Ivo Perelman / Karl Berger - The Hitchhiker (LEO RECORDS 2016)

This is the second CD Ivo Perelman recorded with Karl Berger. However, on the first CD ( CD LR 712 - Reverie) Karl played piano while this time he played vibraphone. This was the first time ever that Ivo played with vibraphone. Both albums are very different because of the nature of the instruments.

Playing with vibraphone opened the door for Ivo to show his kinder, gentler side. According to Ivo, Karl happened to be more 'European,' more romantic.

01. The Shadowy Path 6:36

02. The Well Of Memory 8:14

03. Twilight 4:22

04. Unspoken Feelings 4:49

05. The Hitchhiker 4:01

06. Pride And Prejudice 2:48

07. Extremely Loud While Incredibly Quiet 1:19

08. Engulfed In Flames 2:52

09. Zen And The Art Of Improvisation 1:51

10. The Sound Of Bliss 6:31

11. Well-Behaved Quarter Notes 4:38

Ivo Perelman tenor saxophone

Karl Berger vibraphone

Recorded at Parkwest Studios, Brooklyn, NY July 2015

Paul Heller - Good Times (2016)

Paul Heller has proved that he can serve up classic and modern across a number of albums. And on the album Good Times, Paul Heller displays a new aspect; Good Times grooves like hell.

The 10 original compositions really make you want to dance!

Paul Heller is a WDR Big Band saxophonist and the artistic director of his own concert series "Next Level Jazz" in Cologne. A true all-star line-up was invited into the Hansahaus Studio in Bonn for this energetic three and a half hour recording session that bubbles over with exuberant playing. He tailor-made nine compositions for the group as well as a bonus track recorded during an overdub session: 

Jazz piano professor Olaf Polziehn from Graz, Metropole Orchestra guitarist Peter Thiehuis, NDR Big Band bassist Ingmar Heller, and world-class drummer Wolfgang Haffner.

01. Felicidado

02. Wings

03. Drivin'

04. Moon Song

05. Good Times

06. Night Shift

07. Finding You

08. Remembering

09. Daybreak

10. Miniature No. 7

all compositions by Paul Heller

Paul Heller - tenor sax

Peter Tiehus - guitar

Olaf Polziehn - piano

Ingmar Heller - bass

Wolfgang Haffner - drums

Pierre de Bethmann Medium Ensemble / VOLUME 2 - EXO (2016)

Deuxième production du label ALÉA, deuxième volume du MEDIUM ENSEMBLE, dont l’aventure démarrait en 2013 au cours de ma résidence à L’apostrophe, scène nationale de Cergy-Pontoise.

Il y est d’abord question de prolonger encore mes préoccupations d’écriture, au service d’un ensemble de solistes hors pairs, tous enclins à se jouer de diverses formes à tiroir, et autres défis rythmiques, harmoniques ou mélodiques.

Il est également question de parfaire un son d’ensemble, et de goûter à la grâce des histoires qui parviennent à durer.

Il y est aussi question de préoccupations plus larges, de vents à sentir autant qu’à dompter, du bonheur de faire, de liberté enrichie par les autres, et ainsi d’une EXO-logique dont on ne parvient à se lasser, même, et peut-être surtout, en des temps tragiques.

Mais il y est surtout question de musique : 80 mn de musique précisément, chaque pièce mettant un valeur un, deux ou trois solistes, le tout conçu comme une suite en deux temps, et parfois entrecoupée de courts moments de respiration « Hors champ »

Enregistré en juin au studio Ferber (Paris)

01. Exo (Pierre de Bethmann)

02. Attention (Pierre de Bethmann)

03. Hors champ IV (Pierre de Bethmann)

04. Ton sur ton (Pierre de Bethmann)

05. Du calme (Pierre de Bethmann)

06. Hors champ II (Pierre de Bethmann)

07. Des mesures préalables (Pierre de Bethmann)

08. Des mesures (Pierre de Bethmann)

09. Hors champ I (Pierre de Bethmann)

10. Moderato (Pierre de Bethmann)

11. Panser et penser (Pierre de Bethmann)

12. Hors champ III (Pierre de Bethmann)

13. Complexe (Pierre de Bethmann)

Pierre de Bethmann rhodes, piano

Chloé Cailleton voc

Stéphane Guillaume fl

Sylvain Beuf as

David El-Malek ts

Thomas Savy b-cl

Sylvain Gontard tp, flh

Baptiste Germser cor

Denis Leloup tb

Bastien Stil tuba

Simon Tailleu b

Karl Jannuska dms

Tanaka / Lindvall / Wallumrød - 3 pianos (NAKAMA RECORDS)

3 PIANOS

Tanaka // Lindvall //  Wallumrød

The piano is a vast instrument with a long history. If three pianists with highly dissimilar personalities play three pianos at the same time, would it be possible to get away from what is known as the piano sound?

