Line Up: Rudresh Mahanthappa / alto saxophone David Fiuczynski / electric guitar François Moutin / acoustic bass Dan Weiss / drums
1. Waiting Is Forbidden - 08:56 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
2. Abhogi - 07:11 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
3. Stay I - 02:22 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
4. We'll Make More - 06:06 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
5. Are There Clouds In India? - 05:56 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
6. Lots Of Interest - 07:38 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
7. F - 02:22 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
8. Copernicus – 19 - 01:25 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
9. Wrathful Wisdom - 08:24 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
10. Ballad For Troubled Times - 05:52 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
11. Majesty Of The Blues - 01:43 (Rudresh Mahanthappa)
The idea of hybridity has been central to the music of alto saxophonist/composer Rudresh Mahanthappa throughout his career. Most prominent, of course, has been his highly original fusion of east and west, jazz mixed with the sounds of his Indian heritage. But that’s too easy and linear a depiction of this open-eared and inventive composer, who has absorbed an enormous variety of music into his thinking and amalgamated it into a singular vision.
On his new ACT release, Gamak, Mahanthappa continues that multi-directional evolution with a bold, striking set of music that melds leading-edge jazz with innovative reinterpretations of traditional Indian and Middle Eastern approaches, shot through with an electric jolt of prog-rock complexity. Mahanthappa’s distinctly personal sound hybridizes progressive jazz and South Indian classical music in a fluid and forward-looking form that reflects the composer’s own experience growing up a second-generation Indian-American. Just as his personal experience is never wholly lived on one side of the hyphenate or the other, his music speaks in a voice dedicated to forging a new path forward. ACT
(27 Nov 2012)Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2013
First Artists Announcement
Buena Vista Social Club and Brand New Heavies to headline Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2013
Cape Town 27 November 2012 – Leading South African event company espAfrika today revealed the first 13 confirmed acts which will form part of the star-studded line up for next year’s 14th Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) which will take place on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th April 2013 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
For the first time ever at the CTIJF audiences will be able to experience the world-famous Buena Vista Social Club featuring Omara Portuondo (Cuba). A celebration of traditional Cuban music popularized in the members club with the same name in Havana, Buena Vista Social Club became an international success thanks to a widely acclaimed studio album release in 1997 and an Academy Award nominated documentary which captured their two live performances released in 1999.
Renowned bassist, composer, singer, arranger and producer Victor Ntoni (SA) headlines the list of premier South African acts that will perform at the festival. Bra Vic (as he is widely known) is a musician of note on the South African music scene. At this year’s festival Ntoni presents Iconoclast, featuring Khaya Mahlangu, Lawrence Matshiza, Lungile (Lulu) Maduna and Hilton Schilder.
Renowned artists Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane and Matt Garrison will come together at the CTIJF as part of a groundbreaking Jack Dejohnette Trio (USA). Ravi, Jack and Matt (USA) is a reunion 20 years in the making and is a celebration of an original event at the Brooklyn Museum in New York. The trio celebrated the music of the great John Coltrane then and today their collaboration explores open improvisation as well as their own compositions.
Acid funk jazz group the Brand New Heavies (UK) will provide some nostalgia at the CTIJF with hits like Never Stop, Dream Come True and You are the Universe.
Jazz aficionados will also welcome the news that South African singer Jimmy Dludlu will be on the 2013 bill. Dludlu is a self-taught acclaimed guitarist, arranger, band leader and singer, known internationally for his original African jazz and fusion music.
Pianist Robert Glasper Experiment (USA) continues to make waves throughout the music world as leader of both the acoustic Robert Glasper Trio (Chris Dave on drums and Vicente Archer on bass) and the Robert Glasper Experiment, in which he explores fusions of jazz and hip hop. The Experiment blends funky jazz with electric hip-hop beats, and is comprised of internationally acclaimed cross-genre masters - drummer Chris Dave, bassist Derrick Hodge and saxophonist/vocalist Casey Benjamin.
Errol Dyers (SA) will bring his unique cross between the traditional langarm and the Cape Town carnival sound to audience at the CTIJF. The Cape Town jazz guitarist is highly respected as a pioneer of what has today become known as Cape Jazz-Ghoema. His performance will present audiences with a journey through Cape music styles and heritage, using words and music ranging from Moppies, Liedjies, Goema, Mbaqanga and Cape Jazz. This 7-piece band, with a rhythm section and brass, will feature some of SA’s most established and up-and-coming youth.
The Reza Khota Quartet (SA) will return to the CTIJF in 2013. Led by vocalist and guitarist Reza the quartet also features Shane Cooper on bass, Buddy Wells on sax and Jonno Sweetman on drums.
Latin jazz pianist Chano Dominguez (Spain) will be another treat for serious jazz lovers. Dominguez makes post-bop, fusion, and flamenco influenced music that often references his Andalusian roots. His most recent album Flamenco Sketches was released by Blue Note Records in March 2012 and features his signature style re-interpretation of Miles Davis "Kind of Blue". The album earned him many accolades from the press with the New York Times calling the album “A cultural re-imagining of “Kind of Blue”, and Wall Street Journal stating “Chano Dominguez is playing these melodies with more beauty and imagination than virtually anyone since Miles Davis & Bill Evans”. Dominguez will be joined by Blas Cordoba on vocals and percussion, Ben Street on bass and Dafnis Prieto on drums.
Soul singer Zonke Dikana (SA) has established herself as a heavyweight on the music scene, easily capable of ascending local radio charts with both her songwriting and solo work.
