CD

 

Here are two more splendid additions, probably the last ones for this year:

 

 

British composer / bandleader / musician Mike Westbrook is a celebrated figure on the local and international Jazz scene, well earned by over four decades of outstanding contributions to the development of European Jazz. His brilliant compositions and numerous splendid ensembles under his leadership are examples of the highest musical achievements. This album present a recent work by Westbrook, recorded live by his ensemble called "The Village Band", which is a brass sextet – an unusual setting in every respect. The players include Westbrook on euphonium, his wife Kate Westbrook on tenor horn and vocals, trumpeter Mike Brewer, trombonist Sam Smith and saxophonists Stan Willis and Gary Bayley. The album includes the musical suite, which gives it its title and six additional shorter pieces, which are arrangements of five classic Jazz / Blues tunes and one Westbrook original. As usual with Westbrook, the music is divine, the execution perfect and the overall effect stunning. He simply is a genius and everything he touches is pure gold. Wholeheartedly recommended!

 

 

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Here are two more splendid additions, probably the last ones for this year:

 

 

The duo of Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz and British drummer Bill Bruford recorded a couple of splendid studio albums in the mid-1980s, playing a unique blend of Jazz and spontaneously invented music. Although both started their international careers as members of the legendary Prog group Yes, they were strongly connected to the Jazz roots, as their recordings as a due prove beyond any doubt. This great and most welcome album presents their work captured live for the first time, which was recorded at the time but remained unreleased for a quartet of a century. Now we can finally enjoy this music thanks to the belated, but most welcome release. The numerous fans of these musicians, both separately and as a duo, will surely enjoy this album immensely. Recommended!

 

 

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Here is a new release on my own Jazzis label. Of course this is a great feast for me to be able to stand behind such great music:

 

 

The Israeli / Palestinian band WhiteFlag Project is a completely unique phenomenon on the world music scene. Founded in 1998 by songwriter, bassist, vocalist, producer Mark Smulian (a founding member of the legendary band Zaviot, who also recorded on Jazzis Records), his wife, singer Gani Tamir with a group of Israeli players and Palestinian musicians from the Gaza strip, the band went through a convoluted history, as complex and torturous as the People of the Middle East themselves (There is an extensive coverage of the band's history on their website). In the process the band managed to record a demo CD in Switzerland in 2005 and continued recording sporadically, whenever the circumstances allowed it, until 2008, when Mark collected their entire recorded material and spent months in the studio mixing, overdubbing and polishing it, to create this, their debut album. The result is a stunning display of talent, ingenuity, dedication and musical intensity rarely found on this planet. A sublime mixture of Rock, Prog, Jazz and a plethora of World Music motifs, mostly from the incredibly rich heritage of Middle Eastern music, the album consists of ten beautiful tunes, all composed by Smulian. Other musicians taking part in the project are vocalist Yasin Hussen, guitarist Aharele Liberman, Salech Awad on darbuka, Zaher Abed Al-Jawad who plays oud and violin, keyboardist Shadi Alhaj and percussionist Katya Cooper. Many more musicians appear as guest on the album. Although hardly objective, being the album's executive producer and releasing it on my label, I stand 100% behind this music, not only because of what is symbolizes, but foremost because it is simple divine music. I can not imagine anybody not liking it, and I assure you that repeated listening will reveal many hidden treasures. This music hits you straight in the soul, it's irresistible and overwhelming! Give it a chance!

 

 

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Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

Brilliant Swedish pianist / composer Per Henrik Wallin remains relatively unknown to most Jazz enthusiast, surely those outside of Europe, but his genius and incredible inventiveness, creativity and virtuosity surely deserve a wider recognition (Wallin sadly died in 2005). These two albums capture him in intimate settings of a duo with drummer Sven-Åke Johansson (first CD) and a trio with bassist Peter Janson and drummer Leif Wennerström (second CD). Although associated with the European Free Jazz movement, Wallin always displays his admiration for early Jazz pianists / composers, traces of which are often apparent in his music. These two performances are quite different, whereas the first one is completely spontaneously created, the second returns to more "conventional" approach of playing composed music (mostly by Wallin with a few interpretations of standards). But regardless of the setting, the music is always fascinating and testifies as to the incredibly high level of European Jazz in general and Free Jazz / Improvised Music in particular. Warmly recommended, this is brilliant stuff from start to finish!

