Thursday, September 17, 2015

Kenny Burrell - Introducing Kenny Burrell: The First Blue Note Sessions (2-Disc Set)

Despite its title, this LP was actually guitarist Kenny Burrell's second Blue Note album, although the first to be released. Teamed with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Kenny Clarke and the conga of Candido, Burrell displays what was already an immediately recognizable tone. At 24, Burrell had quickly emerged to become one of the top bop guitarists of the era, and he is in particularly excellent form on "This Time the Dreams on Me," "Weaver of Dreams" and "Delilah." A bonus of this set is a percussion duo by Clarke and Candido on "Rhythmorama." Enjoyable music. ~Scott Yanow

Album: Introducing Kenny Burrell: The First Blue Note Sessions (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:53
Size: 111.9 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1956/2000

[4:55] 1. This Time The Dream's On Me
[6:45] 2. Fugue 'n Blues
[4:15] 3. Takeela
[4:40] 4. Weaver Of Dreams
[6:01] 5. Delilah
[6:24] 6. Rhythmorama
[8:03] 7. Blues For Skeeter
[3:58] 8. Get Happy
[3:46] 9. But Not For Me

Album: Introducing Kenny Burrell: The First Blue Note Sessions (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:27
Size: 156.7 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1956/2000
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. Moten Swing
[4:38] 2. Cheetah
[5:50] 3. Now See How You Are
[4:38] 4. Phinupi
[5:09] 5. My Heart Stood Still
[5:09] 6. How About You
[6:19] 7. K.B. Blues
[5:46] 8. D.B. Blues
[9:33] 9. Nica's Dream
[9:02] 10. Out For Blood
[6:12] 11. K.B. Blues

Introducing Kenny Burrell:The First Blue Note Sessions (Disc 1)(Disc 2)

Susana Sawoff - Bathtub Rituals

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:19
Size: 92.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:10] 1. The First Time I Know (Feat Heigl Jonsson)
[4:13] 2. Oh Anthony! (Feat Heigl Jonsson)
[4:12] 3. A Jigsaw Puzzle On Our Love
[3:54] 4. Salt (Feat Heigl Jonsson)
[4:20] 5. How Happy We Are
[3:30] 6. I Love Us
[3:50] 7. Hold Me Through (Feat Heigl Jonsson)
[4:31] 8. After Winter Might Come Fall (Feat Heigl Jonsson)
[3:22] 9. Birds Of Prey
[4:11] 10. I Can't Wait To Be Old (Feat Heigl Jonsson)

Listening to Susana's Album "Bathtub Rituals" is a bit like a musical Join-The-Dots. Eventually the whole picture emerges- and a rather beautiful picture it is. A unique journey to embark on with one trusted travelling companion, Susana's voice: soothing, warm, engulfing, sometimes melancholic but always by your side. The Songs can be described as a blueprint of Susana's microcosm. Its finely chiselled lyrics put the focus on the little things and act as a very personal looking glass on life. This magnification transforms Susana's microcosm into everyone's macrocosm for the length of the album, possibly a lot longer. Sparsely instrumented with only a classic Jazz-Trio setup (piano, bass, drums) and icelandic Guest Musician Helgi Jonsson, the songs achieve greatness through reduction, simmering down to the core of the story. A rare moment of clarity in this over-informed world. A musical calligraphy, if you will. Join the dots.

Susana Sawoff is a Singer and Pianist from Austria who performs throughout Europe with her Austrian-acclaimed colleagues Christian Wendt (Bass&Vocals) and Jörg Haberl (Drums&Vocals). Susana Sawoff has been nominated three times for Austria’s biggest Music-Award, the "Amadeus". She has performed amongst others at: Bix Jazzclub/ Stuttgart, European Jazznights/ Oslo, International Jazzfestival Murszene/ Graz, Opus Jazz Club/ Budapest, Porgy&Bess/ Wien, United Island Festival/ Prag, Jazzkaar Festival/ Estonia, Kaunas Jazz/ Lithuania, JazzGAP/Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Women in Jazz Festival/Halle and at the prestigious "Ö1 Stage" at the "Danube Island Festival". Her Solo Debut Album, Wrapped up in a little Sigh, was sold out and is now in its 3nd Edition. Her Album "Bathtub Rituals" was released on the 12th of June 2015 and is available in CD, VINYL and digital in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan.

