RareNoise Releases Sonar Vortex with David Torn

Sonar's fourth release Vortex reflects the sound of surprise. After three uncompromising quartet albums exploring the edges of minimalist groove, the Swiss group has partnered with renowned guitarist, composer and producer David Torn for its RareNoise debut.

The band, comprised of guitarists Stephan Thelen and Bernhard Wagner, bassist Christian Kuntner and drummer Manuel Pasquinelli have long been celebrated for combining the visceral power and dynamics of art rock with a minimalist aesthetic. Their previous album, 2015's Black Light, attracted significant media and musician attention. Legendary avant-guitarist Henry Kaiser took a particular interest in the group and was determined to pair them up with Torn for their next album. "Henry wrote me and said 'There's this Swiss band Sonar that uses tritone tunings in a really interesting way. They're pretty minimalist. I think you should produce it,'" said Torn. "I dug into Black Light and enjoyed the music right away. The band has a boldness within its sparseness. I started having ideas quickly. I felt some of the rock elements could be more rocking and that things could be rougher sounding. I wanted to add another layer to it. And off we went."

But what began as a production relationship with the intention of having Torn also occasionally guest on tracks, rapidly evolved. Torn ended up performing on every track, essentially becoming a fifth band member throughout the sessions.

"From the first second, David's playing was so intense and powerful that his energy immediately transferred to the band," said Thelen. "It was remarkable. David's sound meshed so perfectly with our sound, sonically and conceptually. Everybody was just stunned. Our friend, the music journalist Anil Prasad, was there to document the sessions. He took me aside and said 'You have to have David play on every track. Seize this remarkable and unique opportunity.' So, we did."

  

The sessions at Powerplay Studios near Zürich were full of camaraderie and collaboration. Sonar and Torn used virtually every minute of their work together on Vortex.

"We hardly edited anything out," said Torn. "I think that's because I played when I felt there was a spot in the pieces where something melodic or some weird, rhythmic looping thing could benefit the patterns Stephan and Bernhard were playing. I left a lot of space. I didn't want to get in the way of the pieces to the point where they call the paddy wagon and take me away in a straightjacket."

The end result is an exhilarating album and a 21st Century rock milestone. It's the sort of recording that rarely gets made anymore. It's five musicians together in a state-of-the-art studio, working in the moment and throwing caution to the wind. Vortex is pure artistry in motion.

"I never doubted David's free and expressive style would mesh perfectly with the clean, disciplined and precise approach Bernhard and I have in Sonar," said Thelen. "It's a bit like ying and yang or the two opposing ends of a ring-shaped world. We're all thrilled with how the album turned out."

Vortex track-by-track:

1. Part 44

Thelen: The original "'Part 44'" was composed by Don Li, one of the most important and innovative figures in the Swiss minimal groove scene. For the Sonar version of this piece, I kept the basic rhythm, but completely recomposed the guitar patterns and the harmonic movement of the piece. It has a fascinating polyrhythmic, propulsive structure that sets the tone for the album."

Torn: "It sounds exactly the way we played it during the sessions, with tremendous amounts of space between sections. You can also hear a sense of dirt in the bottom end. It's a gritty sound that's new for Sonar."

2. Red Shift

Thelen: "This piece is in three parts. The first section is quite heavy and strictly composed, with just the Sonar quartet. The second section is a tritone harmonics interlude with David and Manuel improvising over a guitar and bass pattern played only with the natural harmonics of the tritone tuning. The third section offers a very slow build-up improvisation with lots of ambient sounds and loops from David."

Torn: "I really like the microsampling things I do on this track to help color it. I would hit a chord and quickly sample four or five milliseconds of it and shift the pitch of it."

3. Wave and Particles

Thelen: "This is my favorite piece. It has a spiritual quality and I love how David soars like an eagle over the constantly-shifting groove. It's based on a ridiculously complex rhythm, but flows very naturally."

Torn: "You'll hear me reharmonizing things and carefully crafting improvised ambiences on this. These things created a feeling of suspense. You'll also find me playing melodies that are harmonically different from Stephan's writing, not unlike the more open improvisations I did when I was with the Jan Garbarek band."

4. Monolith

Thelen: "David's guitar howls like a wounded beast over the angular, contrasting rhythms on 'Monolith.' He can express more and deeper feelings of hope and despair with one long, bended note than other guitarists with 10,000 notes."

Torn: "This has some of the best and most patient shifting of harmonics on the album as the piece floats along. I was playing chords and textures with melodic-type shapes along with these shifting harmonies. It felt like a cross between Miles Davis and Jon Hassell." 

5. Vortex

Thelen: "This is a tritone harmonics composition that's based on two different rhythmic subdivisions. It was very complex to nail down, but it comes across seamlessly and David does some wild stuff on it."

Torn: "I start the piece with a major chord, which is something different for Sonar. You can hear me playing parallel harmony things on the guitar that I'd subtly add to what was written. Christian is also really pushing the piece along and holding it down. Manuel is simultaneously careful with the composition and kicking ass."

6. Lookface!

Thelen: "This is a totally improvised, crunchy rock piece. I counted us in and all of a sudden, there were these powerful notes blasting out of David's amplifier. His sudden surge of energy infected the band and we took off on a throbbing journey."

Torn: "I chose to hit the notes over and over and fed them back in a million different ways. You'll also hear Manuel playing a downbeat that I created a harmonic counterpart for. I used detuned Gamelan instruments to make that. They sound like gongs in a couple of spots in the track. I'm very happy with how it turned out."

TRACKS

1. PART 44, 9:56

2. RED SHIFT, 10:31

3. WAVES AND PARTICLES , 7:49

4. MONOLITH, 10:47

5. VORTEX , 9:37

6. LOOKFACE!, 7:13

Produced and mixed by David Torn.

Recorded at Powerplay Studio A in Maur near Zürich, Switzerland, Feb. 15-17, 2017.

Engineer: D.James Goodwin.

Assistant: Reto Muggli.

