Monday, August 08, 2016

NEW MUSIC: JOEY ALEXANDER - COUNTDOWN; DONNY MCCASLIN – BEYOND NOW; TED NASH BIG BAND – PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

JOEY ALEXANDER - COUNTDOWN

Joey Alexander's jaw-dropping ability and beyond-his-years artistry brought him to some of the grandest stages, from performing at the Grammy's and the White House, to appearing on the TODAY Show and 60 Minutes. Just over a year removed from his debut, the same maturity and dedication to his craft that made him a phenomenon is evident in his remarkable evolution on his sophomore release, Countdown. Now stepping forward as a composer, while still paying tribute to the jazz greats (Coltrane, Monk, Strayhorn), Joey is poised to continue his ascent to being one of the biggest names in jazz, recognized not as a prodigy, but as simply a great musician Features Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums), Larry Grenadier (bass), Dan Chmielinski producer Jason Olaine and special guest Chris Potter.

DONNY MCCASLIN – BEYOND NOW

Deeply influenced by his extraordinary experience collaborating with David Bowie on his final release, Blackstar, Donny McCaslin steps forward with Beyond Now, a heartfelt dedication to the Starman. Along with "David Bowie's Last Band" (Jason Lindner, Mark Guiliana, Tim Lefebvre and Donny himself), Donny reimagines two Bowie tracks (as well as tracks by Deadmau5 and MUTEMATH) alongside powerful originals, displaying the rich musicality and innovation that originally led to him joining forces with one of the most creative artists of all time.

TED NASH BIG BAND – PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

Presidential Suite is an ambitious, culturally trenchant album inspired by eight iconic political speeches of the 20th century, each centering on the essential human need for freedom. Marking Nash's debut on Motéma Music and his 13th recording as a leader, the full suite features an overture plus eight movements, each preceded by inspirational words from a famed world leader: John F. Kennedy, Jawaharlal Nehru, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, Aung San Suu Kyi, Lyndon B. Johnson and Nelson Mandela.


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