Bob Degen Quartet feat. Valentin Garvie live at 42nd German Jazzfestival Frankfurt 2011

Valentin Garvie | tp
Bob Degen | p
Ralf Cetto | b
Uli Schiffelholz | dr
recorded live at HR-Sendesaal, Frankfurt, October 27, 2011

1. Etosha
2. In Honour of Spring/ Frickin´Heart/ Parting
3. Vivian Elaine
4. Trails of One
5. B meets P/ Upstart
6. Far from Us
7. Cascade
8. Catability

American pianist Bob Degen grew up in a musical family in Scranton, PA that encouraged his path into music at a very early age. He attended the Berklee College of Music (graduating in 1963) and was also tuitioned by legendary Margret Chaloff (who also taught Herbie Hancock, Steve Kuhn and Chick Corea). A fellow student at Berklee persuaded Bob to come to Germany in 1965. He immediately found work with such as Dexter Gordon, Art Farmer, Carmell Jones, Leo Wright – musicians that had already left the US for Europe. However, he longed to play in a trio and missed the excellence of his former mates. So he returned one more time to the US in 1966 to set up a trio with bassist Mark Levinson and drummer Paul Motian. The trio did an East Coast tour but unfortunately they did not record. After two years with Buddy DeFranco and the Glenn Miller Band, Bob returned to Frankfurt, Germany to settle down. He joined trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff´s group, the HR Radio Jazz Ensemble and worked in different combinations, predominantly with tenor sax great Heinz Sauer. Their duet album Ellingtonia Revisited made Jazz Record Of The Year. In 1976 Bob did his first date for ENJA, the much admired trio album Sequoia Song. On the strength of this album, unknown Bob Degen suddenly had a fan club in Japan advertising for him in Swing Journal! More records followed over the years, a quartet with Japan’s Terumasa Hino, a duet with bassist Harvie Swartz, a quartet with South African drummer Makaya Ntsoko, a fine trio album 1997 with bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Bill Stewart, Catability. 

Bob´s original compositions are interpreted in trio and quartet when Argentinian trumpeter Valentin Garvie joins in on five titles. Garvie is well established in contemporary classical music and works with the worldwide renowned Ensemble Modern out of Frankfurt. Jake Remembered was recorded at the recently revived HGBS Studio in the Black Forest on the legendary Bösendorfer grand piano on which Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Friedrich Gulda recorded their master pieces. Bob Degen names as his favorites such uncompromising pianists like Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Bill Evans, and he manages to intercorporate that great tradition into his own, no-nonsense concept that calls for openness and space.

Das Kapital plays Hanns Eisler live at 42nd German Jazzfestival Frankfurt 2011

Daniel Erdmann | ts
Hasse Poulsen | g
Edward Perraud | dr
recorded live at HR-Sendesaal, Frankfurt, October 27, 2011

1. Das Wunderland
2. Hotelzimmer 1942
3. Solidaritätslied
4. Moorsoldaten
5. Ohne Kapitalisten geht es besser
6. Elegie 1939
7. Mutter Beimlein
8. Impressions
9. An den deutschen Mond

Pan-European power trio Das Kapital continues to explore, on its third release, the musical legacy of composer Hanns Eisler, after successfully rearranging Eisler's well-known compositions and songs on Ballads & Barricades (Quark, 2009)

Obviously, Das Kapital is aware of Esler's troubled history. He fled Nazi Germany in the mid-1930s, to settle in New York. From there, he was evicted with just two days' notice by the McCarthyists in the late '40s, resettling in his native Berlin, where very soon he got into trouble with the governing Stalinists. On Conflicts & Conclusions ,Das Kapital presents lesser-known songs from Esler's engaged political period in the 1930s and more innocent songs from his Hollywood soundtrack days, as well as propaganda songs that he scored after returning to Germany.

The trio joyfully navigates Esler's impressive songbook, opening with a festive, almost anarchistic version of "Auferstanden aus Ruinen (Risen from Ruins)," the now-forgotten national anthem of the German Democratic Republic (better known s East Germany), emptying the song from its pompous Stalinist clichés to reclaim its melodic beauty. Brecht's post-war poem, "Die Pappel Vom Karlsplatz (The Poplar from Karlsplatz)"—dealing with the horrors and melancholy of WWII but also suggesting some hope—is turned into a playful, life-affirming soul-jazz ballad. On "Lied einer Deutschen Mutter (Song of a German mother)," tenor saxophonist Daniel Erdmann follows the original touching melody, while guitarist Hasse Poulsen and drummer Edward Perraud challenge him with layers of distorting sounds and fractured rhythms.

