ALBUM NOTES
‘Music is not material, Music is Spiritual’. With this one line from what may be his earliest poem[1], Sun Ra sets before our minds what our ears and heart know to be true: music is a power, a force, and a mystery that can change our way of being, our way of knowing. Music is spiritual. And while the roots of jazz grew from spiritual traditions, it was the music of Sun Ra from the 1950s and especially John Coltrane’s recordings from the mid-1960s that defined spiritual jazz as we know it today. Modal, improvisational, meditative, testifying, droning, polyrhythmic and blazing, spiritual jazz opens the mind to complexity that is simple and simplicity that is complex.
Spiritual jazz has a long line of master practitioners, from Coltrane’s contemporaries including Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Yusef Lateef and Pharoah Sanders, to contemporary artists like Nat Birchall and Shabaka Hutchings. Muriel Grossman’s immersion in the powers and traditions of this particular current of jazz has been developing through her last several albums and here in ‘Golden Rule’ she and her band draw deep on the musical practices that evoke the transcendent.
Muriel Grossman was born in Paris to Austrian parents and grew up in Vienna where she started classical studies on flute at age 5. When she switched to saxophone and jazz at age 21, she says she learned mostly from listening to records. She also credits German jazz pianist Joachim Kühn, with whom she later studied, as having a great impact on her musical directions. Her sources of inspiration are wide and include a range of jazz giants from saxophonists such as Eddie Lockjaw Davis to guitarists like Grant Green. However, the symbiosis of sounds that she creates on this album – with Serbian guitarist Radomir Milojkovic, Austrian bassist Gina Schwarz, and Serbian drummer and percussionist Uros Stamenkovic – remains most closely aligned with the works of Coltrane.
The spirit in sound which this group creates will be realised in different ways for each listener. Personally, I’m hooked from the microtonalities which open the first track and whisper of the insights and illuminations to come; within a few seconds the guitar, bass and drums have conjured a shimmering landscape across which the soprano saxophone sets off, as if on a quest, or a journey of discovery. On every track, Milojkovic’s pointillistic guitar work is spellbinding. There is also a kind of ‘hidden mystic’, as Grossman describes it, to each number, the result of judicious, almost subliminal, drone instrumentation that rewards repeated listening. There are deep pools of peace and reflection as in the slow and meditative ‘Direction’, with Grossman on tenor and a probing bass solo by Schwarz. And always, above, below, around, there is the spirit of Coltrane.
The album title ‘Golden Rule’ signals a commitment to reciprocity and respect: ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. This basic premise of social harmony and human dignity is common to both religious traditions and humanist principles, and it is this belief in our ability to create cooperatively and to live in peace that underlies the beautiful sounds of this album.
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[1] ‘The Neglected Plane of Wisdom’ first appeared in a Saturn Records prospectus in 1965 or 66, but possibly dates from 1955, according to James L. Wolf and Hartmut Geerken in their edited book of Sun Ra’s poetry and prose, ‘The Immeasurable Equation’ (Waitawhile, 2005), p. 250.
Michael Jacklin (@jazzozmentis)
JAZZQUAD, Belarus Sep/2018 by Leonid Auskern visit the page here
Muriel Grossmann — GOLDEN RULE The fourth acquaintance with the music of Austrian saxophonist and composer Muriel Grossmann, who is living in Spain. Without detracting from the merits of Muriel’s works that I heard and wrote about earlier (EARTH TONES (2015), NATURAL TIME (2016), MOMENTUM (2017), I consider her new project Golden Rule to be the creative pinnacle of this talented jazz lady and her strongest work up to this date.
Also Golden Rule was recorded like the last three albums by Muriel’s Austro-Serbian quartet with guitarist Radomir Milojkovic, bassist Gina Schwarz and drummer Uros Stamenkovic. The album is published in two versions – 2x12’ LP and CD, which is due to appear by the end of the year with a slightly reduced composition Traneing In (without a four-minute intro). The Cd differs also in the design of the cover. In our review, the cover of the vinyl album is reproduced. The album is very solid in terms of duration: more than eighty minutes of sound, only seven tracks all together. The longest, Traneing In (almost nineteen minutes of sound), took the whole side of one of the vinyl records. But the point, of course, is not the length, but the quality of the music.
