Rachel Eckroth | "Humanoid"

“Humanoid is a departure for me,” Rachel Eckroth said (in the album liner notes written by Sharonne Cohen) about her new piano quartet album, recorded at Sam First jazz club in Los Angeles. “I've done so many records or projects where I'm playing keyboards, synths, weird sounds, electronics, even singing,” she says. “This record is a departure. It's back to jazz, back to acoustic. And so it's more human.... just piano. And for the most part, acoustic instruments.”

Eckroth’s first live recording, Humanoid, features bassist Billy Mohler and drummer Tina Raymond, both artists she has enjoyed playing with in the past, and guitarist Andrew Renfroe, who she, as a pianist, finds “the perfect guitarist to play with.” Eckroth found her collaborators “willing to be very open, on the spot, willing to try new things on the fly, and making it sound good at the same time.” Clearly a group of like-minded musicians, “nobody is too caught up in the music, or in their ways.” And the expansive tracks, all hovering around the 8-minute mark, offer much room for extended creative exploration.

The title track, written specifically for this album, reflects Eckroth’s desire to slow down and streamline. “I started off as a pianist, and I just put out a solo piano record. I'm in this world right now. I studied piano for a long time before I really got into keyboards and writing songs, and all the other stuff that happened in the last 15 years. I think this project is just a way to simplify my life a little bit, simplify the projects that I'm doing and the way I'm thinking about music, and maybe going a little slower.”

The album’s eight pieces – both originals and compositions by jazz luminaries – were chosen because they would do just that: lend themselves to a sense of openness, to the freedom and space to change up the groove, the feel and the sound. Not wanting to “over-arrange or over-compose or over- anything,” Eckroth aspired “to collaborate live, and there's something that happens when you're in a group like this, where everybody's open to any direction, especially if it's a live performance and people are really listening and in tune with each other. The club is a great environment, and they get a great sound and people are there to hear you. There's something that happens in those moments that is just magic.”

All this is evident from the cinematic, mysterious and whimsical title track opening the album: the intimacy of the club, the attentiveness of the audience, and the openness and synergy of the band. An original composition, “Humanoid” also highlights Eckroth’s strong chemistry with Renfroe, illustrating her experience “matching up on different tones and places and spaces.” Eckroth’s other originals – the moody, angular “Under A Fig Tree,” the adventurous “Vines” (both originally appearing on The Garden) and the propulsive “Mind” further reveal her compositional strengths. 

Another captivating chapter in Eckroth’s ever-evolving sound, this album comes on the heels of her Grammy-nominated, synth-forward The Garden (Rainy Day Records, 2021) and stunning solo piano improvisation album One, released earlier this year. It is a showcase not only of her skill and singularity as a player and improvisor, but her strengths as a bandleader and composer.

Taking her first piano lesson at the age of five, this accomplished, multifaceted musician has honed her craft over the four decades since, becoming not only a gifted and versatile pianist and keyboardist, but a vocalist and songwriter. Engaged in creative projects spanning jazz, indie and pop, she has played with artists ranging from Chris Botti to St. Vincent, Rufus Wainwright and KT Tunstall. Her collaborators have included Donny McCaslin, Tia Fuller, Tim Lefebvre and David Garza.

“Humanoid is more simply focused on the songs and what we could pull from them, rather than what we could add to them,” Eckroth says. “In a way I’m going back to my roots but taking everything that I've learned along the way and putting it in there. Now it's this new thing. . . I think it's definitely a great performance, and I think it's some of the best straight-ahead playing I've done.”

New Music Releases: Som Imaginário, Matteo Mancuso, Jaimie Branch & Oiro Pena

Som Imaginário - Banda Da Capital

Som Imaginário's previously unreleased 1976 album Banda Da Capital is out now. The Brazilian prog maestros are most well known as backing band to the great Milton Nascimento and played with the MPB titan on many of his greatest albums, including Clube Da Esquina, Milton Nascimento (1970), Milagre Dos Peixes and Maria Maria/Ultimo Trem. They also recorded 3 groundbreaking studio albums of their own. But one piece of their history has remained obscured for the past almost half-century. Until today... Banda Da Capital features Wagner Tiso, Fredera, Nivaldo Ornelas, Paulinho Braga and Jamil Joanes and was recorded direct from the sound desk at Som Imaginario's show celebrating Nature Day in Brasilia in 1976. The CD and digital release of Banda Da Capital feature two bonus tracks from a separate concert at Museu de Arte Moderna, in Rio de Janeiro, on October 6th 1975. These are another arrangement of “Armina” and Toninho Horta’s stunning performance of his composition “Manuel o Audaz”, which he would later record with Pat Metheny and Lo Borges.

Matteo Mancuso - The Journey

Guitar virtuoso Matteo Mancuso will released his debut album, 'The Journey', on July 21st via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group. Mancuso hails from Sicily, nestled in the Mediterranean Sea to the South of Italy. The island has always had a rich cultural heritage, from poets, writers, philosophers, and architects to painters and musicians. Born in 1996 and raised just outside the capital Palermo, the pedigree runs deep in the veins of those from the region.At 12, Matteo took his first steps onto the stage at a local jazz festival. Since then, his acquaintance with live performances has seen him blossom and develop through various line-ups and collaborations with the finest local musicians, including a duo with his father, where they explore the complexities of Django Reinhart's repertoire and contemporary jazz classics. As a multi-faceted player, either classical or electric, what is astounding is his one-of-a-kind technique and use of his fingers instead of regular picking.

Jaimie Branch - Fly Or Die Fly Or Die Fly Or Die (World War)

One of the last recordings ever made by the genius trumpeter Jaimie Branch – and a set that shows the bold new direction she was going in, right before she left our planet all too soon! The music here leaps forward from any of Branch's earlier recordings – with harder rhythms, more focus in the driving quality of the music, and even some lyrical passages that are quite stunning – vocals that add a lot to the music, and which could have had Jaimie finding an audience in a world far past just jazz! The core group is incredible – the drums of Chad Taylor have never been so powerful, urged on by the bass work of Jason Ajemian – and folded beautifully with the cello, voice, marimba, and keyboards of Lester St Louis. Branch herself also plays keyboards and percussion – and Daniel Villareal guests on some additional percussion too – and the whole thing comes together with an incredible sense of energy and vision, at a level that has us missing Jaimie's presence on the planet even more than before. Titles include "Aurora Rising", "Take Over The World", "Baba Louie", "Burning Grey", "The Mountain", and "Borealis Dancing". ~ Dusty Groove

Oiro Pena - Puna

The coolest record so far from this hip Finnish combo – one who seem to get deeper and more spiritual with each new release, and really knocking it out of the park with the combination of elements on this set! All the instrumentation is standard from the outside – but the way they come together is really magical, very personal, and completely inspirational – a blend of the drums of leader Antti Vauhkonen with the flute and saxes of Johannes Sarjasto, bass of Philip Holm, piano of Staffan Wolf Sodergard, and occasional vocals of female singer Marikukka Kiviharju. Titles include "Joo Tai", "Kunika Kukaan", "Calamity Caravan", "Kaiju Kaiju", and "Joona's Abs". ~ Dusty Groove

Trombonist, JEFF BRADSHAW Releases His 5th Studio Album, "JEFF BRADSHAW:20"

Jeff Bradshaw continues to indulge in the celebration of the 20th Anniversary since the release of his first studio album. He recently gave fans a taste of "Jeff Bradshaw:20", with the release of two official singles from the project. The first offering was the smooth jazz-infused, "Carrie's Bread Puddin',". “Carrie’s Bread Puddin”, is what Bradshaw calls a “southern church, hip-hop, D’Angelo swag” style song, honoring his mother’s life and her famous bread pudding. “This song is dedicated to the most amazing person in the world! A church going, South Carolina raised, wife and mother of 3, who picked cotton, and beat all the odds because of her Love for God and family! Her famous Bread Pudding that I was raised on, that she still makes weekly for her church, is still as amazing as it was when I was A child!,” he shares.

