Farnell Newton - Feel The Love (Posi-Tone Records)

Emotional integrity is the keynote address when Farnell Newton plays his trumpet with heartfelt and hopeful expressiveness entreating us to “Feel the Love.” As this 2021 album covers a wide range of moods and genres, Newton's trumpet playing remains steadily focused on portraying the subtle and tasteful elements of his style. He pushes melodicism to the forefront while also demonstrating his formidable command of the instrument. The whole album is truly a labor of love. To make this happen, Newton traveled east from Portland Oregon to New York City, to work with Posi-Tone and their capable rhythm section of pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummers Rudy Royston and Joe Strasser.

The album also features wonderful guest appearances from several of Farnell's favorite saxophonists, including Jaleel Shaw, Braxton Cook, Brandon Wright, and Patrick Cornelius. With an amazing combination of diverse talents, several brilliant performances, and an evocative program of musical compositions, Farnell Newton keeps everything moving steadily straight forward, and continues to announce he is an important and emerging voice on today's jazz scene.

1. Feel The Love 04:43

2. Affectionately Roy 04:16

3. I'll Catch You 04:50

4. A Child Not Yet Born 05:13

5. The Bluest Eyes 06:34

6. Litoral 06:52

7. Pale 06:06

8. The Force Of Gravity 04:34

9. Laws Of Motion 04:37

10. Lawn Darts 05:19

11. Our Chosen Family 05:44

Farnell Newton - trumpet

Art Hirahara - piano

Boris Kozlov - bass

Rudy Royston - drums & percussion on all but 4, 6, 9

Braxton Cook - alto saxophone on 2, 10

Jaleel Shaw - alto saxophone on 3, 5, 7

Joe Strasser - drums on 4, 6, 9

Brandon Wright - tenor saxophone on 4

Patrick Cornelius - alto saxophone on 6, 9

Michael Dease - trombone on 7

Marc Free - producer

Nick O’Toole - engineer

recorded June 21, 2018 & September 17, 2019 (4, 6, 9) at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY

mixed & mastered at Woodland Studio, Lake Oswego, OR

photography by Andrew Wallner

package design by Jamie Brunson

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Out To Dinner - Play On (February 2021 Posi-Tone Records)

Get ready for a second helping of auditory delights from the Out To Dinner ensemble, as they keep the kitchen open after hours and “Play On.” Featuring a musical menu of inspired selections, Posi-Tone producer Marc Free has assembled this volume of performances to prompt listeners to expand their sonic palettes with an adventurous exploration of the jazz genre. This engaging quintet date is highlighted by front line performances from vibraphonist Behn Gillece, trumpet prodigy Giveton Gelin and rising star tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover, all moving freely together over the solid harmonic foundation of bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Donald Edwards, both established jazz veterans.

We are confident that the collaborative journey of Out To Dinner will encourage our faithful audience to follow the melodies as they navigate steadily from the known and familiar into the uncharted realms of modern collective improvisation.

1. Play On 04:36

2. Random 03:55

3. Asami's Playland 05:59

4. Rebecca's Dance 05:34

5. Into The Shadows 04:50

6. Abe Duct 05:22

7. Armageddon 04:39

8. Something From Nothing 04:34

9. The Essential Passion 05:33

10. Visions 03:44

11. Lew's Loose 04:28

12. The Dream 06:27

13. Short Count 04:56

Giveton Gelin - trumpet

Nicole Glover - tenor saxophone

Behn Gillece - vibraphone

Boris Kozlov - bass

Donald Edwards - drums

Patrick Cornelius - alto saxophone 5, 6, 13

produced by Marc Free

engineered by Nick O'Toole

recorded June 9, 2019 at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY

mixed & mastered at Woodland Studio, Lake Oswego, OR

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Patrick Cornelius - Acadia: Way of the Cairns (Whirlwind Recordings)

Over the course of eighteen years living in New York City, Patrick Cornelius has earned a substantial reputation as a saxophonist, composer, solo artist and educator, and created an impressive body of work comprised of nine albums as a leader, featuring some of the finest musicians from the global jazz and improvised music scene. Now for his latest release Way of the Cairns he reunites a ‘TransAtlantic Collective’ of like-minded musicians for a brand new project of original compositions. Fourteen years ago, Cornelius and bassist (and Whirlwind label boss) Michael Janisch teamed up with Luxembourgish drummer Paul Wiltgen and virtuoso Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu for a tour that turned into a band that turned into a recording project that delivered, in Cornelius’ own words, “some of the best musical experiences I’ve ever had”. 

This new music takes inspiration from his experiences of hiking with his growing family among the untamed wilderness of Maine’s Acadia National Park. The band delivers an outstanding set of first and second-take performances that combine the heat of New York’s jazz scene with the depth and subtlety of the European jazz tradition to create a set of recordings that are accessible and melodic, but as powerful and compelling as the landscapes that inspired them.

The album takes the listener on a journey through a set of inspiring scenes. ‘Way of the Cairns’ describes the ascent of Great Head Mountain, through texture and tempo changes and a strong bass/sax unison melody. ‘Star Party’ commemorates a beachside star-gazing session with a lyrical piano feature for Randalu. The insistent, subtly shifting groove and intricate melody of ’Blueberry Mountain’ evoke a sense of tumbling, childlike excitement, contrasting with the radiant, gently lilting calm of ‘Seawall Sunrise’. ‘Darkest Night’ has a feature for Janisch’s powerful, clearly articulated bass, and ‘On The Precipice’ hands the reins to Wiltgen for a thrilling drum break, both pieces articulating the ominous quality that can be revealed when travelling across the wilderness.

