Nicola Conte • The Modern Sound of Nicola Conte

Biography

Italian DJ/producer Nicola Conte's loungey brand of acid jazz relies extensively on bossa nova, but is also heavily influenced by the swinging soundtracks of Italian films in the '60s and '70s, plus touches of ethnic music and easy listening kitsch reminiscent of Japan's Pizzicato Five. That said, his career trajectory has also seen him delve deeply into jazz as a guitarist, composer, and arranger, leading bands comprised of superstars, playing music that touches on '60s Brazilian traditions, '70s spiritual jazz, and even modal post-bop. He is also a curator and has released numerous volumes in his Viagem series, which compiles rare tracks from many international musical traditions in thematic collections.

Part of the loose-knit Fez collective of artsy acid jazz revivalists centered in the Italian town of Bari, Conte was a classically trained musician who moved into production and DJ'ing, working with artists like the Paolo Achenza Trio, the Fez Combo, Balanco, Quintetto X, and the Intensive Jazz Sextet. Conte also masterminded the Schema label, which gave many of those artists a home and cultivated a trademark, distinctly Italian approach to acid jazz. As for his own recording career, Conte scored an underground hit with his first single, "Bossa per Due," which appeared on a variety of compilations and was licensed in the U.S. for an Acura commercial. Conte's first album to be released in America was also titled Bossa per Due, a slightly reconfigured version of the Italian Jet Sounds; it appeared on Thievery Corporation's ESL (Eighteenth Street Lounge) label in the summer of 2001. The remix album Jet Sounds Revisited followed in late 2002. Two years later, Conte bowed on Blue Note's French subsidiary with an assured jazz date, Other Directions. Quiet Stars and a slew of singles followed before Conte would return with Viagem, his curated selection of classic Brazilian recordings in 2008, followed by four more volumes between 2009 and 2013. These were followed by a two-CD set of electronic recordings entitled The Modern Sound of Nicola Conte: Versions in Jazz Dub in early 2009.

That same year, Conte explored Latin jazz, Brazilian pop, and John Coltrane's early sense of experiments as inspirations for Rituals, an exotic, wide-ranging jazz album that featured five different vocalists. The use of singers was expanded to eight on 2011's Love & Revolution, an exercise in European pop, jazz balladry, and Eastern-tinged and modal jazz that included performances by Jose James, Gregory Porter, Melanie Charles, and Ghalia Benali, and was followed by the Brazilian-themed EP Sketches of Samba in 2013.

Conte forged ahead in his explorations, wedding deep modal and spiritual jazz to sophisticated pop. This resulted in Free Souls in the spring of 2014, an album that once again utilized vocalists -- including James and Charles -- and was comprised of expansive originals and standards, including tunes by Ahmad Jamal and Hoagy Carmichael. In the '90s, Conte had worked with vocalist Stefania Dipierro in a band called Fez. They reprised their partnership for 2016's Natural, a program of originals, jazz standards, and bossa/samba classics. Conte wrote some of the original tunes, produced the album, and played guitar, while Dipierro wrote others and sang in the company of a Conte-assembled band that included some of Italy's finest jazz musicians, including trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso and saxist/flutist Gaetano Partipilo. After touring the record, the pair went their separate ways with the intention of working together again in the future. Conte issued a pair of collaborative singles with Gianluca Petrella: "African Spirits"/"New World Shuffle" in December of 2017, and "Sun Song b/w "Nigeria" in the late winter of 2018. He was also the subject of the Schema compilation The Modern Sounds of Nicola Conte: Versions in Jazz-Dub. In May, Conte issued the full-length Let Your Light Shine with an international all-star cast of jazz and world music musicians under the umbrella Nicola Conte & Spiritual Galaxy. They included vocalists Bridgette Amofah, Zara McFarlane, Carolina Bubbico, and Zoe Modica, and instrumentalists Logan Richardson on alto sax, Magnus Lindgren on tenor and flute, Theo Croker on trumpet, Pietro Lussu on keyboards, and Gianluca Petrella on trombone and Moog.

by Steve Huey

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nicola-conte-mn0000869631/biography

 

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Biografía

La marca loungey de acid jazz del DJ/productor italiano Nicola Conte se basa en gran medida en la bossa nova, pero también está muy influenciada por las bandas sonoras de las películas italianas de los años 60 y 70, además de toques de música étnica y kitsch de fácil escucha que recuerdan al Pizzicato Five de Japón. Dicho esto, su trayectoria profesional también lo ha llevado a profundizar en el jazz como guitarrista, compositor y arreglista, liderando bandas compuestas por superestrellas, tocando música que toca las tradiciones brasileñas de los 60, el jazz espiritual de los 70, e incluso el post-bop modal. También es curador y ha publicado numerosos volúmenes en su serie Viagem, que recopila en colecciones temáticas temas raros de muchas tradiciones musicales internacionales.

Parte del colectivo de Fez de renacimiento del acid jazz artístico centrado en la ciudad italiana de Bari, Conte fue un músico de formación clásica que se dedicó a la producción y al DJ, trabajando con artistas como el Paolo Achenza Trio, el Fez Combo, Balanco, Quinteto X y el Sexteto de Jazz Intensivo. Conte también fue el cerebro del sello Schema, que dio a muchos de esos artistas un hogar y cultivó una marca registrada, un enfoque claramente italiano del acid jazz. En cuanto a su propia carrera discográfica, Conte consiguió un éxito underground con su primer single, "Bossa per Due", que apareció en varias recopilaciones y fue licenciado en los EE.UU. para un anuncio de Acura. El primer álbum de Conte que se lanzó en América también se tituló "Bossa per Due", una versión ligeramente reconfigurada de los Jet Sounds italianos; apareció en el sello ESL (Eighteenth Street Lounge) de Thievery Corporation en el verano de 2001. El álbum de remezclas Jet Sounds Revisited siguió a finales de 2002. Dos años más tarde, Conte se inclinó ante la filial francesa de Blue Note con una cita de jazz asegurada, Other Directions. Siguieron Quiet Stars y una serie de singles antes de que Conte volviera con Viagem, su selección curada de grabaciones clásicas brasileñas en 2008, seguida de cuatro volúmenes más entre 2009 y 2013. Estas fueron seguidas por un conjunto de grabaciones electrónicas en dos CDs titulado The Modern Sound of Nicola Conte: Versiones en Jazz Dub a principios de 2009.

Ese mismo año, Conte exploró el jazz latino, el pop brasileño y el sentido temprano de los experimentos de John Coltrane como inspiración para Rituals, un álbum de jazz exótico y de gran alcance que incluía cinco vocalistas diferentes. El uso de cantantes se amplió a ocho en Love & Revolution de 2011, un ejercicio de pop europeo, balada de jazz y jazz oriental y modal que incluía actuaciones de Jose James, Gregory Porter, Melanie Charles y Ghalia Benali, y fue seguido por el EP Sketches of Samba de temática brasileña en 2013.

Conte avanzó en sus exploraciones, uniendo el profundo jazz modal y espiritual con el pop sofisticado. Esto dio como resultado Free Souls en la primavera de 2014, un álbum que una vez más utilizó vocalistas - incluyendo a James y Charles - y estaba compuesto por amplios originales y estándares, incluyendo temas de Ahmad Jamal y Hoagy Carmichael. En los 90, Conte había trabajado con la vocalista Stefania Dipierro en una banda llamada Fez. Reiteraron su asociación para el programa Natural de 2016, un programa de originales, estándares de jazz y clásicos de bossa/samba. Conte escribió algunos de los temas originales, produjo el álbum y tocó la guitarra, mientras que Dipierro escribió otros y cantó en compañía de una banda montada por Conte que incluía a algunos de los mejores músicos de jazz de Italia, entre ellos el trompetista Fabrizio Bosso y el saxofonista/fluyente Gaetano Partipilo. Después de la gira del disco, la pareja tomó caminos separados con la intención de trabajar juntos de nuevo en el futuro. Conte publicó un par de sencillos en colaboración con Gianluca Petrella: "African Spirits"/"New World Shuffle" en diciembre de 2017, y "Sun Song b/n "Nigeria" a finales del invierno de 2018. También fue objeto de la compilación del esquema "The Modern Sounds of Nicola Conte": Versiones en Jazz-Dub. En mayo, Conte publicó el largometraje Let Your Light Shine con un elenco internacional de músicos de jazz y de música del mundo bajo el paraguas de Nicola Conte & Spiritual Galaxy. Entre ellos se encontraban los vocalistas Bridgette Amofah, Zara McFarlane, Carolina Bubbico y Zoe Modica, y los instrumentistas Logan Richardson en saxo alto, Magnus Lindgren en tenor y flauta, Theo Croker en trompeta, Pietro Lussu en teclados y Gianluca Petrella en trombón y Moog.

por Steve Huey

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nicola-conte-mn0000869631/biography

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Dick Hyman • Moog - The Electric Eclectics Of Dick Hyman

 

In the late '60s, pianist Dick Hyman, famous for "Moritat, Theme from Threepenny Opera," aexperimented with various keyboard instruments, including Baldwin and Lowrey organs. This release was his first with what was then a completely newfangled machine, the Moog synthesizer. Hyman took the Moog by the horns and milked it for all it was worth on nine originals, including the monster hit single "The Minotaur" (which inspired Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Lucky Man").

