Josephine Davies - Satori (WHIRLWIND RECORDINGS 2017)

An improvisatory trio project reflecting the definition of its Buddhist title Satori – a moment of enlightening presence and inner spaciousness away from the clutter of thought – finds British saxophonist and composer Josephine Davies collaborating with sidemen Dave Whitford (double bass) and Paul Clarvis (drums) in an immersive album of chordless originals. 

Josephine Davies’ varied artistic journey includes classical saxophone quartets and line-ups, as well as key involvement in more expansive ensembles such as the Pete Hurt Orchestra and as resident tenorist and composer with the London Jazz Orchestra. But returning to a sound world invoked by the immediate solo-horn character of John Coltrane and founded on an absorbing live debut performance at London’s Iklectik creative space, this partnership focuses primarily on intuitive, extended, three-way responses to Davies’ intentionally minimal writing, based around key centers, rather than prescriptive harmonic sequences. 

The resultant, flowing chemistry between these exponents of in-the-moment music making becomes fascinating to explore, as explained by Josephine: “Dave and Paul make things their own very quickly – their creativity and spontaneity always bring something new, and the trio is able to move forward with great ease. So there’s a real draw to this sense of space; having the freedom to explore ideas, without a harmony instrument, not knowing where they will lead.” And the saxophonist’s own melodic wellspring produces the most unfettered, often intoxicating expressions of slow-burning lyricism and sonorous exuberance.

Haunting, syringeal soprano sax weaves and loops around the restless percussiveness of bass and drums in ‘Insomnia’ – and, typically, instead of observing standard solo calls, the group dynamics organically shift to accentuate specific instrumental phrases and ideas. The snappy asymmetrical rhythm of ‘Crisp Otter’ (say it, and the reference to the US saxman, and his Underground Band, becomes evident) grooves deliciously to Davies’ aqueous tenor; and rambunctious, technically-challenging ‘The Yips’ pervades the air with celebratory, South African-style fervor. 

Three pieces originally conceived as a segued medley proceed with ‘Something Small’ – a chirpy, almost Bernsteinesque theme which is deconstructed with aplomb before its seemingly reluctant recapitulation. Following, and named after George Merryweather’s bizarre 19th Century leech barometer, the fast-swinging turmoil of ‘The Tempest Prognosticator’ is boisterously defined by Clarvis and Whitford at their effusive best; while darkly-writhing ‘Snakes’ (one of four tracks recorded before audience) stretches out across almost ten minutes, showcasing Davies’ broad, inventive palette. The joyfully rhythmic swagger of ‘Paradoxy’, with firm echoes of Sonny Rollins, appears in two different takes – a nod to classic jazz albums of the ‘50s and ‘60s – both turning lively individual spotlights on each player. 

As a recording to experience again and again, Satori also emphasizes the inherent dynamics and energy present in live music – the vital lifeblood of any improvising musician. And this particular environment is something in which Josephine Davies foresees plenty of future mileage: “I imagined that this trio, with Dave and Paul, would be playful, energetic, exciting; and even had the sound in my head. But the outcome is even better – so inspiring, and so much fun.”

1. Insomnia 07:37

2. Something Small 05:28

3. The Tempest Prognosticator 06:07

4. Snakes 09:40

5. Paradoxy 06:36

6. Crisp Otter 06:44

7. The Yips 06:49

8. Paradoxy (Alternate Take) 05:24 

Josephine Davies - tenor and soprano saxophones

Dave Whitford - double bass

Paul Clarvis - drums 

Tracks 1, 2, 4, 7 recorded live @ Jazz Nursery, iklectik (June 2016) 

Tracks 3, 5, 6, 8 recorded @ iklectik on (Sept 2016) 

Recording Engineer - Alex Bonney 

Mixed by Nick Wollage 

Mastered by Peter Beckmann (London, Dec 2016) 

Producer - Josephine Davies 

Executive Producer - Michael Janisch

Henry Spencer and Juncture - The Reasons Don't Change (WHIRLWIND RECORDINGS 2017)

We’re starting our 2017 releases with the debut album The Reasons Don’t Change from Henry Spencer.

Trumpet player and composer Henry Spencer is an up-and-coming name on the British scene. A recent graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he formed his quintet Juncture and crafted this debut album The Reasons Don’t Change specifically with his fellow alumni in mind. So the combined forces of Nick Costley-White (guitar), Matt Robinson (piano, keyboards), Andrew Robb (double bass) and David Ingamells (drums) intuitively interpret Spencer’s original work with a fervor to match his penetrating technique; and the inclusion of The Guastalla Quartet’s string sustenance brings another, integrated layer of richness.

