Republic of Jazz: Nov 17, 2016

Thursday, November 17, 2016

NAKAMA RECORDS LABEL-NIGHT: Saturday November 19, 21:00 (GMT+1)

NAKAMA RECORDS LABEL-NIGHT

You are hereby invited to a very special evening! On Saturday the 19th of November we are throwing our very own label-night at Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria in Oslo:

★ 4 concerts (artists presented below)

★ Release of Tanaka // Lindvall // Wallumrød - 3 pianos

★ pre-release of Nakama - Most Intimate

★ Free compilation CD with samples from out first eight recordings

★ Secret guest artists

★ Lottery

★ Tons of merchandise with special offers

★ Afterparty with DJ Bendik Baksaas

★ + more

We believe this is going to be a memorable evening, and we hope that you want to come and support our community and our music!

If you are not in town we offer a direct live-stream from 21:00 (GMT+1) at this link.

Link to the facebook event here.

JINCHŪRIKI

Two violins seem to produce a united sound which is much greater than the sum of each instrument. The instruments resonate in a way that only two equal instruments can, and this allows for enormous variations in dynamic and sound. The duo embraces both eclectic and slow expressions, but the main goal is to go where the music and the nerve exist in every moment.

Håkon Aase - violin

Adrian Løseth Waade - violin

FILOSOFER

Improvisation, truth, joy, jazz and doubt. These are but a few of the elements that frequently emerge in the universe of Filosofer. The music unites an unorthodox string quartet consisting of two violins and two double basses with fresh input from computers, turntables, synthesizers and samplers. In what way are five jazz musicians the same as a string quartet and a DJ? “Filosofer” put their heads together and through the mercy of the moment they contemplate the riddle. It all collides in an improvisational play which holds powerful sounds, tender emotions and surreal musical narration.

Bendik Baksaas - data, synth, samples

Håkon Aase - violin

Adrian Løseth Waade - violin

Erlend Albertse - double bass

Christian Meaas Svendsen - double bass

ANDREAS WILDHAGEN SOLO

Andreas can be summed up as an open-minded and flexible musician. The projects he is involved with display a wide range of musical and dynamic output: Intricate improvisations with Lana trio, extreme bursts of energy in Paal Nilssen-Love's Large Unit or beat oriented modern jazz with Mopti and Bendik Baksaas. To Andreas, diversity has never been a goal in itself, however the urge to explore new areas of music has always been there. Because creativity and intuition is always flowing and moving, never stopping in one place, it is the same way with the music he plays.

Andreas Wildhagen - drums and percussion

TANAKA // LINDVALL // WALLUMRØD

The piano is a vast instrument with a long history. If three pianists with highly dissimilar personalities play three pianos at the same time, would it be possible to get away from what is known as the piano sound? 3 pianos is an album made by a unique piano ensemble consisting of three musicians with different backgrounds and experience. The curiosity for the piano and its countless possibilities was the outset whereas the wish to bend the common boundaries for piano music was the background for this project. The ensemble makes music with clear connections to the music and the ideas of the twentieth century. The musicians develop the material in their own way by focusing on elements like tuning, register, intervals and dynamics. The material includes both written compositions and improvised pieces. The trio has a sophisticated way of instant-composing, and this quality reflects both the musicians individuality as well as there orientation towards interplay.

Ayumi Tanaka - piano

Johan Lindvall - piano

Christian Wallumrød - piano

YOUTUBE

Thofte / Thorsen Quintet - Fermina (GATEWAY MUSIC 2016)

På den anden plade er det den unge trompetist Rolf Thofte sammen med den erfarne saxofonist Simon Thorsen, der gennem årene har undervist og påvirket mange danske saxofonister. Desuden er Johannes Wamberg (guitar), Jens Kristian Andersen (bas) og Henrik Holst Hansen (trommer) medlemmer af kvintetten. Selv om det er unge folk, så er det old school stilen der dominerer.

Pladen åbner med Benny’s tune. I 1952 dominerede cool jazzen og Chet Baker lavede sammen med Gerry Mulligan Bernie’s tune. Det er nogenlunde herfra Thofte/Thorsen Quintets verden går. Det er delikat swingende jazz, med fokus på instrumenterne. Rolf Thofte har et fint samarbejde med Thorsen, hvor de sammen dyrker jazzens inderste væsen. Umiddelbart lyder melodierne som standards.

