Chicago's Joe Policastro Trio to release new album 'Ceremony'

There’s a lot to celebrate on Ceremony, the sixth album by Chicago-based bassist, composer, and arranger Joe Policastro, rounded out by guitarist Dave Miller and drummer Mikel Avery. Together, the trio have created Ceremony, a work of creative heraldry that showcases a band at the top of its game where unity, originality, and cohesion are paramount. Honoring Policastro’s non-hierarchical approach to music, it’s a democratic display of three distinct musical voices coming together as one.

Ceremony is defined as a formal act or series of acts prescribed by ritual, protocol, or convention. It’s a fitting title for the Joe Policastro Trio’s new record in more ways than you might expect. In the traditional sense, Ceremony celebrates union. Unified by the band’s highly personal, blended sound, the album combines delightfully unpredictable cover songs that are presented alongside their original compositions. Less predictably, Policastro also notes that “this band has its own language, its own customs.” A convention or ritual, if you will.

New Wave fans would be right to associate the album title and its first track with the New Order song of the same name from 1981. Policastro, Miller, and Avery tackle the tune, but don’t let the gimmick of a jazz band covering New Order get in the way of turning it into a thrilling composition. They blend straight ahead jazz grooves, pensive breakdowns, breakneck drum grooves, and even styles like krautrock into the performance. It builds off the original’s recognizable hook, but uses that structure as a launching point, not an anchor.

“Our take on ‘Ceremony’ began riffing on the song’s iconic bassline, but it evolved into something else very quickly,” Policastro explains. The arrangement interpolates composer Erik Satie’s “Gymnopédie,” recontextualizing the song, its mood, its meaning. This is the “ceremony” at the heart of the band’s process.

Four engaging originals—three by Policastro (“Poioumena,” “Scene Missing,” and “Possible Music”) and one by guitarist Miller (“Mojave Lifeline”)—display a breadth of range, style, and compositional prowess. Strong melodies and taut structures disguise the complexity of these compositions. “Pioumena” shows their inside/outside improvisational approach on an up-tempo swing number with changing phrase lengths. The folkish melody of “Mojave Lifeline” masks its unsettled harmony. Throughout these originals, the band seamlessly switches grooves and texture while flawlessly improvising over the eccentric compositions.

Interspersed among those are the remaining “covers.” Roy Orbison’s “Blue Bayou” sees the melody pass between players. It features an arco bass solo, a melodic drum solo, and breaks down into a collective free jazz romp before regaining its sea legs. They tackle Thelonious Monk’s notoriously difficult and rarely performed “Brilliant Corners.” Flexing its muscle on an up-tempo samba, the album closes with João Bosco’s “Bala Com Bala.”

The album is anchored by Policastro’s bass as it waxes and wanes in the texture, Miller’s wide-ranging guitar sounds, and Avery’s orchestral drumming. These dovetail into solo features and collective improvisations. “We make interesting choices in the music that we play, whether it's the originals or adapting music way outside of jazz,” Policastro explains. It all serves a purpose, and each choice the group makes is intentional. “There’s a purity of expression that I think is unique to this group, this project. It’s so cool to hear things in a totally different way, to study them through new lenses.” This, too, is part of their ceremony, their ritual.

Ceremony also celebrates sound itself.  It was recorded in triple-true stereo by legendary sound engineer Ken Christensen (Naim Label, Pro Musica) and mastered for vinyl by Bob Weston. “We have always been a live band. All of our albums have essentially been ‘live’ captures of the group, but Ceremony has added depth aurally and musically.”

This is the first truly “new” album by Policastro since 2019. In 2022 he released Sounds Unheard, a collection of unreleased tracks, outtakes, and a handful of new songs that documented the life of the trio from 2012-2022. The pandemic drastically changed the way and frequency that this band works. It ended their thrice-weekly steady gig at Pops for Champagne, the venue that gave birth to the group; their grassroots touring grinded to a halt; and drummer Avery now resides in Philadelphia. Sounds Unheard gave the band the opportunity to test the waters, tour again, and get back out on the road. Ceremony, by contrast, looks forward and pushes ahead.

“It's too unique of a group with a history that can’t be manufactured,” Policastro explains. He notes that, “This album feels like a real celebration of everything we do well and what we represent, and it really moves the ball forward. I feel like I get so much more out of the group now having been forced to take a step back, to take some time away.” With Ceremony, Policastro and his trio have achieved a remarkable thing. They’ve honored their past, are indebted to ceremony. At the same time, though, the future of this band, its next iteration, lives throughout the album.

Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra - The Healing Force Of The Trojan Horse

Norwegian drummer/composer Gard Nilssen debuts on We Jazz Records with his major new album ‘Family’ with the 17-piece Supersonic Orchestra.

A veritable who’s who of Scandinavian jazz (and beyond), the Supersonic Orchestra is one of the most exciting large groups in the current international jazz circuit. Captured at Mondriaan Jazz Festival in Den Haag, Netherlands, ‘Family’ presents the ensemble in top form across the 8 tracks, all of which are original compositions by Gard Nilssen and André Roligheten.

Supersonic Orchestra consists of 7 saxophones, 2 trombones, 2 trumpets, 3 double basses and 3 drum sets. Do the quick math and you’ll guess that the band spits fire when they need to, but that’s not nearly the whole story here. There’s a natural ebb and flow to the music, and the tunes are catchy to the bone. This is not free blowing just for the sake of it, but music that is borne out the love for the totality of the ensemble sound here, and even more so of the necessity to write and arrange music for this “family”.

Goran Kajfes, Signe Emmeluth, Maciej Obara, Mette Rasmussen, Petter Eldh, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Hans Hulbækmo are just a few of the names that feature here with the bandleader Nilssen and his in house arranger Roligheten. As you hear here, on stage Supersonic Orchestra is a festival of a band unto itself. Whether an all out dragon’s roar or a quiet whisper of a solo bass, this is a big band bear hug on all 17 cylinders.

From the liner notes by drummer Chad Taylor:

“To present music for a big band in today’s musical climate is no easy task. There are many logistical obstacles and financial realities to contend with. In addition one must take into consideration the great legacy of big band masters of the past. How does the music you present measure up to the music of Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Chris McGregor, or The Globe Unity Orchestra? Does your music make people want to dance? Does your music have a full representation of musicians in today’s current scene? How is your music relevant?

What I find remarkable about Gard Nilssen’s Supersonic Orchestra is that it tackles all these questions with ease. How are they able to do this? Perhaps this has to do with its all-star cast of players, each player a distinctive voice within the ensemble. Perhaps it has to do with the outstanding collaboration between Gard and André in arranging and composing the material, and perhaps it has to do with the exceptional recording and mixing engineers Bård Ingebrigtsen, Jørgen Brennhovd and Marc Broer.

Whatever the case, this is music that needs to be heard.

The make up of Supersonic Orchestra is unique. For one there is no chordal instrument. While this might present some challenges it also presents opportunities. It opens up more options for creating different chords and harmonic directions for soloists. Another unusual feature is the rhythm section. There are three drummers and three bassists. Part of the inspiration behind this is the Kenny Clarke – Francy Boland Big Band who Gard discovered during the making of this album. It too at times featured multiple bass and drums.

Family is not defined by our genes, it is built and maintained through love and care, This music feels alive with hope, sincerity, joy and courage. The members of this ensemble all have strong personalities but they are united in their motive and intention. This music feels like family.“

'The Healing Force of the Trojan Horse' is mysterious number, which features all three drummers of the Supersonic Orchestra in the intro. A majestic chorale is played rubato over the driving percussion section. The momentum is continued by the flutes of Per "Texas" Johansson and André Roligheten.

'Family' will be released on 15 September by We Jazz Records.

