Tyler Mitchell featuring Marshall Allen | "Dancing Shadows"

Tyler Mitchell and Marshall Allen go way back — and way out. Having worked together in the Sun Ra Arkestra in the mid 1980s, the two resumed their partnership again over the past decade, with Mitchell  rejoining the Arkestra after exploring other paths. That group carries on the Sun Ra name today under the direction of Allen, now 97, yet what they have in common goes far beyond the music of one man. Inspired by their former boss, the two are finding new common ground, cross-pollinating their experiences with both free and arranged jazz, and harvesting a new album in the process, Dancing Shadows. 

Joining Mitchell and Allen on the new Mahakala Music release are Chris Hemmingway (tenor sax), Nicoletta Manzini (alto sax), Wayne Smith (drums) and Elson Nascimento (percussion), and the sextet can deliver both horn arrangements and free passages with aplomb. In so doing, the album fulfills a vision that Mitchell has had for years.

Having studied bass with Donald Rafael Garrett (John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Rahsaan Roland Kirk) and Malachi Favors (Art Ensemble of Chicago), Mitchell has always straddled the worlds of conventional and avant garde jazz. He was still in his mid-twenties when he made the jump from his native Chicago to New York and landed a gig with the Arkestra in 1985. While his restless nature soon took him elsewhere, he can be heard on two Sun Ra albums from that period. “Reflections in Blue and Hours After, we recorded both of those at the same time,” Mitchell recalls. “Sun Ra was doing a lot of standards and Fletcher Henderson arrangements.” Even then, he was exploring the possibilities of combining free jazz with less chaotic settings. 

Indeed, Mitchell distinguished himself as one of the nation's premiere hard bop bassists in the years that followed. By 1988, he was adding his distinctive fat sound to Art Taylor's Wailers, and later he worked with Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn, and George Coleman. By the turn of the century, “I went down to Mexico, Cuba and Central America for about ten years. And when I came back in 2010, 2011, I joined the Arkestra with Marshall. And Marshall's just such a great player. So I said, 'You've got to do a project with me one day!' I was just waiting for this moment to come. Oh man, it's beautiful, man! Everything just came so natural with Marshall. He's a master, man. He's from before be bop; he's from the swing era, you know?”

In fact, almost a century of music-making has given Allen an insight into nearly every facet of jazz. Leaving his native Louisville, Kentucky during World War II, he played clarinet and alto saxophone with the U.S. Army's 17th Division Special Service Band, spent the late '40s working with James Moody, then studied at the Paris Conservatory of Music. By 1951, Allen had returned to the U.S. and  in 1958 joined Sun Ra's Arkestra, with whom he's been associated ever since. With James Spaulding initially being Ra's main alto player, Allen was encouraged to cultivate other talents over the years, including flute, oboe, piccolo, and EVI (a brass- and wind-based controller for synthesizer). Moreover, the Arkestra was the perfect ensemble for Allen to perfect his expressive, non-chordal approach, full of howls and birdsongs. 

Nowadays, when Allen leads the Arkestra, Mitchell says he “covers all the different styles in jazz when we do a concert. It's not just swing, it's not just free. It covers a little bit of everything. We mix it all up, with some free stuff and old Fletcher Henderson stuff, to rhythmic songs with different kinds of layers. That's why this record has got a little bit of everything.”

The compositions of Sun Ra himself are the perfect vehicle for this eclecticism, especially those from the earliest years of the Arkestra, and the album includes “Interstellar Low Ways,” “Angels & Demons at Play,” “Dancing Shadows,” “Carefree,” “Enlightenment” and “A Call for All Demons.” Yet this is no slavish reproduction. As Mitchell points out, “Marshall was on all those records back in the day. But he chose not to sit and play the same arrangements. He preferred to put something fresh on top. A new line. He didn't want to just do his line again, like back in the '50s. He wanted to create on the spot.”

The set is rounded out with a Thelonious Monk tune, “Skippy,” two by the alto player Manzini and three by Mitchell himself. His contributions spring directly from his impressions of his fellow players. “Nico” and “Nico Revisited” refer to Manzini's nickname. “We did a couple of takes on the song, and they were so similar, yet so different. That's why I called the other one 'revisited',” says Mitchell. His third was inspired by Allen, but actually begins with only Mitchell's bass.

“I had him directing me,” says Mitchell. “He directed me so I could go off into it. 'Marshall the Deputy' is the title  —  that's what Sun Ra used to call him. It was a play on words: You've got the marshall and you've got the deputy. In fact there's a song called 'Deputy Motel' that he wrote for Marshall.”

All in all, Mitchell is pleased with the ensemble, which he put together with a particular kind of freedom in mind. “I thought the voicings from the horns would do all the chords I needed,” he reflects. “Sometimes a piano can really lock a person in, you know? It locks you up where you can't get out and be free. But when the piano and guitar are gone, I can play a lot of different notes. A lot of different things that ordinarily would clash with the piano.”

Mitchell was especially keen to try some of the Sun Ra tunes with a smaller band than the Arkestra. “The tenor player, Chris Hemmingway, joined the band just recently, and he turned out to be really good. Nicoletta is one of Marshall's proteges. She put a lot of arrangements together, and put in a lot of stuff to make it really happening. The horns kept things from really sounding too out there. The way they blew around the music really kept a cohesiveness around each song, where it wasn't just a soloist blowing. The shape of the song was always there.  And then the drummer and the percussionist both play with the Sun Ra band, so they knew the music I wanted to do. It really paid to have somebody who knew the songs. I just did them a little different.”

And then there was Allen. “Marshall will improvise on the spot. And if a song's too nice and neat and clean and all too perfect, he'll come and just mess it all up. You don't want it to be all too perfect. He likes to have the chaos. Because he believes there are no wrong notes, you know?  His philosophy is, you play one note, you make a mistake, and then say something right. Then make another mistake. Say something wrong. He hears the song like that. 'Play something wrong! Now play something right! Now play something wrong!'  I just let Marshall do his thing. Everybody else had special things they had to play, arrangements to follow, but Marshall, I just let him do what he does. I really had no instructions for him except to direct us. We do a lot of free stuff, and use a lot of space chords and all that. I need him to direct us. Other than that, I just want him to fill in all the right places, and put his signature on it.”

The final product is the perfect synthesis of freedom and constraint, hard bop and pure sonic texture. The listener is never lulled into complacency. And this goes for Mitchell himself: “Each song's got a different vibe,” he says, “and I still listen to the music. I usually don't like to listen to what I've done. I don't like to keep hearing myself. But this particular record really holds my attention.” 

Ed Neumeister | What Have I Done?"

Composed and arranged by Ed Neumeister, the new album, What Have I Done?, is the latest offering from an artist who has been at the forefront of creative music for more than forty years.

 Neumeister has said that it is his mission in life to create thought-provoking music for curious ears; music that challenges and inspires. Through composing, performing, improvising and teaching, Neumeister has always explored the possibilities, pushing and expanding the envelope in the process. His output is inclined to bring about a torrent of the creative juices, in himself, his band-mates and his audiences. That is certainly the case with his latest offering, What Have I Done? Listening to the album one might be aware that there is a strong unimpeded connection between Neumeister’s heart, soul and brain, the composer’s pen and the trombone – his ability to express ideas, convey emotion and “speak” with his bandmates and to us, the listener, through his music, is unrivaled in today’s creative music landscape. 

The extensiveness and profundity of Neumeister’s experience informs every note he composes and plays. The strain of musicianship, technique and inventiveness heard from Neumeister on What Have I Done? has remarkably deep roots, stretching back to the earliest days of being a teenage, professional musician in the Bay Area, featured in high level marching bands, collaborating with Jerry Garcia, backing up the likes of Chuck Berry, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra, embarking on a creative sojourn to Amsterdam, winning the first trombone chair with the Sacramento Symphony, and numerous other gigs, finally arriving in NYC in 1980 where he quickly became a “first-call” for Lionel Hampton, The Duke Ellington Orchestra (in which he played the trombone book made famous by Joe ‘Tricky Sam” Nanton), the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (alongside Joe Lovano, Kenny Garrett and Tom Harrell), a stint with Buddy Rich, and many others. Neumeister has basically “worked with everyone,” as they say, including a forty year musical relationship with Joe Lovano (currently a member of his Nonet), Gerry Mulligan’s Concert Band, the aforementioned Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, which became the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra after Lewis’ passing (Neumeister’s arrangement of “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square” on the album To You: A Tribute To Mel Lewis, was nominated for a Grammy Award), and many others. On top of all this, he has been leading his own ensembles throughout his entire career, and they have served as vehicles for his prolific output as a composer.

