New Jazz Adds – 11/27/2018
New Jazz Adds – 11/27/2018
Collective Order – Volume 3 (Self-produced): “Collective Order is a collaborative recording project featuring 21 jazz musicians based in Toronto. Since forming in 2015, the band has released one album of jazz standards and two albums consisting of all-original compositions.” This is their third release and they cover a lot of ground. “The idea of collaboration is fully explored in the music of Collective Order. Each piece is written by a different member of the band, who then curates the personnel for the recording of their piece. As a result, the sound of their albums covers a wide array of arrangements and textures. In Volume Three, the band has created a collection of compositions inspired by their cultural heritages and personal experiences. The opening title sets the tone with a composition written to accompany a traditional land acknowledgement by Indigenous artist Melanie Montour. Toronto is comprised of incredibly diverse and culturally rich communities and in this inclusive project, the band aims to eliminate imaginary boundaries and establish new traditions.” (https://www.collectiveorderjazz.com/about) The group members are Chris Adriaanse, Ethan Tilbury, Connor Walsh and Julian Anderson-Bowes (bass); Jocelyn Barth, Belinda Corpuz, Joanna Majoko and Laura Swankey (vocals); Mike Campbell, Jon Foster, Andrew Miller and Sarah Thawer (drums); Ewen Farncombe and Joel Visentin (keys); Marie Goudy, Andrew McAnsh and Joel Visentin (trumpet); Murray Heaton and Emily Steinwall (saxophone); Liam Stanley and Colin Story (guitar) and Nebyu Yohannes (trombone) and the constant flow and shift makes this disc terrifically eclectic, just as the different vocal styles do. Click here for an introduction to the band and this release.
Andrew Cyrille – Lebroba (ECM): Drummer Andrew Cyrille joins forces with Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet) and Bill Frisell (guitar), creating a trio performance that reflects the central style so familiar on the ECM label, but also expresses the unique “outside” contributions of the members of this group. All of the songs are original – one composed by Bill Frisell, one by Wadada Leo Smith, two by Andrew Cyrille and own composed by the entire trio. The interaction is spacious at times, but can also build to a slightly frantic style. The three are an intriguing combination and well worth a few listens if you’re not sure. The title song is a contraction of the musicians’ respective birth places and their own blend is captivating. Click here and scroll down to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Gabriel Espinosa – Nostalgias De Mi Vida (Zoho): Mexican composer/bass player/singer Gabriel Espinosa presents his blend of Brazilian samba and Mexican jazz with six original tunes, an original from vocalist Kim Nazarian and three Mexican classics. The sound is mellow and flows easily. In addition to Nazarian’s vocals, players include Misha Tsiganov (piano, keyboards), Adriano Santo and Mauricio Zottarelli (drums), Jim Seeley (flugelhorn), Joel Frahm (tenor sax), Rubens De La Corte (guitar), Jonathan Gomez (bongos), Jay Ashby (trombone, percussion); and Christian Howes String Ensemble on two songs). Sweet music with a nice Latin swing. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Charlie Haden & Brad Mehldau – Long Ago And Far Away (Impulse): Six stunningly beautiful duets by bassist Charlies Haden and pianist Brad Mehldau. The music features range from Charlie Parker’s “Au Privave” to “Everything Happens to Me” originally released in the 40s. Six live performances in all. This is an instant classic! Click here to listen to songs on this disc.
Hot Club Of San Francisco – 30 Years (Self-produced): The Hot Club of San Francisco was formed 30 years ago as a tribute to the music Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s Hot Club of France. The music is still as magical as ever and the performances by this group would surely please the original players. This disc celebrates their 30th year! The group includes Paul “Pazzo” Mehling (lead guitar), Isabelle Fontaine (guitars, vocal), Evan Price (violin), Jordan Samuels (guitar) and Sam Rocha (bass). The group covers a wide range of music, all of which would surely please the original quartet, even though only two were composed by Reinhardt. They do tackle such wonders as “Round Midnight” and “Because” (Lennon & McCartney) and “If I Needed Someone” (Harrison). A totally great program! Click here to listen “I Love Paris” from this disc.
