Jamie Saft Joined By Bobby Previte, Steve Swallow and Iggy Pop on Loneliness Road

Over a career now spanning nearly thirty years, Jamie Saft has established himself as one of the visionaries of contemporary American music. As a composer, pianist and keyboard innovator, and collaborator of music icons such as Bad Brains, Beastie Boys, the B-52s, Donovan, John Adams and John Zorn, he has been fearless in his pursuit of spiritual elevation through music that both seeks to embrace the whole American canon, and also transcend it, by seamlessly assimilating genres, traditions, idioms and timelines.

His collaboration with London based progressive label RareNoise, now dating back to 2012, reflects this polymathic approach, as can be gleaned from listening to the array of path-breaking, irreducible recordings he released with them: among these, one of the most successful was a piano trio collaboration with jazz giants Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte, The New Standard.

On Loneliness Road, the follow-up album to that acclaimed 2014 release, the trio of Saft, Swallow and Previte are joined on three tracks by singer Iggy Pop (who just turned 70).

Saft is quick to point out that Loneliness Road is not simply a jazz piano trio with Iggy Pop added to three tunes. "It's a deeper concept of original improvised music that transcends genre," he explained. "I constructed this music on my initial notions of what music I'd like to improvise on with these particular musicians. There was no sense of 'genre' in the conception of that music."

All the elements for Loneliness Road came together in serendipitous fashion. While the intention of including Iggy Pop in the album had been discussed very early by Jamie Saft and RareNoise producer Giacomo Bruzzo. Both understood it was by no means an easy objective to accomplish, and that it was all down to the music.

Thus Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte proceeded to record the album as a trio June 2016 at Saft's Potterville International Sound Studio in the Hudson Valley of Upstate New York. Knowing that they would be recording to tape and cutting lacquer, Previte even brought his 1965 Rogers Holiday drums to the session, to match the burnished sound of Steve Swallow and Jamie Saft's deep touch. In his own words: "We obsessed, as we always do, over the sound of the record, but never over the music itself. How music occurs always needs to remain a glorious mystery - an unknowable, unreachable, indefinable and most importantly, unrepeatable, mystery."

Saft adds that "Rather than try to anticipate what Iggy might add to our tracks and just give him a 'backing track', we instead chose three fully-realized instrumental tracks from our session that we thought Iggy might actually enjoy. Through colleague Bill Laswell, whose label M.O.D. Technologies Giacomo is also involved in and who has produced records for Iggy in the past, we reached out: fortunately Iggy expressed interest and wanted to hear the music, which we sent him. Iggy's reaction was swift and decisive - he quickly said he loved the music and was definitely going to do this project. What an enormous honor this message was for me!"

Early January 2017, Iggy Pop recorded his three contributions ('Don't Lose Yourself', 'Loneliness Road' and 'Everyday') in Miami: "He sent us his very first take of each tune," says Saft. "He told me he used no music stand or lyric sheet as he was so ready to record these that the words just spilled out. Iggy said though he did many takes of each track, the first takes just 'had the juice.' Of course this perfectly aligned with the first take idea we'd used in producing the album both musically and sonically. In Previte's own words: "And Iggy - he took it so seriously. He really heard us."

While The New Standard was recorded as direct-to-2-track analog by renowned engineer Joe Ferla, Saft enlisted his friend and Grammy winning producer Christian Castagno to record and co-produce Loneliness Road. Once again a fully analog path was chosen, and all tracks committed to tape were first takes.

 When asked about the songwriting process underlying Loneliness Road, Saft says that "Many of the pieces I wrote for this album show allegiance to the great American song forms of writers such as Bob Dylan, The Band, Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Jimi Hendrix, Charles Ives, Bill Evans, & Miles Davis. Both Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte are brilliant orchestrators - each gesture is in the service of the larger whole. A simple two chord structure such as 'Ten Nights' turns into a forward lurching swing epic in Bobby's hands. He channels Tony Williams through massive cymbal techniques. This same brilliance shines through in 'Henbane' with Steve Swallow's deep attention to detail within the classic swing feel. A rhythm section at this level allows me total freedom as the primary harmonic voice. I'm always afforded vast open spaces with Steve & Bobby. This is a rarified situation and I feel extremely fortunate for this opportunity each time we play."

Loneliness Road is indeed the result of a truly collaborative effort: "While I did compose all the music for this album, Steve and Bobby and ultimately Iggy were all able to realize this music with me at the very highest level. Iggy's lyrics and vocal approach are essential to each of the three tunes he contributed to. It's as if they were always there."

TRACKS

1. Ten Nights

2. Little Harbor

3. Bookmaking

4. Don't Lose Yourself (w. Iggy Pop)

5. Henbane

6. Pinkus

7. The Barrier

8. Nainsook

9. Loneliness Road (w. Iggy Pop)

10. Unclouded Moon

11. Gates

12. Everyday (w. Iggy Pop)

Indo-Fusion Guitarist Rahul Mukerji To Release Debut Album “Ma De Re Sha”

Rahul is a guitarist/musician based in Maryland, USA. Born in India, he has been performing live for over fifteen years. From dive bars and weddings, to crowds of thousands opening for the B-52s, he has had a varied performing career that has included gigs in Chicago, Boston, Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and India.

Rahul has been featured on a wide array of recordings. His original pieces were featured in the short indie film “Tokyo Confidential”. His music was also featured on DC local tri-state radio and his compositions have been featured in various fractal and traditional animations videos and used in the official score for the Fractal Forums web episodes.

Rahul was featured in the Guitar Player Magazine Editors' Picks in 2008. He is also a guest Guitar Instructor on the Shred Academy website. In addition to music, Rahul is also an accomplished visual artist and regularly exhibits his work in the Washington metropolitan area. From the traditional to the digital domain, Rahul utilizes a wide array of mediums such as wood engraving, spray painting, pencil sketching, and computer fractal renderings.

“Rahul employs a shimmering acoustic and a bell-like clean tone to craft a light and airy piece that sits ever so nicely in the 'feel good' pocket. There are no guitar histrionics or crafty arrangements, here - just breezy melodies kissed by empathetic tones. Its a very pleasurable seduction.” - Michael Molenda, Editor, Guitar Player Magazine

From the source inspiration, to the concept, writing, arrangement, and its actual making, this project is truly a reflection of unity in diversity. This world fusion rock guitar album brings together flavors of Indian music, Middle Eastern percussion, jazz, ambient, rock, and metal. The compositions and the arrangements were inspired by interactions with people from different cultural backgrounds and walks of life, all filtered through the prism of Rahul's own multicultural upbringing between East and West. The actual making of the music involved coordination with musicians and mixing/mastering engineers living in the US, Germany, Spain, and France.

