New Release: Music for Peter Gunn by Harmonie Ensemble New York / Steven Richman(2)

Music for Peter Gunn by Harmonie Ensemble New York Steven Richman (Harmonia Mundi HMU 907624) Street Date: August 12, 2014

In 1958, the legendary composer/arranger Henry Mancini electrified the world of television music with his dynamic soundtrack for the detective series Peter Gunn.  Not only did he introduce a compelling jazz element into the genre, but he also created a context for the symbiotic relationship between narrative action and its aural environment. The Emmy-winning score - and its double Grammy-awarded album - was performed by an all-star ensemble of some of the West Coast jazz scene’s finest musicians.  Now, for the first time in more than half a century, the Harmonie Ensemble/New York under the direction of Grammy-nominated conductor Steven Richman takes a new look at this iconic music in the new harmonia mundi release Music for Peter Gunn.              One of the most profound elements of the jazz tradition is that the musicians’ pursuit of personal and singular sounds allows each fresh interpretation of classic works to have a new life of its own.  The great orchestral composers like Ellington, Strayhorn, Charles Mingus and George Russell were able to perform the same arrangements of their musical creations over and over, creating entirely new versions freshly sculpted by the personae of the musicians who played it.  This recording provides that same substance to these timeless original Henry Mancini compositions and arrangements, proving this music to be as vital and vibrant as it was more than 50 years ago.             This is the twelfth album by Mr. Richman and the Harmonie Ensemble/New York, and his third forharmonia mundi, following up on 2010’s Gershwin by Grofé and last year’s Nutcracker Suites Tchaikovsky / Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn.  As with those two outstanding and highly acclaimed albums, Mr. Richman has assembled the ideal cast of musicians to interpret this music, blending their superb command of ensemble playing with brilliant soloing skills. His deep appreciation of the music and commitment to the highest artistic ideals created the fertile environment that makes this recording so successful. A French horn player before he devoted himself fully to conducting, Mr. Richman had the opportunity to play with Henry Mancini many times. For him, this was truly a labor of love.             “I grew up watching and listening to that great TV show. Everyone knows the Peter Gunn theme but far fewer seem to know there is about an hour and a half of gorgeous music recycled in various forms throughout the show’s three seasons. Even our musicians were in the dark about this. They were happily surprised at the wonderful music, so skillfully written and arranged. We were all thrilled to play it.”               A key figure is pianist Lincoln Mayorga, who was featured on the Gershwin by Grofé album and had played for Mancini on some of the great composer’s road trips.  The remarkable tenor saxophonist and flautist Lew Tabackin – whose presence was so vital to the Nutcracker recording – anchors the highly impressive reed section along with Ronnie Cuber, Mark Gross, Lawrence Feldman and Lino Gomez.  The eminent Lew Soloff heads a trumpet section of Stanton Davis, Dominic Derasse and Joe Giorgianni; with a trombone foursome of Larry Farrell, John Fedchock, Mark Patterson and Frank Cohen.  The French horns, so essential to the sumptuous and mellifluous textures that are so intrinsic to Mancini’s sound are played by RJ Kelley, Alexandra Cook, Eric Davis and David Peel.             Much of the action in Peter Gunn took place in Mother’s, the waterfront roadhouse that was both Gunn’s hangout and meeting place.  The five-piece group that played there set the tone for a good deal of the show’s music and therefore those musicians are of paramount importance to this music.  Joining Mayorga in the stellar rhythm section are Bob Mann on guitar, Christos Rafalides on vibes, and the bass/drums tandem of Francois Moutin and Victor Lewis.             Under Mr. Richman’s brilliant direction, this exceptional group of musicians brings the perfect combination of flawlessly tight ensemble playing with the easygoing looseness and vivid spontaneity that makes each solo shine brightly – and always in the proper context, with no grandstanding or virtuosity for its own sake.  Although the music remains totally faithful to the original arrangements, the vibrancy and immediacy of today is fully evident.  Mann’s guitar solos have a slightly rock-ish element and the horn solos have a somewhat edgier quality.  The delivery of the written lines add a bit more soulfulness to the soulful; bluesiness to the blue; and even a touch more savagery to the drive.  The two versions of the immortal theme that bookend the 16 tracks are absolutely explosive – with the reprise opening up the thematic structure and providing an opportunity for the soloists to really strut their stuff.             This recording features all but one track from the first Mancini Peter Gunn album, along with four tracks from the second. One of these is My Manne Shelly, a dedication to the longtime Mancini collaborator and icon of West Coast jazz. Here Victor Lewis pays his own homage to the legendary Shelly Manne in the delightful call and response motif of the piece, also highlighted by a burly baritone solo by Cuber.             That small group roadhouse feel is offered in sublime fashion with The Floater, A Profound Gass andBrief and Breezy – all evoking the fluid George Shearing sound and featuring jaunty guitar and vibes solos.  An easy-swinging, hip groove – as suave and sophisticated as the title character – is front and center withSorta Blue and The Brothers Go to Mother’s.             Three ballads offer a romantic setting with the appropriately named Dreamsville fueled by guitar and alto; Soft Sounds, built on a slow walking bass; and Blues for Mother’s, marked by a deeply soulful alto sax. A raunchier blues groove of the growling sort is the vibe for the slow-boogie of Spook and the drawling brass-fueled Slow and Easy, featuring a gutty trombone solo out of the Lawrence Brown school; while Session at Pete’s Pad pushes the pedal a bit harder into a smooth stomp.             Designed for the hard-boiled action and chase scenes, there are two virile and impassioned pieces. Blue Steel is a dramatic item filled with hollerin’ brass, call and response incantations and a vehement Tabackin solo.  Fallout, opening with briskly walking bass leading into searing flutes, slow boils into a frenzy of growling trombones, wailing French horns and screaming trumpets.             While this is landmark music that broke ground for many fine scores to follow, one thing stands high above it all.  This is spectacular music played by an extraordinary group of musicians – timeless, powerful and moving. www.harmoniamundi.com  jim@jazzpromoservices.com www.jazzpromoservices.com jazzglobalbeat@gmail.com

