Ramas is El Búho’s third album of original material and is a celebration of the art of
collaboration. For the Paris based DJ/Producer, collaboration has been a thread throughout his career since his debut in 2016 while living in Mexico. El Búho has performed, produced and collaborated with some of the most predominate DJs and Producers in the Latin electronic music scene including Nicola Cruz, and album collaborators Chancha Via Circuito and Captain Planet.
The new album features 19 collaborations with artists from 12 countries, and was born
organically with inspiration found in collaborations, mutual appreciation or a desire to experiment and try something new. Musically the album references the blend of Latin American traditional music with original electronic music on tracks such as "Resiliencia" with legendary Chilean producer DJ Raff, an homage to the recent protest movement in Chile, or "Absolut" a track sculpted from an unfinished melodic idea by Argentine electro-folk trio Tremor. Meanwhile songs like "Nevar" and "Kif Kif Kuf Kuf" with Didacte and Kraut, both part of the Shika Shika collective, take El Búho’s sound in a new direction, embracing a more melodic, impactful and rhythmic electronica. At its heart, Ramas was Perkins’ desire to challenge himself creatively, forcing him to see his own ideas and production style from a different angle or see ideas started in one direction come back completely transformed by the collaborator. The result is at once surprising anddiverse but El Búho’s signature sound and aesthetic is the thread that runs through all of the collaborative tracks, like the tree trunk to blossoming branches (Ramas).
Ramas has taken a refreshing look at our global community and grown worldwide collaboration both visually and sonically to create art at an international scale. Living fully in the spirit of collaboration, El Búho had an open call for dancers and choreographers in his community to submit video performances. He received an overwhelming response and has incorporated 18 fan created videos with original choreographed dances for the visual presentation of the new album. The dancers, from 12 countries ranging from Mexico to Taiwan, South Africa, and the Galapagos Islands, each chose a song that most inspired them and filmed the performance in a unique and beautiful natural location; creating yet more ramas or branches for the project.
One of the forefathers of Organic Electonica scene, El Búho’s sound blends together the
rhythms, mythologies and melodies of Latin America with the sound of waterfalls, birdsongs,
crackling leaves and electronic music influences from dub to ambient. His music is a dreamy, deep, melodic journey that entrances as much through headphones as it does on the dancefloor. Incorporating his activism passion into his art, El Búho is actively involved with DJs For Climate Action and its Earth Night initiative and crowdfunded two albums “A Guide to the Birdsong of South America” and “A Guide to the Birdsong of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean” to raise awareness around threatened bird species across Latin America.
Bay Area trumpeter and composer Ian Carey has long aimed to blend the swing and virtuosity of jazz with the dense compositional textures of chamber music, but for his latest multi-movement creation, he turns that ambition towards a more personal topic. Fire in My Head (The Anxiety Suite) is the centerpiece of his new album.
"Normally I write a piece and try to figure out what it's about later," Carey says, referring to his previous long-form work, Interview Music (released in 2016 on Kabocha Records). But when he received a grant from Chamber Music America to compose a new suite, he decided to pick a subject close to his heart: anxiety. It's an affliction he's long been familiar with, but for the last few years -- since the election of 2016, to be exact -- it's one he shares with almost everyone he meets. That includes the members of his band, the Ian Carey Quintet+1: alto saxophonist Kasey Knudsen; bass clarinetist Sheldon Brown; pianist Adam Shulman; bassist Fred Randolph; and drummer Jon Arkin. "The emotions behind the piece were not a stretch for any of us," Carey says. "That helped -- maybe not so much for our mental health, but for the music." (The advent of COVID-19 has put to rest any hope of that state of anxiety ending any time soon.)
The piece, which was premiered at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco in 2018, is a 50-minute, five-movement tour de force and Carey's longest composition to date. It is a vehicle for both his intricate writing and the improvisational chops of his group, previously heard on Interview Music and 2013's Roads & Codes, which received praise from DownBeat and NPR and appeared on many critics' best of 2013 lists.
The album opens with the evocative chorale of "Signs and Symptoms," which segues into a loping 5/4 groove featuring improvisatory introductions from the band, intertwined with increasingly tense variations on the theme. Inspired by a run by Carey on the "undeservedly beautiful" morning after the shattering 2016 election, the movement ends with an explosive drum solo, which sets the stage for the aggressive swing of "This Is Fine," with its instantly identifiable roots in the "Young Lions"-era bop of Carey's youth. The title refers to KC Green's ubiquitous cartoon featuring a dog calmly drinking coffee as flames surround him; appropriately, the tune is a burner, with solos by Shulman, Carey, and Randolph.
From its obsessive Fender Rhodes vamp to its expansive bass clarinet solo and combative trumpet/alto dialogues, "Thought Spirals" evokes the mental maelstrom of its title. Describing the movement's genesis, Carey recalls, "I just threw my hands on the keyboard, looped it, and happened to like the way it sounded -- that got me thinking about 'spirals.' It reminded me of what goes through my head when I'm trying to sleep!"
While a peaceful three-part canon sets the mood of "Internal Exile" -- a portrait of withdrawal into oneself for self-care during anxious times -- that mood soon dissipates in the movement's twitchy, nagging central passage: a reminder that despite efforts to detach from the world, we still have to live in the reality of it.
Tense but with flashes of rousing optimism, "Resistance" marks the acceptance of reality and the determination to grapple with it. "It sums up everything that's happened and corrals it into something like a protest anthem: 'Get up, brush yourself off, let's go,'" says Carey. After revisiting themes from earlier movements and offering final solo statements, the suite ends with a pyrotechnic display from Knudsen over what a bassist friend of Carey's called a "classic garage-band bass line."
Ian Carey Born in upstate New York, Ian Carey, 45, lived in Northern California before moving to New York City in 1994, where he attended the New School (studying composition with Bill Kirchner and Maria Schneider, and improvisation with Reggie Workman and Billy Harper). During a productive seven years in New York, he performed with musicians as varied as Ravi Coltrane, Ted Curson, and Eddie Bert. After relocating to San Francisco in 2001, he soon met the musicians who became the core of his ensemble (heard on 2005's Sink/Swim, 2010's Contextualizin', plus Roads & Codes and Interview Music), while hustling day work as a designer/illustrator -- expertise he used to create this album's vibrant comic-art-inspired cover, featuring visual portrayals of the piece's five movements as regions of his own flame-engulfed brain.
