Alex Norris | "Fleet From The Heat"



Trumpeter, composer, bandleader, and educator Alex Pope Norris is one of these artists. However, the cognoscenti has long been fully aware of Norris’ prodigiousness, and it is high time the world got hip to an artist who has conquered the unwieldiness of the trumpet and brought forth music worthy of our attention in the process. Norris is a true melodicist, and an improvisor who eats up chord changes in a Freddie-like and Lee-like fashion. His solos have an easy elegance that belies their rigorous architecture. His technique doesn’t call attention to itself; instead of flashy showboating, his craftsmanship allows the busiest passages to develop without advertising the dexterity they require. All that, plus a lambent, radiant tone, makes him an exceptionally lyrical but no less fiery improviser. 

Alex Pope Norris, who has appeared on close to 90 recordings as a sideman (many of them on Steeplechase), now celebrates the ten-plus year anniversary of his Quintet, with Fleet From The Heat, his debut on Steeplechase Records, and his third recording as a leader. The album is comprised of a combination of old and new material, much of it workshopped and performed at Smalls in NYC since 2008. The members of the band, Norris’ “go-to Quintet,” tenor saxophonist Ari Ambrose, pianist Jeremy Manasia, bassist Paul Gill and drummer Brian Floody, are all veteran New York City jazz musicians. “We’ve known each other in various contexts for more than 25 years,” Norris states proudly, and you can hear their history in how the musicians breathe and connect; the way that one solo dovetails with the next; and the seamlessness of the rhythm section, which provides a supportive springboard for dazzling improvisations. 

If these virtues recall the classic bands of Horace Silver and Art Blakey, and recordings by Freddie Hubbard and Wayne Shorter, mission accomplished. Norris worships that sound, and capturing the spirit of those bands was a goal for Fleet From The Heat. Norris explains, “most of my career in jazz has been as a sideman. I have played in many of the top big bands, countless small group projects ranging from the traditional to the highly complex and experimental, covering a wide range of styles, and have been deeply involved with a plethora of Latin Jazz projects over the years. With this Steeplechase release, I’m trying to represent a side of my playing and writing that draws on my love for swinging, straight-ahead Jazz, with an old spirit for an ever-changing world.” 

The opportunity for Norris to record his Quintet came directly from Nils Winther, owner of Steeplechase. “He knew my playing through my sideman appearances on other Steeplechase sessions by George Colligan, Ari Ambrose (who appears on this recording), and saxophonist Gregory Tardy. In fact, it was Tardy who recommended to Nils that he record me as a leader for Steeplechase,” explains Norris. 

Fleet From the Heat – Norris composed the title track in 2008 upon his return to New York City after living in Miami, Florida for four years. “I look at this tune as a reclaiming of New York City as my home, physically and artistically.” 

No Fair, It’s Mine – A jazz waltz composed circa 2013, on the piano while visiting his father in the D.C. suburbs. “I was hearing some kids play ball outside, and one of them exclaimed, ‘No Fair, It’s Mine,’ which seemed like a good title to me. 

Tracks 3-6 (“What Normal,” “Quarandemic,” “Ballad For 2020,” & “Dude, Where’s My Deli”) comprise a suite that Norris calls, “The Famous Original Pandemic Suite.” It’s a tongue-in-cheek title, as many musicians and artists created works during the COVID lockdown of 2020 with references to COVID (such as, “The Pandemic Suite,” “The COVID Suite,” “The Pandemic Symphony,” “The Lockdown Opera,” etc . . .). “I was thinking about how in New York there are (or were) many pizza shops all over Manhattan claiming to be the “Famous Original Ray’s Pizza,” or same variation. I never knew which Famous Original Ray’s was the original! So, I decided to title this suite of new tunes the “Famous Original Pandemic Suite,” knowing full well that it’s not the first . . . that’s how it is tongue-in- cheek!” In naming the suite as he did, Norris affectionately tweaks this minor absurdity of New York life – a small detail that helps solidify Fleet From the Heat as an unsentimental love letter to New York City, in rough times as well as good. 

What Normal? – Norris’ reaction to the plethora of news bearing the advice or instruction about how we all have to get used to this “new normal.” “I thought to myself . . . we’re Jazz musicians, we have no normal. What Normal?!?! 

Quarandemic – A portmanteau combining quarantine and pandemic. “I have the rhythm section repetitive ostinatos representing the sameness and repetitiveness of life during lockdown times, with a floating melody overtop representing the search and desire for change in the monotony.” 

Ballad for 2020 – 2020 was a devastating year for people around the world; from the loss of lives to the upheaval of our ways of life, sources of income, and being closed off from friends and family. “I’ve never written a ballad before, so I felt this was a good opportunity to challenge myself, artistically, to write a piece of music in dedication to everything we all went through.” 

Dude, Where’s My Deli? – “I had a deli across the street from my apartment. It was overpriced and funky, and it was open 24 hours, always there when you needed it! Like so many businesses in my neighborhood, it closed during the pandemic. This song, a boogaloo (a groove that I’m a fan of) is an homage to the little spots in NYC we loved that left us during the pandemic. 

Holiday Blues – Norris composed this during the Winter of 2008, close to Christmas, and it serves as an ad-hoc homage to Norris’ Seasonal Affective Disorder. Simultaneously, it’s a simpler tune from Norris that’s obviously fun to play. 

Night Bus – “This tune was written in the 1990’s. I came up with the opening three-note motive while riding on a bus at night. The next day, when I was able to get near a piano, I was able to develop the rest of the tune with a productive flow that I haven’t been able to replicate yet.” 

The Untamed Land – Norris created this theme while touring the Midwest. “The theme sort of overlaps itself, which reminds me of the rolling fields of the Midwest that seem to overlap each other. I was also inspired by Jackie McLean’s writing on this one.” 

Grapple With A Snapple – As most people who know jazz can guess, it’s a line composed over the changes to “Scrapple From the Apple” (Norris hates the word “contrafact”).

Le Coq Records Presents The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2

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, 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 “Freddie’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.

Anat Cohen & Marcello Gonçalves | "Reconvexo"

Brazilian 7-string guitarist Marcello Gonçalves and New York-based, clarinetist , turn their attention to the deep well of music from the Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) songbook.

Artists around the world responded to the forced isolation brought about by the 2020 pandemic in various ways. In Brazil, superstars such as Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento and Gilberto Gil (who, amazingly, will all be celebrating their 80th birthday in 2022) shared performances from their homes, performing their hit songs for their fans. Performing in this new format, for people in need of healing and comfort that music can provide, further strengthened the already deep impact these melodies and lyrics had on Brazilian culture. 

Among those fans were Anat Cohen and Marcello Gonçalves, quarantined in Rio. As Marcello puts it: “I've been dreaming of Anat singing those words through her clarinet, imagining how her unique way of interpreting melodies would powerfully convey the message of the lyrics to anyone familiar with them, even when played instrumentally.” When listening to these quarantine-era performances, “each one of these concerts reminded me of songs that I could play with Anat, so this project made even more sense to be done at this moment.” 

Against the backdrop of a country and a world turning inward, distilling the importance of music in the lives of so many, the duo set out to record an album inspired by the beauty of Brazil, and the spirit of its people. The result is at once intimate and virtuosic, mournful and hopeful, soaked with the feeling expressed uniquely in the Portuguese language as saudade – bittersweet, at once deeply happy and sad, and full of emotion. 

The songs chosen for  come from Brazil’s greatest composers and song-smiths, including the aforementioned Veloso, Nascimento and Gil, and also from Dorival Caymmi, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, as well as Venezuelan Heraclio Hernandez, and closing out the album, “Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer” by Stevie Wonder.  

