JAZZ & WORLD MUSIC NEW RELEASES RELEASE DATE 15th SEPTEMBER 2014 CALL OFF: 5th SEPTEMBER 2014
HARMONIA MUNDI LABELS WORLD VILLAGE, JAZZ VILLAGE, LE CHANT DU MONDE, DISCOGRAPH
DISTRIBUTED LABELS ACCORDS CROISÉS, AIRMAIL, ACT, AMARRASS, AMERICAN JAZZ CLASSICS, ANZIC, ARCHIEBALL, ASPHALT TANGO, AUM FIDELITY, BEE JAZZ, BLACK SAINT, BONSAI, CADILLAC, CAMJAZZ, CAMOCI, CASEQUARTER, CONTRE JOUR, CRISTAL, EAST MEETS WEST, EDITION, ELLIPSIS ARTS, EMANEM, ENJA/ YELLOWBIRD, EVIDENCE, FOGHORN, HATOLOGY, HI 4 HEAD, HIGHNOTE, HIGH TWO, HOWE, INNACOR, INSTITUT DU MONDE ARABE, ITM, JARO MEDIEN, JAZZ DOOR, JAZZ WAX, JAZZWERKSTATT, JELLYMOULD, KAMIYAD, KONIMUSIC, LONG DISTANCE, MI’STER, MORGENLAND, NAÏVE, NO FORMAT, OCORA RADIO FRANCE, OGUN, PI RECORDINGS, PLUS LOIN, POLL WINNERS, PSI, Q-RIOUS, RARE MUSIC, REGARDLESS, RITI, SAVANT, SMOKE SESSIONS, SOULBEATS, SOUL NOTE, SUNNYSIDE, TOTOLO, UNITED ARCHIVES, WERGO, WINTER & WINTER
Smoke Jazz Club, New York - home of the Smoke Sessions label
contact: sales.uk@harmoniamundi.com / 020 8709 9500 sales.uk@harmoniamundi.com
020 8709 9500
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Under the Moon BLUE-EYED HAWK Blue-Eyed Hawk is the co-operative London based quartet that brings together vocalist Lauren Kinsella, trumpeter Laura Jurd, guitarist Alex Roth and drummer Corrie Dick. Taking its name from a line in W.B. Yeats’s poem Under the Moon, their debut album is the sum of a colloborative process that bursts with the youthful energy, vision and integrity of all four members. The result is music that is emotive, lyrical, dark, inspiring and at times unexpected. but most of all it is an honest depiction of the perceptions voiced through four highly talented and engaging performers. Integrating a wide open improv sensibility in to its melodic and richly textured original material, Blue-Eyed Hawk’s music dips into a diverse and eclectic world of rock, jazz, minimalism and electronic soundworlds. With the writing pooled between all four members of the band, Under the Moon is very much a communal effort of craftmanship and expression. Using lyrics by E.Y Harburh, W.B Yeats, Armand Silvestre and Seamus Heaney as a source of inspiration, this isn’t a jazz album nor a art-rock album but a refreshing genre defying and boundless approach to music making at its most creative and original.
Label: Edition Records File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: EDN1054 Barcode: 5065001530562 Price: LOWER FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: cristal Lauren Kinsella - voice Alex Roth - guitar, effects, synths, vocals Laura Jurd - trumpet, synth, vocals Corrie Dick - drums, percussion, harmonium, piano, vocals
‘So brilliant. Everyone in the room was spellbound’. BBC RADIO 3 Tour Dates: 11 SEPT - Broomhill Art Hotel, Barnstaple, UK 12 SEPT - Colston Hall, Bristol, UK 13 SEPT - Kings Place, London, UK 17 SEPT - Lescar, Sheffield, UK 19 SEPT - The Fox & Newt, Leeds, UK 12 OCT - Splinter @ the Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK 28 OCT - The Spotted Dog, Birmingham, UK 23 NOV - The Clore Ballroom, London, UK Track listing: 1. OYSTER TRAILS / 2. SOMEWHERE / 3. AURORA 5AM / 4. SPIDERTON / 5 O DO NOT LOVE TOO LONG / 6. REFLECTIONS ON THE SPIRAL / 7. LIVING IN THE FAST LANE / 8. INTRO (FOR FATHERS) / 9. FOR TOM AND EVERYTHING / 10. TRY TO TURN BACK / 11. VALEDICTION
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Trip TOM HARRELL Few people would fit the “jazz hero” mold less than Tom Harrell, whose modesty and lack of pretense is in direct inverse proportion to his talent. And yet, Harrell is revered, not for playing fast, high or loudly, but for his supremacy at fashioning astonishingly beautiful aural shapes with a tone of immense gentleness and depth. Many listeners may be familiar with his compositions including “Sail Away” and his superb arrangements on all his HighNote recordings, while many will have remembered his fine work in the 70's alongside Bob Berg in Horace Silver's band, and a decade later with Phil Woods. His essence, however, is most apparent in the small groups that he leads. His current quintet - together since 2006 operates with the calm, quiet authority that comes from the best, most experienced groups and it represents a pinnacle in his magnificent career. Harrell is featured here with saxophonist Mark Turner in his “experimental” quartet, called simply TRIP. Together, Turner and Harrell explore some of Tom's most recent and most stimulating compositions, including a multi-movement suite based on Don Quixote which was commissioned by Dave Douglas' Festival of New Trumpet Music.
