Friday, May 18, 2018

Glass Museum, le clip de Wu sur le EP Deux


Glass Museum

1er Ep Deux

Sortie le 25 mai chez JauneOrange / [PIAS]

Basé à Tournai en Belgique, le duo instrumental Glass Museum se compose du pianiste Antoine Flipo (Uncle Waldo, Gustave Brass Band) et du batteur Martin Grégoire (Perils Of Penelope, Rince-Doigt). Ils sortent aujourd'hui un premier Ep qu'ils ont appelé Deux, comme l'alliance et la symbiose qui unit ces deux musiciens virtuoses.

Influencé par des artistes de jazz moderne comme GoGo Penguin, BadBadNotGood autant que par la musique électronique de Jon Hopkins et Floating Points, le duo Glass Museum tisse une musique à la fois dynamique, lyrique, et mélancolique, emmenant l’auditeur dans un univers fragile où piano et batterie s’entrechoquent avec autant de grâce que d'énergie.

Glass Museum redéfinit l’expérience live et démontre le pouvoir émotionnel de la musique instrumentale en associant maîtrise technique et plaisir pur du jeu. « Deux » pousse donc la dualité du combat piano-batterie dans ses retranchements. On peut découvrir la magie et l'originalité de Glass Museum avec l'extrait Wu extrait du Ep "Deux".


Glass Museum comprend deux musiciens miroirs l’un de l’autre, qui revisitent le couple piano/batterie… Une dualité parfaite où une rythmique, entre grâce et syncope, s’entrelace et bondit, s'ouvre à des éclosions mélodiques.

Glass Museum s'est développé dans la complémentarité et la confiance. A leurs débuts, ne comptant que sur eux-mêmes, Martin Grégoire et Antoine Flipo ont construit, avec force et singularité, un univers en combinaisons entre jazz et électronique.

Deux ans après leurs débuts, une cinquantaine de concerts, plusieurs prix et distinctions plus tard, Glass Museum écrit aujourd’hui une première page concrète et profonde avec un disque : « Deux ».

Enregistré au Rubens Studio, ces six titres retracent l’histoire musicale du groupe et ouvrent un sillon riche et prometteur. Infusé des influences du jazz moderne de Gogo Penguin et de BadBadnotGood, mais aussi des sonorités plus électroniques de Jon Hopkins ou Floating Points, "Deux" rend également hommage aux origines classiques d'Antoine et au passé rock de Martin.


Le duo transpose sur scène cet alliage rare de deux matières vivantes, élevant et révélant les titres précis et chirurgicaux de « Deux ». Soutenue par des improvisations dans la tradition jazz, leur interprétation captive.

Glass Museum redéfinit l’expérience live et démontre le pouvoir émotionnel de la musique instrumentale en associant maîtrise technique et plaisir pur du jeu. « Deux » pousse donc la dualité du combat piano-batterie dans ses retranchements.

Le disque est un objet vivant, solaire, brut, précis et rare. Convaincus qu’il y a au moins deux versions d’un même récit, les Glass Museum ont invités six remixeurs a prendre possession de leurs titres.

Epaulé par des producteurs tels que Haring, Sun Glitters, DC Salas ou Monolithe Noir, le duo a fait de "Deux" le mariage moderne ultime entre la plus pure tradition du jazz, un son orchestral et la mathématique de l'électronique.

NPR stream KAMAAL WILLIAMS’ debut album ahead of release on 25th May


Black Focus Records is proud to present the stunning new Kamaal Williams music video for ‘Salaam’. Filmed in Marrakech by Greg Barnes, the same director who has been working closely with Kamaal on all of the bands visuals and also made the music video for ‘Catch The Loop’, which is actually the sequel to this video. In the director's’ own words:

After working together on ‘Catch The Loop’, Kamaal and I knew we wanted it to be a part of a larger whole, and that the tracks on the album would become chapters, or scenes, from a bigger picture - that the upcoming album, ’The Return’, was in essence, the soundtrack to an unmade, and epic film.

