Author Archives: JWQ
JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2025: Roberto Magris-Lovely Day(s)-JMOOD 025
After a long artistic jazz carreer leading bands on both sides of the Atlantic, playing along jazz luminaries, Italian pianist‐composer Roberto Magris is back with a new release through Kansas City’s JMood Records, this time with his first solo album.
In the framework of the bands he played in, Magris’ solos are well-known and admired by those who have listened to his records over the years, but this time we are witnessing a compelling demonstration of virtuosity and inventiveness captured live.
The program is a showcase for his mastery and a window into his musical preferences, all pieces assembled to keep a consistent stylistic path and vibe clearly perceived throughout the musical journey.
The album begins with the powerful original composition “Blues Clues,” opening the program with intensity and spirit, filling the sonic space with that emotion and enthusiasm that permeates the whole album.
Andrew Hill’s “Reverend Du Bop” receives a buoying and bold treatment giving an adventurous edge to the original. “Bemsha Swing” continues the unconventional approach while expanding the boundaries with sparkling inventivity. The lyricism of the “Laverne”, another Hill’s composition, retains the original flavor to reach a beautiful spiritual stage that continues on “The time of this world is at hand” where the gospel vein is running subtlety through the meanderings of Magris’s vision. The piece echoes a needed social awareness clearly in tune with our troubled times.
We hear a vibrant “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing” recreated to naturally accommodate a cascade of innovative deviations.
“Let’s cool one” fast paced and modernized to embrace new striking colors. “Lonely Town” hits a reflective chord, not lacking energy; on contrary the melodic line is strong and clear, Its airy impressionistic touch bringing an exquisite tone to the piece. The album ends on a spiritual “mysterious” note with “the Saga of harrison crabfeathers” by Kuhn, carrying a cinematic impressionistic quality.
Through his music Magris sends a message to the world: freedom is the key of the artistic creation and essential as societal foundation. “Lovely day(s)” stands as an essential listen for those interested in listening one of the best voices of contemporary jazz
JazzWorldQuest WorldMusicMix: East of West(Australia) -Pastorale
Info about song/album:
‘Takt’ is an album cut from the new release ‘Pastorale’ which is a collaborative effort between the East of West trio and renowned pianist Romano Crivici. —— – – This album began with a small piano being crammed into the back of a family car. Malindi, our percussionist, was on a mission to buy a piano that could fit in our tiny apartment. After visiting and rejecting a number of them, Malindi found a beautiful old spinet upright. She called the owner, we drove to the suburbs, walked behind the house – and there was the piano, sitting on the grass, covered in a tarpaulin, in the middle of the rainy, sweaty Brisbane summer. Our hearts sank deeper than our feet into the suburban floodplain mud. The owner’s ex had turfed the piano and all his music gear out of the house to the mercy of the subtropical summer weather. He offered it to us for zero dollars.
Malindi bargained the price up, three of us somehow loaded it into the back of Subaru Forester and took it home. The piano tuner worked hard to give the piano back some self-respect, and on it I sketched out the compositions on this album which were played by the remarkable Romano Crivici to complement East of West’s oud, double bass and percussion. We recorded on a beautiful Steinway piano with an equally interesting story, but we’ll leave that for another time
Recorded live in Brisbane by the extraordinary sound engineer Siiri Metsar, this collaboration further extends the band’s unique sound and style, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in its finely-crafted soundscapes and improvisations.
Over the seven years of their collaboration, East of West have developed an intuitive musical relationship, flourishing through their dynamic interplays, virtuosic unison melodies and expressive soloing. Gajić’s compositions explore gentle melodic motifs nested in uptempo passages set to Balkan-influenced rhythms, interspersed with moments of mesmerising musical sparseness.
New release: PETER XIFARAS-“ADAGIO GROOVES”
New release
PETER XIFARAS-“ADAGIO GROOVES”
RELEASE DATE: August 22, 2025
Jazz meets Classical as The Budapest Symphony intersects with virtuoso jazz saxman & Universal Music Group artist Justin Chart for six blissful tracks that feature orchestral arrangements with beautiful soulful melodies that evolve into addicting grooves.
