LP - Follow The Leader (Re-imagined as Jazz) ErikB & Rakim
We Jazz Records presents "Lonna 2019", a nautical live album bringing together recordings captured at the successful concert series at the island of Lonna just outside Helsinki in July 2019. Part 3 of their ongoing "We Jazz Live Plates" series documenting the label's live activity, "Lonna 2019" features inspired performances by Aleksi Heinola Quintet, Antti Lötjönen Quintet East and Oaagaada. Drummer Heinola's quintet and the Hämeenlinna-based quartet Oaagaada make their We Jazz Records debut with this release, while Lötjönen is releasing his debut as a leader on the label in April. "Lonna 2019" captures the easy-going feeling at the island series fittingly. Aleksi Heinola Quintet swings with their natural ability of making no-nonsense hard bop sound fresh in the contemporary setting. Antti Lötjönen leads his star-studded Quintet East through a high-spirited rendition of Don Cherry's "Art Deco". Oaagaada charm with their deep DIY spiritual jazz. And somewhere just above the music, a seagull screeches, echoing a perfect sunny day at Lonna. "Lonna 2019" released together with "Ateneum 2019", We Jazz Live Plates vol. 2, is an inspiring example of the active and high quality jazz scene in Helsinki.
Helsinki's We Jazz Records presents "Ateneum 2019", part 2 of their ongoing "We Jazz Live Plates" series documenting the label's live activity. Recorded at the historic Ateneum Art Museum in Helsinki during spring 2019, the intense live compilation brings together three acts on the label's roster: Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen, OK:KO and Alder Ego, each performing two tracks here. OK:KO opens proceedings with their sound electrified by Toomas Keski-Säntti changing from piano to Fender rhodes, a little touch that opens up new avenues in their sound. The band who made a big splash with their 2019 debut album "Syrtti", present energetic new versions of the title track and the looping "Piik". Alder Ego, led by drummer Joonas Leppänen, shifts gears with a new deep version of their 2018 album track "Cubism", and add a new track "Mystery Room Nr. 6" into the mix. Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen strecth out their compact tracks "Fallow" and "Goldenrod", which grow into new lenght and depth in the live setting. "Ateneum 2019" released together with "Lonna 2019", We Jazz Live Plates vol. 3, is an inspiring example of the active and high quality jazz scene in Helsinki.
Limitiert 500 Stück - Der preisgekrönte Wiener Klarinettist, Saxophonist und Komponist Ulrich Drechsler ist ein Wanderer zwischen den musikalischen Welten. Seine Duette mit den Pianisten Tord Gustavsen oder Stefano Battaglia, sein Cello Quartet, das akustische HipHop Trio "Café Drechsler", Filmmusik uvm. sind nur einige Beispiele seines erfolgreichen internationalen Schaffens der letzten Jahre. Nun präsentiert er mit seinem neuen Opus Magnum "Liminal Zone" gleich ein ganzes musikalisches Universum. In drei eigenständigen Projekten, den sogenannten Scopes, verarbeitet er mit drei Besetzungen und drei Programmen die Einflüsse, die ihn in den vergangenen Jahren am stärksten geprägt haben: vor allem Neo-Klassizismus, skandinavischer Minimalismus, britischer TripHop & Ambient und Filmmusik. Entstanden ist eine traumhaft schöne Musik, die sich bewusst jeder Kategorisierung entzieht. Eine einzigartige Balance harmonischer und melodischer Wohlklänge sowie bewusst gesetzter Eigenwilligkeiten, die sich in Klangfarben, Rhythmen, Melodien und Atmosphären widerspiegeln. "Caramel", der erste Teil dieser Trilogie, erscheint auf dem Jazz-Label Enja, die strikt limitierte LP auf monkey.
