Sony Music Masterworks announces the long-awaited follow-up to the GRAMMY Award-winning The Goat Rodeo Sessions, with Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile. The new album — Not Our First Goat Rodeo — will be released May 1 and is available now to preorder. Making its debut alongside the album preorder is its lead offering, "Scarcely Cricket," which the group pairs with a live performance video — watch here. Following the album's May release, the group will set out on a coast-to-coast U.S. tour beginning in August, followed by a second set of performances in October.
WATCH VIDEO FOR "SCARCELY CRICKET"
YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/U2JkD27gAQY
Both sets of Goat Rodeo sessions combine the talents of the four solo artists, each a Grammy Award-winning talent in his own right, to create a singular sound that's part composed, part improvised, and uniquely American. The music is so complex to pull off that the group likens it to a goat rodeo — an aviation term for a situation in which 100 things need to go right to avoid disaster. Both the first album and the new recording also feature the voice and artistry of singer-songwriter and fellow Grammy Award-winner Aoife O'Donovan, who rejoins the group as a guest on Not Our First Goat Rodeo.
The new release builds on 2011's genre-defying The Goat Rodeo Sessions, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Classical, Classical Crossover, and Bluegrass charts and remained at No. 1 for 11 weeks on the Bluegrass chart. Marking Yo-Yo Ma's highest debut on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart, the release went on to break into the chart's top 20 albums, where it peaked at No. 18. NPR's World Cafe called the album, which received GRAMMY Awards for Best Folk Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, "organic yet composed in a way that only four deeply talented, in-tune musicians could make it," with traces of, "Appalachia[n], Chinese, classical, Celtic, and jazz influences. If there was ever an album — or an unlikely band — that embodies the word 'eclectic,' this is it."
The Los Angeles Times has described the collaboration as "unlikely musicians on unlikely instruments … part blues, part bluegrass and a smidgen of Bach." The four musicians come from diverse backgrounds: Yo-Yo Ma (cello), a classical cellist known for his cross-genre collaborations and deep belief in culture's essential role in society; Stuart Duncan (fiddle, banjo), a multi-instrument bluegrass virtuoso who has played with artists from Dolly Parton to George Strait; Edgar Meyer (bass), a double bassist and composer who has written for musicians from Béla Fleck and Zakir Hussain to Emanuel Ax and Hilary Hahn; and Chris Thile (mandolin, fiddle, guitar, vocals), the mandolinist wunderkind who fronts bands such as Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers and hosts public radio's Live from Here. Their traditions and experiences intersect in this collaboration to create a compelling sound that is at once global and American, a shared voice that speaks to the moment in which we live.
The Newport Music Festival (NMF) will take place from July 4-26 and will present 27 concerts and events in the renowned Newport mansions, including The Breakers, The Elms, and the Chinese Tea House, as well as other impressive venues, such as Castle Hill Inn, The Casino Theatre, Newport Art Museum, Blithewold, Bellevue House, and St. Columba's Chapel.
Highlights of the 2020 Season Include:
A celebration of Beethoven's 250th Anniversary - The Festival will feature a diverse array of concerts commemorating his virtuosity, including Beethoven's Birthday Bash on July 19
Festival favorite and improvisational genius Charlie Albright Returns on July 11
Grammy Award-winning Harlem String Quartet makes their Festival debut on July 17
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet celebrate the centennial of jazz giant Dave Brubeck at The Breakers on July 18
Dance the Night Away on July 24 with Jon Lehrer Dance for an evening of cocktails and appetizers, spectacular music and choreography, and post-performance dance party
Hearkening back to its roots, the Festival will present two opera performances – Viva Verdi! on July 16 and Passion for Puccini on July 25
The Newport Music Festival brings together its largest forces ever for Beethoven's Birthday Bash, an incredible evening to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of Beethoven's Birthday. This special concert features Festival favorite Stephanie Chase performing Beethoven's gorgeous Violin Concerto, a spectacular cake-cutting during intermission, and concludes with a full orchestral ensemble of Beethoven's stunning Second Symphony.
Richard Glazier returns on July 22 in another fun-filled concert, Broadway to Hollywood, after his standing ovations at last year's sold-out performance at Blithewold. This year, he is joined by Grammy Award-nominated pianist Mike Renzi and award-winning singer Nicholas King.
A variety of last summer's popular concerts will be making a reappearance this season, including the Musical Garden Party, Sunrise Concerts, Broadway at the Breakers, and A Summer Evening by the Sea at Castle Hill.
This season will feature Festival favorites like pianist Daniel del Pino and baritone Trevor Neal alongside outstanding newcomer, tenor Limmie Pulliam.
NMF continues to serve the community by offering free family-friendly concerts, including a Fourth of July Extravaganza and a free concert on the Lawn at the Newport Art Museum on Tuesday, July 14.
The award-winning pianist, composer, and bandleader Sebastien Ammann (born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland) is a modernist in every sense, some might even say an avant-gardist. Like the Shepherd’s Tree found on the African continent, Ammann has extremely deep roots. While in Geneva, Ammann performed with internationally known artists such as Maurice Magnoni, Stefano Saccon, Jeff Baud, Béatrice Graff, Manu Hagmann, David Meier and Rafi Schilt. Early in his career, he also became an effective leader and conceptualist, leading his band “Schwytzromand Formula,” which brought together two musicians from the German part and two musicians from the French part of Switzerland, as a way to erase the language barrier. In 2006, Ammann offered his debut album, “Orange” (2006) with the Ammann Trio, featuring bassist Manu Hagmann and drummer Rodolphe Loubatière.
While in New York in 2008, he studied privately with Jacob Sacks, Marc Copland, Fred Hersch and Garry Dial. Further studies with David Berkman, Antonio Hart, Michael Mossman and Howard Brofsky earned him a Masters degree in Jazz Performance from Queens College in February 2011. During his studies, Ammann was awarded the Sir Roland Hanna Fellowship award in recognition of special achievement, and quickly, “forged collaborations with saxophonist Caroline Davis, reedist Ohad Talmor and trombonist Samuel Blaser.” – Bill Meyer, DownBeat Magazine. Ammann is the leader of the Sebastien Ammann Quartet featuring the aforementioned Talmor, bassist David Ambrosio and drummer Eric McPherson (their first album, Samadhi, on Freshsound/New Talent, 2013 garnered praise from Dave Sumner of Bird Is The Worm, “sets off gracefully, quietly, and with a gliding motion as placid as skaters on a frozen pond. This is one of those albums whose opening statement is so indelible as to resonate throughout the entirety of the recording . . . that sublime opening statement speaks through the expressions to follow.”. Mr. Ammann is a member of Gene Ess’ Fractal Attraction, Nick Biello Sextet, Jake Leckie Quartet, and has collaborated with musicians and projects such as Kris Davis’ Massive Thread, Tony Malaby, Billy Drewes, Le Zhang Quintet, Mark Ferber, George Schuller, The Gary Douglas Band, Dana Leong, John Hébert, Sean Conly, Michael Sarin and many others. He regularly performs in venues and festivals all over the USA and Europe.
