Marcel Vogel - The Sound of Lumberjacks in Hell (BBE MUSIC 2018)

For the best part of a decade Marcel Vogel has been carefully building a reputation as a refreshing voice of authenticity in today’s musical landscape.

A gifted pair of ears, DJ and owner of the seminal ‘Lumberjacks In Hell’ label and visionary imprint, ‘Intimate Friends’, Marcel’s reputation has been earned through persistent work, and impeccable taste. There are no gimmicks or shortcuts in his rulebook, just a passion for raw, soulful sounds geared towards the dancefloor.

Like many a DJ, Marcel found his route to the turntables through a love of Hip Hop and later house, but the gravity towards disco and soul was what really pulled him in and still reflects in his DJ Sets and productions.

Although he started messing around with the AKAI MPC in the early 2000’s it would take him about a decade to release his first productions with the 7” Body to Body feat Milos Gersi (MATE 001) in 2013 and the mini Album Human Being (2016) . After residing in Berlin amongst other cities he relocated to Amsterdam in 2010 to train for a degree in Audio Engineering. In the same year as his relocation he founded his esteemed Lumberjacks in Hell imprint. First as a hub for his own edits but quickly developing a profile for cutting edge dancefloor favourites, releasing music by acts like Karizma, Soulphiction and Jamie 3:26.

As part of Marcel’s touring schedule he regularly hosts Lumberjacks in Hell nights all over Europe in clubs like DJOON (Paris), Prince Charles (Berlin) and Ampere (Antwerpen) as much as having toured Northern America, Australia and Asia.

1. Giovanni Damico – Even The Stones

2. Beam Me Up – Rabbit’s Foot

3. Ant La Rock – Goddess

4. Funk Butcher feat. Trim – Check The Flow

5. Seven Davis Jr – Get To Know Me

6. Krewcial – Over

7. Boogie Nite – Jazz-A-Nova (Oooh)

8. Nachtbraker – Jared Fogle*

9. Harry Wolfman – Ava*

10. Reece Johnson – Neyt Life

11. Joel Holmes – Outer Light

12. Jonna – Everyday

13. Frawl – Be Good To Me

Tom Noble – Lord I’m Trying**

* CD only

** Vinyl and mixed CD only

Includes unlimited streaming of The Sound of Lumberjacks in Hell via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Ralph Thomas - Eastern Standard Time (BBE MUSIC October 5, 2018)

Following hard on the heels of BBE delving into the archives of Detroit’s Strata Records and delivering their widely acclaimed and hugely in-demand exploration of J-Jazz, comes another crate digger’s delight- Ralph Thomas’ ‘Eastern Standard Time’, which dropped in the USA back in in 1980, on the obscure Zebra Jazz imprint. 

This is the is the kind of “spiritual’ jazz gem that appears on You Tube and upon checking it out on Discogs reveals a price well in excess of £150.00. To have it widely available in its original vinyl format, as well as digitally and on CD, is a real treat. So, who is Ralph Thomas?

The self-produced ‘Eastern Standard Time’ features Thomas on baritone, alto and tenor saxophones as well as flute and percussion. He describes himself as a practicing ethno- musicologist who’s musical vision evolved during the Sixties and it’s Thomas’ multifaceted, global approach that gives the music on Eastern Standard Time’ an engaging and distinct flavour.

“My music has always been open to different cultures and sounds Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Mexican, Peruvian, American, Hebrew, Turkish, African, Indian and Japanese,” declares the Chicago born musician. While attending the Chicago conservatory of music in 1969 he became a member of the Chicago A.A.C.M, studying with master musicians Phil Cohran and Richard Muhal Abrams. He also recorded with well-known blues legends, Howlin’ Wolf and Mighty Joe Young for the Cadet imprint of Chess records. 

In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles and was employed as a session player with both 20th Century Fox and Motown – where he recorded with Marvin Gaye, Jermaine Jackson, Smokey Robinson and Rick James. In the early Eighties he was working for Quincy Jones Productions appearing on the soundtrack of Roots and The Color Purple but a passion for reggae music led him to Jamaica where he recorded with producer Jack Ruby and artists like Augustus Pablo and Gregory Isaacs. 

In ’86 he moved to NYC where he collaborated with Boogaloo legend Johnny Colon and played with like-minded musical explorers Sun Ra, Don Cherry and Olatunji. However, by 1993 his restless spirit carried him to Paris where studied Ethnomusicology and performed with trumpeter Mra Oma and film-maker Ranaivo-Rajaona Hery. There were also gigs with percussionist Trilok Gurtu as well as drummer Sunny Murray and saxophone legend Archie Shepp. Upon moving to the South of France Thomas ran an art gallery and initiated his MusArt project – which has since toured in the US, Canada and Japan 

After a productive stint in Chiang Mai, Thailand – where he immersed himself in Issan culture – Ralph Thomas recently re- located back to the US to live and work. Though creating a huge amount of music over the years ‘Eastern Standard Time’ remains Ralph Thomas’ only album and it’s available now from BBE Music. 

