Monday, April 30, 2018

USA: Rejoining Pangea: Seattle’s Duende Libre Uses Jazz Savvy to Knit Continents and Rhythmic Sensibilities from Cuba to Turkey

Rejoining Pangea: Seattle’s Duende Libre Uses Jazz Savvy to Knit Continents and Rhythmic Sensibilities from Cuba to Turkey

Once long ago, there were no continents, nothing to divide the great mass of land. Seattle-based trio Duende Libre’s tender, clever songs explore this notion, charting the imaginary folds and roads of Pangea, the ebb and flow of the world’s sounds.
Guided by founder and bandleader, pianist Alex Chadsey, Duende Libre prove that what drifted apart can drift back together, and that musical traditions are living things and therefore constantly in flux. The Puget Sound and the Bosphorus, Cuba and Jamaica overlap and inform one another in pieces that wed jazz concepts with pop pleasures on Drift(release June 15, 2018; release celebration: June 29, 2018), the group’s second album.
“We draw influences from many different cultures and countries and parts of the world, and the album’s title is a tribute and invocation of these influences,” explains Chadsey. “We explored using different rhythmic feels and styles as a way to meld those sensibilities. That’s what I was going for: a musical pangea where borders become less rigid, and where surprising new sounds emerge in the grey areas between traditions.”
Chadsey comes by his global influences honestly. Growing up with an ear for music from around the world, Chadsey developed a lifelong passion for Western classical and jazz, including pieces like Chick Corea’s “Spain,” covered artfully on the album by the trio joined by vocalist Chava Mirel. Chadsey applied his classical and jazz training to Latin music as a member of the GRAMMY-winning Quetzal and as a core player in roots reggae legend Clinton Fearon’s Boogie Brown Band. Chadsey drew on these experiences and a lifetime of curious listening as he embarked on his own project, tapping fellow open-eared Seattle musicians bassist Farko Dosumov and drummer Jeff “Bongo” Busch to create an original sound that Jazziz called “a strikingly authentic blend, one that has marked their city as an epicenter for musicians who share an appetite for bridging worlds.”
They take full advantage of Seattle’s wealth of global musical talents. “Choro,” a piece a few degrees removed from the Brazilian style, pays homage to Jovino Santos Neto, a master pianist and composer whose work guided Chadsey. The grooving “Kiki” tips the hat to the Cuban sonof Cuban cuatro virtuoso Kiki Valera Alarcon and La Familia Valera Miranda, his family’s long-standing band. Valera invited Duende Libre to join him for a collaborative concert, part of a larger series he was curating. “We did one gig together and I was so inspired by that encounter,” recalls Chadsey. “I wrote the piece for him. We are drawing on clave, but trying to do something different. I wanted to know what would happen if I took traditional figures and chord progressions from Cuban son, which is usually in four, and experimented with changing meters. It creates a whole different feel and has been a fun challenge for us to play.”
Duende Libre’s debut album sparked an extensive round of touring, taking them from their hometown and as far afield as Alaska. They spent long hours on the road together between gigs. The downtime had a musical upside, as the group became more integrated and tighter. “It’s osmosis,” notes Chadsey. “You’re just hanging out together more than you’re actually playing. You’re sitting in the bus, hanging out with the people you meet. Time spent together on the road impacts the music in interesting and surprising ways.”
New directions coalesced for Duende Libre, and they took advantage of the momentum to jump into the studio, resulting in Drift. They invited friend and fellow Clinton Fearon bandmate, singer and songwriter Mirel to join them, adding her voice’s lilting strength to several tracks including the ethereal “Zephyr.” Busch and Chadsey put their heads together to shape the rhythmic push and pull of the title track, “Drift,” which contrasts various nuances of the pulse and the swing, the juxtaposition of triple and duple meter that is so integral to African diasporic musics. Dosumov also contributed a piece to the album, the bouncy, gritty “Subway.” “We are starting to have musical convos as a trio, or quartet when Chava joins us,” says Chadsey. “To do that spontaneously is one of the goals of any jazz artist, to be creating musical communion.”
This communion has grown out of productive tensions between Chadsey, who loves to engage with pop song forms and hooks, and the other members of the trio, in particular Busch, who wants to open things up and push the boundaries. In the end, Duende Libre strikes the balance between ear candy and experimentation.
“When I’m writing a tune, I intentionally try to strive for something as melodic as possible. But I’m not too attached to how the songs are arranged,” Chadsey says. “When I bring them into the band, they go through different iterations, experimenting with forms. Jeff has great arrangement ideas, in particular, and he and I often agree to disagree. That’s the beauty of any relationship, the opportunity to step out of your bubble. That’s where growth happens.”
By exploring new territory where heritage, influence, and style can meet, Duende Libre reenforce, in their own nuanced way within the jazz tradition, the ties that bind our world, sonic and otherwise. “Everyone in the project really understands and values music as a sacred way of connecting people across lines of difference,” states Chadsey. “The imperative to connect has never been more important than it is now, and music will keep us healthy and sane through these turbulent times.”

