Tony Momrelle, Paul Edis & Jamie McCredie added to Cadogan Hall 5th June 2021 Jazz On A Summer’s Evening concert line-up

Hosted by Jazz FM’s Nigel Williams, Jazz On A Summer’s Evening will take place at London’s Cadogan Hall on Saturday 5th June in front of a socially distanced audience. Today it has been announced a further three musicians, Tony Momrelle, Paul Edis and Jamie McCredie will join the exciting line up of brilliant artists. For those who can’t be there, this very special show will also be streamed live around the world, mixing a perfect summer cocktail of classic jazz.

Vocalist Tony Momrelle, ‘brilliant young pianist’* Paul Edis, guitarist Jamie McCredie, harpist and singer Tara Minton, rising star singer/songwriter Jo Harrop, “Queen of lovers rock” Caroll Thompson and soul man Paul Lee will be supported by a stellar cast of Britain’s most in-demand musicians.       

Jazz FM will broadcast the concert shortly after the event available in the UK on digital radio, smart speaker, on DTV and on the app. 

Full line up:

Tony Momrelle

Tony is one of the UK’s most significant and exciting soulful singer-songwriters and has toured with some of the greatest artists in the world: Incognito, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Sade, Gary Barlow, Andrea Bocelli, Gwen Stefani, Robert Palmer, Gospel music group Seven and many more.

Paul Edis

One of the leading creative musicians in the UK today. As a performer, composer and educator, he has built a reputation for consistently delivering new and original ideas, seeking to innovate within his work whilst always paying respect to both the Jazz and Classical music traditions. In whatever genre or musical context he inhabits, Paul is passionate about melody and expression.

Jamie McCredie

One of the busiest touring & session guitar players in the U.K, Jamie McCredie has played on countless film and T.V. dates all around the world, while playing/recording with a host of household name artists such as; Will Young, Robbie Williams, Joss Stone, Beverly Knight, Tokio Myers, Kid Creole, Roisin Murphy, Don Was, Johnny Hates Jazz, Simple Minds, Jools Holland, Melody Gardot, the X-Factor final, and Britain’s Got Talent – to name only a small selection.

Tara Minton

Having cut her teeth working with everyone from Melbourne Opera to Björk, Australian-born singer and jazz harpist, Tara Minton, is the missing link between Joni Mitchell and Dorothy Ashby. She has just released the critically acclaimed Please Do Not Ignore The Mermaid, an astonishingly adventurous impressionistic dreamscape of an album.

Jo Harrop

Jo Harrop is one of the brightest new stars in the jazz universe. Described by BBC 6 Music’s Iggy Pop as “a very fine jazz singer,” she has a velvety voice that can melt the stoniest of hearts. Having received a raft of rapturous reviews for 2020’s Weathering The Storm album, recorded with Jamie McCredie, Jo is preparing to release her debut solo album this autumn.

Carroll Thompson

Known the world over as The Queen Of Lover’s Rock, Carroll Thompson first burst into the spotlight 40 years ago with her ground-breaking million-selling debut album, Hopelessly In Love. Having worked with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Michael Jackson, Thompson is one of the most unmistakable voices in music. She will be showcasing songs from her forthcoming Where Did Our Lovers Go, a celebration of her lifelong love of jazz.

Paul Lee

Perhaps best known for his unforgettable performance of Stand By Me at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Paul Lee’s deliciously soothing gospel tones are the perfect tonic for these difficult times.

Featured Musicians: Alex Webb (MD and Piano), Phil Merriman (piano), Paul Edis (piano), Ciyo Brown (guitar), Tommaso Starace (saxophone), Freddie Gavita (trumpet), Ed Babar (double bass), David Ingamells (drums) all accompanied by the Amika String Quartet.

African-jazz saxophonist Isaiah Katumwa releases "Dance Again"

As COVID-19 raged last summer and tension soared in the wake of the civil unrest that erupted after the death of George Floyd that occurred miles from his home, saxophonist Isaiah Katumwa was at work on his first major US release that he envisioned lifting spirits by uniting the world in dance. The Ugandan-born artist felt that to confront global issues - a pandemic and systemic racism – it would take a global response. Katumwa assembled a collective of African, American and Latin musicians to help craft “Dance Again,” the global jazz album dropping July 9 from Beyond Music. The festive African beat title track led by Katumwa’s agile soprano sax goes for playlist adds as a single on Monday.

Katumwa wrote or co-wrote all ten songs on “Dance Again,” each of which is brimful of joyous light and sunny optimism. Fellow saxophonist Darren Rahn, a multiple GRAMMY nominee who has produced more than 25 No. 1 singles, produced six tracks for the set, and Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley produced three. Rwandan producer Marc Kibamba helmed “The Sun Will Shine Again,” a jubilant African rhythmic groove illumined by a vocal chorus.             

“During the scary times of the pandemic and when people took to the streets in anger to protest, I often wondered whether we’ll ever dance again in unity. It had become a very strange thought. ‘Dance Again’ is an answer to share positivity and contribute to the healing process that we all need right now. It’s music with the purpose to help us as we recover, which I believe is one of the purposes of music,” said Katumwa.

The seeds for “Dance Again” were first planted a couple years ago when Katumwa wrote and recorded “Home Away” with Rahn, a sweetly melodic composition that referred to Katumwa’s quest to find an artistic balance between making commercial instrumental music in America while remaining true to his African roots. Last year, Katumwa and Rahn collaborated on the radiant “Smile On,” which was issued as a single last May. 

“When we dropped ‘Smile On,’ it was to add positivity, to use music to bring light to the world in our dark times. It’s a reminder that no matter what challenges life brings, we can always use our ability to smile as a resource to uplift and encourage,” said Katumwa of the single that earned most added status at Billboard for three consecutive weeks.

Coronavirus restrictions forced Katumwa and his collaborators to write and record remotely. But that didn’t dampen his excitement about recording with sax superstar Dave Koz.

“The format and nature of the recording process was very interesting, working remotely throughout the entire process. The highlight for me through the many special moments of working with Darren and Adam in the process was my longtime idol, Dave Koz, agreeing to be featured on the album. His alto sax work on the Afropop fusion track ‘Nsiima’ was magical. Nsiima means grateful and for me, that sums up my musical journey thus far along with being grateful for the opportunity to record with my idol. Looking at the bigger picture, I’m grateful to be making it through the pandemic alive,” said Katumwa.

Katumwa released numerous gospel-flavored recordings in Africa in the early 2000s. His 2006 release, “Sinza,” was his first as a mixologist serving a blend of African and contemporary jazz. The saxman’s 2016 disc, “This Is Me,” received international airplay and included a mix by Rahn on the cut “Pamojja,” which was the first time they teamed up. “Dance Again” is Katumwa’s first collection recorded specifically with the US market in mind.      

 

Deniz Cuylan | "No Such Thing As Free Will"

The memory is distant but distinct: Deniz Cuylan, five years old, early 1980s, at home in Istanbul, Turkey, listening to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony on his parents' turntable. Those regal opening notes arise from nowhere and the music is instantly as real as daylight, refracting his imagination into a spectrum of unfamiliar sensations: grandeur, urgency, beauty, sorrow. Communion. 

He plays the Fifth over and over and over, perceiving the orchestra as a single instrument. It speaks to him in a language beyond words. This is it! This is the thing! The boy feels a feeling—like mystery combined with certainty—that cracks him wide open.  

Thirty-five years later, Cuylan is still chasing that feeling. The composer and multi-instrumentalist is older and wiser now but remains convinced that music is the most lucid articulation of the enduring contradictions of the human condition.

The bulk of Free Will is built from classical guitar. This was Cuylan's very first instrument, which he learned to play at Lycée Saint-Joseph, the French high school he attended in Istanbul. Since that time his career and collaborations have taken him all over the world. He's lived and worked in Stockholm and New York City and toured the US and Europe with bands he fronted throughout the '00s. His post-jazz trio Maya played the Athens Biennale and wrote original music for fashion shows in Moscow and Dusseldorf. His electronic duo Portecho left revelers weeping on the dance floor and was hailed as a "fast rising band with a radiant future" by The New York Times. His world music ensemble Norrda comprised instrumentation from a half-dozen locales and played major festival stages across Europe and Turkey. All told he's released 10 albums spanning instrumentation, genres and continents. Cuylan's compositional genius is the common thead. 