Conflicts & Conclusions is an inspiring set of idealist music from three fearless musicians who are not shy to suggest that the role of artists is as subversive agents against any powerful ideology, regime or convention.

Three Fall live in Hamburg 2011

Lutz Streun (sax, bcl)
Til Schneider (trb)
Sebastian Winne (dr)
recorded live at Fabrik, Hamburg, June 7, 2011

1. Voodoo Logic (Lutz Streun/Til Schneider)
2. Fiets (Til Schneider)
3. Ottostraße (Lutz Streun)
4. Matter (Til Schneider)
5. Walkabout (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
6. Under the Bridge (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
7. Bones and Steaks (Til Schneider)

Three Fall is stepping up to the plate alongside these established names with their ACT debut album “On a Walkabout”, celebrating the music of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their extended horizons encompass their daring and masterful outlook, rejecting the use of continuous bass or chordal instruments. Instead, the trio create their own unique sound with Lutz Streun on saxophone and bass clarinet, Til Schneider on trombone and Sebastian Winne on drums. The three individual musicians are always in motion and working collectively, carefully balancing between structure and improvisation, with catchy melodies, clever arrangements and unexpected turns all buoyed up by their creativeness, groove and boundless energy. Three Fall has achieved acclaim in a very short time - founded in 2008, they won the Futuresounds competition at the Leverkusener Jazztage only a few months later. They have performed on other big stages, like the Viersen Jazz festival and the Leipziger Jazztage, and have been greeted with great enthusiasm as a support act for prominent jazz musicians including McCoy Tyner, Medeski Martin & Wood and Nils Petter Molvaer.
Three Fall know no musical limits - they take us on a tour through the genres. “Jazz means progression. For every generation, jazz has always been an attempt to cross borders and unite cultures. We simply use styles that we find inspiring and that we grew up with: hip-hop, world music, reggae, funk, rock. That is our musical background,” says bandleader Lutz Streun. One band has been especially influential. “The music of Red Hot Chili Peppers was the soundtrack of our youth in the 90’s. We grew up with it, it shaped us!” That is why Three Fall has so naturally merged the music of the Californian rock band with its own musical universe. “Their music is incredibly funky but they also play some sentimental ballads. We like their West Coast attitude, the roughness of their music and the fact that they are unconventional. That suits us. “
In fact, if you didn’t know the original songs, Chili Pepper classics like “Under The Bridge” or “Walkabout” could easily qualify as Three Fall songs. The band does not simply cover the songs, but translates them into its own musical language. All the songs on “On a Walkabout” are each a journey of discovery, both the band’s own compositions and the songs of their Californian idols, be they powerful and funky (“Fiets”), changing from Ellington style swing into rock (“Spaziergang”), flirting with free jazz (“Montag”), integrating Eastern sounds (“Skyscraper”) or simply in the tradition of good old brass music. A further highlight, very much loyal to the style and spirit of Red Hot Chili Peppers, is the final groovy brass driven hip-hop piece “Matter” with a guest appearance of the well-known Swedish rapper Promoe.

Charles Mingus Quintet live in Bremen 1975

George Adams (ts)
Jack Walrath (tp)
Don Pullen (p)
Charles Mingus (b)
Dannie Richmond (dr)

recorded live at Aula der Oberpostdirektion, Bremen, July 8, 1975

1. Free Cell Block F, ‘tis Nazi USA (Charles Mingus)
2. Black Bats And Poles (Jack Walrath)
3. Fables Of Faubus (Charles Mingus)
4. Duke Ellington’s Sound Of Love (Charles Mingus)
5. Cherokee (Ray Nobles)
6. Remember Rockefeller At Attica (Charles Mingus)

