Kenny Werner Trio - Savassi Jazz Fest (2012)

Born November 19, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York, Kenny Werner got an early start as a pianist. At the age of 11 he recorded a single with a 15-piece orchestra and appeared on television playing stride piano. He attended the Manhattan School of Music while still in high school, then became a concert piano major upon graduation. He felt the pull of jazz and decided to leave the Manhattan School for the Berklee School of Music in Boston, coming under the influence of two teachers, Madame Chaloff and Juão Assis Brasil, both strong pianists who helped him integrate spiritual aspects with strong performances. (Stacia Proefrock)

Savassi Festival

Belo Horizonte, MG

Brazil

2012-07-29

Kenny Werner - Piano

Johannes Weidenmuller - Bass

Ari Hoenig - Drums

7 tr.

63 min

Zone E

René Urtreger - Tentatives (2006)

Urtreger n'a plus rien à prouver, il réinterprète avec subtilité des morceaux qu'il a joués et rejoués avec les plus grands : Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Stan Getz... Car tel était le piège de cet exercice. A trop les jouer, il ne fallait pas en perdre l'essence même. Pouvoir les aborder comme pour une première fois...

Tentatives réussies... A soixante-douze ans, René Urtreger propose une lecture sobre, posée et étonnamment fraîche de ces standards, le résultat l'a d'ailleurs lui-même surpris. Si le temps a permis de bonifier son talent, l'envie et le plaisir de jouer ne se sont jamais taris. Une pièce d'une grande maîtrise et d'une rare élégance. (krinein)

Piano – Rene Urtreger

10 tr.

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

R.I.P.: Mulgrew Miller - Wingspan (1999)

Mulgrew Miller (August 13, 1955 – May 29, 2013) whose soulful erudition, clarity of touch and rhythmic aplomb made him a fixture in the postbop mainstream for more than 30 years, died on Wednesday in Allentown, Pa. He was 57. Miller's style was influential in jazz during the 1980s and 90s, and in the tradition of Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner, and Kenny Barron.

The emphasis on this quintet album is on Mulgrew Miller's compositions; five of the seven numbers (all but Kenny Garrett's "Sonhos Do Brasil" and the standard "I Remember You") are by the pianist/leader. Miller is joined by bassist Charnett Moffett, drummer Tony Reedus, vibraphonist Steve Nelson and altoist Garrett (who plays flute on one song); percussionist Rudy Bird guests on three numbers. The inventive solos on the fairly complex material and the attractive sound of the ensembles make this a worthy release. (Scott Yanow)

Bass – Charnett Moffett

Drums – Tony Reedus

Percussion – Rudy Bird (tracks: 2, 5, 7)

Piano – Mulgrew Miller

Saxophone, Flute – Kenny Garrett

Vibraphone – Steve Nelson

8 tr.

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

ON THE SPOT THIS WEEK: Tord Gustavsen

Tord Gustavsen Trio In Montreal (2003)

Montréal Festival de Jazz

Canada

2003-06-27

(june 27th, 2003)

Tord Gustavsen - piano    

Harald Johnsen  - ac. bass    

Jarle Vespestad - drums 

6 tr.

FM broadcast

Zone E

Ulrich Drechsler Quartet Feat. Tord Gustavsen - Humans & Places (2006)

Humans & Places follows Drechsler's loving tribute to Thelonious Monk on the 2004 disc The Monk In All Of Us, where his bass clarinet conjured the spirit of Eric Dolphy. On this quartet recording his music directs itself more towards Bill Evans than Dolphy. Perhaps the influence of Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen is what imparts this music with the stark emotions you would expect from Manfred Eicher's ECM sessions.

Gustavsen has now gained international recognition for his two ECM releases, Changing Places (2003) and The Ground (2005). His economy of playing, a kind of "less is more style, influences Drechsler's compositions and approach. Or probably it is more correct to state these two kindred spirits embody this sparse and beautiful presentation naturally.

Ulrich Drechsler: bass clarinet; 

Tord Gustavsen: piano; 

Oliver Steger: bass; 

Jorg Mikula: drums; 

Peter Ponger: piano.

11 tr.

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

Tord Gustavsen Ensemble - Cheltenham Festival (2011)

Cheltenham Festival

23rd May 2011

Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen and his Ensemble at the Cheltenham Festival, including specially commissioned music for the occasion. Gustavsen has been at the forefront of the Scandinavian jazz scene for the last decade, developing with his trio a lyrical, often sparse sound that draws on their Nordic heritage as well as cool jazz, blues and gospel.

