Imbued with warmth and swing, Johnathan Blake's 2021 Blue Note debut, Homeward Bound, was a celebration of life and legacy that introduced the drummer-composer's masterful modern jazz quintet, Pentad, featuring alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, keyboardist David Virelles, and bassist Dezron Douglas. This stereo Blue Note Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.
Drummer Johnathan Blake presents his powerful third Blue Note album My Life Matters, a suite of music that he composed as a commission for The Jazz Gallery that serves as a dual treatise on the importance of family values and the social imperative to stand up in the face of injustice. Produced by Derrick Hodge, the album features Blake with saxophonist Dayne Stephens, vibraphonist Jalen Baker, pianist Fabian Almazan, and bassist Dezron Douglas.
Pino Palladino/Blake Mills - "That Wasn't a Dream" - Pino Palladino and Blake Mills return with their second collaborative album, That Wasn't a Dream, on New Deal/Impulse! Records. This record follows their 2021 debut, Notes With Attachments, which Pitchfork described as "the sound of consummate collaborators imagining a world where there's no such thing as a lead performer." Verve Label Group; New Deal/Impulse!; Jazz CD Softpak.
Johnathan Blake - "Passage" / Johnathan Blake's new album Passage is a stirring follow-up to acclaimed 2021 label debut Homeward Bound. The drummer and composer reconvened his band Pentad featuring alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, pianist David Virelles, and bassist Dezron Douglas. Dedicated to Blake's father and musical mentor, jazz violinist John Blake, Jr., Passage captures the arc of personal and collective evolution: the passing from one moment to the next, from one phase into another.
Arthur 'Blind' Blake was a blues and ragtime guitarist, singer and songwriter who was a leading pioneer and member of what became known as the Piedmont school of bluesmen, performing in a style that was associated with the south-eastern states of the USA, mainly around Georgia
Vinyl LP pressing. 2020 release from bassist Pino Palladino and multi-instrumentalist and producer Blake Mills. The record was recorded in stages over the course of two-plus years. It features drummer Chris Dave, saxophonists Sam Gendel, Marcus Strickland and Jacques Schwartz-Bart and keyboardist Larry Goldings, among others.
On his inspiring new album, Da Fe, saxophonist and composer Dan Blake pays tribute to the and political activists who've offered him hope while adding his own singular voice to the out for solutions. // Da Fe is an outgrowth of Blake's own activism. A practicing Buddhist since his college years, Blake has served since 2015 on the board of Buddhist Global Relief, an organization dedicated to combatting chronic hunger and malnutrition around the world. // Da Fe translates to "of faith," and stems from the phrase "auto da fe," which refers to the burning of heretics during the Spanish Inquisition. While Blake changed the term to avoid direct reference to that historical context, he does see a connection in the fires blazing across millions of acres in California. // To provide his music with the tension and urgency it required, Blake enlisted a remarkable cross-generational band. He initially recorded with a quartet featuring pianist/keyboardist Carmen Staaf, bassist Dmitry Ishenko, and veteran drummer Jeff Williams. The latter was a member of the pioneering world-jazz fusion band Lookout Farm led by DaveLiebman, one of Blake's mentors in both music and activism. He then teamed with longtime collaborator Leo Genovese, with whom he worked in Esperanza Spalding's band, to reimagine the music in post-production via additional piano, synths and multiple saxophone lines.
As people started talking about pianist/composer Ran Blake in the 60s – as one of the striking, inventive modern players of his generation, with his unorthodox sounding musical style, a legend was born. His unique style is stemming from the special genre of 60’s movies categorized as “Film Noir”. Blake thrived as a unique artist and at the same time as a devoted educator at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Boston where the young Canadian saxophonist/composer Andrew Rathbun was tutored and nurtured by this guru.
The idea of this album was conceived eight years ago and came into fruition here presenting 18 gems created by the two genius minds.
