Emilie-Claire Barlow | "Spark Bird"

During the dark isolation days of the coronavirus pandemic, award-winning Canadian songstress Emilie-Claire Barlow found herself at an artistic crossroads. She questioned if she would ever want to make another record to add to her impressive 12-album oeuvre. She hadn’t been able to tour and she wasn’t aroused to assemble a new collection of songs.

In her 25-year career of delivering a distinctive and accessible style of vocal jazz, Barlow has accrued a remarkable resume of critical success, including seven Juno nominations, with two jazz vocal Juno awards—2013’s best Jazz Vocal Recording for her all-French song collection Seule ce soir and her Clear Day collaboration with the Metropole Orkest winning the same award in 2016. Also in 2013, Barlow scored a Felix Award for Seule ce soir as ADISQ’s Album of the Year—Jazz Interpretation. Previously, she had been named Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2008 National Jazz Awards.

So, despite the pause time of recent years, you can’t fully quiet a vital creative artist. Case in point: Barlow’s return to action with her brilliant new album, Spark Bird, that she co-produced with her partner Steve Webster.

After a five-year hiatus from releasing a full album, this year finds Barlow in fine Spark Bird shape to wing her career to a new plateau. Little did she guess during the dark times that a daily visit from a yellow-winged cacique that is native to the southern Pacific Coast of Mexico would inspire her to dedicate an entire album of songs to birds of all shapes and varieties.

Released on her own independent label, Empress Music Group, which she founded in 2005, Spark Bird takes flight in its entirety on March 31. As Barlow writes in her liner notes, “A bird arrives and changes everything.” Before its debut, she is offering a cascade of singles, beginning January 20 and continuing every two weeks until the release date. “Birds have the power to completely transport me,” says Barlow, who splits her time between Toronto and Mexico where she and Webster are building a house with a fully operational studio. “So, when I decided to do the album, I started going down this path of gathering songs about birds. They’re my joy, my fascination. These songs tell a story.”

The first hatching comes with Barlow delivering a bright jazz voyage into the Harold Arlen-Yip Harburg standard, “Over the Rainbow” (the single released on January 20). Relaxed yet energetic, Barlow leads the way for her quintet to soar into a percussive bossa swing. True to her theme, she buoyantly sings, “If bluebirds fly over the rainbow, why can’t I fly?”

Barlow follows the first single on February 3 with the playful single “Fais comme l’oiseau” (translated: “Do Like the Bird”) where she delightfully sings in French the hopeful voice of bird-like patience while swinging with tenor saxophonist Kelly Jefferson’s lyrical lines. Choral translation: “Act like a bird/It lives on pure air and fresh water/On a bit of hunting and fishing/But nothing ever stops it from going higher.”

Both singles offer a fresh beginning to a captivating eight-song avian journey that began with the magical cacique incident.

“In our Mexican home, the biodiversity is incredible,” Barlow says. “The bird activity is off the charts. My first personal experience came when a bird kept tapping on the window of our guest room and squawking loudly. When I tried to catch a glimpse, it would fly out. So we set up a camera and caught this wonderful, comical activity of a yellow-winged cacique that I discovered was a very common bird for this area. I started spotting them everywhere and hearing them—their vocabulary fascinates me.”

She started to tune into the variety of bird voices that she says is a “constant soundtrack,” with rhythmic tapping, high-pitched whistles, piercing calls, soft sporadic whistles, diatonic melodies. “It’s the closest thing to living in an aviary,” she says. “As the sun appears, you hear the orchestra warm up. Birds are nature’s musicians.”

Barlow hastens to note that while she is not a member of an organized birder group, her appreciation of the choirs and colors of birds has heightened her passion to learn more about her winged discoveries.

Other bird songs include a show-stopping, uptempo reimagining of Stevie Wonder’s 1974 hit “Bird of Beauty” (part of the chorus encouraging ”Take a chance and ride the bird of beauty of the sky”). Then there’s Barlow’s unique sexy, romantic, blues-touched read of the Hoagie Carmichael/Johnny Mercer standard “Skylark” with a surprising swell of strings arranged by Drew Jurecka. On the Gershwin & Gershwin classic tune, “Little Jazz Bird,” Barlow swerves from the obvious with the playful song—adding in another popular melody from the ’20s, “When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along)," as a countermelody and ending the song with guitarist Reg Schwager’s solo that Barlow uses for a noteworthy stretch of vocalese.

Barlow sings deep into the mystery and longing of the futuristic “Where Will I Be?”—“When there’s no more rain, no more sun/Will there still be birds?”—by the Toronto-based composer Hannah Barstow who plays piano on the track and in Spanish renders Manolo Garcia’s “Pájaros de Barro” in a duo format with pianist Chris Donnelly as the appropriate closing song about seizing the day and flying free.

The most poignant song of the collection is Barlow’s moving take on Coldplay’s “O” that was arranged by band pianist Amanda Tosoff. “This song has a special meaning,” the singer says. “I tragically lost a young family member in a plane crash. He and I and his mom were big fans of Coldplay, so the lyrics of ‘fly on’ are so relevant. I played this at his funeral. For this album version, we used strings and Rachel Therrien offers a melancholic, mournful flugelhorn solo.”

In addition to the bird songs of joy and sorrow on Spark Bird, Barlow has worked with graphic designer Caroline Brown of Whitebear Design to create original bird illustrations. “Caroline’s avatars for each song are so whimsical, playful and special,” Barlow says. “And she has me interacting with them in some way. There’s a happy orange-breasted bunting for ‘Over the Rainbow,’ a graceful and solitary great blue heron for the darkness of ‘Fais comme l’oiseau,’ a flock of swallows for ‘O,’ a ridiculously cute Australian pink robin for ‘Little Jazz Bird.’ And the signature bird for ‘Pájaros de Barro’ is my yellow-winged cacique.”

So, Spark Bird ends with the noisy, comical bird that served as the inspiration for her soulful, emotive music. In her liner notes, Barlow writes, “When that cacique tapped on my window, I felt a spark. Not just a budding bird obsession, but the curiosity and desire to see what life would be like if I spent more time in this place that makes me feel so buoyant and full of wonder…the birds—a constant source of joy and inspiration—have reignited my spark. For that, I’m full of gratitude.”

2023 Tour Dates

• Mar 25 - Minneapolis, MN - Crooners Supper Club
• Mar 26 - Austin, TX - Parker’s Jazz
• Mar 29 - San Antonio, TX - Jazz, TX
• Mar 31 - New York, NY - Birdland 
• April 1 - New York, NY - Birdland
• April 2 - New York, NY - Birdland
• April 5 - Denver, CO - Nocturne 
• April 6 - Boise, ID- Sapphire Room
• April 7 - The 1905  - Portland
• May 26 - Quebec, QC - Palais Montcalm
• May 27 - Delray Beach, FL - Arts Garage
• July 6 - Montreal Jazz Fest - Monument National
• July 21 - Campbellford, ON - Westben The Barn Series

Mette Henriette | "Drifting"

After Mette Henriette’s critically acclaimed, self-titled first recording comes Drifting – an album pervaded by trio conversations of idiosyncratic and original expression. Mette: “Drifting vividly captures a moment in time. I can hear everything still growing – in motion – on the record and how present my imagination is. Prior to the recording, I had a lot of time to sit down and focus on this new music. From the very beginning, I wanted to create material that could grow, expand and contract in different formats.”

With Johan Lindvall returning on piano, new addition Judith Hamann on cello and herself on saxophone, Mette’s chamber musical elaborations prove of a concentrated and exploratory quality, marked by subtle yet intense interaction. Motifs and recurring patterns crystallize and reveal a concise, intricate narrative. The saxophonist-composer explains how “this album is in movement. It’s on its way somewhere and has its own pace – its creative agency is fundamentally different from what I’ve done previously.” 

The difference not only manifests in the change of instrumentation, but moreover in the fabric and compositional design of this collection of songs. At once organized programme with a compelling instrumental narrative and playground for impulse and improvisation, Drifting connects to the deeper processes within Mette’s musical consciousness. Illuminating the mechanisms behind her musical inventions and touching upon the diction of her language, Mette notes: “for me, a very important tool in the compositional process is to let ideas mature to the extent that they start living their own lives. Then things just spontaneously come to the surface in different pieces and start interconnecting. And I like playing with prepositions in music. Shedding light on different things from different perspectives, playing with foreground and background, repositioning elements and flipping arrangements. To me, that’s how different improvisational opportunities come to life.”

Some of those interconnections can be traced between “Across the Floor” and “Chassé”, found in the pieces’ correspondingly hesitant pulses and likeminded melodic themes. Or between “I villvind” and “Rue du Renard”, based around their shared sweeping piano arpeggios and their similarly urgent dynamic waves. Elsewhere, the trio presents its rich pallet of timbres within far-reaching, un-repetitive structures, as in the title track, “Oversoar” or “Indrifting You”, abound with steadily shifting tonal tensions, Hamann’s defiant cello flageolets, divergent chordal piano frames and Mette’s distinctive, wide-ranging saxophone explorations.

