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Aaron Immanuel Wright "Eleven Daughters" - CD
Eleven Daughters, Aaron Immanuel Wright's debut on Origin Records is now available!
This all-acoustic quartet album features Tim Willcox on tenor sax, the legendary Darrell Grant on piano, and Brian Menendez on drums.
This all-acoustic quartet album features Tim Willcox on tenor sax, the legendary Darrell Grant on piano, and Brian Menendez on drums.
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PERFORMERS:
Tim Willcox tenor sax
Darrell Grant piano
Aaron Immanuel Wright double bass
Brian Menendez drums
TRACKS:
1) Something Mainstream 6:58
2) Eleven Daughters 6:12
3) Calling for Casey 7:50
4) Late Goodbye 7:07
5) Sunrise in Quebec 5:39
6) Laura 5:18
7) Ancestry 2:48
PRODUCTION:
Produced by Aaron Immanuel Wright
Recorded live, mixed, & mastered by Billy Oskay
at Big Red Studios, Oregon
Recorded on June 10/11, 2009
Recording engineer intern: Nick Angelo
Photography by Riti Deak & Christopher Davison
Cover design by John Bishop
Eleven Daughters, my debut on Origin Records, features the mastery of Darrell Grant on Piano, Tim Willcox on tenor and Brian Menendez on drums.
This album is entirely acoustic. It explores four of my original compositions, two extemporaneous works, and the standard Laura, which was collaboratively arranged by the band around a re-harmonization by David Michel-Ruddy.
Laura is dedicated to my friend Laura Sweeting, who passed away in December 2009. We miss you Laura!
"Coming Together A Tribute To Brendan Romaneck" - CD
This is a very special CD to me. Brendan was true musician and friend. Please go to www.inarhymerecords.com to purchase this cd.
Twenty-four-year-old Brendan Romaneck was a saxophonist and composer of enormous promise as he prepared for his debut recording as a leader in the Spring of 2005. Romaneck had already made all the arrangements for the success of “Coming Together,” having booked a studio, prepared the compositions and selected a group of talented players – trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Keith Javors, bassist Delbert Felix and drummer John Davis -- to help him bring his music to life. Then on April 20, 2005, just two weeks after his 24th birthday and less than two months before the scheduled recording, Brendan Romaneck was taken tragically and suddenly, ending what was already becoming an impressive career as a jazz artist. Romaneck’s parents -- who were the date’s executive producers -- decided to continue the project as a tribute to their son’s music. Javors engaged Chris Potter and Steve Wilson to play the saxophone parts and the resulting music – full of originality, promise and strength, heralding the coming of an important new composer -- is something that Romaneck, his family and friends can all be proud of.
Romaneck, who was born April 6, 1981 in Colchester, Connecticut, set out on the life path of a musician from his early days of grammar school when he first began playing tenor saxophone and decided to pursue the career professionally even before graduating from high school. After studies at Santa Barbara City College, he entered the prestigious jazz program at the University of North Florida, where he took saxophone with the legendary Bunky Green, who noted, “ He was very original and he had a great big heart and that came through in his music … We call it soul and Brendan he had that.” At UNF, Romaneck also studied composition with the highly lauded Keith Javors, in whom the young saxophonist found both a mentor and colleague, playing with the pianist’s groups around the Southeast. Not surprisingly, Romaneck called upon Javors to produce his debut recording.
The original compositions on “Coming Together” are a moving expression of Romaneck’s burgeoning abilities as a composer, while his choice of standards is a sure indication of his grasp of his role in maintaining and advancing the jazz tradition in which he was beginning to take his place. With producer Javors at the piano, Delbert Felix on bass and John Davis behind the drum kit, the music swings with power and originality.
The quartet selections that make up the first half of the date, with Potter on tenor and soprano saxes, reveal a remarkable maturity and a harmonic sensibility that results in a wide ranging expressiveness that belies the youthful years behind the writing. Potter’s tenor reading of “My Shining Hour” that opens the disc is full of Rollinsesque strength and his soprano recital of “Nancy With The Laughing Face” is lovely in its Tranish romanticism, but it’s Romaneck’s pieces, the innately beautiful “Dream Behind Winter” and “Full Moon,” the intelligent complexity of “3 Steps Ahead of the Spider” and the stirringly soulful “You’ll Never Know” that leave their mark on the listener, letting us know that a truly exceptional talent has been lost.
The date’s second half demonstrates Romaneck’s writing for jazz quintet, with trumpeter Terell Stafford and saxophonist Steve Wilson forming the front line that lays down the composer’s wonderfully melodic lines and evocative harmonies with appealing aplomb. Stafford, who had spoken regularly with Romaneck in preparation for the date, notes, “All of his writing is really what he heard and what he felt … I think he really wrote for the guys he chose for this record. You could kind of hear his voice inside of the music, which I thought was special …” Stafford and Wilson’s exemplary work in performing the oft-times difficult music that Romaneck left for them to record is a tribute to both their talent and the composer’s ability to bring out the best in his fellow musicians and it would not be surprising to see his pieces ”The Vibe,” “Minion,” “11-02,” and the title track “Coming Together” show up on future recordings by these and other artists.