“In a career that now spans five decades, pianist Ran Blake has created a unique niche in improvised music as an artist and educator.” (AAJ on Ran Blake)
“Since his debut as a leader in 1999, Andrew Rathbun has developed into one of the compelling saxophonists and composers of his generation…. He covers a lot of ground stylistically while his originals succeed on many levels, especially conveying emotion or projecting stimulating imagery.” (Ken Dryden – NYCJR on SCCD 31781 Numbers and Letters)
'Guardians of the Heart Machine' - the debut Whirlwind release from tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake - symbolizes and protects the importance of creating music with feeling, blending his considerable experience in contemporary jazz with three exciting players originally from the French scene - pianist Tony Tixier, double bassist Florent Nisse and drummer Gautier Garrigue. Available on a high quality, 6 panel digipack with a velvety soft-touch laminate finish and 180 gram, 12" 2x Gatefold LP (4 sides of music - A, B, C, D) - comes with download code containing the digital album in multiple formats. Guardians Of The Heart Machine / Vaporbabe / Sneaky D / I'm OK / Lanota / Wandering Aengus / Betty In Rio / Blues For The Real Human Beings / The Blasted Heath
Sissle & Blake's Shuffle Along of 1950: Rare Archival Recordings
Harbinger Records
CD
$9.99$19.99Save 50%Oct 19, 2018
Continuing with Harbinger Records’ acclaimed series of albums devoted to jazz pianist, composer, Broadway songwriter, and black music pioneer Eubie Blake, we proudly present the original demo to the proposed Broadway musical ‘Shuffle Along of 1950.’ Harbinger’s recording of Sissle and Blake singing the score to the original production of ‘Shuffle Along’ won the Grammy Award for its brilliant liner notes by Richard Carlin and Ken Bloom, authors of an upcoming biography of Eubie Blake to be published by Oxford University Press. They are repeating their assignment for this recording. Also included is a bonus track featuring remastering of the only surviving acetate of a historical “Salute to Ruth King.” Ruth King was a famous Cleveland DJ who celebrated black musicians. And such notables as Sissle and Blake and the legendary WC Handy, composer of St. Louis Blues, play for Ms. King. Several songs from the original ‘Shuffle Along’ are included as are new songs written especially for this production. Later, other musicians augmented the score, and these songs are also included in this rare recording.
Deepening a two-tenor partnership that dates back to the mid-'90s, saxophonists Seamus Blake and Chris Cheek follow up their quintet release "Reeds Ramble" (CRC 1364) with Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, featuring the same powerful band lineup (Ethan Iverson on piano, Matt Penman on bass, Jochen Rueckert on drums). While they stand apart as gifted soloists, Blake and Cheek always flourish as a team, bringing luster to every tune with their lyrical unison melodies and beautifullyharmonized theme statements.
The 1921 musical comedy, Shuffle Along, was a soaringly successful Broadway show. Contained inside this show are songs that would eventually become staples in the repertoire, such as “I’m Just Wild About Harry” and “Love Will Find A Way.” This musical also served a civil purpose. As an all black musical, the show desegregated theaters all across the country. This album is being release alongside the April 2016 revival of the show, and features Tony Award-winning stars such as Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald.
REVIEWS:
This fascinating release combines original recordings made in the acoustic era by members of the Shuffle Alongcompany in conjunction with later performances, primarily by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, who wrote all the music and lyrics. It is, of course, by no means perfect, but it is representative of what was considered a landmark show in the history of black theater and the first “jazz” musical to hit Broadway...
Singer and lyricist Sissle was originally a drum major and vocalist for Lieutenant Jim Europe’s “Hellfighters” 369th Infantry Band in World War I...not even the Original Dixieland Jazz Band had yet made an appearance in New York. To them, jazz was what we now call “hot ragtime.”
Nevertheless,Shuffle Alongremains a vitally important historical moment in the history of black entertainment. It was the first all-black show to have a wide appeal to white audiences, first gaining attention at the Howard Theatre in Washington for two weeks, then moving to the 63rd Street Theater in New York City in May before racking up 504 performances(!) at the Cort Theater on 48th Street. The cast included several names that would become famous over the next few years such as Adelaide Hall, Florence Mills (who replaced Gertrude Saunders after the first year), Fredi Washington and Paul Robeson—none of whom recorded anything from the show!—and a very young Josephine Baker in the chorus line.