Audiences interested in South Africa’s urban sound will be able to see soulful house three-piece Mi Casa as well as Hip-Hop duo Khuli Chana and AKA.
Mi Casa’s hits Heavenly Sent and These Streets off their self-titled album has enjoyed major airplay on South African radio.
Khuli Chana is practiced in vernacular rap, Motswako, and earned huge success in 2010 for his Tswak Sticke'm, while AKA, real name Kieran Forbes, made waves on the local scene for his hits Mistakes and Do It. Together, they are fast becoming known for a slick and distinctively South African urban sound.
Jazz vocalist, songwriter and actor Gregory Porter (USA) rounds off the initial list of artists that will form part of the 2013 CTIJF. Porter’s 2010 debut album Water was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards.
“We are delighted with this line-up. Once again we have been able to secure world-class international acts as well as the cream of our local talent. There is something for everyone from lovers of traditional jazz to younger audiences looking to hear more mainstream, popular music. Festival goers will not be disappointed,” says Rashid Lombard, festival director and CEO of espAfrika.
Patricia De Lille, Executive Mayor of Cape Town echoes this sentiment. "This musical celebration epitomises what this administration aims to do in building an inclusive city by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds throughout the city and the rest of the country to enjoy the musical talents of local artists and renowned international superstars. The City will continue to support this festival, to promote the heritage of jazz music and ensure that it continues to attract large crowds."
Now in its 14th year the Cape Town International Jazz Festival has grown into an important part of South Africa’s cultural landscape serving both as a draw card for major international acts and as a platform for local talent. The festival is also a highly respected global event on the international live music festival calendar.
Mr Paul Mashatile, Minister of Arts and Culture comments on the relevance of the festival, “The Cape Town International Jazz Festival does not only expose audiences to a wide array of the best international and local music, the event also contributes to providing a larger skills base in the creative sector which helps in sustaining the creative industries in South Africa.”
Lombard says organisers are delighted with the continued support the festival receives.
“Every year we are delighted by the turnout in terms of the number of festival goers who attend the event. We are seeing more and more international visitors and members of the media coming to Cape Town – further indication that the festival now enjoys a global profile,” says Lombard.
“Security is a priority and therefore to further ensure the safety of festival goers and in line with global trends, this year we will introduce a no pass-out policy. Not only will this help from a safety perspective, it will also help prevent ticket fraud.”
Tickets for this year’s event will go on sale on Saturday, 1 December, and will be available for purchase at Computicket outlets, Shoprite Checker’s outlets and via the Computicket website.
The ticket prices are as follows: day passes: R440, weekend passes: R645 and Rosies Stage tickets are R30 (per performance).
“We have managed to avoid significant ticket price increases for the past few years, however this year we have had to apply an increase to keep up with the times. Inflation, travel costs and a general increase in the cost of services across the board are all factors in this decision. We do however still believe that our ticket prices offer great value, especially when compared with other events which feature high profile international artists,” Lombard says.
A major component of the festival, which has grown in size and stature over the years, and has been consistently applauded by the City of Cape Town and the Department of Arts and Culture, is the festival’s Training and Development Programme.
The festival proudly presents a series of workshops that take place at various venues throughout the CBD and greater Cape Town area over an 8 day period. This social investment component explores various elements of the jazz world and includes Arts Journalism Workshops, as well as Music and Photographic Workshops, Music Business Classes, and Master Classes.
The official sponsors for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2013 are the Department of Arts and Culture and the SABC (the broadcast sponsor).
“The SABC acknowledges with a deep sense of appreciation, the immense value the Cape Town International Jazz Festival has added to the development of the Industry – not only over the Festival weekend, but also by means of the master classes and workshops in the week leading up to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. SABC has been instrumental in the success of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, since its inception in 2000 and has therefore committed to deepen its partnership with this sought after Industry event. The objective then was to support Arts and Culture and for the National Public Broadcaster to take its place alongside Government, NGOs and other Corporates to play a meaningful role in developmental issues. That objective is as pertinent now, as it was back then. The SABC looks forward to its partnership with the Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2013.” says the SABC’s Spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago.
Scott Healy-Piano, Synthesizers Glenn Alexander –Guitars Kermit Driscoll – Bass Jeff Hirshfield – Drums
Sometimes we open up our closets and find timeless gems stored away there; relics from the past that take on a new, deeper meaning in the light of now. Such was the case when Scott Healy and Glenn Alexander rediscovered some old master tapes last year that they had essentially walked away from 20 years ago. Recorded in one unedited live session back in 1991 with bassist Kermit Driscoll and drummer Jeff Hirshfield, a remarkably empathetic rhythm tandem that longtime partners Healy and Alexander had been playing live gigs with around that time, this open-ended, highly interactive music holds up a lot better today than some of the music recorded in 1991 by their contemporaries.