The recipient of Best Newcomer Award at Marlborough Jazz Festival and Help Musicians UK’s Emerging Excellence Award, the trumpeter’s approach is derived from his formative years’ interest in songwriting. Beginnings in pairing music and words came to inform an especially lyrical, even emotional narrative to the mature artistry of his instrumental composition; so much so that, even now, his brand of rock-infused jazz can sometimes be constructed on a wireframe of received poetic phrases which are then discarded. 

It’s a method which Spencer finds rewarding – clearly heard in the fluvial, conversational melodies to Spencer’s earliest piece for the album, ‘Remember Why’ – his reasoning being that “lyrics allow us to be unambiguous and openly honest”. The same is true of introspective ballad ‘Never Draw a Line’, whose rising motifs are imaginable as a vocal line, expressing the trumpeter’s pervading themes of positivity, of transforming regret into liberation; and ‘Eulogy (Goodbye Old Chap)’ celebrates a life through contrasting reflection and exuberance.

Listen to the energy in ‘Still Open to Confusion’ or the gentler, coalescent lines of ‘On the Bridge’, and it’s easy to understand why Henry Spencer has always been drawn to the connective, overlapping timbres of brass and electric guitar which can invoke unpredictable tonal magic; and Costley-White, in particular, is establishing himself as one of the UK’s compelling, exploratory new masters of the fretboard, showcased elegantly in the luscious chordal blend with Spencer’s floating improv in ‘Knock Back, Knocked Forward’. Matt Robinson, too, is becoming a familiar collaborator in a brave new wave of jazz and jazz-related projects, and his imaginative pianistic flair in ‘Hindsight Can’t Wait’, along with an empathy for Wurlitzer and Mellotron, provides the band with so many textural options when combined with such a responsive, nuanced rhythm section as Andrew Robb and Dave Ingamells.

The physicality of the trumpet, along with its technical challenges, were what first drew Spencer to its possibilities for jazz improvisation. Across these ten tracks, an often blistering, flutter-tongued incisiveness is balanced with the serene depth of flugel, while his occasionally plaintive, bucolic solo personality – heard at the beginning of ‘Joanne’s Diary’ – is able to neatly segue into the fluctuating vistas that this band skilfully interprets. From the first few bars of ‘Hopeless Heartless’ emanates the lush warmth of The Guastalla Quartet, creating a wider soundscape reminiscent of orchestral jazz, and rocky closer ‘The Survivor and The Descendant’ consolidates the dynamic strength of this entire nine-piece as swirling, forte strings whip up a maelstrom of white-hot guitar and trumpet.

Regularly contributing to other projects – including performances with Stan Sulzmann, Jason Rebello, Julian Joseph and also the London Jazz Orchestra – Henry Spencer now brings his first album, as leader, to Whirlwind with a desire to fanfare contemporary jazz’s increasingly broader horizons: “My wish is that listeners might engage with the original emotional and lyrical context of the album, almost as if it were presented by a singer/songwriter, and then relate it to their own experience. That connection is what I find stimulating in improvised music.”

1. Hindsight Can Wait 08:21

2. On The Bridge 07:53

3. Eulogy 07:05

4. Joanne's Diary 05:13

5. Never Draw a Line 05:50

6. Still Open To Confusion 05:18

7. Remember Why 05:05

8. Hopeless Heartless 05:46

9. The Survivor and The Descendant 06:54

Henry Spencer - trumpet, flugelhorn

Nick Costley-White - guitar

Matt Robinson - piano, Fender rhodes, Wurlitzer

Andrew Robb - double bass

David Ingamells - drums

Featuring The Guastalla Quartet

Recorded by George Murphys, Philip Bagenal,

Charlier Morton and Paul Whalley

Mixed and mastered by Dave Darlington

Produced by Paul Whalley and Henry Spencer

Executive Producer - Michael Janisch

Henry Spencer and Juncture dates UK

12th May   Bourton Hall, North Dorset

13th May   Calstock Arts, Plymouth

14th May   Ashburton Live, Devon

15th May   North Devon Jazz Club, Appledore

16th May   St Ives Jazz Club, Cornwall

17th May   Jazz at Dempsey’s, Cardiff

18th May     Jazz at Future Inn, Bristol

2nd June   Rays Jazz At Foyles, London

Akashic Record - Big Bang (ROPEADOPE RECORDS 2017)