Ed Neumeister has composed every day for the past thirty years, a beautiful habit that began when Neumeister was a member of the first BMI Jazz Composers Workshop in 1987 with Manny Albam and Bob Brookmeyer. It was during this time that the artist morphed from a trombonist who composes, to a composer whose main instrument is the trombone.” On What Have I Done? we are treated to eight new Neumeister compositions, interspersed with “Pickled Ginger”, six amuse-bouches by members of the quartet that offer brief interludes in between the compositions. The recording took place after Neumeister moved back to New York City following a seventeen year stint as a Professor at the University of the Performing Arts in Graz, Austria, and several years in Los Angeles, orchestrating for films such as Inception, The Dark Knight Rises and Sherlock Holmes. 

Dealing with the composer’s notation can be quite an undertaking. For pianist Gary Versace, he was more than prepared in the studio as he could count on ten years of experience with Neumeister in a trio setting with vocalist Jay Clayton, as well as playing with Neumeister’s Jazz Orchestra on occasion. “Gary and I spent two or three weeks conversing about the music, and I told him that this not a blowing record, but rather a recording of compositions which incorporates improvisation”, explains Neumeister. “The way I notate this music . . . I have this big picture in mind, so I’m not really writing a piano part, but rather an orchestral part. It becomes Gary’s job, in consultation with me, to decide what to play and what to leave out, because it would be impossible to play everything that’s written. The idea behind this is that we can then decide, do we double the melody or bass line, or not? Should there be comping or fills in between phrases, or not? For example. Once Gary got a handle on it, he was able to play what he wanted, but still coming from the material of the composition. He was judicious about respecting what I wrote, while simultaneously able to contribute his unique voice.” 

Bassist Drew Gress and drummer Tom Rainey have played together in many situations and in bands led by the likes of Tim Berne, Tony Malaby, Ingrid Laubrock and Rainey’s own Obbligato Quintet, and their ‘hookup” is on full display on What Have I Done? Gress was also a member of Neumeister’s earlier quartet (with John Hollenbeck and the late Fritz Pauer on piano). Neumeister and Rainey have the deepest history together, going all the way back to their early days in the Bay Area where they played all manner of gigs, to their move to NYC in the early 80s, and their subsequent loft-hopping nights, playing informal sessions on that historic scene.   

What Have I Done? opens with a compelling waltz, “Riverwalk,” that serves as a tribute to the legendary Chick Corea (who passed away in February, 2021), and was inspired by Neumeister’s daily walks along the Passaic River. “Acclimation Park” follows, and is a nod to a favorite jogging path in Sáo Paulo. Naturally, it has a Samba feel, and “it’s traditional in terms of the harmony, and the four bar phrases, but it’s got some strange melody notes, and altered chords that aren’t so frequently altered,” explains Neumeister. Neumeister has a gift for taking melodic material to refreshingly new places, as is the case with “Gratitude.” Neumeister elaborates, “there is often what look like chord changes in my compositions, but I don’t think of them as chord changes anymore, but rather as harmonic reference.” Other highlights on the album include “Ridgewood,” named for the Queens neighborhood where it was written. It grooves like crazy, despite the odd time signatures employed (9/8, 17/16, 5/8 & 11/16), a testament to the incredible talent these gentlemen possess. Neumeister composed “Renate” for a dear, departed friend from Switzerland. “It’s sing-songy in nature, but harmonically far away from II V I. It’s built on a pattern in 10/4, two bars of 3 with one bar of 4, with a swing feel, reminiscent of Elvin Jones,” said Neumeister. The title track is a question every human being has asked himself/herself at one time or another, and for Neumeister ‘What Have I Done?’ relates to the end of a marriage, the beginning of a new relationship, and the offering of a profound recording that builds upon an extensive catalogue of recordings, and showcases a composer and trombonist in a perpetual state of evolution.

Tower of Power Celebrates 50th Anniversary Release, 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater – Oakland, CA – June 2018, with Nationwide Spring Tour

Tower of Power, legendary Bay Area funk band, announces today their initial details surrounding a late winter / early spring 2022 tour; one that will dip them down into Florida and select Northeastern markets for the first time since the onset of Covid in 2020. The band was last on the road in the fall of 2021 but hasn’t paid a true visit to Florida or the Northeast since before 2020. With this tour, spanning over 15 cities, Tower of Power returns to some of their favorite markets to bring their much needed inimitable blend of soul, funk, rock, R&B, and jazz to rejuvenate fans both old and new. 

The band, whose timeless classics such as “What Is Hip?” “So Very Hard to Go,” “You’re Still A Young Man,” and many more, have truly withstood the test of time. In 2018, Tower of Power got together for two memorable evenings in Oakland, the city that started it all, to celebrate its landmark 50th anniversary with a few thousand friends, family and fans. The window-rattling grooves and raucous party spirit of ToP has been a balm for the soul throughout the band’s half-century existence, but the release of 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater – Oakland, CA – June 2018 couldn’t have come at a better time.  

Now, the legendary soul-funk-R&B group is set to return to the road with the first major tour since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Beginning in February, they'll visit over 20 markets in nearly a dozen states to celebrate the release of their recent album in commemoration of their 50th anniversary.

Available now from Artistry Music/Mack Avenue Music Group, the high-spirited live album and video offers a reminder of the communal joys of the live music experience, something that’s been sorely missed over this staggering pandemic year. Released as a 3-LP set, a 2-CD/DVD combo, a standalone DVD, as well as digitally, 50 Years of Funk & Soul is the next best thing to hearing these brilliant musicians in person. Fittingly for such a special occasion, Tower of Power went all out for these hometown shows, supplementing the core 10-piece band and its iconic horn section with additional horns and a string section.  

Bandleader and saxophonist Emilio Castillo also invited back a few elite ToP alumni, including saxophonist Lenny Pickett (musical director of the Saturday Night Live band); keyboardist Chester Thompson (Santana); guitarist Bruce Conte and former vocalist Ray Greene, who shows off his trombone prowess. They join the renowned modern line-up of the band, featuring co-founder Stephen “Doc” Kupka on baritone sax, longtime drummer David Garibaldi, and lead vocalist Marcus Scott. Adding a bittersweet tinge is the presence of founding bassist Francis “Rocco” Prestia, who passed away in September 2020. 

“People come up to me all the time and say, ‘Wow man, 50 years! We can't believe it,’” laughs Castillo. “You can't believe it? I'm the one that can't believe it. We've been through a lot of ups and downs and learned a lot along the way. We've affected a lot of people's lives and done a lot of work that we're very proud of. The band has a real family atmosphere. It's been very rewarding.”

Castillo was only 17 years old when he met Kupka and started to assemble the band that would become Tower of Power. “I had no vision at all,” he recalls now. “I just loved playing soul music. My idols were a local band called The Spyders and they had gigged in Sacramento. I thought, ‘Man, if I could just get to Sacramento that would be it.’ That's literally how small my vision was.”

The band has long since surpassed Castillo’s admittedly modest aspirations, traveling the world, enjoying hit singles on their own and backing some of the most legendary artists of the last 50 years – a list that includes Otis Redding, Elton John, Santana, the Grateful Dead, John Lee Hooker, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, and countless others. In the process they’ve defined an “Oakland soul” sound as instantly recognizable as those from Castillo’s hometown, Detroit, as well as inspirations like Memphis and Philadelphia. 

