Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Bruno Canino and Enrico Pieranunzi - Americas (CAM JAZZ 2017)
Two absolutely superb piano players from different musical worlds: Bruno Canino, as a representative of art music, and Enrico Pieranunzi, as a representative of jazz. Two Americas, the Northern one and the Southern one, and some of the greatest composers from both. To what extent is music beautifully gifted with making a universal language flow out, beyond genres, places, artists, composers, performers? Listening to Americas one is again led to realize that apparent contrasts are actually bonds consisting of irresistible mutual attractions, common points, osmotic relations.
The Americas project has been conceived for two pianos intertwining like cultures and musical worlds do. Here, between Canino and Pieranunzi, it matters little who is playing “what” and “when”. What one is listening to is the search for sonic beauty, starting from the romantic Argentina by Carlos Guastavino through the stylised though forceful Cuba depicted by Aaron Copland in Danzón Cubano and the innovative tango and milonga by Astor Piazzolla. And then there is the ragtime by William Bolcom and George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm”. Is it a journey? A passionate dialogue? Or a tale? Whatever the image this record conjures up in listeners’ minds, Americas is definitely great music, confident that culture is not entrenching in what one already knows but breaking conventions, boundaries, mutual inflexibility.
Like Bruno Canino and Enrico Pieranunzi did by playing face to face, each backed up by his own strong cultural background and, for this very reason, splendidly creative and versatile.
1. Muchacho Jujeño
2. Danzón Cubano
3. Fuga Y Misterio
4. Old Adam
5. Las Niñas De Santa Fe
6. Milonga Del Ángel
7. I Got Rhythm Variations
8. La Muerte Del Ángel
Rale Micic, John Abercrombie, Peter Bernstein, Lage Lund - Inspired (ARTIST SHARE 2017)
There has not been, nor will there likely be, a dearth of guitarists acknowledging a very large debt to and paying homage to Jim Hall. However, the nonchalant, playful charm of Hall’s musical genius can neither be masked, nor underscored with greater profundity than in the exquisite performances on Inspired by this quartet that includes John Abercrombie, Peter Bernstein, Rale Micic and Lage Lund. Each of the guitarists frames this recital with sizeable performances either solo, in duo, trio and quartet formations. In all instances the music takes the form of a vignette that is hushed and reflective, where the guitarists purr seductively and there are numerous magical moments gifted to the listener by each of the musicians throughout the recording.
One cannot help but feel that Micic, Bernstein and Lund look to John Abercrombie to lead with the sublime delicacy of his thumb and finger picking. It should come as no surprise that this should be so. Abercrombie’s artful musicianship is well-formed and well-suited for this purpose. His maturity and his style remain deceptive, his limpid, euphonious tone artfully leavening his logical, but nonetheless oblique and unpredictable melodic thinking. It’s just the kind of thing you would want to draw into the music if you were Micic, Bernstein and Lund in the first place. As if to capitalize on this priceless gift from Abercrombie each of the others adds his own warmth, swelling dynamics and subtle inflections to three of Jim Hall’s original compositions on this recording: “Dream Steps”, “Bon Ami” and “All Across the City”. In each of these three charts the Inspired guitarists prove adept at creating monumental, all-pervading ensembles while leaving – in each instance – breathing space for the voice of the individual. The pieces played solo – “Alone Together” by Micic, “My Ideal” by Bernstein, “Body and Soul” by Lund and “Embraceable You” by Abercrombie – a performances of insurmountable beauty.
Luke Sellick “Alchemist” CD Release Show Wed., Mar. 8th 10:30pm @ SMALLS (JAZZ PROMO SERVICES)
Luke Sellick: double bass
Benny Benack III: trumpet
Jordan Pettay: saxophone
Andrew Renfroe: guitar
Christopher Ziemba: piano
Billy Drummond: drums
The elusive “universal elixir” has resulted from the group’s impeccable swing on this album.
-Ron Carter
Having now traveled the world and performed at The Village Vanguard, Jazz Standard, Dizzy’s and other iconic venues, Luke presents his inaugural album as a bandleader and composer. Alchemist, (Cellar Live Records) is a 9-song exposition featuring some of the most prominent instrumentalists of New York’s next generation. It is an auspicious artistic statement combining themes relating to faith, upbringing, mentorship and an ongoing quest for knowledge, from the distant past to the present day.
Prelude and Hymn are reflective meditations on Sellick’s Christian faith, which was instilled in him during his Canadian upbringing. This upbringing is celebrated in the playful but relaxed Brothers (of which Sellick is the eldest of three), Dog Days, a tune that embodies the pace of that hottest time of year, and the R&B-tinged feel-good anthem, Home.
The timelessness of these themes is tied together by two compositions dedicated to ancient wisdom, the mysterious waltz Abacus and post-modern epic The Alchemist. Sellick likens the jazz composer to the medieval alchemist, who reworks common material to produce gold, something greater than the sum of its parts. Just as the alchemist concerns himself with immortality, so the artist aims to capture the eternal, and to create a work that becomes greater than the artist himself.
1. Prelude 1:01
2. Q-Tippin 6:45
3. Brothers 4:49
4. Hymn 6:02
5. The Alchemist 7:03
6. Dog Days 4:47
7. Abacus 4:00
8. Uptown! 4:52
9. Home 5:05
Jimmy Greene — tenor saxophone [2,4,6]
Jordan Pettay — alto saxophone [1,3,5,7,9]
Benny Benack III — trumpet [1,3,5,9]
Mat Jodrell — trumpet [2,7]
Adam Birnbaum — piano
Andrew Renfroe — guitar
Kush Abadey — drums [2,4,6,7,8]
Jimmy Macbride — drums [1,3,5,9]
Andrew Gutauskas — bass clarinet [1]
Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services
Ph: 845-986-1677 / jim@jazzpromoservices.com
Michiel Borstlap - Velvet (2017)
Michiel Borstlap, pianist, componist en boegbeeld van een nieuwe muziekgeneratie die minder in hokjes en vakjes denkt. Componist van de eerste Arabische opera, die met Ludovico Einaudi en Gino Vannelli muziek maakte. Gezegend met een virtuoze speeltechniek blijft Michiel Borstlap de pianist die zoekt naar balans tussen hoofd, hart en onderbuik, teruggaand naar de oorsprong van muziek die ontstaat uit akkoorden, melodie en ritme. Sinds hij meer solo is gaan spelen, krijgt het hart meer kansen om op de voorgrond te treden. “Je vaart op je gevoel om zowel jezelf als het publiek in een bepaalde stemming te brengen." In de albums, die sinds die keuze verschijnen, is te horen hoe de muziek zich ontdoet van ballast, hoe de stilte een plek tussen de noten vindt.
Het 'less is more' sluipt zijn muziek in. Michiel Borstlap kan het naar zijn eigen hand zetten, ook al horen we fluisteringen van Chopin, Skriabin, Satie of Philip Glass. In zekere zin loopt hij met zijn benadering nog voor de troepen met sterren als Nils Frahm of Ludovico Einaudi uit.
01. Velvet
02. Blue Ballet
03. Cinq ans
04. Prelude in D minor - The Optimist
05. La Commedia
06. Piri Reis
07. Muse in B minor
08. Homerun
09. Rimzi the Robin
10. Rainflowers
11. Rialto
12. Voyage
13. Hallelujah
14. Ode aan Johan in C (Tribute to Johan Cruijff)
15. Open Boogie
