Yelena Eckemoff - Adventures of the Wildflower (March 2021)

Pianist-composer Yelena Eckemoff will release her most elaborate and ambitious musical work yet with ‘Adventures of the Wildflower’, on 19 March on the label L&H Productions. As its title suggests, the double album is the story of a life, from birth to death (and rebirth), of an anthropomorphic columbine flower. Its story is told through the inspired work of Eckemoff and a Finnish ensemble that includes saxophonist Jukka Perko, multi-instrumentalist Jarmo Saari, vibraphonist Panu Savolainen, bassist Antti Lötjönen, and drummer-percussionist Olavi Louhivuori.

Yelena Eckemoff was born in Moscow. In her twenties, she found herself drawn to jazz—at a time when the music, or at least recordings of it, were a rare commodity in the then-Soviet Union. Yet an appearance by Dave Brubeck behind the Iron Curtain reinforced her newfound love of the music and shaped her creative path thenceforth.

That path turned out to run through the United States, where Eckemoff immigrated in 1991 and settled in North Carolina. Now ensconced in the country that gave birth to jazz, she went in search of players who could do justice to her intricate ideas.

The search was a long and sometimes frustrating one, but it paid off when she was able to work with the likes of bassist Mads Vinding and drummer Peter Erskine on her 2010 album Cold Sun. Later collaborators have included projects with Mark Turner, Joe Locke, Ralph Alessi, Billy Hart, Chris Potter, Adam Rogers, Joey Baron, Arild Andersen, and Jon Christensen, the great Norwegian drummer whose final recording was on Eckemoff’s 2020 release Nocturnal Animals.

Having previously worked with Savolainen, Lötjönen and Louhivuori on her 2017 album, Blooming Tall Phlox (inspired by nature’s smells), she was eager to return to Helsinki to record with them again. That she did in summer of 2019 (before the onset of the pandemic), with the addition of two highly regarded Finns: guitarist Saari and saxophonist Jukka Perko, who took a relay baton from trumpeter Verneri Pohjola.

Long a conceptualist, Eckemoff has previously tended to craft albums of thematically linked but discrete pieces. Adventures of the Wildflower, however, functions as a single narrative. The flower—aptly named Columbine—undertakes a vivid journey, growing from baby to mature plant as she observes from her garden spot the whirl of nature and of life, plant and animal, around her. She even learns to communicate with her garden mates, a real phenomenon that inspired Eckemoff to create the album when she read about it in a magazine.

“I was intrigued to learn that plants communicate with each other through the air, by releasing odorous chemicals, and through the soil, by secreting soluble chemicals,” she says. “Such communal life sparked my imagination. I started to envision how a single plant would feel being part of such an interconnected community and how it would react to its neighbors who lived next to it. Soon I had a kernel of an idea about a wildflower.”

Eckemoff supplements her original music with an 18-part narrative poem (one part for each composition) that tells Columbine’s story. While nuanced, the narrative is built on an earnest simplicity, like a children’s story. The music, on the other hand, is much more complex. The multiple levels of melody in “Home by the Fence” or “Children Playing with Seed Pods” are sumptuous feasts for both the ear and the intellect, while pieces like “Chickens,” “Butterflies,” and “Another Winter” are filled with experimental, even psychedelic, textures.

Credit for these soundscapes must go as well to the musicians who work with Eckemoff. The sounds Saari conjures from his guitars, theremin, and glass harp lend the music a unique palette, augmented by the bold, unconventional playing of Perko, Savolainen, Lötjönen, and Louhivuori. “They were fearless in approaching my extensive lead sheets,” the pianist affirms. In Adventures of the Wildflower that fearlessness has, like Columbine, blossomed into a splendid and very alive specimen of its own.

With Adventures of the Wildflower, Eckemoff wanted to make an offering of positivity to her adopted country. “I was moved to make this record as my answer to our turbulent times,” she says. “I believe that nothing is more important than for all earthly beings to find a way to live together peacefully, next to each other in the same community. Characters of my story may have disagreements with each other, but in the end, they always find a way to coexist together on the same plot of land.”

Disc 1

1. "In The Ground"

2. "Germination"

3. "Weeding The Garden"

4. "Dos Chasing A Mouse"

5. "Rain"

6. "Hoome By The Fence"

7. "Chickens"

8. "Drought"

9. "Thundershower"

Disc 2

1. "Winter Slamber"

2. "Waking Up In The Spring"

3. "Buds & Flowers"

4. "Butterflies"

5. "Hummingbirds"

6. "Children Playing With Seed Pods"

7. "Dying"

8. "Another Winter"

9. "Baby Columbines"

Yelena Eckemoff - piano and composition

Jarmo Saari - guitars, theremin, glass harp

Jukka Perko - saxophones

Panu Savolainen - vibraphone

Antti Lotjonen - double bass

Olavi Louhivuori - drums and percussion

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Lorne Lofsky - This Song Is New (April 2, 2021 Modica Music)

Legendary Canadian Guitarist Lorne Lofsky Announces This Song Is New, New Album Due out April 2, 2021 on Modica Music

The former Oscar Peterson Quartet member presents his first studio album in nearly 25 years

Modica Music is proud to announce the April 2, 2021 release of This Song Is New, a rousing new recording from Canadian jazz guitarist Lorne Lofsky. A master guitarist known for his pianistic voicings and virtuosic skill, Lofsky is considered one of Canada’s great musical treasures. This Song Is New is his first recording as a leader in over two decades, and signals an exciting new page in Lofsky’s illustrious career. Joining Lofsky is his tight-knit quartet made up of his longtime musical associates: Kirk MacDonald on saxophone (with whom Lofsky has played extensively since the early 1980’s), bassist Kieran Overs, and drummer Barry Romberg. 

