NEW RELEASES: ANDREW HILL – BLUE BLACK; VIJAY IYER – BREAK STUFF; WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL / LARRY GRENADIER / BRIAN BLADE – DRIFT WOOD

ANDREW HILL – BLUE BLACK

A really great session from pianist Andrew Hill – and one of his few post-Blue Note sessions to feature a horn player! The style of the set draws from a few strands of Hill's career – in that Hill is playing in some freely exploratory piano modes, yet also manages to swing soulfully with the rest of the group, especially sax player Jimmy Vass – who makes a rare appearance here on soprano, alto, and flute. In a way, the album probably most closely resembles the Andrew LP on Blue Note – which is great by us, as it's one of his best sets! Titles include "One For", "Remnants", "Blue Black", and "Golden Spook".  ~ Dusty Groove

VIJAY IYER – BREAK STUFF

Beautiful trio work from pianist Vijay Iyer – a record that's filled with the sorts of chunky rhythmic lines we love so much in his playing! The album's got Iyer working much more at a familiar level than his more electronic album for ECM – with that sort of warmth and joy that's really brought new life to the piano trio format through his recordings – the best of which we might put up there with our early favorites from Robert Glasper. The group features Stephan Crump on bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums – and titles include "Blood Count", "Break Stuff", "Taking Flight", "Work", "Wrens", and "Mystery Woman".  ~ Dusty Groove

WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL / LARRY GRENADIER / BRIAN BLADE – DRIFT WOOD

Subtle interplay between the guitar of Wolfgang Muthspiel, the bass of Larry Grenadier, and drums of Brian Blade – a trio who have just the right sort of evocative feel to live up to the album's title! Blade is perhaps the biggest surprise here – as his style is very loose, and quite different than his own recent work – very well adapted to match the spare tones of Muthspiel's guitar, which is still the most dominant instrument on the record – although we're especially fond of the bass of Grenadier, both plucked and bowed. Titles include "Bossa For Michael Brecker", "Driftwood", "Highline", "Lichtzelle", "Madame Vonn", and "Uptown".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: MAKAYA MCCRAVEN – IN THE MOMENT; MARK TURNER QUARTET – LATHE OF HEAVEN; JEAN-LOUIS MATINIER / MARCO AMBROSINI - INVENTIO

MAKAYA MCCRAVEN – IN THE MOMENT
A totally unique record from drummer Makaya McCraven – and a great one too! The set's built around improvised performances recorded over the period of a year – with some of Chicago's best underground jazz talents, including Matt Ulery on bass, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Jeff Parker on guitar, Justefan on vibes, Desean Jones on tenor, Tony Barba on tenor and electronics, and Josh Abrams on bass – and the performances are then edited down into these shorter, focused tracks that are really wonderful! The music is still quite live in its approach at most moments – and often given a very rhythmic pulse in the way it's put together, but never in any sort of hokey or heavy-handed remix way. The basslines are wonderful – full, round, and very modal – and titles include "The Jaunt", "Time Travel", "The Encore", "The Drop", "Finances", "Just Stay Right There", and "Three Fifths A Man".  ~ Dusty Groove

MARK TURNER QUARTET – LATHE OF HEAVEN

Majestic music from tenorist Mark Turner – a set that has him soaring gently with trumpeter Avishai Cohen, a partner who really seems to make the record sparkle! The group's a quartet, with no piano – just Joe Martin on bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums – and the tenor and trumpet do a great job of carving lines in open space, but with a fullness and focus that's quite different than an ECM date like this might have sounded decades back. The record really lives up to Turner's great legacy, but also has a unique sort of power as well – and all tunes are original compositions, with titles that include "Lathe Of Heaven", "Sonnet For Stevie", "Brother Sister 2", "Ethan's Line", and "The Edenist".  ~ Dusty Groove

JEAN-LOUIS MATINIER / MARCO AMBROSINI - INVENTIO

An instrumental pairing you're not likely to hear every day – the accordion of Jean-Louise Matinier and the nyckelharpa of Marco Ambrosini! We love the use of the former instrument – which Matinier plays with these open, evocative tones that remind us of our favorite work by Daniel Mille – but we're especially struck by the latter instrument – a many-stringed viola-like instrument, which has varied tunings, and is played with a bow. The ebb and flow of Ambrosini's music works beautifully with Matinier – and its slight string edges create this feeling of the ancient at moments, and a vibe that links some of the ECM early music projects with its modern ones. Titles include "Presto", "Szybko", "Taiga", "Qui Est Homo", "Osku", "Hommage", and "Basse Dance". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - TOM ZE; OS BRAZOES: KING FLOYD - WELL DONE

TOM ZE - TOM ZE

Tom Zé is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, innovator and composer who was hugely influential in the Tropicália movement of '60s Brazil. Zé is often thought of as Brazil’s answer to Zappa or Captain Beefheart; a true innovator and a true artist. Mr Bongo re-issued Zé’s debut record ‘Grande Liquidicao’ originally released in 1968. This, his second solo album, is self-titled, and was released by RGE Discos in 1970. After the peak of the Tropicália period, Zé went into relative obscurity. It was only in the '90s, when musician and Luaka Bop label founder David Byrne discovered an album recorded by Zé many years earlier, that he returned to performing and releasing new material. Continuing in a similar musical vein to Grande Liquidicao, ‘Tom Ze’ is a wonderful combination of guitars, layered of percussion and tough rock ’n’ roll, underpinned by Ze’s instantly recognisable vocal. Ze is infact one of Brazil’s most sampled artists. ‘Jimmy, Renda-Se’ has one of the most recognisable intros you will hear, so it was no great surprise that Amerie sampled it for her smash ‘Take Control’. All in all, another essential record from a true legend of Brazilian music.

OS BRAZOES - OS BRAZOES

Rare and highly sought after in its original format, Os Brazoes self-titled album was originally released on RGE Discos in 1969. It is a psychedelic masterpiece that fuses samba, r’n’b and rock ’n’ roll influences using fuzz guitars, synths, percussion, lush vocals and effects. Os Brazoes formed in Rio de Janeiro in the late '60s. They backed Gal Costa during her Tropicalia period, yet apparently never recorded in the studio with her. Miguel de Deus, the bands front man, recorded the highly sought after ‘Black Soul Brothers’ LP in '77, which became an important record in the ‘Black Rio’ movement. Mr Bongo released the title track from that LP, on the ‘Brazilian Beats: Brooklyn’ compilation in '06 and recently as part of their Brazil 45s re-issue series. ‘Os Brazoes’ features covers of Gilberto Gil’s ‘Pega a Voga, Cabeludo’ and Jorge Ben and Toquinho’s ‘Carolina, Carol Bela’. The Mr Bongo LP reissue is manufactured in Japan, presented in a super high quality card sleeve with replica original artwork. The CD is presented in a 4-page digi-pack.

