Baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan brings here his trademark “contrafacts” (a music making method that shares the chord progressions with other compositions) approach to this first SteepleChase leader outing challenging us (maybe?) to guess the tunes he is employing. Smulyan whose professional career took shape by joining Woody Herman’s Young Thundering Herds at age 22 (1978) has won Critics’ and Readers’ Poll awards numerous times by Downbeat and JazzTimes, among others.
'The Unknowable' is a completely improvised, spontaneous group-composed body of music, recorded by three highly regarded players. The music stems from the worlds of free and spiritual jazz, yet goes beyond.
Wayne Escoffery reaching his 40th birthday marked a period of big changes for the award-winning saxophonist both artistically and in his personal life. Escoffery had reached a crossroads. He had spent a happy and successful decade in the band of trumpeter/composer Tom Harrell but felt that it was time for him to step out more as a leader. At the end of 2016, Escoffery assembled a tremendous quartet of jazz’s most elite musicians that would record a live album, headline New York’s legendary Village Vanguard, and tour steadily for the next year. The current political and cultural landscape of the United States has caused many to take pause and Escoffery has had a lifetime to learn and deal with growing up black and as an immigrant (English born of Jamaican descent). But it was the recent US election and its effects on his young son that had a profound impact on him. Escoffery’s evocative new recording, Vortex, is about the current dizzying maelstrom of racism, bigotry and hate in the U.S. and the saxophonist’s renewed commitment to his responsibilities and artistic goals. As a youth in the southern United States, and as a young adult in Connecticut, Escoffery experienced first hand the entire prismatic spectrum of racism. From being too black to not being black enough, he had to be strong and determined to push past the negativity to succeed in the fields he pursued, namely being a professional musician and educator, most recently being appointed “Lecturer in Jazz Improvisation” at the prestigious Yale School of Music.
The 2016 Presidential election left Escoffery perplexed and despondent, as it did a large portion of the nation, but it was the response of his young son that he found most distressing. Escoffery’s eight year-old son was born into a period of hope, dignity and pride through the Obama presidency. It was the aftermath of the Freddie Gray shooting and the upheaval of racism and hate after the election that had his son frightened as though the end of the world was approaching. Escoffery knew his role as a father would become increasingly crucial in educating a boy in how to become a young man in the turbulent US racial environment. On his new recording, Escoffery presents this great quartet on a number of original pieces, a standard and an original piece by the ensemble’s brilliant drummer, Ralph Peterson, who Escoffery has worked alongside since Escoffery’s arrival in New York in 2000. The rest of the band is equally pedigreed. Pianist David Kikoski has been a regular collaborator in the Mingus Big Band and with Eddie Henderson, and bassist Ugonna Okegwo has been driving the rhythm section of Tom Harrell’s ensemble for the entirety of Escoffery’s tenure. Escoffery’s quartet is augmented by the percussion of Jaquelene Acevedo on a number of pieces. The recording begins with the leader’s “Vortex,” an intense composition characterizing the environmental pull of racism and hate that he guides his son away from. The plaintive “Judgement” is an improvised introduction to Peterson’s “Acceptance,” a challenging piece written in 15/4 that really highlights the ensemble’s interconnectivity and drive, its title stemming from “The Serenity Prayer” written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Tom Harrell’s penchant for constant writing amazes Escoffery who regularly falls in love with the trumpeter’s compositions. Escoffery rehearsed and played Harrell’s “February” with him only once before the piece was shelved. The saxophonist revives the tune named for his birth month here. Escoffery’s “The Devil’s Den” is an ominous and darkly atmospheric piece evocative of Donald Trump, his entourage and the world they seem intent to create, powered here by the fantastic young drummer, Kush Abadey.
The wistful “Tears for Carolyn” echoes a mood of both melancholy and perseverance after the unfortunate end of a long relationship. Escoffery learned the Noel and Joe Sherman standard “To The Ends of the Earth” from pianist Monty Alexander. He fell in love with the piece and re-imagined the Nat King Cole favorite in an arrangement reminiscent of the John Coltrane Quartet. Escoffery’s “In His Eyes” is about taking in the world as a child would, specifically the way his son has interpreted the events of the past year, with dramatic turns by guests: trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and drummer Abadey. The recording concludes with the saxophonist’s “Baku,” an uptempo piece that reflects a hectic 48-hour period where he had to switch from one gig to another, which required him to visit the Azarbaijani Embassy and get to Baku for a performance with pianist/composer Amina Figarova.