2014 Barclaycard Mercury Prize - An Album of the Year "Jazz, techno, hip-hop and dubstep are glimpsed here, but for all the looping motifs and dance floor vibes, this is the work of three sure-footed improvisers with deep jazz roots". The Guardian "I think they're special...;and the response has been amazing" Gilles Peterson 6 Music To celebrate the inclusion of v2.0 as a Barclaycard Mercury Prize album of the year, GoGo Penguin are releasing a deluxe digital edition of v2.0 with three killer tracks from the original album sessions! Released here for the first time is the incessant 'Break' featuring a killer groove that offers a not to the one and only Squarepusher, 'Wash', a haunting slice of the band at their most ambient and the wonderful 'In Amber', the first track that the band wrote completely together. The title of which was inspired by a book by Kurt Vonnegut where he describes us all as 'trapped in the amber of the moment' in reference to time happening all at once rather than in a linear fashion. The release is launched with an intimate hometown gig at the Soup Kitchen on October 21st, with support from local lad and rising star Werkha in a live performance. In addition the guys are giving fans a chance to win a meet & greet and package of goodies with a remix completion in conjunction with SoundCloud. See here http://gogopenguin.co.uk/remix-competition/ GoGo Penguin's skittering break-beats, telepathic interplay and a penchant for anthemic melody all contribute to a sound that's wholly their own. Pianist Chris Illingworth's yearning classical influenced melodies are filtered through the dance music energy of bassist Nick Blacka and drummer Rob Turner. Their instrumentation might be the archetypal piano trio but while the melodic, harmonic and structural ideas are influenced by both classical and jazz the rhythms are drawn from left field electronica and it's this meeting of opposites that makes their unique acoustic-electronica sound so exciting and creates such an interesting and emotionally rich palate for the listener - as drawing on a heady brew of influences from Brian Eno, John Cage and Squarepusher to Manchester's grey rain-streaked urban streets they create a brave new sound all their own. UK press praise for GoGo Penguin v2.0 "It's obvious why the Manchester clubs are jumping to this band." The Guardian "Jazz, techno, hip-hop and dubstep are glimpsed here, but for all the looping motifs and dance floor vibes, this is the work of three sure-footed improvisers with deep jazz roots". The Guardian "[v2.0] showcases a group marking out their own musical world" The Times "A really brilliantly modern piano trio that takes in the whole history of music. I think they're really special." - Jamie Cullum / BBC Radio 2 "I think they're special...;and the response has been amazing" Gilles Peterson 6 Music "A stirring re-evaluation of what a piano trio should sound like in the 21st century"'¨ - Barclaycard Mercury Prize "GoGo Penguin have barged their way to the front of this crowded playing field with a sharp-elbowed sound that's as intelligently accessible as it is belligerently danceable"'¨ - Jazzwise "GoGo Penguin will win an audience way beyond the jazz dives" - MOJO "v2.0 has the potential to be one of those rare albums that genuinely resonates with an audience outside jazz" - JazzUK "Anthemic riffs and skittering grooves..pushes the acoustic piano trio into the future" Jazzwise "v2.0 is an energetic album... it takes classical and jazz rhythms and pushes them into the world of electronica". Echoes "GoGo Penguin continue to stretch the piano-trio formula into the future" - The Quietus "v2.0 is the sound of a band moving forward...; further establishing GoGo Penguin as one of the most exciting young bands on the contemporary scene" All About Jazz "Sometimes an album stops you in your tracks. The brilliant jazz-meets-electronica release from this remarkable Mancunian trio, is one of them". Spotify "This music has all the hallmarks of 21st century Britain, an island afloat on an ever shifting sea of underground beats and rhythms". Ancient to Future "v2.0 could easily stake its claim as the most original and accessible jazz piano trio album of new music to emerge from these shores" - Marlbank "GoGo Penguin courageously stretches the boundaries of modern hybrid music into new and incendiary regions...;smoothly incorporates elements of electronica, trip hop, jazz and classical music, with the explosiveness and anthemic melodiousness of quality rock"."'¨ - Igloo Magazine
Born in Chiba, Japan, Yasushi Karasawa learned piano from his mother as a young child, and soon began the explorative process in music. His first influences were Yellow Magic Orchestra and the great Ryuichi Sakamoto, leading him to save the pocket money for a Yamaha CS-15 analog Synth and a double cassette deck for recording. As is the case, musical exploration leads one around the world to Jazz from the US, and in his case it was a borrowed record from Bill Evans that sparked his interest in Jazz piano. Studying at High School and then University, enamored with Evans and naturally Herbie Hancock, the stage was set. He performed at the Tokyo Jazz Clubs and he played in a pop band, but soon he turned to the studio and his own music with the project dubbed N’Sawa Saraca. The simple story is familiar, but the missing piece is the depth of Karasawa’s musical understanding that comes through on his second album Another Town. One can hear Evans, and the golden age of Jazz interpreted through the lense of an eager Japanese student. And yet the groove is quite modern, with tinges of influences pushing through, like Terrace Martin or Aaron Parks. All of this is done with full respect, crafting the influences to his own discreetly interwoven and dreamlike flow. N’Sawa Saraca manages to capture all of the hefty Jazz solos within a gentle floating frame, enhanced by the flowing vocals of Raphael Sebbag from United Future organization.
Back in stock ! Hiromasa Suzuki is a Japanese pianist, who began his recording career in the early 70s. Nicknamed “Colgen” in Japan, he is well-known for two amazing records combining jazz-fusion and traditional Japanese instruments (‘Rock-Joint Biwa’ and ‘Rock-Joint Cipher’ on the RCA label), jazz-funk oriented albums (‘High-Flying’, ‘Skip Step Cogen’) and the famous record from the Electro Keyboard Orchestra.Hiromasa Suzuki is a Japanese pianist who began his recording career in the early 70s. Nicknamed “Colgen” in Japan, he is well-known for two amazing records combining jazz-fusion and traditional Japanese instruments (‘Rock-Joint Biwa’ and ‘Rock-Joint Cipher’ on the RCA label), jazz-funk oriented albums (‘High-Flying’, ‘Skip Step Cogen’) and the famous record from the Electro Keyboard Orchestra, his band along with other famous Japanese pianists Yuji Ohno and Hideo Ichikawa. But, Hiromasa Suzuki was also interested in more classical jazz. In 1978 he released ‘Primrose’ on Union label, a beautiful record of modal jazz, with Nobuyoshi Ino on bass and Steve Jackson on drums. An absolutely hard-to-find record, even in Japan, ‘Primrose’ is reissued for the first time in vinyl by Le Très Jazz Club. A unique opportunity to discover incredible compositions like ‘Hornet’, ‘Discharge’ or ‘Early Summer’.
