Eraldo Bernocchi - Like A Fire That Consumes All Before It (RareNoise Records 2018)

RareNoiseRecords co-founder, multi-instrumentalist and composer Eraldo Bernocchi has created an evocative soundtrack for a new documentary film on American artist Cy Twombly. Imagined and produced by Michele Buongiorno, written and directed by Andrea Bettinetti, Cy Dear was presented privately at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in the Spring of 2018 and will have its festival premiere this Fall. Bernocchi’s soundtrack is suitably atmospheric, underscoring the life and times of the American painter-sculptor-photographer, whose work influenced a generation of younger artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Anselm Kiefer, Francesco Clemente and Julian Schnabel. 

“I had total freedom from the director and the production,” says the Italian guitarist and electronics maestro on creating the soundtrack to Cy Dear. “We worked as a team in order to create the best film possible in total freedom. Nobody ever asked me to change anything as my ideas were reflecting in a natural way those of the director and production. Each one of us melded and worked as if we had known each other forever. The end results are an incredible documentary and this record.” 

While the atmospheric soundtrack to Cy Dear may recall Bernocchi’s previous ambient recording on RareNoise, 2005’s Winter Garden, his very personal statement on Like a Fire That Consumes All Before It casts its own compelling spell on listeners. “This work bears my signature,” he says. “It’s a side of me that’s always been there. Note after note, take after take, I became part of this story. I brought my memories.” 

Though 80% of the sounds heard on Like a Fire That Consumes All Before It were generated by guitars, Bernocchi’s main instrument, they are adroitly disguised by the composer through deft use of echo, delay and reverb. “I used guitars mainly as a tool and when I really wanted to ‘sing’ a theme,” he says. “I had this guitar theme that was ringing in my ears and I started to sing harmonies that were dragging the piece deeper and deeper into the memory waters, where everything starts to blur and only emotions are floating. So I approached the guitars like an orchestra, layering part after part, singing aloud what I was hearing in my head and heart. And when the music was emotionally taking over, I chose and selected those parts pushing on the edge of feelings.”

He cites the track “Like I Wasn’t There” as an example of using his sound processing techniques in the studio to create evocative feelings in the listener. “This is one of the most touching pieces of the soundtrack,” Bernocchi explains. “It’s about the whole relationship between father and son, the absence, the omnipresent art, the emptiness of rooms and palaces, the memories that slowly creep one after another until they build a story that is true but its communication form has been shaped by time and events.” 

Bernocchi adds that none of the tracks on Like a Fire That Consumes All Before It were named for individual Twombly paintings. “The titles are related to moments in the film, to my personal experience/story, to people that were important for Cy Twombly and to words or phrases they said in the movie. This work had actually started as a soundtrack but in the end it became a story — his story, their story, my story. There are a lot of personal things in the music, mostly private. There’s a deep sense of memory in the documentary, a sense of time gone, brief meetings. Scene after scene, I realized there was a lot of my personal path too.” 

As for the album title, the composer says, “It’s such a strong and meaningful phrase, perfectly describing my approach to life since I was a kid — the passion, the flame that in the end often consumes everything around yourself. Twombly painted it as part of the Iliad series but when I saw the paintings and the words I immediately thought it was perfect for the record.” 

The final track on the collection, “Near By Distance,” is the only one that generates a steady, highly charged rhythmic pulse. “It’s dedicated to my friend (Swiss-born Italian trance music producer and DJ) Robert Miles, who passed away last year,” says Bernocchi. “The pulse just happened by chance. I liked it and I kept it. The piano theme reminded me of Robert’s melodies. I often think that I’d love to play it for him.” 

Bernocchi’s created his soundtrack over a four-month span of intensive creativity. “I was inspired by the amazing and immortal story of this art giant,” he says of Twombly. “I was also inspired by his incredible paintings, by my memories, and also by the life he lived with Nicola dal Roscio, the adventures they surfed together. And in certain moments on this project I asked myself what Ennio Morricone, my favourite composer ever, would have done on specific tracks. He very likely would have reduced the number of instruments and layers to concentrate on themes and emotions. This is what I did on tracks where you can clearly ear a theme.” 

Being self taught, Bernocchi has evolved his own vocabulary in the studio. It’s an approach based more on emotion than notation. “I know how I want to feel when I listen to a track and the emotions I’d like to live,” he says. “And the challenge on a project like this, where I played all the instruments myself, was to temper all the ideas I was planning to use. I hate overproduced music. Super-layered tracks make me nervous. I trust one note, one single note, a riff. That riff can say more than a whole orchestra. So, I had to keep the ‘other me’ at bay sometimes and be absolutely merciless. Because in the end, Cy Twombly was the protagonist in this story, not me.” 