Reconvexo (Caetano Veloso) – Caetano was in Rome and saw cars full of dust. He was impressed when learning that it was the Saharan dust, and later came up with this phrase that starts the song: “I am the rain that casts the Saharan dust on Rome's cars / Eu sou a chuva que lança a areia do Saara sobre os automóveis de Roma.” Caetano was born in Recôncavo Baiano, a Region in the State of Bahia. Salvador, the capital of Bahia, is known as The Black Rome. It’s the city with the most African descendants outside of Africa. If Rome is the capital of Catholic Church, Salvador is the capital of Afro-Brazilian religions. This song is a samba de roda, a musical genre born in the Afro-Brazilian culture of Bahia. Samba de roda is kind of the opposite of Bossa Nova. While Bossa Nova simplified the rhythm of samba and enriched the harmony, samba de roda has a simple harmony but a complex rhythm. In our duo version, the syncopation is challenging since there is no percussion to hold down the rhythmic pulse. 

Ânima (Zé Renato/Milton Nascimento) – Zé Renato composed the melody of this song and sent it to Chico Buarque to write the lyrics. However, on a visit to Nascimento’s house, he played this melody and the rest is history. With Chico’s approval, Nascimento ended up writing the lyrics and it became one of his hits. In Jung’s philosophy, Anima is the feminine part of a man, and symbolizes virtues as sensibility, inspiration and creativity. This song talks about a man that, on a quest, after traveling and experiencing many things, realizes that, the “soul goes beyond everything our world dares to perceive, or, Alma vai além de tudo que o nosso mundo ousa perceber.” Not being able to travel, the year of 2020 offered a moment to focus on our own souls. In the pianissimo parts of our version, Anat is singing Alma with her clarinet. Alma means Soul. 

O que é que a baiana tem? (Dorival Caymmi) – This song talks about the beauty of the woman from Bahia, the Baiana, and asks repeatedly, “What does a baiana have?” Caymmi described a whole new world in Bahia that the rest of Brazil didn’t know. Caymmi, one of the fathers of Brazilian music, crafted this tune which became a hit for Carmen Miranda. Considered one of the best singers from Brazil, Miranda was actually born in Portugal. Born outside of Brazil as well, Anat sings it through her clarinet with a perfect Brazilian accent! 

Andar com Fé (Gilberto Gil) – Andar com Fé means to walk with Faith. The lyrics say that faith is everywhere: in a woman, in a coral snake, in a piece of bread. It also says that even for those who have no faith, it often walks with them, just in case . . .

In the middle of the uncertain time of the 2020 quarantine period, these words became extra meaningful. On Gilberto Gil’s 78 birthday, a video clip of this song was released, showing various artists singing from their homes, wishing Gil a happy birthday and reminding all of us to walk with faith. We couldn’t help but sing the lyrics, so this is our short vocal debut! 

Maria Maria (Milton Nascimento/Fernando Brant) – At Nascimento’s concerts, “Maria Maria” is always a moment of a collective catharsis, with the whole audience singing together. I wanted to invite Anat to this ritual, not only letting her sing the beautiful melody with her clarinet but also to open a free part in the middle of the song for her to improvise inspired by this energy. During the recording, inspired by this powerful melody, magic happened in the free part so we left with the first and only take we did. Brazilian singer Elis Regina used to say that if God sang, it would be with Milton’s voice. I think God borrowed Anat’s clarinet for a moment. 

Correnteza (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Luiz Bonfá) – On our recording sessions we usually record our parts as we would be playing them in a performance – playing our instruments, one clarinet and one 7-string guitar simultaneously. On this version of Correnteza we had fun adding a few layers of clarinet and bass clarinet inspired by Jobim’s version. We aimed to keep it simple and beautiful, as love could be, as expressed in the phrase of the lyrics that says, “I fell asleep smiling, dreaming of our love”. 

Paula e Bebeto (Milton Nascimento/Caetano Veloso) – Nascimento composed this melody to a couple named Paula and Bebeto, when he learned they were breaking up. He believed they would be together forever. After he spoke with Caetano Veloso about Paula & Bebeto, Veloso wrote the lyrics. One phrase of the lyrics expanded the subject of the couple and transformed the song into a hymn of free love: “Any form of love is worth loving / Qualquer maneira de amor vale amar”. 

El Diablo Suelto (Heraclio Hernandez) – The first time Anat came to Rio was in the year 2000. It was an optimistic period in Brazil, when many were rediscovering their own culture. Those days there was a small bar in Rio de Janeiro’s Lapa, called Bar Semente, where young musicians, Brazilians and non-Brazilians, used to gather and play Choro, Samba, Forró and other Brazilian genres. Soon after, the Latin community in Rio joined in and a Latin night was added to Semente’s calendar. Semente vivid energy and exciting cultural exchanges were influential for everyone who attended. In 2020 we streamed a concert for an online festival celebrating Bar Semente and we played this Venezuelan waltz titled, ‘El Diablo Suelto’ (the devil on the loose), remembering those Latin nights and the era of Semente. We enjoyed playing it and relished the memories it brought to light and decided to include the concert version on Reconvexo. 

Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer (Stevie Wonder/Syreeta Wright) – The year of 2020 showed how important it is to have music in our lives and how the same song can have different meanings at different times. This album includes songs that accompanied us during this year, and this song gained a different meaning when we listened to it in 2020. Stevie Wonder appears last on the video clip of “Andar com Fé,” celebrating Gilberto Gil’s 78 birthday. We love Stevie and this connection inspired us to end our album with one of his songs. 

The Greyboy Allstars | "Get a Job: Music from the Original Broadcast Series Soul Dream"

The Greyboy Allstars have announced the April 1st release of Get a Job: Music from the Original Broadcast Series Soul Dream—the sixth studio recording to date by the quintet comprised by Karl Denson (saxophone, flute), Elgin Park (guitars), Aaron Redfield (drums), Chris Stillwell (bass) and Robert Walter (keys). To be issued via the band's own imprint, Knowledge Room Recordings, the album was captured live in the studio during The Greyboy Allstars' 2021 Soul Dream live-stream series on Nugs.net. The set notches up the band's own jazz-funk and boogaloo narrative by spotlighting ten unique, never-before-released covers that have become an integral part of their famed live performances for nearly three decades, including songs by Gil Scott-Heron, Gene Ammons and Burt Bacharach. The first single and its accompanying video, "I've Got Reasons," (listen/watch/share), a rendition of the rare-groove, deep-cut originally recorded by Mary Jane Hooper, is out today. Additionally, a 21-date "Get A Job" tour in support of the collection beginning this March has been announced. Six of the shows are on-sale now, while the remaining 15 dates go on-sale this Friday, February 4 at greyboyallstars.com

"We keep a running master list of around 70 tunes. From those I picked a mixture of tried-and-true live staples and songs that weren't always in common rotation," says band keyboardist Robert Walter of the Get a Job set. "Usually, for gigs I propose a list and then the other members edit and tweak it. For the taping, we wanted each episode to have a theme: two of them focused on originals and the other two were covers: live favorites, and music that came out on Prestige Records. The tunes on this release are the best of the covers."

"The covers come from the tradition of the artists we love and how they would grab the pop tunes of the day, most likely to broaden their listening base. George Benson, Grant Green, and Kenny Burrell all did Beatles and Bacharach tunes," continues band guitarist Elgin Park, of GBA's tapping of the tradition of savvy jazz legends exploring the then-expanding "fake book" of mid-20th-century pop songs. "Also, everyone is coming with different levels of seriousness to the music at different times."

The resulting album finds The Greyboy Allstars in full flight, in performances both raucous and reverent to the formative music that shaped them, while adding their own funky imprint to each song's arrangement and legacy. There is a generosity of spirit that runs through Get a Job. The band's decision to take the tragedy of Covid-19 lockdown and open their studio space for a kind of digital communion with their fans is evident throughout. Yet even in the delivery of these covers, both classic and obscure, there is an ease of playing that gives service to the song, rare in a band of such heavyweight soloists.

"The more we play together, the more I enjoy listening to the other guys," concludes Park. "It seems like a simple idea but finding a place in the mix is what’s important: not the solo. Weave a thread inside the fabric."