1. Cafe Phillipp 08:02

2. Doloreso 05:32

3. Muscavado 04:01

4. Big Spliff 05:52

5. Venice 01:33

6. E.S.T. 06:16

7. Spellbound 07:52

Yan Tregger - Catchy (BBE MUSIC October 5, 2018)

Yan Tregger remains one of the more cultish names to emerge from the experimental French disco scene of the 1970s. But to a growing number of obsessive crate diggers, the two LPs recorded for the Musical Touch Sound label in 1978/9 ‘Catchy’ and ‘Ducks & Drakes’ have become like the holy grail of rare disco. 

Those diggers include Mark Grusane of the late Mr Peabody record store in Chicago. One of the deepest collectors of rare soul, disco and boogie, he included an edit of the sleazy disco bomb ‘Riff On’ from ‘Catchy’ on ‘The Real Sound of Mark Grusane’, his recent collection of hen’s teeth rarities for BBE. 

Now, thanks to the careful curation of UK music hero Frankie Valentine, BBE is delighted to dig deeper into the Yan Tregger archives and reissue these two in- demand LPs. First up is the 1978 LP ‘Catchy’, a heady collection of cosmic disco that should see Tregger’s name ranked alongside those of Arpadys, Cerrone and Space as one of the pioneers of French dance music. 

Characterised by its energetic rhythm sections, space-age synths and funky guitar riffs, ‘Catchy’ couldn’t be a more perfect title for this classic collection of late 70’s grooves.

1. Carry On 03:25

2. Catchy 04:11

3. Gimmicky 03:05

4. Sunny Wing 02:10

5. Light Heart (Pt. 1 & 2) 05:08

6. Riff On 03:26

7. Lyric Soul 03:18

8. Slow Zoom 02:30

9. This Time 03:48

10. At the Feet 03:37

Takeo Moriyama - East Plants (BBE MUSIC 2018)

BBE Music is proud to present the next instalment in the J Jazz Masterclass Series: ‘East Plants’ by Takeo Moriyama, one of Japan’s finest jazz drummers. 

A genuine ‘under the radar’ album known only to a handful of Japanese jazz collectors, ‘East Plants’ is now available once more, reissued for the first time as a double 180g LP, with exact reproductions of the original artwork, obi strip and insert. It also comes with the original notes fully translated. ‘East Plants’ is also available as CD and digital formats. This reissue is fully endorsed by Takeo Moriyama himself. 

Originally released in 1983 on the Japanese VAP label, ‘East Plants’ is an essential album in the J Jazz canon. It’s an album that distils several key characteristics of Moriyama’s music: clearly articulated and inventive rhythms, open yet orderly arrangements, and an accessible groove balanced with a graceful control. 

‘East Plants’ features no piano, just percussion, bass and reeds. From the luxurious raga-like build of the album’s hypnotic title track and the fierce post-bop workout of ‘Fields’, to the stately modal track ‘Kaze’ ( as featured on the sell-out BBE compilation, ‘J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1968-1984’), the album was, until now, a rarely acknowledged masterpiece. ‘East Plants’ shows Moriyama’s quintet at their most transcendent: delicate layers of percussion by Yoji Sadanari, a warm and pliant bass from Hideki Mochizuki, with colour and texture provided by the eloquent reed work of Shuichi Enomoto and Toshiko Inoue. And, overseeing it all, Moriyama’s discreet yet commanding drumming. 

The BBE J Jazz Masterclass Series is curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden and is dedicated to presenting the very finest in Japanese jazz. The series will feature rare, long-lost and unreleased material presented in the highest quality reproductions of the original releases, fully licensed and authorised.

1. East Plants 10:22

2. 竹 (Take) 06:50

3. か げ ろ う (Kagelou) 01:34

4. 風 (Kaze) 05:11

5. Fields 04:18

6. 遠 く (Tooku) 08:16

Charles Mingus - Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden (BBE MUSIC November 2, 2018)

“I’m trying to play the truth of what I am. The reason it’s difficult is because I’m changing all the time.” Charles Mingus

The radical discovery by Amir Abdullah of 5 two-track master tapes in the care of Hermine Brooks ­– widow of innovative Detroit drummer Roy Brooks – of the Charles Mingus Quintet recorded live in Detroit at Strata Concert Gallery is cause for some serious celebration.

