Walter Smith III - Twio (WHIRLWIND RECORDINGS February 16, 2018)

The joyful freedom of Ferde Grofé’s ‘On the Trail’ captures precisely the intended spirit of Walter Smith III’s new album Twio. Collaborating closely with established colleagues in double bassist Harish Raghavan and drummer Eric Harland, the ​Texas-native, California-based tenor saxophonist & composer presents his own illuminating vision of the saxophone trio while also inviting, along the way, guest appearances by Joshua Redman (tenor saxophone) and Christian McBride (double bass). 

Working and touring for the last fifteen years, playing multi-layered compositions in different configurations with artists such as Terence Blanchard,​ Roy Haynes,​ Sean Jones, Ambrose Akinmusire and with his own bands, Smith also began to revisit classic jazz songs. He elaborates: “I would try and alter tunes quite radically by rearranging, reharmonizing and altering meters to a point where I was barely playing the original song; but realized that I was confusing the point of playing the songs, so I began to interpret them more directly, as they were first meant to be played. For this album, out of around twenty recorded songs, I chose nine pieces that I have a particular relationship with and have always loved playing, including some which are maybe less frequently heard”. 

While that concept appears straightforward, this recording (the saxophonist’s fifth as leader) reveals much about the ultra-confidence and musicality which these established players bring to the table, entering the studio to intuitively share ideas and discover uncharted paths. Taking sparkling dual-tenor feature ‘Contr​a​fact’ as an illustration (crafted around ‘Like Someone in Love’, but in a five meter), Smith explains: “I simply sent Josh the melody and we showed up and played... With no rehearsal, it was just ‘OK, here we go’; and that’s what I wanted for this project – just fun and live; an open sound without a chordal instrument defining the harmony, rhythm or direction. I had ideas for endings, for example, but on once instance after I had said to Christian, “We’ll close it like this”, when we got to that point he did something different which was perfect because it helped the music feel loose. We were all receptive to that organic process”. 

Here, Thelonious Monk’s ‘Ask Me Now’ waltzes and trips through “a million chord changes”, Smith ever the ebullient, characterful melodicist; then Harish Raghavan’s pacey, bass propulsion of the popular Jerome Kern ‘Showboat’ tune, ‘Nobody Else But Me’, is embellished by Harland’s coruscating percussion. Sammy Fein’s amiable ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ becomes buoyed by McBride’s clear, strutting bass; and the evergreen groove of Wayne Shorter’s ‘Adam’s Apple’ is fascinating in fizzing drum-featured trio guise. Two duo spots offer Carl Fischer’s ‘We’ll Be Together Again’ for sax and drums (“one of the best A-sections of a song ever written”) and a blithe sax-and-bass promenade on Gigi Gryce’s ‘Social Call’. Jimmy Rowles’ ‘The Peacocks’ is bathed in luscious tenor sonorities, and that Dayna Stephens arrangement of ‘On the Trail’ is a six-minute wonder as Smith and Redman josh genially across the rhythm section. 

“I was pleased that Twio ended up being so close to what I wanted it be”, enthuses Smith. “It was unlike any other recording I've done, because there was nothing for me to actually prepare other than go along to the studio, play and hang out. The point of the album is ‘community’ – normally when we tour with original music, it's hard to invite people up on the stage to join the band because they are simply unfamiliar with that particular repertoire that I or someone else in the group has written. This project represents something that everyone of all levels can relate to because it presents familiar and accessible songs that we've all grown up playing. The plan is that when we tour, I’ll use that opportunity to invite the community to come sit in, have fun, and share ideas, which I imagined this music was all about in the first place.”

1 Ask Me Now (feat. Eric Harland & Harish Raghavan)

2 Nobody Else but Me (feat. Eric Harland & Harish Raghavan)

3 On the Trail (feat. Joshua Redman, Christian McBride & Eric Harland)

4 We'll Be Together Again (feat. Eric Harland)

5 I'll Be Seeing You (feat. Christian McBride & Eric Harland)

6 Adam's Apple (feat. Eric Harland & Harish Ragavan)

7 The Peacocks (feat. Eric Harland & Harish Raghavan)

8 Social Call (feat. Christian McBride)

9 Contrafact (feat. Joshua Redman, Christian McBride & Eric Harland)

Walter Smith III - tenor saxophone 

Harish Raghaven - bass (1, 2, 6 & 7) 

Eric Harland - drums 

Special guests 

Christian McBride - bass (3, 5, 8 & 9) 

Joshua Redman - tenor saxophone (3 & 9) 

Recorded at Sear Sound and GSI Studios by Chris Allen 

Mixed by Chris Allen 

Mastered by Paul Blakemore 

Produced by Chris Dunn 

Executive Producer for Whirlwind Recordings - Michael Janisch 

Original design by Julian Montague 

Photography by Jati Lindsay

FEB 2018 Walter Smith ‘Twio’ Launch Dates

12 – 606 Club, London, England

13 – Porgy n Bess – Vienna, Austria

14 – Jazzclub Unterfahrt – Munich, Germany

15 – Birmingham Conservatoire + East Side Jazz Club – Birmingham, England

16 – Sunset Jazz Club – Paris, France

17 – Sunset Jazz Club – Paris, France

18 – Unity Jazz Club – Göteborg, Sweden

Tamuz Nissim - Echo of a Heartbeat (February 1st, 2018)