It was almost without conversation that we decided Morocco should set the scene for ‘Salaam’, a place of real connection and meaning to Kamaal and his music. The rest, with the help of the people of Marrakech, fell into place very naturally.

Kamaal aka Henry Wu also adds:

"Marrakech is a special place for me, both spiritually and creatively. Every time I go, I feel alive again and it's a huge inspiration for my work. There is no art scene in Morocco without Hassan Hajjaj, so I couldn’t make this film without his blessing. He introduced me to Amine Bendriouich who introduced me to Yazid and we made the film in two days. Working with local people in the medina and sharing our story with the community made this experience real. Greg Barnes captured the essence of my relationship with the city as well as the colours and the energy of everything in it. The series will continue. A special thanks goes out to Yazid, Hassan Hajjaj, Amine Bendriouich, Ahlam Triki, Mouhcine Zoutina, Abdul Razzaq and the umma of Marrakech"


Whether re-defining experimental fusion sounds with the hugley acclaimed Yussef Kamaal, or his catalogue of 12”s for imprints such as MCDE, Eglo, and Rhythm Section as Henry Wu, South London’s Kamaal Williams has been a key figure in his thriving international scene for the past few years. The Return is a natural evolution from the Yussef Kamaal project, mining the influence of visionary jazz but blended with all kinds of texture, sounds and signals from the over-saturated London streets. 

At times the keyboard work evokes the classic 70s fusion work of Lonnie Liston Smith or Roy Ayers, but underpinned by rhythms more reminiscent of blunted hip-hop and arrangements subliminally laced with the cut-ups of pirate radio. Progressive, funky, cosmic, exploratory and effortlessly musical, this is the sound of a musician honing their craft into thrilling new shapes.

In the US the like of Kamasi Washington and Thundercat have made great strides in opening a whole new dialogue between jazz and hip-hop, drawing in a young, highly engaged new audience in the process. Kamaal Williams mine a similar seam on the other side of the Atlantic alongside other exciting London talents such as Ezra Collective, Ruby Rushton and Shabaka Hutchings.

The Return is exactly that: a return and refinement to the sound Yussef Kamaal were progenitors of, and first set the scene for one of the most exciting musical movements London has had in years.

Notable tracks for old and new listeners are ‘Salaam', 'Situations', 'Medina', 'LDN Shuffle' which features Mansur Brown (of Mansur's Message) and for those die hard Yussef Kamaal fans - they should hear the interpolated roots of 'Strings of Light' in the title track 'The Return’.
Kamaal Williams - Keys
Pete Martin - Bass
MckNasty - Drums
Richard Samuels - Engineer

1. Salaam
2. Broken Theme
3. The Return
4. High Roller
5. Situations (Live In Milan)
6. Catch The Loop
7. Rhythm Commission
8. Medina
9. LDN Shuffle
10. Aisha

Live dates:

Jul 15
London, UK

May 26
Oostzaan, Netherlands

Oct 28
Frankfurt, Germany

Bobby Sanabria West Side Story Reimagined for Puerto Rico Relief


West Side Story Reimagined

Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
for Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Fund
Release Date: July 20, 2018

Mark your calendars now

Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band live at

Jazzheads is proud to announce the release of West Side Story Reimagined by Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band on July 20, 2018. Proceeds from the project will be given to Jazz Foundation of America Puerto Rico Relief Fund.

West Side Story Reimagined is an ambitious interpretation of the entire score of Maestro Bernstein's masterpiece, all done with a Latin jazz approach. This double CD, celebrating the Maestro's Centennial, will include a 16 page booklet with detailed liner notes and rare photos.

We are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to complete the production. Contributions through the Kickstarter campaign, as well as a percentage from the purchase of this commemorative package will go to the relief efforts in Puerto Rico which is still struggling to recover from    two devastating hurricanes last fall.


