28th April Specialities new releases

SPECIALITIES NEW RELEASES release date: 28th APRIL 2017

BOBBY WATSON

JAZZ BLUES SOUL / FUNK ROCK’n’ROLL RHYTHM’n’BLUES WORLD MUSIC

[PIAS] UK 1 Bevington Path, London, SE1 3PW Tel: 020 7471 2700 www.pias.com/uk sales.uk@harmoniamundi.com

020 8709 9500

RELEASE DATE 28TH APRIL 2017

Made in America BOBBY WATSON Jazz great Bobby Watson celebrates some of the vital but less well-known contributions of African-Americans on Made in America, his first recording on Smoke Sessions Records. Saxophonist and composer Watson does his part to call attention to black pioneers in a variety of fields, from politics to pop culture, science to sports. These compositions are inspired by a few names that should be familiar to jazz fans— Sammy Davis, Jr., and Grant Green—but also by more obscure historic figures such as Wendell Pruitt, Butterfly McQueen, Major Taylor, Madam C.J. Walker, Isaac Murphy, Bass Reeves, and Dr. Mark Dean. Watson explains, “This project has been a history lesson for me and I hope it will be a history lesson for the listeners.” Each piece paints its portrait with wit and feeling for the nuance of its subjects. The inspiration that Watson finds in these forgotten innovators comes through in his and the band’s playing throughout the album.

Label: Smoke Sessions File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: SSR1703 Barcode: 888295535663 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Bobby Watson - alto saxophone Stephen Scott - piano Curtis Lundy - bass Lewis Nash - drums

Watson’s Kansas City roots shine through in the soulful swing and boisterous grooves that make for one hell of a funky history lesson. For this special project, Watson enlisted a few collaborators with whom he shares some significant history of his own: bassist Curtis Lundy, pianist Stephen Scott and drummer Lewis Nash. All four have tenures with the influential singer Betty Carter in common, while the album marks a welcome return to the scene for Scott, who has been largely silent for the last several years.

Track listing: 1. The Aviator “for Wendell Pruitt” (Bobby Watson) 5:42 2. The Guitarist “for Grant Green” (Bobby Watson) 5:12 3. The Butterfly “for Butterfly McQueen” (Bobby Watson) 6:18 4. The Cyclist “for Major Taylor” (Bobby Watson) 7:51 5. The G.O.A.T. “for Sammy Davis, Jr.” (Bobby Watson) 6:44 6. The Entrepreneur “for Madam C.J. Walker” (Pamela Baskin-Watson) 5:49 7. The Jockey “for Isaac Murphy” (Curtis Lundy) 6:17 8. A Moment of Silence (Bobby Watson) 1:05 9. The Real Lone Ranger “for Bass Reeves” (Bobby Watson) 7:53 10. The Computer Scientist “for Dr. Mark Dean” (Stephen Scott) 4:02 11. I’ve Gotta Be Me (Walter Marks) 6:41

RELEASE DATE 28TH APRIL 2017

Kyoto Mon Amour ERIC SCHAEFER Eric Schaefer is much more than just a drummer who accompanies (as he does, for instance, with Michael Wollny): he is an instigator, a composer and a creator. One critic called him the “central shining star of the German jazz scene.” He certainly brings wide-ranging inspiration to it. The music, philosophy and religion of Asia, and especially Japan have fascinated him for a long time, and he has undertaken several journeys of study there. In “Kyoto mon Amour” this passion is now documented on record. With Japanese musicians, he takes on the challenge of building bridges between Japanese and western music.

