AVAILABLE NOW: Alfredo Rodriguez & Munir Hossn | "Que Será"

Cuban Pianist and Composer Alfredo Rodriguez

Partners with Longtime Musical Collaborator

Munir Hossn Offer Solace to the World

with New Single, "Que Será"

Available Now via Mack Avenue Records

Since the 16th century, the phrase “que será” has served as a motto for human existence in times of uncertainty. Not knowing the next step or the outcome of an unexpected situation can place anyone’s mind into a frenzy, making hope and optimism far from the first thought. Pianist/composer Alfredo Rodriguez has had time during the pandemic to reflect not only on the fragility of life but the importance of looking into the future with rose colored glasses and embracing the unknown.

“Que Será” (out now via Mack Avenue Records), the newest single from the Havana-born composer, was originally conceived in a hotel room while on tour with his longstanding musical partner Munir Hossn and revisited and completed by the duo in the midst of the global pandemic. “We wanted to bring joy to the world in this difficult time in any way we can," says Rodriguez. "Munir and I hope people will find solace in this music and look forward to a brighter future together."

Their mission, which is evident by the uplifting lyrical content, is to plant a seed of hope during this time of loss and allow the heart to flourish with aspirations for the future. The chemistry between the duo is ever apparent, with Rodriguez at the helm of a new creative breakthrough and evolution of his music that has enthralled audiences worldwide.

About Alfredo Rodriguez

Alfredo Rodriguez is an internationally acclaimed Cuban jazz pianist who, due to his formal training, is as proficient at playing classical music as he is his chosen genre. Rodriguez was born into a musical family, his father a popular singer and TV host. A child prodigy, he studied classical piano at the prestigious Conservatorio Amadeo Roldán and Instituto Superior de Arte while playing popular music in his father’s orchestra by night. While performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2006 he was discovered by his future mentor and producer, the legendary Quincy Jones. In the past 15 years, Rodriguez has released five albums as a leader to critical acclaim and has performed at Playboy, Detroit, New Orleans, Newport, San Francisco, North Sea, Umbria and Vienna Jazz Festivals as well as prestigious venues worldwide.

For more information on Alfredo Rodriguez, please visit:

AlfredoMusic.com | Facebook | Instagram

New single from Joey Alexander

"SALT" OUT NOW

The young piano phenom Joey Alexander moves over to and shines on Fender Rhodes on this blues tinged original romp.

Featuring acclaimed Alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, who provides the shimmering melody, and rising electric guitarist Gilad Hekselman, who ads grit to the bottom and doubles Shaw, SALT showcases Alexander as a daring and bright composer having fun with his electric side.

March – June: Saxophonist/composer Dan Blake livestream and live album release concerts for 'Da Fé'

Please join

Saxophonist/composer Dan Blake

for livestream & live album release concerts celebrating his new

Sunnyside Records recording Da Fé

Friday, March 26 at 8 p.m. EST

Livestreamed from Soapbox Gallery, 636 Dean St., Brooklyn, NY

with Leo Genovese- piano/synthesizers; Dmitry Ishenko - bass; Jeff Williams - drums

Part of "Release Speak," a series of conversations with Soapbox host Tracey Yarad. 

Pay what you can; for information click here or here.

Sunday, March 28 at 7 p.m. 

LIVE at Live at The Falcon, 1348 Route 9W, Marlboro, NY

with Leo Genovese- piano/synthesizers; Dmitry Ishenko - bass; Jeff Williams - drums

For information click here

Friday, May 14 at 7 p.m. 

LIVE at Jazz Habitat, El Barrio Artspace (PS109), 215 E. 99th St., NYC

with Leo Genovese- piano/synthesizers; Dmitry Ishenko - bass; Jeff Williams - drums

For information click here

Saturday, June 5 at 6 p.m.

LIVE at Lydia's, 7 Old US 209, Stone Ridge, NY

with Bob Meyer, drums; others TBA

For information click here

Dan Blake's - Da Fé (Sunnyside Records)

Dave Holland - Another Land (May 28, 2021 Edition Records)

One of the most versatile and prolific bassist/composers in jazz history returns with a new all-star trio of jazz heavyweights, featuring guitarist Kevin Eubanks and drummer Obed Calvaire, and a power-packed set.