Bathtub Rituals

Bobby Hutcherson - Candy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:00
Size: 180.8 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:20] 1. Stardust
[4:15] 2. Green Dolphin Street
[3:30] 3. Stand By Me
[5:17] 4. Blues In The Night
[2:57] 5. I Don't Want To Cry
[6:07] 6. Stella By Starlight
[4:26] 7. Night And Day
[4:11] 8. Through For The Night
[5:08] 9. Stone Crazy
[2:54] 10. Just Waiting
[4:52] 11. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:48] 12. Deep Fried
[3:17] 13. Nothing But The Truth
[4:54] 14. R. B. Q
[2:53] 15. Laughing Tonight
[5:20] 16. Three-Fourth Blues
[4:57] 17. Something's Got A Hold On Me
[4:46] 18. Boss Tina

Easily one of jazz's greatest vibraphonists, Bobby Hutcherson epitomized his instrument in relation to the era in which he came of age the way Lionel Hampton did with swing or Milt Jackson with bop. He isn't as well-known as those two forebears, perhaps because he started out in less-accessible territory when he emerged in the '60s playing cerebral, challenging modern jazz that often bordered on avant-garde. Along with Gary Burton, the other seminal vibraphone talent of the '60s, Hutcherson helped modernize his instrument by redefining what could be done with it -- sonically, technically, melodically, and emotionally. In the process, he became one of the defining (if underappreciated) voices in the so-called "new thing" portion of Blue Note's glorious '60s roster. Hutcherson gradually moved into a more mainstream, modal post-bop style that, if not as adventurous as his early work, still maintained his reputation as one of the most advanced masters of his instrument. ~Steve Huey

Candy

Rebecca Sayre - This Is Always

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:50
Size: 112,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Everything I Love
(2:57)  2. Sweet Sue, Just You
(2:42)  3. Hey There
(3:01)  4. Perdido
(6:41)  5. What's Your Story, Morning Glory
(4:28)  6. All About Ronnie
(4:14)  7. Just in Time
(2:34)  8. I Get a Kick Out of You
(4:34)  9. This Is Always
(3:15) 10. Who Cares?
(5:30) 11. Out Of This World
(3:46) 12. In the Still of the Night

I would recommend it without hesitation. There are many albums about by much better known singers that do not have the quality of this one. The singer and musicians are first rate". ~ Ray Booth, Jazz Views 

"Sayre's phrasing is utmost perfection, interpreting those great standards written in the first part of the 20th century. She has that fresh mid-western sound of clear channel radio of the early fifties. She sings with a Bobby Short compatibility [and] her style is so reminiscent of that brief era, Mid-Western hipness! !a soothing voice and the makings of a chanteuse. ~ Dick Crockett, 88 7 The Voice

"A beautiful release that is wonderfully produced." ~ Eric Cohen, WAER Syracuse (jazz station of the year)"

"As a singer with BadaBiing BadaBoom, Sayre could snap with sass or slink with elegance. Now on her own, she delves deeper into the tasteful side of cabaret jazz, showing off her sparkling fluid touch with a warm tone and a straight-ahead approach to lyrics in front of a lightly swinging combo. Her recent solo debut, This Is Always, concentrates on romantic chestnuts!"~ Michael McCall, Nashville Scene

"Her voice is light, refreshing and pleasant, with few affectations and a straightforward approach to melody and lyric. The liner notes suggest that a number of the selections were captured on first take, and it shows: the album has a relaxed, confident and comfortable feel."~ J. Robert Bragonier, All About Jazz

Rightly self-assured and possessing a wonderful instrument, she doesn't tell her whole story in one song--or even one listening. "This is Always" is a collection of songs you can curl up with again and again."~ Greg Lee, Program Director WMOT Jazz 89

The jazz vocal idiom is much wider and less stylistically restrictive than some people think. Many examples of this are evident on outstanding singer Rebecca Sayre's fine new CD. Sayre is compelling and credible doing both ballads and rapid-fire material. She can swing, belt out a tune or lay back. Sometimes she's sultry, on other occasions she's demure, but most notably, she ensures through her delivery that listeners fully hear and understand each tune's lyrics, messages and underlying themes. Sayre accomplishes these things without excess volume, wasted mannerisms or exaggerated nuances. In short, she's a complete vocalist, and it's a pleasure to hear her renditions of "Everything I Love", "Perdido", "Who Cares", "I Get A Kick Out of You", and "Out of This World" among others.

