Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Mulgrew Miller 1955 - 2013



By NATE CHINEN The New York Times
Published: May 29, 2013
Mulgrew Miller, a jazz pianist whose soulful erudition, clarity of touch and rhythmic aplomb made him a fixture in the postbop mainstream for more than 30 years, died on Wednesday in Allentown, Pa. He was 57.
The cause was a stroke, said his longtime manager, Mark Gurley. Mr. Miller had been hospitalized since Friday.
Mr. Miller developed his voice in the 1970s, combining the bright precision of bebop, as exemplified by Bud Powell and Oscar Peterson, with the clattering intrigue of modal jazz, especially as defined by McCoy Tyner. His balanced but assertive style was a model of fluency, lucidity and bounce, and it influenced more than a generation of younger pianists.
He was a widely respected bandleader, working with a trio or with the group he called Wingspan, after the title of his second album. The blend of alto saxophone and vibraphone on that album, released on Landmark Records in 1987, appealed enough to Mr. Miller that he revived it in 2002 on “The Sequel” (MaxJazz), working in both cases with the vibraphonist Steve Nelson. Among Mr. Miller’s releases in the past decade were an impeccable solo piano album and four live albums featuring his dynamic trio.
Mr. Miller could seem physically imposing on the bandstand — he stood taller than six feet, with a sturdy build — but his temperament was warm and gentlemanly. He was a dedicated mentor: his bands over the past decade included musicians in their 20s, and since 2005 he had been the director of jazz studies at William Paterson University in New Jersey.
If his sideman credentials overshadowed his solo career, it wasn’t hard to see why: he played on hundreds of albums and worked in a series of celebrated bands. His most visible recent work had been with the bassist Ron Carter, whose chamberlike Golden Striker Trio featured Mr. Miller and the guitarist Russell Malone on equal footing; the group released a live album, “San Sebastian” (In+Out), this year.
Born in Greenwood, Miss., on Aug. 13, 1955, Mulgrew Miller grew up immersed in Delta blues and gospel music. After picking out hymns by ear at the family piano, he began taking lessons at age 8. He played the organ in church and worked in soul cover bands, but devoted himself to jazz after seeing Mr. Peterson on television, a moment he later described as pivotal.
At Memphis State University he befriended two pianists, James Williams and Donald Brown, both of whom later preceded him in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Mr. Miller spent several years with that band, just as he did with the trumpeter Woody Shaw, the singer Betty Carter and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, led by Ellington’s son Mercer. Mr. Miller worked in an acclaimed quintet led by the drummer Tony Williams from the mid-1980s until shortly before Williams died in 1997.
Mr. Miller, who lived in Easton, Pa., is survived by his wife, Tanya; his son, Darnell; his daughter, Leilani; a grandson; three brothers and three sisters.
Though he harbored few resentments, Mr. Miller was clear about the limitations imposed on his career. “Jazz is part progressive art and part folk art,” he said in a 2005 interview with DownBeat magazine, differentiating his own unassuming style from the concept-laden, critically acclaimed fare that he described as “interview music.” He added, “Guys who do what I am doing are viewed as passé.”
But Mr. Miller worked with so many celebrated peers, like the alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett and the tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, that his reputation among musicians was ironclad. And his legacy includes a formative imprint on some leading players of the next wave, including the drummer Karriem Riggins and the bassist Derrick Hodge, who were in one of his trios. The pianist Robert Glasper once recorded an original ballad called “One for ’Grew,” paying homage to a primary influence. On Monday another prominent pianist, Geoffrey Keezer, attested on Twitter that seeing Mr. Miller one evening in 1986 was “what made me want to be a piano player professionally.”

Sunday, May 26, 2013

1 Sem 2013 - Part Fifteen

Paolo Di Sabatino
Solo



By IrmaGroup
After the positively happy experience received with ‘Voices’ a CD dedicated to Voices lent To his Songs (Vannelli, Concato, Servillo, Di Michele, Zanicchi, Telesforo…), Paolo Di Sabatino goes back to Jazz and he does it in an important and exhilarating formula, the stripped down acoustic set up of Piano and Vocals only. Coming out on IRMA records (distributed by Edel) “Solo” sees the light in June, an Album totally recorded Live in the beautiful surrounding of the Teatro Comunale di Casalmaggiore,(nearby Cremona). The Tracking List includes some very interesting pieces like some original compositions by our Abbruzzese Pianist and some very famous covers ranging from some American Standards (Sweet Georgia Brown, I loves You Porgy) to some South American oldies favourites like the tango Ballad ‘Te Quiero’ and the Samba ‘Para Ver As Meninas’.


Iiro Rantala
My History Of Jazz




By Bruce Lindsay
It is perhaps an odd history of jazz that opens and closes with a composition by Johann Sebastian Bach, but My History Of Jazzis a very personal history, the history of Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala. His previous album, Lost Heroes (ACT Music, 2011), was a solo piano recording; full of mesmerizingly beautiful music, it was one of the year's finest releases. My History Of Jazzdoesn't quite match the consistency of Lost Heroes, but its best moments are on par with those of its predecessor.
The Bach aria which bookends My History Of Jazz is brief and beautiful. Rantala, with sympathetic support from bassist Lars Danielsson and, on the closing track, drummer Morten Lund, captures the aria's lyricism and grace. The pianist's short "Goldberg Improvisations"-five in all, based on Bach's Goldberg Variation No. 1-each have a distinct character. On "Goldberg Improvisation I" Rantala and Danielsson chase each other through an inventive, rapid-fire 53 seconds. Improvisations II and V-the loveliest-stay closer to the original Variation, III has a skittish, jagged rhythm and IV rolls cheerfully along thanks to Lund's brushed drums.
Rantala's versions of a few jazz classics sparkle with invention. George Gershwin's "Liza" has a ragtime feel coupled with unexpected pace. "Caravan" gets a real makeover-violinist Adam Baldych takes Juan Tizol's classic by the scruff of its neck, his raw and expressive playing adding drama to the desert journey even if it loses a little of the tune's subtler moments. Pianist Thelonious Monk's "Eronel" is full of life and movement: Rantala's upper register playing is filled with a particular joy, Lund's drumming adds color and drive to the performance and Danielsson's solo keeps up the energy and feelgood vibe. For Kurt Weill's "September Song," Rantala adopts a stride piano style, the punchy, positive, left- hand patterns creating an optimism that contrasts starkly with the regret and sadness often invested in the song.
Rantala's own "Americans In Paris" is pretty and a little wistful, while "Bob Hardy" swings. "Smoothie," another of Rantala's own compositions, is immediately memorable. Taken at a relatively slow tempo, Lund's drumming has a laidback and relaxed feel, yet there is an energy and drive to the tune. Baldych gives his most empathic performance, playing a hypnotic pizzicato pattern to match Danielsson's bass rhythm and underpinning Rantala's own crystalline playing. A $10 bet on this becoming a future jazz standard could be money well spent.
My History Of Jazz tells one musician's musical story-"My entire history in music" as Rantala writes in the liner notes. There's no blues and no mainstream, because he's never been into those styles. There's Bach, because that's where Rantala's story began, like many pianists. Above all, there's an obvious affinity with jazz masters like Monk and Duke Ellington. The result is music of great technical skill and, even more importantly, of great emotional depth.
Track Listing: 
Aria / Goldberg Variation No. 1; Liza; Goldberg Improvisation I; Caravan; Eronel; Goldberg Improvisation II; Americans In Paris; Bob Hardy; Goldberg Improvisation III; September Song; Danny's Dream; Goldberg Improvisation IV; Smoothie; Goldberg Improvisation V; What Comes Up, Must Come Down; Uplift; Aria.
Personnel: 
Iiro Rantala: piano; Lars Danielsson: bass, cello; Morten Lund: drums; Adam Baldych: violin (4, 8, 11, 13).


