Thursday, November 10, 2016

MILI BERMEJO AND DAN GREENSPAN CONFIRM THEIR MASTERY IN ARTE DEL DUO

Since first joining forces over a quarter-century ago, vocalist Mili Bermejo and bassist Dan Greenspan have created a recorded library of timeless music with a number of cherished partners.  For those fortunate enough to experience them in live performance, however, the lingering memory of this brilliantly skilled and totally compatible couple is likely to be the moments when they stand alone.  "We have always wanted to make pure music," Greenspan explains, "and have always included duo tunes in our sets."  On October 7, 2016 the pair released their first all-duo program in two decades, Arte de Duo, on Ediciones Pentagrama.

Bermejo, born in Buenos Aires, raised in Mexico City and a professor at Berklee College of Music since 1984, and Greenspan, a New Haven native and classically trained cellist who became one of the Boston area's leading freelance bassists, have created a unique body of music that applies jazz improvisation to original songs and music from throughout the Americas.  Themes of political liberation, environmental responsibility and interpersonal commitment have defined both their music and their career and led them to a major life decison.  "The business changed so much post-9/11 that we had to decide whether we should reinvent ourselves," Bermejo notes.  This led to what Greenspan describes as "an entire creative undertaking of another kind" - a move to New Hampshire, where the couple built their own house.

"We decided to live the right way," Bermejo says of their relocation to a nature reserve.  "It has brought us closer and closer to `do it yourself,' including growing as much of our own food and making as many of our own clothes as possible.  It has purified us, and removed many of our frustrations."  But, Greenspan adds, "For a while, the move replaced music.  Finding opportunities to rehearse in Boston when everyone we worked with had so many other gigs became hell."  The bassist also turned his attention to baking and has built a growing reputation with his Dan's Brick Oven Bread, while a construction accident also left him unable to play for several months.  The future of their performing partnership became unclear.

"But Mili insisted that we couldn't let the music go," Greenspan stresses, and the result is a new focus on the intimate artistry that had previously only been showcased on their 1997 album Duo which was released on Gunther Schuller's GM Records.  "It got us back to the essence of art," he says, "and provides the best opportunity to use all of the classical information that we have."  Yet the new music, developed over a series of monthly gigs at the Lilypad in Cambridge, Massachusetts, takes the pair beyond their previous achievements.  "We didn't want to repeat ourselves," Bermejo adds.  "Now we reduce.  I think of the music like my garden, as being all about beauty after years of work.  And nobody told me how to do it."

The influence of life in New Hampshire is clear in the Bermejo originals "La Casa del Arbol" ("The Tree House"), about "a secret refugeŠamong trees and stars" and "Cosecha" ("Harvest"); but she also contributes two new titles in her string of beautiful love songs, "Los que se Aman" ("Those Who Love") and "No Dejo de Quererte" ("I Don't Stop Loving You").  The duo also links Bermejo's "Décima Muerte I" from their first duo disc and "Décima Muerte II" by the Mexican poet and playwright Xavier Villarrutiga in a medley linked by a powerful Greenspan solo.

Greenspan's bass also launches "Las Orillas del Mar" ("At the Edge of the Sea"), a 13th Century feminist poem with music by Hafez Modirzadeh, the composer-saxophonist who featured Bermejo extensively on his acclaimed 2011 album In Convergence Liberation (Pi Recordings).  "Working with Hafez is the most challenging thing I've done," she notes, "and it has opened both of our minds.  Now I'm improvising more, though not `taking a chorus' in the traditional sense."  This new improvisational freedom is joyously displayed on "Tres Veces Heroica" ("Three Times Heroic"), written by Mexican composer Charlie Dríguez and previously heard on the 2006 live recording De Tierra (Of Earth) (Ediciones Pentagrama), and "End of the Beginning," written for the duo by the Armenian-born pianist and composer Vardan Ovsepian.  "Windmills of Your Mind," by French composer Michel Legrand with Spanish lyrics by Manuel Gurria, was also arranged by Ovsepian.  "Vardan's arrangement got Dan back in shape after his injury," Bermejo notes, adding with a laugh, "it also made me get back in shape."

Two works from Argentina are included, "Equipaje" ("Luggage") by Juan Quintero and "Cambalache" ("Pawn Shop") by E. Santos Discépolo.  The latter, a classic tango, gives Greenspan the opportunity to display his skill with the bow. "Candombe para Gardel" ("Candombe for Gardel"), a tribute to Argentinian tango master Carlos Gardel from the Afro-Uruguayan perspective of Rubén Rada, completes the program.

Arte del Duo is Bermejo's fifth release on Mexico's Ediciones Pentagrama label, which recently received the Independence Award from the Fundación Mediterránea Mar y Tierra in Tarragona, Spain.  "We've stayed faithful to the vision of [label founder] Modesto López: Independence and 35 years of support to Latin American artists dedicated to progressive social change," she notes.
The album will be released at the Lilypad on Sunday afternoon, October 23, where a new audio system created especially for the duo by sound engineer Art Steele will enhance the performance.  "I asked Art for a minimal system, with just two small speakers, Greenspan explains.  "Now my hands are free, just like my mother's were when she sang," Bermejo adds.

Creativity, and the magic that ensues, remain at the heart of Mili Bermejo's and Dan Greenspan's music; and Arte del Duo is their most creative and magical statement to date.


Red Piano Records To Release JC4: Can You Believe It? JC4 is: JC Sanford - trombone, Mike Baggetta - guitar, Dave Ambrosio - bass, Russ Meissner - drums

Let's start by acknowledging the elephant in the room. JC Sanford - the go-to music conductor for the forward-looking bands of John Hollenbeck, Joel Harrison, Alan Ferber and others, including the legendary Alice Coltrane - has been overlooked as a trombonist.

This is partly JC's own doing. For the past decade and more, when not conducting someone else's band, JC has spent much of his energies writing and arranging for his own equally forward-looking large ensembles: first in conjunction with David Schumacher (Edge of the Mind, 2009), then on his own (Views from the Inside, 2014). He wrote and performed and conducted a luminous score to accompany all 143 minutes of the original 1927 silent classic Ben-Hur for the Syracuse International Film Festival. (Forest Hills, heard on Can You Believe It?), became Ben-Hur's theme for that score.) JC also was busy curating "Size Matters," the weekly, much-heralded, cleverly-titled large ensemble series at the Tea Lounge in his Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope. 