Eraldo Bernocchi: Guitars, Treated Guitars, Electronics

01 - Meet me where you know

02 - To make things float

03 - From a distance

04 - White

05 - The silver laugh

06 -A child and a pencil

07 - The gold house

08 - Like I wasn’t there

09 - A letter and a place

10 - The never ending pier

11 - 1-10” of happiness

12 - Swirling colours

13 - We had a good time

14 - A crack in time

15 - The space between

16 - Out in the blue

17 - Like I wasn’t there (reprise)

18 - Near by distance

Music from and inspired by the film “Cy Dear”

A documentary film about Cy Twombly

“Near by Distance” dedicated to Robert Miles

“Out in the blue” dedicated to Sally Mann

All music composed, arranged, produced and mixed by Eraldo Bernocchi

Published by RareNoisePublishing (PRS) and Antiphona (SACEM)

Recorded at Transmutations Studios, London

Mastered at Turtletone Studios (NYC) by Mike Fossenkemper

Executive Producer for RareNoiseRecords: Giacomo Bruzzo

Eraldo Bernocchi plays Nude Guitars and thanks Elektron Music Machines.

Cover image: Cy Twombly, "Fifty Days at Iliam (Part V - The Fire That Consumes All Before It)", 1978

© Cy Twombly Foundation, Courtesy of the Nicola Del Roscio Archives

Graphic Design by Petulia Mattioli

Colin Edwin and Lorenzo Feliciati - Twinscapes Vol​.​2: A Modern Approach To The Dancefloor (RareNoise Records 2018)

Bassists Colin Edwin and Lorenzo Feliciati Blend ‘80s Pop and Prog On Twinscapes Vol.2: A Modern Approach To The Dancefloor 

For their second Twinscapes collaboration, bassists Colin Edwin (of Porcupine Tree and Metallic Taste Of Blood) and Lorenzo Feliciati (Naked Truth, Berserk!) address their respective ‘80s pop roots in the context of the same ambient soundscapes, freewheeling improvisations and prog-rock flurries that graced their 2014 self-titled RareNoise Records debut. Picture Soft Cell jamming with King Crimson, Ultravox with EL&P, Depeche Mode with Gentle Giant and you’ve got an idea of what’s happening on Twinscapes Vol.2: A Modern Approach To The Dancefloor.

In exploring dance floor music on Twinscapes 2, multi-instrumentalists Edwin and Feliciati pay homage to some iconic ‘80s bands while also pushing the envelope on that idiom. “As with the first album, there was no conscious decision or discussion to sound a particular way,” says Australian-born Edwin, “but I guess it’s the case that both Lorenzo and I have a connection with having played progressive rock and also that we were both around in the ’80’s, so that shared history has kind of come out on this record. As before, we’ve simply followed our instincts and common ground.” 

The Italian-born Feliciati recalls that, contrary to popular belief, the ‘80s was indeed a fertile period for musical experimentation. “I remember buying Genesis’ Trick of the Tail, which I still love today, and the first Devo album. And I clearly remember being exposed and enjoying music from new wave bands like The Stranglers, Human League, Ultravox and Japan together with fusion bands like the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report. I saw the last tour that Jaco Pastorius did with Weather Report promoting Night Passage…the night that changed my life. And I also remember going to see Talking Heads live with the Remain in Light band featuring Adrian Belew. From my point of view, everything happening in music then was with elements of Prog, Jazz, Rock, African music. So I always disagree that the ‘80s was a poor decade for music.” 

Edwin heartily concurs. “I think there was some really quite unusual and adventurous music on the charts back in the ’80’s, Japan being a great example. They had chart success but the music was quite unique and very original. Though a little more obscure, another example would be Stump, whom I first saw playing live on prime time TV. I can’t imagine a present day equivalent getting similar exposure.” 

Edwin also remembers the ‘80s being a particularly bass-centric era for music. “I was certainly aware of Ultravox, Soft Cell and Human League, all bands who were known for using synths and adopting the nascent technology of the time. But there was also a lot of really upfront and prominent bass playing in that era, from mainstream things like Mark King with Level 42 and Pino Palladino on those Paul Young records to things like Siouxsie and the Banshees and Bauhaus, Peter Hook with Joy Division and New Order, Bruce Thomas with Elvis Costello and Kevin Hopper with Stump.” 

Edwin and Feliciati apply their own formidable bass chops to the ten potent tracks on Twinscapes Vol. 2, while Lorenzo adds on keyboards and guitars in the studio and Colin contributes rhythm design and programming. They share bass duties on all tracks, with Edwin focusing strictly on his signature singing fretless bass sound and Feliciati alternating between groove-heavy fretted bass and more lyrical fretless bass. “One of the great things about working with Lorenzo is that we don’t really need to discuss things a great deal,” says Edwin. “We often have similar ideas about how things should fit together or how to create a full sound without getting in each other’s way. We’re also a good partnership in that we share enough similar opinions and ideas to fit together without conflict, but we have enough differences to make things move in unexpected directions and push each other to try new ideas.” 