The Greyboy Allstars

"Get A Job" U.S. Spring Tour

3/9 - Asheville, NC - Salvage Station

3/10 - Charleston, SC - The Pour House

3/11 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

3/12 - St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheatre

3/30 - St. Louis, MO - The Big Top

3/31 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall

4/1 - Chicago, IL - Park West

4/2 - Covington, KY - Madison Theater

4/3 - Columbus, OH - Woodlands Tavern

4/5 - Pembroke, MA - Soundcheck Studios

4/6 - Woodstock, NY - Bearsville Theater

4/7 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl

4/8 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl

4/9 - Philadelphia, PA - Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia

4/10 - Washington, DC - The Hamilton

4/15 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino

4/16 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino

4/21 - Venice, CA - Venice West

4/22 - Denver, CO - Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom

4/23 - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater

4/30 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina’s

361 Valley View, Kingston, New York 12401, United States

Mathias Eick | "When We Leave"

Mathias Eick is among the most immediately recognizable soloists to have emerged from the Norwegian jazz scene, and his wistful trumpet sound and strongly melodic compositions have met with a positive response around the world. When his ECM leader debut The Door was issued in 2008, US magazine Jazz Times described the trumpeter's tone as "plaintive and spare," while emphasizing that, "like all good bandleaders, his focus is on the interaction of his musicians. The contrast of his restraint and the energy around him constitutes the album's driving tension."

Over the years, Eick has focused and strengthened his approach on both fronts, as soloist and ensemble leader, with concepts for the band adjusted to meet the needs of each project, as well as what The Guardian has described as "a cinematic interest in musical storytelling."

Skala (recorded 2009 and 2010), for instance, introduced the two-drummer format, latterly a hallmark of much of Eick's work. Midwest (2014), a meditation on the voyage of Norwegian music to North America, brought violin into the ensemble sound along with colours and textures from folk music. Ravensburg (2017) turned the spotlight on Eick's own biography, looking, with affection, at his Norwegian and South German family roots. The full group heard on Ravensburg returns for When we leave, augmented by Stian Carstensen's pedal steel guitar – last heard in an Eick context on The Door - and the saga continues.

Mathias Eick sees When we leave as "a natural continuation of Ravensburg, almost a Ravensburg 2. More of everything." Where its predecessor drew portraits of friends and family and sketched some personal interactions, the new album follows its protagonists through a troubled year. A sense of narrative could be drawn from the interplay of titles and musical atmosphere: "The songs and titles on When we leave play upon each other, draw inspiration from each other."

Meanwhile the Eick band continues to grow in confidence and range. Violinist Håkon Aase, increasingly recognized as one of the outstanding improvisers of his generation (his ECM credits also include two albums with Thomas Strønen's Time Is A Blind Guide ensemble), augments the bandleader's solos with lines that draw upon folk traditions as well as jazz. There is mystery, too, in the way that the violin leans into the delicate swell of Stian Carstensen's pedal steel. Eick: "Stian's carpet of harmonies adds a feeling of depth - and the combination with the violin creates a special sound. I'm always searching for sounds that are unique and stand out of time."

Powerful drummer Torstein Lofthus has played in contexts from pop to free jazz (including sessions with US saxophonist Sonny Simmons) and is known also for his contributions to exploratory rock group Elephant9. When Ravensburg was released, Eick explained his decision to add a second drummer: "I wasn't trying to make the drumming bigger but rather more three-dimensional. What's going on in the area of rhythm is very much like what's happening between Håkon and myself, where a similar idea of shadowing and call and response is taking place." Co-drummer Helge Andreas Norbakken digs into the textures of the music, creatively detailing the rhythm and working freely with sound as he has on ECM recordings from the Jon Balke/Amina Alaoui project Siwan to the "percussion think-tank" Batagraf or Jon Hassell's Last Night The Moon…, as well as Mathias Eick's Midwest.

Andreas Ulvo, a pianist of lyrical gifts, draws inspiration from classical music, in his own projects juxtaposing Satie and Rodrigo with free playing, and working across a broad range of idioms. Latterly he has been collaborating with Swiss harpist Giovana Pessi in a new project: an ECM release is in preparation. In parallel with his musical activities he is also a photographer, and has contributed images to albums by Dans les arbres and Giovanna Pessi/Susanna Wallumrød, among others.

Bassist Audun Erlien's particular groove, informed by years of playing soul and funk music, has been part of the Eick band sound since The Door. Erlien can also be heard with Nils Petter Molvaer on Solid Ether.

Mathias Eick was born into a musical family in Norway in 1979 and took up the piano at the age of five, followed by trumpet a year later. A multi-instrumentalist, he also plays vibraphone, double bass, guitar and keyboards, although the trumpet was always "the instrument closest to my heart" as he once put it. He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the including the International Jazz Festival Organization's "International Jazz Talent" prize, the Statoil Scholarship and the DNB Prize.

When we leavewas recorded at Oslo's Rainbow Studio in August 2020. It was produced by Manfred Eicher. 

Anthony Coleman / Brian Chase | "Arcades"

Composer, improviser and pianist Anthony Coleman (John Zorn, Elliott Sharp, Marc Ribot, Shelley Hirsch, Roy Nathanson, and many others) and composer, improviser, independent record label owner and drummer Brian Chase (Drums and Drones, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Chaikin Records) announce Arcades, their inaugural recording. Impeccably recorded and mixed by Jeff Cook at 2nd Story Sound, NYC, produced by Coleman, Cook and Chase and mastered by Scott Hull with album artwork by Sarah Klein and David Kwan (www.sarahklein.com and www.davidkwan.net), Arcades captures two world-class improvisers at the pinnacle of their respective crafts providing a mind-bendingly deep and playfully eccentric offering of 21st century free-form experimentalism. 

For Coleman and Chase, two distinguished figures of the avant-garde, the path to Arcades was years in the making. Their journey goes back about two decades when Chase, the fledgling twenty-something drummer of Brooklyn, New York’s post-punk outfit Yeah Yeah Yeahs and a passionate devotee of NYC’s ‘Downtown’ music scene, discovered Coleman’s music.

Chase recalls having first been exposed to Coleman: “I came across Anthony in the early '00s when I was a recent Brooklyn resident. Anthony's reputation and visibility served as a precursor to hearing his music: I would see his name listed at the popular venues for this music at that time - Tonic and The Knitting Factory (on Leonard St.) - and in conjunction with all of the top players: John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Elliott Sharp, etc. His name was on pivotal albums like Zorn's The Big Gundown and Glenn Branca's first record, Lesson No. 1.” Chase continues: “The first time I heard Anthony’s music was actually on a WFMU live session in 2005. I loved his style as a performer and composer - a true mix of the intellectual and instinctual infused with a big dose of joy.” 

In characterizing the wildly ecstatic, freewheeling and deeply expressionistic sprawl that is Arcades, the same description of Chase’s initial draw to Coleman’s music similarly applies: Arcades, naturally, is also “a true mix of the intellectual and instinctual infused with a big dose of joy.” All of Coleman’s creative hallmarks - the remarkably original piano wizardry of which long ago affirmed his place in the upper echelons of the avant-garde jazz landscape - in tandem with the technical dexterity and musical supportiveness of Chase, is illuminated on the stunning Arcades, which was recorded pre-pandemic.

Clocking in at 47 minutes with five epic improvisations that either eclipse ten minutes or inch ever-close to that mark, the fittingly titled Arcades is just that: a kaleidoscopic and euphoric set from start to finish. The melodious and abstract constellations of Coleman ping-ponging apace with the distinctive drumming of Chase which, for drums as an instrument, features a heightened melodic sensibility and elaborate tonal palette.