Says Rahul, “The name for the album, as well as the title song, is derived from a word that a friend's daughter used to exclaim at every occasion she could find. No one quite knows what it means, but she made it up herself and she just loved clamoring it with conviction and glee. This project is similar, as it's a deeply personal statement, and the continuing journey to bring it to fruition has been a labor of love. The title song is dedicated to this little girl and the album name is a tribute to the spirit that the word represents.”

The guitars range from crisp acoustic tones and ethereal tapping soundscapes, to Indian Carnatic music inflected leads, heavy riffs, jazz chord progressions and blazing legato runs. Indian tablas and Middle Eastern percussion augment the rhythm section where Ruben Rubio's superb bass lines go from anchoring the grooves to adding delightful counterpoints. The album's wide stylistic palette is a reflection of the Rahul's multicultural background and influences coming together as something new and distinctly unique.

Says Rahul, “Over the years, I have accumulated a large collection of songs and have posted them on different platforms (Myspace, Reverbnation, Soundcloud, etc.). There were also compositions that my band Iritis could not use because of the variance in style. I had always wanted to release a solo album from all this material, and in 2011, I had the opportunity to start working on this project. My former Iritis bandmate and drummer, Bruce Ng, who is currently in Germany, was enthusiastic about being a part of this undertaking. He became an integral and inseparable part of the journey as the co-producer of the album. In addition to programming drums he also reviewed all aspects of the project: from individual tracks, to the artwork, and any written materials. I can't imagine this album without his help and am extremely grateful for all he has done and continues to do.

“From a writing perspective, the idea initially was to pick the 'best of the litter' from my old catalog and rework and release them as a homemade album for free. But as I started working on the pieces, I found myself composing new stronger material compared to my early work. I've always enjoyed the sound of tablas in heavy music and I decided to tailor the songs to that theme. Most of the songs were inspired by people from different backgrounds and walks of life, and my interaction with them. I tried to channel the essence of these interactions and the corresponding emotions into my music”

Band members:

Rahul Mukerji: Producer, songwriting, arrangements, guitars, guitar synth, e-bow, sampling, tabla and drum programming

Bruce Ng: Co-producer, arrangements, additional drum and percussion programming on all tracks

Ruben Rubio: All basses - www.rubenrubiobass.com

In closing Rahul has this to impart, “The album was born of multiculturalism and created with help from musicians and engineers in four different countries, over more than 5 years, through thousands of emails. We were all already friends or recommended by friends. It proved to me the importance of forging and nurturing bonds despite any geographic and cultural distances. While making this album, we may not have always been able to completely break through the language barrier, yet ultimately we were able to work through it all, and in music we found our common language. It was unity from diversity.”

Video links:

Youtube Channel Shortlink: https://goo.gl/GfCfj0

Album teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtlsgYBEBeI

FB page Shortlink: https://goo.gl/YYbPUe

Pianist Vadim Neselovskyi Forges a Musical Bond with his New Trio Amidst the Political Turmoil of his Native Ukraine

Get Up and Go, out May 19, 2017 features bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Ronen Itzik on Neselovskyi's sweeping, wide-ranging trio debut

" More than just a strong pianist, [Vadim] Neselovskyi is a composer who blends form and freedom in new ways." - John Kelman, All About Jazz

"NeselovskyiŠ managed to suggest Chopin, Debussy, Schubert, while developing simple phrases into expansive solo forms with piano-pounding climaxes." - Jim McNeely, Chicago Sun-Times

CD Release Concerts: May 2 - Regattabar. Cambridge, MA  o May 19 - The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT  o May 21 Bernikow JCC, Staten Island, NY  o May 22 - The Stone, NYC

Though he left the country more than 20 years ago, returning home to his native Ukraine is always a special occasion for pianist/composer Vadim Neselovskyi. His summer 2014 performance at the country's largest jazz festival, Alfa Jazz, took on an added poignancy, however, because of the political turmoil afflicting the nation. Having assembled a trio especially for the occasion, Neselovskyi forged a strong and meaningful bond with his bandmates - bassist Daniel Loomis and drummer Ronen Itzik - through this act of musical communion with his homeland.

That deeply emotional bond can be felt and heard throughout Get Up and Go, Neselovskyi's first trio recording. The album, due out May 19, 2017 via Jazz Family and Neuklang Records, shows off the range of emotions this trio is able to summon, as well shining a spotlight on Neselovskyi's compositional gifts, allowing him to conjure a remarkable symphonic sweep from such limited instrumentation.

When Neselovskyi and his trio arrived at the Alfa Jazz festival that June day, they had planned an upbeat, playful set appropriate to an open-air summer festival. Only ten minutes before they were to take the stage, the promoter announced that a Ukrainian military plane had been shot down by separatists and that the entire country was in mourning. Neselovskyi sat down at the piano, faced not with a crowd of eager revelers but with a somber audience holding candles, tears streaming down their faces.

Changing the program on the fly, Neselovskyi opened the set with a solo performance of "Krai," a poignant piece that quotes from an Orthodox prayer, the raw feeling of which he replicates here. The trio followed with "Get Up and Go," the piece that became the new album's title track. Though the phrase connotes a feeling of energy and ambition in English, Neselovskyi was unaware of the idiom when he originally composed it (the song was originally recorded on Gary Burton's Next Generation album).

In the composer's mind, the phrase refers to a soldier, wounded on the battlefield and lying on the ground, who wills him or herself to rise and carry on. The tune's air of quiet but forceful resilience proved especially resonant in the circumstances in which the artists and audience alike found themselves that tense summer day. "The human soul is a complicated thing, and we'll probably never understand how it works, but I can say that I have a special connection to the place where I was born," Neselovskyi says. "Every time that I visit Ukraine or Russia, I think I'm subconsciously searching for this feeling of home that I had when I was growing up, but it cannot come back. That concert was a moment when I felt that I was together with my people, as strongly together as maybe only tragedy can bring people."

It was also a spontaneous shift in plans of which only a smaller ensemble would have been capable. Given his taste for employing an orchestral palette in his work, Neselovskyi had long resisted leading a trio. "I think of myself primarily as a composer, and I always felt like my music naturally required all these extra layers that a piano trio could not give," he explains. Having gleaned a wide-ranging grasp of orchestration from working in both orchestral writing and extensive solo performances in the wake of his solo album Music for September, Neselovskyi began to change his thinking, coming completely around upon discovering his significant chemistry with Loomis and Itzik. "Suddenly I started to see possibilities for how a trio could sound like an orchestra."

