Steven Bernstein's MTO w/ Catherine Russell | "Good Time Music (Community Music, V2)"

Good Time Music is the second edition from Steven Bernstein's four volume "Community Music" series. Set for release January 7, 2022 on Royal Potato Family, the collection features special guest vocalist Catherine Russell on six joyous Bernstein arrangements of feel-good classics by Percy Mayfield, Allen Toussaint, Bessie Smith, WC Handy, Earl King and Professor Longhair.



"Good Time Music is a continuation of the music I was making with Levon Helm, with roots in Ray Charles, New Orleans, and the blues," Bernstein says, "but refracted through my own musical prism, the particular language of the MTO and Catherine Russell's magnificent voice."

Bernstein and Russell met in 2008 when Russell did a show at one of Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble's at his barn in Woodstock; later, she recorded her acclaimed album Sentimental Streak there, with Bernstein playing and arranging horns. Russell became a regular at the Ramble and cut the Harry Nilsson tune "Poli High" with Bernstein's band Sexmob the following year, followed by a few New York shows with the MTO.  She became part of the community.

The album's title comes from Lou Reed, who had just seen Helm's triumphant 2007 show at New York's Beacon Theatre.  Bernstein was in the band and recalls that "the audience went crazy." Reed's summation was a bit more subdued: "Oh, you know," he told his friend Hal Willner, "it was good time music."

"When Hal told me that story, I thought it was a put-down," says Bernstein. "But later I learned that Lou loved good time music—the kind where you just tap your foot and nod your head with a smile on your face—because he knew how important that is in the world.  And with Levon, I learned how beautiful it was to play that kind of music.  I thought it would be great to make a record of good time music.  So here it is."

Good Time Music draws on the feeling that Helm brought to the audiences at the Midnight Rambles, not to mention Bernstein's experience touring with Little Feat. And apropos to a theme that runs through all four "Community Music" volumes, there's that sense of music as healing. "It's always healing to play good time music—even if you haven't experienced loss," explains Bernstein. "Playing good time music feels good: the band feels good, the audience feels good, everything feels good."

"Yes We Can" is the very embodiment of good time music, and in the MTO's hands, with Russell leading the charge, it builds and starts to cook. It's the kind of collective journey that something only experienced musicians can conjure. "That's capturing lightning in a bottle," Bernstein says. "And it takes a lot of trust to get there." And listen to Ben Perowsky's drumming there—the guy is on fire."

Most of these tunes happen to be written by residents of New Orleans: Percy Mayfield ("River's Invitation"), Earl King ("Come On"), Allen Toussaint ("Yes We Can") and Professor Longhair ("Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand").  New Orleans music runs deep in Bernstein's bones: he's worked extensively not just with Henry Butler but with Allen Toussaint and Dr. John; he was originally taught trumpet in the style of Louis Armstrong, and, like Satchmo, he funnels his charisma and sense of humor into a stage presence that's as entertaining as it is commanding.

Which is just one connection to Catherine Russell: her father Luis Russell was Louis Armstrong's musical director in the '30s and early '40s; he also played with another New Orleans jazz originator, King Oliver.  (Russell's mother Carline Ray, a Juilliard grad, was a hotshot session bassist, sang in choruses conducted by Leonard Bernstein and played with the famed International Sweethearts of Rhythm.)

Russell sang backup with Steely Dan and David Bowie for years, as well as other blue chip artists such as Paul Simon, Madonna and Al Green before stepping out on her own as an acclaimed solo artist, recording seven albums and winning two Grammy nominations. Russell, a consummate professional, sang her vocals live with the band. "She's just the best," Bernstein says. "She's got a perfect mixture of science and intuition. She's an excellent musician: listen to her rhythm, every note she sings, it's perfect. There is no one else like her."

Why release four records at once?  Steven Bernstein's answer is succinct and definitive: "Because why not?"  The beloved virtuoso trumpeter, arranger, bandleader and composer has captured a typically superlative quartet of records under the rubric of "Community Music": Tinctures in Time, a collection of incantatory originals; the aptly titled Good Time Music with singer Catherine Russell; Manifesto of Henry-isms, re-imaginings of Bernstein's inspired arrangements for the brilliant New Orleans pianist Henry Butler & The Hot 9; and Popular Culture, a set of Bernstein-ian takes on The Grateful Dead, Charles Mingus, The Beatles and others.

All four records were played by essentially the same band, the Millennial Territory Orchestra—with the line-up slightly morphing into The Hot 9 for Henry-isms—in just four days, showcasing four different facets of this remarkable, one-of-a-kind maestro.

"Community Music" might have begun when Henry Butler passed in 2018 and then Bernstein's mother the following year.  Understandably, Bernstein began to consider his own mortality — and his musical legacy.  "I thought, 'While I'm still on the planet, I need to start documenting my arrangements," he says.  He won a Shifting Foundation grant (previous recipients include Bill Frisell, Craig Taborn and John Zorn) to do just that: document as many of his unrecorded and sometimes even unperformed arrangements as possible.

The band gathered at a Brooklyn studio in January 2020.  Every day, Bernstein made sure to lay out a nice spread. A band, like an army, travels on its stomach and the old friends would nosh and shoot the breeze for a while, then get down to work.  They'd rehearse each tune for 45 minutes or so, then do two takes with no Protools fixes and no Autotune.  "All the musicians are reacting to each other in real time, so you can't use any of those tricks," Bernstein says. "So this is exactly what happened: it's the music we played."

It's called "Community Music" because the musicians of the MTO have been working with each other in various combinations for decades, with Bernstein at the center of it all.  Bernstein has known pianist Arturo O'Farrill for well over 30 years and drummer Ben Perowsky for nearly 40; he's been playing music with saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum since they were twelve years old.  And he's known everyone else in the band for at least 25 years, starting when Bernstein moved from Berkeley to New York City in 1979 and soon found himself in the thick of the golden age of the downtown jazz scene, much of it centering around the Lounge Lizards, a band he eventually joined.

When musicians work with each other for that long, they develop what's often called telepathy but is really trust, a key concept in Bernstein's musical philosophy.  "Community Music" might be four separate albums, but it's also just one episode of a musical conversation that's been going on for decades.  "The reason all this music even exists is the honest communication we've developed over the years," Bernstein says.  "And not only are these people excellent musicians, they're distinctive players.  Those arrangements are written for the specific people who are playing them, and that's why it sounds the way it does."

The "Community Music" sessions incorporate the past into the present, making music that's a new kind of timeless."Levon's not here, and Henry's not here, and Hal Willner's not here, and Roswell Rudd's not here, and Lou Reed's not here," says Bernstein. "So I'm carrying forward all the stuff I learned from them, but through me, the way I look at it.  Hal used to say, as our favorite musicians were passing, 'It's up to us now—we need to make the music with the same intent as our heroes. We have to be our own heroes now.'"

The Millennial Territory Orchestra community are heroes in that sense but also in the way they've come together to make this essentially joyous music even in the face of misfortune. It's the spirit of the New Orleans second line, alchemizing sorrow into a celebration of life. "These records really aren't all about my loss," Bernstein says, "but that's also what's bonded this community in an even stronger way because those experiences have given us an even greater awareness of how sacred life is. You hear that in all of this music, whether it's a happy song or a sad song, you can hear the reverence we all have for life. We don't take these opportunities to play music together lightly." And you can hear that loud and clear on every note of every tune of the "Community Music" sessions. 

Matthias Lindermayr Trio | "Triptych"

Munich’s Matthias Lindermayr is one of Germany’s leading jazz trumpet players, renowned for his stunning solos and ability to cross genres. Having recently signed to Squama Recordings, he is set to release new album ‘Triptych’ on the 5th November, a mesmerizing body of work that has rich, magnetic power.

