Jack DeSalvo - Bare Trees (February 4, 2022 Unseen Rain Records)

Though largely unrecognized, Jack DeSalvo may be one of the most unique guitarists on the planet. His synthesis of classical and jazz guitar techniques allows him to play long, intricate lines while still adding chords. No doubt due to his pianist influences like Keith Jarrett. But the real story is subtle melodic development. All emanating from years of study of jazz, classical and world folk music repertoire and a focus on both the pure spirit of improvisation in the service of creating beautiful music as well as being a prolific composer. DeSalvo's music is nothing short of visionary as the music here emphatically shows. The exquisite beauty of the performances bring it all home.

1. Monads

2. Aside

3. Bare Trees

4. Verdure

5. Radiance

6. News From Haskell

7. Agon

8. For JB

9. October 3

10. Keeping Watch

11. Late July

12. She Has With

13. Which We Hadn't Noticed Before

14. Mentions

15. She Has With (Reprise)

16. Wind Grains 1

17. Wind Grains 2

Jack DeSalvo - guitar (nylon string)

Recorded in Jack's studio

Mixed and mastered by Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL

Design by Qua's Eye Graphix

An Unseen Rain Production

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Jack DeSalvo - Numinous (January 31, 2022 Unseen Rain Records)

Jack DeSalvo's music covers a lot of ground, but with this trio it's an intimate affair, melodic, often swinging yet with arching, virtuosic solos all around. This trio has been the nucleus of a number of ensembles both live and on record - Quintrepid, Zone and others. DeSalvo exclusively plays nylons string guitar here, utilizing his amazing facility that's a synthesis of classical and jazz technique. Here the music's the thing from the open Dream of the Lynx to the two swinging takes of Perhaps.The fullness is more like a piano trio but with the expressive touch of the guitar. Dmitri and Tom are deep listeners which make the music rich emotionally and powerful in its realization.

1. One Footprint

2. Numinous

3. Perhaps Take 1

4. Liquid Stones

5. Aside

6. Exuvae

7. Perhaps Take 2

8. Dream of The Lynx

9. Balue Bolivar

Jack DeSalvo - guitar (Godin nylon string)

Dmitri Ishenko - double-bass

Tom Cabrera - drums

All music by Jack DeSalvo except Balue Bolivar by T. Monk

Recorded at Woodshedd Studio, Westbury, NY

Mixed and mastered by Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL

Front photo of group by Eli Forde

Design by Qua's Eye Graphix

An Unseen Rain Production

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George McMullen / Jack DeSalvo / Phil Sirois / Tom Cabrera - Sótano (January 24, 2022 Unseen Rain Records)

LA studio ace and former musical director for Brian Setzer turned eastward to NYC to share his vast improvisational universe and high level trombonisms. Joining him are veteran improvisers Jack DeSalvo on guitar, double-bassist Phil Sirois and drummer and keeper of the Woodshedd Tom Cabrera. What results is swinging, subtle music emerging from the shear joy of playing jazz.

1. Ear-rational

2. Sótano 1

3. Sótano 2

4. Sótano 3

5. Sótano 4

6. Sótano 5

7. Well you Needn't

George McMullen - trombone

Jack DeSalvo - guitar

Phil Sirois - double-bass

Tom Cabrera - drums

All music by Sótano except Ear-rational by Jack DeSalvo and Well You Needn't by T. Monk

Recorded at Woodshedd Studio, Westbury, NY

Mixed and Mastered By Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL

Cover collage/painting by Tom Cabrera

Design by Qua's Eye Graphix

An Unseen Rain production

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Dom Minasi - Me Myself and I (January 14, 2022 Unseen Rain Records)

Sometime during the early part of 2000, I thought it would be a good idea to lay down some tracks of my tunes. I also decided to use my acoustic guitars. My Takamine 6 sting and 12 string guitars. Since I was able to play bass lines and rhythm at the same time, the recording became Me Myself and I. I called my friend Marty Dunayer, who owns Musecat Recording Studios, and explained what I wanted to do. We set a date and the first hour I recorded the rhythm parts and in hour two, I recorded the melody and the improvisations. My biggest concern was that the time stayed constant. It was not an easy thing to do, but fortunately I did it. it. I also thought you seldom hear a 12 stringed acoustic guitar play jazz.

Within the next few weeks Marty mixed it and I gave him the OK to master the recording and it has been sitting on my shelf since then. Since the Pandemic I haven’t been able get back in the studios to record again, so I searched my files to see what I have that can be re-mastered and released. What you are listening to are compositions I wrote between 1976 and 1995.

1. Samba De Domingo: Written as a fun tune to play with the modulations from A minor -Bb minor to D minor. (12string rhythm)

2. Brown Eyes: I wrote the melody first and then years later I named it. I thought Brown Eyes was a good name since there was Soul Eyes and Infant Eyes. It took me 20 years to write lyrics to the tune. (two12 stringed guitars)

3. Gentle: I love Bossa Nova’s and this spilled out. (Two 12 string guitars)

4. Inside Out: was written in 1975. Hoping I could record it on my second Blue Note Record, but the powers that be thought I should go a different commercial route. (Two six stringed guitars)

5. The Color of Her Eyes Are Gray: I wrote this for my then fiancé, Carol Mennie, who has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen (two 12 stringed guitars)

6. Angela was written for a friend who tragically died in a car accident. Since then, Randy Johnston recorded it as an instrumental. My wife Carol recorded it as a vocal and two years ago I recorded with my Argentinian friend, Juampy Juarez, on a recording called Freedland. (12 stringed guitarrhythm)

7. Be Op Be Op Be Ah: I wanted to write a Be Bop tune but with a different, more modern set of chord changes. (12 string solo)

8. Ballad for Carol: The first jazz ballad I wrote for my wife around 1996. (12 stringed guitar plays lead)

9. Sometime Samba I got the idea from Roger Kelloway. He composed a tune for me on Blue Note called Sometime Boogie. I thought it would be a great idea to do one as a Samba with bridge going into a jazz swing. (Two six stringed guitars). 

1. Samba De Domingo

2. Brown Eyes

3. Gentle

4. Inside Out

5. The Color of Her Eyes Is Grey

6. Angela

7. Be Op Be Op Be Ah

8. Balad for Carol

9. Sometime Samba

Dom Minasi - 6 and 12-string guitars

Recorded March 2005

Produced by Jack DeSalvo and Dom Minasi

Recording Studio: Musecat Recording Studios -New York City

Recording and mastering Engineer: Marty Dunayer

Re- Mastered: October 2021

Design by Qua's Eye Graphix

Liner Notes: Dom Minasi

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Matt Lambiase / Jack DeSalvo / Tom Cabrera - Jhana (January 14, 2022 Unseen Rain Records)

A fascinating journey on the nexus of contemporary classical, free jazz and folk music. Three master improvisers who are virtuosi on their respective instruments. The center of the music is silence. Musical gestures emanating from the void. This is an album of gentleness and depth.

1. Jhana - Piece 1

2. Jhana - Piece 2

3. Jhana - Piece 3

4. Jhana - Piece 4

5. Jhana - Piece 5

Matt Lambiase - cornet, flugelhorn, trumpet, conch and Native American flute

Jack DeSalvo - guitar

Tom Cabrera - drums, percussion

Recorded at Woodshedd Studio, Westbury, NY

Mixed and mastered by Larry Hutter, Orlando FL

Design by Qua's Eye Graphix

An Unseen Rain Production

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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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Jack DeSalvo Live At Scholes Street (June 21, 2021 Unseen Rain Records)

This live performance was part of a night of trios at Brooklyn's Scholes Street Studio/performance space that was curated by Matt Lavelle. Tom Cabrera and Dmitry Ishenko are among my favorite musician to play anything with, but an opportunity to perform my own compositions with them is particularly gratifying. As a trio we have two previous albums on Unseen Rain - Minerals and Volume III of the Connoisseurs of Chaos series though some of the tracks on this live record where originally recorded on earlier albums of mine. – Jack DeSalvo

It takes a trio of formidable players like DeSalvo, Ishenko and Cabrera to bring to life music like this, with its multi-hued harmonic atmosphere and these musicians' clairvoyant interplay.