While politics were a catalyst in the composition of Fire in My Head, the work is not specific to that context; it's an examination of the psychological and physical experience of anxiety, now more than ever a widely relatable topic. Carey's extended forms are stacked with hooks, grooves, and improvisational smarts that can be as universally appreciated as the subject itself.
The Ian Carey Quintet+1 is scheduled to perform Fire in My Head and more at the Sound Room, 2147 Broadway, Oakland, on Friday 5/15 at 7:30pm.
Fire in My Head has been made possible with support from Chamber Music America's New Jazz Works program, funded through the generosity of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Blue Engine Records, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s in-house record label, will release The Fifties: A Prism by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Composed and arranged by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Christopher Crenshaw and recorded live at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall–also known as the House of Swing–in February 2017, the suite combines many of the different styles and movements that made the jazz of the 1950s so creatively vital. The result is a distinctly modern take on classic jazz idioms. The Fifties is at turns playful and moving, melodic and challenging—but it's always swinging. Blue Engine Records’ The Fifties: A Prism will be available exclusively on digital platforms on May 1, 2020 at jazz.org/thefifties.
“All jazz is modern,” says Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Managing and Artistic Director, Wynton Marsalis—and we owe the 1950s for that. The momentous decade became the crucible in which modern jazz was formed, as styles like modal, hard bop, third stream, and more melted together and artists like Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Ornette Coleman reached the height of their powers.
Now, Crenshaw has taken inspiration from the era to create The Fifties: A Prism, the newest Blue Engine album. He says, “When I was presented with the idea of coming up with a suite dealing with the 1950s, I immediately realized this was going to cover all the genres of jazz, from bebop to freedom music.”
TRACK LISTING:
I. Flipped His Lid (6:56)
Solos: Sherman Irby (alto saxophone), Stantawn Kendrick (tenor saxophone), Dan Nimmer (piano)
2. Just A-Slidin’ (5:57)
Solos: Vincent Gardner (trombone), Elliot Mason (trombone), Ali Jackson (drums)
3. Conglomerate (5:24)
Solos: Paul Nedzela (baritone saxophone), Wynton Marsalis (trumpet), Stantawn Kendrick (tenor saxophone), Carlos Henriquez (bass),
4. Cha-Cha Toda la Noche (5:31)
Solos: Victor Goines (clarinet), Vincent Gardner (trombone), Carlos Henriquez (bass)
5. Unorthodox Sketches (5:31)
Solos: Victor Goines (clarinet), Sherman Irby (alto flute), Ted Nash (piccolo), Paul Nedzela (bass clarinet)
6. Pursuit of the New Thing (10:14)
Solos: Ted Nash (alto saxophone), Wynton Marsalis (trumpet), Stantawn Kendrick (tenor saxophone)
Personnel:
THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
2016-17 Concert Season
REEDS
Sherman Irby — alto saxophone, alto flute
Ted Nash — alto saxophone, piccolo
Victor Goines — tenor saxophone, clarinet (February 17 only)
*Dan Block— tenor saxophone, clarinet (substitute for Victor Goines, February 18 only)
Walter Blanding — tenor saxophone
*Stantawn Kendrick — tenor saxophone
Paul Nedzela — baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
TRUMPETS
*Tatum Greenblatt
Marcus Printup
Kenny Rampton
Wynton Marsalis
TROMBONES
Vincent Gardner
Christopher Crenshaw — music director
Elliot Mason
RHYTHM SECTION
Dan Nimmer (piano)
Carlos Henriquez (bass)
Ali Jackson (drums)
The historic concert brought together legends and multiple GRAMMY Award-winning artists to the hallowed stage of the Apollo Theater to celebrate the greatest jazz singer of them all, Ella Fitzgerald…from where it all began
Ella 100: Live at the Apollo!, set for release on April 24th, 2020 via Concord Jazz, celebrates the music and life of the “First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald, hailed as perhaps the greatest singer in the history of jazz. Recorded live at the storied Harlem N.Y. venue in front of an ecstatic audience, the concert and recording, produced by the eight-time GRAMMY and Emmy Award recipient and former Fitzgerald musician Gregg Field, features dynamic and loving tributes from a parade of contemporary vocal and musical giants and co-hosted by GRAMMY award winner Patti Austin and the multi-TONY award nominated actor/singer David Alan Grier.
In addition to Austin and Grier, the concert features performances by Andra Day, Ledisi, Lizz Wright, Cassandra Wilson, Monica Mancini and the award-winning a cappella vocal group from Howard University, Afro Blue. Accompanying these world-class vocalists is none other than the Count Basie Orchestra and strings, so effectively presenting the music of Ella and the renowned orchestra with whom Ella so often collaborated. Also featured, and to celebrate Ella’s famous quartet, is the deeply swinging Ella 100 All-Star Quartet with Shelly Berg, Nathan East, Brian Nova and Field, who channel the spontaneous spirit direct from Ella.
At just 17, Ella entered the famous Apollo Amateur Contest to dance but made a last instant and fateful decision to sing for the notoriously difficult-to-please Apollo Amateur Night crowd. Her shockingly original and vibrant delivery of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Judy” with a range and depth simply unheard-of—especially from one so young—brought the house down, thus launching a remarkable career that changed 20th Century music and has not been equaled to this day.
Ella 100: Live at the Apollo! opens with a vintage radio broadcast of that fateful evening and features Grier with a faithful recreation of original Apollo Amateur Contest host Ralph Cooper introducing the young Ella and her unexpected performance of “Judy,” sung here by the fabulous 17 year old vocalist Ayo (Ayodele Owolabi). Grier then offers his opening remarks and introduces Austin who comes out swinging for the fences with delicious takes on Ella’s signature hit “A Tisket, A Tasket”, and then authentically brings the Harlem swing-era centric “When I Get Low, I Get High” back to the Apollo stage.
To the complete surprise of the enthusiastic Apollo audience, Grier returns shortly thereafter with a funky, contemporary reading of “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me”, effectively demonstrating what his three Tony-nominations sound like when on full display in Ella and Ellington land.
“I didn’t know David could sing until I heard him as Sportin’ Life in the recent Broadway revival of Porgy and Bess,” that he received a Tony nomination for” says producer Field, who played drums with both Fitzgerald and Basie during his own long, distinguished career and assembled the lineup for Ella’s 100th celebration.