From Multi-Grammy Award nominated Bobby Sanabria:

Hi, Bobby Sanabria here!

Two years ago I came up with the idea of re-arranging the music from Leonard Bernstein'smasterpiece West Side Story and performing it with my Multiverse Big Band, but in a way that has never been done before: a complete Latin jazz reworking of the entire score in celebration of the show’s recent 60th anniversary and Maestro Bernstein’s centennial. However, besides paying tribute to the composer and the music, I saw this as an opportunity to give back and help my ancestral homeland Puerto Rico.

As most of us know, hurricanes Irma and Maria ravaged the island of Puerto Rico, leaving its residents unable to recover. Puerto Ricans have been American citizens since 1917, and the government's response has been unsatisfactory at best. Six months later, entire communities are still living without food, water, power, and other basic needs we take for granted. I realized the best way I could help was through my music. What better way to portray the struggles and hardships of the people of Puerto Rico than West Side Story? This is a cause many of us are passionate about and every bit of generosity helps. Recorded live at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in NYC, this exciting new reworking is West Side Story like you’ve never heard it before, through the exciting lens of the Latin jazz continuum.


Media Contact
Jim Eigo
Jazz Promo Services
272 State Route 94 South #1
Warwick, NY 10990-3363
Ph: 845-986-1677 
Cell / text: 917-755-8960
Skype: jazzpromo
"Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”

Michael Moss Accidental Orchestra HELIX CD Release Show Friday, May 18th 7-10 PM Westbeth Community Room

CD Release Party for
Michael Moss / Accidental Orchestra:  
HELIX
Friday, May 18, 2018
7-10 PM
Westbeth Community Room
(between West St. and Washington St.)
New York, NY 10014

Tickets:  
$10 donation

New CD


Multi-instrumentalist/composer Michael Moss, a veteran of New York’s free jazz scene, has assembled a brand-new 22-piece band, the Accidental Orchestra, for Helix, the premiere recording of a pair of his latest extended compositions. Helix kicks off with “The Old One,” which gets its title from Einstein’s name for God. Moss describes this five-piece suite as “an initiation into sacred ground.” He views it as part of a musical tradition stretching from the earliest ritual over the dead to Bach’s Mass in B Minor, through Native American rites of passage into the spirit world, the Jewish mourner’s Kaddish, and Buddhist funeral rituals. 

Moss wrote "See Sharp or Be Flat/C# or Bb" while recovering from a fracture suffered in tripping over a curb. The composer brings a quirky sense of humor to the situation, right down to deciding to name his ensemble the Accidental Orchestra in memory of the incident. Moss aimed to let the band swing on this contrapuntal theme and variations mixing jazz, rhythm and blues, and the joy of dance. “Throughout I refer to 'Norwegian Wood'(The Beatles), 'I Feel Good' (James Brown), and 'Bags Groove' (the Modern Jazz Quartet), but do not resort to familiar big band tropes,” Moss explains.



“This is a type of string orchestra, but with lots of jazz musicians pushing the boundaries.” The Chicago-born, Madison, Wisconsin-educated Michael Moss has been an active member of the New York jazz scene for 50 years, earning recognition for his skill and imagination as a multi-reed player, and for the freshness and intensity of his writing. The self-described “farthest-out cat” was a mainstay of Manhattan’s famed loft jazz scene, playing with Sam Rivers, Dave Liebman, Paul Bley, Annette Peacock, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Richie Beirach and scores of others.

He’s equally at home from a duo setting to an orchestra of 50-plus players. His musical studies have taken him across the globe and through the centuries, absorbing the music of Thailand, the Middle East, Ireland, Europe, East Africa, and elsewhere, with Renaissance orchestras, folk melodies, chants, blues, Latin and other styles catching his ear.

With Helix, “I am extending an American musical heritage, stretching from Charles Ives, Scott Joplin, Fats Waller, and Louis Armstrong into the future,” Moss says. Listeners can’t help but be captivated by what they hear, as they accompany Moss and the Accidental Orchestra on this life-long journey.


