JAZZ JUNCTION

Norman Warwick hears rumours down at

JAZZ JUNCTION

where the world revolves and music evolves

All the scene news that is the news whispers and echoes down at Jazz Junction, where the sidetracks and detours meet and rumours rumble through every nook and cranny.

On our last visit we heard ASJ Announce the name of their new Executive Director: The International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ) recently announced the appointment of arranger, composer, conductor and educator Ed Partyka as its new Executive Director, effective January 1, 2025. Initiated 35 years ago by Dave Liebman, the IASJ is a preeminent global network of 70 member schools and affiliates, dedicated to advancing jazz performance, education, and scholarly research.

Dancing Cat Records has announced the August 30 release of the first in a series of posthumous albums by the great solo pianist George Wilson, who passed away in June 2023 after a ten-year battle with cancer. Eastern Montana will feature a 14-track program comprising ten new original compositions by Wilson and four covers. The first single from Eastern Montana is “Dusk at the Fork in the Road.”

John Beasley has been appointed President of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers. He will succeed co-founder Chuck Owen. “I’m most excited to bond and exchange ideas with our current and new members across the globe to help each other further our personal and collective artistic growth, which ultimately furthers the art of arranging and composing,” says Beasley in an official statement. ISJAC is a community-centered organization that offers much love and support to composers in a nurturing and positive environment.

On August 30, Concord Jazz will release Trilogy, a limited edition 8-LP deluxe set of live music by the Chick Corea Trio, (left) featuring Chick Corea alongside Brian Blade and Christian McBride, on vinyl for the first time. Featuring remastered versions of Trilogy (2013) and Trilogy 2 (2019), the material spans a range of inspirations, from American Songbook Standards to jazz classics and milestones from Corea’s repertoire. The set comes with a 32-page book of exclusive photos and essays, and will also be available digitally and as a 5-CD set.

Lee Mendelson Film Productions has announced the first-ever release of the complete Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for You´re Not Elected, Charlie Brown, the eighth animated Peanuts special, which originally aired on October 29, 1972. Available from September 6 on vinyl, CD and digital streaming platforms, all versions of the album include the original 16 recordings comprising the song cues of the special, with previously unavailable extended performances, plus another nine bonus or alternative tracks.

Usually it is confirmation of new release albums etc that is the most eagerly awaited by fans of jazz.

Searching is the first new album by Staples Jr. Singers, the family gospel trio of siblings Edward Brown, R.C. Brown and Annie Brown Caldwell, in nearly 50 years. Following Luaka Bop’s reissue of their 1975 debut, When Do We Get Paid, Searching was recorded live over two evenings in October 2023 from a single-room church in West Point, Mississippi, and finds the family playing songs they had written nearly 50 years before, with all three original members taking turns singing lead.

Harbour, saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen’s third album with her Montreal-based jazz orchestra, captures over a decade of her composition and commission, with improvisations from her sister, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, infused throughout. Other soloists included on the record are Gary Versace on piano, Chet Doxas on tenor saxophone, Jon Wikans on drums and Steve Raegele on guitar.

Cellist Erik Friedlander delves into the seldom connection between the disciplined artistry of music and the physicality of combat sports in his latest album, Dirty Boxing. The record features Friedlander and his group, The Throw, including Uri Caine, Mark Helias, and Ches Smith, blending intensity, grace and a touch of the fighting spirit through powerful performances.

On My Prophet, saxophonist Oded Tzur continues to forge a singular path, combining inflections of jazz, classical and more left-field inspirations while delving deeper into profound improvisation. Backed by his quartet with pianist Nitai Hershkovits, bassist Petros Klampanis, and newcomer Cyrano Almeida on drums, the album presents five expansive compositions alongside a brief introductory piece.

Of course, live performances are also eagerly anticipated by most fans, too. So, if you are among their number here are some dates for your diary.

The World Music Institute, celebrating its 39 years in New York City, has announced its roster of artists and shows for its 2024/25 Fall-Winter Season. The season kicks off on August 16 with a free show featuring the U.S. debut of Ghana’s Gyedu-Blay Ambolley with opening act Natu Camara. Other highlights include Sofia Rei’s collaboration with Gabi Moreno, Xenia Rubinos, Daymé Arocena, Mireya Ramos, Charo Bogarín, and Juana Luna on Folk & Futrism, the return of Marc Ribot’s Cubanos Postizos and a 90th birthday celebration of South African jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim.

Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute will present seven Well-Being Concerts, hour-long concert experiences combining elements of mindfulness with performance, throughout its 2024/25 season. Beginning on November 17 with vocalist Camila Meza, the program will also include concert performances by Joshua Roman, Omas Sosa and Seckou Keita, and more.

Ghost-Note, led by Snarky Puppy’s duo of drummer-keyboardist Robert “Sput” Searight and percussionist Nate Werth played at New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club from August 5-7. Ghost-Note’s latest album,

Mustard n´Onions, their first in six years, was released on April 19 on Artistry/Mack Avenue and we included it in our list of ten new jazz albums released in April 2024 that you need to know about.

acknowledgement:

The prime sources for this article include Jazziz on line.

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