Mastered by Serge Christen, www.mazzivesound.ch.

All compositions by Stephan Thelen except

Part 44 by Stephan Thelen and Don Li

Monolith by Stephan Thelen and David Torn

Lookface! by Stephan Thelen, Bernhard Wagner,

Christian Kuntner, Manuel Pasquinelli, and David Torn.

Published by RareNoisePublishing (PRS).

Executive Producer for RareNoiseRecords: Giacomo Bruzzo.

Special thanks to: Anil Prasad, Henry Kaiser, Alex Mullarkey, Susann Smitka, Thomas Becker, Jerry Rojas, Markus Reuter, and Giacomo Bruzzo.

David Torn appears courtesy of ECM Records.

VINCENT INGALA'S NEW SHANACHIE DEBUT "PERSONAL TOUCH" FEATURES ORIGINALS & TWO R&B GEMS

Twenty-something music prodigy Vincent Ingala is no stranger to contemporary jazz audiences. His heartfelt, sweet and soulful mix has catapulted him to the top of the Billboard Contemporary jazz charts, garnering him three Billboard #1's, and eight top 10 hits. The charismatic and handsome instrumental wizard has endeared fans, contemporaries and critics alike with his consummate musicianship, fun-loving stage presence, energized and inspired performances and all-around passion. Ingala, who was handpicked to open for Dave Koz at the tender age of 16, is an old soul with a musical identity and wisdom well beyond his years. He has collaborated with and or opened for such artists as Chris Botti, Jonathan Butler, Peter White and Kim Waters, among others. "I do not remember making a decision about becoming a musician because music was always inside of me," confides Ingala "My earliest memories are of banging on pots and pans until my parents had to buy me a drum kit and from there it was like a domino effect." 

From banging on pots to churning out hits, Ingala is a chameleon in the recording studio. Like an alchemist, he concocts the perfect elixir of his broad musical influences spanning the worlds of jazz, R&B, disco, pop and beyond.  A virtual one-man band playing everything from tenor saxophone, piano and drums to guitar bass and lead vocals, Ingala possesses great ingenuity, extraordinary versatility and an endless supply of inspiration. "I love all types of music and genres and I just absorb as much of it as I can," explains the young, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer. "I have always been mesmerized with the process of multi-track recording from a very young age. It's a process that I still love and practice today."

April 27, 2018, Vincent Ingala will release his fifth solo recording and Shanachie Entertainment debut, Personal Touch. A collection of eight stirring original tracks and two surprising reinventions of R&B chestnuts (one by Billy Ocean and another by Alexander O'Neal), Vincent Ingala proves why he is one of the most exciting artists to emerge in contemporary jazz this past decade. Danny Weiss, VP Of Jazz A&R for Shanachie Entertainment states, "With Vincent, the sky is the limit.  He's bursting with talent and in fact he plays every note heard on this new CD.  Still in his early 20s, Vincent has already established himself on the top rung of the smooth jazz ladder and we're looking forward to taking him to the next level.  With his knowledge and interest in all styles of music, there's no telling where he'll go from here."

Saxophonist Randal Despommier & Pianist Jason Yeager Release "All At Onceness"

Brooklyn-based Red Piano Records have announced the release of saxophonist Randal Despommier and pianist Jason Yeager's first collaborative album, All At Onceness, a soulful mix of improvisational arrangements of Baroque, Romantic, twentieth-century, and contemporary pieces. With source material ranging from Bach to Stravinsky, Scriabin to Messiaen, these intrepid composer-improvisers stake out their own territory in a diverse program that combines folk-like melodies, evocative harmonies, and infectious rhythms. Joining the duo are three of New York's most adventurous artists: vocalist Aubrey Johnson, bassist Danny Weller, and drummer Jay Sawyer.

On April 21st at 8 PM, Despommier and Yeager will lead their band in a CD release concert/celebration at the cell theatre, located at 338 W 23rd St.

When New Orleans-born jazz alto saxophonist and classical composer Randal Despommier moved to New York City in the summer of 2013, he teamed up an with award-winning jazz pianist/composer from Boston, Jason Yeager, to explore improvisational arrangements of classical repertoire."Jason and I were both interested in building off of the jazz tradition by turning to the classical oeuvre and vice versa. During our jam sessions, we'd mess around with jazz standards, preludes by Scriabin, and folk songs; then we'd arrange, rearrange, and sometimes 'de-range' pieces, as Jason puts it; the result was what we felt to be a coming-together of various musical styles from the past and present. We decided to call this approach All At Onceness, a term coined by the Canadian media scholar, Marshall McLuhan."

Some of these "derangements" include Despommier's Cherokee-meets-Le Sacre du printemps (entitled "Rite of Cherokee"), described by the saxophonist as "something of a primal Bop dance." Yeager's version of "Danse de la fureur..." (or "Dance of Fury") is a fiery, adventurous atonal saxophone and piano/rhodes duet that draws from the sixth movement of Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time. These high-octane fusion works are counterbalanced by two original compositions: Despommier's"The First Flowers," an ethereal, lyrical setting of a poem by Hermann Hesse, and Yeager's "Telekinesis,"a playful, Kafkaesque jazz vocalise interpolated with collective improvisation from the ensemble.

Critical to the standout originals are the contributions of vocalist Aubrey Johnson, who has collaborated with top artists ranging from Fred Hersch to Bobby McFerrin. Despommier notes that, "Aubrey sings with such soul and warmth; she's a real singer/poet who 'breathes life into the words' as the madrigalists would say." Johnson's moving vocal work is featured on several cuts, her exquisite tone and deep improvisational prowess particularly strong on the closing track, Despommier's arrangement of Bartók's "Bagatelle Op. 10 No. 4." In this work, following a scintillating solo by Johnson, Despommier joins the fray as a vocalist, in the majestic choral section that closes out the album.

