THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER THE COMPLETE CHICK WEBB & ELLA FITZGERALD DECCA SESSIONS (1934-1941) |  |
- THE COMPLETE CHICK WEBB & ELLA FITZGERALD DECCA SESSIONS (1934-1941)
- NEW CHRISTMAS RELEASES FROM JOHNNY MATHIS, MARY J. BLIGE, ANDY WILLIAMS, VINCE GUARALDI TRIO, MAD MEN CHRISTMAS, BOBBY DARIN
- NEW RELEASES - BRIGITTE BARDOT, JACQUES BREL, PIERO PICCIONI
- NEW RELEASES - JOEY DEFRANCESCO, 74 MILES AWAY, BRADD MARQUIS
- NEW RELEASES -GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW, PATCHWORKS GALACTIC PROJECT, THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE
- MARQUIS HILL - THE POET
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Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:05 PM PDT
Throughout the glorious history of jazz, special collaborative relationships have been a rich source of profound musical creativity. Ellington/Strayhorn, Bird & Diz; Miles and Trane; and the list goes on. But no relationship has had a greater impact upon both the lives and legacies of the partners more than that of Ella Fitzgerald and Chick Webb. Had the innovative drummer and bandleader not connected with Ella in 1934, his life, ravaged by the birth defects that led to his passing at the age of 37, may have been relegated to the memories of those who saw him - and the aficionados who preserve those special legends. Had Ella not been rescued from the streets at 17 by Chick and his wife Sally, the unparalleled 60 year history of vocal jazz expression at its highest level may have never come to light.
Now, through the peerless efforts of Mosaic Records, the full history of that most special collaboration is available to the public for the first time with The Complete Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald Decca Sessions (1934-1941), an 8-CD set comprised of 187 tracks (three of which are previously unreleased in any format). For the sake of both historical clarity and the edification of the audience, the set includes both pre-Ella material dating back to 1929 and 59 tracks of Ella's recordings with both the full band and smaller ensembles that remained together for two years following Chick's untimely death in 1939.
Of the 13 pre-Ella tracks, five were recorded for Brunswick and Vocalion during the years 1929 through 1931. Their inclusion offers a glimpse of the up-and-coming Chick Webb as he was soon to become a popular and highly regarded fixture on the Harlem scene, in residence at the legendary Savoy Ballroom. Terribly under-recorded and with virtually no documentation on film, Webb's dynamic presence and magnetism shine through on these and other instrumental sides before Ella became a regular member of the band. The set's producer Scott Wenzel states, "Since his prominence alongside the jazz elite has been greatly overlooked, we felt that the need to gather these gems in a new Mosaic package was a project well worth diving into.
One of the first truly "musical" drummers, Chick specially tuned each of his drums religiously, and meticulously replaced the heads at the first sign of wear. He used cowbells, woodblocks and rim shots for color and accenting. Afflicted with spinal tuberculosis as a child that left him hunchbacked, stiff and under five feet tall, Chick overcame his physical limitations with his creativity, musicality, showmanship, personality and leadership. Chick provided the glue that held his explosive ensemble together from his elevated platform at the center of the bandstand. Unable to physically sustain extended solos, Chick made up for it with his subtle phrasing techniques and sparkling dynamics. The dazzling drummer whipped the Savoy's dancers into a frenzy while totally satisfying those who just came to listen. Among the latter were future drum legends like Big Sid Catlett, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and Art Blakey.
Ella Fitzgerald was brought to Chick's attention following her victory at the famed Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater in 1934. Soon afterwards, Chick and Sally brought the shy 17-year-old into their home, providing stability and a loving environment that properly nurtured and cultivated the astonishing talent within. Her first recordings with the band in 1935 display that shyness and naiveté, which in no way eclipsed the unique essence of her artistry. As the recordings ensue, the listener can clearly hear the blossoming and maturing of the extraordinary talent that bathed the world of song in its brilliance for more than half a century to follow. Together, Ella and Chick created a duality previously unmatched in the history of jazz. As John McDonough states in his extensive and highly informative notes, "Never in jazz history did a major swing band ever come to be so dominated by a single singer. But then no other swing band ever had Ella Fitzgerald."
