Republic of Jazz: Nov 28, 2017

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Blue Note at Sea '18 Continues to Expand its Offerings, with Twice the Amount of Music and Activities

Blue Note at Sea '18 now Features Twice the Amount of Music and Activities As Last Year’s Cruise Plus, 2 Can Sail for the Price of 1 on Veranda Staterooms and Inside Staterooms Are Now Only $700 per Person

Plus, Two Can Sail for the Price of One on Veranda Staterooms

and

Inside Staterooms Are

Now Only $700 per Person

Blue Note at Sea '18, which will sail from January 27 to February 3, 2018, continues to add to its initial slate of artists and activities to create a truly one of a kind experience for its guests, unlike anything that might be experienced at a single land-locked concert or festival. The second-year sailing of the cruise now will offer over 100 of hours of live music by over 75 musicians, including two Tony Award winners, the recipients of more than 50 Grammy winners, and 4 NEA Jazz Masters.

The NEA Jazz Masters, all of whom are sailing on Blue Note at Sea for the first time, are among the most celebrated jazz artists of our time: 22-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master Chick Corea, NEA Jazz Master Charles Lloyd, triple Grammy-winner and Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Dr. Lonnie Smith.

In addition to these and the other acclaimed artists who signed on earlier this year to perform, eight additional artists have been added to the roster including Kendrick Scott, Eric Marienthal, Jose James, Aaron Parks, Tom Kennedy, Harold Lopez-Nussa and Damion Reid.

“The lineup for Blue Note at Sea is extraordinary,” says Entertainment Cruise Productions President Michael Lazaroff. “It is truly a ship of headliners.” Although the chance to see as many remarkable artists in as many musical configurations is certainly unparalleled, Blue Note at Sea is also offering an expanded array of activities throughout the seven-day cruise.

Blue Note at Sea '18 will again be hosted by multi-Grammy winning bassist Marcus Miller. Other returning Grammy-winning artists are Robert Glasper, Lalah Hathaway and David Sanborn. While Glasper and Sanborn will perform in the same configurations as they did on Blue Note at Sea's inaugural sailing, five-time Grammy winner Hathaway will bring her own band on board this time out. The three bands together feature 11 top jazz musicians, all of whom will be performing in other configurations and groups during the cruise.

Multi-Grammy winning pianist Robert Glasper will also be appearing with the incredible sextet of young visionary musicians, The Blue Note All Stars.

As well as performing, Lalah Hathaway will serve as late night DJ, spinning tunes in the Blue Note Records Upbeat Lounge. Guests will also be able to experience a rare sit-down between Blue Note Records President Don Was and Chick Corea, attend an up-close conversation with Robert Glasper, attend four amazing late-night shows hosted by David Sanborn, catch an exceptional live set from the Blue Note All Stars – whose recently released debut album, Our Point of View, was cited by NPR as “a collective manifesto and a portrait of contemporary jazz - and spend a full evening with Charles Lloyd and the Marvels.

With double the number of performances and activities as were featured on the 2017 inaugural cruise, Blue Note at Sea has just announced a special “double offer.” With every booking of a Veranda Stateroom, two guests can sail for the price of one. Or you can book an Inside Stateroom at $700 per person. But don’t wait long, cabins are booking fast!

Featuring the most highly respected and renowned contemporary jazz performers in the world, Blue Note at Sea is a collaboration among Blue Note Jazz Clubs, Blue Note Records, and Entertainment Cruise Productions. From stunning main shows to their signature Night Music events to Late, Late Night shows and jam sessions, Blue Note at Sea defines what is new and hip in the world of jazz while also retaining and respecting those aspects of the genre that have made jazz one of the true enduring musical styles around the world.

Blue Note at Sea will sail on Celebrity Summit from January 27 – February 3, 2018, departing from Ft. Lauderdale, with ports of call in Labadee (Haiti), Ocho Rios, Nassau and Coco Cay (Bahamas). For more information about the cruise program and the specials being offered, go to www.bluenoteatsea.com.

About Entertainment Cruise Productions, LLC:

Entertainment Cruise Productions is the world leader in live entertainment at sea. Since 2001, Entertainment Cruise Productions, through its various programs, has produced more than 70 full ship charters, such as Playboy Jazz Cruise, The Elvis Cruise, North Sea Jazz Cruise, Celtic Thunder Cruise, NASCAR The Cruise, and The Gospel Music Cruise. Sailing in 2018 along with Blue Note at Sea are The Smooth Jazz Cruise, The Jazz Cruise, The 80s Cruise and Star Trek: The Cruise.

Entertainment Cruise Productions is dedicated to providing the finest music and entertainment cruise experience in the world.

Our last album of Our Second Season: Rufus Reid's incredible "Terrestrial Dance" (NEW VELLE RECORDS)

NEW VELLE RECORDS

Rufus Reid's "Terrestrial Dance" is the final record in our Second Season. We are humbled that Rufus has chosen Newvelle Records to release these stunning compositions. Featuring his long-working trio alongside the strings of the Sirius Quartet, this record carves out a space all its own. No one explains it better than Rufus–check out the video.

