Dawn Derow - My Ship: Songs from 1941 (December 10, 2021 ZOHO Music)

DAWN DEROW’S AWARD-WINNING SHOW MY SHIP: SONGS FROM 1941 RELEASED AS HER SOLO DEBUT STUDIO ALBUM BY ZOHO MUSIC ON DECEMBER 10

 

CD RELEASE CELEBRATION SHOW SLATED FOR THE GREEN ROOM 42 ON JANUARY 15 AT 7 PM

In her acclaimed cabaret show, My Ship: Songs

from 1941, and on her debut ZOHO CD release,

Award-winning vocalist Dawn Derow delivers a

perfect storm of entertainment. In this wonderfully

crafted work, her voice is crystalline and confident,

while her vocal control and phrasing evoke the

emotional climate of America as it entered WWII.

World War II is so far behind us that almost every living link to it is gone. But in her acclaimed cabaret show, My Ship: Songs from 1941, and in this album of its music, Dawn Derow—a smart, sexy, expressive and vocally polished woman of today—evokes that year as vividly as if it were happening now. You’ll be plunged into a time of massive upheaval and all its colliding emotions—the wistfulness, the loss, the giddy escapism that music could bring.

Directed by the acclaimed cabaret singer Jeff Harnar, My Ship, which premiered in 2017, earned MAC Awards (from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) for both her and Harnar. The show is, in part, a tribute to the performers who kept hopes high until victory was ours. Dawn recalls the sassy swing of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, the Andrews Sisters’ hosanna to a trumpet god who did double duty in the military. She conjures up the torchy yearning of Billie Holiday, whose Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?) spoke for a country full of women left alone. Dinah Shore, the G.I.’s favorite singing sweetheart, comes to mind as Dawn sings one of Shore’s early trademarks, Skylark, with lullaby tenderness. In Dawn’s hands, Chattanooga Choo Choo is a come-hither invitation to loosen your tie and stay awhile.

Why Don’t We Do This More Often? was a hit for the grinning, professorial bandleader Kay Kyser and his two wholesome songbirds, Ginny Simms and Harry Babbitt. Dawn’s version is as cozy as a goodnight kiss. Teamed with Aaron Heick on clarinet, she makes a jam session out of Let’s Get Away from It All, a double-sided hit for Tommy Dorsey and his legendary flock of singers: Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford, and Jo’s fellow Pied Pipers.

From Walt Disney’s Dumbo comes Baby Mine, a lullaby. Dawn and her pianist/music director, Ian Herman, go it alone. Then she unleashes the wrath of a woman spurned in Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen’s Blues in the Night, which was all over the 1941 charts in five hit versions.

In 1960, Etta James took a dreamy Glenn Miller hit, At Last, and added R&B licks that singers have been borrowing ever since. Dawn’s arrangement nods to both eras. She turns Duke Ellington’s Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don’t Tease Me) into two a.m. pillow talk. “To me,” she says, “that’s the 1941 broad who is having an affair with a married man. As the song changes to I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good), in my mind he puts his wedding ring back on and goes home to his wife.”

From across the pond comes (There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover, a song with which Britain’s Vera Lynn (and, in the States, Kate Smith) consoled the war-torn masses. In White Christmas, Dawn sings about the longing for home that made Bing Crosby’s recording so precious to the men at war.

Turning her attention to Broadway, Dawn finds the wacky wit in The Saga of Jenny from Lady in the Dark, the Kurt Weill-Ira Gershwin Broadway musical about a career woman’s misadventures in the land of psychoanalysis. From the same show comes this album’s title song My Ship, a daydream about a love that no treasure on earth can equal. Dawn connects with its bittersweet ache.

Ian Herman leads a formidable rhythm section: bassist Tom Hubbard and drummer Daniel Glass. Horn players Benny Benack III, Dan Levine, Aaron Heick, guitarist Sean Harkness, and a string quintet round out the ensemble. With their help, Dawn gives these classic songs new meaning.

- James Gavin

1. LOVER MAN (OH, WHERE CAN YOU BE?) 3:29

(Davis, Ramirez, Sherman)

2. LET’S GET AWAY FROM IT ALL / HOW ABOUT YOU 3:21

(Dennis, Adair, Lane, Freed)

3. SKYLARK 4:18

(Carmichael, Mercer)

4. BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY / DON’T SIT UNDER THE APPLE TREE / HUT SUT SONG 2:42

(Raye, Prince, Brown, Stept, Tobias, Killion, McMichael, Owens)

5. WHY DON’T WE DO THIS MORE OFTEN? 2:37

(Wrubel, Newman)

6. CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO 2:55

(Warren, Gordon)

7. JUST SQUEEZE ME (BUT PLEASE DON'T TEASE ME) / I GOT IT BAD (AND THAT AIN'T GOOD) 8:11

(Ellington, Gaines, Webster)

8. BLUES IN THE NIGHT 3:16

(Arlen, Mercer)

9. BABY MINE (from Dumbo) 2:49

(Churchill, Washington)

10. THE SAGA OF JENNY (From Lady In The Dark) 3:50

(Weill, Ira Gershwin)

11. MY SHIP (From Lady In The Dark) 3:51

(Weill, Ira Gershwin)

12. AT LAST 2:57

(Gordon, Warren)

13. WHITE CHRISTMAS 2:33

(Berlin)

14. (THERE’LL BE BLUEBIRDS OVER) THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER 3:50

(Kent, Burton)

Dawn Derow- vocals

Ian Herman - piano, music director

Tom Hubbard - bass

Daniel Glass - drums, percussion

Robin Zeh, Joyce Hammann, Paul “Dale” Woodiel - violins

Katarzyna Bryla - viola

Deborah Assael - cello

Sean Harkness - guitar

Benny Benack III - trumpet & cornet

Aaron Heick - saxophone, flute & clarinet

Dan Levine - trombone

Arrangements by: Ian Herman & Barry Levitt.

Orchestrations by: Tom Kochan (tracks: 1-4, 6, 10 & 12)  & Blake Allen (tracks: 5, 11, 14).

Produced by Paul Rolnick

Recorded by: David Stoller at Samurai Hotel Studios, Astoria, NY on February 20 and September 29, 2020.

Produced and mixed, with additional vocal engineering, by: Paul Rolnick at Zevely Recording, New York, NY.

Strings & Horns recorded by: Zach Grappone at Dubway Studios on March 25th and April 1st, 2021.

Mastered by: Alan Silverman at Arf! Digital, New York, NY.

Executive Producers: John Williams, Derow Enterprises Inc., Joachim “Jochen” Becker.

PREORDER

Danilo Brito / João Luiz - Esquina de São Paulo (December 10, 2021 ZOHO Music)

When stars come together, an album like this is born. João Luiz and Danilo Brito are both master musicians in their own rights, playing music at the highest level. A virtuoso of the popular music of his native Brazil, guitarist Luiz began playing professionally during his childhood and was later trained in classical guitar by his mentor, Henrique Pinto. He has collaborated with the likes of Yo-Yo Ma, Paquito D’Rivera, Sérgio Assad, Leo Brouwer, Egberto Gismonti, Bridget Kibbey, and Clarice Assad. He’s also an integral member of the New York creative community, as the director of chamber music at CUNY Hunter College.

Danilo Brito is a genius on the mandolin and an authority in Choro. He is also a celebrated composer and arranger. Choro has the same cultural parents as jazz and blues. European forms melded with African ideas to produce a family of fresh, new forms throughout the New World - marked by virtuosity, syncopation, counterpoints, and improvisation with an intense expression of feelings, from cheerful to melancholy.

