Steve Spacek isn't making as many musical waves as he was back at the start of the century – but the man certainly hasn't lost his touch at all – and is still one of the most forward-thinking talents of his generation! As with his classics, the record bristles with new energy and imagination – a vibe that pushes all the older London ideas forward with a very personal, very distinct vision – maybe even jazzier and warmer than before, which is quite stunning when you read the notes and find out that Spacek created most of the music on an array of apps for the iPhone! Yet this is definitely a record that wasn't "phoned in" at all – as Steve's got a longer-form approach that matures the music in ways that some of the 4Hero diaspora have done in recent years – familiar but fresh, on tunes that include "African Dream", "Songlife", "Single Stream", "Love 4 Nano", "Rawl Aredo", and "Where We Go". CD features bonus tracks "Yu Used To Love Me", "Bright Eyes Rev", "Child Insperation", and "Who Cares". ~ Dusty Groove
The cd “Vortex” has been released on March 18th 2020 for Nusica.org, and documents the artistic activity of ITACA 4set, the new formation born from the transatlantic collaboration between four estimated artists of the international scene of avant-jazz and improvised music. Two Canadian musicians, Francois Houle and Nick Fraser and two ItAlian Nicola Fazzini and Alessandro Fedrigo. (here where the name of the band is from). The Vortex album was recorded in Vancuver in July 2019 and the end of a Canadian tour which saw the four protagonists playing at the different festivals in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Each member of the band signed two of the eight compositions present in the cd testimony of a democratic modus operandi, which reflects the balance of the ensemble even from the musical point of view, there where the collective and choral sound prevails over the soloist one. The music of Itaca 4et’s is dynamic, highly rhythmic and rich of improvisational chances. This project is the result of a collaboration that dates back to 2016 (thanks to a residency at Novara Jazz and Sile Jazz) continues with two Canadian tours (in 2017 and in 2019 when they performed at Toronto Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival and Vancouver Jazz Festival) and materializes in a first Italian and European tour in 2020. A close-knit, harmonious, unpredictable and original band, a project to discover that has been achieved also thanks to a partnership with the Institute of Culture of Toronto and the Council of Arts of Canada.
Confidence, rhythm and dexterity are the first impressions of this tight outfit of young but highly experienced musicians. After nine years of holding down a 10-night residency at the prestigious Cully Jazz Festival, Llodra and Donnot have honed their skills in front of a live audience, learning how to create tense and paced moments, an ability they embodied in their compositions. Grooves and moods are created with just the right balance of catchy melodies, improvisation and focus on dynamics. The EP is well balanced out, with two ethereal tracks - ‘Alfama’ and ‘The Core’ - music that could easily belong on some ECM-inspired soundscape, juxtaposed with the groovier ‘Kumadé’ and ‘I.G.A.T.F’., hinting at a 1970s style echoing George Duke at his funky-fusion best.Despite a whiff of nostalgia, the sound is fresh and forward-thinking. Keep an ear out for these young Jedi masters, all of them at the top of their game and stay tuned for their next moves. Bundle of endless musical energy, the four musicians o Kuma met at the Cully Jazz Festival where they have been officiating every night in residence for years. Influenced as much by the new UK jazz scene as by the pop of Bon Iver through electronic and repetitive music, Kuma is already making waves in the Swiss musical landscape.
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