Tord Gustavsen (piano)

Tore Brunborg (tenor and soprano saxophones)

Mats Eilertsen (double bass)

Jarle Vespestad (drums)

7 tr.

Zone E

Anat Fort - A Long Story (2007)

From the first notes of "Just Now," an attentive listener will recognize that A Long Story is going to be something special. The seemingly simple, Middle-Eastern tinged melody is treated with odd phrase lengths, keeping the listener decidedly off-balance, despite the direct harmonic progressions. Pianist Anat Fort's improvisations on the tune float around the barely felt pulse creating an atmosphere of calm, serene beauty, which nevertheless is quite taut beneath the surface.

The rest of the album seems to simply unfold, gradually exposing this remarkable musician's compositional and improvisational skills. The pieces each tell a story and each has a combination of rigorous logic and playfulness mixed with much room for spontaneous invention.

Anat Fort: piano

Perry Robinson: clarinet, ocarina

Ed Schuller: bass

Paul Motian: drums

11 tr.

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

Andrea Pozza Trio - To The Jellyfish From The Bosphorus (2013)

A Live FM radio session broadcast by Radio3 RAI of italian national radio, from Sala M, RAI studios, Roma (Italy), on Saturday 18 May 2013. Pozza is here introducing his latest album for Abeat Records, A Jellyfish from The Bosphorus. These tracks should be Pozza's tunes, all intros and interviews, strictly in Italian, has been removed (23 minutes).

Andrea Pozza, pianoforte

Aldo Zunino, contra-bass

Nicola Angelucci, drums

9 tr.

42:02

From survivor66

Zone E

John Di Martino Romantic Jazz Trio - Forbidden Love (2013)

Tribute To Madonna

Born in Philadelphia, di Martino was a student of Lennie Tristano, Don Sebesky and Jimmy Amadie. Composer, arranger and Venus recording artist, based in New York, he is a sought after musical director and is in demand by many singers as an accompanist, having accompanied such singers as Jon Hendricks, Sylvia Sims, Diane Schuur and Billy Eckstine. Di Martino was a long time member of Ray Barretto's "New World Spirit" group and he was a featured pianist and arranger on several recording including Barretto's Grammy-nominated CD, Contact! on Blue Note, 1997. (Marcia Hillman)

John Di Martino – piano

Boris Kozlov – bass

Mike Clark – drums

14 tr.

Recorded at Tedesco Studio, New York on May 10-13, 2012.

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

Eddie Costa - The House Of Blue Lights (1959)

Eddie Costa was probably better known for his work as a vibraphonist than as a pianist during his all too brief career, which ended suddenly after a fatal car crash in 1962. He sticks exclusively to piano on his final album as a leader, joined by bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Paul Motian. His interpretation of Gigi Gryce's "The House of Blue Lights" has a dark tone overall, very percussive at times and often incorporating fast runs. Likewise, his take of "My Funny Valentine" is rather moody, as if a breakup between lovers is imminent. "Diane" finally lightens the mood with some mid-tempo breezy bop. Costa's two originals include the upbeat cooker "Annabelle" and the rambling, almost avant-gardish "What's It to Ya." Marshall and Motian provide great support for Costa throughout these experimental sessions. It is a pity that Eddie Costa died at such a young age before he had an opportunity to expand upon the work heard in this valuable date.(Ken Dryden)

Eddie Costa (piano)

Wendell Marshall (bass)

Paul Motian (drums)

6 tr.

Recorded in NYC, Jan. 29 & Feb. 2, 1959

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

Alboran Trio & Ulrich Drechsler - In Concert (2009)

At The Remise

Bludenz, Austria

March 5th, 2009

Paolo Paliaga - piano

Dino Contenti - bass

Gigi Biolcati - drums

Ulrich Drechsler – bass clarinet

10 tr.

Zone E

ON THE SPOT THIS WEEK: Giovanni Mirabassi

Giovanni Mirabassi - Architectures (1999)

Daniel Mencarelli Bass

Giovanni Mirabassi Piano

Louis Moutin Drums

9 tr.

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

Giovanni Mirabassi Solo At Roland Garros (2012)

Roland Garros, Paris

2012-05-05

Giovanni Mirabassi, piano

Themes mainly coming from his cd Adelante (2011)

3 tr.

49 minutes

TSF Jazzlive

Zone E

Giovanni Mirabassi Trio & Strings - Viva V.E.R.D.I. (2013)

The trio album, accompanied by a string orchestra, was recorded live in the Goyang Aram Concert Hall in Goyang South Korea on November 27, 2011.

