Rachel Eckroth - The Garden (September 3, 2021 Rainy Days Records)

Pianist, composer and singer Rachel Eckroth’s first release on Rainy Days Records unveils fresh sounds from her evolving artistry. Steeped in synth orchestration, The Garden reflects a nuanced exploration of sonic impulses and inquiries alongside Eckroth’s signature layered compositions and glimmers of trance-inducing vocals. With contributions from acclaimed guitarist Nir Felder, saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Andrew Krasilnikov and modular synth master Austin White, and a core band featuring bassist Tim Lefebvre and drummer Christian Euman, The Garden emerged conceptually while Eckroth was writing new music during the pandemic. “Everything on the album has a different feel to it — different colors and textures,” says the West Coast artist. “It felt like a garden. So we just rolled with it.”

Eckroth revels in new experiences across rich, diverse musical settings. The multifaceted artist continually refines her expression, frequently collaborating as a featured guest with creative visionaries who have included Rufus Wainwright, St. Vincent, KT Tunstall, Donny McCaslin, Tia Fuller and Chris Botti. But composing during the pandemic afforded Eckroth and partner Lefebvre unique opportunities to compose and perform together. From their home in Arizona, they dug in to each other’s expressions and began developing a duo sound. “Especially during Covid, we were making music pretty much every day together,” says Eckroth. When Eugene Petruhanskiy greenlit a possible release from Eckroth for Rainy Days, she and Lefebvre considered what they might create around a synth-forward recording. 

The textural-minded musicians began soundscaping across familiar territory and new domains. Almost immediately, the Prophet 6 emerged as a key element for record’s sound. “It ends up on a lot of my live gigs,” says Eckroth. “I’ve used it on all the tours I’ve played with other people. I’m a pianist, but the record doesn’t have a lot of piano. The Yamaha CP 70 served the ‘meat’ of some of the songs. And the Korg minilogue is an instrument I use really well for some reason; it’s very intuitive.

"Multifaceted artist Rachel Eckroth releases textural, mood-casting new music on Rainy Days Records “Eckroth explores difficult emotions with a deft touch, letting her soul-baring performance and swelling instrumentation form the heartfelt emotional core of the track ”

— Under the Radar

“Breathtaking vocals”

— PopMatters

“[Eckroth and Lefebvre] are two in-demand musicians who elude categorization”

— NPR Music’s Jazz Night in America

1. Dracaena

2. Under a Fig Tree

3. Low Hanging Fruit

4. Dried Up Roots

5. The Garden

6. Black Eyed Susan

7. Vines

8. Oil

Rachel Eckroth - Piano, Voice, Yamaha CP70, Prophet 6, Mellotron

Tim Lefebvre - Electric Bass, Guitar

Christian Euman - Drums

Donny McCaslin - Tenor Saxophone

Andrew Krasilnikov - Soprano Saxophone

Nir Felder - Electric Guitar

Austin White - Modular Synth

Written by Rachel Eckroth

Produced by Tim Lefebvre

Executive producer – Eugene Petrushanskiy

Mixed by Jason Kingsland at Frenchtown Sound

Mastered by Ed Brooks at Resonant

Mastering Recorded at Sonic Ranch - Studio A in Tornillo, TX

Recording engineer - Felipe Castaneda

Additional recording at Big Orange Sheep, Brooklyn, NY by Christopher Benham

Overdubs made at Blackbird Sessions in Tucson, AZ

Additional recording made in Moscow, by Sasha Mashin

Album art – Vika Kogai

Photography by Eugene Petrushanskiy

Video by Eugene Petrushanskiy and Rachel Eckroth

Package design by – Dimitri Komedea, 271dsgn

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Evgeny Ponomarev Quartet - Clockwise (2021 Rainy Days Records)

Clockwise, the soulful, moody sophomore release from the celebrated Evgeny Ponomarev Quartet will be released on April 30th. Over the course of the past four years, Ponomarev’s Quartet released their critically acclaimed debut record, N.N Song and performed at revered venues and festivals throughout Saint Petersburg and Moscow, (The Small Hall of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonia, the New Stage of Alexandrinsky Theatre and Igor Butman Club to name a few). Their eagerly-awaited follow up album Clockwise speaks to the group’s stellar interplay and the leader’s nuanced, cohesive compositional prowess. Ponomarev is accompanied on this release by saxophonist Andrey Polovko, bassist Grigory Voskoboynik, drummer Peter Mikheev, with guitarist Pavel Ilushin, cornetist Peter Vostokov and trombone and tuba player Anton Gimazetdinov featured on several of the album’s tracks.

