Alex Sipiagin - Moments Captured

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2017
Time: 65:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 151,0 MB
Art: Front

(11:09) 1. Evija Bridge
(10:02) 2. Moments from the Past
(10:07) 3. Unexpected Reversal
(11:00) 4. Blues for Mike
( 5:16) 5. Breeze
( 8:39) 6. Bergen Road
( 9:22) 7. Dream

Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin's 12th outing as a leader for the esteemed Criss Cross label finds him returning to the three-horn front line format that he previously explored on the masterful "Destinations Unknown" (Criss Cross, 2011). Returning from that date are tenor giant Chris Potter and the unrelentingly groovy Eric Harland on drums. David Binney is Sipiagin's usual choice of alto players, (having appeared on three of his previous releases,) however this time around Will Vinson completes the horn section on alto sax. The remaining rhythm section roles are filled by keyboardist John Escreet and bassist Matt Brewer, both of whom are heard on electric and acoustic instruments and previously appeared on Sipiagin's 2015 release, "Balance 38-58."

This new music once again reinforces Sipiagin's status as one of jazz's top small group composers, with his distinctive style of intricate, knotty counterpoint, but with this release he explores new sounds within his compositional concept through Escreet's use of the Prophet 6 synthesizer. The instrument's importance in the music is immediately apparent on the opening track, "Evija Bridge." Beneath the complex and rhythmically-shifting horn line, Escreet adds further motion to the piece with wobbling chords from the synth and an extra layer of sound when the composition eventually gives way to a brief, but chaotic improvised section. After nuanced solos by Sipiagin and Vinson a written interlude leads into an astonishing solo from Potter. The solo is notable not only for Potter's signature crafty melodic playing, (which fans of his have come to expect,) but also for the fact Escreet doubles Potter's solo on synth via overdub. As David Adler points out in the excellent liner notes, this choice turns the improvised solo almost into a part of the composition itself, functioning rather like a soli in a big band chart.

Sipiagin adds another new element to his music in the form of Russian vocalist Alina Engibaryan, who contributes and performs the lyrics to the delicate and beautiful title track. The piece is a surprisingly simple ballad and once again features an interesting array of sounds from Escreet's synths. Engibaryan also appears on "Breeze," this time with wordless vocals reinforcing the main melody. The track is yet another interesting departure for Sipiagin in that there are no solos. Instead, the through-composed piece slowly builds with intricately woven horn lines that intersect with the tight, but restrained groove of the rhythm section, forming a subtly shifting and carefully balanced arc.

Many of the compositions mark an interesting step forward for Sipiagin, but there are still firm ties to his post-bop roots. "Bergen Road" finds the sextet on all acoustic instruments for the duration, and most recalls the intense post-bop compositional style and thrilling interplay of "Destinations Unknown." "Mike's Blues," is perhaps the best mix of old and new, with Escreet sounding off on acoustic piano and synthesizers. Sipiagin notes that the only real relation the tune has to a blues is its 12 bar form, and explains that the melody was built around a single phrase from one of Michael Brecker's solos. It is fitting then, that Potter is the first to solo, as he is considered by many to be the spiritual successor to Brecker, and he certainly lives up to that consideration with one of his finest solos on the record.

Overall the album is an interesting and largely very successful step forward for one of jazz's premier composers and improvisers. The Prophet 6 synthesizer offers a limitless range of new textures and colors that Sipiagin seamlessly incorporates into his established compositional palette and further augments the music with occasional vocals. The inclusion of lyrics in only one track feels slightly out of place in the context of the mostly instrumental and conceptually abstract nature of the rest of the music, but as a whole the album is an interesting new perspective on Sipiagin's distinctive compositional style.By Andrew Luhn
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/moments-captured-alex-sipiagin-criss-cross-review-by-andrew-luhn

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin: trumpet, flugelhorn; Will Vinson: alto sax, soprano sax; Chris Potter: tenor sax; John Escreet: Prophet 6 synth, Fender rhodes, piano; Matt Brewer: bass, electric bass; Eric Harland: drums; Alina Engibaryan: vocals

Moments Captured

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Michele Calgaro - Progressions

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:23
Size: 113,2 MB
Art: Front

(0:40) 1. Natural Bop Killers
(5:45) 2. Basso Fondo
(5:44) 3. Progression
(7:36) 4. Il Valore Delle Differenze
(7:39) 5. In Pursuit Of The 27th Man
(2:35) 6. Intro Monadi
(8:02) 7. Monadi
(6:59) 8. Mari Land
(4:20) 9. Love Is This Thing Called "What?"

Appreciated teacher he has directed the Thelonious music school in Vicenza since 1991 Michele Calgaro is here in his second round as sole leader, four years after «Round about Monk», also published by our label. In truth, some time before he had shared the authorship of another album with Canadian saxophonist Robert Bonisolo, "The Edge", recorded in quartet with the addition of some songs by Paolo Fresu.

Bonisolo, with whom Calgaro has been playing regularly for almost twenty years, is also present in this «Progressions», an album enriched by the presence of a prestigious guest, Alex Sipiagin, a Russian trumpeter who has moved permanently to the United States since 1992 , soon becoming one of the absolute protagonists of the New York jazz scene.

