Joy Ellis - Life on Land (2017)

Life On Land is the debut jazz album by Joy Ellis. The album features Joy's original compositions and reflects her passion for jazz, her love of groove and dance music, her classical roots as a pianist and the mournful, soulful aspects of being a singer-songwriter.

1. From Dusk Till Dawn 04:45

2. The Jazzman 05:09

3. Here In The Quiet 05:15

4. Life On Land 07:37

5. Veteran 05:23

6. What Got Lost Along The Way 03:54

7. Refugee 05:43

8. Ellington Said 05:43

9. When The Snows Fall 05:01

10. Be Kind 04:51

11. The City 06:48

Joy Ellis - piano/Rhodes/voice

Rob Luft - guitar

Henrik Jensen - double bass

Adam Osmianski - drums

James Copus - flugelhorn (tracks 4 & 10)

Binker Golding - tenor saxophone (tracks 2 & 8)

Marco von Orelli / Max E. Keller / Sheldon Suter - Blow, Strike & Touch (hatOLOGY 2017)

Manuel Valera Trio - The Seasons (MAVO RECORDS 2017)

Was there a closet ‘renaissance man’ just waiting to jump out of Manuel Valera? Probably so, but although his recording of The Seasons references Vivaldi’s eternal series of four concerti making up The Four Seasons there is little to link the two works other than the title of Valera’s suite. This centrepiece of the recording is a series of four single-movement pieces and Manuel Valera’s playing is spirited and eloquently ornamented and serves its referenced mentor well. It ends there, however. “The Seasons” is a dark suite where the composer (and performer/pianist and his trio) visits several states of mind that change from expectation then hopeful, melancholic and finally foreboding, capturing the mood of the times, as it were, in the Americas and, indeed, the world. As such it is not only the single most ambitious work by Manuel Valera, but certainly his most breathtaking performance.

Within the framework of The Seasons are seven other pieces of varying mood and scale. Not all of them are composed by Manuel Valera, but they all signify changing times in the life and times of the pianist. Valera has always seemed to lean into the idiom of Jazz as he sought to forge the distinctive of his own. In his idiosyncratic and exploratory style his music has become thematically more challenging and boldly expressive, slipping the Afro-Cuban mooring ever so gently with each new recording. At its heart his music will always retain that cultural topography but now Manuel Valera seems less beholden to inner clave. This ‘breaking free’ to express himself may lead him back to his roots at any time; who can tell? For now, however Valera is putting on another skin. And he does wear this one rather well.

There is an easy swing in all of the work on The Seasons. It is clear from the ever-so-spritely song, “Opening” that this music is going to demand the listener’s undivided attention. Turn away and you might miss something extraordinary. With characteristically expressive pianism, Manuel Valera reveals a profoundly thoughtful side to his music. “In the Eye of the Beholder”, for instance, is framed with rhapsodic harmonic and rhythmic elements around which the riveting expressiveness of the melody takes flight. “Tres Palabras”, the only Cuban song is at once dreamy, yet crisply modern, complex yet rich in space and silence. In dramatic contrast is movement IV of “The Seasons – Winter”, in which there is an almost unbearable, icy tenderness that leads, in turn, to “What is This Thing Called Love”, a perfect vehicle to set up the album finale, Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”.

In solo performances there is absolutely no room for error and this is much the same with duos and trios. However, Manuel Valera has assembled two extraordinary virtuoso players: Hans Glawischnig on bass and E.J Strickland on drums. Both musicians deliver harmony and rhythm with relaxed grace and total lack of vanity; for they are musicians who just happen to play bass and drums respectively. And while both Glawischnig and Strickland are dazzling virtuosos they conjure tonal colours and expression through eye-popping articulation and deeply-felt emotion. It’s almost impossible to think how this performance would have sounded with other musicians on board and it is fortunate, indeed, that this is not the case.

Opening

In the Eye of the Beholder

Tres Palabras

Hopeful

In My Life

MOV I-Spring

MOV II- Summer

MOV III-Fall

MOV IV-Winter

What Is This Thing Called Love

Hallelujah

Manuel Valera: piano

Hans Glawischnig: acoustic bass

E.J. Strickland: drums

Miles Davis and His Quintet – Miles and His Quintet (2017)

1. Just Squeeze Me (Miles Davis And His Quintet) 07:29

2. There Is No Greater Love (Miles Davis And His Quintet) 05:21

3. How Am I To Know (Miles Davis And His Quintet) 04:41

4. S'Posin (Miles Davis And His Quintet) 05:17

5. The Theme (Miles Davis And His Quintet) 05:51

6. Stablemates (Miles Davis And His Quintet) 05:20

João Paulo Esteves da Silva / Mario Franco / Samuel Rohrer - Brightbird (ARJUNAMUSIC RECORDS 2017)

This balanced music has no need to pound or harass. It develops its strength from congenial casualness. Improvised bagatelles add together to form an unobtrusive bath of sound because no-one feels the need to exhibit their virtuosity. This creates a magical triangle.

