A show featuring new releases from Something Else (featuring Vincent Herring), Ellie Lee, The Jazzanians, Borderlands Trio, David Murray, Eternal Triangle, François de Larrard & Mathieu Bec, Jake Hertzog, Kevin Figes, Modern Black Music Ensemble, The Flame (Robert Mitchell, Neil Charles, Mark Sanders), Tom Skinner, and Verb.
SHOW
PLAYLIST
Intro Theme 00:00
Something Else! Featuring Vincent Herring “Filthy McNasty” from Soul Jazz (Smoke Sessions Records) 00:52
Ellie Lee “Escape” from Escape (Sori-E Naite Music Company) 05:43
The Jazzanians “Se Hamba Nabo” from We Have Waited Too Long (Ubuntu) 11:32
Borderlands Trio “Axolotl” from Rewilder (Intakt Records) 19:44
David Murray Quartet “Francesca” from Francesca (Intakt Records) 25:56
Eternal Triangle “Ghana Friends” from Gravity (Jazz Now) 36:45
François de Larrard Mathieu Bec “Chromatic Walk” from Floating (Mazeto Square) 45:29
Jake Hertzog “The Attempt” from Longing To Meet You (Self Produced) 51:35
Kevin Figes “I wish there was a nowhere” from You Are Here (PIG Records) 59:11
Modern Black Music Ensemble “Pilgrimage” from Saruya (Fragments of Blue) 1:12:57
The Flame (Robert Mitchell, Neil Charles, Mark Sanders) “Be Kind (Through It All)” from Towards The Flame, Vol. 2 (577 Records) 1:23:02
Tom Skinner “Oasis” from Voices of Bishara Live at -mu (International Anthem Recording Company) 1:31:09
Verb “Yne” from Symbiose (Silene France) 1:51:23
SHOW NOTES
Something Else! Featuring Vincent Herring
When soul jazz was born in the late 1950s/early 1960s, it provided a pathway for the funky grooves of contemporary soul and R&B to infuse the muscular hard bop of the day. For the generation that grew up in that era, soul jazz is the soundtrack of their lives. The new supergroup Something Else! brings together a superb septet that matches virtuosity with a feel for this music. Spearheaded by alto saxophone great Vincent Herring, the band’s debut release features trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, guitarist Paul Bollenback, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Otis Brown III. The album features tunes from such masters as Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine, Eddie Harris, Pee Wee Ellis, and John Coltrane, played with infectious vitality. The approach to jazz that these musicians take always comes with its fair share of soul, no matter the stylistic twists and turns it may take. But with Something Else! they The band places the soul firmly the spotlight, refreshing classic material with a joyous feel.
Ellie Lee
Lee’s new album features seven original compositions and one arrangement that display a blending of her jazz and classical backgrounds. In a recent interview Lee said that, despite the fact she had become frustrated by classical music’s rigidity, she has begun to feel “the coexistence between classical music and jazz music.” On Escape, pianist Lee is joined by saxophonist Steve Wilson, bassist Steve LaSpina , and drummer Jongkuk Kim. Well written tunes embrace complex arrangements deliveing an exciting listen.
The Jazzanians
An Ubuntu Music release restoring and remastering the recordings of the multiracial jazz ensemble from 1988 in Apartheid South Africa. “We Have Waited Too Long” was spearheaded by Darius and Catherine Brubeck. Darius launched the first university degree in Jazz at the University of Natal in 1984. In 1988, the Jazzanians were the first multi-racial student jazz ensemble from South Africa to tour outside the country. They were a huge hit and appeared on national NBC and CBS television in the USA. Following this success, it seemed natural that the band should record. “We Have Waited Too Long” was the result. Re-releasing it in 2024 honours those Jazzanians no longer with us Johnny Mekoa, Zim Ngqawana and Lulu Gontsana, as well as raising the South African Jazz flag. The recording is a jubilant expression of the creative interaction apartheid tried to stifle. An international documentary film, “Playing the Changes: Tracking Darius Brubeck” describes a significant passage in South African history (1983-2006). The film will also be released worldwide in 2024.
Borderlands Trio
With Kris Davis, Stephan Crump and Eric McPherson, the Borderlands Trio unites three great personalities. Brooklyn bassist Stephan Crump initiated the band and has kept it together for seven years. The two previous CD releases were praised by jazz critics. This music takes its time to explore the subtle nuances of a patient and generous musical dialog. This new double album, is further proof that the classical piano trio in the hands of these threee holds a world of vast possibilities, revealing the adventures of improvisation, the bliss of free play.