Regarding the compositional frameworks behind the pieces of Arcades, Chase explains, “Some tracks are energetic and hinge on radical shifts of contrast – like in the lead track ‘Arcades’ - while others are more introspective and take time to explore the sonic color of specific resonances – like in ‘Crepuscule.’” He continues: “Having this breadth of complementary differences was important to us. In our playing together, improvisation is the primary method of composition: emphasis is placed on our dialogue of playing and the unfolding of the music itself as opposed to premeditated structures. The way we interact and respond is essential to the development of the music and hence functions as a key entry point of engagement for the listener. This process is ultimately subservient to the music itself for which we are its devoted shepherds.”

Listening to Arcades, it’s apparent these two luminaries were born to play with one another as evidenced by the intuitive bond that is conveyed on Arcades. They share a synergistic interplay that is ingrained in their DNA since they first connected spontaneously at a New Year’s Eve party way back in 2008 at Issue Project Room’s former Gowanus location. “I remember that we had an unexpectedly strong chemistry from that first impromptu meeting,” Chase recalls. “A few years later we played together in a somewhat similar scenario: this was at The Stone in 2012 for an improv night hosted by John Zorn. A large group of musicians were involved and also asked to play in spontaneously arranged combinations. Anthony and I ended up playing together in a trio with bassist James Ilgenfritz. Again, the chemistry was there. When we finished our set, we remarked how great it felt and Zorn suggested that we continue playing together. And, we did...” In the subsequent years, Coleman and Chase have furthered their psychic-level connection through a series of free-improv performances at various venues and spaces in New York City, ultimately arriving at Arcades. 

Even Coleman is in awe over their musical kinship, so much so that he tries not to dissect it. He just goes with whatever sonic flow the ride is taking them on. “From the first time we played together I have never understood how Brian manages to hit those overtones that exactly match and echo the chords and sonorities that I'm playing,” he says. “It’s uncanny and so inspiring. It's probably much better if I don't really understand it. But it's no secret that synergy is the essential quality of good duo improvising. And there are many kinds of synergy in this world. Some are more obvious than others. But without getting much deeper into the question I'm just going to say that it's this intricate sonic combination that creates something that’s way more than the sum of its parts. I'm not saying this is everything - but it's a lot!”

Moppa Elliott’s Mostly Other People Do the Killing Presents Disasters Vol. 1

Hot Cup Records is proud to present Disasters Vol. 1, the second release by the piano trio configuration of Mostly Other People Do the Killing. Disasters Vol. 1 features eight new compositions by bassist/composer Moppa Elliott written in the fall of 2019, just before the pandemic struck. Each composition on the album is named after a small town in Pennsylvania that experienced  disasters ranging from floods and fires to mining accidents. These disasters are cautionary tales, potent metaphors, and excellent examples of how people measure risk and reward.

Elliott’s compositions, as performed by the MOPDtK trio including pianist Ron Stabinsky and drummer Kevin Shea, are deliberately simple so that they can be spontaneously taken apart and reassembled, a hallmark of MOPDtK dating back to the band’s inception in 2003. The melodic material is often blues-based and firmly rooted in the Jazz tradition unlike much of the electronic orchestration, improvised transitions, and non sequiturs that frequently derail the written composition. The opening track “Three Mile Island,” for example, is a bugaloo, a form that serves as the lynchpin or opening number of so many classic jazz albums. Beginning with dense improvised material, the composition slowly takes shape around a bass line and harmonic progression before the recording concludes with the full statement of the theme.  

MOPDtK’s frequent collaborator, Leonardo Featherweight, has penned liner notes explaining the connection between each song’s title and the music it inspired. True to form, he often deliberately misses the point, yet accidentally reveals important points. While each piece was written with the town and its specific disaster in mind, also focused on disasters as metaphors for the conflicts we encounter every day as we navigate the joys and sorrows of our social, romantic, and familial obligations. Ultimately, the origins and inspiration behind each piece are less important than the recorded performance and interaction between the musicians in real time.

After the release of Paint, the first MOPDtK album in the piano trio format, Elliott recorded three albums of his compositions for three different ensembles. JazzBand/RockBand/DanceBand featured his straight-ahead jazz quintet Advancing on a Wild Pitch, his rock band Unspeakable Garbage (which performed at the Heineken Jazz Festival in San Sebastian, Spain), and his dance band Acceleration Due to Gravity featuring his long-time friends and collaborators Mike Pride and George Burton. The range of styles included on this album solidified Elliott’s reputation as one of the great composers working today.

Over the past sixteen years, MOPDtK, led by bassist/composer Moppa Elliott, has earned a place at the forefront of jazz and improvised music, performing in a style that is at once rooted in the jazz tradition and highly improvised and unstructured. Billed as a “Bebop Terrorist Band,” their music melds history and tradition with cutting-edge vibrancy and the underlying imperative that jazz is alive and well, and most of all, fun. Their initial albums explored the intersection between common practice hard bop compositions and free improvisation, incorporating a kaleidoscopic wealth of other influences from pop music to the classical European repertoire. In 2010, Elliott expanded the group’s framework and began exploring specific eras of jazz, resulting in 2011’s Slippery Rock (an investigation of smooth jazz and fusion styles) and 2012’s Red Hot (featuring an expanded lineup recalling the jazz and blues recordings of the late 1920s and early 1930s). 

2014 saw the release of Blue, a note-for-note recreation of Miles Davis’ classic album, Kind of Blue that evoked a wide range of strong responses from both the public and critics and will likely be a part of the discussion of the state of jazz in the 21st century for years to come. In 2015, the band returned to a quartet format for the album Mauch Chunk, which explored the hard bop styles common in the 1950s. Since the release of Mauch Chunk, all four members of the core quartet have released solo recordings including Moppa Elliott’s Still, Up In the Air, and pianist Ron Stabinsky’s Free For One, both on Hot Cup Records. In February 2017 MOPDtK the band released the septet album Loafer’s Hollow to wide critical acclaim.

Pianist Ron Stabinsky is a member of the legendary indie-rock band The Meat Puppets, Peter Evans’ Quartet and Quintet, Charles Evans Quartet (no relation), and in 2016 recorded his first solo album Free For One on Hot Cup Records.

Kevin Shea was named “Best Drummer in New York” by the Village Voice and regularly tours with the noise-rock-improv duo, Talibam! Talibam! was named the “Artists in Residence” at the Moers Festival in Moers, Germany for all of 2021 and have spent the year collaborating with a wide variety of artists from around the world.

Bassist Moppa Elliott teaches music at Information Technology High School in Long Island City, NY.  He also produces and releases albums on Hot Cup Records including his solo bass recording Still, Up in the Air and a three-album release entitled JazzBand/RockBand/DanceBand.

Jo Harrop announces 'The Heart Wants' Tour

Although she has built a reputation as an intuitive interpreter of other people’s songs, Jo Harrop would be the first to admit that she always lacked the confidence to reveal her own songs to the world. With no shows in her diary, she started working on what would eventually turn out to be her first album of original material with producers Hannah Vasanth (known for her work with everyone from Stormzy to JP Cooper) and Jamie McCredie alongside a guest list of world-class musicians including Christian McBride, Jason Rebello and Troy Miller.

“We wrote and recorded the songs for The Heart Wants before we had a chance for people to hear them live, which is the ultimate litmus test,” Harrop explains. “Songs don’t really come alive until you play them to an audience, so I’m incredibly excited to finally be able to bring them to life on stage for the first time. Music has always had the power to transport me and to move me deep inside, and I want to create the same emotional connection with people who hear my songs.”

“An extraordinary talent” – Jo Whiley – BBC Radio 2

Born in Durham, and raised on a heady musical diet of Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin, Jo Harrop cut her teeth as a session singer, working with a host of iconic artists including Neil Diamond, Rod Stewart, Enrique Iglesias and Gloria Gaynor. After moving to London, she quickly established herself as one of the most unmistakable voices in British jazz, performing everywhere from the Royal Albert Hall to the Sunset Sunside Jazz Club in Paris.

