Cardinal Fuzz and Feeding Tube Records are proud to announce - The Myrrors ‘Invocaciones : Singles and Strays (2014 - 2016)’ - a dip into the archives with these shaman from Tucson, Arizona. ‘Invocaciones’ is a compilation of tracks previously available via the mediums of splits/lathes/cassettes and digital download, now all gathered together on this release with the added bonus of an extra 3 minutes added to a now extended ‘Eyes Of Copper’ and ‘Semillas Sembrades’ no longer split over two sides of a 7”.
Over five tracks presented on ‘Invocaciones’ The Myrrors lose themselves in transcendental improvisation, from the opening track ‘Eyes Of Copper’ to ‘Invocación Por Un Verdadero Plan De Lucha Organizado Desde Abajo’ where The Myrrors are in free flowing circular raga mode. It’s a state of playing that takes take the listener into a deeply shamanistic ecstatic state that is both spellbinding and enrapturing, were you are treated to the music that rivals the free flowing communal progg freakdom of late 60’s/early 70s Germany/ Scandinavia but transported to the Arabian desert. Here a cacophony of flute and whistles, viola, tape loops, alto saxophone, bulbul tarang and guitars churn and cavort through ebbing cosmic shimmer and ecstatic pulsing ritualistic Eastern drones.
Try imagining The Velvet Underground, The Taj Mahal Travellers and Parson Sound transported to the Arabian desert. It is ecstatic and otherworldly as you open up your mind and let everything come through – The Myrrors have found the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
The Myrrors ‘Invocaciones : Singles and Strays (2014 - 2016)’ is presented in a laminated silver mirri board outer sleeve that best reflects the artwork of Claira Safi.
1. Eyes Of Copper 07:22
2. Semillas Sembrades 12:45
3. Funeral Ark 06:33
4. Danza Rota 08:15
5. Invocación Por Un Verdadero Plan De Lucha Organizado Desde Abajo 04:25
In 2018, jazz musician extraordinaire Michael Marcus got an invite to bring his duo with drummer Jay Rosen to the Austrian venue Jazzgalerie Nickelsdorf. And when he arrived, the promoter of their show sprung a novel idea on them: performing their set with fellow reedsman Joe McPhee and another drummer. “It was a great concept,” Marcus remembers. “And the chemistry was really good.” So much so that Marcus wanted to capture the sound of this unusual group—two horns and two percussionists improvising without a bass player or a piano or any other chordal instruments—on record. But with the drummer they played with in Austria unavailable to travel, Marcus, Rosen, and McPhee called on their friend and collaborator Warren Smith. And the Blue Reality Quartet was born.
The name of this project has a little history behind it and multiple layers of meaning. 20 years ago, Marcus and Rosen recorded an album called Blue Reality as part of a trio with bassist Tarus Matteen. It was another one of those magical sessions with the right mix of players and energy that Marcus always wanted to revisit. But with Mateen busy working alongside pianist Jason Moran, that reunion has been put on the back burner. At the same time, Marcus wanted to use the name of this group to acknowledge the time and circumstances in which the album was recorded. As the front cover should tell you - pictures of each player, their faces covered by a mask, the four men met up in a New York studio in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic.
So Blue Reality is a nod to a terrible time in our collective history that had an incalculable impact on the music industry and resulted in the deaths of thousands of people worldwide. To hear Marcus tell it, the chemistry that this group had was so potent that they’re all ready to get back together for another hit. “I think there’s a real mutual love within the group,” he says. “I think there’s a real potential there. It’s really special and really unique and I don’t think there’s anything quite like it out there.” We couldn’t agree more.
from America’s Top Jazz Labels in Support of Musicians
Affected by the Pandemic, Arrives September 24
2-LP Set, CD and Digital Album Features
Herbie Hancock, Wallace Roney, Buster Williams, Jimmy Heath,
Albert “Tootie” Heath, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride,
IRMA and LEO (Esperanza Spalding & Leo Genovese),
Cécile McLorin Salvant, Charles Lloyd, Hiromi,
Kenny Garrett, Jon Batiste, and Other Jazz Greats
A consortium of major jazz labels – Blue Note Records, Concord Music Group, Mack Avenue Music Group, Nonesuch Records, Universal Music Group, Verve Label Group and Warner Music Group – has taken the unprecedented step of joining hands for Relief, an all-star compilation of previously unreleased music to be issued on LP, CD and digitally September 24, continuing the non-profit Jazz Foundation of America’s (JFA) ongoing efforts to aid musicians affected by the international shutdown of venues and other performance opportunities in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
All net proceeds from the package – comprising studio and live tracks by top-flight jazz artists – will benefit the JFA’s Musicians’ Emergency Fund, established in the spring of 2020 after the pandemic ground the music industry to a sudden, catastrophic halt.
