JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023: Michele Gori(Italy)-Flute Factor

Michele Gori-Flute Factor

Flute Factor is the third album featuring flutist Michele Gori at the helm of his quartet, composed of Roberto Olzer on piano, Roberto Mattei on double bass and Nicola Stranieri on drums. The long and fruitful collaboration of these musicians, who have been travelling the streets of jazz clubs and festivals all over Europe together for fifteen years, translates into a consolidated human and musical understanding, an alchemy recognisable at first hearing, capable of capturing the attention and emotion of every kind of audience, even those less accustomed to jazz.

For Michele Gori, “Jazz” means rhythm and melody, harmony and improvisation, tradition and research, tranquillity and energy, elements that reflect the eight unreleased original compositions of Flute Factor. This album is a musical journey through multicoloured atmospheres, as in the case of the opening track Revolution, in which modern jazz-rock alternates with a classic up tempo swing. Black & Blues is a homage to the roots of jazz, while in Miedo the flute sings a melancholic melody with South American charm. The tracks on Flute Factor were written between 2021 and 2022, with only two exceptions: Looking Forward, a ballad for flute and piano composed in 2012, and French Girl, from 2017. The sources of inspiration are manifold: Jazz Time, for example, was born at the end of an arrangement class at the Clermont-Ferrand conservatory; Tatuzinho, a tribute to Brazil, during one of the many journeys that are part of every musician’s life. The final track is a delicate goodbye that elegantly concludes this journey, making an appointment for the next listening, the next meeting… Au Revoir.

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JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023

France: EYM Trio et Varijashree Venugopal : sortie de l’album Bangalore le 06/10

EYM Trio & Varijashree Venugopal
Nouvel album Bangalore

Sortie le 06 octobre 2023 chez Melmax Music
En concert le 06/10 au 360 Music Factory à Paris et en tournée
Aujourd’hui bien implanté sur la scène jazz internationale, EYM Trio continue son chemin défendant un jazz acoustique sur un concept à géométrie variable. Le 6 octobre 2023, le groupe fêtera la sortie de son tout nouvel album Bangalore enregistré avec la flûtiste et chanteuse indienne Varijashree Venugopal. Véritable prodige de la musique carnatique  Varijashree Venugopal maîtrise avec une aisance déconcertante les codes de la musique occidentale et orientale. Elle a été adoubée par Chick Corea, Bobby Mc Ferrin, John Mc Laughlin, Victor Wooten, Michael League, BC Manjunath…Elie Dufour, Marc Michel et Yann Phayphet qui forment le noyau dur du groupe EYM Trio créé en 2011, parcourent le monde tant physiquement grâce aux tournées que musicalement par les musiciens qu’ils invitent.EYM Trio et Varijashree Venugopal seront en tournée dans toute la France pour nous faire découvrir leur album Bangalore et le 06/10 au 360 Music Factory à Paris.

Véritable globe-trotteur, le trio jazz EYM propose un univers surprenant qui invite au voyage grâce à la chanteuse/flûtiste indienne Varijashree Venugopal, une artiste d’exception.
Bangalore est la capitale de l’Etat du Karnataka, Sud de l’Inde. C’est ici qu’EYM Trio a rencontré Varijashree à l’occasion d’une de leurs tournées en Inde. Ce fut leur plus important coup de coeur musical.
Bangalore deviendra naturellement le nom de l’album qu’ils enregistreront ensemble trois ans plus tard. Cet album est une histoire d’amitié, de spontanéité et de connexion musicale forte.
Enregistré live en un après-midi aux studios ICP à Bruxelles. Il est le résultat de nombreuses années connectées à l’Inde, et propose une musique à la croisée des chemins entre le jazz d’EYM Trio et la couleur carnatique indienne apportée par Varijashree.

Quand le trio joue avec Varijashree, tout semble simple, la musique est au-dessus de tout. Ils vont ensemble vers des paysages sonores insoupçonnés qu’il est excitant de découvrir sur scène. L’ambition de cet album est de toucher profondément tout type de public à travers le monde.