Trombonist AUDREY OCHOA Presents: The Head Of A Mouse

Trombonist and composer Audrey Ochoa, a fixture on the Canadian music scene, possesses a unique magnetism and a recherché allure which has taken her to great heights and unexpected summits. Ochoa is a classically trained artist and possesses a voracious appetite for honing her craft in multiple genres. She is decidedly brash and original, with a spectacular compositional skill and talent on her instrument. These qualities and attributes have led Ochoa to sharing the stage with the likes of Hilario Duran, PJ Perry, and Tommy Banks; and with international legends Lew Tabackin, Marcus Miller, Chris Potter, the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band, Gordon Goodwin’s World Jazz Orchestra, an electrifying solo spot with The Dave Matthews Band (on their tune “Jimi Thing” at a sold-out show at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver), and featured in the touring company of Hadestown, which culminated in an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Her fourth album as a bandleader, The Head Of A Mouse (dropping September 29, 2023 on Chronograph Records), is the latest, and the freshest, representation of Ochoa’s brilliant artistic voice, conceived of during one of the most challenging periods in recent history-the COVID-19 pandemic. As she couldn’t freely perform the music from Frankenhorn live, she dove into the creation of this recording. The result immortalizes feelings of sorrow and desperation, and also of hope, creative energy and a renewed spirit. Ochoa’s desire is that current and future generations will experience this music as a unique musical creation that reflect the experiences of an artist during an unprecedented time. With The Head Of A Mouse, Ochoa’s most exciting and diverse work yet, with sounds spanning genres, modes and moods, she exemplifies an artist who has dedicated herself to expertise while remaining relevant and light-hearted. With a magnificent and fresh-faced approach, this album defies categorization and plants Ochoa’s flag firmly as a centrepiece of the Canadian, and international, music arena. Available worldwide on Chronograph Records, September 29th, 2023. 

Ochoa’s debut album, Trombone and Other Delights (2013), was widely acclaimed and spent three consecutive weeks as the number one Jazz album on the Canadian charts. Ochoa’s sophomore release, Afterthought (2017), an extension of her consummate understanding of arrangement and dedication to her craft – reached the #1 position on the Canadian jazz charts and broke into the top 20 in the U.S. Ochoa is a decorated award nominee, having earned recognition at the Western Canadian Music Awards, the Global Music Awards and a recent recipient of the Edmonton Music Prize, noting an outstanding musical contribution to the local arts scene. With significant momentum, Ochoa’s next recorded efforts were originally intended to feature duets with pianist Chris Andrew – which would be remixed by electronica DJ, Battery Poacher. As pre-production progressed, she found herself utilizing skills from other projects and arranging strings with horns and a rhythm section. The result was Frankenhorn (2020), an ambitious project that introduced strings into her previous configuration of trombone, piano, bass and drums, a mix of chamber music with contemporary and Latin jazz. The album reached #1 on both the Canadian (Earshot) and US (NACC) Jazz charts, and reached #8 across all genres on the Earshot National Top 50 chart in Canada. This release also led to Ochoa’s selection as the “2020 Jazz Artist of the Year” at the Western Canadian Music Awards.

 

Neo soul gem "High" by The 7 Day Weekend (Alan Evans & Kris Yunker)

Born from and influenced by the sounds and compositions of 60s and 70s film scores, multi-instrumentalists Alan Evans & Kris Yunker combine their song writing and production aesthetic to create what they describe as ‘electrorganic music’. The journey their music takes you on is The 7 Day Weekend.

Alan Evans is a founding member of USA band Soulive and renowned as one of the best drummers in the modern funk / soul-jazz world. With Soulive he has released a string of acclaimed albums and toured the world, selling out headline shows and opening tours for The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer. He also has enjoyed success with Ae3 aka the Alan Evans Trio, as well as being also an in-demand studio owner, producer and partner in the Vintage League Music label.

Yunker is an acclaimed keyboard player and composer – he has enjoyed success with funk outfits such as On The Spot Trio and Ae3, as well as with Jen Durkin And The Business, Wubakia and as a sideman for numerous other artists. With his unique style,  Yunker has been steadily rising the ranks in the music scene.

The 7 Day Weekend‘s debut, self-titled album came out in 2020 on Vintage League Music and is a luscious collection of 11 instrumentals drawing equally from the sonic landscapes of Galt McDermot as it does from those of J-Dilla. The outfit followed up with their first vocal track, “Show & Tell“ in 2022 that featured Nephrok! and took a more neo soul direction, with modern hiphop-style production.

For their latest release, single “High“, they have teamed up with Boston-native Sonya Rae Taylor on vocals, to lay out a buttery groove that gives a taste of their highly anticipated album Dream Fantastic to be released on High Wire Records, a division of Vintage League Music.

Ethan Cohen | Sebastian Greschuk | "Ensemble Unity"

When bassist Ethan Cohn and trumpeter Sebastián Greschuk first connected, as colleagues in the prestigious Focusyear residency program in Basel, Switzerland, they were struck by their compositional kinship. Hailing from different continents (Cohn from New York, and Greschuk from Argentina), these two exceptional musicians found common ground while abroad, and the vision for Ensemble Infinity came into focus.

The lineup they chose was fairly expansive: an octet with vocalist Tatiana Nova joining a contingent of four horns (Greschuk, fellow trumpeter Yakiv Tsvietinskyi, alto saxophonist Joshua Schofield, tenor saxophonist Gianni Gagliardi), plus pianist Lorenzo Vitolo and drummer Áron Tálas aiding Cohn in the rhythm section. “There’s an aspect of cultural exchange to this group,” Cohn maintains. “Everyone is from a different country. We come from really different backgrounds but we’ve followed our honest path and found what we love.”

The group took on a life beyond its Focusyear origins — hence Ensemble Infinity. Greschuk notes a parallel between the group’s eight players and the sideways numeral eight. “The name felt very close to our idea,” says the trumpeter, “that this thing is still going on and will keep going on. Even if it takes different forms, the band is an infinite line to we don’t know where.” Cohn refers to it as a “modular ensemble,” able to assume a range of sizes and shapes: “All of this music can be shrunk down to a smaller group, but the root of it is the two of us and the compatibility of our music.”

That compatibility stems from a host of shared influences. Though the project is rooted in jazz, there are hints of Ethan and Sebastián’s love of folk rhythms, rock, pop, and avant-garde music. There is also a strong inspiration that flows from the individuals involved: “We were writing exactly for the musicians we were playing with,” Cohn says, invoking a time-honored practice in jazz. He recalls “cheering in the booth,” for instance, while hearing Schofield’s alto solo unfold on the swaying and mysterious “Luna’s Lullaby,” an ode to a friend’s agitated unspayed cat. 

Ensemble Infinity also documents what Greschuk calls the “trumpet brotherhood” that he shares with Tsvietinskyi, who gets a generous feature on Cohn’s beautiful album opener “Saragossa.” “Yakiv is from Ukraine,” Greschuk notes, “and my grandfather was from Ukraine. We have this super-strong friendship and in the middle of the war I went to Ukraine to visit and perform with him. On my tune ‘Bosque’ we trade improvising on full choruses, with Yakiv on flugelhorn, and it felt so great to capture that.” The two trumpeters also share an affinity for the valve trombone, which they both play in various spots on the session, adding a distinct warmth and tonal variety. “I think of it almost like a bass trumpet,” says Greschuk, “with a similar range. It’s refreshing.”

Nova’s agile voice opens another dimension in the music as well. “She’s not always the main melody,” Cohn observes. “Sometimes she’s got a harmony with the horns which is rare and very challenging. She also sings lyrics, she sings main solo parts, she sings without lyrics, and she improvises a solo. Her voice can blend as part of the horn section. On my ballad ‘Bound to You,’ she shows how fantastic she is at telling a story through song, and I felt that needed to be showcased. The song has a child-like quality that I asked her to try and emphasize, and she nailed it.”

Cohn’s five pieces mesh with Greschuk´s three to create a world of intricate lyricism, labyrinthine form and engaging tension and release. Vitolo takes soaring piano solos on Greschuk’s “Słońce,” a moving waltz for the composer’s Polish girlfriend; “Nubes'' (or “Clouds”), named for the mold formations in a flatmate’s neglected fridge; and “Ladina Oswald,” by Cohn, the intensity of which draws on the experience of getting scammed by someone using that evocative alias. “Monsanto Daydream,” with Gagliardi doubling on tenor and soprano sax, is borrowed from the repertoire of another Cohn project, The Plastic Waste Band, a psychedelic jazz-rock unit focused in part on environmental issues. A brief reprise of “Bosque,” with Cohn on electric bass, closes out the album with still new textures and approaches, true to the Ensemble Infinity moniker in every sense.

