Monday, January 24, 2022

HÜM - Don’t take it so personally (April 2, 2022 Losen Records)

In the debut album, with the title Don’t take it so personally, Hüm strives to explore the possibilities of fitting improvisation into composition in the way that blurs the distinction between improvised and through-composed music. Yet, the music is based on carefully elaborated structural elements. By creating the frames with distinct rhythmic, melodic and harmonic devices, through-composed sections are surrounded by improvised parts characterized by interactive listening and open sonic landscapes. Composing of the music is directly tailored to fellow musicians’ personal expression and playing style. The project idea is to create the improvised music based on different musical vocabulary and divergent musical backgrounds of the trio members.

1. Dream Beliefs 03:10

Bjørnar Kaldefoss Tveite – double bass
Magnus Sefaniassen Eide – drums
Bojan Marjanović – piano

Recorded by Mike Hartung at Propeller Music Division, Oslo, Norway
Mixed by Aleksander Sjølie
Mastered by Morten Lund
Released by Losen records, Norway

Ilia Belorukov - A Fluteophone In The Forest (January 24, 2022 Raw Tonk Records)

1. The Forest Looks So Different In The Sunlight 08:20
2. The Forest Echoes With The Sound Of Woodwind 04:00
3. The Forest Keeps It's Sound Strong 03:52
4. The Forest Darkens In The Broad Shade 04:18
5. The Forest Shelters The Breeze 03:10
6. The Forest Lets The Wind Whisper 05:10
7. The Forest Remains All The Sounds 05:49

Ilia Belorukov – alto fluteophone; recording, mixing, mastering

Recorded on August 5-10, 2019 in the forest of Vologodskaya Oblast region
Selected, Mixed and Mastered in 2019-2021

Artwork by Colin Webster

Colin Webster / Andrew Lisle / Otto Willberg - Scaffolding (January 24, 2022 Raw Tonk Records)

1. Sus 20:02
2. Sup 14:48
3. Ae 04:11

Colin Webster - alto saxophone
Andrew Lisle - drums
Otto Willberg - bass guitar

Recorded at Snorkel Studios, London on 21st September 2020
Recorded by Frank Byng
Mixed and mastered by Marlon Wolterink

Artwork by Colin Webster

Hidden Forces Trio - The Set​-​Up (January 24, 2022 Raw Tonk Records)

1. Always Four O'Clock 07:01
2. The Set-Up 05:39
3. Lonely Crusade 09:19
4. Moving Targets 07:32
5. Chinese Bookie 05:40
6. Plainclothes 08:04

Gustavo Domínguez - bass clarinet
Marco Serrato - double bass
Borja Díaz - drums

Recorded at La Mina Estudios, Sevilla, on 24th January 2020
Mixed at Happy Place Estudios, March 2020
Recorded and mixed by Nacho García

Music by Domínguez/Serrato/Díaz

Artwork by Colin Webster

Dedicated to the memory of Simon H. Fell (1959-2020)

George McMullen / Jack DeSalvo / Phil Sirois / Tom Cabrera - Sótano (January 24, 2022 Unseen Rain Records)

LA studio ace and former musical director for Brian Setzer turned eastward to NYC to share his vast improvisational universe and high level trombonisms. Joining him are veteran improvisers Jack DeSalvo on guitar, double-bassist Phil Sirois and drummer and keeper of the Woodshedd Tom Cabrera. What results is swinging, subtle music emerging from the shear joy of playing jazz.

1. Ear-rational
2. Sótano 1
3. Sótano 2
4. Sótano 3
5. Sótano 4
6. Sótano 5
7. Well you Needn't

George McMullen - trombone
Jack DeSalvo - guitar
Phil Sirois - double-bass
Tom Cabrera - drums

All music by Sótano except Ear-rational by Jack DeSalvo and Well You Needn't by T. Monk

Recorded at Woodshedd Studio, Westbury, NY
Mixed and Mastered By Larry Hutter, Orlando, FL
Cover collage/painting by Tom Cabrera
Design by Qua's Eye Graphix
An Unseen Rain production

Mikhail Maryshev Trio - Live at JFC (January 2022 Rainy Days)

Mikhail Maryshev is an emerging star of the Russian jazz scene who has performed with Soweto Kinch, Zhenya Strigalev, Jamie Murray, Jesse Davis and Joe Farnsworth. This Live EP introduces Mikhail’s expressive musical performance and brilliant piano technique alongside with a subtle feeling of jazz harmony. Recorded live at JFC Jazz Club in Saint-Petersburg in the frame of the Rainy Hot Culture Days Jazz Fest on 06.09.21