Lighting a creative fire under the front line is the top-notch rhythm team of drummer Jay Sawyer (Freddy Cole, Itamar Borochov) and bassist Danny Weller (Jason Palmer, Radio City Music Hall Christmas Orchestra), who contribute imaginative musical commentary to "Telekinesis," "Bagatelle", and "Rite of Cherokee."  "I've worked with Jay and Danny for quite some time, and they combine an intensity and energy with supreme listening and sensitivity, which is rare," comments pianist Yeager. "I've performed with them in settings ranging from my trio to larger ensemble projects, and knew that they would be the perfect fit for what Randy and I had in mind for this recording."

Another standout track is Despommier's haunting arrangement of an ancient Icelandic religious text, "Heyr Himna Smiður," or "Hear, Smith of the Heavens," an early thirteenth-century poem by Icelandic chieftain/poet Kolbeinn Tumason, set to music in the twentieth century by Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson. Accompanied only by Yeager on piano, Johnson's superb vocal interpretation gives the track a truly celestial ethos, entrancing the listener with a captivating melodic statement.

Randal Despommieris a New York-based composer, saxophonist, and educator from New Orleans, LA. His unique and extensive background in jazz, blues, and Western classical music results in a distinct twenty first-century compositional voice. Despommier's original music ranges from contemporary art songs to jazz adaptations of Medieval and Renaissance music. His debut album, an original song cycle entitled Circus of the Soul will be released on Albany Records later this year. He directs the music program at Bard High School Early College in Manhattan and has taught jazz history with the Bard Prison Initiative.

Jason Yeager is a New York-based pianist, composer, and educator, whose music is informed by jazz improvisation, contemporary chamber music, and Latin American folk rhythms. His most recent album, United, with violinist Jason Anick, was awarded 4.5 stars and named one of 2017's top releases in Downbeat Magazine. His fourth recording as a leader, All At Onceness, with composer/saxophonist Randal Despommier, will be released on Red Piano Records in April 2018. Yeager has performed and recorded with such artists as Luciana Souza, Matt Wilson, Ayn Inserto, Linda Oh, Greg Osby, Sara Serpa, and George Garzone, and has performed across the US and abroad in Argentina, Panama, and South Africa. In addition to his performance and composition work, Yeager teaches piano at Berklee College of Music. 

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah’s Stretch Music Residency at Harlem Stage

Harlem Stage, the legendary uptown venue that for over 30 years has promoted the creative legacy of Harlem and artists of color from around the corner and across the globe, is proud to present its Spring 2018 season of performances. The season is curated by Monique Martin, newly appointed Director of Programming for Harlem Stage and features artists as #Disrupters, who take creative risk. They reflect the times via a range of artistic genres, offering audiences the chance to experience legendary performers and rising stars.

Harlem Stage is thrilled to continue its partnership with Edison Award-winning and Grammy-nominated trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah to re-establish jazz as a social music through the Stretch Music Residency. This second year of Adjuah’s residency will feature the 2nd annual Stretch Music Festival, a FREE Pop-Up Concert at Silvana’s restaurant, a FREE intensive class, a screening of the film “Samaria,” and Jazz: Then And Now conversation series, in addition to kicking off an exciting series of humanities and online engagement activities taking place from March 27 – 31.

The series kicks off on March 27th with Harlem Stage’s first ever FREE Pop-up performance taking place at Silvana’s Restaurant featuring Stretch Music’s Sarah Elizabeth Charles and hosted by Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. Ms. Charles will perform music from her latest album ‘Free of Form’. During the day, musicians and jazz lovers can participate in a FREE immersive music class and jam session at Manhattan School of Music.

On March 28th, the screening of “Samaria” will be followed by a discussion between Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, who composed the music for the film, and Samora Pinderhughes, composer of “Whose Streets,” the award-winning film directed by Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis. Moderated by Producer/Director Lisa Cortès.

On March 29th, Jazz: Then and Now is a conversation series, that brings together innovative thought leaders in the field in dialogue on the history, the present and the future of jazz. Ethnomusicologist Fredara Hadley PhD. will moderate what promises to be a rich conversation between Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and Stefon Harris, Director of the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Arts Program. The conversation will be preceded by a performance by the Manhattan School of Music’s Mingus Ensemble.

Closing out the series on March 30th and 31st will be performances by Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and his band, in addition to bands led by The Curtis Brothers, Max Moran and Neospectric, Lawrence Fields, Kris Funn and special surprise guests. The second year of the Stretch Music festival emphasizes musicians who push the boundaries of jazz as they reach back into the past creating bridges to the present. Rhythms such as Kassa Soro from Mali, that predate the transatlantic slave trade as well as Salsa and Son which came after can be found in Blues, Funk, Trap, Hip Hop and Stretch Music. Ancestral recall of the bata, dun and djembe drums show up. New forms created from these rhythmic bridges inform the future of jazz music in all of its complexity.

The Stretch Music Residency is organized by Harlem Stage in partnership with Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University, has been made possible with support from Chamber Music America through its Residency Endowment Fund.

The Stretch Music Residency is a part of Harlem Stage’s WaterWorks program. WaterWorks is supported by Ford Foundation, Time Warner Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Lambent Foundation, SHS Foundation and Bob and Eileen Gilman Family Foundation.

Stretch Music Festival artists are supported by Jerome Foundation.

Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter at the 8th Annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival

The weekend of June 15-17, 2018, marks a pivotal milestone for the 8th annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival presented by Citizens Bank. Other sponsors include: Highmark, Advanced Auto Parts, North Coast Brewing, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Big Y Group, Richard King Mellon Foundation and Flyspace Productions. Partners include Kente Arts Alliance, Courtyard Marriot, Drury Hotel, Acrobatique Creative, Downbeat Magazine, Jazz Times Magazine, Entertainment Cruise Productions, and Clarke Public Relations. A signature program of the African American Cultural Center at the newly relaunched August Wilson Center, the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival will continue to be helmed by Janis Burley Wilson, the new president & CEO of the AACC, who created and directed the jazz fest since its founding in 2011.

