Andy James | Rhythm in New York | Available April 15 via Le Coq Records

Vocalist Andy James Celebrates One Of The

Greatest Cities In The World, And The Mecca of Jazz,

On Her Wide-Ranging New Album

 

Rhythm in New York, Due Out April 15 On Le Coq Records, Features An All-Star Band Including John Patitucci, Jon Cowherd, Chris Potter, Marcus Strickland, Terell Stafford, Nate Smith, Marcus Gilmore, Adam Rogers, Chico Pinheiro and Others

While she grew up in Australia, traveled the world as a renowned Flamenco dancer, and now makes her home in Las Vegas, vocalist Andy James has always loved New York City – whether dreaming of the Big Apple from afar or exploring the always thriving jazz scene of the city as both listener and performer.

“New York City – what a town!” James exults. “It has always held a special place in my heart. Even as a child growing up in Australia, I would see the great singers performing on the television from this special place and think, ‘If only that could be me!’”

On her latest album for Le Coq Records, James captures the vibrant tempo and exhilarating thrills always unfolding in the thoroughfares of the city that never sleeps. Due out April 15, Rhythm in New York features a stunning mix of classic standards and original music inspired by life in Manhattan. As has become standard for Le Coq releases, the album boasts an unparalleled line-up of in-demand musicians, all of who have captivated audiences on the bandstands of New York and beyond.

James’ key collaborator on Rhythm in New York is John Patitucci, who not only graces every track with his virtuosic bass playing but co-wrote several tunes with James and his daughter, singer-songwriter Greisun. They’re joined by pianist Jon Cowherd, drummers Nate Smith and Marcus Gilmore, saxophonists Chris Potter and Marcus Strickland, trumpeter Terell Stafford, flutist David Mann, guitarists Adam Rogers and Chico Pinheiro, and percussionists Alex Acuña and Rogerio Boccato. Additionally, Cowherd and Patitucci collectively arranged all 15 songs on the album.

While Patitucci has been a key member of the Le Coq family since its launch, he and James furthered their collaboration last year with the collaborative outing An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James, which inaugurated the singer’s venture into original compositions.

“Although I’ve always loved the songs of the past – who wouldn't? – I thought it was time to express myself more as a writer of music on this album,” James explains. “I feel it's necessary to convey my sentiments in music so I can grow further as a singer and musician. My collaboration with John Patitucci and his daughter Greisun has been an enormous pleasure for me. They are so talented and always know what I'm looking for; which I’m sure is helped by their family bond.”

Speaking of family bonds, James’ other co-writer on Rhythm in New York is her husband and dance partner, Le Coq founder Piero Pata, who contributed to two new pieces on the album, “Time To Think” and “Just In Time.” As James explains, “Working with Piero has really been easy. Wherever I am, he seems to catch and remember the melodies that I've been casually humming around the house and later brings them to me with lyrics already attached. It makes a great start for a song. Of course, then I sink my teeth into them and change just enough to make it me.”

In writing as well as selecting songs for the album, James thought back over the many memorable visits she’s enjoyed to New York City, stretching back to childhood trips with her parents, who would occasionally travel to the States on business and bring their artistic daughter along. As an adult she would return often to soak in the nightlife and take in the influences that helped forge her own singing style.

“My first walk in Central Park in the snow will always be a highlight,” James recalls. “I will never forget the colors of Times Square at night, the people swarming all over the place with excitement, the magnitude of the shows on offer on every street. I would wander for hours finding one exciting nook and cranny after another to enjoy musicians. Whether at Birdland Jazz Club or the Village Vanguard, there was always someone special to admire.”

Rhythm in New York spotlights a wide variety of moods and styles, while showcasing the jaw-dropping musicianship of the assembled artists. James so admires her collaborators that in at least one instance – her and Pata’s own “Just In Time” – she decided to remove her vocals altogether and let the band shine on their own. But throughout, from the enticing, Bossa-inflected opener “There Will Never Be Another You,” through the lush original ballad “Day Dream” and the Flamenco-inspired “El Ritmo,” to the wistful farewell of “I’ll Be Seeing You,” James finds endless inspiration in her adoration for the city.