Another Land is the new album from the all-star trio featuring Dave Holland, Kevin Eubanks and Obed Calvaire and a power-packed set of originals. This is a potent studio set of fluid themes developed by the band and forged in the furnace of live performance. During the live shows that preceded the recording of Another Land, Dave explains “we were doing a continuous set, once we started we very rarely stopped, we just kept going,”. The Guardian described the shows as a “blues-fuelled inferno summoning the spirit of Hendrix”.

Throughout his career, Dave Holland has established a reputation for making his bands a proving ground for promising young instrumentalists, but his latest trio is a true all-star assemblage of jazz heavyweights, all established bandleaders and composers, each representing the world standard on their instrument. Released on limited edition double vinyl, CD and hi-res download, this is a power-packed set that reunites Dave with the guitar work of Kevin Eubanks, whose searing, soulful approach was last heard on Dare 2 as part of the Prism project. Eubanks was also key to the muscular quartet that recorded Holland’s seminal 1990 ECM release Extensions, and this new band is yet another example of Holland’s brilliance at building ensembles that are greater than the sum of their formidable parts.

1. Grave Walker 7.00

2. Another Land 9.19

3. Gentle Warrior 8.46

4. 20 20 8.24

5. Quiet Fire 4.39

6. Mashup 6.36

7. Passing Time 8.08

8. The Village 8.48

9. Bring It Back Home 6.00

Dave Holland - Bass and Bass Guitar

Kevin Eubanks - Guitar

Obed Calvaire - Drums

Dave Holland uses Michael Tobias Design Bass Guitars, Thomastik-Infeld Bass Strings, LaBella Bass Guitar Strings and Gallien-Krueger Speakers and Amplifiers.

Kevin Eubanks uses Gallien-Krueger Amplifiers, Ernie Ball Strings and Morley Pedals

Obed Calvaire uses Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, Meinl percussion and Yamaha drums

Recorded by Chris Allen at Sear Sound, 10th-11th September 2020

Assistant Engineer – Steven Sacco

Mixed at Sear Sound, NYC 18th - 20th August 2020

Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound 7th September 2020

The album will be available on CD, Limited Edition Coloured Double Vinyl  and hi-res download – the first 200 LPs will also be numbered and include a signed postcard.

Pre-order

Jeff Chan In Chicago (March 2021)

This album is dedicated to Ameen Muhammad who passed away on February 28, 2003. His life and his music will be remembered and celebrated.

Not long after I moved to from SF to Chicago, I recorded this album for Asian Improv Records. Presenting my original compositions, In Chicago was a chance to record with an all-star band of Tatsu Aoki (bass), Chad Taylor (drums) and the great Ameen Muhammad (trumpet).

1. 'Round and 'Round 07:38

2. Persistence of Vision 08:22

3. Sunbeams 09:54

4. Bells/Falling 10:38

5. Waiting 08:49

6. Twilight 03:34

7. Waiting (reprise) 00:54

8. Centuries 12:06

Jeff Chan - soprano and tenor saxophones

Ameen Muhammad - trumpet, conch shell and small instruments

Tatsu Aoki - bass

Chad Taylor - drums

Pre-order

Damon Smith Trio - Color Architecture (March 2021)

As i delved into the SF creative music scene in the 1990s, i met a whole community of artists that i would be working with... some to this day. among those early collaborators were Damon Smith and Jerome Bryerton. we had some good times making music, eating and arguing and i'm happy that we were able to document some of our work together here on Color Architecture as the Damon Smith Trio.

