Preview of Coming Distractions – Large Ensemble Edition

Most readers of this blog know just how much I love Large Ensemble Music. In the next four weeks, there will be, at least, five new Big Band albums released (plus one already issued that I just received) and each one is worth exploring. This post does not have reviews per se but, hopefully, will whet your appetite to check these out.

Singer and actor Rubén Blades, born in Panama, made his recording debut on 1970 on Fania Records singing in front of the Pete Rodriguez Orquesta.  Since then, he has appeared on numerous recordings as a leader or co-leader (nearly 40) –– he's also appeared in 40 movies plus had/ has recurring roles on several television series.  He's also been active politically.  On April 16, Blades can be heard with Roberto Delgado & Orquesta on "SALSWING" (Rubén Blades Productions), his third album with this band over the past six years; this is the first of the three that contains English vocals.  Looking at the cover, you can see the myriad influences on Blades and the musicians in the Orquesta.  He's in excellent voice here, even "crooning" a la Frank Sinatra at times, and the musicianship of the large ensemble is top-notch.

To find out more, go to http://rubenblades.com/.

Here's Blades & the Band live from 2018:

"Virtual Birdland" (ZOHO Records) is the latest album from Arturo O'Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ALJO created an "Emergency Fund" for freelance musicians whose livelihood had ground to a halt, and also began a weekly stream of full-length concerts called "Virtual Birdland".  You can see the concert streams on YouTube.  For those streams and the album, all of the musicians and guests were recorded in their homes (throughout the world). Same thing for the album where all the musicians' contributions were mixed together in Kuwait by engineer Amin Farid Abdal. The music sounds live, lively, filled with smart arrangements and great solos.  The various guests, who include saxophonist Paquito D' Rivera, French-American vocalist Malika Zarra, Kuwaiti guitarist and vocalist Ghazi Faisal Al-Mulaifi, and Kuwaiti percussion ensemble Boom Diwan.  You'll won't be able to keep yourself from dancing to this music!  The album, released on April 9, is basically the "Best of" the weekly concert series.

For more information, go to https://afrolatinjazz.org/  or http://zohomusic.com/cds/ofarrill_virtualbirdland.html.

Here's a way to contribute to the latest fundraiser, "Sustain The Groove", organized by Afro Latin Jazz Alliance of New York:

https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/sustain-the-groove. 

Here's the "album release" video:

On April 19, Chronograph Records of Canada will issue "Saskatchewan Suite", a powerful new recording by the Saskatchewan All Star Big Band.  The 21-member ensemble, composed of musicians born or raised or currently living in the Province, was organized to play this "Suite" by the Regina Jazz Society who recruited composer, arranger, and pianist Fred Stride to write a musical history of the Canadian Province, from its days as a part of the lands of the First Nations, then the influx of immigrants, surviving the harsh winters and so much more. Many of the players are known beyond the Canadian border.  The music was recorded live in front of an enthusiastic audience.

To find out more, go to https://chronographrecords.com/artists/saskatchewan-all-star-big-band/.

Here's an overview:

Actress Glenn Close and saxophonist/ composer Ted Nash have a fascinating new collaboration that they recorded with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and special guests Amy Irving, Wayne Brady, Matthew Stevenson, and the saxophonist's son Eli.  "Transformation" (Tiger Turn - issued on May 7) tells stories of change, most times personal but also communal. Recorded live in concert just weeks before the COVID pandemic shut down venues around the globe, the stories are powerful, the music never gets in the way of the words, and the Wayne Brady piece (which he wrote and performed) will change your opinion of him forever! The Orchestra, as usual, plays with power and grace with solos from many members sprinkled throughout the 11-song program.

For more information, go to www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/BWW-Interview-Glenn-Close-And-Ted-Nash-of-TRANSFORMATION-at-Jazz-At-Lincoln-Center-20200124.

