In the debut album, with the title Don’t take it so personally, Hüm strives to explore the possibilities of fitting improvisation into composition in the way that blurs the distinction between improvised and through-composed music. Yet, the music is based on carefully elaborated structural elements. By creating the frames with distinct rhythmic, melodic and harmonic devices, through-composed sections are surrounded by improvised parts characterized by interactive listening and open sonic landscapes. Composing of the music is directly tailored to fellow musicians’ personal expression and playing style. The project idea is to create the improvised music based on different musical vocabulary and divergent musical backgrounds of the trio members.
1. Dream Beliefs 03:10
Bjørnar Kaldefoss Tveite – double bass
Magnus Sefaniassen Eide – drums
Bojan Marjanović – piano
Recorded by Mike Hartung at Propeller Music Division, Oslo, Norway
LA studio ace and former musical director for Brian Setzer turned eastward to NYC to share his vast improvisational universe and high level trombonisms. Joining him are veteran improvisers Jack DeSalvo on guitar, double-bassist Phil Sirois and drummer and keeper of the Woodshedd Tom Cabrera. What results is swinging, subtle music emerging from the shear joy of playing jazz.
1. Ear-rational
2. Sótano 1
3. Sótano 2
4. Sótano 3
5. Sótano 4
6. Sótano 5
7. Well you Needn't
George McMullen - trombone
Jack DeSalvo - guitar
Phil Sirois - double-bass
Tom Cabrera - drums
All music by Sótano except Ear-rational by Jack DeSalvo and Well You Needn't by T. Monk
Mikhail Maryshev is an emerging star of the Russian jazz scene who has performed with Soweto Kinch, Zhenya Strigalev, Jamie Murray, Jesse Davis and Joe Farnsworth. This Live EP introduces Mikhail’s expressive musical performance and brilliant piano technique alongside with a subtle feeling of jazz harmony. Recorded live at JFC Jazz Club in Saint-Petersburg in the frame of the Rainy Hot Culture Days Jazz Fest on 06.09.21
1. Dreams in Brugge 07:27
2. The Way 11:13
3. Ambrosia 04:28
4. Revelation 06:19
5. Despair 03:31
Mikhail Maryshev — piano
Nikolay Zatolochny — bass
Artem Teklyuk — drums
Producer — Sasha Mashin
Executive Producer — Eugene Petrushanskiy
Recording, Mixing — Sasha Mashin
Recorded at JFC Jazz Club St Petersburg September 6, 2021
”Chilling at Makar” is about life in New York and places where you feel like you belong. United by one idea, musicians all around the world create music together despite the difficulties of life. Makar’s place at New York had guests everyday, people would drink, eat and create beautiful music together. Doesn’t matter who you are, you would be always welcome at Makar’s place if you have love for music in your heart.
It cannot be said that this album is not a continuation of the previous one. This is the same sound of Vadim Bessarab Trio, the same selectivity in the choice of tracks and expressive techniques. Perhaps, academicism manifested itself in the composer's thought even more strongly, and the music itself became, in a certain sense, simpler, more restrained and... more weighty. We felt, quite obviously, after the release of the debut album, that we could no longer be the same. And from this position, it seems to me, we have made a qualitative transition to our own new level, while not losing our face
A Stone’s Throw Away is a first release for Ron Ledoux. Through an inspired collaboration with bassist Gilbert Joanis, 11 compositions were created. Both musicians explored many options with the tunes and when the time came to record, the talented Paul Shrofel and Rich Irwin joined in. Their participation brought warmth, musical friendship and a cohesive element to the music. The music is swinging jazz that dives deep into each tune’s unique mood and brings the Ron Ledoux Quartet’s playing into light.
The Baylor Project’s Generations is Nominated for Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards
The 53rd Annual NAACP Image Awards will take place on February 26 at 8pm EST on BET
The news broke this past Tuesday, January 18. Jean and Marcus Baylor are nominated alongside Jazzmeia Horn, Ledisi, Freda Payne and Rubén Blades y Roberto Delgado & Orquesta. The 53rd Annual NAACP Image Awards will take place on February 26 at 8pm EST on BET.
On Tuesday, January 18, it was announced that the remarkable vocal-drumming duo The Baylor Project received an NAACP Image Awards nomination for Generations, their sophomore album release. Generations is nominated for the 53rd NAACP Image Award in the Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal category. Released on June 18, 2021 on the eve of Juneteenth during Black Music Month, Generations celebrates the Black experience, its nuances and layers, and the universality of the human condition. This marks The Baylor Project’s first NAACP Image Award nomination.