More information coming soon.
1. IRMA and LEO | "back to who" feat. Esperanza Spalding and Leo Genovese | 4:41
‘Last Swing In Ireland’, a previously unreleased studio album from the late great American Jazz Guitarist Larry Coryell, is issued on CD through Angel Air [Cat. No SJPCD641] on the 30th of May Worldwide, 2021.
Larry’s ‘Last Swing In Ireland’ was captured on his final visit to the Emerald Isle in May 2016. He made a lasting impression both at Dublin’s Hellfire Studios where this album was laid down, and also at an incendiary live show at The Sugar Club [ the recording of which will be released later this year by Angel Air]. Larry teamed up with his favourite Irish rhythm section, Kevin Brady and Dave Redmond, and the results speak for themselves: they rock they swing and everything in between. ‘Last Swing In Ireland’ was Engineered/Mastered by Ivan Jackman. Larry Coryell, was a guitar virtuoso. Performer and composer of Jazz and Jazz- Rock classics, but also the Master of Guitar Improvisation. He was known in the Jazz world as the “Godfather of Fusion”. Larry’s highly acclaimed improvised guitar stylings and compositions positioned him as one of the first innovators of the jazz-rock fusion movement in the late 1960s.
Track Listing:
1. In a Sentimental Mood
2. Morning of the Carnival
3. Relaxin at the Camarillo
4. Someday My Prince Will Come
5. The Last Peavey
6. 396
Larry Coryell - Guitar
Kevin Brady - Drums
Dave Redmond - Electric & Double Bass
Recorded at The Hellfire Studios in Dublin by Ivan Jackman.
A true legend in the History of Jazz Music, Larry knew and played with many of the Jazz and Rock greats of the 20th and 21st Centuries such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Chet Atkins, Chico Hamilton, Gary Burton, Chick Corea and Miles Davis. His incredible career spanned over 50 years of wonderful music, both on the road and in the studio. You’ll never forget Larry’s sound or his personality, and ‘Last Swing In Ireland’ captures both.
Frutto di un lavoro di ricerca consolidato in più di due anni, con un linguaggio che trova le sue radici nell'improvvisazione ma che sconfina nella semiotica, nella psicologia della percezione e nell’estetica, “Atelier” è il primo album del trio formato dai chitarristi Andrea Massaria e Davide Barbini e dal batterista e percussionista Andrea Fabris. Prodotto da Dodicilune, da martedì 20 luglio il disco è distribuito in Italia e all’estero da Ird e nei migliori store on line da Believe. Il titolo del disco prende s punto dal mondo delle arti figurative, richiamando l’ambiente di collaborazione, ricerca e studio proprio degli “Atelier”. I tre musicisti e compositori si astengono dall’etichettare la loro musica, in quanto vogliono sentirsi liberi di entrare in comunicazione con chiunque si accosti a questo mondo sonoro all’apparenza ermetico e distopico. Le otto composizioni originali (“Atlanta”, “Realgar”, “Orpelli”, “Cu2 (Co3) (Oh2)”, “Gallipot”, “Clara”, “Barras” e “Diluvi”), infatti, si distaccano dalle forme di narrazione più istintive e tradizionali creando una realtà alternativa nella quale viene decostruita la storia della musica e riassemblata al di fuori delle trame del tempo e dello spazio.