“I’ve been working with Patti Austin for years and actually produced her ‘For Ella’ album way back when and suggested that she and David co-host the celebration.”
They were quickly in and Kamila Forbes and Laura Greer from the Apollo and I started putting the evening together. It was an enthusiastic yes from all the artists we invited as they each felt a unique kinship to Ella and wanted to perform her music on the Apollo stage.”
In some cases, the artists themselves like Austin, Monica Mancini and Field all had a personal relationship with Ella. “The more we could bring artists into the line-up that had a direct association with Ella the more authentic this evening would become.” Field noted.
Andra Day (who appears on CD release only) performing “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (featuring a later Nelson Riddle arrangement written for Ella and never recorded), a pair of tunes from Lizz Wright, “Love You Madly” (with The Ella 100 All-Star Quartet) and the show stopping “The Nearness of You,” plus a stunning duo interpretation of the ballad “Once in a While” featuring Mancini and Joe Pass protégé guitarist Brian Nova—in the spirit of Ella and Joe Pass—are among the highlights of the evening. Cassandra Wilson turns in a deeply passionate and blue reading of “Cry Me a River,” and 12-time GRAMMY Award-nominated singer Ledisi brings her deep New Orleans jazz roots to Ella’s “Honeysuckle Rose.”
Another high point features the vocal choir Afro Blue, bringing back to the Apollo stage the grand tradition of a’cappella singing, harmonizing splendidly on “Lady Be Good.” They then join Austin for a ripping scat-infused romp through Ella’s classic “How High the Moon,” followed by the Count Basie Orchestra, with its explosive instrumental workout of the appropriately named “Back to the Apollo,” reminding contemporary audiences why the Basie band remains “The most explosive force in Jazz”
To round out the concert and celebrate the great Ella pairings, the concert includes two duets featuring co-hosts Austin and Grier: first a medley of Gershwin standards, “I Loves You Porgy” and “There's A Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” celebrating the great Ella and Louis Armstrong album Porgy & Bess, and finally the perfect closer to blow the roof off the Apollo, “You’ll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini),” bringing us full circle and back to one of Ella’s earliest hits recorded back in 1936 when she was the girl-singer for the great Chick Webb Orchestra.
And as the ultimate encore, a special and rare track of Ella herself performing an astoundingly personal version of “People,” poignantly expressing her love for the fans, the artists and musicians that in turn loved her so dearly.
For Field and the Apollo, the opportunity to present the broad scope of Fitzgerald’s music, especially in the context of the legend’s centennial birthday, was a dream realized. And presenting the concert on the stage of the fabled Apollo, where it all began for Fitzgerald, made it that much more than just another collection of songs performed in tribute.
Field fondly recalls in the minutes just prior to the concert starting, the gravitas of where they were and what they were collectively about to do. “The curtains were closed and we were just about to let it fly when there was a spirit that hit all of us I don’t believe I’ve experienced on any stage. I turned to the band and choking up a bit said, ‘Hey guys, that’s the spot where Ella sang for the very first time. Let’s play this one for Ella.”’
“We all felt the history. It was palpable. Knowing where it all began with this confluence of talent could have only happened that night on the Apollo stage. After we played our last note,” Field adds, “a couple of the hardened NY string players came up to me and said, ‘That was the most amazing night I’ve ever experienced.’ The Ella stars aligned and shined brightly that evening at the Apollo and created an unforgettable and timeless moment for all those lucky enough to be in the house… or on the stage.”
On November 21, 1934, a shy 17-year-old girl walked onto the stage of Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater fully intending to show the Amateur Night audience just how well she could dance. Instead, she made a last-minute decision to sing.
American music would never be the same.
Three-time GRAMMY winner Sarah Jarosz has announced the June 5 release of World On The Ground (Rounder Records), her first new album in four years. The soulful and gorgeous collection - produced by John Leventhal (Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello) and recorded in his Manhattan home studio - follows Jarosz’s Grammy-winning 2016 release Undercurrent (Rounder).
World On The Ground is a collection of stories both real and imagined exploring the tension and inertia of small-town living. Jarosz, a native of Wimberley, TX (pop. 2,626) and current NYC resident, explores the desire for escape set against the ease of staying put. The album is populated by sensitive souls, aimless wanderers, and back-porch daydreamers. Their stories are illuminated by the album’s spacious yet intricate arrangements and Jarosz’s captivating voice and richly detailed songwriting. With the scope of a novel and a sound inspired by classic Texas songwriting, World On The Ground paints a portrait that exists outside of time.
World On the Ground takes its title from album highlight “Pay It No Mind,” in which wisdom is passed down through song by a bird looking down at the world: “When the world on the ground is gonna swallow you down, sometimes you’ve got to pay it no mind.” The song’s “little bird stretching her wings” graces the album’s cover, an Erin E. Murray painting gifted to Jarosz from her parents.
At 28, Sarah Jarosz is already a three-time GRAMMY winner. In addition to her solo work, she is also a member of the Grammy-winning group I’m With Her and is a frequent guest on Live From Here with Chris Thile. The multi-instrumentalist first started with the mandolin at age nine and earned her first GRAMMY nomination at age 18 for her 2009 debut, Song Up in Her Head.
Supreme Music 2000 and Hit City Digital Records are pleased to announce the release of Henry Turner Jr.’s & Flavor’s new CD “Now.” The long awaited recording, written over a period of ten years, reflects the evolution of Henry's distinctive sound and songwriting creativity and showcases his ability to authentically capture the full spectrum of the human experience.
The Baton Rouge-based musician began in his career in Top-40 and then became known for founding the Crystal Band in the R&B/Funk era. Changing focus he re-started his career with the Bob Marley Reggae Tours and is currently known for his blues-oriented progression.
As founder of the Baton Rouge Mardi Gras and Soul Food Festivals, Henry wrote and performs "I Love My Soul Food" and "I'm Going Down to the Mardi Gras," both fan favorites at these annual events. He further celebrates his hometown with the "Baton Rouge Theme Song," an increasingly popular tribute. Bluesy confessionals include "I'm Not That Kind of Man" and "I (One) Wish," followed by the mellow jazz instrumental "Irenkar." The album also features two songs from the recent documentary chronicling Henry's life and career, "Music Dreams...An American Story." They are the heartfelt ballad "Long As I Live" and the regional football anthem, "That's My Saints." For more information please visit www.henryturnerjr.com.