The Pittsburgh Jazz Festival line up includes: Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter, Shemekia Copeland, Kenny Garrett, Polly Gibbons, Terri Lyne Carrington, Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles, Emmet Cohen with special guest, Tootie Heath, Donny McCaslin, Pedrito Martinez, Miguel Zenon, Jose Alberto, Ambrose Akinmusire, Orrin Evans, Noel Quintana, DJ Selecta, the University of Pittsburgh Jazz Ensemble and more.

MARCUS MILLER

As a multi-instrumentalist, Marcus is highly proficient as a keyboardist, clarinetist/bass clarinetist and, primarily, as a world-renowned electric bassist, topping critics' and readers' polls for three decades. His résumé as an A-list player brims with over 500 recording credits as a sideman on albums across the spectrum of musical styles: rock (Donald Fagen and Eric Clapton), Jazz (George Benson, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Sample, Wayne Shorter and Grover Washington, Jr.), pop (Roberta Flack, Paul Simon and Mariah Carey), R&B (Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan), hip hop (Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg), blues (Z.Z. Hill), new wave (Billy Idol), smooth jazz (Al Jarreau and Dave Koz) and opera (collaborations with tenor Kenn Hicks and soprano Kathleen Battle). As a film music pro, Miller rose from writing the go-go party classic "Da Butt" for Spike Lee's "School Daze" to becoming the go-to composer for 20+ films (from the documentary "1 Love" to the animated children's fable "The Trumpet and The Swan" to the Eddie Murphy/Halle Berry classic "Boomerang"). As a producer, writer and player, he was the last primary collaborator of jazz legend Miles Davis, contributing the composition and album "Tutu" to the canon of contemporary jazz music. The breadth of his collaborative talents were best showcased in his work with the late, great soul man Luther Vandross, contributing to well over half of his albums as a producer, composer and/or player on a string of hits capped by "Power of Love/Love Power" for which Marcus won his first Grammy, 1991's R&B Song of the Year.

GREGORY PORTER 

For Gregory Porter, the influence of Nat King Cole on his life and music runs deep, a through-line that reaches back into some of his earliest childhood memories, and culminates in the release of the two-time GRAMMY-winning vocalist's stunning fifth studio album Nat King Cole & Me, a heartfelt tribute to the legendary singer, pianist, and Capitol recording artist. "He was one of a kind. He left such great music - such beautiful things to listen to that you can't help but be influenced by that extraordinary timbre, style, and ultimate cool," Porter enthuses. After his role in the Tony-nominated musical It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues - but before rising to international acclaim in his solo career thanks to his mellifluous baritone, poignant originals, and invigorating concerts - Porter dramatized his deep appreciation for Cole in a semi-autobiographical musical, Nat King Cole & Me, which premiered in 2004.

KENNY GARRETT

More than any other artist in traditional jazz today, saxophonist/composer/arranger Kenny Garrett and his band are known to entice audiences to want to get up and groove. Be it in Spain where a man from Cameroon leaped up and broke out some African moves then was joined by a young break-dancer, or in Germany where a clearly classically trained ballet dancer was brought to his feet; in Poland where a fan literally jumped from the balcony onto the stage to dance, or at a festival in Barbados where music lovers got on up and grooved in the rain to "Happy People," the spectacle is always the same: the spirit takes over and the movements come naturally. It is this spirit that Garrett has instigated and witnessed from stages around the world that fills Do Your Dance!-the saxophonist's fourth for Mack Avenue Records.

"I look out and see people waiting for the songs that they can party to and express themselves," confirms Garrett, the nine-time winner of DownBeat's Reader's Poll for Alto Saxophonist of the Year. "Do Your Dance! was inspired by audiences moved to rise from their seats and 'lift a foot!' Some are reluctant to participate because they think that others are better than they are. I tell them, 'Do your dance.' That means even if you have to 'stay pocket,' do the Funky Four Corners or the Nae-Nae, don't worry about what the other person is doing. Let it all hang out and 'do your dance!' On the title track we combine the spirit of a `70s-style beach get down with just a touch of hip-hop-ever in search of the link between the two. I had it playing while I was talking to my daughter on Facetime. When it got to the end with that new vibe, she smiled and I thought, 'Uh huh-gotcha!'"

TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON

Celebrating 40 years in music, three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning drummer, producer and educator, Terri Lyne Carrington started her professional career at ten years old, being the youngest person to receive a union card in Boston, MA. She was featured as a "kid wonder" in many publications such as People, EBONY, and Modern Drummer magazines, among others. After studying under a full scholarship at Berklee College of Music, Carrington worked as an in-demand musician in New York City, and later moved to Los Angeles, where she was a late night TV drummer for the Arsenio Hall Show and Quincy Jones' VIBE TV show.

Throughout her extensive touring and recording career, she has worked with luminary artists such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Stan Getz, David Sanborn, Woody Shaw, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, John Scofield, Esperanza Spalding, Yellowjackets, and countless others. Carrington is also the first female artist to win a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. In 2005, Carrington returned to her hometown where she was appointed professor at her alma mater, Berklee College of Music. Currently, she holds the position of Zildjian Chair in Performance, Berklee Global Jazz Institute. She is also the Artistic Director for both the Beantown Jazz Festival and Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop, and Co-Artistic Director of The Carr Center, Detroit, MI.

SHEMEKIA COPELAND

Whether she's belting out a raucous blues-rocker, firing up a blistering soulshouter, bringing the spirit to a gospel-fueled R&B rave-up or digging deep down into a subtle, country-tinged ballad, Shemekia Copeland sounds like no one else. With a voice that is alternately sultry, assertive and roaring, Shemekia's wide-open vision of contemporary blues, roots and soul music showcases the evolution of a passionate artist with a modern musical and lyrical approach. The Chicago Tribune says Copeland delivers "gale force singing and power" with a "unique, gutsy style, vibrant emotional palette and intuitive grasp of the music." NPR Music calls her "fiercely expressive."