Holding it down in Boston for over ten years, Akashic Record returns with their second Ropeadope release - Big Bang - set to hit Friday May 5th. Big Bang continues the organ driven funk and soul sound that the band delivers with perfection. Brian Thomas on the trombone, Jared Sims on Baritone Sax, Steve Fell on Guitar, Peter MaClean on Drums, Darby Wolf on Piano, and of course Sam Gilman on the Organ. This is classic groove, tight and funky, just polished a little with plenty of grit. Dig it. 

1. Getting' Up 06:26

2. Keen Ambition 07:14

3. Big Bang 06:04

4. Hard Shelled Manner 05:40

5. Damned If You Do 05:44

6. Back Around 10:20

Brian Thomas - Trombone

Jared Sims - Baritone Saxophone

Steve Fell - Guitar

Sam Gilman - Organ

Darby Wolf - Clavinet & Piano

Peter Maclean - Drums

CONCERTOS PORTA-JAZZ: Sábado - Susana Santos Silva & Torbjörn Zetterberg

Sala Porta-Jazz 

Sábado, 13 maio

19:00 + 22:00

concerto: 5 eur / 3 eur membros *

SUSANA SANTOS SILVA & TORBJÖRN ZETTERBERG

Susana Santos Silva – Trompete

Torbjörn Zetterberg (SUE) – Contrabaixo

O álbum em duo de Susana Santos Silva e Torbjörn Zetterberg “Almost Tomorrow”, editado pela Clean Feed em 2013 foi o começo de uma intensa colaboração entre a trompetista portuguesa e o contrabaixista sueco. Desde então, o album “Impermanence”, editado pelo Carimbo Porta-Jazz em 2015 e Life and Other Transient Storms, editado pela Clean Feed em 2016, ambos projectos da trompetista, contam com a presença de Zetterberg, assim como Torbjörn Zetterberg och den Stora Frågan, o sexteto liderado pelo contrabaixista, com dois albums editados pela editora sueca Moserobie Records, integra na sua formação o trompete da portuense. Juntos gravaram, ainda, “If Nothing Else” (Clean Feed 2015), um projecto com o organista sueco Hampus Lindwall. E estes são apenas os projectos editados que sobressaem de entre muitas outras colaborações, concertos e residências artísticas.

De uma música mais aberta e livremente improvisada o duo tem vindo a explorar uma música mais espiritual, se assim a podemos definir, com base em composições originais.

PRÓXIMOS CONCERTOS

17 Maio, ESMAE

integrado no Festival ESMAE Rampa-Jazz

22h45 – Dentro da Janela

João Mortágua – Saxofones alto e soprano

José Pedro Coelho – saxofone tenor 

Miguel Moreira – guitarra

José Carlos Barbosa – contrabaixo e baixo elétrico

José Marrucho – bateria

19 Maio, ESMAE

integrado no Festival ESMAE Rampa-Jazz

22h45 – José Soares Quarteto

José Soares – Saxofone

Mané Fernandes – Guitarra

Filipe Louro – Contrabaixo

Marcos Cavaleiro – Bateria

20 Maio, ESMAE

integrado no Festival ESMAE Rampa-Jazz

22h45 – Coreto Porta-Jazz

João Pedro Brandão – saxofone alto, flauta

José Pedro Coelho – saxofone tenor

Hugo Ciríaco – saxofone tenor

Rui Teixeira – saxofone barítono, clarinete baixo

Ricardo Formoso – trompete

Susana Santos Silva – trompete

Andreia Santos – trombone

Daniel Dias – trombone

AP – Guitarra

Hugo Raro – piano

José Carlos Barbosa – contrabaixo

José Marrucho – bateria

27 Maio, Sala Porta-Jazz

19:00 + 22:00

Lucia Martinez & Augusti Fernandez

Lucia Martinez (ES) – Bateria

Augusti Fernandez (ES) – Piano

PRÓXIMOS LANÇAMENTOS CARIMBO PORTA-JAZZ

Auditório da FEUP

- entrada livre - 

18 maio, 21:30

AP Quarteto

AP - guitarra

Carlos Azevedo - piano

Filipe Teixeira - contrabaixo

Acácio Salero - bateria

19 junho, 21:30

João Mortágua "AXES"

João Mortágua - saxofone alto e soprano

José Soares - saxofone alto

Hugo Ciríaco - saxofone tenor 

Rui Teixeira - saxofone barítono e clarinete baixo

Pedro Vasconcelos - bateria e percussões

Alex Lázaro - bateria e percussões

CICLO JAZZ DE SANTO TIRSO

Centro Cultural de Vila das Aves

- entrada livre -

16 junho, 21:30 - AP Quarteto

AP - guitarra

Carlos Azevedo - piano

Filipe Teixeira - contrabaixo

Acácio Salero - bateria

1 julho, 21:30 - Rui Filipe Freitas Sexteto

Rui Filipe Freitas - vibrafone

José Pedro Coelho - saxofone tenor e clarinete-baixo  

João Mortágua - saxofone alto e saxofone soprano

Mané Fernandes - guitarra

Filipe Teixeira - contrabaixo

João Martins - bateria

Sherri Roberts - Anybody's Spring - Pacific Coast Jazz (KARI-ON PRODUCTIONS)

Vocalist Sherri Roberts pays homage to Springtime, a celebration of everyone’s favorite season. For over twenty years, Sherri has performed a tribute to Spring during that most verdant time of year, featuring an intriguing set list of tunes that swings from the familiar to the obscure.

Available March 24 via Pacific Coast Jazz 

Featuring: Sherri Roberts: vocals; David Udolf: piano; Harvie S: bass; 

Akira Tana: drums; Sheryl Bailey: guitar

PACIFIC COAST JAZZ/ BLUE HOUSE RECORDINGS

THE CD, ROBERTS’ 5th, IS A JAZZ TRIBUTE TO SPRINGTIME

FEATURING A BI-COASTAL RHYTHM SECTION

ROBERTS TO APPEAR AT TWO CD RELEASE SHOWS:

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10 AT BLUE NOTE, NAPA 

FRIDAY, MAY 12 AT THE SOUND ROOM, OAKLAND

Who: Vocalist Sherri Roberts celebrates release of new CD, Anybody’s Spring, in performance with David Udolf - piano, Chris Amberger - bass, Akira Tana- drums

When: Wednesday, May 10 

Two Shows: 7:00 and 9:30pm

Where: Blue Note Napa

1030 Main Street, Napa

707-880-2300

bluenotenapa.com

Tickets: $10 - $20

When: Friday, May 12

8:00pm

Where: The Sound Room

2147 Broadway, Oakland

510-496-4180

soundroom.org

Tickets: Advanced seating- $20.00, General admission - $15.00

Advance ticket purchase and event information:

www.brownpapertickets.com

Vocalist Sherri Roberts tries to get our minds off the present snow and prepare us for the freshness of spring on her most recent album of that features songs of the primavera. Her warm and relaxed voice fits well into the lazy swinging groove of “It’s Anybody’s Spring” with rich soloing by Bailey, while piano and bass chime to a flowing waltz as Roberts glistens on “Spring Sprang Sprung” Guitar and bass sound like droplets of dew as Roberts eases into “They Say It’s Spring,” while a hip bass intro leads the way for her breathy voice into for a bopping “Joy Spring.” Tana is crisp as Romaine lettuce while setting the opening for Roberts to glide into a nimble “Lady Bird” whereas the more reflective part of the season is saved for last on a soft duet with Udolf during a late night and early  morning low clouds read of “Spring Isn’t Everything.” An excellent weather report! 

-George Harris, Jazzweekly 

The texture of her register and the enchanting way she sings a lyric, emphasizing the underlying emotions and creating an intimate atmosphere. Specks of bop jazz are also present, as she is joined by pianist David Udolf, bassist Harvie S, drummer Akira Tana, and guitarist Sheryl Bailey. Continuously sensitive to the sentiment being channeled through the lyrics, Roberts makes a striking conduit, affecting audiences with an indelible delivery. 

Stream Tracks From Anybody's Spring 

-Susan Frances, Blogcritics

Sherri has the ultimate voice for the kind of jazz she’s doing on this fine release of a dozen songs… just listen to the laid-back atmosphere she creates on “Joy Spring“… with energetic contributions from Harvie S on bass, piano from David Udolf, drums from Akira Tana and guitar by Sheryl Bailey – this is the best jazz vocal set I’ve listened to (yet) in 2017! 

-Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion Reviews

When you listen to Sherri’s thoughtful way with a vocal line, or her vibrant sense of swing, or her effortless embodiment of a song’s emotion…a certain starry-eyed enchantment is inevitable.

-Drew Wheeler

Sherri Roberts Website

Nick Finzer - Hear & Now (Outside in Music 2017)

Trombonist/Composer Nick Finzer captures the mood of the moment

on his politically-charged third album

Hear & Now offers a bold call to action with Finzer's sextet featuring Lucas Pino,

Alex Wintz, Glenn Zaleski, Dave Baron and Jimmy Macbride

" [Finzer's] compositions are like stained-glass windows: lovely on the surface, but more impressive for how they imbue what's behind them with color." - Brian Zimmerman, DownBeat

"Nick Finzer [is] a new voice to the pantheon of upcoming trombone greats in the making."  - Wycliffe Gordon

Trombonist/composer Nick Finzer captures the uneasy mood of a turbulent time on his third album, Hear & Now. Though the title - which the album shares with the gifted and expressive sextet that Finzer has led since his debut release in 2013 - suggests an alertness to the present time and place, Finzer's music also evokes a need and hope for change, a defiant optimism that pits love against the forces of oppression.

Hear & Now, due out February 17 on Outside in Music, arrives at a moment of deep uncertainty and divisiveness in the country and around the world. The album's nine tracks (eight originals along with a Duke Ellington classic) depict a range of viable reactions, from the intense energy of protest to a more meditative, reflective mood. Finzer's compositions are brought to vigorous, full-bodied life by Hear & Now, a sextet with the power and wide-ranging palette of a big band but the supple energy of a small ensemble. It's the trombonist's third outing with the band, which includes tenor saxophonist/bass clarinetist Lucas Pino, guitarist Alex Wintz, pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Dave Baron, and drummer Jimmy Macbride.

"I wanted to capture feelings I was having about our country's social framework," Finzer says. "I started out trying to write about the emotional feeling of living in New York in 2016, but as the presidential election went on I realized that the stances I was taking were more politically oriented. Throughout the process of making the record I saw that this project was becoming more and more relevant to our reality."

Finzer doesn't name names or point fingers; nothing on Hear & Now takes a side or aligns with one party against another. It is instead a plea for a more united populace, a sonic argument for equality, tolerance and empathy. The album begins with "We The People," a reminder that togetherness is embodied in the country's founding documents. "I wasn't thinking of a particular person or a particular side," Finzer says. "I was trying to capture the intense energy of a large group of people trying to express their opinions and how important that is. When you get together with a lot of people and coalesce to fight against something, it creates this strong, base human emotion, so I was trying to capture that energy with the music."

The brooding, introspective "The Silent One" follows. The piece was inspired by Finzer's frustrations over a tendency to resort to heated emotions rather than logic and subtlety in reacting to issues and problems. The music deftly illustrates the feelings of frustration and isolation one can feel in the face of the mounting volume of TV pundits and internet trolls. Directly related is "Again and Again," whose cyclical rhythms depict the history that we're doomed to repeat. And repeat.

The frenetic, harried pace of "Race to the Bottom," Finzer explains, is a reaction to "the inevitable conclusion of cutthroat capitalism. You either need to be the cheapest or the best because people don't really pay attention to the middle. So you're either in a race to the bottom or you're trying to create something meaningful. To me it's about the value of creating something unique and special because there's no way you're going to win that other battle."

The mood of the album begins to rise with "New Beginnings," with its feelings of dawning hope and tenuous optimism. "Lullaby for an Old Friend," written for a friend of Finzer's who passed away, laces its melancholy with the bittersweet good cheer that time and distance allows, mingling happy memories with the inevitable sense of loss. The up-tempo "Dance of Persistence" is a swinging call to action, but also offers a relief from tension. "That one is about not giving up," he explains, "but also goes back to the thing that I love most, the thing that got me into playing jazz... when I need something to settle me I just want to play something swinging; it just makes me feel better."

The album closes with the tender "Love Wins," which Finzer wrote on the day that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality. More broadly it's a strong tenet of belief that ultimately the forces of love will overcome ignorance, oppression and prejudice.

The album's one non-original is Duke Ellington's "Single Petal of a Rose," which Finzer arranged for three trombones and two bass clarinets. He chose the piece for its sense of hushed and intimate joy, but also to pay homage to one of his key influences. "Duke Ellington was the first artist that I started checking out when I began listening to and learning to play jazz," he says. "I loved the way his compositional style could embrace a theme, particular stories or ideas or characters. I also always thought it was really interesting how Ellington could use the big band and get so many interesting sounds out of it."

