Republic of Jazz

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Playlist for Tom Ossana ~ The Thin Edge ~ December 19, 2018 MST 7:00 to 9:00p.m.

http://www.kzmu.org/listen.m3u ~ Use this link to access the show online.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Johan Berke Upstairs Five - Live at Fasching - June 1, 2017 (2018)

This album - the twelfth with the group - contains a live recording from the Stockholm jazz venue Fasching.

The tunes are written by myself, with the exception of Short, But Sweet no 28, which was a collaboration with Yasuhito Mori who provided the "lyrics" and the voice in japanese for the electronic soundscape used in live performances of the tune. The studio version contains a longer spoken voice feature by Mori-san.

The tunes we play are mainly taken from our 2017 album: SIMPATICO, but "The Big Krumbukto", a staple of our live set, was first recorded on EASTERN SCENE IN GREY MINOR (2008) and on the live: OPEN DOOR (2012), which was recorded at another Stockholm jazz venue: Glenn Miller Café. The tune "Pushover" was premiered on that album too.

For more info on earlier albums, please visit gasonjazz.nu

Fredrik Nordström – tenor & alto saxophone

Alberto Pinton – baritone, alto & soprano saxophone, clarinet

Johan Berke – electric guitar, electronics, composer

Robert Erlandsson – double bass

Fredrik Rundqvist - drums

Recorded (of course!) June 1 2017 at Fasching, Stockholm by Johan Nordin and Pawel Lucki.

Mixed and mastered by Johan Berke July, 2017 and November, 2018.

Cover design by Johan Berke, photos by Leif Johansson musikfoto.leifjohansson.nu

Produced by Johan Berke

1. While We're...Jong! 08:14

2. The Big Krumbukto 10:23

3. Comfort Zone D 09:52

4. Summer Ghosts 04:44

5. Pushover 09:51

6. Short, But Sweet no 28 (Oyatsu no jikan) 08:46

7. Mola Mola 10:02

Cotovelo - Cotovelo

Cotovelo é o relato de dois casos de ciúmes e de discórdia: entre três homens, escravos trazidos do Brasil para Portugal, no séc. XIX; e entre um homem e uma mulher, criados no palácio real. O tema é do passado, mas a forma é do presente. Ou ao contrário. O relato é feito por uma actriz e quatro músicos, através de palavras e notas. Nuno Trocado convidou Jorge Louraço para escrever e Catarina Lacerda para actuar, e liderou um quarteto com Tom Ward, Sérgio Tavares e Acácio Salero. O espectáculo, de cruzamento entre texto e música, foi o resultado de uma colaboração entre os seis durante uma residência artística no âmbito da edição de 2017 do Festival Guimarães Jazz, produzida em parceria com a associação Porta-Jazz.

Catarina Lacerda

Cotovelo is the account of two cases of jealousy and discord: between three men, slaves brought from Brazil to Portugal in the 19th century; and between a man and a woman, raised in the royal palace. The theme is from the past, but the form is from the present. Or the other way around. The story is told by an actress and four musicians, through words and notes. Nuno Trocado invited Jorge Louraço to write and Catarina Lacerda to act, and fronted a quartet with Tom Ward, Sérgio Tavares and Acácio Salero. The performance, a combination of text and music, was the result of the collaboration between the six in an artistic residence that took place in the 2017 edition of the Guimarães Jazz Festival, produced with the partnership of the Porta-Jazz association.

Catarina Lacerda: voz / voice

Nuno Trocado: guitarra e electrónica / guitar and electronics

Tom Ward: flauta, saxofone alto, clarinete baixo / flute, alto saxophone, bass clarinet

Sérgio Tavares: contrabaixo / double bass

Acácio Salero: bateria / drums

Jorge Louraço Figueira: texto / text

1. Sentada no escuro 06:25

2. Que lhes terá acontecido...? 04:15

3. Quando D. João VI regressou a Portugal 03:20

4. Os três pintavam a cara de branco 02:09

5. Estou há mais de meia hora (I) 01:58

6. De que adianta? O rei tem de morrer!... 04:11

7. Lundu 07:35

8. Desejo de subversão 02:59

9. Açúcar não aguentou de ciúme 02:01

10. Estou há mais de meia hora (II) 04:00

11. Como é que eu podia escolher um dos três? 05:51

Charlie Dennard - Deep Blue (2018)

New Orleans based keyboardist (who is also a longtime musical director for Cirque du Soleil) provides a very introspective selection of original compositions that invoke a deep sense of melodic harmony and dark beauty.