KING FLOYD - WELL DONE

Wonderful work from King Floyd – post-Stax, post-Atlantic, but still sounding great here – with that undeniable charm that always makes his records sound so great! Floyd's got a way of singing that's deep, but also a bit effervescent too – this crackling sort of energy in the way he puts over a lyric, even bluer one – which really gets some great support here from a small backing combo at Malaco, who can really hit the right sort of "Groove Me" mode at times! The set's a great example of the way that Malaco easily picked up the torch when those other two labels were starting to lose their coverage of the south – and King's very much at home on a sweet set of tunes that include "I'm Gonna Fall In Love With You", "I Don't Think I Could Face It", "I Feel Like Dynamite", "Movin' On Strong", "So True", "Can't Give It Up", and "Try Me". Nice photo of some ribs on the cover, too!. ~ Dusty Groove

Esoteric jazz, modal jazz, spiritual jazz - as performed with the human voice / Spiritual Jazz 6 Vocals (Various Artists)

The power of the human voice, especially when held in song, has long been known to be immensely influential, potent and emotive across all of humankind. When conveying a message, the spoken word - whether in speech, poetry or song - is infinitely more evocative than that of written. And when that message is voiced in the realm of jazz, amidst the open and dramatic freedom that only jazz can provide, the message can be all the more poignant.

Having examined spiritual jazz as it was expressed in the US, and then followed its messengers and influences in Europe and beyond, our sixth instalment of our Spiritual Jazz series showcases jazz vocals: a collection of jazz messages that are united in voice.

The majority of tracks here are as political as they are theological, but it's the inner sanctity of the music that is the defining factor. These are songs that concern themselves with the universal condition of this world, as well as the next. In fact, as the distinction between the theological and the humanistic is blurred, so is the definition of a song - many of the tracks are atypical in that they do not possess lyrics with a beginning, middle and end. Likewise the voices that convey them often can't be said to be 'singing' in the usual sense of the word; we hear solemn chanting, intense wailing, earnest poetry and ardent recitation in between bouts of singing, the quality of which is often nothing short of exquisite. The styles of performance encompass modern jazz, the avant-garde and jazz fusion, and include elements of styles from the long and winding path of the African diaspora, including Cuban, Brazilian, Caribbean and other Pan-American rhythms.

Spiritual Jazz 6: Vocals examines some of the rarest and most extraordinary vocal jazz recordings. We have included some well-known songs, as well as some of the most obscure. There are tracks recorded made for major labels, and some that were issued privately. But all of them speak or sing of a better place or a better world, and the world can only be a better place when they are played.

This is esoteric jazz, modal jazz, spiritual jazz - as performed with the human voice.

· All tracks fully licensed and digitally restored from the original master tapes

· Comprehensive liner notes with added individual notes on each track and original stories direct from the musicians involved

· CD with 24 page colour booklet with in-depth liner notes, album cover scans and previously unpublished photographs

· Most tracks never before reissued - previously only available on rare, long-deleted LPs

· Deluxe double vinyl LP pressing with gloss gatefold sleeve.

Sachal's Slow Motion Miracles delivers a full set of multilayered gems steeped in a variety of styles, including indie pop, hip-hop, electronica, Brazilian, Afro-beat, old-school jazz and new-styled jazz

As a singular singer-songwriter, Sachal has pivoted into an appealing new direction on his sublime OKeh debut, the aptly titled Slow Motion Miracles. It's a remarkable 10-track album of top-flight songs teeming with close-to-the-heart personal stories of love and loss, vignettes of fleeting moments and dreamy fantasies-all fluid with the ebb and flow of heartbreak and discovery. 

On Slow Motion Miracles, Sachal delivers a full set of multilayered gems steeped in a variety of styles, including indie pop, hip-hop, electronica, Brazilian, Afro-beat, old-school jazz and new-styled jazz. "I'm not limiting," he says. "I weave my voice through a lot of the music I listen to. It's still me and just a part of my journey." 

Sachal cites a number of key influences - from Paul Simon, Seu Jorge, Frank Ocean and popular hip-hop, to Fleetwood Mac, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and 19th century German art songs-but says that what it all comes down to is serving his songs in a fresh and resonating way. 

"The inspiration for the new album starts with experiences I've lived through that evolve into fantasy," says Sachal. "The songs were germinated from personal moments, then mingled with daydreams to become something new. It was transcendent. The feelings and ideas would float up and soar and would become greater than the original moments." 

Sachal enlisted multi-instrumentalist Michael Leonhart to produce Slow Motion Miracles as well as collaborate compositionally on two songs. Sachal was introduced to Leonhart through a mutual friend and passed on to him demos of soundscapes, orchestration and lyrics he had crafted on a computer. 

"As a writer and composer, you're often in isolation, but sharing these private moments with Michael made him a great partner, a real colleague," Sachal says. "He has a great ear, plays a ton of instruments, is a wizard with technology and made the sounds sparkle. Plus, with all of what he offered, he retained a human touch. Michael took my initial ideas and brought them to the next level." 

Sachal invited seven other musicians to play on selected tunes-including Taylor Eigsti on keyboards and synthesizers, Gerald Clayton on piano, Ryan Scott on guitars, Buster Hemphill on electric bass, David Wong on acoustic bass, Nate Smith on drums, and Mark Guiliana on drums and drum machines-to contribute short accents, subtle colors and understated grooves within the multilayered songs.

"All these guys are great musicians," says Sachal, who also contributes keyboard parts, programming and electronics. "It was a challenge to edit, but that was a fun part of the process of making this album. It was about the storytelling and getting an organic feeling from the layers, so that the songs have a place in today's sound as well as a link to history. Our ultimate goal for mixing all of these great contributions in was to serve the songs and make them come alive" 

On Slow Motion Miracles, Sachal swings through the themes of escape, journey and romance. The title track, with an ebullient vocal open and an almost whimsical sensibility, is short in length but potent in meaning. "It's about wanting to escape, but also be caught by an overpowering, sensual force"  Sachal says. Likewise, the catchy melody "No More Tears," starting off with a stark, reflective vocal followed by organ shading, is a dreamlike search for a fresh feeling. "It's a clearing of the air to go beyond." 

The sweet, loving "Marie" is a compositional collaboration with David Brophy, a Boston songwriter friend who helped Sachal finesse the song. It is celebratory in nature as well as a trip into reverie. "Sometimes I need an escape," Sachal says. "The same idea kept popping in my head when I was writing this one - I was out on the open road on a bright day, just cruising and laughing with friends- a great, sunny moment." 

Leonhart co-wrote with Sachal the beauty, "Cover the Water," which shines as a bright, hopeful number. It's based on an image that Sachal envisioned on the beach at night and a feeling of youthful affection. "Taking off, and trusting that the universe will take care of you." 

From the beach to home, "Waiting on the Roof" is a daydream based on being able to fall asleep under the stars on a rooftop. "This is a love song with a childlike sense of wonder," Sachal says. "I'm waiting for romance, but I'm also struck by the grandeur of the stars." 

Amid the Sachal originals on Slow Motion Miracles, he covers two tunes that fit the overall vibe of the album. He supplies his own longing lyrics to Brazilian songwriter Flavio Venturini's "Afternoon Sun" about gazing at a distant horizon and dreaming, and he closes the album with a lush, moving, soulful rendition of the Jim Weatherly composition: "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)," a tune that Gladys Knight made into a hit with the Pips in 1973. "I came back to the ground to sing this - it's very visceral to me" Sachal says. 

Slow Motion Miracles is Sachal's most accomplished recording as an artist. This is his fourth album overall (previously he recorded three jazz-infused CDs for Mack Avenue as Sachal Vasandani) and the best showing of his unique voice and his compelling storytelling. He's looking forward to touring with a simpatico band comprised of some of the studio members. "We had a lot of joy recording this album," he says. "We're sharing our creativity. Now, when I go on tour, I get to bring these songs to a new life." 

Slow Motion Miracles Track Listing:

1. No More Tears

2. Denim Lights

3. Marie

4. Slow Motion Miracles

5. Haystacks

6. Can't Talk

7. Cover the Water

8. Afternoon Sun

9. Waiting on the Roof

10. Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)

NEW RELEASES: DON CHERRY – MODERN ART; SABU MARTINEZ - THE DALECARLIA RECORDINGS 1971-72; SADAO WATANAE - PAMOJA

DON CHERRY – MODERN ART

Some of the most freewheeling music we've heard from Don Cherry in the 70s – a live performance at the Museum Of Modern Art in Stockholm – and one that's done with a very free, open vibe! Part of the work has Cherry in the bolder improvisational space of his Paris years – yet other moments have that great organic mix of jazz and global elements that Don was using on some of his other records, but with an overall approach that's nicely unstructured overall! Cherry himself plays pocket trumpet, wooden flute, conch shell, piano, and dossu n'gouni – and the rest of the lineup includes lots of percussion, two acoustic bassists, guitar, tamboura, and claves – all used in varied ways throughout the set, almost to build up the sound in a loft jazz mode that's inflected with elements from Africa and the Middle East. The whole thing's a very unique musical moment – both for Don Cherry and the Swedish jazz scene – and titles include "Que Faser", "Love Train", "Awareness", "Universal Mother", "Ornettunes", "Marimba Goddess Of Music", "Chenrezig", and "Mahakali". (Limited to 500 copies.)  ~ Dusty Groove

SABU MARTINEZ - THE DALECARLIA RECORDINGS 1971-72

Mindblowing work from the legendary Latin percussionist Sabu Martinez – some extremely heavy sides recorded overseas during his time on the Swedish scene in the 70s, some of which are appearing here for the first time ever! The groove here is amazing, and goes even further past Sabu's famous Afro Temple album – far into territory that's hardly ever been explored this well – mixing Latin rhythms with a range of different funky jazz modes, all of them great! Sabu's congas are amazing – dark, soulful, and filled with power – really driving throughout, in settings that include a full group of young percussionists, a funky big band, and a smaller combo with some killer Hammond. A few tracks are live, one is from a musical play, and the others are from the lost album Aurora Borealis – a very rare indie date. Every bit as great, if not better than, the other Sabu reissues on Mellotronen – with titles that include "The Latin Percussion People", "The Sacrifice", "Oh Min Dara", "Will O The Wisp", "Not So Loud Please", "Cute", and "Puertorican Rice & Beans".  ~ Dusty Groove

SADAO WATANAE - PAMOJA

Later than Sadao Watanabe's classic period, but a great album with some really wonderful moments! The set was recorded live in Tokyo in 1975, and it features Watanabe working with a group that includes Isao Suzuki on bass, Yshiaki Masuo on guitar, and Takehiro Honda on piano. The four tracks are all long, with some of the searching Coltrane-ish playing that Watanabe brought to his earlier Sony albums, but they've also got a fair bit of the warmth he was reaching for during the 70s – combining elements of world jazz styles into a mode that really pushed his work on alto and flute. Titles include "Pamoja", "Vichakani", and "Musitoni".  ~ Dusty Groove

Freestyle Records to re-issue Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers music | 45 & LP to follow

Freestyle Records has announced that they are to re-issue the incredible music of the legendary Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers.

With its bedrock of African drums, fused with hi-life and jazz, Ginger Johnson’s music was in fact the main forerunner of afrobeat – and Ginger’s direct influence upon afrobeat’s undisputed champion, Fela Kuti, tells a fascinating and under appreciated story that only now is being recognised for its significance.

Ginger Johnson’s story is one of the greatest untold stories of African music in Europe. A Nigerian immigrant to London in the late 1940s, Ginger quickly earned a reputation as the ‘go to’ African percussionist in England and became the rhythmic backbone to the big band of Edmundo Ros, the jazz groups of Ronnie Scott and many other 1950s British modern jazzers. His 50s recordings for Melodisc were among the very first examples of African music recorded and released in Britain. The chief exponent of the African talking drum, by the mid-1960s Ginger was fully established as the only Afro-Cuban session player to book. What is also surprisingly unknown is that Ginger Johnson was mentor, guide, guru and father figure to a young Fela Kuti. Ginger’s house in Victoria, London was a vibrant hub of African music activity for Fela and an entire host of African musicians who would gather there to exchange news, talk, eat and jam for hours on end. To Fela, and all the younger musicians who gravitated towards Ginger’s home, he was simply known and addressed as ‘Father’. Aside from his own music, Ginger was also instrumental in the beginnings of The Notting Hill Carnival. And, his own venue, Club Iroko in North London, was a creative hub for groups like Osibisa, Cymande, and also a welcome hang out for visiting legends like Art Blakey, Roland Kirk, and Elvin Jones. 

