Featuring Bassist Linda Oh and Drummer Henry Cole

Out October 4, 2011

Fabian Almazan’s debut, Personalities (Biophilia), reveals his penchant for musical storytelling with well-crafted originals and well-chosen covers. Born in Cuba, raised in Miami and based in New York City, the 27-year-old pianist and composer has apprenticed with Terence Blanchard and is a recent fellow of the Sundance Film Composer’s Lab.

Almazan’s trio is comprised of bassist Linda Oh and drummer Henry Cole, both Manhattan School of Music classmates. “They are both very open-minded musicians with a fearless ability to turn on a dime if the music takes a different direction,” Almazan says with praise. “Needless to say, they have profound command over their respective instruments.” The trio is augmented by a string quartet featuring violinists Meg Okura and Megan Gould, violist Karen Waltuch and cellist Noah Hoffeld.

True to the album title, the music is about people that have impacted Almazan’s life so far. The inspirations for his compositions range from tributes to his grandmothers and mother (“Grandmother Song,” “Una Foto”), overheard conversations about atheism (“Sin Alma”), stage parents at adolescent piano recitals (“The Vicarious Life”) and socio-economic reflections (“H.U.Gs”). About the latter, a tune that finds Almazan unravelling lines on Fender Rhodes, he says, “H.U.Gs stands for Historically Under-represented Groups. As I understand the acronym, it is used in scientific papers that deal with the environmental conditions in lower socio-economic communities. I wanted to write something that would embody the struggle that generations of abused and manipulated people have had to overcome to achieve equality.”

Almazan’s choice of non-original repertoire is imaginative, in two cases reflective of his Cuban heritage. Carlos Varela’s “Bola de Nieve” (literally, “snowball,” but in this case, the nickname of Ignacio Villa) is one of Almazan’s earliest memories of attentively listening to music, and is offered here in homage to both Varela and Villa. The classic danzon “Tres Lindas Cubanas” “connects me back to my music and my family,” he says.

The album opens with a stunning rendition of the third movement of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 10, Op. 118. The trio and string quartet are processed by Almazan through delay and distortion. He tips his hat to guitarists Ryan Ferreira, his guide through “pedal land,” and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood. Almazan refers to this type of electronic processing as “a new door in front of me that I didn’t even know existed.” It is a strong opening statement, and like the rest of the album, executed from a place of deep honesty. “I had to be clear with myself about what type of emotions I wanted to musically convey that would best introduce my aesthetics to the listener,” Almazan explains.

The evocative narratives on Personalities reflect Almazan’s self-described “international citizen” worldview, as well as his work as a film composer. His relationship to music can be summed up thusly: “I have learned that music has an uncomplicated purpose, which is to make you feel something. There are an endless amount of options on how to achieve that simple purpose.” On his remarkable first record, Fabian Almazan presents ten such options.

History can be perplexing for modern bandleaders. Breaking new ground while retaining traditional beauty isn’t exactly easy. But on NY 10027 Volker Goetze has come up with a win-win approach that does exactly that. The trumpeter-composer has lots of skills when it comes to balancing craft and experimentation, and they give his orchestra debut a sturdy feel that boasts plenty of personal perspective.

A German native who has been living in New York for the past several years, Goetze is an award-winning arranger and forward-thinking improviser. His broad global perspective earned him critical kudos for 2008’s Sira, a collaboration with Senegalese kora master Ablaye Cissoko. The rich big band charts Goetze wrote for his NY 10027 group are almost the opposite of the spare interactions found on Sira, but they do share one trait. These elaborate new tracks have an unmistakable brio driving their every move.

You can hear it on “Tree,” a swirling piece that was nominated for a BMI Charlie Parker Composition Award. Its heady patterns shift from intricate and challenging to lush and pleasurable. And you can hear it on “Snow Crystal,” a luminous excursion that moves quickly but offers the beauty of a ballad.

“I want the pieces to be full of vitality,” explains the 39-year-old Goetze, “and I also want them to avoid set formulas. My goal is to stress the essence of the individual songs. I use my experience to find something new each time out.”

On the gorgeous opening number, that meant making space for Lenny Pickett’s unique clarinet approach. The Saturday Night Live bandleader is known for his wailing tenor sax. ‘Solace’, which was presented at the 2008 Jazz Composer’s Symposium (directed by Chuck Owen) lets Pickett showcase another side. Tonguing the instrument, and soloing in a lower register, he brings an idiosyncratic sound to the proceedings.

“He’s unbelievable,” says Goetze. “I love his Tower of Power playing, but people should know he has much more to offer, especially as a clarinet virtuoso. I heard him using a small clarinet to render an unusual approach, and I wanted to find a spot for it. Most composers write up high for the E-flat clarinet. But when you play in a lower range, it sounds even more beautiful.”

Another unusual instrumental deployment comes on “Cissokos Kora.” The radiant plinks of the African strings are the prelude to full band’s entry. The piece perpetually morphs, developing its percussive melody lines through a trombone excursion and then back to more strings – only this time it’s a fuzzed guitar romp by Sebastian Noelle. Somewhere along the way it becomes a seductive examination of textures driven by a deep rhythmic undertow.

“I like to find uses for different cultures,” says Goetze. “We also incorporate some Afro-Cuban bata playing in there. It’s smart to learn from a variety of places.”

That sounds like a description of the changes taking place on “Inside the Outside World.” While working on a trio album together, Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos told Goetze that walking from the east side to the west side of Manhattan, you could come across all the cultures in the world. For this track the trumpeter recorded the sidewalk and subway sounds on a trip from Queens College to his Harlem home. The snippets of urban ambiance enhance the flavor of the chart, acting as cues for certain motifs.

“A rapper, a ghetto blaster, the voices on the train – it’s all part of New York’s beauty. I saw [my teacher] Markus Stockhausen doing a solo piece with a tape playing behind him. It’s an interesting approach, and I’d like to explore it more. But players need to be open to it. An ensemble is a like a city that a soloist cuts through.” John Beaty’s careening alto sax maneuvers develop quite a trajectory as they spill forward.

Goetze’s own path has been a bit more direct. He says he’s always known he wanted to be a musician, and he always had a dream to come to the United States. As a teen in his rural hometown, he played in a church brass choir. A mentor told him he needed a wider perspective and voila, they were in Cologne seeing Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time. From there he investigated Don Cherry’s work. The floodgates soon opened. We Want Miles, Dizzy Gillespie albums, the Gil Evans Big Band – he absorbed it all. He came to Vermont to study in 1988, and while visiting a New York-based aunt, he discovered Cherry was a friend of her. They hung out a bit together in the East Village.  “It took a long time to become confident enough to convince my family to let me study music here,” he says, “but I ultimately got a grant, and stayed.”

He found that he had talent for arranging, and after writing horn charts for a Brazilian musician, others asked him for advice as well. “They encouraged me! At my graduation concert I wrote pieces for big band. I was fast. I remember writing an arrangement for ‘Well, You Needn’t’ in a day. Of course, these days I take much more time with things like that.”

He wants to make sure that his music is always conveying passion. “You know, bringing character out of the music, like the elders did,” he says. “Randy Weston can play a blues, and it seems simple, yet it’s so colorful, full of surprise and complexity. Johnny Hodges plays a melody and it’s beyond beautiful. Yes, this is a time when anything can be incorporated into a chart, but I don’t want to lose that essence they had. I try to write from the heart.”

Featuring Saxophonist Mark Turner, Bassist Joe Martin, and Drummer Marcus Gilmore

Guitarist Gilad Hekselman’s third album, Hearts Wide Open, finds him in the company of his working trio with bassist Joe Martin and drummer Marcus Gilmore. They are joined by saxophonist Mark Turner in a set comprised entirely of Hekselman’s original material. The title refers to Hekselman’s perspective on the practice of music-making. “As musicians, we get to travel and play for different audiences, moving people and creating something positive in the world,” he says. “It’s about opening our hearts as musicians as well as opening the hearts of listeners.”

Hekselman speaks of his bandmates with admiration. “Joe is one of my favorite bass players,” he says of his musical colleague of the past 7 years. “He’s easy to play with and has a huge round sound on the bass. He has a real awareness of what needs to be happening.” He calls Gilmore “addictive to play with. Marcus is so advanced, raw and groovy at the same time. It’s how I like drumming to be.” The union of Martin and Gilmore provide “a really wide beat,” giving Hekselman the space to freely phrase his evocative melodies within the time. Saxophonist Mark Turner’s deliberate tenor is an ideal foil to guitarists. Hekselman describes Turner as “a very intelligent player,” combining an extensive harmonic knowledge with a deeply-rooted sense of emotion. The clarity of Hekselman’s sound and Gilmore’s ride cymbal emphasize the craftsmanship of Turner’s improvising. “I loved his playing on records for many years, and after I moved to New York I got to hear him more. He’s an idol of mine, and one that I can actually call for a gig!”

Gilad Hekselman, Mark Turner, and Marcus Gilmore in performance mode

Whereas Hekselman’s previous records were split between his own compositions and standards, Hearts Wide Open is the first to exclusively feature his writing. Driven by strong, communicative melodies, the tunes embrace the tradition of song form. Hekselman focused on his own work this time around, because “the feeling of playing a standard is achieved anyway through these tunes. They have a familiar sound to them.” “Hazelnut Eyes” is an updated take on the Latin tinge present through all of jazz history; “Brooze” swings in slow motion; and the infectious line of “Flower” bears resemblance to West African pop.

From the opening figure of “One More Song” to his comping sensibility throughout the album, Hekselman’s approach to the guitar could be described as pianistic. His main influences have always been pianists and horn players. “When I put on a record just to listen to, it’s almost always a piano trio,” says Gilad. “The music I got obsessed over as a teenager always featured pianists: Ahmad Jamal, Bill Evans and, more recently, Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau. It’s been a great challenge and inspiration for me, to think like a pianist on guitar.”

Since his arrival in New York, Gilad Hekselman rose to prominence alongside drummer Ari Hoenig and clarinetist Anat Cohen. Both strong bandleaders in different ways, Hekselman’s tenure as a sideman has deeply influenced his own work. As the leader of his first tour, Hekselman says, “Ari is a school of rhythm. He hires his band members without really telling them anything. That’s the approach I’ve taken: I surround myself with musicians that I trust. I embrace their changes to my music.” With Cohen, Hekselman was exposed to music from around the world. “Anat is a very present bandleader – she knows what she wants on the bandstand and knows how to communicate it well.”

From the Tibetan bowl that opens “Prologue,” to the powerful rapport exhibited throughout the album, Hearts Wide Open is a testament to Gilad Hekselman’s emotional journey through music. “The greatest benefit of being a musician,” he says, “is making the world a better place.”

Featuring Pianist Henry Hey, guitarist Pete McCann, bassist John Hébert, drummer John Hollenbeck and singer/french hornist Heather Laws

The broader a bandleader’s tonal palette, the richer the music becomes. Ben Kono proves this numerous times on the colorful Crossing, a sublime ensemble disc that finds lots of unique territory being investigated. The respected New York saxophonist is expert in an array of instruments that stretches from oboe to shakuhachi, and he’s put some deep composing and arranging skills into play on his debut. As Crossing’s varied interests present themselves, its sextet music speaks to both the power of scope and the art of integration.