Charlie Dennard (composer, arranger, producer, keyboards)

Doug Belote (drums)

Max Moran (bass)

Steve Masakowski (guitar)

Ray Moore (saxes, flute)

Eric Lucero (trumpet, flugel horn)

Marc Solis (saxes, bass clarinet, flute)

Jason Mingledorf (tenor sax, bass clarinet)

Josh Geisler (bansuri flute)

Andrew McLean (tabla, sarod)

Brian Seeger (guitar)

Rick Trolsen (trombone)

Brad Walker (tenor sax)

Carlos Lopez (percussion)

1. St Charles Strut 05:18

2. Mojave 05:54

3. Wanderlust 05:14

4. Deep Blue 03:51

5. Trois Fois 05:13

6. Joe's Crusade 04:59

7. Father 05:54

CD artwork and layout by Caroline Mendez

Friday, December 14, 2018

Betty Bryant - PROJECT 88 (January 11, 2019)

PIANIST, VOCALIST AND COMPOSER BETTY BRYANT (“COOL MISS B”)

RELEASES HER NINTH CD AS A LEADER

“PROJECT 88”

AVAILABLE JANUARY 11, 2019

BETTY BRYANT has a long and storied career as a pianist, composer, and singer. A child of the Depression, she began playing piano around the age of four when her parents invited two music teachers, who had fallen on hard times, to live with their family. Although it was a difficult era for most, that turn of events led to a lifelong career in music that is going as strong as ever today.

Besides performing regularly around Los Angeles to packed houses, Bryant is releasing PROJECT 88, her ninth CD. The title is a double entendre, since the piano has 88 keys and Bryant turned 88 a year ago. The CD features a mix of standards and originals penned by Bryant.

PROJECT 88 was produced by Bryant’s close friend, ROBERT KYLE. The two have been friends for 30 years, and Kyle has either produced or co-produced most of her CDs. A saxophonist and flutist, Kyle is a mainstay on the Los Angeles jazz scene and a touring and recording artist who has worked with many top names in both the jazz and pop worlds, including Natalie Cole, Della Reese, Francisco Aguabella, Michael McDonald, Johnny Mathis, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Kenny Loggins, Lou Rawls, and Christina Aguilera, to name just a few.

Kyle assembled a top-notch band for this project including bass player TOM GARGANO, who has played on all of Bryant’s previous releases. Kyle and Bryant wanted to create different sounds and styles for the CD, so they switched around the rhythm section as appropriate. Gargano plays on five of the tunes, while RICHARD SIMON plays bass on three and HUSSAIN JIFFRY plays electric bass on two numbers. Kyle also brought on board three different drummers for this outing: JAMES GADSON, QUENTIN DENNARD SR., AND KENNY ELLIOTT as well as Brazilian percussionist CASSIO DUARTE. Kyle also plays tenor and flute on several tunes, and renowned Brazilian guitarist KLEBER JORGE, who has a very busy touring schedule but was in town when Bryant was in the studio, appears on one tune. Each player has their own, unique style that added different and exciting textures to these performances.

Bryant sometimes plays solo or duo, but prefers to play in trio or quartet settings, so the addition of a horn section with Kyle -- TONY GUERRERO on trumpet (who also contributed the horn arrangements), RYAN DRAGON on trombone, JEFF DRISKILL on alto sax, and JAY MASON on bari sax – was thrilling for her.

Robert Kyle bestowed the sobriquet “Cool Miss B” on Bryant because of her cool demeanor and the swinging, bluesy style that she developed in her early years in her hometown of Kansas City, MO. Segregation was rife in those days. Black musicians could perform in white clubs, but black people couldn’t sit in the audience. Most of the Black musicians in town knew each other, and Bryant became friendly with Jay McShann, who took her under his wing and brought her on stage to play and sing in Whites-only clubs. It was an invaluable educational experience that has helped shape Bryant’s sound.

Bryant came to Los Angeles in 1956 to seek more opportunities. Finding work was slow-going at first, but things started to change for her when she replaced Earl Grant, her close friend from Kansas City, who left his regular gig at a club called “Ye Little Club” in Beverly Hills. She began working steadily from then on.

As her reputation grew on the West Coast, she was also embraced by her hometown, and “Betty Bryant Day” was declared in Kansas City In 1987. She was awarded the keys to the city, and a famous photograph of Betty with Jay McShann hangs in the lobby of the American Jazz Museum there.

