THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER Funk and Fellini: Electronic jazz innovator Paolo Rustichelli goes retro on “Hypnofunk” |  |
- Funk and Fellini: Electronic jazz innovator Paolo Rustichelli goes retro on “Hypnofunk”
- Tenor Saxophone Legend George Coleman Finally Leads Longstanding Group into the Studio on New Album, The Quartet
- Locos Por Juana Announces New Album Crazy for Jane Available Now
- TOMMY T’S NEW SINGLE ‘ANCHIN,’ FEATURING MAHMOUD AHMED, IS AVAILABLE NOW
|
Posted: 19 Jul 2019 12:59 PM PDT
When asking electronic jazz recording artist Paolo Rustichelli about his new single, "Hypnofunk," which goes for playlist adds on Monday, the eclectic artist's hodgepodge response careens from celebrating 70s funk and early 80s sounds to UFOs to his pioneering use of keyboard technology and computer plug-ins that enable him to be a "genuine solo artist" and concludes with a story about dining with legendary Italian film director Federico Fellini.
An Italy-based composer, pianist, keyboardist, singer and producer, Rustichelli's latest music offering is a spacy, melody rich and funky trip, an unconventional flight of keyboard harmonies that jet in, out and in between techy hip hop beats and imaginative synth passages. Accompanying the single is the vivid video he crafted (http://bit.ly/2YWHZWK).
"The song 'Hypnofunk' is meant to be a celebration of the psychedelic era of the late 70s and the funk years of the 80s. In fact, there are typical synths sounds of that time along with a modern hip-hop rhythmic drum base. The colorful minimalist video salutes late 70s elements, ranging from psychedelia, Graeco-Roman symbols and includes some UFO images. UFOs are being seen more and more in our friendly skies lately," said Rustichelli.
"Hypnofunk" offers a preview of Rustichelli's forthcoming album, "Tempus Fugit," that is slated to drop in March 2020.
"The album title, 'Tempus Fugit,' comes from the ancient Latin term meaning time is running away from us. Time is running and we humans are inside this mechanism that we cannot escape, but music is capable of being eternal," Rustichelli explained.
Rustichelli has created music alone ever since he began his career in the late 1970s as a 16-year-old prodigy playing progressive rock and writing film scores like his three-time Oscar-nominated father, Carlo Rustichelli. His approach comes from the belief that a solo artist expresses oneself individually, that a record made using other musicians, writers and producers is interpreted by others therefore making it a collaboration, not the true work of a solo artist.
"I create a song from A to Z - from composition to production - all by myself, playing every instrument represented by a plug-in, which mimics the sound of real instruments or creates new sounds. I believe it is extremely important to give the public a genuine and sincere product that reflects the artist and their vision. Accordingly, my recordings can be considered genuine because I do everything myself without outside input. There are superstar 'solo artists' who are making 'solo records' with creative input from literally a hundred or more people. I cannot consider these works as genuine solo albums."
Rustichelli has always been on the forefront of innovation, pioneering the use of synths, Moog synthesizers, samplers and organs such as the ARP 2600, Mellotron, Fairlight CMI and Hammond C-3. He was among the first to score a film entirely with synths. His 1995 debut album, "Mystic Jazz," was seminal in the "chill" movement while two years later, the follow up, "Mystic Man," was influential in progressive smooth jazz. The latter collection was a collaborative album featuring legends Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Andy Summers and Jill Jones. "Mystic Man" spawned the Billboard No. 1 single "Paisa." In 2002, Rustichelli produced a song, "Kyrie," for Placido Domingo's "Sacred Songs" album, a feat that required him to command a 250-piece orchestra. His first disc made entirely using plug-ins was 2006's "Neopagan," which found success with the single, "My Geisha." Since then, Rustichelli has issued a series of singles and videos, including the top 10 "Soul Italiano" (2011) and "Med Groove," which had lengthy runs atop the SmoothJazz.com and Amazon Top Sellers charts in 2014.
That brings us to dinner with Fellini.