Terrestrial Dance

"The music that Rufus writes on this record offers no apologies. He does not dabble. When Rufus told me he wanted to write some music for trio plus string quartet, my principal concern was that we’d be looking at another “with strings” record, with the string quartet serving as a cursory sonic bedding for a couple of supremely accomplished improvisers to bounce around on. However, this is music whose structure is wedded to its intention and execution. Rufus is a capital C composer, and he digs deep here." --excerpted from the liner notes by Elan Mehler

Season Two:

John Patitucci Trio Featuring Yotam Silberstein and Rogerio Boccato

Kevin Hays and Lionel Loueke Duo

Jon Cowherd Quartet featuring Steve Cardenas, Tony Scherr and Brian Blade

Chris Tordini Trio featuring Becca Stevens and Greg Ruggerio

Aruán Ortiz revisiting the music of the great Cuban classical composers

Rufus Reid Trio with Steve Allee and Duduka Da Fonseca and featuring the Sirius Quartet

All of our cover and interior photographs for Season Two come from the astonishing French Collective Tendance Floue. Our Recording Engineer on all six records is the incomparable multi-Grammy winning Marc Urselli.

Mastering engineer is the brilliant Alex Deturk . Jim Hoppin and Sarah Enid Hagey shot lovely video for us at these sessions. All video editing is by the award-winning Ben Chace. Jordan Kleinman shoots all our studio photos. Our web team is run by French genius Aymeric Auberger. Social Media management by Jessye Mehler. Newvelle is run by: Elan Mehler and Jean-Christophe Morisseau.

Playlist for Tom Ossana – The Thin Edge – Nobember 29, 2017 MST 7:00 to 9:00p.m.

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

Reminiscences by Yu Mi Lee (ODRADEK RECORDS 2017)

REMINISCENCES

Yu Mi Lee

This is my first album, a result of my musical adventures up to this point. I’ve chosen four important and attractive works by four different composers with Russian roots... With this album, I hope to present you with beautiful scenes of Russian piano music, from the traditional to the brand new and innovative. Yu Mi Lee

South Korean pianist Yu Mi Lee presents an irresistible programme in which each piece is imbued with nostalgia, either harking back to an earlier style, or exhibiting a palpable sense of longing.

Medtner’s Sonata reminiscenza lives up to its nostalgic title with music of delicate introspection, this single-movement work unfolding in a dreamy stream-of-consciousness. For such a compact work, Tchaikovsky’s Dumka packs a powerful punch. The ‘dumka’ is a Polish or Ukrainian ballad, usually melancholy in tone but with a more optimistic central section; the parallels with Tchaikovsky’s life are obvious.

Rachmaninoff’s Six Moments musicaux continue the nostalgic theme: each of the morceaux looks back to a bygone era. In the first piece, the left hand’s lilting triplets undulate beneath a sinuous melody in the right. The second piece is a dazzling étude, and in the third the spacing of the piano writing might almost evoke Russian choral music. The fourth features a fiendishly virtuosic left hand part punctuated by dramatic right hand gestures, whereas the fifth piece is a balmy, serene haven, and the final Maestoso boasts a gloriously rich, densely-layered texture.

The theme of Kapustin’s Variations veers between a jazzy version of the famous bassoon line which opens Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps and a blues-inflected motif. Reminiscent of Gershwin, Kapustin’s bright, virtuosic jazz style is deserving of a wider audience.

Yu Mi Lee has a particular affinity with Russian repertoire, having immersed herself in Russian landscape and culture. Her performances have taken her from her native South Korea to her now home, Germany, and across Europe and the United States. Highlights include performances with the Czech Philharmonic, at the Berlin International Music Festival, and for the Alfred Cortot Association in Italy.

Dave Liebman / Mike Murley Quartet - Live at U of T (2017)

Saxophonists Dave Liebman and Mike Murley have performed together for more than a decade, previously releasing Day and Night on Cornerstone Records. Their second release, Live at U of T, featuring bassist Jim Vivian and drummer Terry Clarke, came about as a result of Liebman's appointment as Visiting Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Recorded is a small concert space packed with attentive listeners, Live at U of T captures the spirit and spontaneity of live jazz in an intimate setting.

The natural rapport between the musicians on this recording is immediately apparent. Murley studied with Liebman in the 1980s at the Banff Jazz Workshop and in New York. He and Vivian have worked frequently with Liebman over the years, primarily in the Toronto area but also at recording sessions and concerts in Halifax and Montreal. Drummer Terry Clarke and Liebman are both veterans of the international jazz scene dating back to the late 1960s and their musical chemistry was instantaneous.

Dave Liebman / Mike Murley

David Liebman is considered a renaissance man in contemporary music with a career stretching nearly fifty years. He has played with masters including Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, McCoy Tyner. He has recorded as a leader in styles ranging from classical to rock to free jazz. Liebman has performed on over 500 recordings with over 200 as a leader/co-leader featuring several hundred original compositions. He has been a Visiting Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto since 2014.

Mike Murley is one of Canada's leading jazz artists, having appeared on 12 Juno Award winning albums, 3 as a leader, 3 as a co-leader (Metalwood), and 6 as a sideman (Rob McConnell, David Braid and others). Murley has recorded and performed with numerous international artists including John Schofield, John Abercrombie and Kenny Wheeler. In 2011 Murley accepted full-time position at the University of Toronto where he currently holds the position of Jazz Area Chair at the Faculty of Music.

Terry Clarke has recorded over 300 albums with a number of international artists, including Bill Mays, Renee Rosnes, and Joe Lovano. His collaborations with Canadian musicians include David Braid, Don Thompson, and Rob McConnell. Clark’s first album as a leader, It's About Time, won the JUNO Award for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year in 2010. He has been jazz drum instructor at the University of Toronto for more than a decade. Clarke was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2002.

Jim Vivian is one of the most in demand bassists in Canada, having recorded and performed Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass, Don Thompson, and Sonny Greenwich, among others. He has also worked with international artists such as Kenny Wheeler, Tim Hagans, and John Abercrombie. In 2002 Jim accepted the position of jazz bass instructor and lecturer at the University of Toronto.

1. Split or Whole (Vivian) 5:44

2. YBSN (Murley) 6:28

3. Oﬀ a Bird (Liebman) 6:16

4. Small One (Liebman) 6:01

5. Open Spaces (Murley) 6:56

6. Nebula (Liebman) 6:34

7. And the Angels Sing (Elman/Mercer) 6:55

8. Missing Persons (Liebman) 3:45

9. Blackwell’s Message (Lovano) 7:01

Dave Liebman - Soprano/Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Mike Murley - Soprano/Tenor Saxophone

Jim Vivian - Bass

Terry Clarke - Drums

www.davidliebman.com

www.mikemurley.com

www.uoftjazz.ca

www.music.utoronto.ca

Introducing Luke Sellick's Christmas EP

LUKE SELLICK CHRISTMAS EP – AVAILABLE DEC 1st, 2017 from BANDCAMP, iTUNES, and lukesellick.com

As a child growing up in Winnipeg, many of our Christmas traditions were shaped by my English mother, who brought us up with a love for Christmas pudding, Dylan Thomas and classic hymns and carols. For this EP I married my love for Christmas carols with the classic sounds, synths and grooves of the 80s. I took my share of creative liberties with harmonies and rhythms, while aiming to retain the magical feeling of the original melodies.

To bring this musical concept to life I assembled a star cast of New York instrumentalists, including Julius Rodriguez (keyboards), Jimmy Macbride, Curtis Nowosad (drums), Andrew Renfroe (guitar), Jordan Pettay, Matt Marantz (saxophone) and Jesse Fischer (organ/synths). I filled out the rest myself, playing basses, synthesizers and organs. After attempting to lay down vocals myself, I thought better of the idea and reconnected with two wonderful singers from my Winnipeg days, Sheena Rattai (Red Moon Road) and Erin Propp who both add their signature sounds. I think the result is fresh, fun and soulful. I hope you enjoy!

With love,

Luke

From New York-based, Winnipeg-born bassist LUKE SELLICK comes his Christmas EP, a holiday follow-up to his critically-acclaimed debut Alchemist, released earlier this year.

Sellick has crafted a rich sonic palette including saxophones, vocals, guitar, drums, electric bass and a multitude of vintage keyboards and synthesizers reminiscent of classic Gospel and R&B. Likewise, he has chosen to interpret and re-imagine a nostalgic mix of songs from his childhood, including four Christmas hymns (O Come Emanuel, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and Good Christian Friends Rejoice), a 20th Century classic (Do You Hear What I Hear?) and the new-year’s anthem, Auld Lang Syne.

The power of a great holiday album is its ability to keep the listener coming back to it year-in and year-out; with his Christmas EP, Luke Sellick has put a refreshing spin on favourite tunes that will do just that.

Bassist-of-choice for top-tier artists Russell Malone, Johnny O’Neal, Jimmy Greene and others, LUKE SELLICK is a compelling newcomer on the jazz scene. Raised in the rich and eclectic musical climate of Winnipeg, Canada, Luke’s musical journey lead him to New York where he attended The Juilliard School and was mentored by legendary bassist Ron Carter. He apprenticed musically with pianist Johnny O’Neal, performing weekly in classic New York clubs Smoke, Smalls and Mezzrow.

"A skilled young bassist and composer, of whom we'll likely hear more." Roger Farbey - All About Jazz

Musicians:

Luke Sellick: arrangements, basses, keyboards, synthesizers, B3 & pipe organ

Erin Propp: vocal [1]

Sheena Rattai: vocal [3,5]

Julius Rodriguez: keyboards and synthesizers

Jesse Fischer: B3 organ and synthesizers

Matt Marantz: tenor saxophone and EWI

Jordan Pettay: alto saxophone

Curtis Nowosad: drums and percussion

Jimmy Macbride: drums

Andrew Renfroe: guitar