Here are the two principals talking about the project:

Over the past decade, drummer/ composer/ conceptualist Ulysses Owens Jr. has been busy as a leader and sideman.  Now, he's released his first Big Band album––"Soul Conversations" (Outside In Music) blends blues, swing, bebop, pop music, hard bop, and more into a delightful 73-minute adventure. Recorded over three nights in concert at Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the 17-piece ensemble is filled with fine young players from the New York City area plus several veterans (for example, trombonist and associate co-producer Michael Dease) as well as several guests (including vibraphonist Stefon Harris). There are moments when the Band roars with excitement as well as quieter passages that are emotionally rich. The album hits the stores and online on May 7.

For more information, go to www.usojazzy.com/. 

Here's the delightful opening track:

Also on May 7, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, Richard Gillis director, releases its fourth album. "Twisting Ways" (self-released) combines compositions by David Braid (piano) and Phillip Côté with the four-part title track featuring lyrics by Dr. Lee Tsang. The composers share writing credits on the title track while each contribute one more piece (Braid's "Lydian Sky" also features lyrics by Dr. Tsang while Côté's "Fleur Variation" shines a spotlight on vibraphonist Stephan Bauer).  This is powerful music, well-executed, and brimming with invention.

For more information, go to www.winnipegjazzorchestra.com/.

Here's the album trailer:

Black America, Latin America, & Cuban Roots

Arturo O'Farrill is a polymath of the highest order.  His music he composes for his various projects, including the Afro Late\in Jazz Orchestra, not only continues his explorations that his father, the renowned composer and arranger Chico O'Farrill, began in the 1940s but also has branched out to speak to the diaspora that is the Black and Hispanic experience (the composer and pianist was born in Mexico City but moved to New York City when he was four).  Arturo began his professional career working with Carla Bley, going to perform with Harry Belafonte, Wynton Marsalis, and others plus working with his father's original Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra, returning the band and the senior O'Farrill's music to Cuba in 2010.

"Four Questions" (ZOHO Music) is the younger O'Farrill's seventh album with the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. It's a fascinating collection recorded over the past four years and the first in O'Farrill's recorded oeuvre to feature all original pieces. The program includes the four-part suite "A Still, Small Question" that features the ALJO with a vocal choir, three new works for large ensemble, and the title composition (more about that below). The album opens with the playful, bouncy, sassy, "Baby Jack" – named for a friend's first grandson, the trombones get first crack at pretending crazy kids while the trumpets attempt to be the voices of reason. Alto saxophonist David DeJesus moves out of the cacophonous sounds of the household with a keening solo then returns for a more playful take. "Jazz Twins" is dedicated to the composer's friend from Los Angeles who are big jazz fans and have traveled around the country to see / hear the band; they were invited to go to Cuba with O'Farrill.  The music has a sophisticated feel with excellent work from trumpeter Dave Smith and saxophonist Ivan Renta. After the long opening melody section, the band moves into a rapid-fire Latin beat led by drummer Vince Cherico with percussionists Tony Rosa and Carly Maldonado. Renta and Smith take advantage of the fiery rhythms to produce two excellent solos.

Photo: JP Cutler Media

The title track, originally premiered as the "Cornel West Concerto" in 2016 at the Apollo Theater in Harlem NYC, is a tour-de-force for one of the more forceful orators of the late 20th and early 21st Century.  The "Four Questions" (now the title of the piece) refer to four questions raised by W.E.B. DuBois in his 1903 classic "The Soul of Black Folk": What does integrity do in the face of adversity / oppression? What does honesty do in the face of lies / deception? What does decency do in the face of insult? How does virtue meet brute force? Dr. West's libretto covers a wide swath of territory; one gets to hear his biography ("...born on the chocolate side of Sacramento"), then he moves on weaving the questions with his commentary on the power of Black music on the popular music scene of the 20th Century, namedropping John Coltrane and other musicians. There's a delightful section during which O'Farrill moves through history of 20th Century piano with the encouragement of Dr. West.  But the "Questions" are so important to this music as they call on the composer, musicians, and listeners to do more than write, play, and be audience – choose to be more deeply involved in your communities to help bring about the equality that the Forefathers of the United States hoped would be the backbone of this country.

