Tag Archives: New CD 2023

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023: Jean-Michel Pilc(France)-Album: Symphony (Justin Time Records)

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Jean-Michel Pilc
Nouvel album Symphony
Sortie le 17/02/2023 chez Justin Time Records
Le pianiste de jazz Jean-Michel Pilc est de retour avec son nouvel album Symphony qui sort le 17/02/2023 sur le label canadien Justin Time Records. Ce disque est né d’une séance d’improvisation en solo en 2021 au studio OJM au Portugal. Ce jour-là, sur un piano Steinway, Jean-Michel Pilc se laisse porter et emporter par un flux créatif, comme un voyage qui le fait quitter de son propre aveu le monde réel, et qu’il nous fait partager aujourd’hui.
“Il n’y a peut-être pas de pianiste de jazz plus diversifié et imprévisible, d’une chanson à l’autre, que Jean-Michel Pilc” a déclaré Thomas Conrad de JazzTimes. 

Célébré depuis déjà de nombreuses années pour la qualité de ses improvisations, le pianiste et compositeur Jean-Michel Pilc s’est produit avec de nombreux géants du jazz. Né à Paris et aujourd’hui citoyen américain, il a joué avec de nombreux géants du jazz tels que Roy Haynes, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, Jean Toussaint, Marcus Miller, ou John Abercrombie pour n’en citer que quelques-uns. On découvre aujourd’hui un extrait de l’album Symphony avec cette vidéo live enregistrée à Montréal au Crescent.

 Pour regarder la vidéo de Symphony :https://youtu.be/djk4fjCqj-k
This is one of two short excerpts from the The Crescent Inc. – a Montreal based concert live-streaming and content production company catering to artists and musicians. Full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5h5W… “There may be no more diverse, unpredictable jazz piano player, song to song, than Jean-Michel Pilc.” – Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes Born in 1960 in Paris, now an American citizen, self-taught pianist and composer Jean-Michel Pilc has performed with numerous jazz giants such as Roy Haynes, Michael Brecker and Dave Liebman to name a few.

“Jean-Michel Pilc travaille sans filet.  Pianiste-compositeur prolifique et improvisateur étonnant, il excelle par sa constante créativité et nous offre des spectacles en solo à couper le souffle” DownBeat Né à Paris, Jean-Michel Pilc a un talent qui est le fruit d’une grande imagination et d’une sensibilité intrépide dans la découverte musicale. Autodidacte, il joue avec liberté et clarté dans la palette sonore et harmonique. Riche d’une nombreuse discographie solo, Jean-Michel Pilc a également joué avec de nombreux musiciens comme Richard Bona, Aldo Romano, Martial Solal, André Ceccarelli et bien d’autres.

Dans son dernier album Symphony, Jean-Michel Pilc met en avant cette liberté et cette témérité. La naissance du projet remonte à novembre 2021 : “Juste après l’enregistrement de l’album Contradictio du saxophoniste espagnol Xose Miguelez, j’ai été inspiré par les conditions parfaites des studios OJM au Portugal – un magnifique Steinway, une acoustique et des paramètres techniques parfaits. J’ai alors décidé qu’il était temps de faire une session « mémorable » dans le cadre de mon projet solo. Alors Xose et José Trincado, notre ingénieur du son, ont eu la gentillesse de me laisser jouer et improviser librement sur ce piano et de tout enregistrer. Uniquement porté par la musique, j’ai alors commencé. Lorsque l’inspiration s’installe, vous quittez le « monde réel » et la musique vous entraîne dans un nouvel univers totalement unique. C’est exactement ce qui est arrivé, et la dernière note jouée, tout le monde était si enthousiaste qu’ils ont généreusement proposé de le mixer et de le remastériser avec soin pour une sortie ultérieure, qui selon eux, était inévitable.“

Improvisateur surdoué, Jean-Michel Pilc a travaillé avec Harry Belafonte en tant que directeur musical et pianiste et a interprété un duo avec la légendaire chanteuse d’opéra Jessye Norman. Interprète solo actif sur la scène internationale, Jean-Michel a sorti quatre disques de piano solo acclamés par la critique. Il se produit régulièrement en trio avec des ensembles montréalais et new-yorkais dans les meilleures salles des deux villes L’album Symphony, né de cette séance miraculeuse d’improvisation en solo sort le sur le label Justin Time Records.


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JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023: The Steve Fidyk Live Wire Broad Band (USA)- Album: Red Beats

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The Steve Fidyk Live Wire Broad Band-Red Beats

The Steve Fidyk Live Wire Broad Band (USA)- Album: Red Beats

Integrating rhythmic power with musical taste, drummer Steve Fidyk returns to his big band roots, distinctly showcasing his dominant performance skills on this unique collection of original music.

