Jazz Articles about Manuel Valera
About Manuel Valera
Instrument: Piano
Article Coverage | Calendar | Albums | Photos | Similar ArtistsBig Ears for Big Sounds
by David Brown
This week, I've had big ears for some big sounds. And now you can too. Playlist Thelonious Monk “Esistrophy (Theme)" from Live at the It Club-Complete (Columbia) 00:30 Stan Kenton “Prollouge" from Kenton's West Side Story (Capital Records) 02:00 Don Ellis Orchestra “Turkish Bath" from Electric Bath (Columbia) 06:05 Chick Web and his Orchestra “Heebie Jeebies" from Jammin' for the Jackpot: Big Bands and Territory Bands of the 30s (New World Records) 16:33 Yu Nishiyama “Honorary Whites" from ...
read moreReleases From Manuel Valera, Lisa Hilton, Tord Gustavsen And Joel Frahm Plus More
by Bob Osborne
On this week's show newly recorded releases from Manuel Valera, Lisa Hilton, Tord Gustavsen and Joel Frahm. As well as those archive recordings, just released for the first time, from Barry Deister and Ian Carr, music from Enrico Rava (2005) and some classic live Soft Machine (1970), which has just been repackaged and rereleased. Playlist Show Intro 00:00 Manuel Valera New Cuban Express Big Band “Gemini" from Distancia (Greenleaf) 00:51 Lisa Hilton “Ernie's Blues" from Life is Beautiful ...
read moreNew Big Band Music and Experimental Sounds
by Bob Osborne
On this show big ensembles dominate with the new albums on Greenleaf from Manuel Valera and Mike Fahie. There's also the experimental side of jazz with fresh sounds from Vintage Astronaut and Zing!. This is all balanced out with some fascinating improvised music from Cooper-Moore and Stephen Gauci and Kaze & Ikue Mori. Playlist Manuel Valera New Cuban Express Big Band “El Enemigo Brutal" from Jose Marti En Nueva York (Greenleaf) 00:00 Mike Fahie Jazz Orchestra “La fille ...
read moreManuel Valera: The Planets
by Mike Jurkovic
Cuban-born pianist Manuel Valera is not unknown to jazz-heads who make it their business to listen and champion. But, since his acclaimed 2004 debut Forma Nueva, a couple of Grammy nods, and last year's quietly brilliant The Seasons, Valera's name and exciting blend of culture, tradition, and progression has spread deservedly like wildfire through the larger audience. The Planets ramps up the forward rate of spread. Ranging fiercely across the 88s like peak McCoy Tyner--fanciful, fluid chromatic runs ...
read moreManuel Valera Trio: The Seasons
by Edward Blanco
Offering his twelfth recording as a leader, Grammy-nominated pianist Manuel Valera unveils a dynamic session of modern jazz on the vibrant The Seasons and follow up to Live at Firehouse 12 (MAVO Records, 2015). The album also happens to be the second date with his current working trio of jazz luminaries' bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer E.J. Strickland providing one of the most powerful piano trios in the jazz world today. The main theme of the session is the four-part ...
read moreManuel Valera & Groove Square: Urban Landscape
by C. Michael Bailey
Cuban keyboardist and composer Manuel Valera presented last with a scorching trio set Live at Firehouse 12 (Mayo Records, 2015). Acoustic and organic, Valera demonstrated is bona fides with mainstream jazz performance. Bringing drummer E.J. Strickland from that and earlier bands, Valera moves into a new project with a new band, Groove Square. He adds the ubiquitous bassist John Benite to the mix making for a solid rhythm section for Valera to compose and perform over. Decidedly adult contemporary, Urban ...
read moreManuel Valera Trio: Live at Firehouse 12
by Edward Blanco
Leader of the Latin jazz-styled group New Cuban Express, New York-based, Cuban-born pianist Manuel Valera, unveils his 10th album as leader and his first recording in a live setting with the untypically non-Latin Live at Firehouse 12, his first trio format release in six years. This, very excellent trio features jazz luminaries Hans Glawischnig on bass and veteran EJ Strickland on the drums--all together forming one solid power threesome. Recorded at the renowned New Haven, CT club, Firehouse 12, a ...
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