Label: High Note File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: HCD7261 Barcode: 632375726126 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: cristal Tom Harrell - trumpet & flugelhorn Mark Turner - tenor saxophone Ugonna Okegwo - bass Adam Cruz - drums
Track listing: 1. Sunday 2. Cycle ADVENTURES OF A QUIXOTIC CHARACTER SUITE: 3. Pt. 1 The Ingenious Gentleman 4. Pt. 2 The Duke and the Duchess 5. Pt. 3 Enchanted 6. Pt. 4 Sancho and Rocinante 7. Pt. 5 The Princess 8. Pt. 6 Windmills 9. Coming Home 10. Coastline 11. After the Game is Over 12. There
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Perpetual Motion A Celebration of Moondog
SYLVAIN RIFFLET & JON IRABAGON A prominent activist on the French new music scene, the saxophonist Sylvain Rifflet has a musical culture that goes far beyond jazz, taking in experimental rock and contemporary music of all sorts. In this daring multimedia project, conceived in collaboration with fellow saxophonist Jon Irabagon, Rifflet has breathed new life into the art and spirit of Moondog, the iconic blind American composer and revered pioneer on the jazz avant-garde/minimalist scene who rubbed shoulders with the great and the good, inspiring the likes of Charlie Parker, Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass. This subtle reworking, a blueprint for creative reinvention, is available here in both audio and video versions.
Label: Jazz Village File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: 570048/49 Barcode: 3149027003421 Price: FULL PRICE Format: CD + DVD Packaging: digipack Sylvain Rifflet - tenor saxophone, clarinet, electronics Jon Irabagon - alto and tenor saxophones Joce Mienniel - flutes, MS 20 Eve Risser - piano, electric harpsichord Phil Gordiani - guitar Benjamin Flament - percussion
Track listing: 1. Oasis 2. Heat on the heather 3. Bird's lament 4. Black Hole 5. From one to nine 6. 'Round Paris 7. Aska Me 8. Fleur de lis 9. Maybe 10. Nero's expedition 11. My tiny butterfly 12. From the jazz book n°2 13. From the jazz book extended 14. Santa fÊ
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Shine JACOB KARLZON 3 Unmistakably now one of the best pianists in Europe, Jacob Karlzon’s music and personality are possessed of a radiance and vitality that has won audiences over worldwide. But Karlzon wants more – in terms of sound, composition and concept – and doesn’t really care much for categories and genre-labelling. Instead, Karlzon chooses to draw tastefully and fervently from the best of two worlds - the openness, curiosity and energy of jazz, and the power, catchiness and the production techniques of pop. It all culminates in nine songs that run the gamut from groovy and gripping, to delicate, fragile and touching, and that together form a perfectly rounded album. The title track “Shine” epitomises the album, from the very first note it snake-charms its way into the ears and down to the legs. Synth-particles shimmer and gleam over the driving groove and irrepressible melody, and the intensity knows no way but up. From his first solo, Karlzon lets us know what real piano-playing is all about.
Label: ACT Music File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: ACT9573-2 Barcode: 614427957320 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Jacob Karlzon - piano, keys, synths & programming Hans Andersson - bass Robert Mehmet Ikiz - drums
Track listing: 1. Shine 6:43 2. Bubbles 4:39 3. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For 4:52 4. Outsourced 5:55 5. Metropolis 5:42 6. Inner Hills 5:43 7. One More Day 6:48 8. Screening Self 4:20 9. A Thousand Conclusions 6:42
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Shine LP JACOB KARLZON 3 180g LP VERSION Unmistakably now one of the best pianists in Europe, Jacob Karlzon’s music and personality are possessed of a radiance and vitality that has won audiences over worldwide. But Karlzon wants more – in terms of sound, composition and concept – and doesn’t really care much for categories and genre-labelling. Instead, Karlzon chooses to draw tastefully and fervently from the best of two worlds - the openness, curiosity and energy of jazz, and the power, catchiness and the production techniques of pop.
