Tim Warfield -][- EYE OF THE BEHOLDER – [Criss Cross, 2013] –

Tags

Bandleader, Clarence Penn, Composer, Criss Cross, Cyrus Chestnut, Nicholas Payton, Rodney Whitaker, Saxophonist, Tim Warfield

Tim Warfield, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

Tim Warfield -][- EYE OF THE BEHOLDER – [Criss Cross, 2013]

On Eye Of The Beholder, his seventh recording leader recording for Criss Cross (and 12th label appearance overall), tenor and soprano saxophonist Tim Warfield draws on musical relationships that have shaped his artistry from the very start. Pianist Cyrus Chestnut and drummer Clarence Penn, both of whom appeared on Warfield’s 1994 debut and several other sessions, bring their powerful and sensitive presence to this new quinter date.

Rodney Whitaker provides an unshakable yet flexible foundation on bass. Trumpet great Nicholas Payton, who featured Warfield in his own incendiary quintet of the mid to late ’90, comes on board and contributes brilliant playing as well as original music. -[Editorial Review | Amazon.com]-

Release Date: February 26, 2013

New Release Cynthia Felton Freedom Jazz Dance STREET DATE: June 1, 2012

Tags

African American, Cynthia Felton, Cyrus Chestnut, Ernie Watts, Female Jazz vocalist, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Patrice Rushen, Robert Hurst, Terri Lyne Carrington, Wallace Roney

Cynthia Felton, Freedom Jazz Dance

Dr. Cynthia J. Felton serves as Artistic Director of The Ethnomusicology Library of American Heritage, a library that features a collection of sources that explores the study of music from a social and cultural aspect.

Currently based in Los Angeles, Cynthia is active as a performer and an educator. Her background prepared her well for both career areas. She has a Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music, a Master of Arts degree from New York University in Jazz Performance, and a Doctorate in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California.

New Releases [Jazz] … for the week of 9/14/2010

Tags

Bad Plus, Cyrus Chestnut, David Bixler, Helen Sung, Jazz, Kenny Burrell, Larry Goldings, New Releases

Greeting’s jazz enthusiasts, after taking a short weekend excursion I’m back with another exciting list of new jazz releases. Today, I’m featuring “Never Stop” the latest masterpiece by progressive jazz trio The Bad Plus as our featured: “Album of the Week.”

Of course, each week I attempt to explore the intricate canvas of stimulating and innovative jazz that awaits us. You see, the origin of new music featured each week encompasses a generous diet of sounds which exudes a wealth of complex and distinctive styles, textures, melodies, and rhythms exalted by a host of definitive and creative voices in the world of jazz.

Featured Album of the Week

Bad Plus - NEVER STOP

The Bad Plus -][- Never Stop – [E1 Entertainment, 2010]

For the past ten years The Bad Plus – Reid Anderson on bass, Ethan Iverson on piano and David King on drums have created an uncompromising body of work by shattering musical convention. Rolling Stone called their amalgam of jazz, pop, rock and avant garde about as badass as highbrow gets, while The New York Times said the band is better than anyone at mixing the sensibilities of post- 60s jazz and indie rock. Few jazz groups in recent memory have amassed such acclaim, and few have generated as much controversy while audaciously bucking musical trends.

Ten years together is a milestone we chose to mark with a set of originals, said Iverson. The new album, NEVER STOP, is a ten-track set, the group s first album of all-original material, strictly an instrumental affair and a collection whose live groove belies its studio origins. It s a rapid-fire succession of engaging performances showcasing the band’s range as well as its three distinct personalities. From gentle and melodic to fierce and abstract, from swing to 80s techno, NEVER STOP does just what the title says: it keeps rolling and flowing, a kinetic playground of new sounds.

With a year-long anniversary tour planned for 2010-2011, The Bad Plus is ready to solidify its status as the go-to band for the ultimate in jazz and beyond. You re going to have to deal with us some time or another,” says Iverson. “We re never going to stop. —Amazon.com

Check out this extended list of recordings by The Bad Plus …

JAZZ LEGACY PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS JOURNEYS BY THE CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIO

Tags

African American, Cyrus Chestnut, Jazz, Piano

Chestnut’s Sophomore CD for the Label and Return to
Piano Trio Format Features Dezron Douglas and Neal Smith
Available September 28

JOURNEYS BY THE CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIO

When a young musician makes a sensational debut, it’s a moment that’s thrilling and yet also familiar; similar fireworks flash with the arrival of each successive prodigy. But when that musician achieves true insight, through talent informed by experience, and lifts his work into a higher realm of achievement, that is a real milestone, rare and sublime.

Arguably, Cyrus Chestnut crossed that line years ago. But with the release of his latest album, Journeys, it’s not arguable at all: He affirms his position as an artist among musicians, thanks to his mastery of one of the most challenging formats in contemporary music.

The piano trio is hardly a new concept in jazz. Certainly Chestnut has established himself as a giant in that format, through albums stretching back to his 1990 debut Nut and in countless appearances at clubs, concert halls and festivals throughout the world. Even so, Journeys, his sophomore release for the Jazz Legacy Productions label, marks a watershed moment in his ongoing growth as a pianist, composer and bandleader.

the weekend spin … with pianist Cyrus Chestnut’s -‘Soul Food’

Tags

African American, Cyrus Chestnut, Jazz, Piano

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut is certainly the genuine article when it comes to playing jazz. Undoubtedly his unique and refreshing approach to composition brilliantly captures the virtuosity, spirit and soul of this truly gifted artist. If you haven’t hear Soul Food, his musical identity is unleashed through various imprints of his career with this amazing project. —Rob Young | The Urban Flux

Cyrus Chestnut - Soul Food (Warner Bros. 2001)

Cyrus Chestnut -][- Soul Food – [Warner Bros., 2001]

One just has to look at the line up of this album to know that this will be an enjoyable listening experience.

Soul Food finds Cyrus Chestnut in four different settings, in a large group with the trio of Chestnut, Christian McBride on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums augmented by Marcus Printup on trumpet, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, and James Carter on tenor sax. Also there is the trio plus vibraphonist Stefon Harris, just the trio, and two songs where Chestnut is solo. All of the players are extremely virtuosic and play with effortless grace and soul. Chestnut shines on every song and plays with a refreshing lack of ego. He is always playing a solo totally conducive to the feel of the song. The rhythm section, as suspected is superb. There is also an appearance by Gary Bartz, the alto player at the end of the album in a sort of epilogue.