“I tried to capture my feelings when I was younger, to convey my impressions traveling to this great city,” she explains. “New York is a city of love in many ways, and its people have proved this on countless occasions. The beauty of the seasons always leaves me breathless. It has so many musical tastes for anybody to enjoy: R&B, pop, opera, musical comedy, and of course my favorite, jazz. It is one of my favorite places on Earth.”

Andy James · Rhythm in New York

Le Coq Records · Release Date: April 15, 2022

For more information on Le Coq Records, please visit:

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Jacám Manricks - Cloud Nine (June 26, 2021 Posi-Tone Records)

Saxophonist Jacám Manricks soars up and out into the friendly skies of "Cloud Nine." This exciting musical program from 2012 covers all the angles as Manricks' brilliant original compositions are presented by an amazing group of players including celebrated organist Sam Yahel, renowned guitarist Adam Rogers, the ever amazing Matt Wilson on drums, and there is also a guest appearance by trumpet wizard David Weiss. Manricks demonstrates his total command of the instrument, and serious listeners will be joyously transported away to the swinging heavenly wonderland of "Cloud Nine."

1. Cloud Nine 03:58

2. Ystävä Sä Lapsien 05:26

3. Any Minute Now 06:15

4. Take The Five Train 05:57

5. Cry 06:20

6. Alibis And Lullabies 04:52

7. Serene Pilgramage 04:05

8. Loaf 07:28

9. Luiza 04:58

Jacám Manricks - alto saxophone

David Weiss - trumpet

Adam Rogers - guitar

Sam Yahel - organ

Matt Wilson - drums

Marc Free - producer

Nick O’Toole - engineer

recorded October 19, 2011 at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY

mixed & mastered at Pine Street Studio, Lake Oswego, OR

photography by Jayd Gardina

package design by Escott Associates

Pre-order

Joe Locke - Subtle Disguise (2018)

“For me, this album is the fruition of a long journey of self-discovery as an artist, where I no longer see the different aspects of my musical personality as separate or at odds with one another. I have discovered my own lingua franca, connecting the seemingly disparate styles I enjoy playing,” 

– Joe Locke

THE BAND 

Joe Locke – vibes

Jim Ridl – piano, fender rhodes, synths

Lorin Cohen – acoustic and electric basses

Samvel Sarkisyan – drums and cymbals

SPECIAL GUESTS

Raul Midón – voice, guitar

Adam Rogers – guitar

David Binney – alto sax

Alina Engibaryan – voice

1. Red Cloud 07:38

2. Who Killed Davey Moore? 06:24

3. Subtle Disguise 09:16

4. Make Me Feel Like It's Raining 09:07

5. Rogues Of America 09:21

6. Motherless Children 08:08

7. Safe And Sound (At The Edge Of The Milky Way) 07:32

8. Blondie Roundabout 07:16

9. A Little More Each Day 03:51

Tia Fuller - Diamond Cut (MACK AVENUE RECORDS 2018)

Saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Tia Fuller uses the process of diamonds forming under four levels of extreme pressure and heat as a metaphor for the time she spent honing her artistic craft. When looking up the term ‘diamond cut,’ you’ll learn that it was not necessarily pertaining to the shape but to the proportioning and the balance as to which the highest amount of light is reflected through the diamond. The process serves as a direct correlation to her teaching and playing.

While the phrase “diamond in the rough” often describes burgeoning talents brimming with potential, Fuller has exhibited impending greatness since emerging on the international jazz scene more than a decade ago. Now, her artistic capacity has blossomed tremendously, resulting in her fourth Mack Avenue Records release — the aptly titled Diamond Cut, her first album as leader since 2012’s Angelic Warrior. In those six years, she’s transitioned from being a member of Beyoncé’s touring band to becoming a full-time professor at Berklee College of Music, while still juggling a demanding career as a solo artist and touring with the likes of drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, bassist Esperanza Spalding, and Ralph Peterson Jr., among others.