‘A rare mix of delicacy and boldness. Sheer perfection.’ Dave Gelly – The Guardian

Having signed to London-based jazz label, Lateralize Records, she recently received a raft of rapturous reviews for Weathering The Storm, her debut with guitarist, Jamie McCredie. The Guardian dubbed it ‘a little gem of an album: simple, modest and perfect,’ whilst BBC 6 Music’s Iggy Pop fell in love with her voice, calling her “a very fine jazz singer.”

The Heart Wants 2022 Tour Dates

12th February – Hampstead Jazz Club, London

19th February – The Bear Club, Luton

25th April – Ronnie Scott’s, London

12th May – Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle

14th May – Hexham Jazz Festival, Hexham

17th May – Hare and Hounds, Birmingham

19th May – Matt & Phreds Jazz Club, Manchester

21st May – Peggy’s Skylight, Nottingham

22nd May – Watford Jazz Junction Festival, London

29th June – Pizza Express (Soho), London

10th July – Swanage Jazz Festival, Swanage

Eli Degibri | "Henri ANd Rachel"

On his self-released ninth album, Henri and Rachel, titled for his parents, Tel Aviv-based saxophonist-composer Eli Degibri again reveals his ability to convey profound emotions in the language of notes and tones. Joined by his immensely talented working Israeli rhythm section, the 43-year-old maestro spins an intimate, impassioned love story, portraying the personalities and idiosyncrasies of his tight-knit family – his parents, his fiancé, his closest friend. Towards that end, Degibri contributes eight soulful, erudite, unfailingly melodic songs and an ingeniously reconfigured standard, uncorking a succession of impassioned declamations, ascendant and nuanced, that uphold the remark a teacher made to him during the 1990s, when he was attending Berklee School of Music: “You play old in a new way.”

Recorded on March 9, 2020, days before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Henri and Rachel is Degibri’s first album of original music since 2015, when he recorded Cliff Hanging, which earned a 5-star review from DownBeat (a 2018 release, Soul Station, was a tune-for-tune homage to tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley’s an iconic 1960 Blue Note album of that name).

During those years, Degibri, an only child, was preoccupied not only with his musical production, but with caring for his aging and ailing parents, who both emigrated to Israel following World War 2. His father, Henri, a native of Bulgaria who passed away in the fall of 2020, developed cancer; his mother, Rachel, born in Iran, developed Parkinson’s Disease and dementia. Although Degibri was not thinking consciously of them or of his other dedicatees during the gestation process, their essence suffuses his compositions.

“When I write songs, I don’t usually know what the reason is,” Degibri says. “Only after it’s done, I think about the melody and ask myself what it means to me or who I see and feel when I hear it.” He applied the same process when, reviewing the title track, an anthemic refrain sandwiched on both ends by a vocal chant, he noticed that the first and second melodies were identical but in different keys. “I realized that it’s basically a love song between two keys – Henri and Rachel, my dad and my mom, who are the main keys in my life. They’re not singing together, but right after each other, and they blend together perfectly.”

The slinky beats and “Pink Panther”-ish changes of “Gargamel” evokes the villainous wizard whose consistently thwarted attempts to eat and transform into gold the tiny protagonists of the Smurfs amused Degibri as a child of the 1980s. “He was funny to me, and had the same silhouette as my father,” Degibri prefaces his description of the piece. “I’m coming from the school of Bebop – swinging, big sound. This slow-medium tempo is probably the hardest to play. It’s going back to the roots – everything that I compose or play is coming from there, even when it’s not in swing tempo.”

The truth of that statement comes forth on the Jimmy van Heusen standard, “Like Someone In Love.” “It was a thinking exercise of how Johann Sebastian Bach would play this song in 5/4,” says Degibri, who has studied classical piano and counterpoint for the last four years. Pianist Tom Oren admirably represents that description; drummer Eviatar Slivnik makes the 5/4 meter flow like water.

That tune and the three that follow – “Longing,” “Noa” and “The Wedding” – reference Degibri’s relationship with his fiancé. He addresses her directly on “Noa,” stating his feelings with clear lines and burnished tenor saxophone tone; he displays his considerable command of the soprano saxophone, singing through the horn on the nakedly yearning “Longing” and the brisk, jubilant “The Wedding.”

“I want to play odd meters in a way that, when you listen, it isn’t difficult or obvious, you don’t have to crunch your teeth and count,” Degibri says. “The melody can be advanced, but I want it to touch you.”

That’s a good description of the gentle “Don Quixote,” a well-disguised 5/4 contrafact of “Lover” that refers to his idealistic father, who passed away in the fall of 2020; the stalwart line of “Ziv,” dedicated to Degibri’s manager and best friend; and “Preaching To The Choir,” a soulful, chorale-like refrain that, per the title, has the feel of a Black church sermon.

Degibri has been preaching to the international jazz community since 1999, when Ron Carter – a mentor at the Thelonious Monk Institute, who in 2009 recorded on Degibri’s Israeli Song with Brad Mehldau and Al Foster – recommended him to Herbie Hancock for what would be a 30-month stint performing repertoire from Hancock’s Grammy-winning Gershwin’s World album. He further refined his artistry as a member of Al Foster’s group from 2002 until 2011, and as the leader of bands that included such internationally acclaimed musicians as Aaron Goldberg, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ben Street, Jeff Ballard, Kevin Hays, Gary Versace, Gregory Hutchinson, and Obed Calvaire.

After moving back to his homeland from New York in 2011, Degibri began forming bands culled from Israel’s large pool of young hardcore jazz practitioners. He’s worked with his current rhythm section – Tom Oren on piano, Alon Near on bass (the most recent member), and Eviatar Slivnik on drums – for the last four years.

“I feel connected to them, because each one moved to New York, and they hear the New York-American-Black American style – which is similar to the way that I hear music,” Degibri says. “When they were still there and we’d meet on the road, I felt I was experiencing their growth every time we played. People with kids talk about the shock of seeing them all grown up, and that’s how I feel about them. They’re working hard and paying their dues in the most difficult city to live in, where they can best learn this language and this music. When they play, you can hear it.”

As is sometimes the natural order of things, Degibri reversed roles with his own parents as they declined. “I’ve spent so much time with my mother that I decided to bring a keyboard there to practice,” he says. “Myself and her caregiver put her in a wheelchair and brought her to the living room to see it, and she asked me to play her something. I played ‘Henri and Rachel.’ All of a sudden, my mother – who couldn’t remember who my father was the day he died – was singing the melody in 5/4. Now, she’d heard the recording of this song for many months, but it still was like a miracle. I said, ‘Wow, you’re singing so beautiful. What’s the name of the song?’ She said, ‘Of course – it’s ‘Henri and Rachel.’ Great. My job is done.”

Jean-Michel Pilc | "Alive: Live At Dièse Onze, Montreal"

Spontaneity may well be the most important element of jazz expression … the immediacy of creativity in its purest and most adventurous manifestation. For the extraordinary pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, the live performance represents the pinnacle of that level of spontaneity. In his outstanding new release on Justin Time Records – Alive – Live at Dièse Onze, Montréal – Jean-Michel and his bandmates Rémi-Jean LeBlanc and Jim Doxas on bass and drums respectively, splendidly offer proof of this concept. In his liner notes, he describes this state as “improvising musicians in their natural habitat, the jazz club, playing music for the sake of music, never repeating themselves, and creating sounds that they will never replicate.”

At its higher levels jazz tells vivid stories, and those told by the trio are fascinating, multi-nuanced, intricately woven tales of rich texture, color and unexpected plot twists. This concert, recorded in June 2021, marked the trio’s first performance since the onset of the COVID pandemic. “The music was vital, to us and to the audience, and we experienced the full gamut of human emotions.” Reflecting this, the music travels roads that are remarkably winding and varied in steepness and direction, but always totally focused on the ultimate destination. Through this journey – as Jean-Michel goes on to say “unpredictability becomes evidence.”

