Lello Petrarca Trio - Reflections (DODICILUNE / IRD April 9, 2018)

“Reflections" è il titolo del nuovo album del pianista e compositore campano Lello Petrarca. Prodotto, come il precedente "Musical Stories", dall'etichetta pugliese Dodicilune, il cd esce lunedì 9 aprile in Italia e all’estero distribuito da Ird e nei migliori store digitali. Affiancato da Vincenzo Faraldo al contrabbasso e Aldo Fucile alla batteria, Petrarca propone cinque suoi brani inediti ("Infinity", "Rigo Piano", "Reflections", "Giocando ad Anatole", "Bye Joseph"), tre rivisitazioni ispirate dai temi classici di Debussy ("Un preludio in jazz"), Beethoven ("Patetico adagio") e Mozart ("Turca Fuga") e la conclusiva "Someday My Prince Will Come", brano di Larry Morey e Frank Churchill che fa parte della colonna sonora del film Disney "Biancaneve e i sette nani".  

«Lello Petrarca è semplicemente tutto quello che un musicista italiano degli anni duemila dovrebbe essere. Pianista vero, conosce a perfezione la storia del suo strumento (probabilmente il più “ingombrante”, in tutti i sensi, della cultura musicale occidentale) e questo gli consente di transitare con la leggera disinvoltura che solo una conoscenza intima e profonda permette per territori solo apparentemente lontani tra loro», sottolinea Gabriele Mirabassi nelle note di copertina. «Il pianismo classico romantico e l'amore per i grandi pianisti della storia del jazz sono senza dubbio i fari che orientano con sicurezza il suo vagabondare tra stili e linguaggi», prosegue il clarinettista. «L'investimento in composizione e il conseguente rigore interpretativo richiesto al trio, il controllo dell'equilibrio formale fra scrittura e improvvisazione, la qualità dell'interazione fra i musicisti sono i valori che più saltano all'occhio. Il resto sta nella sua lunga esperienza e convivenza con e nella musica: l'anima partenopea con la sua proverbiale attitudine all'espressività “cantata”, la frequentazione assidua della pratica dell'arrangiamento e le incursioni in ambito pop sono ulteriori elementi che si fondono mirabilmente in una figura di musicista onnivoro e appassionato, capace di far confluire con naturalezza il suo enorme vissuto musicale in linguaggio affascinante e personale. Tutto questo è evidente in questo  bel lavoro discografico, che trasuda musicalità e cultura, divertimento e intensità, profondità e leggerezza. È stato un bel viaggio ascoltarlo da capo a fondo, seguirne le imprevedibili svolte stilistiche, le innumerevoli citazioni colte e popolari, la franca e rilassata comunicativa, lo swing, la cura del dettaglio esecutivo, le sorprese di arrangiamento. Il tutto condotto con grande personalità e sicurezza, senza mai essere straniante o provocare spaesamenti, ma anzi, riuscendo a mantenere una notevole coesione e unitarietà, un suono peculiare, una personalità forte. Magari i dischi riuscissero sempre così!».

Pianista, compositore, polistrumentista e arrangiatore, Lello Petrarca ha collaborato, tra gli altri, con Nino Buonocore, Daniele Sepe, Stefano Di Battista, Giovanni Amato, Markus Stockhausen, Isabella Ferrari, Martux_m, Gianluigi Trovesi, Pietro Condorelli, Maurizio Giammarco, Fabrizio Bosso, Gabriele Mirabassi, Enrico del Gaudio, Pericle Odierna, Vittorio De Scalzi (New Trolls), Fabrizio Frizzi, Piergiorgio Odifreddi, il tenore Pino De Vittorio, il trombettista americano Andy Gravish ed altri ancora esibendosi in prestigiosi festival e aprendo il concerto di Al Jarreau durante il festival russo "Usadba Jazz 2017". Ha collaborato alla composizione e alla registrazione delle musiche per un documentario di Marco Paolini andato in onda su La7. Su Italiamia ha condotto una sua rubrica musicale intitolata "Tra palco e realtà” .

Vincenzo Faraldo inizia la sua attività negli anni '70. Dopo varie esperienze spaziando tra pop-rock (Fausto Mesolella, La Prima Pagina), musica popolare (Campania Felix) e jazz-rock (L'Alchimista), concentra la sua attenzione sul jazz, partecipando alla formazione di gruppi con musicisti italiani e americani. Ha suonato con l’orchestra jazz “Campania Jazz Ensemble” diretta dal  compositore e pianista Gerardo di Lella. Attualmente fa parte del CFN Trio e dei Corepolis, due gruppi che fondono la World Music e il Jazz. Nel corso degli anni ha collaborato, tra gli altri, con Pietro Condorelli, Jimmy Owens, Giulio Capiozzo, Bruce Forman, Tony Scott, Francesco Nastro, Flavio Boltro, Cinzia Spata, Mal Waldron, Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare, Gianni D'argenzio, Sonny Taylor, Gerardo Di Lella, Giovanni Amato, Massimo Faraò, Jerry Popolo, Bob Binocolo, Valerio Silvestro, Max Ionata, Lello Petrarca, Emilio Silva Bedmar, Sergio Di Natale esibendosi in numerosi festival jazz italiani. Molto ricca anche la sua discografia.  

