Friday, October 28, 2016

First Listen: Valerie Ghent Love Divine + CD Release Show @ Joe's Pub 10 / 29/ 2016 (JAZZ PROMO SERVICES)


Valerie Ghent Velours CD release concert
Sat. Oct 29, 2016, 7:30pm





Valerie Ghent Velours CD release concert
Sat. Oct 29, 2016, 7:30pm

Featuring
Valerie Ghent (vocals/keys), Bernard Davis (drums), Damon Banks (bass), Jérôme Buigues (guitar), Pierre Sibille (keys/harmonica), Alfa Anderson & Dennis Collins (backing vocals), Gary Fritz (percussion) & special guests
  
Joe’s Pub at the Public
425 Lafayette Street
NYC 10003
SUBWAY: 6 to Astor Place, R/N to 8th Street

ADMISSION: $20/$25 day of show/ $12 food / two (2) drink minimum

TICKETS: Online at joespub.com Phone, 10am-7:00pm, Daily 212-967-7555 In Person Box Office, 425 Lafayette Street, NYC (opens daily at 2pm). 


Valerie Ghent earned her musical chops touring with such musical legends as Ashford & Simpson and Deborah Harry, and the native New Yorker hasn’t stopped running ever since. She’s issued four acclaimed CDs on her own, while being a “go to” recording engineer for dozens of other top recording artists.

Valerie has just released new album, Velours, and the sounds are hot. And we’re extremely proud to be presenting the World Premiere of the first track on that album, a mid-tempo blend of soul and jazz, “Love Divine.”

Valerie tells us about the song: "'Love Divine' was recorded in the South of France and features a duet with Guinean vocalist Mano 'Korani' Camara singing in Yoruba while I sing in English. The music was recorded in one take, with wonderful musicians I have been touring with in France for the past few years. Mano's vocal, a traditional Yoruba chant put to a new melody, inspired the English lyrics, which all came together in an almost mystical way. In fact we added this song to the album at the last minute, after we had already mastered. It just felt right as the opening song, almost like an invocation for the whole Velours album. We know music and love come from a higher plane and to me this song resonates with the feeling we often have that love flows through time, that we swim in its rivers, bathing again and again in the waters that connect us all. Even while we were recording Love Divine everything felt magical. 'Did I love you more than once before in another time?' I think the answer is yes! 

Check out the talented Valerie Ghent below, and tell us what you think!


Following her Joe's Pub performance, Valerie's Velours album release concerts in France kick off December 1 (Marseille). Additional dates to follow. 


December 1, 2016
Valerie Ghent Velours Album Release
Espace Musical Hyperion, Marie 4/5
2Bis Avenue du Maréchal Foch, 13004 Marseille, France
+33 4 91 49 27 88




NEW CD

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"Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”

Nicole Saphos - Tiptoe (November 18, 2016) KARI-ON PRODUCTIONS









The Freexielanders - Looking Back, Playing Forward (2016 RUDI RECORDS)



A little All Star composed of musicians from different generations and different environments of the Italian less aligned Jazz scene. Musicians, often associated to the field of the experimental music, among whom masters Giancarlo Schiaffini and Eugenio Colombo, who, under the name of Freexielanders, choose to look back at their roots. Looking Back, Playing Forward.

A programmatic title for an assorted repertoire that, from Jelly Roll Morton’s New Orleans and Scott Joplin’s syncopated rhythm, deviates to the film music of master Felice Montagnini and to the very Dutch Swing of Misha Mengelberg to finally rejoin Duke Ellington’s indigo spirit. A refined, exotic, imaginary sound skillfully played between present, past and future.