From a purely historical viewpoint, this set is a must-have as it not only provides a long overdue tribute to Chick, but also allows the listener to witness the emergence of one of its most immortal figures in Ella. Of course, all of her early hits are included - "Sing Me a Swing Song," "You'll Have to Swing It (aka Mr. Paganini)," "Darktown Strutter's Ball," and of course, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket." There are also two tracks featuring Ella with the Mills Brothers in acapella renditions of "Big Boy Blue" and "Dedicated to You."
A stellar array of sidemen further add to the musical joy - many of whom span the full 12 years covered in this set (and a number of whom became respected leaders in their own right). These include Louis Jordan, Benny Carter, Taft Jordan, Bobby Stark, John Kirby, Hilton Jefferson, Wayman Carver, John Trueheart, Mario Bauza, Pete Clark, Chauncey Haughton, Garvin Bushell and Edgar Sampson (who was also the band's full-time arranger). Others like Ram Ramirez and Eddie Barefield joined in the post-Webb years when the ensemble became known as Ella Fitzgerald and Her Orchestra.
As always, the pristine reputation of Mosaic Records' commitment to the highest standards of quality and clarity has been fully sustained by producer Wenzel's outstanding work. For the finest audio fidelity he sought out the best quality master or physical item available. Whether that be a mint American Decca 78, a vinyl test pressing, or an Australian Decca release with their smoother surfaces not found in most American Deccas, Wenzel was unsurpassed in his pursuit of excellence. The classic Mosaic booklet that always accompanies these sets is filled with many rare photographs, exceptionally detailed notes by McDonough and the intensely researched and detailed track-by-track session information. The remarkable memory of arranger Van Alexander, the one surviving participant in these sessions, helped keep this highly complex and elusive information as accurate as possible.
For those who were fortunate enough to have actually been present at the Savoy Ballroom during the years these recordings were made, this set will provide magical memories. For those of us who weren't so blessed, this is the closest we'll ever be. Once again, Mosaic reminds us why it has no peers.
Reflecting on Mosaic's 30th Anniversary, label founder and producer Michael Cuscuna says, "Thirty years into the process, it is personally gratifying for me to create sets like The Complete Muse Recordings of Woody Shaw for which I produced the original sessions and The Complete Clifford Jordan Strata-East Sessions (available November 12), which I helped Clifford license and release. I had been directly involved with other sets as a producer including those of Anthony Braxton and Henry Threadgill and each time, such projects bring back resonating memories and renew old and deep friendships."
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Posted: 24 Sep 2013 12:13 PM PDT
JOHNNY MATHIS - SENDING YOU A LITTLE CHRISTMAS
Johnny's first collection of new seasonal recordings since the release of The Christmas Album in 2002, Sending You A Little Christmas is the artist's first holiday duets album (and first duets album since 1991's Better Together) and finds the singer sharing the Yuletide spirit with a number of special guest artists including Susan Boyle ("Do You Hear What I Hear"), Jim Brickman ("Sending You a Little Christmas"), Natalie Cole ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"), Gloria Estefan ("Mary's Boy Child"), Vince Gill and Amy Grant ("I'll Be Home for Christmas"/"White Christmas"), Billy Joel ("The Christmas Song"), and The Jordanaires ("Home For The Holidays"). Sending You A Little Christmas is the artist's sixth album of newly recorded seasonal sounds since Merry Christmas, his 1958 perennial, established Mathis as a warm and familiar holiday presence on home and car radios around the world. Few recording artists are more associated with the sound and spirit of the Christmas season than Johnny Mathis. On Sending You A Little Christmas, Mathis lends his incomparable vocal stylings to a rich selection of Christmas standards and future yuletide classics. Sending You A Little Christmas was produced by Fred Mollin, who first collaborated with Johnny on 2010's Grammy Award nominated Let It Be Me: Mathis In Nashville. Johnny Mathis' million-selling previous holiday albums have included Merry Christmas (1958), The Sounds of Christmas (1963), Give Me Your Love For Christmas (1969), Johnny Mathis For Christmas (1984), and Christmas Eve With Johnny Mathis (1986).