Jason Kao Hwang – Blood (Self-produced): Composer/violinist Jason Kao Hwang has composed the rather unusual performance “Blood” which changes styles throughout the performance and often moves to the free or experimental jazz zone and merges it with traditional Chinese music. The other musicians performing are Jospeh Daley (tuba), Andrew Drury (drum set, concert bass drum, percussion), Ken Filiano (string bass), Steve Swell (trombone), Sun Li (pipa – a four stringed instrument, sometime called a Chinese lute), Taylor Ho Bynum (cornet, flugelhorn) and Wang Guowei (erhu – a two-stringed bowed musical instrument). While rather interesting, this is often challenging music. Click here to listen to samples of the pieces on this disc.
Tomas Martin Lopez – Rhythm Rising (Self-produced): Tomas Martin Lopez (congas, percussion) keeps the rhythm at the center of the music throughout this disc, while also shifting the sound through varied leads, including David Mann (sax, flute) and Jeff Ciampa (guitar, synth) while brass players Chris Pasin (trumpet, flugelhorn), Tim Sessions (trombone) and Chris Persad (trumpet)) brighten up songs along the way over the solid rhythm section of Richie Barshay (drums) and Ruben Rodriguez (bass). The result is a wonderfully varied program that focuses on great percussion in a warm and melodic array of leads. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Jorge Nila – Tenor Time: Tribute To The Tenor Masters (Ninjazz): Tenor sax player Jorge Nila has gathered a wonderful trio to complete his quartet honoring great tenor players including Dexter Gordao, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins and Sonny State among others. He called upon Dave Stryker (guitar), Mitch Towne (organ) and Dana Murray (drums) to complete the quartet. Each of the honored players is represented by one composition. It’s an upbeat set with great playing throughout. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Ralph Peterson’s Aggregate Prime – Inward Venture (Self-produced): This is drummer/composer/educator Ralph Peterson’s 21st recording as a leader. It’s a live recording featuring Gary Thomas (tenor sax, flute), Mark Whitfield (guitar), Davis Whitfield (piano), and Curtis Lundy (bass). Two of the songs are Peterson’s compositions and the rest are Eric Dolphy’s “Gazzelloni”, Andrew Hill’s “Venture Inward” Lenny White’s “L’s Bop” and a remakes of “I Hear A Rhapsody”, a huge hit when it was released in 1941 and considered a mainstay in the Great American Songbook. There is a lot of wonderful playing by all members of the group. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Ted Piltzecker – Brindica (Zoho): This is vibraphonist Ted Piltzecker’s fifth release as a leader and the first that is exclusively dedicated to a worldwide sampling. The musical references/influences are from Brazil, India, Africa, Bali, Cuba, Puerto Rico, New Orleans and Harlem. Pittzecker is first known as a trumpet player, but he soon changed instruments to the vibes. He also plays marimba and various and other exotic percussion instruments. Additional players on the disc are Fernando Martinez (drums), Miguel Marengo (piano), Mauricio David (bass), and Carlos Michelini (alto sax) and special guests Jon Faddis (trumpet), Gary Smulyan (bari sax), Ralph Lalama (tenor sax), Matt Hall (trombone), John Wooten (steel pan, snare drum) and Tara Helen O’Connor (classical flute). The variety is terrific. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.
Florian Weber – Lucent Waters (ECM): Composer/pianist Florian Weber attended Berklee College of Music and studied with Joanne Brackeen, Paul Bley, Richie Beirach and Lee Konitz. Since that time he has worked with numerous musicians. This disc features Weber on piano with Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Linda May Han Oh (bass) and Nasheet Waits (drums). He composed all of the music on this disc and it is both technically and melodically terrific. Fans of the ECM style will certainly want to check this out and others who appreciate a blend between classical and jazz mixtures will be delighted as well. Click here to listen to a sample from a recording from this disc.
Weird Turn Pro – Let Me Be Unwound (Self-produced): “Weird Turn Pro is a music group. Their name is a nod to Hunter S. Thompson who, among many things, saw the value in both chaos and process. Those two forces are alternately employed or yielded to by WTP as they create music that is both like water eroding granite over the millennia or the momentary flicker of an open flame. Leaning heavily on improvisation, compositions not only afford opportunities for each member of the ensemble to improvise freely, but require the ensemble to constantly shift and re-interpret the when, how, and why of melody and form.” (https://www.weirdturnpro.org/about/) Players in the group are Mike Effenberger (keys, compositions), Rob Gerry (bass), Mike Walsh (drums), Matt Langley (reeds), Chris Gagne (trombone) and Chris Klaxton (trumpet). The music is somewhat unusual, but not super difficult and it’s often fun. Click here to listen to the songs on this disc.
Kopasetically,
Professor Bebop
