Claudia Hayden -|- ‘Abstract’

Tags

African American, Claudia Hayden, Flute, Jazz

Claudia Hayden - Abstrac

Claudia Hayden -|- Abstract – [Claudia Hayden, 2010]

New York City based flautist, composer, and songwriting producer Claudia Hayden and her band, The Claudia Hayden Project, continue to move audiences to standing ovations at venues throughout the U.S. Possessing a sound that ranges from funky and sassy to sublimely smooth, the sheer power of the music is evident in the new release of her debut Jazz CD, “Abstract.”

True to her Louisiana roots, Ms. Hayden, a publisher member of ASCAP, has developed a velvety yet energetic style with a hypnotic tone nearing vocal quality. “Abstract” showcases soul stirring original songs written by Ms. Hayden, and The Hayden Project delivers fiery licks generating from Jazz, World Music, and Funk.

New Releases [Jazz] … for the Week of 6/28/2010

Tags

Eric Darius, Jazz, Lee Ritenour, New Releases

Greetings’ jazz aficionados, I’m back with an intricate canvas of what’s -cool- and maybe not so –cool– from a optimistic perspective we don’t usually find in the diet of the chromatic pop music culture. The origin of new music featured each week encompasses various branches of jazz, which exudes a wealth of complex and distinctive styles, insinuating textures, immaculate melodies, and relentless rhythms exalted by the definitive voices of creative artists serves up sounds to quench our immutable thirst for quality music.

Featured Album of the Week-6

Lee Ritenour - 6 String Theory

Lee Ritenour -|- 6 String Theory – [Concord Records, 2010]

It’s hard to believe that 2010 marks 50 years since Lee Ritenour starting playing the guitar, setting in motion a career that legends are made of. A career that has earned him 19 GRAMMY® nominations, a GRAMMY Award, numerous #1 spots on guitar polls, A Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian SJ Awards, and the prestigious “Alumnus of the Year” award from USC. During his illustrious career, he has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs and was a founding member of the group Fourplay, considered the most successful group in contemporary jazz.

As a young guitarist his diverse musical style became the foundation of over 3,000 sessions, covering a broad spectrum of artists ranging from his first session at 16 with the Mamas and Papas, to Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Simon & Garfunkel and Frank Sinatra. On his latest endeavor, 6 String Theory, Ritenour celebrates the instrument that has allowed him this blessing, the guitar; -by producing and assembling a star-studded tribute with the greatest and soon- to- be greatest guitarists of our time. —Concord Records

Flux Music Essentials … [Davis, El Movimiento, McFerrin, Parks & Washington]

Tags

Aaron Parks, Bobby McFerrin, El Movimiento, Grover Washington Jr., Jazz, Miles Davis

Greeting’s jazz enthusiasts, I’m back with another tasty mix of jazz that’s undoubtedly shaken and well stirred from the shelves of the “Flux Music Essentials.” As can you see, the titles below may or may not fit in the category of hot selling artist/recordings. Nevertheless, they’re personal favorites that I’ve met and grown to love.

Flux Music Essentials

Miles Davis - Nefertiti

Miles Davis -|- Nefertiti – [Sony, 1967]

The fourth studio album by the second great Miles Davis quintet, and the second comprising material recorded in the pivotal year of 1967, NEFERTITI marked yet another metamorphosis in the career of a great musician noted for welcoming change. While Davis (1926-1991) did not make wholesale, far- reaching alterations on NEFERTITI, as he had on KIND OF BLUE and E.S.P and would on BITCHES BREW, one could say that the pace-setting trumpeter-bandleader modified his approach to the freebop that had for two-and-and-half years been his group’s bread and butter, at least for recording purposes.

On the title selection, and to a lesser extent on “Fall” (another indelibly aching piece) and “Pinocchio,” all high water marks in the catalog of tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, the group’s principal composer, Davis had the front line and rhythm section reverse their traditional roles. While the horns repeated the theme again and again, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams shifted the beat’s emphasis, stretched the time, and offered a full dynamic/emotional range. The effect was like a series of time lapse photographs of a particularly beautiful scene, with light and color and shadows subtly, but continually changing, thus shifting the focus of one’s eye – or, in this case, ear. This made for some of Davis’ most mesmerizing music since KIND OF BLUE and SKETCHES OF SPAIN.

Expanded significantly to almost 66 minutes by the the inclusion of four consistently enthralling alternate takes, NEFERTITI presents Miles Davis’ second great quintet at the peak of their hypnotic, roiling, poetic powers. —Amazon.com

[Classic Jazz Revisited] … featuring John Coltrane -|- Plays the Blues

Tags

African American, Bebop, Jazz, John Coltrane, Saxophone

Flux Classic Jazz Revisited

And epiphany occurred last week as I was prompted to pay homage to the quintessential voices in jazz from their prosperous and influential years as recording artist during the later fifties, sixties and early seventies. I’m honored to feature this new segment titled “Classic Jazz Revisited,” which spotlights the finest musicians and recordings from legendary music labels like Blue Note, CTI, Riverside, Verve, and Prestige Records etc … as always your recommendations are welcome!

John Coltrane - Plays the Blues

John Coltrane -|- Plays the Blues – [Atlantic / Wea, 1960]

The recordings here come from the same October 1960 sessions that produced My Favorite Things, and while the all-blues album is far less famous, it’s an equivalent document of John Coltrane’s work in his earliest recordings of the quartet with drummer Elvin Jones and pianist McCoy Tyner. The all-blues format emphasizes Coltrane’s personal relationship to the form, both his emotional depth and his capacity for harmonic extension on essentially modal materials. His soprano on “Blues to Bechet” is a summoning up of the blues form’s original power, also apparent in the slow and moving “Blues to Elvin.”

“Blues to You,” played with just Jones and bassist Steve Davis, is a hot coil of sound, Coltrane’s convoluted lines twisting into new shapes while he and Jones catch every possible nuance of the beat. “Mr. Knight” would later turn into “India,” but it’s already a floating modal figure for his tenor. This edition includes the alternate takes previously available only in the box set The Heavyweight Champion. —Stuart Broomer

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::..

Steve Cardenas -|- West Of Middle

Tags

Guitar, Jazz, Steve Cardenas

Steve Cardenas - West of Middle

Steve Cardenas -|- West Of Middle – [Sunnyside, 2010]

Steve Cardenas has diverse credits as a performer and recording artist. Having started his musical career in Kansas City, he is now an integral part of the jazz community in New York.

Cardenas has backed up such greats as Eddie Harris, Marilyn Maye, Jay McShann, Claude “Fiddler” Williams and Slide Hampton. He has toured Europe extensively, performing at various jazz festivals including the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland on three separate occasions and the North Sea Jazz Festival five times. He has regularly performed in groups led by such diverse artists as Paul McCandless of the group Oregon, trumpeters/composers Mark Isham and Jeff Beal, bassists Marc Johnson and John Patitucci, as well as vocalists Madeleine Peyroux and Norah Jones. Steve is currently a member of the Paul Motian Octet + 1, Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra, a group led by Joey Baron called “Killer Joey”, as well as the Ben Allison Band. In addition, he leads his own trio performing at various venues around New York City.

Visit, Steve Cardenas Music … to discover more about this exceptional guitarist!

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::..