The centerpiece of Sebastien Ammann’s career is as the leader of Sebastien Ammann’s Color Wheel, a band featuring some of New York City’s most compelling and fearless artists, saxophonist Michaël Attias (Renku, Anthony Braxton, Paul Motian), bassist Noah Garabedian (Ralph Alessi, Ravi Coltrane, Andrew D’Angelo) and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell (Michael Formanek, Uri Caine, Dave Douglas, Brass Against). Ammann and co. proudly announces the release of their second album, Resilience, available on Chris Speed’s Skirl Records March 20. The band’s first album, Color Wheel (Skirl Records, 2017) was very well received by numerous publications in both the U.S. and internationally, including DownBeat Magazine, where Bill Meyer said, “he makes music that balances accessibility with rigor,” and Something Else! which proclaimed the album was a vehicle for, “Ammann’s bracing and transcendent compositions that opens up wide both the plotted improv spigots.” Stephen Graham added on Marlbank that this music is, “avant spiky free-bop flavoured by the New Cool containing a pleasantly plangent sourness that the born to run jaggedness from piano and sax offset so effectively and ease into consummate fluency.”
On Resilience we find ourselves listening to a group of five musicians who have become quite close since performing and recording together for many years. And, you can hear their camaraderie in the music. Ammann elaborates, Color Wheel has been together since 2012 and the members have become close friends; outside of Color Wheel, we’ve played in many different bands over the years. This is important to me, working with people I can trust. These musicians have a wide range of musical colors and approaches they can use. As my music is informed by a wide spectrum of influences, I need people who can navigate complex written material as well as wide open improvisation.” Ammann’s goal with Resilience was to compose pieces that each had their own distinct identity, while showcasing the musicians and their singularities. “With some compositions, like Yayoi and Untangled, the emphasis is on form, while with others, such as Aylan Kurdi and Resilience, the focus in on a certain feeling. Pedestrian Space is an example of working on texture within a frame, thinking in terms of mass. We also cover two tunes that I’ve been playing a lot over the years, Afterthought by my friend Dave Scott (trumpet), and King Korn from the album Turning Point by Paul Bley, who has been one of my favorite pianists after listening to his album Open To Love in my early twenties. While composing the music for Resilience I was thinking about ways to convey specific information to the musicians while giving them freedom to interpret it in a variety of ways, expressing their personalities. This has been my new focus while writing music,” said Ammann.
Resilience was recorded by Michael Perez-Cisneros and Alex Haley on June 11, 2018 at Big Orange Sheep (Brooklyn, NY); the album was produced by Sebastien Ammann and Jake Leckie, and mastered by Alan Silverman at Arf Mastering (NYC)
Yayoi - Inspired by the work of Japanese visual artist Yayoi Kusama. In this piece, the aim was to create a narrative by connecting sections that have different textures and creating a flow in the composition.
Untangled - This piece has a longer form that takes the listener through a variety of sonic worlds.
Castello di Traliccio - The title “Castello di Traliccio” (trellis in English) comes from an Italian book I was reading. The concept of the trellis came to my mind in this piece where the solid groove creates a solid structure through which a rubato melody is woven. The simultaneous occurence of metrical and rubato rhythm introduces an element of indeterminacy that creates an interesting counterpoint.
Resilience - This piece attempts to evoke John and Alice Coltrane’s sound, which I often turn to in order to find serenity and a sense of grounding. I wrote this with the idea of finding hope, meaning and stability through building our community in a time where both the political climate and the state of the environment don’t offer signs of a bright future.
King Korn Revisited - One of my favorite Carla Bley compositions.
Aylan Kurdi - A work inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis and the human tragedies it created. The melody has a lamenting quality and floats over a repetitive and circular accompaniment.
The Traveller - Written for a dear friend who travelled to 160 countries and was one of the smartest people I knew. The composition is a harmonic exploration using simple harmony as a base and superimposing a variety of structures over it.
Afterthought - A beautiful tune by my friend and trumpeter Dave Scott
Pedestrian Space - Inspired by the work of visual artist Fred Sandback, who, by stretching lengths of yarn horizontally, vertically or diagonally at different scales, creates an experience of space by creating invisible panes, creating volume with no mass. The idea of this piece is to create texture by layering multiple rhythms that can then morph into different shapes.
Jazz singer-songwriter Gina Kronstadt’s new single, “The Threat of Love,” earns most added honors at Billboard as her new album and video arrive.
Most of us have been tempted to fall for the wrong person at one time or another. Jazz singer-songwriter Gina Kronstadt journals an alluring temptation on “The Threat of Love,” the first single from her third album, “October Comes Too Soon,” which dropped last Friday on FallOff Records. Kronstadt wrote and produced the storybook musing on love, intimate relationships and astute observations. The single earned most added status on the Billboard chart in its debut week at radio. Debuting the same week was the sensual black and white video for “The Threat of Love” that was lensed on the streets of Los Angeles (https://youtu.be/OHpohgM9tsU).
Kronstadt writes music as therapy – mental and spiritual - and she composed the eight songs that comprise “October Comes Too Soon” during a challenging eight-month period while recovering from multiple shoulder surgeries. She cleverly uses “real” lyrics and her soothing-caress-of-a-voice to capture and convey honest thoughts and emotions, feelings of vulnerability and heartache, and ruminations on love, bliss and politics. When it was time to lay the tracks, Kronstadt called upon noted musicians to vividly illumine her tales: keyboardists John Beasley and Nicholas Semrad, bassist Benjamin Shepherd, drummer Joel Taylor, trumpeter Michael Stever and saxophonist/woodwind player Bob Sheppard. A first-call violin player who has performed on an extraordinary library of crème de la crème recording projects and concert stages, Hollywood box office hits and landmark television series, Kronstadt helmed the 12-piece string section that draped the tracks with lush backdrops, adding depth, drama and elegance.