“Now” credits are Henry Turner Jr. on vocals, guitar, bass and drums. “I Love My Soul Food” features Jenessa Nelson on backing vocals. “Long As I Live” has Maestro and JahB, keyboards with Molly Milne on backing vocals. “That’s My Saints” is Maestro on keyboards and accordion, with Joey Decker on horns. “I’m Not That Kind of Man” features keyboards by Tony Mitchell and backing vocals by Wyanda R. Paul. “I’m Going Down to the Mardi Gras!” is Andrew Bernard on saxophone and keyboards, Larry Bradford on percussion with backing vocals by Jenessa Nelson. 1 (One) Wish lead vocalist is Char Robertson with Maestro on keyboards and Larry Bradford on percussion. “Baton Rouge Theme Song,” features Andrew Bernard on saxophone, Lynwood Ourso on lead guitar, Larry Bradford on percussion and backing vocals by Jenessa Nelson. “Irenekar” also features Larry Bradford on percussion. All songs were written by Henry Turner Jr., 1 (One) Wish was co-written by Char Robertson.
The CD was produced by Henry Turner Jr. and recorded at Hit City Digital Records. Re-mix and mastering by Joey Decker at Disk Productions. CD graphics and design by Christopher Turner. Cover and additional photography by Adrian R. Reed. The project was sponsored by Tammie L. Cole, with liner notes by Hedi Butler and Marcia Groff.
Bassist Antti Lötjönen, one of the most highly-regarded and active musicians working in the Finnish jazz scene, steps ahead with his debut album as a leader on Helsinki's We Jazz Records.
‘Quintet East’ features hard-hitters Verneri Pohjola on trumpet, Mikko Innanen (of Koma Saxo) and Jussi Kannaste (of 3TM) on saxes, plus Joonas Riippa on drums. Lötjönen himself is best known from his inspired work with The Five Corners Quintet, 3TM, Ilmiliekki Quartet, Aki Rissanen Trio and Timo Lassy, to name but a few. In late 2018, Lötjönen completed an acclaimed trio stint of European headline shows with Jeff "Tain" Watts and Kurt Rosenwinkel.
On his new album, Lötjönen shines bright as both bassist and composer, presenting a compact yet far-reaching program of 9 tracks, 8 of which are penned by him. Monumental compositions such as the steadily swinging lead track "Erzeben Strasse" and the calmly confident "Le Petit Lactoire" rub shoulders with short-but-sweet teasers such as the funky "P.S.", the pastoral "Rowan" and the two solo bass tracks, "Monographs" I & II. While star-studded and packing unlimited improvisational potential, the band remains together as a unit and delivers a beautiful musical statement, one which echoes the DIY ethos and fire of the late 60's free music but also one which is very much of today and tomorrow, as constantly evolving jazz music.
Antti Lötjönen's "Quintet East" is released by We Jazz Records on 17 April on vinyl with old school tip-on sleeve and silver lettering, on CD and digitally.
It arrives a day before the artist's 40th birthday, thus also achieving his goal of releasing his debut LP before turning 40. Already a fixture in the local live circuit, the band heard on ‘Quintet East’ will likely be a force to be reckoned with outside of their native surroundings.
Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers were the greatest incubator of talent the jazz world has ever known, and the late-‘50s were arguably the outfit’s most fertile period, as Blakey led not one, not two, not three, but four aggregations that spawned the next generation of jazz superstars, and you will find them ALL on this 2-CD, 17-track collection of his Columbia and RCA/Vik sides, which rank with his Blue Note sides as the best of the era.
The set begins with three tracks from the 1956 Columbia album The Jazz Messengers featuring the jaw-dropping line-up of Blakey, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor, Horace Silver on piano, and Doug Watkins on bass. After that album, Silver split and took Byrd, Mobley, and Watkins with him, but Blakey turned around and hired soon-to-be-legendary alto saxman Jackie McLean along with trumpeter Bill Hardman, pianist Sam Dockery, and bassist Jimmy “Spanky” DeBrest to replace them. This unit recorded the next three tracks including the McLean composition “Little Melonae.” “The Sacrifice” and “Cubano Chant” hail from album sessions with The Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble featuring bassist Oscar Pettiford and pianist Ray Bryant, while the last two tracks on Disc One, “Almost Like Being in Love” and “Couldn’t It Be You,” add tenor titan Johnny Griffin to the Jazz Messenger mix.
Disc Two gets off to a showstopping start with Blakey’s first-ever recording of Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia” (Blakey recorded it 11 times) with the Blakey/DeBrest/Dockery/Griffin/Hardman/McLean line-up…a historic track, to say the least! Then, we get a series of little-known live performances from France that introduce the third and fourth of the great Jazz Messenger rosters to appear on this collection.
First, we get the one that appeared on the classic Blue Note album Moanin’ with saxophonist-composer Benny Golson, a young Lee Morgan on trumpet, Bobby Timmons on piano, and Jymie Merritt on bass. Then, the last two tracks usher in the fourth and final great Jazz Messenger line-up heard here, with Wayne Shorter replacing Benny Golson and Walter Davis, Jr. replacing Bobby Timmons on “Lester Left Town” and “A Night in Tunisia,” bringing the proceedings to a most satisfying (and intense!) conclusion.
Compiled and annotated by Grammy Award-winning jazz record producer/executive/archivist/historian Richard Seidel, remastered at Maria Triana at Battery Studios, and featuring prime period photos, The Best of the Columbia & RCA/Vik Years (1956-1959) represents an essential addition to the Art Blakey discography.
Big Crown Records is releasing ‘Adult Themes;’ the latest full length offering from El Michels Affair. This album takes the band’s “Cinematic Soul” aesthetic literally and sends the listener on a journey through a whirlwind of moods and energies. With their 2005 debut album ‘Sounding Out The City,’ EMA spearheaded an instrumental funk / soul movement that inspired a slew of bands and even lead to the creation of a few independent record labels. El Michels has since lent his signature sound to artists from Adele to Dr John, Lana Del Rey to Aloe Blacc, and a who’s who list of others. In 2016 he co-founded Big Crown Records and has since produced the lion’s share of its output. A short stint as the touring band for Wu Tang Clan in 2007 led to the cult classics ‘Enter The 37th Chamber’ (2009) and ‘Return To The 37th Chamber’ (2017). ‘Adult Themes’ marks the long awaited, highly anticipated return to an album of original compositions from El Michels Affair.
