Joaquin Muro | "Contracara"

After releasing his first album as a leader, Joaquin Muro quickly returns with his second work: Contracara. It is presented as a B-side of his first album, Oxímoron. Recorded in the same session as the latter, the album has its roots in the free improvisation meetings Joaquin had with his friend and colleague Camila Nebbia (with a musical bond that goes back many years, having shared important projects such as the Juan Izkierdo Grupo and Richard Nant's La Big Nant) during the 2020 lockdown in Buenos Aires. Invited to record on one track of the first work, the original idea was to record two free improvisations that would serve as separators of the album's tracks. Having plenty of time in the studio, these sonic experimentations resulted in 7 tracks (3 as a duo and 4 with the full band) that ended up spontaneously becoming the material for a second album. 

The music of Contracara is presented as the complementary opposite of the music of Oxímoron, a very arranged album, with a lot of written passages and a high presence of counterpoint and irregular metrics as main compositional resources. In this case, the common thread of the album is free and spontaneous improvisation, a field in which Joaquin feels very comfortable and which is also a faithful reflection of his profile as an artist.

The soundscapes of Contracara, although very abstract, reflect images and moods representative of the uncertainty that was experienced both emotionally and artistically during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is an album of a dark and melancholic character, with some flashes of luminosity, and all the strength of spontaneous creation.

Finally, the title of this album has its origin in the concept of complementary opposition, being the music conceptually contrary to that of the first work but equally representative of the artist, it is presented as the other side of the same coin.       

Although the music of each track has its own character, the key element that defines this album is the concept of free improvisation and spontaneous creation.

The first track, Brugmansia Arborea (scientific name of the flower popularly known as floripondio) is a duet between Camila and Joaquin in which they explore from the timbre, with a wide use of extended techniques and with a quite psychedelic aesthetic, which could be framed within noise.

Then follows Sonar (la oscuridad del lecho marino), a track of dark character, whose title has its origin in the first notes of the piano, that refer to the sonority that emits a sonar device and that then develops slowly to show, from the abstraction, diverse imaginary landscapes of the marine bottom, lost objects of shipwrecks, shoals of fish and subaquatic mountain ranges.  Nadie nos baila lo quitado is perhaps the most accessible track on the album, a frenetic uptempo.

Villa Pueyrredon is the second duet between Joaquin and Camila, which in opposition to the first one, here the exploration happens from the melody, to reflect landscapes of the neighborhood of which they were neighbors and even in which they developed meetings of improvisation to duet in the street.

Astenia is an introspective track, which refers to a journey through the subconscious and its depths, with an exploration also from the timbre, but now at a group level.\

Passive Aggressive has a very obvious title and perhaps the most graphic and representative of all the tracks. The idea of this improvisation was that while Joaquin and Camila improvised as a duet, the rhythm section would intervene in an aggressive way, entering and then leaving again.

Bruxismo is the last duet and theme of the album, a short and intense track, whose title comes from the first notes, which refer to the sound of teeth clashing and scraping.

Jeff Hamilton | "Merry & Bright"

Revered jazz drummer Jeff Hamilton reunites with his trio, featuring bassist Jon Hamar and pianist Tamir Hendelman, for Merry & Bright, a recording of Hamilton’s favorite Christmas tunes. The album will be released November 19, 2021 via Capri Records. “I’ve always enjoyed holiday music and have been planning on doing a Christmas project for many years. I finally did it during the pandemic and got my trio into the studio to record it direct to 2 track, like I used to. We were very happy with the outcome. We put together these arrangements and got the recording done in only a few hours.”

The tunes were selected from Hamilton’s memories growing up in a family where everyone gathered around the piano and sang Christmas tunes in four-part harmony. It was a time when Andy Williams’ version of “It’s the Holiday Season” was on the radio and turntables were everywhere in America. Two of the pieces, “Caroling Caroling” and “Bright, Bright the Holly Berries” he learned from The Singers Unlimited, whose textured vocal harmonies were reminiscent of Hamilton’s evenings singing with the family.

Hamar and Hendelman open “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in the spirit of the original, somewhat melancholy version sung by Judy Garland in “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Of course, Frank Sinatra’s version is one best remembered, as well as Mel Tormé’s, who wrote a beautiful new verse for the tune.

The traditional piece “O Tannenbaum” is played thoughtfully by Tamir. “Santa Baby” was a bit of a naughty song when Eartha Kitt sang it in 1953. Her version is still the most popular even though it was later covered by Michael Bublé, and most recently Ariana Grande.

Many people may not know it was Gene Autry who wrote and first performed “Here Comes Santa Claus.” The up-tempo Brazilian version delivered by Hamilton’s trio is sure to become a classic.

From Hamilton’s trademark brush stylings on “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” to his down-home treatments of “It’s The Holiday Season” and “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” these tunes were arranged to be listened to year-round.  

“We hope people enjoy listening to these tunes as much as we enjoyed putting the recording together,” says Hamilton. “There’s a combination of all the things we do that has become the trio’s signature style and what it’s known for.”

Kirk Whalum | How Does Christmas Sound?

When we think of Christmas, sometimes it’s the sights that come to mind: the multi-colored lights framing the windows of neighbors’ houses, the line of eager children waiting to sit on Santa’s lap, the Nativity scene on the lawn at the local church. Or maybe it’s the smells that arise first: fresh-baked gingerbread, pine needles, a turkey dinner in the oven. 

On his new album for Artistry Music/Mack Avenue Music Group, GRAMMY® Award-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum asks How Does Christmas Sound? On his second holiday-themed album, Whalum doesn’t answer that question in the expected way – revisiting the most familiar carols, the ones that have already worn out their welcome most years by the time Thanksgiving rolls around. Instead, he finds a more spiritual, introspective sound for Christmas, one that acknowledges the melancholy that often accompanies the Yuletide and the faith that is so central to his own celebrations. 

“You can talk about the sights and the smells, but to me it's always a sound that takes me to the true meaning of Christmas,” Whalum explains. “Even in April, I will put on Nat King Cole’s Christmas record and it brings me peace.” 

How Does Christmas Sound? follows Whalum’s previous holiday album, 2001’s GRAMMY® Award-nominated The Christmas Message. Over the last decade he’s regularly celebrated the season with his annual “A Gospel According to Jazz Christmas” Tour. So, it only made sense to revisit the Christmas canon with a renewed perspective, especially following a season when many families spent the holiday apart during the pandemic. 

“We had to sit out a Christmas,” Whalum says. “I realized during the pandemic that Christmas means more to me now than it ever did. Like my faith, Christmas is axiomatic to my life, and I have evolved spiritually in so many ways.” 

To reflect that profound evolution, Whalum reconvened with producer/trumpeter James McMillan, with whom he also worked on his monumental 2019 album Humanité, also on Artistry Music. The two share a friendship dating back much further, however, to their days touring in the horn section for the British pop duo Everything but the Girl. Their close relationship, as well as their experiences conceiving the globe-spanning Humanité, made McMillan the ideal collaborator for this latest endeavor, so Whalum returned to the producer’s studio in the seaside English hamlet of Hastings. 

“One of the main points we made with Humanité was the fact that there's so much life and culture and beauty that exists outside of your world. I'd like to say that life can be about getting to know some of it. So, James had the idea to bring to light all of these more obscure Christmas songs. It gave us a great opportunity to unearth these jewels of Christmas songs that exist outside of the American mainstream.” 

Those unexpected selections include the hymns “A Babe is Born” and “Es Ist Ein Ros Gesprungen” and the Contemporary Christian song “Thorns in the Straw.” Originally written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Graham Kendrick, the latter is here reimagined with a bright jazz feel and vocals by the saxophonist’s brother, singer Kevin Whalum.