The first few tracks are in a pop-song mold, but they are pop songs composed as only a jazz musician with two decades of experience under his belt could. Hyman then hits the listener with a few spacier, improvised numbers that come off as very accessible avant-garde music. Following the "The Minotaur" are two improvised pieces. Moog: The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman ends with "Evening Thoughts," an impressionistic track reminiscent of "Ebb Tide" by Earl Grant, on which the sounds of the seashore are conjured up on various keyboard instruments. Hyman writes about his intentions for each track in the liner notes.

Aside from some other Moog tracks sprinkled throughout DCC Compact Classics' Music for a Bachelor's Den series, it's surprising that it's taken this long in the lounge reissue bonanza for the Moog to finally appear (not counting The Moog Cookbook, a fab spinning of modern rock nuggets into string cheese.) Moog features three bonus tracks from Hyman's next album Age of Electronicus; his recasting of James Brown's "Give It Up or Turn It Loose" is well worth the price of admission.

Though this album could easily be tossed into the novelty or "period piece" category, it was not originally intended as that. Hyman recorded a showcase what this new instrument could do, and in the process made an enjoyable album.

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A finales de los años 60, el pianista Dick Hyman, famoso por "Moritat, Tema de la Ópera de Tres Centavos", experimentó con varios instrumentos de teclado, incluyendo los órganos de Baldwin y Lowrey. Este lanzamiento fue el primero que hizo con lo que entonces era una máquina completamente nueva, el sintetizador Moog. Hyman tomó el Moog por los cuernos y lo ordeñó por todo lo que valía en nueve originales, incluyendo el exitoso single "The Minotaur" (que inspiró a Emerson, Lake y Palmer en "Lucky Man").

Los primeros temas están en un molde de canción pop, pero son canciones pop compuestas como sólo un músico de jazz con dos décadas de experiencia en su haber podría hacerlo. Hyman entonces golpea al oyente con unos pocos números improvisados más espaciados que resultan ser una música de vanguardia muy accesible. A continuación de "El Minotauro" hay dos piezas improvisadas. Moog: La Ecléctica Eléctrica de Dick Hyman termina con "Evening Thoughts", un tema impresionista que recuerda a "Ebb Tide" de Earl Grant, en el que se conjugan los sonidos de la orilla del mar en varios instrumentos de teclado. Hyman escribe sobre sus intenciones para cada pista en las notas del liner.

Aparte de algunos otros temas de Moog salpicados por la serie Music for a Bachelor's Den de DCC Compact Classics, es sorprendente que haya tardado tanto en la bonanza de reedición de la sala de estar para que finalmente aparezca el Moog (sin contar The Moog Cookbook, un fabuloso giro de las pepitas de rock moderno en queso de cuerda). El Moog incluye tres bonus tracks del próximo álbum de Hyman, Age of Electronicus; su refundición de "Give It Up or Turn It Loose" de James Brown bien vale el precio de la entrada.

Aunque este álbum podría fácilmente ser lanzado en la categoría de novedad o "pieza de época", no fue originalmente pensado como eso. Hyman grabó una muestra de lo que este nuevo instrumento podía hacer, y en el proceso hizo un álbum agradable.

Max Paparella Organization • The Jazz Funk Rewind

 

Max Paparella, born in 1975, organist Hammond with a great passion for vintage musical instruments. For over 20 years in the music industry, he has collaborated over the years both in Europe and in the USA, working on the creation of numerous albums as a composer, musician and ghost producer.
It grows by consuming the vinyl records of the great masters of soul jazz such as Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff and Richard "Groove" Holmes, to discover later, in the late '80s and early' 90s, a new ascending music movement, which soon became known as Acid Jazz. The rest is history, musical choices, style and contaminations are part of "Max Paparella Organization". An eclectic musical project that manages to merge and combine sounds typical of electronic music with vintage instrumentation.
https://www.traxsource.com/title/1076162/the-acid-jazz-mixtape

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Max Paparella, nacido en 1975, organista Hammond con una gran pasión por los instrumentos musicales antiguos. Durante más de 20 años en la industria musical, ha colaborado a lo largo de los años tanto en Europa como en los EE.UU., trabajando en la creación de numerosos álbumes como compositor, músico y productor fantasma.
Crece consumiendo los discos de vinilo de los grandes maestros del soul jazz como Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff y Richard "Groove" Holmes, para descubrir más tarde, a finales de los 80 y principios de los 90, un nuevo movimiento musical ascendente, que pronto se conoció como Acid Jazz. El resto es historia, las elecciones musicales, el estilo y las contaminaciones forman parte de la "Organización Max Paparella". Un proyecto musical ecléctico que logra fusionar y combinar sonidos típicos de la música electrónica con instrumentación vintage.
https://www.traxsource.com/title/1076162/the-acid-jazz-mixtape

 

 

 

www.groovesoundesign.com/maxpaparella ...

 

 

Night Trains • Loaded

Soulstance • Brazilian Flow

 

 

This album was made with the collaboration of the Brazilian singer Ana Flora, the titles are well known throughout the world and represent a tribute to the musical culture of this wonderful nation that is Brazil, the themes have been played in a jazz, electronic, chillhop, ambient, bossa nova ...

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Este álbum se realizó con la colaboración de la cantante brasileña Ana Flora, los títulos son muy conocidos en todo el mundo y representan un homenaje a la cultura musical de esta maravillosa nación que es Brasil, los temas se han tocado en un jazz, electrónico, chillhop, ambient, bossa nova ...

Nicola Conte • Umoja

 

Nicola Conte continues on his journey from acid-jazz bohemian to spiritual-jazz sophisticate with this immaculately hip album, fronted on half of its tracks by London-based soul-jazz divas Zara McFarlane and Bridgette Amofah.

Conte began his trajectory with the acid-jazz template Jet Sounds (Schema, 2000), boosted it with Jet Sounds Revisited (Schema, 2002) and, after a brief post-hard-bop detour with Other Directions (Blue Note, 2004), began the spiritual-jazz ascent which has in 2023 reached its new, lofty apogee with Umoja. At all stages, Conte's role has been less that of an instrumentalist and more concerned with composing, arranging, selecting the musicians and producing the sessions.

There is a distinctive, singular thread running through Conte's twenty-three year recorded output. This is a result, in part, of his longtime residence in Bari, an off-the-beaten-track seaport on the heel of Italy's boot on the country's southern Adriatic coast, its location rendering it well placed to shrug off the passing fads and fashions of Rome and Milan. Conte first came to attention in Bari in the 1990s with his Fez Collective, a loose coalition of progressively minded jazz musicians, DJs and cultural activists clustered around the town's alternative club world. Fez was a sort of latter-day musical equivalent of a mid-twentieth century European literary salon.

Continuity has also been created by Conte's collaborator Tommy Cavalieri, at whose Sorriso Studio in Bari Conte's most characterful releases, from Jet Sounds to Umoja, have been recorded.