That's just the first three tracks, over half the disk with five pieces to go.  "A Still, Small Voice" takes its libretto from Christian, Hindu, and Shinto texts. The piece was inspired by the global financial crisis of 2008 and could easily speak to the current pandemic and its economic consequences for poor and middle class people.  The music for the piece is uniformly excellent while, at the same time, the voices force one to pay attention to them.  The third "movement", "Cacophonous", is a fascinating work with powerful playing from each section plus an excellent soprano sax solo from Ivan Renta.

The one track I'll leave you to discover for yourself is "Clump/ Unclump" –– it is sandwiched between Dr. West's stunning "Oratorio" and the rousing Suite that closes the album. "Four Questions" is splendid listening from start to finish.  This is music that makes you want to dance, challenges your ears as well as your beliefs, filled with brilliant writing, intelligent arrangements, delightful playing, and more.  On top of all that, Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra continues one of the finest large ensembles on the planet!

For more information, go to www.arturoofarill.com.

Personnel:
Arturo O'Farrill - piano, compositions, arrangements
Saxophones – Bobby Porcelli, Ivan Renta, Jeremy Powell, Larry Bustamente, and David DeJesus
Trumpets – Bryan Davis, Seneca Black, Dave Smith, Adam O'Farrill, and John Bailey
Trombones and tuba – Rafi Malkiel, Kajiwara Tokunuri, Frank Cohen and Earl McIntyre
Ricardo Rodriguez – bass
Vince Cherico – drums
Tony Rosa and Carly Maldonado – congas, bongos, and percussion

Personnel for "A Still, Small Voice":
Arturo O'Farrill – composer and conductor
Saxophones – Ivan Renta, Bobby Porcelli, David DeJesus, Peter Brainin, and Jason Marshall
Trumpets – Seneca Black, John Bailey, Jim Seeley, and Jonathan Powell
Trombones – Rafi Malkiel, Kajiwara Tokunuri, Frank Cohen and Earl McIntyre
French horn – Sharon Moe
Turntables – DJ Logic
Bass – Gregg August
Drums – Vince Cherico
Congas and bongos – Roland Guerrero and Joe Gonzalez
Piano – Alison Deane
plus a Choir conducted by Jana Ballard with Aubrey Johnson and Edda Fransdottir soprano soloists

Colombian-born pianist, composer, and arranger Carolina Calvache issued her debut album on Sunnyside Records in April of 2014, a program of original pieces that featured a sextet including drummers Antonio Sanchez and Ludwig Afonso, trumpeter Michael Rodriguez, saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, and bassist Hans Glawischnig.  "Sotareño" is an impressive album, as much for her intelligent compositions as for the excellent musicianship.

She began recording her second Sunnyside album, "Vida Profunda" in 2017 with sessions spread over the next two + years. The 10 tracks feature different vocalists with only one, Sara Serpa, appearing on more than one song (though Lara Bello sings lead on one tune and is part of a chorus on another); plus, the only male vocalist is Ruben Blades (see and hear below). Five of the tracks feature a string quartet but no two pieces have the same personnel.  What pulls the entire project together is Ms. Calvache's splendid compositions and arrangements.  The program is a tribute to poetry that has always been a part of the musician's life. Lyrics by Pablo Neruda, Robert Duncan, Porforio Barba Jacob, Yiannis Ritsos, and James Weldon Johnson as well as from fiction writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez plus four original works from Ms. Calvache.

Photo: Andros Caballo

Jacob's title poem leads off the album with Marta Gomez on lead vocals.  Note how the string quartet and piano help to tell the story while bassist Petros Klampanis and percussionist Keita Ogawa keep the music moving forward.  Blades's handsome voice  helps to convey the emotion in the original "Te Conoci de Neuvo" ("I Met You Once More") while the pianist lifts the music out of the ordinary with her lyrical phrases over the supportive bass of Peter Slavov, quiet brush work of Johnathan Blake, and gentle rhythmic hand percussion of Samuel Torres.