"When I was a kid, I went with my father and his friend, director Federico Fellini, to several of the best, lesser-known restaurants in Italy. They really liked the food because it was authentic, genuine and traditional. This impacted my entire life and how I approach my art. Genuine music cannot be manipulated like most music is today. To be real and genuine musically, in my opinion, the artist needs to compose and play the music themselves. Like a good restaurant that has a few signature dishes and would become something entirely different if it took on a mass production mentality, the artist needs to express their music and vision singularly," said Rustichelli. "I also clearly remember that the dinner ended with a discussion about UFOs. Fellini, who was a good illustrator, drew bizarre and funky alien faces on the restaurant's paper napkins. They were hypnotic faces…or should I say 'Hypnofunk' faces.
  |
|
Tenor Saxophone Legend George Coleman Finally Leads Longstanding Group into the Studio on New Album, The Quartet
Posted: 19 Jul 2019 12:33 PM PDT
NEA Jazz Master George Coleman has been involved with notable bands throughout his remarkable career. As a leader, he's worked with such estimable players as Ray Drummond, Billy Higgins, Mike LeDonne, Bob Cranshaw, Hilton Ruiz and Sam Jones. As a sideman, Coleman has wielded his powerful tenor alongside such legendary artists as Miles Davis, Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, Cedar Walton, and B.B. King, among many others.
So when the saxophone giant christens an album The Quartet, those two simple words speak volumes about the esteem in which he holds the musicians that make up his band. Coleman's latest album, due for release September 27 on Smoke Sessions Records, more than backs up that typically understated compliment with a captivating session of bristling swing, lively interplay and deep communication.
That fact isn't particularly surprising considering the musicians involved. On this all-too-rare excursion into the studio, Coleman is joined by pianist Harold Mabern, with whom the 84-year old master shares an almost lifelong relationship, bassist John Webber, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. This quartet has been sharing the bandstand for the better part of two decades, though this release marks their debut recording as a unit. That fact alone lends considerable heft to that seemingly straightforward title.
Coleman and Mabern share roots in the fertile musical soil of Memphis, Tennessee, and have known each other since their days in high school studying under swing-era saxophonist Jimmie Lunceford. The two have been recording together sporadically for more than 50 years, ever since Mabern's 1968 debut A Few Miles From Memphis.
"We've kept that connection through the years," Coleman says. "We're still alive and halfway healthy, and there's a certain amount of maturity that we've developed through the years. He and I share a lot of experience and knowledge."
The rhythm section's profound chemistry can hardly be overstated; in addition to their work with Coleman, the three have logged countless hours on stage under Mabern's leadership and as a quartet with saxophonist Eric Alexander. "I've had some great people in my quartets over the years," Coleman says. "These guys are all great musicians. I don't have to rehearse with them; we just get on the stand and play, and they keep their ears open."
That relaxed approach is evident throughout The Quartet, which manages to feel warm and effortless while never for a moment losing the scintillating surprise of in-the-moment discovery. Coleman's impassioned strains, sounding over Mabern's emphatic chords, immediately grab the listener's tension on opener "Paul's Call," a new piece dedicated to Smoke Jazz Club owner Paul Stache. The title stems from the deep mutual respect and longstanding friendship held between the saxophonist and the club. Coleman's quartet opened Smoke in 1999 and has remained a favorite on its stage ever since.
"Recording George Coleman and his quartet is the reason we have a label," Stache says. "They represent a certain musical ideal that we hope to promote."
Coleman's supple fluidity with melody is evident in his breezy take on the standard "I Wish You Love," highlighted by his solo, its fluttering figures tracing curves through the air like the path of a butterfly alighting and lifting off again. Mabern responds with a playful, toying turn. The quartet's heartrending sensitivity comes to the fore on the Ellington classic "Prelude to a Kiss," with Farnsworth's whispering brushwork and a winking quote of "Take the A Train" during Mabern's solo.
"Lollipops and Roses," best known for singer Jack Jones' Grammy-winning 1962 rendition, is an unexpected choice but yields a lilting romp that builds in intensity before erupting into Farnsworth's compelling solo, a spotlight-stealing tour de force. The whole band gets a chance to stretch out on the 12-minute "East 9th Street Blues," an example of in-the-moment composition of the sort only a band with this kind of longevity and virtuosity can pull off.
Over nearly as long a take, "When I Fall in Love" takes a turn from ballad (with some of Coleman's most exquisite playing) to jaunty swing. Benny Golson's immortal "Along Came Betty" showcases the rhythm section's steely vigor, contrasted by the airy elegance of "You've Changed." Jobim's "Triste" closes the album, beginning in an intimate duo dance between the leader and Webber; the bassist takes the melody out for a fleet, nimble spin, engaged by Mabern's witty comping.