João and Brito first met in 2004 at the Visa Music Award. Though it was a quick encounter, Brito’s was able to “see the brilliance of João’s playing.” Brito continued, “I realized that he had a sound of a classical guitarist but was full of Brazilian swing of popular music.” Years later, in 2017, they performed together at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. “The energy was so good that we went on a tour the next year,” said Brito.

You can hear their energy and magnetism on Esquina de Sao Paulo (“Sao Paulo Street Corner”.) You can also hear their friendship. The repertoire came from options Brito showed João that came from that first performance in NY, when he was a featured guest, and the duo's tour the following year. Brito had made some home recordings and sent them to João. Of course, João was duly impressed and rendered them afresh with his arrangements.

Gargalhada was composed by Pixinguinha in 1917 for flute. It is a Schottische, a European dance genre, but it has strong Brazilian characteristics and feelings. This is clearly an advanced piece, with its progressive sections moving from delicate to dynamic. Brito and João move through the number with precision and heart.

The title track Esquina de São Paulo appears for the first time on this album. It plays as a tango initially but turns into a waltz in parts B and C. The title refers to the old serenades made by inspired musicians such as Francisco Mignoni, a great Brazilian pianist composer who characterized his romantic waltzes as “valsas de esquina” that we could thus translate as “street corner waltzes.” The interplay between Luiz and Brito is on full display in this number, as they seamlessly move between sections with dexterity and grace.

Feia is a waltz by Jacob do Bandolim originally recorded by the author in 1948, which later received a new recording with grand orchestra. “Feia” means “ugly” in feminine, as “waltz” [valsa] in Portuguese is a feminine word.

Salsito no Choro is a groove-oriented selection that has its first recording on this very album. The duo performed with Paquito D’Rivero in New York. The piece moves between a choro in the A section which alludes to the salsa, allusion to Cuba, where D’Rivera was born. The title “Salsito” is a mashup of Salsa and Paquito.

The duo’s upbeat Benzinho is a choro by Jacob do Bandolim that he first recorded in 1955 and then again in 1961. This rendition is exquisitely arranged by João, and the performance evokes a romantic, hopeful vibe.

Despertar da Montanha is a composition by Eduardo Souto that some identify as Brazilian Tango and others as Fado-Choro. It’s a kind of Tango that’s very different from Argentinian Tango. This is an elegant, more pensive piece where we can experience the strings become heartstrings, evoking feelings of warmth and nostalgia.

Primas e Bordões is a Choro by Jacob do Bandolim that has been rarely recorded. There was a clip from a TV show in 1965 There was a clip from a TV show in 1965 with the song. That is the version that everybody knows. It’s radiant, and Brito wanted to highlight it. Parts A and B are Brito's mandolin solo and João comes in for part C.

Perigoso is by Orlando Silveira, the Brazilian accordionist, conductor and composer. Choro music can be technically difficult. Composers create “challenges” for the musicians, which demand a lot from them. Certain pieces are “dangerous” to play. So, maybe this is an explanation for the name “Perigoso.” It has a winding melody that is difficult to play.

Chovia by Brito is a waltz, melancholic, composed in a moment of inspiration, of introspection, on the balcony of an apartment while it was raining on a gray afternoon in São Paulo. The melody flowed easy and within five minutes the song was ready, almost the same duration of this piece. It was originally recorded in 2008 on the album Sem Restrições

Not only is this an album of incredible merit, it’s also a testament to friendship borne through music. That these two remarkable musicians have come together to render such a masterpiece is a shining example of collaboration, camaraderie, and creativity. It has been an honor to help produce this project with them.

Kabir Sehgal, producer, is a Multi Grammy & Latin Grammy Award winner.

1. Gargalhada (Pixinguinha) 5:39

2. Esquina de Sao Paulo (Danilo Brito) 5:12

3. Feia (Jacob do Bandolim) 4:33

4. Salsito no Choro (Danilo Brito) 6:04

5. Benzinho (Jacob do Bandolim) 3:30

6. Primas e Bordoes (Jacob do Bandolim) 3:08

7. Despertar da Montanha (Eduardo Souto) 4:53

8. Perigoso (Orlando Silveira) 3:45

9. Chovia (Danilo Brito) 5:19

Danilo Brito - mandolin

João Luiz - guitar

Produced by: Danilo Brito, João Luiz, Kabir Sehgal. All Arrangements by: João Luiz. Recorded & edited by: Dave Cook. Recording location: Greenville Church, Scarsdale, NY. Recording date: April, 23, 2018.

Mixed & mastered by: Dave Cook at Area 52 Studios. Photography by: Maria Silvia, Andrea Johnson. Art direction and Package Design by: Al Gold. Executive Producers: Joachim "Jochen" Becker and Maria Silvia.

João Luiz plays on a Sérgio Abreu guitar, 2017 and uses Augustine Regal Blue strings.

PREORDER

Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra – Virtual Birdland (April 2021 Zoho Music)

The images of 2020 were scary, nights of ambulance sirens, freezer trucks, sleeplessness, a nation’s economy brought to a halt. Jobs lost, businesses, restaurants, and yoga studios shuttered. With the exception of some high-tech companies and the well ensconced, everybody suffered.

There were other images. Women and men in scrubs and face shields facing an onslaught of suffering with quiet strength. Superheroes clothed in checkout aprons and flight attendant uniforms. People at the lower rungs of the socioeconomic strata who, just by showing up to work, conferred upon themselves wealth of character.

Images of violence visited upon young black lives, millions marching in defiance of that hatred. An honest discussion of racism and a reckoning of the likes we’ve never seen. We discovered a moral abyss at the highest levels of governance and the wisdom of one who urged us to get into “good” trouble. We saw who was who and what was what and can never unsee the differences. Into this reality we meet a group of musicians, the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. One week they’re looking at gainful employment. The next they’re faced with the reality that the work they’ve prepared for their whole lives has disappeared.

Free-lance artists have no regular paycheck, no guarantees of employment. They spend hours in practice rooms, doing their scales, their pliés, memorizing soliloquies, writing their stand up, and if they’re very lucky they get to practice their craft. People devoted to those brief moments on stage bring a measure of joy to us, essential workers who may not save lives but do make life worth living. At the beginning of this crisis the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance created an emergency fund for the freelance community, and the orchestra began a weekly stream to raise money to help artists. The production schedule involves musicians donating their time to record individually for hours at a time, then videographers and sound engineers spending days assembling, mixing, syncing, and editing the offering that is shown once a week on Facebook and YouTube.

Two realizations emerged. The first was that only two entities are required for any transaction. Early on in the series we began to see giver and receiver become one. The chat box revealed people from throughout the planet letting us know that in the midst of this dark moment there was at least one time a week that brought them healing. We who labored to give were receiving, knowing our gift was meaningful to people whom we did not know and would most likely never meet. It gave us a sense of global purpose and relevance. The giver becomes the receiver and the gift stays in motion.

The second realization was that the magic of music comes not from the performance or the setting. It comes from the camaraderie of the musicians who bring their best every time they play together, whether in the same room or separated by continents, transcending the artificiality of the computer screen. It’s not the notes but the spirit that creates the swing, the vibe, the whatever you call it, and it’s here in spades. That joy cannot be manufactured, nor contained.