Bradshaw is confident that listeners will still experience his music with the same unique sense of wonder as when they first heard him. “20 years man. It means to me, blessed, relevant, excited, young, and hungry. All those things I still am. excited about the music and excited for people to hear it. I’m still going to create these beautiful songs and the trombone is going to play a different role in every song,” he says. Jeff is currently gracing the cover of the summer issue of GROOV Magazine.

“I started in church. My father was a musician and a preacher in the church. My first taste of what music was started in the church where I was born and raised. That’s where I learned that music would be my first love,” Jeff Bradshaw says. The United House of Prayer for All people is where Jeff developed his craft and first learned that he wanted to be the unconventional artist with a vast musical repertoire that is your favorite artist’s go-to whenever they need a trombone player, producer, or writer. “I’m not the traditional jazz or solo jazz artist. My father taught me how to play the trombone. There is no music school, college, or institution that can take credit for anything that I’ve accomplished with this instrument,” he says.

His first experience in mainstream music came in 1994. Bradshaw began to meet musicians, singers, and producers on the Philly scene that went on to become the architect of the neo-soul revolution: Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, Tariq ‘Black Thought’ Trotter of the Roots, James Poyser, Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and many others.

A few years later, Bradshaw was invited by his dear friend, Jill Scott, to take part in the recording of her first album and to tour with her after its breakthrough release. This connection led opportunity to meet with Hidden Beach Recordings CEO Steve McKeever, who afforded Jeff the opportunity to record his first album as a solo artist in 2003,“Bone Deep.”

“Jill was with Hidden Beach Records at the time and told Steve McKeever about me and to check out the music I was working on. I didn’t want to seem too anxious, so a week later I sent him 3 or 4 songs. He really liked them and asked for more, so I sent him two more songs, the last of which was a song he asked me about that was an instrumental and I had told him that Jill was going to sing on that song. After a month or so, he hit me back, and I met him at Jill’s video shoot in Long Island, New York. He wanted to tell me in person that he thinks I have something groundbreaking and that he’s not afraid to sign a trombone player. He shook my hand and told me welcome to Hidden Beach,” he says.

Since the release of Jeff Bradshaw’s debut album, he has had 20 years of valuable experiences that have shaped him into the veteran multi-instrumentalist, producer, and writer that listeners know and love today. Jeff’s raw talent and ability to connect with other artists have led him to work with the likes of Michael Jackson, Jay Z, Mary J Blige, Erykah Badu, Kirk Franklin, Earth Wind & Fire, Musiq Soulchild, and more. These opportunities Jeff has had have been the reward of 20+ plus years of hard work. His devotion to his craft and constant ready-to-go attitude has worked out for him over the years.

“I was prepared and ready for those opportunities. Preparation is key in this business. The longer I’ve been in this business the more I’ve still seen that is what it is. You know, when we need to call in somebody because our main guy’s wife is sick or something like that and we got three shows out on the road this week and we need them to come in with no rehearsal and play the show. We’re going to send this player the chart and a couple of MP3s and he’s got to read this shit down. Be always ready to go.” This mindset coupled with his desire to think outside of the box and try new things led to his highly successful album, “Home.”

As a boy in Philadelphia, Bradshaw performed with brass bands on Broad Street, just a stone’s throw from the spot where Philadelphia’s most prestigious performing arts center, The Kimmel Center, stands today. Fast forward to 2014 and Jeff asked himself: “Why not bring the crème-de-la-crème of singers and players to The Kimmel for a genre-crossing one-night-only musical event that would replicate the excitement of the classic R&B revues for this generation of fans?”

“It was a dream come true. That album was something that movies are made of. Robert Glasper was my co-executive producer and we sat down at BBQs for hours. I told him all the artists I wanted and what songs they should sing. Robert helped me put the whole thing together. He knew what I wanted and the way I wanted to do it. He was a great help in formulating my vision,” he says.

As Jeff gears up for the release of his next album, affectionately titled “Jeff Bradshaw: 20”, he is confident listeners will still experience his music with the same unique sense of wonder as when they first heard him. “20 years man. It means to me, blessed, relevant, excited, young, and hungry. All those things I still am. excited about the music and excited for people to hear it. I’m still going to create these beautiful songs and the trombone is going to play a different role in every song,” he says.

Each song from his album has a unique story behind it, listeners will feel the movie soundtrack of Jeff Bradshaw’s life from his early days playing in church to the 20 years of releasing music, his present-day life touring with artists such as Patti Labelle, and everything in between.

The first single, “Carrie’s Bread Puddin” is what Bradshaw calls a “southern church, hip-hop D’Angelo swag” style song honoring his mother’s life and her famous bread pudding. “The song is about celebrating the love and life of my mother, Carrie Bradshaw, my hero. The most amazing person I know walking the earth and her famous bread pudding, when you taste it you’ll never be the same,” he says.

But that’s not the only interesting story, another song from “Jeff Bradshaw: 20”, titled “Dubai Voices” has been serving as the opening number on the legendary radio show, “The Quiet Storm” in Philadelphia for over a year and a half.

“Philadelphians have heard that song on the radio. Now people will be able to download it, own it, and be able to have it for themselves which is awesome,” he says.

As he looks back proudly on his legacy and the journey ahead, Bradshaw’s career has set the foundation for trombone players to do their own thing just like him. "When I’m gone, I know there will be a whole group of young trombone players that believe that they don’t have to be section horn players. Trombone players can be solo artists.

They can be mainstream soul, jazz, and hip-hop artists like Jeff Bradshaw.” ~ Jeff Bradshaw

Jazz Virtuoso Fuat Tuac Enchants with New Single 'Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim' from Acclaimed Album Immigrant

Toronto-based, multilingual jazz vocalist, Fuat Tuac, has unveiled his new single "Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim," the latest addition to his recently released and highly praised album "Immigrant" – available now.

Tuac’s "Immigrant” has been making waves on the Roots Music Report’s Canadian Chart for the 13th consecutive week, garnering praise from fans and critics alike. A true testament to his artistic prowess, the album showcases his multi-dimensional talents as he navigates between three different languages - English, French, and his native, Turkish – displaying diverse jazz styles that resonate with audiences across the globe.

“Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim,” the most famous traditional Turkish masterpiece originally penned by renowned 20th-century poet Asik Veysel, embraces the profound concept of life being a long and winding road, offering a poignant reflection on the journey we all embark on.

“The song is about life which is a long and winding road, and the poet says he walks the path day and night”, says Tuac. “He uses the metaphor of a hotel with two doors for life, from one door you enter (birth) and from the other one you exit (death), and you are only a guest in this life. I sing it with the renowned Istanbul singer, Yesim Akin, and we recorded the vocals in Istanbul.”

Deeply personal and profoundly touching, "Immigrant" delves into Tuac's own experiences as an immigrant living in Toronto. The album provides an intimate glimpse into the challenges, triumphs, and lessons he has encountered throughout his journey.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the album, Tuac expressed, "Immigration is a very hot issue in the world now. People move around the world for one reason or another, even COVID could not stop them. And I wanted to share my story in Canada as an immigrant. I wanted to talk about my journey in Canada, the people I’ve met along the way, my experience inside and outside the jazz world, what I anticipated from Canada and what I’ve found, how people see me and how I see them. I wanted to talk about all of this and inspire people."

Fuat Tuac's musical journey is a testament to his unique pedigree. Prior to his remarkable career in jazz, he worked as a lawyer, practicing law in Istanbul, France, and the UK. However, his passion for jazz eventually took precedence, leading him to pursue a full-time musical career. Relocating to Montreal in 2011 to study jazz at Concordia University, he honed his craft in local bars and clubs before releasing his first critically acclaimed album, "Late Bloomer," in 2017.

