DANILO PÉREZ’S NEW RELEASE – PROVIDENCIA

Tags

Danilo Pérez, Jazz, Piano

AVAILABLE FOR FULL ALBUM PREVIEW AS PART OF
NPR MUSIC’S “EXCLUSIVE FIRST LISTEN“ SERIES

Danilo Pérez - Providencia

“Danilo is open to whatever comes, in that zero-gravity kind of way.
When we become weightless, he doesn’t start looking for things to hold on to.”
– Wayne Shorter, 2008

Danilo Pérez, the acclaimed Panamanian pianist, educator and social activist, will kick off the release of his new album, Providencia, with an NPR Music “Exlusive First Listen.”

From August 23-31, NPR Music will make Providencia available for free on-demand listening in its entirety at http://www.NPRMusic.org

and through the NPR Music App for iPhone and iPod Touch; a week-long world exclusive, culminating with the retail release of the album on August 31

Providencia, his debut for the Mack Avenue Records label, crosses streams of jazz, classical and Latin American folk music-which Pérez refers to as “hearing music in three dimensions.” “This record is based on the idea that whatever we do has an impact in the universe,” Pérez says. “The word ‘providence,’ for me, means standing up for the future of the next generation of children.”

New Releases [Jazz] … for the week of 8/24/2010

Tags

Drums, Jazz, New Releases, Owen Howard

Greeting’s jazz enthusiasts, it’s great to be back this week with the engaging new project “Drum Lore” by upcoming modern jazz drummer Owen Howard as our featured “Album of the Week.”

As always, there’s another 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

Owen Howard - Drum Lore (BJURecords, 2010)

Owen Howard -][- Drum Lore – [Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records, 2010]

Owen Howard, originally from Edmonton, Canada, has performed and recorded with the likes of Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Tom Harrell, Kenny Wheeler, John Abercrombie, Dave Liebman, George Garzone, Dave Holland, Eddie Henderson, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton and many others. He has appeared on over forty recordings to date, including five under his own name, and has toured extensively throughout Europe, the United States and Canada. He is clearly an artist successfully following in the footsteps of legendary drummers/bandleaders such as Tony Williams, Peter Erskine, Billy Hart, Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Al Foster, Shelly Manne and others, and now with the release of his sixth CD as a leader, Drum Lore (BJURecords), Owen Howard shines a spotlight on the composing talents of these exalted players.

[Classic Jazz Revisited] … featuring ‘Components’ by mallet-master Bobby Hutcherson

Tags

African American, Bobby Hutcherson, Jazz, Vibes

Bobby Hutcherson - Components (Blue Note, 1965)

Bobby Hutcherson -][- Components – [Blue Note Records, 1965]

Bobby Hutcherson is rightfully considered one of the best vibraphonists in the history of jazz. He’s also one of the most innovative and esoteric as his recordings for Blue Note in the mid to late 60’s display. Hutcherson led sessions are most commonly called ‘post-bop’ with interesting compositions and outstanding playing from all-star lineups. Components is one of these sessions. The lineup includes James Spaulding on alto sax and flute, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums. As an LP the album two sides were split into compositions Hutcherson (the first four) and Chambers the last four. Its interesting to hear how their compositional styles vary and how the group tackles these originals. The standout performer here is Spaulding who has several top notch solos.

This album is a reissue as part of Blue Note’s flighty Connoisseur series, these are limited editions and become hotly pursued once they go out of print. This one has been in print an abnormally long time (1994 reissue) and certainly can’t be around much longer. Anyone interested in exploring the Blue Note recordings of Bobby Hutcherson should start here. —Thomas Aikin | Amazon.com

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

Flux Music [Jazz] Essentials … [Omura, Shaw, Metheny, Elling & Strickland]

Tags

African American, E J Strickland Quartet, Jaleel Shaw, Jazz, Kurt Elling, Pat Metheny Group, Tomoko Omura

Flux Music Essentials

Greetings jazz aficionados, it’s a pleasure to be back with five more spellbinding jazz titles from the shelves of Flux Music Essentials! The following recordings fit perfectly into the mold of what I view as being the usual suspects … at least from my perspective. Although similar in context, these gems where originally recorded to create an atmosphere with just enough complex nuances and innovation painted on the canvas to make these jewels a worthwhile listening experience.

Tomoko Omura - Visions

Tomoko Omura -][- Visions – [Tomoko Omura, 2008]

Modern Jazz/Fusion, original compositions featuring an unique and sophisticated improvisational style on jazz violin.

“Visions” is a tribute to seven of the finest jazz violinists of all time, and in it, Tomoko does more than just honor these gentlemen … she really gets to the emotional core of what makes each of them tick as players. Her compositions are lovely,well-conceived tunes that are played blazingly by her crackerjack band, and especially by Tomoko herself.

Her playing here is uniformly amazing, with great ideas, great tone , perfect intonation and great feel. –-CDBaby.com | MySpace.com

Masada Quartet feat: Joe Lovano -][- Book Of Angels: Stolas Vol. 12

Tags

Dave Douglas, Jazz, Joe Lovano, John Zorn, Masada Quartet

Masada Quintet - Book of Angels - Stolas Vol12

Masada Quartet feat: Joe Lovano -][- Book Of Angels: Stolas Vol-12 – [Tzadik, 2009]

Stolas: The Book of Angels, Vol. 12 is the newest installment in John Zorn’s ongoing Book of Angels series, and possibly the best yet. For most Zorn fans, I would imagine that this part of the series would be particularly exciting, as it features the studio return of the Masada Quartet (Zorn on alto sax, Dave Douglas on trumpet, Greg Cohen on bass, and the great Joey Baron on drums), with some augmentations; Joe Lovano on tenor sax replaces Zorn and pianist Uri Caine is added. Despite the relative change in the lineup, the Masada Quintet plays with all the tightness, taste and musical intuition of a band together for years. Lovano adds a more round, even tone, and isn’t as aggressive or abrasive in his playing as Zorn (although he is capable of some fire). This makes for a more relaxed, evenly-tempered Masada. Uri Caine’s piano adds a lot of harmonic flavor without limiting the players, and adds some interesting solos like the Cecil Taylor-like one on “Sartael”.

The pieces, all by Zorn, feature memorable themes, fun grooves, and plenty of space for both the individual and the ensemble to shine, as well as some entertaining, interactive out playing, although nothing really on the level of the fiery, intimidating previous Masada quartet releases. (The only things that come close are “Sartael”, a speedy, energetic blowing session driven by Baron’s forceful drumming, and “Rahtiel”, the only piece that features Zorn on alto.) Cohen and Baron are a world-class rhythm section as always, adding plenty of propulsive force, groove, and melodic color. This is a worthy addition to the Masada catalog and a rewarding listen. —Art Johnson | Amazon.com

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