Having previously released two critically acclaimed albums with his quintet – ‘Lang Lang’ (2015) and ‘New Born’ (2018) – Lindermayr is joined by Philipp Schiepek (acoustic guitar) and Simon Popp (percussion) for ‘Triptych’, allowing him more freedom on his instrument. “In my previous bands, I always had the feeling that my strengths on the trumpet didn't always come into their own. In this line-up, there is finally a lot of room for me. Even quiet, nuanced things don't get lost in the hustle and bustle, and even when things get wilder we are at a dynamic level where the trumpet doesn't have to scream.”

With Lindermayr’s beguiling trumpet taking centre stage, the trio succeeds in creating a compelling sound palette deeply rooted in acoustic music and jazz. From the gentle rumblings of ‘Sanctuary’ where Lindermayr’s relaxed trumpet tones sit snug in the ear to the powerful, penertrating notes of ‘Triptych’ and the melancholic inflections of ‘Sanctuary’ and ‘Lola’, the Matthias Lindermayr Trio seek to create a deep tension in their compositions. “I wanted to write simple melodies that my fellow musicians could play immediately, so that they could concentrate even more on sound and interplay when rehearsing and recording. The other half of the pieces were two-part compositions that I had written for a duo formation, but whose character demanded a different instrumentation.”

Lindermayr is pleased to share new single ‘Lola’ (out now). “Lola is maybe the most soulful and quiet song on my upcoming record. Unlike my other tunes, it’s composed on guitar as a reference to past days, when I was writing Indie Pop Music. The name Lola is referring to my, back then, unnamed and unborn second daughter.”

Hasaan Ibn Ali's 'Retrospect In Retirement of Delay: The Solo Recordings'

Pianist Hasaan Ibn Ali (1931-80) was a local Philadelphia player who had an impact on John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner and many others. He took the larger jazz world by storm in 1965 when The Max Roach Trio Featuring the Legendary Hasaan was released on Atlantic Records. The label was so impressed, they set him up to record his own album later that year, but it was never mixed or released. Thirteen years later, the tapes went up in flames in a New Jersey warehouse. While the recordings were thought lost forever, copies were believed to exist. And they did! Once located, the audio was restored and released earlier this year as Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album. It has become one of the most critically acclaimed jazz albums of the year. 

But Ibn Ali’s story has a side not documented on either of those previous releases. Alan Sukoenig and saxophonist David Shrier were students at the University of Pennsylvania in 1962, when Shrier told Sukoenig about an incredible pianist he had just heard at a club. It wasn’t long before the three became friends. Over the next three years, Shrier and Sukoenig captured their soon-to-be-legendary friend on tape, playing standards and some originals.  

The best of these tapes are now collected on Retrospect in Retirement of Delay: The Solo Recordings, due out November 19, 2021 from Omnivore Recordings on CD and Digital. Produced by the team of Sukoenig, Lewis Porter, and Grammy®-winner Cheryl Pawelski, the two-CD/Digital set also features restoration and mastering by Grammy®-winner Michael Graves, essays by Sukoenig, Porter, and pianist Matthew Shipp, and previously unseen photos taken by Sukoenig. A four-LP vinyl version is due in 2022.  

These 21 tracks reveal the intimate side of Hasaan Ibn Ali, with poetic, imaginative, even breathtaking performances that the world hasn’t known existed. And for the first time, hear the unique magic of the artist playing standards. 

According to co-producer Sukoenig: “This release by Omnivore is the fulfillment of a 55-year dream. Over the history of jazz, there have been many fine musicians, but far fewer wondrous ones. Hasaan Ibn Ali is in that class. I've been listening to these solo improvisations for over half a century. Not only haven't they paled, the best of them have, if anything, become even more impressive. That’s exceedingly rare for improvised music, created in the moment for the moment. I’m so happy that I can finally share Hasaan’s solo recordings with the world.”

QUINTETO ASTOR PIAZZOLLA Launches First Major U.S. Tour, Celebrating 100 Years of Piazzolla

New Tango composer, player, and bandleader Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) left a challenging legacy.

His music is a lived-in mix of traditional tango, classical music, jazz, and even elements of popular styles such as Neapolitan song and klezmer. It can be lyrical, elegant - and coarse. It might sound logically designed, yet push forward with the bad disposition of street brawler. This music is a Piazzolla self-portrait in motion, constantly remade and reframed; a biography told in winks and nods, fleeting phrases, and unexpected turns.

His New Tango attracted admirers and collaborators from distant regions of the music universe, including classical luminaries such as Yo-Yo Ma, Mstislav Rostropovich, Gidon Kremer, and the Kronos Quartet; jazz masters such as Gerry Mulligan, Phil Woods, Gil Evans, Al DiMeola, and Gary Burton, and even dance music diva Grace Jones, who turned one of his pieces into a club hit.

To play this music, instrumental virtuosity is essential — but not enough. Piazzolla’s New Tango also demands a certain attitude, commitment, fearlessness, and an undefinable quality in the playing that he called roña, grime - the perfection of the imperfect.

For the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, the repertory ensemble of the Astor Piazzolla Foundation, the nightly challenge is not all on the music stand, but conjuring that spirit in the music.

Now on a tour of the United States, Celebrating 100 Years of Piazzolla, November 4 to 21, the group comprises tangueros and academics, classical and jazz musicians.They all know and speak in various musical languages. They are, in a word, Piazzolla musicians: Pablo Mainetti, bandoneón; Bárbara Varassi Peg, piano; Serdar Geldymuradov, violin; Armando de La Vega, guitar; Daniel Falasca, double bass; and Julián Vat, musical director.

“I am still amazed by Piazzolla’s music, and the more I hear it, the more I marvel at the genius of his synthesis,” says Vat, who has performed, arranged, and directed many performances of Piazzolla’s music in a variety of settings. “What he does with a small group of notes are great works of engineering and wisdom and talent. And it’s music with a big heart.”

Mainetti is one of his generation’s top players of the bandoneon, the expressive, melancholy-sounding button squeezebox that embodies the sound of tango. But he is also a composer, arranger, and bandleader in his own right. From the beginning, he says, the idea was to find the right balance to their interpretations: being exactingly true to the music without turning them into museum artifacts. “I had some versions of these pieces as a reference, but I quickly stopped listening to them so as not to end up parroting them.” Besides, he realized long ago, after spending time transcribing Piazzolla’s music, that "the notes on the paper and what he played on the records were two very different things."

He calls Piazzolla "a brilliant improviser," and points out that he left much room in the music for interpretation.

"When you mention 'improvisation,' most people think of jazz, but there are many ways of improvising,” says Mainetti. “You can improvise in this music – but in Piazzolla’s language.”  ~ © Mauricio Velez

Piazzolla was a master of the bandoneon -- but arguably, his great instrument was the quintet.

He organized his first quintet in 1960. Quinteto Astor Piazzolla featured bandoneon, violin, acoustic bass, piano, and electric guitar. It suggested a hybrid of a jazz band, a chamber music group, and a small tango orchestra and proved to be both nimble and powerful.

It was an outfit that raised eyebrows early on. For starters, a quintet brought to mind a jazz group, not your typical tango band -- and the inclusion of an electric guitar peeved tango traditionalists to no end.

Piazzolla led two major quintets, one from 1960 to 1971, the second from 1978 to 1988. Working with a steady group of musicians, even accounting for a few changes along the way, allowed Piazzolla to take chances in his music and write for specific players, not just instruments.

In fact, Mainetti credits much of the energy in Piazzolla’s music to “the great complicity with his musicians in the quintets, especially the second quintet. And that is something that also happens in this quintet. This is a fantastic group. And when we are going for it, it’s a great feeling to know that they are like a net and that if you do one pirouette too many and you find yourself heading down, face first, they will catch you.”

This Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, named in tribute to the original group, was organized in 1998. It was a request to Vat from Laura Escalada Piazzolla, the composer’s widow and president of The Astor Piazzolla Foundation. Since, the Quinteto has released four albums (including Revolucionario, winner of the 2019 Latin GRAMMY ® for Best Tango Recording) and has toured the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

Operation Tango, the new album being released on November 5, via E54 Music, marks a departure from the group’s previous efforts. The repertoire comprises pieces not written originally by Piazzolla for a quintet now arranged for this ensemble. The titles include “Tango Ballet,” an early Piazzolla piece for a film; “Tocata Rea,” and “Fuga y Misterio” from Piazzolla’s “little opera” Maria de Buenos Aires; and “Los Sueños,” from the soundtrack of the film Sur, and the choices stay true to one of Quinteto’s goals.

The idea is not just to focus on Piazzolla’s classics, says Vat. “Part of our mission is putting the spotlight on lesser-known pieces that we believe deserve to be heard.” 

Eric Wyatt | "A Song Of Hope"

As the follow-up to his 2019 release The Golden Rule: For Sonny, Eric Wyatt’s A Song of Hope is vastly different in both tone and intent. Where the former was a tour de force, a tribute to Sonny Rollins and a straight-ahead blast of bop, Wyatt’s new record is more adventurous, colorful, unpredictable, and wide-ranging. Both are beautiful, for some of the same—but also different—reasons. 

Wyatt says that his heightened performance on A Song of Hope is a response to being in Covid lockdown. “I think the energy you hear on this recording came from the fact that I hadn’t played out in so long, so I was really pushing the music. I didn’t play any gigs at all from February until July, when Spike Wilner gave me a gig at Smalls, one of those short one-hour sets. And then Mike Boone called me to play at a new club in Philly just a week before my record date. I did that gig on a Friday, and the next Thursday I was at Van Gelder Studios.”

A Song of Hope resonates like a team effort and serves as a healing balm for stressful times.  On songs like “Fur Live” and McCoy Tyner’s “Contemplation,” Wyatt, along with drum legend Jeff “Tain” Watts, together lay it all on the table. Bassist Eric Wheeler’s generous tones and agile lines keep things grounded, while Donald Vega’s keys bring freshness in his comping and excitement in his solos. 

As always, Watts underscores everything with tremendous dexterity. His presence elevates Wyatt, so much so that the duo’s playing suggests shades of a Coltrane/Elvin Jones tandem. Trumpeters Theo Croker and Chris Lowery, trombonist Clifton Anderson, and percussionist Kahlil Kwame Bell all contribute healthy doses of talent and taste. Elsewhere, as on the Breonna Taylor requiem “Say Her Name,” the lights dim, and the contrast is luminous. On Wyatt’s soulful take on Sting’s “Fragile,” with Wyatt on soprano sax, he invites singer Samara Joy, the 21-year-old winner of the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, to chime in, and she does so with drama and elegance. 

Recorded in a single session at Van Gelder’s historic Englewood Cliffs studio, A Song of Hope brings all the brio you’d expect from Wyatt and more. His intent to shine beaming rays of optimism across what was then a barren musical landscape is noble, fulfilling. In accomplishing that intention, the man and his saxophone embrace new ideas, expand the band’s musical boundaries, and create a vast and gratifying journey for the listener to enjoy. “When I listen back to this work, I’m amazed that we got it done,” he says. “But I wanted to give a message that we need to be hopeful, and music does have that quality in it. You know, you play a song, maybe you get a little smile from it. And if it does that for somebody, then I feel like I made a statement.”

Jay Nemor | "Electrified Alive"

Looks like we are hittin’ a milestone here. A little background has to be provided though, in order everyone to fully understand why it took us that long to put out this Album, which was already announced at the dawn of 2020. The ELECTRIFIED project started almost 2 (TWO) years ago, with the first vocal takes recorded a few days ahead of Cannonball Weekender in November 2019. Everything seemed fine and in good working order so the release date was planned and announced for june 2020. All self financed, self conceived and self realised in that style that’s a point of distinction of our small group of labels. Then the CVD damn thing kicked in. “So What?” some of you would be very entitled to ask. And, believe me, I’d be on the very same #sowhat lines as you, only that each member of our team reacted to the shitstorm in his very different and individual way. While folks all over the world were confined home setting up new ventures, creating new labels and dedicating themselves to something productive not to get psychologically annihilated by the media induced fear, our project was totally disrupted instead. It took the first wave to fade away to gather our stuff together and movin’ the production forward. Anyway, whatever the reasons, the album came ready and mixed by march 2021. So here we are. Further than the two acclaimed singles “Break Free” and “Sitting On Top Of The World, the tracklist includes 6 completely new songs, a smashing cover of Massive Attack’s “Unfinished Sympathy” and the rearrangement of the two classics “There Are No Winners” and “Mother Got A Way”. The style goes from modern funk experimentation to a more classic soul and a groovy electronic ender foreseeing the future of this beautiful music. 

Jay himself has written these beautiful lines to address the need of moving forward, whatever the circumstances:

“My brother (not by blood but love) said to me once ,”Jay, mi brethren, over di years I’ve known you, me come tuh realize dat you are a wealthy man. It amazes me, di wealth you’ve acquired in such a short life.” It took me a quick moment to follow…. I must admit, I have been truly blessed throughout my life. The spirits have indeed shown me favour. I am also well aware that I can’t take full credit for the adventures, accomplishments and progression I have experienced in my lifetime. As I take account, there’s always been a person(s) at every pivotal moment in my life that has been there to lend a hand in some form or another. Whether it was that time I was heartbroken, homeless, hitting that game winning shot, releasing my first album or stepping onto the theatre stage for the first time, I know without a doubt the spirits sent someone my way. I can and do however take credit for my unpredictable yet calculated zeal and willingness to change directions, try new things. That being said, I have come to the realization that I should never under any circumstance take anything nor anyone for granted, which leads me to express my utmost gratitude to each of you. Even if today is the first time you’ve come to hear the name Jason “Jay” Nemor Harden, thank you for taking the time to read these words. FORWARD MOTION… ~ firstexperiencerecords.com

Dizzy Gillespie & The United Nations Orchestra | "Live At The Royal Festival Hall, London"

Later live work from Dizzy Gillespie – working in London here with a very hip ensemble! We're not entirely sure of the date, but given the skinny ties on a few of the players, we're guessing it's from that 80s stretch when Dizzy was still going strong – working in a great mix of Latin and bop modes that's always kept fresh through his creative energies! Slide Hampton's on trombone – and also wrote most of the arrangements – and other players include Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Paquito D'Rivera on reeds, James Moody on sax and flute, Airto on percussion, and Danilo Perez on vocals – and Flora Purim also joins the group on vocals for a few numbers. Titles include "Kush", "Tanga", "Dizzy Shells", "Night In Tunisia", "Tin Tin Deo", "Seresta", and "Samba For Carmen". ~ Dusty Groove

Joni Mitchell | "Archives Vol 2 – The Reprise Years 1968 to 1971"

An amazing dip into the archives of Joni Mitchell – one that features the Reprise Records label in the title, but which features all unissued material recorded at the same time as her bigger classics for Reprise! There's a wonderful blend of material here – some live tracks, some demo cuts, and some really unusual recordings that even include a few apartment tracks – all brought together in a lovely box that includes archival photos, ephemera, and a 40 page booklet of notes! The set features a 22 track Live At Carnegie Hall set from 1969, a 23 track BBC In Concert recording from 1970 (with duets with James Taylor), and a 23 track Live At Le Hibou Coffee House in 1968 – plus material from sessions for Song To A Seagull, Clouds, Blue, and Ladies Of The Canyon. There's also 4 songs and an interview from the Dick Cavett Show, 3 tracks for BBC Top Gear with the backing of John Cameron, material recorded at Jane Lurie's apartment and at Mitchell's own home, and even more live cuts too. 122 tracks in all – and a fantastic look at Joni Mitchell during her key creative years! ~ Dusty Groove

Fran Nava | "Umkhonto"

Fran Nava is a bass player and composer of the local jazz scene in the city of Buenos Aires, born in 1984. He has performed at renowned festivals including Jazz BA in Buenos Aires, Jazz a la Calle in Uruguay, Jazz Festival SF in the city of Santa Fe, and played in many of the most important venues of the city like Virasoro, Thelonious Club, Usina del Arte, among others. Although he has participated in different albums, such as with the nonet Mingunos, and in projects as a session player and as a co-leader, Umkhonto is his first álbum as a leader.