For her third album, Tamuz has concentrated on songs from the jazz repertoire (adding some lyrics of her own to “Groovin’ High” and “Fried Bananas,” as well as a vocalese on“Smile.”) Produced by Nissim and bassist Harvie S, the record is a journey through the heart as it experiences that crazylovely little thing called love: its rhythms, upswings, downbeats... echoes.Three of the tracks, as in her first two fine efforts (The Music Stays In A Dream,Liquid Melodies), are originals: “My World”, a luscious, lilting ballad; “In The Melody Shade,” hitting right in Nissim’s melodic wheelhouse, with lyrics inspired by the Israeli modernist poet, Yehuda Amichai; and the title track, “Echo of a Heartbeat,” which invites you to dive headlong into its groove, swim around awhile, and get lifted up on the bridge supplied by George Nazos’ haunting guitar. Dexter Gordon’s “Fried Bananas” is held down by the rhythm section while the other cats make the time to fly and swing.

As Dexter would say: “Bananas are bananas except when they’re fried!” “Just Squeeze Me,” set off by Harvie S’ compelling basslines, turns Lee Gaines’ tune on its head: is this a plea, lament, command, request, mocking rebuff? Meanwhile, one is unprepared for Tamuz’s take on Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle.” We’ve had loads of popular songs reworked into a jazz idiom, but Nissim’s phrasing, not to mention James Weidman’s jaunty piano work, renders this into something else entirely.

The melancholy behind the vocals, the doleful downbeat infused with the uplift in the keys, unearths the song’s inherent conflict, that unreachable-reachable if only. Dizzy Gillespie’s “Groovin’ High,” is also taken to another place, a rare, minimalist track on the album, exclusively bass and vocals. One doesn’t know who accompanies whom here, the scatting and the plucking are so perfectly integrated. And it doesn’t matter: It’s mornin’, baby, get to work.

The meaning of life indeed. After a swingin’ version of Harry M. Wood’s classic “What A Little Moonlight Can Do” (to paraphrase Mr. Rawls: “It ain’t easy to swing, but those who can, make it look that way”); Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile,” which Nazos takes into flamenco territory, closes out the album. One can envision the Little Tramp himself doing a slow spinning solo to this, his coattails dragging behind as the credits roll.

The temptation here is to say that the musicians on this release are a “bonus” that augment Tamuz’s sublime vocals. But that would be an inaccurate representation of this thoroughly seamless ensemble. (And believe me, as a show host on a New Orleans radio station, I’ve come to know a little bit about seamless ensembles.) All the players are accomplished performers who have worked with a host of remarkable vocalists: Bassist Harvie S, with Sheila Jordan, pianist James Weidman with Abbey Lincoln;s band and Tony Jefferson, who has a resume as long as his two arms, not only kills with the sticks but is a great singer himself. Then there is George Nazos, whose guitar work has lent an essential element to Nissim’s music for the last ten years. 

"Originals that are so smart they can bend light. . "  C Michael Bailey, All About Jazz

"Scatting, swinging, singing and working her way into your heart as well as your ears, the vocal/guitar duo at the core of this show knows what are they are doing and where they want to go. A deceptively simple date, the skill and chops that go into making this all work are quite impressive indeed. "  Chris Spector Midwest record

“If words could make wishes come true,” goes the lyric in Croce’s. Well, as I was saying before, you don’t need words. The songs here should do the trick. But maybe just one word, from Tamuz’ home city of Tel Aviv, might suffice: Sababa! " Dean Ellis - host of Tudo Bem, and The Dean’s List on WWOZ-FM, 90.7 New Orleans

Tamuz Nissim - vocals

James Weidman - piano

Harvie S - bass

Tony Jefferson - drums

Special guest : George Nazos - guitar

Produced by Harvie S and Tamuz Nissim

Published by streetofstars : tamuznissim.wixsite.com

Recorded at Trading 8s By Chris Sulit

Mixed by David Kowalski and Harvie S  

mastered by David Kowalski.

Photography and video - Nick Carter

Graphic design - Christopher Drukker

BIO

NYC based- Israeli Jazz singer, composer and pianist Tamuz Nissim is described by Athens Digital as “a proof that jazz is a living art and that stars are still being born” . She is performing often in New York City Jazz clubs and in March 2017 she published her latest CD “Liquid Melodies” , a common project with guitarist George Nazos. The CD received great reviews from the press and was broadcasted in more than a hundred radio stations in the States and more around the world.

Her debut CD “The Music Stays in a Dream” (2013) featuring her original compositions was presented in radio stations world wide and in several festivals such as the Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival, the Preveza Jazz Festival, the Montofoli Festival and the Tinos Jazz Festival. Her performances won warm reactions from the audience and the press, describing Tamuz as a “very charismatic artist” (BHMagazino), “a voice that caresses your soul” and “a proof that jazz is a living art and that stars are still being born” (Athens Digital). “An extremely gifted jazz singer that is bringing in her debut album a lot of freshness.” (Third Ear, Israel) Also her composition “Broken Promises” has been featured in the Greek Jazz & jazz magazine CD collection “Summer jazz Flirt ”.