Ginger and his collective’s playing graces the recordings of everybody from Georgie Fame to Barbara Streisand and Hawkwind. Ginger and his group performed at The Royal Variety Performance, and even featured in the James Bond film ‘Live & Let Die’. But, perhaps Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers’ most high profile engagement was performing with The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park in 1969 in front of a crowd so big you could not see where it ended. Ginger and his troupe provided the beat-heavy and lengthy intro to the supremely high energy, live version of ‘Sympathy For The Devil’. 

For Ginger’s son, Dennis Dee Mac Johnson, this deal with Freestyle ends a long process to gain recognition for his father’s music, "I am so happy that my father's album will finally be re-issued. His music will live on in the old and new audiences, who will now get to hear his work in its full glory! We call 'African Party' The Holy Grail Of Afrobeat - as he is The Godfather of Afrobeat!"

Dennis, and one of Ginger Johnson's closest friends and collaborators, original band member; Lord Eric Sugumugu, will be available for interview opportunities. Furthermore, The Ginger Johnson Legacy Band is setting plans in motion for concerts so this infectious vibrant music can thrill live audiences again.

  

Forthcoming on Freestyle Records (release dates are tentative and subject to change):

• FSR7084 | Ginger Johnson And His African Messengers - I Jool Omo (7” / MP3) | March/April

• FSRCD110 | Ginger Johnson And His African Messengers - African Party (LP / CD / MP3) | May/June

"The Music Is the Magic," New CD by Vocalist Lainie Cooke, To Be Released March 17

Lainie Cooke The Music Is the Magic Given the deep jazz feeling and serious vocal chops displayed by Lainie Cooke on her new CD The Music Is the Magic, it's hard to believe that the disc is only Cooke's third. But this masterpiece of vocal jazz, which will be released March 17 by Ralph Peterson's Onyx Music Label, affirms her standing in the front ranks of jazz singers performing today. 

"The wisdom, clarity, and nuances possessed by Lainie throughout the recording are most refreshing," comments Peterson in his notes to the CD. "At 73 years young, she has remained relevant as a songstress in the purest sense. I am proud to have produced what I believe is her best work to date." 

Peterson, who plays drums and trumpet on the CD and served as its producer and arranger, surrounded Cooke with a superb cast including pianist/arranger Tedd Firth, her accompanist of the last dozen years; soprano and tenor saxophonist Myron Walden; and bassist Luques Curtis. (Tabari Lake substitutes for Curtis on "Mañana.") 

Cooke first met Peterson, long one of the most in-demand drummers in jazz, in 1990, but they didn't begin making music together until relatively recently. "Ralph has the ability to lift you to a place musically and rhythmically that you didn't know you knew how to do," she says. "He's always demonstrating something that makes you want to do better." Cooke is the first singer Peterson has produced for his Onyx Music Label.

Lainie Cooke "Lainie can cook on the kind of standards she prefers -- the Porter-Gershwin-Rodgers & Hart classics that challenge her dramatic bent for story-telling," Harvey Siders wrote in a Los Angeles Daily News review of one of her Southern California engagements. "She has an unerring ear for melodic invention and an instinctive feel for time that allows her to take unusual rhythmic liberties. And her intonation is 'right on.'" 

The tunes on The Music Is the Magic spoke to the singer: "If the music is beautiful, wonderful, soars, and has feeling, I'm attracted to it," she says simply. "How I Wish" (aka "Ask Me Now") and "I Have the Feeling I've Been Here Before" ("one of the most beautiful songs in the world," according to Cooke) were inspired by Carmen McRae, a favorite vocalist of hers. The title tune and "Live for Life" both stem from Abbey Lincoln recordings. 

Also included are Dave Frishberg's "Our Love Rolls On," Harold Arlen's "Out of This World," and a rollicking calypso treatment of Peggy Lee's "Mañana," long a staple of her in-person repertoire. "By the end of it, the whole audience is singing," she says. "It becomes a joyful experience."

  

Lainie Cooke broke into show business at age 6 by entering a Minneapolis radio talent contest for young people and won with her rendition of the then-popular tune "Cruising Down the River." At 11, she began appearing two or three times a week as a hostess on a local television game show. Then, at age 12, she won a talent contest and was awarded a trip to New York City. She felt instantly at home. 

Cooke has been a resident of the city since she was 20, save for relatively brief periods in Jamaica and California. "I went to New York to find out what I could actually do with all of the stuff that was inside me," she reflects. "I wasn't sure what I wanted to be -- a musical theater performer or a nightclub singer." 

After working an office job for a period, she got fingerprinted for a cabaret card and played a few New York clubs, but upon doing her first out-of-town gig in Hartford, Connecticut, she developed an instant distaste for being on the road. Voice-over work, which allowed her to stay home in New York City, became her calling and kept her steadily employed for most of the next 40 years. 

Cooke moved to Los Angeles in 1979 and began singing in clubs with such top jazz men as pianist Dick Shreve and bassist Bob Maize but moved back to New York in 1983 and resumed doing voice-overs. She returned briefly to L.A. to record half of her first CD, Here's to Life!(2002, Harlemwood), with Shreve, Maize, and others. New York musicians, including Firth, bassist Cameron Brown, and drummer Matt Wilson, completed the album. Her second CD, It's Always You (2008, Harlemwood), also featured Firth, Brown, and Wilson, as well as saxophonist Joel Frahm. 

For her CD release shows, Cooke has scheduled engagements in New York and Los Angeles: 3/31 at the E Spot Lounge Upstairs at Vitello's in Studio City, with pianist Karen Hammack and her trio; and 4/10 at the Zinc Bar in Greenwich Village, with the same musicians as the CD. 

"Words alone cannot do justice to the way I feel about making music with Tedd, Luques, Myron, and Ralph, or how proud I am of this project," says Cooke. "The dictionary defines magic as producing mysterious or extraordinary results. I hope The Music Is the Magic will inspire the same kind of feelings in listeners."