1. I INCEPTION 09:32
2. II BRIDGE/DORJE 02:44
3. III QABBALA / TREE OF LIFE 03:32
4. IV BARDO THÖDOL // ANGELS AND DEVILS / WIZARDS AND DEATHEATERS 03:42
5. The Old One V THE MIND OF GOD _ STREAMING-->THRONE OF GOLD. 15:41
6. SEE SHARP OR BE FLAT/C# or Bb

Jason Kao Hwang, Rosi Hertlein, Fung Chern Hwei (violins)
Stephanie Griffin (viola)
Lenny Mims, Carol Buck (cellos)
Steve Swell (trombone) 
Vincent Chancey (French horn)
Waldron Mahdi Ricks (trumpet)
Richard Keene (oboe)
Elliott Levin (flute, tenor saxophone)
Ras Moshe Burnett (soprano and tenor saxophones)
Michael Lytle (bass clarinet)
Michael Moss (Bb clarinet)
Steve Cohn (piano)
Billy Stein (guitar)
Rick Iannacone (ambient guitar)
Larry Roland (string bass)
Warren Smith (percussion, vibraphones)
Badal Roy (tabla)
Chuck Fertal (drums)
Michael Wimberly (djembe, African bells and percussion)

Recorded: October 10, 2016 at Systems Two, Brooklyn, NY
Recording Engineer, Mixing, Mastering: Jon Rosenberg
Conductor, Music Copyist: John Shea
Graphic Design: Santry Studios and Oshiin Studio


Dave Sewelson Interviews
Michael Moss 
on Little Water Radio: Music for a Free World

Media Contact
Jazz Promo Services
272 State Route 94 South #1
Warwick, NY 10990-3363
Ph: 845-986-1677
Cell / text: 917-755-8960
Skype: jazzpromo
"Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”

Sean Noonan "The Aqua Diva" CD Release Shows ShapeShifter Lab 8/2 Barbes 8/9

Sean Noonan
"The Aqua Diva"
CD Release Shows
ShapeShifter Lab 8/2
Barbes 8/9

Sean Noonan The Aqua Diva
CD Release Show
Thursday, August 2nd 8pm
ShapeShifter Lab
Brooklyn, NY 11215 
(between 1st and Carroll Streets, off 4th Ave)
(646) 820-9452
Sean Noonan drums/vocals/compositions,
Alex Marcelo piano, Peter Bitenc bass
Music Charge $10

Sean Noonan The Aqua Diva
CD Release Show
Thursday, August 9th 10pm
Barbes 
(corner of 6th Ave.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
347 422 0248
Sean Noonan drums/vocals/compositions,
Alex Marcelo piano, Peter Bitenc bass
Music Charge $10


Noonan is a veteran of more than 20 albums, all of the un-classifiable variety. It might be accurate to state that the albums could be classified with a series of hyphens. The performer is influenced by a variety of sources, and his overall vision for the current project is that of a soap opera with characters named “Aqua Diva,” “Bubbles,” and Butterflies.” The songs on half the CD detail the relationship between the three characters that culminates in a jealous Butterflies murdering Bubbles and the title character. It is not clear that this is exactly what happens without some help from written documents about the album.


Still, the storyline is over-the-top, and audiences almost clamor for more about these strange characters, if for nothing else, a sense of continuity.

Other songs on the album include a track written about late actor Don Knotts, “Elijah Rocks,” and “Smoking Man” among others.

But at its core, the album is fun. The world music elements gives songs gravitas that might be pure whimsy otherwise. At times, jazz elements a moody and nimble bass line for example, reminds listeners that this is, in fact jazz.

The song, “When My Band Goes with Me on the Road,” goes so fast, it practically spins. Noonan’s singing is fast, too, and the instrumentation gives the feeling of a children’s song, as if the challenge is in how fast the song can be sung without messing up the words.