Artist: PETER XIFARAS
Title: ADAGIO GROOVES
Artist Website: https://PeterX.music
Release Date: August 22, 2025
Label: Music With No Expiration®
Catalog Number: PXCD05 UPC Digital: 199538351040
UPC Physical: 195269379018
Distribution: SONY/Orchard
Featuring: Justin Chart with the Budapest Symphony
TRACK LISTING
1. ADAGIO BLUE 5:12 2. ADAGIO DREAM 3:55 3. ADAGIO GROOVE 4:35 4. ADAGIETTO 5:51 5. ADAGIO DAYS 6:22 6. ADAGIO NIGHTS 5:22
Renowned for his prowess as a composer, guitarist, and producer, Peter Xifaras has masterfully navigated the realm of musical genres, earning widespread acclaim. His versatility is striking; whether crafting compositions for symphonic orchestra or delivering impassioned guitar solos, Peter is at ease. With his music resonating across hundreds of radio stations and enjoying over a decade of rotation on SiriusXM, his impact is undeniable. A recipient of multiple awards, Peter’s music has crowned the summits of BILLBOARD’S Classical & Crossover charts. Notably, he was awarded the AMERICAN Prize in composition, clinched a TELLY for ‘social impact’, and received an Accolade Global Film HUMANITARIAN award for his efforts with the poignant orchestral release, Children Of Conflict.
MUSICIANS:
Peter Xifaras-keys, Justin Chart-sax, Max Gerl-bass, Scott Jackson-drums, Budapest Symphony-orchestra
LISTENING LINKS:
https://orcd.co/7r5qwwa
All music written, arranged, produced by Peter Xifaras
World Music Mix: Wassim Soubra(Lebanon/France): Il Vento
| Wassim Soubra Nouvel album Il Vento Sortie le 13 juin 2025 en digital |
| Wassim Soubra, pianiste et compositeur libano-français, est de retour le 13 juin 2025 avec son nouvel album Il Vento. Pour ce voyage musical aux évocations cinématographiques, Wassim Soubra s’entoure de Julie Sevilla-Fraysse au violoncelle, d’Henri Tournier à la flûte et de Khaled Al-Jaramani au oud. Wassim Soubra s’est fait connaître du grand public au début des années 2000 avec son projet Bach to Beirutqui rendait hommage à la musique de J.S. Bach sur des consonances orientales (piano, oud, percussions). S’ensuivit un album de piano solo produit par l’Institut du Monde Arabe (Sonates Orientales) qui lui ouvrit les portes des grandes salles de concert. Compositeur délicat et maître dans l’art de ciseler des mélodies pures qui plonge la musique classique aux confins de la musique du monde, Wassim Sombra tisse des liens féconds entre Orient et Occident. La musique d‘Il Vento nous fait penser tour à tour aux couleurs orientales d’un Anouar Brahem, aux ambiances éthérées d’un Tigran Hamasyan ou encore à la poésie d’un Claude Debussy. Il ne reste plus qu’à fermer les yeux pour se laisser emporter par la magie de ces compositions uniques. |
Wassim Soubra, pianiste et compositeur libano-français, est né à Beyrouth et réside aujourd’hui à Paris. Initié au piano dès l’âge de 4 ans, il quitte le Liban en 1974 en raison de la guerre civile et s’installe en France, où il poursuit des études de droit. Diplômé en 1978, il retourne à Beyrouth, où sa passion pour la musique et le piano prend un tournant décisif. En 1980, il est admis au Conservatoire de musique de Boston, marquant le début d’un parcours musical prometteur.
Deux ans plus tard, il s’installe à Paris pour approfondir ses études de piano à l’École Normale de Musique, où il obtient en 1986 une licence en pédagogie pianistique. Parallèlement, il se forme à la danse et explore l’art du mouvement pendant dix ans, une expérience qui enrichit sa pratique musicale. C’est dans ce cadre qu’il découvre l’improvisation, un terrain fertile pour son évolution en tant que compositeur.