Copeland's return to Alligator Records with Outskirts Of Love (she recorded four albums for the label from 1998 through 2006) finds her at her most charismatic, performing roots rock, Americana, and blues with power and authority, nuance and shading. Produced by The Wood Brothers' Oliver Wood, Outskirts Of Love is a musical tour-de-force, with Copeland rocking out on the title track, taking charge in Crossbone Beach, honoring her father, the late Johnny Clyde Copeland with her Afrobeat-infused take on his Devil's Hand, tackling homelessness on Cardboard Box and showing off her country swagger on Drivin' Out Of Nashville. She puts her stamp on songs made famous by Solomon Burke (I Feel A Sin Coming On), Jesse Winchester (Isn't That So).

EMMET COHEN TRIO FEATURING ALBERT "TOOTIE' HEATH

Multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen has emerged as one of his generation's pivotal figures in music and the related arts.  A recognized prodigy, Cohen began Suzuki method piano instruction at age three, and his playing quickly became a mature melding of musicality, technique, and concept.  Downbeat observed that his "nimble touch, measured stride and warm harmonic vocabulary indicate he's above any convoluted technical showmanship."  In the same spirit, Cohen himself has noted that playing jazz is "about communicating the deepest level of humanity and individuality; it's essentially about connections," both among musicians and with audiences.  Possessing a fluid technique, an innovative tonal palette, and an expansive repertoire, Cohen plays with the command of a seasoned veteran and the passion of an artist fully devoted to his medium.

The younger brother of Percy and Jimmy Heath, Albert "Tootie" Heath has long been a top hard bop-based drummer with an open mind toward more commercial styles of jazz. After moving to New York (1957), he debuted on record with John Coltrane. Albert Heath was with J.J. Johnson's group (1958-1960) and the Jazztet (1960-1961), worked with the trios of Cedar Walton and Bobby Timmons in 1961, and recorded many records as a sideman for Riverside during that era. He lived in Europe in 1965-1968 (working frequently with Kenny Drew, Dexter Gordon, and backing touring Americans), and, after returning to the U.S., he played regularly with Herbie Hancock's sextet (1968-1969) and Yusef Lateef (1970-1974).

NEW RELEASES: MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO – VENTRILOQUISM; ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT: LIVE; SUSAN KREBS CHAMBER BAND – SPRING: LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO – VENTRILOQUISM

Some albums are testimony, some confessions and some are escape. Ventriloquism, the latest album from Meshell Ndegeocello, is a place, like its process, to take refuge from one storm too many. Ventriloquism has the hallmarks of all of Ndegeocello’s work, lush and investigative, subversive and sublime. As always, she pays tribute to her diverse influences in these eleven covers. Meshell chose art for the album package that hints at what’s inside: A graphic V, a hidden M, the artwork is symbolic, sexy, and calls on the language of protest of the era from which these songs were mined.

ROBERT GLASPER – ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT: LIVE (DVD)

On their star-studded, chart-topping Black Radio albums, Robert Glasper Experiment laid out a new paradigm for creative music, reaching beyond entrenched genre boundaries to create a singular vision that draws from all reaches of contemporary black music and beyond. The concert film Robert Glasper Experiment - Live features the 2-time Grammy-winning band in their element, capturing the thrilling, genre-defying group live on stage from New York and Los Angeles to Shanghai and Rotterdam. This program presents favorite songs from the Black Radio albums and more with special guests including Lalah Hathaway, Bilal, Wayne Brady, B. Slade, Algebra Blessett, and the Metropole Orchestra conducted by Vince Mendoza. 

SUSAN KREBS CHAMBER BAND – SPRING: LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS

Spring: Light Out of Darkness is Susan Krebs' sixth album as a leader and the second recording project for the Susan Krebs Chamber Band. The idea for the jazz chamber band grew from salons hosted by jazz vocalist Krebs at her home, in which she and a small group of her close friends get together in front of an invited audience to explore various motifs through wide-ranging music, poetry and improvisation. The overarching concept that binds the seven tunes on this CD is renewal. Like many people, Krebs is concerned about the problems that beset our country and, indeed, the whole world. For Krebs, change has to begin on a personal level. She connects to the world both as a musical artist and as a serious gardener, attuned to the rhythms of the natural world.  Joined by some of the finest jazz players in Southern California, the album comprises a mix of musical genres imbued with a jazz sensibility. “SPRING ~ Light Out of Darkness” is infused with a reverence for nature, and, as with all of Krebs’ recordings and live performances, it is also filled with her hopeful vision and generous soul.

Louis Armstrong's Timeless Verve Records Collected For First Time As New 4CD/Digital Set 'Pops Is Tops: The Verve Studio Albums'

In the summer and fall of 1957, Louis Armstrong, already one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, had one of the most prolific periods of his spirited career. In addition to recording the follow-ups to his highly successful duets album with Ella Fitzgerald, Ella And Louis Again and Porgy and Bess, Armstrong recorded three albums for Norman Granz's newly minted Verve Records across a handful of incredibly productive sessions. For the first time, these records – I've Got The World On A String, Louis Under The Stars, both recorded with the Russ Garcia Orchestra, and Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson, plus the previous digital-only release A Day With Satchmo – have been collected together as Pops Is Tops: The Verve Studio Albums, a new four CD and digital box set from Verve/UMe available on April 13. With Granz supplying the cream of the crop of the Great American Song Book and first-class backing, Armstrong's Verve recordings constitute the definitive portrait of the artistry of his singing. They are presented in their original mono masters – the first time since the original vinyl releases – and include the original liner notes as well as extensive liners, recording and track info by foremost Armstrong authority Ricky Riccardi, Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and author of "What A Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong's Later Years." Each disc also contains a wealth of bonus material featuring alternate takes from the sessions. Preorder is available now and the digital version includes an instant grat download of "Sweet Lorraine" from Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson.

