Brad Mehldau Trio - Blues and Ballads (2016)

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Nonesuch Records releases the Brad Mehldau Trio’s Blues and Ballads, the trio’s first new release since 2012’s Where Do You Start, on June 3, 2016. The previous release received critical acclaim, with the Financial Times saying, “Mehldau never lets his peerless technique and meticulous timing interrupt the narrative flow of a well-told tale. Here, the pianist and his trio burrow deep into left-field pop and the American songbook, and give an adventurous sheen to modern jazz.” Blues and Ballads similarly comprises interpretations of songs by other composers, this time with the focus on blues and ballads implied by the album’s title. The Brad Mehldau Trio is Brad Mehldau on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Jeff Ballard on drums. Blues and Ballads is available for pre-order now at iTunes and in the Nonesuch Store, where CD and vinyl orders include an instant download of the album track "Little Person" and a download of the complete album available on release day. You can hear "Little Person" below.

Brad Mehldau moved to New York City and first came to prominence as a member of current label mate Joshua Redman’s quartet in the 1990s before becoming a bandleader himself. His trio, which tours the world extensively, made eight acclaimed recordings for Warner Bros., including the five widely praised Art of the Trio albums with former drummer Jorge Rossy, which Nonesuch released as a boxed set in December 2011.

The pianist’s time with Nonesuch has been equally productive, beginning with the solo disc Live in Tokyo and including five trio records—Day Is Done, House on Hill, Live, Ode, and Where Do You Start—as well as a collaboration with soprano Renée Fleming, Love Sublime; a chamber ensemble album, Highway Rider; and two collaborations with label mate Pat Metheny, Metheny Mehldau and Quartet, the latter of which also includes Ballard and Grenadier. In 2011, Nonesuch released Mehldau’s live solo performance on Live in Marciac and his collaborations with genre-crossing musicians Kevin Hays and Patrick Zimmerli on Modern Music. The following year, Nonesuch released Ode, which went on to be nominated for a Grammy, and Where Do You Start. In 2013, Mehldau was featured as a performer and producer on Joshua Redman’s acclaimed Nonesuch release Walking Shadows. His solo on “Sleeping Giant,” on his and Mark Guiliana’s 2014 Nonesuch album Mehliana: Taming the Dragon, was nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo in the 2015 Grammy awards. Nonesuch released the four-CD 10 Years Solo Live in November 2015; later that year, Mehldau received the Wigmore Medal, the first jazz musician ever to do so. Mehldau was also curator of an annual jazz series at Wigmore Hall from 2009 to 2011, and was the first-ever jazz artist to hold the Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair at Carnegie Hall, in its 2010–11 season. The Brad Mehldau Trio was named Best International Ensemble at the 2013 Echo Awards, the same year that Where Do You Start was chosen as Album of the Year by the Académie du Jazz.

Since I Fell For You
I Concentrate On You
Little Person
Cheryl
These Foolish Things
And I Love Her
My Valentine

Brad Mehldau
Larry Grenadier
Jeff Ballard

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Three Reeds Quintet - Across Two Centuries (feat. David Liebman, Federico Benedetti, Romano Pratesi, Paolo Ghetti & Mauro Beggio) 2016

David Liebman alla presentazione dell’album “Across two centuries”

Il sassofonista americano di fama mondiale in concerto con il gruppo gruppo "Three Reeds Quintet" al Jazz Club

Lieb concIn occasione dell’uscita del Cd “Across two centuries”, al Jazz Club Il Torrione di Ferrara si terrà un concerto di presentazione dell’album, mercoledì 11 maggio alle ore 21.30.

La presenza nel gruppo “Three Reeds Quintet” –  insieme a Federico Benedetti al sax alto, Romano Pratesi al clarinetto basso, Paolo Ghetti al contrabbasso e Mauro Beggio alla batteria – di David Leibman al sax soprano e tenore, basta a fare di tale occasione un evento da non perdere.

