Music on the Mountain In the Hills This Weekend

In the summertime throughout the state, live music moves outdoors and out of the city.  Music Mountain, located in Lakeville, CT, (or, as we "staties" call it, "up in the Hills", the Litchfield Hills) has been presenting chamber music concerts each summer since 1930.  Gordon Hall, built by Sears Roebuck, is the centerpiece of the grounds, a concert hall (now air-conditioned) that seats 335 people and is said to have one of the finer sound systems in the state.

This summer, in addition to a full schedule of Sunday afternoon classical music concerts, the venue is presenting a "jazz series" and, judging by the lineup, there's going to be a lot of great music "up in the Hills."  This Saturday (7/15), bassist-composer Alexis Cuadrado will perform alongside vocalist Claudia Acuña and pianist Pablo Vergara in a concert that will feature songs from Latin American and Spanish composers as well as a healthy dose of music from the bassist's brilliant 2013 project "A Lorca Soundscape" (Sunnyside Records). That album, plus 2011's "Noneto Ibérico" and 2016's "Poètica", are among my favorite recordings of this decade, a trilogy that spans the influence of Catalan music (in particular, Flamenco), an immigrant's impressions of the United States in a crazy time, and the contemporary poetry of Spaniards adopting to a new home.  

The intimacy of the "Lorca" music, originally recorded with a quintet plus vocalist, translates well to bass, voice, and piano.  The delicacy and strength of Ms. Acuña's delivery is perfect for the stories in the poetry of the lyrics, written in the whirlwind nine months that the great Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936) spent in North America between June of 1929 and March 1930.

The music begins at 6:30 p.m.  For more information, go to musicmountain.org/category/concerts/ or call 860-824-7126.  Future Saturday shows include the Anouman Gypsy Jazz Quartet (7/22), the Alan Ferber Nonet (7/29), the Ben Kono Group (8/05). Ryan Keberle & Catharsis (8/12), Todd Marcus Quintet (8/19), and Michael Berkeley "Broadway" (8/26). 

Here'a a piece from "A Lorca Soundscape":

Brooklyn Jazz Underground on Top

It's been 4 years since the debut CD by the Rob Garcia 4 and 2 since the band's 2nd effort.  "The Passion of Color" (Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records) is the 3rd release featuring Garcia (drums), Dan Tepfer (piano) and Noah Preminger (tenor saxophone) with bassist Joe Martin joining the band (Chris Lightcap was on the 1st and John Hebert on the 2nd).

What has always impressed about Garcia's music is how equally important melody and rhythm are (not one above the other.)  There's nothing radically changed on this date but, if anything, the ensemble is tighter.  Garcia pushes his soloists on the up-tempo pieces; the title cut drives with such intensity especially during the very tenor solo.  Preminger has often accentuated his "softer" side but here he delivers quite a forceful solo.  Tepfer takes a more impressionistic approach which allows the leader's sparkling cymbal work to stand out.  Dig how the 4-some transforms Max Roach's hard-edged "It's Time" into a medium-tempo ballad, imbuing the piece with more of a blues feel. Garcia's short drum solo is notable for his melodic sensibility and staying "in the mood."  As a composer, Garcia writes to the strengths of his band.  Preminger's tenor on "Purple Blush" explores the melody in the style of Archie Shepp, short shards of melody in sync with the rhythm section.  Meanwhile, Tepfer is both melodic and abstract, downright bluesy too.  The playful rhythms of "The Caterpillar Vs. The Butterfly" gives the quartet plenty of room to maneuver in and around the propulsive bass lines (Martin "runs" not "walks") and the skitter, jittery, drums.  The pianist channels Bud Powell as he slides around the bass and drums. Garcia's splendid brush work sets the proper mood on "The Garden's Poet", a short tune that shows that everyone in the group can play melodies in support of each others.

The disk comes to a close on 2 fascinating tracks.  Speaking of melody, Garcia gives himself the spotlight, going it alone on "The Painter", delivering a drum solo that both swings and sings.  Then, Martin's full-tone bass lines lead the band in on a first-rate reading of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing." No one holds back, each member of the group digs deep into the modern blues that the composer created nearly 5 decades  ago and, although the piece is fairly quiet, there is an intensity of emotion that is palpable throughout.

The Rob Garcia 4 uses an impressive musical palette to create "The Passion of Color." The trust that the members of the group have with each other and the material provides the listener with an aural experience that satisfies on many levels, continuing to do so on subsequent listens.  And, as good as the recording is, the RG4 are a great band to see in person.  For more information, go to www.robgarcia.com.  CT residents, be aware - the Rob Garcia 4 plays The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme on Thursday July 10. Go to thesidedoorjazz.com for ticket information.

