BUGGE WESSELTOFT

this review was originally written for www.jazzmusicarchives.com

Norwegian pianist Bugge Wesseltoft is often mentioned as one of the godfathers of nu jazz. At least, his early releases are nu jazz classics for sure. I never was a big fan of him, his music often sounded too "lightweight" or too dance-able /clubbing oriented for me.

This Bugges album is his duo with a musician not related to jazz at all. German Henrik Schwarz made his name on the Detroit/Berlin techno scene and is a respected figure in club electronic music. Possibly, it was a big risk that this album would be even more "clubbing" music or radical electronics, but fortunately this didn't happen.

Even more - this album represents a very rare great balance between jazz roots and modern electronic music possibilities. Being almost minimalist, it contains live and studio recorded compositions - both of which are stylish and tasteful. I was really surprised at how well balanced this music is - it looks like both musicians didn't demonstrate their abilities separately, but just moved one towards the other in their music.

Most interesting is how Henrik uses his electronic devices - it's a great example of how samples and electronics can be used as a source for improvs! In all, the music on here is not too extravagant, more normal than one would expect. Also, it's a great side of this release - the listener won't be shocked or attracted by some tricks, this album contains real music, and you will like it or hate it because of that.

This is Bugge Wesseltoft's first album and also one of the first albums in a new genre to become known as nu jazz. Nu jazz is a sometimes somber and ascetic offshoot of the more club friendly acid jazz genre. While nu jazz retains some of the acid jazz DJs relationship with trip-hop, it also features influences from 60s-70s Miles Davis and the 'fourth world' sounds of Jon Hassell.

Like a lot of beginner albums this one is brilliant in places and inconsistent overall, but the good songs are some of the best jazz fusion to come out during the last part of the previous century. Bugge's vision of nu jazz is fairly upbeat with big horn sections and driving rhythm sections colored with electronics. Some of these cuts sound like the blaxploitation soundtrack of the future when rogue detectives with jet packs will chase gangsters in hover-limos. Along with the crime jazz influences Bugge also draws heavily on some of the more experimental and electronic output of Miles and Herbie Hancock. Its as if acid jazz meets On the Corner, Get Up With It, Crossings and Thrust on the set of Shaft 2021, and that is one of the finest compliments I think I could ever give a piece of music.

The weaker cuts aren't that bad, but their disparate styles draw away from the continuity of the other tracks. There are three vocal numbers that range oddly from neo-soul to Middle-Eastern trip-hop to beatnik spoken word, as well as a couple of avant-garde jams that sound like one take studio 'accidents'. Despite the inconsistencies, this album is highly recommended for fans of psychedelic jazz.

If anyone is interested in what is going on in the Norwegian jazz scene, this is the one to check out. Tracks 1-5 were recorded live from 2000-2001. Track 6-7 recorded for the BBC. This could very well be the _Bitches Brew_ or _Soft Machine Third_ of the NuJazz scene. NuJazz, you ask? It's a fusion between '70s jazz rock fusion, funk and electronica. Most tracks have an electronic beat as a basis and the improvisation occurs over top. Electric piano, acoustic and dubbed instruments can be heard along with live drums and electronics. It's musicians improvising to the machine which is an interesting concept to these ears. Remember, the title of this CD is _New Conception Of Jazz_(Live) which best describes this genre. Fans of John Scofield will want to hear his contribution on "Live At Bla_ which is a 21 minute NuJazz tour-de-force best heard at high volume. If your body isn't moving to this piece - you've got no soul or sense of rhythm, brothers and sisters. It's like the Headhunters on overdrive. Many parts of this piece remind me of the experiments Herbie Hancock was breaking ground with on his oddball classics _Sextant_ and _Headhunters_.

As drummer Bill Bruford once said, if you want to know where rock music is going, listen to a King Crimson album. I say, if you want to know where jazz is going, listen to a Bugge Wesseltoft record(it used to be _listen to a Miles Davis record_ but he's in heaven with Dizzy and the Duke). 5 solid stars. A true masterpiece in NuJazz.

One of nu.jazz cornerstone albums, it is Bugge debut on his own label Jazzland. Very interesting album in musicological sense: Bugge started his career as jazz pianist, played with Jan Garbarek and some more Norwegians, associated with ECM Records label, but than founded his own record label and became one of founders of nu.jazz.

Norway in late 90-s bring to the European scene few jazz musicians searching for fresh ideas in jazz. Being jazz professionals, they simplified sound, rhythm and structure of composition, used some recipes from acid jazz, house and techno, and mixed everything in what was later named nu.jazz. In fact, "New Conception Of Jazz" is one of the very first releases of new style.

The music is much more simplified from any form of classic jazz ( incl. be-bop, hard- bop, post-bop, fusion, free-jazz, etc), but are more complex from all forms of electronic pop- music. But, most important, it contains some live instruments, which even play some improves ( in the hard frames of style). As a result, music is a bit more intellectual, than all forms of electronic pop-music, but still very accessible. And a bit less boring, than acid-jazz.

Some moments are interesting, many compositions - not too much. For me it often sounds as "jazz for masses", but at least it doesn't sound as new-age. Possibly this music can attract more young generation listeners to more serious jazz. And for sure this music will give some material for future jazz, I mean - real new jazz.