David Liebman, jazzista americano di fama mondiale, oltre ad aver fatto parte dei mitici gruppi di Miles Davis negli anni 70, ha collaborato con Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Elvin Jones, Pat Metheny, in più dei propri progetti e di un’incessante attività didattica culminata con la creazione dell’Associazione Internazionale delle Scuole di Jazz, Iasj. Una carriera esemplare nella costruzione di un progetto artistico coerente e senza compromessi hanno fatto di David Liebman un modello per almeno due generazioni di jazzisti.

David Liebman, soprano sax

Federico Benedetti, alto sax

Romano Pratesi, bass clarinet

Paolo Ghetti, double bass

Mauro Beggio, drums

01. Across Two Centuries

02. Boo Doo

03. Pablo’s Story

04. Like a Monkey in a Rocket

05. Blue Rose

06. Brite Piece

07. Thinging

08. Blindfold Test

09. Caruso

10. Pendulum

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Eric Rivers Trio - Crowded Solitudes (2016) CLEAN FEED RECORDS

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Eric Rivers Trio - Crowded Solitudes (2016)

The Eric Revis Trio is back, this time with Gerald Cleaver using sticks against skins and metal, replacing his elders Andrew Cyrille from “City of Asylum” – Cecil Taylor’s drummer of choice for a decade – and John Betsch from the project’s recent European tour – Steve Lacy’s partner for the same period of time. The brilliant newcomer Kris Davis remains at the piano. Although the music is different, the principles, objectives and personality are the same, coming from the mind and heart of the same man who has plucked his double bass for 17 years with the Branford Marsalis Quartet. “Crowded Solitudes” is another example of Revis’s “back-to-the-future” philosophy: the invention of the future of jazz is rooted in its past and tradition. With this attitude the bassist and composer defined his path in the world of jazz, travelling the routes of the mainstream and the avant-garde, with Kurt Rosenwinkel or Peter Brötzmann. In the case of this mutable trio, the tradition is represented by free-jazz and its connection with earlier forms and vocabularies. What’s coming appears through the creative exploration of all of the assumptions of the Sixties “New Thing”, showing that there’s always something new after the new gets old. As Søren Kierkegaard wrote, «life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward.»

Kris Davis  piano | Eric Revis  double bass | Gerald Cleaver  drums

1. Arcane 17

2. Bontah

3. Victoria

4. QB4R

5, D.O.C.

6. Crowded Solitudes... (for B.K)

7. Vertical Hold

8. Anamnesis... Parts I & II (for Tamir And Ms. Bland)

Tracks 1, 4 and 6 composed by Eric Revis (Rebay Music, BMI), Kris Davis (Socan) and Gerald Cleaver (Gerald Cleaver Music, SESAC) | Track 2 composed by Rio Sebastian Revis for Rebay Music, BMI | Track 3 composed by Paul Motian for Yazgol Music-BMI | Tracks 5 and 8 composed by Eric Revis for Rebay Music-BM | Track 7 composed by Greg Osby for Daigoro Music-SESAC

Recorded 6/19/15 and 10/28/15 at The Samurai Hotel Queens,NY (www.thesamuraihotel.com) | Recorded and mixed by Dave Stoller

Produced by Eric Revis for Rebay Music | Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design by Travassos

Eric Revis plays Upton Basses (www.uptonbass.com), Velvet Strings, GK Amplifiers and David Gage Realist pickups

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Alexander Hawkins / Evan Parker - Leaps in Leicester (2016) CLEAN FEED RECORDS

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Alexander Hawkins / Evan Parker - Leaps in Leicester (2016)

Saxophone colossus Evan Parker is no stranger to the duo format with a pianist, and the recordings with the likes of Agustí Fernández, Sylvie Courvoisier, Matthew Shipp, Georg Graewe, Stan Tracey, Borah Bergman and John Tilbury are there to confirm it.

His encounter with Alexander Hawkins isn’t just one more experience in that context, however. “Leaps in Leicester” may put him in known territory instrumentally (after all, which contexts hasn’t Parker seen over the course of his illustrious career?); but it’s not the context which provides the route to new directions here, so much as the personality of the individual with whom the dialogue is developed.

A self-taught improviser and composer, Alexander Hawkins is one of a kind and the best partner possible for someone as unique as Parker. Although over recent years Hawkins has appeared in various Parker-led formations (ranging from trio through to a 15-piece large ensemble), this album captures the pair’s very first explorations in the duo format.