Adds Feliciati, “Twinscapes is a dual bass project but from my point of view it's a creative collaboration between two composers/multi instrumentalists/ arrangers and producers. I am sure that who bought the first album will be delighted from this new one. It's 100% Twinscapes. We are a ‘progressive’ band because we like to let the music show the direction instead of using the same formula again and again. It's been very natural, when we start to compose a song together — or exchange files — to let the music drive us instead of trying to push it in a more planned direction. It’s fun and always challenging.” 

Twinscapes Vol.2 opens with the straight-up dance floor number “Tin Can,” which is actually a nod to’70s experimental German ‘krautrock’ band Can while pieces like "Future Echo," "Precipice" and "Heat Collison" carry more of a prog-rock/fusion vibe. “We certainly have to acknowledge a certain prog-rock and fusion influence,” says Edwin, “but to me it’s all just about making the music work in an interesting and engaging way. And actually I think ‘Heat Collision’ has quite an emotional pull. For me, it has a real atmosphere.” 

The moody “Bedroom Corner” features Edwin playing the melody on fretless bass while Feliciati holds down the groove on fretted bass. “In a Haze” has Edwin exploring eBow on his fretless bass before the pieces builds to a grand bass crescendo. Edwin’s singing fretless bass is also prominent on “The (Next) Level” while the slow rolling anthem “In a Daze” builds to orchestral proportions on the strength of Feliciati’s layered distortion guitars. 

One of the more intriguing tracks on the album is “Severing Suns,” which blends rich chord voicings with Gregorian-styled choral music and prominent fretless bass playing. “This is really quite a special track,” says Edwin. “Voices and vocals in general really fascinate me, and I have a special fascination for the connection between voice and bass. It’s perhaps our most experimental track with a lot of unexpected elements: the blend of basses, vocals, electronics, and textures, but with a strong groove too.” 

The exotic “Ghost of Tangier” is a powerful showcase for Twinscapes drummer Robert Gualdi. “It’s really meant as a space for Roberto to do his thing,” says Edwin. “We often have a track in the live set where we create some textural backing for him to improvise against and this is a quite similar to a lot of those moments. Roberto is an all-around creative drummer, equally comfortable with odd times and slamming 4/4, playing structured parts and also improvising. 
He has the requisite sensitivity for the more reflective moments but he’s not afraid to let his inner hooligan out for the rockier parts too.” 

Adds Feliciati, “On that track we gave Roberto complete freedom. It’s basically a drums solo/composition where we added all the textures to boost the atmosphere that was already there with just drums. Roberto is an incredibly musical drummer, not a common thing. He is a top session man and he is one of the busiest drummers in Italy, but in Twinscapes he helps the music with a very creative approach and doing a deep research for the right sounds. And he is always groovy and in the pocket. After his contribution on the first Twinscapes album we did a lot of gigs as a trio with him and we were extremely pleased by his musicality. There is quite a lot of improvisation in our performance so Twinscapes needs a very solid drummer but one with a creative approach and with big ears. Roberto is all of that, and he is also a wonderful person to work, travel and play with.” 

Regarding the nature of their collaborative process in the studio, Edwin explains, “We tend to make decisions and work very fast, and there’s a mixture of improvisation and carefully structured elements for sure. And in fact, there are a lot of moments across various tracks where I can’t distinguish who is doing which part, or where I’ve completely forgotten who did what. So we’ll certainly have some fun when it comes to playing these tracks live.” 

While this second Twinscapes outing is a continuation of Edwin’s and Feliciati’s indelible chemistry together in the studio, they hint at even more things to come in the future. “We’re still exploring for sure,” says Edwin. “Twinscapes is much more than just an excuse to dig out my ebow and more obscure pedals and pick up the bass. I think Lorenzo and I have a really good creative partnership and we have done some really memorable gigs too. So we still have a lot more to discover and I am looking forward to playing this new material live. As with the tracks from the first album, I am sure they will be great to explore and develop in front of an audience.” 

Steve Kuhn Trio - To and From the Heart (SUNNYSIDE RECORDS 2018)

Having just celebrated his 80th birthday, pianist Steve Kuhn has continued to get to the heart of things with his long-standing trio of bass guitarist Steve Swallow and drummer Joey Baron. The ensemble’s deeply resonant relationship can be heard on their new recording, To and From The Heart, a poignant collection of pieces that showcases these masters’ highly wrought abilities in wringing emotion from the ether. 

The legendary Kuhn has been a notable exponent of jazz’s adaptability and creativity since his professional debut nearly 60 years ago. His early work with the leaders of jazz’s vanguard, including Coleman Hawkins and Chet Baker, along with his forays into the avant-garde with John Coltrane, Gary McFarland and Pete La Roca, amongst many others, have solidified his credentials. 