Label: ACT Music File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: ACT98352 Barcode: 614427983527 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Kazutoki Umezu - clarinet & bass clarinet Naoko Kikuchi - koto John Eckhardt - bass Eric Schaefer - drums

Track listing: 1. Shoshu-san 2. Kussa Karu Otome 3. Santoka´s Walk 4. Hiroshima mon amour 5. Tengu 6. Hiei-zan Nightfall 7. Tohoku 8. Rokudan 9. Ticket to Osaka 10. Shadow in the Woods 11. Kansai Two-Face Bonus Track 12. Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant (Maurice Ravel)

RELEASE DATE 28TH APRIL 2017

Kyoto Mon Amour ERIC SCHAEFER 180g VINYL LP WITH DOWNLOAD CODE Eric Schaefer is much more than just a drummer who accompanies (as he does, for instance, with Michael Wollny): he is an instigator, a composer and a creator. One critic called him the “central shining star of the German jazz scene.” He certainly brings wide-ranging inspiration to it. The music, philosophy and religion of Asia, and especially Japan have fascinated him for a long time, and he has undertaken several journeys of study there. In “Kyoto mon Amour” this passion is now documented on record. With Japanese musicians, he takes on the challenge of building bridges between Japanese and western music.

Label: ACT Music File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: ACT98351 Barcode: 614427983510 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 LP Kazutoki Umezu - clarinet & bass clarinet Naoko Kikuchi - koto John Eckhardt - bass Eric Schaefer - drums

Track listing: SIDE ONE 1. Shoshu-san 2. Kussa Karu Otome 3. Santoka´s Walk 4. Hiroshima mon amour 5. Tengu 6. Hiei-zan Nightfall SIDE TWO 1. Tohoku 2. Rokudan 3. Ticket to Osaka 4. Shadow in the Woods 5. Kansai Two-Face Bonus Track 6. Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant (Maurice Ravel)

RELEASE DATE 28TH APRIL 2017

Live at Birdland New York RICHIE BEIRACH & GREGOR HUEBNER On May 23rd, Richie Beirach is 70. “Live at Birdland New York” demonstrates impressively that the American piano great, far from being in decline, is a lively presence in jazz. Legends Randy Brecker, George Mraz and Billy Hart are on the album, as – naturally – is violinist Gregor Huebner, Beirach’s congenial partner for the past twenty years. Huebner is also celebrating a big birthday on the same day: he is exactly twenty years younger than Beirach. Both men share the imperative to combine the European classical canon with modern jazz, so alongside original compositions there are also works by Bach and Bartók.

Label: ACT Music File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: ACT98392 Barcode: 614427983923 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Richie Beirach - piano Gregor Huebner - violin Randy Brecker - trumpet George Mraz - bass Billy Hart - drums

Track listing: 1. You Don't Know What Love Is (Gene de Paul) 10:18 2. Around Bartók Bagatelle #4 (Richard Beirach & Gregor Huebner) 11:18 3. Siciliana (Johann Sebastian Bach, arr. by Beirach & Huebner) 10:27 4. African Heartbeat (Gregor Huebner) 13:26 5. Elm (Richard Beirach) 18:40 6. Transition (John Coltrane) 13:32 Recorded live at Birdland, New York, August 25 & 26, 2012

RELEASE DATE 28TH APRIL 2017

Father & Son ULF & ERIC WAKENIUS “He plays the guitar like he was born with it already in his hands,” was how John McLaughlin once praised Ulf Wakenius.

So as a father Ulf did actually place a guitar in the crib of his baby son Eric or not...here they now are as a duo in “Father And Son”. This personal album is a virtuoso conversation in the art of contemporary jazz guitar. They can swing, or play gentle ballads together, or go extrovert and percussive. They can tell stories from far-off lands, or sometimes from their Swedish homeland...Ulf and Eric Wakenius have a sensitivity and a sense of atmosphere which creates magical guitar moments.

