Will Vinson - Solo (November 19, 2021 Whirlwind Recordings)

ABOUT THE ALBUM

"This is my ninth solo album (and my third release as a leader for Whirlwind). I recorded and mixed the songs on this album myself at Outlaw Sound in Adelaide, Australia, where my family and I spent the first 18 months of the pandemic.

The recordings were done in two chunks: one in May, one in August 2021, flanking an intense period which began with the death of my beloved father and was closely followed with an intense and wretched 31 days of solid police-guarded hotel isolation, a treatment the Australian government in its wisdom seems to think is totally normal for someone in my position. I wonder if you can tell which tracks were recorded on which side of that period - I’ll leave it to your imagination!

I took the photo myself at the very beginning of the pandemic, upon my exit from quarantine upon first arriving in Australia, so the only person I can hold responsible as a co-conspirator is my dear friend Ziv Ravitz, who mastered the album in August 2021.

Thank you for listening.

I mean, I always feel grateful when people take the time. But this time, there’s no smattering of genius sidemen to provide the meat and vegetables underneath my garnish.

This time it’s up to me to provide all the nutrition in one place - a kind of sonic Soylent Green, although I’m aiming for more of an Impossible Burger. Silly though this language might be, it does reflect something real: In all of these improvised pieces, to some degree or other, I’m aiming for what you might call spontaneous implied polyphony.

In my ear throughout is the master of the craft, JS Bach, who, in his solo music, managed to come up with single melodies which nonetheless created the impression of multiple voices complimenting and supporting each other.

As a saxophone player, you get used to pianists and guitarists having all the fun with improvised harmony. Well, now they’re all fired, so who’s laughing now? Well, probably them, as this album will probably sell about five copies. But if I can sell five and only see four of them reappear on eBay, I’ll consider it a triumph."

Will Vinson

1. Free Willy

2. Three Things You Might Have Been - Thing 1

3. Down For The Count

4. YaH

5. Shade 1

6. Shade 2

7. Dial D For Dyads

8. Old Timer

9. Three Things You Might Have Been - Thing 2

10. Who, Me?

11. Three Things You Might Have Been - Thing 3

12. Care Free

13. Down For The Count 2

14. Lubes

Will Vinson - alto saxophone

PREORDER

Will Vinson / Antonio Sanchez / Gilad Hekselman - Trio Grande (Whirlwind Recordings)

Trio Grande is the debut statement from a brand new project that unites three of the most inventive, exciting and accomplished musicians working at the interface of New York’s contemporary musical culture, where the city’s rich tradition of jazz meets crosscurrents blowing in from across the world. British-born saxophonist Will Vinson, Israeli guitarist Gilad Hekselman and Mexico City native, longtime Jackson Heights, Queens resident Antonio Sánchez first came together at one of the city’s legendary club residencies at the Cornelia Street Café, and the chemistry and excitement was immediate. Each brings their own formidable reputation as bandleader and composer in their own right, but when they started playing together, following their impulses with all the freedom afforded by the bassless trio format, they found the music taking on its own creative directions that surprised and delighted them all.

Says Vinson: ‘We’re all grounded in jazz but all of us are also looking for other sounds and influences to bring in: that’s what we have in common, and what sets us apart is that all our sounds and influences are so different!’. The album’s magic lies in the way that so many disparate musical elements are woven together to create such a coherent whole. ‘Northbound’, driven along by its powerfully insistent low-end guitar riff, and ‘Gocta’, with its array of vast, epic soundscapes, were written by Sanchez and reflect his virtuosity and ability to deliver the power and excitement of rock music within a sophisticated musical framework. The uplifting, joyously dancing ‘Elli Yeled Tov’, with its echoes of carnival, reflects Hekselman’s love of song forms, whether pop or folk derived, and showcases the way that he can incorporate the most complex rhythmic ideas and make them sound simple and direct.