“Not that I’ve arrived by any means, but I think I’m in a space of empowerment, knowing that I’m walking in my purpose,” says Fuller as she reflects on her multifaceted career. “I’m in the fullness of my purpose. Now, I’m more able to directly reflect the light toward others because of what other people have poured and reflected into me. I feel that I’m in a solid place to give back things of substance.”

Produced by GRAMMY® Award-winner Terri Lyne Carrington, the album finds Fuller leading two superb rhythm sections, both of which contain some of jazz’s brightest luminaries — bassist Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette, then bassist James Genus and drummer Bill Stewart. Adding texture and harmonic support of several compositions are guitarist Adam Rogers and organist Sam Yahel.

In The Trenches

Save Your Love For Me

I Love You

Queen Intuition

Joe'n Around

Crowns of Grey

The Coming

Soul Eyes

Delight

Fury of Da'Mond

Tears of Santa Barbara

Joe'n Around (alternate take)

Edward Simon (with Afinidad & Imani Winds) - Sorrows & Triumphs (SUNNYSIDE RECORDS April 20, 2018)

Pianist-Composer Edward Simon Presents the Album Sorrows and Triumphs,

Featuring Afinidad, his Quartet with Alto Saxophonist David Binney,

Bassist Scott Colley and Drummer Brian Blade 

The richly textured Sorrows and Triumphs - to be released April 20, 2018, via Sunnyside Records - is also colored by very special guests: vocalist Gretchen Parlato, guitarist Adam Rogers

and chamber quintet Imani Winds

"One of the strongest pianists of his generation, with intuitive empathy and drum-like ingenuity, Simon solos compositionally with passionate elegance." - DownBeat

Pianist Edward Simon - a native of Venezuela who has made a name for himself over decades in America as a jazz pianist, bandleader and composer-arranger, along with being a Guggenheim Fellow and member of the hit SFJAZZ Collective - presents his latest album, Sorrows and Triumphs, via Sunnyside Records on April 20, 2018. The recording showcases his virtuoso quartet Afinidad, featuring alto saxophonist David Binney, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade; the album's color-rich arrangements also include special guests: vocalist Gretchen Parlato, guitarist Adam Rogers and the chamber quintet Imani Winds, along with percussionists Rogerio Boccato and Luis Quintero. The album's material blends two bodies of music commissioned by Chamber Music of America's New Jazz Works program: the suites "Sorrows and Triumphs" and "House of Numbers," their individual movements re-sequenced to form a holistic listening experience that brims with a lyricism both intimate and majestic. This release follows Simon's Latin American Songbook, with the four-and-a-half-star DownBeat review for that 2016 album praising its "grand and sophisticated" sound. Latin American Songbook also won Simon an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. JazzTimes has said: "Simon is less talked about than many other important jazz pianists from the Caribbean and South America, but he may be the most complete creative artist among them."

The three tracks on Sorrows and Triumphs drawn from the original title suite - "Equanimity," "Rebirth" and "Triumphs" - feature Afinidad with Parlato, Rogers and Baccato, the compositions inspired by Simon's studies of Buddhism over two decades. Afinidad first performed the "Sorrows and Triumphs" suite in 2009 at Walton Performing Arts Center in Arkansas and later at New York's Jazz Standard, with performances broadcast on NPR's Jazz Set. "The music isn't narrative in any way," Simon explains. "But it was inspired intuitively by the effects Buddhist practice has had on me, the perspective and the little bits of enlightenment that come every day. I wrote my own words for 'Triumphs,' but Gretchen has also studied Buddhism, so when I asked her to contribute lyrics to 'Rebirth,' she knew exactly how to convey the message. Gretchen is such a special singer, who has the gift making the most of small details to expressive effect. She knows that just a whisper can have a big impact. As for the compositions, I wanted them to bring joy to the listener, to be direct and accessible, with singable melodies."