Pianist/composer John Chin, a native of Korea who was raised in Los Angeles, has just issued his 2nd CD as a leader (his debut, "Blackout Conception", was released in 2008 on Fresh Sound New Talent). "Undercover" is a self-produced disk from sessions held in May of 2010 and finds the pianist in the company of drummer Dan Rieser and bassist Orlando Le Fleming.   At the time of the taping, the trio had been playing together for some time and Chin wanted to document its progress.  The 3 musicians worked in one room with no preconceived arrangements; the results are quite impressive.  Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington's "Caravan" is given quite a funky backbeat, a cross between Ramsey Lewis and The Bad Plus.  The pianist's polyphonic improvisations (basically, the right and left hands playing several line at the same time) give the trio a full sound.  3 of the other "covers" on the recording were penned by saxophonists including 2 by Wayne Shorter ("Edda" and "Fall") plus John Coltrane's "Countdown." Shorter's "Fall", recorded by Miles Davis on the "Nefertiti" Lp, has great drive, rightfully capturing the mood that composer intended but giving more of a pronounced backbeat.   Rieser and Le Fleming lock in nicely, giving Chin the foundation he needs to explore the harmonic possibilities.  The counterpoint created by the interaction of the piano and bass on Charlie Chaplin's exquisite "Smile" as well as the drummer's playful exploration of the rhythm makes for excellent listening.

Chin supplies 3 original pieces including the sweetly melodic title track that, at times, has the sound and feel of a Bruce Hornsby composition.  Chiming piano chords introduce "If For No One", a tune that blends a Brazilian feel with a classically inspired melody.  After the introduction and theme, Chin's solo rises out of the lower end of the keyboard, building in intensity before the pianist steps aside for the bass solo. "Seemingly" is a imposing ballad and a piece where Le Fleming's strong feel for melody meshes well with that of the pianist.

Again, it's no secret that there are, seemingly, thousands of piano trio recordings released each year.  Don't miss hearing "Undercover", especially for the intense group interactions and the impressive choice of material.  John Chin may have waited 4 years to release this CD; his patience and belief in his musical vision makes this project stand out. For more information, go to www.johnchin.com. Give the music a listen by clicking on the Bandcamp link below.

Tenor saxophonist/composer Gianni Gagliardi, born in Barcelona, Spain and now living in Brooklyn, opens his debut CD "Nomadic Nature" with the sound of rain and thunder.  The song, "Paris", rises out of those sounds with a haunting circular melody that is pushed forward by the drive of Mark Ferber's drums, the throbbing bass lines of Alexis Cuadrado, the 2-handed chords of pianist Luke Marantz and hypnotic guitar work of Gilad Hekselman.   The youthful leader (25 at the time of these sessions) pushes forward with a solo that stays in the middle of his range, displaying the influence of Mark Turner.  He takes a more playful approach on "L'ironie D'une Jolie Prisse De Tete" (roughly translated as "the irony of a pretty headache") with the melody have a smattering of Iberian colors resting atop the electric piano chords.  "Macanudo Man" opens in a style reminiscent of Weather Report in its "Mysterious Traveler" phase, the major difference being Hekselman's probing guitar lines. The "grungy" guitar and distorted electric piano sounds give "Varicela Patagonia" a harder edge and the leader takes advantage of the "heaviness" of the chords to heft to his solo.

Perhaps, the most impressive piece is the handsome ballad "Margolinda" that opens with an impressionistic unaccompanied piano solo that leads to the finely constructed saxophone melody. Marantz takes a solo that moves away from that melody line  while Gagliardi sticks fairly closely to the chord structure.  The strength of the piece lies both in the strong melody but also in the propulsive work of Ferber and Cuadrado (the guitarist sits out for this performance).

"Nomadic Nature" speaks to the fact that young Gianni Gagliardi has already traveled far and wide.   He's well on his way to discovering his "sound", aided greatly on this project by an excellent ensemble.  As he continues to mature, one hopes he does not lose that inquisitive side of his song creation and lyrical nature to his saxophone playing.  For more information, go to giannigagliardi.com.

A Lorca Soundscape In NYC

Bassist/composer Alexis Cuadrado (pictured left) has a new piece that actually has its debut in October of last year - "A Lorca Soundscape" - and now, the recording will be issued in September of this year on Sunnyside Records.  Based on the poetry of Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936) wrote during the year he spent in New York City (1929-1930); during his stay, the Stock Market crashed and the poet observed people flinging themselves from buildings, others starving in the street, and his reactions were captured in poems that tend towards the surrealistic. Published posthumously in 1940 (4 years after the Franco government assassinated the poet/playwright/author) as "Poeta en Nueva York", the book did not become popular world-wide until years after its publication.

Cuadrado, a native of Barcelona, Spain, had read Lorca as a student but it was not until the Stock Market/banking crisis of 2008 that he was reminded of the book.  The music he created for the 8 poems he chose draws heavily on the composer's study of the folk musics of his native country yet, like his brilliant 2011 BJU release "Noneto Iberico", also displays the mesh of modern classical and jazz music Cuadrado has played and studied since moving to New York City at the turn of the 21st Century. The album features the stunning vocal work of Claudia Acuna (pictured above), alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon, pianist Dan Tepfer and drummer Mark Ferber plus a guest appearance from percussionist Gilmar Gomes (2 tracks).

On Friday June 21, Alexis Cuadrado brings the Quintet to the 92Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson Street in New York City to present "A Lorca Soundscape" at 8 p.m.  All the participants save for Zenon (replaced by "Noneto Iberico" group member, Loren Stillman) and Gomes will perform. For ticket information, go to www.92y.org/Tribeca/Event/Alexis-Cuadrado-Lorca-Soundscape.aspx and you'll find what you need to know.  If you go to www.alexiscuadrado.com/#/shows/, you'll find out more about the September CD release event.  And finally, I had the opportunity to talk with Alexis Cuadrado - you can find that by going to www.wliswmrd.net and clicking the "On-Demand" button (we are the second show in the lineup titled "Alexis Cuadrado and RK.")

Late Notice About Live Music

The Uncertainty Music Series continues thisWednesday evening (3/28) at 9 p.m. at the Elm Bar, 372 Elm Street in New Haven. Scheduled to perform are Keith Restaurant (electronics), Brian Parks (pictured left, performing on the virginal, a keyboard related to the harpsichord) and the duo known as Meat Foam (guitarist Chris Cretella and drummer Brian Parmalee). Each person or duo will perform separately.  For more information and directions, go to uncertaintymusic.com - while perusing the site, check out the April Music Festival that Carl Testa has organized.   

Also on Wednesday evening, bassist-composer Alexis Cuadrado, whose 2011 CD "Noneto Iberico" (BJU Records) remains one of my favorite recordings of the past 16 months, performs his latest work "A Lorca Landscape" as part of the "The Checkout: Live From the 92Y Tribeca."  Joining him will be a stellar group of musicians including Dan Tepfer (piano), Miguel Zenon (alto saxophone), Mark Ferber (drums) and vocalist Claudia Acuña.  Thanks to a commission from Chamber Music America, Cuadrado created musical settings for poems written by Federico García Lorca. The great Spanish poet/playwright (1898-1936) spent several months living in New York City and the poetic result, "Poeta en Nueva York", looks at the socio-political climate of the city at the beginning of the Great Depression.  


Also part of the concert, which takes place at 8 p.m. in the performance space of the 92nd Street YMCa in New York City, also features Cuban-born pianist/composer Manuel Valera and his Sextet.  Valera is a fine pianist and his band - Eric Doob (drums), Yosvanny Terry (saxophones), John Benitez (bass), Tom Guarna (guitar) and Mauricio Herrera (percussion) - is very impressive.  To find out more about the show, go to www.92y.org/Tribeca/Event/The-Checkout--Alexis-Cuadrado.aspx.


Alexis Cuadrado brought the band to WNYC-FM studios and John Schaeffer's "Soundcheck".  Click on the link below and you'll learn about the poet, the music and the origins of the project. Thanks to WNYC-FM for sharing the link.

Aiding and Abetting New Music

All hail Chamber Music America and its various granting programs. Over the past decade, CMA, through its "New Works" program, has commissioned full-length projects by jazz composers such as John Hollenbeck, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Joel Harrison, Jane Ira Bloom, Don Byron as well as Connecticut-based composers Mario Pavone, David Chevan and Noah Baerman (which resulted in his "Know Thyself" - reviewed here.) 

Another recipient is bassist/composer Alexis Cuadrado (pictured above) whose bold new work "Noneto Ibérico" will be released on February 15 on BJU Records.  The Barcelona native, a Brooklyn NY resident for over a decade, began researching Flamenco music, transcribing pieces for a small group but the CMA grant allowed him to expand the scope of his work to include 9 musicians.  And, the results are exhilarating.  The ensemble includes saxophonists Perico Sambeat and Loren Stillman, trumpeter Avishai Cohen, trombonist Alan Ferber, guitarist Brad Shepik, pianist Dan Tepfer, percussionist Marc Miralta and drummer Mark Ferber and several guests. It's wonderful how balanced and delicate this music sounds - not that it's without moments of intensity.  "Tocar y Parar" (translated as "Play and Stop" - you'll understand when you hear the piece) features a joyous melody phrased by Cohen's triumphant trumpet over a martial beat and sweet counterpoint from the reeds.   "Te Sigo" rolls gently atop electric piano and guitar lines with the percussion percolating below, the horns sighing then carefully exposing the melody line.  There is a sense of nervous energy on "Draconium" in the continually rising melody line, the circular piano figures, and the forceful percussion.  The solo section opens with Cohen's rippling phrases that are pushed and jostled by the active rhythm section (percussion, piano, bass and guitar.)

The rich melody lines, the handsome harmonies, the subtle rhythmic changes, the excellent solo work and ensemble parts and the joyous attitude of the music all make "Noneto Ibérico" worth your investigation.  To find out more about Cuadrado, his project and the possibility of hearing this vibrant music "live", go to www.alexiscuadrado.com - there, you can stream the CD in its entirety.

As for Chamber Music America, you'll be amazed by (and thankful for) all that the organization, now in its 33rd year. does to advance the cause of music in the United States.  Go to www.chamber-music.org to learn more. 

Here's a video of the Cuadrado Nonet in the recording studio: