Bill Frisell “858 QUARTET” live at WDR Jazz Cologne 2009

Photo © by Michael Wilson

Bill Frisell – guitar
Hank Roberts – cello
Ron Miles – trumpet
Eyvind Kang – viola

recorded live at WDR Funkhaus Köln, Klaus-von-Bismarck-Saal, October 29, 2009

1. Medley:
- Baba Drame (Boubacar Traore)
- Monroe (Bill Frisell)
- Probability Cloud (Bill Frisell)
- Rag (Bill Frisell)
2. Skippy (Monk)
3. Beautiful Dreamer (Stephen Foster)
4. Bennys Bugle (Charlie Christian)

The "858 Quartet" recorded the album "Richter 858" as a tribute to German artist Gerhard Richter. For this concert violinist Jenny Scheinman was replaced by Ron Miles.

Wolfgang Haffner Acoustic Shapes live at 40th Jazzweek Burghausen 2009

Hubert Nuss, piano

Christian Diener, bass
Wolfgang Haffner, drums

recorded live at Wackerhalle, Burghausen, Germany, March 20, 2009

1. Silent Way
2. Faithless
3. Shapes
4. Star (for Joe Zawinul)
5. Some Other Time
6. Nightsong
7. 24 Hours (for Esbjörn)
8. Somewhere Else

Well known through his work with such international stars as Chaka Khan, Pat Metheny, Cassandra Wilson, Lalo Schifrin, Bill Evans, Mike Stern, the Brecker Brothers, and Chuck Loeb’s fusion band “Metro”, Wolfgang Haffner has become one of the few German musicians who has succeeded in making the breakthrough onto the international scene. With his ACT CD Shapes in May 2006, Haffner reached another milestone in his own creative career. Critics praised the album as “addictive”, “ingenious and sophisticated”, and ”a meld of catchy melodies, clever electronics, classic rock, new jazz, and a cool, hip sound aesthetics”. An intoxicatingly exciting tour followed in which, among others, the NDR (North-German Radio) Big Band, and the Jazz Baltica Ensemble were integrated into the musical scheme (see also the posts here on this blog one year ago…).
Nils Landgren was involved in Shapes as trombonist and co-producer, and so it only made sense that Haffner go back to this project, since it was supposed to be a tour for and with Landgren. At any rate, he went back to the roots: “Originally I wrote Shapes for piano trio, but the time called for electronics. Now I want to go back to my original starting point.” So Shapes is transposed into Acoustic Shapes, which, by the way, is much more than a simple reduction.

Booker T. live at Jazzfest Berlin 2009

Photo Credit: Gary Copeland

Booker T. · Hammond B3, vocals
Troy Gonyea · guitar
Marc Ford · guitar
Jeremy Curtis · bass
Darian Gray · drums

recorded live at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Main Stage, November 8, 2009

1. Pound It Out
2. She Breaks
3. Warped Sister
4. Green Onions
5. Born Under a Bad Sign
6. Potato Hole
7. Soul Limbo
8. Hip Hug-Her
9. Hang `Em High
10. Time Is Tight
11. Keep On Walking In a Free World

Hammond B3 alchemist Booker T Jones is one America's most prolific, distinguished and instantly recognizable musical forces. Born in Memphis, Tennessee on November 12 1944, Jones' interest in music manifested itself early, and as a child he both sang gospel in church and received classical training on the piano. A fascination with the Hammond B3 grew to the point where he funded his own organ lessons with newspaper route money and by his teens, Jones found himself at Stax Records backing fabled stars like Rufus and Carla Thomas, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and Eddie Floyd both in the studio and on the road.
His new release Potato Hole demonstrates that not only is Jones' talent and power undiminished, it also reveals how much there is to his music that we've never heard before. Jones has a remarkable knack for telling a story with his melodies, compositions so thoughtfully constructed that one can almost visualize narrative events. Whether laying down a meditative ramble or hard-charging rocker, Jones' sense of artistic liberation and depth of involvement on every track here is breath taking.
“The Hammond B3 and me have this thing goin' on. It's always there inside me. I've heard whole pieces in my head that I'll never even remember – and now I'm finally getting them out.”he explained. “It gives me a freedom that I didn't have . . . I sort of had it with the MG's in the 60s, but even then it was more murky. This is lot more clear. I don't know how to put it, except it's like I can see again.”