Photo: Emra Islek

Every track stands out. The brilliant arrangement of brass, reeds and strings on "Sin Un Despido" ("Without a Dismissal") blanket the voice of Claudia Acuña as she sings Ms. Calvache's poem in tribute to the Brazilian soccer team that died in a 2016 plane crash. Sara Serpa is featured on "Hope" (with lyric from JW Johnson's "Lift Every Voice and Sing") – the quartet of the leader's piano, Slavov, Blake, and Torres set a torrid pace for the vocalist's splendid wordless journey (she speaks several lines from the poem in the song's opening seconds.  Ms. Serpa also takes the lead on "El Rastro" ("The Trail"); the lyrics are from Garcia Marquez's short story "El Rastro de tu Sangre en la Nieve" ("The Trail of your Blood in the Snow").  The music is quite powerful and, again, the string arrangement stands out.   Michael Rodriguez's clear-toned trumpet is featured along with the lovely voice of Aubrey Johnson and the string quartet on the lovely ballad "Childhood Retreat."  With lyrics (in English) by Duncan, the music changes pace on the power of the piano and Blakes's powerful drums.

"Vida Profunda" is a profound work of art, one that celebrates poetry, music, and the singing voice in equal measure.  In the midst of these seemingly endless dark days, this music proposes, like the Spring season outside our windows, that we often must have hope in the face of depression. A supreme triumph for Carolina Calvache, a program that should be heard on concert stages around the world!

For more information, go to www.carolinacalvache.com.  To purchase the album, which will be released on 5/29/2020, go to carolinacalvache.bandcamp.com/album/vida-profunda.

Here's the track with Ruben Blades:



Personnel includes:

Carolina Calvache - piano, composer, and arranger
Jonathan Blake and Keita Ogawa - drums; 
Petros Klampanis , Ricky Rodriguez and Peter Slavov - bassists ; 
Tomoko Omura , Leonor Falcon , Ben Russell , Annaliesa Place , and Adda Kridler - violinists  ; 
Allysin Clare and Jocelin Pan - violists ; 
Brian Sanders and Diego Garcia - cellists;
Hadar Noiberg - flute ;
Katie Scheele - oboe; 
Achilles Liarmakopoulous - trombone; 
Paul Won Jin Cho - bass clarinet; 
Samuel Torres -  bongo and djembe
special guests: harmonica player Grégoire Maret and trumpeter Michael Rodriguez. 

Vocalists (in order of appearance):
Marta Gomez, Sofia Ribiero, Ruben Blades, Claudia Acuña, Sara Serpa, Aubrey Johnson, Haydee Milanese, Lara Bello, and Luba Mason. 

2015, Sweet Success (Part 3)

So much of American music is influenced by rhythms of the African diaspora, especially those developed in the Caribbean and South America. At this point in time, no one is more adept at capturing the attention of audiences around the US and world than arranger, composer, and pianist Arturo O'Farrill. In 2014, his brilliant CD "The Offense of the Drum" (Motema Music) was a musical history lesson filled with stories, rap, rhythm and great interplay.  Later that year, O'Farrill and his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra were in Cuba preparing to record his latest project "Cuba: The Conversation Continues" (Motema Music) when President Obama announced the normalization of relationships between the island nation and the United States.  The recording was made less than 48 hours later; the result is both a celebration of the musical heritage and a showcase for how the music has developed from the days when Xavier Cugat's Orchestra danced its way into the movies and nightclubs and Chano Pozo electrified audiences with Dizzy Gillespie.

For more information, go to motema.com/releases/cuba-the-conversation-continues/.

Trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas had yet another busy musical year, culminating in a 4-day run at The Jazz Standard with his most recent Quintet. He had initially convened the group - Jon Irabagon (tenor sax), Matt Mitchell (piano), Linda Oh (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums) - to record "Be Still" (Greenleaf Music), an album dedicated to the trumpeter's mother with ballads and hymns she requested be play at her funeral (the album also included the vocals of Aoife O'Donovan).  At the same time, the Quintet recorded "Time Travel", an impressive set of instrumental pieces.  This year, the Quintet released "Brazen Heart", a collection of songs that not only point to the influence of Mies Davis's mid-1960s classic Quintet but incorporates rhythms and melodies that sound contemporary.  The energy and musicality of this group is undeniable.

For more information, go to www.greenleafmusic.com/brazen-heart/.

Speaking of busy people, guitarist, composer, engineer and mix Master Liberty Ellman issued his first recording in 9 years.  "Radiate" features the talents of Stephan Crump (bass), Jose Davila (tuba, trombone), Damion Reid (drums), Steve Lehman (alto saxophone) and Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet). One hears a harder edge in the guitarist's playing than usually displayed on his work with Mr. Threadgill's Zooid and Mr. Crump's Rosetta Trio yet there is such an impressive soulfulness to his playing as well. The rhythm section of Davila, Crump and Reid is brilliant throughout plus the combination of Lehman and Finlayson adds spice to the overall sound.

For more information, go to pirecordings.com/album/pi60.

Whereas Arturo O'Farrill has mined the traditions of the African diaspora and Dave Douglas has delved into the folk traditions of Appalachia, trumpeter, vocalist, composer and santur player Amir ElSaffar has explored his family's roots in Iraq.  This year, Pi Recordings issued "Crisis", a stunning exploration of Middle Eastern music (no doubt influenced by the time the composer spent in Egypt and Lebanon in 2013 during the months of political and social upheaval. Composed for and performed by ElSaffar's Two Rivers Ensemble - Nasheet Waits (drums), Carlos DeRosa (bass), Tareq Abboushi (buzuq, a Persian string instrument related to the Greek bouzouki and Turkish saz), Zafer Tawil (oud, violin, qanun - a Persian zither - and Arab percussion), and Ole Mathisen (tenor saxophone), "Crisis" is filled with dazzling rhythms (Mr. Waits at his finest), splendid solos and emotionally rich vocals.

For more information, go to pirecordings.com/album/pi59.

Over the course of 3 CDs, pianist and composer Jeremy Siskind has shown he is enamored of emotionally rich melodies, lyrical poetry, and connecting with audiences on a personal level. His latest album, "Housewarming" (BJU Records) features the trio of Siskind, Nancy Harms (vocals) and Lucas Pino (reeds) plus contributions from vocalists Kendra Shank, Kurt Elling and Peter Eldridge. The results are not only charming but also intelligent, mature, and intimate.

For more information, go to www.jeremysiskind.com/music/housewarming/.

Guitarist Mary Halvorson seems to be as busy as Dave Douglas with her work as a bandleader plus her regular gigs with drummer Tomas Fujiwara, reed master Anthony Braxton, trombonist Jacob Garchik, bassist Michael Formanek and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock (I'm sure I missed a few).  2015 saw the release of Ms. Halvorson's first solo CD "Meltframe" (Firehouse 12 Records), a fascinating collection of songs and sounds that illuminates the guitarist's myriad influences and just how original her work is. There is intensity as well as gentleness on this program of standards  (such as Duke Ellington's "Solitude" and McCoy Tyner's "Aisha") and works by her contemporaries (bassist Chris Lightcap and Noël Akchoté).  

For more information, go to firehouse12records.com/album/meltframe. 

Since the days of Louis Armstrong 's youthful (and lifelong) infatuation with opera, contemporary musicians have turned to classical music for inspiration. Enter trumpeter Thomas Bergeron: his 2nd CD as a leader, "Sacred Feast" (self-released) blends the fertile imagination of Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) with Bergeron's own take on modern music. His ideas and sketches are interpreted by the fine ensemble of Satoshi Takeishi (drums, percussion), Michael Bates (acoustic bass).  Hannah Collins (cello), Jason Ennis (guitar), vocalist Becca Stevens and the atmospheric accordion/piano of Vitor Gonçalves.  The music is both intimate and expansive, leading the listener down unexpected yet entertaining paths.