In speaking of the emotion of recording “Coming Together” Stafford says, “This young man had a huge impact; his presence and his musicality really impacted a community and a community of musicians who didn’t even know him.” Bunky Green, who did know him, says of the saxophonist, “He was just starting to bloom … There was a lot of potential there. A lot of potential.” Thanks to the efforts of the family and friends of Brendan Romaneck listeners can at least get a taste on “Coming Together” of what might have been.
Twenty-four-year-old Brendan Romaneck was a saxophonist and composer of enormous promise as he prepared for his debut recording as a leader in the Spring of 2005. Romaneck had already made all the arrangements for the success of “Coming Together,” having booked a studio, prepared the compositions and selected a group of talented players – trumpeter Terell Stafford, pianist Keith Javors, bassist Delbert Felix and drummer John Davis -- to help him bring his music to life. Then on April 20, 2005, just two weeks after his 24th birthday and less than two months before the scheduled recording, Brendan Romaneck was taken tragically and suddenly, ending what was already becoming an impressive career as a jazz artist. Romaneck’s parents -- who were the date’s executive producers -- decided to continue the project as a tribute to their son’s music. Javors engaged Chris Potter and Steve Wilson to play the saxophone parts and the resulting music – full of originality, promise and strength, heralding the coming of an important new composer -- is something that Romaneck, his family and friends can all be proud of.
Romaneck, who was born April 6, 1981 in Colchester, Connecticut, set out on the life path of a musician from his early days of grammar school when he first began playing tenor saxophone and decided to pursue the career professionally even before graduating from high school. After studies at Santa Barbara City College, he entered the prestigious jazz program at the University of North Florida, where he took saxophone with the legendary Bunky Green, who noted, “ He was very original and he had a great big heart and that came through in his music … We call it soul and Brendan he had that.” At UNF, Romaneck also studied composition with the highly lauded Keith Javors, in whom the young saxophonist found both a mentor and colleague, playing with the pianist’s groups around the Southeast. Not surprisingly, Romaneck called upon Javors to produce his debut recording.
The original compositions on “Coming Together” are a moving expression of Romaneck’s burgeoning abilities as a composer, while his choice of standards is a sure indication of his grasp of his role in maintaining and advancing the jazz tradition in which he was beginning to take his place. With producer Javors at the piano, Delbert Felix on bass and John Davis behind the drum kit, the music swings with power and originality.
The quartet selections that make up the first half of the date, with Potter on tenor and soprano saxes, reveal a remarkable maturity and a harmonic sensibility that results in a wide ranging expressiveness that belies the youthful years behind the writing. Potter’s tenor reading of “My Shining Hour” that opens the disc is full of Rollinsesque strength and his soprano recital of “Nancy With The Laughing Face” is lovely in its Tranish romanticism, but it’s Romaneck’s pieces, the innately beautiful “Dream Behind Winter” and “Full Moon,” the intelligent complexity of “3 Steps Ahead of the Spider” and the stirringly soulful “You’ll Never Know” that leave their mark on the listener, letting us know that a truly exceptional talent has been lost.
The date’s second half demonstrates Romaneck’s writing for jazz quintet, with trumpeter Terell Stafford and saxophonist Steve Wilson forming the front line that lays down the composer’s wonderfully melodic lines and evocative harmonies with appealing aplomb. Stafford, who had spoken regularly with Romaneck in preparation for the date, notes, “All of his writing is really what he heard and what he felt … I think he really wrote for the guys he chose for this record. You could kind of hear his voice inside of the music, which I thought was special …” Stafford and Wilson’s exemplary work in performing the oft-times difficult music that Romaneck left for them to record is a tribute to both their talent and the composer’s ability to bring out the best in his fellow musicians and it would not be surprising to see his pieces ”The Vibe,” “Minion,” “11-02,” and the title track “Coming Together” show up on future recordings by these and other artists.
In speaking of the emotion of recording “Coming Together” Stafford says, “This young man had a huge impact; his presence and his musicality really impacted a community and a community of musicians who didn’t even know him.” Bunky Green, who did know him, says of the saxophonist, “He was just starting to bloom … There was a lot of potential there. A lot of potential.” Thanks to the efforts of the family and friends of Brendan Romaneck listeners can at least get a taste on “Coming Together” of what might have been.