Recorded at the recently relocated Munch Museum in Oslo, the album was completed at Studios La Buissonne in close collaboration with Manfred Eicher, who produced the album and, as Mette stresses, whose “intuitive and complete understanding” of her music significantly influenced the shape and sound of Drifting. 

Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club Features 5x-GRAMMY® Award-Winner & 16x-GRAMMY® Award Nominated Jazz Pianist & Composer BILLY CHILDS

Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club Features 5x-GRAMMY® Award-Winner & 16x-GRAMMY® Award Nominated Jazz Pianist & Composer BILLY CHILDS and his Quartet on Saturday March 4 at 7:30 P.M. Tickets at: www.jimmysoncongress.com

BILLY CHILDS remains one of the most diversely prolific and acclaimed artists working in music today. Childs' canon of original compositions and arrangements has garnered him the 2013 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship (2009), a Composers Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2015), and two Chamber Music America grants: the Jazz New Works Grant (2006) and the Classical Commissioning Grant (2019).

In 2017, Childs was Nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for "Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals" for his work on Lang Lang's album New York Rhapsody. In one of the album's boldest choices, co-arrangers Larry Klein and Billy Childs marry the Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim song "Somewhere" from West Side Story with Lou Reed's "Dirty Blvd" from his classic album New York.

In 2015, Childs received 3 GRAMMY® Award Nominations, winning a GRAMMY® Award "Best Arrangement, Instrumental & Vocal" (featuring Renee Fleming and Yo-Yo Ma) for the song "New York Tendaberry", from his highly successful album Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro, which was also Nominated for a GRAMMY for "Best Jazz Vocal Album". Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro features Renee Fleming, Esperanza Spalding, Alison Krauss, Shawn Colvin, Rickie Lee Jones, Becca Stevens, Ledisi, Chris Botti, Yo-Yo Ma and Susan Tedeschi.

In 2011, Childs won a GRAMMY® Award for "Best Instrumental Composition" for "The Path Among the Trees" from his much-heralded jazz/chamber album, Autumn: In Moving Pictures which was Nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album". The album featured guitarist Larry Koonse, multi-reed player Bob Sheppard, harpist Carol Robbins, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade, drummer Antonio Sanchez, plus the Ying String Quartet and several classical wind instruments. This is considered one of Childs' best recordings.

In 2005, Childs would receive 4 GRAMMY® Award Nominations – winning 2 of them. He won a GRAMMY® Award for "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist" with Gil Goldstein and Heitor Pereira for the song "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?" performed by trumpeter Chris Botti and vocalist Sting on Botti's 2005 album To Love Again. Childs would win another GRAMMY® Award this same year for "Best Instrumental Composition" for "Into The Light" from his album Lyric (which was also Nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for "Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group"). Childs' 4th GRAMMY® Award Nomination in 2005 would also come from the Lyric album for the song "Scarborough Faire" for "Best Instrumental Composition".

New Music Releases: Mood Mosaic Vol 20, Tyler Mitchell with Marshall Allen, Princess Erika, Yussef Dayes

Mood Mosaic Vol 20 – This Is Not New

The mood here is pretty darn groovy – so much so, it will help you get past the gratuitous image of naked women on the cover! Just keep your clothes on, and enjoy the wonderful selection of cuts within – funky numbers from a variety of genres – jazz, soul, easy listening, and other odd sources – brought together in a collection of cuts that more than lives up to the genius of this long-running series! As with previous volumes, there's no set style, just a batch of cool cuts in pursuit of all things groovy – as you'll hear on titles that include "Cool Echo" by Piet Van Meren, "Pink Movement" by Experience, "Disco Tek" by Syd Dale, "Stepping Stones" by Johnny Harris, "Chica Boom" by Jimmie & Vella, "All I Dream" by Estelle Leavitt, "Use Me" by Kimiko Kasai, "Get Off The Streets Y'All" by Eric & The Vikings, "Damn Somebody Stole My Pants" by Leroy Vinnegar, "Tuane" by Hammer, "Romantic Attitude" by John Fitch, and "Land Of 1000 Dances" by Nino & April. ~ Dusty Groove

Tyler Mitchell with Marshall Allen - Sun Ra's Journey

That's the legendary Marshall Allen on the cover with bassist Tyler Mitchell – the latter of whom leads a very cool combo through a set of material that includes classic tunes by Sun Ra, plus tracks from other sources as well! The octet has the mixture of cohesion and individuality that Ra brought to the Arkestra back in the day – yet the presentation here is hardly slavish to their roots, even with Allen in the group – as there's plenty of personal spirit in Mitchell's arrangements, carried forth by a lineup that includes Chris Hemmingway on tenor, Nicoletta Manzini on alto, Giveton Gelin on trumpet, and Farid Barron on piano – all working here with Mitchell and Allen on a live performance recorded at Smalls. Titles include "Dancing Shadows", "New Dawn", "Love In Outer Space", "Velvet", "Cosmic Hop", "Free Ballad", "Eddie Harris", "Discipline", and "Bouncing At Smalls". ~ Dusty Groove

Princess Erika - J'Suis Pas Une Sainte

A beautiful meeting of contemporary soul and deeper roots – served up here by a singer from Cameroon, but one who works in the best criss-crossing traditions of the scene in France! Elements of hip hop, reggae, and other modes filter through the record – and although the lyrics are in French, there's a really universal sense of soul to the whole thing – maybe a bit in that territory that Les Nubians hit so many years back. Guests include Marka, Petite Guele, and Julien & Oudima – and titles include "African Ladies", "Peur Sur La Ville", "Oh Mama", "Je'Suis Pas Une Sainte", "Elle Sa Fait Appeler Natty", and "Jusqu'a Demain".  ~ Dusty Groove

Yussef Dayes - Yussef Dayes Experience: Live At Joshua Tree EP

Drummer Yussef Dayes leads the group here – but the whole thing's awash in lots of other wonderful touches too – including plenty of sweet keyboards, and the kind of slinky saxophone solos that take us back to the glory days of CTI/Kudu Records in the 70s! The music is lean and laidback – with crisply crackling live drum work from Dayes that really sets the tone – warmed up by the keyboards, and sounding especially great when the soprano sax makes its way through the grooves! A few tracks feature guest appearances – from Elijah Fox, Rocco Palladino, and Vienna – but the core of the record comes from the drums, keyboards, and sax – all sounding mighty nice! Titles include "Raisins Under The Sun", "For My Ladies", "Odyssey", "Golden Hour", "Mystics", and "Rhythms of Xango". ~ Dusty Groove

Oscar Jerome | "The Spoon"

Following its digital premiere earlier this fall, one of the UK’s leading Jazz musicians, Oscar Jerome, has now released his sophomore album, The Spoon, physically, on vinyl and CD. The artist who The Line of Best Fit proclaims "radiates both charisma and an organized chaos, creating a distinctive and refreshing perspective on neo-soul and jazz fusion," has been wowing European audiences for the last few years, building a formidable surge for his brand of "funky, intriguing and pleasingly off-kilter" stew of modern Jazz with pop and R&B elements. This new physical release follows various reworkings of album tracks "Berlin 1" and "Aya and Bartholomew" that Jerome unveiled in November. 

This creatively expansive project encompasses twelve tracks, offering a refreshed creative approach as he paradoxically inhabits different personas to provide the most transparent version of himself to date. Called "the Jazz upstart you nee to hear now" by Guitar.com, Jerome wrote the album mid-pandemic when he found himself at crossroads in his life, alone in Berlin and using the time and space to reflect and eventually beginning work on The Spoon. Narratives of masculinity, melancholy and insecurities were explored in a run of releases including "Berlin 1" and "Channel Your Anger" in addition to an Orchestral version of lead single "Sweet Isolation" alongside Metropole Orkest.

“The Spoon takes an arc from emotional, sad boy to angry man looking out at this mess humans have created and then to a more light, open and accepting place of reflection on the beautiful parts of this existence. The main aim is to make you feel something," says Jerome about the message behind The Spoon.

Coming to life over the past two years, Oscar went into hibernation to birth tracks between studios in Berlin and London. Also, two years since his highly-regarded debut album Breathe Deep, his latest project reflects his feelings about depression, capitalism and the ongoing injustices of the UK. Showcasing a new level of creative melancholy, "Sweet Isolation" and "Berlin 1" sees the introduction of parody characters "Jerry" and "Ice Guycicle" who combat the dark undertones with a humorous touch. A contrast of intimate and gentle moments can be heard throughout the album with blissful poetry remaining at the heart of the record. 

The second half of the album commences with "Feet Down South" driven by his intricate jazz guitar chops and introspective lyricism about anxiety. Introspectively examining his role as a musician, "Feed The Pigs" and "Use It" reflect the journey of his inner emotions. Throughout the project, he worked closely with producer Beni Giles, creative director Malcolm Yaeng, and additional musicians Ayo Salawu (drums), Tom Driessler (bass) and Crispin Robinson (additional percussion). 

Although some of the record was developed in Berlin, Oscar has settled in South London after leaving his birthplace, Norwich, 11 years ago. Oscar has become an anchor within the London Jazz scene at the hands of his virtuous sonic and live show since bursting onto the scene in 2016. His willingness to feels the complexity is highlighted on this album marking his personal and musical growth. With infinite potential to his artist, The Spoon cements his ever-evolving legacy.

Alex Weiss | "Most Don't Have Enough"

Alex Weiss’s idiosyncratic vision of postbop jazz finds a new apex with the tenor saxophonist-composer’s February 24 release of Most Don’t Have Enough (ears&eyes). Weiss’s third album as a leader is also his first with Glad Irys, his working quintet since 2019 comprising soprano saxophonist Dan Blake, guitarist Yana Davydova, bassist Dmitry Ishenko, and drummer Ches Smith, with pianist Marta Sanchez adding her distinctive stamp to two of the album’s nine moody, mysterious tracks.

Seven of Most Don’t Have Enough’s tunes are Weiss originals, each bearing the composer’s hallmarks of unusual form, meter, and texture. His approach to music and art is deeply informed by the work of his grandfather, the great Spanish surrealist Eugenio Granell. “The importance of exercising one’s imagination was instilled in me by my grandfather,” Weiss says. “I started seeing a synergistic relationship between the jazz idiom of the ’50s and ’60s and surrealism, and the element of social protest in both.”

That context by itself suggests a great deal of freedom in Weiss’s music, and he does not disappoint. Pieces like “Thread Your Grandmother’s Needle” and “Akira: Sun and Moon” offer wide open spaces for the players to color as far outside the lines as they dare. There is even a cover of Ornette Coleman’s “Humpty Dumpty” to reinforce that sense of creative liberation. Like Coleman, however, Weiss’s music is also rich with melody—though rarely of a conventional stripe. There’s great lyricism and enchantment to be found in “The Leonard Nimoy Method” and “Thumbelina”—as well as great fun in trying to guess where the tunes will go next.

Most Don’t Have Enough is also (as the title suggests) a vehicle for social and political commentary. “Your Dark Shadow Appears at the Door” is a menacing meditation on the onset of the Trump era; titles like “Homage to Elijah Cummings” and “Organized Religion” speak for themselves.

Also speaking for themselves are Weiss’s brilliant collaborators. Blake is both a superb frontline partner for Weiss and a stunning improviser on “Humpty Dumpty” and the band’s cover of Chris Speed’s “Really Ok,” and the rhythm section of Davydova, Ishenko, and Smith make for a thrilling blend of stable and adventurous support, with each turning in remarkable solos of their own. Sanchez’s presence illuminates “Homage to Elijah Cummings” and “Akira: Sun and Moon,” imbuing both tunes with a jolt of unexpected pathos.

Alex Weiss was born January 5, 1971, in New York City, but was raised in the Boston area. Beginning on saxophone at 12 years old, he was gigging professionally by 15. He studied music at the University of Massachusetts and San Francisco State University, also conducting life-changing “field work” at the latter city’s fabled Saint John William Coltrane African Orthodox Church where he played every Sunday for two years.

Weiss made his way through the 1990s in San Francisco, where he made important connections with saxophonists Roberto DeHaven (who played on Weiss’s 1997 debut recording, Make Your Own Lightning), Marco Eneidi, Glenn Spearman, and John Tchicai. He relocated to Spain in 1999, spending four years in the Madrid-based band Mojo and leading his own Gallo Pinto quintet. Returning to the Bay Area in 2003, he played in multiple contexts and projects—including his quartet Outhead, with which he recorded two albums (2007’s Quiet Sounds for Comfortable People and 2014’s Send This Sound to the King).

Arriving in Brooklyn in 2008, Weiss reunited with Tchicai to record One Long Minute with the Danish saxophonist’s Five Points band, working with bassist Dmitry Ishenko and Ches Smith, who would become longtime collaborators. They worked with him on 2012’s Fighter Planes & Praying Mantis, his second recording under his own name. Weiss also worked with the likes of Wadada Leo Smith, Herb Robertson, Sean Conly, Shahazad Ismaliy, Marcella Lucatelli, Liz Kosack, and Santiago Leibson; played in the hora/klezmer outfit K’nock Brigade; and earned a master’s degree in music therapy from New York University.

The 2013 birth of his son took Weiss off the bandstand for a few years; shortly after he formed Glad Irys in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic forced another long hiatus, which he used to compose much of the music that now makes its way to the world as Most Don’t Have Enough.

Alex Weiss will be performing a CD release show with the band heard on Most Don’t Have Enough on Tuesday 3/14, 6pm, at P.S. 133, 610 Baltic St., Brooklyn, NY. 

Jane Bunnett & Maqueque | "Playing With Fire"

Playing With Fire could refer to the feeling emanating from any member of Maqueque, the all-women band formed by veteran Toronto jazz musician Jane Bunnett with young female grads of the Cuban conservatory.

A decade ago, Bunnett met the core of the band at a jam session with her band Spirits of Havana, at the Cohiba Hotel in that city. Ten years later, Maqueque has created opportunities for composing and performing extraordinary jazz that has taken the pioneering ensemble around the world. It has expanded to include not only women players from Cuba, but also the brilliant vocalist Joanna Majoko (from Zimbabwe) and musicians from the Dominican Republic, Latin America, Spain and Lebanon.

On Playing With Fire, much of the heat comes from new guitarist Donna Grantis. Donna, who also hails from Bunnett’s home of Toronto, performed for many years with Prince as a member of 3RDEYEGIRL in the 2010s. Three pieces in particular feature Donna’s contribution to the recording process: “A God Unknown,” “A Human Race” and “Sierra.”

Maqueque has won a Juno Award, was nominated for a Grammy and annually tours Europe, Latin America, the U.S. and Canada. Downbeat magazine picked them as one of the Top Ten Touring Groups of 2019. NPR has featured the band on Tiny Desk Concert. Maqueque has been wildly successful in its mission, which is to elevate the profile of women musicians in Cuba. “There was so much creative energy there,” says Bunnett, “but not many outlets. We also realized that many of the girls at the conservatories were not really encouraged to ‘take the stage’ in a male-dominated scene. We witnessed this first-hand while taking technicians, jazz materials and instruments to Cuban conservatories — that the best way to solve this issue was to create a performance opportunity, which became an all-female ensemble.”

Maqueque continues to evolve and welcome new generations. Playing With Fire marks the debut of 19-year-old violinist Daniela Olano, sister of the band’s co-founder and pianist, Danae Olano. Her composition “Daniela’s Theme” is a highlight on the new recording. In addition to new compositions, the collective also reimagines two jazz classics: “Tempus Fugit” by pianist Bud Powell and “Jump Monk” by Charles Mingus.

Playing With Fire is the first Maqueque album to feature vocalist Joanna Majoko. The Zimbabwean took the music to new heights, improvising with a creative power in the studio that inspired everyone. The electrifying rhythm section — including the two founding members, pianist Danae Olano and drummer Yissy Garcia, along with bassist Tailin Marrero (who wrote the track “Bolero”) and percussionist Mary Paz — is the foundation that the music is built upon.

“Playing with Fire is a stunning example of the strength and beauty of the evolution of Jane Bunnett and Maqueque.”  -The Boston Globe’s Jon Garelick.

3-Time Grammy Winner TAJ MAHAL To Release New Album 'Savoy'

Stony Plain Records has announced the release of roots music legend Taj Mahal’s ground-breaking new album Savoy, on April 28. 2023. 

Taj Mahal can rightfully be called a living legend for his contributions to popular music.  With a voice as instantly recognizable as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, or Johnny Cash, throughout his career Taj has pushed the envelope of American roots music forward by incorporating sounds from the Caribbean, Africa, traditional blues and jazz. He has won three Grammy Awards from 14 nominations, was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, and presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association.  

With Savoy, Taj takes a new direction in his musical journey, exploring a collection of blues-tinged classic material with his good friend and acclaimed record producer John Simon, whose resume includes producing classic albums by The Band, Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot and Blood Sweat & Tears.  Recording Savoy is the realization of a musical collaboration they had been discussing for decades, finally locking in the studio time in Oakland, California to make it happen in August, 2022.

