Global Events
Thoughts from Denis Poole
E-mail Denis
July 2010
Another European contemporary jazz artist who has taken a
liking to the music friendly confines of California is trumpet and flugelhorn
player Steffen Kuehn With a sound that
can best be described as ‘velvety’, he is an artist with a superb feel for
seductive, urban tinged smooth jazz.
In fact Steffen was born in Germany and began playing the
trumpet at the age of eight. In 1993 he
gained his Bachelor of Music at the prestigious University of North Texas
and later relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area where he honed his trumpet
skills and began songwriting. An early
breakthrough came when his composition ‘Trumpop’
was included in the Miramax movie ‘Birthday Girl’ starring Nicole Kidman and
Ben Chaplin while in 2002 he released his debut recording ‘Now or Later’ on his own label, stefrecords.
His second CD, the 2008 ‘Trumpop’,
has proved to be an absolute gem. It
finds seven self penned tunes alongside three well chosen covers and in every
respect is as fine an example of buried treasure as will be discovered
anywhere.
Those covers are of particular interest as if a trumpeter
wishes to include a version of someone else’s work then it’s a pretty safe bet
to go for a Miles Davis number. Kuehn
does just that with the smoky and atmospheric ‘Blue In Green’ which fits perfectly with the overall vibe of the
entire album and although he uses his take on Chaka Khan’s ‘Through The Fire’ to tastefully temper
what originally was a blockbuster ballad, he is quickly back on contemporary
jazz message for a brilliant rendition of Pat Metheny’s wonderful ‘Spring Ain’t Here’. Shimmering with rhythm and melody, this is
clearly one of the CD’s outstanding tracks yet just as good is his own
composition, ‘For All The Things’,
where sultry vocalist Carla Helmbrecht raises this moody tune to another level.
June 2010 Born in 1970,
in a small Hungarian town near the Austrian border, keyboard player Attila
Molnar relocated to the USA in 1997 where eight years later he produced,
co-wrote, and recorded the CD ‘I Got Your
Back’ for Toni Hutchinson. Now, fast
forwarding to the present, Molnar has just released the solo CD ‘Dreams’.
This tight
twelve track collection is a noteworthy debut for a performer who, as well as
playing keys in the touring bands of Jaared and Slim Man’s Bona Fide, is also
an accomplished writer and producer. In
fact for ‘Dreams’ Molnar composes
eleven tunes and produces throughout.
The result is a welcome addition to this year’s crop of contemporary
jazz releases.
Highlights
abound and among them is the romantic title cut that despite starting out in
mellow mode quickly develops into a great showcase for Molnar’s intricate playing. The album’s only cover finds him coming up
with a tidy and totally appealing version of Roberta Flack’s 1974
stateside chart topper ‘Feel Like Making Love’. It is likely to make a mark as one of the best
covers of 2010 and another personal favourite is the aptly titled ‘The Best’. This melodic mid tempo charmer says
everything about what Attila Molnar is about.
Look out
for Attila Molnar. You won’t be
disappointed.
March 2010 Candy Dulfer gave us the Dutch connection and Michael
Lington did much the same with Denmark.
Nils provided a tie in with Germany and more latterly it was Jonathan
Fritzen that linked contemporary jazz with Sweden. Now it is the turn of Norwegian born saxophonist
Terje Lie to etch Europe a little deeper onto the smooth jazz map. He first came into prominence in 2007 with
his debut recording ‘Traveler’ and
has now released the follow up ‘Urban
Vacation’ which features significant input from both Yellowjackets mainstay
Jimmy Haslip and the excellent Jeff Lorber.
With the exception of a colorful reworking of Roy Ayers ‘Red Black And Green’ the remaining nine
tracks are a consequence of the various writing permutations of Lie, Halsip and
Lorber while in addition, Haslip and Lorber play on all tracks and produce
throughout.
The album has resulted in a collection that is by far Lie’s
most commercially appealing to date and which includes the infectious and brass
enriched, ‘Parlophone’ for which
Lorber’s tight keys provide a stunning foundation.