Affascinato sin da piccolo dagli strumenti a percussione Aldo Fucile ha collaborato, tra gli altri, con Jerry Popolo, Gianni Amato, Aldo Vigorito, Giulio Martino, Pietro Condorelli, Andy Gravish, Bob Fix, Paolo Pelella, Fausto Ferraiuolo, Vittorio Pepe, Lello Cannavale, Filiberto Palermini, Josè Davila, Joseph Lepore, Tony Ronga, Bob Marquart, Valerio Silvestro, Oscar Montalbano, Gianni D'argenzio, Jerry Bergonzi, Roberto Schiano, Corrado Paonessa, Emiliano De Luca, Francesco Battarino, Pietro Ventrone, Lello Carotenuto, Antonio Fresa, Nicola Rando, Lello Petrarca, Aldevis Tibaldi, Tullio Pizzorno, Nando Trapani, Leonardo Laperuta, Valerio Virzo, Westley Ivankovich, Alberto Falco, Giacomo Pedicini, Antonio Imparato, Marco de Tilla, Paolo Licastro, Mario Mazzaro, Vincenzo Saetta, Daniele Sorrentino, Mauro Marigliano, Daniele Esposito, Peppe Costa, Walter Ricci, Loredana Lubrano, Enzo Amazio, Flavio Guidotti, Antonio Capasso, Umberto Muselli, Dino Massa, Carlo Lomanto, GianFranco Coppola, Franco Coppola, Marco Sannini, Francesco D'Errico, Paolo Innarella, Pippo Matino, Iris Romen, Carlo Actis Dato. Il batterista ha fatto parte inoltre della "Swing Time Big Band" diretta dal M° Renato Gaudiello e della Big Band "Les enfant terribles" diretta da Valerio Silvestro.


L’etichetta Dodicilune è attiva dal 1996. Dispone di un catalogo di oltre 220 produzioni di artisti italiani e stranieri ed è distribuita in Itali a e all'estero da IRD in c irca 400 punti vendita tra negozi di dischi e store. I dischi Dodicilune possono essere acquistati anche online, ascoltati e scaricati su una cinquantina tra le maggiori piattaforme del mondo.

1 - Infinity 

2 - Un Preludio In Jazz 

3 - Rigo Piano 

4 - Reflections 

5 - Patetico Adagio 

6 - Giocando Ad Anatole 

7 - Bye Joseph 

8 - Turca Fuga 

9 - Someday My Prince Will Come

All compositions by Raffaele Petrarca (Dodicilune edizioni) except 9 by Frank Churchill/Larry Morey; 2 inspired by Dancers of Delphy, Prelude by C. Debussy; 5 inspired by Sonata Pathètique, opera 13 by L. VanBeethoven; 8 inspired by Turkish Marc by W. A. Mozart.

Lello Petrarca - piano

Vincenzo Faraldo - double bass

Aldo Fucile - drums

Total time 36:29 STEREO DDD

p 2018 DODICILUNE (Italy)

www.dodicilune.it

CD DODICILUNE DISCHI Ed393

8033309693934

Produced by Lello Petrarca and Gabriele Rampino for Dodicilune edizioni, Italy

Label manager Maurizio Bizzochetti (www.dodicilune.it)

Recorded 5, 6 May 2017 at Studio Logic, Santa Maria Capua Vetere (Ce), Italy

Mixed 7, 8 May 2017 at Studio Logic, Santa Maria Capua Vetere (Ce), Italy

Sound engineer Maddalena Bellini

Mastered 4 October 2017 at 20Hz20kHz Mastering Lab, Napoli, Italy

Sound engineer Davide Barbarulo

Cover photo c LedyX, Photos by Antonio Manno, Raffaella Minucci

Claudio Scolari, Daniele Cavalca & Simone Scolari - Natural Impulse (PRINCIPAL RECORDS 2018)

Natural Impulse is the third album release by the modern jazz trio Scolari/Cavalca/Scolari. The project comes back with a new musical journey where experimentation finds no limits in a unique blend of acoustic and electronic sounds.