“Gulab Jamón” was commissioned by the Greene Space in New York City. The piece’s title is a mash up of two of my favorite cuisines, Indian and Spanish. The inspiration came from thinking about water and how it can exist in many forms but is essentially the same. We should see humanity as existing in many forms but being of the same essence. We do not dilute our essence when we embrace others.

“Pouvoir” means “power” in French and is written by a very powerful artist born in Morocco, a defender of the sacred Moroccan rhythmic code, Chaabi (a traditional style of North African dance music associated with weddings and festivals.) Malika Zarra, trained in New York, currently residing in Paris, is an archetype of how the music of Mother Africa flows from its sources and travels the globe enriching everyone it touches.

Beautiful human beings make beautiful music. I’m not talking about high cheekbones or sculpted abs. I refer to those whose inner joy radiates in who they are and what they bring. Rafi Malkiel is just such a being. If you know Rafi, you love Rafi. “Desert”, his composition, is an example of that inner joy flowing out. The sound of ancient trade routes connecting with a moment in time where we all need healing.

“Nightfall” by Larry Willis is an example of the compositional prowess of this brilliant pianist. The effortlessness of his swing and the efficacy of his tumbao reveal that the roots, path, and future of this music we call jazz are Afro Latino. Influenced by the middle east and beyond, this music filters through Spain, ferments in Northern African, crystalizes in Western Africa and through a cataclysm called the slave trade, makes its way into all of the Americas.

The next piece is an example of global cooperation, of what could be if artists ran the world. Ghazi Faisal Al-Mulaifi from Kuwait wrote this beautiful song, “Ana Mashoof”, and it was originally performed in Abu Dhabi during a concert called Cuba Meets Khaleeji: The Middle Eastern Roots of Afro Cuban Jazz. In this iteration, Boom Diwan (Boom Diwan is a band of percussionists) records from Kuwait, Ghazi from Abu Dhabi, and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra from the United States and Europe.

Paquito D’Rivera’s “Samba for Carmen” was written for the inimitable Carmen McRae and arranged by Maestro Chico O’Farrill. Paquito is a chameleon and one of the most amazing clarinetists of our time. He is equally at home playing a Mozart concerto, a Guaguanco, or a fast Cherokee. Here, he is featured in a Brazilian samba and sounds like a born and bred “carioca.”

Letieres Leite is my counterpart. He founded Orkestra Rumpilezz and created a universe around performing and teaching Afro Brazilian music. This is not your typical elevator bossa. This is full blown Candomblé, scored for 5 percussionists, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 5 saxes and a tuba. “Alafia” is his composition and recorded here by a very happy group of physically, but not socially distant musicians thrilled to be playing such progressive music.

Composed by Rafael Solano and orchestrated by Chico O’Farrill, “En La Oscuridad” is a meditation in elegance and soul. I performed this piece under my father’s direction and marveled at the playing of tenor saxophone giant, Mario Rivera. To hear Mario’s protégé, Ivan Renta, play with so much reverence for his mentor, yet be so much his own voice, reminds me that we are part of an ancestral trail.

Don Angel “Papo” Vazquez is affectionately known as “El Almirante” (The Admiral). He is the creator of bomba jazz and amongst the finest trombonists I know. “Cimarron” was commissioned by The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance and in this setting refers to the wild or untamed runaway. I love this celebration of musical fearlessness.

We close this recording with Tito Puente’s iconic “Para Los Rumberos” arranged by José Madera. A rumbero is someone who is not bound by circumstance. Who when the picture is at its bleakest and the smart thing to do is cave in to fear, does the opposite and celebrates the challenge with song and dance. Are you a rumbero? When life hands you lemons, do you make lechon asado out of it? Tito took the circumstances of his life and created a universe of joy. If you have that skill then you too, are a rumbero.

Closing thoughts

When this thing happened, this pandemic, this time of national and global reckoning, we were blindsided and even though the sky seemed like it was falling, we rose up and were determined to play music and heal others. This recording is proof that we are interconnected globally even if we are not allowed to leave our homes. The musicians on this recording sat in their living rooms, bedrooms, or closets and contributed to the lives of thousands of unseen listeners. No immediate feedback, no discernible applause, no fancy concert halls, no paycheck, just the purest form of art there is, service to others.

- Arturo O’Farrill

Virtual Birdland is a candle in the darkness, which illuminates what is possible when good people come together to create beauty and meaning in the world. The year 2020 will forever be known as annus horribilis, one of misfortune and misgiving, when the people of the world suffered through an pernicious pandemic.

Arturo O’Farrill is the ultimate “artivist,” a terrific blend of artist and activist. When the occasion arises, he rises to it. Instead of cursing the darkness, he creates music and opportunity for all of us to experience. Arturo is a humanitarian who helped to mobilize resources to support the creative community. He made sure that those in the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra had a steady gig, a semblance of normalcy during a time of chaos. While we all hunkered down in our homes, every week we had the Virtual Birdland show to look forward to. This project is indeed an homage to its namesake, named after the iconic Jazz club in midtown Manhattan where Arturo and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra have had a weekly Sunday night residence for many years.

This album is special. It represents many people coming together to create something larger. We cannot be defeated. We cannot be kept down. Because the human spirit will always bring us together. And music will always be a force for unity. This is the seventh album that I’ve been blessed to produce for Arturo. It’s been an honor for Doug Davis, Paul Avgerinos, and me to help bring maestro Arturo’s brilliant artistic vision into the world.

- Kabir Sehgal

Produced by: Kabir Sehgal, Doug Davis and Paul Avgerinos. Recorded online between April through October 2020 around the world from New York, New Jersey, California, Puerto Rico, Quebec, Brazil, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, France, UK, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait. Post production and engineering by: Amin Farid Abdal in Kuwait. Mixed and mastering by: Peter Karl. Photography: Nurit Sharett (Rafi Malkiel), Melanie Futorian. CD cover design by: Beatriz Salvatierr. Art direction and package design by: Jack Frisch. Executive produced by: Kabir Sehgal, Fred Miller, Joachim “Jochen” Becker, and The Afro Latin Jazz Alliance.

Songs:

1. Gulab Jamon (Arturo O’Farrill) 7:11

Soloists: Jasper Dutz, Arturo O’Farrill

2. Pouvoir (Malika Zarra) 6:46

Arr. Kali Rodriguez-Peña

Soloists: Mariel Bildsten, Keisel Jimenez

3. Desert (Rafi Malkiel) 6:31

Soloists: Rafi Malkiel, Seneca Black

4. Nightfall (Larry Willis) 7:40

Arr. Miguel Blanco

Soloists: Rachel Therrien, Ivan Renta, Arturo O’Farrill, Keisel Jimenez

5. Ana Mashoof (Ghazi Faisal Al-Mulaifi) 8:12

Soloists: Ghazi Faisal Al-Mulaifi, Alejandro Aviles

6. Samba For Carmen (Paquito D'rivera) 5:11

Arr. Chico O’Farrill

Soloists: Paquito D’Rivera, Adam O’Farrill

7. Lafia (Letieres Leite) 7:35

Soloists: Larry Bustamante

8. En La Oscuridad (Rafael Solano Sanchez) 3:47

Arr. Chico O’Farrill

Soloists: Ivan Renta

9. Cimarron (Papo Vazquez) 8:02

Soloists: Abdulrahman Amer, Alejandro Aviles,

and Carly Maldonado

10. Para Los Rumberos (Tito Puente) 7:20

Arr. Jose Madera

Soloists: Ivan Renta, Rafi Malkiel, Bryan Davis,

Keisel Jimenez, Carly Maldonado, Vince Cherico

Musicians:

Arturo O’Farrill piano, conductor

Special Guests

Malika Zarra voice (2)

Gili Sharett bassoon (3)

Ghazi Faisal Al-Mulaifi guitar and voice (5)

Boom Diwan:

Sulaiman Mayouf Mejally, Abdulaziz Al-Hamli, Abdulwahab Al-Hamli, Khaled Bunashi, Ghanem Salem percussion (5)

Paquito D’Rivera alto saxophone (6)

Richard Miller guitar (6)

Everton Isidoro cuica, pandeiro, caxixi (6, 7)

Gustavo Di Dalva atabaque (7)

Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Saxophones

Alejandro Aviles alto, flute (1, 5), soprano (4, 5)

Adison Evans alto, all tracks except 3, 7, flute (5, 6);

Roman Filiu alto (3)

Ivan Renta tenor, soprano (9)

Jasper Dutz tenor, all tracks except 6, 7, 10, clarinet (2, 3, 5)

Jeremy Powell tenor (6, 7)

Livio Almeida tenor (10)

Larry Bustamante baritone , bass clarinet (2, 3, 5)

Trumpets

Seneca Black (1, 3, 7, 9)

Bryan Davis

Adam O’Farrill

Walter Cano (2, 9, 10), flugelhorn (4)

Rachel Therrien all except 9, flugelhorn (5)

Kai Sandoval (6, 8)

Trombones

Rafi Malkiel euphonium (3)

Mariel Bildsten all tracks except 6

Abdulrahmen Amer all tracks except 8

Xito Lovell (6)

Ben Barnett (8)

Earl Mcintyre all except 6, 8, bass trombone, tuba (3, 7)

James Rogers bass trombone (6, 8, 9)

Rhythm Section

Arturo O’Farrill piano

Bam Bam Rodriguez upright bass, electric bass (1, 2, 5, 6); karkabas (3)

Vince Cherico drums

Keisel Jimenez conga drums

Carly Maldonado bongo drums, bell, guiro; cajon (2), doumbek (3, 4); timbales (10)

www.arturoofarrill.com

www.afrolatinjazz.org

Pre-order

Yulia Musayelyan - Oblivion (Zoho Music 2021)

Yulia Musayelyan

"Oblivion" 

(ZOHO ZM 202104)

Yulia Musayelyan - flute, voice #5 , bass flute #8,  Maxim Lubarsky - piano,  

Fernando Huergo - bass,  Mark Walker - drums

There’s a new tango master in town. Her name is Yulia Musayelyan. And the town is Boston. Before you start thinking about how many tango practitioners may live in this great American city, all you need to know is that after listening to Oblivion there will surely be many more. Indeed, this is an inspired masterwork that will encourage more musicians to explore the vintage and nuevo forms of tango, and perhaps they’ll make a pilgrimage to learn from the maestra herself. 

Born in Moscow, Russia, Yulia began studying music at the age of four. Along the way, she earned many prestigious recognitions as a flautist such as the National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts Awards. She later moved to the United States where she is a professor at Berklee College of Music. What’s more, Yulia is a prolific performer who has played with the likes of Hector Martignon, Marta Gómez, and Marta Topferova, among others. She has also played on more than 30 albums. On Oblivion, Yulia is joined by a stellar rhythm section to complete the quartet, each of them also on the faculty at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Each member also shares Yulia’s cosmopolitan heritage and outlook– pianist Maxim Lubarsky is a native of Ukraine, bassist Fernando Huergo is from Córdoba, Argentina, and Mark Walker is from Chicago, USA. 

Oblivion is an exquisite production on which you hear familiar and forward as well as anew and afresh. “Fuga y Misterio” is the well-known Astor Piazzolla number from his 1968 opera María de Buenos Aires. Yulia’s rendition begins with her searching, solo flute which gains steam with formidable bass lines as to emulate the dynamism of Piazzolla’s opera as well as the energy of Buenos Aires itself. The song continues its brisk pace before winding into a “Misterio,” a calmer, more tranquil section. “Flor de Lino” was composed by Héctor Stamponi in 1947 in the style of tango vals, which was adapted from the European waltz. It’s on this piece we can hear Yulia’s lush lyricism, her ability to craft melodic lines with thoughtfulness and emotional depth. She brings this number to vivid life with her rich tone and becoming timbre.

The title track “Oblivion” is of course the Piazzolla piece composed in 1982 for Marco Bellochio’s film Henry IV. “Its understated yet dark and powerful melody captivated me from the first time I heard it as a teenager on an orchestra tour in Havana, Cuba,” said Yulia. This particular quartet version features hauntingly beautiful flute and piano solos that are both corresponding and complementary. “Milonga de Mis Amores” was written by Pedro Laurenz in 1937 and hews to a more traditional arrangement, so that it can still function as danceable music. 

“Como Dos Extraños” was also composed by Pedro Laurenz with lyrics by José María Contursi in 1940. The piece was overlooked and eventually rediscovered a couple decades later when it became a staple of the tango repertoire. The flute-bass duet with Fernando Huergo is a paired down number, which gives ample space for Yulia to sing buoyantly and brilliantly profound lyrics such as “Creyéndote mi salvación” / “Believing you my salvation.

Como Dos Extraños (“Like Two Strangers”)

Lyrics by José María Contursi

Me acobardó la soledad

y el miedo enorme de morir lejos de ti...

¡Qué ganas tuve de llorar

sintiendo junto a mí

la burla de la realidad!

El corazón me suplicó

que te buscara y que le diera tu querer...

Me lo pedía el corazón

y entonces te busqué

creyéndote mi salvación...

Y ahora que estoy frente a ti

parecemos, ya ves, dos extraños...

Lección que por fin aprendí:

¡cómo cambian las cosas los años!

Angustia de saber muertas ya

la ilusión y la fe...

Y si me ves lagrimear...

¡Los recuerdos me han hecho mal!

Palideció la luz del sol

al escucharte fríamente conversar...

Fue tan distinto nuestro amor

y duele comprobar

que todo, todo terminó.

¡Qué gran error volverte a ver

para llevarme destrozado el corazón!

Son mil fantasmas, al volver

burlándose de mí,

las horas de ese muerto ayer...

“La Muerte del Angel” is a Piazzolla piece that was composed in the 1960s, the second of his “Angel” series. This piece is synonymous with the Tango Nuevo style with its up-tempo pace and rich harmonization. An energetic drums intro by Mark Walker gives way to a softer, more introspective section over which Yulia’s flute glides, even as the vigorous tempo resumes. “Si Llega a Ser Tucumana” is a standout selection as the only non-tango piece on the album. This number was composed by Gustavo “Cuchi” Leguizamón, based on the traditional Argentinean zamba, a folkloric music style and dance from northwest Argentina. That Yulia wanted to feature this song speaks to her grasp of the raíces, the roots of music from the Americas. To be sure: people, culture, and music are intertwined in a biodiverse network. This is something we often forget.

“Nada” is a tango canción that was written by the venerable composer José Dames in 1944. Yulia’s rendition features piano and bass solos by Maxim Lubarsky and Fernando Huergo that provide dynamic and harmonic contrast throughout. Yulia plays the melody on the bass flute, which makes the piece feel ever more robust and approachable, as if to emulate the human voice. “To Ostatnia Niedziela” was composed by Jerzy Petersburski in 1935, and it’s the only tango written by a European on this album. This particular song has been part of the soundtrack to many movies. Yulia first heard it as part of Burnt by the Sun, a 1994 Oscar-winning film. The quartet arrangement features both flute and piano solos. 