Contact

Publicist
Ron Kadish
812-339-1195 X 202

USA; BROOKLYN JAZZ HALL of FAME Awards and Induction Ceremony



BROOKLYN JAZZ HALL OF FAME
Awards and Induction Ceremony
 
shem.gif
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Brooklyn, NY, April 17, 2018– Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame Awards and Induction Ceremony, created by Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium, immortalizes musicians with beginnings in the borough and recognizes members of this community who made significant contributions.  Pianist, Irving Sidney “Duke” Jordan is the sole inductee for 2018.  This affair takes place at the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation’s Billie Holiday Theatre, 1368 Fulton Street, on Wednesday, May 9, starting at 6:00 PM.  Concert music by the Louis Hayes Quartet, courtesy of Jazzmobile.  Tickets purchased online through Eventbrite, search Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony.

The evening begins with a jazz trio performing in the lobby of “The Billie.”  The theatre opens its doors at 7:00 PM.  The youth ensemble, Q City Soundz, performs jazz standards composed by selected hall of fame members.  There are ethnically diverse restaurants in walking distance and one on the grounds of Restoration.

During the ceremony, the Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame committee will present, “Newark’s First Lady of Jazz,” Dorthaan Kirk, with its Jazz Impact Award in recognition of her thirty-nine years of service to the jazz community.  Brooklyn’s jazz community selected gifted pianist, Andre “Chez” Lewis, to receive this hall of fame’s Deacon LeRoy Applin Young Lion Award.  Mr. Lewis is a former student of Barry Harris and was given an AUDELCO award as its “Rising Star” in 2013.

The Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame Awards and Induction ceremony presented by Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium in partnership with RestorationART.

Click here for Ticket sales

CBJC’s mission is to recognize the contributions of musicians and the role they play in advancing the culture while promoting the dignity of a people.  Develop venues that are affordable, accessible, and attractive to young people, adults, and elders.  Provide a forum for cultural exchanges and building coalitions by working collectively with the aim of re-establishing the spiritual and emotional connections between artists and their communities.


###
 
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Bob Myers at 718.773.2252 ext. 103 or email at comm@cbjcjazz.org.
 


Malaysia: Borneo Jazz Festival at the Coco Cabana in Marina Bay May 11 to 13.

The 13th edition of this multi-stage event will feature international performers including Tony Lakatos from Germany, Christ Stalk (France), Grzegorz Karnas Formula (Poland), Roby Lakatos (Belgium), Cecilia Brunori (Italy), Denis Chang (Canada), QSound (USA), Isao Miyoshi (Japan), Gaoyang Li (China) and Jeremy Monteiro (Singapore).

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Sunday, April 29, 2018

USA/POLAND: INGLOT Cosmetics Named Blue Note Jazz Festival's Official Presenting Sponsor

  
Poland's INGLOT Cosmetics
Named Official Presenting Sponsor of Annual
Blue Note Jazz Festival
Multi-Year Deal Includes
Limited Edition Blue Note-Branded Cosmetic Collection,
Showcases for Iconic Polish Jazz Artists Curated by INGLOT & More

Initial 2018 Festival Lineup To Be Announced in the Coming Days

New York, NY - April 24, 2018 Blue Note Entertainment Group - the organization that owns, operates, licenses, and/or programs 10 music venues worldwide including the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club - and INGLOT Cosmetics of Poland today announced a new multi-year deal naming
INGLOT as official Presenting Sponsor of the annual Blue Note Jazz Festival, New York City's largest jazz festival scheduled for June 1-30, 2018 
Sony Corporation 
is the festival's 
 
official Title Sponsor.
 
As part of INGLOT's presenting sponsorship, Blue Note and INGLOT will collaborate to release a limited edition Blue Note-branded cosmetic collectionshowcase iconic Polish jazz musicians for special festival performances curated by INGLOT as well as other plans to be announced.
 
This news comes just days ahead of the unveiling of INGLOT's partnership with Jennifer Lopez to launch a 70-piece cosmetics collection which will be released on April 26th. INGLOT is Blue Note Jazz Festival's first Presenting Sponsor since it was established in 2011.
 