Classe 1965, il chitarrista e compositore triestino Andrea Massaria inizia a studiare chitarra classica a undici anni sotto la guida dei maestri Guido Percacci e Pierluigi Corona. Dopo aver svolto un'intensa attività come chitarrista classico, dal 1990 si dedica al jazz, alla musica contemporanea, alla sperimentazione e soprattutto all'improvvisazione creativa attingendo da una vasta gamma di influenze, spaziando dal free jazz al soundwork materico, dal noise alla classica contemporanea. Sono tanti gli insegnanti italiani e americani con cui ha studiato, in stili molto diversi, come Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell, Mike Stern, Bruce Forman, Stefano Battaglia, Sandro Gibellini, Alessio Menconi, Pietro Condorelli, Rory Stuart, Mark Elf. Nel 1997 ha vinto uno dei più importanti concorsi europei per chitarristi jazz, quello di Monteroduni (IS) intitolato ad Eddie Lang. Partecipa e vince numerosi concorsi italiani. È stato più volte votato tra i migliori chitarristi italiani nelle migliori classifiche jazz sulle riviste di musica jazz italiane. Dal 1998 è s tato in tournée con i suoi gruppi e come session-man in Europa (Austria, Germania, Francia, Slovenia, Croazia, Svizzera, Olanda) in importanti festival. Ha guidato diversi gruppi nel corso degli anni e ha registrato oltre 20 dischi come leader o co-leader per diverse etichette, in particolare Artesuono, Leo Records, Setola di maiale, Amirani. Ha realizzato diverse trasmissioni radiofoniche per la RAI, Radio Capodistria, Radio Nazionale Canadese, Radio France, numerosi privati italiani e stazioni radiofoniche europee. Svolge un'intensa attività didattica tenendo seminari e laboratori in tutta Italia. Svolge un'intensa attività concertistica in Italia e all'estero sia come leader e come ospite in vari gruppi. Ha collaborato e collabora tutt'ora con numerosi musicisti tra cui Butch Morris, Evan Parker, Paul Lytton, Barre Phillips, Oliver Lake, Rob Mazurek, Sylvie Courvoiseur, Tom Rainey, Bruce Ditmas, Mat Maneri, Clementine Gasser, Angelica Castelo, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Howard Curt is, Katja Cruz, Giovanni Maier, Danilo Gallo, Michele Rabbia, Pasquale Mirra, Walter Prati, Cristiano Calcagnile, Stefano Battaglia, Ernie Adams, Dee Alexander, Giovanni Mancuso, Massimiliano Furia, Ettore Fioravanti, Paolo Birro, Rosario Bonaccorso, Zeno DeRossi, Achille Succi, Olivier Manoury, Silvia Bolognesi, Ernest Dawkins, Arrigo Cappelletti, Dado Moroni, Bruno Marini, Flavio Boltro, Francesco Bearzatti, Alessandro Fedrigo, Stefano Senni, Ferdinando Farao', Mauro Negri, Gianni Basso, Robert Bonisolo, Kyle Gregory, Lee Brown, Jack McDuff, Bobby Durham, Glauco Venier, Slatko Kaucic, Dario Deidda, Aldo Zunino, Mark Abrams, Emanuele Cisi, Daniele D'Agaro e molti altri. Insegna chitarra jazz al Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello di Venezia.
Davide Barbini ha frequentato il conservatorio Benedetto Marcello nella classe di Andrea Massaria, dove i due hanno incrociato i loro p ercorsi artistici. Barbini ha frequentato vari seminari e masterclass con Bruce Ditmas, Marc Ducret, Terry Riley. È stato selezionato dalla fondazione Cini per “Istantanee”, partecipando a seminari con Evan Parker, Giancarlo Schiaffini e altri improvvisatori. Specializzatosi nell'improvvisazione libera ma sentendosi imprigionato dalle limitazioni delle accademie, lascia il conservatorio e si dedica allo sviluppo dei linguaggi contemporanei.
Andrea Fabris è un batterista e compositore nato a Venezia nel 1996. Ha iniziato a studiare batteria all'età di 10 anni. All'età di 18 anni si trasferisce a Milano per frequentare il CPM Music Institute, dove ha studiato con alcuni dei più importanti batteristi italiani come Giovanni Giorgi, Roberto Gualdi, Flaviano Cuffari e altri. Ha frequentato clinic e seminari italiani come il “Berklee at Umbria jazz”, nel 2017, e “Nuoro Jazz” , nel 2018. Dal 2018 fa parte dell'ensemble “Forme Sonore”, guidata da Roberto Dani, un percorso sulla natura di “forma” nella composizione e nella libera improvvisazione. Nel 2019 l'ensemble diventa un gruppo di ricerca permanente ancora oggi attivo. Dal 2019 partecipa ad un workshop condotto dal compositore italiano Giovanni Mancuso sulla musica di Terry Riley, suonando per lo stesso Riley al Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello di Venezia. Negli anni ha maturato un interesse per il Jazz, la musica contemporanea e per la creatività e l’improvvisazione, suonando con qualsiasi tipo di ensemble, in particolare con le formazioni “trio”. Attualmente segue i corsi di jazz presso il Conservatorio “Francesco Venezze” di Rovigo, sotto la guida di Stefano Paolini. Andrea ha approfondito i suoi studi frequentando masterclass e seminari di alto livello con Lewis Nash, Yoron Israel, Mark Guiliana, Larnell Lewis, Roberto Dani, Andrea Centazzo, Stefano Bagnoli, Davide Ragazzoni, L eo Di Angilla, Marc Ducret, Peter Bernstein, Giovanni Mancuso, Flavio Virzì, Andrea Massari. Attualmente vive a Bologna.