Giovanni Mirabassi - piano

Gianluca Renzi - double bass, arrangments

Lukmil Perez Herrera - drums

with Bee String Orchestra directed by Lorenzo Pagliei

8 tr.

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

Bobby Enriquez - The Wildman Returns (1990)

Bobby Enriquez earned his nickname of the "Wildman" due to his remarkable technique on the piano, his hyper style, and his tendency to toss in lots of crazy song quotes. For this later effort, Enriquez is teamed with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Al Foster for a set of mostly standards including such oddball items as "Blue Hawaii" and the "Pink Panther Theme." He starts out with two reasonably mellow numbers, really takes off during "Groovin' High," and never lets up until he cools down a bit with the closing "Misty." This cat could certainly play! (Scott Yanow)

Bobby Enriquez - piano

Ray Brown - bass

Al Foster - drums

10 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Tord Gustavsen Trio - Silence Way (2009)

Before he started his trio, Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen, born 5 October 1970 in Oslo, Norway, was already very much involved in his country's jazz scene. Contributions to releases by groups like the Silje Nergaard Band, the Ulrich Drechsler Quartet, and others had already helped to establish him as one of Norway's top players. In 2003, signed to ECM, Gustavsen, along with drummer Jarle Vespestad and bassist Harald Johnsen, released Changing Places, which was followed in 2005 with Ground. Two years later, Being There, what Gustavsen called the completion of the trilogy, hit shelves. In 2010, Gustavsen delivered Restored, Returned on ECM, featuring vocalist Kristin Asbjørnsen. (Marisa Brown)

Altes Pfandhaus,

Köln, Germany,

2009-November-24

Tord Gustavsen, piano

Harald Johnsen, bass

Jarle Vespestad, drums

11 tr. 

Zone E

Marc André Hamelin - In A State Of Jazz (2008)

Marc-André Hamelin’s technical and interpretative brilliance over an extraordinarily wide range of repertoire has placed him firmly in the top rank of living pianists. His recent recordings of Alkan and Haydn were universally acclaimed in the highest terms. In this recording, Hyperion presents Marc-André Hamelin ‘in a state of jazz’, as he turns his attention to the music of Kapustin, Antheil, Gulda and Weissenberg—all composers who felt keenly that there was a fundamental desire on the part of the concert-going public to hear something different. This wonderful disc is full of surprises—as Hamelin writes in his entertaining yet scholarly liner notes, ‘There is no jazz in this recording. At least not in the traditional sense … there is much to be enjoyed here, and much to be amazed by’. (Hyperion)

Marc André Hamelin - piano

19 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Antoine Hervé Trio - In Paris (2009)

Duc des Lombards,

Paris, France

23 Novembre 2009

Antoine Hervé,piano

François Moutin,bass

Louis Moutin,drums

7 tr.

61:04

FM Broadcast

Zone E

Alan Broadbent - 'Round Midnight (2005)

Long considered a very valuable pianist, arranger, and conductor behind the scenes, whether accompanying singers (including his classic recordings with Irene Kral) or as part of bands (most notably Charlie Haden's Quartet West), Alan Broadbent tends to be underrated as a pianist/leader. In the Los Angeles area he occasionally performs in clubs where his trio work is quite spontaneous. For 'Round Midnight, he simply gathered together two of his favorite players (bassist Brian Bromberg and drummer Joe LaBarbera), decided on a list of tunes (including two of his originals), and played. Although the results are quite logical, nothing was arranged in advance. It just worked out this perfectly on a moment's notice. Whether swinging on bebop standards, digging into J.J. Johnson's "Lament," or transforming "Serenata" into jazz, everything works well on this easily recommended trio outing. (Scott Janow)

Alan Broadbent - piano

Brian Bromberg - bass

Joe LaBarbera - drums

8 tr.

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

The Grusin Brothers - Live In Munich (2009)

Live at "Bühne frei im Studio 2",

Funkhaus des Bayrischen Rundfunks

Munich, Germany, 2009-11-04

Radio Announcer: Beate Sampson

Dave Grusin: piano

Don Grusin: piano

Lee Ritenour: acoustic guitar on tracks 7 & 8

8 tr.

Zone E

Duke Jordan - Beauty Of Scandinavia (1996)

The release from the jazz pianist best known for being pianist with Charlie Parker's classic 1947 quintet. Beauty of Scandinavia is Duke Jordan's musical love letter to the region he called home for the latter part of his life. With the strong support from Thigpen and the great bassist Jesper Lundgaard, this album became an instant classic. Recommended!

