Tisziji Munoz - When Coltrane Calls! (Session 1: Fierce Compassion) (ANAMI MUSIC 2016)

By Chris Haines / freejazzblog.org

“…it is, here and now, taught that music is ordinarily used to create, validate and express self-limitation and bondage, but it can also be used for psycho-physical transformation and self-liberation. Whether or not the music is or can be used for higher purposes depends upon its medium or channel and the perceptional understanding or spiritual unfoldment of the individual performer or listener.” (Tisziji Munoz – The Bhagavad Guitar Player)

Coltrane’s music was the catalyst that initially sparked Tisziji Munoz’s interest in creative music and it seems after many years, spiritual journeys and many albums later that Munoz has come full circle to where it all started for him.  This album contains four different Coltrane tunes, “Wise One”, “Alabama”, “Lonnie’s Lament” & two versions of “Ogunde”, with the rest of the album being originals of Munoz’s.  Clearly, this album was never meant to be a ‘testimonial’ trudging through some Coltrane tunes, or a stale academic exercise in authenticity.  The emphasis appears to be on the creative spirit of the jazz master and the essence of the session.  This is borne out by the way the pieces are approached and the inclusion of original tunes/improvisations that try to capture the life-force of the music, which is the order of the day.

The group consists of a variety of musicians including Munoz (Electric Guitar), John Medeski (Piano), Don Pate (Acoustic Bass), John Benitez (Basses & Percussion), George Koller (Acoustic Bass), Tony Falco (Drums), Bob Moses (Drums) and Adam Benham (Percussion) all appearing under their spiritual name guises (for those that have them).  First off, the album seems to capture some of the spirit of Munoz’s classic albums such as Breaking the Wheel of Life and Death! & Auspicious Healing! and not just for the consistent use of the exclamation mark in the titles!  In some part this appears to come from John Medeski’s input (his name also being singled out on the album cover with equal weighting), which tends to provide the same harmonious contrast to Munoz’s playing as the brilliant exuberance of Marilyn Crispell’s piano on the aforementioned records.

“Wise One” is the first track to air with Munoz’s blistering lead guitar tracing the outline shape of the melody before spiraling off into more distant realms whilst Medeski’s piano follows the original changes more faithfully which then rolls into a piano and bass arrangement of “Alabama”.  Both versions of “Ogunde” provide Tisziji Munoz with the perfect platform to get ‘out there’, with his playing providing similar improvised arabesques and free-form sensitivity that Coltrane’s versions captured.  Of the Munoz originals “Living Native Wisdom” and “Fearless in Death” accommodate a more extended (both coming in at around 14 and 12 minutes respectively) and explorative structure allowing the music to change and contrast the initial material more naturally, either opening up into an oasis of calm as in the former or to gradually twist and turn with it’s complex and tangled lines as in the latter.

For the Coltrane purists I’m sure many noses will be turned up at this endeavor, but for those of us who are open minded and keen to engage with good creative music-making I’m sure many others will find this an interesting listen.  For those wanting more When Coltrane Calls! Session 3: Living Immortality is also out for release.

Tisziji Muñoz guitar

John Medeski piano

Don Pate acoustic bass

George Koller acoustic bass

John Benitez basses, percussion

Rakalam Bob Moses drums

Sadhu-Bhav Tony Falco drums

Adam Benham percussion

1. Wise One 8:17

2. Alabama 2:46

3. Ogunde 1 7:07

4. Lonnie's Lament 9:33

5. Ogunde 2 2:31

6. Living Native Wisdom 13:54

7. Straight Through the Heart 4:58

8. Fearless in Death 11:38

9. Out of the Body 8:57

Roberto Negro - Garibaldi Plop (TRICOLLECTIF 2017)

« Son presque acoustique, circulation parfaite, mise en place aussi joyeuse que précise, « fatrasie » digne de Bataille dans sa seule contribution à La Révolution surréaliste de Breton – motifs répétitifs, climats, nappes sonores, fragments de swing, cavales pour dessins animés, ébullition collective, retour au calme, citations comme s’il en pleuvait –, la performance crée une écoute, salle comble, très tendue. Pas un bruit, pas une toux, pas un chuchotement. Un peu comme si des jeunesses, rompues à toutes sortes de vacarmes à haute teneur en décibels, découvraient la lune. »
Francis Marmande – LE MONDE