It’s not the first time Clean Feed has released a CD featuring him – Hawkins is a member of The Convergence Quartet, playing with Taylor Ho Bynum, Dominic Lash and Harris Eisenstadt. His background speaks for itself, including collaborations with Louis Moholo-Moholo, Joe McPhee, John Surman, Mulatu Astatke, Wadada Leo Smith, and Anthony Braxton. Additionally, the work he has developed in the collaborative trio Decoy (with John Edwards and Steve Noble) has brought the possibilities provided by a particular instrument, the Hammond organ, to new grounds. Prepare yourself for something special.

Evan Parker  tenor sax

Alexander Hawkins  piano

All music by Alexander Hawkins and Evan Parker

1. Jump Star

2. Gambade

3. Capriole

4. The Shimmy (For Tony Marsh)

Recorded 27th February 2015 at Embrace Arts, Leicester, UK by Chris Trent | Mixed by Chris Trent and Adam Skeaping | Mastered by Adam Skeaping

Production by Alexander Hawkins | Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design by Travassos

Special thanks to Roger Gow

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Guillermo Klein - Los Guachos V (2016)

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For 20 years, Guillermo Klein has been creating some of the most singular and exciting music for his highly adept 11-piece ensemble, Los Guachos. His compositional style has been evolving over the years, though always utilizing elements of jazz, folkloric music of his native Argentina, rock and modern classical music. Klein’s musical voice has established a number of unique composing concepts. His new recording, Guachos V, heralds his use of a new method: symmetries. To highlight this work, Klein has created two suites, Suite Indiana and Suite Jazmin, that use familiar works of the jazz canon and his own material reworked using mirroring, inversions and retrogrades of harmonies and melodies to create new compositions. Klein celebrates this anniversary by doing what he does best, presenting new, challenging, but tremendously gripping and rhythmically attractive, music.

1. Suite Indiana - Back Home Again 03:44
2. Suite Indiana - Donna Lee
3. Suite Indiana - Patria Espiral
4. Suite Jazmin - Symmetry I
5. Suite Jazmin - Si No Sabes 4/4 04:40
6. Suite Jazmin - Si No Sabes 9/8
7. Suite Jazmin - Burrito Hill Mirror
8. Suite Jazmin - Human Feel Mirror
9. Suite Jazmin - Jazmin
10.Symmetry II (Si No Sabes Que No Sabes)
11.Ashes 02:20
12.Quemando Velas
    

Ben Monder - guitar
Bill McHenry - tenor sax
Chris Cheek - soprano, tenor & baritone sax
Diego Urcola - trumpet, trombone
Fernando Huergo - electric bass
Guillermo Klein - piano
Jeff Ballard - drums
Miguel Zenon - alto sax
Richard Nant - percussion, trumpet
Sandro Tomasi - trombone
Taylor Haskins - trumpet, flugelhorn 

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Bart Defoort Quintet - Inner Waves (2016)

Label: W.E.R.F.

Source: Jazz Around

Après « Moving » (en quartet avec Erik Vermeulen au piano), « The Lizzard Game » (avec déjà Hans Van Oost à la guitare) et « Short Stories On Our Journey » (en quintet avec le saxophonsite italien Emanuele Cisi et Ron Van Rossum au piano), voici le quatrième album personnel de Bart Defoort. Pour ce nouvel album WERF, le saxophoniste ténor du Brussels Jazz Orchestra et complice de Diederik Wissels pour l’album Streams a réuni un quintet.  Au piano, Ewout Pierreux, le compagnon de Tutu Puoane (albums « Breathe », « Ilanga » et Bert Joris and Tutu: « Live at De Roma ») et membre du Tuesday Night Orchestra. A la guitare, Hans Van Oost, l’un des membres de l’équipe réunie par Fabien Degryse pour un Hommage à René Thomas mais aussi membre du quintet de Koen Nyset du trio de Johan Vandendriessche. A la contrebasse, Christophe Devisscher, qui a longtemps fait partie du quartet du vibraphoniste Pascal Schumacher (« Bang My Can », « Here We Gong ») et vient d’enregistrer à son nom « A Fischeman’s Tale », avec Frank Deruyter au saxophone. A la batterie, Tony Vitacolonna, actuel batteur du BJO (« The Music of Enrico Pieranunzi », « Brel » avec David Linx) et fondateur de DelVita avec le tromboniste Peter Delannoye. Au répertoire, une nouvelle série de compositions originales : huit du leader et Still du guitariste. De longues plages de 6 à 9 minutes qui laissent de larges espaces pour les solos : guitare sur Late Night Drive ou Still, piano sur No More Church et Late Night Drive. Tout au long de l’album, on retrouve la sonorité ronde et chaleureuse du ténor, que ce soit sur tempo rapide (Bright Side, Make That Move, Inner Waves avec ce thème exposé à trois, sax-guitare-batterie, avant que n’interviennent piano et contrebasse), sur des ballades à la mélodie langoureuse (No More Chruch, Too Late To Tell You, Still) ou sur un mid tempo volontiers bluesy (Late Night Drive, Light Red To Dark Blue, The Yearning Song avec une intro piano-contrebasse). Du travail d’orfèvre.  Claude Loxhay 

