Showing posts with label Rick Margitza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rick Margitza. Show all posts

Monday, February 26, 2024

Jim Rotondi Quintet - Over Here

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:23
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:35) 1. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:00) 2. Pete's 32
(7:43) 3. I Concentrate on You
(5:20) 4. Jim's Blues
(5:25) 5. Moclieda
(3:35) 6. Voice
(6:58) 7. Leemo
(7:09) 8. Father John
(5:34) 9. Happy Feet

By titling his eighth Criss Cross album Over Here!, trumpeter Jim Rotondi picks up on the sentiments he signified with The Move, his seventh for the label. “It doesn’t necessarily mean moving somewhere else, but rather returning home, playing tunes with a lot of straight-ahead swing and interesting chord sequences with guys I’m comfortable with,” Rotondi stated in the liner notes I wrote for that kinetic 2009 recital.

That’s an effective description of what transpires on Rotondi’s latest swinging affair. But although he wasn’t misdirecting, he wasn’t telling the whole story. As it turned out, The Move indeed foreshadowed Rotondi’s decision in 2010 to leave New York for Austria for a position as Professor of Trumpet at the University of Graz. As indicated by the current title (which references George M. Cohan’s 1917 flagwaver “Over There” and Rotondi’s father’s service in Europe during World War 2), Rotondi is ensconced on the Continent thirteen years later, augmenting pedagogical responsibilities with several trips a year to New York and other U.S. waystations, and also touring the jazz clubs of central Europe, Italy, France, Spain and the U.K.

In fact, Over Here stems from a ten-day sojourn by a band of four New York-trained masters that opened with a jazz cellar gig in the Viennese suburb Bruck an der Leitha, proceeded to Neuberg, Germany, doubled back to Vienna’s prestigious Porgy and Bess club, continued with a drive to tenor saxophone maestro Piero Odorici’s club in Bologna, and then transitioned to Udine for the recording session.https://www.challengerecords.com/products/16914145778748/Over%20Here

Personnel:Jim Rotondi - trumpet / fluegelhorn; Danny Grissett - piano; Rick Margitza - tenor saxophone; Joshua Ginsburg - bass; Vladimir Kostadinovic - drums

Over Here

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra - Evanescence

Styles: Big Band, Contemporary Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:55
Size: 168,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:29) 1. Wyrgly
(11:23) 2. Evanescence
( 9:02) 3. Gumba Blue
( 5:52) 4. Some Circles
( 8:08) 5. Green Piece
( 7:09) 6. Gush
( 4:53) 7. My Lament
( 7:30) 8. Dance You Monster To My Soft Song
( 8:24) 9. Last Season

Maria Schneider's debut as a leader is quite impressive. Her complex arrangements of her nine originals are most influenced by Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer, although her own musical personality shines through. There are strong solos from tenors Rick Margitza and Rich Perry, trumpeter Tim Hagan, altoist Tim Ries, and particularly pianist Kenny Werner, but it is the moody ensembles that most stick in one's mind. Schneider's arrangements are often dense, a bit esoteric, and thought-provoking; this music may need several listens for one to grasp all that is going on. By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/evanescence-mw0000114781

Personnel: Maria Schnieder – conductor; Mark Vinci – alto saxophone, flute, alto flute, clarinet, piccolo; Tim Ries – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet; Rich Perry – tenor saxophone, flute; Rick Margitza – tenor saxophone; Scott Robinson – baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet; Tony Kadleck – trumpet, flügelhorn; Greg Gisbert – trumpet, flügelhorn; Laurie Frink – trumpet, flügelhorn; Tim Hagans – trumpet, flügelhorn; John Fedchock – trombone; Keith O'Quinn – trombone; Larry Farrell – trombone; George Flynn – bass trombone, tuba; Ben Monder – guitar; Kenny Werner – piano; Jay Anderson – bass guitar; Dennis Mackrel – drums; Emidin Rivera – percussion on "Gush"; Bill Hayes – flexatone on "Gush"

Evanescence

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Andy Laverne - Severe Clear

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:36
Size: 146,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:23) 1. Severe Clear
(8:39) 2. No Guts, No Glory
(9:10) 3. Plasma Pool
(6:13) 4. Fact or Fiction
(6:31) 5. Rick's Trick
(7:59) 6. Trajectory
(9:16) 7. Three Times Twice
(8:20) 8. Ethereal Spheres

Augmented by trumpeter Tim Hagans, this recording finds Laverne in top gear playing some of the most incredible chord voicings. Rick Margitza (ts) is also prominently featured.
By Paul Kohler https://www.allmusic.com/album/severe-clear-mw0000415916

Personnel: Andy LaVerne – piano; Tim Hagans – trumpet; Rick Margitza – tenor saxophone; Steve LaSpina – bass; Anton Fig – drums

Severe Clear

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Rick Margitza - Hands Of Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:39
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:31)  1. Hands Of Time
(5:47)  2. Hip Bop
(6:54)  3. Embraceable You
(7:06)  4. How Things Are At Home
(8:33)  5. Forty Five Pound Hound
(6:56)  6. At Long Last
(7:49)  7. Cultural Elite

For this modern straight-ahead set, Rick Margitza (heard on both tenor and soprano) performs six of his challenging originals plus "Embraceable You." The latter, whose melody is given some altered notes that do not help and make things sound sour, is a low point. However, Margitza sounds much stronger on his originals, particularly the boogaloo "Hip Bop," the medium-tempo blues "Forty Five Pound Hound," and the joyful "At Long Last." His rhythm section is excellent (bassist George Mraz is particularly responsive to the saxophonist's playing), and Margitza sounds in prime form, showing individuality on both of his horns. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/hands-of-time-mw0000645101

Personnel: Saxophone – Rick Margitza;  Double Bass – George Mraz; Drums – Al Foster; Piano – Kevin Hays

Hands Of Time

Monday, May 6, 2019

Rick Margitza - Work It

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:04
Size: 135,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:09)  1. Steppin' out
(7:53)  2. Work it
(9:47)  3. My foolish heart
(7:07)  4. Your lady
(8:02)  5. It could happen to you
(9:08)  6. Last season/Widows walk
(7:55)  7. A sour mystery of bird

One of the "young lions," Rick Margitza is an excellent tenor saxophonist most inspired by Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, and John Coltrane. He started on the violin when he was four (his grandfather was a cellist and his father a violinist with the Detroit Symphony), studied classical piano for a bit, and also played oboe before switching to tenor in high school. 