« Le développement lancinant emmène sur une plage où les châteaux de sable se reconstruisent après la marée. Les fééries s’enchaînent. Je me voyais dans les studios de Hollywood tantôt sous un hangar où s’échafaudait un western, tantôt dans un autre où se tournait une romance, un autre un polar, un autre un péplum. Magique. De la musique jaillit un tourbillon d’images imprévisibles, comme une valse où le bras se poserait sur celui d’une inconnue. Soutien incomparable de la panoplie bruitiste du batteur, liberté maîtrisée du violoncelliste. On pense à Charles Mingus, à Moussorgsky, à Debussy. Le détournement d’une chanson de Maurice Chevalier (Les Gars de Ménilmontant) rappelle un des plaisirs du jazz : tordre le cou à la routine. »
Bruno Pfeiffer – LIBERATION

« Roberto Negro convoque un esprit lyrique – inspiré du vérisme italien -, dans ses compositions et dose avec précision l’alternance de passages contrastés, pétillants de couleurs et d’humour. On sort de là comme d’un spectacle de cirque, enchanté par les séquences successives – le clown, le suspense acrobatique, le dressage rugissant, l’impossible équilibriste, les claquements de fouet, l’illumination des flammes… Un des plus beaux concerts de cette année. »
Matthieu Jouan – CITIZEN JAZZ

1. La storia reale

2. Suole di gomma Vibram

3. Il vino !

4. Camouflage

5. Farina, crusca e voto alla madonna

6. Camouflage, parte seconda

7. 1944

8. Grilletto

9. Rosina cavatappi

Roberto Negro – piano, electronica, composition

Valentin Ceccaldi – cello, horizoncelle

Sylvain Darrifourcq– drums, electronica

Garibaldi Plop - Roberto Negro / Valentin... por tritonline

Sylvie Courvoisier & Mary Halvorson - Crop Circles (RELATIVE PITCH RECORDS 2016)

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A mere two months following yet another highly thought-of ensemble record, guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson has returned with some stimulating one-on-one. In this latest such instance, Crop Circles (Relative Pitch) pits her against (or rather, with) Sylvie Courvoisier.

Halvorson has always thrived in a duo setting: Jessica Pavone, Noël Akchoté, Stephan Crump to name a few; Halvorson’s duets with the violinist Pavone even got her much of her initial notice some ten years ago. This time she goes toe-to-toe with a pianist who is likewise one of the most creatively distinctive women in avant-garde jazz.

The Swiss-born Courvoisier is the fairly rare highly trained musician who has been able to apply her ample skills toward developing a voice all her own. She leads or co-leads a number of mostly small ensembles that include Mark Feldman, Drew Gress, Marc Ribot, Kenny Wollesen and Ellery Eskelin. Numerous collaborations have involved John Zorn, Erik Friedlander, Herb Robertson, Enrico Rava and Evan Parker. Given hers and Halvorson’s predisposition for working with any musician who shares a zeal for crafting challenging scores and carrying them out in extemporaneous performances, it was perhaps only a matter of time before the paths of these two extraordinary women would cross.

That finally happened last year with an engagement at New York’s Cornelia Street Cafe, leading eight months later to a single day recording session at Courvoisier’s home studio. Each brought tunes and worked them out together and by the end of the day, ten tracks were in the can.

It’s a given that Crop Circles was going to be highly artful — and it is — but the affinity heard between the two is something that can’t be taught. The two often navigate across a tightrope of synchronicity, such as on “La Cigale,” where they erupt with clusters of notes with such density it sometimes seems that there are three or four of them playing, especially when Halvorson turns her guitar into a tornado-making machine. The unison, impossibly knotty avant-bop lines that forms the head are remindful of Lennie Tristano. The clipped notes on the brief “Water Scissors” is so synergistic and telepathic, there are practically four hands with one mind. “Eclats for Ornette” begins and ends with a precarious, harmolodic head that they somehow make it through in tight conformity. For “Downward Dog,” Courvoisier splits her brain with her right hand following the serpentine path of notes with Halvorson as her left hand effortlessly offers up the complementing chords.

Other performances are much more spacious but no less full of intrigue. The spare “Aftershock” sports subtleties like pairing the bass strings of the guitar with the left side of the piano and a symmetry that’s maintained through the slight mood adjustments. Halvorson is heard playing slide like no one else on “Woman In The Dunes” and later brandishes effects pedals as the two ride the song on swelling and receding tides of emotion.