En tournée :
06.10.23 : 360 Factory – Paris
07.10.23 : Crescent – Mâcon
11.10.23 : Périscope – Lyon
12.10.23 : Théâtre Sainte-Marie d’en Bas – Grenoble
13.10.23 : CRR d’Annecy
25.01.24 : Bertinoro (IT)
26.01.24 : Jazz Club Ferrara (IT)
27.01.24 : Altitude Jazz – Briançon


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JazzWorldQuest 2023
 

World Music Mix: Neal Bowen(USA)-Album: Kamikaze Think Thank (Blue Canoe Records, 2023)

Neal_Bowen-Kamikaze_Think_Tank

Neal Bowen’s music showcases his abilities not only on bass, but guitar, keys, and in production. With the contributions of drummer/producer Jason Cooper and trumpeter/arranger Tom Clary, Neal’s debut album Kamikaze Think Tank is a tribute to his musical heroes that have become a part of his musical voice and vision. Echoes of Weather Report, Dixie Dregs, and Steely Dan can be heard throughout.

Featuring:
Bass, Keys, Guitar, Programming: Neal Bowen
Drums: Jason Cooper
Trumpet: Tom Clary
Saxophone: Jim Spake
Trombone: Victor Sawyer
B3 Organ, Synth: Pete DeGloma
Mixing/Mastering: Neal Bowen, Jason Cooper

Blue Canoe Records

World Music Mix

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023: Igor Willcox Quartet (Brazil) – Live at Bansko Jazz Festival 2022 (Bulgaria)

Igor Willcox Quartet - Live at Bansko Jazz Festival 2022 - Bulgaria

The Brazilian Igor Willcox Quartet‘s spectacular live performance, Live at Bansko Jazz Festival 2022 (Bulgaria), took place during that year’s Bansko Jazz Festival. The four virtuosos are known for their innovative musicianship, outstanding interaction, and captivating groove, and the new release perfectly captures the intensity and vibrancy of this stunning live performance . We hear a collection of catchy songs that were previously released on studio albums, now enhanced by the sparkling spontaneity propelled by the band’s drummer and leader, Igor Willcox, who is performing at his peak along his brilliant fellow musicians. He effortlessly switches between fast and slow rhythms, adding interesting rhythmic improvisations, mixing texture and dynamics with his known virtuosity. The album abounds in clever and entertaining solos. Erik Escobar on keys has impressive solo interventions of great impact on “Brotherhood” , “Message From Another Dimension” , UFO, “The Scare” “Thankful” and “Room 73”. Super-Saxophonist Wagner Barbosa is all over the place unleashing his creative force either interacting with his band mates or charming us with amazing solos on “North City” and “Room 73” just to mention a few . Glecio Nascimento on bass takes the spotlight on “North City”, “Room 73”. Overall this is an album for jazz fusion enthusiasts who will be excited to listen to a concert unique in inventiveness, dynamics and mastery.


THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF THIS ALBUM…

This album has a special meaning for us. It’s the result of 3 concerts that we did in Eastern Europe. We visited fantastic countries including Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Serbia. The people were friendly and accommodating. We were well received and celebrated!!! Bansko Jazz Festival was our first concert. A
grand festival with an impressive setup allround. A picturesque, cozy, and mountainous city with polite and attentive people, rich in culture.
It was so exciting! Certainly, one of the best shows we’ve ever done, and the memories will last
a lifetime! To everyone from Bansko, thank you for the kindness, we hope to be back soon!

Special Thanks to:
Iliana Ivanova, Nikolina Mihailova and all of Bansko Jazz Festival staff, Branislav and all of Nisville Jazz Festival staff, Primoz and Imago Sloveniae.

To my dear brothers, wonderful musicians and human beings: Erik Escobar, Wagner Barbosa,
and Glecio Nascimento. Thanks for always delivering your best! Love you, my brothers!

To my beloved wife, Audrey Willcox, for giving me love and all the support for this tour. To my
mom, Sonia Willcox, and my sister Kika Willcox.

To my friends Ze Cintra, and Vanessa Tonetto for the press kit photos. To my English teacher Myrtle! Your lessons were essential for my self-confidence and they assisted me during the tour.

To my great friend and drum master Giba Favery, who kindly provided the IP&T space for our open rehearsal.