His haunting ballad ‘Will You Let It?’ shows his total commitment to melody, while the lowdown sophistifunk of ‘Scoville’ is both an opportunity to flex his guitar chops and a homage to the guitar master. Vinson’s ‘Oberkampf’ is a broodingly atmospheric piece, brought into focus by contrasting but equally melodic solos from guitar and saxophone, demonstrating the ease with which the players can move in and out of the frontline and swap roles at a moment’s notice. ‘Upside’, another Vinson original, maintains an elegant, insouciant swing, while Sanchez’s ‘Firenze’ develops from an equally poised cool into a frenetic coda: both tracks allow the trio to blow freely over a closely written structure in classic jazz style, yet their vision is so unified and complete that each tune develops organically, without either sounding like a generic head-and-solos piece. Texture and dynamics are as important as melody and improvisation, all brilliantly captured by engineer Mike Marciano’s warm, crystal clear studio sound.

The music will be available on CD / DL and Limited Edition 180g Double LP with gatefold artwork. The LP contains three bonus tracks: an original by Vinson, a loving deconstruction of John Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’ and a reverent reading of ‘Silence’ by Charlie Haden. The selection of tracks shows the scope of the trio’s no-limits influences and underlines the spirit of openness and unity of purpose that defines this remarkable collaboration.

1. Northbound 06:48

2. Elli Yeled Tov 04:07

3. Oberkampf 07:36

4. Upside 05:46

5. Scoville 08:06

6. Gocta 09:01

7. Firenze 09:23

8. Will You Let It 06:08

Will Vinson - saxophones & keyboards

Gilad Hekselman - guitars

Antonio Sanchez - drums

Pre-order

Orlando le Fleming - Romantic Funk: The Unfamiliar (Whirlwind Recordings)

"Outstanding” is an overused description but one that’s applied to bassist Orlando le Fleming so consistently that its justification can’t be denied. Since relocating from his native UK to New York City he’s thrived in the world’s toughest jazz environment, and brought his inimitable personality to work on projects for the likes of Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Bill Charlap, Billy Cobham, Wayne Krantz, Ari Hoenig, Seamus Blake, Jeff “Tain” Watts and David Sanchez among many others.

“As a leader he shines even brighter - his drumless OWL Trio in particular gained plaudits across the board for its hushed, intimate atmosphere. Now he’s back with a completely different conception: his latest release Romantic Funk: The Unfamiliar introduces us to a new sound, a tribute to the muscular, high-intensity fusion of the 1980s, and a new band, Romantic Funk. Le Fleming has assembled an awesome team of top flight players: with Philip Dizack on trumpet and Will Vinson on sax in the frontline, Sean Wayland on keys and drummers Kush Abadey and Nate Wood rounding out the powerhouse rhythm section. All the compositions are by le Fleming, developed over time at the band’s extended residency in Greenwich Village’s 55 Bar, and captured live in the studio.

The power and precision of the performances astonishes throughout. Says le Fleming: “In under two days in the studio, this album was all played live, with very few edits and overdubs. The musicians are of such high quality that the risk taking paid off; for me, the inexpressible magic of the group and moment in time was captured."

Le Fleming’s tunes showcase his band’s individual excellence and group cohesion. ‘I’ll Tell You What It Is Later’ is influenced by the Miles Davis albums of the 80’s and late 60’s. It uses a simple form with minimal chords and open unrestricted solo section, giving Philip Dizack space to shine. “Phil is a very intuitive, musical player. His choices always seem to make so much sense.” ‘Waynes’ is inspired by le Fleming’s two favourite Waynes - Shorter and Krantz alternating excitingly between tension and release. Lauded multi-instrumentalist Nate Wood’s drums drive the triplet-laden groove of ‘The Myth of Progress’ and return to thrilling effect on ‘FOMO Blues’ - “Nate’s pocket and language are exceptional, but it’s his all round musicality which isso impressive.”

In contrast to the groove-heavy material, ‘Struggle Session’ floats in an effortless rubato over Abadey’s creative percussion “Kush is a rare find. A wonderful, sensitive jazz drummer who understands the aesthetics of swing but can also groove and improvise in rock and funk.” ‘More Melancholy’ features an improvised intro from Wayland, and a stunning statement from Vinson - “I love Sean’s other- worldly note choices and the sounds he builds on his synths. His beautiful free intros are much better, less predictable and more personal than any I could have written. Will’s lyrical saxophone is sublime on this album.