The new album kicks off with six tracks on which McFarlane and Amofah alternate as lead singers. Within their broadly humanistic paradigm, the lyrics address particular sociopolitical issues such as ethnic identity, and without resorting to prosaic agitprop. The singers are supported by an achingly funky core lineup comprising tenor saxophonist Timo Lassy, multi-keyboardist Pietro Lussu, guitarist Alberto Parmegiani, alternating bassists Ameen Salim, Marco Bardoscia and Luca Alemanno, percussionist Abdissa Assefa and drummer Teppo Mäkynen. Another eleven guest singers and instrumentalists weave in and out (see below for details).

The tracks featuring McFarlane and Amofah are the peaks of the album, for which an honourable mention goes to Lassy, whose sensuous, Pharoah Sanders-like vocalisations behind the singers are terrific. Assefa's percussion work is also noteworthy. And a shoutout, too, for the instrumental tracks "Heritage," featuring flautist Milena Jancuric, and "Arise (Instrumental)," the sans-vocals version of McFarlane's opening track, which features vibraphonist Simon Moullier.

Only on "Into The Light Of Love," featuring male vocalist Myles Sanko, and its album-closing instrumental version, does Conte take his eye, briefly, off the ball, giving us rather too much lurve and a busy but bland quiet-storm vibe. For the rest, Umoja contains some of Conte's most satisfying work to date.
By Chris May
June 7, 2023
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/umoja-nicola-conte-far-out-recordings

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Nicola Conte continúa su viaje de bohemio del acid-jazz a sofisticado del spiritual-jazz con este álbum inmaculadamente moderno, liderado en la mitad de sus temas por las divas londinenses del soul-jazz Zara McFarlane y Bridgette Amofah.

Conte inició su trayectoria con la plantilla de acid-jazz Jet Sounds (Schema, 2000), la impulsó con Jet Sounds Revisited (Schema, 2002) y, tras un breve desvío post-hard-bop con Other Directions (Blue Note, 2004), comenzó el ascenso espiritual-jazz que en 2023 ha alcanzado su nuevo y elevado apogeo con Umoja. En todas las etapas, el papel de Conte ha sido menos el de instrumentista y más el de compositor, arreglista, seleccionador de músicos y productor de las sesiones.

Hay un hilo distintivo y singular que recorre los veintitrés años de producción discográfica de Conte. Esto se debe, en parte, a su larga residencia en Bari, un puerto marítimo poco frecuentado, situado en el talón de la bota de Italia, en la costa adriática meridional del país, y cuya ubicación le permite mantenerse al margen de las modas pasajeras de Roma y Milán. Conte llamó la atención por primera vez en Bari en la década de 1990 con su Colectivo Fez, una coalición de músicos de jazz, DJ y activistas culturales de mentalidad progresista agrupados en torno al mundo de los clubes alternativos de la ciudad. Fez era una especie de equivalente musical de los salones literarios europeos de mediados del siglo XX.

La continuidad también ha sido creada por el colaborador de Conte, Tommy Cavalieri, en cuyo estudio Sorriso de Bari se han grabado los discos más característicos de Conte, desde Jet Sounds hasta Umoja.

El nuevo álbum comienza con seis temas en los que McFarlane y Amofah se alternan como cantantes principales. Dentro de su paradigma ampliamente humanista, las letras abordan cuestiones sociopolíticas concretas, como la identidad étnica, sin recurrir a un prosaico agitprop. Los cantantes cuentan con el apoyo de una formación principal de funky desgarrador: el saxofonista tenor Timo Lassy, el multiteclista Pietro Lussu, el guitarrista Alberto Parmegiani, los bajistas Ameen Salim, Marco Bardoscia y Luca Alemanno, el percusionista Abdissa Assefa y el batería Teppo Mäkynen. Otros once cantantes e instrumentistas invitados aparecen y desaparecen (para más detalles, véase más abajo).

Los temas protagonizados por McFarlane y Amofah son las cumbres del álbum, por las que merece una mención de honor Lassy, cuyas sensuales vocalizaciones, a lo Pharoah Sanders, detrás de los cantantes son estupendas. El trabajo de percusión de Assefa también es digno de mención. Y un aplauso también para los temas instrumentales "Heritage", con la flautista Milena Jancuric, y "Arise (Instrumental)", la versión sin voz del primer tema de McFarlane, que cuenta con el vibrafonista Simon Moullier.

Sólo en "Into The Light Of Love", en la que interviene el vocalista masculino Myles Sanko, y en su versión instrumental que cierra el álbum, Conte pierde de vista, brevemente, la pelota, regalándonos demasiado amor y una vibración de tormenta tranquila, ocupada pero sosa. Por lo demás, Umoja contiene algunos de los trabajos más satisfactorios de Conte hasta la fecha.
Por Chris May
7 de junio de 2023
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/umoja-nicola-conte-far-out-recordings

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Bruton Music Library • BRH 5 Light My Fire

  

Bruton Music is a British production music library founded in 1977 by Robin Phillips. It was named after Bruton Street where it was originally formed.

Michael Jackson purchased the company in 1982 as part of ATV Music acquisition. The composer sold the library to the Zomba Group in February 1986, while other ATV assets were acquired by CBS Records.[1]. Zomba operated the group as part of their Zomba Production Music division. In 2002, BMG purchased the Zomba Group and amalgamated their production division to create the BMG Zomba Production Music, which Bruton is still a part of. BMG Zomba Production Music was eventually sold to Universal Publishing Production Music.

Prior to 2004, Bruton Music's catalog was divided into genres with different catalog suffixes such as BRA and BRB.
https://productionmusic.fandom.com/wiki/Bruton_Music

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Bruton Music es una biblioteca musical de producción británica fundada en 1977 por Robin Phillips. Lleva el nombre de Bruton Street, donde se formó originalmente.

Michael Jackson compró la empresa en 1982 como parte de la adquisición de ATV Music. El compositor vendió la biblioteca al grupo Zomba en febrero de 1986, mientras que otros activos de ATV fueron adquiridos por CBS Records[1]. Zomba operaba el grupo como parte de su división Zomba Production Music. En 2002, BMG compró el Grupo Zomba y fusionó su división de producción para crear BMG Zomba Production Music, de la que Bruton sigue formando parte. BMG Zomba Production Music fue finalmente vendida a Universal Publishing Production Music.

Antes de 2004, el catálogo de Bruton Music se dividía en géneros con diferentes sufijos de catálogo, como BRA y BRB.
https://productionmusic.fandom.com/wiki/Bruton_Music

Bruton Music Library • BRL7 Music Machine

 

Bruton Music Library • BRI1 Terrestrial Journey

 

Bruton Music Library • BRI 26 Video Explosion

 

 

Bruton Music Library • BRG 30 Television Today

 

The hallmarks of a great Bruton collection are a heavy dose of nostalgia and some under-the-radar heavy grooves. This is certainly present in BRG 30 Television Today, a collection split three ways between composers Steve Gray, Duncan Lamont, and Jean Bouchety.

Gray’s work here is more in line with his work on BRG 22 Happy Days: more big and brassy than it is jazzy; though that familiar instrumentation with a touch of jazz is there (especially in “Flyaway”), you don’t hear anything like “Barcelona or Bust” or “Dreams of Redcar” (from BRD 14 Soft Sell).

Duncan Lamont, in addition to having one of the coolest names of the composers found on Bruton Music records, contributes some hot numbers to this collection, in particular, “Lightening Strikes”, which perfectly captures that “is it rock? is it jazz?” feeling that while not quite hitting the peak of ’70s fusion-jazz, hit a high that was rarely seen after the 1980s. “The Late Show” will sound undoubtedly nostalgic, as does “Tinsel Town”.

Jean Bouchety handles the entire B-Side, showing a deep proficiency in crafting themes fit for the small screen. “Premiere” and “Tonights TV” are delightfully mid-80s evening program material. However, the real keeper comes right after “Premiere” in “Talking Point”. A mid-tempo number with jazzy ambitions and transitions, this is the one that will garner the most attention out of the set.

Overall, as this is a 1985 collection, the move toward more electronics and brighter sounds are prevalent (like the Yamaha DX-7 that sneaks into some of Steve Gray’s selections, and the Simmons-style drums that are over many of Bouchety’s work); don’t let that detour listeners who prefer the more organic sounds of the late ’70s Bruton collections from missing out on a quality collection.

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Las señas de identidad de una gran colección de Bruton son una fuerte dosis de nostalgia y algunos ritmos pesados poco conocidos. Esto está ciertamente presente en BRG 30 Television Today, una colección dividida en tres partes entre los compositores Steve Gray, Duncan Lamont y Jean Bouchety.

El trabajo de Gray aquí está más en línea con su trabajo en BRG 22 Happy Days: más grande y descarado que jazzístico; aunque esa instrumentación familiar con un toque de jazz está ahí (especialmente en "Flyaway"), no se oye nada como "Barcelona or Bust" o "Dreams of Redcar" (de BRD 14 Soft Sell).

Duncan Lamont, además de tener uno de los nombres más geniales de los compositores que se encuentran en los discos de Bruton Music, contribuye con algunos números calientes a esta colección, en particular, "Lightening Strikes", que capta perfectamente esa sensación de "¿es rock? ¿es jazz?" que si bien no llegó a la cima del jazz-fusión de los 70, alcanzó un punto alto que rara vez se vio después de los 80. "The Late Show" sonará sin duda a nostalgia, al igual que "Tinsel Town".

Jean Bouchety se encarga de toda la cara B, demostrando una gran destreza en la elaboración de temas aptos para la pequeña pantalla. "Premiere" y "Tonights TV" son material de programas nocturnos de mediados de los años 80. Sin embargo, la verdadera clave viene justo después de "Premiere" en "Talking Point". Un número a medio tiempo con ambiciones y transiciones jazzísticas, que es el que más atención acaparará del conjunto.

En general, al tratarse de una colección de 1985, prevalece el cambio hacia la electrónica y los sonidos más brillantes (como el Yamaha DX-7 que se cuela en algunas de las selecciones de Steve Gray, y la batería de estilo Simmons que aparece en muchos de los trabajos de Bouchety); no dejes que eso desvíe a los oyentes que prefieren los sonidos más orgánicos de las colecciones de Bruton de finales de los 70 de perderse una colección de calidad.

Nicola Conte ‎• Jet Sounds Revisited

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Nicola Conte ‎• Love & Revolution

Review:

On each of his recordings, jazz auteur Nicola Conte has explored a different side of his multi-faceted personality as a conceptualist, a composer, and a guitarist. While there is some overlap on each of his last three offerings, he combines various styles in new and compelling ways -- all with large casts of players. Love & Revolution -- gorgeously arranged by Magnus Lindgren with many returning players from 2009's Rituals -- employs the sounds of sunshine Euro-pop, jazz balladry, and Eastern-tinged and modal jazz. There are eight different vocalists, and stellar soloists including trumpeters Till Brönner and Flavio Boltro, saxophonists Lindgren, Timo Lassy, and Tim Warfield, a stellar rhythm section, and other selective personnel. Conte plays guitar, but it's his direction, compositions, and choice of cover material that really shine. Gregory Porter's singing and Bridgette Amofah's backing vocals fuel the groovy "Do You Feel Like I Feel," that has traces of a big-band arrangement of "Workin' on a Groovy Thing," with its sprightly, warm horn section and shimmering tambourines and snare drums topped by a sax break from Lindgren. José James and Nailah Porter duet on the smooth soul-jazz nugget "Love from the Sun," backed by a smaller group. Lindgren's arrangement borrows its opening vamp from Mario Biondi's hit "This Is What You Are." James takes the lead on a beautiful reading of Dave Mackay and Vicky Hamilton's "Here" from their 1969 self-titled offering. The reeds and winds swoon and swoop yet leave room for a fine solo by Brönner. Another real groover is "Black Spirits" with Nailah Porter's vocal leading the Afro-Cuban strut. Melanie Charles' voice fronts the airy, flute-heavy samba arrangement of "Shiva." Speaking of Charles, her voice on Conte's title track -- the album's funkiest -- is simultaneously steamy and declarative, holding in its grain a new and savvy hope. The covers of Jackie McLean's "Ghana" (with lyrics by Conte) and Cal Massey's "Quit Dawn" with Gregory Porter's and Charles' vocals, respectively, are excellent interpretations of these classics for the 21st century. Ghalia Benali's vocal in front of the knotty tentet on the traditional "Ra in Egypt" is transformative, with its Middle Eastern modes infused with Italian jazz classicism. Likewise, the swirling reading of Ed Rose's "All Praise to Allah" and the languid, deeply soulful interpretation of Mal Waldron's "Temple of Far East" (the latter with lyrics by Conte, and James' finest vocal on the album), move the set's direction into a new sonic terrain that blurs jazz's subgenres while remaining faithful to the intent of the originals. Love & Revolution finds Conte at an energetic, focused, creative peak; he's making new music that solidly points at the global future of jazz, even as it unabashedly gathers information from the deep sources of its rich, varied history.

by Thom Jurek

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Reseña:

En cada una de sus grabaciones, el autor de jazz Nicola Conte ha explorado un lado diferente de su personalidad polifacética como conceptualista, compositor y guitarrista. Mientras que hay alguna superposición en cada una de sus últimas tres ofertas, combina varios estilos de maneras nuevas y convincentes - todos con grandes elencos de músicos. Love & Revolution - magníficamente arreglado por Magnus Lindgren con muchos músicos que regresan de Rituals 2009 - emplea los sonidos del sol del Euro-pop, la balada de jazz, y el jazz modal y con tintes orientales. Hay ocho vocalistas diferentes, y solistas estelares incluyendo a los trompetistas Till Brönner y Flavio Boltro, los saxofonistas Lindgren, Timo Lassy, y Tim Warfield, una sección rítmica estelar, y otro personal selectivo. Conte toca la guitarra, pero es su dirección, sus composiciones y su elección de material de portada lo que realmente brilla. El canto de Gregory Porter y los coros de Bridgette Amofah alimentan el genial "Do You Feel Like I Feel", que tiene trazos de un arreglo de banda grande de "Workin' on a Groovy Thing", con su ágil y cálida sección de trompetas y relucientes panderetas y tambores de caja coronados por una pausa de saxo de Lindgren. José James y Nailah Porter hacen un dúo en la suave pepita de soul-jazz "Love from the Sun", apoyados por un grupo más pequeño. El arreglo de Lindgren toma prestado su vampiro de apertura del éxito de Mario Biondi "This Is What You Are". James toma la delantera en una hermosa lectura de "Here" de Dave Mackay y Vicky Hamilton de su ofrenda autotitulada de 1969. Las cañas y los vientos se desmoronan y caen en picado, pero dejan espacio para un buen solo de Brönner. Otro verdadero groover es "Black Spirits" con la voz de Nailah Porter liderando el puntal afrocubano. La voz de Melanie Charles está al frente del arreglo de samba de "Shiva". Hablando de Charles, su voz en el tema que da título al disco, el más funky del álbum, es al mismo tiempo vaporosa y declarativa, manteniendo en su grano una nueva y sabia esperanza. Las portadas de "Ghana" de Jackie McLean (con letra de Conte) y "Quit Dawn" de Cal Massey con las voces de Gregory Porter y Charles, respectivamente, son excelentes interpretaciones de estos clásicos para el siglo XXI. La voz de Ghalia Benali frente al nudoso tentete del tradicional "Ra en Egipto" es transformadora, con sus modos de Oriente Medio impregnados del clasicismo del jazz italiano. Del mismo modo, la lectura arremolinada de "All Praise to Allah" de Ed Rose y la lánguida y profundamente conmovedora interpretación de "Temple of Far East" de Mal Waldron (esta última con letra de Conte, y la mejor voz de James en el álbum), mueven la dirección del conjunto hacia un nuevo terreno sónico que desdibuja los subgéneros del jazz sin dejar de ser fiel a la intención de los originales. Love & Revolution encuentra a Conte en un punto álgido de energía, concentración y creatividad; está haciendo nueva música que apunta sólidamente al futuro global del jazz, incluso mientras reúne descaradamente información de las fuentes profundas de su rica y variada historia.

por Thom Jurek
 

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Soulstance • Life Size

 

Soulstance is the famous monicker chosen by Lo Greco Bros, Enzo and Gianni, a duo capable to express latin and atmospheric jazz with an impeccable touch and a full mastery of instruments. With this new third album, “LifeSize”, they develop their familiar sound, a traveling guide through Brazilian music, the crazy world of soundtracks, nu-jazz-beats-bossa and Italian easy listening. Without a doubt we can say Soulstance did a nice job on making a new album that continuos the stylish relaxing grooves of “Act On” adding some new perspectives due to some smooth drum’n’bass and housy influences. Those new elements and wider directions, togheter with typical Soulstance sounds like flute and sax build a solid rhythmic groove, straight and fluid. But there is a side of Soulstance exploring more into latin sounds as well here. Take "Caribe' samba", "Zenith" or "Honesty" that nicely blends the Soulstance sound with Brazilian flavoured samba touches. Finally, some of the tracks, “Lift Up”, “Soul Ensemble” and “Nucleus” feature that fine combination of Acid/Bossa Jazz with lounge gestures plus those smooth touches of d’n’b and house. In a few words a superb album of uncompromising fine jazz-grooves!