The past few decades have found the pianist focusing more and more on the expressivity of the piano trio format. Kuhn has worked with a number of different amalgamations of musicians of the highest caliber, including Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Buster Williams, etc. But it has been his most recent trio roster that he has found most comfortable over the last two decades. 

Bassist Steve Swallow is a perfect foil for Kuhn, as he can be a supportive part of the rhythm team or highly tuneful solo voice. His remarkable ability as a composer is also highlighted on To and From The Heart, as it features two of his original compositions. Drummer Joey Baron is the heartbeat of this body, as he can be a font of energy or a cool stabilizer. 

To and From The Heart was recorded at the illustrious Sear Sound Recording Studio in New York in September of 2017 with the assistance of producer Artie Moorhead and engineer Katsuhiko Naito. 

The program begins with Swallow’s “Thinking Out Loud,” a bright but introspective piece that allows for thoughtful solos from Kuhn and Swallow. Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newly’s waltzing “Pure Imagination” floats in a tide of nostalgia and calm. Swallow’s “Away” is quietly devastating with its simplicity and beauty. The heartrending continues with Raymond Evans and Jay Livingston’s touching “Never Let Me Go,” which leads to Michika Fukumori’s upbeat and lively “Into The New World.” The recording concludes with a long rumination on two of Kuhn’s original pieces, “Trance / Oceans In The Sky,” providing a sweeping and dramatic close. 

Over his career, Steve Kuhn has fashioned his music into a conduit for emotion. His new recording, To and From The Heart, with his grand trio of Steve Swallow and Joey Baron encapsulates his ethos of wearing his feelings on his sleeve and to express them with the most reciprocative of bandmates.

Steve Kuhn - piano

Steve Swallow - bass guitar

Joey Baron - drums

1. Thinking Out Loud 07:49

2. Pure Imagination 06:15

3. Away 06:00

4. Never Let Me Go 04:38

5. Into The New World 05:29

6. Trance/Oceans In The Sky 16:29

Ivan 'Mamão' Conti - Poison Fruit (FAR OUT RECORDINGS January 25, 2019)

From an artist in their seventies, you probably wouldn’t expect to hear an album like this. But Brazilian drumming legend Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti has been experimenting and innovating for the last half a century. As one third of cult Rio jazz-funk trio Azymuth, Mamão was at the root of the group’s ‘samba doido’ (crazy samba) philosophy, which warped the traditional samba compass with jazz influences and space age electronics. Even with his lesser known jovem guarda group The Youngsters, Mamão was experimenting with tapes and delays to create unique, ahead-of-its-time sounds, way back in the sixties. More recently Mamão recorded an album with hip-hop royalty Madlib under the shared moniker ‘Jackson Conti’. 

With his first album in over twenty years, and the first to be released on vinyl since his 1984 classic The Human Factor, Mamão shares his zany carioca character across eleven tracks of rootsy electronic samba and tripped out jazz, beats and dance music. Featuring Alex Malheiros and Kiko Continentino on a number of tracks, the Azymuth lifeblood runs deep, but venturing into the modern discotheque (as Mamão would call it), Poison Fruit also experiments with sounds more commonly associated with house and techno, with the help of London based producer Daniel Maunick (aka Dokta Venom) and Mamão's son Thiago Maranhão. 

Ivan 'Mamão' Conti

Take a bite of Mamão’s psychoactive Papaya and join the maestro on a weird and wonderful stroll through the Brazilian jungle. 

United by a love for the music of Mamão and Azymuth, the CD and digital edition also feature the previously released remixes and dubs from some of today’s most forward-thinking producers with a penchant for percussion, including IG Culture, the 22a crew, Max Graef and Glenn Astro. 

1. Aroeira

2. Jemburi

3. Encontro

4. Bacurau

5. Ninho

6. Ilha Da Luz

7. O Ritual

8. Poison Fruit

9. Que Legal

10. Ecos Da Mata

11. Tempestades

12. Ilha Da Luz (aka Mamão’s Brake) Tenderlonious Remix

13. Encontro (aka Azul) Glenn Astro Remix

14. Que Legal Reginald Omas Mamode IV Remix

15. Encontro (aka Azul) Max Graef Remix

16. Poison Fruit (Dokta Venom's Digital Dub Mix)

Os Catedraticos - Ataque [1965] FAR OUT RECORDINGS December 2018

One of Brazil’s most prolific artists, Eumir Deodato has racked up 16 platinum albums, won a Grammy (and been nominated for two more), and sold over 250 million records in the USA alone. After moving from Rio de Janeiro to New York in the late 60’s, Deodato would work as a composer, arranger, producer and keyboardist on nearing 500 records, under his own name and with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Earth Wind & Fire, Frank Sinatra, Kool & The Gang, George Benson, Tom Jobim and Bjork, to name a just a few. 