While the first single garners attention from smooth/contemporary jazz radio programmers, cuts from “October Comes Too Soon” have also been proliferating playlists at a second radio format: straight-ahead jazz radio. In fact, Kronstadt’s disc is already making its way up the Jazz Week chart.
Kronstadt is eager to share the music from “October Comes Too Soon” with listeners live on stage although current global circumstances may force the delay of her album release concert slated for April 23 at Feinstein’s at Vitello’s in Studio City.
Try Again is a dynamic journey that builds upon an offbeat syncopated motif. With a searing repeating melody the song builds to a dramatic unison chorus punctuated by satisfying hits and breaks by the rhythm section. A gentle, B3 organ moment builds through the form giving way to explosive guitar licks that finally segue to the triumphant reprise. Again, Slugger creates their own world and takes the listener on a trip that is both challenging and exciting.”
In early 2017, acclaimed New Orleans drummer Terrence “Groove Guardian” Houston was looking for inspiration. Already in the midst of a successful career that included work with The Funky Meters and George Porter Jr’s own projects, Houston knew it was time to find a sound of his own. He contacted bassist Noah Young, known as a member of post-jazz powerhouse Naughty Professor. What started as a few casual jam sessions in Houston’s practice space in a storage facility soon became the beginnings of a new project. Young tapped childhood friend and guitarist Max Bronstein, a relative new-comer to the city, to join in on several writing and recording sessions. When the group added keyboardist Joe Johnson- one of the masterminds behind international sensation Tank and the Bangas- the quartet knew they had something special.
Slugger has quickly become one of New Orleans most exciting new bands, drawing praise from both fellow musicians and the avid listeners who frequent the city’s vibrant live music scene. Combining elements of fusion, funk and gospel music, Slugger represents the confluence of styles that makes New Orleans a unique musical and cultural hub. As the group finds themselves on a trajectory few anticipated, one thing is certain- Houston and his collaborators have found their inspiration.
Fire Orchestra (Mats Gustafsson) - Actions
An expanded take on the original "Actions" composition – originally recorded by Don Cherry, with composer Krzystof Penderecki – and extended here by original material from reedman Mats Gustafsson! The original recording was a key juncture between two different avant worlds on the European scene – and this updated set is equally powerful – as it features an all-star group of younger improvisers – with Gustafsson on baritone and leading the group – in a lineup that includes Per Texas Johansson on tenor and flute, Christer Bothen on bass clarinet, Anna Hogberg on alto, Marial Berthel on trombone, Reine Fiske on guitar, Alex Zethson on Hammond organ, Torbjorn Zetterberg on electric bass, and Goran Kajfes, Niklas Barno, and Susansa Santos Silva on trumpets! The strong use of trumpets really echoes Cherry's legacy, but there's also a very different vibe to this take on Penderecki's mix of composition and improvisation – one that's maybe more careful, spacious, and thoughtful than the original - a great tribute not just to Gustafsson's legacy, but also the evolution of improvisation over the decades. ~ Dusty Groove
Gitkin - De La Canción
After two outstanding releases on Wonderwheel Recordings (2018’s “5 Star Motel” LP, and 2019’s “Saint Claude Dash / Chicha Nola” 7”), Gitkin is back with a new EP, along with two remixes from Pimps Of Joytime. “De La” - which features NYC-based singer Carol C - was inspired by the Saharan Tuareg sound, while also embracing Carl C’s Afro-Dominican roots with a beautiful melody and Spanish lyrics. The second track, “Canción De Aplauso,” fuses classic joyful cumbia with 70s Afrobeat, Cuban tumbao, and a bit of middle eastern flavour for good measure. The electric Guild twelve-string guitar sound is reminiscent of Turkish Saz, eliciting a festive vibe that gets the crowd grooving in live sets. Both songs see remixes by The Pimps of Joytime, with “De La” delving further into the trance sound. “Canción De Aplauso” gets a gogo retouch, inspired by Washington DC’s Chuck Brown, with the addition of some 70’s style funk slap bass. Gitkin is the alter ego of Pimps Of Joytime front man and Grammy nominated producer, Brian J. The mysterious hybrid of styles on his first album, 5 Star Motel is both beguiling and enchanting. A style he has dubbed "Outernational Psychedelic Twang". With influences ranging from Peruvian Chicha to 60’s Pakistani surf rock, Gitkin weaves a tapestry of sonic goodness featuring flavorful guitar stylings, hand clapping grooves and intriguing compositions. "It's all funk to me" says Brian J when asked about the eclectic influences of the project. Backed by a stellar cast of musicians, Gitkin has generated a buzz playing exclusive shows in NYC and San Francisco. On stage, the live band delivers a spirited performance, captivating their audiences.
Boddhi Satva - 18
A double-length collection of work from Boddhi Satva – a retrospective of sorts, as the package features tracks from the past 20 years of his career – but maybe more of a special celebration of his talents, as the album brings together special projects, collaborations, and under-exposed mixes and tracks! As with all Boddhi Satva's music, there's a quality here that matches his African roots and role in the contemporary global scene – music that resonates strongly with the vibe of key collaborators on the package – who, with Boddhi Satva, have helped forge a new sense of cross-cultural growth in house music that will continue for years to come. Titles include "Manda Island" by Afefe Iku, "See The Day" by Alton Miller & Boddhi Satva, "Until Our Work It's Done (Boddhi Satva's ancestral rmx)" by Gabriele Poso, "Born Again (Boddhi Satva & Mr V retouch)" by V, ""Moina Ya Mokili" by Boddhi Satva & Abel Tabu, "Into The Shadows (Boddhi Satva ancestral soul rmx)" by Jay Tripwire, "Mama Kosa" by Boddhi Satva & Kaysha, "Kanga Mutu" by Boddhi Satva & Spilulu with H-Baraka, "Sweet Brown Sugar" by Boddhi Satva with E-Man, "The Depth Of The Source" by Boddhi Satva featuring Yuba, "Belma Belma" by Boddhi Satva & Maalem Hammam, "God Is Love (Boddhi Satva ancestral soul mix)" by DJ Pippi vs Danny Marquez with Marcel, and "Bria's Offering" and "Big Theme" by Boddhi Satva himself. ~ Dusty Groove
His latest Outside in Music release explores the nature of influence and features his acclaimed longtime working group with Lucas Pino, Alex Wintz, Glenn Zaleski, Dave Baron and Jimmy Macbride.
