NEW RELEASES: TIM WARFIELD - SPHERICAL: DEDICATED TO THELONIOUS SPHERE MONK; FRED FRITH / BARRY GUY - BACKSCATTER BRIGHT BLUE; ANTOINE FAFARD – AD PERPETUUM

TIM WARFIELD - SPHERICAL: DEDICATED TO THELONIOUS SPHERE MONK

Tim Warfield's eighth Criss Cross leader recording Spherical, which references the middle name of its primary subject, immortal jazz pianist-composer Thelonious Sphere Monk, is the tenor/soprano saxophonist's most idiosyncratic and personal document to date. To be specific, Warfield and an efflorescent quintet of virtuoso teamplayers (Eddie Henderson, trumpet; Orrin Evans, piano;Ben Wolfe, bass; Clarence Penn, drums) personalize six Monk compositions (Off Minor, Ugly Beauty, Oska T, Gallop's Gallop, Coming on the Hudson, and Round Midnight) and That Old Man (which Monk recorded as 'Children's Song'in 1964), as well as an original Warfield blues dedicated to Monk's first employer, Coleman Hawkins. All members improvise with a creative force that shows the depth of their engagement with the essence of these masterworks; the will to swing defines the proceedings throughout. ~ Amazon

FRED FRITH / BARRY GUY - BACKSCATTER BRIGHT BLUE

Two giants of the British improvisation scene work together here in a relatively recent recording – but one that shows that the creative imaginations of both players is alive and well! In fact, the performance, recorded in 2007, almost might stand equally nice to some of the 70s recordings by either musician – especially some of Frith's most interesting sessions – and the interplay between his electric guitar and the bass of Barry Guy is really wonderful – with lots of sonorous moments from either musician, and some complicated flutters of sounds and notes that resonate wonderfully. Titles run from 20 minutes to 44 seconds in length – and tracks include "Big Flowers", "Where The Cities Gleam In Darkness", "Moments Full Of Many Lives", "Walking On Wire", "Climbing The Ladder", and "The Circus Is A Song Of Praise".  © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.

ANTOINE FAFARD – AD PERPETUUM

Ad Perpetuum is bass player Antoine Fafard s third album of new work, and features Vinnie Colaiuta and Jerry De Villiers Jr throughout the collection. Colaiuta s extraordinary performances show why he is a true drum legend, while De Villiers Jr s beautiful tone and inspired guitar work will prove irresistible to all fans of jazz fusion.  Additional guests include keyboardist Gerry Etkins on three songs and saxophonist Jean-Pierre Zanella on another three tracks. Another significant contribution comes from Gary Husband, who features on the intense drum duet D-Day.  Vinnie Colaiuta and Jerry De Villiers Jr were involved in the Ad Perpetuum project from its inception. A two-day session booked with Vinnie for January 2014 provided the deadline for writing the material, giving Antoine a three-month window to compose all the pieces for the album. This was the first time that Antoine had been challenged to meet a specific deadline for a personal project.  The music on Ad Perpetuum encompasses a broad spectrum of grooves and atmospheres. A conscious effort was made to offer a multitude of tempos, time signatures, structures and harmonic variations in order to showcase the virtuosity of the players. De Villiers Jr s incredible guitar playing and tone brings a deep vitality to the music, while Colaiuta s playing is simply flawless. ~ Amazon

NEW RELEASES: ALPHONSE MOUZON – SEARCH OF A DREAM; PEDRO ITURRALDE / PACE DE LUCIA – FLAMENCO JAZZ; GABOR SZABO - NIGHT FLIGHT

ALPHONSE MOUZON – SEARCH OF A DREAM

No one had a better understanding of the melding of jazz polyrhythms with rocks pulsating beat than drummer Alphonse Mouzon is one of the originators of jazz-rock. With his furious propulsive style, he was welcome in both camps. Weather Report founders Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, and Miroslav Vitous brought him into the premier edition of the band. And as he had shown with Weather Report, he demonstrates on his 1977 album In Search of a Dream how well he could integrate acoustic bass into a jazz-rock concept. In duo with Mouzon, Vitous bows the deep tones on his composition The Light; he grabs the electric bass on the other compositions. Vitous as well as saxophonist Bob Malik and keyboard player Stan Goldberg were all part of the 1977 version of Mouzons touring band. Pianist/keyboarder Joachim Kühn and guitarist Philip Catherine joined the troupe for the recording of In Search of a Dream. Thus, the session was a sort of summit meeting of the jazz-rock elite of that time. ~ Amazon

PEDRO ITURRALDE  / PACE DE LUCIA – FLAMENCO JAZZ

Spanish saxophonist Pedro Iturralde, under the influence of the Miles Davis/Gil Evans album Sketches of Spain, added a couple of flamenco melodies to his repertoire as he toured Europe. Thats why Joachim-Ernst Berendt sought him out to play at the 1967 Berlin Jazz Festival. With the festivals motto Jazz Meets the World, Berendt was looking for a jazz-flamenco combination to fit the bill. Since Berendt absolutely wanted a guitarist in the band, Iturralde came to Berlin with a 19 year old flamenco musician named Paco de Lucía, later an international star and one of the greatest flamenco musicians of our time who continued to be involved with jazz until his passing in February 2014. Paco de Lucías participation as a regular band member is what makes this MPS recording so appealing. Iturralde also brought Italian trombonist Dino Piana into the band for this recording as well as the Berlin Festival appearance. ~ Amazon

GABOR SZABO - NIGHT FLIGHT

Gabor Szabo was an influential jazz guitarist famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music. Szabo escaped Soviet-dominated Hungary in 1956 and moved to the United States where he attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston. After a stint with Chico Hamilton in the early 60s, Szabo he recorded a well-received span of albums under his own name on the Impulse! label. His playing strongly influenced Carlos Santana. Indeed, Santana's 2012 instrumental album Shape Shifter includes a song called ''Mr. Szabo,'' played in tribute in the style of Gabor Szabo. Nightflight was originally released in 1976 on the Mercury label. The album produced the biggest hit of his career, a remake of producer Bunny Sigler's song ''Keep Smilin'.'' ~ Amazon

THE VERY BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL - 48 ORIGINAL JAZZ CLASSICS

There are as many flavours of jazz as there are pebbles on a beach, but the majority combine rhythmic invention with instrumental virtuosity to create a sound that can transport the listener to a different plane. Whether your ear is caught by the saxophone of Earl Bostic or Eddie Harris, the flute of Herbie Mann, Ray Charles effervescent keyboards (he played sax too) or the music of Cuban-born King of the Mambo Perez Prado, whose 1958 US chart-topper Patricia is familiar from countless movies and television ads, one thing is certain the jazz instrumental still reigns supreme. 