 

Canadian Soul-Funk collective, The Commotions, Release Feel the Commotion from New Album

Canadian Soul-Funk collective, The Commotions, are an all original 12-piece Motown-to-Disco era band that has brought the exquisite grooves from the famed Motor City all the way across the border. Celebrating their first decade as a band, founder Brian Asselin created the collective after spending six years with legendary musical group, The Funk Brothers; the exceptional session musicians who performed on the vast majority of Motown recordings. Known at the time as Delbert & The Commotions, the group's lead vocalist, Delbert Nelson, was also a Motown collaborator, leading The Funk Brothers on vocals in "Standing in the Shadows of Motown", a multi-award-winning documentary film about the world’s most recognizable record label. Today, the band features all professionally trained Jazz musicians, including three lead vocalists and a five-piece horn section.

Featuring Asselin on saxophone, Rebecca Noelle (The Jacksons, runner up on La Voix), Ed Lister (Jann Arden, The Temptations), and Jeff Rogers (Horojo Trio) to name a few, the soon to be released third album from The Commotions features collaborations with some of the most brilliant names in Funk and Soul, including Dave Eskridge (Tower of Power), Philip Lassiter (Prince, Jill Scott, Kirk Franklin), and Mark Ferguson (Ella Fitzgerald, Holly Cole). The band is gearing up to release their first single of 2023 titled "Feel The Commotion", a celebratory call to dance, have fun, and live in the moment on Friday, August 25 2023.

"Feel The Commotion" was written by Brian Asselin, Alex Mastronardi, and Rebecca Noelle, with the exceptional string arrangement by Mark Ferguson. The track was recorded at Alex Mastronardi's studio in Ottawa, ON.

Funky, vibrant, and dripping with soul, "Feel The Commotion" is a feel-good groove that serves as an invitation to live in the moment and have fun. With its retro-rhythm, full bodied funk from the five artist strong horn section, and soulful vocals, the song glistens like the rooms it's designed to be played in. Created with the dance floor in mind, the track comes with a nearly preset, imaginative vision of clubs and events in the 70's and early 80's, filled with people putting their worries aside and dancing to the music. "Feel The Commotion" offers stunning interplay between instruments, where the professionally trained, seasoned musicians who make up The Commotions showcase their exceptional talents. The fun-loving tune was initially inspired by British Funk-star Jamiroquai, and incorporates the band's love for Earth, Wind, and Fire, Prince, and the Motown to Disco era that inspires The Commotions expertly crafted sound.

"Feel The Commotion" is The Commotions first single off of their forthcoming album, Volume III, set for release in October 2023.

“Feel the Commotion” is a lesson on letting the rhythm move you, an essential track for anyone looking to get all funked up." - The Commotions

They’re hot, sizzling, fun and funky. In the great tradition of Motown, show stopping Ottawa 12-piece The Commotions, consisting of three lead vocalists and five horn players, create original 70s-inspired soul songs with a nod to Tower of Power, Chicago and the Supremes, all the way up to current pop chart-toppers Bruno Mars and Michael Bublé. Assembled and conceived by musical director and tenor saxophonist Brian Asselin, a one-time member of Detroit legends The Funk Brothers, the Commotion’s third album, appropriately titled Volume 3 (out Oct. 20), is the one destined to expand their career across Canada and beyond.

Brian started The Commotions in 2013 after touring on and off with the legendary Funk Brothers for six years. “Every time I came off those tours, and I was like, “I can take a stab at this because I used to write pop music,’” says Brian, who composes on piano and sings the melodies, before taking them to “real vocalists.” The group was originally called Delbert & The Commotions, fronted by Delbert Nelson, vocalist with The Funk Brothers, known for his inclusion in the award- winning 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown. “Recording with him was definitely the highlight,” says Brian of their 2013 album Let Me See Ya Dance. With the 2017 follow-up, Volume II, Rebecca was brought in to front the group, and The Commotions landed gigs at Ontario music festivals, including Summerfolk, Ottawa Blues Festival and Orangeville Jazz and Blues Festival, along with coverage and airplay on CBC radio.

The lineup — comprised entirely of jazz musicians — still includes original members Rebecca, David, Brian and his twin brother Jeff on drums, and bassist Ken Seeley, but it’s not easy keeping a 12-piece group together. “It's really difficult even to get a rehearsal in.,” he laughs. “I book them a month and a half in advance.” Rounding out the lineup are trumpet players Ed Lister and Eric Littlewood; tenor saxophonist Mike Lett, baritone saxophonist Caelan Roberge-Toll and keyboardist Deniz Lim-Sersan.

“My goal for this record is to put The Commotions on the map in terms of soul music in Canada and the States,” says Brian. “This is definitely our strongest record to date. I think it shows what we are capable of. We shine on a live stage, and I'm really hoping that this record can help secure some more festival spots next summer. I'd love for the band to be on the road a little bit across Canada. And maybe even if I can make it happen in the States.”

Teri Parker – Shaping the Invisible

Shaping The Invisible – Toronto-based pianist Teri Parker’s sophomore album as a bandleader – is the culmination of years of playing, composing, and artistic growth. It’s a fusion of musical heritage and innovation that places Parker squarely in the lineage of ground-breaking musicians such as Aaron Parks, Joshua Redman, Aaron Goldberg, and Fred Hersch.

The album first started to coalesce during a period of writing that Parker undertook as part of a Toronto Arts Council grant, which allowed her to lock herself up in a room for hours a day, listening to music from a wide range of artists, studying compositional methods, and writing. During this months-long process, Parker would typically start a composition at the piano, letting ideas develop organically before committing them to the page. Eventually she assembled a body of work that would become Shaping The Invisible. Following a string of performances with her band at The Rex Hotel, one of Canada’s premier jazz clubs, she decided that it was time to hit the studio.

The album begins with Becoming, a through-composed piece named for Michelle Obama’s memoir, which features a dreamy opening that gives way to an insistent straight-eighths groove. Humph, inspired in part by saxophonist Dewey Redman, sees the band playing joyfully and openly, with exceptional brushwork from Cervini. K.T.T features soaring solos from McAnsh and Deniz, before Desolate Places, a tender duet between Parker’s piano and Deniz’s soprano saxophone. Segment sees Parker boldly rearranging a classic bebop tune, with masterful solos from Deniz and Parker, and Paw Prints showcases Parker’s skills for imaginative rhythmic comping and for highly communicative soloing. Retrograde, a cover of the British producer/singer James Blake’s well-known song, is given a thoughtful, backbeat-driven treatment, before the album’s final track, the original Monk-style blues Strolling, in which the band stretches out with inspired, electric synergy.

Virtuosic violinist Aline Homzy introduces us to her dazzling musical world on her debut album Éclipse

The virtuosic violinist Aline Homzy introduces us to her dazzling musical world on her debut album Éclipse with her group Aline’s étoile magique. The album will be released August 25, 2023 via Elastic Recordings. Joining her on the album are vibraphonist Michael Davidson (Joe Chambers), guitarist Thom Gill (Knower), Dan Fortin (Bernice) on bass, and Marito Marques (Ivan Lins) on drums, with special guests João Frade on accordion and vocalist Felicity Williams. The 11-track recording was ten years in the making and is a debut that showcases Homzy’s brilliant musicianship and compositional point of view with impressive clarity and maturity.

Homzy grew up in Montréal, Québec before moving to Toronto to study jazz. Private studies in New York with violinist Sara Caswell, arranger Sy Johnson (Charles Mingus’ arranger) and Berlin-based pianist/composer Aki Takasi had a profound impact on her musical trajectory. Homzy’s father, Andrew Homzy, is a musicologist and an Ellington, Mingus and Monk scholar. These three figures, who occupied much of her father’s interest, greatly influenced her compositions and playing. Intervallic melodies à la Monk, an Ellington-approach to writing for specific musicians, and Mingus-like shifts in tempi and moods are all present in this music. Above all else, Homzy shares the same musical goal that Monk, Mingus and Ellington championed: creating serious music - executed with a sense of playfulness, wit and humor.