John Scofield Piety Street Band live at Jazzfest Berlin 2009

John Scofield · guitar

Jon Cleary · vocals, Hammond B3
George Porter, Jr. · bass
Terence Higgins · drums

recorded live at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Main Stage, November 8, 2009

1. Introduction by Ulf Drechsel (German)
2. That's Enough
3. Motherless Child
4. Untitled (II-V Jam)
5. Something's Got A Hold On Me
6. Walk With Me
7. Let The Good Times Roll
8. The Angel of Death (H.Williams)
9. It´s a Big Army
10. I Don´t Need No Doctor

Not just a modern jazz guitar hero, John Scofield is a guru of the groove. Boasting one of the most distinctive sounds in jazz, he’s also hailed for bringing fresh concepts to every new project over a 30+ year career. Delving back into Crescent City beats, Scofield is touring with his latest group, The Piety Street Band with whom he recorded his latest CD Piety Street, a very bluesy new album with an old-time gospel repertoire that satisfied Scofield's quest for material that would allow a blues project to go beyond the standard 12 bar blues. With Scofield the band includes solid blues musicians Jon Cleary on piano, organ and vocals, George Porter Jr. (of the Meters) on bass and Terence Higgins (of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band) on drums – all legends in their domains.

Samúel Jón Samúelsson Big Band live at Jazzfest Berlin 2009

Davið Þór Jónsson · keyboards; Ómar Gudðjónsson · guitar
Helgi Helgason · drums; Ingi Skúlason · bass
Haukur Gröndal, Ingimar Andersen · alto sax
Óskar Guðjónsson, Steinar Sigurðarson · tenor sax
Ragnar Árni Ágústsson · baritone sax
Kjartan Hákonarson, Ívar Guðmundsson, Eiríkur Stefánsson, Jóhannes Þorleiksson · trumpet
Samúel Jón Samúelsson · trombone, percussion, commandante
Valdimar Guðmundsson, Eythór Kolbeins, Leifur Jónsson · trombone

recorded live at Georg-Neumann-Saal, Jazz-Institut Berlin, November 7, 2009

1. Fast but Slow
2. Funk Mood

Samúel Jón Samúelsson * born in the 70´s * raised in the 80´s * does not remember the 90´s * started playing the piano when he was 10 but quit to pick up the trumpet at age of 12. As it turned out, the music school didn´t have enough trumpets so they gave him an old cornet which he turned in a half year later and swaped it for a trombone. After high school, Samuel began playing in various bands, ranging from jazz, disco and easy listening to rock and funk. In spring 2000, Samuel gratuated from FIH School of Music where he also worked as a teacher for a while. This was a prosperous year for Samuel, since along with his graduation, he received the Icelandic Music Awards and lead his own 17 piece big band at the Reykjavik Jazz Festival. Apart from working with the funk unit Jaguar, Samuel has worked as an arranger and session man for various Icelandic artists such as Sigur Rós, Stuðmenn, Sálin, Reykjavík Big Band, Trabant, Mezzoforte and Tómas R. Einarsson. His work can be found on many albums as well as films. Samuel is also a DJ in cafe’s and bars/clubs in and around Reykjavik.

Aaron Parks Trio live at Jazzfest Berlin 2009

Photo of Aaron Parks © by Mamoru Kobayakawa

Aaron Parks · piano
Matt Brewer · bass
Tommy Crane · drums

recorded live at Jewish Museum Berlin, Glass Courtyard, November 7, 2009

1. Travellers
2. Unravel
3. Siren

“Somebody once asked me to find two words that describe the music I make, and the words I picked were ‘spontaneous’ and ‘cinematic,’” says Aaron Parks. Having clarified the essence of his art, the pianist kept those two words closely in mind while conceiving and recording Invisible Cinema, his extraordinary debut for the Blue Note label. In its virtuosity and harmonic complexity, the album speaks to Parks’s immersion in jazz on the highest level, even as it references a wider world of contemporary music-making.
With his technically involved yet boundlessly melodic and sensitive playing, and with the sense of colour and imagination he conveys in every musical situation, Parks is setting a new standard for jazz piano expression. In the time since his stint with Terence Blanchard, he has toured the world as a member of Rosenwinkel’s quintet. Now his Blue Note release "Invisible Cinema" sends him off and running on a solo career that is sure to awe listeners for years to come.

