Leo P | "Comin' Up Aces"

Imagine the scene: A full orchestra graces the stage on the elegant set of the prestigious classically-oriented BBC Proms. The orchestra’s drummer hits a dance beat and out strides a pink-haired baritone sax player honking in rhythm, executing James-Brown style wiggles as he plays, dancing, gesturing, mugging. The orchestra conductor and audience are at first startled, then amazed and finally delighted as Leo P tears the house down, interpolating a hot version of the Charles Mingus classic “Moanin’” along the way. Flash back to the year before. The Dixie Chicks and Beyoncé are backed by the house band performing their version of Beyoncé’s “Daddy Lessons,” when out steps a platinum-blond baritone sax player, wiggling and honking toward Beyoncé who wiggles her hips back in return. Who was that masked man and where did he come from? Only a couple years before you would have found him in the New York City subways backed by a drummer or sometimes a couple horn players, gob-smacking and delighting the most jaded New Yorkers with his manic dancing and playing. YouTube videos of these performances garnered tens of millions of views. It’s a reminder that quality music can be joyous fun, an unfiltered, unmannered outpouring of human spirit. The magic of Leo P did not go unnoticed by the gaming world either. In fact, Leo successfully sued Epic Games for its unauthorized use of Leo’s likeness and signature dance moves in the Fortnite “Phone It In” emote. Leo P, whose Too Many Zooz band has been touring the world, now steps forward with his debut solo album Comin’ Up Aces, due out November 4, 2022 on Shanachie Entertainment. Comin’ Up Aces presents Leo P as an artist who takes the baritone saxophone where no baritone sax player has gone before on a set of rich jazz-funk that aims to make jazz danceable again.

The high-energy dancing, theatrics and sound effects of a Leo P performance are irresistible but none of that can be delivered on a studio recording; the music itself must carry the day. On Leo P’s debut solo recording on Shanachie, the aptly titled “Coming Up Aces,” the music—a joyous amalgam of funk and jazz—does exactly that. “Don't let his over-the-top performances fool you,” says Shanachie’s VP of A & R Danny Weiss. “Leo P plays with the depth and passion of the jazz greats. Oh, and he's also revolutionized the baritone sax!”   

Comin’ Up Aces is a compelling showcase for Leo P’s exceptional blowing as well as a fulfillment of his goal to deliver high-quality musicianship in an earthy, accessible package that is very different from his work with his band Too Many Zooz. “Too Many Zooz is very aggressive and high energy,” Leo notes.” As I got older I wanted to play a little more melodically and build my solos more deliberately and not play everything I know in a solo but take my time and be more emotional. For this album I wanted a few different types of grooves: funky, bluesy, salsa…different feels.”

Produced by Leo’s good friend, Brooklyn-based producer Tom Wilson, Comin’ Up Aces makes good on Leo’s intention with seven tasty originals and compelling versions of such classics as Charles Mingus’ “Goodbye Porkpie Hat,” Les McCann and Eddie Harris’ “Cold Duck Time” and Earth Wind & Fire’s “Serpentine Fire.” Galactic drummer Stanton Moore delivers the New Orleans funk on “Issa's Blues,” hit-making saxophonist Richard Elliot, formerly of Tower of Power and The Yellowjackets, graces “Cold Duck Time," along with trumpeter Eric "Benny" Bloom of jamband faves Lettuce. The title track is inspired by Maceo Parker, another inspiration.

We did "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” because Mingus is definitely someone I love, his compositions and the freeness of his bands," Leo relates. “I had done “Moanin’” by him at the BBC Proms where people got to know me more as a player. So I wanted to do something by Mingus in my own style but something other than “Moanin’. I did “Cold Duck Time" because I love Eddie Harris; he’s one of my favorites. There are many great players who influenced me and Edie Harris is one of those people. He showed me that there doesn’t need to be many changes; I love to groove! I’m glad I studied bebop and harmony because it is a great foundation but it’s okay to play over two chords.”  

“Issa Blues” reflects Leo’s love of New Orleans music. “The first time I went to New Orleans it was my 21st birthday," Leo says. “You can imagine how that worked out! It was the first time I was introduced to brass bands, like Rebirth Brass Band and TCB Brass Band. I saw a bunch of people playing in the street and thought ‘wow, it’s amazing’ because there were no guitars or keyboards or singing but everybody was partying and dancing, as opposed to New York where people would say 'ssshhh…listen to the solo.' We went on tour with Galactic; Stanton Moore is incredible so we got him on the record." Throughout the new album, Leo’s playing on baritone saxophone is a revelation and not simply because it is rare to hear so much soloing on the instrument. He plays notes that are not normally a part of the instrument’s range and with a fluidity and dexterity that is stunning. All in all, Comin’ Up Aces is a great marriage of chops, feeling and groove.

Leo P was born Leo Pellegrino in Pittsburgh, PA. He initially started playing clarinet at a young age, performing polkas with his father, an accordion player. Hearing the music of John Coltrane sparked an interest in saxophone, which he began playing in high school ensembles, though he still played clarinet and took classical lessons. When the baritone saxophone player became unavailable in the school ensemble, Leo took up the instrument and found that it had a unique appeal. He moved to New York in 2010 to attend the Manhattan School of Music on scholarship. At times he found the formalism of the school confining and some professors did not appreciate his unconventional way of playing and performing, not to mention his edgy fashion sense. Playing in the city’s jazz clubs seemed limiting also—especially for very little money. He figured he could do better money-wise playing in the subways with the added bonus that his audience was literally people from all walks of life. Playing sometimes solo and other times backed by a drummer or a couple horn players, Leo’s manic energy and spectacular dancing while blowing continuous rhythmic charged riffing captivated people. He presented as an alternative rock musician but he was playing instrumental, jazz-rooted music. Videos of his subway performances hit YouTube, went viral and soon he had millions of viewers worldwide. Those videos led directly to him being invited to perform at both the BBC Proms and the CMA awards show. Meanwhile, he formed two bands, Too Many Zoos, self-described as a “Brass House” band mixing jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, funk EDM and house music. and Lucky Chops. Too Many Zoos began touring widely in America and Europe and had their song “Warriors” featured in an international commercial for the Google Pixel 2; they also scored a Song of the Week on the BBC taken from their several EP and album releases.

Leo’s interest in edgy fashion is obvious and it is likewise unsurprising that his high energy performing style has evolved into a serious work-out regimen. He even posted a couple of workout videos on the Too Many Zoos channel. “Often musicians don’t care how they look,” Leo says. “But I think the visual is just as important in a performance as the music because when you go to a show you don’t say you go to hear a show you say you’re going to SEE a show. There are bands I don’t necessarily like who I love the way they look. Even Kiss for instance; they had a fantastic look that you remember. I always wanted attention. I used to be skinny but now I want more defined muscles now that I’m in my early 30’s. When I was playing in the subway I wasn’t working out because I was playing and dancing for hours. Now I’m touring so I work out every day. I like the natural high and the energy.”

It’s no surprise then that Leo wants his music to reach the widest possible audience, something many jazz musicians don’t aspire to. “I want to bring the party back to jazz. I want to make people dance. I want to wear badass suits and look cool as hell and present something special to people that they will always remember!”