“I never wanted to record a straight-ahead small group thing,” explains the 43-year-old bandleader. “ My tastes have strayed away from that, and more towards contemporary classical sounds. I’ m absorbing music that’s been informed by jazz, the Bang On A Can composers, and what might be called post-classical work. It’ s a different kind of sound.”

What Kono’s describing can be heard in the buoyant bounce of “Rice,” the pensive elan of “Shadowdance,” and the dramatic reflections of “The Crossing.” Two decades ago, someone would have deemed this “third stream.” At various points, Kono’s flute, English horn, bass clarinet all help stir the group’s graceful maneuvers towards something quite singular.

Working with some of the city’s most expressive jazz musicians gives the action an exceptional slant as well. Pianist Henry Hey, guitarist Pete McCann, bassist John Hébert, and drummer John Hollenbeck form the core team; Kono’s wife, singer and French horn player Heather Laws, appears on a few tracks, too. The saxophonist has had longstanding relationships with his work mates, and says that the notion of family is the thread that connects several of the disc’s pieces.

The unexpected death of Kono’s father in 2002 prompted the writing of some new pieces. The saxophonist has relatives on the West Coast and in Japan, and he wanted to record this music and share it with his far-flung clan. Then life got in the way. He got married, had his first child, and the project was postponed. Last year he became inspired again. Crossing is the fetching result.

“Some of the pieces relate to my childhood memories,” he offers. “ And there’s also a song for my daughter. Of course there are a few that were prompted by my dad’s passing as well, like ‘Celestial Birch.’ He was a photographer and he has a gorgeous picture of a birch tree shooting up into the late autumn sky in the hills of Vermont – we lived in Brattleboro when I was in high school. It’ s very spiritual and epitomizes walking through the woods on a crystal clear day.”

A profound ensemble unity and the gorgeous tone of Kono’s horn mark the track, which dazzles with the kind of poetry a Wayne Shorter ballad regularly delivers. “Paradise in Manzanar” has a similar glow. It was written in the wake of 9/11 (Kono watched the downtown devastation from his Brooklyn neighborhood), but shelved for several years. A cousin’s virtual reality project about the infamous WWII internment camp Manzanar inspired him to dust off the piece.

“In my cousin’s piece you could see the horrible conditions they were under in California. And yet somehow the Japanese prisoners managed to make art classes, have a school for the kids, and develop gorgeous gardens. Really courageous and resilient.”

“Manzanar” features Kono’s striking English horn work. His ability to double on so many woodwinds has been one of his calling cards. He’s a key member of critically acclaimed groups such as John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, and Ed Palermo Big Band. He also works in an array of Broadway show orchestras. The wealth of instruments he handles is impressive, but he says it’s not without a cost.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” he chuckles. “ Doubling opens all these doors, but it’s a pain in the ass when you actually have to keep up on all these instruments. I went to the Eastman School, and a few professors had a strong connection to the tradition of doubling woodwinds that existed in New York back in the day – versatility is important. It’s funny, though: I went to North Texas State, too, and they couldn’t really care less about how you played your doubles – they just wanted you to let loose the most ungodly tenor solo anyone’s ever heard.

“One thing’s certain: I wanted to put my head into each of these instruments as I studied them, not just be a saxophone player who tries his hand at the clarinet once in a while.”

A short listen to Kono’s chipper flute work on “Rice” lets listeners know how dedicated he is to mastering other instruments. And the high-flying sax excursion on the title tune (about the joys of traversing the Queensboro Bridge on the way into Manhattan) is evidence that his main horn can be ungodly itself. It’s always exciting to hear him head to parts unknown during a solo. Is there any chance he’s being a bit too hidden in large groups?

“When I moved to New York, I was ready to bust out of the sideman genre,” he concludes with a smile. “ Then what happens? I fall in with all these fantastic big bands and creative composers like Darcy and Hollenbeck, and they turn out to be my biggest influences. Ten years go by, and when finally I do start the small group project I wanted, I wind up writing music that demands more people participating. Argh! My next record will be a trio disc, I swear.”

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Nineteen-Eight Records

Featuring guitarist Bill Frisell, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and pianist Kris Davis

One thing’s certain: it was definitely worth the wait. Kermit Driscoll has been a remarkable bassist and inspired sideman for the last 30 years, but he’s never released an album of his own. Reveille, a program of kaleidoscopic funk, experimental abstractions, and fetching intricacies, rectifies that. It is an achievement that lets the world know Driscoll now wears another hat as well: that of a cagey bandleader.

Reveille’s star-studded quartet united for only a day, but it performs like a group that’s worked together for ages – which in some ways it indeed has. Driscoll and guitarist Bill Frisell are longtime partners. The pair met on the first day of classes at the Berklee College of Music during the mid-‘70s. During that Boston stint, they also connected with drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, the master percussionist who went on to share the stage with everyone from Sting to Frank Zappa to Jeff Beck. (The three played in a New England lounge band, and Driscoll says that somewhere there’s a picture of them sporting their orange disco suits.) Rounding out the Reveille ensemble is pianist Kris Davis, an insightful improviser who’s currently garnering critical acclaim on the New York jazz scene. Under Driscoll’s guidance, this foursome connects on a deep level, making music that blends keenly individual approaches with a palpable sense of sharing.

“There’s not a better compliment I could possibly hear,” says the 54-year-old bassist. “We wanted to make sure we were playing together as a quartet, and I truly think that happened. Actually, we didn’t work at all. We spent the day in the studio having a ball. Joking around, calling up old friends, and playing, playing, playing.”