What happened shortly after this quartet session is that Alexander got busy with his own solo projects and Healy got a full-time job in the house band for Late Night With Conan O’Brien (which commenced broadcasting on September 13, 1993). And the tapes were forgotten. “The weird thing is, for the last 20 years I always knew it was there and I felt it was good but I didn’t want to listen to it,” says keyboardist Healy of Northern Light. “I didn’t have a clean copy of it because we didn’t walk out of the studio with CDs in those days. We did it direct to DAT and my DAT player had died about eight years ago, and by then we had all moved to hard disc recording. I didn’t have the DAT transferred to digital so it just sort of sat in the bin of masters for a while. I only had it on cassette, which is really unpleasant sounding. So I never listened to it.” What sparked the sudden interest in this project from the past? As guitarist Alexander explains: “Just this last year I found a cassette of that session and brought it in to play to my students at Sarah Lawrence College, and they sort of went nuts on it. So I wrote Scott and said, ‘We did this thing 20 years ago but it really holds up.’ And he had the same reaction. He dug it up, listened to it and said, ‘Holy shit! I don’t know if I can play that well now.’ And one thing that knocked both Scott and myself out was our ability -- and we have always had this -- to play lines together, whether they’re in time or out of time. It’s like we can read each other’s minds.”
Adds Healy, “One guy will play something and the other guy will pick up on it. It’s as simple as that. Or they will not play something and let you get your idea in and sort of wait for you to make your idea and then do something to support that idea.” Listening back to that session today, Alexander remains convinced that he now has a gem in hand. “I feel we play together, in a certain way, as well as anybody I know,” he says. “And I absolutely believe this is Scott’s best piano playing that he’s ever recorded on anything. I feel very confident in saying that. He just plays so mature and so great on all of his solos. I think it’s a combination of the tunes, the supportive musicians and the great piano sound. And to think we had let that go for 20 years. I can’t believe it!”
Like the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s The Lost Trident Session, which had remained in a Columbia Records vault for over 25 years before finally being released in 1999, the Scott Healy-Glenn Alexander Quartet’s Northern Light is the gem from their closet. But it is decidedly not a fusion offering, even though guitarist Alexander (a great admirer of fusion gods John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth and John Scofield) had dabbled in fusion on his own albums from the late ‘80s.
Indeed, some of these tracks sound more informed by the refined, intuitive playing of Keith Jarrett’s so-called American quartet (with bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Paul Motian) or the glistening chemistry between keyboardist Lyle Mays and guitarist Pat Metheny than the dense, throbbing fusion of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. At a time when rhythm tandems like Omar Hakim and Victor Bailey were locking it down tight with precision grooves on Michael Brecker’s Now You See It…Now You Don’t or Dennis Chambers and Anthony doing likewise on Mike Stern’s Odds Or Evens, Driscoll on upright bass and Hirshfield on drums were letting the music breathe with their zen-like approach to time on Northern Light.
“I really give it up to the rhythm section for making this sound so good,” says Healy. “With different guys who are more concerned about quarter notes and phrase lengths, I think it would’ve been a much different thing. Because we’re all playing in time, the time is all there. But they’re able to float with you. And then when it starts to feel a little squirrely, they give you the downbeat or they reinforce where you feel it is. That kind of playing inspires your confidence, makes you relax a little bit and makes you further able to get even more expressive.”
That sparse, less-is-more approach can be heard on Healy’s free-spirited rubato opener, “Spiral,” which has Driscoll and Hirshfield emulating the telepathic hookup of Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. “I was used to drummers who would play the two feel or straight eighth feel with a real intensity and no breathing whatsoever,” says Healy. “But the way that Jeff plays on this is amazing. That has no time signature. It’s actually just notes on the page. Everyone nods when to come in. You sort of listen and once you learn the overall meter of it then you could play it together…once you get it in your ears.”
Alexander’s lyrical, buoyantly swinging “Christmas Day” was actually later recorded on his 1993 fusion album Rainbow’s Revenge. “I only did that because it seemed like we were never going to put this version out, so I re-recorded it,” says the guitarist. “But now listening to this recording of it, I actually much prefer this version with Kermit and Jeff. I just love the way it unfolds. It’s just so organic and not slick at all. And Scott played a killing piano solo on it.” Healy’s “November” is a gentle, hymn-like heartland number that again recalls Jarrett and features Healy’s most mature, fully-realized piano solo of the session. “I had recorded that with my tentet in 1989 (Song Without Words), says Healy. “but it was a long and detailed ensemble arrangement of a very simple tune. But with our group with Glenn, we were playing most of the tunes from the lead sheet with no orchestration and very open arrangements, and this one fit perfectly.” Alexander also contributes a wonderful acoustic guitar solo here, which drew raves from his partner. “Glenn’s acoustic solo on ‘November’ is transcendental, and has about the best acoustic guitar sound I’ve ever heard,” says Healy. “He is to this day the most sensitive, empathetic and resourceful guitarist I’ve known. He really ‘gets’ me, and every line of his soloing on this recording is packed with content and meaning.”
Alexander’s “To The Point” opens with a burst of challenging, angular intervals from his guitar that Healy eventually doubles on piano. Driscoll and Hirshfield balance the tautness of their darting unisons with a relaxed, loosely swinging vibe underneath. “With a different bass and drums it could easily go in more of a fusiony sort of direction,” says the guitarist. “But because of the way that they play so loose underneath all of it makes it so inviting.”
Alexander’s “Chimes” opens with a sparse, reflective piano solo by Healy before developing into a stirring rubato ballad underscored by Hirshfield’s gentle brushwork. “The way he supports the soloists is amazing,” says Healy of the empathetic drummer. “Like when I go into my weird triplet thing on this tune where I go over the bar, he just stops playing and listens, and then he hits it. He finishes my phrases for me. It’s really remarkable.” Alexander makes effective use of reverb and volume pedal to create eerie violin-like swoops here before launching into a fluid warm-toned solo that beautifully matches the delicate vibe of the piece. Healy follows with a cascading piano solo that is buoyed by Driscoll’s sparsely contrapuntal bass lines.