In 2017 in between producing, playing, and recording on other artist’s records Leon Michels began creating compilations of short interludes intended to be sampled by hip-hop producers. Some of these wound up becoming songs by Jay Z & Beyonce, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver. These minute-long snippets were inspired by the dense moody work of ‘60s composers like David Axelrod, and Francois de Roubaix, as well as Moondog’s brand of classical jazz. Michels was having so much fun creating these instrumental / orchestral nuggets that he decided to expand on some of the ideas and create what would become the soundtrack for a movie that has yet to be made, an imaginary film entitled ‘Adult Themes.’
The album plays like the colours on an artist’s pallet. Songs like ‘Rubix’ and ‘Villa’ are densely orchestrated with the hard-hitting drums that El Michels Affair is known for. On ‘Life of Pablo,’ Leon’s son makes his first appearance on record and intros a song with an epic arrangement and a moving mood. ‘Hipps’ is a drum heavy ballad that could’ve easily fit on EMA’s debut record, ‘Sounding Out the City.’ Other compositions like ‘The Difference’ and ‘Kill The Lights’ are bare, melodic mood pieces with sparse drums and sophisticated chord movement. All of these tunes come together to make perfect backgrounds for dialogue and action.
In February when announcing the coming release of jazz-funk band Under The Lake’s “Your Horizon Too” album, the story that inspired the new record was chronicled about the chance reunion between keyboardist-songwriter-producer Jayson Tipp and the group’s former saxophonist-flutist Quintin Gerard W. Two weeks prior to the album release date, which dropped Friday on the Mind In Overdrive label, Gerard took ill from COVID-19. After enduring a miserable fortnight, he finally turned the corner and is on the road to recovery as the album dropped. But the scare brought the reality of the novel coronavirus and the message behind the outfit’s fifth album into context for Tipp.
“This extraordinary time reminds us how important the people in our lives are. We feel like our recording of The Stylistics’ track “People Make The World Go ‘Round” from ‘Your Horizon Too’ hits home as we think about the special people in our lives,” said the Portland, Oregon-based Tipp. “When I consider how Quintin and I reconnected two years ago when he happened to tune in while I was doing a live radio interview, picked up the phone and called in…I mean, that’s kind of random. That led to a reunion with other original Under The Lake members – special friends - to create ‘Your Horizon Too,’ an album about how although we may have different perspectives, we all share the same horizon, a shared point of connectivity that unites everyone much like this global battle unites us to combat the virus.”
The core four who formed Under The Lake decades ago – Tipp, Gerard, bassist Nathan Brown and drummer Richard Sellers - reunited in a San Diego recording studio to track “Your Horizon Too” where they were supplemented by guitarist Patrick Yandall. The chemistry between the players returned instantly. The set list mixing jazz, funk, fusion, and rhythm & soul consists of ten tunes penned by Tipp along with a couple of reworked classics – the aforementioned “People Make The World Go ‘Round” and Steely Dan’s vibey “Josie.” The first single that inspired the album title, “It’s Your Horizon Too,” is a Tipp-Gerard collaboration that is presently working its way onto playlists. Tipp is in the process of assembling a video clip for the track for which each player shot his part at home.
Concert dates to support the release of “Your Horizon Too” have been scrapped for now, but Tipp is hopeful that new listeners will discover the collection, encouraged by messages from fans who were quick to tap into new music from Under The Lake.
“We realize that it’s an odd time for everyone. We’re all out of sorts having to stay at home. Folks are streaming content like never before. We know music is a salve for people and we’re just honored that our fans are turning to us. We hope that everyone is looking and moving forward to the horizon out there in front of us as we get through this together but socially distanced apart. And that’s the meaning and the message of the particularly apt album and single titles: we’re all in this together and it’s everyone’s horizon.”
http://www.underthelake.com
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jazz at Lincoln Center is making available a robust, curated and weekly program of offerings to reach people all over the world and bring the healing power of jazz music into homes and communities. The effort, which will grow to include jazz masters from every corner of the globe, will also serve as a “virtual commons” whereby people can find and access live webcasts from musicians and directly support their work and livelihood. Keeping with its efforts to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz, JALC continues to be a resource for cultural nourishment and comfort in these uncertain times.
“Although our hall may temporarily be dark to audiences," says Managing and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis. "The light and love in this music will shine brightly.”
Beginning Friday, March 20, the organization will actively, strategically, and aggressively share its rich archive and develop and offer brand-new live programming. This will be shared for free throughout the entirety of the pandemic with JALC’s growing global community of 2 million people, to share in-turn with their friends, family, fans, supporters, companies and constituencies. Through email, social media, the Jazz Live app, and on jazz.org, audiences will be able to watch original stories about jazz and the musicians who play it, listen to podcasts, albums and songs, read essays, learn about the music—and how to play the music, explore playlists, and more.
In addition, over the coming weeks, Wynton Marsalis will host a series of interactive video chats via Zoom, which will be then be shared on Facebook and YouTube.
Every week beginning March 25, the organization will release previously unseen video content from its archival ‘vault’ via the Jazz at Lincoln Center Channel on YouTube.
Jazz at Lincoln Center is also making available its Jazz Academy, a library of more than 1,000 videos covering many different aspects of jazz performance demonstrated by knowledgeable masters of the music, on a dedicated YouTube Channel.
Since 2014, Jazz at Lincoln Center has developed a wealth of audio recordings, video footage, music charts, photos, written and interactive material to serve its growing audience of fans, musicians, educators, advocates, students, and scholars.
The mission of Jazz at Lincoln Center is to entertain, enrich, and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education, and advocacy. We believe jazz is a metaphor for Democracy. Because jazz is improvisational, it celebrates personal freedom and encourages individual expression. Because jazz is swinging, it dedicates that freedom to finding and maintaining common ground with others. Because jazz is rooted in the blues, it inspires us to face adversity with persistent optimism.
Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its major corporate partners: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Brooks Brothers, The Coca-Cola Company, Con Edison, Entergy, SiriusXM, and Steinway & Sons.