• 1 - Atlanta
• 2 - Realgar
• 3 - Orpelli
• 4 - Cu2 (Co3) (Oh2)
• 5 - Gallipot
• 6 - Clara
• 7 - Barras
• 8 - Diluvi
Composizioni di Andrea Massaria, Davide Barbini, Andrea Fabris
The JCQ's second release offers another slate of original music; this time with contributions from band staples, Connor Rohrer and Dylan McHann, as well as more of my tunes. The band got together for a very late recording session during an April night, and recorded six new charts, including a suite written by Connor. I personally felt that the energy in the room, and the improvising from the individuals in the band led to a very comfortable and free flowing recording session. It is a privilege to be able to play with artists that complete my vision of a composition, as well as add ideas and nuance that stem from their own creativity, and Dylan, Connor, Mike, and Marcello all do that in such admirable ways -- a vision I hope we can all bring to live performances of this group soon. I was also very happy for the change of color and scenery that Connor's original suite provided, as well as Dylan's tune 'Stairs' (the most fun tune to play in my opinion). The are both composers I look up to and draw inspiration from while writing.
1. Generalizations 11:35
2. Pondering Snow 10:56
3. Dylan McHann - Stairs 09:16
4. Replenish 05:03
5. Connor Rohrer - Suite 2021: Pt. 1 Fanfare/Pt. 2 Allegro 08:05
A number of sessions recorded by Sun Ra from 1978 to 1980—issued on the albums Lanquidity, On Jupiter, and Sleeping Beauty—reflect the influence on Ra of commercial musical and production trends of the mid- and late-1970s, especially heavy, studio-enhanced dance floor grooves (traceable from soul and funk to disco), and atmospheric New Age "dream" pieces. But Ra neither surrendered to nor fully embraced these styles—he simply added these techniques to his toolkit, always stretching beyond the genres. The only aspect that eluded him was commercial success.
Sleeping Beauty (Saturn 79) was recorded in New York in June 1979 and released later that year. Like many Sun Ra albums from the 1970s and '80s, it was pressed in a limited (and unknown) quantity, packaged with generic (albeit often hand-decorated) sleeves, and distributed by Rounder and sold at concerts. Also like many releases of the period, it was known by a second title — Door of the Cosmos. Those alternate titles derived from two of the album's three tracks. Oddly, "Sleeping Beauty" had an alternate title — "Black Beauty," which was printed on some labels (and typed on others). Affirming that this release should be filed under "Alternative," the band was identified as "Sun Ra and His Arkestra" on most labels and as "Sun Ra Omniverse Jet Set Arkestra" on at least one extant sleeve.
Three additional tracks were recorded at the June '79 session: "Celestial Road," "Say," and "I'll Wait for You." Those tracks were licensed to Rounder Records, who issued them on the LP Strange Celestial Road (Rounder 3035) in 1982. (Note: The Rounder label and Rounder Distribution were related companies, but separate operations. Saturn LPs were distributed by Rounder, but were not released by Rounder. However, there were, in time, three Sun Ra albums issued on Rounder—Strange Celestial Road, Somewhere Else, and Sun Ra Sextet at the Village Vanguard—but none of the three had been previously issued on Saturn.)
Art Yard released an authorized edition of Sleeping Beauty on CD in 2010. (Those rights reverted to Sun Ra LLC in 2021.)
This digital edition combines all tracks from the June 1979 Variety studio session, along with two bonus tracks: an alternate of "Door of the Cosmos" recorded in Philadelphia at the club Grendel's Lair in 1978, and a live version of "Strange Celestial Road" recorded in Detroit in 1980. Both tracks were derived from tapes in Michael D. Anderson's Sun Ra Music Archive.
1. Springtime Again 09:15
2. Door of the Cosmos 09:00
3. Sleeping Beauty (a.k.a. Black Beauty) 11:49
4. Celestial Road 07:02
5. Say 12:10
6. I'll Wait For You 16:05
7. Door of the Cosmos (live Grendel's Lair, 1978) 03:06
Daniel Herskedal is the epitome of brilliance – an esteemed composer of beautifully lyrical, rhythmically charged music and a world-class performer and technically proficient on an instrument he has made uniquely his own.