1. Dreams in Brugge 07:27
2. The Way 11:13
3. Ambrosia 04:28
4. Revelation 06:19
5. Despair 03:31

Mikhail Maryshev — piano
Nikolay Zatolochny — bass
Artem Teklyuk — drums

Producer — Sasha Mashin
Executive Producer — Eugene Petrushanskiy
Recording, Mixing — Sasha Mashin

Recorded at JFC Jazz Club St Petersburg September 6, 2021

Makar Kashitsyn - Chilling at Makar's (January 2022 Rainy Days)

”Chilling at Makar” is about life in New York and places where you feel like you belong. United by one idea, musicians all around the world create music together despite the difficulties of life. Makar’s place at New York had guests everyday, people would drink, eat and create beautiful music together. Doesn’t matter who you are, you would be always welcome at Makar’s place if you have love for music in your heart.

1. Astral Trane 08:03
2. Use It, Don’t Abuse It 07:50
3. Dear Sonny 05:54
4. Chilling At Makar's 05:51

Makar Kashitsyn — alto sax
Art Baden — tenor sax
Alexey Podymkin — piano
Makar Novikov — bass
Sasha Mashin — drums

Producer Sasha Mashin
Executive Producer Eugeny Petrushansky
Recording, Mixing Sasha Mashin

Vadim Bessarab Trio - Approximation (January 2022)

It cannot be said that this album is not a continuation of the previous one. This is the same sound of Vadim Bessarab Trio, the same selectivity in the choice of tracks and expressive techniques. Perhaps, academicism manifested itself in the composer's thought even more strongly, and the music itself became, in a certain sense, simpler, more restrained and... more weighty. We felt, quite obviously, after the release of the debut album, that we could no longer be the same. And from this position, it seems to me, we have made a qualitative transition to our own new level, while not losing our face

1. Simple Answer 05:41
2. Magnifying Glass 07:37
3. On Air 09:05
4. Night Before the Concert 08:37
5. Approximation 07:47
6. City of the Sun 06:59

Composer — Vadim Bessarab

Vadim Bessarab — piano
Maksym Kondratiev — bass
Andrey Goncharov — drums

Recording engineer — Cyril Oleynikov
Mixing engineer — Cyril Oleynikov
Mastering engineer — Toby Davis
Album cover — Amira Mukhina

Stan Sulzmann and Tony Hymas - KRARK (January 2022 Jazz In Britain)

Originally released on vinyl LP on Mosaic Records (GCM 792) in 1979
Re-issued for the first time here in digital format with the support of Stan Sulzmann and Tony Hymas

1. Double Threat 04:42
2. Toon 08:00
3. Snow 06:56
4. KRARK 15:56
5. Just Above The Treeline 04:09

Stan Sulzmann - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
Tony Hymas - grand piano, electric piano (Fender Rhodes), synthesizers (Oberheim OB. 1, Roland RS 202)

Recorded at BBC Kensington House on 27th January & 1st March 1979
Engineer & Mixing: Pete Freshney

Ron Ledoux Quartet - A Stone's Throw Away (January 24, 2022)

A Stone’s Throw Away is a first release for Ron Ledoux. Through an inspired collaboration with bassist Gilbert Joanis, 11 compositions were created. Both musicians explored many options with the tunes and when the time came to record, the talented Paul Shrofel and Rich Irwin joined in. Their participation brought warmth, musical friendship and a cohesive element to the music. The music is swinging jazz that dives deep into each tune’s unique mood and brings the Ron Ledoux Quartet’s playing into light.

1. Fourth Impression 05:32
2. Late'ish News 05:46
3. Non Chalensy 05:59
4. Windmills 06:04
5. Youngins 05:15
6. Granny's Squeaky Chair 07:00
7. Nomecarde 04:41
8. Noted In Blue 05:05
9. Sunday And Strollin' 05:43
10. Get It Out Of Here 04:27
11. Pourpre 05:48

Ron Ledoux: Guitar, compositions
Paul Shrofel: Keyboards
Gilbert Joanis: Bass, arrangements
Rich Irwin: Drums

George Doxas: Recording at Boutique de Son
Alex Cattaneo: Mixing
Nathalie Baroud: Cover photo