50th Anniversary Release, 50 Years of Funk & Soul:

Live at the Fox Theater – Oakland, CA – June 2018, with Nationwide Spring Tour

Upcoming Tower of Power U.S. Tour Dates

February 11 & 12 | Montbleu Resort Casino and Spa | Stateline, NV

February 15 | Ponte Vedra Concert Call | Ponte Vedra, FL

February 17 | Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre | Clearwater, FL

February 19 | Parker Playhouse | Ft. Lauderdale, FL

February 20 | The Plaza Live | Orlando, FL

February 22 | Variety Playhouse | Atlanta, GA

March 3 | Tupelo Music Hall | Derry, NH

March 4 | Plymouth Memorial Hall | Plymouth, MA

March 5 | Chevalier Theater | Medford, MA

March 7 | Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts | Harrisburg, PA

March 9 | Community Arts Center | Williamsport, PA

March 10 | The Ridgefield Playhouse | Ridgefield, CT

March 11 | The Warehouse at FTC | Fairfield, CT

March 14 & 15 | Sony Hall | New York, NY

March 17 | MGM Northfield Park | Northfield, OH

March 19 | Lindenwood Theater | Saint Charles, MO

April 23 | Soundstage at Graceland | Memphis, TN

New Releases: Eric Goletz, Soul Sugar, Bernie Senensky, Jami Templeton

Eric Goletz - A New Light

Virtuoso trombonist Eric Goletz is releasing A New Light, his second CD as a leader. After a 30-year career as a studio musician and first-call horn player in New York City, Goletz released his debut CD, Into the Night, in March of 2021. Brimming with ideas and unstoppable energy, Goletz started working on A New Light before his previous project was officially released. And like his previous release, A New Light is an exciting, eclectic mix of musical styles that creates an infectious pastiche of sounds and textures. Goletz’s multifarious background, experiences, and taste imbues his compositions and arrangements with a joie de vie enriched by his stellar musicianship. Goletz says, “I think of music as having endless possibilities. It’s a journey where you can never be absolutely sure where it will lead. Although my background is in jazz and classical music, I spend much time listening to other forms of music such pop, rock, Country, Motown, funk, Latin, and even Heavy Metal. There’s always something new to learn, and I try to keep an open mind to the simple joy of listening to music.” Goletz’s arrangements are unique. With his solid chops as a musician and decades of working as a composer and arranger in a wide variety of musical venues and situations, it’s no wonder that his music is overflowing with a macrocosm of ideas. You can almost feel his rush of joy as he picks up his pen to get it all on paper.

Soul Sugar - Excursions in Dub

Released exclusively in Japan for Record Store Day through the HMV record shop under license from Gee Recordings, new album Excursions in Dub is now available on all digital platforms and you can still order the vinyl from Japan and from very few European outlets including the band’s Bandcamp. Soul Sugar’s cast list of contributing musicians to the original and dub album includes Sly & Robbie, Blundetto, Lone Ark, Slikk Tim, Thomas Naim, Jahno, Grant Phabao and honey-voiced soul singer Leo Carmichael. Metenier also stars as a musician, providing lively and ear-catching organ solos under his now familiar Booker Gee alias. The dub album features heavy dub versions in the roots tradition of the eight tracks of the original full-length along with two unreleased tracks, a cover of Jackie Mittoo‘s “Peace Treaty” and “Pablo Dub” in combination with Blundetto & Booker Gee. The dub mixes were expertly handcrafted in their own respective studios by engineers extraordinaire Roberto Sanchez aka Lone Ark, Blundetto & Blackjoy, Jahno, and Guillaume Metenier aka Booker Gee. Expect analog roots and modern sounds designed for heavy sound systems or your home hi-fi  …highest level of cool for impeccable taste, grab it and chill!.

Bernie Senensky Quartet / Quintet - Don't Look Back

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1944, pianist Bernie Senensky has been a stalwart member of the Canadian and international jazz scenes for over 50 years. He has toured with a multitude of his own ensembles over the years, and has played with a diverse array of internationally celebrated jazz artists, from Chet Baker to Moe Koffman, and from Elvin Jones to Pharoah Sanders (to name but a few). Senensky continues to play and tour extensively. Despite his kind and soft-spoken personality, his assertive keyboard style and consummate melodicism has ensconced him as a lynchpin of the current jazz scene. Senensky fits smack dab in the middle of the hard bop tradition. For those looking for a delightful romp through some new tunes in the style of the masters, you could do worse than to try out the Bernie Senensky Quintet. Bernie's style sparkles with a lightness and playfulness that makes his solos so easy and fun to listen to. You don't have to reach for anything; it’s all there.

Jami Templeton - The Shape Of My Heart

“This record brought me back to life. After living through a long battle with chronic lyme disease, and subsequently covid, a dear friend suggested I return to my first love of singing, and to the genre I held so sacred, I was almost afraid to touch it.” Shortly after returning to Los Angeles in 2021, vocalist Jami Templeton met the musicians who would become her band. After running through dozens of her favourite songs with producer and pianist Andy Langham, Templeton settled on a book of music that helped tell the story she had to tell. Having spent much of her singing life in the world of big, bold arias, Templeton had reached a softer musical phase. Every piece on this album holds a special meaning for Templeton. Each song, carefully selected  from the American songbook, reflects a sliver of time in her life: treasured moments of love, mischief, and heartbreak. The Shape of My Heart will be released worldwide on Friday, February 4th 2022.

Jared Schonig - Two Takes Vol. 1: Quintet & Vol. 2: Big Band

In the music of drummer/composer Jared Schonig there is a life-force, a vibrant affirmation that there are numerous great reasons to get out of bed in the morning and embrace it all. His music percolates with sincere optimism for the future, enthusiasm for the present and reverence and erudition of the past. The music on Schonig’s intrepid debut recording(s) as a leader, Two Takes Vol. 1: Quintet & Vol. 2: Big Band, is meticulously-crafted, played with the freedom, abandon, joy and excellence that only top New York City players seem to truly capture simultaneously. With this debut as a leader we experience a musician who dreams big, makes those dreams come true, and thrives as a percussive force in many dimensions: primal and raw, shimmering and playful, pounding and exhilarating, tumultuous and brutal, complex, unpredictable and exhilarating. And, with these recordings, Schonig now joins the growing fellowship of drummers fronting their own bands, from Brian Blade to Johnathan Blake to Tyshawn Sorey, and many others. 

Perhaps most importantly, the music on this adventurous two-CD offering rings true to the person who created it. Its captivating, mighty fabric is woven with Schonig’s experience as a drummer for touring and studio projects across multiple genres, working with Nicholas Payton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Donny McCaslin, Tim Hagans, Fred Hersch, Wycliffe Gordon, Tom Harrell, Joe Locke, Ernie Watts, Kurt Elling, as co-leader of the critically-acclaimed trio, The Wee Trio (which released five albums over its eight year existence), and many others. The Grammy-award winning drummer formerly held the drum chair for the revival of the Tony, Grammy and Emmy-award winning Broadway musical, "The Color Purple,” and currently holds the drum chair, and is co-orchestrator, for the Broadway hit, “Moulin Rouge.”

Two Takes Vol. 1: Quintet, features eight Schonig compositions, interspersed with three “Drum Interludes.” The Quintet features none other than Marquis Hill on trumpet, Godwin Louis on alto saxophone, Luis Perdomo on piano and Matt Clohesy on bass – a family of players who display a wonderful simpatico throughout the album. Schonig first met and played with Marquis Hill on a Laurence Hobgood Quintet Tour with Ernie Watts, before Hill won the Monk Competition. Schonig elaborates that, “I truly loved how he played and he reminded me of Freddie with his lines and feel. He ended up moving to NYC, living really close to me, so we were trying to make something happen and it finally did. My favorite trumpet player playing today!” Schonig started playing with Godwin Louis at St. Peters Church with Ike Sturm, and, “we really loved the experience,” said Schonig. “When we were on a Melissa Stylianou gig at the 55 Bar the magic really happened and I knew I had to have him for my record. He and Marquis had never played together and they just sounded so beautiful and amazing.” Pianist Luis Perdomo was a favorite of Schonig’s from checking him out on Miguel Zenon’s recordings. “The first time we played together was also at the Jazz Church at St. Peters. We had a bunch of fun, and then The Wee Trio ended up inviting him to be a guest at one of our shows at Birdland. He really learned and internalized our music and sounded amazing, so I knew he would be a great fit for my music,” said Schonig. Bassist Matt Clohesy and Schonig go way back as he was one of the first bass players the drummer played with when moving to NYC. “We have been on countless gigs, tours and recordings together. He’s a great player and a great dude. I also just love his sound and percussiveness on the bass. I think we have a great hookup and approach a lot of music in a similar way. He was a no-brainer for my debut recording,” Schonig says. The Jared Schonig Quintet is such a thrill to experience, and will hopefully stay together for a long time, for the listener’s benefit!

Two Takes Vol. 2: Big Band – in an audacious creative endeavor, Schonig enlists eight of themost acclaimed big band arrangers/composers working today (whom Schonig has musical relationships and friendships with) – Alan Ferber, Jim McNeely, Mike Holober, Miho Hazama, Darcy James Argue, John Daversa, Laurence Hobgood and Brian Krock – to exercise free reign with his Vol. 1 compositions. The two all-star big bands performing the pieces are comprised of a “who’s who” of jazz artists on the scene. “My idea for the two records to be released together stemmed from the fact that a few people suggested that my music would be perfect in a big band context. I figured a few would, but never imagined that eight different tunes could work. My love for large ensemble and big band music goes deep to early high school when I started listening to jazz. A lot of these arrangers were initially heroes to me and then became colleagues and ‘bosses’ long before this project. The arrangements of my music sound like pieces of music from the arranger’s pen while staying faithful to my original ideas. They are all artists of the highest nature; this process only magnifies it. I wanted to involve as many people as I could in this familial setting. Longtime musical associates from college, more recent collaborations with great artists; the whole nine yards,” said Schonig. For more information on the arrangers please contact Red Cat Publicity.

The NYC scene is chock-a-block with outstanding improvisors, dozens who Schonig has close ties with, so what’s a composer/bandleader to do with such a surfeit of amazing artists? Two different big bands! Schonig explains, “I have a connection with so many bass players but wanted to include some of my closest friends and rhythmic partners in Matt Clohesy, Ike Sturm, and my Wee Trio bandmate Dan Loomis. I had two different pianists, Dave Cook, and Adam Birnbaum, both of whom I have played a great deal with in many contexts. They both contributed so much to this project. Nir Felder is the lone guitarist on the record, and he is featured on a few tracks. He plays so amazingly on some many tunes whether soloing or comping and is such a unique voice on the instrument. I have a lot of saxophonist friends who I wanted to include, so there are nine!, including the great Donny McCaslin whom I’ve played with a bunch here in NYC, Troy Roberts who I first met playing with Kurt Elling, the great lead alto players Dave Pietro and Jon Gordon, wonderful soloist and doublers Ben Kono and Charles Pillow, tenor men Quinson Nachoff and Jason Rigby who take burning solos on Sabotage and Climb, respectively, and the lone low-reed member, Carl Maraghi. For trumpets I knew I had to have Tony Kadleck on lead, one of my favorite musicians and people. We’ve played countless gigs together from his own big band to a Broadway show with Patti Lupone. The great Scott Wendholdt, Brian Pareschi and Jonathan Powell contribute some fantastic solos and Jon Owens plays some great lead and in the section as well. The great Mike Davis plays lead trombone throughout, and the lone trombone solo on the record is from the amazing Marshall Gilkes. Keith O’Quinn, Alan Ferber, and Jeff Nelson on bass trombone round out the section. Astonishingly, there was only one rehearsal for each band prior to heading into the studio. Schonig said, “What we came up with was beyond my expectations. I get goose bumps hearing what the arrangers and musicians have done with my original charts.”

White Out - My most recorded composition, this burner was written the first time I was in a crazy blizzard in New York City. The rhythmic pattern which initially tricks the listener was something I heard in my head walking around while clapping and singing groups of 5. Climb - One of my newer compositions written for the last Wee Trio record featuring Fabian Almazan. The title represents the climb to the top that we all inevitably face in daily life. NUTS - A really old tune that hadn’t really been played since college. I decided to dig this up as I always loved playing this in college. It was always a fun and difficult challenge for everyone. Written during a time when I was listening to a lot of Herbie Hancock. Eight Twenty - A dedication to my beautiful wife and mother of our child, Eight Twenty is the day we got married. I wanted to write a beautiful melody reminiscent of her and the way Marquis and Godwin interpret the melody is perfect. Sabotage - Sabotage was written for the Wee Trio’s live recording at Jazz At The Bistro in St. Louis, and was done when the trio noticed their mic cables had been cut the night before the 2nd day of recording. A favorite to play, it was also recorded by one of Marquis’ idols, Nicholas Payton. Tig Mack - My tribute to the Pacific Ocean, specifically Santa Monica, where I grew up going to the beach. The hope is that is captures both the waves and stillness of Mother Earth’s seas. Sound Evidence - Initially a trio composition that was written in Los Angeles on my mother’s piano on a tour one year. I was hearing a pattern that seemed like it was missing a beat, and it actually was, so it turned out to be an odd meter pattern which is fun to play over. Gibbs St.- My homage to the Eastman School of Music in downtown Rochester, NY. I hope to encapsulate all the feelings and experiences one has in college, especially in an intensive and competitive musical environment. An oldie, but a goodie.

Matt Slocum | "With Love And Sadness"

With Love and Sadness, available on Sunnyside Records on March 18, 2022, was designed, recorded, mixed, and mastered as an all-analog experience (although it is also available on CD and as a high-resolution digital download for listeners who prefer those formats). The music was composed as a single work rather than as individual “tunes,” and the narrative arc is structured as a continuous whole with subplots shaped around and within the two sides of the LP. The result is as remarkable and rare as a fogbow, or a lenticular cloud; it is in accordance with Slocum’s overall aesthetic and his penchant for conveying beauty to the world, and a culmination of an immense talent (as a drummer and composer) and massive erudition. As Thomas Conrad wrote in JazzTimes Magazine (on Slocum’s Black Elk’s Dream), “A meticulous, deeply realized work, remarkable not only for its coherence as a single arc but also for its evolving, authentic poignancy...This dreamlike, lyrical, fervent, floating music is capable of erupting in joy or pain.” 

Matt Slocum is a conjurer of emotions; lament, longing, contemplation, sadness, but also joy, hope and inspiration. After five acclaimed recordings of predominantly original music, “Slocum has emerged as one of the great young jazz drummers in New York City, and therefore all of jazz,” says The Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Slocum clearly places empathy and ensemble eloquence over solo fireworks, with sublime results.” While Slocum’s music carries much emotion and meaning, it also pulls from the listener’s own thoughts and feelings. As Ken Micallef reported in DownBeat Magazine, “like Wayne Shorter’s classic Blue Note albums, Black Elk’s Dream seems to ask questions, leaving the answers open to individual interpretation.” That is one of the gifts great artists bestow on us – to stimulate the willing into a greater awareness and inspired musing. 

The structure of With Love and Sadness emerged during a trip to the Maine wilderness where Slocum reflected on the seemingly increasing depths of systemic racism in America and the possibilities for change. In his liner notes for the recording, Slocum writes, “As a result of pandemic-related closures, it was the first time my wife and I had traveled in many months. It felt like a new perspective, at least early in the journey. The shape of this composition outlines the evolution of my reflections throughout the course of that trip. The primary theme is introduced in the prelude and developed throughout the suite. Although the work journeys from B minor in the opening two movements to eventually reach D major in the final movement, most of the piece follows a sonic trajectory moving away from optimism, but clinging to a kind of blind hope and beauty (real or imagined) in our collective potential for change. The final movement, a rearrangement and development of the main theme, is inspired by Pat Metheny’s “Is This America?” It’s my understanding that Mr. Metheny composed that song as a musical response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Fifteen years later, I’m not sure that we’ve made a great deal of progress as a society.”

With Love and Sadness features Grammy-nominated pianist Taylor Eigsti, an important voice in the world of creative music and a musician whose “range of expression is not limited by illusory stylistic boundaries,” says Slocum; first-call bassist Larry Grenadier, who also appears on Slocum’s previous album, Sanctuary (Grenadier is a modern-day giant known for his 25-year association with the Brad Mehldau Trio, as well as consequential engagements with Pat Metheny, Paul Motian, Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman, and Mark Turner); and saxophonist Walter Smith III, a modern master who is equally at home in a variety of musical settings – from performing with the Roy Haynes Quartet to co-leading an ensemble with Matthew Stevens and Joel Ross. Slocum writes, “There are shapes in Walter’s playing that I don’t hear anywhere else, and his dynamic range and depth of interaction with the rhythm section fill his music with mood, personality, and possibility.” Credit must also be given to the legendary recording and mixing engineer, James Farber, who, on an all-analog project such as this, is as much a part of the ensemble as the musicians. “Like great jazz musicians, James always brings his own identifiable sound to each project. He creates an inviting and inspiring sonic environment that allows the musical connection, as well as the balance within and between the instruments, to happen naturally in the recording studio,” states Slocum. 

Recorded by James Farber at Sear Sound, New York, NY / 30 June 2021.

Recorded to 2 inch ATR analog tape at 30 IPS on a 24 track Studer A827. 

Mixed by James Farber at Studio Mozart, Little Falls, NJ / 6-7 July 2021 / Mixed from the multitrack 2 inch analog tape using a Studer A827 to 1/2 inch ATR analog tape at 30 IPS on a Studer A80. 

Mastering and cutting by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

Master lacquer cut directly from the analog tape using a custom Studer and an all-tube system.

The Jazz Defenders | "Live Slow" feat. Herbal T

Bristol's soul-jazz brothers The Jazz Defenders hit us with a brand new single on November 26th via Haggis Records, another taster from their forthcoming second album "King Phoenix" which drops in February 2022 from the same label. The quintet, led by keyboard maestro George Cooper from the UK funk kings The Haggis Horns, deliver a new bumping hip-hop/jazz jam called "Live Slow" featuring guest MC Herbal T, from the USA.

