Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Vandermark & Snow - DUOL (CATALYTIC SOUND 2018)


Although he is best known as a groundbreaking experimental filmmaker, one of the architects of structural cinema, and visual artist, Michael Snow has been active as a musician since the 1950s. In Greenwich Village of the 1960s, his loft was the site of concerts by Cecil Taylor and other paragons of free jazz, and Snow’s film New York Eye and Ear featured a soundtrack by Albert Ayler’s group and starred its members. A brilliant keyboardist and occasional trumpeter, Snow was a key figure in Toronto’s improvised music scene, performing and recording with the ensemble CCMC, and as an improvising pianist he’s worked in myriad contexts with many of the world’s leading free players. Saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer Ken Vandermark first learned about Snow as a film student in Montreal, where the classic work Wavelength confounded and fascinated him. In 2015, Vandermark and Snow performed together for the first time as a duet, resulting in three astounding long-form improvisations. Snow dug in hard at the piano, with clusters and repeated figures, while Vandermark was explosive on tenor and surgical on clarinet, opting often for the latter. The entire evening’s music is released here, an early painting by Snow adorning the cover, and a still from the concert’s videotaped footage spanning the gatefold interior.

1. Duol One (14:17)
2. Duol Two (09:12)
3. Duol Three (10:10)

Ken Vandermark, reeds
Michael Snow, piano

All music by Ken Vandermark (Twenty First Mobile Music/ASCAP-Cien Fuegos) and Michael Snow (SOCAN) Recorded on June 20th, 2015 by Ted Phillips at Array Space, Toronto. Edited and mastered by Alex Inglizian with assistance from Ken Vandermark at Experimental Sound Studio, Chicago. Thanks to Ron Gaskin for the invitation and idea; to Ted Phillips, John Creson and Adam Rosen, Alex Inglizian and ESS for their assistance with the recording; to Rick Sacks and Array Space; to John Oswald who also performed that night; to Shannin Porter and Billions for their help with my logistics; and to John Corbett and Jim Dempsey for making this album possible. Painting by Michael Snow, Duol, 1960, oil on canvas, 70.2 x 45.1 inches, Collection of the estate of Signy Eaton. Photo by Laurie Kwasnik. Design by David Khan-Giordano. Publication editor, Corbett vs. Dempsey, Emily Letourneau. Executive producers John Corbett and Jim Dempsey.

Extra Large Unit - More Fun Please (CATALYTIC SOUND 2018)


With a cast of 27 members, Paal Nilssen-Love's 'More Fun Please' more than doubles the Large Unit ensemble in size. This piece was commissioned for the Only Connect festival in Oslo and marks PNL records 40th release.


1. More Fun, Please 33:28

LARGE UNIT: Klaus Holm: Alto Saxophone: Bb Clarinet • Mats Äleklint: Trombone • Per Åke Holmlander: Tuba • Jon Rune Strøm: Acoustic Bass • Christian Meaas Svendsen: Acoustic Bass • Tommi Keránen: Electronics, Conduction • Andreas Wildhagen: Drums • Paal Nilssen-Love: Drums, Conduction 

INTUITIVE PEOPLE: Julie Helgeland Davidsen: Flute, Picolo Flute • Reindert Spanhove: Tenor Saxophone • Markus Dvergastein: Guitar • Torunn Hofstad: Violin • Maria Quevedo Meloni: Cello • Rebekka Eikefet: Cello • Torstein Johansen: Acoustic Bass • Håkon Bjørgo: Acoustic Bass • Tatia Chikovani: Piano • Joao Grilo: Piano • Shayila Mahestuti: Piano • Ásta Sofia Thorrgeirsdóttir: Accordion • Mykola Sheremeta: Accordion • Kalle Moberg: Accordion • Richard Köster: Trumpet, Conduction • Edo Hayek: French Horn • Eirik Sanner: Euphonium • Mats Hägerlind: Trombone • Magnus Breivik Løvseth: Tuba • Torgrim Halse: Percussion. 