Johnny Mathis - Sending You A Little Christmas tracklisting: 1. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) (Duet with Billy Joel) / 2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Duet with Natalie Cole) / 3. This Christmas / 4. Sending You a Little Christmas (Duet with Jim Brickman) / 5. Mary's Boy Child (Duet with Gloria Estefan) / 6. This Is A Time For Love / 7. Do You Hear What I Hear (Duet with Susan Boyle) / 8. Home for the Holidays (featuring The Jordanaires) / 9. Merry Christmas Darling / 10. Decorate the Night / 11. I'll Be Home for Christmas / White Christmas (Duet with Vince Gill and Amy Grant) / 12. Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)
 MARY J. BLIGE - A MARY CHRISTMAS
Iconic Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist Mary J. Blige has teamed up with the best musical talents in the business. Blige, for Matriarch Records/Verve Records/Interscope Records has completed her first-ever holiday album titled, A Mary Christmas making it the first album collaboration between Blige and legendary producer and Chairman of The Verve Music Group, David Foster. "The past few months have been such an amazing time for me, the highlight being my work with David Foster. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to make this soulful and classic Christmas album with David. David's music has touched so many talented artists and I am grateful to be a part of this collaboration. I am so proud of what we created and I believe my fans will love the album as much as I do," says Mary J. Blige. A Mary Christmas features Blige's soulful interpretation of classic holiday tunes including "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," and "The Christmas Song." Blige is joined by a number of A-list guests, starting with Barbra Streisand, who duets with Blige on "When You Wish Upon A Star," along with Jessie J on "Do You Hear What I Hear" The Clark Sisters join Blige on "The First Noel" and "Noche de Paz," is a Spanish collaboration with Mark Anthony. Other highlights on the album include "Little Drummer Boy," "My Favorite Things," "This Christmas," "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," and Tino Rossi's "Petit Papa Noel." Track Listing: Little Drummer Boy, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, My Favorite Things,.This Christmas,.The Christmas Song, Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer, and When You Wish Upon A Star – Duet with Barbra Streisand.
Andy Williams didn't gain the nickname "Mr. Christmas" for nothing. His first Christmas album, 1963's The Andy Williams Christmas Album, remains one of the most popular holiday releases of all time, vaulting to #1 on the charts and staying there for nine weeks, and re-entering the Christmas charts 10 straight years after that, twice at #1! It also spawned a #1 holiday hit with his rendition of "White Christmas" and offered the definitive rendition of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." His second Christmas album, 1965's Merry Christmas, also went to #1, this time for "only" three weeks, and re-entered the Christmas charts for five straight years, twice more at #1 (it, too, featured a Christmas charting single, the #18 hit version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?"). Yet, despite all this artistic and commercial success, there has never been a collection that compiled every seasonal side that Andy Williams recorded during his legendary career…until now! Andy Williams: The Complete Christmas Recordings collects all three classic Christmas albums cut for Columbia—the aforementioned LPs The Andy Williams Christmas Album and Merry Christmas plus his 1974 album Christmas Present—plus the Columbia single "Ave Maria," unreleased Spanish and Italian-language versions of "White Christmas" and, as a special added treat, the 1955 single of "Christmas Is a Feeling in Your Heart/The Wind, the Sand and the Star" that were the first two songs the young singer cut for the Cadence label back in 1955. John Alexander's notes touch on the many high points of Andy's career, and the package also includes photos from the Columbia vaults. 42 tracks that will form the cornerstone of any Christmas music collection.