 

 

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CD

 

Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

Although rarely in the limelight, American saxophonist / composer Dave Liebman has been one of the most consistently outstanding Jazz musicians in the last four decades. From his recordings with Miles Davis in the early stages of his career and later on as a leader of his own groups, his outstanding contribution to modern music is unquestionable. His stylistic versatility, deeply aesthetic approach to music as an Art Form and obvious virtuosity, all these combined with his charming personality (which I've been privileged to witness first hand) amalgamate into a unique and exceptional Artist. This album presents Liebman "in flagrante delicto", metaphorically making love to his instruments (soprano and tenor saxophones and flute) while performing a set of solo pieces live at the Willisau Jazz Festival (Switzerland). Unaccompanied solo performances are always the "naked truth", which exposes the artist totally and is completely unforgiving towards any attempts to fake artistry. Liebman has nothing to hide of course; on the contrary his solo statements are even more powerful than his performances with other musicians. This is his third solo recording, preceded by the album "The Tree" recorded in the early 1990s and "Colors" recorded in 1998. As usual, Liebman forays into uncharted territory with his beautiful vistas, charming the listener like a snake trainer and keeping him in trace. This incredible music, in spite of being potentially difficult, works like a charm and I can't imagine any sensitive listener not falling under its spell. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

 

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CD

 

Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

Although rarely in the limelight, American saxophonist / composer Dave Liebman has been one of the most consistently outstanding Jazz musicians in the last four decades. From his recordings with Miles Davis in the early stages of his career and later on as a leader of his own groups, his outstanding contribution to modern music is unquestionable. His stylistic versatility, deeply aesthetic approach to music as an Art Form and obvious virtuosity, all these combined with his charming personality (which I've been privileged to witness first hand) amalgamate into a unique and exceptional Artist. This album presents Liebman "in flagrante delicto", metaphorically making love to his instrument while performing a set of solo pieces. Unaccompanied solo performances are always the "naked truth", which exposes the artist totally and is completely unforgiving towards any attempts to fake artistry. Liebman has nothing to hide of course; on the contrary his solo statements are even more powerful than his performances with other musicians. This is his second solo recording, preceded by the album "The Tree" recorded in the early 1990s. As usual, Liebman forays into uncharted territory with his beautiful vistas, charming the listener like a snake trainer and keeping him in trace. This incredible music, in spite of being potentially difficult, works like a charm and I can't imagine any sensitive listener not falling under its spell. Brilliant stuff!

 

 

JAZZIS WEB SHOP

 

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HAVE FUN!

CD

 

Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue of the legendary album by American musician / composer / bandleader Anthony Braxton, one of the most iconic figures of the late 20^th Century Free Jazz and avant-garde music scene and probably the most important Jazz pioneer in the post John Coltrane era. The album captures a live recording of the Braxton's sextet in Switzerland and Germany, with him playing saxophones and clarinet, accompanied by saxophonist Ari Brown, trumpeter Paul Smoker, pianist Misha Mengelberg, bassist Joe Fonda and drummers Han Bennink and Pheeroan AkLaff (each playing on one of the two CDs). The music is a loving tribute to Bee Bop and includes mostly compositions by the genre's pioneer Charlie Parker with three tunes by Dizzy Gillespie and one each by Tadd Dameron and Miles Davis. Braxton re-visits Bee Bop with respect and love, but of course applies his completely unique interpretation of the music, which is, as usual, completely breathtaking. The level of virtuosity in interplay is simply astounding and this album surely deserves an honorable place in any serious Free Jazz collection. The intercontinental meeting of improvising forces and talents works beautifully, soaring to previously undiscovered heights. This is an absolutely essential example of Free Jazz, for those who are connoisseurs of the genre, which is not to be missed, especially for the second time around.