The quintet from Calgaro, completed by another of its tried and tested partners, the precious drummer Mauro Beggio, instead sees Michele's brother, Lorenzo, and the American Marc Abrams split in the role of double bass player who, like and even more than Bonisolo, can now be considered Italian in all respects. Unlike the previous recording, entirely dedicated to Thelonious Monk, here Michele Calgaro also tests himself as a composer, demonstrating that he has now acquired a decidedly personal style, which knows how to be poetic and reflective (in the sweet ballad Monadi, signed by Lorenzo , as well as in Mari Land, which starts with the trio alone and then sees the addition of Bonisolo's sax and Sipiagin's flugelhorn), but when necessary also rightly stringent and aggressive (in the modal Progression and in the pressing gait of Love is this thing called “What?”).

It is no coincidence that the only standard present on the album arranged in a very original way is a piece by the "master" Horace Silver, the compelling and too little performed In pursuit of the 27th man. But Calgaro's quintet can also be convincing in the two compositions in medium tempo, which are moreover articulated and complex, such as the hypnotic melody of Basso Fondo and the suspended scale of Il Valore delle Difference, capable of paying due tribute to Wayne Shorter without this lose in originality. credits released April 24, 2021 Translate by Google

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin (trumpet, flugelhorn), Robert Bonisolo (tenor sax), Michele Calgaro (guitars), Lorenzo Calgaro (double bass on 1–2–6–7–9), Marc Abrams (double bass on 3–4–5–8), Mauro Beggio (drums).

Progressions

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Michele Calgaro - Full Score

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:59
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:25) 1. Short Wave
(5:21) 2. Blizzard
(6:56) 3. Letter To Evans
(5:15) 4. Full Score
(8:51) 5. Souvenirs
(9:42) 6. Live Score
(8:39) 7. Steppin' Zone
(5:45) 8. One For Hall
(6:07) 9. Querida
(1:53) 10. Arise

Michele Calgaro is very active both in teaching and performing, but a little less in recording, especially as a leader. But when he releases a new album, he always does it because he has something new and interesting to say. It took five years to bring back to the studio the quintet that gave us the excellent «Progressions» (2011, Caligola), and we had to wait four more to enjoy the result of this recording session, to which were added other four tunes recorded last year with a different rhythm section, this time a Russian one.

By his side there still are the energetic trumpeter Alex Sipiagin here composer of two songs too and the skilful saxophonist Robert Bonisiolo, both precious and tested adventure companions who, together with Michele, are also the only musicians who appear in all the nine tracks (Arise, the tenth, is a short and delicate guitar solo). «Full Score» is a deep and sincere record, varied and extremely coherent at the same time. If the start with Short Wave is burning to say the least, the atmosphere turns softer and rarefied in Letter to Evans, dedicated to Bill Evans; another successful tribute is paid to Jim Hall with One for Hall.

Michele Calgaro said about his work: “My writing almost always comes from interior aesthetics and stories, conceived for improvisation: a delicate balance, a stimulus for a collective story that also allows the expression of each identity, where the actions of interpretation and impromptu are the true substance of the songs… The luck of being able to walk these paths together with extraordinary musicians, who manage to naturally combine intensity and relaxation, is a priceless value added, and being able to impress some of these moments in a record makes the results of this surprising creative process repeatable and shareable to me…”.https://caligolarecords.bandcamp.com/album/full-score

Personnel: Michele Calgaro (guitars) on all tracks; Alex Sipiagin (trumpet, flugelhorn), Robert Bonisolo (tenor sax) on tracks 1–9; Lorenzo Calgaro (double bass), Mauro Beggio (drums) on tracks 1–5; Makar Novikov (double bass), Sasha Mashin (drums) on tracks 6–9.

Full Score

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Alex Sipiagin - Returning

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:00
Size: 126,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:56)  1. Returning
( 8:32)  2. Extra Chance
( 7:07)  3. Miniature
( 7:47)  4. Pictures
( 7:21)  5. Snova (Choba)
( 6:44)  6. Son of thirteen
( 6:30)  7. Turn Out the Stars

Some artists leap into visibility; others almost insidiously find their way into the public eye. Russian-born, New York-resident trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has made considerable strides in the past decade in establishing his reputation within the New York jazz community. He's been recruited for increasingly high profile gigs with the Mingus Big Band, Michael Brecker and, most notably, Dave Holland's big band touring and appearing on both What Goes Around (ECM, 2002) and Overtime (Dare2, 2005). With his own series of Criss Cross recordings, Spiagin has proven himself an ever-evolving voice in what some are calling "the new mainstream." Returning finds Sipiagin continuing to mine a more modernistic approach to the tradition one that favors original composition over retreads of standards, incorporating a richer compositional palette. Sipiagin doesn't eschew the standards repertoire entirely; each album features one or two compositions from artists like Mingus, Monk, and Evans. But like others of his generation, Sipiagin doesn't place these tunes on a pedestal, instead reinterpreting them with his own contemporary bent. Sipiagin and tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake wind their way in and around the familiar theme to Bill Evans' "Turn Out the Stars," but guitarist Adam Rogers' harmonic backdrop is more open-ended and ambiguous.