All music by Paal Nilssen-Love (TONO/Cien Fuegos). 
Recorded live in concert at Sentralen, Oslo, Norway on the 20th of May 2017, as a commissoned piece by Ny Musikk for the Only Connect festival, with support from Arts Council Norway. 
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Christian Brynildsen Obermayer. Produced by Paal Nilssen-Love.


Shows

May 20
Brighton, UK

Jun 23
Madison, WI

Jon Irabagon Quartet w/ special guest Tim Hagans - Dr. Quixotic's Traveling Exotics (IRABBAGAST RECORDS May 15, 2018)


Recorded while on tour in South America, Dr. Quixotic's Traveling Exotics finds Jon Irabagon's long-standing quartet (the same rhythm section from his 2015 album Behind the Sky) teamed up with trumpet wizard Tim Hagans. Together they bop, weave, dance and fly through six of Irabagon's labyrinthian compositions, with each one getting the funhouse mirror treatment and the freak show send off. This recording captures a band in full flight mode in the middle of a lengthy and successful tour.


1. The Demon Barber of Fleet Week 10:52
2. Emotional Physics/The Things 13:19
3. You Own Your Own 14:09
4. The Bo'ness Monster 06:39
5. Pretty Like North Dakota 15:01
6. Taipei Personality 12:11

Tim Hagans- trumpet
Luis Perdomo- piano
Yasushi Nakamura- bass
Rudy Royston- drums


Chaz Martineau - Apathy (2018)


1. A Mourning Dove 06:09
2. Ear Honey 08:28
3. If I Had a Heart It Would Be Breaking 06:59
4. We See 07:28
5. Apathy 07:32
6. Back Home On The Mesa 10:13
7. Waiting, For Your Memory To Fade 07:45
8. Jog On Then 11:40

All original compositions by Chaz Martineau
We See by Thelonious Monk

Chaz Martineau - Saxophone
Vincent Thiefain - Bass
Matt Mcclintock - Drums

Chaz Martineau - Goodbye Stairs (2018)


1. Pass The Salt 05:00
2. Here and There 09:02
3. Jin's Pose 06:03
4. Cassie's Tune 12:35
5. Goodbye Stairs 13:59
6. Follow Me 14:35
7. Being here right now with you, I Hate It 00:48
8. Nos Da 08:59

Chaz Martineau - Saxophone
Matt Mcclintock - Drums
Reid Riddiough - Guitar
Vincent Thiefain - Bass
Evan Rees - Piano


Anteloper - Kudu (INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM RECORDING 2018)


ANTELOPER is the electric brain child of JAIMIE BRANCH (fly or die, high life) and JASON NAZARY (little women, helado negro, bear in heaven). Branch and Nazary have been playing together as trumpeter and drummer for years, since meeting at the New England Conservatory of Music in 2002, but in this duo both musicians include synthesizers to push further into the spectral space ship ether. With deep rhythmic passages, telepathic improvisations and effortless melodic negotiations, Anteloper pushes forward, swinging its horns all the while.

1. Oryx 09:10
2. Fossil Record 04:43
3. Lethal Curve 10:54
4. Ohoneotree Suite 15:21
5. Seclusion Self 09:47

recorded live at carefree studios in bk by ian hersey on june 20, 2017

all tunes written by jaimie branch (BMI) and Jason Nazary (BMI) except ohoneotree suite (pt 1) and seclusion self written by jason nazary

produced by jaimie branch & jason nazary
edited by jason nazary

mixed by dave vettraino
mastered by david allen

artwork by jaimie branch
design by craig hansen

SATOMI - Groovaround (2018)


SATOMI is an italian-based jazz trio, born from the cooperation between bassist Mattia Palagi and drummer Valentino Vitali.

The music on "Groovaround" comes from old and new ideas that Mattia developed and shared with Valentino and the guitarist Simone Lobina.

The result is the convergence and blending of the three different personalities into a mix of contemporary jazz with world contaminations.