Along the way Cuylan hosted his own freeform radio show on Istanbul's indie station Acik Radyo 94.9 for five years, worked as an editor at Turkish lifestyle magazine Bant, collaborated with illustrator Sadi Guran to publish the book/album Netame, produced a live album for Beck's sax player David Brown and composed music for megabrands like Nike, Lancome and Beats By Dre. 

In 2015 Cuylan relocated to Los Angeles to concentrate on film scoring. He's since worked on Netflix series Rise of Empires: Ottoman, the Emmy-nominated Mars Generation and El Chapo as well as Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize nominee Oh Lucy! and Janicza Bravo’s Rotterdam International Film Festival Big Screen Award nominee Lemon. In 2018 he co-wrote and scored his first feature, Av:The Hunt, one of the first Turkish movies acquired by Netflix International. That same year he and longtime partner Brian Bender began the production unit Bright and Guilty, which has been releasing cinematic, trip-hop-tinged singles on Jose James' Rainbow Blonde label. 

It was in LA that Cuylan stumbled onto the inspiration for his first solo album when he came across a Santos model classical guitar built by Pasadena-born, Paris-dwelling luthier Thomas Norwood at Guitar Salon International in Santa Monica. At first he couldn't bring himself to shell out the money for such a treasure, but eventually he decided that it was meant to be. His first studio forays with the Santos were frustrating, as if the guitar wouldn't accept his songwriting. Rather than forcing himself on it, Cuylan opened himself to the instrument, letting the Santos reveal its secrets to him. The result is a collaboration of the kind Cuylan seeks in all his projects, albeit this time with an inanimate object. 

One must clear their mind before they can fill it; "Clearing" opens the album as an aural palate cleanser. Without lyrics to guide the listener, song titles like "Purple Plains of Utopia" and "She Was Always Here" provide a sliver of narrative to these instrumental compositions, which include subtle accompaniment by Bender on cello and Cuylan himself on clarinet and piano. Closing the album, the title track packages all of the album's components into a delicately shifting finale, quiet, evocative, energizing, mesmerizing. 

And about the title? It too contains layers of depth. Cuylan explains: 

"My primary issue is heartbreak—the inherent, abstract heartbreak we all have. We're separated from something fundamental, and we're constantly disappointed in other people and in ourselves because of our separation. For religious people it might be separation from god. For secular people, separation from the womb. We feel like we're in control of our decisions, but it's actually heartbreak that compels the actions that we take in life."

No Such Thing as Free Will is perhaps an inversion o Beethoven's Fifth. It whispers where the other sings, suggesting communion with something greater rather than stating it outright. Yet somehow the feeling is there. 

~ Jonathan Zwickel

Jazz Aspen Snowmass' 30th Anniversary | June 18 – September 7, 2021

Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ 30th anniversary unfolds against a backdrop of growing optimism about what the summer of 2021 will look like for live music performances.  

JAS plans to present its full summer season of small venue concerts, focused on safe and distanced in-person “live” performances starting the weekend of June 18-20 (Food & Wine time historically), followed immediately by the June JAS Experience June 24-27 and the JAS Café summer season of July/August performances. 

“We are closely monitoring the evolving health guidelines and protocols emerging in our industry both nationally and internationally,” stated JAS President & CEO Jim Horowitz. “We are confident that we will be able to safely manage the crowds at all our smaller venues hosting JAS June and summer JAS Café performances. We expect thrills, tears and frequent enthusiastic applause after the long forced silence of live music during COVID-19’s rampage.”

With many national large outdoor festivals being re-scheduled from 2020 to mid-summer & early fall 2021 (including three major US festivals in addition to JAS over Labor Day weekend led by Bonnaroo which went on sale April 1st), JAS is optimistic its annual season closing festival over Labor Day weekend will take place based on Pitkin County Health guidelines at the time. JAS plans to announce its final line-up of Artists for the event in June.  

Also this summer, JAS’ flagship all-scholarship JAS Academy in collaboration with Frost School of Music at the University of Miami will expand from two to four weeks, adding a “Small Combo” Sessions segment from July 11–25 to complement its “Big Band” Sessions July 26–August 7, led under the direction of GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist, Christian McBride.

Summer Highlights:

The June Experience will include a total of eight performance venues. General admission passes include shows at The Little Nell, Here House at Local Coffee, Belly Up, and the Wheeler Opera House. Patron/VIP pass holders will enjoy music at The Velvet Buck at the St. Regis, rooftop at the Aspen Art Museum, and at the Durant St. Patron Tent located at the ice rink. Additional single ticket performances will take place at the Hotel Jerome for the first time since 1991. 

The majority of the June Experience line-up includes artists who were originally scheduled to perform in June 2020. The summer JAS Café series also hosts many favorite JAS artists originally scheduled to perform in 2020.

“Our over-riding theme for 2021 is celebrating our musical roots. Hence, the artistic program is filled with Artists who have a long history with the family of JAS, having performed numerous times to great audience acclaim through the years, while also sprinkling the program with numerous artist debuts. At the same time, JAS shines a particular light in its June & JAS Café season on the Roots of American popular music …. Gospel, Blues & Early Jazz which emerged after the Civil War and laid the foundation for the explosion of American popular music and recording in the 20th Century,” said Horowitz.

Among the highlights of the June Experience: 

Featured as part of the Patron/VIP program: dazzling 8-time GRAMMY® Award-winning a cappella vocal sextet Take 6 (Durant St. Patron Tent, June 25); the explosive sounds fusing jazz with reggae rhythms of Monty Alexander’s Harlem-Kingston Express (AAM, June 25); multiple GRAMMY® winning jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater (Velvet Buck, June 25); and the swinging & sultry NYC jazz vocalist Carolyn Leonhart (Velvet Buck, June 27).

Included in both the Patron/VIP and general admission programs: Denver’s beloved funk outfit The Motet (Belly Up, June 25/Durant St. Patron Tent, June 26); the classic '70s sound (featuring all original arrangements sanctioned by the Estate) of The Family Stone (Durant St. Patron Tent, June 25, Belly Up, June 26); high energy swinging trad-jazz dripping with humor & theatre from the wildly popular Sammy Miller & the Congregation (Belly Up, June 26; Durant St. Patron Tent Sunday Brunch Shows, June 27); and the legendary, multi-winning W.C. Handy Blues award winning vocalist, Ms. Bettye Lavette, in her JAS debut (Wheeler Opera House, June 25, Velvet Buck, June 26); and from New Orleans Tuba Skinny, a wildly inventive former street band who meld early trad jazz with Dixieland, drums, folk and more ( AAM, June 24 & Wheeler Opera House, June 27).

Additional highlights for general admission pass holders include: brilliant solo guitar and mouth percussion from Brazilian Badi Assad (Here House, June 25-26); stunning flamenco guitar from Juanito Pascual (Here House, June 27); and a soul-stirring pair of deeply soulful and funky Hammond B-3 Organ Quartets Delvon Lamarr and Jamison Ross (The Little Nell, June 25-27) each bringing their smokin’ B-3 Trio’s plus special guests on guitar.  

At the Hotel Jerome Ballroom on Friday, June 25 and Saturday, June 26 a blistering New Orleans Revue featuring Dumpstaphunk with bassist George Porter, Jr. and the legendary pianist/vocalist Jon Cleary will be available on a single ticket basis, not included in the Experience passes. Ticket options include an early dinner show, featuring a 3-course New Orleans inspired dinner provided by the Hotel Jerome and a late show music only option.