As a jazz violinist, Homzy is wary of assumptions people often make before they’ve even heard her play a single note. “I’ve certainly learnt from the great violinists of the genre, like Stéphane Grappelli,” Homzy says. “But it’s important to me to use the tradition as a foundation while shining a more contemporary light on the instrument and its capabilities.” Homzy achieves this modernity by improvising with a fearlessness that highlights the fullness of the violin sound. She doesn’t shy away from bold choices when improvising and takes inspiration from the virtuosity of violinists like Jean-Luc Ponty and Regina Carter.

The album’s opening track “Caraway” highlights Homzy’s boldness in this regard, both as a player and a composer. She describes the tune as “Hermeto Pascoal meets the Mahavishnu Orchestra” with seamlessly blended sections that create a musical world through which the listener is transported. “Éclipse is a universe where I can explore the idea of the unknown,” Homzy says. “I’m fascinated by how we capture otherworldliness in music and sounds. When the sun and moon align during an eclipse, the light changes. How do we translate this visual shift into an aural one?”

Homzy finds the answer to this question by fully utilising the studio as the sixth band member on the album. Effects shape the compositions and alter the textures for variety. The musicians in étoile magique ventured to Kingston, Ontario where they spent a week recording at rock band The Tragically Hip’s studio. Homzy made use of post-production tools to help paint the picture of a vivid universe. On “Mesarthim,” the theremin and synth are manipulated manually to achieve the sensation that the listener is wrapped in the sound. The only cover on the album is Charlie Parker’s “Segment,” which receives a reverberant, “spacey” treatment so that it fits in perfectly with the rest of the tracks.

Homzy takes advantage of the ability to add layers in post-production but she also exercises restraint, aiming to whittle something down to its musical essence. “I always think of that Coco Chanel quote, ‘Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.’ The same can be said for post-production. Add in all the overdubs, take a step back, and remove one thing you added to restore sonic balance.” While Homzy certainly used the studio as a way to explore every possible nook and cranny of the music to maximum effect, the result is never heavy-handed. The lush effect of a well-chosen pad here, the faintest shimmer of a delay there. There is a thoughtfulness that runs throughout, from the structure of the music to the way in which it was arranged and brought to life.

Homzy waited ten years to record her debut album. “I needed that time to mature as a composer and improviser. I also needed to learn how to be concise with my musical statement,” she explains. Éclipse is a testament to taking time and then creating with a laser-sharp focus and intention. Homzy and étoile magique create a richly nuanced musical world where theremins, vibraphones and violins combine to bring the great unknown to life.

Aline Homzy is an award-winning violinist and composer. Praised as one of Canada’s finest jazz violinists, she has performed and/or recorded with Danilo Perez, Munir Hossn and The Weather Station. Her music has been performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Swedish guitarist Mikko Hilden, and South-Korean bassist Yongwon Cho. Homzy is also a community builder, with a focus on highlighting women instrumentalists and improvisers. She was the recipient of a 2018 TD Discovery Projects Award that saw her curate a sold-out concert featuring female improvisers at the Canadian Music Centre. During the pandemic, she produced the documentary “Sounds of Davenport,” which aimed to showcase musicians in her community through a beautifully captured video-concert, supported by her political representatives. Homzy has performed at the TD International Toronto Jazz Festival, Festival international de Jazz de Montréal, Stockholm International Jazz Festival, and Daigu - South Korea- International Jazz Festival. She was a finalist for the 2022 Toronto Emerging Jazz Artist Award, and was awarded a distinguished fellowship to attend the prestigious Hambidge Artist Residency in Georgia, USA also in 2022. Her debut album Éclipse features her group “Aline’s étoile magique” and will be released in August 2023, preceded by a 2023 Canadian jazz festival tour.

Multi-Instrumentalist Joel Styzens Releases First Single "Opening" From New Album Resonance

Resonance, the upcoming album by composer and multi-instrumentalist Joel Styzens, features a full hour of hammered dulcimer, acoustic guitar, cello, piano, and string quartet compositions designed to take readers on an instrumental journey about the transformative power of connection. “In an age of singles and ping-pong streaming, Resonance offers listeners an opportunity to deeply listen, to reflect, to interact with the music by being musically guided or by imaginatively choosing their own adventure,” Styzens says.

Transformation is also a theme in Joel Styzens’ life. Severe tinnitus and hyperacusis sidetracked his career as a percussionist causing him to temporarily lose his identity as a musician while he focused on dealing with symptoms and finding therapies. Styzens founded a Chicago-based support group and he found a new way to create music that his ears could tolerate by writing it himself for stringed instruments, performed at a lower volume. The result was Relax Your Ears (2010), Styzens’ first album, which earned international notice for its acoustic soundscapes.

Resonance connects to Relax Your Ears, which was primarily composed for guitar and cello. The foundation of rhythmic attention is key in any piece he composes—the regard to silence, pauses, a carefully placed vibrato or tempo change. However, the last decade of musical growth has helped Styzens understand more about how he composes by using the grandeur and complexities of classical works and visualizing them as more traditional songs, thereby making them more accessible to a wider audience. He is heavily influenced by his love of 90s grunge and alternative rock, jazz, world music, and his childhood exposure (through his parents) to folk, bluegrass, and old-time string bands. Styzens teaches at Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and reconnected with the hammered dulcimer there, building upon its percussive qualities. He has practiced yoga and meditation for many years and understands the ability of music to take listeners on a journey or keep them acutely present.

Joining Styzens on Resonance are the British cellist Sophie Webber and jazz pianist Rob Clearfield. Webber and Styzens have worked together creatively for years, even living in a shared artists’ house. Through his jazz drumming gigs, Styzens met Clearfield, a pianist with incredible improvisational technique. Styzens brought in the ATLYS Quartet, comprised of Jinty McTavish, Sabrina Tabby, Genevieve Tabby, and Rita Andrade, to deepen the compositional textures. Brought together, Resonance maintains the intimacy of Relax Your Ears while expanding the record dynamically and texturally.

From the first track, “Opening,” Resonance captures the relationship between our connections with others, nature, and the unknown, illustrated through the ensemble’s push-and-pull between quiet, propulsive moments and swaths of expansive string textures. Styzens describes the piece as exploring “the cosmos colliding as a metaphor for the evolution of intimate relationships.” Another bond highlighted on the album is the one between Styzens and his grandmother, who found immense comfort in his music, her final musical request being his piece, “Ascendance.” The composition maintains a consistent sense of motion, while melodies float tranquilly above, literally ascending. “The Garden Suite,” inspired by the Chicago Botanic Gardens, immerses the listener in the natural world. Styzens says “The Garden Suite” examines how “music without words can also narrate and capture specific moments in time,” providing freedom to “choose your own adventure in the moment.” He adds, “But if you want to listen for specific imagery, you might hear dragonflies joyfully darting in the shadow and light of ‘Walled Garden,’ and graceful, falling cascades in ‘Waterfall Garden.’”

In each second of Resonance, the musical gentleness and majesty blend seamlessly through the warmth amongst the musicians involved and the care for the stories behind the compositions. “Resonance is based on connection,” says Styzens, “and how we resonate with each other, with nature, with the great beyond. It’s a celebration of the challenges and triumphs of life and the potential for transformation.”

