Alto saxophonist, composer and producer Logan Richardson’s career has been marked by his deep engagement with the Black American improvised music tradition as much as by his fearlessly open-minded embrace of the contemporary sounds of the global diaspora and his keen gaze towards the future. His latest release AfroFuturism (his fifth solo album) synthesises all those elements together into a stunningly audacious statement that is epic in its scope while providing a deep, intimately personal view into its creator’s inner life. The core of the album is a series of towering alt-rock/trap/wonky beat soundscapes created Logan’s extensive range of keyboards, synthesizers and programming along with the latest iteration of his Blues People band - Igor Osypov on guitar and Peter Schlamb on vibes and keys, with Dominique Sanders on bass and sharing production duties, and the thunderously virtuosic drumming of Ryan J. Lee and Corey Fonville rounding out the rhythm team.
Logan intersperses these with an array of diverse sonic interludes, scraps of found audio, unexpected, limpid pools of introspective strings performed by Ezgi Karakus and quiet glades of hushed balladry from long-time collaborator, vocalist Laura Taglialatela. Over all, his unmistakable keening voice on alto sax provides the constant narrative thread. “I was trying to get back deeper to the core of my artistic voice: using fresh production processes to mix in my interconnected influences and all the sounds I hear, while trying to find a sense of roots.”
The album starts with the voice of Stefon Harris introducing the epic ‘The Birth Of Us’ - a fully through-composed piece for the whole band -“Frank Zappa, Queen, Brian Wilson and Radiohead meets Schoenberg in a sci-fi 80s lounge,” laughs Logan. ‘Awaken’ (from a poem by Logan’s mother) and ‘Sunrays’ (with Laura Tagliatela and Corey Fonville) explore different voice and textual combinations to create enchanting oases of sound: "I was trying to tell a story - a bit about me, but then about us all." ‘For Alto’ is a nod to fellow altoist Anthony Braxton, while ‘Light’ is a ballad featuring Logan duetting with himself - "I’m addicted to ballads - they’re one of the most exposing things," he confesses. ‘Trap’ is just that - Logan’s interpretation of the contemporary Southern-US sound.
A field recording of his great-grandma singing introduces ‘Farewell, Goodbye’ - a vocal elegy, sung by Taglialatela, for the late lamented McCoy Tyner. ‘Black Wall Street’ introduces a fresh, unexpected twist via the lush strings of cellist Ezgi Karakus combining with Logan’s sax to create an oasis of acoustic sound, but the underlying message is sombre, remembering the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921. There’s a burst of found audio narration from Busta Rhymes before the final trio of tunes: the Blues People band return for the muscular ‘Round Up’ a trenchant musical commentary on by the police behaviour during contemporary American protests, Logan and Laura combine with an alternately skittering and lush electronica for ‘According To You’, and then the journey ends with the gospel inspired uplift of ‘Praise You’ - "A song for God, for the earth, the rain, being thankful for the totality."
Logan summarizes: "I always feel strongly about all my projects, but this one was so fluid in the way we produced it and the way the different voices came together. It feels like something truly special." As one of today's most singular voices in contemporary music, with AfroFuturism Richardson delivers not only a hugely impressive statement, but one with a direct and urgent message for the future that is rooted in his own and the larger contemporary Black American state of affairs, while reminding us of his musical unpredictability. One can only imagine what he'll do next.
1. Say My Name
2. The Birth of Us
3. Awaken
4. Sunrays
5. For Alt
6. Light
7. Trap
8. Grandma
9. Farewell, Goodbye
10. Black Wallstreet
11. Photocopy
12. Round Up
13. According to You
14. Praise Song
15. I'm Not Bad, I'm Just Drawn That Way **BONUS TRACK CD/LP ONLY**
Benjamin Herman got his first saxophone at the age of twelve. At thirteen he was already playing on the professional club circuit. Within a few years he was appearing with different groups around the world and initiating projects of his own. His fame spread beyond jazz circles in the 1990s when he formed the groundbreaking ensemble New Cool Collective. Having made a name as soloist while still a teenager, Benjamin Herman has appeared on over a hundred records with all kinds of artists, from Candy Dulfer to Misha Mengelberg. Herman has also built a career in Holland and abroad as a composer. With New Cool Collective as well as with his smaller band’s his gigs are inspired by dance floor jazz, surf and punk music, free jazz and traditional music from all over the world, attracting music fans of all genres as well as straight ahead jazz aficionados. At the same time he has explored in depth the repertoire of composers such a Byard, Monk and Mengelberg.