“Nostalgias” was composed by Juan Carlos Cobián in 1935. The piece was originally intended to be featured in a musical theater tribute to Carlos Gardel, one of the great tango singers and composers of all time who was tragically killed in a plane crash. But this piece didn’t make this cut in the tribute. It was eventually recorded by many reputable tango orchestras. Yulia’s version is first class, with verdant layers of harmonies and virtuosic solos. “Libertango”, written in 1974, is perhaps the most recognizable and well-known of Piazzolla’s compositions. Yulia begins with a heartfelt and pulsing flute melody. The bass quickly takes over the solo, effortlessly blending registers. The piece is a pleasant surprise, as each instrument plays its complementary role, and you don’t know when they’ll switch places. But one thing for certain – it sounds both fresh and free.

Yulia Musayelyan is the real deal. She makes music at the highest level, with emotional depth that draws upon her spiritual core. Oblivion is an opening salvo of a tango master. This album features some of the most iconic tango pieces of all time yet played in a manner that is refreshing and rejuvenating. This is where tango is headed, and it couldn’t be more exciting. Kabir Sehgal, Multi-Grammy & Latin Grammy award winner

1. Fuga y Misterio (Astor Piazzolla, Horacio Ferrer) 5:43

2. Flor de Lino (Héctor Stamponi) 4:35

3. Oblivion (Astor Piazzolla, Angela Terenzi) 6:40

4. Milonga de Mis Amores (Pedro Laurenz, José María Contursi) 2:30

5. Como Dos Extraños 3:31 (Pedro Laurenz, José María Contursi)

6. La Muerte del Angel (Astor Piazzolla) 3:03

7. Si Llega a ser Tucumana (Gustavo Leguizamón, Miguel Angel Pérez) 4:21

8. Nada (José Dames, Horacio Sanguinetti) 3:29

9. To Ostatnia Niedziela (Jerzy Petersburski) 4:10

10. Nostalgias (Juan Carlos Cobián) 3:31

11. Libertango (Astor Piazzolla, Oscar Escalada) 5:13

Yulia Musayelyan - flute, voice #5 , bass flute #8

Maxim Lubarsky - piano

Fernando Huergo - bass

Mark Walker - drums

Pre-order

GRAMMY WINNER BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM Arturo O'Farrill The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (Feat. Dr. Cornell West) "Four Questions"

Pre-order

Spotify

Nelson Riveros – The Latin Side of Wes Montgomery (2021 Zoho Music)

The Latin Side of Wes Montgomery is a triumphant tribute album. It’s made by one master, in honor and celebration of another. Nelson Riveros is an acclaimed guitarist and composer who embodies the very idea of cultural fusion. Born in New York to Colombian parents, Riveros grew up learning about the music and cultures of the Americas. A few years ago, after playing a gig that involved performing songs in Wes Montgomery’s vaunted repertoire, Riveros had the idea of reimaging the legendary guitarist’s music in a Latin American style: “I started to hear all kind of rhythms, bass lines, and melodic variations to some of his tunes. The next day, I started writing arrangements, and this very project began to take shape,” said Riveros.

In making this terrific album, naturally Riveros wanted to collaborate with the very best musicians. And he did just that. He partnered with Hector Martignon (piano), a two-time Grammy nominee; Mark Walker (drums); Andy McKee (bass); Jonathan Gomez (percussion). Throughout the album, we can hear the band playing together as one, channeling the fluidness and virtuosity you will find on most if not all Wes Montgomery recordings.

Road Song is the opening salvo of Riveros’ opus. This rendition features an intro played in unison, which is actually a melodic cell that happens later in the song. The song has well placed space near the bridge so that Martignon can comp with a Latin feel, even introducing head-nodding montunos. The piece fades into a surprise ending that gives the listeners one more jolt, a reminder that the festivities continue. Tear It Down comes from Montgomery’s Bumpin’ which was released in 1965 on Verve. Montgomery’s version was a polished, straight-ahead swing number, which Riveros recast as a Brazilian Samba with Walker and Gomez adding colorful Latin percussion.

Four On Six is one of Riveros’ favorite songs of all time. He took the original bass line and turned it into a syncopated Tumbao. In fact, he first heard the Tumbao in his head before arranging the piece. Riveros studied Montgomery’s different recordings of this piece, noticing when the legendary artists played the chord hits and when he didn’t, for example. Riveros took all these elements and fused them into his arrangement, creating a wonderful collage in which the band grooves together marvelously. Wes’ Tune comes from Far Wes which was released in 1958. Riveros arranged the tune as a Colombian porro, which has a slower and more meditative tempo. It’s on this piece that Riveros shines as a soloist, spanning the fretboard with intervallic octaves and virtuosic chromaticism.

Nelson’s Groove is Riveros’ original composition, inspired by “Wes’ Tune.” The distinctive rhythms at the beginning are afoxé and baiao from Brazil. In a musical nod to Montgomery, Riveros plays mostly octaves during the bridge. West Coast Blues was on the LP The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery released in 1960. Riveros arranges this seminal number into a joropo, a style from Latin America, notably Venezuela and Colombia. With its 6/8 rhythm, this piece feels like a jazz waltz, or a number that could be found at a fandango with son jarocho music from Veracruz, Mexico. Musical highlights are Jonathan Gomez’s great touch with the maracas and Riveros’ elevated virtuosity.

Jingles is the last piece on the LP The Dynamic New Sound by the Wes Montgomery Trio, released in 1959. Riveros arranges it with a brisk tempo. It begins with a snippet of melody in the intro. The bridge swells with a fiery Latin jazz groove. Martignon delivers a rousing and impassioned solo which dramatically crescendos and gives way to Riveros’ intriguing improvisation.

Facing Wes is another original composition of Riveros, set in 7/4 with a section in 5. This piece certainly feels like a blues but it doesn’t go back to the IV minor. McKee plays a beautiful bass solo in which the low register rumbles with a rich and lush sound. This piece features a Montgomery-inspired melody of octaves in the bridge. “The turnaround features the ‘Wes’ style solo chords that I so love to play,” said Riveros. That Riveros is admitting his love of certain turnaround chords reveals the respect he has for Montgomery and the depth of this magnificent musical production. Leila is the capstone number that also comes from the 1958 Far Wes album. Riveros performs this piece as a solo arrangement on his nylon string guitar, as to inhabit the piece fully and give it a softer and more mellow feel. He harmonized the melody with different chords, so the piece sounds familiar but also fresh. Here too, Riveros adds a Latin vibe with a tumbao bass feel. This selection is both intimate and revealing, borne of Riveros’ mind and performed with his total heart.

You’ve never heard Wes Montgomery’s music like this before. Master guitarist Nelson Riveros reimagines many of the legendary guitarist’s pieces with a Latin aesthetic. Not only does this music swing, but it’s syncopated, accented by percussion from the Americas. Riveros has given us something wholly unique and inviting. The Latin Side of Wes Montgomery won’t just help you rediscover the music of a veritable music legend. It will also introduce you to Nelson Riveros, a talented guitarist with a big heart who has created a superb tribute to his musical hero.

