New Releases: Millie Jackson — Millie Jackson Exposed: The Multi-Track Sessions Mixed By Steve Levine; Pat Van Dyke – Hello Summer; Gary Brumburgh - Moonlight

Millie Jackson — Millie Jackson Exposed: The Multi-Track Sessions Mixed By Steve Levine

A flawless batch of classics from Millie Jackson in the heart of her early years on Spring Records – maybe sounding better than ever here! Millie's raunchier style would come later on, but here she's working in styles that are a perfect mix of gritty and sweet – arrangements tailored perfectly to those characteristics in her sultry, smoky voice – and equally at home in sessions in Muscle Shoals, Philly or NYC. Covers the bases from moody southern soul, to tender ballads, to lightly soaring strings – and the mixes by Steve Levine really bring out the vibe of the original sessions, as closely as possible to the spirit and vision of the original recordings – a restoration as opposed to a revision. Includes "Sweet Music, Soft Lights & You" featuring Isaac Hayes, "House For Sale", "I'll Continue To Love You", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Cry", "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Wanna Be Right)" and "It Hurts So Good" – plus "Kiss You All Over", "Bad Risk", "Never Change Lovers In The Middle Of The Night" and more. 12 tracks on the CD. ~ Dusty Groove

Pat Van Dyke – Hello Summer

The most summery, breeziest, soul jazz-steeped sounds we've heard from Pat Van Dyke! Pat covers a lot of territory on Hello Summer, a lot of it with a 70s jazzy soul vibe, but stretching much farther – with strains of reggae and breakbeat funk, bossa and more – and it's anything but a stylistic mishmash. It flows masterfully,most tracks blending into the next in a way that makes this a vital beginning-to-end listen. Along the way he gets some excellent solos on horns, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, guitar that make it that much deeper instrumentally, with titles that include "Lotus", "Chaos & Confusion", "Return Of the Bossa Break", "Like They Used To Say", "Go-Go", "Hello, Summer", "Blues For Benny", "Gutter Ball", "Stone Road" and "All I Need (Outro)".  ~ Dusty Groove

Gary Brumburgh - Moonlight

For vocalist Gary Brumburgh, the lyrics of a song are like dialog from a play, and when he sings, he approaches the material much like an actor prepares for a role. The lyrics, along with the music, suggest to him a scene and a persona with distinct emotions and motivations. That technique allows him to pour himself into a song, creating a highly personalized rendition of the lyrics.  Now, on Moonlight, Brumburgh’s second CD, his distinctive style takes center stage in an eclectic project of modern jazz tunes, songs from the Great American Songbook, and re-invented pop numbers from the 60’s and 70’s. Moonlight features some of the top Los Angeles jazz players, including several tunes performed by piano icon Terry Trotter. His son, Jamieson Trotter, a rising star in the jazz firmament, arranged  the CD and plays piano on the other tunes. Gary Brumburgh is an appealing performer whose warm voice and sensitive approach to lyrics make Moonlight an engaging project and a superb introduction to a performer who is well-known to jazz aficionados in L.A. and is now poised to receive much wider recognition.

 

Saxophonist Stéphane Spira enlists Joshua Richman, Steve Wood and Jimmy Macbride to join him on a lyrical, swinging New Playground

Saxophonist and composer Stéphane Spira honed his jazz chops old-school style, at late-night jams and cutting sessions. Self-taught as a musician, Spira pursued an engineering degree, did a brief stint as an engineer in Saudi Arabia, then in the 1990's headed back to his hometown of Paris to pursue music full time. After 15 years of playing in Paris clubs, woodshedding, and eventually recording two albums, Spira decided to change everything. Soprano saxophone in hand, he moved to New York City and started over.

What he found was inspiration beyond his wildest dreams: a jazz career with a core group of tremendous musicians, and love with the woman who would become his wife and the mother to his young son. On New Playground, Spira celebrates the creative and personal happiness he's discovered since making over his life.

"I had my first kid at 51," Spira says. "That helps to keep me young.  I'm also a young musician, just not in age. But I so love the music, and I'm truly realizing my dream." 

Due out on September 21, New Playground finds Spira leading an impeccably gifted quartet featuring longtime bassist Steve Wood, pianist and keyboardist Joshua Richman, and rising star drummer Jimmy Macbride. The band reflects the rich playground - and the wealth of talented playmates - that Spira has discovered since arriving in New York. "It's unique to have such a level of playing everywhere you look," he says. "Because there are so many great players, the criteria becomes finding human relationships that can grow. In the end, that helps the music."

Wood returns from Spira's previous album, In Between (2014), while Richman has newly joined the ensemble. The in-demand Macbride, who has worked with legends Herbie Hancock and Wynton Marsalis as well as being a member of the thriving young NY jazz scene alongside artists like Nir Felder, Fabian Almazan and Melissa Aldana, brings a vigorous sense of swing and a bristling energy to the proceedings.

Recorded as Spira was still finding his bearings in his newly adopted home, In Between captured the sense of limbo in which he was living at the time: between countries, and between one phase of life and another. Much has changed since then, making the title New Playground equally autobiographical given his current place in life, still fresh but offering exciting opportunities to enjoy life's playful side.

Spira discovered jazz as a teenager and got his first saxophone at the age of 22. Despite the intellectual and time demands involved in getting an engineering degree, he never stopped playing his instrument.

After returning to Paris he regularly attended jam sessions, played in clubs, woodshedded in the basement, and, at the age of 40, released his first album, the 2006 First Page. In 2009 came his second recording, a tribute to his late father, and the move to New York City, jazz mecca of the world.

Even with that major change, the most transformative development of Spira's life has been his marriage to classical vocalist Jessica Goldring and the birth of their son, Léo. For their wedding gift the couple received a piano, and much of New Playground was composed at the keyboard after Léo was put to bed. "I wrote most of the tunes at night between two bottles," Spira laughs.

Many of those tunes show off Spira's gift for lyricism and the winsome way he sings with his soprano. "I love the soprano so much because it gets back to the voice," he says. "New York is great medicine for your ego because you can see such immense and great players. But I've had time now to say this is who I am. I wanted to expose myself honestly and let my personality kick in."

Those late-night composition sessions are most vividly reflected on "Nocturne (Song For My Son)," which shows off the composer's ability to be sentimental without succumbing to mawkishness. His wife's maiden name is evoked on the classically-tinged "Gold Ring Variations," which uses a bit of Spira's cherished wordplay to wink towards the famous Bach piece. "New York Windows" was inspired by "Les fenêtres de Moscou (Moscow Windows)," a traditional Russian song that was a favorite of his father, whose 2007 passing helped spur Spira's life-changing move. "My father was really into Russian gypsy music, so by extension he loved Django Reinhardt. I was really into jazz and by extension of that, I loved Django. So he always loved when I would play that song with him. I used it as a departure for my song."

