R&B-jazz singer-songwriter Selina Albright makes a powerful statement against social injustice

Like so many Black people, R&B-jazz singer-songwriter Selina Albright is tired and her fatigue has nothing to do with becoming a mother for the first time earlier this year, which was the subject of her latest single to hit the charts, “Discovering.” No, Albright’s exhaustion and discouragement stems from “seeing videos of my brothers and sisters dying in cold blood, their deaths rooted in misplaced fear, their murderers allowed to live freely.” She cowrote and coproduced her forthcoming single, “Holding On,” to call out social injustice and the urgent need for reform. The single dropped October 16 and will be promoted at urban adult contemporary and smooth jazz radio formats.

Musically, “Holding On” is an anthemic, multi-genre aural quilt sewn from soulful R&B heart, modern jazz progressions and tones, dramatic rock changes punctuated by drummer James “JRob” Roberson, and ethereal pop vocal harmonies. But it’s the song’s subject matter and lyrical content that is radically new and different for Albright, who has etched her place on the urban-jazz scene with intimate love songs and autobiographical confessions such as those contained on her 2017 debut album, “Conversations.” Her most piercing and provocative cry in “Holding On” is when she passionately repeats “Burn it all to the ground.”

“I frankly find it exhausting and infuriating to see ongoing evidence of oppression without much change. And because writing music is a therapeutic outlet for me, I couldn’t help putting pen to paper about my struggle to maintain hope for the freedom of my people - real freedom to pursue happiness, be our beautiful selves, and to live fully as is our inalienable right. Instead, our rights are seen as privileges by those who work to prevent the impending moment when Black people truly know our strength,” said Albright who wrote the song with her coproducer Chris “Big Dog Davis, David P. Stevens and Kayta Matsuno.

Although “Holding On” is a song that captures present life for Black Americans, its origins date back to a November 2017 recording session between Albright and guitarist Stevens. Stevens awoke with the chord progression in his head and played it for Albright when she arrived in the studio.

“The lyrics were originally written to bring hope and consolation to people with emotional health disorders because at the time, suicides were hitting close to home. Something in my spirit told me not to release the song yet. Since then, the United States has been exposed around the world for its social injustice, the roots and workings of which are so well hidden and indulged by a small fraction of our nation, but whose disadvantages are felt by multitudes,” said Albright, who plans to release an accompanying video for “Holding On.”

As usual, Albright found a way to incorporate her own experiences into the lyrics. After having a series of discussions with friends about their similar experiences of being Black in America, she revisited the song’s lyrics in order to make them more specific to Black people and the fight for social justice.

“I remember the first time my parents told me that because I’m Black, I'd have to work twice as hard as my non-Black peers to accomplish the same result. They also taught me how to dress and behave when certain people were present so that the police wouldn’t be called, and I wouldn’t die. Wouldn’t die! They said my smile and ‘proper’ dialect would be my protection. I’m glad I was warned because the same has been true even in my adulthood. There’s really nowhere to run from it,” said Albright, the daughter of multi-time GRAMMY nominated saxophonist Gerald Albright.

Ultimately, Albright would like to see her message in “Holding On” become obsolete, a dark and distant memory of the past before “we started over using our spirit of power, love and sound minds” to prevail over systematic racism.

“Black people are being herded around the country like cattle, our culture and excellence exploited, rather than kept sacred. We are being poisoned by processed scraps of food, and then given the lowest quality of healthcare. I see many of us losing steam. We can’t afford to do that. We must continue to find the strength to keep holding on until the whole world knows that at the very least, we matter.”

https://selinaalbright.com

Pete Josef's sophomore album "I Rise With The Birds"

Five long years have passed since Pete Josef’s debut album “Colour” caused a sensation worldwide amongst music lovers and critics alike. Since then, it’s hardly surprising that his steadily increasing fan base has been awaiting its follow up impatiently. “I Rise With The Birds” will be released in October on Sonar Kollektiv and one can say without doubt that the wait was well worth it. From the very first note of melody and right up until the last fades away, the album’s ten tracks pave a golden hour with food for thought about life’s ups and downs.

The blue-eyed soul singer from Bristol has come to be a well-respected multi-instrumentalist and producer over the years by elegantly merging jazz, soul, pop, and electronic music and collaborating with Manu Delago, Rag’n’Bone Man and Roni Size among others.

Taking all of the production reins himself, he brings in long-time Bristol collaborators John Pratt and Ben Plocki (saxes), Nick Malcolm and Gary Alesbrook (trumpets), Rory Francis and Justin Fellows (drums, percussion), Roshan ‘Tosh’ Wijetunge (double bass), Luke ‘Typesun’ Harney (drums) and of course, the voice of honey that so complimented Josef’s vocal on ‘Colour’ and beyond, Marie Lister.

Most featured perhaps are Barney Sage (drum kit); the rhythmic backbone behind six of the ten tracks, and the virtuosic Austrian string players that provide so many highlights throughout; Bernie Mallinger (Violin, Viola) and Clemens Sainitzer (Cello). Notable contributions also come from new-found musical inspirations, Blythe Peppino (vocals), Bill Banwell (bass) and Miguel Andrews (drums). The result is a work of utterly beautiful, layered compositions with lush orchestral arrangements, subtle electronic textures and heartfelt performances.

Throughout “I Rise With The Birds”, placid and jaunty moments balance each other perfectly. There is a broad and grand sense of scale to these songs but they never lose the intimacy or devotion we’ve come to expect from Pete Josef. Launching with “Night Eyes”, the opening provides a wake-up call after a seemingly never ending night. On tracks such as the beautifully melodic “This Sun”, Pete's soft vocals flow effortlessly over a soulful river of sound to provide a perfect ambience for hazy summer escapades. Dancefloor-ready tracks like “Giants” or “Mainframe” (the latter co-written by Alex Barck from Jazzanova and Sebastian Damerius) shift the dynamics and put this incredible album's versatility on full display. While songs like “Friend On The Line”, “Lavender” or the bittersweet “Snatching Time” confirm that this is his most accomplished piece of work to date, Pete Josef's pedigree as a singer-songwriter comes into full bloom.

GRAMMY Winning Guitarist Lee Ritenour Announces 'Dreamcatcher,' His First Studio Album in Five Years

On December 4th, GRAMMY winning guitarist Lee Ritenour will release ‘Dreamcatcher,’ his first studio album in five years. Weaving tapestries of instrumental guitar and conjuring eclectic moods, the 12 tracks of 'Dreamcatcher' rank amongst the most melodic and tinglingly beautiful in Ritenour’s catalogue. But there’s a power and purpose here, too, hinting at the darker circumstances that sparked this new record. “Our house and my studio in Malibu, California burnt down in 2018,” Ritenour recalls. “About 100 of my guitars went up in the fire, plus 40 amps, lots of music, the history of my whole career, pretty much. A week after the fire, I went to the hospital, which I’d never had to do before, for surgery to replace an aortic valve. So those incidents and the support from my family and friends absolutely went into this music. Making this record was a life-saver for me.”

For Lee Ritenour, there aren’t many ‘firsts’ left to achieve. During his dazzling five-decade career, the fabled LA guitarist has taken his music to the outer limits, alighting on every genre and occupying every position in the rock ‘n’ roll firmament. He’s been an enfant terrible of ’70s fusion, a crossover star of the ’80s pop chart, an honorary exponent of Brazilian jazz, and the fingers behind ’90s supergroup, Fourplay. Ritenour’s accolades include: 45 albums,16 Grammy nominations, Alumnus of the year at USC, Los Angeles’ Jazz Society Honoree (2019), plus thousands of sessions with legends such as Frank Sinatra, Pink Floyd, B.B. King, Tony Bennett, among others.

And yet, when he checks the rear-view mirror, the 68-year-old acknowledges he’s never made a record like 'Dreamcatcher.' “People have been telling me for years: ‘Rit, you gotta make a solo guitar record.’ In the past, I’ve always been the band guy, the ensemble guy, the collaborative-guitar-player guy. So this was the one project I hadn’t done. And this year, I knew it was time.”