Although from time to time Lie allows himself to slide
deliciously into mellow mode the lasting memory of ‘Urban Vacation’ is that of funk drenched urgency. It is certainly an album that is worth
checking out.
February 2010
In this latest commentary on the global dimension of
contemporary jazz it is interesting to reflect on how the legacy of UK jazz
fusion continues to impacts the migration of fresh talent from these shores and
out into the wider world. A case in
point is producer, arranger, composer and performer Klay Dumas-Copas (aka Klay
D-C) who first came to prominence in 1998 when he composed and produced the
album ‘Get Up’ by the Jazz
Steppers. In that same year the band
went on to win a MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) award for ‘best jazz act’ while
Dumas-Copas joined Roy Ayers as part of his Ubiquity band and independently
released his own solo debut, ‘On
Reflection’.
His latest CD, ‘Ritmo’,
for which he writes, produces and plays keyboards throughout, was recorded in London during 2009. In fact D-C has been part of the UK fusion scene
since his early days at Leeds College of Music and for ‘Ritmo’ he calls upon some of the mainstays of the genre to lend a
hand. Bass player Dean Mark who has
worked with Roy Ayers and Craig David shares bass duties with Orefo Orakweu who
has featured with both Nelson Rangell and the Sugarbabes. David Simpson of Down To The Bone and the
Brand New Heavies divides appearances on guitar with Jason Short and another
Roy Ayers sideman Tony Smith while Andrew Milnes chips in with a smattering of
sax. Together they come up with an
exciting body of work that is well worth a closer look.
‘Ritmo’, translated
from the Spanish and Italian, simply means 'rhythm' so it should be no surprise
that the collection fizzes with colorful arrangements and intoxicating grooves. As a musical reference point comparisons with
Philippe Saisse should not be ignored and although D-C has, of late, been
involved in studio projects with the likes of guitarist Martin Taylor, soul
diva Jocelyn Brown and sax-man Jeff Kashiwa, it is with ‘Ritmo’ that he now has a genuine shot at launching his career in
the USA.
January 2010 With a name
that at first glance appears to have its origins in Italy,
Fabio Mignola was in fact born in Switzerland. Around 6% of the population of that country use
Italian as their first language but this multi national dimension does not stop
there. Since 2003, when he first
appeared on the contemporary jazz radar screen with the CD ‘Flyin Away’, this accomplished guitarist
has been delivering smooth jazz with a decidedly west coast twist. His sound has been compared to that of Peter
White and Acoustic Alchemy while his latest project, the charming ‘Take Me Higher’, proves to be something
of a showcase for Mignola’s wide raging musical talents. As well as delivering eleven self penned
tracks, he engineers and produces throughout.
Leaving aside all the complications that being a European based
contemporary jazz artist brings, Mignola has a style and a skill that should be
of equal appeal on both sides of the Atlantic.
The beauty
of ‘Take Me Higher’ is in its
consummate accessibility and this is well demonstrated with the opening (title)
cut. This zesty, sunshine filled tune
benefits from a delicious injection of horns while equally pleasing is the
gently melodic ‘Flamingos Flyin’. It proves to be a textbook example of great
smooth jazz and this is also the case with the Peter White like ‘Groovy Nights’ that has a ‘radio ready’
feel good vibe to die for. ‘Night Flight To LA’ carries with it a
buzz of excitement that is re-enforced by enchanting interjections from flautist
Ezio Della Torre and when Mignola turns down the tempo for ‘The Light Touch’ it is Della Torre who
again adds a little magic.
Gems abound
throughout yet it is with tracks such as ‘Midsummer’s
Night Breeze’ and the hauntingly romantic ‘The Light In Your Eyes’ where Mignola’s playing really comes into
its own. Without doubt this is one to
watch.
November 2009
The magnetic like force of musical stardom has tempted many UK based contemporary jazz artists to seek fame
and fortune in the USA. However, one performer now bucking this trend
is guitarist Anthony James Baker. After
many years in the USA, where
he worked with internationally acclaimed artists and shared billing with
headline performers such as Tower of Power, Michael McDonald, Norman Brown and the Neville
Brothers, he has now returned to his native England to form a new band and
write new material. The culmination of
all this is his excellent five track EP titled ‘Looking Ahead’ which not only includes some of the best
contemporary jazz you will hear this year but also features sublime inputs from
bass player Mel Brown, production genius Darren Rahn and the multi talented
Bobby Wells.