Family is central to the album as a whole, as it always has been throughout Whalum’s career. On the album’s title track, one of two new songs penned by Whalum for the occasion, the saxophonist’s nephew, actor/singer Kortland Whalum, is the featured vocalist, while his son Kyle Whalum handles bass duties. 

“My discography is always about family, and this record is no different,” Whalum says. “Whenever I record music, I'd be crazy not to use my son who plays with Kelly Clarkson, my nephew who is out doing Broadway shows and my other nephew who plays with Bruno Mars.” (Whalum’s nephew, trombonist Kameron Whalum, is in fact so busy with his Bruno Mars duties that he was unable to participate in How Does Christmas Sound? but he’s a frequent guest on his uncle’s projects.) 

Not all of the songs that make up How Does Christmas Sound? are quite so arcane. The second track is perhaps the album’s most unexpected, a forlorn treatment of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” which has become the iconic Christmas song of its generation. Whalum’s reverently slow version becomes a song of faith, directed to the saxophonist’s savior rather than a Yuletide lover. 

“I probably would never have recorded that song, though it’s apparently the most popular Christmas song since ‘Joy to the World,’” Whalum admits. “My daughter convinced me, and James agreed that there was gold to be found in the song. When you slow it down it makes one consider the materialism and expectations around Christmastime that end up leaving people feeling empty and disappointed sometimes. So, in essence I'm saying to Christ, ‘You do the things that I need and fulfill my greatest dreams, so that as a gift is more than sufficient.’ It just so happens that because of that great gift, I also have these other gifts, like my wife and my family.” 

Whalum’s crooning tenor finds an intimate moment amidst all the year-end festivities on a wistful “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” aided by Mark Edwards’ sensitive piano and Marcus Finnie’s whispering brushwork on the drums. He switches to flute for an updated “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and is joined by rising R&B star Chantae Cann on the Contemporary Christian favorite “Mary Did You Know?” which has been recorded by everyone from Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd to Cee-Lo Green, Pentatonix to Dolly Parton. 

Whalum’s second original, with lyrics by Nashville singer-songwriter Benita Hill, is the romantic ode “Seven,” with lead vocals by Kevin Whalum backed by the rich harmonies of Take 6. “What guy or girl wouldn't want to have someone write a song about them as the seventh wonder of the world?” Whalum muses. “It’s the perfect Christmas present.” 

Conceived in Whalum’s home studio, his unique take on “Angels We Have Heard on High” is a solo tour-de-force layering soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones with percussion generated by the hammering of saxophone keys, all deftly performed by Whalum himself with accompaniments by Edwards and McMillan. The album concludes with an impassioned rendering of “In the Bleak Midwinter” given silken texture by the guitar playing of Mark Jaimes. 

More than just another merry round of caroling, How Does Christmas Sound? is Whalum’s attempt at offering a moment of soul-searching for Christmas revelers and a balm for those whose holidays don’t shine as brightly.  

“In Christendom we have this beautiful hymn, ‘There's a Balm in Gilead,’ which says, ‘to heal the sin-sick soul, to make the wounded whole,’” Whalum shares. “I wanted to make it a point to ask how does Christmas sound when your heart is sad, when you feel anything but joy? I'm hoping that it impacts people in that way, that it reminds listeners that God is thinking about them.”

Lance Ellington | "Happy!"

The acclaimed recording artist and entertainer Lance Ellington releases his debut album Happy! on Silva Screen Records on November 19th. Creating a lush space for Lance's velvety voice to explore a range of timbres and emotions, Happy! brings an updated, effervescent sound of jazz standards to 2021.

Produced by Evan Jolly and Rick Clark, Happy! is a solid and exuberant jazz album. From Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse's opener Feeling Good, Herman Hupfeld's As Time Goes By to Pharrell Williams's Happy, and Arthur Kent's Bring Me Sunshine, featuring Strictly Come Dancing's star Anton Du Beke, Happy! is an album of feel-good classics offering both nostalgia and excitement of being in the now. Lance comments "I am so thankful to be doing something that I have a burning passion for... day in and day out... and that truly makes me Happy!! …Not only being in the world-famous Abbey Road Studios but listening to some of the best musicians in the world is something that is hard to beat!"

Over the years, Lance Ellington has worked with some of the top international artists and orchestras, including Tina Turner, Robbie Williams, Sting, George Michael, Susan Boyle, conductor Carl Davis, the Royal Philharmonic, Malaysian and Prague Symphony Orchestras. Since 2005, Lance has been regularly appearing as a vocalist on BBC's live series 'Strictly Come Dancing', electrifying the podium with his renditions of big ballads and swing numbers, including GANGNAM Style in Korean!

Lance is the son of the late, great 50s bandleader and jazz singer Ray Ellington in whose honor he created the show Ellington Sings Ellington. He toured the UK with his 8-piece band, blending the music of his father, with the Duke Ellington sound and some of his own original compositions. He also appeared as his father in the film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, alongside Charlize Theron and Geoffrey Rush.

Steven Bernstein's MTO w/ Catherine Russell | "Good Time Music (Community Music, V2)"

Good Time Music is the second edition from Steven Bernstein's four volume "Community Music" series. Set for release January 7, 2022 on Royal Potato Family, the collection features special guest vocalist Catherine Russell on six joyous Bernstein arrangements of feel-good classics by Percy Mayfield, Allen Toussaint, Bessie Smith, WC Handy, Earl King and Professor Longhair.



"Good Time Music is a continuation of the music I was making with Levon Helm, with roots in Ray Charles, New Orleans, and the blues," Bernstein says, "but refracted through my own musical prism, the particular language of the MTO and Catherine Russell's magnificent voice."

Bernstein and Russell met in 2008 when Russell did a show at one of Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble's at his barn in Woodstock; later, she recorded her acclaimed album Sentimental Streak there, with Bernstein playing and arranging horns. Russell became a regular at the Ramble and cut the Harry Nilsson tune "Poli High" with Bernstein's band Sexmob the following year, followed by a few New York shows with the MTO.  She became part of the community.

The album's title comes from Lou Reed, who had just seen Helm's triumphant 2007 show at New York's Beacon Theatre.  Bernstein was in the band and recalls that "the audience went crazy." Reed's summation was a bit more subdued: "Oh, you know," he told his friend Hal Willner, "it was good time music."

"When Hal told me that story, I thought it was a put-down," says Bernstein. "But later I learned that Lou loved good time music—the kind where you just tap your foot and nod your head with a smile on your face—because he knew how important that is in the world.  And with Levon, I learned how beautiful it was to play that kind of music.  I thought it would be great to make a record of good time music.  So here it is."

Good Time Music draws on the feeling that Helm brought to the audiences at the Midnight Rambles, not to mention Bernstein's experience touring with Little Feat. And apropos to a theme that runs through all four "Community Music" volumes, there's that sense of music as healing. "It's always healing to play good time music—even if you haven't experienced loss," explains Bernstein. "Playing good time music feels good: the band feels good, the audience feels good, everything feels good."

"Yes We Can" is the very embodiment of good time music, and in the MTO's hands, with Russell leading the charge, it builds and starts to cook. It's the kind of collective journey that something only experienced musicians can conjure. "That's capturing lightning in a bottle," Bernstein says. "And it takes a lot of trust to get there." And listen to Ben Perowsky's drumming there—the guy is on fire."

Most of these tunes happen to be written by residents of New Orleans: Percy Mayfield ("River's Invitation"), Earl King ("Come On"), Allen Toussaint ("Yes We Can") and Professor Longhair ("Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand").  New Orleans music runs deep in Bernstein's bones: he's worked extensively not just with Henry Butler but with Allen Toussaint and Dr. John; he was originally taught trumpet in the style of Louis Armstrong, and, like Satchmo, he funnels his charisma and sense of humor into a stage presence that's as entertaining as it is commanding.