Every solo he plays is thoughtful, expressive and captures the mood of the moment.” ‘Mischievous’ is a pure blowing vehicle with an unexpected time change “We really stretch this one out live, and this version captures that feeling”. Closing track ‘The Inexpressible’ features acoustic bass and another outstanding Wayland improvisation to set up a slow, spiritual groove dedicated to le Fleming’s family.

“When writing this album, I was very conscious of the improvisational sections being tailored for the specific musicians, allowing them freedom to express their quirks. I encouraged risk taking and tried to make it fun for them without being too much of a control freak. It’s very much a cohesive band, as we workshopped this material at the 55 bar over the last year. The ‘Romantic’ in Romantic Funk is more in line with romantic ideals such as the indefinable, unbounded, inexpressible, unfamiliar.” To which we might add - Outstanding.

1. I'll Tell You What It Is Later 05:37

2. Waynes 05:40

3. The Myth of Progress 06:10

4. Struggle Session 03:54

5. FOMO Blues 04:02

6. More Melancholy 05:07

7. Mischievous 04:43

8. The Inexpressible 05:59

Philip Dizack - trumpet (all tracks except 6)

Will Vinson - alto sax

Sean Wayland - keys/synths

Orlando le Fleming - upright and electric bass

Kush Abadey - drums (except tracks 3 & 5)

Nate Wood - drums (tracks 3 & 5)

Pre-order

Chelsea Lee (feat. Will Vinson) - Midnight Cowboy (June 13, 2018)

This record was not born to be perfect. Here it lies; a vulnerable representation of impurity and emotion one embraces through melancholy. 

As artists, we tend to struggle with heightened levels of emotion and sorrow, whilst creating artwork to best display our state of mind and heartache against the scrutiny of others. Nothing is meant to be completely perfect, yet we are expected to mask our flaws and present a golden set of morals. This album is an open window into my mind. 

Each composition exposes a vein of relentless heartbreak, paired with a sound of both darkness and susceptibility. Thom Yorke once spoke, 'I cannot write what I do not know', and that is something I completely agree with.

'MIDNIGHT COWBOY' inhabits an outlaw personality, which follows no rules.

1. A Strange Evil 01:47

2. Bittersweet (feat. Will Vinson) 07:07

3. Dark Violet Dream 06:48

4. The Dog Has Thorns 05:53

5. Jewelweed (feat. Will Vinson) 05:54

6. My Lover 03:29

7. Yorke Light 05:59

8. Midnight Cowboy 02:32

Will Vinson, Django Rowe, Dylan Kuerschner, Angus Mason, WizardTone Studios, James Brown, Jarrad Payne, Helpmann Academy

Matt Penman - Good Question (SUNNYSIDE RECORDS June 8, 2018)

"The music on this recording is a series of musical questions I posed to my bandmates over two days, that I might get their input on a range of subjects that interest me. Much like having prescribed topics for conversation, I wrote these tunes in the hope of starting a dialogue that could provoke reactions, new angles and corollaries that were unforeseen, yet welcome. In fact all of the musicians on this album have their own points of view and a strong opinion, as well as a natural inclination to collaborate, and these are the reasons why I wanted to record with them. This is also why the musical discussion proved to be so rich and wide-ranging." – Matt Penman 

Bassist/composer Matt Penman has spent much of the past decade developing and presenting music for the illustrious SFJazz Collective and the fantastic James Farm collective. That had left a gap between solo recordings that he felt it was time to abate. The result of his efforts are presented here on Good Question, a poignant recording of pieces meant to challenge, engage and entertain both its listeners and the musicians involved in its creation. 

Originally from New Zealand, Penman, since his arrival in 1995, has been an essential voice in the musical landscape of New York. His experience in the States has provided him with both inspiration and exasperation. He has chosen to address his feelings as a part of his new music: 

"There are a variety of musical moods and spaces, some written with these exact musicians in mind, some not; some written as a response to the cultural and political climate in the country I have chosen to make my home, and some as purely musical excavations. Overall, you could say that the album represents a general delight, bemusement, indictment and celebration of the American experiment through the eyes of a foreigner who has now lived more than half his life in the States." 

The ensemble that Penman assembled features not only the top musicians in jazz but also his regular collaborators and friends, including saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Aaron Parks and drummer Obed Calvaire. There are also guest appearances by guitarist Nir Felder, saxophonist Will Vinson and percussionist Rogerio Boccato. 