But before that, a young Deodato had already cemented his status in Brazil as one of the country’s top musical minds. In the mid-sixties, when he wasn’t working with the likes of Roberto Menescal, Joao Donato, and Marcos Valle, Deodato recorded a string of albums with his lesser known instrumental samba jazz and bossa nova ensemble Os Catedráticos. 

Eumir Deodato

A masterpiece of hip Brazilian swing, Ataque reflects the deeper, groovier side of that magical, hazy sound of sixties Rio, with monster samba grooves backing big brass arrangements and scorching organ solos. Amongst Deodato’s own tracks, there are compositions by Marcos & Paulo Sergio Valle, Baden Powell and Luiz Bonfa, arranged for a big horn section, which includes trombone player Edson Maciel, and given an extra dose of cool from the inimitable drums of Wilson Das Neves and Ruebens Bassini on percussion. 

An elusive long player in the cannon of killer, groovy Brazilian music, with vinyl copies near impossible to find for less than three digits, Ataque finally gets the official Far Out reissue treatment: re-mastered from the tapes and pressed to 180g vinyl. Now available for the first time outside of South America. 

1. Ataque (Full Attack) 02:09

2. Os Grilos (Crickets Sing For Anamaria) 02:19

3. É Bom Parar 01:43

4. Feitinha Pro Poeta 02:00

5. Terra De Ninguém 03:28

6. Razão De Viver (A Little Tear) 03:11

7. Tristeza (Goodbye Sadness) 03:47

8. Samba Do Dom Natural 01:15

9. O Sol Nascerá 01:30

10. Samba De Rei 01:19

11. Até De Cavaquinho 02:12

12. Porque Somos Iguais 02:42

Itiberê Orquestra Familia - Pedra Do Espia (FAR OUT RECORDINGS 2018)

Itiberê Zwarg is an award-winning Brazilian bassist and the longest-serving member of Hermeto Pascoal’s ground-breaking ensemble ‘O Grupo’. Since their first meeting in 1977, the two have been closely collaborating to create a unique musical language: a genre-defying polyharmonic, polyrhythmic music, now widely studied by musicians and musicologists alike, known as ‘Universal Music’. 

Back in 1999, Itiberê led a workshop at Villa Lobos School of Music, with twenty-nine of Rio de Janeiro’s most exceptionally talented young musicians. Employing the principles of Universal Music alongside his long-held belief in the powers of listening and intuition, over the course of many months, with regular intensive 7 hour rehearsal sessions, Itiberê composed and arranged in real time, transcribing the improvisations of the prodigious orchestra while allowing the players freedom to experiment. The result was Pedra do Espia, an Amazonian orchestral masterpiece which is as difficult to categorise as it is fun to listen to. 

Itiberê Zwarg

Named after the beachside viewing point which translates as ‘Spy’s Rock’, where Itiberê would sit as a child, daydreaming and gazing out over the Brazilian coast, the record harnesses the pure creativity of youth and nature, creating a magical sense of innocence amongst the striking compositions and astonishing musicianship. 

On the original liner notes from the 2001 CD release, Itiberê guarantees the record to be “surprising in its uniqueness, it’s harmonic richness, it’s exuberant melodies and rhythmic variations like nothing heard before.” Bringing the album to vinyl for the first time, alongside a full 16 track CD and digital release, Far Out Recordings are honoured to present this overlooked masterpiece from one of the greatest minds in Brazilian instrumental music. 

1. Na Carioca 07:01

2. Bota Para Quebrar 06:17

3. De Coração Aberto 04:05

4. Forró No Encontro Dos Rios 04:07

5. Curupira 04:05

6. Arco-Iris De Som 03:36

7. No Varal 04:20

8. Toada Cigana 09:19

9. Doce 08:12

10. Vale de Luz 02:56

11. De Repente 06:23

12. Muito Natural 06:53

13. Ao Pé Da Lareira 06:23

14. Hora Da Prece 03:33

15. 17 De Janeiro 04:33

16. Pedra Do Espia 11:18

Amaro Freitas - Rasif (FAR OUT RECORDINGS 2018)

In the sweltering North-Eastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco lies the coastal city of Recife, where Amaro Freitas is pioneering the new sound of Brazilian jazz. For the prodigious young pianist, the spirit of his hometown runs deep. From the Afro-Brazilian maracatu born on the sugar plantations of slavery, to the high intensity carnival rhythms of frevo and baião, Amaro’s heavily percussive approach to jazz is as indebted to these Pernambuco traditions as it is to Coltrane, Parker and Monk. 

As with many of the greats before him, Amaro began playing piano in church aged 12, under the instruction of his father, leader of the church band. As his natural talents became obvious, the young prodigy quickly outgrew his father’s instruction. He won a place at the prestigious Conservatório Pernambucano de Música but had to drop out as his family could not spare the money for the bus fare. Undeterred, Amaro gigged in bands at weddings and worked in a call centre to fund his tuition. The transformative moment came at age 15 when Amaro stumbled across a DVD of Chick Corea concert, “he completely blew my mind, I’d never seen anything like it but I knew that’s what I wanted to do with a piano”. 