Healy’s title track hinges on a simple ostinato figure doubled on piano and synth. “There’s barely anything to ‘Northern Light,’” says Healy, “the chart’s about half a page long with a 6/4 ostinato and a layered melodic figure, both of which devolve. I had the synth set up right next to the piano so I could reach over and play both at the same time, sort of treating the synth like just another voice, or an extension of the piano timbre. It’s a tricky piece but Glenn is someone who listens to where you want to go and he gets right to the core of it. There’s very little head-scratching with him. ” Driscoll, who plays fretless electric bass on this track, adds immeasurably to the mystique of this evocative closer.
Listening to Northern Light, it’s clear that the time is right for this out-of-time recording. “One of the things I think that now makes it sound good is that we’d had two decades of overproduction and insensitive rhythm section playing,” says Healy. “This idea of a bunch of guys playing free and really listening…we didn’t get that a lot during the ‘90s, I don’t think.”
It was a welcome relief then, it’s a happy discovery now. – Bill Milkowski
Bill Milkowski is a regular contributor to Jazz Times. He is also the author of “JACO: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius” and co-author of “Here And Now! The Autobiography of Pat Martino” (both on Backbeat Books)
National Publicity Campaign Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services Ph: 845-986-1677 / jim@jazzpromoservices.com "Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”
1 Veni Creator Spiritus (Hymne 9th century and improvisation) 2'02
Barry Guy "Hommage à Max Bill" (2–8)
2 Field on Thirty-Two Parts in Four Colours I 2'27
3 Enclosed Nucleus II 0'34
4 Two Surrounded Squares III 1'30
5 Nine Accentuations IV 0'44
6 Quiet V 1'54
7 Construction in Black VI 1'08
8 Condensation towards Yellow VII 2'20
9 H. I. F. Biber (1644 –1704) Mystery Sonata No 6 "The Agony in the Garden" 7'59
10 György Kurtág "Hommage à J. S. B." 2'25
11 H. I. F. Biber Mystery Sonata No 9 "The Carrying of the Cross" (with introduction and interlude by Barry Guy) 8'04
12 Barry Guy "Going Home" 5'25
Barry Guy "Tales of Enchantment" (13 –19) for Elana Gutmann
13 Promise I 2'55
14 La Bella Fortuna II 2'07
15 Proximity III 4'11
16 Reflection IV 2'20
17 Whistling V 1'54
18 Shadow VI 1'05
19 Hero VII 2'25
20 H. I. F. Biber Mystery Sonata No 15 "The Coronation of the Virgin" (Canzona and Sarabanda) 5'04
Since the 1990s the four musicians have been working through all the possible combinations of bass clarinet, trumpet, double bass and drums. Working with Alexander von Schlippenbach they achieved a coup: Monk's entire oeuvre presented as a live concert throughout one evening and documented in a three-CD box set. The traditional music is played anew, and the traditional is reflected in the new. This is the way jazz always developed, through minute shifts suddenly manifesting themselves as huge breaks with tradition – at least to people who were not following its history. Die Enttäuschung have absorbed an unbelievable amount of jazz history and transferred it into a living musical process, musical lava, formed by aworking band who are still able to surprise themselves, unfurlingthe full potential of their musical imagination with the new album Vier Halbe. Bert Noglik, from the linernotes INTAKT RECORDS http://www.dieenttaeuschung.org
Rudi Mahall: Bass Clarinet, Baritone Sax · Axel Dörner: Trumpet
Jan Roder: Bass · Uli Jennessen: Drums
1. Die Übergebundenen (R. Mahall) 2 : 52
2. Verzählt (A. Dörner) 3 : 08
3. Aqua Satin Flame (U. Jennessen) 3 : 45
4. Das Jan vom Stück (J. Roder) 2 : 24
5. Falsches Publikum (R. Mahall) 3 : 09
6. Vermöbelt (A. Dörner) 3 : 31
7. Jitterbug Five (U. Jennessen) 4 : 36
8. Gekannt (A. Dörner) 5 : 34
9. Trompete für Fortgeschrittene (R. Mahall) 3 : 00
10. Wie Axel (R. Mahall) 2 : 06
11. Eine Halbe (R. Mahall) 3 : 03
12. Hereich (A. Dörner) 3 : 19
13. Hello My Loneliness (U. Jennessen) 4 : 06
14. Vier Halbe (R. Mahall) 2 : 40
15. Children's Blues (U. Jennessen) 3 : 47
16. Möbelrücken (R. Mahall) 2 : 21
17. The Easy Going (J. Roder) 4 : 14
18. Verkannt (A. Dörner) 3 : 21
19. Trompete für Anfänger (R. Mahall) 3 : 55
20. Trompete für Profis (R. Mahall) 3 : 31
21. Schlagzeug für Anfänger (R. Mahall) 2 : 27
Total time: 70 : 49
It would be fellow Criss Cross associate Walt Weiskopf who would bring Conrad Herwig into the label's fold back in 1992. The trombonist would then go on to record his own Criss Cross debut, Heart of Darkness in 1998. Now some 15 years into his tenure, Herwig has recorded eight remarkable and engagingly diverse albums with A Voice Through the Door being his latest breakthrough. Highlighting a distinguished composer, this inspired recital includes seven new Herwig originals along with a reworking of the standard All or Nothing At All. Then emphasis is on shared communication, an aspect that is clearly evident through Herwig's long track record with pianist Orrin Evans and drummer Donald Edwards. Adding something new to the mix, however, are new associations with tenor man Ralph Bowen and bassist Kenny Davis, themselves frequent collaborators going back to their days with the band Out of the Blue. http://www.conradherwig.com
Partying Like it's the 1920's Fables and Falsehoods is the brilliant, sepia-toned soaked offering from Tumbledown House that starts off like a black and white silent film and keeps rollicking along into a colorful tapestry of clever tales of woe and object lessons wrapped in a crushed-velvet punch. Gillian Howe and Tyler Ryan Miller, the duo who are Tumbledown House spared no expense; left no rock unturned, and climbed every mountain high to unearth a sweet, tasty, little gem of an album. Lyrically speaking, the turns of phase, puns, and stories told are intriguing and clever like the nod to Pinocchio on Master Cherry Finds a Strange Piece of Wood, or the obscure reference to the jazz innovator Leon Bix Beiderbecke in Windy City, which is the same song sporting the lyrics dirty feet and kettle corn interesting, in a 1920 s, Jazz Age kind of way. My favorite in this collection of lyrical acrobatics is contained in the song One Mistake Will Do. Tyler Ryan Miller s production work and talents on this album remind me of going to a steakhouse and having a perfect meal with impeccable service to boot! Ladies and gents, this is how it s done. The tremendous talents of Chris Cundy, Adam Greenberg, Jake Fleming, Raquel Kober, Tom Murphy, Leslie Bahn, and Gregory Davis, Sean Lehmann, Roger Lewis and of course, Tyler, bring forth a vibe and stout musicianship that conjures up images of dancing girls, revelers and assorted shady characters, as flappers and gangsters parade to their soundtrack. Gillian Howe supplies the narration with her pipes. Her vocal work is pure artistry; gorgeous in delivery and flow, dazzlingly original. Sometimes her voice is throaty and thick, like the taste of chocolate late at night; other times, it s well-toned, muscular and breathy like a cool breeze on a hot summer s day. And there are moments when her voice rises like fire roaring from a white-hot furnace, launching the lyrics into a meaningfulness which carries the music along and wraps around it in a sultry grand serpentine fashion; bringing the arrangements, tempos, verses, choruses, into a splendid mix of camp and pomp that is both chillingly deadly and warmly seductive in the same breath; the song T-Bone Cologne is great slice of what I describe. Gillian s performance, far above solid, captures your attention again and again throughout the album. It s enough to make the Rocky Mountains do the Charleston. --The Bozone
Tumbledown House is the duo of Gillian Howe (vocals) and Tyler Ryan Miller (jazz guitar). The press release that accompanied this disc described the music as gritty saloon jazz; That pretty much sums things up. These two folks--along with a host of friends--present smoky jazz/pop tunes with plenty of instrumental improvisation in the background. Fables and Falsehoods is the second full-length release from Gillian and Tyler. They're taking music seriously--since the release of their debut album they've played around 250 shows covering some 20 odd states. It's hard not to dig the cool loose sound of Miller's groovy guitar mixed with Gillian's sultry and inviting voice. The pair have a winning sound and style and they're obviously playing the kinda stuff that people want to hear. Ten classic cuts here including Windy City, The Thief, One Mistake Will Do, and The Great Escape. --lmnop.com
Fables and Falsehoods , the second album from sultry songwriting duo Tumbledown House, enlists the talents of 10 other musicians (including three horn players from New Orleans Dirty Dozen Brass Band), for a whimsical collection of songs tinged with 1920 s big band and dark tango. The new album explores diverse subject matter (one song is based on the original story of Pinocchio written by Carlo Collodi in 1883, another describes the only consecrated shrine dedicated to unrepentant sinners, which still stands in Tucson, Arizona) and showcases the duos talent for creating something vintage and familiar, yet refreshing, distinct, and exciting.
ATTENTION ALL MEDIAPROMOS SHIPPED FOR Paul Winter : "Count Me In" (FULL CD WITH BOOKLET) + Winter Solstice Dates
The Paul Winter Sextet emerged in Chicago during Paul’s years at Northwestern University. After winning the 1961 Intercollegiate Jazz Festival, the band was signed to Columbia Records by legendary producer John Hammond. In 1962, on recommendation from Festival judges Dizzy Gillespie and Hammond, the Sextet was sent by the State Department on a six-month tour of 23 countries of Latin America. The success of the tour led to an invitation from First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to play at the White House. The Sextet’s performance in the East Room on November 19, 1962, happened to be the first-ever jazz concert at the White House.
With some personnel changes, the Sextet continued to tour and record throughout 1963, and was making its final album that November at the time of President Kennedy’s assassination. Numbed by that tragedy and discouraged by what felt like the end of an optimistic era, the Sextet soon disbanded and members went their separate ways.
The reunited Sextet will be featured in the upcoming Winter Solstice Celebration at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, December 13, 14, and 15.
Original Sextet members Warren Bernhardt (piano), Cecil McBee (bass), and Paul Winter (alto and soprano saxes) will be joined by Marvin Stamm (trumpet), Howard Johnson (baritone sax), and Jamey Haddad (drums).
The Sextet will play music from the new Count Me In anthology, and will also collaborate with African griot singer Abdoulaye Diabate and gospel singer Theresa Thomason. And a climactic convergence in the event with bring the Sextet together with the Paul Winter Consort in a new piece created for this Solstice Celebration.