Ethan Cohn, a native New Yorker, studied jazz performance at McGill University with mentors Fraser Hollins, Christine Jensen, Chris McCann, and John Hollenbeck. While in Montreal he recorded three albums of original music as leader of The Plastic Waste Band, a psychedelic jazz-rock group known for its commitment to environmental conservation and its refreshingly accessible yet rule-breaking approach. In 2020 Cohn moved to Switzerland to take part in the Focusyear band, studying privately with Larry Grenadier. He then returned to New York to pursue his master’s studies at The New School’s Performer-Composer program, where he delved into electroacoustic music as a research assistant for percussionist and electronic musician Levy Lorenzo. He has also studied privately with Reid Anderson, Dave Douglas, Buster Williams, Elliot Cole, and Drew Gress.

Sebastián Greschuk released his first album, Paisaje, in 2019 on the ears&eyes label. After attending the Focusyear program in Basel he began his master’s studies in composition at Jazzcampus Basel Musik Akademie and has since had the opportunity to study with Guillermo Klein, Ambrose Akinmusire, Larry Grenadier, Mark Turner, Alex Sipiagin, and other masters. He has arranged music for the wind ensemble at the prestigious MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), written original music for the Jazzcampus Big Band, and arranged a piece for the Jazzcampus Large Ensemble performed by special guest Seamus Blake. For many years Greschuk has also taught privately and at educational institutions such as EMC (Escuela de Música Contemporánea) and the Berklee International Network as a professor of trumpet, jazz ensemble, and music notation.

Rick Parker & Hernan Hecht | 'When It Stares You In The Face"

When It Stares You in the Face may be the first commercial release by the duo Rick Parker and Hernan Hecht, but their musical connection spans over 15 years and several genres of music. Parker, a trombonist based in New York City, who is known for his use of electronics to augment his playing, has released 9 records as a leader/co-leader and worked alongside a wide array of artists including Tim Berne, Frank Lacy, Mingus Big Band, Charli Persip, Muhal Richard-Abrams Orchestra, Ravish Momin and Michael Attias. Nate Chinen has described his music as “an expressive new-breed fusion, informed by a few generations of downtown experimentation.” (New York Times). Drummer, Hernan Hecht, recently relocated to his native Argentina after over 25 years living in Mexico City where he played on and produced over 300 records and won a Latin Grammy for his production of Ely Guerra’s “Hombre Invisible”. His drumming has brought him through a wide variety of groups including his own HH X-Pression Quartet and artists including Natalia LaFourcade, Lila Downs, Ximena Sariñana, A Love Electric, John Medeski, David Gillmore, and Mark Helias to name a few.

The two musicians first worked together when Hecht helped organize a tour for Parker in Mexico performing his jazz quartet music along with NYC bassist Ricky Rodriguez and Mexican pianist, Mark Aanderud in 2007. From that point, the two continued to collaborate and tour in both the US and Mexico forming several different groups of their own including their avant-garde quartet, 4 Limones, which included Aanderud as well as renowned saxophonist Tim Berne and an experimental groove-based trio, Ambient Assault, along with grammy award winning keyboardist/songwriter/producer Sam Barsh (Avishai Cohen Trio, Kendrick Lamar, Alo Black, Kanye West). They also toured together as sidemen with groups including an augmented version of Todd Clouser’s A Love Electric (which often included percussionist Cyro Baptista and trumpeter, Steven Bernstein) as well as Mexican pop sensation Ximena Sariñana. 

This new album was recorded in one day at Hecht’s studio in the Coyoacan neighborhood of Mexico City. Parker was visiting Mexico while touring with another band and had a day off so the two decided to make the most of it. The musicians improvised for several hours, sometimes deciding on different tempos ahead of time so Parker could sequence a synthesizer to a tempo and synchronize any loops he created. Overall, the session was spontaneous but built upon the years of past music the two musicians had made together and each song was made in one take with no overdubbing (just some post-production effects and the addition of a humorous vocal sample in the 4th track, “The Shadow Zone”). Rather than adopting a more jazz-centric style with lots of solos, the concept was to play different grooves and textures to create different scenes. Each song is a journey to a new imaginary location rather than a vehicle for flashy soloistic improvisation although the duo’s technical prowess on their instruments can not be denied. 

Parker’s use of trombone with effects evokes the style of the late trumpet visionary, Jon Hassell, by using the horn with delays and reverb to create textures and harmonies but he also delves further into sonic manipulation with distortion and looping inspired by guitarists such as David Torn and Bill Frisell. Hecht’s gigantic drum sounds and driving rhythm propel the album and his frequent use of drum breaks provides many surprising twists and turns to the music, suddenly changing the direction of the music midsong. In addition to his trombone playing Parker’s use of multiple synthesizers brings yet another layer to the music. His bass synthesizer frequently acts as a third group member, playing sequenced bass lines and blazing fast arpeggiations that often serve as a foundation for the duo’s improvisations. A second synth provides sparse chordal support and higher tones that provide a glimmer on top of this very heavy, driving album. Although these are all single-take recordings with no overdubs, Hecht’s grammy winning production chops are apparent on this recording with beautiful drum effects, creative mixing, and some subtle, and not-so-subtle, samples snuck into the occasional track.

Captain Planet - Sounds Like Home | New Funk/Brazilian Soul 2xLP

After a huge year of traveling in 2022, playing DJ sets in more than 30 cities across 10 countries, Captain Planet dove back into the studio to create his 5th and most ambitious album to date - 'Sounds Like Home'.

Taking a turn toward the more organic, retro sounds of artists who originally inspired him as a young musician, Charlie Wilder (aka Captain Planet) flexed his composer and bandleader muscles - incorporating horn sections, strings and acoustic drums more than the big club focused electronic sounds he has often come to be known for.

“The basic concept was to make a record like the ones I constantly pull off my shelves at home and play on the weekends. The records that turn into living room dance parties with my family, the soundtracks while I'm cooking, the music that fills the backyard for lazy hang outs.”

An avid vinyl record collector and musicologist since his teens, the Captain has a near encyclopedic knowledge of music from around the world, particularly artists from the 60's and 70's, which is the era that inspired much of the sonic texture on this new album. 

In classic Captain Planet style, a kaleidoscopic array of genres from around the world find their way into the mix- Brazilian disco, Latin funk, Jamaican dub, Middle Eastern psychedelia, and American soul music. While this diversity may sound more like a mixtape, the Captain's trademark uplifting vibe and impeccable knack for building a great groove, provide the special ingredients that pull it all together and makes the sauce work. The Fader wrote “the Captain is a walking 'recommended vinyl' section from the best record store you've ever been to”, because all his deep love and appreciation for classic music comes right through him in his original songs. Throughout this album you'll hear echoes of timeless artists like Cymande, Gilberto Gil, Ray Barretto, Curtis Mayfield, Mulatu Astatke, and Gabor Szabo, all funneled through the Captain's modern musical sensibility, shaped by nearly 2 decades of being a professional world-traveling DJ. 

The past year also brought some major challenges for Charlie Wilder, most central of which was losing a close friend and collaborator, the fellow LA-based DJ/producer Sumohair (½ of the band Reyna Tropical). The album starts off with a brief tropical tribute to his friend, followed by the strong message “Music Is Medicine” sung by another regular collaborator, the Zimbabwean-American (Grammy winning) singer Shungudzo. With the true value of friendship front and center on his mind, Captain Planet made a strong conscious effort to include many of his oldest friends and musical partners throughout the album, including Grammy winning pianist Sam Barsh, Chico Mann, Zuzuka Poderosa (who bartended at one of the Captain's earliest DJ residencies in Brooklyn), David Walters (whose new album “Soul Tropical” was co-written & co-produced by the Captain), Todd Simon, Leo Mintek (who has played guitar with Wilder since their teens), and Wilder's youngest brother Taj Bethel who co-wrote 2 of the songs on the album.

The warm light of friendship and family shines throughout the album, and while the influences reach far across the globe, the music clearly shows that Captain Planet has found his musical home.

World Renowned Jazz Pianist Joins Rabbi-Interfaith Scholar to Create a New Genre of Jewish Music

The prolific Hassidic rabbi/composer, Shmuel Eliyahu Taub of the Modzhitz Hassidic dynasty, was known as the Imrei Esh, literally: Words of Fire, authoring dozens of deeply lyrical compositions, year after year, for the Jewish high holidays, cast to a prayer seeking God’s compassion.