The Andy Williams Christmas Album (1963): 1. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire); 2. Sweet Little Jesus Boy; 3. O Holy Night; 4. Silent Night, Holy Night; 5. The Little Drummer Boy; 6. Away in a Manger; 7. Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells; 8. Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season; 9. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year; 10. A Song and a Christmas Tree (The Twelve Days of Christmas) 11. The First Noël; 12. White Christmas /// Merry Christmas (1965): 1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas; 2. Winter Wonderland; 3. Silver Bells; 4. Mary's Little Boy Child; 5. Some Children See Him; 6. Do You Hear What I Hear?; 7. Christmas Holiday; 8. Sleigh Ride; 9. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!; 10. My Favorite Things; 11. Little Altar Boy; 12. The Bells of St. Mary's /// Christmas Present (1974) 1.Christmas Present; 2. Joy to the World; 3. O Little Town of Bethlehem; 4.Christmas Bells; 5.It Came upon a Midnight Clear; 6. Ave Maria; 7. O Come All Ye Faithful; 8. Angels We Have Heard on High; 9. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; 10. Ave Maria; 11. What Child Is This?; 12. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day; 13. The Lord's Prayer /// Singles: 1. Christmas Is a Feeling in Your Heart; 2. The Wind, the Sand and the Star; 3. Ave Maria /// Unreleased: 1.White Christmas (Spanish Version); 1.White Christmas (Italian Version)
VINCE GUARALDI TRIO - A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
The 2012 Remastered & Expanded Edition CD will feature the original 1965 recording newly remastered with 24-bit technology from the original analog stereo master tapes. It also contains three holiday bonus tracks that did not appear on the original LP: "Greensleeves," "Thanksgiving Theme," and "Great Pumpkin Waltz." The digi package includes a 20-page booklet featuring memorable Peanuts character images from the beloved A Charlie Brown Christmas television special and engaging new liner notes by Peanuts and Vince Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang, author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano (McFarland Press). Concurrently, Fantasy will issue a 2012 LP pressing of the classic album on green vinyl.
When Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas album was inducted into the Library of Congress, the Library's media release noted, "A Charlie Brown Christmas introduced jazz to millions of listeners." According to annotator and Guaraldi biographer Bang, "The importance of [that] sentence can not be overstated." Children all over the world who had resisted jazz as the music of their parents were given an introduction. Berkeley-based Fantasy Records wisely released a soundtrack LP of the San Franciscan pianist's work on the show. (Completing the Northern California scenario, Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz built his final studio in Santa Rosa, and it's there where the Charles M. Schulz Museum was established as a permanent home to Snoopy and the gang. So too the sweet voices heard on "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" are from San Rafael's St. Paul's Church Children's Choir.)
For this new edition of the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas, reissue producer Nick Phillips and remastering impresario Joe Tarantino resurrected the original stereo analog master tapes along with the original stereo mixes. Longtime fans may have purchased the album before, but the sonic differences between the new edition and the album's debut CD released in 1988 are vastly different, since analog-to-digital conversion has improved over the past quarter century as a side-by-side listening comparison will reveal.
The album's centerpiece track, today as it was in 1965, is "Christmas Time Is Here," particularly the long, soulful instrumental version that clocks in at just over six minutes.
MAD MEN CHRISTMAS: MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE HIT TV SERIES ON AMC (VARIOUS ARTISTS)
Concord Records has partnered with Lionsgate to release Mad Men Christmas: Music from and Inspired by the Hit TV Series on AMC on October 8, 2013. This 12-track release, available on CD exclusively at Target® stores nationwide, will feature several iconic 1960s Christmas tracks and one previously unreleased remix of the celebrated "Zou Bisou Bisou" as performed by character Megan Draper (played by Jessica Paré) in the season five premiere. Mad Men Christmas opens with the familiar Mad Men theme song "A Beautiful Mine" by RJD2, which has accompanied the opening credits since the show's beginning, followed by the sultry and hypnotic voice of Paré in an exclusive remix of the French pop tune "Zou Bisou Bisou (Scotch + Sofa remix)" by IAMX. The album continues with many of the era's best-loved Christmas songs, including Dean Martin's "Baby It's Cold Outside," Rosemary Clooney's "White Christmas," Tony Bennett's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Otis Redding's "Merry Christmas Baby" and Vince Guaraldi's "Christmas Time Is Here," to name a few.
Mad Men Christmas: Music From and Inspired by the Hit TV Series on AMC Track List: 1. "A Beautiful Mine" (The Mad Men Theme) – RJD2 / 2. "Zou Bisou Bisou" Remix (Scotch + Sofa Remix by IAMX) – Jessica Paré / 3. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" – Darlene Love / 4. "Baby It's Cold Outside" – Dean Martin / 5. "The Christmas Song" – Mel Tormé / 6. "Christmas Waltz" – Nellie McKay / 7. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" – Tony Bennett / 8. "White Christmas" – Rosemary Clooney / 9. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" – Johnny Mathis / 10. "Merry Christmas Baby" [take 1]– Otis Redding / 11. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" – Teresa Brewer / 12. "Christmas Time Is Here" – Vince Guaraldi /
BOBBY DARIN - THE 25TH OF DECEMBER WITH BOBBY DARIN
Bobby Darin was probably the most versatile and fearless vocalist of his generation, fully capable and willing to tackle The Great American Songbook, rock and roll and even folk music with his impeccable phrasing and warm tone. So why should his Christmas album be any less adventuresome? The 25th Day of December with Bobby Darin alternates between reverential, traditional readings of songs like "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Ave Maria" and "Dona Nobis Pacem" to rousing, gospel-inflected numbers like "Child of God," "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and "Jehovah Hallelujah," with great backing (on the gospel songs) by the Bobby Scott Chorale. This all-time Christmas classic from 1960 has somehow been out of print for a while; our Real Gone release offers a first time ever STEREO reissue, complete with a bonus track (in mono), "Christmas Auld Lang Syne." Darin expert James Ritz provides the liner notes and rare single picture sleeves.
Songs: 1. O Come All Ye Faithful / 2. Poor Little Jesus / 3. Child of God / 4. Baby Born Today / 5. Holy Holy Holy / 6. Ave Maria / 7. Go Tell It on the Mountain / 8. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks / 9. Jehovah Hallelujah / 10. Mary, Where Is Your Baby? / 11. Silent Night / 12. Dona Nobis Pacem / Bonus Track: 13. Christmas Auld Lang Syne
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Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:42 AM PDT
BRIGITTE BARDOT - BARDOTMANIA
More of a celebration of Brigitte Bardot in general than a straight collection of her own recordings – a really cool 2CD package that features music from famous Bardot films, some tracks sung by Bardot herself, and a few other numbers by different singers too! The orchestrations are lush at the start, with lots of the slinky tones you'd expect from postwar French films – but as things move on, they get leaner and jazzier – especially as the new wave starts to dawn. The package has two smaller sleeves and a booklet inside a larger slipcase – and features material from the films Manina La Fille Sans Voiles, Une Parisienne, Les Bijoutiers Du Clair De Lune, Et Dieu Crea La Femme, Doctor At Sea, Vie Privee, La Bride Sur Le Cou, La Verite, and other films. ~ Dusty Groove
JACQUES BREL - SUIVE L'ETOILE: INTEGRALE DES ENREGISTREMENTS STUDIO ET LIVE 1953 TO 1977
An incredible tribute to one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the 20th Century – an artist we've loved for decades, and love even more in this wonderfully complete package! The massive edition brings together 21 CDs in a 12" square hardcover book – complete with 60 pages of writings on Brel, photos, and details on his music – interlaced with discs that include every single original album recorded for Barclay, plus 16 unissued alternate tracks, 2 never-issued compositions, and 5 recordings making their debut on CD! And in addition to the studio albums, the set also features three rare concerts – Les Trois Baudets (1957), Les Adieux A L'Olympia (1966), and Le Dernier Concert Roubaix (1967). The package is amazing, limited and numbered – and blows away even any other previous attempts at collecting Brel's music! (Numbered limited edition.) ~ Dusty Groove
PIERO PICCIONI - IO LA CONOSCEVO BENE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
Wonderful wonderful stuff – exactly the kind of mod soundtrack we've really come to love from the legendary Piero Piccioni! The music's a very cool blend of jazz and more 60s-styled rhythms – including some groovers in the "jerk" or "shake" modes – all served up with instrumentation that includes some of those great organ lines that Piccioni used so well in La Deccima Vittima/The Tenth Victim – plus some strong tenor and flute lines that really echo his earlier work in jazz! The whole thing's wonderful – a blend of jaunty numbers and dreamy instrumentals – all remastered nicely, and presented in a very vivid package. (Limited to 500 copies.) ~ Dusty Groove
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Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:33 AM PDT
JOEY DEFRANCESCO - ONE FOR RUDY
