NEW RELEASE: Tenor Saxophonist Asaf Yuria's EXORCISMS is out November 5, 2021 via Jojo Records

Israeli tenor saxophonist Asaf Yuria presents his sophomore album ‘Exorcisms’, due out November 5, 2021 via Jojo Records

Jojo Records is pleased to announce the November 5, 2021 release of Exorcisms, a new album from exciting Israeli saxophonist Asaf Yuria. Yuria draws seamlessly from the proud jazz combo tradition of Art Blakey and Lee Morgan on a sophomore effort ripe with inventive horn arrangements and captivating solo work. Here he assembles a cast of New York’s finest including trumpeter Josh Evans and trombonist Jonathan Voltzok who join Yuria on frontline duties. Pianist Jeremy Manasia, bassist Ben Meigners and the fiery contributions of drummer Jason Brown provide lithe accompaniment from the backline.

Born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1985, Yuria was raised on the recordings of John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and countless others. By high school, he’d advanced to play alongside some of the top musicians in the capital’s close-knit jazz scene. However, the bright lights of New York City were always an aspiration for the young Yuria. He eventually moved to the US to follow his dreams, spending thirteen successful years playing in jazz clubs, jam sessions and music festivals around the world. 

Yuria soon enrolled at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in the late 2000’s where he came under the influence of close mentor Billy Harper, as well as George Cables, Reggie Workman, Billy Hart and Charles Tolliver. Over the past five years, Yuria has been a key part of countryman and world-renowned bassist Omer Atival’s quintet. In 2018, Yuria released his debut album, Papa Wawa. Nowadays, Yuria finds himself back in Tel Aviv.

“I’m looking for those unexplainable moments,” Yuria says of Exorcisms, which expands the personnel of his previous release from five to a chunky six-piece. On the album’s mysterious title, Yuria offers an explanation to dispel the definition found on the album notes [def: to free from or rid of evil spirits or other harmful elements by works of spell and magical formulas]: “I’m looking for that mysterious condition in which the listeners and the musicians are immersed in the present moment.” Yuria’s musical outlook deals with the abstract possibilities of music, allowing a clear route to a personal connection with listeners: “When people are present in the moment, then the music can really touch them.”

The album features a set of compositions dreamed up after his successful debut, tailored specifically to this band. “My priority is for each player to be able to use his voice most comfortably and as beautifully as possible, and to try to create the most compelling compositions I can. I work as intuitively as possible – it’s the idea of finding your individual voice through the study of the tradition,” he muses.

Exorcisms begins with “The Bell Ringers”, a busy straight-ahead swinger where lines gather momentum until they just about take off. It’s dedicated to his bandmates – the lineup has changed very little since the groups’ inception – as Yuria explains the strong relationships he found. “We all have different bells inside of us,” he explains – bells that ring when something clicks. “My bandmates ring that bell for me!” “Lotus Moon” is a chance for Yuria to take us on a groovier journey, flitting between Latin 8s and high-energy swing. “Wise Eyes” (for Yuria’s mother) is lushly scored but with a grit at its core; title track “Exorcisms” compliments and concludes the opener – another heavy swinger, featuring a rip-roaring solo from the constantly inventive Manasia. 

“Out of the Mist” emerges from the second having, where Yuria reveals a tender sensibility. “Bright Night Light Flight” really rocks, as Brown leads the track away from the brightness and towards something altogether more emotive. “Mindful Breath” is reminiscent of the Art Blakey Messengers’ charts of old, opening with chattering horn lines deep in conversation. Solos fly around the band, but the key to the track is mindfulness – “learning to breathe mindfully is good for the music, and also for life,” says Yuria.

“The expression of study has to come out through the prism of my life experience and ideas,” he reflects. Yuria is bold with his goals, which shine through his highly intuitive charts steeped in detailed knowledge of great masters of the past.

1 The Bell Ringers

2 Lotus Moon

3 Wise Eyes

4 Exorcisms

5 Out From The Mist

6 Bright Night, Light Flight

7 Mindful Breath

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Romero Lubambo & Rafael Piccolotto Chamber Orchestra - Live at Dizzy's (November 5, 2021 Sunnyside Records)

The music that Romero Lubambo creates is bursting with emotion and technically brilliant. He has become an expert at squeezing meaningful nuance and feeling from his guitar, a true exemplar of his native Brazil’s saudade. On his new recording, Live at Dizzy’s, Lubambo experiences a first as he teams up with arranger Rafael Piccolotto to present his music with the more expansive color and texture palette of a chamber jazz orchestra.

The Rio de Janeiro born Lubambo has carved a place for himself in the pantheon of jazz guitarists. His expertise with the Brazilian flavors of samba and bossa nova have made him the go to performer for the genres and as an accompanist for vocalists, including Astrud Gilberto, Dianne Reeves, and Luciana Souza. These collaborations have allowed Lubambo to play in a wide variety of settings, from duos to soloing with symphony orchestras.

One of Lubambo’s longtime dreams was to perform his music with strings and a large ensemble. Growing up hearing the expansive recordings of his hero Wes Montgomery had put the sound of a solo guitarist leading a large ensemble in Lubambo’s head. But Lubambo wanted to try to apply the musical language of Brazilian music in a similar context.

The guitarist became aware of countryman, composer/arranger Rafael Piccolotto De Lima a few years ago. Originally from Campinas, Brazil, Piccolotto has been based in New York City since finishing his studies at the University of Miami. His talents as a classical and jazz composer and arranger led to a number of impressive affiliations, including the Metropol Orkest and the Los Angeles Symphonic Jazz Orchestra, along with a Latin Grammy nomination.

Impressed with Piccolotto’s work, Lubambo reached out to suggest a collaboration, which Piccolotto readily accepted. The guitarist provided a number of pieces from his catalog for the young arranger to adapt to a chamber jazz orchestra that would feature four string players, four horn players, and a full rhythm section. Together they chose the pieces they thought would work best for the ensemble. An easy-going relationship developed between Lubambo and Piccolotto, allowing for a comfortable environment for creation.