CD!: 1. So What - Miles Davis; 2. Take Five - The Dave Brubeck Quartet; 3. In The Mood - Glenn Miller; 4. Harlem Nocturne - King Curtis; 5. Baby Elephant Walk - Lawrence Welk; 6. Midnight Special - Jimmy Smith; 7. Guaglione - Pérez Prado; 8. Exodus (Main Theme) - Eddie Harris; 9. Tuxedo Junction - Quincy Jones; 10. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It - Ramsey Lewis Trio; 11. Unchained Melody - Earl Bostic; 12. Basie Twist - Count Basie; 13. Midnight In Moscow - Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen; 14. Lullaby Of Birdland - The George Shearing Quintet; 15. Love For Sale - Dexter Gordon 

CD2 1. Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock; 2. Stranger On The Shore - Acker Bilk; 3. Moanin` - Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers; 4. A Swingin' Safari - Billy Vaughn; 5. Work Song - Cannonball Adderley & Ray Brown; 6. Petite Fleur - Chris Barber's Jazz Band; 7. Salt Peanuts - Dizzy Gillespie; 8. Sweet Georgia Brown - Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli; 9. Desafinado - Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd; 10. One Mint Julep - Ray Charles; 11. Afrikaan Beat - Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra; 12. Night Train - Oscar Peterson Trio; 13. Blues Walk - Herbie Mann; 14. You Can't Sit Down (Part 1 &2) - Phil Upchurch Combo; 15. Unsquare Dance - The Dave Brubeck Quartet 

CD3 1. Soul Bossa Nova - Quincy Jones &His Orchestra; 2. Take The "A" Train - Duke Ellington; 3. Moon River - Eddie Harris; 4. Walk On The Wild Side - Jimmy Smith; 5. Calcutta - Lawrence Welk & His Orchestra; 6. Lester Leaps In - Count Basie; 7. Something Frantic - King Curtis; 8. Patricia - Pérez Prado; 9. I've Got A Woman (Part 1) - Jimmy McGriff; 10. March Of The Siamese Children - Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen; 11. Blue Rondo A La Turk - The Dave Brubeck Quartet; 12. The Stripper - David Rose And His Orchestra; 13. African Waltz - Johnny Dankworth; 14. Straight, No Chaser - Miles Davis; 15. Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller

NEW RELEASES: BOB DYLAN – SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT; OLA KVERNBERG - THE MECHANICAL FAIR; KENNY WHEELER – SONGS FOR QUINTET

BOB DYLAN – SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT

Dylan cherry-picks the Sinatra songbook – with much better results than you might expect – stripping the 50s and 60s gloss that made perfect sense when interpreted by Ol' Blue Eyes, and bringing to light the more intimate charms that the songs carry at their core. Bob's voice is actually in pretty strong form here – laying off on the raspy growl of his more ornery later material, and portraying the material here with simple, honest clarity. As is always the case on later Dylan records, his seasoned road band also serve as his studio players – and it's an especially strong showcase for pedal steel player Donny Herron – with Dylan veterans Tony Garnier, Charlie Sexton and others in fine form, too. A few tracks have horns and larger-than-usual arrangements for Dylan, but it's a pretty laidback charmer overall. Includes "I'm A Fool To Want You", "The Night We Called It A Day", "Full Moon And Empty Arms", "Theat Lucky Old Sun", "Where Are You?", "Some Enchanted Evening" and more.  ~ Dusty Groove

OLA KVERNBERG - THE MECHANICAL FAIR

Nothing mechanical here, as the sound is rich and warm – the most so we've ever heard from Ola Kvernberg, who plays a host of compelling instruments here – including viola, prepared piano, cello, atuoharp, and theremin! The record has a fair bit of additional strings – used sparely, almost in the manner of a string quartet – alongside the core sounds from Kvernberg's group, whoch also features lots of acoustic lines on a variety of guitars, set to some light rhythms, both acoustic and programmed. Yet the core vibe of the record really comes from the strings – both violin and guitar – which often set out the rhythms as well – with these shades of tone and color that are really beautiful – deeply introspective without ever being too sentimental. Titles include "Mechanical Fair", "Alarums & Excursions", "Jaja", "Harlot's House", and "Metamechanics". ~ Dusty Groove

KENNY WHEELER – SONGS FOR QUINTET

An album that sits strongly in the long legacy of great recordings Kenny Wheeler has done for ECM – a set of quintet recordings that feature the leader's sublime flugelhorn lines in the company of a very well-matched group! The tunes are airy and open, but never too loose or meandering – and Wheeler's subtle sound has this great way of directing the energy – and getting equally great performances from Stan Sulzman on tenor, John Parricelli on guitar, Chris Laurence on bass, and Martin France on drums. The guitar has an especially great quality – these chromatic elements that serve to really unite the other individual sounds – and all songs are originals by Wheeler, with titles that include "Jigsaw", "Seventy Six", "The Long Waiting", "Canter No 1", "Sly Eyes", and "Nonetheless".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: JOSE JAMES – YESTERDAY I HAD THE BLUES – THE MUSIC OF BILLIE HOLIDAY; AKIRA JIMBO JIMBO DE CTI; THE REBIRTH – BEING THRU THE EYES OF A CHILD

JOSE JAMES – YESTERDAY I HAD THE BLUES – THE MUSIC OF BILLIE HOLIDAY

A sublime take on the music of Billie Holiday – served up in the tremendous vocals of Jose James! In the notes, James recalls that the music of Holiday is one of his first memories of childhood – and goes onto explain how much her music has meant to him over the years – a relationship we can clearly hear in the love and care he brings to the music! The setting is one of the most straight jazz that James has ever worked with – and backing is by a hip trio that features Jason Moran on piano and Fender Rhodes, John Patitucci on bass, and Eric Harland on drums – all of whom usually lay back with this slow-stepping vibe that's wonderful – and very different than the kind of accompaniment you'd hear on Holiday's original recordings. Yet Jose's raspy vocals really get at the same sort of heartbreaking feel in the lyrics, but from a different masculine perspective – an approach that's simple, subtle, and extremely effective. Titles include "God Bless The Child", "Strange Fruit", "Body & Soul", "Good Morning Heartache", "Lover Man", "Tenderly", and "Fine & Mellow". (SHM-CD pressing!)  ~ Dusty Groove