Arild Andersen Group | "Affirmation"

In November 2021, bassist Arild Andersen brought his new quartet with saxophonist Marius Neset, pianist Helge Lien and drummer Håkon Mjåset Johansen to Oslo’s Rainbow Studio. Norway’s pandemic travel restrictions having ruled out the participation of Manfred Eicher on this occasion, the musicians were on their own, ostensibly to document some of Arild’s pieces. On the second day of recording, Andersen proposed some collective improvising: “With nothing planned, we recorded a first part of about 23 minutes, and a second part of about 14 minutes." These extended arcs of music became the new focus of the album. “Affirmation Part I” and “Affirmation Part II” are presented, unedited, in their entirety. The album is completed by Andersen’s composition “Short Story." 

“Although the quartet had given quite a few concerts, and we’ve played together a lot, we’d never previously done a full set of just improvising. The idea of listening before you play is so present here, as is the way in which everybody comes up with ideas where interplay is the focus. I called the album Affirmation, where you have to trust yourself and trust the others just as much.” 

Freely improvised music, of course, has long been part of Andersen’s work method, all the way back to collaborations with Jan Garbarek and Edward Vesala in the Triptykon project, or the energetic interaction in Sam Rivers’s trio in the early 1970s. Now his new group also rises to the challenge in its own way, subtly finding and shaping forms in the moment. For the listener’s convenience, index points indicate where the music takes on a new direction. But the best way to hear Affirmation is to follow it from the outset. 

Andersen’s bass sets ideas in motion from the first moment of “Affirmation Part I," ideas soon embellished by Lien’s rippling piano and Mjåset Johansen’s gentle splashes of cymbal colour. When Neset enters, initially to meditate on an iterative motif, Andersen envelops it in an almost orchestral embrace, first with bowed bass then briefly with his pedal-generated sounds, blending acoustic and electronic timbres. The music keeps unfolding.  

The quartet has a lot of options at its disposal. The musicians know how to use space, how to hold back and maintain tension, but each of them also has a strong rhythmic sensibility. All four of them are driving the ensemble, in fact, and equally all four are soloists; together, they reach some powerful peaks. “Affirmation Part II” takes off from Mjåset Johansen’s drumming, soon developing into a lively three way conversation with Andersen and Lien before Neset’s entrance, intensifying the energetic feel – maintained until the final section of the improvised music which unwinds in an elegiac atmosphere. Andersen’s “Short Story," a strongly melodic piece, concludes the album. 

Arild Andersen has been an ECM recording artist since 1970, making his debut with the Jan Garbarek Quartet on Afric Pepperbird, long regarded as a classic of the new jazz. Acknowledged as one of the great jazz bassists – “my goal has always been to make the double bass sing” – he’s also an insightful bandleader whose ensembles over the decades have brought many significant improvisers to a wider public. In the present Andersen Group, Arild (born 1945) is joined by Norwegian players of the next two generations – Helge Lien and Håkon Mjåset Johansen (both born in 1975) and Marius Neset (born 1985). Neset and Lien are also bandleaders in their own right, and Mjåset Johansen is one of the most in-demand drummers on the scene, working across a wide range of contexts in groups large and small. 

Marius Neset has been hailed as a major instrumental voice, with The Guardian comparing the power of his sound with Michael Brecker’s. A dynamic player, Neset learned drums before taking up the saxophone and a strong rhythmic feeling is at the core of much of his work. He has recorded for labels including Edition, ACT and Chandos. Latterly he has also drawn praise for his compositions, recorded with, among others, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta. 

Helge Lien grew up influenced by both jazz and Scandinavian folk music, synthesizing these elements in his popular trio, described by Dagbladet as “the best Norwegian piano trio in a long time.” His many credits include work with Tri O’Trang, Silje Nergaard, and Arild Andersen’s trio, as well as a duo project with dobro player Knut Hem. In addition to musical activities, Lien is a passionate photographer, and the liner photos in the Affirmation booklet are his. 

Håkon Mjåset Johansen, from Trondheim, came to the attention of the jazz public with the band Motif whose line-up included Mathias Eick and Ole Morten Vågan. He has had a long association with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, and worked with its guest soloists including Chick Corea and Seamus Blake.

Ella Fitzgerald Live at Montreux 1969

To witness the great Ella Fitzgerald live was beyond a mere concert – it was an experience. An innovator of scat singing and jazz improvisation, this celebrated singer left audiences breathless as she uniquely interpreted musical touchstones of the American Songbook.

On January 20, Mercury Studios will release one of those very special performances with Ella Fitzgerald: Live At Montreux 1969 on CD and LP. Originally released on DVD in 2005, this is the first time this concert is being made available on audio formats.

Live At Montreux 1969 captures Ella’s very first performance at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival – an event that she would return to several times in the years to come. On this special night, she was joined by the Tommy Flanagan Trio for a set list traversing American classics and contemporary hits. Ella delivers her smooth, timeless renditions of “I Won’t Dance” and “That Old Black Magic”, along with her inspired takes on Paul McCartney’s “Hey Jude”, Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love”, and Dionne Warwick’s “This Girl’s In Love With You”.

There is no denying the potency of Ella Fitzgerald’s work, from her dynamic, instantly recognizable vocal range to her one-of-a-kind scat-phrasing, which set a precedent for jazz music and beyond. An American treasure of the highest caliber, Fitzgerald’s influence is an essential thread woven into musical history. This is brilliantly displayed on Ella Fitzgerald: Live At Montreux 1969.

Track Listing:

LP:

Side A:

1. Give Me The Simple Life
2. This Girl’s In Love With You
3. I Won’t Dance
4. A Place For Lovers
5. That Old Black Magic
6. I Love You Madly
7. Trouble Is A Man

Side B:

1. Sunshine Of Your Love
2. Well Alright Okay You Win
3. Hey Jude
4. Scat Medley
5. A House Is Not A Home

CD:

1. Give Me The Simple Life
2. This Girl’s In Love With You
3. I Won’t Dance
4. A Place For Lovers
5. That Old Black Magic
6. Useless Landscape
7. I Love You Madly
8. Trouble Is A Man
9. A Man And A Woma
10. Sunshine Of Your Love
11. Well Alright Okay You Win
12. Hey Jude
13. Scat Medley
14. House Is Not A Home

New Music Releases: Makaya McCraven, Carmen Lundy, Tim Berne & Matt Mitchell, Soil & Pimp Sessions

Makaya McCraven - In These Times

Maybe the most majestic album that Makaya McCraven has recorded to date – and that's really saying a lot, given the power of his music on previous records! This time around, the group is large, and the performance is more organic than some of the more mixed/produced sessions that Makaya has given us – and great as those records have been, there's a sense of power here that really places McCraven strongly in the Chicago legacy of the 20th Century – a jazz spectrum that includes Eddie Harris, Ramsey Lewis, Charles Stepney, the Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and so many other musical giants! The mix of instrumentation is almost like some Chess/Cadet session from the end of the 60s – but Makaya still adds in some samples and electronics next to his acoustic work on percussion, drums, and a variety of other instruments – next to Jeff Parker on guitar, Brandee Younger on harp, Joel Ross on vibes, Marquis Hill on trumpet, and Junius Paul on bass – all tremendous players and strong leaders in their own right – working here to make a special sort of magic with McCraven. There's other voices on the set too – more violins, cello, alto, tenor, piano, and other sounds – on titles that include "So Ubuji", "Seventh String", "This Place That Place", "The Fours", "Dream Another", "High Fives", "The Knew Untitled", and "In These Times". ~ Dusty Groove

