New Music Monday for June 13, 2016
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify.
For 20 years
, Guillermo Klein has been creating some of the most singular and exciting music for his highly adept 11-piece ensemble, Los Guachos. His compositional style has been evolving over the years, though always utilizing elements of jazz, folkloric music of his native Argentina, rock and modern classical music. Klein’s musical voice has established a number of unique composing concepts. His new recording, “Los Guachos V,” heralds his use of a new method: symmetries. To highlight his work, Klein has created two suites that use familiar works of the jazz canon and his own material reworked using mirroring, inversions and retrogrades of harmonies and melodies to create new compositions.
For about twenty-five years, Frank Catalano has been billed as a “young, up-and-coming prodigy” saxophonist cut in the Chicago tenor tradition. But a musician can only retain the ‘young prodigy’ title for so long. Now 39-years-old and a fixture on the Chicago music scene, Catalano has assumed his rightful place as a torchbearer of the great Chicago tenor tradition. He continues what has become a musically simpatico and prolific relationship with Jimmy Chamberlin, who is best known as the drummer for the pioneering Chicago rock band Smashing Pumpkins, with a new disc that pays tribute to Von Freeman and Eddie Harris. “Bye Bye Blackbird: Blowing In From Chicago for Von and Eddie” also features New York-based guitarist Nir Felder, Chicago’s Demos Petropoulos on Hammond B-3 organ and special guest David Sanborn on alto.
Also this week, trumpeter Wayne Bergeron highlights work by special guests Arturo Sandoval, Peter Erskine, Dave Weckl, Eric Marienthal and others on his new big band project, “Full Circle”.
Saxophonist JD Allen delves into a personal investigation of the blues on “Americana: Musings on Jazz and Blues”; and pianist Louis Heriveaux, a mainstay on the Atlanta jazz scene for many years, enlists noteworthy sidemen Curtis Lundy on bass and Terreon Gully on drums for his debut as a leader, “Triadic Episode.”
Talking Pictures 6-9-16
The Lobster, The Do Over, Love and Friendship, X-Men: Apocalypse
Iowa City Jazz Fest Profiles by Laura Eckles
KCCK’s programming intern, Laura Eckles, has been spending a lot of time listening to the artists performing at this year’s Iowa City Jazz Festival. She’s been largely responsible for setting up the music for the Jazz Fest Channel, and has researched and listened to each artist in preparing profiles that include bio and sample tracks from each.
While she was at it, we asked her to include some of her own thoughts about each artist and what she likes or is looking forward to at their show.
Laura is a second-year student at Kirkwood, where she has played (sax) in the Kirkwood jazz ensemble. She graduated from Solon High School, where her band played in the Iowa Jazz Championships, and KCCK’s Corridor Jazz Project.
Check out her thoughts and form your own opinions as we all get ready for the biggest three jazz days of the year, July 1, 2, and 3 in downtown Iowa City!
Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom
Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– David Berkman
By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern
David Berkman, an award-winning composer/bandleader and jazz pianist, has been a major contributor to the New York jazz scene over the last thirty years. Along with being a talented pianist, Berkman is currently an educator at Queens College.
David Berkman is well known for his post-bop playing. His CD’s have been praised in numerous best records of the year critic’s lists (the New York Times, the Village Voice, Downbeat, JazzIz, and Jazz Times). Berkman has played and arranged for countless jazz musicians including Tom Harrell, Cecil McBee, Joe Lovano, and many others. His latest album is 2015’s “Old Friends and New Friends.” Berkman does a spectacular job at adding a new and inventive spin on this album; he connects both old and new styles. David Berkman closes out the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Sunday, July 3, at 8 p.m. on the Main Stage.
Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– Miguel Zenón
By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern
Multiple Grammy Nominee and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellowship recipient, Miguel Zenón was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Zenón continued on to take over New York by receiving his bachelor’s in Jazz Studies from Berklee College and a master’s degree in Jazz Performance at the Manhattan School of Music. Zenón is a founding member of the all star group, SFJAZZ Collective, and has worked with Fred Hersh, David Sanchez, and many others.
Miguel Zenón has been known to be one of the most influential saxophonists of his generation. His music concentrates on the balance between both Latin American Music and Jazz. Zenón’s newest album was released in 2014, “Identities are Changeable.” Spoken word along with instrumentals truly make this album unique and inspirational. Zenón’s produces a sound that is unmistakably original. The Miguel Zenón Quartet will be performing at the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Sunday, July 3, at 6 p.m. on the Main Stage.
Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– Edmar Castaneda
By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern
Edmar Castaneda, the Colombian harp player is arguably one of the most original players hailing from the Big Apple. Castaneda pursued jazz trumpet once moving to New York from Bogota; but, he soon realized that he wanted to apply the jazz techniques he had learned to his original instrument, the harp. The harp has been utilized in jazz improvisation before by players like Dorothy Ashby, Zeena Parkins, and a few others, but is definitely an outlier where jazz instruments are concerned
Edmar Castaneda currently has four albums out, the latest being released in 2015, “Edmar Castaneda World Ensemble: Live At the Jazz Standard.”
In 2012, Castaneda produced an album featuring Miguel Zenon, “Double Portion.” Castaneda uses an assortment of influences like joropo, Latin, tango, Brazilian, and flamenco vibes to create his music. He has comprised a talented trio, but you may be surprised what he accomplishes on his harp alone. He plays lead melodies, harmonizes, lays down bass lines, and even adds rhythmic depth to the trio. The Edmar Castaneda Trio will be performing at the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Sunday, July 3, at 4 p.m. on the Main Stage.