Claudio Scolari & Daniele Cavalca

1 Unknown Destination 6:41

2 American Skyscrapers 8:57

3 Chasing Inspiration 4:16

4 Natural Impulse 5:22

5 Moon Mood 5:15

6 Dear John 6:15

7 Uptown Night Trip 6:09

8 Insomnia 7:38

9 Over the Horizon 4:03

10 South Hemisphere 6:20

Claudio Scolari: drum set 1, percussion, synth programming

Daniele Cavalca: live synths, rhodes, piano, vibraphone, bass,

drum set 2 (on Unknown Destination, Chasing Inspiration, Uptown Night Trip, Insomnia) 

Simone Scolari: trumpet

ALL MUSIC COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY SCOLARI/CAVALCA 

ARTWORK: SIMONE SCOLARI

MIXING AND MASTERING BY ANDREA FONTANESI (VOX RECORDING STUDIO)

COPYRIGHT © 2018 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Klaus Schulze - Silhouettes (OBLIVION / SPV May 25, 2018)

KLAUS SCHULZE RELEASES NEW ALBUM IN MAY 2018!

Following the celebrations of his 70th birthday in August 2017, Klaus Schulze, one of the most important electronic music artists worldwide, has announced the release of his new studio recording Silhouettes for May 2018. The four pieces ´Silhouettes`, ´Der lange Blick zurück`, ´Quae simplex` and ´Châteaux faits de vent`, which he worked on between summer and autumn 2017, are just as expansive in terms of playing time and artistic vision as we’ve come to expect from Schulze’s work.

According to the internationally highly respected musician, composer and producer, the new material reflects – due to health problems – a very quiet and for this reason very meditative time. Schulze describes the music on Silhouettes as a “reduction to the essential things” and has consciously worked only very sparingly with solos and vocal elements. He explains: “No great distractions, nothing to force your attention in a certain direction, no major effects or gimmicks, no frills or dominant rhythms. It was important to me to paint the pictures in the depth of the space, the sonic fields of tension and atmosphere.”

Since the early 1970s, Klaus Schulze has repeatedly been referred to by the press as “King of Cosmic Music” or “Magician on the Big Moog”, his work frequently having been classed as a “monument of forward-looking music”. Along with his great talent for innovation, Schulze is also considered to be one of the most productive artists of his time. Experts estimate the number of releases featuring Schulze to be at least 200, but more probably 500.

Silhouettes has been scheduled for release in May 2018 on Digipak CD and double vinyl LP.

1 Silhouettes

2 Der lange Blick zurück

3 Quae simplex

4 Châteaux faits des vent

Molly Tigre: Mali + Tigray - Guitars (May 14, 2018)

Mali + Tigray - Guitars = The Steady-Grooving African-Infused Jazz-Funk of Molly Tigre

Molly Tigre set out from Brooklyn to answer one tough question: What if the 70s vibes of the cult Ethiopiques series collided with Saharan desert rock and West African blues, but with no guitar to lead the melodic way?

Molly Tigre’s answer is audible in the quintet’s studio debut Molly Tigre (Very Special Recordings; digital and cassette release date: May 14, 2018). The sound is dark and slinky and mysteriously funky, brazenly open to the peculiar global sonic influences that wash over musicians on the streets of the outer boroughs. The premise sounds like some quirky and academic composition challenge, but the mashup has led to some seriously good music, tracks that explore and question without losing sight of the groove.

“I wanted to bring together some of the music and styles from Northern Mali and certain regions in Ethiopia, like Tigray,” the genesis of the band’s name, notes bassist and co-founder Ezra Gale. “I hear a lot of commonalities between them, like the pentatonic scales that are similar sounding. The fact that the rhythms they are using are based around groups of six. They subdivide that differently but there’s a thread that ties them together. When I started playing the music side by side, I thought it was fascinating and I wanted to mash them together.”

He tossed the idea around with sax player Mitch Marcus, longtime friend who has toured with the likes of Donovan and who was former bandmate in the West Coast Afrobeat/-pop group Aphrodesia. “We both realized we were big fans of that music, and not many musicians were doing anything with that at the time,” says Marcus. “That was what we wanted to try originally.”

Mixing two different sets of styles, timbres, and rhythms from opposite ends of a large continent wasn’t enough, however. Gale and Marcus wanted to shake up the approach to the instrumentation often found in many Afro-inspired, groove-oriented bands. “When we started thinking about these very different styles from two different regions, something else came up. I love the sound of no chords, when sax and bass are the only melody instruments,” Gale explains. “There’s a tradition of this in jazz, as people have done piano-less quartets. You get to imply harmonies without a guitar or piano spelling it out, which makes it open and free. It’s hard to do well and make it sound full.”