Armstrong's classic duets with Ella Fitzgerald will also be released as a new four CD and digital set titled Cheek To Cheek: The Complete Duet Recordings, on April 6. The 75-track collection gathers their three timeless Verve albums – newly remastered versions of Ella and Louis, Ella and Louis Again and Porgy and Bess – along with all of their Decca singles, live recordings from Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl, recorded as a warmup for Ella and Louis, plus several alternates and false starts from the Decca and Verve eras, illuminating their craft and good humor. Cheek To Cheek also includes unreleased material: "The Memphis Blues," with Bing Crosby, from his radio show; several takes of Armstrong's solo showcase, "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess;" and an instrumental mix of "Red-Headed Woman." 

By 1957, Armstrong was the most popular and influential musician in jazz history. Famous worldwide as Satchmo and Pops, Armstrong had revolutionized jazz in the 1920s with his superb trumpet playing which helped to change jazz from an ensemble-oriented music to one that featured exciting soloists. His phrasing on both trumpet and his very distinctive voice uplifted and swung every song that he interpreted. In the 1930s and early 1940s when he led a big band, Armstrong the entertainer blossomed. He was not only universally known for his musical abilities but as a joyful and witty personality who could be seen in occasional movies. In 1947, he broke up his orchestra and formed his sextet Louis Armstrong and the All-Stars, becoming a world traveler who was nicknamed Ambassador Satch. He introduced millions of listeners to his brand of New Orleans jazz.

Armstrong first worked with Granz and his Verve label at a concert at the Hollywood Bowl on August 15, 1956. Over the next year, he was featured on three classic projects with Ella Fitzgerald. Granz, who wanted to document Armstrong in different settings than his usual one with his All Stars, also recorded him on five extensive sessions in 1957 that cast a different light on his talents.

During August 14-16, 1957, Armstrong and an orchestra arranged by Russ Garcia recorded enough music to fill two albums which were originally released as I've Got The World On A String and Louis Under The Stars. As Granz had planned, Armstrong performs a variety of songs that he had rarely sung before including "You're The Top," "You Turned The Tables On Me," "Little Girl Blue" and "We'll Be Together Again." He consistently comes up with fresh variations of the swing era songs, many of which he had missed recording the first time around. The first disc of Pops Is Tops not only has the ten selections that comprised I've Got The World On A String but also includes eight alternate takes.

The original liner notes to Louis Under The Stars reveals the thought behind the record. "There isn't much that one can say about this kind of an album, except to suggest that this is an emotional experience of the best-known and best-loved figure in the history of jazz doing some of the most beautiful songs ever written with a background not customarily thought of in terms of his artistry, but which nonetheless beautifully complements the soul and feeling of this great human being." The recordings don't disappoint and include highlights like "Have You Met Miss Jones," "I Only Have Eyes For You" and "East Of The Sun," each of which received a fresh and heartfelt interpretation from Armstrong. The eight song album is bolstered by six additional bonus tracks.

Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson from October 14, 1957 teams Armstrong with the brilliant pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Louie Bellson. On such songs as "That Old Feeling," "Let's Fall In Love," "I Was Doing All Night," "Moon Song" (which has a particularly memorable trumpet solo) and "Just One Of Those Things," Armstrong gives new life to the veteran standards, swinging the music while doing justice to the lyrics. Four bonus cuts including an instrumental version of "Indiana" are also included on the disc.

On August 1, 1957, Armstrong and the same Peterson Quartet recorded four numbers for the Ella and Louis Again release: "Makin' Whoopee," "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "Let's Do It" and "Willow Weep For Me." The many alternate takes that resulted were formerly only available on the digital release A Day With Satchmo. This set marks the first time the entire contents of the August 1 session tapes are out in any physical form.

As Riccardi writes in the liners: "Armstrong's Verve recordings are unlike any others in his discography and Granz must be given full credit for taking jazz's greatest genius, surrounding him with the finest rhythm sections, giving him nothing by timeless tunes, and stepping aside to let Armstrong's vocal and instrumental magic take over. In the midst of a punishing schedule and occasionally fighting a losing battle with his legendary lip, Armstrong nobly overcame it all to create some of the most timeless recordings of his career."

Pops Is Tops: The Verve Studio Albums

Disc 1

I've Got The World On A String original mono album

1.   When Your Love Has Gone

2.   You're the Top

3.   You Turned the Tables on Me

4.   Don't Get Around Much Anymore

5.   Little Girl Blue

6.   Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen

7.   We'll Be Together Again

8.   I've Got the World on a String

9.   Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me

10. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues

Bonus Tracks

11. You Turned the Tables on Me (stereo master take)

12. Little Girl Blue (stereo master take)

13. You Turned the Tables on Me (alternate take 1 w/false start)

14. You Turned the Tables on Me (partial alternate take 3)

15. You Turned The Tables On Me (inserts & rehearsal)

16. I've Got the World on a String (false start/alternate take 2)

17. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues (false start/breakdown takes 2 & 3)

18. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues (alternate take 4)

Disc 2

Louis Under The Stars original mono album

1.   Top Hat, White Tie and Tails

2.   Have You Met Miss Jones?

3.   I Only Have Eyes For You

4.   Stormy Weather

5.   Home (When Shadows Fall)

6.   East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)

7.   You're Blasé

8.   Body and Soul

Bonus Tracks

9.   East of the Sun (and West of the Moon) (stereo master take)

10. Body And Soul (stereo master take)

11. Stormy Weather (breakdown/alternate take 2)

12. Stormy Weather (alternate take 3)

13. Stormy Weather (breakdown 4)

14. Stormy Weather (breakdown 5)

Disc 3

Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson original mono album

1.   That Old Feeling

2.   Let's Fall in Love

3.   I'll Never Be the Same

4.   Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me)