1. Road Song 04:59

2. Tear It Down 05:16

3. Four On Six 04:19

4. Wes' Tune 04:31

5. Nelson's Groove 04:24

6. West Coast Blues 04:14

7. Jingles 06:04

8. Facing Wes 05:31

9. Leila 02:06

Nelson Riveros - guitar 

Hector Martignon - piano 

Andy McKee - bass 

Mark Walker - drums 

Jonathan Gomez - percussion 

Recorded at: Mozart Studios, Little Falls NJ, June 13, 2019. Recording engineer: Kostadin Kamcev. Additional recording: Lighthouse Studios.

Mixing and Mastering engineer: Ed Reed at Lighthouse Recording. Producers: Nelson Riveros, Kabir Sehgal, additional production work by Ed Reed.

Pre-order

Sergio Pereira “Nu Brasil” CD Release Shows NYC & Spain

Sergio Pereira “Nu Brasil”

CD Release Shows NYC & Spain

NYC

Friday, November 16th 8 pm

Bonafide Club

212 E 52nd St, New York, NY 10022 (646) 918-6189

Sergio Pereira - acoustic guitar

Helio Alves - piano

Ariel Ramirez - bass

Oriente Lopez - flutes

Alexandre Kautz - drums

plus, special guest

Sunday, November 18th 8pm

Cornelia Street Cafe

29 Cornelia St, New York, NY 10014 (212) 989-9319

Sergio Pereira - acoustic guitar

Helio Alves - piano

Ariel Ramirez - bass

Oriente Lopez - flutes

Mauricio Zottarelli - drums

plus, special guest

SPAIN

December 7, at 8 p.m.

Veles e Vents, Valencia, Spain

January 17, 2019

Jazz Club El Mussol

Alcoy, Spain

New CD

Sergio Pereira

“Nu Brasil”

(Zoho ZM 201808)

Street Date: September 7, 2018

Sergio Pereira-guitar,  Saxophonist Alexey Leon, Spain’s alto sax great Perico Sambeat, Cuban-born flutist and longtime New Yorker Oriente Lopez and Valencia, Spain-based trumpeter-arranger VoroGarcia. Sao Paulo-based electric guitarist Marcus Teixeira, French pianist Baptiste Bailly, Valencia-based bassist Ales Cesarini, Cuban-born bassist Ariel Ramirez, Brazilian harmonica virtuoso Gabriel Grossi and two Brazilian-born musicians now residing in New York City, pianist Helio Alves 

and drummer Mauricio Zottarelli.

Vocalists Paula Santoro, Sergio Santos and Viktorija Pilatovic lend an air of mystery and allure to the proceedings while rapper Devin Malloy adds the cherry on top of the buoyant opener, Down South.

There’s a certain something inherent in the music of Brazil that goes well beyond the notes and speaks more of the soul of a culture. Like the music of New Orleans, where the feel for an authentic second line rhythm grows out of the pace, the food, the flavor of the Crescent City, the persuasive rhythms of bossa nova and samba are ingrained in the hearts and souls of musicians from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. For guitarist-composer Sergio Pereira, that feeling is deeply imbedded in his DNA and emerges through his distinctive comping patterns. 

“I learned by growing up listening to samba rhythms and playing Brazilian percussion at a local school of samba,” says the 59-year Rio native and longtime resident of New York City. “Since I was a kid I have been always playing samba rhythm, making that ‘batucada’ rhythm with my hands and fingers at school until my teachers would tell me to ‘stopmaking that noise!’ I still do it all the time. It’s addictive.”

         

Pereira’s samba addiction comes to full fruition in spectacular fashion on his ZOHO debut release Nu Brasil,his follow-upto his acclaimed 2016 debut, Swingando.The title Nu Brasil (“nu” = “naked” in Portuguese) references the beauty of his home country where however social inequality still prevails.

 

A collection of ten thoughtful compositions, this superb set features contributions from a luxuriant crew of 18 world-class musicians including Cuban-born saxophonist Alexey Leon, Spain’s alto sax great Perico Sambeat, Cuban-born flutist and longtime New Yorker Oriente Lopezand Valencia, Spain-based trumpeter-arranger Voro Garcia. Also on board for Pereira’s sophomore release are Sao Paulo-based electric guitarist Marcus Teixeira, French pianist Baptiste Bailly, Valencia-based bassistAles Cesarini, Cuban-born bassist Ariel Ramirez, Brazilian harmonica virtuoso Gabriel Grossiand two Brazilian-born musicians now residing in New York City ispianist Helio Alvesand drummer Mauricio Zottarelli. 

Vocalists Paula Santoro, Sergio Santosand Viktorija Pilatoviclend an air of mystery and allure to the proceedings while rapper Devin Malloyadds the cherry on top of the buoyant opener, Down South. Says the composer, “I started to work on this song last summer while vacationing ‘down south’ in Puglia, Italy. Changing environment and location often provides me with great vibes for inspiration. It’s a happy samba groove with a magical soprano sax solo from Alexey. Devin’s rap is basically describing the experience of failure in pursuit of your dreams and talks about how life will continue to evolve and will pick you back up after you've fallen.” Bailly adds a cascading piano solo here while Pereira contributes an appealingly melodic, clean-toned solo on electric guitar.

East River is Pereira’s poignant reflection on the view from his Upper East Side neighborhood in Manhattan. “I frequently jog on the East Side by the East River and many times, after the jog, I just sit on a bench next to the 59thStreet Bridge looking over Roosevelt Island and Long Island City,” he explains. “It’s very peaceful there with the nice breeze from the river, the sounds of boats going by and the FDR Drive humming with vehicles.” The easy-going number opens with sparse solo piano before being joined by lush strings arranged by Garcia. Pereira plays the opening strains of the melody on his nylon string acoustic then scats simultaneously with his solo on this affecting number, which also carries a slight tinge of melancholy. As he explains, “When my older daughter, now 23, was 4 or 5 years old, we lived on Roosevelt Island.  We had an amazing time together there and I miss those moments. The strings bring out the melancholic moments I had, which I dearly miss, when my daughter was little.”

The seductive Arpoadoris an ode to the beach of that name on the south side of Rio de Janeiro where Pereira spent a lot of his youth. “This was my favorite beach, where I used to wake up really early in the morning to go surfing with friends,” he recalls. “Cool and hip crowds used to hang out there at sunset. People fell in love, hearts were broken and memories were left behind. It’s reminiscing about the time when I was 19, right before I moved to New York — some of the best moments of my life.” Singer Santoro narrates the story of love, passion, beach, summer and the sea with an enchanting delivery that combines the smooth allure of bossa nova and the freewheeling abandon of jazz in her delicious scatting passages and call-and-response exchanges with pianist Bailly near the end of the piece.

Greta is an affecting jazz waltz that Pereira wrote for his newly-born niece. “She is sweet, mellow, easy and tender just like this song,” he says. Flutist Lopez brings the mellowness, tenderness and jazziness that the song calls for while singer Sergio Santos doubles Pereira’s tender electric guitar melody with some sweet falsetto singing. Drummer Zottarelli deftly underscores the proceedings with some briskly swinging brushwork.

The energized title trackNu Brasilis fueled by Pereira’s infectious comping and showcases Lithuanian-born singer Pilatovic, who engages in some rapid-fire scat-and-trumpet exchanges with Garcia at the tag. Originally an instrumental, lyricist Paulinho Nunes brings new life to the upbeat piece while Pilatovic, singing in Portuguese with a ‘Carioca’ accent, brings a jazzy flair to this groovy samba.

