Medeski

The only real downside of this record is its length. But everyone is ON, right on, and the energy is remarkable. For Kaiser fans this will be a revelation. He's channeling Cosey, McLaughlin, and Sharrock (each of whom shaped Miles's sound from this period), but also doing his own Kaiser-effects. And they don't sound out of place! Smith sounds much closer to Miles than I would have expected. This isn't a bad thing of course. The other players here are fantastic, too, especially the bass clarinetist Oluyemi Thomas. John Medeski, the ROVA quartet, Greg Goodman, and Nels Cline are also here. It's a fine group of musicians lovingly indulging in the many sounds of Miles's 1970–1975 performances.

Guitarist Will Bernard, a Berkeley, CA native and Brooklyn NY transplant, studied guitar and piano from an early age with Dave Creamer, Art Lande and Julian White, later developing an interest in classical music composition. He received a degree in music from UC Berkeley where he studied with Andrew Imbrie and others. He began playing and recording on an international level as a member of Peter Apfelbaum's Hieroglyphics Ensemble, who made their recorded debut with Don Cherry on “Multikulti” (A&M 1989). Since then, Bernard has participated in a host of boundary stretching groups, ranging from jazz, hip-hop and world music to experimental music, with many stops in between.

John Zorn - The Last Judgment (2014) {Tzadik TZ 8325}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 258 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 96 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 34 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Tzadik | TZ 7181 | Tzadik Archival Series
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Experimental

Featuring the same magical Templar quartet from “In Sacred Blood”, “The Last Judgment” is the final CD in the remarkable Moonchild septology. This project has explored many different worlds in the past 8 years, and this CD takes a moody and lyrical approach with Medeski’s organ fully integrated into the band. Once again inspired by the legend of the powerful Knights Templar and their tragic demise under accusations of heresy in 1307, Zorn has composed a suite of pieces with a strong sense of continuity and emotional impact. Mike Patton draws on every vocal technique in his huge arsenal and the rhythm section of Dunn and Baron are tighter than ever. The last piece of the Moonchild puzzle—essential!

A Love Electric is a critically acclaimed rock trio born out of Mexico City's jazz scene. Todd Clouser, of Minneapolis, MN, USA, Hernan Hecht, a longtime MX resident from Argentina, and Aaron Cruz, a Mexico City native, form a band that over 4 years, 4 records, and nearly 500 concerts, has consistently accomplished the uncommon, making music on their own terms and touring the world. “A savage guitarist, a merciless drummer, an enormous bassist” says Mexico City rock festival giant Vive Latino.

The Wood Brothers' debut album is a tense and hushed affair full of weighted lyrics peppered with words like truth, faith, spirit, and soul and more angels than you can shake a stick at, and each song seems tipped right at the edge of indecision and confusion. These are largely Oliver Wood's songs, with his brother Chris Wood (of Medeski, Martin & Wood) adding bass and backing vocals and Kenny Wollesen bringing light drums and percussion to five tracks…..

John Zorn - Transmigration Of The Magus (2014) {Tzadik Archival Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 193 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 106 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Tzadik | Archival Series | TZ 8324
Jazz / Experimental / Modern Creative / International

Drawing inspiration from various Gnostic philosophies of the Nag Hammadi library, Transmigration of the Magus is a musical evocation of the mystical journey of the soul through the bardo. Lyrical and tender, the music has a lush orchestral sweep and features Bill Frisell and John Medeski reveling within the magical sonorities of vibraphones, bells and harps. Created to help the passing of Zorn’s dear friend Lou Reed through the bardo realms and released on the one year anniversary of his passing, Transmigration of the Magus is a memorial tribute to one of Zorn’s musical mentors and is one of his most touching and emotional projects—truly music of the angels.