Despite not actually owning a piano, Amaro devoted himself to studying day and night – he would practice on imaginary keys in his bedroom, until eventually striking a deal with a local restaurant to practice before opening hours. By the age of 22 Amaro was one of the most sought-after musicians in Recife and resident pianist at the legendary jazz bar Mingus. It was during this time he met and begun collaborating with bassist Jean Elton and the pair went in search of a drummer. “We kept hearing about this crazy kid who was playing in 7/8 or 6/4, we knew we had to meet him”. Hugo Medeiros joined, and the Amaro Freitas Trio was born. 

“I want to show the simplicity of music, to break the stigma that the piano is for a particular social class. Yes, it’s a difficult instrument, which many people do not have access to, but with it you can express everything.” 

Following his critically acclaimed debut album Sangue Negro (black blood), the title of his sophomore release Rasif is a colloquial spelling of Amaro’s hometown. A love letter to his native northeast, Amaro explores its traditional rhythms through the jazz idiom, employing complex mathematical patterns reminiscent of some of the most challenging works by fellow Brazilian masters Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti and Moacir Santos.

1. Dona Eni 04:03

2. Trupe 04:09

3. Paço 04:23

4. Rasif 06:07

5. Mantra 07:07

6. Aurora 10:16

7. Vitrais 07:01

8. Plenilúnio 09:02

9. Afrocatu 05:22

Azymuth - Light As A Feather [1979] FAR OUT RECORDINGS 2018

Azymuth's career-defining LP Light As A Feather returns. Home to their worldwide disco/fusion hit single ‘Jazz Carnival’, the samba-doido staple 'Partido Alto', and the proto-deep house masterpiece ‘Avenida Das Mangueiras’, this album typifies the trio’s tireless innovation in the fields of jazz, funk, samba and cosmic music perhaps more so than any of their other ground-breaking records from its era.

Their first release on Milestone Records in 1979, it quickly became one of the best-selling LPs of the year, staying in the UK Top 20 for eight straight weeks with more than half a million copies sold. An incredibly well thought out album both in pace, song selection and musicality, ‘Light As A Feather’ marked a maturing of the band as they began to rightfully utilise the studio as an instrument itself, embracing numerous mixing and recording techniques not yet common for the time as well as pioneering the use of the Big Muff and Dolby System to great effect. The result is an album that endures to this day as a samba/jazz-funk masterpiece.

First reissued in 2012, the Far Out edition of this seminal recording was remixed and re-mastered from the original 16-track tapes, which were given to Joe Davis by Azymuth. This latest version is the first ever issue to be complete with a download card that that gives access to previously unreleased tracks, including the incredible full length version of 'Jazz Carnival', as well as remixes from house stalwarts Theo Parrish, Ashley Beedle, and Mark E.

Tracklist:

1. Partido Alto

2. Avenida Das Mangueiras

3. Light As A Feather

4. Fly Over The Horizon (Voo Sobre O Horizonte)

5. Amazonia

6. Jazz Carnival

7. Young Embrace (Um Abraco Da Mocidade)

8. Dona Olimpia

9. This Exists (Existe Isto)

10. O Pescador

CD & digital edition

11. Jazz Carnival (Full original mix)

12. Avenida Das Mangueiras (SS translation by Theo Parrish)

13. Endless Flight (Mark E Remix)

14. Jazz Carnival - Yambee Rework (Ashley Beedle and Yam Who? Remix)

Marcos Valle - Nova Bossa Nova (FAR OUT RECORDINGS 2018)

Marking sixty years of Bossa Nova, and twenty years since Marcos Valle’s first release for Far Out Recordings, what better time to bring back this era-defining classic from the Brazilian master composer? 

Throughout his astounding six-decade career, infiltrating pop, bossa nova, samba, delicate psychedelia, jazz and funk, Marcos Valle has consistently shown a dogged determination to transcend the traditions and structures of bossa nova, whilst never veering away from the movement’s inherent, fundamental spirit. To some extent, his epithet ‘the original Rio beach boy’ is a handy one: it reflects the origin and character of his often sun-soaked sound, but expounding his importance in the lineage of Brazilian music, he is more discerningly known as ‘the renaissance man of Brazilian pop’. He is indeed one the very greatest and most important composers, arrangers, writers and performers in Brazil. 

Up until Nova Bossa Nova, Marcos Valle hadn’t released an album for well over a decade. After 1983, he resented the way the music industry had changed with commercialisation and new demands curtailing his creative freedom. This was until 1994 when Marcos met Far Out boss Joe Davis and they recorded a track for Far Out’s first Friends From Rio album. This new collaborative partnership resulted in a new solo album, which commenced recording in 1996. 

