Lynne Fiddmont -|- Lady

Tags

African American, Female Vocalist, Jazz, Lynne Fiddmont

Lynne Fiddmont - Lady

Lynne Fiddmont -|- Lady – [MidLife Records, 2010]

Why Billie?

As far back as I can remember, Billie Holiday was a name I just knew. I didn’t know much about her, but I knew her unique, one-of-a-kind voice. Once you heard her, you couldn’t forget her. Sometimes she was brash and others she was silky smooth. I couldn’t quite decide whether I liked her or not, but I clearly remember the first time I got a glimpse of her genius.

I was in college visiting my good friend, vocalist, Carla Cook. Neither of us majored in music, (I hadn’t attended Berklee yet), but we both sang around town with some of Boston’s finest musicians. She went to Northeastern and I went to Boston University, so, when we got together, we had plenty of catching up to do. One particular day, we decided to listen to Billie Holiday. The afternoon started as usual with lots of laughter and the sharing of secrets. We soon noticed however, that we had stopped laughing. We had stopped talking. We found ourselves staring blankly at each other. Billie had done what many singers only dream to do, make us feel something. We changed the music immediately.

Fresh Sound/New Talent To Release – ‘ALAMEDA’ – From ARUÁN ORTIZ on June 15

Tags

Aruán Ortiz, Jazz, Piano

Aruán Ortiz

Aruán Ortiz -|- Alameda – [Fresh Sound/New Talent, 2010]

“Mr. Ortiz, a young Cuban pianist with a modern jazz pedigree, leads a promising ensemble…” – Nate Chinen, New York Times

Alameda features Aruán Ortiz (piano & Rhodes), Abraham Burton (saxophone – 1,2,4,6,7,8), Antoine Roney (saxophone – 2,4,8), Peter Slavov (bass), Eric McPherson (drums)

Jazz pianist Aruán Ortiz, “the latest Cuban wunderkind to arrive in the United States” (John Murph, BETJazz.com), hit the ground running when he came on the American jazz scene in 2003. A classically trained violist and pianist, this Santiago de Cuba native’s sound is as marked by the influence of the contemporary classical composers such as Schoenberg, Ravel, and Copland, as it is by traditional Afro-Cuban sounds and jazz greats such as Bud Powell, Art Tatum, and Thelonious Monk. A major testament to his massive talent, since setting foot in the States Ortiz was quickly called upon to perform and record with artists such as Terri Lyne Carrington, Greg Osby, Cindy Blackman, Esperanza Spalding, Gary Thomas, Wayne Krantz, Rashied Ali, Stefon Harris, Horacio “el negro” Hernández, Giovanni Hidalgo, Lionel Loueke, Jane Bunnett, Jerry Bergonzi and others. Ortiz is currently a member of jazz legend Wallace Roney’s Quintet, Sound of The Future, and is prominently featured on Roney’s new live recording, If Only For One Night (High Note, 2009).

CONTACT -·- FIVE ON ONE

Tags

Billy Hart, Contact, Dave Liebman, Drew Gress, Jazz, John Abercrombie, Marc Copland

Contact - Five on One

CONTACT -·- FIVE ON ONE – [Pirouet Records, 2010]

Five on the way to one. Five in one. Five on the same wavelength. The group is simply called Contact. But that’s a word with a whole slew of possible meanings. There is certainly contact–but not of the physical sort.
With the very first tones the quintet evinces a striking impression of vibrant unity. Or better yet–of synchronized life-blood. And it remains so until the last note. Five big names. An “All-Star” band. But not just. It’s not just a gathering of five jazz celebrities who get together to churn out a few pieces, and then scatter to the winds in every aesthetic direction in order to land where they better fit in. As the pieces are played, there is a growing sense that these musicians have produced a long overdue set of recordings that are an organic synthesis of their musical beings. Five who together discover a musical spirit that incorporates every individual. The CD is called Five on One, and on it, the musicians develop an intense interplay that is characterized by an intimate warmth.

John Escreet -|- Don’t Fight the Inevitable [Review]

Tags

Jazz, John Escreet, Piano

John Escreet - Don't Fight the Inevitable

John Escreet -|- Don’t Fight the Inevitable – [Mythology Records, 2010] – Review

Pianist John Escreet presents his debut “Don’t Fight the Inevitable” as an open expedition which articulates his heartfelt compositions in the form of an immeasurable marriage of jazz and improvised music on a border-less picture produced by Escreet and David Binney on Mythology Records.

Escreet assembles a superb cast of distinguished players featuring co-producer/alto saxophonist David Binney, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, also with rhythm keepers Matt Brewer on double bass and the cat with the jazzy beats Nasheet Watts plays drums.

Allison Miller -|- Boom Tic Boom

Tags

Allison Miller, Drums, Jazz

Allison Miller - Boom Tic Boom

Allison Miller -|- Boom Tic Boom – [Foxhaven Records, 2010]

NYC-based drummer Allison Miller defies all boundaries bringing her individual sound to diverse types of music while preserving their stylistic authenticity. Allison goes from playing with legendary songwriting vocalists Ani DiFranco, Brandi Carlile and Natalie Merchant, to touring with avant-garde saxophonist Marty Ehrlich and legendary organist Doctor Lonnie Smith. She approaches each of these musical situations with her own stylistic identity and a creative, fresh and energetic approach. Allison was chosen as “Rising Star Drummer” in Downbeat’s 53rd Annual Critics Poll.

Tom Schuman -|- Reflections Over Time

Tags

Jazz, Keyboards, Piano, Spyro Gyra, Tom Schuman

Tom Schuman - Reflections Over Time

Tom Schuman -|- Reflections Over Time – [JazzBridge Music, 2010]

Eclectic and exciting blend of jazz styles that takes the listener on a musical journey – sure to satisfy and delight the tastes of music lovers from every genre. Tom mixes in a little R & B and pop vocals to spice it up a little bit.

