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Tuesday, April 30, 2019
USA: #jazz Mark Lettieri-Deep: The Baritone Sessions (2019) @MarkLettieri
“Culminated from Lettieri's popular social media video series, "Baritone Funk Thursday," Deep: The Baritone Sessions shows his affinity for the dark and dirty baritone guitar, and brings all its conceivable rhythmic applications to the forefront on seven songs of aggressive groove. Featuring contributions from heavyweights such as fellow Snarky Puppy members Bobby Sparks, Jason "JT" Thomas, and Justin Stanton, plus Wes Stephenson (Funky Knuckles) and Philip Lassiter (Prince).”
credits
released March 1, 2019
Mark Lettieri: baritone electric guitar, electric guitar, bass, soft synths, programming
Jason "JT" Thomas: drums
Wes Stephenson: bass (Track 4)
Justin Stanton: Rhodes, Prophet, soft synths, trumpet (Tracks 3, 5 & 6).
Bobby Sparks: ARP Solina & Odyssey, Mini Moog, CS-80, Mellotron, Hammond B3 (Tracks 1, 2 & 7)
Philip Lassiter: trumpet, vocals (Track 7)
Mark Lettieri: baritone electric guitar, electric guitar, bass, soft synths, programming
Jason "JT" Thomas: drums
Wes Stephenson: bass (Track 4)
Justin Stanton: Rhodes, Prophet, soft synths, trumpet (Tracks 3, 5 & 6).
Bobby Sparks: ARP Solina & Odyssey, Mini Moog, CS-80, Mellotron, Hammond B3 (Tracks 1, 2 & 7)
Philip Lassiter: trumpet, vocals (Track 7)
shows
- Apr 23London, UK
- Apr 24Manchester, UK
- Apr 29Madrid, Spa
Monday, April 29, 2019
USA: Beyond Hanukkah 101: Klezmer Master Yale Strom’s Broken Consort Illuminates Hanukkah’s Many Shades and Sounds on Shimmering Lights
“The easy Hanukkah 101 line,” says renowned ethnomusicologist, violinist, and arranger Yale Strom, “is that it’s a festival. It commemorates the freedom of faith. The freedom to believe or not believe.” It’s this idea that drives Shimmering Lights, the new album from Strom and the ensemble he put together for it, Yale Strom’s Broken Consort (YSBC). The album is a lively celebration of Hanukkah and the freedom that it treasures.
The album begins with a rollicking, delightfully complicated oud solo. In this rendition of “Maoz Tzur” you can hear the frets of the oud buzzing, almost as if with joy and excitement. It’s a traditional song, but with a distinct middle-eastern flair--a Moroccan-Jewish influenced reinterpretation of a classic. “I put that as the opening track to open people’s ears,” Strom says. “To give them a new flavor.”
This embodies the approach that Strom and YSBC take with this album. Some songs are sung in Hebrew, others in Yiddish, and others still in Ladino and English. Throughout all ten pieces, Strom and his band swim a wide ocean of Jewish musical tradition that touches myriad continents, centuries, and languages. They subtly fold a range of other sounds and styles into their improvisations and solos, everything Texas Swing and bluegrass to jazz, classical and rock music.
“Kita’l Tas,” the album’s third track, is a Renaissance-era song originating from the Jewish communities that were once part of the Ottoman Empire, that had been driven from their Spanish homeland. Its Ladino lyrics celebrate food of Hanukkah, both the preparation and consumption of it. The vast majority of what is heard on the recording was played live, and the synergy between the eight members of the Broken Consort that recorded it is palpable. The song has an addictingly raw, spontaneous, and energized feel to it.
As tracks like “Kita’l Tas” prove, the musicianship featured on this record is nothing short of exquisite. The lineup of the Broken Consort is comprised of some of the core members from Strom’s past projects, including guitarist Fred Benedetti, contrabassist Jeff Pekarek, and vocalist Elizabeth Schwartz. New to the Consort are violinist Sara Caswell, cellist Alexander Greenbaum, oud and electric guitar player Amos Hoffman, and violist David Wallace. At the helm is Yale Strom, a distinguished violinist, arranger, ethnomusicologist, documentarian, and all-around Renaissance man.