Jordy Freed, VP Strategic Marketing & Business Development, Blue Note Entertainment Group:
"INGLOT is a brand that Blue Note has deep respect for and identifies with closely. The organization has represented excellence in the cosmetic industry for the past three decades, has impressively expanded its footprint to 80 countries over the past ten years, and demonstrates incredible passion for culture. This sponsorship is a unique opportunity for Blue Note to support INGLOT's growth in the U.S. and worldwide. We're honored to welcome INGLOT as the presenting sponsor of the Blue Note Jazz Festival." 
 
Zbigniew Inglot, Co-Owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors, INGLOT Cosmetics:
"Beauty always marks its presence in the world of music. Throughout its history, INGLOT has partnered with different music events and artists. Jazz is timeless and hugely inspiring. My brother Wojtek, the founder of INGLOT, was really passionate about jazz. My sister Elzbieta and I definitely share this passion. Numerous INGLOT concepts were created with the jazz music in the background. The partnership with the high-end Blue Note Jazz Club is the crème de la crème of partnerships for us and we are honored to contribute to such a prominent event." 
 
Established in 2011 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club New York, Blue Note Jazz Festival has annually grown into one of the largest music events in New York City, featuring over 100 events in 10 venues over the course of 30 days each June. With nightly events at BNEG venues such as Blue Note Jazz Club, Highline Ballroom, among other locations throughout the city, past festival headliners include Aretha Franklin, The Roots, Wyclef Jean, Natalie Cole, Brian Wilson, and more.
 
Full 2018 Jazz Festival lineup and more information to be announced in the coming days. Please visit the festival's official website to stay up-to-date on the latest announcements, www.BlueNoteJazzFestival.com.

ABOUT BLUE NOTE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP:
Founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan, Blue Note Entertainment Group is a multi-faceted entertainment company that owns, operates, licenses and/or programs Blue Note Jazz Clubs worldwide, including New York, NY; Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan; Milan, Italy; Waikiki, Hawaii; Beijing, China; Napa, California; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The company also owns and operates Sony Hall and Highline Ballroom. Additionally, the company programs the Regattabar Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA) and Blue Note branded concerts throughout Italy. Blue Note Entertainment Group presents shows outside of its club network. The annual Blue Note Jazz Festival was established in 2011 and has since grown to become the largest jazz festival in New York City each June. Subsidiaries of Blue Note Entertainment Group include the GRAMMY®-nominated record label Half Note Records, whose catalog includes over fifty titles recorded live at New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Blue Note Travel and Management Group.

ABOUT INGLOT COSMETICS
INGLOT Company was established over 30 years ago by a young chemist, Wojtek Inglot. His principal objective was to produce high quality products at fair and reasonable prices, using only the best possible ingredients and raw materials from the most reputable suppliers. All INGLOT cosmetics are produced within the European Union and 95% of them are manufactured in our own state of art facilities. We work with make-up artists and color experts to bring the latest trends in color, texture and form to the market. We are constantly developing new products and have just launched the world's first ever Breathable Nail Enamel ensuring better health care for nails whilst enhancing their beauty. Our unique Freedom System allows customers to experiment with countless shades and color combinations of different makeup products, giving them the opportunity to create their own customized color palette. We are present in over 750 retail locations worldwide. www.inglotcosmetics.com
For more information, please contact:
Julia Ryan
Publicist/Marketing Manager
Blue Note Entertainment Group

Julia@bluenote.net 

USA: Jonathan Kreisberg - Nelson Veras -Kreisberg Meets Veras (New For Now Music 2018)

Kreisberg Meets Veras
The greatest collaborations are often built upon two unique and different personalities combining to create something beyond their individual realms. Thus is the case with the new 'Kreisberg Meets Veras' project, which promises to be one of the most exciting guitar duos in the jazz and guitar worlds. Jonathan Kreisberg and Nelson Veras are both highly acclaimed artists on their instruments, and they have combined forces to create a program of original works and rarely played classics which welcome the listener to experience the start of a beautiful musical friendship.

