Tori Freestone Trio - El Barranco (2016) WHIRLWIND RECORDINGS

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Tori Freestone Trio - El Barranco (2016)

About: ​El Barranco

Official worldwide release date - July 15, 2016​

Reaching into the heart of improvised music has become second nature to British tenor saxophonist Tori Freestone and perennial colleagues Dave Manington (double bass) and Tim Giles (drums) on their latest Whirlwind release El Barranco. Following their warmly-received 2014 release In the Chop House and subsequent live appearances, the trio have relished the opportunity to reconvene in the studio to record this collection of intuitive explorations (often first takes) of predominantly original compositions, including a pair of London Jazz Festival commissions.

The challenge of the wide-open chordless format is enthusiastically embraced by this trio, offering an improvisational prospect which constantly evolves, thanks to their innate ability to share ideas and spontaneously flex in new directions. Tori Freestone’s characteristically voluble tenor delivery is a key factor in this artistic process: a continuous channel of flowing, tumbling lines arriving from a seemingly limitless, spring-like source; and the quicksilver responses and diversions of both Manington and Giles are so genuinely realised. All of this combines in creating delightful group unpredictability, via a mutual, carefully crafted musical vocabulary, which happily hovers on the periphery of delineated structure.

Freestone clearly revels in the recording aspect: “Whenever we go back into the studio, it’s so great to have a couple of days enjoying making music together. The more we tour in the UK and internationally the more the new ideas start to flow and develop, taking us up onto another level to where we can’t wait to put this down on a new album.”

The concept of creative spaciality is reflected in the saxophonist’s album title and own sleeve illustrations, referencing the beautiful, mountainous terrain of Tenerife – in particular, El Barranco de Masca – which, for many years, has remained especially close to her heart. Thus, the inspiration for opening title track ‘El Barranco’ arrived almost instantaneously, its airy nonchalance a perfect vehicle for the liquid, intertwined phrasing of tenor and bass, buoyed by an expressive lightness of touch from drummer Tim Giles. The first of two commissions, 'The Press Gang' echoes Freestone's musical roots with a suitably dark interpretation of the gloomy folk-tune tale (reprised as the album's end-piece, in appropriately traditional guise, by way of a haunting vocal-and-violin solo performance); and the full-tilt exuberance of contrasting partner piece 'Identity Protection' further reveals the trio's enthusiastic abandon.

Elsewhere, Dave Manington makes two compositional contributions, the thrummed, ‘60s soul bass riff of his ‘Challenger Deep’ setting up a distinctively alternative groove; and ‘Quetzalcoatlus’ (purportedly the largest prehistoric flying animal that ever lived) becomes increasingly wild, jagged and audaciously airborne. Arthur Attman’s familiar standard, ‘All Or Nothing At All’, is skilfully threaded between the players, Freestone’s mellow tenor fluidity as heartfelt as ever; and the snappy, complex, changeable moods and rhythms of ‘Cross Wired’ speak volumes about a trio whose creative understanding (contrary to its title) is so impressively fine-tuned.

Expounding on their now-established approach, Tori says, “We love that the freedom we enjoy creating in our playing can reach people in so many different ways. At one concert, someone who was new to jazz expressed to me that our music had taken them on a journey they never knew they could experience; so it’s lovely that somehow we have formed a language which, rather than being intellectual or inaccessible, can be both contemporary and relevant – and we really look forward to engaging audiences with the new material on this album.”

1. El Barranco

2. The Press Gang

3. Identity Protection

4. All or Nothing at All

5. Challenger Deep

6. Quetzalcoatlus

7. A Charmed Life

8. Cross Wired

9. The Press Gang (Reprise)

Tori Freestone - tenor saxophone, violin & vocals

Dave Manington - double bass

Tim Giles - drums

Catalog Number - WR4689

Barcode - 5052442008293

Recorded by Nic Taylor, Porcupine Stdios, London, Sept 2015

Mixed and mastered by Tyler McDiarmid, New York, March 2016

Produced by Tori Freestone

Executive Producer - Michael Janisch

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Agustí Fernández & Yasmine Azaiez - REVELATION (2016) Fundacja Słuchaj

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Agustí Fernández & Yasmine Azaiez - REVELATION (2016)

Roberto Domínguez / Fotografiando el Jazz

Free Music demands invention. It is not enough to rely on one’s repertoire or default techniques. Every performance is a confrontation with the undiscovered. Each player expects the challenge to change with every portion of sound or silence. The formulation of a musical duration demands complete attention by each player, who is obligated to interpret and determine the questions and answers with immediate action. 

Focus with one’s artistry, and facility with ones instrument, must combine with an agreement that everything is mutable and therefore unknown until it is heard. Agustí Fernández, a master of improvisation on piano, and Yasmine Azaiez, a virtuoso violinist still in her mid 20s, are two of the most daring musicians I know, virtuosos of the highest order, each comfortable in any musical situation. 

Both are vital, passionate artists who search for new material and areas of expression. As a friend and colleague to both of them, I am not surprised that on this recording they completely embrace the need for invention, and in the process, change the way a piano and violin sound together—no small feat considering the history of this instrumentation. 

We hear massive arcs and varied densities made of the smallest particles of sound, all movable, constantly evolving, implying a narrative and also the elemental, organic configuration where sound needs no more interpretive definition. Our opportunity as listeners is to decipher our own understanding of what this music means to us, how it formulates itself in our experience with it. 

Agustí Fernández and Yasmine Azaiez have done their jobs on this recording with grace and daring. They’ve made an exciting experience for us to examine—one where we can discover ourselves through the surprise of newly invented music. —Joe Morris

1. STATEMENT 06:24

2. REVELATION 11:30

3. SERENA 05:36

4. METAMORPHISM 04:35

5. MONOLITH 03:35

6. DARK DRONE 03:26

7. OPALESCENCE 06:42

8. ALBA 02:56

9. PASSAGE 06:19

Released July 20, 2016 

Agustí Fernández, piano 

Yasmine Azaiez, violin 

All music by Agustí Fernández & Yasmine Azaiez 

Recorded on November 9th, 2015, and April 23rd, 2016 

Recorded at L'Obrador, Sant Pere de Vilamajor, Barcelona, Spain 

Mixed and mastered by Ferran Conangla at FMC Estudis, May 17, 2016 

Photo by Joan Cortès 

Graphic design by Małgorzata Lipińska 

Produced by Agustí Fernández and Maciej Karlowski for Fundacja Słuchaj

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Sylvie Courvoisier / Mark Feldman / Evan Parker / Ikue Mori - Miller's Tale (2016) INTAKT RECORDS

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Sylvie Courvoisier / Mark Feldman / Evan Parker / Ikue Mori - Miller's Tale (2016)

Soundsamples of this CD / diese CD probehören

(Player opens in new window / Player öffnet sich in neuem Fenster)

Sylvie Courvoisier on Intakt Records

Mark Feldman on Intakt Records

Evan Parker on Intakt Records

Ikue Mori on Intakt Records

To Intakt Records Home

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Scott Tixier - Cosmic Adventure (2016) SUNNYSIDE RECORDS

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Scott Tixier - Cosmic Adventure (2016)

Releases September 9, 2016

Scott Tixier’s new recording, Cosmic Adventure, celebrates the mystical nature of life. There are inconceivably immense and unpredictable experiences that can be realized within one’s lifetime. It is the absorption of material and immaterial influences yielded by these events and relationships that helps one discover new worlds or new ways of navigating in the cosmos of existence. It is about breaking free from the self-imposed isolation of criticism, the pursuit of perfection and the fear of failure. The adventure occurs when you expel the pressures of competition and expectations to truly explore your place in the greater cosmos. 

Violinist Scott Tixier has found himself amongst some of the most fantastic individuals and intriguing situations. His journey has been extraordinary, a truly cosmic adventure. 

The French born Tixier moved to New York in 2007 with an unparalleled musical pedigree. His violin playing has been lauded by many important and highly respected musicians, including Pat Metheny, Jean Luc Ponty and Mark Feldman. He had already garnered experience in the jazz world playing with Jon Hendricks, Tigran Hamasyan and Lonnie Plaxico. 