With “Your Way,” the two demonstrate how pretty melodies have a place in avant-garde. Although it’s Halvorson’s song, Courvoisier immerses herself in it and totally inhabits it. Those wanting to hear Halvorson go crazy with her signature guitar effects need to look no further than “Absent Across Skies,” where she deploys them so effectively to add both jarring eccentricities and shape to Courvoisier’s dark, strange chord progression.

This meeting of two of the brightest minds on the edgier side of jazz today produces music that’s astonishing both in its fluency and ceaseless ingenuity. Crop Circles can be purchased directly from Relative Pitch Records here.

1. La Cigale ... SC  5:37

2. Aftershock ... MH 5:09 

3. Eclats for Ornette ... SC  3:45   

4. Absent Across Skies ... MH 7:08

5. Downward Dog ...  SC  3:59 

6. Your Way ... MH 4:50 

7. Water Scissors ... MH 1:54 

8. Woman in the Dunes ...  SC 6:56

9. Double Vision ... MH 4:31

10. Bitter Apple ... SC + MH 2:23

Sylvie Courvoisier...piano

Mary Halvorson...guitar

Lite Orchestra - L'Orchestra Analogica (YOUNG NRG PRODUCTIONS 2017)

Lite Orchestra è un progetto (o percorso musicale) e contenitore di idee nato a Verona nel 2014 da un'idea di Thomas Pizzini e Matias Campaci, in continua evoluzione.

Ad oggi Lite Orchestra propone un Live strumentale concreto e pragmatico che tocca jazz, funk, blues, rock, house e molti altri generi musicali. L’idea si basa su un unico mood (o ambiente ritmico) nel quale i musicisti possano muoversi liberamente per dar vita, attraverso improvvisazioni sempre diverse, a derive musicali non completamente programmate.


Ad oggi il progetto ospita musicisti dalla preparazione eterogenea, che prediligono modi di suonare gli strumenti che si distacchino il più possibile da concetti e precetti accademici per ricercare un suono spontaneo, non mediato.

Le composizioni, tutte originali, hanno un'inusuale struttura armonica e ritmica, caratterizzata dalla non sovrapposizione armonica degli strumenti: linee singole che creano al più dei bicordi, rinunciando alla classica sovrapposizione per terze.

L’Orchestra produce e registra esclusivamente live presso il Club Ambassador, studio/fucina Veronese voluto e promosso da Lite Orchestra.

1. Dodici 08:00

2. Tredici 07:28

3. Quattordici 07:28

4. Quindici 07:00

5. Sedici 04:32

6. Diciassette 13:50

7. Diciotto 09:36

8. Diciannove 13:01

9. Venti 10:41

Thomas Pizzini gt - drum machines

Matias Campaci db - synth

Bruno Marini b sax - organ - sinth

Nelide Bandello dr

Gianmaria Gobbetti dr - synth

Vittorio Pozzato pf - synth

Cristina Mazza c sax

Nicolò Turri dr - perc

Big Cesar dr

Daniel Scholz - No1 (2017)

Daniel Scholz hat schon so gut wie sein ganzes Leben lang Sticks in der Hand und trotz seines jungen Alters schon auf vielen Bühnen gestanden. Ein Grund hierfür ist auch seine musikalische Offenheit. So reicht sein musikalisches Interesse von Jazz und Rock/Pop über Funk und Soul bis hin zu Punkrock.

Das bildet sich auch auf seinem Album ab:
Mit „No1“ bringt Scholz nun seine eigenen musikalischen Gedanken auf CD. Weg von dem „höher schneller weiter Gedanken“ - das war schon immer seine Devise und das ist auf dem Album deutlich zu hören. Die Musiker haben viel Raum bei der Gestaltung der Melodien und jeder Instrumentalist hat seinen eigenen Spot gefunden.

Das wundert nicht, denn mit Ron Spielman (Git.), Flo Müller (Git.), Konstantin Herleinsberger (Sax.) und Lukas Großmann (Org.) hat Scholz seine Band hervorragend besetzt.

Die eingängigen Melodien gehen leicht ins Ohr und lassen den Zuhörer immer wieder genauer auf das Spiel zwischen geschriebener Musik und Improvisation hören. Zunächst leicht und verspielt, im nächsten Moment eindringlich und verträumt, beschreibt die Musik kleine und große Geschichten des Alltags. Die Melodien sind Momentaufnahmen, daher auch die merkwürdigen Titel.