01. Late Night Drive 07:03
02. Light Red to Dark Blue 07:14
03. No More Church 08:24
04. Bright Side 09:24
05. The Yearning Song 07:11
06. Make That Move 05:45
07. Too Late to Tell You 07:01
08. Inner Waves 06:26
09. Still 06:10

Bart Defoort - saxophone
Ewout Pierreux - piano
Hans Van Oost - guitare
Christophe Devisscher - contrebasse
Tony Vitacolonna - batterie

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Chris Parker Trio - Blue Print (2016)

Label: Nunoise Records

Source: Cdbaby

Born in Chicago, Chris was playing drums at age three and began performing his first professional gigs at eleven. At nineteen, Parker began recording and touring with blues great Paul Butterfield and then broke into the New York studio scene in 1970,doing records, movie scores and filling the drum chair at Saturday Night Live.

Toph, as friends know him, recorded platinum, gold and Grammy winning albums and CDs with many artists,including the original Brecker Brothers, Bob Dylan, Cher, Natalie Cole, Donald Fagen, Ashford and Simpson, Aretha Franklin, Freddie Hubbard, James Brown, Salt ‘n’ Pepa, Stuff, Miles Davis, Patti LaBelle, Michael Bolton, Michael Franks, Lionel Hampton,Eddie Palmieri,Gato Barbieri,Ivan Lins,Jane Duboc,Billie Holiday,Tony Bennett,Jon Secada,Don Covay and Quincy Jones who has written liner notes for the latest cd,”Blue Print.”

Currently leading his own band ,the Chris Parker Trio with Kyoko Oyobe,piano and Ameen Saleem,bass,Parker has just recorded “Blue Print,” a new cd dedicated to Arif Mardin and produced by Arif’s son, Joe.This new work features Randy Brecker,on three tracks as well as Parker’s original compositions.

 1. Opus De Tophe
2. You Be My Baby
3. Ballad
4. Filthy McNasty
5. Blue Print
6. First Days
7. Counting Sheep
8. Of Two Minds
9. Duomo
10. Choice

Chris Parker
Kyoko Oyobe
Ameen Saleem
Michael O'Brien

With special guest:

Randy Brecker - trumpet

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Jack Dejohnette - In Movement (2016)

Label: ECM

Source: Allaboutjazz - Karl Ackermann

There is something of the "six degrees of separation" theory at work in this newly formed trio, led loosely, by the great Jack DeJohnette. The drummer/multi-instrumentalist works in the company of saxophonist Ravi Coltrane whose lineage is well known, and bassist/electronic artist Matthew Garrison whose father Jimmy Garrison was the bassist in John Coltrane's classic quartet. And, of course, DeJohnette, early in his career, played with the fathers of both of his trio mates.

In Movement opens with an extended and stunning version of the senior Coltrane's "Alabama." While the trio loses none of the original version's emotional impact, they nevertheless take a fresh approach with the addition of restrained electronics and Ravi Coltrane's quietly surging tenor. The title track, one of two compositions where all three trio members share writing credits, again features a soaring performance from Coltrane, this time on soprano sax. A transformative take on the Miles Davis/Bill Evans "Blue in Green" includes some fine piano work from DeJohnette, a talent for which he's often under-recognized.