An improviser with a gorgeously rich, expressive sound, the trombonist, composer, producer and educator Nick Finzer has long been recognized as an expert musical storyteller. But with his new sextet album, Cast of Characters, available February 28th, 2020 through his label Outside in Music, he’s crafted his most profound narrative yet, an exploration of the formative figures we meet throughout our lives and how their impact changes over time. “Each of us responds and develops on our journey with the influence of the people we meet,” he says. “We follow, we depart, we react and we grow in myriad ways based on the experiences we encounter.”
Cast of Characters is much more than a tribute project or an homage to musical mentors; rather, it’s a probe into the nature of influence, containing a strong message of self-empowerment. As the title of the album’s final track puts it, “We’re more than the sum of our influences.”
To hear Finzer’s sentiments in action, you couldn’t do better than the brilliant rising stars of his longtime working band: multireedist Lucas Pino, guitarist Alex Wintz, pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Dave Baron and drummer Jimmy Macbride. These are musicians who reflect both rugged individualism and a reverence for jazz’s time-honored principles.
Utilizing the telepathic rapport his group has developed over the past eight years, Finzer is an Ellingtonian composer in philosophy, constructing parts to suit the specific gifts of his players, or placing his soloists into the sorts of demanding situations he knows will yield radiant results. “I wanted to feature everyone doing the things I know they’re really great at,” he says.
Finzer’s music also draws on influences from heroes like Maria Schneider and Bob Brookmeyer, composition-first progressives whose innovations remain accessible via breathtaking melody and harmony and often propulsive rhythms. On Cast of Characters, Finzer evinces their big-picture ideas and good taste—no solos for their own sake—yet still manages to dig deep into the language of great small-group postbop.
The sense of trust among the members, the elasticity that allows one improvisation to dovetail seamlessly with another, will put listeners in mind of benchmarks like Miles’ Second Great Quintet. Finzer’s effortless hookup with Pino, one of his closest friends and collaborators, can evoke the trombone-and-sax frontline chemistry of classic LPs featuring Finzer’s lodestars J.J. Johnson/Stan Getz and Curtis Fuller/Benny Golson.
Returning to the album’s story, Finzer explains how the crucial lead-off track, “A Sorcerer (is a myth),” reflects the creative heroes we encounter who seem at first to be otherworldly, larger than life. “But we find out that maybe what we thought was magic was really not magic at all,” he says. “It’s about dedication, hard work, seeking out mentors and the sheer determination to make your vision a reality.
“The whole musical journey of this album presents a collection of experiences based on the people who shape who we are. But ultimately we are the ones with agency to create our path.”
That Finzer is exploring concepts of both self-reliance and veneration shouldn’t be surprising to anyone who has followed his busy career. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Juilliard School, he has counted among his trombone mentors Steve Turre and Wycliffe Gordon, and is currently the first Assistant Professor of Jazz Trombone at the University of North Texas, a landmark program in the history of jazz education. He’s earned a raft of honors, including two ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards, and has performed, toured, and/or recorded with a pack of lauded ensembles, among them Anat Cohen’s Tentet, Bob Stewart’s Double Quartet, the Dafnis Prieto Big Band, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and the Gil Evans Project led by Ryan Truesdell, the GRAMMY-winning composer/arranger who produced Cast of Characters.
It is through Outside in Music, Finzer’s media company and record label, that he best defines himself as a 21st-century jazz musician. “We really want to focus on developing releases for artists in a present-day model that includes visual elements, whether it be video or social media or all of the above,” he says, before pointing out that Outside in Music allows musicians to retain their hard-earned publishing rights. This full-service production organization also facilitates administrative help and affordable album promotion campaigns. Finzer’s own online presence is a lesson in ingenuity, from his virtual studio and other online teaching platforms to his blogging and a steady stream of new music and performance videos. Some of Outside in Music’s most critically celebrated releases, like saxophonist Roxy Coss’ Quintet and Airmen of Note pianist Chris Ziemba’s Manhattan Lullaby, feature Finzer as producer, another role in which he espouses an artist-first attitude.
These initiatives are ways for Finzer to bridge the gap between musician and listener. Cast of Characters, Finzer’s fifth release overall, is yet another. “The characters represent the archetypes of people we encounter throughout our lives,” he says. “I want the listener to project their own experiences onto this storyline, creating their own unique narrative with the music.”
In the end, the listener will also absorb and reflect on the cast of characters that is Finzer himself: a searching player with a trademark timbre; a creative educator given to using emerging technology; a bandleader with an ability to choose and elevate great talent; and a generous entrepreneur dedicated to his artists’ best interests. To say it more directly, he’s a quintessential jazz artist for our time.