Booklet with Liner Notes by Bruno Tommaso



The Freexielanders
Aurelio Tontini, trumpet
Giancarlo Schiaffini, trombone
Eugenio Colombo, alto sax
Errico De Fabritiis, tenor sax
Alberto Popolla, clarinet, alto clarinet
Francesco Lo Cascio, vibraphone
Gianfranco Tedeschi, double bass
Nicola Raffone, drums

St. James Infirmary/Gotta get to St. Joe (Joe Primrose/Joe Bishop) (7:59)
On the Banks of the Wabash (Paul Dresser) (6:10)
Peer’s Country Song (Misha Mengelberg arr. by E. Colombo) (4:19)
Come Sunday (Duke Ellington, arr. by G. Schiaffini) (6:04)
Voci del Deserto (Felice Montagnini) (5:20)
Mood Indigo (Duke Ellington, arr. by G. Schiaffini) (5:08)
Black Maria (Fred Rose) (5:51)
Yardbird Shuffle (James A. Noble) (4:35)
Cannonball Blues (Jelly Roll Morton, arr. by E. Colombo) (4:31)
Sabor de Habanera (Giancarlo Schiaffini) (3:50)
The Great Crush Collision March (Scott Joplin, arr. G. Schiaffini) (4:50)
(with a Malus Track in more)




Frank Kimbrough - Solstice (November 25, 2016 PIROUET RECORDS)




Frank Kimbrough · piano / Jay Anderson · bass / Jeff Hirshfield · drums


"The art of listening soars to its very highest expression with this recording.  Solstice offers brilliant playing by three of today's most exceptional artists, speaking clearly to all of us who are starved for sonic beauty, space, heart and deep artistic intelligence." - Composer and multiple Grammy winner Maria Schneider


Solstice: exploring the boundaries of darkness and light

Frank Kimbrough counts among a handful of New York-based pianists who have been refining and expanding the language of ensemble playing over the last few decades (this November he marks 35 years in New York and his sixtieth birthday). Declared a "a near-visionary whose piano-improvising, composing, and band-leading skills seek out the dark corners of untrod jazz terrain" by The New Yorker, Kimbrough is noted for his exquisite ensemble, trio and solo recordings as well as his duo work with Lee Konitz, Scott Robinson, Joe Locke and Paul Bley, his work as a sideman in Dewey Redman's quartet, and his long-term involvement with the Jazz Composers Collective and the Maria Schneider Orchestra. On Solstice, acclaimed players and longtime musical companions, bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Jeff Hirshfield join Frank to explore the music of some of the jazz masters who have left a personal imprint on his life.

Kimbrough has had an uncanny ability of meeting the right person at the right time. Shortly after his move to Washington, DC in 1980 Frank met the exceptional singer/ pianist Shirley Horn, who became his friend and mentor. The next year he migrated to New York where he came under the tutelage of one of his heroes, pianist Paul Bley. Around the same period Kimbrough met the ground-breaking pianist Andrew Hill whose music "...literally changed my life. Andrew was an enigma, an inspiration, a mentor, and a dear friend." With the Big Apple as his base, the next years were ripe with tours and recordings. In 1992, Kimbrough helped found the Jazz Composers Collective, an entity that lasted for 13 years, resulting in a concert series, a score of recordings and frequent tours by many of its groups.

In1993 the acclaimed American composer Maria Schneider invited Kimbrough to join her orchestra. This ongoing musical relationship has resulted in Frank's participation in a slew of Grammy award-winning projects as well as in Maria's collaborations with soprano Dawn Upshaw and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and with David Bowie. Schneider marvels, "He wraps himself around each soloist and takes care to go in the direction they're going. I hear things he plays and think Oh God if only I could write that." Add to these impressive credentials his resume of residencies and workshops on 5 continents, an ongoing nine-year stint teaching at the Juilliard School, and some 20 critically acclaimed albums under his own name.


