Marquis Hill - New Gospel Revisited (March 18, 2022 Edition Records)

New Gospel Revisited is the new album from the fearless and formidable American composer and trumpeter Marquis Hill. A live recording that revisits and reinterprets his debut 2012 album New Gospel, this time round employing a band of super-heavyweight musicians including Walter Smith III, Joel Ross, James Francies, Kendrick Scott and Harish Raghavan. Marquis Hill’s rise over the last few years has been striking and there’s no letting up. Since winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Composition award he has demonstrated full command of his art and built a reputation for synthesizing what he describes as the essential elements of the Africa-American creative heritage including contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, house and neo-soul. Now, his sights are set even higher. New Gospel Revisited, is an extraordinary live recording that reimagines his debut as a leader with a new band, a new focus and a sharpened ear as a bandleader, composer and performer. The set is breathtakingly good with a band that sounds as inventive and creative as it reads on paper.

“… New Gospel was my debut album and my first completed production. To revisit this music in a fresh way, with a new band has been uniquely invigorating —and hugely rewarding.”

Marquis Hill

1. Intro (Live) 1.44

2. Law & Order (Live) 14.11

3. Walter Speaks (Feat. Walter Smith III) 2.16

4. The Believer (Live) 9.17

5. Oracle (Feat. Kendrick Scott) 2.1

6. New Gospel (Live) 6.04

7. Lullaby (Feat. Joel Ross) 3.21

8. Autumn (Live) 9.44

9. New Paths (Live) 2.24

10. A Portrait Of Fola (Live) 10.42

11. Perpetual (Feat. Harish Raghavan) 1.27

12. The Thump (Live) 8.03

13. Farewell (Feat. James Francies) 4.56

Marquis Hill - Trumpet

Walter Smith III - Tenor Sax

Joel Ross - Vibraphone

James Francies - Piano

Harish Raghavan - Bass

Kendrick Scott -Drums

Music composed by Marquis Hill - ASCAP (MHILLMUSIC)

Recorded live at Constellation, Chicago IL, by Anthony Gravino, 8th December 2019

Mixed by Dave Vettraino, 2019 in Chicago IL

Mastered by David Allen, 2019 in Chicago IL

Album Artwork by Oli Bentley, Split

Portrait Photograph by Chollette

Astrophotography — ‘The Butterfly Nebula’ by Gabe Shaughnessy

James Francies & Joel Ross appear courtesy of Blue Note Records

Produced by Marquis Hill

Executive producers Bryan Farina and Dave Stapleton

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Walter Smith III - Still Casual (July 23, 2021 Whirlwind Recordings)

When Walter Smith III released his fourth album Still Casual in 2014, people listened, and the album was heralded as one of the top releases of the year. Now, fans of the saxophonist and composer can experience the tenorist’s wide-ranging release in a fresh new format on Vinyl *for the first time* on this special 2xLP, 180 gram limited edition printing in gatefold artwork.

Smith’s discography is pleasingly joined-up. As In Common 2 follows In Common, Still Casual references his 2006 solo debut Casually Introducing. The title might be another one of Smith’s trademark riffs, but the album is as committed to exploration as any other. Over the course of ten original tracks, Smith covers a swathe of musical and emotional ground.

The players assembled for Still Casual speak volumes for the quality of Smith’s company. Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire joins Smith for explosive soloing on ‘Fing Fast’ and ‘Something New’. In Common co-convenor Matthew Stevens provides reflective harmonic support and muted solo colours alongside the understated backings of Taylor Eigsti. Together, Harish Raghavan and Kendrick Scott provide moments of tension and intrigue from the backline, adding suitable punch to the opener ‘Foretold You’.

Chronologically, the album precedes the In Common projects, and comes right as Smith hits his stride as a composer and arranger. From the elaborate (‘About 360’, ‘Processional’) to the personal (‘Greene’ is dedicated to saxophonist Jimmy Greene, whose daughter was killed in the Sandy Hook school shootings in 2012), Smith shines across fast-flowing vernacular and reflective, tender tones. Still Casual showcases a group stretching themselves in a way that never seems hurried, delving into a powerful collective energy to test their limits instead.

1. Foretold You (Preview Only) 00:48

2. Kaleidoscope (Preview Only) 00:47

3. Something New (Preview Only) 01:15

4. Apollo (Preview Only) 01:25

5. Greene (Preview Only) 02:53

6. Processional (Preview Only) 01:19

7. Fing Fast (Preview Only) 01:19

8. July (Preview Only) 01:19

9. About 360 (Preview Only) 01:19

10. Goodnight Now (Preview Only) 01:19

Walter Smith III - tenor saxophone

Taylor Eigsti - piano

Matthew Stevens - guitar

Harish Raghavan - bass

Kendrick Scott - drums

Ambrose Akinmusire - trumpet

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Klemens Marktl Sextet - December (2015)

Klemens Marktl Sextet

Seamus Blake (tenor & soprano sax)

John Ellis (tenor & soprano sax, bass clarinet)

Aaron Goldberg (piano)

Joe Locke (vibes)

Harish Raghavan (bass)

Klemens Marktl (drums)

01. Elveen 8:54

02. December 5:25

03. Prosit Neujahr 5:27

04. Sonf For Alex 6:33

05. Nina's Dream 5:52

06. Three Times 6:51

07. Bright Sparks 4:52

08. Traffic 5:05

09. "V" 5:59

10. Hymn 1:54

All tunes composed & arranged by Klemens Marktl

Recorded at the Samurai Hotel Recording Studio, Astoria, New York City, on April 8, 2015

Recording engineer: David Stoller

Mixing & mastering: Mike Marciano at Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, New York

Klemens Marktl writes

Klemens Marktl - New CD out: “DECEMBER”  

I am very excited to announce the release of my new album DECEMBER on Fresh Sound New Talent Records! 

Every track on DECEMBER is one of my compositions, and the album features Seamus Blake (tenor & soprano sax), John Ellis (tenor/soprano sax & bass clarinet), Joe Locke (vibes), Aaron Goldberg (piano) and Harish Raghavan (bass). It’s been an amazing experience to be recording my own music with these fantastic musicians, and the music on the album perfectly reflects our great chemistry making music together.

“I don’t know anyone who loves jazz more than Klemens Marktl. He immerses himself in the music in a joyful way, and the results are evident on this new recording. He is rooted in tradition but is not bound by it, and has assembled a group of like-minded and forward-looking masters to execute his beautiful compositions.” —Joe Locke

BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

Domi