While Sayre consistently sparkles, her backing musicians are just as outstanding. The disc spotlights the big-toned, joyous backing and solos of tenor saxophonists Denis Solee and Jeff Coffin, while also including wondrous work by Beegie Adair (piano) and Pat Bergeson (guitar, producing) and things are capped by understated, yet forceful bass and drum interaction by Jerry Navarro and Tommy Giampietro. These players give Sayre ample freedom to take chances while also establishing settings that advantageously frame her vocals. Interestingly, one of the more intriguing debates currently raging in some critical circles ponders whether Norah Jones should be considered a "jazz" vocalist. 

Hopefully, no one will have any doubts about Rebecca Sayre's credentials or inclinations after hearing this wonderful release.~ Ron Wynn, Tennessee Jazz & Blue Society http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7144697&style=music&fulldesc=T

This Is Always

The Cory Weeds Quintet featuring Steve Davis - Let's Go

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@VBR ~245K/s
Time: 73:14
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:25)  1. Tonk
( 9:31)  2. Something Borrowed, Something Blue
( 7:54)  3. Rabbit Run
( 9:14)  4. Thinking of You
( 7:22)  5. Not So Solid
( 9:01)  6. Younger Than Springtime
( 4:41)  7. Let's Go!
( 6:40)  8. Tetracosmos
(11:22)  9. Close To Home

A tenor saxophonist with an expressive sound rooted in Jazz tradition, a label owner tirelessly documenting unsung Jazz heroes, one of Canada’s most important Jazz impresarios, the hardest-working man in Jazz business Cory Weeds is all of these things, and much more. Weeds may be best known as the founder and owner of Cory Weeds’ Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver, which he successfully ran for more than 13 years. Weeds built the Cellar to become one of North America’s best Jazz clubs, where masters such as George Coleman, Jeff Hamilton, Louis Hayes, David “Fathead” Newman, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and the finest Jazz musicians from Vancouver and across Canada performed before it closed in February 2014.

But he wasn’t just the club owner. As a saxophonist who studied at the University of North Texas and Capilano College, Weeds spent many nights on the Cellar bandstand as a leader and sideman. He held his own when performing with icons like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. Weeds has also recorded nine albums as a leader, including: Condition Blue, The Music Of Jackie McLean (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth)., As Of Now(with the Harold Mabern Trio), Let’s Go (with Steve Davis), the Juno-nominated Up A Step(Cory Weeds Quartet), With Benefits (with Lewis Nash and Peter Washington), Just Like That(with the Tilden Webb Trio), The Many Deeds of Cory Weeds (with Joey DeFrancesco),Everything’s Coming Up Weeds (with Jim Rotondi), and Big Weeds (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth). In November 2o16 Weeds will release his 10th album: Happy Madness was recorded in L.A. in collaboration with The Jeff Hamilton Trio.

While the Cellar is now a happy memory, the record label Weeds established in 2001 is alive and well. Cellar Live has put out close to 100 recordings, including many that have spent extensive time on the JazzWeek charts, with many more releases planned. In addition to playing on numerous sessions, Weeds has also served as producer on more than 80 recordings.On the presentation front, Weeds founded a new non-profit organization: the Cellar Jazz Society. Dedicated to fostering public education, understanding, and appreciation of Jazz by presenting performances at public venues and educational institutions. CJS did exactly that by presenting its inaugural series of Jazz concerts in April 2014 at Pyatt Hall, a state-of-the-art theatre in downtown Vancouver. The society has since been put on hold as it joins forces with Coastal Jazz to present The Cellar Jazz Series.