The first song, “A Sunny Day,” begins with a strident piano motif and drums that crash and get louder, more present with each measure until the half-spoken lyrics begin. The rhyming poetry of Noonan’s lyrics plus the instrumentation transports listeners to other places. The middle is marked by an aggrieved dragging of a bow across bass strings while off-kilter drum beats work their way into a shimmer of cymbals, and on top of that busy soundscape, a piano plays notes in its highest register. The end plays on the theme of that soundscape, but the actual sound is more lively, less strident.


The gentle ending of the first song can only be enjoyed for a handful of seconds, as the second song is the frenetic “When My Band Goes With Me on the Road.” Without preamble, Noonan sings loud and fast, seeming to blot out any instrumentation at first.

There is genius here. Noonan takes listeners on a wild ride, though those who are new to the performer’s work might not know how to take it. “The Aqua Diva” could require  multiple spins before the story(ies) of the CD  make themselves clear. The elements of jazz are present, but this isn’t smooth or classic jazz for dancing. It is art for consideration and perhaps on some level, boundary-pushing.


“The Aqua Diva” will be available June 1, 2018.

1. A Sunny Day 06:51
2. When My Band Goes With Me On The Road 03:15
3. As The World Spins Around Me 05:00
4. Butterflies Away 03:26
5. Don Knotts 04:52
6. Elijah Rocks 05:01
7. Smoking Man 05:52
8. The Aqua Diva 07:10
9. Where Would I Go 06:15
10. Make Her Great Again 03:23



Sean Noonan, drums / vocals / composition / producer
Alex Marcelo, piano
Peter Bitenc, bass


Media Contact
im Eigo
Jazz Promo Services
272 State Route 94 South #1
Warwick, NY 10990-3363
Ph: 845-986-1677 
Cell / text: 917-755-8960
Skype: jazzpromo
"Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”

Edison Awards 2018 nominees


The Jazz/World Edison Awards nominees have been announced! Among the nominees are 3 Challenge Records artists: Fay Claassen, Joost Lijbaart and the Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet. Bram Stadhouders and Eric Ineke from Challenge Records sub labels BuzzMusic and Daybreak are also nominated.

Fay Claassen and her album Luck Child are nominated in the category “National Vocal Jazz”. In the category “National Jazz”, Joost Lijbaart’s Under the Surface and the Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet’s Goldbrun are nominated. Eric Ineke is nominated in the “Document” category for his album Let There Be Life, Love and Laughter. The Edison Awards will be assigned by an independent and prominent committee of judges.

The audience can vote for their favorite as well. Fay Claassens, Yuri Honing and Bram Stadhouders are nominated for the public award. Fay Claassens is nominated for her interpretations of her favorite songs on her new album Luck Child. She performs them in a very successful manner, making them her own, stretching her musical boundaries.

Yuri Honing is nominated for the public award with his Acoustic Quartet, for their album Goldbrun. On this album, they focus on the West-European classical music tradition and apply this to jazz music. This way, they create a new view on jazz and the possibilities of this genre. The recording as well as the design are praised by the judges.

Bram Stadhouders and his album and accompanying project Big Barrel Organ are also nominated for the public award. The guitarist plays the Rhapsody dance-organ with his guitar, using MIDI as a communication medium. His album contains 8 pieces; some improvised, others composed. An astounding result, according to the judges.

The audience can vote on their favorite artists here. On Friday, July 6th, the awards will be presented as a part of North Sea Round Town, the North Sea Jazz fringe festival, in jazz venue LantarenVenster, Rotterdam.

Luck Child
Fay Claassen
€ 19.95     BUY

GOLDBRUN 
Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet
€ 19.95     BUY

Big Barrel Organ 
Bram Stadhouders
€ 17.95     BUY

Under the Surface 
Joost Lijbaart / Sanne Rambags / Bram Stadhouders
€ 19.95     BUY

Let There Be Life, Love and Laughter 
Eric Ineke
€ 18.95     BUY