Generous support for the 2019-2020 Jazz at Lincoln Center Season is made possible in part by Helen and Robert Appel, the ArnholdFamily, Diana and Joe DiMenna, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Ambrose Monell Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
Additional information may be found at jazz.org |
Facebook: facebook.com/jazzatlincolncenter | Twitter:@jazzdotorg |
Instagram: @jazzdotorg | YouTube: youtube.com/jalc | Livestream: jazz.org/live
The first weekend in March, Tracye Eileen exuberantly danced and sang “Somehow Someway” at the video shoot from a perch high atop a downtown Los Angeles building. The R&B/jazz singer had spent the last eleven years building towards this moment, excited about the upcoming release of her “It’s Time.” EP prefaced by the single that drops Friday. Taking direction from Emmy Award winner Ali LeRoi (“The Chris Rock Show,” “Everybody Hates Chris”), the Chicago native’s time seemed to finally have come. Moving rhythmically in front of a brilliant blue-sky backdrop as wind tossed her curly hair, Eileen never could have anticipated having to push the project’s release date back because of a global pandemic. The set of intimate love songs that she wrote and is eager to share with the world is now slated to drop June 12.
Eileen has been meticulously planning and preparing to take her music career to a new level. A slight delay in the release of her third recording isn’t going to stop her.
“It took a while to bring this project and my career to where I’m ready to move to the next level. My dream and goal have always been to be an internationally known soul/R&B artist. This project represents my next leap. It’s time now for that transition to happen. It’s time for all these projects to come to fruition,” said Eileen, who will begin introducing music from “It’s Time.” to fans this Friday at 6pm ET/5pm CT/3pm PT via Facebook and Instagram on what she calls “Meet Me In My Parlor: A Musical Interlude with Tracye Eileen.” Subsequent episodes will air at that time every other Friday leading up to the EP release date.
Eileen linked up with producer-songwriter Kendall Duffie in his Nashville recording studio, crafting an EP that delivers a sophisticated blend of soothing soul and sensual R&B grooves.
“I co-wrote the new songs with Kendall and it was pretty ironic that what he came up with was in line with my thoughts and emotions, expressing how I feel. I think the music composition flowed well with the sentiment of each song,” said Eileen about the disc that opens with the first radio single.
“‘Somehow Someway’ felt so soothing to me. I had taken a solo vacation to Belize and I remember being in a hammock, swinging over the ocean, listening to the instrumental track over and over and having the lyrics just come to me. ‘Somehow Someway’ describes a relationship that says, ‘You’ve got to find your way to me somehow someway’ and the experience of what that’s going to feel like being in that relationship.”
Eileen acknowledges that the songs on “It’s Time.” are about her romantic life. “The three new songs are aspirational. Now it’s time. I’ve done a lot of work on myself and now I’m ready for the type of love that I want in my life.”
Cruising on a midtempo groove with a soulful sax caress from Donald Hayes, “Now That We’re Here” is about committing to the relationship. Eileen’s jazz vocal roots are evident on the rousing “Sweeter With Time,” a tune about how love grows, anchored by a deft drum and bass rhythm track played by Terry Baker and Simeon Baker respectively.
The EP closes with two versions – including a house mix - of the first song Eileen ever wrote, “Why Did I Say Yes,” the title cut of her 2018 album.
“I started my professional music career after I got divorced, deciding to invest in myself to release a jazz album, ‘Love’s Journey’ (2012), after having previously invested in my ex-husband’s dreams. I decided to be self-revealing because I want my music to be authentic and real, songs that people could connect to, so I knew it had to be truthful. I’ve had both men and women connect with ‘Why Did I Say Yes,’ which I wrote with the longtime keyboardist in my band, Tom Viatsas. It’s about being in a relationship that you know is not good for you, but you’re in love. When you finally make your way out of it, maybe you run into the person again and you find yourself right back to where you started. Eventually, you make a choice for yourself. You choose you and you choose to operate and stay on a higher plane. The song comes from a very positive place of growth and change.”
While Eileen didn’t set out to write a theme EP where all the songs are connected, it happened organically.
“I didn’t recognize how connected the songs were until I started thinking about an EP title. ‘It’s Time.’ came to me in addition to how the songs tie together and why. I knew I wanted to write about a love that I wanted in my life having grown from my past experiences, but I didn’t plan for the songs to flow in a sequence the way they do naturally.”
Eileen’s monthly residency with her five-piece band at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago is on hold for the moment because of coronavirus concerns. Over the years, she’s opened for Babyface, The Stylistics, Mary Wilson, Chante Moore, After 7 and Buddy Guy himself. In the meantime, Eileen eagerly anticipates debuting the “Somehow Someway” video on Facebook and Instagram on May 1 followed by the arrival of the EP the following month. For more information, please visit http://www.tracyeeileen.com.
“It’s Time” contains the following songs:
“Somehow Someway”
“Now That We’re Here”
“Sweeter With Time”
“Why Did I Say Yes”
“Why Did I Say Yes” (house mix)
Instead of being on stage in Pittsburgh Friday night, one week into a planned 70+-date coast-to-coast concert tour set up to launch his milestone twentieth album release, the aptly titled “XX” (Roman numerals for twenty), R&B/jazz/funk multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson will be home, marking the occasion by hanging out with a glass of wine and entertaining fans via his popular Facebook Live broadcast “Friday Night Studio Hang” (8pm ET/5pm PT).
While The XX Tour that was to start April 1 with shows booked through June had to be pushed to 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, the new album’s retro-charged first single, “Get Up!” is already at No. 6 on the Billboard chart, easily within striking distance of becoming the hitmaker’s 33rd No. 1 single. Culbertson went all in on the 1980s vibes, even creating a “Get Up!” ringtone that is available for iPhones.
Issued on the BCM Entertainment label, Culbertson wrote and produced “XX,” taking a fresh approach by incorporating a bit of everything he has done throughout his versatile career.
“This album was about creating lots of different moods, which is a little different for me in terms of what I’ve done over the last several albums that were more conceptual and consistent from beginning to end – either the romantic side of things, a funk album, straight-ahead jazz trio or what not. I deliberately set out to have no one genre or one style in mind; just give people a total mix of everything that I do – funky instrumentals, jazz, R&B slow jams, gospel, pop and straight-up funk” said Culbertson, who hopes the collection will uplift listeners during this unprecedented time of social distancing and economic uncertainty.
“The fact that it’s coming out during this time when everyone is under stay at home orders, I hope it does lift people up. That’s what music does. That’s the beauty of music. It makes you feel better. It takes you out of whatever place you’re in at the moment. It transports you. That’s why I love making music.”
Making music with Culbertson on “XX” is a prominent assortment of featured guests: Bootsy Collins, Ray Parker Jr., Avery* Sunshine, Maze’s Jubu Smith, Everette Harp, Marcus Anderson, DW3, Byron “Mr. Talkbox” Chambers, Noel Gourdin and Patches Stewart. Filling up the tracks is an accomplished array of musicians including Paul Jackson Jr., Nicholas Cole, Eric Marienthal, Ricky Peterson, Alex Al, Michael Thompson, Khari Parker, Lenny Castro, Gerey Johnson, Chance Howard, Ouiwey Collins, Candice Cheatham and Derek “D.O.A.” Allen. Vocalist Micaela Haley (aka Michelle Culbertson, Brian’s wife) and a gospel choir add celestial and soul luster to a couple tracks. In addition to playing piano, keyboards, Minimoog, Wurlitzer, Hammond B3 organ, Fender Rhodes, clavinet, bass, synth bass, drum programming, vocals, string machine and percussion, Culbertson picks up his trombone to form a powerhouse horn section with Marqueal Jordan and Michael Stever.
“XX” taps into Parliament-Funkadelic influences on “Dance Like This.” Culbertson explained, “Bootsy (Collins) and I randomly do things together. He liked the track that Chance Howard and I started and two days later, he sent me his vocal parts.”
Something different on “XX” is that two songs – “The Hangout” and “Keep Movin’”- were conceived during soundcheck while Culbertson was on tour with his band. One of the album’s centerpiece tracks is “More Than Thankful,” a big-scale production on which Sunshine shines and the gospel choir graces. Other standout numbers are the sensual “It’s A Love Thing,” which has a mesmerizing Zen vibe; the poppy “Time Flies” that takes flight via its blossoming chorus and Haley’s layered angelic ahhh’s; “Sexy Love” on which Culbertson sings on the chorus; and a reunion with R&B crooner Gourdin on the old-school soul ballad “The Truth” (Culbertson and Gourdin scored a hit with “You’re My Music” from Culbertson’s “Dreams” album). The collection closes with “Looking Back,” which starts out with a poignant jazz-oriented solo piano intro with lots of deep chord changes before breaking into a neo soul groove that Stewart’s muted trumpet illumines.
The release of “XX” caps a remarkably prolific fourteen months for Culbertson, who released three very different albums and a Blu-Ray concert video during the span. Although he’s home unexpectedly for the time being, he’s far from idle as planning continues for the annual Napa Valley Jazz Getaway and Chicago Jazz Getaway music and lifestyle festivals that he founded and curates. In the meantime, Culbertson will continue “Friday Night Studio Hang,” which he began broadcasting several years ago on the rare occasion he didn’t have a concert to play that evening.
“It would be random that I’d actually be in the studio on a Friday night, but starting a few weeks ago, I’ve been going live every Friday night. Now that everyone is home, I’ve gotten more viewers and comments than ever before. I talk about recording techniques, songwriting and end up playing songs live along to TV (backing) tracks. I’m looking forward to celebrating my twentieth album release with fans Friday night.”
“XX” contains the following songs:
“Get Up!” featuring Mr. Talkbox and Marcus Anderson
“Dance Like This” featuring Bootsy Collins
“The Hangout” featuring Ray Parker Jr.
Prelude to “More Than Thankful”
“More Than Thankful” featuring Avery* Sunshine
“It’s A Love Thing”
“Time Flies”
“Sexy Love” featuring Jubu Smith
“Keep Movin’” featuring Everette Harp
“The Truth” featuring Noel Gourdin
Intro to “Looking Back”
“Looking Back” featuring Patches Stewart
Italy was the second country to be ravaged by the novel coronavirus disrupting and threatening life, economics and the freedoms perhaps we took for granted. While encamped at his house near Rome on the coast close to the Tyrrhenian Sea that is part of the Mediterranean basin, forward-thinking multimedia jazz artist Paolo Rustichelli began contemplating life after quarantine while surrounded by ancient Etruscan temple ruins. His vision created the sensual aural and visual feast titled “Hot,” the new single and video impacting radio on May 4. He intends the project to serve as a charm to ward off COVID-19.
“‘Hot’ is a musical hymn implying the take back of our freedom from quarantine as we enter a summer of regeneration from our present burden with coronavirus. Reading between the lines in Europe and what happened in China, I composed a liberating song in March to celebrate regaining health and freedom from the threat and oppression caused by the virus. You can think of this song as a ‘spell’ or a charm to regain our health after a period of self-quarantine, thinking also that in ancient times, charms or spells were generally sung with the aid of musical instruments. ‘Hot’ is dedicated to a new summer of spiritual and physical regeneration,” said Rustichelli who composed, produced and performed the track using electronic plug-ins.
Accompanying the single is a steamy video directed by Rustichelli featuring two bikini-clad dancers dancing sensuously on cliffside bluffs and against fluorescent lime green skies and magenta sands. Waves gently wash over and purify the women and beach symbolizing humanity and the planet. The clip can be viewed at https://bit.ly/2Xzenkf. Rustichelli elaborates on the striking visuals and symbolism.
“The colorized shots with their dark colors represent the present burden of pandemia much like the color alterations presented by climate change and pollution. In the closing shots of the video, the beach regains normal warm and hot colors, which is a hope for us all to end the pandemic,” said Rustichelli who will include the single on his “Tempus Fugit” album slated for release next year.
“Since this is a song or a charm, as per tradition, it’s embedded with symbols. The two women represent beauty and youth, particularly the goddess Venus who was celebrated in ancient times as not only the goddess of beauty, but also as a potent helper for health. A precious gift today, it means reclaim our youth and health, regenerating our bodies and souls by permanently removing COVID-19 from our lives. The song is meant to work as an ancient musical charm that, in pagan tradition, has special powers of directing cosmic energies to regain health, to regenerate and in this case, to defeat the virus.”
Rustichelli has been a visionary technological forerunner since the 1970s when he was one of the pioneers of mono synthesizers and among the first to use Moog synthesizers, samplers and organs such as the ARP 2600, Mellotron, Fairlight CMI and Hammond C-3. He was an early adopter in the use of MIDI digital sequencers that empowered him to record and become a one-man band. As we move forward after the global pandemic, Rustichelli sees immediate changes in the way artists will harness technology to perform and record.