Label: ACT Music File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: ACT9573-1 Barcode: 614427957313 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 LP Jacob Karlzon - piano, keys, synths & programming Hans Andersson - bass Robert Mehmet Ikiz - drums
It all culminates in nine songs that run the gamut from groovy and gripping, to delicate, fragile and touching, and that together form a perfectly rounded album. The title track “Shine” epitomises the album, from the very first note it snake-charms its way into the ears and down to the legs. Synth-particles shimmer and gleam over the driving groove and irrepressible melody, and the intensity knows no way but up. From his first solo, Karlzon lets us know what real piano-playing is all about. Track listing: Side A 1. Shine 6:43 2. Bubbles 4:39 3. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For 4:52 4. Outsourced 5:55 5. Metropolis 5:42 Side B 1. Inner Hills 5:43 2. One More Day 6:48 3. Screening Self 4:20 4. A Thousand Conclusions 6:42
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
When You Make Me Smile RIGMOR GUSTAFSSON Rigmor Gustafsson has always known that her personality comes out best when singing melodious jazz. To do that realisation justice, she seeks out special music-making constellations and fascinating combinations. On “When You Make me Smile”, she now takes this to the next level: In addition to her “working band”, with the trusted companions Jonas Östholm on the piano, Martin Höper on bass and Jonas Holgersson on the drums, she not only gathers an illustrious team of guests around her, like the woodwind and flute player Magnus Lindgren, trombonist Karin Hammar and guitarist Max Schultz, but also an almost 30-strong orchestra. Together with the Dalasinfoniettan, one of the leading orchestras in Sweden, with a wealth of experience in many different styles, the music shines in symphonic splendour and is lent a colourful expressiveness. This represents the fulfilment of a heartfelt dream that Gustafsson has had for a long time.
Label: ACT Music File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: ACT9728-2 Barcode: 614427972828 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Rigmor Gustafsson - vocals, with: Jonas Östholm - piano; Martin Höper - bass; Jonas Holgersson - drums; Magnus Lindgren tenor sax, clarinet, flute (on 3, 5 & 11); Patrik Skogh - trumpet & flugelhorn (on 3, 5, 9 & 10); Karin Hammar - trombone (on 3, 5, 9 & 10); Anders Wiborg - bass trombone (on 5, 9 & 10); Max Schultz - guitar; Jesper Nordenström organ; Calle Rasmusson - percussion; Dalasinfoniettan conducted by Jonas Nydesjö. Special Guest: Eagle-Eye Cherry - vocals (on 12)
Track listing: 1. Call Me Lonely 3:33 2. Forget About The Moonlight 3:02 3. A Different Kind 2:54 4. If Dreams Are Made Of Sand 3:38 5. When You Make Me Smile 5:03 6. I Get Along 3:46 7. Nobody Does It Better 3:44 8. Stay, Stay, Valentines Day 4:11 9. Finally Falling In Love 4:03 10. Blind As A Bat 4:22 11. Woke Up On Sunday [In Saturday’s Shoes] 3:10 12. Let It Go 4:13 13. Hymn 2:14
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Groovewise ERIC REED Eric Reed didn't want to make a good record, he wanted to make a great one. The celebrated pianist and musician says, “I could have called guys who play exactly what I want; it would have been good and not very interesting. It would have been swinging or it would have sounded nice—there wouldn’t have really been a spark. You don’t just want to sound good. You want it to be amazing.” And, his Groovewise is that killing record. It features a memorable quartet with Seamus Blake, Ben Williams, and Gregory Hutchinson and is the first recorded meeting of Reed and Hutchinson in over 15 years. They are clearly inspired performing in front of a live audience and the creative energy flies off the bandstand. They open with an impromptu rendition of “Powerful Paul Robeson” for Clifford Jordan whose wife, Sandy, who was in attendance and they close with the extended title track “Groovewise” bracketing a thrilling set of live jazz.
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1410 Barcode: 888295108560 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Seamus Blake - saxophones (except trk 4) Eric Reed - piano Ben Williams - bass Gregory Hutchinson - drums
Several of the compositions are dedicated to the memories of Mulgrew Miller, Cedar Walton, and Marian McPartland and Eric’s “Until the Last Cat has Swung,” is a declaration that jazz remains alive and well in the hands of a new generation. Although Eric might not feel ready to be a “keeper of the flame,” jazz music is much better off that he already is. Groovewise is available for purchase as an 8-panel CD-Deluxe Album complete with liner notes, interview and additional photos. Track listing: 1. Powerful Paul Robeson (Clifford Jordan & Hank Smith) 7:59 2. Until the Last Cat has Swung (Eric Reed) 5:41 3. Manhattan Melodies (Eric Reed) 6:56 4. The Gentle Giant (Eric Reed) 3:43 5. Ornate (Eric Reed) 3:45 6. The Shade of the Cedar Tree (Christian McBride) 8:35 7. Bopward (Eric Reed) 5:33 8. Una Mujer Elegante (Eric Reed) 7:04 9. Groovewise (Intro) (Eric Reed) 3:26 10. Groovewise (Eric Reed) 6:13
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Liberation Blues ORRIN EVANS Orrin Evans - pianist, bandleader and notorious musical catalyst - is a bona fide jazz original. Brimming with music and ideas, Orrin’s Liberation Blues debuts one of his most impressive projects yet, a new quintet lineup that includes Sean Jones, JD Allen, Luques Curtis, and Bill Stewart. The recording, made live at Smoke Jazz Club in New York City, occurred immediately following the passing of bassist Dwayne Burno, and the opening selections comprise the “Liberation Blues Suite” dedicated to his memory. Orrin explains, “In my eyes, Burno is now a ‘Free Man’ … but with that freedom, we’ve lost a great man right here on earth. So, there’s still a blues we feel missing our brother and friend.”
