Sumari - Ramsey (December 2021 Unseen Rain Records)

Though mostly known for his time as violinist with Cecil Taylor, Ramsey Ameen was a musician, polymath, computer engineer, mathematician and philosopher. When I learned we lived close by each other we began to drive together to gigs in NYC. Ramsey was well versed in any subject I could bring up, and could discuss deeply for hours. And we did. Bach, Ornette Coleman, Gurdjieff, Blavatsky, geometry, world events, politics, et al. I called him about recording a duo with him on violin and guitarist Dom Minasi. Two days later I learned Ramsey had passed. A shock to say the least, heartbreaking news at the loss of this dear friend and great man. This album, Ramsey, is dedicated to him.

This performance by Sumari at a concert in memory of Ramsey with several ensembles was recorded at Scholes Street Studio in Brooklyn, NY.

The performance was attended by numerous Downtown Music luminaries and is likely the last recording from Sumari, an improvising unit that started as a trio and was later augmented by the presence of double-bass master Hilliard Greene. Sumari recorded 5 previous album for Unseen Rain Records. This album, Ramsey, has three extensive tracks with the last one a surprise blues. - Jack DeSalvo

1. Piece 1 for Ramsey 19:42

2. Piece 2 for Ramsey 13:54

3. Blues for Ramsey 07:28

MATT LAVELLE - Trumpet, Alto & Bass Clarinets

JACK DeSALVO - Guitar

HILLIARD GREENE - Double Bass

TOM CABRERA - Drums

Recorded at Schole Street Studio, Brooklyn, NY by René Allain

Mixed and mastered by Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL

Cover painting by Tom Cabrera, design by Qua's Eye Graphix

Produced by Jack DeSalvo

In memory of Ramsey Ameen (1945-2019)

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Gorm Askjær Secret Safari - First Movement (December 2021 Jaeger Community)

The album First Movement is a musical journey into the near: From the splashing of West Jutland surf waves in Cold Hawaii, past three fantastic fantasy dances and what lurks under the veranda, to a trip into the first 16 bars of a Brahms symphony. For the open mind, every place is a treasure trove of new experiences.

1. First Movement 05:59

2. Something Lurking Under The Front Porch 04:32

3. Secret Safari 05:11

4. Phantasie Gymnopedie 05:07

5. Slow Surfing In Cold Hawaii 05:34

6. In The Dark Of The Light 06:46

7. Three Dances 05:26

Gorm Askjær - guitar and composition

Thomas Sejthen - double bass

Morten Nottelman - drums

Kasper Tranberg - trumpet

Christian Vuust - saxophone

Recorded, mixed and mastered at FinlandStudio by Jacob S. Worm

All compositions by Gorm Askjær

except Phantasìe Gymnopédie (Askjær/Satie)

based on Gymnopédie No. 1 by Erik Satie

Photo (front) by Gorm Askjær

Photo (back) by Hreinn Gudlaugsson

Layout by Simon Gorm Eskildsen

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Peeter Uuskyla / Tellef Øgrim / Anders Berg / Harri Sjöström - Tlaxkon / Soft City / Have a Drink, Have a Drive (December 2021 Simlas produksjoner)

This quartet's music is an oblique and deconstructed but red-hot mix of jazz, rock, and several other styles in between. It's taut and metallic, sprung, flexed and twisted, hitting hard on the recoil.

NOTE ...

This is part of the second set recorded live at Kafé Hærverk, the entire first set has been released as an album on JAZZTRAU

1. Tlaxkon / Soft City / Have a Drink, Have a Drive 15:20

Peeter Uuskyla - drums and bells

Tellef Øgrim - guitar

Anders Berg - bass

Harri Sjöström - soprano and sopranino saxophones

Recorded at Kafé Hærverk, Oslo, 10 October 2021 by Jens Ole Bjerkan.

Edited, mixed and mastered by Anders Berg.

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Peeter Uuskyla / Tellef Øgrim / Anders Berg / Harri Sjöström - A Band Off And On (2021)

This quartet's music is an oblique and deconstructed but red-hot mix of jazz, rock, and several other styles in between. It's taut and metallic, sprung, flexed and twisted, hitting hard on the recoil.

1. Off And On We Go 14:56

2. Why Do You Worry? 06:41

3. Slow Down Ride 05:15

4. Sky Rider 08:06

Peeter Uuskyla - drums and bells

Tellef Øgrim - guitar

Anders Berg - bass

Harri Sjöström - soprano and sopranino saxophones

Recorded at Kafé Hærverk, Oslo, 10 October 2021 by Jens Ole Bjerkan.

Edited, mixed and mastered by Anders Berg.

Cover art: Public graffiti by unknown artist.

Executive producer: Petter Flaten Eilertsen.