Seit zwei Jahren bewegt sich das eigene Projekt in seinem Kopf. Nun endlich wurde die Musik auf Band gebracht und ist seit Januar online erhältlich.

„Das Wichtigste ist, dass das Publikum und ich Spaß an der Musik haben. Egal welche Stilrichtung.“

jazz-fun.de meint:
Schön ohne Wenn und Aber. Jazz Fusion von höchster Qualität - absolut empfehlenswert!

01. Halftime Medium Up

02. Klaus

03. Bluesfunk

04. Fischpfanne

05. Bauschaum

06. Ds_Funk

07. Ida

08. Schnee

09. Blümchensex

Konstantin Herleinsberger, Sax

Flo Müller, Git

Ron Spielman, Git

Lukas Großmann, Org

Daniel Scholz, Dr

Daniel Scholz - Schlagzeuger aus Hamburg

Don Aliquo Sr. & Don Aliquo Jr. - Fathers and Sons (2017)

Saxophonist Don Aliquo has been described as a player “with an articulate flow of always surprising ideas, sophisticated with a dexterous technique and an incredibly smooth tenor sound that seduces rather than shouts.” Although his early influences are saxophonists John Coltrane, Stanley Turrentine and Dexter Gordon, his recent recorded output also displays the influences of Lester Young, Stan Getz and Joe Henderson as well. 

Don’s formative years were spent in his hometown of Pittsburgh where he studied with his father, Don Sr. an active and well-respected jazz artist. He went on to play with many of the city’s jazz legends including Roger Humphries, David Budway, Dewayne Dolphin, Jeff Watts, Danny Conn, John Wilson, Joe Harris and many others.  As a member of Roger Humphries’ group he recorded and had the opportunity to hear and jam with many artists who came through the city including Pittsburghers Stanley Turrentine and George Benson. 

Since his arrival in Nashville in 1999, Aliquo has been an active and influential jazz artist in the greater Nashville area and beyond. As either a leader or sideman, he has had the opportunity to perform and record with Rufus Reid, Jim McNeely, Gary Burton, Donald Brown, Scott Robinson, Clay Jenkins, Roger Humphries, Marvin Stamm, Michael Jefry Stevens and Obed Calvaire. In Nashville, he has been blessed to play and record with many of the region’s world-class artists including Rod McGaha, Duffy Jackson, Jeff Coffin, Jim Ferguson, Jamey Simmons, Lori Mechem and Beegie Adair to name a few. 

His latest solo CD, entitled SUN & SHIELD features veteran jazz masters Rufus Reid, bass, Jim McNeely, piano and the dynamic drummer Obed Calvaire. Recorded in June 2010, the work features the quartet in a set of originals written mainly by Aliquo. The album also introduces Aliquo’s work as a jazz clarinetist, an often over-looked instrument with deep jazz roots. Other recent or upcoming releases are The Don Aliquo/Clay Jenkins Quintet featuring Rufus Reid, Jim White and Harold Danko. (Release date March 2015) and “Chicken on the Hill with Will” (October 2014) featuring iconic Pittsburgh artists Roger Humphries, Dwayne Dolphin and David Budway. 

Don is currently Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies at Middle Tennessee State University where he also served as the Director of Jazz Studies from 2002-2012. Don is an in-demand clinician, presenting concerts and clinics throughout the United States and is honored to represent Vandoren reeds and mouthpieces.

01. But Not for Me 4:32

02. Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen 4:42

03. Because He Lives 6:30

04. The Symbol of Priority 4:58

05. So Danco Samba 3:32

06. The September One 5:50

07. I Should Care 4:47

08. Fathers and Sons 4:49

09. Lush Live 6:01

10. Wendt's Bent 3:48

Read more...

Alexis Avakian - Hi Dream (PARIS JAZZ UNDERGROUND 2017)

ALEXIS AVAKIAN : Saxophoniste franco/arménien, naît à Marseille, il baigne tôt dans la musique grâce à une mère musicienne traditionnelle. Il débute par le piano à dix ans, joue de la guitare avant d’adopter le saxophone.  En 2003  il est récompensé par un 1er prix de jazz au C.N.R. de Marseille et poursuit son apprentissage auprès d’Eric Barret, Jerry Bergonzi, Sylvain Beuf, Grant Stewart.