SAINT LUCIA: SAINT LUCIA JAZZ May 7 - 13, 2018


Saint Lucia Jazz 2018
Saint Lucia Jazz - Monday May 7, 2018
Mon 5/7/2018 7:00 PM ET
Sandals Grande Beach Resort & Spa
Saint Lucia Jazz - Tuesday May 8, 2018
Tue 5/8/2018 7:00 PM ET
Sandals Grande Beach Resort & Spa
Saint Lucia Jazz - Wednesday May 9, 2018
Wed 5/9/2018 7:00 PM ET
Sandals Grande Beach Resort & Spa
Saint Lucia Jazz - Thursday May 10, 2018 SG
Thu 5/10/2018 7:00 PM ET
Sandals Grande Beach Resort & Spa
Saint Lucia Jazz - Thursday May 10, 2018
Thu 5/10/2018 7:00 PM ET
The Harbor Club
Saint Lucia Jazz - Friday May 11, 2018
Fri 5/11/2018 7:00 PM ET
The Harbor Club
Saint Lucia Jazz - Friday May 11, 2018 SG
Fri 5/11/2018 7:00 PM ET
Sandals Grande Beach Resort & Spa
Saint Lucia Jazz - Friday May 11, 2018 7PM
Fri 5/11/2018 7:00 PM ET
Royalton Saint Lucia Resort & Spa
Saint Lucia Jazz - Friday May 11, 2018 11PM
Fri 5/11/2018 11:00 PM ET
Royalton Saint Lucia Resort & Spa
Saint Lucia Jazz - Saturday May 12, 2018 7PM
Sat 5/12/2018 7:00 PM ET
Royalton Saint Lucia Resort & Spa
http://www.stlucia.org/jazzfestival/

USA: Jazz pianist Ricardo Bacelar making his case for Brazilian music on the global stage with "Sebastiana"


Jazz pianist Ricardo Bacelar making his case for Brazilian music on the global stage with “Sebastiana”

His newly released third album revisiting Brazilian classics and introducing his own compositions is a multicultural celebration of Latin music.

FORTALEZA, BRAZIL (11 April 2018): As a lawyer, Ricardo Bacelar builds airtight cases to make winning arguments to the court in defense of copyrights. As a musician, the pianist-composer-arranger is just as meticulous when it comes to crafting his recordings, making convincing musical statements. To prepare a compelling case to present on his third album, “Sebastiana,” which dropped stateside on March 30 and throughout Europe earlier this month, he gathered a collective of musicians from all over the Latin-American diaspora and granted them the freedom to inject their unique cultural identities into the 15-track contemporary jazz set of freshly-arranged Brazilian standards and poignant piano prose penned by Bacelar. 
Bacelar recorded in Miami where he reconnected with his long-ago flatmate Cesar Lemos (Ricky Martin, Paulina Rubio), who was drafted to produce “Sebastiana” as well as co-write a pair of new songs. Joining them was players from Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and the U.S. With Brazilian jazz and fusion serving as the stencil, distinctive Latin-American rhythms and instrumentation illustrate Bacelar’s own tunes as well as interpret works from illustrious Brazilian composers Gilberto GilIvan LinsFlora PurimLuiz GonzagaLo BorgesHeitor Villa-LobosMilton NascimentoRonald BastosTom JobimVinicius de MoraesVictor Martins and Jose Roberto Bertrami.

The multi-genre album is receiving airplay from a variety of jazz radio formats and the disc has been lauded by reviewers for its artistic vision, authenticity and cultural significance. Thus far, Bacelar Productions has lensed videos for four songs. “Volta da Asa Branca” and “Oh Mana Deixa Eu Ir” - the later coolly crooned by Bacelar - are set in a natural amphitheater formed by a precipitously chiseled mountain range, desert foliage and vast skies with Bacelar’s grand piano precariously perched atop a rocky slab. “Toda Menina Baiana” finds the protagonist contemplating on a stroll by the opalescent Atlantic Ocean on the Brazilian coastline and in the recording studio tracking the cut live with several band members. The imaginatively animated “Nothing Will Be As It Was,” was the first single from the album and showcases a lonely lead vocal from Maye Osorio and Bacelar’s mood-shifting Moog synthesizer, adding texture to the unsettling cut. Two more videos are slated to be shot.           

The Brazil-based Bacelar will be in Lisbon, Portugal later this month to perform four concert dates.

Below are excerpts from some of the album reviews: 

“A dazzling set sure to blow your mind as it takes jazz someplace you just didn’t expect.” – Midwest Record

“This album is a feast for lovers of Brazilian music.” – Keys & Chords

“Bacelar now brings us his third album, and most ambitious yet, the beautiful, and stunningly creative ‘Sebastiana.’” – Exclusive Magazine

It’s an album of distinct taste, class, and sophistication and does capture the colorful characters of both jazz and Brazilian exoticism.” – The Smooth Jazz Ride

“Music that honours the roots of Brazilian music yet incorporates each individual player’s cultural and musical heritage.” – Soul and Jazz and Funk

“Ricardo Bacelar's Sebastiana is a piece of cultural history, contemporary art, style guide, musical ethnology…an object of desire for aficionados of Brazilian Music.” – Smooth Jazz Daily        


For more information and to view the videos, please visit http://ricardobacelar.com.br.


