Kopman

Trumpeter John McNeil is a real trooper, battling and overcoming much physical adversity, but nevertheless engaging in long-term projects such as the group Hush Point. Joined by saxophonist Jeremy Udden, with Aryeh Kobrinsky on bass and Anthony Pinciotti on drums, McNeil's somewhat idiosyncratic sense of humor (musical and otherwise) is on display, as is his desire to forge a true group sound and aesthetic.

Guitarist Sebastian Noelle is a very busy player, but just does not make many records, which seem to come about every five years: Across The River (2006), Koan (2011) and now the marvelous Shelter. Assembling a first rate band consisting of Marc Mommaas on tenor saxophone (heard most recently on Ballads And Standards), pianist Matt Mitchell (worked with Tim Berne, John Hollenbeck Rudresh Mahanthappa), bassist Matt Clohesy (heard most recently on Gabriel Vicens's Point In Time) and drummer Dan Weiss (who worked with Mitchell in Berne's Snake Oil band).

Canadlan alto saxophonist François Carrier and drummer Michel Lambert went to Russia four times over the last six years to play their melodic abstract music with St. Petersburg-based pianist Alexey Lapin. They released their first Trilogy in 2012 then in 2014 FMR Records published The Russian Concerts Vol. 1 & Vol. 2) which were widely acclaimed.

Among today’s modern jazz piano players Russ Lossing stands out as one of the unique breed of artists who travel intelligently and with clarity between jazz and new music. For this his first release on SteepleChase Lossing focuses on standards, of course, with his trademark, innovative improvisation.

Dave Liebman's group "EXPANSIONS" has been together for several years, definitely enough time to find a direction as a result of five musical personalities working together, touring and recording. This live recording captures a band "on the run." There is no taking back a note or chord when playing live. Perfect it is not, but full of spirit and risk taking it is. The excitement is palpable from the first notes of the fast paced "JJ" penned by Lieb. Especially interesting are versions of songs that appeared on the last two Whaling City Sound recordings "Samsara" and "The Puzzle." The differing material and sound of the band between the acoustic and electric CDs along with fresh and spontaneous renditions of classic jazz repertoire songs "All Blues" "India" and "Footprints" give the listener a wide palette to delve into.

A live performance took place at the Vanguard in New York one night in April 2015: Enrico Pieranunzi played in quartet with Donny McCaslin on sax, Scott Colley on double bass and Clarence Penn on drums. In the sold-out club, the lights were dimmed, the audience stopped talking and, that night in New York, jazz started to flow out from the only Italian artist who has played as a leader three times on that legendary stage.

2002 album from Nik Bartsch's Ronin, released on the ECM Records star's own Ronin Rhythm label. The Swiss pianist/composer is famed for his "Zen Funk" sound, a "marriage of Steve Reich minimalism with Sly Stone grooves" (The Times).
"Modul 15" plays with time in much the same way as "Modul 22" on REA, in that what we thought we were hearing rhythmically in the bass is subverted when the drums come in. The beat keeps being "turned around" as the two rhythms drift in and out of phase. Rast is a master at almost defining a steady meter/rhythm but not quite, as he mutates his patterns just enough to throw us off.