Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

The admiration was mutual when Tommy Moustache and Sheep Got Waxed crossed paths at a festival in Denmark. Shortly after that, these eccentric and unpredictable bands decided to join forces on stage, resulting in an explosive and inflammable combination of two drummers, two guitarists, two sax players, a bassist and a huge stack of electronics. The music of Rotterdam-based Tommy Moustache has been described by critics as propulsive, mildly schizophrenic and heavily confusing alternative zap jazz. Sheep Got Waxed from Latvia conjured similar unique descriptions, including "a mix of techno, footwork, Death Grips kind of trap and George Michael played by early Beatles." But the music also contains free jazz and metal influences, according to the band members, who do not eschew complexity, but who avoid unnecessary display of virtuosity.

Classical Music

Noted by Ben Ratliff of the New York Times as a saxophonist who is "... making the connections among about 70 years' worth of contemplative, articulate and light-toned players", Manhattan-based saxophonist and composer Alex LoRe is one of the most in demand alto saxophonists on the current New York City jazz scene. LoRe's compositions are influenced by a variety of genres, ranging from European classical music through today's most influential artists on both the jazz and popular music scenes. Originally from Tarpon Springs, Florida, LoRe regularly performs at New York City's most revered jazz venues such as Smalls Jazz Club, The Jazz Gallery, and Jazz Standard. Internationally, he has performed throughout the Netherlands, Australia, Israel, and Canada.

Classical Music

Markus Burger writes of his new release: "Since I was a child, I have loved the outdoors and fell in love with the vast wilderness of Alaska and Iceland. In 2000 I visited Iceland for the first time and wrote most of the songs for my solo piano release Ultreya which came out in 2001 on Jazzline Records. It took me until 2002 to go to Alaska and visit Valdez and the Kenai Peninsula. I was blown away by the beauty of Alaska and the uniqueness of the folks that live there. Through my affiliation with Idyllwild's Jazz Academy director Marshall Hawkins, one of the finest bassists on the West coast and a great Jazz Educator, I was fortunate enough to start teaching for a few semesters in Homer Alaska. In 2015 and 2016 I got to visit Kodiak Island, which left a lifetime impression on me. The songs on this album were written in Alaska over the years of my trips to this wilderness state. When planning this album's recording session, I asked Bob Magnusson to play bass, because we share the love of musical elegance and simplicity- and because I truly love Bob's bass sound (like so many others before me). I have admired Peter Erskine since I first heard him perform with his ECM Trio featuring John Taylor and Palle Danielsson. I love his playing and his compositions and I was thrilled when he agreed to be part of this musical project... Jim Linahon has been the sound wizard behind all of my albums for Challenge Records and he is in my humble opinion one of the finest engineers and producers for Jazz in the U.S. today. He was delighted that Microtech Gefell and DPA send him their fienst microphones to capture every nuance of our trio's playing... "

DHD presents a very energetic show loaded with improvisation, joy, and a lot of groove. The group is in constant search for that distinctive sound that reflects the depth of Afro-Cuban rhythms as well as the beauty of the harmonies and colors that come from jazz. All this constitutes a mix of flavors and experiences with which they try to transport the listener to a supernatural dimension. Their repertoire consists mostly out of original compositions, but also a few Jazz and Latin classics which they arrange in their own way. Established in 2015, the band has appeared at the prestigious North Sea Jazz Festival and has toured around Spain and the Netherlands. In March 2018 the band won the jury award and the public prize at the Leiden Jazz Award 2018 and the best soloist prize at the Erasmus Jazz competition. The group writes: "With this album, we are trying to expand the boundaries of Latin jazz by using influences like modern jazz, odd meters and classical music. The compositions tell a broad storyline, and they take the listener on a journey where playful melodies come and go. We like to use rhythm and polyrhythms to play with the listener's ear, and to express our interpretation of the music. Abriendo Camino means opening the path or leading the way in Spanish. This album represents the break of a new force, a strong one, full of colors, joy, and love..."

Classical Music