Tom Schuman has released several great CDs before, but this is arguably the best. Starting with “A Quote From Mr. Z” he channels the spirit and genius of the late Joe Zawinul. Tom’s composition and performance on this track establishes him as this era’s successor to Zawinul. Equally impressive is Tom’s collaboration with former Dazz Band and Kool & the Gang lead vocalist, Skip Martin on “When.” With a nod to Oprah and Deepak Chopra, Tom lays down the new social anthem. Other highlights include the beautiful and melodic “Sofia’s Eyes” and perhaps the fastest performance of the John Coltrane classic, “Giant Steps” ever performed on the piano. Push Play and enjoy.

..:: Source: CDBaby.com ::..

Baptiste Trotignon -|- Suite…

Tags

Baptiste Trotignon, European Jazz, Jazz, Piano

Baptiste Trotignon - Suite...

Baptiste Trotignon -|- Suite… – [Naïve, 2010]

Born near Paris in 1974, Baptiste Trotignon grew up in the Loire region, outside Saumur. His parents started him on the violin when he was six, but two years later he gave it up in favor of (what else? ) the piano! His classical training began at the age of nine, and a few years later he joined the Nantes Conservatory, where he won prizes for piano and composition. In his teenage years, he discovered and taught himself jazz and improvisation, performing his first concerts at the age of sixteen.

In 1994 he appeared as actor and musician in Alain Corneau’s film “Le Nouveau Monde”, deciding to move to Paris the following year. In 1998 he formed his trio with Clovis Nicolas (double bass) and Tony Rabeson (drums), a development that provided invaluable experience as a bandleader. Released in June 2000, his debut album Fluide revealed him as one of the most spectacular, broad-ranging and fascinating pianists of his generation. The album won a Django d’Or for Best First Record in March 2001. Still with the same musicians, he released his second album Sightseeing later that same year: Jazzman declared it «the shock of the year» and in December 2001 the Jazz Academy awarded Baptiste the Prix Django Reinhardt, an annual award given to the jazz musician of the year.

Original Release Date: April 12, 2010

..:: Source: Baptiste Trotignon.com ::..

Daniel Bernard Roumain -|- Woodbox Beats & Balladry

Tags

Daniel Bernard Roumain, Jazz, Progressive Classical, Violin

Daniel Bernard Roumain - Woodbox Beats & Balladry

Daniel Bernard Roumain -|- Woodbox Beats and Balladry – [Thirsty Ear Recordings, Inc., 2010]

Having carved a reputation for himself as an innovative composer, performer, violinist, and band leader, Haitian-American artist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) melds his classical music roots with his own cultural references and vibrant musical imagination. Proving that he’s “about as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets” (New York Times), DBR recently collaborated and performed with Lady Gaga on FOX’s American Idol. His accolades range from being voted as “America’s Assignment” on the CBS Evening News, to receiving praise as one of the “Top 100 New Yorkers” (New York Resident).

Following up his debut release on Thirsty Ear “etudes4violin&electronix”, his new release “Woodbox Beats & Balladry” is a vibrant, compositional tour de force. Featuring members of his touring ensemble, DBR’s soaring violin is complemented by rich textures, haunting melodies and exhilarating performances.

Please visit, http://www.dbrmusic.com/ for more details about this intriguing new artist! While you’re there watch this dude in action!

..:: Source: Thirsty Ear ::..

The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, NPR, All Music Guide & More All Agree The Claudia Quintet’s Royal Toast is A Hit

Tags

Drums, Jazz, John Hollenbeck, The Claudia Quintet

Fully Altered Media

The Claudia Quintet will perform next in New York City on June 14th at The Theatres at 45 Bleecker presented by Search & Restore. This concert will immediately follow the 14th Annual Jazz Journalist Association Jazz Awards
(in which Claudia Quintet ringleader John Hollenbeck is nominated for Composer of the Year and Arranger of the Year).

The Claudia Quintet - Royal Toast

On their fifth CD, Royal Toast, The Claudia Quintet raise a glass in salute to their regal muse with a set of new music fit for a king?—?albeit one with more refined tastes and open mind than your average monarch.

If a round table seems a wholly appropriate setting for this egalitarian ensemble (with an extra place setting this time out), theirs is as much Algonquin as Camelot, renowned for their sophisticated wit as well as their sharply-honed musical jousting.

As composer/leader John Hollenbeck points out, the title might also sound a bit “silly”?—? but there’s something in its odd incongruity that exemplifies the band’s one-of-a-kind sound.

George Duke Revisits The Sounds Of The Golden Age Of Funk And Soul On Déjà Vu

Tags

African American, Funk, George Duke, Keyboards, Piano

George Duke | Déjà Vu – [BPM/Heads Up International, 2010]

Features guest performances by trumpeter Nicholas Payton, flutist Hubert Laws and saxophonist Bob Sheppard

George Duke - DejaVu

When keyboardist-composer-producer George Duke made a return trip to the heyday of funk on his 2008 recording, Dukey Treats, he reminded his fans and the music press of exactly what made the good old stuff so good. DownBeat called it “a wild and crazy album, especially if you’re nostalgic about the guitar-scratching, double-clutching rhythms of James Brown and George Clinton and the bedroom ballads of Stevie Wonder and Aaron Neville.” The Philadephia Enquirer called it simply “a valentine to funk.”

Duke returns to that same wellspring for Déjà Vu, his new recording on BPM/Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group. Set for release on August 10, 2010, the album revisits the synthesizer sound that characterized some of his most memorable recordings from the golden age of funk and soul.