Republic of Jazz: Mar 22, 2018

Thursday, March 22, 2018

nusica.org: March Festival & Tour

March 2018

Hyper+ Amir ElSaffar

Amir ElSaffar (trumpet)

Nicola Fazzini (alto sax)

Alessandro Fedrigo (electric bass)

Luca Colussi (drums)

A virtuous melting pot made of different musicians, with some fundamental common lines: they all like free improvisation and contamination of styles and rhythms.

Contemporary language and free jazz are mixed with old arabian roots by the ElSaffar's attitude to "maqaam" and to the ancient musical patterns form his birth place, Iraq.

24 March 2018 h 21.00

San Vito Jazz - San Vito al Tagliamento

25 March 2018 h 14.00

Jazz Area Metropolitana - Dolo

26 March 2018 h 21.00

Carambolage - Bolzano

Jazz Area Metropolitana, 2nd edition

March - May 2018

Jazz Area Metropolitana is growing to the second edition, starting on 23th March in the area cross the Riviera Miranese. A nice and original way to enjoy this part of Veneto's territory, through art, music, city life and staying together as a community.

The first concert is about Tango mixed with jazz texture (Paolo Giaro TangJazz, 23 March), the other ones are more orientated to "without border" music: free jazz and charming contamination between jazz and electronics (Helga Plankensteiner "Plankton", 24 and 25 March) and improvisation melting with ancient traditional arabian music (Hyper+ Amir ElSaffar, 25 March)

On www.jazzareametropolitana.org

the whole program of March

Still in the Woods - Rootless Tree (BAUER STUDIOS May 18, 2018)

Still in the Woods - that's indie jazz. As relaxed as it is profound. As danceable as emotionally moving. As delicate and complex as energetic and captivating.

It was only in the fall of 2015 that Anna Hauss (vocals), Robert Wienroeder (piano, keys), Raphael Seidel (bass) and Jakob Hegner (drums) - four young, outstanding music students from three cities (Leipzig, Berlin Dresden) - came to Still in The Woods closed together. What connects them is their unconditional love for music itself and an almost intuitive musical understanding among each other.

Free-spirited, eager to experiment, open to the wide variety of musical stylistic devices and beyond any genre-drawers, the four exceptional musicians immediately find the "right tone", a common, unmistakable language that lets the spark pass. On stage and in interaction with her enthusiastic audience.

And the success proves them right - already in the spring of 2016, the EP will be released in My Own Arms followed by a tour of Germany and the Netherlands. In 2017, alongside the "Still Rootless Tour" in front of a constantly lapping fanbase, the extraordinarily successful crowdfunding campaign to finance their album debut, which Still in the Woods presents here: More info...

1 Rootless Tree

2 Black Hole

3 Dark Night

4 In Between

5 Lost in Thoughts

6 Bubbles

7 Small

8 Little Boxes

9 Playground

10 An Those Close to Him

11 Don't Walk Away

Anna Hauss - vocals

Robert Wienröder - piano, keys

Raphael Seidel - bass

Jakob Hegner - drums

CONCERTS

23.03.18 - Uzhorod (UKR), ILKO Gallery

24.03.18 - Kiev (UKR), House of the Architect

25.03.18 - Odessa (UKR), Perron#7

30.03.18 - Leipzig, Poolgarden

05.04.18 - Leipzig, Shredderei

27.04.18 - Arnstadt, IG Jazz

29.05.18 - Hamburg, Astra-Stube

02.06.18 - Berlin, Kultstätte Keller

12.06.18 - Leipzig, Telegraph

13.06.18 - Dresden, Blue Note

14.06.18 - Rostock, Peter und der Jazz

The Fliss Gorst Band - The Place for Me (2018)

The debut album from London based saxophonist Fliss Gorst and her band is a swingin' affair featuring new takes on old classics, jumpin' jive and brand new originals!

The long awaited debut album from 'The Fliss Gorst Band' is finally here. Expect a mix of authentic swing, jumpin' jive, new arrangements of classic standards and brand new original tunes for your listening pleasure.