Each song began with Strom closing his eyes. He’d play the melodies to himself on the violin, and wonder: “What is the feel of the music?” From there, the arrangement sprouted organically. “I finished the first tune, which then suggested the second. Tune two informs tune three and so on.” As a result of this unique approach, the songs featured on this record, despite coming from an array of cultures and centuries, seem related in a distinctly organic way. And what unites them all is Strom’s tasteful arrangements and his Consort’s lavish musicianship.
Even though the recordings on Shimmering Lights are treasures of musicianship, the Broken Consort make sure they don’t overstep their bounds, “You approach the lyrics like an actor approaches a script,” says Elizabeth Schwartz, the vocalist of the band. “The lyrics are telling the story. It’s not my role to step in front of the lyrics and show off how great I’m singing. It’s my job to present the story of the song.”
The work of freedom is not just about celebration, however. Sometimes, as YSBC demonstrate with “The Fool Over Yonder,” the album’s striking closing, a statement against leaders unworthy of their roles. Yet even the dark night of current politics has its light: “So many of the songs on this album are very old, some many hundreds of years,” Schwartz explains. “We wanted to end with a very fresh original. ‘The Fool Over Yonder’ is our last song because it looks forward to the hopefully hundreds (if not more) of Khanikes to come.”
Unafraid to let the music speak, Shimmering Lights is a virtuosic, unconventional ode to Hannukah. As Strom and his Consort thread the needle through centuries and cultures, they revel in the freedom that Hanukkah celebrates. “It’s not a holiday,” Strom says. “It was a celebration that came later on in Jewish history. It commemorates the first in Western religion that looks at the freedom of religion.” Shimmering Lights isn’t simply about Jewish history—it is a bright celebration of the freedom of religion, of tradition and thought, the freedom to be. “This album gives something for everyone to celebrate. I should be free, and I am free.”
Links
Contact
USA: #jazz #jazzatkitano NATIVE SOUL WHAT IS THAT ISN’T? CD Release Show Wednesday, May 1st Sets 8PM &10PM Jazz at Kitano
NATIVE SOUL
WHAT IS THAT ISN’T?
CD Release Show
Wednesday, May 1st Sets-8pm &10pm
Jazz at Kitano
WHAT IS THAT ISN’T?
CD Release Show
Wednesday, May 1st Sets-8pm &10pm
Jazz at Kitano
66 Park Ave East 38th St
New York, NY 10016
Reservations 212-885-7119
Jazz@kitano.com
www.instantseats.com/
New York, NY 10016
Reservations 212-885-7119
Jazz@kitano.com
www.instantseats.com/
Cover $18
NATIVE SOUL
Peter Brainin- saxophones
Noah Haidu-piano
Marcus McLaurine-bass
Steve Johns- drums
Peter Brainin- saxophones
Noah Haidu-piano
Marcus McLaurine-bass
Steve Johns- drums
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For the record, NATIVE SOUL is a seasoned ensemble that encompasses a broad musical swath that is sure to find a discerning ear. They surely found mine. BRAVO GENTLEMEN!
-Rufus Reid/Jazz Bassist/Composer
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USA: #jazz #bass VETERAN BASSIST JAY ANDERSON LEADS AN ALL-STAR GROUP THROUGH AN INTRIGUING SET OF POST-BOP JAZZ
| VETERAN BASSIST JAY ANDERSON LEADS AN ALL-STAR GROUP THROUGH AN INTRIGUING SET OF POST-BOP JAZZ  |
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In diverse settings ranging from chordless quartets and quintets to a bass-harmonium duet, Anderson performs inspired versions of various pieces including gems by Keith Jarrett, Billy Joel, Gil Evans and Morton Feldman.