And yes: intuitively as well as trivially, size does matter. But it's not everything that matters. We can agree that sound matters, too, and we can then hone in on JC's trombone tone. It's one I find I crave even as I'm listening to it, like relishing a friend's voice you haven't heard in years. It's not the effortless sound of a JJ Johnson; not the frictionless tone of JC's mentor, the great valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer; but also not the extroverted, rough-edged sonority of a Ray Anderson or Craig Harris. JC's tone suggests the human voice in all its expressive texture, occupying about the same conversational range as the voice of this thoughtful, vegan, animal-loving adult male. There's breath in it, not breathlessness.  It's a sound reflective of the understated Upper Midwest ethos of his youth, seasoned with the aesthetic smarts of a Boston-trained city-dweller repelled by all sorts of showboating BS. When JC solos - as you may have heard on Andrew Green's Narrow Margin (2008) or on Views from the Inside - you hear a sound that is (weirdly) distinctive yet familiar, exploratory yet grounded like home.

Aristotle, that ancient student of jazz interaction, notes that the best friendships (like the best bands) are rare because they take time, and men can't know each other "till they have 'eaten salt together'." You can hear that these four musicians have eaten salt together. (Also dim sum; ask David for the best spots in Queens.) Russ Meissner was drumming back in '03 for JC and John McNeil's retro-radical My Band Foot Foot, a group that pays quirky homage to The Shaggs. He and bassist David Ambrosio have recorded as co-leaders for the SteepleChase LookOut series; as JC puts it, their "hookup is so nice." David goes back even further with JC. He plays with a striking authority and solos with a gymnast's controlled intensity, often revealing - as in Ja-chan on Patrol - elastic strands hidden in the melody. Guitarist extraordinaire Mike Baggetta and JC met up in "a series of these weird fancy men's barbershop gigs near Wall Street." They graduated (for less pay) to this distinctly non-barbershop quartet, where Mike "helped give the group a certain dirty personality that I liked." What he does on DumPac? The dirt shines through. 

All the tunes, save one, are JC's: Can You Believe It? captures the scrappy fortitude of JC's beloved 2004 Boston Red Sox team and their astonishing come-from-behind World Series victory. That's BoSox announcer Joe Castiglione opening the proceedings, after which Mike's distorted guitar enters as if on steroids. (Here's looking at you, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz?) The shifting meter will throw you off like a good slider.

The lovely line of Forest Hills dates from JC's New England Conservatory days. It recalls his peaceful walks in that Boston cemetery with his dog Pepper, who liked to pause and sniff the redolent air.

DumPac is all about that 7/4 drum groove that Russ sets down. Sometimes it's accentuated by its melodic surroundings, but elsewhere - as in the opening of JC's brilliant solo - it seems to hover stealthily in the background.

Ja-chan on Patrol is a stop-and-start, melodramatic tale whose hero is Jazu, JC's mouse-stalking cat. The slide-guitar textures at the end of Mike Baggetta's solo make me think some poor creature's lost her footing, scrabbling across the linoleum.

"Yamete" is one of the first Japanese words JC learned from his wife (the composer/arranger/pianist Asuka Kakitani) since she used it so often while they were dating. David spells out the title with a 3-beat riff after his exploratory solo. Then it's as if JC's trombone noodles around for a translation (or maybe feigns cluelessness) until the insistent 2-beat drum riff teaches him the English equivalent. ("Stop It!")

Easy for You, John Scofield's backcountry line from his 90s album What We Do, gets a stunning rubato treatment from all involved. Try to close your mouth as Mike's guitar weaves echoes of Jim Hall and Chet Atkins together without skipping a thread.

Chico's First Date is JC's tribute to the late Chico O'Farrill. The band approaches this tuneful, Latin-dance feel, AABA structure without a whiff of irony, but you still know that the mystery implied by those minor-key outer sections won't last long. JC's soaring trombone on the major-key bridge - especially on his solo and in the outro - is all jollification and merry-making.  All in all, sounds like a good first date.

Sanford studied at the University of Northern Iowa and the New England Conservatory where he earned a D.M.A. in Jazz Studies. After relocating to New York in 2000, he became involved with the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop under the direction of Manny Albam and Jim McNeely and remained trombonist/contractor of the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra until 2016. He has also appeared as a trombonist on recordings with such diverse bands as Andrew Green's Narrow Margin, the Andrew Rathbun Large Ensemble, Nathan Parker Smith's jazz/prog rock big band, and Joseph C. Phillips, Jr.'s new music/jazz hybrid orchestra Numinous. His orchestra's album Views from the Inside received worldwide acclaim as well as a coveted recording grant from the Aaron Copland Foundation. In addition to JC4, he's leads the improvisational trio Triocracy featuring saxophonists Chris Bacas and Andy Laster whose new album That's All There Is is due to be released in 2017.

Text used in this press release was excerpted from the liner notes by Bill Day.


NEW RELEASES: MELBA MOORE – STANDING RIGHT HERE: THE ANTHOLOGY - THE BUDDAH & EPIC YEARS; HERBIE HANCOCK – THRUST / MAN-CHILD / SECRETS; HANNAH WILLIAMS & THE AFFIRMATIONS – LATE NIGHTS & HEARTBREAK

MELBA MOORE – STANDING RIGHT HERE: THE ANTHOLOGY - THE BUDDAH & EPIC YEARS

A huge run of greatness from singer Melba Moore – an artist who maybe hit her heights on the late 70s Buddah and Epic Records material featured here! Moore already had a fantastically well-developed voice by the time of these recordings – thanks to time on the stage in a number of key productions, including Hair and Purlie – but the late 70s also shows her really finding the right sort of focus for her unusual talents – maybe pulling back a bit at the right moments, and folding her strength into the overall groove of a tune – spearheaded here with excellent work from producers who include McFadden & Whitehead, Eugene McDaniels, and Van McCoy! CD1 features 17 tracks from her time at Budddah Records, CD2 features 14 more cuts recorded for Epic – and the collection also features some rare b-sides and other material from singles. Titles include "My Sensitive Passionate Man", "Standing Right Here", "I Am His Lady", "This Is It (12" mix)", "Stay Awhile", "So Many Mountains", "Good Love Makes Everything Alright (12" mix)", "You Stepped Into My Life", "Night People (12" mix)", "Next To You", "Rest Inside My Love", "You Stepped Into My Life (special disco mix)", "There's No Other Like You", "Just Another Link", "Night People (12" mix)", and "Burn (UK rmx)". ~ Dusty Groove

