12 Jun

[ Rune Grammofon – 6th of July 2020 release – Hedvig Mollestad – EKHIDNA ]

By grzech In All That Jazz / No Comments

Norwegian release date: 12.06.2020

Worldwide release date: 03.07.2020

via Rune Grammofon

Eknidna, the latest project from renowned Norwegian guitarist Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen, takes us further than her usual well recognized trio or her fronting performance with The Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. Here, doubled to the sextet band, equally spread between female & male powers with interesting instrumental approach challenges listeners, even those who already took regular trio as a grant. But like everything in life that also didn’t happen by an accident, even if certain amount of time have passed from the start. Lets get to the start then.

12 Jun

[ June the 19th release on Whirlwind Recordings – Rudresh Mahanthappa – Hero Trio ]

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Friday, June 19, 2020 on Whirlwind Recordings

“[Rudresh is] making truly some of the most original jazz out there at the moment.” – Brian Zimmerman, Jazziz Daily Brunch

“An early contender for Album of the Year…. Mahanthappa’s sound on alto is as expressive as ever, and it’s easy to hear the joy these three find in such disparate sources.” – Bret Saunders, Denver Post “The Know”

“Hero Trio is that ‘all-covers’ record, which is about the only thing this boundary-pushing composer, bandleader and ace reedman hadn’t yet attempted in one of the most creative jazz careers since the turn of the 21st century…. here is a large window into what makes Rudresh Mahanthappa tick, what lights his fire, what shaped him into the artist he is today…. Hero Trio has just as many delightful surprises and audacious musicianship as any other Mahanthappa record.” – S. Victor Aaron, SomethingElse! Reviews

“The fierce saxophonist fascinates with his improvisatory jags, rapid cascading runs, and edgy pressure cooker sound. Joined by bassist François Moutin, drummer Rudy Royston responds in kind with his own fearless, across-the-kit propulsive flurries.” – Jeff Potter, Modern Drummer

“The album, and the set, wind up with an explosive and highly creative re-imagining of Parker’s tune Dewey Square (also known as Prezology or Bird Feathers), with the saxist virtually exploding creative new ideas from moment to moment and Mouton supporting and egging him on… a top pick as one of the best of this year.” – Lynn René Bayley, Art Music Lounge

10 Jun

[ Scott Robinson – 8 min. 46 sec.]

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Today I have got email from my colleague journalist and music promotor Ann Braithwaite, sharing with me and other co-writers very personal statement made by multi reed player Scott Robinson. It was too strong to not respond and vent out my own feelings after reading , watching and feeling it. I think that America is in the very special moment now and the reaction around the country with the series of riots & protests which spread around the globe after murder of Citizen George Floyd on Monday, May 25, 2020 by Minneapolis police shows it: ENOUGH is ENOUGH !

04 Jun

[ 5th of June 2020 release on Biophilia Records – Sara Serpa – Recognition ]

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release date: June 5, 2020 on Biophilia Records

“… a singular multimedia experience both spellbinding and haunting in nature … truly beyond category.” – Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz

“Recognition is an irreverent and poignant analysis of the place of memory … a sincere reflection on universal responsibility and social justice, Sara Serpa connects the past with the present, exposing the propaganda used by the Portugal’s fascist regime in its occupation of African nations.” – Bruno Duarte, art director and film production designer

“With Recognition, Sara Serpa looks deeply into the problems of colonialism, occupation, racism, and exploitation that have left a scar on human history and continue to impact our world today … Recognition is not only a brilliant artistic work, but an important offering that I hope will be viewed by audiences worldwide.” – trumpeter/vocalist/ composer Amir El-Saffar

“This is a fearless, exciting new work by an already remarkable artist pushing herself outside of her comfort zone from almost every angle.” – guitarist/composer Rafiq Bhatia

03 Jun

[ 12th of June release via Cellar Music – Daniel Hersog – Night Devoid of Stars ]

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release date: Friday, June 12, 2020 via Cellar Music