Track Listing: 1. Deepscape (Jay Anderson) 2:09 2. Shades Of Jazz (Keith Jarrett) 5:08 3. Rothko Chapel (5th movement) (Morton Feldman) 7:13 4. Southern Smiles (Keith Jarrett) 6:10 5. And So It Goes (Billy Joel) 4:27 6. Time Of The Barracudas (Gil Evans) 4:58 7. Sweet And Lovely (Gus Arnheim, Harry Tobias, Charles N. Daniels) 7:31 8. Momentum (Jay Anderson) 6:23 9. Witchi-Tai-To (Jim Pepper) 6:49 10. The Mighty Sword (Branford Marsalis) 6:40 11. Tennessee Waltz (Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart) 3:28 Musicians: Jay Anderson, bass Billy Drewes, alto, soprano, bass clarinet (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10) Kirk Knuffke, cornet (2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10) Matt Wilson, drums (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) Frank Kimbrough, harmonium (3, 9, 11) Rogério Boccato, percussion (3, 6, 7, 9) Throughout his prolific career, bassist Jay Anderson has uplifted the performances and recordings of many from the who’s who of jazz. Long overdue to lead his own recording again (his other albums as a leader were made in the early 1990s), Anderson brings together a flexible group of inventive improvisers to perform an eclectic set of colorful and thoughtful music for Deepscape. Five of the selections have the bassist leading a chordless quartet/quintet that features Billy Drewes on alto and soprano, cornetist Kirk Knufke, drummer Matt Wilson and percussionist Rogério Boccato (on four songs). Among the project’s highpoints, “Shades Of Jazz” and “Southern Smiles” were originally recorded by Keith Jarrett’s legendary American Quartet of the early/mid 70’s, a group that included tenor-saxophonist Dewey Redman, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Paul Motian. These new and joyful performances feature interaction by the two horns and are free bop at its best. The quintet also performs Gil Evans’ “Time Of The Barracudas,” Anderson’s original “Momentum” (which utilizes a tone row that expands exponentially and features passionate playing by Drewes on soprano), and Branford Marsalis’ “The Mighty Sword.” Anderson’s bass is in the spotlight for the brief title cut which sets the tone, and has him making a quiet but powerful statement over a drone. Later, Anderson’s bass takes center stage once again, in a thoughtful folk song-like treatment of Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes.” Deepscape also includes the 5th movement of composer Morton Feldman’s meditative piece “Rothko Chapel,” a reworking of the standard “Sweet And Lovely,” Jim Pepper’s haunting “Witchi-Tai-To,” and a unique bass-harmonium duet with Frank Kimbrough on “Tennessee Waltz.” Jay Anderson, who was born in Southern California, began playing the bass at the age of 12. He won several awards in both jazz and classical music while attending school. One week after graduating from California State University at Long Beach he joined the Woody Herman Orchestra. The bassist’s career has not slowed down since. Anderson was with the Woody Herman Big Band for a year, spent two years accompanying singer Carmen McRae, and in 1982 moved to New York. Since then he has been on over 400 recordings (including nearly 100 for the Steeplechase label) and worked with such luminaries as Red Rodney, Ira Sullivan, Michael Brecker, Toots Thielemans, the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Eliane Elias, Bennie Wallace, Bob Mintzer, Lynne Arriale, Stanley Cowell, Joe Sample, Paul Bley, Randy Brecker, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Lee Konitz, Jay Clayton, Kenny Wheeler, Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project among countless others, not to mention, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Chaka Khan, Michel Legrand, Van Cliburn, (poet) Allen Ginsberg and even Celine Dion. No matter the setting, from duo to a large ensemble, Jay Anderson is a proven asset to every musical situation in which he finds himself. Now on Deepscape, he steps out as a leader, performing creative music that contains many unexpected moments while fulfilling his own musical vision. Jay Anderson “Deepscape” SteepleChase SCCD 31870) Street Date: April 15, 2019 Jay Anderson, bass, Billy Drewes, alto, soprano, bass clarinet (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10), Kirk Knuffke, cornet (2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10), Matt Wilson, drums (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10), Frank Kimbrough, harmonium (3, 9, 11), Rogério Boccato, percussion (3, 6, 7, 9) UPC Code: 716043187027 http://www.jayandersonbass.com http://steeplechase.dk/ SteepleChase is distributed by Stateside (US) Available on AMAZON |