Besides singing and playing piano all around Southern California, Bryant had an extended run in Brazil and also spent 13 years shuttling back and forth to Tokyo to work at the upscale Tableaux Lounge. In 2012 she was a featured performer at the Boquete Jazz and Blues Festival in Boquete, Panama, and she has also performed in the Middle East. In Hollywood, the “Betty Bryant Birthday Bash” has become a hugely popular annual event at Catalina Jazz Club.

PROJECT 88 opens with “Love Came & Went,” one of Bryant’s originals. Guerrero and Kyle thought it would be a good idea to add horn arrangements to a couple of Bryant’s older tunes, and the result is a swinging, big band sound. “Catfish Man” is another Bryant original. It’s a newer, bluesy tune about people who misrepresent themselves on social media. Other Bryant originals include “Cho-Cho,” which was co-written by Bryant and Kyle and features vocals and acoustic guitar work by Kleber Jorge. “My Beloved” is a rhumba with tasty percussion by Cassio Duarte. It’s one of Bryant’s first compositions, which she wrote with encouragement from one of her teachers who recognized her potential early on. And “It’s Hard to Say Goodbye,” which appeared on Bryant’s first CD but is re-worked here with a horn section, fittingly closes the CD. Bryant often uses the tune to end her performances.

Bryant also covers several standards, including “Lady Be Good,” which she performs in a trio setting with Simon on bass and Elliot on drums. “Just You, Just Me” features Bryant trading vocals with drummer Gadson. “But Beautiful,” which has superior lyrics by Johnny Burke to Jimmy Van Heusen’s classic melody, includes a heartfelt vocal by Bryant. “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” has been one of her favorites ever since she heard Jimmy Witherspoon singing the song with Jay McShann back in her days in Kansas City.

Betty Bryant lives and breathes music. It’s why she keeps a busy schedule playing and recording year after year. Despite her age, she hasn’t missed a beat. Rather, her singing and playing show the depth and assurance that comes when inborn talent is enhanced by great experience.

PROJECT 88 will be available in stores and online everywhere on January 11, 2019.

Betty Bryant piano & vocal

Tony Guerrero trumpet (1, 4, 6, 8, 10)

Tomas Gargano bass (3, 4, 5, 6, 8)

Richard Simon bass (1, 2, 10)

Hussain Jiffry bass (7, 9)

James Gadson drums (3, 4) & vocal (4)

Kenny Elliott drums (1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10)

Quentin Dennard Sr. drums (7, 9)

Robert Kyle tenor sax (1, 3, 5, 10) & flute (4, 7, 9)

Ryan Dragon trombone (1, 10)

Jeff Driskill alto sax (1, 10)

Jay Mason bari sax (1, 10)

Cassio Duarte percussion (7, 9)

Kleber Jorge guitar (7) & vocal (7)

Produced by Robert Kyle

All tracks arranged by Betty Bryant except 1 & 10 arranged by Tony Guerrero and 4 arranged by Robert Kyle

1. LOVE CAME & WENT 3:12

2. LADY BE GOOD 4:00

3. CATFISH MAN 5:23

4. JUST YOU, JUST ME 4:27

5. BUT BEAUTIFUL 5:36

6. AIN’T NOBODY’S BUSINESS 5:47

7. CHO-CHO 3:50

8. THEY SAY IT’S WONDERFUL 3:34

9. MY BELOVED 5:14

10. IT’S HARD TO SAY GOODBYE 4:10

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Gregory Porter - One Night Only Live At The Royal Albert Hall (BLUE NOTE 2018)

Gregory Porter One Night Only – Live at the Royal Albert Hall captures the two-time GRAMMY-winning singer in a stunning live performance at the famed London venue with his band accompanied by the London Studio Orchestra conducted and arranged by Vince Mendoza. Porter sings songs from his acclaimed recent album Nat King Cole & Me, as well as favorite songs of his own including “Hey Laura,” “No Love Dying,” “Don’t Lose Your Steam,” and “When Love Was King.”

1. Mona Lisa (04:13)

2. But Beautiful (04:49)

3. Nature Boy (03:36)

4. L-O-V-E (01 :58)

5. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (04:02)

6. Miss Otis Regrets (04:00)

7. Pick Yourself Up (02:56)

8. In Heaven (02:54)

9. When Love Was King (07:09)

10. The Lonely One (04:04)

11. Ballerina (02:22)

12. No Love Dying (05:25)