Category: Albums

Alicia Camiña: Elevating Jazz Fusion with the Release of ‘Somewhere in My Dream’

Los Angeles, CA – [7/29/2024] – Renowned saxophone player and composer Alicia Camiña is thrilled to announce the release of her latest album, ‘Somewhere in My Dream,’ an innovative blend of jazz funk fusion that showcases her unique musical vision and exceptional talent.

Alicia Camiña has carved a niche for herself in the music industry with her dynamic compositions and soulful saxophone performances. Her latest album, ‘Somewhere in My Dream,’ takes listeners on an eclectic journey through various soundscapes, melding the rich traditions of jazz with energetic rhythms.

“I’ve always believed in the power of music to transport us to different worlds,” says Alicia. “With ‘Somewhere in My Dream,’ I wanted to create a sound that resonates deeply with listeners, offering both a sense of adventure and a feeling of comfort.”

The album features a collection of tracks that highlight Alicia’s versatility and creativity. From the upbeat, groove-heavy tunes to the more introspective and dramatic pieces, each composition reflects her dedication to pushing the boundaries of jazz fusion. 

Alicia’s impressive career includes numerous performances at prestigious venues and events, where she has captivated audiences with her powerful and emotive playing. Her commitment to excellence and her passion for music have earned her a dedicated following and critical acclaim.

With the release of ‘Somewhere in My Dream,’ Alicia Camiña is poised to make a significant impact on the jazz fusion scene. The album is now available on all major streaming platforms, and Alicia is planning a series of live performances to bring her new music to audiences around the world.

For more information about Alicia Camiña and her latest album, please visit www.aliciacaminagines.com

About Alicia Camiña

Alicia Camiña is a Los Angeles-based saxophone player and composer known for her innovative approach to jazz fusion. With a passion for blending genres and creating unique musical experiences, Alicia has established herself as a leading figure in the contemporary music scene. Her latest album, ‘Somewhere in My Dream,’ is a testament to her talent and creativity, offering listeners a captivating journey through sound.

Press release: Los Angeles, CA – [7/29/2024]

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How Pixar Portrays Jazz in Their New Movie ‘Soul’

Pixar’s new animated movie Soul, directed by Pete Docter (Up) and Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami), is a unique collaboration between filmmakers and musicians. Pixar Animation Studios has delivered a long list of outstanding movies. They stand out when it…

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Preach Brother!: Wilkerson’s Soulful Serenade

Don Wilkerson’s album “Preach Brother!” is a masterful creation that effortlessly blends soul, jazz, and blues into a captivating musical experience. Released in the golden era of the 1960s, this album features six Wilkerson originals that transcend time. Don Wilkerson’s saxophone mastery radiates through every note and is complemented by a tightly bonded ensemble that infuses vibrant life into each track: Grant Green on the guitar, Sonny Clark on the piano, Butch Warren on the bass, and Billy Higgins behind the drums.

The opening track “Jeanie-Weenie,” is a joyful upbeat rhythm-and-blues-influenced composition that features a walking boogie-woogie baseline throughout the track. It is evident that this piece draws strong inspiration from the collaborative work between Don Wilkerson and Amos Milburn during the late 1940s. “Homesick Blues” brings a change of pace, slowing things down with its timeless blues essence. In contrast to the lively “Jeanie-Weenie,” this classic blues track invites you to sit back and tap your feet to its syncopated rhythms. Don Wilkerson’s saxophone takes center stage, adding another layer of depth to the otherwise traditional composition. As the song nears its end, Wilkerson boldly takes control of the rhythm, subtly challenging the drums and creating a beautiful interplay.

Don Wilkerson’s breakthrough as a musician came when he joined Ray Charles’ band in 1954. Classics such as “I’ve Got a Woman” and “Hallelujah” all feature Wilkerson’s saxophone. When listening to the album “Preach Brother!,” you can unmistakably feel and hear the echoes of “The Genius of Soul.”