​Born in Tel Aviv ,Tamuz grew up in an artistic family; her mother is a dancer and a choreographer and her father is a writer. Both of them play an instrument and have a great love for classical and jazz music. She started playing classical piano at the age of 6; Started to sing when she was 14 and was accepted to the Jazz music department of the Ironi Alef High School of the Arts. Her high school band appeared twice at an open stage at the Tel Aviv Jazz Festival. At this time she won twice a scholarship from the American Israeli Art Foundation. By the age of 16, Israeli jazz giants such as Ofer Ganor, Amos Hofman and Shay Zelman had recognized her potential and performed with her. In 2005 she sang in the soundtrack of Ilan Heitner’s movie ‘Bruno in Love’

She moved to the Netherlands in 2007 to study at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Den Haag; from there she received a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts, voice and side  subject piano. In the Netherlands she met musicians from around the world and started collaborating with the guitarist Giorgos Nazos, the bassist Vassilis Stefanopoulos and the pianist Francesca Tandoi, with whom she later recorded her debut CD. In Holland besides many performances at the local Jazz clubs she also performed at the Amsterdam Israeli flm Festival “Filmisreal” 2011 and her composition 'Shir' was featured in the Record “Love, Live ,Listen 2 - The Hague playlist” . In 2013 she performed at Holon Women's Festival in Israel, a common project with singer Martha Mavroidi. In 2015 was chosen as a fnalist at "Riga Jazz Stage international vocal competition" and performed at "Riga Ritmis" International Jazz Festival in 2016.

​In 2015 Tamuz moved to New York City where she performs regularly at clubs such as Cornelia Street Cafe, Club Bonafde, The ShapeShifter Lab, Silvana, Cafe Vivaldi, Whynot Jazz Room, The Flatiron Room and many more. She was invited to participate in an International Jazz day concert as part of the Atlanta Jazz Festival 2017; She was also invited by artistic director and award wining pianist Ted Rosenthal to perform at the Riverdale Y theater in an event including Jazz giants bassist Harvie S, vibraphonist Mark Sherman and legendary drummer Louis Hayes. From this event he started a fruitful collaboration of performances with bassist Harvie S and a tour with him and with trombonist Willie Applewhite in Israel and Greece the Summer of 2017.

Whether she is leading her own group or invited by fellow musicians she manages to captivate the audience and add her personal touch to the music.

www.tamuzmusic.com

Desidério Lázaro - Moving (SINTOMA RECORDS January 24, 2018)

Desidério Lázaro, renown sax player and considered one of the best portuguese jazz musicians, returns to the recordings after the successful "Subtractive Colors" (2015, Sintoma Records). In this record he plays in quartet, with João Firmino on the guitar, Francisco Brito on bass, and Joel Silva on drums.

“Moving” is a record about journeys, an eclectic mix of musical genres and emotional breakthroughs. Hence, from the energetic tune "Moving" to the serene "Introspective", from the homages to father ("Hidden Pain") and son ("Lullaby"), it's impossible not to get acquainted with this music that, even though mixes jazz and rock, is becoming more and more cinematographic.

Desidério Lázaro, reconhecido saxofonista e tido como um dos melhores músicos de jazz português, regressa às gravações em nome próprio. Neste disco apresenta-se em quarteto, fazendo-se acompanhar de João Firmino, nas guitarras, Francisco Brito, nos baixos, e Joel Silva, na bateria.

«Moving» é um disco de viagens, temporais e físicas, uma soma eclética de géneros e estados emocionais, algo a que o saxofonista algarvio já nos habitou. Assim, desde o enérgico tema homónimo «Moving» ao sereno «Introspective», passando pelas homenagens a pai («Hidden Pain») e filho («Lullaby»), é impossível não se relacionar com esta música que, embora polvilhada de jazz e rock em doses repartidas, se quer cada vez mais cinematográfica e envolvente.

O quinto álbum de música original do saxofonista Desidério Lázaro, «Moving», chega-nos no início de 2018, sob o selo da editora independente Sintoma Records.

Desidério Lázaro - sax

João Firmino - guitar

Francisco Brito - bass

Joel Silva - drums

Théo Ceccaldi / FREAKS - Amanda Dakota (February 2, 2018)

Mais qui est donc cette "Amanda Dakota"? Bien plus qu'une créature, le mirage d'une liberté furieuse et créatrice, imaginé par une horde de bêtes sauvages qui nous embarque dans un road movie à la Kerouac, un Easy Rider percutant des temps modernes, oscillant entre fuite romantique et contestation utopique sur fond de jazz punk épique.

Avec ses contrastes de sonorités tour à tour nerveuses, mordantes, légères, tendues, éclatantes, brillantes ou acérées, Théo Ceccaldi est devenu en peu de temps une des figures indispensables de la scène européenne actuelle.

"Théo Ceccaldi joue du violon avec une maestria qui renouvelle ce dont on croyait capable l’instrument." Michel Contat - Télérama

1. Tchou Tchou  5'04

2. Botox  0'13

3. Amanda Dakota  4'21

4. Coquette Rocket  3'54

5. Nu sur le Rivage  7'03

6. Escalator Over the Bill  7'23

7. Bingo Mazout  3'45

8. Oh mon Dieu  6'43

9. Henry m’a Tuer  5'34

10. Bonne Nuit Madame  3'10

Théo Ceccaldi violon, claviers, voix

Benjamin Dousteyssier saxophone alto & baryton

Quentin Biardeau saxophone ténor, claviers

Giani Caserotto guitare électrique

Valentin Ceccaldi violoncelle, horizoncelle 

Etienne Ziemniak batterie

Dom Farkas voix sur "Bingo Mazout"

Toutes les compositions sont de Théo Ceccaldi 

Tous les Textes sont de Robin Mercier

Enregistré par Mathieu Pion et

Pierre-Emmanuel Mériaud aux Studios MidiLive, Villetaneuse du 6 au 9 février 2017

Mixé au Studio Csolfa par Mathieu Pion

Masterisé par Pierre-Emmanuel Mériaud

ArtWork par Céline Martin

Graphisme et photos par Jean-Pascal Retel

Co-production Tricollectif, Théo Ceccaldi, Odile Vilmer et Bruno Vanryb

nOx.3 & Linda Oláh - Inget Nytt. (ILONA RECORDS February 2, 2018)

nOx.3 réunit depuis 2013 le saxophoniste Rémi Fox, le pianiste Matthieu Naulleau et le batteur Nicolas Fox autour du même souhait de faire du jazz une musique résolument ancrée dans le présent. Toujours à l'affût de nouveaux sons, le groupe se nourrit aussi bien des musiques dites savantes que populaires, les détournant pour en faire leur terrain de jeu.

Grâce à leur collaboration avec l’ingénieur du son Valérian Langlais, les trois musiciens génèrent des sons inspirés, faisant se croiser des improvisations purement “noxiennes” et des rythmes propres à la scène électro contemporaine. En résultent un premier EP en avril 2014 puis leur premier album enregistré en mars 2015 au studio La Buissonne avec les ingénieurs du son Gérard De Haro et Valérian Langlais. WAÏ NOX sortira six mois plus tard sur le label du Collectif Loo. La même année, nOx.3 est le groupe lauréat du tremplin RéZZo FOCAL de Jazz à Vienne, et rejoint de ce fait le label JazzVillage / harmonia mundi pour Nox Tape, enregistré à Lausanne au Studio du Flon avec Greg Dubuis en novembre 2015.

Poursuivant les recherches, nOx.3 s’associe fin 2016 à la chanteuse suédoise Linda Oláh. Née à Stockholm en 1988, cette dernière a d’abord exploré le chant par le biais de la comédie musicale et de l’opéra, deux écoles qui lui ont permis de donner à son interprétation une palette riche.

Artiste complète, elle modèle sa voix en véritable contorsionniste, entre cris, soupirs et craquements rauques, à la recherche de poésie. Ces facettes multiples lui permettent d’explorer des horizons éclectiques, d’une part en faisant se croiser Moondog et Kraftwerk avec le projet Cabaret Contemporain ou en intégrant des big bands – notamment Umlywood Orchestra. Elle se consacre également au répertoire contemporain et à la musique improvisée, en solo ou en groupe (BELLE/ Charles 313 / Luna Maze), mais aussi à des projets transdisciplinaires tels que A Consequence of Mergance avec les danseurs Toby Kassell (GB) et Ingeborg Zackariassen (NO).

Lauréate d’un prix du Comité National suédois des Arts et d’un prix de l’Académie Nationale de Musique de Stockholm, elle est diplômée, comme les autres membres du groupe, du CNSM de Paris. Ensemble, nOx.3 & Linda Oláh créent un nouveau son sur scène pour le projet Inget Nytt, où les boucles hypnotiques côtoient l’improvisation. Lauréats Jazz Migration

1 On y vache

2 Signs

3 Mid Descension

4 Le baiser

5 L’horizon

6 Light

7 Radio Édith 3:22

8 Nothing New

9 Du har ett nytt meddelande

10 Lucid Dream

11 Amiaman

12 Longtemps

13 Le silence

Linda Oláh - Voice and FX

Rémi Fox - Saxophones and FX

Matthieu Naulleau - Piano augmenté

Nicolas Fox - Drums and FX

Steve Hobbs - Tribute to Bobby (CHALLENGE RECORDS 19 January, 2018)

Marimba / vibes veteran Steve Hobbs releases his strongest release in his forty three year career on Challenge Records. The recording is centered mostly around cutting edge originals by Hobbs encompassing modern mainstream examples of post bop, Latin, Funk, Calypso, and more….arranged and performed with the typical creative and hard edged energy you are used to hearing on his past New York Recordings. Hobbs centered the music around marimba, dedicating the recording to his mentor and late friend Bobby Hutcherson.