After a long development process, Lubambo reached out to Jazz @ Lincoln Center to see if they would be interested in hosting the project. He was awarded four nights at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola where the ensemble would perform re-arranged works for a live audience and be able to capture that special live performance energy with the aid of Lincoln Center recording engineer Rob Macomber.

One of the most important elements for Lubambo was to ensure that there would be a Brazilian rhythm section to hold the music together and provide that special Brazilian swing. He enlisted some of the best that New York City offers, including accordionist Victor Gonçalves, pianist Helio Alves, bassist Itaiguara Brandão, and drummer Mauricio Zottarelli. Lubambo made sure that Brandão performed on electric bass so that the music would really have a rhythmic punch, a practice that Brazilian bandleaders have continued from the example of the late, great Elis Regina.

The strings and woodwinds were assembled by Piccolotto and were musicians he has known and worked with for some time. His familiarity with the musicians allowed him to customize parts to the individual performers.

Most of the pieces that were recorded during the series of performances in January 2019 had been previously recorded by Lubambo. The careful study and reinterpretation by Piccolotto allowed these pieces to blossom anew.

The recording begins with Lubambo’s swinging “Lukinha;” Piccolotto’s breezy yet punchy arrangement allowing for some dynamic solos from the leader along with bassist Brandão and saxophonist Alejandro Aviles. The guitar introduces his “Bachião” solo, building with Gonçalves’s accordion and Zottarelli’s insistent drumming, culminating in brilliant solos from saxist Livio Almeida and Lubambo. The lusciously arranged “Pro Romero” was written for the leader by his friend, the prolific Brazilian composer Debora Gurgel. Lubambo’s heartwarming “By the Stream” features his wife, vocalist Pamela Driggs, inviting their young daughter to enjoy playful family time in their backyard stream.

The pace picks up on Lubambo’s “Frevo Camarada,” an effervescent rhythmic workout that highlights the guitarist’s touch, a blistering accordion, and Hadar Noiberg’s dynamic flute work. Piccolotto’s tricky “Samba de Proveta” is a tribute to Brazilian sax master Nailor “Proveta” Azevedo, a welcome challenge to Lubambo and the ensemble. Bobby Troup’s “Route 66” was chosen by Lubambo because of its emotional tie to his first journey with his wife, Driggs.

Lubambo’s introspective “Paquito In Bremen” is a tribute to his friend, Cuban woodwind master Paquito D’Rivera, in a quietly winding ballad. Piccolotto’s arrangement of João Bosco’s “Pret-à-porter de Tafeta” owes a bit to “Proveta” Azevedo’s big band arrangement of the tune, this scaled down version still packing a punch. The recording concludes with Lubambo’s tribute to his father, “Pro Flavio,” a Baião style piece that showcases Aviles on flute and Zottarelli’s percussion mastery.

Romero Lubambo and Rafael Piccolotto’s wonderful collaboration on Live at Dizzy’s provides a perfect example of both musicians doing what they do best. Lubambo provides a master’s touch on his instrument while the arranger helps re-imagine the guitarist’s pieces in a new and enlivening sound world with his chamber jazz orchestra. 

1. Lukinha

2. Bachião

3. Pro Romero

4. By The Stream

5. Frevo Camarada

6. Samba De Proveta

7. Route 66

8. Paquito In Bremen

9. Prêt-à-Porter de Tafetá

10. Pro Flavio

Rafael Piccolotto de Lima - arranger & conductor

Romero Lubambo - acoustic & electric guitars

Vitor Gonçalves - accordion

Helio Alvés - piano

Itaiguara Brandão - drums

Hadar Noiberg - flute & piccolo

Alejandro Aviles - alto sax, flute & alto flute

Livio Almeida - tenor sax & clarinet

Stuart Mack - trumpet & flugelhorn

Patti Kilroy - violin 1

Delaney Stockli - violin 2

Amanda Díaz - viola

Eric Allen - cello

Pamela Driggs - vocals

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Flutist and Composer Alex Hamburger's Debut AND SHE SPOKE due out November 5, 2021

DC Artist and Composer Alex Hamburger memorializes strong, unrelenting women on debut record And She Spoke, due out on November 5, 2021

Flutist-composer and singer Alex Hamburger threads generations of voices through her debut release And She Spoke, due out on November 5. Focused on sharing women’s stories — from poets and  activists to composers and songwriters — the album offers original music and fresh interpretations of enduring works. Exploring pieces from Geri Allen, Maya Angelou, Mary Lou Williams, Joni Mitchell and her own grandmother, poet and activist Ana Maria R. Codas, Hamburger creates a highly orchestrated, textural experience that unfolds in thoughtful sequence. 

In her liner notes, Hamburger describes the experience of conceiving and recording And She Spoke as “standing on the shoulders of giants.” She credits her own pathway through the music to the women — and, in particular, the Black women — who came before her. “These women made it so women like me could have a voice,” she says. “Women like Terri Lyne [Carrington] and Mary Lou Williams paved the way.” 

Recorded in a single day at JazzCampus Studio in Basel, Switzerland, And She Spoke features quartet members José Luiz Martins on piano and Rhodes, Chase Kuesel on drums and Hamburger’s mentor-turned-colleague Doug Weiss on bass. “Playing with Doug is always a lesson,” says the DC artist. “He’s just so solid and grounding yet so interactive — a part of this big swirling thing. What he brought to the music was really his experiences — who he is. Having someone from his generation who’s been around  and played around — even the way he talks about music — you can feel all that when  you play with him.” 

Cool clarity from recording and mixing engineer Patrik Zosso serves the music’s precision and tonal colors, and Hamburger’s overall aesthetic for the recording. “Patrik heard the music and knew what it needed,” she says. The two mixed together remotely, sending each other notes and tracks. “We didn’t have that ‘sitting down moment,’ but he was really patient.” 

