These are videos that I like

Dec 2 2015

These are videos that I like: Matthew Halsall & The Gondwana Orchestra – “Into Forever”

 

Matthew Halsall - "Into Forever"Today’s featured video is a promo for the new album by trumpeter Matthew Halsall, Into Forever… one of this week’s This Is Jazz Today recommendations.

The title track features the vocals of Josephine Oniyama.  Enjoyable song, and, hey, I’m a sucker for the video’s pretty lights.  There’s something very simple about this video’s production, and gives the impression of some real thoughtfulness invested in it.  Tasteful and fun.

This song doesn’t include the entire Gondwana Orchestra (a variety of strings and percussion sit this track out), but this is anything but an oddball track.  What you hear in this video is what you’re gonna get on the whole album.  Be sure to check it out.

Your video personnel:  Matthew Halsall (trumpet), Josephine Oniyama (voice), Lisa Mallett (flute), Rachael Gladwin (harp), Keiko Kitamura (koto), Taz Modi (piano), Gavin Barras (bass), Luke Flowers (drums) and Sam Bell (percussion).

 

And be sure to check out the most recent edition of This Is Jazz Today, featuring the album Into Forever.

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Nov 18 2015

These are videos that I like: Llop – “Ner6ens”

 

Llop - "Lampke"Today’s featured video is the song “Ner6ens” from the trio Llop‘s new album, Lampke.  It’s a simple video, but enchanting.  And it also shows that you don’t have to have a ton of effects and tech and film background to put together your own effective, nifty music video.

As I wrote in an earlier recommendation, a metamorphosis occurs, of old country folk songs transforming into modern pop with heavy indie sensibilities.  It’s an elusive change, and it rarely keeps the same face for very long before the next transformation, but there always exists a common thread of simple tunefulness and an agreeable randomness of expression.  Another nice release on the El Negocito Records label.

You can read the write-up in its entirety by following this LINK.

Your video personnel:  Erik Bogaerts (saxophone), Benjamin Sauzereau (guitar) and Jens Bouttery (drums, electronics).

 

Listen to more of the album at the label’s Bandcamp page.

Available at:  Bandcamp | CDBaby | Amazon

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Nov 15 2015

These are videos that I like: Gilad Hekselman – “Last Train Home”

 

Gilad Hekselman "Last Train Home"Today’s featured video is way cool for two reasons:  One, it’s a nifty performance by Gilad Hekselman of Pat Metheny’s “Last Train Home,” a song that is included on Hekselman’s latest release, Homes.  If you haven’t checked out the recommendation of that recording yet, then, by all means, follow THIS LINK to the write-up.

The other reason I’m enamored with this video is that it’s shot with a 360° panoramic effect.  So, when the band makes its way to the rooftop to continue the performance, you can use the interactive feature in the top left corner of the screen and have the view swivel around and see the city landscape and horizon of his Crown Heights, Brooklyn neighborhood.  I can’t figure out why it isn’t already a law that all music videos use this feature, but whatever the reason, it’s an egregious oversight.  Someone needs to rectify this situation, probably at the cabinet level.  The Secretary of Music Videos has dropped the ball on this one.

But enough of my daily stand-up routine.  Let’s get you to that video.

Your video personnel:  Gilad Hekselman (guitar), Sam Anning (guitar, bass), Rogerio Boccato (percussion) and Kush Abadey (drums).  And special recognition to the videographer Simon Yu.

 

Have a great lazy Sunday.

I’ll be posting another music recommendation later today.

Cheers.

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Sep 12 2015

These are videos that I like: Erik Jekabson String-tet at the Red Poppy

 

Today’s featured video is from trumpeter Erik Jekabson performing the song “Umm-Bop” at a December 2012 appearance at San Francisco’s Red Poppy Arthouse.  The song fades before it ends, which is disappointing, but it’s still an excellent video and I’m featuring it because, one, I really think Jekabson and strings really snap into place and my enjoyment of that combo never ends, and, two, I love a video that shows gallery & museum art on display at the same time the music is playing.

Erik Jekabson - "Anti-Mass"It’s a theme very much in line with Jekabson’s excellent 2012 release Anti-Mass, an album that rated as one of the top albums of the year on this site’s Best of 2012 list.  Jekabson and strings are very prominent on this recording that utilizes works of art as a thematic device.  It’s an album that I still return to, and this is coming from a guy with a pretty busy listening schedule.

Electric Squeezebox Orchestra - "Cheap Rent"It’s also worth noting that another Jekabson project has just released a new recording.  His Electric Squeezebox Orchestra was mentioned recently in a This Is Jazz Today column for their 2015 recording Cheap Rent.  It’s a different sound that Anti-Mass, which is just fine, since it’ll let you see another facet of Jekabson’s creative vision, and, well, it’s nice to experience an album on its own terms and not necessarily in how it compares to another recording.

Be sure to check out both recordings.  Above, I’ve linked to columns on this site that will get you on your way.

Now, about that video…

 

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Cheers.

 

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Sep 4 2015

Recommended: Lars Greve – “Breidablik”

 

Lars Greve - "Breidablik"It’s the communion between the clarinet & sax of Lars Greve and his field recordings that is most striking about his new album.  Breidablik is subtle, and doesn’t attempt to overwhelm with its presence.  It exists almost entirely in a state of drone, mirroring the deep stillness of the countryside from which many of his field recordings originate.

And just like those natural surroundings, there are murmurs and twittering and the rustle of movements, so brief and then they’re gone.  There is the occasional burst of melodicism, of warm sunlight breaking through the clouds and laying a heavenly glow upon everything the ray’s tendrils reach out and touch.  And there is the soft touch of moonlight and the comforting hush of a world at sleep.

Breidablik counts as his solo debut, but Greve’s name should be relatively familiar to readers of this site.  He was a sideman on Copenhagen Art Ensemble‘s Reutersward and the Markus Pesonen Hendectet‘s Hum… albums that both earned a slot on the Bird is the Worm’s year-end Best Of lists for their respective years.  Greve also collaborates with Alex Jønsson, who himself has received praise on this site as a member of the nifty ensemble, I Think You’re Awesome.  And all of those projects have very different sounds from one another, so as you begin exploring Greve’s music, you’re going to find all kinds of fun surprises.

Go give Breidablik a spin, and then check out some of the links in the album titles above and explore even more.

Here’s an enchanting video that uses an album track…

 

Released on the Hiatus label.

Music from the Copenhagen scene.

Available at:  eMusic | Amazon

 

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