HERBIE HANCOCK – THRUST / MAN-CHILD / SECRETS

A trio of heavy-hitting albums from Herbie Hancock – served up together in one collection, with bonus tracks too! First up is Thrust – killer electric work from Herbie Hancock – right on par with his groundbreaking Headhunters set, but a bit spacier too! The album features a Headhunters-solid lineup – with Bennie Maupin on saxes, Paul Jackson on bass, Mike Clark on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion – all grooving wonderfully with Herbie on a set of super-long tracks! Hancock himself handles a host of incredible keyboards – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, Arp, and lots more – all in a lean electric style that still sounds as fresh today as it did way back in the mid 70s – perhaps even more so, given the return to this sort of basic groove that has happened in recent years! Tracks are long, tight, and super funky – and titles include "Actual Proof", "Palm Grease", "Spank-A-Lee", and "Butterfly".

Next is the album Man-Child – funky mid 70s Herbie Hancock – one his funkiest albums of the era! Herbie plays a host of cool keyboards – like Fender Rhodes, Arp, and clavinet – and he's joined by a group that includes just about all of the Headhunters – including Paul Jackson on bass and Mike Clarke on drums – plus help from a great array of other excellent guests – including Bennie Maupin and Wayne Shorter on reeds, Harvey Mason on drums, and even some guest keyboards from Stevie Wonder! The album's great – maybe a bit understated than Thrust, but still equally wonderful – and the whole thing's worth it alone for the classic uptempo cut "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" – alongside other cuts that include "Bubbles", "Heartbeat", and "Sun Touch".

Last up is Secrets – soulful 70s work from Herbie Hancock – a record that tightens things up from the Headhunters and Sextant sessions, but which still retains a lot of their depth and charm! Players here including some previous partners – like Bennie Maupin on reeds and Paul Jackson on bass – plus the mighty Wah Wah Watson on guitars, James Levi on drums, Kenneth Nash on percussion, and Ray Parker on additional guitar. Tracks are tightly electric fusion, but still have some of the sharper tones of Herbie's electric work – weird moogy moments mixed into more straight ahead funk – all with a sound that's not unlike some of Ramsey Lewis' best Columbia work of the period. Herbie plays Fender Rhodes, Arp, clavinet, mini-moog, and more – and titles include "Doin' It", "Spider", "Swamp Rat", "People Music", and a remake of "Cantelope Island" that's pretty darn tasty! 2CD set features 8 bonus tracks – all the single mixes of the 45s from all three albums!  ~ Dusty Groove

HANNAH WILLIAMS & THE AFFIRMATIONS – LATE NIGHTS & HEARTBREAK

It's hard to imagine Hannah Williams having any heartbreak with a voice this great – the kind of all-out soul style that grabs you right away with its power, and never lets you go! The set's the second from Hannah and her group, and it's got even more bite than the first – produced with a great ear for the grittier currents in the grooves, thanks to studio work by Malcolm Catto – who seems to pick up the drums and darkness, which allows Williams to really shine her light over the top of the proceedings! The Affirmations are a funky combo, but one who really know how to mix up their groove, too – and titles include "7am To Seville", "Still In My Head", "Tame In The Water", "Dazed & Confused", "Ain't Enough", "Woman Got Soul", "Fighting Your Shadow", and "Callin Me Back".Dusty Groove


NEW RELEASES: ENNIO MORRICONE - MORRICONE 60; BILL LAURANCE - LIVE AT UNION CHAPEL; ARTASKA - COFFEE

ENNIO MORRICONE - MORRICONE 60

We're not sure why Ennio Morricone is making the "shush" sound at us on the cover – as the set's such a wonderful celebration of his music, it makes us want to cheer! The performance here is all new – and features Morricone conducting the Czech National Symphony in a selection of tunes from his classic film scores – in a celebration of his 60 years of giving the planet some of the most beautiful music ever written! The orchestrations are great, and really live up to the spirit of the songs – and there's a recording quality here that's different than some of the other live Morricone albums, which can sometimes flatten the music, and not have that sense of separation and isolation that make the maestro's compositions so great. Titles include "Chi Mai", "Bestiality", "La Califfa", "Death Theme", "Deborah's Theme", "Metti Una A Sera A Cena", "Croce D'Amore", "The Fortress", and "The Man With The Harmonica". ~ Dusty Groove

BILL LAURENCE - LIVE AT UNION CHAPEL

You might know Bill Laurance as the keyboardist with Snarky Puppy – but here, he's something else entirely – a hell of a jazz musician with a mighty rich vision – one that's got just the right sort of heavenly vibe to be recorded in a church! There's nothing churchy about the music – just a great spirit in Bill's vision – as his piano lines pour out effortlessly – cascading in sound, and rising in the company of a sweet little string quartet, which is then driven onward with both drums and percussion! The mix of instrumentation is quite unique – and has a sound that's jazz at the core, but also reaching for other elements too – maybe a bit like some of the young Japanese piano trios of recent years, but also with a wider vision in the use of tone and timing. Titles include "The Rush", "Gold Coast", "Swift", "The Real One", "December In New York", "Good Things", "Never-Ending City", and "Ready Wednesday".  © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc.


ARTASKA - COFFEE

Soul- Jazz music is given new meaning when it comes to Artaska. She is known for her powerful, yet soulful voice and violin playing. It is impossible to not want to dance and feel good when hearing her grooves. Classically trained since the tender age of 4 years old, Artaska mastered the crafts of violin and singing through the involvement with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and many other orchestras and ensembles infusing her influences in every note. The prodigy-turned-pro might well be the hope for the future of jazz and instrumental music.


Thursday, November 03, 2016

NEW RELEASES: MR BONGO RECORD CLUB VOLUME 1; WANDA SA - CA ENTRE NOS; SENDY BROWN - SECRETS OF THE SOUL

MR BONGO RECORD CLUB VOLUME 1 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

2016 release, the first installment in the Mr. Bongo Record Club compilation series - a selection of favorites, recent discoveries and sought after obscurities, which form the basis of our DJ sets and our radio show of the same name. Including cuts by Claudia, Cortex, Dave Pike Set, Fruko, Neno Exporta Som, Connie Laverne, Barbosa and more. The original concept for Mr. Bongo Record Club was a radio show that allowed us to air our treasured record collections, recorded and broadcast once a month. We wanted to create an outlet free from any genre or BPM restrictions, not constrained by the need to beat-mix every record, a space where we could play latest finds alongside favorites. The only self-imposed rule being that it had to be played from vinyl. We have always DJ'd across-the-board, but playing in an eclectic way hasn't always been easy. Recently DJ's such as MCDE, Floating Points, Nick The Record, Leon Vynehall, Four Tet, Jeremy Underground, Antal (Rush Hour), Sassy J and Young Marco - to name a few - have opened things up with very diverse sets to younger audiences; Brazilian samba-rock, next to modern soul, highlife, disco, boogie, jazz, house, techno and beyond. We're seeing a rare groove like sensibility. A shift towards the attitude of legendary club nights hosted by the likes of Mr Scruff and Gilles Peterson, where you could hear house, hip hop, Turkish funk, boogie, jazz, dub and Latin back to back. At the same time it isn't a nostalgic or retro movement, people have a progressive attitude and a thirst for new-old music. It is a vibrant and exciting time - we are proud to be a part of it.

WANDA SA - CA ENTRE NOS

Beautiful work from Wanda Sa – the Brazilian singer who first rose to prominence during the bossa years of the 60s, but who only seems to have gotten better with age! This set is a true testament to all the growth Wanda has experienced over the years – music that has a depth and subtle power she never had in her youth – and which also is a nice change from some of Sa's more bossa-oriented sets of the past decades! There's definitely some bossa nova in the presentation, but the conception is much richer, and the performance much more deeply personal – less concerned with an overall style or sound, and very focused on Wanda's individual performances of the songs. The set features guest contributions from Ivan Lins, Roberto Menescal, Ricardo Silveira, and others – but Wanda's clearly the star of the show here, on titles that include "Fora De Hora", "Fotografia", "Cala Meu Amor", "Entardecendo", "The Nearness Of You", "Uma Simples Cancao", and "Samba Pequeno".  ~ Dusty Groove

SENDY BROWN - SECRETS OF THE SOUL

Spellbound is how audiences frequently find themselves at some point during a Sendy Brown performance. Sendy doesn’t just sing; she creates. Carefully remaining true to the lyric, she moves souls with her passionate interpretations. Sendy is serious about her craft and her debut CD, "Secrets of the Soul," showcases her exceptional talent and her commitment to the art. "Secrets of the Soul" is a fulfillment long-awaited. As a child, Sendy’s voice touched the hearts of the congregation at her father’s church in Jersey City, NJ. At age 11, she was the featured soloist at a standing-room-only church concert. She continued singing the songs of Mahalia Jackson at area churches until she discovered her first Jazz album – a Billie Holiday recording. That led her to Howard University’s School of Fine Arts in Washington, DC, where she became a protégé of Grady Tate. It was at Howard, during a master’s class, that she impressed the legendary vocalist, Betty Carter. When her question to Ms. Carter on the creative process spontaneously became a song, the audience exploded in applause. Ms. Carter answered in song, "You just did it! You just did it!" and complimented Sendy on her voice. "Secrets of the Soul" is the culmination of her work. It is a strong statement and an exceptional display. A work of art from beginning to end, it takes the listener on a sonic journey through a range of emotions. With updated renditions of Jazz classics like "‘Round Midnight," "Skylark" and "When I Fall in Love," this recording will please a range of listeners. Jazz enthusiasts will love the scope of the CD (featuring ballads, Blues, and swinging, up-tempo tunes) as well as the range of her voice, her distinctive lyrical style, her phrasing, and her respect for the tradition. Fans of good music will love the refreshing arrangements and unique approaches to these classics.


NEW RELEASES: LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONS – SPECIAL NIGHT; CHARLIE HADEN & LIBERATION MUSIC ORCHESTRA – TIME/LIFE; REINER WITZEL & DATFUNK – STEPPIN’ UP

LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONS – SPECIAL NIGHT

A really fantastic album from the legendary Lee Fields – a set that blows us away every bit as much as his stellar My World album! Like that set, this one's got kind of a moody early 70s vibe – almost a New Jersey soul approach at times, but tinged with more southern modes – mixed with bits of Lee's more familiar funk at others – but often with this moody, almost mellow vibe that's such a fresh take on the territory that Fields has been exploring for years! Lee's lost none of the deep soul elements in his vocals, but there's a shift in arranging styles that's really great – and superbly delivered by the Expressions – a subtle darkness that shows why Fields is really one of the true greats out there in the contemporary funk underground – a true soul singer who's never content to just rest on the laurels of previous success. Titles include "Let Him In", "Lover Man", "Make This World", "How I Like It", "Special Night", "I'm Coming Home", and "Where Is The Love". ~ Dusty Groove

CHARLIE HADEN & LIBERATION MUSIC ORCHESTRA – TIME/LIFE

The last Liberation Music Orchestra effort from the great Charlie Haden – offered up here in a set that brings together two live performances from a time when he was still on the planet, plus three more songs by the group on their own – working under the guidance of longtime musical partner Carla Bley! The set begins with a beautiful reworking of Miles Davis' "Blue In Green" – redone here by Haden and the group as a masterpiece of color and tone – and the record closes with a version of Haden's "Song For The Whales", both recorded with Charlie and the group in 2011. In between are three more new performances, post-Haden – the beautiful titles "Time Life/Silent Spring", and "Utviklingssang" – all of which really live up to that long legacy of amazing colors and tones that the group did so well. The two different slices of music come together beautifully, and make for a surprisingly unified set in the end. ~ Dusty Groove

REINER WITZEL & DATFUNK – STEPPIN’ UP

A great mix of jazzy, soulful and funky grooves from Germany! Reiner Witzel plays sax and flute with Datfunk, a solid group who seamlessly blends the above mentioned styles into a unique sound that's some both relaxed and exciting – never too smoothed out, but rarely venturing into raw funk, either. Nice stuff on the always reliable Unique label! The tracklist has a few great Witzel originals, which fit perfectly with distinctive takes on diverse tunes by Jackie Mittoo, Nat Adderley, Kenny Barron and others. Titles "Get Up And Get It", "Awakening", "Circus Of Deseaster", "Athens After Midnight" , "Lato", "Hummin'", "Hot Tamale", "Sunshower" and "Athens After Midnight Part 2". ~ Dusty Groove


Jazz Vocalist KENDRA SHANK and Pianist GEOFFREY KEEZER team up for "HALF MOON"

Kendra Shank and Geoffrey Keezer's musical association began in 2008 at the Athenaeum jazz series in San Diego, CA when a cancelled flight prevented Shank's New York pianist from making the gig. With just 30 minutes to rehearse, Keezer stepped in with a seamless performance and instant chemistry with Shank that inspired a standing ovation. Kendra called on Geoffrey's trio for subsequent West Coast tours and their musical connection deepened.