Coming off the back of winning a Spellemann Award (Norwegian Grammy) for his 2020 solo album ‘Call for Winter’, Daniel Herskedal’s new album that will cement his position as one the most exciting, prolific and inspiring musicians of his generation in Europe.
Harbour, his sixth album on Edition, reunites his long term collaborators, pianist Eyolf Dale and Andreas Helge Norbakken: a band that gets stronger and stronger with each release. Their joint sonority and musical depth is overwhelming, full of awe-inspiring melodies soaring over a bed-rock of rhythmical precision laid down by Dale and Norbakken. The production, thanks to the contribution from engineer August Wanngren, takes Daniel’s sound a step further, with more pronounced and richer subtleties evident in the vast sonic array created by these three instruments. It’s a wonder that this range of sounds are produced by just three musicians.
The Norwegian landscape has always played a vital role in Daniel’s music – natural, bold, vast but with a sense of minimalism in the space and wild openness. His discography also demonstrates a sense of journeying and worldwide influences. Each of his albums with this ensemble displays the inspiration of travelling and the journey, navigated through Daniel’s own imaginary world landscapes, from the tracks Moon Coming on Slow Eastbound Train (2015) to Hijaz Train Station on The Roc (2017) and Chatham Dockyard on Voyage (2018).
Harbour’s inspiration comes from a sense of being close to the sea and taking shelter from the storms and wild elements. The album was recorded at Ocean Sound Recordings, which sits on an island on the rugged Norwegian coastline in December 2020. The music evokes that feeling of warmth and protection when sheltered from the weather and the sea.
Daniel has proved he has the facility, vision and musicianship to push the boundaries of his instrument, technically and sonically, further than anyone before. Harbour is the result of a consummate musician perfecting his craft and musicianship over many years. Truly spellbinding!
1. The Mariner’s Cross 03:14
2. Ice-free 03:08
3. The Lighthouse On The Horizon 07:19
4. Hunters Point Drydocks 04:31
5. Arriving at Ellis Island 03:49
6. Dancing Dhow Deckhands 05:55
7. Like A Ship in The Harbour 04:10
8. The White Lion Docks in Point Comfort 04:03
9. Port of Call 03:53
10. The Beaches of Lesbos 05:10
Music composed by Daniel Herskedal
Produced by Daniel Herskedal and August Wanngren
Executive producer Dave Stapleton
Recorded by Henning Svoren, Ocean Sound Recordings, December 4-6 2020
Mixed by August Wanngren at Virkeligheden, Copenhagen, February 1-8 2021
Mastered by Thomas Eberger at Stockholm Mastering 9-11 February 2021
This is Vol 1 of the accompanying downloadable albums to our brand new filmed series The Clare Teal Fireside Sessions.
Background on The Clare Teal Fireside Sessions.
In between lockdowns we got the band together, along with a bunch of great filmmakers and created the Clare Teal Fireside Sessions. Three, hour long episodes, filmed in the back room of our home here in Wiltshire.
Starring Jason Rebello, Simon Little, Ben Reynolds plus special guests Pee Wee Ellis, Giacomo Smith and Dave Archer.
Over 3 hours of joyous live music and live performance to watch again and again and again and again ad fin in glorious Technicolor, breath taking Cinemascope and stereophonic sound. Head over to www.clareteal.co.uk for more details.
1. Messin' With Fire 02:57
2. They Say It's Spring 03:54
3. At Last 04:51
4. You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini) 04:06
5. Jack And Jill Rag 02:45
6. Sweet Happy Life 04:06
7. I'll Never Be Free 04:45
8. Blackbird 04:37
9. I Love Being Here With You 03:33
10. Tea For Two 02:48
11. Chasing Cars 04:55
12. It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing 03:50
This is Vol 2 of the accompanying downloadable albums to our brand new filmed series The Clare Teal Fireside Sessions.
Background on The Clare Teal Fireside Sessions.
In between lockdowns we got the band together, along with a bunch of great filmmakers and created the Clare Teal Fireside Sessions. Three, hour long episodes, filmed in the back room of our home here in Wiltshire.
Starring Jason Rebello, Simon Little, Ben Reynolds plus special guests Pee Wee Ellis, Giacomo Smith and Dave Archer.