Which is just one connection to Catherine Russell: her father Luis Russell was Louis Armstrong's musical director in the '30s and early '40s; he also played with another New Orleans jazz originator, King Oliver.  (Russell's mother Carline Ray, a Juilliard grad, was a hotshot session bassist, sang in choruses conducted by Leonard Bernstein and played with the famed International Sweethearts of Rhythm.)

Russell sang backup with Steely Dan and David Bowie for years, as well as other blue chip artists such as Paul Simon, Madonna and Al Green before stepping out on her own as an acclaimed solo artist, recording seven albums and winning two Grammy nominations. Russell, a consummate professional, sang her vocals live with the band. "She's just the best," Bernstein says. "She's got a perfect mixture of science and intuition. She's an excellent musician: listen to her rhythm, every note she sings, it's perfect. There is no one else like her."

Why release four records at once?  Steven Bernstein's answer is succinct and definitive: "Because why not?"  The beloved virtuoso trumpeter, arranger, bandleader and composer has captured a typically superlative quartet of records under the rubric of "Community Music": Tinctures in Time, a collection of incantatory originals; the aptly titled Good Time Music with singer Catherine Russell; Manifesto of Henry-isms, re-imaginings of Bernstein's inspired arrangements for the brilliant New Orleans pianist Henry Butler & The Hot 9; and Popular Culture, a set of Bernstein-ian takes on The Grateful Dead, Charles Mingus, The Beatles and others.

All four records were played by essentially the same band, the Millennial Territory Orchestra—with the line-up slightly morphing into The Hot 9 for Henry-isms—in just four days, showcasing four different facets of this remarkable, one-of-a-kind maestro.

"Community Music" might have begun 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 and no Autotune.  "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."

It's called "Community Music" because the musicians of the MTO 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 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's not here, and Henry'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 "Community Music" sessions. 

Matthias Lindermayr Trio | "Triptych"

Munich’s Matthias Lindermayr is one of Germany’s leading jazz trumpet players, renowned for his stunning solos and ability to cross genres. Having recently signed to Squama Recordings, he is set to release new album ‘Triptych’ on the 5th November, a mesmerizing body of work that has rich, magnetic power.

Having previously released two critically acclaimed albums with his quintet – ‘Lang Lang’ (2015) and ‘New Born’ (2018) – Lindermayr is joined by Philipp Schiepek (acoustic guitar) and Simon Popp (percussion) for ‘Triptych’, allowing him more freedom on his instrument. “In my previous bands, I always had the feeling that my strengths on the trumpet didn't always come into their own. In this line-up, there is finally a lot of room for me. Even quiet, nuanced things don't get lost in the hustle and bustle, and even when things get wilder we are at a dynamic level where the trumpet doesn't have to scream.”

With Lindermayr’s beguiling trumpet taking centre stage, the trio succeeds in creating a compelling sound palette deeply rooted in acoustic music and jazz. From the gentle rumblings of ‘Sanctuary’ where Lindermayr’s relaxed trumpet tones sit snug in the ear to the powerful, penertrating notes of ‘Triptych’ and the melancholic inflections of ‘Sanctuary’ and ‘Lola’, the Matthias Lindermayr Trio seek to create a deep tension in their compositions. “I wanted to write simple melodies that my fellow musicians could play immediately, so that they could concentrate even more on sound and interplay when rehearsing and recording. The other half of the pieces were two-part compositions that I had written for a duo formation, but whose character demanded a different instrumentation.”

Lindermayr is pleased to share new single ‘Lola’ (out now). “Lola is maybe the most soulful and quiet song on my upcoming record. Unlike my other tunes, it’s composed on guitar as a reference to past days, when I was writing Indie Pop Music. The name Lola is referring to my, back then, unnamed and unborn second daughter.”

Hasaan Ibn Ali's 'Retrospect In Retirement of Delay: The Solo Recordings'

Pianist Hasaan Ibn Ali (1931-80) was a local Philadelphia player who had an impact on John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner and many others. He took the larger jazz world by storm in 1965 when The Max Roach Trio Featuring the Legendary Hasaan was released on Atlantic Records. The label was so impressed, they set him up to record his own album later that year, but it was never mixed or released. Thirteen years later, the tapes went up in flames in a New Jersey warehouse. While the recordings were thought lost forever, copies were believed to exist. And they did! Once located, the audio was restored and released earlier this year as Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album. It has become one of the most critically acclaimed jazz albums of the year. 

But Ibn Ali’s story has a side not documented on either of those previous releases. Alan Sukoenig and saxophonist David Shrier were students at the University of Pennsylvania in 1962, when Shrier told Sukoenig about an incredible pianist he had just heard at a club. It wasn’t long before the three became friends. Over the next three years, Shrier and Sukoenig captured their soon-to-be-legendary friend on tape, playing standards and some originals.  

The best of these tapes are now collected on Retrospect in Retirement of Delay: The Solo Recordings, due out November 19, 2021 from Omnivore Recordings on CD and Digital. Produced by the team of Sukoenig, Lewis Porter, and Grammy®-winner Cheryl Pawelski, the two-CD/Digital set also features restoration and mastering by Grammy®-winner Michael Graves, essays by Sukoenig, Porter, and pianist Matthew Shipp, and previously unseen photos taken by Sukoenig. A four-LP vinyl version is due in 2022.  

These 21 tracks reveal the intimate side of Hasaan Ibn Ali, with poetic, imaginative, even breathtaking performances that the world hasn’t known existed. And for the first time, hear the unique magic of the artist playing standards. 

According to co-producer Sukoenig: “This release by Omnivore is the fulfillment of a 55-year dream. Over the history of jazz, there have been many fine musicians, but far fewer wondrous ones. Hasaan Ibn Ali is in that class. I've been listening to these solo improvisations for over half a century. Not only haven't they paled, the best of them have, if anything, become even more impressive. That’s exceedingly rare for improvised music, created in the moment for the moment. I’m so happy that I can finally share Hasaan’s solo recordings with the world.”

QUINTETO ASTOR PIAZZOLLA Launches First Major U.S. Tour, Celebrating 100 Years of Piazzolla

New Tango composer, player, and bandleader Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) left a challenging legacy.

His music is a lived-in mix of traditional tango, classical music, jazz, and even elements of popular styles such as Neapolitan song and klezmer. It can be lyrical, elegant - and coarse. It might sound logically designed, yet push forward with the bad disposition of street brawler. This music is a Piazzolla self-portrait in motion, constantly remade and reframed; a biography told in winks and nods, fleeting phrases, and unexpected turns.

His New Tango attracted admirers and collaborators from distant regions of the music universe, including classical luminaries such as Yo-Yo Ma, Mstislav Rostropovich, Gidon Kremer, and the Kronos Quartet; jazz masters such as Gerry Mulligan, Phil Woods, Gil Evans, Al DiMeola, and Gary Burton, and even dance music diva Grace Jones, who turned one of his pieces into a club hit.

To play this music, instrumental virtuosity is essential — but not enough. Piazzolla’s New Tango also demands a certain attitude, commitment, fearlessness, and an undefinable quality in the playing that he called roña, grime - the perfection of the imperfect.

For the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, the repertory ensemble of the Astor Piazzolla Foundation, the nightly challenge is not all on the music stand, but conjuring that spirit in the music.

Now on a tour of the United States, Celebrating 100 Years of Piazzolla, November 4 to 21, the group comprises tangueros and academics, classical and jazz musicians.They all know and speak in various musical languages. They are, in a word, Piazzolla musicians: Pablo Mainetti, bandoneón; Bárbara Varassi Peg, piano; Serdar Geldymuradov, violin; Armando de La Vega, guitar; Daniel Falasca, double bass; and Julián Vat, musical director.

