- Idle Hands “Barreling Through” from Solid Moments (Posi-tone) 00:00
- Jacek Kochan & musiConspiracy “Fear No More” from Occupational Hazard (Self Released) 05:41
- Wynton Kelly “You Can’t Get Away” from Piano (Riverside) 13:52
- Moses Boyd “Stranger Than Fiction” from Dark Matter (Exodus Records) 20:36
- Sun Ra “Space Mates” from Jazz Masters Volume 2 (Greyscale Jazz) 25:48
- Verneri Pohjola “The Dragon of Katkavaara” from Pekka (Edition Records) 33:04
- Verneri Pohjola “Monograph” from The Dead Don’t Dream (Edition Records) 41:21
- Idle Hands “Maxwell Street” from Solid Moments (Posi-tone) 49:08
- Moses Boyd “Shades of You” from Dark Matter (Exodus Records) 55:42
- Jacek Kochan & musiConspiracy “Not to be Trusted” from Occupational Hazard (Self Released) 1:00:27
- Sun Ra “Somewhere There” from Jazz Masters Volume 3 (Greyscale Jazz) 1:07:26
- Webber, Morris Big Band “Rebonds” from Both Are True (Greenleaf) 1:22:59
- Webster Young “Good Morning, Heartache” from For Lady (Prestige) 1:26:07
- Idle Hands “Dock’s House” from Solid Moments (Posi-tone) 1:35:48
- Jacek Kochan & musiConspiracy “Better Yet” from Occupational Hazard (Self Released) 1:41:49
- Moses Boyd “Nommos Descent” from Dark Matter (Exodus Records) 1:47:21
- Sun Ra “Intergalactic Motion (Aka Ankhnaton)” from Jazz Masters Volume 3 (Greyscale Jazz) 1:52:38
Three featured albums this week:
Producer Marc Free enlists the able assistance of a few trusted “Idle Hands” for the next release in a visionary series of demand building records on Posi-tone. Highlighted by the handiwork of a carefully curated group of label artists, an engagingly entertaining album features front line performances from guitarist Will Bernard, vibraphonist Behn Gillece, and saxophonist Sam Dillon playing over the solid harmonic foundation of pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Donald Edwards.
Drummer/composer/arranger Jacek Kochan’s new album is remarkable on a number of fronts. Not only does it represent the prodigious Montreal musician’s 22nd release as a leader, it’s also his most stylistically daring project to date. Combining elements of acoustic and electric jazz, rock, and contemporary improvised music, it weaves rhythms and harmonies from around the world into an eclectic and infectious mix sure to please the ears of any adventurous listener. Conveyed by a cast that includes many of the finest musicians working today, Occupational Hazard is musical tour de force.
Moses Boyd’s new one is a landmark record, a producer album by a young auteur, threading several thrilling musical traditions into a bold new tapestry: the raw energy of grime and afrobeats and the rolling club rhythms of the London underground, combined with the freewheeling creativity and collaborative spirit of his jazz training
Also looking forward to the new albums from Verneri Pohjola and Webber Morris Big Band plus some classic Sun Ra.
- HOUR ONE
- Idle Hands “Barreling Through” from Solid Moments (Posi-tone)
- Highlighted by the handiwork of a carefully curated group of Posi-Tone artists, this engagingly entertaining album features front line performances from guitarist Will Bernard, vibraphonist Behn Gillece, and saxophonist Sam Dillon playing over the solid harmonic foundation of pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Donald Edwards. February 21st release
- Jacek Kochan & musiConspiracy “Fear No More” from Occupational Hazard (Self Released)
- Elizabeth Shepherd – Voice , Piano
- Jerry De Villiers Jr. – Guitar
- Dan Thouin – Keyboards
- Anthony Alexander – Keyboards
- Adrian Vedady – Upright Bass
- Rich Brown – Electric Bass
- Jacek Kochan – Drums
Drummer/composer/arranger Jacek Kochan’s new album Occupational Hazard is remarkable on a number of fronts. Not only does it represent the prodigious Montreal musician’s 22nd release as a leader, it’s also his most stylistically daring project to date.
Combining elements of acoustic and electric jazz, rock, and contemporary improvised music, it weaves rhythms and harmonies from around the world into an eclectic and infectious mix sure to please the ears of any adventurous listener. Conveyed by a cast that includes many of the finest musicians working today, Occupational Hazard is musical tour de force.
The album will be released worldwide on Friday, March 13th, 2020.
- Wynton Kelly “You Can’t Get Away” from Piano (Riverside)
- Piano, also released as Whisper Not, is an album by jazz pianist Wynton Kelly that was released by Riverside in 1958. Kelly recorded the album with Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones.
- Moses Boyd “Stranger Than Fiction” from Dark Matter (Exodus Records)
- Moses Boyd: drums, electronics. Guests: Joe Armon-Jones: piano; Nubya Garcia: tenor saxophone; Gary Crosby: spoken word; Theon Cross: tuba; Poppy Ajudha: vocals; Ife Ogunjobi: trumpet; Nonku Phiri: vocals; Obongjayar: spoken word; others.’Dark Matter’ is a landmark record, a producer album by a young auteur, threading several thrilling musical traditions into a bold new tapestry: the raw energy of grime and afrobeats and the rolling club rhythms of the London underground, combined with the freewheeling creativity and collaborative spirit of his jazz training. With that mentality in mind, it’s no surprise that his
- Sun Ra “Space Mates” from Jazz Masters Volume 2 (Greyscale Jazz)
- Fate in a Pleasant Mood was recorded in Chicago in 1960, but not released until 1965. It was the last album featuring Sunny’s band from Chicago. After a decade and a half in the Windy City, tired of local indifference by fans and the press, Sun Ra decided to take his music elsewhere—briefly to Montreal, then New York, where he settled for seven years.
- Sun Ra (piano)
John Gilmore (tenor sax, clarinet, percussion)
Ronnie Boykins (bass)
Phil Cohran (trumpet, cornet)
Lucious Randolph (trumpet on “Kingdom of Thunder”)
Marshall Allen (alto sax, flute, bells)
George Hudson (trumpet)
Nate Pryor (trombone, bells)
Jon Hardy (drums,)
- Verneri Pohjola “The Dragon of Katkavaara” from Pekka (Edition Records)
- Verneri Pohjola Trumpet
Tuomo Prättälä Fender Rhodes
Teemu Viinikainen Guitar
Mika Kallio Drums
Antti Lötjönen Bass - Pekka reinterprets the music of Verneri’s late father Pekka Pohjola, the internationally acclaimed and revered prog-rock bassist and composer, through the prism of his son’s unique vision.
- Verneri Pohjola Trumpet
- Verneri Pohjola “Monograph” from The Dead Don’t Dream (Edition Records)
- The Dead Don’t Dream is his fourth album on Edition and sixth in total. His recent offerings represent very different yet coherent albums. Each of these challenged Verneri to reach further with his playing, and explore wider soundscapes.Verneri Pohjola – trumpet
Tuomo Prättälä – piano & electronics
Mika Kallio – drums and gongs
Antti Lötjönen – bassMiikka Paatelainen – pedal steel
releases May 1, 2020
- The Dead Don’t Dream is his fourth album on Edition and sixth in total. His recent offerings represent very different yet coherent albums. Each of these challenged Verneri to reach further with his playing, and explore wider soundscapes.Verneri Pohjola – trumpet
- Idle Hands “Maxwell Street” from Solid Moments (Posi-tone)Will Bernard, vibraphonist Behn Gillece, and saxophonist Sam Dillon playing over the solid harmonic foundation of pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Donald Edwards. February 21st release
- Moses Boyd “Shades of You” from Dark Matter (Exodus Records)
- HOUR TWO
- Jacek Kochan & musiConspiracy “Not to be Trusted” from Occupational Hazard (Self Released)
- Sun Ra “Somewhere There” from Jazz Masters Volume 3 (Greyscale Jazz)
- Originally on Outer Spaceways Incorporated 1968
- Webber, Morris Big Band “Rebonds” from Both Are True (Greenleaf)
- releases April 3rd
- In 2015, Anna Webber and Angela Morris brought together their arsenal of skills as composers-performers-conductors to form the Webber/Morris Big Band, an ensemble of eighteen stellar New York improvisers who bring their combined artistic vision into reality.While the band’s instrumentation – trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and rhythm section – may be seen as typical, the music is rooted in minimalism, noise, pop, and the sounds of today. Integrating improvisation and composed material in unorthodox ways and using extra-musical sources – such as poetry or mathematics – here the traditional big band sound mutates into something unpredictable and exciting.The album features nine original compositions by Webber and Morris, including a piece that integrates a text from Maya Angelou. This is big band music for the here and now from a band at the top of their game
- releases April 3rd
- Webster Young “Good Morning, Heartache” from For Lady (Prestige)
- For Lady (subtitled songs Billie Holiday made famous… an instrumental tribute to her great talents) is an album by the American jazz cornetist Webster Young, containing tracks recorded in 1957 and released on the Prestige label.
- His only set as a leader
- Webster Young – cornet
Paul Quinichette – tenor saxophone
Mal Waldron – piano
Joe Puma – guitar
Earl May – double bass
Ed Thigpen – drums
- Idle Hands “Dock’s House” from Solid Moments (Posi-tone)
- Jacek Kochan & musiConspiracy “Better Yet” from Occupational Hazard (Self Released)
- Moses Boyd “Nommos Descent” from Dark Matter (Exodus Records)
- Sun Ra “Intergalactic Motion (Aka Ankhnaton)” from Jazz Masters Volume 3 (Greyscale Jazz)
- 1966 recordings for the Pictures of Infinity album
Different Noises For Your Ears 