Music You May Have Missed: Lucas De Mulder, The Three Deuces, Hot Mustard & The New Mastersounds

Lucas De Mulder - Feel The Spirit

‘Feel the Spirit’ finds Lucas De Mulder as the newest bearer of the torch of deep funk and boogaloo guitar work. Produced by Eddie Roberts, bandleader and guitarist of the international funk group, The New Mastersounds, the album is a direct eulogium to Grant Green’s iconic 1962 record ‘Feelin’ the Spirit.’ De Mulder and Roberts connected while Roberts’ all-star soul project Matador! Soul Sounds was touring through Spain and the two found themselves at a jam session at The Intruso Bar where Roberts immediately recognized their simpatico style of playing and acute influence from Grant Green. A few weeks later, De Mulder sent Roberts a demo and was immediately invited to record a record at Roberts’ Color Red Studios in Denver, Colorado. The sessions featured fellow members of The New Mastersounds Joe Tatton (keyboards) and Simon Allen (drums) as well as Nate Edgar (bass) of The Nth Power. The joyful, imaginative spirit of Grant Green’s playing is kept alive in a new generation through De Mulder’s beyond-his-years wisdom and thoughtful navigation on his instrument.

The Three Deuces - Keep On It

Eddie Roberts has long been a purveyor of the mighty organ trio in the jazz, funk and soul circles, and The Three Deuces is the first trio put together by Roberts to explore the unique power of the configuration. The group’s debut album “Keep On It (Live At The Yardbird Suite)” finds the trio cruising through a lean set of hard-charging boogaloo funk at the club fit for a rambunctious night out. This record captures The Three Deuces, Eddie Roberts and the Funk-Soul Revival at large at a very young, energetic and notable moment in history.

Hot Mustard - Mother Sauce

Hot Mustard executes an unpretentious yet decadent tasting menu in their debut offering, Mother Sauce. Featuring dry-aged drums chopped and blended into buttery bass lines, tangy guitar flavors mellowed by smoky, smooth 70s strings, and kickin’ brass trimmings by Antibalas’ Jordan McLean, the resulting beats are fat enough to clog your arteries. These rogue sauciers have been sonically schooled in the Stax and Atlantic tradition, and spent years studying the techniques of such contemporary masters as Chefs Raekwon and Rakim. This is the first course, foodies and musical gourmands. Service begins 9/3/21. Bring your appetites.

The New Mastersounds - Shake It 

Celebrating two decades as a band, new album "Shake It" sees The New Mastersounds, shake it up, with a departure from the jazz-funk-fusion meanderings of their recent releases and a new entry in the form of singer Lamar Williams Jr. (son of late Allman Brothers bassist Lamar Williams). Add to the mix Mike Olmos on trumpet (a NMS regular who has already appeared on albums such as "Renewable Energy" and "Made For Pleasure"), and Jason Mingledorff on sax and flute (previously on tour with St. Paul and the Broken Bones), and you have yourself a very tasty cocktail indeed (shake it, don't stir).

Guitarist Todd Mosby Releases Land of Enchantment: A Gorgeous Breakout Album Focusing on New Mexico

Instrumental composer, songwriter, and Imrat guitar innovator Todd Mosby is a storyteller and a landscape artist. He uses the guitar to whisk listeners away to a borderless realm where jazz, jazz fusion, North Indian classical, classical composition, bluegrass, bossa-nova, and folk-rock create transporting and transformative experiences. His latest album, Land Of Enchantment, is a gorgeous scrapbook of the visual, emotive, spiritual and cultural interactions Todd has personally experienced within the New Mexico region of the United States.

“I am a seeker who believes in the power of music to change lives,” the St. Louis, Missouri-based guitarist shares. “I had a troubled childhood that led me to some dark places. Music was an emotional release from those demons, and it has helped me create a world of light and sound which I love to share with others.”

Todd is an acclaimed Indian and jazz guitarist influenced by St. Louis’s vibrantly varied cultural blend of Indian, African-American, and Americana traditions. He is one of the few musicians in America who has mastered three mountains of music; western composition, jazz improvisation, and Indian raga music, incorporating them freely as a part of his musical language. He attended Berklee College of Music as an undergrad, Webster University as a graduate student, and, for 13 years, studied classical North Indian music with Ustadt Imrat Khan in the most disciplined way.

He has the distinction of being the only guitarist to become a member of the famed Imdhad Khani Gharana of musicians, India’s most prestigious family of sitar musicians dating back 500 to Tansen in the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar. From his years studying this rarified and sacred music, Imrat worked with Mosby to develop a unique guitar technique. This led to an innovative bridge instrument, the Imrat guitar, which has been undergoing design upgrades since 1997. Built by luthier Kim Schwartz to the performance specs of Mosby and the overall sonic palette of Imrat Kahn, the resulting hybrid 18-stringed sitar-guitar instrument allows for a cross-cultural East-West musical dialogue right at your fingertips and integrated into his musical vocabulary.

Todd’s compositions feature strong melodies, sometimes sung by female vocalists recalling the aesthetic of Brazilian musician Sérgio Mendes; virtuosic but lyrical instrumental prowess; deep-pocket grooves informed by a variety of jazz, world, and rock-based traditions; and a deep sense of spiritual intent. To date, Todd has released 5 albums and one single. Along the way, he has earned raves from Windham Hill Records founder Will Ackerman; ZZAJ’s Dick Metcalf; India’s Music Ambassador Ustadt Imrat Khan; 17-time Grammy Nominee and jazz guitar legend Mike Stern; and Berklee College of Music President, 7-time Grammy Award Winner, and jazz legend, Gary Burton.

His journey in spirit and song is beautifully winding. Todd spent, or rather misspent, his formative teen years listening to James Taylor, Joni Mitchel and Jimmy Spheris while smoking pot and perfecting his drawing skills. Around the age of 14 he worked cutting firewood to buy his first guitar, and Alvarez acoustic auditorium. From there he began sitting in with friends at parties learning the folk rock tunes of the day. Later on he was turned on to the music of Billy Holiday, Lester Young, Errol Gardner and the Norman Grants series Live At The Philharmonic.

Guitar was always a means to an emotive outlet in high school but it did not really click as a career path until his freshman year of college where he had the opportunity to study with pro players and play in jazz ensembles. During this time, Todd began to devour the music of Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Hermeto and Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento. When many of the ace student musicians who taught him did a mass exit to Los Angeles the following year, he decided to follow a friends advice and sharpen his skills at Berklee College of Music.

Parallel to his music discovery, Todd absorbed the multi-cultural mecca of St. Louis which was brimming with Indian and African-American traditions, and an eclectic array of music subcultures, spanning world-music, jazz, blues, punk, ska, and new wave. For Todd, these all became pathways to deeper musical expression. 

His latest release, Land of Enchantment, explores his fascination with the mystique the Southwest held for him as a child, and his experiences and impressions the region made on him as an adult, including his passion for iconic American Southwest artists and writers such as Georgia O’Keefe and Ansel Adams. Select album highlights include “Place In The Sun,” “Moonrise Samba,” and “Georgia’s World.” The playfully-titled “Place In The Sun”, exudes the transcendent feeling of being in such beautiful natural environs—exudes a sense of spirituality and joyous mystery. The song features many musical keepsakes from Todd’s musical journey, including dreamy Sérgio Mendes-style female vocals, a funk and Motown-like grooving rhythm section, and 1970s jazz-fusion musicality with Todd’s lyrical but dexterous guitar playing. On “Moonrise Samba,” Todd showcases his strong lead melody writing, his penchant for intriguing Steely Dan-esque chord sequences, and his imaginative arrangement skills by including a samba-flavored bridge. The picturesque “Georgia’s World” is a tribute to Georgia O’ Keefe’s home in Abuqui, New Mexico and Ghost Ranch, and boasts satiny Wes Montgomery octave licks, a slinky bossa-nova groove, and sultry female melody vocals. Todd also turns in a stunning reading of the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” replete with virtuosic micro-tonal soloing done on his Imrat guitar, and a dreamy version of Glen Campbell’s “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.”

