mjzee

Deutsche Grammophon 111 - The Violin, disc 7. Just beautiful.

Release date March 3: The world's pause caused by the Covid-19 pandemic created rifts in regular patterns and collaborations. Pianist Anat Fort found herself effectively separated from her regular trio of bassist Gary Wong and Robert Schneider for the first time in the trio's 20 years of existence. When an opportunity arose to bring the trio together to perform in Germany, Fort seized on the chance to regroup and record an album that goes against the group's typical formula on The Berlin Sessions. In doing so, the trio touch on some elements in the music that they hadn't normally touched to stunningly, unique effect. Release date March 10: There have been many instances where a musician specializing in a particular genre has taken a detour to investigate another. Bassist/composer Clovis Nicolas has focused on jazz music since he picked up his instrument, but it was his chance meeting of a classical music mentor at Juilliard that piqued his curiosity in classical composition. Nicolas's new recording, The Contrapuntist, presents his first recorded foray into classical music, which features his new string quartet, along with a fascinating reflection of the piece for jazz quartet. Clovis Nicolas shows the two sides of his music personality on his new recording, The Contrapuntist. There is the jazz honed contrabassist that regularly drives the rhythm sections for some of New York's best bands. But there is also the classically trained composer who focuses on making beautiful written music through voice-leading and counterpoint. These two sides mirror one another fantastically.

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Release date April 21: Queen Talk: Live at the Left Bank is an official never before released concert recording from one of the greatest female jazz organists of all-time, Shirley Scott, featuring a powerhouse trio with George Coleman on tenor saxophone and Bobby Durham on drums, plus special guest vocalist Ernie Andrews on three tracks. This deluxe double CD set was transferred from the original tape reels and features 100 minutes of music packaged in a gatefold sleeve with an extensive 17-page booklet with liner notes by acclaimed music writer A. Scott Galloway; rare photos by Don Schlitten and Raymond Ross, and memorabilia from the Left Bank archives; plus interviews with jazz organ icon Joey DeFrancesco, former Shirley Scott bandmate, saxophonist Tim Warfield, and pianist Monty reminiscing about drummer Bobby Durham. The set is co-produced by label owner musician Cory Weeds and renowned archival recording producer Zev Feldman. The show was recorded at the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore Maryland on August 20, 1972 and hasn't ever been previously available. Philadelphia born Scott rose to fame in the late 1950s playing the Hammond B-3 organ influenced by blues and gospel evolving into '60s soul jazz. She recorded numerous albums for Prestige, Impulse!, Atlantic, Cadet and Candid performing with countless jazz legends including Stanley Turrentine, Oliver Nelson, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Clark Terry and Kenny Burrell. The 10-track set cooks on songs of the day like By the Time I Get to Phoenix, You Don't Mess Around With Jim, and Never Can Say Goodbye, along with standards such as Smile, Witchcraft and John Coltrane's Impressions.

Release date April 21: Bish at the Bank: Live in Baltimore is an official previously unissued set of recordings by one of the unsung heroes of bebop jazz piano, Walter Bishop Jr., featuring a swinging trio with Harold Vick on saxophone, Lou McIntosh on bass and Dick Berk on drums. This double CD set was transferred from the original tape reels and, boasts 100 minutes of music and is packaged in a cardboard gatefold sleeve with an extensive 32-page booklet with essays by esteemed jazz journalist Ted Panken and jazz video journalist and friend of Bishop's, Bret Primack; rare photos by Don Schlitten, Raymod Ross and Jan Persson; plus, poetry pieces written by Bishop. The set is produced by label owner musician Cory Weeds and Jazz Detective producer Zev Feldman.The double set consists of 2 shows recorded in Baltimore, Maryland, disc one recorded at The Madison Club on August 28, 1966 and The Famous Ballroom on February 26, 1967 on disc two.

Release date March 10: Mike's lyrical playing & musical hospitality inspire a bandstand vibe that opens up to vital performances. To A Star combines a studio session & a live date at Frankie's Jazz Club in Vancouver feat. bassist John Lee & drum legend Carl Allen. Allen's specialty is playing in the chordless trio format and arguably no one does it better. A perceptive and spirited outing by a Canadian treasure. Release date March 24: Nightcrawlers Get Ready marks a return to the roots of the group: a live recording in the comfort of our local club purely for the joy of playing for our fans and supporters. With the social effects of the pandemic lingering in our communities this recording was a chance for us to celebrate togetherness and the special energizing effect of making music with a live audience.