USA: The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra CD Release Party Wed., May 9th 7:30pm @ the Montauk Club

The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra
"Ain't It Grand?"
CD Release Party
Wednesday, May 9th 7:30pm
@ the Montauk Club
25 8th Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Tickets & Info

New Double CD Set

Artist: THE GLENN CRYTZER ORCHESTRATitle: AIN’T IT GRAND?
Label: BLUE RHYTHM RECORDS (self produced)

Artist Website: glenncrytzer.com
Release Date: MAY 9, 2018
UPC Code: 088907213631

Glenn Crytzer (g, bj, v, dir, a)
Sam Hoyt, Mike Davis,
Jason Prover (t)
Rob Edwards,
Joe McDonough, Jim Fryer (tb)
Jay Rattman (as, ss, cl)
Mark Lopeman,
Marc Schwartz (as,ts,cl)
Matt Koza (ts,cl)
Henry “Ricky” Alexander (as,bar,cl)
Rob Reich (p)
Ian Hutchison (sb)
Andrew Millar (d)
Hannah Gill,
Dandy Wellington (v)


TRACK LISTING DISC ONE
1. The 408 Special
2. Black Beauty
3. Just Like A Broken Record
4. Up and at ‘Em
5. Ain’t It Grand?
6. When I Get Low I Get High
7. A String of Pearls
8. Blue Jay
9. Steppin’ In Rhythm
10. Who’s Yehoodi?
11. A Woman Needs A Man
12. Jive at Five
13. I’m Nuts About Screwy Music
14. Thank You for the Moments
15. Well, Git it!

TRACK LISTING DISC TWO
1. Rhythm is our Business
2. The Glory of Love
3. Jubilee Stomp
4. Who Needs Spring?
5. Shorty’s Got to Go
6. Solo Flight
7. Marche Slav
8. I Get Ideas
9. The Ugly Duckling
10. The Little Orange Man
11. The Mooche
12. Massachusetts
13. Swing My Soul
14. Bear Foot Blues
15. Traffic Jam

Available From: Amazon•CDBaby•iTunes• Bandcamp


This may sound like a left-field introduction to this exceptional album by Glenn Crytzer, but bear with me: have you ever heard any of the classic big bands of the 1930s as recorded by the Associated transcription service? (Technically, the company was known as “Associated Music Publishers” and in 1936, their office was located at 25 West 46th St, Manhattan.)  The recordings made by Associated sound very different from the standard 78 RPM singles that were commercially released by the various labels, major and minor, and they also sound very different from the other transcription services at the time, like Thesaurus, Standard, or MacGregor. The Associated recordings all sound like they were made in a huge studio space, with lots of reverb, and plenty of sonic space around the instruments; they’re incredibly “live,” as an engineer might say.  When you listen to the Associated recordings of, say, the John Kirby Sextet, Teddy Wilson, the Ray Noble Orchestra, or that rather amazing 1934 Joe Venuti big band date (with Louis Prima and Red Norvo), just to name a couple, there’s a very specific kind of a disconnect happening. You don’t quite feel like you’re listening to historical recordings from 80 years ago, but you know they’re not newly-recorded either. They seem to exist in a unique space all their own, one that’s completely timeless.
 
That’s the same way that this album landed upon my ears: it doesn’t quite feel like any kind of a recreation, rather it seems like some contemporary scientist who specializes in both sound recording and astrophysics found a way to send a microphone drone into the past and make new recordings of historical big bands.  I had a similar sensation when I watched the 2013 re-release of The Wizard of Oz, in which the classic 1939 film was re-jigged somehow for two 21st century movie technologies, digital 3D and IMAX.  (I’ve also heard the original soundtrack adapted for 5.1 surround sound on DVD.) The 3D IMAX Oz was fascinating and highly illuminating.  Naturally, going forward, I would still want to re-watch The Wizard of Oz in the original 1939 format again - this might have been just a one-off experience - but that it gave me a whole new way to look at a classic.  And that’s what this album does, it allows us hear vintage big band swing in a whole other way, auditorily speaking, and takes classic music and makes us hear it in the audio equivalent of 3D IMAX - it’s a quite a wonderful, unique sensation.
 
