Thelonious Monk: Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960

Sam Records/Saga celebrates Monk's centennial with the release of Thelonious Monk: Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 – out today (June 16, 2017) in CD/digital format.

This historic music is now available for the first time outside the context of the film in this collection.  The recording contains all the music utilized in the film, as well as some tracks that were not heard on screen. The recording features Monk's 1959 all-star working band of Charlie Rouse, Sam Jones and Art Taylor, plus special guest French saxophonist Barney Wilen.

The project includes a 50-page booklet with original artwork by Jerome Witz, essays by acclaimed jazz writers Robin D.G. Kelley, Brian Priestley and Alain Tercinet, as well as a complete discography compiled by Daniel Richard, plus never-before-published color and black-and-white photographs and memorabilia from the recording session. 

The project was released on LP for Record Store Day in April and it's already earning high praise:

"...there's a tender intimacy to these solo and quartet recordings, which were made in the company of his wife and close friends." – Giovanni Russonello, The New York Times

"...a fresh discovery...Monk sounds lively and at ease: note the peekaboo feints he plays behind both saxophonists, and the sly rhythmic displacement he slips into his own solo." – Nate Chinen, WBGO

"...they reveal Monk during a dynamic year, in the midst of turmoil, seeming relaxed, playful and at the top of his game." – Larry Blumenfeld, Wall Street Journal

"This is no mere cash grab or vault-scraping; it's an absolutely essential find. Don't miss it." – Phil Freeman, StereoGum

"This new set is among my favorite historical releases of the year and offers material that is sure to delight Monk fans. It also shows off a more chilled side of Monk that will be less familiar to many listeners." – Marc Myers, JazzWax

"There has recently been a spate of archival releases, all important and opportune, but Thelonious Monk – Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 is easily the greatest to date." – C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz

"...this compelling document of a crucial period in the pianist's notoriously under-recorded career can be considered an early birthday present to his fans." – David Kastin, JazzTimes

"Everyone plays as if his hair is on fire. Monk comps in jolts of electricity. His solos start in left field, and it's a rush when he clangs his way back to the melody." – Thomas Conrad, Stereophile

"Most intriguing is the inclusion of French saxophonist Barney Wilen, making this one of only two Monk records to feature dual tenors on the front line." – John Frederick Moore, Jazziz

Monk biographer Robin D.G. Kelley notes: "It is not too much to suggest that Monk transformed what would have been an edgy but relative standard narrative film into avant-garde cinema." 

As T.S. Monk says:   "This is a marvelous release. Thelonious is at his best, with a wonderful array of his best friends, including Charlie Rouse, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor! And there are new tunes too! If you love Monk, you'll surely love this original soundtrack to the award winning French cinema classic Les Liaisons Dangereuses. The entire Monk family is delighted to partner with Sam Records/Saga to make this release possible."

Producer Zev Feldman writes:

"In December of 2014 I was visiting Paris and received a very charming introductory email out of the blue from the head of Sam Records, Mr. Fred Thomas explaining that he and his friend, Mr. Francois Le Xuan of Saga Jazz (producer of the acclaimed 'Jazz In Paris' series) had located master tapes of a previously unissued studio session of Thelonious Monk made in 1959 by a French producer (the one and only Marcel Romano: Miles Davis' "Ascenseur pour l'échafaud.") I was obviously extremely intrigued, and I believe my eyeballs literally left my face upon reading the news. Are you kidding me?! A STUDIO album?!! This was an extraordinary find and I wanted to know more.

"We would met up several days later at le Café de l'Olympia over coffee where we got to know each other and discussed this extraordinary find. Fred and Francois were looking for a partner and needed someone who knew the Monk family and was a fellow kindred spirit who shared a passion to present this find in a presentation worthy of a giant. I was honored they were familiar with my work and thought I would be a good fit and collaborator. As we spoke at the cafe, it became clear, we were all three guys cut from the same cloth who loved jazz, an international language in itself.

"Over the next two years, we worked with the Thelonious Monk estate and set out to assemble the cast of voices/words (and photos) to bring together and tell the story of this amazing event in Thelonious Monk's recorded legacy. It just might be one of the greatest journeys and highlights of my life. I'd like to thank the Thelonious Monk Estate for making this project possible, especially T.S. Monk and Gale Monk. I'd also like to thank the rest of the Monk team including Thelonious Monk's grandchildren, Sierre Monk & Thelonious Monk IV, plus Team Monk's Denise Pruitt-Grant, & Julion St. Hill. Finally, I'd like to thank my co-producers Fred Thomas & Francois Le Xuan for inviting me on this journey which I will never forget. And thanks to all of you for supporting this music."