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Soulstance es el famoso monicker elegido por Lo Greco Bros, Enzo y Gianni, un dúo capaz de expresar jazz latino y atmosférico con un toque impecable y un completo dominio de los instrumentos. Con este nuevo tercer álbum, "LifeSize", desarrollan su sonido familiar, una guía itinerante a través de la música brasileña, el loco mundo de las bandas sonoras, el nu-jazz-beats-bossa y el easy listening italiano. Sin duda podemos decir que Soulstance hizo un buen trabajo al hacer un nuevo álbum que continúa con los ritmos relajantes y elegantes de "Act On", añadiendo nuevas perspectivas debido a algunas influencias suaves del drum'n'bass y de la casa. Esos nuevos elementos y direcciones más amplias, junto con los sonidos típicos de Soulstance como la flauta y el saxo, construyen un ritmo sólido, recto y fluido. Pero hay un lado de Soulstance que explora más los sonidos latinos también aquí. Por ejemplo, "Caribe' samba", "Zenith" o "Honesty", que combina muy bien el sonido de Soulstance con toques de samba con sabor brasileño. Por último, algunos de los temas, "Lift Up", "Soul Ensemble" y "Nucleus" presentan esa fina combinación de Acid/Bossa Jazz con gestos lounge más esos suaves toques de d'n'b y house. En pocas palabras, un magnífico álbum de finos ritmos de jazz sin concesiones.

 

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Dick Hyman & Mary Mayo • Moon Gas

En mi opinión, este album debe escucharse haciendo el ensayo de ubicarse en la época en que fue grabado, de esta manera creo puede apreciarse en su total plenitud.

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In my opinion, this album must be heard by the trial located at the time it was recorded, so I think can be seen in its fullness.

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Richard "Dick" Hyman (born March 8, 1927, New York City) is an American jazz pianist/keyboardist and composer, best known for his versatility with jazz piano styles. Over a 50-year career, he has functioned as a pianist, organist, arranger, music director, and, increasingly, as a composer. His versatility in all of these areas has resulted in well over 100 albums recorded under his own name and many more in support of other artists.

Hyman's career is pretty intimidating in its achievements and scope. He has scored, arranged and/or performend for roadway, movies, television and live radio, and he's recorded in every format, from 78s to CD-ROMs. He's got a whole gamut of music genres covered, from Jazz and Blues to Classical to Pop and Electronic Psychedelia. Hyman is exceptionally renowned as a professional musician, and was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in 1995. His articulate and wry anecdotes, commentary on the business, and techniques of making music have been published along with sheet music in a series of books.

Beginning in the mid-1950s he started recording with his own name for MGM. His cover of "Moritat", on harpsichord with his trio, sold over a million copies in 1956 and was the most successful recording of the tune until Bobby Darin did it as "Mack the Knife". He was the musical director of The Arthur Godfrey Show from 1958 to 1961. He was an early staple of Enoch Light's Command label, for which he recorded light classical, swinging harpsichord, funky organ, and "now sound" combo albums. He also demonstrated his continuing interest in new keyboard instruments, releasing two of the earliest Moog albums.

The aforementioned albums, "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman" and "The Age of Electronicus", will be the subject of other posts in the future here on Stereo Candies... For the time being let's take care about "Moon Gas", which is a great, Great, GREAT record from the Space Age era also due to the otherwordly vocals provided by Mary Mayo.

Born 20 July 1924 in Statesville, North Carolina, Mary Mayo first got started as a singer appearing on broadcasts from radio station WBT in Charlotte, just after the end of World War Two. Gifted with a four-octave range, she was soon spotted by talent scouts and wound up working for Tex Beneke, who was leading the post-war version of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. While singing with Beneke, she married Al Ham, an arranger and bass player in the band. Like that of other session singers, Mayo's work is largely uncredited outside her Musicians Union logs. She ghosted on the "original cast" albums of numerous Broadway musicals, and sang alongside Don Elliott in a short-lived vocal jazz combo known as the Manhattanaires. She released a couple of singles for Columbia in the 1950s and she earned a cover billing on one of Leroy Holmes' releases for MGM. Aside from "Moon Gas", her one noteworthy credited appearance of the '60s was at Duke Ellington's legendary 1969 jazz concert at the White House for President Nixon.

Dubbed "a glimpse at the possible sounds of the 22nd century" in the liner notes, "Moon Gas" was by far Mayo's most notable effort and remains much-prized by collectors of Exotica and early electronic recordings, although she enjoyed her greatest commercial success thanks to Coca-Cola: when the advertising agency McCann Erickson hired Ham to assemble a wholesome folk group to record their jingle "I'd Like To Give the World a Coke", he tapped Mayo and their daughter Lorri to lead the studio chorus, and when the commercial proved a cultural phenomenon, the song was re-recorded under the title "I'd Like to Teach the World To Sing", credited to the Hillside Singers. The Metromedia label subsequently released two full-length Hillside Singers LPs, including a Christmas recording, both featuring Mayo. In 1986 the label also issued "Time Remembered", a collection of songs she cut for the NPR radio series American Popular Song nine years earlier. Unfortunately, Mayo did not live to see the album's release, she died of cancer in December of 1985.

The following liner notes printed on the back cover of "Moon Gas" were written by Leonard Feather, a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer who was best known for his music journalism and other writing. Among his music releases we remember "Hi Fi Suite", recorded in 1957 with the Dick Hyman Orchestra; this is the album which contains the original version of "Space Reflex (Blues In 5/4)"...

«This is an album of amazing contrasts.

For Dick Hyman, brilliant 36-year-old pianist/organist, the album is a glimpse at the possible sounds of the 22nd century. For vocalist Mary Mayo, the setting is antithetical to almost everything she has ever known.

Says Hyman of the far-future sounds devised for Mary's environment: "A lot of electronic music has been created by making marks or cuts on the actual recording tape - the 'musique concrete' technique - as well as by using machines that make syntethic tones, or by recording various sounds and then changing them by tricks such as altering the tape speeds, playing tape backwards, adding echo and so forth. By the time you got the final product this way, it was the result of a great deal of editing and splicing of small lenghts of tape.

"We used a different approach here. The same results, we decided, can be produced by playing electronic instruments. So this is electronic music by live musicians, plus Mary's voice and a swinging rhythm section."

"The Lowrey organ has a built-in reverberation, plus a 'glide pedal' with which you can actually bend the notes. Then there's the AOC - the Accompaniment Orchestra Control - which is a feature of a smaller home model Lowrey organ that enables you to play a full chord by just hitting a single note, so that very rapid block-chord passages can be produced with just a single-finger technique."

"Then there's the Martinot, which in addition to a keyboard, has an adjustable ribbon with which theremin-like sounds can be made. And the Ondioline, a keyboard instrument with a wide variety of tones. ln addition, we used a pure-tone oscillator with a dial operated by a telegraph key."