It was a health crisis that reunited Driscoll with his old pal Colaiuta. The bassist’s near-fatal battle with Lyme disease in 2006 found them reconnecting after being separated for a number of years by the whirlwind of busy schedules. During Driscoll’s worst days, the drummer would call and assure his friend that they were “definitely going to play again.” A year or so later, after an outpouring of good will that included a few benefit concerts, the bassist began to recover.

“It was the energy and love of people,” he says, “and it was quite a lesson. Anything can happen. Vinnie had been so helpful. I definitely wanted to follow up on his offer to play and wanted it to be with Bill, like the old days. Problem is, those two are so busy, it took two years to grab one day when they both could do it.”

Driscoll’s been composing for decades, and Reveille’s program is filled with tunes both ancient and fresh. The poignant “Farm Life” goes back 20 years. In the hands of Frisell, its melody becomes a shimmering string of notes. “Hekete,” named after the goddess of the crossroads, is a new piece that’s truly a siren song. From the glistening intro to Davis’ enchanting circular patterns to the bouncy swing that concludes the action, it demonstrates Driscoll’s view of flexibility.

“I don’t compose all that much,” he says, “but for this record I had the luxury of choosing the things I really wanted. And listening to the results got me excited. I must have written two discs worth of tunes since we cut this album – a real hot streak.”

The non-originals he chose also reveal something about his musical personality. Miles Davis’ “Great Expectations” is an aggressive nugget that everyone gets to rock out on. “Big Fun was the first jazz record I got after leaving a session at Interlochen Arts Camp as a kid,” he says. “I also have this great memory of me and Bill and Joey Baron in a Paris taxi while ‘Great Expectations’ was playing. We just looked at each other and said ‘Oh shit, listen to this.’” It’s exact opposite, the trad twang tune “Chicken Reel,” brings a different kind of frolic to the table. “I set up a sheet with just the melody and said, ‘Okay, let’s play. We morph into other times – it’s a bit of a joke, but it’s fun.”

Driscoll was completely taken with the way his bandmates addressed the variety of material. Colaiuta filled in drum parts that the composer’s charts left wide open. “The more you listen to this album, the more you’ll hear his magic. I don’t even know what the hell he’s playing on ‘Four Hearts.’ It stays in time but moves around. Vinnie always has something like that going on. It’s no surprise – back in college I watched him sight read Charles Ives scores.”

Dedicated jazz fans know that Driscoll and Frisell have been frequent collaborators. The bassist was central to the guitarist’s critically celebrated mid-80s trio, and Driscoll calls his friend a mentor. “I really got fired up about the bass when I met Jaco Pastorious early on, but who’s kidding who, Bill is my main influence. In fact, he has overly influenced me. He is a badass.”

Driscoll met Davis at a rehearsal of John Hollenbeck’s Large Ensemble. They were playing the drummer’s “Foreign One,” and he found Davis’ touch to be “ballsy.” He immediately set up an informal session in Brooklyn. “Kris, Jeff Davis and I messed around together, and she would sometimes play just one note or stop playing completely – and I said ‘Oh boy, this is the perfect piano player. I don’t know anyone else who’d just take their hands off the piano. Kris is incredible on ‘Hekete.’ She speeds up, slows down, she knows exactly what not to play.”

The same could be said for Driscoll. He uses both electric and acoustic instruments on Reveille, and from the eerie tones of “Ire” to knotty grooves of “Boomstatz,” he leaves plenty of open space around him – another reason that the band sounds so connected. “I could have played a bit more,” he concludes, “but I’m so glad I didn’t. It would have turned into some kind of bass player record, and god, we don’t want that. This album is all about exchange and interaction. The way we worked together, the way John Guth mixed it with a couple of wrong notes left in – I wanted to keep it pure. It all came together, and it sounds a lot better that way – nothing but fun.”

Kermit Driscoll’s Website

Nineteen-Eight Records

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Tour Dates Around NYC & East Coast Following CD Release

Anyone who’s ever puzzled over the oddly altar-like mirrored globes that serve as the centerpiece of many a suburban garden will instantly be in on the joke that provided the title for trombonist Joe Fiedler’s Sacred Chrome Orb (Yellow Sound Records, release date March 29). While Fiedler attaches no particular significance to the name, it does represent a delight in the incongruous, a refreshingly skewed perspective, and an off-kilter sense of humor, all qualities that pervade the music of his unique, intensely expressive trio.

On their third CD, the Joe Fiedler Trio has developed an expansive language all their own. Fiedler is an inventive trombonist whose talents have found him founding the eccentric brass band Big Sackbut, working with visionary leaders Andrew Hill, Lee Konitz and Maria Schneider and avant-garde giants Anthony Braxton and Cecil Taylor; in big bands led by Satoko Fujii and Charles Tolliver; a member of the Captain Beefheart tribute band Fast and Bulbous; or accompanying pop stars like Jennifer Lopez and Wyclef Jean.

His compositions thus draw on a wealth of diverse sources and experiences, but nothing has been more inspiring, he insists, than his bandmates themselves. In bassist John Hebert and drummer Michael Sarin, he has found two highly individual voices who meld into a chameleonic unit, able to morph from the airy to the explosive with supple, surprising grace.

The uncommon trombone/bass/drums line-up was inspired by similar trios led by Albert Mangelsdorff (to whom Fiedler paid tribute on the trio’s 2006 debut) and Ray Anderson. But despite surface similarities, Fiedler, Hebert and Sarin have evolved their own unmistakable slant on that tradition, which the leader was keen to showcase on this new release. “The trio has matured nicely,” Fiedler says, “and has something strong to say.”

Nowhere is the group’s cohesive strength more evident than on the title track. A tightly-woven mesh of angular lines and stop-time rhythms, the tune’s urgent vitality demonstrates the trio’s ability to wrest emotion from complexity, each sharp turn and sudden lurch striking sparks.