The collection opens with the hugely accessible and
comfortingly tender ‘She’s So Precious’. Composed by Bobby Wells (who also provides an
outstanding keyboard solo) this is smooth jazz the way it is meant to be whilst
‘Malaga’,
which is co-written by Baker and Darren Rahn, engenders a groove that is often
Latin tinged and at times reminiscent of some of Peter White’s most distinctive
work. It’s a tune that really flows and
much the same can be said of the first-rate, Wells produced, title cut. More overtly Latin and with an intensity that
is magical this is one seriously good track while elsewhere the bright and
breezy ‘Slice n Dice’ is driven along
by superb tenor sax from Rahn. When Rahn
returns, this time on alto, the result, and arguably the album’s best track, is
the sumptuously mid tempo ‘What If…’. With a delightful vibe that underpins Bakers
claim of providing “smooth jazz with a hard edge” it promises much for this consummate
performer who, much like the title of the entire piece, is ‘looking ahead’.
Baker’s music is available for download at iTunes, Rhapsody
and Napster. He is currently a featured artist at the high end chain of coffee
shops, Cafe Nero, which has over 400 outlets across the UK.
For more go to www.anthonyjamesbaker.com
October 2009
Although the likes of Candy Dulfer, Marc Antoine and Peter
White have done much to dispel the myth that smooth jazz is a decidedly west
coast phenomenon, more evidence of its truly international appeal has recently
come from saxophonist Marcin Nowakowski. A well known performer in his native Poland,
Marcin released his debut recording ‘Smooth
Night’ in 2005 and has now doubled his output with the excellent ‘Better Days’. Paradoxically the album is a direct result of
a visit he recently made to Los Angeles. It not only provided him with the opportunity
to work with some of the genres A-list musicians, including bass player Alex
Al, drummer Tony Moore and the great percussionist Lenny Castro, but also
opened the door on exciting writing collaborations with Jeff Lorber and Jeff Pescetto. The result is a collection in which standouts
abound and in this respect there is none more so than the track ‘Sensual’
which is written by Nowakowski’s long time mentor Wojtek Olszak.
Other highlights include the Nowakowski – Olszak composition ‘Tonight Is The Night’ and Olszak returns, this time on keys, for
the uplifting Nowakowski – Pescetto
penned ‘Better Days Ahead’. This same pairing is responsible for the
easy paced and R & B tinged ‘Waiting
For You’. It proves to be a real gem
whilst right there with it is the wonderful ‘Let’s Do It’. With Lorber sensational on keys and Nowakowski
totally in the groove, together they deliver what in every respect is a
magnificent cut.
Music is meant to build bridges and with ‘Better Days’ Nowakowski is forging a
link all the way from Warsaw right into smooth jazz USA.
July 2009
Fronted by Neil Warden who writes, arranges and plays both
acoustic and electric guitars, Blue Soul Groove is indeed the real contemporary
jazz deal. Even more remarkable is the
fact that the players who comprise this delicious collective all have their roots
firmly in Scotland. Indeed not since the days of The Average
White Band has a line-up from that country come along with the kind of music
capable of pushing open the door on a genre that traditionally has been the province of US based bands. Yet the smooth jazz and cool groove that the
aptly named Blue Soul Groove delivers is, in every respect, the genuine
article. Although the band’s self titled
five track EP has been around a little while, it is available on iTunes and is in advance of a full length CD that
Warden hopes to release later.
Warden grew up listening to music from The Headhunters,
George Benson, Johnny Guitar Watson, Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder,
Steely Dan, Miles, Quincy Jones, Larry Carlton, Rufus, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy
Smith and Weather Report. All these
influences can, in one form or another, be found permeating every one of the
EP’s five groove drenched cuts and there is none more so in this respect than
the bonus track ‘Zazou’. With its retro undertones, and a solid guest
appearance on bass by Ant Davies, this is what the band is all about yet when
they shift gears for the joyous ‘Baga
River’ they create a vehicle to perfectly demonstrate how Warden’s tight playing
meshes to perfection with the sax and flute of John Burgess. The Warden - Burgess combination is a facet
throughout and it’s the flute that again makes an impact on ‘Out Of The Groove’. This intensely jazzy number really fizzes but
it’s when Warden and Burgess find a mellower groove that they really strike
gold.
