como: Guastavino, El arquitecto de Nueva York (RTVE) y Josep Renau El arte en peligro (RTVE).
De Jorge Rossy todo está dicho, o casi todo; su autoridad musical sigue figurando en el debe de la prensa, pues no se entiende que un jazzista como él esté pasando casi de hurtadillas por programas de radio, periódicos y revistas. Sólo en la última década ha tocado con Wayne Shorter, Lee Konitz, Charlie Haden o Carla Bley, por mencionar a unos pocos. Y sin olvidar que fue él, junto al contrabajista Larry Grenadier, el vértice del primer gran trío de Brad Mehldau, hoy aclamado por todo el mundo como el gran pope pianístico del jazz… Lo dicho: nunca habrá suficientes adjetivos para definir el singular universo musical de Jorge Rossy.
FILANTROPIA ALBUM RELEASE CONCERTS… AMAZING BAND!!!
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JORGE ROSSY – Vibraphone & Marimba
JAVIER VERCHER – Tenor Saxophone, Flute & Bass Clarinet
KEVIN HAYS – Piano & Fender Rhodes
MASA KAMAGUCHI – Double Bass
and the GREAT BILLY HART on Drums!!!!!
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Kevin Hays, Jorge Rossy, «Jabalí» Billy Hart, Javier Vercher & Masa Kamaguchi (The Jorge Rossy & Javier Vercher Quintet).
… It was a great experience to share Music with these marvelous human beings and amazing artists. It seems we will be doing more concerts in the future! Stay tune… more videos right out of the oven… Jorge Rossy & Javier Vercher Filantropia 5et.
Thanks a lot for your support. Have a great summer.
Very best regards,
Javier
Special gratitude to Antonio Porcar for the wonderful photographs!
«FILANTROPIA«
PRODUCED BY JORGE ROSSY & JAVIER VERCHER
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Now at Bandcamp, Itunes, Amazon, etc…
www.javiervercher.bandcamp.com
«FILANTROPIA» – SUPERTONE RECORDS
PRODUCED BY JORGE ROSSY & JAVIER VERCHER
JORGE ROSSY: VIBES, MARIMBA, PIANO & DRUMS
JAVIER VERCHER: SAXOPHONE, BASS CLARINET, FLUTE & PERCUSSION
RECORDED BY JORGE ROSSYAT BON REPOS STUDIO BEGUES (BARCELONA). 2014
MIXED BYSIMON CAMPBELLATSUPERTONE RECORDS, ESTIVELLA, SPAIN
MASTERED BYJON ASTLEYATCLOSE TO THE EDGE, LONDON
© JORGE ROSSY AND JAVIER VERCHER 2017
Please go to www.javiervercher.bandcamp.com
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Great concerts in Italy with Roberto Gatto, Sam Yahel and Dario Deidda.
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With Albert Sanz, Masa Kamaguchi and the great Al Foster!
Bela Vista Park Rock in Rio – Lisbon 2008
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_El_Tren_de_los_Momentos
REVIEW BY ALL ABOUT JAZZ – JANUARY 20th 2016
Javier Vercher: Wish You Were Here
By GEANNINE REID
Published: January 20, 2016
Views: 2,267
Pushing the limits of jazz is where saxophonist Javier Vercher resides, creating in a world full of experimentalism and melodicism, but creativity and heartfelt music is the unifying thread. On Wish You Were Here (MUSIKOZ), customary jazz is given an overhaul, flirting with dissonant or uneasy textures. In other words, it actually tosses jazz back into the groundbreaking sonic landscapes that once enabled it to light the world on fire. Wish You Were Here is visionary work, one that stands out in the mass mix of the countless numbers of average jazz chaos. Vercher is joined by an amazing cast which includes: Javier Vercher (tenor sax), Lionel Loueke (guitar), Larry Grenadier (bass), Francisco Mela (drums), Sam Yahel—(piano) on: «Vivi,» «Magicians of Sound,» «Ahi Donde Vive Joe,» and bonus tracks: «Turning Towards Kindness,» and «Rio Blanco.» Special guests include: Arturo Stable (ethnic percussion) on «Vivi» and bonus track «Turning Towards Kindness,» Jorge Perez (peruvian cajon), on «Blue Heron,» Brian Henry Schreck (vocals) on the bonus track «Turning Towards Kindness.»
Balancing the radical attitudes of modern jazz with the soulful precision of yesterdays be-bop, Wish You Were Here simultaneously manages to enthuse the senses and calm the nerves. Vercher’s saxophone is the unifying factor in the eye of this perfect storm. On «Vivi,» Vercher’s determined playing is overflowing with character and spirit; his lines consistently weave through the harmony in unpredictable waves. Loueke’s nylon guitar frames Vercher’s mood-spinning single notes, as his double time lines build over Grenadier’s solid bass and Mela’s driving drums, which work together to create a volley of glorious sound at the end of Vercher’s solo. It is also nice to hear Yahel’s approach to the piano, excellent control and he really makes a concise statement.
The title track finds Loueke and Vercher in a wonderful conversation like setting, with Loueke playing just as many counterpoint lines to Vercher’s solo as accompaniment chords. «Magicians of Sound» explores a folk-like melody that develops into pushing the genre’s fringes, all in good taste and the group’s listening and playing is spectacular. Vercher isn’t afraid to sound sweetly or tuneful when the moment is right, «Ears of a Distant Traveler» is a gorgeous selection that captures the groups romantic sound and superb playing. «Blue Heron» opens with a melodic solo from Mela that leads to a straight-eight melody with Loueke providing thoughtful commentary to Vercher’s horn. Of course, Vercher always adds that extra twist in his solos that really opens the listener’s ears and makes them feel his lines, such is the case with all masters, they speak from the heart. One of the most compelling adventures on the album is «Ahi Donde Vive Joe.» A rhythmically driving selection with Grenadiers’ bass lines complimenting Mela’s big beat. Vercher’s sax playing on this selection is a master class in modern saxophone with edgy feeling, the blues, angular lines, cross-rhythms, super-imposed harmony and impeccable time.
«Rio Blanco» presents a free flowing ballad that again demonstrates the ability of this group to really listen to one-another and play in a conversational manner. Though the background is ever changing; Vercher’s steady sax seems to amalgamate it all, framing the selection in an ever flowing melody that tells its unique story of traversed journey. «Turning Towards Kindness» paints a musical picture of an inner voice minding its own business like a silent witness in a busy city scape, maybe New York, echoes of the city’s edgy, streetwise energy, but also the cloudy melancholy of her chaotic inner workings. «Rio Blanco» brings us full circle in sound and texture to the opening selection, completing our musical adventure.
Vercher is a lasting voice in the sax avenue, with a gritty, yet flexible and versatile sound, filled with articulate lines and well-executed ideas, joined by some of the best in jazz, this is a solid and lasting documentation of the growing genre of modern jazz.
Track Listing: Vivi; Wish You Were Here; Magicians of Sound; Ears of a Distant Traveler; Blue Heron; Ahi Donde Vive Joe; Style and Grace; Turning Towards Kindness; Rio Blanco.