Jay Anderson Media Contact
Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services 272 Ste Route 94 S #1 Warwick, NY 10990 T: 845-986-1677 / F: 845-986-1699 E-Mail: jim@jazzpromoservices. Web Site: www.jazzpromoservices. |
Sunday, April 28, 2019
#jazz #oscarpeterson USA: Alvin Queen Trio OP A Tribute To Oscar Peterson (Stunt Records)
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Alvin Queen Trio – OP a tribute to Oscar Peterson
Stunt STUCD 18157
Available February 22, 2019
Beyond their professional relationship as bandmates, Oscar Peterson and Alvin Queen were also good friends. Thus, this tribute to the great pianist is a heartbeat for the drummer who played with bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen in Oscar Peterson's famous trio during the coda of Peterson's life. That Alvin Queen has chosen to record in collaboration with two Danish musicians speaks volumes about the musical level of pianist Zier Romme and bassist Ida Hvid.After a long and active life in jazz service, Queen, the 67-year-old drummer who has played with an impressive list of jazz giants, knows what he’s doing. Romme, the 26-year-old Peterson-inspired virtuoso, has already gained great recognition on the Nordic jazz scene with his undeniable talent and impressively mature playing, despite his young age. 38-year-old Ida Hvid (known from Niels Jørgen Steen's Monday Night Big Band, among other projects) is now a pioneer on the frontiers of contemporary European jazz. This trio constellation is a unique meeting between the seasoned and young, where all three play with the same goal and purpose: creating classical chamber jazz as the master himself cultivated it - outgoing, sparkling, groovy, dynamic, swinging, soulful, and melodic music taken from OP's extensive repertoire. The word “tribute” is defined as “an act, statement, or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration.” Alvin Queen created this powerful musical statement as a gift to my Dad showing his deep gratitude for the time they were able to spend together performing all over the world. His admiration for Dad was always shown during the time they spent together, not just on the bandstand, but backstage, at restaurants, in hotel rooms, and airports, where they would share cherished moments of conversation and laughter. The respect that Alvin had for Dad as a man and, of course, for the music they performed is shown not only in this project, but in how he has taken the lessons he learned while they were on the road together and applied them to his own career. Alvin has worked with the best of the best in terms of musicians considered to be “jazz legends” and as a result has earned his spot as one of the most in-demand players in the industry. This is something that Alvin does not take lightly, and he has worked for years to maintain the dignity and respect in this music that those before him worked so hard for. To me, Alvin is a friend, an Uncle, and a cherished confidant with whom I have nothing but fondness for. Alvin came into Dad’s group during what would end up being our last years of touring, and while there were many challenges and difficulties, we always maintained that we were a family and the band did much more than support Dad on stage. They supported both my parents and I in whatever ways we needed, both on and off the road. My love for Alvin is never-ending and I am grateful to him for bringing this project to life and for sharing with us music from a formative piece of his musical journey. This CD is one that I will cherish for the rest of my life, as I will my relationship with Alvin. Dear Alvin, thank you for this beautiful physical presentation of the true definition of the word “tribute.” All my love, Céline Peterson |
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Saturday, April 27, 2019
USA: Celebrating the Count: Warren Vaché Quintet May 1st 2:30 PM Paul Robeson Gallery at Express Newark, Rutgers University
 Celebrating the Count: His Music and the Basie Collection
A musical celebration of legendary jazz pianist/bandleader William “Count” Basie and the Institute of Jazz Studies acquisition of the Count Basie Collection
Performance by the Warren Vaché Quintet
Warren Vaché - trumpet Andy Farber - sax James Chirillo - guitar Peter Washington - bass Dwayne Cook Broadnax - drums
Where: Paul Robeson Gallery at Express Newark, Rutgers University
54 Halsey Street, 3rd floor
Newark, NJ 07102
When: May 1, 2019 at 2:30 PM
 www.libraries.rutgers.edu/jazz |
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Funding for this event is provided by the Rutgers Cultural Programming Committee.
