Seven Whites / Peter Ehwald, Stefan Schultze, Tom Rainey
Jazzwerkstatt
CD
$18.99Jan 06, 2023
On SEVEN WHITES the three musicians (Peter Ehwald - saxophone, Stefan Schultze - piano and Tom Rainey - drums) sketch out a complex musical structure, whose brilliance and depth lies precisely in the way they elaborate upon shades. Crucial are the shades and intricacies with which the musicians immerse themselves in a rhythm that is sometimes an energetic shared quest, and sometimes a contrapuntal pulsing, which dissolves into a frame of each other. The music on this album has a magnetism far beyond that of a black and white painting.
Common Ground plays music that pushes into new areas, preserving the commitment to expand feel, harmony and pulse. Matthias Akeo Nowak's new album ORIMUSIC features compositions of all four band members, inventing sound narratives with high intensity and a sovereign, calm fire.
Live in Berlin / SoKo Steidle + Alexander von Schlippenbach
Jazzwerkstatt
CD
$18.99Mar 17, 2023
SoKo Steidle + Alexander von Schlippenbach was recorded on 6.5.22 and 15.5.22 at the XJazz Festival / Berlin. Oliver Steidle: For me, freedom and spontaneity as well as rival competition until harmonious interaction, is the main core of the Berlin sound of Jazz, rich as a whole wheat bread. It arises a pulsating movement, a organic body, full of energy and virtuosity.
Last Concert in Europe at the Space Lucerne / Demierre, Leimgruber & Phillips
Jazzwerkstatt
CD
$21.99Feb 03, 2023
The trio has released a half dozen albums over the last 20 years, each with the freshness of a first encounter. There’s always a sense of discovery in their playing, as if it were their first time meeting. The trio seems somehow to exist perpetually at dawn. So the encounter in Lucerne in December, 2021, documented on this recording but it was, at any rate, the first time they played this particular concert: there’s wisdom in the conversation. None of the participants rush to dominate the discussion.
Where We Belong (feat. Lars Jansson & Paul Svanberg)
Prophone
CD
$20.99Nov 13, 2015
A live recording featuring the trio of Thomas Fonnesbæk (bass); Lars Jansson (piano); and Paul Svanberg (drums) which mixes standards with improvisations illustrating the give and take that occurs in ensembles of comprised of players that truly listen to one another.
Kjell Öhman was recognized at an early age as a musical prodigy, and had already his first jingle on the board at the age of nine. Since then things have just continued rolling on. He has played with of Sweden's jazz greats, from stars like Arne Domnérus and Putte Wickman to many internationally known jazz musicians.He certainly is a studio fox, having participated in over 8000 recordings! This trio - pianist Kjell Öhman, bassist Hans Backenroth and drummer Joakim Ekberg - has played together for the last decade or so as a both featured group and accompanists in various situations.
(2-CD set) Jacques REDA once said "If one decided to search for the first pianist who coincides with the very essence of the piano, it does not take long to find Teddy Wilson". This 33 track set features Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra, the Chocolate Dandies, Benny Carter and His Orchestra, Teddy Wilson solo, Benny Goodman Trio, Mildred Bailey Swing Band, Coleman Hawkins Four and others. Includes a 32 page booklet with both French and English notes.