1. Dave and I 06:25
2. Quello storto d'un Fusankacido 07:46
3. Percussive loop 05:53
4. Divano blues 08:06
5. Giro in tondo 05:17

Mattia Palagi - Bass
Valentino Vitali - Drums
Simone Lobina - Guitar

Recording - Diego Lana, Andrea Martinovic
Mixing - Andrea Martinovic
Mastering - Stevan Martinovic

Pianist Danny Green's new trio date w/strings "One Day It Will" on OA2



San Diego Pianist/Composer Danny Green Spins Alluring Tales 
with his Trio Plus Strings on One Day It Will

"Richly engaging and utterly brilliant...a musical mind of rare sensitivity and rigor." – CD Hotlist

“…a vibrant, top-notch piano trio." – All About Jazz

CD Release Concerts:  • Thursday, April 26 in Portland, OR   • Friday, April 27 in Seattle, WA 
• Saturday, April 28 in Victoria, BC   • Sunday, April 29 in Vancouver, BC   • Friday, May 4 in San Diego, CA  
• Sunday, June 9 in Baltimore, MD   • Sunday, June 10 in Oxon Hill, MD   • Wednesday, June 13 in NY, NY  
• Thursday, June 14 in Buffalo, NY  • Friday, June 15 in Middletown, CT  • Saturday, June 16 in Cambridge, MA
• Friday, June 22 in San Francisco, CA  • Saturday, June 23 in Oakland, CA  • Sunday, June 24 in Los Altos Hills, CA  
• June 27 – Blue Whale in Los Angeles, CA  • Thursday, July 19 in Temecula, CA  • Sunday, October 7 in Sedona, AZ

Over the past decade, Danny Green has earned recognition as a bandleader possessing a lyrically charged vision and as a composer with a gift for spinning supple, absorbing narratives. The San Diego pianist’s storytelling goes deeper than ever with his fifth album One Day It Will, scheduled for release by OA2 Records on April 20, 2018. Building on his acclaimed 2016 album Altered Narratives, which included several tracks pairing his longtime trio with strings, One Day It Will is a full chamber jazz melding of his working band and a highly responsive string quartet. 

“All of the songs on this album were initially written for the trio and the strings parts were subsequently added,” Green says. “The process for arranging each song began with my thinking about where the strings should take the lead melody, where they should play background lines or harmonies, and what else I could do to make the strings essential to the arrangement. Over time, each piece took on its own shape and in many cases, the process of arranging for strings resulted in adding entirely new sections to the compositions.”

Like all of his previous recordings, One Day It Will flows from the quietly intense musical bonds uniting Green with bassist Justin Grinnell and drummer Julien Cantelm, two of Southern California’s most sought after players. The expanded instrumentation seems to accentuate the responsive nature of the trio, which seamlessly flows from through-composed sections to improvised passages. 

The album opens with the gorgeous “Time Lapse to Fall,” a spritely piece that swings briskly in 4/4 with the ebullient buzz of a summer day then transitions into the minor key melancholy of autumn. Pizzicato strings introduce “As the Parrot Flies” followed by an insistent question and answer dialogue with Green’s piano. The title track is an anthem about striving for hope in dark times, a piece that builds toward the striking string harmonies flowing around Green’s shimmering lines. 

Green takes us to church on “Lemon Avenue,” a waltz with a gospel feel that features some of his sleekest string parts. An introspective journey, the thoughtful ballad “Sifting Through the Silence” reaches a similarly meditative space via a very different route. No piece better illustrates the way Green’s writing for strings can transform a composition than “October Ballad,” a sumptuous melody that he introduced with the trio on Altered Narratives. 

The expanded orchestration is like adding a new character into a play who both comments on the action taking place and heightens the drama. The gently caressing “Snowy Day in Boston” picks up like the second movement of a suite, starting in the same key as “October Ballad” concludes. The album closes with “Down and Out,” a bluesy jaunt that surges with infectious energy. One Day It Will comes across as a unified statement, programmatically, texturally and harmonically.  

Like many jazz pianists, Green became enamored with the idea of combining piano trio and strings after hearing the classic 1966 Verve album Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra. But he’s also inspired by more recent recordings, particularly Herbie Hancock’s 1998 Verve project Gershwin’s World, which features some breathtaking piano improvisation on Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major.