1. Clock

2. What's Next?

3. Imminence

4. Hempfield

5. Pros & Cons

6. The Last Rain

Evgeny Ponomarev — piano (all except 4), fender Rhodes (4)

Andrey Polovko — tenor saxophone (1-6), soprano saxophone (2)

Grigory Voskoboynik — double bass

Peter Mikheev — drums (1-6), percussion (1,4)

Pavel Ilushin — guitar (4)

Peter Vostokov — cornet (2)

Anton Gimazetdinov — trombone, tuba (2)

Recorded at Cinelab Studio, Moscow

Recording Engineer — Alexander Perfilyev

Studio Engineer — Jacob Zakhvatkin, Dmitri Kovalyov

Mixed and Mastered by Alexander Perfilyev

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Arseny Rykov Trio - Forgotten Melody (2021 Rainy Days Records)

I started to compose in music school. Through the years composing and playing music have become the main way of self-reflection and self-expression for me. I have always wanted my music to make people’s souls and minds work and to make them think about what is going on around. From my point of view, an artist has a big responsibility in front of the audience. The responsibility of being sincere, honest, and consistent in what one creates and says. I want to believe that my music is able to unite people. Especially such multicultural and international music as contemporary jazz.

The album includes the compositions that I wrote during the last few years. One can hear a slight change in my style from one tune to another but all of them have two features that are the most important for me: the leading role of the melody and harmony and their fragile beauty.

I am very grateful to the “Rainy Days” label and to Sasha Mashin in particular. People that stand behind the label do a fantastic job to support Russian culture and Russian musicians who play contemporary jazz. –– Arseny Rykov

1. Doubts

2. Faraway Beauty

3. Forgotten Melody

4. Evolutionary Piece

5. Anxiety

6. Breath

7. Broken Watch

8. Outline

9. Musical Box

Arseny Rykov – piano, composition

Nikolai Olshansky – bass

Vitaliy Epov – drums

Musical producer – Sasha Mashin

Executive producer – Eugene Petrushanskiy

Recorded at Cinelab Studio, Moscow Recording Engineer – Sasha Mashin Studio Engineer – Igor Bardashev Mixed by Sasha Mashin

Mastered by Alexander Perfilyev

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Benito Gonzalez - Sing to the World (May 14th, 2021 via Rainy Days Records)

Emerging Piano Talent Benito Gonzalez

Releases his Fifth Recording of Originals:

the Inspired, Moving, Dancing Sing to the World 

on St. Petersburg, Russia-based Rainy Days Records

With propulsive pulse and Afro-Latin percussive drive, Benito Gonzalez places rhythm at the core of his exhilarating new album, Sing to the World, set for a May 14 release. All of the ten songs on his fifth album, and first released on the St. Petersburg, Russia label Rainy Days Records, combine to create a sense of wonder and enchantment as Gonzalez takes a stellar step into the future of his jazz journey. He’s assembled an impressive team of collaborators, including Christian McBride, Essiet Okon Essiet, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Nicholas Payton as well as rising stars Russian drummer Sasha Mashin, trumpeter Josh Evans and saxophonist Makar Kashitsyn.

Sing to The World is a musical exploration into the concept of freedom that recognizes the dignity of us all as individuals. Music is the most powerful tool we have to make a change in the world, uniting as one outside of cultural or religious differences. We are living in a world where all are searching for freedom because its inherently valuable role in human progress. Sing to the World is about this universal search for freedom, about being present, being aware, and trying to allow the moment to come to us.

The title track of Sing to the World, with its harmonic invention and pianistic power, is influenced by two McCoy Tyner tunes, “Fly with the Wind” and “Song of the New World.” “McCoy played with so much energy and with such a depth of harmony. If you hear that kind of harmony, you can push the music to its limit. It’s open to infinity. That’s my concept for the whole album—play with openness and trust. That’s what I want to give to the world,” says Gonzalez.