The original music burns bright in a mid-late 1960's soul-jazz style made popular by the likes of Ramsey Lewis and Herbie Hancock. Funky backbeat, in-the-pocket bassline, snappy and sharp brass, soul claps, and infectious piano vamping from that man Cooper. Then a third way in, guest MC Herbal T jumps on the mic and flips it into a hip-hop/jazz gem with some classy old-school bars that fit perfectly with the funky soul-jazz instrumental vibe. A great collaboration that references those golden era 90's hip-hop x jazz experiments by bands like Guru's Jazzmatazz and US3. With a nice upbeat tempo, this is definitely one for the b-boy/b-girl jams and cyphers worldwide.

The Jazz Defenders have slowly been building their reputation as a great jazz unit since their debut Blue Note/hard bop-inspired album "Scheming" appeared on Haggis Records back in 2019. The right heads were turned and when their new single dropped in summer 2021, The Jazz Defenders finally got the respect they rightly deserved. The double A-side vinyl single "The Big Man/Love's Vestige" got some heavy support on the radio from top folks like Craig Charles (BBC6 Music), Helen Mayhew (Jazz FM), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), and Worldwide FM resident DJ's Ashley Beedle and Colin Curtis.

Chieli Minucci | "Someone's Singing"

When the COVID-19 lockdown began in March 2020, Chieli Minucci had his wings clipped, abruptly pulling the plug amidst the three-time Emmy-winning and GRAMMY nominated musician-composer’s concert tour in support of his band Special EFX’s newly released album “All Stars.” As stress and uncertainty mounted, Minucci, like the rest of us, yearned for escape, peace and tranquility. His mind drifted back to when he was a teenager watching local talent play folk and classical guitar-based music in Greenwich Village’s legendary Folk City nightclub. He found the music performed at those shows to be soothing and mesmerizing. Those cherished recollections inspired Minucci to write and record his first acoustic guitar-based album, “Someone’s Singing.”

Recording most of the twelve-track set in his New York City home studio proved to be calming and healing for Minucci, who wrote or co-wrote ten songs for the collection, some culled from his songbook from decades ago. Minucci produced, arranged and performed using his collection of acoustic guitars in addition to playing percussion, including a kalimba (African thumb piano). His nimble fretwork throughout is heartfelt, meditative, communicative, somber and sublime.

“I’ve been eager to share some of my more-gentle, understated playing and writing for some time now. For me, this project has a ‘spiritual’ quality: quite peaceful and even a bit folky. The concept for ‘Someone’s Singing’ was simple: keep it pristine and placid. I've been a longtime fan of acoustic guitar music, particularly folk and classical pieces,” said Minucci who took the album title from the lyrics of the opening track, an instrumental variation of the traditional “Kumbaya.” 

“Someone’s Singing” is an album consisting of acoustic guitar etchings, a sparsely produced set featuring minimal accompaniment on three selections. Jerry Brooks’ probing, elastic basslines instill “New Faith,” an intimate and intricate song originally recorded in 1996. Fretless bassist Fernando Saunders brings structure to “Your Spirit,” an ethereal interlude preceding “Memories of Mother,” an emotional passage memorializing Minucci’s mother, Catherine. To him, she represented family honor and love, inspiring his silent pledge made upon her passing to facilitate peace and harmony in his own family, a goal he continues to strive towards in all relationships. Minucci’s late Special EFX partner, George Jinda, added his distinctive percussion to “Free Again,” an exquisite piece adorned by Steve Skinner’s evocative strings.

“‘Free Again’ is the last composition I wrote with the great percussionist George Jinda. His unique approach to rhythm was always a perfect match to my acoustic guitar style. Although the first section of this piece was written separately, the percussive part was completely improvised as we recorded it. Music is amazing like that, and in so many other ways,” said Minucci.

The official release of “Someone’s Singing” begins a prolific year for Minucci who will release Special EFX’s 40th anniversary album, “Twenty Twenty 2,” an elaborate production recorded with an army of collaborating musicians, on April 15 with a supporting concert itinerary that kicks off in mid-March.

“‘Someone's Singing’ stands in striking contrast to what I've been doing with Special EFX for all these years,” said Minucci, a busy band leader, film and television composer who has been releasing solo albums since the mid-nineties.

Minucci is a ten-time Emmy nominee who has written music for the small screen (“The Guiding Light,” “Dancing With The Stars,” “American Idol” and the “Good Morning America” theme), silver screen (“Bowfinger”, “Legally Blonde” and “Panic”), radio (Bloomberg Radio theme), and stage (live productions of “Peter Pan,” “Dora the Explorer” and “Thomas the Tank Engine”).” Beyond his band and solo projects, Minucci’s gifted guitarwork has afforded him extraordinary opportunities to record or perform with iconic artists including Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel, Mark Anthony, Michael Bolton and Eartha Kitt as well as his contemporary jazz colleagues Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Marion Meadows, Omar Hakim and many others. 

 

Finnish Ambient/Jazz Duo Tapani Rinne & Juha Mäki-Patola Announce Open

Hush Hush Records is proud to present a bold new exploration within their cinematic, atmospheric, and genre-free sonic universe with Open, a collaborative album between veteran Finnish musicians Tapani Rinne and Juha Mäki-Patola. An organic melding of each musician’s distinctive style that yields their own unique shared language, Open reveals a cohesive meditative thread through ambient, jazz, and neo-classical music, paving the way for a refreshingly cool and sophisticated Nordic sound. 

Tapani and Juha were strangers prior to connecting online in February, yet they’ve both been active players within the Finnish music community for decades. Tapani’s illustrious career as a saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer has been an evolving path of collaborative works, solo releases, and an array of commissioned work dating back to the mid-1980s. He was featured prominently on legendary Finnish jazz drummer/composer Edward Vesala’s critically acclaimed 1987 album Lumi for ECM Records, and the following year he co-founded RinneRadio, a pioneering Finnish outfit that forged a thrilling experimental intersection between jazz and techno. An integral and prolific member of the Finnish music scene since these formative beginnings, Tapani has played with numerous bands and released a handful of ambient-leaning solo albums too, most recently unveiling the dreamy and ominous Foghornia in 2020. Regardless of the project, Tapani’s trusty melodic reed work has long been characterized by an evocative range, intuitive pulse, and collaborative spirit. It is this consistent communal curiosity that opened the doors for this album, as he was happy to join forces with emerging solo composer Juha Mäki-Patola upon a simple invitation via Instagram to work together on new material. 

Although his discography may not run as deep as Tapani’s, Juha has been active in the Finnish music community for over a decade. Originally serving as a member of several bands and working as a producer, musician, and engineer for both local and international artists from various genres, Juha took this multifaceted experience to steer the vision for the type of music he desired to compose and produce under his own name. Inspired by the great neo-classical composers of this era such as Jóhann Jóhannsson, Nils Frahm, and Max Richter, as well as iconic artists such as Brian Eno, Philip Glass, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Alva Noto, Juha began to create introspective and reflective instrumental pieces that sought a specific calmness. Receiving early support during this journey from Seattle-based KEXP DJ Alex Ruder, Juha made his solo debut in September 2020 with the full-length album Breath, released on Alex’s independent label Hush Hush Records. Juha quickly followed up Breath with the complimentary 3-track EP Waves in February 2021, also released on Hush Hush Records.

Open was written quickly during a 3-month creative burst in early 2021. Working remotely from their respective home studios in Helsinki, the two artists eagerly traded ideas back-and-forth to find a warm, immersive, and transportive shared sonic vision. Tapani’s rich saxophone and clarinet melodies blend seamlessly into Juha’s complimentary guitar, piano, organ, and synthesizer compositions. Sometimes Tapani’s contributions joyfully dance around in the foreground, elsewhere they provide a deep, subtle, cavernous accompaniment to Juha’s lush arrangements. Opening track “Brevity” introduces their combined palette in welcoming fashion, Tapani’s dueling melodies interweaving gently within Juha’s twinkling minimal foundation before swelling alongside additional layers of piano. Lead single “Open Pt. 1” provides the album’s most upfront and immediate moment, Tapani’s exploratory saxophone melodies dominating the spotlight to glide atop a meditative piano motif. Penultimate track “Fall” serves as another early single off the album, its undulating pulse finding beauty in its restraint and spotlighting the duo’s atmospheric strengths. “Hover” eases the listener towards a gracious finale, Tapani and Juha having a playful dialogue with rich organ chords laying the groundwork for Tapani’s whimsical saxophone. 