For the film project Mingus On Mingus by Charles´ grandson Kevin Ellington Mingus your help and support is needed. Orangethenblue is the group behind the documentary Mingus on Mingus. A creative team formed to develop and promote the relationship of film and music through performance, it has become the main vehicle for this production. Based between Berlin and New York City, Orangethenblue is built upon a strong vision and outlook to support and realize innovative films that leave an indelible mark on audiences. They are about to raise funds for a few additional interviews and production costs. More information on this project can be obtained from http://orangethenblue.com, also you can learn how to support Mingus on Mingus. Following this link you will get to the kickstarter campaign

Charles Mingus Group live at Berliner Jazztage 1975

George Adams (ts)
Jack Walrath (tp)
Hugh Lawson (p)
Charles Mingus (b)
Dannie Richmond (dr)

recorded live at Philharmonie, Berlin, November 8, 1975

1. For Harry Carney
2. Sue's changes

Charles Mingus is considered one of the most important figures in 20th century American music among such innovators as Charles Ives, George Gershwin and Duke Ellington. He was a master contra-bassist, accomplished pianist, bandleader and composer.
Born on a military base in Nogales, Arizona in 1922 and raised in Watts, California, the Mingus family parentage included African American, German, Chinese and Native American. His earliest musical influences came from the mix of gospel singing from the local church and the jazz he heard on the radio, in particular the records of Duke Ellington. He started to develop his musical skills through the trombone and cello, but his future collaborator, Buddy Collette, would introduce him to the contra-bass in his teen years.
While his reputation grew as a bass prodigy, Mingus played with Lionel Hampton in addition to performing with the acclaimed trio of Red Norvo and Tal Farlow in California. In the mid-1950s he settled in New York where he built musical relationships with Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Bud Powell. At the same time he formed his own publishing and recording label with Max Roach, Debut Records, to publish and record his bourgeoning repertoire of original music. Debut Records captured the “Greatest Jazz Concert Ever” live at Toronto’s Massey Hall in 1953, featuring Mingus, Roach and bebop founders Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell.
Charles Mingus focused on collective improvisation, similar to the old-time New Orleans Jazz parades, paying particular attention to how each band member interacted with the group as a whole. He believed in developing a dialogue in music, where the double bass, as the rest of the instruments, belonged in the conversation. Mingus’ compositions were soulful, emotionally dense and drew heavily from black gospel music, elements of free jazz and classical music. Yet Mingus avoided categorization, forging his own path in music that fused tradition with unique and unexplored realms of jazz.
He toured all over the world until 1977, when he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Two years later on January 5th, 1979, he fell victim to the disease in Cuernavaca, Mexico. His ashes were scattered on the Ganges River in Rishikesh, India.

Mingus on Mingus, directed by Kevin Ellington Mingus, is a documentary of a grandson discovering the truths behind the legend of the grandfather he never knew. Known to the world as a composer who left one of the largest musical legacies of the 20th century, the film highlights the voices of the people he touched and the places he lived.  While following the search for a grandfather and a true jazz legend, we rediscover both, the man and the artist: Charles Mingus.

Chick Corea & Gary Burton live at 42nd International Jazzweek Burghausen 2011

Chick Corea (p, vib on track 17)

Gary Burton (vib)
recorded live at Wackerhalle, Burghausen, March 23, 2011

1. Introduction by Chick Corea
2. Love Castle (Chick Corea)
3. Introduction by Gary Burton
4. Alegria (Chick Corea)
5. Introduction by Chick Corea
6. Can´t We Be Friends (K. Swift and P. James)
7. Introduction by Gary Burton
8. Chega De Saudade (A.C. Jobim)
9. Introduction by Chick Corea
10. Time Remembered (Bill Evans)
11. Introduction by Gary Burton
12. Mozart Goes Dancing (Chick Corea)
13. Introduction by Chick Corea
14. Eleanor Rigby (Lennon/ McCartney)
15. La Fiesta (Chick Corea)
16. Blue Monk (Thelonious Monk)
17. Armando´s Rhumba (Chick Corea)

Chick embarks on a tour of the US and Europe through March, April and May with vibraphonist and longtime collaborator Gary Burton. The two kindred spirits will explore some fresh Corea-created arrangements of jazz standards, a direction they have not focused on before in their ongoing partnership.
“Gary and I both have a love of the 'standards' so this tour we will try to develop more songs in that direction. We're hoping to have enough new material to make our next album.” — Chick
"If you think in terms of speaking, a solo performance is like a speech. If you play with a band, it's like a panel discussion. But a duet with Chick is an intense conversation with your best friend. You know what he's going to say before they say it, so you can jump ahead. There are a lot of sparks flying, and you feel free to pursue any thought or feeling." — Gary Burton (via LA Times)
The 2008 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album went to Chick and Gary Burton for The New Crystal Silence. On the double-album they re-imagined their 1972 classic Crystal Silence, both in their long-standing duet format, and with the phenomenal Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Joe Lovano US Five at 42nd International Jazzweek Burghausen 2011

Joe Lovano, Saxophones
James Weidman, Piano
James Weidman, Bass
Otis Brown III, Drums
Francisco Mela, Drums

recorded live at Wackerhalle, Burghausen, March 24, 2011

1. US Five/ Folk Art (Joe Lovano)
2. Yardbird Suite (Charlie Parker)
3. Lover Man (Jimmy Davis, Roger Ramirez, James Sherman)
4. Ko-Ko/ Drum Song (Charlie Parker)
5. Spiritual/ Mystic (John Coltrane/ Joe Lovano)
6. Viva Caruso (Joe Lovano)
7. Donna Lee (Charlie Parker)

“I didn’t approach this as a tribute record,” states Joe Lovano, dispelling right off the bat any preconception that his new album Bird Songs—an exploration of the Charlie Parker songbook—is a mere retread. Lovano’s 22nd album for Blue Note Records (the release of which will mark his 20th year on the label) breaks the mold of Bird tribute records. Bird Songs is a thrillingly adventurous, thoroughly modern, and uniquely personal look at one of the most influential figures in jazz history by one of the most important voices in the music today. Us Five turned out to be the perfect vehicle for his exploration. Lovano’s dynamic young band—which features drummers Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela, bassist Esperanza Spalding, and pianist James Weidman—has been captivating audiences around the world for several years now. Their debut recording—2009’s Folk Art—was a wide-ranging set of Lovano’s original compositions that resulted in Us Five being awarded Best Small Ensemble of the Year at the 2010 JJA Jazz Awards and winning the Best Jazz Group of the Year category in the 2010 DownBeat Critics Poll. Lovano completed a double-triple of awards by also winning the JJA’s Musician and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year, and DownBeat’s Jazz Artist and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. “Putting this recording together I kept wondering how Bird would have developed within these tunes, not just as the incredible soloist that he was but as an arranger and band leader. From what we know about him it is clear that he was into the world of music beyond so called Jazz and Be Bop and I’m sure we would have all been surprised at every turn in his approach just as we were with Miles, Coltrane, Rollins and Coleman, four of his most distinguished and celebrated disciples. At the young age of 34 Charlie Parker passed and left us with all of these questions about what would be. This recording is my humble attempt to answer some of those questions in my own way.”

The Bad Plus feat. Joshua Redman live at Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2011

Joshua Redman, sax
Ethan Iverson, piano
Reid Anderson, bass
Dave King, drums

recorded live at Kongreßhaus, Saalfelden, August 28, 2011

1. Love Is The Answer (Reid Anderson)
2. 2 PM (Ethan Iverson)
3. Introductions by Ethan Iverson
4. Thriftstore Jewelry (Dave King)
5. People Like You (Reid Anderson)
6. Big Eater (Reid Anderson)
7. Silence Is The Question (Reid Anderson)
8. Layin' A Strip For The Higher Self-State-Line (Dave King)

"Most contemporary jazz groups merely preach to the choir, but the Bad Plus is that rare band that’s managed to get through to the world beyond the jazz audience. Its ingenious tactic is to play acoustic jazz with the rhythmic sensibilities a Rush fan might appreciate, and early on the trio made a specialty of jazz interpretations of recent anthems. Adding tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman to the fray might seem counterproductive in terms of that goal—after all, he strengthens the group’s ties to music that jazz fans like. Yet even the grungiest rocker couldn’t deny that the combination is remarkable. It may be the jazz snob in me, but as much as I’ve enjoyed the Bad Plus up to now, this is the first time that I find myself describing its music as beautiful.

Mr. Redman joining Bad Plus puts me in mind of the scene in “The Wizard of Oz” where Dorothy steps out of the house and all of a sudden everything is in Technicolor. It’s the same movie, but now the whole shebang is much more vivid and vibrant. Compared with what Mr. Redman, pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King played during the late set on Tuesday night, everything the trio has done thus far sounds almost like mere monochrome by comparison.

Of course, the Bad Plus still sounds like the Bad Plus. As always, there’s the exceptional playing of Mr. King: Most jazz lovers feel about drumming the way the Tea Party feels about government: less is better. Our highest praise is that a drummer plays subtly, pushing the band without making a lot of noise. Yet Mr. King’s in-your-face, all-over-the-place drumming is an integral part of the BP’s sound—loud as it is, his playing is about serving the group rather than himself. Percussion should derive from the consent of the governed rather than the threat of force." - Will Friedwald, The Wall Street Journal

Tribute to Esbjörn Svensson live at JazzBaltica 2011

1. Ballad For E (Magnus Öström)
2. Bright Size Life (Pat Metheny)
Pat Metheny, gt
Dan Berglund, b
Magnus Öström, dr

3. From Gagarin's Point Of View (Esbjörn Svensson)
Pat Metheny, gt
Dan Berglund, b
Magnus Öström, dr
Nils Landgren, tb

4. Dodge The Dodo (Esbjörn Svensson)

Pat Metheny, gt
Dan Berglund, b
Magnus Öström, dr
Nils Landgren, tb
Leszek Mozdzer, p
Lars Danielsson, cello

5. Pavane. Thoughts Of A Septuagenarian (Esbjörn Svensson)
Yaron Herman, p
Lars Danielsson, cello

6. Chopin (Leszek Mozdzer)
Leszek Mozdzer, piano

7. Epistrophy (Thelonious Monk)
8. Remembrance (Vijay Iyer)
Vijay Iyer, piano

9. Don't Tell Me How The Story Goes (Kris Kristofferson)
Nils Landgren, tb
Michael Wollny, p

10. Believe, Beleft, Below (Esbjörn Svensson)
Viktoria Tolstoy, voc
Pat Metheny, gt
Dan Berglund, b
Magnus Öström, dr
Michael Wollny, p

11. Shining On You (Esbjörn Svensson)

Viktoria Tolstoy, voc
Pat Metheny, gt
Dan Berglund, b
Magnus Öström, dr
Nils Landgren, tb
Michael Wollny, p
Lars Danielsson, cello

12. The Goldhearted Miner (Esbjörn Svensson)
Yaron Herman, p
Lars Danielsson, cello

Since Esbjörn Svensson’s untimely death in 2008 his childhood friend the distinctive drum ’n’ bass-influenced drummer in EST Magnus Öström has taken time to adjust to his sense of loss following the devastating death of Svensson as a result of a scuba diving accident.
Last year Dan Berglund, EST’s bassist, debuted Tonbruket, a prog rock-tinged group that successfully toured its debut album in the UK. Like Berglund Öström has paid tribute to their great friend on the album which features a new grouping of Stockholm musicians, with Andreas Hourdakis coming in on guitar; Gustaf Karlöf, piano and Thobias Gabrielson (electric bass) to join Öström.
The album titled Thread of Life was recorded in Magnus’ favourite studio, Atlantis in Stockholm, with all of the 10 songs written by the drummer. Pat Metheny, who famously performed on a staggering version of ‘Dodge The Dodo’ with EST at the JazzBaltica festival in Germany in 2003, got close to the band over the years and was greatly affected by Esbjörn’s death. He and Berglund join on the poignant sixth track ‘Ballad For E’ recorded at Avatar in New York at the end of last year.

Michael Wollny & Theo Bleckmann live at JazzBaltica 2011

Michael Wollny - Piano
Theo Bleckmann - Vocals, Electronics
Gastsolisten: Nils Landgren - Trombone; Christopher Dell - Vibraphone
JazzBaltica Salzau, July 3, 2011

You Go To My Head (Coots)
None Of The Above (Bleckmann
The Rip (Portishead)
Song Of Indifference (Wollny)
Take My Life (Bleckmann)
Marion & Sam (Herrmann)