'Dreamcatcher' might have been born from personal challenges, but the record took shape against the global tragedy of COVID-19. Ritenour had already written several key tracks before shutdown. But as he settled into the makeshift studio at his new home in Marina Del Rey, equipped with little more than seven guitars, a computer interface and good intentions, the guitarist let the context flood into the music he was tracking. “It was an important album for me,” he notes. “Especially now, with everything going on in the world.”

Even without lyrics, every track tells a story. Take the molten blues licks of “Abbot Kinney”, named for the fabled boulevard in Venice, California. “One day when everything was shut down,” says Ritenour, “I drove my bike there and was just devastated to find it completely empty. But then I heard this rock guitar start up. I don’t know if it was a kid, but somebody nearby had just turned it up to 10 and said, ‘Fuck it, I’m gonna have some fun.’ It brought a huge smile to my face and inspired me to write that song on my Les Paul.”

Likewise, anyone living through the age of COVID-19 will feel a deep affinity with “2020”: a three-part symphony in which Ritenour takes the pulse of the times. “The three parts were a reflection of what was going on this year,” he nods, “when all of a sudden everybody’s life shut down. I was thinking about the young musicians that were out of work – and people in every walk of life.”

Elsewhere 'Dreamcatcher' delves beyond the pandemic. While Ritenour strived to switch up musical styles – from the title track’s dovetailing classical guitars to the Taylor baritone that drives “Starlight’s” tumbling folk, and the mad scientist multi-tracking of “Couldn’t Help Myself” – he also ran the gamut of mood. “Because even I get tired,” he reasons, “of solo guitar albums when it pretty much all sounds the same.”

As such, “For DG” salutes the harmonic sensibilities of the great producer, pianist, and long-time comrade, Dave Grusin. But it couldn’t be further from “Charleston”, whose mellow slink is laced with bittersweet thoughts on the ebb and flow of US race relations. “A few years ago, I played in Charleston, South Carolina,” recalls Ritenour, “and it was charming and the people were warm, and it was a very mixed, soulful audience. Charleston has a history of the beginnings of slavery, but this was modern day Charleston, y’know? But then, a few years later, I’m writing this tune while watching the continuation of the struggle. As musicians who travel all over the world, we go, ‘What? This shit is still going on in the US?’ So it was appropriate to dedicate that song to Black Lives Matter.”

'Dreamcatcher' not only confronts the here-and-now: it also slips back into Ritenour’s rich history. Long-standing fans will recognize “Morning Glory Jam” as a rework of the guitarist’s classic 1977 tune. “On 2015’s A Twist Of Rit, I had revisited a lot of older material, so I wanted to keep this record fresh. But one day, I remembered when I did sessions for Barry White and how there had been four or five guitar players all playing these incredible rhythm parts. That’s the kind of groove I had in my head for this new version of Morning Glory.”

Collaboration might be a constant, but in a career full of left-turns, 'Dreamcatcher' is another thrilling detour for Lee Ritenour. Both by necessity and design, this latest album represents music in its purest form: one man, channelling his headspace and the history unfolding around him, using the instrument that has sustained him all these years. There is a first time for everything and there has never been a better time for 'Dreamcatcher.' “I’ve never done anything like this before and it’s an important missing piece in my guitar history. It was inspiring and it was meant to happen this year, in these times – after a lifetime of playing the guitar,” he considers, “this project reaffirmed just how much I love the guitar.”

Quinsin Nachoff | “Pivotal Arc”

Saxophonist and composer Quinsin Nachoff’s career to date has delivered a boundary-crossing body of work that’s consistently unpredictable, fearlessly innovative, breathtakingly accomplished, and full of creative passion, constantly increasing its scope to encompass ever greater horizons. His new album Pivotal Arc presents his most ambitious project yet: bringing together virtuoso violin soloist Nathalie Bonin with a jazz-inflected unit comprising two established giants of the NY scene, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Satoshi Takeishi, and the stunning young vibraphone player Michael Davidson, and adding a wind and string ensemble conducted by JC Sanford for a concerto that boldly mixes written and improvised sections. A contemporary string quartet performed by the renowned Molinari String Quartet and the extended title piece round out the album. The result is three diverse long-form works that flow naturally together, demonstrating Nachoff’s equally heartfelt facility with the free-flowing language of jazz improvisation, the depth and rigor of classical composition and the direct melodicism of folk forms.

The three-part violin concerto is built around Nachoff’s long-standing creative partnership with Nathalie Bonin and showcases her extraordinary range and versatility. “Nathalie’s drive is very intense, her musical interests are really diverse, and she dives into whatever challenge and works at it until she masters it!”

The first movement is an imaginary deconstructed and reconstructed Tango that sets the tone, intensity and sound palette for the entire work. After the improvised violin solo, the orchestra ferociously returns with nearly a concerto for orchestra section that gradually winds down to a dream-like cadenza, setting up the second movement. “I love Astor Piazolla and I’d heard Nathalie improvise brilliantly in that setting - Stravinsky also looms large and Weill and Ligeti were very inspiring as well, but the tango was the main focus, twisted and deconstructed in different ways.”

The second movement is a haunting ballad that sweeps through several tonal landscapes “Where Berg meets Ellington!” A gorgeous improvised violin solo leads into both a written and improvised cadenza that connects to the final movement. It is Balkan-infused and showcases the violinist's virtuosic range and rhythmic strength.

The String Quartet represents some of Nachoff’s most intricate writing to date, allowing him to explore his deep attachment to the tradition and his engagement with contemporary iterations. “I like to keep up with what’s happening now in quartet writing and this gave me the opportunity to explore some of those ideas – pitch axis, using quarter tones, etc., but still keeping a jazz influence because that’s a large part of my background.”

Each of the four movements is a miniature concerto for each member of the quartet. The first movement features Violin II, the probing second movement showcases the Viola, the vacillating third movement is for the Cello and the intense final movement is for Violin I. “It felt like it was improvised, it had this really alive, vibrant feeling to it that is a testament to the Molinari’s exceptional work as an ensemble.”

The final, titular piece, ‘Pivotal Arc’ is Nachoff’s extended reflection on the critical position we currently find ourselves in regarding climate change. It features opening and closing solos from bassist Mark Helias, inspired contributions throughout from Michael Davidson, a call and response solo section between the orchestra and drummer Satoshi Takeishi and an improvisation section moving through a variety of moods for Nachoff’s tenor saxophone. “Mark is so accomplished and so individual, always able to add an element of surprise in any setting! Satoshi is similarly unique: he adds so much energy and always sees the big picture. Michael was phenomenal on both the improvisations and the written sections and JC Sanford was essential to realize the project and get the blend right."

With a sonic palette that ranges across the spectrum from Strayhorn and Mancini to Bartok and Berg, this is a stunningly original set of pieces that will cement Nachoff's reputation as a major cross-genre musical force.

New Music Releases: Bettye LaVette, Reggae Strings, Rachel Musson

Bettye LaVette | “Blackbirds”

Blues Hall of Famer and five-time Grammy-nominee Bettye LaVette returns with a new album, Blackbirds, produced by Steve Jordan. Blackbirds takes Bettye back to her roots, honoring her heritage as an R&B singer and the woman who came before her. It features songs primarily popularized by women who were the "bridge she came across on." These women helped to set the stage for Bettye and her contemporaries. The album finds LaVette in top form with powerful renditions of songs that touched her personally. From Dinah Washington's "Drinking Again," Nina Simone's "I Hold No Grudge," Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," Nancy Wilson's "Save Your Love For Me" and more, they are all delivered in LaVette's rich and raspy tone and a touch of the blues.