I have never heard Muriel Grossmann have so much expression and inspiration in her playing on both her instruments, on the soprano saxophone (as in the starting piece of Golden Rule), and on the tenor saxophone (as in the next Core). Muriel’s long, unusually emotional improvisations are followed by Milojkovic’s answering and elaborating guitar solo, then to give way to a new, equally expressive and technically diverse saxophone solo. Muriel plays in this album as if it is the last time in her life! All this action takes place against the background of flexible polyrhythmic constructions created by the rhythm group (in my opinion, this album became the most striking performance for Stamenkovic). When in the piece Promise or in the final, meditative composition Light, the tempo becomes somewhat more moderate, this does not affect the quality of the performance. In Direction, Grossmann’s saxophone improvisations are well received in an excellent double bass solo by Gina Schwarz. And from the point of view of guitar work, the top of Milojkovic, for my taste, is in the composition Trane.
It is worth remembering, that Muriel considers as one of her main teachers, the famous German free jazz pianist Joachim Kühn. Perhaps the extraordinary freedom of expression reigning in GOLDEN RULE is, to a certain extent, due to its influence. Well, and, finally, the main source of inspiration, the eternal light of many Jazz generations already — John Coltrane. It is not by chance that one of the pieces of Grossmann in this album is named after him, and the name of the other is the neologism of Traneing In (literally: “Inhaling”). Trane, especially the late Trane, regarded music as a kind of sacred, spiritual act. Following him, Muriel Grossman aspires to the same spirituality in her music, and — damn it! — She’s great at it!
The liner notes author Michael Jacklin explains the title of the “Golden Rule” album by the famous biblical (and worldly) maxim: “Treat others as you would like them to treat you”. It’s hard to argue with that. But with reference to the work of Muriel Grossmann, a different interpretation can be made here: “Go your own way. perfect yourself, set yourself more and more higher tasks.” The new album of Grossmann, in my opinion, is a masterpiece reflecting exactly such an approach. Leonid Auskern
****
The phrase “spiritual jazz” packs a promise and a threat. It plays into a mythology about the existence of a jazz that totally transcends commercial and material concerns. It also threatens the preponderance of someone explaining how they’re spiritual, but not religious. On her new album, saxophonist Muriel Grossmann avoids both these traps. Golden Rule conveys meditative tranquility and ecstatic joy without ever sounding overly pious. Most of the time, it’s also a lot of fun.
A chorus of instruments drone behind a number of tracks on GOLDEN RULE, but Grossmann’s performance really is what makes it exceptional. Crisp drum and bass lines start off the stellar “Direction” as a guitar comps hypnotically and Grossmann showcases her ability to get the best of a tune melodically. She plays a solo so lyrical every bar feels like a discrete composition. Bassist Gina Schwarz follows with similarly inventive solo, the swirling drone below lending depth and color.
Golden Rule proudly wears John Coltrane’s influence, and “Traneing In” demonstrates Grossmann’s prowess on the soprano saxophone. Schwarz underpins the song with the spellbinding bass line that changes its pattern to great effect when guitarist Radomir Milojkovic takes a knotty, soulful solo. The tightness this group has built in its four years of playing sharpens its brisk take on the composition.
The practice of meditation deeply sharpens Golden Rule. The drones underlying its tracks heighten the tension on certain offerings, but feel monotonous after a while. Fortunately, the dynamism of its soloists and the quartet’s telekinetic performance delivers the album’s aim: providing a listening experience akin to transcendence. Andrew Jones
UKVIBE, UK, 26th Nov 2018 by Mike Gates visit the page here
The question: What would you say defines “spiritual jazz”? A powerful experience? An evocative journey? Music that transcends all time and place? Music that touches your heart and strengthens your soul? A sound that is at once explorative and free, whilst also giving a satisfying sense of belonging? An incomprehensible cosmic energy that helps you feel grounded within an ever-changing universe? The answer: Yes. All of this and more. Above all it is a connection, with yourself, mankind, and the world around you, a kind of meditative awakening, as if to say “Ahh yes, this is it”. You can feel it. Your senses reawaken and your mind is quietly focussed. You let it all in, and breathe.