Now acclaimed jazz pianist Kenny Werner has teamed up with one of the world’s leading interfaith scholar/activists, Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein (nom du disc – Alon Michael) to create a unique fusion of Hassidic music, jazz harmonies and lieder type performance for voice and piano. Kenny and Alon break new ground in Jewish music and in world music. Fire and Praise (released August 4, 2023) offers a unique musical concept in its exclusive reliance on one particular Hassidic composer, on one sub-genre of his music, and in the presentation of this music in lieder style with Jazz orientation, thereby creating a new genre of Jewish music. If typical Hassidic music was simply the basis for singing and dancing, this rendition is for listening, contemplation, and a more refined artistic appreciation. 

Fire and Praise is based on a combination of the Psalms, and the melodies of Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Taub. Rabbi Taub’s compositions have been adapted by Alon Michael to accompany the Hallel liturgy, a liturgy of praise, recited on major Jewish festivals, consisting of Psalms 113-118. Cast to the tunes of the Modzhitzer Rebbe, sung in its entirety and employing a variety of styles of accompaniment, drawing on Kenny Werner’s prolific creativity and improvisation, this liturgy rings with a power and beauty that is unparalleled.

Basking in Fire and Praise is a spiritual experience that will speak to seekers across faiths, even as it enhances the power of prayer of Jewish practitioners who are accustomed to the words, that have often lost their vitality.

Kenny Werner is one of the world’s most accomplished Jazz Pianists, whose 60 year career has included recordings and performances with many of the luminaries of Jazz music, from Toots Thielemans to Joe Lovano. Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein (nom du disc – Alon Michael) is one of the world’s leading interfaith scholar/activists, actively working with figures such as the three recent Popes, The Dalai Lama, The Archbishop of Canterbury and dozens of the world’s most noted faith leaders across religious diversity, through his Elijah Interfaith Institute. Alon’s gift of working across differences to create new harmonies and new realities has now found musical expression in the partnership between Kenny and Alon.

Says Kenny Werner: “This project constituted a special challenge for me. Sensing the beauty in this music, I sought to make it speak beyond the narrow confines of the Judaism within which it was born. To me, this is a symbol of a universal voice that must resound from within Judaism, speaking to new audiences with a message of universal spirituality”.

Says Alon Michael: “Fire and Praise was a process guided by inspiration from start to finish. I feel as if I have served as an instrument for something greater than my own personal vision. From the choice of tunes, to the adaptation to the words of the Hallel, to the work with Kenny on the accompaniment most suited to each Psalm, I felt guided from above. I pray this quality of inspiration is heard by listeners to our music”.

Fire and Praise is the first of a trilogy of albums produced by Alon Michael and Kenny Werner, all featuring music of the Modzhitz Hassidic dynasty, interpreted in fresh ways, with sensitive Jazz inflection. The trilogy will be released over the course of the coming 12 months. Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein will also create a series of YouTube videos of teachings around each of the songs.

Drummer Fede Isasiti w/ his band (Juan Bayon, Ernesto Jodos) | "El Hombre, el Espejo, el Niño"

Federico Isasti is a drummer, composer, improviser, and audiovisual software developer based in Buenos Aires. Having participated as a drummer and co-leader in more than 20 albums of creative music groups (Alan Plachta, Pía Hernández, Elias Stemeseder, Julián Mekler, NUDO, among others) and being internationally recognized by his musical work (Sales de Baño - Frist Price for Unreleased Jazz Music 2019 (Primer Premio a Música Inédita Jazz 2019) FNA, The Best Experimental Music on Bandcamp: May 2019), Federico doesn’t remain in one isolated discipline. In the field of movement and audiovisual arts he composed electronic music for a dance piece (Simetrías, winner of PIME grant,  UNSAM,  premiered in Barcelona, 2019), created audiovisual performances and art installations (El Retorno de una Hormiga, audio looping and live video processing, 2019; IRS - Imagen por Resonancia Sonora, April 2022) and works as a web programmer/interactive platforms developer (El Próximo Paso - WebDoc, 2021). After being awarded the Beca a la Creación scholarship in 2019 to compose an album for piano trio and digital media, Federico developed a set of electronic devices that interact with the musicians in real-time. He currently leads La Disidencias de las Máquinas, NUDO (duet with Mariano Sarra on piano) and Bruxante (drums & electronics solo set).

The group La Disidencia de las Máquinas was formed in 2018 and is a research project on the piano trio format. Starting from the jazz tradition, Federico composes pieces in which he manages to merge that language with gestures, timbres and techniques typical of contemporary music, giving rise to a unique voice. In the following years, the trio performed in the city of Buenos Aires on several occasions and in 2021 released Imago, their debut album on ears&eyes Records. In 2019, shortly before recording Imago, Federico was awarded the Beca a la Creación scholarship by the National Fund for the Arts from Argentina for his composition project for piano trio with the use of digital media. For this reason, in March 2020, three months after recording the first album, the trio started working on the second album. In December 2021, after an extensive period of research, composition and rehearsals, La Disidencia recorded El Hombre, el Espejo, el Niño (or “The Man, the Mirror, the Kid”), their second studio album and the first album for piano trio with digital media recorded in Argentina.

The distinctive characteristic of this album is the use of electronics applied to the jazz trio. Federico began to work with electronics in 2019 by pursuing a diploma in "Expanded Music" at the National University of San Martin and his previous knowledge of computer programming allowed him to quickly take advantage of the capabilities of Max/MSP (a programming language) to process instruments in real time. The overall device consists of piano, double bass, drums, a computer and seven audio channels that record in real time what the musicians play. Thus, Federico developed a series of devices that expand in real time both the timbral potential of each instrument and the interaction possibilities between musicians.

Although the album has seven tunes, it is conceived as a whole piece that is inspired by the urge to remember and by the active exercise of memory. Inside the album you can read: "Dedicated to all those people I am made of''. Based on this belief that one is, ultimately, others, that means, that one is largely fragments of what one takes from other people, Federico bases each piece on a very important person in his childhood and/or adolescence. Thus, the pieces take their inspiration from very diverse people and ideas: one's relationship with language (Ser Hablado, a Adriana), the different depths of fishing lines (Día de Pesca, a Horacio), the role of sensitivity in maturing (Sin Jamás Perder la Ternura, a Andrea), humor as a way of life (Boruro, a Rogelia), among others. On the other hand, unlike Imago, a work in which most of the pieces follow the classic form of jazz standards (exposition - improvisation - re-exposition), this album deals with more complex sections, forms and materials. In general there is no re-exposition of melodies and in some cases (as in Sin Jamás Perder la Ternura or Día de Pesca) the changes of section are cued or started by distortions generated by the electronics.

Richard X Bennett & Matt Parker | "Parker Plays X"

Friends and collaborators Richard X Bennett and Matt Parker heighten their creative relationship with the release of their album Parker Plays X on BYNK Records (Because You Never Know). The record finds pianist-composer Bennett and saxophonist Parker co-leading a session for the first time as they—along with bassist Adam Armstrong and drummer Julian Edmond—explore a dozen Bennett compositions that range from straightahead bebop to avant-garde freakouts to classic jump blues, among other styles.

Both musicians embrace this kind of wide variety, though Bennett is inclined toward music with a groove while Parker prefers free jazz’s boundless experimentation. It was at that confluence of form and freedom that the two came together. “A lot of free players can play wild without actually playing the song,” the pianist recalls of their first meeting. “It was obvious in sixty seconds that Matt had it.”

“It’s a unique experience to take on someone else’s sensibility so intensely,” adds Parker of their musical merger. “I tried internalizing Richard’s melodies and took it from there.”

It’s not just the saxophonist who takes on someone else’s sensibility. The most atonal and challenging pieces on Parker Plays X are not spontaneous free improvisations but premeditated compositions, with Bennett harnessing some of Parker’s “wild” side to his own ends. The explosive “Countertransference” is actually a three-part suite; the frenetic “No Cigarettes No Coffee No Weed No Sleep” is inspired by Parker’s impassioned speech during a late-night phone call to Bennett.

