Jon Raskin and Carla Harryman, Open Box (2012)

Three years in the making, Open Box is one of the most exciting and successful collaborations of poetry and music ever made. With meticulous attention to detail, Jon Raskin has set the genre-busting poetry of Carla Harryman to music ranging from rock and metal to jazz and free improv. As radical as the writing, the music is brilliantly arranged, and interacts with the texts in a variety of dynamic ways. Each track is a world of its own, and moves forward with a focus and direction unprecedented in music/poetry collaborations. Featuring Raskin’s all star west coast quartet, and the poet herself reading from some of her most cutting edge works, this is music-poetry at its very best. A masterpiece! (tzadik.com)

1. Fish Speech
2. Open Box Part 1
3. Open Box Part 2
4. LA Reactive Meme
5. Song for Asa
6. A Sun and Five Decompositions
7. JS Active Meme

Carla Harryman: Reader
Jon Raskin: Reader, Sax, Vocals
Liz Allbee: Trumpet, Electronics
Eli Crews: Pro Tools, Studio
Aurora Josephson: Reader, Vocals
Ava Mendoza: Electric Guitar
Gino Robair: Drums, Electronics, Percussion, Piano
Roham Sheikhani: Reader
John Shiurba: Electric Guitar



info |
http://www.jonraskin.com/
http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/harryman/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carla_Harryman
http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7639

Piero Bittolo Bon Jümp The Shark, Codename: Ohmlaut (2011)

Un personaggio nuovo di zecca impatta all'improvviso la routine del vostro quintetto preferito! La vera essenza del Jump The Shark: riuscirà Gerhard, il simpatico zio bavarese, a risollevare i traballanti indici d'ascolto della band, sulle orme di Scrappy Doo e Cugino Oliver? Sarà sufficiente una semplice dieresi a ridare lustro agli ormai lontani fasti di Sugoi Sentai! Gattai!!? Suoni scivolosi ma abrasivi, come la pelle di squalo, deliziosi quanto lo può essere una omelette aromatizzata ai würstel di resistori. (elgallorojorecords.com)

1  When Will The Bruce Lee
2  Die Teuflische Quinlan
3  Heiligesruder
4  Samantha Fox aka Kawaii Oppai! Banzai!!
5  Secret Life Of The Mullet People
6  Survival Advantages Of Viscera Fat
7  Kwisatz, Kwisatz, Kwisatz
8  Outro

Piero Bittolo Bon: alto saxophone, flute
Gerhard Gschloessl: sousaphone, trombone
Pasquale Mirra: vibes, glockenspiel
Domenico Caliri: electric and 12-string acoustic guitars
Danilo Gallo: double bass, rickenbacker bass
Federico Scettri: drums



info |
http://www.pierobittolobon.com/
http://www.myspace.com/pierobittolobon
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Piero-Bittolo-Bon/188084174564456
http://www.elgallorojorecords.com/archivio-recensioni/2005/05/codename_ohmlau.php

Guillaume Perret & The Electric Epic, Guillaume Perret & The Electric Epic (2012)

A thrilling new band from Paris led by the fabulous composer/perfromer Guillaume Perret who has paid his dues, appearing on dozens of remarkable CDs as a saxophonist. With Electric Epic he finally steps out on his own with a new electric quartet. The result of two years of intense work, the music is a powerful fusion of jazz, rock and metal, with a huge sound, virtuosic solos, brilliant compositions and creative arrangements. Possessing a huge dynamic range and creating a sound way beyond your expectations, this is a very special debut recording by this musical pioneer who is breaking new ground in electric music with this cutting edge quartet. An emotional powerhouse! (tzadik.com)

1. Kakoum
2. Légo
3. Ethiopic Vertigo
4. Circé
5. Chamo
6. Thème pour le Rivage des Morts
7. Massacra

Guillaume Perret: Electric Saxophones, Effects
Sir Alice: Voice
Philippe Bussonnet: Electric Bass, Effects
Médéric Collignon: Voice, Cornet, Effects
Jim Grandcamp: Electric Guitar, Effects
Yoann Serra: Drums, Sampler



info |
http://guillaume-perret.fr/
http://electricepic.bandcamp.com
http://www.myspace.com/guillaumeperret
http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7804

David Krakauer, Pruflas: The Book of Angels vol.18 (2012)

David Krakauer is one of the greatest of all modern Klezmer clarinetists. A veteran of countless bands and ensembles and a founding member of the Klezmatics, his ensemble Klezmer Madness has been forging new roads in the world of Jewish music since the late 1980s. David and Zorn have a long history and friendship that began with Zorn's legendary Kristallnacht recording of 1992, followed thru with David’s guest appearances in various Masada ensembles and the release of his first CD with Klezmer Madness on Tzadik. Here David takes a variety of Masada compositions back to their roots, interpreting them brilliantly as traditional (and not-so-traditional) Klezmer tunes. A fascinating meeting of old and new by two of the most creative musicians in Modern Jewish music! (tzadik.com)

1. Ebuhuel
2. Kasbeel
3. Vual
4. Parzial-oranir
5. Egion
6. Neriah-mahariel
7. Tandal
8. Monadel

David Krakauer: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
Michael Sarin: Drums
Sheryl Baile: Guitar
Jerome Harris: Electric Bass, Voice
Keepalive: Laptop



info |
http://www.davidkrakauer.com
http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7396

Chano Dominguez, Flamenco Sketches (2012)

Reinterpretar la obra de Miles Davis es siempre un ejercicio de riesgo; más aún si se trata del álbum “Kind of Blue” (1959), el disco de jazz más vendido de la historia.