AKIRA JIMBO JIMBO DE CTI

A sweet little tribute to the legendary CTI Records – done here by drummer Akira Jimbo, with a trio style that's even leaner than the label's classic albums from the 70s! The tracks are all older gems you'll know from the rich legacy of CTI jazz, funk, and soul – and Jimbo works with bassist Abraham Laboriel and keyboardist Otmaro Ruiz to craft cool new takes on the tunes – often just reduced to their core rhythms and sweet keyboard parts, with some occasional other elements thrown into the mix. The whole thing's great – very much in the best spirit for such a project, and packaged just the right way too – and titles include "Red Clay", "Stone Flower", "Spirit Of Summer", "Carly & Carole", "Tomba In 7/4", "Skycrapers", "Super Strut", and "2001".  ~ Dusty Groove

THE REBIRTH – BEING THRU THE EYES OF A CHILD

Rebirth really stunned us with their massive debut – This Journey In – and nearly a decade later, they win us all over again with this long-awaited follow-up album! The set's got the group even sharper and more soulful than before – really steeped in that classic brew of righteous soul and jazzy funk – served up in a mode that puts them right in a legacy that includes the coolest cats from way back – like Roy Ayers, George Duke, or Norman Collors – with a similar blend of all the best elements at once, shaped at a level that few other artists could get this right! The set's not just a welcome breath of fresh air in the contemporary soul underground, but a record that easily matches your favorites from decades back – one of those rare instant classic records we hear these days – and a set that's got us really excited. Titles include "This Is Coming To", "Wasteland", "Religion To Me", "Show Em", "Come On Over", "Halfway", "Surrender The Pretender", and "Caterpiller".  ~ Dusty Groove

FREE NELSON MANDOOMJAZZ Presents New Full-Length Album Awakening Of A Capital

Hot on the heels of their debut Double EP The Shape Of DoomJazz To Come / Saxophone Giganticus Scottish doom-jazz trio Free Nelson MandoomJazz are back with their first full-length album, Awakening Of A Capital. 

In the time that has passed since the release of their first double EP on RareNoiseRecords, Free Nelson MandoomJazz have gone from strength to strength, touring across central Europe during the summer and capping it off by performing at the Match & Fuse London Festival and they also received a personal invitation from Dr. Bert Noglik, the artistic director of Jazz Fest Berlin to play at the festival.

The album title is homage to Luigi Russolo's 1913 seminal recording "Veglio Di Una Città" (from "Die Kunst Der Geräusche") and further develops the musical crossroads of Free Jazz and Doom / Sludge Rock which is so uniquely characterized in their debut recording. 

Awakening Of A Capital was recorded in Glasgow, mixed in Italy by sound sculptor Eraldo Bernocchi, and mastered in the US by Mike Fossenkemper. It finds  saxophonist  Rebecca Sneddon, bassist Colin Stewart  and drummer Paul Archibald pursuing a progressive alliance - the saxophone sounds of Peter Brötzmann and "Interstellar" skronk with massive rhythmic distortions, all referenced against '80's stoner-doom, rock-metal and drone noise. The opening track, "Sun Ra," is a tongue-in-cheekacknowledgement of this marriage." 

TRACKS

1. Sunn Ra)))

2. The Stars Unseen

3. The Land Of Heat And Greed

4. Poking The Bear

5. The Pillars Of Dragon

6. Erich Zann

7. Slay The Light

8. Beneath The Sea

Infolding - SPIN MARVEL'S Third Provocative, Genre-Busting Project

Spin Marvel is the brainchild of British drummer Martin France, here joined by an all-star crew of celebrated Norwegian trumpeter and electronic music pioneer Nils Petter Molvaer, bassist Tim Harries (formerly of Bill Bruford's Earthworks), Norwegian electronic sculptor Terje Evensen and remix maestro Emre Ramazanoglu. Together they create spacious and dramatic soundscapes of profound intensity on the startlingly original Infolding, blending aspects of free jazz, ambient music and electronica in provocative ways. 

From the serene to the unsettling, this latest Spin Marvel project morphs into a myriad of moods and melodies over the course of six dynamic tracks. "Canonical" opens with an airy ambient touch before exploding into free jazz tumult paced by Harries' throbbing fuzz bass and France's powerful traversing of the kit, with Molvaer's highly processed cathartic wail layered over the top. "Tuesday's Blues" opens with spacious trumpet before gradually evolving into an in-the-moment adventure anchored by Harries' hellacious fuzz bass and France's interactive, Elvin Jones-inspired swing beat. "Two Hill Town" has Molvaer creating half-time trumpet melodies that float dreamily over France's simmering pulse before the proceedings heat up to a turbulent boil. "Leap Second" makes dramatic use of silence and echo, with Molvaer's haunting trumpet tones resounding over France's subtle brushwork before the piece builds to an intense crescendo. The 16-minute "Same Hand Swiss Double Pug" opens as a kind of ambient bolero before France bursts into a Buddy Rich styled flurry on the snare drum midway thru, triggering a change in mood that culminates in a freewheeling collective improv. And the collection closes on a haunting and kinetic note with the echo-laden "Minus Two," Emre's lone drumming showcase.

  

France, a veteran drummer on the U.K. jazz scene who played in the cooperative group First House and the big band Loose Tubes during the '80s and later worked with Iain Bellamy and Django Bates in the '90s, has performed and recorded with some of the world's great musicians including Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Arild Andersen, Ralph Towner and Marc Johnson. Currently a Professor of Jazz (Drums/Percussion) at the Royal Academy of Music in London, he applies his considerable skills and musical touch to the kit in the more open-ended environment of his Spin Marvel projects. "The use of openness and space is a very important part of what we do," he says. "And creating something from this place allows the musician to feel free and uninhibited and move it in a direction they want to express. I have known Nils for many years and was always hoping that an opportunity would arise to somehow get him involved with Spin Marvel". Nils commented, "To play with such wonderful gifted and open minded musicians was a true pleasure".         

Emre, a ubiquitous London session drummer and in-demand producer-programmer-engineer-remix artist, brings a visionary vibe to this latest project. "Infolding was my first time working with Spin Marvel," he says. "I was a huge fan of the earlier records and was hugely excited to get involved. It's a very honest record despite the heavy processing. It's all live takes with no edits or overdubs.      

