Fri, Dec 10: Newvelle Records albums by Frank Kimbrough, Aruán Ortiz, and Steve Cardenas available digitally and streaming

Three classic Newvelle Vinyl Only releases now available digitally and streaming

Friday December 10th, Newvelle Records is proud to release three previously "vinyl only" records.  Frank Kimbrough's masterpiece "Meantime" is the first record Newvelle Released and remains an inspiration for the type of music we want to produce.  Aruan Ortiz's "Cuban Nocturne" from our Second Season is a deeply personal love letter to the music that shaped this world class musician.  Steve Cardenas' "Charlie and Paul" is a tribute to two great friends, mentors and band mates of Steve Cardenas, Charlie Haden and Paul Motion, featuring a stellar quartet of musicians who were close to both icons.

Frank Kimbrough's "Meantime"

Aruan Ortiz's "Cuban Nocturne"

Steve Cardenas' "Charlie and Paul"

Clockwise from top: 1) Aruan Ortiz, Steve Cardenas, Engineers Marc Urselli and Lou Holzman, Thomas Morgan, Matt Wilson,Steve Cardenas and Loren Stillman, Frank Kimbrough.

Hailed as a "testament to Aruán Ortiz's musicianship, and a historical tribute to Cuban classical music" by Audiophile Audition, "Cuban Nocturne's" nine tracks are each a reflection on the music that saturated the artist's childhood while growing up in Cuba. Featuring interpretations and improvisations on compositions from giants of Cuban classical music like Romeu and Lecuona, Aruán's work is clean, romantic, and crystalline. The title track exemplifies the pianist's skill at balancing and synthesizing the elements of his musical identity. Ortiz has been an active figure in the progressive jazz and avant-garde scene in the US for two decades and is considered "one of the most creative and original composers in the world" (The Art Music Lounge). 

Frank Kimbrough's passing in December 2020 sent shockwaves through the New York jazz community – bandmates, students, friends, and collaborators alike. Available digitally for the very first time, Meantime is a testament to the artist's style: lyrical, melodic, focused on tone, and completely direct. He's joined here by Andrew Zimmerman on tenor saxophone, Chris Van Voorst Van Beest on bass, R.J. Miller on drums, and Riley Mulherkar on trumpet. Originally recorded in 2015 on vinyl for Newvelle Records, the album is the acclaimed label's very first pressing. Featuring "sound [that] is beautifully crisp" according to The New York Times, Meantime includes a mix of original compositions and interpretations across nine tracks. "Alabama Song," the classic Kurt Weil composition, kicks off the record, presenting Zimmerman's masterfully pure presentation of the melody, carried by Kimbrough in a gripping solo.

Steve Cardenas' 2017 tribute to the music of the great Charlie Haden and Paul Motian is now available digitally for the very first time. Charlie & Paul, originally recorded on vinyl for Newvelle Records, presents a beautiful focus on Haden and Motian's original compositions that seems to shimmer off the music. Hailed for its incredible acoustics by Audiophile Audition, the album features Cardenas on guitar, Loren Stillman on alto saxophone, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Matt Willson on drums. All of these musicians were featured in Haden and Motian's bands, perhaps explaining the clarity in their tone and approach toward these songs. "There in a Dream" is an unreleased track from the original record written by Charlie Haden.

Frank Kimbrough's "Meantime"

Aruan Ortiz's "Cuban Nocturne"

Steve Cardenas' "Charlie and Paul"

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Frank Kimbrough - Ancestors (September 10, 2021 Sunnyside Records)

It is hard to listen to a posthumous released recording without reflecting on what the world has lost in their absence. Pianist and composer Frank Kimbrough was an individual who was beloved by all who knew him. A true musician’s musician and mentor to many, Kimbrough’s legacy lives on in his work and the lives that he touched. His passing in 2020 has left a hole in the heart of the jazz world.

Kimbrough’s Ancestors is a recording that encompasses much of the leader’s personality, depth, and approach to music making. Assembling a drummer-less trio with cornetist Kirk Knuffke and bassist Masa Kamaguchi, Kimbrough brought his spontaneity and introspection to the fore on a collection of original compositions and improvisations.

The trio had been a favorite ensemble for Kimbrough over the years, the format being able to balance form and freedom of expression. The leader’s appreciation for the free-wheeling, drummer-less trio of woodwind iconoclast Jimmy Giuffre is apparent in Kimbrough’s choice to eschew the restrictive pulse of a drummer in favor of horn, piano, and bass. Kimbrough’s choice of trio mates was sublime.