Thelonious Monk – Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960

2-CD set with 60 page booklet

Thelonious Monk – Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960

Limited Edition Deluxe 2-LP Box Set

Samuel Jewell - The Journey of Process (2017)

1 The Journey 1:08

2 lilBigunknown 8:45

3 Busyness 7:27

4 The Struggle (Desire & Destiny) 9:59

5 Travail 6:39

6 Forgiveness 2:27

7 A Different Perspective 7:42

8 Grace 7:17

9 Meditate Daily 5:36

10 The State of Being Vulernable 9:13

11 Euphoria 7:25

12 Liberate 3:07

Samuel Jewell - Drums

Anthony Perkin - Piano

Brian Quinlan - Guitar

Runere Brooks - Bass

Shaun Johnson - Trumpet

Irvin Pierce - Tenor Saxophone

Melody Jones - Vocals

Josh Lawrence - Color Theory (POSI-TONE RECORDS 2017)

Josh Lawrence brings a full complement of tones and contrasts to his new record "Color Theory." Featuring a powerful line-up fronted by Lawrence's trumpet, keyboardist Adam Faulk, pianist Orrin Evans, and alto saxophonist Caleb Curtis, everything stays straight forward and swinging hard while the rhythm section of bassist Madison Rast and drummer Anwar Marshall keep everything honest and in the pocket. The music is meant to be reflections of the entire spectrum, and the musical program covers several hues and shades with an exciting and evocative presentation of Lawrence's amazing new original compositions. "Color Theory" features an amazing combination of talents and a highlight reel of brilliant performances. Josh Lawrence is a new star on the jazz horizon and his music is sure to bring bright moments to jazz fans everywhere.

Yellow

Presence

The Ripoff

RED!

The Conceptualizer

Green

Black

An Uptown Romance

Purple (4 Prince)

Blue

On The Yangtze

Josh Lawrence - trumpet

Caleb Curtis - sax

Brent White - trombone

Orrin Evans - piano

Adam Faulk - fender rhodes

Madison Rast - bass

Anwar Marshall - drums

Stanley Cowell - No Illusions (SteepleChase Productions ApS 2017)

Pianist/composer Stanley Cowell at age 75 is having an on-going renaissance as a performer since his retirement from Rutgers University in 2013. The group presented here is scheduled to have a three-night stint at New York City’s renowned live jazz spot Smokes in May.

This is Cowell’s 15th release from SteepleChase.

“…Cowell’s recording career now spans more than thirty years….an impressive consistency of purpose and the highest level of musical thought.” (Richard Cook & Brian Morton – The Penguin Guide to Jazz)

1 MILANO (John Lewis) 7:57

2 SUNLIGHT SHIFTING (Stanley Cowell) 7:24

3 MISS T. E. & O. (Stanley Cowell) 11:18

4 NO ILLUSIONS (Stanley Cowell) 7:19

5 CELESTIAL WOMAN (Stanley Cowell) 7:22

6 NOSTALGIA FOR HOMELANDS (Stanley Cowell) 5:34

7 LESDODIS (Stanley Cowell) 6:12

8 B MINOR FOLKSONG (Stanley Cowell) 6:55

STANLEY COWELL piano, thumb piano, Kyma

Bruce Williams alto saxophone, flute

Jay Anderson bass

Billy Drummond drums

Adam Rogers - Dice (2017)

Modern jazz virtuosity combusts with a raw, eclectic mixture of rock, funk, blues, country and R&B in a volatile combination that uniquely reflects our time while evoking the gritty street sounds of a bygone New York on the self-titled debut release by Adam Rogers’ DICE. The explosive power trio brings together Rogers, one of the most acclaimed and inventive guitarists in modern jazz, with a pair of longtime collaborators: bassist Fima Ephron and drummer Nate Smith.

Together, these three adventurous artists have created a uniquely electrifying sound that merges danger-skirting experimentalism with blistering, genre-defying tunes and spontaneous grooves as tightly coiled as a rattlesnake about to strike. It’s a singular concoction, one that could only come from a musician with Rogers’ distinctive background and gift for uniting six-string wizardry with gut-churning propulsion.

Due out June 16 on Rogers’ own ADRAJ RECORDS imprint, DICE marks the first release on the guitarist’s new label as well as the debut of a trio that has been honing its visceral sound for the better part of a decade. The members have shared histories that date even further back, however; all three have been key members of Chris Potter’s Underground, while Rogers and Ephron have co-led the uncategorizable group Lost Tribe since the early 1990s.

“The music that we play in this band is so infused by Fima and Nate’s incredible capacity to really groove their asses off, regardless of how complex the music can become.” Rogers says. “They have a phenomenal hook-up, both in terms of their natural talents and their ability to objectively conceptualize music.”

Those qualities are key to the risk-taking approach of DICE, which uses the written material as the leaping-off point for powerfully infectious music created entirely in the moment. It’s composition as a roll of the dice.

Rogers’ formative years were spent on the streets of New York City at a time when a staggering range of music poured out of every house you passed by. He was surrounded by music in his own home, where both his parents were Broadway performers who raised him against a steady backdrop of show tunes, jazz standards, popular song and opera. He came of age captivated by everything from The Beatles to James Brown, The Temptations to Led Zeppelin, Parliament Funkadelic to Jimi Hendrix. He discovered jazz through fusion pioneers like Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters and Weather Report before tracing the music back to its source, finding inspiration in the music of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

“In New York in those days,” Rogers recalls, “radios were always playing everywhere, right out on the street. I was profoundly affected by that; the music I heard cast a spell on me when I was young. There was so much instrumental musicianship evident in all of that era’s popular music, which, combined with what I heard at home, ultimately created the musical groundwork for me to start to appreciate jazz.”

Some of Rogers’ own earliest musical experiences were found on those same streets, as the young guitarist and his fellow musicians — including Ephron — would drag their axes and amps to a pre-Disneyfied Times Square to play for passersby. “We had gasoline generators and had certain places that we knew we could play where the cops wouldn’t stop us, and we played between two and three sets a day, five or six days a week. It was a wild and beautiful and crazy environment, and we would play music that was exciting, fast and loud so that we’d get the crowds enthusiastic.”

The music of DICE harkens back to those days, both in its excitement and in the techniques that Rogers and his fellow musicians honed to improvise and sustain chunks of groove in order to adjust to the unpredictable audiences. The same method can be heard throughout the trio’s album, from the taut, crunchy chords that open the album with the nasty skronk-funk of “Dice” through the grungy, steamroller heaviness of closer “Seven.”

“Chronics” begins with a deceptively simple blues-rock twang before taking a psychedelic twist at the end with the Beatles-inspired post-production addition of Mellotron and Clarinet overdubs — an attempt, Rogers explains, to “put a little Schubert into the funk.” Rogers embellishes many of the tunes on the album with lush layers of sound: samples, synths, clarinets, organ, Fender Rhodes, percussion and other elements that nod to the more sophisticated elements that sit side-by-side with the live vitality and expert musicianship of many of his influences.

The percussive guitar strumming at the heart of the funky “Sea Miner” and “Elephant” has a direct antecedent in the revered fretwork of Jimi Hendrix, while the deep-rooted Delta blues style of “The Mystic” is a direct tribute to the legendary Mississippi Fred McDowell. The dreamlike collage of “The Interlude” is just that, an entr’acte built on the foundation of a freely improvised groove. It’s followed by the searing, syncopated thrash of “Flava,” which is suddenly interrupted by a stunning, abstract piece of musique concrete borrowed from music for a theater piece Rogers scored.

Taken at a blissful lope, DICE’s version of the Patsy Cline classic “Crazy” — written by Willie Nelson — luxuriates in the lyrical, warm sound of the Fender Telecaster. Rogers was inspired to interpret the song by Tele masters like Jimmy Bryant, James Burton and Roy Buchanan, putting his own unique, warped accent on the tradition over Smith’s whispering brushwork and Ephron’s swaggering bass. The brashly playful “L the Bruce” pays homage to iconic comedian Lenny Bruce in its irreverence and dark, edgy sense of humor.

On DICE, Rogers, Ephron and Smith tap the vein of a cityscape to find a vital source of visceral musical invention. It’s rock, it’s funk, it’s blues, it’s country, it’s throat-throttling jazz as only these three innovative artists can create it.

1. Dice 06:51 

2. Chronics 08:21

3. Sea Miner 06:30

4. The Mystic (For Fred McDowell) 06:06

5. The Interlude 02:20

6. Flava 05:22

7. Elephant 04:22

8. Crazy 04:53

9. Lthe Bruce 07:58

10.Seven 03:05

Adam Rogers - Guitar

Fima Ephron - Bass

Nate Smith - Drums

Adam Rogers DICE from Adam Rogers on Vimeo.

Carl Winther & Jerry Bergonzi - Inner Journey ((SteepleChase Productions ApS 2017)

Pianist/composer Carl Winther dedicates this album to his father, legendary Danish trumpeter/composer/bandleader Jens Winther, whose untimely death February 24, 2011 stunned his fans.