As for enlisting jazz powerhouses in the new album, Gonzalez says McBride and Watts embrace the rhythmic core. “They hear the way I perceive the music. They understand where I’m coming from and execute brilliantly. I like strong beats rooted in Africa which is where my father’s ancestors came from. I like it when people dance to this music. Tain and Christian come from the same place. You can hear the dance beats when they play,” says Gonzalez. “The African sensibility and relationship with the drums has usually permeated the best of jazz and American music. Benito embraces that language as part of his commitment to the spiritual, healing part of the music. As a drummer, it’s really fun to play with and bounce off of, in order to get to a vibration that’s vital and always in style.” explains Watts.

As for bringing Payton on board, Gonzalez says, “Nicholas is the best trumpet player today, and I thought he would be a great addition for my album giving his direction in the music,” says Gonzalez.

Highlights on Sing to the World include Gonzalez’s dazzle of keys on “Sounds of Freedom” which he says is inspired by “the troubling situations in our world today. People are looking for freedom in places like my home Venezuela, in Russia, the U.S. People are searching, fighting for freedom,” says Gonzalez.

Others include “Views of the Blues,” an energized outing inspired by Coltrane’s open-sound sensibility of playing the blues, and the moving, lyrical “Offering,” featuring a terrific McBride solo. “When I was seven years old in Venezuela, I played the organ at church. I was playing beautiful melodies. This song is based on that. It’s not a hymn but a reminder of the hymns I played as a kid. It’s a story. It’s my interpretation of that period in my life,” says Gonzalez.

In addition to his slow-to-upbeat originals, Gonzalez adds to the set list two compositions that have never been recorded by their composers: Roy Hargrove’s soulful “Father”and Jeff “Tain” Watt’s beauty “412.” Benito singles out ”Father” as one of his favorite songs on the album. “It’s about my personal relationship to Roy. In 2006, we attended jam sessions every Thursday night. He sat down at the piano one night and taught me the changes to this song. We played it often, but he never recorded it” he says.

As for the Tain tune, Gonzalez learned it when the two were both teaching summer jazz camp at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC ). “Having known Benito for years, it’s been a pleasure to witness both his growth, and his love and respect for the music in notes and spirit. His seriousness and focus were apparent years ago in the young man I’d chat with during trips; always friendly and seeking, never pushy. I’m proud to see him today as a bright light and leader in the music” says Watts. “I was messing around on the piano one day, and Tain gave me the chart. I’ve always loved this ballad. He’s played it on occasion but never recorded it,” says Gonzalez about “412.”

What’s impressive about Gonzalez is that he’s not willing to sit still for too long. He’s already got future projects in mind. Recently named a Steinway & Sons artist in 2020, emerging piano talent Benito Gonzalez continues to reveals himself as an inspired and versatile artist on his fifth album, Sing to the World.

1. Sounds of Freedom

2. Views of the Blues

3. Father

4. Offering

5. Visionary

6. Smile

7. Sing to the World

8. 412

9. Flatbush Avenue

10. Colors

Benito Gonzalez — piano

Nicholas Payton — trumpet (1,3,6,8)

Christian McBride — bass (2-10)

Sasha Mashin — drums (1,3,6,7,9,10)

Jeff “Tain” Watts — drums (2,4,5,8)

Essiet Okon Essiet — bass (1)

Josh Evans — trumpet (9)

Musical producer — Benito Gonzalez

Co-produced by Sasha Mashin

Executive producer — Eugene Petrushanskiy

Recorded at Big Orange Sheep Brooklyn, NY

Recording Engineer — Chris Benham

Assistant Engineer — Kevin Thomas

Additional recording at Cinelab Studio, Moscow

Recording Engineer — Igor Bardashev

Mixed and Mastered by Mike Marciano of Systems Two

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Various Artists - Haute Culture (2021 Rainy Days Records)

When the age of coronavirus commenced last March, Eugene Petrushanskiy, the Director of the Rainy Days Records jazz music label in St. Petersburg, Russia, turned to YouTube to showcase the live performances of his artists in collaboration with Hot Culture. As businesses, and consequently, venues for live performances shut down temporarily, Petrushanskiy sought the help of video producer Alexander Malich, whose YouTube channel Hot Culture would become an online-destination for concert-goers when live attendance became impossible.