Reggae Strings | “Reggae Strings/Reggae Strings Vol 2” (plus bonus tracks)

A great pair of records – plus a huge amount of bonus tracks too! First up is the debut Reggae Strings album – one of the most unique albums on the Trojan label during the 70s – and a surprising hit for the company too! The approach here is very unusual – as the cuts here all are earlier Trojan vocal singles that had larger backings provided by UK maestro Johnny Archey – then stripped of their vocals and presented as instrumentals! As you'd guess by the names, Archey adds strings to the Kingston rhythms – but the approach is surprisingly nice – almost like early reggae rhythms coming into play with the best of the UK sound library generation – with results that are as groovy as that description might imply. Titles include "World Without Love", "One Woman", "Let The Man Go", "Leaving Rome", "Pantomime", "God Bless The Children", and "Young Gifted & Black". Reggae Strings 2 is a set that follows nicely on the first Reggae Strings effort on Trojan – and, like the first, a package that features older vocal tracks with the lyrics stripped away, all to provide a focus on the fuller orchestrations of Johnny Archey! The approach is cooler than you'd guess – lots of nice charts that bring a bit of 70s smooth to the sound of Trojan – almost like Barry White was recording down in Kingston – on titles that include "How Many Times", "Jump Hallelujah", "Strange World", "It's Too Late", "Tell It Like It Is", "Scientist", "Jamaica Jerkoff", and "Sweet Bitter Love". 2CD set features 25 bonus tracks too – all the original vocal tunes used for the strings versions – with work by Bob Andy, The Dynamites, Greyhound, Bob & Marcia, Nicky Thomas, Danny Ray, Merlene Webber, The Uniques, Pioneers, Winston Groovy, and others! 51 tracks in all – and a nice set of notes. ~ Dusty Groove

Rachel Musson | “I Went This Way”

With her upcoming album, I Went This Way, London-based saxophonist Rachel Musson debuts her own ambitious compositions, incorporating spoken word text and daring instrumental experimentation, alongside eight other accomplished musicians, an ensemble built around her close and longstanding working relationship with drummer Mark Sanders. The music, a blend of compositions and improvisation designed to highlight all of the different musical voices in the ensemble, is suspended from a through-composed text written by Musson that explores the process of improvisation, and her reflections on the experiential process of making music. Showcasing her own directorial ability, this project also draws from a long career in experimental collaboration, including previous projects with SHIFA (her trio with Pat Thomas and Mark Sanders), Federico Ughi, and a diverse range of musicians on the European improvisational jazz scene, like Han Bennink, Eddie Prevost, Sebastian Rochford, Louis Moholo, among many others. While much of this album has its roots in free jazz, the semi-notated score and spoken word text allow for semi-orchestral influences to reach the fore, ranging from delicate chamber-size string sections to a more upfront horn section and simmering percussion throughout.

New Music Releases from Diana Krall, Conrad Herwig, Emi Makabe

Diana Krall | “This Dream Of You”

Diana Krall has released her new album, This Dream Of You, on Verve Records.  The single “Autumn in New York” features a trio with Christian McBride and Russell Malone. The video, directed by the famed Marc Seliger and filmed by David McCutcheon, features breathtaking imagery of New York City. This Dream Of You is music for right now but it is also a “long playing record,” one that feels like a movie that you might share with someone because you know they’ll stay with it until the final reel. As Diana says, “If ‘But Beautiful’ is the overture, then ‘Singing In The Rain’ is the end title.” Diana Krall is the only vocalist, in the jazz category, to have nine albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. To date, her albums have garnered five Grammy® Awards, ten Juno® Awards and have also earned nine gold, three platinum and seven multi-platinum albums. Tracklist: But Beautiful; That’s All; Autumn In New York; Almost Like Being In Love; More Than You Know; Just You, Just Me; There’s No You; Don’t Smoke In Bed; This Dream Of You; I Wished On The Moon; How Deep Is The Ocean; and Singing In The Rain.

Conrad Herwig | “Latin Side Of Horace Silver”

A sublime mix of Latin rhythms and soulful hardbop from trombonist Conrad Herwig – working here in a formula he's used before, but which seems especially well-suited to the music of Horace Silver! Silver's work for Blue Note always had these wonderful currents of Latin and exotic modes in the rhythms – expanded more strongly here by the group, with conga work from Richie Flores ringing out next to the bold piano lines from Michel Camilo and Bill O'Connell, both great players for a date like this. The mode is different than Horace, but in a great way – and in addition to trombone solos from Herwig, the album also features Craig Handy on alto and flute, Igor Butman on tenor, and Alex Sipiagin on trumpet. The date is a live one, which really increases the energy of the music – on titles that include "Peace", "Gods Of The Yoruba", "Nica's Dream", "Song For My Father", "Nutfille", and "Cape Verdean Blues". ~ Dusty Groove

Emi Makabe | “Anniversary”

A vocal jazz session, but one with a very different flavor than usual – given that Emi Makabe plays the Japanese stringed instrument shamisen, and also sings most of the lyrics in Japanese! The rest of the group is unusual, too – as the quartet features Victor Goncalves alternating between piano and accordion, and Kenny Wollesen alternating between drums and vibes – mixed with the bass of Thomas Morgan, in a way that creates a wonderfully fluid sense of tone and color throughout the set. Titles include "Joy", "Moon & I", "Mielcke", "Rino", "I Saw The Light", "Flash", and "Treeing". ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases from Ben Wendel, Alexander Von Schlippenbach, Apifera

Ben Wendel | “High Heart”

A really lovely little record from tenor saxophonist/pianist Ben Wendel, and a set that's definitely got a high heart – this warmth that almost belies the cover – and which comes from Ben's own work on tenor, and the very cool wordless vocals of Michael Mayo! Mayo begins the record with a warmly singing mode – elevating notes, in the way that Nana Vasconcelos might have done on some classic Pat Metheny albums – but the vibe here is very different, maybe with some sharper edges at times, and a complexity to the rhythmic progression of the songs – which also feature Rhodes and piano from Shai Maestro and Gerald Clayton, bass from Joe Sanders, and drums from Nate Wood – all players who are very much up for the unusual patterns of sound between the tenor and voice. Titles include "Burning Bright", "Fearsome", "High Heart", "Kindly", "Less", and "Drawn Away". ~ Dusty Groove

Alexander Von Schlippenbach | “Slow Pieces For Aki”

Spacious sounds from pianist Alexander Von Schlippenbach – a set dedicated to Aki Takase, a fellow pianist who's had an influence on his work in more ways than one – and who here is clearly the inspiration for slower movement and more contemplative sounds on the keys! We've always loved this side of Schlippenbach – he can be a demon when he wants to, but is often even more compelling when he works on the spaces between the notes – which is definitely the case here, as the set moves between short improvisations and some compositions that draw inspiration from the shared life of Aki and Alexander. Titles include "Cleo", "Naninga Nandemo", "Zycado", "Frage Nicht", "Dydo", "Improvisation V", "Haru No Yuki", "Improvisation III", "Tell You", "I Told You", and "Torso". ~ Dusty Groove

Apifera | “Overstand”

A jazz set, but one that's in a very Stones Throw mode – as the music here mixes jazz elements with more contemporary production elements, and blends together the live and programmed in a mighty nice way! The group's a quartet, most of whom have played on other Stones Throw albums – and the lineup features twin keyboard work from Yuval Havkin (aka Rejoicer) and Nitai Hershkovits, plus bass from Yonatan Albalak and drums from Amir Bresler – the last of whom has a great rhythmic pulse that often defines the energy of the set! Titles include "Notre Damn", "Pulse 420", "Four Green Yellows", "Iris One", "Lake Vu", "The Pit & The Beggar", and "Yaki's Delight".  ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases: The Vision, Incognito, Tino Contreras

The Vision | “The Vision” 

The musical partnership between Ben Westbeech and Kon has been behind a number of the most meaningful dance releases of the last twelve months. Striking the balance between classic and contemporary in a way few of their peers are able, the duo now present their eponymous debut album, ‘The Vision’. A magnet for A-List collaborators, Roy Ayers, Honey Dijon, Andreya Triana, Dames Brown and Nikki-O all feature on The Vision. Previous singles ‘Heaven’ and ‘Mountains’ have already garnered support from tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, Gerd Janson, Annie Mac, Maryanne Hobbs and Joe Claussell to name just a few, with their return to traditional music-making practices attracting champions of the highest order. The culmination of five years’ work, this album shows The Vision making their mark on the musical landscape with a non-conformist body of work that demonstrates their refusal to be pigeonholed. Via London, Boston, Ibiza and beyond, this is an album destined to break new ground, with all the makings of a future classic. The Vision are here.