The Art Of Jazz: Art Blakey at Leverkusener Jazztage 1989

Art Blakey (dr) (1-3,10), (p, voc on 9)

Bryan Lynch (tp)
Javon Jackson (ts)
Donald Harrison (as)
Frank Lacy (tb)
Geoff Keezer (p)
Essiet Okon Essiet (b)
Freddie Hubbard (tp) (5,6,7,9,10)
Terence Blanchard (tp) (1,5-10)
Wayne Shorter (ts) (5,6,7,9,10)
Benny Golson (ts) (5-10)
Jackie McLean (as) (5,6,7,9,10)
Curtis Fuller (tb) (5,6,7,9,10)
Buster Williams (b) (5-10)
Walter Davis Jr. (p) (5-10)
Roy Haynes (dr) (5-9)
Michele Hendrickes (voc) (8)

1. Introduction
2. Two Of A Kind (Blanchard)
3. Core
4. Moanin´(Timmons)
5. Along Came Betty (Golson)
6. Lester Left Town (Shorter)
7. A La Mode (Fuller)
8. Mr. Blakey (Silver)
9. Thelonious - Broadway - For All We Know
10. Blues March (Golson)

Celebrating both the 90th birthday of Mr.Blakey and the 1st anniversary of this blog here comes a very special concert recorded during the 10th Leverkusener Jazztage for Blakey´s 70th birthday featuring a long list of former Jazz Messengers. Part of this concert was released as "Art of Jazz" on In+Out

Hank Jones Trio live at Jazzfest Berlin 2009

Photo © by Cole Thompson

Hank Jones · piano
George Mraz · bass
Willie Jones III. · drums

Special Guests (on tracks 10, 11):
Curtis Fuller, trombone
Don Sickler, trumpet

Recorded live at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Große Bühne, Berlin, November 7, 2009

1. Introduction
2. Nica´s Dream (Horace Silver)
3. Road Song (Wes Montgomery)
4. Lament (J.J.Johnson)
5. Au Privave (Charlie Parker)
6. Interface (Hank Jones)
7. Twisted Blues (Wes Montgomery)
8. Comin´Home Baby (Ben Tucker)
9. Introduction
10. What Is This Thing Called Love? (Cole Porter)
11. Oleo (Sonny Rollins)
12. Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk)
13. Lady Luck (Frank Wess/ Thad Jones)
14. Blue Minor (Sonny Clark)
15. Six and Four (Oliver Nelson)

The legendary Hank Jones doesn´t need an introduction. Initially he was invited to Berlin to play with tenor sax master Joe Lovano, who could´t attend the concert after having a bad accident in Barcelona/ Spain breaking both shoulders. So here´s the Hank Jones Trio. Get well soon, Joe!

MGT - Muthspiel/Towner/Grigoryan live in Murnau 2009

Wolfgang Muthspiel - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Ralph Towner - Acoustic Guitar, 12string Guitar
Slava Grigoryan - Acoustic Guitar, Baritone Guitar

recorded live at Kulturzentrum Murnau/Oberbayern, March 6, 2009

1. Chez Ta-Dah (Muthspiel)
2. Nardis (Davis)
3. Beneath An Evening Sky (Towner)
4. Hand in Hand (Towner)
5. Bird's Eye View (Muthspiel)
6. In Stride (Towner)
7. Icarus (Towner)
8. Tammuriate (Towner)

Three different styles and approaches of playing the guitar, three individualists, three generations from three continents - MGT – standing for Wolfgang Muthspiel, Slava Grigoryan and Ralph Towner.
The birth of this trio happened in 2005 during two large tours and studio recordings in Australia, where Slava Grigoryan – the youngest of the trio – lives. For the first time together in concert in Europe, the trio performed a string of spellbinding performances during a European tour in March 2009 accompanied by the release of their album "From a dream" on material records.

Wanja Slavin´s Lotus Eaters live at Studio II, Munich 2009

Wanja Slavin, alto saxophone

Wolfgang Zechlin, piano
Andreas Lang, bass
Tobias Backhaus, drums

recorded live at Studio II, Bavarian Broadcast, Munich October 28, 2009

1. White Widow (Wolfgang Zechlin)
2. Nora (Wolfgang Zechlin)
3. Pansen (Wanja Slavin)
4. Never Separate a Dane (from his beer…) (Andreas Lang)
5. Isfahan (Billy Strayhorn)

These four very talented and well crafted musicians - all still in their twenties - met 2008 in Berlin to form the quartet "Lotus Eaters".