Nakama Records is proud to release this innovating album by 3 of Norway's most interesting musicians. 3 pianos will be released on the 19th of November on our very own label-night at Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria in Oslo where the trio also will give a concert. Come if you are in town! If you are not, the evening can be streamed live from here.

The recording will be available on CD, LP and digital services

Shpik - Fabulation (2016)

It is with pleasure that the Montreal based jazz trio SHPIK will launch “Fabulation”, its first opus of on the 11th of November at the Gesù in Montreal (Canada). Consisting of pianist and composer Arnaud Spick-Saucier, bassist Etienne Dextraze and drummer Philippe Lussier-Baillargeon, SHPIK offers a bold and impressionistic music, drawing its inspiration from jazz and film. Evoking the great outdoors, self-discovery, navigating between the immensity and the infinitely small, this first album offers an intricate musical journey full of spirit and reflection.

1. Extinction 06:23

2. Tiny Shack 04:54

3. Les idéalistes 04:50

4. Dans le vide 04:57

5. Impression rustique 06:10

6. Fabulation 04:41

7. Mastoc 06:18

8. Comme les autres 06:12

Released November 11, 2016 

MUSIQUE 

Arnaud Spick-Saucier : Composition, piano 

Etienne Dextraze : Contrebasse 

Philippe Lussier-Baillargeon : Batterie 

Alex Dodier : Saxophone, flûte, effets 

CREDITS 

Jean Corivo : Mix 

Studio 270 (Robert Langlois) : Enregistrement 

Le Lab Mastering (Marc Thériault) : Mastering 

Pascal Lefebvre : Design graphique 

Thomas Payette : Direction artistique 

REMERCIEMENTS 

HUB Studio, SEFT art, Philippe Lebourdais, Laury Dubé, Amélie Poirier-Aubry, Jeunes volontaires

Matti Oehl Quartett - Ornament (UNIT RECORDS 2016)

The new quartet of german saxophonist and composer Matti Oehl includes musicians looking for pure melodies, setting their musical roots into the context of jazz and experimenting with composed and improvised material to their limits. The band includes german jazz legend Johannes Enders on tenor saxophone, the double-bass virtuoso Robert Lucaciu and young upcoming drummer Tom Friedrich.

Despite lacking a harmonic instrument, the four know how to not let you miss one, using different energy, densitiy and dynamics. The compositions by Matti Oehl are the solid ground to start from, open to all influences and specially arranged for the performing musicians.

2. Wahrtraumdeuterei (II) 3:30

3. Wahrtraumdeuterei (III) 5:35

4. Black Keys 4:23

5. Hymnus 3:58

6. Ornament 4:14

7. Watch Out! There's A Thief About! 3:09

8. Sils Mariails Maria 8:06

9. Tannenwald 3:23

Matti Oehl - alto saxophone

Johannes Enders - tenor saxophone

Robert Lucaciu - bass

Tom Friedrich - drums

All compositions by Matti Oehl, #9 Tannenwald is an adaption of the "Pilgerchor" from Richard Wagner's opera "Tannhäuser"

Recorded at Blackbird Music Studio, Berlin

Recording Date: Sept 26 2015

Studio engineer & Mix: Michael Ungerer

Mastering by: Christoph Stickel

Special Thanks to Johannes, Robert und Tom, Harald und Lukas (Unit Records), Michael und Robin (Blackbird Music), Christoph, Tobi, my family and friends, all known and unknown sources of inspiration.

Roberto Fonseca - ABUC (IMPULSE! RECORDS 2016)

Impulse! is pleased to announce the release of the next album by Roberto Fonseca. 

Born in 1975 in Havana, Cuba, Roberto Fonseca has established himself over the last decade and a half as one of the most gifted — and most popular — pianists of his generation. 

