Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Common Quartet - The Hive (2016)




We are very happy to announce the release of our new debut album, “The Hive.” The album features compositions by every member of the quartet, as well as special guest Steve Cardenas on guitar. We had our release show recently, at Cornelia Street Cafe in the West Vilage. And there will be more shows to come!

“The Hive” is a product of the band’s ritual of meeting every Monday to play and work on compositions. The record highlights the band’s interactive energy and empathy, as all members work toward a common goal in each song. Collective in nature, bustling with interactive improvisation, each member is treated as an equal and integral part of the whole. Each player contributes not only as a instrumentalist but also as a composer. “The Hive” is a mile marker in an ongoing process, one which will continue to evolve and flourish through the years.

That said, please click on our SoundCloud to sample the music! And, you can visit iTunes, Amazon, or cdbaby.com/commonquartet, to purchase your own copy!

In addition to the album, we are currently booking an international tour for 2017, so stay tuned for details!!

We are also happy to be continuing our Monday night residency at Vodou Bar, in Brooklyn. This continues to be a great source of inspiration for us as a band, and we find it fortunate to be able to work together on a consistent basis. We think that’s one of the things what makes our band unique.

That’s all for now, stay tuned for more!


1. Zam 5:40
2. Lem 7:48
3. Gemmi 5:00
4. Don't Hide 6:13
5. Traffic Song 6:29
6. En Otro Lugar 5:15
7. Lazybird 5:10
8. Empty Castle 6:01
9. Big Foot 4:43

Nitzan Gavrieli, piano / composer
Pablo Menares, bass / composer
Alex Wyatt, drums / composer
Seth Trachy, saxophone / composer

Nitzan Gavrieli
Pianist and composer Nitzan Gavrieli grew up in Ramat Gan, Israel. In 2007, he relocated to New York and shortly after received several scholarships to attend the prestigious New School for Jazz and Contemporary music. While in school, he studied with Sam Yahel, Hal Galper and Reggie Workman among other leading figures in the New York jazz scene.

Since then, Nitzan has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz, including Mark Murphy, Charlie Persip, Bob Moses, Jeff Hirshfield, Frank Gambale, David Schnitter, Peter Bernstein, Cameron Brown, Melissa Aldana, Fransisco Mela and Steve Cardenas. He played in festivals across the U.S and Europe, including Sudtirol Jazz Festival, Bern Jazz Festival, Red Sea Jazz Festival, Tel Aviv Jazz Festival, Scranton Jazz Festival, Jazz & Colors Festival, and at such venues as Marians Jazz Room in Berne, Unterfahrt Jazz Club in Munich, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Blue Note Jazz Club, Town Hall and Smalls Jazz Club in New York. This summer the Nitzan Gavrieli Trio will release its debut album, featuring Nitzan’s original compositions.

Pablo Menares
Pablo Menares is a chilean bass player based in Brooklyn, NY. He is one of the most highly regarded bass players in Chile. Since moving to New York City in 2009, he has worked widely in both Jazz and Latin music. He has performed in many of New York’s notable jazz venues, including Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Jazz Gallery, Smoke, Smalls Jazz Club, Fat Cat, 55 Bar, Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall and Carnegie Hall. He has toured extensively in Europe, Asia, North, Central and South America. Among the luminaries with whom he has performed are Sam Yahel, Arturo O’Farrill, Randy Brecker, David Kikoski, Bob Moses, Greg Osby, Melissa Aldana, Claudia Acuña and Francisco Mela.

Alex Wyatt
Alex Wyatt is a New York based drummer and composer hailing from Denver, Colorado. Recognitions include winning the drum chair in the Colorado All-State Jazz Band three years in a row, receiving scholarship to attend the New School for Jazz in New York, graduating from the New School for Jazz Signa Cum Laude with a B.F.A., and being a finalist for the Thelonious Monk Institute for Jazz. Noteworthy performance work: performed with pianist Kevin Hays at Scalo in Albuquerque, New Mexico; with guitarist Gilad Hekselman in various New York City jazz clubs; with saxophonist George Garzone at Ortlieb’s in Philadelphia; toured Japan with saxophonist Masahiro Yamamoto; performed in South Korea with vocalist Yeahwon Shin; toured the Czech Republic with guitarist Rudy Linka; toured the United States with Broadway stars The Midtown Men. Noteworthy recording work: Here Be Dragons, featuring saxophonist Jon Irabagon released 2009 on Fresh Sound New Talent; WYATT, self-released indie-pop record from 2011, led by Alex’s sister Maddy; There’s Always Something, Alex’s own jazz record with original compositions, released on Nowt Records in 2012; Tales of a Dreamer, by pianist Hyung-Jin Choi in 2014, and Magic Light, by pianist Eugenia Choe, released in April 2016 on Steeplechase Records. Current work includes performing and releasing a new album with Common Quartet, continuing to tour with The Midtown Men, performing as a house band member of Duane Park Jazz and Burlesque Club, and performing around New York City with the indie-pop band WYATT.