There is much to gain in collaborations between musicians from different generations. The younger receives an education, lessons in history, technique and taste that only experience can provide, while the older can utilize the youthful energy and drive, challenging themselves further. The legendary pianist Ran Blake has long been known as a unique and eloquent stylist, his style ranging from the evocative to romantic to avant-garde. He is also known as a tremendous and supportive accompanist to vocalists. Sara Serpa is a vocalist of a much younger generation, who approaches the songs of the American songbook, music from her native Portugal, and her own original material with equal expertise. Taken from live recordings from Jazz at the Kitano made during two residencies in 2013 and 2014, their new recording Kitano Noir displays the duo's development since their first recording in 2010. They present a wide-ranging program of pieces, from original Blake compositions to standards to more eclectic song forms from Europe.
There are not many saxophonists with such a unique sound as David Fettmann! Ruby Project is his second album under his own name, and follows his highly acclaimed debut Prelude (2011), which marked him as one of today's most interesting European alto saxophonists.
Johnathan Blake, one of the most in-demand drummers of his generation, hasdone stellar work as a member of the Tom Harrell Quintet, the Mingus Big Band, the Kenny Barron Trio and many others. Having brought his fire and agility to two Criss Cross sessions by trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, Blake now offers his first Criss Cross album as a leader, Gone, But Not Forgotten.The lineup is sparse but tremendously explosive - how could it not be, with evolving tenor saxophone masters Mark Turner and Chris Potter paired alongside Ben Street on bass.As the title suggests, Gone, But Not Forgotten takes inspiration from greats in the jazz world who are no longer with us. That can be a somber subject, but Blake and his quartet convey a sense of the unbridled joy and invention that marks jazz improvisation at his highest levels. Such is the lesson taught by the departed players Blake has chosen to honor: Charles Fambrough, Trudy Pitts, Sid Simmons, Cedar Walton, Jim Hall, Mulgrew Miller, Paul Motian, Frank Foster, Frank Wess and Eddie Harris.
Fellow saxophonists Seamus Blake and Chris Cheek have thrived as leaders,sidemen, big band soloists and much else, contributing to the creative health of the jazz scene over the last 20 years. As a pair they worked on the exploratory groove-oriented project The Bloomdaddies (CRC 1110) back in 1995. But with Reeds Ramble Blake and Cheek reunite in an acoustic setting, buoyed by the extraordinary Ethan Iverson of the Bad Plus onpiano, making his first Criss Cross appearance. Drummer Jochen Rueckert, too makes his first label appearance, teaming-up with in-demand bassist Matt Penman, a valued presence on Criss Cross sessions led by Jonathan Kreisberg, John Ellis and Zach Brock.
As a follow-up to Way Out Willy (CRC 1288), saxophonist Seamus Blake's latest features pianist David Kikoski, guitarist Lage Lund, bassist Matt Clohesy, and drummer Bill Stewart on another electrifying set of originals that sparkle with creativity and the kind of integrity that marks the best of today's current generation of jazz artists. Among a decidedly upbeat set of tunes, highlights further include some deeply moving statements from the saxophonist and Lund on the introspective the Song That Lives Inside. Rounding out the mix are takes on John Scofield's Dance Me Home and a third stream-inspired reworking of Debussy's String Quartet in G Minor, Opus 10.
Joining tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake on his fifth leader date for Criss Cross - it's his 19th appearance on the label - are 2005 Thelonious Monk Competition winner Lage Lund on guitar, partner-of-long standing David Kikoski, bassist Orlando Le Fleming, and drum hero Bill Stewart, who performed on Blake's 1993 Criss Cross debut, the Call (CRC 1088). It's a world-class unit, and they play with inspiration and ingenuity through a program of 7 ambitious, tuneful Blake originals.