Label: ACT Music File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: ACT98432 Barcode: 614427984326 Price: FULL PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack Ulf Wakenius - acoustic guitar Eric Wakenius - acoustic guitar & vocals

Track listing: 1. Intro: Birdland [excerpt] (Joe Zawinul) 1:09 2. Irish Vagabond (Ulf Wakenius) 6:10 3. Meine schöne Heimat / Vem kan segla förutan vind (traditional) 2:55 4. Mistral (Ulf Wakenius) 5:24 5. Once Upon A Time In America (Ennio Morricone) 3:08 6. Paco's Delight (Ulf Wakenius) 3:37 7. Scarborough Fair (traditional) 2:06 8. Dodge The Dodo / When God Created The Coffeebreak (Esbjörn Svensson, Dan Berglund & Magnus Öström) 3:53 9. Eleanor Rigby (John Lennon & Paul McCartney) 4:55 10. Father And Son (Cat Stevens aka Yusuf Islam) 4:23 11. Birdland (Joe Zawinul) 6:44 Bonus Track: 12. Help The Poor (Charles Singleton) 5:44

RELEASE DATE 28TH APRIL 2017

Monteverdi in the Spirit of Jazz VARIOUS ARTISTS A Happy 450th “in the Spirit of Jazz”.

Claudio Monteverdi is one of the hidden giants of music history. In May, the Italian late renaissance composer, born in 1567, would have been 450 years old, which gives an opportunity to look at an often forgotten genius through the jazz prism. Five tracks from Richie Beirach’s album “Round about Monteverdi” form the album’s connective tissue. The Michael Wollny Trio set the old master powerfuly in the modern jazz context. Whether the language is pure classicism, Nordic sound, Italian lyricism or European folk, the sheer interpretative variety proves the point: Monteverdi still has a lot to offer us.

Label: ACT Music File Under: Jazz Catalogue No: ACT98382 Barcode: 614427983824 Price: MID PRICE Format: 1 CD Packaging: digipack

Track listing: 1. Se nel partir da voi (arr. by Lundgren) 4:34 / Album: Magnum Mysterium Jan Lundgren, piano / Lars Danielsson, bass / The Gustaf Sjökvist Chamber Choir 2. Toccata From Orfeo (arr. by Rea & Boltro) 2:56 / Album: Opera / Danilo Rea, piano / Flavio Boltro, trumpet 3. Dialog Orfeo Messenger (arr. by Beirach & Huebner) 4:21 / Album: Round About Monteverdi Richie Beirach, piano / Gregor Huebner, violin / George Mraz, bass 4. Amor - Lamento della Ninfa 4:54 / Album: Ahi Vita Michael Riessler, clarinet / Vincent Courtois, cello / Singer Pur 5. Lasciatemi morire (Lamento d’Arianna) (arr. by Schaefer, prev. unreleased) 5:04 Michael Wollny, piano / Tim Lefebvre, bass / Eric Schaefer, drums 6. Around Dialog Orfeo Messenger (arr. by Beirach & Huebner) 3:11 / Album: Round About Monteverdi Richie Beirach, piano / Gregor Huebner, violin / George Mraz, bass 7. Si dolce è il tormento (arr. by Fresu) 6:08 / Album: Mare Nostrum II Paolo Fresu, trumpet / Richard Galliano, accordion / Jan Lundgren, piano 8. Fantasy On Lamento d’Arianna (arr. by Beirach & Huebner) 4:32 / Album: Round About Monteverdi Richie Beirach, piano / Gregor Huebner, violin / George Mraz, bass 9. Lasciatemi morire (arr. by Rea & Boltro) 3:04 / Album: Opera / Danilo Rea, piano / Flavio Boltro, trumpet 10. Si ch’io vorrei morire 3:02 / Album: Ahi Vita Singer Pur: Claudia Reinhard, Klaus Wenk, Markus Zapp, Andreas Hirtreiter, Guido Heidloff & Marcus Schmidl 11. Orfeos Lament (arr. by Beirach & Huebner) 7:31 / Album: Round About Monteverdi Richie Beirach, piano / Gregor Huebner, violin / George Mraz, bass 12. Lamento d’ Arianna (arr. by Beirach & Huebner) 1:38 Album: Round About Monteverdi Richie Beirach, piano / Gregor Huebner, violin / George Mraz, bass