Jeff Herr Corporation - Manifesto (IGLOO RECORDS 2017)

Jeff Herr's new Corporation surprises with a new setting and dexterity,

presenting itself now a s a linear trio, without the need for a harmonical

instrument. Maxime Bender on Saxophone and Laurent Payfert on Bass

complete this new highly skilled and energetic trio which relies on

compositional abilities from each of the 3 members. Well arranged and

structured songs as well as wild and free improvisations cover the band's

large repertoire, filled with some surprising cover songs from well known

Pop artists such as David Bowie or Jimi Hendrix. The strength and tightness

of the band emerge from a strong rhythmical impact and emphasize the

origins of music: the groove.

The highly acclaimed album "Layer Cake" (distributed and licensed by IGLOO Records/Editions SOWAREX) has been released on the 30 november 2014 @ Centre Culturel de Rencontre Abbaye de Neumünster and is being distributed all over Europe as well as in Japan.

Entitled “Manifesto”, the new album of the Luxembourgisch contemporary jazz trio  consists of 7 original songs and a surprising cover version of Randy Newman's 'Same girl'. It ensures the continuity of the previous album “Layer Cake”, of the oscillation between structured compositions and free improvisations as well as of the contrast between the acoustic sound and the contemporary interpretation.

This time, however, the trio is joined on several songs by the american guitarist Adam Rogers, known for his work in the modern jazz idiom and his numerous collaborations with musicians such as Norah Jones, Ravi Coltrane or Marcus Miller. His guitar play, rooted in the acoustic jazz music and influenced by Pat Martino, George Benson and Wes Montgomery, provides the Jeff Herr Corporation with a unique aspect and a new, intriguing sound.

Steam Driven 7:34

On my Own (feat. Adam Rogers) 12:07

Resistance 5:50

Merry-go-round 2:07

Love Charlatan 6:04

Same Girl 4:20

Moon Glow (feat. Adam Rogers) 10:56

Manifesto (feat. Adam Rogers) 7:27

Adam Rogers Guitare

Jeff Herr Batterie

Maxime Bender Saxophone

Laurent Payfert Contrebasse

Martin Salemi Trio - Short Stories (IGLOO RECORDS 2017)

Le trio de Martin Salemi nous fait voyager à travers l’histoire du jazz. Son premier album « Short Stories » présente des compositions soignées alternant ballades, swing, grooves asymétriques er rythmes chaloupés.

Quelques références pèsent sur les premières mesures de "Confidence" : Nathalie Loriers et surtout Enrico Pieranunzi, à cause du toucher délicat et de cette manière précieuse de combiner jazz et classique en une musique suave et légère comme une brise d'été. Et puis, voilà qu'au milieu du morceau, le pianiste s'envole soudain vers d'autres horizons, accélérant le tempo et s'ouvrant aux plaisirs du swing, lâchant de longs chapelets de notes improvisées avec la facilité d'un Keith Jarrett avant de revenir en finale comme par magie à la nonchalance du thème initial. Martin Salemi n'est pas l'homme d'un seul style et, de Lennie Tristano dont la singularité et l'agilité exceptionnelle sont émulées sur "Lennie's Pennies" au rythme chaloupé de "Regina" dont l'introduction percussive en accords n'est pas sans évoquer l'exotisme bluesy du grand Horace Silver, on voyage allégrement à travers l'histoire du jazz.

Quel que soit leur genre et les influences qui les imprègnent, les compositions du leader sont toutes délectables. Non seulement, elles ont du caractère mais, ni démonstratives ni appliquées, elles sont aussi mémorables par leur côté mélodieux, leurs trames concises et leur aptitude à exploiter au mieux le format choisi. Composée du contrebassiste Mike Delaere chevillé au batteur Toine Cnockaert, la section rythmique s'avère polyvalente et inspirée, capable d'amplifier les états d'âme nostalgiques du leader sur le splendide "Early Morning" ou de souligner avec dynamisme les rythmes de l'impétueux "Working Summer".

On appréciera en passant l'illustration de la pochette réalisée par le père du leader, Jean-Claude Salemi, dans un style vivant évoquant à la fois l'ambiance populaire d'un Maurice Tillieux mâtiné d'Yves Chaland et une certaine série noire à la française.