"Singing is difficult. Singing with words is a challenge. To sing without words is an art. Theo Bleckmann is very daring. The Dortmund-born singer, who has been living in New York for a decade, makes collages and water colors, destroys and re-constructs sounds, until almost nothing is left of the well trot expressions of Jazz language. The few standards that he in-cluded into his program at the Unterfahrt, seemed like little reconcilliating life savers amidst the experimental sounds in front of s stunned audience. Bleckmann works with layering and Irritation, with harmonies and contrast. Effortlessly and with breath-taking intonation he changes registers, departs from the semantic connection of the words, to then create soundscapes through new combinations of syllables and utterances and their associations. Sparsely, sometimes dry and introverted or edgy and loudly accompanied by the guitarist Ben Monder, he plays with vocal expressions, gargles and presses, breathes and screams, beams and triumphs. Bleckmann, who has also worked with Philip Glass and Meredith Monk, combines compositional and interpretive elements of the contemporary classical music with influences from experimental jazz. With dodecaphonic joy he jumps into variations of melodies creating new, fresh and provocative colors, sometimes directly, sometimes in dialogue with a sequencer. That is not always easy to listen to. A jazz concert for advanced listeners, powerful and convincing."-Ralf Dombrowski, Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Theo´s latest CD "Hello Earth! – The Music of Kate Bush" was released on Winter & Winter this year.

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue live at JazzBaltica 2011

Troy ‘Trombone Shorty‘ Andrews (tb, tp, voc)
Tim McFatter (sax)
Pete Murano (g)
Michael Ballard (b)
Joey Peebles (dr)

recorded live at Konzertscheune Salzau, July 1, 2011

1. Blackbird Special (Dirty Dozen Brass Band)
2. Right To Complain (Troy Andrews / PJ Norton)
3. Neph (Troy Andrews)
4. Let's Get It On (Topher Lafata)
5. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Jimmy McHugh/ Dorothy Fields)
6. Feelin' Funky (Matata)
7. When The Saints Go Marching In (Trad.)

Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews' is a rare artist who can draw both the unqualified respect of jazz legends and deliver a high-energy rock show capable of mesmerizing international rock stars and audiences alike. With such an unprecedented mix of rock, funk, jazz, hip-hop and soul, he had to create his own name to describe his signature sound: Supafunkrock! Andrews is the kind of player who comes along maybe once in a generation, and Backatown is the latest, clearest proof that his artistry is as singular as his raw talent.

Equally adept on trombone and trumpet, Andrews plays a variety of other instruments as well. He’s applied the same skill sets and fierce discipline to his vocal instrument, to soulful effect, as the album demonstrates. Surrounding Andrews is his band, Orleans Avenue—Mike Ballard on bass, Pete Murano on guitar, Joey Peebles on drums, Dwayne Williams on percussion and Dan Oestreicher on baritone sax—virtuosos every one.

“In our band we have people from different cultural backgrounds who listen to all kinds of different styles,” Andrews explains, “and when we get into our studio in New Orleans—we call it the Gumbo Room—we throw it all in and see how we can make it work as one thing, so that it’s not so left-field. We just try to make everything fit, you know, and I think that had a major effect on the record. We just banged a bunch of things out to see how they could work. We weren’t afraid to approach a bunch of different musical styles—rock music, R&B, whatever—just because there’s a horn in front. We just did what we do, and over time we developed something fresh. Making this record was a learning experience for us because, for the earlier records, we did them in like three days; this time we stayed in there for months in between tour dates, writing, picking things apart and reconstructing them. Ben knew what we needed to do, so we just followed his lead and he got it out of us.”

Roy Haynes Quintet live at Berliner Jazztage 1975

Roy Haynes Quintet
John Mosley (tp, flh)
William Saxton (ts, ss)
Mark Josipp Fiorello (g)
Donald Pate (b)
Roy Haynes (dr)
recorded live at Philharmonie, Berlin, November 8, 1975