Duke Jordan - Piano

Jesper Lundgaard - Bass

Ed Thigpen - Drums

1  6:32

2  6:51

3  6:41

4  4:24

5 5:02

6  3:44

7  2:34

8  4:18

9  6:00

10 5:31

11  4:10

Recording Date  Aug 25 - 26, 1995

Buy from good retailers

Yaron Herman Trio - Cully Jazz Festival (2008)

Cully Jazz Festival

Chapiteau

Cully, Switzerland

April 4th, 2008

Yaron Herman was born in Tel-Aviv on 12 July 1981. He started to learn the piano at 16 using a methodology based on philosophy, mathematics and psychology. Two years later, Yaron earned the prestigious Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music “Junior talent” prize. He started performing in Israel at the Tel-Aviv Museum, the Tel-Aviv Cinematek, The Camelot, Givataim Theatre, Beit Lesin Theatre, and Einav Center. At the age of 19, Yaron moved to Boston, where he intended to attend the Berklee College of Music but rapidly preferred to start his career in Paris, France.(Wikipedia)

Yaron Herman - piano

Matt Brewer - bass

Gerald Cleaver - drums

4 tr.

Zone E

Eugen Cicero ‎– Klavierspielereien (1969)

Eugen Cicero, of Romanian descent, was born Eugen Ciceu in 1940, started playing piano at age four, gave his first Mozart Concerto with the Symphonic Orchestra of his hometown, Cluj-Napoca (Klausenburg), at age six and by the time he was 14 he was widely known as a child prodigy. His parents helped him develop this gift and hone his skills and when he was 11 they sent him to study with Aurelia Cionca, renowned in her native Romania as an excellent pianist who herself was taught by a student of Franz Liszt. Later Cicero studied with Anna Pitis who is said to have “initiated him into the virtuoso traditions personified by Franz Liszt” and later Cicero studied instrumentation and composition at the National Conservatory in Bucharest. In the early 1960s, Cicero was on tour in East Berlin and managed to escape to the West. It was Charly Antolini, the drummer on most of Cicero’s later recordings, that got him a deal with Saba/MPS and the rest, as they say, is history. Many of his recordings are jazz adaptations of classical music.

Eugen Cicero - piano

Peter Witte - bass

Charly Antolini - drums

8 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Taylor Eigsti Trio - In Burghausen (2009)

40th Internationalen Jazzwoche

Jazzkeller im Mautnerschloss

Burghausen, Germany

21.03.2009

Taylor Eigsti - piano

Harish Raghavan - bass

Aaron Mclendon - drums

11 tr.

Zone E

Bob James Trio - Take It From The Top (2004)

Bob James, who for many years has gained fame and fortune for his commercial pop/jazz crossover sets, on this set returns to his roots in straight-ahead jazz. James is showcased in a trio with bassist James Genus and drummer Billy Kilson, paying tribute to some of his favorite pianists. James' interpretations of nine standards are not necessarily in the style of the pianists, but there are moments when he consciously quotes one of their phrases, including putting a phrase from "Mona Lisa" in "Straighten Up and Fly Right" for Nat King Cole. Along the way he also pays homage to Red Garland, Glenn Gould (the classical pianist liked "Downtown"), Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal, Erroll Garner (his version of "Caravan"), Mal Waldron, and John Lewis. It is to Bob James' credit that he still sounds so natural playing this bop-oriented music; this is one of the most rewarding playing dates of his recording career. (Scott Janow)

Bob James - piano

James Genus - bass

Billy Kilson - drums

9 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Helge Lien Trio - London Jazz Festival (2009)

Helge Lien (born 23 April 1975 and raised in Moelv, Norway) is a renowned Norwegian Jazz musician (piano), composer and band leader. Lien is known from a variety of musical contexts, such as Tri O'Trang (with Torben Snekkestad on sax and Lars Andreas Haug on tuba), Helge Lien Trio (HLT), the duo Hero with saxophonist Rolf-Erik Nystrom, with the vocalist Silje Nergaard, Oslo Groove Company, and Jens Wendelboe Crazy Energy Quartet. (Wikipedia)

Helge Lien (piano)

Frode Berg (bass)

Knut Aalefjaer (drums)

10 tr.