The musical concept of the album is tied to intense variations, with high energy levels and strong interaction between the musicians, up tempos and different rhythmic modulations. To carry out  this idea, Fran Nava forms this sax trio with renowned jazz musicians from the city of Buenos Aires, such as Patricio Bottcher on tenor and soprano saxophone, and Venezuelan Omar Menéndez on drums. 

The five compositions joined in Umkhonto come from ideas and concepts worked in the ensembles together with the masters Sergio Verdinelli, Mariano Otero and Ernesto Jodos.

In the participation in the ensembles dictated by Verdinelli and Otero, called Ensamble de Groove Acústico, ideas and concepts related to rhythmic and tempo changes and modulations emerged, inserted in the language of jazz and within the composition; while in the ensemble of the Art of the Trio by Ernesto Jodos, the concepts of a strong musical interaction and a prolonged intensity in the composition were taken, as well as the concepts of Bill Charlap of giving continuity to an existing composition or of inserting himself with his own ideas in a composition already made.

Joshua Crumbly | "ForEver"

Bassist, producer, and songwriter Joshua Crumbly has released his sophomore full-length ForEver via figureight records — guests on the album include Shahzad Ismaily, Sam Gendel, Jay Bellerose, and more. So far, ForEver has been praised by Cool Hunting, Hypebeast, Popmatters, No Treble, WBGO, MXDWN, Under The Radar, and NPR Music, who spoke about the album on their New Music Friday podcast. 

Joshua is genre-blurring artist and sought after bassist who’s recorded and toured with artists like Kamasi Washington, Leon Bridges, Terence Blanchard, and Bob Dylan, performing in Dylan’s 2021 concert film Shadow Kingdom. Crumbly’s 2020 debut album Rise was met with praise from Hypebeast, Indieshuffle, Jazziz, WBGO, Earmilk, No Treble, Exclaim!, Glide, Ones to Watch, and The FADER, who said Rise featured “explosions of synths mixed with a driving drum pattern that has the dusty texture of a jazz lounge.” Though centred around the bass guitar, ForEver uses additional instrumentation with subtlety and grace.

Joshua made his musical debut aged 10, playing alongside his saxophonist father. A gifted performer, even as a pre-teen, he enjoyed mentorships with renowned bass players Reggie Hamilton (Whitney Houston, Seal) and Al McKibbon (Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins) before moving from LA to New York to attend the prestigious Juilliard music school. After years of honing his musicality alongside seminal players, Joshua finally embarked on recording his own solo pieces, beginning with 2020’s Rise. The starting place of ForEver quickly followed, beginning with encouraging words from friend and collaborator Shahzad Ismaily. 

“ForEver began with an out of the blue call from Shahzad,” Joshua explains “He told me that I needed to record a solo bass album. It started out as such, then I added some other instruments. It branched out even further when I reached out to a few friends, whose voice I was strongly hearing on particular songs. I’m grateful they were down to be a part of the record.”

figureight records is a creative project led by Shahzad Ismaily. The label has to date released records by múm founding member Gyda Valtysdottir, NYC super-producer Randall Dunn, Jon Hopkins and Brian Eno collaborator Leo Abrahams, Spotify chart-topping indie artist Toth, and more.

Kahil El’Zabar Quartet | "A Time For Healing"

‘A Time for Healing’, is the title track and first single from the forthcoming release by Chicago’s legendary spiritual jazz shaman Kahil El’Zabar’, leading an enviable ensemble of upcoming masters from his hometown.

Kahil El’Zabar's new album answers the urgent questions posed by his sold-out ‘America The Beautiful’, addressing the state of affairs today whilst calling for a better tomorrow

Joined by Isaiah Collier (saxophone), Corey Wilkes (trumpet) and Justin Dillard (keys), Kahil El’Zabar explores the gamut of Great Black Music in America, tracing its lineage through all the movements that’s flourished in Chicago, from the blues to R&B, soul, gospel, house music, spiritual jazz, and then back to all of its common African roots

GNP is a jazz trio featuring Tyler Giroux, Matt Niedbalski, and Dylan Perrillo

GNP is a jazz trio featuring Tyler Giroux on piano, Matt Niedbalski on drums, and Dylan Perrillo on bass.  Tyler, Matt, and Dylan have been playing together for several years.  They first began playing together at the Speakeasy 518 in Albany, New York, a cocktail bar known for its prohibition-era ambiance and live jazz.  Through countless gigs the trio grew together as a unit, playing as a stand-alone group as well as backing up instrumental soloists and vocalists. 

In 2020, a shared passion for original music led to the decision to record their debut album as a group, “Codes.”  “Codes” is a reference to the band’s musical communication, the unique vocabulary, and cues the group developed over years of playing and growing together.  The album consists of 9 original pieces composed by Tyler, Matt, and Dylan, as well as one standard, Gershwin’s “But Not For Me.”

MPS Records reissues six albums on vinyl and CD from its historic catalogue

Jazz lovers and record collectors have a lot to be thankful for as MPS Records is reissuing eleven albums on vinyl and CD from their historic catalogue this month. Germany’s first jazz label dropped six titles on Friday in North America via Edel Germany in partnership with Bob Frank Entertainment, including albums by Albert Mangelsdorff, Art Van Damme, Clark Terry, Joe Pass, John Taylor Trio and the Michael Naura Quartet.

Founded in 1968 by Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, MPS was the recording home for legendary artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, The Count Basie Orchestra and George Duke. Last summer, MPS reissued 31 albums on vinyl and CD, the success of which created the interest and

demand to reissue additional titles.

Mangelsdorff was a revolutionary experimentalist who developed the art of jazz polyphonics, an avant-garde technique in which he simultaneously blew and sang into his trombone. The German keeps fine company on “Albert Mangelsdorff and His Friends,” a stellar duets collection recorded over an 18-month span on which he is paired up with Don Cherry, Elvin Jones, Lee Konitz, Attila Zoller, Karl Berger and Wolfgang Dauner.

Van Damme was another innovator who changed the image of the accordion, proving that the instrument synonymous with polka could be cool when placed in a jazz setting alongside guitar and vibes. The trio of

instruments formed Van Damme’s swinging signature sound as captured on “Ecstasy,” which was recorded in 1967-68 utilizing MPS’s house rhythm section comprised of German bassist Peter White and Swiss drummer Charly Antolini.

Terry changed the perception of the flugelhorn, legitimizing it as a leading voice in jazz. Honored with a GRAMMY lifetime achievement award, Terry’s precise and prodigious horn interprets classic ballads on “Clark After Dark: The Ballad Artistry of Clark Terry,” along with the title track, an original penned by the trumpeter and Peter Herbolzheimer, who conducted the 50-piece orchestra that backed Terry on the album. The session illumined by 28 sweeping strings has a romantic, late-night vibe, an idyllic setting to

showcase Terry’s beautiful horn play.   

Regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of the twentieth century, Pass serves up a mix of standards and originals on “Intercontinental.” The trio, anchored by German acoustic bassist Eberhard Weber and British drummer Kenny Clare, recorded in MPS’s studio in 1970, swings through a set list spanning selections by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cole Porter, Michel Legrand, and Benny Goodman and his orchestra.