“We are ecstatic to have been nominated for an NAACP Image Award for our album, Generations! It is truly an honor to stand with so many great artists in a space that was created to advance African-Americans in every area of life,” The Baylors shared. “The NAACP’s cultural, educational, social and political efforts changed the landscape of American life for black people and we are proud to be a part of its rich legacy.”
The Baylor Project features vocalist Jean Baylor and drummer Marcus Baylor, who present nine original compositions and two covers on Generations. The record, released in June, celebrates the Black experience, its nuances and layers, and the universality of the human condition. While the majority of Generations was recorded prior to 2020, the coronavirus pandemic kept the project from reaching completion until 2021. The record features an overabundance of first-call collaborators including special guests Kenny Garrett, Dianne Reeves, Jazzmeia Horn, Jamison Ross, and Sullivan Fortner.
Musically, Generations pulls from married musical partners Marcus’ and Jean’s varied backgrounds rooted in the church, and steeped in soul, jazz, gospel and blues. Storytelling has always been central to The Baylor Project’s creative output, and they have shown a particular adeptness at making their personal stories universally felt. They accomplish this and then some on Generations, which presents as a soulful sonic story quilt released via their own independent record label, Be A Light.
Photos by Deneka Peniston
Announced in November 2021, Generations is also GRAMMY® nominated in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category at this year’s 64th GRAMMY® Awards taking place in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. This marks The Baylor Project’s fourth GRAMMY® nomination, following a 2020 nod to the single “Sit On Down” in the Best Traditional R&B Performance category and two 2017 nominations from their debut recording, The Journey, in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category and Best Traditional R&B Performance for the single “Laugh And Move On.” A critical and commercial success, The Journey debuted at #1 on the iTunes Jazz Chart and #8 on the Billboard Jazz Chart upon release. Since its release in June, Generations collected parallel praise from top tier media outlets worldwide, including NPR, WBGO, Glide Magazine, a 4-star mark from Jazzwise and an 11-week run in the Top 5 of JazzWeek’s radio chart.
The Baylor Project is made up of two music industry veterans. Before forming The Baylor Project in 2013, Jean Baylor burst onto the scene in the mid-1990’s as part of the groundbreaking R&B duo Zhané. Marcus Baylor first rose to prominence in the early 2000’s as the drummer for the world-renowned, GRAMMY® Award winning fusion group The Yellowjackets. Both Marcus and Jean have performed and toured with various jazz legends, ranging from Kenny Garrett and John Scofield to Marcus Miller and Harold Mabern.
Joining Jean and Marcus Baylor in the Outstanding Jazz Album Vocal category at the NAACP Awards is Dear Love by Jazzmeia Horn, Ledisi Sings Nina by Ledisi, Let There Be Love by Freda Payne and Salswing! by Rubén Blades y Roberto Delgado & Orquesta. The 53rd NAACP Image Awards will take place on Saturday, February 26th and air live on BET at 8pm.
Voting is now open to the public in select categories to determine the winners of the 53rd NAACP IMAGE AWARDS by visiting www.naacpimageawards.net – Winners will be revealed during the 53rd NAACP Image Awards telecast. For all information and the latest news, please visit the official NAACP Image Awards website at www.naacpimageawards.net or on Facebook at naacpimageawards and Twitter @naacpimageaward (#NAACPImageAwards).
About NAACP:
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our six “Game Changer” issue areas at naacp.org.
About BET Networks:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant AfricanAmerican consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
4x GRAMMY® Winning Pianist and Composer Oscar Hernández to Release New Album Visión with Alma Libre on January 22, 2022 via Ovation Records
Multi-GRAMMY® Winning pianist, composer and bandleader Oscar Hernández is proud to announce the January 22, 2022 release of his new album Visión. Supported by his long-standing quintet Alma Libre, and augmented by special guests Joe Locke, Aaron Janik and Luisito Quintero, Hernández’s third release as a leader is a powerful document that reaffirms his standing as one of the most important voices in Latin music. This is the second release for Ovation Records, a new record label founded by Hernández in 2020.
