The Philadelphia Experiment (Uri Caine / Ahmir Thompson / Christian McBride with special guest Pat Martino) - The Philadelphia Experiment (April 2021 Ropeadope Records)

At a time of deep reflection on the 21st Century; of our very lives, of our values, and of the art that is of value, Ropeadope takes a step back to the beginning. While the label began in 1999, it is clear that the 600 albums released in the last 20 years mark a reflection of the times; a chronicle of musical evolution from a centralized marketing machine to a wide field of independent artistic creation. The Philadelphia Experiment stands as the definitive Ropeadope album; three titans of the scene in the studio with producer Aaron Levinson making music on the fly, answering only to their muse and the subject; Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Experiment was met with wonder and acclaim, fusing influences with respect for the legacy and an adventurous spirit. Young artists would look to this album as a starting point, a realization of what is possible. And yet it also stands as a historic document that defines a method of independent creation that defines Ropeadope to this day, and inspires musicians to simply create.

It is with this sense of history that Ropeadope celebrates 20 years since the June 2, 2001, release of The Philadelphia Experiment. A limited run of 1000 Double Vinyl LP’s will be pressed (plus 10 test pressings). With original 2 inch tape lost to time, the audio has been gently remastered from digital files for optimal Vinyl sound by G & J Audio. The lacquer will be etched with a blockchain transaction id, and each copy will carry a unique QR code entitling the buyer to a non-fungible token (NFT) specifically minted for the project as a permanent certificate of ownership. This will be the first time that NFT’s are directly linked to physical Vinyl LP’s. 

1. Philadelphia Experiment 04:15

2. Grover 04:57

3. Lesson #4 02:52

4. Call For All Demons 05:26

5. Trouble Man Theme 04:31

6. Ain’t It The Truth 06:10

7. Ile Ife 05:04

8. The Miles Hit 05:45

9. (Re) Moved 02:06

10. Philadelphia Freedom 03:09

11. Mister Magic 03:33

12. Just The Two Of Us 03:58

Uri Caine / Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, Steinway Grand Piano and Hammond B-3 Organ

Ahmir Thompson / Drums

Christian McBride / Electric and Acoustic Bass

with

Pat Martino / Electric Guitar on (1) (2) and (4)

Jon Swana / Trumpet on (1) and (5)

Larry Gold / Cello & Arranger on (10)

Aaron Luis Levinson / Handclaps and SFX on (2) and (9)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Andy Blackman Hurwitz

PRODUCED BY: Aaron Luis Levinson

ENGINEERED BY: Jon “Iron Man” Smeltz and Jim Bottari

SECOND ENGINEER: Carlos “Storm” Martinez

ASSISTANT ENGINEERS: Gordon Goss & Jim Bottari

RECORDED & MIXED at The Studio, Philadelphia, PA. from September 25-27, 2000

All songs mixed by Aaron Luis Levinson and Jon Smeltz except: “Philadelphia Experiment” and “Grover” mixed by Uri Caine, Aaron Luis Levinson and Jon Smeltz, and “Philadelphia Freedom” mixed by Jim Bottari

ASSISTANT MIX ENGINEERS: Krystof Zizka and Gordon Goss

This entire jawn was recorded and mixed within the analog universe by the Iron Man. This entire jawn was mastered and tweakified into the digital universe by Mike “The Wizard” Fossenkemper.

REMASTERED BY: G&J Audio, Union City, NJ.

DESIGN: David Bias

PHOTOS: Candice DiCarlo

Ahmir Thompson appears courtesy of MCA Records

Christian McBride appears courtesy of The Verve Music Group

Uri Caine appears courtesy of Winter & Winter Music

Pat Martino appears courtesy of Blue Note Records

Jon Swana appears courtesy of Criss Cross

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Franco Ambrosetti - Lost Within You (2021 Unit Records)

The outstanding trumpeter Franco Ambrosetti loves ballads. Over the years he realised that often less is more, and now he has recorded the ballads album 'Lost Within You' with the same dream line up as on 2019's 'Long Waves'. The result is one of the most romantic and sentimental albums of the great European trumpeters career. "Trust and communication were the main points of action for this collection of ballads by Ambrosetti, one of Europes great living jazz masters, and his world class crew" (Bill Milkowski)

1. Peace

2. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Outta Of My Live

3. Silli In The Sky

4- Love Like Ours

5. Dreams Of A Butterfly

6. Body And Soul

7. People Time

8. Flamenco Sketches

9. You Taught My Heart To Sing

Franco Ambrosetti – Flugelhorn

John Scofield – Guitar

Jack DeJohnette - Drums

Uri Caine – Piano

Rene Rosnes – Piano

Scott Colley - Bass

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Erik Friedlander - ARTEMISIA 3 10" LP BOXSET (Arconomx Music / Skipstone Records 2018)

Sparked by viewing Pablo Picasso’s mysterious absinthe glass sculptures at MoMA, renowned cellist Erik Friedlander and his new band Throw A Glass - Uri Caine on piano, Mark Helias on bass, and Ches Smith on drums - spent the next year and a half writing and recording Artemisia (April 11 / SkipStone), a concept album on the murky history of absinthe and its use as a brain-bending hallucinogen.  “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so strongly about one of my projects,” says Friedlander, who composed both hypnotic meditations on obsession and songs that optimistically chase euphoria and the "green fairy."