Seth Trachy
Saxophonist/composer Seth Trachy was raised on a farm in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and spent his childhood exploring the Appalachian wilderness and absorbing the soulful sounds of artists such as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding from his father’s record collection. Trachy received recognition early on in the Downbeat student music awards while attending high school at the North Carolina School of the Arts. He has performed and recorded with artists such as Kenny Werner, Dave Douglas, Steve Cardenas, Peter Bernstein, Miguel Zenon, Henry Cole, Clarence Penn and Jeff Hirshfield.

Trachy relocated to New Jersey in 2000 to study on full scholarship at William Patterson University for two years before completing his studies at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City. In 2005, Trachy was selected to participate in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Workshop as well as the Ravinia Jazz Festival. He has studied with Sam Yahel, Dave Tofani, Miguel Zenon, George Garzone, Armen Donelian, Joe Lovano, and Eddie Saulkin. In addition to studying jazz, Trachy has studied Indian classic music at the Ustad Alik Akbar Khan School of Music in San Rafael, California. He currently lives in Brooklyn working as a freelance saxophonist.





The Linda Sharrock Network - Live At The Bab-Ilo, 2016.08.25 IMPROVISING BEINGS


01. Live At The Bab-Ilo, 2016.08.25 (47:58)


Linda Sharrock: vocals 
Mario Rechtern: baritone, soprano, sopranino saxophones, saxolin 
Itaru Oki: trumpet, flugelhorn, flutes 
Lucien Johnson: tenor saxophone 
Claude Parle: accordion 
Yoram Rosilio: double bass 
Makoto Sato: drums

Released September 1, 2016 

Recorded live at the Bab-Ilo, Paris, France, August 25, 2016. 
Special thanks to Sifal Amara.


Flame Jazz Messengers - Port Arthur (2016)


Pianisti-rumpali-säveltäjä Jussi Fredrikssonin perustama Flame Jazz Messengers -jazzsekstetti julkaisee Port Arthur -nimeä kantavan debyyttialbuminsa Fredriksson Musicilla 9. syyskuuta.

Fredrikssonin Turkua jazzin keinoin elävöittävä laajamittainen projekti Flame Jazz saa bändimuotonsa Flame Jazz Messengersissä, joka koostuu kotimaisen jazzin kärkikatraasta, vibrafonisti Severi Pyysalosta, trumpetisti Verneri Pohjolasta, alttosaksofonisti Max Zengeristä, basisti Teemu Åkerblomista sekä Fredrikssonista itsestään, joka soittaa yhtyeessä rumpuja. Lisäksi yhtyeessä kuullaan ruotsalaista tenorisaksofonisti Karl-Martin Almqvistia.

Temaattisesti Turun hengestä ja Itämeren suojelusta ammentava debyyttilevy Port Arthur on turkulaisten Severi Pyysalon ja Jussi Fredrikssonin käsialaa. Vibrafonisti Pyysalon ja rumpali Fredrikssonin kolmelle puhallinsoittimelle ja rytmisektiolle säveltämä ja sovittama musiikki on yhdistelmä vahvoja melodioita, energisiä solistisia taidonnäytteitä sekä rohkeita dynamiikan vaihteluja.

– Port Arthur -levyltä välittyy leppeä länsirannikon meininki, joka heijastelee Turussa loimuavaa jazzbuumia, kertoo Fredriksson itse esikoisalbumista.

– Itselleni on erityisesti suuri kunnia tehdä musiikkia nerokkaan Severi Pyysalon kanssa. Hänen soittonsa tallentaminen äänitteelle on mielestäni aina kulttuuriteko.