Wassim Soubra poursuit sa formation en composition musicale à la Schola Cantorum de Paris sous la direction de Pierre Doury et Michel Merlet. Il y étudie le contrepoint, l’harmonie et l’orchestration, perfectionnant ainsi sa maîtrise des codes de la musique classique occidentale, tout en y intégrant les sonorités et traditions orientales.
Ses compositions, marquées par un dialogue subtil entre Orient et Occident, se distinguent par leur richesse narrative et leur pluralité culturelle. Il compose pour le piano solo, des trios, des quatuors et des quintettes, mais aussi pour des œuvres plus vastes comme des opéras et des oratorios. Il utilise la grammaire musicale classique pour tisser des récits ancrés dans la mythologie, l’histoire et son vécu personnel.
Artiste de scène accompli, il présente ses œuvres en solo ou en collaboration avec des ensembles prestigieux, se produisant dans des lieux et festivals renommés à travers le monde : le Palais de l’UNESCO à Paris, le Cadogan Hall à Londres, le Festival de Baalbek au Liban, le Festival de musique arabe de Montréal, ou encore le Festival de l’Union européenne à Paris.
Au cœur de son œuvre, Wassim Soubra traduit les échos de son enfance et des paysages sonores culturelle, offre une expérience universelle, unissant traditions et modernité dans une harmonie captivante.
Sur le nouvel album Il Vento, le piano de Wassim Soubra dialogue avec le violoncelle de Julie Sevilla-Fraysse, la flûte d’Henri Tournier et l’oud de Khaled Al-Jaramani.
Lien digital Instagram
World Music Mix
JWQ World Music Mix: Ancient Future(USA)-Purple Nirvana
Purple Nirvana is an EP including Ancient Future’s first ever popular cover songs: “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. The later was rediscovered in December of 2023 when Matthew Montfort was preparing his piece “East of the Sun” from the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings for public release. During the recording session for “East of the Sun” on April 1, 2011, the inspiration came to record the cover that became “Spirit of Nirvana.” In honor of that, the EP includes the trio version of “East of the Sun” recorded that same day along with streaming and radio edits of “Spirit of Nirvana.”
East of the Sun (Studio Version with Paul McCandless, Oboe) by Ancient Future (Montfort. 5:10).
This full studio version features Paul McCandless (oboe), an important early musical influence on the founders of Ancient Future. He joins Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitars, fretless bass), Benjy Wertheimer (tabla), and Mariah Parker (santur).The basic tracks were recorded live as a trio with the intention to release a full ensemble version, and on January 16, 2013, Paul McCandless added his oboe overdub. Matthew Montfort added guitar overdubs on April 25, 2013, and completed the piece with a fretless bass overdub on July 3, 2013. The final mix for public release was finished on February 25, 2025. Sadly, in 2017 Paul McCandless was diagnosed with a health condition that led him to retire from performing on oboe, but he continues to perform on his other wind instruments.
Available for interviews, station ID’s, & radio/TV performances.
Contact Ancient-Future.Com Records: info@ancient-future.com • 415-459-1892 (landline, no texts)
JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2025: THREE Darren Pickering-Small Worlds
THREE
Darren Pickering Small Worlds
Release Date: 30 April, 2025
Available from the RATTLE WEBSITE as a Print-on-Demand CD or Digital Download and on all major download and streaming platforms
Following their critically acclaimed Volume One (2022) and Volume Two (2023), Darren Pickering Small Worlds continue their through-composed improvisational explorations into the melding of jazz and song-based structures incorporating the “cinematic sonics” of modular synthesisers. Their music features lyrical melodies over shifting textures grounded in solid modern jazz harmony.
RATTLE
An Auckland-based artist-focused art music label specialising in contemporary works by composers and performers who explore unique creative pathways—new music for open ears.