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USA: A funky big band revolutionizes "The Search For Peace"
A funky big band revolutionizes “The Search For Peace”
BT ALC Big Band seeks to breathe new life into big bands and music education with the release of their fourth album, dropping May 17.
BOSTON (1 April 2019): Reaching back to the past in order to move a musical artform forward, the BT ALC Big Band turns loose the might and muscle of a 13-piece horn section to huff and puff and blow down any previously held conceptions of what a big band could be. The mission of the 19-piece Boston big band’s forthcoming album, “The Search For Peace,” is part passion, part music education and anything but peaceful. The bombardment of funk and jazz, written by trombonist Brian Thomas and trumpeter Alex Lee-Clark and produced by Alan Evans (Soulive), drops May 17 on Ropeadope.
After researching big band recordings of the 1960s and 70s, Evans decided on an old-school approach to capture the high-volt energy of BT ALC Big Band’s live performance. He propped up one omnidirectional microphone in front of each of the three horn sections - five saxophonists, four trumpeters and four trombonists – in the same studio as the rhythm and melody players, letting them rip through the seven compositions that comprise “The Search For Peace.” The result is an organic sound that jukes and jives, harnessing the vim and vigor of the powerful posse. The album encapsulates the group’s vintage brand of rhythms and grooves they call “big band funk,” an explosive mashup of Duke Ellington and Count Basie meets James Brown and Parliament Funkadelic. Listen closely and you’ll detect some African funk and reggae inflections on this set as well.
“In recent years, the music that most big bands play, either professional or student, falls into two categories: tributes to the music of the past or new art music meant for the concert hall. We want to play music that's new, accessible and culturally relevant; music that reflects the music we put on in the car when we're zooming around in our day-to-day lives. We want to take the great art form of the big band and breathe new life into it,” said Thomas.
But that’s only half the outfit’s mission. Lee-Clark explains, “Essential to this goal is updating the music we play when we're teaching young musicians. Most of us started out in a band like this in school, and it played a huge part in igniting our passion for music. We firmly believe that the best way we can keep igniting that passion is not just to teach them to play every standard big band chart with precision and good intonation, but to show how they themselves can create new music, how they can push the art forward. We want ‘The Search For Peace’ to be a springboard for us to help bring big band music and music education into the present day.”
BT ALC Big Band walks the walk by regularly engaging in clinics, workshops and performances with students throughout New England. They make their charts available for study and have had their compositions performed at college, university and high school jazz ensembles in the region. Now they are thinking nationally.
Priming the pump for “The Search For Peace,” BT ALC Big Band dropped two standalone singles earlier this month, covers that tip their caps to some of their influences. Evans mans the drumkit on a percussive-heavy excursion through The Meters’ “Africa.” On a superfly take on Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s “Damn Right I’m Somebody,” an incendiary tenor sax throwdown erupts between Mike Tucker and Tucker Antell.
“The Search For Peace” will be launched with an album release concert in Boston on the release date (May 17) at City Winery. After the record streets, BT ALC Big Band will play a residency at Sally O’Brien’s in nearby Somerville on May 20, June 27, July 25, August 29 and September 26.
BT ALC Big Band issued their debut album in 2013, “Superhero Dance Party.” Three years later, they dropped the two-volume “The Herd Sessions.” Thomas and Lee-Clark met while studying music at UMass Amherst and have been collaborating ever since.
“The Search For Peace” contains the following songs:
“Soft-Shoe”
“Dance”
“Make It Your Job”
“The Search For Peace”
“Tune For Lou”
“Live 9”
“Paging Dr. Cooperman”
For more information, please visit https://btalc.com.
