TED NASH and ODEON

La Espada de la Noche is probably not going to sound a whole lot like any jazz music you’ve ever heard before. But it will probably remind you of a whole bunch of things you’ve heard—snippets of jazz, klezmer, Middle Eastern music, various Latin and Mediterranean themes, and—very strongly—tango. The instrumentation alone moves the album from the realm of many jazz listeners’ experience. Nash plays tenor sax as well as alto sax, clarinet, bass clarinet, and alto flute. Nathalie Bonin plays violin, Clark Gayton adds tuba, trombone and baritone horn, Bill Schimmel plays accordian, and Matt Wilson sits in on drums. The results are often swinging as can be (listen to Nash’s solo on the less-frequently heard Allegro section of “Concierto de Aranjuez”), but can also resonate deeply with the musical influences of other genres and nationalities (“A Night In Tunisia” and “Sebago”).

Beginning with a completely fresh take on Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night In Tunisia” (how often can you truly say that?) that asserts the disc’s tango influence right away, Nash chips away at our expectations regarding both jazz and tango music. And lest you think there’s no room for improvisation in these very controlled, Ellington-influenced arrangements, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when Nash cuts loose with a solo.

On the more familiar Adagio section of the “Concierto” and “Sebago” Nash plays alto sax with a beauty of tone that I have not heard in many moons. Bonin’s violin work is also simply gorgeous. Her contributions to Odeon are many, particularly considering her interest in all kind of music from around the world. On “Tico Tico” Nash displays his considerable abilities on clarinet to great effect. The original title track has an Astor Piazzolla-like feel and features Schimmel’s accordian work prominently. Rodriguez’s “Concierto” is given a nice reading, particularly the Allegro section. Even the thoroughly familiar Adagio section benefits from the vastly different texture presented by the unusual instrumentation.

Nash closes the CD with an original composition, “Walk This Way,” that takes a New Orleans street band second line rhythm as its starting point, adding additional elements and coloration as it progresses. Bonin plays a nicely turned solo, and Schimmel uses his accordion to summon a Cajun feeling. It’s a good bet that there won’t be many (if any) jazz CDs that sound like La Espada de la Noche this year, and that’s probably just how Nash planned it. If you’re looking for something a bit different that still swings like mad and has a jazz orientation, give Nash and Odeon a try.