Sipiagin's own writing reflects his exposure to the inner workings of artists like Holland and Brecker, but also his own growing comfort level with complex meters and richer orchestration. In fact, the New York crew that includes Sipiagin, Rogers, and alto saxophonist David Binney seems to be reinventing the language of jazz. Sipiagin's title track may be metrically irregular, but it flows with effortless energy, thanks to drummer Antonio Sanchez's delicately tumultuous approach. Dramatic without resorting to obvious devices, Rogers, Blake, and Sipiagin work hard off each other at the core of the oblique "Miniature," where a more communal approach to soloing replaces individual delineation. That these artists are creating their own vernacular is further evidenced by the fact that Spiagin's three compositions feel completely of a kind with Rogers' "Pictures," despite the fact that it's a more complicated piece revolving around contrapuntal melodies from Blake, Sipiagin, and bassist Scott Colley. Even the light bossa of "Snova" and the equally Latin-inflected but more powerful "Son of Thirteen" two compositions written specifically for Sipiagin by Pat Metheny feel part of the same landscape. Metheny's ability to mask deeper complexity under a lyrical and accessible veneer is not lost on Sipiagin or Rogers. In fact, it's something of a litmus test for this new mainstream.

Reaching out to an audience is important, but never at the expense of one's own voice, and everyone on Returning demonstrates an ability to build solos either alone or collectively that are imaginative and innovative without losing sight of fundamentals like melody and construction. Sipiagin, whose warm tone almost renders invisible the difference between his trumpet and flugelhorn, is an evocative player whose avoidance of outspoken virtuosity belies his clearly advanced technique. The ever-compelling Returning is but further evidence of his continued ascension. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/returning-alex-sipiagin-criss-cross-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin: trumpet, flugelhorn; Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone; Adam Rogers: guitar; Scott Colley: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums.

Returning

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Alex Sipiagin Extreme Trio - Grizzlies

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:19
Size: 152,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:45) 1. Lady Jazz Is Back In Town
(2:00) 2. Thank You, Mr. Brooks
(7:04) 3. Waltz For My Parents
(6:01) 4. Cherokee
(3:17) 5. Misha
(6:21) 6. Micro Steps
(7:55) 7. Grizzly's
(2:16) 8. The Japan Trilogy - Kodai-Ji
(2:32) 9. The Japan Trilogy - Thoughts
(5:42) 10. The Japan Trilogy - Osaka No Basu
(3:32) 11. CR
(6:23) 12. Ballad For Beslan
(7:25) 13. Le Duc De Fontcaude

Alex Sipiagin was born on June 11, 1967 in Yaroslavl, Russia, a town known for being home to one of Russia's most famous opera singers, Leonid Sobinov, also Alex's great-grandfather. Following in the footsteps of his musical relatives (his great uncles were both string players), Alex began playing the trumpet at age 12, studying with one of Yaroslavl's best teachers, Mikael Tsamaev, and later continued his classical training and music studies at the Gnessin Conservatory in Moscow for a total of 8 years. During that time, he served the mandatory 2 years in the Russian army, then returned to the Conservatory to finish his studies.

It was around in 1985 that he became inspired by what few and rare taped recordings were available in Russia of bebop and other jazz music and, beginning in 1988, began working professionally in Russian jazz groups, touring and recording steadily. In 1990, Alex won first place in a Russian young jazz players' competition in Rostov City. That same year, he visited the United States for the first time, performing with a Russian student jazz band, Green Wave, when they were asked to headline the Corpus Christi Jazz Festival in Texas. He caught the attention and ears of many, leading him to become invited to participate in the International Louis Armstrong Competition sponsored by the Thelonius Monk Institute in Washington D.C. Other trumpeters competing were such prominent players such as Ryan Kaiser, Scott Wendtholt, Nicolas Payton, and others.

Alex placed 4th in the competition, and was presented a Bach trumpet by the legendary Clark Terry, which he still plays today. Following a challenging year, in 1991 Alex decided to pursue jazz to the next level and moved to New York City. He sat in on jam sessions while working in a house band in a Russian club in Brighton Beach until he snagged his first jazz gig in 1992, playing every Monday night at Sweet Basil with the Gil Evans Band directed by Miles Evans, which he still occasionally plays with, then in 1993 he became a member of Gil Goldstein's Zebra Coast Orchestra, which replaced the Gil Evan's Band slot on Monday nights at Sweet Basil.

In 1994, Alex became a regular member of the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band while performing also with drummer Bob Moses' band, Mozamba. In 1995, Alex became a regular for the Mingus Big Band, which still performs every Thursday night at The Fez in the Time Cafe located in downtown, NYC, and later the Mingus Orchestra from 1998. He also performed with Eric Clapton, Dr. John and Elvis Costello. In 2000, Dave Holland invited him to be a part of his newly formed big band. Today Alex regularly performs, records and tours worldwide with the Mingus Big Band, the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, and the Dave Holland Big Band, is the bandleader for Monday Michiru's band, arranges, composes, and has several solo CDs out.
https://www.amazon.ca/Grizzlies-Extreme-Trio/dp/B000BPLPNA

Personnel: Regina Litvinova - piano, writer; Alex Sipiagin - trumpet, flugelhorn; Reiner Witzel - alto saxophone; Claus Kießelbach - vibraphone; Markus Schieferdecker - bass; Christian Scheuber - drums.

Grizzlies

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Alex Sipiagin - Equilibrium

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:49
Size: 151,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:28) 1. Mood 2
(10:58) 2. Equilibrium
( 7:29) 3. Evidence
( 9:02) 4. Sonhando Com O Meu Primeiro Amor
( 3:27) 5. Free 1
( 7:53) 6. High
( 7:26) 7. Good Morning
( 8:28) 8. Blues For Kids
( 3:34) 9. Free 2

Russian native Alex Sipiagin has been a first call trumpeter for several New York big bands for the past five years or so. A veteran of the Mingus Big Band, the Gil Evans Orchestra, and the Dave Holland Big Band, Sipiagin has been a favorite with critics but has yet to break though to the jazz public at large. Over the course of his three previous Criss Cross sides, the trumpeter has shown growth from a mainstream hard bop interpreter to an adventurous post bop progenitor.

Chock full of bristling improvisation, Equilibrium is arguably Sipiagin's best effort to date, and much of this is due to some fine writing no doubt influenced by Holland and a fantastic ensemble that includes saxophonist Chris Potter, pianist David Kikoski, and drummer Gene Jackson. Look no further than a run through Monk's "Evidence to hear that Sipiagin is not interested in run of the mill interpretations, but instead crafts arrangements and originals that are more about an elastic sense of time. Voicing the melody for two saxophones (Potter and David Binney) and his own muted trumpet, Sipiagin changes the rhythmic movement for a slightly off-kilter sound that suits the idiosyncratic nature of the piece to a tee.

Following the extroverted spirit of the opening "Mood 2, the title track, and the previously mentioned "Evidence, a dark and brooding "Sonhando Com O Meu Primeiro Amor by Brazilian heavyweight Toninho Horta finds Sipiagin at his lyrical best with a fat tone reminiscent of Freddie Hubbard. By contrast, the collective improvisation during two takes of "Free confirms that there are two sides to the trumpeter's personality and that he's not afraid to walk a musical tightrope without need for a safety net.

With a total being greater than the mere sum of its parts, Equilibrium serves as a complex and varied showcase for Alex Sipiagin and his top-notch crew of partners in crime. At the rate that he's going, there's no telling what even greater breakthroughs lie ahead for this forward-thinking musician. By C. Andrew Hovan
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/equilibrium-alex-sipiagin-criss-cross-review-by-c-andrew-hovan

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin (trumpet), Chris Potter (saxophones), David Binney (saxophones), David Kikoski (piano), Scott Colley (bass), Gene Jackson (drums)

Equilibrium

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Tony Lakatos - Blue Chili

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:28
Size: 143,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:22) 1. Rama IX
(6:55) 2. Zoot Suits
(9:46) 3. Blue Chili
(4:54) 4. Easy Wish
(6:42) 5. Eugen Choose the Shorter Way
(7:41) 6. Amla Noc
(7:41) 7. Le Babe
(7:18) 8. Mingus Diggs
(5:06) 9. Pocket Waltz

Tony Lakatos is undoubtedly the shining light of the saxophone in the German jazz scene. Like very few German jazz musicians before him, he has gained worldwide recognition and is constantly on the road in concerts to keep the legacy of jazz history alive, including current trends, so he has recently been seen a lot as an outstanding soloist of the ensemble Web Web with Max Herre. Beyond all genres and pigeonholes, he has found his very own, suspended saxophone tone, both on the tenor and soprano saxophone.

In 2021 he was awarded the Hessian Jazz Prize and now he has used the prize money to put together an international top cast in Berlin, with which he pays tribute to his idols. In addition to Alex Sipiagin on trumpet and flugelhorn, he is accompanied by Hans Glawischnigg on drums, Gregory Hutchinson on drums and the famous Danny Grisett on piano and Fender Rhodes.

Nine original compositions impressively demonstrate the mastery of the Frankfurter, who originally came from a Hungarian musical dynasty. With titles such as "Zoots Suits", "Eugen Choose The Shorter Way" or "Mingus Diggs", the connoisseur will know which idols Lakatos recalls. Already from February this ensemble will go on an extensive European tour with numerous concerts in Germany release date of BLUE CHILI: January 13, 2023https://shop.skiprecords.com/blogs/tour-daten/tony-lakatos-with-blue-chili-on-tour

Personnel: Tony Lakatos: tenor, soprano saxophone, flute; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet; Danny Grissett: piano; Hans Glawischnig: bass; Gregory Hutchinson: drums

Blue Chili

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Alex Sipiagin - Mel´s Vision

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:17
Size: 163,8 MB
Art: Front

( 9:25) 1. Mel's Vision
( 8:54) 2. Summer's End
( 8:03) 3. Four by Five
( 9:08) 4. Maritima
(10:01) 5. Vesnianka
( 6:21) 6. Bird Food (Take 2)
( 8:30) 7. Balmoral Point
( 3:50) 8. Peggy's Blue Skylight
( 7:01) 9. Bird Food (Take 1 – Alternate Take)

The music of trumpeter Alex Sipiagin just keeps getting more and more complex with every record to a point where it always a bit hard to assign any sort of easy label to his style, and figure out what he's going to give us next!

This really fresh album is full of surprises not just in the choice of material, but in the way that Alex and the group interpret it moving through original tunes by group members and some well-chosen modern jazz numbers balanced in a really five-pointed way between the trumpet, tenor of Chris Potter, piano of David Kikoski, bass of Matt Brewer, and drums of Johnathan Blake! Potter brings a nice edge to the proceedings, in a way that definitely has an influence on Kikoski and titles include "Summer's End", "Four By Five", "Maritima", "Bird Food", "Vesnianka", "Mel's Vision", and "Balmoral Point". © 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/137173/Alex-Sipiagin:Mel-s-Vision

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin - Trumpet; Chris Potter - Saxophone; David Kikoski - Piano; Matt Brewer - Bass; Johnathan Blake – Drums

Mel´s Vision

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Mingus Big Band - The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:30
Size: 146,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:22) 1. Work Song (Break The Chains)
(7:42) 2. The I Of Hurricane Sue
(1:01) 3. Intro To Nobody Knows The Bradley I Know
(5:46) 4. Nobody Knows The Bradley I Know
(8:15) 5. Meditations For Moses
(7:43) 6. All The Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother
(6:35) 7. Don’t Let It Happen Here
(6:49) 8. Profile Of Jackie
(8:21) 9. Hobo Ho
(0:22) 10. Intro To Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
(3:29) 11. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting

The legacy of Charles Mingus is continuing to be celebrated this year by his legacy bands. Now the Mingus Big Band has released The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions, which marks the 100th anniversary of the bassist and composer’s birth with 22 of his compositions.

The work includes new arrangements of his timeless songs with narrations by Charles’s son Eric Mingus. The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions was recorded with over 30 of the world’s leading musicians, rotating in the Mingus Big Band tradition, they say.

Bass on the album is handled by three men: Boris Kozlov, Andrew McKee, and Mike Richmond. Each has played an important role in the group. Kozlov has been in the band for over two decades and is the current co-leader of the group. McKee spent a decade in the ’90s and is featured on many recordings. When Mingus died in 1979, his widow Sue Mingus (who passed away in September 2022) launched the Legacy band with Mike Richmond in the bass seat.
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2022/10/20/mingus-big-band-releases-the-charles-mingus-centennial-sessions/

Musicians: Dr. Alex Pope Norris, Tatum Greenblatt, Walter White, Philip Harper, Anthony Fazio, Jack Walrath, Alex Sipiagin - Trumpets; Conrad Herwig, Joe Fiedler, Robin Eubanks, Coleman Hughes - Trombones; David Taylor - Bass Trombone; Earl McIntyre - Bass Trombones & Tuba; Alex Foster (co-leader), Brandon Wright, David Lee Jones, Ron Blake, Alex Terrier - Alto Saxophones - Abraham Burton, Wayne Escoffery, Scott Robinson, Sam Dillon - Tenor Saxophones; Jason Marshall, Lauren Sevian - Baritone Saxophones; David Kikoski, Theo Hill - Piano; Boris Kozlov (co-leader), Andrew McKee, Mike Richmond - Bass; Adam Cruz, Donald Edwards, Johnathan Blake, Tommy Campbell - Drums; Eric Mingus, Renee Manning, Alex Foster - Vocals

The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions

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Alex Sipiagin - Hindsight

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:07
Size: 167,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:08) 1. Very Early I
(10:11) 2. Hindsight
( 8:34) 3. Reincarnation Of A Lovebird
( 8:49) 4. Linear Passage
(10:19) 5. Second Shot
( 5:22) 6. Light Blue
( 9:26) 7. Upstream
(10:14) 8. Ver Early II

Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin sticks with a quintet lineup on his second Criss Cross outing, but this time opts for guitar over piano. Tenor saxophonist Chris Potter remains in place from the first session; Adam Rogers, who is finally gaining wider exposure, ably fills the chair previously occupied by Dave Kikoski; and a new rhythm section appears, with Boris Kozlov on bass and Gene Jackson on drums. The music is magnificent, and thankfully the takes are nice and long, giving the soloists more than enough room to push the envelope.

In addition to four strong originals, Sipiagin offers an elevated reading of Mingus' "Reincarnation of a Lovebird," two equally stirring takes of Bill Evans' "Very Early," and a priceless flügelhorn/acoustic guitar duet on Monk's "Light Blue." Sipiagin's orchestrations are ceaselessly probing and imaginative; there are times, like on the out-blues title track, when the harmonized lines he plays with Potter sound like three horns. Combining the rigors of painstaking composition with the frenzied inspiration of the hottest blowing date, Sipiagin gives listeners some of the most potent and engaging mainstream jazz of the era. By David R. Adler https://www.allmusic.com/album/hindsight-mw0000226313

Hindsight

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Alex Sipiagin Quintet - Steppin' Zone

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:16
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:17) 1. Catalyst (Take 1)
( 7:56) 2. Room 28
( 8:21) 3. Steppin' Zone
(11:13) 4. Spacing
( 8:14) 5. Missouri Uncompromised
( 6:41) 6. Moonstone
( 8:38) 7. Conception
( 4:51) 8. Catalyst (Take 2)

Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, one of the mainstays of the Mingus Big Band, has some distinguished company on his Criss Cross debut: Chris Potter on tenor sax, David Kikoski on piano, Scott Colley on bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. It's highly unlikely that an A-list quintet such as this would let listeners down and, sure enough, the disc swings like crazy from beginning to end. The program is bookended by two takes of Colley's "Catalyst," which the bassist also recorded for his Portable Universe album.

Other highlights include the difficult and seldom-covered "Missouri Uncompromised" by Pat Metheny, Sipiagin's steady-burning "Room 28," and a long take of Kikoski's harmonically free "Spacing." The group slows things down with Toninho Horta's "Moonstone" and the leader's lilting title track. (Their odd-metered interpretation of George Shearing's "Conception" is strikingly similar to the version that appears on George Colligan's Como la Vida Puede Ser.) Bolder and more unorthodox records have been made, but this kind of scorching, straight-ahead musicianship is always a pleasure to hear.By David R. Adler https://www.allmusic.com/album/steppin-zone-mw0000005071

Personnel: Alex Spiagin (trumpet); Chris Potter (tenor saxophone); David Kikoski (piano); Scott Colley (bass); Jeff Watts (drums).

Steppin'Zone

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Jim Snidero - MD66

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:39
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:15)  1. MD66
(9:38)  2. Recursion
(5:48)  3. Free Beauty
(6:08)  4. Unified
(6:27)  5. Who We've Known
(6:42)  6. Un4Scene
(4:35)  7. Blue in Green
(6:02)  8. Purge

Over the course of the past three decades alto saxophonist and composer Jim Snidero has been constantly pushing himself to explore new territories and expand his outlook. In 1989 (!) his extraordinary album Blue Afternoon made its way into The Penguin Jazz Guide: The History of the Music in the 1001 Best Albums. Later on he made his mark in the sax-with-strings department, not only playing at the top of his game, but also composing and arranging all of the music on the project. Most recently he's impressed more than a few listeners with a spate of fine albums on Savant. On this his latest release, Snidero tackles open modal forms and uses his unfettered imagination as a portal into free(r) territory, and takes his soloing to the next level by working an inside/outside approach that's rooted in the structure and style of each song but radical enough to move in wildly unexpected directions. This is a musical promised land where revelations, whether subtle or seismic in nature, are guided by revolution. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/MD66-Jim-Snidero/dp/B01ICUPAHM

Personnel:  Jim Snidero (alto saxophone);  Alex Sipiagin (trumpet);  Andy LaVerne (piano);  Ugonna Okegwo (bass);  Rudy Royston (drums).

MD66

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Conrad Herwig - The Latin Side of Mingus

Styles: Trombone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:40
Size: 130,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:38) 1. Gunslinging Bird
(6:58) 2. Boogie Stop Shuffle
(5:50) 3. Don't Let It Happen Here
(8:46) 4. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(5:03) 5. Hora Decubitus
(7:16) 6. Duke Ellington's Sound of Love
(6:16) 7. All the Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother
(8:50) 8. Better Get Hit in Your Soul

After receiving four Grammy nominations for his highly successful series of recordings that "latinize" the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Horace Silver, Conrad Herwig turns his attention to the legendary Charles Mingus. An imposing figure in jazz, Mingus was known for being complicated, volatile and a touched-by-genius innovator. As an homage to this influential artist, Conrad Herwig provides a fiery excursion into the world of Afro-Caribbean rhythms skillfully applied to Mingus' wildly imaginative compositions.

Joining Herwig is special guest trumpeter Randy Brecker together with long-time "Latin Side" band colleagues pianist Bill O'Connell, reedman Craig Handy and the trumpet/flugelhorn of Alex Sipiagin with the rhythm section of Luques Curtis, Robby Ameen and Camilo Molina. Collectively they bring a vibrant spirit and authority to this repertoire which is unique among today's salsa ensembles. Featured tunes run the gamut from the thoughtful and intimate "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" to the unbridled joy of "Boogie Stop Shuffle" with the somewhat lop-sided introduction to the opening track, "Gunslinging Bird," being the perfect harbinger of things to come. This latest installment in Conrad Herwig's "Latin Side" series pays tribute to the work of Charles Mingus with progressive arrangements, propulsive rhythms, exciting solos and the consummate musicianship of the leader and his bandmates. Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Latin-Side-Mingus-Conrad-Herwig/dp/B0BB8HHK72

Personnel: Conrad Herwig - Trombone; Randy Brecker - Trumpet; Alex Sipiagin - Trumpet; Craig Handy - Saxophone; Bill O'Connell - Piano; Luques Curtis - Bass; Robby Ameen - Drums; Camilo Molina - Percussion

The Latin Side of Mingus

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Michael Dease - Best Next Thing

Styles: Trombone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:19
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:56) 1. Rainbow People
(4:42) 2. Parker's Brood
(4:47) 3. Tiktaalik
(4:06) 4. Doxy
(6:09) 5. Charly Jaye
(5:40) 6. Glory
(4:53) 7. One for Dease
(7:19) 8. With Love
(5:43) 9. Horse Trading
(6:00) 10. Lullaby for Rita

Michael Dease keeps the music moving forward toward the "Best Next Thing" on his ninth album for Posi-Tone. With clear purpose, Trombonist Michael Dease gathers together an assemblage of exceptional musicians to help him interactively explore the essence of the blues and reframe the abstract truths of jazz as the "Best Next Thing" for today's audience of listeners. Providing support in bringing this vision to fruition, the session features an all-star lineup of musicians including trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Boris Kozlov, and powerhouse drummer Rudy Royston.

As a band leader, Dease makes sure the entire session stays insightfully straight forward and refreshingly melodic throughout while he conducts his topnotch crew through a series of his new compositions and some inventive arrangements of selections crafted by Dease's musical mentors. With this latest release, Michael Dease not only confirms his status as a virtuoso soloist and one of the biggest stars in jazz today, but also demonstrates that he is clearly an artist for jazz fans to rely upon to bring them the "Next Best Thing" in jazz for years to come.https://posi-tone.com/bnthing/bnthing.html

Personnel: Michael Dease - trombone; Alex Sipiagin - trumpet; Rudresh Mahanthappa - alto sax; Renee Rosnes - piano; Boris Kozlov - bass; Rudy Royston - drums

Best Next Thing

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Sarah Lancman - Inspiring Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:48
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Inspiring Love
(5:00)  2. Behind the Clouds
(2:19)  3. On the Other Side of the World
(6:18)  4. J'ai voulu partir
(4:17)  5. Never Say That You Love Me
(6:33)  6. The Gift
(4:26)  7. Reste là
(4:01)  8. Qui ?
(3:46)  9. Mysterious Lane
(3:37) 10. Talk to Me
(4:14) 11. Our Secret

“She is really the great new voice of Jazz“ this is what Quincy Jones said to Sarah Lancman when she won the Grand Prix of the International Competition of the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2012. 17 gold Records, Music awards, Django d’or, Grand Prix de l’Académie du Jazz Django Reinhardt, no need to introduce the italian pianist  Giovanni Mirabassi. They are now accomplices of their new album “Inspiring Love” released since November 18 whose 10 original compositions were recorded in New York, high place of this music. More... https://couleursjazz.fr/sarah-lancman-4tet-the-sunside-paris-december-26/

“Sarah Lanchman has the purity of Julie London and the depth of Shirley Horn. She is the hope and Jazz singer we all expected “~ Wendy Oxenhorn, Executive Director of the Jazz Foundation of the United States of America.

Personnel:  Sarah Lancman – voice ; Giovanni Mirabassi – piano ; Gianluca Renzi – doublebass ; Gene Jackson – drums ; Alex Sipiagin – trumpet and flugelhorn.

Inspiring Love

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Alex Sipiagin - Ascent to the Blues

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:12
Size: 156,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:53) 1. Dolphin's View
(5:25) 2. Blues for Wood
(5:27) 3. Doppio
(6:57) 4. Infant Eyes
(4:35) 5. Hindsight
(5:54) 6. No Doubts
(4:38) 7. Rush Hour
(8:39) 8. One More Shot
(9:16) 9. Novgorod Bells
(4:16) 10. Sandrigo Blues
(6:09) 11. Twelve More Bars to Go

Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin is no newcomer to jazz, but he also seems to have really grown as both a player and a leader in recent years deepening his sound sound with a sense of color and timing that we've never heard before, and really making the most of his comrades in a combo especially in a setting like this! The tunes are mostly all originals by Alex, delivered with a strong focus by the quintet a lineup that also features Diego Rivera on tenor, Art Hirihara on piano and Rhodes, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums and percussion a group who work with an innate sort of energy throughout, really packing a heck of a lot into a small space while still allowing for plenty of individual moments of expression! Titles include "Dolphin's View", "Doppio", "Hindsight", "No Doubts", "Rush Hour", "Sandrigo Blues", and "Novorod Bells". © 1996-2022, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/112312

Ascent to the Blues

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Conrad Herwig - The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:28
Size: 137,3 MB
Art: Front

(11:45)  1. Recorda Me
( 9:56)  2. Mamacita
( 9:18)  3. Afro-Centric
(11:15)  4. Black Narcissus
( 8:52)  5. Blue Bossa
( 8:20)  6. Inner Urge

So what makes The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson different from trombonist Conrad Herwig's previous Latin Side albums? Well, for starters, Herwig played with Henderson for several years, an experience which gave him great insight into the music and the man who made it. Then there's the material itself. Henderson's music, more so than that of previous Latin Side honorees like Herbie Hancock or John Coltrane, is tailor-made for this type of project, as some of the songs already lean toward the Latin side. This album, recorded live at New York's Blue Note in July of 2012, gives Herwig and some other A-list musicians featured guest Joe Lovano and trumpeter Alex Sipiagin chief among them a chance to cut loose on six spicy numbers. Stellar arrangements, feisty percussive tides, and strong solos are all here, as expected, but that doesn't mean things are predictable. Plenty of surprises await. Herwig and company cook right out of the gate with a sizzling "Recorda Me." Hot saxophone work, fun exchanges between Herwig and Sipiagin, winning piano work from Bill O'Connell, and over-a-vamp soloing from drummer Robby Ameen and percussionist Richie Flores all help to make this a memorable one. Next comes the Latin hard bop blues of "Mamacita," which proves to be another album highlight, followed by "Afro-Centric," which features some tight ensemble work and memorable soloing. 

The gentler flow of "Black Narcissus" serves as a brief respite from the heat, but the temperature rises again with the musical one-two punch that brings the album to its end. First up is "Blue Bossa," which finds Sipiagin in fiery form and features a thrilling percussion breakdown over a vamp in seven. Then the group finishes off with "Inner Urge," which may be the best showcase for Herwig's writing; the band sounds like it's twice its true size here. Herwig finished a stint at the Blue Note with his Latin Side Of Horace Silver project shortly before this review went to press, so it's fairly certain that this won't be the final Latin Side release. This will, however, be hard to top. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-latin-side-of-joe-henderson-conrad-herwig-half-note-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Conrad Herwig: trombone; Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone; Ronnie Cuber: baritone saxophone; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet; Bill O'Connell: piano; Ruben Rodriguez: bass; Robby Ameen: drums; Richie Flores: percussion.

The Latin Side Of Joe Henderson

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Alex Sipiagin - Upstream

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:54
Size: 126,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:23) 1. Call
(5:30) 2. Echo Canyon
(5:21) 3. Sight
(6:20) 4. SipaTham
(5:44) 5. Magic Square
(7:10) 6. Rain
(6:46) 7. Shura
(5:00) 8. Miyako
(7:37) 9. Upstream

Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has grown tremendously in recent years and a record like this is a fantastic demonstration of his talents as both an instrumentals and as a composer and also as a leader of a very well-matched group! The combo is a quartet, but soar out with a spirit that makes you feel like you're hearing the energy of a much larger ensemble a quality that maybe comes in part from the work of pianist Art Hirihara, who always seems to have this grand sense of flow driven on strongly here by the bass of Boris Kozlov and drums of Rudy Royston! Sipiagin is majestic throughout able to fly to the heavens at some points, but then be very down to earth and personal at others on titles that include "Sight", "Call", "Rain", "Shura", "Echo Canyon", "Upstream", and "Magic Square". © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/982443

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin - trumpet, flugelhorn; Art Hirahara - piano; Boris Kozlov - bass; Rudy Royston - drums

Upstream

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Alex Sipiagin - Relativity

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:27
Size: 155,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:26) 1. Relativity
( 6:59) 2. Propagation of Light
( 4:31) 3. Space and Time
( 9:09) 4. Simultaneity
( 6:37) 5. Clocks in Motion
( 8:01) 6. Addition of Velocity
( 6:05) 7. Difficult Cosmos
( 4:51) 8. Spacetime
( 9:44) 9. Unbounded

Some years ago, Alan J. Friedman and Carol C. Donley published a book with the intriguing title Einstein as Myth and Muse, which traces the cultural influence of Einstein's theory of relativity. The impact of Einstein's theory on the public imagination has been profound and its influence on modern jazz as a muse is very artfully evident in the titles of the beautifully performed tracks of the Alex Sipiagin album Relativity: Music of Dave Lisik with performances by Chris Potter, Will Vinson, John Escreet, Boris Koslov, Eric Harland and Alina Engibaryan. As a theoretical physicist specializing in Einstein's theory of relativity, I look at the physical aspect of reality while jazz represents complex musical aspects of reality. Each track on this album highlights a particular aspect of Einstein’s theory. Relativity means looking at reality from different aspects to gain a better perspective of the whole. My ruminations consider what Einstein's theory has to say about the physical aspect of each title of this beautiful album. Let's take a look: Relativity: Einstein's theory of relativity is the result of a conflict between Newton's classical physics of motion and Maxwell's theory of light. This lack of harmony between Newton and Maxwell is what Einstein had to deal with.

Propagation of Light: All the visible information that comes to us from the universe, whether on the large or small scale, is due to light which, like sound, travels as a wave. These light waves travel at a constant speed of 186,000 miles per second. The speed of light does not change whether you're moving towards a light beam or away from it. Ordinary objects like a baseball change their speed if you're running towards the baseball after it is pitched or away from it. Light behaves differently. Space and Time: Newton says that, just like the baseball, light should change its speed depending on whether you're moving towards the source of light or away from it. Einstein said the speed of light doesn't change with the speed of the source and there is an important reason why: the speed of light stays the same because space and time change. Simultaneity: According to Einstein's theory of relativity, events that happen for you at the same time if you're standing still, did not happen for me at the same time if I'm moving relative to you. Time is relative.

Clocks in Motion: Einstein says that time for moving clock slows down. The faster you move, the more your clock slows down. Your heart is a clock so you age less the faster you move relative to everyone else. Addition of Velocity: If someone is running towards you and throws a baseball at you, the baseball will be coming at you faster than if they were standing still when they threw the ball at you. The velocity of the runner is added to the velocity of the baseball. If they are running at you while they are shining a flashlight, according to relativity, the velocity of light beam is the same as if they were standing still. In other words, adding any velocity to the velocity of light does not change the velocity of light. This is because space and time are changing. Difficult Cosmos: Relativity shows that the universe is much richer, deeper and more complex than we had ever thought before. When we look out into the universe, we are looking into the past. The universe we see now is the universe as it was because it takes time for light to reach us. Spacetime: The famous mathematician Hermann Minkowski stated that, because of Einstein's theory of relativity, "space by itself and time by itself are doomed to fade away into mere shadows and only a kind of union of the two will have an independent reality." Space and time are joined into a four-dimensional “spacetime.” Unbounded: The theory of relativity has given us a new view of the universe that is no longer constrained by the mechanical world of Newton. Jazz also gives us a new view of music that is radically different from the classical music of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. To me, all the pieces in this dynamic album of modern jazz have a have a wonderful har

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin, trumpet and flugelhorn; Chris Potter, tenor saxophone; Will Vinson, alto saxophone; John Escreet, piano; Boris Kozlov, bass; Eric Harland, drums; Alina Engibaryan, voice

Relativity

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Opus 5 - Tickle

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:42
Size: 137,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:27) 1. Silver Pockets
(9:02) 2. Tickle
(9:36) 3. New Old Ballad
(8:43) 4. Five Corners
(9:05) 5. Equilibrium
(7:33) 6. Crack to the Crevice
(7:13) 7. Murzake

Despite busy schedules, the five co-leaders of Opus 5 return once again with a fourth album, Tickle, a statement of great virtuosity, melodic integrity and rhythmic focus. Taking its place alongside Introducing Opus 5, Pentasonic and Progressions, this session finds the band in peak form, interpreting compositions by all the band's members. From the shifting funk to swing of drummer Donald Edwards-penned title track, to the singable purity of tenorist Seamus Blake's opening Silver Pockets, to the poetic bass cadenza and plaintive mood of bassist Boris Kozlov's closing ballad Murzake, Tickle secures Opus 5's place as one of the most compelling and long-lived collectives in recent years. Pianist David Kikoski composed the beautiful New Old Ballad, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin wrote Equilibrium. ~ Opiniones Editoriales https://www.amazon.com/Tickle-Opus-5/dp/B0143DKJI2

Seamus Blake - saxophone, compose; Alex Sipiagin - trumpet, flugelhorn, composer; David Kikoski - piano, fender rhodes, composer; Boris Kozlov - bass, composer; Donald Edwards - drums, composer

Tickle

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