Concert details are as follows: Venue: The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine Address: 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025 Dates & Times: Thursday, December 13, 2012, 8:00pm,; Friday, December 14, 2012, 8:00pm; Saturday, December 15, 2012, 2:00pm & 7:30pm Web:SolsticeConcert.com Phone:866 811 4111 Ticket prices: $35.00 & $50.00 (General Admission); $80.00 (Reserved Seating)
Thomas Strønen - drums, electronics Iain Ballamy - saxophones, electronics
Christian Fennesz - guitar, electronics
Eivind Aarset - guitar, electronics
Prakash Sontakke - slide-guitar, vocal
Nils Petter Molvær - trumpet
The Food team of Norwegian drummer Strønen and British saxophonist
Ballamy continues to invite guests to bring something to the table. The
form-and-texture conscious improvisations here are drawn from live
performances in Norway, England and Germany and studio sessions at
Oslo’s Rainbow. To the latter group belong tracks on which Indian slide
guitarist and singer Prakash Sontakke is partnered by Eivind Aarset’s
atmospheric guitar and electronics. The first half of the album finds
Food augmented by Austrian guitarist Christian Fennesz, taking further
the experiments with layers of sound begun on Quiet Inlet. Nils Petter
Molvær joins Strønen, Ballamy and Fennesz for a track recorded at
Mannheim’s Enjoy Jazz Festival. ecm http://soundcloud.com/iainballamy/food-mercurial-balm-nebular
The brightest duo on Russian jazz stage – Oleg Butman and Natalia
Smirnova – celebrate the spring of 2012 with a release of a fresh album
“Runway”!
The album was recorded in August 2011 in New York at
“Systems Two” studio. Oleg and Natalia gathered the pick of NY scene
for the session: Donny MacCaslin, Mike Rodriguez, Leon “Foster” Thomas,
Danton Boller and rapper Joshua Gahn added their incredible groove,
licks and chops to the duo’s pieces. “We knew in advance what each of
these amazing musicians can bring to our music. And that’s why we were
so happy, that all of them could join us in the right time and place”, -
says Oleg.
“Runway” thrills with a huge variety of styles:
modern acoustic maistream and charming jazz ballads are combined with
calypso and power jazz tracks on the album. Due to ingenious and even
surprising arrangements famous jazz standards (the track list contains
“The Man I Love” and “The Nearness of You”) sound in a new edgy way.
Other 9 pieces recorded on the album represent a new portion of great
original music written by Oleg and Natalia! Igor Butman Music Group
“Ironworks” !! Joe Cinderella’s solo!!! When I first heard it just after they recorded Gil Melle’s “Primitive Modern” album I thought it was spectacular.
Then when I heard it again, reissued on CD, it was as breathtaking as I remembered. Even Gil agreed!
“Ironworks" Primitive Modern Joe Cinderella, Gil Melle, Bill Phillips, Ed Thigpen
Sadly that great guitarist and my dear friend passed away recently. His daughter, Daria, has planned a memorial on Monday, Dec. 3.
Here is the info:
First Presbyterian Church 259 Lafayette Avenue Hawthorne, N.J. 07506
Starting at 7 pm. Musicians bring your instruments.
We will be sharing music, stories, and many fond memories of Joe Cinderella.
Buffet served. No alcohol.
Looking forward to seeing you there. Write to my email addressmerinetr@yahoo.comand use "Joe CInderella Memorial Tribute" in the subject line.
Cinderella, Joe (Joseph), guitar; 14 June, 1929, Newark, NJ.
His musician father was in the music publishing business and introduced him to the guitar when Joe was nine. By the time he was sixteen he was being compared to Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian. He studied for five years with guitarist Frank Staffa and he attended the Essex Conservatory where he earned a degree in music. He also studied the Schillinger System of composition with Edwin Bave, and film scoring with Kermit Leslie. In the 1950's he recorded and toured with Vinnie Burke and Chris Connors; his 1954 "Lush Life" with Conors became a well known single. Not long after, his work on the Gil Melle recordings, especially Primitive Modern and Patterns in Jazz, earned Cinderella the Concert Associates "Guitar Player of The Year" award. He also worked with Donald Byrd, Zoot Sims, Pepper Adams, Clark Terry, Kenny Dorham, Oscar Pettiford, and many others.
In the 1960s through the 1980s Cinderella worked as a studio guitarist and focused on recording sessions, radio and TV commercials and film scores in the New York studios. Films on which he played included "Sugarland Express," "Barbarella," "Airport," "Midnight Cowboy," and others. During these years he recorded with artists as diverse as the Beach Boys and John Cage and he played on recording sessions for pop singers including Billy Joel, Judy Garland, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, and many more. He served as staff musician for the televised Kraft Music Theater in New York, WNET Channel 13 in Newark, and WXTV-47 the Latin TV station. He was also staff guitarist for the Garden State Arts Center (New Jersey). Beginning in 1969 he was for some years the jazz guitar instructor at Paterson State College (now William Paterson University).
In his early years he used a Gibson Super-400 guitar, but in 2000 he released the CD Concept which featured his own compositions and arrangements played on custom made 8-string guitars. He began working with these unique guitars in 1981, and he tunes the strings from a low E, A, C, E, G, B, D, to high F#.
