Rights Offerings

Offerings is a collection of songs that fully displays the musical talents possessed by bassist Joseph Veloz. The material presented in OFFERINGS shows Joseph as a highly skilled bassist committed to deep grooves and strong song sensitivity and also his evolving composition, arranging and producing skills in multiple stylings/genres. Along with the original material composed by Joseph and other contributors, there are also excellent examples of Joseph's arranging and producing skills including fresh takes of some classic covers. Joseph has also comprised an impressive lineup of musicians and vocalists, consisting of both national and internationally renowned artists.

Song Offerings is Riot Ensemble’s fourth studio album, and a co-production between Coviello Contemporary and Deutschlandfunk. Riot’s previous album, Speak Be Silent, was internationally acclaimed, and named one of 2019’s best recordings by Alex Ross in the New Yorker. These works are brought to life spectacularly by the Riot Ensemble. Its performances are uniformly excellent, combining precision and warmth, understanding and assurance. The recording is incredible – close, clean and big, uncluttered with no hint of brittleness in the upper registers – allowing the manifold sonic nuances to breathe. A most impressive release. – Lisa Mackinney, Limelight, July 2019

The Dutch reed quintet Calefax celebrates 35 years of adventurous and versatile musicianship with a collection of Musical Offerings from Johann Sebastian Bach, arranged by the ensembles saxophonist Raaf Hekkema. Arthur Klaassens joins the ensemble on a lupophone and English horn for Musikalisches Opfer, the main course of this programme, as well as for the 14 Canons, BWV 1087, creating a unique blend of wind instruments. The album concludes with Bachs Canonic Variations on Vom Himmel hoch, BWV 769, a piece full of allusions to Christmas-related Bach pieces, including references to his Christmas Oratorio. Bachs Musical Offerings is Calefax third PENTATONE release, after the well-received Dido & Aeneazz (2019), a virtuosic and eclectic recomposition of Purcells famous opera performed with trumpetist Eric Vloeimans, as well as Hidden Gems (2018), showcasing the quintets versatility with pieces ranging from Corelli and Satie to Nina Simone.

Alto-saxophonist Jared Sims leads his six-piece combo through the half dozen cuts here on a set full of drive and energy. The rapid fire ‘Offerings’ finds keys and sax vying battling with the urgent drums, ‘Forces’ is sharply angular with a bluesy B-line giving the track a swagger while ‘Prophesy’ is a more improvised effort with each player given the freedom to sketch their lines at will. The slow, languid ‘Spirit’ is a ponderous number that has an East-African feel, the keys dripping in as the sax searches for a motif while ‘Gifts’ struts through with a funky groove underpinned by those crashing drums. Good set.

‘Shapes: Pyramids’ is the latest in Tru Thoughts’ series of essential label compilations put together by A&R, label founder and renowned DJ Robert Luis. After 22 years of independently releasing music, the ‘Shapes’ LPs continue to encompass the best of our wide-ranging and international roster; including established Tru Thoughts acts such as Anchorsong, The Seshen, Bryony Jarman-Pinto, J-Felix, Rhi and Flowdan and newer signings including Hemai, MELONYX, Anushka, Crafty 893 and Tiawa. Featuring the finest of Tru Thoughts’ recent releases and inspired remixes alongside exclusive unreleased offerings, ‘Shapes: Pyramids’ is released digitally on 3rd September.