“I am still amazed by Piazzolla’s music, and the more I hear it, the more I marvel at the genius of his synthesis,” says Vat, who has performed, arranged, and directed many performances of Piazzolla’s music in a variety of settings. “What he does with a small group of notes are great works of engineering and wisdom and talent. And it’s music with a big heart.”

Mainetti is one of his generation’s top players of the bandoneon, the expressive, melancholy-sounding button squeezebox that embodies the sound of tango. But he is also a composer, arranger, and bandleader in his own right. From the beginning, he says, the idea was to find the right balance to their interpretations: being exactingly true to the music without turning them into museum artifacts. “I had some versions of these pieces as a reference, but I quickly stopped listening to them so as not to end up parroting them.” Besides, he realized long ago, after spending time transcribing Piazzolla’s music, that "the notes on the paper and what he played on the records were two very different things."

He calls Piazzolla "a brilliant improviser," and points out that he left much room in the music for interpretation.

"When you mention 'improvisation,' most people think of jazz, but there are many ways of improvising,” says Mainetti. “You can improvise in this music – but in Piazzolla’s language.”  ~ © Mauricio Velez

Piazzolla was a master of the bandoneon -- but arguably, his great instrument was the quintet.

He organized his first quintet in 1960. Quinteto Astor Piazzolla featured bandoneon, violin, acoustic bass, piano, and electric guitar. It suggested a hybrid of a jazz band, a chamber music group, and a small tango orchestra and proved to be both nimble and powerful.

It was an outfit that raised eyebrows early on. For starters, a quintet brought to mind a jazz group, not your typical tango band -- and the inclusion of an electric guitar peeved tango traditionalists to no end.

Piazzolla led two major quintets, one from 1960 to 1971, the second from 1978 to 1988. Working with a steady group of musicians, even accounting for a few changes along the way, allowed Piazzolla to take chances in his music and write for specific players, not just instruments.

In fact, Mainetti credits much of the energy in Piazzolla’s music to “the great complicity with his musicians in the quintets, especially the second quintet. And that is something that also happens in this quintet. This is a fantastic group. And when we are going for it, it’s a great feeling to know that they are like a net and that if you do one pirouette too many and you find yourself heading down, face first, they will catch you.”

This Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, named in tribute to the original group, was organized in 1998. It was a request to Vat from Laura Escalada Piazzolla, the composer’s widow and president of The Astor Piazzolla Foundation. Since, the Quinteto has released four albums (including Revolucionario, winner of the 2019 Latin GRAMMY ® for Best Tango Recording) and has toured the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

Operation Tango, the new album being released on November 5, via E54 Music, marks a departure from the group’s previous efforts. The repertoire comprises pieces not written originally by Piazzolla for a quintet now arranged for this ensemble. The titles include “Tango Ballet,” an early Piazzolla piece for a film; “Tocata Rea,” and “Fuga y Misterio” from Piazzolla’s “little opera” Maria de Buenos Aires; and “Los Sueños,” from the soundtrack of the film Sur, and the choices stay true to one of Quinteto’s goals.

The idea is not just to focus on Piazzolla’s classics, says Vat. “Part of our mission is putting the spotlight on lesser-known pieces that we believe deserve to be heard.” 

Eric Wyatt | "A Song Of Hope"

As the follow-up to his 2019 release The Golden Rule: For Sonny, Eric Wyatt’s A Song of Hope is vastly different in both tone and intent. Where the former was a tour de force, a tribute to Sonny Rollins and a straight-ahead blast of bop, Wyatt’s new record is more adventurous, colorful, unpredictable, and wide-ranging. Both are beautiful, for some of the same—but also different—reasons. 

Wyatt says that his heightened performance on A Song of Hope is a response to being in Covid lockdown. “I think the energy you hear on this recording came from the fact that I hadn’t played out in so long, so I was really pushing the music. I didn’t play any gigs at all from February until July, when Spike Wilner gave me a gig at Smalls, one of those short one-hour sets. And then Mike Boone called me to play at a new club in Philly just a week before my record date. I did that gig on a Friday, and the next Thursday I was at Van Gelder Studios.”

A Song of Hope resonates like a team effort and serves as a healing balm for stressful times.  On songs like “Fur Live” and McCoy Tyner’s “Contemplation,” Wyatt, along with drum legend Jeff “Tain” Watts, together lay it all on the table. Bassist Eric Wheeler’s generous tones and agile lines keep things grounded, while Donald Vega’s keys bring freshness in his comping and excitement in his solos. 

As always, Watts underscores everything with tremendous dexterity. His presence elevates Wyatt, so much so that the duo’s playing suggests shades of a Coltrane/Elvin Jones tandem. Trumpeters Theo Croker and Chris Lowery, trombonist Clifton Anderson, and percussionist Kahlil Kwame Bell all contribute healthy doses of talent and taste. Elsewhere, as on the Breonna Taylor requiem “Say Her Name,” the lights dim, and the contrast is luminous. On Wyatt’s soulful take on Sting’s “Fragile,” with Wyatt on soprano sax, he invites singer Samara Joy, the 21-year-old winner of the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, to chime in, and she does so with drama and elegance. 

Recorded in a single session at Van Gelder’s historic Englewood Cliffs studio, A Song of Hope brings all the brio you’d expect from Wyatt and more. His intent to shine beaming rays of optimism across what was then a barren musical landscape is noble, fulfilling. In accomplishing that intention, the man and his saxophone embrace new ideas, expand the band’s musical boundaries, and create a vast and gratifying journey for the listener to enjoy. “When I listen back to this work, I’m amazed that we got it done,” he says. “But I wanted to give a message that we need to be hopeful, and music does have that quality in it. You know, you play a song, maybe you get a little smile from it. And if it does that for somebody, then I feel like I made a statement.”

Jay Nemor | "Electrified Alive"

Looks like we are hittin’ a milestone here. A little background has to be provided though, in order everyone to fully understand why it took us that long to put out this Album, which was already announced at the dawn of 2020. The ELECTRIFIED project started almost 2 (TWO) years ago, with the first vocal takes recorded a few days ahead of Cannonball Weekender in November 2019. Everything seemed fine and in good working order so the release date was planned and announced for june 2020. All self financed, self conceived and self realised in that style that’s a point of distinction of our small group of labels. Then the CVD damn thing kicked in. “So What?” some of you would be very entitled to ask. And, believe me, I’d be on the very same #sowhat lines as you, only that each member of our team reacted to the shitstorm in his very different and individual way. While folks all over the world were confined home setting up new ventures, creating new labels and dedicating themselves to something productive not to get psychologically annihilated by the media induced fear, our project was totally disrupted instead. It took the first wave to fade away to gather our stuff together and movin’ the production forward. Anyway, whatever the reasons, the album came ready and mixed by march 2021. So here we are. Further than the two acclaimed singles “Break Free” and “Sitting On Top Of The World, the tracklist includes 6 completely new songs, a smashing cover of Massive Attack’s “Unfinished Sympathy” and the rearrangement of the two classics “There Are No Winners” and “Mother Got A Way”. The style goes from modern funk experimentation to a more classic soul and a groovy electronic ender foreseeing the future of this beautiful music. 

Jay himself has written these beautiful lines to address the need of moving forward, whatever the circumstances:

“My brother (not by blood but love) said to me once ,”Jay, mi brethren, over di years I’ve known you, me come tuh realize dat you are a wealthy man. It amazes me, di wealth you’ve acquired in such a short life.” It took me a quick moment to follow…. I must admit, I have been truly blessed throughout my life. The spirits have indeed shown me favour. I am also well aware that I can’t take full credit for the adventures, accomplishments and progression I have experienced in my lifetime. As I take account, there’s always been a person(s) at every pivotal moment in my life that has been there to lend a hand in some form or another. Whether it was that time I was heartbroken, homeless, hitting that game winning shot, releasing my first album or stepping onto the theatre stage for the first time, I know without a doubt the spirits sent someone my way. I can and do however take credit for my unpredictable yet calculated zeal and willingness to change directions, try new things. That being said, I have come to the realization that I should never under any circumstance take anything nor anyone for granted, which leads me to express my utmost gratitude to each of you. Even if today is the first time you’ve come to hear the name Jason “Jay” Nemor Harden, thank you for taking the time to read these words. FORWARD MOTION… ~ firstexperiencerecords.com

Dizzy Gillespie & The United Nations Orchestra | "Live At The Royal Festival Hall, London"

Later live work from Dizzy Gillespie – working in London here with a very hip ensemble! We're not entirely sure of the date, but given the skinny ties on a few of the players, we're guessing it's from that 80s stretch when Dizzy was still going strong – working in a great mix of Latin and bop modes that's always kept fresh through his creative energies! Slide Hampton's on trombone – and also wrote most of the arrangements – and other players include Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Paquito D'Rivera on reeds, James Moody on sax and flute, Airto on percussion, and Danilo Perez on vocals – and Flora Purim also joins the group on vocals for a few numbers. Titles include "Kush", "Tanga", "Dizzy Shells", "Night In Tunisia", "Tin Tin Deo", "Seresta", and "Samba For Carmen". ~ Dusty Groove

Joni Mitchell | "Archives Vol 2 – The Reprise Years 1968 to 1971"

An amazing dip into the archives of Joni Mitchell – one that features the Reprise Records label in the title, but which features all unissued material recorded at the same time as her bigger classics for Reprise! There's a wonderful blend of material here – some live tracks, some demo cuts, and some really unusual recordings that even include a few apartment tracks – all brought together in a lovely box that includes archival photos, ephemera, and a 40 page booklet of notes! The set features a 22 track Live At Carnegie Hall set from 1969, a 23 track BBC In Concert recording from 1970 (with duets with James Taylor), and a 23 track Live At Le Hibou Coffee House in 1968 – plus material from sessions for Song To A Seagull, Clouds, Blue, and Ladies Of The Canyon. There's also 4 songs and an interview from the Dick Cavett Show, 3 tracks for BBC Top Gear with the backing of John Cameron, material recorded at Jane Lurie's apartment and at Mitchell's own home, and even more live cuts too. 122 tracks in all – and a fantastic look at Joni Mitchell during her key creative years! ~ Dusty Groove

Fran Nava | "Umkhonto"

Fran Nava is a bass player and composer of the local jazz scene in the city of Buenos Aires, born in 1984. He has performed at renowned festivals including Jazz BA in Buenos Aires, Jazz a la Calle in Uruguay, Jazz Festival SF in the city of Santa Fe, and played in many of the most important venues of the city like Virasoro, Thelonious Club, Usina del Arte, among others. Although he has participated in different albums, such as with the nonet Mingunos, and in projects as a session player and as a co-leader, Umkhonto is his first álbum as a leader.

The musical concept of the album is tied to intense variations, with high energy levels and strong interaction between the musicians, up tempos and different rhythmic modulations. To carry out  this idea, Fran Nava forms this sax trio with renowned jazz musicians from the city of Buenos Aires, such as Patricio Bottcher on tenor and soprano saxophone, and Venezuelan Omar Menéndez on drums. 

The five compositions joined in Umkhonto come from ideas and concepts worked in the ensembles together with the masters Sergio Verdinelli, Mariano Otero and Ernesto Jodos.

In the participation in the ensembles dictated by Verdinelli and Otero, called Ensamble de Groove Acústico, ideas and concepts related to rhythmic and tempo changes and modulations emerged, inserted in the language of jazz and within the composition; while in the ensemble of the Art of the Trio by Ernesto Jodos, the concepts of a strong musical interaction and a prolonged intensity in the composition were taken, as well as the concepts of Bill Charlap of giving continuity to an existing composition or of inserting himself with his own ideas in a composition already made.

Joshua Crumbly | "ForEver"

Bassist, producer, and songwriter Joshua Crumbly has released his sophomore full-length ForEver via figureight records — guests on the album include Shahzad Ismaily, Sam Gendel, Jay Bellerose, and more. So far, ForEver has been praised by Cool Hunting, Hypebeast, Popmatters, No Treble, WBGO, MXDWN, Under The Radar, and NPR Music, who spoke about the album on their New Music Friday podcast. 

Joshua is genre-blurring artist and sought after bassist who’s recorded and toured with artists like Kamasi Washington, Leon Bridges, Terence Blanchard, and Bob Dylan, performing in Dylan’s 2021 concert film Shadow Kingdom. Crumbly’s 2020 debut album Rise was met with praise from Hypebeast, Indieshuffle, Jazziz, WBGO, Earmilk, No Treble, Exclaim!, Glide, Ones to Watch, and The FADER, who said Rise featured “explosions of synths mixed with a driving drum pattern that has the dusty texture of a jazz lounge.” Though centred around the bass guitar, ForEver uses additional instrumentation with subtlety and grace.

Joshua made his musical debut aged 10, playing alongside his saxophonist father. A gifted performer, even as a pre-teen, he enjoyed mentorships with renowned bass players Reggie Hamilton (Whitney Houston, Seal) and Al McKibbon (Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins) before moving from LA to New York to attend the prestigious Juilliard music school. After years of honing his musicality alongside seminal players, Joshua finally embarked on recording his own solo pieces, beginning with 2020’s Rise. The starting place of ForEver quickly followed, beginning with encouraging words from friend and collaborator Shahzad Ismaily. 

“ForEver began with an out of the blue call from Shahzad,” Joshua explains “He told me that I needed to record a solo bass album. It started out as such, then I added some other instruments. It branched out even further when I reached out to a few friends, whose voice I was strongly hearing on particular songs. I’m grateful they were down to be a part of the record.”

figureight records is a creative project led by Shahzad Ismaily. The label has to date released records by múm founding member Gyda Valtysdottir, NYC super-producer Randall Dunn, Jon Hopkins and Brian Eno collaborator Leo Abrahams, Spotify chart-topping indie artist Toth, and more.

Kahil El’Zabar Quartet | "A Time For Healing"

‘A Time for Healing’, is the title track and first single from the forthcoming release by Chicago’s legendary spiritual jazz shaman Kahil El’Zabar’, leading an enviable ensemble of upcoming masters from his hometown.

Kahil El’Zabar's new album answers the urgent questions posed by his sold-out ‘America The Beautiful’, addressing the state of affairs today whilst calling for a better tomorrow

Joined by Isaiah Collier (saxophone), Corey Wilkes (trumpet) and Justin Dillard (keys), Kahil El’Zabar explores the gamut of Great Black Music in America, tracing its lineage through all the movements that’s flourished in Chicago, from the blues to R&B, soul, gospel, house music, spiritual jazz, and then back to all of its common African roots

GNP is a jazz trio featuring Tyler Giroux, Matt Niedbalski, and Dylan Perrillo

GNP is a jazz trio featuring Tyler Giroux on piano, Matt Niedbalski on drums, and Dylan Perrillo on bass.  Tyler, Matt, and Dylan have been playing together for several years.  They first began playing together at the Speakeasy 518 in Albany, New York, a cocktail bar known for its prohibition-era ambiance and live jazz.  Through countless gigs the trio grew together as a unit, playing as a stand-alone group as well as backing up instrumental soloists and vocalists. 

In 2020, a shared passion for original music led to the decision to record their debut album as a group, “Codes.”  “Codes” is a reference to the band’s musical communication, the unique vocabulary, and cues the group developed over years of playing and growing together.  The album consists of 9 original pieces composed by Tyler, Matt, and Dylan, as well as one standard, Gershwin’s “But Not For Me.”

MPS Records reissues six albums on vinyl and CD from its historic catalogue

Jazz lovers and record collectors have a lot to be thankful for as MPS Records is reissuing eleven albums on vinyl and CD from their historic catalogue this month. Germany’s first jazz label dropped six titles on Friday in North America via Edel Germany in partnership with Bob Frank Entertainment, including albums by Albert Mangelsdorff, Art Van Damme, Clark Terry, Joe Pass, John Taylor Trio and the Michael Naura Quartet.

Founded in 1968 by Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, MPS was the recording home for legendary artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, The Count Basie Orchestra and George Duke. Last summer, MPS reissued 31 albums on vinyl and CD, the success of which created the interest and

demand to reissue additional titles.

Mangelsdorff was a revolutionary experimentalist who developed the art of jazz polyphonics, an avant-garde technique in which he simultaneously blew and sang into his trombone. The German keeps fine company on “Albert Mangelsdorff and His Friends,” a stellar duets collection recorded over an 18-month span on which he is paired up with Don Cherry, Elvin Jones, Lee Konitz, Attila Zoller, Karl Berger and Wolfgang Dauner.

Van Damme was another innovator who changed the image of the accordion, proving that the instrument synonymous with polka could be cool when placed in a jazz setting alongside guitar and vibes. The trio of

instruments formed Van Damme’s swinging signature sound as captured on “Ecstasy,” which was recorded in 1967-68 utilizing MPS’s house rhythm section comprised of German bassist Peter White and Swiss drummer Charly Antolini.

Terry changed the perception of the flugelhorn, legitimizing it as a leading voice in jazz. Honored with a GRAMMY lifetime achievement award, Terry’s precise and prodigious horn interprets classic ballads on “Clark After Dark: The Ballad Artistry of Clark Terry,” along with the title track, an original penned by the trumpeter and Peter Herbolzheimer, who conducted the 50-piece orchestra that backed Terry on the album. The session illumined by 28 sweeping strings has a romantic, late-night vibe, an idyllic setting to

showcase Terry’s beautiful horn play.   

Regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of the twentieth century, Pass serves up a mix of standards and originals on “Intercontinental.” The trio, anchored by German acoustic bassist Eberhard Weber and British drummer Kenny Clare, recorded in MPS’s studio in 1970, swings through a set list spanning selections by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cole Porter, Michel Legrand, and Benny Goodman and his orchestra.

Considered one of the most important voices from the European jazz scene, pianist John Taylor emerged from playing in the house band at famed London nightspot Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club to concert performances and recording dates accompanying iconic jazz

artists and as a leader. Taylor’s trio, bassist Chris Laurence and drummer Tony Levin, rifle through a handful of Taylor’s wide-ranging compositions on “Decipher.” First issued in 1973, Taylor’s sophomore outing offers sumptuous tastes of the nimble noodler’s virtuosity amidst swinging rhythms and emotional melodies.

A freeform amalgam of jazz, rock and blues, the Michael Naura Quartet’s “Call” consists of eight originals written by Naura. The pianist was studying philosophy, sociology and graphic arts in Berlin when he formed his first band with vibraphonist Wolfgang Schlüter in the 1950s, a combo that mixed blues, bebop and European avant-garde. On this 1970 release, Schlüter is by Naura’s side along with frequent collaborator drummer Joe Nay. Weber played electric bass on this recording, Naura’s first after an eight-year gap, an album that reveals the bandleader in a new and different light.

 

Kristen Mather de Andrade | "Evergreen"

From the summery sounds of Brazil to the wintry sounds of the holiday season, clarinetist and vocalist Kristen Mather de Andrade’s prolific year continues with the release of her second recording project, “Evergreen,” due November 26. Mather de Andrade produced the five-song EP consisting of four “less obvious” Christmas carols and one original composition, each masterfully performed in a chamber music trio setting.

“Evergreen” arrives months after the summer release of Mather de Andrade’s critically hailed debut album, “Clarão,” an authentic multicultural outing fusing exotic Latin jazz rhythms and instrumentation, classical overtones and big band arrangements inspired by the artist’s ardor for Brazilian music. Mather de Andrade does a complete about-face stylistically on the warm and intimate seasonal EP, playing and singing holiday music in the company of pianist Yalin Chi and cellist Jules Biber.

“I have always loved holiday music - even more so now that I have lived away from my family for some time. This year seemed like the right time to get into the studio and record some of the carols that I love but are a little more off the beaten path,” said Mather de Andrade, a native of Youngstown, Ohio now based near New York City. 

The roots of “Evergreen” are a pair of selections arranged by Noah Taylor, a composer-arranger with whom Mather de Andrade worked a few years ago. He plied his skillful touch to “Riu Riu Chiu” and “Bring A Torch,” and Mather de Andrade built the rest of the set list around the opening tracks.

“I loved the arrangements so much that I thought they would be perfect to anchor this EP. Because I have always had my ear out for holiday arrangements that I found interesting, I knew that the versions of ‘The Holly and The Ivy’ and ‘Pat-A-Pan’ that we recorded would be nice additions to Noah's beautiful music,” said Mather de Andrade.

“Union Square” is an original tune written by Annie Pasqua who lends her voice to the exquisite song on “Evergreen.” It’s not exactly a holiday classic (yet), but to Mather de Andrade, it fits the EP’s nuanced theme aurally.

“‘Union Square’ is obviously an outlier in the mix, but the imagery that it conjured up for me and the style of the song seemed to me that it would fit well on the EP. I met Annie a few years ago and performed her song live after she submitted it to a call for scores for our chamber music group, Vent Nouveau (Mather de Andrade co-founded and serves as the group’s artistic director). We had the opportunity to showcase music by living composers that identify as female and Annie's song was selected for the performance. I have kept it in my mind since then, looking for the right opportunity to record it and work with her again,” said Mather de Andrade.

Mather de Andrade has been collaborating with Chi for almost fifteen years; both musicians are principal members and soloists in West Point’s Army Special Band.

“She's an amazingly expressive pianist, and I have been wanting to record something properly with her for years. Let's hope this is the first of many projects,” said Mather de Andrade, who in addition to her recording and performing career is an educator who has taught master classes and professional clinics at universities and conservatories, and presently serves on staff at Manhattanville College.

Mather de Andrade has already begun recording music for her second full-length album even as she continues to promote “Clarão.” She will perform music from the disc at the Jazz Forum in Tarrytown, NY on January 23. Also in the Latin jazz world, Mather de Andrade will be playing "Latin American Chronicles," a jazz clarinet concerto by Daniel Freiberg, in mid-February. Early next year, she will release a music video for a piece that she commissioned for clarinet and percussion by composer David Reeves titled “As Bright As The Skies Are Blue.” But first, Mather de Andrade hopes her holiday offering will be celebrated this year as well as for many Christmases to come. In fact, that desire inspired the EP title.

“I wanted to name it something that would match the music that I featured; something that would sound timeless.”

Gregory Goodloe | "In Paradise"

Amidst the tumult, uncertainty and loss brought on by the unprecedented times in which we live since the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve all imagined and yearned for escape, or at least for much better days. R&B-jazz guitarist Gregory Goodloe set his optimistic vision of hope and prosperity to music, writing his new single, “In Paradise,” with producer Jeff Canady. Recently serviced for playlist adds, the midtempo soul groove featuring the cool-toned, electric jazz guitarman’s loquacious, lyrical licks debuted as the most added new single on the Billboard and Groove Jazz Music charts.