Books by Cinderella: Jazz Arpeggios for Guitar (1983) Chord Melody Playing (with Sandy Renda, 1990)
With his second Mack Avenue Records release, The Messenger, acclaimed guitarist Kevin Eubanks continues to explore his own unique musical vision. This vision offers the listener an opportunity to share a musical journey that truly exemplifies where Eubanks is at this stage of his illustrious career; one that, for over three decades, has seen him incorporate into his creative process a willingness to embrace the broad spectrum of his musical experience, while continuing to seek out new vistas.
The Messenger is a project that reflects not only the guitarist's virtuosity on his instrument, but also his impressive compositional skills-writing all but two tracks. Best described simply as a "Kevin Eubanks" recording-without specific categorization-as his intent with The Messenger is to communicate the breadth of his artistic influences. "I wanted to branch out a little bit more on this recording," Eubanks states. "I didn't want to be as concerned with the 'jazz sound' as much; I wanted to let out a little bit more of what I've been musically exposed to." Eubanks compares this philosophy to sports: "It's like with professional athletes; most of those guys can play three or four sports. Society makes you choose one or the other. But that doesn't change who you are inside," or in Eubanks' case, preventing him from showcasing his versatility on this album.
From the infectious groove of the title track that begins the program, the guitarist gives notice that a unique listening experience is on the way. This album is: reflective-"Sister Veil," "Queen Of Hearts," "Loved Ones," "The Gloaming"; funky-"JB," a nod to James Brown; "Led Boots," a Jeff Beck tune; and John Coltrane's "Resolution," from A Love Supreme; and bluesy-"Ghost Dog Blues." One of the funkier tracks on this recording is Eubanks' arrangement of "Resolution" (with a vocal bass line sung by Alvin Chea of Take 6). "With 'Resolution,' I didn't want to be blasphemous, with people saying 'Oh, no, he didn't'," Eubanks laughs. "But I'm thinking, you know, that maybe Trane might dig it!" As for the blues: "I like playing the blues; I like to sit in and jam with Buddy Guy at his blues club in Chicago. If I had the opportunity, I'd play a lot more blues." These particular tracks provide Eubanks and his band with an opportunity to stretch out and essentially just jam. Eubanks ultimately reflects, "We wanted the groove to take over; also, those tunes will be fun to do live, and people will be able to sit in."
Eubanks is joined on most tracks by his sterling fellow quartet members: Billy Pierce on reeds, Rene Camacho on bass, Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums and Joey De Leon, Jr. on percussion. This project also has a family flavor, featuring younger brother Duane on trumpet ("Sister Veil," "JB," "420"), and older brother Robin on trombone ("JB," "Queen Of Hearts"). For Eubanks, in addition to his brothers making valuable contributions to this recording, their involvement is representative of something more. "Their participation came about through some conversations that we've had, and I asked them if they'd like to be a part of the record. We've actually been talking about doing a family project for years, so their participation is really an entry to that."
Perhaps The Messenger's most distinctive element is its broad sense of musicality. This is certainly, in part, attributable to
Photo Credit: Raj Naik
Eubanks' experience with leading The Tonight Show with Jay Leno band for so many years. But it is much more than that. Eubanks' prestigious tenure there is probably more indicative of a situation that was a perfect fit for his musical personality. As Eubanks views it, ''to me, it's all just music."
For this album, it was important for Eubanks not only to embrace his musical philosophies, but also to reflect the common thread that exists throughout all of contemporary music; for example, the aforementioned rhythmic, funky, groove-oriented nature of several tracks on the project. "I love playing funk; I grew up playing it. The 'Motown Sound'? They were jazz musicians! If I had played '420' for some cats who are real 'funkateers,' they'd say, 'Whoa, I hear some Sly [Stone] in there, and I'm thinking, 'Ok, it looks like I'm good to go.' It felt good and very natural to me. As jazz musicians, we can play anything."
The Messenger is Eubanks' testament to being musically honest. It's a realization of what he feels is particularly important at this point of career and his life. "I feel that I'm at the point where I just have to be me," he says. "I want to do what has the most immediate honesty, and just lay it out." Throughout the album there is a feeling of exploration and revelation that invites the listener in. The guitarist never ceases to surprise, creating a program reflecting that honesty-offering a full range of moods, textures and tempos.
With this album, Kevin Eubanks takes another step in his evolution not only as a guitarist and composer, but also as a musical communicator. It's his way of making a statement about his personal view regarding the musical spectrum and its place in our lives, with sincere ideas of spreading the word to others. Arriving at the name of the title tune, Eubanks explains, "There is an urgency about it; it has the energy of a message that really should get across. The Messenger, I feel, is in everyone. We're at the point [in our lives], that whatever it is that you feel strongly about, that can help a person or persons that you love, or a situation that affects your life...you should let that message out".
By adding another sterling recording to his outstanding repertoire, Eubanks has done just that-let his message out. The Messenger is a project that not only showcases the outstanding technical facility from the guitarist and his bandmates, but also is full of music that is soulful and energetic, as well as emotive, earthy, with a touch of the blues. And forKevin Eubanks, it represents a message successfully delivered.