Paolo Di Sabatino & Renzo Ruggieri
Inni D'Italia



By JazzItalia
16 brani che attraversano 150 anni di storia culturale e politica d'Italia. Due musicisti raffinatissimi, collaboratori del miglior jazz e pop italiano; questo è "INNI D'ITALIA", il nuovo disco firmato dal pianista PAOLO DI SABATINO e dal fisarmonicista RENZO RUGGIERI.
I due jazzisti, si cimentano in maniera intrigante con alcune tra le melodie universalmente riconosciute tra gli inni italiani.
Partendo dall'Inno di Mameli Fratelli d'Italia, al Va' pensiero, passando per il cinema (Morricone, Piovani, Ortolani, Rota), ai grandi cantautori con Caruso di Lucio Dalla, Nel blu dipinto di blu di Domenico Modugno, Azzurro di Paolo Conte, alla musica popolare conMunasterio ‘e Santa Chiara, Vola vola, vola, ‘O sole mio.
Nel disco anche un inedito, Cosi Pa.Re., firmato dal duo.
Con il prezioso contributo su Vola Vola Vola di Antonella Ruggiero e Roberto Colombo.
Tracklist:
FRATELLI D'ITALIA; NEL BLU DIPINTO DI BLU; CARUSO
MEDLEY: PINOCCHIO / TEMA DI GEPPETTO; CON TE PARTIRO'; AZZURRO
VA PENSIERO; PIPPO NON LO SA; IL CUORE E' UNO ZINGARO
MARGHERITA; AMARCORD; MEDLEY: METTI UNA SERA A CENA / MORE
LA VITA E' BELLA; MEDLEY: MUNASTERIO ‘E SNATA CHIARA / ‘O SOLE MIO
COSI' PA.RE.; VOLA VOLA VOLA


Hector Martignon
Portrait In White and Black




By Lazaro Vega,THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS, Michigan
Don’t miss this album!… Few if any (sessions) are as refreshingly original and as thoroughly musical as this extraordinary date … Martignon’s keyboard work is technically clean and stlistically imaginative… he is a true jazzman who swings with equal facility and conviction either in or out of clave… he is hip to a much broader array of rhythmic references than the typical Afro-Cuban grounded pianist… With an astounding variety of carefully chosen rhythmic and melodic hues Portrait in white and black is one of the most compelling albums of the year.Mark Holston, NEW YORK LATINO
Martignon’s melding of Afro-Cuban with Brazilian locutions results in a sparkling rumble that is irresistibly percussive. …(His CD)Portrait in white and black is among the year’s best...Gene Kalbacher, HOT HOUSE, NYC Jazz guide
After a stay in Ray Barretto’s band, Hector Martignon and two other band members, his fellow Colombian Jairo Moreno and Satoshi Takeishi, got together and toured as a trio. Martignon likes to mix Afro-Cuban and Brazilian influences. Ray Barretto comes on board to detonate “You and the Night and the Music.” In this piece and “Laura” we hear the delicious voice of Gabriela Anders. On “La Candelaria”, “Coqueteos” and “Noviembre, Susurro y Cumbia”, Martignon shows his loyalty to traditional Latin American music. Clearly, this is a man who doesn’t like ready-to-wear and to get in a rut. He seems especially fond of unusual rhythms, such as in “Tomorrow’s Past,” a bossa in 3/4, or the beautiful “She Said She Was From Sarajevo,” in 7/4, or “Hell’s Kitchen Sarabande” in 3/2. After discovering this multifaceted musician, we’d love to hear more. His next album should be out very shortly. Watch this space in the next issue !

LE JAZZ,Issue#5(Internet)
Martignon’s CD, Portrait in White And Black is full of exotic musical colors and striking original compositions.


André Mehmari
Veredas

By MiCaribe
Ecco un altro giovane e talentuoso musicista carioca cui è bene prestare grandissima attenzione. E’ André Mehmari, pianista, compositore, arrangiatore e polistrumentista che ritorna sul mercato italiano con un nuovo godibilissimo disco: Veredas (Egea). Un bel viaggio sonoro tra jazz moderno, fusion, worldmusic e classica interpretati con anima brasiliana.
André Mehmari, pianista, compositore, arrangiatore ed eccellente polistrumentista (piano, voce, clarinetto, flauto, mandolino, drums, percussioni, organo, basso, fisarmoica,violino) si muove agilmente e con notevolissima padronanza sia nell’ambito della musica classica che in quello della musica popolare. Le sue composizioni e i suoi arrangiamenti sono stati eseguiti da importanti orchestre brasiliane (OSESP) e da formazioni cameristiche quali la São Paulo String Quartet; la sua carriera nell’ambito jazz e della Musica Popolare Brasiliana (mpb) ha riscosso grande attenzione attestandosi unanimi riconoscimenti nelle performance live a festival e concerti. Un ragazzo geniale.
Nato nel 1977 a Niteroi (Rio de Janeiro), André inizia precocemente i suoi studi musicali: a soli cinque anni sotto l’attenta guida della mamma, completando il corso in organo presso il Conservatorio di Ribeirao Preto (SP). All’età di dieci anni confrontandosi con l’improvvisazione jazz, inizia a scrivere le sue prime composizioni. Dopo aver iniziato la sua carriera professionale come pianista forma un suo trio jazz dimostrando le sue straordinarie abilità come compositore e musicista, iniziando a esibirsi nei locali jazz clubs. La combinazione della tecnica di pianista classico e la fertilità creativa come arrangiatore nelle sue composizioni, rendono davvero speciale il ritratto di Mehmari quale musicista unico nel suo stile e linguaggio. Dopo l’acclamato “Miramari” (SCA 159), che lo vedeva in duo con il clarinettista Gabriele Mirabassi, Mehmari presenta oggi “Veredas”, un piacevolissimo cd (elegante anche la produzione) che ripercorre le tappe più recenti della carriera del pianista.
Nell’album oltre a spiccare Mehmari, con le sue doti di polistrumentista nella title track Veredas, le voci di Monica Salmaso e Nà Ozzetti in alcuni pezzi, e, nostro modestissimo avviso, le architetture e le melodie del formidabile mandolinista Hamilton de Holanda impegnato in duetti con il piano di André in:Cine Paradiso, Di Menor, Acontece.


