Kurt Halbritter

SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree is the highly anticipated followup to the 2021 GRAMMY nominated eponymous album, by genre-bending trailblazers Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter. Joining forces with multi-instrumentalist duo drummer Corey Fonville and bassist-keyboardist DJ Harrison (of Richmond, VA-based jazz-funk fusion quintet Butcher Brown) for a kaleidoscopic collection of new songs, surprising covers, and dynamic reinventions, these are all animated by crafty production, crack musicianship, and Elling’s instantly identifiable vocal prowess. If the first album was a somewhat radical departure for Elling, SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree is more of an exquisite progression upon the template.

Back To Moon Beach is an EP by no one’s definition but Kurt Vile’s. For Kurt, this collection is an expression of just how deep his well of non-album material runs. This includes six tracks culled from various sessions over the last four years, and represents a wide swath of the inspirational musical community Kurt surrounds himself with.

Accardo's performances are nothing short of spectacular, and (the late) Kurt Masur and the Gewandhaus's performances never disappoint. Most classical audiophiles may be familiar only with Bruch's first violin concerto and the "Scottish Fantasy," but there are two more wonderful violin concertos, a Romance, a Konzertstuck, a Serenade, a piece entitled "Adagio Appassionato" and a piece that was new to me, "In Memoriam," a very beautiful and moving composition that is the last band on the last record.

Kurt Maloo (ex Double, Troppo, PingPong) surprises with a refreshingly straight new album. His voice obviously feels comfortable in the slender arrangements, that work perfectly and rely on just a few basic instruments like guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. Although Kurt’s guitar definitely plays the main role in this production. You will hear familiar sounds (Drama Queen, Come Over Here, What About) without having a deja-vu, as well as two rocking tracks (Tumbling Skies, Sometimes Easy), which you might have not expected on a Maloo album in the first place. „Never Give Up“ though, is one of two dance tracks, that’s being chased to the fade out by Kurt’s funky guitar. When it’s over way too soon you have no other choice than to put it on repeat.

Far Far Away is a sonic powerhouse, leveraging every aspect of this magnificent, all-star quintet. Kurt Rosenwinkel's searing, innovative playing is on full display, Jim Snidero demonstrates a broadsword of a sound, and the rhythm section of Orrin Evans, Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth groove and interact at the highest levels of artistry.

The Captain of Her Heart is a song by Swiss band Double off their album Blue. The song was an international success reaching number 8 in the United Kingdom, number 16 in the United States, number 9 in Norway, number 6 in Ireland, number 3 in Italy, number 9 in France, number 11 in Switzerland and number 32 in New Zealand.

This album, originally released on Verve Forecast in 2009, is a collection of new songs related to summer and it's influence on Kurt Maloo's songwriting. A fresh combination of jazzy melodies and light grooves, that carry his distinctive, soothing voice. Kurt Maloo is a former painter who made his first musical appearances in the mid 70s with “Troppo”; a nine-piece experimental art-punk band, of which he was a founding member. After his first solo single “Giant Lady” and the innovative EP “Luna, Luna & The Notorious Maloo Home Works“ he joined forces with Felix Haug (later 50% of Double), and formed with the addition of a bass player a trio called “PingPong”. During the 1981-1982 period they played at several European festivals and released their sole album “From Exile.”

While he left an extensive and significant output of stage-works, the contribution of Kurt Weill to orchestral and instrumental genres was largely restricted to his formative years. The angular Symphony No. 1, completed in 1921, reflects something of the turmoil of post-World War I. In 1933, with Hitler in power, Weill escaped to Paris where he wrote Symphony No. 2, “one of the 20th century’s forgotten masterpieces”. The Symphonic Nocturne, adapted from the Broadway musical, Lady in the Dark, a 1940 collaboration between Weill, Moss Hart and Ira Gershwin, exhibits all the hallmarks of bitter-sweet lyricism of Weill’s theatrical works from his American years.

Legendary guitarist and composer Kurt Rosenwinkel put together visionary jazz musicians Aaron Parks (Piano & Keys), Eric Revis (Acoustic Bass), and Greg Hutchinson (Drums) for his new album. The exhilarating recording Undercover: Live At The Village Vanguard is a selection of seven of Rosenwinkel’s original compositions, captured over three nights of their week-long run at the historic Village Vanguard, the legendary New York jazz club that has been host to the defining artists in jazz, including Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, and countless others. Undercover: Live At The Village Vanguard captures the joyous, visceral energy of Rosenwinkel’s masterful quartet, and easily finds its place in the continuum of historic recordings made there.