 

 

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CD

 

Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

This is a long overdue reissue (actually 2^nd reissue) of the legendary album by American musician / composer / bandleader Anthony Braxton, one of the most iconic figures of the late 20^th Century Free Jazz and avant-garde music scene and probably the most important Jazz pioneer in the post John Coltrane era. The album captures a live recording of the Braxton's quartet at the Willisau Jazz Festival in Switzerland, with him playing saxophones and clarinet, accompanied by trombonist Ray Anderson, bassist John Lindberg and percussionist Thurman Barker. The music includes seven original compositions by Braxton, performed continuously in two extended parts. The level of virtuosity in interplay is simply astounding and this album surely deserves an honorable place in any serious Free Jazz collection. The intercontinental meeting of improvising forces and talents works beautifully, soaring to previously undiscovered heights. This is an absolutely essential example of Free Jazz, for those who are connoisseurs of the genre, which is not to be missed, especially for the third time around.

 

 

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CD

 

Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

American born but resident in Europe vocalist / composer Lauren Newton is undoubtedly one of the most important innovators of the modern vocal idiom in Jazz and Improvised Music. After moving to Europe from her native Oregon, she became a founding member of the legendary Vienna Art Orchestra and later joined forces with other vocal innovators: Urszula Dudziak (from Poland), Jeanne Lee (from the US but also active in Europe), Jay Clayton and Bobby McFerrin (both from the US) forming the legendary vocal ensemble Vocal Summit in 1982. This album is a long overdue reissue of her debut recording, initially released under the title "Timbre". Accompanied by vibraphonist David Friedman, bassist Thomas Stabenow and drummer Manfred Kniel, Newton delivers a breathtaking set of her own compositions, using her completely unique vocal and improvisational techniques. The reissue also adds a most valuable and excellent bonus track. The overall effect of this music is absolutely overwhelming and for me raises precious memories of hearing her perform both with the Vienna Art Orchestra and Vocal Summit, as well as our conversations together. Don't miss the opportunity of this gem being available again, probably for a short while. Wholeheartedly recommended to all open-minded listeners!

 

 

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CD

 

Here is a bunch of new additions on the exquisite Swiss label Hat Hut with some of the most important Jazz and Avant-garde musicians:

 

 

1^st album by the excellent quartet co-led by legendary US saxophonist Dave Liebman and his somewhat younger colleague saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, with bassist Tony Marino and drummer Jim Black. The two saxophonists share the leadership on equal footing, playing both individually and collectively with passion and almost telepathic rapport. The material, which includes a mixture of tunes written by Liebman and Eskelin with standards composed by Wayne Shorter, Tadd Dameron, Lee Konitz and Cole Porter, all freshly arranged, is truly inspiring and moves freely between "straightforward" modern jazz and free improvisation. The technical skills of the musicians are astounding and the collective performances breathtaking. The album is a perfect example of superb contemporary Jazz, which successfully avoids the traps of trying to be "likeable" and stays faithful to the principles of artistic expression and exploration. Liebman's career is an example of dedication to one's true vocation and his consistently excellent work over the years is a beacon for future generations of Jazz players, with this album being no exception. A must for any experienced Jazz listener armed with a pair of open ears and adventurous spirit!

 

 

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Here is one more addition on the wonderful Wounded Bird Records label:

 

 

6^th album by Dutch guitarist / composer Jan Akkerman, recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival shortly after the release of the eponymous predecessor. Backed by an excellent band, which includes the Dutch keyboardist Jasper Van`t Hoff, drummer Bruno Castelucci, percussionist Neppie Noya and others, Akkerman delivers a blistering set of Jazz-Rock Fusion displaying his amazing technique and energy. Three of the six tunes played are composed by Akkerman and the others are contributions by his band members. Akkerman was at the peak of his powers at the time and this overall excellent album is a great reminder of that period. Definitely a must for all his loyal fans, but of interest also to all Fusion buffs. Recommended!