Visión is a seminal work for the decorated artist, who described the experience of preparing and recording the project as an important creative outlet during the shutdown. “The creative process was in full force during that time,” reflects Hernández. “Recording this album was a way to react positively, and to counteract the negative circumstances surrounding the pandemic.” And so, the prolific composer added ten new compositions to his already expansive and wide-ranging repertoire. In May of this year, he and Alma Libre – his Los Angeles-based ensemble featuring the legendary saxophonist Justo Almario, drummer Jimmy Branly, bassist Oscar Cartaya, and percussionist Christian Moraga – recorded Visión, bringing these brilliant new tunes to life. The title is of significance to Hernández. “When I was young, I was taught by my family that you need to have a vision to accomplish things. I believe that if you see it and you believe it, you can achieve it,” he says. This uplifting title seemed a fitting response to the tenuous situation at the time the album was conceived.
Hernández is perhaps best known to modern-day audiences as the leader and producer of the highly acclaimed Spanish Harlem Orchestra. With Hernández at the helm, the 13-piece all-star salsa big band has gone on to win 3 GRAMMY® Awards, and release eight critically acclaimed albums, including 2018 GRAMMY® winner Anniversary. In 2020, Spanish Harlem Orchestra released The Latin Jazz Project, their first-ever all-Latin jazz release. Referred to as an “opus that dazzles” by Jazzwise Magazine, The Latin Jazz Project allowed Hernández to musically stretch and display his considerable chops. Visión continues in that tradition while showcasing Hernández outstanding musical facility in a more intimate setting.
Oscar Hernández’s storied career dates back to the 1970’s when he began performing and recording with original salsa legends such as Ismael Miranda, Celia Cruz, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, Conjunto Libre, Grupo Folkorico and Ray Barreto. He then went on to join Ruben Blades’ Seis Del Solar band and eventually became his Musical Director, charting the musical course for the salsa legend. Hernández soon became the Musical Director for Paul Simon as well as the orchestrator and arranger for Gloria Estefan. Hernández first recorded with Alma Libre in 2016, marked by the release of their debut The Art of Latin Jazz (Origin). In 2019, they released a sophomore effort Love The Moment (Origin). The album received worldwide acclaim, including a four star review from Downbeat Magazine that praised the “ensemble’s genius” and it was described as “harmonically sophisticated and rhythmically compelling” by The New York City Jazz Record. With Visión, Hernandez is in his element as he continues this tradition and showcases, once again, Latin jazz music of the highest caliber.
Called “one of the 25 most influential jazz artists of his generation” by DownBeat Magazine and a member of several earth-shaking ensembles, including Irreversible Entanglements and Heroes Are Gang Leaders, polymathic bassist Luke Stewart, a creative catalyst on the Washington D.C. (and beyond) music scene for almost two decades, introduces his protean trio with Chicago drum legend Chad Taylor and powerhouse DC saxophonist Brian Settles.
A casual observer of the Washington D.C. music scene could easily get the mistaken impression that there are four or five guys coincidentally named Luke Stewart playing leading roles in a disparate array of musical communities. In fact, Stewart is a singular, uncontainable artist whose work as a bassist, saxophonist, producer, broadcaster, and all-around mover and shaker has deepened and extended the District’s legacy as a hotbed for creative music.
Given his many pursuits, a single album can only capture a small portion of Stewart’s oceanic sonic continuum, but The Bottom offers a deep dive into a particularly inviting pool with his loose and limber trio making their debut here.
A highly cohesive triumvirate in close communion, the band plays with the conversational ease of longtime, comfortable friends. Untethered to any particular stylistic convention, particularly bebop’s head-solo-head format, the music’s ebb and flow feels utterly in the moment.
“I approached the recording session as closely as possible to playing a set, arranging the sequence with that in mind,” says Stewart, who was born and raised in Mississippi. “Like a set compositions are coupled by moments of free improvisation, but that free improv is contextualized by what happened before and after. It’s a journey, and the recording session reflects that.”
For nearly 80 years, legacy has been the spinal cord of the glorious jazz tradition – but maybe never more so to its fans than during these challenging days of the pandemic. Unable to hear music in person, all of us have only been able to access new music through technology, resulting in many looking back upon what may have been missed. But when one can look back on something that is at the same time entirely new, that is a most special situation. And when that something new is coming from jazz immortal Oscar Peterson – even more so. And that is exactly what is in hand with A Time for Love: The Oscar Peterson Quartet – Live in Helsinki, 1987 from Two Lions/Mack Avenue Records.
