Cory Healey's Beautiful Sunshine Band - Beautiful Sunshine (2016)

Label:

Source: Jazz Police

Genre: Avant-garde / Modern Jazz

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

It was a chilly night in late April 2014 when drummer Cory Healey brought a new band to Studio Z. This was following the most recent “polar vortex winter” and Cory thought the band should have a name like “Unique Beautiful Snowflake.” Tired of snow, however, an audience member requested “sunshine”, and the ensemble became Cory Healey’s Beautiful Sunshine Band. It’s been a milder winter but Beautiful Sunshine, Healey’s debut recording, is nevertheless most welcome, especially given the talents of Healey and his cohorts, Brandon Wozniak on sax, Jake Baldwin on trumpet, Zacc Harris on guitar, and Erik Fratzke on electric bass.

With his “Beautiful Sunshine Band,” drummer Cory “The Healer” Healey expanded his original 4-Tet, adding saxophone to the trumpet/guitar/bass/drum ensemble. The Iowa native moved to the Twin Cities about 3 years ago after stints in Chicago and New York. His unique and versatile style of drumming led to performance opportunities in a wide range of genres and touring extensively in North America and Europe. While in Chicago, Cory performed regularly with Windy City ensembles, including Fareed Haque’s Flat Earth Ensemble, neopsychodelic-post rock jazz group Algernon, and W.W. Lowman. Healey also has performed with a number of leading international artists, including Kenny Wheeler, Dr. Lonnie Smith, John Abercrombie, and David Berkman. In addition to fronting his own bands, Cory has appeared locally with the Bryan Nichols Quartet, Adam Linz’s Le Percheron, Chris Bates Trio, the Jon Pemberton Trio, and more.  Read more...

1. Ubiquitous Condiments 03:15
2. Ralphy 06:31
3. Cheerleader 05:33
4. Aragon 04:03
5. Wintry Mix 05:22
6. Wheel 05:03
7. Omens 07:31
8. Jerry's DX 01:25
9. Last Thursday 10:43
10.With God On Our Side 06:59
11.Wheel Remix 01:41

Cory Healey (drums & electronics)
Erik Fratzke (bass)
Zacc Harris (guitar & effects)
Jake Baldwin (trumpet)
Brandon Wozniak (tenor saxophone)

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Black Art Jazz Collective - Presented by the Side Door Jazz Club (2016)

Source & Label:

Genre: Post-bop

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

It is easy to misconstrue a name, especially when it is so obviously tied to politics and racial identity. Born during an important period of Black identity in the arts in the early 2010s, Black Art Jazz Collective brings together an accomplished ensemble of young African American musicians who felt that it was necessary to celebrate Black culture in a positive way. The focus on camaraderie between members who grew up playing music together comes through in their music.

The Collective was co-founded by drummer Johnathan Blake, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. All graduating from esteemed music programs in the Northeast at the same time, the three quickly became ingrained in the New York jazz scene as leaders and invaluable members of ensembles led by legends like Tom Harrell, Bobby Hutcherson, Wayne Shorter and Ron Carter.

The first addition the trio made was the great bassist Dwayne Burno, an individual who really espoused professionalism and dedication to his friends. Being older than the others, Burno’s influence and attention made an impact on all of them. The ensemble also featured trombonist James Burton III (an adherent of the school of Curtis Fuller and J.J. Johnson and another Jackie McLean alum) and the great pianist/composer Xavier Davis.

The Black Art Jazz Collective’s first performance was at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola in April 2013 with Burno. His passing in the following December was a shock and upset the jazz world, not to mention the Collective. It would prove to be a challenge to find a replacement for Burno. It wasn’t until Pelt recommended Vincente Archer that the group found a perfect replacement, one who had connections to all the members and who was influenced by Burno. 

A great opportunity came by way of Ken Kitchings and Jan Mullen of The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, Connecticut, namely a two-night gig and an opportunity to record with the venue’s new recording equipment. Kitchings and Mullen had expressed their love of the group and felt that it would be a perfect fit for their debut recording project. The resulting album Black Art Jazz Collective Presented By The Side Door Jazz Club is a tremendous example of the ensemble’s incredible drive, swagger and cohesiveness.

The program begins with Escoffery’s dedication to W.E.B. DuBois, “Double Consciousness,” an intriguingly varied piece with verve. Written during the 2012 election campaign of Barack Obama, Escoffery’s expertly written and arranged “Awaiting Change” is followed by Pelt’s lushly played ballad, “Essence of Beauty.” Davis’s “Salvador Da Bahia” is an energetic Latin piece with some incredible solo spots.

