Applemagazine From 22 January 2016

Yiorgos FAKANAS is a bassist from Greece. He has been active in the European jazz and fusion scene for more than 20 years. And Yiorgos FAKANAS has already reached the level of the expert musician in Greece and in the field of Jazz/Fusion in Europe.

For this album, renowned classical guitarist Christoph Denoth joins with the London Symphony Orchestra under conductor Jesus Lopez Cobos to bring us a beautiful recording of compositions by Lorenzo Palomo, Joaquin Rodrigo, and Joquin Malats. The title track of the album, Palomo’s Nocturnos de Andalucia, was composed for Pepe Romero. The full suite for guitar and orchestra was premiered in Berlin on January 27, 1996, with Romero performing.

When the young Archduchess of Austria, Marie-Antoinette, arrived at the French court in 1770, amongst her luggage was a harp. Contrary to the instrument’s heralded decline, the harp was about to enjoy an unprecedented popularity and to inspire a rich and prolific repertoire, quite distinct from the concertos being composed for the keyboard. Xavier de Maistre and Les Arts Florissants take us on a voyage of discovery through these magnificent compositions, from the lesser known Concerto for harp & orchestra by Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz to Haydn’s “La Reine” Symphony, bringing them to life using period instruments in a programme that is as accomplished as it is captivating.

Pianista y compositor, nacido en Buenos Aires, Argentina, en el año de 1986. Realizó una formación clásica en el Conservatorio Superior de Música Astor Piazzola, posteriormente se formo en la carrera de Jazz del conservatorio Manuel de Falla. En 2016 lanzo su primer material discográfico "Fricción y Ficción" con obras de su autora con el trio que tiene conformado desde 2014, Diana Arias en contrabajo y Federico Isasti en batería. El trio ha participado del Festival de Jazz de Villa Ramallo (edición 2016) y en el 2017 es elegido para participar del Festival de Jazz de Buenos Aires como una de las nuevas propuestas musicales de la escena actual. Ademas el grupo mantiene una actividad constante en club de jazz, bares, teatros y centros culturales.

Avishai Cohen impressed a lot of listeners with his soulful contributions to Mark Turner’s Lathe of Heaven album in 2014. Now the charismatic Tel Aviv-born trumpeter has his ECM leader debut in a programme of expansive and impressionistic compositions for jazz quartet (trumpet, piano, bass, drums), augmented by tenor saxophone on a few pieces. Into The Silence is dedicated to the memory of Avishai’s father David, reflecting upon the last days of his life with grace and restraint. Avishai’s tender muted trumpet sets the emotional tone of the music in the album’s opening moments and his gifted cast of musicians explore its implications. Israeli pianist Yonathan Avishai has played with Cohen in many settings and solos creatively inside the trumpeter’s haunting compositions, sometimes illuminating them with the phraseology of the blues.

Wes Montgomery & The Eddie Higgins Trio - One Night In Indy (1959) {Resonance Records HCD-2018 rel 2016}
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© 1959, 2016 Resonance Records / Rising Jazz Stars | HCD-2018
Jazz / Hard Bop / Guitar

Never-before-released recording of legendary guitarist Wes Montgomery playing with jazz pianist Eddie Higgins. An exclusive 1959 performance recorded live in Indianapolis. Following the 2012 release of Resonance's archival set Echoes of Indiana Avenue, author, photo journalist, and private collector Duncan Schiedt approached the label to see if they'd be interested in releasing a live tape of Wes Montgomery he owned. It was a 1959 set where the guitarist sat in with the Eddie Higgins Trio, then featuring drummer Walter Perkins (and also an unknown bassist).

Tord Gustavsen - What Was Said (2016) {ECM 2465}
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© 2016 ECM Records | ECM 2465
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Chamber Jazz / Nordic Folk

What was said brings new colours to Tord Gustavsen’s musical palette. His latest trio project builds upon the subtle understanding of his long musical association with drummer Jarle Vespestad, introduces German-Afghan vocalist Simin Tander, and explores the tradition of Norwegian church music in untraditional ways: “For the repertoire of the new project, Simin and I have been working with Afghan poet B. Hamsaaya, translating and shaping a selection of hymns that I grew up with in Norway into Pashto,” Gustavsen explains. “This process has been challenging and really fruitful. We have gone quite far in interpreting the lyrics in a more ‘integral’ manner, reaching into a space where I feel that Sufism and Christianity actually meet.”

Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra - E.S.T. Symphony (2016) {ACT 9034-2}
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© 2016 ACT Music | ACT 9034-2
Jazz / Classical / Orchestral Jazz / Modern Composition / Contemporary Jazz / Creative Orchestra

Esbjörn Svensson, the Swedish original who consistently turned crossovers between jazz, pop and classical music into lasting art with EST, would have got around to this orchestral venture himself but for his accidental death in 2008. With its shapely themes, subtle pacing and big climaxes, his popular trio’s music was ideal material, eloquently confirmed here by arranger Hans Ek, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and four star jazz soloists, including brilliant Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala and Norwegian saxophonist Marius Neset.

An album with the diversity and multitude of talented musicians that Winter Thrice features certainly has its work cut out for it. Not only are Borknagar respected pioneers of the second-wave black metal sound, but additionally we have the staggering track record of every member to consider, with pedigrees stretching from the likes of Dimmu Borgir to Vintersorg. Sweetening the deal even further, former vocalist and Ulver mastermind Kristoffer ‘Garm' Rygg has returned to contribute a spot of vocals, sending expectations for this latest offering sky-high. Fortunately for everyone, Borknagar has delivered, with Winter Thrice providing a thoroughly satisfying slab of music. There's simply no capacity in which this album is a let down…