Alan Ferber

The first thing that ought to be said about trombonist/composer/bandleader Alan Ferber's latest recording, "Roots & Transitions", for his long-standing nonet is that the music holds up very well regardless of whether one knows the circumstances that surrounded its creation.

Up High, Down Low, Alan Ferber’s fifth studio album for his ongoing nonet of 20 years, continues his quest to synthesize soulful melodicism, rhythmic interplay, and resonant voicings with the ever-evolving musical elements that he absorbs as an active player, composer, and producer both inside and outside of New York’s jazz scene.

Ferber has led his big band over the past six years; it is made up of players who are not afraid to be expressive, whether in a big band or small ensemble setting. They have to be comfortable playing lyrically and melodically as well as be acute listeners who are willing to interact and feel time together. To accomplish this, Ferber assembled musicians of stylistically diverse backgrounds. In his trombone section alone there is a veteran of the Woody Herman Big Band and one of Kronos Quartet's in-house composers.

2017 release. Ferber has led his big band over the past six years; it is made up of players who are not afraid to be expressive, whether in a big band or small ensemble setting. They have to be comfortable playing lyrically and melodically as well as be acute listeners who are willing to interact and feel time together. To accomplish this, Ferber assembled musicians of stylistically diverse backgrounds. In his trombone section alone there is a veteran of the Woody Herman Big Band and one of Kronos Quartet's in-house composers.

The Distance represents a grand creative leap for bassist-composer Michael Formanek, following two widely lauded ECM releases featuring his quartet with Tim Berne, Craig Taborn and Gerald Cleaver. The new album showcases his texturally rich compositions for the dynamic 18-piece big band he has playfully dubbed Ensemble Kolossus. The project saw some of the most distinctive musicians on the New York scene bonding to realize Formaneks epic design, as he re-imagined what a big-band can be. Channeling sounds from the classic to the modern, he also composed for individual soloists in the Ellingtonian tradition.

Over the course of his brilliant and groundbreaking quarter-century career, Grammy Award-winning alto saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón has reveled in doing the hard work, whether he was transforming Puerto Rican plena into a vehicle for improvisation or writing a body of tunes inspired by the history of the American continent. But no project he’s tackled has involved the kind of intensive, granular research required by Golden City, a sweeping suite inspired by the demographic and political evolution of San Francisco, from the pre-colonial period to the contemporary tech-dominated era. His 17th album as a leader, Golden City is slated for release August 30, 2024 via Zenón’s Miel Music label.

Over the course of his brilliant and groundbreaking quarter-century career, Grammy Award-winning alto saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón has reveled in doing the hard work, whether he was transforming Puerto Rican plena into a vehicle for improvisation or writing a body of tunes inspired by the history of the American continent. But no project he’s tackled has involved the kind of intensive, granular research required by Golden City, a sweeping suite inspired by the demographic and political evolution of San Francisco, from the pre-colonial period to the contemporary tech-dominated era. His 17th album as a leader, Golden City is slated for release August 30, 2024 via Zenón’s Miel Music label.

Anthony Wilson is a jazz guitarist, arranger and composer. "Power Of Nine" featuring the super-talented and top selling jazz vocalist Diana Krall with whom Anthony has been recording and touring for the three to four years. Krall appears on the track "Looking Back" on vocals. The material includes a mix of Wilson originals and some jazz standards. The album is produced by Joe Harley and recorded by Michael Ross in Studio 2 of Sunset Sound in Hollywood (the quite legendary recording studio for Led Zeppelin 2 and 4 and almost every Doors album, Janis Joplin's Pearl, and more).

The trombone is an instrument that seems to attract a certain type of practitioner. Musicians who choose this particular horn as their passion tend to be open-minded, playful and, more often than not, extroverted. It shouldn’t be a surprise that bass trombonist Jennifer Wharton fits this description to a tee. Naturally, she takes her enthusiasm for the horn seriously and hopes to spread her joy to the public with her infectiously fun recording, Bonegasm.