Le label issu du collectif PJU ne cesse de nous charmer au fil de ses publications par le soin qu’il apporte à la réalisation d’un travail toujours de qualité et dont le dernier album du saxophoniste Alexis Avakian est un nouveau témoignage.

Le saxophoniste qui publie ici son deuxième album est un musicien particulièrement raffiné qui apporte à ses compositions le soin d’une dentelière à l’ouvrage. Sa façon de jouer s’entend comme l’appréhension d’un véritable travail d’orfèvre, d’artisan de luxe dont les nuances subtiles et élégantes sont comme des envolées gracieuses dans un ciel à la Turner (Mark). Il faut l’entendre sur Interlude ou sur Agnès déployer avec une légèreté aérienne un  jeu d’une très grande zénitude.

Il faut dire que ce saxophoniste franco-arménien installé à Paris depuis 2006 s’est choisi des maîtres de haute volée comme Eric Barret, Sylvain Beuf ou encore, outre Atlantique le très grand Jerry Bergonzi (auquel i; dédie un titre, Per Gonzi) ou encore Grant Stewart dont on le sent très proche.

Tout en évitant le cliché d’un jazz world auxquelles ses racines arméniennes aurait pu l’enfermer, c’est au contraire un jazz très ouvert et protéiforme que nous propose Avakian. A la fois un jazz ouvert sur le monde entre plusieurs continents mais aussi ancré dans les racines d’un jazz modernisé où le saxophoniste surfe sur des structures rythmiques et harmoniques complexes, avec une facilité déconcertante. Puis par moment c’est dans un autre ancrage, plus roots auquel il s’attache pour de pur moments de poésie qui ramène un peu à l’Arménie tout en jetant des ponts avec les fondamentaux du jazz ( Adieu mon drôle, Noubar).

Avakian embarque ainsi une formation de très haut niveau pour une musique superbement écrite.

Tournant en boucle sur mon lecteur depuis plusieurs jours j’ai le sentiment de n’en avoir toujours pas fait le tour, découvrant au fil des écoutes des pépites cachées et une sacrée maîtrise du son par Avakian qui fait preuve ici d’une maturité qui force le respect et l’admiration.

Un bien bel ouvrage en somme.

Les parisiens et les parisiennes sont alors priés de se présenter le 2 février au Sunset pour faire entrer dans le monde élégant et hyper classe d’Alexis Avakian. Jean-Marc Gelin

01. Adieu mon drôle 4:15

02. Chalût Calvi 4:44

03. Per Gonzi 4:28

04. Hi Dream 6:05

05. Interlude 1:45

06. Boulevard des grands pins 5:13

07. Glendale 6:57

08. Agnès 6:38

09. Minor Mood 8:13

10. Noubar 4:27

11. Lullaby 2:27

Alexis Avakian - saxophone, flûte (2, 10 & 11) and guitar (on 4 &7)

Ludovic Allainmat - piano, fender rhodes, wurlitzer, pianet

Mauro Gargano - doublebass

Fabrice Moreau - drums

guest

Artyom Minassian - doudouk (1, 6, 10 & 11)

2gegen3 - Liquid (2017)

2 plus 3 gleich fünf. Hat man ja mal so gelernt. Stimmt auch irgendwie. Zu mindestens handelt es sich tatsächlich um ein Quintett, also fünf junge Musiker. Gefunden in Leipziger Hochschulgefilden. Auf der Suche nach einem ganz eigenen musikalischen Bild.

Aber 2 gegen 3 heisst noch eine Menge mehr: das sind 3 Teile eigene Kompositionen und 2 Teile musikalische Inspirationen von überall her. Das sind 3 Teile festes Arrangement und 2 Teile freies Spiel. Das heisst 2^3 mal Spass und Spielfreude. Das heisst miteinander, gegeneinander, übereinander, durcheinander… mal mit System, mal einfach drauflos. 3 Teile Jazz, 2 Teile Einflüsse aus aller Welt. Und natürlich auch das ganz offensichtliche: 3 mal braunes Haar und 2 mal blondes. „2gegen3“ sind einfach fünf eigensinnige Musiker, die Ihren persönlichen Klang im Ohr und auf der Seele haben – und der muss raus.

