Naruyoshi Kikuchi Dub Sextet -][- Dub Orbits – [Plaza Mayor Company, Ltd., 2011] –

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Composer, Naruyoshi Kikuchi, Plaza Mayor Company, Saxophonist

Naruyoshi Kikuchi Dub Sextet, DUB ORBITS

Naruyoshi Kikuchi Dub Sextet -][- Dub Orbits –Mp3– [Plaza Mayor Company, Ltd., 2011]

The Tokyo Kinema Club was packed for the latest semi-annual concert from Kikuchi’s fabulously popular and energetic Dub Sextet. Few jazz musicians can pull in as big a crowd as Naruyoshi Kikuchi, and fewer still for the right reasons, as he does. The strangely converted dance club he chose to play felt more like a set from a David Lynch movie than a traditional jazz place. However, it was a good, big space to let the large crowd stand and dig the new style jazz of the sextet.

The sextet does not put really put in dub as in Jamaican reggae, but dub in terms of splicing in a variety of styles, moods and ways of playing. The music was in turns, modal, straight-ahead, four beat, lushly balladic and occasionally stretching out into free jazz. In short, good strong muscular music, energetically played. Many in the audience might have been drawn by the slick, cool polish of the performers. This isn’t the old school jazz of most clubs in Tokyo, but one where the musicians dress in designer black. Regardless of what got them into the club, they got a stellar evening of intense music. The all-standing crowd loved every minute of the show. -[::: jazzinjapan.com :::]-

You can check out more music by Naruyoshi Kikuchi Dub Sextet at iTunes.apple.com

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Myra Melford’s Be Bread -][- The Whole Tree Gone – [Firehouse 12, 2010 – Revisited] –

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Myra Melford, Avant-Garde, Firehouse 12

Myra Melford’s Be Bread, The Whole Tree Gone

Myra Melford’s Be Bread -][- The Whole Tree Gone –Mp3– [Firehouse 12, 2010 – Revisited]

Inspired by mevlana rumi’s poems, eastern sounds & wisdom and western modernism/avant-gardism, Myra Melford’s compositions reach to a higher standart again. on horns cuong vu and ben goldberg, on strings brandon ross (intriguing soprano guitar sounds) and stomu takeishi suit well with melford’s cecil tayloresque percussive piano style. all originals are complex but accessible. even, some tracks are “catchy” (1st track “through the same gate”, third one “night” and the sixth “i see a horizon”).

As rumi said “intricate sounds, not words. i catch what i can’t quite make out. fire burning down along the roots, as well as the branches. the whole tree gone”… “the fire music” (like the legendary archie shepp album) burn you as well… the whole sextet well done… -[Ali Haluk | Customer Review | Amazon.com]-

Just in case you missed it …. trumpeter Darren Barrett

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African American, Composer, Darren Barrett, Educator, J Curve Records, nagel heyer records, Trumpet

Darren Barrett, FIRST ONE UP

Darren Barrett -][- FIRST ONE UP –Mp3– [J Curve Records, 2011]

Darren Barrett was the 1997 Winner of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and is widely heralded as the next important trumpeter/composer to come on the scene. He is currently a member of the Jackie McLean Quintet as well as leader of his own quintet. Darren has also performed and or recorded with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton and Antonio Hart. First One Up is Darren Barrett’s debut recording as a leader. The album was produced by the legendary Donald Byrd who is Darren’s mentor and one of his primary influences.

The members of his quintet are pianist Aaron Goldberg, tenor saxophonist Jimmy Greene, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer John Lamkin who are regarded as among the finest of the new generation of jazz musicians. Alto sax great, Kenny Garrett is featured on several tracks including two takes of the memorable title track First One Up. It is recommended that the listener fasten their seat belt before listening to this recording as it smokes from start to finish. -[Jacarre | Customer Review | Amazon.com]-