The piece was in part inspired by the use of similar dynamics by saxophonist/composer Bennie Wallace, Fiedler says. Many of the compositions on the album, in fact, took other musicians or styles as the leaping-off point for creation, though the links between inspiration and outcome are rendered virtually invisible by Fiedler’s original approach.

“I get into these listening phases and tunes come out of them,” Fiedler explains. “I’ll hear or feel something that just gives me a little nudge. If I played you the records, they wouldn’t sound anything alike, but one rhythm or shape or vibe will push me to sit down and write something weirdly related.”

Both “Ging Gong” and “Ethiopia” came from one such period, which Fiedler spent intently listening to Ethiopian pop singers. The stream of Fiedler’s creative consciousness can be traced to a high bass line that Hebert plays on the bridge of his instrument in “Ging Gong,” which Fiedler intended to approximate African thumb piano – an instrument not present on the pop records he was listening to at the time.

Similarly, the buoyant lyricism of “#11” was sparked by a recording of a Rachmaninoff cello sonata performed by Vladimir Horowitz and Mstislav Rostropovich at Carnegie Hall’s 85th anniversary; the ebullient “Priestish” by a Billy Harper tune that Fiedler performed while on tour with tuba player Bob Stewart’s quintet; and the shadow-tinged “Next Phase” was written mid-flight after listening to Andrew Hill.
The latter is also a showcase for Fiedler’s dramatic use of multiphonics. His approach advances the technique used by players from Mangelsdorff to Coltrane, freeing him to use harmonics and overtones pianistically. “I used a much more sophisticated use approach to multiphonics this time around,” Fiedler says. “I see it as a major departure; it reminds me of the difference between Dixieland versus more modern jazz.”

Fiedler announces his bold take on multiphonics from the outset, entering the opening track, “Occult”, with a sound like a train whistle. The atmosphere that this striking sound creates is sustained throughout the ensuing six minutes, with both the leader and Hebert stretching out over Sarin’s simmering intensity.

As its title implies, the groove-heavy “Two Kooks” is an opportunity for the trio to embark on a more light-hearted excursion. “I felt like we needed to just swing and get funky on something,” Fiedler says, “to do something fun and not as serious.”

On a more personal note, “Chicken” was named for the composer’s six-year-old daughter, though, as Fiedler admits, “it’s not really a kid tune. When I played it for her, she ran out of the room and buried her head in the sofa. I’m not sure what that means.”

Whatever it means for Fiedler’s young daughter, Sacred Chrome Orb is likely to provoke strong reactions in any listener, even if it doesn’t send them scrambling for the couch cushions.

Joe Fiedler Trio Tour Dates:

April 10 – Saint Peters/Jazz Vespers, NYC (with Kozlov, Sarin)

April 19 – University of the Streets, NYC (with John Hébert-bass, Michael Sarin-drums)

April 21 – The Local 269, NYC (with John Hébert, Michael Sarin)

May 1 – The WindUp Space, Baltimore, MD (with John Hébert, Michael Sarin)

May 16 – The Lily Pad, Boston, MA (tbd)

May 27 – Muddy Waters, Burlington, VT (with Rob Morse-bass, Dan Ryan-drums)

May 29 – On The Rise, Richmond, VT (with Morse, Ryan)

Joe Fiedler Website

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For more information on the Joe Fiedler Trio, please contact Matt Merewitz

Fully Altered Media / matt@fullyaltered.com or 347-384-2839.

Chris Parrello –Things I Wonder (Stray Dog Music) – January 25
Chris Parrello – guitars, compositions; Karlie Bruce – vocals/lyrics; Ian Young – saxophones; Kevin Thomas – bass; Aviv Cohen – drums; Rubin Kodheli – cello; Greg Glassman – trumpet; Rich Hinman – pedal steel

February

Yaron Herman - Follow the White Rabbit (ACT Music) – February 8
Yaron Herman – piano; Chris Tordini – bass; Tommy Crane – drums

Youn Sun Nah– Same Girl (ACT Music) – February 8
Youn Sun Nah – vocals, kalimba, music box, kazoo; Ulf Wakenius – guitars; Lars Danielsson – acoustic bass, cello; Xavier Desandre-Navarre – percussion: Roland Brival – narration

Ben Kono – Crossing (Nineteen-Eight Records) – February 22
Ben Kono – saxophones, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, English horn; Henry Hey – piano; Pete McCann – guitar; John Hébert – bass; John Hollenbeck – drums; Heather Laws – vocals/French horn

Gutbucket – Flock (Cuneiform) – February 22
Ken Thomson – alto saxophone; Ty Citerman – electric guitar/effects; Eric Rockwin – bass; Adam D Gold – drums

March

Vijay Iyer – Tirtha (ACT Music) – March 8
Vijay Iyer – piano, Prasanna – guitar, Nitin Mitta – tabla

Helen Sung – (re)Conception (Steeplechase) – March 17
Helen Sung – piano, Peter Washington – bass, Lewis Nash – drums

Steven Lugerner – These Are The Words/Narratives 2-CD Set (self-released) – March 24
CD 1 – These Are The Words: Steven Lugerner – B-flat Clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, soprano & alto saxophones, oboe, English horn; Darren Johnston – trumpet & flugelhorn; Myra Melford – piano; Matt Wilson – drums

CD 2 – Narratives: Steven Lugerner – soprano & alto saxophones, bass clarinet, B-flat clarinet; Lucas Pino – Tenor Saxophone; Itamar Borochov – trumpet & flugelhorn; Angelo Spagnolo – guitar; Glenn Zaleski – piano; Ross Gallagher – double bass, Michael W. Davis – drums