Molly Tigre went for it, nonetheless. Marcus and Gale recruited sax and flute player Chris Hiatt (Japonize Elephants), drummer Joey Abba (The Ramones), and percussionist Ibrahima Kolipe Camara (National Dance Company of Guinea, Kakande), with occasional blurts of Farfisa provided by a battered old organ one of their recording engineers dragged out of the trash. “We’ve had chordal players sit in with us live,” remarks Marcus, “but not having the chords spelled out adds this space to the songs that’s really nice.”

Instead of the guitar-guided sound common to both Mali and some Ethiopian groups, Gale and Marcus often look to percussion sounds and ideas for inspiration. “From the start, percussion was a really vital element in our writing,” muses Gale. “We’re not just writing a horn melody and a bass line and, okay, whatever the percussion wants to do over that is fine. I think of it as another line in the composition that’s integral to the performance and has a lot of the range of a piano or guitar.”

Percussion lines and rhythmic hooks sparked tracks like “Hello Bolly,” Marcus’s rollicking, rolling tribute to Bollywood soundtracks but with an Afro-diasporic twist. Gale was also moved by the groove to craft “Slush Fund,” a song he swore was a copycat of a Kenyan James Brown-esque track he would spin at a regular DJ gig. “When I went and listened again,” he laughs, “it was nothing like it, except it was in 6/8.”

Though the pieces on the album were inspired by a somewhat abstract premise, once they get down and dirty, it’s all about the music. The film-noir funk of “Lebanese Blond” pits two melodies against one another, leaving plenty of room for improvisation as they weave in and out. “Ethiofreaks” adds vibes to the mix, a tip of the hat to Ethiopian jazz master and vibe player Mulatu Astatke, for an original take on the Ethiopiques sound. Some tributes are even more direct: Astatke’s 70s gem “Yekermo Sew” keeps its serpentine, modal feel, but winds up with new harmonies. “We ended up accidently reharmonizing it,” says Marcus. “I handed out a chart to the band in a particular key; the alto and tenor sax are in different keys. Chris was playing the wrong thing, for lack of a better word, as he was supposed to transpose his line. But it sounded really good in fourths, so we ran with it.”

Running with that open space left where guitars might be, with that room to stretch out and improvise, means combining untold numbers of influences, the kind of thing New York musicians absorb just from walking down the block, past the bodega, the stoop or car stereo speakers, the singing neighbor, the subway violinist.

“Even if we wanted to make this a tribute to these styles, it would never come out that way. We live here, with so much swirling around,” says Gale. “We’re playing Africa-influenced music, but filtered through these lenses,” he adds, “and we love it because it’s original.”

“When you add improvisation into the mix,” Marcus adds, “you’re going to get something different out. “

About

Molly Tigre went for it, nonetheless. Marcus and Gale recruited sax and flute player Chris Hiatt (Japonize Elephants), drummer Joey Abba (The Ramones), and percussionist Ibrahima Kolipe Camara (National Dance Company of Guinea, Kakande), with occasional blurts of Farfisa provided by a battered old organ one of their recording engineers dragged out of the trash. “We’ve had chordal players sit in with us live,” remarks Marcus, “but not having the chords spelled out adds this space to the songs that’s really nice.”

Instead of the guitar-guided sound common to both Mali and some Ethiopian groups, Gale and Marcus often look to percussion sounds and ideas for inspiration. “From the start, percussion was a really vital element in our writing,” muses Gale. “We’re not just writing a horn melody and a bass line and, okay, whatever the percussion wants to do over that is fine. I think of it as another line in the composition that’s integral to the performance and has a lot of the range of a piano or guitar.”

Percussion lines and rhythmic hooks sparked tracks like “Hello Bolly,” Marcus’s rollicking, rolling tribute to Bollywood soundtracks but with an Afro-diasporic twist. Gale was also moved by the groove to craft “Slush Fund,” a song he swore was a copycat of a Kenyan James Brown-esque track he would spin at a regular DJ gig. “When I went and listened again,” he laughs, “it was nothing like it, except it was in 6/8.”

Though the pieces on the album were inspired by a somewhat abstract premise, once they get down and dirty, it’s all about the music. The film-noir funk of “Lebanese Blond” pits two melodies against one another, leaving plenty of room for improvisation as they weave in and out. “Ethiofreaks” adds vibes to the mix, a tip of the hat to Ethiopian jazz master and vibe player Mulatu Astatke, for an original take on the Ethiopiques sound. Some tributes are even more direct: Astatke’s 70s gem “Yekermo Sew” keeps its serpentine, modal feel, but winds up with new harmonies. “We ended up accidently reharmonizing it,” says Marcus. “I handed out a chart to the band in a particular key; the alto and tenor sax are in different keys. Chris was playing the wrong thing, for lack of a better word, as he was supposed to transpose his line. But it sounded really good in fourths, so we ran with it.”

