Universality
By CdMusicCz
distant relative (matej benko) 7:37
absence (matej benko) 6:23
fairytale about caroline (matej benko) 7:16
loro (egberto gismonti) 5:38
granny's room (matej benko) 5:53
smoke gets in your eyes (jerome kern) 8:26
all fool's day (matej benko) 7:10
universality piano intro (matej benko) 2:24
universality (matej benko) 7:54
chan chan (francisco repilado) 5:57
All songs published by ARTA Music except loro, smoke gets in your eyes, chan chan
Matej Benko Trio:
Matej Benko - piano
Jan Greifoner - double bass
Branko Krizek - drums
Six years ago, a trumpet player from Trutnov, Jan Pribil, founded a group called No Borders, working with drummer Branko Krizek and doublebassist Jan Greifoner, his collaborators from earlier projects. The pianist was a young Slovak who was in his first year of studies in Prague at that time, Matej Benko. The group made its mark on the domestic jazz scene with interpretations of works by contemporary jazz artists. The band continued as a quartet until its founder left for health reasons. The remaining three members sought other soloists for long-term collaboration, but after some time they realized that the trio line-up was most suitable for them. The next three years saw them performing as a trio as well as backing up Eva Emingerova (CD "Sophisticated Lady"), Jana Koubkova and other artists. Individually, the trio members also worked on other projects (Benko in the Vit Svec Trio - CD "Keporkak", Krizek with Elena Suchankova, Greifoner with J.J.Jazzmen, etc.)
2006 marks the release of their first trio recording as well as a change in name; the former No Borders is now named after the trio's leader.
Arta Records (2006)
Blue Moon: The New York Sessions
by Jon O'Brien
Still going strong at the age of 81, legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal's love letter to his favorite Broadway, Hollywood, and Great American Songbook classics, Blue Moon, is arguably one of his most accomplished efforts since his Chess/Impulse! heyday. The Pittsburgh virtuoso, once credited by Miles Davis as a major influence on his career, shows that age is no barrier to invention with six exquisite reworkings of postwar standards, from a romantic orchestral take on the title track to Otto Preminger's 1944 film Laura to a delicately whimsical interpretation of Charlie Parker's "Gypsy." Jamal's improvised cluster of chords remains as expressive and sprightly as ever, but it's when drummer Herlin Riley, who along with bassist Reginald Veal (Wynton Marsalis) and percussionist Manolo Badrena (Weather Report) form the backbone of the record, is allowed to let loose that they really spring to life, from the syncopated grooves of the epic 13-minute adaptation of A Life of Her Own's "Invitation," to the Latin rhythms on the title track and Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody'n You," to the surprisingly contemporary R&B beats of Golden Boy show tune "This Is the Life." The simmering lounge pop of "Autumn Rain," the delicate "Morning Mist," and the tender solo "I Remember Italy," a Debussy-esque number inspired by his many travels, all of which are original compositions, are equally majestic. But it's his interpretative skills that ensure Blue Moon will go down as one of Jamal's modern greats.
Daerr / Sieverts / Jutte
by Jon O'Brien
Still going strong at the age of 81, legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal's love letter to his favorite Broadway, Hollywood, and Great American Songbook classics, Blue Moon, is arguably one of his most accomplished efforts since his Chess/Impulse! heyday. The Pittsburgh virtuoso, once credited by Miles Davis as a major influence on his career, shows that age is no barrier to invention with six exquisite reworkings of postwar standards, from a romantic orchestral take on the title track to Otto Preminger's 1944 film Laura to a delicately whimsical interpretation of Charlie Parker's "Gypsy." Jamal's improvised cluster of chords remains as expressive and sprightly as ever, but it's when drummer Herlin Riley, who along with bassist Reginald Veal (Wynton Marsalis) and percussionist Manolo Badrena (Weather Report) form the backbone of the record, is allowed to let loose that they really spring to life, from the syncopated grooves of the epic 13-minute adaptation of A Life of Her Own's "Invitation," to the Latin rhythms on the title track and Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody'n You," to the surprisingly contemporary R&B beats of Golden Boy show tune "This Is the Life." The simmering lounge pop of "Autumn Rain," the delicate "Morning Mist," and the tender solo "I Remember Italy," a Debussy-esque number inspired by his many travels, all of which are original compositions, are equally majestic. But it's his interpretative skills that ensure Blue Moon will go down as one of Jamal's modern greats.