THREE (RAT-J-1059)
01 Green Blinking Light (3.11)
02 What If (6.26)
03 Tauhou Waltz (7.03)
04 Soft Life (3.04)
05 Hjartdal (2.36)
06 Randall (7.58)
07 Taylor Time (8.34)
08 Folly (8.28)
09 Push Bliss (1.42)
All compositions by Darren Pickering © 2025
DARREN PICKERING
Darren is a jazz pianist, composer, educator, modular synthesist and session musician based in Christchurch (NZ). Some of the notable international artists he has worked with include Gordon Brisker (USA), Dick De Graf (Holland), William Parker (USA), Raed Yassin (Lebanon), Bobby Shew (USA), Jamie Oehlers (AUS), Tom Warrington (USA), Iain Ballamy (UK), and he has also worked with nationally renowned NZ artists Julia Deans, LA Mitchell, Mark Vanilau, Whirimako Black, Dave Dobbyn, Anika Moa, and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. His playing and compositions also feature on albums by Shapeshifter (Stars), Cairo Knife Fight (Iron), Julia Deans (Modern Fables), Oakley Grenell (The Deep), The Tiny Lies (The Oaks They Will Blow), Pacific Heights (The Stillness), Departure Lounge (In Session), Sacha Vee (Sacha Vee, Rising One, Luminous), Glen Wagstaff (Firefly), Oval Office (Oval Office, Move, Don’t Stop), Sumo Jazz (Shiko and Throwing Salt, Jazz Album finalist, 2011).
DARREN PICKERING SMALL WORLDS
L to R, Darren Pickering (piano), Jono Blackie (drums), Pete Fleming (bass), Heather Webb (guitar)
This Ōtautahi (Christchurch, NZ) based jazz quartet performs works composed by pianist Darren Pickering as well as re-imagined versions of selected works from other genres. The group’s emphasis is mostly on through-composed material combined with improvisation, and the artistic direction is determined equally by all members. There is a cinematic flavour to the ensemble’s sound, enhanced by the electronic textures of Darren’s ever-expanding collection of modular systems, synths, selected iPad apps and sonic manipulation devices.
Influences include Aaron Parks, Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band, The Cinematic Orchestra, EST, Floating Points, Jacob Karlzon, Kendrick Scott Oracle, Romain Collin, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Slowly Rolling Camera, and many others.
Produced by Darren Pickering Small Worlds
Recorded at Rapaki Studios, Christchurch (NZ)
Engineered and mixed by Alex Harmer
Mastered by Steve Garden
Cover art ‘Sign of Life’ by Harry Harrison
Design by Unklefranc
Printing by Studio Q
This music was composed, performed, recorded, and produced in Aotearoa (NZ)
LINKS
ARTIST Website:
https://www.darrenpickeringmusic.com
RATTLE Website – album profile page:
https://rattle.co.nz/catalogue/releases/three
RATTLE Media Portal – album assets for reviewers and broadcasters: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xg3ifgs0bjx6a45_gfmWh4ztQq44FtTW?usp=sharing
RATTLE Bandcamp: https://darrenpickeringsmallworlds.bandcamp.com/album/three
RATTLE Media Portal – the complete Rattle catalogue:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10fp1w4uuR6ulC1AnVdGxH0cS1vomZHPQ?usp=sharing
CONTACT
Label manager | Steve Garden
1 Kitchener Road Sandringham, Auckland 1025 (NZ)
p: +649-8466642 | m: +6422-6579351
JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2025: Antoine Fafard (UK/Canada)-Quadra Spherium
Released in June 2025, Quadra Spherium is the name of the album from Antoine Fafard, featuring Gary Husband on drums and Jean-Pierre Zanella on tenor saxophone. The concept behind this album stems from two fortuitous opportunities. Firstly, Antoine’s motivation to craft an album specifically for Jean-Pierre Zanella on the tenor saxophone. Although Jean-Pierre has been primarily associated with the alto sax, a session he recorded for Antoine on the tenor inspired further exploration.