  

www.lainiecooke.com

NEW RELEASES: AARON TESSER NEW JAZZ AFFAIR – LOVE MAP; CURTIS FULLER - THE OPENER; LOU DONALDSON - HERE 'TIS

AARON TESSER NEW JAZZ AFFAIR – LOVE MAP

"Love Map" is the new album by Aaron Tesser New Jazz Affair, one of most interesting acts on the italian Nu Jazz scene. Third album and first one on RNC MUSIC (the previous "Looking Ahead" and "Children" have been released by IRMA and licensed to several countries). Aaron Tesser, with his songs, is usual guest of Radio Monte Carlo, especially on Nick The Nightfly program. "Love Map" contains all original songs except "Sunday Morning" cover version of Maroon 5's.  Also includes:  The Rainbow; More Than Twice; List To The Music; The Way To Your Heart; Your Life; I Know I Miss You; Meu Amore Sem Fin; Ocean Deep; The Scent Of Your Love; and My Song.

CURTIS FULLER - THE OPENER

Curtis Fuller was one of the premier trombonists in 1960s and `70s global hard-bop. Before that, however, he was an import from Detroit--a promising musician rising in the New York scene. Recorded in 1957, THE OPENER was Fuller's debut, wherein he was backed by a mix of big names (Paul Chambers from Miles Davis's band, drummer Art Taylor) and fellow up-and-comers like soul pianist Bobby Timmons and saxophonist Hank Mobley. Fuller's fiery, brassy trombone mixes well with the tasty, soft-centered tenor of Hank Mobley and the brisk, earthy swing of Timmons, Chambers, and Taylor. ~ CD Universe

LOU DONALDSON - HERE 'TIS

Here 'Tis is in the front rank of Lou Donaldson records, an exceptionally funky soul-jazz session that finds the saxophonist swinging harder than usual. As he moves from hard bop to soul-jazz, Donaldson reveals a bluesy streak to his playing while keeping the vigorous attack that defined his best bop. Donaldson's playing is among his finest in the soul-jazz vein, but what makes Here 'Tis such an enjoyable session is his interaction with his supporting trio of guitarist Grant Green, organist Baby Face Willette, and drummer Dave Bailey. As support, all three know how to keep a groove gritty and flexible, following Lou's lead and working a swinging beat that keeps flowing, never growing static. Green and Willette also have their time in the spotlight, and both musicians are frequently stunning. Green's single-note leads are clean and inventive; Willette is rhythmic and forceful, but also capable of soulful, mellow leads on the slow blues. Their talent, combined with Donaldson at a peak, results in a terrific record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

PETER GORDON AND HIS LOVE OF LIFE ORCHESTRA (LOLO) PRESENT SYMPHONY NO. 5

Peter Gordon's Symphony No. 5 traces the growth of the New York-based composer's musical ideas from 2007 to 2012. The number "5" of the title refers to the five-year gestation period as well as the five-movement form of the work, and the idea of a "fifth symphony" as a significant point in a composer's trajectory. The composition is a striking and elaborate statement, with the communication and energy of an ensemble performance, and the punch and careful attention to detail of a studio recording.

Peter Gordon has been a driving force of New York's thriving "downtown scene." Performng on saxophones and keyboards, he draws inspiration from musical genres as diverse as jazz, rock, opera and world music. His complex and diverse body of work includes recordings, as well as scores for operas, theater, films and dance.

  

Gordon performed his first symphony, Symphony in Four Movements, in New York in 1976, with a band that included Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Arthur Russell and Rhys Chatham. Combining disco, electronic, pop and jazz elements with experimental music, he formalized his ensemble - the Love of Life Orchestra (LOLO) - and has kept it active ever since.

  

LOLO, with its performers grounded in diverse musical backgrounds, has ranged in size from a trio to 12+ musicians. Its core personnel has remained stable since inception, with recent additions from New York's Latin jazz scene. LOLO is represented by several influential recordings - including 1978's Extended Niceties EP (Lust/Unlust Records) and 2010's retrospective album Love of Life (DFA Records). 

"The Love of Life Orchestra was founded on the coexistence of multiple musical orientations," Gordon explains. "Counterpoint is central to my music, and prevalent in all five movements of Symphony No. 5. Each voice maintains its integrity and forward motion, but intersecting voices illuminate harmonic and rhythmic dimensions that are shared and larger than any single voice. This is both a musical and social concept: counterpoint developed in Europe during the Enlightenment, when multiple voices needed to coexist, and be heard, for society to function." 

Homeland Security was created after Gordon returned to New York City, when the country was at war, with a new culture of surveillance. Juvenalia was inspired by Mannie Freshʼs Project Chick with the Cash Money Millionaires of New Orleans, as well as by the Roman poet Juvenal. Both the Roman and New Orleanian works are built from simple, catchy, and symmetrical phrases. 

Gordon imagined Chamber Disco as a danse macabre that begins in a stark, empty, closed-down club. At first stone cold, then festive, it leads up to a spinning frenzy, then drops to a sudden sobriety. After composing Homeland Security, Juvenalia, and Chamber Disco, Gordon completed the symphonic structure with Exposition and Transgression, the first two movements. 

Recorded live by producer Jeff Jones "The Jedi Master," who received Grammy Awards for his work with Dr. John and Wynton Marsalis, Symphony No. 5 exhibits Peter Gordon's complex, yet funky, compositional process. 

Mr. Gordon keeps a busy schedule. Recently, Robert Ashley's Vidas Perfectas saw Gordon reprise his role as music producer of the seminal video opera Perfect Lives. Future projects see him directing a new version of Arthur Russell's Instrumentals in Europe, as well as a new recording with Tim Burgess (Charlatans), scheduled for release on Record Store Day.

  

TRACKS

1. Exposition

2. Transgression

3. Juvenalia

4. Homeland Security

5. Chamber Disco

MUSICIANS 

Peter Gordon - organ & synthesizer

Katie Porter - clarinet & bass clarinet

Paul Shapiro - tenor & soprano saxophones

Max Gordon - trumpet

Peter Zummo - trombone

Bill Ruyle - vibraphone

Ned Sublette - electric guitar

Randy Gun - electric guitar

Yunior Terry - bass guitar

Elio Villafranca - piano

Robby Ameen - drums

Produced by Jeff Jones "The Jedi Master" with Peter Gordon

Excecutive Producer - Benjamin Freeney

Recorded live on June 5, 2013 at Roulette, Brooklyn, NY, USA

Steve Tyrell Releases That Lovin' Feeling - Features Classics By Carole King, Leiber and Stoller, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Burt Bacharach and Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich – And Guest Appearances By Dave Koz, Neil Sedaka, B.J. Thomas, Bill Medley, Chuck Leavell and Judith Hill