"On top of all this, I was lucky enough to have the help of Vinnie Bell, who has some complicated home-made equipment attached to his guitar, operated by four foot-pedals; this enabled him to make a lot of the rustles, squeaks, rumbles and other inexplicable noises."

The album is a marked contrast to everything Mary Mayo has known right from birth - in a conservative Colonial-style house in Statesville, N.C. - through her upbringing, as a daughter of a concert soprano and an operatic tenor. Her own life in music, too, developed on a very different level. Irish songs, part of the family tradition, were her specialty, and a record of Molly Malone was her first big popular hit.

There is nothing illogical, though, in the radical new departure on these sides. Juilliard trained in voice, piano and theory, Mary has had every kind of experience in popular singing, from dance band work (with Tex Beneke) to theatres, supper clubs, television (with Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Jackie Gleason, Jack Paar and the late Ernie Kovacs) and recordings with Ray Conniff, Kirby Stone and innumerable others.

Married to the talented arranger-conductor Al Ham, who doubles as manager of Oscar Brown Jr., Mary is the mother of a six-year-old daughter and in recent years has confined her activity chiefly to work in and around New York.

"I've done singing commercials ad infinitum", she reports, "and enjoy doing them; you get to work with the finest studio musicians around. But making this album with Dick Hyman was a ball - and an exciting challenge. We'd worked together on a lot of other people's records and it was great to be working on our own.

"I've been so thrilled about the whole album idea - the girl from outer space, or love music two hundred years from now. And it was a special kick, after being associated lately with so many dates on which I just sang oohs and aahs and obligatos, to know that this time I was going to be able to use real words too!"

The basic personnel comprises Dick Hyman on Lowrey organ, AOC and piano; Nick Tagg on Lowrey organ, Hammond organ, AOC and piano; Vinnie Bell on -what shall we call it?- super-electric guitar; Bob (Rosie) Rosengarden on bongos, tambourine, Martinot, oscillator, door buzzer, etc.; Osie Johnson on regular drums; and Joe Benjamin on bass (replaced on the first, third and fourth tracks on Side 2 by Milt Hilton).»

Nicola Conte • Other Directions

Review by Thom Jurek

For those who became acquainted with Nicola Conte via his Bossa Per Due and Jet Sounds Revisited, Other Directions will come as a real surprise. Along with being a producer and DJ, Conte is a classically trained musician who is a multi-instrumentalist and a very accomplished arranger. His previous work in the acid jazz and electronic bossa movements could not have prepared listeners for this solid jazz and bossa nova set. Working with a tough, top-notch group of Italian jazz players -- the country's jazz scene has a built-in lyricism, whether in the vanguard realm or in the "tradition" that puts most American counterparts to shame in terms of swing -- Conte uses all but his DJ skills to create a musical tapestry that reflects the perfect meld of jazz and bossa that occurred in the early '60s while moving both musics forward with his sophisticated yet soulful and accessible arrangements. Till Bronner guests on "Sea and Sand," the disc's first cut, playing trumpet and singing in his plaintive, Chet Baker-derived style (he's a more proficient singer than his mentor). On "Wanin' Moon," Bembe Segue gets the vocal nod, but it's saxophonist Daniele Scannapieco and flugelhornist Fabrizio Bosso with their exotic yet bluesy solos that take the cake on the tune. The Afro-Brazilian rhythmics on "Nefertiti," (no relation to the Miles Davis tune) drive a wordless vocal and tight horn section that counters the intense polyrhythms as Bosso's trumpet takes the first break, wailing in the middle register with relatively few notes to capture the dark groove perfectly. Pierpaolo Bisogno's vibraphone keeps soloists and percussionists anchored in the groove. "A time for Spring" gently nods toward "Take Five," for its intro, before becoming a shimmering, pop-jazz nugget that combines bossa, cool, and post-bop. Truth be told, there isn't a dud in the bunch. The vibe is relaxed, the music open, even when complex -- check out "Dharma Bums" -- and the execution is precise and full of soulful, airy grooves. Bossa nova is the wheel on which everything turns here, and Conte knows how to shade and color his harmonics with texture and chromatic subtlety. This is a jazz record for folks who don't really like jazz, but jazz fans will be delighted by its many twists and turns, never forsaking vamps or lyricism for rhythm, while making rhythm a central tenet of each composition. This is a winner through and through. It's a shame it was only issued on Blue Note in Europe (the American label is largely clueless and is trying to score pop radio hits these days while issuing the same jazz records over and over). Other Directions is the perfect recording for American fans of fine jazz and bossa nova. It's hip, elegant, graceful, and smart.

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Revisión por Thom Jurek

Para aquellos que conocieron a Nicola Conte a través de su Bossa Per Due y Jet Sounds Revisited, Other Directions será una verdadera sorpresa. Además de ser productor y DJ, Conte es un músico de formación clásica que es un multi-instrumentista y un arreglista muy logrado. Su trabajo anterior en los movimientos de jazz ácido y bossa electrónica no podría haber preparado a los oyentes para este sólido conjunto de jazz y bossa nova. Trabajando con un grupo fuerte y de primera categoría de músicos de jazz italianos, la escena de jazz del país tiene un lirismo incorporado, ya sea en el ámbito de la vanguardia o en la "tradición" que avergüenza a la mayoría de las contrapartes estadounidenses en términos de swing. Conte utiliza todas sus habilidades, excepto las de DJ, para crear un tapiz musical que refleja la perfecta combinación de jazz y bossa que se produjo a principios de los años 60, al tiempo que movía ambas músicas hacia adelante con sus sofisticados pero conmovedores arreglos accesibles. Hasta los invitados de Bronner en "Sea and Sand", el primer corte del disco, tocando la trompeta y cantando en su estilo lastimero, derivado de Chet Baker (es un cantante más competente que su mentor). En "Wanin 'Moon", Bembe Segue recibe el guiño vocal, pero se trata del saxofonista Daniele Scannapieco y del flugelhornista Fabrizio Bosso, con sus solos exóticos pero de blues que hacen que la torta se ponga a tono. Las rítmicas afro-brasileñas en "Nefertiti" (sin relación con la melodía de Miles Davis) conducen una sección vocal sin palabras y una trompa estrecha que contrarresta los polirritmos intensos cuando la trompeta de Bosso toma el primer salto, que se lamenta en el registro central con relativamente pocas notas. capturar el surco oscuro perfectamente. El vibráfono de Pierpaolo Bisogno mantiene a los solistas y percusionistas anclados en el ritmo. "A time for Spring" asiente suavemente hacia "Take Five", por su introducción, antes de convertirse en un nugget brillante de pop-jazz que combina bossa, cool y post-bop. La verdad sea dicha, no hay un error en el grupo. El ambiente es relajado, la música abierta, incluso cuando es compleja, echa un vistazo a "Dharma Bums", y la ejecución es precisa y llena de emocionantes y aireados surcos. Bossa nova es la rueda en la que todo gira aquí, y Conte sabe cómo sombrear y colorear sus armónicos con textura y sutileza cromática. Este es un disco de jazz para las personas a las que no les gusta mucho el jazz, pero los fanáticos del jazz estarán encantados con sus muchos giros y vueltas, sin dejar de lado los vampiros o el lirismo por el ritmo, al tiempo que hacen del ritmo un principio central de cada composición. Este es un ganador a través y por medio. Es una pena que solo se emitiera en Blue Note en Europa (el sello estadounidense no tiene ni idea y está intentando marcar éxitos de la radio pop en estos días mientras emite los mismos discos de jazz una y otra vez). Other Directions es la grabación perfecta para los fanáticos estadounidenses del jazz fino y la bossa nova. Es moderno, elegante, elegante e inteligente.

 

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Roberto Conrado - Piero Montanari - Amedeo Minghi • Climax

 

First reissue ever of one of the holy grail of the amazing Italian library music Octopus. Originally released in 1963, Climax is a killer studio session featuring Amedeo Minghi (vocals), Piero Montanari (bass) and Roberto Conrado (drums). An incredible collection of psych jazz funk tunes with crazy moog sounds, violent drums and deep bass.