The combination of the familiar and the unfamiliar is consistently startling, to the point where we can say that the music is being re-imagined rather than re-created.  I keep feeling like some collector friend of mine stumbled across a set of previously undocumented Associated transcriptions recorded in the immediate pre-war period. In some cases, where the tune is very familiar, I feel like these are newly-discovered versions by alternate bands, like “Jive at Five” being played by Charlie Barnet rather than Count Basie, say, or Alvino Rey playing the central guitar part on “Solo Flight” with own his orchestra back around the same time that Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman introduced it.  And this “Well Git It” makes me wonder what that classic flag waver might have sounded like if it came from the band book of Jimmy Dorsey rather than Tommy. Other tracks make me feel like I’m discovering some previously unknown local local or territory band that never made it into the history books or the discographies.
Some of Glenn’s arrangements truly sound like a wrinkle in time: the North American popular song “I Get Ideas” originated in 1927 as an authentic and famous Argentine tango titled “Adios Muchachos.”  In 1951, it was adapted into “I Get Ideas” (with most of the tango rhythm extracted), wherein it became a hit for both Tony Martin and Louis Armstrong. Glenn’s treatment sounds like if some early swing bandleader - say, Alex Hill, or maybe the Mills Blue Rhythm Band - somehow got a hold of the 1951 lyrics (by Dorcas Cochrane of “Again” fame), even though they weren’t written for many years.  There’s more than a hint of Louis Armstrong in Jason Prover’s trumpet solo at the heart of it, but more like Armstrong’s 1930s big band, the one led for him by Luis Russell, rather than the groups he recorded with in the 1950s, and Crytzer’s vocal here is clearly part and parcel of the 1930s idiom.
 
And I find myself surprisingly impressed by Glenn’s originals; normally I try to encourage contemporary musicians and singers to avoid the temptation of writing their own original songs if only because the overwhelming majority of them are lousy at it.  (Make that extremely lousy at it!) But Glenn has succeeded in his highly commendable goal of creating new songs that sound like they were written in the late 1930s and recorded by bands of the period (if only on Associated Transcriptions). “Just Like a Broken Record,” for instance, really sounds like something that Larry Clinton would have played in a 1938 Vitaphone short - or on a 1938 buff Bluebird.  (So does “Marche Slav”; I had a hard time believing that was a new arrangement of the iconic 1876 Tchaikovsky piece, not a transcription of Clinton or Les Brown’s Blue Devils or some other historic band that specialized in “swinging the classics.”)
 
There are also plenty of surprises in the vocal department: Hannah Gill is a name new me, but a formidable singer who sounds so authentic to the period that I don’t think she would even mind if I referred to her as a “band canary.” (That term has somehow become un-PC in the millennial era, go figure.)  I know Dandy Wellington, as does anyone who has attended any kind of swing-centric event in New York, but mainly as a dancer and an emcee for contemporary retro-burlesque events - in fact, so much so whenever I hear his name and his voice, I expect to see a woman start taking off her clothes. Clearly he’s developed into the most perfectly appropriate male singer for this band on both ballads and novelties (especially “Swing My Soul”).  And Glenn also captures the idiom very well, adding vocalist to the list of many hats (and caps) that he wears, along with bandleader, arranger, conductor, composer, lyricist, and guitarist.
 
I’ve possibly made too much of a fuss over the way this music plays with notions of chronological time and not enough about how the music is about time in the sense that it really swings - that Glenn and his bandsmen play with a lift, a drive and a danceable imperative that’s all too rare in the 21st century.  Glenn Crytzer has, in fact, achieved something of a temporal miracle, in assembling 17 musicians and singers who have so perfectly absorbed the classic swing idiom that it’s like a language they can speak without any trace of a foreign accent. Astrophysicists may insist that time travel is impossible, but now I have cause to wonder.

-Will Friedwald


NATIONAL PRESS CAMPAIGN: 
JIM EIGO, JAZZ PROMO SERVICES,
272 State Route 94 South #1, Warwick, NY 10990-3363
Ph: 845-986-1677
jim@jazzpromoservices.com • www.jazzpromoservices.com
“Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”

NATIONAL RADIO PROMOTION:
LISA REEDY PROMOTIONS

www.jazzpromotion.com
775-826-0755
lisa@jazzpromotion.com

USA: Devin Gray-Meta Cache(2018)

Devin Gray-Meta Cache
Label: Rataplan Records
Devin Gray’s Meta Cache
Let your Meta Musical Cache out!
Alleviate the stacks of compositions taking space in my small brain/room!
Jeremy Viner-clarinet
Elias Stemeseder-piano
Kim Cass-bass
Devin Gray-drums/composition
 Devin Gray's Meta Cache 
Let your Meta Musical Cache out! 
Alleviate the stacks of compositions taking space in my small brain/room! 
Jeremy Viner-clarinet 
Elias Stemeseder-piano 
Kim Cass-bass 
Devin Gray-drums/composition 

Cover art by Jussi Jääskeläinen (www.kobaia-design.com
Recorded at Systems Two, Brooklyn NY, March 31st 2017 
Edited/Mixed and Mastered by Curtis MacDonald 
Produced by Devin Gray and Curtis MacDonald 
Video by Devin Gray 
Special thanks to Kris Davis/Chris Speed and Trevor Dunn 
---> 

Liner Notes: 

I first learned about Jermey Viner through a very important teacher of ours. His name is Steve Grover, and he was and continues to be a very important influence in the sprit of my life as a musician. It was Steve who encouraged me to investigate Jermey's exceptional musical mind. 