In the introduction to the first track “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” Taj Mahal talks about his parents meeting for the first time at the famous Savoy Ballroom in Harlem during the initial run of Ella Fitzgerald with the Chick Webb Band in 1938, writes Stony Plain Records co-founder Holger Petersen in the album’s informative liner notes.  The album is a loving throwback to the sounds of the swing jazz big band era. With guest vocals of Maria Muldaur on “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and Evan Price’s violin on two tracks, the album covers 14 standards composed by the likes of Duke Ellington, Louis Jordan, George Gershwin and Louis Armstrong, brought to life by the unique voice and character of the one and only Taj Mahal.

Taj explains, “I heard [the songs on Savoy] as a kid when all of those people who made those musics were alive and speaking to us through the records. Those weren’t just records to collect. Those were like listening to your relatives, your uncles, your cousins, your grandparents speaking to you through that medium, the medium of music.”

“The music was good then. It’s going to be good now,” concludes Taj, “especially when you got people who really respect what it is. Also, [who] respect the gift they’ve been given. It’s a gift to be able to play music, art, dance, write, do science, whatever, ‘cause you’re contributing to humanity. What you’ve been sent to do, that’s the whole thing.

Taj’s exploration of music began as an exploration of self. He was born in 1942 in Harlem to musical parents -- his father was a jazz pianist with Caribbean roots who collaborated with Buddy Johnson, Taj’s godfather.   His mother was a gospel-singing schoolteacher from South Carolina -- who cultivated an appreciation for both personal history and the arts in their son. “I was raised really conscious of my African roots,” Taj says.   ”My parents came together around music, which was swing and the beginnings of bebop.  That was significant, in terms of what kind of music I heard from them.”   

Fans of Taj know that he started working with Ry Cooder in the mid-60s LA band, The Rising Sons.  His first two solo Columbia albums, Taj Mahal’ (1967) and The Natch’l Blues (1968), are two of the most influential blues albums of all time.   Never one to be pigeonholed, Taj has recorded more styles of roots music than any other artist.  Those releases include music from the Caribbean, Hawaii, Africa, and India, as well as gospel, rock, early R&B, children’s music, soundtracks, and nearly every kind of acoustic and electric blues.  He brings a musicologist’s quest to each project.  

Taj first met producer John Simon at the New York City Columbia Records Studios in 1968.  John was producing and playing piano on the first Electric Flag album. Taj was already a fan of John’s productions, playing and arrangements, in particular his arrangements for an album featuring Marshall McLuhan, the influential media guru.  At the time, John was a staff producer at Columbia.  Taj invited John to play keyboards on his tours during the ‘70s and he also played on Taj’s landmark The Real Thing (1972) album as part of an adventurous band that included four tuba players.  Taj and John have remained close friends and kept in touch over the years and toured together again in 2006.  Talk eventually turned to their mutual love of classic standards with a blues twist and to doing another album together.  Trading songs, the two came up with a list of 59 possibilities before settling in on the 14 contained in Savoy.  

Savoy was recorded at 25 th Street Recording in Oakland with engineer Gabriel Shepard.   Taj showed up the first day about 1:00 PM and settled in with cups of sweet tea. Backing Taj Mahal vocals and harmonica on Savoy is a rhythm section comprised of Danny Caron – guitar; Ruth Davies – bass; John Simon – piano; and Leon Joyce, Jr. – drums; with background vocals by Carla Holbrook, Leesa Humphrey, Charlotte McKinnon, Sandy Cressman, Sandy Griffith and Leah Tysse. 

On the first day of recording, the band was running down John Simon’s arrangement of “Stompin’ at the Savoy” with encouragement from Taj.  Chick Webb had the first hit with the song in 1934 and Ella later recorded it with Louis Armstrong.   Taj said, “It needs a little more sashay.  You’ll know it when you hear it.”  Co-Executive Producer Holger Petersen who was at the session shares, “and everybody did!  Taj’s scat singing is a highlight.  Except for “Killer Joe, fans would likely have heard all the others at one time or another at the Savoy Ballroom during its long run from 1926 to 1958. This is a Taj album like no other and a deep part of his long history. “ 

Michael Kaeshammer | "The Warehouse Sessions"

Music is a great and powerful connector. There’s nothing quite like hearing the palpable and electric connection between musicians in an inspired performance or feeling an intrinsic connection to a song that causes your emotions to take flight. Making that connection happen on his new recording is acclaimed Canadian pianist and singer Michael Kaeshammer with live-off-the-floor performances on his joyful and inspired new album, The Warehouse Sessions.

A delectable concoction of funky soul, gospel revival and rollicking boogie-woogie, The Warehouse Sessions showcases the fine-tuned prowess of a trio that has spent countless hours together on stage and off, honing their musical connection. Not wanting that connection to dissipate, Kaeshammer, bassist David Piltch and drummer Johnny Vidacovich gathered at Bryan Adams’ famed Warehouse Studio in Vancouver to capture their unique symbioses together in more permanent form.

A lost-in-the-moment capture of the multi-JUNO and WCMA winner and his hot trio, the punchy lead-off single “You’ve Got It In Your Soulness” is a lovingly reverent but progressive take on the Les McCann jazz-soul song that first appeared on McCann’s and trumpet player Eddie Harris’ 1969 Grammy nominated live album Swiss Movement. 

“The concept was simple,” reflects Kaeshammer. “Let’s call a tune and then, let’s record it.  These are all first takes, loose and energetic.”

That approach has made The Warehouse Sessions a collection that is imbued with an immediacy and excitement that’s apparent from the first notes of “You’ve Got It In Your Soulness”, through the trio’s engaging takes on other classics like “Ain’t She Sweet”, “Down By The Riverside” and “Bourbon Street Parade”. All songs that “show a group having so much fun it’s infectious” says JAZZ.FM91’s Brad Barker, who wrote the album liner notes.  “It’s simply three friends finding joy in making music for each other and we all get to crash the party.”

A mélange of styles masterfully conveyed is a hallmark of Kaeshammer’s versatility and inclusive approach to making music. Throughout decades as a professional performer first in Germany and then Canada after making Vancouver Island his family home, the double JUNO winner has interwoven elements of classical, jazz, blues, boogie-woogie, stride, and even pop into his signature brand of music.

“When I play, I don’t worry about if it’s jazz or pop or classical or whatever; I just play what I hear and let the music decide what it wants to be,” Kaeshammer explains. “Sure, there are different styles, different eras, different approaches, but when you really look at it, it’s all just music based on 12 notes.”

Sure, you can always distill music down to those 12 simple notes but, the wondrous art you can build them into is the magic. On The Warehouse Sessions and all the music he’s released since his 1996 debut album Blue Keys, Kaeshammer displays his keen handle on creating that art for all of us to enjoy.

He’s definitely got it in his soulness.   

Montreal's Jazz and Electro Combo Little Animal! Release Eponymous EP

Little Animal! is a group of Montreal musicians that transcends the boundaries of jazz and electro. Their eponymous digital album is now available via Justin Time Records.

Little Animal! is led by bassist Morgan Moore (The Barr Brothers, Martha Wainwright, Yannick Rieu, Ranee Lee), who is also co-founder of Blood & Glass and Black Legary. For the past two decades, Morgan has been travelling the world playing bass. More recently, he has been composing and producing cutting-edge electronic music.

In 2021 he was approached by Jim West of Justin Time Records to create an album uniting electronic music with the intensity of jazz.  Morgan called on some well-known musicians to collaborate on the project and the chemistry and beauty of their work is undeniable. Besides Morgan Moore on bass, Little Animal! consists of Joe Grass (Patrick Watson, Elisapie) on pedal steel, Tommy Crane (Aaron Parks, Melissa Aldana) on drums and Lex French (Christine Jensen, CODE Quartet, Diana Krall) on trumpet. Together they create lush improvisations and mind-blowing grooves. When integrated into the lush landscape of Morgan's electronic creations, the result is unique and inspiring sound.

The music of Little Animal! pushes the listener to explore the relationship between humans and technology: both our addiction and our aversion to it. Jazz is an art form that embodies human expression in its most spontaneous creation.

Listening to Little Animal! you can almost feel the musicians fighting the electronic sounds at times while other sections coexist in perfect harmony. The constant tug of war between man and machine begs the question: is technology controlling us or are we controlling it?

The band followed up a spring residency at Montreal music venue Ursa with their first appearance in July 2022 at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal with more Canadian dates to follow in 2023.  Little Animal! is gearing up to make waves in the jazz and avant-garde music scenes around the world.

Brian Thomas | "On The Bone"

One could argue that “On The Bone” is trombonist Brian Thomas’s eleventh album. However, the collection of soul, jazz and funk arriving January 27 is the first issued under his own name, hence it’s a debut album from a veteran of more than twenty years. Thomas produced the set comprised entirely of original compositions brought to life in the company of an organ trio and rhythm section recorded in the studio live by Soulive’s Alan Evans, who also mixed and mastered the vintage jazz-funk project.