Flame Jazz Messengers koostuu kotimaisen jazzkentän vahvoista äänistä kansainvälisellä mausteella höystettynä. Sukupolvensa kansainvälisesti tunnetuimpiin jazzmuusikoihin lukeutuva, vuoden Flame Jazz -artistiksikin vuonna 2015 valitun trumpetisti Verneri Pohjolan vahva ja tunnistettava ääni yhdistyy Flame Jazz Messengersissä ruotsalaisen tenorisaksofonisti Karl-Martin Almqvistin herkkään soundiin.

Yhtyeen muu soittajisto on koottu Flame Jazzin yhteydessä tiiviisti toimivista turkulaisista muusikoista. Legendaarinen vibrafonisti Severi Pyysalo tuo Messengersin riveihin maailmanluokan solismia, ja Flame Jazzin perustaja rumpali Jussi Fredriksson jäsentää kokonaisuutta eläväisellä komppauksellaan. Suomijazzin nuoriin tähtiin lukeutuvat saksofonisti Max Zenger ja basisti Teemu Åkerblom edustavat nousevan jazzsukupolven huippua ja itsevarmaa, rouheaa tulkintaa.


Jussi Fredrikssonin, piano
Verneri Pohjola, trumpet
Max Zenger, alto sax
Karl-Martin Almqvist, tenor sax
Severi Pyysalo, vibes
Teemu Åkerblom, double bass
Jussi Fredriksson, drums

01. Port Arthur (säv. Severi Pyysalo)
02. Pinky Blues (säv. Jussi Fredriksson)
03. Genau (säv. Severi Pyysalo)
04. No Blue-Green Alga, please (säv. Jussi Fredriksson)
05. Que sera (säv. Jay Livingston, sov. Severi Pyysalo)
06. How deep is the ocean (säv. Irving Berlin, sov. Jussi Fredriksson)




Ivan Paduart & Quentin Dujardin - Catharsis (October 2016) MONS RECORDS


Passionate about writing, Ivan Paduart & Quentin Dujardin create finely crafted lines that feature their own universes, the pianist's jazz world and the unclassifiable style of the guitarist. Their desire to further pursue this adventure now leads them to record this new album, Catharsis alongside Manu Katché, Richard Bona, Olivier Ker Ourio and Bert Joris - artists that don't need introduction - they have created a work that will delight many ears.


Ivan Paduart, piano
Quentin Dujardin, nylon guitar
Richard Bona, bass
Manu Katché, drums
Olivier Ker Ourio, harmonica
Bert Joris, trumpet

01. Délivrance
02. Retrouvailles
03. Human Being
04. Catharsis
05. Far Ahead
06. Mark & Farouk
07. Isabelle
08. Song for Paco
09. Dreams Ago



KA MA Quartet (Katharina Maschmeyer Quartet) - A Love Supreme / Universal Tone (2016) BAUER STUDIOS





Die Musik von John Coltrane aufzunehmen, ist bestimmt keine einfache Sache. Sicherlich macht man sich als Musiker auch Gedanken, ob man der Sache gerecht wird und nicht einfach nur eine Kopie der Suite abliefert.

„Die Idee für dieses Album und auch das Arrangement der Suite kam im Sommer 2015 von unserem Gitarristen Nils Pollheide und stieß bei allen auf Begeisterung, insbesondere nachdem wir uns das erste Mal getroffen haben, um diese Suite zu spielen. Denn beim Spielen dieser Suite ging es uns vor allem um das musikalische Zusammenspiel und das Freisetzen von Energie. Das fühlte sich beim ersten Mal bei allen so großartig an... da war gar keine Diskussion mehr nötig, ob wir die Suite im Studio aufnehmen wollen“ sagt Katharina Maschmeyer.

Durch die bis dahin sehr vielseitig gewachsene Besetzung der Band boten sich viele Möglichkeiten das Arrangement zu gestalten, wodurch eine Aufnahme der Suite auch extrem interessant schien.

