Nicola Guida - Speleology (2021)

Firmly steeped in tradition yet audibly contemporary, 'Speleology' is harmonically and melodically rich, rhythmically virile, and focused on in-the-moment improv. The combination of abandon and control is exceptional throughout, and a convincing demonstration of Nicola's inventive writing and prodigious technique.

London-based pianist, composer and producer, Nicola Guida is considered as one of the most inspired Italian Jazz musicians of the new generation. A disciplined virtuoso and a genre-bending musician, Guida's style is both cerebral and underground.

1. Anamnesys 06:03

2. Event Horizon

3. Sycophant

4. Come Inside

5. Maximum Depth Is Its Surface

6. L'Espace Du Dedans

7. The Blade Sensei. Suite For A Suicide Shokunin (Feat. Greg Osby)

8. L'Espace Du Dedans (Koralle Redeux) [ONLY ON VINYL]

Nicola Guida - piano, synth, vox, compositions, arrangements, prod.

Eddy Cicchetti - double bass

Dario Panza - drums

Karnival Kid - rap

Francesco Fratini - trumpet

Greg Osby - alto sax

Davide Abbruzzese - recording

Davide Palmiotto - mixing

Emanuele Bossi - mastering

Jesse Draxler - artwork design

Luis Quiroz - layout project

Karolina Wielocha - photo shooting

Pre-order

Benjamin Boone and Philip Levine - The Poetry of Jazz (with performances by Tom Harrell, Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter and Greg Osby) ORIGIN RECORDS March 19, 2018)

“You hold in your hands jazz history. This is a CD that must be heard!" 

~ Pianist and Producer, Donald Brown 

“[Boone] is one of the very few that can lure Phil's poetry-magic and call it out and show it to the world… Beyond words… up there with the muses.” 

~ Juan Felipe Herrera, Poet Laureate of the United States 

“Benjamin Boone’s music is a tour de force, a mellow whirlwind of jazz and poetry.”

~ Guy Livingston, “American Highways,” ConcertZender (Netherlands Radio) 

A new precedent for pairing jazz with poetry, with performances by Tom Harrell, Branford Marsalis, Greg Osby, & Chris Potter joining Boone’s core ensemble as Levine recites 14 of his iconic poems set to original music they inspired.

1. Gin

2. Making Light of It

3. The Unknowable (homage to Sonny Rollins)

4. Yakov

5. They Feed They Lion

6. I Remember Clifford (homage to Clifford Brown)

7. The Music of Time

8. Soloing (homage to John Coltrane)

9. Arrival

10. A Dozen Dawn Songs, Plus One

11. Our Valley

12. Call it Music (homage to Charlie Parker)

13. By The Waters of the Llobregat

14. What Work Is

Philip Levine – poetry and narration

Benjamin Boone –alto/soprano saxophone (all but 3, 9, 13)

Tom Harrell – trumpet (6)

Branford Marsalis – tenor saxophone (8)

Greg Osby – alto saxophone (12)

Chris Potter –tenor saxophone (3)

Stefan Poetzsch – violin (10, 11)

Karen Marguth – vocals (1,7)

Max Hembd - trumpet (4, 5, 10)

David Aus – piano (2-6, 10-14)

Craig von Berg – piano (1, 7, 8, 10)

Spee Kosloff – bass (1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 12)

Nye Morton – bass (4, 5, 11, 14)

John Lauffenburger - bass (6,8)

Brian Hamada – drums (1-3, 6-8, 10, 12)

Gary Newmark – drums (4, 5, 11, 14)

Atticus Boone - French horn (6)

Asher Boone - trumpet (6)

Branford Marsalis appears courtesy of Marsalis Music

Produced by Donald Brown

Primary recording and engineering by Eric Sherbon, Maximus Media, Fresno, CA

Additional recording by Systems Two, Brooklyn, NY; Sutton Sound, San Luis Obispo, CA; and Squeeze Studio, Blue Anchor, NJ

Edited by Vincent Keenan and Benjamin Boone

Mixed and Mastered by Mike Marciano, Systems Two, Brooklyn, NY

Music by Benjamin Boone except Making Light of It and What Work Is by David Aus, and Arrival by Spee Kosloff