Born, raised and based in Toronto, Lofsky’s career began when Oscar Peterson offered to produce his first record, It Could Happen To You (Pablo Records), in 1980. During the years that followed, Lofsky worked extensively in the Toronto area, and toured with the likes of renowned saxophonist Pat LaBarbera, and fellow guitarist Ed Bickert. Bickert and Lofsky’s fruitful collaboration ran from 1983 through 1991 and produced two widely-acclaimed recordings including the well-known 1990 Concord release This Is New. In the mid-1990’s, Lofsky gained further recognition as a member of the Oscar Peterson Quartet. From 1994-1996, Lofsky toured with Peterson’s group at venues all over the world from Carnegie Hall to the Montreal Jazz Festival, and appeared on three recordings. Lofsky was Chet Baker’s “go to” Canadian guitarist – heavily featured on the legendary Jazz Trumpeter’s 2000 release “Live at the Renaissance II”. His other notable collaborations include performances with Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown, Benny Carter, Joey DeFrancesco, Dave Holland, Rosemary Clooney and Clark Terry, among others.

While Lofsky has built a widely-respected reputation as a world-class player, he has also become known as a prominent and sought-after educator. Currently, he teaches at York University and Humber College in Toronto, has an extensive private teaching practice, and he has guest lectured at a plethora of top-notch institutions such as St. FX University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and McGill University in Montreal, among others. 

With a resume like Lofsky’s, it may seem as though he has already accomplished all he set out to do, and it would be perfectly reasonable for him to rest on his laurels. That is, however, not the case, as the musician is on an unending journey of discovery and is consistently working to refine and evolve his sound. “There’s always a new opportunity to discover something,” Lofsky says. “I’m constantly trying to add more information to my vocabulary, to my skillset, knowing that when it’s time to play, I can tap into that and do it in a way where it’s completely unconscious.” As revered journalist James Hale outlines in the album liner notes, Lofsky eschews outboard effects and pedals, preferring to focus on what he can pull from the strings with his own technique.

While Lofsky is never far away from his guitar, composing is something more sporadic, which explains why it has been nearly 25 years since his last recorded work as a leader. “I’ve been concentrating on playing for most of my life,” says Lofsky. “But every once in a while, I kind of go on this little ‘mini binge’ and I feel inspired to write something.” That ‘something’ comes to life on This Song Is New, making Lofsky’s long-awaited return all the more triumphant. 

The resulting work is a seven track collection featuring five new originals and stellar arrangements of Miles Davis and Victor Feldman’s “Seven Steps to Heaven” and Benny Golson’s “Stable Mates”, expertly performed by this outstanding quartet.  The bond between this foursome is so tight and intuitive, that the majority of the tracks on This Song Is New were cut in a single take. “We’ve all played together in different sorts of incarnations for a long, long time. There’s a lot of chemistry, a lot of trust. When we play, we don’t really have to talk. It’s like putting on four very well-worn baseball gloves; it’s just, go.” Originally meant to be a casual readthrough at Roberto Occhipinti’s Modica Music Studio in Toronto, Lofsky had no intention of releasing the recording commercially until he heard the exceptional results. 

Looking at the material as a whole, the consistent thread throughout is Lofsky’s quest to approach music in new ways, particularly when it comes to revisiting tunes like “Seven Steps” or “Stable Mates”—whether it’s in the time signature or the harmony. “It’s not about emulating what I’ve heard; it’s about tapping into something the music suggests. I try to stay open to different things that might come to mind and open to new possibilities in my playing.” On a song-by-song basis, his approach yields consistently fascinating results, with his open-eared philosophy inspiring his collaborators to dig deeply into their own imaginations.

Looking over the entirety of this ‘get-together with friends,’ that wasn’t originally intended for public consumption, Lofsky is characteristically torn between acknowledging the achievement, yet seeing it as one more step on a journey. “It’s a jazz record. This is music that’s instinctive. It’s not a pop record, where the producer spends six months trying to get the right reverb on the snare drum, and the bassist records his parts separately. I’ve put the last 46 years of my life, on a daily basis, into this. And I’m not going to stop working on this, until I take my last breath.”

This Song Is New Track by Track Analysis by James Hale

“Seven Steps” has been recorded at least a couple of dozen times since Miles Davis released it as the title song of his 1963 album, and most have stuck to its original swing time. For Lofsky, the composition represents his ongoing challenge to recast standards in different meters, and with Romberg and Overs along for the ride, this loose-feeling take aptly illustrates how an interesting tune with sturdy “bones” can gain new lustre with an unexpected rhythmic approach. 

Lofsky says “The Time Being” refers to where his writing is today. “I’m writing tunes now that aren’t necessarily associated with how I’m typically looked upon: a straight-ahead jazz guitar player. I’m writing because I want to challenge myself. Any recording is kind of a snapshot of where you’re at in your musical/personal life.”

Like the late trumpeter Kenny Wheeler—another Canadian instrumental icon Lofsky worked with—the guitarist loves wordplay in the titles of his compositions. So, while “Live from the Apollo” nods to the legendary Harlem concert hall, it also alludes to astronaut Neil Armstrong’s 1969 leap from the steps of the lunar landing module to the surface of the Moon, and to John Coltrane. “It’s based on Coltrane’s Giant Steps,” with some alternate changes and interplays thrown in, and an alternate melody.”

In his typically off-handed manner, Lofsky says “This Song Is New” is “kind of neat because it changes key partway through, but it doesn’t seem like you’re in a new key.  I was thinking of “The Song Is You,” so people might think it’s based on that, but it’s just the correlation in the title.”

The puns continue with “An Alterior Motif,” named for the altered harmony that abounds in the piece. “There’s a sense of linear and thematic development, and you can really hear the melody unfolding.” The performance has a beautiful tension between Romberg’s drumming, MacDonald’s languid opening solo, and the leader’s short, thoughtful interlude bridging into a more rugged saxophone section.

Lofsky’s use of sly references reaches its zenith on the sprightly “Evans from Lennie,” which not only draws from pianists Bill Evans and Lennie Tristano but reaches out to recently departed saxophonist Lee Konitz as well. “I was just messing with “Pennies From Heaven,” and thinking of Tristano, Konitz, and Warne Marsh because they all wrote really great alternate lines to standard song forms. I studied with Konitz briefly in 1984, just to try to get more insight into melodic development when improvising. I learned that you have to know the melody of a song inside out, be able to juxtapose different parts of the melody, then re-phrase, embellish it, and elaborate on it.” Simple, right?