Among the highlights of the JAS Café Series: 

A special weekend opening the summer season will be announced soon taking place over the former Food & Wine Classic dates (June 18-19); urbane jazz vocalist & saxophonist Curtis Stigers (July 9); legendary jazz-fusion pioneers The Yellowjackets who performed at the Benedict Music Tent on the opening weekend of Jazz Aspen June 1991 (July 10); jazz pianist and Frost School of Music Dean Shelly Berg & Friends (July 23); Caribbean Carnivale sounds of jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles & Creole Soul (July 24); JAS Academy Artistic Director and multi-Grammy winning bassist Christian McBride & Tip City (Aug. 5); the premier male jazz vocalist of his generation, Kurt Elling, in his long overdue JAS Café debut (Aug. 6); the return of a favorite JAS vocalist, Catherine Russell, in a Blues focused program paying tribute to early blues pioneers like Bessie Smith (Aug. 13); and another JAS debut, the wildly creative fusion of jazz, African rhythms & bluegrass sounds of Pascal Bokar’s Afro Blue Grazz Band (Aug. 15). Additional JAS Café shows will be announced at a later date.   

Bassist Almog Sharvit Releases 'Get Up Or Cry' (feat. O'Farrill, Seabrook, Gilad, König)

Innovative composer and bassist Almog Sharvit announces the release of his debut album as a leader, Get Up Or Cry, on May 28, 2021, via Unit Records. Together with his band members Adam O’Farrill (trumpet), Brandon Seabrook (guitar & banjo), Micha Gilad (piano, keys, synths) and Lukas König (drums), Sharvit creates a startingly imaginative record. Get Up Or Cry signals the arrival of a fresh, significant New York artist. It’s an album that appeals to both jazz purists and neophytes, a crossover record that stuns any casual listener.

Sharvit, a 28-year-old conservatory-trained musician, born and raised in Israel and based in Brooklyn, creates surreal, maximalist compositions that combine both acoustic and electronic textures. In New York, he has established himself as a creative force; his jazz trio Kadawa has received accolades from the New York Times, Indie Current and Vancouver Sun, among others. Sharvit has also toured internationally with various acts across 12 countries, and performed at storied venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Blue Note, Jerusalem Jazz Festival, and many more.

Get Up Or Cry reflects genre-pushing creativity, textural innovation, and a striking balance between form and freedom. The album blurs electronic music, psychedelic rock, bluegrass, 20th-century classical music, and of course, jazz, into dizzyingly beautiful, wholly unique songs. Sharvit composed, arranged, and produced every single track – the only additional writing credit belongs to one Vladimir Nabokov, whose poetry serves as the lyrics to the eponymous track “Get Up Or Cry.“

“I intended to create an album that you can turn to when you feel joy and sorrow at the same time,” says Sharvit. “I wanted to make an album that is beautiful in an odd way, a space where humor interacts with moving, complex, and crazy songs. They express how we all feel sometimes – overwhelmed with information, short on focus, caffeinated as hell, but at the same time having moments of joy, intimacy, sadness, and freedom.”

Get Up Or Cry was recorded in a single day at Wonderpark Studios in Brooklyn. In post-production, Sharvit applied experimental techniques usually found in pop and electronic music to the songs – the record features filter sweeps, heavy distortion and compression, and creative automation and panning that he gladly says “will knock the dust off your stereo.”by Vladimir Nabokov.

Benito Gonzlez | "Sing to the World"

With propulsive pulse and Afro-Latin percussive drive, Benito Gonzalez places rhythm at the core of his exhilarating new album, Sing to the World, set for a May 14 release. All of the ten songs on his fifth album, and first released on the St. Petersburg, Russia label Rainy Days Records, combine to create a sense of wonder and enchantment as Gonzalez takes a stellar step into the future of his jazz journey. He’s assembled an impressive team of collaborators, including Christian McBride, Essiet Okon Essiet, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Nicholas Payton as well as rising stars Russian drummer Sasha Mashin, trumpeter Josh Evans and saxophonist Makar Kashitsyn.

Sing to The World is a musical exploration into the concept of freedom that recognizes the dignity of us all as individuals. Music is the most powerful tool we have to make a change in the world, uniting as one outside of cultural or religious differences. We are living in a world where all are searching for freedom because its inherently valuable role in human progress. Sing to the World is about this universal search for freedom, about being present, being aware, and trying to allow the moment to come to us. 

The title track of Sing to the World, with its harmonic invention and pianistic power, is influenced by two McCoy Tyner tunes, “Fly with the Wind” and “Song of the New World.” “McCoy played with so much energy and with such a depth of harmony. If you hear that kind of harmony, you can push the music to its limit. It’s open to infinity. That’s my concept for the whole album—play with openness and trust. That’s what I want to give to the world,” says Gonzalez.  

As for enlisting jazz powerhouses in the new album, Gonzalez says McBride and Watts embrace the rhythmic core. “They hear the way I perceive the music. They understand where I’m coming from and execute brilliantly. I like strong beats rooted in Africa which is where my father’s ancestors came from. I like it when people dance to this music. Tain and Christian come from the same place. You can hear the dance beats when they play,” says Gonzalez. "The African sensibility and relationship with the drums has usually permeated the best of jazz and American music. Benito embraces that language as part of his commitment to the spiritual, healing part of the music. As a drummer, it's really fun to play with and bounce off of, in order to get to a vibration that's vital and always in style." explains Watts. 

As for bringing Payton on board, Gonzalez says, “Nicholas is the best trumpet player today, and I thought he would be a great addition for my album giving his direction in the music,” says Gonzalez.  

Highlights on Sing to the World include Gonzalez’s dazzle of keys on “Sounds of Freedom” which he says is inspired by “the troubling situations in our world today. People are looking for freedom in places like my home Venezuela, in Russia, the U.S. People are searching, fighting for freedom,” says Gonzalez. 

Others include “Views of the Blues,” an energized outing inspired by Coltrane’s open-sound sensibility of playing the blues, and the moving, lyrical “Offering,” featuring a terrific McBride solo. “When I was seven years old in Venezuela, I played the organ at church. I was playing beautiful melodies. This song is based on that. It’s not a hymn but a reminder of the hymns I played as a kid. It’s a story. It’s my interpretation of that period in my life,” says Gonzalez. 

In addition to his slow-to-upbeat originals, Gonzalez adds to the set list two compositions that have never been recorded by their composers: Roy Hargrove’s soulful “Father” and Jeff “Tain” Watt’s beauty “412.” Benito singles out “Father” as one of his favorite songs on the album. “It’s about my personal relationship to Roy. In 2006, we attended jam sessions every Thursday night. He sat down at the piano one night and taught me the changes to this song. We played it often, but he never recorded it” he says.  

As for the Tain tune, Gonzalez learned it when the two were both teaching summer jazz camp at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC ). "Having known Benito for years, it's been a pleasure to witness both his growth, and his love and respect for the music in notes and spirit. His seriousness and focus were apparent years ago in the young man I'd chat with during trips; always friendly and seeking, never pushy. I'm proud to see him today as a bright light and leader in the music" says Watts. “I was messing around on the piano one day, and Tain gave me the chart. I’ve always loved this ballad. He’s played it on occasion but never recorded it,” says Gonzalez about “412.” 

What’s impressive about Gonzalez is that he’s not willing to sit still for too long. He’s already got future projects in mind. Recently named a Steinway & Sons artist in 2020, emerging piano talent Benito Gonzalez continues to reveals himself as an inspired and versatile artist on his fifth album, Sing to the World. 

Benito Gonzalez was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela to folk musician parents who played traditional Venezuelan music. It became embedded in their son’s rhythmic sensibility. As a youngster Gonzalez played the guitar, drums and organ at church. It wasn’t until someone gave him a cassette of John Coltrane’s Afro Blue that he discovered Tyner and decided to become a pianist. “I knew I couldn’t play like that, but I identified with him. I started studying hard. I went to college, but I quit because of the music. I practiced for endless hours—10 to 12 hours a day,” says Gonzales.