In January 2015, while Geoffrey was in Manhattan on an engagement with Chris Botti, he and Kendra performed an afternoon concert at a friend's home. The intimate duo setting provided the pianist and vocalist unlimited freedom to create spontaneously in the moment, taking the enthusiastic audience on a magical journey that was captured on this Ride Symbol recording.

The title song "Half Moon," inspired by a lamp hanging over the piano, was completely improvised and reveals Shank at her most vulnerable. Keezer's 88-key orchestra of harmonic and rhythmic virtuosity and Shank's exotic wordless vocalizations are highlighted in Cedar Walton's "Life's Mosaic," while the duo's lyricism shines in this first-ever recording of Jeremy Siskind's "Kneel" (winner of ASCAP's Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award). The chart for "When Love Was You and Me" (Abbey Lincoln/Thad Jones) was given to Kendra in 1994 by her mentor Abbey Lincoln when Kendra visited her Upper West Side apartment -- coincidentally in the same building where this concert took place.

Throughout this diverse and inspired set, Shank and Keezer embody the playful inventiveness of making music as interactive partners, transcending the singer-accompanist mold. "Each time we collaborate brings joyful exploration and new musical discoveries," says Keezer in the liner notes. The album's executive producer, Donald Elfman, writes: "What a pleasure it is to hear jazz musicians who fully savor every moment: sharing their experience of creating, listening and playing off each other, and still improvising in individual voices."

GEOFFREY KEEZER  With his highly regarded discography, unique compositions, and acclaimed performances in a variety of configurations, Grammy-nominated pianist Geoffrey Keezer commands the attention typically reserved for the living legends of jazz. Whether recording with jazz vocalists Diana Krall or Dianne Reeves, touring with trumpet king Chris Botti, or collaborating with pop icon Sting, sax legend Wayne Shorter, guitar wizard Jim Hall, star bassist Christian McBride or vibes master Joe Locke, Geoffrey "has more than enough virtuosity and sheer musical wit and intelligence to weave all of his apparently disparate strands of influence into an original and compelling whole" (Time magazine). His recent release, Heart of the Piano (2013, Motema Records), redefines solo jazz piano as a personal and interactive showcase of melody, energy and groove. Geoffrey Keezer's singular style of intellectually abstract lyricism woven over exotically complex rhythms and harmonies makes him one of the most sought-after artists on the modern jazz scene.  geoffreykeezer.com

KENDRA SHANK  Since her 1992 debut at the Village Vanguard with Shirley Horn, Kendra Shank has become a mainstay on New York's jazz scene, has toured in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Canada and the U.S., and has appeared on NPR's JazzSet and Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz. Her seven critically acclaimed CDs have garnered numerous “Best of the Year” citations and DownBeat poll recognition, with accolades for her "delectable voice" (Time magazine) and "breathtakingly original concept" (Boston Globe). In addition to leading her NY quartet of 16 years with Frank Kimbrough, Dean Johnson, and Tony Moreno, Shank co-leads a duo with guitarist John Stowell and has performed and/or recorded with Abbey Lincoln, Fred Hersch, Larry Willis, Joe Locke, Jay Clayton, Bob Dorough, Gary Bartz, Steve Wilson, Victor Lewis, Matt Wilson, Ben Monder and many more. Kendra Shank mixes modern jazz, standards, world music, folk/pop, and open improvisation, all unified by her soulful storytelling, inventive phrasing, and spontaneous group interplay.  kendrashank.com

1.  Alone Together  6:48 (Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz)
2.  The Music is the Magic  7:33 (Abbey Lincoln)
3.  Kneel  8:38 (Jeremy Siskind)
4.  Song of Life  4:58 (Norma Winstone / Fred Hersch)
5.  Half Moon  4:44 (words: K. Shank / music: G. Keezer, K. Shank)
6.  Life's Mosaic  7:31 (John & Paula Hackett / Cedar Walton)
7.  When Love Was You and Me  5:02 (Abbey Lincoln / Thad Jones)
8.  I'm Movin' On  4:52 (Judy Niemack / Kirk Nurock)
9.  Healing Song  4:33 (words: K. Shank / music: K. Shank, G. Keezer)
10.  You Are There  5:58 (Dave Frishberg / Johnny Mandel)
11.  A Weaver Of Dreams  6:08 (Jack Elliott / Victor Young)


Portraits in Jazz ( A Tribute to Wes Montgomery) from Ed Bicket, Sonny Greenwich and more

Ever since his emergence in 1959,​ ​Wes Montgomery​ has been a major influence on other jazz guitarists. Wes was greatly touched by​ ​Charlie Christian's​ single­note bop lines, although by mastering octaves and developing a slightly different sound, he was able to stand out a bit from the influence. On this consistently swinging set, six different Canadian guitarists pay homage to Montgomery​ by performing two songs apiece with a trio; there are eight standards plus four originals in​ ​Montgomery's​ style. All of the guitarists (​Peter Leitch,​ ​ ​Reg Schwager,​ ​ ​Ed Bickert​, Rob Piltch​,​ ​Ted Quinlan​ and​ ​Sonny Greenwich)​ were influenced by​ ​Wes's​ sound, although Greenwich​ has long had his own slightly different style. The trios, except in the case of​ ​Piltch (who utilizes organist​ ​Doug Riley​ in addition to drummer​ ​Bob McLaren)​ , feature the lead soloist accompanied by bass and drums. Of the dozen selections,​ ​Leitch's​ rendition of "If I Should Lose You,"​ ​Quinlan's​ "Wes Blues" and​ ​Bickert's​ swinging version of "Whisper Not" are highlights. This well­conceived tribute set is worth searching for. ~ Jazz Review by Scott Yanow

Track listing
1​ ​Reg Schwager Trio​ - Siblings of Groove
2​ ​Ed Bickert Trio​ ­- September Song 
3​ ​Rob Piltch Trio​ ­- 'Round Midnight 
4​ ​Ted Quinlan Trio -​ ­ Wes Blues 
5 Sonny Greenwich Trio​ -­ The Best Thing for You (Would Be Me) 
6​ ​Peter Leitch Trio​ ­- J.L.M. 
7​ ​Ed Bickert Trio​ ­- Twisted Blues 
8​ ​Ted Quinlan Trio -​ ­ Whisper Not 
9​ ​Rob Piltch Trio​ ­- Descendants 
10​ ​Reg Schwager Trio​ -­ Far Wes 
11 Sonny Greenwich Trio​ -­ Summertime


Wednesday, November 02, 2016

World music guitarist Lawson Rollins muses time on “3 Minutes to Midnight”

The exotic and sensual first radio single, “Sway,” previews the January 20 album release that conveys the urgency of the moment.
 