Thomas’s vibrant stage presence and distinctive funky style are on full display whenever he performs, energy that he brought to the “On The Bone” date.

“These songs are an accurate representation of what you would hear if you came to one of my shows. My music is very much inspired by soul, jazz and funk from the 1960s and 70s, and aims to make people feel good, tap their feet, bob their head and/or get up and dance. With the exception of the guest sax player overdubs, all of these songs were recorded live in a very old-school way,” said Thomas who spotlights two saxophonists on the project, alto player Scott Mayo and tenor Mike Tucker.

The core musicians who joined Thomas on the album are Darby Wolf on Hammond B3 organ, guitarist Johnny Trama, drummer Tom Arey, and percussionist Yahubu Garcia-Torres. 

“I have been working with this crew of musicians in many different settings for nearly two decades and have formed incredible relationships with them on and off the bandstand. I handpicked this crew to bring these blues-based compositions to life as each of them have spent their lives studying and performing roots, blues, jazz and soul music with the best in the business. Each song on the album delivers a deep groove, funky pocket and space for each musician to share their voice,” Thomas stated.

There’s a hip, smoky nightclub vibe to “On The Bone,” which is heard from the start. “Turn On” sets the stage with gritty and gravely drums, storming organ swatches, crisp and clean electric jazz guitar licks and elastic basslines. While the entire lineup is granted a chance to step forward to solo, the banter between Thomas’s trombone and Mayo’s swinging, soul-powered sax is what captivates. The two musicians knew each other from their hometown, Rochester, NY, and both have a special connection to the composition’s author. Mayo, who has performed on television’s “The Voice” and toured with Earth, Wind & Fire, and Thomas were mentored by the late educator and woodwind specialist Roger Eckers.  

A relentless, hyperkinetic beat drives “Orange Tape,” the first of five tunes penned by Thomas. Again, the trombonist sits back to give each member of the unit a chance to rip a solo.

“The song title is inspired from a childhood memory of riding in my dad’s car and seeing him pop in an orange cassette tape that I loved. At the time, I had no idea who it was, but it was so burning! Turns out it was an album from tenor sax player Willis Jackson backed by an organ trio led by Groove Holmes. It is my earliest memory of being inspired by soul-jazz and certainly shaped my playing and composition style. This tune is a way to thank my father for exposing me to all the soulful music that makes me who I am as a musician today,” recalled Thomas fondly.

Thomas wrote the title track in the studio with James Brown & The J.B.’s in mind.

“Brown’s horn players, (trombonist) Fred Wesley and (saxophonist) Maceo Parker, the latter who I had the opportunity to play with a handful of times, have been musical mentors my entire life and this tune reflects that. We jammed on it for a few minutes, and we literally came up with the melody and form during that jam session and hit the record button!” said Thomas, who later invited another longtime friend, Tucker, to play sax on the joint.

Sunny, smiley and laid-back chill pervade the spirit-lifting “Just A Glimpse.” Thomas attributes the feel to listening to South African trumpet great Hugh Masekela. The trombone deftly carries the sweet melody while taking on lyrical qualities. 

“The original idea and chord progression for this tune came on a night when we were having a blue moon in the sky. I was messing around on the piano and suddenly remembered to go outside and check it out. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy, and I was only able to catch ‘a glimpse’ so I went back inside and finished writing the melody,” said the Boston-based Thomas who has a busy concert calendar of shows in Massachusetts and New Hampshire over the next couple of months in support of the new album, including a gig in Boston at the Beehive the day the record hits.  

Conceived during his 2016 honeymoon, Thomas wrote “Bacudi Blues” at an Aruban resort. You can almost hear the breezy beach ambiance floating luxuriously amidst Wolf’s steamy organ and Thomas’s playful horn leads.

“I sang the melody and bassline into the voice notes on my phone and added it to my set when arriving back home. It is nice to finally get it recorded. It is a blues-based composition featuring solos by each band member.”

Available exclusively as a bonus track remix on Bandcamp, CD and perhaps one day on vinyl, “Check Your Intentions” was released a couple years ago as a digital single.

“The song’s title is a reminder to me - and hopefully the listener - to make sure actions match your intentions, and that your intentions are noble and righteous. It is another blues-based tune that I wrote while jamming with my then thirteen-year-old son during the early stages of the pandemic. In this era of digital distribution, I wanted to make sure this song was documented and shared on a hard copy,” said Thomas.

Thomas studied classical trombone and jazz improvisation at Ithaca College before earning a master’s degree in jazz composition at UMASS Amherst. He cowrote and coproduced albums in assorted configurations, including with Akashic Record, BT ALC Big Band and Duochrome. Passionate about writing, horn arranging and recording, Thomas thrives in the studio where he collaborates with musicians all over the world. Most recently, he contributed to projects by many of the artists on Evan’s Vintage League Music record label roster. Thomas is equally committed to education, teaching at clinics and masterclasses, and serving on staff at Canton High School where he directs four instrumental ensembles. This bodes to be a prolific year on record for Thomas who anticipates the release of BT ALC Big Band’s “Hearing The Truth” album later this year.

Bob Baldwin/Gail Jhonson/Phil Davis: The 3 Keys | "We 3 Keys"

The number three is often referred to as a divine and mystical number. Pythagoras called it the ‘perfect’ number. Chart-topping Contemporary Jazz pianists Bob Baldwin, Gail Jhonson and Phil Davis (The 3 Keys), harness the wisdom of three on their harmonious and splendid piano expedition, We 3 Keys, to be released on Shanachie Entertainment January 20, 2023. The recording celebrates the magic of keyboards and is inspired by some of the trio’s keyboard/piano influences including George Duke, Bernard Wright, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Eliane Elias and Bernie Worrell, among others. There is an eclectic mix of keyboard sounds including Moog synths, pianos, the Fender Rhodes, organ, keyboard bass, and other various synthesizers. At the core of We 3 Keys is the deep respect and mutual admiration that Baldwin, Jhonson and Davis have for one another. Jhonson explains how the anticipated project evolved. “Phil and I were performing with Grammy-winning guitarist Norman Brown in GA, and we met up with Bob Baldwin backstage. Naturally, I wanted a photo of the three of us together since it is rare for keyboard players to get the chance to hang out. We were joking and laughing and as we took the shot I said, ‘we should be a group!’” Baldwin adds, “The piano like all instruments is such a personal instrument. It was cool and refreshing to see a different spin on the same instrument from all our different perspectives. This project is really to showcase the piano, which is the backbone for Contemporary and Smooth Jazz.”  

The sumptuous twelve-track We 3 Keys showcases mostly originals while illuminating each of the pianist’s compositional prowess and virtuosity. There are tributes to pianists George Duke and Bernard Wright, as well as a gorgeous reworking of the Aldir Blanc, Ivan Lins and Vitor Martins composition “Camaleão,” previously recorded by the likes of the aforementioned Lins, Grover Washington Jr., and Dionne Warwick. Phil Davis hopes the project will touch their fans. “There is a real need to reach people through music right now. We have collectively lost a lot of people due to the pandemic (family, friends, musicians, etc.) and this has created a shift in creative people to produce more music,” he reflects. “Hopefully, this music will touch and heal people like it helped us while working on this project.” One might wonder how you even begin to fuse three distinct voices and personalities on the same instrument. “It was a challenge to unite the complete cosmos of notes, tonal effects and rhythms…it wasn’t long before we found out each other’s favorite piano/keyboard stations,” recalls Gail. Phil adds, “On most of the project, you will hear one of us on piano, another on Rhodes, one on electric synth sounds and sometimes we added a little organ in as well.” The glue in The 3 Keys is the openness that each musician had to let the album unfold organically. “Working with Phil and Gail was a great experience, and in the process, we all learned something about ourselves and each other,” shares Bob Baldwin.

We 3 Keys opens with the spirited and cool swinging “That Beat,” the album’s first single co-written by Gail and Bob. The free-flowing interplay is the perfect opening for the joyous affair ahead. Gail penned the bluesy “Piano Bar” with bassist Andrew Ford, who joins her on the track. “Andrew is really special to me,” she shares. “What I enjoy about this song is the melody along with the track’s light rhythmic bounce and interesting chordal pattern.” Phil Davis’ head-nodding and catchy “Into The New,” demonstrates just how tight the synergy is between the three pianists as they trade-off to thrilling effect. “‘Into the New’ is Phil Davis all the way,” muses Bob. “I enjoyed that vibe he put down!” Phil also composed the ethereal “Dreaming About A Better Place.” It's smooth sailing with Bob Baldwin’s funky “Gimme The Keys.” “When I first heard ‘Gimme The Keys,’ I fell in love with it,” exclaims Gail. “I told him, ‘I’ll drive!’ and we laughed! Bob is an ideal starter for the song because he can kick the can and leave room for you to get some, or he will keep carrying the ball!” Gail co-wrote “That Beat” which appears as a track and interlude on the album. The R&B inflected, and syncopated groove dares you to sit still. Gail’s “Rhythm Speak,” is sure to be a hand-clapping crowd pleaser while her “SummerDance,” penned with Justin Davis (also on the track) playfully shifts rhythms and keys.