Friday, April 26, 2019
POLAND: @EABS_JAZZ #jazz EABS-Slavic Spirits (2019)
1. CIEMNOŚĆ - The Darkness / 3:19 (collective composition) 2. LESZY - Woodland Spirit / 10:27 (M. Pędziwiatr) 3. POŁUDNICA - The Noon Witch / 7:55 (P. Stachowiak) 4. ŚLĘŻA (Mgła) - Ślęża (The Fog) / 3:14 (collective composition) 5. ŚLĘŻA - Ślężą / 8:18 (V. Monteur) 6. PRZYWITANIE SŁOŃCA (Rytułał) - Sun Worship (The Rite) / 1:33 (collective composition) 7. PRZYWITANIE SŁOŃCA - Sun Worship / 8:56 (M. Pędziwiatr) Members of EABS: Marek Pędziwiatr /Nordiska Bambino piano, Fender Rhodes MKII, Minimoog Voyager, Crumar Performer, Physharmonica E. Krauss Stuttgard, Korg Polysix, Roland DC-30 analog chorus echo, Marcin Rak / drums, Vojto Monteur / electric guitar, Paweł Stachowiak / bass guitar, Spisek Jednego / percussion, sound fx, Olaf Węgier / tenor saxophone, Jakub Kurek / trumpet, Tenderlonious / flute, soprano saxophone
#JAZZ FRANCE: The Soul Jazz Rebels - The Soul Jazz Rebels(Black Stamp Music 2019)
The Soul Jazz Rebels
Distribution :
Jean Vernhères - tenor sax / saxophone ténor
Cyril Amourette - guitar / guitare
Hervé Saint-Guirons - Hammond organ / orgue Hammond
Ton Ton Salut – drums / batterie
Duration / Durée : 40 minutes
9 tracks / 9 morceaux
Released / Sortie : february 21 st 2019 / 21 février 2019
Track list / Liste des morceaux :
1. Baby Foot Partie (Jean Vernhères) 4:03
2. Mama Lou (Jean Vernhères) 5:17
3. Mowin’ The Lawn (Cyril Amourette) 4:17
4. Comment Dire (Cyril Amourette) 4:13
5. Paw Paw Tree (Christiant Salut) 3:40
6. Night Clinic Blues (Jean Vernhères) 4:13
7. Don’t Stop The Boogaloo (Hervé Saint-Guirons) 4:33
8. A Maze In Way (Christian Salut) 4:40
9. Postage Due (Cyril Amourette) 3:35
Original Album Credits
Original Recordings produced by Sidney Regal for Black Stamp Music
Recorded by Laurent Catignol at Midilive Studios
Mixed by Madje Malki at Bonesprit Studio
Assistant recording engineer : Philippe Kwan
Mastered by Frédéric Dosne at Studio 27
Illustration by Yann Couedor
Photography & Artwork by Lydiane Gilabert
Publishing : Black Stamp Music.
Discography / Discographie :
- 2016 : Chittlin' Circuit (Black Stamp Music)
- 2018 : Soul Jazz Rebels (Black Stamp Music)
Web : http://www.souljazzrebels.com
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/TheSoulJazzRebels
YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ12GSGzktczJbnqKlAx3aA
SoundCloud : http://soundcloud.com/thesouljazzrebels/sets
USA: Carlos Barbosa-Lima & Larry Del Casale "Delicado" CD Release! SUN • APR 28 4 PM & 6 PM @ The Jazz Forum
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Thursday, April 25, 2019
USA: GOTHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL to be held APRIL 28th at The Players Club
TAIWAN/USA: Mavis Pan-Set For Love(2019)
A native of Taiwan, Mavis Pan has performed her original works (orchestral, choral, jazz, chamber music, solo instrumental, vocal) throughout the United States, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. She composes and performs fluently in both classical and jazz styles and holds a B.M. in Jazz Piano Performance from New York University, M.A. in Music from Columbia University, M.A. in Urban Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary, and M.M. in Music Composition from Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music.
