A wonderful set, one that's even better than you might expect – and a record that really marks the shift in Mark De Clive-Lowe from club music to jazz – a format that he carries off beautifully here in the company of some very like-minded musicians! The setting is a live one – and the double-length set builds with the kind of organic energy that really lives up to the legacy of Pharoah Sanders, especially his Impulse Records material – but also has a quality that's nicely individual, too – so that the tunes aren't just aping an older spiritual jazz sound, but instead showing how its legacy has really transformed creation on the contemporary LA scene! The group is small, and in addition to work from Mark on piano, Fender Rhodes, and live effects, the set also features Teodross Avery on tenor, Corbin Jones on bass, Tommaso Cappellato on drums, and the great Carlos Nino on percussion – plus excellent vocals from Dwight Trible on a number of titles too. Tracks include "Elevation", "Colors", "You've Got To Have Freedom", "Upper Egypt", "Love Is Everywhere", "Mansions World", "Memories Of Lee Morgan", "Greeting To Saud", and "The Creator Has A Master Plan". ~ Dusty Groove
The forthcoming remarkable release from multi Grammy winner Kabir Sehgal & master sarodists Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. The creators fused East and West artistic traditions. They turned to the eclectic works of Kahlil Gibran, the Lebanese writer and painter, for inspiration. The album and almost all tracks are named after Gibran's works. The eight tracks are an unfolding fusion of classical Indian music, with jazz harmonies, trap drums, and neo-synths. Special guest appearances by Claudia Acuna (vocals), Latin Grammy nominee; Tivon Pennicott (sax); Caliph (rap), Oran Etkins (saxophone), Malini Aswathi (vocals), Sudha Raghunanthan (vocals).
Small Bridges is the uncompromising new album from drummer, producer, and composer Robert Diack. After his debut, Lost Villages - an extremely focused concept album about a series of flooded townships in Southern Ontario - Diack wanted to explore a broader swath of genre and texture for his hour-long sophomore release. Small Bridges escorts the listener through a wide variety of expansive musical spaces shaped by impressive genre bending production techniques. Drawing inspiration from contemporary and traditional jazz, post-rock, fusion, and country music, Diack weaves his way deftly through this album, making clear his broad artistic vision. “I’m reminded of how Phillip Glass speaks of the intimate nature of the piano in his composition Opening from his album Glassworks” says Diack in reference to the opening track of the album. The attention to sonic detail is immediately clear: this album is truly a Hi-Fi fanatic’s dream. This initially inviting flow of Hollow hides where the song leads: it’s truly a tour-de-force of exuberant musicianship from a strong cast of some of Canada’s best young talent. The album’s sound is defined by layers of guitars contrasted with intimate piano, interspersed with complicated moments of layered meters, all packaged with an extremely focused attention to production detail and audio fidelity. Written entirely in his cramped, overpriced New York apartment, Small Bridges is a reflection of Diack’s experience uprooting countries, moving from Canada to study in the USA. This music was composed during an intense period of culture shock and isolation, and was recorded while he was in Canada for the release of Lost Villages. Small Bridges clearly demonstrates the deliberate line that runs through Diack’s entire body of work - not only in terms of the ensemble's sound, but with regards to the album’s visual appearance as well. This compelling new record is a brilliant showcase of young Canadian talent, featuring cutting edge improvisation and production.
With over two dozen albums as a leader and multiple Latin Grammy and Grammy nominations, pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader Antonio Adolfo is an internationally recognized Latin jazz star. More than 200 of his original compositions have been covered by artists like Sergio Mendes, Earl Klugh, Herb Alpert, Stevie Wonder, and Dionne Warwick. Although he often includes his own compositions on his recordings, Adolfo has now recorded an album that comprises only his original music. Octet And Originals is a brilliant showcase for the writing talents of an artist about whom jazz critic Travis Rogers has said, “Let me say it from the top, I can't get enough of Antonio Adolfo. Every album, every song he has ever released is a treasure. Not only is Antonio a brilliant composer and pianist, he is also an arranger without peer.” A few of the tunes on Octet And Originals were originally conceived with lyrics; however, Adolfo rearranged them as instrumentals for this album. His arrangements touch on a panoply of Brazilian musical styles, including samba, baiao, bossa, partido alto, quadrilha, toada, calango, maracatu and more. Although rooted in Brazilian music, Adolfo’s elegant reharmonizations transform his compositions into jazz. Antonio Adolfo is a Brazilian jazz master. Influenced by bebop, soul and West Coast jazz yet firmly rooted in the rhythmic, danceable styles of Brazil, Adolfo’s music has a polished opulence that is uniquely his own. The music on Octet And Originals is romantic, swinging, and toe-tapping with frequent unexpected turns that consistently keep the music fresh.
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