1 Color Architectue #1 (to Tom Schultz) 03:04

2 The Eye of Ra (to R.B._R.B.K.) 01:51

3 Emphasized Weights in Black and White (to Günter Christmann) 03:33

4 Grey Light for Flute solo (to John Stevens) 02:29

5 Elegy for Glenn Spearmann 02:29

6 The Algebra of Revolution (To Wadada Leo Smith) 02:19

7 Solo in E Minor for Fred Hopkins 01:25

8 Not Everything is in Line With the Ear (to Gianni Gebbia) 02:35

9 (Bert) + Nancy 02:47

10 Freedom is Necessarily only Partial (to Eneidi) 00:48

11 Abitrary Real Values (to Cy Twombly) 02:21

12 Ghost World (to Dan Clowes) 00:54

13 A Lesson for Later Work (to R.M.S.). 02:47

14 Lines for Trio (to Paul Klee) 03:46

15 The Division of Cells 01:54

16 Generatin Function and the Like (to L.S. Ellis) 02:20

17 Black Holes Dark Fields (to Peter Kowald) 04:07

18 Closely Bound up with Utility 01:11

19 40L 01:56

20 Color Architecture #2 for solo percussion 02:33

21 The Thin Lines Hold Their own in the Presense for the Heavy Point (to Mark Dresser) 02:16

22 A Force Capable of Dislodging one From the Gravitational Pull of the Earth (to Bill Dixon) 02:42

23 51A 02:18

24 10, No 20! 00:16

25 The Inner Attitude of the Observer 00:59

26 Dream Told by Moto(haru) 01:18

27 Governed by Contradiction 01:05

28 Lucifer Lies to Bring Time to a Stop 01:53

29 Color Architeture #1 (to Tom Schulz) Flute version 02:01

Damon Smith - contrabass

Jerome Bryerton - percussion

Jeff Chan - flute, bass clarinet and tenor saxophone

Pre-order

Jeff Chan - Winds Shifting (March 2021)

Due to the tragic events in Atlanta, I have made downloads on my Bandcamp page free and urge you to make a donation to Asian Americans Advancing Justice/Atlanta. They have set up a fund to support those impacted by the violence of March 16.

https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/support-georgias-asian-american-community/

My first album! Recorded in 1997 for Asian Improv records, with the stellar bassist/drummer combo of Trevor Dunn and Eliot Humberto Kavee. Special guests Francis Wong on tenor saxophone and Neil Straghalis round out this debut session of original compositions.

1. Snap, Crackle, Pop 06:14

2. Infringement 07:41

3. Dreams/Silver Skies 07:51

4. Spiritual 06:31

5. Winds Shifting Coming and Going 13:43

6. Cactus Patch 08:37

Jeff Chan - tenor saxophone

Trevor Dunn - bass

Elliot Humberto Cave - drums

Francis Wong - tenor saxophone

Neil Straghalis - piano

Pre-order

Anderson Quevedo Trio (2021)

With a raw stripped-down sound where groove and complicity between players scream for spotlight, the trio led by saxophonist Anderson Quevedo, alongside Daniel Amorin (acoustic bass) and Pedro Henning (drums), invites the listener to an real sonic adventure. The compositions, all of them by Quevedo's pen, seek inspiration in urban art and flirt with a wide variety of styles, from free jazz to concert music.

1. Das Três às Seis 04:44

2. Sem Saída 04:30

3. Caminho de La Plata 04:07

4. Balada 03:36

5. Dança 06:48

6. Uma Saudade 08:00

7. Afro Blue 04:06

Anderson Quevedo: soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones

Daniel Amorin: double bass

Pedro Henning: drums

with special guests

Pepe Cisneros: piano (tracks 3 and 7)

Jota.P Barbosa: soprano and tenor saxophones (tracks 3 and 2)

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Magí Batalla (Estúdio U)

Mixing assisted by Fernando Sobreira (Estúdio U)

Pre-order

Liudas Mockūnas In Residency at Bitches Brew (March 2021 NoBusiness Records)

In December 2018 I had a four-night residency at the Bitches Brew jazz club in Yokohama. These concerts were organized by Mr Kenny Inaoka, founder and editor-in-chief of the webzine JazzTokyo.com and a prodigious jazz record producer and Seiichi Sugita, the owner of the Bitces Brew. They managed to invite some of the greatest improvisers from the Tokyo area to join me for four concerts in a row. This album captures some sound memories of those unforgettable performances with fantastic musicians Otomo Yoshihide, Kazutoki Umezu, Masayo Koketsu, Akira Sakata and Eiichi Hayashi. Enjoy! Big thanks to all the musicians who joined forces on those concerts, Kenny Inaoka, Seiichi Sugita, Kuniko Iwasita, Akira Saito, Gabija Čepulionytė and Raminta Sodeikienė.

1. Brown Line / with Akira Sakata 11:04

2. Yellow Line / with Masayo Koketsu 12:29

3. Red Line / with Kazutoki Umezu 17:22

4. Green Line / with Otomo Yoshihide and Kazutoki Umezu 23:49

5. Blue Line / with Akira Sakata and Eiichi Hayashi 10:27

by Liudas Mockūnas / Akira Sakata / Otomo Yoshihide / Kazutoki Umezu / Masayo Koketsu / Eiichi Hayashi

Recorded at Bitches Brew in Yokohama, December 2018 by Liudas Mockūnas

Mixed at KDK by Dainius Kazilionis and Liudas Mockūnas

Mastered at KDK by Dainius Kazilionis

Art work and design by Neringa Žukauskaitė

Cover photo by Liudas Mockūnas

Produced by Liudas Mockūnas and Danas Mikailionis

Co-producer Valerij Anosov

“Brown Line” Akira Sakata-cl, Liudas Mockūnas-ss

“Yellow Line” Masayo Koketsu-as, Liudas Mockūnas-ss,water prepared ss

“Red Line” Kazutoki Umezu-bcl,cl,ss,as, Liudas Mockūnas-ss

“Green Line” Otomo Yoshihide-g, Kazutoki Umezu-bcl,ss,as, Liudas Mockūnas-ts

“Blue Line” Akira Sakata-cl,as,voice, Eiichi Hayashi-as, Liudas Mockūnas-ts, ss

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Mai Sugimoto - monologue (March 2021)

A woman’s voice should and will be heard, and Mai Sugimoto creates such a space, in the midst of white chauvinism and anti-Asian resentment, for her monologue, the saxophonist’s sophomore album and first solo effort (Asian Improv Records, 2021). Indeed, Sugimoto’s sound is as naked as ever on what she describes as a visceral response to our troubling times. Recorded in Chicago’s Loop in November 2020, Sugimoto resonates through the studio—and, one imagines, the empty streets—and over the faint roars of the El train.

This is ferocity and finesse, and she buoys every note with her abiding sense of humor, exploring sounds and textures with an alto saxophone, flute, percussion, and toys—sometimes simultaneously. Sugimoto’s record reflects what she has felt through the pandemic—mourning, fear, joy, anger, gratitude—to create this monologue: an unmasking, a leap of faith, an I’m speaking, a one-woman show.

1. monologue 09:03

2. shell ghosts 02:48

3. missing drummer 02:33

4. Ab 01:42

5. squeamish 02:43

6. furue 03:44

7. choking hazard 02:22

8. hysteria 01:48

9. mating dance 03:21

10. migratory season 04:36

11. sabi 02:51

12. so trill 03:55

13. niji masu 02:41

14. corridor 02:00

MAI SUGIMOTO (BMI)

alto saxophone

flute

toy xylophones

drum

shells

bells

roland micro cube

all compositions

excutive producer

TATSU AOKI

associate producer

MAI SUGIMOTO

recorded on

NOVEMBER 22 & 29, 2020 at FAB MUSIC STUDIO, CHICAGO

mixing & mastering

CALEB WILLITZ

Pre-order

Fergus McCreadie - Cairn (2021 Edition Records)

The Scottish wunderkind pianist’s second album, ​Cairn,​ looks set to establish his global presence as a composer, pianist and bandleader with its freshness of sound and originality. Rooted in the Scottish tradition and inspired by Scottish landscapes, ​Cairn​ combines contemporary, jazz and classical influences in​ a profound, mesmerising and compelling way. Fergus works with established trio of bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson; Cairn​ is a testament to their instrumental command, originality and communication. In October 2020 Fergus was awarded Best Instrumentalist at the Scottish Jazz Awards.

1. North 04:45

2. Cairn 07:33

3. Across Flatlands 04:46

4. The Stones of Brodgar 05:30

5. Jig 08:29

6. Tide 05:56

7. Tree Climbing 07:16

8. An Old Friend 09:06

9. Cliffside 07:42

All compositions by Fergus McCreadie and arranged by the trio

Fergus McCreadie - Piano

David Bowden - Double Bass

Stephen Henderson - Drums

Recorded at QuietMoney Studios, Hastings, 7 & 8 January 2020

Mixed by James McMillan at QuietMoney Studios, Hastings

Mastered by Michael Scherchen at The Mix Factory, London

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Shlomi Goldenberg - Blues Straight Ahead (March 2021)

I met this old black jazz musician, and he asked me if I wanted to play jazz. I just nodded my head. "You gotta play the C flat scale". (C flat is the note B on the piano, but sounds different).

In 2005 I got enough Blues numbers for a new album. So I got my Rhythm section and set a date. Nizan and Nadav were my regulars , but drummer Roi was a last minute addittion. He was unbelieveable , becuase as usual weonly did first takes, and he was right on top.

1. Salami Blues

2. 448 CENTRAL PARK West Apt#1a

3. Bass On Top

Shlomi Goldenberg - Tenor Sax,  Soprano Sax on Be Bye Blues

Nizan Gavrieli - Piano

Roi Uliel - Drums

Nadav Lahish – Contrabass

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