Personnel: Javier Vercher: tenor sax, woodwinds, percussion; Lionel Loueke: guitar; Larry Grenadier: bass; Francisco Mela: drums; Sam Yahel: piano (1, 3, 6, 8, 9); Arturo Stable: ethnic percussion (1, 8); Jorge Perez: peruvian cajon (5); Brian Henry Schreck: vocals (8).
Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: MUSIKOZ
New Review of Wish You Were Here by Rotcod Zzaj.
‘Agricultural wisdom’, con Javier Vercher Sextet, broche final.
La 22ª edición de Novembre, el festival de jazz de la UPV, bajará el telón el viernes 27 con la actuación del Javier Vercher Sextet, integrado por Dino Rubio (piano y fiscorno), Jorge Rossy (vibráfono y marimba), Juan García Herreros (bajo eléctrico), Roberto Gatto (batería) y Borja Barrueta (percusión), junto a propio Vercher (saxo, clarinete bajo y flauta).
El sexteto interpretará Agricultural wisdom, un proyecto musical cuyo objetivo es acercarnos al espíritu de nuestros abuelos, aquellos que cultivaron la tierra de modo natural y sabían cómo mantener el equilibrio ecológico. De sencillez cuasiminimalista en sus melodías, estas contrastan con su riqueza armónica y un discurso pleno de contenidos y matices, junto a un lenguaje claro y reflexivo a la vez que intuitivo y natural.
USA and worldwide
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/vercherjavier3
For JAPAN:
http://blog-jazztokyo.diskunion.net/Entry/18901/
THE JAZZ PAGE by Glenn Daniels
Javier Vercher – Wish You Were Here (Musikoz)
Saxophonist Javier Vercher blends the sound of the avant-garde with the more traditional fair for a thoroughly enticing recording. Wishing You Were Here is a compelling document of the compositional and playing talents of the Brookyln- based Vercher, who wrote all but one of tunes on the production. Additionally, the grade-A musicianship of guitarist Lionel Loueke (who contributes vocal accompaniment and one of the tunes), bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Francisco Mela and keyboardist Sam Yahel really complement Vercher’s rich warm tone and ethereal sonic forays. An outstanding musical venture.
THE JAZZ CAMERA UK by John Watson
Javier Vercher – Wish You Were Here (Musikoz Records)
Saxophonist Vercher has recorded with some very distinguished musicians in the past, including Robert Glasper and Bob Moses. ‘Wish You Were Here’ takes him a step further towards greater international recognition, for his line-up includes bassist Larry Grenadier, guitarist Lionel Loueke, pianist Sam Yahel and drummer Francisco Mela. Vercher, born in Madrid and brought up in Valencia, is now based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where his reputation as an improviser must surely be growing.
The opening track, ‘Vivi’, gets straight down to business, with a brief introduction from the guitar of Loueke (composer of the piece), and Vercher demonstrating a bold, confident approach on tenor.
The saxophonist’s phrasing here, and throughout the album, shows what strong imagination he has, and there’s real passion behind the sound. The title track, which follows, is a softer theme in triple time, composed by Vercher, with Loueke switching to acoustic guitar, while ‘Magicians In Sound’ has Vercher’s tenor stating the theme in unison with Grenadier’s bass, over a free, turbulent rhythm. ‘Ears Of A Distant Traveller’, another ballad by Vercher, has the saxophonist breathing the most subtle of feathery sub-tones, whle ‘Blue Heron’ has a mellow, latin feel. ‘Ahi Donde Vive Joe’ is my favourite track on the disc, a punchy, uptempo theme featuring a strong solo from Yahel and some spiky phrasing from the leader. The ‘official’ concluding track is the gently flowing ‘Style And Grace’, and there are two ‘bonus’ tracks, the abstract ‘Turning Towards Kindness’, and ‘Rio Blanco’, a brief piano solo from Yahel followed by a curiously silent gap (perhaps an editing error) and then a warm, latin theme with the whole group.
The album was recorded in New York as far back as 2008, so its eventual release is especially welcome, as Vercher is certainly a talent deserving much wider recognition.
Hobart Taylor, KUCI Irvine, CA.
Spanish tenor saxophonist Vercher along with some of New York’s best sidemen, reaches back into the traditions of the compositional/improvisational fine balanced mix with influences From Coltrane to Turrentine. Where Vercher differs is that he adds acid jazz/hip hop elements to his playing similar to that of his sometime collaborator Robert Glasper. He also juxtaposes melodic fragments in collages made up of various styles, rhythms, and timbres… akin to William Burroughs cut up style of fiction writing.
~Hobart Taylor, KUCI Irvine, CA.
MIDWEST RECORD
Volume 38/Number 140
March 20, 2015
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
Copyright 2015 Midwest Record
JAVIER VERCHER / Wish You Were Here – MUSIKOZ : This sax man gets extra points for liking free jazz but liking his audience just as much and not wanting to assault them with fusillades that make things roll off the rails. Improv work that sounds like it was composed and thought out, this date, abetted by some stellar players you know, hits all the right notes and does a really impressive job of it by turning in a set of all originals that hold your attention. Hot stuff that redefines the cool.
Published on April 20, 2015
![Javier Vercher – Wish You Were Here [TrackList follows] – Musikoz](https://i0.wp.com/audaud.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/VercherJavier.jpg "Javier Vercher – Wish You Were Here [TrackList follows] – Musikoz")
Javier Vercher – Wish You Were Here – Musikoz 002, 66:25 [3/10/15] by Doug Simpson *** 1/2:
Tenor saxophonist Javier Vercher unites two sides of jazz. On the one side, he’s fond of melodic music with straightforward motion: pleasant, no overt surprises, splendidly swinging. On the other hand, the Brooklyn-via-Spain Vercher likes unpredictability and going into areas where instantaneous, sometimes discordant, improvisation is important. Both aspects of Vercher’s musical personality are layered into the tenor saxophonist’s fourth effort as leader, the hour-long Wish You Were Here (recorded in 2008; released overseas in 2010; issued stateside this year). There are ballads; there is jazz poetry; there is hummable, post-bop artistry. Anyone interested in a preview should watch an online promo video which explains the record’s background and showcases in-studio performances. Vercher’s creativity is abetted by a sympathetic group consisting of Benin-born acoustic guitarist Lionel Loueke (who can sound like Earl Klugh or a wilder Pat Metheny); pianist Sam Yahel (featured on five tracks: he is also known as a Hammond organist); double bassist Larry Grenadier (he was previously in pianist Brad Mehldau’s trio, and has done sessions with Larry Vuckovich, Joshua Redman, Enrico Rava, and others); and drummer Francisco Mela (his résumé includes saxophonist Joe Lovano and Chris Crocco). Vercher also utilizes guests on a few other cuts to add spice to the proceedings.