On his moving new Vortex, Wayne Escoffery uses his music to come to terms with what he confronted as a man of color growing up in the US, how to help his son navigate through the current environment of bigotry and hate, and how to harness his emotions to generate positive momentum in his life and career.
The concept of freedom in music relates to many things. Bassist/composer Clovis Nicolas didn’t eschew formal jazz harmony and rhythm in the search for freedom but found a measure of added purpose and space for his bass playing in a chord-less band format without piano or guitar. Freedom Suite Ensuite is a recording of Nicolas’s efforts in this formation and a tribute to the musician who exemplifies playing free within a form, saxophone great Sonny Rollins. Nicolas has been an important voice in the New York music scene since his arrival from Paris in the early 2000s. Having already established himself as a first-call bassist in Europe, he quickly garnered attention with many of the music’s most noted players, including Peter Bernstein, Jane Monheit, Frank Wess, Joe Magnarelli, Behn Gillece, and Samora Pinderhughes. The concept behind Freedom Suite Ensuite came from a succession of regular gigs that Nicolas participated in with a two saxophone, chord-less quartet. He began to find a new identity for his bass within this assemblage, including an increased influence on the music’s direction, expanded range of expression and an added focus on soloing. There were also many examples of similar ensembles whose recordings began to inspire his conception more and more, including John Coltrane and Don Cherry’s Avant Garde, Ron Carter’s Etudes and Ben Wolfe’s 13 Sketches. The sound identities of these ensembles were definitely in Nicolas’ s head as he chose who he would record with. Drummer Kenny Washington was a faculty member at Juilliard while Nicolas attended; Washington had a tremendous impact on Nicolas when the two played together. Nicolas’s appreciation for Washington’s breadth and taste were echoed by the master drummer, who recommended the bassist to many. Tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart has been playing with Nicolas since the bassist’s arrival in New York and proves to be an excellent foil and soloist, who is incredibly articulate within the changes. The trumpet duty is split between the introspective Brandon Lee, a supportive bandmate and focused soloist, and the fiery Bruce Harris, a soulful player suited for the recording’s blues and standard tunes.
Nicolas wanted to achieve a few things with the recording. He wanted to attempt a new version of Sonny Rollins’ s incredible “Freedom Suite,” a piece that has been done almost exclusively by saxophone. Here he wanted to add the trumpet to freshen up the piece in a respectful way. The “Suite” would be followed by the “Ensuite,” or in French, “afterwards,” the following program of original compositions and standards. The ensemble’s sound is established quickly on the easy-going “The 5:30 PM Dive Bar Rendezvous,” with its title and form emulating the quirkiness of Thad Jones, with a perfect ambiance for happy hour, featuring Harris on trumpet. Rollins’ s “Freedom Suite” is broken down into three parts, which provide different approaches to reorganization of the piece, separated by two “Interludes” without solos. The slightly angular blues of “Grant S” was written for the saxophonist by Nicolas and is a great soloing vehicle with some subtle changes in the harmonic form. The off kilter “Nichols and Nicolas” is inspired by Herbie Nichols’ s idiosyncratic style, the melody springing to Nicolas in an hour while the changes took nearly a month within an unusual AABC form. The bouncy “You or Me?” is a contrafact of the Irving Berlin standard “The Best Thing for You (Would Be Me),” while Nicolas’s “Dark and Stormy” is a noir inspired waltz, the composer imagining Montmartre in the rain. A dynamic take on Kay Swift’s “Fine and Dandy” injects energy into the program with some brilliant solos from Stewart, Harris and Washington. The bassist’s “Speak a Gentle Word” (the title is taken from Oscar Wilde’s “Ballad of Reading Gaol”) traverses three sections with separate tonal identities with lyrical solos from Stewart and Lee. The program concludes with Nicolas’ s beautifully played solo rendition of Richard Rodgers’s “Little Girl Blue.” Progress in jazz music has come through both addition and subtraction. While Clovis Nicolas retained the elements of formal jazz harmony, his experiments with removing piano and guitar from his ensembles enabled a different side of his playing to emerge. Freedom Suite Ensuite encapsulates all of the elements of Nicolas’s fascination with this system, from inspiration, to composition and to presentation.
