Lonnie Liston Smith -][- Cosmic Funk & Spiritual Sounds: The Flying Dutchman Masters – [Ace Records, 2012] –

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Ace Records, African America Music, Composer, Keyboardist, Lonnie Liston Smith, The Flying Dutchman Masters

Lonnie Liston Smith, COSMIC FUNK & SPIRITUAL SOUNDS

Lonnie Liston Smith -][- Cosmic Funk & Spiritual Sounds: The Flying Dutchman Masters –Mp3– [Ace Records, 2012] –

“I came to London in the 70s and was so pleasantly surprised to see the kids dancing to ‘Expansions’,” recalled Lonnie Liston Smith to me back in 2004. “‘Expansions’ was the first time I really thought about writing lyrics,” he revealed. “I said well, okay, let’s come up with some really enlightening lyrics and at the same time the people can dance to it if they want to.” Regarded as his signature song, ‘Expansions’ – which features lead vocals from Smith’s younger sibling, Donald, over an intoxicating bass-propelled groove – was quickly adopted as an anthem by the UK jazz-funk club scene and appropriately kicks off BGP’s new anthology focusing on the Virginia keyboard player’s Flying Dutchman output.

Angelica Sanchez Quintet -][- WIRES & MOSS – [Clean Feed Records, 2012] –

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Angelica Sanchez, Avant-Garde, Clean Feed Records, Composer, Drew Gress, Educator, Marc Ducret, Pianist, Tom Rainey, Tony Malaby

“In her piano playing as well as her compositions Angelica Sanchez seeks out the lyrical heartbeat within any avant-garde storm.” – The New York Times/Chinen

Angelica Sanchez Quintet, WIRES & MOSS

Angelica Sanchez Quintet -][- WIRES & MOSS –Mp3– [Clean Feed Records, 2012] –

It’s no longer possible, today, to exclude the name of pianist and composer/improviser Angelica Sanchez when discussing the New York jazz scene. With her fluid, loose and lyrical style, contrasting with an energetic and avant-gardist approach, she seems to be at the center of a hurricane, dealing with poetic feelings and magmatic chaos. Somehow combining the influences of Herbie Hancock and Cecil Taylor, in her previous solo album, “A Little House”, Sanchez used a John Cage favorite instrument, the toy piano. Not to play children lullabies, but to introduce ironic and ambiguous shadows in her music, reminiscent of her memories of the horror movies she saw in a younger age, with soundtracks using that tool to maximum effect. If the toy piano was, then, her ghost-in-the-machine, now the same role is performed by Marc Ducret’s guitar.

Jan Garbarek, Egberto Gismonti, Charlie Haden -][- Magico: Carta De Amor – [ECM Records, 2012] –

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American, Bassist, Brazilian, Charlie Haden, ECM Records, Egberto Gismonti, Jan Garbarek, Norwegian, Pianist, Saxophonist

Jan Garbarek, Egberto Gismonti, Charlie Haden, Magico Carta de Amore

Jan Garbarek, Egberto Gismonti, Charlie Haden -][- Magico: Carta De Amor – [ECM Records, 2012] –

A fascinating set from three strong and contrasting musical personalities: Norwegian saxophonist, Brazilian guitarist-pianist, and US bassist making purposeful and creative music together on this previously unreleased live recording. Carta de Amor documents music captured at Munichs Amerika Haus in April, 1981. Two years on from the much-loved albums Magico and Folk Songs, the trios improvisational empathy and sensibilities were further honed by experiences as a touring group.