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1409 Barcode: 888295108140 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Sean Jones - trumpet (except tks 7, 10, 11 & 12) JD Allen - tenor saxophone (except tks 10, 11 & 12) Orrin Evans - piano Luques Curtis - bass Bill Stewart - drums + Joanna Pascale - vocals (trk 12 only)
Simply put, the playing is inspired. Sean Jones and JD Allen are a brilliant pairing and it is hard to miss Bill Stewart’s presence. Orrin says, “Let me do something that people wouldn’t expect, somethin’ that I wouldn’t even expect. Listen … now is the time for Bill Stewart.” After mining the compositions of Paul Motian, Trudy Pitts, Miles Davis, and, of course, Orrin Evans, the night concludes with a memorable encore visit from Philadelphia vocalist Joanna Pascale for a sultry version of “The Night has a Thousand Eyes.” Liberation Blues is available for purchase as an 8-panel CD-Deluxe Album complete with liner notes, interview and additional photos. Track listing: The Liberation Blues Suite (For Dwayne Burno) 1. Devil Eyes 9:23 (Dwayne Burno) 2. Juanita 5:37 (Dwayne Burno) 3. A Lil’ D.A.B. a do Ya 5:48 (Orrin Evans) 4. A Free Man? 6:22 (Donald Brown) 5. Liberation Blues 5:01 (Orrin Evans) 6. Simply Green 5:59 (Orrin Evans) 7. Anysha 6:13 (Trudy Pitts) 8. Meant to Shine 6:46 (Orrin Evans) 9. Mumbo Jumbo 7:36 (Paul Motian) 10. How High the Moon 4:57 (Morgan Lewis / Nancy Hamilton) 11. The Theme 2:03 (Miles Davis) 12. Encore: The Night has a Thousand Eyes 6:56 (Jerry Brainin / Buddy Bernier)
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Midnight Melodies CYRUS CHESTNUT This nearly perfect piano trio set was captured at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club in New York, is his first live recording date. It retains all of the feeling and power of his thrilling live performances but also benefits from Smoke's Steinway B that Cyrus claims is the best piano in the city. “It’s just my ticket. We connect. It’s warm and it’s sharp at the same time with a lot of earth in it. I like clubs like the Jazz Standard or Smoke, where you can sit down at the piano and get down-home, because that’s the kind of audience they attract.” Joining Cyrus are bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Lewis who both worked with the late John Hicks who was an important mentor and friend to Chestnut. Together, they take listeners on a musical odyssey that includes the music by Billy Strayhorn, John Coltrane, and, of course, John Hicks. There are also originals by Victor Lewis and Cyrus culminating in an impressive extended version of “Naima’s Love Song.” Cyrus is one of the great piano voices of his generation—or any generation—as he proves again with this rewarding live debut. Midnight Melodies is available for purchase as an 8-panel CD-Deluxe Album complete with liner notes, interview and additional photos.
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1408 Barcode: 888295108133 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Cyrus Chestnut - piano Curtis Lundy - bass Victor Lewis - drums
Track listing: 1. Two Heartbeats (John Hicks) 4:55 2. Pocket Full of Blues (John Hicks) 4:10 3. To Be Determined (Cyrus Chestnut) 5:11 4. Bag's Groove (Milt Jackson) 6:59 5. Hey, It's Me You're Talkin’ To (Victor Lewis) 7:17 6. Chelsea Bridge (Billy Strayhorn) 7:22 7. U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group) (Billy Strayhorn) 8:33 8. I Wanted to Say (Victor Lewis) 8:35 9. Giant Steps (John Coltrane) 6:39 10. Naima’s Love Song (John Hicks) 14:29 11. The Theme (Miles Davis) 3:21
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
The Original Mob JIMMY COBB Now in his seventh decade in music and still swinging, Jimmy Cobb continues to display his surgical skill, which has exalted him to legendary status through his work with Dinah and Cannonball to Sarah and Wes. But inescapably, Jimmy is best known for his time with Miles Davis that included the recording of several history making albums including the iconic session Kind of Blue.