Carmen Lundy - Fade To Black

A really majestic album from the great Carmen Lundy – one of our favorite jazz singers of all time, and one of the few who've just kept growing and changing as the years move on! As with all her recent records, Lundy put the whole thing together herself – a tremendous effort as a composer and arranger, with a musical vision that's far greater than the early records that won us over in the first place – as Lundy handles piano and guitar next to her vocals – in a lineup that has additional trumpet, tenor, guitar, and organ – plus bass from brother Curtis Lundy, with whom Carmen first recorded at the start. The scope of Lundy's songs moves far beyond the usual jazz subject matter – deeply personal, and always very powerful – on titles that include "Say Her Name", "Ain't I Human", "Daughter Of The Universe", "Rest In Peace", "Privacy", "Shine A Light", and "So Amazing".  ~ Dusty Groove

Tim Berne & Matt Mitchell - One More Please

An intimate set of duets between these two top-shelf improvisers – both of whom work together in the Snakeoil band of Tim Berne, but who sound even better here in more airy, open territory! Berne blows alto, Mitchell handles piano, and the results are wonderful – introspective, but very human and open too – never too "arch" to let a moment of feeling or two into the mix – as the pair have a way of expanding the space between them with just a few simple turns of phrase or moments of action! Titles include "Middle Seat Blues/Chicken Salad Blues", "Motian Sickness", "Rolled Oats/Curls", "Oddly Enough/Squidz", "Rose Colored Missive", "Purdy", and "Number 2".  ~ Dusty Groove

Soil & Pimp Sessions - Lost In Tokyo (2022 Japan Record Day Release)

Soil & Pimp Sessions sound better here than ever – still working with a style that nobody else can touch – but in a way that's also a nice change from some of their previous records too! If anything, these guys have really perfected their ability to step out and soar – with horn passages that are not as tightly tied to the rhythms as before, so that they can find all sorts of colors and moods on their own – really illuminating the music in a beautiful way, as the bass and drums step in at points to keep things funky and moving forward! There's nothing "lost" in their music at all – and although we've been following these guys from the start, and loving every minute – we might well be loving this record than any previous set. Titles include "Valley Of The Light", "Ring Route 7", "Meji Jingumae", "Riverflow", "Funky Pongi", and "Generation Tree". ~ Dusty Groove

Dezron Douglas | "Atalaya"

Atalaya is new work by bassist Dezron Douglas, and it is alive. That is, ‘alive’ in all the ways that jazz is at its best – as a pure and personal expression of Black Music channeled through time-honored traditions by a group of musicians who practice sonic coherence through musical unity. As Dezron puts it in the opening statement of his liner notes for the album: “Mysticism, Magic, Faith, Love, Power, Discernment! These are words that embody the creative process of Music.”

Followers of contemporary jazz might recognize Dezron for his bass work behind Pharoah Sanders, Louis Hayes, or Ravi Coltrane. Steady International Anthem listeners might remember him from the New York side of Makaya McCraven's Universal Beings. More recently we presented Force Majeure, Dezron’s sublime duo record with harpist Brandee Younger, which compiled the best of livestream performances from their Harlem apartment during the original covid lockdown. That album, which came out in December of 2020, reflected the speed and feeling of the moment while somehow simultaneously distracting from the harsh reality of it. It also captured a very vulnerable, intimate, and real impression of Dezron on double bass, sharing his power and truth without abandon.

Atalaya, similarly, wasn’t processed in the lab, but rather, captured in the room. The realness factor is once again forefront in the sound; but the difference is in the energy and ambition of the music, which reaches for the stratosphere. Again, let’s defer to Dezron here: “Welcome to the Black Lion rocket ship.”

With Emilio Modeste on saxes, George Burton on keys, and Joe Dyson Jr. on drums, Dezron’s crew summons the dynamism of Coltrane’s classic Quartet, or Dave Holland’s Quintet on Prime Directive, or Charles Mingus on Nostalgia In Times Square… swinging virtuosically and firing on all 4 cylinders. But there’s nothing remotely revisionist here – Dezron and his quartet embody poetry, presence, artistic and emotional clarity in every note they play. Free and dissonant, sweet and consonant, sweeping and pure… This is the band you hope is playing every time you walk into a club.

Hartford, Connecticut-born bassist, composer, bandleader, and educator Dezron Douglas has established himself as a major force in contemporary creative music. A protégé of the great Jackie McLean, the Downbeat Magazine 2019 Rising Star is known for his work with Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Cyrus Chestnut, David Murray, Louis Hayes, Enrico Rava and also with piano legends George Cables, Eric Reed, Mulgrew Miller and Benny Green. In 2018, he appeared on the New York Side of Makaya McCraven’s Universal Beings. During the original covid lockdown in 2020, he live-streamed a series of duo performances with his partner Brandee Younger from their Harlem apartment, which were collected and released by International Anthem as the critically-acclaimed album Force Majeure. In 2021, Douglas produced Younger’s Impulse Records debut Somewhere Different, which earned her a Grammy nomination. Also in 2021, Douglas joined the Trey Anastasio Band as a full-time member. He has recorded on more than 100 albums, contributing to the artistry of numerous band leaders and maintaining an integral presence in the sounds of his peers, including Keyon Harrold, Jonathan Blake, Melanie Charles, Makaya McCraven and Brandee Younger. Douglas is an active music educator, currently on the Jazz Studies faculty at NYU Steinhardt.

Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club Features 4x-GRAMMY® Award-Winner & 19x-GRAMMY® Nominated Guitar Legend LARRY CARLTON on Saturday December 3

Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club Features 4x-GRAMMY® Award-Winner & 19x-GRAMMY® Nominated Guitar Legend Larry Carlton on Saturday December 3 at 7 & 9:30 P.M. Larry Carlton's catalog of work includes film soundtracks, television themes and work on 100+ albums that have gone Gold or Platinum.

Guitar Legend Larry Carlton established himself from his first recording, With A Little Help From My Friends in 1968. Calls began to increase significantly as Carlton gained distinction for the unmistakable and often imitated "sweet" sound he delivered with his Gibson ES-335. He also broke new ground with his new trademark volume pedal technique, eloquently displayed in his featured performance on Crusader One with legendary jazz/rock group The Crusaders in 1971.

During his tenure with The Crusaders (through 1976), Carlton performed on 13 of their albums. Carlton's demand as a session player resulted in him constantly being featured with stars from every imaginable genre, including Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr., Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Jerry Garcia and literally dozens of others. Among Carlton's more notable projects as a session guitarist were Joni Mitchell's critically acclaimed Court and Spark album and Donald Fagen's Nightfly album.

Carlton performed on four Steely Dan albums – Katy Lied (1975); The Royal Scam (1976); Aja (1977); Gaucho (1980).  With more than 3000 studio sessions under his belt by the early 1980s, Carlton won a GRAMMY® Award in 1981 for the theme to "Hill Street Blues" (a collaboration with Mike Post).

The twelve months of 1987 brought some of the biggest highlights in Carlton's solo career. In addition to winning the GRAMMY® Award for Minute by Minute, Carlton received a GRAMMY® Award Nomination for "Best Jazz Fusion Performance" for his live album Last Nite. Coming off the success of two acoustic albums and one live album, Carlton was on a hot streak and entered the studio to work on his next project, On Solid Ground. The all-electric project was Nominated for a GRAMMY® Award in 1989.

Larry & Lee, Carlton's 1995 collaboration with guitar great Lee Ritenour, garnered him his eighth GRAMMY® Award Nomination. This was followed by The Gift in '96 and Larry Carlton Collection Volume 2 in '97. That same year, his virtuosity and reputation secured him a place in the renowned and award-winning Warner Bros. Records' group Fourplay, when member Lee Ritenour left to head his own label. Carlton has done 8 acclaimed albums for Fourplay, most recently 2015's Silver.