Daerr / Sieverts / Jutte
Celebrating Ralph Siegel: Germany 12 points
Tracks:
1. Du kannst nicht immer 17 sein - 05:44 (Siegel, Ralph)
2. Dschingis Khan (blue) - 06:03 (Siegel, Ralph)
3. Griechischer Wein - 03:12 (Jürgens, Udo)
4. Ein bisschen Frieden I - 05:40 (Siegel, Ralph)
5. Dschingis Khan (swing) - 03:15 (Siegel, Ralph)
6. Do you speak English - 03:20 (Siegel, Ralph)
7. Theater - 04:06 (Siegel, Ralph)
8. Dann heirat doch dein Büro - 03:20 (Siegel, Ralph)
9. Moskau - 05:21 (Siegel, Ralph)
10. Dschingis Khan (reggae) - 02:28 (Siegel, Ralph)
11. Fiesta Mexicana - 02:09 (Siegel, Ralph)
12. Ein bisschen Frieden II - 06:48 (Siegel, Ralph)
13. Lass die Sonne in dein Herz - 02:58 (Siegel, Ralph)
Tracks:
1. Du kannst nicht immer 17 sein - 05:44 (Siegel, Ralph)
2. Dschingis Khan (blue) - 06:03 (Siegel, Ralph)
3. Griechischer Wein - 03:12 (Jürgens, Udo)
4. Ein bisschen Frieden I - 05:40 (Siegel, Ralph)
5. Dschingis Khan (swing) - 03:15 (Siegel, Ralph)
6. Do you speak English - 03:20 (Siegel, Ralph)
7. Theater - 04:06 (Siegel, Ralph)
8. Dann heirat doch dein Büro - 03:20 (Siegel, Ralph)
9. Moskau - 05:21 (Siegel, Ralph)
10. Dschingis Khan (reggae) - 02:28 (Siegel, Ralph)
11. Fiesta Mexicana - 02:09 (Siegel, Ralph)
12. Ein bisschen Frieden II - 06:48 (Siegel, Ralph)
13. Lass die Sonne in dein Herz - 02:58 (Siegel, Ralph)
Besetzung:
Carsten Daerr – piano
Henning Sieverts – bass, cello
Bastian Jütte- drums
Recorded by Florian Oestreicher at Realistic Sound, Munich, Germany on September 26 - 27, 2005
Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann
Produced by Siegfried Loch
Emmet Cohen
In The Element
At the ripe old age of 21, jazz piano prodigy Emmet Cohen has already racked
up an impressive list of awards among them, Downbeat's Best Jazz
Soloist and Best Jazz Combo (for the Emmet Cohen Trio), placed first in the
Kathleen T. and Philip B. Phillip's Piano competition at University of West
Florida and was selected as a finalist for the 2011 American Pianist's
Association's Cole Porter Fellowship. With In The Element, Cohen makes
a brash and bold musical statement on his debut as leader, featuring bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Rodney Green. Playing the piano since the
age of three, Cohen spent seven years studying classical piano and continues his
studies towards a music degree under renowned jazz pianists and educators Shelly Berg and Martin Bejerano, at the University of
Miami's Frost School of Music.
Musically mature beyond his years, the pianist displays the experience of a seasoned veteran with his playing and music. Cohen reveals sparkling interpretations of classics and the depth of his talents on a selection of standards from writers including Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, and Frank Foster. "Resentment (Without Reason)," "The Swarm," "Just Deserts" and the title track, are creative and technically intricate originals providing ample evidence of Cohen's skills as a writer.
Porter's "It's All Right With Me" serves as a warm-up of what's to come, providing only a measure of the artistic flair Cohen demonstrates throughout the album. The sophisticated "Resentment (Without Reason)" unleashes the lion within, igniting a powerful performance where a nimble-finger approach and command of the instrument are in play. The very same can also be said of his remarkable performance on "The Swarm," where the pianist employs a similar assertive style.
Veteran trumpeter Greg Gisbert—a Criss Cross artist and founder of the Convergence band—appears as special guest on "Just Deserts," Irene Higgenbotham's "Good Morning Heartache" and the finale, "3 O' Clock in the Morning." Cohen's title piece and his rendition of Foster's "Simone" (a feature for Sanders) leave little doubt that he is something special.
The young prodigy delivers an absolutely beautiful solo performance on Fred Coots' jazz standard "For All We Know," the album's only real ballad and one of its outstanding pieces. Cohen's charming In The Element captures an amazing young talent comfortable in a musical landscape that he masters like a virtuoso. Add his name to the short list of young piano lions of jazz that include Taylor Eigsti, Matt Savage, Eldar Djangirov and Briton John Escreet—all rising stars of note.
Track Listing:
It's All Right With Me; Resentment (Without Reason); Where Or When; The Swarm; Just Deserts; Good Morning Heartache; In The Element; Simone; For All We Know; 3 O' Clock In the Morning.
Personnel:
Emmet Cohen: piano; Joe Sanders: bass; Rodney Green: drums; Greg Gisbert: trumpet (5, 6, 10).
Maria Markesini
Cinema Passionata: a motion picture songbook
Musically mature beyond his years, the pianist displays the experience of a seasoned veteran with his playing and music. Cohen reveals sparkling interpretations of classics and the depth of his talents on a selection of standards from writers including Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, and Frank Foster. "Resentment (Without Reason)," "The Swarm," "Just Deserts" and the title track, are creative and technically intricate originals providing ample evidence of Cohen's skills as a writer.