Fliss's love for swing greats led her to form ‘The Fliss Gorst Band’ in 2012. With a stellar line up of incredible musicians the band have gone from strength to strength. They have enjoyed a residency at Poppies, Camden since 2013, regular gigs at The Spice Of Life, Soho, sell out theatre shows and main stage performances at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and Pizza Express Jazz Club. Now their long overdue debut album is finally here and they can’t wait to share it with you!

www.flissgorst.com

David Tixier Trio - Universal Citizen (BAUER STUDIOS April 24, 2018)

„I chose the title Universal Citizen for the album and for one of the compositions of this album, to describe the importance of being beyond a nationality, a religion or a community. This aspect of being open-minded and universal is a key for living in our world today. We are of course all different, with many many different habits, knowledge, opinions, but we are all looking to the same goal; life and happiness. Around this common goal, there is no geographic boarders that can separate people, we all want the same. I wrote the music of this album in this sense and I feel extremely thrilled about releasing it, because it expresses my need to unify people through music, my passion.“

David Tixier

1 Far from the World 7:25

2 Tokyo 5:22

3 Lost Among Ghosts 5:52

4 Tribute to an Old Man 3:53

5 Arising Twilight 1:19

6 The Fall 4:55

7 Nothing's Real 4:03

8 The Wayward Heroe 3:53

9 Universal Citizen 9:57

David Tixier – piano

Rafael Jerjen – double bass

Lada Obradovic – drums

featuring

Mike Moreno – guitar

Sachal Vasandani – vocals

CONCERTS

12.04.18 - Jacobstad, Jazzoo (FI)

13.04.18 - Pori, Validi Karkia (FI)

14.04.18 - Vaasa, The Doo-Bop Jazz Club (FI)

24.04.18 - Berlin, B-Flat

26.04.18 - Bern, BeJazz (CH)

28.04.18 - Zurich, Rechberg (CH)

07.05.18 - Lublin, Cult. Center (PL)

08.05.18 - Krakow, Piec'Art (PL)

09.05.18 - Krakow, Piec'Art (PL)

11.05.18 - Paris, Sunside-Sunset (FR)

12.05.18 - Lausanne, Chorus (CH)

30.05.18 - Bern, Sonaraum (CH)

22.09.18 - Ludwigsburg, Die Luke

Larry Crockett & The Funky Cheerokees - Drum Love (BAUER STUDIOS March 23, 2018)

As Larry Crockett himself says: "To be a drummer requires a certain artistic commitment and dedication". Over the years, this incredible and subtle musician has his value alongside legends of soul, blues, pop, funk and gospel music, such as: Martha Reeves, Liz McComb, Sam Moore, and Eric Bibb proved.

His new album, DRUM LOVE, is the result of his experiences and his personal career. Crockett calls it "the echo of his musical adventure". With this new production Crockett wants to convey a positive attitude, to bring a spiritual encouragement through his repertoire.

Larry Crockett was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, in 1963. He learned drums with Michael Carvin (Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard) and quickly became known for his skills.

With DRUM LOVE, his third album as bandleader, Larry Crockett goes a step further. He is now a comprehensive artist, multidisciplinary, composer, conductor, drummer, and ... singer. A great challenge for this artist, who has so far captured the melody of a song only behind his drums and cymbals. Still very modest in terms of his vocal qualities, Crockett "trains" his voice and uses the nuances of the slam to accompany his interpretation.

The challenge is huge: Larry Crockett wants to tell his story through a sparkling soul / funk sound. He believes in the authenticity of the speech. "Music has allowed me to stay on the right path and positive. As whites and blacks once fought on the street, I focused on my drum lessons. In my opinion, love has no color, and so does the music. I never thought that skin color should be a controversial topic. There is so much violence in society that I have chosen the other way. "

"The original compositions in the wide spectrum of soul, jazz, rap and funk are lighter-footed and catchy than many other things, which spills one out of this sector every day."

Jazz Podium 03/18 (Ulrich Roth)

1 Do You Want to Get Funky? 04:05

2 What's That Smell? 04:13

3 Drum Love 03:45

4 You Make Me Smile 03:58

5 Famous 03:23

6 Losing Game 03:45

7 New Man 03:33

8 New York - Paris 03:32

9 Grand Ma 03:54

10 Mommas Got a Gun 03:30

Larry Crockett – drums, vocals

Vincent Morla – guitar

David Hazak – bass

Nicolas Chalopin – keyboard

Manfred Junker Organ Trio - Look Out! (MOCHER MUSIC 2018)

She has always been at the top of his wish list, the trio setting with guitar, organ and drums. After several years of intensive work predominantly as a soloist and in duo formations, MANFRED JUNKER, who is now one of the veterans of the German jazz guitar scene, made nails with heads last year, put together a wonderfully harmonious triumvirate and simply arranged a studio date with us. With LOOK OUT! He now presents the result, a breezy-elegant recording of ten original compositions written especially for the newly launched band. With Elisabeth Berner on the organ and Tony Renold on drums, the MANFRED JUNKER ORGAN TRIO celebrates all varieties of this multi-faceted line-up, alternating between sophisticated composition and imaginative improvisation, massive density and sparkling transparency, lyrical melancholy and a catchy groove. A trio like a quartet: two lead soloists, bass (Berner also plays foot bass on the organ) and drums. And how well, almost blindly, the three musicians understand human and musical, was also immediately in the studio shown: in an extremely relaxing for all participants Recordingsession was an album of more than an hour of playing time including video production within one and a half days "in the box ".

Manfred Junker studied at the St. Gallen Jazz School and was a fellow at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he was influenced by teachers such as Hal Crook, Ed Tomassi, Rick Peckham and Jim Kelly. He teaches in Switzerland and performs regularly with his bands, with John Stowell as a duo and as a soloist and sideman. "Look Out!" Is his thirteenth CD production under his own name.

Elisabeth Berner is a classically trained organist and dedicates herself to the jazz improvisation on the church organ in her artistic projects. At the University of Music Basel, she is a lecturer in school piano practice and improvisation.

Tony Renold has been on stage as a sensitive percussionist for over 40 years together with musicians such as Franco Ambrosetti, Dieter Ilg, David Liebman, Kenny Drew, Wolfgang Muthspiel and Jimmy Woody on stage and in the studio at home. Like few drummers he knows how to empathically record the fever curve of the expressivity of his fellow musicians. Renold is a professor of drums at the Zurich University of the Arts.

Wolfgang Lackerschmid & The Brazilian Trio - Studio Konzert (180g Vinyl LIMITED EDITION) BAUER STUDIOS March 23, 2018

With breathtaking runs, rhythmic patterns and the many timbres of the vibraphone, Wolfgang Lackerschmid and his trio enchanted the great audience. The perfect sound for the Brazilian feeling was provided by sound engineer Johannes Wohlleben.

"He is one of the most important German jazz musicians and also has an excellent international reputation as a vibraphonist."

Vinyl-Fan.de 03/18 (Manfred Krug)

Tobias Becker Bigband: Ltg. Jochen Neuffer - Augmented Reality (BAUER STUDIOS March 23, 2018)

With his first own big band album AUGMENTED REALITY, the conductor, composer and arranger Jochen Neuffer impressively demonstrates why he has already written for such greats as Lalah Hathaway, the metropolis Orkest and Helen Schneider. Finely balanced melodic phrases, colorful harmonies and wide-ranging musical arcs: AUGMENTED REALITY contains except for a refreshingly modern implementation of the classic "Pennsylvania 6-5000" exclusively multilayered original compositions from the pen of Neuffer, the traditional conventions of traditional big-band jazz ,

In this project, he trusts in the renowned Tobias Becker Bigband, who once again proves her outstanding musicality and versatility in her meanwhile third studio production. In doing so, Tobias Becker relinquishes the musical responsibility of his handpicked band and confidently places them in the hands of his longtime colleague Neuffer. The compositions are tailor-made for the band and also give the outstanding soloist due space for development.

Neuffer produced the album together with Henk Heijink, who was a member of the Metropole Orkest for more than 30 years. As a producer he supervised artists like Kurt Elling, Gregory Porter and Joshua Redman. Heijink played a major role as producer in awarding the Metropole Orkest with a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category for his collaboration with Snarky Puppy in 2016. AUGMENTED REALITY is the first project for which Heijink was drawn back from his retirement to the producer's chair.

1 Augmented Reality (Tobias Becker Bigband & Jochen Neuffer) 9:01

2 Pennsylvania 6-5000 (Tobias Becker Bigband & Jochen Neuffer) 9:12

3 All In (Tobias Becker Bigband & Jochen Neuffer) 12:47

4 Kaleidoscope (Tobias Becker Bigband & Jochen Neuffer) 11:16

5 Through a Mirror's Weary Eyes (Tobias Becker Bigband & Jochen Neuffer) 8:49

6 As Far as Light (Bart Van Lier & Jochen Neuffer Tobias Becker Bigband) 11:28

Reeds: Markus Harm (as/ss/cl); Daniel Roncari (as/cl/fl); Alexander Bühl (ts/cl); Lukas Pfeil (ts/cl); Christoph Beck (bs/fl/bcl); Jonas Brinckmann (bs/bcl)

Trumpet: Christian Mück (tp/flgh); Christian Mehler (tp/flgh); Heidi Bayer (tp/flgh); Benjamin Lindner (tp/flgh)

Trombone: Florian Seeger; Tim Hepburn; Marc Roos; Patrick Flassig (b-tromb.)

Rhythm Section: Tobias Becker (p/Fender Rhodes); Christoph Neuhaus (git); Markus Bodenseh (db/b); Martin Grünenwald (dr)

www.jochenneuffer.de // www.tobiasbeckerbigband.de

CONCERTS

22.04.18 - Böblingen, Kongresshalle, feat. Cherry Gehring & Verena Nübel

23.04.18 - Ludwigsburg, BAUER Studios

17.05.18 - Reutlingen, Stadthalle, Württembergische Philharmonie & TBBB

24.05.18 - Heilbronn, Cave

20.09.18 - Stuttgart, BIX

02.12.18 - Stuttgart, Jazzhall

Matt Piet & His Disorganization - Rummage Out (CLEAN FEED RECORDS 2018)

There are some new protagonists in the Chicago jazz scene, due to the revelation of a younger generation of musicians and the defection of some of the big names to other American regions, like Jeff Parker and Rob Mazurek.

One of these Chicago exponents, gradually gaining importance, is pianist and composer Matt Piet, a former student at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. Leader of two fundamental bands in the city, Matt Piet Trio and Four Letter Words, and one of the vertices of the Rempis / Piet / Daisy triangle, he has broken into the Chicago improvised music community as a “melodic player” whose “tonefulness is thrillingly shaken by a rhythmic volatility and a fractal sense of phrasing”, according to the jazz journalist Peter Margasak, who compared his sound to Cecil Taylor in the late ‘50s and the early ‘60s. Piet’s is a welcome approach, considering that one of the members of the new band Matt Piet & His Disorganization is the saxophonist Nick Mazzarella, often described as a direct heir of the illustrious altoists Eric Dolphy, OrnetteColeman, Henry Threadgill and Oliver Lake, and like them driven to “embody the history of jazz while pushing it forward into new realms” (Troy Dostert).

The same characteristic defines cornet player Josh Berman, a player known to combine aspects of pre-bebop jazz with avant-garde experimentation, sometimes producing a strikingly dissonant New Orleans style. In this bass-less quartet, the drummer/percussionist is Tim Daisy, one of the most versatile rhythmicists in activity today, equally at ease with the fire music of Ken Vandermark and the electro-acoustic abstract explorations of Kyle Bruckmann. Chicago jazz is very much alive, and Rummage Out is fantastic proof.

1. Lost & Found 15:21

2. The Last Place You Look 22:21

Matt Piet piano

Josh Berman cornet

Nick Mazzarella alto saxophone

Tim Daisy drums and percussion

All music by Matt Piet & His Disorganization

Improvised live in performance at Constellation, Chicago IL on May 26, 2017 | Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Dave Zuchowski

Produced by Matt Piet | Executive Production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design by Travassos | Photo by Matthew Schwerin

Shawn & The Wolf - Altas Horas (BAUER STUDIOS March 23, 2018)

Shawn Grocott and Wolfgang Meyer met in 2005 in Detmold and founded the duo Shawn & the Wolf, a name that can be derived from "Peter and the Wolf".

The wolf of the duo is Wolfgang Meyer, primarily music dealer in Detmold. After more than 15 years as an active musician, he was reactivated by his friend Shawn for the stage. As a guitarist in some jazz and big bands, as a conductor and acting musician, he has previously gained plenty of stage experience, which is reflected in the range of his playing. Sometimes he plays bass, drums and guitar on his instrument at the same time. The combination of the two is also not ordinary in jazz: Trombone and guitar are rarely heard in this congenial constellation. There was a real boost with the idea of a first tour to Canada. A success, because in the meantime there have already been a total of three tours in Canada - as well as concerts and festival appearances in Albania, Brazil and of course in Germany.

Since 1995, the Canadian trombonist Shawn Grocott lives in Germany. He joined u.a. in the Berlin Philharmonic, the Elbphilharmonie, the Festspielhaus Baden Baden and the Mozart Festival in Würzburg. Shawn Grocott is head of the Big Band at the Hochschule für Musik, Detmold.

If you listen to Shawn & the Wolf, you will want more. The two musicians have performed together on several continents and have immortalized their music with their debut album ATLAS HORAS - music that moves and touches.

Many music recordings are produced entirely in studios, the outside world acoustically sealed off. In addition to these "clinically pure" sound conditions, such productions often involve far-reaching, sophisticated technical rework, so that the result is sometimes less artful but more artificial. Shawn & the Wolf, on the other hand, wanted a shot that impressed with authenticity - and they succeeded in doing so. The present album presents the music of the two in their creation process and draws the listener into these unique moments.