Wish You Were Here (which can be streamed in full online) begins with Loueke’s sole contribution, the warm and tender “Vivi” (all other compositions were penned by Vercher). This sincere outing has a light, Latin touch via Loueke’s guitar (on this piece, Loueke evokes the smoothness of Ricardo Silveira), while Vercher advances into slightly sharper topography, achieving an earthy and soaring tone. Mela bounces his sticks in an assertive way and is assisted by percussionist Arturo Stable. When Yahel takes the spotlight, there’s a suggestion of Mehldau. There are also wordless vocals which bubble underneath, imparting a crumb of unconventionality. The title track (which has no apparent connection to the Pink Floyd album with the same name) has a similar approach, with cozy acoustic guitar; lots of cymbals from Mela; balmy bass lines; and Vercher’s ear-catching sax lines (he seems like a cross between early Stan Getz and Dexter Gordon). More wordless vocals sneak in, when Loueke solos. The interplay of acoustic guitar and tenor sax is a highlight of the nearly-eight-minute “Ears of a Distant Traveler,” although the harmonic vocalizations get uncomfortably close to Keith Jarrett territory. Vercher kicks things up several notches on the upbeat “Ahí Donde Vive Joe,” a bop-inclined burner where Vercher and Yahel trade lines; Yahel supplies some seriously good vamping; and the rhythm section keeps everything clicking along with agility. Vercher and his band end the regular program with the quietly stunning and aptly-named “Style & Grace.” Loueke commences with a beautiful acoustic guitar intro; then bass, sax, and drums enter to furnish more stirring music. Yahel is not present and Vercher and Loueke shine throughout: Vercher is particularly worth mentioning when he occasionally treads away from the main theme to craft somewhat rougher sounds.
There are two bonus cuts and this is where Vercher stretches beyond expectations. These two numbers, in fact, may throw some off-track. But that’s probably Vercher’s intent. First is the ghostly, percussion-loaded “Turning Towards Kindness No. VIII,” where guest vocalist Brian Schreck reads a poem by 14th-century Persian author Jelaluddin Rumi, while Vercher’s arrangement concentrates on liquid-like percussion, some breathy sax and production/mix trickery to provide a contemporary patina. Vercher shows his freer jazz predisposition on “Rio Blanco No. IX”. The nine-minute tune launches in a relaxed manner, with easeful sax and nicely-plucked guitar, but bit by bit tension builds, just a hint, but little by little the sax and piano indicate oncoming conflict. Seven minutes into the piece, that dissonance is headfirst, although even so, there is stabilization via bass and drums. On Wish You Were Here, Vercher and his allies establish a successful balance between satiating jazz which should appeal to mainstream listeners, with moments of explorative space which never goes out of control.
TrackList: Vivi; Wish You Were Here; Magicians of Sound; Ears of a Distant Traveler; Blue Heron; Ahí Donde Vive Joe; Style & Grace; Bonus Tracks: Turning Towards Kindness No. VIII; Rio Blanco No. IX.
—Doug Simpson
By Tom Hull: 2256 Music Week
- Javier Vercher: Wish You Were Here (2014 [2015], Musikoz): tenor saxophonist, loud and clear over a first-rate guitar-piano-bass-drums rhythm section [cd]: B+ ***
El 9 de marzo, 2015 sale WISH YOU WERE HERE en el mercado Americano y Japones con el sello de Nueva York, MUSIKOZ:
JAZZ GALLERY NEW YORK with FERENC NEMETH, LIONEL LOUEKE and KEVIN HAYS
THE FALCON UPSTATE NEW YORK with FERENC NEMETH and KEVIN HAYS
JAVIER VERCHER 4et: PRESENCIA Y PRESTANCIA
Jueves 4 de diciembre, Bilbao, Bilbaína Jazz Club.
La presencia y prestancia naturales e innatas de un coloso clásico del jazz atesora el saxofonista Javier Vercher (Madrid, 1978, pero criado en Valencia, como se suele destacar, una luminaria de la escena española con base profesional en Nueva York que, el jueves en un Bilbaína Jazz Club masculinizado y no tan lleno ante su visita (el puente de diciembre menguaría la asistencia), lideró a un cuarteto con el catalán Albert Bover al piano progresivo, el contrabajista DeeJay Foster (nacido en Rota en 1980 de padre americano y madre andaluza) y a la batería el romano Roberto Gatto (como le presentó Gorka Reino, «una estrella»).
En 106 minutos para 9 piezas con dos bises, Vercher sopló imaginativo y natural, y resonó poderoso en el postbop, narcótico en el bop, intrincado en el free (‘Cleptocracia’, con parte del solo de batería sin baquetas) y vigoroso en lo standard (‘Soultrane’ de Tadd Dameron, el estiloso lento con swing del primer bis), inflando los carrillos y sonrojando su cara con barba de rayuela mientras conseguía ovaciones intercaladas de la afición subyugada.
… WITH NEW SOUTH CONNECTION
con ROBERTO GATTO, DINO RUBINO, LORENZO CONTE Y JAVIER VERCHER
photos by LUCIANO AMERICANO
CRITICA DE LA CREATIVA DE CANARIAS
Ha tardado en llegarnos pero este disco ha merecido la pena ¿Qué puede pasar cuando se mezclan en un álbum tres personas con tanto carisma como Ferenc Nemeth, Javier Vercher y en algunas ocasiones David Kikoski? Sí, claro, el disco es imprevisible. Eso mismo ocurre en este Imaginary Realm, el resultado de una sesión de grabación en New York, la ciudad de los rascacielos, el pasado 11 de junio de 2011. Tanto Javier como Ferenc, saxo y “african wooden box” y percusión respectivamente son muy capaces de trasladarnos a un viaje exquisito donde el sonido es más que un avión ultrasónico, una alfombra de Aladdin. Es un disco rico en improvisación, como no podía ser de otra manera, y nos ha gustado sobre todo en las canciones 2, 4, 9 y 10, cuando cuentan con ese mago de las teclas llamado David Kikoski. Nos parece un disco amablemente free, abierto por completo a la imaginación de los músicos pero tampoco tan cerrado a la onda libre que sea inaudible o inentendible. Básicamente, canciones como la que da título al disco o ‘Poets of the East’ son una deliciosa escusa para escuchar a un gran saxofonista con sus perfectamente seleccionados compañeros de viaje. Nemeth, Vercher; Vercher, Nemeth y como invitado, en ocasiones, David Kikoski se marcan un disco atmosférico de lo más felino, de lo más atinado con partes free de sencillamente ricas. Directa al cerebro, suena ‘Giant Henge’ ¡Wow! En conclusión excelente disco, excelente proyecto y disfrutarlo en directo con Kikoski tiene que ser una locura para los sentidos.
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Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz 2006 JAVIER VERCHER SEXTET
ALL ABOUT JAZZ NEW YORK – IMAGINARY REALM REVIEW
Javier Vercher – Ferenc Nemeth: Imaginary Realm (2014)
Imagination is the ability to form a picture in your mind of something that you have not seen, heard or experienced; the ability to think of new things. Saxophonist Javier Vercher and Drummer Ferenc Nemeth´s project Imaginary Realm can be summed up by this dictum, creating a realm between the two of them that is creative and full of new things.