Pan’s choral work, "A Christmas Carol," was recorded by the Kiev Philharmonic under the ERM label. Following the release of her debut jazz album On My Way Home in 2010 she spent a year in Shanghai, China where she performed and served as a piano instructor and translator for the renowned Chinese Jazz Intensive Music Camp. Her second solo piano album,Not Alone, was released in December of 2016 and was distributed within the US and China.
On her latest album, Set For Love, Pan collaborated with lyricist David Keyes and Grammy Award-winning drummer and producer Ulysses Owens, Jr. The recording explores love in many contexts including head-over-heels love, love in trouble, love anticipated, and love remembered. Each song was born of a lifetime of experience, a 12-year collaboration, and a moment of inspiration. Each track has been created by a loving family of musicians, coaches, engineers, and producer. This concept album completes a cycle of jazz styles including ballad, blues, bolero, bossa, samba, swing, tango, and waltz, all on the world's most timeless theme. Set For Love is scheduled for a May 2019 release; singles are currently available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and other leading music distributors.
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
USA: Greg Reitan-West 60th ( Sunnyside Records 2019)
The cumulative brilliance shaped by three decades of composing and performing has made appearances by Greg Reitan special occurrences. The Los Angeles based pianist has been providing the jazz, classical and film worlds with exceptional compositional work and listeners have paid special attention to his trio’s well-honed live performances. It was during an October 2017 appearance at New York’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola that the spark for Reitan’s new recording, West 60th, was ignited. Inspired by the dramatic view of the city during soundcheck from the venue’s perch atop Columbus Circle, Reitan wrote the waltz of the same name in his hotel room. The song became the centerpiece of his new album with longtime collaborators bassist Jack Daro and drummer Dean Koba. Reitan’s relationship with Daro and Koba began in the early 1990s when he attended the University of Southern California’s music composition program. After graduation, Reitan looked to the pair for help in creating a demo for his submission to the Great American Jazz Piano Competition. The trio has worked regularly together ever since, developing organically over the years with an open-minded, fresh approach, especially in regard to Reitan’s original music - no matter how complex or demanding the pieces may be. The trio’s performance at Dizzy’s was a long-awaited return to New York, as they were finalists in the Hennessey Cognac Jazz Search two decades before. The energy generated by the most recent NYC concert led Reitan to begin writing music for a new album. He ended up composing eight pieces that lean on his formidable jazz chops and his appreciation for classical music. In addition to his own work, Reitan included a few choice pieces from notable composers, representing both the jazz and classical idioms. The recording begins with Reitan’s “Hindemith,” a driving piece inspired by German composer Paul Hindemith’s harmonic and rhythmic choices from his well-known piano sonatas. The title track, “West 60th”, waltzes with a big-city savoir-faire. Bobby Hutcherson’s beautiful ballad, “When You Are Near” blossoms like a flower and fits Reitan’s esthetic perfectly, as Hutcherson is known to have applied impressionist Erik Satie’s style to his work. The harmonically adventurous “Momentum” is a fun puzzle for the ensemble to solve, while Herbie Hancock’s relatively obscure ballad “Little One” is initially haunting before springing into mid-tempo swing. Reitan’s “Lines” is an engaging up-tempo piece centered on the counterpoint between the bass and piano. “Luminosity” is a harmonically rich ballad featuring intricately woven inner voicings from the piano. The radiant and hypnotic “Fluence” finds its inspiration in the late 1950s work of artist Jasper Johns. Aaron Copland’s “Four Piano Blues, Movement No. 3” has its origin in the same year as Copland’s Clarinet Concerto for Benny Goodman and is a touchstone of the composer’s involvement in jazz. Reitan performs the blue-hued piece exactly as it was written. The trio revisits “Man Overboard,” an earlier Reitan composition that still packs a punch, and the lovely “Epilogue” is just that, a quiet piece written to conclude the album. The combination of elegant musical writing and playing has always been a hallmark of Greg Reitan’s attraction. The fact that he has continued a long and profitable relationship with Jack Daro and Dean Koba for over 25 years should be celebrated and what better way than with the trio’s tremendous West 60th. credits releases April 19, 2019 Greg Reitan - piano Jack Daro - bass Dean Koba - drums
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
UK: #jazz Elliot Galvin Trio-Modern Times (2019) @ElliotGalvin #ElliotGalvin
Elliot Galvin's Ambitious New Jazz Project Was Recorded Direct To Vinyl
ROBIN MURRAY
" Jazz is all about seizing the moment - an improvisatory art form, ideas rush past at peak velocity, a continual stream of inspiration. London musician Elliot Galvin is aware of this, honing his prowess alongside Emma-Jean Thackray's current line up and Dinosaur. Leading his own trio into the studio, new album 'Modern Times' grapples with this fluid improvisation by recording direct to vinyl...."