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1407 Barcode: 888295076821 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Peter Bernstein - guitar (except on “Unrequited”) Brad Mehldau - piano John Webber - bass Jimmy Cobb - drums
His new release, The Original Mob, features three former students who have all become successful artists themselves. Brad Mehldau, Peter Bernstein, and John Webber were just getting their own careers started when they approached their teacher, Mr. Cobb, about working together as a quartet. It wasn't a hard sell, as Jimmy knew from experience that they were special talents. Soon after, they got some gigs as Jimmy Cobb’s Mob and the rest is history. It's a swinging affair that includes two of Jimmy’s original compositions, and one each by Brad, Peter, and John. Cobb says, “it just sounds like us...like when we first started to play together years ago, but I remember like it was yesterday. I always enjoyed the way we played together.” The Original Mob is available for purchase as a 8-panel CD-Deluxe Album complete with liner notes, interview and additional photos. Track listing: 1. Old Devil Moon (Burton Lane / E.Y. Harburg) 8:09 2. Amsterdam After Dark (George Coleman) 6:31 3. Sunday in New York (Peter Nero / Carroll Coates) 6:38 4. Stranger in Paradise (George Forrest & Robert Wright) 5:55 5. Unrequited (Brad Mehldau) 8:25 6. Composition 101 (Jimmy Cobb) 5:05 7. Remembering U (Jimmy Cobb) 4:32 8. Nobody Else but Me (Victor Lewis) 5:32 9. Minor Blues (John Coltrane) 7:14 10. Lickety Split (John Webber) 5:41
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Return of the Jazz Communicators LOUIS HAYES One of the chief architects of jazz drumming, Louis Hayes has provided the rhythmic drive for historic recordings by Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Peterson, Joe Henderson, Dexter Gordon, and McCoy Tyner. His playing has an intensity that is as subtle as it is complex, creating a musical feel and vibe that is unmistakably Hayesian. When he reformed this band that he co-founded in the late '60s with Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson-which Freddie dubbed the Jazz Communicators-Louis purposefully deviated from a conventional quintet lineup by featuring a vibraphone / tenor saxophone frontline. It's the esteemed pair of Steve Nelson and Abraham Burton, respectively, and their chemistry with Louis, pianist David Bryant and bassist Dezron Douglas makes Return of the Jazz Communicators an inspired and rewarding set of music.
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1406 Barcode: 888295074957 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Steve Nelson - vibraphone (except “Portrait of Jennie”) Abraham Burton - tenor saxophone (except “Lush Life”) David Bryant - piano Dezron Douglas - bass Louis Hayes - drums
The selections include a nice balance of standards and originals such as a ballad-feature for Nelson, "Lush Life," and one for Burton, "Portrait of Jennie," as well as the deep, loose groove of Mulgrew Miller's "Soul-Leo," which opens the record. Return of the Jazz Communicators captures this important jazz quintet in front of an enthusiastic and appreciative live audience. In the words of Hayes, "I try to do what I do best and what makes me feel good...I guess I might as well keep on swinging." Return of the Jazz Communicators is available for purchase as an 8-panel CD-Deluxe Album complete with liner notes, interview and additional photos. Track listing: 1. Soul-Leo (Mulgrew Miller) 8:10 2. Shape Shifting (Steve Nelson) 6:58 3. Lush Life (Intro) (Billy Strayhorn) 2:27 4. Lush Life (Billy Strayhorn) 6:29 5. Groovin’ for Nat (Ernie Wilkins) 6:53 6. It’s to You (Abraham Burton) 4:40 7. Without a Song (Vincent Youmans / Billy Rose & Edward Eliscu) 6:43 8. Simple Pleasures (Cedar Walton) 5:18 9. Vagabond Ron (Dezron Douglas) 5:30 10. Portrait of Jennie (J. Russel Robison / Gordon Burdge) 8:43 11. Lou’s Idea (Louis Hayes) 7:29 12. Village Greene (Billy Greene) 6:13
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
For All We Know DAVID HAZELTINE David Hazeltine is known for his harmonic sophistication and elegant pianism, traits that were also hallmarks of Cedar Walton’s playing. When Hazeltine initially set out make what would become his Smoke Sessions release, For All We Know, making a tribute record was the furthest thing from his mind and it should be pointed out that For All We Know is definitely not a tribute record. Yet, it’s hard to ignore the importance of Cedar Walton’s legacy to it. Hazeltine is one of the important heirs to Walton’s piano tradition, so it is only natural that his gratitude and affection would be dominant themes on this recording. It is also a special record because it documents what is essentially the first collaboration between Hazeltine and tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake. It was a partnership that both enjoyed immensely and that worked particularly well with the rest of the quartet, bassist David “Happy” Williams and drummer Joe Farnsworth.
