Mikkel Ploug
Been listening to the two records that Danish guitarrist Mikkel Ploug recorded with the “Mikkel Ploug Group” for the Fresh Sound New Talent Label. Both disc have the same line-up: Ploug on guitars, Mark Turner on tenor saxophone, Jeppe Skovbakke on bass & Sean Carpio on drums.
The first thing that pops-out it’s how unique and fresh is compositions sound. There is a strong “scent” of rock music in them somehow; but not in a very orthodox kind of way. The integration of the rock elements in these tunes is very interesting and peculiar and it gives them a very fresh “perspective” in what modern jazz is or might be .
The rythm section provides a solid foundations for both Ploug and Turner to explore the harmonic corners of the tunes, nevertheless there is a very distinctive amount of space that can be felt in the music witch makes it very “elegant” and modern to my ears.
The Mark Turner contribution to these sessions is excelent as one would expect from a Saxophone player and composer of his caliber. Is lines blend very well on the harmonic structure of the themes and is incredible harmonic vocabulary emphasizes the delicacy of the tunes : Overall two very good records from a very promising guitarist and group.
There is considerable number of jazz artists these days trapped inside a “Neo-Bop” “cliché” that leads them and they’re careers nowhere. Like as if they were lost inside a time warp trying to emulate days gone by. And instead of paying homage to the music they love they are in fact destroying it. But that is another human “cliché” that everyone should know by now: Humans have a bizarre tendency to destroy the things they love..
Visit: http://www.mikkelploug.com/
Donnell Durham
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