Burton’s “Going Somewhere” is a bright and powerful tribute to Sojourner Truth, while Davis’s “No Small Change” is a subtle but powerful tribute to President Obama. The ensemble’s ‘all killer, no filler’ take on Burno’s “Devil Eyes” will raise some heart rates. The set finishes with the lone live recording, Blake’s sparkling tribute to saxophone great Joe Henderson, “The Shadower.”

Black Art Jazz Collective came together during an interesting time, one of finding new strength and identity within America’s true art form, an African American art form, jazz. This allstar ensemble was able to come together as peers and brothers and, with the help of the wonderful leadership of The Side Door, was able to create a fantastic document of authentic and expertly wrought music on Black Art Jazz Collective Presented By The Side Door Jazz Club.

1. Double Consciousness (Inspired By W.E.B. DuBois) 07:31
2. Awaiting Change (Inspired By Barack Obama)
3. Essence of Beauty
4. Salvador Da Bahia
5. Going Somewhere (Inspired By Sojourner Truth) 08:25
6. No Small Change (Inspired By Barack Obama)
7. Devil Eyes
8. The Shadower (Inspired By Joe Henderson)

Wayne Escoffery - tenor saxophone
Jeremy Pelt - trumpet
James Burton III - trombone
Xavier Davis - piano
Vicente Archer - bass
Johnathan Blake - drums

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LABtrio - The Howls Are Not What They Seem (2016)

Label:  

Source: LABtrio

Genre: Modern Creative

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

LABtrio (Lander – Anneleen – Bram) are three musicians with strong personalities, endowed with a fresh and adventurous approach to music. The trio’s acoustic universe conceals an urban jazz that flirts with electronic, underground and hip-hop cultures.

Since the Trio’s founding in 2007, they have received several awards and prizes (including a superb double –  Audience Prize and Grand Prize – at the prestigious Avignon ‘Tremplin Jazz’ festival in 2011). Thanks to this price, they recorded their first album at the Studio la Buissone, Pernes-les fontaines in France. Their first album “Fluxus” released in October 2013 (Outhere records) – a real gem – constitutes testimony to what is the jazz of today, seen by this new generation of musicians.

In 2014, LABtrio participated at the  12 points festival in Umeå, and received a lot of positive feedback. Here is an inspiring description from their performance, written by Henning Bolte in All About Jazz – April 2014:

“The LAB trio-which is drummer Lander Gyselinck, bassist Anneleen Boehme and pianist Bram de Looze, then took off to a new shore of trioism, inducing a jaw-dropping, high level of musical experience through their miraculous interplay of characteristics including an amazing, mutual musical sensibility and agility, deep in-the-moment playing and delicate as well as thrilling timing, effortless execution and the sheer joy of performing. It all led to a great sound and gripping, infectious dynamics that rose, unfettered, to the apogee of the night.”  Read more...

 

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Foursome - SMUT! CLOCK! SPOT! (2016)

Source & Label:

Genre: Modern Creative

GAB's Rating: ★★★★☆

Giocando sull’ambiguità del termine, i Foursome hanno preso il nome alludendo a una delle fantasie erotiche più comuni, il trasgressivo “triangolo” (“threesome”), intendendo significare come, nella loro “mischia a quattro” tutta musicale, ci sia perfetta intesa nel realizzare un programma in qualche modo discordante rispetto al consueto standard. I quattro sono Simone Copellini alla tromba, Federico Pierantoni al trombone, Giulio Stermieri all’organo Hammond e alle elettroniche, Riccardo Frisari alla batteria: tutti padroneggiano perfettamente la tecnica dei rispettivi strumenti e sono disinvolti improvvisatori, doti che con immediata naturalezza mettono al servizio di una idea-forza ardimentosa e controcorrente.
 

