Upcoming Album

'Pathways' is the debut recording of Dave Holland's octet. It is based on his regular quintet with three added horns.

As Dave Holland writes:

'I had always loved the sound of the Duke Ellington small groups, often with a 5 horn front-line plus the rhythm section. The combination of 2 brass and 3 saxes gives access to a wide range of textures and colors and allows a composer to evoke the sound of a big band or create the more intimate sound of a small group.

I also wanted a project that would include at its core my regular working quintet (Robin Eubanks, Steve Nelson, Chris Potter, and Nate Smith) and build the music around what we had already developed as a small group. The additional horns gave me some different compositional options but equally important, the personal sound, style and creative approaches of Antonio Hart (alto), Gary Smulyan (baritone) and Alex Sipiagin (trumpet) add a great deal to the creative mix.' 

The band is thus: Dave Holland (bass), Chris Potter (tenor, soprano sax), Antonio Hart (alto sax), Gary Smulyan (baritone), Alex Sipigian (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Steve Nelson (vibes, marimba), Nate Smith (drums).

The album was recorded live at Birdland, NY in 2009.

Dave Holland's writing is the main feature: 

'I often revisit compositions I have recorded at different stages in my career. Over the years, one of the things that has changed is my approach to playing them. Writing the song is just a starting point and after that the improvisor develops different ways of interpreting it. There are some compositions that seem to remain relevant and that continue to evolve.'

'Shadow Dance' harks back to Dave Holland's first album, 'Jumpin' In' while 'How's Never' is from the Gateway trio era with Jack DeJohnette and John Abercrombie. As with the remaining Dave Holland compositions, the expanded sound palette of the eight-piece band is used to great effect.

This title will be released on March 23, 2010.

Pre-Order at Amazon

Sad news for Jazz

 

R.I.P  John Dankworth

"The globe keeps turning – and the musical world keeps revolving with it. I have been privileged to witness (and play a minor part in) one complete revolution of the wheel of jazz music, running concurrently with my own lifespan. The succeeding turn of that wheel is just beginning; indeed I hope to contribute a bit to its next revolution before I finally withdraw (I hope gracefully) from the arena of jazz, that unique form of self-expression which has played such a huge part in my own passionate affair with the sounds of musical endeavour."      

- John Dankworth in his autobiography, Jazz In Revolution (Constable 1998)

 

John Dankworth, 82, was a British jazz legend who worked with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington and Oscar Peterson. In 2006 he was knighted by the Queen. So I guess it’s Rest In Peace, Sir John Dankworth.

Dankworth, inspired by the music of inspired by Benny Goodman, applied to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London when he was just 17. He formed his band the Dankworth Seven in 1950 and it rapidly became one of Britain’s top jazz groups with him as saxophonist and clarinetist. Three years later, he formed his big band, which he led for two decades. Many arrangements featured vocals by Cleo Laine, who he married in 1958.

He and Laine were one of the best known couples in jazz. She announced his death at a concert marking the 40th anniversary of the Stables Theatre, a concert venue in the grounds of their home in Buckinghamshire, northwest of London. Instead, the all-star concert became a tribute to Dankworth.

 

Upcoming Album

 

Christian Wallumrød has worked as a musician and composer since 1992, and he is considered one of the most prominent musicians of the younger Norwegian generation.

He made his debut on ECM Records with the album "No Birch" (issued in 1996) to considerable critical acclaim. The album "Sofienberg Variations" with a new ensemble (Christian Wallumrød Ensemble: with Nils Økland, Arve Henriksen and Per Oddvar Johansen) was released on ECM in 2003. Wallumrøds third album "A Year From Easter", with the same ensemble, was released in spring 2005 on the German record label. An extended version of his acoustic ensemble (sextet with long time partners Henriksen and Johansen in addition to Gjermund Larsen on violins, Tanja Orning on cello and Giovanna Pessi on baroque harp) is playing Wallumrøds compositions on the recent ECM album "The Zoo Is Far" (spring 2007).
A fairly new project is a quartet named 'Dans Les Arbres' with Norwegian impro-musicians Ivar Grydeland and Ingar Zach (known from the band Huntsville) and French clarinet player Xavier Charles. This is a group who works solely with acoustic and improvised music, in a different way. The first Dans Les Arbres album was released on ECM Records in spring 2008.
Wallumrød has had long term collaborations with a.o. singer Sidsel Endresen (w/ Merriwinkle and w/ Jan Bang) and drummer Audun Kleive (with his Generator X), resulting in various recordings (Jazzland Records). He has also recorded several albums on Norwegian labels, a.o. with the trio Close Erase.
Wallumrød has generally focused on small ensembles, both as a performer and a composer. Apart from his present acoustic ensemble (CWE) were he writes all the material, most of his work is based on improvisation and the fluid borders between improvised and written music. Since the beginning of the 90’s he has toured, played festivals and made broadcasting recordings in Norway and Scandinavia, Finland, Germany, UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czeck Rep., Hungary, Estonia, Slovenia, Italy, China and Canada.
At the Ultima Festival for Contemporary Music 2000 (Oslo) he participated as an improvising soloist on Fender Rhodes (el-piano) on Eivind Buene‘s (N) "Objects of Desire" with Oslo Sinfonietta, conducted by Christian Eggen.
In addition to the various ensemble work, Christian Wallumrød has done several solo performances, a.o. at the Ultima Festival 2003.

 

Christian Wallumrød Ensemble
Fabula Suite Lugano

Christian Wallumrød - piano, harmonium, toy piano
Eivind Lønning - trumpet
Gjermund Larsen - violin, hardanger fiddle, viola
Tanja Orning - cello
Giovanna Pessi - baroque harp
Per Oddvar Johansen - drums, percussion, glockenspiel

Recorded June 2009
ECM 2118

This title will be released on February 9, 2010.

Pre-Order at Amazon

 More info: http://www.christianwallumrod.com/index.html 

Jazz Middelheim Festival '09 Visual Architecture

Video Architecture Design - Jazz Middelheim Festival 



The architect Michael Langeder asked to Mattia Casalegno to help him with the design of visual contents specifically conceived for the facade of an historic "villa" at the Middelheim Park in Antwerp, Belgium. The interaction between the visuals and the facade is then rendered in a spot for the Jazz Middelheim Festival 2009, aired in some belgian TV in Spring 2009.

Filmed and edited by Pimps production, the spot feature a soundtrack by John Zorn.

Mattia Casalegno's Portfolio

Jazz + Graphic Design

Design and art direction for a new dvd music label as well as the first references.
This is the very first one, the ones that follow come with different Pantone-metallic variations

 Capitán Burrito's Portfolio


NTSC/Region 0. This DVD contains splendid performances from Jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, taped during the beginning stages of his career. The first four performances were taped in San Francisco in 1968. The Isle Of Wight footage with Miles Davis was filmed in 1970. Finally, the Turin, Italy performance with Miles was shot in 1971. Six tracks. Standing Oh!vation.

BUY HERE! 

Upcoming Album

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line.

Tord Gustavsen has released a trilogy of trio albums that proved both a popular and a critical success (cf. The Critics). The trio has toured extensively world-wide, crystallizing its musical approach and developing new compositions. It's still very melodic and romantic music. It still displays a striking, spacious 'Nordic-Caribbean-gospel-bluesy' fresh feel while presenting Tord Gustavsen's original compositions. But the trio employs more dynamics and explores some new musical fields in its interaction on the last recording. The musicians are just as un-compromising in their search for beauty as they are in their search for a creative approach with fresh phrasing and imaginative playing.

In 2008, Tord Gustavsen works with somewhat more flexible line-ups - in duo, trio and quartet settings. And he presented a commissioned work for the Vossajazz Festivel in Norway March 2008 that became the starting point for his new Tord Gustavsen Ensemble, featuring Tore Brunborg on saxophones, Mats Eilertsen on bass and Jarle Vespestad on drums. For the full version of the commissioned work, the ensemble also includes Kristin Asbjørnsen on sung vocals and Cecilie Jørstad on read poetry.

A re-worked and transformed vesion of the music from this work is recorded and will be found on the upcoming album release "Restored, Returned"

This title will be released on February 9, 2010. 
Pre-order at Amazon

More info: http://www.tordgustavsen.com/

 

 

Tord Gustavsen Ensemble 

(Concert Excerpt)

 

Tord Gustavsen Trio

(Concert Excerpt)

Recommended Album

Oscar Peterson's Debut Box Set

This time we show you a very nice box set. It's all about the Oscar Peterson's Debut recordings. Here we can find the first Peterson's US records. Great stuff for collectors.

 

(Click on the pic to buy it)

Tracklist:

DISC 1
1   Announcement - (live, with Norman Granz)
2   I Only Have Eyes For You - (live)    
3   Fine and Dandy - (live)
4   Carnegie Blues - (live)
5   Gai - (live)
6   Padovani - (live)
7   Tea For Two - (previously unreleased, live)

DISC 2
1   Debut
2   They Didn't Believe Me
3   Lover Come Back To Me
4   Where or When
5   Three O'Clock In the Morning
6   All the Things You Are
7   Tenderly
8   Oscar's Blues
9   Little White Lies
10   In the Middle of a Kiss
11   Nameless
12   Two Sleepy People
13   Jumpin' With Symphony Sid
14   Robbins Nest
15   Tico Tico
16   Get Happy
17   Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
18   Deep Purple
19   Exactly Like You
20   I'll Remember April
21   Easy To Love
22   Taking a Chance On Love
23   Squatty Roo
24   After All

DISC 3
1   Caravan
2   Summer Nocturne
3   Salute To Garner
4   I Get a Kick Out of You
5   What's New?
6   Dark Eyes
7   What is It?
8   Way You Look Tonight, The
9   Minor Blues
10   Slow Down
11   How High the Moon
12   Nearness of You, The
13   There's a Small Hotel - (previously unreleased)
14   Lover
15   Gypsy In My Soul (Fancy Free)
16   On the Alamo
17   Lullaby of the Leaves
18   Laura
19   September In the Rain