Sons
of Sound eNews: May 2004 |
In This Issue…
1. Release Party #1: Akira
Tana Moon rising over
San Francisco
2. Release Party #2: Mike
Holober Canyon carved in
New York City
3. Radio Report: Moon Over The World rising
over the charts
4. Media Hits: Acoustic Romance surprises
Bill Frisell
5. Internet Connection: Get Interconnection at
the iTunes Music Store
6. Music Education: Bob
Mintzer at Princeton University
7. Up Next: New release schedule
|
 Akira
Tana in San Francisco…
 On
Friday and Saturday, May 7th and 8th, Akira
Tana will celebrate the release of his
second CD on Sons of Sound, Moon
Over The World, with a release party
at Jazz
At Pearl's, 256 Columbus Avenue (at Broadway)
in San Francisco. The two-night stand will
feature his quintet, with Dayna Sean Stephens
on saxophones, Mike Olmos on trumpet, Randy
Porter on piano, and David Ewell on bass.
Tana is one of the most musical drummers
in jazz, with a deep sense of groove and
dynamics. While his brushwork ranks among
the masters, he is a strong bandleader who
listens to his ensemble and creates spontaneous
arrangements from the interaction among the
voices. Of Moon Over The World, Drum!
Magazine writes: "Tana's
clean, insistent grooves are surgically precise,
but also loose and swinging." |
 Mike
Holober in New York City…
 On
Tuesday, May 25th, Mike
Holober will celebrate the release of
his acclaimed first CD, Canyon,
at the Jazz
Standard, 116 East 27th Street in New
York City. The gig will feature Tim Ries
on saxophones, Wolfgang Muthspiel on guitar,
and Brian Blade on drums. Bass giant John
Patitucci joins the band in place of Scott
Colley, who performed on the recording. The
band is in town to join Mike in the studio
for the follow-up, set for release in 2005.
Holober himself is not yet widely known,
but he has inspired some of the greatest
players in contemporary jazz with his compositions.
He delivers melody and groove while challenging
each musicians' technique and harmonic sense.
Expect a rare and remarkable performance
from five masters. Larry Nai for Cadence
writes: "…seems
to have come out of nowhere.… Indeed, what
strikes one most immediately about Canyon is
Holober's writing and arranging, which, toghether
with a superb band, make this a notable debut… Highly
melodic, Holber's tunes fall easily on the
ears, but the collective execution is full
of substance… Holober,
as both pianist and arranger, seems to draw
on the mid-1960's Herbie Hancock for inspiration,
and his playing extends the influence with
a fresh approach to dynamics, articulation,
and rhythm… both
relaxing and simulating, and grows in detail
with each hearing."
For other gigs featuring Sons of Sound artists,
please check out our calendar online. |
Radio Report …
Akira Tana's Moon
Over The World has been on the JazzWeek charts
with a bullet for eight straight weeks,
hitting #13 for the
week ending April 23, 2004. Bob Sneider & Paul
Hofmann's Interconnection is
currently Chartbound in
the same poll.
  
|
 Media
Hits…
 A
double hit in the May 2004 issue of JazzTimes,
courtesy of writer Bill Milkowski.
First, Milkowski springs a cut from Gene
Bertoncini's Acoustic
Romance on Before & After subject Bill
Frisell on page 55. Without identifying
the artist, Frisell notes: "Its
a beautiful interpretation. He really has
gotten deep into the harmony of the piece." After
learning that it was Bertoncini, Frisell
exclaims: "Oh, wow! Now I really
gotta check him out. He's
such a great player."
Later in the same issue, his Drum
Beat column covers Moon Over
The World on page 148: "Consumate
pro Akira Tana demonstrates his nimble
touch and reliably swinging grooves… An
underrated master, Tana shines…"
 Sneider & Hofmann
pull in outstanding notice for Interconnection from John
Kelman on All About Jazz: "…Sneider
has a dry, acoustic tone that is
reminiscent of Jim Hall, but slightly
less muted. Hofmann comes from the Evans/Jarrett/Corea
school, but has an almost encyclopaedic knowledge
that matches Sneider’s clear
understanding of jazz history… Hofmann’s
themes are as elliptical as some of Corea’s
best… The two are
so relaxed together, so in each other’s
pocket that they make the most convoluted
motifs sound effortless. A fine effort all-around,
and one which highlights their formidable
strength as composers as much as performers, Interconnection is
a recording that ought to bring more well-deserved
attention to both Sneider and Hofmann."
