Recording News

Al Orkesta Releases "Where Are We Now?" on Mongo Music

Source: All About Jazz
May 13, 2009

Al Orkesta mixes folk and ethnic music with jazz and rock elements, leaving lots of room for the soloist's creativity. The quintet is comprised of Joe Higham (tenor sax, clarinet), Jean-Paul Estivenart (trumpet), Jacques Pirotton (guitar), Olivier Stalon (bassist) and Setphan Pougin (drums). Traditional music from Turkey ("House of the Marriage") Syria ("Sal Fi-na Al-Lahda") and Israel ("Sphil-Zhe Mir A Lidele") form the thematic starting point upon which the musicians improvise to their heart's content. A conspicuous role is set ...

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Bassist-Composer Charnett Moffett's "The Art of Improvisation" CD Out Today on Motema Music

Source: DL Media
May 13, 2009

"Moffett is a hypnotic performer. Playing the upright and the electric bass and accompanied only by piano and drums, he mesmerizes with a series of propulsive minimalist grooves..." --DETAILS “This spirited and soulful recording comes highly recommended, especially to those who tire of the less substantive, flashy, speed king quotient prevalent in far too many other bassists." --All Music Guide Today, Charnett Moffett releases his 10th solo recording and Motma Music debut as a leader, The Art Of Improvisation. On ...

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Nicola Conte "Rituals" CD Available on May 19

Source: All About Jazz
May 12, 2009

Decca Records presents Rituals, the third album from Italian musician Nicola Conte, available on May 19th!     Audio Stream: Love In Awakening 2008 is the year of “Rituals," which confirms the multifaceted talent of the artist and instrumentalist from Bari. Recorded between the end of 2005 and the October of 2007, also this work first of all develops around the historical faithful team which follows the artist in the live shows. Here we find again Pietro Lussu, Pietro Ciancaglini, ...

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Darcy James Argue's Infernal Machines is Now Available

Source: Improvised Communications
May 12, 2009

Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam Records), the debut studio recording from New York's acclaimed 18-piece steampunk big band, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, is now available.

The release takes its name from a John Philip Sousa quote about the dangers of music technology, and features new definitive studio recordings of material Argue and the band have been developing since their first gig in 2005.

“...Argue has succeeded at creating a magnificent chimera. His harmonically rich blend of contrapuntal horn voicings, atmospheric ...

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Sunjump Records Announces New Releases for Spring 2009

Source: All About Jazz
May 10, 2009

Mitch Kessler: Erratica SJCD0007 Recorded Fall 2008 Mitch Kessler, Tenor and Alto Saxophones John Esposito, Piano Ira Coleman, Bass Peter O'Brien, Drums Compositions by Mitch Kessler This debut CD by the alto and tenor saxophone virtuoso Mitch Kessler brings to light a little known but highly developed instrumental and compositional voice. 8 originals by this prolific composer draw on his arsenal of Post Dolphy/Coltrane, Free Jazz, ...

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Big Gigantic: Album/Tour

Source: JamBase
May 9, 2009

Big Gigantic's Debut Release on STS9's 1320 Records & Upcoming Tour Dates

Big Gigantic Boulder, Colorado's Big Gigantic has been killing the live electronic music scene as of late. In the past few months, Big Gigantic went from playing a few club gigs around Colorado to opening for STS9, playing upcoming shows with Shpongle and Bassnectar, headlining shows through the South East and hitting summer festivals throughout the country.

Big Gigantic is the Latest project from Dominic Lalli (The Motet ...

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Yusuf (Cat Stevens):Roadsinger

Source: JamBase
May 9, 2009

By: Dennis Cook

If there's a yearning in you that never fully subsides, if there's some steady sadness that lingers just below the surface, well, then there are few more sympathetic vibrations than Cat Stevens. After being driven away from his music for years after he suggested the ol' Peace Train should roll over Salman Rushdie (which he now denies vociferously, but even making allowances, he offered passive support for the fatwa against the author), recently I revisited Tea for ...

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Freddie Hubbard 'Jazz Wave' Performances Unearthed

Source: Billboard Magazine
May 8, 2009

For his first posthumous release, famed jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard will resurface on June 2 with “Without a Song: Live In Europe 1969." Hubbard, who died last December at age 70, will join the ranks of Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane, and Horace Silver in a recent series of live releases from Blue Note. For “Without a Song," Grammy award winning producer Michael Cuscana was tapped for production duties. The seven song set culls from the “Jazz Wave" ...

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