Author: New Artists Records

Carol Liebowitz | Andy Fite | Time On My Hands | NA1029

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I’m not sure what most senior citizens would make of Carol Liebowitz’s renditions of the music of their lives. Liebowitz, with musical partner Andy Fite on guitar, takes this clutch of standards and twists and winds them into new shapes. What distinguishes her approach is her reverence for the words of the songs and high handedness with everything else. From the first chorus she bends the lyrics through her sweeping, melismatic improvisations. The impression is that Liebowitz is improvising the lyrics. This gives the poetry an urgent edge. I found myself hearing the lyrics afresh.“Love Me or Leave Me” is emotionally wrenching in a way I’ve never heard it. —David Dupont, Cadence Continue reading →

Andy Fite | Solo Guitar | Whirlwind | NA1022

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Andy Fite is a jazz guitarist, singer, and songwriter living in Stockholm, Sweden since 1994. Before that he lived in New York City for ten years. Already in his hometown of Pittsburgh Andy had the good luck to perform with most of the top local musicians, as well as with such illustrious visitors as Kenny Clarke, Billy Eckstine, Attila Zoller, Bucky Pizzarelli and Tal Farlow. Not to mention the Inkspots, the Four Aces, the Lettermen and Pia Zadora. Arriving in New York in the mid-1980s, Andy began an intensive study of improvisation with pianist Connie Crothers, and very soon the insights he gained there led to a great breakthrough and an original style. Soon he was playing regularly with a number of close friends of the late pianist Lennie Tristano, a big hero and great source of inspiration in Andy’s music. Continue reading →

Richard Tabnik Quartet | Life at the Core | NA1016

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The songs on this album are not tunes which you are likely to start singing in the shower. More likely you will be stuck contemplating what it is about these songs that is so engaging. The elements presented could easily be a standard jazz recording session, but as soon as the first notes well-up you are immediately informed that you are in for a wild ride. The strumming and linear stylings of guitarist Andy Fite combined with the driving rhythm provided by bassist Calvin Hill and drummer-extraordinaire Roger Mancuso provide the perfect background for Tabnik’s lightening-fast improvisations. Tabnik reaches into this foundation to pull interesting and tasty pieces out which he uses to shape and create his solos out of. This is especially apparent in the two takes of Tabnik’s tune “Timescapes” (cuts 6 and 7). Listen for the interplay between Fite and Tabnik as they wind through the changes. Richard Tabnik is someone that you should definately check out. This is an artist who is not afraid to be himself. — Review (c)1996 Jason DuMars Continue reading →

Liz Gorrill | Solo Piano | For the Beauty of the Earth | NA1030

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After a stark, brooding deconstruction of Irving Berlin’s “How Deep Is The Ocean,” Liz Gorrill goes on to createa startling solo piano record that explores territoryhovering somewhere between Paul Bley and Ran Blake. Certainly there’s a classical touch and strong feel offormal rigor about her playing that ranges from the Satie-like repetitions of “Secrets Start Singing” to thefugue-like romp of “Two Hands Made Of Sun,” a startling performance that made me smile as it conjuredup a further point of reference: Lennie Tristano. From impressionist miniatures like “Shaken Out In Thunder”and “The Stormy Wind” to sustained meditations like“Gardens Dying, Blossoming,” Gorrill explores anadventurous program that is simply exquisite. — David Lewis, Cadence, January 1999 Continue reading →