Alex Hamburger by Joji Bronner and Emma Lurye

“A lot of how we view music, on a very visceral level, is through texture,” says Hamburger. She and Martins match and reflect each other’s melodic development  against spontaneity, particularly on their stark, haunting arrangement of Mitchell’s “Last Chance Lost” that leads into Beatles classic “Across the Universe,” as well as on  Allen’s “Unconditional Love.” Foundational buoyancy enhances the record’s  exploration of texture, nuanced and elemental. “Waking in the City,” Hamburger’s response to Angelou’s “Awaking in New York,” delivers a mood-casting drone that  rapidly gains momentum. The artist’s channel-driving, reflexive energy on “Burning the Letters,” the flutist-composer’s tribute to Sylvia Plath, and serve a strong, lyrical  statement on Hamburger’s arrangement of Williams’ “What’s Your Story Morning Glory.”  

“People outside of certain circles maybe don’t know as much about who Geri was and what she’s done for the music,” says Hamburger. “I just love the way she wrote. I love the way she played and the way she conceptualized music. I had to include her in this project. She’s one of those women who broke the boundary and said, ‘Fuck this. I’m gonna play. Get out of my way.’”  

Rich transitions abound throughout “It Comes Unadorned,” Hamburger’s arrangement  of Toni Morrison’s vivid verse. But the artist-composer’s most personal gesture  memorializes the revolutionary life of her grandmother who fought for academic  integrity under the Stroessner dictatorship in Paraguay. “I was blown away by her  poems and stories,” says Hamburger, “by this art that I was connected to and how  amazing it was and how much it resonated with me. She was the starting point [for this  project].” 

Through Hamburger’s skilled arrangements and creative interpretations of existing  literary works, And She Spoke tells a series of stories that share an arc of resistance, grace  and grit. “It’s been a journey for sure,” she says. “That day in the studio was everything  I had worked on for so long. And it’s a dream come true.” 

Track listing:

1. Waking in the City (music by Alex Hamburger and lyrics by Maya Angelou)

2. La Desesperación es la Pasión Verdaderamente Humana (music by Alex Hamburger and lyrics by Ana Maria R. Codas)

3. Unconditional Love (by Geri Allen)

4. It Comes Unadorned (music by Alex Hamburger and lyrics by Toni Morrison)

5. What's Your Story Morning Glory (by Mary Lou Williams)

6. Last Chance Lost (by Joni Mitchell and arranged by Alex Hamburger)

7. Across the Universe (by Lennon McCartney and arranged by José Luiz Martins)

8. Burning the Letters (by Alex Hamburger)

Alex Hamburger: Voice, Flute and Compositions

José Luiz Martins: Piano, Rhodes, Arrangement

Doug Weiss: Bass

Chase Kuesel: Drums

Produced by José Luiz Martins and Alex Hamburger

Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Patrik Zosso

Recorded at the JazzCampus Studio at the FHNW in Basel, Switzerland November 2019

Liner notes by Emma Lurye and Alex Hamburger

Album art and design by allison anne

© & ℗ Alex Hamburger 2021. All rights of the producer and of the owner of the work reproduced are reserved. Unauthorized copying, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting of this recording prohibited.

“Waking in New York” Copyright © Alex Hamburger (BMI) and Caged Bird Legacy (ASCAP)

“It Comes Unadorned” reprinted with permission of the Estate of Chloe A. Morrison

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Damani Phillips - No More Apologies (November 5, 2021 Openmind Records)

No More Apologies represents the realization of a longstanding musical dream that began with the recording of my 2010 album “The String Theory”. The reality of working with strings in a jazz context is that the composer/arranger is limited in the musical directions that can be explored. The classical training typical among string players prepares them to play well in that tradition, but customarily leaves them ill-equipped to address the syncopation essential to jazz and other styles derived from African American music culture. This means that jazz composers must either “write around” these weaknesses or learn to accept poorly interpreted syncopation. The latter is the epitome of the phrase “fitting a square peg into a round hole,” resulting in music that is rigid, sounds forced and lacks the characteristic groove that is ever-present in Black music.

What would happen if I could find a string section that could legitimately handle swing? What might be possible with strings that negotiate hip hop and funk syncopation in a natural, unforced way? What if I could find a string section that could be an active contributor to a syncopated groove rather than a harmonic layer that floats atop of it? Are these things even possible?! No More Apologies provided the chance to get answers to these musical questions that I’ve been asking myself for the past 12 years.

Best described as an album of Black music rather than a “jazz” album in the traditional sense, No More Apologies is the result of a risky, yet rewarding, musical experiment. A twist of fate brought me together with a one-of-a-kind string section with a uniquely refined understanding of Black music. Without the need to worry about the rhythmic limitations of a typical string group, the music on this album was allowed to go in whatever direction it needed to go.

The end result is a stylistic journey through the swingin’, funky, syncopated side of the musical tracks that is difficult to find duplicated in the jazz world. With the help of a stellar jazz rhythm section, No More Apologies is a one of a kind project that embraces the power and reach of music that grooves beautifully. A project of substantial music that grooves hard while remaining down to earth—all the things that great jazz music should strive to be! Kick back, turn up the volume and enjoy the musical ride! 

1. So In Love (A Nod to Cannon) 06:52

2. Sunset's Last Embrace (Remix) 06:03

3. Corcovado (M.J. Version) 07:44

4. Hymn (for Trayvon) 05:55

5. Midnight Sun (Remix) 08:13

6. But Beautiful (+ Bonus Track) 14:01

Damani Phillips — Sax, Scat vocals

William Menefield — Piano / Rhodes

Brandon Meeks — Bass

Cassius Goens — Drums

Violin: Sylvia de la Cerna, Lucinda Ali Landing, Edith Yokley, Zara Zaharieva

Viola: Chuck Bontrager, Adjedmaa Ali

Cello: Tahirah Whittington, Najette Abouelhadi

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Mark Lewandowski - Under One Sky (November 5, 2021)

Under One Sky is an exploration of both place and self. A musical accompaniment to Lewandowski’s period of transition in his relocation from London to New York City in 2017.  “My aim for this record is to express my feelings, experiences and growth as I float between two major cities and scenes. Both have mighty rivers, both are bustling metropolises, both have imposing skylines and indeed both have strong musical heartbeats, which although moving to a different rhythm, foster creativity through both tradition and individualism. My music is made up of a combination of these two great cities and the sounds that live within them. In this sense, whether I’m in New York or London, I truly feel that I am under one sky’. 