Ever since his glorious surprise version of “The Way You Look Tonight” in the 1991 film “Father of The Bride” paved the way for his extraordinary second career as a GRAMMY Award winning vocalist/producer, Steve Tyrell has been setting A New Standard (the title of his 1999 debut album) for interpreting the Great American Songbook – most notably on Songs of Sinatra (which reached #5 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart) and his most recent Concord Records release, It’s Magic: The Songs of Sammy Cahn (#2). On his 11th album, That Lovin’ Feeling, he celebrates what he calls “the Great American Songbook 2; the next generation of the Songbook,” recording seminal rock era classics penned by legendary songwriters (many renowned for hits penned at New York’s famed Brill Building) who are also cherished longtime friends. The album is set for release  on February 10, 2015

While sharing the enduring magic of timeless songs by the songwriting teams of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich as well as Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, Toni Wine and Carole Bayer Sager, That Lovin’ Feeling sets itself apart from most tribute recordings with spirited guest vocal appearances by Mann, B.J. Thomas, Neil Sedaka and Bill Medley in addition to renowned backup singer Judith Hill (featured in the Oscar winning documentary “20 Feet From Stardom”) and Tyrell’s daughter Lauryn Tyrell. The set also includes key instrumental contributions by Stoller, keyboardist Chuck Leavell, saxophonist Dave Koz and even playful hand claps by Jeff Barry.

Though the singer has ventured beyond the classic Sinatra era at times to bring his charismatic gravelly charm to projects celebrating the music of Disney and Burt Bacharach, That Lovin’ Feeling is a unique, highly personal project. The generous 15-track set is an intimate, decidedly jazzy, window into Tyrell’s storied roots in the music business, dating back to the 60’s when the Houston native, still in his late teens, moved to New York and began working in multiple capacities (A&R, promotions man, artist producer) at Florence Greenberg’s Scepter Records.

During that era, Tyrell worked with and/or became close friends with the already established hit-making team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, as well as upstarts cramped in tight Brill Building spaces whose songs came to define a generation: Carole King/Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and Neil Sedaka. Putting his own natural, charismatic flair on some of their best loved works, Tyrell – who produced the collection with Jon Allen, with stunning arrangements by co-producer Bob Mann - pays homage to all of them in fresh ways, including, on certain tracks, asking them to participate in the recording itself.

The initial concept of That Lovin’ Feeling emerged from Mike Stoller’s 80th birthday concert in New York last year. The singer was asked to provide the band and sing, and he was joined by many of the original artists in performing Leiber and Stoller classics to pay tribute to the songwriter. The amazing night of musical celebration was capped by the whole company of the show coming out to join Ben E. King’s performance of “Stand By Me.” Stoller and his wife, musician and vocalist Corky Hale, were invited to join in. “It was a real thrill to sing that song with my childhood idol that night,” says Tyrell.

Tyrell was also inspired to explore this era of his musical life and record this album by the immediate Broadway success of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” He taps into King’s heart-spun magic via the vibrant opening track “Jazzman” (featuring Grammy nominated saxman Dave Koz), and an easy-swinging romp through “Up on the Roof.” Reflecting the depth of Leiber and Stoller’s enduring catalog, the singer creates infectious twists on The Drifters’ “There Goes My Baby,” “Hound Dog” (featuring keyboardist Chuck Leavell and some of the original lyrics from the pre-Elvis Big Mama Thornton version) and an intimate reading of “Stand By Me” featuring Stoller himself on Hammond B-3 and a cool new piano chord figure the songwriter introduced on the 2011 Grammy Nominations Concert, when he played the song with Usher.

“Steve’s a good friend and my favorite singer of popular songs, and that goes from rock and roll and R&B to Cole Porter and Gershwin,” says Stoller. “It was a thrill to be asked to play on ‘Stand By Me’ and it was just great fun to listen to him talk about this project and listen to him recording in the studio. This whole project has that sense of fun sprinkled all over it.”

Tyrell’s rich history with Barry Mann includes being the singer/songwriter’s artist manager, producing a solo recording for Scepter and later forming a company that included publishing and music supervising services. Tyrell’s joyful immersion into the Mann & Weil catalog includes the lush Dusty Springfield originated ballad “Just A Little Lovin’” featuring Judith Hill; “Rock & Roll Lullaby,” a poignant story song about a child growing up with a teenage mother, performed as a duet with its original artist, B.J. Thomas; “On Broadway” (co-written by Mann & Weil and Leiber and Stoller), performed as a conversational, strutting pop-blues duet with Barry Mann; and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” ranked by BMI as the most played song of the 20th Century, in soul stirring tandem with Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers.

“Cynthia and I have known Steve for 50 years and he’s like a brother to me,” says Mann. “With this album, I feel like he’s saying, these are the contemporary standards, the Songbook of a different generation. I particularly love his take on ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, doing it half pop, half jazz.”

Jeff Barry comments that he loves the way Tyrell turns “Be My Baby” and “Chapel of Love,” the girl group classics he wrote with his wife Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, into pieces that make sense from the perspective of a mature male. “Steve gives them a whole new slant,” he says, “which makes me feel good as a writer. He definitely made them his own.” These infectious gems are also lovely showcases for the vocal talents of his daughter Lauryn Tyrell, who does backgrounds on both. Tyrell rounds out the set with the Burt Bacharach-Bob Hilliard tune “Any Day Now” (whose original version was recorded by Scepter artist Chuck Jackson) and a simmering, horn-fired version of Neil Sedaka’s “Laughter in the Rain” that Sedaka, who duets on the track, emphatically calls “a new jazz standard.”

Tyrell has enjoyed a multi-faceted five decade career that has included producing everyone from B.J. Thomas, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross and Bonnie Raitt to Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville, James Ingram, Dolly Parton, Chris Botti, Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles; working as a music supervisor for films by Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer; penning the #1 pop hit “How Do You Talk To An Angel”; and performing with symphony orchestras all across America. Most of his previous solo albums have gone Top Five on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. But as he says in his colorful liner notes to That Lovin’ Feeling, “This is the most fun album I have recorded to date…and it’s the closest to the real me.”

“It’s a thrill to work on the arrangement of a song I’ve always loved and suddenly the headphones are on and I’m in the moment, actually singing it,” Tyrell says. “Yes, it’s fun, but it’s also a privilege. I view my career like that of a visual artist who gets to make paintings. Recording my own albums is always been something I’ve wanted to do, and I would probably keep doing it even if people didn’t think I was any good! When I make an album, it represents a moment in my life and all the things I was thinking about. It was wonderful to work intimately with the songwriters, who I knew could bring fresh insight to me as I recorded their songs. These sessions took me back to a lot of special moments in my life. ‘Rock and Roll Lullaby’ was the last record I made for Florence Greenberg at Scepter. B.J. and I are brothers, friends, we’ve fought wars together…and when I heard his voice come in, it broke me up and I started to cry. I’ve been around a long time, and that never happened before.” 