Considered one of the most important voices from the European jazz scene, pianist John Taylor emerged from playing in the house band at famed London nightspot Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club to concert performances and recording dates accompanying iconic jazz

artists and as a leader. Taylor’s trio, bassist Chris Laurence and drummer Tony Levin, rifle through a handful of Taylor’s wide-ranging compositions on “Decipher.” First issued in 1973, Taylor’s sophomore outing offers sumptuous tastes of the nimble noodler’s virtuosity amidst swinging rhythms and emotional melodies.

A freeform amalgam of jazz, rock and blues, the Michael Naura Quartet’s “Call” consists of eight originals written by Naura. The pianist was studying philosophy, sociology and graphic arts in Berlin when he formed his first band with vibraphonist Wolfgang Schlüter in the 1950s, a combo that mixed blues, bebop and European avant-garde. On this 1970 release, Schlüter is by Naura’s side along with frequent collaborator drummer Joe Nay. Weber played electric bass on this recording, Naura’s first after an eight-year gap, an album that reveals the bandleader in a new and different light.

 

Kristen Mather de Andrade | "Evergreen"

From the summery sounds of Brazil to the wintry sounds of the holiday season, clarinetist and vocalist Kristen Mather de Andrade’s prolific year continues with the release of her second recording project, “Evergreen,” due November 26. Mather de Andrade produced the five-song EP consisting of four “less obvious” Christmas carols and one original composition, each masterfully performed in a chamber music trio setting.

“Evergreen” arrives months after the summer release of Mather de Andrade’s critically hailed debut album, “Clarão,” an authentic multicultural outing fusing exotic Latin jazz rhythms and instrumentation, classical overtones and big band arrangements inspired by the artist’s ardor for Brazilian music. Mather de Andrade does a complete about-face stylistically on the warm and intimate seasonal EP, playing and singing holiday music in the company of pianist Yalin Chi and cellist Jules Biber.

“I have always loved holiday music - even more so now that I have lived away from my family for some time. This year seemed like the right time to get into the studio and record some of the carols that I love but are a little more off the beaten path,” said Mather de Andrade, a native of Youngstown, Ohio now based near New York City. 

The roots of “Evergreen” are a pair of selections arranged by Noah Taylor, a composer-arranger with whom Mather de Andrade worked a few years ago. He plied his skillful touch to “Riu Riu Chiu” and “Bring A Torch,” and Mather de Andrade built the rest of the set list around the opening tracks.

“I loved the arrangements so much that I thought they would be perfect to anchor this EP. Because I have always had my ear out for holiday arrangements that I found interesting, I knew that the versions of ‘The Holly and The Ivy’ and ‘Pat-A-Pan’ that we recorded would be nice additions to Noah's beautiful music,” said Mather de Andrade.

“Union Square” is an original tune written by Annie Pasqua who lends her voice to the exquisite song on “Evergreen.” It’s not exactly a holiday classic (yet), but to Mather de Andrade, it fits the EP’s nuanced theme aurally.

“‘Union Square’ is obviously an outlier in the mix, but the imagery that it conjured up for me and the style of the song seemed to me that it would fit well on the EP. I met Annie a few years ago and performed her song live after she submitted it to a call for scores for our chamber music group, Vent Nouveau (Mather de Andrade co-founded and serves as the group’s artistic director). We had the opportunity to showcase music by living composers that identify as female and Annie's song was selected for the performance. I have kept it in my mind since then, looking for the right opportunity to record it and work with her again,” said Mather de Andrade.

Mather de Andrade has been collaborating with Chi for almost fifteen years; both musicians are principal members and soloists in West Point’s Army Special Band.

“She's an amazingly expressive pianist, and I have been wanting to record something properly with her for years. Let's hope this is the first of many projects,” said Mather de Andrade, who in addition to her recording and performing career is an educator who has taught master classes and professional clinics at universities and conservatories, and presently serves on staff at Manhattanville College.

Mather de Andrade has already begun recording music for her second full-length album even as she continues to promote “Clarão.” She will perform music from the disc at the Jazz Forum in Tarrytown, NY on January 23. Also in the Latin jazz world, Mather de Andrade will be playing "Latin American Chronicles," a jazz clarinet concerto by Daniel Freiberg, in mid-February. Early next year, she will release a music video for a piece that she commissioned for clarinet and percussion by composer David Reeves titled “As Bright As The Skies Are Blue.” But first, Mather de Andrade hopes her holiday offering will be celebrated this year as well as for many Christmases to come. In fact, that desire inspired the EP title.

“I wanted to name it something that would match the music that I featured; something that would sound timeless.”

Gregory Goodloe | "In Paradise"

Amidst the tumult, uncertainty and loss brought on by the unprecedented times in which we live since the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve all imagined and yearned for escape, or at least for much better days. R&B-jazz guitarist Gregory Goodloe set his optimistic vision of hope and prosperity to music, writing his new single, “In Paradise,” with producer Jeff Canady. Recently serviced for playlist adds, the midtempo soul groove featuring the cool-toned, electric jazz guitarman’s loquacious, lyrical licks debuted as the most added new single on the Billboard and Groove Jazz Music charts.

Living though this historic period, Goodloe found the fears brought on by the pandemic, civil unrest and a divided nation to be rife with life lessons, inspiring the recalibration of priorities along with a renewed sense of appreciation.

“People and life itself became more important to me than ever. I learned that life is so fragile and delicate, and how much people matter to each other. I wanted to write a song that reflects on the beauty of life and the joy of experiencing it through music. The focus during the making of ‘In Paradise’ was my concept of living life free of fear and sadness,” said Goodloe who was accompanied on the Hip Jazz Records release by Canady on drums, keyboardist Demetrius Nabors, bassist Robert Skinner and rhythm guitarist Anthony Booker.

As a devout man of faith and a US Army veteran, Goodloe focused his fantasies on the beauty surrounding us, imagining a safe haven in an exotic locale where fears are assuaged by the majesty of nature’s splendor.

“I would imagine playing music on a sandy beach in front of a beautiful ocean surrounded with tropical trees, exotic plants and animals. The imagery allowed me to forget all worries and simply focus on creating beautiful music,” said Goodloe who has returned to playing shows in the Denver area where he resides.

“In Paradise” is Goodloe’s third single issued this year, following “Step’N Out” and “Somewhere Out There,” each of which will be included on his next full-length album. He takes regular breaks from recording the collection to host his own radio show, “Mile High Smooth Jazz,” which airs on Thursday and Saturday nights on World Wide Jazz Radio. Goodloe plans to perform at the internet radio outlet’s first anniversary bash in Las Vegas on January 25.

 

A crossover artist who derives stylistic influence from George Benson and Wes Montgomery, Goodloe notched his first Billboard No. 1 single two years ago with “Stylin’,” one of many tunes on which he has collaborated with GRAMMY-nominated songwriter-producer-saxophonist Darren Rahn with this single receiving over three million streams on Spotify. Among Goodloe’s other frequent collaborators are Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley, seminal urban-jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin and hit-making saxophonist Elan Trotman. Having served as musical director for R&B-pop group Surface and soul-jazz singer Aysha, Goodloe is at home in R&B, jazz and gospel circles. He has performed with or opened for Howard Hewett, Tank, Ben Tankard, Norman Brown, Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Michael McDonald, James Ingram, Roy Ayers, Shirley Caesar, Angela Spivey, John P. Key, The Rance Allen Group and fellow Denver native Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire fame.

The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 | Le Coq Records

Few jazz labels are able to launch with as impressive a roster already in place as Le Coq Records did when it released The Jazz All Stars Vol. 1 last January. A year later the imprint has more than lived up to the audaciously high bar set by that inaugural release, having built a stunning catalogue of releases by such greats as bassist John Patitucci, pianist Bill Cunliffe, saxophonist Rick Margitza, and vocalists Andy James and Tommy Ward.

To kick off what promises to be an equally remarkable year two, the label will release a second volume of its trademark “honest jazz” featuring its ever-growing family of brilliant musicians. Le Coq Records presents The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2, due out January 21, 2022, showcases not only the virtuoso musicianship of many of contemporary jazz’s most in-demand players, but this time out shines a brighter spotlight on the compositional gifts of Le Coq contributors like Cunliffe and keyboardist/arranger John Beasley, alongside aptly-chosen standards and jazz classics.