Following the success of his critically acclaimed 2017 debut album, ‘Waller’ (released shortly before his departure to the US), ‘Under One Sky’ sees Lewandowski revisit the piano trio, which he considers his “favourite vehicle for improvising”, in a markedly different  setting than his reimagining of the music of one of the early innovators of the genre - Thomas ‘Fats’ Waller.  Consisting of 11 original compositions, this is Lewandowski’s first recorded statement of his own music. In this album, he proves to be a composer of great skill, conjuring architecturally intricate, crystalline compositions reminiscent of both the Manhattan and City of London skylines. “My aim as a composer is, through the use of form, melody and harmony, to provide an expansive jumping off point from fairly limited information.”

He continues “I try to consolidate all of my ideas into one page of manuscript” a lesson he learned from a semester studying composition with Dave Douglas at the Juilliard School. “For me, clarity of line and melodic narrative are very important. The trio allows the intimacy for all three instruments to weave in and out of each other. To capture this I often have figures and motifs that pervade my compositions.  It’s truly a three way commentary”.

This aspect of Lewandowski’s music becomes clear upon listening to the cyclical ‘Licks’, in which his skill as a gifted and melodious soloist also shines through. The snake-like ‘Provavus’ twists and turns as the instruments rise and fall in counterpoint, demonstrating the virtuosity of his two collaborators, Pianist Addison Frei and drummer Kush Abadey. 

Frei, a classmate of Mark’s from their time as members of the prestigious Artist Diploma ensemble at Juilliard demonstrates masterful pacing, touch and colour. Himself a gifted composer, he illuminates Lewandowski’s compositions from behind the keyboard. Washington DC born Kush Abadey has fast established himself as one of the first call drummers on the international jazz scene, performing with a diverse range of musicians such as Melissa Aldana, Ravi Coltrane and Dee Dee Bridgewater.  Here, he and Lewandowski weave a tapestry of textures both complex and sparse, always maintaining and exhibiting their broad knowledge of the jazz tradition.  Lewandowski’s reverence for this tradition and the history of the music has been a point of admiration from musicians, critics and listeners alike. Indeed the last time he performed on British soil was as a member of the trumpeter, composer and cultural ambassador Wynton Marsalis’ quartet.

This relationship with Wynton as well as other master musicians (recently including drummer, composer and Blue Note Records staple, Joe Chambers) and also his period of extended study with the great bassist Henry Grimes have all helped develop Lewandowski’s multifarious approach to both bass playing and composition.  As have his stints in the trios of celebrated pianists on both sides of the pond. In the UK, as a member of eclectic and imaginative MOBO award winning pianist Zoe Rahman’s trio and in NYC as a member of the beloved New York City institution Johnny O’Neals trio. These vastly different experiences have shaped Mark’s approach in a myriad of ways. As he puts it “with Zoe I learned about exploring identity, place and finding my voice in the music. Mixing and matching smells, sounds tastes and colours from everywhere and every experience in one’s life.

About being musically honest and personally authentic. With Johnny I learned about discipline, the roles of the instruments. A love for the art of song. Of being an accompanist. His beautiful phrasing and voicings taught me a lot too.  And of course it taught me to swing. To swing really really hard. No matter the style of the music, the groove of the music or the setting, being able to swing is invaluable. You can always tell when someone doesn’t know how to do that.” This respect for his elders is obvious by the two dedications on the album - tributes to two trail blazing pianists. “Andrew Hill and Paul Bley embody the spirit of jazz. A watertight knowledge of the music’s tradition twinned with a searching for one’s individual voice through the process of composition, both written and spontaneous. This is why I wanted to honor them on this album”. 

Although the music on this album evokes urban experiences in bustling world cities, the record opens exuding stillness and space. The opening track ‘3459 Miles’ (the distance between London and New York) is an almost pastoral overture to the album. Of this Lewandowski comments “Of course London and New York are separated by great space, both physically and also culturally.  Different time zones, cultural norms, accents and attitudes. The album’s opening is my way of capturing the feeling that that space gives me. Excitement mixed with a feeling of nostalgia. When I was in London I used to look at the map of the world imagining how I’d feel across the other side of the Atlantic.

Well now I know”.  Similarly his beautiful ballad ‘The Same Moon’ captures the composer’s feelings during a 3 year long-distance relationship with his now wife (luckily they are now reunited in their Manhattan apartment). “I used to sit outside really late at night or really early in the evening gazing at the moon. It might sound overly poetic, but I imagined my wife looking at the same moon all those many miles away”.  The piece features an extended solo by the bassist, caressing the strings and highlighting the sweet melodious tone which has become his signature. 

An album full of poise, sophisticated writing, playful interplay and subtlety Mark Lewandowski makes a poignant  impression as both composer and bassist. It is a beautiful document of his blossoming style as he weighs up the influence of both his chosen new home and his native homeland. 

1. Introduction (3459 Miles)

2. Licks

3. Provavus

4. For Paul Bley

5. The Same Moon

6. Islands

7. Very Well

8. Queen of the Orchids

9. For Andrew Hill

10. Skyline

11. Under One Sky

All Compositions by Mark Lewandowski

Recorded at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY (Jun, 2021)

Recorded by Michael Brorby (Brooklyn, NY)

Mixed and Mastered by Alex Bonney (London)

Produced by Mark Lewandowski

Assistant Producers - Addison Frei & Kush Abadey

Executive Producer - Mark Lewandowski

Original artwork by Naomi Allen

Design by Kassandra Charalampi

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Takatsuki Trio Quartett (feat. Silke Eberhard) - At Kühlspot (November 5, 2021 577 Records)

In 2020, as live music tentatively returned to Berlin under strict regulations, the Takatsuki Trio Quartett organized a monthly concert series at the Kühlspot Social Club. Though the Takatsuki Trio Quartett, always includes Rieko Okuda (Piano), Antti Virtaranta (Bass) and Joshua Weitzel (Guitar, Shamisen), they exclusively perform as a quartet, inviting a fourth player to join them and lend a fresh perspective on their dynamic sound. This recording, At Kühlspot, documents one of those encounters with saxophonist Silke Eberhard, just days after she was awarded the prestigious Berlin Jazz Prize. The band itself derives their name from the Japanese city Takatsuki, located directly between two major metropolises Kyoto and Osaka.