When Gonzalez moved from his hometown to the national capital Caracas, he tuned into the only local radio station for jazz and discovered the music of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, among others. But he also plunged into his country’s unique music styles. He played with master musicians like Jose Velasquez who was the bass player for the legendary pianist Aldemaro Romero—who contributing to increased visibility of innovative Venezuelan music on the international scene with the onda nueva (new wave) rhythm derived from joropo and bossa nova. 

Gonzalez made his way to U.S. by a serendipitous route when an American cultural ambassador caught one of his trio gigs and later invited him to come to Washington, D.C. to play shows with Ghanaian master drummer Okyerema Asante that led to a recording. “After my first six months here, I decided to stay in this country to learn the music right. I was seeing shows by McCoy, Bruce Barth and Gonzalo Rubalcaba and others and falling in love with jazz on a whole new level,” Gonzalez says. 

Gonzalez went on to play with Jackie McLean in 2003, then joined Kenny Garrett’s quartet for seven years until 2013—during which time he garnered two GRAMMY®-Award band nominations for the saxophonist’s albums Seeds from the Underground and Pushing the World Away. During this time Gonzalez started recording his own albums, including Starting Point (2004) and Circles (2010), then continuing his solo career with Dream Rhapsody (2015) with Slavic flutist/vocalist Sisa Michalidesová, and the Tyner project Passion Reverence Transcendence (2018). After his stint with Garrett, he played with saxophonist Azar Lawrence’s band then in 2019 was enlisted by saxophone legend Pharoah Sanders to be his pianist/musical director.

New Music Releases: Craig Charles Trunk Of Funk, Future Bubblers 4.0, Orgone

Craig Charles Trunk Of Funk Vol 1

A smoking set of funk and soul put together by Craig Charles – once an actor, now a long-running DJ on the BBC – where his ear for a tune has made him almost as important as John Peel and Gilles Peterson! Craig's got a wide-ranging appreciation for all things funky – which comes through here, in a blend of tracks that is both classic and contemporary – rare cuts from the past, and some overlooked gems from the present – but all with a continued love of the elements that make 60s and 70s soul so great! Tracks include "Boogie Down" by Roy Ayers, "Hold My Hand" by Laneous, "Soul A Go Go" by Soul Messin Allstars, "Superfly (Sam Redmore's Trunk Of Funk edit)" by Amp Fiddler, "Medicated Goo" by PP Arnold, "African Rhythms (Trunk Of Funk edit)" by Oneness Of Juju, "Forget Me Nots (7" single mix)" by Patrice Rushen, "Beggin" by Magnus Carlson, "People Get Ready" by James Taylor Quartet, "Give Me The Night" by Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel, "Take A Shot" by The Fantastics, "Clap Hands" by Honeyfeet, "Telling You Lies" by Alex Opal, "The Only Difference" by Beatchild & The Slakedliqs, "Hangin On" by Monophonics, and "Pata Pata" by Miriam Makeba. ~ www.dustygroove.com 

Future Bubblers 4.0

Gilles Peterson presents the future of music from his very well-regarded perspective – served up here on eight tracks from some real up-and-coming talents on the London underground – working in a blend of modes that's very much in the best Brownswood Records spirit! The tracks move between contemporary soul, hip hop, jazz, and funky modes – but as with most of the work in the great Bubblers series, they tend to open new doors in sound along the way – music that's not easy to define and categorize, and we mean that in the best way possible. Titles include "Scatty Brain Dump" by Kin Kai, "If I" by HMD, "My Darling Spaceship" by Quko, "Slow One" by Forest Law, "Slow" by Kiddus, "Slow Things Down" by Iman Houssein, "NHH" by An Alien Called Harmony, and "When The Horns Come In" by Lazy H. ~ www.dustygroove.com

Orgone - Connection

Connection is the new ten song LP from Los Angeles powerhouse Orgone featuring collaborations with Cyril Neville, Kelly Finnigan, Pimps of Joytime, and more. The album is the inaugural release on 3 Palm Records, distributed by Colemine Records and Secretly Distribution. A spiritual follow up to fan favorite Bacano, Connection is gritty, lean, and tight soul and funk at its best. It explores the invisible threads that bind us all, spiritually, emotionally, and artistically. Much like the collage that adorns the cover, this hard hitting collection of songs illuminates the essence of Orgone: a musical pastiche of different vocalists, heavy riffs, vintage production, and a core rhythm section that never disappoints. The synergy created in these songs demonstrates that the whole is truly greater than the sum of all the individual parts and players. This is the tenth studio album from Orgone (they’ve previously released albums with Ubiquity, Sanachie, and Colemine Records). Other career highlights include: heavy touring with the likes of Al Green, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, and Galactic; fest appearances at Bonnaroo, High Sierra, Jam Cruise; placements on ABC’s Modern Family, film, and commercials; serving as the backing band for Grammy winning hits like Cee Lo’s “Fool For You” and songs from Alicia Keys, Jazmine Sullivan and more. ~ www.firstexperiencerecords.com

 

Steven Bernstein | "Community Music"

Steven Bernstein, the beloved virtuoso trumpeter, arranger, bandleader and composer, has announced 'Community Music,' a four volume series that presents one album every three months over the course of a year via independent record label, Royal Potato Family. Indeed, community is the essence of these recordings, made over four days in 2020 and featuring an ensemble of musicians who have been both integral to the NYC creative music scene and co-collaborators with Bernstein for the last 30 years. A superlative quartet of records each showcasing a different facet of this remarkable, one-of-a-kind maestro, the first edition, 'Tinctures In Time (Community Music, Vol. 1)' is a collection of incantatory originals, to be issued September 3, 2021; the aptly titled 'Good Time Music (Community Music, Vol. 2)' with singer Catherine Russell follows on January 7, 2022; 'Manifesto of Henry-isms (Community Music, Vol. 3)' comprised by re-imaginings of Bernstein's inspired arrangements for the brilliant New Orleans pianist Henry Butler & The Hot 9 with guests John Medeski and Arturo O’Farrill is out May 6, 2022; and 'Popular Culture (Community Music, Vol. 4),' a set of Bernstein-ian takes on The Grateful Dead, Charles Mingus, The Beatles and others, concludes the series on September 2, 2022. The 'Community Music' series is being introduced with a four song sampler out today (listen/share) across all streaming platforms. Vinyl pre-order for all four albums is also now available on Bandcamp.   

Why release four records in one year? Steven Bernstein's answer is succinct and definitive: "Because why not?" The initial spark for 'Community Music' might have come when Henry Butler passed in 2018 and then Bernstein's mother the following year.  Understandably, Bernstein began to consider his own mortality—and his musical legacy.  "I thought, 'While I'm still on the planet, I need to start documenting my arrangements,'" he says.  He won a Shifting Foundation grant (previous recipients include Bill Frisell, Craig Taborn and John Zorn) to do just that: document as many of his unrecorded and sometimes even unperformed arrangements as possible.   

The band gathered at a Brooklyn studio in January 2020.  Every day, Bernstein made sure to lay out a nice spread—a band, like an army, travels on its stomach—and the old friends would nosh and shoot the breeze for a while, then get down to work.  They'd rehearse each tune for 45 minutes or so, then do two takes with no Protools fixes, no Autotune and no overdubs.  "All the musicians are reacting to each other in real time, so you can't use any of those tricks," Bernstein says.  "So this is exactly what happened: it's the music we played."   

The 'Community Music' sessions are organic music played by gifted musicians with both solid roots in tradition and a zest for invention. "Deep down, it's the Ray Charles horns, the Duke Ellington horns," says Bernstein. One of the great achievements of these fascinating records is to catapult those quintessential sounds into the 21st century.   

It's called 'Community Music' because the musicians of the Millennial Territory Orchestra and The Hot 9 have been working with each other in various combinations for decades, with Bernstein at the center of it all.  Bernstein has known pianist Arturo O'Farrill for well over 30 years and drummer Ben Perowsky for nearly 40; he's been playing music with saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum since they were twelve years old. And he's known everyone else in the band for at least 25 years, starting when Bernstein moved from Berkeley to New York City in 1979 and soon found himself in the thick of the golden age of the downtown jazz scene, much of it centering around John Lurie & The Lounge Lizards, a band he eventually joined.   