1. Minerals 08:46

2. Instance 07:12

3. Sudden Moves 08:39

4. Nuvyu 07:08

5. KHB 08:45

6. She Has With 05:2

JACK DeSALVO - guitar

DMITRY ISHENKO - double-bass

TOM CABRERA - drums

All music by Jack DeSalvo

Recorded by René Allain at Scholes Street Studios, Brooklyn, NY

Mixed and mastered by Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL

Design by Qua’s Eye Graphix

Produced by Jack DeSalvo and Tom Cabrera

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Chris Forbes - Blood River Shaman (June 2021 Unseen Rain Records)

The roots of this particular trio run deep but Hill Mike and I never actually played all together until we were part of a quintet that Steve Swell assembled in the late 2000s. From the very firstwe felt a very strong connection. To me, playing with Hill is grounding. His sound and presenceis like a sequoia, deeply rooted and yet rising to the heavens. TA is oceanic, like the north shore of Oahu in the winter. His sound washes over you in waves. For me as a pianist, I feel like I float over the foundation that the two of them give me and it makes for a pretty titanic set each time we play.

In fact the intensity of this set is pretty indicative of my music at the time, which I callmy “wild bear” period. The music on this set was finally honed by several successive performances at I-Beam Brooklyn. It was part of an evening of the Kettle Collective, a group I was a member of at the time. We had been performing most of the tunes since out first gig in 2011 and they were reaching a really high state. Blood River Shaman was written specifically with this group in mind. It is an example of one of my “sketch” tunes, in which two contrasting gesture are notated but not in any final form. 

The succeeding twenty minutes explores the tension between the aggressive first gesture and the more lyrical second gesture. Though there are elements of traditional solos, the piece exemplifies our trio concept, which is of a three way conversation throughout rather than solo and accompaniment.

In the performance Open the Gates, Papa flowed directly from Blood River. This was a new “tune” for the night. It was based on the “all interval” set from Eliot Carter’s Piano Concerto butmarried to a Haitian Rara rhythm. The performance stays at a slow burn until the rev up at the end which explodes into silence.

Out of that silence comes a monumental Hill Greene bass solo which sets up A-Wa-Re, a tune I had originally written for a band with Matt Lavelle and Wil Connell and which also appears on the first Zone album. Based on a synthetic scale derived from the two chords of the solos, the tune has a Japanese feel to it and was named after the ink painting term A-wa-re, which means the sense of loneliness you find in an autumn landscape.

The Morning of the World is our standard encore and the roots of this sketch go back to the 1990s. I had reread Messiaen’s Technique of My Musical Language and while experimenting with his concept of added resonance I discovered that I could make my piano sound like it was a Javanese gamelan, especially if I played melodies in one of the traditional Indonesian scales. This tune uses a modified version of the pelog scale which is exposed in a gentle manner and then continues to double up in rhythm.

There is a long middle section that takes the piece out and builds up tension until the main pelog passage returns again and the piece winds down to a gentle conclusion. This whole recording represents this trio at the height of its powers and I couldn’t be prouder of it. It rounds out the portrait of me as an artist that Unseen Rain has presented - lyrical soloist, lover of standards, and avant-garist. I was grateful to Scott Friedlander for capturing that night and to Larry Hutter for mastering it so well. I am especially grateful to Jack De Salvo for putting the record out. Most of all Im grateful to Hill and Mike for their friendship and impeccable musicianship. More to come! – Chris Forbes

Blood River Shaman features leader Chris Forbes' prodigious pianisms and compositions. His trio includes legendary double-bassist Hilliard Greene and spectacular drummer Michael TA Thompson. Though regarded as a singular improviser and a pianist with an approach that is so original as to be paradigmatic and capable of improvising an entire solo album (Mountain Ocean Mirror Sky, UR9911), leading a trio playing themed standards (Film Noir, UR9897) he is also a formidable composer. All of these gifts are evident on Blood River Shaman. His bandmates are exemplary in this remarkable live recording at Brooklyn's iBeam. 