For Solstice, Kimbrough chose two musicians "whose judgment I trust completely." Bassist Jay Anderson has more than 400 recordings under his belt; he has played and recorded with an incredible diversity of musicians, including Michael Brecker, John Scofield, Frank Zappa, and Celine Dion (1997 Record of the Year Grammy). He and Kimbrough have been playing together for some 20 years in Maria's band, the Gil Evans Project and various other groups, as well as on two of Frank's previous albums. Drummer Jeff Hirshfield and Frank also go back 20 years, including several tours together in trio. Hirshfield's and Anderson's musical connection began in the early 80's, and over the years they have often worked and recorded together in a variety of contexts, including Paul Bley's highly regarded album Notes On Ornette. It all intertwines into an enticing spiral of connections between the three.

Kimbrough says that, "I selected compositions that speak to me in ways that are unique and personal. Jay and Jeff didn't know what we were going to play and didn't see the music until we arrived at the date. There was almost no discussion       and no rehearsal - we simply began to play."  Most of the pieces are first takes.



About the tunes, Frank says:

"The simplicity of Seven by Carla Bley shows her genius. I've loved her tunes since first hearing them as a teenager.

Shirley Horn was a magical pianist and vocalist who really knew how to cast a spell. Her recording from a concert in Paris inspired me to play Gershwin's Here Come the Honey Man.

Solstice was composed by Maryanne de Prophetis, the composer/poet/lyricist and vocalist who is my life partner and constant inspiration.

The Sunflower was composed by Paul Motian, a singular drummer/composer, and one of the most unique person- alities in jazz. I enjoyed every moment we spent together both on and off the bandstand.

Annette Peacock's Albert's Love Theme was written for Albert Ayler. Annette's pieces are very personal and spe- cific, yet open, like a landscape.

The only original on the disk is Question's the Answer, as in "the question IS the answer". It has a strong connection to the blues and the bassist has many "root" options.

From California with Love was composed by Andrew Hill in the '70's. I love the mysterious beauty and humanity of his compositions-so modern and free, yet rooted in the tradition.

El Cordobes was written by Annette Peacock for the flamboyant Spanish bullfighter Manuel Benítez Pérez. Like Albert's Love Theme and Seven, I first heard it played by Paul Bley's mid-60's trio.

Walking by Flashlight is from Maria Schneider's song cycle Winter Morning Walks. Maria is a national treasure, and I feel very fortunate to be a part of her musical world."


On their first CD together the trio's philosophy was simply to listen, trust, and respond to one another; in so doing, they have created a gradated musical atmosphere that envelops the enigmatic and the translucent, the mysterious and the artlessly elegant.



BUY THIS ALBUM!


Frank Kimbrough Upcoming Performances

2016

October

Oct. 28 - with Jay Clayton group - Kitano, NYC

Oct. 29 - Frank Kimbrough/ Kirk Knuffke Duo - Spectrum, NYC

November 2016

Nov. 4 - with Maria Schneider Orchestra - Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Nov. 10 - with Marty Ehrlich Sextet playing music of Andrew Hill - The Stone, NYC

Nov. 18 - with Maryanne de Prophetis, Ron Horton, Satoshi Takeishi - Michiko Studio, NYC

Nov. 20 - Frank Kimbrough solo piano - the Owl Music Parlor - Brooklyn, NY

Nov. 22, 23, 25 - 27 - with Maria Schneider Orchestra - Jazz Standard, NYC

December 2016

December 8 - Frank Kimbrough Trio w/ Jay Anderson and Jeff Hirshfield - Kitano, NYC

2017

January

Jan. 17 - Frank Kimbrough - Solo piano concert - Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FLJan. 17

Jan. 18 - Frank Kimbrough - master class - Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

February 2017

Feb. 10 and 11 - Frank Kimbrough Trio w/ Jay Anderson and Jeff Hirshfield - "official" CD release weekend - Kitano, NYC    

Feb. 16 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - St. Paul, Minnesota

Feb. 17 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Portland Jazz Festival

Feb. 18 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Humboldt St. University, Arcata, CA

Feb. 19 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - UC Berkeley

Feb. 20 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara, CA

Feb. 21 -w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - SOKA PAC, Aliso Viejo, CA