Because Avishai Cohen’s previous outing—a 2017 album titled 1970 (Sony)—was his most commercially successful release thus far, one wouldn’t blame him for revisiting a similar artistic wellspring. Instead, for his 17th leader date, the bassist went in another direction, recruiting an entirely different set of musicians for the deeply personal, nostalgia-fueled Arvoles. Half the program here consists of trio recordings with pianist Elchin Shirinov and drummer Noam David, and on the other half, the band expands to a quintet with trombonist Björn Samuelsson and flutist Anders Hagberg. - DownBeat Magazine Editors' Pick
Avishai Cohen, one of the most innovative bassists and composers today, will release Gently Disturbed, his first release with his newly configured trio, from May on his own Razdaz Recordz label. While to outward appearances the trio would seem to be the standard piano-bass-drum formula, the music they've created on Gently Disturbed is far from the standard jazz trio repertoire. Featuring nine original compositions (written either by Cohen or by the trio collaboratively), including one traditional Israeli song, Gently Disturbed is an amalgamation of melody and groove, complexity and simplicity that nearly redefines the concept of jazz. With the departure of long-time pianist Sam Barsh, Cohen has slightly reconfigured his trio with the addition of Israeli pianist Shai Maestro. Since Cohen is an accomplished pianist in his own right and has performed on bass with such acclaimed jazz pianists as Danilo Perez, Brad Mehldau and of course Chick Corea, and because the previous keyboard players in his bands (Sam Barsh and Jason Lindner) have been exceptional, it is even more striking to note that Maestro is just 21 years old. Rounding out the trio is the brilliant Mark Guiliana on drums, who has been playing and touring with Cohen since 2003 and who Modern Drummer Readers Poll 2007 cited as "one of the best up-and-coming stars of today's drumming scene." Cohen's releases on Razdaz, which he founded with manager Ray Jefford in 2003, have consistently earned critical approbation, beginning with 2003's Lyla, followed by at Home in 2005, and through to 2006's critically acclaimed Continuo then followed by last year's Double Live CD/DVD release, As Is... Live at the Blue Note (Razdaz / Half Note).
‘At Home’ Includes the iconic track ‘Remembering’, probably Avishai Cohen’s soundtrack to date. Avishai Cohen is an Israeli jazz double bassist, composer, singer, and arranger. He began playing the piano at 9 years old but changed to the bass guitar at the age of 14, inspired by bassist Jaco Pastorius. In 2002, Cohen founded his record label, Razdaz Recordz. "I've always been interested in several genres of music, including jazz, rock, pop, Latin and funk," says Cohen. "I'm always packed with ideas. I decided to start my own label because I'm involved in so many different projects." Cohen's signature sound is a blend of Middle Eastern, eastern European, and African-American musical idioms.
Memorabilia was written in 2016 by jazz bassist and composer Mats Eilertsen and premiered at JazzFest in Trondheim the same year. The work is written for two trios: Mats Eilertsen Trio (Harmeen Franje, piano; Thomas Stronen, drums; and Mats Eilertsen, bass), and the vocal ensemble Trio Mediaeval (the acclaimed vocal trio of the three sopranos Anna Maria Friman, Linn Andrea Fuglseth and Berit Opheim.) Recently recorded in Newtone studio in Oslo, the album is now available, and has been released alongside a concert in the Norwegian Opera House. The music unites the two trios in a sacred, lyrical expression, giving the piano trio room to improvise. The lyrics are a mixture of traditional masses and poems by the Norwegian lyricist Tor Ulven. Darkness and drama meet nicer views of life. About faith, doubt, and time. “Minutes, maybe hours, of your own existence. That you forgot, but I still remember. You live a secret life in someone else’s memory.” (Tor Ulven)
Jan Gunnar Hoff - Stories - Stories is Jan Gunnar Hoff's third solo piano album on the 2L label and is a sequel to his critically acclaimed album LIVING from 2013. On the new release Hoff stretches his creative abilities, presenting contrasting compositions and improvisations, in a distinctly personal mixture. Some of the pieces are meditative and expressive, while others have a strong rhythmic vibe. Stories also displays Hoff as an arranger, presenting versions of classics like "God Only Knows" and the traditional Swedish folk song "Värmlandsvisan". SACD and Blu-ray Audio
Austrian jazz pianist Rudi Wilfer is one of the great jazz minds of our time, who has had the privilege of playing with many of the greatest international jazz legends. With "Over the Rainbow", Wilfer now releases the logical sequel to his previous recording "Somewhere". Featuring new and very personal interpretations of standards like Basin Street Blues, The Shadow of Your Smile, Orbit, Baby Steps as a witty arrangement of John Coltrane's Giant Steps, or My Romance, Wilfer teaches his audience the meaning of silence and the space between the sounds. This album is a meditative, almost Buddhist statement from this extraordinary Austrian musician, and, focusing on his lyrical, romantic playing style, also a homage to Bill Evans, one of the most important and influential pianists of modern jazz, whom Wilfer got to know in the popular jazz club Village Vanguard in New York in 1979.