Incognito | “Wake Me” (Louie Vega & Joe Claussell Remix)

Vega Records are proud to bring you a special collaboration with three pioneers of eclectic sounds. The ultra talented lead guitarist, composer, producer, Bluey and his brilliant band Incognito combine forces with Louie Vega & Joe Claussell on the new release, “Wake Me”. It’s a super soulful and jazzy interlude only two minutes or so long, an album track on “Tomorrow’s New Dream” released in 2019 by Incognito. Louie & Joe heard an extended rework in their minds and brought the interlude into a cosmic trip with effects, delays, and the soulful heavenly vocals of James Berkeley, with a driving, infectious beat taking you on an eight minute plus musical bliss. Enjoy the sounds of Bluey with Incognito, Louie Vega & Joe Claussell available at all digital & streaming outlets, and soon on vinyl at a store near you!

Tino Contreras | “La Noche De Los Dioses”

A brilliant late statement from Tino Contreras – the legendary Mexican drummer who's been part of the jazz scene in Mexico City for decades – and who can still give the world wonderfully vibrant music like this! There's a deeply spiritual vibe to the record – a sound that's like some of Tino's most far-reaching work of the late 70s – and the group here features added percussion alongside piano, organ, saxes, and guitar – both acoustic and electric, which creates a great bridge in the sense of sound – as the music swirls together with a sense of majesty that almost recalls the best Latin America projects of Gato Barbieri on Impulse Records. All tunes are originals by Contreras, delivered with a fantastic spirit by the group – and titles include "Mascaras Blues", "Nina Yahel", "El Sacrificio", "Al Amanecer", and "Malinche". ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases: Keith Jarrett, Peter Bernstein, Lionel Loueke

Keith Jarrett | ”Budapest Concert”

Keith Jarrett in our favorite side of his talents – playing the long, improvised style that first made him a breakthrough artist on ECM in the 70s – and which still remains one of his most important contributions to the history of jazz! Even later years, Jarrett's sense of imagination on the keys is amazing – and here, you'll hear very few echoes of other improvisations – long tracks that show that Keith is always able to create spontaneously, at a level that few others can match – especially as he never goes too far outside, or seems to lose a sense of melody in his music. The work is divided up into shorter passages – the older Jarrett sometimes needs a break on the keys, but never in his cognition – and as with other concert recordings of this type, the encores are older standards – "Answer Me My Love" and "It's A Lonesome Old Town" – but both given a very free, open Keith Jarrett approach!  ~ Dusty Groove

Peter Bernstein | “What Comes Next”

Guitarist Peter Bernstein is standing on an empty New York street on the cover – a good indication of the June 2020 date on which the material was recorded – a moment that also seems to come through in the music as well! Bernstein's still got all those wonderful colors we love in his work on guitar, but there's also maybe some deeper feelings that come through too – perhaps out of speculation from the months spent sheltering in place before Peter journeyed to the studio to cut this set – working with a strong quartet that features Sullivan Fortner on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums. Farnsworth is nicely restrained at times – very much letting Washington shape the tunes alongside Bernstein's strings – and titles include the originals "Blood Wolf Moon Blues", "Simple As That", "What Comes Next", "Empty Streets", and "Harbor No Illusions" – plus a nice take on "Con Alma". ~ Dusty Groove

Lionel Loueke | “HH”

Some of the most beautiful music we've ever heard from Lionel Loueke – a set that's mostly just solo guitar, with a bit of vocalization thrown in for good measure – and which has a style that's almost more compelling than some of Lionel's work in a larger format! Loueke doesn't really sing so much as he makes vocalized expressions at moments along with the guitar – sometimes with lyrics, sometimes more in a scat-based mode – and sometimes with a quality that's almost percussive, and which resonates strongly with his work on the strings! The HH title is a reference to Herbie Hancock – and most of the tunes here are classics from the Herbie songbook, but completely redone in a very unique way – on selections that include "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Cantaloupe Island", "Hang Up Your Hang Ups", "Watermelon Man", "Speak Like A Child", "Rockit", "One Finger Snap", and "Voyage Maiden". ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases: Bobby Hutcherson, Patrick McLean, Dorrey Lyles

Bobby Hutcherson | “Oblique” (180 gram pressing)

One of Bobby Hutcherson's greatest records ever – and a session that never got released at the time! The album's an excellent quartet session, one that's very much in the best spirit of Bobby's great Happenings album on Blue Note – and it features a similar group that includes Hutcherson on vibes, Herbie Hancock on piano, Albert Stinson on bass, and Joe Chambers, one of Hutcherson's best accompanists from the 60s, on drums. The format's a bit more modal than Happenings – and the set features 6 wonderful little tracks that mix together the "new thing" sound of earlier Hutcherson Blue Notes, with some of the nascent soulfulness that started creeping into his work at the end of the 60s. The album was recorded in 1967, but only first issued in Japan in at the end of the 70s – and then later in the US, and even then only briefly – but we'd still rank the set as one of Bobby's best for Blue Note! Titles include "Til Then", "Mr Joy", "Subtle Neptune", and "Theme From Blow Up". (Part of the Blue Note Tone Poet Series) ~ Dusty Groove

Patrick McLean | “One Heart One Beat”

Patrick McLean is an r&b/soul vocalist, saxophonist, songwriter, arranger and producer, formerly a co-founder member of the Britfunk band Hi-Tension. After devoting the past two decades to family life he is back to the music, most recently as a co-founder member of The Brit Funk Association. “One Heart One Beat” is a collection of self-penned songs inspired by his life journey, with the exception of one tribute to his Hi-Tension days with a reworking of “There’s A Reason”, originally co-written and sung by the group’s David Joseph. Album features some of the best UK musicians.

Dorrey Lyles | “My Realized Dream

Dorrey Lyles is a powerhouse that can shake the foundation, but she possesses the sensitivity that will warm you from the inside out. Her perfectly combined mixture of Gospel, R&B, Soul or Jazz guarantees an intense musical experience. Throughout her career Dorrey Lyles has been working with the Harlem Gospel Singers, James Ingram, Oleta Adams, Peabo Bryson, Melissa Manchester, Barry Manilow and Natalie Cole. In 2012 she became part of the world-renowned Weather Girls, together with Dynelle Rhodes, the daughter of the group’s founder Izora Armstead. ”My Realized Dream” is Dorrey Lyles’ first solo album that came out as a digital release on her 50th birthday on June 12 this year. An album with many self-written songs showing the diversity of her work that includes soul-dance tracks like ”Back To Me”, delivers groovy Motown sound in „Call Your Name“ a duet with David A. Tobin, as well as Gospel R&B on ”Child of Soul”, which tells her personal life story. With ”I Believe In Us” Dorrey Lyles presents a beautiful ballad, which immediately causes goose bumps. Her latest single ”Dancing In The Rain” is a sexy and intoxicating R&B track with 70s disco funk feel produced by Rob Hardt as well as her interpretation of the fantastic soul classic ”Caravan Of Love”. ”My Realized Dream” is a milestone in the impressive career of Dorrey Lyles that showcases the work of this great soul singer.

New Music Releases: Colin Curtis presents Jazz Dance Fusion Volume 2, Debra Debs, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, & Kamasi Washington |

Colin Curtis presents Jazz Dance Fusion Volume 2 – Various Artists

Welcome to the second instalment of my ‘Jazz Dance Fusion’ compilation series for Joey Negro’s Z Records. I continue to look back into the story & history of the UK jazz dance and jazz music scene; a movement that started for me back in the 70’s. The sounds of funk & soul mixed with jazz, influences from Brazil, Africa, Europe and all over the globe, textures of instrumental sounds & voices, fuse to create the much-loved ‘jazz fusion’ sound that we love. Here we are in 2020 when interest in all forms of Jazz is growing fast as DJ pioneers such as Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge, Perry Louis, Snowboy, Nick Hosier, Alan Mckinnon, Jim Bernardi, Kev Beadle, Harv Nagi, Shuya Okino and David Patterson continue to push all aspects of Jazz to converted and new audiences. So, to this compilation where I am showcasing unreleased material and offering tracks up for the first time ever on vinyl and CD. The track listing covers my addiction to dance-floor jazz, coupled with my passion for vocal and percussive jazz, with my usual trademark latin touches.

Debra Debs | “Seven”

When you listen to Debra Debs, there is no denying she’s been influenced by the likes of Jill Scott, Lauryn Hill, Mary J Blige, Musiq Soulchild, Ella Fitzgerald and other great RnB, Soul and Jazz artists. In 2013, she released her debut album ‘Lifecycles’, a 100% contemporary RnB/Soul album which rapidly garnered rave reviews in the UK Soul and Jazz circuit. Featured on Jazz FM’s ‘Album of the Week’, ‘Lifecycles’ is a blend of “NeosoulfulJazzyRnBAfrosoulThings”. As much of a mouthful that is, the LP is an intricate blend of sounds infused with 90’s RnB, Jazz, Gospel, AfroSoul and skilled lyricism that tend to impart socio-conscious messages or resonate poetic enchantments for those with a weakness at describing seduction and life’s multi-experiences. Having taken a 7 year hiatus since ‘LifeCycles’, she’s been back in the studio to re-create the sounds that were once familiar to her fans in her debut album ‘Lifecycles’. Her sophomore project, ‘Seven’ was released on the 9th of October 2020 and is much of a masterpiece as LifeCycles was.

Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, & Kamasi Washington | “Dinner Party” 

A fantastic blend of jazz, contemporary soul, and hip hop – served up by a group who can really get the sound right – Terrace Martin on keyboards and alto, Robert Glasper on keyboards, Kamasi Washington on tenor, and 9th Wonder on beats! Vocals on most tracks are by Phoelix, who really helps give the instrumentation some focus – yet the jazz component of the record is never buried under the lyrics, as the players get plenty of space to do their thing – with a vibe that's a bit like some of Glasper's Black Radio project, yet given much more the kind of cool Crenshaw vibe that we've loved in Martin's previous records. All four artists are credited with songwriting and production and you can really hear that balance in the sound – on tracks that include "Love You bad", "Sleepless Nights", "The Mighty Tree", "Freeze Tag", "Luv U", and "From My Heart & Soul". ~ Dusty Groove

Josh Sinton's What Happens in a Year | "cérémonie/musique"

cérémonie/musique is the utterly unique expression of idiosyncratic multi-instrumentalist, composer and audio conceptualist Josh Sinton and his collaborative trio What Happens in a Year featuring Sinton on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, guitarist Todd Neufeld, and electric bassist Giacomo Merega. The band’s debut recording represents a seemingly radical but absolutely organic “next-step” in Sinton’s artistic development. Released on October 9 via FiP Recordings, cérémonie/musique is a daringly spacious and crepuscular album filled with coherent improvisations reflective of the trio’s longstanding musical relationship. The recording is also the inaugural release of Sinton’s new record label FiP, an acronym for “form is possibility.”

The conceptual idea behind Sinton’s trio involved of making music that was a.) quiet, b.) spacious and c.) executed at fast tempos. “Originally, my thought was to get the three of us together to improvise and record it. Then I’d go home with the field recording and turn it into compositions,” says Sinton. After their very first meeting, it was clear that the spontaneous improvisations, with their mysterious, enticing musical expression, made formal, pre-written compositions superfluous. After several years of investigative playing, the trio entered Oktaven Studio and, with the help of engineers Ryan Streber and Luis Bacque, produced a document of lushly alternating textures. Phrases begin and end with musical ellipsis, one player poses an obscure question while the next answers with a terse rhyme, and it all melts away into an enigmatical mist.

In addition to being the debut album of What Happens in a Year, and the inaugural release for FiP Records, cérémonie/musique marks a first for Sinton in other ways. “I’ve always viewed composition and improvisation as nearly identical creative activities, although the results of each can often be confused. Given the vast quantity of free-form-based recordings, there’s no question that it is a musical category with a history, a context and recognizable styles. I just assumed that when I started my musical training, that making a recording of free-form improvisations was as valid and unsurprising as an album of my own compositions, or a recording of Steve Lacy’s music, or an interpretation of David Lang’s ‘press release.’”

Yet, I’ve never recorded a group that only executed free-form improvisations. The closest I came was my album anomonous with Denman Maroney and Ben Miller, but that was made for a friend’s short film, so even that had an extra-musical impetus. Here it’s just the three of us getting together and ‘starting from zero,’ so to speak.”

The results are a clear focalization on implications generated by Sinton’s earlier work. From the hushed ethereality of ‘algernon’ to the rapid mumblings of ‘sleepwalk digest’ to the disturbing lilt of ‘untethered,’ the music of What Happens in a Year once again displays Sinton’s interest in dynamics, pulse and a broad intervallic language.

The title of the album came from guitarist Todd Neufeld when he thought about, “three guys slogging out through these days of teaching, work, fatherhood, marriage and having this kind of musical ceremony when they met each week to make new music.” According to bassist Merega, “A ceremony is a ritual and if I didn’t have rituals, I’d be like a chihuahua in a jungle, I wouldn’t last a day. Among those rituals are making espresso, having breakfast with my daughter, and improvising with Todd and Josh.”

Josh Sinton is an award-winning baritone saxophonist, bass clarinetist, flutist and composer. He was named “Rising Star” in the baritone saxophone category of Downbeat’s 2020 Critics’ Poll. He has been the leader of numerous groups including Predicate Trio, musicianer and Ideal Bread and has been an important voice in the decades-long creative music renaissance of Brooklyn, New York. He has worked with artists including Anthony Braxton, Tom Rainey, Nate Wooley, Ingrid Laubrock, Roswell Rudd, Kip Hanrahan, Darcy James Argue and Andrew D’Angelo.

Todd Neufeld is an electric and acoustic guitarist, born August 5, 1981 in Huntington, NY and based in Brooklyn, NY. He has performed and/or recorded as a member of the Lee Konitz Quartet, Masabumi Kikuchi's TPT Trio, Tyshawn Sorey's Koan, Oblique and other of his ensembles, Gerald Cleaver's NiMbNl, Dan Weiss Group, Tony Malaby Group, Samuel Blaser Quartet, Michael Adkins Quintet, Aaron Parks Quintet, Richie Barshay's RB3, Alexandra Grimal Quartet, Thomas Morgan Quartet, Rema Hasumi's UTAZATA band, Flin van Hemmen trio, Sergio Krakowski Trio, Vitor Goncavles quartet, Raphael Malfliet Trio and many others. He has performed at venues, concert halls and festivals throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan.

Italian virtuoso bass guitarist, improviser and composer Giacomo Merega has been an original figure in the New York improv/new music scene for over a decade. Giacomo’s recordings as a leader and/or sideman have been written about and aired on radio stations in a dozen countries and have won critical awards in the US, Italy, France and Canada. His work has been released by Hat Hut, Not Two, American Clave, Underwolf and Rudi Records and he has performed with acclaimed musicians such as Joe Morris, Anthony Coleman, Steve Swallow, Kip Hanrahan, Nate Wooley, Tyshawn Sorey, David Tronzo, Brandon Ross, Satoshi Takeishi, Dana Colley, Noah Kaplan and Mat Maneri among many others.

This album marks the first release on Josh Sinton’s Form is Possibility Recordings (FiP), an outlet exclusively devoted to recordings of his work. “I’m starting a label in order to sidestep the ever-present challenge of getting someone else interested enough in my work to put their imprimatur on it. I like my records and I would like to give other folks the opportunity to give my voice and my art a listen.” Releases will arrive approximately once a year and will come in the form of digital download and limited runs of physical media (for now compact disc) with original cover art by TJ Huff. They will be well-recorded, multi-sectioned, carefully considered works of sonic art that document Sinton’s ever-growing body of heterogenous and self-generated- idiomatic work. “These albums will be more like a self-contained book or movie in that they will dictate their own rules of engagement. Their one unifying factor will be my presence.”

Jacam Manricks | "Samadhi"

Saxophonist and composer Jacám Manricks marks his arrival as a full-fledged auteur on the splendid Samadhi, available on his own Manricks Music Records. Already an accomplished composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, and improviser, Manricks’s sixth album adds recording, engineering, producing, and mixing to his overflowing skill set. Thus it stands as a vision entirely of the leader’s own making—albeit with input from his high-caliber colleagues, pianist Joe Gilman, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Clarence Penn. 

Samadhi is a Sanskrit term that refers to a state of heightened, holistic focus that allows for communion with the divine. Manricks uses that title not to announce his achieving it, but his goal of reaching it: “Getting to that state of intense concentration where everything else disappears around you and only the music exists,” as he explains in the liner notes. The wide spectrum of creative mastery he deploys on the album reflects that goal. 

So does the music on display. Samadhi’s eight tracks (seven Manricks originals, with one improvised collaboration between the saxophonist and Gilman) feature a remarkable range of ideas and emotions, from the paradoxically bright yet tense opener “Formula One,” to the ruminative title track, to the playful “Common Tone” and the mysterious “Ethereal.” The range of textures and timbres is also formidable; Manricks plays alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones as well as clarinet and bass clarinet, flute and alto flute, and MIDI strings (for which he wrote the orchestrations). 

Of course, part of Samadhi’s purpose, Manricks says, is to allow him to flex these polymathic muscles. “It’s not just the horn anymore. It’s about me as a composer and orchestrator. It’s about what sort of environments I’m putting myself in and how I’m orchestrating colors within that. … ultimately trying to make something beautiful with rhythms and pitches”. 

“I’m wearing so many hats,” he adds. “This is the culmination of a lot of things for me, and I’m extremely proud of Samadhi.”

Jacám Manricks was born in 1976 in Brisbane, Australia, the child of two classical musicians in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra—and the grandson of a celebrated Portuguese jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, and a Sri Lankan concert pianist. As a boy, Jacám quickly began finding a niche in this musical family, immersing himself in his father’s jazz records and in his parents’ concert performances. He began learning to play the piano at age five and the saxophone at age nine. 

After receiving a degree in music performance (classical and jazz saxophone) from the Queensland Conservatorium, Manricks began making his way in the Sydney music scene before moving to New York in 2001 to study at William Paterson University. He earned a master’s degree in composition there, then a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music in 2007. 

While at the Manhattan School, he composed and premiered a large-scale work, “Chromatic Suite for Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra,” for the school’s 90th birthday celebration. Its combination of classical and jazz traditions presaged Manricks’s 2009 debut album, Labyrinth, which blended a chamber orchestra with a venturesome jazz quintet. Trigonometry followed in 2010, then Cloud Nine in 2012, Chamber Jazz in 2016, and GilManricks in 2017. Each received international acclaim. 

One could say that Manricks, with 16 international tours as a leader and countless credits as a sideman, has also graduated from the “real school,” particularly during his 13 years in New York working for luminaries such as Jeff “Tain” Watts, Tyshawn Sorey, and Elio Villafranca, to name a few. 

Relocating to Sacramento, California, in 2014, Manricks spent five years teaching at the nearby University of California, Davis, working as a member of Sacramento’s Capital Jazz Project, running his own super sax style ensemble (Super Saxto) and leading his own 19-piece big band (Jacám Manricks Orchestra). Meanwhile, Manricks also learned the ins and outs of sound engineering, using that knowledge to build his own home studio where Samadhi was recorded and mixed.

Jacam Manricks Concert

“2020 has been rough,” says Manricks. “The pandemic is hitting the performing arts hard with prospects for safe public gatherings more than ever remote. The loss of artistically enriching events, which typically uplift and create our communities, imposes a cultural deficiency impacting the quality of life for all, including those working outside the arts industry. Therefore, it has never before been more important that artists create and where necessary find new ways to share our work. For me, this means producing new music and providing access to it through any means I can. 

“In late June,” he adds, “I was bedridden for two weeks with COVID, quarantined in my son’s bedroom while my family remained safely at bay. During the entire shutdown and especially while quarantined, I’ve had more time to reflect on life, my personal goals, music and how it enriches our lives. One thing that became abundantly clear was that focused listening to music—the kind you do with your eyes shut—is an incredibly healing experience. Using your ears and mind to escape, meditating to music in search of beauty, we can find solace, inspiration, and a refreshed state of mind. Samadhi is being released during the shutdown for this purpose primarily. Go forth and find solace in this music.” 

Randy Brecker & Eric Marienthal Join Forces For Some Double Dealin’

What do you get when you pair two visionaries who happen to be kindred spirits? You get an ace in the hole! Multi Grammy award-winners trumpeter/flugelhornist Randy Brecker and saxophonist Eric Marienthal and deliver ten thrilling originals on their anticipated Shanachie Entertainment debut Double Dealin’. It’s all aboveboard on Double Dealin’ as Brecker and Marienthal opt not to follow suit but rather let the spirit of the moment be their guide as they draw some wild cards and the blur boundaries between traditional and contemporary jazz. Randy Brecker, who was a key player in numerous ground-breaking fusion bands like Blood, Sweat and Tears and Larry Coryell’s The Eleventh House, states “Duke Ellington said ‘There are only two kinds of music, good and bad' and we both love the latter!” Double Dealin’ marks Brecker and Marienthal’s first co-led recording. Danny Weiss, Shanachie Entertainment VP Of Jazz A&R says, “This album is a rarity - funky and brilliant at the same time. One plus one equals five with these two jazz giants.” 

Brecker and Marienthal have built careers being musician’s musicians. Randy Brecker has remained at the forefront of creative music for over six decades collaborating with everyone from Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, The Brecker Brothers (with his late tenor titan brother, Michael Brecker), Bruce Springsteen, Parliament/Funkadelic and Steely Dan. Saxophonist Eric Marienthal’s equally impressive career has allowed him to captivate audiences alongside everyone from Chick Corea’s Elektric Band, Patti Austin, Lee Ritenour, Elton John, Billy Joel and Stevie Wonder, among others. Longtime comrades on and off the stage, Marienthal and Brecker credit one thing for bringing them together. “Pizza” exclaims Brecker who won a Grammy this year for his album with the NDR Big Band. Laughing he adds, “We dig each other's playing and personalities. We also like each other’s families. Eric and I have played together many times throughout the years with different ensembles including Jeff Lorber, The GRP Big Band and always 'clicked' as a section, so we were long overdue in doing a project together.” Marienthel adds, “Yes, definitely pizza! Besides being one of the world’s great musicians and trumpet players, Randy is a very open and cool guy. Getting to play with Randy is like getting to make a pizza with Mario Batali! You just know that no matter what you do it’s going to end up being great.” 

