Peter Zak’s penchant and artistry for trio format has produced an impressive series of piano trio albums all of which have enjoyed superlative critical acclaims all over the world. Here on this latest release with the fitting album title Peter Zak delivers once again his trademark intelligent art of piano trio performance. “You can’t help but be drawn in by his deep swing, mastery of tempo, horn-like phrasing, orchestrative savoir faire, and ability to conjure melodic pathways through harmonic thickets.” (Ten Panken – DownBeat on Down East – SCCD 31715)

Chris Byars saxophone/composer/arranger leads his group in various formats including a quintet as in this album with guest instrumentalists (his father James Byars on English horn and his fiancée Mine Sadrazam on piano). Chris could be dubbed “Jazz Ambassador” conducting cultural exchange programs in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Balkans for the U.S. Department of State since 2007. While his previous three albums were highly creative tributaries to jazz’s true heroes: Freddie Redd, Lucky Thompson and Gigi Gryce, this new album is a superb collection of Chris’s original compositions many of which are depicting diverse cultures of the world. “…Byars’ treatment of these songs will help attract more artists and listeners to Lucky's work. Until then, consider yourself lucky to enjoy this excellent release.” (Ken Hohman – Freedom Jazz Dance on Lucky Strikes Again SCCD 31713)

In the past two decades saxophonist Jed Levy has been the stalwart of New York jazz scene leading his own group or performing with such luminaries as Jaki Byard, Junior Mance, Eddie Henderson, Jack Walrath, Kevin Mahogany, Tom Harrell, among other. On this his 7th SteepleChase release Jed Levy the composer takes the centre stage and presents an album-length suite with each section relating to Jed’s impression of Italy where he made numerous trips and gave concerts. “Very Impressive and about as inventive a departure from the standard tenor-and –rhythm conventions as one can hope for….a first-class session.” (The Penguin Guide to Jazz On CD Sleight Of Hand SCCD 31383)

RED ARMY CHORUS: The Best of the Original Ensemble

Classical Music

The decade long collaboration between pianist Stanley Cowell and guitarist Vic Juris as fellow faculty members at the renowned Rutgers-Mason Gross School of the Arts produced here a fantastic “new world” of sounds of contemporary jazz. The latest and most powerful version of sound design soft wear called KYMA in the hand of creative artists dazzles us with the unique real-time music with no after-production touch-ups but expanded horizon of improvisation. The rhythm section of the quartet is two enormously talented former students of Cowell: bassist Tom DiCarlo and drummer Chris Brown.

January a year ago American born Danish tenor saxophonist Niels Vincentz made CD debut from SteepleChase with his American trio of Cameron Brown on bass and Billy Hart on drums (“Early Reflections SCCD 31737) to critical acclaim. Vincentz presents here the follow-up set with Brown and Hart right after their tours in USA and Denmark. “Beautiful SteepleChase debut …so remarkable that it will open the door for Vincentz to the wider jazz audience.. ” (Ivan Rod - GAFFA, Denmark) “There’s perfect equilibrium here: no overreaching, no underreaching, either…You hear how centered Vincentz is, and why these Americans dig him.” **** (M. Jackson – DownBeat)

Yvonnick Prené, French-born, New York-based, young (29) virtuoso on the chromatic harmonica presents his much-awaited CD debut on SteepleChase LookOut. While still studying at City College of New York and New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Yvonnick was already establishing himself as a highly acclaimed artist performing in USA and Europe. “….we find a young phenom determine to take the harmonica to a new sense of melodic intensity, dynamic tension and improvisational techniques missing from the instrument on a consistent basis for years…Jour de Fête is a happy record, brimming with an effervescent quality that accentuates the sublime artistic gift of Prené…In short, Prené is the real deal….” (Brent Black – CriticalJazz.com)

Pianist/accordionist/composer JP Schlegelmilch is the featured member of Old Time Musketry which has just made its CD debut on SteepleChase LookOut (“Different Times” SCCD 33101). Jon Ross of Downbeat bestowed four stars on the album speaking highly of Schlegelmilch’s compositional skills. On this his solo debut JP explores the musical universe of the iconic composer/guitarist Bill Frisell with whom JP shares the evocative edge in contemporary American music.

Classical Music

Iva Bittova newest release with the Prague Philharmonia is a sweeping and sonically ample project featuring older and newer compositions from Bittova's repertoire arranged for symphony orchestra. These include pieces created in tandem with Pavel Fajt (Periny/Feather Duvets), Vladimir Vaclavek (Zvon/The Bell, Uspavanka/Lullaby, Sirka v louzi/A Match in a Puddle, Zeleny venecek/Green Wreath), with the bands Dunaj (V cernem/In Black) and Cikori (Zapiskej/Whistle), works within her solo projects (Paraskeva, Elida), as well as a new piece (Vetvicka/Twig).

Classical Music

Dreamsville marked 25 years of Carol Kidd’s partnership with Linn and saw the long-awaited return to the studio of this unique UK jazz legend. Originally released in 2008, Dreamsville is re-issued as part of Linn’s ECHO series that offers a second chance to enjoy the best of the label’s award-winning catalog. An exquisite album of hand-picked standards and self-penned songs, it is perhaps no surprise that is was named the Best CD at the 2009 Scottish Jazz Awards and a Recommended Release on BBC Radio 2 by Russell Davies. Known for her impeccable phrasing and delivery and for her innate ability to breathe fresh life into jazz standards, Carol’s performances of Gershwin, Rogers & Hart, Irving Berlin and Henry Mancini classics sees the singer deliver a masterclass in interpretation and shows why she is considered “a singer's singer.” Carol co-wrote two new tracks with guitarist Nigel Clark, “There Goes My Heart” and “Do You Believe?”. Carol is acknowledged in jazz circles as “Britain's finest ballads singer” (Jazz Review). She was named Best Vocalist at the 2011 Scottish Jazz Awards, a title she has won four times at the British Jazz Awards.