The Rudy in the title is Rudy Van Gelder – who does a perfect job recording this wonderful set from Hammond maestro Joey DeFrancesco! The organ has this wonderfully lean, clean sound – a vibe that recalls Rudy's work with players like Don Patterson or Johnny Hammond back in the 60s, served up here by Joey on tight tunes that are filled with plenty of soul, and some of those surprisingly modern changes that would always show up on the most inventive Prestige Records sessions back in the day! DeFrancesco's trio-mates are very well-tuned to this groove – and include Steve Cotter on guitar and Ramon Banda on drums – on titles that include "Budo", "I Don't Wanna Be Kissed", "One For Rudy", "Monk's Dream", and "Way Out West". ~ Dusty Groove
74 MILES AWAY - GEAR CHANGE
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A fully instrumental set from this cool keyboard combo – a group who've recorded previously for Melting Pot and Brownswood, but who somehow sound even greater here than ever before! The group features two guys on keys – including Fender Rhodes, moog, and Wurlitzer – mixed with guitars and samples, and some sweet funky flute too – all at a level that trips easily between 70s and 80s spacey funk modes – a vibe that handles all aspects of influence from Herbie Hancock, plus lots more exciting bits from the underground too! There's plenty of jazz in the mix, but the tunes also have a forward funky flavor too – and titles include "Looking Good", "Little Fatima", "Brusseleiro", "Axel Foley", "Sly", and "Seven Four". ~ Dusty Groove
BRADD MARQUIS _ THANK YOU
Joyous sounds from Bradd Marquis – an album served up after a few years of hardship, described in the notes – yet done with a very powerful, positive, upbeat feel throughout! Bradd's definitely back on top with this sweet little set – a batch of well-crafted cuts filled with sweet hooks and some nicely stepping beats – never too over the top, and certainly not the kind of chartbound soul of the mainstream – but really well focused and put together overall! The tunes themselves really show the optimism of Bradd's spirit in the set – as titles include "Winner", "Bounce Back", "Thank You", "Love Will Find A Way", "Free", and "Happy Home". ~ Dusty Groove
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Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:26 AM PDT
GEORGIA ANNE MULDOW - JYOTI DENDERAH
One of the most stunning records we've heard from Georgia Anne Muldrow in years – even more mindblowingly cosmic than just about all her other recent work! The set features mostly instrumental tracks – heavy on keyboards, both acoustic and electric – and played with this spiraling righteous vibe that recalls the 70s energy of Herbie Hancock and Lonnie Liston Smith, but with some of the trippier touches of the Madlib keyboard generation – as lots of the record veers into the distorted spaciness of Yesterday's New Quintet! But whatever the references, the set's also a very individual one too – really unique and really compelling, and put together with the feeling of a live record – even though the lack of notes make it hard to determine if this is an actual concert performance or some liveness cooked up in the studio. Titles include "Turiya's Smile", "Sup", "Optimus Prime", "Rubber Rhumba", "Denderah", "Theodosia 3:23", "Siderealin", and "Pedal Pusher". ~ Dusty Groove
PATCHWORKS GALACTIC PROJECT - SPACE
One of the coolest projects so far from Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart – a set that's put together as a tribute to all the spacey electronic 70s grooves from artists like Patrick Adams, Alain Goraguer, or Jean Pierre Massiera! Patchworks definitely gets the sound right for the set – and mixes tight funky backings with some amazing work on keyboards – a rich array of keys that are heavy in moogy and synthy moments, yet have some warmer Fender Rhodes touches too – all served up in a way that's never gimmicky or cheesy at all, and which makes the album every bit as appealing as any rare record of this nature from years back! There's no vocals at all that we can tell – which leaves even more room for the cool keys – and titles include "Cosmic Tripping", "Approaching The Black Whole", "Behind The Moon", "Visions", "Gobblins Are Gone", "Cruising Through Space", and "Time & Space".~ Dusty Groove
THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE - LOVE IN FLYING COLORS