Over its 10-song run through cerebral jazz, glacial ambient, and cinematic neo-classical styles, Open introduces a delightful new shade into both artist’s repertoires as well as Hush Hush’s amorphous catalog. Stylistically reminiscent of Floating Points and Pharaoh Sanders’ instant 2021 classic Promises, Open distinguishes itself with an expansive and contemplative aesthetic informed by Finland’s icy climate and long winters, as well as the atmospheric nature of the Nordic experimental jazz scene. Boasting a rich painterly sound that beautifully blends ambient, jazz, and neo-classical into their own unique expression, Tapani and Juha seamlessly fuse their talents to create a hypnotic debut collaborative record.

Music Releases: Donald Byrd, The Bar-Kays, The Three Degrees, U Roy

Donald Byrd - Love Has Come Around: The Elektra Records Anthology 1978-1982

Jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd’s critically acclaimed career and life have assured the Detroit native his rightful place as one of the most respected musicians of the 20th century. Having successfully transitioned to Jazz Fusion in the 1970s under the guidance of the Mizell brothers, creating four albums on Blue Note records including the highly influential Places and Spaces, Byrd continued to explore the fertile possibilities of Fusion with four more albums recorded for Elektra Records between 1978 and 1982. 1978s Thank You… For F.U.M.L (Funking Up My Life), 1979s Donald Byrd & 125th Street N.Y.C. , produced by Byrd, and the two Isaac Hayes produced albums Love Byrd and Words, Sounds, Colors and Shapes from 1981 and 1982 respectively are fully represented over a two-disc anthology package from BBR. Tracks produced by Byrd include the up-tempo jazz-funk-disco tracks ‘Thank You For Funking Up My Life,’ ‘Loving You,’ ‘Have You Heard The News,’ ‘Pretty Baby’ and ‘People Suppose To Be Free’ alongside the deeper jazz-fusion cuts of ‘Sunning In Your Loveshine,’ ‘Your Love Is My Ecstasy,’ ‘Gold The Moon, White The Sun’ and ‘Loving You,’ which reached #74 on the Billboard R&B chart early in 1979. The Isaac Hayes produced tracks include ‘Love Has Come Around,’ (Byrd’s biggest R&B hit at #15), the dancefloor work outs ‘Sexy Dancer,’ (R&B #38) ‘Star Trippin’’ and ‘I Love Your Love’. The rich Hayes’ influenced ballads ‘I Feel Like Loving You Today’ and ‘Falling’ sit with the deeper jazz-fusion compositions ‘Butterfly,’ ‘I’ll Always Love You,’ ‘So Much In Love,’ ‘Forbidden Love’ and ‘Everyday.’ Big Break Records is proud to present Donald Byrd & 125th Street N.Y.C, Love Has Come Around: The Elektra Records Anthology 1978-1982. Featuring comprehensive liner notes and rare photos across a sixteen page booklet housed in a super-jewel CD case, Love Has Come Around is an essential addition to any Jazz Fusion, Funk, and Disco fan’s collection.

The Bar-Kays - Too Hot To Sleep / Flying High On Your Love

Includes two consecutively released albums marking the second coming of The Bar-Kays in 1976 and 1977. Featuring the Southern Funk classic ‘Too Hot To Stop’, which was closely followed 12 months later by the masterful ‘Flying High On Your Love’. Featuring the band’s first lead vocalist Larry Dodson and his unique vocals plus James Alexander’s cranked to the max bass as the new Bar-Kays sound, with no other pretensions than aiming straight for the dance floor via a series of funk workouts that set the template for many of the groups that followed during the late ‘70s. The original group’s first single ‘Soul Finger’ had become an instant classic and international hit which is still popular today. Stax’s top artist, Otis Redding chose the band to be his regular road musicians a decision that ended in tragedy on December 10th 1967 when Redding, King, Caldwell, Jones and Cunningham all perished when their private plane crashed. Only Ben Cauley survived and James Alexander had not boarded the flight.Despite this tragedy Cauley and Alexander with Allen Jones helped reform the group which culminated in their work with Isaac Hayes on his pioneering 1969 album, ‘Hot Buttered Soul’.

The Three Degrees - The Three Degrees, Expanded Edition

Re-issue of The Three Degrees’ classic Philadelphia International Records’ debut which made quite an impact upon its release in 1974. Honed on the classic Philadelphia sound with MFSB providing the instrumentation, it includes the huge hits ‘When Will I See You Again’ ‘Dirty Ol’ Man’ and ‘Year Of Decision’ plus MFSB featuring The Three Degrees singles cuts and a Tom Moulton Disco remix of ‘Dirty Ol’ Man’. Having been R&B hit makers for years, The Three Degrees were no strangers to the American Soul Chart but the pairing of the group with Philadelphia’s Gamble And Huff took them to an iconic level of appreciation. The Top 20 album spawned the now classic UK #1 ‘When Will I See You Again’ and the top 20 hit ‘Year Of Decision’. Also featured was their Philly debut single ‘Dirty Ol’ Man’ which topped the charts in the Netherlands, staving off the threat of Demis Roussos in the process! Track Listing: Dirty Ol’ Man;Can’t You See What You Are Doing To Me; A Woman Needs A Good Man; 4 When Will I See You Again; I Didn’t Know; I Like Being A Woman; If And When; Year Of Decision; plus bonus tracks: TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia) – MSFB Featuring The Three Degrees (Single Version); Love Is The Message – MFSB Featuring The Three Degrees (Single Version); and Dirty Ol’ Man (Tom Moulton Disco Remix).

U Roy - Version Galore (2CD Edition)

Although largely unreported by the mainstream popular press, 17 February 2021 witnessed the passing of a true great of popular music: Asman Euwart Beckford. Under his stage name of U Roy, Beckford revolutionised the Jamaican music industry and in so doing also heavily influenced the development of hip hop, jungle and grime. In 1970, the immense popularity of his ground-breaking 7” singles for Treasure Isle boss, Duke Reid popularised DJ recordings, and sparked an explosion of similarly-styled discs, performed by a plethora of established and wanna-be toasters. Over the next year or two, U Roy continued to record high quality works for Reid, who gathered many of the DJ’s most popular sides on two best-selling long-players, ‘Version Galore’ and the eponymously titled ‘U Roy’, issued in 1971 and 1993, respectively. In tribute to the man and his music, both of these seminal collections have finally been brought together, along with the remainder of his Treasure Isle singles and a number of rare alternate takes. These historic recordings, which forever changed the sound of reggae, demonstrate the inimitable style that resulted in U Roy becoming the world’s first DJ superstar.

Ilhan Ersahin, Dave Harrington, Kenny Wollesen | "Invite Your Eye"

The record really encapsulates the feeling of late night jazz; an after hours jam session between close collaborators and friends that unfolds with almost telepathic effortlessness. And though it may appear as though this album is the result of improvisation, it is in fact a mixture of studio based compositions with raw improvisation taken apart and reconstructed with dubbing and editing. Producer and musician Dave Harrington says "It was the first project I really threw myself into when I first moved to Los Angeles and so was informed in large part by my first experiences here, my nostalgia for New York, and also the imagined Los Angeles of the mind that I try to live in: a place where the psychedelic can be both inspiring and sinister, and where possibility and reality are in constant competition and conversation."

With drummer Kenny Wollesen (Tom Waits, John Zorn, Norah Jones) and Dave Harrington (of electronic duo Darkside) guitar/bass/electronics, New York-based Swedish/Turkish saxophonist, composer, club-label owner Ilhan Ersahin captures the vibe of impromptu, cross-pollinating, and heavily grooving late-night jam sessions at Nublu, his “East Village Club where everything goes” (New York Times).

The telepathy and intuition that flows between these three musicians is one that has developed over many years of playing together in different combinations, and on a permanent regular basis at NYC's Nublu, searching and creating together in the moment. What they have come up with has evolved steadily over that time and its current form can be heard to brilliant effect on their new album "Invite Your Eye" which is due out on March 4th following three advance singles.

The exploratory instrumental space-jazz these gentlemen purvey has many antecedents and influences but perhaps it's best not to cite names and instead let the music speak for itself. This sound and approach comes as naturally to them as breathing, hence the album title which is also the title of the first single.

"Invite Your Eye" and "Even As You Smile" are the other two teasers set to follow right after the title track before the album as a whole arrives to provide a fuller picture of the magic these three sonic wizards have in store for you.

These Memories – Rare Soul Gems – Various Artists

Memories of the rare soul scene are manifold but this timeless collection goes right to the heart and soul of the scene and is perhaps best summed up by the emotive title track “These Memories” by Almeta Lattimore.