The Quartet is Coleman's second release for Smoke Sessions, following 2016's acclaimed quintet outing A Master Speaks. That title could apply to any number of releases throughout the tenor great's breathtaking career; a man of few words, he's stunningly eloquent when he lifts his horn to his lips.
That's evident when one considers the landmark albums on which Coleman has been a key player over the last 60 years: Miles Davis' Seven Steps to Heaven, Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage, Booker Little and Friend, Charles Mingus' Three of Four Shades of Blues, Lee Morgan's City Lights, and Cedar Walton's masterpiece Eastern Rebellion, along with great album's by a who's who of jazz masters: Max Roach, Chet Baker, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Elvin Jones, Ahmad Jamal, Johnny Hartman, Slide Hampton, and on and on.
The Quartet adds a new chapter to that considerable discography, one that reflects the wealth of experiences and encounters that George Coleman has enjoyed over the decades. Most importantly it captures a stellar band at the height of its powers, a tantalizing glimpse of an extraordinary quartet only previously enjoyed by those who've been awestruck by seeing them in person.
"The Quartet" was produced by Paul Stache and Damon Smith and
recorded live in New York at Sear Sound's Studio C on a Sear-Avalon custom console
at 96KHz/24bit and mixed to ½" analog tape using a Studer mastering deck.
Available in audiophile HD format.
  |
|
Posted: 19 Jul 2019 12:31 PM PDT
Miami's own GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® nominated reggae fusion band Locos Por Juana is proud to announce Crazy for Jane their 6th studio album due out July 12th via Rock the Moon. The new release includes the critically acclaimed hit singles, "Crazy for Jane" ft. Common Kings, "Don't Tell Me No" ft. Freddie McGuire, and "Children of the Light." Crazy for Jane will be available everywhere.
Taking Locos Por Juana back to their reggae and cumbia roots, the new album embracing their bi-lingual heritage and is stack with stellar songs. The title of the new album Crazy for Jane is also the first track, the band wrote, lead single, and features the amazing reggae group Common Kings. It has a special message for the fans as Mark Kondrat, Guitarist, explains, "Locos por Juana translates directly to Crazy for Jane from Spanish to English. It's always a question we get from new fans and old fans, what does Locos por Juana mean and why did you name the band locos por Juana? I think for our English speaking fans it gives them a chance to feel more part of the music and also gives an explanation or at least a translation for the band's name."
The band is comprised of Itawe Correa, the charismatic lead vocalist, Mark Kondrat, talented guitarist, Javier Delgado, innovative drummer, and David Pransky, electrifying bass player. For the new album, Crazy for Jane, they found inspiration from everyday life. Mark mentions, "We make music because music heals us and we use every day and the experiences from those moments when we write." He adds, "Life, our family, Situations we find ourselves in, our life goals and mission as well as our destiny is all the inspiration we needed for the new album, Crazy for Jane."
They recorded the majority of Crazy for Jane at the famous and vibey Studio 26, in Miami, as well at guitarist/producer Mark Kondrat's studio, Blue Room Studios. The ten track album is stacked with collaborations including Freddie McGregor, the Jamaican reggae legend, Common Kings, ¡MAYDAY!, and Producer/Artist Maffio, (Akon, Farruko, Kymani Marley). And it hits deep with outstanding songs featuring Locos Por Juana island swing. Standouts include the lead single "Crazy for Jane" which Billboard hailed, "an amalgam of Caribbean sounds with Common's South Pacific and West Coast vibration connecting effortlessly, the collaboration extols the virtues of reggae." "Don't Tell Me No" Ft. Freddie McGregor first appeared on KCRW's PanCliente called it, "a 'lover's rock', bilingual jam that combines McGregor's vocals on some sweet verses, with LPJ's reggae groove."
Creating the track for Freddie McGregor was an amazing experience for the band. Mark reflects, "I knew I wanted to write in a Lovers Rock style, which is essentially a reggae love song. I spent 3-4 days writing an instrumental that just wasn't coming to life so I decided to put that aside and started writing something fresh and wrote the entire instrumental in one session. The next day I presented the track to Itawe and he wrote the chorus almost as soon as he heard the music." He continues, "This song was inspired by love and perseverance. The best things in life don't come easy, and when something feels right the only answer is yes!"