Feb. 22 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Valley PAC, Northridge, CA

March 2017

o March 4 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra  - Kennedy Center, Washington, DC

March 10 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Babson College, Wellesley, MA

March 11 - w/ Maria Schneider Orchestra - Yale, New Haven, CT

May 2017

May 25 - 28 w/ Gil Evans Project - Jazz Standard

Skarkali Trio - Skarkali (2016)



This Icelandic trio release from pianist/composer Ingi Bjarni Skúlason and colleagues can stand proudly amongst the finest of the current genre. Completed by bassist Valdimar Olgeirsson and drummer Óskar Kjartansson, the Skarkali Trio's debut album Skarkali (translated, Loud noises) carries a depth of invention, verve and delicacy which sets it apart from any run-of-the-mill piano trio expectation. 

Preconceptions happily disintegrate as this nine-track session unfolds, offering a measured blend of folksy, tuneful accessibility and sparky, creative unpredictability. Skúlason is a jazz piano graduate of FÍH Music School, Reykjavik, also having studied at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Netherlands (amongst his teachers, Jasper Soffers and Aaron Parks). Founded as recently as 2013, the trio have performed at Reykjavik Jazz Festival, as well as in Norway and the Faroe Islands. 

It's easy to cite likely influences here (Brad Mehldau, Helga Lien, Tord Gustavsen, Esbjörn Svensson), yet there's a boldness and a confidence about these attractive performances of Skúlason's original compositions which suggest such comparisons are not especially important. Here is a band that darts along its own unexpected harmonic and melodic alleyways, resounds to refreshingly purposeful percussion, and dwells amongst crystalline pools of elevation – a balance which, throughout these 51 minutes, becomes increasingly magical.


Óskar Kjartansson's fiery drumming is central to opening Virkar, and immediately there's an awareness, amongst its almost Italianate, tuneful velocity, that these players are bursting with creativity; the contrast between this and slow, inquiring Fals ekki vals is quite affecting, as the romantic piano lead and Valdimar Olgeirsson's prominent, lyrical bass establish perfect equilibrium. Á hálum ís (On thin ice) hits an energetic piano-and-bass groove, Skúlasson's busy piano extemporisations matched by raining shards of percussive brightness, and Erfiðleikum gæddur possesses an anarchic, quirky character as lively, wrong-footing rhythms jostle with writhing, free expression – very effective indeed.

Hollands Spoor (perhaps inspired by The Hague's main line railway station) bustles with individual displays of bravura, its sudden, snapping changes indicating great communication between these musicians; and the simple, held-back serenity of Hug mann allan is delightful, particularly Skúlason's capricious harmonic shifts. Crisp, fluctuating details throughout Í innsta hring (In the inner circle) pleasingly exemplify the trio's skills in striving for different colours and textures; similarly, the six and a half minutes of Smásagnasafn á repeat (Short stories on repeat) evolve boisterously and vagariously – all part of the strong pull of this recording. And to close, suitably-titled Heyra meira (Hear more), with its simple but exquisite tracery, leaves behind the hope that this classy trio will continue to explore and release new material in the future.


(Ingi Bjarni Skúlason OBS001. CD Review by Adrian Pallant) LONDON JAZZ NEWS


01. Virkar ("It works")
02. Fals ekki vals ("False not waltz") - dedicated to people who don't dance waltz)
03. Á hálum ís ("On slippery ice")
04. Erfiðleikum gæddur ("To have troubles")
05. Hollands Spoor (a train station in the Netherlands)
06. Hug minn allan ("With all my mind")
07. Í innsta hring ("In the innest circle")
08. Smásagnasafn á repeat ("Short story collection on repeat")
09. Heyra meira ("Hear more")

Ingi Bjarni Skúlason: piano
Valdimar Olgeirsson: bass
Óskar Kjartansson: drums