Mimi Fox
Standards, Old & New



By C. Michael Bailey
Guitarist Mimi Fox's nearly 30-year career has produced several solo standards recitals. Standards, Old & New steps out of the box for some not-so-standard standards from the folk realm (pastoral arrangements of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land," The Beatles' "She's Leaving Home" and Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind") and more recent jazz (a marching rendition of pianist Chick Corea's "500 Miles High").
Fox received kudos from guitarist Joe Pass before his death and it was certainly warranted. As a player, Fox has much in common with Pass; while not indulging in the same verbosity, she does retain—and eventually perfect—a similar approach to chording and melody.
Solo guitar recitals offer the performer no place to hide. Fox has no problem filling in the blanks. Her four-panel assembly of "Cry Me A River," "Moonlight In Vermont / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "Four on Six" is music that, if painted, would have been created by Manet by way of Delacroix. The four pieces exist as a mini-tone poem of creative whimsy and ingenuity. The "Moonlight In Vermont / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" diptych exists as the impressionistic fulcrum, lightly balancing these disparate compositions in a musical ether that is both egalitarian and unique. Standards, Old & New adds to what can now be seen as Fox's Virtuoso series of recordings: perfectly accessible, perfectly technical, perfectly listenable.
Track Listing: 
This Land Is Your Land; 500 Miles High; I Can't Get Started; Have You Met Miss Jones; She's Out Of My Life; She's Leaving Home; Cry Me A River; Moonlight In Vermont / Smoke Gets In Your Eyes; Four On Six; Blowin' In The Wind.
Personnel: 
Mimi Fox: guitar.

1 Sem 2013 - Part Thirteen

Paolo Di Sabatino Trio
The Way Of Tulips



By EastWind
Performed by: 
Paolo Di Sabatino (piano); Marco Siniscalco (bass); Glauco Di Sabatino (drums)
Description:
Italian pianist Paolo Di Sabatino comes back to Atelier Sawano with his fifth album for the Japanese label. Following the previous album Luna Del Sud which added horn players to the mix, he returns to the piano trio format.
The album shows Di Sabatino's flexibility in terms of both style and material. It begins with the title track--an original by Di Sabatino--that is pretty on surface but quite complex and technical in terms of composition. In a stunning transition, it is followed by jubilant, Latin-tinged cover of "Funji Mama" by Blue Mitchell. The amazing and delightful piano solo on this track is definitely a highlight.
Very charming and enjoyable, even magical. This is one of the best piano trio CDs released in 2012! Very highly recommended! Recorded 2012.
Album Tracks:
1. The Way Of Tulips; 2. Funji Mama; 3. Uphill Road; 4. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
5. Young At Heart; 6. Black Groove; 7. Moment To Moment; 8. Face Tango
9. Bye Bye Baby; 10. Many Different Ways 


Antonio Adolfo
Finas Misturas / Fine Mixtures



By C. Michael Bailey
Brazilian pianist/composer Antonio Adolfo has been making important contributions to the Brazilian-Caribbean musical discography for 40-plus years. His most recent recordings—Chora Baiao (Self Produced, 2011), with Adolfo as leader, and La e Ca (AAM Music, 2010), made with daughter, vocalist Carol Saboya—display the results of a careful evolution of jazz through Caribbean and South American music, from trumpeters Kenny Dorham And Dizzy Gillespie's "Afro-Cubano" revolution of the mid- '50s and the bossa nova of the 1960s.
On Finas Misturas (Fine Mixtures), Adolfo wanted to mix his compositions in with some notable jazz standards and apply his exceptional arranging and performance method to the mix. His result is a collection of ten pieces—six original compositions and five jazz standards—that meld together, forming a Brazilian Suite that is elegantly humid with the gentle swing of a warm wind.
Adolfo, with no small amount of cunning, applies his recipe to John Coltrane's cranky and demanding "Giant Steps," with Claudio Spiewak's acoustic guitar softening all of the hard edges and cushioning Marcelo Martins's almost anti-Coltrane tenor saxophone. The pianist does the same with Coltrane's "Naima," his feathery playing lightening the compositional gravity of both pieces. Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" fits most perfectly in to Adolfo's program, illustrating what can be done to update perfection, while Adolfo's own "Tres Meninos" buddies well with Chick Corea's "Crystal Silence" and Bill Evans' "Time To Remember," closing Finas Misturas in fine fashion.
Track Listing: 
Floresta Azul (Blue Forest); Balada (Ballad); Giant Steps; Con Alma; Misturando (Mixing); Memories of tomorrow; Naima; Tres Meninos (Three Little Boys); Crystal Silence; Time Remembered.
Personnel: 
Antonio Adolfo: piano; Leo Amuedo: electric guitar (1, 4-8); Claudio Spiewak: acoustic guitar (2-5, 9); Marcelo Martins: tenor saxophone, flute (1, 3-5, 7, 9, 10); Jorge Helder: double bass; Rafael Barata: drums and percussion.


Matteo Sabattini MSNYQ
Metamorpho



By Dan Bilawsky
Saxophonist Matteo Sabattini's Dawning (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2011) delivered a potent shot of modernism in direct fashion, and though this followup occasionally finds him treading on similar ground, he does so in more expansive, low key and exploratory fashion. Sabattini has a tendency and willingness to look toward the horizon, work in the shadows and dial down the intensity here, which sets his music on a fascinating and winding course; in other words, the journey is far more interesting and important than the destination on Metamorpho.
A sense of searching and soul-baring is par for the course during this ten-song affair, but that doesn't mean the music can't pack a punch. Sabattini starts things off with an off-kilter, semi-aggressive, cyclical structure that's wonderfully dizzying ("Like A Butterfly"), but runs counter to the spirit of the album, and the title track opens on some hard-hitting drum work from Obed Calvaire. "Dreaming Loud," while not completely living up to its title, probes a bit more than the majority of this material and features some A-plus solo work from pianist Aaron Parks and guitarist Mike Moreno. Parks, the only on-record newcomer in Sabattini's New York Quintet, does a superb job sculpting moods and taking cues throughout this program. Moreno proves capable of delivering gauzy, ethereal lines or laser-like statements as needed and he even makes a rare appearance with his acoustic axe during a duo encounter with the leader ("Fooling The Mirror").
Sabattini's curious and suggestive musings take over elsewhere, giving pause to admire a side of his work that only came out on rare occasion in the past. He can still take the music from subdued environs to great heights ("Tears Inside"), but he's also comfortable with mellow, below-grade explorations. The lone cover on the program, a moods-for-moderns, reworked version of the oft-covered "Body & Soul," is a perfect example of Sabattini's commune-with-the-calm that takes place on multiple occasions.
It's hard to say whether the title refers to the development of Sabattini's playing, as he unfurls interesting idea-after-idea, or his music, which can take kaleidoscopic turns at times, but it works on both accounts. Metamorpho finds an original voice, in good company, making thought provoking music that reflects jazz in the modern epoch.
Track Listing: 
Like A Butterfly; Tears Inside; Invisible Shield; Metamorpho; Painted Hills; Body & Soul; Yuna; Fooling The Mirror; Dreaming Loud; QQ.
Personnel: 
Matteo Sabattini: alto saxophone; Mike Moreno: electric guitar, acoustic guitar (8); Aaron Parks: piano; Matt Clohesy: bass; Obed Calvaire: drums; Chris Potter: tenor saxophone (4).


Giovanni Guidi Trio
City Of Broken Dreams




By John Kelman
It seemed inevitable. After working with Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava on 2013's Michael Jackson tribute, Rava on the Dance Floor, and 2011's more intimate Tribe, it should come as no surprise that pianist Giovanni Guidi—the only connecting thread between those two records (other than, of course, Rava)—should find himself with an opportunity to make his own record for the label. City of Broken Dreams comes with its own intrinsic continuity; a trio session from the final days of 2011, it features João Lobo, Guidi's drummer who has graced the pianist's two previous Cam Jazz outings, the quartet-based Indian Summer(2007) and larger, more audacious The Unknown Rebel Band (2009).
First impressions may be important, but they rarely reveal all that needs to be known. Opening with the title track that bookends the CD—a second variation bringing City to a close 52 minutes later—its melancholic lyricism and rubato style are but two aspects of this trio's considerably broader reach. Still, there's no denying Guidi's ability to create gently appealing waves, supported by Lobo's delicate brushwork (switching to mallets for the closing variation) and bassist Thomas Morgan's sparse but ever-astute choices.
After debuting with guitarist John Abercrombie on Wait Till You See Her (ECM, 2009), Morgan has suddenly become a more frequent face for the label, already appearing on two other recordings this year: Tomasz Stańko's Wislawa, with the Polish trumpeter's New York Quartet, and pianist Craig Taborn's trio date, Chants. An introspective bassist with a firm, muscular touch and a deceptively simple, Charlie Haden-like approach, Morgan's unerring choices are never superfluous, the bassist never opting for virtuosic displays when just a few notes will do.
If City of Broken Dreams' opening suggests an album of consistently calming quietude, nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, Guidi demonstrates a firmer touch and a penchant for majestic elegance on "Leonie" and buoyant classicism on the rubato "Just One More Time," its serpentine melody opening up for an extended feature for Morgan that, supported only by Lobo's delicate kit work, represents some of the bassist's best work—not just on City, but in recent times. His motif-driven solo moves effortlessly from the lyrical upper range of his instrument to near-rhythmic implications as he moves to the lower register in preparation for Guidi's entry, the pianist similarly expanding upon the tune's etude-like premise.
Elsewhere, "No Other Possibility" winds its way from structural ascending lines and dissonant voicings to an open-ended middle section where Guidi proves his mettle in a knottier, more idiosyncratic context that harkens to pianist Keith Jarrett's early, Ornette Coleman-inspired, pre-ECM trio recordings with Haden and drummer Paul Motian.
Still on the shy side of 30, Guidi's reputation was already on the ascendancy prior to coming to ECM. Now, with two Rava recordings and this trio date under his belt, Guidi is clearly positioned as Italy's most promising pianist since Stefano Bollani began coming out from under the trumpeter's wing fifteen years ago. Based on the strength of his far-reaching, stylistically unfettered City of Broken Dreams, similar accolades and success are, no doubt, in store for this extremely talented young artist.
Track Listing: 
City of Broken Dreams; Leonie; Just One More Time; The Forbidden Zone; No Other Possibility; The Way Some People Live; The Impossible Divorce; Late Blue; Ocean View; City of Broken Dreams, var.
Personnel: 
Giovanni Guidi: piano; Thomas Morgan: double bass; João Lobo: drums.


Andre Ceccarelli, Antonio Farao, Sylvain Beuf, 
Thomas Bramerie
Live Sunside Sessions




Disc 1:
1.Juju
2.Giant Steps
3.Prambule
4.Spyral Of Love
5.Vera
Disc 2:
1.Sensible
2.Seven Steps To Heaven
3.Sweet
4.Take The Coltrane
5.Giant Steps
Andre Ceccarelli(ds); Sylvain Beuf(ts,ss); Antonio Farao(p); Thomas Bramerie(b)


Jon Davis Trio
Beauty and the Blues




By EastWind
Performed by: Jon Davis (piano); Ed Howard (bass); Tim Horner (drums)
Description:
Pianist and composer Jon Davis has been performing and touring with many of the finest jazz musicians around world for more than twenty five years. He has appeared on over 45 recordings, and has contributed compositions to many of them. Although perhaps most widely known for his association with the legendary bassist, Jaco Pastorius, which along with drummer Brian Melvin, led to the critically acclaimed Brian Melvin - Standards Zone trio record, Jon has shown a rare versatility ranging from solo, to Big Band, and everything between. He spent eight years as the house pianist at the Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan, while maintaining a faculty position at The New School of Social Research.
In his debut CD from Venus Records of Japan, Davis delves deep into the blues, not strictly in terms of structure, as he chose a variety of well-known standards that do not conform to the blues form, but more in terms of the spirit and moods. The program starts with a soulful and even a bit funky rendition of "Beautiful Love" and includes such highlights as the beautiful "Moon River" and the bouncy "Mr. Lucky." A very well-executed, romantic piano trio album!
Recorded at Tedesco Studio in New York on October 5 and 6, 2012.
Album Tracks:
1. Beautiful Love; 2. Moon River; 3. How Long Has This Been Going On
4. Beauty And The Blues; 5. Mr. Lucky; 6. My One And Only Love; 7. Autumn Leaves
8. Mr. Bojangles; 9. This Is New; 10. Gershwin Prelude; 11. Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
12. The Shadow Of Your Smile; 13. So In Love

1 Sem 2013 - Part Twelve

Hiromi
Move: The Trio Project



By Jeff Winbush
In a world where the path to commercial success is to play it safe and keep faith in formula, it is only within jazz where being unpredictable is not only a virtue, but an expectation. Hiromi marks her first decade of music-making on her terrific ninth album, Move featuring her Trio Project with bassist Anthony Jackson and drummer Simon Phillips.
Reunited with Jackson and Phillips for a second outing after 2011's superb Voice, (Telarc, 2011) the two veteran musicians provide the Japanese pianist with a rhythm section that can not only keep up with her but push her in a way she wasn't by her Sonicbloom band. That is not to disparage the talents of drummer Martin Valihora and bassist Tony Grey, but different players bring different dynamics to a band and in Jackson and Phillips rhythm section, Hiromi's mash-up of post-bop, straight-ahead and rock styles come together in a blistering tour de force.
The majority of Hiromi's recordings are built around a concept and on Move, it's "Time in one day." Think of it not as much of a sequel to Time Control (Telarc, 2007), which focused on a similar theme and featured the ecletic/electric guitar stylings of Dave Fiuczynski, but as an advancement of those themes with the soloing no longer between her piano and Fiuczynski's guitar as it is with Phillips' drums.
Phillips' background is rooted in rock (Toto, The Who, Judas Priest, David Gilmour) and he brings that attitude to his timekeeping, but that doesn't mean he can't swing. Phillips can make it sound pretty when the moment calls for it, but his ferocious approach does take some getting used to. There are traces of Tony Williams and Steve Gadd in the power displays of Phillips as he is given plenty of solo space and he doesn't squander it. Holding down the bass chores, Jackson is more traditional in his role than his partners, but they also serve those who sit back and go about their business with cool professionalism.
"Move" begins with the a note being repeated until Phillips and Jackson jump in and off we go for 8:34 as it twists and turns in a knotty, intricate and difficult composition. It's exhausting, but in the way a thrill ride at an amusement park is. The moments of power and glory are matched by quieter ones that are graceful and subtle such as "Brand New Day." That's what Move is: an audio aerobic work out with moments of kinetic, frenetic movement followed by time to cool down and cool out a bit. At times there wasn't enough of a blend between the two on Voice and Hiromi strikes a happy balance here.
The "Escapism" suite ("Reality," "Fantasy," "In Between") is the centerpiece of a nearly 70-minute recording. Everything that either impresses or infuriates Hiromi's fans and critics can be found here. As an artist with supreme confidence in herself, it's doubtful whether Hiromi herself gives much thought to how her compositions are received. Calling it jazz doesn't quite seem to fit, but calling it rock doesn't do it either.
One way to look at what Hiromi and company are doing is to equate what they're trying with another band they seemingly have little in common with. Take Rush, the Canadian power rock trio, and swap out Alex Liefson's guitar for Hiromi's piano, sub-in Phillips for drummer Neil Peart and ditch Geddy Lee's vocals but hand the bass duties to Jackson and the fundamentals are pretty much the same except now this is a power jazz trio.
Move operates on an entirely different level from Hiromi's previous releases. It is less exploratory, yet it never plays it safe and retains her highly developed sense of fun. Are there are moments when she needs to throttle back just a bit? Sure, as her synthesizer solos are more about sound effects than saying anything bold or particularly innovating, but carping on that is like griping Lebron James isn't as exciting executing a jump shot as a slam dunk. Even a fan will find moments where the wall of sound approach of Hiromi and co-producer Michael Bishop is a bit loud or showy for the sake of showmanship. That is part of what the Trio Project is about; combining complexity with technical brilliance, but never losing sight of the fun aspect. "One size fits all" doesn't work for socks and it sure doesn't apply here.
For those who've been along for the ride that began with the debut of Another Mind (Telarc, 2003) this represents an another incredibly inspired stop in Uehara's decade-long pursuit of innovation and excellence. Not everyone will understand or enjoy what she is trying to do, but those who punched their tickets a decade ago will likely consider Move an early contender for Album of the Year. It certainly belongs in the conversation of whatever albums are.
Track Listing: 
Move: Brand New Day; Endeavor; Rainmaker; Suite Escapism: Reality; Suite Escapism: Fantasy; Suite Escapism; In Between; Margarita!; 11:49 PM
Personnel: 
Hiromi Uehara: piano, keyboards; Anthony Jackson: contrabass guitar; Simon Phillips: drums


Aaron Diehl
The Bespoke Man's Narrative




By Mark F. Turner
The reference to some exquisitely dressed man in the title of this release also conveys the stylistic bent of pianist Aaron Diehl's noteworthy debut on Mack Avenue. He is among a list of rising jazz pianists which include Gerald Clayton and Aaron Parks. The recording brings to life a project that was conceived in Indianapolis after Diehl, 26, earned first place in American Pianists Association's 2011 Cole Porter Fellowship.
The project fully displays Diehl's musicality—exquisite touch, phrasing, and melodicism and intricate compositions realized by equally gifted peers—the brilliant vibraphonist Warren Wolf and robust timing of drummer Rodney Green and bassist David Wong. The beginning bookend, "Prologue," sets the tone with a touch of finesse and groove, while the remaining tracks cover fresh originals and stirring arrangements of time weathered classics.
While firmly planted in the present, there's a timeless quality to the music, hearkening to the panache of pianist Duke Ellington and swing of The Modern Jazz Quartet. "Generation Y"'s fragile start gives way to boiling intensity as Wolf and Diehl soar with virtuosity. Yet it's also the sensual minor blues of "Blue Nude" that confounds the timeline as the cool melody floats lazily with vibraphone accents, Diehl's sophisticated playing, and Green's sweet drum spot.
Diehl's fingers enunciate each note and phrase on the poignant rendition of Ellington's "Single Petal of a Rose," paying respect to the original to a fault, down to Wong's bass accompaniment at the closing. This same deference is held for the Gershwin brothers' "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" and French composer Maurice Ravel's "Le Tombeau De Couperin (III. Forlane)," music that is skillfully and gorgeously rendered as the piano trio masterfully works through the changes. The attention to detail and high level of musicianship speak volumes of Diehl's savvy pianism in a release that not only possesses style but plenty of substance.
Track Listing:
Prologue; Generation Y; Blue Nude; Moonlight In Vermont; Single Petal Of A Rose;The Cylinder; Stop And Go; Le Tombeau De Couperin (III. Forlane); Bess, You Is My Woman Now; Epilogue;
Personnel: 
Aaron Diehl: Rodney Green: drums; piano; Warren Wolf: vibes (1-4, 6, 7, 10); David Wong: bass.