Family is also evoked in the pulse-pounding opener "Peter's Run," penned for a cousin who ran the New York Marathon - and who may be inspired to run another based on the tune's driving, hand-clapped rhythm. "Underground Ritual" surges with the hectic pace of the NYC subway, but it's a dedication to Frederic Lebayle, a mouthpiece designer whose basement workshop became a meeting place for saxophonists who ran his designs through their paces. "Ravi Coltrane, Mark Turner, even Wayne Shorter - they'd all come into his basement and play their licks, run through harmonics, go low, check the sounds," says Spira.  "It was like a ritual."

The only piece on the album not written by Spira, Wood's "Kaleidoscope" features a changing melody over a repeated five-bar cycle, shifting perspective akin to the titular device. The album's closer, "Solid Wood," is a self-explanatory dedication to the rock-solid bassist.

"Life brings surprises," Spira says succinctly. "I was a late bloomer, but I'm embracing this new life. It's become a playground for me in the true sense of the term."

French-born, New York-based saxophonist Stéphane Spira grew up with jazz the old-school way: in late-night jams and cutting sessions. A protégé of longtime Chet Baker pianist Michel Graillier, Spira's jazz career has taken him from 4 a.m. basement sessions in the underbelly of Paris, through acclaimed collaborations with trumpeter Stéphane Belmondo and pianist Giovanni Mirabassi, to the cutting edge of New York jazz. Trained as an engineer, Stéphane sharpened his chops off the books, after hours, immersing himself in a hard-edged milieu. Perhaps since he honed his chops in the depths of the jazz underground, Spira was spared the awkwardness of growing up in public: Spira's "remarkable maturity" (Radio France) has not gone unnoticed by the critics. Prior to the 2018 New Playground, Spira released four critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader: First Page, Spirabassi (a duo collaboration with pianist Giovanni Mirabassi) and Round About Jobim, a tribute to the father of bossa nova featuring Lionel Belmondo's acclaimed Hymne au Soleil ensemble, and 2014's In Between.

New Music: MND FLO Proves that American Cultural Melting Pot is Alive & Well

In a time of increased nationalism and populism throughout the world, it is essential not to forget the true essences of the human condition: acceptance, growth through knowledge and culture, and the idea that a heterogeneous and homogeneous society can influence each other with extremely positive results while creating harmony. This idea is ever present with a group of four young men – from Hungarian, Trinidadian, Indian, Canadian, French and American cultures – brought together by the power of music and education, collectively naming themselves MND FLO.

The birth of MND FLO (pronounced “mind flow”) began as a trio between pianist Sharik Hasan, bassist Alexander L. J. Tóth, and drummer Anthony A. Tóth. For them, it was a story of an initial meeting where everything just clicked from the start. Formed in Boston, MA while studying at the Berklee College of Music, the trio experienced a time of endless musical experimentation, marking the beginning of a meaningful friendship that has lasted throughout the years.

Enter vibraphonist Simon Moullier: although arriving in Boston slightly later, he immediately found himself creatively exploring with the now developed trio. "Again, it was that instant connection. We really feel like he added his own unique voice, and that extra layer to the music that took it to a new level," states the collective quartet.

MND FLO's debut album From Time simply touches on the deep connection and duration of collaboration that the group has forged. The album features an array of ethnic subtleties, as well as their apparent hunger for creating new vessels of musical expression through electronic elements and atmospheric detail. "Ultimately, our main goal as a band is really to just break down the walls of whatever frame of mind someone might be in, invite them to be in the moment with us, and just let their MND FLO. We want to spread the message of exploring and crossing cultures in music, while using our outlet the best we can to create a sense of community in the world.”

The rich heritage between the members of MND FLO is something that's highly influential to all of them, and they often find themselves being asked where they all individually come from. Hailing from vastly different parts of the world including India, France, Trinidad, Hungary, and Canada, MND FLO has found a never-ending pool of inspiration to draw from within this diversity. "To us, one of the most beautiful things about creating music is digging into those roots and incorporating elements of your own culture within it," says the band.

Another concept that the group aims to achieve within their music is the idea, or interpretation of, what they like to call "Flo;” a feeling where everything fits into place, allowing for a sense of seamlessness and being fully immersed in the music. Aside from music, “Flo” can relate to everyday life. “There's Flo in the way you dress, there's Flo in the way you speak, it's in the mind, and it's almost always present when we all come together as a unit.”

MND FLO’s musical philosophy has never revolved around individual instruments or personalities, but rather as one unit, that moves together and flows together. Even as individually distinguished artists that reside in various cities, MND FLO always remains their artistic home, more of a state of mind than a geographical location. In a time where it seems rare to come across a band where all members are equally invested in every aspect, MND FLO emphasizes the fact that they love doing what they do and they love doing it together.

In a variety of musical settings, the members of MND FLO have individually performed at Newport Jazz Festival, Novosadski Jazz Festival, Kriol Jazz Festival, Nancy Jazz Festival, Jazz A Vannes, Panama Jazz Festival, Atlanta Jazz Festival, Tri-C Jazz Festival, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Beantown Jazz Festival, Cambridge Jazz Festival, Toronto International Jazz Festival, International Jazz Day, Blue Note Jazz Club NY, Jazz at Lincoln Center NY, and various venues across France, Sweden, Russia, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Cuba, Italy, Austria, India, Germany, Cape Verde, Indonesia, UK, USA and Canada.

In addition, they have performed and/or recorded with internationally renowned artists including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Marcus Miller, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson Jr., John Patitucci, Valerie Simpson, Patrice Rushen, Chris Potter, Walter Smith III, Donald Harrison, Darren Barrett, Bill Pierce, Billy Kilson, Tia Fuller, Sean Jones, Antonio Sanchez, Joe Lovano, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jazzmeia Horn, Geri Allen, Vijay Iyer, Danilo Perez, Myron Walden, Warren Wolf, Gregoire Maret, Antonio Hart, Matthew Garrison, Steve Wilson, Thelonious Monk Institute, among many more.

New Releases: Kamasi Washington - Heaven And Earth; Ben Hauke - Only Old; Tom Webster – The Deep Blue Summer

Kamasi Washington - Heaven And Earth

The long-awaited follow up to Washington’s debut The Epic, Heaven & Earth is comprised of two halves, which find Washington confronting quotidian realities with cosmic themes. A further investigation of Washington’s world building ideas, the new album explores his reckoning with current global chaos and his vision for the future. Washington convened his band, The Next Step, as well as members of the long running collective The West Coast Get Down at Henson Studios in Los Angeles to record the 16 tracks on Heaven & Earth. The music was composed, written and arranged by Washington, with new arrangements of jazz and bebop legend Freddie Hubbard’s “Hubtones” and iconic kung fu film theme “Fists of Fury,” as well as one song by bandmate Ryan Porter. Thundercat, Terrace Martin, Ronald Bruner, Jr., Cameron Graves, Brandon Coleman, Miles Mosley, Patrice Quinn, Tony Austin and many more contribute to the album. Heaven & Earth, will be available on double deluxe CD. “The world that my mind lives in, lives in my mind.” This idea inspired me to make this album Heaven & Earth. The reality we experience is a mere creation of our consciousness, but our consciousness creates this reality based on those very same experiences. We are simultaneously the creators of our personal universe and creations of our personal universe. The Earth side of this album represents the world as I see it outwardly, the world that I am a part of. The Heaven side of this album represents the world as I see it inwardly, the world that is a part of me. Who I am and the choices I make lie somewhere in between.” Kamasi Washington.

