James Brandon Lewis/Red Lily Quintet - For Mahalia, With Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:36
Size: 165,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:00) 1. Sparrow
(9:21) 2. Swing Low
(9:52) 3. Go Down Moses
(8:17) 4. Wade In The Water
(8:52) 5. Calvary
(9:20) 6. Deep River
(9:02) 7. Elijah Rock
(8:35) 8. Were You There
(4:12) 9. Precious Lord

Tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis has been establishing himself in various contexts for the last few years, but his main focus lately has been on his Red Lily Quintet. Their first album, Jesup Wagon, (TAO Forms, 2021), was dedicated to African-American scientist, George Washington Carver. On their 2023 release, the group's music focuses on the work of the legendary gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson.

This tribute takes the form of interpretations of familiar spirituals Jackson often sang. The gospel-derived power of Albert Ayler also hovers over this music, most strongly on the opening track, "Sparrow," where Lewis' tenor and Kirk Knuffke's cornet plow into the melody with graceful, unhurried power, responding to each other as Ayler and his trumpeter brother Donald Ayler did in their time.

Other tracks have more involved structures. On "Swing Low," Lewis plays melodies and counter-melodies solo, before giving way to a growling undercurrent laid down by the rhythm section, cellist Chris Hoffman, bassist William Parker, and drummer Chad Taylor. This in turn leads to the horns returning with fiery intensity. "Go Down Moses" has Lewis and Knuffke swirling around each other in soulful dialogue over Parker's relentless walking bass while on "Deep River" the horns sway in jubilant harmonies over cello and bass plucks and thumping drums. Lewis and Knuffke answer each other like exuberant choir soloists in their call-and-response on "Elijah Rock" as the drums explode under them like a congregation shouting "Amen" to a preacher's fiery sermon.

This gorgeous music reaches back to the spiritual jazz legacy of Ayler, John Coltrane, and Pharoah Sanders and reconnects it beautifully to the passion and joy of gospel music as Mahalia Jackson and others performed it. It is a major triumph for James Brandon Lewis and his group.

The first edition of this album contains a bonus example of Lewis' many talents, a second CD presenting his composition for tenor sax and string quartet, "These Are Soulful Days," performed live by Lewis and the Lutoslawski Quartet. This extended piece weaves a blend of folk, spiritual and blues ideas into a rich fabric where Lewis' tenor can either sing placidly or lean in hard as the strings bend and breathe around him. The work reaches a high point in "Movement III" where Lewis wails the spiritual "Wade In The Water" as the quartet backs him with a choppy tango rhythm. It is all further proof of Lewis' marvelous versatility. By Jerome Wilson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/for-mahalia-with-love-james-brandon-lewis-tao-form

Personnel: James Brandon Lewis - Saxophone; Red Lily Quintet (cornetist Kirk Knuffke, cellist Chris Hoffman, bassist William Parker and drummer Chad Taylor)

For Mahalia, With Love

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Júlio Resende - Sons of Revolution

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:02
Size: 98,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:34) 1. Portugal Celebrates with Red Flowers
(2:38) 2. Liberdade Desgarrada
(3:17) 3. Mr. Fado Goes to Africa for the First Time
(4:08) 4. End of Colonial War! No Saudade
(5:03) 5. Mano a Mano - Now We Are Brothers
(4:53) 6. Peace at Last
(4:38) 7. Anagrama - The Retornados Love Two Lands
(3:37) 8. Portugal Dances Another Mariquinhas
(2:30) 9. Improvisation About Traz Outro Amigo Também
(5:26) 10. Fado Poinciana for Ahmad Jamal
(4:14) 11. A Casa Dela Her House

When he was a child, Júlio Resende ruined many of his father's vinyl records, as children at play may unintentionally do. But in due course he became one of the most accomplished pianists of his generation. The proof is his album Filhos da Revolução (Sons of Revolution), on which Resende went back to his father's roots to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Portugese revolution what became known as the Carnation Revolution which overthrew country's right wing, authoritarian, colonialist dictatorship.

"Without the revolution, I wouldn't even exist. My father is from Angola, he emigrated to Portugal after the revolution, and met my mother. The freedom to express myself is one of the dearest things to me, and jazz is the music that enables that the most without any borders or restrictions," says Júlio Resende.