This is the group’s third recording. It’s a hot all-star group consisting of Steve Hobbs / marimba and vibes, Adam Kolker / saxes, Bill O’Connell / piano, Peter Washington / bass and John Riley / drums. The groups first CD Spring Cycle, released in 2007 was nominated Jazz Recording of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association of America and made it to #3 on the Jazz Week Jazz Chart. Next in 2010 the group released the critically acclaimed Vibes Straight Up, which hit #1 on its second week of airplay on Jazz Week and remained at #1 for seven weeks!

"This album is a beautiful tribute to Bobby Hutcherson. The playing is masterful, the compositions beautiful, and show a Bobby Hutcherson influence - in essence, a heartfelt and touching tribute."  Ron Miller (pianist and composer for Stan Getz, Pat Metheny, Red Rodney, Joe Lavano, Gerry Bergonzi, Ira Sullivan, Jerry Coker, Bruce Hornsby and more).

"This is a top notch release by one of the very best vibes and marimba players around today, bar none. Great playing, great musicians, top quality sound and very attractive choice of material. Highly recommended!". Randy Johnston, guitarist for Lionel Hampton, Lou Donaldson, Jackie McLean, Etta Jones, Jack McDuff, Houston Person, Dr. Lonnie Smith and more.

“Steve Hobbs has long been one of the most talented, if underrated vibraphonists around.”  Scott Yanow, Jazz Times

“Hobbs sounds killin’!”  Mike Mainieri, award winning vibraphonist and producer

“I sure have enjoyed working several projects with Steve Hobbs; you can expect to hear lots more from him in the future.”  Kenny Barron, pianist

“Vibes Straight Up means swinging and also moving!”  John Ephland, Downbeat

1 The Craving Phenomenon  06:18

2 Into the Storm  06:23

3 Besame Mucho  06:02

4 New Creation  05:34

5 Tres Vias  05:47

6 Millie  07:36

7 Thelonious Funk  05:52

8 The Road to Happy Destiny  06:05

9 Blowing in the Wind  06:06

10 El Sueno de Horace Silver  05:15

11 In From the Storm  04:45

12 Let's Go to Abaco!  05:19

13 Where Or When  03:41

Steve Hobbs: marimba, vibraphone

Adam Kolker: tenor and soprano saxophones

Bill O’Connell: piano

Peter Washington: bass

John Riley: drums

Carol Ingbretsen, Maurice Myers, Marvin Thorne: vocals

DV Wright - Passage (2018)

The last several years have been very exciting, productive and busy for Dave. He is an active member of two active groups and is involved in several new album releases! Including a release due out in 2018 which was recorded at the famed Fantasy recording studios in Berkeley CA.

His latest “solo” release, Passage is an eclectic mix of “Jazz”, including Vocals, Modal, Latin Jazz, ECM and Modern. He thinks it’s his best effort yet!

This follows on the heals of his past release, a traditional jazz/latin release “Warmin’ Up” which you can check out and is doing great streaming on Pandora!

Other recent releases include several groups Dave is a member of including Phonograph Team Project, Morph, which received a glowing review from AllAboutJazz. “Phonograph Team Project has knocked one out right out of the park with Morph” – Tyran Grillo (All About Jazz)

Also, the Oakland California based, Orbital Quintet just released their debut album, Vol. 1 with very positive results.

Other notable releases include the now defunct “Cache”, Cache was an ongoing top recommended pick of CDBaby editors Cachet.

On the local gig front Dave has been really lucky to have been involved in recent underground jazz scene at “Berkeley Birdland Jazzista Social Club” in Berkeley California. With fellow musicians Eric Allen and Paul Lynch, drums and bass respectively, Dave was a core member of this original group and helped launched this bit of Berkeley lore. He is very thankful to have benefitted from weekly performances here for several years!

From his initial early training on classical guitar and his early pianistic attempts of trying copy Keith Jarrett (Koln Concert), “I would get inspired and sit at the piano and try to play and emulate the feeling of the “Koln” concerts”.

To his time spent living in Vermont, Boston, Chicago, New York playing everything from Hip Hop to Rock, backing singer-songwriters and being present in musical theatre orchestras, To his years spent playing and learning jazz, absorbing and appreciating the many sub genres of Jazz. Including Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, Pat Metheny, Kenny Burrell, Grant Green and Wes Montgomery. (To this day, in his appreciation of Wes Montgomery and Kevin Eubanks, Dave employs the use of his thumb and fingers exclusively, in place of a ‘pick’)

So although being a late bloomer, getting a late start in music at age 15, Dave is having more fun than ever and is finally able to combine his many varied musical influences into a cohesive end result and is very excited about what lies ahead!

