On this weeks show a tribute to Fred Van Hove plus new music from Red Gazelle Trio, Angela Verbrugge, Lucia Boffo, Marquis Hill, Doug McDonald, Luis Siciliano, Alex Scheuerer & Najwa Ezzaher, Francisco Mela & Shinya Lin, and, the Toma Iliev Sextet.
- Show Intro oo:oo
- Red Gazelle Trio “East West” from In The Midst Of It All (Zack’s Music) 00:47
- Angela Verbrugge “Enough’s Enough” from Love for Connoisseurs (Gut String Music) 05:45
- Lucia Boffo “Volvernos Canción” from NOMADE (ears&eyes) 09:52
- Marquis Hill “The Believer” from New Gospel Revisited (Edition Records) 13:12
- Doug MacDonald and the L.A. All-Star Octet “Night By Night” from Overtones (Self Released) 22:58
- Luis Siciliano Mumex Trio “Travelling with Wayne” from Folds of Time (Music Present) 30:43
- Alex Scheuerer & Najwa Ezzaher “Savoir aimer” from The French Jukebox (Self Released) 43:50
- Marquis Hill “Autumn” from New Gospel Revisited (Edition Records) 47:58
- Red Gazelle Trio “Over The Counterpoint” from In The Midst Of It All (Zack’s Music) 58:04
- New York Duo “Fortunate Boy” from Higher Perception (Mons Music) 1:00:00
- T Nonet with Fred Van Hove “Tristesse De Joko” from Suite for B…. City (FMP) 1:07:05
- Wolfgang Fuchs, Fred Van Hove, Peter Hollinger “Begegnun 3a” from Berliner Begegnun (FMP) 1:13:16
- Angela Verbrugge “Cold and Hot Blues” from Love for Connoisseurs (Gut String Music) 1:18:18
- Francisco Mela and Shinya Lin “Part 1” from Motions Vol. 1 (577 Records) 1:22:10
- Tome Iliev Sextet “The end of the beginning” from Trinaiska (AMP Music & Records) 1:37:14
- Lucia Boffo “Cerremos le Telón” from NOMADE (ears&eyes) 1:43:45
- Red Gazelle Trio “Kaleidoskop” from In The Midst Of It All (Zack’s Music) 1:45:58
- Marquis Hill “A Portrait of Fola” from New Gospel Revisited (Edition Records) 1:49:35
Red Gazelle Trio
The Copenhagen based trio by Kristoffer Vejslev (electric guitar), Peter Price (double bass) and Simon Forchhammer (drums) is one of the most promising upcoming bands on the Nordic contemporary jazz scene.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major influence on the trio and their music. “Stargazing” is composed during lockdown, and is a mellow track full of depth, a sweet melody and soothing storytelling.
Angela Verbrugge
Recording Angela’s first album took her to NYC where she heard the music of
today’s leading bebop-oriented jazz musicians. She realized that while many were
playing original music at their own gigs, it was uncommon to hear them play
contemporaries’ songs, or to see their songs adopted by real books. A passionate
lyricist with a knack for hearing quirky stories in catchy melodies, Angela felt that
adding words to these songs may help them to become part of the human psyche,
while simultaneously adding new options to the vocal jazz canon. Inspired by Dave
Frishberg, Johnny Mercer, and Cole Porter, she ambitiously set to work to write
original lyrics for nine new songs by modern day composers, in addition to
composing three of her own melodies. She worked with Caity Gyorgy, Miles Black,
and the composers themselves on the project’s arrangements.
Angela Verbrugge – Vocals
Miles Black – Piano
Jodi Proznick – Bass
Joel Fountain – Drums
Dave Say – tenor sax
Lucia Boffo
Poignant reflections of her growing up in the very southern tip of Argentina (or “fin del mundo”, end of the world), Each song will be accompanied by a one-minute creative video and individual song art. This audiovisual material was produced in her hometown, Ushuaia, also known as The End of the World.
As a native of the region Tierra del Fuego, Boffo feels that her work has always been deeply influenced by the landscapes of the end of the world where she was raised. Together with Alveré Di Pilato, an audiovisual artist from Tierra del Fuego, they came up with the idea of creating different scenes in the stunning nature of Tierra del Fuego that narrate these stories, recording the beauty of this southern island, and framing them in a one-minute clip format, as a premiere of each song.
Some of the “heavy hitters” on the album include Daniel Schnock, Flavio Romero, Ingrid Feniger, Violeta Garcia, Quique Sinesi to name a few (and don’t feel bad if they’re not so recognizable as they are mostly Argentine).