These electrifying recordings took place during Mingus’ week-long residency in February 1973. They were broadcast live by drummer/producer and broadcaster Robert “Bud” Spangler for WDET FM – a public radio station dedicated to jazz – from Kenny and Barbara Cox’s multi-purpose home for Strata Records at 46 Selden. Entrance to the gig was $5 dollars in advance and $6 on the door.

By the early Seventies Mingus’ militant musings, volatile character and hugely innovative musical offerings had already earned him global notoriety. He’d played with the Bird, Dizzy, Max Roach, Duke Ellington and had released universally acclaimed albums as a leader like ‘Blues & Roots’, Oh Yeah’ and ‘Black Saint & The Sinner Lady’. This gig – one of a Jazz In Detroit series that also included Keith Jarrett, Tribe and Herbie Hancock – took place a few months after the release of Mingus’ “third stream” masterpiece ‘Let My Children Hear Music’.

The music on these tapes is blazing. According to the late Roy Brooks, the band – which included himself and fellow Detroit trumpeter Joe Gardner – had not long returned from playing two tours in Europe. Fresh to the quintet was stellar pianist Don Pullen and listening to these recordings Pullen’s church-driven power, blues sensibility and harmonic sophistication perfectly complements the bassist’s own vision. On tenor saxophone we have the soulful and innovative John Stubblefield. Like Pullen he was a recent recruit. Unfortunately, the saxophonist’s time with Mingus lasted a mere 5 months: “I got in a fight with Mingus and I shouldn’t have done that. After that, I couldn’t get arrested in New York.” Ironically, when Sue Mingus formed the Mingus Big Band in 1992, to perpetuate her husband’s legacy, Stubblefield emerged as a talismanic presence in the ensemble until he passed in 2005.

PRE-ORDER ITEM : Released November 2nd 2018. This item will only be shipped to you 4 days before official release date. Please note any orders containing pre-order items won’t be shipped until all items are available, so please order this separately to avoid delays.

EXCLUSIVE: THE LOST TAPES!!

MINGUS MEETS STRATA: LIVE FROM THE GALLERY

CD Quintuple Album

Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

5CD boxset includes poster, CD booklet,5 CDs in cardboard wallets, housed all together in a clamshell box.

CD Tracklisting:

CD 1

1. Pithecanthropus Erectus

2. The Man Who Never Sleeps

3. Peggy's Blue Skylight

CD 2

1. Introduction by Bud Spangler / Celia

2. Bud Spangler Interview with Roy Brooks and Commentary

CD 3

1...  more

shipping out on or around November 2, 2018

Pre-order Compact Disc

Vinyl Quintuple Album

Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

5LP Boxset includes 5x180g vinyls, booklet & poster

LP Tracklisting:

A1 - Pithecanthropus Erectus

B1 - Pithecanthropus Erectus (continued)

C1 - The Man Who Never Sleeps

D1 - Peggy's Blue Skylight

E1 - Introduction by Bud Spangler / Celia

F1 - Celia (continued)

G1 - C Jam Blues

H1 - C Jam Blues (continued)

I1 - Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk

J1 - Dizzy Profile 

Includes digital pre-order of Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden. You get 1 track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released.

shipping out on or around November 2, 2018

Pre-order Record/Vinyl

Digital Album

Streaming + Download

Pre-order of Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Selden. You get 1 track now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released.

releases November 2, 2018

1. Pithecanthropus Erectus

2. The Man Who Never Sleeps

3. Peggy's Blue Skylight

4. Introduction of the Band by Bud Spangler / Celia

5. Bud Spangler & Roy Brooks - Bud Spangler Interview with Roy Brooks and Commentary

6. C Jam Blues

7. Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk

8. Dizzy Profile

9. Noddin' Ya Head Blues

10. Celia (Alternate Take)

11. Dizzy Profile (Alternate Take)

12. Bud Spangler - Strata Gallery Announcement / Radio Broadcast WDET FM

13. Pithecanthropus Erectus (Alternate Take) (Digital Exclusive Track)

Pre-order Digital Album

Russ van den Berg - Trip Bop (October 2018)

Live recording in Valencia 2018 @ Sala Matisse (Spain)

Russ van den Berg - Alto Sax

Santi Navalon - Keys

Peter Connolly - Guitar (Vocals on Blue Blood & Back Yard Ritual)

Ricardo Osorno - Bass

Andre Walker - Drums

1. Trip Bop 13:00

2. Punk Kid 12:17

3. Tutu 09:34

4. Blue Blood 11:11

5. Back Yard Ritual 11:01

6. House Party 08:12

7. Indigo (for Ellen Indigo Barnes) 08:23

Introducing Ethan Ardelli's The Island of Form (November 2, 2018)