1. Intro 00:32

2. Blood River Shaman part 1 07:02

3. Blood River Shaman part 2 13:31

4. Open The Gates Papa 08:15

5. A -Wa-Re 10:51

6. The Morning Of The World 11:51

CHRIS FORBES - Piano

HILLIARD GREENE - Double-Bass

MICHAEL T.A. THOMPSON - Drums

Band photo and recorded by Scott Friedlander at IBeam, Brooklyn

Mixed and mastered by Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL

Design and cover photo by Qua's Eye Graphix

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Rocco John Iacovone and Tom Cabrera - Out of The Maelstrom (2021 Unseen Rain Records)

Maelstrom: a large whirlpool or confused, turbulent, agitated state of mind, emotions, and affairs. This is what we all experienced with the onset of the Covid-19 Virus. Everything changed. Too dangerous to get together and play, this duo recording with Tom Cabrera came out of an urgent need to find new ways to create.

After discussions by phone, here’s what we did. I would compose a motif, develop it, record it then send to Tom. Tom would listen until he really “got” it. Then he added his part. In Monday Meditations, I recorded one track, then accompanied myself and sent both tracks to Tom. We reversed the process with Segments1 and 2. Tom recorded first and sent me the tracks.

We also left space for each other to play. We did so with all the pieces but is most evident in the only standard, “Softly”, on the album. Both Tom and I very much enjoyed the process and found it to be very rewarding. All the music grew from the consciousness and way of life at that point in time.

Hope you enjoy – Rocco John Iacovone

1. Begone Covid 03:35

2. Dreams 05:00

3. Monday Meditation 05:36

4. Segment Part 1 02:14

5. Segment Part 2 02:41

6. Softly As A Morning Sunrise 05:29

7. Tango 06:52

8. Wee One 04:13

9. What Is 04:18

ROCCO JOHN IACOVONE - alto, tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet

TOM CABRERA - drums, percussion

Recorded at Woodshedd Studio, Westbury, NY and Sage Studios, New York, NY

Mixed and mastered by Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL

Cover painting by Tom Cabrera

Design by Qua’s Eye Graphix

A Woodshedd Production

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Matt Lavelle / Ras Moshe / Tom Cabrera - Invocation (April 23, 2021 Unseen Rain Records)

Convening at Woodshedd Studio, New York Downtown stalwarts Ras Moshe and Matt Lavelle joined Woodshedd and Unseen Rain artist Tom Cabrera and found themselves deeply affected by the recent loss of several of their colleagues, among them Ramsey Ameen and Juan Quiñones, to whom two tracks here are dedicated. A ritualistic atmosphere developed and the tracks here are imbued with loss, freedom and ultimately joy. Cabrera, Moshe and Lavelle lead the listener through extremporaneous reflections on the dance of life itself.

1. Invocation for Juan 07:36

2. Procope 06:19

3. Phobos and Deimos 07:58

4. Earth's Core 07:52

5. For Juan 07:27

6. Holylodics 09:47

Matt Lavelle - bass and alto clarinets, trumpet

Ras Moshe - tenor saxophone, flute, percussion

Tom Cabrera - drums, frame drum

Recorded at Woodshedd Studio, Westbury, NY

Mixed and Mastered by Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL

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Rocco John Iacovone / Jack DeSalvo / Mark Hagan / Phil Sirois / Tom Cabrera - Conoisseurs of Chaos IV (UNSEEN RAIN Records November 2018)

The prodigious musicians here are a circle orbiting around drummer Tom Cabrera, involved in many New York-based jazz groups, recording and performing together in different aggregates. 

Connoisseurs of Chaos IV includes an extraordinary drum/bass duo, a sublime sax/bass/drum trio, an intensely swinging guitar/bass drum trio and full quartet performances of the opening track as well as a Iacovone original Dreams and Monk's classic Green Chimneys.