Carl Winther himself is an award-winning artist who – while attributes his musical foundation to his famous father – is his own voice to establish himself in the international scene.

“ .. If you are into highly modern jazz trio with American roots, this album has a lot to offer.” (Brian Petre – Jazz Special on SCCD 33130 “Deconstructing Mr. X”)

1 TALISMAN (Carl Winther) 8:09

2 REQUIEM For JW (Carl Winther) 4:40

3 INNER JOURNEY (Carl Winther) 4:00

4 KMA (Carl Winther) 4:47

5 BAR NONE (Jerry Bergonzi) 8:33

6 TRITON (Tomas Franck) 11:25

7 WHEEL OF FORTUNE (Anders Mogensen) 6:06

8 LONG GONE (Carl Winther) 3:47

9 GOLEM (Carl Winther) 4:16

CARL WINTHER piano

JERRY BERGONZI tenor saxophone

JOHNNY ÅMAN bass

ANDERS MOGENSEN drums

This week: A selection of DVDs permanently reduced in price (CHALLENGE RECORDS)

A selection of Challenge DVD productions have been permanently reduced in price, including the live recording with behind-the-scenes documentary of Winterreise, the Tango! DVD with the Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble, the Toots Thielemans live registrations 90 yrs. and Live at le Chapiteau Opèra de Liège, and the heroic Handel opera Agrippina.

Franz Schubert

Winterreise (BluRay) 

Christoph Prégardien / Michael Gees

Winterreise
Schubert's Winterreise is one of the most famous song cycles that exist in classical music and musicians take it up again and again because of its beauty, sorrow and depth. It is about life itself and which performer wouldn't like to reflect on life? Both tenor Christoph Prégardien and pianist Michael Gees have their own vision on the cycle. Playing together, a third view develops, combining their two visions into an exciting interpretation of Winterreise. The film includes a live registration and a documentary with interviews, and is available on both DVD and Bluray.

Isabelle van Keulen/Piazzolla, Ástor

Tango! (Blu-Ray)

Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble

Tango!
Isabelle van Keulen plays the music she has loved since she was a child of six years old. With her new ensemble she also performs in concert halls and she recorded this beloved tango music on film (on DVD and Bluray) in January 2013 in Mechelen (Belgium). In a bonus documentary that goes with the BluRay, Isabelle and her colleagues Ulrike Payer, Christian Gerber and Rudiger Ludwig tell about this music, about the tango technique and about their instruments.

90 yrs. (1CD 1DVD)

Toots Thielemans European Quartet

European Quartet

Live at le Chapiteau Opèra de Liège, May 17, 2012

Toots Thielemans

Toots Thielemans
Both Live at le Chapiteau Opèra de Liège and 90 yrs. contain live concerts of the legendary Toots Thielemans during the last years of his life, celebrating his 90th birthday. The DVD 90 yrs. even includes footage from his last concert in Japan. Pianist Karel Boehlee, drummer Hans van Oosterhout and double-bass player Hein Van de Geyn support Toots in the passion which is for him like breathing: making music!

George Frideric Handel

Händel: Agrippina 

Combattimento Consort Amsterdam

Agrippina

Agrippina is one of the first serious, heroic operas by George Frideric Handel. The piece is considered as an operatic masterpiece and is still viewed as one of his best works. The three acts tell the story of Agrippina, mother of emperor Nero, who conspires to murder the emperor Claudius to get her son on the throne. The opera is performed by the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam led by Jan Willem de Vriend. The DVD also includes interviews, and some behind-the-scenes bonus material.

© 2017 - NewArts International / Challenge Records Int.

BELGIAN SOUL, FUNK & JAZZ GROOVES FROM THE 70's

‘Funky Chimes: Belgian Grooves From The 70’s’

Album released 2nd June 2017 on Sdban

The stories behind some of the nuggets presented here on ‘Funky Chimes: Belgian Grooves From The 70’s’, released 2nd June via Sdban, are as gripping as the treasure hunt that un-earthed them.

Take ‘Experience’ (performer unknown), for instance: this one was found on a 5-inch flexi disc people in Belgium could obtain by saving points from cookies and pasta packages. Georges Hayes Philharpopic Orchestra simply must be the weirdest big band ever to have seen the Belgian light of day, if only for its name. And The Sumos, a band brought into existence to cash in on Carl Douglas’ world scorcher ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ (1974), decide to go the whole hog and release an entire album filled with oriental bubblegum.

But let’s not jump to wrong conclusions, here: ‘Funky Chimes’ is not a freak show, but a two-hour collection of excellent and unique grooves. The Free Electronic Concept is a rare blend of soul and budding electronic music. Skelorptak is a one-off collaboration between the Polish saxophone player Jan Wróblewski and the skilled jazz orchestra of the Belgian national broadcast corporation.

