JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023: Florin Raducanu (Romania)- Fugue Fantasia for Piano

Florin-Raducanu-Classical-Jazz-Fantasia-for-Piano

Florin Raducanu (Romania)- Fugue Fantasia for Piano

Classical-Jazz Fugue Fanstasia #2” is the second Piano Fugue addressed to both classical and jazz pianists.
In any case, the elements of Bachian Instrumental Counterpoint, jazz harmony, or compositional techniques from the developmental work serve as educational elements that show how jazz and classical music share an improvisational language (present in both Bach and Gershwin).


Like the previous “Jazz Fugue #1”, the new “Fuga Fantasia #2” follows the aesthetic path started by George Gershwin, very correctly understood by Maurice Ravel (see Sonata in G for violin and piano), Leonard Bernstein or John Williams in the creation of classical-jazz symbiosis.

Florin Raducanu website Purchase musical score

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023

World Music Mix: The Motet -“Draccus” (single, 2023)

The Motet unveil “Draccus,” the existential second single off their forthcoming instrumental album All Day

Marking the funk-jazz-soul quintet’s 10th studio LP, All Day will release on Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Out now across platforms“The verses in Draccus paint a dark picture of our socio-political landscape. In contrast, the ascending chords on the instrumental choruses hint at optimism for the future.” – Garrett Sayers, bassist for The Motet
For a little over two decades, The Motet have cultivated a fervent fanbase through immaculate live performances and a seamless blend of funk, jazz, soul, and rock. This unique style and cohesive musical chemistry have led to sold-out shows across the nation – including six headlining slots at Red Rocks and sets at festivals such as BonnarooBottlerockElectric ForestBumbershootSummer Camp, and High Sierra.

But even after their 20+ years of accolades and recognition, the legendary outfit – composed of Dave Watts (drums), Joey Porter (keys), Garrett Sayers (bass), Drew Sayers (keys and saxophone), and Ryan Jalbert (guitar) – are still exploring new sonic and thematic ideas.

Now, the band is revving up towards their 10th studio album, All Day, which will release on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. All Day marks The Motet’s first primarily instrumental project since 2009’s electronica-fueled Dig Deep.
Fans got their first taste of All Day with the album’s lead single, “‘79,” a lavish funk and soul epic. With a retro-futurist style, the track takes you into the funky past of the 70s and 80s while fortifying its pastiche with decidedly modern elements.

Today, The Motet release “Draccus,” a hazy, funk-fueled experience. Filled to the brim with lush sonic details and powerful lyricism, “Draccus” juxtaposes grim verses with cathartic, hopeful choruses.



Draccus” embodies what The Motet have concocted with All Day, an album that will retain the infectious grooves and immaculate, layered arrangements that The Motet have become known for. But by recentering the listening experience around the playing and composition, All Day emphasizes the band’s instrumental mastery molded by two decades of shared musical chemistry. As a result, the new LP promises to showcase a world-class band at the peak of their powers while simultaneously adding potent social themes that address modern political strife.

Draccus” kicks off with a growling, deep bass and guitar groove that underlie the dystopian vocoder-synth vocals. The verse then transitions into the song’s cacophonous chorus, which imbues the track with synth and organ chords on top of ascending guitar melodies.

Oscillating between politically-charged verses and optimistic instrumental hooks, “Draccus” speaks to the current social reality while offering a tone of hope and resilience in the face of existential doubt.

“First eat up all the trees, look out I spit fire/The keeper of the keys, flames are getting higher/Draccus does what he wants,” the band sings, a gloomy, poetic message on the state of the world.

But “Draccus” isn’t mere despair. It relates to the socio-political upheaval of the past several years, and uses its arrangements and instrumentation to bring focus to the importance of music and art. For The Motet, society can prosper through community, and music can be that bridging catalyst.