Det er dog Rolf Thofte der pånær tre numre har skrevet musikken. Thofte/Thorsen Quintet er en fin status på, at den klassiske jazz ikke er døden nær. Tværtimod er den vitalt nærværende. Niels Overgård / jazznyt

01. Benny's Tune

02. Them Italian Days

03. Fermina

04. Maybe, Maybe Not

05. Deprivation

06. Trinity

07. Fatamorgana

08. Nina

09. A.M.C.

10. Just Another Day

Sala Porta-Jazz: RICARDO TOSCANO QUARTETO - Sábado, 19 novembro, 19h00

Sala Porta-Jazz

Edifício A Lutuosa de Portugal

(Av. dos Aliados, nº168 - 4º piso)

Sábado, 19 novembro

Oficina - 17h00

Concerto - 19h00

RICARDO TOSCANO QUARTETO

Ricardo Toscano - saxofone

João Pedro Coelho - piano

Romeu Tristão - contrabaixo

João Pereira - bateria

Ricardo Toscano já dispensa apresentações, seja por ter arrebatado a atenção de tantos espectadores na soma de grandes concertos que liderou nos últimos anos, ou mesmo pelos prémios que recebeu como Saxofonista Revelação (Festa do Jazz do São Luiz, 2010) e o Prémio Jovens Músicos (25ª edição, Antena2).

Nas palavras de António Curvelo: "Ricardo Toscano não é uma esperança do jazz que se faz em Portugal. Ricardo Toscano é a certeza de que o jazz que se faz em Portugal é muito mais do que uma esperança."

Venham até à Sala Porta-Jazz no sábado: este concerto, protagonizado por um dos quartetos mais jovens e mais promissores do panorama nacional, vai ser um momento alto do nosso mês de Novembro.

Ricardo Toscano é uma figura marcante, e antes do concerto irá ainda partilhar um momento de maior proximidade com o público durante uma oficina.

CO-OP BOP - Unlimited (2016)

With associations dating back to childhood Co-op Bop has been performing together for over four decades. Growing up in the post be-bop era of the 1960's, they were influenced by a wide variety of styles.

The collective merging of ideas allows for continual inspiration culminating in new material being regularly added to an already extensive book. The Co-op Bop format features a standard organ trio with a three horn section. Their second CD Co-op Bop "Unlimited" was just released.

01. Horn Dog 8:59

02. Step into a Dream 6:26

03. Mideastern Nights 8:09

04. Just for a Moment 7:21

05. The Dark Side 8:59

06. Four by Eight 7:09

07. A Thought for Marcus 5:35

08. Cucumbersville 8:08

Alan Gaumer - trumpet

Nelson Hill - saxophone

Tom Hamilton - saxophone

Tom Kozic - guitar

Craig Kastelnik - Hammond B3 organ

Gary Rissmiller - drums

Ian Christensen - Finding (Portland Jazz Composers' Ensemble Records 2016)

PJCE Records is proud to announce the debut recording of adventurous young saxophonist, Ian Christensen. Finding, has been a long time in the making. Christensen’s compositions on the album alone date back as far as 2011, during which time the saxophonist has lived in both New York City and Portland, Oregon. Needless to say, things have changed between then and now.

But the music endured, and upon moving to back to Portland at the end of 2013, the saxophonist has been lucky enough to find a group of extraordinarily gifted, compassionate, and skilled musicians with whom to work. Forged by many appearances at local clubs, bars, and festivals, Christensen and his colleagues have built a fluid body of work that ranges in influence from jazz and avant-garde to rock and classical music.

Finding is a reflection of the formation of this sound through trial and error, through continuous collaboration and exploration. At the core of this record exists the idea of bringing patience and tastefulness to every musical situation; the thought that leaving space to breath and contemplate is essential.

Christensen’s musical approach is fiercely dedicated to improvisation in every sense. From the interaction between his keen ensemble members, to his own melodic construction that shies away from cliché, he unabashedly displays that he is a capable risk-taker. Perhaps it was his musical upbringing which is firmly ensconced in the jazz tradition by legendary Portland teachers such as Alan Jones, Thara Memory, and Randy Porter.

Or maybe Christensen forged his own path by taking cues from the teachers he studied with in New York; pioneers of the musical unknown like Andrew Cyrille, Ben Street, Chris Speed, and Bill McHenry. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that Christensen speaks the jazz language in a way that few artists of his generation would dare to speak it.

1. 8 Bars of Poetry 05:08

2. L & W 05:39

3. Clot 05:25

4. Socially Awkward 04:27

5. Naptime 04:15

6. Heather 06:03

7. Worn Luster 08:25

8. Cattywampus 04:59

Ian Christensen, tenor sax

Noah Bernstein, alto saxophone on tracks 1,3,4,8

Ryan Meagher, guitar on tracks 2,5,6,7

Andrew Jones, bass on tracks 1,3,4,8

Jonas Oglesbee, drums

All Compositions by Ian Christensen except "Heather" and "Worn Luster" by Ryan Meagher and "Socially Awkward" and "Cattywampus" by Andrew Jones.

Recorded at the Map Room in Portland, Oregon.

Engineered, mixed, and mastered by David Pollock.

Nigel Price Organ Trio - Heads & Tales Volume 2 (WHIRLWIND RECORDINGS 2016) 2 CD

“Wow’. Lovers of jazz across the UK – prepare to be taken by storm by the Nigel Price Organ Quartet. An experience not to be missed!”

★★★★★ The Jazz Mann

“This is just about as good as it gets whether you’re into guitar, organ, sax, drums or simply great jazz.”