 “When I heard ‘Something Nice’ by Gail, it put me in a George Duke mood. It was cool hearing that groove,” confides Bob Baldwin. He first met Duke in the 70s and had the honor to open for him on several occasions. He fondly recalls their hangs together backstage through the years. Gail adds, “Our dedications to George Duke and Bernard Wright are sincere. Their contributions to the keyboard world are profound, so we hope to carry on their legacy and add our own voices.” Gail and Bob co-wrote the soul and funk-drenched tribute to Wright, “Work It Out.” Baldwin reflects, “I grew up watching Bernard Wright, who was a child prodigy out of Queens, NY (hometown of Najee, Ragan Whiteside, Tom Browne, Marcus Miller, Donald Blackman), break into the business as a teenager. Queens is no stranger to jazz-funk music. I wish ‘Nard released more music.” We 3 Keys also features a lush and memorable version of the aforementioned “Camaleão.” “The movement of Brazilian Bossa Nova, Samba and Partido Alto is such a different vibe. It was fun re-working that track with everyone," says Bob. 

“Music is a healing tool for me,” declares pianist, composer, producer, and arranger Bob Baldwin, who began taking piano lessons with his father (Bobby Baldwin Sr., who worked alongside bassists Keter Betts and Art Davis) at age six. Baldwin who cites Joe Sample, George Duke, Duke Ellington, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, and Patrice Rushen as among his many influences shares, “My Dad made it easy for me. He taught me how to play and revealed that I had perfect pitch. I was clueless about what that was all about, but I grew to appreciate and embrace the gift, put down the toys and took classical and jazz piano at age 7.” Bob’s cousin, by the way, is the late great pianist Larry Willis, who was an original member of the group Blood, Sweat and Tears, as well as a Jerry Gonzales Fort Apache member, and a Blakey Jazz Messenger. Baldwin has been a mainstay and guiding force on the Contemporary Jazz scene for the past three decades. His debut album, A Long Way To Go, was released in 1988, and his last solo effort and 33rd recording is The Stay-At-Home Series. Baldwin has earned five SESAC Music awards and has written and arranged for such diverse artists as The Four Tops, Will Downing, Tom Browne, Grover Washington Jr., Bob James, Lenny White and Regina Carter.  

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, pianist, producer, composer, and educator Phil Davis was raised in a musical household. Davis has had the distinction of collaborating with a wide cross-section of artists including Prince, Al Jarreau, Stanley Clarke, Jennifer Holiday, Erykah Badu, Regina Belle and Walter Beasley, among numerous others. Davis touts George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample, Keith Jarrett, and Chick Corea as his greatest piano influences, citing that he has borrowed from each of them to help produce this own unique sound. Davis is an Assistant Professor/Coordinator in the music department at his alma mater Clark Atlanta University. His credits include film scoring (“Maynard,” the documentary about Atlanta’s first black Mayor), song producer for Star Search (CBS), musical director for “The Comedy Show” (Turner South) and producing a commercial for the 2019 Superbowl. Committed to paying it forward, Phil Davis has dedicated his talent and time to the following organizations: Kilgore Music Foundation, How Big Is Your Dream Foundation, The Stewart Foundation, and Westlake High School Marching Band. Davis’ most recent solo project is Alive.

“I knew I wanted to play professionally when I was a kid and saw Stevie Wonder on the Farfisa Keyboard at the Uptown Theatre in North Philadelphia!” shares Gail Jhonson, affectionately dubbed ‘The First Lady of Smooth Jazz.’ “I took classical piano lessons and learned the fundamentals, but Stevie spoke to my soul! Afterwards, Burt Bacharach sheet music and Thom Bell recordings inspired me to continue in the music world. Later, I attended Berklee to get Ellington, Coltrane, and McCoy Tyner, then Ramsey Lewis stole my heart!” Jhonson, now based in LA, began performing professionally at 14 in her native Philadelphia. She is the founder and leader of her own all-star female band, Jazz in Pink. She has made it a mission to address her concern that women are under- represented on the jazz scene, particularly as instrumentalists. Jhonson has held down the piano chair for such diverse artists as Bobby Womack, Janet Jackson, Pink, and Morris Day (Time) to Sheila E., Ray Parker Jr., Peabo Bryson, Kirk Franklin, and Patti Austin, among others. Jhonson who is currently earning her Doctorate at Walden University states, “I hope to inspire upcoming musicians and artists to press on, no matter what. Hang on to your dreams and see yourself where you want to be. Don’t give up on yourself too soon!” Her latest recording is Joy!

Les Sabler | "Flying HIgh"

When two-time Grammy-winning producer Paul Brown (George Benson, Larry Carlton, Norman Brown, Boney James, Kirk Whalum) agreed to produce contemporary jazz guitarist Les Sabler’s “Tranquility” album, it led to a transformational project by the fretman. With Brown at the helm, Sabler hit a new creative zenith on that 2021 album. For his ninth album, Sabler reunited with Brown to record “Flying High,” which is slated to arrive on February 3 from New Vista Records.

Brown’s fingerprints are all over “Tranquility.” His suggestion that Sabler get a vintage 1967 Gibson Johnny Smith guitar reshaped the guitarist’s sound, inspiring his best performances. Bringing in songwriters Shane Theriot (Hall & Oates, Dr. John, Neville Brothers) and Lew Laing (Norman Brown, Marion Meadows, Raheem DeVaughn) to write songs with him equipped Sabler with richly melodic material incorporating an array of jazz, R&B, funk and pop nuances. The teaming proved to be transcendent, ushering Sabler into the number one spot on the Mediabase chart with the gorgeous and graceful nylon stringed “Esselle’s Dance,” which also hit number five on the Billboard chart. The compelling collection, along with the impassioned and nimble guitarwork featured within, led to Sabler being profiled in Vintage Guitar magazine.     

“I’m at the top of my game, hitting my creative stride on the last album (“Tranquility”). ‘Flying High’ takes it to another level,” said Sabler who reassembled the same team for the new disc.

Actually, Sabler added one key figure to the “Flying High” creative outfit. It was brought to Sabler’s attention that Abbey Road Studios mastering engineer Geoff Pesche named “Tranquility” as his favorite album of 2021. That spurred Sabler to invite Pesche to master “Flying High” in the iconic studio made famous by The Beatles. 

With Brown back in the producer’s chair and cowriting all seven original songs for “Flying High,” Sabler again finds himself keeping frequent company with Theriot (keyboards, rhythm guitar, bass, drum programming), who cowrote five tunes on the new offering, including the album opener, “Over The Top,” a cool and confident midtempo mood-setter that gets an assist from Greg Vail’s whimsical flute. 

Exemplifying self-assurance, Sabler stretches his artistic muse on the searing “Compared To What,” a jam recorded by jazz pianist Les McCann and saxophonist Eddie Harris at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival in 1969. In addition to Sabler’s incendiary finger work, this version burns via the firepower of keyboardist Marco Basci, trumpeter Ron King, and Vail’s sax over percolating rhythms cooked up by drummer Joel Taylor, bassist Travis Carlton, and percussionist Lenny Castro. 

“I’ve been a fan of McCann’s for decades and was fortunate to meet and spend some time with the legend at the 1990 JazzTimes convention in New Orleans. As luck had it, they put us in adjacent hotel rooms,” Sabler recalled fondly.

Laing (keyboards, bass, drum programming) and Sabler pushed the limits with the single “Keep Pushin’” for “Tranquility,” and their reunion bodes to be equally luminous. “Moonlight” builds on their chemistry as Sabler’s sinewy electric guitar beams amidst the shimmering track.

The title cut ascends on its rousing chorus launched by a Gorden Campbell drum groove. Sabler defers to the warmth of his nylon stringed guitar on “Old Friends,” despite fostering a sense of exotic adventure. “New Bossa,” a multicultural amalgam powered by a vibrantly animate melody, is Sabler’s latest single to instantly dance onto the SiriusXM Watercolors playlist and has begun its ascent of three national jazz charts simultaneously.

Venturing into standards territory, Sabler interprets Academy Award-winning “The Windmills Of Your Mind” from 1968’s “The Thomas Crown Affair” as a somber and sultry staccato Latin groove, using his nylon string guitar to emote eloquently and exchange elegant banter with Lou Pomanti’s (Michael Bublé, Gordon Lightfoot) keyboard poetics. Sabler credits Dusty Springfield’s version as his influence.

Sabler’s inspiration for another modern classic, “Summer In The City,” came from a version Quincy Jones recorded in 1973. Sabler’s reimagination is steamy and creates tension like The Lovin’ Spoonful’s original, but the guitarist is buttressed by a robust horn arrangement that includes Vail’s bellowing saxophone. After, “Soft and Smooth” dials down the intensity. Despite the slower, more deliberate cadence, Sabler’s loquacious guitar licks leap to the fore in a lyrical repartee. 

“Double Jeopardy” is seductive, mysterious and alluring, highlighted by Sabler’s nylon string overtures and King’s soulful trumpet coos. Sabler pays homage to one of his influences, guitar legend Kenny Burrell, on “A Child Is Born,” which closes the collection. Burrell recorded the Thad Jones gem in 1971.

“This arrangement differs from the original 3/4-meter as it is performed in straight 4/4, however, it retains the expressive flavor of the beautiful composition,” said Sabler.

A native of Montreal who makes his home in Nashville, Sabler recorded the score for a Canadian Television Network documentary about the lost treasures of the Titanic in 1989, seeding the release his debut album, “Hidden Treasure,” the following year. His catalogue boasts collaborations with Grammy winners Jeff Lorber, Vinnie Colaiuta and Jerry Hey as well as Grammy nominees Brian Bromberg, Eric Marienthal, Richard Elliot and Alex Acuna. Sabler earned a Jazz Artist of the Year nomination from the Canadian Indie Awards while his albums have been nominated multiple times for Album of the Year by the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, which also honored him twice as a Guitarist of the Year nominee. On stage, Sabler has headlined or opened for artists such as Lorber, Elliot, Spyro Gyra, Michael Lington and Diane Schuur.

“Flying High” contains the following songs:

• “Over The Top”
• “Compared To What”
• “Moonlight”
• “Flying High”
• “Old Friends”
• “New Bossa”
• “The Windmills Of Your Mind”
• “Summer In The City”
• “Soft and Smooth”
• “Double Jeopardy”
• “A Child Is Born”

New Music Releases: Matt Greenwood, Holly Burke, Bill Runge & Linda Lee Thomas, Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, RJ LeBlanc

Matt Greenwood – Atlas

Originally from Harare, Zimbabwe, guitarist and composer Matt Greenwood is carving out a new sound in Toronto’s Jazz scene with his debut album Atlas. With a diverse musical upbringing, including performances as a teenager with Zimbabwean legends such as Oliver Mtukudzi and Forward Kwenda, Greenwood’s music is unhindered by geographical genre confines. The cinematic musical world of Atlas combines jazz improvisation with modern production aesthetics and a compositional approach that borders on contemporary classical music. The album consists entirely of Greenwood’s original compositions, brought to life by multiple combinations of musicians including Juno Award winning upright bassist Mike Downes, renowned drummer Mark Kelso and a long list of innovative up-and-coming Toronto and Montreal based musicians: Joshua Stanberry, Dhaivat Jani, Matt McCormack, Matt Dicker, Peter Holbrook, James Griffith, and Steve Carson. While most of the music was recorded live off the floor in studio, many of the tracks are augmented by an otherworldly landscape of overdubbed atmospheric guitar textures. Greenwood mixed the album himself to allow for a unique workflow where the lines could blur between composition, arrangement, and post-production. The main tracking sessions were engineered by Matthew Manifould and the album was mastered by Reuben Ghose. 

Holly Burke, Bill Runge & Linda Lee Thomas - Dreamride

In 2020, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and after a five year struggle with post-concussion syndrome, composer Holly Burke finally found herself back at the piano, improvising again. Her muse had returned. Re-invigorated, Burke shared a few new themes and unfinished compositions with musician and composer Bill Runge – a long time collaborator of Burke’s, now side-lined by the pandemic. Runge was deeply moved by the incredible beauty of these musical vignettes. Together, they began painstakingly crafting the compositions, sometimes doing as many as two dozen drafts until they were happy with the results. Their collaboration yielded twenty new pieces of music. Having decided to record this new music, they could think of no better pianist for the job than the great Linda Lee Thomas, the principal pianist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra since 1972 and member of the British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame.This collection draws from a variety of musical settings, including jazz, pop, tango, and various classical styles. It’s a fascinating and enticing body of work, with each piece akin to a miniature tone poem

Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra: Voices – A Musical Heritage

Voices – A Musical Heritage is the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra’s sixth release since their inception in 1997. This album is a collection of commissions from eight jazz composers meant to reflect some of Manitoba’s musical heritage: First Nations, Metis, Ukrainian, Jewish, Chilean, Brazilian, Nigerian and Icelandic. Beginning with The Parallel Steppes, John Stetch’s creative three movement suite reimagines Ukrainian folk songs using chorale textures, fugue-like sections and exciting up-tempo swing. Throughout the album, the WJO weaves its way through the imaginations of each composer: an homage to Victor Jara in Rodrigo Muñoz’s Homenaje; an exploration of the ancient pentatonic scale in Jeff Presslaff’s The Living Mind; a celebration of community with Henry Onwuchekwa’s Oriri; sweeping, icy landscapes and folk music in Richard Gillis’s Shadows; Marco Castillo’s plea for protecting our Earth in Choro para Amazônia; the magical northern skies in Andrew Belfour’s Ishpiming; and the driving, relentless pursuit of Michelle Gregoire’s The Bison Hunt.

RJ LeBlanc – Heyday

Bassist RJ LeBlanc has been a fixture of the Montreal jazz scene for 15 years, and is showing no signs of letting up anytime soon. In fact, he’s more active than ever, working with a wide variety of artists in a number of different styles, including the free jazz of Jean-Michel Pilc, the polished smooth jazz of Carol Welsman, and extensive work on the road with iconic Montreal rock bands like The Dears. Since 2005, LeBlanc has played on over 50 studio recordings, and has toured throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. A dedicated educator, LeBlanc is currently on faculty at McGill University. Heyday– LeBlanc’s 4th album as a leader – is his most ambitious project yet. The album represents a tapestry of the influences that have shaped his compositional process and improvisational style, from Nirvana to Caetano Veloso, and from Skrillex to Weather Report, with modern jazz as the underlying thread throughout. The eight songs featured on this album are a study in contrasts: Childlike and Into the Sun are reminiscent of the 90’s rock LeBlanc was raised on, while Saturnales is an ode to Weather Report co-leader Joe Zawinul; Casa Perdida and Heyday are features for vocalist Erika Angell, who brings to these pieces a vocal quality reminiscent of the great Patti Smith; Flamme and EZ Drummer are groove-based pieces that hint at R&B and dubstep; Chanson pour Marguerite is directly inspired by the ballad artistry of Paul Simon. 

Fred Hersch & esperanza spalding | Alive at the Village Vanguard

Pianist and composer Fred Hersch and vocalist, bassist, and/songwriter esperanza spalding (stylized in all lower case) can both be counted among the most acclaimed and inventive artists in modern jazz. The Village Vanguard is the music’s most revered venue, having played host to countless legendary musicians and beloved live recordings. The duo and the club converge for a magical performance on Alive at the Village Vanguard, a rare opportunity for listeners to enjoy the singular and thrilling collaboration between two marquee jazz artists at the top of their game.

Due out January 6, 2023 via Palmetto Records, Alive at the Village Vanguard showcases the astonishing chemistry shared by these two master musicians, who bring out distinctive aspects in each other’s playing. Hersch and spalding have convened for only a handful of New York City performances since their first meeting in 2013 during the pianist’s annual duo series at the Jazz Standard. In that limited time the pair has developed a wholly personal approach, not only in the annals of piano-voice duets but in their own already highly individual practices. Taking the stage with no set arrangements and only a vague sense of the repertoire they’ll explore, the dauntless pair delights in playing without a safety net.

“This recording sounds like you’re in the best seat in the Vanguard for a very live experience,” says Hersch. “You can really feel the vitality of the room, of the audience, and of our interplay. We decided on the word Alive for the album title as you can really feel the intimacy and energy of the performances.”

Alive at the Village Vanguard marks Hersch’s sixth recording from the storied club, where he’s been invited to headline three weeks annually for many years. The album also vividly spotlights Hersch’s stunning sensitivity and engagement as a duo partner; in recent years he’s worked in a similar setting with such incredible musicians as guitarists Julian Lage and Bill Frisell, clarinetist/saxophonist Anat Cohen, saxophonist Miguel Zenón, and trumpet maestro Enrico Rava. 

Hersch and spalding will celebrate the album’s release with a return to the Village Vanguard for a weeklong engagement beginning on January 10. That will be followed by a three-week U.S. tour.

“Playing with Fred feels like we’re in a sandbox,” spalding says. “He takes his devotion to the music as serious as life and death, but once we start playing, it’s just fun. I like to live on the edge in my music, but I find myself trying things that I usually wouldn’t when I play with him, finding new spaces to explore in the realm of improvised lyrics.”