Saxophonist Javier Vercher was born in Madrid, but was raised in Valencia where he graduated from the Joaquin Rodrigo Conservatory of Valencia with a degree in classical clarinet. Vercher later attended the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship which lead to him calling Williamsburg, Brooklyn home. After spending 10 years in New York and recording records and discovering new ways of playing, in 2010 Vercher moved back to his hometown of Valencia, where he quickly settled back into the rhythms of his homeland, Vercher says, «I feel focused on the music, taking care of the music, studying sound, having a regular life. I work, and opportunities come along. New York is a great city, but I still need to learn in a different way—not only about jazz, but more about other aspects of life and how to insert these concepts into my playing and writing.»
Drummer Ferenc Nemeth since the early days of his career, has been one of the most sought after drummers, both in his native Hungary as well as in the United States. Coming from a musical family, his unique dynamism and versatility was fostered from a very early age. An exciting performer and imaginative collaborator, Nemeth is well regarded for his work with the Lionel Loueke Trio and GilFeMa. Nemeth also studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In addition, in 2011, Nemeth launched an app at the Mac AppStore called ‘Drum School,’ that is an educational tool, including over 300 drum grooves and hand exercises. This app is a rhythm library, an instructional DVD and a method book, all in one. Nemeth has also found time in between extensive performing and recording to established his own label, Dreamer’s Collective Records, his second CD, Triumph was released in the autumn of 2012, with a cast of: Joshua Redman, Kenny Werner, Lionel Loueke as contributors, as well as a small wind orchestra. For over 10 weeks the album was among the Top 15 on the CMJ Jazz Charts. Imaginary Realm, is the third album for the label and it features a duo with Vercher, one of Nemeth’s long time friends/band mate.
Imaginary Realm, is the second collaboration between Nemeth and Vercher, and as the title implies, the musical journey is about— states of mind. In 2007, the duo released their first set together, Wheel of Time. This time the duet focuses on creating an intentional mood with each sonic setting, some mysterious, some energetic and some with spiritual moments, but all of the tracks are intensely and emotionally played from the heart. The opening track, «Silent Stones» finds Nemeth creating a rhythmic setting of subtle wood tones from his percussion, while Vercher’s warm saxophone floats over the rhythmic pad to begin our journey. The track creates a relaxed flowing meditative environment that leads to the title track, «Imaginary Realm,» which begins with the intricate sounds of piano from guest artist David Kikoski, who appears on four tracks. The three musicians create long phrases that naturally breathe, expand and contract in the pulse. Always listening to each other, there is a sense of oneness with the moment that is created. Other tracks that evoke a slow-motion meditative feeling are «Poets of the East,» «Prana» (the Sanskrit word representing breath) and «Sumerian Magic Spell» with the inclusion of the African wooden thumb box. Nemeth’s polyrhythms on his kit and percussion drive the duet even on the slow pulsed sections, creating movement with intense subtlety. «Prana» sees Nemeth on brushes and colorful cymbal work along with accenting perfusion as Vercher caresses a melodic statement with an improvisational subtlety that matches the duet’s gentle approach.
Although the mood is predominantly contemplative throughout the release, Nemeth and Vercher do create faster moving landscapes. The mid-tempo pulse of «Circles in the Sky» finds Vercher displaying a vast command of vocabulary from his horn, from the use of pentatonic scales with colorful chromatics to the intricacies of bebop, all supported by the ever vigilant pulse and groove from Nemeth. Nemeth fittingly steps up the intensity with a melodic «Drums» solo selection, building his cracking solo over his own polyrhythmic accompaniment. «Giant Henge» displays Nemeth´s mastery of multi-layering percussive figures which provides the foundation for Vercher´s impassioned solos as Kikoski´s piano matches Vercher´s creativity and intensity. This track is presented in a more traditional form with an intro, to a melody, a blowing section, to the melody again, then to an ending statement. This track exhibits this format more than any of the other selections on the project and its placement is expertly located within the set, creating that golden section climax that is then released for the culmination of the project, again showing the attention to detail and flow by the duet. The music covers a surprisingly wide terrain for a duet/trio and celebrates the beauty of melodic ideas that exist in the moment and at their own pace. The collective improvisation along with the written material creates a moody, slightly abstract space, but highly musical and rewarding. The duet draws liberally from influences across time and geographical space. The exotic, captivatingly fused sounds and use of space are much more than the sum of the duet’s diverse backgrounds, which inevitably impart African, Europe, South and North American colors to the mix. With folkloric roots and abstract imagery, the duet radiates an openness that embraces the understated and the investigational alike, the coarse and the charming. Imaginary Realm joyously disregards any distinctions between the past and the contemporary—the musicians understand that the two are inextricably linked, and herein lies the simple formula for the duets ability to think of new and refreshing ideas.
Track Listing: Silent Stones; Imaginary Realm; Poets of the East; Form & Meaning; Drums; Prana; Circles in the Sky; Sumerian Magic Spell; Giant Henge; Prana (Revisited).
Personnel: Javier Vercher: sax tenore, african wooden box; Ferenc Nemeth: batteria, percussioni; David Kikoski: piano.
Record Label: Dreamers Collective
Javier Vercher – Ferenc Nemeth: Imaginary Realm (2013)
Italian Language ALL ABOUT JAZZ ITALY
L’immagine di copertina—un grattacielo senza identità con inquietanti ciminiere per sfondo—e quella interna—una figura accovacciata sulla sabbia che osserva un cane divertirsi sulla battigia—pur essendo accomunate dalla stessa tonalità di grigio esprimono un evidente contrasto prospettico e qualitativo. Qualità che si ritrova sicuramente in questa incisione, grazie alla sensibilità messa in mostra dal sassofonista Javier Vercher e dal percussionista Ferenc Nemeth, accompagnati in quattro brani dal pianista David Kikoski—ma che non sempre viene sorretta da una adeguata tensione narrativa.
Il clima è riflessivo, intimista, spesso la musica rimane sospesa, galleggia impalpabile ed è pervasa da un afflato spirituale con ampi spazi alla meditazione. L’incontro si gioca sui piccoli dettagli, le sfumature creano differenze impercettibili che richiedono un ascolto attento e partecipe. Non mancano gli episodi più mossi, dall’esplicita verve descrittiva—»Giant Henge» è quasi un calipso e «Form & Meaning» ha una struttura swingante, a tratti boppistica—ma hanno aria episodica, non particolarmente funzionale ad un lavoro complessivamente apprezzabile
Track Listing: Silent Stones; Imaginary Realm; Poets of the East; Form & Meaning; Drums; Prana; Circles in the Sky; Sumerian Magic Spell; Giant Henge; Prana (Revisited).
Personnel: Javier Vercher: sax tenore, african wooden box; Ferenc Nemeth: batteria, percussioni; David Kikoski: piano.
Record Label: Dreamers Collective
CD Review: Javier Vercher/Ferenc Nemeth – Imaginary Realm
Javier Vercher (ten/perc); Ferenc Nemeth (perc) + David Kikoski (pno 4 tracks).
Spanish born tenor saxophonist Javier Vercher and Hungarian born percussionist Ferenc Nemeth team up to produce their second album in six years. The duo become a trio with the addition of Pianist David Kikoski who guests on 4 of the tracks. The album opens with a short intro Silent Stones wonderful interplay between Sax and percussion conjure up a dreamy tropical ambiance. Kikoski leads out the title track Imaginary Realm , saxophone and percussion then combine in a gentle almost classical atmospheric manner.