Bebop Spoken Here

British guitarist and composer Nigel Price brings his organ trio to Whirlwind in Heads & Tales, Volume 2, a double album which follows up his original 2011 release. Rooted in the blues and hard bop traditions – echoing the fluidity of the likes of Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Louis Stewart – his considerable appeal stems from the unequivocal understanding of his instrument (here, a new D’Angelico NYL-5), as well as a desire to nurture his own voice while building strong rapport with live audiences.

For part one of this 2-CD release, Price revels in his collaboration with Hammond organist Ross Stanley and drummer Matt Home. Together, they shape his original music through the earthy authenticity of the organ trio idiom, their connectivity sparking relentless verve and invention. He also invites saxophonists Alex Garnett and Vasilis Xenopoulos to guest on a number of tracks, adding further weight and dynamism to the guitarist’s material.

Price’s own works are cryptically modelled on well-known jazz standards (interpreted later, solo), turning them on their head with imaginative composition and often quirky titling. For example: Gigi Gryce’s ‘Minority’ becomes ‘Majority’; Harold Arlen’s ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’ translates into ‘Wet & Dry’; and Frank Loesser’s ‘Slow Boat to China’ is re-fashioned as ‘Junk’ (“Chinese boat, innit?”, he quips). As Nigel explains, “There’s something very clear and rewarding about developing these contrafacts. Knowing the form and harmony already, you then engage your own sensibilities to produce something new and punchy, conceived specifically with your own players and instrumentation in mind.”

Such synergy is palpable in ‘Blue Genes’, Price proving that new light can shine through old windows by transforming Duke Pearson’s ‘Jeannine’ into a fast-swing showcasing Vasilis Xenopoulos’s voluble tenor improv, with the guitar adeptly comping behind. Ross Stanley’s Hammond dexterity, throughout, is matchless. Combining textural color, breakneck runs and audacious pedalboard momentum, he links up with Alex Garnett’s assured tenor sax in ‘R&R’ to create a modern classic; and smouldering ‘Smokescape’ (a slow’n’moody reworking of Kenny Burrell’s ‘Midnight Blue’) feels like it was written for the organist’s bluesy soloing.

Jimmy Raney’s ‘Parker 51’ (the only non-original in this first set) is as breathless as they come, with Matt Home’s incisive syncopation underpinning Price’s typically fleet extemporizations; ‘Up and Out’ illuminates the guitar’s alluring melodies amidst the comparative lightness of the trio; and the exchange of alto and tenor solos in ‘Majority’ affirms the leader’s vision in bringing together Garnett and Xenopoulos for this recording.

The second session, recorded entirely as solo guitar performances or duo overdubs, pulls into even sharper focus the demanding intricacies of Price’s varied technique. These nine, intimately-recorded gems of standards glisten timelessly, from the blithe demeanor of Ray Noble’s ‘Cherokee’ and Rodgers & Hart’s ‘Have You Met Miss Jones?’ through to a crunchy, rocking interpretation of Joe Pass’s ‘Fragments of Blues’, the brazen, dual-guitar strut of ‘Midnight Blue’, and a mellow bossa impression of Horace Silver’s ‘Peace’.

With a total of almost two hours’ of material, much of it recorded as single takes, Nigel Price is in his element with the release of Heads & Tales, Volume 2: “It means the world to me to play great music with these guys, to be able to make it happen and to get it out there to the people. That’s what really matters to me.” And check out the CD booklet – a gallery of social media responses to the guitarist’s call for photo-editing wizardry is priceless.

The Nigel Price Organ Trio, winner of a Parliamentary Jazz Awards for Best Esemble is led by one of Britain’s leading guitarists. Nigel Price is a regular performer at Ronnie Scott’s where he has made more than 500 appearances. He spent three years with the James Taylor Quartet and has performed with the BBC Big Band, Carleen Anderson and the legendary David Axelrod. Nigel is particularly known for his blend of flowing, fiery bebop-influenced lines and deep blues influences.

For Heads and Tales, Volume 2, he is joined by drummer Matt Home and organist Ross Stanley. Formed in 2002, this trio has performed and toured extensively both in the UK and abroad including ten residencies at Ronnie Scott’s. The consequences of this long term collaboration are a rare, cohesive chemistry between three musicians, an enormous repertoire and the ability to put on a well-structured show that entertains from start to finish. Joining as special guests on the new double album will be Whirlwind artist Alex Garnett and Vasilis Xenopoulos on tenor saxophones.

Nigel is currently in the middle of a 56 date tour of the UK. Kindly supported by Arts Council England, the tour will include workshops and support bands from local schools, colleges and music organisations.

Disc 1 (Trio + Guests)

01. Blue Genes

02. Wet & Dry

03. Up And Out

04. Parker 51

05. War

06. R&R

07. Majority

08. Junk

09. Smokescape

Disc 2 (Solo Guitar)

01. Cherokee