In “Dem Tambourines,” Billy Higgins skillfully synchronizes the drums with the tambourines, creating a vibrant and rhythmic jam session atmosphere. There are minor but evident traces of Ray Charles’ influence in the rhythm, and you might consider playing “What’d I Say” afterward to discern the similarities. In “Camp Meeting,” the unmistakable essence of Ray Charles’ soul and rhythm is palpable, particularly when compared to “I’ve Got a Woman,” where Wilkerson’s saxophone features in the original recording.

“The Eldorado Shuffle” is a call-and-response spotlighting Grant Green’s guitar, Don Wilkerson’s saxophone, and Sonny Clark’s piano. “Pigeon Peas” is a rhythmical composition including funky breaks and musical interpretation. The musicians are building up tension throughout the arrangement which highlights the interplay across this tightly bonded ensemble.

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Preach Brother!: Wilkerson’s Soulful Serenade

Don Wilkerson’s album “Preach Brother!” is a masterful creation that effortlessly blends soul, jazz, and blues into a captivating musical experience. Released in the golden era of the 1960s, this album features six Wilkerson originals…

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John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme

John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme is a transformative and deeply personal work that speaks to the heart of human experience. As a listener, I am drawn in by the raw emotion and spiritual depth of…

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John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme

John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme is a transformative and deeply personal work that speaks to the heart of human experience. As a listener, I am drawn in by the raw emotion and spiritual depth of the album, which was released by Impulse! Records in 1965. Coltrane’s tenor saxophone playing is both virtuosic and soulful, conveying a sense of urgency and purpose that reflects his search for enlightenment. The album’s four tracks form a suite that takes the listener on a journey of introspection and self-discovery, with each song building upon the last to create a powerful and cohesive narrative.

The opening track, “Acknowledgment,” is a soaring and uplifting composition that sets the tone for the rest of the album. Coltrane’s saxophone playing is full of energy and emotion, and his bandmates – pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones – provide a strong and supportive backdrop.

The second track, “Resolution,” is a more contemplative piece that explores the theme of struggle and determination. Coltrane’s saxophone playing is still at the forefront, but the rest of the band is given more space to showcase their talents as well.

The third track, “Pursuance,” is a lively and energetic piece that features some of Coltrane’s most impressive and intricate saxophone playing. The rhythm section keeps pace with Coltrane’s frenzied improvisations, creating a sense of tension and excitement that builds throughout the song.

The final track, “Psalm,” is a beautiful and meditative piece that serves as a prayer of thanks for Coltrane’s spiritual awakening. The song features a spoken-word section where Coltrane recites a poem that expresses his gratitude and devotion.

A Love Supreme is not only a jazz masterpiece but also a deeply personal and spiritual work that resonates with listeners of all backgrounds. John Coltrane’s exceptional talent and creativity are on full display in this album, which features complex harmonies, intricate rhythms, and breathtaking improvisations. However, it is the emotional intensity and spiritual depth of the music that makes A Love Supreme a transcendent experience.

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John Coltrane’s Blue World

By 1964 saxophonist John Coltrane was one of the leading figures in jazz music. Mainly, thanks to his release of Giant Steps in 1960. Officially, he recorded and released two albums that year: the often-overlooked…

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John Coltrane’s Soultrane

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Destination…Out! by Jackie McLean

Acclaimed saxophonist and hard-bop innovator Jackie McLean was a vital contributor to the direction of jazz music into post-bop by introducing elements of the avant-garde through the 1950s and ’60s. His Blue Note studio album Destination…Out! (Blue Note, 1964) brings forward these elements.

McLean became an active presence in New York City after bebop revolutionized and dominated the jazz scene. At a young age and before starting to lead his own groups, he learned from prominent figures such as Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, and Charlie Parker.