Running with that open space left where guitars might be, with that room to stretch out and improvise, means combining untold numbers of influences, the kind of thing New York musicians absorb just from walking down the block, past the bodega, the stoop or car stereo speakers, the singing neighbor, the subway violinist.

“Even if we wanted to make this a tribute to these styles, it would never come out that way. We live here, with so much swirling around,” says Gale. “We’re playing Africa-influenced music, but filtered through these lenses,” he adds, “and we love it because it’s original.”

“When you add improvisation into the mix,” Marcus adds, “you’re going to get something different out. “

Molly Tigre marries the rhythms and melodies of African music– especially the entrancing styles from Ethiopia and Mali- with a uniquely progressive and exploratory jazz sound. Featuring the compositions of saxophonist Mitch Marcus (Donovan, Dave Dreiwitz) and bassist Ezra Gale (Super Hi-Fi, Aphrodesia), the band also features saxophonist Chris Hiatt (Japonize Elephants), drummer Joe Abba (Dave Douglas, The Ramones, Donny McCaslin) and percussionist Ibrahima Kolipe Camara (National Dance Company of Guinea, Kakande). The New York City based-quintet has been stewing since 2015, but their wide-ranging sound hasn't been captured on tape until now. Their debut album, recorded at Nine Lives Studio in Jersey City and at The Creamery in Brooklyn, features eight ear-popping tracks that range from the imaginary Bollywood-meets-West Africa mash-up "Hello Bolly" to the searing funk of "Lebanese Blond" to the outer space jazz of "Y Knot" to the winking homage to classic 70's Ethiopian groove, "Ethiofreaks," which even comes complete with guest vibraphone  (from Tommy Mattioli) and Farfisa organ.

Memorably described as “Ethiopian funk drinks a progressive jazz cocktail at Miles Davis’ 1970’s loft party,” Molly Tigre’s polyrhythmic stew is music for the body and mind.

01 - Slush Fund

02 - Hello Bolly

03 - Couscous Timbuktu

04 - y knot

05 - Yekermo Sew

06 - Lebanese Blond

07 - Tolo

08 - Ethiofreaks

Coherence Quartet - Sagaye (CHALLENGE RECORDS 2018)

"There’d been a few attempts before we finally recorded the material. All the previous sessions weren’t satisfying for us and ended up in a trash can. Something was missing, something could have been done better. Eventually, we simply decided to record some music playing together in my living room, just like they did in the 60’s. The result came as a surprise to each of us. It turned out that we finally had it! Several microphones, nice food and the time spent together - it was enough to get what we’d been trying to achieve for so long. It convinces us that if there are a few guys who just want to play and listen to one another, the rest is of very little importance."

Coherence Quartet is currently one of the best and most interesting bands playing improvised music which is based on jazz music complemented by the sounds of music coming from many cultures and musical traditions. The repertoire includes works copyright by the band musicians as well as originally arranged jazz standards.

Coherence Quartet concerts are unique events during where are presented pieces never previously recorded, arising at a given moment under the influence of time and place. Also compositions that the group has in the solid repertoire change their form and tone depending on the mood of the moment and the audience response. 

Every concert of Coherence Quartet is a new experience created by four distinguished and experienced artists completely engaged in music, interactions between which create new exciting musical worlds.

1 Aga  09:21

2 Jerzmanowa  06:17

3 Lost  06:24

4 Chant 7  07:33

5 Start  04:27

6 Winter  07:47

Lukasz Kluczniak - Saxophone

Robert Jarmuzek - Piano

Marcin Lamch - Double Bass

Grzegorz Maslowski - Drums

€ 19.95

Jan Prax Quartet - Ascending (CHALLENGE RECORDS 2018)

"You are so young and play so great. I hate you!" It does not do the journey of the artist justice to reduce classically trained pianist Jan Prax to this best known of quotes, uttered by saxophone player David Sanborn after a concert at the Leverkusener Jazztage. Prax has received numerous prizes, and after his debut album with a renowned German jazz label, his second album is now released on Challenge Records.

Ascending – the artistic vision of the artist Jan Prax (alto & soprano saxophones, composition, band leader) to date in its entire spectrum, with influences from the Straight Ahead Jazz of the 1950s and 1960s, the avant-garde movement of the 1960, Hip Hop as well as Rhythm and Blues.

Ascending – the album by Jan Prax Quartet. As with the previous production Keepin’ a Style Alive (ACT), this recording focuses on the acoustic jazz quartet with outstanding partners such as Martin Sörös (piano & Fender Rhodes, composition), Tilman Oberbeck (double bass) and Michael Mischl (drums), this time with a line-up extended by high profile guests Bodek Janke (tabla & percussion) and Soweto Kinch (rap & alto saxophone).