Infolding began as a single day of live recording with France, Molvaer, Harries and Evensen before Emre came onboard. "It was recorded live in a four hour session for the BBC," explains France. "Sometime after the recording I sat and listened to the takes and selected the performances to form a programme to fit the BBC R3 running time. We were all very happy with the session and how the music was sounding so I forwarded the master files to producer Emre Ramazanoglu, who then worked with the music and produced it for us. 

"Martin asked if I would be interested in trying to take the sound on from where it had got to at the end of this session," says Emre. "We didn't really plan this next stage at all but it was understood that we both wanted to keep the unedited live takes and bring out the intensity of the performance as much as possible. I spent a few hours with Martin and Tim on the first mix to check that they were into the approach I was taking and then I mixed the rest myself, trying to establish a coherent atmosphere for the record whilst letting the music and performances lead the way."               

Emre explains his modus operandi on Infolding: "I tend to mold my mixing style to the project at hand and on this one I just was led to that kind of dramatic, spacey sound by immersing myself in the mix and creating as much of a performance there as I could. I mixed these tracks really quite intensely and stuck with my first reaction and the decisions that I made from it. I intensively used convolution processing to get different instruments modulating each other and a lot of interactive compression and effect processing to shape the individual voices into larger, dense blocks of sound in which the boundaries between the instruments are blurred perhaps.               

A dynamic and inventive collaboration between potent musical forces, Infolding breaks all the rules while leading the way for new possibilities in music-making.

TRACKS:

1. Canonical

2. Tuesday's Blues

3. Two Hill Town

4. Leap Second

5. Same Hand Swiss Double Pug

6. Minus Two

NEW RELEASES: BRANDOM WILLIAMS – XII; LUXURY SOUL 2015; BRAZILIAN BOOGIE COLLECTION

BRANDOM WILLIAMS – XII

A hell of a record from keyboardist and producer Brandon Williams – an artist who may well be the Larry Mizell of the 21st Century! Like Mizell, Brandon's a hell of a musician at the core – really strong and soulful on his work here – but also like Larry, Williams really has a great way of reaching out and working with others – a quality that's already gotten his music exposure on records by some other big artists, and which also opens the door here to include guest contributions from Jesse Boykins III, Robert Glasper, Frank McComb, Don Blackman, Bernard Wright, Pharoahe Monch, Nicholas Payton, Choklate, Deborah Bond, and others! That lineup should really give you an idea of the depth of this record – as Brandon finds a way to make all these great talents come together, while still letting all the individuals shine during their time in the spotlight – no egos ever taking things over, not even Brandon's own – as the album rolls along with a majestic blend of jazz and soul. Titles include "Intimidation", "Pinball Number Count", "Godsend", "Everything", "Now I Know", "Feel Free", "Yasmin", "Velas Icadas", and "Make Believe".  ~ Dusty Groove

LUXURY SOUL 2015 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Live like a prince, but on the budget of a commoner – thanks to this sweet Luxury Soul collection, which offers up 3CDs' worth of killer contemporary soul – but all for the price of a single disc! This volume continues the wonderful vibe of the series – and provides a great overview of some of the best underground soul of recent years – pulled from the Expansion family of labels, and some other indies as well – and put together with a really great track selection overall! Titles include "Think About Why" by Jarrod Lawson, "Feel" by Victor Haynes, "It's All About You" by Marc Staggers, "Pill" by Eric Roberson, "I Promise (MONEY)" by Angela Johnson with Raul Midon, "Struggling" by Imaani, "Luther" by Real, "Philly Line (Colin Watson Philly rmx)" by Soulution, "Your Smile" by Neo feat Drizabone, "With Me" by Kloud 9, "Perfect Love Affair" by Shaun Escoffery, "Someone Else" by C Robert Walker, "It's Just Like Love" by Sheree Brown, "What Took You So Long" by Tyrone Lee, "Just Can't Give You Up" by Diplomats Of Soul with Noel McKoy, and "Dondi" by Ed Motta. 3CDs and 35 tracks in all!  ~ Dusty Groove.

THE BRAZILIAN BOOGIE COLLECTION: FROM RIO TO SAO PAULO (1976-1983) (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Think Brazil only gave the world bossa nova and samba? Think again – because this set is a great example of the nation's rich legacy of soul music – especially the kind of upbeat, hard-grooving styles that still stay strong on today's global dancefloors! The groundbreaking collection is a wonderful batch of rare club, disco, and boogie tracks from the Brazilian scene of the late 70s and early 80s – music that's not just a copycat of American dancefloor styles, but often a unique hybrid of funk and regional Brazilian styles – blended together with top-shelf studio perfection, and served up with loads of jazzy touches in the instrumentation. The grooves here are razor-sharp throughout – and many tracks may well blow away better-known US cuts from the time – and the set does a good job of mixing a few longtime standards with some fresher tunes that really keep things interesting! Titles include "Relax" by Painel De Controle, "Funk Funk La" by Robson Robson, "Nao Va" by Tim Maia, "A Paraibo Nao E Chicago" by Marcos Valle, "Saiba Ser Feliz" by Tarantulas, "Rio Babilonia" by Jorge Ben, "O Amigo De Nova York" by Emilio Santiago, "Expresso Madureira" by Banda Black Rio, "Olhos Coloridos" by Sandra Sa, "Aleluia" by Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti, and "Central Do Brasil" by Cassiano.  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: JAMIE CULLUM – INTERLUDE; RON BLAKE – COCKTAILS AT DUSK: A NOIR TRIBUTE TO CHRIS CONNOR; HENRY KAISER / RAY RUSSELL - THE CELESTIAL SQUID

JAMIE CULLUM – INTERLUDE

The hippest, coolest work we've ever heard from Jamie Cullum – a wonderful collaboration with Nostalgia 77, who bring a lot of deeper jazz tones back to Cullum's music! The members of the group shift from track to track, but really give the whole thing a soulful vibe that's been missing from some of Jamie's work in the past – a move back to his roots in jazz, with a sensibility that almost even steps farther back – and links him to hip 60s British talents like Georgie Fame or Zoot Money. Cullum's voice is wonderful, as always – but it's especially great to hear it in a setting like this, which is quite far from some of the more poppy directions he'd been heading on previous records. Titles include "The Seer's Tower", "Walkin", "Don't You Know", "Interlude", "Lovesick Blues", "Come & Get Me", "Out Of This World", "Make Someone Happy", "Good Morning Heartache", "Sack O Woe", and a version of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" done with Gregory Porter. ~ Dusty Groove