Ben Hauke - Only Old

South London producer Ben Hauke takes a sonic excursion to South America via Lewisham for a new seven track release for Far Out Recordings. While littered with Afro-Latin percussion, and samples of obscure Brazilian, Cuban and Colombian records, Only Old stays true to Ben’s distinctly London identity, with a record that fluctuates between house, broken beat and instrumental hip-hop.Having collaborated with the likes of Nubya Garcia and Joe Armon Jones, Ben Hauke stands at the electronic end of London’s new jazz movement. Currently working on new releases with more of a focus on live instrumentation, Ben titled the release ‘Only Old’ as it leans more heavily on his foundational approach to music making: an idiosyncratic, almost brazen sampling style in productions bursting with personality. Always full of character and style, Hauke’s productions have seen him likened to Theo Parrish and Madlib, with an altogether physical approach to sound. Listen to the jazz-house summer stepper 'Get Up to Get Down' and pre-order Only Old on 12" vinyl + digital from Far Out Recordings | Bandcamp

Tom Webster – The Deep Blue Summer

Tom has enjoyed a successful career as a professional photographer and cameraman working worldwide with a wide-range of stars such as Kim Kardashian and Quentin Tarantino but decided to follow his passion for music by releasing his debut album Deep Blue Summer. "I was going through a rough patch, getting divorced and the death of a parent which hit me hard, so I was struggling to make sense of it all. I decided that the best course was to put my faith into music which allowed me to express my personal emotions. I felt that if I put everything I had into making the album it would help to untangle all the difficulties and challenges I was facing in my life. It was a spiritually uplifting experience recording the album," says Webster. Tom brought together an eclectic host of musicians featuring a saxophonist, harpist, gospel backing singers perfectly blended with jazz, traditional Scottish folk and complemented with Tom's powerful vocals to record the album on Scotland's west coast island of Mull, produced by Glaswegian producer, Angus Stirrat. The album of dreamy pop-folk songs captures the essence of a summer finding new love, lost love and the hope of finding love again.

 

Outside the Soiree: Erin McDougald's latest album exemplifies the concept of thinking - and singing - outside the box

Ever feel left out of the party? Vocalist Erin McDougald's fourth studio recording, Outside the Soiree, is a heartfelt ode to all the outsiders - those independent-minded souls who find themselves, by choice or by fate, living outside the halls of power: neglected by history, oppressed by the majority, lonely in love, bucking the trends, swimming upstream.

Outside the Soiree offers a thematic narrative explored through "McDougald's evocative artistry" (Chicago Music Guide), a voice that Jazz Improv Magazine has called a "rare instrument to be savoredŠ sweet and spicy, positively mercurial." The subject matter is poignantly and uniquely expressed from unexpected musical angles as Erin seamlessly amalgamates, modernizes and reinterprets obscure standards, her own original composition and genres "outside" the jazz idiom within a progressive jazz mentality.

She's joined by a stellar band featuring guitarist and pianist Rob Block, bassist Cliff Schmitt, drummer Rodney Green, percussionists Mark Sherman and Chembo Corniel, and saxophonist Dan Block. The band is given the imprimatur of a couple of born outsiders who've become insiders (and legends) through decades of singular artistry: saxophonist David Liebman and trumpeter Tom Harrell.

McDougald is well acquainted with the outsider's existence; she tends to be one herself. Known by her fans as "the Flapper Girl," the Chicago-based improvisational jazz singer is a progressive thinker with a throwback aesthetic. She embodies the sensuality and fierce emancipatory attitude of an audacious fashionista and political egalitarian in her personality and artistry. With a moniker evoking a '20s-era flapper she's not interested in glamorous nostalgia, but instead spotlights the formidable female icons that stemmed from an era of resistance that forever changed American culture and its musical heritage.

As McDougald regularly points out to audiences, flappers were suffragists, with libidos, rhythm, style and social cachet. As "the flapper girl of modern vocal jazz", Erin's artistry has become synonymous with marrying vintage foundations and contemporary concepts in her rhythmic, daring interpretations of era-spanning jazz, from American Swing through the Post-Bop catalogue. Her ability to borrow music from other genres and infuse a jazz treatment has garnered her fans of all ages, and collaborators with global renown.

Miss McDougald has appeared and or recorded with members of the elite jazz scene that include Nicholas Payton, Paul Wertico, Ira Sullivan, Carlos Henriquez, Ben Wolfe, Von Freeman, Howard Levy, Roy Hargrove and many others. Downbeat critic and Jazz Journalist Association President Howard Mandel declares, "McDougald is one of the finest and freest voices in jazz OR pop today." The late Verve Records producer/conductor/arranger Buddy Bregman emphatically stated of Erin in 2006, "There's an essence to her singing that is all her own... not a mimicked, watered-down version of someone else, but... a very deep, soulful connection to the songs she chooses. Her pitch and phrasing are superb, but there is something about her interior-very sweet... she has 'It'. My favorite singer to come along since Anita O'Day in her prime."

With performances in sold-out venues from Chicago to Paris, McDougald has headlined The Chicago Jazz Festival's Heritage Stage, and premier jazz venues such as The Jazz Showcase, The Allerton, Green Dolphin Street, The Green Mill, 54 Below, Smalls, Anthology, Savanna Jazz, The Mint, Dizzy's of San Diego, The Velvet Note, BluJazz, The Acorn Theater, Notes Jazz Club, and Le Bilboquet in Paris, among many others.

Outside the Soiree is a sublime symposium of venerable soloists and emerging talents that expose a raw synergy and emotive message. Erin's keen idea to turn Charles Deforest's obscure, melancholy 1950's ballad "Don't Wait Up for Me" into a liberating, rhythmic 5/4 proclamation also crystalizes the style and strengths of featured soloists David Liebman on soprano saxophone and Tom Harrell on trumpet (with impeccable embellishment by drummer Rodney Green). Likewise, the sophisticated and changing time signatures on Erin's "Midnight Sun" shed light upon vibraphonist Mark Sherman's musical eloquence where again Liebman shines in a flurry of pithy soprano sound.

Brothers Rob and Dan Block create an ethereal, sorrowful beauty on the group's Chorinho-styled adaptation of the Broadway musical song "Unusual Way;" Tomoko Block (Rob's wife) teamed up with Rob to arrange this gem, showcasing Rob's quietly weeping guitar solo and Dan's haunting clarinet playing. Percussionist Wilson "Chembo" Corniel is strongly showcased along with bassist Cliff Schmitt on Erin's original composition and title track "Outside the Soiree" in a connected, reflexive and moving journey through Erin's poetic lyricism and mournful melody. Hard-swinging is Erin with her band on songs like "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" and "Don't Be on the Outside;" exceptional elements of avant-garde singing and playing are showcased on the CD's final cut, "The Parting Glass," a deftly reimagined traditional Irish funeral hymn in a minor key, performed with thundering gravity. The addictively nuanced Cha-Cha rendition of "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" gloriously highlights the band with undulating musicality and fervor.

 

J. Peter Schwalm's How We Fall Released On RareNoise

For years J. Peter Schwalm's compositions and productions have been impressive proof of the power of sound without words. More consistent than ever, on his new album How We Fall, he creates sound sculptures that transcend common categories. Their structures can take on rough or gently curved forms, unfold associative or contemplative effects, and may even make the listener shiver. Schwalm's feel for nuances, tension arcs and individual sounds is based on talent and many years of experience.

From 1998 J. Peter Schwalm worked continuously with Brian Eno for six years, together they released the album Drawn From Life, wrote the soundtrack to Nicolas Winding Rfn's feature film Fear X, gave celebrated concerts in Europe and Japan. Since 2006 Schwalm has been a regular guest at the Punktfestival in Kristiansand, Norway, where he distinguished himself and elsewhere as one of the few experienced live remixers, among others for members of the widely acclaimed Ensemble Modern. In spring 2016 Schwarm's last album The Beauty Of Disaster was released. Artistically, it revolved around a duality that shapes the visual arts and music as well as life itself: a certain melancholy that is always inherent in hope. The American PROG magazine praised: "Schwalm's pieces are nuanced and orchestrally textured, with meticulously sculpted, cinematic sound design..." and igloomag.com summed up: "Precise, skillful production work originates a crystal clear sound that intensifies the emotional charms and atmospheric aura of the peculiar, eclectic musicianship."

"When I started going back into the studio in January 2017, the direction of the new production was still completely unclear to me," recalls J. Peter Schwalm. The musician, born in Frankfurt am Main in 1970, had already distinguished himself through profound compositions and generally stood for rather dark facets of orchestral electronic music. In autumn 2016, an existential experience was added, leaving deep traces. A diagnosed brain tumor was to be surgically removed, which proved impossible during the operation. Schwalm nevertheless set to work under this impression, partly weakened by the inevitably following chemotherapy. Over the course of the year, pieces were created that reflect feelings such as restlessness, fear, despair and anger, but artistically process these emotions into abstract sounds. With that high degree of willingness to style and design that characterised Schwalm's earlier productions.

The artistic, surprising changes in sound and tuning Strofort undergoes as a lead piece by How We Fall set an example for the following 45 minutes. As suggestive as a soundtrack that doesn't need images, the composition of carefully arranged surfaces and imaginary scraps of language blowing across from another dimension, over rhythmic phrases and beats to a complex condensation in which supposed organ motifs are interwoven. In the course of the album there are pieces like Stormbruch, which think the concept of the slowly increasing Drones further. Or Strofort and Clingon, where the pulse plays an important role. "Compared to the previous record, this time I worked more with rhythmic details, including odd and opposite meters," states Schwalm.

The restart after the break due to illness was not easy for J. Peter Schwalm at the beginning. "In the first few weeks after the operation, I listened through my archive to get distracted and inspired," he describes his new start. "Then I started designing miniatures on the piano, developing harmonies that I sent into my equipment. I came to the dramatic realization that I had to rediscover parts of my equipment because I couldn't remember all the functions." Popular or widespread plug-ins are not part of his repertoire, instead he uses analog and digital outboard effects to achieve his characteristic sound. He also developed the technique of multi track composing, which he taught in theory and practice at the Punktfestival as well as at seminars in London, Tallinn and at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. Over time, Schwalm transformed and abstracted his original ideas, varied and expanded the range of timbres until instruments he had initially used were no longer recognizable.

"During the process I realized that there are parallels between my personal experiences and emotions and the current social and political situation in the world," Schwalm recalls. This thought brought him to titles for some pieces, which sometimes associate a deceptive proximity to English terms. "In fact, however, they are partly names of real villages and stud farms," says Schwalm, who even has family ties to the region. "The locations are near a zone selected by the American military command during the Cold War of the 1980s as a drop zone for nuclear bombs to prevent possible attacking Russian military forces from occupying Germany." The strategists of the American armed forces called this environment a Fulda Gap. 

Since his collaboration with Brian Eno, which included a joint performance with Krautrock legend Holger Czukay, J. Peter Schwalm has composed for the Stuttgart Ballet, the Lyceum Theatre Sheffield, London choreographer Hofech Shechter and the series Das Neue Werk des NDR. Since 2008 Schwalm has been playing with the style-shaping electric guitarist and sound developer Eivind Aarset from Oslo, who has long been just as much a reference point for him as London bassist Tim Harries. In 2013 Schwalm was invited to perform a specially developed project with these two long-term partners and other musicians at the 44th German Jazz Festival in Frankfurt. In the same year he was commissioned by the London ensemble Icebreaker to develop a new piece from works by the electronic pioneers Kraftwerk. With Kraftwerk Uncovered - A Future Past Icebreaker and Schwalm toured successfully through England and Ireland. In 2016, after the release of The Beauty Of Disaster, Schwalm produced the band Chat Noir. He realized a live installation at the Frankfurter Kunstverein and presented an excerpt from his personal Bach adaptations at the Alte Oper Frankfurt. He is currently working on a radio play for Hessischer Rundfunk, for which he is writing music and texts as well as directing.

For J. Peter Schwalm, How We Fall is a kind of snapshot that was taken in a relatively short time compared to earlier works. "The music represents a closed universe that reflects the moment and the circumstances in which it was created," he explains. All pieces are profoundly personal, and moreover figure as an intensive expression of a sound artist who no longer has to make any compromises. The music undoubtedly sounds dark, but never depressed, almost always gives a hint of light at least. With substantial and timeless quality, the album stands out from quickly consumable, trendy concepts. Instead of tickling key stimuli, How We Fall rewards repeated hearing with the revelation of ever new details.

