Red Light Jazz Society - Hookin' Up (June ZenneZ Records)

The Red Light Jazz Society (RLJS) is a young and energetic big band that was formed in Amsterdam. The 18 young musicians already have a considerable track record individually, working with Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Metropole Orkest and the Danish Radio Big Band.

Their release Hookin’Up brings you all the rich colors that are characteristic for a big band’s palette. All tunes are originals and composed and arranged by members of the ensemble.

I really enjoyed listening … a great example of the “next generation” of the Dutch big band scene” – Jim McNeely

The album was recorded at Fattoria Musica (Germany), January 2020, by Chris Weeda. The band was directed by Nikolai Bøgelund.

1. Obliquity and the Elliptical Path Around the Sun 08:23

2. Gentle Woman 04:43

3. What Now 04:50

4. Illusions 05:29

5. Lazy Lady 05:17

6. Prela 06:21

7. Rumination 06:36

8. Turnaround 06:25

9. Letter to JM 05:50

10. Buster's BBQ 05:22

Reeds

Guus Janssen, Mo van der Does, Gideon Tazelaar, Stan van de Wetering, Jessie Brevé

Trumpets

Dave Vreuls, Robin Rombouts, Koen Smits, Tom Ridderbeekx, Thijs van den Geest

Trombones

Jeroen Verberne, Alex van Abeelen, Sam Thomas, Bart van Gorp

Robert Koemans - piano

Gijs Idema - guitar

Cas Jiskoot - bass

Wouter Kühne - drums

Pre-order

Trio Rhizome - A.R.C. en Ciel (2021 IMR)

1. Sweet Ocean 04:39

2. For Bill 05:19

3. Quiet 05:28

4. Odusseia 03:22

5. The Shepperd's Complaint 03:39

6. Gravityless 05:34

7. Dead Whales 05:33

8. Chanson Bulgare 01:40

9. Ice Flowers 07:20

10. Kaïros 03:34

11. The dogs bark and.... 03:38

Claudie Boucau : flutes, bansuri, harmonica, calls

Richard Héry : drums, percussions, bass clarinet

Alain Blesing : guitar, electronic

Cover by Julius Baltazar

Mixing : Richard Héry

Mastering by Maurice Salaün

All compositions by Alain Blesing excepted "Chanson Bulgare" by Alain Blesing and Yves Rousseau

All arrangements trio Rhizome

With the support of the Departemental Council of Puy-de-Dôme (F63)

Pre-order

LRK Trio - Memory Moment (Losen Records)

This album evokes all sorts of feelings upon listening to it. Whether it be recalling my personal experiences while traveling through an entire day with the trio on the epic first track Morning: Long Day: Evening: Run or imagining the varied faces and colorful designs of dancing Petrushka, the music on this album from beginning to end readily conjures up rapidly changing scenes as if they were being projected onto a widescreen cinema.

As with LRK recordings of the past, the natural sounds of all instruments are faithfully reproduced and clearly heard against each other. Meanwhile, the introduction of electronic sounds is done tastefully in Memory Moment, an intense composition with a wondrous progressive rock touch. Voices and natural sounds are deftly incorporated into Through The Winter, a composition that arouses courage and a strong will to endure what I can only guess as being an actual, harsh Russian winter.

The positive, inspiring sounds contained throughout this album are sure to make it one that I will choose to listen to over and over again.

1. Morning - E.Lebedev - 6.14

2. Long Day - E. Lebedev - 1.51

3. Evening - A. Revnyuk - 3.22

4. Run - I.Kravtsov - 7.03

5. If - A.Revnyuk - 0.43

6. Memory Moment - I.Kravtsov - 7.57

7. Through The Winter - E. Lebedev - 9.24

8. To - A.Revnyuk - 0.39

9. Petrushka - E. Lebedev - 6.30

10. Return - A. Revnyuk - 1.13

Evgeny Lebedev piano, synth

Anton Revnyuk upright bass, electric bass, programming

Ignat Kravtsov drums, sampling pad, percussion, metallophone

Guests:

Grech Piotrowski soprano sax, track 9

Ensemble Alyunoshka vocals, track 7

Recorded in December 2019 by Yakov Zakhvatkin at Cinelab Studio, Moscow, Russia

Mixed and mastered by Yan Perchuk, Los Angeles (CA), USA

Cover design by Vitalia Zvereva

Pre-order