Poets of the East is a haunting tune inspired by the Far East rather than our own North East I imagine. The combination of percussion and tenor once more creates a wonderful atmosphere. The piano features again in Form and Meaning giving us the most straight ahead trio piece on the album. A short percussion solo by Nemeth Drums leads into Prana a subtle sparse saxophone is accompanied by the elegant brush work of Nemeth. Circles in the Sky is a more tense affair on the saxophone but with a calypso style percussion accompaniment! Sumerian Magic Spells is another short percussion solo but this time it features Vercher on an African Sound Box. The liveliest track on the album Giant Henge sees the trio giving it a real go with the very enthusiastic playing providing a great uplift. A reprise of Prana this time played solely by Kikoski on piano concludes the named tunes on the album. However there is a hidden bonus track awaiting. A conventional but nevertheless extremely enjoyable rendition off Ellington’s Come Sunday played by the trio.
Whilst contemplating the CD Sleeve I was able create a whole new set of titles by simply combining some of the track names for example we could have Stones Henge , The Magic Circle , Giant Drums , Sumerian Sky , Imaginary Poets, Spell Form and Meaning and The Silent East. Joking aside this album is a magnificent collaboration by 2 guys who are clearly at one with each other the subtle meditative intertwining of the instruments create a wonderfully atmospheric evocative piece.
Steve H.
Javier Vercher/Ferenc Nemeth – Imaginary Realm is available from Amazon, CD Baby etc.
TOMAJAZZ
Javier Vercher & Ferenc Nemeth Imaginary Realm
(Dreamers Collective Records, 2013)
El batería húngaro Ferenc Nemeth y el saxofonista Javier Vercher han unido sus fuerzas en Imaginary Realm, con el que renuevan la colaboración iniciada en 2007 en el disco Wheel of Time.
En su nuevo trabajo ambos músicos se reparten de manera casi equitativa las composiciones. A lo largo del mismo, se respira un cierto sonido en el que los ecos de la música africana no dejan de estar presentes acompañados por ciertos toques introspectivos. La aparición de David Kikoski al piano en cuatro temas le otorga otra dimensión, con melodías románticas que se combinan con tonalidades más misteriosas.
Tras una precisa introducción en “Silent Stones”, con timbres que incitan a la meditación y destilan un cierto misticismo, la pieza que da título al disco lanza siete minutos dirigidos al alma, donde la incorporación del piano de David Kikoski lleva el tema hacia caminos desbordantes y sumamente bellos. En “Poets of the East”, Vercher sopla los saxos en lentas armonías en un estilo casi hipnótico, mientras Nemeth aporta los ritmos necesarios y precisos. “Form and Meaning,” incorpora de nuevo a Kikoski y el saxo de Vercher adquiere quizá sus momentos más culminantes.
“Drums’ es una pieza corta que demuestra el talento de Ferenc Nemeth. La primera versión de “Prana” está tocada de una forma en la que escuchamos a Vercher en el canal izquierdo y con eco en el canal derecho, mientras la batería se percibe a cierta distancia, con la percusión lenta y los platos acariciados. La segunda versión incluye a Kikoski, que aporta un camino más melódico, mientras Nemeth lo acentúa con pequeños gestos que recuerdan a Paul Motian. “Circles In The Sky,” con un estilo de calypso, de nuevo es hipnótico, y la pieza corta “Sumerian Magic Spell” de Vercher, interpretada con una caja africana de vientos con sonido similar a la kalimba. “Giant Henge” es el más festivo y convencional y se inclina hacia un cierto groove brasileño. El saxo de Vercher recuerda a algunos modos de Joe Henderson. El disco guarda una sorpresa final fuera de los créditos.
Javier Vercher llegó desde Valencia al epicentro del jazz hace años. Con el tiempo ha conseguido hacerse un hueco gracias a su gran clase. Imaginary Realm demuestra que su paso por New York ha sido muy bien aprovechado y todavía mejor si se hace acompañar por Ferenc Nemeth. Imaginary Realm es la clase de música que esperas de un músico con el talento desbordante de Javier Vercher.
© Carlos Lara, 2014
«imaginary realm» by tenor saxophonist javier vercher and drummer ferenc nemeth is an internal journey–state of mind as opposed to points on a map.We hear a devastating farewell to innocence, kicking it into the street, whether that means the end of a friendship or the end of a love affair. and this mystery makes the disk superb. » ~john shelton ivan
New Jazz this week with Ferenc Nemeth, Javier Vercher, Danilo Perez, Rufus Reid & more!
Well, the Pick of the Week was a toss-up pretty much. You can’t go wrong with either album, and that’s a good sign of a healthy week in new Jazz. Several albums this week present some terrifically singular sounds, both out on the fringes but also territory closer to Jazz center. Let’s begin…
Ferenc Nemeth & Javier Vercher, Imaginary Realm: Absolutely sublime work by drummer Nemeth and previous collaborator Javier Vercher (on tenor sax). Spiritual jazz presented with a subtlety that gives music with edge a sense of drifting peacefully through the air. Bringing in pianist David Kikoski for about half the track, it adds a dynamic that only serves to further round out an introspective sound that simultaneously dances with life. Just a wonderful recording, full of substance and feeling. Worth noting that Nemeth’s last recording, 2012′s Triumph, was my eMusic Pick of the Week when it came out. So is his newest. Pick of the Week.
CD Review: Javier Vercher/Ferenc Nemeth – Imaginary Realm
Spanish born tenor saxophonist Javier Vercher and Hungarian born percussionist Ferenc Nemeth team up to produce their second album in six years. The duo become a trio with the addition of Pianist David Kikoski who guests on 4 of the tracks. The album opens with a short intro Silent Stones wonderful interplay between Sax and percussion conjure up a dreamy tropical ambiance. Kikoski leads out the title track Imaginary Realm , saxophone and percussion then combine in a gentle almost classical atmospheric manner.
Poets of the East is a haunting tune inspired by the Far East rather than our own North East I imagine. The combination of percussion and tenor once more creates a wonderful atmosphere. The piano features again in Form and Meaning giving us the most straight ahead trio piece on the album. A short percussion solo by Nemeth Drums leads into Prana a subtle sparse saxophone is accompanied by the elegant brush work of Nemeth. Circles in the Sky is a more tense affair on the saxophone but with a calypso style percussion accompaniment! Sumerian Magic Spells is another short percussion solo but this time it features Vercher on an African Sound Box. The liveliest track on the album Giant Henge sees the trio giving it a real go with the very enthusiastic playing providing a great uplift. A reprise of Prana this time played solely by Kikoski on piano concludes the named tunes on the album. However there is a hidden bonus track awaiting. A conventional but nevertheless extremely enjoyable rendition off Ellington’s Come Sundayplayed by the trio.