The album's tracks taken from the suite "House of Numbers" - "Uninvited Thoughts," "Triangle," "Chant" and "Venezuela Unida" - feature Afinidad with Quintero and award-winning classical group Imani Winds. The ballad highlight "Chant" also includes words and vocals by Parlato. Simon's compositions explore the cross-cultural resonance of numerology, as well as the musical possibilities that arise when jazz and classical artists combine. The music draws on traditions from Europe, Africa, North America and South America, blending composed structures with sections for improvisation; the numbers 3, 4, 5 and 7 - and their cultural and musical implications - form the basis of the suite's four pieces. The composer explains: "The number 3, for instance, can suggest triple meters, such as 3/4, 6/4 or 6/8, which in turn can suggest certain grooves, particularly in the music of South America. It can also point to the use of triads and three-bar phrases. Above all, the number 3 points to the even distribution of forces into three equal parts, which suggests balance - an ideal in nature and life." Afinidad and Imani Winds unveiled House of Numbers in 2016 at California's University of the Pacific.

Simon Rowe, executive director of Roots, Jazz & American Music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, attended the premiere of "House of Numbers," saying afterward that the blend of the five Imani Winds with Simon's jazz quartet was "mesmerizing," as the "writing juxtaposed the lyrical and often dense textures of the quintet with the ever-changing, percolating rhythmic drive of Afinidad." Reviewing Afinidad's music-making, All About Jazz described the band's sound as "wonderful, accessible and deep." Simon remarks on his bandmates: "Their musicality, openness, and breadth give me the greatest freedom as a composer. I write with the sound and sensibilities of Dave, Scott and Brian in mind, and I depend on our instant empathy and almost wordless communication in the studio. It is our artistic bond of trust, built over many years, that underpins and encourages my exploration in these pieces." Simon and Binney co-founded Afinidad in 2000, with the kindred-spirit rhythm section of Colley and Blade there from the start. The quartet has previously released the albums Afinidad (Red Records, 2001) and Océanos (Criss Cross, 2007).

Simon and Binney share a 25-year affinity, their musical visions as simpatico as their personalities. "Dave is eclectic, open to all sorts of influences, and has the ability to put them together into something personal, as a player and as a composer," Simon remarks. "We have both composed for Afinidad over the years, even though this album is mine as a composer. But David's sharp ear for aesthetic beauty makes him a great sounding board in the studio - in addition to being a featured player, he has real producing chops. He co-produced the track 'Triumphs' with me, adding electronics." For his part, Binney says: "I've always enjoyed Ed's sensitive musicality. His musical concept sums up the way I hear things, and because of his Latin American roots, his rhythmic sense is very strong, which complements the way I play. Sometimes I play with more abandon, and he locks things in. And his compositions have such thought behind them." About Colley and Blade, who are leaders in their own right, Simon adds: "Musicians who are composers interpret other people's music in a more informed way, so Scott and Brian have the sensibility to articulate my music with sensitivity to space, to quality of sound, to textural nuance."

Guitarist Adam Rogers has been part of the extended Afinidad family for years. "He's such a strong improver," Simon explains, "and his versatility as a player, whether on electric or acoustic, adds a lot to what we can do texturally." About the extra percussion of Boccato and Quintero, Simon adds: "Groove has always been a vital aspect of music for me, and with a lot of this music influenced by classical minimalism - especially Steve Reich - the extra percussion helps articulate the groove. And in 'Venezuela Unida,' Luis plays the culo'e puya, a long, narrow drum, played in sets of three, associated with Afro-Venezuelan music. This composition is dedicated to my homeland. Venezuela has undergone tremendous socio-economic and political changes during the past decade. It pains me to see the strong divisions that have emerged as a result and the great difficulty people are going through. I wish for my fellow Venezuelans to elevate themselves beyond differences in views and hope they manage to find peace, understanding and unity once again."

Edward Simon

Edward Simon - who first came to the U.S. in 1981 at age 12, then settled permanently stateside after attending the Performing Arts School in Philadelphia - grew up in a musical family in the oil-refinery town of Punta Cardón, Venezuela. His father planted a musical seed with young Edward and his siblings, the kids raised on the strains of their dad playing guitar and singing boleros with his drinking buddies. Chucho Valdés was Simon's first big influence on piano, then he got the jazz bug watching a VHS tape of Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz playing at the White House - with "the freedom of jazz" forever instilled in him as an ideal. After graduating from the Performing Arts School at age 15, Simon received a music scholarship from the University of the Arts where he studied classical music. Later, he transferred to the Manhattan School of Music where he studied jazz piano. During his stint as a young jazzer in New York City, Simon was inspired by the innovative Nuyorican jazz of Jerry Gonzalez & the Fort Apache Band, eventually playing with the group.

