Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Acclaimed Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel & His Trio Set to Release "Reflections" on October 27



Acclaimed Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel
Gets Intimate With "Standards Trio: Reflections" On The Wommusic Label

Trio session with bassist Eric Revis and drummer Eric Harland set for release October 27


"There's this kind of fluidity and architecture in the lines that he plays that I don't think I've heard anybody else do. There's a mystery in it to me. It's not obviously derived from some other player. He's really developed his own language with the musical information and physically the way he's playing the instrument." - Bill Frisell


"Kurt Rosenwinkel is rightfully most celebrated for being a 21-century innovator of new music," begins the liner notes by Ethan Iverson for Ros enwinkel's latest album (his eighth as leader) titled, "Standards Trio: Reflections". "This album of standards offers a clear view of Kurt as a jazz guru."

A onetime sideman in Gary Burton & Joe Henderson's bands, Rosenwinkel has released a string of some of the most potent and original recordings of the last decade. On "Standards Trio: Reflections," the highly anticipated followup to 2007's dynamic The Remedy: Live at the Village Vanguard, he delves into the harmonic fabric of several beautiful standards in an intimate trio setting, accompanied by bassist Eric Revis (a longtime member of the Branford Marsalis Quartet) and drummer Eric Harland (a member of the Charles Lloyd Quartet and the SFJAZZ Collective).

Whereas Kurt Rosenwinkel's previous album The Remedy - Live At The Village Vanguardcaught Kurt with his quintet in a high-wired set of extended solos on original compositions, on "Reflections" he luxuriates in an almost-all-ballads program. From relaxed renditions of Wayne Shorter's "Ana Maria" and "Fall," to elegant interpretations of Thelonious Monk's "Ask Me Now" and "Reflections" to gorgeous readings of standards like "More Than You'll Know," "You've Changed" and "You Go To My Head," Rosenwinkel embraces these timeless melodies with rare nuance and soul. He includes one original in the collection, a stirring remake of the title track from his 1996 debut as a leader "East Coast Love Affair" (the whole album of which has just been transcribed into book form and released by Mel Bay) a song of which Iverson states: "Kurt has been playing this as long as I've been listening to him. At this point it almost qualifies as a standard."

"I wanted to have a very intimate and acoustic sound on this record," says the Philadelphia native who currently resides in Berlin. "And I wanted to sort of go back to my Philly roots in terms of getting into the blues in my playing, because I often don't bring that out at all. But I've just been feeling that side of things lately and I wanted to play in that way on this project."

In some ways, this outing is a return to 1998's Intuit, a collection of standards in a quartet setting. But more than ten years down the road, Rosenwinkel's sound is warmer, fuller and his approach to the instrument more refined. While that earlier standards project included such cha llenging, chops-busting burners as Charlie Parker's "Sippin' at Bells" and George Shearing's "Conception," this time out the emphasis is almost exclusively on ballads. And working without a piano in the group is a bit like a high wire act working without a net. "My first record, East Coast Love Affair, was also a trio standards recording," he says, "but I feel like I have more to say as an artist in that context. And as a guitarist I just wanted to explore that open, beautiful space again."

While East Coast Love Affair was recorded for the small independent label out of Spain, Fresh Sound New Talent, and Intuit was released on the Dutch label Criss Cross, Rosenwinkel's first widespread recognition Stateside came with the release of The Enemies of Energy, his 2000 Verve Records debut. He followed that with 2001's acclaimed The Next Step, which further developed the songcraft and unique harmonic language he was developing with tenor saxophonist and kindred spirit Mark Turner. 2003's adventurous Heartcore, which combined elements of jazz, electronica, hip-hop and ambient music, was co-produced by rapper Q-Tip from the pioneering alternative hip-hop trio A Tribe Called Quest. And on 2005's Deep Song, Rosenwinkel joined forces with like-minded colleagues Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Larry Grenadier, Ali Jackson and Jeff Ballard. 2007's The Remedy captured the guitarist's working quintet (saxophonist Turner, pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Joe Martin and drummer Harland) during a week-long engagement at New York's fabled jazz club, the Village Vanguard.

After the pyrotechnics of that invigorating live outing, "Reflections" is like a cleansing breath for Rosenwinkel. Perhaps Rosenwinkel's most refined and engaging project to date, "Reflections" reveals a warmer side to this gifted, multi-directional musician.


Tour Dates:

- September 29-October 4: The Village Vanguard, New York, NY
- October 6: Blues Alley, Washington, DC
- October 7: Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA
- October 8-9: Regattabar, Cambridge, MA
- October 10: L'Astral, Montréal, QC
- October 14: Nighttown, Cleveland Heights, OH
- October 15-18: Jazz Showcase, Chicago, IL
- October 22-23: Dazzle Restaurant & Lounge, Denver, CO


"Kurt Rosenwinkel is re-defining the mainstream" - Jon Garelick, Boston Phoenix

"There [is] a streak of otherworldliness in his playing, but also a sense
of deep familiarity." - Nate Chinen, The New York Times

"Rosenwinkel's music represents the sound of the future-just as bebop once did."
- Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune


For more information, contact:

Don Lucoff at DL MEDIA (p) 610-667-0501 (e) don@jazzpublicity.com

###

Friday, September 11, 2009

Pianist Danilo Pérez Signs with Mack Avenue Records



Pianist Danilo Pérez Signs with Mack Avenue Records

Returns to Perform at the 2009 Detroit International Jazz Festival


Mack Avenue Records is proud to announce the signing of Grammy winning pianist Danilo Pérez. The signing was made official at the 2009 Detroit International Jazz Festival, where Pérez returned to active performing with the Wayne Shorter Quartet after a three month layoff due to a torn achilles injury.

An extraordinary Panamanian artist, composer and educator, Pérez is among the most influential and dynamic musicians of our time. In just over a decade, his distinctive blend of Pan-American jazz (covering the music of the Americas, folkloric and world music) has attracted critical acclaim and loyal audiences.

"It has been a long journey full of unexpected twists up to now and I am looking forward to the next chapter of my life," Pérez says.

On his return to the stage at this year's festival, Pérez reflects "I miss these guys so much; Wayne, Brian and John. They are such a big part of my life. I am looking forward to travel to more unknown places with them."

"Danilo is an artist of uncompromising artistry," says Mack Avenue Records President Denny Stilwell. "We are pleased to have him as a member of the Mack Avenue family and look forward to an album that will mark a new beginning in his expansive career."

Pérez has recorded and performed with the likes of Wayne Shorter, Steve Lacy, Roy Haynes, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Tito Puente, and Wynton Marsalis, among others.

He plans to release his debut Mack Avenue Records album in 2010.



The Mack Avenue Records team welcomes Danilo Pérez at the 2009 Detroit International Jazz Festival. (L-R): Al Pryor, Gretchen Valade, Danilo Pérez, Tom Robinson, Denny Stilwell, and Randall Kennedy.

























Danilo Pérez (L) pictured with fellow Mack Avenue Records artist, alto saxophonist Tia Fuller (R).







For media information on Mack Avenue Records, please contact:


DL Media · 610-667-0501

Don Lucoff · don@jazzpublicity.com

MACK AVENUE · the road to great music · www.mackavenue.com
19900 Harper Avenue, Harper Woods, MI 48225 · 313-640-8414 · 313-640-8415 fax