Since his debut album “Inside Out” SCCD 31584 (2005) Stephen Riley has kept momentum to become and to stay the “distinctly unique jazz voice” (Neil Tesser). In spite of his preference for piano less format, Riley found the ideal pianist for him in Peter Zak, with whom he recorded the previous album “Lover” SCCD 31765. Here on his 11th release Riley backed by the same team including Peter Zak to interpret an amazing collection of classic but rarely heard jazz titles. “Lover, Riley’s latest, employs the talents of label mate Peter Zak … (Riley’s) unconventional use of ultra-hard reed to essay a satin soft sound—a common sense contradiction—sets him apart from every other under-40 player I can think of. This date brings his track record as a leader to seven for seven and, for reasons I’m still discovering and savoring, it comes highly recommended.” (Derek Taylor – Dusted Magazine on “Lover” SCCD 31765)

Pianist/composer Oregario Diàz, graduate of The Manhattan School of Music with Mater Degree devides his time in his homeland Venezuela and New York performing with his groups. The title song dedicated to the New York-born Haitian pop artist Jean Michel Basquiat reflects Diaz’ deep appreciation of arts. For this his third album Diaz put together a highly cohesive ensemble to paint an attractive collage of joyful music. Ole Nimand of Jazz Special (DK) commented on Diaz’ previous release “The Skyline Session” SCCD 31753, “….The two tunes from Diaz’ own pen confirm again his compositional talent and his melodias and expressive solos steal the scene….This is a brilliant and stylish presentation of the kind of jazz that is otherwise no longer on the throne these days….”

A singer with an exciting presence and a voice to immerse yourself in. A band that lit up with high wattage a repertoire including both standards and popular songs. A band leader who had his ensemble under control through proven discipline and could, when needed, take the lead as a soloist, but tended to hold back amidst his all-stars. The result a mixture that whisked the concert hall in Freiburg (Germany) for one evening in October 1959 into a wonderful world of successful jazz entertainment and sent the audience out into the night with an earworm.

SteepleChase is proud to present the first leader album by this extraordinary talent out of the younger generation of elite double bass players, Peter Brendler. After graduating with great distinction from Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2001, Peter has made New York his home, where he established himself firmly as one of the most sought after bassists. Veteran guitarist John Abercrombie and Brendler have been working together for a while and their mutually inspired collaboration results in this spirited duo project.

While his previous release “Music For Organ Sextette” (SCCD 31731) is still enjoying superlative receptions by the critics and public alike for its most personal and innovative approach to Hammond B3 organ in a relatively large ensemble, Brian Charette emerges here with an intriguing collection of solo B3 performances filled with compelling and creative surprises to push the boundary of the instrument even further. “Brian Charette is out to prove that the Hammond B3 ain't just for flexing your funk chops…." (Shaun Brady – DownBeat on Music For Organ Sextette) “…Charette weaves a unique and gripping aural tapestry together with a mélange of woodwinds serving as the thread. He channels his energy into creating constructs that benefit from the blending of multiple voices, yet remain flexible enough to allow for outspoken soloists to have their say. ..” Dan Bilawsky – AllAboutJazz on Music For Organ Sextette)

Waxx Up

Hank Jones was a consummate musician. As is so often the case, that description carries the implication that such a person is unflamboyant, somewhat reserved, and that their artistry is more appreciated by fellow workers than by the public. A Musicians musician. In discussing Jones, this is compounded by the fact that, as well as a brilliant and inventive soloist, he was also a sensitive and stimulating accompanist. It was that aspect of his work which was often assumed to be his most significant contribution to the music – an aspect at least implied by the comments of other musicians – and yet, when he appeared front and centre, he was clearly a fully rounded personality in his own right.