1. Passage 07:14

2. Everyday Day 06:38

3. 50 Minutes 05:39

4. Let It Go 05:07

5. LM 05:28

6. Movie Haircut 04:02

7. Satet 04:54

8. Snorah 03:12

Passage

Alice Leony - Vocals

Tommaso Monopoli - Drums

Reggie Bouffard - Piano

DV Wright - Guitar, Electric Upright Bass

Everyday Day

Gabro - Piano

Raul Rodriguez – Drums, Percussion

Jacob Munk Nielsen - Tenor Sax

Daniel Swain - Electric Bass

DV Wright – Guitar

50 Minutes

Ron Adams – Upright Bass

Gabro - Piano

Tommaso Monopoli - Drums

DV Wright – Guitar

Let It Go

Ron Adams – Upright Bass

Gabro - Piano

Raul Rodriguez – Drums, Percussion

DV Wright – Guitar

LM

Ron Adams – Upright Bass

Gabro - Piano

Roberto Rabosio - Drums

DV Wright – Guitar

Movie Haircut

Ron Adams – Upright Bass

Tommaso Monopoli - Drums

DV Wright – Guitar

Marcelo Zallio - Piano

Satet

Ron Adams – Upright Bass

Tommaso Monopoli - Drums

DV Wright – Guitar

Marcelo Zallio - Piano

Snorah

Rob Glass - Electric Bass

Tommaso Monopoli - Drums

DV Wright – Guitar

Samo Salamon & Howard Levy - Peaks of Light (January 23, 2018)

The new duo project of Samo Salamon and Howard Levy presents two fantastic world-class musicians. The guitarist SAMO SALAMON (Slovenia) is one of the most talented jazz guitarists in the world, whose first CD Ornethology was selected among the 1001 best jazz albums in the history of jazz (The Penguin Jazz Guide - The History of the Music in the 1001 Best Albums). HOWARD LEVY (USA) is definitely the best and most innovative harmonica player in the history of jazz - founding member of Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, multiple Grammy Award winner and musician who plays with jazz stars such as Bobby McFerrin, Donald Fagen, Dolly Parton, Paquito D'Rivera, Paul Simon, Rabih Abou-Khalil, etc.

SAMO SALAMON - guitar (SLOVENIA) 

www.samosalamon.com 

Samo Šalamon is »one of the most talented young guitarists and composers on today's jazz scene« (Allmusic.com, USA). So far he has released 22 albums as a leader for recognized labels, such as Clean Feed Records, Fresh Sound New Talent, Steeplechase Records, Not Two Records and Splasch Records as well as played, recorded and toured with recognized jazz stars and musicians, including John Scofield, Howard Levy, Tim Berne, Paul McCandless, Mark Turner, Michel Godard, John Hollenbeck, Drew Gress, Nguyen Le, Tony Malaby, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey, Dave Binney, Josh Roseman, John Hebert, Donny McCaslin, Dominique Pifarely, Gerald Cleaver, Bruno Chevillon, Loren Stillman, John O'Gallagher, Julian Arguelles, Carlo DeRosa, Tyshawn Sorey, Matt Brewer, Alex Machacek, Christian Lillinger, Pascal Niggenkemper, Stefano Battaglia, Manu Codjia, Mikkel Ploug, Luciano Biondini, Jim Mullen, Rudi Mahall, Sabir Mateen, Fareed Haque, Rudy Linka, Paolino Dalla Porta, Ares Tavolazzi, Roberto Dani, Joris Teepe, Bruno Cesselli, Zlatko Kaucic, Salvatore Maiore, Kyle Gregory, Emanuele Cisi, Gianluca Petrella, Dejan Terzic, Wilbert de Joode and others. 

HOWARD LEVY - harmonica (USA) 

www.levyland.com 

Multiple Grammy- Award Winner Howard Levy is an acknowledged master of the diatonic harmonica, a superb pianist, innovative composer, recording artist, bandleader, teacher, producer, and Chicago area resident. His musical travels have taken him all over the geographical world and the musical map. Equally at home in Jazz, Classical music, Rock, Folk, Latin, and World Music, he brings a fresh lyrical approach to whatever he plays. This has made him a favorite with audiences worldwide, and a recording artist sought after by the likes of Kenny Loggins, Dolly Parton, Paquito D’Rivera, Styx, Donald Fagen, and Paul Simon. As a sideman, Howard has appeared on hundreds of CDs and played on many movie soundtracks. He is perhaps best known for the four CD’s he recorded with Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, a unique band that set the musical world on its ear back in the early 1990’s. He got back together with the band in 2010 and recorded the CD Rocket Science. They toured extensively in 2011-2012, and Howard won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition for “Life in Eleven”, which he wrote with Bela Fleck.

1. Devil's Darling 03:02

2. Chaplin Walks 05:50

3. Barren 04:54

4. Sleepy Burja 06:02

5. Our Tune 04:16

6. Riding the Urban Range 06:16

7. Para Para 04:08

8. The Harmonica Suite - Part I 02:46

9. The Harmonica Suite - Part II 03:12

10. The Harmonica Suite - Part III 03:38

11. Freeze 03:42

Recorded in Maribor in May 2017. Recorded by Darko Kukovič - Kuki

Mixed and mastered by Samo Salamon

Howard Levy - harmonica 

Samo Salamon – electric and acoustic guitars 

All tunes by Samo Salamon, except no. 5 by Samo Salamon & Howard Levy and no. 6 by Howard Levy

Josh Sinton - krasa (2018)

A Brooklyn-based creative musician, a baritone saxophone operator, a bass clarinet manipulator. Trying to become a better listener every day.

