Festival International de Jazz de Montréal - Discotheque: A gigantic open-air dancefloor!

Ricardo Silveira Trio – Simbora (2017)

01. Aquela Pro Baden (4:32)

02. Outro Rio (6:28)

03. Outra Bossa (4:18)

04. Agreste (6:15)

05. Mais uma Vez (8:55)

06. Simbora 60 (5:34)

07. Ingenua (6:53)

08. Melhores Tempos (4:04)

Ricardo Silveira - guitar

Thiago Rabello - drums

Guto Wirtti - bass

JD Allen - Radio Flyer (2017)

Rodolphe Lauretta - Raw (ONZE HEURES ONZE 2017)

Avec son premier album Raw, le saxophoniste alto et compositeur Rodolphe Lauretta (qui a joué avec Brice Wassy, Alain Jean-Marie…) explore des ressources insoupçonnées du trio sans instrument harmonique. Grooves à tiroir, séquences empruntées à John Coltrane et Chick Corea, thèmes sophistiqués, effluves de rock, de hip-hop, de rythmes afro-caribéens dessinent des compositions à l'univers singulier.

Entouré du contrebassiste Damien Varaillon et du batteur Arnaud Dolmen (Naïssam Jalal, David Lynx, Mario Canonge...), le saxophoniste nous convie à une session à la fois intimiste et énergique, enregistrée avec l'urgence et la spontanéité d’un live.

Sur deux titres davantage produits, on retrouve la chanteuse franco-camerounaise Charlotte Wassy et le rappeur américain Theorhetoric, tandis que le trompettiste Olivier Laisney, entendu auprès de Laurent Cugny, Magic Malik et Oxyd, distille son jeu aventureux sur le morceau « Clave ». Un premier album qui offre un jazz hybride, brut et rugueux.

01. Get Started 4:19

02. Buzy Bird 4:27

03. Vert sang 4:05

04. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise 4:25

05. Réminiscences (feat. Charlotte Wassy) 4:55

06. Big Leel 5:22

07. Rêverie 7:06

08. Shed Life 4:26

09. Clave (feat. Olivier Laisney) 4:58

10. Chick's Riddle 5:01

11. Get Started (feat. Theorhetoric) [Remix] 3:03

Tom Kohl, Dances With Sun (2017)

Frank Kohl's Little Brother Steps Out With a NEW Release in a collection that has been growing since 1993.  With the release of Dances With the Sun, Kohl's 4th offering sporting 7 originals and and two standards, his latest offering is already proving to be a standout date of excellence.

From 1980 to 1985 Kohl attended UMass Amherst. Studying with saxophonists Archie Shepp and Marion Brown as well as gospel musician and scholar Horace Clarence Boyer. The rich jazz environment at UMass prepared Kohl well to eventually relocate back to the NYC area in 1985.

For the next few years Kohl played and recorded extensively at clubs, concert venues and recording studios in the Northeast.

Featuring

Tom Kohl - piano all tracks

Steve LaSpina - bass on tracks 1,2,4,6,7,8

Stephen Roane - bass on tracks 3 and 5

Jon Doty - drums all tracks

Jazz pianist Tom Kohl began his jazz explorations at the age of 11 when some family friends gave the Kohl household a grand piano. Initially self taught, Kohl felt an instant affinity with harmony and improvisation. His older brother (jazz guitarist Frank Kohl) gave him a copy of the LP Facing You by Keith Jarrett. “When I first listened to the music on that LP it was like my musical world exploded” Kohl remembers “The harmony, energy and folksy nature of that music made me want to speak the language of jazz.” Eventually studying with pianist Larry Agovino, Kohl began to develop a richly harmonic style that was deeply steeped in the history of jazz. Growing up in the NYC metropolitan area allowed Kohl access to jazz clubs such as: The Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil’s, Fat Tuesday’s and The Village Gate to name a few. Kohl recalls, “ When I was in high school I would regularly go into the city to see Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, McCoy Tyner and all sorts of incredible musicians.”

From 1980 to 1985 Kohl attended UMass Amherst. Studying with saxophonists Archie Shepp and Marion Brown as well as gospel musician and scholar Horace Clarence Boyer. The rich jazz environment at UMass prepared Kohl well to eventually relocate back to the NYC area in 1985.