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1405 Barcode: 798304286120 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Seamus Blake - tenor saxophone David Hazeltine - piano David “Happy” Williams - bass Joe Farnsworth - drums
The album opens with one of Hazeltine’s inventive originals, “Et Cedra” which is also one that was overtly written with Walton in mind. In it’s melodic twists and turns and it’s subtle yet unexpected harmonies, it is quickly apparent why Hazeltine has such a strong following. When For All We Know concludes with “A.D. Bossa,” the realization sets in that although jazz has lost some of its greatest talents, there is another generation that is dedicated to keeping the art form vital and alive. For All We Know is available for purchase as an 8-panel CD-Deluxe Album complete with liner notes, interview and additional photos. Track listing: 1. Et Cedra (David Hazeltine) 6:12 2. My Ship (Kurt Weill / Ira Gershwin) 8:58 3. Pooh (David Hazeltine) 8:21 4. Lord Walton (David Hazeltine) 6:58 5. For All We Know (J. Fred Coots / Sam M. Lewis) 11:45 6. Eddie Harris (David Hazeltine) 7:29 7. Cheryl (Charlie Parker) 9:39 8. Imagination (Jimmy Van Heusen / Johnny Burke) 7:10 9. Don’t Let It Go (Vincent Herring) 9:10 10. A.D. Bossa (David Hazeltine) 5:53
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Expression JAVON JACKSON IN 25 YEARS AS A RECORDING ARTIST, tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson had never made a live record as a leader...until now. With his new Smoke Sessions title Expression, the wait is finally over. To an instinctive perfectionist like Jackson, live recording presents a different set of challenges from a studio session, but he did learn first-hand from none other than Art Blakey, after all, to prepare, prepare, prepare and then leave it all on the stage. In fact, Jackson opens the record with Wayne Shorter’s “One by One” which famously appeared 50 years ago on one of Blakey’s many live recordings, Ugetsu. The results have a natural energy and relaxed quality that are difficult to capture in the studio. This record documents some of Jackson's personal favorites and he credits the live atmosphere for delivering what he feels are his definitive versions.
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1404 Barcode: 798304286137 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Javon Jackson - tenor saxophone Orrin Evans - piano Corcoran Holt - bass McClenty Hunter - drums
The quartet, called the Javon Jackson Band, features bassist Corcoran Holt, drummer McClenty Hunter and, for the first time, Orrin Evans. One of the busiest pianists in Philadelphia or in New York, Evans fit in with the group instantly and Jackson valued the fresh approach and playing that he brought to the music. A striking example of their rapport is the groove they strike on George Cable's '70s classic "Think on Me." It's a certifiable hit but there is simply a lot of great music on Expression. With a record this good, it's a safe bet that Jackson won't wait another 25 years to make the sequel. Track listing: 1. One by One (Wayne Shorter) 6:23 2. Don’t You Worry ’bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) 9:12 3. T.J. (Javon Jackson) 8:45 4. When I Fall in Love (Victor Young / Edward Heyman) 8:30 5. Think on Me (George Cables) 7:43 6. Mr. Taylor (Javon Jackson) 6:14 7. Where is the Love (Ralph MacDonald / William Salter) 5:10 8. Lelia (Javon Jackson) 4:58 9. Richard’s R.A.P. (Javon Jackson) 8:02 10. 88 Strong (Javon Jackson) 4:04
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
The Uptown Shuffle VINCENT HERRING Vincent Herring’s M.O. is well known-he means business. Not that you can tell from the pure joy that emanates from his horn, but like Bird, Cannonball, and Stitt, there is purpose, meaning, and, yes, a little gravity in every note he plays. Herring describes his time spent studying with bebop master Phil Woods as a pivotal moment in his development. It instilled in him a sense of responsibility to assume the mantle of a vital artistic tradition, which, for the past quarter century, is exactly what he’s done. With his no-holds-barred solos and unerring aesthetic compass, he’s made more than a few great records during that time, but his latest on Smoke Sessions, The Uptown Shuffle might just be his best yet.
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1403 Barcode: 798304286144 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Vincent Herring - alto saxophone Cyrus Chestnut - piano Brandi Disterheft - bass Joe Farnsworth - drums
Like so many classic jazz records, The Uptown Shuffle arrives with a rousing opener, Herring's aptly titled “Elation.” He explains that he wrote this theme over 20 years ago to express a feeling of just pure joy. It was never exactly how he wanted it though, until just recently. It might also be the perfect introduction to his quartet. Soulful pianist Cyrus Chestnut, Canadian bass newcomer Brandi Disterheft and the reliably swinging drummer Joe Farnsworth have real chemistry from start to finish. Herring frequently talks about choosing personnel and material based “on a feeling” and that he used that approach to put together this date. He said he knew going in that he had the band he wanted and that when they ran down tunes in rehearsal, the ones included here were the ones that “just clicked.” Recorded live “uptown” at Smoke Jazz Club in front of a packed house of admirers, this record truly captures the spirit and excitement of a night out in New York. The Uptown Shuffle is available for purchase as an 8-panel CD-Deluxe Album complete with liner notes, interview and additional photos. Track listing: 1. Elation (Vincent Herring) 7:31 2. Love Walked In (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) 5:47 3. Tenderly (Walter Gross / Jack Lawrence) 10:18 4. Uptown Shuffle (Cyrus Chestnut) 7:57 5. The Atholete (Tex Allen) 7:49 6. Polka Dots and Moonbeams (Van Heusen / Burke) 8:17 7. Strike Up the Band (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) 7:22 8. Don’t Let It Go (Vincent Herring) 9:10 9. Big Bertha (Duke Pearson) 4:15
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Right On Time HAROLD MABERN Any day that you get to hear jazz pianist Harold Mabern is a great day, and on his new release, Right On Time, you get two of those days with his trio distilled into one irresistible record. This recording was made on weekend of his 77th birthday party and the extra energy on these tracks is unmistakable. They revel in the complete Mabern experience, delivering everything from classic blues and swinging standards to delicate ballads and modal tempests. Right On Time definitely has all the makings of a new classic and is an important addition to the Mabern discography. Recorded over the weekend of his 77th birthday celebration in March 2013, Right on Time—which he dedicates to his idol, and fellow Memphis piano giant, Phineas Newborn, Jr.—captures all of the highlights of his two nights at Smoke with bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth, one of his two working trios. Harold knows a thing or two about putting together a balanced musical program and he draws on an extensive repertoire for this title including classic blues, swinging standards, moving ballads, and modal tempests. Right On Time is available for purchase as an 8-panel CD-Deluxe Album complete with liner notes, artist interview and additional photos.