His fourth date as a leader features an all-star band of musicians who hail from the ranks of The Buddy Rich Big Band, The Count Basie Orchestra, The Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau, The Army Blues, The Navy Commodores, and The Airmen of Note.

Featured soloists include some of New York’s finest — guitar legend Jack Wilkins, tenor saxophone titan Walt Weiskopf and contemporary organist Brian Charette. Each soloist is an engaged participant that pushes Fidyk’s polyrhythmic message direct to the battleground.

Release Date:
February 20, 2023

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JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2023

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

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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 Bonnaroo, Bottlerock, Electric Forest, Bumbershoot, Summer 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

World Music Mix: Ghostwoods(Australia)-Album: My Neon (4000 Records, 2023)

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Ghostwoods(Australia)-Album: My Neon (4000 Records, 2023)

Ghostwoods-Saturnine

Led by musician/composer James Lees, the languorous, atmospheric music of Ghostwoods has been gradually blinking into existence since the lockdown winter of 2020. Isolated and with time to kill at his home in Mt Nebo/Jinibara Country, James turned to composing and tinkering on the piano with the sparse and spooky fragments that would become the first collection of Ghostwoods compositions.

Created at Mount Nebo-based recording studio Wild Mountain Sound, with much-loved Brisbane producer Jamie Trevaskis, the first compositions were released on the Dark Moon EP in late 2021. In 2022, work continued on a full-length album, entitled My Neon, presaged by the singles ‘Terminal Bliss’ (Oct 2022) and ‘Brighter Now’ (Dec 2022).

Like all of the music in this first wave of Ghostwoods compositions, My Neon retains its piano-led provenance, fleshed out by synths, percussion and contributions from key collaborators Mark Angel (electric guitars), Karl O’Shea (bass), Andrew Saragossi (flute/clarinet/sax) and Rohan Seekers (keys/synths).

“The more I work on Ghostwoods music, the more I understand what it is actually about,” says Lees. “Having always been used to working with singer/songwriters, I am very concept-based and the instrumental setting of Ghostwoods subverted and challenged that for me. As we do more recording, and more live shows, the music and the project itself is teaching me what it is about. It’s such a fascinating and satisfying process.”

My Neon was created with much less planning than typically goes into a James Lees project. Particularly in the studio, Lees is usually meticulously prepared when approaching a session but challenged himself to be more free and leaving space to be playful and experiment.

As with many instrumental pieces, the narrative/theme/meaning is left to the listener to manifest. There are shared intrinsic links between the album’s six tracks, some even unwittingly inhabiting similar musical motifs in their early stages. After being carefully shaped and chiseled in the studio, those shared compositional affinities linger in the tracks and connect them as a whole even with each tune having a distinct stylistic identity.

“The title My Neon is actually the words Mt Nebo autocorrected – I sent this to a friend on a text message, and liked the mistake!” muses Lees. “It came to mean how I see the music in my mind as I strongly experience synesthesia with sound and music. It felt like a way to convey the colours of this sometimes rather dark music, and that is reflected in the artwork too which also features my house in Mt Nebo – my little sanctuary away from the world, and where the music is created.”

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World Music Mix

USA, New Album: Giacomo Gates Recording Vocals on a Song Written By Tony Adamo

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Giacomo Gates Recording Vocals on a Song Written By Tony Adamo

 Terminal hipster Giacomo Gates just keeps getting better and better. Gates is one of the top male jazz singers around today. It is what it is. Giacomo Gates is talented, skillful, and a rock-solid professional. With his vocalese and bebop attitude, he sings, scats, dropping his swinging baritone voice into every lyric he sings. A few years ago, singer, spoken word recording artist Tony Adamo asked Gates to stop by and dig Adamo’s recording session for his CD, TONY ADAMO AND THE NEW YORK CREW.

 Adamo was recording at Raw Recording Studio in Patterson NY owned by Jean-C. Santalis. The music was produced by drummer Mike Clark who assembled a whole gang of very talented musicians for this recording date to include: Lenny White – Drums, Tim Ouimette – Trumpet, Michael Wolff – Piano, Donald Harrison – Alto Sax, Richie Goods – Bass, Bill Summers – Percussion, JC Santalis – Recording Engineer and Guitar. Adamo and Gates became hip jazz friends after that recording scene.