Finzer takes a similar approach to his own sextet, for this recording working closely with producer Ryan Truesdell, leader of the renowned Gil Evans Project and Producer for Maria Schneider - giving him some profound insights into inventive arranging. "Asking Ryan to co-produce the album ended up being probably the best decision in the process of making my records," Finzer says. "He was able to bring out extra nuances and had a great ear for making sure that we didn't miss the chance to create a magical musical moment."

A native of Rochester, New York, Finzer studied at the Eastman School of Music and Juilliard, where he was mentored by trombone legend Steve Turre. In 2011 he won the Eastern Trombone Workshop's National Jazz Trombone Competition and won an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer's Award in 2013 & 2015. He's released two previous albums with his Hear & Now sextet: Exposition (2013) and The Chase (2015). Aside from his own projects he's performed with the YouTube sensation, Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox, as well as Wynton Marsalis' Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Lucas Pino's No Net Nonet, Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project, and Anat Cohen's new Tentet.

Nick Finzer, trombone

Lucas Pino, tenor sax & bass clarinet

Alex Wintz, guitar

Glenn Zaleski, piano

Dave Baron, bass

Jimmy Macbride, drums

Spencer Zweifel Trio - Side One (2017)

The first EP by the Spencer Zweifel Trio combines original compositions with arrangements of some lesser known tunes. The trio is made up of players from UNC Greeley's award winning jazz program and their second EP "Side Two" is currently in the works.

Spencer Zweifel began playing piano at a young age, and started to really pursue it after being inspired by his musical family. Growing up in Fort Collins, CO, Spencer had the opportunity to become part of the area music scene early in life. Learning from and being inspired by great area players like Mark Sloniker and Ben Markley, Spencer formed his first jazz quartet at age 16, which played frequently in the Fort Collins area. Since then he has performed  with The Colorado Swing Big Band, The Ace Gillett's Subterraneans, The Bryce Merritt band, and extensively as a jazz pianist along the northern Colorado front range from Denver to Fort Collins. Spencer is currently pursuing a  degree in jazz studies at the University of Northern Colorado.

At UNC, Spencer is thankful to be part of an award-winning jazz program that pushes him further every day. Studying with Dana Landry, Spencer is a jazz composer, arranger and performer, and can be heard every Wednesday night at Ace Gillett's in Fort Collins.

1. The Good Old Days 06:36

2. Whatever Lola Wants 04:33

3. Secret Love 04:13

4. Just Right 06:17

Piano: Spencer Zweifel 

Bass: Ryan Black 

Drums: Ryan Leppich 

Engineer: Greg Heimbecker 

Album Art: Allison Wheeler 

Recorded at UNC Studios in Greeley, CO

The Great Harry Hillman - Tilt (CUNEIFORM RECORDS May 26, 2017)

The Great Harry Hillman Gleefully Hurdle 

The Boundaries Between Jazz, Rock, & Improv 

For A Winning Performance In Tilt

The Great Harry Hillman

Tilt

STREAM/SHARE: "The New Fragrance"

stream: @SoundCloud / @Bandcamp / @YouTube

Cat. #: Rune 433, Format: CD / Digital Download

Genre: Jazz / Post-Jazz

Release Date: May 26, 2017

Switzerland doesn’t produce many musical acts compared to other European countries, but the ones that do emerge are always of the highest quality. Whether it’s the arty metal of Celtic Frost and Coroner, the witty pop of Yello, the clattery punk of LiLiPUT, or the airtight funk grooves of post-jazz ensemble Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin, Swiss passports are a virtual guarantee that the music will be smart, engaging, and highly enjoyable.

The Great Harry Hillman is a Swiss post-jazz quartet–composed of Nils Fischer on reeds; David Koch on guitar and effects; Samuel Huwyler on bass; Dominik Mahnig on drums–from Lucerne, a lakeside city in the country’s center. About the name: Harry Hillman was an American hurdler who received three gold medals at the 1904 Summer Olympics, memorable as the first Olympics held outside Europe, in St. Louis. The Great Harry Hillman, the band, formed in 2009 - 105 years after Hillman’s victory, a landmark noted by the band - and in 2015 won the 2015 ZKB Jazz Prize.  And yes, you’re correct to assume that a European jazz band named in tribute to American athlete Harry Hillman is not your ‘normal’ jazz band adhering to staid standards. Since forming, this band of energetic Millennial musical iconoclasts have played nearly a hundred concerts, performing at jazz festivals and touring extensively across Northern Europe. They’ve recorded two previous albums, 2013’s self-released Livingston and 2015’s Veer Off Course, released by the German label Klaeng records. Now they’ve joined the Cuneiform Records roster for their third release, Tilt.