FUNK BAND HARSH ARMADILLO RELEASES NEW EP BITE

From the state that gave us presidential primaries, summer camps, the US’s largest arcade and ice fishing, now can lay claim to delivering the amazingly funkadelic band, Harsh Armadillo. Harsh Armadillo is a seven-piece blue Gatorade fueled band, that has no affiliation with the state of Texas and has never encountered a wild armadillo. They digitally drop their third release and first EP, BITE, on June 15.

Harsh Armadillo was founded in a moldy basement in 2013, and so far have released two full length albums, ‘Thayer It Is’ (2014), and ‘Blame Bad Habits’ (2017). The DIY band has learned a lot from their past releases and were excited to come back again to record BITE. Harsh Armadillo consists of six guys and a girl: Daniel Tauriello on drums, Thomas Forbes on bass guitar and vocals, Aiden Earley on guitar, Dimitry Harris on keyboard, Maxim Harris on saxophone and vocals, Camden Riley on guitar and vocals, and Andrea Belaidi on lead lady vocals.

For the band, BITE is exciting and prolific. They challenged each other and pushed themselves sonically into new spaces and sounds. Full of creativity and a drive to push forward, the band has set out to create a several-part EP series, with BITE as the first edition in the series. The EP title has taken on many meanings as Andrea Belaidi, vocalist, explains, “At first, we thought of the word itself; quick, punchy and powerful. We feel a lot of momentum and passion from these new tunes,” says Andrea, “This body of music is ‘bite sized’ with only 4 songs”. Dan Tauriello, drummer, further explains, “It’s the aural version of one of those wood handled Q-tips you can’t help but stuff way too far into your ear. It’s complicated yet digestible. It fits poorly into our catalog of work, pays no heedance to our future, and little respect to the past.”

Harsh Armadillo is a collaborative band, and after five years of playing together they understand their sonic direction and have poured it into the new release. BITEwas recorded at IronWax Studio in Massachusetts with Alan Evans, of Soulive, as the engineer and producer, and mastered by Brad Smalling at Evergroove Studio in Denver. Harsh Armadillo connected with Alan on the first note. Max comments, “Working in Alan’s studio was like getting catapulted through a black hole and emerging with no pants or conception of time…we would disappear into the tracking process early in the morning and emerge, confused and disoriented, into the darkness each night to try and find a hotel and our sanity.  I think it is important to note that all of the band members were present in the same room for nearly the entirety of the sessions – even during vocal tracking and solos.  Having the whole group’s input and body odor present lent a tangible stank to the tunes.”

The stanky and extremely funky tracks on BITE include, “Animal,” “Live Action,” “Two Wishes and a Truth” and first single “Gravy.” All the songs are signature Harsh Armadillo, pulling in funk with 70s era horns, grooving bass, rhythmic guitar, and jazzy keyboards. The trade-off between female and male vocals sets the high bar even higher, with Andrea’s soulful voice carrying the tracks to another place. AXS reviewed the lead single, “Gravy”, and said “The song grabs the attention immediately with a groove that is sure to get you moving. It’s not just the melody and the rhythm that will get you moving, you also can’t help but bounce when you hear just how upbeat the song is.”

The members of Harsh Armadillo are pretty thrilled with what they’ve created with BITE. The tracks come together nicely to create just a bite of what’s to come next. For now, they will be gracing the summer stages through the Northeast bringing what fans love the most about their music — excitement and the love of funk. Check out here for their full touring schedule.

Tour Dates:

28  June     ~~ Hampton,NH

6  July        ~~ Dover,NH

7  July        ~~ The Forks,ME

14  July      ~~ Pleasantville Festival

27  July      ~~ Pawtucket,RI

28 July       ~~ Band Camp Festival

2  August   ~~ Newport,RI

11 August  ~~ Wild Woods Festival

New Releases: Dave Sereny – Talk To Me; U-Nam – Is That So?; Kenee Maree – World Over

Dave Sereny – Talk To Me

Perhaps imagining winter in sunnier climes than his native Toronto, multiple Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards nominee Dave Sereny takes his seductive, melodic electric guitar to several exotic locales, including Bob Marley’s Jamaica, on his latest album TALK TO ME. Yet those buoyant excursions are just the open door to a high energy, freewheeling romp through many different Smooth Jazz related styles, including horn-fired, beat happy dance music, dreamy vocal pop, caffienated jazz/funk and exotic, atmospheric world beat. On hand to lend his always welcome sax intensity is saxman and fellow Torontonian, Warren Hill. ~ smoothjazz.com

U-Nam – Is That So?

As cool as a mint julep and just as fresh, “Is That So?” from Billboard chart-topping artist and multi-platinum producer U-Nam is the perfect accompaniment to those long hot summer days to come.  It follows closely on the heels of his stunning “The Essential Collection” that in 2017, with nine (yes nine) Top 30 US Billboard hits amongst the fifteen standout tracks, occupied top spot on the Smoothjazz.com album listings for six straight weeks and ranked #11 on the end of year chart. Written, produced, arranged and mixed by U-Nam, “Is That So?” is the first single from his latest project “A Change of Art” that is slated for release later this year and is just the sort of infectious cut that U-Nam, with his instantly recognizable guitar sound and undoubtedly at the top of his creative game, seems able to effortlessly deliver. In fact, right from the tight groove laid down by Denis Bennarosh on percussion and Michael White on drums, through the flashes of flute from long time collaborator Shannon Kennedy and on to the brassy veneer applied by Kennedy on sax and Christian Martinez on trumpet, U-Nam’s production touches are, not surprisingly, all over it.  Add in top notch Fender Rhodes from the always-splendid Bill Steinway and what we have is a track at the very heart of the best in smooth jazz.

Kenee Maree – World Over

Having engaged audiences from Montreal to Tokyo, Atlanta-based Smooth Jazz guitarist, songwriter, arranger and producer Kenee Maree offers a unique perspective on the need for global harmony on his spiritually infused EP, World Over. With only three songs, he gets us grooving and swaying immediately – but also inspires us to think of issues vital to the emotional and physical survival of humanity. While the atmospheric, flute-inflected instrumental “Mallorca” is a breezy showcase for Maree’s cool, soulful strumming, “World Over” uses percussive textures, Latin piano, rap and uplifting gospel choruses to convey the essence that we’re all in this together. The guitarist emphasizes that point on the passionate soul and blues tinged vocal ballad “We Are One.” ~ smoothjazz.com

New Releases: Byron Lee - The Gift : Psychobass 2; Emilio Santiago; Leron Young – Compilations

Byron Lee - The Gift : Psychobass 2

For legendary bassist Byron Miller, “Psychobass” is more than a clever branding idea reflective of his lifelong passion for his instrument. It’s his full-on “a.k.a.” identity. His rhythmically eclectic, jump off your chair grooving new album THE GIFT: PSYCHOBASS 2 picks up where his 2015 long awaited return to action PSYCHOBASS left off. He keeps the deeply personal autobiography hopping with a sensual George Duke cover, some island fun and a mix of high octane and chill, Duke-inspired originals with appropriate funk and groove related titles. On hand to celebrate the bassist’s many gifts are Kirk Whalum, Paul Jackson, Jr., Walter Beasley, Munyungo Jackson and others.~ smoothjazz.com        