Star pianist and acclaimed composer Joel Lyssarides releases new album. "Joel's compositions are small masterpieces that he performs with a virtuosity and timing I haven't heard in Sweden for a long time, if ever" wrote Johan Norberg about pianist Joel Lyssarides' debut album, "Dreamer", which now has over 2.5 million streams on Spotify. The sequel, "A Better Place", is a conversation with Esbjörn Svensson, Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett with inspiration from Bach and Rachmaninov. "The creative process of this album was very different from my previous one, where I could pick and choose from songs that I had had years to complete. This time the music was created during mere hours over the course of a few evenings. There is a magic in the moment when improvising that I’ve found difficult to recreate afterwards. ”A Better Place” consists mostly of written down improvisations and then recorded with the trio without further processing. I think one tends to make better musical decisions on the spot, instead of at the desk where time is unlimited.”

What we have here is the welcome memento of the Duke Ellington’s 1959 European tour. Berlin’s Sportpalast is not a concert hall and during the cursed Nazi reign often was the site of speeches by Hitler and his fellow criminals, but the hall can perhaps be said to have been purified by sounds of jazz by the time of this concert. The music starts with the Ellington Medley, by then a standard concert opener in varied embodiments. Critics often chided Duke for (in their opinion) overdoing this staple, but in fact it was not only a clever way of dealing with what undoubtedly would have been audience requests for beloved Ducal standards, but also a way of celebrating the continued life of his musical heritage. The concert has been remastered to modern standards, and is a must own for any Ellington fan.

REVIEWS:

Storyville Records has released Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Berlin 1959, a terrific live album with great sound and luxurious music. Partially released in past years on shabby bootlegs, this album gives us this concert with pristine sound. Don't cherry-pick songs when listening. The only way to enjoy this album is by listening from start to finish. Only then can you absorb the depth of the Ellington band's full spectrum of moods and the Duke's piano. Be aware that tracks 17 to 27 are part of an Ellington medley and aren't full songs. As a result, each song is short.

--AllAboutJazz.com (Marc Myers)

There can never be too many Duke Ellington albums. Heard here is Storyville’s recently released two-CD set titled Berlin 1959, a previously unreleased concert. The Duke Ellington Orchestra was well documented in the late 1950s following their major success at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, and the live concerts that have been released from this period can be a little predictable. Just as with the Louis Armstrong All-Stars, there are some routines that do not differ that much from month to month although they eventually evolved. But, as with Armstrong, there are occasional surprises that make each concert well worth hearing.

Overall, everything works well during this fine concert. There may not have been an excess of surprises, but the results are fun.

--The Syncopated Times (Scott Yanow)

The Swiss pianist and composer Luzia Von Wyl is one of those musicians who is eager to bring their projects to the stage themselves, and she leads her own ensemble, the Luzia Von Wyl Ensemble, all of whose compositions she writes herself. Along with jazz, her passion is contemporary music - and all the realms in between. Besides her own projects she regularly writes music for other musicians and ensembles as well. Luzia regularly gets invited to festivals in Switzerland and abroad: To the Swiss Days Dubai, the Lucerne Festival, the Schaffhauser Jazzfestival, the BeJazz Winterfestival and the Jazzwerkstatt Bern, just to name a few. Born in 1985, Luzia earned her baccalaureate degree in 2004 in Lucerne. She then went on to study piano and composition at the Bern University of the Arts, the Zurich University of the Arts, and the University of Music in Lucerne, completing her studies in 2011 with master's degrees in both piano and composition.

Jazz critic Owen Cordle once described Dick Oatts as “an uncompromising jazz musician, one who possesses monster chops without trumpeting them.” Dick Oatts has, since his move to NYC in the late 70s, been one of the most sought-after soloists on alto sax on both the NY scene and the international stage. Dick Oatts’ sensitive and cerebral approach to music enhanced by his “monster chops” manifested here again on his 11th leader album on SteepleChase. “… maybe the best showcase we've ever heard for the alto sax work of Dick Oatts!” (Dusty Groove on Sweet Nowhere SCCD 31778)

First time on CD for this rare 1958 Jazz release. Steve Allen is best known as a first class comedian and television personality. He was also heavily involved in the Jazz scene. Steve Allen at the Roundtable is one of those rare jazz albums he made for the Roulette label in 1958. It features Gary Peacock, Mundell Lowe, Terry Gibbs and Doc Severinsen. Wounded Bird. 2009.