Sydney, Nova Scotia born/Toronto based drummer Ethan Ardelli has been one of Canada's most in demand jazz musicians for more than a decade. After playing in many of Canada's busiest bands (led by the likes of David Virelles, Brian Dickinson, Nancy Walker, Darren Sigesmund, Harley Card, Jane Bunnett, and Mike Downes) and sharing the stage with a who's who of contemporary jazz (Dewey Redman, Mark Turner, Mark Feldman, Jeremy Pelt, George Mraz, Mulgrew Miller, and Greg Osby) he was due to make his first statement as a bandleader. The Island of Form - his hotly anticipated debut album - features Chris Donnelly, Luis Deniz, and Devon Henderson, and is a showcase for Ardelli's highly developed compositional skills and drumming prowess.

"The Island of Form" is a collage by artist Michael Poulton. It was given to me by my cousin Sharon and her partner Christine as a house warming gift. There are a number of overt as well as subtle symbols in the collage that connected with me.  This collage - an assemblage of different forms that combine to create a new whole - aligns perfectly with my vision for my album. I'm inspired by many disparate things, and I wanted to take elements from each of these different creative worlds and bring them together in a new form."

Always a cultural omnivore, Ardelli has always sought out inspiration in a wide variety of places: from foreign and art films to classical composition and music from around the world - in particular the music of Cuba. "Agua," the album's first track, was inspired by his studies with legendary Cuban percussionist Jose Luis Quintana, better know as "Changuito":

"I studied with Changuito for 6 months when he was living in Toronto in 2010.  He didn't really speak much English, and I don't speak Spanish at all, which made for some interesting lessons.  He would just come over to my place, start playing the drums, and I would have to figure out what he was doing and play it back to him.  If I did it wrong he would yell "NO." But, if I got it right and it was starting to sound groovy, he would say "Agua."  Hopefully if Changuito ever hears this tune he'll say "Agua," and not something else." 

Other songs on the album reflect the influences of Richard Wagner and Charles Wuorinen ("Accretion" and "The Serpentine Path"); Bela Bartok ("Dunraven"); the great Toronto pianist and teacher Frank Falco ("Shangri-La Pearl", a beautiful dedication to Ardelli's wife Jessica.) The influence of film is particularly deep in regards to this record:

"The idea for the piece "5:55AM" came to me while I was living in New York City in 2013," he recalled. "I worked at a coffee shop there, and I would have to get up 5:55AM to get to work on time. On my early morning walks to work, I would often think about ideas I had for compositions. I had an idea for a drum feature, and while working on the piece I found that it was conjuring up all kinds of imagery. At the same time, I was exploring the work of several film makers (Mark Cousins, Michael Haneke, Werner Herzog Stanley Kubrick) and I decided that I needed to make a short film to accompany the piece." The film will be released in conjunction with the album.

The album was recorded on October 16th, 2017 at Sear Sound in New York City by James Farber, the legendary engineer behind many touchstone jazz recordings that rank among Ardelli's favorites, including works by Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Brad Mehldau, Paul Motian. It was mastered by acclaimed engineer Greg Calbi, a jazz scene stalwart who also worked with John Lennon. 

"The Island of Form" will be released on November 2nd, 2018.  Ardelli’s Quartet will be on tour across Canada promoting its release from November 5th to 24th. 

Luis Deniz - alto saxophone

Chris Donnelly - piano

Devon Henderson - bass

Ethan Ardelli - drums

Agua 7:53

Les Calanques 9:24

Accretion 7:26

The Serpentine Path 8:56

5:55 AM 2:25

Dunraven 7:53

Thanks for Something 5:54

Shangri-La Pearl 8:55

www.ethanardelli.com

Ethan Ardelli Quartet

Canadian CD Release Tour Dates

NOVEMBER 2ND - CLINI C AT UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO - 3:15PM

NOVEMBER 3RD - CLINI C AT HUMBER COLLEGE - 11AM

NOVEMBER 5TH - BRANDON UNIVERSITY (BRANDON, MB) - 8PM

NOVEMBER 6TH - CLINI C AT UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA (WINNIPEG, MB) - 4PM