His first recording as a jazz musician came when he was only 16 years old. His first significant collaboration as an alto saxophonist was on the album Dig (Prestige, 1951) where he featured as a sideman alongside Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, and Miles Davis. He continued working with Miles Davis and accompanied the trumpetist on his first Blue Note recording session in 1952. His name appeared next to Miles Davis’s on various Blue Note albums, which led to releasing his own debut as a leader: Presenting… Jackie McLean: The New Tradition (Ad Lib, 1955).

In 1956, he became a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers collective and stayed with them until 1958. During these years, he played a vital role in developing hard bop alongside Art Blakey and so, he became one of its pioneers. His Jazz Messengers years were not exclusive, McLean continued to produce successful albums on various labels as both a leader and sideman. His most notable work aside from the Jazz Messengers recordings were the recordings with Charlie Mingus’ band, and the recording of the “enduring hard-bop classic” (The New York Times) album titled Cool Struttin’ by  jazz pianist Sonny Clark (Blue Note, 1958).

“Of all of McLean’s Blue Note dates, so many of which are classic jazz recordings, Destination Out! stands as the one that reveals the true soulfulness and complexity of his writing, arranging, and ‘singing’ voice.”

Thom Jurek (review for AllMusic)

By the time Destination…Out! was recorded and released, McLean was an icon of the NYC jazz scene. In the years building up to the Destination…Out! recording, McLean’s innovative hard bop sound progressed and elements of the avand-garde began to take the surface. McLean got Inspired by Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane which make him seek greater freedom of expression in his music. “Today, we live in an age of speed and variety; we live in an age of men seeking to explore words beyond; and since music is just an expression of the happenings around us, it is quite natural for the young musicians to express or attempt to express the mood and tempo of our time; just as ragtime music painted a portrait of the era of prohibition, so too does today’s jazz paint a portrait of the space age,” McLean wrote for the album’s liner notes.

Jackie McLean photographed by Francis Wolff

Destination…Out! Track listing

  1. “Love and Hate” (Grachan Moncur III) – 8:25
  2. “Esoteric” (Moncur) – 9:02
  3. “Kahlil the Prophet” (Jackie McLean) – 10:23
  4. “Riff Raff” (Moncur) – 7:07

Destination…Out! Personnel

  • Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
  • Grachan Moncur III – trombone
  • Bobby Hutcherson – vibes
  • Larry Ridley – bass
  • Roy Haynes – drums

Chris Dave And The Drumhedz’s Self-titled Debut Album

Chris Dave, the recognized drummer who supported amongst other Adele and Justin Bieber, released his self-titled debut album with a large group of experienced musicians called the Drumhedz in 2018. With it, he exhibits things he couldn’t before. The album is a contemporary oeuvre. One in which elements of funk, soul, gospel, R&B, and hip-hop are fused with jazz.

The drummer got exposed to various music genres from a young age. His father was a soul and jazz fan, his mother listened mainly to gospel, and his brothers were obsessed with the funk sound from the seventies. Thanks to this daily exposure to various but related musical styles, he created a distinctive approach to the drum kit. It enabled him to adapt to any musical setting. Whether he plays jazz or soul, hip-hop or pop, Chris Dave has no issues adjusting.

Chris Dave And The Drumhedz might be playing music powered by various music genres, in their debut album they remain committed to the jazz traditions. It is one of those bands that supported jazz in entering the mainstream.

Chris Dave And The Drumhedz: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

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Dear Love by Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force

There is nothing more appealing to me than a jazz album infused with poetry and spoken word. And this is exactly what Jazzmeia Horn offers us. Dear Love is the third and most ambitious album by the American vocalist and arranger. Not only is it another demonstration of Jazzmeia “Jazz” Horn’s singing ability, but the album also spotlights her as a composer, arranger, and bandleader.