Danny Green One Day It Will

“Hearing the recordings of Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock with symphony orchestra was a major revelation to me,” says Green. “I was immediately drawn to the sound, and I was intrigued by the possibilities of integrating classical harmony and form into the jazz context. While string quartet is a much more paired down configuration than a full orchestra, what I love about it is that it can sound lush when it needs to, and alternately, it can fit right into the pocket of the rhythm section with fast paced, syncopated lines.”

The album’s cohesive feel stems from the deeply interactive nature of the trio. Green introduced the combo with Grinnell on 2009’s With You In Mind, which won the San Diego Music Award for Best Jazz Album. A bandleader in his own right who leads a quartet featuring the brilliant LA pianist Josh Nelson, Grinnell possesses a warm, woody tone and compelling sense of swing. Drummer Cantelm joined the trio on Green’s second release, 2012’s A Thousand Ways Home, a trio session with guest artists including Brazilian stars Claudia Villela (vocals) and Chico Pinheiro (guitar), Eva Scow (mandolin), Peter Sprague (guitar), Dusty Brough (guitar), and Tripp Sprague (saxophone).

Cantelm has carved out a niche as a drummer equally adept in jazz, Brazilian, Cuban, Balkan, funk, and rock styles of music. He has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe with his trio, Kelp Giant, which he co-leads with guitarist Dusty Brough. Cantelm has performed with notable artists including Geoffrey Keezer, Peter Sprague, Chico Pinheiro, Sheila E., and Pete Escovedo.

“One of the best aspects of playing together with Justin and Julien for so long is the friendship that we have developed,” Green says. “We always have a great time together, both on and off the bandstand, and I think this plays a huge role in our sound as a trio. Justin is an extremely accomplished bass player. While he has plenty of chops to spare, he always puts the music first. As a result, he is able to realize that perfect balance between playing supportively and interactively. Julien is an incredibly musical drummer. He has so much finesse and facility on the drums, and he always seems to know exactly where I’m going with my solos. Having such a wide array of musical interests, Julien is able to come up with completely unique grooves that work perfectly for my music.” 

The string quartet features San Diego Symphony violinists Kate Hatmaker and Igor Pandurski, violist Travis Maril, and cellist Erica Erenyi. “I am so fortunate to have such highly talented string players on this album,” comments Green. “Beyond capturing every detail in the music, they brought the music to life with their beautiful interpretation.”

Born in San Diego in 1981, Green grew up in an academic family. Now retired, his mother was a longtime ESL teacher and his father was a professor of biology at the University of California, San Diego. He started piano lessons at age 5 and kept at it until 12, when he came under the sway of grunge rock. After two years teaching himself Nirvana tunes, Green got interested in ska and joined a band with some fellow friends. “Ska was my first exposure to music that featured improvisation, and I remember feeling so excited listening to the solos,” Green recalls. 


Green experienced something of an epiphany around the turn of the century when he caught The Buena Vista Social Club documentary, which sparked a passion for Cuban son. He delved into Latin music working in local salsa bands, while writing in the Latin jazz idiom. Green earned a B.A. in Piano Performance from UC San Diego, where he studied jazz piano with Grammy-winning producer Kamau Kenyatta (who played a key role in the rise of vocalist Gregory Porter), and classical piano with John Mark Harris and Luciane Cardassi. 

A class on Brazilian music at UCSD turned his passion southwards. Looking for direct experience with Brazilian masters, he started attending California Brazil Camp in the redwoods of Cazadero in western Sonoma County. He credits legendary guitarist/composer Guinga, Marcos Silva, Chico Pinheiro, and drummers Edu Ribeiro and Marcio Bahia as particularly important influences. Green went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies at San Diego State University, where he studied under Rick Helzer. He was awarded “Outstanding Graduate,” and several years later, “Alumni to Watch.” 

In following his various musical interests, Green has carved out a singular niche as a bandleader and recording artist, honing a sound unlike anyone else on the scene. “As a composer, I always strive to tell stories through music,” says Green. “Adding strings to my music provides new and exciting ways for me to expand on those stories and heighten the emotional impact.”