Coming along for the ride are A-list musicians such as longtime Prince bassist Rhonda Smith; Todd’s childhood musical hero, jazz-fusion icon saxophonist-composer, Tom Scott (Joni Mitchell, Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra); drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Herbie Hancock, Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa); Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat (Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Shadowfax); pianist Dapo Torimiro (Frank Ocean, Lauryn Hill); vocalist Laura Vall (Stevie Wonder); bassist Timothy Bailey (Ariana Grande, Julia Michaels, Jill Scott); award winning Los Angeles cellist Adrienne Woods (Ariana Grande, Josh Groban, Christina Aguilera); two-time Grammy winning producer Jeff Weber (Diane Reeves, Luther Vandross, David Crosby); and Emmy and Grammy-winning engineer Clark Germain (Michael Jackson, Wayne Shorter, Tina Turner).

After decades as a professional musician with countless gigs under his belt, and rarely-achieved mastery of 3 challenging musical idioms, Todd still has a beginner’s passion for music. He says: “There is never a dull moment as I am always learning and growing. I research music like a scientist and researcher, always discovering new things with new ears. Each discovery opens a world of exciting possibilities which is filled with fun and intrigue.”

Multi-Instrumentalist & Composer Vinny Golia To Release Massive 110 Track Second Movement of Even to This Day - Music For Orchestra and Soloists

Volume two was recorded almost entirely by Golia and his collaborator/engineer Wayne Peet, with the help of some excellent guest soloists, and beyond the shocking length, the music itself is thrilling: constantly inventive, full of twists and turns and restless energy. Golia began his art career as a painter, and his use of texture in these pieces is so remarkable - "Follow the Tracks," for instance, is composed of overtone-laden breathy winds, scratchy percussive sounds, and something that could be bowed cymbals, multiphonic winds, twitching electronics, or a combination of all three.

Initially intended to be a short interlude between the equally large volumes one and three, volume two began with the suite for guitarist Alkis Nicolaides that you'll find scattered throughout. However, when Golia felt there was much more to explore in those ideas, it organically grew into the 110 track piece you now have before you.

Golia has been a fixture of LA's experimental music scene for decades, and he's the type of artist I admire greatly, resolutely pushing forward with the work that he believes in regardless of trends. But, notable for someone who has had to blaze their own path so extensively, he retains his faith in the positive power of music, and this work is his tribute "to our sanity, endurance, and patience." You can read more in his note below. It's no coincidence that his large ensemble work has always had a collectivist spirit, intended to unite the disparate music scenes of LA. 

Please note that due to the length of the project it is stretched over two PJB "albums" - tracks 1-55 here, and 56-110 attached as "part two". That separation is not a part of the piece itself, and just reflects a technological limitation, the full second movement is all 110 tracks. 

Even to this day... is an observation of the present and hopefully a gift for the future. I started this three-movement project before Covid and released Movement One in 2021. I was trying to get out of, and get my friends out of the Covid malaise and do something that would positively affect us all. Since 2021, we have been bombarded with a litany of negativity: a lack of government leadership, rampant homelessness, constant threats of annihilation, climate change, economic hardships, continued social inequities, and the passing of so many of our friends—legends of the music we play. Through the compositions and improvisations in this movement, I hope to contribute to the positive vibrations in our universe.

~

Movement Two Syncretism: for the draw... is about 13.5 hours long and as mentioned features electronic improvisers. Why the length? The original idea was to have this movement be a short section between Movement One and Three. Now, this music has become a larger environment for listening; the duration seems to be for reflection and function. Why electronic musicians? Movement Two started with 5 compositions written for guitarist Alkis Nicholaides; once these compositions were completed, I wanted to explore these compositional areas more deeply. Things expanded rapidly from there as the sonic inspirations were sculpted into what became Even to this day...Movement Two Syncretism: for the draw....

When I was in high school, I read a startling statistic that there were always at least 200 wars simultaneously on the planet; now in 2023, there seems to be so much more bloodshed. We are close to 90 seconds before midnight on the Doomsday Clock, and everyone is being pushed to their edge. Can music relieve this constant stress? I do not know. It’s not for me to determine. Our job as artists is to create a positive force within ourselves and transmit that force outward. On Movement Two Syncretism: for the draw.... an amazing amalgam of soloists breathes life into sonic structures to realize these goals. With its superimposition of composition and improvisation Movement Two Syncretism: for the draw....is my tribute to our sanity, endurance, and patience.

- Vinny Golia

--

Hays Street Hart (Kevin Hays/Ben Street/Billy Hart) | "Bridges"

Hays Street Hart, the trio of pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Ben Street, and legendary drummer Billy Hart, recorded their acclaimed 2021 debut, All Things Are, under less than optimal conditions. The album began its life as a performance in honor of Hart’s 80th birthday in December 2020, live streamed from an empty Smoke Jazz Club in the final weeks of that grueling pandemic year. Despite those adversities, the music they created that night was spectacular enough to convince all involved that it should be released.

Two years later, the trio has reconvened, this time fully cognizant that they were going to record an album at Sear Sound Studios in NYC. Due out October 20, 2023, via Smoke Sessions Records, the captivating Bridges brilliantly spotlights the unique chemistry and shared spirit of exploration that emerged fully formed on that initial impromptu session. The title succinctly hints at some of the reasons why Hays, Street, and Hart work so well together: this is a trio that bridges generations, certainly, as well as a wealth of diverse experience and inspiration. But it also sums up a mutual desire to bring people together through music.

“We have so many concurrent and urgent issues now on this planet,” Hays explains, “We need to start making allies where we’ve only seen adversaries. Whether that’s on a global, interpersonal, or intrapsychic level, we need to set out to repair any number of misunderstandings and seemingly intractable polarizations if we are to survive and thrive here as a community.”

Not that there was any antagonism to overcome within the trio itself. More than anything, Hays Street Hart is a mutual admiration society of the highest order. The esteem in which the pianist and bassist hold Billy Hart likely goes without saying. The drummer was ordained in 2022 as an NEA Jazz Master, just one of the many honors he has chalked up over a breathtaking career. He began his career with an apprenticeship under the revered vocalist Shirley Horn and went on to make notable music with such luminaries as Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, Stan Getz, and as part of the quartet Quest featuring David Liebman and Richie Beirach.

But Hart is, if anything, even more laudatory toward his younger bandmates. Street has been a member of the drummer’s stellar quartet for two decades, alongside pianist Ethan Iverson and saxophonist Mark Turner, a tenure that speaks for itself. As for Hays, Hart is quick to place the pianist in the exalted company of some of his iconic former collaborators.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have the chance to perform with Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner,” says Hart modestly. “Each generation presents their own equivalent, and Kevin is an example of the latest innovations. There was Herbie and McCoy, then it was Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, and then you have what's coming next. I think Kevin is definitely part of that continuum.”

Though Hays sticks strictly to the piano on Bridges, he is also an accomplished singer whose vocal instincts fuel his inventive and lyrical melodicism. Street points to those facets as key to the connection between the pianist and Hart, who has enjoyed several meaningful collaborations with vocalists.

“It always seems to me that Kevin has the capacity to sing in his mind and then accompany himself on the piano,” Street describes. “That makes for such a nice connection with Billy, who has played with and learned from so many singers. I don't even feel like we're playing as a piano trio most of the time; it feels more like a quartet.”

Those qualities are especially clear on Hays’ “Butterfly,” which opens the album. Though it’s performed here as an instrumental, the pianist has composed lyrics for the piece, and its gorgeous, song-like quality shines through. Hays also contributed the breathtaking ballad “Song for Peace,” highlighted by Hart’s gentle, embracing brushwork and Street’s sturdy, stentorian tone. The pianist’s third original, “Row Row Row,” is constructed on a twelve-tone row, but as the playful title suggests, it has none of the more stringent qualities of the serialist composers.

