Donny McCaslin - Fast Future

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:36
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:54)  1. Fast Future
(5:55)  2. No Eyes
(9:30)  3. Love and Living
(6:38)  4. Midnight Light
(2:16)  5. 54 Cymru Beats
(5:56)  6. Love What is Mortal
(6:58)  7. Underground City
(4:32)  8. This Side of Sunrise
(1:28)  9. Blur
(6:25) 10. Squeeze Through

Saxophonist Donny McCaslin brought a fresh perspective to the acoustic-electronic jazz soundscape with 2012's Casting for Gravity (Greenleaf Music) which earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Instrumental Jazz Solo" for the track "Stadium Jazz." Thankfully it was not a one-off as McCaslin reassembles the tightly knit band and savvy production from saxophonist David Binney in Fast Future, a release that continues the groove factor. Like its predecessor, the music pulsates with energy as McCaslin's tenor powers over funky riffs, spaced-out backgrounds, and crisp beats provided by drummer Mark Guiliana, and bassist Tim Lefebvre while Jason Lindner colors things with copious keyboards embellishments. But there are also a few surprises. For one, there's the inclusion of wordless voice harmonies in the hard driving title track and the affecting spoken word performed by artist Jana Dagdagan on "Love What is Mortal." 

Next comes the appeal of Electronic Dance Music in "54 Cymru Beats" and the reggae shaded "Squeeze Thru" as McCaslin cites EDM musicians/composers Aphex Twin and Skrillex as influences alongside jazz/electronic giants Herbie Hancock and Weather Report as the band stretches out and kills "This Side of Sunrise" and "Blur" with spot on performances and improvisation. In summary, McCaslin's Fast Future further suggests that the lines between acoustic jazz and electronica are at times blurred and that music regardless of its instrumentation can find common ground. ~ Mark F. Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fast-future-donny-mccaslin-greenleaf-music-review-by-mark-f-turner.php
 

Personnel: Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone; Jason Lindner: keyboards; Tim Lefebvre: bass; Mark Guiliana: drums.

Fast Future

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Jason Palmer - Songbook

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:29
Size: 130,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Priest Lake
(5:59)  2. Found It
(6:57)  3. Laid Up
(7:03)  4. Checkmate
(4:15)  5. One For J Mac
(6:00)  6. In A Certain Way
(7:14)  7. The Shadowboxer
(6:05)  8. Hoop-Ti-Du
(6:11)  9. Will There Ever Be Employment For The Exonerated People

Trumpeter and composer Jason Palmer cares intensely about jazz and his place within its musical world. He's working hard to find his own voice, and represents one of the young players who has gone through the mentoring process, in this case, with saxophonist Greg Osby. Songbook's pieces are all written by Palmer, and played by Osby (alto saxophone), Ravi Coltrane (tenor saxophone), Warren Wolfe (vibes), Leo Genovese (piano, Fender Rhodes), Matt Brewer (bass) and Tommy Crane (drums). The arrangements are adventurous and balance the needs of structure versus improvisation. The music would have to be called mainstream, particularly from the rhythmic and harmonic viewpoint. However, while the connection to traditional jazz is perfectly clear (more so in some pieces than others), the feeling is more of acknowledgment rather than obeisance. The term "mainstream" describes the playing of Swing Era, big band musicians in the bebop era. For whatever reason, they could or would not jump on the bandwagon of the "new thing," (primarily meaning the rhythmic and harmonic innovations) but rather took what they wanted from bebop as extensions to their basic swing style. The more original players, like Lester Young, remained original, and influenced many later players.

It is in this manner that Songbook can be heard. Palmer has a gift for melody and he's very sure of his playing, which gives the sense of improvisation-that the notes he's currently playing formed in his mind only a moment before. The interest comes in how his lines evolve, rather than guessing his next move. Both Osby and Coltrane are of the generation prior to Palmer's and it shows in their playing. While respecting the vibe and harmonic conception of Palmer's music, their experience is displayed by their rhythmic freedom and unconventional phrasing. Of the players of Palmer's generation, Genovese stands out. He makes the Rhodes sound natural as he pushes the musical envelope, sounding fresh and exciting on both piano and keyboards. The musical unpredictability of the opening tune, "Priest Lake" originally written as a suite and presented here in compressed form offers a hint of where Palmer might be heading, while only parts of the rhythmically complex "Checkmate" follow suit. The ballad, "One For J Mac" (dedicated to Jackie McLean) is flat out beautiful. Other tunes fall back on the tried-and-true unison-head/solo(s)/recap format of the hard bop era, pulling the music backwards. With the release of Songbook, Palmer presents himself as a talented and ambitious player who is well worth watching. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/songbook-jason-palmer-ayva-musica-review-by-budd-kopman.php
 

Personnel: Jason Palmer: trumpet; Greg Osby: alto saxophone; Ravi Coltrane: tenor saxophone; Warren Wolf: vibes; Leo Genovese: Fender Rhodes, piano; Matt Brewer: bass; Tommy Crane: drums.