1. The Fireplace 05:45

2. Sun 04:51

3. Trusting Heart/Cosmos 05:53

4. Renewal 05:21

5. Winter 03:53

6. Bird 05:38

7. Noontide 04:53

8. Waking 02:35

9. Uncertain Steps 04:23

10. Oldness 06:06

11. There Were Shadows 05:00

12. Waves 03:39

13. So Much Water So Much Green 04:04

João Paulo Esteves da Silva – piano

Mario Franco – double bass

Samuel Rohrer – drums

All music composed by Esteves da Silva, Franco, Rohrer

Recording, Mix and Mastering at Studio La Buissonne, France

Layout and graphic design by Ian Anderson, The Designers Republic

Hot Club De Norvege – Stardust (2017)

Det er fire år siden forrige turné med Hot Club de Norvège i Nord-Norge. Kvartetten er pionerer innen string-swing og Django-musikk i vårt land. Tusenvis av mennesker har de gledet gjennom årene. Bli med på eventyret – hør en av Norges lengstlevende grupper! Skikkelig Djangomusikk med Hot Club de i Skarvens lokaler; en scene gruppen liker og har spilt på mange ganger.

1: On The Sunny Side Of The Street

2: Kvalsundet

3: Ved Rondane

4: Blessed Relief

5: Webster

6: The Bear And The Strawberry Tree

7: Jersey Bounce

8: Stardust

9: It Had To Be You

10: Meanwhile, Down On Earth

11: That's Why They Call Me Shine

12: Dream Of You

Jon Larsen, Gildas Le Pape og Stian Vågen Nilsen, gitarer

Finn Hauge, fiolin/munnspill

Svein Aarbostad, bass

Carlos Malta & Thomas Clausen - Dreamland (SUNDANCE MUSIC 2017)

Their congenial musicianship and pure joy is contagious as they give well-known tunes their unique special treatment. Even the old ragtime piece Tiger Rag receives a shot of baiao rhythm and Jobim’s One Note Samba is spiced up. But most of the compositions are originals written by the two featured musicians. Thomas Clausen’s pieces are colored by his work in the many various jazz styles and European music, while Carlos Malta’s tunes have that unmistakable Brazilian sound, that special rhythmic lilt and unique coloration – an ethnic texture with references to the wealth of music from the country of his birth.

The Brazilian saxophone and flute virtuoso and Danish pianist and composer began their duo collaboration during the 2016 Copenhagen Jazz Festival and continued in 2017. DREAMLAND was recorded in two days at the Nilento Studio in Gothenburg. They are joined on several tracks by Brazilian bassist Romulo Duarte (known from his work with Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento and others) and the everpresent Swedish (but Danish resident) drummer Niclas Campagnol.

Carlos Malta is a saxophone and flute virtuoso from Rio de Janeiro. He is one of Brazil’s most popular musicians known from Hermeto Pascoal’s band and his own group Pife Muderno. He often collaborates with several of Brazil’s top vocalists and composers including Edu Lobo and Milton Nascimento.  He has appeared on an impressive list of recordings as a sideman and in his own name.

Thomas Clausen is a Danish pianist and composer. He has led his own groups with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Alex Riel, Jesper Lundgaard and Peter Danemo, and collaborated closely with Gary Burton, Steve Swallow, Billy Hart, Palle Mikkelborg and many others. In 1997 he started his Brazilian Quartet with Fernando de Marco (b), Afonso Correa (d) and Jan Zum Vohrde (as, fl). Later Teco Cardo Cardoso and Lea Freire from Sao Paolo joined on horns.

Shadows

Fanfare

3 no Samba

After The Metronome

Tiger Rag

Nippon

Under The Strawberry Moon

One Or More

Logum Ede

Nocturne

Toy Joy

Dreamland

Thomas Clausen (p)

Carlos Maltas (ts, ss, fl, mm)

Romulo Duarte (b)

Niclas Campagnol (d)

Eero Koivistoinen Quartet - Illusion (SVART RECORDS 2017)

Illusion is the second recording of Eero Koivistoinen Quartet for Svart Records after the quartet’s debut Hati Hati. The ensemble has worked together for five years, performing at festivals and clubs in Finland and the USA.