As intense as the emotions may have been, the music is brilliantly crafted and totally cohesive – a testament not only to the mastery of the musicians, but also to the deep understanding and sensitivity to each other and the pursuit upon which they embarked as a unified force. It’s also an example of collective improvisation at its highest level. “Since a while ago, all my concerts are totally improvised - no set list, nothing prepared, just let the music lead the way. I come on stage as a newborn, ready for a new life, a new journey, a new experience every time. My bandmates are part of that experience as much as I am myself, every note they play becomes part of this life we are living together on the stage.”

Collective improvisation is often dismissed as a method of haphazardness and serendipity, hoping that things may work out and expecting the audience to simply enjoy the adventure. But in the hands of superb musicians united by purpose, the results can be exhilarating, utterly captivating and tremendously uplifting. That is certainly the case here. As the legendary Harry Belafonte has said of Jean-Michel: “Beyond all that can be said about his masterful technique and his beauty of touch, it is the unpredictability that is central to his remarkable talent.”

The music here contains endlessly delightful surprises woven seamlessly into the intricate fabric within the individual pieces themselves. Two Miles Davis classics provide excellent examples … from the sheer simplicity of lyricism in Nardis, like a consistently evolving, but persistently gentle snowfall of filigreed delicacy; to the rumbling and rolling All Blues, escalating into a two-fisted romp that culminates in a scalding rapid-fire explosion of breathtaking intensity and ferocity.

The Hammerstein/Romberg song that became a jazz standard Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise passes through so many stages of musical evolution, from its fragments of melody Tristano-ish opening through thunderous crescendos that never lose the sensitivity of the song, and culminating in a tantalizingly slow bluesy swing evoking the territories explored by Bud Powell and Herbie Nichols.

A pair of Pilc originals are also included – 11 Sharp, a highly rhythmic, somewhat Monkishly grooved excursion, consistently evolving in melodic variety and emotional intensity; and the title piece Alive, an evocative, persistently explorative foray in gently insistent lyricism, which ends this wonderful album on a subtly provocative note.

Music like this can only be achieved by such consummately impeccable musicians as these three gentlemen. LeBlanc and Doxas are not simply sidemen by any means, as Pilc’s music demands far more ownership of the music by all the collaborators. Throughout the album, the bass and drums solos are never just there to give them some playing space, but are fully woven into the textural fabric of each piece.

The concert was recorded in its entirely and the remainder of the music is available in digital form only. You can find the complete 2nd set on your favorite streaming or download site. For more information, please go to: www.justin-time.com/collections/jean-michel-pilc.

Seven additional exceptional pieces cover a wide spectrum, including three more Miles Davis affiliated items - a highly exciting spin on Eddie Harris’ Freedom Jazz Dance and two standards, a jauntily swinging Someday My Prince Will Come and an appropriately moody, atmospheric My Funny Valentine; along with a complex take on Lennon & McCartney’s Eleanor Rigby; a delightfully whimsical version of Jerome Kern’s All the Things You Are; a lovely version of Rodgers & Hart’s My Romance; and a dynamically Latin-tinged and often explosive journey into John Coltrane’s Mr. P.C.

Enormously prolific and multi-faceted as composer and pianist, including musical directorship for Harry Belafonte; a duet performance with operatic legend Jessye Norman; a large-scale commissioned work based upon a major inspiration Charlie Chaplin; and over a dozen albums as a leader and almost as many as co-leader, Jean-Michel Pilc has become one of the most highly respected pianist/composers of the past 25 years. This is Jean-Michel’s first Justin Time album.

Ornette Coleman | "Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums"

Continuing Contemporary Records’ 70th anniversary celebration, Craft Recordings is proud to announce the release of the new box set, Ornette Coleman – Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums (2-LP, 2-CD and digital formats out March 25). The sets feature two seminal releases, 1958’s Something Else!!!! The Music of Ornette Coleman and 1959’s Tomorrow Is the Question! The New Music of Ornette Coleman. These albums transformed an unknown jazz visionary from the hinterlands into the talk of the New York scene. 

Both albums were originally recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann, the man responsible for the famously pristine sound quality of Contemporary albums, and have been newly mastered for this release by Bernie Grundman, who himself got his start at Contemporary, mentored by DuNann. The 180-gram vinyl set, which will be pressed at RTI, has been cut from the original analog tapes to lacquer, with the original tapes also used for new hi-res transfers and mastering by Grundman for the 2-CD and digital editions. The deluxe box sets include a 32-page booklet with archival photos and extensive new liner notes by GRAMMY® Award-winning music historian Ashley Kahn. The LP jackets also replicate the original tip-on versions. 

Largely avoided by his colleagues on the L.A. jazz scene in the late 1950s, Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) found an open door at Contemporary Records, where the label’s founder Lester Koenig was intrigued by his melodic sensibility and unorthodox approach to phrasing. After his Contemporary albums, Coleman quickly went on to New York City and turned the jazz scene on its head, but it was Koenig who provided the first glimpse of the saxophonist’s new approach to rhythm and harmony. 

“These two recordings are the accessible gateway to Ornette Coleman’s music,” says Nick Phillips, the producer of Genesis of Genius. “He’s expanding on the bebop vocabulary and at this point he’s using traditional forms for most compositions, 12-bar blues and AABA song form, but doing something totally different. With Ornette and Don Cherry’s trumpet in the front line, the way they play and phrase and shift rhythms together, it sounds very loose but very tight.” 

Featuring Coleman’s working band with Don Cherry on trumpet, pianist Walter Norris, bassist Don Payne and drummer Billy Higgins, the album Something Else!!!! sounds less radical today than strikingly individual and steeped in the blues. With nine Coleman originals, the session introduced several tunes that became standards, including “The Blessing” and “When Will the Blues Leave?” Featuring Cherry, Shelly Manne, and either Percy Heath or Red Mitchell on bass, the emphatic, pianoless follow up Tomorrow Is the Question! made it clear that Coleman’s concepts were both insistently innovative and tethered to bedrock African American idioms. Consisting entirely of Coleman originals, the album introduced several more tunes that became an essential part of the jazz canon, including “Tears Inside,” “Rejoicing” and “Turnaround.” 

More than a seminal improviser and composer who exponentially expanded jazz’s rhythmic and harmonic frontiers, Coleman embodied the playfully heroic duality-erasing ideal at the center of African American musical innovation. Radical and rootsy, avant-garde and populist, philosophical and visceral, genius and trickster, Coleman was born and raised in Ft. Worth, and the wailing Texas blues was woven into his sound. By the time he settled in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s he’d spent years on the road playing blues and R&B, imbuing a gutbucket sensibility that he carried with into every musical setting. 

L.A. beboppers often treated him with disdain, perceiving his unorthodox note choice as lack of chops, but he slowly found a brilliant cadre of musicians who embraced his musical vision, including pianist Paul Bley, drummers Billy Higgins and Eddie Blackwell, bassist Charlie Haden and Don Cherry. The Contemporary albums paved the way for Coleman’s fall 1959 triumph in New York City, with Tomorrow Is the Question! hitting stores the same month that his quartet started an extended run at the Five Spot, arguably the most consequential and controversial gig in jazz history. 

Alternately championed and denounced by his musical peers and critics, Coleman found a new home at Atlantic Records, where he continued expanding his gorgeous, searing, utterly human approach to music. But it was Lester Koenig who first recognized Coleman’s genius when he walked into his Melrose office at a time when the saxophonist wasn’t even welcome on most bandstands. 

“The Contemporary discs were the foundation of Ornette’s career and the bellwether of a new age, arriving at the close of one decade, and the onset of a brave, new one,” writes Ashley Kahn in the Genesis of Genius liner notes. “Embraced or derided, the music challenged long-held ideas of what jazz—what music—should sound like.” 

Shubh Saran | "Inglish" Explores Identity and the Difficult Process of Assimilating While Embracing Your Own Culture

New York-based guitarist, composer, and producer Shubh Saran has independently released his second full-length album and fourth overall release, inglish. After releasing his last EP titled Becoming in late 2019, Saran toured briefly in the United States and India, and upon returning to the U.S. was faced with what became the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown. During this time, Saran quickly began writing and recording demos for what would ultimately transform into inglish. The new album explores new musical territory, as Saran incorporates predominant Indian and Middle Eastern instruments for the first time, while expanding the use of modular synthesizers in the momentous arrangements.