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Release date May 12: Release date April 21: Born & raised in Brooklyn, New York alto saxophonist Nick Greens comes out of the gate swingin' backed by an all-star band including Joe Magnarelli on trumpet, Jeb Patton on piano, Mike Karn on bass & Kenny Washington on drums. Green is a disciple of alto saxophonist Charles McPherson and he boasts a big, warm & robust tone. Green On The Scene is a wonderfully swinging date.

Release date March 10: "With Love" is a mix of old timeless classics, love songs and two original compositions, definitely Simone Kopmajer's most romantic album in her incredible career on which she is again proving her different facets as a musician and vocalist. String arrangements played by Grammy Winning NY string quartet. Another highlight are the guest appearances of jazz legend Sheila Jordan and John Di Martino.

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Release date March 10: Playing jazz is a lot like love itself. It is as much about poignancy as it is about joy. It is Jeremy Pelt's understanding of this dichotomy of passion and restraint that makes this album so compelling. The set list is as all-encompassing as a love affair - from the straight-ahead feeling of "I Can't Escape from You" to the breathless stillness of his muted trumpet on "There'll Be Other Times." His sly, half-valve effects on "Blues in Sophistication" show an impish delight while Henry Mancini's "Slow Hot Wind" throbs with an ever so discreet Latin feel. This may be considered a "with strings" record but Pelt does not let this descend into a vibrato-laden string sound. There is an unusually classical feel to this album with the string quartet supporting, reinforcing and commenting on Pelt's playing rather than sugar-coating it. Buddy Rich once said, "Jazz should be treated the same as classical music." He was right. He "got it" and, as evidenced herein, so does Jeremy Pelt. In the grand tradition of jazz piano trio records, Lafayette Harris returns to the Van Gelder studios for this release covering a wide spectrum of tunes by composers ranging from Hoagy Carmichael to Stevie Wonder. Harris' sympathies have always been all-inclusive, developed during his stints with Max Roach, Ernestine Anderson and others. His playing keeps one foot rooted in the rich history of jazz piano and the other is knee-deep in contemporary and modern jazz resulting in an album of memorable renditions with subtle colors and elegant nuances. You need a first-rate rhythm section for a trio recording and bassist Kenny Washington and drummer Lewis Nash bring the insight that only their decades of experience can give. The album also boasts the participation of saxophonist Houston Person, this time in the producer's chair. If tasteful, effortless piano playing is to your liking, then you will certainly find great pleasure in the joy, humor and exuberance of Lafayette Harris Jr.

Release date February 24: Christian McBride's New Jawn - trumpeter Josh Evans (Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Rasheid Ali), saxophonist and bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland (Roy Haynes, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Chris Dave, Bilal, Robert Glasper), and drummer Nasheet Waits (Jason Moran, Joe Lovano, John Medeski) - is back with their highly anticipated sophomore album, Prime, the follow-up from McBride's GRAMMY nominated Philly-centric named group. Featuring original compositions from each band member as well as fresh takes on songs from Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman and Larry Young, this group offers an exhilarating space of exploration for the 8-time GRAMMY Award-winning McBride to stretch his veteran wings.

Release date February 17: The extended family around London's Total Refreshment Centre (TRC) connects continents and generations, creating the rich relationships on Transmissions From Total Refreshment Centre. It's an eclectic and electric collection drawing on new school jazz, hip hop, dub, soul, funk, and drill. Top players from London, Chicago, and Melbourne seeking out new collaborations, new ways of working, or just new tunes, always coming back to that central truth - that we all need each other. 180-gram LP.