Honey Ear Trio – Steampunk Serenade (Foxhaven Records) – March 22
Erik Lawrence – saxophones; Rene Hart – acoustic bass, electronics/looping; Allison Miller -drums, percussion

Joe Fiedler Trio – Sacred Chrome Orb (Yellow Sound Label) – March 29
Joe Fiedler – trombone; John Hébert – bass; Michael Sarin – drums

April

Anthony Wilson– Campo Belo (Goat Hill Recordings) – April 5
Anthony Wilson – guitar; André Mehmari, piano; Guto Wirtti, bass; Edu Ribeiro, drums

Kermit Driscoll– Reveille (Nineteen-Eight Records) – April 5
Kermit Driscoll – bass; Bill Frisell – guitar; Kris Davis – piano; Vinnie Colaiuta – drums

Marco Cappelli Acoustic Trio – Les Nuages en France (Mode Avant) – April 12
Marco Cappelli – guitar; Ken Filiano – bass; Satoshi Takeishi – drums

May

Art Hirahara – Noble Path (Posi-tone Records) – May 3
Art Hirahara – piano; Yoshi Waki – bass; Dan Aran – drums

Taylor Haskins – Recombination (Nineteen-Eight Records) – May 10
Taylor Haskins – trumpet, special effects, laptop, synths; Ben Monder – guitar; Henry Hey – keyboards & piano; Todd Sickafoose – bass; Nate Smith – drums; special guest Samuel Torres – percussion & kalimba

June

Erik Friedlander – Bonebridge (Skipstone Records) – June 7
Erik Friedlander – cello; Doug Wamble – slide guitar; Trevor Dunn – bass; Michael Sarin – drums

We realize we’re a little late to the punch, but if you haven’t already put the finishing touches on your 2010 year-end lists for jazz or other eclectic non-mainstream music, please consider the wonderful projects we’ve worked on in one way or another this past year. 

I would like to acknowledge all of you in the media and the industry for helping us make 2010 another successful year for Fully Altered Media. And of course we couldn’t do it without our amazing clients, listed below. 

I would also like to especially acknowledge former staffer Stephen Buono, all-around utility man Nick Venti and my new assistant Maribel Gil, who recently joined the Fully Altered team part-time, as well as day-to-day helpers Russ Flynn, Andy McGhie and Will Martina.

If you haven’t yet finished your year-end Top 10 or Top 20 or Top 50 lists, please consider the albums below. I hope that my eclecticism and open ears will continue to show through in the music we send your way.

To a Healthy & Productive 2011 and Beyond,
Matt Merewitz & Maribel Gil

Here are all the records we worked in 2010 for your consideration (in chronological order by release date):

Dave Rempis & Frank Rosaly Cyrillic (482 Music)

Colorist A Square White Lie (482 Music)

Sam Sadigursky The Words Project III: Miniatures (New Amsterdam)

Steve Colson Trio The Untarnished Dream (Silver Sphinx)

Thomas Savy French Suite (Plus Loin)

Dan Weiss Trio Timshel (Sunnyside)

Allison Miller BOOM TIC BOOM (Foxhaven)

Nels Cline Singers Initiate (Cryptogramophone)

Adam Rudolph & Ralph Jones Yeyi (Meta)

Adam Rudolph & Yusef Lateef Towards the Unknown (Meta)

Mike Reed’s People, Places & Things Stories & Negotiations (482 Music)

Jacky Terrason Push (Concord)

The Claudia Quintet Royal Toast (Cuneiform)

Pete Robbins sILENT Z – Live (Hate Laugh Music)

Ideal Bread Transmit: Vol. 2 of the Music of Steve Lacy (Cuneiform)

David Weiss & Point of Departure Snuck in (Sunnyside)

Rafi Malkiel Water (Tzadik)

Barry Harris Live in Rennes (Plus Loin)

Billy Bang Prayer for Peace (TUM)

Vijay Iyer Solo (ACT)

Blue Cranes Observatories (Self-released)

Eddie Gomez & Cesarius Alvim Forever (Plus Loin)

Rudresh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green Apex (Pi)

Kellylee Evans Nina (Plus Loin)

Nels Cline DIRTY BABY (Cryptogramophone)

Mike Reed’s Loose Assembly Featuring Roscoe Mitchell Empathetic Parts (482 Music)

Scott Amendola Trio Lift (Sazi)

Dan Tepfer Five Pedals Deep (Sunnyside)

The Dymaxion Quartet Sympathetic Vibrations (Self-released)

Jason Stein’s Locksmith Isidore Three Kinds of Happiness (Not Two)

Jerome Sabbagh I Will Follow You (Bee Jazz)

Look for some excellent new projects for January and beyond from:

•    Trumpeter Taylor Haskins to release new album Recombination on Nineteen-Eight Records in February 2011
•    Debut album, Steampunk Serenade by Honey Ear Trio Featuring Erik Lawrence, Rene Hart & Allison Miller to be released in March 2011
•    & much much more

For more information, contact Matt Merewitz at Fully Altered Media/
matt@fullyaltered.com / 215-629-6155

]]> http://fullyaltered.com/fa/2010/11/22/fully-altered-media-2010-the-year-in-review-2/feed/ 0 http://fullyaltered.com/fa/2010/11/22/saxophonist-jerome-sabbagh-releases-trio-album-i-will-follow-you-bee-jazz-december-7-2010/ http://fullyaltered.com/fa/2010/11/22/saxophonist-jerome-sabbagh-releases-trio-album-i-will-follow-you-bee-jazz-december-7-2010/#comments Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:16:03 +0000 maribel http://fullyaltered.com/fa/?p=1377 Featuring Longtime Guitar Collaborator Ben Monder
And French Drum Legend Daniel Humair

Photo Credit: Emra Islek

December 7, 2010 (NYC) – With I Will Follow You (Bee Jazz), French-born, Brooklyn-based tenor and soprano saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh brings his singular vision to the fertile ground of improvised music. Bolstered by the broad color palate of virtuosic guitarist and longtime collaborator Ben Monder, and the masterful rhythmic orchestration of legendary drummer Daniel Humair, Sabbagh’s lyricism and glowing sound serve as beacons in an improvised journey at once hauntingly beautiful and aggressively unhinged.

