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

Tags

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

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

Tags

Avant-Garde, Firehouse 12, Myra Melford

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

Tags

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]-

Charlie Haden with Paul Motian, Geri Allen -][- ETUDES – [Soul Note, 1988] –

Tags

Bassist, Charlie Haden, Composer, Drummer, Geri Allen, Paul Motian, Pianist, Soul Note

Charlie Haden with Paul Motian, Geri Allen, ETUDES

Charlie Haden with Paul Motian, Geri Allen -][- ETUDES –Mp3– [Soul Note, 1988]

Three of the most sensitive musicians known to the world of jazz have collaborated to make an album that sparkles with creative energy and intuitive sensitivities. From the wonderful rendition of Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman” to some of the lesser known titles, all are done with a high level of expertise and a masterful brilliance. A beautiful album through and through. -[Customer Review | Amazon]-

::: SOURCE: Amazon.com :::

Takuya Kuroda Sextet -][- SIX ACES – [Takuya Kuroda, 2012] –

Tags

Bandleader, Composer, Takuya Kuroda, Trumpet

akuya Kuroda Sextet, SIX ACES

Takuya Kuroda Sextet -][- SIX ACES –Mp3– [Takuya Kuroda, 2012]

With his brilliant tone and soulful, passionate delivery, it’s no wonder that young Japanese trumpeter Takuya Kuroda continues to thrive in New York City, the world’s most competitive arena for live performance. Originally from Kobe, Takuya came to the U.S. in 2003 to study at the New School Jazz and Contemporary Music Program. Since arriving to New York, he has become a fixture on the working musician scene, performing alongside living legends (Junior Mance, Terumasa Hino), acknowledged masters (Greg Tardy, Francisco Mela, Pino Palladino) and the rising stars of his generation (Jose James, Ben Williams, Kris Bowers, Jamire Williams). Takuya can be seen and heard performing at music festivals worldwide (Java Jazz, Rio Das Ostras, River to River, Vitoria Jazz) and at some of the most important venues for live performance in the country (The Blue Note, The Jazz Standard, Radio City Music Hall, The Village Underground). -[Album Notes | CDBaby]-

::: SOURCE: CDBaby.com :::

Miguel Zenón -][- JIBARO – [Marsalis Music, 2005] –

Tags

Bandleader, Composer, Marsalis Music, Miguel Zenón, Saxophonist

Miguel Zenón, JIBARO

Miguel Zenón -][- Jíbaro –Mp3– [Marsalis Music, 2005]

Want to hear The Next Big Thing from young jazz practitioners? Look no farther. Miguel Zenón is it.

He’s got it all: monster chops on alto sax; a deeply delved folkloric compositional concept (indeed, he’s the Edward Simon of Puerto Rico, with this disc doing for him what La Bikina did for Simon); bandleading acumen far beyond his tender years; and that je ne sais quoi that serendipitously graces fortunate musicians every now and again.

The comparison to Edward Simon seems most apposite to these ears. Just as Simon has been able to evoke the deepest strains of Venezuelan folk musics on his handful of remarkable discs, so Zenón has done with indigenous Puerto Rican musics on this disc. Indeed, some of the numbers sound as if they could be right off of Simon’s La Bikina (e.g., “Punto Cubano,” and “Alguinaldo,” which just goes to show, I suppose, the deep affinity the various Latin musics have with each other). That’s fine by me, as La Bikina is one of my all-time favorite discs. Another apt comparison might be Egberto Gismonti and Northern Brazilian Indian music. Or again, Omar Sosa and what he’s done with Cuban folk music. -[::: Jan P. Dennis | Customer Review | Amazon.com :::]-

Stanley Cowell -][- IT’S TIME – [SteepleChase, 2012] –

Tags

African American, Bandleader, Composer, Pianist, Stanley Cowell, SteepleChase

Stanley Cowell, IT’S TIME

Stanley Cowell -][- IT’S TIME –Mp3– [SteepleChase, 2012]

An excellent modern, mainstream pianist who is adaptable to many acoustic jazz settings, Stanley Cowell has long been underrated except among knowing musicians. He studied the piano from the time he was four, and Art Tatum made an early impact. After attending Oberlin College Conservatory and the University of Michigan, Cowell (who had played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk while at Oberlin) moved to New York in 1966. He played regularly with Marion Brown (1966-1967), Max Roach (1967-1970), and the Bobby Hutcherson-Harold Land quintet (1968-1971).