The best yet from Foreign Exchange! FE began as a transatlantic collaboration between rapper/singer Phone in NC and producer Nicolay in Holland – who literally got it done by exchanging files online – but since Nicolay moved closer, they've grown into one of finest indie soul acts in the US! They're much more than duo, too – co-running their own label and serving as a linchpin of a soul scene that includes Zo!, Sy Smith, Jeanne Jolly and others. As a project, FE is more community-based than ever! Their roots as a leftfield hip hop soul project are still healthy, with crisp, easygoing beats and occasional rhymes by Phonte – but Phonte has grown more confident as soul singer over the years, and that continues stronger than ever. Nicolay's pedigree as a multi-instrumentalist and spacey soul producer has also grown nicely! Love In Flying Colors features the above mentioned guests, plus Carmen Rodgers, Carlitta Durand, Gwen Bunn, Eric Roberson and others. Includes "If I Knew Then" with Carmen Rodgers, "Right After Midnight" with Sy Smith, "Better" with Shana Tucker & Eric Roberson, "On A Day Like Today", "Listen To The Rain", "Call It Home", "The Moment", "Can't Turn Around" wih Gwen Bunn, "Dreams Are Made For Two" with Carlitta Durand and "When I Feel Love". ~ Dusty Groove
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Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:18 AM PDT
Already an established presence in his native Chicago, trumpeter/composer Marquis Hill will see his star continue to rise on the national jazz scene with the release of The Poet, his third CD in as many years. The dynamic session, featuring his working band, the Blacktet, is due October 22 from Skiptone Music. The title of the new CD was inspired by remarks made by Hill's friend, poet Kevin Sparks, after hearing his previous release, 2012's Sounds of the City. "Your music is so poetic," Hill recalls Sparks saying. "It's modern, but at the same time, it's in the tradition. It reminds me of great poetry. "
Hill spent considerable time and care preparing his band for the recording of The Poet, including performing songs from the upcoming album during a February engagement at Chicago's Jazz Showcase less than two weeks before he entered the studio. Among those in attendance was Chicago Tribune arts critic Howard Reich."Considering the melodic beauty of Hill's themes and the subtle ways the band dispatched them, the recording could be an important one for this ensemble," Reich predicted in his review.
The Poet opens with "Mary's Intro," a poem written by Kevin Sparks and recited by Mary E. Lawson, and closes with "Legends Outro," a Free Style by Keith Winford of the Chicago hip-hop band Legend Haz It. Hill's sextet, which he calls the Blacktet, provides the instrumental backing on both. The remaining 13 tracks place the spotlight on the Blacktet -- Hill, alto saxophonist Christopher McBride, vibraphonist Justin Thomas, pianist Josh Moshier, bassist Joshua Ramos, and drummer Makaya McCraven -- with Juan Pastor adding his Latin percussion prowess to three. All, with the exception of brief improvised interludes by Thomas, Moshier, and Hill and a rendition of the Bill Lee ballad "Again Never" from his son Spike's motion picture Mo' Better Blues, were composed by the trumpeter.
The remarkable empathy between Hill and saxophonist McBride stems from their having played together since they were classmates at Northern Illinois University (NIU) nearly a decade ago. McBride played on Hill's two earlier CDs -- Sounds of the City and 2011's New Gospel -- as did pianist Moshier.
"The thing that really, really attracted me to Chris is the way that we blend," Hill says. "He has a really dark sound for an alto saxophone, and I try to go for a dark sound on the trumpet. We're kind of like the same person when it comes to playing horn parts and cutoffs and how to articulate and how much vibrato to put on the notes."
Marquis Hill, 26, was raised in the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. He took up drums in the fourth grade but soon switched to trumpet after hearing his older female cousin playing one. (He still has a drum set and does occasional gigs as a drummer.) By the time he was in sixth grade, the young trumpeter was a member of the South Shore Youth Jazz Ensemble. It was one of several prestigious student bands in which Hill played while growing up, including the Ravinia Jazz Scholars, in which he first came in contact with future mentors Bobby Broom, Tito Carillo, and Willie Pickens.
Hill graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2009 with a B.A. in music education and from DePaul University in 2012 with a M.A. in jazz pedagogy. For the past four summers, he has taught high school students at the Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, and he recently joined the faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2012, he won the International Jazz Trumpet Competition in Atlanta.
While still a student at NIU, Hill became one of the most in-demand jazz trumpeters in the Windy City. When not leading his Blacktet, the trumpeter currently works with saxophonist Ernest Dawkins (another major mentor), pianist Willerm Delisfort, bassist Matt Ulery, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, and groups led by his own sidemen McBride and Thomas.
Hill and the Blacktet return to the Jazz Showcase 10/31 through 11/3 to celebrate the release of The Poet. "I want my music to feel good," Hill states. "No matter how modern it sounds, I want the swing and the groove and the feeling to be there."
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