Emilio Santiago

Far Out Recordings proudly presents the 1975 self-titled debut album from Brazilian vocalist and bossa nova luminary Emilio Santiago. Nicknamed ‘the Nat King Cole of Brazil’, Santiago was a master bossa balladeer and a top-class crooner. But he is celebrated equally for his Brazilian funk, soul and boogie classics. One of his best know is album opener ‘Bananeira’, a party-starting version of the song originally written by João Donato and Gilberto Gil. ‘Brother’ is a smooth-grooving killer with great horn arrangements and a huge backing choir, while ‘La Mulata’ is a soulful swinging salsa stepper. The album showcases the full range of Emilio’s talents, while paying homage to some of Brazil’s greatest composers, including Jorge Ben, Marcos and Sergio Valle and Ivan Lins among others. Stone cold Brazilian classic!

Leron Young – Compilations

It’s testament to veteran electric guitarist, Leron Young’s artful, perfectly in the pocket composing skills, that the ultra-melodic, deep grooving original urban-flavored tunes on his album COMPILATIONS actually surpass the joys of his clever twists on familiar R&B and jazz classics. While his crackling licks are always front and center, Young enhances them with colorful synth harmonics and engaging vocal textures. In addition to being an accomplished guitarist, Leron is an electrical engineer, music teacher, member of the Bowie State Community Jazz Orchestra and author of a new book that makes the connection between engineering, music and human growth and development. ~ smoothjazz.com

"My Shining Hour," New CD by S.F. Bay Area Vocalist Jennifer Lee

Jennifer Lee My Shining Hour With her first two albums, Oakland-based vocalist Jennifer Lee established herself as a gifted interpreter of the American and Brazilian Songbooks, producing a critically hailed body of work. On her new CD, My Shining Hour, Lee emerges as a composer who, in the nine years since her last release, has developed a striking repertoire exploring the human condition with humor, compassion, and imagination.

"I always wrote a little bit," says Lee, "but I certainly never thought of myself as a songwriter. Then a shift happened and all this music started channeling in. It's like some crazy, overactive muse attached itself to me."

Due for August 10 release on guitarist Peter Sprague's SBE Records, My Shining Hour features Lee in the company of her band, the Ever-Expanding Universe, along with special guests including trumpeter Randy Brecker, bassist Bob Magnusson, Grammy Award-winning violinist Mads Tolling, and percussion maestro John Santos.

Sprague, known for his extensive work with Chick Corea, Charles McPherson, and Hubert Laws, produced the album, which was recorded at his studio in Encinitas. He also produced Lee's first two discs -- Jaywalkin' (2003), named "finest debut of the year, big label or small" by Dan McClenaghan of All About Jazz, and Quiet Joy (2009), a mix of originals, standards, and Brazilian songs described as "a JOY from start to finish" by the late drummer and Grammy-nominated producer Bud Spangler.

"Peter is an extraordinary musician and a deeply soulful player," Lee says. "Working with him over the years, watching how he'll reharmonize or phrase a line, I've learned so much. It's definitely influenced my writing."

Lee wrote 11 of the 13 songs on My Shining Hour; all 13 were co-arranged by Lee and Sprague. The Harold Arlen-composed title track (and album opener), which contains an original vocalese written by Lee, is dedicated to her stepfather. "Song of Happy," the other non-original on the album, is an ebullient Latin number by guitarist Abel Zarate, best known as a co-writer of the Malo hit "Suavecito."

Jennifer Lee Carey Williams "Song of Happy" and "Perfect Rendezvous" are duets pairing Lee's light and bright sound with the warm, resonant baritone of Carey Williams (pictured at right with Lee), Jennifer's life partner and musical collaborator who played with Zarate in the 1970s rock/funk/fusion band The Force. "Carey and I had been performing 'Song of Happy' live since 2011, and I fell in love with the song. It's just so fun and uplifting," Lee says. "When I brought it to Peter, he created a super-dynamic arrangement for it, which inspired me to write that intricate tapestry of background vocals. The recording is a gift we get to give to Abel."

Other album highlights are the soulful ballads "Speak Your Love" and "Home," and the playful, gospel-like "Crammin' Crepes with Cathi at the Cock-a-Doodle Café," a tribute to the late jazz singer/songwriter and Jennifer's close friend Cathi Walkup: "She was a very clever lyricist who encouraged my songwriting endeavors before I ever thought of myself as a songwriter."

Jennifer Lee Born in 1964 in Redwood City, just south of San Francisco, and raised in nearby Menlo Park, Jennifer Lee ended up at Menlo-Atherton High School as a pianist to take advantage of the school's respected jazz program. She continued her jazz piano studies at Foothill College, often accompanying vocalists, all the while nursing her secret desire to sing. She didn't take the plunge until an early, unwanted glimpse at mortality radically changed her priorities in the late 1980s, when she dropped out of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst to tend to her stricken father.

"My dad got really sick and I came back from school to take care of him," Lee says. "He died the next year. He was only 51. That really brought things into focus for me. I realized that none of us knows how long we have here on planet earth, so I'd better do what I want to do now." After her father's passing, she returned to the Foothill College music department, but instead of backing other singers she took over the microphone herself.

Subsequently studying with esteemed Bay Area jazz singer Kitty Margolis, Lee gradually worked up the courage to start performing in public and honed her jazz technique on a succession of regular gigs around the Bay Area. She made her first appearance on CD in 2001 on Quintessential, an album featuring three tracks each by five Bay Area singers, including Jenna Mammina and Cathi Walkup.

"It took me so long to come to singing -- to finally admit to myself that this is really what I want to do," says Lee. "Then it took another decade-plus for the songwriter in me to emerge. I'm the epitome of the late bloomer."

Jennifer Lee brings her Ever-Expanding Universe band to Dizzy's in San Diego, 8/11, and the Sound Room, Oakland, 9/23, for a pair of concerts showcasing My Shining Hour. 

Sarah Reich releases debut Tap Jazz Album "New Change"

Sarah Reich (Performer, Choreographer, Instructor, Composer) has emerged as one of the new leaders in the Art Form of Tap Dance. She was named one of the “25 To Watch” in the 2017 Dance Magazine article. Sarah has been sought after to perform, choreograph, and teach in over 40 countries.  "I want to continue to bringtap into mass media with great respect and quality," she says, focusing on "reprogramming the minds of the general public on their perception of tap dance." (DanceMagazine 2017)

Sarah has become one of the art form's pop culture ambassadors, thanks to her appearances in videos with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox. Her videos withthem (A Star Wars–themed tribute, "The Tap Awakens," & “Thriller”, a Michael Jackson cover featuring Wayne Brady) have garnered over 1 million views onYouTube, all receiving rave reviews. She has toured the world with Postmodern Jukebox playing prestigious venues such as Radio City Music Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Sydney Opera House.