The Great Harry Hillman’s music combines jazz, rock, and improv into a subdued, layered, yet thrilling sound that will appeal to fans of bands like Radian or Tortoise, as well as modern jazz artists like Mary Halvorson and Nik Bartsch’s Ronin. Mahnig’s drumming is light but emphatic, his snare ticking like a fine watch as he sets up shifting rhythms that clatter and bounce. Koch’s guitar work is often as much about atmosphere as riffs, though he can get loud at times; at the climax of “354°,” his guitar is a Sonic Youth-like clang, as Fischer erupts into long screams. Huwyler’s bass is almost dubby at times, maintaining a subtle but powerful presence that gives even the group’s most abstract pieces (“Agnes fliegt”) a solid core. And while Fischer is often playing the most overtly melodic role, he’s just as happy to step into the background and simply comment on the others’ interactions.

The Great Harry Hillman thinks of itself as a collective, with nobody dominating the creative process and everyone making their voice heard. “We have music from all four bandmembers on the album,” say the musicians, who speak as one. “Everyone brings tunes, fragments, et cetera, and we finalize every song together. Everything is a collective decision at the end.” This philosophy has helped them to create a sound like no one else, one that has gradually mutated over time while retaining its essence. “Although we all have different backgrounds and work in different genres, it is very important that we are always open to any kind of influences from each of us.”

Their open-mindedness and exploratory spirit extends beyond the music to every aspect of their existence as a band. Their live performances have energy and a sense of fun that keeps the complexity of the compositions and interplay from feeling dry or academic. And the same goofy exuberance can be seen in their band photos–which cleverly continue allusions to sports–and in their wildly creative YouTube videos. The 360* video that they created to accompany Tilt is an artistic and technical tour-de-force that one viewer compared to a Danny Elfman movie. The Great Harry Hillman know that while music is an art, fueled by internal creative fires, they also know that music, like sports, is also entertainment, and like sports requires skill, practice, determination and an enjoyable, winning performance to succeed.

The songs come wrapped in obscure titles like “The New Fragrance,” “How to Dice an Onion,” and “Moustache,” and those are just the ones in English. While they flow seamlessly together, each piece has its own identity. “We wanted every song to have it's own strong mood,” they say. “It was not the idea to feature extended solos, but to feature a strong sound as a band.”

The album also has a strong live feel; while the sounds are electronically manipulated at times, this is music made by four men in a room. This is made most obvious on “How to Dice an Onion,” which ends with laughter and studio dialogue. “We thought a lot about how we could put the energy and vibe we create live into a recording, and it turned out very well,” say the band.

Indeed. Tilt is The Great Harry Hillman’s best work to date: a quiet but powerful album by four thoughtful musicians who are more than capable of rocking out when they feel like it, but would more often than not rather wrap the listener in delicately constructed sonic webs of indefinable beauty. There are no gold medals in music (unless gold records count), but The Great Harry Hillman deserve a spot on the artistic podium for sure.

PRE-ORDER LINKS

ITUNES - AMAZON - BANDCAMP - WAYSIDE MUSIC

ARTIST WEB SITES

www.thegreatharryhillman.com - www.facebook.com/thegreatharryhillman - www.twitter.com/tgharryhillman - www.cuneiformrecords.com

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14.05.2017

15.05.2017

16.05.2017

11.06.2017

BAND MEMBER BIOS: THE GREAT HARRY HILLMAN

NILS FISCHER

is a saxophone and bass clarinet player with a taste for low frequencies. He likes playing different styles of jazz. Born in 1988 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, he took saxophone lessons with Andreas Krennerich at Musikschule Germersheim. In 2008 he moved to Lucerne for his jazz studies, where he studied under Urs Leimgruber, Reto Suhner and Frank Möbus, who deeply influenced his musical personality. In July 2013, he received his Master of Performance degree from Lucerne School of Music and in February 2015, his Master of Pedagogy. His working band is The Great Harry Hillman (w. David Koch – Guitar; Samuel Huwyler – Bass and Dominik Mahnig – Drums), which has been playing tours throughout Europe since 2009. In spring 2015, the group won the ZKB – Jazzpreis (Moods). Nils Fischer is also a sideman with numerous groups, including Laurent Méteau’s Metabolism, Marena Whitcher’s Shady Midnight Orchestra, Blaer, and Raphael Jost and Lots of Horns, and others.