1. krasa 1_Sound 16:14

2. krasa 2_{prelude to) 02:10

3. krasa 3_Felt 03:30

4. krasa 4_And 06:26

5. krasa 5_(now} 02:33

6. krasa 6_Not 02:38

7. krasa 7_Heard 08:44

krasa was recorded in two long takes on May 16th, 2017 at Menegroth the Thousand Caves. 

Krasa contains no overdubs and only the following was used: 

a Leblanc metal contrabass clarinet to low D 

a Clark Fobes mpc. 

Vandoren #2 & #3 reeds 

The following pieces of equipment were used for tracks 1, 4 & 7: 

2 AMT clip-on mics 

one (small) Mackie 4-channel board 

one sans amp (for bass) 

one volume pedal 

one Ampeg SVT (70s 300-watt) 

one Eden 410-XLT4 (70-watt 4x10in. 4 ohm)

released January 8, 2018 

engineered, mixed and mastered by Colin Marston 

produced by Jon Irabagon and Josh Sinton 

thanks to: 

JC, MP & NW for the love & inspiration 

JI for the love & tenacity 

LWS & ZS for the love 

special tip of the hat to daddy & Angelo P. (you know who you are) 

all improvisations by josh sinton, published by sinzheimer muzak (vmi) 2017

Bon Bon Vivant - Live at the New Orleans Jazz Museum (GALLATIN STREET RECORDS January 12, 2018)

By ALLYSON ALEKSEY / offbeat.com

The self-proclaimed “Indie-Gypsy Band” of New Orleans, Bon Bon Vivant, will release its newest record Bon Bon Vivant Live at the New Orleans Jazz Museum on January 12, with a release party at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

Bon Bon Vivant is partnering with the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s record label, Gallatin Street Records, on the event. The band has partnered with the label previously on November 3 with a recorded live performance at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Selections from the band’s album Paint & Pageantry were showcased; a cover of the classic “Shout Sister Shout,” famously sung by the Boswell Sisters, a gypsy jazz twist on “St. James Infirmary Blues,” and a myriad of original work was featured.

The first single off the album is “Jazz Axeman of New Orleans,” inspired by the true story of the city’s most notorious serial killer.  “The Bones” narrates the sights and sounds of Mardi Gras, first performed by Bon Bon Bivant at the Red Beans and Rice Parade. In fact, all the tracks resemble a thoughtful storyline: in “Gone Gone Gone,” a woman saves her man from being shanghaied by murdering his abductor, and in “Saints and Sinners,” God and the Devil mull over the fact that man has abandoned them as they converse at a New Orleans bar.

Bon Bon Bivant is comprised of vocalist Abigail Cosio, who writes the band’s original tracks, Jeremy Kelley on saxophone and vocals, Ry D’Antonio on drums, Mike Robins on bass, Ryan Brown on accordion and keys and Glori Cosio on background vocals.

“We are honored to have been asked to cut the first release from Gallatin Street Records in the historic New Orleans Jazz Museum,” comments Kelly, “[in] a performance space created to document and release New Orleans music.”

A portion of the proceeds from the record release party will be donated to the New Orleans Jazz Museum. For more information, visit www.musicatthemint.org.

1. Introduction - Gallatin Street Records (Live) 0:55

2. Gone Gone Gone (Live) 6:50

3. Burn (Live) 4:39

4. Shout Sister Shout (Live) 5:30

5. Saints and Sinners (Live) 4:47

6. Poplar Tree (Live) 4:41

7. Delilah (Live) 5:13

8. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (Live) 4:32

9. Why Don't You Do Right (Live) 4:50

10. The Jazz Axe Man (Introduction) [Live] 0:56

11. The Jazz Axe Man (Live) 4:12

12. Dust (Live) 4:10

13. Lost Soul (Live) 4:46

Jon Mayer Trio - Live At The Athenaeum (BLUEPORT RECORDS 2018)

An amazing live recording of a New York style jazz trio made up of pianist Jon Mayer and drummer Roy McCurdy with some Polish seasoning, Darek Oles on bass.

We had a great time that night in La Jolla, Ca. with near perfect musical telepathy on display.

We did a number of standards like `All The Things You Are' plus a couple of jazz originals, one from me and one from Bill Cunliffe.