“The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 shows a little of everything Le Coq is about, from its compositional temperament to the high sonic quality,” says label founder Piero Pata. “, “There’s quite a mix of sounds and styles, and I feel that the album really shows off the talents of our wonderful artists. John Patitucci holds everything together magnificently so that Andy James’ gorgeous vocals and the dazzling solos of Chris Potter, Rick Margitza and Terell Stafford – just to name a few – can shine.”

Much of the roster on the new release has returned from Volume 1, including Cunliffe and Beasley; bassists Patitucci and Chris Colangelo; drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Marvin “Smitty” Smith; percussionist Alex Acuña; trumpeter Terell Stafford; saxophonist Margitza; guitarist Jake Langley and vocalist James, among others.

Volume 2 bolsters the line-up with such heavy hitters as saxophonists Chris Potter and Bob Sheppard; bassist Ben Williams; drummers Marcus Gilmore and Terreon Gully; trombonist Michael Dease; keyboardist Jon Cowherd; guitarists Russell Malone and Paul Jackson Jr.; and trumpeter Rashawn Ross.

This staggering stable of in-demand artists harkens back to the music’s golden age, a time when (jazz) giants walked the earth and crossed paths in myriad combinations under the auspices of their shared labels. Pata conceived of that model when he dreamed of gathering the greatest modern musicians to record for Le Coq.

“We wanted to get back to the old adage of having a pool of artists that could achieve anything the label required for its next goal,” Pata explains. “There are obviously many wonderful players we at Le Coq would love to record with. That will come, I hope!”

Like its predecessor, The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 features the label’s unique take on some classic favorites, both arranged by the Grammy-winning Bill Cunliffe and featuring the entrancing vocals of Andy James. The Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach standard “Yesterdays” is given a bold treatment perfect for James’ unsentimental nostalgia, highlighted by an eloquent Chris Potter solo. Horace Silver’s “Doodlin’” is propelled by the robust swing of bassist Chris Colangelo and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith, wonderfully matched by James’ sassy playfulness.

In addition to his striking arrangements, Cunliffe contributed most of the original compositions for the album and has been a key contributor to Le Coq since its early days. “Bill Cunliffe has been the backbone of the label’s writing talent since its inception,” Pata says. “He has been essential to the label’s vision of ‘honest jazz.’ His value has been enormous, especially on the big arrangements. He is wonderful at this style of writing. Maybe he has a foot in the past – but with a modern twist.”

Marcus Gilmore’s rollicking drums kick off the album on Cunliffe’s original piece “Whatever You Say,” soon joined by the sparring of Chris Potter’s tenor and Terell Stafford’s on trumpet. The composer’s arrangement summons the vigor and brio of a big band from the ensemble, setting the stage for the dancing agility of Cunliffe’s piano solo. Margitza’s breathy tenor conjures the mysterious atmosphere of “Witches,” a mood picked up and carried forward by Colangelo’s probing bassline. Cunliffe comps delightfully for Margitza’s sinuous solo.

The pianist makes direct reference to the pre-pandemic era on his wistful “The Before Times,” with its aching melody expressed beautifully by Terell Stafford. Grammy winner John Beasley contributes the funky, sauntering “Beasley’s Blues,” featuring incisive solos by guitarists Russell Malone and Paul Jackson Jr., a blistering turn by Dave Matthews Band trumpeter Rashawn Ross, and a bass solo by Ben Williams that digs deep.

Jake Langley’s shimmering guitar, Alex Acuña’s multi-hued percussion and Vinnie Colaiuta’s rock solid drumming lay the foundation for “Balinda,” with Margitza weaving the mesmerizing melody before spinning inventive variations in his solo. Patitucci and Marcus Gilmore take Cunliffe’s “Around the Corner” for a laid-back but robust stroll, with interlaced horn lines over top. The album closes with the lovely, swaying “Danse,” evoking lyrical solos from Colangelo, Cunliffe and Langley.

With a core of amazing talent now joined by a host of incredible new voices, Le Coq Records presents The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 offers a vibrant calling card for a label quickly taking its place at the vanguard of modern jazz. Best of all, there’s plenty more to come in 2022.

Nick Fraser Quartet | "If There Were No Opposites"

Acclaimed Toronto-based drummer and composer, Nick Fraser, leads this outstanding jazz quartet featuring New York saxophonist Tony Malaby, "one of the most distinctive artists of his time" (All About Jazz). The quartet is rounded out by two exceptional string players, Andrew Downing and Rob Clutton. This album, their debut on the HatArt/ezz-thetics label, is their fourth release, following Towns and Villages (2013), Starer (2016), and Is Life Long? (2018).

The quartet's music is deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, and comprises a series of Fraser's compositional sketches, points of departure for the inspired group improvisation at which these players excel. Tony Malaby's sinewy, impassioned tenor and soprano saxophone improvisations are practically without peer in contemporary jazz, and display a rhythmic imepetus that is complemented beautifully by Fraser's deft drumming. Clutton and Downing provide, by turns, a thick, shifting field of harmonic support and melodic invention. The work of this group is a high water mark in Canadian jazz and creative music.

Nick Fraser is a member The Lina Allemano Four, Eucalyptus and Peripheral Vision (among many others) and has collaborated with many luminaries, including Anthony Braxton, William Parker, Marilyn Crispell, Roscoe Mitchell, David Binney, and Donny McCaslin. For ten years he led Drumheller, a quintet who released four critically acclaimed CDs.

Composition. Improvisation. In recent times, the relationship between the two has been deliberated, often in binary terms, to the point of exhaustion. But if we shut up and discuss them no further, we might as well give up talking about jazz, since the point where the two methods connect is to the music what flint and steel are to campfires. Without that starter, you have no blaze.

Based in Toronto since 1995, Nick Fraser has learned jazz from both inside and out. He’s drummed with free-leaning musicians such as Lina Allemano and Marilyn Crispell; as a long- time participant in the Ottawa Jazz Festival’s jam sessions, he’s kept the groove for Joe Lovano, Wynton Marsalis, and countless other establishment jazz figures. His heart lies with the unscripted moment. “I've always loved the act of improvising,” avows Nick Fraser, “and the more improvised parts of jazz music are usually my favorite parts.”      

But that doesn’t mean that he neglects the rest. Fraser has composed for every band he’s led or co-led. He has also adapted his material to the rigorous requirements of the Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, a Calgary-based dance company directed by Kimberly Cooper. A couple of the pieces on If There Were No Opposites, the quartet’s fourth album, were adapted from compositions for DJD productions. But while the original versions of “Shoe Dance” and “The Fashion Show” had to adhere to rigid timing requirements in order to coordinate with the rest of the stage production, the quartet lets the music flow in more free-wheeling fashion.

The quartet first recorded in 2012, and its personnel has never changed. New Jersey-based saxophonist Tony Malaby was originally billed as a special guest, but now he is simply one of the band. This is not a demotion, but an acknowledgement of how essential he is to the group’s sound. By turns agile and burly, his playing reliably turns up the heat on whatever the rest of the ensemble is cooking. Says Fraser, “There's a sense I get when I play with Tony of him taking the entire band on his back and saying, ‘Here we go!’”

Cellist Andrew Downing and bassist Rob Clutton are fellow Canadians, and Fraser has long histories with both of them. Clutton, who was in Drumheller, has been an associate for over twenty years. “I've never made an album as a leader with a bass player other than Rob.” Downing, who also plays with Fraser in the Lina Allemano Four, could have been the second. “He plays bass, he plays cello, he composes, he plays classical music, jazz, various folk musics and more, but never in a merely ‘professional’ way. He is always deeply musically and emotionally invested in the music he makes.” Enamored with the sound of Bill Dixon’s Vade Mecum records and Ornette Coleman’s final quartet, Fraser originally invited him to play the bull fiddle, but Downing said that he’d rather play cello, and the way he toggles between melodic and rhythmic roles while occupying his own pitch zone constantly validates that decision. Fraser has also drummed on recent recordings led by both Clutton and Downing, and their collective rapport facilitates the quartet’s countercurrents of flow and undertow.

Close listening and empathy enable the quartet to find a gravitational center during the album’s opening moments. “Improvisation (Part 1)” represents new ground for the quartet. “This band doesn't normally play entirely improvised music, but at the end of the session, we decided to.” A thicket of pizzicato strings and sparse stickwork rustles around Malaby’ coarse, probing tenor, ultimately cohering into a turbulent stream. Soprano and cello take the melody of “Sketch #50” at a breakneck pace; as the band slaloms through its switchbacks, different instruments re-introduce it, as if to renew a shared sense of direction. Here and elsewhere, Fraser’s drumming expands the sound field, forming a constantly changing perimeter that reflects the band’s energy back into the music. “I usually have the least prescribed material of any of us,” he confesses; instead, he completes the music as it happens.

Fraser originally wrote “Shoe Dance” for the DJD production, Juliet & Romeo. “The choreography featured 4 or 5 dancers with shoes on their hands, like puppets. It's a boogaloo, inspired by two of my favorite drummers — Billy Mintz and Paul Motian.” “Table 49, The Rex Hotel, Toronto” is the 49th in Fraser’s series of compositional sketches, but the name also applies to the table where musicians congregate at the longest-running jazz club in Toronto.

The title of “The Bulldog and the Capricorn” derives from nicknames for Malaby and Kris Davis. But the tune’s call and response dynamic, with quizzical cello-soprano unisons greeting Clutton’s solemn bass statements, can be taken as a structural reflection of another meaning embedded in the title. Explains Fraser, “A "Mexican Bulldog" is a margarita with an open beer bottle upside down in it, so it fills up with beer as you drink it. It's a challenge to drink, although you can always go with a straw if you're having trouble.” “The Fashion Show” has been in the quartet’s book for a while. In this performance, a couple minutes of free improvisation that takes cues from Clutton’s rough-timbred bowing resolve into a tense negotiation of the winding theme. The album ends where it began; "Improvisation (Part 2)" is actually the second half of the performance that opened the album. 

~Bill Meyer, Berwyn, January 2021 

Shannon Gunn | "On A Mountain"

On July 31st 2020, the world lost a brilliant vocalist and composer. Shannon Gunn had been a fixture on the Canadian jazz scene for decades up until her untimely passing. Her reputation as a musician’s musician ensured a particular kind of reverence from her fans, fellow artists and several generations of students. Although her work was well known to her enthusiastic live audiences, she had never released an album of her own. On A Mountain, recorded in 2002, should go a long way toward filling this gap and allowing the world to get a rare glimpse of this compelling artist at the top of her form.

Shannon grew up in Vancouver where she studied classical piano. As her musical direction shifted to jazz she developed a successful singing career in Western Canada. She subsequently moved to Toronto where she drew the attention of many of that city’s top musicians. Shannon’s work as an educator had always paralleled her performing career. She was as gifted a teacher as she was a singer and made a huge impact on the many students who crossed her path in both cities.

Shannon’s singing demonstrated incredible facility and expressiveness, as well as a deep awareness of the musical interplay in a band. She honed a highly personal style that hearkened to the great jazz singers yet was unquestionably her own. Renee Rosnes, who served as pianist and producer for this recording, comments, “Shannon had a vulnerability that came through in her singing which translated to an emotional, truthful rendering of the lyric.”

The choice of material and musicians are a reflection of Shannon’s impeccable taste and high standards. Rosnes brought a wealth of experience and a long association with the singer: “My friendship with Shannon goes back to my late teens when we both lived in Vancouver. We shared many memories together on and off the stage. She was smart, talented, beautiful, humble, empathetic and genuine: a person who communicated from her heart with no pretense.”

Along with Rosnes, this this group contains many of the world’s top jazz musicians, all of whom were ideally suited to communicating Shannon’s vision. Swainson says, “Those qualities of empathy, honesty and courage were all there in her music. She was a fantastic musician.” Adds Turner, "I always loved playing gigs with Shannon because she would always have new material, beautiful, sometimes complex arrangements.”

Gurrumul's | "The Gurrumul Story"

Born blind, the Indigenous Australian singer/songwriter Gurrumul (1971-2017) grew up on Elcho Island (Galiwin'ku), off the coast of tropical North East Arnhem land in Australia’s Northern Territory. 

A member of the Gumatj clan and a speaker of the indigenous Yolngu language, Gurrumul’s songs describe identity and spirit, connection with the land, the elements, and the ancestral beings to whom he is related. His fragile but uniquely emotive high-tenor voice and aura-like persona elicit feelings of peace and longing in listeners. 

Gurrumul first came to the world’s attention when his self-titled debut album Gurrumul was released to international acclaim in 2008. His angelic voice connected with fans the world over, including such notable figures as Elton John, will.i.am, Sting, Gary Barlow, Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder. 

To date, over half a million Gurrumul albums have been sold worldwide. He has won nine ARIA awards, and was posthumously named Australian Artist of the Year in 2018. Following a long battle with illness, Gurrumul passed away in 2017 at the age of 46. 

THE GURRUMUL STORY is the first ever collection of Gurrumul’s most enduring and popular songs. To be released by Decca Australia/Universal Music Canada, the collection will be available on digital platforms, CD, Deluxe CD+DVD and on vinyl in September 2021. 

The anthology contains alternate versions of two of Gurrumul’s most popular songs. ‘Wiyathul (Longing For Place)’ is a brand new, orchestrally-augmented version of ‘Wiyathul’ – the song that thrust Gurrumul into the limelight back in 2008. This new version will be accompanied by a new music video (the song’s first official music video) that was filmed in May 2021 on Gurrumul’s home of Elcho Island and features local dancers interpreting the song’s lyrics through the movement of their totemic dance. 

Also included on the album is a rare duet version of the song ‘Bayini’, from Gurrumul’s sophomore album Rrakala, featuring a touching contribution by Australian singer/songwriter Sarah Blasko.

The Deluxe CD+DVD Edition of THE GURRUMUL STORY contains a 25-minute documentary that chronicles Gurrumul’s rise to fame and four studio albums, as well as a selection of music videos.

The Honeyshotz | "Lovin' You"

The Honeyshotz is a band/project put together by Ian Stevens, the bass player from The Getup (Breakin Bread) and The King Rooster (Funk Night Records) as a vehicle to record and perform a collection of songs that were written by himself and some of the other musicians involved.

The band features Mark Claydon of The Getup / The King Rooster on drums and percussion and Lee Blackmore of The Getup on guitar. The man on the keys is Toby Kinder from The Gene Drayton Unit (Freestyle Records) and the vocals are taken care of by Sabina Challenger (formerly of The Getup and The Soul Grenades).

Additional musicians that appear on the album are Mark Norton, known for his work in The Fantastics (BBE) and The Gene Drayton Unit, on sax and flute, Freddy De Lord on sax, Tristan Gaudion and Achilleas Anastasopoulos on trumpet.

The songs are very much in the vein of The Brand New Heavies and have that summertime Acid Jazz / Soul Funk Vibe.

“This Honeyshotz project is a body of work that excited me the first time I heard it, a few years ago. Therefore, once I knew the Superfly label was launching, these tracks were something at the forefront of my thoughts. Having caught up with Ian Stevens and Mark Claydon, it didn’t take too long for us to agree on how to move this forward. This project is very different from the label’s popular first release from The Organauts but we know is one that will excite all of you every bit as much, if not more.” – Pete Brady (Superfly Funk & Soul Club).

War | "Greatest Hits 2.0"

A double-stuffed collection of work from the legendary War – one of the hippest soul groups on the Cali scene of the 70s, and one who just kept on making great music as the years went on! This expanded collection is a great testament to the group's genius – and the way they started out mixing together jazz, Latin, and funk elements with a special Los Angeles spin – then successfully brought in some clubbier elements in the late 70s, but all without ever falling into the disco cliches of so many of their contemporaries! Throughout the years, War remained a group with impeccable musicianship and a deep sense of soul – as you'll hear here on a set of gems that includes "Me & Baby Brother", "The World Is A Ghetto", "Get Down", "Spill The Wine", "Slippin Into Darkness", "All Day Music", "Gypsy Man", "Why Can't We Be Friends", "Cisco Kid", "LA Sunshine", "Low Rider", "Galaxy", "Outlaw", "You Got The Power", "Cinco De Mayo", "Smile Happy", "So", "Summer", "Don't Let No One Get You Down", and "Tobacco Road".  ~ Dusty Groove

André Carvalho | "Lost In Translation"

Double Bassist/composer André Carvalho, originally from Lisbon, Portugal and residing in NYC since 2014, is proud to present his fourth recording as a leader, Lost In Translation, to be released October 15 on Outside In Music, and featuring his trio of internationally acclaimed musicians, saxophonist José Soares, guitarist André Matos and special guest, João Almeida (trumpet). 

The revered philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein said that, "the limits of my language mean the limits of my world". A sentiment wholly endorsed by Carvalho. He elaborates, “if it is a fact that there is, and probably always will be, a gap between meaning and interpretation, emotion and intention, it is also true that by expanding our lexicon, we automatically increase our expressive capacity. If there is no such word in our language, it does not mean that there isn’t in another. These words have the potential to open up our minds for new perspectives, and to cultivate our imaginations! The world is bigger and deeper than what we really know and the mental projection we create of it, that is, our reality. That is why, I believe that as we learn new words, our conscience becomes more sensitive to others, we become more empathetic, and ultimately our world becomes richer. These so-called untranslatable words entered my world and inspired me to write a new cycle of compositions.” 

Musically, the song cycle that comprises Lost In Translation was also born from the influences that Carvalho has absorbed in recent years, including being part of the New York City jazz scene, which continues to leave a huge impression on the bassist, and also regular travel for performances to many countries. As a composer, Carvalho’s relentless search for new sounds has led him to discover and explore musical avenues such as improvised music, experimental and contemporary classical music. Lost in Translation embraces the unknown, by having a very strong improvisational and spontaneous component, making each performance completely unique to this ensemble, and this recording. 

“It’s unquestionable that music is a language, and curiously a universal one. From the most remote tribes of Papua New Guinea to the cosmopolitan and avant-garde movements of large cities, music serves as a vehicle for communication and interaction. It’s this link between language and music, unique words and unique musical moments that Lost in Translation explores. If learning a new word is, by itself, already a rewarding and exciting thing, if we add music to this learning process, the experience will surely be enhanced. These particular words inspired me to research and learn more about different cultures and, just as I had an epiphany when learning them, I would like this new cycle of compositions to generate the same kind of sensation in the listener,” said Carvalho.

André Carvalho’s credits are in abundance, his pedigree unassailable, having worked with Chris Cheek, Will Vinson, Ian Froman, Colin Stranahan, André Matos, Tommy Crane, Vinnie Sperrazza, Mário Laginha, Billy Mintz, Maria João, Gilberto Gil, European Movement Jazz Orchestra, among many others. The Fulbright grantee (with a Master of Music in jazz performance at the Manhattan School of Music) has also worked extensively outside the jazz world with the Ibero-American Orchestra (under Gustavo Dudamel), Anton Webern Orchestra (under Franz Welser-Most and Heinrich Schiff), Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra (under Michael Zilm), among others, as well as contemporary ensembles such as Octothorpe. His interest in Fado, Portugal’s traditional music, led him to perform with important names of this genre, such as Carlos do Carmo and Cristina Branco.  

His first two albums, Hajime and Memória de Amiba showed Carvalho's highly personal perspective in music featuring an original blend of contemporary jazz with elements from Portuguese music. Both projects received rave reviews from Portuguese and International critics. Carvalho was awarded the "Carlos Paredes" prize in 2012, a prestigious honor that recognizes Portuguese music projects, as well as a "Best Group" recognition in the Bucharest International Jazz Competition. With his previous recording, The Garden Of Earthly Delights, Carvalho presented an inspired aural universe, inspired by the enigmatic work of the artist Hieronymus Bosch, particularly one of his most famous paintings – “The Garden of Earthly Delights” (1490-1510, housed in the Museo del Prado in Madrid). AllAboutJazz asserted that Carvalho’s compositions are, “impressively well-structured”, and that, “his writing offers scope for different textures and layers of sound that often give the sensation of a much larger ensemble, but he’s not afraid to give space to just one or two players at a time, creating some memorable performances as a result,” and JazzTrail stated that Carvalho’s “attractive compositional voice [is] well founded in the modern trends of jazz.” 

In recent years, Carvalho has also been performing intensely around Europe, performing as a bandleader and sideman in Portugal, Spain, Austria, Germany, Finland, Switzerland, England, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Serbia, Romania, as well as in the U.S. and Egypt.

Bob James Trio | "Feel Like Making LIVE!"

Feel Like Making LIVE! is a celebration of Bob’s unique artistry and reflects a storied career that stretches back 58 years. James is reunited with the piano trio format, which was how the Grammy-winning Missouri-born musician began his professional music career back in 1963. Consisting of bassist Michael Palazzolo along with drummer Billy Kilson, their blend of youth and experience is an exciting combination on Feel Like Making LIVE!, an album which reaches back in time to embrace Bob James's musical roots, but it's a retrospective with a difference: it was recorded live in the studio. James and the trio's performance is captured on a unique audio-visual release utilising the best available filming and recording standards, including Dolby Atmos sound and 4K ultra high definition video. It is a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.

James serves up tasty morsels from different phases in his career. They range from the much-loved gentle ballad, 'Angela,' which the pianist wrote for the long-running US sitcom, Taxi, starring Danny DeVito, to the iconic '70s jazz-funk groove, 'Westchester Lady.' He also revisits the '70s with the eerie 'Nautilus,' originally a relatively obscure cut on James' first CTI album, One, but which gained fame after being sampled myriad times by a plethora of hip-hop artists. James is still amazed at the song's longevity. "It's been such a crazy thing that's taken place with a song that no one was paying attention to when I first recorded it in 1974. So it came as a shock to me, 20 years later, to discover that the rappers and the hip-hop community had found it and given the groove a life of its own." Another gem lifted from James's back pages is his mellow instrumental reading of Roberta Flack's hit, 'Feel Like Making Love,' which appeared on his first CTI album and helped to launch the pianist's solo career in 1974. James's trio also throws in some musical surprises on Feel Like Making LIVE!, reconfiguring Elton John's 'Rocket Man' into an old school-style blues number and giving UK chanteuse Petula Clark's 1964 chart-topper, 'Downtown', a jazz-meets-classical music makeover.

This new jazz trio live-studio recording audio products will be released by evosound on January 28, 2022 and will be available in five different physical formats: 180gram Limited Numbered orange double vinyl LP, SACD, MQA-CD, MQA-CD + blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray. The hybrid SACD includes the DSD stereo and 5.1 surround sound for the ultimate sound quality experience. MQA is an award-winning technology that delivers the sound of the studio. MQA-CD plays on all CD players. The live in-the-studio recording was stylishly filmed in 4K and recorded in high resolution audio and is available in Ultra HD blu-ray, which includes immersive sound with Dolby Atmos in Dolby TrueHD and Auro 3D. The album will also be available in Hi-Res digital audio 96kHz / 24bit stereo formats. Bonus tracks and in-depth interviews are also included.