Pianist and cornetist were introduced by their mutual friend and collaborator, drummer Matt Wilson. A rapport was quickly established with regular gigs with Wilson, Ben Allison, and Jay Anderson. Kimbrough and Knuffke’s friendship blossomed as they began to hang more and more at Kimbrough and partner Maryanne de Prophetis’s Queens home. When Kimbrough proposed recording this trio album, Knuffke had never played with Kamaguchi. The bassist’s flexible, physical style was perfect for the interplay that Kimbrough was after for the recording.

True to form, Kimbrough strayed from rehearsing the ensemble in an effort to maintain a freshness in their interplay. The group came together without playing a prior note at the Samurai Hotel Recording Studio in Astoria on June 3, 2017. Kimbrough brought a number of original tunes for the session and provided space for improvised duos between the three members.

The recording begins with Kimbrough’s rhapsodic blues, “Waiting in Santander,” a piece he wrote while waiting, with great frustration, for a piano for a gig in the Spanish city. The three voices of the instrumentalists seem to float by on “Air,” while the trio plays Kimbrough’s sedate “November” in cool retrospection. The title tune is a warm and humble rumination on Kimbrough’s southern roots, while “Eyes” is an expressive improvisation between the stuttering cornet of Knuffke and Kimbrough’s piano percussion.

The melancholy “Jimmy G” is a tribute to Giuffre, one of the true innovators in small group improvisation, with an off kilter but familiar piano harmony with a freely played cornet and wandering bass. “Beginning” is a noir tinted piece with an optimistic feel provided by Kimbrough’s bright chords, Kamaguchi’s spry bass, and Knuffke’s lilting cornet. Beginning as a subtle back and forth, “Union Square” is a resonant duo between the bassist and cornetist.

Kamaguchi’s insistent strumming introduces Kimbrough’s “Over,” a playful tune in the melodic realm of Monk and Paul Motian. Otherworldly piano overtones are met with Knuffke’s strained call on the duo improv, “Solid.” The program concludes with Maryanne de Prophetis’s “All These Years,” a tune she wrote in memory of her father who passed in 2003. Kimbrough loved her father and the tune, playing it frequently in his programs. It now makes a beautiful finale to this haunting recording.

Kimbrough and de Prophetis spent a lot of time with the recording after it was done. They both loved it very much but had not honed it into a manageable recording. Kimbrough had given pieces of Ancestors to Knuffke and Kamaguchi, praising their performances and hoping for eventual release. After Kimbrough’s passing, de Prophetis and Knuffke listened back and discussed how best to release, deciding to keep most everything they laid down that day, and mainly first takes, at that.

The world is just beginning to miss Frank Kimbrough and his gifts, both personal and musical. It is a consolation that he left listeners with so much and that now he has joined the ancestors. 

1. Waiting In Santander

2. Air

3. November

4. Ancestors

5. Eyes

6. Jimmy G

7. Beginning

8. Union Square

9. Over

10. Solid

11. All These Years

Frank Kimbrough - piano

Masa Kamaguchi - bass

Kirk Knuffke - cornet

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KIMBROUGH – 67 musicians pay tribute to Frank Kimbrough to benefit scholarship in his name (July 2021 Newvelle Records)

Introducing KIMBROUGH:

A 61 Track Collection of Jazz Composer and Teacher Frank Kimbrough’s Compositions, Featuring 67 World-Class Artists

Newvelle Records is proud to release this 61-track digital anthology of Frank’s original compositions, recorded as the New York jazz scene reopened in May 2021

Newvelle Records today is releasing KIMBROUGH, a collection of 61 original compositions by jazz artist and educator Frank Kimbrough, who passed away in December 2020. Featuring tributes from 67 of Frank’s former bandmates, students, and friends across multiple generations, KIMBROUGH was recorded over three and a half days in New York as the musical world began reawakening in May 2021. All proceeds from this definitive collection of Frank’s music, available on high-quality digital download on Bandcamp, will benefit the Frank Kimbrough Jazz Scholarship at The Juilliard School.

“Frank was a genuine ‘musician’s musician’ whose talent as a player, composer, and teacher fueled generations of artists in the New York jazz community,” said Elan Mehler, cofounder and artistic director of Newvelle Records, and a student of Frank’s at New York University in the 1990s. “There is something miraculous about attracting 67 world-class artists together in a studio, just as the world began emerging from the pandemic. Only someone of Frank’s impact could inspire such an ambitious project.”