Since that time, the 30 year-old violinist has found himself in many eclectic musical settings, from Anthony Braxton’s recent opera Trillium J, sideman gigs with Natalie Cole, Christina Aguilera, and Gladys Knight to two years of touring with soul legend Stevie Wonder, not to mention his work in film and television. For the past 10 years, Tixier has been developing a new sound inspired by these collaborations both inside and outside of the jazz world, making him a multidimensional musician with a new voice on jazz violin. 

Tixier’s first, well-received, Sunnyside recording Brooklyn Bazaar celebrated his then newly found home. His new recording, Cosmic Adventure, his first as a leader in four years, celebrates the serendipitous nature of life as a spiritual journey, with joy and hope but also sorrow and despair. 

It was while appearing at a festival in France in 2012 that Tixier met pianist/composer Donald Brown. The young violinist hit it off immediately with the Art Blakey Jazz Messenger alum, and highly regarded arranger, during a six hour after hours hang. It was during his preparation to record that Tixier decided that having Brown produce the record would be ideal. Furthermore, Tixier’s partnership with engineer Dave Darlington and Brown ensured a well executed recording session. 

The electrifying new band that Tixier showcases on his recording is made up of some of the leading lights of this new jazz generation. Having played with Tixier since he and Tixier were teenagers, harmonica virtuoso Yvonnick Prene is the perfect foil for Tixier’s violin. Pianist Glenn Zaleski is a friend and neighbor, not to mention one of the best emerging pianists in New York. The varied and instinctual playing of bassist Luques Curtis matches his tremendous tone, while the incredible ability and maturity of Justin Brown’s drumming is suited perfectly for the ensemble, because he can deliver energy and dynamics without overpowering the violin. 

The compositions on Cosmic Adventure follow a trajectory, all having been written one after another. They are meant to mirror events and moods, both good and bad. The outcome is an eclectic and moving collection of originals and two arrangements of well picked standards. 

The recording begins with the stirring “Maze Walker,” written as a study on life’s tendency to make one search for meaning, as if finding the end of a maze. The opening track features conga master Pedrito Martinez, as does the optimistically penned “Dig It,” a tribute to Stevie Wonder, with the sound of his harmonica in mind. The insistent “100,000 Hours” is all about drive and commitment to making oneself a better person (or musician, for that matter). 

Django Reinhardt’s classic “Troublant Bolero” is performed beautifully as a ballad and for quite possibly the first time with piano and drums. Tixier commissioned the exuberant and swinging “Mr. Tix” from his longtime friend Prene. Next, Tixier re-arranged the classic Erroll Garner chestnut “Misty,” taking a number of chances to make the piece feel more contemporary. 

The bouncy “Nil’s Landing” is for Tixier’s young, guitar-rocking brother, so naturally it is an exciting bebop tune with unique rhythm changes. The moving “King of Sorrow” is for his recently passed grandmother, who never recovered from her husband’s death 30 years prior, though Tixier sees a lesson in her pain: Don’t get consumed in sorrow, take a look at the world around you. The grand finale is the joyful “Beam Me To Mars,” an optimistic piece written for people who dream big. The track features saxophone titan Chris Potter, who Tixier connected with on the streets of Brooklyn during a chance encounter. 

Performing on an instrument that has become a rarity in contemporary jazz, violinist Scott Tixier has put his individuality to his advantage. There have been ups and downs on the way to where he is, which is natural on all of life’s paths. Overall, he has enjoyed and wants to share the bounty of his Cosmic Adventure.

1. Maze Walker (Ft. Pedrito Martinez)

2. Dig It (Ft. Pedrito Martinez)

3. 100,000 Hours

4. Troublant Bolero

5. Mr Tix

6. Misty

7. Nil's Landing

8. King Of Sorrow

9. Beam Me To Mars (Ft. Chris Potter)

Scott Tixier - violin 

Yvonnick Prene - harmonica 

Glenn Zaleski - piano 

Luques Curtis - bass 

Justin Brown - drums 

Pedrito Martinez - congas (1 & 2) 

Chris Potter - tenor saxophone (9) 

Donald Brown - producer

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Josh Ison Trio - Perceive React (2016)

PERCEIVE REACT

It was October 2013, and Henry Grimes was playing at Cafe OTO in London with the Marc Ribot group.  Henry had played on some of my favourite jazz recordings of the late 1950's and 60’s.  Albums such as Sonny Meets Hawk, Spirits Rejoice and The Call are a few of the many inspiring recordings, which have informed the conceptualisation of my own music.  I am also just as blown away by Henry's playing since his re-emergence in 2003.  Albums such as Spirits Aloft and the Profound Sound Trio recording Opus De Life have been a significant creative influence on my music.  The music at Café OTO sounded incredible that night and you could feel the energy sparking off the ensemble and infusing the room.

At the time I'd been internalising, listening and working on some of the more dense and chaotic free jazz fire playing and allowing the overall narrative of my improvisations to be dictated by my subconscious reactions.  For me, an important part of improvisation is the process of observing the cycle of perception and reaction from moment to moment, from that place where the ego drops away and the music emerges from the subconscious.  This was what excited me about Henry’s playing it seemed to me that he was always in that place.  After the gig, my friend Mark Lewandowski, also a bassist, and I got talking to Henry and his wife Margaret.  We discussed Henry's musical process and his approach to free improvisation and Henry kindly agreed to have a play with us.  The next day we jammed in the unique OTO Project space next to Café OTO.  The building is constructed out of sacks of earth, sand and rubble with a bare timber trussed roof.  The three of us practised and played together all afternoon and it's an experience I'll never forget.  Henry gave me some insightful ideas about incorporating more melodic lines into my improvisations, which showed me a new way forward with my music.  After the jam I couldn't stop thinking about the music we created. One of the great things about Henry's playing is his ability to make everything you play, no matter what it is, feel legitimate - I was totally free to do what I wanted.  I felt he unlocked something exciting and new in my playing. I had wanted to record a free improvised album for some time, and I couldn’t resist asking Henry if he would agree to be part of the line-up.  To my surprise and delight, he said yes.

I have always enjoyed playing in the classic trio set up of bass, drums and sax.  I was checking out an amazing trio with this configuration featuring Ellery Eskelin, Drew Gress and Gerald Cleaver.  I love the way Gerald plays in an open improvised context; the complex and subtle nuance of his interaction with the rest of the ensemble was mesmerising and constantly propelled the other players in new and interesting directions.  I contacted Gerald and sent him some of my music and was elated when he agreed to be part of the project, although it no doubt helped having Henry on board! 

I arranged for us to record at EastSide Sound Studios in New York with the fantastic recording engineer Marc Urselli.  Save for my jam with Henry in Dalston, none of us had ever played together before.  Nor would we have the chance to jam or rehearse before the day of the recording itself.  Given this was to be my debut album, naturally I was nervous, but improvisation should always be a risk.  And with musicians of the calibre and experience of Henry and Gerald involved, I felt reassured that we could create something exciting on the day. 

On the 6th of June 2014, we all met at the studio.  It was great to see Henry and his wife Margaret again and to meet Gerald in person for the first time.  From the moment Marc pressed the record button all I would focus on doing was perceiving and reacting in the moment to Henry and Gerald's fantastic playing, allowing my subconscious to do the talking.  I've put up a small sample of the first 4 minutes of Perceive- track 1 at the bottom of this page

The album consists of 2 long tracks, Perceive and React.  These were my favourite recordings of the session.  All of us felt that something special happened on that day and we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it.  If you're interested in purchasing the full album there's a link below.

Thanks

I would like to say a massive thanks to my parents, Michael and Kate, for buying me my first saxophone and for encouraging me all these years.  To Becka, my girlfriend and my old buddy Tom, for being so supportive, helping me to scribe and edit my dyslexic spelling, so I could share this story. To Alex, Sam, Simon and my sister Lily for always being there over the years I couldn’t have done it without you.  To Nisa Ojalvo for some fantastic photos that really captured the day.  