Indisputably, however, Parker also adapts himself to Bennett’s more groove-centered aesthetic. His sonic torrents add momentum to the already rollicking jump blues “Belly First”; his boozy, coarse tenor line gives “Semi Vintage” a dose of appropriately retro swagger; and his melodic soprano improvisation drives home the high-octane waltz rhythm of “Bus 61.”

The remarkable contributions of Armstrong and Edmond are not to be dismissed. The rhythm players bring crucial shape and dimension to tunes like “Style V Substance” and the cathartic ballad “Two Years Later.” Even so, it’s the piano-and-tenor duet closer, “Sagebrush,” that makes manifest the two-man chemistry at the heart of Parker Plays X.

Richard X Bennett and Matt Parker both made deep connections to jazz in their teenage years. Both made their way to Brooklyn, where they built their careers as wide-ranging improvising musicians. And both are defined by their omnivorous musical appetites and their refusal to be restrained by convention. Their paths to these similar destinations, however, were markedly different.

Arriving in New York in the 1990s, Bennett found himself working with an expansive palette, from blues and jazz to funk and rock. The palette became broader still in the 2000s, when he accompanied his girlfriend (now wife) to India and became entranced by the subcontinent’s raga traditions. He recorded several Indo-jazz albums for Indian record labels.

It wasn’t until 2017 that he released his first jazz album for a U.S. audience: Experiments With Truth, featuring Parker and Armstrong along with baritone saxophonist Lisa Parrott and drummer Alex Wyatt. Five more albums followed, marrying jazz to Indian music and electronica as well as exploring contemporary jazz in itself with his RXB3 trio.

Parker was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he fell in love with jazz after seeing trumpeter Maynard Ferguson in concert. He was mentored by the legendary South Florida saxophonist Jimmy Cavallo and played professionally as a teenager before moving to New York and studying with Jane Ira Bloom, Barry Harris, and Junior Mance.

Parker was profoundly influenced by avant-garde players along with straightahead stalwarts, paying tribute to both on his albums Worlds Put Together (2014) and Present Time (2016). His career has been a wildly eclectic one, with highlights ranging from work with Reggie Workman, Pete Fountain, and the Mingus Big Band to performance with Ariana Grande, membership in the viral ensemble Postmodern Jukebox, and appearances (both musical and on-screen) in the hit action film John Wick.

Joshua Moshe releases new single combining slick nu-jazz with broken beat grooves & Afro-Cuban stylings

Joshua Moshe (FKA Josh Kelly/JK GROUP) releases the single 'Levels' and announces 'Inner Search', the debut album album under his own name on La Sape Records.

The lead single combines slick nu-jazz with broken beat grooves, Afro-Cuban stylings, and signature energetic saxophone features. The song acts as a bridge from the old sounds of JK GROUP to the healing movements of Joshua Moshe and his new band.

'Levels' represents Moshe’s experience of ascending through levels of personal growth as he ventures deeper into his soul uncovering a truer expression of self. It begins with a distinct groove, informed by the experience of inner city living in Melbourne, which shifts into a percussive Afro-Cuban B section in an alternate time signature. The seamless shift between these two disparate sections symbolizes transformations within Moshe. The Afro-Cuban influences are born from Moshe’s exposure to the vibrant Latino music community in Melbourne, and from ongoing collaborations with master percussionist Javier Fredes.

Throughout the song, Moshe demonstrates skillful improvisations on the alto and tenor saxophone which explore the intricate and spiritual nature of groove combined with deep self-expression; a formula we’ve come to know and love through JK GROUP, but is now taken to new heights as Joshua Moshe.

Following a challenging recovery period after chemotherapy in late 2021, Joshua Moshe embarked on a transformative musical journey, shedding his band persona and embracing a solo identity. The culmination of this artistic exploration is his debut album ‘Inner Search’, recorded six months after completing treatment. For this project, Moshe assembled a rejuvenated lineup of incredible collaborators: Felix Bloxsom, Erica Tucceri, Angus Radley, Cazeuax O.S.L.O., Phil Noy, Niran Dasika, James Bowers, Javier Fredes, and Matthew Hayes, whilst maintaining a strong partnership with long-standing producer, Lewis Moody.

'Inner Search' showcases an eclectic blend of influences drawing inspiration from Late Modal Jazz (Pharaoh Sanders, Joe Henderson, John Coltrane), Afro-Cuban Music, Jewish Music, Garage, Broken Beat, Nu-Jazz, and Modern Jazz. Such breadth of influence signifies a departure from the traditional dancey-crossover style, evolving the JK GROUP sound into something truly distinctive and extraordinary.

Moshe’s debut album ‘Inner Search’, available on the 6th of October, expands the creative parameters beyond the limitations of JK GROUP into new territory spanning the breadth of his heritage, jazz, and electronica. 

Guido Spannocchi - Live at Porgy & Bess, Vienna, 2022 | 2xLP

Recorded live at central Europe's most important jazz club Porgy & Bess in Vienna on 9 June 2022 during an extensive tour,  this double album consists entirely of original compositions by Vienna-born London-based saxophonist Guido Spannocchi showcasing the stunning interplay of his quartet.

The quartet celebrated the release with 2 consecutive shows at London’s esteemed Ronnie Scott’s Jazz club on 16th & 17th June 2023.

The tracklist of this album could be considered a sort of “best of” of Spannocchi’s compositions from previous albums (which are mostly sold out) yet we hear these compositions in entirely new arrangements along with new works.

The band were particularly tight that day as it was mid tour, they weren't aware of this show being recorded which means they weren't playing it safe, quite on the contrary the fluid interplay shows the frivolous risk taking and challenging spontaneous compositions along the agreed tunes and arrangements. As much as each musician contributes their individual style and way of playing it is apparent that the groups presents a band in the sense of having a unique sound as an ensemble. All this makes this recording particularly engaging and fresh.

The quartet features:

Ruth Goller - bass (Vula Viel, Melt Yourself Down, acoustic ladyland and Shabaka Hutchings)

Danny Keane - piano and Rhodes (Mulatu Astatke, Anoushka Shankar)

Pete Adam Hill  - drums  (Alfa Mist, Jo Harrop and more)

Alongside Guido Spannocchi (alto saxophone)

Recorded live by Valentin Zopp, mixed by Raphael Spannocchi at Sound Alm Haid, Bavaria's hub for new music and mastered by Pete Fletcher at Blackbay Studio Scotland.

New Music: Rita Ray / Helen Bruner & Terry Jones

Rita Ray - A Life Of It's Own

“A Life of Its Own” is a soul and R&B album, that might just become as timeless as a Bill Withers’ LP. The first single “Love Ain’t The Same” enjoyed success, winning the “Song of the Year” at the Estonian Music Awards in ’22. Straight to B-rotation on Jazz.fm, “No Greater Love” was released secondly. Rita Ray’s sophmore album blends orchestral strings arranged by Miss Ray herself. Add a touch of Rhodes, Clavinet and a vintage sound that’s authentic yet contemporary. The production duties were taken on by Future Classics. “A Life of Its Own” will be out on CD, vinyl and digitally via Funk Embassy Records.Since her début “Old Love Will Rust” in 2019, Rita Ray has enjoyed a steady rise on the contemporary soul scene. Her songwriting, voice and grand productions in studio as well as live setting are a thing of beauty. While spurring comparisons to the likes of Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers and Duffy, one can safely say she’s found her unique aesthetic. The small-town damsel’s got a way to make you go through joy and pain. It was recognized by the Estonian Jazz Awards, handing over the “Young Jazz Talent of the Year” accolade to Rita in 2021. The crown jewel of Estonian R&B and soul, with her first-class band, is guaranteed to provide a journey on tape or before a crowd.