He attended Wayne State University, Berklee, the University of Miami, and finally Loyola University in New Orleans, where he lived and played for four years. Margitza toured with Maynard Ferguson and also Flora Purim and Airto before moving to New York in 1988. He spent part of 1988 in Miles Davis' group and then cut three sets as a leader for Blue Note during 1989-1991. His 1994 outing for Challenge found Margitza showing increasing individuality. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rick-margitza-mn0000855174/biography

Personnel:  Rick Margitza (Tenor sax); George Mraz (Bass); James Williams (Piano); Billy Hart (Drums).

Work It

Saturday, May 4, 2019

Rick Margitza - Hope

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 66:34
Size: 123,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:59)  1. The Journey
(6:00)  2. Song Of Hope
(8:50)  3. Steppin Stone
(5:08)  4. The Princess
(6:50)  5. Walls
(1:27)  6. Mothers Day
(4:46)  7. Recess
(5:28)  8. Heritage
(8:43)  9. The Old Country
(4:04) 10. We The People
(8:15) 11. Cornfed

Play any three-minute segment from this CD by tenor-saxophonist Rick Margitza and one would swear that this was a Wayne Shorter record from the mid-1970's. Only the superior recording quality and technology would betray the fact that these performances are of more recent vintage. Even though the original songs do not sound familiar, there is nothing on this moody date that stamps it as Rick Margitza's. The young saxophonist tries his best, often overdubbing his tenor and soprano, varying moods in his compositions and sometimes utilizing the voices of Phil Perry and Ed Calle as part of the ensemble, but in general the music is overly dry and Margitza's tones are a near duplicate of Shorter's, especially on tenor. Despite some good playing (especially from guitarist Steve Masakowski and pianist Joey Calderazzo), this was a premature effort from the young saxophonist who was not quite ready to be leading his own record session. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/hope-mw0000314464

Personnel: Rick Margitza - tenor saxophone, keyboards, composer; Jeff Kievit - trumpet; Danny Cahn - trumpet; Steve Masakowski - guitar, banjo; Joey Calderazzo - piano; Marc Johnson - bass; Peter Erskine - drums; Airto Moreira - percussion; Phil Perry - vocals; Ed Calle - vocals, EWI; Charles Pillow - oboe; Richard Margitza - violin; Olivia Koppell - viola; Jesse Levy - cello

Hope

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Ed Calle & Rick Margitza - Live At The Open Stage Club

Size: 171,9+174,8 MB
Time: 74:37+75:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Street Of Thieves (12:20)
02. Gulf Of Cadiz (11:34)
03. My Folks Song (12:39)
04. August In Paris (10:37)
05. Cry Me A River (10:53)
06. Hopscotch (16:32)

CD 2:
01. Barcelona Blue ( 9:11)
02. Sailing ( 7:38)
03. St. Sonny (12:24)
04. Dancing On A Cloud ( 8:30)
05. Lowpoint Avenue (11:15)
06. Laura (10:21)
07. Turnaround (16:27)

Born in Venezuela of Spanish parents, Dr. Ed Calle is the 2015 Latin Grammy Award winner for Best Instrumental Album, a five-time Grammy nominee, 2016 Pepsi Music Award nominee for best jazz album, and one of the most recorded saxophonists in history. Ed is featured on more than 1,200 CDs and almost of 9,000 singles with recording royalty including Frank Sinatra, Celia Cruz, Arturo Sandoval, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Cristina Aguilera, Tom Dowd, Phil Ramone, Juan Luis Guerra, Chick Corea, Michael Brecker, Gloria Estefan, Juanes, Greg Allman, Lenny Kravitz, The Bee Gees, George Clinton, David Byrne, Rhianna, David Bisbal, the Pet Shop Boys, Julio Iglesias, and Oscar DeLeon. Calle currently tours the globe as a featured soloist and with his jazz ensemble, Mamblue, Arturo Sandoval, World Music 5, Miami Saxophone Quartet, Negroni's Trio, 14 Jazz Orchestra, & the South Florida Jazz Orchestra. Active in and recognized by his community, Dr. Calle’s accolades include 2018 South Florida Music Hall of Fame Nominee, Best Professor Miami Dade College (2015), United Teachers of Dade Champion of Education for the Arts and Entertainment (2014), and King of Carnival Miami (2013). Dr. Calle is a tenured Professor of Music Business at Miami Dade College and a frequent guest artist and lecturer at schools, colleges, and universities around the globe. Calle’s research focuses on the application of relationships between two of his passions, music and mathematics. Dr. Calle’s published research explores the challenges facing American students learning math. Ed lives in Miami with his wife Sari and their three children. Calle's latest live CD/DVD - Ed Calle & Rick Margitza Live at the Open Stage Club. This unprecedented gathering of internationally acclaimed artists features longtime colleagues Calle & Margitza along with Chuck Bergeron, John Hart, John Yarling, and The Miami Saxophone Quartet.

Live At The Open Stage Club CD 1
Live At The Open Stage Club CD 2