5.   How Long Has This Been Going On?

6.    I Was Doing All Right

7.   What's New?

8.   Moon Song

9.   Just One of Those Things (Cole Porter)

10. There's No You

11. You Go to My Head

12. Sweet Lorraine

Bonus Tracks

13. Blues in the Night (rehearsal 1)

14. Let's Fall In Love (alternate take 1)

15. Let's Fall In Love (alternate take 2)

Additional Bonus Track

16. Indiana (studio warm-up)

Disc 4

A Day With Satchmo: August 1, 1957

1.   Makin' Whoopee (breakdown)

2.   Makin' Whoopee (alternate take 1)

3.   Makin' Whoopee (alternate take 2)

4.   Makin' Whoopee (breakdown 3)

5.   Makin' Whoopee (master take 4)

6.   I Get a Kick Out of You 

7.   I Get a Kick Out of You (breakdown and studio chatter 3)

8.   I Get a Kick Out of You (alternate take 4) 

9. I Get a Kick Out of You (breakdown 5)

10. I Get a Kick Out of You (false start 6) 

11. I Get a Kick Out of You (false start 7)

12. I Get a Kick Out of You (master take 8)

13. I Get a Kick Out of You (breakdowns and false starts 9-12)

14. I Get a Kick Out of You (alternate take 13)

15. Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) (breakdowns 1 and 2)

16. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) (alternate take 3)

17. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) (master take 4)

18. Willow Weep for Me (false start 1)

19. Willow Weep for Me (alternate take 2)

20. Willow Weep for Me (breakdown and false start 3)

21. Willow Weep For Me (alternate take 4) 

22. Willow Weep for Me (false start 5)

23. Willow Weep for Me (breakdown 6)

24. Willow Weep For Me (master take 7)

Produced by Norman Granz

The Debut Recording From Flautist & Composer MAYU SAEKI - HOPE

Flautist and composer Mayu Saeki's debut recording, Hope (available Today, March 16 on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records), breathes and resonates with beauty and optimism. Hope tells the story of Saeki's journey to NYC from her native Tokyo. There she left a complete life for an uncertain future in New York City. Shortly after arriving, armed only with extensive classical training and mentorship, determination and hope, not to mention an abundance of talent, the opportunity presented itself to be a part of Chico Hamilton's group. She toured and recorded with Hamilton, appearing on several albums, including Revelation and Euphoric (both were released in 2011 from Joyous Shout! records), until his passing in 2013. His final recording, The Inquiring Mind (released posthumously in 2014) features her composition, "Hope". During her time in Hamilton's band, Ms. Saeki began composing and actively performing with her own trio in 2011, making her debut at Jazz at the Kitano with Aaron Goldberg on piano and Joe Sanders on bass, and leading her band on several Atlantic coastal tours. This was the beginning of the road that led Saeki to create this recording, Hope.

Hope feels like the fifth or sixth offering from a veteran on the scene. Ms. Saeki certainly had an advantage, recording with Aaron Goldberg, Joe Sanders, John Davis and Nori Ochiai (a former student of Goldberg's and a fine modern jazz pianist in his own right), but her self-assurance comes across without dubiety. Her solo on the title track bears a joyful swagger (immediately following a gem of a solo from Mr. Goldberg). Her playing, specifically the intro, solo & outro, on "Soshu-Yakyoku" are also moments to behold, as they encapsulate the sincerity and soul of this album. And, her band mates are on board completely, and given ample space to express their brilliance. Check out Joe Sanders' truly breathtaking playing on "Do You Know", and behold drummer John Davis' brilliant, flowing solo over the vamp of the same tune. Goldberg is flawless throughout, but a highlight is his accompaniment and solo on the opening track, "Dilemma". "Libertango" and "Oblivion" showcase Mayu's classical training and her love for the music of Astor Piazzolla (with "Oblivion" displaying Mayu's expertise on piccolo flute). Hope truly "offers the listener a glimpse into the musical heart of one of today's great musicians. Mayu Saeki is a shining example of the hope we all can have when we combine passion, perseverance, and a strong voice. Mayu's voice is a gorgeous flute sound that will surely inspire hope in everyone who hears it". - Demarre McGill, Principal Flutist of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

W ith nearly a decade of her musical career in New York City, Mayu Saeki, an alumni of Elizabeth University of Music, still keeps transforming herself, apparently with no limits. Her versatile and passionate style is deeply rooted in her early childhood classical training and mentorship with Sanae Nakayama, Keiji Oshiro, Kazukiyo Inoue, Pierre Yves Artaud, Alain Marion, and NEA jazz master, Chico Hamilton. Post-Chico Hamilton, and in addition to leading her own group more frequently, Saeki's "sideman" career continues to grow with an all-female Irish music group, Four Celtic Voices, and Cosmos Sunshine's Butterfly Effect (appearing on Butterfly Fight Effect, released in 2016, and their new album,

Comes With The Fall, due out on March 9). In addition, Saeki has recently joined a project titled "Mark Gross with Strings", led by Grammy award-winning jazz saxophonist, Mark Gross (also the liner note writer for Hope). Saeki also regularly performs with harpist/vocalist Erin Hill's group.

"It was a pivotal moment to record my own album, and I'm very happy that I was able to deliver before I mark my tenth year being in New York. This album is reflections of my life, filled with passion and curiosity, love of music, and hopes that I never, ever let go of. Music has been with me since I was little. It has always been honest and keeps giving me hope for a better day. I wish that this HOPE, the feeling I have, is going to reach straight to your heart and sincerely hope your day is better tomorrow. I would like to dedicate this album to the memory of my father, Kazuo, and my mentor, Chico Hamilton, who left me invaluable experiences and precious memories". - Mayu Saeki

Mayu Saeki - Hope

1 - Dilemma (Mayu Saeki) - 7:52

2 - Hope (Mayu Saeki) - 7:24

3 - Soshu-Yakyoku (Ryoichi Hattori, arr., Saeki) - 9:43

4 - Libertango (Astor Piazzolla, arr., Saeki) - 7:34

5 - Oblivion (Astor Piazzolla, arr., Saeki) - 9:57

6 - Do You Know...? (Mayu Saeki) - 7:03

Recorded by John Davis at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, NY

Mayu Saeki (flute, piccolo, shinobue), Special guest Aaron Goldberg (piano, tks 1, 2, 3), 

Nori Ochiai (piano, tks 4, 5, 6), Joe Sanders (upright and electric bass), John Davis (drums).