‘Funky Chimes’ proves why Belgium is still considered a unique and fertile breeding ground in the world of dance music. This is where it all started, more than 40 years ago.

SDBANCD08: Deluxe Limited Edition 2CD incl. 36p booklet

The luck of the draw: being an artist in Belgium is almost tantamount to be living on dire straits. A small country equals a small audience, and before you know it, you’ve played every available venue. Meanwhile, making it abroad requires a small miracle: nobody’s waiting for the next big thing from Belgium.

Belgium is nowhereland. Oddly, though, that’s what makes it so interesting as well, because that’s exactly where the best music comes from: nowhere. When nothing special or spectacular’s anticipated, anything and everything goes. Besides, living in a country where every musical ripple is noticed, has its advantages too. Especially if that country also possesses an intense and varied nightlife. Which, by the way, it does.

This complex balance between economic bleakness and artistic freedom regularly proves more fruitful than expected. The will to survive often drives Belgian artists to contradictory approaches; they either try to copy a formula that has proven successful elsewhere or, alternatively, try anything at all, hoping it will catch on. Inevitably, a lot of garbage is produced. But when it does work, the results are often bafflingly good.

In that respect, the first half of the seventies should be regarded as a Golden Age, when a generation of extremely good (session) musicians experimented with funk, jazz, latin and other groovy genres. Unearthing these treasures, though, takes a lot of time and a pair of well-trained ears, since most of them are hidden on single B-sides or obscure editions of library music.

You will also find some lesser-known tracks from the grandmasters, here. The late lamented Marc Moulin is featured in three totally different performances: as a pianist on the debut of his friend Philip Catherine, as a master arranger on the only album by the Belgian chansonnier Lieven and with ‘Mona Call’, a hitherto unknown radio tune he produced under the moniker Kiosk.

‘Funky Chimes: Belgian Grooves From The 70’s’, is also available as 2x 2LP (gatefold 180gr) and 5x 7".

CD1

1. The Soul Scratchers - Scratch My Back (pt. 1 & 2)

2. Francis Coppieters - Funky Chimes

3. S.S.O. - Faded Lady (Instrumental)

4. The Flying Guitar - Barabajagal

5. The Sumos - My Chinese Girl Likes Kung Fu Fighting

6. Bud Hunga And His Diplomatic Music - Travelling On Rhythms

7. Experience - Pink Movement

8. The Peter Laine Orchestra - Tiger Walk

9. Kandahar - The Fancy Model

10. Kiosk - Mona Call

11. Guido Carnagy - Free Way Exit

12. André Brasseur - X

13. Electronic System III - Skylab

CD2

1. The Indian Sound Of... Black Foot - Smoke Signal

2. Hearts Of Soul & Shampoo - We Love The Policeman

3. Roland Thyssen - Riff For Peggy

4. R. Dero - Soul Melody

5. Philip Catherine - Give It Up Or Turn It Aloose

6. Skleroptak - Punktowiec

7. Etta Cameron - Guess We'd Better Break Up Now

8. Selectasound '88 & The Bob Boon Singers - Tabou

9. Hugo Raspoet - Spuitje Op, Laat Je Rijden

10. Leslie Kent - Inner City Blues

11. Patricia Burns - Paddock

12. Georges Hayes And His Philarpopic Orchestra - Concerto For Right Foot And Orchestra

13. The Free Pop Electronic Concept - Chewing Gum Delirium

14. Lieven – Akkerwinde

Antonio Farao' new video clip "Europe"

WARNER MUSIC

EKLEKTIK contains 12 compositions and arrangements of Antonio Farao’ and features an incredible cast of musicians : MARCUS MILLER, SNOOP DOGG, KRAYZIE BONE (Bone Thugs-N-Harmony), MANU KATCHE, MIKE CLARK (Herbie Hancock/Headhunters) DIDIER LOCKWOOD, BIRELI LAGRENE…

Antonio Faraò is a pianist of uncommon skill. With a career that extends over 30 years, he has realized his potential and established himself as one of the most respected jazz pianists in the International scene.

Antonio Faraò has collaborated and/or performed live with a number of great jazz musicians: Joe Lovano, Jack Dejohnette, Bireli Lagrène, Al Jarreau, Wayne Shorter, Marcus Miller, Gary Bartz, Lee Konitz, Chris Potter, Jeff Tain Watts, Miroslav Vitous, Dave Liebman, Didier Lockwood, Benny Golson, Johnny Griffin, George Garzone, Cecil Mc Bee…

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