Rocco John Iacovone - alto and soprano saxophone

Jack DeSalvo - guitar

Phil Sirois - double-bass

Mark Hagan - double-bass

Tom Cabrera - drums

1. Arrival 33:48

2. Danceland 06:50

3. Thursday 17:10

4. Anniversary In Istambul 06:47

5. Dreams 06:34

6. Green Chimneys 04:48

Recorded at Woodshed Studio, Westbury, NY by Christof Ziegenhirte

Edited and mastered at Hutter Studio, Orlando FL by Larry Hutter

Cover painting by Tom Cabrera

design by Qua's Eye Graphix

A Woodshedd production

© 2018 Woodshedd Records

license

all rights reserved

Jack DeSalvo / Joel Shapira / Phil Sirois / Tom Cabrera - Westbury Converge (UNSEEN RAIN Records November 2018)

Twin Cities based guitarist Joel Shapira has made many a sojourn to New York City, where he spent his early career studying, shedding and playing, to reconnect with the scene. In recent years he's been coming to record with old friend Jack DeSalvo on the latter's Unseen Rain label. On this session they united with bassist Phil Sirois and drummer Tom Cabrera at Tom's Woodshedd Studio in Westbury, New York for a fiery session of modern jazz classics and a very forward take on some standards for Woodshedd Records.

Jack DeSalvo - guitar

Joel Shapira - guitar

Phil Sirois - double-bass

Tom Cabrera - drums

1. Deluge 09:04

2. Beautiful Love 08:19

3. Bemsha Swing 06:00

4. Blue in Green 07:35

5. Dolphin Dance 07:14

Recorded at Woodshed Studio, Westbury, NY by Christof Ziegenhirte

Edited and mastered at Hutter Studio, Orlando FL by Larry Hutter

Cover painting by Tom Cabrera

design by Qua's Eye Graphix

A Woodshedd production

© 2018 Woodshedd Records

Jack DeSalvo / Dmitry Ishenko / Tom Cabrera - Connoisseurs of Chaos III (UNSEEN RAIN Records November 2018)

These spontaneous pieces emerged while the trio was rehearsing and recording Jack DeSalvo's compositions. Tom Cabrera had the idea to release them as part of the Connoisseurs of Chaos series on Woodshedd. Dmitiry Ishenko's sensitive interplay and flow of ideas integrates nimbly with the longstanding partnership of Cabrera and DeSalvo leaving us with powerful music of great character.

Jack DeSalvo - guitars

Dmitry Ishenko - double-bass

Tom Cabrera - drums, percussion

1. Open I 04:45

2. Open II 10:22

3. Open III 05:27

4. Open IV 07:52

Recorded at Woodshed Studio, Westbury, NY by Christof Ziegenhirte

Edited and mastered at Hutter Studio, Orlando FL by Larry Hutter

Cover painting by Tom Cabrera

design by Qua's Eye Graphix

A Woodshedd production

All music by Jack DeSalvo, Dmitry and Tom Cabrera ℗ © 2018 Woodshedd Records

Rich Rosenthal / Phil Sirois / Tom Cabrera - Connoisseurs of Chaos II (UNSEEN RAIN Records 2018)

This time Connoisseurs of Chaos features the horn-like intensity of Rich Rosenthal's the electric guitar, the deep, soulful double-bass of Boston native Phil Sirois and master percussionist Tom Cabrera on drums.

Rich Rosenthal - guitar

Phil Sirois - double-bass

Tom Cabrera - drums, percussion

1. Piece 1A 06:52

2. Piece 1B 03:06

3. Piece 2A 03:34

4. Piece 2B 07:07

5. Piece 3A 06:25

6. Piece 3B 05:59

7. Piece 4 09:27

8. Piece 5 10:48

9. Piece 6 14:29

Recorded at Woodshed Studio, Westbury, NY by Christof Ziegenhirte

Edited and mastered at Hutter Studio, Orlando FL by Larry Hutter

Cover painting by Tom Cabrera

design by Qua's Eye Graphix

A Woodshedd production

Zone - Zone (UNSEEN RAIN Records 2018)

Zone is a quintet of distinguished musicians who create an utterly modern sound rooted in not only the history of jazz, but also in a vast array of music traditions, old and new. While the members have all played with each other in different ensembles, mostly in the downtown New York scene, Zone is particularly fertile group for their considerable compositional and improvisational abilities. Sensitivity, interplay and deep listening are always evident whether the music is lyrical or hard hitting. Rocco John Iacovone studied composition under the direct disciples of Nadia Boulanger as well as saxophone and improvisation with Lee Konitz and played with Sam Rivers at Studio Rivbea,. Rocco has released a number of recording, including two on UNSEEN RAIN, Embrace The Change - with his quartet and Peace and Love with his Improvising Composers Ensemble. Jack DeSalvo initially appeared on the international jazz scene with the groundbreaking trio D3 and as a member of the electric harmolodic group Ronald Shannon Jackson and the Decoding Society.

He is a member of Sumari, the 12 Houses Orchestra and other groups, including his own. Jack studied composition with Ariadna Mikéshina, classical guitar with Leonid Bolotine and jazz with Bill Connors and others. Jack appears on numerous recording including many on UR. Chris Forbes has been on the piano bench as a crucial part of countless NYC ensembles including Jason Kao Wang's Sing House, Matt Lavelle's 12 Houses Orchestra, the Steve Swell Quintet and Chris' own trio. He is a classically trained composer, jazz pianist, and has composed for symphonies, chamber groups, jazz ensembles, and musical theater. Dmitry Ishenko has played bass with a wide range of jazz artists, including Steve Lacy, John Tchicai, Eric Harland, Dave Liebman, Myron Walden, Jeff Williams, Roy Campbell, Jr., Sam Yahel, Steve Swell, Kenny Wollesen, Ches Smith, and many others.

A graduate of both the Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, he is also a busy session player and arranger, having worked in the studio and on the road with Paul Banks of Interpol, among others. has toured all over the world. He appears on Blaise Siwula's UR album Remoliona. In addition to being an incomparable jazz drummer, Tom Cabrera is an adept world percussionist Initially a mainstay in the Hudson Valley, NY jazz scene in Florida Tom gigged constantly establishing himself as a preeminent player on Orlando's vibrant jazz scene.

After returning to NY he immersed himself in the creative jazz scene as a member of the Julie Lyon Quartet, the Matt Lavele Quartet, Sumari, Jack DeSalvo's trio and quartet and the 12 Houses Orchestra. He appears on a number of UR releases including with his own trio, What I've Found and Rocco John Iacovone's Embrace The Change.

1. Nomad's Dog 07:58

2. Number 16 05:22

3. Walking Damp Ground 08:15

4. Surprised By Joy 06:27

5. Whispers 06:17

6. Hide and Seek 10:01

7. A-Wa-Re 10:40

8. Faborit 09:59

Kotka - Plateaux (UNSEEN RAIN Records 2018)

Centered in Madrid, Kotka is an improvising trio with truly international players. Guitarist Guillermo Bazzola (Argentina), double-bassist Risto Vuolanne (Finland) and drummer Fernando Lamas (Spain) offer their first Unseen Rain release with marvelous music and fascinating interplay.

Kotka is creation in the purest sense, without stylistic or national boundaries.

Finnish bassist Risto Vuolanne has long lived in Spain and is the leading double bassist in the Galician Symphony Orchestra. A couple of years ago, he founded Kotka with Argentine guitarist Guillermo Bazzola and Spanish drummer Fernando Lamas creating a formidable trio of improvising musicians.

1. Plateau I 06:35

2. Plateau II 07:10

3. Plateau III 07:14

4. Plateau IV 09:02

5. Plateau V 05:51

6. Plateau VI 05:16

7. Plateau VII 05:45

Guilermo Bazzola electric guitar and effects

Risto Vuolanne double-bass and effects

Fernando Lamas drums and percussion

All music was spontaneously created and performed by Kotka

Recorded (July 27, 2014) and mixed by Guilermo Bazzola, GNU Town Studio, Madrid, Spain

Mastered by Jim DeSalvo, Beanstudio, Wayne, NJ

Front cover painting by Tom Cabrera

Inside photos by Isabel González

Cover design by Qua’s Eye Graphix

Produced by Guillermo Bazzola

RMO: Bob Rodriguez / Lee Marvin / Krestin Osgood - RMO (UNSEEN RAIN Records 2018)

Piano virtuoso Bob Rodriguez‘ history includes performances with Kenny Wheeler, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Billy Hart. Double bassist Lee Marvin, ubiquitous in the New York scene is on scores of recordings. Danish drummer Kresten Osgood is a recipient of the Ben Webster Award. He has recorded with Paul Bley, Oliver Lake, Michael Gregory and many European masters.