For more information, go to thomasbergeron.bandcamp.com/album/sacred-feast.

My students often point to artists such as Nas, Tupac Shakur, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar and tell me (rightfully) that these artists are contemporary social commentators. The link between the modern rappers and artists such as Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye (in his "What's Goin' On" days) was Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011) who sang about issues in the 1970s and 80s that still plague the United States to this minute.  Vocalist Charenee Wade joined forces with producer Mark Ruffin plus the musical talents of  Brandon McCune (piano), Dave Stryker (guitar), Lonnie Plaxico (bass) and Alvester Garnett (drums), plus guests vibraphonist Stefan Harris, Malcom-Jamal Warner (spoken word), Marcus Miller (bass clarinet) and especially Ms. Lakecia Benjamin (alto saxophone) to create "Offering: The Music of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson" (Motema Music).  This potent combination of musicality and poetry, honesty and lyricism breathes new life into the original versions plus illuminates the power of social commentary. The entire package is pulled together by Ms. Wade's dramatic, emotional and lyrical voice.  

For more information, go to chareneewade.bandcamp.com/releases.

I've been a fan of pianist David Berkman since I first heard him play on bassist Cecil McBee's 1997 Palmetto CD "Unspoken" - he's a lyrical, thoughtful, player who's not afraid to create emotional music as well as swing mightily (note his work with the New York Standards Quartet). His latest CD - a return to Palmetto - is "Old Friends and New Friends" features the fine ensemble of bassist Linda Oh, saxophonist (soprano, tenor) Dayna Stephens, Brian Blade (drums) saxophonists Adam Kolker (soprano, alto,and tenor plus clarinets) and Billy Drewes (alto, soprano).  What I like as much as the melodic riches throughout program is how one hear that this band is having fun playing together. It's infectious and so enjoyable.

For more information, go to davidberkman.com/music/old-friends-and-new-friends/.

It's a known fact that I love large ensembles and remain amazed how composers and arrangers can think and cat on such a large scale.  Trombonist, composer and arranger Marshall Gilkes, who is a long-time member of the Maria Schneider Orchestra, spent a productive 4 years (2010-13) working with the WDR Big Band. In a wonderful parting gesture, the German organization invited him back in January of 2014 for a farewell concert.  The resulting studio  album,  "Köln" (Alternate Side Records), shows both the talent of Mr. Gilkes  and the versatility of the big band.  While the music does have, at times, great power and swings with abandon, there are also many delicate passages and intelligent section voicings.  

For more information, go to marshallgilkes.bandcamp.com.

"The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern" (Columbia Records) is one of those 2015 releases I did not review yet this collaboration between Tony Bennett and pianist Bill Charlap has become an obsession.  The ageless vocalist sounds like he's having a ball, complimented by Mr. Charlap (40 years his junior) whose elegant lyricism is combined with a wonderful penchant for swinging with abandon.  6 of the 14 tracks features musical "brothers" Kenny and Peter Washington (drums and bass) plus several cuts with Mr. Charlap's wife Renee Rosnes joining on piano. The pianos-only cuts are lovely in their intricate simplicity.  Mr. Bennett rarely, if ever, wastes a note while the framework created by the pianists is always on point.  In this time political intrigue and social unrest, Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap, with the words and music of Jerome Kern, remind us of the hope and longing that the great American songwriters of the early-to-mid-1900s brought to the public.

Yes, I missed some great releases but these 3 posts include ones that I keep returning to, finding much to enjoy each time the music flows through the speakers or headphones.  One can argue that music business is in disarray but musicians seem to find a way to get their voices, instruments, and ideas heard.

Merry Christmas, Happy 2016, and let us continue to work towards peace. Thanks for reading.