Hart’s stunning “Irah,” originally recorded on his quartet’s self-titled 2006 debut, is dedicated to the composer’s mother, and was recorded at Street’s suggestion. The bassist also brought guitarist Bill Frisell’s reflective “Throughout” to the date, imagining Frisell’s Americana influences would resonate with the similarly inclined Hays, who approaches the tune with a harp-like beauty. Hays’ love of pop and rock music is also reflected by the inclusion of The Beatles classic “With a Little Help from My Friends.”

The trio pays tribute to the late, great Wayne Shorter with “Capricorn,” originally released on the composer’s 1969 Blue Note album Super Nova and later included on the Miles Davis Quintet set Water Babies. Hart called Shorter “one of a kind. I think of the many times I heard him excel – with the Maynard Ferguson Big Band, with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, with Weather Report. And in each case, he was innovative.”

Bridges closes with the title track, a dazzling piece by the great Brazilian singer and songwriter Milton Nascimento, which Hays calls “one of my favorite compositions ever, by anybody.”

Bridges was recorded under ideal studio conditions by a now-established trio with a weeks-long European tour under their belts. Perhaps what’s most remarkable about the album is not that Hays, Street, and Hart play so masterfully together – with three artists of their caliber, who could expect any less? – but that this second outing maintains the bold spirit of inquisitiveness and spontaneity that its predecessor naturally possessed. Credit that to a trio perpetually determined to discover new bridges worth building.

Nate Mercereau - 'plays two versions of a melody by Tiziji Muñoz' (How So)

You might have heard of jazz guitarist Tiziji Muñoz from his work on Pharoah Sanders legendary 1977 LP Pharoah, which is currently getting the deluxe reissue treatment courtesy of Luaka Bop. Nate Mercereau wanted to pay tribute to Muñoz in his own way.

Mercereau explains:

Tisziji Muñoz is a very special musician and person that I find continually inspirational. Among many other things, he represents and embodies freedom. I first heard Tisziji's music around 2015, at a point in my life when it was incredibly meaningful to come into contact with his energy. There is rare information and intention in his playing and in his albums that I’m still discovering and learning from. Listening to his music, I am reminded of all infinite possibilities.  In the spirit of celebration and appreciation of Heart-Fire Sound, I’m sharing these two versions of an excerpt of his song Thank You All Great Spirits (Thank You For Your Love).

In my continual search for radical sound, I found myself looking for what felt like under represented intention in music. This search coincided with writing my own music from this place, the music that I wanted to exist, that I wanted to hear, with the intention of sharing the process of exploration and discovery. This led me to Tisziji Muñoz. His music hit this place I was searching for, and also was something completely different and unexpected with how far out (and in) he takes it. 

I first heard Tisziji's guitar on Pharoah Sanders's album, Pharoah. Like many others, I connected with that album, specifically the piece Harvest Time, where Tisziji is well featured. I did a search of his name and found several live videos of him leading his own groups with legendary exploratory musicians like Pharoah and Rasheid Ali, and I immediately connected to his sound.  Tisziji’s willingness to share the moments of searching on the way to discovery is what I really resonate with.  It feels very true to what it’s like to be alive.  

The live version, track 1, came from a concert at The World Stage in Leimert Park, where I was part of a quartet with Carlos Niño and Will Logan led by Surya Botofasina. At one point in the middle of an immersive exploration, Surya played a chord progression that opened up space for a part of the melody of Thank You All Great Spirits (Thank You For Your Love) to happen, which I had been listening to in the car on the drive over. We make music together in such a way that anything can happen, and this is a wonderful example of the freedom available when making music with this group....I played the first part of Tisziji's melody over the chords, and it sparked the next wave of group creation. The second version, solo, is an extension or epilogue to the live version, using my guitar as a sampler controller, with sounds I created from samples of my guitar synthesizer. 

-Nate

New Music Releases: Alexander O'Neal, Speakers Corner Quartet, Manual Valera Quintet & Jakal (Keefe Jackson/Julian Kirshner/Fred Lonberg-Holm)

Alexander O'Neal - Love Finds A Way

Here's a brand new, never before heard new single from the Soul Legend that is Alexander O'Neal. 'Love Finds A Way' is Soul down to the bone, with a 70s feel production and a touch of Gospel too, it's a real stunner! Alexander O’Neal really doesn't need any introduction other than 'Soul Legend' and we are proud to present his stunning new single ‘Love Finds A Way'. Written along with long time collaborators, Alexander and JV Johnston of Manchester's 'Mamma Freedom' and featuring the band themselves, the track is a nod to the feel of classic 70’s Soul and the uplifting light and emotional power of Gospel which fuses O'Neal's now wonderfully weathered, velvet toned voice with producer Alexander Johnston’s ‘Retro-Sonic’ production. The track is taken from his forthcoming, long awaited new album 'Testament' coming in 2024. Written by Johnston / Johnston / O’Neal Produced by Alexander Johnston at The Grand Northern Recording Studio, Manchester. Alexander O’Neal - Lead Vocals; Alexander Johnston - Keys, BVs, Production, Mixer; JV Johnston - Keys Backing Vocals; Christopher J Calcott - Guitars / Lead; Robert Marsh - Flugel Horn; Dan Hudson - Drums; Chris Rogers - Bass; Seren Devismes - Backing Vocals; and Kristin Hoesin - Backing Vocals. Release Date: 15th September 2023

Speakers Corner Quartet - Further Out Than The Edge

A very hip group from the London scene, and one who've got a slightly different origin than most – in that they initially started out as a house band for a spoken word event – then grew into a really great group on their own! In the best contemporary London fashion, there's a real openness to genres and styles here – jazz at the core, but plenty of contemporary soul – especially considering the range of guests on the record – a lineup that includes Joe Armon Jones, Shabaka Hutchings, Sampha, Kae Tempest, and others. The core lineup features Biscuit on flute, Raven Bush on violin, Peter Bennie on bass, and Kwake Bass on drums and percussion – but the record flows with so many other contributions, sounds, and styles as well. Titles include "Acute Truth", "Fix", "On Grounds", "Can We Do This", "Soapbox Soliloquy", "Hither Green", "Dreaded", "Wavelet", and "Round Again". ~ Dusty Groove

Manuel Valera Quintet - Vessel

An album that reminds us that Manuel Valera's as great a writer as he is a pianist – as the set's overflowing with original material that really helps give the group a fresh direction – all sorts of rich colors, bold tones, and sensitive movements – delivered by a combo that also features John Ellis on tenor, Alex Norris on trumpet, Hamish Smith on bass, and Mark Whitfield Jr on drums! The leader's got a way of arcing in with his energy – leading the tunes in a great way, but letting the soloists unfold – especially Ellis, who's got a wonderful tone throughout. Titles include "Garzonian", "First Day", "Blues For Kenny K", "Alma", "Crisis", "Remembrance", and "Pablo". ~ Dusty Groove

Jakal (Keefe Jackson/Julian Kirshner/Fred Lonberg-Holm) - Peroration

An improvising trio in the best Chicago tradition – a nicely tangled-up blend of the drums of Julian Kirshner, reeds of Keefe Jackson, and cello, tenor guitar, and electronics of Fred Lonberg-Holm! The set echoes with the kind of sonic exploration that Fred's been bringing to his music for many years – especially that relationship between the use of electronics and the acoustic tonal properties of the cello – qualities that Kirshner seems to resonate with on the drums from time to time. Jackson blues tenor and sopranino saxes, sometimes with a bolder, more forward-driven direction – and the set features one long improvisation, titled "Peroration", and the shorter "Grand Finale".  ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases: Joan Torres's All Is Fused, Bandler Ching, WAAN and Willie Morris