In addition to her vast international travels and countless television appearances, Sarah has had the honor to perform at some of the most prestigious venues backhome in Los Angeles such as The Hollywood Bowl, the Greek Theater with Mexican Pop-Star, Cristian Castro and the Kodak/ Dolby Theater with the great Herbie Hancock.

Sarah is developing new, and exciting works with her company Tap Music Project, with her debut Tap Jazz Album titled “New Change”. This album is originally produced, composed from percussive tap rhythms, and performed by a great selection of musicians to create a unique sound. She hopes this is just the beginning: "I want to be the first tap dancer to win a Grammy Award!"

Verve Jazz Ensemble Showcases Jubilant Group Sound on Its 5th Album, "Connect the Dots"

Verve Jazz Ensemble Connect the Dots Always highly polished, the Verve Jazz Ensemble's timeless straight-ahead jazz reaches for exuberance as well on LightGroove Media's July 20 release Connect the Dots. The fifth album by the VJE, a modular New York-based ensemble led by drummer Josh Feldstein, features upbeat performances of band originals, standards, and lesser-known works by classic jazz composers -- each characterized by the musicians' palpable delight in playing together.

Connect the Dots also finds the VJE expanded to seven pieces, with alto saxophonist/flutist Alexa Tarantino and trombonist Willie Applewhite making their VJE debuts alongside the existing quintet of trumpeter/flugelhornist Tatum Greenblatt, tenor saxophonist Jon Blanck, pianist Steve Einerson, bassist Elias Bailey, and Feldstein.

The exuberance is amplified by the tunes themselves: catchy melodies, imbued with deceptively rich harmonies and finger-snapping grooves. This, according to Feldstein, is part of the band's reason for being. "Beyond the joy of playing the music, one of our goals is to make the music more widely accessible," he says. "Brighter and with melodic and rhythmic structures people can immediately connect to, whether the listener is new to jazz or an aficionado."

To that end, Connect the Dots includes new arrangements of some of jazz's most beloved standards -- Lee Morgan's "Ceora," Cole Porter's "Love for Sale," Harold Arlen's "My Shining Hour" -- alongside intoxicating originals like Feldstein and Greenblatt's lush bebop title track and Blanck's subtly funky "Autumn Left."

However, the album also features "underserved" tunes by jazz royalty of the likes of Benny Golson ("Little Karin"), Stan Kenton ("Intermission Riff"), and Gerry Mulligan ("Disk Jockey Jump"). Here too, says Feldstein, is one of VJE's missions: "To find music that is fresh, with melodies we love, and blow the dust off it. There's so much amazing music that people haven't heard."

The full septet appears on four of the album's 13 tracks. The remainder feature three different quintet configurations, as well as trio settings for Einerson, Bailey, and Feldstein. The drummer, along with Greenblatt and Blanck, contributed the arrangements for these configurations as well as providing the original tunes.

The Verve Jazz Ensemble is the brainchild of Josh Feldstein, born and raised in New York City. He began studying drums at 11; a year later, his drum teacher told him that Josh's drumming style reminded him of Gene Krupa. Josh immediately immersed himself in the recordings of the legendary "Sing, Sing, Sing" soloist. That was it: At a time when most of his friends were listening to pop artists like Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson, Josh "withdrew into jazz."

Through junior high and his years in Queens at Bayside High School, Josh continued his drumming. He attended Queens College where he got his undergraduate degree in English. Later, while living with his wife in DC, and after they moved to Connecticut, Josh continued sitting in at local clubs.

A turning point came in 2005 when Josh saw a recent West Conn jazz grad named Jon Blanck perform. Impressed with Jon's playing and musicianship, he introduced himself to the young saxophonist, and soon struck up a great friendship and musical connection. Together with bassist Chris DeAngelis, they formed a trio that became the core of the Verve Jazz Ensemble -- a name Josh chose to express his love of the music and the recording legacy put out by the storied jazz label.

Verve Jazz Ensemble The band's lineup steadily evolved from their 2013 debut, It's About Time, a quintet outing that included the VJE debuts of New York's Tatum Greenblatt on trumpet and Matt Oestreicher on piano. East End Sojourn followed in 2014, with Elias Bailey taking over from DeAngelis on bass and Oestreicher alternating with Steve Einerson. The latter became the sole pianist on 2016's Perimeter (a breakthrough for the VJE, featuring five original compositions along with their usual well-chosen tunes). Their fourth album, Swing-A-Nova (2017), a trio feature with three tracks adding Greenblatt on trumpet, reached #6 on the JazzWeek radio charts. Now, with Connect the Dots, Alexa Tarantino's alto saxophone and flute and Willie Applewhite's trombone fill out the VJE's exhilarating classic jazz sound.

Guitarist Pete McCann Fluses Jazz-Rock On "Pay for It on the Other Side"

Pete McCann Pay for It on the Other Side Pete McCann's trademark infusion of postbop jazz with roots-rock grit and energy reaches a new peak with the guitarist-composer's July 20 release of Pay for It on the Other Side (McCannic Music). McCann's sixth album, and his third with the quintet of alto saxophonist John O'Gallagher, pianist/keyboardist Henry Hey, bassist Matt Clohesy, and drummer Mark Ferber, packs a hefty punch that emphasizes the confrontational aspect implied by its name.

"It sounds like an aggressive album title," McCann acknowledges, noting that on one level, the title refers simply to the toll he pays every morning when he crosses the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey into New York. He adds, though, that if there's a confrontation at work in the music, it's one that takes place in the afterlife. "I'm fascinated by the spiritual implications of karma," he says. "How we treat people and the environment and the consequences of that."

Far from ethereal, mystical meditations, however, McCann's ten new compositions are earthy and direct. Tunes like the title track, "Mud Flap," and "Conventional Wisdom" land with a crunch, loaded with driving rhythms and intense, instantly memorable hooks. Even more tranquil tunes like "Yonder" and "Indemnity," and jazzier, more overtly complex pieces like the angular swinger "Is April Okay?" and the bluesy, noir-ish "Floor Three," are delivered with an immediacy and command that grabs the listener's attention from the moment they begin.

The music also carries a strong sense of synergy that McCann attributes to the chemistry at work within the band. "These musicians have the ability to read and play anything I put in front of them, yet also bring their own creativity to the project," he says. "They have the ability to flesh out what I'm thinking even before I say it."

Pete McCann   

He wrote the music on Pay for It on the Other Side with the band members specifically in mind. "I definitely heard John O'Gallagher's alto voice on all this music," he says. "Henry has so many ideas for sounds and different instruments. His playing is so unique, walking a fine line between terrific jazz piano, funky clavinet, accordion, organ. He's like a one-man band. And I love the way Mark and Matt work together. They have an amazing sense of time and feel."