‘Valse Héstitante’ was written by Randalu, with a limpid clarity that reaches out of the European classical tradition, spiced with some unpredictable metric shifts, while ‘Personal Beehives’ is a very American piece of twisty swing after the tradition of Konitz and Tristano. The album closer, ‘Ten Years Later’ was written by Wiltgen: the stately, measured melody returns us to the tale of the band and their journey towards reunion.

Though Cornelius is leader and principal writer, Way of the Cairns is very much the sound of a collective - “My idea was to feature the band as the lead voice, rather than myself. There’s a definite chemistry here - not super-straight ahead but not avant-garde either - embracing the European aesthetic, but with the ability to swing hard as well - that’s the unique magic of this band.” The inspiration from Cornelius’ favourite landscapes that underlies the compositions, combined with the special rapport between the players, gives the album a powerful, highly characterful unity that makes this a stand-out release.

1. Way of the Cairns 06:23

2. Star Party 06:56

3. Blueberry Mountain 03:38

4. Seawall Sunrise 06:44

5. Darkest Night 06:25

6. Valse Hésitante 05:04

7. Personal Beehives 04:43

8. On the Precipice 04:54

9. Ten Years Later 04:23

Patrick Cornelius - alto saxophone

Kristjan Randalu - piano

Michael Janisch - double bass

Paul Wiltgen - drums

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Patrick Cornelius - While We're Still Young (2016)

Source & Label:

Genre: Contemporary Jazz

GAB's rating: ★★★★★

“While We’re Still Young is as close to a musical self-portrait as I’m capable of creating. It’s simultaneously a multi-generational tribute album, a gathering of close friends, and a starkly personal expression of who I am as an artist and individual.”
— Patrick Cornelius

While We’re Still Young is the sixth and latest album by the critically acclaimed, award-winning saxophonist and composer Patrick Cornelius ​which ​brings together seven of the most accomplished young artists in contemporary jazz in order to breathe life into a suite of new original music inspired by the universally-treasured poetry of English literary icon A. A. Milne.

Cornelius’ personal connection to the sweet, whimsical verses in the timeless collection When We Were Very Young spans several generations. Milne’s classic trove documenting the childhood exploits of his son Christopher Robin were read first by his grandmother to his mother as a baby, and then by his mother to him and his brothers in turn. At the birth of Patrick’s own first child, Isabella, the family’s copy of When We Were Very Young was passed down to him, so that he could continue the tradition. “From the very first time I started reading these poems to Isabella, I remember an instant desire to write music inspired by each individual vignette,” the composer recalls.

"Cornelius is a talent worth watching."
★★★★ Jazzwise Magazine

"Eight brilliant musicians... A cheerful celebration of life and youth with finely crafted arrangements leaving beautiful spaces for the soloists."
Culture Jazz (FR)

"Full of richly orchestrated music with elements of Duke Ellington, Gil Evans, Bach and Debussy."
Long Play Newsletter (blog PL)

This work shouldn't just be labelled "chamber jazz" since it's very much more than that. Like its elegant cover, it's actually a work of art."
★★★★ All About Jazz

"Accessible yet intricate themes, lyrically flowing music, great solos and gorgeous ensemble playing, this is an album you will want to play again and again! Highly recommended."

Fatea Magazine

"Cornelius has created a work of genuine substance, the writing often complex, multi-layered yet always adroit, deploying his resources well, the melodic moments often memorable, the solo excursions largely pleasing, the effect at times like a miniature Schneider ensemble."
★★★★ Jazzwise Magazine

"The way this octet shapes the solos as mere extensions of dynamic group play, of something very organic grown from the soil of ensemble communication, is arguably the album’s winning quality."

Bird Is The Worm

"This is a superb album. The writing is brilliant."

Bebop Spoken Here

"Sparky settings for [Cornelius'] own solos and those of a polished ensemble including pianist Gerald Clayton, trombonist Nick Vayenas, and guitarist Miles Okazaki... Debussy, Ellington and Charlie Parker audibly guide Cornelius here."
The Guardian

"An entire album peppered with goosebumps-inducing moments... Cornelius’s music and messages resonate broadly and vividly, reminding any listener of what’s most precious to us all."
Ottawa Citizen

"Much playfulness in the playing... An excellent listen."
The Jazz Breakfast

"His arrangements, intricate with secondary motifs and contrasting counterlines create vivid musical counterparts for Milne's imagery."
New York City Jazz Record

"The engaging music is performed by an octet of Cornelius's colleagues and nicely combines interesting ensembles with inspired ensembles."
Northern Echo

"This is vibrant, highly colourful music full of good compositional ideas and some great playing, with all members of the ensemble contributing strongly."
★★★★ The Jazz Mann

"A joy from beginning to end... Patrick Cornelius takes a giant step forward with this project."

 

 

1. Sand Between the Toes
2. Water Lilies
3. Jonathan Jo
4. The Invaders
5. Lines and Squares
6. Vespers

 

 

Patrick Cornelius - alto/soprano saxes, flute, compositions
Jason Palmer - trumpet
John Ellis - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
Nick Vayenas - trombone
Miles Okazaki - guitar
Gerald Clayton - piano
Peter Slavov - bass
Kendrick Scott - drums 

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