Finally, Lofsky downplays his Bossa Nova treatment of “Stable Mates,” although it sounds like a radical shift from the straight-up, post-bop takes of the song popularized by Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, and composer Benny Golson himself. “I changed the chords. That’s nothing to write about by any means, but I liked the fact that, as a Bossa, it has a very different vibe. And it kind of summarizes the way I’ve been working at playing things in five or in seven, and feeling like those time signatures are not something I have to work up to anymore. I just instantly start playing it that way.”

1. Seven Steps (Miles Davis, Victor Stanley Feldman) 5:16

2. The Time Being 5:36

3. Live from the Apollo 6:37

4. This Song is New 6:17

5. An Alterior Motif 5:26

6. Evans from Lennie 6:20

7. Stable Mates (Benny Golson) 7:10

Modica Music

Giancarlo Tossani & Big Monitors - Knots and Notes (March 2021 Auand Records)

Halfway between music investigation and sociological experiment, Giancarlo Tossani's new album on Auand Records aims at putting together different generations and have them face the vast repertoire of such a multifaceted free jazz name as double bass player William Parker.

Generated by curiosity and connections (and also disconnections) between human beings belonging to different worlds, “Knots and Notes” showcases the talent of Big Monitors, a quintet led by Tossani and featuring Gabriele Mitelli (pocket trumpet, alto flugelhorn, synths), Tobia “Bobby” Bondesan (alto sax), Michele Bondesan (double bass), Andrea Grillini (drums), and a special appearance by the teenager singer Amanda Noelia Roberts (vocals on two tracks).

«We had this idea – Tossani recalls – when Michele Bondesan suggested some William Parker tunes for a live show we had scheduled. I was not a connoisseur of his vast and varied art, but I was intrigued by that: I belong to the William Parker generation, but Michele is in his twenties. When experiencing that music, what will his young generation listen to and relate to, compared to me and my musical and personal background, which belongs to different decades? This is not just a tribute, even if appropriate. It’s also a reflection on legacy and changes, repetition and difference».

William Parker’s multifaceted and huge talent, expressed through music, poetry and many other art forms, becomes the common thread in this album, embracing distant points in time. «In jazz music – the pianist says – notes are played at the same time, and they are tied together, bonded, much like the different generations connecting their languages. When I pick a musician, it’s always a matter of friendship, similarity, and fellowship. The prep work and the final edits are mine here, but I usually leave some blank space for my fellow musicians to fill when we’re working on it – I’m always surprised by the outcome. Tobia Bondesan has even come up with two themes on some of my outlines.» This is how tracks are tied together too, such as “Hunk Pappa (W. Parker) + Junk Meal”, which highlights puns and assonances of two compositions that can be paired «by affinity and change in direction.»

01 Slipped

02 In Order To Survive

03 Binding

04 Hunk Pappa Blues Junk Meal

05 Dream Flag

06 Sennit

07 Old Tears Fall Down

08 Lashing

09 Autumn Leaves Vermeer

10 Mr Reeve

11 Whipping

12 ONeals Porch

13 Hitch

Tobia Bondesan alto sax

Gabriele Mitelli pocket trumpet, alto flugelhorn, synths

Giancarlo Tossani piano, wurlitzer, virtual synths

Michele Bondesan double bass

Andrea Grillini drums

feat. Amanda Noelia Roberts voice (07, 09), lyrics (09)

Recorded and mixed at Ritmo&Blu Recording Studio,

Pozzolengo (BS) Italy on November 26-27, 2019 by Stefano Castagna

Mastered at New Mastering, Milano Italy on April 30, 2020 by Maurizio Giannotti

Produced by Giancarlo Tossani

Executive producer: Marco Valente

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Giovanni Dell'Olivo - Memorie di Atlantide (2021 Alfa Music)

“Memorie di Atlantide” nasce nel 2019 come spettacolo di teatro canzone scritto e interpretato dal cantautore Giovanni Dell’Olivo, accompagnato sul palco dal suo storico gruppo, il Collettivo di Lagunaria, (Alvise Seggi, Stefano Ottogalli, Walter Lucherini, Serena Catullo) e dall’attrice e cantante Arianna Moro, per la regia di Vito Lupo.

La stessa formazione dello spettacolo è presente in questo lavoro in studio di registrazione, nel quale l’autore ha voluto mantenere il più possibile intatta la fragranza del sound dell’esibizione dal vivo.

L’intreccio di prosa e canzoni, di cui rimane traccia anche nel lavoro discografico, conduce lo spettatore a ripercorrere, in chiave metaforica, la storia di Atlantide sommersa, intesa come una distopia sia dell’anima propria dell’autore che dell’anima collettiva di una generazione e dei suoi sogni infranti di giustizia ed uguaglianza sociale, perduti in fondo al mare come a seguito di un naufragio. E di naufraghi, migranti e respingimenti di migranti si parla ancora nella metafora narrativa dell’autore, ove la fine di Atlantide rappresenta la fine dell’idea stessa di società aperta ed inclusiva.

Ma Atlantide è anche la Venezia dell’infanzia di Giovanni Dell’Olivo, luogo che è stato sommerso e dimenticato più che dalle alluvioni dall’egoismo di ciascuno dei suoi abitanti, così come è accaduto ad Atlantide, nel racconto di uno dei tritoni sopravvissuti alla sommersione della città mitologica. In questo disco sono raccolti tredici brani dello spettacolo, registrati fra il 4, il 5 e il 9 luglio 2020 a Noale, nello studio ZVUK di Davide Michieletto e Stefano Gaion. Il brano “La peste è ritornata” ha vinto l’edizione 2019 del Premio letterario internazionale Città di Moncalieri dedicato a Gianmaria Testa.

Memorie di Atlantide, infine, è dedicato alla memoria di due straordinari ”meticci del mare” Bernardo Cinquetti, cantautore parmigiano e caro amico dell’autore, scomparso nel 2019, per il quale è stata scritta la canzone Eterno Villeggiante, e Alberto D’Amico, insuperato aedo della venezianità oggi sommersa, scomparso nell’estate del 2020, cui è dedicata la canzone "La peste è ritornata".

Il disco è dedicato alla memoria di Bernardo Cinquetti, cantautore parmigiano e caro amico dell’autore, scomparso nel 2019.

1. INTRODUZIONE (Catabasi)

2. MEMORIE DI ATLANTIDE

3. IL CIELO SULL’ISOLA E’ SCURO

4. L’ACQUA CHE RIVARA’

5. ECCOLI PER LE STRADE

6. IO, LA MIA BARCA, LA LAGUNA E TE

7. UN CANTO CHE VIENE DAL MARE

8. L’OCCIDENTE (YA HABIBI ARAB LAYA)

9. VENTO MOLESTO

10. LA PESTE E’ RITORNATA

11. COME FATA BOSCHIVA

12. ETERNO VILLEGGIANTE (A BERNARDO)

13. TO FADAKI

Tutti i brani sono composti da Giovanni Dell'Olivo ad eccezione di:

• n. 3 (Il cielo sull'isola è scuro). Il testo della canzone è una rielaborazione dell'Autore ispirata al testo del libretto dell'Opera Acquagranda di Roberto Bianchin.

La musica è di Giovanni Dell'Olivo.

• n. 4 (L'acqua che rivarà). Il testo della canzone è tratto dal libretto dell'opero Acquagranda di Roberto Bianchin, lo musica è di Giovanni Dell'Olivo.

• n. 6 (lo, la mia barca, la laguna e te). Libera traduzione e arrangiamento del brano "Heureux qui comme Ulysse" di Georges Delerue e Henri Colpi, nell'interpretazione di Georges Brassens.

Arrangiamenti del Collettivo di Lagunaria

Edizioni musicali: AlfaMusic Studio (Siae)

Serena Catullo: voce

Giovanni Dell’Olivo: voce, chitarra, bouzouki

Walter Lucherini: fisarmonica

Arianna Moro: voce

Stefano Ottogalli: chitarra

Alvise Seggi: contrabbasso, sansula

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Leonardo De Lorenzo - on fiVe (April 23, 2021 Alfa Music)

Il titolo di questo progetto nasce da un gioco di parole modificando il modo di dire Inglese “to be on fire” (cioè essere nel fuoco, essere a “mille” e in grande fermento creativo) cambiando la lettera R con la V e facendolo diventare “on fiVe” letteralmente “sul cinque” perchè il numero cinque in questo lavoro, è di grandissima importanza. Ho preparato il repertorio alla soglia dei miei cinquantacinque anni, la musica è per quintetto e in cinque dei sei brani è sempre presente il   5/4 “puro” o espresso nei suoi multipli suddivisionali. On fiVe! Non poteva essere altrimenti!

Ad accompagnarmi in questa nuova avventura, ci sono amici di vecchia data e qualche piacevole scoperta degli ultimi mesi, come il bravissimo e giovanissimo altosassofonista Ciro Marone, conosciuto per caso durante la festa della musica nel 2018, quando ho diretto un'orchestra formata da allievi del conservatorio di Benevento, dove insegno. Giacinto Piracci alla chitarra ed Ergio Valente al pianoforte e tastiere, si sono occupati delle armonie e il fido e solido Vincenzo Lamagna con il suo contrabbasso ha coadiuvato il sottoscritto nelle tessiture ritmiche.

Un repertorio non facile, ma sempre legato alla melodia, costituito da pezzi di lungo respiro, quasi in forma di “suite” con tanti inaspettati cambi di scena, colori ed atmosfere. Ogni brano racconta una storia, e tutte le storie di questo lavoro sono legate ad un filo rosso che porta l'ascoltatore per mano, avvolgendolo nel suono moderno del gruppo.

Nel giorno 18 Gennaio 2019, poco prima della recrudescenza dei contagi da Covid e del lockdown, siamo riusciti a registrare questo cd con una formula molto particolare attraverso la quale abbiamo portato in studio un pubblico ristretto e selezionato di appassionati di musica e audiofili che hanno avuto così l'opportunità di assistere alla creazione del lavoro discografico, facendone parte integrante! Inoltre, data la presenza del pubblico, le riprese sono state di tipo “diretto” in quanto pubblico e musicisti erano tutti nella stessa sala, rendendo così impossibile qualsiasi tipo di editing. Questo vuol dire che alcuni errori di esecuzione che potevano pregiudicare la registrazione, non potendo essere corretti, ci hanno costretti a procedere ad una nuova registrazione (take). Esattamente come si faceva ai vecchi tempi nei grandi studi di una volta.

Tutto questo ha reso possibile il flusso di un'energia particolare e spero che tutti i fruitori di quest'opera possano percepirla. Leonardo De Lorenzo

1. Hope

2. Perdersi in un Quadro

3. Il Filo Rosso

4. F Supremacy

5. Wild Mind

6. Reflection

All composed and arranged by Leonardo De Lorenzo

Leonardo De Lorenzo drums, *additional keyboards, arrangements

Ciro Marone alto sax

Ciacinto Piracci electric guitar

Ergio Valente piano, fender Rhodes

Vincenzo Lamagna double bass

*warm pad on “F Supremacy” *fender-Rhodes piano and drum vamp on “Reflection”

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Giuseppe Di Maio - Beyond (2021 Alfa Projects)

We are the natural extension of the instrument we play, just like the branches of a tree whose roots delve deep into the sky, and not the ground; music flows in these branches symbolising the process of uniting perfection and imperfection, represented by us human beings. This allows us to see and go “BEYOND” all worldly things, enabling us to experience all that is other-worldly and unreachable. Listening to music conveys emotions, awakening in me the will to go “BEYOND” what I am listening to, wanting to recreate such emotions through the notes on the piano.

The aim of “BEYOND” is to represent the creative process of each individual, which enables us to transform emotions into sensations, images, and memories, only by actively listening to music.

This project represents all of me and both my personal and musical evolution. The latter always included listening to all genres, but it began from studying classical music, subsequently enriched by studies of jazz varieties. This allowed me to express my feelings through music, which in this case were stirred up by eight of F. Chopin’s marvellous preludes (op.28 n°1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 20, 21).

These preludes inspired the compositions and improvisations in this record. Each track begins with one of the original preludes – performed either partly or entirely – which then evolves according to the specific melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic characteristics of each work of the Polish composer. Such diverse elements gave life to the emotions engraved in this record through different musical writing and improvisation of the musical language of the 20th century, such as bossa nova, choro, and swing.

A brief explanation of the creative journey I embarked on: what struck me in “ChOpen” (prelude op.28 n°1) was the repetitive rhythmic cell appearing from the first cue, paving the way for the rest of the track.

In “A minor Blues” (prelude op.28 n°2), the harmony of the track inspired a connection to a blues section, returning to the original composition only at the very end. Using a melody mainly characterized by the lydian mode, I developed a fast phrasing of the left hand in “Wind” (prelude op.28 n°3).

In “Saudade de bossa” (prelude op.28 n°4) the minor harmony evoked a development in the style of “How sensitive”, a famous standard by A. C. Jobim.

“Tico tipo no Chopin’’ (prelude op.28 n° 10) is a somewhat similar case, although this time, the relentless pace of Chopin’s work was a major source of inspiration, together with its harmony, as it emerges in the title of the track.

In “Like Chopin” (prelude op.28 n°11), Chopin’s wondrous theme urged me to keep going, as if the music did not end at the bottom of the page, leading me to express my feelings in a style similar to the original.

In “Ballad con moto” (prelude op.28 n°20), both the harmony and the strong, yet somewhat melancholic, character of the prelude, stirred in me a sensation of both tranquillity and turmoil, as it emerges in the theme following its performance.

The last track of this record, “Talking to myself” (prelude op.28 n°21), best represents what I tried to explain in the introduction of this booklet, and for this very reason I will just leave it to music to narrate what words cannot express, thus, enjoy the music! 

1. Preludio op.28 n.1

    ChOpen 4.05

2. Preludio op.28 n.2

    A minor blues

3. Preludio op.28 n.3

    Wind

4. Preludio op.28 n.4

    Saudade da bossa

5. Preludio op.28 n.10

    Tico Tico no Chopin

6. Preludio op.28 n.11

    Like Chopin

7. Preludio op.28 n.20

    Ballad con moto

8. Preludio op.28 n.21

    Talking to myself

All composed by Giuseppe Di Maio

Publishing: AlfaMusic Studio (Siae)

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Aura - Aura (2021)

'Aura' a quartet of 4 female jazz musicians, each an emerging name in Australian Jazz and Improvised Music present their debut recording as an ensemble.

The ensemble - consisting of Trumpeter Audrey Powne, alto saxophonist Flora Carbo, bassist Helen Svoboda and drummer Kyrie Anderson, met serendipitously in 2019 while attending the Banff Centre's renowned Workshop in Jazz and Improvised music directed by masterful improvising musicians and composers Vijay Iyer and Tyshawn Sorey.

Amidst the velocity of the workshop experience and the formations of their friendship and musical relationship the quartet found a window of a few hours to record in the Telus Recording Studio at the Banff Centre studio with acclaimed Engineer Todd Whitlock resulting in their debut, self titled album together “Aura."

Aura pays homage to the great chord-less jazz quartets of Ornette Coleman and Sonny Rollins, while drawing on contemporary Australian artists like Andrea Keller, The Necks and the Australian Art Orchestra. Different musical voices and improvisatory strengths come to the fore in works by each ensemble member. This harmonious approach in combination with the individual prowess of each artist presents a definite aura of magic from this youthful band.

1. Then They Ran 03:49

2. Contrafact 1 07:08

3. Peaks 04:32

4. Dissociation Daze 06:10

5. Flordrey 02:46

6. Contrafact 2 03:38

Aura are...

Flora Carbo - Alto Saxophone

Audrey Powne - Trumpet

Helen Svoboda - Bass

Kyrie Anderson - Drums

All tracks mixed and mastered by Patrick Arthur

Artwork by the wonderful Chloe Kim

Recorded by Todd Whitlock in the Telus Recording studio at the Banff Centre for the performing arts with special thanks to assistant engineer Andrew Chung.

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Ken Stubbs - Reminiscence of a Soul (March 2021)

Ken Stubbs formed his first jazz group – ‘First House’, with fellow ex music biz sufferers, Tube driver and Demon of the double bass, Mick Hutton, the marvellous, number-crunching drum genius, Martin France and the formidable composer and magician-keyboardist, Django Bates.

They where fortunate to record twice for ECM, with the Perfectionist-German-Sound Wizard, Manfred Eicher.

1. Where We Used to Live 07:14

2. Grand Trine 03:24

3. Southwest Loner 06:27

4. Believe, Beleft, Below 07:10

5. For Ron Stubbs 02:39

6. The Goldhearted Miner 06:32

7. Waltz for the Lonely Ones 06:53

8. Reminiscence of a Soul 07:44

9. Cantilena 06:39

10. Definition of a Dog 08:06

Ken Stubbs – Alto Saxophone

Jason Rebello – Piano/Rhodes

James Muller – Guitar

Brett Hirst – Bass

Simon Barker – Drums

Gerard Presencer – Flugelhorn

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Michael Formanek - Imperfect Measures (March 19, 2021 Intakt Records)

With his extensive artistic biography, Michael Formanek is one of the most outstanding figures in American jazz – As a composer, as a bassist in ensembles, and as a soloist. Although the bass often plays in the background, bassists write jazz history. So does Michael Formanek, who makes an impressive solo statement with Imperfect Measures (24 years after his first solo album).

About the creative process, Formanek writes: "I came to realize that for me, playing solo bass is much closer to a compositional process than a performance practice … Any structure inherent in a piece evolves in the moment, the product of the improvisation itself – as if one were building and traveling along a road simultaneously. The road only extends as far as we are in the moment, so there must be a total commitment to what is being created and constructed in real time, lest things quickly fall apart.“

The inspiring music is embedded in works by artist and illustrator Warren Linn, who created sketches during the recording process, developed them into collages/paintings, some of which are now featured in the CD package designed by Stephen Byram. A complete work of art!

1. Quickdraw

2. On the Skin

3. A Maze

4. Full Frontal

5. Airborne

6. Loop Back

7. Notice Moments

8. Wisp

9. The Stand

Michael Formanek: Bass

All compositions by Michael Formanek (Formtone Music BMI)

Recorded on September 10, 2017 at Heartwood Sound Studio, Baltimore, MD by Ben Frock

Mixed in August 2020 by Jake K. Leckie, Los Angeles, CA. Mastered in November 2020 by Nick Lloyd at Firehouse 12 New Haven, CT. Liner notes: Michael Formanek.

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PUNKT.VRT.PLASTIK Kaja Draklser / Petter Eldh / Christian Lillinger - Somit (March 19, 2021 Intakt Records)

Following their acclaimed 2018 debut album, the band Punkt.Vrt.Plastik, which brings together Kaja Draksler, Petter Eldh and Christian Lillinger, three of the most exciting, profound and versatile musicians on the European jazz scene, presents another stroke of genius. With Somit they take their urgent ensemble playing to new heights, creating a highly individual sound aesthetic with unusual instrumentation (Kaja Draksler plays two different upright pianos) and sophisticated post-production, culminating in a deceptive puzzle of acoustic and manipulated sounds.

"Punkt.Vrt.Plastik have an amazing sound and a unique vision," writes Alexander Hawkins in the liner notes.

1. Helix GA

2. If Asked

3. Membran

4. Natt Raum

5. Amnion

6. Morgon Morfin

7. Fraustadt

8. Somit 

9. Axon

10. Enbert Amok

11. Trboje

12. Ribosome

13. Vrvica

Kaja Draksler: Piano

Petter Eldh: Bass

Christian Lillinger: Drums

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Gretchen Parlato - Flor (March 2021 Edition Records)

“There is a story to tell, now.”

Gretchen Parlato has returned, not only to the recording industry but to herself, with her new Brazilian-inspired project, Flor. Portuguese for “flower”, Flor is the artistic embodiment of the GRAMMY®-nominated singer’s deep dive into motherhood over the last six years, a metamorphic interval of space that allowed Parlato to discover the fullness of her essence through a new lens. In this season of epiphany, Parlato reaps her most personal harvest yet, which she refers to as, “a blossoming, an opening, an offering, a return.”

A gorgeous synthesis of original material, American popular music, European classical music, and Brazilian standards, Flor exemplifies the many ways in which motherhood has reconnected Parlato to her own inner child, revisiting the enchantment of falling in love with music for the first time, particularly the various Brazilian genres she became enamored with as a young teenager. “This is music that I’ve always wanted to honor,” says Parlato. “What I’m trying to find isn’t outside of myself. It’s not out of reach, it’s actually that internal revealing of what already exists.”

1. É Preciso Perdoar 05:56

2. Sweet Love (featuring Gerald Clayton) 04:11

3. Magnus (featuring Magnus, Thaddeus, and Ashley Thompson) 04:10

4. Rosa 04:32

5. What Does a Lion Say? 05:55

6. Roy Allan (featuring Airto Moreira) 04:11

7. Wonderful (featuring Gerald Clayton and Mark Guiliana) 06:02

8. Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007 : Minuet I / II 05:45

9. No Plan (featuring Mark Guiliana) 05:57

Gretchen Parlato -Voice

Marcel Camargo - Guitar and Musical Direction

Artyom Manukyan - Cello

Léo Costa - Drums and Percussion

Guest Personnel

Mark Guiliana - Drums

Gerald Clayton - Piano

Airto Moreira - Voice and Percussion

Produced by Gretchen Parlato

Co-Produced by Marcel Camargo and Léo Costa

Executive Producer Dave Stapleton

Engineered and Edited by John Davis at The Bunker Studio

Assistant Engineer: Alex Conroy

Mixed by Helik Hadar at Hadar Studio

Mastered by Felipe Tichauer at Red Traxx Mastering

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Jihye Lee Orchestra - Daring Mind (March 26, 2021 motéma music)

Motéma Welcomes Jihye Lee Orchestra; Sophomore Album Daring Mind out on March 26, 2021

Motéma Music is proud to announce the release of Daring Mind, the sophomore album by the Jihye Lee Orchestra, which streets on March 26, 2021. Produced by Lee, in collaboration with the innovative composer and Secret Society bandleader Darcy James Argue, and with renowned trumpeter Sean Jones as a key contributor, Lee’s Motéma debut showcases the South Korea native’s personal and adventurous storytelling approach to large-ensemble jazz over the course of nine spellbinding compositions. 

As a  follow up to her widely-acclaimed 2017 debut April, Daring Mind presents selections from Lee’s ‘Mind’ Series, including her BMI Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize-winning “Unshakable Mind” and her Manny Albam Commission “Revived Mind.” The album reflects her struggles, doubts, joys, and hopes while living in the amazing city of New York. The compositions explore the human mind, heart and soul, the various states of the human psyche from confusion to rage to enlightenment. 

Lee describes composition as a form of record-keeping for herself, as the documentation of her life, the process of finding musical equivalents to the images, thoughts and emotions in her mind. She writes first and foremost for herself, to release her feelings, which makes her music deeply personal. “My goal is to invite listeners into my creative world, to relate to my stories, and to reflect on the truth that as humans, we share similar struggles and triumphs regardless of where we come from. It is my hope that we can create genuine connections with each other through art,” she says. 

A native of South Korea, Lee had no jazz or classical training growing up, and she first found success in Korea performing as an indie pop singer. She graduated from Dongduk Women’s University with a degree in Voice Performance, discovering her love of large-ensemble jazz only after beginning her studies at Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 2011. Confidently she began to explore her own identity and voice within this exciting, historically rich medium, winning Berklee’s Duke Ellington Prize just months after declaring her Jazz Composition major (and again the following year). Though she could never have anticipated this new path, she has followed it to greater heights, moving to New York in 2015 and earning a master’s degree at Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of the great Jim McNeely. “Her music is imaginative and creative.” says McNeely. “And she’s not afraid to take some exciting chances in her writing.” 

Navigating the transition from pop singer to jazz composer has given Lee a different angle on jazz composition, providing her not only with a lyrical melodic sense but also a way of imagining characters in every composition, and writing memorable themes with which people can identify. Her first instinct is not to find chords and melodies — Lee is not herself an instrumentalist — but rather an idea, image or message, and then find a way to express it through musical elements. All of this and more is realized on Daring Mind.

Daring Mind begins with “Relentless Mind”, which emulates the bustle of New York City with its twisted rhythmic feel and repetitive notes. Featuring Sean Jones and trombonist Alan Ferber, the vibrancy and beauty of a pre-COVID city that never slept is on rich display in this dazzling opener. Following is “Unshakeable Mind”, winner of the 2018 BMI Charlie Parker Composition Prize. Inspired by the competitive environment of the New York music scene and the effects it has on one’s own psyche, “Unshakeable Mind” explores the nature of a determined and persevering spirit, with strong solo and ensemble support from alto saxophonist Ben Kono. The gorgeous “Suji” comes next. Written for one Lee’s dearest friends, this bright composition features only major chords played through chamber-like instrumentation. Kono once again plays a leading role here, as does pianist Adam Birnbaum. 

Gears shift on the fourth track, “I Dare You”, which was commissioned by American entrepreneur Matt Mullenweg. “Since I am not a traditional swing big band style composer, sometimes I face the famous question ‘what is jazz?’” states Lee. That same question arose in an interview with Wayne Shorter by Max Dax in 2014, and his answer is “To me, jazz means: “I dare you!’” This is the title of this song and in many ways the inspiration of Lee’s entire approach to jazz. “I believe that jazz is not a style or genre, but a daring spirit, being creative by cultivating your instincts.” Tenor saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff shines on this track which is full of sonic surprises. 

The BMI Manny Albam Commission piece “Revived Mind” showcases soloist Mike Fahie on trombone. This colorful composition is an homage to nature and Earth, to rebirth and rejuvenation. Track 6, “Struggle Gives You Strength” was originally written for Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz and once again features Sean Jones. On this uplifting and inspiring composition, Lee comments:  “Struggle is an essential part of life and it molds us into beautiful individuals with character.” 

The final third of Daring Mind features the bluesy “Why Is that” with solos by Jones and alto saxophonist Rob Wilkerson; the dissonant tri-tone filled odyssey “Dissatisfied Mind” which ruminates on the negatively that can intrude ones’ thoughts; and “GB”, a stunning closer inspired by love found and lost. Highly cinematic, the beauty and joy of happy memories slowly gives way to crushing breakdown, before reluctant acceptance sets in. As an aspiring film music composer, this vivid track particularly showcases Lee’s great potential in that arena. 

With the release of Daring Mind, Jihye Lee makes a major statement that will likely propel her, deservingly, to the top echelon of contemporary jazz composers and bandleaders. Late last year, it was announced that Lee earned a 2021 ASCAP Foundation & Symphonic Jazz Orchestra commissioning prize, further defining a clear next step in her bright future. The first single “Struggle Gives You Strength” will be released on February 5th, and the second single, “Revived Mind” will release on March 5th.

1. Relentless Mind (feat. Sean Jones, Alan Ferber) 6:18

2. Unshakable Mind 9:57

3. Suji 8:53

4. I Dare You 5:49

5. Revived Mind 6:44

6. Struggle Gives You Strength (feat. Sean Jones ) 5:57

7. Why Is That 5:50

8 Dissatisfied Mind 5:54

9. GB 9:24

Ben Kono: Alto Saxophone

Rob Wilkerson: Alto Saxophone

Quinsin Nachoff: Tenor Saxophone

Jeremy Powell: Tenor Saxophone

Brian Pareschi: Trumpet

Sean Jones: Trumpet

John Lake: Trumpet

Alex Norris: Trumpet

Mike Fahie: Trombone

Alan Ferber: Trombone

Nick Grinder: Trombone (All tracks except 2, 5)

Mark Patterson: Trombone (tracks 2, 5)

Jennifer Wharton: Trombone

Adam Birnbaum: Piano (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9)

Haeun Joo: Piano (tracks 2, 5, 8)

Sebastian Noelle: Electric Guitar

Evan Gregor: Double Bass

Mark Ferber: Drums

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Jim Hall - Jazzpar Quartet + 4 (Remastered 2021) March 19, 2021 Storyville Records

The history of the JAZZPAR AWARDS constitutes, in retrospect, a significant development in the recognition of jazz by international arbiters of taste, and by distributors of monetary recognition.

When the late guitarist and composer Jim Hall emerged triumphant in 1998, it was because his name evoked the most unanimous praise, out of the dozens of artists who had come up for discussion. Already at that point, his career had covered more than 40 years and evoked past associations with people such as Chico Hamilton, Jimmy Giuffre, Sonny Rollins and Art Farmer, plus the fact that they had some of their most interesting and unusual groups when Jim Hall happened to be in them. Some of his other frequent but less regular collaborators, like Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Bill Evans or Ron Carter, also clearly chose him for the stimulation to be gained from the experience. What these great artists (and many more) found in Hall was a player of great sensitivity and intelligence, to whom the idea of cooperation was second nature but whose approach was completely individual. This duality is not unique within a jazz framework, but the truth is that many jazz players do not manage to be simultaneously identifiable and compatible with others. Personality is obviously the key factor, and Jim’s can perhaps be described as confident but self-effacing. Musically, that translated into a style which was both cogent and laconic – which makes a lot of sense but not a lot of noise – and it’s this combination that lends itself to taking on board others’ ideas and complementing rather than contradicting them. In band terms, it bestows the possibility of being a leader through example, without being either too malleable or too dictatorial.

No wonder, then, that less well-known musicians were more than happy to be associated with Hall, and those who worked with him in Denmark are excellent examples. Chris Potter (born January 1 1971) was then another promising newcomer, who himself won the JAZZPAR prize in 2000 and is now regarded as a leading saxophonist of his generation. The Canadian drummer Terry Clarke (born August 20 1944), then based in New York, had played and toured with Hall since at least 1975, when he made the first of several albums with him. The bassist on the Danish tour was the latest in a long line of local virtuosi, Thomas Ovesen (who shared Jim Hall’s birthday, December 4, Ovesen being born in 1965 and Hall in 1930).

As is usually the case with JAZZPAR tours, there was more than one Danish musician involved but, unusually, at Jim’s request the others were a string quartet, formed of members of the Radio Symphony Orchestra and led by Russian violinist Alexander Zapolski. This combination of talents enabled Hall to pursue aims which were present throughout his career. He had made a notable re-examination of the dialogue between the needs of composition and improvisation in his recent albums, especially with ensembles differing from the conventional trio and quartet line-ups constituting the majority of Jim’s output in earlier decades. Although he recorded duos of guitar-and-piano as early as 1962 (with Bill Evans) and, in 1976, duos of guitar-andvoice (with his wife Jan) and guitar-and-drums (with Terry Clarke), nevertheless in the 1990s he had created carefully chosen chamber groups with, for instance, a couple of string players or a handful of brassmen, often with no drums or with drums but no bass. That kind of freedom is clearly evident here, for instance in the interplay with Clarke during “Stella By Starlight”, and with Potter towards the end of “Chelsea Bridge” (where Potter picks up Jim’s earlier quotation from “Rockin’ In Rhythm”) and in the duet encore on “In A Sentimental Mood”.