Stanley Cowell
It's Time




By Greg Simmons
The durable piano trio, with bass and drums accompaniment, is one of the most frequently employed and time-tested combos in jazz. The competition is fierce to say anything new or noteworthy, with plenty of attempts that yield mixed results. So it's a great pleasure to hear Stanley Cowell's It's Time: a finely crafted collection of mostly originals that is at once sophisticated, both aggressive and pensive, and simply fascinating to listen to.
It's Time uses melody, rhythm, and space to construct music that can be in turns deceptively simple or jarringly complex—even cacophonous in places. Cowell has speed and dexterity, but employs them judiciously in the service of his compositions. On some tracks he falls back to quiet construction, following with a big vamp or explosive crescendos, but even at his most intense Cowell's playing has a certain delicacy to it. Every track has been clearly thought out, but they all still retain a sense of spontaneity, and regardless of whether Cowell is playing hard or soft, inside or outside, the record is exceptionally engaging. There is not one dull second on this date.
The accompanying bass and drums are fully integrated into the compositions, not there to merely keep time. On "El Space-O" drummer Chris Brown keeps a spare tick-tock rhythm that, while restrained, caries a subtle forward motion. He varies his impacts enough, altering among his drums and cymbals, to make it clear that he's contributing to the music instead of just supporting it. Cowell's melody is essentially a minor blues, although a very urbane interpretation. He uses the framework as a platform for improvisation that morphs from variations on the melodic chord structure into deconstructed sheets of sound, with waves of notes seemingly delivered with all ten fingers rolling the keys simultaneously. The intensity of his delivery is periodically at odds with the stately tempo, but in the end he recapitulates to bring it all home cleanly.
The title track, a Max Roach composition, opens with a hymn-like chord structure, even as the piece quickly breaks into a gallop. Cowell plays this one hard, densely packing his improvisations with long, tight runs, but regularly falling back into the chord sequence to ensure that he never strays too far. Perhaps most noteworthy: even as he races across the keys—and he is racing—his touch is always erudite and even light-handed. There's a remarkable grace and refinement in his playing.
In addition to great music, it's worth noting that the recording of It's Time is exceptional. Steeplechase albums have always been well recorded, but their digital media has sometimes lost something in translation. In the last few years they appear to have placed a new emphasis on delivering excellent sounding CDs and they're now really doing justice to their musicians.
If It's Time is an indication of the music kicking around in Cowell's head, he should go record more of it. It's Time is a first-rate performance that begs for an encore.
Track Listing: 
Cosmology; El Space-O; Vishnu On The Serpent; Krishna; Asian Art Suite; Glass Ball & Couch Bed; Brawl Inducer; I Never Dreamed; It's Time; King; We Shall 2; Long Vamp; Abstrusions.
Personnel: 
Stanley Cowell: piano; Tom DiCarlo: bass; Chris Brown: drums.


Edu Lobo & Metropole Orkest



By DustyGroove
Some of the boldest, most expressive work we've heard from Edu Lobo in years – a beautiful recording with the Metropole Orchestra, who help Lobo regain all the lofty power of his early 70s years! The arrangements here are full, and full of feeling too – lead vocals by Lobo soaring over the top of his sublime compositions, pushed onward strongly with the full orchestrations of the ensemble –and given some great jazzy undercurrents by the flute and sax work of Mauro Senise! We always like Edu, but the album's a real return to the qualities that first made us fall in love with his music so many years ago – and is continuing proof that the Metropole Orchestra really know how to bring new energy to an artist. Titles include "Vento Bravo", "Canto Triste", "Casa Forte", "Zanzibar", "Ave Rara", "Choro Bandido", "A Bela E A Fera", "Frevo Diabo", and "Danca Do Corrupiao".

By O Fluminense
CD foi gravado em uma noite, no concerto realizado em 28 de maio de 2011, onde também tocaram os brasileiros Mauro Senise e Gilson Peranzzetta, fiéis companheiros de Edu.
Ter o privilégio de ter parte de sua obra revista com a luxuosa companhia da Metropole Orkest (orquestra holandesa formada em 1945) é para poucos. Apenas alguns poucos nomes, como Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock, Ivan Lins e Egberto Gismonti.
Agora chegou a vez do registro do encontro entre Edu Lobo e a Metropole chegar ao mercado.
Edu Lobo & Metropole Orkest (Biscoito Fino) foi gravado em uma noite, no concerto realizado em 28 de maio de 2011, onde também tocaram os brasileiros Mauro Senise e Gilson Peranzzetta, fiéis companheiros de Edu.
Regida pelo maestro Jules Buckey e com orquestrações de Peranzzetta, o concerto recria algumas das mais belas canções da autoria de Edu, com parceiros como Aldir Blanc (Ave Rara), Chico Buarque (A Bela e a Fera, Na Carreira e Choro Bandido), Vinícius de Moraes (Canção do Amanhecer) e Paulo Cesar Pinheiro (Vento Bravo), além de algumas composições próprias.
O resultado dá outra dimensão ao trabalho de Edu, que se sai bem como intérprete, embora não seja essa a sua faceta mais conhecida ou de melhor resultado. O som envolvente da orquestra é mais que suficiente para recomendar esse CD. Isto, sem nem falar da beleza das composições do mestre Edu.


Dudu Lima
Cordas Mineiras



By FarofaModerna Blog
Além da assinatura do seu trio, Dudu conta com a participação especial de um dos maiores nomes da música brasileira -- já consagrado internacionalmente, inclusive, como um dos grandes músicos brasileiros --, o compositor, guitarrista, cantor e arranjador mineiro Toninho Horta , além das participações de músicos convidados tais como Chico Curzio, Fofinho Forever, Hermanes Abreu, Juarez Moreira, Luis Leite e Salim; Dudu, por sua vez, atua no contrabaixo acústico, elétrico e fretless e em toda totalidade dos arranjos e da direção musical. Mas é preciso salientar, sobretudo, que acima do oportunismo, das boas intenções ou da própria necessidade de formar um público, a identificação do contrabaixista com o Clube da Esquina é eminentemente de origem nativa e apego cultural: ou seja, é natural que, sendo nascido em Juiz de Fora, Dudu represente suas origens mineiras através da sua arte de compor e do seu talento de interpretar. Contudo, muito mais do que atuar na função de intérprete, ele compõe sua própria música e recria as canções alheias bem ao seu estilo próprio de arranjo, sem transfigurá-las. Especificamente enquanto instrumentista, ele enfatiza o contrabaixo como o principal instrumento solista dentro da banda, colocando-o no centro em todas as linhas de frente: é muito interessante, por exemplo, como ele atua no suporte harmônico usando o contrabaixo elétrico como se este fosse um violão ou um piano, isso sem contar seus solos que são, ao mesmo tempo, virtuosos e líricos. Dentre as técnicas musicais utilizadas pode-se observar o "tapping", técnica ampliada pelo legendário guitarrista americano Stanley Jordan, amigo e constante parceiro de Dudu Lima.
Antecedido pelo magnifico projeto Ouro de Minas, também documentado em CD e DVD, o "Cordas Mineiras" apresenta nove canções, todas na linguagem instrumental: desse total, três delas, Benito (com participação especial deToninho Horta), Alma e Mr. Jordan (em homenagem a Stanley Jordan), são assinadas por Dudu Lima; as outras seis são Amor de Índio (Beto Guedes/ Ronaldo Bastos), Vento de Maio (Lô Borges/ Marcio Borges), Céu de Minas (Luiz Leite), Luar do Caçador (Chico Curzio), Baião Barroco (Juarez Moreira) e Trenzinho do Caipira (Heitor Villa-Lobos). Já em Ouro de Minas, Dudu Lima homenageou Fávio Venturini e, principalmente, Milton Nascimento e João Bosco, os quais também participam como colaboradores: de Venturini foi inclusa "Nascente"; de Bosco foram inclusas as canções "Corsário", "Bala com Bala" e "O Ronco da Cuíca"; enquando de Nascimento foram inclusas "Um Cafuné na cabeça, malandro, eu quero até de macaco", "Fé Cega", "Faca Amolada" e "Cravo e Canela". Enfim, como se pode presenciar, Dudu Lima, que já vinha de uma prolíficua carreira como contrabaixista, acaba por reafirmar seu talento nos meandros da composição e concretiza-se como um estudioso do inovador cancioneiro mineiro. Pois bem: o nosso desejo é que muitos álbuns e DVDS com belas composições próprias e/ou com belas releituras surjam. Como instrumentista, Dudu Lima já tocou com os mais diversos gênios da música brasileira e internacional: entre eles Stanley Jordan, Hermeto Pascoal, Jovino Santos Neto, Arthur Maia, Mauro Senise e Jean-Pierre Zanella.