Drawing from their namesake, they maintain a similar multi-directionality through structured ambiguity: Trio or quartet? Jazz or experimental sound? Minimalist composition or uninhibited crescendo? Between Kyoto, Takatsuki and Osaka is the unifying force of the Hankyu-Express train, a fourth object that draws the entities together. Like so, a trio becomes a quartet with its addition. At Kühlspot is the first 577 release for both Silke Eberhard and Takatsuki Trio Quartett. 

1. Hotspot Kühlspot

2. LITTLE PREVIEW FOR 'At Kühlspot' ALBUM

Silke Eberhard: Alto saxophone

Rieko Okuda: Piano, voice

Antti Virtaranta: Double bass

Joshua Weitzel: Guitar, shamisen

Recorded on August 20, 2020 by Antti Virtaranta at Kühlspot Social Club, Berlin

Mixed by Antti Virtaranta

Mastered by Jeremy Loucas as Sear Sound, New York City

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Anton Delecca - The Offering (November 5, 2021 Earshift Music)

Melbourne based saxophonist-composer Anton Delecca makes his Earshift Music debut with The Offering, an emotional yet powerful dedication to the passing of his parents. Recorded in New York City, the album features pianist Caili O’Doherty, drummer Cory Cox, special guest Blue Note artist, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, alongside Melbourne expat bassist Matt Clohesy. The album bursts with power, groove and passion, paying homage to the memory of his parents who were major supporters of his life in music.

The Offering is the sister album to his award-winning 2013 release The Healer and represents the artistic culmination of living in NYC from 2017-19. Recorded over two freezing days in Brooklyn in December 2019, the album consists of seven original compositions from Delecca along with Barbara by the great Horace Silver, and Skylark, the Hoagy Carmichael classic ballad. “This album represents the spiritual connection and meaning that New York holds for me,” explains Delecca, “much of the music that I have connected to in my life has been made there.” He felt that his musical growth in Melbourne had stagnated. “This album represents the breaking free of some stagnation I was feeling. Living in NY was like coming into the daylight and this recording is the musical representation of that.”

The band consists of some of the best young musicians that New York has to offer. Matt Clohesy played on Anton’s first album released in 2001 and was a fixture in his band for several years. Caili O’Doherty and Delecca undertook their masters together during which time Anton met and played with her husband, drummer Cory Cox. Anton heard Immanuel Wilkins play during a masters recital of a friend at the Juilliard School. Blown away by his playing, and in particular his level of maturity, he asked him to be a part of this recording. “Recording this album was like hanging out with friends whilst making music for two days!” explains Delecca.

This album is the culmination of several years of writing and playing. Some of the material had already been played extensively in Melbourne by his quartet. There’s also a personal element to the album, as Delecca explains, “it is dedicated to the recent passing of both of my parents Marg and Bill. It is in a sense a gift to them both, as they had been major supporters of my life in music from the start.”

Anton Delecca has undergone some personal challenges over the years and music has always been a counterbalance to these. The creation and performing of music is a necessary, life-giving process for Delecca. His sister, who was a musician, studying at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, passed away when he was a child. He was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder in his early 20s which has required ongoing treatment. Through the years he has encountered other challenges including, addiction, the passing of his parents and recently a major operation for bowel cancer.

Anton Delecca has performed with many local and international greats and appeared with his band at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz among many others. He was also a member of Melbourne funk outfit The Bamboos for 13 years which involved extensive touring and recording commitments.

“The strongest piece for me is the title track, ‘The Healer’……..It is lovely, transporting, spiritual, and has exactly nothing to do with the way much of jazz is played today. Which makes it a truly unique musical experience, beyond genre, as much great music is”

John Hardaker, australianjazz.net

1. Beloved

2. The Offering

3. Invisible Forces

4. Skylark

5. The Flight

6. Barbara

7. The Wooden Bluebird

8. Mother Tongue

9. Promises Promises

Anton Delecca - tenor saxophone

Caili O’Doherty - piano

Matt Clohesy - acoustic bass

Cory Cox - drums

Immanuel Wilkins - alto saxophone tracks 2, 6 & 8

All compositions Anton Delecca except Skylark composed by Hoagy Carmichael, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, arranged by Anton Delecca

Barbara composed by Horace Silver, arranged by Anton Delecca

Recorded 25th & 26th of November 2019, Big Orange Sheep, Brooklyn NYC

Michael Perez-Cisneros - recording & mastering engineer

Kevin Thomas - assistant engineer

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The Heavyweights Brass Band - Stir Crazy (November 5, 2021)

They won’t be contained! Drenched in energy, passion, and feeling, The Heavyweights Brass Band bursts forth with their latest outing Stir Crazy!

Their fourth full-length album, Stir Crazy, features the high intensity New Orleans-style brass playing and virtuosity that has been a staple of the band since its inception. Put that alongside soulful and reflective grooves on tracks like Feel Like Makin’ Love and Black Hole Sun and you’ve got a smorgasbord of musical flavour. The album is punctuated by the tasteful use of studio production techniques that add even more depth to this remarkable creative statement. This is the kind of album you turn up, put on repeat, and then lose all sense of the passage of time!

The Heavyweights Brass Band is known for their collaborative efforts, and Stir Crazy is no different with Joel Visentin of JV’s Boogaloo Squad joining the band on organ for Sweet Pauly’s Boogaloo and Rehab.