Szymon Brzóska’s music has frequently been inspired by other art forms, particularly that of contemporary dance. Yet the nature of the music, whilst often evocative, even impressionistic, is not programmatic, and therefore need not be married to its original source. Rather, Brzóska’s oeuvre works just as effectively presented, as here, as a series of stand-alone chamber works, independent of their original contexts. On this disc, the listener is afforded the opportunity of travelling with this music in new directions – different, perhaps from the images, the shapes of the dancers, the artistic ideas, initially connected with the music, but as vividly felt by each person who takes the time to engage with these scores. Szymon Brzóska has always been drawn towards collaborations with different art forms, composing for film, theatre and visual art. His musical style falls somewhere between contemporary avant-garde and expanded tonality with touch of minimalism. Eventually his interest focussed on contemporary dance, and seven years of working with choreographers inspired in Szymon Brzóska a specific musical language, slightly different from his autonomous works – more emotional, somehow very pure and honest, often inspired by “holy minimalism”. A minimal structural approach, well suited to movement, added a specific character to this music, as can be heard on this disc. The chamber works collected on this disc span the nervous energy of minimalism to the rich chromaticism of Expressionism. Each piece is structured with clarity and intimacy, drawing the listener in, taking us on an exhilarating journey or offering moments of contemplation.
Originally from Poland, Szymon Brzóska graduated from the Music Academy in Poznań, Poland and from the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp, Belgium. His compositions, inspired by a range of prestigious collaborations, have been performed across the globe, in venues such as Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Centre and BAM in New York, Esplanade in Singapore and at the Festival D’Avignon.
Collective trio Hobby Horse is among the most prominent groups in Italy’s flowering creative/experimental jazz scene. Their newest record ‘Helm’ is slated for release on January 26, 2018 with Italian independent jazz label Auand on CD, and with underground label ROUS Records on vinyl. On ‘Helm,’ Hobby Horse has managed to concentrate their vast sonic palette with startling clarity, bringing 8 years of performing and recording experience to razor sharp focus in a further maturation of their uniquely irreverent approach to cross-pollinating musical worlds. From the decisive attack of the first bass note on the title track to the menacing final drone that closes the record, there is no wasted space or time to take a breath. The mostly collaborative original compositions are superficially simple, but the trio develops them into minutely detailed, layered arabesques, contrasted with occasional but functional outbursts of characteristic violence. Continuing to expand Hobby Horse’s unique approach to vocals, ‘The Go Round’ includes a text contributed by Italian experimental radio composer Alessandro Bosetti while side two contains the trio’s take on ‘Born Again Cretin’ by Robert Wyatt and finishes with a sobering version of English performance poet John Cooper Clarke’s ‘Evidently Chickentown’.
Hobby Horse è un trio collettivo fra i principali esponenti della nuova scena creativa e sperimentale del jazz in Italia e ‘Helm’ è il nuovo album in uscita il 26 gennaio 2018 per Auand in cd (distribuzione Goodfellas) e Rous Records in vinile. Un lavoro denso che mette a fuoco le inquietudini stilistiche e timbriche, ‘Helm’ è un riassunto concentrato delle ardite esplorazioni sonore, tra improvvisazione, elettronica e rock, che il trio porta avanti da 8 anni, segnando una nuova maturità linguistica frutto di un accumulo di esperienze condivise su palchi in tutto il mondo. Dal secco attacco del contrabbasso su ‘Helm’ al drone di chiusura minaccioso e ipnotico la tensione si mantiene senza cedimenti. Il materiale composto è apparentemente semplice, ma viene esplorato con straordinaria attenzione al dettaglio e alla stratificazione, con scarti improvvise e violenti che da sempre caratterizzano i lavori del trio, ed un uso sempre più particolare delle voci (da notare il testo del compositore radiofonico Alessandro Bosetti su ‘The Go Round’). Oltre ai 6 brani originali, due canzoni di protesta da autori illustri, Evidently Chickentown del poeta/musicista punk John Cooper Clarke e Born Again Cretin di Robert Wyatt, affinano e completano il punto di vista della formazione.
Levanter is the new album by trumpet player Eric Vloeimans. The title references the warm, strong, eastern wind that regularly blows accross southern Europe. Eric invited the Syrian clarinet viruoso Kinan Azmeh for this project, whom he had met some years back on an "Imagining Europe" collaboration. Jeroen van Vliet, Boy Edgar winner of 2014, with whom Eric has been performing for more than twenty years, is the pianist who caresses the keys. This trio will take you along on a musical adventure, flying on a magic carpet of sound, a journey accross the borders of jazz, classical and world music. Hop on and be transported on the warm billows of Levanter.