From this perspective alone, this is a momentous album – but it is far more than that. The final gig of a long international tour that began with 4 concerts in Brazil, this date was the 14th of a European tour that took the quartet all over mainland Europe and Scandinavia. Anyone with any knowledge of jazz knows that the magic of consistent performing only makes the synergy and empathy of an ensemble – both substances this quartet has in mind-blowing quantity – better and better. That always dwarfs the fatigue factor, and sometimes results in sheer magic on a different plane. That’s clearly what happened during this spectacular concert. As Kelly Peterson says: “Performing with joy and vivacity, they determined to make every concert better than the previous one. This night in Helsinki is a glorious example of that” – and a stunning addition to the continuing legacy of this beloved master of music.
With a remarkable quartet of Joe Pass on guitar and the bass/drums tandem of Dave Young and Martin Drew – all of whom at the time of this recording were about halfway through their thirty-year affiliations with Peterson – the wildly enthusiastic Helsinki audience was treated to a marvelous performance that spans gorgeously poignant lyricism to blistering intensity and every stroke in between with flawless artistry and an exuberant sense of adventurous creativity. The live performance, presented in its unedited entirety, offers the actual being there experience. It graces listeners with the sweeping breadth of Peterson’s majesty as presented in the immediacy of the live concert.
The first set consists exclusively of Peterson’s own compositions – an important focus in Kelly’s efforts to further enhance his immortal legacy. The scope of his exceptional vision as composer is on intriguing display through these five pieces, opening with the sauntering strut of the aptly titled “Cool Walk.” A pair of scorchers – “Sushi” and “Cakewalk” – vividly deliver the explosive power and consummate artistry that is so prominent in Peterson’s ensembles. Defining jazz as “instant composition,” he would occasionally compose a song during a performance. “Love Ballade” is one such piece, written spontaneously during an earlier concert. A mesmerizing extended solo piano opening of filigreed beauty. and an excellent guitar-like Young solo highlight this captivating offering.
A lifelong fascination with Johann Sebastian Bach inspired Peterson’s stunning 20-minute “A Salute to Bach.” This enchanting three-part excursion maintains full jazz integrity in its homage, allowing him to dig into his early classical training.
The second set features Peterson’s enthralling exploration of time-honored jazz and songbook classics, including two virtuosic solo performances: Pass’ exquisite rendition of the iconic Disney tune “When You Wish Upon a Star” and Peterson’s delightful take on Bill Evans’ “A Waltz for Debby.”
Also included are Johnny Mandel’s lovely ballad “A Time for Love,” the deeply grooved swing of Benny Goodman’s “Soft Winds” and “How High the Moon,” a blast-off point of departure in so many of the legendary Jazz at the Philharmonic jams of Peterson’s past, given a gentler, jaunty take.
The monumental climax – before the explosive encore of Peterson’s “Blues Etude” – is the “Duke Ellington Medley” featuring six Ellingtonia classics – “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “Come Sunday,” “C-Jam Blues,” “Lush Life” and “Caravan.” A solo piano and ensemble tribute to the transcendence of what Duke represents to the legacy blending elements of swing, blues, barrelhouse, stride, boogie-woogie and every other color in Duke’s – and Peterson’s – endlessly creative palette. This incredible adventure is the perfect symbol for this entire album, touching upon the ultimate essence of jazz expression allowing Peterson to pay homage to his own fathers: Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, James P. Johnson and Nat Cole by weaving them into a maelstrom of brilliance that is all Oscar Peterson. The perfect definition of the living and ever-expanding legacy of this profound art form.
For those not totally aware of Peterson’s importance within the jazz legacy – as unimaginable as that may be – the Canadian-born of West Indian heritage pianist held court as an ultimate master for nearly 60 years. A recipient of numerous honors and awards (including eight GRAMMY® Awards) and the subject of various documentaries, Oscar Peterson was the embodiment of the history of jazz piano. blended with a superb command of Western Classical knowledge – all of which contributed to Ellington bestowing upon him the title “the Maharajah of the keyboard.” With over 200 albums of his own, Peterson’s amazing ability to temper his own magnificence as a leader and soloist to be able to provide totally empathetic and subtle accompaniment to other musicians and vocalists – simply and eloquently explained by Dave Young as “he listened” – made him a contributor to hundreds of other outstanding recordings, most notably as the virtual “house pianist” for his longtime manager Norman Granz’s Verve and Pablo Records. A professional since the age of 14, Peterson passed away at the age of 82 in 2007, leaving an unparalleled legacy that is as timeless as jazz itself.