Few albums truly capture this spirit in such a consistently startling and beautiful way. This one most definitely does. Muriel Grossmann’s “Golden Rule” embraces the groundbreaking, exploratory jazz of Sun Ra and John Coltrane, gives a very respectful nod to fellow contemporaries Nat Birchall and Shabaka Hutchings, and immerses itself in a swirl of transcendental expression. Timeless and innovative, this is one mighty statement of a recording.
Born in Paris to Austrian parents, saxophonist and composer Muriel Grossmann grew up in Vienna, starting classical studies at the age of 5. When she switched to saxophone, discovering jazz at the age of 21, her musical direction changed. Although learning mostly from listening to records, Grossmann also credits German jazz pianist Joachim Kühn, with whom she later studied, as having a great impact on her musically. Her sources of inspiration are wide, including a range of jazz giants from saxophonists such as Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, to guitarists like Grant Green. It is however, the symbiosis of sounds created on this album, with Serbian guitarist Radomir Milojkovic, Austrian bassist Gina Schwarz, and Serbian drummer and percussionist Uros Stamenkovic, that closely link the music back to the works of Coltrane.
There’s an intriguing sonic palette to Grossmann’s music. As the album begins, opening with the title track, I was immediately drawn to the almost whispered sounds that move and shimmer, acting as a backdrop to the tune itself. Perhaps my musical adventures in life have been less adventurous than I thought, but this is something quite unique in the way that the sounds are sensitively and intelligently layered. It’s a little like ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), only in a good way! (I’m not a fan). And it’s a stroke of musical genius, allowing the musicians to explore and improvise on top of the core of the tune, and the sonic landscape that lives and breathes behind that.
The initial bass-line on “Golden Rule” to my mind quietly echoes the spoken words “A Love Supreme”, as Grossmann’s sax sets off on a new and evolving journey. “Core” continues in a similar vein, with perhaps more of a knowing glance to fellow contemporary Nat Birchall. A feature of the whole recording is the depth of sound, largely created by the drums and percussion, hidden secrets are gradually revealed and the more I listen, with luscious bass driven grooves fuelling the fire as a beautiful sax shaped Phoenix rises from the flames, the more I can hear the traces of history propelling the music forward into new, unknown territories.
“Promise” is a tune I can lose myself in time and time again. It somehow speaks to me. This is the beauty of Grossmann’s compositions, but more over, the sense of connectedness I feel with the musicians themselves. It’s as if I’m sharing their journey whilst discovering my own. The slower, contemplative “Direction” is one of those tunes you just don’t want to end. It’s a meditation, expressive and inclusive, searching and experiencing, reaching and grasping, relaxing and finding.
“Traneing In” is the longest piece on the album. It opens with vibes, percussion and experimental sounds, reminding me of Keith Jarrett’s “Spirits”. Milojkovic’s guitar takes centre-place, leading the other instruments on an adventure into their own consciousness. And then it all comes together in a sparkling burst of light as the band-leader’s soprano sings out with an effervescent bridge of light. This is exciting and richly rewarding music.
“Trane” is almost trance-like, using multi-layered saxes to create a wonderful palette of sound. The textural opening gives way to an infectious groove, with bass, drums and guitar all combining perfectly to allow the tenor sax to soar with unbridled abandon. The closing track “Light” is like a homage to what has come before, warmly celebrating its musical ancestors in an uplifting and respectful way, stepping through doors opened by predecessors and walking boldly into the light.
For those of you who enjoy your spiritual jazz, this album is an absolute must-have. Muriel Grossmann’s Quartet evoke the true beauty, sincerity and joy of Coltrane, whilst successfully musically singing out in their own voice, creating new ideas with a refreshing verve and skill. “Golden Rule” is quite simply an incredible album, inventive, full of character, and to my ears, a musical joy to behold. Mike Gates