Marc Urselli for his incredible recording skills and Alex Bonnie for his masterful mixing and a massive thanks to Margaret Grimes for her constant and tireless support of this project from start to finish.  To Mark for introducing me to Henry in the first place, without you this project wouldn’t have happened and finally to Henry and Gerald for their outstanding musicianship and giving me an experience beyond words that will stay with me forever.

1. Perceive 16:51

2. React 25:03

Josh Ison, sax

Henry Grimes, bass, violin

Gerald Cleaver, drums

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Yelena Eckemoff Quartet - Leaving Everything Behind (2016)

Yelena Eckemoff returns to her roots for ‘Leaving Everything Behind’

Source: www.examiner.com

Everything Yelena Eckemoff does seems to be about her love of nature, its intrinsic beauty, and its own immortal life cycle that cannot be moved by man. Through a strong and prolific discography borrowing profusely from her classical heritage and her latent jazz interest, Eckemoff expresses an innate approval, even a reflection of her own conceptual, existential interest inherent in nature.

The Russian classical-jazz pianist and composer gives other prolific artists a run for their money. It seems she’s released a new recording every year, with Glass Song, A Touch Of Radiance, Lions, and Everblue.

She pairs up again with drummer Billy Hart on an often painful look back in the May 13, 2016 release, Leaving Everything Behind (L&H Production). She also works with bassist Ben Street and violinist Mark Feldman to complete the emotional process.

She revisits the compositions from her early period, before she knew much about modern jazz. In doing so, she puts an updated spin — with her new band — on compositions that go back to the 1980s and make stops along the way through Eckemoff’s early 20s and on through 2005 and 2008. What’s really amazing is as structured as Eckemoff’s charts are, and as thoroughly rehearsed as she and her band always have to be, she makes plenty of room for an improvisational feel on the 11 tracks.

When she speaks of leaving everything behind, Eckemoff isn’t kidding. In 1991, the classically trained pianist and her husband had to leave everything behind in the Soviet Union in order to make it to America. They left their three young children with her parents, in hopes that they could bring them to their new home after getting settled. They also arrived in the U.S. with virtually nothing other than some spare change.

“When my husband and I came to America it was a really difficult time,” she said in a DL Media press release. “We came to America with less than $20 in our pocket, didn't know the language, we were struggling to get established. Listening to music was not a priority, but I did a lot of composing and performing as a solo pianist.

“It was really impossible for us to leave Russia, so we had to leave our children with my parents for a year and two months just to come to America together. It was the most difficult thing we ever did. We didn't know if we'd have to go back or if they would be brought to us. It was indefinite — we didn't know how long we weren't going to see them.”

Like she did on her previous U.S. releases, Eckemoff contributed her artwork and poetry along with her original music — for a complete experience.

Working with Eckemoff isn’t a piece of cake. This is a bandleader with a keen eye for details and a definite vision. The musicians on board must do their homework, learn the charts inside and out, and be completely prepared. But they are richly rewarded with the enlightenment of her dense, intricate, and innovative music, a new modern jazz she has managed to create for herself.

Eckemoff explained her process in the press release. “Traditionally, jazz is about extensive improvising on what might even be a simple tune. What I'm doing is taking more charge of the outcome. I provide a comprehensive, carefully thought-through musical framework, based on the important melodic material, and share with performers my sentiments about what each piece is meant to express. At the same time I leave much space in this framework for the creative reading by each band member, as well as the band as a whole. When we start playing together, each band member brings a personal interpretation of the music material, and sometimes the outcome evolves away from what was initially intended. The improvisational parts, both structured and free, add a strong element of unpredictability, and also the interplay between band members often takes the music in a new direction.”

An advance media preview of Eckemoff’s “Love Train” — not the O’Jays pop single — shows a remarkable evolution in the enlightenment of jazz and classical, fused in short and long forms of modern details amidst the fragility and eternity of man’s nature. There are a million jazz-classical concerts dying to break out in the myriad cascading snippets aligned in Eckemoff’s tender, forceful piece.

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Yelena Eckemoff Website