Recorded: 20th November 2009

BBC Broadcast

Zone E

Kenny Barron Trio - Minor Blues (2009)

Kenny Barron was honored as an NEA Jazz Master on January 12, 2010, and it was a recognition that was due. Since entering the jazz scene in the early '60s, he has made his mark as a sideman (especially with Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz), solo pianist, leader, and composer. These 2009 sessions pair him with frequent collaborator Ben Riley and fellow veteran George Mraz on bass. While most of the focus is on familiar standards, the opener is Barron's slinky "Minor Blues," in which Barron and Mraz both shine backed by Riley's brushwork, though the drummer switches to sticks for his breaks. The leader's jaunty take of "Emily" and driving treatment of "How Deep Is the Ocean?" sizzle. His richly textured setting of "Too Late Now" doesn't require its lyrics to get across the mood of the song, while his breezy Latin arrangement of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" casts this ballad in a new light. This is clearly one of Kenny Barron's best albums to date!. Highly recommended! (Ken Dryden)

Kenny Barron - piano

George Mraz - bass

Ben Riley - drums

01  06:33

02  06:58

03 06:56

04  09:04

05  08:20

06  08:38

07  06:34

08  06:26

09  06:52

10  06:38

Buy from good retailers

Modern Jazz Quartet - At Newport (1965)

They appeared at the 1959 Newport Jazz Festival with their unique approach to blending chamber-like delicacy with blues feel and jazz improvisation, and re-visited the festival in 1965.

John Lewis - piano

Milt Jackson - vibraphone

Percy Heath - bass

Connie Kay - drums

1. Band Introduction by Dr.Billy Taylor 2:50

2.  4:34

3.  4:53

4. Song Introduction 0:23

5.  7:14

6.  3:43

7.  6:46

8.  5:19

9.  4:08

Zone E

Sweet Basil Trio - St Thomas (1991)

Recorded in 1991, ST. THOMAS can justifiably be considered an all star session. Cedar Walton, in addition to his prolific solo career, started off with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the early '60s. Ron Carter was the bassist in Miles Davis's second great post-bop quintet, and Billy Higgins, before his long-time partnership with Cedar Walton, was the drummer for Ornette Coleman's groundbreaking small groups in the '60s.The chemistry is palpable. (Rovi)

Ron Carter - bass

Billy Higgins - drums

Cedar Walton - piano

1  10:55

2 7:41

3  8:13

4  9:57

5  7:16

6  6:58

Check with your local dealers

Chantale Gagné Trio - At Espace Del'Arte Montréal (2009)

A native of Quebec, Canada, pianist Chantale Gagné began her musical journey at the age of 8. At 15, jazz piano becomes her passion. In 2005, inspired by her meeting with Kenny Barron, she decides to accomplish herself both as a composer and a pianist.

Her 2008 release “Silent Strength”, recorded with Peter Washington on bass and Lewis Nash on drums has been met with great reviews from several jazz magazines and radio stations from all over the world.

"In addition to becoming a very fine pianist, Ms. Gagné is also developing into quite a composer." - Kenny Barron

Chantale Gagné - piano

Peter Washington - bass

Lewis Nash - drums

11 tr.

Unavailable 

Christof Sänger Trio - Chorinho (1993)

Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, Christof Sänger has won the German critics award for his first own album "Chorinho".

"I consider Christof to be one of the leading jazz pianists in Germany and Western Europe. He is an extremely creative improviser as well as a technically brilliant player, and also exhibits exceptional sensitivity in accompanying other musicians. He often seems to read their minds." (Ernie Watts)

Christof Sänger: piano

Christian von Kaphengst: bass

Heinrich Köbberling: drums

10 tr.

Recorded at Trion Studio, Frankfurt/M., August 20th, 1992

Buy From Good Retailers

Franck Avitabile - Paris Sketches (2009)

Franck Avitabile (born 1971 in Lyon, France) is a jazz pianist who also has a master in maths from École Normale Supérieure de Lyon. At nine he began to study music at the Conservatoire of Lyon. At this point his study was classical music like Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Mozart, or Claude Debussy. This changed at seventeen when he became interested in jazz, particularly Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. Later he became the only musician Michel Petrucciani ever produced for a record and on stage. He is also a composer.