CHICAGO JAZZ PHILHARMONIC RELEASES NEW ALBUM “SKETCHES OF SPAIN (Revisited)"

New Rendition of the 1960 Miles Davis and Gil Evans Classic Recording Incorporates Jazz Elements, Traditional Instruments, and New Compositions

The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, celebrating its upcoming tenth anniversary year, releases its second full-length album, Sketches Of Spain [Revisited], an orchestral transformation of the 1960 iconic original by Miles Davis and Gil Evans. For this reinterpretation of the 1960 classic recording, CJP artistic director and composer Orbert Davis created two new compositions, incorporated traditional African and Middle Eastern instruments, and made numerous modifications in ensemble orchestration.  The result is an intimate yet powerful performance that transports the listener to a different world. “If you’re going to reconceptualize a work as iconic as Sketches Of Spain – daring to change the original instrumentation, and even to replace some movements with new compositions – you’d better do one spectacular job of it. Orbert Davis has dared, and succeeded.”  Neil Tesser, Grammy-Award Winning Jazz Journalist Davis’ involvement with Sketches Of Spain began in the 1990’s when, as a trumpeter in Bill Russo’s Chicago Jazz Ensemble, he was asked to perform the solo trumpet part originally played by Miles Davis (no relation). A particular challenge was to disregard the expectations of some purists that the original performance would be re-created.  “However,” Orbert notes, “What Miles played is not intended to be duplicated. Miles reached past the technical aspects of his instrument and played from the depths of his soul.  I took that approach to freely create during the improvised sections.” Orbert Davis’ version of the classic work developed over many subsequent performances and years of studying the original recording, as well as Spanish music and culture. From the first performance with his own Chicago Jazz Philharmonic in 2011, Orbert introduced new elements to reflect the Moorish influences on Spanish culture, introduces new infectious jazz grooves, and highlights the unique talents of individual musicians in his ensemble.  - More - “One has to think that Miles Davis would have been intrigued, given his own history of ignoring rules and continuously reinventing his music.” Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune Working together, the musicians have created a sound based on Spanish culture that is a blend of classical aesthetic and jazz sensibility, revealing an emotional depth that is universally recognizable. “I hope that the listener will be able to identify with the passion and emotion expressed in this work”, says Davis.  “There is a story behind the music, and each person needs to interpret that story for themselves.” The theme of creatively reinterpreting a classic is carried out on the album’s cover, which features original artwork created as part of a CD Cover Art Contest held by CJP in the spring of 2014. The contest required Chicago area students to interpret different visual aspects of Spanish culture: a matador, a flamenco dancer, and a mountain village scene.  The winning entry was submitted by Jaylyn Scott, a 14-year-old student at Orland Junior High School.  As the contest winner, Jaylyn earned a prize fee and will receive royalties on the sale of all related merchandise like posters, mugs or t-shirts. The multi-talented Jaylyn is also a student in the CJP Summer Jazz Academy where she studies the saxophone. Orbert Davis Orbert Davis is co-founder, conductor and Artistic Director of Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, a 55+ piece jazz-symphonic orchestra and a 16-piece chamber group dedicated to multi-genre projects.  He is also the co-founder of “Jazz Alive,” an interdisciplinary enrichment program that focuses on teaching life and academic skills through music, currently providing weekly music and band instruction to hundreds of Chicago Public School students. One of Chicago’s busiest and most sought after musicians, Davis was commissioned in 2012 to create a new work for Chicago Symphony Center’s city-wide “Rivers Festival.”  He was named Artist-In-Residence for the Chicago Jazz Festival in 2011, an honor held by only one other Chicagoan in its history. In that same year Davis won an Emmy Award for the composition and production of an original score for the national PBS documentary, DuSable to Obama: Chicago’s Black Metropolis. In 2010 he received the “Arts Legend Award” from the Arts Alliance Illinois, a statewide arts advocacy group, recognizing his mission-based accomplishments in both performance and education. Davis has a Bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance from DePaul University and a Masters degree in Jazz Pedagogy from Northwestern University. Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Founded in 2004 by Orbert Davis and Mark Ingram as America’s definitive “Third Stream” orchestra, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic provides rich, accessible, multi-cultural music experiences that bridge gaps in jazz and classical genres. The CJP performs works from the standard jazz big band to the classical symphony, while creating a “new aesthetic” in cross-genre collaborations. The organization also provides music education through Jazz Alive, a weekly music and band education program for Chicago Public School students, and the Summer Jazz Academy, a two-week immersion program in music theory and practice. The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic will celebrate its tenth anniversary season with a series of concerts and special events beginning in September 2014. Support for the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic comes from The Chicago Community Trust, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, The Joyce Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Seabury Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, City Arts Grants, WDCB 90.9FM and Chicago Jazz Magazine. jim@jazzpromoservices.com www.jazzpromoservices.com

New Jazz of Lindsey Blair Quartet...'A New Dawn'

Bob Stewart - Connections-Mind The Gap release in August

BOB STEWART CONNECTIONS-MIND THE GAP The Double Quartet PUBLIQuartet & First Line Band Release Date: August 5, 2014 CD Release Party - September 29, 2014 at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola The career of a jazz tuba player will, in all likelihood, be diverse. The great Bob Stewart has made a name for himself in numerous eclectic settings, from the blues of Taj Mahal, to Mingus's demanding compositions and the free explorations of Arthur Blythe. On his new recording Connections - Mind The Gap, Stewart bridges his own arrangements of compositions of his peers and heroes with movements from a special chamber piece entitled "In Color" that he commissioned from Jessie Montgomery for the PUBLIQuartet string ensemble. Musicians: Bob Stewart - tuba Curtis Stewart - violin Jannina Norpoth - violin Nick Revel - viola Amanda Goekin - cello Jerome Harris - guitar Matt Wilson - drums Randall Haywood - trumpet Nick Finzer - trombone Bob Stewart Bio - www.bobstewartuba.com Bob Stewart on Facebook CD Release Party - September 29 - Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola Click here for reservations.  212-258-9595 Master tuba player and educator Bob Stewart recognizes how fortunate he has been to be affiliated with musical legends and peers who have displayed generosity in allowing him to present his unique conception of tuba playing to receptive audiences. His new recording - Connections - Mind The Gap - (Sunnyside Records) is at once a tribute to those artists representing various styles with whom Stewart was able to ply and develop his trade and it is also a forum to suggest and increase the repertoire for aspiring tuba players. Connections - Mind The Gap is a varied collection of pieces that range from a five movement piece entitled "In Color" that Stewart commissioned from young composer Jessie Montgomery to pieces written by or performed by talented musicians the tuba player has played with over his forty year career. Though the compositions span classical, blues and jazz, the common denominator and uniting element is the tuba. Stewart hardly needs an introduction. His career has been one of seeking challenges and passing on knowledge. His tuba has been featured on recordings from the jazz mastery of musicians like Gil Evans, Charles Mingus and Lester Bowie to the rock and blues inflections of Taj Mahal and Elvis Costello. Stewart has also been an active educator for just as long and has recently become a faculty member at the Juilliard School in New York City. Stewart has been leading his own ensemble - First Line Band - since 1989. The current iteration of the group includes longtime member/guitarist Jerome Harris and the highly regarded drummer Matt Wilson, both of whose intuitive styles are perfect foils for Stewart's playing. Stewart also includes his son, the fantastic violinist Curtis Stewart, in the ensemble. Keeping with the original brass led formation of the First Line Band, Stewart adds trumpeter Randall Haywood and trombonist Nick Finzer for a number of tracks. In addition to the First Line Band, Stewart introduces the PUBLIQuartet, a string quartet (of which his son is a founding member), which accompanies Stewart on a five-part composition entitled "In Color" composed by former member, violinist Jessie Montgomery. The piece was commissioned by Stewart and was written with his abilities as the focus: Montgomery and Stewart held multiple listening sessions where she studied Stewart's extended harmonics and other techniques that she would incorporate into her compositions. This makes these tone poems about Stewart as much as they are about Montgomery. On the recording, the classical and jazz materials enable each other. There are aural elements that tie the performances together, most importantly the tuba. There are intentional elemental and spatial "gaps," however. Obviously, there are stylistic leaps from jazz to classical to blues but there are also spaces between tracks that signal stylistic departures, thus the title. The recording begins with the fifth movement of Montgomery's "In Color," "Red," a short, somber rhapsody with a wide timbral array, which is followed by Frank Foster's "Simone," a supple piece Stewart played as a part of Foster's Loud Minority band in the 1970s. The first movement "Aqua" is a deep piece featuring Stewart's upper harmonics balanced by sweeping strings, while Arthur Blythe's dancing "Bush Baby" is a wonderful display of First Line's dynamic interplay. "Fishin' Blues" is a laidback blues tune written by Henry Thomas, which was covered famously by Taj Mahal, another great supporter/collaborator of Stewart. The second movement is "The Poet," which features an active tuba melody over a steady string accompaniment. The mysterious "Odessa" is another Blythe composition and features the moving violin of Curtis Stewart. Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango" suits the ensemble and the tuba well, with its 2/4-tango feeling, fitting the big horn perfectly. "Purple" is the third movement and features wonderful textures between strings and tuba. Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Mood" is a great piece for tuba as the wide intervals in the melody allow the tuba to really speak, while Stewart's romantic "Nothing To Say" speaks volumes with subtlety. The fourth movement of "In Color" is entitled "Makina" and features the strings at their most avant-garde, creating a soundscape of scrapes and plucks with various interjections by Stewart. Jerome Harris's "Hand By Hand" is a wonderfully emotive tune featuring Harris on vocals. Similar to the Monk composition, Charles Mingus's "Jump Monk" lends itself extremely well to tuba with its intervallic leaps and moving bass line. The recording concludes with "Red 2," a recapitulation of the introduction as a fitting bookend to the album. Bob Stewart has been a proponent for the development of tuba repertoire and experimentation for quite some time. His new recording Connections - Mind The Gap is a tremendous collection of compositions that shows the vast musical landscape the horn can cover while in the expert hands of a tuba pioneer like Stewart.   CONNECTIONS Cover Art: "Steal Away" by Jeff Schlanger, musicWitness® 2014 Now, although it has some years, we want to offer you this video where Bob Stewart excels playing the tuba in the company of his Quartet consisting of: Jerome Harris (guitar), Curtis Stewart (violin) and Matt Wilson (drums), at Cornelia Street Cafe in New York City. Look at these magnificent musicians still together in this new production here discussed. Enjoy, in this video, during the launch of "Connections-Mind The Gap":

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What would Happen If Exist Today Dizzy?

In his early years as a musician he worked with the big bands of Cab Calloway and Earl Fatha Hines, while in 1945 he collaborated with saxophonist Charlie Parker, with whom he recorded some of the most revolutionary themes in the history of jazz. They met in Kansas City, in a hotel room and could not fail to touch, as did Dizzy about this encounter: "twin ideas we had and it was difficult to differentiate what came from me of what was coming from it". This meeting was born the bebop, with memorable performances in the Minton's bar. Racing Parker and Dizzy, followed separate ways: while the first was unmatched in small formations, Gillespie offered their best against large formations. While Parker has suffered marginalization, Gillespie became one of the best-known figures of the jazz. His fame grew with his strong personality and his personal shows are highlighting their ability for the scat, Central American percussion instruments and his public appearances are notably his candidacy to the Presidency of the United States in 1964.

Por elsewhere, he was one of the first jazz musicians which integrate in 1947 to play Afro-Cuban jazz created by Mario Bauzá and the Machito Orchestra in 1943, so it went beyond U.S. borders and was interned in world music quickly.

Next to the conga player "Chano" Pozo Gillespie put to enjoy the people with their sizzling pace that already began to spread as Latin Jazz.
Fue guardian of one of the most great trumpeters in the history: Arturo Sandoval and many others.
The wise attitude of Gillespie grew even more our genre musical, which already reached favorite everywhere. There was no Festival in the world where it was not our music, but all this growth of Latin Jazz has unleashed a series actions and absurd positions that we have been beating with flavor, joy and giving the best music.
He was a visionary in the Musical art and knew how to carry with strength, skill, talent Latin Jazz everywhere, even settle and directed the Orchestra of the United Nations and is the video we bring you and think: what would happen if exist today Dizzy? look how many latinos are in this wonderful training and flavor that permeates. Was simply exciting to see this live presentation that year and we want to enjoy it again:



¡¡Viva The Latin Jazz!!

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These are logos and programmes of some festivals that event are made in important cities in Europe these days and where Latin Jazz has significant participation

Jane Ira Bloom Soprano Saxophonist of the Year 62nd Annual DownBeat Critics Poll

For The Complete List Of the 2014 DownBeat Poll Winners Go HERE

www.janeirabloom.com Enjoy it!:

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