http://www.nickfinzermusic.com
Moses Boyd - Dark Matter
A hell of a record from drummer Moses Boyd – a musician who's fast becoming way more than a drummer! Here, Boyd is in the same "jazz plus" territory of Makaya McCraven – still strongly respectful of his lineage in the music, but also trying very hard to push the whole thing forward, and open up to new sounds and new ears – all in ways that are never commercial or crossover at all! Moses is clearly becoming a force on the London scene to match the collaborative genius of Makaya in Chicago – and although there's no personnel listed on the set, we can hear some fantastic work on saxes, keyboards, and vocals – which are handled by both male and female singers. And although Boyd drums on the set, he's clearly working more as a larger producer/arranger – one who isn't afraid to throw in a few beats from time to time – on titles that include "Yoyo", "Shades Of You", "Stranger Than Fiction", "BTB", "Far Gone", "Nommos Descent", and "What Now". ~ Dusty Groove
Wildflower - Season 2
An amazing group, sounding even better here on their second album than they did the first time around – which is quite an achievement, as we really loved that record from this mighty trio! The group's an offshoot from the Ill Considered combo – and they've got an approach that's similar to that group, but maybe even more modal and spiritual overall – tremendous bass from Leon Brichard, tight drums from Tom Skinner, and searing reed solos from Idris Rahman – who blows tenor, flute, and clarinet over the long grooves laid down by the bass and drums! Rhythm is at the core of every track, and there's energy that flows right from the original inspiration of Coltrane's early 60s groove – but Rahman's solos are very distinct, and add a hell of a lot to the already great sound of the group. Titles include "Light In The Sorrow", "Distant Thunder", "Fire", "Mirage", "Under The Night Sky", and "Where The Wild Things Dance". ~ Dusty Groove
Monophonics - It's Only Us
The Monophonics sound better here than ever before – as if the group's gone through some great mutation that's got them coming across with a richer, more mature sound than we ever might have expected a few years before! Things are still pretty darn funky, but there's also strong currents of deeper 70s soul – both a fragile east coast harmony vein, and some fuller arrangements from time to time – almost as if All-Platinum Records were co-producing a set with Curtom – although with some of the sunnier Cali elements we've always heard from the group. Kelly Finnigan produced, and handled lead vocals and plenty of keyboards – but the set's definitely a group affair, and sounds different than Finnigan's other work – and has a sublime sound that's right at home on the Colemine label. Titles include "Tunnel Vision", "Last One Standing", "It's Only Us", "All In The Family", "Run For Your Life", "Day By Day", and "Suffocating". ~ Dusty Groove
Secrets Are The Best Stories is the new album from acclaimed vocalist and GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Kurt Elling featuring renowned pianist Danilo Pérez. Edition Records is delighted to provide the support and artistic freedom for Elling to pursue his goals while placing artistry and integrity at the forefront. Secrets Are The Best Stories is set to be a career-defining album for Elling, confirming his trajectory on a new and evolving path of artistic excellence, and further exploring the passion and the messages, political, personal, that inspire him.
Here, Elling adds evocative new lyrics to compositions by greats like Pérez’s iconic collaborator Wayne Shorter, late fusion bass genius Jaco Pastorius, and visionary composer/arranger Vince Mendoza, and to pieces from Pérez’s own catalogue. Along with his own compelling narratives, Elling adapts the works of contemporary poets Franz Wright and Robert Bly, the 19th century abolitionist poet Frances E.W. Harper and Nobel-winning author Toni Morrison.
His previous album The Questions, released in 2018, explored important messages about social and political issues. The Questions was undoubtedly a learning experience from which Elling never expected to find definitive answers. And yet some things have become clearer to him. Elling’s continued search for what is hidden and what is unearthed is reflected in the title, Secrets Are The Best Stories – an insight gleaned from one of his daughter’s childhood friends, whose naïve wisdom recognized the deeper beauty in games of hide-and-seek. With Secrets Are The Best Stories, Kurt has further developed his protest voice to communicate his impassioned artistic reaction to the vital issues of our time: human rights, immigration and climate change. On this album he demonstrates the artist’s ability to respond, which he does with command and virtuosity, and integrity.
Tony® and Emmy® Award Winner Lillias White is releasing her highly-anticipated second album, entitled, Get Happy! The album is scheduled for release in Spring 2020 - and is a modern mix of Motown, Standards, Rock-and-Roll, and Jazz – all re-invented for today’s audiences. The tracks all center on the theme of “happiness”.
Recorded at Old Mill Road Recording in East Arlington, Vermont, in July 2019, the album is the culmination of a 30-year friendship and professional collaboration between Lillias White and her musical director/accompanist, Timothy Graphenreed. Best known for his work on the iconic musical, The Wiz, Timothy tragically passed away on March 1, 2020. The album is dedicated to his memory.
Get Happy! was produced by Joshua Sherman and engineered by Grammy® Award Winner Benjamin J. Arrindell. The two men won the coveted NAMM TEC® Award for Best Studio Design in January 2020. Joshua and Benjamin have been collaborating together (and with Lillias!) for almost 20 years.
Lillias White is internationally-recognized for her work on both stage and screen. Her performance in Cy Coleman’s Broadway musical, The Life, won her the TONY® Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She was nominated for a second TONY® Award for her brilliant work in Fela! Additional Broadway credits include: Barnum, Dreamgirls, Cats, Carrie, Once on This Island, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Chicago. Lillias received the EMMY® Award as part of the cast of Sesame Street and was lauded for her work on the Baz Luhrmann-directed NETFLIX series The Get Down. She is beloved by audiences around the world for voicing the lead muse Calliope in Disney’s animated feature Hercules and has appeared in cabarets and concert halls around the world, including The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and The Sydney Opera House.
“In these uncertain times, Lillias White’s powerful voice and beautiful soul are a light in the darkness,” says producer Joshua Sherman, M.D. “Lillias is an inspiring human being with an unmatched ability to raise the spirits of an audience. Take four minutes right now, forget your troubles, and Get Happy!”
To listen to GET HAPPY! go to: LilliasWhite.com
Performers Include Herbie Hancock, Pharoah Sanders, Gregory Porter, Abdullah Ibrahim, Omar Sosa and Marialy Pacheco, and Kenny Barron, Among Others
In keeping with a tradition of presenting true jazz artists and presentations that define its renowned jazz reputation and legacy across the globe, the Detroit Jazz Festival has announced its 2020 lineup for Labor Day weekend.
Previously announced, Grammy and Tony-award winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater will serve as the Festival’s Artist-in-Residence. The Detroit Jazz Festival is the world’s largest (and best) free jazz festival in the world.
“True to our mission, the Detroit Jazz Festival provides a platform for emerging and legacy artists to present true jazz presentations to enthusiasts and fans across the world…this year is no exception,” said Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation President and Artistic Director Chris Collins. “This year’s festival will showcase a very dynamic group of artists from various disciplines and generations, representing our embedded mission to present multiple facets of jazz in one festival setting,” said Collins.
The 2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater will headline multiple performances during the Festival including an opening set with protégé group, the Woodshed Network Ladies, and a closing night performance with her all-female big band. Other highlights include performances from Herbie Hancock, Pharoah Sanders, Gregory Porter, Abdullah Ibrahim, Omar Sosa and Marialy Pacheco, and Kurt Elling’s Big Blind in conjunction with Broadway legend Ben Vereen and others.
This year’s theme, The Road to the Festival, also kicks off a journey to the Festival’s 50-year celebration.
Here’s a partial listing of this year’s Festival lineup:
Friday, September 4:
2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Woodshed Network Ladies
Herbie Hancock
Saturday, September 5:
Matthew Whitaker Quartet
Kenny Barron Trio
Alicia Olatuja – "Intuition: Songs From The Minds of Women"
Etienne Charles – "Creole Soul"
David Binney Angeleno Quartet
Keyon Harrold presents Jazz and the Birth of Hip Hop with special guests Elzhi, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Chris “Daddy” Dave
Pharoah Sanders – "Icon"
The Summit: The Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6
Kurt Elling’s Big Blind: featuring Kurt Elling, 2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater, Broadway Legend Ben Vereen and others
Sunday, September 6:
Michael Mayo Quartet
Roberto Fonseca – "YESUN"
Alfredo Rodriguez & Richard Bona Sextet
2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap
Abdullah Ibrahim and the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra
Anat Cohen Tentet with Musical Director Oded Lev-Ari
Sean Jones – “Dizzy Spellz”
The Dave Brubeck 100th Anniversary Tribute featuring the Brubeck Brothers, Jerry Bergonzi, the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra and Choir, and others
Fly Higher – Charlie Parker @ 100 with co-music directors Rudresh Mahanthappa & Terri Lyne Carrington
Gregory Porter
Monday, September 7:
Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya
Joey Alexander Trio
Jimmy Greene Quintet
Eddie Daniels and Bob James – Exploring New Worlds
Omar Sosa & Marialy Pacheco Piano Duo
Robert Glasper
2020 Artist-in-Residence Dee Dee Bridgewater and her all-female big band
The full Festival schedule will be available as the event nears.
Mariea Antoinette’s “All My Strings’ pays tribute to the evolution and magic that strings contribute to music.
Mariea Antoinette is upping the ante. Her previous albums have been designed to place the classical harp in surprising, unimagined contexts: R&B, jazz and hip hop. The motif expands on her third outing, “All My Strings,” which drops April 24 from Infinity/Maasai Productions. Teaming with producer Allan Phillips, who wrote four songs for the album, Antoinette’s focus is vibrational, celebrating the progress and unique contributions made by stringed instruments in music.
“The idea was to create an organic sound where most of the instrumentation of the album is
propelled by vibrating strings - harp, violins, violas, cellos, guitars and bass guitar. ‘All My Strings’ is a tribute to the evolution and the magic that strings bring to music,” said Antoinette, a San Diego native. “I wanted the album to unfold as a beautiful, unexpected story.”
Antoinette began telling the story a couple years ago when she released the album opener, “Overture,” as a single, which went Top 5 on the Billboard chart and was named Best Jazz Single by the Black Women in Jazz & the Arts Association. With sweeping strings that build to a dramatic crescendo over funky beats, the track provided an exciting preview of what was to come on “All My Strings.” Last fall, Antoinette provided a second glimpse with the release of “That Thing (Doo Woop),” a reinvention of the Lauryn Hill hit. A third sampling came when “Loving You” began collecting airplay and playlist adds last week. The single earned Most Added status at Billboard. Antoinette tells the story behind why she elected to record the Minnie Riperton signature tune.
“For years, Allan (Phillips) had the idea of recording a tribute to my first producer, the late Carl Evans, a founding member of the contemporary jazz group Fattburger. Carl had inspired countless musicians in Southern California and first introduced me and Allan. After years of searching, Allan suggested ‘Loving You.’ The original has a sublime effect that naturally seemed to work great with the harp. Then Allan gathered the surviving original members of Fattburger to record the song. We used a hallmark arrangement typical of Fattburger’s chart-topping style along with the string ensemble that appears throughout ‘All My Strings.’ The result is a fresh and exciting new version of a classic so dear to everyone’s heart. It also honors Carl who taught us to always spread love through our music - no matter what.”
Another compelling selection from the set is “Garden of Peace,” a soothing original spoken word number delivered by Antoinette over music by Lonnie Liston Smith.
“I believe in the healing power of music and spoken word where it drives all the tension from a room.
With spoken word, you can take people on an unforgettable journey through the power of words, something I do on all my projects. That was my intention with ‘Garden of Peace.’ Coupled with a pure harp solo, it creates a journey that is inspirational, creative and metaphysical. I love music that comes from an unknown place allowing you to simply close your eyes and listen.”
Antoinette wrote the album closer, “Gaia,” and spoke about its spontaneous origins.
“I was taking a break in the studio after we recorded ‘Sekmet: Lioness Goddess.’ I began playing the harp, channeling what was in my heart. Allan walked into the room and asked what I was playing. He said we had to record it. It wasn’t planned at all. Totally impromptu. Suddenly, 'Gaia’ was born.”
After earning a master’s degree in harp performance, Antoinette debuted as a solo artist in 2003 on the Evan’s-produced “Sexy Paradise.” She began serving as principal harpist with the Los Angeles Southeast Symphony Orchestra in 2007 and later played a private event for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Antoinette also accompanied Ne-Yo during a BET Awards performance. Her 2015 “Straight From The Harp: Special Edition” album, produced by Phillips, went Top 5 on the Billboard chart. Antoinette’s honors include winning a 2018 Black Music Award and the Instrumentalist of the Year title from the San Diego Prestige Awards the same year. In addition to playing club, theater and festival dates with her own ensemble, Antoinette has toured with the female-powered supergroup Jazz in Pink.
“All My Strings” contains the following songs:
“Overture”
“Yearning For Your Love”
“All My Strings”
“Loving You”
“Ain’t Playin’”
“That Thing”
“Sekmet: Lioness Goddess”
“Garden Of Peace”
“Gaia”
https://www.marieaantoinette.com
Here Be Dragons is the ECM debut of New York based, Tel Aviv born tenor saxophonist Oded Tzur, one of the most strikingly original musicians to have emerged from Israeli's creative jazz scene in recent years, and the leader of an outstanding group.
Oded Tzur has found a new and personal sound for the tenor saxophone. Inspired by his extensive studies from 2007 onward with bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia, he has mastered the graceful slides of Indian classical music and brought raga's sense of pitch fluidity and microtonal shading into a jazz context. His pieces elegantly explore and unfold their melodic and atmospheric implications in a context of subtle group interaction. Structurally, each of Tzur's compositions on Here Be Dragons sets out to develop a "miniature raga" over a moving bass, juxtaposing two musical concepts. Oded: "The dialogue between these dimensions takes us wherever it takes us." The ragas deployed in the pieces "Here Be Dragons", "20 Years" and "The Dream" are of Oded's creation, while "To Hold Your Hand" uses an Indian scale called Charukesi and operates on similar principles. He stresses, however, that "raga is, for me, a universal concept. I hear its connection to synagogue prayers, or to the blues – a marvellous creation – and to music all around the world." Ancient and modern traditions are referenced in Oded's work, including traditions of storytelling. "If music has the ability to tell stories," suggested All About Jazz, "saxophonist Oded Tzur proves himself one of the jazz world's premier storytellers." Tzur's concept is also broad enough to embrace some unexpected song choices, and the album concludes with a tender interpretation of "Can't Help Falling In Love", made famous by Elvis Presley.
Musical interaction inside the group is profound, and the quartet has already received the highest press accolades. "The interplay transcends empathy," said DownBeat, while Japan's CD Journal spoke of "a Coltrane Quartet for the 21st century." Oded's international group features fellow Israeli Nitai Hershkovits on piano, Greek bassist Petros Klampanis and US drummer Johnathan Blake. Hershkovits, who took over the piano role in Tzur's group from Shai Maestro, first came to wider attention as a member of bassist Avishai Cohen's groups. Bassist Petros Klampanis has been a mainstay of Oded's band since the saxophonist relocated to New York in 2011; albums under his name include work with pianist Kristjan Randalu. Johnathan Blake, newest member of the ensemble, is from a distinguished musical family. His father, John Blake, played violin with McCoy Tyner, among many others. Johnathan has worked a broad range of contexts, playing regularly with musicians from Kenny Barron to Pharoah Sanders, and recently premiered his own trio project with Chris Potter and Linda Oh.
Here Be Dragons was recorded at the studio Auditorio Stelio Molo in Lugano, in June 2019, and produced by Manfred Eicher. It is issued as Oded Tzur embarks on an international tour with dates in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary and Israel.
The haunting strains of a distant melody, the resplendent majesty of an angelic choir; the echoing cries of circling birds, the thundering clomp of charging hoofbeats; the menace of an ominous growl, the soul-stirring chime of a tolling bell, the urgency of a percussive rhythm: Sophie Tassignon conjures all of these with only that most beautiful, boundless and mysterious of instruments, the human voice. On her first solo album, Mysteries Unfold, the Belgian-born, Berlin-based vocalist transcends time and language to explore and evoke a stunning panoply of human emotion.
Mysteries Unfold weaves a dazzling sonic tapestry from the varicolored threads of Tassignon's versatile and daring voice. Able to grip the listener's heart with just her emotional expression of a lyric, Tassignon crafts a staggering variety of effects by layering her voice into polyphonic architectures or lush choruses, powerful ensembles or enigmatic atmospheres. Drawing influence from the ancient to the boundary-stretching, she unearths a unifying strain of spiritual longing that underlies the human experience.
Fluent in five languages (and studying a sixth, Arabic) and inspired by a wide range of musical experimentalists, Tassignon brings the whole of her estimable experience to bear on Mysteries Unfold. Over the past 20 years her voice has been heard in a variety of contexts, from avant-garde jazz and free improvisation to theatrical performance and electroacoustic music. She's released eight albums with projects including Charlotte & Mr. Stone (with Simon Vincent), Azolia (co-led by Susanne Folk) and her group Zoshia, as well as collaborations with her husband, saxophonist Peter Van Huffel. She also leads the ensemble Khyal, which blends jazz and Arabic poetry, and has enjoyed a decade-long collaboration with theater director Elzbieta Bednarska.
Mysteries Unfold presents something entirely new, stark in its elements but limitless in its imaginative possibilities. "I've never worked alone before," Tassignon explains. "It was very challenging, musically and emotionally, but it offers so many possibilities. I hope that people will feel like this album takes them to another place, somewhere outside of this reality, where time doesn't exist."
That defiance of time shines through Tassignon's often surprising choice of material for the project. Along with four striking original compositions, the vocalist performs pieces by Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi, country songwriter Dolly Parton, Russian bard Yuliy Chersanovich Kim, and folk-rock band Cowboy Junkies. Harmonies that harken back to Gregorian chants coexist with bold, modern electroacoustic experimentation, primal vocalizations with luxurious melodies, yet all sound of a piece through the vessel of Tassignon's virtuoso vocals.
Tassignon also found unifying echoes in the songs' thematic material. Mysteries Unfold is in many ways a celebration of women's stories and the fact that so many of them have been suppressed and silenced throughout the centuries. As Tassignon explains, "I think I was drawn to the title Mysteries Unfold because the Woman has been forced to hide so many feelings throughout her existence, yet they are so rich and compelling, and they become uncovered through these songs."
The title track itself, which closes the album, is a Tassignon original whose tale of "cross[ing] the line too many times" could describe the end of a romance or bemoan the defiance necessary time and again in the struggle for parity. The strength and ferocity necessary to keep fighting those battles is vividly expressed in the opening piece, Kim's "Guby Okayannie," a love song that ends by evoking a female warrior's ride over the Russian steppes, replete with saber-rattling battle cry. Tassignon discovered the song in its far more intimate version from the 1978 Nikita Mikhalkov film Five Evenings.
Bird calls and the hushed roar of water set the scene for "Jolene," Dolly Parton's classic plea from a woman scorned to her auburn-haired rival. Beginning with the heart-wrenching vulnerability of a lone voice against this isolated landscape, the piece gradually builds into a vibrant chorus suggesting the liberation of inner thoughts given open expression. "I wanted it to be as heavenly as possible," Tassignon says. "It's painful and it's beautiful at the same time to be able to say that I'm jealous, that I have pain. I like the contrast of that."
The pulsing, percussive momentum of the singer's "Don't Be So Shy With Me" captures the impulsive urge of a forbidden passion, while the haunting reverberations and whispered secrets of "Descending Tide" embody the essential unknown of another person's most hidden self. The Cowboy Junkies' "Witches," from the Canadian band's 1990 album The Caution Horses, is a call to sisterhood, that ever-threatening bond that the male of the species typically translates into dark sorcery.
Tassignon's "La Nuit," with its skittering provocations and piledriving throbs, pictures the empowerment of self-discovery, a poignant ode to psychoanalysis. Vivaldi's "Cum Dederit," setting the text of an Old Testament Psalm, is a vivid evocation of the simultaneous interior and exterior quest of prayer, searching for the holy in the vast heavens by way of the profound mysteries of the deeply personal.
In a sense that duality and sense of longing is the core emotion of Mysteries Unfold, the timeless theme that weaves together past and present, translates foreign tongues, and connects strangers one to another. Whether the longing for God or a lover, resolution of a universal question or the secrets of one's self, this yearning resonates throughout these songs and is breathed into gorgeous, provocative and moving life through Tassignon's exploratory and dauntless voice.
"I feel that artists exist to feel the emotions of the world," Tassignon concludes, "and to allow those emotions to pass through them in order to express them in a different form. "My goal is simply to touch other human beings and transport them to a moment out of time, just as in a moment of infatuation where nothing else exists besides the present moment and beauty."
Bassist and composer Omer Avital, one of the most celebrated and revered musicians on the global jazz scene, offers his latest creative tour-de-force, New York Paradox, to be released on Avital’s label, Zamzama Records (in partnership with jazz&people), on March 27 (digitally) and May 8 (physically). New York Paradox is the second album from Avital’s dream Quintet, Qantar (following up their self-titled debut), featuring Eden Ladin (piano & keyboards), Ofri Nehemya (drums), Alexander Levin (tenor sax), Asaf Yuria (soprano & tenor sax).
Qantar is more than just another group, it is for all intents and purposes a family and a community with its own customs, growing traditions, and even language (both musical and verbal). These five artists have formed a special friendship that projects a singular energy on the bandstand and on their recordings. Indeed, all are Israeli expatriates, all living in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, all regularly hanging out at their leader’s home, sharing dinner, Turkish coffee, stories, ideas, joys and sorrows. This shared history, even though years apart, imbibes this quintet with the key to Avital’s music: the ability to bring the various rhythmic and harmonic vocabularies underpinning 20th and 21st century hardcore jazz expression to flow with a polyphonic attitude and musical multilingualism.
If Qantar sometimes sounds like a Mediterranean version of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, this is because it is connected to the cohesive spirit that characterized the key versions of the drummer’s legendary group. The same love of swing and blues permeates Omer Avital’s music, effortlessly integrated into everything that has evolved harmonically and rhythmically in jazz over the past thirty years, as well as the influences that Omer Avital owes to his own Yemenite and Sephardic roots, adding colors to his fertile and enthusiastic imagination as a composer. The twofold saxophone attack of Alexander Levin and Asaf Yuria deploys its spectacular polyphonies, giving the melodies a full-bodied lyrical depth, and the bluesy melodic lines a soulful and unaffected weight. In their solos the two saxophonists reveal different personalities, giving us the impression that between them they can cover the tenor saxophone’s entire spectrum—in the shadow of Coleman Hawkins, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, John Coltrane, Billy Harper… Their playing is a reminder of how much the beauty of jazz, so full of history, is an ageless music that is constantly reinvented by those who play it. Omer Avital can be proud of having transmitted this conviction to the musicians who play with him…
The recording of New York Paradox came together after three-four years of the guys playing together regularly. It was recorded in Avital’s NEW studio/club/lounge - Wilson Live! in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on April 21 & 22, 2019, in a very comfortable, homey environment, captured by the band’s good friend, engineer Roy Boukris. Avital added, “we know the room as we have been playing here a lot in the past year and a half, and we recorded in the same room with no separation, no edits, no fixes; we just played the room as if we were on a gig.”
“Qantar has been working together for the past several years, traveling the world, rehearsing, and just as importantly, hanging hard. For this band, we don’t use charts but rather learn the music by heart and create the arrangements on the spot, organically. For me as composer/arranger this is the best way to work since you get the best results when the musicians can tailor their parts to the music . . . also, the music becomes highly personal as everybody feels invested. Plus, learning music this way, you never forget it, which means less rehearsing and a much more natural feeling on the bandstand.”
Shabazi – Rabbi Shalom Shabazi was a great and beloved Jewish Yemenite poet who lived in Yemen during the 17th century. I grew up on his poems and songs. It is also a name of a nice street/area in the south part of Tel-Aviv.
Zohar Smiles – One of my favorites - and a big favorite at gigs - written for my son when he was still little, around 2010/11. It is, of course, a very special melody that reminds me of the feelings I had during his early years, and his amazing smile. To me this is the best proof of godliness and true spirituality in life.
NY Paradox – I composed this one when we moved back to NYC in the later summer of 2005 after 4 years in Israel. The complexity of the city was very evident to me at the time . . . the beauty and energy I missed but also the harshness and the reality of the financial situation of living here. NYC presents an imperfect balance, a certain energy that can be exhilarating and taxing, that I have learned to deal with, and sometimes even beat, to an certain extent. I still have strong feelings towards this place that I love so much and have called home for almost 27 years, on and off!
C’est Clair – I started composing this in summer of 2017 first in Marciac before our concert and completed that summer in Israel. First titled “Waltz in F Minor,” then another title, “Au Clair Du Lune,” emerged. When I first recorded the composition with The Yes! Trio in Paris, Ali Jackson suggested changing the name to C’est Clair (named after a great couscous restaurant in Paris that the band loves.)
Today’s Blues – Written sometime around 2010 this is a blues with a bridge. It moves between the Spanish modes and some pretty basic harmonies that are more African in nature, but still essentially a swinging blues.
Just Like the River Flows – When I first moved back to NYC I first played this tune with my band at Smalls. It is a Suite of sorts as it has different sections towards the end. It has a Middle eastern vibe and for me represents the way traditions keep flowing.
It’s All Good – A composition from the late ‘90s, which was a complex period for me as my first band of four saxes, drums and bass was ending, a major record deal had been canceled on me, and things in general were changing. Musically, there was a lot of hip hop and groove orientated music going on, and less straight-ahead, so opportunities were dwindling. I often like to write tunes that represent a moment in life, what we were feeling, etc., this is definitely late 90’s!
Bushwick After Dark – A minor blues that became the theme song and the unofficial title for our late night sessions at my club, Wilson Live. It’s also a play on “Bohemia After Dark”g. It was on February 12 2016...... I have a voice memo from February 12, 2016, the day I heard that my mother, who was very sick at that time, was not doing well, and basically dying. We bought tickets to fly to Israel the next day and as I was packing and going down to the basement I started humming this blues riff . . . it’s so strange how music comes about and goes in circles.
New York Paradox was recorded on April 21 & 22, 2019, at Wilson Live , Brooklyn, NY by Roy Boukris / Assistant Engineer: Ron Warburg / Mixed and mastered by Roy Boukris / The band was recorded live in one room, no headphones, no separation, no edits!