Frank Avitabile - piano

Pino Palladino - bass

Manu Katché - drums

13 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Marc Copland - At Night (1991)

Marc Copland is a distinctive player whose signature harmonies and intervals are immediately identifiable; he's impressionistic without being vague, ethereal yet structured. His bandmates here are equally subtle and poised, and this session is pure jazz: recorded in a continuous stream with no written music, rehearsal takes, or later additions. This could be disastrous with a less accomplished and compatible trio, but these players are superb and completely focused -- having just returned from a tour together -- and the material is varied and intriguing. It ranges from Copland's bright, quirky opener "All That's Left" to a graceful, gossamer "Estate" and unique renderings of three classics: Cole Porter's "All of You"; Miles Davis' "Milestones"; and Wayne Shorter's "Masqualero, a solo piano track that sounds like it's played through a mist. The trio creates one original together, a relaxed, free conversation aptly entitled "Trading Places," and Copland supplies two more: the dreamy title ballad and "Rain," where a repeating figure conjures the tentative feel of beginning raindrops with just a hint of a gathering storm. Gary Peacock is always melodic, and Billy Hart shimmers and gleams. It's a tasteful and seamless CD, adventurous in a cool and meditative way.

Marc Copland - piano

Gary Peacock - bass

Billy Hart- drums

1  6:56

2 10:22

3  6:48

4  8:06

5  9:09

6  10:32

7  8:41

8  4:56

Zone E

Buy from good retailers

Bill Evans Trio - Live In Montreal, Canada (1980)

The original infos indicated this show had been done at the "Basin Street Club" in Toronto. Further investigation indicates that it was at The Rising Sun in Montréal.

Doudou Boicel's Rising Sun Jazz club
Montreal, Canada
January 13, 1980

Bill Evans, piano

Marc Johnson, bass

Joe LaBarbera, drums

15 tr.

Expired

Andrea Pozza - Love Walked In (2008)

Pozza’s original sound has been inspired by many master jazz pianists including Teddy Wilson, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Winton Kelly and McCoy Tyner. From 2004-2008, Pozza was a member of the Enrico Rava quintet, with whom he recorded The Words and Days (2007) for the ECM Label. As a leader, Pozza has recorded 4 CDs with his trio: "Introducing" for Philology Records, "PlaysEllington, Monk, and Himself" for Gofour Records, "Love Walked In" for the English 33Records and “Drop this Thing” for Dejavu Records.

Double Bass – Nicola Muresu

Drums, Percussion – Shaney Forbes

Piano – Andrea Pozza

1  8:01

2  5:39

3  4:58

4  5:26

5  3:30

6  7:42

7  5:43

8  6:58

9  4:10

10 3:57

Recorded 1, 2, 3 October 2007 at Koolworld Studios, Luton, UK.

Buy from good retailers

Bojan Z - Geneva AMR Festival (2007)

Festival Amr 2007

Geneva, switzerland

22.04.2007

Bojan Zulfikarpasic - piano

01.  18:47

02.  15:17

03.  11:44

Unavailable

Dave Burrell - Plays Ellington & Monk (1978)

In the already-tough climate of avant-garde jazz, the piano is perhaps the most fearsome instrument. It's one of the noisiest, for one thing, and for another it's only on the keyboard that you can hear, a la Cecil Taylor, up to 10 dissonant notes played at the same time. Dave Burrell has a foothold in that tradition, and one can be forgiven for being scared off by his banging clusters. It's still a shame, though, because that's the point where he will surprise you with a sudden turn into lovely, often boisterous melodies with infectious rhythms straight out of the Harlem Rennaissance. Consider that one of his best known records is called Dave Burrell Plays Ellington & Monk—a tribute to two pianist/composers who always had their heads in the future, but their hearts in impossibly rich melody that strove to entertain.

Dave Burrell (piano),

Takashi Mizuhashi (bass)

1  5:20

2 6:58

3  4:47

4  8:30

5  7:36

6  4:27

7  7:42

8  2:04

Recorded at Nippon Columbia's 1st studio, Tokyo, 2 & 3 april 1978.

Buy from good retailers

Jef Neve Trio - Soul In A Picture (2008)

Belgian virtuoso Jef Neve graduated from music conservatory with a Masters degree in both classical performance and jazz-cum-laude. Better still, he did this while playing in rock bands. Neve is a melodist and he simply cannot help himself crafting themes that stick in your mind for hours after the record has finished. 'How Blue Can I Get?' unfurls like a slow-motion shot of a flower blossoming, while 'Sehnsucht' is full of artfully constructed, soft-focus simplicities.Soul in a Picture is as much for the committed as the enquiring as Neve emerges as a pianist par excellence. So it's perhaps unsurprising that he's created an excellent album, one that could well feature among the pick of the year (2008).