Not all of the music on Get Up and Go echoes the mournful mood of the Alfa Jazz performance. The album begins in the sort of playful mood that the trio originally had in mind that day, with the joyfully spiraling "On a Bicycle," inspired by 20th-century Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko. "San Felio" evokes even sunnier climes, sparked by a vacation on the Mediterranean and capturing the image of sunlight reflecting on the sea as well as the sheer freedom and exuberance of getting away from it all.

The muted, hauntingly slow "Winter," highlighted by Loomis' wrenching arco bass, depicts the isolation and detachment embodied by the coldest months of the year, while the dreamy "Station Taiga," featuring ethereal wordless vocals by Portugese singer Sara Serpa, gives that mood a geographical location - the train station that marks the entryway to the "infinite forest," the seemingly endless, snow-covered forest that covers much of Siberia, Canada and Alaska.

"Who Is It?" picks up the pace again, with frenetic, buoyant rhythms inspired by the folk music of Moldova and the Balkans that Neseolvskyi heard as a child. "Prelude for Vibes" adapts the title track of Next Generation, written with Gary Burton in mind, into a piano trio version, while interludes featuring a Loomis solo and an atmospheric group improvisation both culminate in the album's moody closer, "Almost December," the delicate, first-snowfall stillness of which is hypnotically enhanced by another appearance by Serpa.

The youngest student to be accepted into the Odessa Conservatory (at age 15), Neslovskyi moved to Germany and finally to the US, where he completed his studies at Berklee College of Music and the Thelonious Monk Institute, where he was awarded a full scholarship as the pianist of an ensemble handpicked by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Terence Blanchard. During this time, he toured internationally with Hancock, Chaka Khan, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Terri Lyne Carrington and shared the stage with artists such as John Scofield, Terence Blanchard, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Benny Golson, Nicholas Payton and Steve Coleman.

Neselovskyi's 2013 solo piano album Music for September was produced by Fred Hersch and received wide critical praise including a 4-star review in DownBeat. He has worked closely with another mentor, Gary Burton, for the past twelve years, both performing with and composing for the master vibraphonist. His next release will be a duo recording with French horn player Arkady Shilkloper celebrating five years of collaboration, and he has plans for an album of his orchestral compositions in the near future.

www.vadimneseloskyi.com

Newport Jazz Festival® and Festival Artists Rank on "Best Of" Lists on JazzTimes Critics and Readers Polls

All photos by Ayano Hisa

Left: Christian McBride; Top right: Maria Schneider; Bottom right: Cécile McLorin Salvant

With a finger always on the pulse of the best in jazz, the Newport Jazz Festival® is pleased to celebrate festival artists who have won and been ranked on the JazzTimes Readers' and Critics Polls and nominated for honors by the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA). Newport Jazz Festival was also among the favorites selected by critics and fans.

JazzTimes readers' favorite artists who are performing in Newport are (winning categories are in bold):

*Newport Jazz Festival®: Jazz Festival

*Christian McBride: Artist of the Year; Double Bassist;Acoustic Small Group/Artist

*Jack DeJohnette: New Release; Drummer; Electric/Jazz-Rock/Contemporary Artist

*John Scofield: New Release

*Branford Marsalis Quartet: Vocal Release; Soprano Saxophonist

*Cyrille Aimeé: Vocal Release

*Snarky Puppy: Electric/Jazz-Rock/Contemporary Artist

*Maria Schneider: Big Band/Large Ensemble; Arranger; Composer

*Benny Golson: Jazz Book of the Year

*Trombone Shorty: Trombonist

*Joey DeFrancesco: Organist

*John Scofield: Guitarist

*Esperanza Spalding: Double Bassist; Electric Bassist

*Warren Wolf: Vibraphonist

*Terri Lyne Carrington: Drummer

*Cécile McLorin Salvant: Female Vocalist

*Esperanza Spalding: Female Vocalist

*Béla Fleck: Miscellaneous Instrumentalist

*WBGO-FM (Festival Travel Partner): Syndicated Radio Program; Podcast

The JazzTimes Critics' Poll included the following artists who are performing in Newport (winning categories are in bold):

*Newport Jazz Festival: Jazz Festival

*Theo Croker: New Artist

*Wadada Leo Smith: Artist of the Year; Trumpeter/Cornetist/Flugelhornist; Composer

*Henry Threadgill: Artist of the Year; Acoustic Small Group/Artist; Composer; Flutist

*Esperanza Spalding: Artist of the Year; Electric Bassist

*Jack DeJohnette: Acoustic Small Group/Artist; Electric/Jazz-Rock/Contemporary Artist; Drummer

*Maria Schneider: Big Band/Large Ensemble; Arranger

*Branford Marsalis: Soprano Saxophonist

*Vijay Iyer: Pianist

*Jason Moran: Pianist

*Joey DeFrancesco: Organist

*John Scofield: Guitarist

*Christian McBride: Double Bassist

*Warren Wolf: Vibraphonist

*Tyshawn Sorey: Drummer; Composer

*Cécile McLorin Salvant - Female Vocalist

*Cyrille Aimeé - Female Vocalist

*Béla Fleck - Miscellaneous Instrumentalist

*WBGO- FM (Festival Travel Partner): Syndicated Radio Program; Podcast

Newport Jazz artists who have been nominated for 2017 Jazz Music/Recording Awards are:

                                              

*Benny Golson - Lifetime Achievement in Jazz

*Wadada Leo Smith - Jazz Musician; Trumpeter

*Henry Threadgill - Jazz Musician; Composer; Arranger; Multi-Reeds Player; Flutist;

Midsized Ensemble

*Maria Schneider - Composer; Arranger; Large Ensemble

*Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith - Record of the Year; Duo or Trio

*Cyrille Aimeé - Female Vocalist

*Cécile McLorin Salvant - Female Vocalist

*Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith - Duo or Trio

*Chris Potter - Multi-Reeds Player

*Scott Robinson - Multi-Reeds Player; Baritone Saxophonist; Player of Instruments Rare in Jazz

*Evan Christopher - Clarinetist

*John Scofield - Guitarist

*Vijay Iyer - Pianist

*Joey DeFrancesco - Keyboardist

*Christian McBride - Bassist

*Warren Wolf - Mallet Instrumentalist

*Jack DeJohnette - Traps Drummer

*Up and Coming Musician - Jerome Jennings

JJA winners will be announced at jjajazzawards.org on May 15. For more information on JazzTimes, log on to jazztimes.com.