Roberto Olzer Trio
Steppin´ Out




By Roberto Olzer
‘Our Interest’s on the dangerous edge of things’: this phrase of the British novelist Graham Green came to mind the first time I played with Yuri and Mauro in 2008. It expresses that sense of vertigo which comes from making music without clinging to old, outworn paths but instead, reaching out to find a common, profoundly meaningful sound.
Sometimes, I am surprised, how well literary allusions are applicable to musical encounters and experiences. The same applies to the numerous remembrances of the poetry of Rilke which filled my thoughts these past months, as I prepared for this recording. There is a humble dedication to him in this work. In particular, the lyric, ‘Die Irren’ – the Madmen – recounts those nocturnal moments when their still faces appear at the windows of their prison and everything is in balance for a time: The garden, often distorted, is now soothed and grows to the pulsations of unknown worlds.
In other words: I think of music, this music, as something which brings a sense of meaning and harmony to my life. Far from being a useless ornament, it is an accomplishment– heralding the season of laughter and taking flight.

Roberto Olzer, pianoforte
Yuri Goloubev, contrabbasso
Mauro Beggio, batteria

Recorded and mixed on June 2012 at Artesuono (Udine), by Stefano Amerio.

Die Irren (to R. M. Rilke) (Roberto Olzer)
Pat’s World (Yuri Goloubev)
Filosofo (Elisa Marangon)
Gloomy Sunday (Rezso Seress)
Every little thing she does is magic (Sting)
Clay (Roberto Olzer)
Romanza (Francois Poulenc)
FF (Fast Forward) (Roberto Olzer)
Sad Simplicity (Yuri Goloubev)
The Edge (Roberto Olzer)

Friday, May 03, 2013

Jessica Williams Recovery - May 2013


Page updated May 1st, 2013. 
I am recovering from Lumbar (lower back) 3-level fusion with PEEK cage bone graft surgery and stainless-steel instrumentation, with 6 pedicle screws, 4 bone cages, and 2 radiolucent rods. Add to that a 3-segment Smith-Peterson Osteotomy, The autografts (bone-infusions) were taken from my inner pelvic bone, the iliac crest. After the bone-infusion heals, my surgeon(s) may want to remove the metal parts (see video and MRI below.) 
I am requesting your financial assistance to survive the year-plus healing process before returning to playing again. Pre- and post-op views: click here to view MRI's
Please copy, share, post, or send this linkhttp://www.jessicawilliams.com/donations/index.html — to friends.

Report: May 1st, 2013. 
" Hello, loving friends. I am presently weening myself from the awful pain killer Norco, which is a Big Pharma concoction of Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen in 10mg strength. It is an Opioid. Recently, my lovely State made the miraculous political move of legalizing medical marijuana for chronic pain. I was evaluated and prescribed Cannabidiol, also known as CBD Oil, a crushed-flower extract that I take sublingually (under the tongue) once daily. It doesn't get one high, but it kills pain, and is so much more effective than the addictive Norco. And even though it's a marijuana extract, there's no smoking involved. It's a greenish-brown plant derivative that has the consistency of jam, and I use a tiny amount, about the size of a half-grain of rice.
It has been good for my health, good for my State, good for the revenues it brings in to my State, and good for the many returning War Veterans who seriously need relief from their often ghastly chronic pain. And it is not addictive. I see this as an example of Laws for the Good of the Many as opposed to harsh, tyrannical oppression, which never works for long, and only creates scarcity, increased criminal activity, and unhappiness. It shows me that my country can still move forward and use logic and compassion instead of greed and corruption to create a better future for all of us. I still love my America so very much. It's my home.
I play piano almost every day. I can play now for about 40 minutes before I need to lie down and rest. I listen to the radio. I've even grown fond of some of the "New Country" tunes. When I'm feeling tired or blue, I "put my Country on". I was born in Maryland, right on the Mason-Dixon Line, and spent a lot of time in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia... so it's a natural thing for me. I sing along.
I also listen to the classical stations. I love Bach, and I am immersed in the Russian composers, with Tchaikovsky at the lead. A true romantic for the romantic in me.
You said "no jazz?" to which I reply: as the music inside of me goes, so I follow. I love jazz, and I will always love Miles, Monk, Trane, and all of the greats. I played with "Philly Joe" Jones and Tony Williams and Dexter Gordon and Charlie Rouse and Eddie Harris and Stan Getz. I can't erase that, nor would I want to. I spent 50 years with jazz, and it's a part of me. I can never forget that. Don't worry! There will always be jazz in my blood and in my music. But there are things that I still have to contribute, and I don't follow the pack, as you've probably noticed! I won't ever play in a club again, though. My concerts will be no more than 75-90 minutes long, just as they almost always were, and I have new experiences to bring. Music doesn't move forward without change, and I MUST follow the changes in my own life. It is my own version of The Golden Path.
Just like painters paint what they see, I must play what I hear. I found this quote that sums up my life and where I go from here:
"Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering its a feather bed." - Terence McKenna
At 65, my life begins again. This IS a miracle. I DID have to face all my fear. "Face your Fears or they will climb over your back."
So I write down melodies of my own and work on them when I'm feeling strong. I don't have very much strength or stamina, but LOTS of ideas. I practice scales like a good student, just as John Coltrane or Glenn Gould did, and I record the music in my head, in rough form, onto a CD or I write it down.
I walk at least a kilometer a day (to the mailbox), and I dance in the kitchen... well, it's my version of dance, with soft flowing movements very akin to Tai Chi Chuan, and I study Qi Gong (Ki Chung) which is a medicinal, self-healing Chinese Art. I went to a gym once, but almost fell off of the treadmill. My neurosurgeon admonishes me to stay away from gyms, and to exercise within my abilities. Walking is great for me, but I don't go very fast. When I get home, I head for the bed for a few hours rest.
And I've never played any sports, never done anything too physical. But those of you who have seen me play know that I get a real workout when I perform. I always tried to keep up with the men. Now, I'm happy just being me and bringing my female self to all of my music. This music needs Yin and Yang, and jazz (both local and world-class) could be more welcoming to women players. I think my struggle to "keep up" is one reason that my back gave out. We're built different, we think different, and we are different, so we must never be in competition with anyone for long. Our way is cooperation. (I think cooperation and an open heart and mind is good advice for the guys, too.)
I love to play 'frisbee' in the yard with my little dog Angel (a Boston Terrier). I love the taste of food but am still at 148 pounds (67.1 kilos) and with my height at an even 6 feet tall or 1.8 meters, I am skinny like a model. But it feels good to move, and my movements get gradually easier. I sure look good in clothes now! The hardest thing for me is what I am doing RIGHT NOW which is sitting at a computer keyboard and updating this chronicle.
It still hurts enough that I can't sit for more than 40-50 minutes or stand for too long. It's a slow road back. Of course, good lovin' always makes hard times easier, and I am very happy to say that I am blessed.
I think I've said enough.
This is/was/will be one incredibly difficult and painful operation to have, with a recuperation period that can extend for several years. Morselized bone grafts do not heal in 6 weeks or even 6 months. Some people's PEEK cage grafts never fully solidify. So I still have the metal in me, the pedicle screws and the rods and the bolts and the PEEK cages. Dr Hanscom says that I will keep them for life or until a screw comes loose. I don't want any loose screws!!!
In summary, I just want to thank you all, from my heart, once again. You are helping me get through the hardest, most painful time in my life, and, although I'm not there yet, I am getting there! Blessings to you all. Stay well and stand up straight!"
 - JW, May 1st, 2013

Thursday, May 02, 2013

Jazz Records By George Marques

Caros amigos jazzófilos,
Não sei se a informação procede, mas alguns e-mails que recebi dão conta que hoje, 30/04, é o Dia Internacional do Jazz. Não sei se é fato ou qual a origem a que se refere a data, mas é sempre uma boa desculpa para compartilhar com os amigos as minhas audições recentes.
Aí vão:

1) Brad Mehldau Trio - Where Do You Start: 


Provavelmente, o melhor álbum de jazz contemporâneo que eu escuto nos últimos dois anos. Mehldau em grande forma e com excelente acompanhamento (Larry Grenadier no baixo e Jeff Ballard na bataria) destila toda sua sofisticação, técnica e inventividade em um repertório eclético e nada óbvio. Eu, pelo menos, não me lembro de ouvir "Airegin" de Sonny Rollin em um trio com piano. Meus destaques vão para atmosfera lírica de "Samba e Amor" (de Chico Buarque) e a genial inserção de tonalidades fúnebres em "Holland". CD para ouvir e reouvir muitas vezes.


2) "Swept Away" - Marc Johnson & Eliane Elias, com
Joe Lovano e Joey Baron:


 Nada como reunir músicos talentosos para fazer um CD despretensioso. Na minha opinião, muitos CDs de jazz recente (especialmente da ECM) sofrem por excesso de pretensão dos músicos, que querem se mostrar profundos e técnicos, pecam por indulgência e acabam fazendo música inócua (excesso de acordes isolados, sem conexão temática ou melódica) ou pomposa. "Swept Away" é um antídoto perfeito contra o jazz pretensioso. Os temas são simples, explorando células rítmicas ou melodias singelas. Os solos são límpidos, sem redundâncias e exibicionismos. Mais importante, os temas são variados, ora contemplativos, ora alegres, ora líricos. Essa é "casual music" no melhor sentido da palavra.


3) Marcin Wasiliewski Trio - "Faithful" e "January": 

          

Dois CDs com o trio de músicos poloneses. Uma pena. Músicos talentosos, com técnica e sofisticação, mas pouco inspirados. Difícil encontrar algum defeito objetivamente nesses álbuns, com perfeito equilíbrio entre os músicos, mas na minha opinião falta vida, vitalidade nessas músicas. Não há problemas em fazer música melancólica, mas a grande arte precisa saber expressar e se possível transcender os sentimentos que a originam. Nesse caso, a improvisação sobre temas vagos, sem caráter definido, consegue criar uma atmosfera lírica e contemplativa, mas fica nisso. Falta desenvolvimento orgânico para a música.


4) Tord Gustavensen Trio - "The Ground": 


Aplicam-se os mesmos critérios para música de Wasiliewski. Um conjunto talentoso, com técnica e consistência, faz música honesta, mas falta aquela centelha de inspiração que incandesce as melhores apresentações de jazz. Mais uma vez, não é problema de concepção. Fica a impressão que os músicos são capazes de fazer mais e melhor.


5) Lee Konitz & Warne Marsh - "Live at Copenhanguen
Vols. 1, 2 e 3":

   

 Não me canso de ouvir essas gravações. Em 1975, Konitz e Marsh já haviam amadurecido suficientemente seus estilos individuais para não serem mais simplesmente rotulados de "discípulos de Lennie Tristano". Inevitavelmente, qualquer reencontro desses dois saxofonistas inclui uma revisita aos temas clássicos de Tristano (Kary´s Trance, Two not One, April, Lennie-Bird, Palo Alto, Background Music), mas o curioso é que nessas reinterpretações as músicas soam mais livres, mais desenvoltas, mesmo dentro dos rígidos moldes "tristanescos". É como se eles quisessem oferecer as leituras definitivas daquelas obras clássicas que marcaram a formação de ambos. Uma belíssima homenagem póstuma ao pianista, que à época das gravações já estava falecido há dez anos. Outro destaque: duetos de Konitz e Marsh com transcrição de duas Invenções a Duas Vozes de J. S. Bach - o sax alto executa a linha da mão esquerda e o tenor da mão direita. Genial!


6) Dexter Gordon - "Our Man in Paris":


7) Mal Waldron - "Impressions":



Não vou enganar vocês. Nos últimos cinco anos, esses foram os CDs de jazz que eu mais ouvi. Eu acho essas execuções inesgotáveis, cheias de vitalidade e inventividade. Acho que muitos dos jazzistas contemporâneos deveriam sair de seu torpor lúgrube e tentar recuperar a energia e inspiração desses grandes mestres, cuja música não fica "ultrapassada" nunca.

Bem, nesse Dia Internacional do Jazz só posso dizer que um dia por ano é muito pouco para fazer justiça a essa grande forma de arte.

Abraços,
George

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

International Jazz Day - 2013



International Jazz Day Global Concert
Transmitido ao vivo em 30/04/2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s8vAE8BuoU

On April 30th, 2013, Istanbul played host to the International Jazz Day Global Concert, featuring Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, Robert Glasper, Esperanza Spalding, Joss Stone, Marcus Miller, John McLaughlin, Terence Blanchard, Ruben Blades, Ramsey Lewis, Hugh Masekela, Eddie Palmieri, Al Jarreau, Dianne Reeves, George Duke, Lee Ritenour, Jean-Luc Ponty, Milton Nascimento, John Beasley, Igor Butman, Anat Cohen, Vinnie Coliauta, Imer Demirer, James Genus, Bilal Karaman, Pedrito Martinez, Keiko Matsui, Terri Lyne Carrington, Hüsnü Şenlendirici, Joe Louis Walker, Ben Williams and others.

The concert was broadcast live to celebrate International Jazz Day 2013. Presented by UNESCO, the Republic of Turkey and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.