The chilled out vibe of ‘3-00
am’ reveals Warden in distinctly Paul Brown mode. This perfect slice of smooth jazz is bolstered
by cool sax from Burgess and there is more of the sweet same with iJazzGlobal favorite
‘Soul Town’. Here the synergy that Warden and Burgess routinely
generate is at its most powerful and the tune is further enhanced by the
featured keys of Ronnie Rae Jr.
With this choice selection it could just be that Blue Soul
Groove is set to follow Acoustic Alchemy, Peter White, Chris Standring, Shilts and
Oli Silk as the UK’s
next great smooth jazz export.
For more go to www.bluesoulgroove.com
Dave Koz, Nick Colionne, & Brian Simpson At The Pizza Express May 9, 2009. Sky.FM,
the internet radio network that offers a variety of channels, has made yet
another significant contribution to contemporary jazz in the UK with its
latest smooth jazz event held at the legendary Pizza Express Jazz Club in Dean Street London. Brian Simpson, Dave Koz and Nick Colionne hit town to play six sell out
shows that blew the doors off with a delicious amalgam of energy, sensitivity
and outstanding artistry which was made all the more remarkable by the fact
that before their arrival in London the threesome had never previously performed
together.
Despite
that, and capably backed by Frank Felix on bass and Tony Mason on drums, they
demonstrated all the attributes one would expect from a line-up that might yet
evolve into one of the hottest smooth jazz super-groups that the genre has ever
produced.
I caught up
with Simpson, Koz and Colionne just before they took to the stage for the first
of their two Saturday shows and first asked them just how the gig had come
about. Simpson explained that Jimi King
of Sky FM had initially contacted him and Colionne through their mutual booking
agent. When Koz heard from Simpson what
was going on he immediately expressed an interest and, as two became three, work
began on electronically sharing each others music and arriving at a set list
that would touch the depth and breadth of their collective discography.
Without
doubt, for all three of them, these are exciting times. Colionne continues to write, provide
encouragement to emerging artists and feature in a variety of enticing
collaborations (including that with Maysa for her latest CD ‘Metamorphosis’) while Koz, after twenty years
with Capitol, disclosed he would soon be signing to a new label. This summer he is also scheduled to play a
sequence of live shows with Brian Culbertson when for once he will not have
Brian Simpson in the band. Indeed, in
recent years, Simpson has added to being the consummate sideman and long time
Musical Director for Dave Koz by becoming one of the most impressive soloists
on the scene today. His 2005 ‘It’s All Good’ (his first for fully ten
years) was a runaway hit and both the title track and the equally delightful ‘It Could Happen’ had the Pizza Express
crowd in raptures. ‘What Cha Gonna Do’ from the current CD ‘Beyond The Clouds’ engendered a similar reaction but he was perhaps
at his extraordinary best with the seductive ‘Let’s Get Close’. Notwithstanding
this new found recording success Simpson told me his next album will be ready
for release in the Spring of 2010. With
an incredible array of guest artists already promised, it looks all set to take
him ‘three for three’.
When asked
if the Pizza Express dates were part of a European mini-tour Koz clarified that
due to their respective schedules back in the USA this was very much a flying
visit. However, they made every second
count and as the show opened with the Koz classic ‘Honey Dipped’ from his ‘Saxophonic’
collection there was little doubt that the audience was in for a considerable
treat. When the spotlight switched to
Colionne for the title track of his current CD ‘No Limits’ the contribution of Koz on sax was nothing short of
explosive and as Colionne went to the ‘Keepin
It Cool’ album for the sizzling ‘High
Flyin’ it opened up the opportunity for more high energy input from Dave
Koz.