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 Traducción Automática:

La primera reedición de uno de los santos griales de la increíble biblioteca italiana de música Octopus. Lanzado originalmente en 1963, Climax es una sesión de estudio asesina con Amedeo Minghi (voz), Piero Montanari (bajo) y Roberto Conrado (batería). Una increíble colección de melodías de funky psicológico con locos sonidos de moog, tambores violentos y bajos profundos.

Nicola Conte And His Group • Sketches Of Samba

This work offers two reinterpretations of classics of the ’60, which are not included in the album: “Groovy Samba”, released on the album Cannonball’s Bossa Nova (1962, Riverside Music), by Julian Cannonball Adderley with the Bossa Rio Sextet led by Sergio Mendez, who is the author of the piece. “Solo” is an evident tribute to Joao Theodoro Mereilles, another notable South American instrumentalist died June of this year. The last two tracks are alternative versions of the those included in Rituals and composed by Nicola Conte: "The Nubian Queens (Samba Version)", performed by the young up-and-coming singer José James and "Paper Clouds (Uptempo Version)", embellished with the persuasive voice of Kim Sanders.

 

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Este trabajo ofrece dos reinterpretaciones de clásicos de los 60, que no están incluidas en el álbum: "Groovy Samba", publicada en el álbum Cannonball's Bossa Nova (1962, Riverside Music), de Julian Cannonball Adderley con el Sexteto Bossa Río, dirigido por Sergio Méndez, que es el autor de la pieza. "Solo" es un evidente homenaje a Joao Theodoro Mereilles, otro notable instrumentista sudamericano fallecido en junio de este año. Los dos últimos temas son versiones alternativas de las incluidas en Rituals y compuestas por Nicola Conte: "The Nubian Queens (Samba Version)", interpretada por la joven promesa José James y "Paper Clouds (Uptempo Version)", adornada con la persuasiva voz de Kim Sanders.

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Low Fidelity Jet Set Orchestra • Studio Works

Formed by Dave Masoch and Paolo “Apollo” Negri, Low Fidelity Jet-Set Orchestra are the other side of Modulo 5. Beginning with Modulo 5’s nu-jazz and cinematic core, Low Fidelity Jet-Set Orchestra dive aggressively into vintage sound with deep funk roots, bossa-nova excursions, and an overdose of Hammond stabs, licks, chops and grooves.

The first single was released for the american label Hammondbeat in September 2007 as a limited edition 45 called “Bahia Soul” b/w “Jazz Rocker”. Two exclusives that set the foundation for this happening new project: cool vintage bossa sounds swirling with jazz, hard funk and Hammond grooves…tasty? Tasty!

Following the first seccessful single there have been a full lenght album called “Searching For A Bit Of Popularity” in 2008, a second 45 called “Danger Boogaloo” b/w “Wasabi Sauce” in 2009 (both released by Hammondbeat) and other two full lenght called “Studio Works” (2009) and “Touring The Digital Zoo” (2012), both released by Irma Records.

To celebrate the 10 years of the first studio album, Tanzan Music proudly presents the Deluxe Edition of “Searching For A Bit Of Popularity”, featuring the 4 songs relesed only on 45 as bonus remastered tracks and a brand new artwork. A collection of 15 heartbeat-skipping, soul-bending, mind-altering elixirs for the brand-new you.

https://label.tanzanmusic.com/portfolio-items/low-fidelity-jet-set-orchestra/

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Formada por Dave Masoch y Paolo "Apolo" Negri, la Low Fidelity Jet-Set Orchestra es el otro lado del Módulo 5. Comenzando con el nu-jazz y el núcleo cinematográfico de Módulo 5, la Low Fidelity Jet-Set Orchestra se sumerge agresivamente en el sonido vintage con profundas raíces funk, excursiones de bossa-nova y una sobredosis de puñaladas, lametazos, chuletas y surcos de Hammond.

El primer sencillo fue lanzado para el sello americano Hammondbeat en septiembre de 2007 como una edición limitada de 45, llamada "Bahia Soul" b/n "Jazz Rocker". Dos exclusivas que sentaron las bases para este nuevo proyecto: sonidos vintage de bossa que giran en torno al jazz, el hard funk y los grooves de Hammond... ¿gustosos? ¡Sabroso!

Tras el primer single, se ha publicado un álbum de larga duración llamado "Searching For A Bit Of Popularity" en 2008, un segundo 45 llamado "Danger Boogaloo" b/n "Wasabi Sauce" en 2009 (ambos publicados por Hammondbeat) y otros dos de larga duración llamados "Studio Works" (2009) y "Touring The Digital Zoo" (2012), ambos publicados por Irma Records.

Para celebrar los 10 años del primer álbum de estudio, Tanzan Music se enorgullece en presentar la edición de lujo de "Searching For A Bit Of Popularity", que incluye las 4 canciones que sólo se han publicado en 45 como canciones remasterizadas y un nuevo material gráfico. Una colección de 15 elixires que saltan los latidos del corazón, alucinan y alteran la mente para el nuevo tú.

https://label.tanzanmusic.com/portfolio-items/low-fidelity-jet-set-orchestra/

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Nicola Conte • Bossa Per Due

Review by Nicholas Gordon

Italian arranger, producer, DJ, musician, and general purveyor of acid jazz and bossa for the Scema label and the Fez movement, Nicola Conte's Bossa Per Due full-length for the American Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL) label takes a much needed step in revitalizing a stagnant stateside genre. A classically trained musician, Conte has worked on several notable projects including recordings by Paolo Achenza Trio, Fez Combo, Intensive Jazz Sextet, and Balanco, where his touch, ear, and stamp of approval have propelled these projects to underground acclaim. The record works through 12 tracks of developing cool, loungy atmosphere on a foundation of steady grooving rhythms evolving from cold bossa on the stellar title track, "Bossa Per Due," and "Jet Sounds," to acid-funk breaks on the sitar/tabla-complimented "Dossier Omega," to essential samba on "The In Samba," to swinging jazz on "Jazz Pour Dadine." Regardless of the style Conte takes on and turns out with his signature sound, he produces each sample, vocal, or beat in a way that creates a punchy and vital musical environment that never ceases to strut its suave sexiness. Released in the U.S. by ESL, most notable for the Thievery Corporation, this record is sure to become a genre classic!

 

 

Biography

Italian DJ/producer Nicola Conte's loungey brand of acid jazz relies extensively on bossa nova, but is also heavily influenced by the swinging soundtracks of Italian films in the '60s and '70s, plus touches of ethnic music and easy listening kitsch reminiscent of Japan's Pizzicato Five. That said, his career trajectory has also seen him delve deeply into jazz as a guitarist, composer, and arranger, leading bands comprised of superstars, playing music that touches on '60s Brazilian traditions, '70s spiritual jazz, and even modal post-bop. He is also a curator and has released numerous volumes in his Viagem series, which compiles rare tracks from many international musical traditions in thematic collections.

Part of the loose-knit Fez collective of artsy acid jazz revivalists centered in the Italian town of Bari, Conte was a classically trained musician who moved into production and DJ'ing, working with artists like the Paolo Achenza Trio, the Fez Combo, Balanco, Quintetto X, and the Intensive Jazz Sextet. Conte also masterminded the Schema label, which gave many of those artists a home and cultivated a trademark, distinctly Italian approach to acid jazz. As for his own recording career, Conte scored an underground hit with his first single, "Bossa per Due," which appeared on a variety of compilations and was licensed in the U.S. for an Acura commercial. Conte's first album to be released in America was also titled Bossa per Due, a slightly reconfigured version of the Italian Jet Sounds; it appeared on Thievery Corporation's ESL (Eighteenth Street Lounge) label in the summer of 2001. The remix album Jet Sounds Revisited followed in late 2002. Two years later, Conte bowed on Blue Note's French subsidiary with an assured jazz date, Other Directions. Quiet Stars and a slew of singles followed before Conte would return with Viagem, his curated selection of classic Brazilian recordings in 2008, followed by four more volumes between 2009 and 2013. These were followed by a two-CD set of electronic recordings entitled The Modern Sound of Nicola Conte: Versions in Jazz Dub in early 2009.