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THAR - THAR [KR​-​5] December 2021 Koshkil Records

THAR

LONG-TIME COLLABORATORS TAYLOR HASKINS AND ANDREW RATHBUN TEAM UP WITH THE BRILLIANT TOM RAINEY AND ENERGETIC MATT PAVOLKA TO CREATE A RECORDING THAT RUNS THE GAMUT FROM THE WILD TO SERENE. THEY OPERATE IN BOTH OPEN FORMS AND WITH STRUCTURE, SOMETIMES DANCING TOGETHER AND OTHER TIMES SPARRING, TO CREATE A SONIC JOURNEY THAT IS ALWAYS EVOLVING.

1. WAKE UP CALL – Taylor Haskins 03:25

2. SKWONK – THAR 01:47

3. GO AHEAD AND TRY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ONLINE – Andrew Rathbun 02:45

4. SKWAAK – THAR 01:45

5. SLOW VIGNETTE – Andrew Rathbun 04:29

6. GLANCE – Taylor Haskins 03:13

7. SKWEEK – THAR 02:15

8. DO NOT CALL LIST – Andrew Rathbun 06:11

9. SKWERT – THAR 03:59

10. MARCH – THAR 05:11

11. SUN DOGS – Taylor Haskins 03:34

THAR

Taylor Haskins – trumpet

Andrew Rathbun – saxophone

Matt Pavolka – bass

Tom Rainey – drums

Recorded August 19-20, 2015 at SYSTEMS II, Brooklyn

Engineered by Michael Marciano

Mixed and Mastered by Taylor Haskins

Andrew Rathbun uses D’Addario reeds and products

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Stoch - WireWalker (December 17, 2021)

First in a series of jazz guitar constructions - live-in-the-studio improvisations developed into stochastic compositions in the jazz idiom. It's standard operating procedure for Stoch but this time with an instrumental focus. These constructions also involve destruction, deduction, obstruction, induction, ruction, suction, expansion and contraction.

"Experimental? Definitely didn’t know what I was doing or where I was going with this. But I got there."

Lead guitar parts are created by Stoch on a Telecaster or Ibanez AG97. It could be post-bop, post-fusion. It’s smoother than may have been intended but those are the research results and WireWalker is the resulting thesis.

"More dirt next time. I promise."

1. Show Me Tonight 02:36

2. Arp On 02:51

3. No Sleep 01:32

4. Ulterior 05:32

5. The Narrow Way 10:22

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Sven Wunder - Asterism Waltz (December 2021)

The word asterism comes from astḗr (ἀστήρ), the Ancient Greek word for star. In astrology, an asterism is a pattern of stars (that is not a constellation) and can be seen in the night sky. In meteorology, an asterism indicates light snowfall. In typography, an asterism is a symbol consisting of three asterisks placed in a triangle: ⁂. The symbol is a type of dinkus that can be used to divide text to emphasize a passage or a sub-chapter in a book.

Sven Wunder celebrates this space in-between by offering a brief hiatus in a gently tinkling jazz-waltz comprised of two variations for small ensemble, that calls attention to the starlit sky and the light falling snow, before resuming.

1. Asterism Waltz (Celesta Version) 02:32

2. Asterism Waltz (Piano Version) 04:02

Music by Sven Wunder

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Simon Lovermann - Handwerke (Songs for my Fathers)

The album deals with the personal story of the artist. Simon’s biological father, Robert, was a Jazz musician and died before his birth. Simon was raised by his father Christian. This album is therefore a vividly emotional way for him to explore topics like death, fatherhood, family, identity and belonging.

The album »Handwerke« brings together different core aspects of the artistic practice of Simon Lovermann – music, video, photography – as well as loop, remix and sample-based concepts. Composed between 2012 and 2015 and influenced by Jazz, Electronica, Hip Hop and Minimal Music, the album is focused around the piano, both as a harmonic and a percussive instrument.

The beats are created with the piano and are enriched with body-percussion and beatbox to create an idiosyncratic atmosphere and distinctive sound. All instruments are played by Simon Lovermann and the mixture of piano, percussion, analog synthesizers and Rhodes creates a structure that resembles a jazz trio.

1. Schweben 03:48

2. Fliegender Teppich 03:34

3. Spuren 04:53

4. Welk 03:51

5. Zwischenzeit 01:37

6. Repeater RPTR 04:34

7. Wanderlust 05:16

8. Weichen 04:18

9. Interlude #1 (for Robert) 02:43

10. Zugvögel (for Pascal) 04:51

11. Karavanserai 05:18

Recorded and mixed between summer 2015 and spring 2016. All compositions and arrangements by Simon Lovermann, except Interlude #1 (composed by Robert Walzer).

Recording & sound engineering: Michael Kamm, Lovebox Studios (Augsburg)

Edit: Karim Weth, Simon Lovermann, The Grand Post (Vienna)

Mixing: Sam Irl (Vienna)

Piano Tuner: Kilian Volz

Creative Direction & Production by Squama

Design by Daily Dialogue

Published in collaboration with Der Greif

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