It’s the
first time that Koz has played in England
since November 1999 when he was part of the Guitars and Saxes show that at the
time threatened to further popularise smooth jazz in the United Kingdom. Maybe that time is still yet to come. Certainly, as both Colionne and Simpson reflected
on their own previous engagements in the country (the latter at Wembley Arena
as part of Janet Jackson’s 1996 world tour) it was clear that they were excited
about being back.
As conversation
switched to the massive changes both within the smooth jazz genre and in the
way people access, collect and listen to music, Koz, Colionne and Simpson were
firm in their opinion that for them the biggest buzz still came from performing
to a live audience. In reality Dave Koz
has never been slow to identify new ways to spread the message of contemporary
jazz. The hugely accessible CD ‘At The Movies’ is a case in point and at
the Pizza Express his wonderful interpretation of ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ created an interlude of spellbinding
beauty. His 1999 album ‘The Dance’ remains as one of his best
and its massive hit ‘Together Again’
brought the memories flooding back. He traversed
all the way to 1993 for ‘You Make Me
Smile’ from his ‘Lucky Man’
project and in so doing afforded the opportunity for bass-man Felix to really
shine. Later, when the band returned to
‘The Dance’ for ‘I’ll Be There’, this former Jacksons hit not only enabled Mason to deliver
an exceptionally cool drum solo but also turned out to be the perfect encore
number. Truth to tell, on this memorable
evening, ‘show-stoppers’ were everywhere.
Nick Colionne’s superb rendition of the Stylistics hit ‘Hurry Up This Way’ (with Simpson
outstanding on keys) was magical but anyone who had previously seen Colionne
play live would have gambled on the performance of the night being his
marvellous vocal version of the 1970 Brook Benton hit ‘Rainy Night In Georgia’.
From the CD ‘Keepin It Cool’
it proved to be exactly that and, although sequenced for relatively early in
the show, set a benchmark that lesser players would not have been able to
maintain. As it was the standard
remained astonishingly high throughout and in turn provided one of the best
live shows imaginable.
Sky.FM already has more shows inked into the Pizza Express
calendar for July, September and October so check back here soon for the latest
on what is up and coming.
January 2009
It’s often said that the more
things change the more they stay the same. I remember visits to
the USA in the early nineties
when I was blown away by the choice in radio and the fact there were stations
dedicated to the then new phenomena of smooth jazz. Now those
radio stations are being shut down. Just because we fall in love
with something doesn’t necessarily mean that it will last for ever.
Or does it? This is the reason for starting
ijazzglobal.com. I also remember the first time I heard the sax of Junior Walker
and his All Stars and realized that this was more than simply soul music.
Now Motown is fifty years old. Maybe it is about the love
but maybe it is also about the passion and about people who keep the dream alive
by effort, dedication and a belief that everything is
possible.
What we will be doing over the
coming weeks and months is to bring you the very best from those new and
established artists who enrich the wonderful world of contemporary jazz.
That means album reviews, retrospectives, gig guides and news features
all presented from a perspective that is uniquely English. It also
means giving you the chance to comment on the music that you love and to this
end your contributions will be most welcome.
In short, by raising awareness of
what’s going on we want to lift the profile of contemporary jazz and the
performers that are its lifeblood. If radio stations are not
providing a voice then ijazzglobal.com will tell you about what is currently hot
and where you can hear it. Then it’s up to
you.
I'm in my office right now
listening to tracks from the CD ‘The Limit’s The Sky’ by
UK born keyboard player Oli
Silk. It’s a total delight and completely indicative of the great
music that is out there. Let’s use ijazzglobal.com to find it
together.
Denis Poole /
North
Yorkshire
England
Support the Music. Protect the Dream.
ijazzglobal.com… enjoyed
worldwide.
February 2009 The paraphrased quotation, ‘reports of its death may in fact
be exaggerated’ could well have been written with contemporary jazz in mind. Despite the cloud of gloom and doom under
which fans of the genre ended 2008, I am now receiving rave reviews from many of
those who were part of the recently completed ‘smooth jazz’ Caribbean cruises. Excitement is coming back to the music we love
and, in addition, details are emerging of a stellar schedule of contemporary
jazz concerts lined up for the United Kingdom. In the months to come this normally barren
land will play host to Oli Silk, Marc Antoine, Peter White, Brian Simpson, Acoustic
Alchemy, Dave Koz and Nick Colionne to name but a few. Check back here soon for updates. However, perhaps the biggest news is that
none other than Kenny G will be bringing his Rhythm & Romance tour across
the Atlantic for six shows commencing in the Symphony Hall, Birmingham
on April 20.
