Sunday, July 3, 2016
Peter Ponzol & Abbey Rader - It's Time (2016)
Abbey and I have been playing together since the mid-60s, first in Miami, then NYC during the 70s and Europe in the 80s. We got together again in the 90s and this recording is a result of the very special communication we have always had. While a recording of just saxophone and percussion isn’t unusual, I know that there are no other two players who could deliver what is on this album. All pieces are first takes and are based on short themes that were mostly composed in the moment. So called “free or avant-garde jazz” often lacks the beauty and musical development heard here. Peter Ponzol
1. Hunger
2. Opposition
3. Dervish Dance
4. Many Mansions
5. Achievement
6. Ichowa
7. It's Time
8. I've Got Humor
9. Peace
10. Water Fall
11. Hear the Light
Peter Ponzol, sax
Abbey Rader, percussion
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US4 - My Scandinavian Blues: A Tribute To Horace Parlan (2016) STUNT RECORDS / SUNDANCE MUSIC
PRESENT
Us Three
Heading South
Norma
In the Spur of the Moment
One for Wilton
Arrival
Broken Promises
Little Esther
Opus 16A
Wadin'
Party Time
Tomas Franck: tenor saxophone
Thomas Clausen: piano
Jimmi Roger Pedersen. bass
Adam Nussbaum: drums
Sinne Egg: vocal
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Østergaard Art Quartet – More Stories from the Village (2016) BOOGIE POST RECORDINGS
present
One of the best-kept secrets of the vibrant Danish jazz scene is drummer Michala Østergaard-Nielsen. A unique musician that can shape the course or the mood of any musical texture with her unique, serene and economic touch. She can blend organically with the vocal jazz quartet David’s Angels, the art-rock trio Nuaia (both with Swedish vocalist Sofie Norling), or the electronics meets free-improvisation of the Swedish Midaricondo duo. Her second album with her own quartet, the Østergaard Art Quartet, follows the acclaimed debut Stories from the Village (BoogiePost Recordings, 2011), and highlights her other talents, that of being a leader of strong-minded musicians and a master improviser.
The quartet is a European supergroup, featuring Norwegian trumpeter and vocalist Per Jørgensen, known from his ongoing collaborations with percussionist Terje Isungset and the trio Jøkleba, Danish trumpeter Kasper Tranberg, known from his collaboration with Yusef Lateef, Adam Rudolph in the Universal Quartet, and French master guitarist Marc Ducret.
As on the Quartet's debut, the short pieces offer an imaginary narrative of life in a remote, rural community, where music plays an integral role in the daily life. This kind of approach to music was perfected by the Art Ensemble of Chicago, embracing black music from the past to future. Østergaard Art Quartet invents its own timeless culture, located in a mysterious destination, yet a very colorful and dramatic one. The album was recorded during the Quartet Nordic tour in 2014.
The musical pieces/improvisations are weaved patiently, offering a choir of sympathetic yet highly original voices, all are experienced storytellers who know how to build a dramatic tension and then to offer a comforting conclusion. This quartet can create an intense emotional atmosphere with no more than sparse and gentle touches, breaths and whispers, as on the fascinating “Storytime”; suggest an inspiring manner of extending each other voice as delivered on “Night fall”; stage an urgent, playful and nuanced mini-drama as on “Little tiger, Part II” or offer a spiritual, meditative universe with repeated, cyclical expressions as on “Beautiful Bells and Trumpet Trance”.
My only complaint about this most beautiful gem: why just 37 minutes, after we have waited so patiently for five long years? We, all, deserve more, and if possible, sometime soon.
In the village
Hunting
Story time
A roadtrip to an old mountain
Intermezzo
Playtime
Night fall
Little tiger, part II
The guitar player
Beautiful bells and trumpet trance
A gentle celebration
Marc Ducret (FR): guitar
Per Jørgensen (NO): trumpet, vocal and darabouka
Kasper Traberg (DK): trumpet and cornet
Michala Østergaard-Nielsen (DK): drums, percussion
Track 1, 2, 8, & 11 recorded live by Rune Børø at Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo, October 2014
All other tracks recorded live by Thomas Vang at The Village Recording, Vanløse, October 2014
Mixed by Thomas Vang (thevillage.dk)
Mastered by Brian Mørk Hansen
Produced by Michala Østergaard-Nielsen
Cover Design by Mai-Britt Amsler (maibrittamsler.dk)
Marc Ducret plays on Vendramini guitars.
Thanks to:
Kasper, Per and Marc, Boogiepost Recordings, Thomas Vang, Brian Mørk Hansen, Mai-Britt Amsler, Majken, Jama and family and friends for love and support.
A special thanks to Martin Nilsson
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