Living though this historic period, Goodloe found the fears brought on by the pandemic, civil unrest and a divided nation to be rife with life lessons, inspiring the recalibration of priorities along with a renewed sense of appreciation.

“People and life itself became more important to me than ever. I learned that life is so fragile and delicate, and how much people matter to each other. I wanted to write a song that reflects on the beauty of life and the joy of experiencing it through music. The focus during the making of ‘In Paradise’ was my concept of living life free of fear and sadness,” said Goodloe who was accompanied on the Hip Jazz Records release by Canady on drums, keyboardist Demetrius Nabors, bassist Robert Skinner and rhythm guitarist Anthony Booker.

As a devout man of faith and a US Army veteran, Goodloe focused his fantasies on the beauty surrounding us, imagining a safe haven in an exotic locale where fears are assuaged by the majesty of nature’s splendor.

“I would imagine playing music on a sandy beach in front of a beautiful ocean surrounded with tropical trees, exotic plants and animals. The imagery allowed me to forget all worries and simply focus on creating beautiful music,” said Goodloe who has returned to playing shows in the Denver area where he resides.

“In Paradise” is Goodloe’s third single issued this year, following “Step’N Out” and “Somewhere Out There,” each of which will be included on his next full-length album. He takes regular breaks from recording the collection to host his own radio show, “Mile High Smooth Jazz,” which airs on Thursday and Saturday nights on World Wide Jazz Radio. Goodloe plans to perform at the internet radio outlet’s first anniversary bash in Las Vegas on January 25.

 

A crossover artist who derives stylistic influence from George Benson and Wes Montgomery, Goodloe notched his first Billboard No. 1 single two years ago with “Stylin’,” one of many tunes on which he has collaborated with GRAMMY-nominated songwriter-producer-saxophonist Darren Rahn with this single receiving over three million streams on Spotify. Among Goodloe’s other frequent collaborators are Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley, seminal urban-jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin and hit-making saxophonist Elan Trotman. Having served as musical director for R&B-pop group Surface and soul-jazz singer Aysha, Goodloe is at home in R&B, jazz and gospel circles. He has performed with or opened for Howard Hewett, Tank, Ben Tankard, Norman Brown, Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Michael McDonald, James Ingram, Roy Ayers, Shirley Caesar, Angela Spivey, John P. Key, The Rance Allen Group and fellow Denver native Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire fame.

The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 | Le Coq Records

Few jazz labels are able to launch with as impressive a roster already in place as Le Coq Records did when it released The Jazz All Stars Vol. 1 last January. A year later the imprint has more than lived up to the audaciously high bar set by that inaugural release, having built a stunning catalogue of releases by such greats as bassist John Patitucci, pianist Bill Cunliffe, saxophonist Rick Margitza, and vocalists Andy James and Tommy Ward.

To kick off what promises to be an equally remarkable year two, the label will release a second volume of its trademark “honest jazz” featuring its ever-growing family of brilliant musicians. Le Coq Records presents The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2, due out January 21, 2022, showcases not only the virtuoso musicianship of many of contemporary jazz’s most in-demand players, but this time out shines a brighter spotlight on the compositional gifts of Le Coq contributors like Cunliffe and keyboardist/arranger John Beasley, alongside aptly-chosen standards and jazz classics.

“The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 shows a little of everything Le Coq is about, from its compositional temperament to the high sonic quality,” says label founder Piero Pata. “, “There’s quite a mix of sounds and styles, and I feel that the album really shows off the talents of our wonderful artists. John Patitucci holds everything together magnificently so that Andy James’ gorgeous vocals and the dazzling solos of Chris Potter, Rick Margitza and Terell Stafford – just to name a few – can shine.”

Much of the roster on the new release has returned from Volume 1, including Cunliffe and Beasley; bassists Patitucci and Chris Colangelo; drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Marvin “Smitty” Smith; percussionist Alex Acuña; trumpeter Terell Stafford; saxophonist Margitza; guitarist Jake Langley and vocalist James, among others.

Volume 2 bolsters the line-up with such heavy hitters as saxophonists Chris Potter and Bob Sheppard; bassist Ben Williams; drummers Marcus Gilmore and Terreon Gully; trombonist Michael Dease; keyboardist Jon Cowherd; guitarists Russell Malone and Paul Jackson Jr.; and trumpeter Rashawn Ross.

This staggering stable of in-demand artists harkens back to the music’s golden age, a time when (jazz) giants walked the earth and crossed paths in myriad combinations under the auspices of their shared labels. Pata conceived of that model when he dreamed of gathering the greatest modern musicians to record for Le Coq.

“We wanted to get back to the old adage of having a pool of artists that could achieve anything the label required for its next goal,” Pata explains. “There are obviously many wonderful players we at Le Coq would love to record with. That will come, I hope!”

Like its predecessor, The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 features the label’s unique take on some classic favorites, both arranged by the Grammy-winning Bill Cunliffe and featuring the entrancing vocals of Andy James. The Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach standard “Yesterdays” is given a bold treatment perfect for James’ unsentimental nostalgia, highlighted by an eloquent Chris Potter solo. Horace Silver’s “Doodlin’” is propelled by the robust swing of bassist Chris Colangelo and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith, wonderfully matched by James’ sassy playfulness.

In addition to his striking arrangements, Cunliffe contributed most of the original compositions for the album and has been a key contributor to Le Coq since its early days. “Bill Cunliffe has been the backbone of the label’s writing talent since its inception,” Pata says. “He has been essential to the label’s vision of ‘honest jazz.’ His value has been enormous, especially on the big arrangements. He is wonderful at this style of writing. Maybe he has a foot in the past – but with a modern twist.”

Marcus Gilmore’s rollicking drums kick off the album on Cunliffe’s original piece “Whatever You Say,” soon joined by the sparring of Chris Potter’s tenor and Terell Stafford’s on trumpet. The composer’s arrangement summons the vigor and brio of a big band from the ensemble, setting the stage for the dancing agility of Cunliffe’s piano solo. Margitza’s breathy tenor conjures the mysterious atmosphere of “Witches,” a mood picked up and carried forward by Colangelo’s probing bassline. Cunliffe comps delightfully for Margitza’s sinuous solo.

The pianist makes direct reference to the pre-pandemic era on his wistful “The Before Times,” with its aching melody expressed beautifully by Terell Stafford. Grammy winner John Beasley contributes the funky, sauntering “Beasley’s Blues,” featuring incisive solos by guitarists Russell Malone and Paul Jackson Jr., a blistering turn by Dave Matthews Band trumpeter Rashawn Ross, and a bass solo by Ben Williams that digs deep.

Jake Langley’s shimmering guitar, Alex Acuña’s multi-hued percussion and Vinnie Colaiuta’s rock solid drumming lay the foundation for “Balinda,” with Margitza weaving the mesmerizing melody before spinning inventive variations in his solo. Patitucci and Marcus Gilmore take Cunliffe’s “Around the Corner” for a laid-back but robust stroll, with interlaced horn lines over top. The album closes with the lovely, swaying “Danse,” evoking lyrical solos from Colangelo, Cunliffe and Langley.

With a core of amazing talent now joined by a host of incredible new voices, Le Coq Records presents The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 offers a vibrant calling card for a label quickly taking its place at the vanguard of modern jazz. Best of all, there’s plenty more to come in 2022.