The second opportunity arose when Gary Husband informed Antoine that his new Pearl Crystal Beat kit was stored at Dock Street Studios in London, and that he was available for recording. Antoine eagerly embraced the chance to combine this with the project he had envisioned for Jean-Pierre, creating at the same time a sequel to the Sphère album released in 2016, where Gary played drums. Quadra Spherium showcases Antoine on bass and all guitars, allowing him to push the boundaries of his guitar playing in an instrumental jazz fusion context. Multi-instrumentalist Gary Husband is well known for his long association with guitarist Allan Holdsworth, with whom he recorded multiple albums and extensively performed over many years. As a session musician, Husband’s credits include collaborations with artists such as Jack Bruce, Gary Moore, Level 42, Jeff Beck, Mike Stern and many more. His parallel voice as a keyboard player has seen him as a member of John McLaughlin’s group The 4th Dimension and Billy Cobham’s touring bands. As a bandleader, soloist and composer Gary has released over 14 album recordings under his own name.
Jean-Pierre Zanella, a highly sought-after player in Montreal, Canada, earned his master’s degree in jazz from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, in 1982. Recognized by the Brazilian government with the honorific Order of Rio Branco, Zanella won the Oscar Peterson Prize at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal in 2011 for his significant contributions to the Canadian jazz scene. Having released music for 25 years, Antoine Fafard has collaborated with some of the world’s most respected and influential players, including Vinnie Colaiuta, Jerry Goodman, Gavin Harrison, Simon Phillips, and Todd Sucherman. Fafard’s music has consistently earned praise for its intricacy and originality from his peers.
Distributed by Amplified Distribution and Code 7 (UK), Quadra Spherium is now available for exploration and enjoyment since its release in June 2025.
| Quadra Spherium The new album featuring Gary Husband and Jean-Pierre ZanellaI’m glad to announce the upcoming June 13th release of Quadra Spherium, a new album featuring Gary Husband on drums and Jean-Pierre Zanella on saxophone. This project is the result of bringing together two amazing musicians to perform new, original music that I’ve composed over the years. This album is my second release featuring Gary on drums, following Sphère, which came out nearly 10 years ago. Gary played his parts on his Pearl Crystal Beat kit – a performance that was captured on video and is also available for purchase as a single file. Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre, a longtime contributor to my album projects, is featured throughout Quadra Spherium on tenor saxophone. The CD version of the album is now available to pre-order on my website, as well as various packages. Orders from my website will be shipped prior to the official release date. Exclusive to my website is a sheet music book package (CD included). This product features the written parts used by the musicians who performed on the album. I hope you’ll enjoy this new project and many thanks for your support! Antoine |
| Pre-Order Now |
World Music Mix: Ensemble Myrtho(France)-Au Gré d’Eros
| Ensemble Myrtho Nouvel album : Au Gré d’Eros Sortie le 04/04/2025 chez Concertons ! / L’Autre Distribution |
| Après de nombreux concerts dans toute la France, l’Ensemble Myrtho sort le 04 avril 2025 son premier album Au Gré d’Eros, et nous dévoile ses musiques oniriques d’Orient et d’Occident. L’album propose onze thèmes musicaux et littéraires traditionnels de France et de Méditerranée : poésie d’amour populaire et savante, sérénades, anciennes légendes, contes chantés, thèmes épiques. L’Ensemble Myrtho réunit quatre musiciens (santour, violon, alto, vielle à roue, percussions méditerranéennes, kemençe d’Istanbul, chant.) Avec eux se mêlent les sonorités acoustiques et la voix dans un mélange unique entre classique et musique du monde. Explorant et réarrangeant des thèmes traditionnels et des poèmes populaires de la Méditerranée européenne, l’Ensemble Myrtho nous séduit par sa poésie millénaire. Tout au long de l’album Au Gré d’Eros, les langues latines côtoient les sonorités plus rauques des dialectes grecs, les harmonies d’Europe occidentale se mêlent aux thèmes venus de la Mer Égée, qui tirent vers l’Orient et dansent sur des rythmes impairs. Découvrez le premier extrait, Rossignolet du bois, une chanson traditionnelle du Quercy qui clôt l’album Au Gré d’Eros. |
L’Ensemble Myrtho est composé de quatre musiciens venus d’horizons différents, mais reliés par une passion pour les musiques et les instruments traditionnels de Méditerranée : Pierre Blanchut (santour), Laetitia Marcangeli (chant et vielle à roue), Raphaël Sibertin-Blanc (violon, alto, kemençe d’Istanbul), Timothée Tchang Tien Ling (percussions méditerranéennes).