Porter's "It's All Right With Me" serves as a warm-up of what's to come, providing only a measure of the artistic flair Cohen demonstrates throughout the album. The sophisticated "Resentment (Without Reason)" unleashes the lion within, igniting a powerful performance where a nimble-finger approach and command of the instrument are in play. The very same can also be said of his remarkable performance on "The Swarm," where the pianist employs a similar assertive style.
Veteran trumpeter Greg Gisbert—a Criss Cross artist and founder of the Convergence band—appears as special guest on "Just Deserts," Irene Higgenbotham's "Good Morning Heartache" and the finale, "3 O' Clock in the Morning." Cohen's title piece and his rendition of Foster's "Simone" (a feature for Sanders) leave little doubt that he is something special.
The young prodigy delivers an absolutely beautiful solo performance on Fred Coots' jazz standard "For All We Know," the album's only real ballad and one of its outstanding pieces. Cohen's charming In The Element captures an amazing young talent comfortable in a musical landscape that he masters like a virtuoso. Add his name to the short list of young piano lions of jazz that include Taylor Eigsti, Matt Savage, Eldar Djangirov and Briton John Escreet—all rising stars of note.
Track Listing:
It's All Right With Me; Resentment (Without Reason); Where Or When; The Swarm; Just Deserts; Good Morning Heartache; In The Element; Simone; For All We Know; 3 O' Clock In the Morning.
Personnel:
Emmet Cohen: piano; Joe Sanders: bass; Rodney Green: drums; Greg Gisbert: trumpet (5, 6, 10).
Maria Markesini
Cinema Passionata: a motion picture songbook
By: Jan Klupper
Maria Markesini werd geboren op een van de eilanden van Griekenland. Haar jeugd werd gekenmerkt door vrijheid, prachtige natuur en het openluchttheater onder de volle maan. Ze is van jongs af aan gefascineerd door de Cinema. Dit drukt een stempel op haar muzikale ontwikkeling.
In Griekenland is ze een gevestigde artiest, in Nederland heeft ze onlangs pas bekendheid gekregen met haar vorige album: ‘Kosmo’. In de wandelgangen toegeschreven aan het jazz genre, maar bij nadere beschouwing bevat Kosmo zowel popsongs als, toen al, invloeden uit de filmindustrie, zoals 'Cinema Paradiso'.
Ook haar nieuwe album ‘Cinema Passionata’ is doordrongen van de filmmuziek. Het intro is indrukwekkend.Het eerste nummer getuigt reeds van een onvoorstelbare dramatische zeggingskracht; het gaat over een vrouw die al zuchtend een trein uitstapt en goedbedoelde hulp argeloos de wind in slaat.. Hierop volgt het stemmige ‘Slow Hot Wind’ van de film ‘The Big Lebowsky’. Vervolgens neemt dit album dan een enorme wending in sfeer. De compositie ‘Never On Sunday’ –naar de gelijknamige film- is een zoete, vredige en zelfs kinderlijke compositie. Het is een heel bekende melodie die je zo kunt meezingen. De sfeer verandert vervolgens weer, getuige het sferische ‘With Wandering Steps’; een humorvol nummer. Samen met ‘Rolls’ van de film ‘Les Valseuses’ laat Markesini hier horen over ontzettend veel zangkwaliteiten te beschikken. Met haar klassiek geschoolde keel steekt ze op een speelse en natuurlijke manier uit boven veel zangtalenten en muzikale grootheden.
Zonder een karakterisering van haar band, heb je geen volledig beeld van dit gepassioneerde album. De bandleden vormen een onmiskenbaar onderdeel van de inboezeming. Er is heel wat talent uit de kast gehaald. Sebastiaan Koolhoven bemoeide zich met veel arrangementen. Zowel Thijs Cuppen op piano, Ward Veenstra op gitaar, Lene te Voortwis op verschillende bassen en Arthur Lijten op drums en percussie hebben allemaal een specifieke invulling. Zij voorzien in volle en ritmische muziek. Een goed voorbeeld van deze goede positionering van de ritmiek is ‘I’m Not In Love At All’ van de film ‘The Pajama Game’. Mocht het hier en daar wat overdone en ongecontroleerd overkomen, zoals bij ‘Gee The Bee’, dan is dat tijdelijk. Het is samen met ‘African Queen’ een van de nummers die Markesini zelf schreef.
Tegen het einde brengt ze het in het Nederlands gezongen ‘Duifies’ van de televisieserie ‘Ja zuster, nee zuster’. Op de achtergrond klinken allerlei historische uitspraken, waaronder een uitspraak van Theo Koomen: “Wat een goal!” En de gevleugelde uitspraak van Maxima: ‘Hij is een beetje dom.’
‘Cinema Passionata’ is een interessante release. Markesini voelt zich thuis in dit genre. Alsof ze erin geboren is. De composities vormen geen uitdaging voor haar. En gelukkig maar, want zo vertolkt zij op ongekend hoog niveau en met een hoog entertainment gehalte haar passie: de cinema die een groot gedeelte van haar jeugd in beslag nam.
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