“That sense of never-ending intrigue and discovery is one of the most redeeming qualities of Friedlander as a person and a player,” writes Pitchfork.   “On first look, the glasses were kind of pretty, innocent,” Erik remembers.   “But as I looked more closely, I saw that Picasso had torn away the fronts of the glasses, revealing their insides.  Was Picasso commenting on the effects of absinthe?  Does it tear away one's exterior?” 

Described as an “ingenious cellist who makes an art of soulful rusticity” (The New York Times), Friedlander formed Throw A Glass for a gig at The Stone in New York City.  “I was blown away by the chemistry,” adds Erik, who got his start in New York City’s avant-garde Downtown music scene and has performed with everyone from The Mountain Goats, Mike Patton and Courtney Love to John Zorn, Dave Douglas and Wynton Marsalis.   The quartet recorded Artemisia in May of 2017, during a productive two-day session at The Bunker in Brooklyn.

Artemisia is a record about inspiration and where it comes from.  “So often we're looking for 'the great revelation' and missing the daily miracle that's there in plain sight,” says Friedlander.  “Moments of synchronicity, miracles of counterpoint, things that have never happened before and will elude you if you try baldly go after them again.  These are things to cherish. The so-called "revelation" is fool's gold."

ARTEMISIA 3 10" LP BOXSET

ARTEMISIA IS HERE!

The exquisite new 3LP boxset of Erik Friedlander's newest project, "Artemsia" has finally arrived and is available now.  Artemisia comes in a jet black slipcover, containing 3 absinthe-green LPs, featuring the amazing performances by Throw A Glass, artwork by Akino Kondoh, and design by Rob Jones.  Pick it up now!

Produced by Erik Friedlander

Engineered and Mixed by Scott Solter

Recorded May 25-26, 2017 at Bunker Studios, NYC

Mixed August 2017 at Orient Street in Durham, NC

Mastered by Steve Berson at Total Sonic Media

Original Artwork by Akino Kondoh

Design by Rob Jones

Project Supervised by Dexter Dine

All Music Composed by Erik Friedlander (ASCAP)

Performed by Throw A Glass: Erik Friedlander, cello; Uri Caine, pno; Mark Helias, bs; Ches Smith, dr

www.erikfriedlander.com

©2018 Arconomx Music LLC

Vankenhove / Caine / Ballard / Boisseau - Point of Views (CRISTAL RECORDS 2017)

« Point of views est le reflet de nos expériences, une passerelle entre deux continents, deux territoires, deux cultures, le jazz et la culture européenne.» Alain Vankenhove

Le pianiste Uri Caine avait fait appel au trompettiste Alain Vankenhove pour le projet Les Variations Goldberg en 2008 et la création The Othello Syndrome, mise en espace par Jacques Bonnaffé, en 2013. Cette collaboration réussie et l’originalité du parcours d’Uri Caine a suscité chez Alain Vankenhove l’envie de créer un répertoire pour un projet musical qui a pour base la volonté de confronter plusieurs univers.

Celui de la musique classique, que connait bien Uri Caine, celui du jazz afro-américain, et l’univers de la musique improvisée et du jazz européen tel que le joue Alain Vankenhove dans les formations de Bruno Régnier (le X’Tet), d’Alban Darche (Gros Cube) ou de son propre quartet.

Pour cette confrontation Alain Vankenhove a voulu une formule à quatre musiciens. Une formule équilibrée de musiciens habitués de l’éclectisme ; Uri Caine qui a largement exploré l’univers du jazz et du classique, le batteur Jeff Ballard qui accompagne des experts du métissage musical (Brad Meldhau, Pat Metheny, ….) et Sébastien Boisseau un des piliers du jazz européen (Gabor Gado, European Jazz Ensemble avec Joachim Kuhn,…).

Et le résultat de ces échanges de points de vue est à la hauteur des attentes : une musique classique, jazz, américaine, européenne… Universelle.

01 Mini Street de Alain Vankenhove 07:23

02 Délicatesse de Alain Vankenhove 04:26

03 Above Ocean de Alain Vankenhove 07:37

04 Cristal de Alain Vankenhove 06:05

05 Barocco de Alain Vankenhove 06:26

06 Royal Jazz Baby de Alain Vankenhove 02:37

07 Chorale de Alain Vankenhove 05:45

08 Humanity de Alain Vankenhove 05:25

09 Here and Now! de Alain Vankenhove 3:23

Alain Vankenhove, trompette, bugle & compositions

Uri Caine, piano

Jeff Ballard, batterie

Sébastien Boisseau, contrabasse

CONCERTS 2018

Paolo Fresu & Uri Caine - Two Minuettos [Live in Milano] 2017

Paolo Fresu e Uri Caine pubblicheranno il nuovo lavoro "Two Minuettos" il 3 febbraio 2017. Il disco segue a distanza di 8 anni l’ultima collaborazione tra i due musicisti, l’album “Think” uscito per la Blue Note/Emi, ed è pubblicato dalla Tuk Music, l’etichetta fondata dal trombettista sardo nel 2010. La distribuzione è affidata a Ducale Music e Believe Digital. Il duo costituito da Paolo Fresu e Uri Caine, è la storia del fortunatissimo incontro tra due grandi personalità del jazz moderno.

Una sorta di “alternative version” di quelle proposte da diversi fortunati progetti alle prese con gli standard più tradizionali della storia del jazz ma, con in più, il rischioso “senza rete” di avere in realtà scelto materiale davvero “pericoloso” per la sua enorme popolarità. Non è affatto semplice, come invece potrebbe sembrare, scegliere di suonare ad arte, brani che sono il magma ed il segno della storia jazzistica. Il duo affronta il gioco con sorprendente semplicità, riuscendo perfettamente a trasmettere il sentimento che guida questa straordinaria musica.

L'incontro tra questi due musicisti è una delle cose più interessanti successe nel mondo del jazz degli ultimi anni; la tromba lirica e sognante di Fresu, il suo timbro malinconico e onirico si sposa eccellentemente con il pianismo di Uri Caine, fatto di mille citazioni, dalla canzone americana, al blues, dal jazz più mainstream all'avanguardia fino alla musica classica, genere che Caine ha riveduto e corretto secondo i suoi parametri personali in molti progetti solistici pubblicati negli ultimi dieci anni.

Due artisti davvero onnivori nella più classica accezione del termine. Al punto che - quando ve ne è stata l'occasione - il loro "concerto" si è invece trasformato in una serie di concerti, spalmati su una tre o quattro giorni, ognuno dei quali dedicato ad un preciso entourage stilistico di riferimento. A Umbria Jazz Winter, qualche anno fa, il duo è dunque stato chiamato a riempire quattro distinte serata, ognuna delle quali dedicata a una precisa collocazione. La prima serata dedicata al mondo della musica classica barocca, la seconda agli standard jazzistici tout-court, la terza alla musica popolare in genere (comprese le definizioni rock e pop), la quarta ai brani originali che il duo aveva già precedentemente inciso per i propri lavori, raccolti in due dischi pubblicati da Emi/Blue Note negli anni passati.

Riproponendo la stessa idea di Orvieto, questo disco raccoglie il meglio di tre serate registrate al Teatro dell'Elfo di Milano negli ultimi giorni dell'inverno del 2015, per l'appunto dedicate a mondi diversi di indagine e tema musicale. Una registrazione raccolta dall'efficace team della Radio Svizzera di Lugano e rimixata dall'attenta supervisione di Stefano Amerio dell'ormai celebrato Artesuono Studio di Cavalicco (UD). La produzione è di Paolo Fresu, le fotografie di Roberto Cifarelli mentre la copertina ospita una bellissima opera di Davide Abbati.

Molti parlano di questo duo quale un piccolo capolavoro di stile, un progetto di vasti orizzonti, di quelli che ti rimettono in pace con il mondo. Probabilmente hanno ragione da vendere.

Uri Caine - Calibrated Thickness (2016)

Uri Caine is best known as a genre-warping, restlessly inventive pianist and sonic thinker whose every project is as predictably unpredictable as the last. But the piano trio remains a touchstone for Caine, who returns regularly to apply his expansive imagination to that core jazz format. On his latest CD, Calibrated Thickness, Caine debuts a new trio with two longtime collaborators: drummer Clarence Penn and bassist Mark Helias.

“There’s a lot of freedom in the piano trio,” Caine says. “It’s very open and loose. We keep the structure together, but within that I like the freedom it offers.”

Though the title is a phrase that Caine stumbled across in a technical manual, Calibrated Thickness vividly captures the sense of controlled dynamics and calculated density that this trio so ably masters. The album’s 15 songs are in a sense a distillation of the musical identity that Caine, Penn and Helias have forged over the last few years as a trio (in addition to many more in different contexts). Live, Caine’s memorable compositions are landmarks that the trio happens upon in the course of lengthy improvisations, fluidly morphing from one tune to the next at a moment’s whim.

On Calibrated Thickness, the tunes are presented in a more pristine fashion, showcasing Caine’s gift for witty, agile melodies, inspiring structures and wide-ranging stylistic approaches. The short pieces (few of which top five minutes) give the trio the opportunity to spark concise, focused improvisations from the flint of the leader’s well-honed compositions. “When you’re playing and writing music you’re always calibrating how to build it or structure it or form it,” Caine explains.

The relationship between Caine and Penn dates back a couple of decades, most notably in trumpeter Dave Douglas’ quintet that also featured saxophonists Chris Potter or Donny McCaslin and bassist James Genus. The pianist came to work with Helias through their shared tenure in Don Byron’s band. Joining the trio on three tracks is the ingenious cornetist Kirk Knuffke, whose sharp, probing sound adds an extra edge to the pieces on which he appears.

Caine offers a straightforward, no-nonsense reason for assembling this particular trio, his first release in that guise since 2011’s Siren with bassist John Hébert and drummer Ben Perowsky. “I like the sound,” he says, a simple enough proposition but one that can be maddeningly elusive. “I like the way Clarence accompanies and sets things up; Mark has a really warm sound and is really flexible. There’s a lot of room to move with them.”

The 15 Caine originals contained on Calibrated Thickness run the gamut of styles, from jagged, angular modern pieces to more straight-ahead swingers that harken back to Caine’s early days playing hard bop in Philadelphia (albeit with his usual idiosyncratic twists and turns) to more lyrical, ballad-inspired playing that spotlights the warm expressiveness that sometimes gets eclipsed by his bold eclecticism.


The album kicks off with the powerful, rollicking swing of “Manahatta,” titled for the original Lenni Lenape name for the island at the epicenter of the jazz world. “Woke Up This Morning” uses a blues cliché to label a piece of pure, rattletrap abstraction that depicts the trio’s explosive spontaneous interplay. That tune contrasts sharply with the shimmering, delicate “Icicles,” highlighted by Helias’ moving lyricism, eventually consumed by the tune’s surging roar.

Knuffke makes his first appearance on the zigzagging “Submission,” while “Golem” offers a round of broad-shouldered, barrelhouse swing. “Bleeding Heart” is remarkably hushed and intimate, the album’s quietest, most delicate moment despite building with nervous intensity. “Night Wrestler” is bright and buoyant, “Climb To the Top” barbed and dissonant.” Knuffke returns to provide darting, keen-edged lines on “Hidden Glances,” while “Scatterbrain Suite” offers a slapstick soundtrack for an imaginary silent film.

Caine’s playing on “He Said She” sparkles with classical elegance and hymn-like simplicity, while “Sticks and Stones” dances with brisk soulfulness. Helias’ tense, scraping bowed bass pairs with Penn’s jittery rhythms to give “Time in Between” its frenetic urgency, while “Shadow of a Doubt” kicks off with an odd-angled dialogue between Caine and Knuffke. “Downward Spiral” brings the album to a close with a nimble, circling figures that draw an aural picture of the title.

“I wanted to include all these different styles of playing trio,” Caine says of Calibrated Thickness. Despite being a more traditional setting than many of the pianist’s projects – his eccentric, style-smashing reimaginings of classical repertoire come immediately to mind – the piano trio offers no less opportunity for Caine to show off his broad-spectrum tastes and approaches.

From his early days backing soul-jazz horn players in Philly nightclubs through his convention-defying work with Downtown New York avant-gardists and adventurous classical ensembles to his always-surprising catalogue as a leader, all facets of Caine’s diverse artistry are contained herein.

Special Guest: Kirk Knuffke

01. Manahatta 4:41

02. Woke Up This Morning 2:26

03. Icicles 2:40

04. Submission 2:21

05. Golem 6:52

06. Bleeding Heart 4:24

07. Night Wrestler 4:02

08. Climb To The Top 2:51

09. Hidden Glances 2:45

10. Scatterbrain Suite 6:22

11. He Said She 5:10

12. Sticks And Stones 4:00

13. Time In Between 3:40

14. Shadow Of A Doubt 4:09

15. Downward Spiral 4:28

Bass – Mark Helias

Design [Cover Design] – Jan Caine

Drums – Clarence Penn

Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Grant Valentine

Engineer [Audio Engineer] – Chris Allen (4)

Guest [Special Guest], Cornet – Kirk Knuffke

Music By – Uri Caine

Photography By – Bill Douthart

Piano – Uri Caine

Technician [Piano Tuning] – Ed Wedberg

Recorded March 12-13, 2015

Sear Sound Studio

New York, NY

Uri Caine Website

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Manahatta