1. Somewhere 5:21

2. In Between 4:42

3. Mashiro 5:50

4. Ocean Wayfare 4:17

5. Merseburg 3:24

6. Winter Dream 5:45

7. Cyprus 4:24

8. No Mans Land 5:42

Jule Roßberg – Voc

Sonja Beeh – Tb

Lennart Jahn – Pn

Fabian Misch – Db

Philippos Thönes – Dr

Eric Hirschhorn - Living in the Question (2017)

First of all, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to check out this music. It means so much to put your work to the public and it is only matched with eternal gratitude. My name is Eric Hirschhorn, and this my first album of original works and arrangements. "Living in the Question" pertains to the core belief in Judaism of constantly asking important questions and questing for knowledge and wisdom. We must always be curious, and wanting to be thirsty for life and its mysteries. The band and production notes are as follows:

Eric Hirschhorn - Alto Sax (Tracks 2, 3, 6 and 7), Tenor Sax (Tracks 1, 4 and 5), Producer, Arranger

Harry Ostrander - Trumpet

Wes Perry - Tenor Saxophone (Tracks 2, 3, 6 and 7)

Tyler McGeough - Trombone (Tracks 2, 3, 6 and 7)

Kyle Schafer - Piano

Josh Vasquez - Guitar

Nick Ornelas - Bass

Tyler Kreutel - Drums

Jamond McCoy - Vocals (Tracks 2 and 6)

Maria Schafer - Vocals (Track 7)

Nic Chaffee - Recording Engineer/Producer

Kevin Welsh - Audio Engineer

I encourage you to look each of these incredible players up on Youtube or any other platform. They are extremely talented and I cannot express in words how honored I am to be able to call them my friends, let alone my fellow musicians. Each song is written with deep meaning and has a story and a connection coupled along with it. Please take a read to each track while you listen or just to read before you enjoy the music. The track list is as follows:

1. Company Men:
This tune is written in the Americana style with elements of Modern Jazz. It was written during college as an homage to all of my friends and people going through the struggle of school life. We were all like soldiers marching through a war together, and a song that represented that brotherhood feeling was something that came to mind. It is meant to feel like you and your band of partners is riding off on horseback into the sunset, or sharing a morning moment camping, waking up as a unit and seeing the sunrise. It is supposed to feel like home. You get to hear solos from Josh Vasquez on guitar, Harry Ostrander on trumpet and myself on tenor sax.

2. Brightest Light (Feat. Jamond McCoy):
This tune is a mix between Modern Jazz and a bit of R&B, and was inspired by the stylings of Gretchen Parlato, who I encourage you to listen to! This was created from the feeling of trying to rekindle a relationship that you know you hold dear, but just cannot work no matter who hard you try. Even if the situation is toxic, you can't seem to stop thinking about that person, but you know you must make a choice. Jamond McCoy is featured on vocals which I wrote the lyrics to. Lyrics writing is so difficult and I respect every songwriter on the planet, so I am honored to even be sharing this with you. You'll hear solos from myself and Josh Vasquez on guitar.

3. The Edge is Closer Than You Think:
This tune is in the modern jazz idiom, and is very inspired by the trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, who I also encourage you to go and check out. This tune was conceived from the stress placed on you in tough situations with people who make it seems like you're walking on thin ice. It is supposed to directly correlate with your mental state and when things push you too close to exploding on someone or something, you lose it completely. You will hear solos from Josh Vasquez on guitar and Harry Ostrander on trumpet. While you listen to this tune, consider these notes in chronological order:
-The piano figure is your mind at peace, working through your daily life knowing of the struggles you have to handle
-The melody from the horns is your daily adventure itself, twisting and winding, slowly building on itself, making statements and decisions.
-When the first solo comes, things turn dark and you are pressed into a small corner in your life where you need to fight and not mess up. The tension continues to build immensely until you are ready to completely fall apart and scream, but instead you just falter and cry, slowly falling down but not completely becoming enraged. You hold it in.
-Your day starts again, knowing what you had to go through, same as before, but when the second solo comes, this time you build till absolute madness. The horns scream and everyone smashes away and you release all of your anger and oppression.
-When it all fades out and all that's left is piano, that is your hope and reason, reminding you to be centered and maintain who you are. It lets you know that you are yourself and that your stress and problems don't own you, you own them.