Today Benjamin Herman is one of the most original and productive jazz musicians in the Netherlands exploring influences beyond the confines of the jazz world. After signing to DOX Records in 2005 Benjamin Herman produced a series of cd’s and vinyl’s. He also won his third Edison for the album ‘Campert’ (featuring Dutch poet Remco Campert), He recorded and toured with Paul Weller, programmed several festivals, toured in Brazil, Argentina, Kenya, Russia, Britain, Canada, England, Ireland and Japan and worked on numerous projects in the Netherlands. In 2006 he received the prestigious VPRO/Boy Edgar Award and was voted ‘Best Dressed Dutchman of 2008’ by Esquire magazine.
In 2009 Benjamin and NCC released 4 cd’s a vinyl and a dvd. His 10th solo album Blue Sky Blond (which features Paul Weller, Perquisite, Git Hyper, Jesse van Ruller and many others) was the most downloaded jazz album in the Netherlands 2009. In 2010 Benjamin toured in the U.S.A. with his quartet, recorded a 7” vinyl EP in Shanghai and released a special edition of his album Hypochristmastreefuzz with bonus live cd. New Cool Collective released their 12th album in 2011. Late 2010 award winning Dutch film director Eddy Terstall approached Benjamin to write the score for his new film. ‘Deal’ was released in 2012 and features Carlo de Wijs (Hammond organ), Jesse van Ruller (guitar), Manuel Hugas (bass) Joost Kroon (drums) and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 2013 he recorded his 14th solo CD ‘Café Solo’ with Ernst Glerum (bass) and Joost Patočka (drums). After finishing ‘Deal’ Benjamin longed to get to work on something a little more intimate with one of his favourite settings; bass and drums. The album is the first album with a set of standards after the release of ‘Café Alto’ in 1996.
Benjamin Herman’s 16th solo album ‘Trouble’ was released on 11 July 2014. In a new departure for the multi-talented saxophonist, his latest solo disc is a joint project with 24-year-old singer and pianist Daniel von Piekartz. For the first time in his career, Herman has devoted an entire album to vocal numbers. “Daniel originally planned to play on two tracks. He is incredibly musical and ideas just kept flowing… we didn’t want it to stop,” Herman recalls. Von Piekartz plays and sings on eight of the ten tracks.
2016 saw the release of “Swing De Paris’ together with The Robin Nolan Trio. A gypsy jazz album which also features Dutch vocalist Wouter Hamel. Also New Cool Collective released an album collaborating with Matt Bianco singer Mark Reilly and toured extensively.
In 2017 New Cool Collective released two new albums (one featuring Senegalese alto saxophonist Thierno Koite) and Benjamin released a live album on the ICP label with The Quartet NL. An all star Dutch foursome with drummer Han Bennink (74), bassist Ruud Jacobs (78) and pianist Peter Beets.
In 2018 to celebrate his 50th birthday Benjamin will be releasing three new solo albums to be released in spring summer and autumn.
1. Opronology 03:53
2. Les Protecteurs 03:50
3. Piscine au bord de la piscine 04:05
4. C1114 02:38
5. Traction avant 05:02
6. Verre et acier 03:28
7. Mon histoire 03:56
8. 06-54-UD 03:27
9. Sa Majesté 02:56
10. Titre final 03:51
All songs written by Benjamin Herman and Alexander van Popta except ‘Les Protecteurs’ by Benjamin Herman, Alexander van Popta, Willem Friede, and ‘Traction Avant’ by Manuel Hugas
Recorded and mixed by Marcel Fakkers at PAF! Studio, Rotterdam
Mastered by Sander van der Heide
Produced by Benjamin Herman, co-produced by Alexander van Popta for ROACH RECORDS