I first meet Kim Cass at my best friends house Sam Caldwell in Yarmouth Maine (around 2000 or 2001) and knew that if Sam said...then Kim really WAS already the real deal...and since then I am more than happy to continue playing music with him every chance I can get. 

Elias and I meet on Carroll street in Brooklyn somehow around 2010, and the second he ripped up my old piano I knew his musical spirit needed to be apart of my everyday life. His attitude to living in music resonates wholesomely. 

Curtis MacDonald and I met in Banff Canada in 2006, and his approach to music and life will forever amaze me and I am for sure in debt to his generosity and sharp mind. It's always a pleasure for me to try to keep up around Curtis. 

As for this tune, I am very happy to have found the inspiration to write it and bring it to this place and to be able to share my process in such an open way. 

I also have to thank Reid Anderson for his compositional encouragement, as well as a general force of endless musical inspiration. 

Lastly, as a drummer/composer/producer - if there is a listener who could aid my process in the form of a donation - it would really help allow me to continue to speed up the recording and production processes of my compositions, as I am composing almost everyday. 


devingraymusic.com

Saturday, April 28, 2018

BRAZIL: (Update) Igor Willcox-#1(2017)



Igor Willcox, drummer and composer, will present the songs of his first solo album, titled # 1.With elements of jazz, funky and fusion, the album shows the composer side of the artist, exploring all his musicality, spontaneity as a drummer and interaction with the musicians.The CD features the special guests Bocato, Carlos Tomati, Vini Morales, Clayton Sousa, Glecio Nascimento, Rubem Farias, Bruno Alves, Erik Escobar, Jj Frannco, Fernando Rosa and Marcus Cesar.


Igor Willcox, a descendant of several generations of musicians, was influenced by his father, Paulo César Willcox (maestro and arranger, pianist and vibraphone) and his mother, Sonia Willcox (singer).

Considered one of the most important drummers in Brazil, Igor played and recorded with
important artists of the national and international scene as; Jimmie Bo Horn, Guilherme
Arantes, Familia Lima, Sandy & Junior, Daniela Mercury, Rappin Hood, Fernanda Porto, Frejat,
Gary Brown among other artists.

In the instrumental music he played and recorded with Bocato, Frank Colon (Weather Report),Tony Lakatos, Carlos Tomati, Michel Leme, Marcinho Eiras, Bocato, Lea Freire, David Richards, Arismar do Espírito Santo, Zerró Santos, Walmir Gil, Jarbas Barbosa, Djalma Lima, Wilson,Teixeira, Rubem Farias, Erik Escobar, Decebal Badila, Sandro Haick, Lanny Gordin, Hélio Delmiro, etc.

His album with the trio "New Samba Jazz", released by the Swiss label Altrisuoni Records, had
excellent reviews in Europe, Asia, USA and Brazil, becoming Best Seller of the label for 4 years.

Igor Willcox 4tet is formed by:
Clayton Sousa - sax
Vini Morales - electric piano and synths
Glecio Nascimento–bass
Igor Willcox-drums

Track List:
1- Brotherhood (Igor Willcox)
2- The Scare (Igor Willcox)
3- Old Friends (Erik Escobar)
4- Julie's Blues (Igor Willcox)
5- Brad Vibe (Vini Morales)
6- Thankful (Erik Escobar)
7- Room 73 (Igor Willcox)
8- Waltz For My Love (Igor Willcox)
9- Lifetime (Igor Willcox)


https://www.igorwillcox.com/

https://open.spotify.com/album/42toXLcYDVCOoluL5QVGlc

USA: FIELD THEORY Appearing NUBLU Classic 5/4

Do To Circumstances Beyond Their Control
The April 13th Spectrum Show is Cancelled 
Filed Theory Next Appearance Is
Friday, May 4th @ NUBLU 10pm


Friday April 13th 7PM
Spectrum
70 Flushing Ave, Garage A, Brooklyn, NY 11205
www.spectrumnyc.com

Friday May 4th 10PM
NUBLU Classic
62 Avenue C
http://nublu.net/

 



GERMANY: Gutfleisch, Schürmann & Frey-Jazz People (Unit Records 2018)


http://unitrecords.com/en/release/844
Jazz People

Friday, April 27, 2018

USA/PERU: NYC: The Corina Bartra Septet Saturday, May 19th 7:30pm Metro Baptist Church

Abby London-Crawford, In Association with the Sanctuary Arts Initiative of Metro Baptist Church, proudly presents The Corina Bartra SeptetSaturday, May 19, 2018 in the sanctuary of Metro Baptist Church, 410 West 40th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenue, at 7:30 PMlocated in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, behind The Port Authority.