You really don’t need any other reason to buy this album, but how about Corey Blake’s collector’s-piece “How Can I Go On Without You”, which has evaded compilation for over twenty years. Equally rare is Billy Harner’s “I Got It From Heaven”, recorded and produced in 1976 by ‘Sound Gems’ label boss Frank Fioravanti. It was discovered, soon after release, by Richard Searling and covered-up as Bobby Hutton for exclusive plays on his Saturday/Sunday DJ sets at Wigan Casino. ‘Sound Gems’ also provides us with another dance floor anthem: “You’re My Main Squeeze” by Crystal Motion.

Side One ends with another Richard Searling cover-up courtesy of Motown’s country & western-tinged “Can’t Stop A Man In Love” by Reuben Howell (aka Sandy Linzer). Richard selected this very track to end his last ever All-Nighter DJ set at the Kings Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunday 22nd September 2019. What a record!

Side Two is no slouch either, kicking off with our title track, followed by the first ever independent release of Daybreak’s in-demand “I Need Love”. Eddie Owen (aka Eddie Billups) delivers his 1977 reinvention of the anthemic “Shake Off That Dream” while Tom Moulton works his magic on Love Committee’s “Tired Of Being Your Fool”. We end with our second visit to Motown for the wonderful – unreleased – “My Baby Moves Me” by Brenda Holloway. ~ www.firstexperiencerecords.com

Oan Kim | "Oan Kim & The Dirty Jazz"

Fusing together his different musical influences, Oan Kim takes us on a journey of stylistic exploration with his new album Oan Kim & The Dirty Jazz. The former Film Noir and Chinese Army members’ new direction is  jazzier and more experimental, whilst nodding to his past so far in contemporary classical music and electro rock. Oan explains ‘ It was a deliberate decision to give the jazz saxophone a front position on what would otherwise be an indie music album’.

Writing, recording and producing the record in his home studio in Paris, the multifaceted musician and filmmaker’s DIY approach allowed the tracks to evolve freely ‘without ever knowing where they would take me, operating almost in a vacuum of space and time gave me a lot of freedom’.

‘Pop music will never have that miraculous improvised flair of a good jazz solo, while jazz rarely has the enthralling efficacy of pop music. But who said music had to be as polarized as politics? So I wanted to bring together the best of both worlds.’

From the memorable motifs of ‘Agony’ to the atmospheric noisy sound beds heard in ‘Smoking Gun’, and free flowing jazz saxophone of ‘Quintet’,  Oan’s music feels assured yet honest,  imaginative, boldly creative and daring. Also contributing to the album are acclaimed French jazz musicians Edward Perraud, featuring on "The Judge" and "Wong Kar Why," and Nicolas Folmer playing trumpet on "Quintet," "Symphony for The Lost At Sea," and "Fuzzy Landscape."

Throughout the album, Kim takes influence from a range of artists including but not limited to Kurt Vile, Stravinsky, and James Holden, whilst taking note from classic jazz artists such as Miles Davis. On his style, Kim explains he puts himself ‘somewhere between Pharoah Sanders and Radiohead’.

Such influences can be heard throughout the album, with an array of different sounds and styles established. ‘Agony’, inspired by Cold War Kids, features a catchy ostinato with the piano neatly interplaying throughout. Further along the album tracks such as Thelonious are more atmospheric, with intricate details and noises, and an emotive ambience with delicate vocals to match. The track, titled referring to his son's second name (a homage to the great Thelonious Monk) is described by Kim as ‘like a lullaby’. 

Having also worked as a photographer and filmmaker, receiving awards such as Swiss Life 4 Hands Award, Silver Horn of the Krakow Film Festival, Emerging Documentary Filmmaker at DMZ festival and more, Kim also takes inspiration from films throughout the album. Reflecting on his writing process, he explains ‘Hitchcock used to say: once you're finished with the screenplay you can write the dialogues. I feel the same way about songwriting. Themes of each song come out of the music itself towards the end of the song writing process’.

With a visually driven imagination, film references to Wong Kar Wai, Fight Club, and Naked Lunch emerge on the album. The first two singles from the project Wong Kar Why and Mambo also followed with music videos directed and filmed by himself. The video for Wong Kar Why? A documentary short described as a chronicle of a romance, features candid shots of his wife Katherine that have been taken between 2016 to 2021 in various locations including Paris, Seoul, New York and Marseille, described by Kim as a ‘video of a portrait of the person I met and fell in love with over the years’. 

A melting pot of sounds and influences, Oan Kim & The Dirty Jazz is sure to set Oan Kim as one of the most exciting talents to emerge on the jazz scene. 

Cultural cousins Haiti and New Orleans are reunited on Lakou Mizik’s latest album HaitiaNola

With the recent announcement that Lakou Mizki will be appearing at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz Fest, we thought we would feature the most recent album, HaitaNola,(released in 2019)

Cultural cousins Haiti and New Orleans are reunited on Lakou Mizik’s latest album HaitiaNola Guests include Trombone Shorty, Tank from Tank & The Bangas, Win Butler & Régine Chassagne of Arcade Fire, Jon Cleary, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Cyril Neville, Leyla McCalla, The Soul Rebels, Lost Bayou Ramblers, 79rs Gang, Raja Kassis (Antibalas), and Anders Osborne, and other veterans of the New Orleans music scene. HaitiaNola was recorded in Haiti and New Orleans. 

HaitiaNola is a once-in-a-lifetime album that brings together Haitian roots revival collective Lakou Mizik and an incredible line-up of guest artists from the New Orleans music scene. The project was inspired by the historical, cultural and spiritual connections between the people and music of New Orleans and Haiti. Mardi Gras and Kanaval traditions mix together like long-lost family members throughout the 14-track album, which was the result of a series of recording sessions in the Big Easy and Haiti. Presided over by GRAMMY-winning New Orleans producer Eric Heigle (Lost Bayou Ramblers, Arcade Fire, The Soul Rebels), guest artists on HaitiaNola include Trombone Shorty, Tank from Tank & The Bangas, Win Butler & Régine Chassagne of Arcade Fire, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Cyril Neville, Jon Cleary, Leyla McCalla, The Soul Rebels, Lost Bayou Ramblers, 79rs Gang, Raja Kassis (Antibalas), and Anders Osborne, among others. These unique collaborations helped shape the album’s gritty, funk-fueled energy - sometimes mystical and always carefree.

Born out of the tragedy of the 2010 earthquake, the members of Lakou Mizik first came together with the goal of promoting positive connections to Haiti through music and culture at a time when international media was filled with negative stories and imagery from the country. They furthered their mission with a celebrated 2016 debut album, Wa Di Yo, and multiple international tours.

The seed for HaitiaNola (Haiti & NOLA & Hispaniola = HaitiaNola) was planted in 2017 when the band was invited to play the legendary New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. It was an eye-opening pilgrimage to the mythical music city and the band members immediately felt a connection. The music, the food, the architecture all reminded them of home.

For those familiar with the history of Haiti and New Orleans, this makes a lot of sense. The Caribbean country and the Crescent City have deep historical connections. In 1791, Haitian slaves began rising up against their French masters and earned their freedom in 1804 after years of bloody rebellion. Thousands of refugees consisting of French colonists, freed people of color and slaves fled the turmoil of the revolution and ended up in the nearest French territory: New Orleans. This influx doubled the city’s population and forever changed its ethnic and cultural identity. To this day, Haitian influences can be felt from the rhythms of the Mardi Gras parades to the swampy grooves of funk.

A year later Lakou Mizik was invited back to Jazz Fest for the second time (a rare honor) but this time the focus was on the album and musical collaborations. New Orleans producer Eric Heigle, fresh off a GRAMMY win with his band Lost Bayou Ramblers and a role in the production of indie rock supergroup Arcade Fire’s latest album, signed on to produce the project. Barebones tracks were written prior to the recording sessions and Heigle would become an essential contributor, artistic director and manager of the occasionally chaotic creative process. Even though he had to pick up some Haitian Kreyòl along the way, music provided a common language.

Arcade Fire’s Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, who offered to let the band use their private recording studio in New Orleans and who participated in the recording, are longtime advocates of Haitian culture. Régine is the daughter of Haitian immigrants and Win and Régine, along with Preservation Hall Jazz Band director Ben Jaffe, co-founded the Krewe du Kanaval, a Mardis Gras krewe that celebrates the shared connections between Haiti and New Orleans. “Wherever I go in New Orleans I feel Haiti,” says Chassagne. “The music I hear, the food I taste, the colors, the movement, the spirit of the city.” Jaffe also gave Lakou Mizik additional time at the Preservation Hall’s private recording studio. According to Jaffe, ““There would be no New Orleans music without Haiti. It’s been one of the most important influences on New Orleans going back 200 years.”