Fans can hear “Draccus” and other All Day cuts on The Motet’s upcoming nationwide tour, kicking off with a two-night New Years run at Crystal Bay Casino in Lake Tahoe and stopping through cities like Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Columbus, and Honolulu. In addition to performing at Tucson’s Gem & Jam Festival, the band will also play a special, hometown doubleheader at Denver’s Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, to celebrate both the LP release and the iconic venue’s 20th anniversary.

The Motet tour dates
12/30/22 Crystal Bay, NV | Crystal Bay Casino
12/31/22 Crystal Bay, NV | Crystal Bay Casino
1/13/23 Telluride, CO | Sheridan Opera House
1/14/23 Crested Butte, CO | Center for the Arts
1/20/23 Denver, CO | Cervantes
1/21/23 Denver, CO | Cervantes
2/3/23 Tucson, AZ | Gem + Jam
2/17/23 Bend, OR | Volcanic Theatre Pub
2/18/23 Bend, OR | Volcanic Theatre Pub
2/24/23 Bozeman, MT | ELM
2/25/23 Missoula, MT | Top Hat
2/26/23 Whitefish, MT | Great Northern Bar
3/1/23 Victor, ID | Knotty Pine
3/2/23 Boise, ID | Olympic Lounge
3/3/23 Salt Lake City, UT | Commonwealth
3/4/23 Salt Lake City, UT | Commonwealth
3/10/23 Buena Vista, CO | Ivy Ballroom
3/11/23 Buena Vista, CO | Ivy Ballroom
3/15/23 Indianapolis, IN | Vogue
3/16/23 St Louis, MO | Delmar Hall
3/17/23 Columbus, OH | St. Fatty’s Daze @ The Woodlands
3/18/23 Columbus, OH | St. Fatty’s Daze @ The Woodlands
3/19/23 Cleveland, OH | Beachland Ballroom
3/24/23 Honolulu, HI | Blue Note
3/25/23 Honolulu, HI | Blue Note

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World Music Mix

Jazz World Quest Showcase 2022: Örjan Hultén Orion(Sweden) – Shifting Ground

orjan hulten orion - shifting ground

Örjan Hultén Orion(Sweden) – Shifting Ground (Prophone Records)

Örjan Hultén Orion‘s latest album is a collection of eight skillfully crafted tracks that showcase the musical and compositional talents of each band member. Despite the fact that the material has several “parents”, the album maintains a consistent stylistic cohesion that reflects an unifying artistic vision where melodicity embraces improvisation in such a fresh way .

Each track bears the personal touch of the musicians, making the album particularly noteworthy. The title track, composed by Filip Augustson, features an engaging interplay between Hultén’s saxophone and Torbjorn Gulz’s piano, with the melodic dialogue exploring contrasts and harmonies. “Mystique No. 12,” a ballad by drummer Peter Danemo, sees the saxophone moving gracefully over percussion and spacious piano accompaniment. Augustson’s composing skills are also on display in “Bellatrix,” which begins with a textural intro featuring drums, piano, and bass, before giving way to Hultén’s melancholic soprano theme, which is supported by the piano in the second part before transitioning to the next saxophone section.

The album’s only composition by the bandleader, “Las Tres Marias,” is a joyous, tango-inspired track that evokes Nino Rota and his work for Fellini films. “Philomelos” is a unique ballad in which Hultén’s captivating saxophone weaves a narrative through the piano melody, complemented by Augustson’s seamless bowing. Danemo’s “Even in the odds” follows in a playful vein, providing a lively backdrop for the drums, bass, piano, and saxophone to perform with exceptional passion and delicacy. “Rigel” opens with Augustson’s bass line and features the piano setting the stage for the saxophone’s melodic entrance, resulting in a virtuosic piece with entertaining blues accents.

The album concludes with “Nosebleed,” a track rich in rhythmic complexity that allows Hultén to fully show his musicianship.

“Shifting Ground” offers new discoveries with each listen and is well worth multiple plays; it is a deserving reward for the listener.

