Playlist Summary for Tom Ossana / Dane Brewer – The Thin Edge – July 27, 2016 MST 700 to 900p.m.

http://www.kzmu.org/listen.m3u ~ Use this link to access the show online.

I've always though of Fred Hersch as one of the most prominent twenty-first Century pianists.  I was shocked to learn that he had an HIV induced dementia in 2008. He fell into a coma for two months before regaining consciousness, during which he could not perform because of muscular atrophy. Miraculously he recovered after a year of rehab. Fred is arguably "A Cockeyed Optimist," the meaning of which is exactly what we'll experience at the beginning of The Thin Edge. This comes from his new Palmetto Records' Sunday Night at the Village Vanguard. John Hebert (b) and Eric McPherson excel. Alchemy Sound Project's Further Explorations (Artists Recording Collective 2016) follows with three girls and four guys performing "Joie De Vivre." The relatively unknown ensemble includes Erica Lindsay: saxophone; Sumi Tonooka: piano; Salim Washington: saxophone, oboe, flute, bass clarinet; David Arend: bass; Samantha Boshnack: trumpet; Willem de Koch: trombone; Max Wood: drums. Puerto Rico's Gabriel Vicéns' is next with his inner circle music Days (2016). The guitarist's group includes, among others, well-known David Sanchez on tenor and an impressive Alex Sipiagin on trumpet. Pianist Joel Weiskopf concludes this half with a cover of Bill Evans' "Time Remembered" from his new Whirlwind Recording Where Angels Fear to Tread. Joining the leader are Joe Magnarelli (tr), Andy Fusco (reeds), Doug Weiss (b) and Jaimeo Brown (d), all natives of Syracuse, New York.

Brit trumpeter Jason Palmer teams up with France's Cédric Hanriot, the pianist in this ensemble's Whirlwind Recordings' City of Poets. The group performs "The Soldier's Tale (Mode IV)," one of the titles of the nine pieces that take their origins from US author Dan Simmons' four-novel science fiction series Hyperion Cantos. Joining the group are notables Donny McCaslin on tenor, Michael Janisch (b) and Clarence Penn (d). Mike Jones follows with an uplifting and retro take on McHugh and Gaskill's "I Can't Believe (That) You're in Love with Me," from his new Capri Records' Roaring. The trio includes Mike on piano with Katie Thiroux (b) and Matt Witek (d). Newcomer to the show, Hungarian-born American pianist Laszlo Gardony, follows with a cover of the traditional (Harry Burleigh) "Motherless Child" from his 2016 Sunnyside Records' Life in Real Time. Included in the three tenor front line are John Lockwood: bass; Yoron Israel: drums; Stan Strickland: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Don Braden: tenor saxophone and Bill Pierce: tenor saxophone. Completing this second-half is a magnificent take on Churchill and Morey's "Some Day My Prince Will Come" - a tune resurrected from the 1937 Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - from the unique Miles Davis Sextet's 1961 Columbia recording of the same name. It's the first time Miles included saxophonist Hank Mobley in one of his releases. The recording includes Coltrane on tenor and Wynton Kelly on piano.

Charlie Haden - Jan Garbarek - Egberto Gismonti – Folk Songs – ECM 1979, one of my all-time favorites from the period, kicks off the third half with a cover of the traditional "Folk Song." The bass/tenor/guitar ensemble was among ECM founder Manfred Eicher's first recordings. Jasper Høiby's Fellow Creatures (Edition Records 2016) follows with an update of the previous group's take on the same melody. It would take a practiced ear to hear the similarity. Danish double bassist Høiby is supported by Brit's Mark Lockheart: tenor saxophone; Laura Jurd: trumpet, flugelhorn; Will Barry: piano and Scotland's Corrie Dick: drums. From friend Juan we get the final cut from Gianni Basso & Renato Sellani's Isn't It Romantic (Philology 2000) covering Benny Golson's "I Remember Clifford," a musical eulogy to the late trumpeter Clifford Brown. The duo has Basso's tenor and Sellani's piano, of whom we'll hear more in the final half. 

The finale taps into jazz's unique ability to bring hearts together. Afro Blue (Smoke Sessions Records 2015) is Harold Mabern's contribution enlisting the sublime voice of Jane Monheit in a cover of Guy Wood and Robert Melin's "My One and Only Love." Mabern's regular ensemble includes Eric Alexander on tenor sax and the bass/drums tandem of John Webber and Joe Farnsworth. Our favorite Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava joins countryman co-leader Renato Sellani in a cover of Jones' "No Greater Love" from their 2001 Philology Le Cose Inutili’ [Things Unnecessary]. Honoring a request from Holladay Farms' Sally, we'll hear Nancy LaMott covering David Zippel's "Why Don't We Run Away" from Nancy's 1995 Midder Music Beautiful Baby. Renato Sellani returns with a piano solo cover of J. Russell Robinson's "Portrait of Jennie" from his 2016 Philology Sellani on Steinway. The melody comes from a 1948 fantasy film of the same name starring Joseph Cotten and Jennifer Jones. From her 1999 GRP Why Should I Care comes Diana Krall interpreting Cole Porter's "Let's Face the Music and Dance." Gregory Porter concludes this sentimental half covering Burke and Van Heusen's "But Beautiful" from his 2010 MotemaWater.

Let's have some fun!

Thanks to Music Director Serah and friends around the world for the program's content.

Rob Luft - Winner of the sixth “Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize” (EDITION RECORDS)

Edition Records and the Royal Academy of Music are 

pleased to announce that the 2016 winner of the sixth

 “Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize” is the outstanding

 guitarist and composer Rob Luft.

The Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize is awarded each year to a young artist who demonstrates excellence in both performance and composition, selected from all graduating jazz musicians at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. The prize includes release of the artist's proposed recording on the Edition record label: Rob, the sixth recipient of this major award will release his album in 2017, he follows in the footsteps of the highly acclaimed previous winners; saxophonist Josh Arcoleo in 2011, trumpeter Reuben Fowler in 2012, vocalist Lauren Kinsella in 2013, bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado in 2014, and Ralph Wyld in 2015 – whose album is due for release later this year.

The judging panel – Edition Records boss Dave Stapleton, the Academy’s Head of Jazz Nick Smart together with Evan Parker, saxophonist and lifelong collaborator of the late Wheeler – met in June to decide the winner.

Evan Parker said: ‘This year’s discussions were more intense than ever.  The standard of musicianship and originality of creative vision that have become the hallmark of the Kenny Wheeler Prize winners were achieved by many of the entrants so that, inevitably, other considerations came in to help us make our final choice. Rob Luft convinced us that not only was he a great improvising guitarist, but his written material, arrangements and leadership seemed to inspire the other members of his group to play their best. Our final decision was unanimous.’

Edition Records boss Dave Stapleton also commented: ‘In this sixth year of the Kenny Wheeler prize, the wealth of talent emerging from the Academy’s Jazz course continues to astound us on the panel. It is an exciting and encouraging indication of just how strong the future looks for the jazz scene, especially at a time when the recording industry is evolving so dynamically. It was in this spirit that the music and guitar playing of Rob Luft shone through. He is already a remarkably experienced and accomplished musician, and he presented a clear vision that was particularly coherent with both the legacy of Kenny’s own aesthetic, and with Edition’s artistic direction. Rob’s own musical direction combined with his gifts as an instrumentalist and composer, will no doubt provide huge value to the strength of the European Jazz Scene in the future and we look forward to sharing Rob’s journey on releasing his debut album.’

Rob Luft said: ‘To be the recipient of the 2016 Kenny Wheeler Prize means a great deal to me, as it gives me the chance to work alongside Edition Records in making my debut album recording. This represents a golden opportunity for me to think artistically and creatively about my music at a time when it is increasingly challenging for young jazz musicians to do so.’

ABOUT ROB LUFT

Rob Luft, an award-winning 22-year-old musician from London, has been described as one of the UK’s most prominent and talented young contemporary jazz guitarists. Praised by The Times for a run of recent performances at Ronnie Scott’s, Rob has been tipped ‘to achieve great things in the future’.