Reissue des raren Psychedelic-Jazz-Albums "Pop Symphony" von 1970 von Jason Havelock, einem Pseudonym des französischen Filmkomponisten Eric Demarsan.
Myrrdin de Cauter ist ein belgischer Flamenco-Gitarrist, der eindrucksvoll belegt, dass Flamenco-Virtuosen mit einer Schnelligkeit außerirdischen Ursprungs nicht unbedingt aus Spanien kommen müssen. Gekonnt vereint er Elemente von Jazz und Klassik in seine Musik und erzeugt eine großartige Welt voller Emotionen, Schönheit und Frieden. Nun erscheint mit "Longhin" der zweite Teil seiner vierteiligen Album-Serie "Monstruos Y Duendes" (Monster & Goblins). "“Full of magic, mystery and poetry." – Rootstime
Die beiden Fazer-Drummer Simon Popp und Sebastian Wolfgruber schliessen sich für den zweiten Teil ihrer hybriden "Sound Measures" Serie mit der tunesischen Produzentin Azu Tiwaline zusammen (bekannt von ihrer diesjährigen "Magnetic Serive" EP auf dem Bristoler Livity Sound-Label). Erstmal liefern die beiden Drummer 22 Minuten lang eine melodischere Version ihres polyrhythmischen Grooves, inspiriert durch Gamelan, Afro-Cuban und Swing. Dieses für Azu Tiwaline perfekte Material verarbeitet sie auf der Flip, legt Strukturen ihrer prägnanten Dub-Electronics über die mystische Aura und kreiert ein 7-Minuten-Biest von einem Track.
Berlin-based Swiss vocalist Lucia Cadotsch returns with her celebrated Speak Low trio for their second album, released by We Jazz Records on 27 Nov. "Speak Low II" features Cadotsch on voice, Otis Sandsjö on tenor saxophone and Petter Eldh on double bass, and introduces guest artists Kit Downes on hammond organ and Lucy Railton on cello. "Speak Low II" picks up where their genre-bending and forward-looking debut album left off, introducing new shades into the band's sound and also diving even deeper into the songs they tackle. What makes Speak Low special is their approach to really get to the heart of each composition with seemingly minimal means, yet generating a sound which is both instantly recognisable and remarkably impactful. "Speak Low II" comes almost five years after the band's lauded debut, and proves the depth of the band's approach right from the start. At the core of the trio's operation is an openness to their love of the music and to their surrounding scene(s). The album comes across as a unified collection of songs made truly theirs and found through listening to records and spending time with their musician friends, often on the road. The highly evolved band sound and the equality of the musicians shines through on the Speak Low sound, as the group uses their 100+ performances together as a vehicle for the development of their music.
Modern sounds for the 21st century featuring modal, progressive and esoteric contemporary jazz from the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Finland, USA, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, Germany & Italy. The first 12 volumes of our hugely popular Spiritual Jazz series have unearthed a wealth of historic recordings in the genre, collating a variety of works from the ‘50s to the ‘80s by artists from all around the world. And so, with Volume 13, we turn our attention to what’s happening NOW. Over the course of 24 tracks and spanning 2 x 2LPs, we present an overview of the contemporary exponents of Spiritual Jazz; musicians who are intent on bringing something personal to the table, as much as they recognize the importance of those who have paved the way for them. We feature music recorded within the past 20 years and from 15 different countries, including modern classics from veterans Steve Reid and Idris Ackamoor, providing a vital link between the past masters and the enlightened new generation. It’s pioneers such as John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders et al, with their innovations in reaching another plane of consciousness that was and remains uppermost in the minds of exponents of Spiritual Jazz. Fittingly, several of the artists featured on this compilation, such as Cat Toren and David Boykin, are practitioners of the art of music therapy and sound healing, and have absolute conviction in the role of song as solace. The pioneers may no longer be with us, but their saintly selves loom large, shining a light in the darkness, inspiring many a brave new disciple today, as this album will testify: the new wave of jazz is gathering pace and still sounds fresh, vibrant and as relevant as ever. Available as 2 x 2LP sets each with gatefold sleeves, extensive liners, download card & pics inside.
Byron The Aquarius ist kein Fremder für echte Musikliebhaber. Im Januar diesen Jahres trommelte er seine Musikerfreunde für eine Session in Atlantas Patchwerk Studios unter der Leitung von Jeff Mills zusammen. Das Ergebnis ist eine fantastische Mischung aus Soulful-House und Jazz mit einem Touch von Blues.