THREE-TIME GRAMMY® NOMINEE JOEY ALEXANDER TO RELEASE ECLIPSE

Too often, talented young artists succumb to believing so much in their own ability that they lose sight of their true potential as significant contributors to their field. Thankfully, there are others committed to evolving and lifting the music to new levels of appreciation with enthusiasm, engagement, and emotional depth. Enter pianist Joey Alexander, who at the age of 14 has already recorded two GRAMMY-nominated studio albums, 2015's My Favorite Things and 2016's Countdown, as well as Joey.Monk.Live!, a critically acclaimed surprise release from late 2017 to honor Thelonious Monk's centennial. With his third studio effort Eclipse, his most personal statement to date,Joey takes another giant step forward, demonstrating his aptitude as a composer, bandleader, and musician, hinting at the many artistic paths open to him in the decades ahead.

Eclipse, recorded over a three-day period beginning on the day of the solar eclipse of 2017, features the pianist with a stellar rhythm section of bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland, and guest appearances by saxophonist Joshua Redman on three tracks. The programranges from jazz classics penned by John Coltrane and Bill Evans, to the Beatles' hit "Blackbird", and a reverent gospel reimagining of the 1875 hymn "Draw Me Nearer." Most importantly though, Eclipse showcases Alexander's significant progress as an astute composer, writing six of the eleven tunes.

Born in 2003 in Bali, Alexander lived in Jakarta from age eight to ten and then moved to New York City in 2014, where he has experienced one of the most ascendant careers ever seen in jazz. Jason Olaine, a GRAMMY-winning producer who serves as Director of Programming for Jazz At Lincoln Center and has produced all four of Alexander's albums, says he continues to be impressed by the pianist's fantastic gift. "Joey is such a huge talent coming out of a young player, however he wants to create and have fun by playing. It's not about the accolades or the applause." He added, "Eclipse shows what an amazing journey Joey has been on, and he's playing with an openness and clarity."

"Joey has an infectious sense of play and a deep fascination with the kaleidoscopic possibilities of jazz," says Motema founder Jana Herzen, who signed the artist at age 10. "What an amazing adventure these four years have been with Joey. Each album his musicality gets deeper and broader. Last year with Joey.Monk.Live!, his sophisticated and vibrant approach to the music of one of the most recorded and respected composers in jazz inspired even the toughest of critics to tip their hats. Now, with Eclipse he's emerging as a multi-dimensional composer. I can't wait to hear what happens next."

For Eclipse, Joey, his family, and producer Jason Olaine decided to change the recording setting from the bustling city to the peaceful Dreamland Studios in upstate New York. "That was a totally different vibe," says Alexander. "Everything was green and it felt like home. It was a relaxing time for all of us. It was a good change. I found inspiration there."

As a pianist, Alexander is neither flashy nor bombastic. He approaches the instrument with discipline, as heard on the opening track "Bali," playing subtly and gently in some stretches with delicate harmonies, playful and scampering in others as he displaces rhythms. He also possesses an elemental sense of melody, as heard on the final track, an original titled "Peace," exhibiting the patience and instinct to get his melodic statements just right. "I've learned how to be a good listener," Alexander says.

Alexander is joined by tenor titan Joshua Redman on the originals "Faithful," about the sacrifices and challenges he and his family have faced in pursuit of his art, and "Fourteen," written on his birthday, and a nod to the number's significance in biblical deliverance. Alexander and Redman also explore a pensive duo take on Ray Nobel's 1934 timeless ballad, "The Very Thought of You."

As on his previous studio dates, Alexander returned to the well of Coltrane with his upbeat take on the harmonic twists and turns of "Moment's Notice" from the master's 1957 album Blue Train. "I love playing Coltrane because he's so spiritual to me," Alexander says. "That to me is what jazz is. There's an uplifting feel to his songs, and I try to put my own take on it."

The tour-de-force centerpiece to the album is the 10-minute "Eclipse," that is a spin through the reflective and the dramatic with the pianist in drive mode. Just after the band took a studio break to view the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, producer Olaine suggested that the trio play free and see where the music would go. The result ended up as the centerpiece of the album, the 10-minute tour-de-force, 'Eclipse.'

"It was totally unprepared," Alexander says. "After we saw the eclipse, we came back to the studio and just started playing without talking. I'm thankful to God that I had the confidence and courage to do this. But it's also about how much we trust each other. I knew they'd be with me even though you don't know where you're going to go on the journey. It's all about exploring the new."

Olaine notes, "This was an amazing experience for a young artist to embrace the unknown the way Joey did."

With the release of Eclipse, Joey Alexander has created an ever more personal and powerful statement of his musical and artistic vision. His work continues to draw from his inspirations of the past, while putting his own progressive stamp on the music by constantly exploring, both on stage and in the studio.

"Eclipse" Track Listing

1. Bali

2. Faithful

3. Draw Me Nearer

4. Moment's Notice

5. Blackbird

6. Eclipse

7. Fourteen

8. The Very Thought of You

9. Space

10. Time Remembered

11. Peace

Tour Dates:

March 23: The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD

March 30: Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, AZ

March 31: Capitol Theatre, Salt Lake City, UT

April 20: Schaeffer Auditorium, Kutztown, PA

April 21: Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center, York, PA

April 22: Exit 0 International Jazz Festival, Cape May, NJ

April 27: Musco Center for the Arts, Orange, CA

April 28: Balboa Theatre, San Diego, CA

April 29: University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) CA

May 5: Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA

May 12 + 13: Yoshi's Jazz Club, Oakland, CA

June 23: Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival, Saratoga Springs, NY

June 29: Foundation Louis Vuitton, Paris, France

June 30: Ajaccio Jazz Festival, Corsica

July 6: Wadowice Jazz Festival, Wadowice, Poland

July 15: Teatro Morlacchi (Perugia Jazz Festival), Perugia, Italy

July 17: Jazz Open Festival, Stuttgart, Germany