Frank famously never practiced piano and wrote nearly all of his compositions wandering through New York. He implored students to spend less time in the practice rooms and more time on the subway platforms, bar stools, and park benches that sparked so much of his own musical inspiration. 

Blending four generations of jazz musicians – from artists who played with him in his earliest years in North Carolina, to students he taught over Zoom during the pandemic – KIMBROUGH features 55 different bands across 61 tracks. Some had begun playing together 40 years ago, while others were meeting in the studio for the first time. All volunteered their time as tribute to a man they knew for his generosity, perspective, and creativity.

“Every moment with him on the stage was just beautiful,” said Steve Wilson, who appears on tenor saxophone on four tracks. “Not only was he supporting you, he was collaborating with you in the moment.”

Clockwise from top: 1) Frank Kimbrough, Immanuel Wilkins, Dezron Douglas, Glenn Zeleski and Allan Mednard, Scott Robinson, Joe Lovano and Donny McCaslin

Photos courtesy of Newvelle Records. (c) Anna Yatskevich

1. The Call 07:34

2. C Minor Waltz 04:58

3. Kudzu 07:24

4. Elegy for P.M. 04:35

5. Falling Waltz 05:13

6. Forsythia 06:49

7. Quickening 04:04

8. Whirl 03:32

9. Wings 04:15

10. Hope 06:41

11. Clara's Room 05:34

12. For Duke (Instrumental) 04:15

13. Lullabluebye 07:26

14. For Jimmy G. 05:54

15. November 06:49

16. Adrian's Way 05:42

17. Sadness 05:13

18. Helix 05:59

19. The Breaks 05:06

20. 20 Bars 07:30

21. Ancestors 06:12

22. Kids Stuff 04:57

23. Meantime 05:37

24. Capricorn Lady 05:37

25. Waltz for Lee 04:43

26. 727 04:52

27. Beginning 04:47

28. Southern Lights 04:56

29. Regeneration 07:08

30. A & J 05:48

31. Eventualities 06:15

32. Moonflower 02:24

33. Just Suppose 05:01

34. Reluctance (Quartet) 06:55

35. Areas (Trumpet, Piano, Bass) 03:36

36. The Spins 05:31

37. Sanibel Island 05:04

38. Fubu 06:55

39. Cascade Rising 05:14

40. Over 03:57

41. Blue Smoke 03:47

42. Air 04:22

43. Affirmation 04:17

44. Quiet as it's Kept 06:09

45. TMI 07:57

46. Time Will Tell 06:42

47. Areas (Piano, Bass, Drums) 04:41

48. Noumena 05:15

49. Sloppy Seconds 05:20

50. Reluctance (Solo Piano) 04:11

51. Grass Valley 06:20

52. Questions the Answer 05:28

53. Lucent 06:06

54. No Radio 04:26

55. For Carla 03:24

56. Ode 03:40

57. St. Mark's Place 05:24

58. Ca'lina 05:56

59. Hymn 04:05

60. Svengali 11:05

61. For Duke (Vocals) 04:56

Artists

Piano: Addison Frei, Fred Hersch, Sean Mason, Elan Mehler, Samora Pinderhughes, Ben Rosenblum, Jacob Sacks, Scott Spivak, Helen Sung, Craig Taborn, Isaiah J. Thompson, Dan Tepfer, Micah Thomas, Gary Versace, Elio Villafranca, Joel Wenhardt, Glenn Zaleski

Bass: Ben Allison, Jay Anderson, Alexis Cuadrado, Dezron Douglas, Michael Formanek, John Hébert, Marty Jaffe, Rob Jost, Rufus Reid, Tony Scherr, Martin Wind, Ben Wolfe

Guitar: Steve Cardenas, Ben Monder, Todd Neufeld

Drums: Jeff Cosgrove, Billy Drummond, Jeff Hirshfield, Tim Horner, Douglas Marriner, Allan Mednard, Francisco Mela, Tony Moreno, Clarence Penn, Rich Rosenzweig, Satoshi Takeishi, Dave Treut, Jeff Williams, Matt Wilson

Clarinet: Ted Nash

Alto Saxophone: Allan Chase, Patrick Cornelius, Alexa Tarantino, Immanuel Wilkins, Steve Wilson

Baritone Saxophone: Allan Chase

Soprano Saxophone: Steve Wilson

Tenor Saxophone: Michael Blake, Evan Harris, Joe Lovano, Donny McCaslin, Ted Nash, Rich Perry, Noah Preminger, Scott Robinson

Trumpet: Dave Douglas, Noah Halpern, Ron Horton, Kirk Knuffke, Riley Mulherkar, Jesse Neuman

Trombone: Ryan Keberle

Vocals: Olivia Chindamo

Arrangement (on "Waltz for Lee" and "Svengali"): Ryan Truesdell

The album, available on Bandcamp for $20.00 and streaming everywhere , was recorded and mixed by Marc Urselli on May 10-14, 2021 at EastSide Sound, mastered by Colin Bryson at The Bunker Studios, and produced by Elan Mehler. All songs were written by Frank Kimbrough, Kimbrough Music BMI.  Executive produced by Maitland Jones, Jim Harvey, Steve Satterfield, Matt Steinfeld and JC Morisseau.

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Frank Kimbrough - Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk (SUNNYSIDE RECORDS 2018)

The genius of pianist and composer Thelonious Monk is unassailable. Since his death in 1982, he has become recognized as one of the greatest composers of jazz – and of the wider world of music. The year 2017 was the centennial of Monk’s birth, and brought scores of tributes, including a well-received stay of pianist Frank Kimbrough’s quartet at the Jazz Standard club in New York City. 

Like many jazz pianists, Kimbrough found Monk’s music a revelation when he first heard it. From the outset of his career, Kimbrough has returned time and again to Monk’s compositions. After nearly four decades of study, reflection, and performance, Kimbrough has established a relationship with these pieces and found a way to express himself through the prism of Monk. 

When the Standard approached Kimbrough to put together a quartet to play Monk’s music, he picked the brilliant rhythm section of bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Billy Drummond. His choice for lead horn voice was the multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson, with whom he has played for many years and in many combinations, most notably with the Maria Schneider Orchestra. 

After the first set of the October 17th, 2017 performance at the Standard Kimbrough’s friend Mait Jones urged that the group record Monk’s entire oeuvre, a feat that Kimbrough had never considered. A jazz fan and co-presenter of his own Princeton series JazzNights Jones began a lifelong appreciation of Monk when he heard the master live at the Five Spot in New York City in 1957. 

Over the next few days, Jones doubled down on his intent to make the project reach fruition, bringing in his friend and fellow jazz head, Dr. Dorothy Lieberman, to help co-produce the effort. 

The musicians began the intensive work such a project demands. Finally, in April of 2018 Kimbrough led a trio and then the quartet at Jazz at the Kitano, polishing 30 new tunes on the way to the full Monk catalog of 70 pieces. 

For the recording, Matt Balitsaris provided his renowned Maggie’s Farm studios and an optimistic plan of recording a disc’s worth of material each day for six days. The musicians recorded each day from 11 to 5 or 6 in two three-day intervals broken up by a three-day respite. Miraculously this ambitious plan succeeded, with most tunes needing only one or two takes. Robinson picked his axe of choice on the spot, from the standard (tenor sax and trumpet) to the exotic (bass saxophone, echo cornet, bass clarinet, and contrabass sarrusophone). The resultant tracks are fresh, varied, and inspired. 

Highlights of the group’s takes on these classic pieces include Robinson’s juggling of trumpet and tenor sax on “Thelonious” and the ensemble’s free-wheeling energy on “Skippy.” “Locomotive” is the picture of peaceful beauty, whereas “Jackie-ing” is all jumps and starts. Reid and Robinson play beautifully on “Reflections” and a lovely solo performance of “Crepuscule with Nellie” showcases Kimbrough’s command of the piano and Monk’s language. 

The recordings form a fantastically diverse collection. On the six-CD set, titled Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk, Monk’s compositions are played in various configurations, most by the quartet, but others in smaller combinations, even solo piano. The package also includes beautifully penned liner notes from Nate Chinen (New York Times, WBGO and NPR) along with notes from members of the ensemble and the producers of the album. 

Frank Kimbrough - piano 

Scott Robinson - tenor and bass saxophones, trumpet, echo cornet, bass clarinet, contrabass sarrusophone 