Over 3 hours of joyous live music and live performance to watch again and again and again and again ad fin in glorious Technicolor, breath taking Cinemascope and stereophonic sound. Head over to www.clareteal.co.uk for more details.
This is Vol 3 of the accompanying downloadable albums to our brand new filmed series The Clare Teal Fireside Sessions.
Background on The Clare Teal Fireside Sessions.
In between lockdowns we got the band together, along with a bunch of great filmmakers and created the Clare Teal Fireside Sessions. Three, hour long episodes, filmed in the back room of our home here in Wiltshire.
Starring Jason Rebello, Simon Little, Ben Reynolds plus special guests Pee Wee Ellis, Giacomo Smith and Dave Archer.
Over 3 hours of joyous live music and live performance to watch again and again and again and again ad fin in glorious Technicolor, breath taking Cinemascope and stereophonic sound. Head over to www.clareteal.co.uk for more details.
Northern Californian composer/pianist Telemakus prepares the release of his LP ‘The New Heritage’, taking a step into a new artistic beginning. His work has stemmed to highly creative composition and arrangement, generating a spirited album tackling the themes of exploration, wonder, and innocence. This album’s foundation lies at the intersection of jazz and hip hop, playing into the heritage of jazz-sampling artists who turned their hands to instruments, and discovered new musical dimensions and complexities. Fruiting from the year-long COVID-19 lockdown, the album was created virtually with musicians from 11 countries, with a focus on maintaining a live sound while exploring ideas the producer normally wouldn’t have considered. The LP is releasing via Radio Juicy on the 13th October 2021.
‘The New Heritage’ represents Telemakus’ lineage growing up in the jazz scene, gigging locally in the Bay Area. Being a self-taught pianist, the artist has a unique gift for harmony which evidently translates into the LP’s tracks as a continuous flow of inspiration. Having found his own sound listening to the likes of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, DJ Harrison, and Robert Glasper, Telemakus’ has developed a deeply personal style, as he likes to define it, “off-kilter and unique”.
Having written all the album’s instrumental parts, Telemakus joins forces with a host of incredible musicians to paint a series of stunning soundscapes. ‘Mars Blues’ (Releasing on 21st July) is the first single lifted from the LP witnessing the contribution of Chino Corvalán, Ted Taforo and Corydrums. This track documents the strong connection developed between the musicians, who the producer sees as “incredible people who sometimes mentored me and taught me a lot about how my music can sound”. The track explores an expressive sci-fi-esque sound palette, referencing Telemakus’ fascination for outer space and astronomy.
1. Awaken - Intro
2. You Ready (feat. Marcelo Soler, Tane)
3. Jacochi (Phrases) (feat. Chino Corvalán)
4. Mars Blues (feat. Chino Corvalán, Ted Taforo, Corydrums)
5. All of This (feat. Ted Taforo, CARRTOONS, Tamuz, David James, Phøn, Gavin Grant)
6. The New Heritage (feat. Kosie, Chino Corvalán, David James)
7. City Dreams (feat. Phøn, Javier Santiago, Tamuz)
Thanks to Josh Berman, Mike Reed and Hungry Brain for hosting us as part of the Sunday Night Jazz and Improvised Music Series and the lovely audience that came out for it. This was the first time Avreeayl and I played together. Matt and I had played a bit previously.
“WARNING! This album truly needs a warning label, because the music you’re about to hear is at a level of dangerous intensity. I remember this concert well. The sun had already set on that brisk Chicago evening, and people were starting to make their way to the Hungry Brain. My brain was certainly very hungry. I came in thinking I might need a coffee, but upon hearing a few minutes of the trio’s quick sound check, I realized all the energizing power I needed was about to be given to me by these three improvisational monsters! Absolute creative masterminds! Hearing Thollem play is quite the experience on its own, but the addition of Matthew Lux and Avreeayl Ra was something of a whole new category. Each of these creators pushed each other in new directions and new heights, each knew exactly when to let it all out, and when to play as softly as possible; when to start a new piece, and when to let it ride. I am so thankful that evening was captured for posterity. Listeners will be wrapping their minds around this for centuries to come." - Matt Scutchfield
Chicago master drummer / percussionist AVREEAYL RA was born in Chicago on May 21st, 1947 and still lives there today. He is a renowned musician always in demand among visiting jazz artists in Chicago. Avreeayl’s father, Arthur “Swinglee” O’Neil, was a tenor saxophonist who was mentor to many young Chicago musicians, including John Gilmore, later the mainstay of Sun Ra’s Arkestra. (Avreeayl reports that John Gilmore had a crush on Avreeayl’s sister and so spent as much time as he could at the family house.) Swinglee O’Neil played in one of Sun Ra’s early Chicago bands, and Sun Ra played in one of Swinglee’s groups as well.Avreeayl is a long-term member of the Chicago AACM, his relationship with the seminal music organization having begun with early studies with AACM co-founder Kelan Philip Cohran. Avreeayl has performed and / or recorded with Fred Anderson, Amiri Baraka, Fontella Bass, Lester Bowie, Ari Brown, Oscar Brown, Jr., Henry Butler, Henry Byrd (”Professor Longhair”), Hamid Drake, Malachi Favors, Donald Raphael Garrett, Charles Gayle, Henry Grimes, Billy Harper, Joseph Jarman, Edward “Kidd” Jordan, Nicole Mitchell, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, Malachi Thompson, and many more.Avreeayl considers himself greatly blessed to have come up in the richly progressive Chicago “avant-garde” jazz community. Though he has lived briefly in New Orleans and New York and has toured widely in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Far East, and Africa, he has always returned home to live in Chicago.