NOVEMBER 6TH - FORTH (WINNIPEG, MB) - 7 :30PM

NOVEMBER 7TH - YARDBIRD SUITE (EDMONTON, AB) - 8PM

NOVEMBER 8TH - THE NEXUS AT FIRST UNITED (SALMON ARM, BC) - 7PM

NOVEMBER 9TH - KELOWNA FORUM (KELOWNA, BC) - 8PM

NOVEMBER 10TH - CLINIC AT LONG & MCQUADE (CALGARY, AB) - 12PM

NOVEMBER 10TH - JAZZ YYC AT IRONWOOD STAGE & GRILL (CALGARY, AB) - 7PM

NOVEMBER 11TH - FRANKIE'S JAZZ CLUB (VANCOUVER, BC) - 8PM

NOVEMBER 13TH - HERMANN'S JAZZ CLUB (VICTORIA, BC) - 8PM

NOVEMBER 14TH - DENMAN ISLAND COMMUNITY HALL (DENMAN ISLAND, BC) - 7:30PM

NOVEMBER 15TH - AVALANCHE BAR (COURTENAY, BC) - 7:30PM

NOVEMBER 16TH - L IGHTHOUSE BISTRO (NANAIMO, BC) - 8PM

NOVEMBER 17TH - THE JAZZ ROOM (WATERLOO, ON) - 8:30PM

NOVEMBER 19TH - THE REX (TORONTO, ON) - 9:30PM

NOVEMBER 20TH - THE REX (TORONTO, ON) - 9:30PM

NOVEMBER 22ND - SYDNEY CURLING CLUB (SYDNEY, NS) - 9PM

NOVEMBER 23RD - SCHWARTZ AUDITORIUM - ST. F .X . UNIVERSITY (ANTIGONISH, NS) - 7PM

NOVEMBER 24TH - G IGSPACE (OTTAWA, ON) - 7:30PM

Introducing Hary Vetro's Northern Ranger (T. SOUND RECORDS October 19, 2018)

In 2017, as Canada celebrated 150 years of confederation, 23 year old Hamilton drummer Harry Vetro took to the road. He traveled coast to coast, visiting communities in Canada's six indigenous cultural areas (Arctic, Subarctic, Northwest Coast, Plateau, Plains, and Eastern Woodlands) in an effort to connect with musicians and artists from different cultural backgrounds, and to better understand the land's long cultural history.

Northern Ranger - Vetro's debut album - tells the story of his travels. A jazz musician by training, Harry melded his own style of improvised music with folk and classical influences to create a deeply personal statement, one that speaks to the country as a whole. 

A recent graduate of the University of Toronto Jazz program, Vetro leads an active performing career, Past performances include the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival and Orillia Jazz Festival. 

Proceeds from this album will assist in starting an outreach initiative for youth with limited access to music education. The program will be titled "Northern Ranger Outreach" and Vetro will be partnering with his father, who is an educator and musician with connections in the school system. 

Northern Ranger will be released on Friday, October 19th on T.Sound Records. The release will be celebrated with a performance on Saturday, October 20th with a performance at Gallery 345 in Toronto. This will be followed by a Canadian release tour in November. 

Harry Vetro - Drums

Lina Allemano - Trumpet

Harrison Argatoff - Saxophone

Dan Pitt - Guitar

Ian McGimpsey - Guitar

Noah Franche-Nolan - Piano

Jacob Thompson - Piano

Andrew Downing - Bass

Phil Albert - Bass

Jessica Deutsch - Violin

Aline Homzy - Violin

Anna Atkinson - Viola

Andrew Downing - Cello

www.harryvetro.com

Mirko Signorile TRIO TRIP (AUAND RECORDS) out on October 12

Mirko Signorile’s Expressionist Touch 

On Trio Trip Colorful Map

New album out on Auand Records for the Italian pianist 

Featuring Francesco Ponticelli (bass) and Enrico Morello (drums)

Either contemplative or frisky, Italian pianist Mirko Signorile’s new project is the colorful map of a journey: “Trio Trip”, out for Auand Records and supported by Puglia Sounds funds (Regione Puglia - FSC 2014/2020 - Patto per la Puglia - Investiamo nel vostro futuro), is led by the Apulian musician, who penned most compositions, joined by Francesco Ponticelli on double bass and Enrico Morello on drums.

Far from being a tortuous or unnaturally layered work, “Trio Trip” is an emotional collage. In their joyful polychromy, these tracks paint an entire life with an expressionist style: exposing both certainties and fears, each composition is the picture of a moment, a feeling, a place. «I wrote these tunes relying on my gut feelings, with no overthinking – Signorile says – I trust my sensations: when I write, it’s like a bliss, a slow and endless fire.» 