Pete McCann was born in 1966 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and raised there in a bustling farm household. Radio and turntable played sounds of country, rock 'n' roll, and heavy metal, and thus the pathway to a life in music came into view. Pete's love affair with the guitar began at age eight, when his mother persuaded the local music store to take him at an early age for lessons.

As a junior high and high school student, he attended Shell Lake Jazz Camp, 80 miles from Eau Claire, for six summers in a row. Master classes in jazz improvisation with teacher Mike Irish and weekly guitar lessons with Russ Moss provided further inspiration. At University of North Texas, he studied with Jack Peterson; during his junior year, he attended a summer program at the Banff Centre in Alberta, studying with Kevin Eubanks.

Arriving in New York shortly after his 1989 graduation, McCann gigged with the East Down Septet, performed with Erwin Vann's Worlds project, and subbed for Ben Monder in the Maria Schneider Orchestra. He has also worked with Lee Konitz, Brian Blade, and Dave Liebman, as well as the Mahavishnu Project (in which he was endorsed by John McLaughlin himself), Patti Austin, Grace Kelly, and Curtis Stigers.

McCann is also a member of the quartet Spin Cycle, co-led by drummer Scott Neumann, whose ties with the guitarist date back to college days, and saxophonist Tom Christensen. That group debuted in 2016 with Spin Cycle; their 2018 follow-up is Assorted Colors.

McCann made his first recording, Parable (1998), in a quintet setting featuring bassist Tim Lefebvre and drummer Matt Wilson. Two more albums with varying lineups followed before McCann's current quintet coalesced for 2009's Extra Mile and 2015's Range.

Pete McCann and his quintet will perform a CD release concert at the 55 Bar, NYC, on Thursday 7/12 (10pm start, two sets). 

Alan Hall's Ratatet Addresses Current Turmoil in American Society with "Heroes, Saints and Clowns"

Alan Hall Ratatet San Francisco Bay Area drummer, composer, and bandleader Alan Hall turned to music when he found himself in the midst of what he describes as "some of the greatest turmoil our country has ever experienced." In order to cope, he penned the sonic vignettes heard on his new CD Heroes, Saints and Clowns,set for June 22 release on Ridgeway Records. Performed by his genre-bending sextet Ratatet, which was formed in 2014 and made its recording debut in 2016 with the critically acclaimed album Arctic, the seven musical portraits reflect people who inspired, empowered, or infuriated him during today's unsettling times.

"It's just impossible to escape what's going on these days," says Hall, a native of San Jose and one of the West Coast's premier drummers and music educators. "This music is informed by what I see in the news, the violence, the police, the politics. At the same time, we have to keep our chins up. I'm also looking at personal heroes, people who help me stay positive."

Heroes, Saints and Clowns brings together an impressive set of improvisers, including Paul Hanson on tenor sax and bassoon (acoustic and with effects); Jeff Denson on double bass and five-string fretless electric bass; trombonist John Gove; Dillon Vado on vibraphone and percussion; and Greg Sankovich on piano, organ, and keyboards. They're joined on several tracks by Oregon's Paul McCandless on English horn and oboe, and cellist Joseph Hebert.

 Alan Hall Ratatet

L. to r.: Dillon Vado, Jeff Denson, Paul Hanson, Alan Hall, John Gove, Greg Sankovich.

Together they use an electro-acoustic sonic palette to interpret a program of improvised and through-composed music ranging from the satirical to the sublime, from the serene to the disruptive. Hall, who blurs boundaries between composition and improvisation, uses his ensemble as a brush to paint musical portraits ranging from chamber jazz and tone poems to pieces with the moodiness of Mingus, the zaniness of Zappa, and the serialism of Stravinsky.

That Hall's compositions lend themselves to being described in terms usually applied to the visual arts is not surprising given that he is a master of both the drum brush and the paint brush. Initially inspired by an exhibition of Alexander Calder sculptures he saw at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Hall has become an accomplished visual artist who creates work under the name A. Miguel Hall. He uses individual and mixed media as well as digital abstract photography (the cover to Heroes, Saints and Clowns is one of his works). Hall honors the American abstract painter Agnes Martin with the through-composed piece named for her that closes the new album.

"It seems that, at any given time, one art form or the other -- visual or musical -- will demand expression, and the other must wait," says Hall. "I can't seem to be fully engaged with both simultaneously, which suggests they're both drawing on the same source, whatever that may be. This is very interesting to me, but my goal is to have both fully activated at the same time."

Alan Hall Born (1958) and raised in San Jose, California, Alan Hall stood out early on as a precociously talented drummer. His band director at John Muir Middle School, Tony Nigro, started hiring Hall for gigs before he started high school.

Part of a brilliant wave at Berklee College of Music in the late 1970s, Hall ended up teaching at the school from 1986 to 1993. A significant influence on Hall's development as a musician was his two-year course of study (1983-1985) with drummer Alan Dawson, himself a longtime member of the Berklee faculty. While Dawson had left Berklee before Hall matriculated there, the younger drummer received tremendous guidance from Dawson not only in the area of jazz drumming but in the school of life as well.

"One thing about Alan was his devotion to the seriousness of the craft," Hall shared in a 2016 interview with former student and fellow Bay Area drummer Niels Myrner. "His project was refining his craft to the highest level. That standard of excellence had a very strong impression on me."

Moving back to California, he settled in the East Bay and started playing with Dave Eshelman's Jazz Garden Big Band, which quickly established him as a first-call accompanist. Collaborating with veteran touring masters like Art Lande, Paul McCandless, and Rebecca Paris and younger stars such as Geoffrey Keezer and Ed Simon, Hall has provided the rhythmic foundation for more than a dozen leading ensembles over the past 25 years. A dedicated educator, he continues to teach at Cal State University East Bay, the Monterey Jazz Festival's Summer Jazz Camp, the California Jazz Conservatory, and Jazz Camp West, as well as seeing private students.

Hall is thinking bigger and smaller with Ratatet, breaking out smaller lineups for particular pieces and adding new instrumentalists for others. He recently submitted a piece to NPR's Tiny Desk contest which featured an octet with an acoustic guitarist and cellist added to the lineup. "There is so much more to explore with this group!" he says.

The Ratatet Octet -- the same band featured on Hall's Tiny Desk video -- will be performing a CD release show at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar Street, Berkeley, on Saturday 7/7, 8:00 pm. A selection of paintings and photography by Hall will be exhibited and for sale during the concert. The Ratatet Sextet (with Sheldon Brown subbing for John Gove) is scheduled to play the San Jose Jazz Festival, Sunday 8/12 at 4pm, on the Gordon Biersch Stage.