When musicians work with each other for that long, they develop what's often called telepathy but is really trust, a key concept in Bernstein's musical philosophy.  'Community Music' might be four separate albums, but it's also just one episode of a musical conversation that's been going on for decades. "The reason all this music even exists is the honest communication we've developed over the years," Bernstein says. "And not only are these people excellent musicians, they're distinctive players.  Those arrangements are written for the specific people who are playing them, and that's why it sounds the way it does."

The 'Community Music' sessions incorporate the past into the present, making music that's a new kind of timeless. "Levon Helm's not here, and Henry Butler's not here, and Hal Willner's not here, and Roswell Rudd's not here, and Lou Reed's not here," says Bernstein.  "So I'm carrying forward all the stuff I learned from them—but through me, the way I look at it.  Hal used to say, as our favorite musicians were passing, 'It's up to us now — we need to make the music with the same intent as our heroes.  We have to be our own heroes now.'"   

The Millennial Territory Orchestra community are heroes in that sense but also in the way they've come together to make this essentially joyous music even in the face of misfortune.  It's the spirit of the New Orleans second line, alchemizing sorrow into a celebration of life.  "These records really aren't all about my loss," Bernstein says, "but that's also what's bonded this community in an even stronger way because those experiences have given us an even greater awareness of how sacred life is.  You hear that in all of this music, whether it's a happy song or a sad song, you can hear the reverence we all have for life.  We don't take these opportunities to play music together lightly."  And you can hear that loud and clear on every note of every tune of the four volume 'Community Music' series.  Listen and be uplifted.

Helsinki-Cotonou Ensemble

Everyone's got a "we made an album during the pandemic" story, but how many bands did it between Finland, Benin and Portugal while also teaching far-flung band members how to use the technology on the fly?

In 2009 Finnish guitarist Janne Halonen travelled to Benin, West Africa, to study the rhythms of Voodoo. He became friends with a master percussionist/singer, Noël Saïzonou, and the idea of a band planted. In the planning for their 5th album, neither of them thought Helsinki-based Janne would ever be spending long hours teaching Benin-based Noël how to use entirely unfamiliar recording software by sharing his screen over Zoom, but you know... pandemic.

Get ready for a mix West African Voodoo traditions, Afrobeat, Jazz, Soul, and conscious Hip-Hop, with all songs being sung in Saïzonou’s native Goun language. HCE5 drops May 21 2021 and we've got a sneak peek single for you, “Min He Mon Ébgé – The One Who Sees Today” (available across all streaming platforms worldwide on May 7th, 2021). The single, which will also be the first track on the new album, imparts the message that it’s important to take care of one’s craft and general well-being, since nobody knows what tomorrow brings. 

Contemporary jazz saxophonist Matt Willard discovers a tropical sound in an unlikely locale: Nashville

While Nashville is primarily known as a launch pad for country music careers, Music City also has a burgeoning jazz scene. Trekking south from his Virginia home, saxophonist Matt Willard entered a Nashville recording studio with some of the city’s finest contemporary jazz musicians to record his debut single, “Por la Orrilla del Mar.” Willard wrote the single that just dropped on the Creative Soul Jazz imprint and produced it with the label’s Eric Copeland and Sunset Blvd. Studio’s Steve Dady. The exotic track showcasing the tenor saxman’s impassioned play is the first in a series of singles and accompanying videos that will precede Willard’s first album that is expected to drop by the end of the year.

A staccato Latin rhythm constructed by drummer Steve Brewster and bassist Jacob Lowery is the pedestal for the lush melodies of “Por la Orrilla del Mar.” Guitarist Dave Cleveland adds to the harmony while keyboardist Jason Webb shines when trading solos with Willard, who’s deft saxplay runs the gamut of emotion: from intense, raw and emotional to restrained, poised and harnessed. A horn section underscores and illumines Willard’s saxophone excursions.

Willard struggled to come up with a title for the single that has Caribbean nuances and conjures up soothing beach scenes. He felt it needed a Spanish title, but since he doesn’t speak the language, he turned to family members for help.

“After spending many hours trying to come up with the perfect song title, the idea to ask my uncle popped into my head. He speaks fluent Spanish along with many other languages. I sent him the track, and he and my aunt picked up on the Latin feel to the song, and ultimately, they came up with ‘Por la Orrilla Del Mar.’ It means ‘by the sea shore.’”  

Willard’s soulful and inspired sound meshes perfectly with the ethos of Copeland’s label. Creative Soul Jazz is a purveyor of improvisational jazz that they describe as “different and has spiritual roots.”

“As a label and production company, our mission is to use our God-given talents to show the beauty, the intensity, the passion and the spiritual effect of jazz. Our souls are rooted firmly in the freedom and pure art form of jazz,” said Copeland.                            

Willard began playing baritone sax in sixth grade and switched to tenor after graduating high school. Having played in jazz ensembles as well as his school’s marching band, he landed professional gigs playing at restaurants, special events and weddings. Willard tested the waters by issuing several recording projects locally, but teaming up with Dady, Copeland and Creative Soul Jazz is about taking his craft to the national level. “Por la Orrilla del Mar” offers a promising glimpse of what’s to come from this artist.   

Willard said, “I had a blast recording in Nashville and cannot wait to see everyone’s reaction to the music as we release it. I hope that these songs touch as many lives as possible like they did mine when writing them. I am truly blessed to have a great team working with me to write and produce this record. Collaborating with Nashville session players is an amazing experience. The entire production team has knocked it out of the park. The album is going to be great!”

The Society Hill Orchestra - Butch Ingram Presents Philly Classics, Vol. 3

Modernizing the classic Philly soul sound while still retaining that old school feel is a difficult feat, especially when dealing with classic hits that represent in many ways the evolution of the music - so who better to deal with this task than legendary producer Butch Ingram who has dedicated his career to keeping the sound of Philly soul music alive for the past several decades. Utilizing the Society Hill Orchestra and his band of brothers for backing, that task is made easier with the help of many of the relatively new artists now responsible for keeping the sound fresh such as saxophonist Benny Barksdale, Jr., guitarist Gary Nelson and the superb vocal group TRU. Add to the mix Philly soul veterans Vicki Austin, Carla Benson, The Illusions and The Fabulous Ebonys (reprising their hit "Do You Like The Way I Love You") performing songs by such classic artists as The Stylistics, The O'Jays, Lou Rawls, MFSB, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, Melba Moore, David Ruffin, The Spinners and The Ethics to create an impressive balance that lends an air of legitimacy to the proceedings and serves to make these classics come alive with the same spirit as when they were originally recorded. Kudos are due to the Butch’s crew for a job well done. Thanks to their efforts, the classic sound of Philly soul music is very much relevant and will continue to evolve with the passage of time - while simultaneously staying true to its roots.

Veronica Swift | "This Bitter Earth"

Veronica Swift flips the script on This Bitter Earth, the captivating follow-up to her 2019 Mack Avenue Records debut, Confessions. Whereas Confessions played out like pages from her personal diary, on the new album, the 26-year-old singer and master song interpreter looks outward while addressing social ills that plague the world today.

This Bitter Earth, available now on Mack Avenue Records, takes on the song-cycle characteristics of such classic LPs as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love, and Mary J. Blige’s My Life. For her album, Swift tackles sexism [“How Lovely to Be a Woman”], domestic abuse [“He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)”], racism/ xenophobia [“You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught”] and the dangers of fake news [“The Sports Page”].

Accompanied by a team of kindred spirts that includes pianist Emmet Cohen, guitarist Armand Hirsch. and flutist Aaron Johnson, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Bryan Carter, Swift curates material that covers multiple genres, including jazz, American musicals, vintage R&B and contemporary rock.

