Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Raphael Zapp Trio - Farbverlauf (2017)


Das Trio von Raphael Zapp (Klavier) mit Calvin Lennig (Kontrabass) und Michi Knippschild (Schlagzeug), das sich 2015 wiedergefunden hat, lässt Eigenkompositionen und Standards in freien Improvisationen ineinanderfließen. Dabei ist nichts vorhersehbar. Die Grenzen zwischen Straight Ahead und Freejazz verwischen. Lösen sich auf. Jedes Mal entsteht etwas Neues, immer auf der Suche nach Überraschungen.

„[…] Wie der Pianist Raphael Zapp in seinem Trio mit Raum und Zeit jonglierte, war allerdings unzweifelhaft sensationell. Von Michael Knippschilds delikatem Drumming über die warmen Basslines von Calvin Lennig bis hin zu Zapps fein getupften Strukturen – ein Freudenfest für Genießer anspruchsvoller Klänge. […]“ WAZ | Essen, 24. April 2017


1. Stella by starlight (V. Young) 
2. All the things you are (J. Kern & O. Hammerstein) / Farbverlauf (R. Zapp) / Solar (M. Davis) 
3. Erinnerung (R. Zapp) 
4. Lady Bird (T. Dameron) 
5. Farbverlauf (R. Zapp)

Calvin Lennig – bass 
Michael Knippschild – drums 

March 6/7 2017 ICEM Studios Folkwang University of the Arts, Essen 
Recorded & mixed by Arthur Jogerst 
Coverphoto & artwork by Raphael Zapp

Cosmic Analog Ensemble - Les Sourdes Oreilles (2017)


Producer Charif Megarbane creates many different styles of music—folk, avant-soul, experimental jazz, funk, and disco—each blending uniquely different from the next. In most cases, artists who tamper with that much music usually fall short somewhere. But for Megarbane—who records under the names Heroes & Villains, Trans-Mara Express, and Cosmic Analog Ensemble—he’s able to do right by each genre, keeping the traditional aspects of each while adding his own spin.
On Les Sourdes Oreilles (“The Deaf Ears” in French), Megarbane’s latest album as Cosmic Analog Ensemble, the composer opts for cinematic 1970s funk and soul, the type you’d hear in a spaghetti western or Quentin Tarantino flick. Using electric and acoustic guitars, flutes, and clavinet (among many other instruments), Megarbane builds a lush, beautifully constructed suite—incredibly haunting and robust, nodding to the orchestral soul of forefathers Curtis Mayfield, David Axelrod, and Isaac Hayes, and newer conductors like Adrian Younge and BADBADNOTGOOD. While there are standout songs, Les Sourdes Oreilles should be played without breaks to thoroughly absorb its scene-setting ambience. This is a fluid arrangement, each track blending seamlessly into the next for a textured listen.

Oreilles harbors a distinct ‘70s ethos, yet it draws from the same well of which rapper Ghostface Killah and producer Madlib pull their sounds. On songs like “Petite Fleur Industrielle” and “Résilience,” you can almost hear MF DOOM rapping about cookies and New York license plates. With its methodical drum knock and sinister organ stabs, “Le Dernier Mot” begs for Ghost’s rapid-fire falsetto. All told, Les Sourdes Oreilles is a crate-digger’s dream, a magnum force of infectious grooves and sample-ready melodies that feel rare and familiar at the same time. Despite all the great releases from Megarbane to this point, Les Sourdes Oreilles is easily one of his best. —Marcus J. Moore


Les Sourdes Oreilles (The Deaf Ears), is the next generation analog cinematic music from the 21 century. Following the sound of 70's cinematic jazz funk, this first 300 X 12" from Cosmic Analog Ensemble is the new My Bags emergency hammer glass breaker. 

Designed like a 70's movie soundtrack Graal, with the perfect hijacking artwork of Jerk 45, the album is a future now crate digging target. Built like a narrative scenario, scene after scene, each composition deploys his uniqueness, from the explosives intense actions of "Camille 3000", moments of suspence with "Sol Sur Sol" to running chase on "En Faction" and flying panoramic views of "Point De Bascule"... the compositions are depicting a rich range of situations, moods and intrigue. 

Brilliantly composed, produced and interprated by Charif Megarbane, playing himself all instruments, track after track, each song is a one man piece of art.

Chiseled drum breaks, evocative bass and stirring melodies are a part of a bigger plan, sprinkled with subtle sound effects. 

"Les Sourdes Oreilles" is a long artisanal goldsmith work, cooking occidental classic jazz funk tradition into an afro oriental kitchen. It's what make this release so awesome, unique and necessary to our deaf ears. 