Keith Javors The Free Project - CD
“The Free Project” is critically-acclaimed jazz artist and educator Keith Javors’ fourth release as a small group leader and his first on the newly-celebrated ArtistShare label. The Philadelphia pianist/composer joined artists such as Maria Schneider, Jim Hall, and Danilo Perez in the launch of an original project through ArtistShare in 2005 and the culmination is this imaginative 2007 release.
A strong stylistic departure from “Mo City Jungle”, his 2004 straight-ahead release on Zoho, “The Free Project” threads solo piano improvisations in and out of rap, R & B, jazz, and world music vignettes from the A.M.P (acronym for the six-member American Music Project) in a unique and moving record. Sparring chops in favor of mood and melody, the result is an emotional set that defies category, its sounds ranging from the hard-edged, biting rap rewrite of Rodgers and Hart’s Spring Is Here to a sultry vocal tribute ala Brian McKnight (A Question of When) to the explosive fusion of piano, horns, and African percussion in The Philosophy of Bill Brown.
Recorded in Michigan’s picturesque Upper Peninsula in the summer of 2005, the personnel is the A.M.P.: Keith Javors (piano), Dejuan “D Priest” Everett (spoken word/rap), Curtis Isom (vocals), Dane Bays (alto saxophone), Dave Ziegner (bass), and Alex Brooks (drums). Expanded instrumentations include Dave Braun (trumpet/flugelhorn), Luke Brimhall (trombone), Brian Menendez (aux. percussion), and Jason Miller (aux. percussion).
Described by legendary jazz saxophonist Bunky Green as a “creative force with an urgent message that cannot be denied”, Keith is well-respected by his peers for his talents and passion as an award-winning artist and educator. He has produced numerous projects and groups and has performed or recorded with George Coleman, Bunky Green, Eddie Henderson, Conrad Herwig, Gerry Mulligan, Chris Potter, Ira Sullivan, Brad Turner, Bill Watrous, and many others.
Created by Brian Camelio, ArtistShare is a cutting edge business model for creative artists, its projects offering ways to provide a deep and lasting “experience” of the process as well as the product. ArtistShare was recently nominated as a finalist for Jazz Label of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association and has enabled several Grammy-winning projects.
Featuring the A.M.P. (Detroit's American Music Project)
with:
Dejuan "D Priest" Everett (rap/spoken word)
Curtis Isom (vocals)
Dane Bays (alto saxophone)
Keith Javors (piano)
Dave Ziegner (bass)
Alex Brooks (drums)
with:
David Braun (trumpet/flugalhorn)
Luke Brimhall (trombone)
Brian Menendez (aux. percussion)
Jason Miller (aux. percussion)
A strong stylistic departure from “Mo City Jungle”, his 2004 straight-ahead release on Zoho, “The Free Project” threads solo piano improvisations in and out of rap, R & B, jazz, and world music vignettes from the A.M.P (acronym for the six-member American Music Project) in a unique and moving record. Sparring chops in favor of mood and melody, the result is an emotional set that defies category, its sounds ranging from the hard-edged, biting rap rewrite of Rodgers and Hart’s Spring Is Here to a sultry vocal tribute ala Brian McKnight (A Question of When) to the explosive fusion of piano, horns, and African percussion in The Philosophy of Bill Brown.
Recorded in Michigan’s picturesque Upper Peninsula in the summer of 2005, the personnel is the A.M.P.: Keith Javors (piano), Dejuan “D Priest” Everett (spoken word/rap), Curtis Isom (vocals), Dane Bays (alto saxophone), Dave Ziegner (bass), and Alex Brooks (drums). Expanded instrumentations include Dave Braun (trumpet/flugelhorn), Luke Brimhall (trombone), Brian Menendez (aux. percussion), and Jason Miller (aux. percussion).
Described by legendary jazz saxophonist Bunky Green as a “creative force with an urgent message that cannot be denied”, Keith is well-respected by his peers for his talents and passion as an award-winning artist and educator. He has produced numerous projects and groups and has performed or recorded with George Coleman, Bunky Green, Eddie Henderson, Conrad Herwig, Gerry Mulligan, Chris Potter, Ira Sullivan, Brad Turner, Bill Watrous, and many others.
Created by Brian Camelio, ArtistShare is a cutting edge business model for creative artists, its projects offering ways to provide a deep and lasting “experience” of the process as well as the product. ArtistShare was recently nominated as a finalist for Jazz Label of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association and has enabled several Grammy-winning projects.
Featuring the A.M.P. (Detroit's American Music Project)
with:
Dejuan "D Priest" Everett (rap/spoken word)
Curtis Isom (vocals)
Dane Bays (alto saxophone)
Keith Javors (piano)
Dave Ziegner (bass)
Alex Brooks (drums)
with:
David Braun (trumpet/flugalhorn)
Luke Brimhall (trombone)
Brian Menendez (aux. percussion)
Jason Miller (aux. percussion)
- www.keithjavorsmusic.com
- Click the link above to buy. Thanks for your support!