Joan Torres's All Is Fused 

Over the years All Is Fused has explored new musical territories in order to expand their skills and find new forms of expression. Throughout this journey they have gone against standard, expected musical forms and explored outside their comfort zones, discovering new ways to write music that might lead to fresh sounds. However, the All Is Fused philosophy is not one to reject ideas, but of integrating them. Therefore, for this record, the ensemble decided to embrace these forms as a grounding device from which to innovate. Embrace Form is an album that explores the relationship between experimental instrumental music and popular music by leveraging familiar forms and enhancing or appropriating them to fit the ensemble’s expressive style. Tracks featuring common musical forms or compositional techniques such as verse-chorus (Explode), vamps (Friends, Memories, Loops), canon (Crystalline) are present as much as improvisational forms that are open (Cotati Reset) or that follow call-and-response patterns (Caribbean Mountains). These familiar forms are then modified to bring listeners something familiar with a twist. Take for example, Crystalline, where a common form such as a canon, which usually includes repeated motifs with added layers, in this case grows not just vertically (additional layers), but also horizontally (additional bars that add to the initial motifs). All Is Fused leverages conventional forms to keep moving beyond the constraints of current fusion, eschewing conventions and showcasing virtuoso playing without becoming self-indulgent. Embrace Form adds to the sextet’s body of work and continues to expand their sonic horizons creating enjoyable textures that can appeal to fans of progressive Jazz and non-fans alike.

Bandler Ching – Coaxial

Hailing from Brussels, Bandler Ching is a creation of musical ideas from composer and saxophonist Ambroos De Schepper (Kosmo Sound, Azmari and Mos Ensemble). Flawlessly blending contemporary jazz, electronics, trap, hip-hop and global beats, the sound is based around the freedom of expression and improvisation and performed with astounding conviction. With the help of Alan Van Rompuy (Azertyklavierwerke), Federico Pecoraro (ECHT!) and Olivier Penu (Kel Assouf), the four idiosyncratic artists come together to express their musical identity to dazzling effect. A hypnotic trip through each band members’ musical fantasies, the band have their roots in jazz. “We start from Jazz and we give it our own attitude with improvisation and a lot of freedom and eventually mix it with influences such as electronics, beats, hip-hop etc,” says De Schepper. From the free-spirited beauty of ‘You Call It’ and pulsating, loose beats of ‘Awpril’ to the luminous ‘Dag na Naamdag’ inspired by warm winter memories and wild summer dreams, De Schepper gives the sax a new place in its musical sphere. The album title refers to the band members' various musical influences that coalesce around one artistic centre. That centre is ‘Coaxial’ – a distinct sound with a clear identity, yet versatile and difficult to catergorise. Elsewhere, the bass-heavy ‘RoodGroen’ features Vieze Meisje (performer Maya Mertens) while the sonoric mayhem of ‘Smooch’ mutates without border – mischievous, dynamic and unpredictable at the same time. ‘Rave Fever’ is rich cataclysm of sound and rhythm while the intriguing ‘You Have Got Me’ and album closer ‘Kitsune’ showcase the magnetic soundings of Bandler Ching.

WAAN - Kink

WAAN represents the musical marriage of seasoned saxophonist Bart Wirtz and keyboard wiz Emiel van Rijthoven. As a pair of self-confessed tech nerds hailing from The Netherlands, their bromance was a slow burning one, but nevertheless their eventual collaboration fulfilled a dream that they’d both held close since first working together back in 2010. KinK is the first single to be taken from the duo’s forthcoming debut album Echo Echo. The piece sprung to life during one of Bart and Emiel’s final recording sessions for the album, whilst working with session musicians Kasper Kalf (double bass), Jimmi Hueting (drums) as well as Oscar de Jong and Lucas Meijers who contributed to percussion. The recording started with a simple line on a Maestro Effect, using a tape echo, and what you hear is a very natural and easy Dr John voodoo style groove that came from the first two takes. The pair then took what they had of this very instinctive performance to Emiel’s studio and added harmonics, synth sounds, samples and a very percussive distorted clavinet to the groove. The key to this evocative and wondrous piece of music was to create percussive sounds from harmonic instruments and conjure up something otherworldly. With influences as disparate as Floating Points, BadBadNotGood and Eddie Harris, Echo Echo is far more complex than just being a dance music influenced jazz record. Co-producer Oscar de Jong, of Kraak & Smaak fame, encouraged the pair to play freely as part of a jazz group and then add the electronic elements. As a result the album owes as much to Duke Ellington and Lalo Schiffrin as it does NERD and The Eurythmics!

Willie Morris - Conversation Starter

A definite conversation starter from tenorist Willie Morris – a rich-voiced player who steps out here in a set of mostly original material that really knocks things out of the park! Willie's got this way of wrapping his horn next to the alto of Patrick Cornelius – as the pair move things past conventional hardbop, maybe in the way that Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan were doing at Blue Note near the end of the 60s, but with a more conventional vibe as well – one that picks up plenty of energy from the rest of the group – Jon Davis on piano, Adi Meyerson on bass, and Ej Strickland on drums! There's a soaring, soulful quality to the whole thing that's wonderful – a shining moment from a leader we'll be watching in years to come – served up on titles that include "Keep Talking", "Azar", "Tina's Dream", "St Upton Hin", and "Cries", and "The Strength Of Those Who Bear The Burden". ~ Dusty Groove

“Sensual” guitar 2unes, new jazz-R&B single written and produced by two-time Grammy nominee Chris “Big Dog” Davis

The newly released single from jazz-R&B guitarist 2unes aka North Woodall, “Sensual,” is intended to provide an exotic and enchanting caress to a troubled world. Written and produced by two-time Grammy nominee, Chris “Big Dog” Davis (Will Downing, Dave Koz, Rick Braun, Gerald Albright), the gorgeous instrumental track released by 2uneswave Records features 2unes’s delicate acoustic guitar sketching a hauntingly gorgeous and alluring melody.   

Aside from 2unes’s hypnotic riff and expressive fretwork, which is the focal point of the single, Davis handled the rest of the instrumentation on “Sensual,” crafting the soothing rhythm track, lush keyboard embellishments and nuanced programming. The acoustic guitar is a bit of a departure for 2unes, who primarily wields an electric guitar. 

“When I first heard the song, I knew in my heart that I had to perform it on acoustic guitar. And the first time I played it, sheer happiness fell over me when I played the very first note. The song embodies everything I stand for, and it gave me a glimpse of the world I would like to live in,” said the Atlanta-based Woodall, who released an accompanying video for “Sensual,” which can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmOagxC4QBE.

2unes released “Sensual” as an offering with a greater purpose.

“Sensual to me means gratification of the senses. With all the negative things going on in the world today, from homelessness to wars, I felt that a positive vibe is needed now more than ever. If I can bring some fun and happiness to even one person, then this song will achieve its intended goal. It’s about creating more smiles than tears,” said Woodall, who hopes the single will cross over into other markets. 

Woodall discovered the guitar when he was eleven years old. Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, mesmerized by guitarists Ernie Isley, Carlos Santana and Joe Walsh, he was an ardent fan of R&B, funk, rock and pop music. Woodall played in a couple of local bands before relocating to Atlanta. He has been recording as 2unes since 2005, uniquely blending jazz, R&B, hip-hop and soul music on his debut disc, “Hot & Cool.” Three more albums followed, spawning an array of singles, including the title track from 2022’s “Still Hanging.” In concert, he has shared the stage with Brian McKnight, Lakeside, Ohio Players, Roger Troutman and Zapp, Roy Ayers, Millie Jackson, Tom Browne and Will Downing.

2unes is working on his fifth full-length album that he aims to release in the first quarter of 2024. Before then will be another single that he created with Davis. His gift is taking compositions and using his guitar to illuminate them, instilling positive feelings of hope and joy.

“I propelled it from the paper it was written on, to the stings of my guitar, and then onto the world for all to enjoy.”