As a young striver, Simon took the piano chair in Bobby Watson's band Horizon (1989-94), later moving to the Terence Blanchard Group (1994-2002). Simon made his debut album as a leader in 1994 with Beauty Within (Audioquest). The same year, he placed third in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, with the albums Edward Simon (Kokopelli, 1995) and La Bikina (Mythology, 1998) to follow. Simon co-founded the quartet Afinidad with David Binney, releasing the discs Afinidad (Red Records, 2001) and Océanos (Criss Cross, 2007) with the rhythm duo of Scott Colley and Brian Blade. Simon and Binney also released the duo album Fiestas de Agosto (Red Records, 2008). In 2010, Simon was named a Guggenheim Fellow, and he became a member of the SFJAZZ Collective, which comprises what The New York Times called "eight of today's most in-demand" performer-composers.

Following his leader discs The Process (Criss Cross, 2003) and Simplicitas (Criss Cross, 2005), Simon recorded several albums featuring his All-Star Trio with Blade and bassist John Patitucci; complementing the studio discs Unicity (CamJazz, 2006) and Poesía (CamJazz, 2009), the group's most recent release is the 2013 Sunnyside album Trio Live, recorded at New York's Jazz Standard. The New York Times praised Simon's "warm touch" as a pianist, while Jazz Journal International singled out his "deep emotional statements" as a composer. With the folk-accented compositions of his album Venezuelan Suite (Sunnyside, 2014), Simon garnered some of the most glowing reviews of his career, including a rating of four-and-a-half out of five stars from DownBeat. With Venezuelan Suite, the pianist blended the tuneful, buoyant sounds of his native country with the harmonically sophisticated, forward-looking manner of jazz. The compositions - written on a grant from Chamber Music America - featured star saxophonist Mark Turner alongside virtuosos of the Venezuelan folk tradition. All About Jazz marveled over the album: "Venezuelan Suite is pianist Edward Simon's love letter to his homeland, but that's not all it is; it's the perfect confluence of Venezuelan ideals, jazz language and chamber-esque sophistication. In short, it's a masterpiece."

Latin American Songbook (Sunnyside, 2016) saw Simon create artful piano-trio arrangements of such classics as Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango" and Antônio Carlos Jobim's "Chega de Saudade," as well as the Cuban ballad "En La Orilla Del Mundo" (On the Edge of the World). NPR's All Things Considered said: "This recording works because an expert musician applies himself so sincerely to songs that were formative for him. Simon puts his head and heart into Latin American Songbook, and the album gives Latin standards a rightful and joyful place at the center of instrumental jazz." In fall 2017, Simon, Colley and Blade released their first album as a cooperative trio, the eponymous Steel House.

1. "Incessant Desires"

2. "Uninvited Thoughts"

3. "Equanimity"

4. "Triangle"

5. "Chant"

6. "Venezuela Unida"

7. "Triumphs"

8. "Rebirth"

Produced and composed by Edward Simon

"Triumphs" co-produced by Edward Simon & David Binney

Lyrics for "Chant" and "Rebirth" by Gretchen Parlato

Edward Simon, piano

David Binney, alto saxophone

Scott Colley, double-bass

Brian Blade, drums

Gretchen Parlato, vocals

Adam Rogers, guitars

Imani Winds:

Valerie Coleman, flute

Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe

Monica Ellis, bassoon

Mark Dover, clarinet

Jeff Scott, French horn

Rogerio Baccato, percussion (3, 7)

Luis Quintero, percussion (2, 4, 6)

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Jeff Herr Corporation - Manifesto (IGLOO RECORDS 2017)

Jeff Herr's new Corporation surprises with a new setting and dexterity,

presenting itself now a s a linear trio, without the need for a harmonical

instrument. Maxime Bender on Saxophone and Laurent Payfert on Bass

complete this new highly skilled and energetic trio which relies on

compositional abilities from each of the 3 members. Well arranged and

structured songs as well as wild and free improvisations cover the band's

large repertoire, filled with some surprising cover songs from well known

Pop artists such as David Bowie or Jimi Hendrix. The strength and tightness

of the band emerge from a strong rhythmical impact and emphasize the

origins of music: the groove.