Label: Smoke Sessions NEW LABEL File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1402 Barcode: 798304286113 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Harold Mabern - piano John Webber - bass Joe Farnsworth - drums
Track listing: 1. Dance with Me (Peter Brown & Robert Gans) 5:23 2. Seven Steps to Heaven (Victor Feldman & Miles Davis) 6:12 3. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (D. Ellington & B. Russell) 6:49 4. My Favorite Things (Richard Rodgers / Oscar Hammerstein) 6:19 5. To You (Thad Jones) 6:34 6. Edward Lee (Harold Mabern) 5:05 7. Making Our Dreams Come True (Charles Fox / N. Gimbel) 5:10 8. Charade (Henry Mancini / Johnny Mercer) 5:41 9. Blues for Frank ’n’ Paul ’n’ All (Harold Mabern) 4:44 10. The Nearness of You (Hoagy Carmichael / Ned Washington) 7:04 11. Cherokee (Ray Noble) 6:50
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
November JOONA TOIVANEN TRIO The bond between Scandinavian jazz and CAM JAZZ is becoming increasingly closer and stronger. The Finnish pianist Joona Toivanen, again accompanied by Tapani Toivanen on double bass and Olavi Louhivuori on drums, has composed an album that strikes a balance between the modern and the traditional, and between quiet, distinctively Nordic jazz moods and openness to new sounds and new expressive forms. Eleven tunes, the authorship of which is equally shared between the bandleader and Louhivuori, also saving space for the title track by the double bass player. From the opening track “Moon Illusion” to the closing track “Open, Closed”, there is a quiet feeling in the air: time drawn out, a soft touch and sober, balanced arrangements. A journey in search of a clear, pure, crystalline sound. An elegant, refined tone. A thoughtful album, that never stops looking for new inspirations, between skillful song-making and moments of intriguing improvisation.
Label: CAM Jazz File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: CAMJ7878-2 Barcode: 8052405141293 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: cristal Joona Toivanen - piano Tapani Toivanen - bass Olavi Louhivuori - drums
Track listing: 1. Moon Illusion 2. Troll Walk 3. Moorkrad 4. November 5. Duoibal 6. Plainfield 7. Behind Her Eyes 8. Two Steps Aside 9. Beyonder 10. Light and Color 11. Open, Closed
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Hit BAPTISTE TROTIGNON Recording an album of compositions exclusively for trio is a kind of homecoming for me (I hadn’t done it for 13 years), with just the feeling that now was the right time to do it. I’m sometimes asked whether it makes sense to continue to play in trio formation, which historically has been overused by pianists, but I admit the question has never occurred to me, and I’ve never doubted the unlimited resources of this trian-gular architecture, which is still a source of shared pleasure and a potential for renewing the language. Would there be no point in a solo artist singing along with his guitar on the grounds that “it’s already been done”? As I often like to do, the music on this album is a mix of multiple sources of inspi-ration ( here almost a pop song, or a very Latin melody, else-where a colour learning more towards world music or the music of the 70s) but remains lovingly connected to the foundations of Afro-American music, driven by something joyous in its dynamism and a common desire (for Thomas, Jeff and me) to remain playful, even when the sonic con-struction calls for a certain sophistication. As the artist-philosopher said, what else are we doing but trying to «get back to the serious way we used to play when we were chil-dren”? -- Baptiste TROTIGNON
Label: NAÏVE File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: NJ624411 Barcode: 3298496244115 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Baptiste Trotignon - piano Thomas Bramerie - bass Jeff Ballard - drums
Track listing: 1. Choral 2:01 2. Abracadabra 4:50 3. Paul 5:30 4. Spleen 4:52 5. Air 5:17 6. Busy Brain 6:09 7. Happy Rosalie 4:10 8. Liquid 2:19 9. Solid 2:59 10. Desillusion 11:06 11. Choral Again 1:25
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Songs of Time Lost PIERS FACCINI & VINCENT SEGAL Piers Faccini and Vincent Segal met in Paris in the late 1980s and have been friends ever since. Songs of Time Lost is their first joint album. Using voice, guitar and cello - and in a variety of languages from English to Neapolitan dialect and Creole - the album brings together original compositions, traditional songs and some covers. Why did the two musicians wait twenty-five years? Piers and Vincent are great believers in things taking the time they need. And it takes time to make sense of the world’s music, to refine performance, to absorb the complexity of songs. Songs of Time Lost is focused on the moment, but with over two decades of joint performances, friendship and mutual understanding behind it, binding the whole together. Since recording his debut solo album in 2003 ‘Leave no Trace’ Faccini has come to be recognized worldwide as a fine singer-songwriter at the cusp of pop and folk. In 2013 he started up his own label Beating Drum and in the same year released his acclaimed fifth solo album ‘Between Dogs and Wolves.’
Label: No Format! File Under: Rock/Pop Catalogue No: NOF24 Barcode: 3298494630071 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack
Vincent Segal is a French cellist immersed in a variety of music traditions, from his dance/electronica duo Bumcello to his collaboration with Ballaké Sissoko on the acclaimed Chamber Music album, and with a host of luminaries including Blackalicious, Cesaria Evora, Sting, Marianne Faithfull and Elvis Costello. In concert: 16/11/14 London, Royal Festival Hall - supporting Vinicio Capossela Track listing: 1.Jesce Sole / 2.The Closing of our Eyes / 3.Cammina Cammina / 4.Cradle to the Grave / 5.Quicksilver Daydreams of Maria / 6.Villanella di Cenerentola / 7.A Half of Me / 8.Mangé Pou le Cœur / 9.Cicerenella / 10.Wenn ich mir Was Wuenschen Duerfte / 11.Everyday Away from You / 12.Dicitencello Vuje / 13.Make Me a Pallet on your Floor
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Songs of Time Lost LP PIERS FACCINI & VINCENT SEGAL Piers Faccini and Vincent Segal met in Paris in the late 1980s and have been friends ever since. Songs of Time Lost is their first joint album. Using voice, guitar and cello - and in a variety of languages from English to Neapolitan dialect and Creole - the album brings together original compositions, traditional songs and some covers. Why did the two musicians wait twenty-five years? Piers and Vincent are great believers in things taking the time they need. And it takes time to make sense of the world’s music, to refine performance, to absorb the complexity of songs. Songs of Time Lost is focused on the moment, but with over two decades of joint performances, friendship and mutual understanding behind it, binding the whole together. Since recording his debut solo album in 2003 ‘Leave no Trace’ Faccini has come to be recognized worldwide as a fine singer-songwriter at the cusp of pop and folk. In 2013 he started up his own label Beating Drum and in the same year released his acclaimed fifth solo album ‘Between Dogs and Wolves.’
Label: No Format! File Under: Rock/Pop Catalogue No: NOF241 Barcode: 3700398712369 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 LP
Vincent Segal is a French cellist immersed in a variety of music traditions, from his dance/electronica duo Bumcello to his collaboration with Ballaké Sissoko on the acclaimed Chamber Music album, and with a host of luminaries including Blackalicious, Cesaria Evora, Sting, Marianne Faithfull and Elvis Costello.
In concert: 16/11/14 London, Royal Festival Hall - supporting Vinicio Capossela Track listing: Side A 1.Jesce Sole / 2.The Closing of our Eyes / 3.Cammina Cammina / 4.Cradle to the Grave / 5.Quicksilver Daydreams of Maria / 6.Villanella di Cenerentola / 7.A Half of Me Side B 1.Mangé Pou le Cœur / 2.Cicerenella / 3.Wenn ich mir Was Wuenschen Duerfte / 4.Everyday Away from You / 5.Dicitencello Vuje / 6.Make Me a Pallet on your Floor
RELEASE DATE 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014
Maps to the Stars (a film by David Cronenberg) HOWARD SHORE Howard Shore's score for the David Cronenberg film Maps to the Stars. The film connects the savage beauty of writer Bruce Wagner’s Los Angeles with the riveting filmmaking of director David Cronenberg and a stellar ensemble cast to take a tour into the darkly comic heart of a Hollywood family chasing celebrity, one another and the relentless ghosts of their pasts. The result is a modern Hollywood Gothic at once about the ravenous 21st Century need for fame and validation -- and the yearning, loss and fragility that lurk in the shadows underneath. Directed by: David Cronenberg Cast: Julianne Moore; Mia Wasikowska; Olivia Williams; Sarah Gadon; Evan Bird; John Cusack; Robert Pattinson
Label: Howe Records File Under: Soundtracks Catalogue No: HWR1014 Barcode: 899158002147 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: cristal
Track listing: 1 Greyhound 2 Set Me Free 3 Stolen Waters 4 Wildfire 5 A Little Crazy 6 Walk of Fame 7 Fire and Water 8 Asylum Corridor 9 Brother and Sister 10 Secrets Kill 11 Burn Out 12 Love Is Stronger Than Death 13 I'm Sorry 14 I Write Your Name 15 Liberty 16 Blanket of Stars