Matthew Lux (1973, Chicago) Known primarily from group Isotope 217, Iron & Wine, and his association with Rob Mazurek’s various ensembles. Performing and recording with musicians such as - Peven Everett, Bill Callahan, Pharoah Sanders, Nobukazu Takemura, George Freeman and Eddie Kirkland over his 30 year career. His first release as a leader, Contra/Fact came out in 2018 on Astral Spirits.
1. Thollem / Lux / Ra 1 25:34
2. Thollem / Lux / Ra 2 16:53
Avreeayl Ra, Drums
Matt Lux, Bass
Thollem, Piano
Live concert recording September 14th, 2019 at the Hungry Brain Chicago, IL
Bobby Hackett (January 31, 1915 – June 7, 1976) was an American jazz musician who played trumpet, cornet and guitar with the bands of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.
He also played lead trumpet in the Vic Schoen Orchestra which backed the Andrews Sisters.
Hackett was featured as a cornet soloist on six of the Jackie Gleason mood music albums. The records all went gold for over 500.000 copies sold.
1. In a Mellow Tone 05:04
2. Indiana 06:09
3. When Your Lover Has Gone 04:24
4. Fidgety Feet 07:27
5. Muskrat Ramble 04:34
6. Basin Street Blues 07:28
7. There'll Be Some Changes Made 03:36
8. Struttin' with Some Barbecue 07:17
9. Satin Doll 04:24
10. Poor Butterfly / Manhattan / September Song / Slow Mood / Lazy River 07:07
The eleventh entry in Trouble In Mind's Explorers Series pushes forward with a dazzling duo exchange from Buenos Aires-born, Stockholm-based saxophone player, composer, improviser, multidisciplinary artist and activist Camila Nebbia & Los Angeles saxophone player & multi-instrumentalist Patrick Shiroishi. Utilizing two saxophones, electronics and ambient/found sounds,"The Human Being As A Fragile Article" is an intuitive and expressive conversation between two prolific vanguards of brass; at times minimal and purposeful, and other times explosive and lyrical, exploring the physical, mental and emotional layers within the brittle facade of the human shell.
1. Un nino llamado cuervo -「からす」という名の少年 03:49
2. El ser humanx como un articulo fragil - 壊れやすい人間 02:19
3. Al costado de los recuerdos - 思い出の隣 07:09
4. Olvido - 忘却 02:25
5. Mis pies son tan fuertes como mi corazon - 僕の足は 僕の心臓と同じ位強い 03:00
6. Mentiras y silencio - 嘘と沈黙 03:04
7. El espacio entre el lenguaje - 言語の間 03:39
8. Tierra seca - 乾燥した土地 01:16
9. Apagar el televisor - TVを消して 01:55
10. Mientras el cisne blanco se eleva al cielo no deja rastros aca abajo - 白鳥が天に昇る時 地上には何も遺さない 11:15
For nearly 15 years, having achieved international renown as a saxophonist (#1 Rising Star Tenor, 2019 Downbeat Critics Poll), Dayna Stephens has worked assiduously to create a musical voice on the Akai Electronic Wind Instrument (EWI). Following in the footsteps of Bob Mintzer and the late Michael Brecker, and like his EWI-exploring peers Morgan Guerin, Mark Shim and Seamus Blake, Stephens has featured the EWI in select contexts with his own bands, on Gilad Hekselman’s 2019 release Further Chaos and other projects. With Pluto Juice, co-led and co-produced by drummer and composer Anthony Fung, Stephens turns the spotlight fully on EWI for the first time, in an adventurous electric quartet setting with the stellar Canadian musicians Andrew Marzotto (guitar) and Rich Brown (bass).