A Time for Love is available in both a double-CD format and as 180-gram vinyl in a 3-LP set. Both versions are beautifully packaged and include two sets of inside-view liner notes by quartet member Dave Young, Peterson protégé Benny Green and Oscar’s wife and producer of this album, Kelly Peterson. This is Mack Avenue Music Group’s second collaboration with the estate, following 2017’s re-release of Oscar, with Love. The release will also be available everywhere digitally.
The recording is ideally summed up by Green in his liner notes: This live concert recording of Oscar in his epic prime is a heaven-sent time capsule of beauty and serves a glorious addition to the Jazz pantheon itself, a stunning testament to the music for which he honestly, humbly and fearlessly dedicated his life as a peaceful warrior, a hero to us all for the ages. I’m thankful for the gift of this concert and that Oscar’s spiritual music will play on for us today and tomorrow, as we need it more than ever before.
Few jazz labels are able to launch with as impressive a roster already in place as Le Coq Records did when it released The Jazz All Stars Vol. 1 last January. A year later the imprint has more than lived up to the audaciously high bar set by that inaugural release, having built a stunning catalogue of releases by such greats as bassist John Patitucci, pianist Bill Cunliffe, saxophonist Rick Margitza, and vocalists Andy James and Tommy Ward.
To kick off what promises to be an equally remarkable year two, the label will release a second volume of its trademark “honest jazz” featuring its ever-growing family of brilliant musicians. Le Coq Records presents The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2, showcases not only the virtuoso musicianship of many of contemporary jazz’s most in-demand players, but this time out shines a brighter spotlight on the compositional gifts of Le Coq contributors like Cunliffe and keyboardist/arranger John Beasley, alongside aptly-chosen standards and jazz classics.
“The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 shows a little of everything Le Coq is about, from its compositional temperament to the high sonic quality,” says label founder Piero Pata. “, “There’s quite a mix of sounds and styles, and I feel that the album really shows off the talents of our wonderful artists. John Patitucci holds everything together magnificently so that Andy James’ gorgeous vocals and the dazzling solos of Chris Potter, Rick Margitza and Terell Stafford – just to name a few – can shine.”
Much of the roster on the new release has returned from Volume 1, including Cunliffe and Beasley; bassists Patitucci and Chris Colangelo; drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Marvin “Smitty” Smith; percussionist Alex Acuña; trumpeter Terell Stafford; saxophonist Margitza; guitarist Jake Langley and vocalist James, among others.
Volume 2 bolsters the line-up with such heavy hitters as saxophonists Chris Potter and Bob Sheppard; bassist Ben Williams; drummers Marcus Gilmore and Terreon Gully; trombonist Michael Dease; keyboardist Jon Cowherd; guitarists Russell Malone and Paul Jackson Jr.; and trumpeter Rashawn Ross.
This staggering stable of in-demand artists harkens back to the music’s golden age, a time when (jazz) giants walked the earth and crossed paths in myriad combinations under the auspices of their shared labels. Pata conceived of that model when he dreamed of gathering the greatest modern musicians to record for Le Coq.
“We wanted to get back to the old adage of having a pool of artists that could achieve anything the label required for its next goal,” Pata explains. “There are obviously many wonderful players we at Le Coq would love to record with. That will come, I hope!”
Like its predecessor, The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 features the label’s unique take on some classic favorites, both arranged by the Grammy-winning Bill Cunliffe and featuring the entrancing vocals of Andy James. The Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach standard “Yesterdays” is given a bold treatment perfect for James’ unsentimental nostalgia, highlighted by an eloquent Chris Potter solo. Horace Silver’s “Doodlin’” is propelled by the robust swing of bassist Chris Colangelo and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith, wonderfully matched by James’ sassy playfulness.
In addition to his striking arrangements, Cunliffe contributed most of the original compositions for the album and has been a key contributor to Le Coq since its early days. “Bill Cunliffe has been the backbone of the label’s writing talent since its inception,” Pata says. “He has been essential to the label’s vision of ‘honest jazz.’ His value has been enormous, especially on the big arrangements. He is wonderful at this style of writing. Maybe he has a foot in the past – but with a modern twist.”
Marcus Gilmore’s rollicking drums kick off the album on Cunliffe’s original piece “Whatever You Say,” soon joined by the sparring of Chris Potter’s tenor and Terell Stafford’s on trumpet. The composer’s arrangement summons the vigor and brio of a big band from the ensemble, setting the stage for the dancing agility of Cunliffe’s piano solo. Margitza’s breathy tenor conjures the mysterious atmosphere of “Witches,” a mood picked up and carried forward by Colangelo’s probing bassline. Cunliffe comps delightfully for Margitza’s sinuous solo.