While confirming the melodic and minimal taste that distinguished his previous works, the sparkle of the compositions gradually replenishes on either naif or harrowing lines. Opening track “The Blue Ritual” starts the fire with a synthetic glare; suddenly, the dancing meditation of “Indigo Garden” opens wide on a surprising lightheartedness, much like what can be heard on the background of Signorile’s tender “The Colorful Tuner” and the dreamy “Orange City”. Although, on the opposite side of this emotional spectrum, is the sinister uncertainty of “Black Forest”, the tracklist ends with an essential, sly rendition of Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic”, like a note for the future: the will not to take anything too seriously, and an invitation to enjoy every moment.

Ora meditabondo ora danzante, il nuovo progetto guidato dal pianista Mirko Signorile è la colorata mappa di un viaggio: in “Trio Trip”, in uscita a settembre per Auand Records e finanziato da Puglia Sounds (Regione Puglia - FSC 2014/2020 - Patto per la Puglia - Investiamo nel vostro futuro), il musicista pugliese, impegnato al pianoforte oltre che nella maggior parte delle composizioni, è accompagnato dal contrabbassista Francesco Ponticelli e da Enrico Morello alla batteria.

Lontano dall’essere un lavoro cerebrale o forzatamente strutturato, “Trio Trip” è invece un collage emotivo. La giocosa policromia delle tracce dipinge i quadri di un’intera esistenza con un tocco espressionista: dalle certezze alle inquietudini, ogni pezzo è la fotografia di un momento specifico, di una sensazione, di un luogo. «Ho scritto questi brani di pancia, senza troppo pensare – confida Signorile – Mi fido molto di quello che sento: è una specie di rapimento quando compongo, un fuoco lento ma continuo». 

Confermando il gusto melodico e minimal che ha messo in luce nei lavori precedenti, la fiamma delle composizioni si alimenta a poco a poco, su linee naif o stranianti: ad accendere la miccia è il motivo dai riflessi sintetici che campeggia in “The Blue Ritual” all’apertura del disco.

La meditazione danzante di “Indigo Garden” si spalanca all’improvviso su una solarità sorprendente che, con un risvolto più intimo e raccolto, ritorna sullo sfondo di altre tracce, inclusa l’affettuosa “The Colorful Tuner” o la sognante “Orange City”. Se sul lato opposto dello spettro emotivo c’è spazio per l’incertezza sinistra e le corse a perdifiato di “Black Forest”, la tracklist si chiude con un una versione asciutta e sorniona di “Ironic” di Alanis Morissette. Una sorta di appunto per il futuro: la volontà di non prendersi mai troppo troppo sul serio, e l’invito a godersi ogni momento.

Mirko Signorile piano, synth

Francesco Ponticelli double bass, bass

Enrico Morello drums

1 The Blue Ritual

2 Indigo Garden

3 Black Forest

4 Golden Pearl

5 The Red Dot

6 The Colorful Tuner

7 Orange City

8 The White Story

9 Pink Lighthouse

10 Trio Trip in Violet Flow

11 Ironic

Produced by Mirko Signorile

Executive Producer: Marco Valente

Recorded at Sorriso Studio

Engineer: Tommy Cavalieri

Cover Design: Segni&Disegni

All compositions by Mirko Signorile (Jazz Engine Ed. Mus.)

Except Ironic by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard (Song of Universal Inc.)

SKNAIL: New album "Mutation" and new official video "A Storm"

NEW ALBUM

"MUTATION" 

out now !

« One day, nobody knows why, the objects mutated with the bodies. It was undoubtedly the beginning of a new era. Then the musical instruments did the same, and also the musicians who played them. All became one. »

For their third album "Mutation", SKNAIL continues the exploration of their pioneering avant-garde glitch jazz. This time, more than ever with the fusion of timbres and styles of the past and future, they are taking jazz to unexplored territories. 

SKNAIL (production, electronics)

Billie Bird (vocals)

Nya (vocals)  

Yannick Barman (trumpet)

Stéphane Chapuis (bandoneon) 

Philippe Ehinger (bass clarinet)

Guy-François Leuenberger (piano)  

Alain Dessauges (double bass)

Cyril Regamey (drums, on 1 track)

Can Pekdemir - artwork, design

buy the CD :

download and streaming :

NEW OFFICIAL VIDEO 

"A Storm" 

click here to watch :

LIVE

Rue de l'industrie 10, CH-1005 Lausanne 

Booking and informations:

by phone +41 (0)21 311 65 14

or online

Benny Green - Then and Now (SUNNYSIDE RECORDS November 2, 2018)

Throughout his career as one of the world’s premier living Jazz musicians, legendary bebopper Benny Green has established himself as a powerhouse pianist and bandleader, boasting concert appearances and recording credits with giants of the industry over the past 35 years. But prior to his forthcoming record Then And Now (his 20th album as leader), Green has never featured either vocals or flute on any of his albums. Painting with rich aural colors and textures, Green boldly steps into new musical space for Then And Now, featuring both vocal sensation Veronica Swift and flautist Anne Drummond. 