The 2017 Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Global Asset Management takes place August 4-6 at Fort Adams State Park and the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino. Artists include The Roots; Béla Fleck & The Flecktones; Snarky Puppy; Andra Day; Branford Marsalis Quartet; Maceo Parker; Rhiannon Giddens; Maria Schneider Orchestra; Hudson: Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, John Medeski & Larry Grenadier; Christian McBride Big Band with Special Guests; Cécile McLorin Salvant; Naturally 7; Leslie Odom, Jr.; Philadelphia Experiment: Questlove, Christian McBride, Uri Caine; and Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding. More artist announcements are coming soon. For tickets and additional information, go to www.newportjazz.org.

Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. was founded by George Wein in 2010 to build and continue the legacies of the famed Newport Jazz Festival® and Newport Folk Festival®. Under the auspices of the Foundation, the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals present performers who respect and honor jazz and folk music traditions, and at the same time reflect the changes in today's musical trends. In addition, the Foundation presents programs to educate young people about jazz and folk music as presented at the annual festivals. For more information, please visit http://www.newportfestivalsfoundation.org/.

Arthur Verocai 10th Anniversary Reissue of Encore

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Far Out Recordings has announced the first ever vinyl edition of Arthur Verocai’s 2007 masterpiece Encore. The album features 11 original Verocai compositions with guest musicians including Azymuth, Ivan Lins and a nine-piece string section. The new vinyl release has been remastered from the original tapes and is being pressed to heavyweight vinyl, with a touched-up sleeve design. Encore was the highly anticipated follow up to Arthur’s eponymous debut album from 1972, which saw him joining the dots over 35 years to create a modern classic of Brazilian music that, like his debut, combined Brazilian influences with his take on American soul and cinematic experimentation.

In the mid-2000’s, following on from Marcos Valle, Joyce and of course Azymuth, Arthur Verocai joined the long-line of Brazilian musicians whose music was to be introduced to a whole new legion of fans by Far Out. The story of Encore of course begins with Joe Davis, Far Out’s head honcho who stumbled upon Arthur’s debut in a dusty record store in downtown Rio in the late 80s. At the time of its release in 1972 critics panned Arthur’s debut and both the album and artist subsequently vanished into obscurity. Fast forward to winter 2004 and Joe’s at the studio of Far Out Recording artists Harmonic 313 – aka production duo Mark ‘Troubleman’ Pritchard and Dave Brinkworth – playing them some of his favourite Brazilian albums. Dave recalls the moment Joe put on Arthur’s debut, “As soon as the needle hit the record and we heard the fantastic arrangements, songs and sounds, Arthur completely blew our minds”.

Three months later and Joe and Dave were in Brazil with Arthur and the plans for what was to become Encore were being laid down. Seeking to re-create the sound of his first album, they invited in as many of the musicians who played on Verocai's debut as possible, including Robertinho Silva, Paulinho, Bigorna, and this time, the added bonus of all three Azymuth members, as well as horn and string players from the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra. Produced by Brinkworth, Encore sees Arthur on incredible form, the 35 plus years between the recording of his debut and this the follow-up just melted away as he picked up the (conductor’s) baton once again to create 11 epic tracks of stirring samba-soul and experimental cinematic movements for a record to rival his debut.

Born in Rio de Janeiro on 17 June 1945, Arthur Verocai began his professional music career in 1969 and over the next few years he was responsible for the orchestration of albums by Ivan Lins, Jorge Benjor, Elizeth Cardoso, Gal Costa, Quarteto em Cy, MPB 4 and Marcos Valle, among others. In the 1970s he was hired by Brazil’s biggest TV station, TV Globo, as musical director and wrote the arrangements for many of the stations biggest shows. In 1972, following the success Arthur had with the production of Ivan Lins 1971 album "Agora", Arthur recorded his self-titled debut album on Continental Records. ‘Arthur Verocai’ challenged the musical conventions of the day, combining Brazilian influences with folksy soul and lo-fi electronic experimentations of American artists like Shuggie Otis or the orchestration of producer Charles Stepney.

The brand new album from the mighty Brazilian ten-piece Nomade Orquestra - EntreMundos

Nomade Orquestra return from the stratosphere via Brazil with their second offering: EntreMundos (Between Worlds). Gazing outward through a kaleidoscope from the heart of Sao Paulo’s jazz scene, the collective consciousness of the ten-man orquestra has dreamt up an adventurous amalgam of earth’s most far reaching musical cultures. Recorded at Red Bull Studios, Sao Paulo, EntreMundos is like a cosmic musical playground where Ethio-jazz, Indian classical and Oriental sounds dance around Afro-Brazilian roots rhythms and Northern hemisphere jazz, funk, soul, library music and hip-hop influences. The sheer vastness of the album is astounding, Nomade Orquestra have quite literally conquered the world in sound.

Nomade Orquestra are some the most accomplished musicians in their city. They’re also avid record collectors, citing the coming-together of their expansive musical knowledges as key to their unique sound. Album opener ‘Jardim de Zaira’ - a tribute to the neighbourhood on the outskirts of the famous ABC region, where the band meet and rehearse - hosts a playful unison of vibraphone, guitar, horns and keyboards reminiscent of Stereolab’s funkiest late ‘90s output. ‘Felag Mengu’ lies somewhere between the groovy, brooding ethio-jazz of Mulatu Astatke and Tinariwen’s hazy desert Rock, and ‘Olho do Tempo’ is another enchanting incarnation of the band’s impossible to define brand of global roots music. The album’s wildest moment comes from the roaring off-road, big-band joy-ride ‘Rinoceronte Blues’ with hill-billy harmonica, soulful organ stabs and soaring horn arrangements further highlighting the depths of Nomade Orquestra’s endless span of influences.

With Gilles Peterson singing their praise and rave reviews from the likes of Wax Poetics, Record Collector and Songlines, last year, Nomade Orquestra’s self-titled debut album launched them from humble beginnings to international recognition.

The Brett Gold New York Jazz Orchestra Debuts with "Dreaming Big"

The June 16th release of Dreaming Big (GoldFox Records), which marks the recording debut of the Brett Gold New York Jazz Orchestra and features the compositions of Brett Gold, illuminates a most intriguing jazz odyssey.