The Messenger - Track Listing/Personnel
1. The Messenger - 5:39
2. Sister Veil - 5:46
3. Resolution (John Coltrane) - 5:41
4. JB - 4:23
5. 420 - 4:20
6. Led Boots (Max Middleton) - 5:34
7. M.I.N.D. - 5:59
8. Queen Of Hearts - 3:49
9. The Gloaming - 5:28
10. Loved Ones - 4:07
11. Ghost Dog Blues - 5:24
All tracks composed by Kevin Eubanks (unless otherwise noted)
Produced by Kevin Eubanks
Kevin Eubanks / acoustic and electric guitar
Bill Pierce / tenor and soprano saxophone (all tracks except #6,#10)
Rene Camacho / bass (all tracks except #6,#10)
Marvin "Smitty" Smith drums / (all tracks except #8,#9,#10)
Special Guests:
Robin Eubanks / trombone (#4 JB, #8 Queen Of Hearts)
Joey De Leon / congas and percussion (#1 The Messenger, #5 420)
Upcoming Kevin Eubanks Appearances:
January 19 / The Clarion Brazosport / Lake Jackson, TX February 22 & 23 / The Smith Center Cabaret Jazz / Las Vegas, NV March 3 / Tower Theatre (double bill w/ Stanley Jordan) / Bend, OR March 5 / Kirkland Performance Center (double bill w/ Stanley Jordan) / Kirkland, WA March 9 / The Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center / Huntingdon, TN
March 21 - 24 / Blues Alley / Washington, D.C.
April 6 / Cypress Creek Foundation / Spring, TX April 9 - 13 / Birdland / New York, NY
May 17 / The Carolina Theatre (double bill w/ Stanley Jordan) / Durham, NC
May 18 / High Point Theatre (double bill w/ Stanley Jordan) / High Point, NC
June 12 / Pearson Lakes Art Center / Okoboji, IA
For more information on Kevin Eubanks, please visit: kevineubanks.com
For press materials on Kevin Eubanks, Mack Avenue artists or
Mack Avenue Record labels in general (including album covers, promotional photos and logos), please visit: media.mackavenue.com
Glasgow based Saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski joins forces with fellow Scottish compatriot pianist/arranger Euan Stevenson in launching their award winning, genre-bending musical adventure 'New Focus' on Whirlwind Recordings Ltd. Featuring a unique amalgamation of classical string quartet meets jazz quartet plus harp, 'New Focus' showcases a cinematic soundscape of through-composed melodies meeting cutting edge improvisation, drawing upon influences from across the musical spectrum. This hefty nine-piece ensemble excitedly features The Glasgow String Quartet, (comprising some of the finest virtuosos from The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Scotland's leading string quartet), alongside Stevenson on piano leading the first call drum and bass team of Alyn Cosker (drums) and Michael Janisch (bass), Wiszniewski at the helm on saxophones, and Alina Bzhezhinska on harp. Stevenson's tight knit arrangements offer concise, pleasing trajectories, preserving the original sentiment of each composition, enriching them with ever changing soundscapes of strings and harp. Wiszniewski's tone (capable of sounding as sweet as Getz or as plaintive as Coltrane) tells parables of Polish ancestry while the arranger's own crystalline piano laments for pit closures in a northern mining town. A powerhouse rhythm team (Michael Janisch, Alyn Cosker) provides a counterfoil, never allowing the music to become sentimental. This is music at its resourceful best; borrowing the harmonies and sonorities of the classical world, the tone poetry of Scottish Folk, the directness of pop, and all mixed with the bustling edginess of jazz rhythms and improvisation. Duke Ellington famously quipped that there were only two categories of music - good and bad. New Focus most definitely belongs to the former. Following multiple 5-Star accolades for its inaugural performance at the 2011 Edinburgh International Jazz Festival,'New Focus' launches on NOV. 5 2012 worldwide with full tour support. Whirlwind Recordings is pleased to release such a unique and powerful project.
Half a century after Stan Getz and the arranger Eddie Sauter fused saxophone and strings on their cult album Focus, here's proof from Scotland that the quest for the thinking person's fusion still offers no end of possibilities. Wiszniewski and Stevenson - on saxes and piano respectively - have sculpted a clutch of concise, hauntingly original pieces. --Sunday Times, November 11th 2012
With MEGAPHONE HEART, her newest recording, composer and multi-instrumentalist JESSICA LURIE and her Ensemble are poised between creative jazz, rock, folk and avant-garde music, generating a luscious and compelling sea of sound. An adventurous musical spirit shines through ten original compositions, with Lurie’s unmistakable big sound on tenor and alto saxes, flute, and her distinctive voice. Inspired by life in Brooklyn, traveling the world, and her love of American and international melodies and rhythms, this is her strongest collection of songs yet. With skill and discipline borne from her-life long dedication to music composition and improvisation, Lurie creates a pulsing, brimming, expansive sound. Joined by an ensemble of stellar musicians, she barrels across uncharted territories where jazz, folk, chaos and beauty all come out to play. 1 Steady Drum (:58) 2. A Million Pieces All In One (4:59) 3. Bells (6:17) 4. Megaphone Heart (7:03) 5. Same Moon (6:40) 6. Maps (7:00) 7. Der Nister (7:22) 8. Zasto (6:01) 9. Boot Heels (6:45) 10. Once (4:56) Total time: 57:42 http://jessicalurie.bandcamp.com http://www.jessicalurie.com
Sometimes we open up our closets and find timeless gems stored away there; relics from the past that take on a new, deeper meaning in the light of now. Such was the case when Scott Healy and Glenn Alexander rediscovered some old master tapes last year that they had essentially walked away from 20 years ago. Recorded in one unedited live session back in 1991 with bassist Kermit Driscoll and drummer Jeff Hirshfield, a remarkably empathetic rhythm tandem that longtime partners Healy and Alexander had been playing live gigs with around that time, this open-ended, highly interactive music holds up a lot better today than some of the music recorded in 1991 by their contemporaries.