Jazz sensibility comes naturally to Green, the NYC-born son of a jazz saxophonist and a Berkeley, California native. At a young age Green’s ear became fine-tuned to the art form, and he soon found himself invited to perform alongside Jazz icons like Betty Carter, Freddie Hubbard and Ray Brown. Art Blakey found Green’s swinging musicality to be the right ingredient and invited Green to join the ranks of his elite Jazz Messengers – this relationship would prove deeply influential to Green, who has since dedicated his career to straight-ahead hard bop. 

Although featured in a wide variety of performance arenas, Green is in his element and shines as the leader of the Benny Green Trio. With drumming master Kenny Washington and revered bassist David Wong completing the piano trio, Green commands the stage, delighting international audiences in his 38th year as a bandleader. It was only natural that this trio would become the springboard for Green’s recent new musical adventures.

A recording session led by prodigy vocalist Veronica Swift made such an impact on Green that he expanded his own generally instrumental traditions and began collaborating with both Swift and his trio. Green’s authoritative skill at the keyboard and hard-swinging ensemble were the perfect sonic landscape for Swift’s masterful musicianship and organic approach to scat singing, with Swift proving her voice was the perfect soloing instrument to complement Green’s stylistic swing. 

Swift, like Green, grew up in a musical family – her father a world-renowned bebop jazz pianist Hod O’Brien, along with her mother, vocalist Stephanie Nakasian, had made Swift’s young life rich with Jazz tradition. Swift and Green were a well-matched pair, each dedicated to bebop and swinging Jazz styles. When Swift began performing together with the Benny Green Trio, they discovered a dynamic element of interactive group synergy and interplay. They regularly perform together still, celebrating the musical vision they share. 

With Then And Now, Green explores yet more new ideas and soundscapes, delving into the rich sounds of a Rhodes electric piano on a few tracks. The vintage Rhodes, with Green at the helm, becomes a new and darker sonic foundation for Swift’s voice. Flautist extraordinaire Anne Drummond joins Green on the new record as well, after having previously performed some of Green’s own original music on her recording Revolving. 

Green’s compositions for Then And Now exemplify the album’s title: this record is musically distinct from any of his previous records. Longtime fans of Green’s will immediately recognize his unparalleled mastery and swing, but will also hear him stretching out comfortably in these new colors. The juxtaposition of Green’s familiar trio format and the new voices and textures on Then And Now create a heartfelt program, anchored in the swinging tradition that’s always been so central to Green’s heart. The new album is definitively, authentically Benny Green – but it conveys a side of Benny Green you haven’t heard before. 

Then And Now begins with Green’s salute to revered soul singer, pianist, composer Donny Hathaway which quotes both the singer’s “Valdez in The Country” and his duet with Roberta Flack, “The Closer I Get to You; Green’s “Donny Hath A Way” is a hard-grooving tune featuring flute, percussion and Green on Rhodes. 

Swift joins Green on Dexter Gordon’s “For Regulars Only,” a childhood favorite of hers, and performs her own stunning vocal transcription of Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon’s original trumpet and tenor saxophone parts. For Cedar Walton’s “Latin America,” Green explores the duality of the keyboard itself, playfully balancing the Rhodes and acoustic piano as two characters: the Latin character and the gringo character, respectively. 

Swift’s touching lyrics about life lessons, set to Green’s “Naturally,” feature Swift exploring her own sonic comfort zone, with her voice eventually layered over itself in delicious triple texture. Driven by Washington and Wong, Green and the trio lay down a hard-hitting arrangement of Hank Jones’s “Minor Contention”, followed by a meditative dedication to California wildlife, Green’s calming “Enchanted Forest” as chamber trio of flute, piano and bass. 

Washington plays a classic Art Blakey-style 4-bar introduction out front on Horace Silver’s “Split Kick,” for which Swift rejoins the trio, covering the original trumpet and alto saxophone parts as played by Clifford Brown and Lou Donaldson with her voice. Green pays tribute to Duke Pearson, one of his favorite composers, with “Say You’re Mine”, and along with Swift recalls his mentor Walter Davis, Jr. with “Humphrey”, first recorded by Green in 1991 on his album Testifyin’. Swift’s vocals follow the trio’s opening chorus on “Something I Dreamed Last Night,” harkening Anita O’Day’s classic ballad style. 