“Daniel Hersog has assembled a top-notch band from the cream of the Vancouver jazz community and taken them over the top with such high-powered soloists as Noah Preminger and Frank Carlberg. Daniel’s compositions and the stellar arrangements absolutely glow.” — Nou Dadoun, CFRO-FM, Vancouver

Night Devoid of Stars – due from the Cellar Music label on June 12, 2020 – showcases the 16-piece, Vancouver-based Daniel Hersog Jazz Orchestra in the leader’s richly melodic originals, plus an inventive, deep-blue arrangement of “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”

01 Jun

[ 12th of June release via Pyroclastic Records: Cory Smythe – Accelerate Every Voice ]

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available June 12 on Pyroclastic Records

“A growing number of musicians have mastered both notated and improvised music, but few have done it with more skill, insight and sensitivity than pianist Cory Smythe.” — Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader

“Pianist Cory Smythe exploits every textural possibility of the instrument” — Winton Cooke-Wilson, SPIN magazine

Pianist and composer Cory Smythe evokes cyborg choirs and coastal floods on Accelerate Every Voice, his second release for Pyroclastic Records and the follow-up to 2018 album Circulate Susanna. Bringing together five vocalists from the a cappella, new and improvised music scenes, AEV cradles Smythe’s piano in an uncanny valley of voices before submerging it in an undersea expanse.

28 May

[ 5th of June 7d Media release – Trey Gunn – Punkte & Firma ]

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release date: 05.06.2020 via 7th Media

An initial OHs & AHs :

“These are great experiments in unknown territories…”
“I felt pleased and perplexed. Many more listening are forthcoming.”
“Love the space you put in this. It does breathe deeply.”
“Oh my God! This sounds awesome, interesting, attractive, cool, fresh, inspiring!”
“Loving it!”
“I like this.” (from Aunt Kaye)

16 May

[Crammed Disc release Aksak Maboul – Figures on the 22nd of May ]

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release date: 22.05.2020 via Crammed Discs

The legendary experimental pop outfit returns with a brand-new record entitled Figures, written, conceived and produced over the last couple of years by Marc Hollander (founder of Aksak Maboul and of the Crammed label) and Véronique Vincent (former singer with The Honeymoon Killers).

07 May

[ 15th of May release via Blue Land Records: Brian Lundrus Quartet with Strings – For Now ]

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Available May 15, 2020 via BlueLand Records

“Tonal nuance, melodic sense and instrumental command that set him apart from his peers.” – Ed Enright, DownBeat

For Now has a lot to say about romance, and it says it with quiet conviction and passionate declaration. Ace multi-reedist and composer Brian Landrus whose groundbreaking 2017 large-ensemble album Generations “takes the jazz big band tradition into the mesosphere” (Giovanni Russonello, New York Times), turns here to inner pathways, bringing together a remarkable quartet: pianist Fred Hersch bassist Drew Gress and drummer Billy Hart. Rounding out the musical equation are the brilliant young players Michael Rodriguez (trumpet) and Sara Caswell (violin), plus inventive and elegant string quartet arrangements by Landrus and the distinguished opera composer Robert Aldridge featuring Caswell and Joyce Hamman (violin), Lois Martin (viola) and Jody Redhage-Ferber (cello). The album is produced by Aldridge and composer/writer Herschel Garfein, both Grammy winners.

05 May

[May the 8th release via Giant Step Arts: Michael Thomas – Event Horizon]

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Event Horizon, available May 8, 2020,

“Michael Thomas is a badass. Anyone who doubts it should go to ‘Sax Intro,’ a four-minute cadenza with maniacal runs in towering arcs and torrents of scales upon scales. It sounds perhaps like an alto saxophone virtuoso practicing, except that Thomas shapes it all into a spontaneous symphony. Then, after this wild celebration of chops, he segues seamlessly into ‘Chant’ and into what this album is truly about: daring, in-depth collaborative ventures based on Thomas’ intelligent compositions, conducted by a formidable chordless quartet of trumpeter Jason Palmer, bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Johnathan Blake.” – Thomas Conrad, New York City Jazz Record