Taking advantage of the adventurous setting of a trio without a bass, the players’ seamless interaction makes it impossible to discern who’s leading from who’s following, as they shepherd the listener through an ever-changing tapestry of sound. “Without a bass player, there’s less of a desire to go into time,” says Sabbagh “and it opens up new textural possibilities.”

Despite the constant risk taking – or perhaps because of it, the music is always compelling. “There’s this cliché that improvised music is hard to listen to,” Sabbagh notes. “Maybe I’m an idealist, but I find the best improvised music has a directness of expression that immediately draws the listener in.”

I Will Follow You follows three critically acclaimed efforts as a leader. North (voted Best CD of 2005 by the readers of French monthly magazine Jazzman) and Pogo (four stars in DownBeat) both feature Sabbagh’s uncanny, song-like compositions and lush tone, in a quartet that includes Monder, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Ted Poor. One Two Three (four stars in DownBeat), an album of standards played in the totemic sax-bass-drums instrumentation pioneered by Sonny Rollins, features bassist Ben Street and drummer Rodney Green. I Will Follow You represents a bold departure from the more controlled settings of these albums, yet retains the lyricism, clarity of purpose, and melodic flair that are the hallmarks of the saxophonist’s style.

The smooth ebb and flow between tracks has an appealing narrative continuity, opening with the controlled chaos of the title track, which builds in anticipation as Humair moves from brushes to sticks and Monder answers him, at the flick of a pedal switch, with ferocious distortion. Other highlights include “Comptine”, a moody free ballad with echoes of Bartok and “The Clown,” an exploration of a simple melody that becomes increasingly dense as Sabbagh and Monder improvise symbiotically in chromatic counterpoint. I Will Follow You concludes with a sumptuous rendition of “I Should Care,” the album’s only standard.

“I spent a lot of time arranging the sequence of the record, trying to make it into something that could be listened to from start to finish,” Sabbagh remarks. “The tracks are short, especially for an album that’s mostly improvised. Everything was wide open, but we all strove for concision, which was good, since dragging things out is an easy mistake to make in a free setting.”

Sabbagh composed the music with the sounds of Monder and Humair in mind. He set out to avoid prefabricated compositional patterns by writing with pen and paper only, as opposed to sitting at the piano. Coupled with the six improvised pieces, miniatures of unfettered freedom and keen interplay, the compositions endow the album with a self-contained quality, “like a little world unto itself,” he says.

Though this is the first time they play together, the three players mesh with a psychic energy that would be impressive even for a longtime working band, a testament to Sabbagh and Monder’s exceptional musical bond, and to the 72-year-old Humair’s peerless listening ability. A first-call drummer in Europe whose career trajectory took him from playing bebop with the likes of Bud Powell and Dexter Gordon to improvising with avant-garde explorers Tony Malaby and Ellery Eskelin, the protean Humair was an obvious choice for the shifting dynamic of this trio.

“Daniel is a master free player but came up swinging with the best, and he is also a painter. Form is important to him, as it is for Ben and I,” says Sabbagh. “Even when we are playing free, we are ever-conscious of creating a narrative arc in the moment.”

Sabbagh was exposed to music at a young age by an early teacher, pianist and composer Annick Chartreux, who first inspired him to transcend the confines of genre, a lasting influence. “She would play the overture to Mozart’s The Magic Flute, ‘So What’ from Kind of Blue, and some Jimi Hendrix, all in the same listening session.” Since moving to New York in 1995, Sabbagh has played with Guillermo Klein, Bill Stewart, Billy Drummond, and Victor Lewis, in addition to numerous others.

Asked about his musical values, he explains: “The keys for me are melody, sound, and interaction. Each player weaves a unique voice into the collective in a way that makes sense with the material, while staying true to their inner song. I think the process of making good music with people is similar whatever the project may be.”

I Will Follow You is yet another exciting example of Sabbagh’s musicianship, integrity and artistic vision.

RELEASE DATE: December 7, 2010

Press:

“Mr. Sabbagh played with untroubled self-assurance, and his songs had a sleek and sturdy appeal. Just as crucially, his colleagues strove for the unexpected, individually and as an ensemble. [...] Mr. Sabbagh avoided direct allusions to the saxophone totems. What he is working toward, simply and effectively, is a sincerely personal vocabulary.”
- Nate Chinen, The New York Times

“You don’t find many post-bop era musicians recording programs of all standards; fewer still choose to do them in a pianoless trio. French native Jerome Sabbagh relishes the challenge with One Two Three (Bee Jazz) and his nerve pays off. Avoiding any of the usual stylistic cliches, Sabbagh lets these compositions speak for themselves. He’s not afraid to simply play the melody, although when the spirit strikes him he can spin out inspired improvisations.”
- James Hale, DownBeat (4 stars)

“Memorable tunes with assured performances […] Pogo sounds contemporary and vital, and the band delivers one of the year’s strongest ensemble performance.”
- Peter Margasak, DownBeat (4 stars)