DAVID KOCH

was born in 1988 in Sursee, Switzerland. He has always lived out his musical interests in intensive stages. Growing up the son of a classical flautist, he was surrounded by classical music during his childhood. Between the ages of 10 and 20, he played the flute on the road for the Irish folk and klezmer group Planxty Irwin. During this time he began to play the guitar. Starting with klezmer, he discovered and was inspired by the work of John Zorn and the music of the New York downtown avant-garde. This led to his jazz training at the Lucerne School of Music, where he was hugely influenced by Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gerry Hemingway and especially, Frank Möbus, with whom he completed his master’s training. Committed to the indie rock band Book On Shelves, he began to explore and appreciate the sound aesthetics and possibilities of pop music. In addition to his work as a guitarist, Koch is also a sound engineer and DIY researcher who tackles all of his projects with intensity and passion. He has a whole range of effects equipment, which he modified or built himself to ensure that he has all of the sound options he needs, even in live situations. Koch is a member of The Great Harry Hillman and has launched his latest project, the duo VSITOR, alongside Lea Fries.

SAMUEL HUWYLER

uses his creativity as a source for his work in both music and graphics. Born in 1988 in Endingen, Switzerland as the son of a jazz drummer, music surrounded him permanently. Musical instruments and drawing utensils evoked his passion to implement and present his ideas in his early years. After 4 years of lessons in classical guitar he discovered the electric guitar and quickly founded his first rock band, TRD, which is still active. Fascinated by string instruments, he changed to electric bass at 16; this was the crucial point for his later studies at Hochschule Luzern. Wolfgang Zwiauer, Uli Heinzler and Heiri Känzig influenced his career as a bass player. In 2013 he received his Master of Arts – Major Performance Jazz. The Aargauer Kuratorium awarded him with a grant in 2015. Currently Huwyler tours with his working band The Great Harry Hillman (ZKB Jazzprice 2015), as well as with Laurent Méteau’s Metabolism and other European projects.

DOMINIK MAHNIG

was born into a musical family in Willisau, Switzerland in 1989. He has been fascinated by drums since birth and is a recurring winner of the Swiss Drummer Competition. His first contact with jazz was a solo concert by Cecil Taylor. Taylor‘s intuitive and energetic playing left its mark on the young drummer, as did subsequent concerts by other artists at the Willisau Jazzfestival. After receiving his Bachelor degree in Lucerne, he moved to Cologne for his Master Studies. In Cologne, his groovy and powerful playing was expanded by this German hotspot’s sensitive musical style, which expanded his music with an important versatility. He studied with Gerry Hemingway, Frank Gratkowski, Jonas Burgwinkel and many more. In addition to The Great Harry Hillman, Mahnig plays with the Zooom Trio, Die Fichten, and Tamara Lukasheva Quartett. He has performed with Mark Dresser, Simon Nabatov, Robert Landfermann, Matthias Schubert and numerous other artists. In 2013, Mahnig was awarded Germany’s Wilhelm-Fabry price Hilden for a strong creative statement.

1. Snoezelen (5:14)
2. Strengen denkt an (4:29)
3. The New Fragrance (5:52)
4. 354° (6:53) 
5. Agnes fliegt (5:05)
6. Remazing Ace (7:04)
7. How to Dice an Onion (4:11)
8. Moustache (4:08)

The Great Harry Hillman
Nils Fischer: reeds 
David Koch: guitar, efx
Samuel Huwyler: bass
Dominik Mahnig: drums

Compositions by: Nils Fischer (1, 8), Dominik Mahnig (2, 5), 
David Koch (3, 4, 6), Samuel Huwyler (7)

Recorded at Suburban Sound Winterthur
Recorded and mixed by Manuel Egger, November 2016 
Mastered by Greg Calbi - Sterling Sound NYC
Artwork by Samuel Huwyler (humusartwork.ch) 
Supporting foundations: Stadt Luzern FUKA-Fonds, Aargauer Kuratorium, Regionalkonferenz Kultur Region Luzern, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia

Harry loves you