After Da Alma (Clean Feed, 2007), the first title under his own name, Resende recorded Assim Falava Jazzatustra (Clean Feed, 2009) and You Taste Like a Song (Clean Feed, 2011). He followed these albums with two incursions into fado. First, with a tribute to the great Portuguese singer Amália Rodrigues, Amália by Júlio Resende (Valentim de Carvalho, 2013), and Fado & Further (Valentim de Carvalho, 2015). The versatility of the pianist was demonstrated with two very different musical explorations: first, into poetry, Poesia Homónima (Valentim de Carvalho, 2016), and then with electronic music, Cinderella Cyborg (Sony Music, 2018). A further visit to fado music was Fado Jazz Ensemble (Sony Music, 2020).

To fully understand the new album, one needs to go back to 2007 and to Resende's first record under his own name. The song was called "Filhos da Revolução" (sons of revolution). The pianist showed his fusion skills: mixing tradicional Portuguese and African music, fado and jazz.

'Filhos da Revolução' was already an exploration of what it means to be Portuguese and what being a musician in Portugal means, linked to all Portuguese-speaking African countries and to all of this history, a combination of what was once, before war, and became what was more important to me, which is solidarity between people," says Resende. "The music refers to a certain moment in the history of the revolution, before or after, and tries to inspire improvisation from that spot. All themes are a starting point for a musical dialogue based on these ideas."

The presence of fado is well marked by the unique sound of the Portuguese guitar of Bruno Chaveiro (a regular with fado stars Carminho and Ana Moura) who joins Resende in a duet on the first two tracks, "Portugal Celebrates with Red Flowers" inspired on the classic fado "A Rosinha dos Limões" and "Liberdade Desgarrada."

The other two members of the quartet, André Rosinha (double bass) and Alexandre Frazão (drums and percussion) appear for the first time only in the third song, when the record turns to Africa, with "Mr Fado Goes To Africa For The First Time," followed by "End of Colonial War! No Saudade."

The sound of Bruno Chaveiro's guitar strings shines again on "Mano a Mano Now We Are Brothers" and "Peace at Last." The celebration of the union of those two "worlds" drove Júlio Resende to write "Anagrama The Retornados Love Two Lands."

"Portugal Dances Another Mariquinhas" is inspired by the popular fado "Casa da Mariquinhas," that was performed by big names like Alfredo Marceneiro or Amália Rodrigues. Other pre-revolution inspiration came from José Afonso's "Traz Outro Amigo Também" (1970), which lead to a brilliant "Improvisation About Traz Outro Amigo Também"

Resende also brought the fado to the jazz, with a magnificient version of "Poinciana," a creation by one of his idols, Ahmad Jamal. "'Fado Poinciana' is a song dedicated to Jamal, who passed away in 2023 and who was very inspiring for all pianists on the jazz scene. "This is a celebration and a tribute to the most famous song he played," says Resende. "What I wanted was to give a very personal and fado-like touch to something that didn't seem to have fado within it; but it does. Above all, the love that Ahmad Jamal gave us with his inspired music, full of silence, has a lot of freedom (jazz) and beauty within (fado)."

The final track is a ballad, dedicated to the singer-songwriters of the 1960s and '70s, and is the only vocal track, sung by Salvador Sobral (winner of the 2017 Eurovision Song Festival) with lyrics by João Monge.

The Carnation Revolution established democracy in Portugal and put an end to the colonial wars. After that day, Charlie Haden, who played at the 1971 Cascais Jazz Festival and dedicated "Song for Che" to the African freedom movements, was again welcomed to Portugal. Fifty years later, there is no better way to pay tribute to the Revolution, than an exciting and emotional album, presented in a global, modern jazz language.By Pedro Keul
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sons-of-revolution-julio-resende-act-music

Personnel: Julio Resende - piano; Bruno Chaveiro - guitar, acoustic; André Rosinha - bass; Alexandre Frazão - drums

Sons of Revolution

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Shuteen Erdenebaatar - Rising Sun

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:13
Size: 110,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:21) 1. In a Time Warp
(5:34) 2. Ups and Downs
(3:08) 3. Summer Haze
(5:25) 4. Olden Days
(6:39) 5. An Answer from a Distant Hill
(5:53) 6. Rising Sun
(7:28) 7. Saudade
(7:41) 8. I'm Glad I Got To Know You

It is most invigorating and affirming to stand witness to new talent. New givers of themselves despite the cold, gale-force headwinds that rise up against most, if not all, artistic endeavors. Fortunately, Rising Sun, the more than mature and compelling Motema Music debut of pianist/composer Shuteen Erdenebaatar and her award-winning quartet, is one of those statements.