Recently Adamo asked Gates to write lyrics to a song that he wrote several years ago. He could not feel the groove for the words to this cut and knew Gates could come up with a very hip storyline of lyrics that are cool and new jazz swingin’. Adamo added Michael Ray and Dave Davis on horns. They are of the Sun RA Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen. Gates will record lyrics to this song in February 2023 at Raw Recording Studio, Patterson, NY. That song will be on Adamo’s new release on Saint Jaz Records later in 2023. Jack Jones Fly High Jazz Scene

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World Music Mix: Loco Cello (France) – New album: Tangorom feat Biréli Lagrène

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Loco Cello(François Salque, Samuel Strouk et Jérémie Arranger)
Nouvel album Tangorom feat Biréli Lagrène
Sortie le 03/02/2023 chez Well Done Simone ! Records
 En concert le 13/02 au Café de la Danse avec Biréli Lagrène et en tournée
L’ensemble Loco Cello composé de François Salque (violoncelle), Samuel Strouk (guitare) et Jérémie Arranger (contrebasse) repart pour de nouvelles aventures avec la sortie de Tangorom le 03 février 2023. On retrouve sur ce second album de Loco Cello deux invités de marque : Biréli Lagrène et Adrien Moignard.L’album Tangorom est une promesse de voyage de l’Argentine à l’Europe de l’Est, en passant par le jazz manouche et la musique classique. La boussole a perdu le nord depuis que Loco Cello a décidé de redessiner la carte du monde sur ses partitions, comme le prouve ce deuxième album passe-murailles.Tissant des liens étroits entre la musique classique, le jazz, et les musiques du monde, Loco Cello nous ensorcelle avec sa palette sonore colorée, contrastée, et sensuelle, servie par une sonorité de groupe hors du commun, captée par Philippe Tessier du Cros à l’Abbaye de Noirlac.À l’occasion du 70e anniversaire de la mort de Django Reinhardt, Loco Cello propose une éclaircie salvatrice en célébrant, avec audace et originalité, une autre facette de Django : celle de son jeu lyrique à travers sa passion de la musique classique. Tangorom navigue d’Astor Piazzolla à Django, en passant par la musique de chambre et les musiques d’Europe de l’Est. Une folle odyssée sonore. Pour regarder et diffuser la vidéo du Rêve de Maya Flèche d’or :
Enregistré à l’abbaye de Noirlac, Tangorom, le nouvel album de Loco Cello, voyage d’Astor Piazzolla à Django Reinhardt, en passant par la musique de chambre et les musiques d’Europe de l’Est.
Pour ce deuxième opus, Loco Cello a invité Adrien Moignard et Biréli Lagrène. Imaginez une partie de ping-pong, en double : d’un côté, un duo classique sur le papier, crossover dans les idées, avec Samuel Strouk et François Salque ; en face, les gâchettes gypsy jazz Adrien Moignard et Bireli Lagrène, soutenus par Jérémie Arranger.
Le résultat ? Des jeux de saute-frontières, croisant le fer et le nylon, le lyrisme et le swing, l’écriture et l’improvisation. Avec ces cinq fantastiques, il n’y pas que le cello qui est loco !
Il fallait un écrin de rêve et de silence pour accueillir ce quintet à cordes sensibles. Une retraite pour se recentrer.

C’est à l’abbaye de Noirlac, un bijou de l’architecture cistercienne datant du XIIe siècle, qu’a été enregistré ce second album, avec Philippe Tessier Du Cros à la réalisation. Réverbération naturelle, sans effets fake ni micmacs de machine, écho de cathédrale, Tangorom est affaire de résonance.“C’est un endroit extrêmement inspirant, hors du temps et riche de plusieurs siècles d’histoire. Nous avons dû jouer sur le fil et nous adapter à l’acoustique impressionnante du lieu. Nous avons trouvé le parfait équilibre entre profondeur et présence sonores “, s’enthousiasme Samuel Strouk. L’atmosphère de recueillement de cette abbaye fut le ciment de cette épopée musicale.

En tournée en 2023 :
01/01 – Festival Musique & Neige – Les Diablerets
22/01 – Saisons Musicales – Maule
13/02 – Album Release – Paris – Café de la Danse feat Biréli Lagrène
19/03 – HMKO Les heures musicales du Koshersberg – Truchtersheim feat Biréli Lagrène
30/03 – Les Deux Alpes Musicales – Les deux alpes
26/05 – Festival Musique dʼun Siècle – Dieulefit
02/06 – LʼEze Harmonies – Èze
18/06 – Maisons-Laffitte Jazz Festival – Maisons-Laffitte
07/07 – Festival ArtenetrA – Celles-sur-Belle
11/07 – Festival Saint Cirq Causse et Vallée – Saint-Cire
12/07 – Festival en Blanc et Noir – Lagrasse
30/07 – Blois
31/07 – Festival Jazz au Phare – Ile de Ré feat Biréli Lagrène
09/09 – Festival du Vexin 

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Recorded at Noirlac Abbey, Tangorom, Loco Cello’s new album, travels from Astor Piazzolla to Django Reinhardt, via chamber music and Eastern European music. For this second opus, Loco Cello invited Adrien Moignard and Biréli Lagrène. Imagine a doubles game of ping-pong: on one side, a classic duet on paper, crossover in ideas, with Samuel Strouk and François Salque; opposite, the gypsy jazz triggers Adrien Moignard and Bireli Lagrène, supported by Jérémie Arranger. The result? Border-jumping games, crossing iron and nylon, lyricism and swing, writing and improvisation. With these five fantastic, it’s not just the cello that is loco! A setting of dreams and silence to welcome this sensitive string quintet was needed. A retreat to refocus.

World Music Mix

CANADA: New Album: Niche vintage songstress sophomore album LEMON TWIST out January 20, 2023

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Niche vintage songstress sophomore album LEMON TWIST out January 20, 2023

for IMMEDIATE RELEASE November, 2023

Linda Carone’s new album recorded in Toronto is supported by a stellar group of musicians and is raring to go. Established as a jazz and blues vocalist and niche song stylist, Linda’s fresh recording titled Lemon Twist is loaded with cool chill vibes & spicy sounds. Modern jazz elements flirt with exotic Latin textures to create a lively, bold swinging beat that will have you snapping your fingers.

Simply check the link to listen to the title track.

🎧 https://www.lindacarone.com/presskit

Canadian bassist George Koller (Bruce Cockburn, Peter Gabriel) had worked with Linda previously as producer on her well received debut album, Black Moonlight. Koller was again invited to produce this recording with a Latin fusion directive. Linda’s vision included the beloved and in-demand Peruvian percussionist Luis Orbegoso (Jerry González, Stevie Wonder) and pianist/composer Jeremy Ledbetter (Alfredo de la Fé). Also added to the exemplary list of musicians is Cuban-born Alexander Brown on Trumpet, Ben Wittman (Sting, Paul Simon) on drums and featuring Perry White and Johnny Johnson on saxophones.

”I wanted to inject a bit of my passion for Afro-rhythms into this recording. I had an intuition that between the level of musicianship, the strength of the song curation and the direction of Koller, we could take these songs to the next level.” A collaboration this vintage song siren prefers to call ‘mid-century modern jazz tinged with mambo vibes’ or what Tito Puente might call ‘jazz with the Latin touch.’ Linda’s interpretation of these rare gems are well-stirred on Lemon Twist. 

Similarly, to Linda’s debut release gaining local and international airplay, as well as winning several song, video awards and album reviews, the forthcoming album Lemon Twist is expected to be met with similar excitement as new and devoted fans await to hear a voice that is as rare and distinct as the repertoire she uncovers, and the songs she chooses to sing.

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“Linda Carone is not one to play by the rules. This works to her advantage in Lemon Twist, her feisty and personality-filled second album and follow-up to her excellent late night jazz debut – Black Moonlight” David Gasten, Swing City Productions

“Carone’s voice and the song subject matter meld together as if made for one another.” 
C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz

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ARTIST BIO

Linda Carone is a jazz and blues vocalist, a niche song stylist and interpreter of now-vintage, then popular, music from the 1920’s and beyond. With a voice that has been described as beautiful, rich and pure, Ms. Carone’s natural approach to music has shaped her vocal style in a way that is playful, intimate and unpretentious. With an uncanny ability to carefully curate songs that fit her voice like a glove, Linda has gained the attention of new listeners and devoted fans. Linda succeeds in her aim to transcend the heart of the song – sans imitation.

An early passion for jazz and blues developed upon first hearing the raw and emotive melancholy of Billie Holiday. ‘It was Billie’s voice that ignited the songstress in me.”

This inspiration laid the foundation for growth as a vocalist with an eclectic repertoire of forgotten gems, classic jazz and swing standards to boogie-woogie & roots blues. Linda’s long-time musical journey was further influenced by vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Mildred Bailey, Helen Humes, Valaida Snow and Lil Hardin Armstrong. Featuring these pioneering musical women in her performances remains her forté to this day.

Linda stands out among the jazz ‘standards’ with her incomparable phrasing and pure vocal style, by making the song and the lyrics her own. She continues to earn rave reviews and can be seen performing in and around Toronto’s music scene.

Linda Carone Music