Mats Gustafsson & Craig Taborn - Ljubljana (CLEAN FEED RECORDS 2017)

Two very different musicians from the wide range of the jazz spectrum, Mats Gustafsson and Craig Taborn played together just once, for the 2015 edition of the Ljubljana Jazz Festival, and that explains the chosen title of this LP. The meeting seemed improbable, but in what concerns improvisation, if the protagonists are committed explorers of spontaneity anything can happen, even the most extraordinary music.

That was the case the encounter was recorded and here it is, documented, as it should. Particularly happy with the results, Gustafsson said in an interview: «It was like a kick in the ass; please, give me more challenges like this one, in order to keep my sanity!» Imagine the refined chords defining Taborn’s piano music. Now, mix with it some slap-tonguing in the way only Gustafsson knows how to do with a baritone sax. Does it sound good in your head? Well, in “Ljubljana” it sounds even better, because these two fantastic improvisers created music with their differences, entering each other’s territory.

Who said art is a question of compromise? It isn’t. This may well be the jazz album of the year and a landmark on the label as Clean Feed’s number 400.

01. The Eyes Moving. Slowly 20:24

02. The Ears Facing The Fantasies. Again 17:40

Mats Gustafsson, slide and baritone saxes

Craig Taborn, piano

All compositions by Gustafsson (STIM) and Taborn (Light Made Lighter Publishing BMI)

Recorded July 2nd, Ljubljana Jazz Festival at Cankerjev Dom , Ljubljana by Luís Delgado | Mixed and mastered by Luís Delgado

Produced by Mats Gustafsson and Craig Taborn | Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design by Travassos | Photos by Nada Zgank

Playlist for Tom Ossana – The Thin Edge – January 25, 2017 MST 7:00 to 9:00p.m.

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

Jorge Rossy & Javier Vercher - Filantropía (SUPERTONE RECORDS 2017)

Very happy to announce the release of a new album I recorded with one of my musical heroes Jorge Rossy: Filantropía. We put it out with a fantastic British label called Supertone Records, lovely folks from the UK that are living in Estivella, Valencia – Spain. They have one of the best recording studios in Spain and the musical scene is very happy to have them around!  Javier Vercher

01. Filantropía 05:01

02. Gotas 03:21

03. Linear Distance 03:01

04. Adagio 03:53

05. Cleptocracia 02:41

06. Stay There 05:14

07. Kiss From Venus 02:08

08. The Newcomer 05:24

09. Decoding 01:38

10. Portrate 02:16

11. Have Fun Tonight (Time Is Running Out) 02:11

Jorge Rossy: Vibraphone, Piano, Drums and Marimba.

Javier Vercher: Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flutes and Percussion.

Mix: Simon Campbell - Supertone Records

Mastering:Jon Astley - Close To The Edge Mastering - London (UK)

Andres Jimenez Quintet - Nirodha (UNIT RECORDS 2017)

Bound by common views on dedication and musical taste. Every single member plays masterfully. The interplay between musicians is awesome and of great inspiration. The music itself can be qualified as « post hard-bop » jazz, playfully, energic and lyric at the same time.

1. Wind In Your Hair 6:27

2. Asil 7:33

3. Quintet 6:39

4. Nirodha 6:32

5. Week With No Days 7:54

6. Magga 5:10

7. Self Defense 3:18

All compositions by Andres Jimenez

Andres Jimenez - Piano

Antoine Brouze - Drums

Ninn Langel - Doublebass

Jeff Baud - Trumpet & Flugelhorn

Manu Gesseny - Alto Saxophone

Recorded at Studio de La Fonderie, Fribourg CH

Recording Date : 24/06/16

Studio engineer and mastering by Florian Pittet

Hands & Bits - Lovesongs for a Broken Pencil (UNIT RECORDS 2017)

The Austrian electronic-,acoustic-duo formation Hands & Bits dedi- cated their debut album to everyday rituals - loops - , sometimes interrupted by unpredictable situations like the demolition of a pencil tip or even the death of an individual.

Musically starting with simplicity, followed by extended romantic scenery up to the complete resolution of matter - white noise - thats the sound structure of „Lovesongs for a broken pencil“. Me- taphoric thoughts are predicted.

1. Worldwide 4:39

2. Wounn I 4:35

3. Lovesong For A Broken Pencil 6:00

4. Rocks 5:31

5. Fiftyfive 4:01

6. Winter 09 4:22

7. Dry Grass 5:45

8. Lake Tappenkar 6:38

All compositions by Simon Schellnegger and Julian Pieber

Simon Schellnegger — viola, loops, voice

Julian Pieber — electronic devices, drums, voice

Additional instruments:

Wolfgang Sambs (guit., track 1)

Melanie Ku? nz (voc., track 8)

Ralph Lemoch (dj, track 2)

Juliana Siegl (voc., track 3 & 7)

Recording Studio: Multiple Sessions all over Austria

Recorded from 2014 to 2015

Recorded & mixed by Wolfgang Frieß, Floxe, Kurt Richter, Hands & Bits

Mastered by Floxe

Peter A. Schmid & Félix Stüssi - Transatlantic Conversations (UNIT RECORDS 2017)

Stussi and Schmid have known each other for decades, playing together both as a duo and in a quartet throughout the 1990s. When Felix Stussi and his family emigrated to Canad, contact continued even across the Atlantic, with CDs exchanged and musical development followed closely. Stussi became a fixture of the Montreal jazz scene, playing with many renowned musicians (including Ray Anderson) and composing for his own combo, with which he released multiple CDs on Unit Records.

The low woodwind player Peter A. Schmid has been active for decades, moving between the musical poles of jazz, improvised music and contemporary sound. Alongside many years of collaborative work in duos, woodwind ensembles and musical projects set in extraordinary spaces have played an important in his career (for example „September Winds“ with Evan Parker). Stussi and Schmid resumed their musical collaboration this summer, reworking new and older original pieces, developing concepts for spontaneous compositions, playing concerts and now releasing their first studio CD, recorded at Hardstudio in Winterthur: „Transatlantic Conversations.“

The cover design features underwater photography derived from the picture series „Underwater Surfaces“ (with close up images of underwater lifeforms captured by Peter A. Schmid in tropical waters across the globe).

01. Kangoo 4:26

02. Blue Horizon #1 2:53

03. Ursina 4:38

04. Silvio 3:20

05. New Waves 2:07

06. Blue Horizon #2 2:54

07. Buster 4:18

08. Vampir 2:08

09. Green Horizon #1-3 4:16

10. Garissa 4:36

11. Miniatour D'Horizon #1 3:37

12. Miniatour D'Horizon #2 1:34

13. Smoke On The Horizon #1-3 3:57

14. One And Only Bass Clarinet Blues 4:19

All compositions by Peter A.Schmid und Felix Stüssi except where indicated.

Peter A.Schmid - bass clarinet, tenor & baritone saxophone

Félix Stüssi - piano

Recorded june 25, 2016 at Hardstudio Winterthur by Moritz Wetter

Mix & Mastering: Klaus Grimmer, Winterthur

Underwater photographs: Peter A.Schmid

Graphic design: Margaret Thorne, Zürich