Recorded during a marathon three-day session at Union Sound Station from March 12 -14, 2020, Stir Crazy is a demonstration of the Heavyweights at the height of their powers, captured just before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the live music world into hibernation.

Stir Crazy will be released worldwide on November 5, 2021 by Slammin Media in partnership with Believe Distribution.

1. Sweet Pauly’s Boogaloo (Paul Metcalfe) 3:28

2. Feel Like Making Love (Eugene McDaniels, arr. RJ Satchithananthan) 5:27

3. Skank You Very Much (Paul Metcalfe) 2:52

4. Manipogo (Paul Metcalfe) 4:22

5. Rehab (Intro) (Joel Visentin) 0:40

6. Rehab (Amy Winehouse, Arr. Tom Richards) 4:27

7. Stir Crazy (John Pittman) 3:34

8. Georgia Pine (Tom Richards) 3:11

9. Manipogo’s Revenge (Tom Richards) 3:18

10. Black Hole Sun (Chris Cornell, Arr. Tom Richards) 4:22

John Pittman - Trumpet

Paul Metcalfe - Saxophones

RJ Satchithananthan - Trombone

Tom Richards - Tuba

Lowell Whitty - Drums, Percussion

Featuring:

Joel Visentin - Organ

Aline Morales - Triangle

The Heavyweights Brass Band   Slammin Media   Believe Distribution

Brendan Keller-Tuberg - In Spite of It All (November 5, 2021 Shifting Paradigm Records)

The sophomore album from the Australian bassist/composer, In Spite Of It All is Brendan Keller-Tuberg’s most complete and ambitious offering to date, furthering his efforts to blend the worlds of modern improvised music with post-rock, folk, and the avant-garde. It features a core ensemble of some of Australia’s best improvisers in Julien Wilson, Ashley Ballat, Wilbur Whitta and Lewis Pierre-Humbert, joined by a host of American collaborators such as Joel Tucker, Elena Escudero and more.

1. Still Persisting

2. When Tomorrow Comes

3. Towards a Greater Whole I - Prelude

4. Towards a Greater Whole II - Self Preservation

5. Towards a Greater Whole III - You Are Your Life, and Nothing Else

6. Towards a Greater Whole IV - Commiseration

7. Towards a Greater Whole V - Litany For Selflessness

8. Towards a Greater Whole VI - In Spite of It All

9. Letting Go

Brendan Keller-Tuberg - double bass, field recordings, piano

Julien Wilson - tenor saxophone

Ashley Ballat - trumpet

Wilbur Whitta - piano

Lewis Pierre-Humbert - drums

Ally Hocking Howe - violin

Joel Tucker - guitar

Andrew Danforth - trombone, euphonium

Ana Nelson - clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone

Elena Escudero - voice

Alyson Kanne - harp

Ashleigh Hazel - electronics

Recorded by Phil Threlfall at The Base, Melbourne (and in a few living rooms/bedrooms).

Mixed by Garrett Spoelhof.

Mastered by Jake Belser (Primary Sound Studios, Bloomington IN).

Artwork by Ralph Tikerpae, photography by Stefan Keller-Tuberg.

Design by Jameson Rhodes.

Poem featured on front cover is ‘Nevertheless’ by Isabel Keller-Tuberg.

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Francis Jacob - I'll Just Trust Your Eyes (November 5, 2021 Sunnyside Records)

The COVID-19 pandemic required people to isolate themselves from one another. Even once able to go out and about, it was prudent to wear masks over the mouth and nose in order to prevent and protect from potential infection. Masks themselves evolved quickly from necessity to accessory for many people, as design began to accentuate the other features, most prominently the eyes.

Vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Francis Jacob watched this adaptation of the plain paper mask to fashionable object with keen attention. He was especially interested in how peoples’ eyes began to catch his own. Inspired by this, Jacob began to write music for this project, I’ll Just Trust Your Eyes, a collection of pieces capturing the composer’s enchanted ocular observations over jazz inflected, West African rhythm driven tunes.

For years, the Grammy-nominated Jacob has been a regular fixture on the Brooklyn singer/songwriter and world music scenes. His compositional and instrumental work can be heard on releases by Gretchen Parlato, Grégoire Maret, and his sister, Irene Jacob. One of the well-known ensembles that Jacob fronts is BrasBrook, a group that takes the beloved tunes of French songwriter Georges Brassens and adapts them to a Nigerian Afrobeat flavor. Having studied and performed with African musicians for decades, West African rhythms and styles have become a natural extension of Jacob’s compositional vocabulary.

The pandemic interfered with people’s interactions with one another in numerous ways. One of them was the casual smile or other facial gestures because of the veil of masks. It wasn’t long before Jacob was triggered by the seductiveness of women’s eyes, which seemed especially enhanced by the addition of masks. He was so inspired that he wrote the title tune, “I’ll Just Trust Your Eyes.”

During the summer of 2020, Jacob began to attend regular rehearsals and performances at Open Source Brooklyn, an arts based non-profit organization that hosts a loose association of local songwriters, who would come together weekly to play each other’s songs in a socially distanced setting. Jacob brought “I’ll Just Trust Your Eyes” to a rehearsal and figured why not write more tunes based around the subject. The development and rehearsal led to seven compositions that focused on different aspects of the eyes, from color to more abstract features.

Once he had the pieces together, Jacob assembled the members of BrasBrook, keyboardist ATN Stadwijk, bassist Mamadou Ba, conga player Aja Olusegun, and drummer Thierry Arpino. The group rehearsed and had a performance at Open Source before going into Jacob’s home studio to record I’ll Just Trust Your Eyes in a single day. The musicians were crucial to the success of the music, especially the complex interplay of the percussionist and the rhythm section.