Ascending – like the ascendant in astrology revealing a person’s true potential… like a developing improvisation, fuelled by passion and driven by the collective, a quest for ways of expression without neglecting the roots.

1 It's Time for 6!  05:59

2 This Song Is for You  03:16

3 Catchin' the Trane  05:55

4 Ascending  10:07

5 Lift Up Your Soul  07:09

6 Lost in Memories  06:09

7 There It Is  06:38

8 Nowhere To Go  05:28

9 Money Mike  04:12

10 Lift Up Your Soul (Radio Edit)  04:16

JAN PRAX / alto & soprano saxophones, composition, band leader

MARTIN SÖRÖS / piano & Fender Rhodes, composition

TILMAN OBERBECK / double bass

MICHAEL MISCHL / drums

€ 19.95

Trio Laccasax - In Music At Home (FINE MUSIC May 25, 2018)

It is part of a musician's everyday life that you are constantly on the move. The music often becomes the only place where you can always feel at home. The new album by Trio Laccasax In Music at Home internalizes influences from different cultures at this juncture. Musical genres such as tango, klezmer, jazz, classical and modern meet in the so-called chamber world music - world music with a claim on chamber music. The listener seemingly effortlessly commutes between sincerity and entertainment, between simplicity and complexity, profoundness and lightness, and the trio also likes to call this combination of serious (e-music) and popular music (u-music) casually EU music. On their first CD Passe Partout Trio Laccasax played in his regular cast.

The second album makes it clear that the musicians feel at home on different instruments and the regular cast is dissolved. In the new program, which developed mainly during and from the 2017 tour, Timofey Sattarov plays piano for almost a third of the time instead of the accordion, the saxophonist Adrey Lakisov alternates between guitar and saxophone and the bassist Bernd Gesell often uses his double bass also for percussion. The limits of conventional playing techniques are exceeded, modern playing techniques of the respective musical instruments are used. All this extends the sound spectrum. It is, if you will, the fourth dimension in the three-dimensional cast. At the center of IN MUSIC AT HOME are original compositions this time, such as the melancholic Le Petit Prince, or Suse (derived from the suspended chords it contains), which can be described as a 5-minute musical encyclopaedia. B. Gesell creates a sonorous low level at Horizontale with an extensive bass solo, whereby one could confound the double bass with a cymbal at the first listening impression. As always, there are Astor Piazzolla's compositions included, as the Le Grand Tango and Reminiscence, which appear in a Trio Laccasax-typical fashion.

1. “Ständchen”

2. “Seven Eight”

3. “Suse”

4. “Le Petit Prince”

5. “Walzer Nr.2”

6. “Reminiscence”

7. “Horizontale”

8. “A Little Bit More”

9. “Le Grand Tango (Finale)”

10. “Herzstück”

11. “Easy Swing”

Timofey Sattarov accordeon, piano

Andrey Lakisov saxophone, guitar

Bernd Gesell double bass

Live:

20.05.2018 Berlin, Schloß Friedrichsfelde

21.05.2018 Berlin, Schloß Friedrichsfelde

24.05.2018 Berlin, Konzerthaus

25.05.2018 Dresden, Kanonenhof

26.05.2018 Berlin, Bürgerhaus Grünau

Max Clouth Clan - Kamaloka (BELLAPHON April 20. 2018)

"We wanted to create a sound that refers to the jazz rock of the late 70s, but beamed into 2018. Mahavishnu Orchestra, Spectrum, also Frank Zappa and Led Zeppelin are names that come to my mind ". Max Clouth

An album like a road movie. The protagonists travel into the distance and engage in encounters; the main actor nevertheless always stays at home with one leg. Sounds paradoxical, but applies to the new, second album by Max Clouth and his clan. Different facets of "Kamaloka" have been recorded in Indian studios far away from the base of the quartet from Frankfurt. Nevertheless, the subcontinent for Max Clouth, born in 1985, has long been a second home. From 2009 to 2012, the guitarist and composer studied the secrets of Indian ragas in Mumbai. At the same time, Clouth immersed himself in the myths and real worlds of India, even got to know his wife there for life. Although they live in Clouth's native city of Frankfurt today, the connections to the subcontinent naturally remain tight, whether through family visits, concert tours or cooperation with local musicians.