Helen Bruner & Terry Jones – 2nd Overture

The dynamic duo revealed that the title of the album represents a new chapter in their lives after experiencing significant loss. Jones’ mother, the late soul icon Linda Jones who recorded the R&B classic “Hypnotized”, passed away at age 27 when Terry was a child. Bruner’s mother, who played a pivotal role in the women’s lives and career, also passed away. With this latest loss, they had to learn how to navigate this new normal, without a mothers’ guidance and support.“In essence, it is as if we are starting over with a different heart and mind creatively, not having my mom as our anchor – hence the title 2nd Overture,” Bruner said.The album features 11 soulful tracks that showcase powerful harmonies and electrifying performances. On majority of 2nd Overture, Bruner plays almost all the musical parts. “Ever Stop To Think”, features guest keyboardist, Junius Bervine (Lauren Hill, Anthony Hamilton, Pharrell); “Livin’ You” features 6x Grammy® nominated drummer, Marcus Baylor (The Baylor Project, Yellow Jackets); and Grammy® winning Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra violinist, Alexandra Cutler-Fetkewicz, is featured on the title track. The album, produced and written by Bruner & Jones, showcases their incredible vocal range and musical versatility – from soul-stirring ballads to up-tempo beats. “We poured our hearts and souls into this album, and we hope music fans will feel that when they listen to it,” said Jones.

Source: www.firstexperiencerecords.com

Brazilian soul, psych, bossa and jazz, reimagined from Berlin, via the Dead Sea, on Moriah Plaza’s new album

Moriah Plaza co-founders Tamir Chen and Moosh Lahav first encountered and fell in love with the beautiful and hypnotic sounds of Brazilian bossa nova and samba as children in Tel Aviv in the nineties, via the many local bands and tribute groups that had sprung up since the first wave of bossa had hit swept across the world. Likewise they developed a fascination with elevator muzak, film soundtracks, and even the hotel pianist performing day-by-day in the lobby of the Sheraton Moriah where Tamir’s mother worked, overlooking the Dead Sea.

Relocating years later to the vastly different environment of Berlin, capital of a country that enjoyed its own Brazilian moment, Tamir and Moosh’s shared passion for Brazilian music would encourage them to create their own songs inspired by the warm pulse of Brazil, albeit a world apart, through a vastly different lens.

Whilst the initial inspiration for Moriah Plaza can be traced back to Tel Aviv and the Dead Sea, the band itself was conceived by Tamir and Moosh in Solarium Studio, Berlin, from the broken fragments of their former shoegaze band, Soda Fabric, who had the honour of backing outsider legend Daniel Johnston. They would go on to write and record their debut album in close collaboration with two Brazilians and fellow Berlin residents, poet and singer Cecília Erismann, and singer, songwriter, synth operator and Tropical Disco Club founder Flavia Annechini.

The album opens with 'Desendereçada' - dirty drum machine beats thud away under flutes and extraneous noises and a spoken word commentary. The oddness and allure of the intro is a perfect introduction to the world of Moriah Plaza.

The pace picks up on 'Mais Amor'. A beautiful Brazilian soul jazz number with a sublime vocal from Flavia Annechini that will surely appeal to the global dancefloor jazz scene.

'Te Peço' daws us in deeper with sweetest jazz vocal over an irresistible bassline and bossa drums that transforms halfway through into a modern soul rhythm crowned by flute and horns. A flute solo from Moosh Lahav leads us into the final uplifting refrain.

The Pharoah Sanders meets Ravi Shankar in Rio grooves of 'Estelar' have that fresh feeling that will certainly appeal to fans of modern favourites Rebecca Vasmant and Ruby Rushton. Next up, the mysterious 'Lagoon de Meri' is practically two songs in one, the first half an atmospheric string-topped number somewhere between Arthur Verocai and Cinematic Orchestra, before snappy drums beats and playful organ chords introduce a slow brassy samba that fills the whole sonic room.

'Teu Porto' is a must for all DJs, mixing calypso, highlife and house, lilting guitars and smooth vocals by Cecilia Erismann.. The deep samba house grooves of 'Samba Moosh' close us out. The rich blend of sweet vocals, soaring flute and gritty synths carry us off into the sunset.

Moriah Plaza’s self-titled debut album is a major addition to the global soul and jazz scene. providing the perfect summer soundtrack for music lovers around the world.

Saxophonist Benjamin Boone Adds New Layers to His Experiments with Poetry and Jazz on "Caught in the Rhythm"

Benjamin Boone’s large-scale project fusing jazz with contemporary poetry reaches its deepest, richest point yet on Caught in the Rhythm, to be released September 15 on Origin Records. The fourth album in the saxophonist-composer’s series matches his remarkable assemblage of revered poets—including Edward Hirsch, Tyehimba Jess, and Patrick Sylvain—with an equally remarkable group of jazz improvisers that include Ambrose Akinmusire, Greg Osby, Kenny Werner, and Ben Monder.

Boone’s fascination and ingenuity with poetry and jazz are well established. The two-volume Poetry in Jazz (released in 2018–19) teamed him with the late U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize recipient Philip Levine; the first volume was voted #3 Best Album of 2018 in the DownBeat Readers’ Poll. Boone upped the ante with 2020’s The Poets Are Gathering, which featured creative partnerships with eleven major poets. If Caught in the Rhythm pares that panoply down to six, it offsets that change by gathering twenty (including Boone) of the finest musicians in the jazz idiom.

“They all have something valuable to say, things that enhance our understanding, enabling us to live fuller, more aware lives,” the saxophonist says of his many collaborators on the album. “With each of these now four jazz and poetry albums, I’ve learned more and more about the melding of poetry with music, and this album in many ways is the best so far.””

It is certainly a great artistic bounty—a beautiful example of the magic that can happen when the right wordsmith finds the right musicians. T.R. Hummer’s authoritative words and voice find ideal companions in Boone’s alto and the twin guitars of Monder and Eyal Maoz on “Mississippi 1955 Confessional”; pianist Kenny Werner and saxophonist Greg Osby underline MacArthur Fellow Edward Hirsch as he conflates the expressions of jazz and poetry on “Art Pepper”; and Werner, violinist Stefan Poetzsch, bassist Corcoran Holt, and drummer Ari Hoenig construct a stark, haunting backdrop for Tyehimba Jess’s “Mercy."Caught in the Rhythm also gives voice, both literal and figurative, to the young Afro-Latinx poet Faylita Hicks—who is also a singer and performer, and it shows. Her delivery veers between the fitting and the ironic; she recites “Hoodwitches [Redux]” with the cadences of a sermonizing preacher, while on “ASMR Sleepcast: The Night After Being Released from the Rural County Jail” she assumes the mantle of the sleek, sultry nightclub singer. Boone groups her with a stellar cast of similarly young musicians, among them the rhythm section of keyboardist Kevin Person Jr., bassist Philip Sarkisian, and drummer McKenna Reeve. “They’re all just in their twenties,” Boone notes, “so they bring fresh ideas informed by hip-hop and other genres.”

But if these collaborations yield wide-ranging work with endless interpretations, they also serve a singular and personal purpose for Boone. The saxophonist is afflicted with a hearing difficulty that compelled him to do extensive research during his doctoral studies on the melodies embedded in spoken English. “Now when I hear people speak, I hear it as music,” he explains, “and that profoundly informed how I approached this project.” Caught in the Rhythm comes closer to capturing that concept than ever before.

Born in the small textile town of Statesville, North Carolina, Benjamin Boone earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in jazz (B.M.), theory (B.M.), and music composition (M.M. and D.M.A.). In New York he performed widely and served as a music business manager. Since 2000, Boone has taught music theory and composition at California State University in Fresno and served as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Accra, Ghana (2017–18), in the Eastern European nation of Moldova (2005), and in Limerick, Ireland (2022–23).

His compositions have garnered multiple national and international awards and honors, have been performed in 38 countries and on 30 albums, and have been the subject of three feature stories on National Public Radio. Caught in the Rhythm is the fourth in a series of Boone’s explorations of improvised music and spoken language, long an area of both scholarly and artistic interest for the saxophonist. 

 

Saxophonist Joshua Redman makes his Blue Note debut with his first-ever vocal album, "where are we"

Acclaimed saxophonist Joshua Redman has announced a September 15 release date for his stunning Blue Note debut where are we. One of his most compelling albums to date, where are we is a musical journey across the United States of America that also marks Redman’s first-ever vocal album with the dynamic young singer Gabrielle Cavassa featured throughout along with a brilliant band comprised of pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Joe Sanders, and drummer Brian Blade.

where are we is available for pre-order now on Blue Note Store exclusive color vinyl, black vinyl, CD, and digital download. Listen to the lead single “Chicago Blues”—a mash-up of Count Basie’s “Goin’ to Chicago” with Sufjan Stevens’ “Chicago”—featuring vibraphonist Joel Ross. Redman will be touring the project across the U.S. and Europe following the album’s release. 