Katharina: „Nils, der die Idee für die Suite und auch das Arrangement hatte, hat seine daraufhin entstandene Komposition „Universal Tone“ zu dem Album beigesteuert und damit unseren Weg komplettiert, die Love Supreme auf unsere Weise musikalisch zu feiern. Ein Dank geht in erster Linie an John Coltrane, John McLaughlin, Carlos Santana und zuletzt auch an Nippy Noya für seine musikalische und auch inspirierende Unterstützung bei diesem Projekt.“

Mit dem Stilmix aus modern Jazz, Funk und Rock hat sich das KA MA Quartet deutschlandweit einen Namen gemacht. Nach zahlreichen Konzerten in ganz Deutschland und mehreren Studioaufnahmen ist die Band zu einem starken Kollektiv mit einem sehr abwechslungsreichen und offenen Bandsound geworden.

Mehr Infos unter www.kama-quartet.com


Presse:
"Ihr Quartett geht in dieser sehr besonderen Coltrane-Hommage den Weg zurück in die Geschichte und dann wieder über 50 Jahre bis in die Gegenwart. Es macht Spaß, dem Ensemble auf diesem Weg zu folgen."
NDR "Album der Woche" 09/16 (Michael Laages)

"Das Album wirkt höchst autonom und man hört die Platte nicht als Cover, sondern als eigenständiges musikalisches Statement."
Jazz Podium 09/16 (Thorsten Hingst)

"Ihre eigene Freiheit finden sie dann in deren Neuinterpretation und lustvollen Erweiterung."
Jazzthetik 09/16 (Olaf Maikopf)

"schon brillant"
Westzeit 09/16

"ein starkes Stück"
Landeszeitung Lüneburg 09/16


Katharina Maschmeyer - tenor & soprano saxophone, bass clarinet
Nils Pollheide - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, e-bass
Philipp Rüttgers - keyboard, synth, piano
Jens Otto - drums

Special guest
Nippy Noya - percussion

01. Acknowledgement
02. Resolution
03. Pursuance
04. Psalm
05. The Creator Has a Masterplan
06. Universal Tone
07. My Zen for You



Olivier Le Goas - Reciprocity (2016) BAUER STUDIOS



"Olivier Legoas has once again put together a group of musicians who are sympathetic to his musical vision. Together they pull out the magic that is inherent in the compositions. Individually they shine, but collectively they go beyond the established confines of their instruments to make a sound that is highly personal and satisfying. Olivier's democratic leadership allows for this to happen and establishes an environment where each musician's contribution is on equal footing. A perfect storm for modern creative music."
- Larry Grenadier



"It was early in 2014. My septet album was released in the autumn of the previous year. 
I had a project for my next album to record new music that I had already started to write some. I wanted to go back to a smaller size, in small groups without still have very specific ideas about line-up including.

I had already listened to Nir in concert club in Paris few years ago, but it is by listening during a promotionnal tour of his latest album I was really charmed by his playing and his music. 

We met again during a stay in Canada. We met around ours respectively compositions, and looking for a guitar player I pretty quickly asked him if he wanted to participate in the recording of my new album that I prepared, and I was planning to carry out the following year. I also spoke to him of Bauer Studios where I really wanted to record the album. After he accepted we decided together then immediately the agreed period. 

Oliver continues on the next steps including the choice of other group member: 

"I noticed that many of the groups, and music, I listened, and loved, was including a guitar and a piano. I was really excited about the idea of experimenting with something that was new to me.
So I decided to include a piano and contact Kevin, wich I had the opportunity to go listen him during a concert he gave a dozen years ago in Paris, and wich he for me is true revelation particular for his rhythmic placement.

I also decided also to bring a double bass. While bassist planned to record made me good fake, I remember that Nir had talked to me about an incredible bass player with whom he played regularly, and lived in Europe. So I contact Phil who had made a significant contribution to the music.
Little by little, all this built itself, and everything was set up until we found ourselves for the session

Oliver continues, and finish about the session.

"I took a month and writing music for this great new band, and bring the material for the session.

I can say that I did not know which direction the music would take before we all were interpreting Nir, Kevin, Phil and myself. And it was really a great joy to see that everything was fine and that everyone could find its place and enjoy the game. 

I can say finally that I am infinitely grateful to Nir, Kevin, and Phil who without them this music would not exist."

Corners
Main Street
Since I Know
Curves And Colors
Day Home
Call
Cecile
Evision

Nir Felder: guitar
Kevin Hays: piano
Phil Donkin: bass

Produced by Olivier Le Goas, and Eva Bauer-Oppelland
Recorded on october 12th - 13th 2015, Mixed and Mastered by Philipp Heck at Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg
Design by Element-s
Photography by Juan Hitters