After making his name with Ibrahim Ferrer in the legendary Buena Vista Social Club™, and after his recent GRAMMY© nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album, Roberto Fonseca has come to incarnate the meeting between jazz with the music of Cuba, both today and yesterday, and also its African roots.

The new album ABUC will be available from October 28 next, with pianist-percussionist Fonseca accompanied by Trombone Shorty, Eliades Ochoa, Zé Luis Nascimento, Rafael Lay (Orquesta Aragón) and Manuel 'Guajiro’ Mirabal, among many others.

After Snarky Puppy and Ibrahim Maalouf, impulse! reaches out to a new audience with Roberto Fonseca and the claim that, today like yesterday, Jazz is cool!

01. Cubano Chant

02. Afro Mambo

03. Tumbao De La Unidad

04. Contradanza Del Espíritu

05. Tierra Santa

06. Sagrado Corazón

07. Family

08. Tierra Santa Santiago De Cuba

09. Habanera

10. Soul Guardians

11. Asere Monina Bonco

12. Después

13. Velas Y Flores

14. Cubano Chant (Solo Piano Version)

Carlos Sarduy trompette

Matthew Simon trompette

Javier Zalba saxophones, flûte

Jimmy Jenks saxophone

Dario Garcia trombone

Tutu trombone

Roberto Fonseca piano

Yandy Martinez contrebasse

Ramses "Dinamita" Rodriguez batterie

Adel Gonzalez percussions

Carlos Calunga voix

Bill Laurance - Live At Union Chapel (GroundUP Music 2016)

[ Grammy Award-Winner Bill Laurance releases Live at Union Chapel! ]

Album/DVD showcases sold out show with fellow Snarky Puppy members Michael League and Robert “Sput” Searight

Two-time Grammy-winner and founding member of Snarky Puppy Bill Laurance fulfilled a lifelong fantasy with his sold out show at the Union Chapel. He will share it with the world with the release of the album and DVD Live At Union Chapel on November 11th on Ground UP Music/Verve Label Group.

The album and DVD captures the high-energy performance from Laurance (keyboards) backed by his fellow Snarky Puppy band mates Michael League (bass) and Robert “Sput” Searight (drums), as well as Katie Christie (French Horn), Felix Higginbottom (percussion), and The West Side trio – Annie Tangberg (Cello), Isabella Petersen (Viola) and Vera Van Der Bie (Violin).

“Performing live is completely different to recording in the studio,” says Laurance. “Having toured this music extensively I got to the point where I really wanted to capture the unique energy and spontaneity of the live concert experience and include the dynamic between the band and the audience in the moment. The music is free from overdubs and post-production and it takes on a freshness in the live rendition.”

The show opens with “The Rush,” highlighted by an intricate, driving rhythm from Searight and passionate playing from Laurance. “Swift” sounds massive, with the West Side Trio injecting ominous strings into the arrangement and Laurance nimbly moving between piano, Fender Rhodes and synth to craft a hypnotic groove. Inspired by a trip to the city during a tour with Snarky Puppy, “December in New York” is a moody composition that nevertheless captures the constant hum and movement of NYC, even in winter. “Red Sand” is a highlight, with the musicians locked into a captivating rhythmic pulse and League weaving in a tasteful solo.

The audience also lent a hand to the inspired performances captured on Live at Union Chapel. “It was amazing to have such a receptive crowd,” says Laurance. “It really lifted and inspired us to deliver one of the most memorable performances of the tour.”

Laurance has traveled across the globe and through a myriad of award-winning musical projects. A world-renowned multi-instrumentalist, producer and vocalist dubbed a “jazz maestro” by The Guardian, Laurance is probably best known as a founding member of Snarky Puppy, the Grammy-winning collective based out of Brooklyn, with whom he has won two Grammy-awards to date. In 2015, Laurance won the Breakthrough award at the Jazz FM Awards, and has been nominated this year as a MOBO Best Jazz Act.

01. The Rush

02. Never-Ending City

03. The Good Things

04. December in New York

05. Red Sand

06. The Real One

07. Swift

08. Gold Coast

09. Denmark Hill

10. Swag Times

11. Fjords

12. Ready Wednesday

13. The Isles (Bonus Track)

Bill Laurance Website