All the Things You Are

My Foolish Heart

Minority; Tenderly

The Touch of Your Lips

Shari’s Bolero

Young and Foolish

Lakeside

For All We Know

Jon Mayer: piano

Darek Oles: bass

Ron McCurdy: drums

Jeff Baker - Phrases (OA2 RECORDS 2018)

Critically acclaimed vocalist JEFF BAKER returns with his 5th OA2 Records release, an alive and bristling set of originals and thoughtfully conceived pop and jazz standards. Collaborating with some of the most influential and compelling jazz musicians in the world today - Brian Blade, Steve Wilson, Marquis Hill, Clark Sommers, Geof Bradfield, and Gregory Uhlmann - Baker and his co-producer/musical director, pianist Darrell Grant, present a provocative collection of original songs and arrangements based on text by writers such as Pablo Neruda, J.D. Salinger, A.A. Milne and Salvador Plascencia. Certainly, his most ambitious and personal recording yet. "From all accounts, this charismatic crooner needs to be tracked closely. Mr. Baker has the potential to skyrocket to many accolade-coated triumphs." - JazzTrenzz

1 NERUDA 6:03 | Jeff Baker, BMI

2 AND SO IT GOES 8:56 | Billy Joel / arr. Jeff Baker

3 PEOPLE OF PAPER 5:39 | Jeff Baker

4 BALLAD OF THE SAD YOUNG MEN 7:37 | Frances Landsman & Thomas Wolf

arr. Jeff Baker, Darrell Grant, Ezra Weiss (string prelude), Justin Nielsen

5 HARBOR 8:05 | Clark Sommers & Jeff Baker

6 LOST 7:48 | Jeff Baker / arr. Jeff Baker, Darrell Grant, Thomas Barber

7 A HUNDRED LESS ONE 5:57 | Jeff Baker / arr. Jeff Baker, Darrell Grant (strings)

8 SALINGER 5:48 | Jeff Baker

9 NOT CAUSE I WANTED TO 6:57 | Bonnie Raitt / arr. Jeff Baker

10 STAY ALIVE 6:20 | Ryan Adams & Theodore Shapiro / arr. Darrell Grant

11 DON'T WORRY BOUT ME 5:57 | Rube Bloom & Ted Koehler / arr. Jeff Baker

Jeff Baker - Vocals

Darrell Grant - Piano

Clark Sommers - Bass

Brian Blade - Drums

Steve Wilson - Saxophone

Marquis Hill - Trumpet

Geof Bradfield - Saxophone

Gregory Uhlmann - Guitar

Blaise Magniere - Violin

Marie Wang - Violin

Anthony Devroye - Viola

Cheng-Hou Lee - Cello

Me&Mobi - Agglo (PROLOG MUSIC March 16th, 2018)

When you think of a contemporary piano trio, techno music, Japanese anime or dystopian sci-fi, aren’t the first things that come to mind. Yet, the Swiss-German outfit known as Me&Mobi used these exact coordinates, along with a whole array of very unique personal obsessions (mostly with the under-belly of pop-culture) to forge their rich, idiosyncratic sound from. Their forthcoming sophomore full-length, titled Agglo (short for an urban agglomeration), is a meticulously curated instrumental soundtrack, one that manages to be extremely captivating, all the while violently disrupting musical conventions and overriding genre presets. This is a record that takes a traditional trio set up (keys, upright bass and drums) and quite literally modifies and supplements their signals (on output) with a rich, expansive electronic sonic palette.  

The material for Agglo was written, recorded and a produced, over a period of six months in a rehearsal space converted into a studio. The band decided to do away with the distinct parts of the production process: improvising, writing, recording and post. They worked on the music in layers – constantly revising, re-editing, remixing and over-dubbing pre-recorded material. Hence, the studio literally acted as the fourth member of the band, and contributed a very distinct musical voice to every composition. This very unorthodox approach to recording live music (especially in Jazz circles), not only opened up new arrangement possibilities for the group, but also allowed them to apply a freedom normally associated with live improvisation, to the treatment of the actual sonic substance of their songs. The result is a true fusion of acoustic and electronic sound, one, that at times, completely blurs the distinction between the two.  

The band describe their music as urban, i.e. the sound representative of a modern megapolis:  sprawling, dynamic and, at times, bleak and oppressive. This moniker also denotes the direct allusions made to genres such as Hip Hop and the various offshoots of Electronica, which infuse this material in very inventive ways. Free Jazz is, of course, also an urban genre. And, in fact, it was the group’s improvisational proficiency which laid the very foundation for this multifaceted, capacious sound. Many of the compositions, found here, feature jagged sonic artefacts and, on occasion, sound like broken technology (a prepared piano heavily treated with fx, a soviet synth); and tend to steep in a steadily building pressure that can’t find a resolution or a release. Despite its experimental leanings and a mild brand of cinematic melancholia, at its core, Agglo is a visceral, groove-driven record that speaks directly to the body. However, the most unique thing about this collection of songs is their ability to collapse musical history on itself, by dissolving musical traditions of the past in sonic iterations of potential afterfutures. Get ready for a dose of Post-Jazz, dystopian sci-fi eclectica.

1. Mount Ninja

2. Ni!

3. Totalsanierung

4. H.L.M.

5. In Rainbows We Trust

6. Know Your Explosives

7. Cheysar

8. Biosphere

9. Bejing Bolero

10. Karlsruhe 

Philipp Schlotter - Pianos

Lisa Hoppe - Double Bass

Fred Bürki - Drums

All songs recorded at the Me&Mobi Studio, Bern 2017

All songs written and performed by Me&Mobi

Produced and mixed by Philipp Schlotter Mastered by Dan Suter

Artwork by David Nydegger

Artist Page:  www.meandmobi.ch