A star trombonist in high school in his native Baltimore, Gold was steered away from a music career by his parents as well as his trombone teacher, of all people. Gold became an attorney and went on to achieve formidable success in the field of international and corporate tax law. But 25 years into his legal career, Gold changed course and reestablished contact with his musical muse.

Dreaming Big is remarkable not only for its very existence but also for the striking sounds it offers. A tour de force, the music ranges from 12-tone melodies to playful Monkisms to a stirring political statement. While the album introduces one of jazz's most challenging new instrumental voices, at the same time its warmth, humor, and accessibility convey an easy sophistication one would associate with an artist of far greater experience.

Gold enlisted first-call players from New York's jazz, studio, and Broadway scenes to produce the recording, including saxophonists Charles Pillow and Tim Ries, trumpeter Scott Wendholt, trombonist John Allred, bassist Phil Palombi, and drummer Scott Neumann.

Many jazz composers and arrangers, including Gold, cite Gil Evans and Bill Holman as influences. But Gold's affinity for the odd time-signature music of the late Don Ellis is reflected in a number of pieces on the CD. Among the compositions on Dreaming Big, the Middle Eastern-themed "Al-Andalus" (featuring a virtuosic turn by trumpeter Jon Owens) is partly in 11/4 and partly in 5/4. "That Latin Tinge" is a 7/4 mambo, not the usual time signature for a salsa piece. Even the fairly straightforward "Stella's Waltz" can trip someone up with its occasional judiciously placed bar of 5/4. And then there's "Nakba," the powerful 11-minute finale, which was composed partly with Gold's Moroccan sister-in-law in mind. The song is named after the Arabic word for "catastrophe," used by the Palestinians to describe the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. Featuring Ries on soprano saxophone, it traces the tragic history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Brett Gold "I found out that you can stop playing music, but it's still there circulating in your head," Gold says of the years when he was not involved in music full-time. After finishing high school a year early, he attended the University of Rochester as a double major in history and film studies (Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa) and continued his music studies at the Eastman School of Music where he played with one of its nationally recognized jazz ensembles. But he soon placed his jazz activities on the back burner, earning a J.D. from Columbia University Law School (1980) and an LL.M in tax law from New York University Law School (1983).

When Gold returned to jazz, he had no problem coming up with ideas for compositions -- his brain was full of them -- but his sabbatical from music left him unprepared to execute those ideas both on paper and on his horn, which he hadn't touched in 10 years. He first sketched his pieces out and hired professional musicians to record demo-like CDs of them. Then, studying privately with distinguished teachers like Pete McGuinness, Neal Kirkwood, and David Berger, he learned how to write complex compositions for big band.

Eventually, in 2007, Gold was accepted into the esteemed BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, under the direction of Mike Abene, Jim McNeely, and Mike Holober. During his tenure there, he developed a book of more than two dozen arrangements, of which 11 of the best appear on Dreaming Big.

Brett Gold "As a member of BMI, I was pushed to write longer, more abstract orchestral pieces, something I resisted," he says. "Instead, I looked to the way Duke Ellington wrote for his band -- his best pieces were seldom more than three to five minutes long. I also admired his idea of writing for individual members of the band."

Over the years, Gold has absorbed and strongly personalized any number of influences, some more than just musical. A study in diminished chords featuring clarinets and flutes, "Theme from an Unfinished Film" reveals his debt to what he calls the "internalized lyricism" of movie composers such as Bernard Herrmann, David Raksin, and Ennio Morricone. The genesis of "Exit, Pursued by a Bear (Slow Drag Blues)" was Shakespeare's most famous stage direction. And "Al-Andalus" was originally inspired by the hopes raised by the Arab Spring.

Gold does not play in the trombone section on Dreaming Big. "I actually function a lot better in a dark room writing music," he says. The roles he plays on the new album are those of composer, arranger, producer -- and big dreamer. 

JACKIEM JOYNER is in a funky mood on new album MAIN STREET BEAT

Delivering on his promise to “Evolve,” the title of Jackiem Joyner’s last soul-jazz album, the saxophonist became a father since his 2014 release, an elation-inducing experience that informs the music he wrote and produced for his new Artistry Music set, “Main Street Beat,” due June 30. The first single from the funky, dance inspiring, Motown-influenced session that will be shipped to radio this month is the exultant “Trinity,” named for Joyner’s first child whose presence on the track is voiced by Steve Oliver’s incandescent acoustic guitar.

Joyner approached crafting “Main Street Beat” with a three-pronged purpose. “I wanted to create something upbeat, fun to listen to and something to dance to. ‘Main Street Beat’ originally started off as a straight funk record that eventually became some of that, but a whole lot more as I allowed the creative process to have its way with me,” said Joyner, a Billboard chart-topper who plays tenor, alto, soprano and baritone saxophone on the date, often enriching the tracks by laying layer upon layer of horns to form a powerhouse sax section.    

The exuberant album opener, “Main Street,” exemplifies the mighty wall-of-horns approach with Joyner playing lead harmonies on alto reinforced by his sax section. Instead of tracking individually, Joyner brought the band – drummer Raymond Johnson, bassist Darryl Williams, electric guitarist Kyle Bolden and piano player Carnell Harrell - into the studio to record six tracks old-school style, including “Back To Motown.” Nick Colionne guests on “When You Smile” to flash his cool electric jazz guitar on the infectious mid-tempo R&B cut. Taking his alto sax chops out for a strut, Joyner cranks up the band for a fiery funk romp down “Southside Boulevard,” one of three tunes that adds Nikolai Egorov’s trombone muscle to the horn section. On a pair of urban joints – “That Good Thing” and “Don’t Make Her Wait” – Joyner plays soprano sax. He takes full command on the stormy “Addicted,” playing every instrument heard on the moody number. “Think James Brown on tenor sax” is how Joyner describes the super funky “Get Down Street.” A pair of high-energy pop-R&B covers – Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop The Feeling” and Bruno Mars’ “Treasure” – complete the outing, songs Joyner elected to record based upon their buoyant, positive nature, which he says mirrors his young  offspring’s personality.   

“My little girl played a huge role in inspiring this album. Having Trinity around during the writing process sparked an enormous font of creativity and really kicked my writing into high gear. The first single, named after her, really captures the excitement and joy of being a dad as well as the exciting little girl that she is. Trinity was right there in the studio during a lot of the writing process. Her jumpy and bouncy upbeat little self is really reflected on this album,” said Joyner, who will launch the record with June concerts in Cincinnati (June 9 at A Celebration of Black Music), Birmingham (June 11 at Jazz in the Park), San Diego (June 25 at Mediterranean’s Jazz and Supper Club) and Philadelphia (June 29 at South). 

