Norwegian bassist hero Ingebrigt Håker Flaten formed The Young Mothers when he moved to Austin, Texas, in 2009, when he was inspired by the diverse local music scene and wanted to merge his own experience in modern and free jazz and free improvised music with experimental rock, hip-hop, Afro-beat and electronic music, and anything in between. Håker Flaten found like-minded partners in trumpeter-rapper-social activist Jawwaad Taylor, sax player Jason Jackson, percussionist Stefan González, guitarist Jonathan F. Horne and drummer Frank Rosaly. The sextet recorded two albums A Mothers Work Is Never Done (Tektile, 2014) and Morose (Super Secret, 2018). Then Håker Flaten relocated back to his native Norway and The Young Mothers went into hiatus.
Six years later and after numerous setbacks, The Young Mothers releases its third, long-awaited album Better If You Let It, recorded at Studio Paradiso in Oslo in November 2022. The sextet sounds fresh, and sharp, with a diverse and wider palette of sounds but more introspective than before. The opening title piece tells about some of the hurdles, including the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, on the way to realizing this album.
Håker Flaten, González and Rosaly form a propulsive, sensual rhythm section that drives the music forward, leaving plenty of space for Taylor, Jackson and Horne to develop the infectious, melodic themes, and ensure that the moving – literally – music will reach enough exciting, emotional climaxes. The Young Mothers plays like a tight collective but now shares the writing credits. The title piece is credited to Jackson and Taylor, where Taylor sampled and deconstructed Jackson’s original theme as a tribute to the Great American Songbook. Taylor’s «Hymn» suggests a powerful and uplifting, gospel-blues vibe, and Rosaly’s «Lijm» bridges seamlessly between hip-hop, soulful jazz and distorted electric guitar.
Late Texan trumpeter Dennis González’ «Song for A Poet» was originally recorded with the Norwegian Band of Nordic Wizards – Sidsel Endresen, Nils Petter Molvær, Bugge Wesseltoft, Terje Gewelt and Pål Thowsen – more than thirty years ago (Welcome To Us, GOWI, 1994). González’ son, percussionist Stefan González devised this song as a homage to his father who passed away in March 2022 and with the haunting, sampled voices of Klara Weiss and Malwina Witkowska (The Young Mothers agent) turned this piece into a most moving, melancholic yet surreal and spiritual statement, that radiates faithfully Dennis González love of Nordic jazz. Better If You Let It ends with Håker Flaten and Taylor’s 15-minute «Scarlet Woman Lodge» which orbits The Young Mother’s inclusive sonic universe, beginning with an enigmatic, electronics-laden ballad, that morphs into a wild and ecstatic sonic beast and then into breezy, cool jazz and concludes with a layered, processed, seductive beat.
Better If You Let It lets its powerful spells grow on you with each listening. The Young Mothers’ work is stronger than ever.
Eyal Hareuveni
Jawwaad Taylor (trumpet, rhymes, electronics, programming), Jason Jackson (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone), Stefan González (vibraphone, drums, percussion, voice), Jonathan F. Horne (guitar), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (double bass, electric bass), Frank Rosaly (drums, electronics, programming)