Whilst contemplating the CD Sleeve I was able create a whole new set of titles by simply combining some of the track names for example we could have Stones Henge , The Magic Circle , Giant Drums , Sumerian Sky , Imaginary Poets, Spell Form and Meaning and The Silent East. Joking aside this album is a magnificent collaboration by 2 guys who are clearly at one with each other the subtle meditative intertwining of the instruments create a wonderfully atmospheric evocative piece.
by Steve Horowitz
GAPPLEGATE music review
Javier Vercher, Ferenc Nemeth, Imaginary Realm
by Grego Applegate Edwards
It should come as no surprise to those that follow the contemporary jazz world that there are talented players out there who one has not heard before, that there are continual discovery situations one comes up against. The sound of surprise is also the sound of previously undiscovered sound-makers, some of them really quite good.
That pretty much sizes up my reaction to the new album by Javier Vercher and Ferenc Nemeth, Imaginary Realm (Dreamers Collective 1003). These are two players, tenor saxist and drummer, respectively, who have been paying dues in New York and playing together for some time in
the process. Their first album came out in 2007. This is their second, for this outing teaming up at key points on the album with pianist David Kikoski.
The set played on this disk is evocative, free-wheeling and free but also at times with implied harmonic reference points in a tonal-pivotal realm. These are open-form compositions, originals, with Vercher sometimes following a chromatic path similar in direction to such post- Trane luminaries as Liebman and Bergonzi but taking it to his own personal space. Kikoski grounds much of the proceedings in his own harmonically sophisticated world, which goes well with Vercher’s outlook. Ferenc Nemeth plays some actively freebased and also implicitly or explicitly swinging drums throughout, with skill and big ears. There are moments of quiet ambience, especially when Javier and Ferenc go it alone. But the open-air sound of those moments contrast nicely with more earthy explorations.
This is a talented threesome that makes a modern free-edged music you would do well to hear. If they signed to ECM they’d be getting famous by now. But then that may be true of any number of players. Nonetheless these artists are well worth hearing. A most pleasing record!
____________________ VIDEO FROM LOS ANGELES CONCERT _____________________________________
____________________ CMJ JAZZ RADIO CHART, TOP40, THIS WEEK NUM. 10 !!! _________________
____________________ VIDEOS FROM USA TOUR __________________________________________________
Javier Vercher and Ferenc Nemeth Enjoy Their 3rd Week on the CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart
Our latest reviews for your reading and pleasure from
IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION magazine
Javier Vercher and Ferenc Nemeth – IMAGINARY REALM: Javier’s tenor sax and Ferenc’s drums (along with a guest piano shot from David Kikoski on selected tracks) explores territory I’m before in my own musical meanderings. Their excursions together are totally focused, with no errors in the recording or in their intent… just listen to the intriguing “Poets Of The East” to get a taste of the mystery they weave for your ears! Of the eleven sonic wonderments they’ve painted for you, I found the energy on “Giant Henge” to be the most satisfying, and my favorite of all the tracks – a lot of that had to do with David’s driving keyboards, too, I believe. I give this splendid jazz duo a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.98. Get more information about them at http://www.vercher-nemeth.com Rotcod Zzaj
| A highly moody atmospheric CD, Imaginary Realm by saxist/percussionist Javier Vercher and drummer/percussionist Ferenc Nemeth harks back to when ECM Records was making its mark in austere chamber jazz that blended free music with neoclassical airs and the sort of hybridizations the band Oregon was pulling off to highly refined but spectacular effect. Pianist David Kikoski appears on 5 of the 11 cuts and only beefs up the duet’s wont, especially in the title track. This disc features work that transcends thinking, stepping over into mystery and expansions, the far side-roads of the everyday verging into Rousseauvian jungles and arid plains, conversing with the spirits and essences residing there. |
Imaginary RealmJavier Vercher / Ferenc NemethDreamers Collective Records – DCR 1003 Available from CD Baby. A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange |
| I guess you could call this free jazz, though it’s highly aesthetically disciplined (as the best free musics are) and several songs arose just from the coining of a title, intuitively exploring what was tucked away in the words and their evocations. Do not play this at a party unless you want your guests sitting down to discuss philosophy for the rest of the evening (which, frankly, is EXACTLY what I’d do) because, though one cut is romantic (Come Sunday, and I guess you could see Circles in the Sky as partially so, especially if you’ve been downing Jagermeisters and feeling sideways and upside-down), the rest are art with a capital ‘A’ and not meant for mall shopping excursions, though, heh!, I sure as hell would love to see how people would react should music like this suddenly waft over the speaker systems in those vapid soulless places.It’s difficult to draw comparatives here. I’m minded of Jay Zelenka (perc.) and Greg Mills’ (piano) old Exiles band and also of Steve Tibbetts (guitar)and Marc Anderson (perc.), but only because those units also paired up so well and produced largely uncategorizable musics. Here, all three gents go wild on Giant Henge, Nemeth putting in a really impressive performance, but no matter what the mood—pensive, zoned-out, wandering, or nailing down a single thought—the sounds can’t help but capture attention, whether through seduction, an outright lunge for the frontal lobes, or a professorial art tour, and that sort of creativity comes around all too infrequently. You’ll be just as drawn to Javier’s design and photographic work as well: the b&w cover photo is worthy of museum display and the interior double-spread provides as much material for speculation and analysis as a poem. That guy and his partner knew precisely what they were doing in every aspect of this release. | |
el disco IMAGINARY REALM suena en NPR, MORNING EDITION…!!!
FERENC NEMETH and JAVIER VERCHER’s «GIANT HENGE» is featured on NPR’s Morning Edition on 10-9-2013, from the album Imaginary Realm.NPR, formalmente National Public Radio, es una organización de medios con financiación pública y privada que funciona como una redifusión nacional para una red de 900 estaciones de radio pública en los Estados Unidos.
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=3&prgDate=10-9-2013
Otros reseñas sobre IMAGINARY REALM…
Ferenc Nemeth-Javier Vercher: “Imaginary Realm”
Hungarian-born drummer Ferenc Nemeth and Spanish-born saxophonist Javier Vercher will be celebrating the release of their new duo CD, Imaginary Realm (Dreamer’s Collective Records), this Saturday, October 26th, at The Jazz Gallery. The duo has collaborated previously, having released their first co-led record, Wheel of Time (Fresh Sound), in 2007, while also simultaneously pursuing various other projects.Ferenc has released two albums as a leader for Dreamer’s Collective Records, Night Sounds in 2007 and Triumph in 2012, and he has worked as a sideman for artists as varied as Lionel Loueke, Omer Avital, and Hiromi. Javier, who originally studied classical clarinet in Valencia before exploring the world of jazz, has collaborated with musicians like Robert Glasper and Bob Moses, among others, and his latest record as a leader is Wish You Were Here (2011), which features Lionel Loueke, Sam Yahel, Larry Grenadier, and Francisco Mela. This Saturday, the duo will be joined by an as-yet-unannounced pianist and special guest Lionel Loueke on drums. We hope that you’ll join us to celebrate the release of Ferenc and Javier’s latest collaboration.Drummer Ferenc Nemeth and saxophonist Javier Vercher perform music from their new CD, “Imaginary Realm,” with a pianist (to-be-announced) plus special guest Lionel Loueke on guitar and vocals, this Saturday, October 26th, at The Jazz Gallery. Sets are at 9 and 10:30 p.m., $20 general admission and $10 for Members. Purchase tickets here.