The program begins with the catchy “The Two Black Holes of Your Two Black Eyes,” a Afrobeat infused tune that catches the attention with the added drive of Alioune Faye’s djembe and searing guitar from the leader. The laid-back reggae beat of “Green Eyes” is in a unique 6/4 metered groove. The meditative “Wild Grey Eyes” utilizes a hypnotizing, traditional 6/8 West African ballad time signature. The jazz influenced “The Color of Your Gaze” is built on a melodic motif inspired by the fusion work of late great fusion master, Chick Corea. “The Depth of Your Blue Eyes” is a reinterpretation of one of Jacob’s older pieces, done here as a lilting, low key waltz. Harmonica master Gregoire Maret guests on the subdued but upbeat “The Music of Your Eyes.” The recording concludes with the title tune; this ambitious piece is rhythmically adventurous and irresistible.

During the composition and rehearsal process, Jacob woke up with a vision for the project that would include playing in Prospect Park and making videos of the performances. Two days after the recording, the band did just that. Musicians at the time had no place to play, so bringing the music outside was good for them and the public. Jacob also asked women in the audience if they would be willing to have their picture taken, thus gathering a gallery of tantalizing eyes that are included with the recording.

The unique adaptation of one-on-one interaction with the majority of the face being covered has heightened the magnetism and expressiveness of the eyes. The effect of this inspired Francis Jacob to write the dynamic and diverse collection of tunes, I’ll Just Trust Your Eyes. 

1. The Two Black Holes of Your Two Black Eyes

2. Green Eyes

3. Wild Grey Eyes

4. The Color of Your Gaze

5. The Depth of Your Blue Eyes

6. The Music of Your Eyes

7. I'll Just Trust Your Eyes

Francis Jacob - vocals & guitar

ATN Stadwijk - keyboards

Mamadou Ba - electric bass

Aja Olusegun - congas

Thierry Arpino - drums

Gregoire Märet - harmonica (6)

Alioune Faye - djembe (1-3)

Pauline Jacob - background vocals (2, 4)

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Philippe Côté / Marc Copland - Bell Tolls Variations (November 5, 2021)

Featuring Côté’s richly imagined set of variations on Copland’s “The Bell Tolls,” from Marc Copland’s 2009 trio outing Night Whispers

1. The Phase

2. Oracle

3. Le baume au coeur

4. Lethe's Song

5. Alchemy I

6. Alchemy II

7. Hallowed Skies

8. Elysian

9. The Bond

Philippe Côté: soprano sax, bass clarinet

Marc Copland, piano

Quatuor Saguenay:

Laura Andriani: violin

Nathalie Camus: violin

Luc Beauchemin: viola

David Ellis: cello

Recorded and mixed by Paul Johnston

Mastered by Guy Hébert

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Daniel Casimir - Boxed In (November 5, 2021 jazz re:freshed)

London-based composer/bassist, Daniel Casimir returns with his solo debut album Boxed In, a dynamic collision of pulsing modern jazz & orchestral instrumentation.

Featuring Casimir’s quintet of fellow British jazz luminaries, including Nubya Garcia, Moses Boyd, Al Macsween & James Copus, Boxed In astutely bridges traditional and contemporary jazz forms with enveloping strings, woodwind & brass arrangements, but under its intricate musical surface seeks to confront some necessary hard truths.

1. Safe (Part 1) 07:07

2. Boxed In

3. New Waters

4. Your Side

5. Safe (Part 2)

6. Get Even

7. Safe (Part 3)

8. Into the Truth

9. The Truth

10. Rewind the Time

11. Outro

_Quintet_

Daniel Casimir – Double Bass

Moses Boyd – Drums

Al Macsween – Keys

Nubya Garcia – Tenor Saxophone

James Copus – Trumpet

_Brass_

Sean Gibbs – Trumpet

Andy Davies - Trumpet

Tom Dunnet – Trombone

Rosie Turton – Trombone

_Woodwind_

Faye MacCalman – Clarinet

Samuel Rapley – Clarinet

Gareth Lockrane – Flute

_Strings_

Julia Dos Reis – Viola

Miranda Lewis – Cello

Rebekah Reid – Violin

Rhiannon Dimond – Violin

Vocals

Ria Moran

Mixed

David Wehinm

Mastered

John Webber

Engineered

Giles Barrett

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Parish / Stein / Piechocki - External Link (November 5, 2021 Trouble In Mind Records)

"External Link" is the debut album by Parish/Stein/Piechocki, the slamming trio of guitarist Shane Parish (Ahleuchatistas), bass clarinetist Jason Stein (Natural Information Society), and drummer Danny Piechocki (Ahleuchatistas/Terms). The trio breathe together with fiery intensity, melding impossible hyper-prog, glorious electric post-punk jazz, glistening trance minimalism, Motorik drive and ominously dreamy soundscapes into a unique lexicon of fluid interplay and virtuosic expression.

1. Stag

2. External Link

3. Rare Forms

4. Ochetellus

5. Visiting Your Ghost Bike

6. Ground

7. Lost In The Ink

8. RE:

9. See Also

10. Crushed By Dust

11. Unresolved Trauma

Jason Stein - Bass clarinet

Shane Parish - Guitar

Danny Piechocki - Drums

Recorded at Reliable Recorders in Chicago / Wretched Sound Studio

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Darius Jones - Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation) November 5, 2021 Northern Spy Records

Raw Demoon Alchemy (A Lone Operation) harnesses the gamut of raw, unadulterated emotions — suppressed feelings that we’ve all been allowed to “feel” again in the wake of a global pandemic. Born out of a live performance in fall 2019, during the last stop of his tour in Portland, OR, saxophonist Darius Jones renders a solo effort that evokes sadness, rage, and confusion, all the while still holding for glimmers of hope for the future.

With four of its five tracks on Alchemy, Jones selects compositions from artists who are not just unapologetically Black but also notably ones that he regards as “world builders.” From Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, and Roscoe Mitchell right up through the present with Georgia Anne Muldrow, Alchemy draws immeasurable strength from each of these artists who dared to envision and create an entire universe unto themselves, on their terms.