Playing together for 5 years has made the ensemble tight and the interplay is happening. All members of the quartet are recording artists and playing busy in many other combinations as well. Drummer Jussi Lehtonen is making his Svart Records debut at the same time with his Quintet recording Move On. Pianist Alexi Tuomarila released recently his second trio album Kingdom on Edition Records. Bass player Jori Huhtala just finished recording with his new trio Jori Huhtala 3.

The title tune Illusion is a new composition in a lyrical atmosphere. Big 5 is named after 5 African game animals, the time signature is also 5/4. Eero is playing soprano sax. What animal is this? Maybe a leopard. Catalonia is a melody from a suite El Viejo Almacen for a big band. First in rubato and then modal vamping in 6/4

Straight Up is one of the most popular tunes that Eero ever wrote. There is also a big band version of it on Arctic Blues / Umo Jazz Orchestra / Svart album. Is Blue In Green composed by Miles Davis or Bill Evans? My vote is Evans. This is a soprano sax & piano duet from an earlier Hati Hati session. Hallanvaara’s melodic motives can be found in a song Harmaaparta, Hallanvaara. It is based on a poem by famous Hannu Salama. The composition has a dark and free feeling starting with the famous big gong of the studio.

This recording session was the last one made in the famous M1 Studio of YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company). The title Goodbye M1 is dedicated to the studio where I myself and so many others have had a number sessions and memorable moments during the 35 years that this sidewise largest studio in Finland was still active.

There is a palpable sense of honesty, thought, experience and commitment that is apparent from the first note.

Dave Liebman

Eero Koivistoinen has been one of the most constantly creative saxophonists, composers, and band leaders I’ve known through the years.. He is always developing and documenting music that is full of his beautiful honest expression… I’m a big fan…

Joe Lovano

Eero Koivistoinen is truly a legend in Finnish jazz or as the current terminology would have it,

a genuine ‘local hero’. He really deserves much greater recognition across Europe…

Stuart Nicholson

Illusion 6.04

Big Five 5.02

Catalonia 7.32

Straight Up 5.31

Blue In Green 3.51

Hallanvaara 5.48

Goodbye M1 6.09

Eero Koivistoinen tenor and soprano sax

Alexi Tuomarila piano

Jori Huhtala bass

Jussi Lehtonen drums

Dave Brubeck: Live with the LSO (feat. Darius Brubeck, Chris Brubeck, Matthew Brubeck, Dan Brubeck, Bobby Militello & Alec Dankworth) London Symphony Orchestra, Dave Brubeck & Russell Gloyd (2017)

This is a rather unique release by Dave Brubeck because it features the veteran pianist/composer with four of his sons, saxophonist Bobby Militello, and bassist Alec Dankworth, along with the London Symphony Orchestra in a concert played not long after his 80th birthday in December 2000. Unlike many jazz meets symphony affairs, this is a truly integrated effort that succeeds very well. Brubeck arranged "Chorale" (a powerful classical work primarily featuring the strings); Darius Brubeck, who is also featured on piano, contributed the arrangements for both "Summer Music" and "Blue Rondo à la Turk," demonstrating considerable skill in his writing for strings, as well as an original dedicated to his father, the tense and occasionally rockish "Four Score in Seven." The pianists' late brother, Howard Brubeck, scored the ever-popular "In Your Own Sweet Way" (a feature for Matthew Brubeck's lyrical cello) and the moving "Brandenberg Gate Revisited."

Chris Brubeck (heard on both bass trombone and fretless electric bass) arranged the snappy "A Salute to the Count," which briefly touches upon several pieces associated with Count Basie, and also the catchy "Unsquare Dance," a longtime favorite which he plays when leading his own groups. The inevitable "Take Five," arranged by conductor Russell Gloyd (Brubeck's longtime manager), leads off with Bobby Militello's exuberant alto sax before giving way to the patriarch of the Brubeck clan and wrapping with youngest son, Dan's climatic drum solo. All of the musicians are in top form; this memorable concert is well-worth acquiring.

1 Summer Music (Arr. Darius Brubeck) 6:35

2 In Your Own Sweet Way (Arr. Howard Brubeck) 5:56

3 A Salute to the Count (The Basie Band Is Back in Town) [Arr. Chris Brubeck] 7:45

4 Chorale 10:36

5 Blue Rondo À La Turk (Arr. Darius Brubeck) 6:26

6 Four Score in Seven 7:31

7 Brandenburg Gate, Revisited (Arr. Howard Brubeck) 15:50

8 Take Five (Arr. Russell Gloyd) 9:22

9 Unsquare Dance (Arr. Chris Brubeck) 4:18

Chris Brubeck Arranger, Bass (Electric), Trombone (Bass)