Having joined NYJO at the age of 15, Rob then went on to study on the jazz programme at the Royal Academy of Music. Subsequently, he co-founded the tango quintet The Deco Ensemble, with whom he has released one album, ‘Encuentro’ (2015), featuring the music of Argentinian composers such as Astor Piazzolla. With this group alone, Rob has performed in The National Philharmonic (Warsaw), The Purcell Room (London), Salle Cortot (Paris), Ministry of Culture (Bratislava), Palazzo Brancaccio (Rome), as well as in many other major European cities. Other concert highlights include performances with artists including Django Bates and Loose Tubes, Eddie Parker’s “Mister Vertigo”, Stan Sulzmann, Gregory Porter, Hamish Stuart and Liane Carroll.

Rob is a member of Byron Wallen’s “Four Corners”, Martin Speake’s “Mafarowi” and Enzo Zirilli’s “Zirobop”. He received the Second Prize in The 2016 Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition. He also is the recipient of the 2015 Peter Whittingham Award as part of two collective ensembles – Patchwork Jazz Orchestra and jazz-rock quartet Big Bad Wolf. He appears on Liane Carroll’s latest release on Linn Records (Seaside – 2015), Brazilian singer Luna Cohen’s new album on the Catalonian independent label Temps Record (November Sky – 2016), and the debut album from Enzo Zirilli on Milanese label UR Records (Zirobop – 2015).

‘Guitarist Rob Luft is a player the jazz scene will certainly be hearing plenty from’.

John Fordham, The Guardian

‘Obvious Star Quality’.

Jazzwise Magazine

‘Boundless Technique’.

Lee Ritenour

EDITION RECORDS

Elisabeth Lohninger & Walter Fischbacher Duo Zinc Bar Monday, August 29th 7pm + New CD (JAZZ PROMO SERVICES)

Elisabeth Lohninger & Walter Fischbacher Duo

Monday, August 29th

7pm (2 sets)

Zinc Bar

82 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012

(212) 477-9462

Cover: $10

www.zincbar.com

For more than 20 years Elisabeth Lohninger and Walter Fischbacher have been making music together. Living in New York. Touring in Europe, Japan, the Middle East. A plethora of projects and albums lie between their first duo album, "Austrian LiedGood", and their latest release, also a duo CD with the title "Ballads in Blue". In between the two of them explored diverse musical avenues, wrote music for other projects, came into their own as artists. Now they step out again as a duo, a suitcase filled with a wide variety of musical influences and revelations in tow. This is the backdrop for an atmospheric, intimate and colorful arc that tells the story of two people who went out into the world to find themselves and each other. Poetry, passion and groove.

Webpage: Lohninger & Fischbacher Duo

New CD

Elisabeth Lohninger "Eleven Promises"

(Jazzsick 5097 JS ) 

Street Date: Sept 23, 2016

VOCALIST ELISABETH LOHNINGER’S SENSUOUS NEW CD 

LOOKS AT LOVE AND COMMITMENT

"Lohninger shapes an adventurous but accessible session that ideally showcases her voice. Dark and dense as blackberries yet lustrous as pearls, it is a stunning instrument that deserves smart, sympathetic support." - Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times

“…a powerful performer and a highly-skilled improviser and composer.” - New York Times

In a career that has taken her from the slopes of the Austrian alps, where she sang folk songs as a young girl, to jazz clubs, concert halls and the stages of international jazz festivals, vocalist Elisabeth Lohninger has proven herself to be a powerful and elusive talent. On her latest CD, Eleven Promises (September 23rd, 2016, JazzSick Records), she teams up with pianist husband Walter Fischbacher to create a luscious meditation on love and commitment. Joining her is an international cast of jazz talents that includes drummer Ulf Stricker and bassist Goran Vujic, along with special guests Gary Schreiner (chromatic harmonica), Ben Butler (guitar), and Pete McCann (guitar). Drawing on her love of pop music, as well as jazz and her own originals, she has crafted an album that tells the story of two people who went out into the world to find themselves and each other. Poetry, passion and groove.

"This album is our first co-written release in almost two decades," Lohninger says. "It feels like coming home after exploring the world, learning, studying and experiencing different textures of music making. In a way it's an album about our marriage. The title reflects our promise to each other to always return to one another, no matter what. We just happen to make this promise eleven times, and in 11/16," she says, alluding to the title track of the album.

