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London Odense Ensemble — Jaiyede Sessions Volume 1
(El Paraiso EPR067, 2022, LP)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2022-07-24

Jaiyede Sessions Volume 1 Cover art

So exactly who or what is the London Odense Ensemble? Since this is on the El Paraiso label, one might have some ideas, and that would be a good place to start. London, in recent years has become a hub of experimental jazz endeavors, and the Jaiyede Session is a one-time grouping of two of London’s best players, keyboardist Al MacSween (a founding member of Kefaya, plus collaborations with Gary Bartz, Maya Youseff, Kadialy Kouyate, and many others) and saxophonist / composer / multi-wind instrumentalist Tamar Osborn (Collocutor, Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, and others). Joining them are Causa Sui drummer and visual artist Jakob Skøtt, Causa Sui guitarist and El Paraiso electronic artist Jonas Munk, and Martin Rude, multi-instrumentalist and lead singer of Sun River, as well as being the stand-in bassist of Causa Sui. Jaiyede Sessions Volume 1 (which hopefully means there will be a forthcoming Volume 2) represents a truly explorative collaboration between these five players, on-the-spot compositions that flow and ebb as they go forward, everyone contributing valuable elements to the heady mix, Osborn switching between bari sax and flutes, MacSween contributing electric piano as well as analog synths, the quintet creates with a palette of gentle and dreamy atmospherics that never fails to generate excitement. The set kicks off with the two-part, seventeen-plus minute “Jaiyede Suite” that sets the stage with some powerful Eastern flavored sounds over which the five players create a brilliant sonic tapestry, with MacSween’s synth solo being one of the many highlights of part one, which winds down and moves into the second part seamlessly, reminiscent of some of the best electric period Miles Davis fused with tasty instrumental krautrock like Mythos or Dzyan. The six-minute “Sojourner” opens with some beautiful flute work over a drum groove, building up intensity as it proceeds. “Enter Momentum” is a sprawling fifteen minute canvas of ideas, instrumental conversations between the five players, at times reminiscent of classic Third-era Soft Machine. The set closes with the sparse and beautiful “Celestial Navigation,” combining a bit more electronics with the quintet’s free and explorative nature. The folks at El Paraiso can do no wrong, but Jaiyede Sessions Volume 1 stands as one of their very best releases in recent memory.

Filed under: New releases, 2022 releases

Related artist(s): Jonas Munk, Jakob Skøtt, Sun River / Martin Rude, London Odense Ensemble

More info
http://elparaisorecords.com/product/london-odense-ensemble-jaiyede-sessions-vol-1/

 

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