Ms. London-Crawford will offer this special concert from Peruvian Jazz vocalist and composer, Corina Bartra, and her group. Many of the personnel of the Septet have been in several of Bartra’s musical configurations, and on a variety of her concerts: at the Acoustic Grammy Sessions NYC in 2015, recently at the Kennedy Center in D.C., and on her latest celebrated CD, Takunde. Ms. Bartra’s last concert in NYC at the Latea Theater on January 12th of this year was with her Afro Peruvian New Trends Orchestra.

As Raul Da Gama wrote last November 2017, when reviewing the CD Takunde, after its release on Blue Spiral Music:

“It is impossible to over-estimate the importance of the great Peruvian musician and vocalist, Corina Bartra …The music of Corina Bartra is quite unique, especially when she is performing Afro-Peruvian repertoire as she does on Takunde…The album comes thirty-one years after Miss Bartra announced her arrival with her very jazzy Afro-Peruvian album Yamambo … Today Corina Bartra’s music probably sounds more deeply Afro-Peruvian than ever and Takunde explores more of South America visiting the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Brasil, even as it traverses the landscape of Jazz and a world after Tin Pan Alley…Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Takunde is the original work by Corina Bartra and it is music such as “Marinera Jazz” that adds much to Afro-Peruvian musical literature.”

An Amazon reviewer, Grady Harp, giving Takunde 5 stars, pointed out more of Bartra’s distinctive accomplishments when he wrote that Bartra “also pioneered subtle and exciting instrumental textures in her compositions and her arrangements. She writes extensive intros, interludes, and solos filled with inventive rhythms and beautiful harmonies. She also guides her musicians to do so. With this approach, she adds an instrumental section to her unique & historic projects.”

Some members of the ensemble on Takunde: Steve Sandberg, piano; Victor Murillo, bass; and Perico Diaz, cajón, will also be joining Bartra for the May 19
th concert, with Dave Morgan, sax; Diego Lopez, drums; and Tony Romano, on guitar.


About the Artists:

Saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Dave Morgan, is a versatile composer/arranger, as well as co-leader of Funk Shui, an all horns fusion project of Jazz and Funk that he has presented many times at The Bitter End. A player who is a remarkable, flexible “stylistic hybrid,” he has performed on many Broadway shows, as well as playing clarinet and editing Ornette Coleman’s Harmolodic Ensemble. Morgan played at the Latea Theater in January with Corina Bartra’s instrumental project: Afro Peruvian New Trends Orchestra.

VICTOR Murillo, bassistoriginally from Mexico, plays a lot in California, and has been on several Corina Bartra projects, festivals and concerts, and on the CD, Takunde. Murillo also has his own project: Jazz & Tradiciones, of Mexican infused jazz.

Steve Sandberg, pianist, composer, is the leader of The Steve Sandberg Quartet, (featuring Zach Brock from Snarky Puppy), and has been nominated for three Emmy's for his scoring and songs for "Dora the Explorer" and "Go, Diego, Go!" He has played with David Byrne, Bebel Gilberto, Ruben Blades, and his Latin jazz mentor, Mario Rivera.

Diego Lopez is a New York based drummer. He worked for many years, with Gato Barbieri, Dave Samuels, Diane Schurr, and The Latin Jazz All Stars among many others.

Perico Diaz is a Cajon player based in NYC, originally from Peru. He has played on almost all the CDs of Corina Bartra, including her instrumental project, The Afro Peruvian New Trends Orchestra. He credits Bartra for introducing him to Jazz. He is able to communicate musically with great passion and rhythmic precision. Reviewer, Raul Da Gama stated Diaz added “a beautiful radiance…” to the album Takunde.

Tony Romano is a NYC based guitarist with great flexibility and virtuosity. He has been a visible part of the New York City music scene for over twenty years. Just Jazz Guitar magazine wrote, “His tone is beautiful and soulful, and his remarkable technique is a servant to his rich musical imagination and broad harmonic palette.”  With a wide range of playing styles, Tony has toured worldwide and performed and recorded with many notable Jazz, Latin, Pop, and Broadway artists, including Michael Feinstein, Randy Brecker, Dave Valentin, Thomas Chapin, Santi DeBriano, and Stanley Jordan, to name just a few.