|
Internet Connection…
 Apple
Computer's iTunes Music Store is
a cool way to hear new releases in the comfort
of your own home. If you haven't heard Bob
Sneider & Paul Hofmann on the radio,
check out the recording on-line. If you like
our bits, download 'em. If you prefer atoms,
Amazon.com will gladly fill your order for
physical delivery:
|
Music Education…
 Sons
of Sound is proud to have supported a master
class with Bob Mintzer for
the Princeton University Concert
Jazz Ensemble under the direction
of Anthony Branker. Mintzer visited campus
on Sunday, April 25th and again on Thursday,
April 29th to work with the CJE on his commissioned
work "March Majestic." He also
worked with the CJE on other charts, including
another of his compositions that he donated
to the University program. According to Branker, "The
students loved him and really appreciated
what he had to say." In association
with The
Commission Project (TCP), we hope to
sponsor such residencies annually, continuing
a unique educational experience that began
at Princeton with jazz legend Benny
Carter in the 1970s.
 The
Commission Project continues its work in
the month of May, with A Totally
TCP Concert: Composers For Kids,
celebrating music composed for and by 300
students from five public schools in the
greater Rochester, NY, area. Festivities
begin at 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 8th, with
a reception following at Spencerport High
School East Gymnasium, 2707 Spencerport Road,
Spencerport, NY. This program has been made
possible by generous support from the National
Endowment for the Arts, NYS Assemblyman Joe
Morelle (132nd District), Rochester Area
Community Foundation, Fred & Floy Willmott
Foundation, M&T Bank, Citibank, Target,
and Wegmans.
 And
don't forget Swing‘N
Jazz VII, the
three day festival that features seven
free jazz education workshops on
Saturday, June 5th, from 9:00 AM to 11:00
AM. The event is sponsored by Senator Jim
Alesi. Students, young and older, please
bring your instruments and friends and join
workshop leaders to listen, to play, and
to learn about performing and improvisation
with some of the world’s leading musicians,
including many Sons of Sound friends and
recording artists, including:
Carl Atkins • Chris Azzara • John
Bagale • John Beck • Keter Betts • Rod
Blumenau • Aleck Brinkman • Richard
DeLaney and Mambo Kings • Jon Faddis • Bill
Freiberg • Steve Green • Paul Hofmann • Mike
Holober • Clay Jenkins • Mike Kaupa • Mark
Kellogg • Malcolm Kirby • Jay
Leonhart • Mark Manetta • Andy
McGhee • Mike Melito • Josh Rutner • Paul
Smoker • Bob Sneider • John
Sneider • Bob Stata • Tim Sullivan • Akira
Tana • Rich Thompson • Dan
Vitale • Fred Wesley • Steve Wierenga
All students attending the workshops received
complimentary admission to the Saturday,
June 5, 8:00 PM Gala Concert at Hochstein
Performance Hall. For additional information,
please contact Alan Tirré at tirre97@aol.com,
or at 585/242-7682, ext. 1170. Workshop lineups
may change without notice. Please support
The Commission Project by playing golf in
the celebrity scramble on Sunday the 6th.
Sons of Sound and its artists proudly support
music education through the efforts of TCP,
which is why you might notice their logo
on many of our releases. |
 Up
Next…
Our release calendar includes Mike Holober
leading the Gotham Jazz Orchestra on Thought
Trains, scheduled for release
later this summer.
Then look for the fall 2004 release of the Jay
Leonhart Trio (with Ted Rosenthal
and Joe Cohn) on Cool!
Early 2005 will find Akira Tana, Dr.
Lonnie Smith, and Rodney
Jones reunited as the Secret
Agent Men for a highly classified recording
featuring our own Bond Girl, Jodi
Stevens. DownBeat columnist Larry
Dunlap has provided some outstanding
arrangements of the great 007 songbook.
Jimmy Greene (saxophone & flute), John
Benitez (bass), and Jonathan Mover (percussion)
guest.
Also in 2005, look for Mike Holober to
return with the follow up to Canyon,
featuring Wolfgang Muthspiel, Tim Ries, Brian
Blade, and John Patitucci. The band will
headline at The Jazz Standard for
one night only, Tuesday, May 25th (see above). |
More…
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