The pianist makes direct reference to the pre-pandemic era on his wistful “The Before Times,” with its aching melody expressed beautifully by Terell Stafford. Grammy winner John Beasley contributes the funky, sauntering “Freddie’s Blues,” featuring incisive solos by guitarists Russell Malone and Paul Jackson Jr., a blistering turn by Dave Matthews Band trumpeter Rashawn Ross, and a bass solo by Ben Williams that digs deep.
Jake Langley’s shimmering guitar, Alex Acuña’s multi-hued percussion and Vinnie Colaiuta’s rock solid drumming lay the foundation for “Balinda,” with Margitza weaving the mesmerizing melody before spinning inventive variations in his solo. Patitucci and Marcus Gilmore take Cunliffe’s “Around the Corner” for a laid-back but robust stroll, with interlaced horn lines over top. The album closes with the lovely, swaying “Danse,” evoking lyrical solos from Colangelo, Cunliffe and Langley.
With a core of amazing talent now joined by a host of incredible new voices, Le Coq Records presents The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2 offers a vibrant calling card for a label quickly taking its place at the vanguard of modern jazz. Best of all, there’s plenty more to come in 2022.
The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2
Le Coq Records · Release Date: January 21, 2022
For more information on Le Coq Records, please visit:
Bassist and bandleader Boris Kozlov defies expectations and redefines what it means to put "First Things First.” Producer Marc Free sends Kozlov out along an ambitious course for his 2022 Posi-Tone debut, and with a steady hand, bassist Kozlov confidently directs a mighty quintet of top notch musicians. Saxophonist Donnie McCaslin, vibraphonist Behn Gillece, keyboardist Art Hirahara and drummer Rudy Royston keep moving freely over the solid harmonic foundation provided by Kozlov’s playing and leadership. While many jazz fans have yet to become acquainted with the music of Kozlov, the time has come to travel together beyond the simply straight ahead and to color outside the lines. We are confident that the music on this album will bring delight to the ears of serious listeners, navigating steadily away from the known and familiar and move swiftly out into the uncharted depths of modern collective improvisation to uncover a new sound in time and space.
1. Page One 06:18
2. Flow 04:01
3. The More Things Change 05:35
4. I.S. Adventure 06:51
5. Aftermath 07:53
6. Second Line Sally 05:49
7. Viscous 05:45
8. Mind Palace 07:13
9. Warm Sand 06:49
10. Once A Fog In Babylon 07:39
11. Eclipse 02:32
Boris Kozlov: acoustic bass; electric bass 2, 6, 8, 10; piccolo bass 6
“Jules combines a deeply rooted musical sensibility with a knack for creating anthemic atmospheres”
Groove
“An immediate and engaging return”
Clash
Following the release of his ‘Ham The Monkey’ EP last April, Jimi Jules recently dropped razor-sharp new single 'My City's On Fire.' The pulsating, synth-led track offered a tantalising taster of his upcoming second album, titled ‘+.’ Executively produced by label-boss Dixon, it is set for release on March 25th via Berlin-based Innervisions. The artwork has been designed by iconic graphic designer Trevor Jackson, whose multi-disciplinary work has helped form the identities of musical icons Soulwax and Japanese fashion label Comme des Garcons.
Out today, new single ‘Burning' is a personal life-story about communication, equality and compassion, paying homage to a free, spiritual soul. The album’s final track, it’s a fitting end to a record based around its central mantra - better together forever.
Descending from a family of Swiss musicians, Jules has soulful vibrations running through his blood. Early explorations on the trumpet and tuba highlighted his talents and underlined his knack for colourful melody. Eventually switching to vocals, he completed his masters at the Zurich University of the Arts, where he specialised in mixing and producing. After honing his skills as a live performer with his electro-band Le Dompteur and building a reputation as a DJ at Zakunft and Hive Club, he fulfilled a childhood dream of moving to Berlin back in 2013. A regular on the main floor of Watergate Club, he established himself as a unique character in the electronic music scene, with much more to offer than the standard four to floor sound. After returning to Zurich, Jules produced his debut full-length ‘Equinox in 2016 and was awarded a silver disk for sales (200,000) of his track 'Pushin On.’
As the new era is underway for Innervisions, Jimi Jules “+” takes centre stage of the label’s fundamental core - artist first, label second. An innovative space for collaborations and symbiosis of mixed media, this album represents the beginning of a whole new chapter.