Additional hits include "Children of the Light" was a collaboration with Locos Por Juana and Tony Gonzalez, founder of the tastemaker imprint Rock the Moon. Tony recalls, "One day Itawe and I were sitting at his house and I played Simply Red's "Holding Back the Years" and shared the new lyrics with Itawe – and it just worked – then Mark reggae'd the track up with his musical talents. We presented the track to Simply Red and he immediately jumped on board and gave us his blessing to release the song."
Signed to the Rock the Moon, Locos Por Juana has always written and produced their own music and, in a music industry that has continuously been focused on urban genres, they represent an alternative genre of Latin and Reggae Music that cannot be boxed in by labels. With their signature, high-energy style, the band has amassed a cult following, Locos has been touring non-stop throughout the United States, and is gearing up to release their new reggae album, Crazy for Jane, dropping on July 12th.
Reflecting back, Locos Por Juana comments, "We want to take a second to thank our familia and God for all the opportunities to make music every day and to do what we love. We are happy with the collection of tracks we are presenting to the world and can't wait to share them."
"Locos Por Juana has always impressed with how they have absorbed the disparate influences of South Florida into a sound that could almost be a regional soundtrack." – NPR Music
Follow Locos Por Juana:
Locos Por Juana is a GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® nominated bilingual band, most notably recognized for their high energy live performances and unique fusion of reggae, funk, cumbia, salsa, and rock. The band, featuring Itawe Correa as its charismatic lead vocalist, talented guitarist Mark Kondrat, innovative drummer Javier Delgado, and electrifying bass player David Pransky, write and produce all of their own music. Voted Best Latin Band in 2017 by Miami New Times, LPJ's sound is a hybrid that incorporates the sounds of their heritage and upbringing. Correa and Delgado were born in Colombia, Miami native, Kondrat, is of Colombian descent and Pransky hails from Vermont. Colombian sounds such as Cumbia and Champeta, along with the Afro-Colombian rhythms, Mapale and Chande are integral to their sound, as are musical influences from Miami and the Caribbean islands including Reggae, Raggamufin, Dub, Hip-Hop, Rock and Funk; all of these influences have led to a fusion that Kondrat has coined as "that island swing."
  |
|
Posted: 19 Jul 2019 12:22 PM PDT
Gogol Bordello's bass player Tommy T's newest single, Anchin, is available now on all digital platforms via Afroxoid. Tommy was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The fabric of global rhythms he weaves throughout Gogol Bordello is echoed in Anchin, which features the legendary Ethiopian artist Mahmoud Ahmed on vocals. The single Anchin, which translates to the feminine pronoun 'you' in Amharic, Tommy explains, "fuses roots reggae with the very familiar sound of Ethiopia's musical golden era, delivered by the incomparable booming voice of the world-renowned legend, and 2007 BBC world music award winner Mahmoud Ahmed."
Tommy has been fusing Ethiopian melodies with other types of afro-rhythms since his critically acclaimed debut release 'The Prester John Sessions.' Anchin is a continuation of his work in exploring the vast world of afro-rhythms combined with an Ethiopian melody and will guide the listener on a cross-cultural musical journey. Amplified by the unmistakable voice of Mahmoud Ahmed and a universal message of LOVE, Anchin is sure to capture the imagination of audiences young and old worldwide.
For over 55 years, "Mahmoud Ahmed has deftly combined the traditional Amharic music of Ethiopia with mostly pop and jazz, yielding some of the most adventurous, passionate, ear-opening, downright surrealistic sounds this side of the deepest, darkest dub or the most out-there free jazz. In fact, until you've heard Ahmed's sweeping multi-octave voice in full workout, words hardly do it justice." Ahmed has been a star in Ethiopia almost since the day he began recording, and in 1986, Mahmoud's music reached a larger western audience when the Belgian label Crammed Discs released the collection Ere Mela Mela drawn from two Kaifa LPs, Mahmoud had recorded in Addis with the Ibex Band a decade earlier.
"But it's Ahmed's voice — swirling high notes that sound as if they're chasing one another, impeccable tone and phrasing — that is the distinguishing element." By singing in this style Ahmed has fused the past and present, and specifically in this release, Ethiopian melody and Roots Reggae. He's open minded when it comes to collaborating with other artist of different styles, and hears the similarities in music and rhythm that have thrived over time and welcomes the challenge to create something new.
* Quotes about Mahmoud Ahmed are taken from Wikipedia and Allmusic.com.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment