Dwight Trible - Inspirations (KUDOS RECORDS 2017)

Manchester based trumpeter, composer, arranger and producer Matthew Halsall has carved out a unique niche for himself as both a band-leader and producer delving deeply into the worlds of spiritual jazz and string-laden soul. His latest project finds him playing with and producing the legendary LA jazz singer Dwight Trible, who first came to international renown with his 2005 Ninja Tune release Love Is the Answer. Trible, whose deeply soulful voice has seen him compared to Leon Thomas and Andy Bey, has worked with the likes of Pharoah Sanders, Horace Tapscott and Kamasi Washiongton (he sings lead vocals on the Epic) and brings a deep-rooted soulfulness to everything that he sings. Halsall and Trible first met at the Joy of Jazz Festival in South Africa back in 2015, when a chance encounter backstage led to Trible sitting in with The Gondwana Orchestra for an impromptu reading of the classic Pharoah Sanders and Leon Thomas anthem 'The Creator Has A Master Plan', and a lasting friendship and respect for each others music was born.

The relationship started to bear fruit in July 16, Trible was performing at the North Sea Jazz Festival and Halsall invited him to guest with him at a memorable show at the, newly re-opened, Jazz Café in London. A recording session at 80 Hertz studios in Manchester followed, providing two tracks that feature here: The timeless standard I Love Paris, and the traditional spiritual Deep River, featuring Halsall regulars pianist Taz Modi, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Luke Flowers. Inspired by what he heard Halsall offered to produce a Dwight Trible album for his Gondwana Records imprint. Together they selected some of their favourite songs and in November last year they went into Fish Factory Studios, London with new recruit Jon Scott taking the drum chair. They recorded an impassioned reading of Donny Hathaway and Leroy Hutson's classic Tryin' Times (a song as sadly relevant today as it was in 1970), a vibrant, soulful version of the Nina Simone smash Feeling Good and a beautiful take on the timeless Bacharach classic What The World Needs Now Is Love featuring harpist Rachael Gladwin. They also laid down two spiritual jazz masterpieces, a powerful re-working of Dorothy Ashby's Heaven and Hell (from the legendary The Rubiyat of Dorothy Ashby album) and a heartfelt version of Coltrane's beautiful ballad Dear Lord, with lyrics by Trible. Lyrics that have an extra poignancy after they received praise from none other than Alice Coltrane, who heard Trible perform his version of the song shortly before her passing. Rounding out the recording is a spine-tingling reading of the old folk song Black Is The Colour Of My True Love's Hair. Simply entitled, Inspirations, the album carries a clear message and the settings are classic Halsall, drawing on the vintage sounds and recording techniques of jazz's golden era but with a modern touch and he brings the very best out of Trible, leaving plenty of space for his deep soulfulness to flourish.

1. What the World Needs Now Is Love (feat. Matthew Halsall) 05:47

2. Tryin' Times (feat. Matthew Halsall) 05:30

3. I Love Paris (feat. Matthew Halsall) 06:00

4. Feeling Good 04:58

5. Dear Lord (feat. Matthew Halsall) 07:23

6. Heaven & Hell 05:16

7. Black Is the Colour of My True Love's Hair (feat. Matthew Halsall) 06:42

8. Deep River (feat. Matthew Halsall) 06:16

Dwight Trible vocals 

Matthew Halsall trumpet 

Taz Modi piano 

Gavin Barras bass 

Jon Scott drums 

Rachael Gladwin harp (track 1) 

Luke Flowers drums (track 3) 

Produced by Matthew Halsall. 

Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 & 7 recorded by Ben Lamdin at Fish Factory Studios & tracks 3 & 8 recorded by George Atkins at 80 Hertz Studios in July & November 2016. 

Mixed by George Atkins at 80 Hertz. 

Mastered by Peter Beckmann at TechnologyWorks. 

Artwork & design by Daniel Halsall.

Black Motor - Branches (KUDOS RECORDS 2017)

"A truly astonishing record. Fire burning. Instant classic!" Andreas Müller, Deutschlandradio Kultur

Introspective fire music from Black Motor, one of the best kept secrets in the Finnish scene. Powerful free music brimming with energy, melodic innovation, and a strong sense of unity within the trio. Long-time members bassist Ville Rauhala and drummer Simo Laihonen are joined here by sax man Tane Kannisto (previously known from Sound And Fury) to deliver a strong musical statement, and a convincing next step for Black Motor. Especially recommended for listeners with a taste for melodic free music, such as Art Ensemble of Chicago, Anthony Braxton, and Archie Shepp, to mention but a few.

LP comes with free digital download including a bonus track.

But Not Willingly

At the Red End of the World

Decision Jump

Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain

Branches (Citizen Music)

Tulee päivä

Longer the Distance, Sweeter the Sound

Letting Go (Was Part of the Plan) - bonus track

Ville Rauhala - double bass

Simo Laihonen - drums

Tane Kannisto - saxophone

Tini Thomsen - The Long Ride (KUDOS RECORDS 2017)

As Tini Thomsen (youngest of 5 children) likes to get a lot of attention, her beloved bariton saxophone  enjoys the same characteristics ....in terms of sound. To let her instrument come to its full potential (and not just increase the volume)  skills are  required in the field of compositions and arrangements. But these are the kind of challenges she loves and brought her succes in Germany  where she was rewarded with the Jazzbaltica price (2015) and in 2016 with the GEMA music 'autor preis' in the Jazz / Crossover category. 

Back to the challenge.The succes of MaxSax wth all the great reviews, awards and non stop touring yielded new material.The music on The Long Ride was written especially for this strange instrument but never forgets the catchy melodies and rocking jazz.

Bassist and guitarist Mark Haanstra Tom Trapp have been specialists in playing baritone
supporting grooves, earwig melodies, delicate ballads and energetic solo passages. Looking up extremes proved to be the solution.

The sound was found, and then the following happened: On a Jazzfestival Thomsen met  her old childhood hero alto saxophone player Nigel Hitchcock (among others, Mark Knopfler, Incognito and Tom Jones).

Tini and Nigel got on really well and shortly afterwards they played together during the reunion of the legendary saxophone quartet 'Itchy Fingers'  with of course Tini on baritone sax. It became clear, Hitchcock had to join the MaxSax band .

Thomsen always used to shout "Fuck the alto sax! Well, it is human to make mistakes as the big supersax sound of Hitchcock and Thomsen is divine.

On the new album "Long Ride" you can find typical catchy melodies, larger arcs, longer build-ups and more space for solos. The new CD, reflects the live sound of the band pretty well . Thomsen about this progress: The first album was fully produced in the studio around the baritone sax, but "The Long Ride" puts the whole band in the spotlight.

Tom Trapp contributed three compositions to the repertoire.His energetic and extroverted solos can be heard in his compositions "Lightning Girl" and "Equalizer".'Chicago' is a piece that certainly lingers.  'Say It Quietly 'is the ballad with alto sax feature and Tini's favorite moment during the
performances .

'Petals' made it also to the the album: Looped Baritone grooves that have been developed  from a solo performance into a duo style performance between  Hitchcock and Thomsen: dreamy moments with grooves á la "Itchy Fingers'.

With this album "The Long Ride" Thomsen wants to fulfill what was written in the German newspaper 'Hamburger Zeit: "She will play on stages around the entire world."

1. Long Ride

2. Lightning Girl

3. Petal #1

4. Imaginary Friend

5. Chicago

6. Petal #2

7. Say It Quietly

8. Equalizer

9. Petal #3