Tenor Time brings together Chicago’s tenor titans for a collaborative montage of creative and expressive brilliance
Scott Burns, John Wojciechowski and Geof Bradfield are Tenor Time, presented by AFAR Music, to be released January 21, 2022
Jazz as a creative music and art form holds a heavy tradition of collaboration. From Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins, to Count Basie and Oscar Peterson, to Ray Brown’s “Some of My Best Friends Are…” series, jazz history is riddled with innumerable brilliant meetings of musical minds coming together to make something wondrous. In true continuation of this tradition, AFAR Music has brought together three of Chicago’s finest – tenor saxophonists John Wojciechowski, Geof Bradfield, and Scott Burns – to capture a moment of creative brilliance with their new release, Tenor Time, due out January 21, 2022.
Tenor Time follows on the success of Altoizm, the previous collaborative project spearheaded by AFAR Music. The label’s founder and album’s pianist, Richard D. Johnson, remarked that such collaborations are often spurred on by the “what if?” conversations of music fans calling for their favorite artists to share not just the bandstand, but the studio. “Over the years at different festivals and concerts this conversation often leads to the statement ‘I sure would love to see and hear these 2-3 musicians play together,’” Johnson tells. “One of our goals is to make this happen and the response has been overwhelmingly great from the musicians to the listeners.”
The lineup of personnel and recording process was brought to life by Johnson. After recruiting the three tenor saxophonists, they created an action plan for the music that would become Tenor Time. Harkening back to the spirit of historic sessions, the band decided they would each bring a handful of original compositions that could swiftly and immediately be put together with a focus on providing a creative vehicle for improvisation that allowed them each to demonstrate their unique voices as soloists and masters of musical dialogue. When they met to record at Johnson’s studio, they discussed a few details and then immediately began recording. This bandstand-like approach to the session allowed the group to maintain the freshness and energy of a live performance with the clarity of a studio session without ever losing the energy and excitement of every spontaneous twist and turn. The vivacious spirit was not left unrewarded as the ensemble successfully recorded the entire album in a single day, with almost every track recorded in two takes at most.
Musically, this album has the unique advantage of featuring the compositional styles of multiple band members, showcasing a variance and spectrum that keeps a listener’s mind and emotions thoroughly engaged. Valkyrie, the album’s opening track, was composed by Geof Bradfield to simultaneously highlight a memorable melody and unpredictable twists. The title is derived from a coincidence of date: the piece was composed on June 26th, the day that Wagner premiered the iconic Ride of the Valkyrie. “Valkyrie seemed a suitable title,” explains Bradfield. “It’s a tenor battle, after all, and in Norse mythology the Valkyrie choose the most valiant of those slain in battle to fight in Ragnarok.” Force Majeure, composed by Scott Burns, is a song whose title comes from the legal clause of the same name. Literally translating to “superior force,” a force majeure clause allows parties to be relieved of their contractual obligations under extreme circumstances. “Many musicians learned about force majeure in 2020 when their performance contracts were canceled due to the pandemic,” Burns says. “It seemed a fitting title both for the times and for the music: an assertive up-tempo melody line played by the three tenors with energetic underpinning by the rhythm section, and a solo form that lends itself to some vigorous blowing.” Jazz Folk Song, an original composition by John Wojciechowski, provides a tasteful contrast and shift of mood from the rest of the album. “The idea was to write a melody that had a folkloric quality to it with shifting harmony underneath,” says Wojciechowski. “I thought it would be a great vehicle for this project since it’s got a pretty wide-open harmonic landscape for the improvisation section.” Originally composed for his album “Lexicon,” the take of Jazz Folk Song on Tenor Time provides a newness to the piece that gives even familiar listeners a different perspective. Corea, the closing song on the album, is a piece composed by Richard D. Johnson in memory of the title’s namesake. Chick Corea was one of Johnson’s mentors and friends, and in the wake of his passing, Johnson began writing this piece. “I can only imagine what he would he have played on this song,” says Johnson, “but the great thing about him is he would always say ‘Let me hear what you have to say about it.’”