Wanja Slavin Sextet at moers festival 2009

1. Salvation/ TOWK & Salsatanic

2. Hortkinder/ Brossa

Wanja Slavin, sax
ophones, clarinet
Ibadet Ramadani, voc
als
Karsten Hochapfel, guitar, cello

Ronny Graupe, g
uitar
Robert Landfermann, bass
Christian Lillinger, drums
Special Guest: Samuel Glaser, trombone

recorded live at mores festival, Mai 30, 2009

Wanja Slavin, born 1982, is a well crafted saxophonist and composer. He has studied in Munich with Leszek Zadlo and has played with Kenny Wheeler, Paulo Cardoso, Joachim Kühn, Rudi Mahall, John Schröder, Kalle Kalima, just to name a few.
Wanja Slavin belongs to the generation of (European) musicians who decided to make their base Berlin. The gifted saxophonist from Munich currently lives in a stable in the German capital. He is a member of the newly established JazzkollektivBerlin, whose participants read like a Who’s Who of the capital’s young jazz scene. Slavin comes to Moers in a constellation that includes the “Hyperactive Kid” Christian Lillinger.
Together with Marc Schmolling Wanja recorded a wonderful duo album in 2003 called "offminor"

Charlie Mariano Quartet with WDR Big Band: A Jazz Life - live at Philharmonie Köln 1988

Charlie Mariano – as

Mike Herting – keyb
Paul Shigihara – g
Freddie Santiago – perc
WDR Big Band
Kölner Rundfunkorchester
Michael Gibbs - cond
recorded live at Philharmonie Cologne/ Germany, September 1,1988


1. Vesti la giuppa (Giuseppe Verdi)

2. Al Hadji (Mike Herting)
3. Introduction
4. Pink Lady (Charlie Mariano)
5. Out of the blue (Michael Gibbs)
6. Asian Flat (Shigihara/Herting)
7. Barcarole (Mike Herting)
8. Prelude II (George Gershwin)
9. 4th sun (Mike Herting)
10. Song (Paul Shigihara)
11. Randy (Charlie Mariano)

Some of those tunes were recorded originally for the LP "Mariano", released by Intuition

Taylor Eigsti Trio live in Burghausen 2009

Taylor Eigsti, Piano
Harish Raghavan, Bass
Aaron McLendon, Drums

recorded live at Jazzkeller im Mautnerschlosses, 40th International Jazzweek Burghausen, March 20 & 21, 2009

1. Somewhere (Bernstein)
2. Caravan (Tizol/ Ellington)
3. In Your Own Sweet Way (Brubeck)
4. Then I´ll Be Tired Of You (Schwartz/Harberg)

With Taylor Eigsti´s new CD, Let It Come to You, the pianist-composer-bandleader takes another giant stride forward as a significant new voice in the jazz world, and at 23, he stands tall among a select few of his generation, who are in the midst of establishing themselves as the jazz stars of the future.

Uri Caine´s Bedrock live in Viersen 2009

Uri Caine, fender rhodes, piano, synthesizer, samples

Tim Lefebvre, bass
Zach Danziger, drums
Barbara Walker, vocals

recorded live at Jazzfest Viersen, Festhalle Viersen, Germany, September 19, 2009

1. Our Hour
2. Work It Out
3. Count Duke
4. Riled Up
5. Medley
6. Cute
7. Walk With Me

Bedrock´s latest cd "plastic temptation" was released on "Music Edition Winter & Winter"

Jan Lundgren, Richard Galliano & Paolo Fresu: Mare Nostrum live at JazzBaltica 2007

Paolo Fresu - trumpet, fluegelhorn
Richard Galliano - accordion, accordina
Jan Lundgren - piano

recorded live at JazzBaltica 2007, Große Konzertscheune, Salzau Germany, June 30, 2007

1. Mare Nostrum
2. Principessa
3. The Seagull
4. Years Ahead
5. Varvindar friska
6. Liberty Waltz
7. Chat Pitre
8. Valzer di Rotorno
9. Love Land

Paolo Fresu from Sardinia, Richard Galliano, raised in the southern France but of Italian offspring and Jan Lundgren of Swedish origin found each other and this collaboration of the three most melodically inclined musicians of today’s European jazz scene has grown and developed organically. Fresu, Galliano and Lundgren move within a great variety of modes of expression. Considering the fact, that the future of jazz can only be kept alive by opening it towards other musical cultures, the trio acts accordingly and presents a surprising amount of themes of very varied origins. The French touch is featured through an immortal tune by the great Charles Trénet. Swedish folksongs, Maurice Ravel's 20th century stylistics, Brazilian standards by Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes as well as originals culminate in a fascinating sound experience. Thanks to the remarkable musicianship of these three outstanding instrumentalists, the trio appears most capable of creating a fascinating whole, which – listened to from afar – seems difficult to obtain. This is the jazz with a contemporary tinge that provides a taste of the future: exciting, highly emotional and full of daringly creative artistic exchange. Thus, it aims at an audience interested in getting involved in its melodically intense projection.
In 2007 they recorded the studio album "mare nostrum" for ACT Music.