Recorded at Bansko Jazz Festival 2022, Bansko, Bulgaria. This record was made thanks to www.banskojazzfest.bg
Credits:
Wagner Barbosa: Saxophone, Aerophone
Erik Escobar – keys
Glecio Nascimento – bass
Igor Willcox – drums

Mixing and Mastering: Igor Willcox
Cover Photos: Dimitar Aleksov
Text Review: Myrtle Fourie

Sponsors:
Igor Willcox uses Nagano Drums, Domene Cymbals, Datalink Cables, Williams DrumHeads and
DrumSticks, and Power Click.
Wagner Barbosa uses Roland.

Track List:
1- 2020 (Igor Willcox)
2- U.F.O (Igor Willcox)
3- Brotherhood (Igor Willcox)
4- Message From Another Dimension (Igor Willcox)
5- North City (Igor Willcox)
6- The Scare (Igor Willcox)
7- Thankful (Igor Willcox)
8- Room 73 (Igor Willcox)
Label: Room 73 Records
Release Date: Mach/15/2023

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JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023: Manuel Muzzu (Italy)- Album: From T(h)ree to Four

Manuel Muzzu-From T(h)ree to Four

New bass player Manuel Muzzu‘s album it’s been released and it’s available for digital purchase and for streaming. The album it’s a concentrate of much of music contamination starting fron jazz, fusion jazz, smooth jazz, latin jazz, where the bass guitar have a most important role playing rhythm part and also melodic part. Played with different techniques, with a different sounds colours.

Last One

Last one” it’s a pretty simple listening track with a great smooth jazz influence and it’s the first song of my last album. The album it’s a concentrate of a different styles of jazz starting from smooth jazz, fusion jazz, Latin jazz, swing and classic jazz. Awesome played by spectaculars musicians, where the bass guitar in all his shapes (4-5-6 strings fretted and fretless) have the dominant part .

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JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023

World Music Mix: Strunz and Farah (USA)-Album: Syncretic Strings

Strunz and Farah-Syncretic Strings

Syncretic Strings
AVAILABLE MARCH 2023
Grammy-nominated acoustic guitar greats Strunz & Farah are releasing their 21st album, Syncretic Strings, in March 2023. Their blend of Latin, Middle Eastern, jazz fusion, and acoustic rock elements has been highly influential among guitarists worldwide.

Recognized for their astounding technical brilliance, melodic eloquence, and colorful and sophisticated compositions, Strunz & Farah have created a new collection of ten studio tracks full of energy and beauty. One cut, “This Could Only Be”, features surprise special guest Al Di Meola on percussion.

As the title suggests, the music offers an exuberant diversity, blending many elements into their unique guitar vision, transcending categories, and further expanding the possibilities of contemporary guitar. A new refreshing feast of color, melody, and driving rhythm from these guitar masters, among their very best yet.

“Jorge Strunz and Ardeshir Farah play with the swiftness of a desert wind and the burning passion of a Gypsy campfire…In addition to being talented arrangers and composers, their technical mastery of the instrument – especially in terms of speed – tests the boundaries of the human capability.” – Guitar Player

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World Music Mix: Plena Libre(Puerto Rico)-Album: Cuatro Esquinas (2023)

Plena Libre-Cuatro Esquinas-jazzworldquest

Plena Libre celebrates 30 years of bringing the iconic sounds of their Puerto Rican homeland to stages worldwide w/the release of new album Cuatro Esquinas (Four Corners) and worldwide tour dates

Puerto Rico’s multi-Grammy–nominated musical masters, Plena Libre have consistently been enthralling audiences around the globe over the course of their storied 30-year, 16-album career with their original sound — one that infuses the traditional plena and bomba rhythms of Puerto Rico with a fresh spring mix of Afro-Caribbean and jazz styles to create groove-laden dance music that honors their deep sense of the unique indigenous musical traditions, while embracing modern trends.

Now, Plena Libre are celebrating their 30th anniversary in style, unleashing a new wave of awe-inspiring hand drumming, vivacious horns, and soul-soaring three-part vocal harmonies with the release of their new album Cuatro Esquinas (Four Corners), to be released March 31, 2023. The fine-tuned, original band of 12 versatile virtuoso musicians will also be captivating audiences across the map in 2023 with live performances scheduled at festivals in Puerto Rico, the United States, and Europe, including an appearance at the prestigious New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Founder, bandleader, and bassist Gary Nuñez stress the appropriateness of the title, since the group’s music, and especially that of this new album, reflects personal, universal situations, accompanied by the unique sounds of the Puerto Rican rhythms of the bomba and the plena. The album title was inspired by Nuñez’s youth, growing up in a Puerto Rican neighborhood where “Four Corners”, alluded to a local meeting point that sometimes even carried an unfairly bad reputation.