 

BROOKLYN JAZZ UNDERGROUND RECORDS ARTIST OWEN HOWARD GARNERS SECOND JUNO AWARD NOMINATION FOR HIS LATEST RECORDING DRUM LORE VOL. 2 MORE LORE

Drummer/composer Owen Howard, originally from Edmonton, Canada, has just garnered his second JUNO Award Nomination for "Jazz Record of The Year (Solo)" for his seventh album as a leader, Drum Lore Vol. 2 More Lore (on BJURecords). The JUNO Awards will be presented on Sunday, March 15, 2015 at the FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ontario.   

Upon receiving the news of the nomination Howard, said,  "I'm obviously very excited about my 2nd Juno nomination for 'Jazz Album of The Year' for my new CD Drum Lore Vol. 2 More Lore.  I consider it a real honor to be recognized for a project I feel very passionate about.  The idea of the Drum Lore project, which highlights the drummer as composer, seems to reach out to people in a way that was unexpected but certainly most welcomed!"  

Owen Howard has performed and recorded with the likes of Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Tom Harrell, Kenny Wheeler, John Abercrombie, Dave Liebman, George Garzone, Dave Holland, Eddie Henderson, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton and many others. He has appeared on over forty recordings to date, including five under his own name, and has toured extensively throughout Europe, the United States and Canada. With more than twenty years of successfully leading his own bands, Howard is clearly an artist successfully following in the footsteps of legendary drummers/bandleaders such as Tony Williams, Peter Erskine, Billy Hart, Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Al Foster, Shelly Manne and others. 

Now with the release Drum Lore Vol. 2 - More Lore, the follow up to the critically-acclaimed, 2011 Juno Award Nominated, Drum Lore (also on BJURecords), Howard continues to celebrate and interpret music composed by drummers, and also feature more of his own compelling compositions. Where Vol. 1 was conceived as a studio recording of sorts, with each piece featuring a different configuration and concept, the second installment of the Drum Lore project gives the listener a taste of what the group sounds like in its working quintet format, featuring Adam Kolker (soprano & tenor saxophones, bass clarinet), John O'Gallagher (alto saxophone), Frank Carlberg (piano), Johannes Weidenmueller (bass) and the leader Owen Howard (drums). 

Drum Lore Vol. 2 offers up seldom heard originals by Philly Joe Jones and Joe Chambers, as well as popular works by Victor Lewis, Paul Motian and Tony Williams. The remainder of the recording is comprised of recent original compositions by the leader. Highlights include, "Hey, It's Me You're Talkin' To", one of Victor Lewis' most well known compositions; Joe Chambers' "Ungano" (from the Bobby Hutcherson Blue Note album, Medina); "Haiku", a composition that Howard composed at the piano in about ten minutes. "After stating the 5-7-5-syllable form, the soloists are free to interpret at will. It's quite different each time we perform it", said Howard; "Like Buttah","my take on rhythm changes, which incidentally pays homage to Sonny Rollins' 'Oleo' (which was a butter substitute back in the day)"; and "Got To Take Another Chance", "a fun little piece by Philly Joe Jones that is based on the chord changes of 'Take The 'A' Train'. I extracted the horn riff and ending bit from the Max Roach/Clifford Brown version of 'A Train' (from the record, A Study in Brown). I love Max's train ending on that cut. Straight up fun!," said Howard; "Mumbo Jumbo" by the late great Paul Motian, and "Pee Wee" by the legendary Tony Williams. 

More on Drum Lore: The birth of Drum Lore took place at a summer jazz workshop where Howard was one of the several "artists-in-residence". The drummer explains further, "As we were getting ready for a discourse on the finer points of our various approaches to composition, one of the participants said to me. 'Owen, why are you here? You're a drummer, and this is a composition class? Well, how does one answer a comment like that? Rather than being offended, I took it upon myself to dispel this myth that drummers can't, or don't, compose." The brilliant result was Drum Lore (released in 2010 on BJURecords), a recording of great stylistic diversity, dedicated to exploring compositions exclusively by many of the revered drummers of our time. As Joe Lovano has stated, "some of the hippest bandleaders and composers in jazz, have come from the drum chair"; so many that Howard now offers Drum Lore Vol. 2, and has at least several more CDs worth of music composed by drummers that he'd like to record, so be on the lookout for the possibility of "Drum Lore, Vol. 3" in the future.

See all of the nominees here: www.junoawards.ca/nominees

www.OwenHoward.net 

Drummer ERNESTO CERVINI Releases His New CD TURBOPROP

Anzic Records releases the much-anticipated fourth recording from drummer/composer, and recent JUNO-AWARD Nominee (for his band Myriad 3), Ernesto Cervini, titled Turboprop. On the heels of his third album, There, which featured his quartet recorded live at the Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver, BC, Cervini added two incredible musicians to the fold to create an exciting new sextet he calls Turboprop. The band is comprised of his working quartet with Joel Frahm (tenor saxophone), Adrean Farrugia (piano), Dan Loomis (bass) & Ernesto Cervini (drums), plus Tara Davidson (alto & soprano saxophone) and William Carn (trombone). The sound of Turboprop, produced by Oded Lev-Ari, is sophisticated and soaring, reminiscent of the hard swinging Jazz Messenger bands of Art Blakey, and able to offer an extraordinarily wide range of repertoire; from Charlie Parker to Claude Debussy, plus originals from all the band members. Turboprop has already toured Canada to rave reviews, and will be celebrating the release with concerts across Canada and the U.S. (see below for dates). 

Cervini, who Hank Shteamer of Time Out New York called, "a tastefully buoyant drummer as well as a sharp composer and bandleader", conceived of Turboprop as blades of a propeller that work together in synergy, moving an aircraft powerfully through the sky. Cervini elaborates, "by combining the experience and artistry of these musicians, the music takes flight with a force and energy that only a sextet can bring. This band has been a wonderful conduit for my compositions and arrangements and all of the members have taken a very personal approach to the pieces, embracing the emotion and sentiment that this group brings to every note we play." Producer Lev-Ari added that, "I was really excited to produce this album, as I love a 3-piece front line, and it's a sound that is rarely heard anymore. I knew it would be a strong vehicle for Ernesto's writing and arranging. Since the band had just gotten back from a tour days before getting into the studio, the music was well-rehearsed and had this unmistakable 'live' feeling. We captured great performances, and could easily fill two albums with strong music. Ernesto is simply an incredible musician and bandleader and this recording really captures his essence as a multifaceted creative force." 

