Standhard3io & Silvia Donati | Cocktail Saturno | El Gallo Rojo Records

A new and subversive drink against the summer that makes inexorable and hot….. You, drink Cocktail Saturno! Raise the glasses! Toast! The blue color and intense flavor will take you into a cosmic and interstellar travel to enjoy very close the galaxy of a changing and amending flavour, like a chameleon. A standard trio (right and duty quote) + voice that accompanies you in the jazz universe, without the fear of displacement, to and caress the ears (and heart) of the listener to often engaging sounds, sometimes hard (think a certain punk idea), which tend to open and be admired. To listen in several hours of the day … Martino Fedrigoli Continue reading

Zeno de Rossi Shtik | The Manne I Love! Vol.1 & 2 | El Gallo Rojo Records

De Rossi’s take on Manne is reminiscent of John Zorn’s tribute to Ennio Morricone on The Big Gundown (Nonesuch, 1986), where the Downtown saxophonist/composer combined various musicians to salute the spirit of the noted film composer. Like Zorn, De Rossi chooses not to adhere to strict covers remakes, employing Daniele D’Agaro and Francesco Bigoni, on his cover of Sonny Rollins’ trio session, Way Out West (OJC, 1957), as a two-tenor saxophone conversation, under which he applies his deft beats. Throughout the set, De Rossi’s passionate playing is the constant—like Manne, always swinging and tasteful. […] Throughout, De Rossi delivers a drum clinic. Accenting, driving, and swinging the tribute, he makes you want to dig in, dig? — Mark Corroto, All About Jazz – 21.12.2010 Continue reading

Pepe Medri & Timbuctu Orkestra | Fernando | El Gallo Rojo Records

A good artistic fellowship needs lucky encounters and a balance of personalities that is often hard to reach. I can tell that Pepe Medri’s Timbuctù Orkestra has these features. The credit is to give to Pepe’s music, which comes from tango and folk music and trusts to the collective arrangement of an ensemble made from musicians coming from jazz and contemporary classical music. The balance produced, between folk roots and free-improvised areas, strictness and naïvety, is real magic. — Dimitri Sillato Continue reading

The Kris Wanders Outfit | In Remembrance of the Human Race | Not Two Records

Some of the musicians that were associated with Kris Wanders over the years he has been active, playing free form jazz and improvised music, include the following: Charles Hurdak (tp Hungary) Willem Breuker (reeds NL) Peter Brötzmann (reeds Germany) Claude Deron (tp Belgium) Alexander von Schlippenbach (pi Germany Globe Unity Orchestra in 1966/1967.) Fred van Hove (pi Belgium) Kees Hazevoet (pi NL) Arjen Gorter (Bass Nl) Louis Moholo (Drums, South Africa) Willem Van Manen (tb NL), Peter Kowald (bass Germany) Stu Martin (drums USA) Han Bennink (Drums NL). Nicole vanden Plas (piano Belgium) Jan vanden Plas (cello Belgium) Radu Malfatti (Tb Austria), Gunther Hampel (vib Germany), Irene Schweitzer (pi Swiss), Paul Lovens(drums Germany), Michel Pilz(bscl Luxembourg), Edgar Bateman (drums USA) Mani Neumeier (Drums Swiss), Maartin Van Duynhoven (drums NL), Mongezi Feza (tp (South Africa) Calyer Duncan (drums USA) Joost Buis (tb NL) Felicity Provan (tp NL) Nico Schauble (drums Germany) Gerd Dudek (ts Germany) Manfred Schoof (tp Germany), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb Germany), Buschi Niebergall (bass Germany), Sven-Åke Johansson (drums Sweden) Johannes Bauer (tb Germany) & more. Continue reading

The Resonance Ensemble | Kafka In Flight | Not Two Records

Magnus Broo – trumpet (Stockholm) | Michael Zerang – drums (Chicago) | Ken Vandermark – tenor saxophone, Bb clarinet (Chicago) | Mikolaj Trzaska – alto saxophone, bass clarinet (Gdansk) | Mark Tokar – bass (Kiev) | Steve Swell – trombone (New York) | Dave Rempis – alto & tenor saxophones (Chicago) | Per-Âke Holmlander – tuba (Stockholm) | Tim Daisy> – drums (Chicago) | Waclaw Zimpel – Bb & bass clarinet, taragato (Warsaw). All compositions by Ken Vandermark (Twenty First Mobile Music / ASCAP). Recorded in concert at the Philharmonic Hall, Gdansk, Poland, by Piotr Traszkiewicz on October 31, 2009. Mixed by Bob Weston and Ken Vandermark at Chicago Mastering Service. Cover design by Marek Wajda. Thanks to the musicians, Marek Winiarski, Marek Wajda, Ola Trzaska (who made the concert in Gdanks possible), the presenters who took a chance on the band (except for the organizer in Szekesfehervar, who never paid us), and of course – the listeners. Continue reading

Vandermak 5 Special Edition | The Horse Jumps & The Ship Is Gone | Not Two Records

This 2-CD’s set documents an expanded Vandermark 5 at Chicago’s Green Mill club in June of 2009. The quintet is assisted by Scandinavian stalwarts Magnus Broo (trumpet) and Håvard Wiik (piano), both members of Atomic who previously worked with several members of the Chicago outfit. The album once again proves that the Vandermark catalogue for this band is an awe-inspiring work-in-progress. Using several songs from ‘Annular Gift’ (Not Two, 2009) as a foundation, leader Ken Vandermark augmented his compositions, rewriting passages and rethinking their structures to fit this seven-piece Special Edition. The result is a striking balance of tight interplay, free excursions and anything in between. The album includes recent compositions, returns to ‘A Discontinuous Line’ and ‘Beat Reader’ (with a marvellous version of “Friction”), contains one new composition (“Nameless”) and two pieces composed by the guests: Broo’s “New Weather” and Wiik’s “Green Mill Tilter”. ‘The Horse Jumps And The Ship Is Gone’ is another strong V5-release, that not only confirms Vandermark’s reputation as one of the hardest working men in the business, but also the band’s telepathic interplay and adventurous spirit. — Instantjazz Blog Continue reading

Michael Marcus | Lenwood Turner | John Austria | Rashaan Carter | Clifford Barbaro | Darrell Green | Emannuel Harrold | Jay Rosen | Russell Carter | For Yes! | Not Two Records

Michael Marcus – Bb clarinet | Lenwood Turner – trumpet | John Austria – Rhodes piano (#1,2,5,6,8,9) | Rashaan Carter – bass | Clifford Barbaro – drums (#8) | Darrell Green – drums (#5) | Emanuel Harrold – drums (#3) | Jay Rosen – drums (#2,4,6,7) | Russell Carter – drums (#1,9). All compositions by Michael Marcus – Marmisun Publ. – ASCAP. Recorded and edited in New York City in May-June-July 2010 at Soulsounds Studios. Mastered by Christian Ravaglioli at Molino Ballardini Studio, Italy. Produced by Michael Marcus and Rashaan Carter. Executive producer: Marek Winiarski for Not Two Records. Art design: Marmisun Productions. Special thanks to all the artists who participated in this unique and special musical communion…To Marek Winiarski of Not Two Records for continuing to believe in my visions…A special, special thanks to my friend Rashaan Carter for collaborating with me to make this art piece a reality. — Michael Marcus, July 2010 Continue reading