Jazzmeia Horn is an American jazz musician who came into prominence when she won the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Vocals Competition in 2015. In 2017, she released her debut studio album titled A Social Call, and two years later, she released her follow-up album Love & Liberation. Both albums got nominated for Grammy Awards in the category Best Jazz Vocal Album. Her third body of work, Dear Love, is different and more progressive as the album is supported by a large ensemble of musicians who she calls Her Noble Force. All songs for this orchestral project are arranged by Jazzmeia Horn and, the album got released on her own label, Empress Legacy Records. The work has been Grammy-nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble.

In the album’s opening track “I Feel You Near,” she performs calming spoking-word over the baritone sax and percussion. She articulates every word coherently and, she uses intonation to built-up the tension. The song is poetic, but the instrumental backing brings motion. It hints towards traditional African folk music, where movement is a central theme. It is the perfect opening for an album that addresses personal aspects of life and where the contrast and variety of the compositions bring up different themes and moods.

“Ella could not only sing a melody, she could scat the hell out of some chord changes and sound just like an instrumentalist. I like to say that I am continuing the legacy, or the tradition, of vocal improvisation.”

Jazzmeia Horn

Despite being backed by a large jazz ensemble, Jazzmeia Horn managed to keep the album intimate and personal. Her vocals are meaningful and gentle. She has a consistent timbre, a wide range, and outstanding timing. In the song “Lover, Come Back To Me” – a well-known jazz standard thanks to Billie Holiday’s recording – her scat singing abilities can be compared to the legendary Ella Fitzgerald. Also, Horn’s improvisational skills are similar to the trademark of one of the most important jazz singers of all time. “I like to say that I am continuing the legacy, or the tradition, of vocal improvisation,” Horn says during an interview with NPR.

Lover, Come Back To Me – Jazzmeia “Jazz” Horn

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The Best Jazz Albums Released in 2021

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Alfa Mist’s “Bring Backs” Blends Jazz with Spoken Word

With his third studio album, the British producer, songwriter, and self-thought pianist Alfa Mist reflects upon his sampling and hip-hop days on the streets of London. After self-releasing his two previous albums – Antiphon and Structuralism – Alfa Mist partners with the American independent record label Anti- for his next body of work, Brings Back.

Alfa Mist is a London-based producer, rapper, and pianist. To be both a hip-hop rapper and a jazz pianist is unique on its own. Learning that both skills are self-thought makes him inspiring. Alfa Mist started to create music on the streets of East London when he was only 15 years old. Being a teenage hip-hop producer eventually led to the discovery of jazz music. ”There’s no access to jazz where I’m from,” Alfa says. “There’s no way I would have come to it without finding those hip-hop records and wanting to understand them.” Learning the piano enabled him to improvise and creatively fuse jazz with hip-hop. By 2015, he built his network and established himself as a leading figure within the vibrant and rapidly evolving London jazz scene.

Change is inevitable
The isms and schisms, questionable
The future is out there, a matter of time

Hilary Thomas

Alfa Mist’s first official release was the collaboration project with singer Emmavie titled Epoch. This independent release from 2014 is strongly influenced by avant-garde R&B and, it already blends jazz, soul, and hip-hop. His first solo release came in 2015 with the extended play Nocturne and, two years later, he released his breakthrough album titled Antiphon. In 2017, he followed up with his second full-length album, Structuralism. Bring Backs is the third in a series of recognized and welcomed Alfa Mist albums. The album captures Alfa Mist’s rap and piano skills. It blends contemporary jazz with R&B, soul, hip-hop, classical, and spoken word.

The reflective musical voyage alters between an instrumental atmosphere and vocals in the form of rap and spoken word. The lyrics, a poem by Hilary Thomas, is what binds the album together. A total of four vocalists support the album. On the opening track, “Teki,” we hear Hilary Thomas open her poem with a spoken-word piece: “Change is inevitable. The isms and schisms, questionable. The future is out there, a matter of time.” In the song “People,” Kaya Thomas-Dyke sings in what is more a guitar-driven ballad. Alfa Mist is the third vocalist we hear, and he does it the way we expect. “Mind the Gap” dives into hip-hop and rap but keeps the loungy jazz backing. Alfa Mist’s rap gets support from the rapper Lex Amor who brings a softer touch to the track.