Says Nuñez, “Cuatro Esquinas”, in my adolescence, used to be a meeting point in my neighborhood, with some ‘bad reputation’. It was known as ‘4 Esquinas’ because in each corner there was a bar or bodega. It was the place where people met and all sorts of characters gathered there and replaced their sorrows with some joy, romance, adventure, or consolation. It is the part of our history that does not appear in the “stories” that we were told about who Puerto Ricans are”

Cuatro Esquinas is a representation of some of those experiences, captured in a mix of “traditional” and original songs. Featuring four vocalists singing in lush three-part harmonies – with an aggressive, tight, yet sensitive style, which balances the traditional with the contemporary, the global, and the local – Plena Libre creates a brand of music and live performance that captivates the multicultural audience, invites to dance and to listen to their sound.

The track, “Tu cintura con la mía” was arranged by Luisga Núñez, son of Gary Nuñez who shares with his father a passion for parranda, bajo, and vocal harmonies — bringing a taste of the next generation to the distinctive elements of the group.

“We dedicate this recording to the public and to all those people who have supported Plena Libre, through those 30 years. To all the musicians who are and who have been part of this experience, we are GRATEFUL”, enthused Núñez, who took the opportunity to particularly thank his wife Valerie Cox “for the unconditional, necessary and total support for three decades and to all the musicians that were part of this album, making it possible”.

Apart from Gary Núñez as director and bassist, Plena Libre is made up of: Víctor Vélez (vocals/percussion), Luisga Núñez (vocals/percussion), Rafi Falú (requinto), Miguel A. de Jesús (vocals/percussion), Alex “Callejero” López (vocals/percussion), Rafy Torres, Randy Román and Kevin Ortiz on trombones, Pedro Dominicci (timbales), Manuel Rivera (congas), Karla Martínez on piano and Yarina Torres in charge of choirs.

Cuatro Esquina will be available on all major streaming platforms on March 31, 2023.

Check here for tour updates: https://www.plenalibre.com/tour-dates

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World Music Mix

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2022: Marco Trabucco(Italy) Album: X [ics]

Marco-Trabucco-X-ics

Giulio Scaramella – Piano
Marco Trabucco – Doublebass / Compositions
Luca Colussi – Drums
Maddalena Calamai – Flute
Costanza Pennucci – Horn
Emanuele Andreatta – Violin
Alessandro Dalla Libera – Viola
Federico Motta – Cello


CREDITS
Mixed and mastered by Stefano Amerio at Artesuono Studio, Cavalicco (UD), produced by Marco Trabucco for Abeat records.

X [ics] is the new album by doublebass player Marco Trabucco.

Innovator in his area, Marco Trabucco embraces experimenting with contemporary music’s new sounds.
His latest album, “X [ics]”, is a demonstration of his commitment to pushing the boundaries of contemporary jazz and breaking away from the homogeneity that has become prevalent in recent years.

The title of the album, which references the ten performers featured on the album as well as the unique blend of classical chamber music and jazz, serves as a fitting representation of Trabucco’s willingness to challenge conventions and explore the unknown. The new album is a must-listen for aficionados of forward-thinking jazz, as it showcases Trabucco’s ability to seamlessly integrate disparate styles, and his openness to new musical stimuli.

Indeed, the structure of the band combines a classical ensemble (flute, horn, piano and strings, joined by marimba and balafon) with the typical jazz quartet.
The album showcases several nods to jazz greats, such as Chick Corea’s “Temple of Isfahan” on the opening track “One for Max”, and the beginning of the theme of Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” which is reworked as an evocative variation on the last track “Otranto”.

Think, for example, of Schoenberg’s chamber music for strings, where intervallic tensions from the classical music are sometimes used to achieve the desired timbral and harmonic results. As far as orchestration choices are concerned, the solutions adopted propose sound refractions aimed at broadening the harmonic spectrum of the thematic cells used. From the perspective of a jazz musician like Trabucco, there is a seamless succession of traditional elements, sounds from the classical zone, and areas of improvisational themes that combine into a potential infinite.