“Social distancing will enhance the ability of the single artist to work from home as I’ve done throughout my whole career. Gone are the days of thousands of people working on an album. This situation has the advantage to reveal a more honest and true picture of the artist’s creative vision and ability as they are forced to create alone without the cooperative input of others,” said Rustichelli, who has collaborated on his previous recordings with Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Andy Summers and Jill Jones.
“Online technology made possible making concerts from remote locations available to the whole world. That is why I stopped playing live many years ago, strongly believing in the extraordinary possibilities of making home concerts or videos to replace live concerts and showcase the artist from home. Social distancing and stay-at-home orders will enhance the endless creative possibilities of the internet that otherwise never would have been possible. Technology makes it possible for artists to still be seen and create new content even during quarantine. This will become more important in the years to come when most likely our freedom to move throughout the world is likely to arise again due to pandemic concerns. The present pandemia shows us how fragile our freedom is and how easily we could be forced to shut down again. But with digital technology and the internet, we are still able to communicate ‘live’ and continue being creative without the mega concerts of the past. It’s an invaluable opportunity that I recognized many years ago when I took a different route than many mainstream artists.”
https://www.paolo.org
It is with a mixture of pride and sorrow that Smoke Sessions Records announces the release of Harold Mabern’s Mabern Plays Mabern, available now. Pride because Mabern’s 27th recording as a leader, culled from the same three January 2018 nights that generated his 26th, The Iron Man: Live At Smoke, documents the master pianist, then 81, in prime form, functioning as an inspired soloist, attentive accompanist, melodic interpreter, and crafty tunesmith. Sorrow because the release, which was planned for his 84th birthday, is posthumous — Harold Mabern died unexpectedly on September 17, 2019, at the age of 83.
For the engagement in question, Mabern convened long-standing band-mates Eric Alexander on tenor saxophone, John Webber on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums, augmented by Smoke Sessions recording artists Steve Davis on trombone and Vincent Herring on alto saxophone. All members rise to the occasion on repertoire that spans 51 years of Mabern’s six decades as a recording artist, leader and sideman.
Indeed, the proceedings embody the qualities enumerated in a loving Facebook eulogy tribute by Charles Lloyd, Mabern’s bandmate at Manassas High School, in Memphis, Tennessee, at the cusp of the 1950s. Lloyd wrote: “Harold was a scholar of our history, insightful, hilarious, sincere, deep, with intense, boundless energy and inclusive with his warmth. Before they called him ‘Leading Man,’ his nickname was ‘Big Hands.’ With the broad reach of those hands, he caressed many beautiful chords. He was a storyteller and every note he played had a message.”
Another Manassas H.S. classmate, tenor saxophonist George Coleman — a close friend whose most recent recorded encounter with Mabern was the September 2019 Smoke Sessions Records release The Quartet — expressed similar sentiments in a New York Times obituary after Mabern’s death: “Harold was a complete musician,” Coleman observed. “He was always adventurous, and he was always swinging, keeping the crowd pleased.”
That the paying customers at Smoke were pleased is palpable throughout. “You’re hearing things that Harold wrote or enjoyed playing,” Alexander says. “This is the way Harold crystallized and refined his personal approach, the way he presented his music in front of people, night after night, which is the Harold Mabern that we adored the most. Of course, his studio recordings are great, but live, Harold threw caution to the wind. When he played live, it was magic; whatever happened, he was going to get out of it.”
As an example, consider Mabern’s emergence from a spirit-raising rubato introduction into the clarion theme of the session-opening “Mr. Johnson,” a modal burner. (Dedicated to trombone legend J.J. Johnson, a frequent mid-’60s employer, it first appeared on an October 1969 Lee Morgan sextet session.) Mabern comps behind each horn solo with an inspirationally take-no-prisoners attitude, then gives himself the final say with an erudite, swinging solo.
Or groove to the elemental soulfulness and urbane sophistication of the date-closer, “Rakin’ and Scrapin’,” which first surfaced in 1968 as the title track of Mabern’s second leader album, whose participants included Coleman on tenor saxophone, Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Bill Lee on bass. It’s a stomping boogaloo-blues that recalls Mabern’s father’s promise that he’d “rake and scrape up” funds for his junior’s first piano.
Another reference to Mabern’s long tenure with Morgan is “Edward Lee,” whose strutting theme captures Morgan’s swagger. (The trumpet giant’s full name was Edward Lee Morgan.) Mabern debuted it on the 1980 trio date Pisces Calling; then on a 1991 duo session with bassist Kieran Overs titled Philadelphia Bound; then on Alexander’s 1999 quartet album Live At The Keynote; then on the Japanese-market trio album Don’t Know Why.
“The Bee Hive,” named for the South Side Chicago nightclub where Mabern heard Charlie Parker in 1955, is one of the most enduring tracks from Morgan’s iconic 1970 location album Live At The Lighthouse. At Smoke, the thrilling ripostes between Alexander and Herring that comprise the first half of this wild ride channel Parker’s unfettered spirit.
The complex, stentorian “Lyrical Cole-Man” (also from Pisces Calling) is Mabern’s tone parallel to George Coleman, whose inflamed clarity comes through in intense solos by Alexander and the leader.
Renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge and erudite navigation of the Great American and Great Jazz Songbooks, Mabern — who spent much of the 1960s as a favored accompanist for such singers as Betty Carter, Joe Williams, and Sarah Vaughan — was unparalleled at harmonizing less-traveled standards in individualistic ways that illuminated their message. On Mabern Plays Mabern, the selections are “It’s Magic,” which Mabern introduces with a gorgeous rubato statement that foreshadows Alexander’s romance-saturated solo, and “Lover Man,” highlighted by heartfelt declamations from Vincent Herring and Steve Davis.
Mabern’s rollicking introductory solo to Alexander’s “Miles’ Mode” refraction, “The Iron Man,” a staple of the Alexander-Mabern Quartet through the years, sets the stage for all members to swing their hardest. The title — and the performance — encapsulates the indefatigable energy, intense focus, abiding humility and giving personality that the octogenarian maestro projected through his until his final day. The notes and tones are emblematic of a remark Mabern made to DownBeat in 2015: “You can take a hundred-dollar gig, but on the bandstand you get a million dollars’ worth of experience, because you always find something that you didn’t know before you got on the bandstand.”