This is a heavy rare groove material. As you can imagine looking to the cover, this is all about legendary cinematic jazz funk, in the continuum of US, italian and french composers of the 70's like François de Roubaix, Piero Piccioni, David Axelrod, Piero Umiliani, Galt Mcdermot, Alain Goraguer, Janko Nilovic... 

The red translucid vinyl comes with a A2 (59,4x42cm) poster dedicated to the artwork and its autor Jerk 45. A nice way to give an extra life to a beatutifull cover. And it will be like this for all the next records to come! 

It's never too late for intemporal music, just if there's no more copies for sale!


Igor Wilcox - #1 (2017)


In his debut album solo, Igor Willcox has special guests as Bocato, Carlos Tomati, Vini Morales, Erik Escobar, Clayton Sousa, Bruno Alves, Glecio Nascimento, Fernando Rosa, Rubem Farias, Jj Frannco e Marcus Cesar.

The album titled # 1, has his own compositions as well as guest musicians.


1- Brotherhood (Igor Willcox)
Clayton Sousa - sax
Erik Escobar - keyboards
Jj Frannco - bass

2- The Scare (Igor Willcox) 
Clayton Sousa - sax
Vini Morales - keyboards
Rubem Farias - bass
Igor Willcox - drums/synth

3- Old Friends (Erik Escobar) 
Carlos Tomati - guitar
Erik Escobar - keyboards
Rubem Farias - bass
Igor Willcox - drums

4- Julie’s Blues (Igor Willcox) 
Bocato - trombone
Clayton Sousa - sax
Vini Morales - hammond
Glecio Nascimento - bass
Igor Willcox - drums

5- Brad Vibe ( Vini Morales ) 
Vini Morales - piano
Glecio Nascimento - acoustic bass
Igor Willcox - drums

6- Thankful (Erik Escobar) 
Clayton Sousa - sax
Erik Escobar - keyboards
Rubem Farias - bass
Marcus Cesar - percussion
Igor Willcox - drums

7- Room 73 (Igor Willcox) 
Clayton Sousa - sax
Vini Morales - keyboards
Fernando Rosa - bass
Igor Willcox - drums

8- Waltz For My Love (Igor Willcox) 
Clayton Sousa - flute 
Bruno Alves - keyboards
Rubem Farias - bass
Igor Willcox - drums

9- Lifetime (Igor Willcox) 
Carlos Tomati - guitar
Vini Morales - keyboards
Glecio Nascimento - bass
Igor Willcox - drums 

Recorded at Room 73 and Drum Village Studio.
Mixed and Mastered by Igor Willcox
Produced by Igor Willcox
Photo by: ZECINTRA


Rodney Green Quartet (feat. Warren Wolf) - Live At Jazzhus Montmartre (STORYVILLE RECORDS 2017)



New live recording from the legendary Jazzhus Montmartre in the heart of Copenhagen. This time with Rodney Green Quartet and Warren Wolf on vibraphone.

The recordings on this release are chosen from three terrific evenings at Montmartre in February 2016. Christian Brorsen, Music Director at Montmartre 2011-2016, says: “Dexter Gordon said it himself when he returned to the United States after 14 years in Copenhagen: “I miss the American drummers.” If you have been lucky enough to experience one of them live, you know why. Among the masterful drummers who have visited Montmartre in the course of time, we find the likes of Art Blakey, Art Taylor, Ed Thigpen and Billy Higgins. Rodney Green belongs to a new generation of great drummers. Brought up by elite musicians such as Mulgrew Miller and Charlie Haden, he knows something about the nature of jazz and what it takes to perform on a level so few others are capable of. Rodney’s got it all: good taste, a dazzling technique, and a formidable beat”.

For Rodney Green, the music always comes first. It all looks so simple when he’s sitting there, behind the drum set. There’s no showing off, but it always sounds incredibly good, so there’s a good reason why he is so much in demand. Simplicity and authenticity also underpinned these three terrific evenings at Montmartre, where he was asked to put together a quartet of musicians who, like himself, are capable of being present in the moment, doing away with long rehearsals. “As far as I’m concerned, real jazz musicians must be able to meet and play without discussions or long rehearsals, and just let their instruments speak,” says Green.

And that is how these sessions unfolded at Montmartre, to the delight of an enthusiastic audience who couldn’t get enough of this ardent quartet of musicians that, besides Rodney Green, comprised Danish pianist Jacob Christoffersen and American bassist David Wong. Together the three laid a hard-swinging foundation for Warren Wolf´, also from the U.S. and possibly the greatest vibraphone virtuoso ever.

Bud Powell
Humpty Dumpty
Emily
Well You Needn’t
Round Midnight
Budo
Just One Of Those Things

Warren Wolf: Vibraphone
Jacob Christoffersen: Piano
David Wong: Bass
Rodney Green: Drums