“I’ve been waiting to do this album for years,” Swift says before explaining that she usually conceives her albums far in advance. She recorded much of the material in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic forced the world into a near total standstill. But the time allowed her to live with songs at different parts of her life. Eventually, she recognized the connective tissue between them. The big challenge, however, was crafting a cohesive narrative. 

Swift delves into a dramatic yet sardonic makeover of “How Lovely to Be a Woman,” a Charles Strouse and Lee Adams tune from the 1960 musical, Bye Bye Birdie. “As I’m coming into the world, having more of a feeling of who I am and being more confident in that, I realize now how this song had a lot more ambiguity and cynicism involved,” Swift says. “I tried to make an arrangement that maintained the childlike feel I had while listening to it but still insert some of that sarcasm in it. The song also allows me to present more of my humorous side.”

Themes of abuse appears with Swift’s cover of the Crystals’ 1962 provocative R&B tune “He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss).” “This song just makes your stomach curdle,” Swift says. “It’s uncomfortable to sing; it’s uncomfortable to listen. But the original version by the Crystals is so the opposite; it’s so indicative of the 1960s victim woman who stays with the man who physically assaults her. I’ve never heard a version of this song that had gone the other way in terms of making it a somber piece. I wanted to give listeners another option in listening to this song. So, I stripped away all the other instruments and chord progressions and just made it me and guitar. I arranged it to sound almost singer-songwriterly.”

“You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” comes from a musical – 1949’s South Pacific. The envelope-pushing, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II-penned song illustrates how racism and xenophobia are learned behaviors, often projected onto children during their early development. “I was always perplexed at how such a deep and dark subject matter in South Pacific was sung so upbeat,” Swift recalls. “I think it was written intentionally to not sit well with the audience. I wanted to come up with an arrangement that’s very antsy and mad. So, I put a little bit of that rock beat on the chorus and sing angrily. To me, it sounds like what the song was meant to be.”

The album switches gears with Swift’s cunning version of Dave Frishberg’s socially conscious song “The Sports Page.” She uses the song’s topical lyrics to invoke the prevalence of fake news during President Trump’s administration. “It is amazing how a song written in the late 1960s is still relevant, and its brilliance is that it doesn’t target a specific demographic,” Swift says.

“I want this album to have two separate approaches,” she explains. “I wanted to start with women’s place in society now and how it’s changing. During the second half, I wanted to address other ailments in the world, whether it’s racism or fake news. But I don’t take any political stances. I’m very clear with my audience that as an artist I address certain issues as an outsider looking in.”

Now with This Bitter Earth, her second Mack Avenue Records album, Swift’s ascendance as a 21st century jazz torchbearer continues.

New Music Releases: Wadada Leo Smith / Douglas Ewart / Mike Reed, A-P Connection, Urban Underground

Wadada Leo Smith / Douglas Ewart / Mike Reed - Sun Beans of Shimmering Light

Three giants of the Chicago improvised scene, coming together here in an album that recalls the best early recordings from the AACM! There's this open, collaborative spirit going on here – music that moves between structure and freedom, and which stands as a testament to the instant rapport between all three players – trumpet from Wadada Leo Smith, reeds from Douglas Ewart, and drums and percussion from Mike Reed – the last of whom often seems to let his elders set the tone, then find a way to make his own special contributions – at that level that continues to make Reed such a vital part of any group he engages with. Had Delmark issued this album in 1971, it would have gone on to become a classic – but it's an even greater feather in the cap of Astral Spirits – who do a great job here with presentation. Titles include "Super Moon Rising", "Unknown Forces", "Dark Tango", "Constellations & Conjunctional Spaces", and "Sun Beans Of Shimmering Light" www.dustygroove.com

A-P Connection – Wide Vision

A-P Connection is an autoproduced French Funk music duo founded in 2012 in Reims. Growing up, Antoine Perez and Pierre Bonnet were mostly influenced by the funk and disco music of the 70’s and 80’s. It was obvious that playing music would become part of their lives. At the early beginning they played only guitar and bass, yet this quickly evolved into a wider variety of instruments allowing them to create their own compositions. Wide Vision reflects the versatility of our soul and music. Many very talented artists have joined us to make this new opus an exceptional blend of music. ​16 new songs featuring amazing vocalists : Adam Chini, Ava Baya, Chuck New, Denise L. Wilkinson (from Ladies of SKYY), Howard Johnson, Heather Haywood (From The Cool Notes), Joyce Sims, Junior, Matthew Clanton, Nate Williams, Ryan Konline. ​Amazing musicians : Horn House (Tom Walsh & Nichol Thomson), JEMMA, Maya Killtron, Hoodie Boy, and Lucia Sarmiento. www.firstexperiencerecords.com

Urban Underground - World Peace

So sonically intricate, expansive and innovative a concept in collective contemporary music production that its name is trademarked, Urban Underground® - masterminded and led by visionary Bay Area composer, bassist and producer Keith “KDubbs” Williams – offers a multi-faceted (electronic pop, chill hip-hop, urban and acid jazz) contemporary equivalent to classic big tent entities like Parliament and CTI Records. Their latest collection WORLD PEACE makes its case for global harmony through 20 adventurous tracks alternately filled with lush, sultry atmospheres, danceable funk, grittier grooves and infectious melodies and raps – all designed to showcase not simply Williams’ inspired genius but also the artistry of other regional urban music influencers. These include rapper Philasifer, smooth jazz group XPresshunz, funk keyboardist Mark “DreyKeyz” Brown, R&B vocalist Quimby and the dance/pop/chillout ensemble B KDragon. www.smoothjazz.com

Alex Puddu – Love After Dark

Recording artist Alex Puddu, well-known especially for his discosex-funk soundtrack trilogy The Golden Age of Danish Pornography and for his music collaborations with artists such as Joe Bataan, Lonnie Jordan (War), and Gene Robinson Jr.(Breakwater) is ready with his 12th album Love After Dark.

Exploring the nightlife of 1977-79 and early 80s of disco, jazzfunk, and adult oriented soul and pop music. A set of songs written, arranged and produced by Alex Puddu and recorded in South Florida together with a local team of talented session musicians. Love After Dark is definately a step-up from Alex’s latest work Discotheque not only for further improving the sound with a great production and accurate arrangements, but also for developing and re-inventing himself as the strong songwriter he is, not only musically but also lyrically. Songs like ”Shadow Dancer”, ”Lady Tonight”, ”Body Heat”, ”Catch The Wave or Die”, ”Strangers on the Beach” and ”The Long Road” are proof of that.

The album was recorded In South Florida at DogManic Recording Studio, Enginereed by Jason ”Jedi ”Sedawie and mixed in Germany by Rob Hardt (well known from the nu disco-boogie producer team Cool Million) and Kamilo Kratc in New York City. The singles from the forthcoming album – ”Shadow Dancer”, ”Body Heat”, ”Only For Men”, ”Adult Games” and ”Lady Tonight” – have already had a major impact at UK soul radio stations.

Texas-based Duo Balmorhea Draws Inspiration from Isolation on "The Wind" on Deutsche Grammophon

Copious creative influences run through Balmorhea's Deutsche Grammophon debut album. The Wind comprises a dozen tracks inspired by meditations on the natural world and its fragility, an ancient tale of a saint who carried the wind to an airless French valley, and thoughts of climate activist Greta Thunberg crossing the Atlantic on the catamaran La Vagabonde. 

The Wind marks both a return to Balmorhea's original set-up and a new beginning for the Texas-based duo of Rob Lowe and Michael A. Muller. Addressing their concerns for the way in which climate change is continuing unabated, and reflecting the solace that so many people are now finding in connecting with the natural environment, the album is a timely reflection on the need to cherish and protect our planet. It charts a journey through an evocative soundscape touched by echoes of prayer flags flapping in a Himalayan breeze, an old harmonium, pipe organ, a trio of double basses, wind chimes and beguiling guitar and piano instrumentals. 