A Little Waltz Bob Rodriguez 5’51

Cross Currents Bob Rodriguez 8’58

Drums and Water Lee Marvin 9’53

Ennovy's Blessing Lee Marvin 8’30

Fish Cannot Leave Deep Waters Kresten Osgood 4'53

Wonjo Rodriguez, Marvin, Osgood 6’23

Quick Start Rodriguez, Marvin, Osgood 7'01

Remembering Bob Rodriguez 8’06

The Two Step Kresten Osgood 7’18

Window Traffic Lee Marvin 6’50

Bob Rodriguez - piano

Lee Marvin - double-bass

Krestin Osgood - drums

Recorded November 23, 2011 at Tedesco Studio, Paramus, NJ

Mixed by Larry Hutter at Hutter Studio, Orlando, FL

Mastered by Jim DeSalvo at Beanstudio, Wayne, NJ

Design and photos by Qua’s Eye Graphix

Produced by Jack DeSalvo

Lewis Porter, Joris Teppe & Rudy Royston - Trio Solo (UNSEEN RAIN Records 2018)

Pre-release quotes from a number of Jazz Greats for Lewis Porter's Trio Solo: "Lewis Porter and co. have put together a wonderful recording full of inspired trio excursions and beautiful solo explorations…. It's full of surprises from tune to tune that captured me completely… Bravo !!!" 

- Joe Lovano 

"Lewis and the trio really go for it on this CD. A full panorama of contemporary jazz idioms are wonderfully dealt with here and several solo piano tracks are quite interesting. Lewis is besides a great jazz scholar a wonderful pianist." 

- Dave Liebman 

"After many years as a significant jazz writer and educator, Lewis Porter is becoming an important pianist, where he investigates many styles and concepts with wit and grace." 

- Ethan Iverson of The Bad Plus 

"Lewis Porter knows the tradition and lineage of jazz piano playing and has come through it with his own sound and command of the music." 

- Jerry Bergonzi 

"It is a wonderful record. Lewis has accomplished so much in so many ways of playing the piano and expressing this music. It is a compendium, all presented so beautifully. I love it." 

- The late Connie Crothers

Renowned in a variety of disciplines (author of The Coltrane biography and founder of the world’s first jazz history masters program at Rutgers), virtuoso pianist Lewis Porter steps out of his much in-demand sideman roles and offers an album of his own trio and solo performances. The trio, with double-bassist Joris Teepe and drummer Rudy Royston, perform with power and grace while Porter’s intimate piano solos range from lyrical to pointillistic in this, his auspicious debut for UNSEEN RAIN.

1. Blues For Chick 06:17

2. Chasing Lines 06:31

3. Bachiano 03:11

4. Discovery 03:37

5. Cinq Pied 05:41

6. Rachmaninoff 04:01

7. Chasing Myself 04:04

8. Rhapsody 08:20

9. Mixolydian 05:07

10. Outdoors On a Thoughtful Day 02:40

11. Crazy Blues 02:52

12. Reconnaissance 02:46

13. The End of a Love Affaire 06:15

14. Blues For Chick II 05:43

Lewis Porter, piano

Joris Teepe, double-bass

Rudy Royston, drums

Recorded at Tedesco Studio, Paramus, NJ

Mixed and mastered by Jim DeSalvo, Beanstudio, Wayne, NJ

Design by Qua’s Eye Graphics

Produced by Jack DeSalvo

Jack DeSalvo / Joel Shaipira - Inherence (UNSEEN RAIN Records 2018)

This stellar set of duos, that includes music by Wayne Shorter, Ralph Towner, Jack De Salvo as well as Just Friends and two open pieces, sheds light on the rather lofty state of jazz guitar these days.