Bringing Double Dealin’ to fruition was a bi-coastal affair as both musicians created from their own home based studios with Brecker in Long Island and Marienthal in Los Angeles. The duo sent files back and forth to one another and Brecker even admits that his attire for some of the session was PJs. “When the pandemic hit the mixing phase was about to begin,” recalls Marienthal who is the musical director of both the Blue Note At Sea Cruise and The Smooth Jazz Cruise. “I have to say it was a welcome distraction to deep dive into this music.” Double Dealin’ unites the dynamic duo with keyboardist and producer George Whitty, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Dave Weckl. “George Whitty is one of the very best musicians and record producers out there,” comments Marienthal. “Dave Weckl and John Patitucci are longtime bandmates of mine with the Chick Corea Elektric Band and good friends. Their playing on this record is exceptional and really put the icing on the cake!”

The thrilling ten-track album opens with the first single and title track. All bets are off as Brecker and Marienthal get down to business on this funky and free wheeling ditty that sets the tone for the joyous excursion ahead. The composition “Three Deuces,” takes us out for a bluesy cruise while “Fast Lane” shift gears for a high-octane affair propelled by Dave Weckl’s driving rhythms. Double Dealin’ also features tender moments like the gorgeous ballad “Mine The Fire,” penned by Marienthal and Whitty in memory of guitarist and friend Chuck Loeb. “Chuck was one of my closest friends,” reflects Marienthal, who appears on Loeb’s last two Shanachie recordings Bridges (Co-led by Marienthal) and Unspoken. In 2018, Marienthal organized and played a star-studded memorial concert at the Berks Jazz Fest for Loeb that featured Brecker among numerous others. Brecker who has long had an affinity for Brazilian music offers “Sambop,” where Samba rhythms and Bebop harmonies joyously collide. Brecker’s no-holds barred track “You Ga (Ta Give It),” is a delight as he and Marienthal create maximum firepower from the opening note to the exhilarating end. Eric Marienthal and George Whitty’s intriguing and intensely beautiful “True North” lends itself to some memorable interplay and soloing including that of bassist John Patitucci. It’s all about the groove on “The Hipster,” while the meandering and percussive “Jetlagged” takes us down a totally different path. Double Dealin’ comes to a finale with “Habañero,” which lives up to its name offering the perfect combination of hot and cool that leaves you wanting more.

Randy Brecker concludes, “Double Dealin’ is uplifting and filled with great vibes and fun beats. I hope it takes everyone's mind off our current problems and I hope people just groove with it and forget about everything else for a while!” Eric Marienthal adds, “This record has a particularly uplifting feel which is a good thing for the times we’re in right now. I know I feel better when I listen to it!”

Mary Halvorson issues new Code Girl release Artlessly Falling

Recently hailed as “NYC’s least-predictable improviser” by Howard Mandel, guitarist-composer Mary Halvorson now emerges as one of the city’s least-predictable songwriters. Her forthcoming release Artlessly Falling – available via Firehouse 12 Records on October 30, 2020, two weeks after Halvorson’s 40th birthday – expands and evolves Code Girl, the Brooklyn-based artist’s critically-acclaimed project featured on the cover of DownBeat in June 2018.

Bonding form and fragmentation, Artlessly Falling traces eight poetic forms – from Haibun to Villanelle – through new music and diverse thematic material. “This approach was different because it challenged me to shape the music within the framework of various pre-existing poetic forms,” says Halvorson, who penned each poem, often engaging specific meter and rhyme schemes, before composing the music.

Co-produced by Halvorson, Nick Lloyd and David Breskin, the album features longtime creative associates Amirtha Kidambi on vocals, Michael Formanek on bass and Tomas Fujiwara on drums, alongside new collaborators Adam O’Farrill on trumpet and María Grand on tenor saxophone and vocals, plus a very special guest vocalist – the legendary British musician Robert Wyatt – whose music has provided layered inspiration for Halvorson over the years. 

“Robert is one of my heroes,” she says. “It’s such a big deal to me that he was open to singing on this record, because his music has been an enormous influence on Code Girl, and just about everything else I’ve done. I wrote the three tracks he sings on specifically for him, and I was floored by the grace and brilliance with which he approached this music. It was a dream come true.”

Halvorson’s unbound improvising stretches from searing lines buoyed by a quickfire-response rhythm section to intimate storytelling through her signature pitch-bending sound. Her choices teem with intention and discomfort. Formanek’s sensitivity, harmonic depth and varied textural expression hallmark the enormity of his presence on the record. Complementing the album’s fierce spontaneity, the addition of vocal performances from Wyatt and Grand serves Halvorson’s appetite for orchestral experimenting. Different vocal textures and techniques offer near-endless sound permutations she explores from one track to the next.

“I loved that María was able to both sing and play saxophone on the record. It’s a unique doubling. The new context allowed me the flexibility of having two voices and one horn, sometimes two horns and one voice.”

Opening in harmonic restlessness, “Lemon Trees” features Wyatt’s poignant delivery of lyrics Halvorson wrote in Tanka form, drawing their inspiration from select words of novelist Lawrence Osborne. The song also spotlights melodic, ruminating solos from O’Farrill and Fujiwara, both of whom provide endless creative statements and thoughtful responses throughout the recording.

Some content material emerges explicitly, as on “Last-Minute Smears” whose Found Poem context highlights moments from Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 testimony in front of the US Senate. As she watched in real time, Halvorson found herself scrawling fragments of his 45-minute speech, which became the lyrics. “It was so dramatic,” she says. “I kept thinking, ‘Did he really say that?’ I wanted the music to have a mournful tone, which was entirely absent from his testimony.” Other messaging remains artfully obscured. The cyclical nature of “Walls and Roses,” a Pantoum, suggests a kind of slow, pervading crisis, but Halvorson is eager to allow listeners to find their own interpretations of certain tracks, a nod to the name Code Girl. “Not everyone is going to connect to the lyrics in the same way,” she says. “Some of them have multiple meanings, or a meaning that’s private to me. I like using language with the aim of having that flexibility.”

Throughout the recording, lyrics tend to align with composed music, prompting the improvising to happen in the spaces between – though not exclusively. The title track’s form, Sestina, proved trickiest for Halvorson to craft, ultimately serving as a context for through-improvisation. “Everyone is improvising throughout,” says Halvorson, including Kidambi whose soaring, deliberate vocals stretch each lyric – often literally – interpreting the music around her spontaneous intention. 

Halvorson had never attempted writing within the strict guidelines of a Sestina. Encouraged by Breskin – himself, a published poet – she rose to the form’s myriad challenges. “‘Artlessly Falling’ took me months to write,” she says. “It had so many drafts, and it changed significantly as it went along. It was like solving a Rubik’s cube.” Surprisingly, when she finished the final draft, the music emerged quickly. “It’s almost like the form itself inspired music,” says Halvorson. “A lot of these forms are inherently musical – the Sestina traces back to 12th century troubadours.”

Artlessly Falling’s release date aligning close to Halvorson’s 40th birthday proved a happy coincidence. With each release, she gains greater perspective on her own playing and mysteries of the music. “Poetry and music are similar in that there’s a lot to be gained from more than one reading or listening,” she says.

Guitarist-composer Mary Halvorson has been described as “a singular talent” (Lloyd Sachs, JazzTimes) and “one of the most exciting and original guitarists in jazz – or otherwise” (Steve Dollar, Wall Street Journal). In recent DownBeat Critics Polls, Halvorson has received awards for guitarist, rising star jazz artist and rising star composer of the year. In 2019 she received a MacArthur Fellowship award. Halvorson has released a series of critically-acclaimed albums on the Firehouse 12 label, including Dragon’s Head (2008), her trio debut featuring bassist John Hébert and drummer Ches Smith, that would expand into a quintet with trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson and alto saxophonist Jon Irabagon on Saturn Sings (2010) and Bending Bridges (2012), a septet with tenor saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and trombonist Jacob Garchik on Illusionary Sea (2014), and finally an octet with pedal steel guitarist Susan Alcorn on Away With You (2016). Most recently, she debuted Code Girl (2018). Over the past decade, Halvorson has worked with such diverse musicians as Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Taylor Ho Bynum, John Dieterich, Trevor Dunn, Bill Frisell, Ingrid Laubrock, Jason Moran, Joe Morris, Tom Rainey, Jessica Pavone, Tomeka Reid, Marc Ribot and John Zorn. She is also part of several collaborative projects, including longstanding trio Thumbscrew with Michael Formanek and Tomas Fujiwara. 

Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project : Kites and Strings

Ben Rosenblum doesn't just invite a diverse array of influences into his music. While his projects reflect his potent and deeply rooted point of view, the pianist, accordionist, composer and arranger positively thrives on a thrum of contrasting approaches. With Kites and Strings, his third album as a leader and the debut of the Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project, he's convened an exceptionally vivid cast of collaborators and provided them with a program of arrestingly beautiful pieces. The album is the work of an artist who's found that his voice contains multitudes. Regularly employed by some of jazz's most revered masters, Rosenblum has already established a national profile as bandleader by logging thousands of miles on the road, playing some 100 gigs annually with his trio at clubs, theaters, schools and community centers, and relishing the opportunity to bring jazz into communities where fellow musicians rarely play. 

Kites and Strings features some of the most exciting young players on the New York scene including trumpeter Wayne Tucker, guitarist Rafael Rosa, Jasper Dutz on tenor sax and bass clarinet, bassist Marty Jaffe, and drummer Ben Zweig, with vibraphonist Jake Chapman, trombonist Sam Chess and pianist Jeremy Corren expanding the sextet on several tracks. "These are all great jazz musicians who are steeped in the music's history, and they all have very different approaches to the music," he says. "My bandleader heroes often worked like that. Think of Astor Piazzolla's Tango: Zero Hour when he put together a traditional tango violinist, a rock-influenced electric guitarist, and a jazz pianist. I love seeing the way people's different styles play off of each other and combine into something beautiful and unique."

Encompassing rock and klezmer, Latin American rhythms and Bulgarian harmonies, Kites and Strings marks a major leap for Rosenblum as a composer/arranger. He gained widespread notice with his 2017 debut Instead (One Trick Dog), a confident trio session featuring drum legend Billy Hart and bass master Curtis Lundy that earned four stars from DownBeat Magazine. After holding his own with two revered improvisers he followed up in 2018 with River City (One Trick Dog), a trio with his rapidly rising contemporaries bassist Kanoa Mendenhall and drummer Ben Zweig. Kites and Strings introduces Rosenblum as a composer/arranger with a capacious palette of textures and voicings and firm command of form. The project also establishes him as the newest member of a small, extraordinary keyboard cadre made up of players equally expressive on piano and accordion, a talent-laden club that includes Gary Versace, Sam Reider, Rob Reich, and Rio de Janeiro-born Vitor Gonçalves, who's a particular source of inspiration for Rosenblum.

The new album gathers together compositions Rosenblum's been developing over the past decade, opening with "Cedar Place," a hat tip to the inestimable pianist/composer Cedar Walton. The propulsive bass line and one-chord vamp section bring to mind the deceptively simple elegance and forceful swing of Walton's standard "Bolivia." The buoyant title track bobs and weaves with a 7/4 pulse inspired by the effortlessness of odd-meter feels in Venezuelan merengue or Bulgarian hora, evoking the celebratory meter with interwoven lines by accordion, trumpet and vibes. The accordion also figures prominently in "Motif From Brahms (op. 98)," which borrows a dozen bars directly from the titular composer before some gorgeous piano work by Jeremy Corren (who's been heard recently with vibraphonist Joel Ross).

Rosenblum originally intended "Fight or Flight" for the violinist Benjamin Sutin's klezmer jazz combo Klazz-Ma-Tazz, and the piece just keeps adding diverting attractions after the circus-like accordion figure, with a snapping trumpet fanfare and distortion-tinged guitar solo. Another highlight is Rosenblum's gorgeously orchestrated arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's "Somewhere," which recalls Lee Morgan's rendition on the trumpeter's posthumously released album, Standards. Corren digs into the bittersweet melody. "I knew Jeremy would shine on this," Rosenblum says. "I love his playing on more melodic pieces. His voice leadings are unlike anyone else, and his supportive accompaniment frees me up to play the melody on accordion."

Rosenblum turns Neil Young's elegiac "Philadelphia" into an arresting jazz ballad, and gives the band an angular blues to stretch out on with "Laughing On the Inside."  The album closes with Rosenblum's arrangement of "Izpoved," a piece he distilled from the beloved recording Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares Vol. 2. Featuring Jasper Dutz's thick, sinuous bass clarinet work, the piece captures the haunting, otherworldly quality of the all-women Bulgarian vocal ensemble.

In many ways Rosenblum's welcoming aesthetic reflects his cosmopolitan upbringing in New York City. A Gotham native born on March 29, 1993, he earned a BA in philosophy from Columbia University while also studying piano at Juilliard in a joint degree program. But before he was out of high school he'd connected with his first mentor, esteemed Israeli-born pianist Roy Assaf. Knowing that the most essential jazz education is acquired on the bandstand, Assaf connected Rosenblum with first-call drummer Winard Harper who was just starting a new jam session in Jersey City to bring jazz back into his home community. "He had a small budget so he got young musicians like me for the house band, and that ended up being an incredible experience," Rosenblum says. Assaf also connected him with veteran vocalist Deborah Davis, a veritable New York institution, who took him under her wing "and taught me so many tunes and how to accompany a singer," he recalls.

Davis recommended Rosenblum to bassist Curtis Lundy, who became another invaluable mentor, "somebody who provided tough love in a way that was great for my development," he says. "I needed to hear about getting my left hand together and being rhythmically solid, how to lead a piano trio, the importance of listening to certain recordings. I've been so fortunate in getting to play with these masters. I also received some beautiful instruction from Bruce Barth at Columbia and Frank Kimbrough at Juilliard. I continue to learn the most playing with other people. I'm surrounded with great young musicians who are never shy about telling me if they hear something different."

Nebula showcases a dazzling cross section of rising New York talent. Trumpeter Wayne Tucker, who delivers consistently crackling work throughout Kites and Strings, has been touring with vocalist Cyrille Aimée recently. He and Puerto Rican guitarist Rafael Rosa, who's part of the brilliant wave of Latin American musicians transforming the New York scene, are a few years older than Rosenblum and were shaped by a different peer group. "Wayne has a ton of experience in jazz and also in the R&B/hip hop world, and he's bringing in that musical attitude. His swing is more laid back. I love pairing him with Jasper, who studied with Walter Smith III and is more classically minded. He's got a deep relationship with the bass clarinet. I love how different they are, yet how committed they are to the blend."

The group is built upon Rosenblum's working trio with bassist Marty Jaffe and drummer Ben Zweig, whom Rosenblum has toured with throughout the United States and internationally for several years. They are a highly sympathetic unit that renders any time signature with a relaxed flow. "I love playing with them so much," he says. "They're willing to be as adventurous musically as I want to be. I've never been a hyper-specialist. I want to explore a lot of different styles. The two of them have such a deep knowledge of traditional jazz and hard bop and how to swing, but they're willing to spend the hours to learn about, say, Brazilian music in a deep way."

Best known as a highly adaptable pianist, Rosenblum started to focus on the accordion about five years ago. He studied with Vitor Gonçalves, and the dearth of jazz accordion players meant that he "received opportunities that really pushed me to get better on the instrument," he says, like touring around Europe with New York-based Croatian jazz vocalist Astrid Kuljanic. A weekly Manhattan gig with her band featuring the great Brazilian percussionist Rogério Boccato allowed him to begin to fully explore the instrument and start thinking about it compositionally. "The accordion introduced me to all kinds of international styles – South American, klezmer, Romanian, and Irish music," he says. "I subbed in the pit for Fiddler On the Roof, which really got my accordion chops up. It's always a work in progress, and I'm having a great time with it."

The pleasure the musicians take in each other's company comes through bright and clear on Kites and Strings. It's like one of those famous New York parties where you never know who's going to walk through the door or what's going to happen next. And you're invited.