David Murray Quartet
Murray, the giant of modern jazz, fuses all the great things that black music has produced: Gospel sounds, free jazz, Afro-Caribbean, blues, soul as well as the beautiful standards of classic jazz. Murray's colourful tone, unsurpassed intonation, sense of swing, melancholy tones, improvisational power and ingenuity make him one of the most important voices in music today. His new quartet, which mainly plays his own compositions, gives the three young musicians plenty of space. David is with Marta Sanchez: Piano, Luke Stewart: Acoustic Bass, and Russell Carter: Drums
Eternal Triangle
Jazz In Britain launches its’ ‘new music’ imprint Jazz Now, commencing with Eternal Triangle’s first studio recording. The band is Trevor Watts, Jamie Harris and Veryan Weston. The album features 10 new compositions by Trevor, all of which have been honed on the live circuit in recent months, because of that this album has a very much ‘tried and tested’ vibe.
François de Larrard and Mathieu Bec
An album of free improvisation where compositions were created instantaneously. Starting from jazz, the recording ventures into the worlds of improvised contemporary music with a succession of moments which balance modernism and nostalgia. For just two musicians the sound is huge.
Jake Hertzog
In his career guitarist Jake Hertzog has performed and composed music for jazz, rock, folk and classical music styles in addition to being the musical director for pop stars. A sonic explorer, Hertzog put together his recent quartet for his new project, utilizing three superb musicians altoist Matt Woroshyl, bassist Perrin Grace, and drummer Joe Peri. He knew them from their mutual time attending the Manhattan School in New York. Longing To Meet You is inspired by Hertzog’s experiences with IVF. His nine originals are dedicated to the joyful result, the birth of his daughter.
Kevin Figes
Kevin Figes is a saxophonist, flautist and composer who has previously played with the likes of Keith Tippett and released an album on Pig Records in 2021. Here, he's playing with a full band line-up including Riaan Vosloo on bass, Tony Orrell on drums, Jim Blomfield on piano, Raphael Clarkson on trombone and Peter Judge on trumpet. Their debut CD features Kevin’s new arrangements of five pieces by Keith Tippett, plus compositions by Elton Dean, Harry Miller, Dudu Pukwana and others. You Are Here is a loving tribute to friends, mentors and collaborators no longer with us.
Modern Black Music Ensemble
Inaugurating the Fragments of Blue netlabel, Saruya, is the debut live album from a Free Jazz/Guided Improvisation orchestra conducted and directed by Renee Baker which performs her fascinating compositions.
The Flame (Robert Mitchell, Neil Charles, Mark Sanders)
When piano virtuoso Robert Mitchell, celebrated double bassist Neil Charles, and drum wizard Mark Sanders came together as a trio in 2022, “The Flame” was born. Now, 577 Records release the group’s second album. Volume 2 features 40 minutes of captivating avant-garde, experimental music in three tracks. Much like their first album, the second outing is yet another sparkling contribution to the rich British improvised music scene. This outstanding interplay among trio members brings together the perfect balance of adventurous improvisation, abstract rhythms, and lingering melodies.
Tom Skinner
The title of Tom Skinner’s first release under his own name is a reference to cellist Abdul Wadud’s ultra-rare 1978 solreso album ‘By Myself’, which Skinner listened to repeatedly during lockdown. Wadud’s album was privately pressed on his own label, Bisharra, and whilst Skinner’s title uses the more conventional spelling of this common Arabic name, they both have the same intention or meaning: it translates as ‘good news’, or ‘the bringer of good news’. This is a classic-sounding record that connects backwards to Skinner’s 2017 Hello Skinny collaboration with American composer and Arthur Russell-collaborator Peter Zummo on ‘Watermelon Sun’. It links sideways to Makaya McCraven’s beat maker-inspired treatments of jazz sessions, and it offers a musical bridge to Sons of Kemet’s most meditative moments. The band is Tom Skinner – Drums, Kareem Dayes – Cello, Nubya Garcia – Tenor saxophone and flute, Tom Herbert – Acoustic bass, and Shabaka Hutchings – Tenor saxophone and bass clarinet
Verb
Propelled by the subtle African polyrhythms of Cameroonian drummer Garcia Etoa Ottou and the hypnotic basslines of Charles Thuillier, pianist Noam Duboille delivers highly enjoyable tunes with toe-tapping freshness.