Javier Vercher and Ferenc Nemeth – Imaginary Realm (2013)
by S. Victor Aaron
It’s exactly the kind of music you’d expect from a talented musician after a healthy bout of introspection.
Tenor saxophonist Javier Vercher left the epicenter of jazz a couple of years ago, disembarking from NYC to resettle into Valencia, Spain, where he grew up. The time away from the hustle and bustle gave him the space to get more focused on his music and other aspects of his life. When he was ready to put his new perspective to song, he called up his erstwhile partner and master percussionist Ferenc Nemeth to make the record together, their second (the first being Wheel of Time, 2007).
Imaginary Realm is an inner journey, not so much about scales and modes but self-examination and mood. Thusly, songs aren’t necessarily jazz in structure but draws from jazz where there is instead a need to break from the constrictions of structure. “Silent Stones” is a brief, meditative intro, where the beautiful, mystical timbres emanating from Nemeth’s array of percussion seem dictated by the wind; Vercher plays with minimal notes and maximum feel.
“Poets of the East” features Vercher dubbing saxes for low harmony, as the primary sax is in a lead role playing in a style evocative of Jan Garbarek; meanwhile Nemeth is gently playing a swaying groove. Nemeth’s best moment might be “Circles In The Sky,” where his calypso styled percussion is hypnotic and multi layered but also controlled; Nemeth never has to be particularly loud or fast to greatly enrich the tonality the rhythm of a song. The short piece “Sumerian Magic Spell” features Vercher on a wooden African box, an instrument very similar-sounding to a kalimba.
The appearance of David Kikoski’s piano on four of the selections adds another dimension; less sparse, more formal, more developed but remaining jagged and in-the-moment. “Imaginary Realm” presents a romantic melody, moving at a naturally occurring pace. Kikoski is forceful yet delicate, and Vercher is sometimes on edge, doleful but never overdoing it. They combine again for “Form and Meaning,” playing a romantic style over an esoteric strain. Nemeth is sensitively playing to the other two, and Vercher is both emotional and angular like Wayne Shorter. “Giant Henge” is the most festive and conventional sounding song of the batch, boasting a Brazilian groove. Vercher’s sax here shows a rougher side, a la Joe Henderson.
Two versions of “Prana” is played, the first time performed in a very hushed manner with Vercher playing a sax in the left channel and overdubbing another one in the right channel, as Nemeth can be heard off at a distance with his muted brushes and cymbals. The second version includes Kikoski, who reveals more to the gorgeous melody. Nemeth meanwhile is accentuating it with small but meaningful gestures like Paul Motian.
From the sounds coming from Imaginary Realm , it appears that the time Javier Vercher spent away from New York has been time well spent. For that matter, so is any time he spends pairing up with Ferenc Nemeth.
Imaginary Realm is slated for release October 22, by Dreamers Collective Records.
MIDWEST RECORD
Volume 37/Number 341
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
Copyright 2013 Midwest Record
DREAMERS COLLECTIVE RECORDS
JAVIER VERCHER-FERENC NEMETH/Imaginary Realm: Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Two guys from across the pond migrate to America to study at Berklee and live in Brooklyn. Recombining when they go back to their home lands, they come out with a set of deep 50s jazz mostly with just sax and drums, seasoned by a smidge of piano along the way. Viola! A nice set of 50s opium jazz. Thankfully, they didn’t feel the need to have some free verse spouting jerk layered over the proceedings. You’ve got to play this for your fave jazz egghead while it’s still new. The hipper than thou will battle the jazz police mightily on this one and you can enjoy it sitting on the sidelines watching the skirmish with some tea in hand. Wink.
1003
Javier Vercher and Ferenc Nemeth-Imaginary Realm
Posted by Mason Kilpatrick on Thursday, October 10, 2013 · Leave a Comment
Jazz rotation
So spiritual, you will probably convert to something after listening to this
Javier Vercher and Ferenc Nemeth collaborate again after their much acclaimed ‘Wheel of Time.’ They team up to create a spiritual sound motivated by occurance so of Javier jamming out to an african wood box. Self-titled ‘Imaginary Realm’ is a seven minute track to your soul. ‘Form and Meaning,’ carried by Javier’s killer tenor sax okay, will give your life a form and a meaning. ‘Drums’ is a short track that really displays Ferenc Nemeth’s talents on the…well, drums. The african wooden box is best utilized on ‘Circles in the Sky,’ along with Nemeth’s killer percussion ability.
Review Date: October 7, 2013
Reviewed by: Mason Kilpatrick
Imaginary Realm by Javier Vercher and Ferenc Nemeth
Sound patterns display properties of eclecticism, malleability, and dissonant rambling as they are sprawled along Imaginary Realm from saxophonist Javier Vercher and drummer Ferenc Nemeth with David Kikoski on piano. The recording is a sample of experimental ruminations that reflect the impulses and images in the minds of the musicians. Abstract soudscapes and subliminal harmonic forms wield organic fluctuations creating variations in the intonations and rhythmic meter of the saxophone, drums and keys.
The exotic phrasing and blurbs of sonic chimes showing degrees of clarion and muffled tones in tracks like «Silent Stones» and «Poets of the East» display a primitive chanting that audiences will relate to music emblematic of tribal cultures. There is something entrancing about the sound patterns which move at the will of subliminal impulses generating waves of quavering percussive beats layered in the mellow timbre of the saxophone and the meditative vibe of the keys.
The trio oscillates between creating dissonant musings and melodic chord progressions throughout the album. The rhythmic swells of the keys in the title track produce a succession of lyrical undulations pierced by the toggling movements of the saxophone nestled along the channels of hypnotic grooves. The trio explores more variations in their combination as the rambling phrasing of the keys in «Form and Meaning» is stacked in clusters of nomadic notes from the saxophone sculpting a swathe of wandering pathways.
Small incisions made by the saxophone pierce the rustling percussions in «Prana» constructing a mist of tranquil ethers while the ruffles of abstract drum effects which spontaneously manifest along «Circles in the Sky» pepper the track in ghostly echoes scaffolding the mournful tone of the meandering saxophone. «Prana» is revisited at the ending of the album showing variations in the keys producing a contemplative atmosphere ringed in gorgeous harmonic forms and melodic riffs.
The trio demonstrates a jubilant bonding in «Giant Henge» as Latin-tinge beats are layered in vibrating keys and the uplifting poses of the saxophone. The track is inspired by the mysterious structure of Stonehenge outside of Bath, England as the trio acts as a conduit envisioning an otherworldly force making its mark on earth. Moving on, «Sumerian Magic Spell» is a sedate piece encased in the mellow sonorous of various percussive beats branded with an African accent.
Streaked in variations of eclectic and melodic sound patterns and waves of dissonant and lyrical harmonic forms, Imaginary Realm is an expression of the trio’s imagination and impassioned natures. The unbridled flow of their instruments has an organic phrasing that’s fluent in the language of experimental arrangements and fraught with abstract patterns. Schooled in classical repertoires, the trio exhibits an eagerness to experiment in ruminations that show traits of spontaneity and unbridled wandering.
Musicians:
Javier Voucher – tenor saxophone, Ferenc Nemeth – drums, and David Kiosk – piano
Tracklisting:
Silent Stones, Imaginary Realm, Poets of the East, Form and Meaning, Drums, Paraná, Circles in the Sky, Sumerian Magic Spell, Giant Hinge, Prana (Revisited)
Javier Vercher and Ferenc Nemeth debut at #1 on the CMJ Top Jazz Add Chart
#1 on the CMJ Top Jazz Add Chart
ALBUM RELEASE CONCERTS in USA fall 2013 – VERCHER / NEMETH «IMAGINARY REALM» feat. DAVID KIKOSKI :
PUBLICITY CONTACT: KARI GAFFNEY
706.993.2223 | kari@karigaffney.com | http://www.karigaffney.com
Great concerts in usa…stay tuned!!!
http://www.vercher-nemeth.com / http://www.ferencnemeth.com
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CONCERTS in SPAIN fall 2013 – MARTIN ANDERSEN 4et featuring JAVIER VERCHER
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IMAGINARY REALM
JAVIER VERCHER – FERENC NEMETH: IMAGINARY REALM – 2013. DREAMERS COLLECTIVE RECORDS
JAVIER VERCHER – Saxophone and Percussion FERENC NEMETH – Drums and Percussion DAVID KIKOSKI – Piano
Recorded June, 2011. NYC. Acoustic Sound Recording Studio – Brooklyn, NYC. Recording Engineer: MICHAEL BRORBY Mixes: JAMES FARBER Mastering: GREG CALBY Co-produced: JAVIER VERCHER / FERENC NEMETH Executive Producer: JAVIER VERCHER
Para mas información: info@javiervercher.net
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JAVIER VERCHER / FERENC NEMETH, con la colaboración de DAVID KIKOSKI:
IMAGINARY REALM
JAVIER VERCHER AND FERENC NEMETH
IMAGINARY REALM
Release: summer/fall 2013.
Release by: DREAMERS COLLECTIVE.
Tenor saxophonist Javier Vercher and Drummer Ferenc Nemeth´s music career – and life – can perhaps be summed up by the popular aphorism that, depending on who you´re talking with, was coined by either Confucius in ancient China or movie here in the late 20th century: “Wherever you go, there you are.”
When Vercher released his last solo disc, 2010´s Wish You Were Here, he was calling the hip, bustling environs of Williamsburg, Brooklyn home, though, as the album tittle suggests, his compositions often began their life as postcards from the road.
About 2 years ago Vercher moved out of New York City for a while. He spend 10 years there cutting his own records and discovering new ways of playing. In 2010 Vercher found a place near the center of town in Valencia, where he had been raised. Settling back into the rhythms of his homeland, Vercher says, “I feel focused on the music, taking care of the music, studying sound, having a regular life. I work, opportunities come along. New York is a great city, but I still need to learn in a different way – not only about jazz, but more about other aspects of life and how to insert these concepts into my playing and writing.”
Imaginary Realm, his second collaboration with drummer Ferenc Nemeth, is as aptly titled as Vercher´s previous disc. But this time the journey it describes an internal one – states of mind, not points on a map. It´s emotional and sensual at times. It´s mysterious and spiritual at others, on tracks like the slow-motion meditation of “Prana” (the Sanskrit Word denoting breath) or the brief thumb wooden African box incantation of “Sumerian Magic Spell.” Although the mood is predominantly contemplative, the Groove does heat up on “Giant Henge,” the most site-specific track on the album, as it were. Nemeth´s multilayered percussion provides the foundation fro Vercher´s impassioned solos and guest star David Kikoski´s piano lines match Vercher´s inventiveness and intensity. Vercher and Nemeth took as their starting point the tantalizing mystery of Stonehenge, envisioning some otherworldly force leaving it´s mark on the earth. Beauty emerges from near chaos. Conversely, “Poets of the East” is hushed and hypnotic; Vercher´s playing barely rises above a gorgeous whisper while Nemeth´s percussion evokes the sound of chimes swaying in a gentle breeze. The title track is like an after-hours blues, a spontaneous call-and-response between Vercher on sax and Kikoski on piano, with Nemeth hanging back, brushing a snare. The longest cut on the album, it epitomizes the free playing that has always been at the heart of Vercher´s live and recorded work.
In 2007, the duo of Nemeth and Vercher released their first set together, Wheel of Time. Nemeth, a native Hungarian, had emigrated from Europe almost a decade ago and, like Vercher, he attended Berklee and the settled in Brooklyn. They traveled in the same jazz circles and were likeminded players, kindred spirits, schooled in tradition but eager to experiment.
Nemeth is a sought-after player in multiple genres who released an acclaimed debut album of his own, Night Songs, in 2007. And his more recent one Triumph featuring Kenny Werner, Lionel Loueke and Joshua Redman, released in 2012.
With Imaginary Realm, the pair took a particularly intuitive approach to writing material, often coming up with a title and riffing on it. They´d discover what kind of sound it might evoke, where the words might take them. Pianist David Kikoski had toured in Spain with Verche r and Nemeth, so he was a natural add to the mix. They cut the album in New York City with veteran engineer Michael Brorby behind the boards and the wonderful James Farber mixing the date. Says Vercher, “It´s nice to record together and keep the duo Project alive, to play for the Music, make it the best we can, to share the experiences we´ve encountered. It makes our friendship stronger.”
NOTES BY MICHAEL HILL
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JAVIER VERCHER: WISH YOU WERE HERE – 2008.
JAVIER VERCHER – Saxophone LIONEL LOUEKE – Guitar SAM YAHEL – Piano LARRY GRENADIER – Bass FRANCISCO MELA – Drums
Special Guest on Vivi and Blue Heron: Arturo Stable – Percussion , Jorge Perez – Cajon. Recorded Sep. 12, 2008. NYC. Peter Karl´s Recording Studio – Brooklyn, NYC. Recording Engineer: MIKE PEREZ CISNEROS Mastering: MIKE PEREZ CISNEROS Producer: JAVIER VERCHER Executive Producer: MIGUEL MENGUAL _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________JAVIER VERCHER / FERENC NEMETH: WHEEL OF TIME – 2006. FRESH SOUND RECORDS
JAVIER VERCHER – Saxophone and Percussion LIONEL LOUEKE – Guitar and Voice FERENC NEMETH – Drums and Percussion CHIP TAYLOR – Voice on Where everything is Music Poem by RUMI
Recorded March 20, 2006. NYC. Acoustic Sound Recording Studio – Brooklyn, NYC. Recording Engineer: MICHAEL BRORBY Mastering: MIKE PEREZ CISNEROS Co-produced: JAVIER VERCHER / FERENC NEMETH Executive Producer: JORDI PUJOL_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Javier Vercher Trío «Cleptocracia» con Masa Kamaguchi y Jorge Rossy – Jimmy Glass – Valencia 30/1/13
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VERCHER/LOUEKE/BARRUETA. TRIO Jimmy Glass. Valencia. 11 de Noviembre 2011.
Fotografias de Elia Costa: Javier Vercher, Lionel Loueke y Borja Barrueta
JAVIER VERCHER, JAZZ MUSICIAN. 