The release of “Main Street Beat,” Joyner’s sixth album, coincides with his tenth anniversary as a recording artist. His 2007 debut “Babysoul” earned Debut Artist of the Year honors from Smooth Jazz News. Two years later, his sophomore set, “Lil Man Soul,” spawned two No. 1 singles on the Billboard chart and won the Song of the Year trophy for “I’m Waiting For You” from the American Smooth Jazz Awards. His self-titled 2010 album solidified his position as a consistent hit-maker. Revisiting his non-secular roots, Joyner issued the gospel-jazz “Church Boy” in 2012. “Evolve” placed his infectious melodies amidst futuristic electronic sonicscapes. Joyner’s music isn’t his only creative effort that ventured into extraterrestrial territory. Last year, the Norfolk, Virginia native who resides near Los Angeles authored his first book, the science fiction novel “Zarya: Cydnus Final Hope (Book 1). For more information, please visit www.JackiemJoyner.com.

“Main Street Beat” contains the following songs:

“Main Street”

“Back To Motown”

“Can’t Stop The Feeling”

“Trinity”

“When You Smile”

“Southside Boulevard”

“That Good Thing”

“Treasure”

“Addicted”

“Don’t Make Her Wait”

“Get Down Street”

Marley Family Celebrates 40th Anniversary Of Bob Marley & The Wailers' Classic "Exodus" With Four Separate Releases Out This June

Bob Marley & the Wailers' classic Exodus album, the ninth studio album of the band, was released on June 3, 1977, featuring a new backing band including brothers Carlton and Aston "Family Man" Barrett on drums and bass, Tyrone Downie on keyboards, Alvin "Seeco" Patterson on percussion, and the I Threes, Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths and Rita Marley on backing vocals, and newest member Julian "Junior Marvin" on guitar. The album was released on June 3, 1977, just six months after an assassination attempt was made on Bob Marley's life in Jamaica in December, forcing him to flee to London, where Exodus was recorded.

This June, The Marley Family, Island Records and UMe will mark the 40th anniversary of Exodus – named the "Best Album of the 20th Century" by Time magazine in 1999 – with a series of four separate reissues, three of which will feature Exodus 40 - The Movement Continues, son Ziggy Marley's newly curated "restatement" of the original album. 

  

As part of the celebration, Ziggy Marley has intimately revisited the original session recordings, uncovering unused and never-before-heard vocals, lyric phrasing and instrumentation, incorporating and transforming these various elements into brand-new session takes.

On June 2, UMe will release a version of Exodus 40 - The Movement Continues in a two-CD package that includes the original album and the Ziggy Marley "restatement"; a three-CD set (and digital equivalent) that includes the original Exodus, Exodus 40 - The Movement Continues and Exodus Live. A limited edition gold vinyl version of the original 1977 album will also be available.

A Super Deluxe, four-LP, two-7" single vinyl version includes the original LP, Ziggy Marley's restatement Exodus 40 – The Movement Continues, an Exodus Live set recorded at London's Rainbow Theatre the week of the album's release, Punky Reggae Party LP which includes a previously unreleased extended mix of "Keep On Moving", and a pair of vinyl 7" singles, including "Waiting in Vain" b/w "Roots" and "Smile Jamaica (Part One)" b/w "Smile Jamaica (Part Two)." 

Ziggy approached the "restatement" project with the utmost respect for his father's music and the message. Exodus 40  - The Movement Continues is his vision of how his father might have accessed these songs today. Ziggy's respectful, but experimental approach places them in a brand-new context, like listening to this classic album again, for the first time.

Ziggy uncovered 10 lead vocal outtakes for "One Love," proceeding to piece together a dazzling, new lead vocal from the outtakes, which includes vocal booth lyric ad libs near the end of the song.  He also assembled a noteworthy roster of musicians to record a new music bed for "Turn Your Lights Down Low" - which leads the song into deeper elements of R&B. Bob's original vocals sit atop this fresh music bed, creating a new soulful experience with this iconic song.  Ziggy and his hand-chosen musicians provide subtle instrumental textures throughout this knowledgeable reimagining from the multiple Grammy® winning heir to his father's legacy.

Ziggy Marley will be embarking on a summer tour beginning June 12 in San Diego, CA.  In addition to his own lauded catalog, Ziggy will also be incorporating music from Exodus into his set. 

Bob Marley, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, is notable not only as the man who put reggae on the global map, but, as a statesman in his native Jamaica, he famously brought together the country's warring factions. Today, Bob Marley remains one of the 20th century's most important and influential entertainment icons. Marley's lifestyle and music continue to inspire new generations as his legacy lives on through his music. In the digital era, he has the second-highest social media following of any posthumous celebrity, with the official Bob Marley Facebook page drawing more than 74 million fans, ranking it among the Top 20 of all Facebook pages and Top 10 among celebrity pages. Marley's music catalog has sold millions of albums worldwide. His iconic collection LEGEND holds the distinction of being the longest-charting album in the history of Billboard magazine's Catalog Albums chart and remains the world's best-selling reggae album. Marley's accolades include inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1994) and ASCAP Songwriters Hall of Fame (2010), a GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award (2001), multiple entries in the GRAMMY® Hall Of Fame, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2001). 

 

Legendary 1980 Diana Ross Album, 'diana -- the original CHIC mix', Gets Its First-Ever Vinyl Release, On Two-45rpm Discs

Sought after by collectors and considered the rarest of Motown's rare grooves, Diana Ross' diana – the original CHIC mix, made its long-awaited debut on vinyl on April 21, on Motown/UMe/UMGI, with a twist: it will be a double-LP set on pink vinyl at 45rpm for maximum fidelity. This edition of diana includes alternate-mix versions of such classics as "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out," as envisioned by Chic's Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame member Nile Rodgers and the late Bernard Edwards.

Following 1979's collaboration with Ashford & Simpson, which produced her hit "The Boss," Diana Ross sought a new sound and hired the hot Chic team of Rodgers and Edwards to compose, play on and produce her next release. But she and Motown were dissatisfied with the too-Chic-like results, a feeling supported by influential disc jockey Frankie Crocker, who warned Ross the record might fall prey to the disco backlash at the time. Ross turned to Motown's house engineer, Russ Terrana, the man behind her Supremes and solo hits and much more, and he proceeded to remix the entire album, using alternate vocals or placing her vocals more upfront, creating overall a smoother, "commercial" mix. "Our concept was to make it more avant-garde," Nile Rodgers later told writer Brian Chin, "and their concept was to make it a little bit more accessible." The revised diana, her tenth studio album, was released – with a striking, now iconic cover image – on May 22, 1980. 