Rufus Reid - bass 

Billy Drummond - drums

1. Thelonious 04:51

2. Light Blue 06:15

3. Played Twice 04:41

4. Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are 05:00

5. Ask Me Now 05:31

6. Humph 04:36

7. Bright Mississippi 05:50

8. Reflections 05:02

9. Bemsha Swing 04:41

10. Teo 06:02

11. Blue Sphere 04:22

12. Crepescule with Nellie 02:28

13. Think of One 04:28

14. 52nd Street Theme 02:24

15. Eronel 05:23

16. Bluehawk 05:30

17. Little Rootie Tootie 06:07

18. Two Timer 03:17

19. Ruby, My Dear 04:39

20. Boo Boo's Birthday 05:11

21. San Francisco Holiday 05:12

22. Functional 04:24

23. I Mean You 05:05

24. Shuffle Boil 05:42

25. Monk's Dream 05:53

26. Evidence 05:31

27. Misterioso 03:54

28. Four In One 06:00

29. Brake's Sake 05:22

30. Pannonica 04:17

31. Bye Ya 04:28

32. North of the Sunset 02:45

33. Introspection 03:59

34. Wee See 04:49

35. In Walked Bud 04:10

36. Nutty 06:45

37. Trinkle Tinkle 04:35

38. Blues Five Spot 05:09

39. 'Round Midnight 05:23

40. Jackie-ing 02:40

41. Well You Needn't 05:40

42. Sixteen 04:03

43. Locomotive 04:37

44. Gallop's Gallop 04:13

45. Children's Song 04:47

46. Blue Monk 06:44

47. Friday the 13th 05:18

48. Criss Cross 04:17

49. Raise Four 03:35

50. Let's Call This 05:07

51. Who Knows 03:56

52. A Merrier Christmas 03:40

53. Stuffy Turkey 05:19

54. Monk's Point 03:27

55. Work 03:23

56. Brilliant Corners 06:44

57. Off Minor 03:46

58. Hackensack 05:27

59. Oska T 03:18

60. Let's Cool One 05:57

61. Hornin' In 04:24

62. Coming On The Hudson 03:46

63. Straight No Chaser 04:46

64. Monk's Mood 05:09

65. Green Chimneys 03:28

66. Rhythm-A-Ning 05:36

67. Ugly Beauty 04:32

68. Skippy 03:41

69. Something In Blue 04:43

70. Epistrophy 04:25

More info...

Pianist Frank Kimbrough and his quartet release six-disc set of entire Thelonious Monk oeuvre (SUNNYSIDE RECORDS November 23, 2018)

 Frank Kimbrough Quartet

Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk

  

A six-disc boxed set of the entire Thelonious Monk repertoire by a quartet led by pianist Frank Kimbrough will be released November 23, 2018!

A celebration of this release will be held Nov. 27th and 28th at the Jazz Standard in New York City!

The genius of pianist and composer Thelonious Monk is unassailable. Since his death in 1982, he has become recognized as one of the greatest composers of jazz – and of the wider world of music. The year 2017 was the centennial of Monk’s birth, and brought scores of tributes, including a well-received stay of pianist Frank Kimbrough’s quartet at the Jazz Standard club in New York City.

Like many jazz pianists, Kimbrough found Monk’s music a revelation when he first heard it. From the outset of his career, Kimbrough has returned time and again to Monk’s compositions. After nearly four decades of study, reflection, and performance, Kimbrough has established a relationship with these pieces and found a way to express himself through the prism of Monk.

When the Standard approached Kimbrough to put together a quartet to play Monk’s music, he picked the brilliant rhythm section of bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Billy Drummond. His choice for lead horn voice was the multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson, with whom he has played for many years and in many combinations, most notably with the Maria Schneider Orchestra.

© Marielle Solan

After the first set of the October 17th, 2017 performance at the Standard Kimbrough’s friend Mait Jones urged that the group record Monk’s entire oeuvre, a feat that Kimbrough had never considered. A jazz fan and co-presenter of his own Princeton series JazzNights Jones began a lifelong appreciation of Monk when he heard the master live at the Five Spot in New York City in 1957 .

Over the next few days, Jones doubled down on his intent to make the project reach fruition, bringing in his friend and fellow jazz head, Dr. Dorothy Lieberman, to help co-produce the effort.

The musicians began the intensive work such a project demands. Finally, in April of 2018 Kimbrough led a trio and then the quartet at Jazz at the Kitano, polishing 30 new tunes on the way to the full Monk catalog of 70 pieces.

For the recording, Matt Balitsaris provided his renowned Maggie’s Farm studios and an optimistic plan of recording a disc’s worth of material each day for six days. The musicians recorded each day from 11 to 5 or 6 in two three-day intervals broken up by a three-day respite. Miraculously this ambitious plan succeeded, with most tunes needing only one or two takes. Robinson picked his axe of choice on the spot, from the standard (tenor sax and trumpet) to the exotic (bass saxophone, echo cornet, bass clarinet, and contrabass sarrusophone). The resultant tracks are fresh, varied, and inspired.