TRACK LIST

  1. One for Max exp
  2. Open space exp
  3. Untitled exp
  4. Meraki exp
  5. Otranto exp

videoclip “Open space”

Marco Trabucco Bio


Double bass and electric bass player gifted with a delicate and melodic touch, Marco Trabucco is graduated in first cycle degree in Jazz at Tartini Conservatoire (TS), MA Degree in Jazz at the Steffani Conservatoire in Castelfranco (TV), MA Degree in instrument teaching and at the same time he graduated at Ca’ Foscari (University Institute – Venice), in Artistic and Entertainment Techniques.


He deepened his studies by attending high-level masterclasses and seminars such as:
– “Development of the rhythmic sense” (Bjorn Meyer – 2010);
– “Masterclass of percussion instruments” (Jarrod Cagwin – 2010);
– “Techniques and strategies for a complex rhythmic control” (Jarrod Cagwin – 2011);
– “Jazz piano masterclass” (Keith Tippett – 2010);– “Advanced improvisation masterclass” (Stefano Battaglia, Salvatore Maiore, Roberto Dani – 2017)

And he has participated in numerous lectures by internationally renowned musicians (Klaus Gesing, Norma Winstone, Giovanni Maier, Paolino Dalla Porta, Stefano Battaglia, Roberto Dani, Curtis Lunday, Dennis Chambers, Salvatore Maiore, etc.).


In 2010 he won the first prize in the jazz section at the international competition “Young Musicians” and staryed with his brother Max the project “Trabucco Bros” which will see them produce the first album entitled “Open / Close” (Blue Serge Records). and a second publication for Caligola Records: “Orchestra”. In 2012 he won the “Blow in to the nightfly” jazz contest in Lignano Sabbiadoro recording for “Ultra Sound Records” the album “Ma.Mi.Ma. Quartet” which allows him to open the concert to the English band Incognito. In 2013 he was selected for the “Berklee Award Group” (ensemble composed by the best students selected for the Berklee / Umbria Jazz courses) and signed a new recording contract with “Abeat Records” that will allow him to publish the album “Making Friends” with the special participation of Klaus Gesing on soprano sax and bass clarinet. In 2015 he published “Oirquartett” with which he won the prize for “best first album” in the National competition “Chicco Bettinardi” of Piacenza. Later, thanks to Stefano Amerio he was recommended to record with the Oirquintet project at “La fabrique studio” (FR) with the legendary AL Schmitt as sound engineer (Michel Jakson, Sinatra, Diana Krall …) giving to the press “…E penso a te” , jazz album dedicated to Italian song. In 2016 he is selected by Veneto Jazz as ” young Jazz Italian talent” to open the concert by Stefano Bollani and publishes the first album as a leader entitled “A Long Trip / With You” obtaining excellent reviews. In 2019 he published “Meraki”, his second personal work produced by Stefano Amerio for Artesuono.
The biography of Marco Trabucco is part of the book by Flavio Caprera: “Dictionary of Italian jazz” published by Feltrinelli.


EDUCATION
• Second-cycle degree in JAZZ (equivalent to master) Conservatory of music Steffani of Castelfranco Veneto (Italy)
• Second-cycle degree in MUSIC IN EDUCATION (equivalent to master) Conservatory of music Steffani of Castelfranco Veneto (Italy)
• First-cycle degree in JAZZ (equivalent to bachelor) Conservatoriy of music Giuseppe Tartini of Trieste
• First-cycle degree in Artistic and Entertainment Techniques (equivalent to bachelor) Ca’ Foscari University of Venezia (Italy)
AWARDS:
• First prize in the jazz section at the international competition “young musicians”. First prize at the “Blow in to the nightfly” jazz contest
• First prize in the “best first jazz album” section in the National competition “Chicco Bettinardi” with the album “Oirquartett”
• Berklee Umbria Jazz Award
The biography of Marco Trabucco is part of the book by Flavio Caprera: “Dictionary of Italian jazz” published by Feltrinelli.

http://marcotrabucco.com/
https://www.instagram.com/marcotrabucco_bass/
https://www.facebook.com/marcotrabuccomusic
https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrambust

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2022