In 1999, Larry Carlton received his very own spot on Hollywood's prestigious Rockwalk where he was inducted along with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Jimmie Vaughn. The year 2000 started with Carlton putting his singularly superb fingerprints on the new millennium with his star-studded solo release on Warner Bros. Records, Fingerprints.

Carlton's Four Hands & A Heart Volume One was Nominated for a 2013 GRAMMY® Award for "Best Pop Instrumental Album". Over the course of his prestigious career, Larry Carlton has done more than 35 albums as a leader, including his most recently acclaimed 2021 album Soul Searchin' with Paul Brown.

Larry received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" from Guitar Player Magazine at the historical Ryman Auditorium and was presented the "Titan of Tone" Award from Premier Guitar Magazine at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Throughout his celebrated career Carlton has relied almost exclusively on the same Gibson ES-335 that he purchased in 1969. His long association with the instrument earned him the nickname "Mr. 335".

New Music Releases: Ernesto Jodos, Alez Massa, Jacob Chung, Dana Fitzsimons with Bill Graham & Brandon Boone

Ernesto Jodos - Donde El Mundo Ocurre

If you even follow ear s& eyes Records slightly or how the jazz scene in Buenos Aires has been explosive these past years, you would definitely know the name Ernesto Jodos. He's one of those cats who has been teaching all young lions since they were teens. He's been such an important influencer and has guided what Argentine jazz is today. Yes, he went to Berklee years ago, and yes, his most recent album, Confluence, features Mark Helias and Barry Altschul, but he's taken those influences back to Argentina and transformed his take on jazz music with his own unique voice and vision. This new album is a grand culmination of this; Donde el Mundo Ocurre! The rest of his group on this are a mix of those young lions as well as one of the most influential and important voices in not only jazz, but also rock, Latin Grammy Award winner &  drummer Sergio Verdinelli (another name that shows up quite a bit in the ears & eyes catalog including well-received No Me Digas Loco (as leader), and as sideman Rodrigo Dominguez' Borocotopo and Juan Bayon's Vidas Simples. Rounding it out is Inti Sabev (clarinets), Juan Pablo Hernández (guitar) & Diana Arias (contrabass).

Alex Massa / Dave Miller / Anton Hatwich / Isaiah Spencer - Plays Well With Others Adventures

Trumpeter and composer Alex Massa embarks on his 3rd in a series, this time with heavy Chicago players, Dave Miller, Anton Hatwich & Isaiah Spencer. Alex Massa’s third volume in his “Plays Well With Others Adventures” series is a collection of five songs written in Iceland, New Orleans, and Winnipeg - places that Alex has called home over the past decade. Brilliantly performed by renowned Chicago masters and adventurists themselves, guitarist Dave Miller (of Greg Ward, Matt Ulery, Quin Kirchner, Zing!), bassist Anton Hatwich (of Frank Rosaly, Aram Shelton, Nick Mazzarella, Tim Daisy, Fred Lonberg-Holm), and drummer/percussionist Isaiah Spencer (of Maurice Brown, Corey Wilkes, Fred Anderson, William Parker, Ernest Dawkins, and David Murray, Clark Terry, Von Freeman, Curtis Fuller and George Freeman) breathe fire into the record.

Jacob Chung - Epistle

Toronto saxophonist/composer Jacob Chung’s (b. 2000) debut release Epistle is a swingin’ 45-min album of original music written for quintet. This release marks a new era for Canadian jazz, signifying the hope and promise of a new generation’s coming-of-age in a post-Covid world. The musicians on this record are a handful of the most exciting young Canadian talent. Pianist Felix Fox-Pappas, drummer Petros Anagnostakos, and bassist Thomas Hainbuch, who at 24 years of age is the band’s eldest member, comprise the rhythm section while trumpet player Christian Antonacci joins Chung on the frontline. The 6 track album features Chung’s Epistle Suite, which reflects the joy of the gospel message through a commitment to the spirit of swing. Rounding out the album are 3 hard-driving bop tunes, each a contrafact on a familiar form. Epistle is a proclamation. Over the duration of this album, Chung and his young, swingin’ band emphatically state, “we are right here, right now; we play hard and believe in swing; this is jazz in Canada.” 

Dana Fitzsimons / Bill Graham / Brandon Boone - Fault Lines

On Fault Lines, drummer Dana Fitzsimons collaborated with two other superb Atlanta-based musicians, pianist Bill Graham and bassist Brandon Boone, to create a program of rhythmic, free-style jazz improvisations. Although Fault Lines is a truly collaborative project, Fitzsimons is the group’s guiding light. He feels that music often reflects the psychological or emotional state of the musician at a particular point in time. This is the second album that he has spearheaded. His first recording, The Cheap Ensemble (2017), was inspired by a painting by Gerhard Richter and reflected the feelings of melancholy and nostalgia Fitzsimons was experiencing back then. With its ambient atmospherics, the music was intimate and soothing. Fault Lines, however, presents a more optimistic and energetic frame of mind. Fitzsimons has been an ardent fan of free-style jazz for many years. During the Covid-19 lockdown, he had extra time to re-think everything, including how he wanted to express himself musically. He started to hear his playing differently and changed his drum kit to facilitate his new vision. “When the band finally got together to play again, there was a lot of pent-up energy between us. We were all on the same page musically,” says Fitzsimons. “The music we wanted to make requires a lot of close listening and allowing the music to take you wherever it wants to go, untethered from strict ideas about time, form, and harmony. With all this freedom, it was important to me that the music still be rhythmic and lyrical so that the music invites the listener in, even for those who are not accustomed to free jazz.” The music on Fault Lines is adventurous, inventive, and lyrical. Although Fitzsimons is the group’s main timekeeper, Graham and Boone are also drummers, so it is not surprising that the music has a strong rhythmic center despite the players own personal, imagistic approach to time.

New Music Releases: Ben Wendel Quartet, Sunbear, Elvin Jones Quartet, Mozanto Sound

Ben Wendel Quartet - Live At The Village Vanguard

Saxophonist Ben Wendel proudly announces his upcoming week at the legendary Village Vanguard, November 1-6, 2022. Wendel will be recording a live album during the week for release in 2023, with a Quartet of modern-day venerated stalwarts, Gerald Clayton on piano, Linda May Han Oh on bass and Obed Calvaire on drums. Wendel and co. will be playing new music, and tunes from many of his earlier albums, including Simple Song (2009), What We Bring (2016) and The Seasons (2018).On his fourth time leading a band at the storied venue, Wendel said, "some of my favorite albums of all time come from the Village Vanguard. John Coltrane quartet, Joe Henderson with Ron Carter and Al Foster, Sonny Rollins, etc. I still have to pinch myself every time I get to play at this venue. When stepping on stage, I feel the history and spirits, the joy and creativity absorbed and collected in this space - it is truly a magical and potent place that pushes you to play your best. With that in mind, it is truly an honor and bucketlist moment to be able to join the continuum of this music and document an album at this historic venue. The quartet I've assembled is made up of dear friends that I have had the pleasure of playing, touring and recording with for many years. I plan on writing new material for the occasion, dusting off some older pieces of mine from earlier albums and finally arranging some standards that have often been played at the club over the years by masters such as Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, etc."

Sunbear - Sunbear 

Sunbear’s one and only album released on LA’s Soul Train in 1977 has buried itself in the wants-list of many a record collector, not least for its undeniably incredible album artwork. Contained within though are 10 tracks of unadulterated jazz funk gold, with standout number ‘Let Love Flow For Peace’ channelling Herbie Hancock-esque synth-work and magical vocals. Timeless business and a favourite of the likes of Gilles Peterson, Floating Points, Charlie Bones and Volcov. Also includes: Long; Heard The Voice Of Music Say; Mood I L.O.V.E.; Fantasy; Don't Overlook The Feelings; Mood II Love At First SIght; Rhythm Of Our Souls; and Mood III Oliver.

Elvin Jones Quartet - Revival: Live At Pookie's Club

Revival: Live at Pookie's Pub is a thrilling previously unissued recording of Elvin Jones’ quartet out November 18 that captures the legendary drummer’s emergence as a bandleader at a little-known New York City club where he had a weekly residency after leaving John Coltrane's band. The album features Joe Farrell on tenor saxophone, Billy Greene on piano & Wilbur Little on bass, Revival: Live At Pookie's Club was recorded in July 1967, just 2 weeks after John Coltrane died. The session was co-produced by Zev Feldman & Ashley Kahn, the 3-LP & 2-CD sets include a booklet with stunning photos, essays, interviews & more. 

Mozanto Sound - The Fool

Monzanto Sound release The Fool, the second single from their upcoming EP Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow due in Autumn 2022. Off the back of their incredible debut Time Lapse EP in 2021 and keyboardist Mali-I’s phenomenal debut LP ‘In Session’, Monzanto Sound return with new vocalist Mimi Koku to deliver an exceptional new 4 track EP. After the psychedelic neo-soul groove of Nuff Blues comes the deep dub jam The Fool. The Fool is a rhythmic yet defiant dub jam with a steady groove, killer bass line and a smooth roots vocal. Lyrically irreverent, it pulls together themes of disillusionment, rebellion and reflections on never-ending cycles of state violence. The dub version was featured on Mali-I’s debut album In Session, and now the full vocal track is released.

Jimmy Cliff | " The Harder They Come 50th Anniversary Edition"

Celebrating five decades of his magnum opus, one of the most important reggae artists of all-time, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® inductee, and GRAMMY® Award-winning icon Jimmy Cliff will unveil The Harder They Come 50th Anniversary Edition Vinyl on December 9, 2022 via UMe. This notably stands out as the record's first commercial vinyl release. In addition to a 2LP gatefold wrapped jacket with lamented gloss coating, the package boasts the liner notes from the 40th Anniversary Edition in addition to brand new words courtesy of Jimmy personally and revered reggae historian Dana Smart.

In 1972, the film The Harder They Come arrived and eventually emerged as a cult classic with Cliff in the starring role. The accompanying The Harder They Come Soundtrack brought an international spotlight to reggae music. The album initially climbed to #141 on the Billboard 200, and its legacy would only grow as time passed. 2021 saw the Library of Congress choose it for preservation in the National Recording Registry, deeming it "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant." The record essentially put reggae on the map. Rolling The Stone touted The Harder They Come Soundtrack on its coveted "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." In tandem, Jamaica recently celebrated its 60th Anniversary of Independence from the UK on August 6, 2022.

Cliff continues to impact culture. He recently revealed his first new album in over a decade, Refugees [UMe]. The critically acclaimed full-length includes guest appearances from Wyclef Jean, Dwight Richards, and his daughter Lilty Cliff. Forbes notably hailed it as "vintage Cliff" and promised, "Cliff once again delivers his passion, wisdom, empathy and thoughtfulness on his stunning new collection, Refugees," and FLAUNT applauded its "13 tracks of his inimitable grasp on the reggae sound and his optimistic, yet cut-no-corners truth he has been lauded for over the past six decades." He also sat down with The Guardian and The Independent for in-depth interviews.

In 2012, Cliff gifted the world with his most recent LP Rebirth. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award in the category of "Best Reggae Album" and closed out the year on Rolling Stone's "50 Best Albums of 2012." He stands out as "the only living reggae musician to hold the Order of Merit—the highest honor that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences." Of course, his catalog spans seminal songs "Many Rivers To Cross," "You Can Get It If You Really Want", "The Harder They Come," and "Hakuna Matata." He contributed covers of Cat Stevens' "Wild World" and Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now" to the classic comedy Cool Runnings.

THE HARDER THEY COME TRACKLISTING

A-Side

1. Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want 
2. Scotty - Draw Your Brakes 
3. The Melodions - Rivers Of Babylon 
4. Jimmy Cliff - Many Rivers To Cross 
5. The Maytals - Sweet And Dandy 
6. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come

B-Side

1. The Slickers - Johnny Too Bad 
2. Desmond Decker - Shanty Town 
3. The Maytals - Pressure Drop 
4. Jimmy Cliff - Sitting In Limbo 
5. Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want 
6. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come 
7. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come (Film Version)

New Music Release: Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble, Alfa Mist, Malik Alston, Ghost Funk Orchestra

Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble - Le Le 

Recorded in the 1980's and snapped up upon arrival in Europe by the Soho Boho's, Acid Jazzuals,Cuboppers, Jazz Massivists and Mojo Jazzmuziker, "Le-Le" by The Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble is a unique one off Spiritual Soul-Jazz outing with Avant Garde touches and more than a hint of Afro-Cuban Orientalism. The percussion drenched title track has that special Worldwide Sound and the Cool Jazz Get Down Groove of "Wet Walnuts and Whipped Cream" is a DJ's delight, whether played over the Airwaves or to a crowded Dancefloor. An adventurous jazz outfit that has been playing around Philadelphia since its formation in 1979. The Ensemble was founded by Warren Oree, an acoustic bassist, producer and composer who continues to lead the band. Eclectic and far from predictable, on this album the Ensemble has embraced a variety of acoustic and electric jazz styles combining them with African and Middle Eastern influences and mixed together with the "New Thing" have managed to make a timeless underground classic.

Alfa Mist - Antiphon

Alfa Mist is a UK musician, producer and composer born in Newham, London. One of the members of Are We Live, a creative quartet that also includes Tom Misch, Jordan Rakei and Barney Artist. On his latest album for UK label Sekito titled Bring Backs, he goes back to his roots of his beat-making past on the streets of East London, as well as incorporating his jazz influences. From the smoky jazz bar loops of opener 'Keep On' to the uplifting urban blues of 'Breath' (feat Kaya Thomas-Dyke) to the sunny metro beats of 'Brian' - the LP is the most detailed exploration of his upbringing in musical form.

Malik Alston - Outside Of The Box

A wonderfully collaborative project from Malik Alston – a set that takes the wealth of great energy he's been bringing to the Detroit scene, and spreads it around with help from a range of musicians and singers! Each cut has a nicely different personality – as the set moves between jazz, soul, and contemporary club – with every track at the top of the game, and delivering more as an EP than most full length sets of this nature! "5th Element" features great sax work from Dave McMurray, Maurissa Rose brings in soulful vocals on "What God Has For Me (just one stomp rmx)", there's a great batch of Latin elements from the Linwood Ensemble on "Tie It Up (Malik's Latin sunrise rmx)", and the set begins with the soaring "Badeya (Pirahnahead's p'mix)". ~ Dusty Groove

Ghost Funk Orchestra - New Kind Of Love

A new kind of love, and a new kind of groove from Ghost Funk Orchestra – one that's deeper than ever before, even though the group is really just the efforts of producer/instrumentalist Seth Applebaum! Yet this time around, he's also got some great female vocals at a few points – bringing a soulful focus to the energy that spins out at other points in a more instrumental mode – funky but moody at the same time, with a richness in sonic territory that takes the whole thing way past the early funky 45s that first bore the Ghost Funk name. Titles include "A Song For Pearl", "Bluebell", "Rooted", "Quiet Places", "Scatter", "Why", Your Man's No Good", and "A New Kind Of Love (parts 1 & 2)". ~ Dusty Groove

New Music Releases: Louie Vega, Various Artists - Liguria Transatlantica - Bossa Figgeu, Kenny Lynch, Robin Jones & His Quintet

Louie Vega - Joy Universal / Igobolo (2LP)

Louie Vega is launching a trio of Double Pack 12” releases that includes special unreleased versions of select titles from the Expansions In The NYC album project. Each package also features unique customized art by celebrated artist Andrew Thiele who also created the art for the album package as well. Joy Universal and Igobolo (Feelin’ Love) spotlight the profoundly soulful and musical energy that emerges when Louie collaborates with two of the stars of the House Music community namely Josh Milan and Joe Claussell. Tracks include; Joy Universal featuring Two Soul Fusion; Iglobolo (Feelin' Love) featuring Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell (Sacred Rhythm Tones Full Version;  Iglobolo (Feelin' Love) featuring Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell (Expansions NYC Dub); Joy Universal featuring Two Soul Fusion (Axel Tosca Piano Demo Ruff); Joy Universal featuring Two Soul Fusion (Joy Beats); and Iglobolo (Feelin' Love) featuring Joaquin 'Joe' Claussell (Joe & Loui's Mood Dub).

Various Artists - Liguria Transatlantica - Bossa Figgeu

"South American Jazz & Bossanova flavours from 60s & 70s in Liguria, north west Italy. As you might notice after the first listening, surprisingly, the melody sounds very similar to Brazilian Portuguese and the instrumental tracks have a distinctive touch of South American Jazz. Nonetheless, the sound landscape clearly reflects the Italian libraries of the time. This mingling was possible because at the time of the discoveries of the New World, due to commercial and cultural interconnections, the local Ligurian language was influenced by new stimuli from the new territories and vice-versa. Moreover, since the end of the Nineteenth Century, there has been a strong migration of Italians to South America, similar in numbers to the migration of Italians to North America, but less known because less represented in films or narrative."

Kenny Lynch - Half The Day Is Gone And We Haven't Earned A Penny 

Kenny Lynch was a popular singer, songwriter, actor and all-round entertainer. A self-styled “black cockney”, Kenny was one of the few people of Caribbean origin prominent in the British entertainment industry during the ‘60s and ‘70s. During his musical career, Kenny released a number of Top 10 singles, including a version of ‘Up on the Roof’ (1962), competing with the original by the Drifters. He composed and co-wrote songs recorded by Dusty Springfield, Cilla Black, the Drifters and the Everly Brothers. He also worked briefly as a songwriter at the Brill Building in New York. While probably best known as a prolific Pop Crooner during the earlier part of his acting and musical career, we must not forget his stomping disco success of the early eighties, released under British-borne Satril Records. “Half The Day’s Gone, and We Haven’t Earne’d a Penny” was a milestone moment for British Disco. Produced by Kenny himself at Satril Studios, London 1983, this record still encompasses that organic late-70s disco sound, with true instrumentation and minimalist electronic synth elements. This is the album’s first ever repress since 1983 and has been remastered in high-definition from the original analogue tapes. Pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl, this is one not to be missed. 

Robin Jones And His Quintet - Denga

Often affectionately referred to as the "Godfather of British Latin music" Robin Jones was truly one of the great performers on the international Latin scene. Denga, his first recording from 1971 is a scintillating fusion of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazillian rhythms laden with heavy Fender Rhodes sounds and no less than three Afro-Latin Percussionists. The hard-to-find album has now been reissued by legendary London jazz DJ Paul Murphy's Jazz Room Records imprint. It should be an essential purchase for anyone who loves Latin jazz. Feature's Robin's personal favorites including "Goodbye Batucada" which rightfully lays claim to be the first Brazilian Jazz Samba tune recorded in the UK and the Worldwide Sound standard setters "Denga" and "Africa Revisited".

New Music Releases: Jane Ira Bloom & Mark Helias, Robohands, Jim Adkins, Amanda Whiting

Jane Ira Bloom & Mark Helias - See Our Way

The sax/ bass duo of soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom and bassist Mark Helias has deepened on their latest digital release See Our Way now available on Bandcamp on Radiolegs Records (RL023). Thirteen mind-bending improvised duets performed by two masterful jazz improvisers who know how to coax composition out of the air and then some. From breathtaking ballads like “Folks Sing” and “As Close As It Gets, to hard driving tempos like “Cut to the Chase” and “Hard Science,” to the space chasing adventures of “Laser Plane” and “Time Shear,” these musicians have no boundaries to their multi-dimensional creativity. The beauty and adventure of their acoustic sound together is mesmerizing from the start of each song. Their sound is both warm and electric with a depth that is hard to describe. The tracks were recorded from February 2021 through January 2022 and exquisitely mixed and mastered by Helias. Following on the heels of their critically acclaimed 2021 release Some Kind of Tomorrow, Bloom & Helias have brought their listeners ever deeper into their musical universe. Sound and silence are equal partners in their music so they have divided their setlist into three “Multiverses” for listeners to savor in short sections with space in between for breath and reflection. Listen in your own time and enjoy these duo tracks from two seasoned improvisors who love to play music by jumping off the high board. It’s magical, it’s exhilarating, and out of this world. Hear and See Our Way.

Robohands – Giallo 

Robohands, aka Andy Baxter, joins the Bastard Jazz family with a new EP titled “Giallo.” Partly inspired by Italian Giallo (meaning “yellow”) film soundtracks of the late 70s and 80s, as well as the experimental sounds of pioneering krautrock bands like Tangerine Dream and NEU! Armed with an old Juno 60 synthesizer, Andy wrote, recorded, and mixed all the parts himself, including the live drums, adding in multiple layers of effects. Spread across 8 tracks, “Giallo” spans atmospheric meditations (“Giallo;” “Claws;” “Relax”) to jazzy improvisational explorations (“Fear”), interwoven with brief solo instrumental tapestries (“Horror;” “Float By Like Clouds;” “For the Different”). There is an elegant cinematic quality to the EP, further refined by Robohands’ production prowess and technical chops. “Giallo” builds on the Robohands sound, taking it in an exciting, more experimental direction. “Giallo” is out on Jim 

Jim Adkins – Soul Expression

In a recent interview connected with the release of Jim Adkins’ latest album Soul Expresion, the versatile veteran guitarist said it all about his multi-faceted artistry when he talked about the inspiration for the title, “It all comes from within as an expression of my soul.” Nearly 25 years into his award-winning, regularly charting recording career, the Grammy nominated musician is still mixing up a non-stop, cool swirl of varying vibes and energies centered on his alternately crisp/crackling and sensually fluid lines. Complementing a batch of high-spirited originals with a bluesy, slow burning twist on an Ed Sheeran classic, Adkins brings his jazzy hipster magic to tracks that rock, jazz, immerse us in mystical romance and take us to balmy tropical climes. - www.smoothjazz.com

Amanda Whiting - Lost In Abstraction

Jazz harpist Amanda Whiting offers up a nicely changed-up sound here – on a record that begins with a lean trio approach, the adds in work from Chip Wickham on alto and flute on a few tracks too! There's a vibe to the record that's maybe more introspective than before, and very personal – as if Whiting is really figuring out what she can offer to the world of jazz on her instrument, taking up different territory than legends who've preceded her, like Alice Coltrane or Dorothy Ashby – as she works alongside spacious accompaniment from Aidan Thorne on bass and Jon Reynolds on drums. Percussionist Baldo Verdu joins the group on half the album's tracks too – and titles include "Venus Fly Trap", "Discarded", "Up There", "Where Would We Be", "Too Much", "Temptation", "Abstraction", "Lost", and "Suspended". ~  Dusty Groove

Franco Ambrosetti's Strings Album NORA To Be Released In Immersive Sound Format

In a career spanning six decades and nearly 40 albums as a leader or co-leader, revered Swiss trumpeter Franco Ambrosetti has finally realized his dream project. Anchored by a core of world-class musicians (guitarist John Scofield, bassist Scott Colley, pianist Uri Caine, drummer Peter Erskine) and featuring a 22-piece string orchestra conducted by Grammy-winning pianist-arranger Alan Broadbent, Ambrosetti’s Nora is his answer to Charlie Parker with Strings and Clifford Brown with Strings, both cherished albums from his youth.

New 3D sound technology will offer listeners a new sonic experience when they cue up Nora. As producer Jeff Levenson noted, “It’s felt, nuances and all. The effect had me sitting on the stage of Carnegie Hall, the musicians wrapped around me 270 degrees.” That immersive listening experience only heightens the depth of elegance and romance felt throughout Nora, which also harkens back to the lush Sinatra-Jenkins collaborations from yesterday, with Franco being cast as the crooner of choice, caressing each note with uncanny feeling coming through his flugelhorn. “When you’re in your 20s, you want to play as fast as you can and as high as you can, like Clifford,” said the 80-year-old Swiss jazz icon. “But somewhere after turning 50, then you concentrate on more important things and you try to say something with just a few notes, but the right ones, like Miles Davis did. Miles is the inspiration for every trumpet in their later age.”

Ambrosetti conveys rare passion behind every note he blows on Nora, delivering in typically elegant fashion on a program of romantic ballads and melodic gems. In this relaxed environment, it’s hard not to be caught up in the majestic sweep of Broadbent’s sumptuous strings or Franco’s golden-toned flugelhorn. Simple and direct yet brimming with romance, Nora casts the same kind of spell on listeners as Charlie Parker with Strings did on the young Swiss trumpeter when he first heard that pivotal album as a teenager. “My father had all of Bird’s records,” Franco said of his alto sax-playing father Flavio, a pioneering figure on the 1940s European jazz scene. “In fact, he was embraced by Parker at the 1949 Festival International de Jazz in Paris, the first time that bebop musicians played in Europe. My father was playing there in a quintet led by Swiss trumpeter Hazy Osterwald. They were in the official program. After the concert, all the musicians went to one of the nightclubs in Paris to jam and my father was on stage playing ‘Lover Man.’ Charlie Parker was sitting in the audience of the club and he stood up after my father played and went up embraced him and said, ‘Yeah. Good, man.’  I wish it would happen to me, right? Charlie Parker was the father of all of us.”

Rather than emulating Bird in full flight, Ambrosetti mines something more subdued and luxurious on Nora. From his stirring opener, “Nora’s Theme,” a composition he had originally written as the main theme for a 1997 theater production of Ibsen’s House of Dolls thathis wife Silli starred in, to the poignant closer, a faithful reading of John Coltrane’s sublime ballad, “After the Rain,” Franco channels a lifetime of expression into a few well-placed notes, while the strings provide gently affecting touches along the way. “When you have so much support from strings, I don’t think it’s wise to add too much,” he explained. “So you try to be essential, playing only the most important things that come into your mind. It’s what in German is called ‘speichern,’ or ‘saving notes,’ where you’re trying to do only what you feel in that very moment.”

George Gruntz’s romantic “Morning Song of a Spring Flower,” a tune that Ambrosetti played often as a member of the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band from 1972 to 1991, features the first contribution from guest guitarist John Scofield, who brings his highly expressive string-bending prowess to bear in subtle yet meaningful ways. On the Miles Davis’ classic, “All Blues,” Colley underscores the proceedings with the familiar Ron Carter bass line while the strings sound the familiar refrain. Franco plays the melody with tasty restraint before heading into a stellar solo that generates some sparks along the way. “The string ensemble gets a chance to shine on this number,” said Broadbent. “You have to be very careful writing jazz phrases for strings, but here I think they swing as hard as you can get.”

There’s a genuine sense of longing in Franco’s intimate flugelhorn cries on Victor Feldman’s “Falling in Love,” fueled by Broadbent’s tender string orchestration. Caine adds a delicate piano solo to the graceful proceedings. On a haunting rendition of the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves,” underscored by Broadbent’s Gordon Jenkins-ish strings, Ambrosetti opens with muted flugelhorn before switching to open blowing and delivering this melancholy gem with a touch of class. His “Sweet Journey” is given a mellow treatment with lush strings along with some understated piano accompaniment and sparse soloing from Caine. Their interpretation of John Dankworth’s romantic “It Happens Quickly” unfolds softly and gently. Franco’s warm flugelhorn conveys a quiet sense of rapture as it blends with Broadbent’s luxurious, swirling strings. Scheduled for a Sept. 30th release on Enja Records, Nora may be the high-water mark in his illustrious career.

Swiss trumpeter Franco Ambrosetti has maintained an active career since debuting as a leader in 1965 with A Jazz Portrait of Franco Ambrosetti. Born on December 10, 1941 in Lugano, the son of a prominent bebop alto sax player on the European jazz scene, he studied classical piano from the age of nine, eventually picking up trumpet at age 17. In 1966, at age 24, he won a prestigious international jazz competition in Vienna directed by renowned pianist Friedrich Gulda. The following year, he played his first concert in the United States, performing with the Flavio Ambrosetti All-Stars at the 1967 Monterey Jazz Festival. He led his own groups through the ‘70s while also touring with the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, he performed throughout Europe while recording most of his projects in New York City with such esteemed sidemen as pianists Hal Galper, Tommy Flanagan, Geri Allen, Kenny Barron and Kenny Kirkland, saxophonists Phil Woods, Michael Brecker, Steve Coleman and Seamus Blake, bassists Dave Holland, Buster Williams and Michael Formanek, drummers Billy Hart, Victor Lewis and Billy Drummond. Over the past decade he has also recorded with saxophonist Greg Osby, guitarist John Scofield, pianist Uri Caine, bassist Scott Colley, drummers Jack DeJohnette, Terri Lyne Carrington and Peter Erskine and fellow trumpeter and longtime friend Randy Brecker. In 2018, Ambrosetti received the Swiss Jazz Award presented at the Jazz Ascona Festival in Switzerland in recognition of his life in music.

Sara Gazarak – Vanity

Vocalist Sara Gazarek announces the release of a new EP, Vanity, a postcard to her fans (old and new), her friends, and to her old self! We witnessed a rebirth and a revelation with her critically-acclaimed, double Grammy-nominated album, Thirsty Ghost, and one could have imagined that, with this artistic achievement, Gazarek had reached some sort of creative zenith . . . but there’s more . . .

Vanity serves as a “hello” from the road this artist has been travelling since the release of Thirsty Ghost; a journey of growth, exploration and lessons. Vanity gives us a Sara Gazarek with fear taken off the table, and replaced by truth, compassion, and an acknowledgement of the artist she has become over the last three years. An artist that definitely does not value beauty over expression, or value safety and consistency over communication and freedom. “I pushed myself to explore deeper and more sustainable tools in my instrument through weekly private voice lessons with master musician/vocalist and Somatic Voice Work instructor, Theo Bleckmann. I had the time and space to explore these investigations, musically and vocally, and this has fundamentally and forever changed my perspective and approach as a jazz musician and a singer,” said Gazarek.  

 On Vanity we have another first from Gazarek with her premiere original composition, “We Have Not Long To Love,” set to a poem by Tennessee Williams, with horns orchestrated by Alan Ferber. The song is, “meant to amplify the importance of taking every moment for the miracle that is,” said Gazarek. On her leap into composing, she added, “while reevaluating my artistic value systems I had to challenge the notion that risk-taking and ‘the pursuit of the truth over the perfect’ wasn’t in alignment with the old narrative that I didn’t have the skills to write a song. So I pushed myself to compose, thinking about colors and shapes, emotional textures and storytelling, much in the way that I do when I write a lyric. I wanted to capture the yin and yang of every day love and life, and the movement, modulations, and meditative repetition that can become more of an undercurrent than a miracle if we let it. And, while what resulted is by no means perfect, it is the truth – for me.” 

Sara Gazarek has never been an artist preoccupied with genre; she just loves good songs that ring true to her. Through her catalog, and in performance, we can hear her exploring songs that were written anywhere from last year, to the early part of the twentieth century, and everything in between. The collection of songs on Vanity follow suit, with material from a wildly diverse group of artists, including Sarah Vaughan, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Fiona Apple. The fairly obscure title track (arranged by Alan Ferber), originally covered by the great Sarah Vaughan, is a statement of what people likely view Gazarek’s persona to be, based on her past, vs the person and artist she has now become. Gazarek explains, “I’ve wanted to put a song to the shift that I’ve experienced over the last ten years, the space I’ve finally stepped into, and the need to document that in a way that showcases the unexpected and the unconventional.” Fiona Apple’s “Extraordinary Machine,” arranged by Geoff Keezer, with horn orchestrations by Alan Ferber, is utilized by Gazarek as a statement on women’s rights and how, “in the jazz community, fighting for equality has been an important journey for me and for my students,” states Gazarek. “Something Good” (from The Sound of Music), arranged by Stu Mindeman, is a deeply personal love letter to Gazarek’s mother. The artist explains, this song is, “typically associated with romantic love and dancing in a gazebo, but years ago, Julie Andrews agreed that she and my mother look alike, and I’ve wanted to sing a love song to my mother since her almost catastrophic car accident a few years ago (and I penned an extra verse just for her!).”   

Gazarek assembled an amazing group of artists to bring Vanity to life, including arrangers Geoff Keezer, Stu Mindeman and Alan Ferber, along with pianist Miro Sprague (Karrin Allyson, Dominique Eade), first call West Coast bassist Alex Boneham (Billy Childs, Eric Reed), drummer Christian Euman (Jacob Collier, Kurt Elling), guitarist Brad Alen Williams (Nate Smith, Brittany Howard), and the horn section of trumpeter Michael Stever (Steve Miller, Brian Culbertson), the aforementioned trombonist/arranger/orchestrator Alan Ferber (Paul Simon, Cynthia Erivo), alto saxophonist Lenard Simpson (Billy Childs, Kurt Elling), tenor saxophonist Daniel Rotem (Herbie Hancock, Jeff Parker), and baritone saxophonist Adam Schroeder (Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra). “They all have such command over their craft, and having Alan orchestrate for a larger ensemble brought things to another level. The experiences I wanted to capture are on a wider spectrum than Thirsty Ghost, so it only made sense to encapsulate that with a broader instrumentation. The band is comprised of deeply beloved, long-time friends and master musicians; but at the end of the day, I am grateful to have had their contributions in movement and air, and gifting me the space and opportunity to fly free, in return,” said Gazarek.

Ramsey Lewis | "The Beatles Songbook"

Ramsey Lewis Celebrates the Music of the Fab Four with Posthumous CD "The Beatles Songbook," His First Solo Piano Recording, Due Jan. 6

The late, legendary pianist Ramsey Lewis offers an intimate, familiar affair with his solo piano recording The Beatles Songbook: The Saturday Salon Series, Volume One, to be released January 6 on Steele Records. This selection of tunes by the iconic songwriting duo of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, approved for release by Lewis, is also a surprising DIY project, created during livestreamed sessions in Lewis’s own Chicago home.

Lewis, of course, is no stranger to covering of postwar pop music. He had a smash 1965 hit with his cover of Dobie Gray’s “The In Crowd,” which he followed up with a successful version of “Hang on Sloopy.” He has even assayed the Beatles’ catalog before, scoring a minor hit with “A Hard Day’s Night” and even releasing Mother Nature’s Son, an homage to the Beatles’ White Album, in 1968.

He was a latecomer, however, to unaccompanied piano performance. Until recent years, Lewis had almost never performed as a soloist. But the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to perform any other way, and during the lockdowns Lewis initiated a series of monthly webcasts called “The Saturday Salon.” Always an artist with a populist touch, Lewis included the Beatles’ songs in his webcasts because it was music that, like his own, had demonstrated universal appeal.

“They have a catalog of songs that can stand up as standards that are fun to play and fun to solo on,” he said. “Their music has been recorded by symphonies and orchestras, rock bands, jazz bands. I don’t know any other pop act whose music has been recorded across the board like this.”

Even with their exhaustive coverage, Lewis is able to unlock new secrets and breathe new life into the tunes. His “And I Love Her” explores the possibilities of both the song’s harmonies and its famous four-note riff. “Rocky Raccoon” gets a beautiful reharmonization. Lewis plays up the gospel roots of “Hey Jude,” and in the ballads “Blackbird” and “Golden Slumbers” he finds previously unknown reservoirs of the blues.

Lifted directly from the 2020 livestream audio, The Beatles Songbook sounds like the home recording it is. But that sound is a feature, not a bug: It amplifies the intimacy of the performance, as if we were hearing a message from a friend, and reminds us that to the end, Lewis was able to work in any circumstances and create great art.

Ramsey Lewis was born May 27, 1935 in Chicago. He began playing piano at the age of four, learning classical from teachers, gospel from the church, and jazz from his father’s record collection. Through Wells High School and into Chicago Musical College he intended to become a concert classical pianist, but fate intervened: While working at a record store, Lewis met bassist Eldee Young and drummer Red Holt, fellow jazz lovers who joined with him to form the Ramsey Lewis Trio.

In 1965, after a decade of working together both on bandstands and on Leonard and Phil Chess’s Argo Records, Lewis and the trio achieved a surprise top 10 pop hit with their version of “The In Crowd,” recorded live in Washington DC. The record made Lewis a star, which he compounded with subsequent hits “Hang on Sloopy,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” and “Wade in the Water.” After the trio disbanded, Lewis carried on with new ensembles and continued pursuing pop-jazz success, surfacing on the pop charts again with members of Earth, Wind & Fire on 1974’s Sun Goddess. His popular success continued into the 1980s and ‘90s, when he formed the popular crossover group Urban Knights.

In the 21st century, Lewis became a revered elder statesman of jazz, finding a career renaissance as a composer, broadcaster, educator, and artistic director of the Ravinia Jazz Festival. Lewis was awarded the NEA Jazz Masters fellowship in 2007. He spent his final year working with journalist Aaron Cohen on his memoir, Gentleman of Jazz (to be published May 2023 by Blackstone Publishing,) before passing away at his Chicago home on September 12, 2022.