Swedish jazz pianist Emil Ingmar presents his newest release, Karlavagnen. Emil Ingmar is a pianist, composer, and freelance musician who lives in Uppsala, Sweden. A former piano student at KMH, he is the Chairman of the Uppsala Jazz Club and organizer of the Live Jazz Bar at Uplands Nation and the Jazz Corner at UKK. He is also active in Orphei Drangar as a singer and accompanist. Ingmar is joined for these twelve original tracks by an all-star lineup of musicians, including Fredrik Jonsson, Calle Rasmusson, Jonas Knutsson, and more.
Jutta Hipp, with her incredible talent and striking looks, made a name for herself during the 1950s. After her brief rise to fame, she fell out of music until her death in 2003, and much of her volume of work is erratic and sporatic. This release includes German recordings from the early 1950s, before she moved to New York City.
Coming under the form of a beautiful antique pink and dark green 3-shutters digipack and two-LPs Gatefold, 'Two Roses' is by Avishai's words "a once in a lifetime project". Associating his core trio (Mark Guiliana, Elchin Shirinov) with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Avishai Cohen offers a very cinematic project between Jazz, Mediterranean Folklore and Classical music, reexploring a part of his musical journey. Not only proposing new orchestrations of his most successful works, 'Two Roses' is also strongly supported by 'When I'm Falling', an original composition showing how far the sound of Avishai Cohen has developed. The vinyl edition features 2 exclusive tracks in addition to the 12 songs already listed on the digital and CD editions; including a Symphonic version of Seven Seas which is one of Avishai's most beloved compositions.
Coming under the form of a beautiful antique pink and dark green 3-shutters digipack and two-LPs Gatefold, 'Two Roses' is by Avishai's words "a once in a lifetime project". Associating his core trio (Mark Guiliana, Elchin Shirinov) with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Avishai Cohen offers a very cinematic project between Jazz, Mediterranean Folklore and Classical music, reexploring a part of his musical journey. Not only proposing new orchestrations of his most successful works, 'Two Roses' is also strongly supported by 'When I'm Falling', an original composition showing how far the sound of Avishai Cohen has developed. The vinyl edition features 2 exclusive tracks in addition to the 12 songs already recorded; including a Symphonic version of Seven Seas which is one of Avishai's most beloved compositions.
Memorabilia was written in 2016 followed by a premiere at JazzFest in Trondheim. The music is written by jazz bassist and composer Mats Eilertsen and performed by two trios: Mats Eilertsen Trio (Harmen Fraanje, piano: Thomas Strønen, drums and Mats Eilertsen, bass), and the vocal ensemble Trio Mediaeval (the acclaimed trio of Anna Maria Friman, Linn Andrea Fuglseth and Jorunn Lovise Husan), both known for numerous recordings for ECM. This recording was made in Newtone studio in Oslo January 2020. The music unites the two trios in a sacred, lyrical expression, giving the piano trio room to improvise and the vocal trio space to shine. The lyrics are a mixture of traditional masses and poems by the Norwegian lyricist Tor Ulven. About faith, doubt, nostalgia and time.
Multiquarium Big band feat. Biréli Lagrène: "Remembering Jaco" is a tribute to Jaco Pastorius's music, made by André Charlier (drums) and Benoit Sourisse (piano) from the Multiquarium Big band, one of the best French Big Bands. Jaco Pastorius is a big star in the Jazz-Rock scene (and beyond), an icon for the bass players all around the world, the one who brought to electric bass the possibility of becoming in some case a soloist instrument in a band. Jaco Pastorius made very famous solo albums and wrote amazing big band music. He played with Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell but was also a very important member of the famous Jazz-rock band, Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Peter Erskine (who participates to this album with some spoken words!)... The virtuoso gypsy guitar player, Biréli Lagrène, has been invited to play electric fretless bass on the album. Biréli, who, as a young genius of the guitar, began to play in Montreux when he was 14, he is now 50 and played one year and a half with Jaco Pastorius on stage when he was 19 years old. Biréli is an amazing bass player, he perfectly integrated how Jaco's Music was working and pushed it beyond it's borders.
There is no way around true jazz legend Alain Jean-Marie. A pianist gifted with a rare sensitivity and a sincere virtuosity, he is held in high esteem by jazz fans and jazz musicians alike. Biguine reflections is the works of a lifetime. It was produced by great French-Caribbean producers Arthur Apatout in turn with Erick Siar and stands as a 21-year long adventure (1992 to 2013), issued on five sides and gathered here in a complete, 4-disc set for the first time. In this tremendous, polyptich work the pianist bridges biguine and jazz, two creole musics which emerged out of the same cultural sphere: The Caribbean Sea. He strived to pursue and update the works of wabap biguine founders Al Lirvat and Robert Mavounzy. In bringing his own reinterpretation to it, Alain Jean-Marie takes Caribbean jazz to new heights. A monument.
Renaud-Gabriel Pion is a successful composer, multi-instrumentalist, and improvisational musician. He performs on bass clarinet, Turkish clarinet, saxophone, bass flute, English horn, electronic woodwind instruments, and piano. He is based in Paris and Berlin. Of this project, Pion writes: “This music made sense to open windows on the city, the charm is immediately established. New York Sketches questions the permeability of the process of composition and recording the sound of the external environment- the opposite of the usual confinement in an airtight place.” (Translated fromwww.renaudgabrielpion.org) An extensive booklet is included with full color photographs of the most inspirational places in New York to Renaud-Gabirl Pion.
Two years after the revelation "Opening" which was awarded the Django Reinhardt Prize from the Academie du Jazz, Fred Nardin is back with the bass player Or Bareket and the drummer Leon Parker for the Fred Nardin Trio's second album: "Look Ahead. " "You can be both as intellectual and as soulful as you want, and the swing beat is powerful but subtle. I think you have to devote yourself to it exclusively to do it at that level". (Mulgrew Miller, DownBeat Magazine. ) A pianist bred on experience(s) and tradition, Fred Nardin has only one aim in life: to play as well as he can, just as long as it swings. Reasonable but determined, passionate and enthralling when it is a question of tackling the great masters - Kenny Barron, McCoy Tyner or Mulgrew Miller -every day Fred Nardin gets a little closer to his objective, and Look Ahead is the resounding proof. Co-founder of The Amazing Keystone Big-Band, chosen sideman for Cecile McLorin Salvant, Bria Skonberg, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Natalia M. King, Stefano Di Battista, Jesse Davis and Gael Horellou, regular feature "After-Hours" at the Duc Des Lombards in Paris: Fred Nardin is everywhere where jazz is happening but it is with the trio of the album "Opening" that he was really discovered in 2017.
Olivier Le Goas: Recording a new album for piano–bass–drums trio felt like an important step in my career, since it is at the piano that I compose most of my music. Kristjan Randalu's rhythmic precision, the depth of his sound and the sensitivity of his touch confirmed without a doubt that he was the pianist who wasperfectly suited to my music.
His compositions are ambitious, idiosyncratic and imaginative. Nevertheless, the purely physical component of making music is an essential factor for Jonathan Salvi. "When I play the vibraphone, I dance!" This is also conveyed when you experience him live, as people tell him time and again. The impression of dancing is reinforced by the fact that the Swiss musician always plays with four mallets. His excellent technique goes hand in hand with improvisational brilliance
The Leipzig pianist and composer Jonas Timm and his seven-piece band not only captivate the listener with all his senses, but also take him along in the variety of his emotions. What seems to begin like an acoustic film noir, becomes more cheerful as the album progresses, and continues to go through more and more emotional states without ever becoming predictable. Much is reminiscent of Latin American dances, French chansons, soundtracks from old films and sometimes jazz.
Glacial Voyage is an evocative exploration of sound and memory, brought to life by the dynamic collaboration between guitarist Christy Doran and pianist Izumi Kimura. The album paints vivid sonic landscapes, reminiscent of the rhythmic push and pull of waves upon a shore or the quiet contemplation of a starlit coastline.