In the early ’70s, Cowell worked in Music Inc. with Charles Tolliver, and they co-founded the label Strata East. He played regularly with the Heath Brothers during 1974-1983, and since 1981 has been a busy jazz educator. Cowell has recorded as a leader for Arista-Freedom (1969), ECM (1972), Strata East, Galaxy, Unisson, DIW, Concord, and SteepleChase. –[::: iTunes.apple.com | Biography :::]–

Steve Kuhn -][- TRANCES – [ECM, 1974]

Tags

Avante Garde, Jack De Johnette, Jazz, Piano, Steve Kuhn, Steve Swallow, Sue Evans

Steve Kuhn, Trance

Steve Kuhn -][- TRANCES –MP3 – [ECM, 1974]

This album has inexplicably been omitted from the ECM release schedule in Europe and the US – thankfully the Japanese have done us the favour of reissuing this classic ECM album, recorded around 1975. It features Jack De Johnette on drums, Steve Swallow on electric bass, Sue Evans on percussion, and of course Steve Kuhn on piano and electric piano.

The title track has a hypnotic opening with a simple piano tune and a pulsing bass line, and evolves into a lush and romantic showpiece for Kuhn’s piano. A couple of tracks are more fusion oriented, with the electric piano featuring prominently. One of these, “Something Everywhere”, has a Latin flavour. Other pieces are much more Avante Garde. The last track on the album is a strange little piece featuring the voice of presumably Steve Kuhn, telling a little story – it’s a fascinating end to a varied and lovely album. -[P. Christie | Customer Review | Amazon]

::: Amazon.com :::

Saxophonist KENNY GARRETT Receives Critical Acclaim on Latest Album, Seeds From The Underground

Tags

African American, Composer, DL Media, Kenny Garrett, Mack Avenue Records, NAACP Image Award Nomination, Saxophonist

Project Receives a Wide Range of Award Nominations and Press Accolades

Kenny Garrett on the Cover of DownBeat Magazine

2013 GRAMMY® Awards Nominations:
Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “J. Mac”

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

2013 ECHO Jazz Awards Nomination:
International Instrumentalist of the Year

2013 NAACP Image Award Nomination:
Outstanding Jazz Album

2012 Soul Train Award Nomination:
Best Traditional Jazz Artist

2012 DownBeat Readers Poll Winner:
Best Alto Saxophonist

Lori Williams -][- Eclipse of the Soul – [Pacific Coast Jazz, 2012] –

Tags

African American, Lori Williams, Pacific Coast Jazz

Greeting’s everyone, I can’t believe that I almost missed out on this beautiful record by one of the best in the business vocalist Lori Williams. Nonetheless, it’s better late then never! I’m elated to invite you to feast your ears on her amazing, soulful and jazz influenced album appropriately titled “Eclipse of the Soul.” –Rob Young | Urban Flux Media

Lori Williams, Eclipse of the Soul

Lori Williams -][- Eclipse of the Soul –Mp3– [Pacific Coast Jazz, 2012]

“Lori Williams is a lot more than just a singer, songwriter, and performer. If you were to judge her on these things alone, you would have to conclude you where dealing with one of the finest artists of our era, an eventual legend and, I have no doubt, time will prove me right. I think music aficionados who listen to this project will agree that these tracks step her toward this destiny. Let me add a little fuel to this fire. Lori’s lead vocal recording is all original – no vocal overdubs, no re-tracking, and almost no vocal fixes (come on… no one is perfect). When we recorded the material, I had her record “scratch vocals” with the intent of throwing them out and recording the REAL lead vocals later (as is customary). Well, that’s NOT what happened… you are listening to the unaltered scratch vocal.