This 6 CD set contains a wealth of chamber music and songs. Bohemian composer Georg Benda achieved great fame in his time but is little remembered today, hence ripe for rediscovery. The booklet contains detailed notes, biographies and a full track list. The song texts are available via the Brilliant Classics website.

Visits blurs lines between improvisation and composition, jazz and classical, spontaneity and planning. To hear what Triade do is to lose yourself in endless possibilities. Cellist Michelle Kinney drew Carei Thomas and Gary Schulte down a new path, away more traditional jazz improvising. New possibilities opened up, and new compositions were spontaneously generated on fragments of Thomas' work. Recorded in the mid-1990s, it receives via innova it's first digital pressing.

"• Walking In The Sun’ heralded a new direction for Ms. Jungr. • Originally released in 2006, now re-issued as part of Linn’s ECHO series • Drawing on influences from a wide range of musical traditions, including gospel and the blues, this album is Ms. Jungr’s most accessible release to date. • Includes a new song by Eric Bibb, Heading Home, which sees the legendary guitarist make a guest appearance on the track."

"• Barb Jungr's original take on the songs of Jacques Brel marked her Linn debut • Originally released in 2000, now re-issued as part of Linn’s ECHO series • Ms. Jungr opted to use specially commissioned translations for her English language renditions • Ms. Jungr has won numerous accolades with many industry critics considering her to be the finest songstylist in Britain. • Her acclaimed releases and 'revelatory' live performances have brought her to audiences all around the world."

"• Critics uniformly adored Barb Jungr’s reflective rendition of Ray Davies’ title track • Originally released in 2003, now re-issued as part of Linn’s ECHO series • This collection of classic and original material includes songs by Richard Thompson and Bob Dylan • Ms. Jungr has been compared to her heroine Nina Simone, as well as Edith Piaf and Peggy Lee"

Founded in 1971 by Ornette Coleman, Karl Berger, and Ingrid Sertso, the Creative Music Studio (CMS) had a simple goal: create music, without boundaries. Artists came to Woodstock, NY, to be a part of a collective synergy, to live and work together as they found common ground and developed their vocabulary. The CMS Archive Selections documents that vocabulary and those creations, and this 3-CD set on innova Recordings represents its first fruits.

"Presenting an eclectic variety of songs demonstrating Claire’s vocal talents Originally released in 2000, this album saw Claire Martin lead the jazz world into pop-crossover territory before Norah Jones and Madeleine Peyroux made this style an accepted genre. Claire Martin has been a driving force behind the UK jazz scene for the past 25 years Co-presenter, Jazz Line-Up, on BBC Radio 3 since 2000."

"Originally released in 1987, ‘Nice Work’ features a spectrum of standards from the Great American Songbook The song list is chosen with Carol’s characteristic good taste; several Gershwin favourites are interspersed amongst neglected but estimable material From the beginning of Carol's career, her albums were extremely well received"

Guitarist Samo Salamon hails from Marigor, Slovenia and splits his work and life between USA and European Continent, though in the last 10 plus years his activities has kept growing and expanding in the USA collecting numerous accolades from critics and public alike. “One of the more exciting and inventive improvising artists, Slovenian guitarist Samo Salamon’s stylistic modus operandi, coupled with massive chops has earned him prominence within global, progressive-jazz circles. (Glenn Astaria – Jazz Review 2012) “Guitarist Samo Salamon is one of those players quietly but fully engaged with moving the music forward.” (Nic Jones, AAJ 2011) “The guitarist is the star, though, and he is a star. He is a tremendous player, articulating each note and line with clarity and force, no matter the velocity … to say many things via many means, … without hesitation and with complete artistic conviction … exciting and satisfying.” (George Grella – The Big City 2011)

John Tchicai (1936 - 2012) to whom this CD is dedicated was one of the most celebrated jazz musicians hailing from Europe (Denmark) of our time. Pierre Dørge owes the considerable part of his musical roots to John Tchicai whose impact on contemporary jazz is immeasurable. “Danish composer-guitarist Pierre Dørge, like Charles Mingus before him, possesses an antic ardor for the striking horn voicings and ruminative soundscapes of Duke Ellington, …. The other signature trait that Dørge’s New Jungle Orchestra semi-big bands have displayed over their 30-plus years of existence is an ability to unleash a cosmopolitan pinwheel of moods, tones and textures.” (Brittania Thompson – JazzTimes on Sketches of India SCCD 31728) “Talk about your pan-cultural jazz. What isn’t in here? Pierre Dørge admits all sorts of influences and styles into the music of his New Jungle Orchestra, ..The aesthetic varies widely from tune to tune, and yet it all feels part of the greater whole… .” (Steve Greenlee – JazzTimes on Jazz Is Like a Banana SCCD 31636)

Brian Charette’s unique, reed-based sextet released their first album “Music For Organ Sextette” (SCCD 31731) in 2012 to a critical and public acclaim. Dan Bilawsky noted in AAJ : “…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 ... Music For Organ Sextette is an anomaly in the world of organ-centric jazz … Charette challenges the status quo with this one and winds up the victor in every way.” On this second outing of the Sextet Brian Charette even furthers and deepens his musical universe making this sextet a perfect and permanent formula for its creative founder.

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….”