Pianist/vocalist Ben Paterson continues the tradition of bouncy, infectious swing established by the drummerless trios of Nat 'King' Cole and Oscar Peterson, drawing upon his musical experiences in both Chicago and New York to deliver a soulful and engaging recording. Joined by longtime Benny Goodman guitarist Chris Flory and powerhouse bassist George Delancey, Ben's trio mixes sophisticated improvisation with heavy doses of the blues, ranging from well known Jazz standards to more recent popular songs.
Tenor man Scott Hamilton and pianist Rossano Sportiello have a rare and special musical bond, on full display in this live set at Vancouver's Pyatt Hall. With the remarkably sensitive bassist J.J. Shakur as their anchor, Hamilton and Sportiello spin a whimsical set of standards, obscure gems, and Italian crowd pleasers. Their carefully selected program shines with wit and charm throughout.
The W.E.B., multi-instrumental duo of jazz fusion area, were born in Modena in 2012. The Band is composed by Gabriele Leucci (Guitars, guitar synth, vocals, loops, ..) and Marco Carnevali (batteries, percussion, marketing, management, ..). After years of live performances in various north-central clubs and collaboration with different national artists, the musical research of the W.E.B. it is developed with the realization of the first album named: "CONFUSION" The title of the CD anticipates the strongly experimental and deliberately "confusing" character that is manifest: the desire to merge the cultural origins of the jazz fusion of the 90s with the more current languages of electronics, creative base to explore new musical landscapes, without but forget the passion for the Latin jazz sounds.
“L’énigme, c’est qu’il se dégage une impression d’ensemble, à l’écoute de ce fonds disparate qui va puiser dans des géographies, dans des périodes qu’on pourrait croire incompatibles.Et en ce moment, l’impureté, le créole de ce répertoire m’apparaissent plus précieux que jamais.” Nicole Caligaris
L’activité de Simon Chivallon est bien connue de nos services. Ancien de l’École Didier Lockwood, il est maintenant lancé dans plusieurs projets et réalisations. Sa participation dans Starouarz, de l’Edmond Bilal Band, a été remarquée. Sideman très demandé et habitué des clubs Parisiens, les occasions ne manquent pas de l’entendre aux côtés de nombre de musiciens réputés, et dans des circonstances plurielles (quartet, trio, duo…). Le 27 avril 2017, il enregistre live (oxymore, qu’avait assumé Charles Mingus au studio Nola en octobre 1960 pour le label Candid), avec Boris Blanchet (saxes), Géraud Portal (b), Antoine Paganotti (dms), et la participation de Julien Alour (dans la famille Alour, je demande le frère …) et Baptiste Herbin (le Mc Lean hexagonal…), la responsabilité du pianiste est clairement assumée. Les compositions sont organisées selon une progression dont l’ordre n’est pas innocent, mais qui résulte d’une idée de processus, de Call à Landing, dont il est laissé le soin à l’auditeur de saisir le lien organique. Elles relèvent clairement d’un jazz modal résolument contemporanéisé, avec un jeu de piano, qui certes rappelle Mc Coy Tyner, pendant et surtout après Coltrane (Sahara), mais qui élargit, même au niveau du non-dit, à d’autres références, comme celle de Richie Beirach, par la recherche de la densité dans la construction, tout en gardant intact le foisonnement des notes, à travers une grande diversité de situations, où reste constamment à l’esprit le rôle important de la mélodie. Mais il ne faut surtout pas négliger l’apport des compères, associant accompagnement et défis (comme la batterie d’Antoine Paganotti, ancien de Magma, mais le poste de batteur était déjà pris…), véritable tir de barrage post- Elvin Jones laissant pourtant ouvertes les possibilités d’interventions, ou la contrebasse de Géraud Portal, qui, par exemple, démarre dans Four Flowers alla Coltrane dans The Inch Worm, mais très différente de Jimmy Garrison à l’époque. On a compris : une identité affirmée, des références sans suivisme. Voilà une étape supplémentaire franchie. Giant Steps ? Joël Pailhé
D’origine péruvienne et né en France, Manu Guerrero a été immergé toute sa vie dans des cultures différentes. Dès six ans, il commence l’étude du piano classique puis à l’adolescence, découvre le jazz qu’il ne cessera de jouer et écouter. D’abord autodidacte, puis se perfectionnant auprès de jazzmen expérimentés, Manu crée peu à peu son propre style, son propre son. En 1999, le jeune Toulonnais part en tournée avec Carole Fredericks. Commence alors une carrière de sideman auprès des plus grandes stars de la chanson française (Céline Dion, Michel Sardou, J.J Goldman, M Pokora…). Près d’une cinquantaine d’artistes et de disques à son palmarès, au service des autres. Parallèlement, il reste actif dans le milieu du jazz et y fait des rencontres importantes qui le motiveront enfin à présenter ses compositions. « Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano » ! Manu aura appliqué ce proverbe longtemps avant de nous présenter son premier album Nuevo Mundo sorti en 2018. Le temps de l’introspection, l’inspiration. Le temps de rencontrer des musiciens prestigieux tels que Samy Thiebault, Minino Garay, Felipe Cabrera et Lukmil Perez qui viennent souligner les rythmes sud-américains de sa musique, transcender sa puissance et sa poésie andine. Ils viennent jouer en altitude où l’oxygène est plus rare. La musique de Manu Guerrero est un voyage autour du monde qui ferait escale sur le continent Américain. Comme si l’altiplano et la 52e rue n’étaient qu’à quelques mètres. Un jazz rythmé et raffiné. Des improvisations explosives mais poétiques. Un pianiste que l’on n’oublie pas. Actuellement, depuis octobre 2017 et jusqu’en mars 2018, Manu Guerrero joue en piano solo en première partie de Michel Sardou. Cette tournée comporte 35 concerts devant 6000 personnes chaque soirs dans toute la France, la Belgique et la Suisse. Trois soirs à la SEINE MUSICALE les 26, 30 et 31 DÉCEMBRE 2017 ainsi que trois autres à LA SALLE PLEYEL à PARIS les 14, 20 et 23 MARS 2018 sont programmés. C’est l’occasion pour Manu de tester la réaction d’un public populaire et non amateur de jazz. Expérience réussie puisque l’audience est conquise, et très attentive. Son disque est vendu à la fin des concerts diffusant ainsi sa musique encore plus loin. Il se produit également en trio, quartet et quintet dans de nombreux clubs de jazz français et donne des récitals en piano solo aux Philippines et au Pérou.
“Jean-Marie Machado a réuni autour de lui un échantillon substantiel de tout ce qui se frappe, se frotte, se pince, se gratte, s’effleure à travers le monde. Des percussionnistes d’horizons divers, Marion Frétigny, Christian Hamouy, Gisèle David, Keyvan Chemirani, sont venus pour lui prêter main forte, ou main douce. Ils sont venus avec tous leurs joujoux magiques, cymbales, marimbas, xylophones, glockenspiel, vibraphone, bols tibétains, udu, zarb, et tambours en tous genres. C’est ainsi que Jean-Marie Machado s’est retrouvé dans un jardin de percussions, le jardin étant comme chacun sait la première forme du paradis.” J-F Mondot
"Nocturne Op27 Nº1 in C# minor" is the first track on Chopin Project, the debut album from Dead Composers Club, available May 18, 2018 via Connection Works Records. Dead Composers Club, formed by saxophonist Noah Preminger and drummer Rob Garcia, also features guitarist Nate Radley and bassist Kim Cass. The idea behind the Dead Composers Club is to celebrate and explore the music of iconic composers. The quartet takes a thrillingly imaginative approach to Chopin's Nocturnes and Preludes, approaching these timeless works with a vitality and urgency that connects these stellar modern musicians with their 19th-century source, regardless of elapsed centuries.
Whisperings and Enlightened Piano Radio pianist Dan Kennedy has performed throughout New England and across the country. Dan’s albums have gone top 10 on the ZMR Top 100, OWM Top 100, and NAR Top 100. Classically trained at Oberlin Conservatory and New England Conservatory, Dan has been featured at Audiosyncracy, MainlyPiano.com, Music Choice, Pandora, RNA, SENE Festival, SiriusXM, and Spotify. He has been heard on over 250 radio stations internationally. His upcoming Solo Piano album MOUNTAINS MADE OF SHADOW, ANTHEMS MADE OF LIGHT (Mt. Pollux Music) recorded by Joe Bongiorno at Piano Haven, will be officially released on 3/2/18.
Mi Mundo introduces a shining new star on the world music firmament. This is the solo debut of Brenda Navarrete, a Cuban-based singer, songwriter, percussionist and bandleader of rare skill and musical originality. She has previously made an impact singing in the internationally-acclaimed Cuban group Interactivo, performing at clubs and festivals in the U.S. and Canada, but she now takes a giant creative leap forward with Mi Mundo. Set for worldwide release on ALMA Records 2-16-18, the album was recorded in Havana with producer Peter Cardinali (ALMA’s founder), award-winning engineer John “Beetle” Bailey, and an all-star cast of Cuban instrumentalists. “Being able to record Mi Mundo in Havana is a dream come true,” Brenda explains. “Havana is where I was born. Cuba is my country, my homeland, and having the opportunity to record here with musicians who know me and who understand my musical style is amazing. The energy of Cuba and Havana is very important to me, and I think that we have captured that force on this album”. The stylistically eclectic album features a variety of group settings, with the primary instruments consisting of drums, piano, electric bass and percussion, including batá and congas played by Navarrete. Renowned special guests include Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernandez, Rodney Barreto and Jose Carlos on drums, Roberto Carcasses, Rolando Luna and Leonardo Ledesman on piano, Alain Perez on bass (he also arranged several of the songs and wrote “Taita Bilongo”), Adonis Panter on quinto and Eduardo Sandoval on trombone. Brenda’s initial musical reputation centered on her ability as a percussionist, on batá, but it is her warm and fluent voice and songwriting ability that take centre stage on Mi Mundo. Four of her original compositions appear on Mi Mundo, including “A Ochun.” “That song is very special to me,” says Brenda. “It was my first composition and one of my first recordings. Ochun is the goddess of love and it’s a song that I wrote while sitting on the bank of a river, where Ochun is said to live. Most of the song came out that first day and I finished the arrangement at home and dedicated it to her when it was recorded. A genuine highlight on an album devoid of lowlights, “A Ochun” is a dynamic and delightful treat that begins with percussion and call and response vocals, which then fade away in favour of gentle piano and flute stylings.
Navarrete describes Mi Mundo as “a World Music record, with an Afro-Cuban flavour. I chose that title because this is a reflection of my musical world. I have a tremendous range of influences, having grown up in a very musical environment. “When I was a little girl, my sister and I loved to listen to jazz greats like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. I also gravitated to artists like Nat King Cole, John Coltrane, Bobby McFerrin, Miles Davis, Yellow Jackets and Cassandra Wilson, but also BoyzII Men and Take 6. My home environment also featured music from great Cuban artists like Cecilia Cruz, Benny More and Celeste Mendoza. “All those artists and musical styles have contributed to my musical growth since I was a child. All of that energy and the different rhythms, colours and styles of Afro-Cuban, Latin Jazz and World Music have inspired me as a composer. I adore Cuban music, and mixing all of those styles together with traditional Cuban music is powerful and exhilarating.” An example of this original and compelling fusion is “Caravana,” Brenda’s distinctive take on the Duke Ellington classic “Caravan.” “Rumbero Como Yo” is full and powerful, featuring six musicians imparting an intoxicating rumba feel, while “Taita Bilongo” is an infectiously rhythmic number boosted by trumpet and a guest male vocal appearance by the song’s composer, Alain Perez. Another sparkling gem on Mi Mundo is “Anana Oye.” Featuring bubbling bass, rollicking piano, breezy flute, and strong backing vocals and percussion, its seductive melody will transport you to a warm and carefree place. Navarrete’s formal musical education included studying percussion at the Amadeo Roldán Music Conservatory in Havana. “I was trained in symphonic and Cuban percussion on a variety of instruments, as well as piano,” she recalls. “I also studied the history of universal music, Cuban music and music theory, but learning batá was more of a street classroom experience along the way. As for singing, it was very spontaneous, without any formal training. I just sang what I felt, without ever really wondering whether it was good or bad. It was just what I felt.” Her skill as a percussionist was confirmed in 2010 when Brenda won the Bata drum competition at the Fiesta del Tambor in Havana, and she was subsequently endorsed by Canadian cymbal-maker, Sabian, as well as the Gon Bops percussion company. She has played on the recordings of many notable Cuban artists, and Brenda recently guested on batá and vocals on Contumbao, the upcoming album from Cuban-Canadian pianist/composer Hilario Duran. Brenda Navarrete’s focus is now firmly set on Mi Mundo. This beautiful expression of her musical universe is now going out into the world, and it deserves your close attention. introduces a shining new star on the world music firmament. This is the solo debut of Brenda Navarrete, a Cuban-based singer, songwriter, percussionist and bandleader of rare skill and musical originality. She has previously made an impact singing in the internationally-acclaimed Cuban group Interactivo, performing at clubs and festivals in the U.S. and Canada, but she now takes a giant creative leap forward with Mi Mundo. Set for worldwide release on ALMA Records in January/18, the album was recorded in Havana with producer Peter Cardinali (ALMA’s founder), award-winning engineer John “Beetle” Bailey, and an all-star cast of Cuban instrumentalists. “Being able to record Mi Mundo in Havana is a dream come true,” Brenda explains. “Havana is where I was born. Cuba is my country, my homeland, and having the opportunity to record here with musicians who know me and who understand my musical style is amazing. The energy of Cuba and Havana is very important to me, and I think that we have captured that force on this album”. The stylistically eclectic album features a variety of group settings, with the primary instruments consisting of drums, piano, electric bass and percussion, including batá and congas played by Navarrete. Renowned special guests include Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernandez, Rodney Barreto and Jose Carlos on drums, Roberto Carcasses, Rolando Luna and Leonardo Ledesman on piano, Alain Perez on bass (he also arranged several of the songs and wrote “Taita Bilongo”), Adonis Panter on quinto and Eduardo Sandoval on trombone. Brenda’s initial musical reputation centered on her ability as a percussionist, on batá, but it is her warm and fluent voice and songwriting ability that take centre stage on Mi Mundo. Four of her original compositions appear on Mi Mundo, including “A Ochun.” “That song is very special to me,” says Brenda. “It was my first composition and one of my first recordings. Ochun is the goddess of love and it’s a song that I wrote while sitting on the bank of a river, where Ochun is said to live. Most of the song came out that first day and I finished the arrangement at home and dedicated it to her when it was recorded. A genuine highlight on an album devoid of lowlights, “A Ochun” is a dynamic and delightful treat that begins with percussion and call and response vocals, which then fade away in favour of gentle piano and flute stylings. Navarrete describes Mi Mundo as “a World Music record, with an Afro-Cuban flavour. I chose that title because this is a reflection of my musical world. I have a tremendous range of influences, having grown up in a very musical environment. “When I was a little girl, my sister and I loved to listen to jazz greats like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. I also gravitated to artists like Nat King Cole, John Coltrane, Bobby McFerrin, Miles Davis, Yellow Jackets and Cassandra Wilson, but also BoyzII Men and Take 6. My home environment also featured music from great Cuban artists like Cecilia Cruz, Benny More and Celeste Mendoza.
“All those artists and musical styles have contributed to my musical growth since I was a child. All of that energy and the different rhythms, colours and styles of Afro-Cuban, Latin Jazz and World Music have inspired me as a composer. I adore Cuban music, and mixing all of those styles together with traditional Cuban music is powerful and exhilarating.” An example of this original and compelling fusion is “Caravana,” Brenda’s distinctive take on the Duke Ellington classic “Caravan.” “Rumbero Como Yo” is full and powerful, featuring six musicians imparting an intoxicating rumba feel, while “Taita Bilongo” is an infectiously rhythmic number boosted by trumpet and a guest male vocal appearance by the song’s composer, Alain Perez. Another sparkling gem on Mi Mundo is “Anana Oye.” Featuring bubbling bass, rollicking piano, breezy flute, and strong backing vocals and percussion, its seductive melody will transport you to a warm and carefree place. Navarrete’s formal musical education included studying percussion at the Amadeo Roldán Music Conservatory in Havana. “I was trained in symphonic and Cuban percussion on a variety of instruments, as well as piano,” she recalls. “I also studied the history of universal music, Cuban music and music theory, but learning batá was more of a street classroom experience along the way. As for singing, it was very spontaneous, without any formal training. I just sang what I felt, without ever really wondering whether it was good or bad. It was just what I felt.” Her skill as a percussionist was confirmed in 2010 when Brenda won the Bata drum competition at the Fiesta del Tambor in Havana, and she was subsequently endorsed by Canadian cymbal-maker, Sabian, as well as the Gon Bops percussion company. She has played on the recordings of many notable Cuban artists, and Brenda recently guested on batá and vocals on Contumbao, the upcoming album from Cuban-Canadian pianist/composer Hilario Duran. Brenda Navarrete’s focus is now firmly set on Mi Mundo. This beautiful expression of her musical universe is now going out into the world, and it deserves your close attention.