Dans une perspective à la fois musicale et littéraire, l’album Au Gré d’Eros déploie un répertoire de poèmes chantés, lyriques ou narratifs, évoquant la variété d’émotions qui accompagnent le capricieux sentiment amoureux.
L’Ensemble Myrtho, qui emprunte son nom à un poème de Gérard de Nerval, tente de relier musicalement et poétiquement l’orient et l’occident méditerranéens, tant par l’exploration et le réarrangement de thèmes traditionnels et de poèmes populaires de Méditerranée européenne, que par la remise en musique et en scansion d’une poésie parfois aussi ancienne que celle de Sapho (VIIe siècle avant J.-C.) ou des élégiaques latins (Ier siècle).
Le répertoire joue sur les thèmes musicaux et littéraires traditionnels de France et de Méditerranée : poésie d’amour populaire et savante, sérénades, anciennes légendes, contes chantés, thèmes épiques.
Poésie d’amour populaire et savante, sérénades, anciennes légendes, contes chantés, thèmes épiques reprennent vie ainsi portés par les chants traditionnels de Grèce, de Corse, de l’Espagne.
Prochains concerts :
- Samedi 4 mai, Revel (31)
- Vendredi 28 juin, Maiholas (31)
- Samedi 29 juin, Tourtour (83)
- Vendredi 23 août, Fenouillèdes (66)
JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2025: Yuto Mitomi (Japan)- Album: Epicycle
About Epicycle
Yuto Mitomi, a Japanese jazz saxophonist and composer based in New York, collaborated with multi-genre artists to create an album that was assembled organically, featuring elements of free improvisation, yet structured with a geometric vision, titled ‘Epicycle’.
From his debut album titled “Continuation,” his musical journey evolved into a genre-less and more complex contemporary music, incorporating elements of both acoustic and electric sounds. The album released this time is a collaboration with world-renowned artists based in NYC, including Takahiro Izumikawa (Piano, Keyboards), Moto Fukushima (six-string electric-bass), and Keita Ogawa (drums, percussions).
The title “Epicycle” refers to a geometric model used to explain the variations in speed and direction of the apparent motion of the Moon, Sun, and planets. The album title was derived from the layers in which various musical backgrounds, rhythms, and harmonies organically overlap and develop, resembling some kind of design.
The album contains five original compositions by Yuto Mitomi and three free improvisations, including Track 1 “Morning Haze”, Track 5 “Grappling Cats”, and Track 6 “Moony Night” which were completely improvised and recorded in the studio. The title track of the album, “Epicycle,” is divided into two parts, with Part I characterized by spatial flow, and Part II dramatically featuring a crossover of multiple different tempos. “Spline” is also a mathematical word referring to a type of curve used to create smooth and continuous curves, which align with the naturally and flexibly of music directions. Following Morning Haze,“Dew “ a melodically odd meter (4/7) tune that focuses more on the compositional side of ensemble arrangement. The album concludes with “Same Sky Same Night” a ballad combined with rock feel and classical chorale harmony.
Yuto Mitomi – Tenor Saxophone, (https://yutomitomi.com/)
Takahiro Izumikawa – Piano (https://www.takahiroizumikawa.com/)
Moto Fukushima – Six String Electric Bass (https://www.motobass.com/)
Keita Ogawa – Drums (https://keitaogawa.com/)