"Kamaloka" is in many ways a sonorous manifesto of this lived West-East connection. "We wanted to capture the special vibe that sets on tour," says Max Clouth, "playing in this huge country means landing in a different climate every day, being surrounded by always different dialects and atmospheres, all the time In November 2017, Max Clouth was on tour with Bollywood singer Arijit Singh, and concerts with the visiting clan followed. "Between our gigs in New Delhi, Bangalore and Goa, we fled into studios that were previously recommended and reserved by our respective guests."

The local guests included tabla virtuoso Ishaan Ghosh from Mumbai and singers Sriparnda Nandi and Varijashree Venugopal from Delhi and Bangalore respectively. Venugopal's charismatic voice also recently embellished a production of American star bassist and five-time Grammy award winner Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck & The Flecktones et al.). Other guest musicians on "Kamaloka" include cosmopolitan, percussionist and sound artist Bernhard Schimpelsberger, who has previously worked with Clouth and also with Anoushka Shankar and Nitin Sawhney. A string trio completes the multi-layered, sometimes cinematic sound panorama of the album.

The leaky title track "Kamaloka" with fast hard cuts and an offensive riff as a leitmotif to the hustle and bustle of Indian metropolises and has already aroused in some listeners associations with Frank Zappa. "Salt Lassi" remains with a casual groove and interspersed electronic vignettes in an urban-modern context, combining a certain nonchalance with latent tension. "M.R." is also catchy for Western ears, yet all the melodies are based on ragas, with Clouth combining traditions from North and South India, and also suggesting a little sympathy for Pat Metheny. "Delhi Jaipur Highway" captures the mood of a hot, barely changing landscape over miles, where the clocks seem to stand still, or at least half as fast. "Hamsa Soham" adapts a mantra from the Kriya Yoga, here too all sounds come from a raga. The dynamic "Shyam" beats jazz rock with fingerboard sprints on the acoustic guitar as well as insistent and whirling drums bows; it will be published on 23.3. in advance as a single and as a remix by DJ Kabuki, one of the pioneers of the Frankfurt electro scene. The final "Kirwani" finally flirts with reduction and repetition, straightforward beats and offensive pop approach.

The clan sees itself as a band, yet Max Clouth's variable guitar inserts characterize the sound of the quartet. In addition to a common semi-resonant guitar, he plays specially built for him acoustic or electric "Lotus guitars". They each have a neck with and without frets and additional sympathetic strings. With these custom-made designs, Clouth can approach the aesthetics of an Indian sarod or Arab oud.

"It's about creating contemporary instrumental music that transports elements of Indian classical music into Western stylistics, especially European jazz," Max Clouth outlines his idea. For jazz, he primarily thinks of "rough, unpretentious jazz rock of the seventies." As a guide, Clouth mentions John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu Orchestra first and foremost. Also Embryo, Jimi Hendrix or the experimental Pink Floyd. "Conceptually created music, in which a kind of story runs through the album as a red thread, fascinated me at the age of 15." Of course, to this day, he is also enthusiastic about ready-to-play speed, as long as this does not become an end in itself. "I find virtuosity interesting when used as a color, like unusual harmonies or electronic effects."

"We played a lot of the repertoire live before the recordings," explains Clouth, "while we have worked out sounds, textures and the dynamics of the pieces more and more sharply." Drummer Martin Standke is one of the founding members of the clan, came about three years ago In addition, bassist Markus Wach, in 2016, pianist and keyboardist Andrey Shabashev from Russia. "The music ultimately develops organically from our interaction," says composer Clouth, "that's why the ideas of everyone contribute significantly to the final form of the pieces." Shabashev's Voicings and Effects and Standkes sometimes hot, sometimes cool patterns are a quality in itself, as well wax melodic tone, fine bow play and rhythmics trained at Arab music.

The musical journey of the Max Clouth Clan leads listeners to many places and awakens different memories. The album title "Kamaloka" is a Sanskrit word; as a term it stands for the removal of everything material after death. For years Clouth has been dealing with spiritual concepts, especially Theosophy, all the more intensely after the death of a close family member. The painful loss, the realization of transience and reflections on their own dependence on material stimuli ultimately flowed into the music. With "Kamaloka" Max Clouth and his clan present a clever and lively album that combines lightness and profound aspects. European and Indian stylistics, acoustic and electronic facets merge into a very personal and equally global sound.

01 Kamaloka 03:12

02 Naramada 04:10

03 M.R. 04:51

04 Salt Lassi 04:12

05 Delhi Jaipur Highway 06:25

06 Shyam 06:14

07 Intro 1 01:34

08 Letter From Gaza 05:04

09 Yari Road 03:04

10 Hamsa - Soham 05:02

11 Intro 2 01:25

12 Kirwani 03:48

Max Clouth Clan - Kamaloka Tour

13.04.2018 Frankfurt,Jazz Montez

14.04.2018 Frankfurt Mousonturm- Max Clouth Clan with Strings

18.04.2018 Göppingen Jazz-IG

20.04.2018 Mannheim Orientalische Musikakademie

21.04.2018 Wiesbaden Kulturclub Biebrich

04.05.2018 Bad Marienburg Jazz We Can

05.05.2018 Frankfurt Nacht der Museen

06.05.2018 Rüsselsheim Das Rind

Mural - Shishi's Wish (BERTHOLD RECORDS April 20, 2018)

A stray cat, a card trick, and the first kick of a baby in the womb - these are some of the more unusual stories behind Shishi's Wish, MURAL's second album. The international trio of American-Japanese guitarist Aki Ishiguro, German bassist Peter Schwebs and Chilean drummer Rodrigo Recabarren has already caused a stir with his debut album.

Starting point for Shishi's Wish were concerts, which led the trio across the globe - among other things to Japan, in the USA, to Chile and Germany. "These journeys have made our music something new," explains bassist Peter Schwebs. "Tailoring the songs to the other band members - that was our approach on this album." The three musicians experimented with new ideas and overdubs to expand the range of sounds and colors. However, these effects never come to the fore, the trio sound and the interaction of the musicians continue to be the focus. "With our debut album and the tour, we laid the foundations for our sound. That helped me a lot to adapt my new compositions accordingly, "says drummer Rodrigo Recabarren.

As the band members pondered an album name, they stuck to Shishi, a composition by Ishiguro that eventually became part of the title. Shishi, the stray cat, had entered the guitarist's life a few years earlier. A beautiful animal undoubtedly, but also very lively and confrontational. On a bitterly cold morning, Shishi came up the steps of his house in search of a warm spot. After giving birth to a dead kitten, she needed months to recover. Then she disappeared suddenly and never came back. Giacomo was one of the first pieces that Schwebs had composed. "The idea behind it was that Aki plays a funky guitar motif accompanied by a groovy bass line composed in an odd time signature, creating an energetic, playful dance rhythm. In the summer of 2016, we gave a living room concert in New York. Later, the pregnant hostess told me that for the first time she felt her boy in her stomach. She called him Giacomo - that's how the title came about, "recalls the bassist.

Siete Diamantes (diamonds) also comes from Schwebs. It is based on a 7/8 rhythm, over which the melodies of guitar and bass shift, each using different beats. When the band was in Chile and the musicians were having lunch, one day a magician came to their table. "He showed us a few card tricks that left me speechless. You are absolutely sure which card he is holding in his hand and then he conjures it up from somewhere else. That inspired me to vary a simple musical idea melodically and rhythmically. "

CSD Orompello is a composition of Recabarren with South American flair, which is enhanced by the deep sound of the Bomba Leguero, an Argentine drum. A play reminiscent of the failed assassination of the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1986. The title refers to the "Club Social y Deportivo Orompello", a sports and football club, by some members of the Chilean underground organization "Frente Patriótico Manuel Rodríguez" played. , Late summer is a piece of Schwebs with a melancholy touch. "I like the time in late September, early October. It can still be quite sunny days, but you can feel that the autumn pulls up so slowly. A ballad that looks back on the warm season, reminiscent of it, "said Schwebs. Mari "is a small digression to an equally exciting and interesting person - my girlfriend Mari," explains composer Ishiguro, adding: "This song expresses my feelings for her - in a very honest and direct way."

The composition Nazo, on the other hand, is mysterious - with an elusive mood and an unusual groove. Fingerprints in turn refers to the well-known standard of saxophonist Wayne Shorter, his "footprints", which Chick Corea adapted for the piano. It was this version of the famous pianist that inspired Ishiguro to create her own arrangement.

Geronimo, based on a war song, is clearly geared to jazz rock thanks to Recabarren's energetic drumming and Ishiguro's distorted guitar sound.

Someones to Watch Over Me sound completely different again. "A jazz standard by George Gershwin, whom we have often played on our tours. We thought that a beautiful, soulful ballad would close our album, "explains Schwebs.

Over the past few months, MURAL has hosted a number of major festivals and numerous prestigious clubs, including the Thelonious Jazz Festival in Santiago de Chile, the MIBnight Jazz Festival in Bremen, WinterJazz Brelingen, the 55 Bar in New York City and the Pit Inn in Tokyo.

1 Giacomo! 04:31

2 Fingerprints 04:47

3 Shishi 05:55

4 Siete Diamantes 04:57

5 Mari 02:41

6 CSD Orompello 05:39

7 Nazo 05:29

8 Spätsommer 06:33

9 Geronimo 04:57

10 Someone to Watch over Me 05:41

Aki Ishiguro guitar

Peter Schwebs bass

Rodrigo Recabarren drums