Rok Zalokar Zhlehtet – Pieces for Collective Change (Jazz Cerkno Records)
A fresh perspective on contemporary spiritual jazz
Over the past decade, an increasing number of releases within the realm of spiritual jazz have come into the focus of jazz media and more established labels. I deliberately avoid calling it a “revival,” as we are speaking primarily about the market and media perception, rather than the scene itself and its protagonists. After all, weren’t Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane very much active for decades before they left this earthly world?
Somewhere between these most significant historical traditions, the American reimaginings most commercially embodied by Kamasi Washington, and artists close to Matthew Halsall and his Gondwana Records, we find Rok Zalokar Zhlehtet from Slovenia. This country has produced a whole range of compelling musicians in contemporary jazz and avant-garde circles, thanks to a strong jazz infrastructure and a festival climate that supports such authorial ventures. This is evidenced by the fact that Zalokar’s publisher is Jazz Cerkno, one of the most exciting “small” European jazz festivals, from which I have reported on several occasions with great enthusiasm and pleasure.
The good news is that Rok Zalokar is not just another trendy musician exploiting the atmosphere and common tropes of spiritual jazz; rather, his music brings together various approaches and concepts. Within the eight-piece ensemble, we hear flute, harp, and vocals, among other instruments—elements that serve as instrumental links to genre conventions. However, this is only part of the arranging and compositional concept. As Zalokar himself explains, the album represents a condensed and compact version of a suite for octet that he previously premiered at the Jazz Cerkno festival, balancing between the free flow born from musicians interacting in a live encounter and structured compositions.
In that sense, I would immediately move to the most striking tracks—the ones that make us want to listen to Zalokar as a musician beyond trends or some Spotify playlist. The composition twelve tone waves is built around a dramatic, repetitive piano phrase that undergoes several subtle variations over seven minutes. It serves as the axis around which a whole series of exciting musical events unfold, from the haunting vocals of Alja Petric to the alternating entries of the other band members. The title proves indicative: the music does not move in a linear fashion, nor within the classic jazz sandwich of theme–solo–theme, but is exceptionally fluid. It possesses a disturbing cinematic quality, the seductiveness of minimalist composition, and a jazz richness that never erupts into explosion but instead sustains tension within the listener.
Another such piece is desert drone of the real, emerging from an ambient introduction and—again quite indicatively—carrying a certain drone quality. It leans more toward “new music” ensembles and experimental contemporary composition, up until a finale that hints at a somewhat more jazz-oriented resolution. It is followed by figuration, which again contains an intriguing repetitive interplay between Zalokar and Alja Petric as one of the album’s key anchors, though this time within a dynamic build that allows for a more unrestrained band performance. Throughout this segment of the album, Zalokar reveals many qualities familiar to admirers of The Necks and especially pianist Chris Abrahams.
Zhlehtet also delivers a high-quality performance when moving more explicitly within a jazz context. The track žuborenje….stone of the heart brings the flute to the forefront (Lenart De Bock in a playful intro) and later the harp (Urška Preis), creating a somewhat different cinematic atmosphere, with a relaxed-cool film music aura reminiscent of Henry Mancini. Or consider the closing piece it’s not about me, which highlights the saxophones and flute, and through a clearer spiritual jazz structure and a beautiful raw, almost live production, brings the album to an appropriately ecstatic conclusion.
Rok Zalokar is a relatively young musician; his first discographic releases (listed on Bandcamp) date back to 2013. Over the course of his career, he has recorded with small ensembles, while Zhlehtet itself has previously performed in formations ranging from trio to quintet. One cannot ignore the economic reality that leading and organizing an avant-garde jazz octet is challenging—let alone arranging tours and concerts with such a large group of musicians. Nevertheless, I hope Zalokar will manage to keep this ensemble together for as long as possible, as it possesses exceptional playing chemistry and potential.
Musicians:
Alja Petric – vocals, percussion
Lenart De Bock – tenor saxophone, flute
Boštjan Simon – soprano & tenor saxophone
Rok Zalokar – piano, electronics
Urška Preis – harp, fx
Kristijan Krajnčan – cello
Jošt Drašler – double bass
Žiga Smrdel – drums