4. Should Be A Privilege:
This tune is another venture in Modern Jazz and is much akin to the styles of guitarist Gilad Hekselman, another incredibly fabulous modern jazz music. This tune was conceived from the feelings I experienced toward the modern day college system and how it treats it students. Growing up, people always said that you should be grateful that you get to go to school and others in suffering countries don't, that schooling is a privilege. As much as this is true in America, the college system we find ourselves in shouldn't be causing kids to become homeless and find themselves in debt far beyond comprehension and reasonable means. Beyond this even, if you were to analyze kids in college and their sleep scheduales, their agendas, their attitudes, you would be shocked to find how many suffer from depression and other terrifying conditions. Schools do not care for their students, and the work load expected from them to meet the standards and pass is ludicrous and simply cannot be viewed as a privilege if the students suffer. Although this was my experience, others may have a had it different. From what I saw, this was a definite case, and something that oppressive should never be considered a privilege, hence the title. You will hear solos from myself and Josh Vasquez on guitar.

5. Aversa:
This tune is an ethereal ballad in dedication to a character from a video game. Video games and video game music have always been a huge part in my life, and when I picked up a copy of Fire Emblem: Awakening, I loved everything about it. In this game, there was a character that's story and personality stuck out to me. This character was Aversa, and I felt like I had to write a tune dedicated to her. This tune is written with influences of Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band and features solos from Kyle Schafer on piano and myself.

6. The Book of Love (Feat. Jamond McCoy):
Originally recorded by the Magnetic Fields, and redone by people like Gavin DeGraw and Peter Gabriel, I first heard this tune in the finale of the TV show "Scrubs". Growing up, I always came home from middle school to see "Scrubs" on TV, and JD (Zach Braff) was the same person as me, and so relatable. When it ended, Peter Gabriel's version played over an emotional scene of every character and situation that painted the series. It was tear-worthy from a fan's standpoint. I knew that when I had the skills, I wanted to make a version of it, so I did. This quasi-waltz is warm and features Jamond McCoy on vocals. You will hear solos from Tyler McGeough on trombone, Wes Perry on tenor sax, Josh Vasquez on guitar, Jamond McCoy on vocals, and Tyler Kreutel on drums.

7. Everything's Alright (Feat. Maria Schafer):
Originally recorded for the video game "To The Moon" by Laura Shigihara, this ballad features the incredible Maria Schafer and an Elvin Jones modal jazz section in the middle to explain emotions and feelings. I played this game in college and loved every second of it. The story of the two lovers and their past is beyond touching, and how the game ends leaves you in shambles, in a very good way. This song plays at the ending, and as soon as I heard it, I knew I needed to arrange my own version. On this one, you'll hear solos from Kyle Schafer on piano and myself.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking your time to listen to this album. If you wish to contact me or let me know your thoughts, my information is below. I hope your days are filled with joy and meaning. We make this music to change the way people think and feel, and to reach you with intention is our purpose. I hope we have connected with you.

Sincerely,
Eric Hirschhorn

Gabriel Dalvit & Albert Sanz - Snow in Summer (UNIT RECORDS 2017)

Every note is played with wisdom and passion. Each new listening brings new discoveries; each tune keeps revealing more hidden treasures: subtle articulations, rich harmonic textures, humorous details, new meanings…Snow in Summer, a beautiful duo collaboration between Albert Sanz and alto saxophonist Gabriel Davit will be inspiring you for a very long time; their music just keeps getting deeper. Jorge Rossy

1. Mantra 1 3:01

2. You Stepped out of a Dream 6:01

3. Easy to Love 5:53

4. Reincarnation of a Lovebird 7:20

5. Snow in Summer 6:45

6. Lennie Groove 4:58

7. Mantra 2 5:29

Gabriel Dalvit - Alto Sax

Albert Sanz - Piano

Eric Alexander Trio - Just One of Those Things (VENUS RECORDS 2016)

Eric Alexander and his tenor sax join together with Dezron Douglas on bass and Neal Smith on drums to complile a nine-track SACD full of jazz's favorite staples from John Coltrane, Cole Porter and many more!

1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To 《 C.Porter 》

2. Just One Of Those Things 《 C.Porter 》

3. Wise One 《 J.Coltrane 》

4. Beautiful Love 《 V.Young 》

5. You Say You Care 《 J.Styne, L.Robin 》

6. We've Only Just Begun 《 P.Williams 》

7. Stardust 《 H.Carmichael 》

8. Russian Lullaby 《 I.Berlin 》

9. Bessie's Blues 《 J.Coltrane 》

Eric Alexander - tenor sax

Dezron Douglas - bass

Neal Smith - drums