Throughout his life, having to assimilate into different cultures has been a common occurrence for Saran, and inglish is a reflection of that progression and evolution. “I wanted to find a metaphor for this idea of existing in the world where you’re trying to navigate a global culture while at the same navigating your own culture and home culture,” he says. Managing changes in culture and language has been a repeat experience for the Indian artist, who has spent time living around the world in places like New Delhi, Dhaka, Cairo, Geneva, Toronto, Boston, and New York City.

To provide some historical context, the term “inglish,'' a portmanteau from the late 1900s, describes Indian English, a variety of the English language spoken in India and by Indian diaspora. It’s a form of dialect that has shown similarity to British English, brought by British Colonization, but has become an amalgamation of Indian and Western culture. This duality has been the focus of Saran’s most recent research and explorations in music, and it’s something that he has experienced first hand. “Within the last several decades, Indian English has taken on a life of its own, with a lot of influence from regional languages and dialects, and a mixture of ‘Queen’s English’,” says Saran, reflecting on the connection between the album title and its anthropological history.

While language is a large part of the inspiration for inglish, the reflection on personal identity and the tension between trying to retain one’s own native tongue and customs while living in non-native territories is equally present. The unboxing of how traditions and cultures get passed down by generations, and the true origins of those artifacts, was also in the foreground of Saran’s mind when writing and recording inglish. “It was interesting to see that the origins for a lot of my own internal biases about being Indian, and Indian identity, seemed actually not to stem from Indian culture, but actually came from external sources,” says Saran. “What ends up happening, I believe, is that the narratives and the biases get internalized by the community, and then sort of get re-fed back into the community like a feedback loop.”

inglish is multi-layered album that explores concepts of identity far beyond the music. As people continue to think, move, and grow globally, the essence of native culture and identity are challenged, but still remain critically important. For Shubh Saran, inglish is a longform message that pays tribute to the difficult process of assimilating while embracing your own culture. 

New Music: Amandus, Michael Ross, The Graduating Class, Black Bird Hum

Amandus - Groove Infection

The website of veteran German keyboardist/composer Michael Quast – now recording as Amandus – says, “Believe in your dreams and they just might come true.” Twenty-five years after penning his first Smooth Jazz song, he manifests this perfectly, following his 2020 debut album SING A SONG with the dynamics-filled,  perfectly titled EP Groove Infection. Vibing on several tunes with the fluid, crackling guitar of Uli Brodersen, Amandus brings his inventive synth and piano wizardry to a tight, ultra-soulful set that runs the emotional and rhythmic gamut from moody atmospheres and chill vibes to wildly funky and groove-filled in the pocket adventures. ~ www.smoothhjazz.com

Michael Ross - Four Seasons to Cross

Long before he was amassing an impressive catalog of urban jazz gems, opening for Chaka Khan and Patti Labelle, recording with Najee and performing with the likes of Ramsey Lewis and Jonathan Butler, guitarist/composer Michael Ross was staff guitarist for a touring company of “The Wiz.” The yellow brick road journey is the perfect metaphor for his blessed and eclectic musical road that leads now to the release of Four Seasons TO Cross, his first album in eight years that alternates between lighthearted, spirited breeziness, whimsical exotica, seductive funk balladry and contemplative cool that reflects a multi-faceted, polyrhythmic journey through the seasons. From a snappy trip to Rio to a silky seductive tune about winter approaching, Ross invites listeners on a magnificent and inspiring adventure. ~ www.smoothjazz.com

The Graduating Class - Cooler

With an E Street-inspired saxophone lead and an arrangement straight out of Quincy Jones' playbook, "Cooler" is The Graduating Class leaning into the nostalgia of the 80s. The track features punchy drums, cascading synths, crisp rhythm guitar, and the aforementioned blazing sax line. "Cooler" also marks the Graduating Class' first foray into production, as the band recorded the song themselves in the basement of a shuttered music venue. Lyrically, "Cooler" tells an all-too-universal story about working up the courage to ask someone out; the song's setting is reminiscent of a scene from a John Hughes movie. According to songwriter/producer John Queant: "'Cooler' is about the inner monologue in a person's head as they're trying to ask someone out. I imagined a scene from a cheesy movie, where a total bombshell walks into the club, everyone's jaws hit the floor, and the record skips a beat. The song's narrator is just trying to work up the courage to ask them to dance."

Black Bird Hum - World Keeps Spinning

Sydney, Australia’s Black Bird Hum lay down a heavy two-chord jam for their second Color Red release “World Keeps Spinning.” The spellbinding rhythmic foundation puts listeners in a trance to recognize the reality that the world keeps spinning no matter how life gets—every day is both a grind and an opportunity to get up and hop on board for the ride. Stylistically, the track is equally influenced by the rousing roots rhythm expression of Steel Pulse and the creative liberties of Fat Freddy’s Drop as demonstrated by bewitching flute parts courtesy of Amy Nelson. Like their debut Color Red release “My Side,” the track is complemented by a “b-side” dub, aptly titled "World Keeps Dubbing," produced by longtime friend and mixing engineer Ryan Gambrell.

Introducing JoyRide

Buckle up for a musical JoyRide full of thrilling highs, spontaneous departures and unexpected turns! JoyRide is the collaboration of oboist Colin Maier and accordionist Charles Cozens, an incredibly versatile duo that pushes the outer limits of music with fresh sounds, original compositions and adventurous arrangements. Their music is a novel hybrid of jazz, ragtime, blues, tango, gypsy, classical and klezmer.

This CD has the flow and energy of a live concert, complete with an engaging story-telling element. Early on, Colin and Charles reminisce about a time on tour when Colin was attacked by pelicans, which leads to their performance of three songs with a nature theme: Tiger Rag, Somewhere Under the Rainbow and Plight of the Bumblebee. A story about completing a new look with a blue fedora inspires their takes of Rhapsody in Light Blue, Isolation Blues, and Air on a Blue String. A missed flight and a sleepless night at Newark airport leads to reflections about the ways that the COVID pandemic has upended the lives of musicians everywhere.

This record is light at times, and poignant at others. It pivots from serious to funny, and from simple to complex. This music has a broad appeal, with the potential to connect with a wide variety of audiences. JoyRide's first studio album is a diverse collection of moods and sounds, brought to life by the unfamiliar and enchanting combination of oboe and accordion.

Thomas Heflin | "Morning Star"

Tennesse-born jazz trumpeter Thomas Heflin delivers a remarkable new collection of songs, titled, “Morning Star”. This dynamic modern jazz, R&B, CrossOver album features eleven original compositions and one cover song by the late great James Williams.

Thomas Heflin has been hailed as "a fluent trumpeter with a bright tone and a forward-looking style" by jazz writer Scott Yanow. He has been featured or mentioned in Italy's Jazz Magazine, Pittsburgh Tribune Review and The International Trumpet Guild Journal among others. He is a co-author of the book Understanding Music: Past and Present.

A recording artist for Blue Canoe Records, Heflin has released three albums on the label. His 2007 debut album "Symmetry" was dedicated to the memory of pianist James Williams, who is featured on half of the recording. In 2009, Heflin produced and performed on "Introducing the New 5" by the cooperative group, The New 5 and In 2011, he released his third album, a collaborative CD with Ron Westray, former lead trombonist with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. The album also featured drummer Adonis Rose and bassists Eric Revis and Neal Caine. Heflin has also recorded five albums with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra as well as toured Europe with the ensemble, performing in France, Spain and Switzerland.

Heflin is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he studied with jazz education pioneer, Jerry Coker. He received his masters degree from William Paterson University and his doctorate in Music Performance (Jazz Emphasis) from the University of Texas, Austin.