Penman’s compositions are meant to stimulate the ensemble into reactions and conversations within their framework. The pieces either present musical puzzles or are think pieces for reflection on topics, mainly natural or political. The ensemble handled the task with aplomb over three days of recording at Brooklyn Recording during the spring and summer of 2017. 

The recording begins with the shimmering “Mr. Right,” which poses questions of how much freedom is too much and do the boundaries of a closed song form encourage creativity? The challenge behind the deceptively difficult yet beautiful “Small Famous” is to make the tune’s complex harmonic form sound easily formulated. The quietly insistent “Fifths and Bayou” presents the players with defined phrase lengths and a set form with the hopes that they would transcend them, as does the soaring soprano saxophone of Will Vinson. A moving excursion on “Blues and the Alternative Truth” explores the many possibilities of the open space allowed by paring down the ensemble to a trio of piano, bass and drums. The exploratory “Cave Life” is about portraying a scene and creating a story about it, in this case spelunking. 

“Ride the Paper Tiger” is an adventurous piece that provides ample opportunity to highlight the talents of the ensemble, including guest guitar slinger Nir Felder. On “Copeland,” Penman asks the ensemble to create an aural safe haven from the traumas of modern life, “a place for political refugees, PTSD sufferers, ex-White House staffers and anyone undergoing a tax audit.” The impressively wrought “Meats” is through composed with a little solo wriggle room given to drummer Calvaire. The concluding piece, “Big Tent, Little Tent,” is a grooving, easygoing composition that frees the ensemble as it closes out the set. 

After posing his questions and framing his scenarios to his open-minded ensemble, Matt Penman has been awarded with a fascinating and moving recording in Good Question, knowing all along that there might not be any answers to his queries at all. 

"'Good question' becomes a response when we don’t actually know the answer, but are willing to ponder further."

1. Mr. Right

2. Small Famous

3. Fifths and Bayou

4. Blues and The Alternative Truth

5. Cave Life

6. Ride the Paper Tiger

7. Copeland

8. Meats

9. Big Tent, Little Tent

Matt Penman - bass

Mark Turner - tenor sax (1, 2, 5, 7-9)

Aaron Parks - piano, Rhodes, organ, vibraphone

Oded Calvaire - drums

Nir Felder - guitar (6 & 9)

Will Vinson - soprano sax (3)

Rogerio Boccato - percussion (3)

Will Vinson - It's Alright With Three (CRISS CROSS RECORDS May 18, 2018)

For his second Criss Cross leader date, Will Vinson presents one of the most venturesome albums in the label's long and distinguished catalog. Joined by world class partners Antonio Sanchez on drums and Gilad Hekselman on guitar, the alto saxophone master navigates four originals and four pearls from the Great American Songbook with melodic focus, rhythmic legerdemain and an open spirit, matched every step of the way by his ingenious band mates.

"Marvelous... drills a hole through [the music], boxing like a sprightly Olympic welterweight" - Downbeat

"Potent, big-toned alto saxophonist... exhilarating, cascading improvisations... Outstanding playing" - Jazz Times

Orlando Le Fleming - Romantic Funk (OLF RECORDS 2017)

Perhaps the most accomplished UK-born improviser of his generation, bassist Orlando le Fleming returns with his new album Romantic Funk, the long  awaited follow-up to 2010's From Brooklyn With Love.

The spirit of Romantic Funk falls somewhere between the serene, legato passages of early-Jaco-era Weather Report, and the spaced out electronica of late-70's Herbie Hancock; a unity distorted beautifully by Le Fleming's jedi-level command of complex rhythmic systems. Best known as a double bassist with jazz luminaries like Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jeff "Tain" Watts and Lage Lund, Le Fleming takes a left with his new release, electing to showcase his abilities on the electric bass this time against a backdrop of his own kaleidoscopic compositions.

About the music, Le Fleming says: “The ‘romantic’ is personified by lush, classical harmony echoed by the nostalgic synth sounds of Pete Rende and Frank LoCrasto. The strong grooves and guitar lines are heavily influenced by Funk, although the complexities in rhythm stem from more contemporary forms of jazz.”