Highlights on Turboprop include, "Cheer Up Charlie", a lovely ballad from the film Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, that Cervini and his wife sing to their baby boy; "Three Angels", another very special piece for Cervini, composed for his three nieces who passed away unexpectedly; and the third ballad on the album called "Marion Theresa", which was written for Cervini's grandmother. 

Turboprop however is anything but an all ballads album, and, "Cervini exemplifies 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee' . . . turning drums into a rainforest symphony"- Ken Micallef, DownBeat Magazine. Sprinkled around these emotional compositions are upbeat, anthemic tunes including, "Unnecessary Mountain", which was named after a mountain in the Rockies; "Bindi Bop", inspired by Cervini's trip to Australia; "Fear of Flying", which Cervini wrote for all those with Pteromerhanophobia; and "De Molen", a great burner by saxophonist Joel Frahm.

In addition to the compelling originals, Turboprop also sunk their teeth into some "standard" tunes that they love to play, including "Red Cross" by Charlie Parker, and "The Windup" by Keith Jarrett, and Cervini's arrangement of the gorgeous Claude Debussy piano etude, "The Engulfed Cathedral".

There's an old saying in aviation; "Accidents happen when you run out of experience." In the case of Turboprop, the music is clearly in good hands.

More on Ernesto Cervini: Innovative and electrifying, Toronto jazz drummer Ernesto Cervini, who has shared the stage with many legendary musicians such as Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Cleo Laine, Pat LaBarbera, Dick Oatts, Buddy DeFranco, Eddie Daniels, Scott Robinson, Dave Binney, Jim McNeely, and many others, has energy to burn, whether radiating it from behind his drums or working on any number of musical and educational projects. Cervini's diversity as a musician (he is also an excellent pianist and clarinetist) has allowed him to travel throughout the world, performing in some of the world's greatest jazz venues such as Smalls, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, The 55 Bar, The Montreal Bistro, The Top Of the Senator, The Rex Jazz and Blues Club, and also many of the world's most prestigious concert halls, such as Massey Hall, The Glen Gould Theatre, The St. Lawrence Center for the Arts and the Sugita Theatre in Yokohama, Japan. His second album, Little Black Bird, recorded with his quartet was celebrated loudly by DownBeat Magazine with a four-star review. His joyous and engaging third recording, There, released in 2011, is now followed up on with the artist's most irresistible work to date, Turboprop (Anzic Records, February 3, 2015).

Ernesto Cervini - Turboprop - CD Release Celebrations:

February 19th - 21st - The Jazz Bistro, Toronto, ON

February 28th - The Jazz Room, Kitchener, ON

March 13 - The Yardbird Suite, Edmonton, AB

March 14 - The Bassment, Saskatoon, SK

March 17 - The Arts Station, Fernie, BC

March 19 - The Avalanche Bar & Grill - Georgia Straight Jazz Society, Courtenay, BC March 20 - Hermann's - Victoria Jazz Society, Victoria, BC

March 21 - Pat's Pub, Vancouver, BC 

NEW RELEASES: TIM WARFIELD - SPHERICAL: DEDICATED TO THELONIOUS SPHERE MONK; FRED FRITH / BARRY GUY - BACKSCATTER BRIGHT BLUE; ANTOINE FAFARD – AD PERPETUUM

TIM WARFIELD - SPHERICAL: DEDICATED TO THELONIOUS SPHERE MONK

Tim Warfield's eighth Criss Cross leader recording Spherical, which references the middle name of its primary subject, immortal jazz pianist-composer Thelonious Sphere Monk, is the tenor/soprano saxophonist's most idiosyncratic and personal document to date. To be specific, Warfield and an efflorescent quintet of virtuoso teamplayers (Eddie Henderson, trumpet; Orrin Evans, piano;Ben Wolfe, bass; Clarence Penn, drums) personalize six Monk compositions (Off Minor, Ugly Beauty, Oska T, Gallop's Gallop, Coming on the Hudson, and Round Midnight) and That Old Man (which Monk recorded as 'Children's Song'in 1964), as well as an original Warfield blues dedicated to Monk's first employer, Coleman Hawkins. All members improvise with a creative force that shows the depth of their engagement with the essence of these masterworks; the will to swing defines the proceedings throughout. ~ Amazon

FRED FRITH / BARRY GUY - BACKSCATTER BRIGHT BLUE

Two giants of the British improvisation scene work together here in a relatively recent recording – but one that shows that the creative imaginations of both players is alive and well! In fact, the performance, recorded in 2007, almost might stand equally nice to some of the 70s recordings by either musician – especially some of Frith's most interesting sessions – and the interplay between his electric guitar and the bass of Barry Guy is really wonderful – with lots of sonorous moments from either musician, and some complicated flutters of sounds and notes that resonate wonderfully. Titles run from 20 minutes to 44 seconds in length – and tracks include "Big Flowers", "Where The Cities Gleam In Darkness", "Moments Full Of Many Lives", "Walking On Wire", "Climbing The Ladder", and "The Circus Is A Song Of Praise".  © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.

ANTOINE FAFARD – AD PERPETUUM

Ad Perpetuum is bass player Antoine Fafard s third album of new work, and features Vinnie Colaiuta and Jerry De Villiers Jr throughout the collection. Colaiuta s extraordinary performances show why he is a true drum legend, while De Villiers Jr s beautiful tone and inspired guitar work will prove irresistible to all fans of jazz fusion.  Additional guests include keyboardist Gerry Etkins on three songs and saxophonist Jean-Pierre Zanella on another three tracks. Another significant contribution comes from Gary Husband, who features on the intense drum duet D-Day.  Vinnie Colaiuta and Jerry De Villiers Jr were involved in the Ad Perpetuum project from its inception. A two-day session booked with Vinnie for January 2014 provided the deadline for writing the material, giving Antoine a three-month window to compose all the pieces for the album. This was the first time that Antoine had been challenged to meet a specific deadline for a personal project.  The music on Ad Perpetuum encompasses a broad spectrum of grooves and atmospheres. A conscious effort was made to offer a multitude of tempos, time signatures, structures and harmonic variations in order to showcase the virtuosity of the players. De Villiers Jr s incredible guitar playing and tone brings a deep vitality to the music, while Colaiuta s playing is simply flawless. ~ Amazon