Scott Burns, John Wojciechowski, Geof Bradfield
The collaboration process on this album was not profound only in the lineup of musicians but in the context in which it was recorded. Recorded shortly after the height of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, for some, this album marked the first major in-person creative project for over a year. “I really, really, really missed playing music with people,” Burns says. “It was hard to navigate on a personal and emotional level. So I was thrilled to have something like this project coming out of it: to make the record, and have some sort of tangible creative output that is coming on the heels of what has been very difficult on a lot of levels.” For Wojciechowski, the hiatus during the pandemic provided an opportunity for reflection and an alignment of focus. “I think I have come to the realization that what I want to do is make music with the people who I want to make music with that’s musical and creative, and I want to spend my time and energy doing that.” Bradfield realized during the slowdown of the pandemic that he was approaching a point of musical burnout and saturation from overworking on things that he didn’t necessarily believe in. The past year and a half created a forced pause that ended with a triumphant celebration found in this recording. “Now one of my goals… is to channel my energies into the things that matter the most to me, musically and otherwise.”
In addition to the three headlining tenors, the band on Tenor Time is comprised of Clark Sommers on bass, Greg Artry on drum set, and Richard D. Johnson on piano and keyboards.
With Tenor Time, listeners find that two heads are better than one, and three is simply superb. Providing a glimpse into the possibilities of what can happen when apex musicians come together in joy with mutual respect for each other’s distinct perspectives and craftsmanship, Tenor Time leaves audiences enthralled and deeply curious as to what AFAR Music has in store next.
Oz Noy, Ray Marchica and Ugonna Okegwo present Riverside, a new trio recording out January 21, 2022 via Outside in Music
Oz Noy, Ray Marchica and Ugonna Okegwo are pleased to present Riverside, out on January 21, 2022 via Outside in Music. Their first release as a trio, Riverside is a fresh, life-affirming collection of standards that stems from the group’s spontaneously assembled outdoor jams held in Riverside Park, New York City during lockdown.
As individuals, this dynamic trio has a wide range of performing credits – Okegwo as a celebrated sideman with Jacky Terrasson and Tom Harrell, Marchica as a Broadway and session player (plus two albums as a leader) and Noy as one of fusion’s most sought after individual voices. All three have worked on the New York scene for the past two decades, so when the COVID-19 lockdown hit, it was a huge blow to both their livelihoods and their creative spirits. Then, summer came around, and the chance presented itself for housebound musicians to meet up and play outdoors. Oz called upon his neighbors Ugonna and Ray and invited them down to the park for a jam session – Ugonna on upright, Marchica with a small drum set, and Noy on electric guitar, with a battery-powered amp.
Their spot was pretty picturesque. “We set up perfectly: you could look down to the Hudson River, and then across to New Jersey – it was a lovely environment being there,” reflects Okegwo. It helped the group find a sound too. “It was almost like a little venue,” says Noy, and they weren’t the only ones taking advantage of the accidental bandstand-like coves the park is blessed with. “There were multiple little stages, some people playing bluegrass, some classical. When we started playing, there was nobody in the park, but by October time, people were thinking ‘oh, maybe we can do this too’. We were pioneers,” says Marchica.
The sessions went on through the summer months until the weather turned in October. But instead of packing up entirely, the group went into the studio, satisfied that they had created a sound, and a feeling amongst the group. “It saved me, it saved all of us – musically and mentally,” says Marchica.
The beauty shines throughout the trio’s creative, yet hands-off, arrangements. “All The Things You Are” opens with a Monk-ish kilter, Noy breezily sweeping over the changes and into some mysterious territories, particularly in the vamped ending, which stretches time effortlessly. “Anthropology” nimbly tiptoes through Charlie Parker’s choppy lines, and “Have You Met Miss Jones” continues the rhythmic trickery, skidding along as Noy veers between lithe straight playing and relaxed swing.
“Billie’s Bounce” is given a makeover by Noy, who ‘figured out a way to play it as a ballad, a slow blues harmonized in a different way’. “Riverside Blues” adds another dimension to the record, a shuffling 12/8 blues-rock written at one of the jams in the park.
“6/8 Lunch Break” is a chance for Marchica to strut his stuff on an extended solo interlude. Then comes an intriguingly free-form take on “Out Of Nowhere” that embraces the opaque, before a barnstorming take on “Donna Lee”, where Noy shows serious chops. It’s arranged sparsely, letting solo contributions from Noy and Marchica unfurl naturally before an abrupt full stop brings the trio to a halt.
“This Could Be a Start of Something Big” is apt for the group; in what was Okegwo’s first encounter with the standard, the group’s arrangement grew organically week-by-week, in tandem with the rapidly developing bonds tying the trio together. The album ends on a different note – “Sunny” injects Bobby Hebb’s classic track with a healthy dose of musical serotonin, in a rocking, soul-fueled cover that transports the group right back to where they started – the sun-soaked surroundings of Riverside Park.