 

 

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Here are four new additions on the wonderful BGO Records label:

 

 

Guitarist / composer Al Di Meola is a brilliant example of a musician, who never stands still and keeps changing and improving in time, rather than hanging on to the fame and success achieved in a distant past. A superb Master of his instrument, Di Meola's journey through music is an epic story beginning in the early 1970s in the epicenter of the then exploding Fusion movement as a member of Chick Corea's Return To Forever, and continuing with a long succession of solo recordings, which is now in its 4^th decade. This brilliant reissue covers the transitional period in Di Meola's career in the mid-1980s, when he was moving away from Fusion deeper and deeper into his own unique niche, which combines Jazz and World Music, creating some of the most beautiful music imaginable. Included here are all three albums Di Meola recorded for the Manhattan Records label, which clearly show his transition as well as the gradual switch to acoustic guitar. Although quite different from each other, the logical development is clearly omnipresent and quite fascinating. The three albums were recorded in three different settings: the first is a duet, the second a quintet and the last a septet, with some superb musicians taking part: the great Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira, drummer Danny Gottlieb, keyboardist Kei Akagi, bassist Harvey Swartz, percussionist Mino Cinelu and other distinguished players. Almost all of the music included here was composed by Di Meola, with just a few exceptions, all of it brilliant and moving. This is the stuff that makes listening to music a real pleasure, brilliant, intelligent, emotional and everlasting. A must!

 

 

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Here are four new additions on the wonderful BGO Records label:

 

 

7^th and 8^th albums by the fantastic British Prog band Family, one of the most imaginative, sophisticated and excellent bands of the 1970s. "Bandstand" was recorded by the same excellent lineup that created its predecessor "Fearless" and the live album. In spite of extensive touring and some chart success Family sadly remained somewhere in the back trenches of the turbulent Rock scene, never actually achieving the recognition they truly deserved. By the time the recorded the second album included here, which was to be their swansong, the band was clearly running out of steam as far as climbing the commercial top was concerned. Poli Palmer and John Wetton left (Wetton joined King Crimson) and were replaced by keyboardist Tony Ashton and bassist Jim Cregan. The last album was much more relaxed that the previous material, but definitely still a great piece of musical ingenuity, even if the critics and many of the band's fans thought otherwise. In retrospect its whimsical approach to songwriting and Jazzy undertones sound truly excellent. The quality of the songwriting, as well as the extended instrumental work, is staggering and completely uncompromised by the passage of time. This is the Holy Grail of early Prog, regardless the fact that most Prog historians and music critics often fail to recognize the band's contribution to the genre. This remastered edition spiced up with many bonus tracks is a must to any collector of Prog albums, as no collection can be complete without them. Absolutely essential!

 

 

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Here are four new additions on the wonderful BGO Records label:

 

 

6^th album and an album compiling live material recorded at the same period by the fantastic British Prog band Family, one of the most imaginative, sophisticated and excellent bands of the 1970s. Following the release of the 5^th album, a compilation / remix release entitled "Old Songs New Songs", bassist John Weider left the band to be replaced by John Wetton, who not only supplied some of his great bass pulsations but also added his excellent vocals to the group's arsenal. Family were at that time at the absolute peak of their artistic powers, both in the studio and on stage, as beautifully documented by these two albums. Roger Chapman's unique vocal qualities, which had absolutely no rivalry on the British scene, combined with the superb instrumental backing turned Family into an absolute marvel, which has stayed unchallenged for the last 40 years. The new lineup recorded two albums: "Fearless" (included here) and the next studio album "Bandstand". The "Live" album, released for the first time as late as 2003, is the only live album by the band, except for the 4 live tracks on "Anyway…". The quality of the songwriting, as well as the extended instrumental work, is staggering and completely uncompromised by the passage of time. This is the Holy Grail of early Prog, regardless the fact that most Prog historians and music critics often fail to recognize the band's contribution to the genre. This remastered edition spiced up with many bonus tracks is a must to any collector of Prog albums, as no collection can be complete without them. Absolutely essential!