  

Rodgers and Edwards were not informed and, protesting publicly, wished to take their names off the record. But they cooled off and saw "Upside Down" – Ross' own description to Rodgers and Edwards as to what she wanted to do to her career – emerge a #1 smash hit.

Subsequent singles included "I'm Coming Out," which went to #5 in the U.S. and became a LGBTQ anthem, while "My Old Piano," was a Top 5 hit in the U.K. The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200, selling nine million albums worldwide. Soon after Ross moved on to RCA Records in a then-record $20 million deal before returning to Motown in 1989.

Fans now get to hear for the first time on vinyl those original Chic mixes of diana, one of four albums the duo of Rodgers and Edwards produced that year, including Sister Sledge's Love Somebody Today, Sheila and B. Devotion's King of the World and their own studio album, Real People. Available on two pink vinyl 45rpm discs, diana – the original CHIC mix, incorporates tracks first heard on diana: deluxe edition, originally issued July 29, 2003.

diana – the original CHIC mix vinyl track listing

Side One 

1. "Upside Down" 

2. "Tenderness"

Side Two 

1. "Friend to Friend" 

2. "I'm Coming Out"

Side Three 

1. "Have Fun (Again)" 

2. "My Old Piano"

Side Four 

1. "Now That You're Gone" 

2. "Give Up"

International Jazz Day 2017 Worldwide Celebration Concludes With Extraordinary All-Star Global Concert, Hosted By Actor Will Smith, In Havana, Cuba

Following thousands of events taking place in over 190 countries, International Jazz Day 2017 culminated in a phenomenal concert streamed worldwide from Havana's historic Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso. As the International Jazz Day 2017 Global Host City, the musically vibrant city of Havana also presented a wide range of concerts and education programs in partnership with Cuba's Ministry of Culture, the Cuban Institute of Music, and the Cuban National Commission for UNESCO. 

Established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in coordination with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, International Jazz Day is recognized on the official calendars of UNESCO and the United Nations. Each year on April 30, International Jazz Day highlights the role of jazz in promoting freedom, creativity and intercultural dialogue, and uniting people from all corners of the globe. Toyota served as Lead Partner of International Jazz Day 2017.

The Global Concert began with an all-star group of musicians from Cuba and around the world performing "Cuba Bop" and "Manteca" in tribute to the groundbreaking 1940s collaboration between Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo that blended Afro-Cuban music and jazz. Acclaimed vocalist Cassandra Wilson performed her sultry composition "You Move Me" and Cuban trumpet virtuoso Julio Padrón played Freddie Hubbard's inventive "Byrdlike." Beloved Cuban vocalist Bobby Carcassés joined forces with master bassist and vocalist Richard Bona of Cameroon for a fiery rendition of the Latin jazz tune "Bilongo."

"Bésame Mucho" showcased the global influence of jazz, with pianists Youn Sun Nah (Republic of Korea) and Tarek Yamani (Lebanon); bassist Esperanza Spalding and violinist Regina Carter (United States); and drummer Antonio Sánchez (Mexico). To mark the centennial of jazz icon Thelonious Monk, legendary Cuban pianists Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Chucho Valdés gave a stunning performance of the classic "Blue Monk." The concert came to a exhilarating end with artists including pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Marcus Miller, vocalists Kurt Elling and Ivan Lins, French guitarist Marc Antoine, and Cuban percussionists Yaroldi Abreu, Adel González, Ramsés Rodriguez and Oscar Valdés performing the John Lennon anthem "Imagine."

Vibist Terry Gibbs Comes Out of Retirement with New Album, 92 Years Young: Jammin' at the Gibbs House

Terry Gibbs is one of the LAST living legends from the Bebop Era. Part of the scene in 1940s, Terry played with everyone from the creators of Bebop, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell and Max Roach. He then moved on to tour with legendaries Benny Goodman & Woody Herman. From there Gibbs went on to conduct TV Shows for pioneer talk show host Steve Allen and Regis Philbin. His 2004 autobiography GOOD VIBES: A Life in Jazz won the prestigious ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor award. This is only a small summary of 92-year-old Terry Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs has come out of retirement only to make ONE MORE recording on Whaling City Sound and doing it in a jam session, the way he did back in the 1950s with Parker & Gillespie and all the great musicians of that era.

Throughout almost 80 years of playing and presenting music, exuberant vibraphonist and jazz icon Terry Gibbs, now 92, has always been known for the sheer joy that imbues his performances and CDs. On live recordings, he can be heard cheering the band on, punctuating arrangements and solos with non-verbal interjections. Even in the studio, the overall feeling of his band and his music is that life is a gas, a spirit very evident on 92 Years Young: Jammin' at the Gibbs House.

  

These songs were recorded live at a jam session in Terry's living room over 4 days in May 2016. Most tracks were done in a single take. Arrangements were discussed briefly just before playing, or not at all. There was no rehearsal. This kind of session knowhow is characteristic of Terry and not all that many others: name a song, play through it once into the mics, and move on. The entire band carries the seamlessness and continuity, which support the leader both comfortably and ably. Terry's son Gerry, a veteran drummer and leader with several #1 CDs of his own, has recorded with his 'Pops' a number of times, as has pianist John Campbell. Handling the bass in this company as if born to it is Mike Gurrola.

The vibes is a very physical instrument, and Terry makes it sparkle and groove. In the liner notes for the CD, vibraphonist Warren Wolf writes, "[Terry's] tone…is always recognizable, his speed and accuracy are rock solid and most important, the history of the music is heard throughout Jammin'.

Terry is one of the few musicians alive to have played in the formative years of bebop (Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie) as well as with the King of Swing, Benny Goodman. For many years, Terry's quartet included a woman on piano (and vibes), something rare in those days.