The album opener, "When We Were Young", delves into family and connectedness. Lohninger's clear, warm alto takes us on a trip down memory lane, to glimpse moments of levity - warm summer rain, carefree children at play, unbridled imagination - and to use these moments in times of darkness and hopelessness as a reminder that happiness often lies in the tiniest flashes of joy. The only cover song on the album "The Girl from Ipanema" receives a cool chill-out make-over, while "Take My Picture While I'm Smiling" has Lohninger channel a moment of intimacy on a hot summer night. The tinge of disappointment in "Birthday Girl" gets as much an authentic reading as budding love does in "Mellow Moon Moaning". "Each Time You Leave" speaks to the hardship of separation, wrapped in cool electronica and subtle strings, while "Hold On" urges us to follow through on our dreams and aspirations and not let inside or outside "dark voices" derail our path. Lohninger calls "Merry Go Round" her anti-war song, and it is one of those tunes that sneak up on the listener in their simplicity - in this case disguised as a children's ditty - only to express the frustration of endless repetition in a gut wrenching howl. "Circles" alludes to Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" before moving into a circular motion in the chorus. Lohninger handles the subject matter, the sway of false prophets, with her trademark straight forward singing style, inviting the listener to step into their own journey and realize that nobody has all the right answers. Finally, "Ya Mi Corazon", based on Tirso Duarte's "Cuenta con los Santos", is a lark of a song, an expression of an 'amour fou', a fling, a celebration of spontaneity that invites the listener to break into a breathy Rumba.

Throughout the album Lohninger is buffered by a subtle, tasteful production that wraps itself around her voice, the lyrics, the emotions without being overbearing. Walter Fischbacher's piano and rhodes solos bring a muscular yet agile brilliance to the recording, while Stricker and Vujic supply an inspired, solid foundation. Ben Butler brings a Blues flavor to the otherwise lushly orchestrated "Birthday Girl", while Gary Schreiner's velvet smooth sound on chromatic harmonica slinks through "Mellow Moon Moaning", adding a tasteful layer of yearning.

Growing up in a small Austrian mountain village (population 25), Lohninger started singing in school and church choirs.  At the age of six, she joined her two sisters in what would become a nationally renowned vocal group specializing in the songs of her homeland. Driven by her musical curiosity, she soon ventured in other directions and studied classical music and jazz, finishing her studies with a Masters degree in music and English Language and Literature. In 1994, Lohninger relocated to New York and has released eleven albums since then. Teaming up with pianist Walter Fischbacher to co-found the duo Perfect Roommates, she released Austrian LiedGood, a fusion of Austrian folk music and jazz. Her pop-soul album Alien Lovers, released in 2000 under the alias Tera, provides additional evidence of her stylistic versatility. In 2003, she and Fischbacher also recorded IF, an album of electronica chill-out tracks, which were featured extensively in the daytime drama One Life to Live. 

Her 2004 release Beneath Your Surface (Lofish Music) with Fischbacher, Steve Doyle and Hari Ganglberger consisted mainly of her jazz originals as did the 2006 release The Only Way Out Is Up (Lofish), with her working trio of Fischbacher, bassist Chris Tarry, and drummer Jordan Perlson. In 2008 Lohninger joined tap dancer Max Pollak and vibraphonist Tim Collins to record Trionada, a highly inventive album that took the trio's experimenting powers to exceptional heights. Songs of Love and Destruction (2010), one of Lohninger’s most ambitious albums, saw her team up with jazz greats such as Donny McCaslin, Bruce Barth, Ingrid Jensen, and Christian Howes. Lohninger's only Christmas album to date, Christmas in July, was a collaboration between her, Walter Fischbacher and German guitarist Axel Fischbacher (not related), that saw Lohninger sing in nine different languages. 

Her live album, aptly titled LIVE (2012) was named "one of the best vocal albums of 2013" by C. Michael Bailey of All About Jazz. Finally, in 2015, Lohninger commemorated the closing of her long-running recording studio Lofish Studios with the release of a duo album titled Ballads in Blue. Here she is accompanied by Walter Fischbacher on piano. This album marks the most intimate outing of the vocalist to date, consisting entirely of ballads such as "Never Let Me Go" and "You Don't Know What Love Is".

With Eleven Promises Elisabeth Lohninger paints a gratifying and deeply moving portrait of the human experience.

www.elisabethlohninger.com

National Press Campaign

Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services

Ph: 845-986-1677

jim@jazzpromoservices.com

www.jazzpromoservices.com

"Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”