Saxophonist Jacám Manricks soars up and out into the friendly skies of "Cloud Nine." This exciting musical program from 2012 covers all the angles as Manricks' brilliant original compositions are presented by an amazing group of players including celebrated organist Sam Yahel, renowned guitarist Adam Rogers, the ever amazing Matt Wilson on drums, and there is also a guest appearance by trumpet wizard David Weiss. Manricks demonstrates his total command of the instrument, and serious listeners will be joyously transported away to the swinging heavenly wonderland of "Cloud Nine."
1. Cloud Nine 03:58
2. Ystävä Sä Lapsien 05:26
3. Any Minute Now 06:15
4. Take The Five Train 05:57
5. Cry 06:20
6. Alibis And Lullabies 04:52
7. Serene Pilgramage 04:05
8. Loaf 07:28
9. Luiza 04:58
Jacám Manricks - alto saxophone
David Weiss - trumpet
Adam Rogers - guitar
Sam Yahel - organ
Matt Wilson - drums
Marc Free - producer
Nick O’Toole - engineer
recorded October 19, 2011 at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY
mixed & mastered at Pine Street Studio, Lake Oswego, OR
Will Bernard offers up a hearty meal of tastes and styles from his own harvest of ”Ancient Grains” on this 2021 album. With a modern jazz sensibility and elegantly lyrical compositional focus, the crux of this brilliantly evocative musical program remains focused upon the fingers and strings of the expressive guitarist himself. Meanwhile the masterful contributions of B-3 organist extraordinaire Sam Yahel and the explosive metrics of drummer Donald Edwards provide several melodic highlights in addition to the rhythmic support necessary to keep the session deeply in the pocket.
Some of our fans may already be familiar with his earlier work, but we think now is definitely the time for a new generation to discover the bold guitar mastery of Will Bernard! To this end, we strongly believe a steady diet of “Ancient Grains,” with its balanced menu of straight ahead performances from the funky and soulful to the edgy and original, will surely leave jazz enthusiasts everywhere feeling better inside and excited for another serving!
1. Dry Land Tourist
2. Ancient Grains
3. Five Finger Discount
4. Pleasure Seekers
5. Stone Valley
6. Trilobite
7. Boo Boo's Birthday
8. Mazurka Tree
9. Temescal
10. Right As Rain
11. Wake Up Call
Will Bernard - guitar
Sam Yahel - organ
Donald Edwards - drums
Marc Free - producer
Nick O’Toole - engineer
recorded September 21, 2019 at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY
mixed & mastered at Woodland Studio, Lake Oswego, OR
Saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Tia Fuller uses the process of diamonds forming under four levels of extreme pressure and heat as a metaphor for the time she spent honing her artistic craft. When looking up the term ‘diamond cut,’ you’ll learn that it was not necessarily pertaining to the shape but to the proportioning and the balance as to which the highest amount of light is reflected through the diamond. The process serves as a direct correlation to her teaching and playing. While the phrase “diamond in the rough” often describes burgeoning talents brimming with potential, Fuller has exhibited impending greatness since emerging on the international jazz scene more than a decade ago. Now, her artistic capacity has blossomed tremendously, resulting in her fourth Mack Avenue Records release — the aptly titled Diamond Cut, her first album as leader since 2012’s Angelic Warrior. In those six years, she’s transitioned from being a member of Beyoncé’s touring band to becoming a full-time professor at Berklee College of Music, while still juggling a demanding career as a solo artist and touring with the likes of drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, bassist Esperanza Spalding, and Ralph Peterson Jr., among others.
“Not that I’ve arrived by any means, but I think I’m in a space of empowerment, knowing that I’m walking in my purpose,” says Fuller as she reflects on her multifaceted career. “I’m in the fullness of my purpose. Now, I’m more able to directly reflect the light toward others because of what other people have poured and reflected into me. I feel that I’m in a solid place to give back things of substance.” Produced by GRAMMY® Award-winner Terri Lyne Carrington, the album finds Fuller leading two superb rhythm sections, both of which contain some of jazz’s brightest luminaries — bassist Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette, then bassist James Genus and drummer Bill Stewart. Adding texture and harmonic support of several compositions are guitarist Adam Rogers and organist Sam Yahel.