1 Confidence 5:15

2 (Working) Summer 6:15

3 Si J'avais Su 4:57

4 Lennie's Pennies 3:28

5 Early Morning 4:37

6 Julia 2:58

7 Unsaid 5:50

8 Regina 4:43

Martin Salemi Piano

Toine Cnockaert Batterie

Mike Delaere Contrebasse

Lionel Beuvens & MOTU - Earthsong (IGLOO RECORDS 2017)

The drummer Lionel Beuvens has just unveiled his second album, "Earthsong": a tribute to earth, nature, adventure, freedom, and the energy released by strong, contrasting and complementary personalities playing off each other.

This project was created as part of a project for the Gaume Jazz Festival in 2011, which led to a debut album ('Trinity', 2013) and numerous concerts. This enabled the group to create its own identity where each member can freely express themselves. The many concerts were of such intensity that they quite naturally incited Lionel to write a new repertoire, and bring the group to the Gaume Jazz Festival for a second creation in 2015.

For this second opus, the quartet enlisted the creative forces of French saxophonist Guilhem Verger and singer Natashia Kelly. The sax boosts the possible interactions between the musicians and the breadth of the writing, while the singing focuses the energy and makes the music more accessible.

Lionel’s influences are wide and varied: grooves inspired by African music, Steve Coleman or even Greetings From Mercury; and the atmosphere of Bill Evans or Henri Purcell. The interaction between the musicians echoes the Miles Davis Quintet.

"Earthsong" follows in the path of the first release: a balance between tradition and modernism, where the groove is there for the melody and the melody is there for the groove. An album with a broad repertoire that boasts compositions of richness and depth.

Fable

Song of Ive

Earthsong III

Earthsong II

Earthsong I

Three Trees

Bridge House

Mario

Adage

Lionel Beuvens drums

Kalevi Louhivuori trumpet

Brice Soniano double bass

Alexi Tuomarila piano

Special Guests

Natashia Kelly voice

Guilhem Verger sax

Igor Gehenot - Delta (IGLOO RECORDS 2017)

A revelation with his trio, winner of numerous awards and hailed by the Brit-ish magazine Jazzwise, the young Belgian pianist Igor Gehenot has brought together the cream of Europe’s young jazz scene in a new quartet project called “Delta”.

After two albums as a trio for the Igloo label ("Road Story" in 2012 and "Motion" in 2014), the charismatic young Belgian pianist called on a solid rhythm section, the young Swedish double-bassist Viktor Nyberg and the Luxembourg drummer Jérôme Klein. To complete this high-flying quartet, he brought in the bugle-player Alex Tassel, a leading figure on the French scene both in terms of electric and acoustic jazz. Winner of an Adami Jazz Talents award in 2011, Tassel has shared stages with major names such as Daniel Romeo, Rick Margitza, Jacques Schwartz-Bart, DJ Cam and Baptiste Trotignon.

Recorded in October 2016 for the Igloo label, the “Delta” project offers music in Gehenot’s lyrical style, alternating between strong melodies, solid grooves and elegant swing. Using unabashedly lyrical and romantic sounds, Gehenot and his partners play music that is rich in poetry and colour, giving each note room to open up and arrive at the essence.

"In good company, Igor Gehenot brilliantly negotiates the milestone of the third album and continues his personal evolution by playing on the forms. His imagination, his melodic sense and deep sensitivity, however, are still intact. This new production has no trouble reaching the same level of success as the first two. (...) His music still bears the mark of a deep nostalgia, even evoking Nordic tones of which the Munich label ECM is the incarnation. The overall sound is moving, especially on the magnificent “Sleepless Night”, perfect for nocturnal meditation. “Moni”, “Abysses” and “Johanna” extend this dreamlike atmosphere where the rhythm seems to play behind a veil while the pianist sketches some saturnine chords and the bugle-player flirts with both silence and weightlessness." (P. Dulieu)

Intro

December 15

Moni 

Sleepless Night 

Step 2

Abysses 

Starter Pack 

Johanna

Drop by 

Igor Gehenot Piano

Jérôme Klein Drums

Viktor Nyberg Double Bass

Guest

Alex Tassel Flugelhorn