Garcia arranges the strings on the lush Per Teand offers a warm, melodic flugelhorn solo on this inviting number. The tight Joao Donato-influenced samba/bossa Sambinhacomes charging right out of the gate with guitar and harmonica locked in tandem on the buoyant theme. Sao Paulo-based electric guitarist Marcus Teixeira, a former teacher of Pereira’s, contributes a Bensonesque solo over the percolating undercurrent provided by drummer Zottarelli and bassist Ramirez. Pianist Alves adds some jazzy improvising on this infectious groove while harmonica ace Grossi contributes remarkably flowing legato lines over the top. Percussionist David Gadeajoins Pereira to fuel this fiery samba groove.

The minor key Trem Do Tempocarries a tinge of melancholy on top of an undulating Ixeja rhythm. Lopez contributes a lovely flute solo while Santoro delivers the alluring Portuguese lyrics in her own inimitable style. Nunes again brings new life to the song with his thoughtful lyrics, which tell us a story about life and the passage of time: “Life is like a train/it slips through your hands/it does not stop in every station. Life is to be lived at each moment. Live it…live it…and live it.”

14 Clicks Away, a slow bossa nova fueled by Zottarelli’s brushwork and Pereira’s steady comping, features an elegant solo by pianist Alves and also showcases Sambeat in Getz-ian mode on this restful, gently grooving number. 

The album closes with the jazzy bossa nova Lascia Stare,which fluctuates between sadness and happiness and features Pereira doubling the melody with Grossi. “I always heard the more melancholic first part of the song with a harmonica, so Gabriel was my number one choice to deliver that feeling,” says Pereira.” The leader’s electric guitar solo here is typically melodic and flowing while Bailly adds sparkle with his piano solo. The title, Pereira explains, is an Italian expression which roughly translates to ‘let it go’ or ‘don’t bother yourself with it.’”

From opener to closer, Nu Brasiltakes the listener on a journey that is brimming with exhilaration and passion, soulful reflection and deep-seated feelings that speak of Pereira’s homeland. — Bill Milkowski

www.sergiopereira.world

Michael Sarian & The Chabones - León (ZOHO MUSIC 2018)

CHA·BÓN 

/’ CHäbon/ 

Origin: ARGENTINA, informal, from the Argentine ‘lunfardo’ 

noun: chabón; plural noun: chabones 

a man; a dude; a schmuck 

“that chabón sounds terrible”; “those chabones sound terrible” 

LUN·FAR·DO 

/ˈlo͞onfärdo/ 

noun: from the Italian ‘lumbardo’, local dialect of Lombardy 

a dialect or slang, originated and developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the lower classes in Buenos Aires; associated with the tango musicians and culture. 

“chabón is lunfardo for dude”

Albeit mostly playful, there’s a common stigma against gingers (people with red hair) throughout the world, and my home country Argentina is no different. Although they don’t believe gingers have no soul, and although they don’t believe gingers are vampires; they do believe they’re bad luck. There’s this saying, “Colorado Yeta”, which roughly translates into ‘bad luck ginger’ (yeta = bad luck; = yeta, Colorado = ginger). To be honest, I never felt discriminated against because of my red hair, but I did stand out. Originally, the album title was going to be Colorado Yeta, which is the more introspective track, melancholic, almost like a ballad. But I knew that non Spanish speakers would have a hard time pronouncing and understanding that title. Additionally, I didn’t want the whole album to have this defeatist vibe to it, so I thought about what positive twist I could give the fact that I am, in fact, a ginger. 

Enter León (lion). Yes, I have long red hair and a beard, but the lion speaks to more than just my, or anyone else’s, appearance. It speaks to anyone who’s ever felt ‘less than’ for any reason, because they too can be a lion. The lion represents anyone who grows into who they are, and owns it. The album, although not chronological, is somewhat autobiographical. 

Throughout the title track, we try to blur the line between playing in duple and triple meter, and eventually get into a chacarera sort of feel that does exactly that. It doesn’t hurt that Jim Piela plays an incredibly beautiful solo that makes us stop worrying about what meter we’re in. 

The second track, No 3, is a feature for our drummer, Josh Bailey. The rest of the band holds out chords (voiced without the third), giving him plenty of space to play freely. The top voice of the chord progression spells out what I call the ‘colorado yeta’ melody, which also appears in the intro to Casquito, and in a way prepares the listener for it. 

Casquito in Spanish means ‘little helmet’, but represents a life lesson I learned early on. I had a bowl cut until the age of 9 or so, courtesy of my mom. This wasn’t a popular hairstyle for a kid in Argentina, and needless to say I did get teased quite a bit, with kids calling me ‘casquito’. Until one day I came home crying, and told my mom I wanted a haircut.

Next day I go to school feeling a lot better without my bowl cut, until I bump into this older kid (a friend of my brother’s) who looks at me, looks at my hair, and says one word to me before walking away: “Wimp.” He was right. Looking back, there was nothing wrong with my bowl cut, and to be honest, I looked better with it than with whatever random (read: standard) haircut I got. But I felt comfortable with it because it wasn’t different and I fit in. Life lesson: different is good. It’s actually great. But it takes a little courage sometimes, and what’s a lion without some courage? 

My first album with The Chabones (although it’s credited as Michael Sarian, without & The Chabones) is called ‘Subtitles’, because when I was younger I mumbled a lot, and my friends would say they needed subtitles to understand what I was saying. I still mumble every now and again, and whenever I find myself mumbling, I sort of trail off and stop speaking. Understandably, this annoyed my ex-girlfriend, who would tell me to “use your words.” Your Words is a love song. It also breaks away from the more Argentine sounding rhythms of León and Casquito, and features straight eighth-note grooves, synthesizers and an epic tenor solo by Evan Francis. 

In our previous album, ‘The Escape Suite’, our co-producer and engineer Luis Bacque put together this short remix of a bunch of tracks, sort of a mashup but not really. In retrospect, I should have included it in the album as a secret track. This time I wanted to do something similar, so we put together No 3 (Locust St. Remix) - because his studio is on Locust Street in New Jersey. We changed up some things, added some SFX, took out the horns and drums, and modified the ending. This is definitely the most experimental track of the record. 

This is our third album, and it’s the one we took our time with the most so far. We workshopped the tunes over a longer period of time. We spent more time in the studio with Luis, tracking vocals and overdubbing keys and effects with Mike Verselli. We spent more time eating and drinking and talking about music. 

I feel lucky to be able to make music with this group of people. My eternal gratitude to Jim, Josh, Mike, Evan, Trevor and Elad for not only playing my music, but for investing time and energy into making it better. Thanks to Luis for doing the same on the other side of the controls. And in addition to their love and support, thanks to my mother for giving me red hair, and thanks to my father for giving me a lot of it. - Michael Sarian

1. León 06:32

2. No 3 04:23

3. Casquito 06:53

4. Your Words 11:32

5. Colorado Yeta 05:59

6. No 3 (Locust St. Remix) 04:56

Michael Sarian – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Vocals, Mini Moog, Synth

Jim Piela – Alto & Soprano Sax

Evan Francis – Tenor Sax

Elad Cohen – Trombone

Michael Verselli – Piano, Nord, Mini Moog, Synths

Trevor Brown – Electric Bass

Josh Bailey – Drums, Auxiliary Percussion

Franco Pinna – Bombo Legüero (tracks 1, 3)

All songs composed and arranged by Michael Sarian.

Produced by Luis Bacque, Michael Sarian & The Chabones.

Recorded at Bacque Recording Engineering Studios in Roselle, New Jersey, on October 21 & November 13, 2017.

Recording Engineer: Luis Bacque. Assistant Engineer: Thom Beemer. Mixed and mastered by Luis Bacque at Bacque Recording Engineering Studios, Roselle, New Jersey (Luis Bacque uses Sonoris Software).

Photography: Melanie Futorian.

Art direction and package design: Jack Frisch.

Executive Producer: Joachim “Jochen” Becker.

www.michaelsarian.com

Dongfeng Liu Band "China Caribe" CD Release Concert Friday, September 21, 2018

Dongfeng Liu Band

"China Caribe" CD Release Concert

Friday, September 21, 2018 8 pm 

Weill Recital Hall 

@Carnegie Hall

57th Street and Seventh Av

NYC

Tickets & Info

featuring

Dongfeng Liu, Piano and Keyboards

John Benitez, Bass

Roberto Quintero, Percussion

Francis Benitez, Drums

Min Xiaofen, Ruan and Pipa

Feifei Yang, Erhu

Dongfeng Liu

China Caribe

June 8, 2017

Rare is the occasion when an artist arrives on the scene who fundamentally reawakens your understanding not just of music but world history, common cultures, and shared values. Dongfeng Liu is this very type of artist. He is a maestro composer, arranger, jazz pianist and educator who draws upon musical influences from his native China, and fuses them with American jazz harmonies with Caribbean rhythms. China Caribe uncovers those buried pages of history in which Chinese immigrants journeyed to the Americas as early as the 1860s. In fact, Havana boasted the largest Chinese population in the Western hemisphere during this period. 

Liu’s CD celebrates and dramatizes these cultural cross currents. On this album, we hear what happens when cultures collide – a new sound, a unique aesthetic is born. You haven’t heard anything like China Caribe. I hadn’t. In a word, Liu’s music is peerless. These eight original compositions and arrangements are special and sparkling, meditative and magnificent. 

The opening notes of In the Clouds are performed on the morin khuur, a Mongolian instrument that is also called a horsehead fiddle, in soundclips by the Hanggai Band, one of the leading folkloric Rock groups from Mongolia, and friends of Liu’s. This sound alone foreshadows what’s to come: We begin in the East, but by the time John Benitez’s round electric bass enters, we’re not quite back in the West but somewhere in between – a place that China Caribe will inhabit throughout each musical chapter. 

Min Xiaofen plays the melody elegantly on the ruan, a traditional Chinese string instrument similar to a lute, with a round body and four strings. This piece is inspired by the Mongolian throat singing tradition called khoomei in which a vocalist sings two notes at once. In this tune, there is the sustained bass and melody. At the same time, the floating chords, taken together, form the second note. Indeed, the piece is masterfully conceived and arranged.

Mirror Image features Liu with well-placed piano lines, Roberto Quintero on percussion, and Francis Benitez on drums. The melody of the beginning A section is adroitly inverted into a 6/8 feel in the B section. Liu suggests that when we gaze at ourselves, look more closely, because there is more going on than meets the eye. Similarly, when you encounter others, don’t just look for differences, but identify the shared values that we hold dear. We’re more alike than apart.  

Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon takes the melody from an ancient and folkloric Chinese song. Min Xiaofen takes the lead on the pipa, another ancient lute-style stringed instrument. She is followed by Liu performing the melody on the piano. There is a trenchant Afro-Cuban beat in 6/8 that creates an undulating, propulsive feeling until the timba 4/4 rhythm takes over during the solo section, in which Liu unleashes an incandescent improvisation that builds with block chords and dynamic phrasing. 

I Know You starts with the intrepid hand percussion of Roberto Quintero which blends seamlessly into John Benitez’s syncopated bass groove. Indeed, the prelude and A section are in the odd-meter of 5/4, which transitions to 7/4 in the B section. “Latin music makes people want to dance,” says Liu. “But this piece isn’t suitable for dancing,” he observes. He notes that this is one of his favorite songs because the musicians have to interlock over an uneven rhythm, and ultimately have to learn about each other in the process. This piece is unadulterated virtuosity.  

Arcadia is pure fusion. From the heavy synthesizer introduction and forceful back beat of the drums to piano painting and finally the melody on pipa. Liu chose the name of the song because it sounded like that of another world, the feeling he tries to evoke in this piece. Ultimately, the music is harmonious and suggests that it’s possible for people to make music (and live together) in a peaceful manner. Here too, Liu’s piano solo is pitch perfect, inhabiting the empty space, yet not clustering the piece with a barrage of sounds. The maestro uses the stillness, the calmness as an instrument itself which serves to dramatize the melody. 

Coltrane’s Tune is Liu’s tribute to John Coltrane, whom he has long admired. The harmony is from Coltrane’s classic “Countdown.” Liu admits that the song is also inspired by Miles Davis’ “Tune Up.” Indeed, you can hear shades of both these vintage jazz songs. Of course, Liu renders them with novelty and originality. This tune is pure, uninhibited jazz trio.  

Fisherman’s Song At Dusk comes from an ancient Chinese folkloric song. It refers to the performance of the Chinese Jiangnan Water Village during the sunset, as the fishing boats are sailing in the distance. Liu took this melody and recast it with several parts, from the cascading piano to the drums accenting the beats at the same time. Feifei Yang plays the melody on the erhu, a traditional Chinese bowed string instrument. 

The album concludes with Moophy which is inspired by an instrument known as the “Moog Sub Phatty,” which Liu thoroughly enjoys playing. The A section has a terrific 7/4 groove that transforms into a 5/4 feel in the B section. The back-and-forth between Liu on the piano and Benitez on bass is the stuff of not just virtuosity but friendship. These two have forged a bond across idioms, styles, and cultures. 

Admittedly, to say that this album is Chinese and Cuban can be reductionist. There are fifty-six ethnic groups in China alone who speak different languages and perform their own styles of music. Cuban and Afro-Caribbean music is certainly not without variety either. But this album will launch any listener onto a journey, even safari of discovery. It has been a pleasure producing Liu’s album with John Benitez and Doug Davis. We thoroughly enjoyed the adventure of fusing cultures and civilizations. 

“I wanted to contribute a new voice, my voice to the conversation,” said Liu. Indeed, Liu has given us something to hold dear as we face the future. No matter the shifting sands of time and fate, we’re in a better place when we look for commonality. Liu has enriched and advanced that common language of all mankind – music.

Kabir Sehgal 
Multi-Grammy and Latin Grammy Award Winner New York Times bestselling author

1 In The Clouds 5:45

2 Mirror Image 8:38

3 Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon 6:42

4 I Know You 7:37

5 Arcadia 5:31

6 Coltrane’s Tune 5:09

7 Fisherman’s Song at Dusk 6:03

8 Moophy 12:03

Dongfeng Liu Piano

John Benitez Electric bass, Acoustic bass 

Roberto Quintero Percussion # 1 – 5, 7

Francis Benitez Drums

Min Xiaofen Ruan # 1, Pipa # 3, 5

Feifei Yang Erhu # 7 

Special Guests: 

Hanggai Band Mongolian horsehead fiddle, Mongolian throat singing # 1

Media Contact

Jim Eigo

Jazz Promo Services

272 State Route 94 South #1

Warwick, NY 10990-3363

Ph: 845-986-1677 

Cell / text: 917-755-8960

Skype: jazzpromo

jim@jazzpromoservices.com

www.jazzpromoservices.com

"Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”