The respected jazz label will continue their collaboration with Hot Culture with the launch of a new web series, which will feature performances from a bevy of Russia’s top jazz talent, including Sasha Mashin, Azat Bayazitov, Evgeny Sivtsov, Andrew Krasilnikov, Makar Novikov, and Evgeny Ponomarev. These live performances will be recorded, and subsequently released as a digital album at the end of the season.

So far this year, Hot Culture has planned an episode release every Monday and Friday for the month of February and each episode will showcase two songs from the aforementioned artists. Though Hot Culture is based in St. Petersburg, the channel plans to represent a broader spectrum of artists in this upcoming season, from St. Petersburg and beyond. The upcoming February episode schedule is as follows:

Monday, February 8, Episode 1: The Andrew Krasilnikov Quartet will perform “Babochka” and “Meduza” with Krasilnikov on soprano sax, Aleksey Bekker on rhodes, Nikolay Zatolochniy on bass, and Mikhail Fotchenkov on drums.

Friday, February 12 Episode 2: The Makar Novikov Trio will perform “Jazzmashin” and “Yellow Blues” with Novikov on bass, Mikhail Maryshev on rhodes, and Sasha Mashin on drums.

Monday, February 15, Episode 3: The Azat Bayazitov Quartet will perform “Long Fall” and “Magnet” with Bayazitov on tenor sax, Evgeny Sivtsov on piano, Nikolay Zatolochniy on bass, and Sasha Mashin on drums.

Friday, February 19, Episode 4: The Sasha Mashin Trio will perform “Greensleeves” and “Our Song” with Mashin on drums, Makar Novikov on bass, and Makar Kashitsyn on alto sax.

Monday, February 22, Episode 5: The Evgeny Ponomarev Quartet will perform “Pros & Cons” and “What’s Next?” with Ponomarev on piano, Grigoriy Voskoboinik on bass, Andrey Polovko on tenor and soprano sax, and Peter Mikheev on drums.

Friday, February 26, Episode 6: The Evgeny Sivtsov Trio will perform “Post-wild” with Sivtsov on piano, Nikolay Zatolochniy on bass, and Sasha Mashin on drums.

The Hot Culture Jazz series digital album will be available on February 26, 2021, the same day as the final series episode. Each single performed per scheduled episode will be available via Bandcamp and Apple Music on the episode air dates above. The original Rainy Days YouTube channel with featured Hot Culture episodes is filmed in Russian and includes English subtitles; watch here. 

“The outcome for us is pretty amazing. It feels like we’ve infused a lot of energy, a lot of time and a lot of forces from different sides,” Petrushanskiy says when reflecting on the progress of the project. “The team was not big. It was quite fun, everyone was happy and enthusiastic to work together.”

Rainy Days Records is a Saint Petersburg-based record label that is changing the global perception of modern Russian music in the global music landscape. Founded in 2018, the label has released myriad albums that demonstrate the stellar musicianship and vibrancy of today’s Russian jazz scene. Acting as a platform for Russian and international musicians, Rainy Days facilitates the creation and presentation of innovative new works and fosters unique collaborations of the finest musicians that Russia has to offer.

The Hot Culture Jazz Series is produced by Alexander Malich & Eugene Petrushanskiy at rainydaysrecords.ru

1. Andrew Krasilnikov - Babochka 06:21

2. Andrew Krasilnikov - Meduza 07:26

3. Makar Novikov - Jazzmashin 07:57

4. Makar Novikov - Yellow Blues 05:37

5. Azat Bayazitov - Long Fall 07:10

6. Azat Bayazitov - Magnet 07:24

7. Sasha Mashin - Greensleeves 04:51

8. Sasha Mashin - Our Song 05:14

9. Evgeny Ponomarev - Pros and Cons 05:35

10. Evgeny Ponomarev - What's Next 06:50

11. Evgeny Sivtsov - Post-Wild 07:49

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