Even amidst the bustle of Jazz Fest, many in the New Orleans music community embraced the project and graciously made time in their hectic schedules to come jam with Lakou Mizik. The legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band added their timeless touch; master pianist Jon Cleary tickled New Orleans-style riffs over the band’s Haitian Vodou prayers; Lost Bayou Ramblers added heavy Cajun grit; Haitian-American singer songwriter Leyla McCalla brought spine-tingling cello playing; guitar maestro Raja Kassis (Antibalas) sprinkled his six-string magic all over the tracks; and The Soul Rebels brass band blew the roof off the studio.

Soon after the NOLA sessions, Eric Heigle and Jon Cleary traveled to Haiti to record with Lakou Mizik at the Artists Institute in Jacmel. Over the next few months additional sessions allowed for more guests to jump in. Iconic figures Cyril Neville, Trombone Shorty and Anders Osborne, rising star Tarriona “Tank” Ball (Tank and the Bangas), NOLA institution King James (from the Special Men), even Win & Régine from Arcade Fire helped create the unique, culture-melding sound of this album.

The result of this collaborative gumbo is the album HaitiaNola, a sweaty celebration that manages to connect not only the rhythms and sounds of the two places but also the gritty energy, the unmistakable mysticism and the carefree Mardi Gras incantation of laissez les bon temps roulez (let the good times roll) that persists in both countries.

In Haitian Kreyòl the word lakou carries multiple meanings. It can mean the backyard, a gathering place where people come to sing and dance, to debate or share a meal. It also means “home” or “where you are from,” which in Haiti is a place filled by the ancestral spirits of all the others that were born there. With HaitiaNola, Lakou Mizik expands their lakou, to take in their cultural cousins and actual descendants in New Orleans. With music to lift them up, these two places have pushed through unimaginable tragedy in recent years. HaitiaNola celebrates this defiantly joyous spirit and the rhythmic roots that have connected them for more than two centuries.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival | 2022 Full Line Up

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell is scheduled for April 29 – May 8.

Artists scheduled to appear at the 2022 Jazz Fest include:

The Who, Stevie Nicks, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Buffett and The Coral Reefer Band, Luke Combs, Lionel Richie, The Black Crowes, Willie Nelson & Family, Erykah Badu, The Avett Brothers, Norah Jones, Lauren Daigle, Ludacris, Billy Strings, Nelly, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Death Cab for Cutie, Ziggy Marley: Songs of Bob Marley, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, The Revivalists, Lukas Nelson & POTR, Randy Newman, Melissa Etheridge, Boz Scaggs, Kool & the Gang, Third World, CeeLo Green As…”Soul Brotha #100” (A James Brown Tribute), Irma Thomas, Big Freedia, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Tank and The Bangas, PJ Morton, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Buddy Guy, José Feliciano, Chris Isaak, Rickie Lee Jones, Ricky Skaggs, Asleep at the Wheel, David Sanborn, Playing for Change Band, Bettye LaVette, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Samantha Fish, Cyril Neville, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, The Radiators, Galactic featuring Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph, Kermit Ruffins and The BBQ Swingers, Shovels & Rope, Rory Block, George Porter Jr. & Runnin' Pardners, Tribute to Art and Charles Neville with the funky Meters and Ivan Neville & The Neville Brothers Band featuring Cyril Neville, Terence Blanchard featuring The E-Collective & Turtle Island Quartet, Leo Nocentelli: Another Side, Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes, Tribute to Dr. John, The War and Treaty, The Soul Rebels, Doug Kershaw, The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & The Golden Eagles, Rebirth Brass Band, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Martha Redbone Roots Project, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band's Tribute to Dave Bartholomew, Leyla McCalla, Boyfriend, Walter Wolfman Washington & the Roadmasters, Hurray for Riff Raff, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, Mia X, Cimafunk (of Cuba), Nicholas Payton, Bombino (of Niger), The Campbell Brothers, The Newport All-Stars Celebrate George Wein, Arturo Sandoval, Seratones, Ranky Tanky, Hot 8 Brass Band, John Boutté, Dottie Peoples, Las Cafeteras, Lost Bayou Ramblers, The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra's Tribute to Allen Toussaint, Cha Wa, Chris Thomas King, New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Lena Prima, Royal Teeth, Ronnie LaMarque, Sweet Crude, David Shaw, Original Pinettes Brass Band, Kenny Neal, Lakou Mizik (of Haiti,) Tuba Skinny, Tribute to Bessie Smith, Jimmy Hall, Northside Skull & Bone Gang, Kathy Taylor, Tribute to Lil Buck Sinegal, Le'Andria Johnson, Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers, Dr. Michael White & the Original Liberty Jazz Band with Thais Clark and Maynard Chatters, Original New Orleans Lady Buckjumpers SA&PC, Trumpet Mafia, Charlie Gabriel and Friends, William Prince, Antonio Sanchez and Bad Hombre, Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz Serenaders, Wendell Brunious All Stars, Dumaine Street Gang and Family Ties SA&PCs, 79rs Gang Music Group, Sisters of Unity and Devastation SA&PCs, Wild Red Flame and Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, plus hundreds more artists scheduled to appear.

Music Releases: Spontaneous Groovin' Combustion, Tom Sochas, Kirk Lightsey, John William, Flautist

Spontaneous Groovin' Combustion - All's Well

In early 2021, Spontaneous Groovin’ Combustion – the intensely funky ensemble led by veteran composer, producer, and saxophonist Warren A. Keller, released their self-titled debut album featuring four previously released hit singles. The first offering from their second album is the supremely uplifting, joyful jam, “All’s Well” – produced by fellow genre hitmaker Blake Aaron, which delivers exactly the hopeful message that our weary ears need to hear. While it’s a total group effort featuring Keller’s always emotional, punch-filled sax playing, and the lively drumming of Tony Moore – the spirited track is a dynamic showcase for guest bassist Brendan Rothwell, who carries the high-octane melodic flow, before engaging in some colorful conversation with Keller, leaving us with the feeling that all is indeed well! ~ www.smoothjazz.com

Tom Sochas - Prologue

Building on the success of a solo EP released in early 2021, Franco-American jazz pianist Tom Sochas, previously known for his work with London staple Phoenician Blinds, is back with his debut album 'The Sorcerer', on Khumbu Records. The album, set to be released on April 15th 2022 introduces Tom’s new trio with greek bassist Thodoris Ziarkas and british drummer Olly Sarkar. The record is very much an ode to story telling, to ancient myths and tales, something we tend to return to when in need of guidance. Though rooted in age-old folklore, ‘The Sorcerer’ presents itself as a present-day reimagining of a classic character. In a world of much uncertainty it takes no effort to envisage the various reasons why humanity must be held accountable. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that the wall between folkoric sorcery and our palpable predicament is in fact a rather transparent veil. ‘Prologue’ is the first single taken from the album. “This track to me was all about setting the scene before the story starts.” says Tom. “We enter a very bi-polar world where a seemingly peaceful melody quickly gives way to an increasingly angry and scattered motif. Though it does resolve musically in the end, it still leaves an open question as to how this tension / theme will unfold throughout the record. This is the exposition, the moment in which the Sorcerer comes to life.”

Kirk Lightsey - Coltrane Revisited @ Bird's Eye

The music of John Coltrane, but served up here with a very different voice – that of tenorist Gabor Bolla, whose captured here at an early point in his career, with a sound that's more than bold enough for the material – but also very much all his own! Kirk Lightsey leads the group, and works with a sense of majesty that seems greater than we've heard in years – and Bolla rises strongly to the challenge of these Coltrane classics, alongside bassist Milan Nikolic and drummer Bernd Reiter! Lightsey also contributes one of his own tunes – the great "Habiba", known from an earlier South African recording – a cut that, along with the playing, helps the set sound very different than a simple rehash of Coltrane modes. Other titles include "Like Sonny", "Soultrane", and "Pursuance". ~ Dusty Groove.

John William, Flautist - Tomorrow's Yesterday

Tomorrow's Yesterday, the cleverly, philosophically titled second album by veteran Atlanta-based flautist and performer John William, is an exquisite, surprise filled journey that finds the artist and his crew of well-known musicians – including its producer DJ Burn One - impactfully fusing atmospheric tranquility, spirited jazz melodies and harmonies as well as hip, edgy neo-soul and rap/hip-hop energy. Though William’s stated aim is to create a “body of work that represents peace, calm and tranquility” via his flute virtuosity, his seductive grooves are plentiful, whether he’s musing about the fall season, driving fast and slow through his hometown, seducing with a hypnotic jazz lounge flow, evoking mystery or vibrantly blending funk and laid-back vibes. It’s the perfect soundtrack to chill for real! ~ www.smoothjazz.com