Weeds is also programming Jazz at the renowned Francesco’s Restaurant on Burrard Street and a monthly series at The Italian Cultural Center as well as presenting concerts at various other venues around Vancouver under Cory Weeds Presents Beyond Vancouver, Weeds has a strong affinity with New York City. He brought so many of the Jazz mecca’s top players to his club, and has performed, toured, and recorded with many of them. Tapping in to his insider knowledge of the New York scene, he has led the New York With Weeds tour to NYC four times. Weeds leads about 40 Jazz lovers on each tour to Jazz clubs off the beaten track and private recording sessions. The sixth tour will happen in March 2016. Finally, Weeds has also worked as an educator, leading the BC Music Educators Association’s Honour Ensemble, giving clinics, and teaching privately. He has also been a Jazz disc jockey on Vancouver Co-Op Radio. http://coryweeds.com/bio/

Personnel:  Cory Weeds: Tenor Saxophone / Steve Davis: Trombone / Tilden Webb: Piano / Ken Lister: Acoustic Bass / Jesse Cahill: Drums

Let's Go

Bob James - Two

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:46
Size: 89,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:53)  1. Take Me To The Mardi Gras
(5:29)  2. I Feel A Song (In My Heart)
(7:24)  3. The Golden Apple
(8:27)  4. Farandole
(5:31)  5. You're As Right As Rain
(6:02)  6. Dream Journey

Bob James largely defined pop/jazz crossover in the '70s. Two, reissued by Koch, is typical of his output. Mixing together aspects of pop, R&B and classical with just a touch of jazz, James (heard throughout on electric keyboards) put the emphasis on catchy melodies and lightly funky rhythms. The results range from insipid to pleasant, with a brass section, a string section, and vocalists (including Patti Austin) utilized to create what is essentially background music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/two-mw0000649582

Personnel:  Bob James - Electric Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer (Arp Odyssey), Organ (Yamaha Yc30), Conductor, Arranger;  Eric Gale - Guitar, Bass;  Hubert Laws - Flute, Electric Flute;  Rickie Resnicoff – Guitar;  Gary King – Bass;  Steve Gadd, Andrew Smith – Drums;  Arthur Jenkins, Ralph MacDonald – Percussion;  Eddie Daniels – Clarinet;  Al Richmond, Jimmy Buffington, Peter Gordon - French Horn;Eddie Bert, Tom Mitchell, Wayne Andre, Tony Studd – Trombone;  Alan Shulman, Alla Goldberg, Tony Sophos, George Ricci, Jesse Levy, Seymour Barab, Warren Lash – Cello;  John Frosk, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker, Victor Paz - Trumpet, Flugelhorn;  Charles Libove, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Glickman, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman – Violin;  Patti Austin - Lead Vocals;  Frank Floyd, Lani Groves, Zachary Sanders - Vocals

Two

The Bennie Maupin Quartet - Early Reflections

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:50
Size: 173,8 MB
Art: Front

( 2:36)  1. Within Reach
( 7:46)  2. Escondido
( 2:23)  3. Inside the Shadows
( 8:56)  4. ATMA
( 3:51)  5. Ours Again
(10:13)  6. The Jewel in the Lotus
( 3:07)  7. Black Ice
( 7:48)  8. Tears
( 2:38)  9. Not Later Than Now
( 5:46) 10. Early Reflections
( 7:13) 11. Inner Sky
( 4:23) 12. Prophet's Motifs
( 9:04) 13. Spirits of the Tatras

After establishing his reputation in the 1960s and 1970s with artists including Miles Davis, Andrew Hill and Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin mysteriously disappeared for over a decade. Re-emerging in the 1990s, it's still only been recently with the release of the overdue reissue of his 1974 ECM classic, The Jewel in the Lotus in 2007, and his first album as a leader in eight years, the sublime Penumbra (Cryptogramophone, 2006) that the woodwind multi-instrumentalist has returned to greater visibility. Early Reflections's instrumentation may be a more conventional setting than Penumbra's woodwinds/bass/drums/percussion line-up, but it's just as fine, its generally subdued tone broken by occasional bursts of fiery intensity. Like Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko who nurtured a young Polish piano trio that has supported him since Soul of Things (ECM, 2000) but has also built its own independent reputation with Trio (ECM, 2005) Maupin has "discovered" an equally fine trio of Polish musicians in pianist Michael Tokaj, bassist Michal Baranski and drummer Kukasz Zyta. 

