Modern Times

Fondant les inspirations de Cuba, de La Nouvelle-Orléans, du Harlem de Duke Ellington et de l'Afrique au creuset du jazz, au mouvement du swing et à sa propre poésie, le pianiste franco-israélien, nommé "Révélation" aux Victoires du jazz 2015, présente enfin le second chapitre de son projet "Modern Times". Avec un groupe élargi pour l'occasion aux dimensions d'un quintet avec clarinette, saxophone alto et percussions… voici "The Parade"

By 1984, Steps Ahead's personnel had stabilized with original keyboardist Warren Bernhardt rejoining the group and teaming up with tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, bassist Eddie Gomez, drummer Peter Erskine, and vibraphonist Mike Mainieri; guitarist Chuck Loeb guests on one selection, as does Tony Levin, who is heard on the Chapman stick. This outing is very electronic and does not quite reach the heights of Steps Ahead's earlier Elektra album, but it certainly has plenty of spirit and power.

Modern Times is the third album from the British creative spirit Elliot Galvin. If his previous trio album, The Influencing Machine was a more involved and produced album, then Modern Times completely redresses the balance. This is an album so immediate and instantaneous, it takes the same time to listen to as it did to make. Primarily produced for vinyl, each side was recorded in one complete sitting, with no break in between tracks, recorded direct to vinyl. As Elliot explains: ‘I had been making music with a lot of electronic instruments and becoming a bit disengaged with making acoustic music. Then I saw a solo piano concert by Jason Moran when I was in Montreux and I was so inspired. It reminded me why I loved making jazz and acoustic music. It was so immediate and human.

Modern Times is the first album by the British band Latin Quarter. It reached the top 20 in Germany and Sweden and spent two weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at Number 91. It includes the songs "Radio Africa" which reached Number 19 in the UK Singles Chart. and "America for Beginners" which was covered by Toyah on her album Minx.

Modern Times is the most stripped back, honest and representative album by Elliot Galvin yet, reaffirming his formidable growing reputation as a true original. A quiet protest against the overproduced, changing world we live in, Modern Times recaptures the beauty and magic of recorded sound, made using a technique not widely used since the pre-tape technology of the 1930’s. In every sense this is a classic album.