RON BLAKE – COCKTAILS AT DUSK: A NOIR TRIBUTE TO CHRIS CONNOR

A really unique little album from pianist Ran Blake – and that's saying a lot, given that all of his music is pretty darn unique! The album features Blake at his warmest – serving up a tribute to the vocalist Chris Connor, but at a level that's mostly instrumental – as a good number of the tracks just feature Ran on solo piano – creating dark, moody shapes from the bare bones of songs that were a big part of Connor's famous 50s recordings for Bethlehem Records – really blue, melancholy numbers that sound completely different in Blake's hands, but which have the same sort of haunting feel as Chris' vocal versions. Laika Fatien sings on 3 of the album's 13 tracks – with a very mellow, almost icy style that we've never heard from her before – and 2 more tracks feature Ricky Ford on tenor, playing with an approach that's surprisingly well-suited to Ran's piano. Titles include "All About Ronnie", "Why Can't I", "Where Are You", "Moon Ride", "Driftwood", "Speak Low", and "Go Way From My Window". ~ Dusty Groove

HENRY KAISER / RAY RUSSELL - THE CELESTIAL SQUID

Two avant guitar giants – coming together here in an album that's got a decidedly progressive feel overall! The record's quite forward-moving and focused – with almost a rockish energy at the bottom – no surprise, given that both Henry Kaiser and Ray Russell have plenty of ties to that side of the spectrum – and almost revive a sort of 70s prog mode here as they jam together with a larger group that includes reeds from Steve Adams, Aram Shelton, and Joshua Allen – plus acoustic and electric bass, and work from two drummers – Weasel Walter and William Winant! The album's way more of a jam than you might expect – but also certainly has enough out moments to appeal to longtime fans of that side of the music of Kaiser and Russell. Titles include "Disinterested Bystander", "That Darn Squid", "In Another Life", "Gukten Limpo", and "The Enumeration".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: MATANA ROBERTS - COIN COIN CHAPTER THREE RIVER RUN THEE; BILLY BANG / WILLIAM PARKER - MEDICINE BUDDHA; JON DAVIS – MOVING RIGHT ALONG

MATANA ROBERTS - COIN COIN CHAPTER THREE RIVER RUN THEE

Maybe the most dense, most complex work we've heard from Matana Roberts to date – a unusual effort that blends together her own instrumental passages with sound samples recorded during a wintertime ramble through the states of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana! Roberts moves away from her previous group efforts, to hit even more experimental sounds here – which include her own alto saxophone lines, plus work on a Korg Monotron, an early 1900s upright piano, and even a bit of vocalizations too – all taken at a level that's way beyond jazz, and which has elements of found sound mixing with processed instrumental passages, and even some odd snippets of classic American songs. The effort comes off sounding as if an avant jazz album were recorded with an older 4AD aesthetic – with all the dense sonic structures that might imply – and the whole thing's definitely one more reason to keep your eyes focused on Roberts' genius in years to come!  ~ Dusty Groove

BILLY BANG / WILLIAM PARKER - MEDICINE BUDDHA

Wonderful work from two players who've just gotten better and better over the decades – both musicians who've made a huge impression from the late 70s onward, but who also continue to grow and refine their ideas as the years go on! This set features beautiful duets recorded at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York, in 2009 – with Bang on violin and thumb piano, and William Parker on bass, plus a bit of shakuhashi and dousn gouni as well. Both players handle strings at a level that's far different than most of their contemporaries or influences – and have this sublimely spiritual style that's often a bit exotic too – but never in the sort of easier ways of Bang's Vietnam-related projects. Instead there's a very freely creative spirit as both players come together – finding a unique voice that's extremely moving, and never too heavy-handed – a huge reminder of why we love them both so much. Titles include "Bronx Aborigines", "Eternal Planet", "Buddha's Joy", "Medicine Buddha", and "Sky Song".  ~ Dusty Groove

JON DAVIS – MOVING RIGHT ALONG

A great little album from pianist Jon Davis – a player who's got this way of cascading out notes with effortless ease – almost at a level that's thinking a few steps forward of the bass and drums in the trio, but never with a style that loses its groove at all! We love the way that new ideas continue to leap forward from Davis' piano – especially on the album's original tracks, which have this way of blocking sound and color together that's extremely tuneful, but in a very personal, unique sort of style. Bass is by Yasushi Nakamura and drums are by Shinnosuke Takahashi – but it's clear that Davis really directs the sound, with leaps and steps that are sometimes subtle, sometimes bold – and always pretty darn fresh! Titles include "Dania", "Just In Case", "Pensive Puff", "Moving Right Along", "Moment's Notice", and "Under The Stairway".  ~ Dusty Groove

Acclaimed vocalist Chris McNulty celebrates the life of her son on breathtaking new Palmetto Records CD - ETERNAL

Recorded in the wake of Hurricane Sandy's destruction and dedicated to McNulty's late son Sam, Eternal is a gorgeous set that comes from the pain of loss, but equally from a place of hope and faith.

The Australian McNulty is joined by her trio of pianist John Di Martino, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Gregory Hutchinson along with a chamber orchestra under the direction of arranger Steve Newcomb featuring some of New York's finest talent. In addition, Australian trumpeter-flugelist Matthew Jodrill, bassoonist Ben Wendel, and guitarist Paul Bollenback added glistening solos.he best,

Vocalist Chris McNulty contends that she never sings a song unless she can connect with it personally and make it truly her own. The selection of repertoire for her seventh CD, Eternal, carried an even more deeply personal requirement, however: celebrating the life of McNulty's cherished son Sam, who passed away in 2011. The gorgeously heartfelt and emotionally moving album, to be released March 24, 2015 on Palmetto Records, is a sublime love letter expressing the ineradicable bond between mother and child, with an exquisite blend of jazz quintet and chamber ensemble.

To craft the lush and poignant sound of Eternal, McNulty worked closely with two gifted collaborators: orchestrator Steve Newcomb, who created the album's stunning arrangements for chamber ensemble; and pianist John Di Martino, who last worked with McNulty on her 2005 release Dance Delicioso. The stellar trio with Di Martino on piano, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Gregory Hutchinson provides sensitive support for the singer's eloquent vocals. Jazz combo and chamber orchestra meld beautifully and seamlessly throughout, focused wholly on enhancing the profound feeling of McNulty's vocals. And present throughout is the spirit of Sam McNulty (aka hip-hop artist-composer Chap One), whose life, and the impact that it made on that of his mother, is vividly illustrated.

"There are lots of ways that I can honor Sam," McNulty says. "I looked through thousands of tunes to find things that spoke to me about life in general and life after Sam, about how I was unraveling inside, and that I thought could speak to him or about him without it becoming a morose, sad story. I think the music has lots of brightness and joy in it, too. I'm a musician first, so the songs have to speak to me musically, melodically, emotionally and lyrically as they always would. I just chose the songs that made the most sense for telling Sam's story."

Adding to the emotionally arduous process of assembling material for Eternal was the fact that McNulty was poring over songbooks in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, when she was left without electricity, heat, or running water for eight days. So she sat in front of the fireplace with dozens of songbooks strewn about the floor around her, searching for lyrics and melodies that spoke to her by the glow of candlelight.

The first song that she found was the one that ended up opening the album, Steve Kuhn's "The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers." At first simply curious about the eccentric title, she was immediately struck by how perfectly Sherrill Craig's opening lines seemed to capture her own emotional state:

Late this night she waits alone / She tries to accept the truth

The pain is intense / Her heart is so sore and bruised

Wishing that the sadness had not come for its claim so soon

One life is so short, so many things left to say and do

Crying softly for the one who cannot be here

Through the rain she sees a face laughing in happy play

The face of a child, the child on a sunny day

"It was extraordinary, because I was completely unaware of that song," McNulty recalls. "The further I got into it the more profoundly blown away I was, but I wasn't expecting to go to the piano and hear such a beautiful melody."

She immediately determined to record the song, though she almost lost it as mysteriously as she'd found it. Returning to her songbooks the next morning, she couldn't find it again no matter how many indexes she searched. "I was beginning to think I must have dreamt it," she says. As it turned out, the song was real but accidentally not included in the book's index, but after a week of searching through page after page McNulty managed to stumble across it a second time.

Another powerful moment comes via "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" In McNulty's interpretation the oft-recorded love song becomes a lament and a eulogy, carrying a promise to never let go of her son's spirit. Sam himself is drawn through a composite portrait: compared to a precious flower via Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing," depicted as a "strange, enchanted boy" in Eden Ahbez's perennial "Nature Boy." McNulty grapples with life following loss with the poignant "Where is Love" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

Along with these resonant standards, McNulty contributes her own tribute to Sam with the album's sole original, "You Are There." Accompanied by the spare, understated colors contributed by Newcomb and Di Martino, McNulty sings the impassioned lyric directly to her son, ending with the key message, "You will always be there." As she explains, "I'm speaking to Sam and I'm also reflecting on different memories: being on subways with him as a little boy, seeing him with his friends as a young man growing up, how many girls loved him. It's all in there."

Newcomb's elegant arrangements are born of a friendship that began in 2008, when he met McNulty while both were performing at a festival in their native Australia. They've discussed working together on a project ever since, and Eternal offered the ideal circumstances. "Steve is a brilliantly creative musician and a very hard worker," McNulty says.

 McNulty was reunited with Di Martino on one of her first evenings out in New York City following Sam's passing. Unaware that the pianist was performing that night, she was reminded of his virtuosity on the bandstand - and of his humanity when he approached her after the set. "He walked over and put his arms around me and didn't say a word," she recalls. "That had a profound impact. A lot of people don't know what to say or do, and sometimes it's better not to say anything. It struck me that he handled it so gracefully, and it showed what a sensitive human being he is."

Since her emergence on the international jazz scene in 1991, Chris McNulty has been hailed by musicians, peers and critics alike as a jazz vocalist-composer with a unique vision, boundless creative energy and a distinctive style. Her recordings and performances have garnered 4 and 5 star reviews in publications including DownBeat, The Irish Times, Jazz Wise, Jazz Journal and JazzTimes, among many others. In May 2013, McNulty won the prestigious Australian Bell Award (the equivalent of a US Grammy) for Best Vocal Jazz Album for The Song That Sings You Here. She has collaborated, recorded and performed with some of the finest musicians on the jazz scene today and performed at major international festivals around the world.

www.chrismcnulty.com

Akory, the new album from Razia Said, features guest appearances by some of Madagascar’s top musicians

After years of living abroad, Razia Said returned to Madagascar in 2007 to discover her country’s landscape ravaged by illegal logging, slash-and-burn agriculture and the impact of climate change. That trip inspired the production of her first album, the critically-acclaimed Zebu Nation, which was released by Cumbancha Discovery in 2010. The songs on her new album, Akory, address Razia’s life experiences as well as Madagascar’s struggles to cope with an ever-deteriorating political situation, the destruction of the country’s bio-diverse forests and the daily challenges faced by its inhabitants.

Akory, which means “What Now?” in the Malagasy language, was produced on four continents over the last four years and sees Razia diving even more deeply into her Malagasy roots. Featuring a more stripped-down approach than her debut album, Akory is full of upbeat songs with vibrant melodies and soulful collaborations with a number of Madagascar’s top musicians. Razia has released Akory in Europe in November 2014 and in the United States in February 2015. She will launch it independently with her own label WAKE UP MUSIC.

Singer, songwriter and environmental activist Razia Said spent her childhood in the vanilla-growing region of Madagascar’s northeast coast, surrounded by the infectious rhythms of local salegy music. Her life journey has taken her from Madagascar to Gabon, France, Indonesia and her current base of New York City, but Madagascar has always been her spiritual home and main source of inspiration.

“Malagasy music is very rich,” says Razia. “Everywhere in Madagascar you can hear guitar, accordion and local instruments played in the most remote villages.” Razia describes her band’s sound as very endemic to Madagascar drawing on the country’s intricate and unique rhythms that inspire awe and fascination worldwide. As one of the few crossover musicians from Madagascar, Razia takes it upon herself to spread messages of environmentalism and social action by blending her country’s traditional music with a contemporary Western twist. Keeping her focus on the connection between the environmental destruction and political dismay in the country she calls home, Razia delivers an album full of soul, energy, and urgency that reaches into her most private thoughts and emotions.

Razia grew up listening to her uncle play guitar in her hometown of Antalaha. When she turned 11, she moved to Gabon, West Africa and later to France where she graduated from school with a PhD. After several years of working in a different field, Razia returned to the stage. Finally finding a home in New York, Razia attended Guitar classes at the New School University and began writing and recording her original songs.

Since the release of Zebu Nation, Razia has toured worldwide, spreading messages of environmentalism and social action in her native language, Malagasy. In 2011, Razia returned to the rainforest where she spent her youth and created a festival named “Mifohaza Masoala – Wake Up Masoala.” Concerts were performed in and around the threatened Masoala rainforest, gathering more than 20,000 people and mobilizing the entire environmental community of the region. Pulling off such an event in Razia’s hometown, where most people made a living from illegally harvested rosewood, was a risky business. But a connection was forged with the villagers living on the edge of the Masoala. People came from the most remote part of the forest, some walking for days to attend the event. 20,000 new trees were planted as the villages and the people of Razia’s hometown Antalaha joined the protest.Razia immediately set about organizing an international extension to her festival. She changed the name to “Wake Up Madagascar” and raised funds to create a tour across the USA and Canada in the summers of 2012 and 2014. The same musicians that performed alongside her in the Masoala were now bringing their music and mes- sage to North America. The show, which featured Razia alongside Jaojoby, Charles Kely and Saramba was ecstati- cally received. Its mission was to raise awareness for her devastated country and introduce the largest assortment of Malagasy music ever seen in North America. Wake up Madagascar appeared at major venues such as Joe’s Pub in New York City, Nuits d’Afrique in Montreal, Levitt Pavilion in Los Angeles and many other venues.

It was during this busy time on the road that Razia started putting together the elements she needed to craft her second album. The songs on Akory are performed in Malagasy, French and English. Razia has been joined by some of the leading names of Malagasy music, including guitar virtuoso D’Gary, legendary accordionist Regis Gizavo, valiha phenom Rajery, and nimble-fingered guitarist Teta. Razia presents rhythms from the four corners of Madagascar, including showcase performances on traditional instruments such as marovany (a wooden box zither), valiha (a zither made of a bamboo tube and plucked metal strings) and lukanga (a three stringed fiddle). Guitar lines ripple through the album and the powerful harmonies chant out an irresistible call to action. Whether it’s to dance or protest, laugh or despair, Razia takes us on another unforgettable journey across a paradise in danger of being lost forever.

Recording for Akory started in May 2011 in the renowned Studio Mars in Antananarivo with ace Malagasy engineer and producer Bivy. Razia arrived from New York with twelve new songs and began working with her friend and internationally acclaimed valiha master Rajery to adapt them into Malagasy musical forms. Razia was keen to work with as many Malagasy legends as she could on this album. The super group she put together made up of Bivy (guitar), Do (drums), Johnny (bass), Daniel (marovany), Teta (guitar), and Petit (percussion) worked solidly for days, rehearsing intensively in the studio. The magic soon came together as the intricate 6/8 rhythms took shape and transformed the original songs into an urgent, passionate wave of sound. Razia was then joined in the studio by her regular guitar player Charles Kely, drummer Jimmy, Rajery himself on valiha, Surgi on lukanga, and the guitarist D’Gary who co-wrote the song “Gny Lalagna (The Way)” with Razia. Razia took the tracks to Paris where Engineer Nir Graff, producer Jamie Ambler and Malagasy bass player, singer and vocal coach David Rajaonary supervised further recordings in New York, including 4 tracks with drummer Harvey Wirht, bassist Michael Olatuja and percussionist Samuel Torres. Godfrey Diamond mixed the album in Brooklyn and the album was mastered by the famous Leon Zervos at Studios 301 in Australia. With work on the album having taken place in Madagascar, Paris, New York and Australia, Akory is a truly international effort.

On the album’s opening track, “Taranaka Afara (Our Future),” Razia sings succinctly, “a tree is a living thing, born to protect and nourish every being. Let’s hold its real value high and respect nature instead of destroying it for gain. ” On “Zanako (My Child)”, Razia calls for the nation to cherish its children. “Madagascar has forgotten its children. They are the path to our hearts and the guides to our future; we would all be lost without them.”

Razia is not afraid to challenge her country’s inept political leaders, and on the rousing “Baraingo (Chasing Our Tails), she asserts “Our leaders seem lost and out of touch. They cannot choose which direction to go. “One day left the next day it’s right. Where are they leading us?”

The songs also address more personal stories, such as memories of her late stepfather’s fascination with butterflies, which she fondly recalls collecting with him in the forests of Gabon in the song “Papillon (Butterfly).”

Razia remembers her childhood fear when hiding under her grandmother’s iron bed during a powerful cyclone in “Akory Tsikaby (How Will We Survive), which also serves as a potent metaphor for the dire situation in Madagascar today. On Akory’s closing track, Razia ends with a bang on the upbeat “Nifankahita (It Was Meant To Be)”, singing “There is magic in a true love story. Things happen because it was written in the stars long ago. The beauty of destiny as we stumble into love.”

While Razia confronts some difficult topics on Akory, the closing track offers a positive message of hope that love will save the day in the end. While the album does not pretend to answer the question raised by its title, it argues that we can change our current path and work together towards a more positive future.

New Orleans-born pianist Nick Sanders showcases unique voice on second CD, You Are A Creature

Pianist Nick Sanders christened his second CD, You Are a Creature, with a head-scratcher of a title, but his virtuosity and vision couldn't be more clear on the music within. Throughout the album's concise but idea-packed thirteen tracks, Sanders continues to hone and evolve his distinctive voice as an instrumentalist and composer as well as the unique collective identity of his trio with bassist Henry Fraser and drummer Connor Baker. Due out February 17 on Sunnyside Records, You Are a Creature offers further evidence of a major new voice on the modern jazz scene.

As for that title and the attention-grabbing cover image of a sideshow-poster contortionist, both ultimately relate to Sanders' original perspective on human nature, an ability to see everyday behavior from a fresh angle that comes through in the often-surprising twists and turns of his music. "A lot of times I'll just look at someone and realize that some of the things that we do are so strange," he explains. "And the music is very reflective of those different experiences that people go through in their lives. I think that life in and of itself can be like a sideshow."

Sanders' individual approach and the strikingly singular language developed by the trio have commanded the attention of no less discerning a stylist than pianist Fred Hersch, who not only encouraged Sanders to record his 2013 debut, Nameless Neighbors, but offered his services as the album's producer. Hersch returned to that role on You Are a Creature, offering insightful direction but also upping everyone's game simply by his commanding presence in the studio.

"When you know that Fred Hersch is watching and listening to everything you're doing, you have a tendency to deliver at your utmost capabilities," Sanders describes. "But the best thing about it is just having someone so knowledgeable, who has been in the game for so long, there to give you feedback. It's huge, to know that there's someone with great ears who has my back. He really understands my music and had a lot of interesting arrangement ideas, which we could take or leave without any judgment on his part. There was no ego. We work really well together."

It helped immeasurably that Sanders brought such a wealth of material into the studio with him. The tunes can all be traced back to personal experiences and relationships in the pianist's life, which imbue the complex and multi-faceted compositions with a strong emotional core. From the insistent and aptly-named opener, "Let's Start," through the dissonant musings of "Wheelchair" and the off-kilter carousel of "Round You Go," to the stark, shimmering lurch of "Day Zombie," each piece is memorable and intricately constructed while allowing for an intimate and spontaneous three-way conversation among the trio, all within the relatively tight constraints of pieces that rarely exceed the five-and-a-half minute mark.

"In this day and age, people's attention spans aren't very long," Sanders says. "Because it's a trio, it's really more about interacting and having a group sound as opposed to just having people soloing. It also allows me to show different aspects of my compositional worldview."

That worldview was honed by a number of foundational influences, none of which are overpoweringly obvious but each of which has contributed to Sanders' one-of-a-kind sound. There's his hometown, New Orleans, with its rich jazz heritage; there's his training in classical music; his upbringing hearing and singing hymns in church; the musical influence of his drummer father and the presence of Latin music via his Cuban mother; and his studies with some of modern jazz's most renowned artists, including Fred Hersch, Jason Moran, Alvin Batiste, and Danilo Pérez. A final, more unusual, influence that Sanders cites, one reflective of his generation, is that of video games. While video games may not seem to have much to do with jazz piano beyond the use of hand-eye coordination, their combination of the cinematic and the interactive is immediately evocative of Sanders' music.

All of those influences converged when Sanders joined with Fraser and Baker while all three were students at the New England Conservatory, where Sanders completed his Master's degree in 2012. The trio quickly realized that they possessed a special alchemy together, one that was soon recognized by listeners. You Are a Creature showcases their continued maturation, offering a carnival's worth of delights and surprises.

  

www.nicksandersmusic.com

Jazz Collective ‘Sasha’s Bloc’, Featuring Guest Vocalist Jane Monheit Sets Heart on Fire Album Release for March 17, 2015

With the upcoming release of their second album, Heart On Fire, due out March 17, 2015, jazz collective Sasha’s Bloc aims to solidify their growing presence on the U.S. music scene with an original album that hearkens back to the Big Jazz Band sound of the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s, and to a performance style that evokes such seminal acts as Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Count Basie, Scott Joplin, Ella Fitzgerald and more.

An intriguing ensemble founded in 2012, Sasha’s Bloc is an amalgam of varied artists, nationalities and experiences, all fueled by bassist and songwriter Alex Gershman to deliver a sound that is consistently big, boisterous, full of spirit and rich in everything that makes jazz linger as an American phenomenon. On Heart On Fire, Gershman is honored to have Grammy-nominated vocalist Jane Monheit perform on multiple tracks. Listen to audio samples, here

The group has built a name for itself in recent years via multiple sold out concerts at the key Jazz Clubs in Los Angeles, including Catalina Bar and Grill, Vibrato and Vitello’s. Gershman’s goal, via the group’s successful performances and now on Heart On Fire, is to create a signature sound for Sasha’s Bloc that he describes as “fresh, well-developed and above all lyrically progressive.” Citing Fats Waller, Scott Joplin and Duke Ellington as primary examples, Gershman comments, “My hope is that the Sasha’s Bloc will help bring these great American cultural achievements to modern life and contemporary audiences.”

The group’s core nonet is comprised of Nora Rothman, vocal; Brandon Fields, saxophone; Alex Budman, saxophone, clarinet; Kye Palmer, trumpet, Bob McChesney, trombone; Kevin Winnard, drums; Steve Cotter, guitar; Andy Langham, piano. Guest artists on the upcoming album include: Jane Monheit, vocal; Alvin Chea, vocal; Patrick Tuzzolino, vocal; Princess Fortier, vocal; Glynis Leflore vocal; Octavia Pace vocal; James Lum, banjo; Jason Fabus, accordion; Marc T. Bolin, Tuba. Gershman plays upright bass and electric bass.

Each track on the album is an Alex Gershman original, written with the goal of evoking this aforementioned, distinctive era in the evolution of jazz. Gershman collaborates with Bob McChesney on songs 1 and 10, and with Bob Garad on song 4. Music arrangements are by Elliot Deitch, with vocal arrangements by Bob Garad. The CD is produced by Joe Diblasi, with sound by Mauricio Gurrero, and package design by Yana Bannikova.

Gershman guides us through his inspirations for the varied tracks:

1. Lonely Day in Paris - Dedicated to Frank Sinatra, his style and musical feel. I wrote it because of my profound admiration of that time in the history of American Pop.

2. Feels like Jazz - Cabaret song in the style of 1920s and 30s music traditions. The girl in the club is flipping through names of the guys she’s dealt with, and after some time they all look and feel the same. However, she gets up and manages to perform, again and again.

3. Anything is Possible - Dixie style, New Orleans brass song. This song is about trusting yourself and your abilities, to achieve all the goals in life that you wish for, and making it clear that nobody has the right to stay in your way.

4. Black and Blue - This is a song I wrote originally for a musical I’ve been developing. The main character, Ruby, was harassed by three guys outside the bar where she’d just finished performing. She comes home, seeking some comfort from her friend and mentor, who sings her this song.

5. Breakfast - I think that this is my favorite tune on the CD. Also written in the tradition of the New Orleans big band sound. We added accordion to make the tango portion more authentic, and Tuba for the horn section. Life is beautiful and joyful. We just refuse to see it and enjoy every moment of living. Start with breakfast... that’s the idea!

6. Take a Chance – Highlighted by a classical swing instrumental interlude.

7. Heart on Fire - Slow ballad about passionate love, and life that is empty without somebody you care for.

8. Angel – The search for angel never stops, and it is good to keep looking.

9. Duke – Our tribute to the great Duke Ellington.

10. Sunday Blues - Classic jazz blues of 1930s style with banjo, horns and great piano and vocal parts.

11. Manhattan – Inspired by the great city.

With a big-band sound that recalls the vibe of New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band infused with the Blues, a hint of Gypsy Jazz, contemporary jazz and swing, Sasha’s Bloc have been playing to sold out shows across Southern California for the past two+ years and have developed a loyal following across the country.

Formed in 2012 by bassist Alexander Gershman, who hails from Moscow, Sasha’s Bloc is an eclectic mix of musicians focused on the revival of the jazz culture of the 1920’s and 30’s, combined with the adaptation of modern jazz original compositions.