Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Peter Protschka Quintet (feat. Rick Margitza) - Twilight Jamboree (Live at Bird's Eye Basel) 2015



Ability to suffer, they say, is part of the basic equipment of every "genuine" jazz musician. For example, enduring the strenuous, grueling circumstances of a tour every day, something that the superstars of pop would not even discuss To be patient, and then to feel this inimitable sense of deep faith in a band at the end of the day, to be able to enjoy the collective willingness to take risks with the resulting limitless musical freedom and the reactions of an enthusiastic audience in the best case.
Peter Protschka can tell you a thing and play a song about it.

The musician from Cologne is one of the most versatile and interesting German jazz trumpet players of the younger generation. His greatest passion is hard-bop and post-bop, that classic American way of playing jazz that has been cultivated since the early 1960s, exudes sheer energy and passion that can almost exclusively be produced live on stage and hardly ever in a sterile studio with its wild beauty. To this end goes, Protschka regularly goes on tours, including with his current quintet, to which the superb US tenor singer Rick Margitza belongs along with Martin Sasse (piano), Martin Gjakonovski (Bass) and Tobias Backhaus (Drums).

"To go on tour with a jazz band is just as exhausting today as it was 30 or 40 years ago; you should not delude yourself about that," the trumpeter writes in the liner notes of his new CD "Twilight Jamboree". "You can sit all day in the car, and the bandleader often drives himself, as is in our case. On the interstate highway all day, traffic jams, then arrive, sound check, check-in at the hotel, the first hot meal of the day, and the long-awaited shower is often only after the concert, then a few drinks at the bar, a few hours of sleep. And the same routine the next day, usually a week or more at a time."




Why does a jazz musician put himself through all of this? It's really only about the thing in itself. The gods have always demanded sweat before success. And this success—see above—Protschka and Co. want to have this success over and over again. It simply pays for everything, inspires, lets you forget all the troubles you experienced. The evening of October 24, 2014 at the Basel jazz club "Birdʼs Eye" must have been such a moment. Five musicians who delve into their own sound world oblivious to the world, blend into an organic unit after just a few bars, in which there are no egos anymore, but only deep inner acceptance, crispy grooves, beautiful melodies and brilliant runs. In an accelerated swing pulse, bass and drums drive the harmonious action and create the basis for consistent and often perfect modal chord progressions, on the basis of which catchy themes and virtuoso solos are discharged.

Peter Protschka, born in 1977, is considered one of the most sought after accompanists precisely because of his special sounds on the trumpet and the flugelhorn. He has played alongside of Ronnie Burrage, Maria Schneider, Ingrid Jensen, Bobby Shew, Don Menza, Alex Sipiagin, David Murray, Oliver Lake, Tom van der Geld, Jürgen Seefelder, Thomas Stabenow, Martin Sasse, Paul Heller and Dejan Terzic. He was awarded the Jazz Prize of the Baden-Wurttemberg Art Foundation in 2004. Protschka has taught trumpet, theory and ensemble at the Rhineland Music School in Cologne since 2007. In addition, he has worked in the field of tension between jazz and classical music on period instruments since 2010. His debut CD "Kindred Spirit" (2011) received rave reviews.

"After we had survived our eighth (!) traffic jam on our way from Berlin to Düren near Cologne," Peter Protschka remembers, "then Rick said in his inimitably dry way: 'No more traffic jam guys? What a drag. Well anyway, weʼre living the dream!’ We made it in time for the concert: No shower, no food – just music." Just another one of these indescribable festive evenings at dusk, which makes living worthwhile.

1 Witches (Live)
2 Dear Conrad (Live)
3 Song For My Parents (Live)
4 Cry Me A River (Live)
5 Hands Of Time (Live)
6 Mulder´s Mood (Live)
7 Blues For My New Shoes (Live)

"Peter Protschka Quintet feat. Rick Margitza"

Peter Protschka, trumpet/ flugelhorn/ compositions
Rick Margitza, tenor saxophone/ compositions
Martin Sasse, piano
Martin Gjakonovski, bass
Tobias Backhaus, drums


Domi

Philasophik - Philasophik (2016)


Label: Self Released
Source: Cdbaby
Genre: Jazz-Funk


Philasophik is the brainchild of guitarist Dave Manley and keyboardist Pete Kuzma. The group formed in the fertile environment of the early 2000 Philadelphia Neo-Soul/Jazz scene. Both Dave and Pete wrote recorded and toured with artists including: DJ Jazzy Jeff, Jill Scott, Musiq Soul-Child, Dave Chappelle, Bilal, Kindred the Family Soul, Jeff Bradshaw, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Wiz Khalifa, Raheem Devaughn and more. The group also included the talents of the incredible, then 19 year 0ld, Eric Boots Green on drums. This record was originally recorded the summer of 2005 but never released, until now!! This band was ahead of the curve as far as the jazz funk hip hop soul mash up that has become regular fixture on the music scene with bands like Snarky Puppy, Lettuce and The Funky Knuckles. 


1. Aunt Esther
2. Chill Jawn
3. Duckwerth
4. Frigerator
5. Philasophik
6. Snufulufugus
7. Spooky Tooth
8. What?
9. Wraphappy

Dave Manley - guitar
Pete Kuzma - keyboards
Eric Boots - drums


BUY THIS ALBUM 

 

Joseph Howell - Time Made To Swing (2016)


A recording of highly trained modern-day musicians having a blast, spreading out and swinging on nice tunes!  Virtuosic wind player Joseph Howell swings on an energetic, happy session of friends playing favorite jazz standards together.

Joseph Howell: clarinet
Cory Pesaturo: accordion
Max Murray: bass
Ele Rubinstein: drums

01. Sunny Side of the Street
02. Confirmation
03. Let's Cool One
04. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
05. Invitation
06. Bare Necessities
07. Howell's Blues / Sandu
08. Midnight Sun
09. Milestones
10. Alone Together


Domi

Dick Oatts / Mats Holmquist / New York Jazz Orchestra - A Tribute to Herbie +1 (2016)


One of the most distinguished saxophonists in the world of big band, Dick Oatts, teams with mastermind co-leader Mats Holmquist and his stunning arrangements of some of Herbie’s most intriguing and subsequently most famous tunes from the ’60s and ’70s. Throw in some of the best musicians New York has to offer, and the result is one powerful recording!



Dick Oatts: alto sax, leader
Mats Holmquist: leader, arrangements
New York Jazz Orchestra

Cantaloupe Island
Chameleon
Dolphin Dance
Eye of the Hurricane
Stevie R.
Maiden Voyage
Jessica
Watermelon Man
Toys


SONIA