Piano, Organ – Jef Neve

Double Bass – Piet Verbist

Drums, Electronics – Teun Verbruggen

Clarinet – Erwin Scheltjens (on track 8)

Flute – Vera Van Eyndhoven (on track 8)

Oboe – Piet Van Bockstal (on track 8)

01 6:16

02 9:32

03 Intro 4:30

04 5:35

05 5:54

06 9:46

07 5:54

08  4:40

09 12:49

Recorded at the Galaxy Studios on January 23-25 and 31st and February 1-3, 2008

Zone E

Giovanni Mirabassi Trio - Live In Ismaning, Germany (2009)

Kallmann Museum

Ismaning, Germany

27.02.2009

A Paris-based Italian jazz pianist, born in Perugia, Italy, self-taught, Giovanni Mirabassi learned by listening to Bud Powell, Art Tatum, and Oscar Peterson. He is strongly influenced by Enrico Pieranunzi. At seventeen, after a few important experiences in Italy (he played with musicians Chet Baker in 1987 and with Steve Grossman in 1988), he settled in Paris in 1992.

Giovanni Mirabassi - piano

Gianluca Renzi - bass

Leon Parker - drums

01.  13:12

02.  11:28

03.  07:50

04. 10:56

Unavailable

Chano Dominguez - Chano (1993)

Latin jazz pianist Chano Dominguez makes post-bop, fusion, and flamenco influenced music that often references his Andalusian roots. Born in Cadiz in 1960, Dominguez started playing flamenco guitar around age 8 before moving on to the piano. In his twenties he formed the progressive Latin rock ensemble CAI who released three albums for CBS. After the group disbanded in 1981, Dominguez pursued a solo career. He quickly garnered several awards for his innovative mix of flamenco and jazz, including winning First Prize in the National Jazz Competition for Young Interpreters in 1992. A year later, he released his debut solo album, Chano and relocated to New York City. Since then he has released a steady stream of forward-thinking, cross-cultural albums including 1997's En Directo, 2001's I Si!, 2002's Hecho a Mano, 2004's Dawn That Dream, 2006's Acercate Mas, 2007's New Flamenco Sound, and 2008's Cuentos del Mundo. In 2012, Dominguez released Flamenco Sketches, a re-visionising of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, and more.

Chano Domínguez - Piano,keyboatds

Javier Colina - Double bass

Guillermo McGuill - Drums, cajon and percussion

Jorge Pardo - Saxo, flauta

Carles Benavent -Bas elec

Marcelo Fuentes - Bajista elec

Tino di Geraldo - Percussion , tablas

Manuel Calleja - Double bass

Agustin Carbonell "Bola" - Guitar

Juaquin "grillo" - Clapping (Palmas)

12 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Moncef Genoud Trio - Schaffhauser Jazzfestival, Switzerland (2011)

Kulturzentrum Kammgarn,

Schaffhausen, Switzerland

2011-05-20

Though not as familiar a name as many of his contemporaries, Moncef Genoud promises to prove himself one of the major jazz pianists of his generation.

Born in 1961 in Tunis, Tunisia, pianist Moncef Genoud was sent to Switzerland at age two for an eye operation and ended up being adopted by a family there. At six, when he started piano lessons, it was clear that Genoud had a musical gift. Though he initially started learning classical music, he also, thanks in part to his adoptive father's love of Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller, had a strong interest in jazz, which he taught himself to play. In 1987, he graduated from the conservatory in Geneva with a degree in teaching music, and by 1988 had recorded his first solo album, New York Journey. This was only the beginning of a prolific career, as in the years that followed Genoud released many more studio records.

Moncef Genoud – piano

Antoine Ogay – bass

Andy Barron – drums

4 tr.

41:11

Zone E

James Pearson Trio - The Best Things In Life (2005)

A superbly-swinging mainstream jazz piano trio featuring James Pearson, one of the most highly-regarded performers on the British scene. The album features a variety of standards and originals, all great melodies encompassing all moods.

"This is the kind of jazz piano album anyone can enjoy. The up tempo numbers swing joyously, the ballads are full of nice, crunchy harmonies that bring out the melody to perfection. There's a version of the old Disney tune 'A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes' guaranteed to bring a lump to your throat." (Dave Gelly, The Observer)

James Pearson - piano

Jeremy Brown - Bass

Matt Skelton - drums

14 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Eri Yamamoto Trio - Redwoods (2008)

Inspired by the sight of the well-known redwood trees in Muir Woods outside San Franscisco, the title is understandably infused with quiet awe.