The pithy irreverence of the album's tracklist reflects Le Fleming's wry wit and penchant for injecting irony into musical conversation. "Pretentious Brooklyn’s” combination of popular and esoteric elements finds its composer utilizing much the same crossover approach as Miles Davis did on Live - Evil, recalling Dave Holland as readily as David Axelrod. "Focustrate" is a whirling, polyrhythmic take on the Headhunters sound, a quieter contemporary analog to the gyrating hemiolas of Wayne Krantz's modern classic Two Drink Minimum. The sublime "Myth" finds a strong asset in guest drummer Lenny Reece (otherwise known for his work with DJ Premier and Gentei Kaijo), who helps Le Fleming & co. find common ground between the Dilla-inflected Robert Glasper aesthetic of this generation, and the electric jazz canon of decades prior.

Reece is not the only guest on the album. The core lineup of Le Fleming, drummer Ari Hoenig, guitarist Greg Tuohey and keyboardist Frank LoCrasto is augmented intermittently by saxophonists Seamus Blake and Will Vinson, keyboardists Sullivan Fortner and Pete Rende, and guitarist Ryan Scott. Le Fleming's veteran leadership finds a place for everyone, and everyone in their place.

Turn off your TV and turn up the bass - Romantic Funk is out May 12th.

1. Brooklyn

2. And That Sort Of Thing

3. Focustrate

4. Myth

5. Mr Grumble

6. Ellington

7. Smirk

8. Melancholy

Orlando le Fleming​ (Bass)

Ari Hoenig & Lenny Reece​ (Drums)

Greg Tuohey & Ryan Scott​ (Guitars)

Frank LoCrasto, Sullivan Fortner & Pete Rende​ (Keyboards)

Seamus Blake & Will Vinson​ (Saxophones)

www.orlandolefleming.com

Alex Sipiagin - Moments Captured (CRISS CROSS RECORDS 2017)

Moments Captured is trumpeter Alex Sipiagin's third Criss Cross date to feature a three-horn lineup, after Equilibrium (Criss 1257) in 2004 and Destinations Unknown (Criss 1336) in 2011.

While the earlier discs featured David Binney on alto, here it is the fiery Will Vinson displaying his prodigious talents alongside the leader and master tenorist Chris Potter. Rounding out the lineup on this exploratory all-original session are the players from Sipiagin's 2015 album Balance 38-58 (Criss 1378): John Escreet on piano and keyboards, Matt Brewer on bass, and Eric Harland on drums.

The intricate, polyphonic aspect of Sipiagin's writing continues to flower and grow, but it is Escreet's extensive use of the Prophet 6 synthesizer that marks this album's biggest departure. Wringing a seemingly limitless array of tonal colors from the instrument, Escreet gives Sipiagin's music a refreshing and wholly unpredictable edge.

1. Evija Bridge (Alex Sipiagin)  11:09

2. Moments From The Past (Alex Sipiagin / Alina Engibaryan)  10:02

3. Unexpected Reversal (Alex Sipiagin)  10:07

4. Blues For Mike (Alex Sipiagin)  11:00

5. Breeze (Alex Sipiagin)  5:16

6. Bergen Road (Alex Sipiagin)  8:39

7. Dream (Alex Sipiagin)  9:22

Total Time: 65:40 

Recorded September 21, 2016 in Brooklyn, NY, USA by Michael Marciano

Alex Sipiagin (Tp / Flh)

Chris Potter (Ts)

Will Vinson (As / Ss)

John Escreet (Prophet 6 Synth / Fender Rhodes / P)

Matt Brewer (B / El B)

Eric Harland (D)

Alina Engibaryan (Vc) [2,5]

Strio (feat. Will Vinson) - Départ (GAYA MUSIC PRODUCTION 2017)

Il y a 3 ans démarrait une belle aventure, en l’association du trio lyonnais « Strio » et l’un des plus brillant sax alto de sa génération : Will Vinson (basé à New York).

Après une première tournée en 2014, les quatre musiciens reviennent présenter leur travail commun avec la sortie de l’album « Départ ». Cet album est le résultat des compositions de Romain Nassini et de Ben Guyot, fruits des influences hétéroclites : Jazz bien sûr mais aussi Hip-hop, chanson ou musique traditionnelle. Ce disque ne rentre dans aucune case puisqu’il s’agit de musique !