Chico Freeman is a jazz tenor saxophone player who has made many fine albums over the years. Two of those were on the Elektra/Musician label. Tangents from 1984, featuring Bobby McFerrin, and Tradition in Transition from 1982, featuring Jack DeJohnette. Both of these albums are making their CD debuts.

RED ARMY CHORUS: The Best of the Original Ensemble

Robin Kenyatta was a jazz saxophonist who issued a number of great albums on Atlantic records in the 1970s. Until features Horace Arnold, Roswell Rudd. Wounded Bird. 2008.

CD reissue of this album from the Jazz/New Age flute player. Wounded Bird. 2010.

First time on CD for this 1979 album from the Jazz keyboardist and vocalist best known as the wife of Jazz superstar Chick Corea. Featured musicians on this album include Stanley Clarke, Al Jarreau, Melissa Manchester, Bunny Brunel, Victor Feldman and, of course, Chick Corea! Wounded Bird.

When trumpeter Joe Magnarelli (known to most people as Mags) moved to New York City in 1986, he was already fully cultivated and nurtured in the rich jazz environment of upstate New York, especially around Syracuse where he was born. In NYC Joe Magnarelli has rapidly found his own voice and established himself as one of the most-in-demand artists. This is Mags’s first album as a leader on SteepleChase label. “The bop-based trumpeter Joe Magnarelli has it all: a warm, friendly sound, a splendid melodic imagination, a knack for writing memorable themes and for picking the best works by others, and a no-nonsense swing feel.” (The Star-Ledger) “… Joe Magnarelli has all the essentials one looks for in the best jazz musicians. There’s his unshakeable time feel that makes his work vigorous and forward moving …. he crafts captivating, propulsive improvisations …” (Los Angeles Times)

Robin Kenyatta was a jazz saxophonist who issued a number of great albums on Atlantic records in the 1970s. Stompin' at the Savoy features Dr. John, Ron Carter, Alphonse Mouzon. Wounded Bird. 2008.

Robin Kenyatta was a jazz saxophonist who issued a number of great albums on Atlantic records in the 1970s. We now proudly present four of these. Terra Nova features Ron Carter, Pat Rebillot, Ralph MacDonald. Wounded Bird. 2008.

Classical Music

This release features live recordings from the historic 1983 tour of Russia, Latvia, and Romania signaled Rova's talent for musical diplomacy, a boon to whomever they have partnered with. Rova Saxophone Quartet is a San Francisco-based saxophone quartet formed in October 1977. The name "Rova" is an acronym formed from the last initials of the founding members: Jon Raskin, Larry Ochs, Andrew Voigt, and Bruce Ackley. When Voigt left in 1988, he was replaced by Steve Adams, but the group did not change the acronym. The quartet's music was inspired by a broad spectrum of influences, such as John Cage, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Steve Lacy, Charles Ives, Edgard Var�se, and Olivier Messiaen. It's debut album, Cinema Rovat�, was released by Metalanguage Records in 1978. Metalanguage was founded in 1978 by Henry Kaiser and Ochs. It showcased Rova as well as many independent artists and produced the Rova Arts Festival in 1980. Rova's tour of the Soviet Union in 1983 was filmed and shown on PBS. In 1985, it became a non-profit organization.

Young Anderson Brothers (Peter and Will are identical twins) both on clarinet here band together with two veteran clarinetists Ken Peplowski with rich background in big band jazz and multiple Grammy Award winner Paquito D’Rivera to perform live to a jubilant audience. “They are sparkling virtuosos and their clever, tidy arrangements for various combinations of clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone are smart and refreshing…. everything they play sounds fresh, creative and in the moment.” (Paul de Barros – Soundposts)

Since his Steeplechase debut release of “North By Northwest” SCCD 33102 in September, 2012, Joe Manis has kept this organ trio featuring George Colligan busy performing in and around Oregon where he bases his activities on. Here is their second album which clearly shows the intensity and remarkable rapport of a tightknit working band. “Adding Colligan’s B-3 to his trio provoked an enjoyably incendiary chemical reaction on their 2013 album North by Northwest, with the two soloists inspiring each other to ever more daring flights, mostly in the classic style.”— Willamette Week

Classical Music