The Wind was recorded in the iconic Saal 3 of Berlin's Funkhaus, musical home to Lowe and Muller's multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer friend Nils Frahm and co-produced by Jonathan Low; a Grammy-winning engineer and producer known for his recent work on projects with Taylor Swift, Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion. On "Rose in Abstract", which features both Balmorhea musicians on piano for the first time, they used Frahm's pipe organ to fill out the intro, later adding breadth and colour with the help of horn player Morris Kliphuis (stargaze collective), cellist Clarice Jensen and singer Lisa Morgenstern.

Balmorhea (pronounced "Bal-more-ray") began life in 2006 when Lowe and Muller met and made music at a summer camp in the remote Texas Hill Country. The two friends continued experimenting and exploring after they returned to their homes in Austin, and combined complex layers of guitar and piano sounds in ways that appeared to mirror the majestic mountains and rugged scenery of their home state. The group gradually evolved into a larger ensemble and toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Following an intense five-year period on the road and the decision of some of the band's members to relocate outside of Texas, Balmorhea's two founders took advantage of a break from touring to improvise and experiment together once more. The Wind and their collaboration with Deutsche Grammophon grew from there.

True Loves, the star-studded instrumental soul outfit out of Seattle releases "Yard Byrds"

True Loves, the star-studded instrumental soul outfit out of Seattle has released "Yard Byrds," the fourth single off their forthcoming record 'Sunday Afternoon' via Color Red. 

“Yard Byrds” holds a slow and steady groove with a majestic melody on top. The tune was co-written by trombonist Greg Kramer and bassist Bryant Moore with the intent to write a classic using just four chords, a descending bass line, and a repeating 8th note pattern a la Dr. Dre with a stately melody riding on top. The icing on the cake was a countermelody played by the woodwind section of Gordon Brown on flute/tenor sax and Skerik on baritone saxophone. The new single is a nice contrast from their high-energy, fast tempo bangers, and allows both the group and their listeners to have a moment and breathe. Close your eyes for this one and take it all in. 

The group's upcoming sophomore LP 'Sunday Afternoon' is as sweet and carefree as the imagery provoked by its very title. It provides a soundtrack for a block party that summons the entire neighborhood. From the zealous, up-tempo opening track “S.O.S” to the swagger-filled fanfare title track, you’ll find yourself wandering down a familiar road, noticing the scenery while relishing in curiosity. While every track can stand alone on the airwaves, ‘Sunday Afternoon’ as a whole is a direct reflection of a band comprised of seasoned musicians, all forces to be reckoned with, but larger than life when together. True Loves are: Jason Cressey (Odesza/Monophonics/Polyrhythmics) on trombone, Greg Kramer (Macklemore) on trombone, Gordon Brown on tenor sax, Skerik (Mike Clark/Fred Wesley/Charlie Hunter/Garage a Trois) on baritone sax,  Jimmy James (Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio) on guitar, Bryant Moore on bass, David McGraw (Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio) on drums, and Iván Galvaz on percussion.

Record Store Day Exclusive - Ella In Berlin

"Ella In Berlin" will be in record stores starting June 12 as part of Record Store Day Drops!

Original Grooves showcases the vinyl cutting technique known as “parallel grooves”, where tracks are cut side-by-side instead of one after another, allowing for a different aural experience depending on where the needle is dropped.

Ella regularly performed “Mack the Knife”, popularized by Bobby Darin and Louis Armstrong, as well as George Gershwin’s “Summertime”, both of which were included in the recently discovered, recently released “Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes” live recording from 1962. We’ve paired these two cuts with their 1960 counterparts from the Grammy-award winning live album “Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife”.

Grab this limited edition release and be transported back to Berlin in 1960.  Or…1962.  You won’t know what you’ll hear until the needle drops!

New Music Releases: Gizelle Smith, Guillaume Metenier's Soul Sugar, The Brothers Nylon

Gizelle Smith - Better Remember / Miss World

Gizelle Smith returns with a dramatic double A-side single “Better Remember” / “Miss World” from her upcoming album Revealing, due for release on May 28th on Jalapeno Records. These two songs open an aggressive socio-cultural dialogue, inviting the listener to evaluate their stance on global and social issues in two very different and intriguing soundscapes. The 'Golden Girl of Funk' the title this multi-talented songstress quickly earned after she stormed from obscurity almost 8 years ago. Born to a Seychellois mother and an American father who was a guitarist and band leader for legendary Motown group ‘The Four Tops’, Gizelle was raised in Manchester, UK with a multicultural upbringing steeped in soulful music from the very beginning.

Guillaume Metenier's Soul Sugar - Cool Down feat. Blundetto

To celebrate the forthcoming release of their new album, Excursions in Soul, Reggae, Funk & Dub, Paris-based musician Guillaume Metenier’s collective project Soul Sugar offers up brand-new, digital-only single, “Cool Down feat. Booker Gee & Blundetto”. Co-produced by Metenier with fellow French artists Blundetto and Blackjoy, the track is a sun-kissed slab of 21st century dub built around a typically weighty rhythm and joyous, afternoon-bright instrumentation. Underpinned by hazy bass, authentically shuffling reggae-style drums and echoing effects, “Cool Down” boasts some superb guitar licks courtesy of Blundetto, as well as inspired synthesizer and organ motifs provided by Metenier under his now familiar Booker Gee alias. “Cool Down”  is one of a handful of previously unheard tracks on Excursions in Soul, Reggae, Funk & Dub, the fourth album by Soul Sugar. The set gathers together previously released but now hard-to-find tracks that the collective has released on different formats over the last few years, including inspired reggae cover versions of Luther Vandross favorite “Never Too Much” and Marvin Gaye classic “I Want You”. It will be released by Gee Recordings later this Spring.

The Brothers Nylon - Three Ears

The Brothers Nylon consists of twin brothers Michael and Nick Rufolo from Long Island, New York. The Rufolo brothers are multi-instrumentalists who play around with all kinds of analogue equipment. Nick plays drums, keys, strings, horns, percussion and contributes vocals, while Mick plays bass and deals with whatever aspect happens on the mixing console. But what makes this project so special is its unique sound, shaped and brought to life with plentiful musical ingredients fished from the shelf. Their creativity knows no limitations and allows for lofi beats as well as funk & soul, breaks, library music and Zappa-esque psych-rock adventures. The result is a superb mixture of semi-famous riffs, library music, dirty funk tracks, obscure records for inducted vinyl nerds and flea market diggers. Perhaps the best description is “multi instrumental big band multitrack madness”. Their debut album “Bitches Cold Brew” was initially shaped in New York by the brothers Rufolo, then sent across the ocean to Shawn Lee to be developed and enriched, then back to New York and so on and so forth. If there are bonus miles for e-mails, this intercontinental collaboration has certainly entitled to the golden membership! Various singles have appeared on a variety of labels, they have collaborated with the artists such as the aforementioned Shawn Lee and renowned singer Georgia Anne Muldrow and their latest effort sees them team up with German label Golden Rules for a new upcoming compilation.

UTOPIC CITIES: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968-1979

On the 11th June, independent groove label Sdban Records will release ‘Utopic Cities: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968-1979’ featuring an eclectic selection of forward-thinking jazz from the Belgian underground, including the left-field fusion of Marc Moulin’s Placebo, Koen De Bruyne and Solis Lacus; the intense post-bop of Jacques Pelzer and Lou MacConnell; the cutting edge soul jazz of Philip Catherine and Open Sky Unit and the otherworldly avant-garde of Babs Robert and the Brussels Art Quintet.

Recorded in the aftermath of the revolutionary year 1968, this music is the fruit of a highly creative momentum in Belgian jazz history that produced a unique sound which distinguishes itself from its American source of inspiration by an indefinable characteristic that can be hardly better described than ‘Belgian’. The release follows Sdban’s critically acclaimed ‘Let’s Get Swinging: Modern Jazz in Belgium 1950-1970’, released back in 2017.