But the crowning moments of the album are the “then” and the “now.” With “Hipsippy Blues” Green calls to mind his greatest musical influence, Art Blakey, and the time they’d spent playing together: a mindful musical glace back to “then.” Then Green turns to the “now”, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release his own composition “Wiggin” (first recorded in 1993 on Green’s That’s Right. Green stands firmly in the present, surrounded by fascinating musical colors, textures, collaborators, and ideas. 

With the release of Then and Now, listeners get a rare glimpse of Benny Green, a giant of Jazz in his own right, both then and now.

Anne Drummond - flute & alto flute

Benny Green - piano & electric piano

David Wong - bass

Josh Jones - percussion

Kenny Washington - drums

1. Donny Hath A Way

2. For Regulars Only

3. Latin America

4. Naturally

5. Minor Contention

6. Enchanted Forest

7. Split Kick

8. Say You're Mine

9. Humphrey

10. Hipsippy Blues

11. Something I Dreamed Last Night

12. Wiggin'

Yuhan Su - City Animals (SUNNYSIDE RECORDS October 26, 2018)

New York City can be like a jungle. With a menagerie of people intermingling in seemingly never ceasing action, the City has ecosystems within ecosystems. Vibraphonist/composer Yuhan Su has been inspired by her chaotic new home and her experiences with the individuals she has met there. Her new recording, City Animals, captures her enthusiasm for the craziness of the City and the adventures she has had since her arrival. 

Originally from Taiwan, Su came to the States in 2008 to further her music studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she expanded her classical percussion knowledge to the world of jazz and improvisation. In 2012, Su moved to New York; she fell in love with the City and immediately immersed herself in the wilds of the jazz scene. 

Su began to check out the local musicians in an effort to create her own ensemble. She started writing music for a quintet of trumpet, guitar, bass, vibes and drums, which was able to record an album and tour, including a visit to her native Taiwan. As her compositional style evolved, Su wished to both open the sound and to have more harmonic control of the group through her vibes. So she recruited saxophonist Alex LoRe to replace the guitar and join the tightly knit ensemble, which features trumpeter Matt Holman, bassist Petros Klampanis and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell. 

Her decision to have the vibes as the only harmonic instrument freed up the group’s sound, enabling a stripping down to single voices or a wide harmonic spectrum. Su’s music continues to blend elements of modern jazz and contemporary classical into a texturally rich and dynamic fusion, while always maintaining a groove. Having wanted to be a novelist as a child, Su is a natural storyteller who uses words to remember feelings that will drive compositions inspired by experiences and stories that she has grown fond of. 

The program begins with “Y El Coche Se Murió,” a dramatic piece that interprets Su’s nerves when her band’s van broke down en route to a gig in Spain, the van’s pace echoed by an insistent pulse that dies out leaving the musicians to their own devices. Echoing the optimism and wariness of the immigrant experience, “Viaje” is written in two parts, dark and disjointed leading to bright and optimistic. Su has had an increasing interest in dance, which led her to write “Feet Dance,” a bounding aural study of dancers’ feet as they move. 

As a vibraphonist, Su is a harmonic instrument player, so pianists are obvious inspirations. “Poncho Song” captures her appreciation for the approach of piano legend Bill Evans. The title track is about the noisy yet grooving experience of living in New York, with the band dancing around the groove and rich harmony. 

Su wrote the Kuafu Suite using the Chinese folk tale about a giant who chases the sun only to exhaust himself, try to revive himself by drinking a lake and, finally, dying with his goal unrealized, thus creating mountains and valleys. Seen by many as a warning of overestimating oneself, Su’s fascination with the story led to her romantic take of running towards your goals. Three parts, “I. Rising,” “II. Starry, Starry Night,” and “III. Parallel Chasing,” follow the giant’s journey in a wonderfully expressive musical narrative. 

The beautiful ballad “Tutu & D” is inspired by Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama’s The Book of Joy, which tells readers to find happiness, which for Su is finding beauty in music. The raucous “Party 2AM” looks to a more inebriated style of merriment, with the ensemble playing rambunctiously against one another. 

Yuhan Su looks to find the joy in the hectic life she has chosen in the jungle that is New York City. Her City Animals is a deft and uplifting journey that will separate the young vibist from the herd. 

Yuhan Su - vibraphone

Matt Holman - trumpet, flugelhorn

Alex LoRe - alto saxophone

Petros Klampanis - bass

Nathan Ellman-Bell - drums

1. Y El Coche Se Murió

2. Viaje

3. Feet Dance

4. Poncho Song

5. City Animals

6. KuaFu (I. Rising)

7. KuaFu (II. Starry, Starry Night)

8. KuaFu (III. Parallel Chasing)

9. Tutu & D

10. Party 2AM