Alfa Mist in the studio during the Bring Backs recordings

Bring Backs got recorded in London together with an ensemble consisting of close friends and longtime collaborators, which makes things more personal. For the album’s title, Alfa Mist drew inspiration from a card game he played as a child. In the game, after winning a round, you can be brought back to play again, meaning that winning is never a sure thing. With it, Alfa Mist refers to his childhood. He lived in a constant state of uncertainty and instability. “You can be doing okay for a while but, that can change. You know that’s always a possibility,” he explains. The unpredictable and inevitable future is a recurring theme on the album.

The album is a confirmation that Alfa Mist will have more to offer in the future. He shows his ability to blend various musical styles and instruments into one meaningful oeuvre. Being a leading figure in the London music scene definitely influenced the album’s creativity.

Alfa Mist – Bring Backs (Live at Metropolis)

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Thelonious Monk At His Best – Palo Alto

In 1968, the sixteen-year-old Danny Scher invited Thelonious Monk and his quartet to play a benefit concert at his high school in Palo Alto, California. The concert got recorded and now, more than 50 years…

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There Is No End: Tony Allen’s Final Drumroll Is a Message For the Next Generation

There Is No End is the album Tony Allen was working on before passing away at the age of 79. His fellow collaborators finished the recording and posthumously released the album on April 30, 2021. It’s the afrobeat pioneer’s final drumroll, one in which he created a platform for the next generation of rap and hip-hop.

Tony Allen’s beats on the drum are the foundation for There Is No End. It is the message he left behind. Allen spoke about his aspiration of working with young and rising musicians. He intended to share his rich knowledge and experience while promoting new talent. However, the drummer did not live to collaborate with this next generation. Tony Allen passed away on April 30, 2020, but the project was kept alive.

“I want to take care of youngsters; they have messages and I want to bring them on my beat. The idea is to transmit to the young generation, to mix different universes: the hip-hop world to the Afrobeat world.”

Tony Allen

His advanced and accomplished drum skills got recorded and sampled into tracks by producer Vincent Taeger, who also arranged and released the album. As intended by Tony Allen, various musical artists such as Zambian-born rapper Sampa The Great or the Nairobian singer Nah Eeto, recorded vocals over Allen’s beats. The result is a hip-hop album with a clear afrobeat presence.

Nigerian poet Ben Okri said, “This man could have lived another 150 years and kept creating new worlds … he wanted the album to be open to the energies of a new generation.” If Allen would have lived another 150 years, there is no doubt he would go on and inspire others. There Is No End, but also his previous albums Rejoice and The Source, are a demonstration of Allen’s remarkable musical understanding and, at the same time, give a tantalizing peek into his future as a musician.

Tony Allen ft. Sampa The Great – Stumbling Down

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Out To Lunch! with Eric Dolphy: An Imaginatively Advanced Improviser

The year nineteen sixty-four was revolutionary when it comes to jazz records. Coltrane recorded his most acclaimed work, A Love Supreme, which got released the following year. Lee Morgan released The Sidewinder, Blue Note‘s best-selling record ever. And saxophonist Wayne Shorter completed his fifth studio album JuJu. Many other state-of-the-art albums got released and, Eric Dolphy’s Out To Lunch! was no exception. This avant-garde jazz masterpiece got described as “a vital alternative to the melodic cliches and rhythmical orthodoxy of the hard-bop mainstream (A.B. Spellman).”

From all the records released during the first half of the sixties, Dolphy’s Out To Lunch! was the most innovative. It stands ahead of its time. Even today, the advanced improvisational freedom in Out To Lunch! is something not often found. The free movement of the group is a result of Eric Dolphy’s futuristic vision. “Everyone’s a leader in this session,” he declared. For his composition “Gazzelloni,” Dolphy instructed the band to “hold to the construction for the first 13 bars, then – freedom.”