Always a determined original in her own projects, spalding rarely sings standards, and her approach here is unique to her partnership with Hersch. She’s revealed on this outing as not just a phenomenal scat singer but a charming and imaginative improvisational storyteller. The Gershwins’ “But Not For Me” becomes a witty, poetic extemporization on the lyric itself, examining the changes in language represented by the original’s sometimes archaic terminology. Neal Hefti and Bobby Troup’s chauvinistic ditty “Girl Talk” comes under barbed scrutiny from not only a feminist but also an eco-conscious perspective.

“I don’t think anybody’s heard esperanza sing like this,” Hersch says. “She’s a fearless vocalist, and is one of the biggest talents I know. She’s got a huge reach in her intellectual knowledge and is a big thinker in both her projects and in her outlook.”

Hersch’s preternatural reflexes, profound emotional expressiveness and unparalleled gift for interpreting and reimagining repertoire with each new performance are on mesmerizing display throughout the album. His “Dream of Monk” has been a staple of the duo’s sets since the beginning. With lyrics penned by the pianist himself, the tune is a dedication to one of the pianist’s most indelible influences, whose own “Evidence” shows why Hersch is such a revered interpreter of the Monk canon. “Little Suede Shoes” transforms another bop-era classic, spinning a playful update on the Charlie Parker calypso.

“Some Other Time” is a Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne song, less well known than the Leonard Bernstein classic of the same name but a favorite of Hersch, who weaves an elegant and vivid tapestry during his mesmerizing solo. Egberto Gismonti’s “Loro” is launched by spalding’s unconventional scatting, which she eventually uses to engage in a nimble dance with Hersch’s propulsive piano. The album closes with Hersch’s best-known composition, “A Wish (Valentine),” with magnificent lyrics by Norma Winstone.

Though it’s hard to believe given the buoyant spirits and playful interaction of the performances, both spalding and Hersch were working through pain on the October 2018 weekend that this music was recorded. Although the stint ended on a celebratory note with the occasion of Hersch’s 63rd birthday, he was also scheduled to enter the hospital the very next day for hip replacement surgery. “I was in a lot of pain and walking with a crutch,” he recalls. “Just getting down the famous stairs to the Vanguard was an ordeal, but once the music started the pain disappeared completely.”

spalding, meanwhile, was struggling with family issues while juggling an intense schedule that included writing an opera with the master composer Wayne Shorter and beginning a teaching position at Harvard University. “I was going through a very difficult time in my life,” she admits. “I was miserable every day when I got to the Vanguard, so I had to decide to plug into the capacity for this music to heal. I wanted to emanate something positive even though I was feeling so horrible. Neither of us were feeling well in our lives outside of the music, so the stage of the Vanguard became an alchemizing place for both of us, and I think you can feel that in the music.”

Fred Hersch - A select member of jazz’s piano pantheon, Fred Hersch is an influential creative force who has shaped the music’s course over more than three decades. A fifteen-time Grammy nominee, Hersch has long set the standard for expressive interpretation and inventive creativity. A revered improviser, composer, educator, bandleader, collaborator and recording artist, Hersch has been proclaimed “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade” by Vanity Fair, “an elegant force of musical invention” by The L.A. Times, and “a living legend” by The New Yorker. For decades Hersch has been firmly entrenched as one of the most acclaimed and captivating pianists in modern jazz, whether through his exquisite solo performances, as the leader of one of jazz’s era-defining trios, or in eloquent dialogue with his deeply attuned duo partners. His brilliant 2017 memoir, Good Things Happen Slowly, was named one of 2017’s Five Best Memoirs by the Washington Post and The New York Times.

esperanza spalding - Five-time Grammy Award-winning visionary esperanza spalding aims to ignite and portray various hues of vital human energies through composition, singing, bass playing and live performance. A lover of all music, especially improvisation-based musics emerging from black American culture, spalding’s musical aesthetic is prismatic. With projects like Radio Music Society, Chamber Music Society, Emily’s D+ Evolution and 12 Little Spells, she has inventively combined and reimagined influences from jazz, funk, rock, musical theater and beyond. She has taught at Berklee College of Music and Harvard University, founded the Songwrights Apothecary Lab, and wrote the opera ...(Iphigenia) in collaboration with Wayne Shorter.

Pianist-composer Satoko Fujii Celebrates 100 Albums as a Leader with Hyaku: One Hundred Dreams

For Hyaku: One Hundred Dreams, pianist and composer Satoko Fujii’s 100th album as a leader, she assembled a one-of-a-kind, all-star band. Trumpeters Wadada Leo Smith and Natsuki Tamura, tenor saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, bassoonist Sara Schoenbeck, electronics artist Ikue Mori, bassist Brandon Lopez, and drummers Tom Rainey and Chris Corsano join Fujii to perform “One Hundred Dreams,” an ambitious new composition celebrating a milestone very few musicians ever reach. As sprawling and all-encompassing as Fujii’s own prolific career, it is Fujii at her most imaginative and wide-ranging.

Fujii has always had a knack for celebrating career landmarks in style. In 2008, she marked her 50th birthday year by releasing a half dozen CDs. A decade later, she doubled that output, releasing a new CD each month for a year in celebration of her 60th birthday. Franz A. Matzner in All About Jazz likened the twelve albums to “an ecosystem of independently thriving organisms linked by the shared soil of Fujii's artistic heritage and shaped by the forces of her creativity.” It’s no wonder that this artist with such a highly developed sense of occasion should make a splash for CD number 100. 

Since Something About Water with pianist Paul Bley, her 1996 recording debut as a leader, Fujii has released albums under her own name with a stunning range of bands. Among them are seven CDs with a trio featuring bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Jim Black; five albums by her electrifying avant-rock quartet featuring drummer Tatsuya Yoshida of The Ruins; eight solo CDs; and eight duets with her husband and creative partner, Natsuki Tamura. Fully one-fifth of her recorded output–more than 20 albums–feature her compositions for large ensemble.

Fujii says each of her CDs is “a dream come true.” On Hyaku (the Japanese word for “100”), she presents yet another of her beguiling visions—the wide-ranging “One Hundred Dreams,” a composition embracing swinging jazz, avant-rock, chamber jazz, and collective improvisation, that’s a prime example of Fujii’s unclassifiable music making at its peak.

Fujii treats her bandmembers as equal contributors to the composition and gives them generous solo time. Schoenbeck’s unaccompanied solo displays a lovely sense of melody and a unique vocabulary of colors and textures. The drummers engage in a duet that is not so much a dialogue as a joint statement. Wadada Leo Smith offers up a small jewel of subtle sound manipulation and structural discipline. Bassist Lopez, also a master of extended techniques, elicits new sounds from his instrument, and his low tones create considerable heft and presence. In her solo spot, Ingrid Laubrock feeds off the energy of Lopez and the drummers, coaxing short phrases into a long flowing statement that weaves in and out of the rhythmic network of her accompanists. Mori organizes her distinctive electronic sounds into incidents that possess all the drama and feeling of melody, even though there rarely is one. Tamura’s solo combines absurdly comic sounds and bop-inflected lines into serious music that isn’t self-serious.

As composer and conductor, Fujii is always listening carefully and guiding and shaping the performance. She cues in closely voiced ensemble chords that well up around Schoenbeck and buoy her skyward toward the end of her solo. The band punctuates the drum duet, driving the music to an exciting climactic burst. She fashioned a colorful backdrop for Smith that complements his mastery of sound, silence, and instrumental color. She brings in the band to punctuate Laubrock’s solo, but soon the short bursts of notes expand into a jubilant collective improvisation. She has also penned some bristling themes full of surprising twists and turns. She brings in a snaky, swinging melody that draws the band together after an extended passage in which she deconstructs the ensemble into smaller units. And the entire band pitches in on a rocking theme that brings everything to a celebratory ending. 

Pianist and composer Satoko Fujii, “an improviser of rumbling intensity and generous restraint” (Giovanni Russonello, New York Times), is one of the most original voices in jazz today. “Fujii’s music troubles the divide between abstraction and realism,” Russonello continues. “Plucking or scraping the strings of the piano; covering them up as she strikes the keys…. All of this amounts to abstract expressionism, in musical form. But it’s equaled by her rich sense of simplicity, sprung from the feeling that she is simply converting the riches of the world around her into music.”

For more than 25 years, she has created a unique, personal music that spans many genres, blending jazz, contemporary classical, rock, and traditional Japanese music into an innovative synthesis instantly recognizable as hers alone. A prolific composer for ensembles of all sizes and a performer who has appeared around the world, she was the recipient of a 2020 Instant Award in Improvised Music, in recognition of her “artistic intelligence, independence, and integrity.”