Highlights of the group’s takes on these classic pieces include Robinson’s juggling of trumpet and tenor sax on “Thelonious” and the ensemble’s free-wheeling energy on “Skippy.” “Locomotive” is the picture of peaceful beauty, whereas “Jackie-ing” is all jumps and starts. Reid and Robinson play beautifully on “Reflections” and a lovely solo performance of  “Crepuscule with Nellie” showcases Kimbrough’s command of the piano and Monk’s language.

The recordings form a fantastically diverse collection.  On the six-CD set, titled Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk, Monk’s compositions are played in various configurations, most by the quartet, but others in smaller combinations, even solo piano. The package also includes beautifully penned liner notes from Nate Chinen (New York Times, WBGO and NPR) along with notes from members of the ensemble and the producers of the album.

Owen Broder's American Roots Project debut "Heritage"

Saxophonist/Composer Owen Broder's American Roots Project Offers a Stunning New Vision of American Folk, Bluegrass, Spirituals and Blues Through a Modern Jazz Lens

Heritage, out March 1, 2018 from ArtistShare, features new compositions and bold arrangements inspired by the American musical tradition, with pieces by Ryan Truesdell, Jim McNeely, Bill Holman and other innovative composers

CD Release concert on Wednesday, March 14 at The Jazz Standard, NYC

Our roots run deep, and keep us connected to and nourished by the soil of our birth. But they also twist, tangle and intertwine while feeding our growth and evolution. With his American Roots Project, saxophonist/composer Owen Broder explores the weft and weave of American roots music - from Appalachian folk to early blues, spirituals to bluegrass - through bold and inspired new interpretations envisioned through the perspective of another distinctively American musical tradition: jazz. On the American Roots Project's debut album, Heritage, Broder combines several of modern jazz's most acclaimed composers and arrangers with an outstanding ensemble of gifted musicians to create a striking blend of tradition and innovation.

Heritage (due out March 1, 2018 through ArtistShare) calls on the talents of an impressive roster of composer/arrangers. They offer striking new twists on familiar American folk tunes as well as their own new pieces, each inspired by its creator's deeply personal take on the country's rich musical tradition. In addition to Broder, whose two originals open and close the album, there are contributions from Ryan Truesdell, founder of the celebrated Gil Evans Project, who also produced the album; Grammy-winning pianist/arranger Jim McNeely, known for his long tenure with the renowned Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; composer/arranger Bill Holman, long associated with the legendary Stan Kenton Orchestra; in-demand trumpeter/composer Alphonso Horne; and Tokyo-born bandleader/pianist Miho Hazama, whose m_unit ensemble melds big band jazz and classical chamber music.

Broder's American Roots Project interprets these remarkable pieces through the voices of an exceptional eight-piece ensemble: Broder on woodwinds; Sara Caswell, a violinist who regularly bridges the worlds of jazz and Americana; trumpeter Scott Wendholt; trombonist Nick Finzer; vibraphonist and percussionist James Shipp; pianist Frank Kimbrough; bassist Jay Anderson; and drummer Matt Wilson. On three tracks the band is joined by the transcendent vocal trio of Wendy Gilles, Kate McGarry and Vuyo Sotashe.

"It's an amazing group of people who all have great relationships with each other," Broder says. "All of these composers really brought the musicians' personalities into their writing. I think we all prefer to write for the people that are going to be playing rather than just the instruments."

That's certainly true of the bandleader himself, whose "Goin' Up Home" begins the proceedings with an entrancing, gradually expanding piece that works as an introduction to the ensemble and the concept. Sparked by the work of contemporary Americana innovators like Chris Thile, Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss, the song dawns slowly, with Caswell and Finzer intoning the folksy melody over Shipp's tick-tock pulse. As it proceeds, the song builds in complexity, layering in jazz harmonies and infectious swing rhythms. Broder just earned a 2018 Herb Albert Young Jazz Composer Award for the piece.

Hazama's first contribution, the original "Wherever the Road Leads," is a singular meld of perspectives, coming from the sole composer who doesn't share the others' American background. Taking on the role of the inspired outsider, Hazama borrows rhythmic and melodic themes from Appalachian tunes and reimagines them via a twelve-tone harmonic progression, leading to a kaleidoscopic collage of folk idioms. For her second piece, Hazama gives Gillian Welch's "I'm Not Afraid To Die" an impressionistic gloss pierced by the gorgeous melody sung by Wendholt's flugelhorn.