Medley: Tranquil moods/ Footprints/ Bull Fight/ Cedrico

Roy Owen Haynes, born on March 13, 1925, in Roxbury, MA, is one of the few jazz musicians alive today whose roots touch the origins of jazz itself. Of West Indian descent, his first experience in music was observing his father, a church organist.
The drum legend made his professional debut at the age of seventeen in his hometown, working around Boston with pianist Sabby Lewis, Frankie Newton, and Pete Brown. In September of 1945, Roy Haynes made his New York City debut at the Savoy, playing in the big band pioneer Luis Russells group. Before long, he became drummer of choice for large and small  ensembles and in 1947 he joined Lester Youngs band, and two years later, Charlie Parkers. From late 1940s through mid-1950s, Haynes worked with such greats as Miles Davis, Bud Powell, and Kai Winding. He toured with Sarah Vaughan for five years before joining Thelonious Monks band in 1957.
Roy Haynes is one of the most recorded drummers in jazz, but it wasnt until 1958 that he released his first album as a leader: We Three (Original Jazz Classics) with pianist Phineas Newborn and bassist Paul Chambers.
While periodically leading his own bands, he has also worked with artists like Billy Taylor, Hank Jones, Art Pepper, Ted Curson, Joe Albany, Horace Tapscott, and as an itinerant drummer in a variety of settings. He has enjoyed an occasional playing relationship with Chick Corea, dating back to their Stan Getz days and joined Coreas Trio Music band in 1981. Hayness bands have included some of the more exceptional young musicians on the scene, ranging from his Hip Ensemble to his various quartets.
In the last sixty-plus years, Roy Haynes has shaped some of the most important recordings in Jazz history, transforming the role of the percussionist from timekeeper to front-line collaborator. Before the innovations of Jo Jones, Sid Catlett, Kenny Clarke, Max Roach and Roy Haynes, jazz drummers were timekeepers. These percussion masters redefined the role of the drummer. Haynes in particular, extracted the rhythmic qualities from melodies and created unique new drum and cymbal patterns. Rather than using cymbals strictly for effect, Haynes brought them to the forefront of his unique rhythmic approach. His idiosyncratic style, now instantly recognizable, was the inspiration for his nickname, Snap Crackle.
In August of 2004, Haynes became the 101st inductee into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. In 2005, DownBeat Critics Poll awarded him their prestigious Drummer of the Year plaque, as did the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) and Jazziz Readers Poll. Honorary doctorates from Berklee and the New England Conservatory were added to his many other achievements including the JAZZPAR prize in 94, the French Chevalier des lOrdes Artes et des Letters in 96, Zildjians American Drummers Achievement Award in 98, and the PAS Hall of Fame Award, and in 2003, the Downbeat Critics Poll and Readers Poll for best drummer. The JJA awarded Haynes its Lifetime Achievement Award in June 2006.
In 1975 he led his own quintet and toured throughout europe. One of those concerts was released as "Jazz a confronto" on Italian label HORO, a rare and hard to find LP.

Nik Bärtschs Ronin live at Jazzbaltica 2011

Nik Bärtsch - Piano, E-Piano
Sha (Stefan Haslebacher) - Bass Clarinet, Bass Flute, Alto Saxophone
Thomy Jordi - E-Bass
Kaspar Rast - Drums
Andy Pupato - Percussion
recorded live at Jazzbaltica Salzau, July 2, 2011

Modul 47
Modul 52, 55, 49-44
Modul 47

With the zen-funk quintet RONIN founded in 2001, Nik Baertsch, a composer and pianist from Zurich, proceeds with his work on RITUAL GROOVE MUSIC. Their music consistently follows the same aesthetic vision under various instrumental guises: creating the maximum effect by minimal means.

Despite the multiplicity of the band’s influences, Ronin’s music always possesses a strong individuality. They incorporate elements of disparate musical worlds, be they funk, new classical music or sounds from Japanese ritual music.
However, these forms are never merely juxtaposed in a post-modernist fashion but instead amalgamated into a coherent new style. Ultimately, these sounds and rhythms are highly idiosyncratic. The music consists of very few phrases and motives, continually combined and layered in new ways. Ronin thus creates a consistent aesthetic across all levels of musical expression. Composition, phrasing, sound structure, performance, and musical form all combine to form a system of interrelated elements.

Their latest album "Llyria" was released in 2010 on ECM.