Nova Bossa Nova brought Marcos bouncing back into the 90s, slotting nicely in place alongside the acid jazz movement as well as a voracious new demand for Brazilian music on dancefloors from London to Tokyo. It was witnessing the London club scene’s growing appetite for Brazilian music, as well as a lack of new sounds coming out of Brazil at the time, that a young Joe Davis put in a proposal to record a new album with one of his musical idols. Joe wanted to facilitate an album which would combine the latest technologies and production techniques, with live to analogue tape recording: a Marcos Valle album tailor-made for London’s clubs. Always open to modern influences and possibilities, Marcos agreed to the project, and Joe and his production partner Roc Hunter flew to Rio in ‘96.

The record wasn’t released until ’98, as the original ½ inch tapes were stolen from Far Out’s London studio, meaning parts of the album had to be re-recorded. 

Nova Bossa Nova was unveiled at the peak of the of the Brazilian movement, the record would also prove to be something of a revolution, inspiring a new generation of artists like Bebel Gilberto, Sabrina Malheiros, Da Lata and Bossacucanova, who continued to fuse Brazilian influences with modern electronic sounds. 

The album takes a panoramic view of Valle’s career, which was so fundamental in defining the standard of bossa back in the Sixties and continues to do so to this day. Nova Bossa Nova, the album’s title track is an update on Marcos’s trademark style, developing a more modern, funkier sound. Other gems include the dance-floor ready re-work of his 1970 hit ‘Freio Aerodynamico’, and the smooth instrumentals ‘Bar Ingles’, a jazz fusion looper, and the sun-soaked samba ‘Nordeste’. 

Twenty years since the original release, the album remains a landmark release for Far Out Recordings and Brazilian music in general. It is yet another example of Marcos Valle’s ability to transcend musical limitations and explore new musical ground, as he has done so passionately for the last sixty years. 

1. Novo Visual 04:16

2. Abandonu 05:32

3. Cidade Aberto 03:11

4. Bahia Blue 05:27

5. Freio Aerodynamico 06:05

6. Mushi Mushi 04:17

7. Nova Bossa Nova 04:05

8. Nordeste 06:48

9. Bar Ingles 06:28

10. A Vantage De Rever Voce (Rocking You) 04:52

Alabaster dePlume - The Corner of a Sphere (2018)

This fluid live music performance reassures with behaviour and sound while it challenges with thoughts and words. 

“My album of the week” – Gilles Peterson, BBC 6Music

"Now is this man a genius?" – Verity Sharp, BBC R3

"Cosmic dreaminess cut with wry exasperation" – Q Magazine

"Skronk, ecstasy and keen-eyed observation" – MOJO

1. Is It Enough 04:05

2. I Want A Red Car 03:43

3. They Put The Stars Far Away 03:35

4. What Do We Want 04:44

5. Did You Ever Hear About The Mau Mau 03:38

6. Be Nice To People 03:26

7. Who Are You Asking For 03:35

8. Not Counting Numbers Obviously 03:33

9. The Winner 03:13

10. There's Always More 06:17

Pat Brennan Quartet - Welcome to, (December 2018)

"All conditioned things are impermanent, 

They are phenomena, subject to birth and death. 

When birth and death no longer are, 

the complete silencing is joy."

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Pat Brennan: Bass, Composition

Jonah Christian: Guitar

Ethan Berkowitz: Piano, Keyboard

Kevin Blanke: Drum Set

1. My Body is a Dark Void 03:14

2. For the Vistas 07:42

3. Blood Moon 08:22

4. I am a Ghost 01:38

5. Lotus in the Fire 06:15

6. Anything Goes 04:41

7. Sinking 08:19

Engineered by JohnPaul Beattie

Mixed/Mastered by Jonah Christian

Artwork by Tilda Rose Sladek

Roy Hargrove Musical Celebration :: Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater :: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 @ 7pm

ROY HARGROVE 

MUSICAL CELEBRATION

Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 7pm

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater

The life and work of Roy Hargrove will be honored at a musical celebration on Tuesday, January 8, in Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, on Broadway at 60th Street, New York, New York. Doors will open at 6:30pm and the event will begin promptly at 7pm.

Originally scheduled to take place at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the festivities will take place at Jazz at Lincoln Center after the conclusion of the 2019 Jazz Congress.

The celebration will be open to the public and the general seating area will become available on a first come first serve basis. Seating in Rose Theater is limited, and Jazz at Lincoln Center reserves the right to close admission based on capacity. Additional seating will be available for simulcast viewing in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s The Appel Room, Mica and Ahmet Ertegun Atrium and Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame.

Roy Anthony Hargrove, one of the most respected and loved musicians in the New York City community and the world at large, was a trailblazing multiple Grammy Award winning trumpeter. He was known just as intensely for his brimming fire and fury as he was for his gorgeous, signature balladry. Over and over, his sound attested to and sanctified his deep love for music. His unselfish timbre covered the waterfront of every musical landscape. Owning his music, his sound, Roy inspired generations of musicians. He was a game changer.