It’s clear that the progenitor of the modern guitar is the oud, in Arabic al oud - the wood. As “al oud” was taken into south-western Europe during the Islamic conquests, it was taken up by the indigenous Europeans and transformed into the lute. Eventually the oud’s large horn plectrum was discarded in favor of the right hand fingers and by the time of the European Renaissance, players were executing contrapuntal lines on the lute, not unlike the burgeoning keyboard instruments of that period. 

After the great Baroque masters, like Bach, wrote important works for the lute, the instrument fell out of favor for not being able to project within the now larger orchestras favored by the composers and audience of the classical and romantic periods. A close relative of the lute and tuned similarly to viols, the guitar was beginning to appear outside of Spain by the renaissance, but it was generally relegated to folk status. 

By the 19th century, when masters like Francisco Tarrega were sculpting a respected role for the guitar in the classical pantheon, featuring the instrument strung with gut (later nylon) strings, played with the fingers of the right hand in a strict technique and placed on the raised left leg, the steel-string guitar, often played with a plectrum (pick), was starting its soon-to-be huge ascent in the United States. 

In early jazz groups the picked steel-string began to replace the banjo with players like Eddie Lang. When the microphones known as pick-ups were placed on the guitars of advanced improvisors like Charlie Christian, a revolution occurred. Guitarists could now solo like horn players and be heard over the rhythm section. A couple of generations of great jazz guitarists followed in Christian’s footsteps, with only a few slight exceptions like Wes Montgomery right hand thumb instead of a pick, and they essentially used Christian's technique. 

Though the 60s and 70s brought additional electronics to the disposal of guitarists, to those in jazz the adherence to the archtop guitar with pick-up and played with a pick, remained strong. A notable exception is a jazz pianist who didn’t take up guitar, and it was the classical guitar, until his early 20s, and that is Ralph Towner. 

Towner’s influence touches this recording, Inherence, in a number of ways. Both Joel Shapira and Jack DeSalvo are jazz and classical guitarists who play the music here, all pieces by jazz composers and one jazz standard, with classical right hand technique, that is to say sans pick. DeSalvo, who wrote several of the tracks, including the title piece Inherence, admits to Towner’s influence in his writing. The duo also play a piece by Towner, Celeste. 

Another giant of a jazz composer whose music plays a role in this recording is Wayne Shorter. His pieces Fee Fi Fo Fum, Virgo, House of Jade and Nefertiti appear on this album. Besides Just Friends, Shapira and DeSalvo also offer two improvised pieces, Joja and January East. 

On this recording Jack plays a Godin Multiac ACS SA nylon string and Joel plays a Gibson 1948 L-12 archtop steel-string.

1. Instance 05:13

2. Naiads 04:40

3. Fee Fi Fo Fum 03:31

4. Virgo 06:57

5. Inherence 03:20

6. House of Jade 05:37

7. Just Friends 02:17

8. Celeste 05:39

9. Joja 03:39

10. January East 02:58

11. Nefertiti 05:50

Jack DeSalvo - Godin Multiac ACS SA nylon string guitar

Joel Shapira - Gibson 1948 L-12 archtop steel-string guitar

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jim DeSalvo at Beanstudio, Wayne, NJ

Chris Kelsey / Jack DeSalvo - Live at Magnolia's (UNSEEN RAIN Records 2018)

Chris Kelsey and Jack DeSalvo have been performing and recording together since they met at the Bunker in the East Village in the early 90s. In 2012 they played Sundays at Magnolia's, a restaurant in Pawling NY owned and run at the time by Kelsey and his wife Lisa. Here the duo perform riveting versions of Monk tunes (Blue Monk, Bemsha Swing, Friday the 13th and Nutty) a piece each by Sonny Rollins (Doxy) and Wayne Shorter (Footprints) and two tracks improvised on the spot (Yonder Train 1 and 2) that have all the integrity of pre-composed music.

1. Blue Monk 05:44

2. Doxy 05:34

3. Yonder Train 1 09:52

4. Yonder Train 2 08:14

5. Footprints 08:36

6. Bemsha Swing 08:04

7. Friday the 13th 07:39

8. Nutty 05:12

Chris Kelsey - soprano sax

Jack DeSalvo - guitar

Recorded live at Magnolia's, Pawling, New York by Chris Kelsey

Mastered by Jim DeSalvo