Ack van Rooyen All Stars live at JazzBaltica 2010

Ack van Rooyen, flh
Johannes Enders, ts
Chris Potter, ts
Don Friedman, p
Martin Wind, b
Matt Wilson, dr
recorded live at Konzertscheune Salzau, JazzBaltica July 3, 2010

1. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (Oscar Hammerstein)
2. Old Folks (Dedette Lee Hill, Willard Robison)
3. Almost Everything (Don Friedman)
4. For Clara (Don Friedman)
5. Darn that Dream (Jimmy Van Heusen, Eddie DeLange)
6. Short Cut (Paul Heller)

Ack van Rooyen's career in the jazz circuit and as a studio musician covers a broad spectrum. Born on New Year's day 1930, he graduated cum laude from the Royal Conservatory of the Hague in 1949. He subsequently joined the Arnhem Symphony Orchestra where he played until 1952. In the meantime his interests were turning more to jazz and improvistation.
On a student trip to the United States with his brother Jerry and Rob Pronk, they heard the new sounds being created on the New York's 52nd street and were among the first to introduce the New Music to Holland.
A period of interaction with leading musicians in larger and smaller formations throughout Europe followed. Returning to Holland he established himself in the Hilversum studio's. Than to France for three years playing with the Aimé Barelli Orchestra during which time he was also active on the Paris jazz scene.
Moving on to Germany, Ack joined the newly formed SFB Bigband in Berlin, and later the SDR Orchestra in Stuttgart. During this period he toured and recorded with the Bert Kaempfert Orchestra as a featured soloist. Together with Wolfgang Dauner and Albert Mangelsdorff he toured Asia and South America. He is a charter member of the United jazz and Rock Ensemble as well as Peter Herbolzheimer's Rhythm combination and brass. He has played with Clark Terry and the Gil Evans Orchestra on their European tours.
Prensently Ack is based in Holland where he works with his own quintet, the Dutch Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz orchestra of the Concertgebouw and in Duo with Joerg Reiter. He teaches the Royal Conservatory of the Hague and leads workshops and coaches Bigbands throughout Europe.

Together with pianist Joerg Reiter he released two duo albums on mood records called "Music for Piano and Flugelhorn".

David Fiuczynski’s KiF Express live in Köln 2009

David Fiuczynski – g, eb
Steve Jenkins – eb
Louis Cato – dr
recorded live at Stadtgarten, Köln, March 16, 2009

1. Phoenix rising (David Fiuczynski)   
2. Sakura (Ying Hua) (David Fiuczynski)
3. Habibi Bounce (Lian Amber, David Fiuczynski)
4. Shiraz (David Fiuczynski)
5. Moonring (David Fiuczynski)
6. Sakalahachi (David Fiuczynski)

Iconoclastic and prolific jazz-rock guitarist David ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski, a jazz player who“doesn’t want to play just jazz”, has been hailed by the world press as an incredibly inventive guitar hero, who continues to deliver with music that is unclassifiable, challenging and invigorating. An innovative musician who has released nine CD’s and a double live DVD, Fuze is best known as the leader of the Screaming Headless Torsos.
Fuze’s recordings are an experimental mix of tradition with modern sounds and rhythms, a melange of funk-rock jazz, ambient textural improvisations, world-music elements, metal, reggae, house, dub, drum&bass and other new grooves topped with Fuze's unique writing, extraordinary soundscapes and passionate soloing. In response to the less than supportive environment for his unusual and uncompromising music in the corporate recording industry, David started a record label, FuzeLicious Morsels, to release his own recordings, with a current catalog of nine CD’s and the live DVD. The first CD, “JazzPunk”, was released to great critical acclaim in 1999. A recording of standards and covers written by Fuze’s idols and mentors, each tune was reworked in Fuze’s distinctive musical combinations. His 2000 CD, “Amandala” by Headless Torsos, is an instrumental continuation of Screaming Headless Torsos. Other releases are “Black Cherry Acid Lab", a mixture of funk-rock, rap and punk with vocalist Ahmed Best and saxophonsist Mark Shim, and “KiF” a world-funk-jazz group featuring electric five-string cellist Rufus Cappadocia, both released in June 2003. In 2008 Fuze released another KiF CD, which is a continuation of his interest in blending Eastern sounds with Western grooves; and a David Fiuczynski guitar instructional DVD.
In addition to being a prolific writer, arranger and bandleader, David has recorded and performed with some of the highest profile jazz artists working today. Fuze has appeared on over 95 albums by other artists, toured extensively with many of them, and with his own and other groups, has been featured at most of the world’s major jazz festivals. A full list of David’s musical career highlights follows.