Musicians: Örjan Hultén – saxophones, Torbjorn Gulz – piano, Filip Augustson – bass, Peter Danemo– drums

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Jazz World Quest Showcase 2022

World Music Mix: David Linx, Guillaume de Chassy, Matteo Pastorino-On Shoulders We Stand (Enja/Yellowbird Records 2022)

David Linx, Guillaume de Chassy, Matteo Pastorino

Nouvel album On Shoulders We Stand
Disponible chez Enja/Yellowbird Records

David Linx, Guillaume de Chassy and Matteo Pastorino ont sorti en trio l’album On Shoulders We Stand chez Enja/Yellowbird Records.

Sur cet album, le pianiste Guillaume de Chassy, le chanteur David Linx et le clarinettiste Matteo Pastorino s’inspirent d’oeuvres de Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninov, et Ravel. David Linx leur a écrit des paroles, Guillaume de Chassy s’est occupé des adaptations, pour cette osmose entre jazz et musique classique.

Après Drown Out The Noise, un titre adapté de Sergueï Rachmaninov, David Linx, Guillaume de Chassy et Matteo Pastorino nous offrent Souls Astray, un titre inspiré par la Sonate pour piano D.537 de Schubert.
Souls Astray est une composition de Franz Schubert qui a déclenché tout notre projet d’album. Quand nous avons entendu la transcription de Guillaume de Chassy, nous avons tout de suite senti que les parties instrumentales pourraient devenir un nouveau répertoire pour le chant, autant jazz et classique. Ce projet a été une libération artistique puisqu’il fallait construire depuis un nouvel endroit et les mélodies me dictaient les textes en quelques sorte. Souls Astray est une ode à la compassion et la beauté de la patience en amour et amitié” a expliqué David Linx.

David Linx : site officiel  Facebook  Instagram
Guillaume de Chassy : site officiel  Facebook et Instagram
Matteo Pasterino : site officiel Facebook et Instagram 

 

David Linx au chant, Guillaume de Chassy au piano et Matteo Pastorino aux clarinettes nous offrent l’album On Shoulders We Stand, un disque en trio, inspiré des musiques de Bach, Ravel, Scriabine, Schubert, Chopin, Mompou, Rachmaninov et Chostakovitch.
Les textes sont signés David Linx et les transcriptions assurées par Guillaume de Chassy.”Nous n’inventons rien totalement ; nous nous tenons sur les épaules des grands créateurs qui nous ont précédés ou de ceux que nous côtoyons aujourd’hui : musiciens, peintres, écrivains … ces géants nous soutiennent et nous inspirent chaque jour.”
C’est ainsi que David Linx et Guillaume de Chassy, initiateurs de ce projet, définissent leur démarche commune. Avec On Shoulders We Stand, les trois musiciens se sont lancés un défi de taille, assumant joyeusement une prise de risque devenue rare dans le conformisme ambiant.

David Linx on vocals, Guillaume de Chassy on piano and Matteo Pastorino on clarinets released the album On Shoulders We Stand, a trio album inspired by the music of Bach, Ravel, Scriabin, Schubert, Chopin, Mompou, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich.
The texts are written by David Linx and the transcriptions by Guillaume de Chassy.
“We don’t invent anything totally; we stand on the shoulders of the great creators who have preceded us or those we rub shoulders with today: musicians, painters, writers … these giants support us and inspire us every day.”
This is how David Linx and Guillaume de Chassy, initiators of this project, define their common approach. With On Shoulders We Stand, the three musicians have taken on a major challenge, joyfully assuming a risk-taking that has become rare in the current conformism.

World Music Mix

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2022: Luisvi Jimenez(Spain)-Caminos Cruzados

Luisvi Jimenez-Caminos Cruzados
Luisvi Jiménez – Africa

Luisvi Jiménez composer and guitarist presents his new album titled Caminos Cruzados. The album includes compositions by Luisvi Jiménez, accompanied by Javier Rodriguez on Electric Bass, Adal Fernández on Drums and Percussion, Adrián Royo on Piano and Melodica and Luisvi Jiménez on Guitars.

It is worth noting the collaboration of Jesús Carbonell on the flamenco guitar in the song Caminos Cruzados.

The album has been Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Pottoko (Beasain) studios. The album cover is the work of cartoonist and illustrator Pedro Espinosa.

An album featuring subtle soundscapes in which Flamenco, Samba, Latin, Swing, Blues touches come together in a wide spectrum of sonorities divided into eight tracks.

Luisvi Jiménez compositor y guitarrista riojano nos presenta su nuevo trabajo discográfico titulado Caminos Cruzados. Son composiciones de Luisvi Jiménez, acompañado de Javier Rodriguez en el Bajo eléctrico, Adal Fernández a la Batería y Percusiones, Adrián Royo al Piano y Melódica y Luisvi Jiménez a las Guitarras. Es de destacar la colaboración de Jesús Carbonell a la guitarra Flamenca en el tema Caminos Cruzados. El disco ha sido Grabado, Mezclado y Masterizado en los estudios Pottoko (Beasain). La portada del disco es obra del dibujante e ilustrador Pedro Espinosa. Un disco que nos ofrece sutiles paletas sonoras en las que confluyen pinceladas Flamencas, Samba, Latin, Swing, Blues, y un largo abanico de campos sonoros repartidos en ocho composiciones.

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JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2022

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2022: Igor Willcox feat. Daniel Santiago, Erik Escobar(Brazil) – Message From Another Dimension (Single)

Igor Willcox feat. Daniel Santiago, Erik Escobar - Message From Another Dimension (Single)

Igor Willcox feat. Daniel Santiago, Erik Escobar(Brazil) – Message From Another Dimension (Single)
Composer/Drums/Synth Bass/Keys: Igor Willcox
Daniel Santiago-guitar
Erik Escobar-rhodes
Label: Room 73 Records
Igor Willcox’s latest composition, a beautiful, lush jazz-rock song with a new age edge, written in the trio format.


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JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2022

World Music Mix: Baiju Bhatt & Red Sun(India/Switzerland)-People of Tomorrow

Baiju Bhatt & Red Sun-People of Tomorrow

Baiju Bhatt & Red Sun(India/Switzerland)-Ananda
Album: People of Tomorrow
Label: Neuklang

Baiju Bhatt & Red Sun

Nouvel album People of Tomorrow

Sortie le 28/10/2022 chez Neuklang

En concert à Paris au Pan Piper le 28/11/2022

Baiju Bhatt retrouve son groupe Red Sun pour un troisième album, People of Tomorrow, prévu le 28/10/2022 sur le label Neuklang, qui brouille encore davantage les frontières musicales.

Quatre ans après la sortie du singulier Eastern Sonata, qui mélangeait avec beaucoup de malice et de talent les influences d’une Inde fantasmée et du jazz-rock occidental, le violoniste et compositeur indo suisse Baiju Bhatt récidive et enfonce le clou en nous proposant un album encore plus ambitieux et puissant, doté d’une profonde richesse musicale, harmonieuse et subtile.

Un pied en orient, et un pied en occident, le violoniste Baiju Bhatt réalise avec People of Tomorrow un métissage audacieux entre jazz-rock et musique indienne, entre tradition et modernité.

Entouré par le quintet transalpin Red Sun et par le guitariste Nguyên Lê en invité, Baiju Bhatt & Red Sun forment un groupe alchimique où les différentes sonorités de chacun se fondent dans une parfaite harmonie. A eux cinq, ils effacent les frontières et mixent les cultures dans un grand feu d’artifice multicolore, virtuose et harmonieux. Un jeu fougueux au placement rythmique exemplaire, qui sait aussi devenir romantique et aérien.

Ancien élève de Jean Luc Ponty et Didier Lockwood, le violoniste Baiju Bhatt défend avec son groupe Red Sun un projet musical ambitieux plaçant au centre de sa recherche la quête d’identité et la volonté de faire chanter ensemble des mondes musicaux différents, en particulier le jazz et la musique indienne.

Avec People Of Tomorrow, nous voyageons à travers le monde et différents styles musicaux, et nous en ressentons toutes les saveurs, les odeurs et les épices, si bien que la notion de «musique du monde» prend ici sa pleine signification en effaçant toutes les frontières dans un grand feu d’artifice, chatoyant et multicolore.

Baiju Bhatt approfondit son langage musical et il nous épate encore davantage avec ses thèmes prégnants joués à l’unisson (saxophone-violon avec la complicité de Valentin Conus, ou piano-violon avec Mark Priore) et avec sa musique contrastée, faite de breaks et de ruptures rythmiques, qui multiplie les climats et les atmosphères. Une musique riche et complexe, formidablement bien construite et structurée, qui a l’intelligence d’être toujours accessible et fluide.

L’énergie musicale déployée est à la hauteur du lyrisme des différents solistes, parfois teinté de romantisme, à l’image du jeu de violon de Baiju, qui sait comme personne manier virtuosité et élégance et assembler, avec brio, musique classique, traditions du monde, musique indienne, et jazz-rock !

Baiju Bhatt & Red Sun :

Baiju Bhatt – violon, composition, arrangements

Valentin Conus – saxophone ténor, saxophone soprano

Mark Priore – piano

Blaise Hommage – basse électrique

Paul Berne – batterie

  • invité spécial : Nguyên Lê – guitare électrique

Baiju Bhatt is back with his group Red Sun for a third album, People of Tomorrow, scheduled for 10/28/2022 on the Neuklang label, which crosses musical borders even further.

Four years after the release of the singular Eastern Sonata, which mixed with great playfulness and talent the influences of a fantasized India and Western jazz-rock, the Indo Swiss violinist and composer Baiju Bhatt does it again and insists by offering us an album yet more ambitious and powerful, endowed with a deep musical richness, harmonious and subtle.

One foot in the East and one foot in the West, the violinist Baiju Bhatt achieves with People of Tomorrow a daring mix between jazz-rock and Indian music, between tradition and modernity.

Surrounded by the transalpine quintet Red Sun and by guest guitarist Nguyên Lê, Baiju Bhatt & Red Sun form an alchemical group where the different sounds of each blend in perfect harmony. The five of them erase borders and mix cultures in a great multicolored, virtuoso and harmonious fireworks display. A fiery game with exemplary rhythmic placement, which becomes romantic and ethereal.

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World Music Mix

Hakim Jamal-In Blue--200

Hakim Jamal(UK)-Album: In Blue
The new album from Hakim Jamal ‘In Blue’ contains the single Mr. Lichfield, a song dedicated to the fashion and society photographer of the 1960s. The album is mainly influenced by Jamaican sounds and uses a range of Jamaican vocal artists. The imagery on the cover represents the Indian Festival of Colour, Holi. All the songs were originally given the names of shades of blue and a couple have remained as song titles.
Label: TalkingHead TV Recordings
Streaming Tracks:
Mr. Lichfield
Reasons To Fly
Like Butterflies

Composer: Paul Ashley Wheatcroft
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JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2022: Mike Miller(USA)- Album: Trust (Blue Canoe Records)

Mike-Miller-Trust

Mike Miller(USA)-Mr. Moreira
Album: Trust
Label: Blue Canoe Records
Rock and Jazz Guitarist Mike Miller releases a beautiful ten song album titled Trust. Mike is best know for his work with Chick Corea, Boz Scaggs, Bette Midler, Yellowjackets, Quincy Jones and so many more. Mike brings all of his year of experience into this incredible body of work. “Trust” features guest appearances from Jimmy Haslip, Jimmy Johnson, Jimmy Earl, Scott Kinsey, Brandon Fields, Gary Novak, Marilyn Scott, Jeff Babko, Chad Wackerman, Airto Moriera and so many more talented artists. “Trust” is a must have for fans of Mike Miller which features rich original compositions, stellar improvisations and prowess interplay and technique. This is a gorgeous, inspiring album and a must have for music fans everywhere!
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