The highly acclaimed album "Layer Cake" (distributed and licensed by IGLOO Records/Editions SOWAREX) has been released on the 30 november 2014 @ Centre Culturel de Rencontre Abbaye de Neumünster and is being distributed all over Europe as well as in Japan.

Entitled “Manifesto”, the new album of the Luxembourgisch contemporary jazz trio  consists of 7 original songs and a surprising cover version of Randy Newman's 'Same girl'. It ensures the continuity of the previous album “Layer Cake”, of the oscillation between structured compositions and free improvisations as well as of the contrast between the acoustic sound and the contemporary interpretation.

This time, however, the trio is joined on several songs by the american guitarist Adam Rogers, known for his work in the modern jazz idiom and his numerous collaborations with musicians such as Norah Jones, Ravi Coltrane or Marcus Miller. His guitar play, rooted in the acoustic jazz music and influenced by Pat Martino, George Benson and Wes Montgomery, provides the Jeff Herr Corporation with a unique aspect and a new, intriguing sound.

Steam Driven 7:34

On my Own (feat. Adam Rogers) 12:07

Resistance 5:50

Merry-go-round 2:07

Love Charlatan 6:04

Same Girl 4:20

Moon Glow (feat. Adam Rogers) 10:56

Manifesto (feat. Adam Rogers) 7:27

Adam Rogers Guitare

Jeff Herr Batterie

Maxime Bender Saxophone

Laurent Payfert Contrebasse

Adam Rogers - Dice (2017)

Modern jazz virtuosity combusts with a raw, eclectic mixture of rock, funk, blues, country and R&B in a volatile combination that uniquely reflects our time while evoking the gritty street sounds of a bygone New York on the self-titled debut release by Adam Rogers’ DICE. The explosive power trio brings together Rogers, one of the most acclaimed and inventive guitarists in modern jazz, with a pair of longtime collaborators: bassist Fima Ephron and drummer Nate Smith.

Together, these three adventurous artists have created a uniquely electrifying sound that merges danger-skirting experimentalism with blistering, genre-defying tunes and spontaneous grooves as tightly coiled as a rattlesnake about to strike. It’s a singular concoction, one that could only come from a musician with Rogers’ distinctive background and gift for uniting six-string wizardry with gut-churning propulsion.

Due out June 16 on Rogers’ own ADRAJ RECORDS imprint, DICE marks the first release on the guitarist’s new label as well as the debut of a trio that has been honing its visceral sound for the better part of a decade. The members have shared histories that date even further back, however; all three have been key members of Chris Potter’s Underground, while Rogers and Ephron have co-led the uncategorizable group Lost Tribe since the early 1990s.

“The music that we play in this band is so infused by Fima and Nate’s incredible capacity to really groove their asses off, regardless of how complex the music can become.” Rogers says. “They have a phenomenal hook-up, both in terms of their natural talents and their ability to objectively conceptualize music.”

Those qualities are key to the risk-taking approach of DICE, which uses the written material as the leaping-off point for powerfully infectious music created entirely in the moment. It’s composition as a roll of the dice.

Rogers’ formative years were spent on the streets of New York City at a time when a staggering range of music poured out of every house you passed by. He was surrounded by music in his own home, where both his parents were Broadway performers who raised him against a steady backdrop of show tunes, jazz standards, popular song and opera. He came of age captivated by everything from The Beatles to James Brown, The Temptations to Led Zeppelin, Parliament Funkadelic to Jimi Hendrix. He discovered jazz through fusion pioneers like Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters and Weather Report before tracing the music back to its source, finding inspiration in the music of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

“In New York in those days,” Rogers recalls, “radios were always playing everywhere, right out on the street. I was profoundly affected by that; the music I heard cast a spell on me when I was young. There was so much instrumental musicianship evident in all of that era’s popular music, which, combined with what I heard at home, ultimately created the musical groundwork for me to start to appreciate jazz.”