Marquis Hill
A live reinterpretation of Marquis Hill’s 2012 debut ‘New Gospel’, featuring Walter Smith III, Joel Ross, James Francies, Kendrick Scott and Harish Raghavan. The fearless and formidable composer/trumpeter Marquis Hill signs to Edition with a live recording that revisits and reinterprets his debut 2012 album ‘New Gospel’. Taking his multi-talented band into the storied Chicago venue, Constellation, Marquis has re-energised the music that introduced him to the world as a leading voice in his generation of musicians. As Marquis says “To revisit this music in a fresh way, with a new band has been uniquely invigorating – and hugely rewarding.”
Marquis Hill – Trumpet, Walter Smith III – Tenor Sax, Joel Ross – Vibraphone, James Francies – Piano, Harish Raghavan – Bass, Kendrick Scott – Drums
Doug MacDonald and the L.A. All-Star Octet
MacDonald’s fourth album in the last year or so and twentieth-plus over-all. As is generally the case, most of the songs are his (seven of eight), and they are consistently bright and swinging.
The band is alto Kim Richmond, tenor Rickey Woodard, trombonist Ira Nepus and trumpeter Aaron Janik on the front line, ably supported by pianist Bill Cunliffe, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Roy McCurdy.
Luis Siciliano Mumex Trio
Though we are all aware of the importance and value within the creation of music, we have often shielded from the source of its power; something that MUMEX TRIO highlights beautifully within their artistry. Fronted by syncretic composer, performer, and holistic musician Louis Siciliano, MUMEX TRIO take us on a journey of acceptance, appreciation and adoration for sound, melody, and rhythm.
Louis Siciliano has spent years of dedication to his creative sound. Described as “Quantum music that can be heard in this historical time”, each listener will be taken on a voyage through a personal yet universal experience. Inspired by the vital principles that move the cosmos and all sentimental beings, the trio’s newest album FOLDS OF TIME is set to highlight our consciousness through the delivery of sound.
As sound painters of tone and harmony, Louis Siciliano (pianist), Roberto Bellatalla (contrabass), and Mauro Salvatore (drummer), all share the undeniable resonance of connecting the listener to their inner knowing whilst transforming their perception of instrumental versatility throughout the listening process. Through their Jazz, Contemporary Classical and Global unfused genre-blending tracks, this album provides an endless array of movement and structural variance.
Whilst creating strong friendships with credited producer Harry Maslin, audio engineer Neil Dorfman and having influential Mr Wayne Shorter as a key mentor, it is to no wonder that MUMEX TRIO has already begun to excite and delight its audiences through their learnings. Alongside this, help and wisdom was also shared with Louis by the great pianist Elizabeth Sombart, which was a crucial part of his musical journey. As a true living legend of Classical Music herself, together with her husband Christopher they accompanied and supported Louis in some of the harder moments of his life.
Through years of dedication, preparation and development, the artistry of Louis Siciliano and MUMEX TRIO is ready to both captivate and educate its listener on the art of experiencing music not just through your ears, but through your heart, soul and conscious being.
Alex Scheuerer & Najwa Ezzaher
At the time when neo soul is booming with innovations, guitarist and songwriter Alex Scheuerer is releasing his second album featuring singer Najwa Ezzaher (The Voice). “The French Jukebox”, a cover album, pays tribute to the French classics by revisiting them with touches of Neo Soul. A Franco-Swiss musician, Alex Scheuerer was strongly influenced by French chanson, the poetry of which, and evocative nature of its word he particularly appreciates. From Aznavour to Gainsbourg, Johnny and Françoise Hardy, he revisits 10 timeless titles, mixing them with the music he discovered in London, Neo Soul Jazz.
Inspired by artists like jazz pianist Robert Glasper who took similar steps for his album Black Radio or Australian band Hiatus Kaiyote, Alex favoured an ensemble of 7 musicians and recorded the album in the prestigious Eastcote studio where artists like Adèle, Tom Jones, James Arthur, Gossip, or Seal have also recorded. Revealed to the public in the Voice and the Nouvelle Star, Najwa Ezzaher, masterfully interprets these songs with subtlety and gentleness.
New York Duo
Higher Perception is an instrumental album composed and performed by Christian Zatta (guitar & composition) and Robinson de Montmollin (piano & composition). It contains eight compositions (six originals and two arrangements) and will be released on February 18th 2022, on every online music platform with the German label Mons Records as well as on vinyl. The music tells stories inspired by personal experiences and contemporary events. The fusion of guitar and piano elegantly reflects the intimacy of the works: both instruments are so closely connected that sometimes they can’t be distinguished from one another. Jazz tradition and fresher sounds continually collide, as both artists have a passion for the music of Joe Henderson and Keith Jarrett, but also for the compositions of more modern artists such as Tigran Hamasyan and Ben Wendel. Higher Perception was recorded in the Schlössli Wartegg (Lucerne, CH) and mixed by Christian Zatta. The master was realized by Tom Hutten, Bionic Mastering Studios (Vermont, USA)
A Tribute to Fred Van Hove
Fred was a Belgian jazz musician and a pioneer of European free jazz. He was a pianist, accordionist, church organist, and carillonist, an improviser and a composer. Most notably in the 1960s and 1970s he performed with saxophonist Peter Brötzmann and drummer Han Bennink.