That same year, Conte explored Latin jazz, Brazilian pop, and John Coltrane's early sense of experiments as inspirations for Rituals, an exotic, wide-ranging jazz album that featured five different vocalists. The use of singers was expanded to eight on 2011's Love & Revolution, an exercise in European pop, jazz balladry, and Eastern-tinged and modal jazz that included performances by Jose James, Gregory Porter, Melanie Charles, and Ghalia Benali, and was followed by the Brazilian-themed EP Sketches of Samba in 2013.

Conte forged ahead in his explorations, wedding deep modal and spiritual jazz to sophisticated pop. This resulted in Free Souls in the spring of 2014, an album that once again utilized vocalists -- including James and Charles -- and was comprised of expansive originals and standards, including tunes by Ahmad Jamal and Hoagy Carmichael. In the '90s, Conte had worked with vocalist Stefania Dipierro in a band called Fez. They reprised their partnership for 2016's Natural, a program of originals, jazz standards, and bossa/samba classics. Conte wrote some of the original tunes, produced the album, and played guitar, while Dipierro wrote others and sang in the company of a Conte-assembled band that included some of Italy's finest jazz musicians, including trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso and saxist/flutist Gaetano Partipilo. After touring the record, the pair went their separate ways with the intention of working together again in the future. Conte issued a pair of collaborative singles with Gianluca Petrella: "African Spirits"/"New World Shuffle" in December of 2017, and "Sun Song b/w "Nigeria" in the late winter of 2018. He was also the subject of the Schema compilation The Modern Sounds of Nicola Conte: Versions in Jazz-Dub. In May, Conte issued the full-length Let Your Light Shine with an international all-star cast of jazz and world music musicians under the umbrella Nicola Conte & Spiritual Galaxy. They included vocalists Bridgette Amofah, Zara McFarlane, Carolina Bubbico, and Zoe Modica, and instrumentalists Logan Richardson on alto sax, Magnus Lindgren on tenor and flute, Theo Croker on trumpet, Pietro Lussu on keyboards, and Gianluca Petrella on trombone and Moog.

by Steve Huey

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nicola-conte-mn0000869631/biography

 

Biografía

La marca loungey de acid jazz del DJ/productor italiano Nicola Conte se basa en gran medida en la bossa nova, pero también está muy influenciada por las bandas sonoras de las películas italianas de los años 60 y 70, además de toques de música étnica y kitsch de fácil escucha que recuerdan al Pizzicato Five de Japón. Dicho esto, su trayectoria profesional también lo ha llevado a profundizar en el jazz como guitarrista, compositor y arreglista, liderando bandas compuestas por superestrellas, tocando música que toca las tradiciones brasileñas de los 60, el jazz espiritual de los 70, e incluso el post-bop modal. También es curador y ha publicado numerosos volúmenes en su serie Viagem, que recopila en colecciones temáticas temas raros de muchas tradiciones musicales internacionales.

Parte del colectivo de Fez de renacimiento del acid jazz artístico centrado en la ciudad italiana de Bari, Conte fue un músico de formación clásica que se dedicó a la producción y al DJ, trabajando con artistas como el Paolo Achenza Trio, el Fez Combo, Balanco, Quinteto X y el Sexteto de Jazz Intensivo. Conte también fue el cerebro del sello Schema, que dio a muchos de esos artistas un hogar y cultivó una marca registrada, un enfoque claramente italiano del acid jazz. En cuanto a su propia carrera discográfica, Conte consiguió un éxito underground con su primer single, "Bossa per Due", que apareció en varias recopilaciones y fue licenciado en los EE.UU. para un anuncio de Acura. El primer álbum de Conte que se lanzó en América también se tituló "Bossa per Due", una versión ligeramente reconfigurada de los Jet Sounds italianos; apareció en el sello ESL (Eighteenth Street Lounge) de Thievery Corporation en el verano de 2001. El álbum de remezclas Jet Sounds Revisited siguió a finales de 2002. Dos años más tarde, Conte se inclinó ante la filial francesa de Blue Note con una cita de jazz asegurada, Other Directions. Siguieron Quiet Stars y una serie de singles antes de que Conte volviera con Viagem, su selección curada de grabaciones clásicas brasileñas en 2008, seguida de cuatro volúmenes más entre 2009 y 2013. Estas fueron seguidas por un conjunto de grabaciones electrónicas en dos CDs titulado The Modern Sound of Nicola Conte: Versiones en Jazz Dub a principios de 2009.

Ese mismo año, Conte exploró el jazz latino, el pop brasileño y el sentido temprano de los experimentos de John Coltrane como inspiración para Rituals, un álbum de jazz exótico y de gran alcance que incluía cinco vocalistas diferentes. El uso de cantantes se amplió a ocho en Love & Revolution de 2011, un ejercicio de pop europeo, balada de jazz y jazz oriental y modal que incluía actuaciones de Jose James, Gregory Porter, Melanie Charles y Ghalia Benali, y fue seguido por el EP Sketches of Samba de temática brasileña en 2013.

Conte avanzó en sus exploraciones, uniendo el profundo jazz modal y espiritual con el pop sofisticado. Esto dio como resultado Free Souls en la primavera de 2014, un álbum que una vez más utilizó vocalistas - incluyendo a James y Charles - y estaba compuesto por amplios originales y estándares, incluyendo temas de Ahmad Jamal y Hoagy Carmichael. En los 90, Conte había trabajado con la vocalista Stefania Dipierro en una banda llamada Fez. Reiteraron su asociación para el programa Natural de 2016, un programa de originales, estándares de jazz y clásicos de bossa/samba. Conte escribió algunos de los temas originales, produjo el álbum y tocó la guitarra, mientras que Dipierro escribió otros y cantó en compañía de una banda montada por Conte que incluía a algunos de los mejores músicos de jazz de Italia, entre ellos el trompetista Fabrizio Bosso y el saxofonista/fluyente Gaetano Partipilo. Después de la gira del disco, la pareja tomó caminos separados con la intención de trabajar juntos de nuevo en el futuro. Conte publicó un par de sencillos en colaboración con Gianluca Petrella: "African Spirits"/"New World Shuffle" en diciembre de 2017, y "Sun Song b/n "Nigeria" a finales del invierno de 2018. También fue objeto de la compilación del esquema "The Modern Sounds of Nicola Conte": Versiones en Jazz-Dub. En mayo, Conte publicó el largometraje Let Your Light Shine con un elenco internacional de músicos de jazz y de música del mundo bajo el paraguas de Nicola Conte & Spiritual Galaxy. Entre ellos se encontraban los vocalistas Bridgette Amofah, Zara McFarlane, Carolina Bubbico y Zoe Modica, y los instrumentistas Logan Richardson en saxo alto, Magnus Lindgren en tenor y flauta, Theo Croker en trompeta, Pietro Lussu en teclados y Gianluca Petrella en trombón y Moog.

por Steve Huey

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nicola-conte-mn0000869631/biography

Reseña de Nicholas Gordon

Arreglista, productor, DJ, músico y proveedor general de acid jazz y bossa para el sello Scema y el movimiento Fez, el largometraje Bossa Per Due de Nicola Conte para el sello American Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL) da un paso muy necesario para revitalizar un género estadounidense estancado. Músico de formación clásica, Conte ha trabajado en varios proyectos notables, incluyendo grabaciones de Paolo Achenza Trio, Fez Combo, Intensive Jazz Sextet, y Balanco, donde su toque, su oído y su sello de aprobación han impulsado estos proyectos a la aclamación underground. El disco se desarrolla a través de 12 pistas de desarrollo de una atmósfera fresca y relajada sobre una base de ritmos de ritmo constante que evolucionan desde la bossa fría en el estelar tema del título, "Bossa Per Due", y "Jet Sounds", a las rupturas de acid-funk en el "Dossier Omega", complementado con tablas, a la samba esencial en "The In Samba", al jazz de swing en "Jazz Pour Dadine". Independientemente del estilo que Conte adopte y resulte con su sonido característico, produce cada muestra, vocal o ritmo de manera que crea un ambiente musical impactante y vital que nunca deja de pavonearse con su suave sensualidad. Lanzado en los EE.UU. por ESL, más notable para la Corporación Thievery, este disco se convertirá en un clásico del género!

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