1 Sage (feat. Will Vinson)

2 So Long Shimrit (feat. Will Vinson)

3 Medellin Mood (feat. Will Vinson)

4 Comète (feat. Will Vinson)

5 Ink Idyl (feat. Will Vinson)

6 Départ (feat. Will Vinson)

Romain Nassini : Piano

Ben Guyot : Contrebasse

Charles Clayette : Batterie

Will Vinson : Sax alto

Will Vinson - Perfectly Out Of Place (2016)

Label:

Source: Allaboutjazz

Genre: Modern Creative Jazz

GAB's Rating: ★★★★★

Perfectly Out Of Place—the sixth album from saxophonist Will Vinson—is a marvel of compositional design, textural beauty, and musicality. It's both in keeping with his previous work and several steps beyond and above.

While Vinson is essentially sticking with his favored quintet format on this one, he's expanded his sonic palette by adding some judicious overdubs and bringing in a number of special guests—The Mivos Quartet, vocalist Jo Lawry, and percussionist Jamey Haddad. He's also upped his already-impressive game on the writing end, broadening and elongating the picture(s) with material that's a bit more through-composed than what he's delivered in the past. It all adds up to one fascinating listen.

While there are many and varied aspects of this music to admire, complete and purposeful artistic unification may be chief among them. Vinson's primary collaborators—pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, guitarist Mike Moreno, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Jeff Ballard—all have the potential to be scene-stealers, and they do contribute plenty of memorable statements and ideas. But they never showboat here. The fact that they work in deference to the music is a credit to them and a sign of the respect they have for the material and its composer. They manage to band together without issue, asserting themselves while also keeping focus on the task(s) at hand. In short, they're perfectly in their respective places.

The entryway into this world—the album-opening "Desolation Tango"—is paved with a mixture of allure and isolation. The Mivos Quartet delivers a captivating prelude, Penman's simple rise-and-fall bass line serves as mooring and bonding agent, and the collective whole delivers an intoxicating perfume that floats and coalesces in intriguing fashion. Vinson manages to brilliantly mix the solid and vaporous. This is music that's shapely and amorphous all at once.

That opener helps to establish and identify the sound for this project, but it says little about the album's direction. Vinson goes where he pleases with each piece, and he never goes to the same place twice. "Upside" is an energetic and playful winner that opens on a Ballard solo and features some of Vinson's most uplifting work; "Willoughby General" delivers chilled-out charm and contains a soulfully pointed statement from Penman; "Limp Of Faith" is a patient and weighty meditation for piano and saxophone; and "Stiltskin (Some Drunk Funk)" works a hip and lopsided groove angle that establishes its own twenty-first century aesthetic while also winking toward the Brecker Brothers in parenthetical and (somewhat) audible fashion.

Each of those works manages to impress, but "Skyrider" outdoes them all. It's a sublime statement that capitalizes on the talents of everybody on the roster. Wondrously winding lines are delivered by artfully blended voices, moving pieces interlock and reconfigure themselves in astounding ways, solo heroics have a hand-in-glove fit with the surrounding architecture, and all parties have a stake in the success of the music. Words simply can't capture the majesty, vibrancy, and power of this piece.

Complexity and sophistication often manage to scare people away when it comes to music, but Will Vinson has managed to package both into a completely accessible and enjoyable album. Perfectly Out Of Place is quite an achievement by any and every measure. Dan Bilawsky

Desolation Tango
Upside
Willoughby General
Skyrider
Intro To Limp Of Faith
Stiltskin (Some Drunk Funk)
Chalk It Up
The Clock Killer
Perfectly Out Of Place

Will Vinson: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, synthesizers, celesta
Mike Moreno: guitar
Gonzalo Rubalcaba: piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers
Matt Penman: bass
Jeff Ballard: drums
Jo Lawry: vocals
Jamey Haddad: percussion (4)
The Mivos Quartet:
Olivia De Prato: violin
Joshua Modney: violin
Victor Lowrie: viola
Mariel Roberts: cello

BUY IT @