En “Flamenco Sketches” (Blue Note), Chano Domínguez ofrece una nueva y deslumbrante interpretación de la música de Miles Davis, una brillante fusión del flamenco y el jazz.

“Flamenco Sketches” fue encargado por el Barcelona Jazz Festival con motivo del 50º aniversario de “Kind of Blue” y, tras tocarse en Barcelona, se grabó en directo en el Jazz Standard de Nueva York en diciembre de 2009, donde el público reaccionó con entusiasmo, a pesar de que, para muchos, era su primer acercamiento al flamenco.

Los siete temas del álbum incluyen el repertorio de “Kind of Blue” al completo y dos de las más populares composiciones de Davis: Nardis (que tocó el pianista Bill Evans y nunca grabado por su autor) y Serpent’s Tooth.

Reflejando la profunda conexión de Miles Davis con la música española (evidente en su álbum Sketches of Spain y en el tema Flamenco Sketches de Kind of Blue), Chano Domínguez afirma que su álbum es un tributo al trompetista y a su música. “La música de Miles Davis ha sido una constante en mi aprendizaje”, dice. “Es muy importante conservar el espíritu de libertad que impregna la obra de Miles, y por eso cambié algunos elementos para acercar su lenguaje a mi cultura”.

Cada tema del álbum está arreglado según diferentes palos flamencos, incluyendo el baile. “He utilizado el baile como percusión flamenca, integrándolo en introducciones e improvisaciones dentro de la estructura de cada canción” dice el pianista. “Aparentemente, el flamenco y el jazz son diferentes, pero sus corazones se parecen”, declaró Chano Domínguez a la revista Down Beat. “Nacieron de una cultura en la que la gente tenía una vida difícil. El jazz del pueblo negro, del blues, de la necesidad de expresar sus alegrías y sus tristezas, lo mismo que el flamenco. Por eso pueden unirse a pesar de llegar de culturas diferentes y pueden caminar en la misma dirección”.

“Flamenco Sketches” es una oportunidad de disfrutar con esos dos mundos que Chano Domínguez fusiona con tanto arte… (Manuel Comesaña · gpsdemadera.com)

1. Flamenco Sketches 16:04
2. Freddie Freeloader 9:33
3. Blue in Green 8:08
4. So What 7:45
5. All Blues 6:53
6. Nardis 9:05
7. Serpent's Tooth 3:38

Chano Domínguez: Piano
Mario Rossy: Bass
Israel "Piraña" Suárez: Percussion
Blas "Kejío" Córdoba: Vocals, palmas
Tomás "Tomasito" Moreno: Palmas



info |
www.chanodominguez.net
www.gpsdemadera.com/2012/03/12/flamenco-sketches-chano-dominguez/

Shelley Hirsch / Simon Ho, Where Were You Then? (2012)

The charismatic raconteur Shelley Hirsch returns in collaboration with talented Swiss composer Simon Ho to present her greatest extended work to date—an exhilarating collection of songs and stories about online dating, living in California, hitchhiking through Germany, 9/11 and more. Sensitive and creative arrangements perfectly compliment Shelley’s story telling in this delightful and colorful suite by a downtown legend. (tzadik.com)

1. Kathy Ray
2. Maxime Cardon
3. Never
4. Hitchhiking/Heinz
5. Giselle
6. Julius
7. Baa Baa Black Sheep
8. Online Dating
9. Where Were You Then?

Tony Buck: Drums, Percussion
Mich Gerber: Bass
Shelley Hirsch: Vocals
Simon Ho: Sequencer, Piano, Accordion, Organ, Keyboard
David Simons: Drums
Misa Stefanovic: Violin
Tomas Ulrich: Cello
Daniela Bertschinger: Viola
Kathrin Boegli: Cello
Karel Boeschoten: Violin
David Gattiker: Cello
Stephanie Griffth: Viola
Dave Hofstra: Tuba, Bass
Andi Hug: Drums
David Inniger: Cello
Karri Koivukoski: Viola
Sibylla Leuenberger: Viola
Michael Suchorsky: Drums, Percussion



info |
http://www.shelleyhirsch.com/shelley/
http://www.myspace.com/simonhomusic
http://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=7638