„She is an exciting and unique talent and I admire her greatly“Sting
Pop, jazz, Canada. To see how well these three go together, is not just a matter of looking back into the past. Canadian artists of our time such as Michael Bublé and Diana Krall have followed in the footsteps of legends such as Joni Mitchell. Whereas these genres of music have sometimes been seen as at loggerheads, in the land of the maple leaf they get along together just fine.
Laila Biali, born in Vancouver, has her place in this tradition - and yet she is never just imitating anybody else. The singer-pianist has won several prizes, and not only in her native country. DOWNBEAT magazine included her music in its albums of the year. Spinner magazine admired her ability to bring traditional jazz and contemporary pop together naturally, and to create a compelling blend from them. Her sixth album – which is also her ACT debut, represents the culmination of everything she has done until now. “I have been in search of my artistic voice ever since my first album,” the classically trained pianist explains. “I have experimented with so many genres. Everything felt right to me, but it never really encompassed the totality of who I am. LAILA BIALI unites all the facets of me as an artist: pianist, singer. arranger, composer, a devotee of jazz and of other genres. With this album I feel I have truly arrived.” Biali gained her first experience on the big stage as a backing vocalist for Sting, which was also where she met several members of her band. She met her drummer - and future husband - Ben Wittman, however, on tour with Paula Cole. “Ben plays a unique mix of percussion and drums, she says. “His grooves are deep and rootsy - a perfect complement to the faster, funky grooves of Larnell Lewis." Like trumpeter Mike "Maz" Maher, Lewis is a member of the mega-successful fusion band Snarky Puppy, for whom nothing is musically off-limits. These three, together with top-flight people such as Lisa Fischer, long-time singer on Rolling-Stones tours, and multi-award-winning jazz trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, form a powerful backing band for Laila Biali's joyously colourful ACT debut. Sam Yahel, who was organist in the seminal Joshua Redman Elastic Band, completes the illustrious circle of guests on the album. The spirited “Got To Love” is the entry point into the album, with its funky handclaps and gutsy organ riffs, an ecstatic mood that Biali then tempers with the Latininflected "We Go". An intense cover version of Coldplay's "Yellow" is the first of three songs by others which the singer has added into the mix with her own compositions: "I have always enjoyed arranging songs," says Biali, who now lives with her family in Toronto. “At concerts we have often gone with the flow of what audiences want. Coldplay, Randy Newman and David Bowie were always our favourites.” Newman's "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" shows Biali's sensitive, introverted side. Alone at the piano she creates a real tingle factor, while "Let's Dance" is a remarkable, soulful Bowie cover. The cheerful, ear-wormish song “Wind” is based on a poem written by the singer decades ago. "I struggled with the lyrics for a long time, they never seemed to fit properly. I even asked Sting to help me! In the end it was some verses by the Persian mystic poet Rumi that enabled me to complete it." Laila Biali has her own concept of jazz, in which soul, indie-rock, blues and pop all have their place. The album LAILA BIALI is wonderfully catchy, but can’t be pigeonholed into any of the standard mainstream radio formats. There is sophistication, but it eschews the seriousness of high culture. This ACT debut album sparkles with exuberant playfulness and beautifully crafted variety. And the singer´s own verdict: “This album feels like a homecoming.”
1 Got To Love ( Laila Biali) 03:14
2 We Go ( Laila Biali) 05:17
3 Satellite ( Laila Biali) 05:06
4 Yellow ( Chris Martin / Jonny Buckland / Guy Berryman / Will Champion & Andre Benz) 04:43
5 Refugee ( Laila Biali) 05:26
6 Dolores Angel ( Laila Biali) 04:36
7 Queen of Hearts ( Laila Biali) 04:54
8 Serenbe ( Laila Biali) 04:22
9 Code Breaking ( Laila Biali) 04:46
10 I Think It´s Going To Rain Today ( Randy Newman) 03:38
Sam Yahel / organ (01, 02, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 12)
Glenn Patscha / organ (solo on 02), keys (12)
Lisa Fischer / vocals (01, 02, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Jo Lawry / vocals (all tracks except 09)
Carlos Ricketts / vocals (01, 02, 06, 07)
All songs written and arranged by Laila Biali, except: Yellow by Coldplay: Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, Will Champion & Andre Benz I Think It’s Going To Rain Today by Randy Newman Let’s Dance by David Bowie