For the next few years Kohl played and recorded extensively at clubs, concert venues and recording studios in the Northeast. Kohl worked with many great musicians and ensembles including: bassists Stephen Roane, Steve LaSpina, Bill Crow, Mark Johnson, drummer Jon Doty, guitarist (and brother) Frank Kohl, the Fred Smith Quartet and the Michelle LeBlanc Quintet.  Kohl’s compositions and ensemble skills are showcased in his four CDs as a leader: Voice of Choice (1993), Three Windows (1998), Twain (2001) and Dances with the Sun (2017).

The spirit of Kohl’s recorded works is summed up well by Eric Nemeyer of Jazz Improvization Magazine describing the music on Three Windows, “This independently released recording stands light years ahead of innumerable self-released jazz albums that flood the market. Kohl possesses the experience and the substance and demonstrates he has a lot of meaningful things to say”.

Pianist Tom Kohl’s fourth album as a leader, Dances with the Sun gives us an uniquely beautiful mix of seven original compositions as well as two jazz standards. Kohl’s continued exploration of the modern jazz piano trio is aided by bassists Steve LaSpina, Stephen Roane and drummer Jon Doty. Kohl’s originals are harmonically rich, stylistically diverse and rhythmically energetic. In contrast, his lyrical treatment of two well-worn jazz standards celebrates a reverence for the great American songbook.

Dances with the Sun opens with Kohl’s original Tymus. This piece is a microcosm of the entire CD in that it features several alternating feels: an ostinato, a straight-ahead romp, and last, a quick waltz. Kohl quickly shifts gears with a playful and melodic waltz Can I Ask You a Question? Among Kohl’s other original works are two grunge-era inspired pieces Ab-tune and Stick Figure. Both pieces artfully embrace shifting meters, dark harmonies and drumming more akin to 90’s Seattle.

Kohl’s treatment of the jazz standard Indian Summer is a straight ahead nod to guitarist Jim Hall. The CD wraps up by introducing yet another different feel – Apricots is a completely pre-composed solo piano piece. Perhaps best described as a study in shifting tonal centers.

Helping out Kohl on this disc are four seasoned veteran musicians from the NYC area. Bassist Steve LaSpina’s musical abilities are jaw droppingly apparent on Carbonesque – first he doubles Kohl’s melody with beautiful tone and phrasing, then he solos magnificently on the 7/4 outro. Bassist Stephen Roane’s warm tone is featured playing the melody on the bridge of Stick Figure.

He ably energizes this piece embracing different meters and feels. Throughout the varied styles that we hear on this disc, drummer Jon Doty’s contributions are essential to the spirit of each piece. His solos on Tymus and the title track are perfect vehicles to showcase his formidable skills.


Dances with the Sun is a collection of well-crafted, mostly trio performances that come together like a book of diverse short stories. Each different from the last yet coming together as a unified whole.

CONCERTOS PORTA-JAZZ: Sábado - Eduardo Cardinho & Pedro Branco Group

Sábado, 1 julho

19:00 & 22:00 

Sala Porta-Jazz

EDUARDO CARDINHO & PEDRO BRANCO GROUP

Eduardo Cardinho - vibrafone

Pedro Branco - guitarra

Demian Cabaud - contrabaixo

Iago Fernandéz - bateria

Eduardo Cardinho e Pedro Branco são dois jovens músicos que têm vindo a dar que falar na cena jazzística portuguesa, apresentam o seu mais recente projecto com música original e improvisada. Ambos residem em Amsterdão e foi onde surgiu a ideia de criar algo em conjunto. Juntam-se Demian Caboud no contrabaixo e Iago Fernandez na bateria, dois músicos que dispensam de qualquer apresentação.

PRÓXIMOS CONCERTOS SALA PORTA-JAZZ

8 julho, 19:00 + 22:00

Quarteto José Pedro Coelho

José Pedro Coelho - saxofone

João Grilo - piano

Demian Cabaud - contrabaixo

Marcos Cavaleiro - bateria

15 de Julho, 19:00 + 22:00

Weird Beard

Florian Egli - saxofone

Dave Gisler - guitarra

Martina Berther - baixo eléctrico

Rico Baumann - bateria

22 de Julho, 19:00 + 22:00

André Santos "Vitamina D"

André Santos - Guitarra

Tristan Renfrow - Bateria

Matt Adomeit - Contrabaixo

29 de Julho, 19:00 + 22:00

João Guimarães / Travis Reuter / Simon Jermyn / Allan Mednard

João Guimarães - saxofone

Travis Reuter - guitarra

Simon Jermyn - baixo eléctrico

Allan Mednard - bateria

CICLO JAZZ DE SANTO TIRSO

Centro Cultural de Vila das Aves

- entrada livre -

1 julho, 18:30 - Rui Filipe Freitas Sexteto

Rui Filipe Freitas - vibrafone

José Pedro Coelho - saxofone tenor e clarinete-baixo  

João Mortágua - saxofone alto e saxofone soprano

Mané Fernandes - guitarra

Filipe Teixeira - contrabaixo

João Martins - bateria

Pierre Perchaud - Waterfalls (2017)

Ce disque est à l’image de son créateur : sensible et discret. Pierre Perchaud, guitariste trentenaire qui s’est illustré pendant cinq ans dans l’ONJ sous la direction de Daniel Yvinec, n’est pas de ceux qui multiplient les effets de manche. Qu’il travaille aux côtés d’Anne Pacéo, Karl Jannuska, Olivier Bogé, Nicolas Moreaux, dans le quartet d’André Charlier et Benoît Sourisse ou avec Christophe Panzani, son approche de l’instrument est celle d’un mélodiste avant tout, un musicien des approches impressionnistes plutôt que des riffs ravageurs.

Waterfalls fait suite à Par quatre chemins, enregistré lui aussi pour le compte de Gemini Records en 2010 [1], en quartet avec Pierre de Bethmann, Antoine Paganotti et Nicolas Moreaux. On y retrouve ce dernier, outre le saxophoniste new-yorkais Chris Cheek [2]. Perchaud dit avoir composé son disque avec en tête les sonorités de ses deux compagnons. Cette musique leur est destinée, et le résultat, tout au long de ces 50 minutes, montre une belle dose de tendresse et d’amitié à leur égard. Ambiance feutrée, mélodies avenantes, recherche d’atmosphères délicates et rêveuses. Si on ne redoutait pas la connotation négative du qualificatif, on serait tenté de décrire cette musique comme jolie. Et - tant pis pour le paradoxe - chaque musicien occupe une place centrale dans ce triangle. Le dialogue constant – proche cousin de celui que mènent Federico Casagrande et Christophe Panzani au sein de The Drops – entre Perchaud et Cheek se joue dans l’harmonie et, à l’écoute de leurs entrelacs subtils, on est gagné par l’envie d’ouvrir la fenêtre en grand, de laisser pénétrer la lumière, et de goûter au plaisir simple de l’envoûtement consenti.

En anglais, Waterfalls signifie « cascades » : le titre est peut-être trompeur, car la musique de Pierre Perchaud évoquerait plutôt une paisible rivière. Mais c’est une source de rafraîchissement, une attention délicate qui nous est adressée. Le message est bien reçu, et la cure d’oxygène recommandée.

01. Kora 5:56

02. Le paradisier 7:32

03. Montreal 6:26

04. Une après midi 9:19

05. Berceuse 2:16

06. No Moon at All 5:56

07. Le vieux piano et la lampe 4:50

08. Waterfalls 5:58

Pierre Perchaud (g)

Nicolas Moreaux (b)

Chris Cheek (sax)

Sergio Krakowski (pandero)

André Charlier (perc)

Geri Allen Dies at 60 - NEC's Hankus Netsky on Geri Allen's passing

Dr. Hankus Netsky, chair, Contemporary Improvisation and former chair of Jazz Studies at NEC wants to share these words about her.

Like much of the musical world, New England Conservatory mourns the loss of pianist, scholar, and educator Geri Allen who taught at NEC in the early 1990s.

A consummate musician in every respect, Geri was a gentle but demanding teacher who encouraged her students to broaden their listening, hone every aspect of their musical skills, and develop their classical technique.

She brought a serious diligence to everything she engaged in and championed a truly global perspective on the African-American contribution to twentieth century music.  Besides her immersion in the musical world of Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and Eric Dolphy, it seemed like her playing could go in virtually any direction, for example when she accompanied Betty Carter or recorded with Ornette Coleman. 

Her years at NEC were like a dream for me and her students (and I remember well when her daughter Laila was born in 1990 since I believe it was the same week as my first daughter, Leah!).  One of my favorite moments from that time was her duo performance in Jordan Hall with bassist and cellist Dave Holland, who also served on our faculty in that era.

We stayed in touch over the years and, most recently, I was glad to be able to connect her to author Mark Slobin, who has been working on a book about the connection between musicians who attended Detroit's public schools and the international music scene.  Her  memory will truly be a blessing for all of us who knew her.

Dr. Hankus Netsky, chair, Contemporary Improvisation and former chair of Jazz Studies at NEC

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal - It begins tonight!