Like Stanko's find, Maupin's group demonstrates elegant simplicity on the balladic "Inner Sky" and delicately propulsive "Atma." The latter is one of two to feature Hania Chowaniec-Rybka a singer who, despite this being her first improvisational album away from classical and Tatras folk roots, melds beautifully with Maupin's soprano sax, and with his alto flute on the dark-hued closer, "Spirits of the Tatras." Her improvisational prowess during the extended free opening to "Spirits of the Tatras" transcends conventional scatting with the same kind of timbral explorations as innovators including Meredith Monk and Sidsel Endresen. But while its intro is more vibrant in tone, it ultimately morphs into a brooding ballad feature for the impressionistic Tokaj. Solo space abounds on the softly Latin-esque "Escondido," a feature for Maupin's signature bass clarinet; the hauntingly beautiful "Tears," with Maupin again on alto flute; the in-and-out-of-time ballad "Inner Sky"; and a more rhythmically defined waltz-time retake of The Jewel in the Lotus' title track that, beginning in simmering subtlety, turns into a burning modal workout for Tokaj and Maupin's most powerful solos of the set.

Breaking up the extended tracks are four miniature collective improvisations that bear a surprising sense of construction. The opening "In Reach," in particular, demonstrates the kind of deep interaction normally only heard from groups with considerably more than the two years this group has under its belt. Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in artists who first made their name in decades past. It's only been in the past decade that Tomasz Stanko and Enrico Rava have achieved the international visibility they've always deserved, and Maupin can now be added to that list, thanks to Cryptogramophone. 

Penumbra and the equally outstanding Early Reflections book-end The Jewel in the Lotus a promise Maupin never managed to follow up demonstrating two very different sides and making it clear that he's truly back and better than ever.~John Kelman http://www.allaboutjazz.com/early-reflections-bennie-maupin-cryptogramophone-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Bennie Maupin: bass clarinet; tenor and soprano saxophones, alto flute; Michal Tokaj: piano; Michal Baranski: bass; Lukasz Zyta: drums, percussion; Hania Chowaniec-Rybka: voice (4, 13).

Early Reflections

Nicolas Meier - Mr. MoonJune Recommends: Nicolas Meier

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:32
Size: 158,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. The Wind (Part III The Lightness Of The Wind)
(6:00)  2. October In Ankara
(6:59)  3. Senses
(5:10)  4. Marble Dance
(1:51)  5. Sunset
(6:18)  6. Adiguzel
(6:45)  7. Déjà Vu
(7:57)  8. Breeze
(7:24)  9. Yemin
(5:04) 10. Flight Of The Bumblebee (Adagio)
(5:02) 11. Guidance

In just a few short years UK-based Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier has carved a reputation out as one of the UK’s most original guitarists. Drawing on a love of Turkish, Eastern music, Flamenco, Tango all mix with jazz, Meier has developed his own unique sound with his regular group (latest release was his eight album with his full band.) See Media page for more details. London based Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier is one of the stars of a vibrant British jazz scene, his trademark sound, as heard on his Naim albums, a mixture of Methenyesque jazz and spicy Turkish and world music rhythms. While in 2006 Meier and his band won the prestigious Grand Prize Of The Jury and 1st Prize Jazz Guitar at Jazz a Juan Revelations 2006: A competition open to the finest new jazz musicians and bands in Europe and run by the legendary Jazz A Juan Festival. He has become increasingly well known in his adopted country where his Nicolas Meier Group featuring some incredible musicians (listed below) has toured extensively for the last 8 years.

Meier draws on a multitude of influences: Jazz, Flamenco, Latin and middle-eastern music are all passionately explored in a series of heartfelt acoustic modern jazz originals and all represent part of Meier’s musical and personal world. His wife Songul is Turkish and he has spent time there and in Spain and ‘Orient’ draws on the melodies and rhythms of both countries. Writing in the Guardian, John Fordham described Meier as” elegant in tone and bubbling with ideas… his originality as a writer, a player and a team leader dispatches any doubts” and described his debut album Orient as ‘a seductive balance of strong themes, inventive improvising and dynamic variety’. Meier who was born in 73 first picked up the guitar when he was 12. His parents, both art lovers, had wide-ranging musical tastes and he was exposed to classical, jazz, Latin, flamenco, rock and pop. And it was an early gift from his father of Joe Satriani’s legendary ‘Surfing with the Aliens’ and Tony MacAlpine’s Maximum Security (major intelligent rock guitar-god albums) that first really convinced a young Meier to get practicing. Perhaps his old man was worried because he was subsequently taken on a family outing to the Montreux Jazz festival (in what would become an annual pilgrimage) where he heard Carlos Santana with special guest Wayne Shorter. And later that summer Meier was blown away when he saw John McLaughlin’s trio in Antibes (Trilok Gurtu and Jeff Berlin). In fact Mclaughlin’s album Live at the Royal Festival Hall would be a major influence on Meier with its mix of many styles.