One of the band’s first pieces, “Approaching Pluto,” was composed by Stephens when NASA’s New Horizons craft completed its long-awaited flyby of the dwarf planet in the summer of 2015. The music that followed was conceived specifically for the group, and the theme of space travel stuck. Stephens’ “Welcome to Our Snow Globe” leads off with a focus on Earth, while “Outskirts of Neptune” strives to capture the journey through the outermost solar system as Pluto grows momentously near. Fung’s “Pluto and Beyond” follows New Horizons past its final destination and further into the void, while two more Fung compositions, “Trial on Mars” and “Green Gargantua,” deal respectively with imagined conflict on other worlds and the unfathomably massive emptiness of a black hole. The writing, full of complexity, rhythmic urgency and sonic adventure, represents a thrilling new departure for the two co-leaders.
Fung, a Toronto native now based in Los Angeles, has two fine albums to his credit, Chronicles (2014) and Flashpoint (2018, awarded four stars in Downbeat). He first played with Stephens when called to sub on a trio gig at the LA club Sam First. Sparks flew right away, and Fung invited Stephens up to Toronto to pursue the EWI-driven collaboration that became Pluto Juice. “The first Pluto Juice gig in January 2019 was immediately awesome,” recalls Stephens, “and by the time we played the Toronto Jazz Festival we knew we had to record, because this was some serious s**t.”
The group takes full advantage of the EWI’s capabilities in creating what Stephens calls “a sea of infinity in terms of sound production.” Stephens employs synth interfaces, copious guitar pedals and other wares, imbuing Pluto Juice with a wealth of sonic color and mystery. The EWI has the unique advantage of being terra incognita, far more so than the tenor saxophone, Stephens notes: “There’s a lot less pressure, and you can really develop your own approach to it. It’s got eight octaves like a piano as opposed to two and a half on sax, so it’s a completely different universe.” The EWI can also function harmonically: you will often hear Stephens comping two-note dyads under Marzotto’s solos. “There’s an expression I’ve heard regarding tenor players, ‘You’ve got to fight for your sound,’ and that’s what I feel like I’m still doing on EWI,” he muses. “I’m still just getting started on this axe. The possibilities are so endless.” In fact, constant innovation in synth technology (physical modeling, wavetables, harmonizers, all too involved to attempt to explain here) assures that the possibilities are growing more endless still.
At times Stephens will tap into a lyrical woodwind tone, or conjure a broad open soundscape, or dig in with something reminiscent of a Hammond B3 with Leslie speaker. Or he’ll launch into gnarled, overdriven lines and phrases, equal parts John Scofield and some unknown instrument from the beyond.
The blend of EWI with Marzotto’s fluid guitar lines and celestial harmonies, and the supple rock-solid feel of Brown and Fung, makes Pluto Juice all the more striking. “I’ve known Andrew since we were kids,” says Fung. “We went to Berklee together, he’s one of my closest buddies from Toronto. He had his own thing from the start and that’s why I love calling him for projects.” Rich Brown made waves as the original bassist of Andy Milne’s Dapp Theory and has done groundbreaking work as a leader with rinsethealgorithm, Abeng and the solo bass album Between Heaviness & Here. His effortless facility and deep tone help make Pluto Juice the captivating listen that it is.
1. Welcome to our Snow Globe 06:55
2. Pluto and Beyond 05:29
3. Outskirts of Neptune 08:53
4. Rolly Polly 06:20
5. Trial on Mars 04:54
6. Zoomed Out 07:37
7. Green Gargantua 04:01
8. Approaching Pluto 06:30
9. Lies That Tell the Truth 02:53
Dayna Stephens - Ewi & Soprano Sax
Anthony Fung - Drums
Andrew Marzotto - Guitar
Rich Brown - Bass
Pete Rende - Synth (only on Track 5)
Produced by Anthony Fung & Dayna Stephens
Recorded October 27, 2019 by Chris Stringer at Unknown Sound Company in Toronto, Canada
Keiichi Hashimoto is a Japanese professional jazz pianist. He performed at Shinjuku PIT INN and many jazz clubs in Japan. He has composed music of theater such as “GOKUJO BUNGAKU” series and produced also performed as a musician as well.