Dolphy’s unique compositional style is present throughout the album. He juggles with the theory behind jazz harmony by using unusual wide intervals. Dolphy explains that he is trying to incorporate what he hears: “I hear other resolutions on the basic harmonic patterns, and I try to use them.”

In the jazz of the 1960s, Eric Dolphy was an original: a hero to some, but also a mystery, a virtuosic improviser searching for ways of expression outside of common practice.

Ben Ratliff (The New York Times)

Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. was an American multi-instrumentalist who knew his way around the flute, alto saxophone, and bass clarinet. This last one he helped to establish in jazz. Dolphy grew up in Los Angeles and, unlike many other jazz figures of the time, he did not follow the standard narrative. He started with music lessons when he was six. He continued studying music at high school, where he mainly played in symphony orchestras. In college, he got the opportunity to play jazz. He played various contemporary classical works with Roy Porter’s 17 Beboppers.

Eric Dolphy (image courtesy of Don Schlitten)

His first breakthrough was when he got invited to join Chico Hamilton’s quintet in 1958. The band toured and, Dolphy was exposed to a broader audience, for example, during the Newport Jazz Festival of 1958. After this success story, he moved to New York to establish partnerships with Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and many more.

Dolphy always was a sideman during club performances and recording sessions until he signed with Prestige Records in 1960. He recorded his first album as a leader with Prestige’s sub-label New Jazz. The album titled Outward Bound (New Jazz ‎8236) was the evident arrival of a new name in jazz.

Dolphy’s creativity was exploding by 1964. His avant-garde jazz music reached new levels of experimentation and freedom. That year he signed with Blue Note Records and recorded Out to Lunch! with Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone), Richard Davis (bass), and Anthony Williams (drums). The album is considered his most important work, his magnum opus.

Out To Lunch! by Eric Dolphy (Blue Note 4163)

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Duke Ellington & John Coltrane: A Collaboration Between the Generations

World-renowned jazz pianist and composer Duke Ellington regularly partnered with other acclaimed jazz musicians during the early sixties. John Coltrane was no exception. In 1962, the pianist and the tenor saxophonist recorded the self-titled album Duke Ellington & John Coltrane. The recording got released in 1963 and would become the most successful collaboration Duke Ellington undertook during the early sixties. It’s a display of two jazz musicians from a different generation who, despite having a divergent background and relationship with music, communicate politely.

The recording was an opportunity for Duke Ellington to play with a quartet rather than with his usual big band arrangement. Ellington invited drummer Sam Woodyard and double-bassist Aaron Bell, who were both members of his orchestra in 1962, to support this studio session. John Coltrane invited two members of his Classic Quartet, drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Jimmy Garrison.

The album features acclaimed Ellington standards such as In A Sentimental Mood and some of his new compositions like Take the Coltrane (plays with his track Take the A Train). John Coltrane also added a new composition to the album’s track-list. His work titled Big Nick is a tribute to saxophonist George Walker “Big Nick” Nicholas who influenced Coltrane during his time with Dizzy Gillespie. “In thinking back,” Coltrane said, “it seemed to have something that would suit the style he likes to play in. But maybe not?”

“I was really honored to have the opportunity of working with Duke. It was a wonderful experience. He has set standards I haven’t caught up with yet.”

John Coltrane

In the early sixties, John Coltrane’s career and technical abilities peaked. For several years, he would release various historical jazz albums including Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960) and My Favorite Things (Atlantic 1961). Coltrane was a perfectionist, carefully exploring harmonic progressions and multiple rhythms. He was confident in both playing and arranging. Still, while playing with Duke Ellington, he felt honored, imperfect, and challenged. Duke Ellington is a legend from an older generation, and his contributions to jazz were paramount. Pianist Benny Green once said that “Duke was put into the jazz world to separate the men from the boys.”

John Coltrane (left) & Duke Ellington (right)

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