CLASH
Monday, April 22, 2019
NORWAY/UK/SWEDEN: HAFTOR MEDBØE / JACOB KARLZON (2019)
HAFTOR MEDBØE / JACOB KARLZON – ALBUM RELEASE IN APRIL 2019
Norwegian/Scottish guitarist Haftor Medbøe and Swedish pianist Jacob Karlzon join creative forces in the recording of a set of original compositions. The album is released on limited edition, hand-numbered 10” vinyl on 05/APRIL/19 and available for purchase with bundled digital download including a bonus track exclusively from http://copperfly.co.uk
Since first meeting at the Islay Jazz Festival in the Scottish Hebrides 15 years ago, Haftor and Jacob have been slowly hatching a plan to collaborate. At long last they come together on this recording, first premiered live as part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival 2018, that draws on their shared roots and personal influences.
The work evokes a Nordic sensibility with echoes of the Scandinavian jazz tradition as embodied by pianists Jan Johansson, Esbjorn Svensson and Tord Gustavsen. Inspired in part by traces of the region’s folk musics, the album simultaneously meditates on more universal aspects of the here and the now. The project will be toured in the UK and Scandinavia during 2019/20.
BIOGRAPHIES:
Haftor Medbøe has released albums with his eponymous group on Linn Records, and Fabrikant Records, and with Norwegian compatriots Espen Eriksen (pn.) and Gunnar Halle (tpt.) on Losen records. Born in Norway, Haftor has for many years been resident in Scotland where he is Jazz Musician in Residence and Associate Professor of Music at the capital city’s Edinburgh Napier University
http://www.haftormedboe.com
Jacob Karlzon is an award winning Swedish pianist who is celebrated for his work with artists including Silje Nergaard, Nils Landgren, and Viktoria Tolstoy. He has shared the stage with a host of jazz luminaries including Billy Cobham, Kenny Wheeler and Norma Winstone, and has recorded for Caprice Records, Stunt Records, ACT and Warner Music. In 2012 Jacob gained the coveted status of Steinway Artist.
https://www.jacobkarlzon.com
Press contact: Haftor Medbøe | haftormedboe@gmail.com | +44 7771778867
USA: Eleanor McEvoy -Forgotten Dreams (Chasing The Dragon 2019) @eleanormcevoy #eleanormcevoy
Audiophile musician Eleanor McEvoy is accompanied by pianist Damon Butcher. Many audiophiles all over the world are familiar with Eleanor McEvoy. There is no finer musician with which to work. Eleanor is accompanied by Damon Butcher on grand piano and plays several solo instruments herself, underscoring her beautiful voice, for this direct cut album. When the opportunity came to work with Eleanor, as you can imagine, Chasing The Dragon jumped at it. It was decided that it would be great to record a 'Direct Cut' album. They have already released 5 albums using this process, where they record straight to the Neumann Lathe at Air Studios. Eleanor put in a fantastic performance and, remember you cannot stop half way through when cutting live vinyl. She had to be note perfect on both sides. Jake, the mixer, and John, mastering engineer, also brought their 'A game' to the session. This Live Studio Recording was directly cut to vinyl for the LP format. Chasing the Dragon have become known as one of the leading producers of audiophile recordings. This incredible release is now available on Compact Disc!