Venus

Paul Bley Trio - Modern Chant (1994) {Japan Venus Records VHCD-2115 HiQualityCD rel 2009}
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© 1994, 2009 Venus Records | VHCD-2115 | HiQualityCD
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Piano

Can it be a coincidence that this CD, subtitled "Inspiration from Gregorian Chant," was recorded right around the time that chant music was reaching its improbable peak on the album charts? In any case, this enjoyable, offbeat trio album featuring the unusual combination of Bley's piano, David Eyges' electric cello and Bruce Ditmas' drums seems to have very little to do with Gregorian chant per se. Indeed, such numbers as "Wisecracks" and "Loose Change" are definitely based on the blues, "Decompose" has an M-base funk foundation, and "Funhouse" is a nasty, down-home bit of grooving that eventually becomes engulfed in a swirling maelstrom (so this is from whom Keith Jarrett may have picked up some of his group concepts).

Marion Brown was an American jazz alto saxophonist and ethnomusicologist. He is most well known as a member of the 1960s avant-garde jazz scene in New York City, playing alongside musicians such as John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and John Tchicai. He performed on Coltrane's landmark 1965 album Ascension. On this 1992 session for Venus, Brown leads a quintet including Tom McClung (piano), Jay Messer (guitar), Mike Marcus (bass) and Chris Dailey (drums) on original numbers plus tracks by Charles Mingus, Randy Weston and John Coltrane.

The sixth studio album from Nórdika, limited Edition to 100 discs in Digipak format, signed and numbered by hand by Nórdika, each disc is unique.

Stefano Bollani began studying the piano at the age of six and started his professional career at the age of fifteen. After graduating from the Conservatory Luigi Cherubini in Florence in 1993 he began appearing in many of the world’s most important concert venues. Currently he has published 43 albums alone (29 studio) and has collaborated extensively with other artists. Japanese label Venus Records released four albums by the “Stefano Bollani Trio” formed with Ares Tavolazzi on contrabass and Walter Paoli on drums. First of them - Black and Tan Fantasy was released in 2002.

Called "one of the great voices of today", Alexis Cole has been compared to classic jazz singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Anita O'Day. Her luxurious voice and innovative interpretations make her an instant favorite with audiences of all ages. Cole is the recipient of a Swing Journal Gold Disk award, and has won the NY Jazzmobile and Montreux Jazz Festival vocal competitions. She records for Motema Music, NY. and Venus Records, Japan. Her recordings, which feature musical luminaries such as Fred Hersch, Eric Alexander, Matt Wilson, Harry Pickens, Don Braden and Pat LaBarbara, have received high praise in the jazz press and are spun on radio world-wide.

Michael Finnissy is a composer known for his imaginative, eclectic style and sometimes controversial advocacy of political and cultural ideas within his musical works. One often finds sympathy for gay-related issues or Christian spirituality or progressive political ideas in his compositions. Some have classed Finnissy's style under the umbrella of the so-called New Complexity movement, mostly found in the U.K., but he disavows such a connection. His music can be challenging, with textures of multiple layers, and use of microtonal harmonies and complex rhythms.