Hank Williams' familiar "Jambalaya," is transposed from the Crescent City to a more urban jazz environment in Bill Holman's rendition - as Broder writes, "this swinging re-imagination of the Cajun tune has closer ties to Birth of the Cool than the streets of New Orleans." McNeely, meanwhile, drew upon his love of bluegrass music for his radical remake of the folk song "Cripple Creek," taking a narrative approach that leads the tune on an adventure through an ever-changing landscape.

Frank Kimbrough's brooding piano sets the tone for Truesdell's take on the timeless "Wayfaring Stranger," which also introduces the sublime vocal harmonies of Gilles, McGarry and Sotashe. The cleverly-titled "Brodeo" is Truesdell's version of a foot-stompin' bluegrass tune, setting the scene for a somewhat abstract rodeo. Broder, who has worked with the composer's Gil Evans Project, praises Truesdell as a bandleader, composer, and as Heritage's producer. "Ryan's a leader on a level that few others are," he says. "He's such a perfectionist and so detail-oriented, with incredibly fine-tuned ears. As a producer he was invaluable."

Horne's soaring "The People Could Fly" looks at a different side of the American odyssey, taking a piece of Bantu folk music from South Africa through the travails of slavery as it survives to find a place in the African-American church. Broder returns to conclude the album with "A Wiser Man Than Me," a looser piece that reflects the improvisational storytelling tradition through a wistful group improvisation on a simple, gospel-tinged melody.

The American Roots Project scans the history of American music and, through the inspiration that Broder finds there, discovers a new path into a profoundly personal contemporary vision. Heritage is an apt name for this moving collection, at once an inheritance and a gorgeous new link in a continually growing chain.

"The strains of American musical tradition are as deep and diverse as the lands of our forebears," Broder writes in his liner notes. "Heritage celebrates that diversity and the different backgrounds that combined to shape an American cultural identity."

owenbroder.com

Frank Kimbrough - Solstice (November 25, 2016 PIROUET RECORDS)

Frank Kimbrough · piano / Jay Anderson · bass / Jeff Hirshfield · drums

"The art of listening soars to its very highest expression with this recording.  Solstice offers brilliant playing by three of today's most exceptional artists, speaking clearly to all of us who are starved for sonic beauty, space, heart and deep artistic intelligence." - Composer and multiple Grammy winner Maria Schneider

Solstice: exploring the boundaries of darkness and light

Frank Kimbrough counts among a handful of New York-based pianists who have been refining and expanding the language of ensemble playing over the last few decades (this November he marks 35 years in New York and his sixtieth birthday). Declared a "a near-visionary whose piano-improvising, composing, and band-leading skills seek out the dark corners of untrod jazz terrain" by The New Yorker, Kimbrough is noted for his exquisite ensemble, trio and solo recordings as well as his duo work with Lee Konitz, Scott Robinson, Joe Locke and Paul Bley, his work as a sideman in Dewey Redman's quartet, and his long-term involvement with the Jazz Composers Collective and the Maria Schneider Orchestra. On Solstice, acclaimed players and longtime musical companions, bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Jeff Hirshfield join Frank to explore the music of some of the jazz masters who have left a personal imprint on his life.

Kimbrough has had an uncanny ability of meeting the right person at the right time. Shortly after his move to Washington, DC in 1980 Frank met the exceptional singer/ pianist Shirley Horn, who became his friend and mentor. The next year he migrated to New York where he came under the tutelage of one of his heroes, pianist Paul Bley. Around the same period Kimbrough met the ground-breaking pianist Andrew Hill whose music "...literally changed my life. Andrew was an enigma, an inspiration, a mentor, and a dear friend." With the Big Apple as his base, the next years were ripe with tours and recordings. In 1992, Kimbrough helped found the Jazz Composers Collective, an entity that lasted for 13 years, resulting in a concert series, a score of recordings and frequent tours by many of its groups.

In1993 the acclaimed American composer Maria Schneider invited Kimbrough to join her orchestra. This ongoing musical relationship has resulted in Frank's participation in a slew of Grammy award-winning projects as well as in Maria's collaborations with soprano Dawn Upshaw and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and with David Bowie. Schneider marvels, "He wraps himself around each soloist and takes care to go in the direction they're going. I hear things he plays and think Oh God if only I could write that." Add to these impressive credentials his resume of residencies and workshops on 5 continents, an ongoing nine-year stint teaching at the Juilliard School, and some 20 critically acclaimed albums under his own name.

For Solstice, Kimbrough chose two musicians "whose judgment I trust completely." Bassist Jay Anderson has more than 400 recordings under his belt; he has played and recorded with an incredible diversity of musicians, including Michael Brecker, John Scofield, Frank Zappa, and Celine Dion (1997 Record of the Year Grammy). He and Kimbrough have been playing together for some 20 years in Maria's band, the Gil Evans Project and various other groups, as well as on two of Frank's previous albums. Drummer Jeff Hirshfield and Frank also go back 20 years, including several tours together in trio. Hirshfield's and Anderson's musical connection began in the early 80's, and over the years they have often worked and recorded together in a variety of contexts, including Paul Bley's highly regarded album Notes On Ornette. It all intertwines into an enticing spiral of connections between the three.

Kimbrough says that, "I selected compositions that speak to me in ways that are unique and personal. Jay and Jeff didn't know what we were going to play and didn't see the music until we arrived at the date. There was almost no discussion       and no rehearsal - we simply began to play."  Most of the pieces are first takes.

About the tunes, Frank says:

"The simplicity of Seven by Carla Bley shows her genius. I've loved her tunes since first hearing them as a teenager.

Shirley Horn was a magical pianist and vocalist who really knew how to cast a spell. Her recording from a concert in Paris inspired me to play Gershwin's Here Come the Honey Man.

Solstice was composed by Maryanne de Prophetis, the composer/poet/lyricist and vocalist who is my life partner and constant inspiration.

The Sunflower was composed by Paul Motian, a singular drummer/composer, and one of the most unique person- alities in jazz. I enjoyed every moment we spent together both on and off the bandstand.

Annette Peacock's Albert's Love Theme was written for Albert Ayler. Annette's pieces are very personal and spe- cific, yet open, like a landscape.

The only original on the disk is Question's the Answer, as in "the question IS the answer". It has a strong connection to the blues and the bassist has many "root" options.

From California with Love was composed by Andrew Hill in the '70's. I love the mysterious beauty and humanity of his compositions-so modern and free, yet rooted in the tradition.

El Cordobes was written by Annette Peacock for the flamboyant Spanish bullfighter Manuel Benítez Pérez. Like Albert's Love Theme and Seven, I first heard it played by Paul Bley's mid-60's trio.

Walking by Flashlight is from Maria Schneider's song cycle Winter Morning Walks. Maria is a national treasure, and I feel very fortunate to be a part of her musical world."

On their first CD together the trio's philosophy was simply to listen, trust, and respond to one another; in so doing, they have created a gradated musical atmosphere that envelops the enigmatic and the translucent, the mysterious and the artlessly elegant.

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Frank Kimbrough Website

Frank Kimbrough Upcoming Performances

2016

October

Oct. 28 - with Jay Clayton group - Kitano, NYC

Oct. 29 - Frank Kimbrough/ Kirk Knuffke Duo - Spectrum, NYC

November 2016

Nov. 4 - with Maria Schneider Orchestra - Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Nov. 10 - with Marty Ehrlich Sextet playing music of Andrew Hill - The Stone, NYC

Nov. 18 - with Maryanne de Prophetis, Ron Horton, Satoshi Takeishi - Michiko Studio, NYC

Nov. 20 - Frank Kimbrough solo piano - the Owl Music Parlor - Brooklyn, NY

Nov. 22, 23, 25 - 27 - with Maria Schneider Orchestra - Jazz Standard, NYC

December 2016

December 8 - Frank Kimbrough Trio w/ Jay Anderson and Jeff Hirshfield - Kitano, NYC

2017

January

Jan. 17 - Frank Kimbrough - Solo piano concert - Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FLJan. 17

Jan. 18 - Frank Kimbrough - master class - Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

February 2017

Feb. 10 and 11 - Frank Kimbrough Trio w/ Jay Anderson and Jeff Hirshfield - "official" CD release weekend - Kitano, NYC    

Feb. 16 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - St. Paul, Minnesota

Feb. 17 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Portland Jazz Festival

Feb. 18 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Humboldt St. University, Arcata, CA

Feb. 19 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - UC Berkeley

Feb. 20 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara, CA

Feb. 21 -w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - SOKA PAC, Aliso Viejo, CA

Feb. 22 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Valley PAC, Northridge, CA

March 2017

o March 4 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra  - Kennedy Center, Washington, DC

March 10 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Babson College, Wellesley, MA

March 11 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Yale, New Haven, CT

May 2017

May 25 - 28 w/ Gil Evans Project - Jazz Standard