Jon Irabagon | The Observer

Tags

African American, Jazz, Saxophone, Thelonious Monk International

Jon Irabagon | The Observer – [Concord Jazz, 2009]

Jon Irabagon, The Observer

Concord Jazz is proud to announce the release of The Observer, saxophonist and composer Jon Irabagon’s newest recording as a leader. Winning the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition has afforded Irabagon the opportunity to assemble a dream-team of musicians, including the stellar rhythm section of pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Victor Lewis. This combo of familiar players is augmented by extraordinary trumpeter Nicholas Payton on two tracks, while pianist Bertha Hope provides gorgeous accompaniment to one of her late husband, Elmo Hope’s compositions. Along with veteran producer Don Sickler and engineering wizard Rudy Van Gelder, Irabagon and company have crafted a statement of power and beauty replete with twists and turns, a diverse but cohesive collection sure to please jazz aficionados and new fans alike.

George Duke | Feel

Tags

African American, George Duke, Keyboards, Male Vocals, Piano

Alright music lovers, today is the day I’ve searched deep in the vaults of The Urban Flux for another rare and timeless treasure filled with the octaves of retro-jazz, funk and fusion sounds of keyboard master, producer and vocalist George Duke titled “Feel.” By chance, if you missed this jewel it’s time to unlock the time machine and click on the link to “Feel” to revisit one of the most beloved and celebrated visionaries in modern music Mr. George Duke. ~ The Urban Flux

George Duke | Feel – [Verve Reissues, 1973/2008] – Jazz/Funk/Fusion Classic

George Duke, Feel

Well after years of waiting, this 1974 masterpiece finally came out on CD! Well I didn’t totally do without it, I transferred my record onto tape and then onto CD some years ago, but now it’s cleaned up, packaged and on the shelves and should definitely sell out! This is George Duke at his best, uniquely Dukey, very funky music with the most amazing keyboard solos and keyboards in general. Talk about ‘feeeel’! ‘Bend it like Duke’ would be apt but his feel is also about unbelievable phrasing and choice of notes. (we should not speak of speed, bad word but he flies too!) Check out the solos on “Feel” and “Yana Aminah“, sung by Flora (the latter solo is jazz like only Duke can do it)

The line-up has Ndugu (Leon Chancler) on drums (check out his drumming on Weather Report’s fabulous Tale Spinnin’), John Heard on bass (?), Airto and Flora and Obdewl’l X, the mystery guitarist who ‘rocks’ on song 2 😉 Well Zappa did have Duke playing on the incredible “Overnite Sensation” album so i guess that’s fair. Speaking of funny names, wasn’t it Duke who went by “Dawili Gonga” somewhere sometime?! The remastering is impeccable in addition to it being a great recording to start with. A recommend here, speaking of amazing Duke solos, check out Stanley Clarke’s “Journey to Love“, a great album with one of the best synthesizer solos of all time (and lots more). And of course, after you listen to this one, buy a “A Brazilian Love Affair“. Coming back to this CD, just buy it!! —APU Sista

Source: Amazon.com

Curtis Brothers Quartet | Blood · Spirit · Land · Water · Freedom

Tags

Curtis Brothers Quartet, Jazz

Curtis Brothers Quartet | Blood · Spirit · Land · Water · Freedom – [Truth Revolution Records, 2009]

Curtis Brothers Quartet

Each of these represent key components to our physical and metaphysical experience and (relative) reality. Because we are human and of Life, these are the essentials which define our mind, body and soul since Existence. They make us who we are. Without any one of them we cease to be as we are.

Blood contains our DNA. DNA is something that is still mostly a mystery to us, though it contains the instruction to our entire being and history. Some scientist would like us to believe it is less important than it is. Perhaps because of the secrets contained within us. The four bases found in DNA are adenine (abbreviated A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). With just the arrangement of these 4 letters, the blueprint and code of who we are, what we will do, how we will do it and much more are contained. This is our “computer program”, the method of life, natures laws and a testament to the intelligence from which we are made. Blood is nothing less than the “way” of god or nature.

Jason Lindner | Now vs. Now

Tags

Funk, Jason Lindner, Keyboards, Piano, Poetry

Jason Lindner | Now vs. Now – [ANZIC RECORDS, 2009]

Jason Lindner, Now vs. Now

“Jason Lindner is a musical universe.” – Chick Corea

Produced by Meshell Ndegeocello and mixed by Bob Power (The Roots, Erika Badu), this is the debut recording of innovative keyboardist and composer Jason Lindner’s Now Vs. Now.

This explosive trio (with Mark Guiliana on drums and Panagiotis Andreou on bass) seamlessly melds Funk, Rock and Jazz into a simmering cosmic groove driven by the poetry and rhythms of New York.

Featuring performances by beatboxer/emcee Baba Israel, Avishai Cohen, Pedrito Martinez, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Anat Cohen, Yosvany Terry and Meshell Ndegeocello.

Source: Amazon.com

Please visit, the multi-facet Jason Lindner’s web site for more details about this fascinating piano virtuoso.

Vocalist – Sachal Vasandani on Tour

Tags

Mack Avenue, Male Vocalist

SACHAL VASANDANI “We Move” (Mack Avenue, 2009)

Sachal Vasandani, We Move

Jazz singing is a flexible discipline: it’s not determined by repertory or the particulars of style. What makes a jazz singer has more to do with a set of tools and instincts, and by that measure Sachal Vasandani qualifies as one of the stronger new arrivals in the field. A New Yorker by way of Chicago, he released his debut, “Eyes Wide Open” (Mack Avenue), in 2007. At that time his pop tendencies registered as vaguely calculated, and it was hard to draw a bead on his taste. “We Move,” his second album, is more cohesive despite a similarly broad range of material: Mr. Vasandani, 30, has come a lot closer to articulating an identity, with jazz and pop commingling in unassuming ways. He wrote a handful of the songs, including “Every Ocean, Every Star,” a pragmatic meditation, and the title track, a pensive reverie partly credited to Erik Privert. The sound of these originals can call to mind the atmosphere of indie-folk acts like Bon Iver: haunted, a little fragile, rooted in focused solitude. The flexibility of Mr. Vasandani’s phrasing would mark him as a jazz singer whether or not he ventured any scat choruses. But it’s worth noting that he includes two songs with vocalese lyrics by Jon Hendricks, and that he nods elsewhere to Betty Carter and Mark Murphy, patron saints of jazz-vocal libertarianism. His version of “Don’t Worry About Me” comes from the playbook of Kurt Elling, whose influence here feels both profound and matter-of-fact. The best news about “We Move” is that Mr. Vasandani seems comfortable with precedent as well as freedom. But it’s also clear that he’s a jazz singer with good ideas, including some about what a jazz singer can be. –Nate Chinen

Sachal is on tour coast to coast …
Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola NYC
Nov. 2

Cafe Metropole L.A.
Nov. 6-7

Jazz Alley Seattle
Nov. 10- 11

Source: Mack Avenue