Three minutes to midnight. Time is lapsing. What would you do with the final moments of your day? Award-winning world beat guitarist Lawson Rollins pondered that question as he entered the recording studio to craft his seventh album, “3 Minutes to Midnight,” which will be released on January 20 via the Infinita Records label. Focusing on “the urgency of the moment, the exhilaration of the speed of sound, the poignancy of the remains of the day and the mystical power of the number three,” Rollins wrote a dozen multicultural compositions - all in the three minute range and illuminated by his prodigious fingerstyle guitar play. The recording is stripped down, punchy and concise, a radical departure for the Billboard chart-topping artist known for creating lavishly produced and elaborately-constructed tracks that are at least twice as long.

“I really made an effort to pare down my musical flights of fancy and focus on the essentials instead of diverging into various plots and subplots within the song structure. The songs have an urgent, succinct quality and are unencumbered by elaborate instrumentation. This is the first time I came up with the title and overall concept early on in the process. I don’t know if it’s a reaction to the times we live in, with our shrinking bandwidth for complexity and desire for clarity, or if I just wanted to be as impactful and expressive as I could across a range of emotions - from exciting, passionate and bursting with energy to sad, contemplative and meditative,” said Rollins, who will introduce the new material when the sultry first single, “Sway,” is serviced to radio programmers for airplay ahead of the album’s release date.

Like his previous discs, Rollins produced “3 Minutes to Midnight” with multi-platinum producer Dominic Camardella utilizing the same core group of musicians. Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat, bassist Randy Tico and drummer/percussionist Dave Bryant joined Rollins (guitar, keyboards, drum programming) and Camardella (piano, Rhodes piano, Hammond organ) along with newcomers to the fold Stephen Duros (drum programming) and Forrest Marquisse (pedal steel). Since fans have marveled at videos of his dazzling and dexterous classical guitar technique that have generated a whopping 8 million YouTube views, Rollins welcomed cameras into the Santa Barbara Sound Design studio to capture the recording of his guitar parts for three videos – including one lensed during the tracking of “Sway” – that are now posted on YouTube and Rollins’ website (www.LawsonRollins.com). 

Rollins has landed on Billboard’s Top 10 World Music Albums chart and four of his collections placed singles on the Billboard Top 30 contemporary jazz radio chart. Recently he collected three major awards from the Akademia Music Awards (Best Jazz Song), the USA Songwriting Competition (1st place, Instrumental) and the Global Music Awards (triple gold medal winner). Why does the number three continue to come up for the long-time San Francisco resident?

“Three is a significant number that resonates in the human psyche and has a mystical power in our culture. Three is significant not only in world religions, but also in simple human terms with our body, mind and spirit triad. With songs, we have a beginning, middle and end. We even sync up with others on the count of three. Ready, set, go!,” noted Rollins, who released the albums “Traveler” and “Infinite Chill (The Remix Sessions)” last year, spawning the radio hits “Berlin Bossa” and “Café Paris (chill remix).” 

The “3 Minutes to Midnight” album, which was mastered at New York City’s Sterling Sound, contains the following songs:

“3 Minutes to Midnight”
“Light the Way”
“Sway”
“Island Time”
“Driving Force”
“Southbound”
“Stringdance”
“Time Shift”
“Reveal”
“Split Second”
“Eternal”
“Mary’s Rock”





Tuesday, November 01, 2016

NEW RELEASES: BOBBY HEBB & OTHERS – 50TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION OF SUNNY; SOUL TOGETHERNESS 2016; EVAN PARKER / MARK NAUSEEF / TOMA GOUBAND – AS THE WIND

BOBBY HEBB  & OTHERS – 50TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION OF SUNNY

A cool compilation that pays fitting tribute to one of the greatest songs of the 60s! When Bobby Hebb first recorded "Sunny" way back in 1966 – he probably had little idea that it would rocket him to the top of the charts, nor that it would go onto become one of the most popular songs of its time, getting covered in a variety of musical styles, by a huge amount of artists over the next few years. This package brings together 15 versions of the amazing track "Sunny" – including the original by Bobby Hebb, plus covers of the tune by Booker T & The MGs, Dusty Springfield, Wilson Pickett, Shirley Bassey, Robert Mitchum, Herbie Mann & Tamiko Jones, Jose Feliciano, Ella Fitzgerald, Georgie Fame, The Head Shop, John Schroeder Orchestra, Cher, and an especially nice one by James Brown and The Dee Felice Trio with Marva Whitney!  ~ Dusty Groove

SOUL TOGETHERNESS 2016

A wickedly sharp entry in the Soul Togetherness series – and one that maybe features a bit more contemporary material than before! There's a few older tracks from the modern soul years of the late 70s – but most of the work here is contemporary soul from the global underground – brought together in a collection that's especially important, given that the scene has moved so strongly to digital releases and one-off singles! These tracks are partly from that hinterland, and partly from the well-chosen range of cuts that we've come to expect from Expansion Records and DJ Richard Searling – a talent who's been running the Soul Togetherness empire for 30 years, and really knows his way around a track. Titles include "Don't Quit" by Deiphuis & Eastar with Jocelyn Brown, "Sunshine" by Los Charly's Orchestra, "I Got To Party" by SouLutions, "Just Talk To Me (boogie back rmx)" by Tracy Hamlin, "No Limit (ext mix)" by Breakwater, "Stranger (back to the future mix)" by Farina Miss, "Adieu" by Trina Broussard, "I Can Feel It (Soulshy mix)" by Beat Rivals, "Never Loved Nobody" by Puff Johnson, "Lotta Love (ext orig version)" by Nicolette Larson, "What I Done Wrong" by Big Lee Dowell & The Cannonballas, "Just Whatcha Like" by Zo with Joi, "All In The Name Of Love" by Seest, and "You & I (spider edit)" by Ronnie Jones. ~ Dusty Groove

EVAN PARKER / MARK NAUSEEF / TOMA GOUBAND – AS THE WIND

One of the most unusual albums we've ever heard from saxophonist Evan Parker – and one that, in the notes, he also refers to as one of his best! The group features a striking lineup – Parker on soprano sax, Mark Nauseef on percussion, and Toma Gouband on lithophones – which are instruments that create sound by the striking of rocks! With two percussive-styled forces at play, the structure is a bit different than some of Parker's more reed-oriented records – although both of the percussionists also find a way to create very spare, almost breathy sounds with their instruments – which Evan then responds to with some very unusual textures of his own. The whole performance was improvised, and is presented here as it was recorded – and the album may well be one of the most beautiful we've heard from Parker in years. Titles include "Like A Wild Goose Flies", "As The Wind", "Sans Everything", "Pipes & Whistles In His Sound", "Come Warble Come", and "As A Weasel Sucks Eggs". ~ Dusty Groove


NEW RELEASES: BAHAMA SOUL CLUB – HAVANA 58; JIMI TENOR - SAXENTRIC; TOM ZE – CANCOES EROTICAS DE NINAR

BAHAMA SOUL CLUB – HAVANA 58

The Bahama Soul Club are a German-based group whose unique blend of soul, jazz, funk, blues, bossa nova, afro and Caribbean influences has firmly put them on the map of the black music scene as one of the most exciting contemporary outfits. On their 4th album "Havana '58", Bahama Soul Club present a very personal soundtrack, a musical homage, inspired by a vibrant verve that never came back. We encounter a heady blend of glittering nightclubs, outrageous cabarets, fashionable hotels, backstreet brothels, empty wallets and bemusing décolletées. Bahama Soul Club establish an elegant and percussive cocktail of Latin Jazz, Soul, Bossa and Boogaloo, adding the dark, sensual, and alluring mystic of Tiki and Exotica into the mix. More than mambo mania and tiring salsa they stand for swinging lightness and the pulsating cosmopolitan lifestyle of the contemporary Cuban scene. Special guests include: American Jazz and Soul singer Brenda Boykin, Cuba’s leading vocal quartet Sexto Sentido, Bahama Soul Club live band's singer Olvido Ruiz and Cuban songwriter Arema Arega.

JIMI TENOR - SAXENTRIC

Jimi Tenor looks shrunken in size on the cover, but that certainly hasn't happened to his music – which just seems bigger and more expansive on this wonderful release! The set's still very much in the spiritual jazz mode that Tenor's been touching for the past decade or so – but it also showcases some of the soulful strands that have always been in his music, as Jimi finds a way to bring the cosmos down to earth with some really wonderful tunes that mix up a variety of different rhythmic and instrumental modes! The lineup shifts a bit on each track – and includes a great guest appearance from Tony Allen – but most cuts focus on core energy from Tenor, who not only plays tenor, percussion, keyboards, flute, moog, and more – but also sings with a style that's wonderfully soulful, and really holds the whole thing together. We always love Jimi's music, but this set's got a really special "something extra" – and a much deeper sound than you'd expect from the cover. Titles include "Magick Of Choice", "Polygonal", "Peaceful Maelstrom", "Four Corners Of The Earth", "Cap De Creus", "Vortex", "My Baby Is Coming", "Ursa Major", and "Baby Pharoah". ~ Dusty Groove

TOM ZE – CANCOES EROTICAS DE NINAR

From the eyeball on the cover, right down to the sounds on the disc, Tom Ze once again blurs the boundaries between body and mind with his music – by giving us tunes that are playful and catchy, but also filled with madness and intelligence too! Ze's wit is as razor-sharp as ever, carried across here with instrumentation that's very much in the best modes of his later years – almost familiar, but always offbeat – as if Tom's turning Brazilian songforms inside out, in service of his lyrical wordplay. The album's definitely got some of the erotic bent hinted at in the title, but also has a lot more going on too – on titles that include "Por Baixo", "Arroz Lenda E Buque", "Descaracao Familiar", "Sexo", "Sobe Ni Mim", "Urgenica Didatica", and "Cade Mane". ~ Dusty Groove

 

Audio Fidelity To Release Legendary Santana Live Album “Lotus” 2-CD On Limited Edition Hybrid SACD

Marshall Blonstein's Audio Fidelity will be releasing Santana's critically acclaimed live album Lotus on limited edition hybrid SACD. Lotus is a 1974 live album by Santana, recorded at the Osaka Koseinenkin Hall, Osaka, Japan in 1973. It was originally released in 1974 as a triple vinyl LP in Japan only. The first U.S. release was in 1991 as a 2-CD set. It features the “New Santana Band” and combines that group's jazz and spiritual influences. Some of the band's biggest hits are performed, such as “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va,” but it is the extended, intense instrumentals that are the order of the day such as the breathtaking “Incident at Neshabur,” “Every Step of the Way,” and “Toussaint L'Overture.”

Carlos' superpowered guitar is mesmerizing, the entire atmosphere is otherworldly, beautiful, modern jazzy and most of all, electrifying. His guitar tone is perfect, each solo has a central rhythmic and melodic structure that was used to express in a moment what can never be repeated. The greatness of Lotus is its ability to take all of Carlos' beautiful melodies and expand them each into a whole new creation.

Santana fans know there are “several different Santanas.” This was the MILES Santana, the COLTRANE Santana. This is intense and awe-inspiring music played with so much mind-numbing passion. Carlos' guitar speaks notes on this recording that are nothing short of extraordinary. He manages to imbue a vibration that cuts right through your soul. Even on the familiar hits, the jazz fusion makes its way into the notes and Carlos delivers a new message. This was the top of Santana's spiritual-fusion era. Lotus is the Live Santana album that gives other Live albums a bad name. Spectacular, breathtaking, emotional, spiritual...and it rocks!

Disc one
Going Home
A-1 Funk
Every Step of the Way
Black Magic Woman
Gypsy Queen
Oye Como Va
Yours Is the Light
Batuka
Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba)
Stone Flower (Introduction)
Waiting
Castillos de Arena Part 1 (Sand Castle)
Free Angela
Samba de Sausalito

Disc two
Mantra
Kyoto (Drum Solo)
Castillos de Arena Part 2 (Sand Castle)
Incident at Neshabur
Se a Cabo
Samba Pa Ti
Mr. Udo
Toussaint L'Overture

Produced by The New Santana Band
Mastered by Steve Hoffman and Stephen Marsh at Marsh Mastering
SACD Authoring: Stephen Marsh at Marsh Mastering


Pianist/Composer Enoch Smith Jr. To Release His 4th CD, "The Quest: Live at APC"

Enoch Smith Jr. The QuestThe Quest: Live at APC is the latest recorded chapter in composer/pianist Enoch Smith Jr.'s ongoing search to find a seamless synthesis of jazz and gospel and a balance between the spiritual and technical aspects of his creativity. Smith's 4th CD as a leader and first live date will be released by his Misfitme Music label on November 11.

"It's my belief that jazz would not exist in the form it does today if not for black gospel music and its contributors," Smith wrote in a Woodshed column titled "Bringing the Gospel to Jazz: A Misfit's Theme" that appeared in the September 2016 issue of Down Beat magazine.

The Rochester, New York-born, Allentown, New Jersey-based musician -- with his acclaimed series of gospel-immersed jazz albums (2010's Church Boy, 2011's Misfits, 2015's Misfits II: Pop, and now The Quest: Live at APC, all for Misfitme) -- is at the forefront of bringing jazz and gospel even closer together.

The Quest is drawn from two Jazz Vespers concerts recorded in March and April 2016 at the Allentown Presbyterian Church, where Smith has worked full time as Director of Music and Worship for the last four years. One concert featured Smith with bassist Mimi Jones, drummer John Davis, and rising star vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles, a veteran of Smith's previous two CDs. Bassist Noah Jackson, drummer Andrew Atkinson, and vocalist Emily Braden joined Smith on the other.

Enoch Smith Jr. In addition to Smith's originals -- including the swinging "Wheels Up," the chant-like "Creator" featuring Braden, and the title track with its call-and-response gospel feel -- the program contains a rendition of Chick Corea and Neville Potter's "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly," a feature for vocalist Charles, and the venerable hymn "Jesus Loves Me," heard in both instrumental and vocal versions. "They have two completely different feels," Smith says. "I really enjoyed the place we took that instrumental version of it."

Enoch Smith Jr., 37, was raised in Rochester, New York in the Church of God by Faith, a Pentecostal denomination, where he began singing at age 3 in the children's choir. He later played drums for services, then got a chance to sub for the regular pianist, making his way through trial and error. "Growing up and playing mostly in church, you get a whole different side of what music is all about," he says. "For me, it was always more of a spiritual connection than a connection of the head."

Although he had originally intended on becoming a lawyer and had done several internships at Rochester law firms while still in high school, Smith decided to interview for admission at Berklee College of Music at the suggestion of his high school choir director. He was accepted on the spot. "It was amazing and intimidating and exciting all at the same time," he says of his classes at Berklee. "I definitely saw that I didn't fit into the mold. I felt like a misfit.

"The transition from playing primarily by ear and then learning theory opened my mind to different approaches, devices, and things that I could use musically to expand or make my playing more interesting," he adds. "That was the plus side. I think the down side of it is when you get so focused on technique and technical things, it can pull you away from the more spiritual side of life and what brought me to the instrument and things that were naturally expressed. I'm working my way back to where I can play with the same feeling that I had when I started."

Enoch Smith Jr. Smith continues working full time at Allentown Presbyterian Church, where his duties include playing piano, composing original music, directing music programs for children of all ages, and creating Power Point presentations for services. He has recorded as a sideman with bassist Mimi Jones, saxophonist Stantawn Kendrick, drummer Reggie Quinerly, and saxophonist-singer Camille Thurman, among others, and since the summer of 2016 has been touring as an organist with fast-rising blues-and-soul singer-saxophonist Vanessa Collier.

Besides appearing in clubs in the New York City area and in Detroit, he has performed at the Barbados and New Rochelle jazz festivals and has composed music for independent filmmaker Nefertiti Nguvu's short I Want You in 2007 and her 2014 feature In the Morning.

The Enoch Smith Jr. Trio, with Noah Jackson ("my favorite bass player") and drummer Andrew Atkinson, will perform a CD release show for The Quest at Club Bonafide in New York City on Friday 11/11. 


The David Shaw Trio debut album “Live At The Academy” features standards from the American songbook plus original compositions

David Shaw @MusicDavidShaw (Keyboards & Vocals) is a Toronto based (Brit ex-pat). He is an exceptional artist, wordsmith & producer. The one time ‘Young Jazz Musician Of The Year’ studied at the University of London garnering an honors degree in music. Born in Birmingham, Shaw was immersed in the finer points of musicianship from an early age as all his immediate family were professional musicians. 

This stewardship paid big dividends, as he won the above mentioned Greater London Arts award with his bebop quartet! Moving to North America David honed in on his production & song writing mantra which propelled him to a #1 platinum hit “Love Makes No Promises” CANDI (SOCAN Songwriter of the Year), a number of Top 10 hits have followed including Always Missing You, Friends Forever, Fight Another Round. Not one to rest on his laurels, he then turned his sights to scoring for television at an international level. Cyberchase PBS & Masterminds are just two of the many animated and dramatic Network T.V. shows he has given his ‘magic touch’ to. Following a period of travel, David is back and fully focused on his love of popular song and jazz performance, writing, programming and production…as well as taking centre stage with his own vocal interpretations.

Marshal Herridge (Bass) is an emerging jazz double bassist in the Toronto jazz scene. His melodic approach to the bass is uncanny while his technique and intonation is remarkable. He has studied with some of Canada’s finest jazz musicians, including Mike Downes, Neil Swainson, Kieran Overs, Kirk MacDonald, Pat LaBarbera among others. In addition to this, he has performed with John Scofield, Peter Bernstein, Larry Goldings, Dick Oatts, Donny McCaslin among others.

Pat Daniher (Drums) is a 2016 graduate from Humber College’s Bachelor of Music program where he studied with many of Toronto’s finest musicians, including drummers Barry Romberg, Ben Ball, Mark Kelso and Paul Delong. During his time at Humber he was the recipient the 2014 Norman Marshall Villeneuve Award, as well as the 2015 Yamaha Music Canada Scholarship. He has performed extensively over the past six years with various pop, rock and jazz projects in Toronto and Montreal and is currently at work composing his own original material.



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