He has served as an instructor or lecturer at Roane State Community College, the University of Texas Jazz Department, the University Outreach and Continuing Education Program at the University of Tennessee, the Manhattan School of Music Summer Music Camp and The Jefferson Center Jazz Institute. Heflin also served as the Central Greenough Artist-in-Residence in Western Australia as well as the Always on Stage festival in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

From 2009 to 2014, Heflin lived and performed in New York City where he performed with a variety of ensembles including the Smoke Big Band, led by trumpeter Bill Mobley. During his time there, also served as Program Manager and Jazz Faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division. In 2014, he moved back to the south to take the position of Assistant Professor of Jazz at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, GA. Heflin currently serves as Assistant Professor of Jazz Brass at the Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Roots of Creation | "Dub Free or Die Vol. 1"

Acclaimed Reggae-Rock group Roots of Creation (A.K.A. RoC) is excited to announce the release of “Dub Free or Die Vol. 1.” 

Ahead of the new album ROC has released a slew of outstanding singles including “Seven Nation Army” (White Stripes Reggae/Rock cover) ft. Hayley Jane, “Mammoth,” and “Arabia” Ft. Mihali (of Twiddle), and “Light it Up” ft. Mighty Mystic. And most recently with their Reggae/Rock rendition cover of Allman Brothers’ “Soulshine.” So far the songs have garnered critical accolades from Relix, Live for Live Music, Reggaeville, Celebstoner, Top Shelf Music and more. All of the songs will be featured on the album “Dub Free or Die Vol. 1.”

Like many artists, Roots of Creation wasn’t immune to the effects of the pandemic on the touring industry. Utilizing a platform that almost seemed built for navigating a disaster, RoC utilized the power of their tremendous fan base with Kickstarter. That support allowed them to properly record “Dub Free or Die vol #1” as a collaborative effort with the fans. The band first started recording the new album before “Grateful Dub (2018)” and deleted almost everything to only then start over. Soon after the pandemic wiped out their budget and with nothing but time at hand due to lock downs and zero in-person performances, they turned to Kickstarter and the fans saved the day! It is their first self-produced album made for the Roots of Creation DIE HARD fans who love that progressive Rock-and-Jam-meets-Reggae sound. The new album is chock-full of brand new, original Dub/Jammy instrumental compositions, with a handful of truly unique covers. 

Frontman Brett Wilson adds, “the upcoming record “Dub Free or Die vol #1” is all about focusing on our instrumental songwriting. It was created for our diehard fans who travel to multiple shows a year, listen to bootlegs, pay attention to setlists and always score the latest merch drops. We are extremely blessed to have our tribe of ‘RoC family’ members to be there to support us through these crazy uncertain times and let us experiment, create and have a blast. These compositions tend to lend themselves to progressive rock, improvisation, soundscapes, rapid genre switches, and Dub Reggae EFX.”

Andrew Riordan (Dub King Productions) RoC sax player and album producer adds, “Personally, this album is very special to me. The band was kind enough to let me produce and take the reins of a lot of the music in this project. It was also the last project I completed in my old studio before I remodeled and gave it an overhaul. There are pieces of gear that I used that are no longer in service, that I think gives the record a certain sound. That also makes this project feel special. I’m really happy and excited for all our fans to hear the record.” 

Musicians featured on the new album include RoC’s Brett Wilson: Guitar/Vocals; Tal Pearson: Keyboards/Melodica; Andrew Riordan: Sax, Harmony Vocals, Drum Programming, Production, Key, & Melodica; Chris Regan: Bass/Sticky Guitar; Alex Brander: Drums/Percussion. And includes special guests: Trumpet: Andy Geib (Slightly Stoopid); Trombone: Billy Kottage (toured in live band & recorded with The Interrupters, Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger); Guitar: Mihali (Twiddle) on Arabia; Vocals: Hayley Jane on Seven Nation Army (White Stripes); Vocals: Mighty Mystic on Light it Up; Saxophone Solo: Daniel ‘DELA’ Delacruz (Slightly Stoopid) on Soulshine; Vocals: Jesse Wagner (The Aggrolites) on Soulshine; Hammond Organ: Paul Wolstencroft (Slightly Stoopid) on Soulshine; Percussion: Nick Asta (The Elovaters) on Soulshine. The new album was mixed and mastered by longtime collaborator, friend and RoC live front of house engineer - Pete “Boardz” Peloquin (Gov’t Mule, Seether, Ani Difranco, Oasis) of Boardz House Productions based in the band’s hometown of Brookline, NH.

New Music: Kyoto Jazz Massive, Caetano Veloso, G. Fields, Levi Dover

Kyoto Jazz Massive - Message From A New Dawn

The "new dawn" here is very well put – as the duo of Shuya Okino & Yoshihiro Okino are very much back in action as Kyoto Jazz Massive – working with all the soulful styles of their long legacy in music, but also drawing on some of the best jazzy currents of their other work in recent years! The album's light years ahead of their work in the previous century – and they've also got some great jazz contributions from other hip Japanese combos on the scene – as well as work on vibes from the great Roy Ayers on one cut, and vocals from the great Vanessa Freeman on a few more! The whole thing's a great evolution of the sound of Tokyo club that we first fell in love with years back – and titles include "Primal Echo", "Astral Ascension", "Visions Of Tomorrow", "Get Up", "Revolution Evolution", "The Mask", and "Eternal Tide".  ~ Dusty Groove

Caetano Veloso - Meu Coco

A really tremendous album from Caetano Veloso – one of the few artists from the 60s who just seems to continue to get better and better with age! And by that, we don't mean that this is an "aged" record – we mean that Veloso sounds as freshly creative as ever – unveiling a completely new sound, while still keeping true to his musical vision of recent decades – a stunning achievement that few other global artists could ever hope to match! The sound is sublime right from the very first note – a strong focus on Caetano's ability to craft a line with simple poetry, set to backings that are often relatively spare, but full of these interesting little touches – done in collaboration with musical partner Lucas Nunes, and featuring a fair bit of contributions from Moreno Veloso too. The set's strongly in that best tradition of less-is-more that marks the best recent work from both Veloso family members – and titles include "Meu Coco", "Ciclamen Do Libano", "Anjos Tronchos", "Enzo Gabriel", "Voce Voce", "Sem Samba Nao Da", "Cobre", and "GilGal".  ~ Dusty Groove

G. Fields - In The Moment

Prior to his recent emergence in Smooth Jazz with his chill funk/hip-hop/R&B infused vibes,  Atlanta-based saxophonist Gregory Fields (aka G. Fields) enjoyed an eclectic career that included early recordings as a hip-hop artist, signing with Warner Bros., launching his own indie label, owning his own recording studio in Huntington, NY, and co-founding a multi-faceted music entertainment services company (AMS Music Entertainment). After years of making music and working behind the scenes with other artists, he returned to his childhood love of the sax to forge his own way as an impactful artist. He starts 2022 on a hopeful note with a lush, seductive and ultra-passionate slow jam ballad (with trippy-cool atmospheric effects) that comes with great reminder for these challenging times – to live boldly “In the Moment.” ~ www.smoothjazz.com

Levi Dover - Imaginary Structures

Imaginary Structures is the debut album from Montreal based composer and double bassist Levi Dover. This singular recording consists of eight original compositions for sextet, brought to life by an ensemble of musicians with an individualistic and contemporary approach. The album as a whole establishes a stylized vision of improvised music, fusing jazz with elements of progressive rock and 20th century classical music, brought together in a post-bop setting. The music is set against the backdrop of an impressionistic landscape which at times recalls the influence of composers such as Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Bobby Hutcherson, and Andrew Hill. The improvisations are tightly woven into the structure of the pieces, giving the musicians the freedom to explore the universe that the compositions reveal. Throughout the album, a dreamy atmosphere and contemplative mood is balanced against a tight rhythmic undercurrent that propels the music forward, creating a narrative that unfolds gradually over the course of these eight pieces, exposing different facets of the composer’s imagination.