Often considered a dark period for Belgian jazz, the sixties in general saw worldwide interest in the genre fade, with the country’s local scene crumbling little by little. The largest jazz association and concert organization, the Hot Club de Belgique, had ceased operations in 1961. The festival of Comblain-la-Tour, once dubbed ‘the European Capital of Jazz’, had followed in 1966. Saxophonist Bobby Jaspar, Belgium’s leading modernist, had passed away prematurely in New York in 1963. Many other musicians of the golden generation that emerged after World War II, like Toots Thielemans, Francy Boland or Christian Kellens, had long since moved abroad to pursue careers in jazz (see also Let’s Get Swinging: Modern Jazz in Belgium 1950-1970). Those who stayed behind were often obliged to work in the field of commercial music or even take up jobs outside of music. Jacques Pelzer, for example, spent his days running a pharmacy, while Jack Sels unloaded boats in the Antwerp harbor. Most of the jazz clubs fought a continuous struggle to survive, while others catered to fans of blues and traditional jazz in order to secure their existence. It wasn’t until the rise of a new generation of free-thinking musicians at the turn of the decade that the Belgian jazz scene got its second wind…..

Clark : Playground in a Lake

Multifaceted musician and composer Clark presents his chillingly affecting ninth studio album Playground In A Lake, on which he broadens horizons and tries new things, with profound results. An intriguingly suggestive title, esoteric concept(s) and disparately unusual but cohesively fused components are chiselled into an effective, concise and painstakingly curated whole. Released as a single on 26 January, "Small" will offer a first glimpse into Clark's playground. Soloist Nathaniel Timoney delivers a grim message with an angelic ring and a haunting hook on one of the few vocal tracks of the album.

With its orchestral tropes and release on Deutsche Grammophon, Playground In A Lake may seem a departure to the casual observer, but is in fact a more illuminated development of clues from past releases. Seeds planted in Kiri Variations' bucolic noir, the piano vignettes from Clarence Park, the folky wonder of Iradelphic, the strings on Body Riddle and Clark's skewed symphonic rework of Max Richter's Path 5 have all grown in prominence and vivid detail. 

"I've always wanted to record strings, but feel there's this baggage with classical music. Even though I've taught myself how to read and write sheet music, I'm not putting that genre, or any other genre, on a silver platter. I'm not from an institutionalised contingent who deem a narrow range of instruments ‘the real stuff' and everything else worthless commercial pop. I take what I admire from that world and then move on. I'm just using it as another colour.

"So, I started thinking about my favourite kind of string arrangements, like Scott Walker records, where they exist amongst contrasting elements. Then I started to approach the album from a dark folk place, also with this heavy 70s synth element. Then came the improvisation of musique concrète, and some of my favourite modern classical and sound design obsessions, and then it clicked," proclaims Clark. 

Although not sounding obviously similar, influences lurk in fibre and foundation on a subconscious, behind-the-scenes level. Bernards Herrmann and Parmegiani, Popul Vuh, Ian Curtis and Dungen all haunt the long-player in spirit. 

More pronounced than the influence of other musicians though, are two philosophical tomes: Eugene Thacker's exploration into pessimism, existence and extinction, Infinite Resignation, and Ernest Becker's The Denial Of Death which, explains Clark, discusses "the potency and feeling of immortality that symbols / art / music give us, and the mortal reality of our bodies in entropy". 

"What is Playground In A Lake? Broadly a story about real climate change, but told in mythological terms. It's about the last human on earth, the betrayal of an innocent child and becoming a grown‑up; growing a shell over our lost young selves. It's the playground we bury and a drowned planet; an extinction myth," states Clark, adding: 

"It can be many things: the nuclear fallout covered by a toxic flood, a buried utopia, or buried memories. Buried creative tools and writer's block – you have to dive deep to get to the good stuff. The lake is still and serene – so beautiful you want to swim across it and yes, it's calm on one level, but sinister on another. There's a seductive numbness to it. A deathly placid chilI." 

With climate crisis looming large, PIAL carries the weight of the world, but rather than hopeless lamentation, it turns the impending doom into captivating sounds. Dark engrossing scenes are heavy with dread, rich in malevolent atmosphere and as gripping as horror fables. However, at points it also radiates a strangely warm, afflicted type of tranquillity: "It's about sublimating disturbing scenarios through aesthetics. It's music through various stages of controlled degeneration. I was aiming for decay made beautiful, so you can experience the abject without having to actually experience it," notes Clark. 

The album was recorded with string ensembles in Budapest and Berlin, featuring Oliver Coates on cello, Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear on clarinet, Manchester Collective's Rakhi Singh on violin, AFRODEUTSCHE and Kieran Brunt on backing vocals and 130701 signee Yair Elazar Glotman on double bass. Also appearing here is 12-year-old choirboy Nathaniel Timoney, whose vocal recordings were directed via Zoom during lockdown. As well as scoring the guests' parts, Clark himself sings and plays Disklavier, piano, synths and cello, often manipulating things electronically. 

In October 2020 Clark released the expanded edition of his acclaimed score to Adam Egypt Mortimer's psychological horror Daniel Isn't Real on Deutsche Grammophon – the album made Best Of 2020 lists in Mojo and Electronic Sound, and came with a Thom Yorke remix. 

In 2019 Clark released Kiri Variations on his own label Throttle Records, an album which started life as the score to the BAFTA-nominated TV drama Kiri. Always moving, that same year he went back to basics and dropped a double A-side 12" of techno rave bangers called "Branding Problem" and "Legacy Pet", also on Throttle. 

In 2018 Clark headlined Bach Evolution at London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall, playing a specially commissioned set that reinvented Bach's work, accompanied by Oliver Coates. He released a double A-side of medieval futurism called "E.C.S.T. T.R.A.X." on Throttle, and also performed a live score accompaniment to Stan Brakhage's short film series "Dog Star Man" during Max Richter's Sounds and Visions weekend at the Barbican.

The Bronx River Arts Center (BRAC) Presents: Bronx River Sounds 2021 – Streams of Black Music (May 22- June 19, 2021)

Bronx River Arts Center (BRAC) is pleased to present “Streams of Black Music”, a concert series honoring Black Music Month during June 2021. With a NYC Council Initiative grant called, “Community Theatres of Color”, BRAC has been able to expand its performing arts productions into its new “Black Box” Event Space with renewed vigor. This year’s Bronx River Sounds festival will feature African American composers and performers from a range of musical styles including legendary jazz guitarist and Bronx resident, Ed Cherry (Dizzy Gillespie) and veteran guitarist, bassist, vocalist Jerome Harris (Sonny Rollins, Jack DeJohnette), as well as emerging artist, trumpeter Wayne Tucker and his funk/soul/jazz band the Bad Mothas. Energetic, young pianist/composer/drummer Anton Kot will bring a quartet of like-minded firebrands to play his original modern jazz compositions. Keyboardist Gino Cashie will perform with his gospel group Global Praise and Deliverance, and Alegba and Friends will perform their infectious groovy blend of African World Fusion music. The series kicks off on May 22 in conjunction with a photography exhibition “Honoring Black Lives Matter” and a special performance by “Sounds of the Movement” - a concert performed by Black and Brown artists showcasing voices from the Black Lives Matter protests whose mission is to amplify the messages of The Movement for Black lives while creating a platform and opportunity for marginalized artists who also dedicate their time and talent to activism. 'Sounds of The Movement' is a collaborative community effort by activists, organizers and members of the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly the Black Trans lives matter faction. BRAC is delighted to host Sound of The Movement's first performance with a live audience, following their successful debut screening in April (The debut stream is still available at www.soundsofthemovement.com)

Bronx River Sounds 2021 Lineup:

May 22, 7-8:15 PM: Sounds of the Movement & Honoring Black Lives Matter Photography Exhibition

June 5, 4-5:15 PM: Anton Kot and Friends

June 5, 7-8:15 PM: Ed Cherry Trio 

June 12, 4-5:15 PM: Global Praise and Deliverance

June 12, 7-8:15 PM: Alegba and Friends 

June 19, 4-5:15 PM: Jerome Harris Quartet

June 19, 7-8:15 PM: Wayne Tucker and the Bad Mothas