What may seem like an unusual entry on In Movement is the Earth, Wind & Fire song, "Serpentine Fire." DeJohnette, however, had worked with the legendary R&B group leader Maurice White in an early DeJohnette trio where the leader played piano and White was the drummer. DeJohnette's "Lydia,"—written for his wife—is slow and atmospheric and a perfect counter for the more frenetic "Rashied," a DeJohnette/R. Coltrane composition that sees the saxophonist blazing through improvisations set to DeJohnette's blistering pace. The drummer's own "Soulful Ballad" is just that, with DeJohnette back on piano and Coltrane turning in a quietly moving performance.

DeJohnette, in a 2011 NEA Jazz Master interview with The Smithsonian, described playing with John Coltrane as a ..."physical and spiritual experience...." When looking at the veteran artist's variety of output in the past twelve months, including Made in Chicago (ECM Records, 2015) and the fifty-year old Bill Evans Trio discovery, Some Other Time: The Lost Session From the Black Forest (Resonance Records, 2016), it is evident that DeJohnette is as much the source as the recipient of those qualities. As a drummer he runs the gamut from refined, light touches to visceral spontaneity. He finds perfect band mates in the always erudite and appealing playing of Ravi Coltrane and the refined musicality of Garrison. In Movement begs for a follow-up.  

1. Alabama
2. In Movement
3. Two Jimmys
4. Blue In Green
5. Serpentine Fire
6. Lydia
7. Rashied
8. Soulful Ballad

Jack DeJohnette (drums, piano, electronic percussion)
Ravi Coltrane (tenor, soprano and sopranino saxophones)
Matthew Garrison (electric bass, electronics)

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Ermis Michail Quintet - Minor Change (2016)

Label: Sels Released

Source: Ermis Michail

Ermis Michail was born at 1988, he started playing the guitar at the age of 14. In 2008 he was accepted at the Rotterdam Conservatory (Jazz Department). He performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2010 as a member of the Rotterdam Big Band. In 2011 he finished his Bachelor degree in Music (Jazz Guitar) with honors. In 2012 Ermis Michail won the 1st prize at “The Nicolas Economou Foundation (NEF) Scholarship Competition”. In 2014 he finished his Master’s degree in Jazz Guitar at the Rotterdam Conservatory (Codarts). In 2016 he released his debut album with his original compositions "Minor Change".
He is currently teaching jazz guitar at the University of Nicosia while performing in various projects as a leader and a sideman at venues all over Cyprus, Greece, the UK and the Netherlands.

 

1. Fifty One
2. Turning Around
3. Coincidence
4. Out of the Blue
5. Introducing
6. Lady Spring
7. New Orleans
8. Minor Change

Ermis Michail - guitar
Thomas Lumley - tenor saxophone
Andreas Panteli - piano
Marijn van de Ven - double bass
Luis Mora - drums 

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Billy Kilson Trio - Descension Rising (2016)

Label: Self Released

Source: Cdbaby

Billy Kilson has assembled a team of all-stars. Joined on bass, legendary Buster Williams along with Billy's long time friend also the highly acclaimed Bassist, James Genus. Rounding off the trio is the Pianist, Henry Hey, his formal BK Groove colleague.
After a decade plus with touring with Chris Botti, this is the debut recording of The Billy Kilson Trio inspired by his Jazz roots, Walter Davis Jr and Ahmad Jamal. Descension Rising - 復活 is an artistic display of Billy’s journey from his early days to his time with the Dave Holland Quintet.


CLARESESSNCE 　
This is a song written by Dave Holland for his late wife, Clare. The performance here is to pay homage to Dave and his lovely wife Clare.

STABLEMATES
This was one of Billy's audition tunes he played for Walter Davis Jr. Here Billy is paying homage to Walter and one of his favorite drummers Philly Joe Jones.　

A DYING BREED　
The inspiration for this composition are from the strength of those who have suffered and fallen yet will not quit. After Billy's personal hardship due to the illness in his family, it was the will of many who have had similar trials and tribulations that pulled him through.