“I want to capture a moment in time, to crystallize the beginning of something at the end of something else,” says Jones. Separated and now divorced from his partner of 10 years, Alchemy balances the emotional heft of closure with the simple act of standing alone. Each track unearths a deep and profound vulnerability in every solo performance that isn’t just personal but also delves into the macro-level divisiveness of our current political climate.

With “Figure No. 2,” Jones offers us a modern-day version of the blues. Courtesy of Muldrow, her refrain encapsulates the vast breadth of the Black experience in America, transforming our deep-seated pain into our beauty and armor of resilience. Jones also proudly rests on the shoulders of Coleman and Mitchell, two of this music’s known improvisers who often stood alone in this music’s ever-changing landscape. He pays homage to Mitchell with “Noonah,” which in the late 1970s was initially met with jeers from an audience, that is, until his 21+ minute long version overtook them.

Alchemy uncovers a duality of what it means to be alone, especially resonant in today’s climate of social distancing. In one turn, we were all forced to put life as we knew it on hold — to simply be still and deal with our emotional realities unencumbered by the distractions of life. But at another turn, Jones taps into an unknown power of his lone voice, finding a newfound strength and enthusiasm that will carry him — and its listeners — beyond the uncertainty and doubt of not knowing. 

1. Figure No. 2

2. Sadness

3. Beautiful Love

4. Nonaah

5. Love in Outer Space

Track 1 composed by Georgia Anne Muldrow, Epistrophik Peach Publishing, BMI; Track 2 composed by Ornette Coleman, Phrase Text Music, ASCAP; Track 3 composed by Victor Young, Wayne King, Egbert Van Alstyne, Haven Gillespie Music Publishing CO, Warner Bros INC (Warner Bros Music DIV), ASCAP; Track 4 composed by Roscoe Mitchell, Art Ensemble of Chicago Publishing CO. ASCAP; (excerpt from a version in 1976 at festival in Willisau, Switzerland); Track 5 composed by Sun Ra, Enterplanetary Koncepts, BMI

Produced by Darius Jones

Recorded by Darius Jones at Holocene, Portland, OR on Oct. 18th, 2019

Mixed and Mastered by David Torn at Cell Labs East

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Farida Amadou & Pavel Tchikov - Mal de Terre (November 5, 2021 Trouble In Mind Records)

“MAL DE TERRE” is the first collaboration between Belgium-based bassist Farida Amadou & guitarist Pavel Tchikov. Roughly translated, “MAL DE TERRE” means “earth sickness”, or a kind of nausea one feels when connecting back to land after a long journey at sea (Tchikov also adds “It might also be construed as a nostalgic memory of a forsaken land.”), and certainly a feeling of unease is threaded through the cassette’s two sides. Using bass, looped guitar, electronics & tape echo, the duo of Amadou & Tchikov channel the “dépaysement” - a French term for “disorientation” or something like “culture shock,” (for those times when culture shock isn’t enough to capture what you’re feeling) - and nervous excitement for a new place, coupled with homesickness & frustration for the old place, often attributed to “decountryfication”. Tchikov explains, “…

It’s a spontaneous take on nostalgia of forsaken personal roots. We’ve both left our native countries as we were children. We’re happy of that, but there’s something missing anyway. Something we still feel connected to, but it’s far away. So that’s what we tried to put into this record. We wanted to conserve the roughness of the music in order to keep our fragility unveiled. There’s no editing or overdubs there, not even lots of mixing. It is as it was played. And we hope it to be an honest album.” The darkly lit, near-industrial landscape conjured forth by Amadou & Tchikov certainly retains an aura of dread; strings clang, feedback whooshes past, cacophonous clattering jumps out, something akin to a siren wails, but underneath it all (or perhaps through it all) a sliver of light emerges. 

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. 5

6. 6

7. 7

8. 8

9. 9

Farida Amadou : bass, electronics

Pavel Tchikov : guitar, looper, tape echo

Improvised in two sessions in autumn 2020.

Recorded by P.T. with two diy microphones.

Mixed at la rouille, summer 2021.

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Marilyn Lerner / Yoshie Fruchter - Marilyn LernerYoshie Fruchter (November 5, 2021)

1. A Collection of Love and Darkness 05:26

2. De Izen Ei Esein 05:10

3. Ozarow 07:11

4. Zahav 08:12

Marilyn Lerner, piano

Yoshie Fruchter, guitar

New York Session Dec 30, 2017

Vibromonk Studios

Song recorded:

Collection of Love and Darkness

Engineer: Dan Schatzky

Mixed by Dan Schatzky

Toronto Session June 18, 2017

Canterbury Studio

Songs recorded:

Zahav

De Izen Ei Eisen

Ozarow

Engineer: Jeremy Darby

Mixed by David Travers Smith

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Joseph Joise - Sleep Architecture (November 5, 2021)

An exploration of the stages of sleep through classical and ambient compositions

1. NREM: Stage One "Lullaby" 05:11

2. NREM: Stage Two "Light" 59:15

3. NREM: Stage Three "Deep" 28:52

4. REM "Dream" 33:24

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Mah'Mood - Motionwise EP (November 5, 2021 Word to the Wise)

Motionwise EP is Mah'Mood's humble yet dazzling introduction to the production scene. This project embodies the Funk, Disco and Hip Hop mixture that Mah'Mood has symbolized as one of the backbones of Geneva's DJ scene for a decade.

The title track immerses the listener into a dream-like, heavy and haunting groove that reflects Mah'Mood's attraction for deepness and spirit in music. The narrator's live recital of a morse code poem ties a powerful statement with a visceral longing to groove.

The B side creates a rather hopeful air with shiny chops and mellow strings showcasing Mah'Mood sample based technique and diversity in moods he can express as well as ways he can make you dance.

1. Motionwise

2. The Beat

3. Boy's Walk

All track produced by Mah'Mood

Design: Nuts One

Executive Producer: truckthomas

Published by Word to the Wise - 2021

Mix: A1 & B2 by Jonny Sender, B1 by Bony Fly

Master: Matthias Heinstein

Lacquer cut: Adi Flück, Centraldubs

All tracks recorded in 2016

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