The compositional element, and the continuity of Hall’s career, is brought into focus by the two pieces with strings and the fact (somehow emphasized by the omission of one other octet track, for lack of space) that they were written 45 years apart. If these seem more concentrated and more ‘serious’ than the earlier part of the program, that feeling is deliberately undermined by the first encore, Zapolski’s arrangement of “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, the guitarist who 30 years ago threatened to blow away all the subtleties personified by Hall. Jim may have the same initials as Hendrix but, hearing him use an octave pedal and then de-tune his A-string while sounding all the while exactly like Jim Hall, you can see another example of self-effacing confidence. 

1. Stella By Starlight (Remastered 2021)

2. Chelsea Bridge (Remastered 2021)

3. Mr. Blues (Remastered 2021)

4. Thesis (Remastered 2021)

5. Quartet + 4 (Remastered 2021)

6. Purple Haze (Remastered 2021)

7. In A Sentimental Mood (Remastered 2021)

Jim Hall - Guitar

Chris Potter - Tenorsax

Thomas Ovesen - Bass

Terry Clarke - Drums

+ The Zapolski String Quartet (track 4-6):

Alexander Zapolski - Violin

Jacob Soelberg - Violin

Iben Bramsnæs Teilmann - Viola

Vanja Louro - Cello

Recorded live, Holbæk Jazzklub, April 3, 1998

Falkoner Scenen Copenhagen, April 5, 1998

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Palle Mikkelborg & Bjarne Roupé - Pieces: Generations at Sunrise (2021 Storyville Records)

Pieces is the meeting of two generations - The experienced and mature: the trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg and the guitarist Bjarne Roupé and the two young and ready: Anton Langebæk on bass and the percussionist Benjamin Barfod.

Bjarne Roupé Trio had been with Langebæk and Barfod for a while, and when Palle Mikkelborg was set to play a concert for Jazz Grooves at JB10 in Næstved, it was obvious that the four musicians worked together this evening. It became a success and the musicians took the initiative to use the recordings for this release.

Here it is: Pieces: Generations at Sunrise - five well-chosen compositions with Roupé's overview and broad sounds, Langebæk's pulsating bass, Barfod's distinctive percussion and Mikkelborg's trumpet and flugelhorn on top. We get extremely personal renditions of John Coltrane's ”Naima” and the Abez classic ”Nature Boy”. A Swedish folk melody, ”Saudi”, with a beautiful guitar intro and more of the same sonorous element in the opening track ”Witchi-tai-to”, which is carried on by Barfod's gubal. The fine little theme is presented only at the end. Coltrane's great ballad ”Naima” is performed for the first time in the history of music with sansula. In the collectively composed and arranged ”Pieces”, there are fanfares with electronics underneath, and Langebæk rounds off with a very solid bass solo. ”Nature boy” gets new and very beautiful life with Mikkelborg's horn followed by a very wellplaying Roupé.

1. Witchi-tai-to 10:07

2. Naima 09:30

3. Saudi 06:27

4. Pieces 08:55

5. Nature Boy 07:23

Palle Mikkelborg - trumpet, flügelhorn, effects

Anton Langebæk - double bass

Benjamin Barfod - sound triangles, gubal, sansula, water drum, udo, gong & cymbals

Bjarne Roupé - electric guitar & effects

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Dean Stockdale Trio - Promise The Moon (March 2021)

The second album from the Dean Stockdale Trio. Featuring four new originals by Dean, plus fresh arrangements on a selection of American songbook standards.

'The trio's swinging take on Gershwin's They Can't Take That Away from Me and again on an effective arrangement of On the Sunny Side of the Street are particular highlights, and the closing selection, Witchcraft, with its fleeting echoes of Moon River, make Promise the Moon a fine album.' - Bebop Spoken Here

1. Moon River 05:04

2. In A Sentimental Mood 07:14

3. Promise The Moon 05:34

4. Mia's Lullaby 05:33

5. They Can't Take That Away From Me 06:54

6. First Light 05:25

7. On The Sunny Side Of The Street 05:42

8. Time For A Change 05:21

9. Witchcraft 05:35

Dean Stockdale - Piano/Arranger/Composer

Mick Shoulder - Double Bass

Abbie Finn - Drums

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Ian Stephenson - Simpson Street Studios - November 2nd, 3rd 2020

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Shannon Barnett / Wolves and Mirrors - Wolves and Mirrors (March 31, 2021)

Wolves and Mirrors features the symbiosis of Barnett's disarming songs with the diverse colours of this unusual instrumentation, resulting in what is best described as a kind of fragile beauty.

In addition to her role as a trombonist - for which she is widely known - the bandleader presents herself through Wolves and Mirrors as an experienced lyricist, singer and songwriter and invites the listener into worlds she has previously kept from view.

1. Overseas I 03:04

2. Overseas II

3. Mantra

4. Martyr 05:36

5. Well

6. Mantra II

7. Song for Caroline (and others)

8. Phases

Shannon Barnett - Trombone, Voice

Heidi Bayer - Trumpet

Elisabeth Coudoux - Cello

Thomas Sauerborn - Drums

Recorded and mixed by Jonathan Hoffman

Mastered by Alex Kloss

Compositions by Shannon Barnett

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Gunter Gruner - Summertime (2021)

The light-winged tunes were written for Max Weissberg's romantic drama "Summertime", thereby aired at the First Time Film Fest in NYC, where the movie won "best screenplay". The music was recorded in 2010 in Brooklyn with notable performers. duration: 31:58

1. Summertime Theme 06:56

2. Sunny Moon 03:59

3. We Wee Hours 05:28

4. Rebound 06:07

5. Drum Solo 04:58

6. Vamping Out 04:30

Gunter Gruner - drums, composition, production

Kirk Knuffke - trumpet

Emilio Teubal - piano

Keith Witty - double bass

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