Release date March 3: Zorn’s latest book of music for piano trio is inspired by the writings and thought of the elusive mystical figure Georges Gurdjieff. The music is expansive, ranging from heartfelt lyricism to textural madness and is brilliantly performed by a tight trio of musical masters—treasured members of Zorn’s innermost circle. Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, and Ches Smith form a fiery, soulful unit capable of jumping from a whisper to a scream at the drop of a hat. Following up on their acclaimed debut Suite for Piano, they continue their exploration of Zorn’s challenging compositions in this stunning collection of music that transports you to a beautiful new world of spirituality and emotional depth. 1 Meetings with Remarkable Men 2 Journey to the Inaccessible 3 Into the Abyss 4 The Book of Pleasure 5 Sacred Steps 6 Matins

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Release date April 7: Ralph Alessi's fourth appearance as a leader for the label follows a singular album run that's been met with nothing but praise from The New York Times to The Guardian. On his new album, Alessi's unique tone is as limber, piercing and present as ever, enveloped by a fresh quartet line-up - pianist Florian Weber, B„nz Oester on bass and drummer Gerry Hemingway - that navigates through the trumpeter's idiosyncratically swinging compositions with a sixth sense. An ECM artist for his entire musical career, US guitarist Ralph Towner has built up a unique body of work in his recordings for the label. Central to his oeuvre are his solo albums, the first of which, Diary, was issued 50 years ago. At First Light extends this great tradition, drawing inspiration from a broad palette of music. In addition to his own pieces, Towner also plays Hoagy Carmichael's "Little Old Lady", Jule Styne's "Make Someone Happy" and the traditional tune "Danny Boy." The Bobo Stenson Trio's ability to cover far-reaching idioms and wide-ranging repertoire within the scope of their personal diction has become both hallmark and custom. New York Times says the pianist "makes sublime piano-trio records without over-playing. It's pulsating, lumpy with long improvised phrases; it's alive." Charting a subtle and idiosyncratic path through originals and melodies derived from various Scandinavian composers, the group proves of a particularly supple alchemy on Sphere.

Release date February 17: Featuring a selection of new compositions and a return to his celebrated quartet (pianist Jim Ridl, bassist Lorin Cohen, and drummer Samvel Sarkisyan) Makram is the latest addition to Locke’s extensive leader discography, an album that incorporates soul, swing and world-music influences, synthesized into Locke’s inimitable style. Track Listing: 1. Love For Sale 2. Raise Heaven (for Roy) 3. Makram 4. Elegy For Us All 5. Tushkin 6. Shifting Moon 7. Song For Vic Juris 8. Interwoven Hues 9. Lush Life

Release date March 3: Drummer and composer Kendrick Scott returns with the release of Corridors, his third album for Blue Note Records, and first compositional treatment of trio context: saxophone, bass, and drums. Corridors unveils an exposed rumination from the Houston-born artist and his acclaimed collaborators: saxophonist Walter Smith III and bassist Reuben Rogers. Born during the pandemic lockdown, the record focuses on posing outward questions instead of inward contemplation. CD Softpak. Release date March 17: The Layers is a stunning companion piece to guitarist Julian Lage's acclaimed 2022 album View With A Room. The collection features six original pieces featuring the trio of bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King with the addition of guitar icon Bill Frisell. Intimate and gorgeous, The Layers is a welcome additional offering from this meeting of two of modern jazz's most distinctive voices with one of the music's most skilled and inventive rhythm sections. Release date April 7: Saxophonist and composer Walter Smith III has signed with Blue Note Records and enters a new era of his band leading career with the release of return to casual, the long-anticipated follow-up to his 2014 recording still casual. Reprising their bandmate roles, pianist Taylor Eigsti, guitarist Matt Stevens, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Kendrick Scott reveal a seasoned depth of dimension alongside featured guest appearances by trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and pianist James Francies.

Release date February 24: Kenny Barron is a jazz master. The 11-time GRAMMY nominee was honored as a "Jazz master" by the NEA, received the Living Legacy Jazz Award, was inducted into the American Jazz Hall of Fame and named "best pianist" by the Jazz Journalists Association six times. He has collaborated with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Yusef Lateef, Chet Baker and Stan Getz. His first solo album in 30 years, The Source, was recorded at the Théâtre d'Athénée in Paris in July 2022 to inaugurate the ARTWORK RECORDS label launch. This album is an intimate face-to-face encounter between the pianist and his instrument. It is a look back on his discography with a raw modernity.

Wonder if it's the same people who are targeting the Hoffman boards.