Recording News

Former Zappa Keyboardist Tommy Mars Records Music For Modern Fairytale - Willie Nickerson's Egg

Source: Glass Onyon PR - Keith James
May 5, 2011

Norway—Former Frank Zappa keyboardist Tommy Mars, best known for his work on such Zappa classics as Sheik Yerbouti, Joe's Garage and Them or Us, has recorded music for a modern day fairytale—'Willie Nickerson's Egg.' Written by Norwegian guitarist Jon Larsen and released on Norway's Zonic Entertainment (a label that features exclusively dedicated Frank Zappa inspired music). Along with Tommy Mars, 'Willie Nickerson's Egg' also features the talents of Zappa alumnus Arthur Barrow. Willie Nickerson is a very sensitive porcupine. He ...

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Sunny Murray in Duet with Sabir Mateen: "We Are Not at the Opera," 1998

Source: Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
May 4, 2011

Many if not most of the readers of this blog will know that drummer Sunny Murray is the godfather of “free" drumming. He played with critically important improvisers of the new thing musical explosion in the early sixties (like Ayler, Taylor) and he developed a uniquely effective “freetime" style, one that rarely stated an overt pulse, but proffered a running commentary and complement to the solos and bass punctuations. That's textbook fact. But listen to him in an especially exposed ...

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Harriet Tubman - Ascension (Sunnyside, 2011)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland
May 4, 2011

Harriet Tubman's Ascension is an intriguing mix of DJ/dub textures, jazz, sci-fi sound culture and Sun Ra style cosmology. Interesting stuff, definitely along the lines of Sun Ra's late 70's recordings like Lanquidity and Media Dreams and Greg Tate's Burnt Sugar ensemble.

It is an interesting feat of collective improvisation and sound-scape making that blends together into a suite like hypnotic context. The ensemble consists of Brandon Ross on guitar, Melvin Gibbs on electric bass, J.T. Lewis on drums, Ron ...

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Bill Frisell - The Intercontinentals (2003)

Source: Something Else!
May 4, 2011

By Tom Johnson Bill Frisell has become one of the most easily recognizable guitarists in jazz, and it's not without an effort to incorporate himself into as many styles as one person could in a lifetime. Few guitarists in any genre could pull off the feat of having played in nearly every style imaginable—metal, ambient, acoustic, country, bluegrass, and even traditional jazz guitar — but to do so and retain the characteristics that make your sound uniquely and utterly unmistakeable ...

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Colorlist - The Fastest Way to Become the Ocean (2011) ***

Source: Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels
May 4, 2011

By Joe Higham “*** LIMITED EDITION 10" VINYL *** The Chicago based Colorlist is comprised of crossover jazz duo Charles Rumback and Charles Gorczynski. Both multi-instrumentalists, Rumback mans percussion, bells and melodica, while Gorczynski plays saxophone, numerous woodwind instruments, synthesizers and harmonium.“ This is the start of the press release for the latest from Colorlist, however I will mention immediately that there's also mp3 and Flac versions. If you look at the mixture of instruments above you'll notice that these ...

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Farnell Newton's "Class is Now in Session" on House of Love Records Now Available

Source: Michael Ricci
May 4, 2011

Trumpeter Farnell Newton is one of the most versatile musicians and educators in the Northwest, playing straight ahead jazz, smooth jazz, Latin music, soul, and hip hop. When he is not teaching at Portland State University's Jazz Department or working with his youth jazz group, PDX Jazz Project, he is touring, recording, and performing with sax man Mike Phillips (who has performed with Stevie Wonder and Prince, among others), the DooDooFunk All- Stars, & the BET/CENTRIC Soul Train Award All-Star ...

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Leni Stern Digital Single Evokes U2; New CD Sabani Planned for Fall

Source: Seth Cohen PR
May 3, 2011

Stripped Down African Trio Album by Leni Stern Manages to Create an Epic Austerity, Gets Digital Single Preview via Powerful Track, 'Still Bleeding' 'Sabani' CD to Showcase Guitar, N'goni Ba, Calabash and Tama; Single is First Song Stern Has Ever Written on N'Goni Ba On her upcoming, stripped down African trio EP Sabani, acclaimed Global Music artist Leni Stern creates an epic austerity evocative of U2's powerful ballads such as “One" and “Red Hill Mining Town." Stern will preview the ...

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Duo Jalal Explores the Convergence of Indigenous Mid-Eastern, Modern Compositional and Improvisational Approaches on "A Different World"

Source: Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards
May 3, 2011

We of course live today in a global village. We take as a matter of course that musical traditions that centuries ago would reach our shores solely in the form of immigrants now can be studied in depth via recordings and live concerts by world-class practitioners from every corner of the globe. We may only be on the edge of what this could mean for music in the world at large, but it is an exciting time for those who ...

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