Dan Brubeck Drums

Darius Brubeck Arranger, Composer, Piano

Dave Brubeck Arranger, Composer, Leader, Piano, Primary Artist

Howard Brubeck Arranger

Matthew Brubeck Cello

Alec Dankworth Bass, Double Bass

Paul Desmond Composer

Tony Faulkner Editing

Russell Gloyd Arranger, Conductor

London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra, Primary Artist)

James Mallinson Producer

Bobby Militello Flute, Sax (Alto)

Stuart Nicholson Liner Notes

David Redfern Photography

Jack Renner Engineer

Alyn Shipton Liner Notes

Arturo Serra - Locomotive (FRESH SOUND RECORDS 2017)

Arturo Serra fue el primer vibrafonista en toda España que se atrevió a adentrarse en el complejo mundo del jazz. Artista entre dos mares, trabaja como Profesor Músico de la Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga desde hace más de veinte años y es uno de los docentes más considerados en los cursos de jazz que se imparten en toda España. 

Él se define como “un músico que nada entre dos mundos, el clásico y el jazz”. Lo cierto es que este inquieto vibrafonista compagina los concietos que ofrece dentro de la orquesta de Málaga con actuaciones de jazz en las que ha compartido escenario con músicos muy reconocidos, nacionales e internaciones, de la talla de Jerry Bergonzy, Dave Santoro, Joe Magnarelli, Dick Oatss, David Pastor, Juan Galiardo, Pedro Cortejosa, Miquel Casany, Albert Palau, Perico Sambeat, Francisco Blanco Latino y un largo etcétera. 

01. Dual Force (Buster Williams) 7:58

02. El Gaucho (Wayne Shorter) 4:31

03. I Waited for You (J.J. Johnson) 6:06

04. L’s Bop (Lenny White) 4:10

05. Locomotive (Thelonious Monk) 5:50

06. Wild Flower (Wayne Shorter) 6:42

07. Little Melonae (Jackie McLean) 7:13

08. Rounder’s Mood (Booker Little) 4:53

09. So Far, So Near (Bennie Green) 7:01

10. Giant Steps (John Coltrane) 6:00

Arturo Serra (vibes)

Enrique Oliver (tenor sax)

José Carra (piano)

Bori Albero (bass)

Ramon Prats (drums)

Recorded at FJR Studios, Granada, December 3, 2015

Recording engineer: Fernando J. Romero

Photos by Luis Tentor

Album artwork: Margot Coca

Produced by Arturo Serra

Executive Producer: Jordi Pujol

DIJF SANDERS - JAVA (Album released 8th December via W.E.R.F. RECORDS)

DIJF SANDERS

‘JAVA’

Album released 8th December via W.E.R.F.

LP/CD

Belgian musician Dijf Sanders pens and produces soundtracks for distant, far-flung places that brood with exotica, psychedelia, jazz and electronica.

His new album ‘JAVA’, is a psychedelic and modern search for the sounds of the homonymous Indonesian island. Armed with a set of field recorders, Dijf traveled to every urban and rural corner of Indonesia in the spring of this year.

As a contemporary incarnation of ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, he collected an impressive repertory of recordings, commissioned by the Europalia Arts Festival and KAAP Creative Compass.

‘Kacapi’, ‘Kendang’, ‘Angklung’, ‘Calung’ or ‘Gamelan’ are not the names of indigenous tropical diseases by the way, but those of local instruments that Dijf encountered on his adventurous musical quest.

For two weeks the American expert ethnographer Palmer Keen stood by Dijf through his total immersion into the island’s colourful culture and rich, ceremonial traditions.

On his return to Belgium, Dijf headed straight back into the studio with the gathered material and invited some of his musical soulmates to put the icing on the cake. It is no coincidence that the three guests – Nathan Daems, Filip Vandebril and Simon Segers – are all part of Black Flower, a band that famously flirts with Oriental sounds.

From hours and hours of field recordings, Dijf distilled ten psychedelic pieces which ride on waves of ecstasy and trance, and bridge the gap between two worlds. Tribal rhythms and warm melodies are fused to a seamless and beautiful musical work in utopia.

The Brugge-born, Gentbrugge-based musician is one of those great Flemish talents. In the past, he earned his stripes with Teddiedrum and The Violent Husbands and has produced bands like Kenji Minogue and Blackie & The Oohoos. He has also released music under his own name including the critically acclaimed album ‘Moonlit Planetarium’.

Welcome to Dijf Sanders' wonderful journey into future exotica.

Arnan Raz: Chains Of stories release date

Chains Of Stories Is coming out 2/2/2018

I am excited to share with you the official release date for my upcoming album “Chains Of Stories”. I hope you will find time to buy/stream it once it is out. 

If you want to be updated about everything that is going on regarding the new album and shows, a great way to do it is follow me on Facebook and Instagram. 

Arnan