The Jazz Club series is an attractive addition to the Verve catalogue. With it's modern design and popular choice of repertoire, the Jazz Club is not only opened for Jazz fans, but for everyone that loves good music.
The Black Art Jazz Collective was founded in 2012 by Wayne Escoffery and Jeremy Pelt with the aim of honoring and preserving the art of some of the progenitors of jazz who inspired them, hired them and mentored them first hand. And while the band does pay homage to the greats of the past they also continue the evolving tradition of jazz with a body of work that remains firmly entrenched in the modernism of today. From the angular melody of Escoffery's "Involuntary Servitude," to the ingratiating groove of Pelt's "For the Kids," the ensemble extends the range and potential established by their illustrious predecessors with innovative original compositions, solos that run the gamut from thoughtful to virtuosic and a shared sense of purpose that is unique on today's jazz landscape.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Weather Report the Zawinul estate is proud to release this live document of the band's performance in Cologne, Germany, on May 13th, 1983. This is the first time that this wonderful concert has been available and it's released simultaneously on 2CD. By this time leaders Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had produced some of the most innovative and best selling jazz of the 1970's, often in the company of some of the foremost musicians of that time including Jaco Pastorius and Peter Erskine. By 1983 this bass and drums team had departed and Zawinul and Shorter completely refashioned the band bringing on board a new, younger, rhythm section including Victor Bailey, Omar Hakim and Jose Rossy.
Fresh from a morning high, a cool breeze in the air helped put my feet back on the ground. Listening to Wassabi Collective’s new album, Stories Not Forgotten, a mix of dub, reggae and tranquil soft-rock, only eased the mood.