 

 

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Here are four new additions on the wonderful BGO Records label:

 

 

3^rd and 4^th albums by the fantastic British Prog band Family, one of the most imaginative, sophisticated and excellent bands of the 1970s. Formed by vocalist Roger Chapman and guitarist John Whitney, who also were responsible for writing the band's exceptional material, the original lineup included also saxophonist Jim King, bassist Rick Grech and drummer Rob Townsend. This lineup recorded two exceptional albums: "Music In A Doll`s House" and "Family Entertainment", which are considered as Prog masterpieces. Following the departure of Grech (to form Blind Faith) and later King, they were replaced by bassist John Weider and multi-instrumentalist Poli Palmer respectively. Palmer's contributions on vibraphone, flute and piano expanded the band's sound considerably, adding subtle Jazzy nuances to the already intricate musical amalgam the band produced. Chapman's unique vocal qualities, which had absolutely no rivalry on the British scene, combined with the superb instrumental backing turned Family into an absolute marvel, which has stayed unchallenged for the last 40 years. The new lineup recorded the two albums included here in rapid succession, using 4 live tracks on the second album to speed up the recording process, which ultimately turned out to be the only live material ever formally released by the band. The quality of the songwriting, as well as the extended instrumental work, is staggering and completely uncompromised by the passage of time. This is the Holy Grail of early Prog, regardless the fact that most Prog historians and music critics often fail to recognize the band's contribution to the genre. This remastered edition spiced up with many bonus tracks is a must to any collector of Prog albums, as no collection can be complete without them. Absolutely essential!

 

 

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Here are three new additions on the wonderful Esoteric Records label:

 

 

2^nd and last album by the excellent British Prog band CMU (Contemporary Music Unit), founded by drummer Roger Odell and fronted by his wife Larraine Odell, a superb vocalist. Following the release of their excellent debut album the original lineup of the group fell apart only to be reformed by the Odells to include another founding member guitarist Ian Hamlett and new members: singer / guitarist Richard Joseph, keyboardist Leary Hasson (ex-Marsupilami), and bassist Steve Cook. They played a highly ambitious blend of Rock / Folk / Jazz, with sophisticated compositions and complex arrangements, and although mostly completely unheard of, were one of the most intriguing bands at the time. Strongly rooted in Jazz, the band members were all excellent instrumentalists and the female lead vocals set them apart from most of their contemporaries. They were sometimes compared to the band Affinity, which was also fronted by a wonderful female singer Linda Hoyle and had a similar Jazz background. This little known gem is a must to any serious Prog and early British Jazz-Rock enthusiast.

 

 

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Here are three new additions on the wonderful Esoteric Records label:

 

 

1^st album by the British band Web fronted by singer John L. Watson. The band played a nice mix of Rock, Psychedelia and Jazz, which still sounds great today. The album was produced by the legendary producer Mike Vernon. Apart from Watson, the band included guitarists Tony Edwards and John Eaton, saxophonist Tom Harris, bassist Dick Lee-Smith, percussionist Lennie Wright and drummer Kenny Beveridge. The material is all original and quite excellent and is very well played indeed. The late 1960s sound and production create that sound, which unfortunately is lost forever, which is another good reason to give this album a spin. Warmly recommended!

 

 

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Here are three new additions on the wonderful Esoteric Records label:

 

 

Only album recorded by the short-lived Canterbury group Khan, which was fronted by guitarist Steve Hillage and included keyboardist Dave Stewart (who was a member of Egg, another Canterbury group, at the time), bassist Nick Greenwood and drummer Eric Peachey, which turned out to be the first major exposure of Hillage's considerable talents as a guitarist and composer. Later on Hillage joined Gong and then released a series of excellent solo albums, but here he unveils his superb guitar work for the first time, playing a series of tunes he composed. The music is typical Canterbury mixture of Rock, Jazz and Psychedelic influences, beautifully executed and full of wit and inspiration. Stewart's keyboards work is excellent as always and the entire album retains its original charm untouched by the passing time. The album was one of the most sought after collectors' items for many years until reissued on CD and is considered a classic Canterbury release. A must to all Canterbury fans!

 

 

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