Interestingly Meier’s passion for both rock and jazz persists to this day. Something he partly credits to his teacher Francis Coletta (at the Conservatoire Fribourg) who while inspiring a profound love of jazz and world music encouraged the young man to transcribe rock solos as well! In fact Meier is one of the rare musicians who plays both metal and jazz and has written books on both : ‘Heavy Metal part I: Rhythm Guitar’ and ‘Jazz part I: Chord Tones’. Both published by «www.ibreathemusic.com ». Meier states of his two seemingly divergent loves :“I deeply love both styles. There is magic in each style that the other one doesn’t have. I just love metal’s power and energy and at the same time I love jazz’s deep emotion. Both styles can give high energy but in different directions or different worlds”.

Meier studied arranging with Max Jendly and Francis Boland before earning a scholarship to Berklee in Boston, USA and immersing himself in classic Amercian jazz (Parker, Coltrane, Miles etc) and playing acoustic jazz and fusion. He graduated and returned to Switzerland in 98 and formed the « Meier Group » who became festival regulars and he jammed in Montreux with the likes of Rachelle Ferrel, George Duke, Macy Gray and Will Calhoun. But Meier missed the vibe of Boston, the energy of America and looking around for somewhere that combined European culture and American ‘drive’ he settled on London as the perfect synthesis. Arriving in London Meier met drummer Asaf Sirkis who he credits with helping open his ears to Middle-Eastern music as well as helping him find his feet in London. “He is such a passionate player that I just had to keep playing with him whenever I could and I met Gilad Atzmon through him and many other great players”.

Meier’s Turkish wife Songul is a major influence on his music with the composition Last Rose on his debut album Orient a passionate tribute to her and his new album Silence Talks closes with A Rose In The Pyrenees remembering a happy holiday together. And they have travelled together in her home land. “I fell in love with Turkish rhythms, their instruments, their traditional songs and even their pop music which is very different to western pop drawing on eastern influences’ Other influences include pianist Chick Corea (who moves effortlessly between fusion and acoustic contexts) and of course Pat Metheny (who isn’t? asks Meier) but also the classic guitar album “Friday Night in San Francisco” by Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia and John McLaughlin.“I loved all the styles they were playing, Latin and tango with Al, Flamenco with Paco, and Indian music with John. Which is one of the reasons that I love all these styles of music and wanted to explore them on this album.”He also cites the great Flamenco guitarist Tomatito as an influence from time spent in Sevilla and Barcelona with his friend and piano player Jose Reinoso.

Meier’s sound is rooted in his love of playing jazz on acoustic guitar, especially his Godin nylon string guitar. It’s a sound that lends itself especially to flamenco and middle-eastern music and it’s all these influences and more that Meier has so brilliantly fused together in his music. He also plays fretless acoustic guitar, which sounds something like a cross between an acoustic guitar and the oud (an Arabic stringed instrument) and the Saz, a traditional Turkish instrument. While his new album also features fretted and steel guitars, Godin glissentar (11 stringed insturment) and a baglama. As well as leading his own band, Meier has worked with the likes of Harry Beckett, Dave O’Higgins, John Etheridge, Gilad Aztmon, Renato D’Aielo and Deidre Cartwright. He has also recorded “Guidance” featuring Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons with a guitar orchestra (acoustic, electric & synth guitars) for American Classical label Centaur and he continues to lead “Seven7” his nu-metal band as after two full length albums which have had outstanding reviews, will be back performing this summer www.seven7.name. Meier is a guitar tutor at Goldsmiths University and at the “Academy of Contemporary Music” in Guildford. http://www.truthinshredding.com/2014_12_10_archive.html

Mr. MoonJune Recommends: Nicolas Meier