“A refreshing, cliché-free young tenor and soprano saxophonist. In this, his second album as a leader and one including only his compositions, he creates moods as well as lines and spaces.”
- Owen Cordle, JazzTimes

“An exceptionally assured and compelling debut as a leader [...] The music is consistently evocative, tuneful and substantial.”
- Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen

“Over the past few years of performing together, they’ve bonded, learned, and are continuing to define their sound.”
- Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz

“A startlingly good young jazz musician [...] Sabbagh chooses notes judiciously and swings firmly. And Sabbagh and North grow stronger and deeper with each listening.”
- Marc Meyers, All About Jazz

Links:

Jerome Sabbagh Official Website
Jerome Sabbagh Facebook Fan Page
Jerome Sabbagh on Myspace
Jerome Sabbagh on Twitter

For more information, please contact Matt Merewitz at Fully Altered Media /
(215) 629-6155 or matt@fullyaltered.com

November 30, 2010 (NYC) – There are many who embrace tradition, and jazz’s recent history is replete with acolytes of a certain era or style. Bass clarinetist Jason Stein is cut from a very different cloth however, and Three Kinds of Happiness, the new album by his trio, Locksmith Isidore, demonstrates just how deeply and completely he has assimilated the past—his own and that of the music–while maintaining his own voice, as a composer and as a performer.

The album’s title hails from Stein’s studies in philosophy at the University of Michigan, before he moved to Chicago in 2005, and even before he became a music major. “Simply put,” he explains, “It’s a Platonic concept concerning long-term relationships between happiness and sadness; for me, it’s about practicing, and specifically the idea that if I work through a problem thoroughly now, my future will be positively impacted in the process.”

Stein practices voraciously, and his dedication to his instrument is manifest in every note he plays on this, Locksmith Isidore’s third album and second with the current lineup of Stein, Jason Roebke on bass and Mike Pride on drums. Stein’s instrumental approach encompasses many shades of jazz via such influences as Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane and Archie Shepp. As with those masters, his playing can veer in a split second from consummate lyricism toward fire music with astonishing subtlety. “Coltrane’s later music was a formative influence on me, as he employed many of the great New Thing players,” muses Stein. “Compositionally though, Steve Lacy has been a model for me above most others.” Certainly his teachers have been formative influences, including David Murray, Charles Gayle and Donald Walden, but Lacy’s versatility is special to Stein. “I’ve tried to bring his diversity to Three Kinds of Happiness; I have a lot of respect for his ability to achieve such a broad stylistic scope while staying true to his own musical vision.”

The trio’s current emphasis on composition over improvisation constitutes a very conscious change in group aesthetics; it results from the release of Stein’s solo album on Leo Records and from the supporting tour, where improvisation guided much of the music. “I wanted to provide some more substance for us to explore,” Stein elucidates. Indeed, Stein’s ability to compose in both traditional forms and in freer structures is uncanny. From the sultry and wistful “Little Bird,” to the wicked whimsicality of “More Gone Door Gone,” he offers new wine in old bottles, expanding tradition while never leaving it. Even the intricate abstractions of compositions like “Arch and Shipp” embrace the middle ground between metered swing and the lack thereof in unpredictable ways. The trio sound is an integral component. “Michael, Jason and I have developed a real rapport,” states Stein, “and all nine of these compositions were written with their playing styles in mind.” The ensemble is Lacyesque in range, from sparseness to controlled vigor, and the track titles reflect Lacy’s love of words and humor.

For Stein, many of the titles also refer back to another tradition, one just as personal and just as deeply rooted as the music. They evoke his family history. The group’s name, which combines Stein’s paternal grandfather’s first name and occupation, is only one aspect of his family’s contribution to his musical development. “It was my father, who died when I was ten, that instilled in me my enthusiasm for music—not for any one type or style, but for music in general,” reminisces Stein. “I remember driving with him when I was five or six, and he was drumming on the steering wheel while listening to 1980s popular music. That made as much of an impression on me as did the music. I was overwhelmed by his love and enjoyment of music, and I wanted to understand and experience that.” Stein’s titles evoke that time and the shades of those now grown and gone. “Little Bird,” is for his little sister, and “Sammy’s Crayons,” is an homage to his half-brother’s childhood love of drawing.

In a fundamental way, these family circumstances and events have proven to be the catalyst for Stein’s current music. His move to Chicago precipitated many of the diverse working relationships he enjoys now, from his time in Ken Vandermark’s incendiary Bridge 61 to his minimal rock excursions with guitarist David Daniels. Three Kinds of Happiness is one important confluence of these seemingly disparate influences, and it places him and Locksmith Isidore in the pantheon of those who have the courage to go beyond mere mimicry and reach for the fluidity and flexibility of innovation.

RELEASE DATE: November 30, 2010

Press Quotes:

“[On Three Less Than Between] Stein’s strong tunes, which routinely dissolve the boundary between composition and improvisation, they do an excellent job switching from bristling swing to tangled outbursts of unmetered free jazz. It’s especially rewarding to listen to…”
- Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader

“As Stein subdivides and recombines his phrases, giving gleaming kisses to the reed, fluttering and finely twining closely-valued hues, it isn’t so much about putting an instrument through its paces as it is one artist’s affirmation of his relationship to the brush.”
- Clifford Allen, Signal Noise

“[Stein] plays pretty and raucous, taciturn and ebullient, bouncing confidently between a spectrum of emotions and dialects.”
- Derek Taylor, Master of a Small House

“..it is clear that Jason Stein has burst upon the scene as a player to be heard.”
- Grego Applegate Edwards, Gapplegate Music Review

Links:
Jason Stein Official Website
Jason Stein on Twitter

For more information, please contact
Matt Merewitz at Fully Altered Media
matt@fullyaltered.com
(215) 629-6155