PIKTOR’S METAMORPHOSIS 　
Billy's recently deceased friend, Bob Belden, introduced this album ”Transformation (The Speed Of Love)" to him. In the midst of Billy's metamorphosis, this song was quite profound .

PEE WEE
This tune is simply an homage to Tony Williams. It is very rare that a musician's instrumental skills match their compositional skills. Pee Wee is Billy's favorite Tony Williams composition.

…for MISS JENNY 　
"Miss Jenny" was one of Billy's Mom’s nickname. Before every gig his Mom would always would say “play pretty for the people”. Each of Billy's recordings, he performs and composes a mallet drum solo for her.

DOLPHIN DANCE
Although this is a song written by Herbie Hancock, Billy is channeling his days with Ahmad Jamal by playing his arrangement of this beautiful composition.

RIM-THA-MA-NING 　
This is a solo piece inspired by one of the many drum videos by Lenny Nelson. He was and still is a mentor to Billy. Lenny also studied with his teacher, Alan Dawson.

YOU’VE GOT IT BAD GIRL 　
Two of America's greatest composers, Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock. This performance is inspired by Herbie Hancock’s arrangement of You’ve Got it Bad Girl.

MILDAMA
This performance is paying homage to Max Roach and Billy's teacher Alan Dawson. Alan and Max has continued to inspire each and everyone of Billy's drum solos.  

1. Claressence
2. Stablemates
3. A Dying Breed
4. Piktor's Metamorphosis
5. Pee Wee
6. ...For Miss Jenny
7. Dolphin Dance
8. Rim-Tha-Ma-Ning
9. You've Got It Bad Girl
10. Mildama

Billy Kilson - drums
Buster Williams - bass
James Genus - bass
Henry Hey - piano 

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JASPER HØIBY - Fellow Creatures, THE NEW ALBUM (EDITION RECORDS)

JASPER HØIBY

'Fellow Creatures'

THE NEW ALBUM

“..fusing the infectious grooves of a Phronesis rhythm section with the off-kilter hooks of Polar Bear.” LONDON JAZZ

JASPER HØIBY double bass, composer

MARK LOCKHEART saxophone

LAURA JURD trumpet

WILL BARRY piano

CORRIE DICK drums

OUT 15th JULY 2016

Pre-order 1 of 100 limited edition signed and numbered CDs

Watch 'Fellow Creatures' album trailer

Fellow Creatures is the first new venture for Jasper’s own music since his formation of Phronesis in 2005, and as such will be hugely anticipated in jazz circles. The music embodies a strong sense of groove and an optimistic and driving energy, which combines with atmospheric textures and contrapuntal rhythms, leading Jazzwise to describe the band as “masters of evolving melody”.

EDITION RECORDS

Patrick Shiroishi's Black Sun Sutra - Anfinsen's Landmark (2016) CREATIVE SOURCES RECORDINGS

PRESENT

Patrick Shiroishi's Black Sun Sutra - Anfinsen's Landmark (2016)

Released April 18, 2016 

Noah Guevara - Guitar 

Robert Magill - Tenor Saxophone 

Ken Moore - Double Bass 

Sergio Sanchez - Drums 

Patrick Shiroishi - Alto & Baritone Saxophones

1. Human Suffering 08:09

2. Don't Truth Me and I Won't Truth You 06:41

3. Athialowi 06:06

4. Stand Up and Lose Your Name and Become One 06:34

5. Esteemer 04:34

Recorded live at the Church of the Epiphany in Oakpark, CA on the 23rd of August, 2015. 

Produced, Engineered, Mixed & Mastered by Felix Salazar 

Titled by Amandeep Brar 

Artwork & Design by Nisa Karnsomport 

Dedicated to Ayumi Nancy Tashiro & Harry Asayoshi Shigetomi 

This album was made possible with the generous support of James Hall, Tommy Jordan, Martin Fleischmann, Jay Wilcox, Rev. Melissa McCarthy, Brian Driscoll, Jonathan Silberman & Kelly Coats. This binaural recording was made with a Neumann KU-100 "Fritz" courtesy of James Hall at Jawbone. 

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