Songbook

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Sunna Gunnlaugs - The Dream

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:38
Size: 118,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. The Dream
(6:31)  2. Holding Ground
(1:25)  3. Spin 1
(7:33)  4. Vitjun
(2:11)  5. Tear (as in wear)
(7:05)  6. Bump
(1:02)  7. Spin 2
(6:23)  8. Tunnel Vision
(1:38)  9. Spin 3
(5:35) 10. Anima
(1:42) 11. Spin 4
(1:14) 12. Spin 5
(2:30) 13. Kom

Bridging the Brooklyn-Reykjavik jazz divide with European elegance and a fiery, New York drive. The Washington Post described her music as possessing "such timeless virtues as lyricism and grace... elegantly bridges soul- searching passages with uncluttered swing." Sunna Gunnlaugs reaffirms that assesment on her latest CD, "Long Pair Bond" which features fellow Icelander bassist Thorgrimur Jo´nsson and long-time cohort Scott McLemore on drums. It’s her first trio album since her debut in 1997, and now a more mature, more experienced Gunnlaugs presents this music in an unhurried, contemplative fashion. Ironically, it is the spaces she leaves that creates a sense of urgency throughout the recording.

Equally influenced by such American pianists as Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, and Scandinavians like Bobo Stenson and Jon Balke, Sunna has found a way to make music to which people on both sides of the Atlantic can relate. Her own charming brand of romantic lyricism soaring over a driving American rhythm section appeals to jazzers and non-jazzers alike. As a child growing up on a small peninsula called Seltjarnarnes not far from Reykjavik she began taking lessons on the organ at the urging of her mother. "The idea of playing the piano didn't appeal to me as a kid. I associated it with classical pianists who seemed to have no fun. But on the organ you could play anything, the Beatles, polkas, Strauss and that seemed like more fun." By her teens, having realized that you could in fact play a variety of music on the piano, it was the gift of a Bill Evans trio record (appropriately named "You're Gonna Hear From Me") that sold her on modern jazz. In 1993 she made her way to the US as a student at William Paterson College and began to hone her own distinct musical voice both as an improvisor and a composer while immersing herself in the standards and studying the masters. Just a 15 minute drive from Manhattan, inspiration was not hard to find. "Suddenly being able to go to the Village Vanguard or Bradley's any night of the week and hear amazing pianists was an incredible experience. It was such a stimulating environment," and one that Gunnlaugs had no intention of leaving after graduating in 1996. She moved to Brooklyn and made her debut recording "Far Far Away" with her trio: bassist Dan Fabricatore and drummer (and future husband), Scott McLemore. In New York her focus shifted decidedly to performing her own music. She began appearing at listening rooms such as Cornelia Street Cafe and the Knitting Factory, and rave reviews followed. Gunnlaugs was proclaimed an "impressive newcomer" by the Village Voice. However, the music she was writing began to need more than just a trio. "I had been listening a lot to the Keith Jarrett quartet and Jan Garabrek with Bobo Stenson and the sound of the quartet was so appealing to me." She called upon saxophonist Tony Malaby and bassist Drew Gress. "I was familiar with Tony from his own bands and was stunned by how expressive he was. Drew, I knew from his work with Fred Hersch and Dave Douglas. He always added such a bounce to my tunes, while keeping it really open." In 1999, along with McLemore, the quartet recorded "Mindful" and, with time left over on the same day, they recorded "Songs from Iceland."http://www.sunnagunnlaugs.com/biography.htm

Personnel:  Sunna Gunnlaugs – piano;  Loren Stillman - alto saxophone;  Eivind Opsvik – bass;  Scott McLemore - drums

The Dream

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Sting - The Dream Of The Blue Turtles

Styles: Vocal, Guitar, Pop/Rock
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:40
Size: 102,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
(3:32)  2. Love Is The Seventh Wave
(3:58)  3. Russians
(5:02)  4. Children's Crusade
(4:50)  5. Shadows In The Rain
(5:42)  6. We Work The Black Seam
(4:20)  7. Consider Me Gone
(1:17)  8. The Dream Of The Blue Turtles
(4:00)  9. Moon Over Bourbon Street
(4:39) 10. Fortress Around Your Heart

The Police never really broke up, they just stopped working together largely because they just couldn't stand playing together anymore and partially because Sting was itching to establish himself as a serious musician/songwriter on his own terms. Anxious to shed the mantle of pop star, he camped out at Eddy Grant's studio, picked up the guitar, and raided Wynton Marsalis' band for his new combo thereby instantly consigning his solo debut, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, to the critical shorthand of Sting's jazz record. Which is partially true (that's probably the best name for the meandering instrumental title track), but that gives the impression that this is really risky music, when he did, after all, rely on musicians who, at that stage, were revivalists just developing their own style, and then had them jam on mock-jazz grooves or, in the case of Branford Marsalis, layer soprano sax lines on top of pop songs. This, however, is just the beginning of the pretensions layered throughout The Dream of the Blue Turtles. Only twice does he delve into straightforward love songs the lovely measured "Consider Me Gone" and the mournful closer, "Fortress Around Your Heart" preferring to consider love in the abstract ("If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," one of his greatest solo singles, and the childish, faux-reggae singalong "Love Is the Seventh Wave"), write about children in war and in coal mines, revive a Police tune about heroin, ponder whether "Russians love their children too," and wander the streets of New Orleans as the vampire Lestat. 

This is a serious-minded album, but it's undercut by its very approach the glossy fusion that coats the entire album, the occasional grabs at worldbeat, and studious lyrics seem less pretentious largely because they're overshadowed by such bewilderingly showy moves as adapting Prokofiev for "Russians" and calling upon Anne Rice for inspiration. And that's the problem with the record: with every measure, every verse, Sting cries out for the respect of a composer, not a pop star, and it gets to be a little overwhelming when taken as a whole. As a handful of individual cuts "Fortress," "Consider Me Gone," "If You Love Somebody," "Children's Crusade" he proves that he's subtler and craftier than his peers, but only when he reins in his desire to show the class how much he's learned. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dream-of-the-blue-turtles-mw0000201855

Personnel: Sting (vocals, guitar, bass); Branford Marsalis (saxophone, percussion); Frank Opolko (trombone); Kenny Kirkland (keyboards); Danny Quatrochi (Synclavier synthesizer, background vocals); Darryl Jones (bass); Omar Hakim (drums); Eddy Grant (congas); Dolette McDonald, Janice Pendarvis, Pete Smith, Elliot Jones, Jane Alexander, Vic Garbarini, The Nannies Chorus, Rosemary Purt, Stephanie Crewson, Joe Sumner, Kate Sumner, Michael Sumner (background vocals).

The Dream Of The Blue Turtles

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Barbra Lica - I'm Still Learning

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:07
Size: 97,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Coffee Shop
(3:48)  2. Who Knows
(3:12)  3. Secret Heart
(4:58)  4. Nashville
(3:33)  5. Did I Just Say That?
(4:27)  6. How Insensitive
(3:39)  7. Lovefool
(3:16)  8. London Town
(4:16)  9. His
(3:13) 10. So in Love
(3:57) 11. 5 O'Clock Lullaby

Barbra Lica is a Canadian jazz singer and songwriter based in Toronto. She has released two full-length albums, Kissing You (2015) and That's What I Do (2012). She has been named one of Canada's top upcoming female jazz artists, and was the first runner up in the 2013 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Competition.  Barbra Lica was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She grew up in a musical family, and discovered jazz at the age of six. She studied at the University of Toronto, receiving a Bachelor of Music along with a major in Human Biology. In 2012, Lica released her debut album That's What I Do. It was released with a live-to-air concert broadcast on JAZZ.FM91. The album opened at #1 on iTunes Canada's jazz chart, and was released the following year in Japan by Universal Records. That's What I Do was produced by Juno-winning jazz producer/bassist/recording artist Paul Novotny, and featured instrumentalists Reg Schwager, Kevin Turcotte, Joe Sealy, Robi Botos, Archie Alleyne, Steve Heathcote, Perry White, Brian Dickinson, and Rob Piltch. Novotny and Sealy had first been introduced to Lica when she guest-starred on the duo's acclaimed 2009 album, Songs. 

The track featuring Lica, "You're Gonna Miss Me," was played on JAZZ.FM91, marking the first time Lica was on the radio. In November 2013, Barbra competed in and placed first runner-up in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Voice Competition in New Jersey. Judges for the competition included Al Jarreau, Gretchen Parlato, and Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer. Lica's second full-length album, Kissing You, was first performed in public in December 2014 at Koerner Hall, and was officially released in January 2015. The album was produced in collaboration with Lou Pomanti, and was mixed by Juno-winner Jeff Wolpert, and features Reg Schwager, Kevin Turcotte, Mark Kelso, Marc Rogers, and Kevin Fox. Lica has performed at numerous venues, including at the Rogers Cup (2010) and Honda Indy (2014), with Bob Dorough at Toronto's Jazz Bistro (2013), at JAZZ.FM91's annual Jazz Lives concert among jazz greats Pat Metheny, Terence Blanchard, and Bill Charlap (2013), as well as a featured performance with Sylvia Tyson and Serena Ryder on CBC's 75th Anniversary Special with host Michael Enright. Lica has been called one of Canada's Top 5 Female Jazz Singers by CBC Radio 2 host Tim Tamashiro (Tonic). She has also been described as one of Toronto's top 5 up-and-coming jazz artists by blogTO. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbra_Lica

I'm Still Learning

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