"Eri Yamamoto's growth as a jazz player and composer over the last 10 years is truly phenomenal. Having deeply impressed us (anew) last year, AUM Fidelity quickly recorded two albums with her in early 2008.  The first was the exquisite Duologue, released in June, which featured her in duo with established masters of the music (William Parker, Hamid Drake, Daniel Carter).  And now on Redwoods, with her regular working trio of longtime compatriots, bassist David Ambrosio and drummer Ikuo Takeuchi, Eri’s distinctly invigorating approach to the jazz trio and remarkable gift for indelible melodies reaches yet another track-for-track high.  When she is not busy touring the world with her own group and/or with William Parker, the Eri Yamamoto Trio performs every Thursday/Friday/Saturday at Arthur’s Tavern, a/n historic jazz club in New York’s Greenwich Village." (AUM Fidelity)

Eri Yamamoto: piano;

David Ambrosio: bass;

Ikuo Takeuchi: drums.

8 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Ahmad Jamal - At Pescara Jazz Festival, Italy (2009)

Ahmad Jamal

37 Festival Internazionale

Teatro Monumento Gabriele D'Annunzio

Pescara

July 19th, 2009

Ahmad Jamal - piano

James Cammack - bass

James Johnson II - drums

Manolo Badrena - percussion

01-  (00:12)

02-  (09:05)

03-  (04:45)

04-  (08:37)

05-  (09:36)

06-  (07;48)

07-  (07:40)

08-  (04:23)

09-  (16:17)

10-  (09:34)

Zone E

Dan Dechellis Trio - My Age Of Anxiety (2012)

If anything in jazz approaches the status of a commodity, it would be the piano trio. The inevitable comparisons run the gamut from Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett to Cecil Taylor and, more often than not, those benchmarks are either unattainable or unsustainable. A more accessible measure may be in the ability to differentiate one group's unique contribution from the plethora of similarly structured groups. The Dan DeChellis Trio meets that distinction with its debut, My Age of Anxiety—but here, too, the comparisons are hard to ignore.While DeChellis does cite Evans as an influence, he also credits Brian Eno and King Crimson as having an impact on his music and he leads a dual existence in more than one rock band.The appeal of My Age of Anxiety grows with repeated listening; there is a quiet power in DeChellis' journey. The music has an open and, at times, free feeling that invites translation. My Age of Anxiety is an effectual and moving collection that deserves to bring wider recognition to this accomplished artist.(Karl Ackermann)

Dan DeChellis: piano;

Mitch Shelly: bass;

Zach Martin: drums.

14 tr.

Buy from good retailers

Neil Cowley Trio - Loud, Louder, Stop (2008)

This is the follow-up to Displaced, British pianist Neil Cowley's 2006 debut disc. It exudes a strong sense of the trio having strengthened a particular style, even if this involves a grafting of traits enjoyed by e.s.t. and The Bad Plus. The latter's anthemic tendencies gush all over His Nibs, providing this album opener with a sturdy, nay bullying, illustration of power trio potentiality. Like many others who are having their jazz cake and eating it, Cowley is cleverly laying his classicist moves over a driving rock beat, with drummer Evan Jenkins forever threatening a fully metronomic conversion. He's always slyly funking up, besides adding enough fidgety syncopation content, so that the hardcore beatniks don't become too alienated. It's a successful approach, as pedantic music critics are the only folks who will nowadays still insist on all of this compartmentalising for rock, jazz, funk et al. (Martin Longley, BBC)

Neil Cowley: piano,

Richard Sadler: bass,

Evan Jenkins: drums.

01. (4.08)

02.  (6.09)

03. (5.15)

04.  (4.17)

05.  (6.12)

06.  (5.05)

07. (4.25)

08.  (5.16)

09.  (5.57)

10.  (8.12)

Buy from good retailers

Hideki KON Trio with Ray BROWN – My Shining Hour (1996)

Hideki Kon, piano

Nobumasa Uotomi, bass

Ray Brown, bass (3, 6)

Toshiyuki Azuma, drums

10 tr.

Recorded: LA, Dec 13, 14 & 16, 1996

Buy from good retailers

Jacques Loussier Trio - Belem Music Days (2009)

MAIN AUDITORIUM,

Jacques Loussier’s Play Bach

“Play Bach” 50th Anniversary

Santa Maria de Belem, Lisbon, Portugal

2009-04-25

Jacques Loussier, piano

Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac, bass

Andre Arpino, drums

7 tr.

72:12

Zone E