Su temi e arrangiamenti propri (cinque su otto di Stermieri) più il riuscito rifacimento, con l’apporto fondamentale della bravissima Gaia Mattiuzzi, di “Schliesse mir die Augen beide” di Alban Berg (meritevole di una lode speciale per la passionalità e le articolate movenze danzanti aggiunte all’originale), e adoperando le elettroniche con misura ed equilibrio (cioè senza farle trabordare), i Foursome creano le più diverse situazioni sonore, con intrecci, infittimenti, diradamenti e sovrapposizioni degli strumenti (in “Dro” si unisce anche il sax di Cristiano Arcelli), mantenendo un abile equilibrio fra scrittura e improvvisazione. Copellini è sfrontato com Booker Little, Pierantoni agile come Bob Brookmeyer, Stermieri fuori da ogni convenzione nell’uso dell’Hammond, Frisari capace di far superare alla batteria i ristretti limiti del mero accompagnamento, di continuo creando, con energia e urgenza espressiva, una forte tensione che si mantiene sino all’ultima nota di ogni brano. In più la registrazione è ottima: equilibrio fra suoni ben dettagliati e ampia scena. Aldo Gianolio

  

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Wonderland Park - Just Get In (2016)

Source:

Label: Self Released

Genre: Fusion/Rock/Americana

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

Guitar wizard Allen Hinds leads this instrumental trio through rootsy tunes into outrageous jams and insanely inventive playing with his truly unique voice, born of Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Scofield, Duane Allman, and others. Wild and wooly awesomeness.

Wonderland Park is an instrumental trio playing rootsy avant funky modern jam whatever Started by old friends Allen Hinds (guitar) and Peter Hastings (upright bass), we co-wrote a batch of tunes with the idea of keeping it simple and stretching out.
Even though Allen has played a variety of jazz music for years, if you ask him about influences and roots, he'll mention Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, Allman Bros., creative, expressive, soulful players,...imcluding Joni Mitchell. 

 

Chris Wabich brings his exceptional and eclectic skills to the drums, Peter Hastings builds a foundation on upright bass, and Allen Hinds...well Allen is phenomenal - inventive, lyrical, risky and creative. If you like John Scofield, jam bands (Grateful Dead, Phish, Widespread Panic etc.), Wood Brothers, 70's ECM (not EDM), Jeff Beck, Medeski Martin and Wood or just plain hearing people create MOMENTS, you'll probably love Wonderland Park.  

1. All Due Respect
2. Just Get In
3. Bobby's Big Wheel
4. Barron's Crossing
5. Truth Be Told
6. Spittin' Image
7. A Far Cry

Allen Hinds - guitar
Chris Wabich - drums
Peter Hastings - bass 

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The Power Quintet - High Art (2016)

Label:

Source: Dusty Groove

Genre: Post-Bop

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

The cover might look a bit old fashioned, but the groove here is very contemporary – served up by an excellent combo of very important players from the east coast scene – trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, vibist Steve Nelson, pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Bill Stewart! All musicians have a fair bit of years under their belt, but haven't lost their sharpness at all – and work together here in a warmly collaborative space that really befits the leader-less nature of the record – as the focus shifts effortlessly between all the strengths they can bring to the record – that marvelous tone that Pelt's developed in recent years, those sublime chromes from Nelson's vibes, Grissett's great way of blocking out a tune, the solid swing of Stewart, and the always soulful sounds of Washington on bass. Most numbers are originals by members of the group – and titles include "Look At Here"," Heard's Word", "Sage", "Mr Wiggleworm", "Ascona", and "Tincture".

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Manuel Hermia / Kari Ikonen / Sebastien Boisseau / Teun Verbruggen - Orchestra Nazionale della Luna (2016)

Label:  

Source: Kari Ikonen 

Genre: Modern Creative

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

Eclipse Music is an independent record label based in Tampere, Finland. Formed in 2007 Eclipse has in recent years become one of the premier publishers of jazz, progressive music and singer-songwriters in Finland. High artistic quality and independent spirit are the essence of Eclipse Music.

Founded by its chief conductors Manuel Hermia and Kari Ikonen in 2015, Orchestra Nazionale della Luna has quickly become one of the most important orchestras on the Moon.
Its diverse and highly original repertoire, and its inventive and energetic way of playing is fascinating lunatics and jazz lovers all over the Moon and even on Earth.

1. Itämerengue 01:27
2. Karibou 06:07
3. The Truth 06:21
4. Luna 17 B 08:51
5. Anastasia Anastaa Sian 06:06
6. First Vsions 08:27
7. Nostalgie d'un Absolu 05:32
8. Begemot 10:30
9. Ankkuri 05:34
   

Manuel Hermia – saxophones, flute & bansouri
Kari Ikonen – piano & moog
Sebastien Boisseau – double bass
Teun Verbruggen – drums     

 

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