Nick Fraser Quartet | "If There Were No Opposites"

Acclaimed Toronto-based drummer and composer, Nick Fraser, leads this outstanding jazz quartet featuring New York saxophonist Tony Malaby, "one of the most distinctive artists of his time" (All About Jazz). The quartet is rounded out by two exceptional string players, Andrew Downing and Rob Clutton. This album, their debut on the HatArt/ezz-thetics label, is their fourth release, following Towns and Villages (2013), Starer (2016), and Is Life Long? (2018).

The quartet's music is deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, and comprises a series of Fraser's compositional sketches, points of departure for the inspired group improvisation at which these players excel. Tony Malaby's sinewy, impassioned tenor and soprano saxophone improvisations are practically without peer in contemporary jazz, and display a rhythmic imepetus that is complemented beautifully by Fraser's deft drumming. Clutton and Downing provide, by turns, a thick, shifting field of harmonic support and melodic invention. The work of this group is a high water mark in Canadian jazz and creative music.

Nick Fraser is a member The Lina Allemano Four, Eucalyptus and Peripheral Vision (among many others) and has collaborated with many luminaries, including Anthony Braxton, William Parker, Marilyn Crispell, Roscoe Mitchell, David Binney, and Donny McCaslin. For ten years he led Drumheller, a quintet who released four critically acclaimed CDs.

Composition. Improvisation. In recent times, the relationship between the two has been deliberated, often in binary terms, to the point of exhaustion. But if we shut up and discuss them no further, we might as well give up talking about jazz, since the point where the two methods connect is to the music what flint and steel are to campfires. Without that starter, you have no blaze.

Based in Toronto since 1995, Nick Fraser has learned jazz from both inside and out. He’s drummed with free-leaning musicians such as Lina Allemano and Marilyn Crispell; as a long- time participant in the Ottawa Jazz Festival’s jam sessions, he’s kept the groove for Joe Lovano, Wynton Marsalis, and countless other establishment jazz figures. His heart lies with the unscripted moment. “I've always loved the act of improvising,” avows Nick Fraser, “and the more improvised parts of jazz music are usually my favorite parts.”      

But that doesn’t mean that he neglects the rest. Fraser has composed for every band he’s led or co-led. He has also adapted his material to the rigorous requirements of the Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, a Calgary-based dance company directed by Kimberly Cooper. A couple of the pieces on If There Were No Opposites, the quartet’s fourth album, were adapted from compositions for DJD productions. But while the original versions of “Shoe Dance” and “The Fashion Show” had to adhere to rigid timing requirements in order to coordinate with the rest of the stage production, the quartet lets the music flow in more free-wheeling fashion.

The quartet first recorded in 2012, and its personnel has never changed. New Jersey-based saxophonist Tony Malaby was originally billed as a special guest, but now he is simply one of the band. This is not a demotion, but an acknowledgement of how essential he is to the group’s sound. By turns agile and burly, his playing reliably turns up the heat on whatever the rest of the ensemble is cooking. Says Fraser, “There's a sense I get when I play with Tony of him taking the entire band on his back and saying, ‘Here we go!’”

Cellist Andrew Downing and bassist Rob Clutton are fellow Canadians, and Fraser has long histories with both of them. Clutton, who was in Drumheller, has been an associate for over twenty years. “I've never made an album as a leader with a bass player other than Rob.” Downing, who also plays with Fraser in the Lina Allemano Four, could have been the second. “He plays bass, he plays cello, he composes, he plays classical music, jazz, various folk musics and more, but never in a merely ‘professional’ way. He is always deeply musically and emotionally invested in the music he makes.” Enamored with the sound of Bill Dixon’s Vade Mecum records and Ornette Coleman’s final quartet, Fraser originally invited him to play the bull fiddle, but Downing said that he’d rather play cello, and the way he toggles between melodic and rhythmic roles while occupying his own pitch zone constantly validates that decision. Fraser has also drummed on recent recordings led by both Clutton and Downing, and their collective rapport facilitates the quartet’s countercurrents of flow and undertow.

Close listening and empathy enable the quartet to find a gravitational center during the album’s opening moments. “Improvisation (Part 1)” represents new ground for the quartet. “This band doesn't normally play entirely improvised music, but at the end of the session, we decided to.” A thicket of pizzicato strings and sparse stickwork rustles around Malaby’ coarse, probing tenor, ultimately cohering into a turbulent stream. Soprano and cello take the melody of “Sketch #50” at a breakneck pace; as the band slaloms through its switchbacks, different instruments re-introduce it, as if to renew a shared sense of direction. Here and elsewhere, Fraser’s drumming expands the sound field, forming a constantly changing perimeter that reflects the band’s energy back into the music. “I usually have the least prescribed material of any of us,” he confesses; instead, he completes the music as it happens.

Fraser originally wrote “Shoe Dance” for the DJD production, Juliet & Romeo. “The choreography featured 4 or 5 dancers with shoes on their hands, like puppets. It's a boogaloo, inspired by two of my favorite drummers — Billy Mintz and Paul Motian.” “Table 49, The Rex Hotel, Toronto” is the 49th in Fraser’s series of compositional sketches, but the name also applies to the table where musicians congregate at the longest-running jazz club in Toronto.

The title of “The Bulldog and the Capricorn” derives from nicknames for Malaby and Kris Davis. But the tune’s call and response dynamic, with quizzical cello-soprano unisons greeting Clutton’s solemn bass statements, can be taken as a structural reflection of another meaning embedded in the title. Explains Fraser, “A "Mexican Bulldog" is a margarita with an open beer bottle upside down in it, so it fills up with beer as you drink it. It's a challenge to drink, although you can always go with a straw if you're having trouble.” “The Fashion Show” has been in the quartet’s book for a while. In this performance, a couple minutes of free improvisation that takes cues from Clutton’s rough-timbred bowing resolve into a tense negotiation of the winding theme. The album ends where it began; "Improvisation (Part 2)" is actually the second half of the performance that opened the album. 

~Bill Meyer, Berwyn, January 2021 

Shannon Gunn | "On A Mountain"

On July 31st 2020, the world lost a brilliant vocalist and composer. Shannon Gunn had been a fixture on the Canadian jazz scene for decades up until her untimely passing. Her reputation as a musician’s musician ensured a particular kind of reverence from her fans, fellow artists and several generations of students. Although her work was well known to her enthusiastic live audiences, she had never released an album of her own. On A Mountain, recorded in 2002, should go a long way toward filling this gap and allowing the world to get a rare glimpse of this compelling artist at the top of her form.

Shannon grew up in Vancouver where she studied classical piano. As her musical direction shifted to jazz she developed a successful singing career in Western Canada. She subsequently moved to Toronto where she drew the attention of many of that city’s top musicians. Shannon’s work as an educator had always paralleled her performing career. She was as gifted a teacher as she was a singer and made a huge impact on the many students who crossed her path in both cities.

Shannon’s singing demonstrated incredible facility and expressiveness, as well as a deep awareness of the musical interplay in a band. She honed a highly personal style that hearkened to the great jazz singers yet was unquestionably her own. Renee Rosnes, who served as pianist and producer for this recording, comments, “Shannon had a vulnerability that came through in her singing which translated to an emotional, truthful rendering of the lyric.”

The choice of material and musicians are a reflection of Shannon’s impeccable taste and high standards. Rosnes brought a wealth of experience and a long association with the singer: “My friendship with Shannon goes back to my late teens when we both lived in Vancouver. We shared many memories together on and off the stage. She was smart, talented, beautiful, humble, empathetic and genuine: a person who communicated from her heart with no pretense.”

Along with Rosnes, this this group contains many of the world’s top jazz musicians, all of whom were ideally suited to communicating Shannon’s vision. Swainson says, “Those qualities of empathy, honesty and courage were all there in her music. She was a fantastic musician.” Adds Turner, "I always loved playing gigs with Shannon because she would always have new material, beautiful, sometimes complex arrangements.”