Some of Rogers’ own earliest musical experiences were found on those same streets, as the young guitarist and his fellow musicians — including Ephron — would drag their axes and amps to a pre-Disneyfied Times Square to play for passersby. “We had gasoline generators and had certain places that we knew we could play where the cops wouldn’t stop us, and we played between two and three sets a day, five or six days a week. It was a wild and beautiful and crazy environment, and we would play music that was exciting, fast and loud so that we’d get the crowds enthusiastic.”

The music of DICE harkens back to those days, both in its excitement and in the techniques that Rogers and his fellow musicians honed to improvise and sustain chunks of groove in order to adjust to the unpredictable audiences. The same method can be heard throughout the trio’s album, from the taut, crunchy chords that open the album with the nasty skronk-funk of “Dice” through the grungy, steamroller heaviness of closer “Seven.”

“Chronics” begins with a deceptively simple blues-rock twang before taking a psychedelic twist at the end with the Beatles-inspired post-production addition of Mellotron and Clarinet overdubs — an attempt, Rogers explains, to “put a little Schubert into the funk.” Rogers embellishes many of the tunes on the album with lush layers of sound: samples, synths, clarinets, organ, Fender Rhodes, percussion and other elements that nod to the more sophisticated elements that sit side-by-side with the live vitality and expert musicianship of many of his influences.

The percussive guitar strumming at the heart of the funky “Sea Miner” and “Elephant” has a direct antecedent in the revered fretwork of Jimi Hendrix, while the deep-rooted Delta blues style of “The Mystic” is a direct tribute to the legendary Mississippi Fred McDowell. The dreamlike collage of “The Interlude” is just that, an entr’acte built on the foundation of a freely improvised groove. It’s followed by the searing, syncopated thrash of “Flava,” which is suddenly interrupted by a stunning, abstract piece of musique concrete borrowed from music for a theater piece Rogers scored.

Taken at a blissful lope, DICE’s version of the Patsy Cline classic “Crazy” — written by Willie Nelson — luxuriates in the lyrical, warm sound of the Fender Telecaster. Rogers was inspired to interpret the song by Tele masters like Jimmy Bryant, James Burton and Roy Buchanan, putting his own unique, warped accent on the tradition over Smith’s whispering brushwork and Ephron’s swaggering bass. The brashly playful “L the Bruce” pays homage to iconic comedian Lenny Bruce in its irreverence and dark, edgy sense of humor.

On DICE, Rogers, Ephron and Smith tap the vein of a cityscape to find a vital source of visceral musical invention. It’s rock, it’s funk, it’s blues, it’s country, it’s throat-throttling jazz as only these three innovative artists can create it.

1. Dice 06:51 

2. Chronics 08:21

3. Sea Miner 06:30

4. The Mystic (For Fred McDowell) 06:06

5. The Interlude 02:20

6. Flava 05:22

7. Elephant 04:22

8. Crazy 04:53

9. Lthe Bruce 07:58

10.Seven 03:05

Adam Rogers - Guitar

Fima Ephron - Bass

Nate Smith - Drums

Adam Rogers DICE from Adam Rogers on Vimeo.

David Manuhutu - A Journey (2017)

1. A Journey (feat. Adam Rogers) 9:14

2. Bubuy Bulan (Intro) 1:13

3. Bubuy Bulan 6:19

4. Princess of Surakarta 5:05

5. Leila (feat. Peter Bernstein) 5:45

6. Hit (feat. Peter Bernstein) 4:38

7. Bulan Pake Pajong (feat. Adam Rogers) 7:50

David Manuhutu, piano

Peter Bernstein, guitar (tracks 5 & 6)

Adam Rogers, guitar (tracks 1 & 7)

Alex Clafly, bass

Endang Rukandi - Kendang & Suling (tracks 1 - 3)

Ken Ychicawa, drums