Those who wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to offset production costs, please click here.

Box Office 

Address and Hours

Broadway at 60th Street, Ground floor

Mon–Fri: 10am–6pm

Sun: 12pm–6pm

CenterCharge

212-721-6500

Tim Pledger: Bohjass - Beautiful Question (December 2018)

Tim Pledger is a Melbourne musician and the founder and leader of spiritual jazz band Bohjass.

Beautiful Question is the 10th album.

Mick Power - guitar

Daniel Brates - drums

Belinda Woods - flutes

Chris Lewis - percussion

Oscar France - keyboard

Luigi Portararo - percussion

Brae Grimes - trumpet and cornet

Tim Pledger - sax and wooden flutes

Ali Watts - double and electric basses

1. The Dry Idea 10:25

2. O'rother Kissed ér 06:08

3. N.S.W. Jumper 09:35

4. Swimming Pool 07:48

5. The Badness Madrigals 09:38

6. The Beautiful Question 07:15

7. Zafferino Del Aquila 06:19

8. One for G and One for Me 06:24

Music written, mixed and mastered by Tim Pledger

Recorded at Soundpark Stutio by Andrew (Idge) Hehir

Painting by Uncle Damien, Orien Pharoah & Orpheus Pledger

Photo and design by Belinda Woods

Black Acid Arkestra - Sketches (December 6, 2018)

Jake Cleveland - guitars

Alex Arnold - trumpet, synths, fx

Rileaux Marx - alto saxophone

Eric Arnold - rhodes keyboards

Quinn Sternberg - electric bass

Charles Roldan - drumset/percussion

All songs composed by Jake Cleveland/Alex Arnold except "Eric's Groove" composed by Eric Arnold.

Recorded and mixed at Timeghost Studios by Alex Arnold.

Mastered by Aaron Marshall.

1. Sketches 05:46

2. Bat Country 06:08

3. Eric's Groove 05:04

4. Blue Mesa 04:35

5. Ethereum 05:45

6. Black Reef 05:36

Textures such as effected trumpet, blistering sax solos, virtuosic bass lines, prog-rock guitar licks, classic rhodes keys and digital sampling all come together to create the other-worldly sound of Black Acid Arkestra's debut album Sketches, which showcases a concise presentation of the weirder sides of jazz, simultaneously an homage to the past and a step into the future.

The idea for Black Acid Arkestra formed in the winter of 2016 when Alex Arnold and Jake Cleveland decided to create a fusion project encompassing the darker sides of jazz harmony and the more exciting sides of progressive rock. After a few shows and practice sessions, the tunes that became Sketches were written and recorded at Timeghost Studios, a cabin on the outskirts of the southern Indiana town of Bloomington.

Matt Moran Trio - Play Ball (2018)

The debut release of Matt Moran's organ trio featuring Gary Versace (Hammond B3), Tom Rainey (drums), and Matt Moran (vibraphone).

1. Play Ball 06:31

2. Fever Dream Blue Machine 08:00

3. Counterpoint 03:25

4. Dig Your Own Groove 13:51

5. Get Rich Quick 04:00

6. Try 04:04

7. That's What You Think 04:27

Peter Hess Trio - Falling (December 6, 2018)

First record from this trio of tenor saxophone, vibraphone, and drums, building towers out of scaffolds. Diskonife 002.

Peter Hess, tenor saxophone

Matt Moran, vibraphone

Jeff Davis, drums

1. Bluebells 06:06

2. Move to Mars 06:55

3. Falling 05:25

4. Subduction 03:44

5. Earlier 05:23

6. Gone Lights 05:09

7. Call Ahead 04:38

8. Follower 07:09

9. Everything Goes 03:27

Recorded 9/13/17 and mixed by Peter Hess at Fort St Marks

Mastered by Don Godwin at Tonal Park

Photo by Reuben Radding, design by Amy Saidens

James Brandon Lewis - An UnRuly Manifesto (February 1, 2019)

An Unruly Manifesto is an album dedicated to Charlie Haden & Ornette Coleman and Surrealism. Lewis describes this album as a call to action. “ Everyday is a chance to discover the truest version of your self and charge after that relentlessly”.

James Brandon Lewis - Tenor Saxophone

Jaimie Branch - Trumpet

Luke Stewart - Bass

Anthony Pirog - Guitar

Warren Trae Crudup III - Drums

1. Year 59 : Insurgent Imagination

2. An UnRuly Manifesto

3. Pillar 1: A Joyful Acceptance

4. Sir Real Denard

5. The Eleventh Hour

6. Pillar 2: What is Harmony

7. Escape Nostalgic Prisons

8. Haden is Beauty

9. Pillar 3:New Lived, Authority Died