Mar 17 2019

Take a tour of Ronin Rhythm Records by downloading their free sampler

 

Ronin Rhythm Records is most associated with founder Nik Bärtsch and his ensemble Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin.  However, it is not just some vanity label.  Over the course of thirteen years, Ronin Rhythm Records has been the launching pad for a number of different ensembles.  And while many of them do fall into that meditation at high speeds sound, it’s more of an aesthetic generalization than an catalog itemization.  So, spend your Sunday digging through this free sampler and find what might become your next favorite album.

The label has put the parenthetical “free download” in the title, so take them up on their offer and put an amount of zero in the purchase amount field.  The album is retailing at Name Your Price, so that gives you the opportunity to send along some cash if you like what you hear… either right away or circle back later to it if you’re so inclined (you can always purchase the album a second time and give money that time).

And be sure to check out some of the Nik Bärtsch recordings that have been featured here on Bird is the Worm.

You can download from the embedded player above or you can go grab it at the Ronin Rhythm Records bandcamp page.  And while you’re there, you can check out all the other music they’ve got on that page.

By • Free Music • 0 • Tags: ,

Mar 16 2019

I am totally into this video series from Quinsin Nachoff

 

Quinsin Nachoff is providing some excellent video accompaniment to his outstanding new release Path of Totality.  There will be six in total.  Three are out so far, and that’s what we’ve got for you today.

First up is a video featuring the work of Lee Hutzulak.  It’s set to the album track “Bounce,” and includes guest musician Jason Barnsley on a 1924 Kimball Theatre organ.

By the way, we’ve featured the work of Lee Hutzulak on a couple of occasions.

On the second video, the animation is the work of Anne Beal, and features the album’s title-track, “Path of Totality.”

And for the third of today’s videos, it’s a film by Udo Prinsen, featuring the song “Splatter.”  In addition to the core ensemble, guest David Travers-Smith performs on a whole bunch of different keyboards.

And don’t forget to check out my write-up of Path of Totality, which was included in the February Best Jazz on Bandcamp column.  Or, if you just want skip all the words and go straight to the music, give it a listen (and purchase it) on the Whirlwind Recordings Bandcamp page.  It’s also on Amazon, if you’re into that kind of thing.

By • These are videos that I like • 0

Mar 8 2019

Album of the Day: Peter Fields – “Tesoro”

 

Artist:  Peter Fields

Album:  Tesoro

Label:  Underpool Music

Style:  Jazz folk

Favorite Track: “A Caballo”

Music from:  Barcelona, Spain

What I like about it:  I like how this music cuts the difference between a late-90s Bill Frisell jazz country and an Ennio Morricone soundtrack.  The quartet of two guitarists, a bassist and drummer who go by the name of Peter Fields go all-in on their melodies, letting them be both the introduction and driving force of each tune.  I like how the quartet keeps things simple, letting complexity unfold under cover of nuance, and never becoming a distraction from the trajectory of a particular melodic inspiration.  This is music for kicking back after a long week, the kind of music that can incite thick daydreams or a soothing self-awareness that nothing is immune to the comforting qualities of good music.

Your album personnel:  Pedro Campos (double bass), Enric Peinado (electric guitar, effects), Jordi Bastida (electric guitar, effects) and Jose Benítez (drums).

Available at:  Amazon | Bandcamp

Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.

By • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2018 • 0 • Tags: , ,

Mar 7 2019

Album of the Day: Sam Harris – “Harmony”

 

Artist:  Sam Harris

Album:  Harmony

Label:  Self-Produced

Style:  Modern piano trio

Favorite Track: “I”

Music from:  Brooklyn, NY

What I like about it:  I love how there’s an unending build, a continuous exhalation of sound that gets more beautiful as the intensity increases, and I like how Sam Harris seamlessly transitions it into a slow and steady blues… as if it were the most natural progression ever.  And I like how it returns to its original state, but expressed with a patience that borders on a drone, in that way a gurgling stream can incite a near state of hypnosis.

Your album personnel:  Sam Harris (piano), Martin Nevin (bass) and Craig Weinrib (drums).

Available at:  Bandcamp

Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Be sure to check out the artist’s site.

By • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2018 • 0 • Tags: , ,

Mar 4 2019

Album of the Day: Jacob Duncan Quintet – “It’s Alright To Dream”

 

Artist:  Jacob Duncan Quintet

Album:  It’s Alright To Dream

Label:  Self-Produced

Style:  Straight-ahead

Favorite Track: “Nached Up”

Music from:  Louisville, KY

What I like about it:  Some albums sound like musicians simply getting together for a casual session, and somebody decided to hit a record button just for the hell of it.  Those kinds of recordings possess an enveloping intimacy, where the familiarity of the musicians with one another and the sense of camaraderie and kinship bleeds through every note.  It’s like getting a behind-the-scenes listen to music being created just because it’s what the artists are compelled to do.  I like how this session from Jacob Duncan, and featuring JD Allen, as well as some Louisville, KY natives plays out in exactly that way.  The quintet bounces some solid melodies back and forth and open up wide lanes for soloists to pass through.

Your album personnel:  Jacob Duncan (alto sax), JD Allen (tenor sax), John Goldsby (bass), Gabriel Evens (piano) and Mike Hyman (drums).

Available at:  Amazon | Bandcamp

Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Be sure to check out the artist’s site.

By • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2018 • 1 • Tags: , , ,

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