Redman notes that “the surface concept of where are we is rather simple: each of the songs on the album is about, or at least makes reference to, a specific geographical location (city or state or region) in the United States: Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Streets of Philadelphia,’ Count Basie’s ‘Going To Chicago,’ Rodgers & Hart’s ‘Manhattan,’ John Coltrane’s ‘Alabama,’ etc… So, on one level, this is an album ‘about’ America — at once a celebration and a critique. But it is also, to varying degrees, a ballads album, a standards album, an album of romantic longing, an album of social reflection, an album of melodic invention, an album of improvisational adventure, an album of mashups, perhaps even a tribute album of sorts.”

For added perspective, Redman invited four other friends to contribute to the portraits of their native cities: guitarists Kurt Rosenwinkel (“Streets of Philadelphia”) and Peter Bernstein (“Manhattan”), trumpeter Nicholas Payton (“Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?”), and Ross (“Chicago Blues”). Conceived and planned during the pandemic lockdown, Redman says “it was a dream come true to finally have a chance to connect Aaron, Joe, and Brian — three of the most sublimely lyrical and deeply grooving musicians on the planet, who, somehow, had never before played together as a rhythm section. And it was a transformative experience to collaborate with Gabrielle — a vocalist of uncommon style, sincerity, and soul. This was my first time ever recording with a singer on one of my own projects; and I relished the challenge of discovering and inhabiting new musical roles for myself — not only as a featured soloist and ‘lead,’ but also as supportive accompanist and interlocutor.”

“The magic of this particular gathering of musicians,” Redman continues, “was that we were able to come together from points afar, to converge (physically and creatively) in a particular place at a particular time; and to embrace, with fullest imagination and without slightest reservation, the ethic of ‘serving the songs.’ In this sense, where are we is perhaps above all a meditation on the power and importance of place — the unique human beauty created when we locate ourselves in shared physical spaces together with others; the loss, anomie, and angst suffered when we divide ourselves unnaturally and unjustly apart.”

Johnathan Blake releases his sophomore Blue Note album Passage

Johnathan Blake has announced the Aug. 11 release of his sophomore Blue Note album Passage, a stirring follow-up to his acclaimed 2021 label debut Homeward Bound for which the drummer and composer reconvened his dynamic band Pentad featuring alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, pianist David Virelles, and bassist Dezron Douglas. Dedicated to Blake’s father and musical mentor, jazz violinist John Blake, Jr., Passage captures the arc of personal and collective evolution: the passing from one moment to the next, from one phase into another. “Passage picks up where Homeward Bound leaves off,” says Blake. “It’s a celebration of my father’s life and legacy.”

The album presents five of Blake’s own compositions in addition to pieces by Douglas, Virelles, and the late drummer and composer Ralph Peterson. The emotional centerpiece is the vibrant title track “Passage,” which was composed by Blake’s father and captures his musical personality as a reflection of the person he was and the life he lived. Orchestrating different sections, Blake spotlights tricky harmonic movement through the piece. Wilkins’ solo sets up the energetic duality for the entire record: poised yet relaxed, a quiet confidence.

Passage presents the quintet at an elevated level of consciousness and artistry. A celebration of life and longing, the album pays tribute to those who have touched Blake’s life and shaped his music. And the best way for Blake to honor their spirits and preserve their legacy is to cultivate an interconnectedness among listeners and his fellow artists: “This record really shows the level of trust we’ve achieved together. Pentad is a brotherhood — five entities coming together to form one sound.”

Johnathan Blake & Pentad will celebrate the album’s release at Smoke Jazz Club in New York City Aug. 24-27.

Harold López-Nussa makes his Blue Note debut "Timba a la Americana," produced by Michael League (Snarky Puppy)

Pianist Harold López-Nussa has released his deeply affecting new single and video “Mal du Pays.” The poignant song is from his forthcoming Blue Note debut Timba a la Americana out August 25, a vibrant album is teeming with joy and pathos that was inspired by the pianist’s recent decision to leave his Cuban homeland and begin a new life in France. Produced by Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Timba a la Americana presents 10 dynamic new original compositions performed by a tight-knit band featuring harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret, Luques Curtis on bass, Bárbaro “Machito” Crespo on congas, and Harold’s brother Ruy Adrián López-Nussa on drums.

Rendered with dramatic understatement by Maret, the plaintive theme of “Mal Du Pays” is saturated with the bittersweet longing Brazilians call “saudade.” “That’s me looking back to Cuba,” Harold says. “I’m thinking about our life there, and my friends and the music we made. When I started it was just a little idea, almost like a baroque theme. As I was playing, I remember thinking that we needed to go into very slow rumba, a specific groove I’ve heard my whole life. It’s a pulse from the neighborhood where I was born in Havana – it’s in the religion, in the celebrations, the ceremonies and the parties. A slow-feeling groove, for older people so they can dance. For me that rhythm stirs something deep and melancholy – it’s rumba but it’s a part of something ancient.”

López-Nussa has been building a global following over the past two decades since winning the prestigious Montreux Jazz Piano Competition in 2005. He has captivated audiences across the world with his thrilling performances, released nine acclaimed albums as a leader, and was featured as part of the 2011 all-star project Ninety Miles with Stefon Harris, David Sanchez, and Christian Scott. Born into a musical family in Havana, his music reflects the full range and richness of the Cuban musical tradition with its distinctive combination of folkloric, popular, and classical elements, as well as its embrace of improvisation.

On Timba a la Americana, López-Nussa felt a strong urge to escape the conventional thinking about song form and structure that’s defined Latin jazz since the 1950s. In collaboration with League, the bassist and founder of Snarky Puppy, the two sought new settings for the clave patterns that are the heartbeat of Cuban music. They grabbed elements of danzon, the foundational dance that began in Matanzas in the late 1800s, and the stately son tumbao riffs that frame the songs of Beny More and so many others. They worked with ancient bata drum rhythms used to summon the deities, then incorporated them into the choppy polyrhythmic agitations of modern improvising collectives. They linked the catcalling mambos of Dizzy Gillespie and Machito to modern ideas about song structure.

The result is López-Nussa’s most expansive and ambitious work to date, a provocative, lavishly colorful song cycle that amounts to a top-to-bottom modernization of Latin jazz. Cuba provides the anchoring point of origin; from there López-Nussa and his band volley ideas in a spirit of cosmopolitan modernity that transcends regions and genres and eras.

Cautious Clay makes his Blue Note debut with KARPEH

Cautious Clay releases his Blue Note debut KARPEH, a deeply personal new album which finds the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer also known as Joshua Karpeh taking a giant artistic leap forward with an ambitious yet introspective song cycle about growth, conceptions of intimacy, and lineage that reveals a new side of his artistry by delving deeper than ever into his jazz roots. KARPEH is available for pre-order on vinyl, CD, and digital. 

Across the album’s 15 tracks Cautious can be heard on vocals, flute, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, guitar, synthesizer, and bass. He also invites a wide range of collaborators into the fold including leading lights of the modern jazz world including Lage, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, keyboardist Julius Rodriguez, bassist Joshua Crumbly, and drummer Sean Rickman. Other guests on the album include his uncle, bassist Kai Eckhardt, and the acclaimed Pakistani vocalist Arooj Aftab.

For all of Cautious’ dexterity around multiple instruments, it’s always in service of the music’s narratives. “I wanted it to be musical for the sake of telling a story,” he explains. “Throughout this album, I am equating my life’s journey to an amalgamation of my family’s past life experiences, an exploration of my present, and how those pieces will influence by future.”

Cautious sequenced the album thematically in three sections with interludes throughout containing audio recordings of his relatives recounting bits of family history. The first section he calls “The Past Explained” with songs that touch upon his early experiences growing up in Cleveland including the album’s lead single “Ohio.” The middle section of the album is what Cautious calls “The Honeymoon of Exploration.” These five songs depict some of his experiences with psychedelics, which inspired self-reflection and the desire for deeper forms of intimacy with others. The concluding four songs constitute the third thematic section, which Cautious calls “A Bitter & Sweet Solitude.” Cautious posits that when we allow ourselves to spend quality time in solitude it enables us to forge better relationships with ourselves and others, therefore sparking deeper intimacy.

Drummer Bob Holz to Release New Album “Holz-Stathis: Collaborative” Featuring John McLaughlin, Jean-Luc Ponty, Darryl Jones and Randy Brecker

Jazz Fusion drummer and composer Bob Holz will release his sixth album for MVD Audio on September 8, 2023. The record is titled “Holz-Stathis: Collaborative.” Joining Bob Holz on the album are John McLaughlin, Jean Luc Ponty, Darryl Jones, Randy Brecker, Elliott Yamin, Alex Acuna, Airto Moreira, Brandon Fields, Ralphe Armstrong, Billy Steinway, Dean Brown, Ric Fierabracci, Jamie Glaser, Ada Rovatti, Karen Briggs, Diana Moreira Purim, Ben Shepherd and Frank Stepanek.

The album features twelve new original tunes penned by Holz, Steinway and Brown. Rob Stathis is the Executive Producer. The album is recorded and mixed by multiplatinum sound engineer Dennis Moody.

Two vocalists are featured on “Holz-Stathis:Collaborative.” Elliott Yamin who placed third on American Idol sings a hip hop meets jazz tune penned by Dean Brown and Holz. Diana Moreira Purim sings a Brazilian jazz fusion tune titled “Island Sun Love,” written by Steinway and Holz.

Bob has released a new video featuring Darryl Jones bassist in the Rolling Stones and vocalist Elliott Yamin. It was shot at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, CA and is a cover tune of “Make Me Smile” by Chicago. 

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/46zVFDa3Vtc

As a drummer, Bob Holz has made a significant mark in the jazz world and here he expands his love of latin jazz fusion rhythms by teaming up with Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira, Alex Acuna(Weather Report) and Joey Heredia. This album exemplifies Holz's reputation as one of the top players in jazz and fusion. In the past Bob Holz has played and recorded with Larry Coryell, Mike Stern, Stanley Clarke and Randy Brecker. Bob Holz endorses Paiste cymbals, Canopus Drums and Ahead Drumstics.

Guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel and His Working Trio of Bassist Scott Colley and Drummer Brian Blade Release "Dance of the Elders"

Wolfgang Muthspiel and his working trio with Scott Colley on bass and Brian Blade on drums reach a new creative peak on Dance of the Elders. The album is the group’s follow-up to the much-lauded Angular Blues, which The Times called a “quietly impressive album” that highlights “Muthspiel’s fluidly melodic playing style." Here Muthspiel’s successful stride continues, with his unique compositional signature on the one hand and particularly vibrant exchanges with his trio colleagues on the other. The guitarist’s own writing and approach to jazz is heavily folk-induced but equally inspired by classical music – both aspects are presented clearly throughout the album. Blade’s floating percussive injections and Colley’s nimble counterpoint on bass complement the guitarist’s acoustic and electric playing in fluid interplay over intricate polyrhythms and adventurous harmonic landscapes.

“Whatever the technique or the instrument, Muthspiel’s deep love for and expert command of jazz shines through on both the originals and standards (…), as does his chemistry with Blade and Colley," JazzTimes wrote in 2021, to which Muthspiel answered: “We have developed an enormous trust in each other." His musical familiarity with partners Colley and Blade has only increased since – Dance of the Elders was recorded after extensive touring throughout Europe, the US and Japan, in February 2022. And the guitarist’s opinion in regard to his bandmates hasn’t changed: “I’m constantly learning from Brian and Scott. It’s always exciting to bring new music to them and see how they approach it, because it’s never what I’d expect. The remembrance of their sound while I compose is an inspiration for the music I end up coming up with.”

The trio’s seamless chemistry and spontaneous sense of creation has rarely been as obvious as on the album’s opener “Invocation” – a meditative, two-part composition that gracefully sets the mood of the album over ten minutes of restrained but deeply felt three-way conversation. Muthspiel recalls how it was producer Manfred Eicher’s decision to place the song at the beginning of the album. Muthspiel: “There’s the process of Manfred hearing the music and feeling the place of each piece – he tells a compelling story through the sequence, and his choices always surprise me, in the best possible way.”

The spontaneous studio improvisation “Prelude to Bach” – a shrouded statement of textures – ends with a solo guitar rendition of Bach’s chorale “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded," which Muthspiel didn’t prepare for the session, but pulled out of thin air in the spur of the moment. Its gentle pace and traditional harmonic articulation stands in contrast to the title track’s spirited rhythmic twists, folkloric time signatures and uncommon chord voicings. Like “Cantus Bradus," “Dance of the Elders” works as a polyrhythmic playground for Colley and Blade to stretch their mathematical muscles, though at the same time both songs are driven by exhaustive melodic development.

Muthspiel wrote “Cantus Bradus” with Brad Mehldau in mind, who contributed to the guitarist’s celebrated quintet recordings Rising Grace (2016) and Where The River Goes (2018). It relies on traits Muthspiel has observed repeatedly in Mehldau’s music and which he describes as “a bunch of chromatic lines descending to a certain tonal center. On their way these lines create rather unusual chords and tensions, but they end up in a bluesy center. It’s a development I hear a lot in Brad’s songs and in his soloing.”

Kurt Weil’s “Liebeslied” was introduced to Muthspiel by trumpeter and educator Herb Pomeroy, whose student-big band at Berklee College of Music was “the band you wanted to be in," as Muthspiel says. He plays on electric guitar here, spinning fluid bop-lines around Colley and Blade’s rhythmic counterpoint. The other composition that wasn’t written by Muthspiel here is Joni Mitchell’s “Amelia” – a ballad the singer-songwriter legend recorded with guitarist Larry Carlton in 1976 and again in 1979, this time with Pat Metheny. Muthspiel, Blade and Colley’s interpretation doesn’t veer too far from the original and instead takes advantage of what was already there – Blade has in the past frequently collaborated with Mitchell and understands her music profoundly.

For “Folk Song” Muthspiel drew inspiration from none other than Keith Jarrett. “I had a vague idea of Keith’s music when coming up with this one, especially his vamp improvisations from the Belonging-era,” explains the guitarist. “You can always tell how harmonically inventive someone is when they play around one chord for a long stretch. Everything Keith implies with his upper lines, his middle voices, shows you all the chords he could play but then only teases at. I love that about Keith.”

Dance of the Elders was mixed and completed at Studios La Buissonne in March 2023 by Manfred Eicher with Wolfgang Muthspiel and Gérard de Haro.

'Pacifico Waves' by Joel Sarakula (yacht soul)

Joel Sarakula is a European-based Australian artist who writes, produces and sings soulful pop, gazing out at a contemporary world through vintage glasses, vintage threads and long blond hair: think Ray Manzarek fronting a 70s soul band. His music is informed by a rich, 1970s-inspired palette, drawing on soft-rock, funk and disco influences – sunny, uptempo jams for darker times. He may look like a long-lost Gibb brother but at live concerts an irreverent sense of humour is always there just below the fringe.

Born in Sydney, currently based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (via London) and international in outlook, Sarakula is a songwriter who has travelled the world in search of his muse, experiencing everything from being a victim of Caribbean carjackings to performing in the remote fishing villages of Norway before finally establishing his career in the UK and Europe in 2012. After spending 10 years based in London, he moved to The Canary Islands at the height of the pandemic. His experiences of island life lead to the creation of his upcoming album Island Time (due Jan 20, 2023).

His previous albums Companionship (2020), Love Club (2018), The Imposter (2015) and The Golden Age (2013) have racked up generous plays, often on rotation across national UK and European radio and got him noticed in The New York Times, The Independent (UK), The Irish Times, Shindig! (UK), Stern (Germany), Rolling Stone Germany, El Pais (Spain) and Sydney Morning Herald.

Joel Sarakula is regular fixture on the festival and club circuit having performed at SXSW, Primavera, Reeperbahn Festival, Glastonbury and soul-funk oriented festivals like Imaginafunk and Blackisback. Ever the internationalist, he tours with pickup bands sourced from each territory he plays in: a Barcelona band for Spain, a Berlin band for Germany and so forth. This cross-cultural exchange is a tribute to the 1960s and 70s when world travelling soul and pop artists from the US did the same and and guarantees that his live shows remain fresh, exciting and often unpredictable.