He began an association with Brötzmann in 1966, playing on his early quartet and sextet recordings including 1968’s Machine Gun album, and then as part of a trio with Brötzmann and Bennink. Van Hove later played in a number of duos, notably with saxophonists Steve Lacy and Lol Coxhill and with trombonists Albert Mangelsdorff and Vinko Globokar. He composed music for film and theatre, and taught local musicians in Berlin. He held workshops in Germany, France, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and held studios at the University of Lille III. Van Hove collaborated with a number of his fellow Belgian musicians, and in 1996 was given the title of Cultural Ambassador of Flanders by the Belgian government. He died on 13 January 2022, at the age of 84.
I’m featuring two albums from a vast catalogue. Hopefully these give a sense of the man’s technique and style.
T Nonet with Fred Van Hove
Commissioned for an Antwerp music festival, this suite presents a sonic map of the city, as conceived and performed by Fred Van Hove and eight fellow travellers at the 1996 FMP Workshop. Brassy long tones, unhinged vocalizing, stunningly beautiful unison passages, and full-bore freakouts combine to create a metropolis you’ll want to spend a lot of time in.
Annick Nozati: voice
Axel Dörner: trumpet
Johannes Bauer: trombone
Paul Rutherford: trombone
André Goudbeek: alto saxophone, bandoneon
John Butcher: soprano & tenor saxophone
Fred Van Hove: piano, accordion
Benoît Viredaz: tuba
Ivo Vander Borght: drums, percussion
Recorded live by Holger Scheuermann and Jost Gebers on April 8th, 1996, during the Workshop Freie Musik at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin.
Wolfgang Fuchs, Fred Van Hove, Peter Hollinger
A probing, hard-charging trio session. Reed player Fuchs has appeared in a variety of contexts — from large groups like the King Übü Örchestrü and the Berlin Workshop Orchestra, to intimate solo and duo outings. This record marks Hollinger’s debut on wax, while Van Hove, at the time of recording, already had over a decade of LPs to his name. Side A presents three abstract, collaborative improvisations, while the flip contains a mesmerizing side-long excursion that features equal contributions from all players.
Francisco Mela and Shinya Lin
In Motions, Vol. 1, Francisco Mela and Shinya Lin create an album of improvised textures and thrilling exploratory sounds. Using drum sets and prepared piano, they create a lush soundscape of textures, imagining a scene reminiscent of a jungle, full of life, resources, and possibility. “It was a huge pleasure to have Mela’s presence and his mentorship was amazing, free of selves, the music came out just naturally from our souls,” says Shinya about their first collaboration. Lin, a pianist and composer based in New York, who was classically trained, draws much of his sound from influences like John Cage and Cecil Taylor, “to accept whatever it comes, there is only enjoyment.” For Mela, who was named 2021 musician of the year by The New York City Jazz Record, this project represents yet another dimension of his curious and adventurous sound, present-focused and full of abstract grooves. This project marks one of many of Mela’s releases on 577 Records and a label debut for Shinya Lin. Motions, Vol. 1 will be available for download and in CD format on April 22, 2022.
releases April 22, 2022
Shinya Lin: Piano, prepared piano
Francisco Mela: Drums, voice
Recorded October 24, 2021 by Yushu Bao and Hao Jen Lam at Berklee College, Boston, MA
Tome Iliev Sextet
Tome Iliev Sextet is a Macedonian – Swiss – French ensemble based in Zurich, Switzerland. After winning the audience prize at the prestigious ZKB Jazzpreis Festival in Moods (Zurich) in September 2020 they went in studio to record their second album called ‘Trinaiska’ which means thirteen on Macedonian language.
Compared to the first album which was mainly inspired by Balkan odd metres and lyrical melodies this second album is bringing all members’ ideas, sensibilites, inspirations and feelings into play to create a unique sound fulfilled with effects, dub elements, rock drums, ‘Tarantino’ guitars, spacey and open improvisations.
The band was playing in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Bosnia&Herzegovina, Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Trinaiska is dedicated to the bands guitarist Valentin Baumgartner who tragically passed away in a hiking accident a couple of months after the recording session.
It was recorded at Hardstudios in Winterthur, Switzerland by Bojan Ugrinovski in March 2021
Different Noises 