The following night he will make the short trip up the M6
motorway to play the Manchester Apollo before venturing into Scotland
for his gig at Glasgow’s Concert
Hall on the 23th.
Kenny then appears at the incredibly atmospheric Newcastle
City Hall on April 24, takes a short hop across
the Irish Sea to play the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on
the 25th and ends the tour in style with a performance at the
legendary Royal Albert Hall in London
on April 27.
This is in a wonderful opportunity for UK
audiences to enjoy the music of the saxophonist who became the first of the
smooth jazz superstars and is not to be missed.
For ticket information go to www.kennyg.com Denis Poole /
North
Yorkshire
England
Support the Music. Protect the Dream.
ijazzglobal.com… enjoyed
worldwide.
March 2009 It’s been five years since Madrid based guitarist Marc Antoine played
in the UK
and on February 23 when he blew into town for four nights at the renowned Pizza
Express jazz club and ijazzglobal.com was there to see him. Notable for his ability to blend flamenco and Latin
jazz styles with an R & B groove, his excellent 2007 release ‘Hi-Lo
Split’ has ensured that Antoine has remained very much as the man of the
moment and here, superbly backed by Oli Silk on keys and former Acoustic
Alchemy mainstays Frank Felix and Greg Grainger on bass and drums respectively,
he delighted his audience with a selection of new material and several blasts
from the past besides.
In fact, despite being tied to a chain of upscale
pizza restaurants, the Pizza Express is a jazz club in the old tradition. In the heart of London’s Soho
district, and down a flight of stone steps in the basement beneath where diners
congregate, it is a hugely atmospheric place in which to enjoy jazz of all
flavours. With a stage so close that the
chosen few really can reach out and touch the performers, the word intimacy has
been totally redefined and results in a connection between audience and artist that
is magical. In addition, the respectful
house rule of discouraging talking while a performance is in progress leads to
a welcome change from the usual chatter that mars many club environments and
speaks volumes for the love of music that the patronage clearly has.
In gloomy February London the rain may have been
falling but those lucky enough to witness Antoine could not have failed to have
been transported to the sun soaked climes of which his music is so indicative.
The next big contemporary jazz gig at the Pizza
Express will be that by Brian Simpson, Nick Colionne and Dave
Koz over the weekend of May 9. ijazzglobal.com
will be there to report on the shows, so check back here soon.
Denis
Poole / North Yorkshire England
Support
the Music. Protect the Dream.
ijazzglobal.com… enjoyed worldwide.
April 2009
It’s a long
way from the Ukraine, via Holland, to the studios
of the fast emerging nuGroove Records but this is the journey saxman Konstantin
has made for the release of his brand new CD ‘Smoothing’. In fact I have followed the career of
Konstantin since the release of his debut album, ‘Downtown’, in 2004. It was followed two years later by ‘Led By
You’ and both projects stood out as being replete with the sort of easy paced,
ultra accessible contemporary jazz that in playing style drew favorable
comparisons with Euge Groove.
At that time
he recorded under the name of Konstantin Klashtorni and being based in Rotterdam, Holland
faced the perpetual problem of leveraging a target market that for him was 5000
miles distant. Despite the fact that
‘Smoothing’ was both recorded and produced in Europe, the way nuGroove stepped
in to pick up the album has effectively fixed Konstantin’s geographical
dilemma. Not only that, the label has
taken the big horn driven ‘Stylish Walk’ as the first single to go to radio and,
in so doing, provided the kind of exposure that previously did not seem
possible.
‘Smoothing’
is a wonderful piece of work for which, as well as writing, programming and
producing all eleven tracks, Konstantin variously plays saxophones, flute, keys
and additional guitars.
For more and
to get the latest on Konstantin go to www.konstantin.nu
|