Let loose with three henchmen just as inquisitive and intent on making their stand: Erdenebaatar's second voice and foil Anton Mangold on-saxophones, flutes; controlled yet escapist at heart bassist Nils Kugelmann; and the muscular cadences of drummer Valentin Renner catch youthful fire and burn wildly through Erdenebaatar's eight substantive compositions.

The opening, "In A Time Warp," serves as Exhibit A. Symmetrical in design, the interplay between Kugelmann and Renner is not only a grand harbinger for Rising Sun but hopefully the music to come in the near and far future. Where Mangold takes the tune for its last two minutes is a thing of beauty. It is also the sound of someone ahead of his years, burning through concepts and conceits wantonly and joyfully.

Erdenebaatar, who wraps the world sounds of her native Mongolia and home base of Munich into a durable neo-classical whole, works and wrestles alongside Mangold on the thrill-a-minute "Ups and Downs." Propelled forward by Renner's boundless energy, the track moves with a fever pitch. Taking the whirlwind down a notch, the autumnal "Summer Haze" brings the pianist's confident playing and compositional style to the forefront. On the reflective "Olden Days," Mangold and Erdenebaatar duet like an old couple recounting the magic and mishap of their long lives together.

On flute, Mangold dances around Renner and Kugelmann's tightly wound, free form while the pianist injects a ruminative theme and highly contagious comping on "An Answer From A Distant Hill." Balancing perfectly the quartet's many leanings, it is the natural epilogue to the title track. Bluesy, exotic, and full of vigor, each player takes their thematic cue from a collective understanding that they're on to something bigger than themselves.
By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rising-sun-shuteen-erdenebaatar-motema-music

Personnel: Shuteen Erdenebaatar - piano; Nils Kugelmann - bass, acoustic; Valentin Renner - drums; Anton Mangold - saxophone, alto

Rising Sun

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Esther Phillips - Black Eyed Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:52
Size: 77.5 MB
Styles: Soul/Blues/R&B
Year: 1973/2012
Art: Front

[5:30] 1. Justified
[3:29] 2. I've Only Known A Stranger
[6:41] 3. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[6:09] 4. Black-Eyed Blues
[4:34] 5. Too Many Roads
[7:27] 6. You Could Have Had Me, Baby

Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion, Pee Wee Ellis; Backing Vocals – Carl Carldwell, Joshie Armstead, Lani Groves, Tasha Thomas; Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Bass – Boz, Ron Carter; Cello – Alan Shulman, Anthony Sophos; Drums – Ian Wallace; Guitar – Charlie Brown; Percussion – Arthur Jenkins; Piano – Tim Hinkley; Trumpet – Jon Faddis, Marvin Stamm; Viola – Alfred Brown, Emanuel Vardi; Violin – David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Irving Spice, Joe Malin, Max Ellen. Recorded at Van Gelder Studios. Recorded July, 1973.

This was the third album that Esther cut for Creed Taylor's CTI album. It marked a change from the previous two in that the string arrangements were undertaken for the first time with this artist, by Bob James; it's a subtle but very important change. Secondly the material stretches out from the straight-ahead R&B to embrace a range of varying styles. This being the case, the album is not as 'immediate' as the previous two, but is just as satisfying when it yields all its nuances. My favourite tracks are her reading of Bill Wither's "Justified" which is a great version.There's a particularly sensual and burning version of "I've only known a stranger" and a straight ahead jazz version of Leonard Feather's "You could have had me baby".While I'm writing about it I should also mention the title track, which is a Joe Cocker track given a particularly good makeover. That's four out of the seven tracks mentioned already, so when you consider that there's a bonus unreleased track as well out of the remaining three,it makes you realise what good value it is. Add in an excellent set of sleeve notes, and this is another 'must have' Esther Phillips album! ~Dr.D.Treharne

Black Eyed Blues

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