 

NEW RELEASES: PATTI LABELLE – BEL HOMMAGE; JAMIE BRANCH – FLY OR DIE; EMANUELA CAMPANA - FORTISSIMO

PATTI LABELLE – BEL HOMMAGE

A great little jazz album from Patti Labelle – and that's right, we did say "jazz" and not soul – as the whole thing's got a wonderful old school style that really suits the singer's voice perfectly! There's a classic presentation to the record, but also one that's never trapped in cliched gimmicks – as the live jazz backing seems to unlock more spontaneity in Patti's vocals than we remember hearing in recent decades – as she takes each song and gives it a wonderful personal performance. The lady also mixes in some deeper bluesy currents to her phrasing, in a way you'd never expect from her 70s albums – and titles include "Jazz In You", "Moanin", "Moody's Mood", "Softly As I Leave You", "Peel Me A Grape", "I Can Cook", "Folks Who Live On The Hill", "Song For Old Lovers", and "Go To Hell".  ~ Dusty Groove

JAMIE BRANCH – FLY OR DIE

An incredible debut from trumpeter Jaimie Branch – an artist who seems ready to be one of the boldest new voices in jazz on the Chicago scene! Branch works here at a level that both lives up to an AACM legacy of experimentation, and the rich exploration in new jazz forms that we love from the International Anthem label – a short-lived imprint, but who who've really opened up a wider audiences for the best creative efforts from our home town! Branch's group here is great – with Tomeka Reid on cello, Jason Ajemian on bass, and Chad Taylor on drums – the last of whom brings his wonderfully loose, open, yet still-swinging style to play – and creates this magical flow that only seems to inspire Jaimie's bold trumpet work even more. The record is constantly creative, but deeply spiritual too – and also includes guest performances from Josh Berman on cornet and Matt Schneider on guitar. Titles include "Jump Off", "The Storm", "Waltzer", "Fly Or Die", "Leaves Of Glass", and "Meanwhile".  ~ Dusty Groove

EMANUELA CAMPANA - FORTISSIMO

A sweetly sultry singer – and one whose style will grab you nicely, even if you don't understand Italian! The style here is laidback and jazzy – with a warm glow that comes from some very well-crafted arrangements – sometimes with a bit of bossa in the rhythms, sometimes kind of a soulful 70s vibe – often very mellow, but in a way that lets the voice of Emanuela Campana really open up and glow! The set features a great remake of Morricone's classic "Metti Una Sera A Cena" – plus "D'Improvviso", "Cu'Mme", "Brividi", "El La Chiamano Estate (Papik disco rmx)", "All Around The World", and "La Voglia La Pazzia".  ~ Dusty Groove

GIANT STEPS MUSIC ANNOUNCES THEIR FIRST COMPILATION MUSIC ACTION ENSEMBLE – FOUNDATION

A love of jazz, learning and a determined passion to make a difference in other people’s lives can manifest itself in many different ways. For Drew Foxman, the choice was clear: he knew he wanted to create awareness via the world’s greatest method of connecting human beings—music. “Historically, slavery, oppression, forced migration, all played a prominent role in music’s evolution and in fact led to many of the western world’s music genres, especially jazz and reggae. Music has also been a huge catalyst in all the human rights movements—whether it’s the civil rights movement in the US, apartheid, the fall of the Eastern Bloc, or the Arab Spring.”

Foxman was reared on jazz, with his father one of the world’s foremost collectors of pre-bebop jazz, the musical background to Drew’s childhood. He played jazz piano, which took a backseat in his teen years, but was re-embraced after a friend gave him a copy of John Coltrane’s Giant Steps, which was a moment that “defined my personal and career trajectory ever since.” After living abroad playing music in Europe and teaching in Tibet, running the San Francisco Jazz Festival’s educational program at age 24, obtaining his Master’s degree from Columbia University, Drew has been working in the international social impact space. His work included running a cultural diplomacy project with the State Department for youth in India and Pakistan to create social responsibility and take action in their communities through music, dance, and theatre. These skills and experiences gave Drew the tools to Giant Steps, an establishment where music and social impact collide, putting together the best of both worlds.

The seed for Giant Steps was planted during one of Foxman’s final projects at San Francisco Jazz. Award-winning literary organization Youth Speaks commissioned SFJAZZ to write socially conscious music, so Foxman created an alumni program bringing together the most talented graduates from the SFJAZZ’s youth ensemble program to work with masters in composition and study social issues. The youth then worked together to compose music based on what they’d learned. The premiere performance sold out and was broadcasted live on KPFA.

Giant Steps became the natural progression to synthesize all of the work Foxman wanted to do. Giant Steps aims to build a field for “social impact music” where music can take its rightful place in society as a springboard for transformative change, “since music has been a huge catalyst in all the human rights movements.” As such, Giant Steps has launched Music Action Lab, a social impact incubator for musicians.  Comprised of a global network of musical innovators who work together to design solutions and create new music in service of a better world, their first project by the Music Action Ensemble will be released on May 12 in the form of a compilation called Foundation. Says Foxman, “Musicians around the world were invited to participate in the first Lab through an open call for submissions. Nine musicians were selected from a pool of 98 applicants across 22 countries through a highly competitive application process—based on their unique combination of artistic excellence, demonstration of community leadership, and social entrepreneurship potential. Each Lab culminates in one album of original material that will have a specially designed educational curriculum to teach and spread the message of the music. Through the Music Action Lab, Giant Steps Music is creating a catalogue of social action recordings through a new global musical language exclusively dedicated to social good.”

Once the Lab started, the musicians were immediately encouraged to be collaborative. They met every day for a half-day of social change leadership training through a unique curriculum where they learned from leading experts from the social impact sector. The second half of the day was spent in the band room to compose and rehearse, informed and inspired by the morning sessions through a leaderless, collaborative, creative process.

In just three weeks of composing, the result is ten boundary-breaking tracks, infusing hip-hop, Afropop, Pakistani folk, and Brazilian rhythms with jazz, contemporary, Arabic music and more.  Every song a collaboration, every song focusing on a position of change, be it how we see beauty, find love or explore the idea of self.  “Foundation is the result of this process of artistic and social innovation. We chose this title because the music explores and examines the shared human values that underlie and support social justice work,” says Foxman. “The album is about laying down the necessary foundation before launching full-throttle into social justice work and social movements.”

Music Action Ensemble - Players

Drew Foxman, Founder & Chief Creative Officer

Farhan Bogra, rubab, Pakistan

Teta, vocals, Rwanda

Aisha Fukushima, vocals, rap, USA/Japan

Amen Viana, guitar, vocals, Togo

Icaro Sá, percussion, Brazil

Derek Beckvold, saxophone, tabla, USA

Will Magid, trumpet, USA

Owen Clapp, bass, USA

Tyler Nam Berg, drums, USA

Foundation Track Listing

Sheen-Ghar

Beautiful

Dance Joint

Share

Run

Life

Build

L.o.v.e

King Cardamom

Release