Afleveringen
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Hailed as a âfully committed saxophonist and visionaryâ by The New Yorker, Ingrid Laubrock has evolved a distinctive, fascinatingly complex and richly layered sonic vocabulary that spans her efforts as an improviser, as leader of her own diverse ensembles or, as in the case of her captivating new album Purposing The Air, as composer and conceptualist for other musicians.Out April 11, 2025, Purposing The Air marks yet another adventurous exploration in a career marked by bold innovations. The album continues Laubrockâs engagement with the voice, following the blend of orchestra and choir on Contemporary Chaos Practices (2018). Purposing the Air is an expansive collection of 60 miniatures setting the words of poet Erica Hunt and her emotionally incisive piece âMood Librarian â a poem in koan.â Approaching the poemâs succinct two- or three-line fragments as separate compositions, Laubrock tailored each of them for one of four duos: vocalist Fay Victor with cellist Mariel Roberts, vocalist Sara Serpa with pianist Matt Mitchell, vocalist Theo Bleckmann with guitarist Ben Monder, and mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway with violinist Ari Streisfeld, aka the contemporary classical music ensemble Duo Cortona.While sheâs never before so fully integrated words and voice into her work, Laubrock has enjoyed a lifelong appreciation for poetry and literature. Her father was a Goethe scholar, while her mother instilled a love for language in her children from an early age. During the early years of her career in London, Laubrock was a member of the Brazilian-influenced band Nois 4, which featured the Brazilian singer MĂŽnica Vasconcelos as well as vocal contributions by Laubrock herself.
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Swiss pianist Sylvie Courvoisier and American guitarist Mary Halvorson show how virtuosity and joy of playing can be beautifully combined in a duo. Their snapping, over-snapping runs sparkle with the neighboring genres of jazz in particle form. Is this now flamenco, blues, country, noise? Unison voices in a rhythm that has more of Stravinsky or progressive rock than Louis Armstrong or John Coltrane. If there were anyone left who harbored prejudices against female jazz musicians (about which female jazz musicians are always complaining), these two would offer a shimmering quick fix.
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Swedish jazz virtuoso Ebba Ă sman has announced the forthcoming release of her third full-length record When You Know. The new album arrives March 21st, 2025 via Dorado Records.
Coinciding with the announcement of âWhen You Knowâ of the upcoming album are the joint first singles - the title track âWhen You Knowâ and âNo Answerâ. The pair of songs channel the feelings that came into clarity for Ă sman during her time in the woods: the stresses of not knowing where youâre headed, sensing that youâre losing grip of the life youâve built, drowning in the infinite questions that swirl around in your head â and ultimately, accepting the uncertainty of it all. The latter track has been described as the turning point of the album, where acceptance of the circumstances begin to prevail.
Coming off of a Swedish Grammy (GRAMMIS) nomination for her 2023 sophomore album âBe Freeâ, live showings at North Sea Jazz Festival and Londonâs Ronnie Scottâs and an appointment as one of Yamahaâs brand ambassadors, the trombonist, songwriter and producer sought to quiet the noise around her and challenge the jazz genreâs rigid rules for her next project.
The end result is âWhen You Knowâ; a smoky and melancholic 10-track cocktail of jazz, alternative R&B, indie, Hip-Hop and ambient sonics that experiments at every turn. On hand to co-produce the record and provide the electronic elements that move âWhen You Knowâ away from the jazz world and into more avant-garde territory, Ebba collaborated with Berlin-based producer Lucy Liebe.
Packing a potent emotional punch into a running time of just 31 minutes, the 10 tracks are a reflection of Ebba herself: direct, driven, precise. Retreating to a cabin outside of her small hometown of Hammarö, 200 miles west of Stockholm, she recorded the album in the dead of winter.
With the temperatures outside nearing minus-thirty degrees, Ă sman logged off for a month â disconnecting from TV, social media and emails. Embracing with vigour both the deep sense of calm and the challenges that come with the cold but also the stillness and solitude that is yielded being in the wilderness.
Though this is Ă smanâs third studio album, it will be the first time sheâs singing on record. An important statement and moment of transition for Ebba. Elaborating on this further she said: âIf youâre singing, you are the closest you can be to your own expression but I wanted to first be respected as an instrumentalist. If youâre a woman and you tell people youâre a musician, everyone assumes and says âOh â so youâre a singer?â.
âWhen You Knowâ will mark the moment on which Ebba Ă smanâs exceptional gifts are finally crystallised. At age 7, she began learning trombone and by 15, she won a place to study the instrument at the Södra Latin School in Stockholm. The renowned hot-house for Swedish talent whose alumni include Lykke Li, Yung Lean and the prolific hit songwriter Max Martin.
But when she moved to the Netherlands to study at the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music, she began to push against the constraints of formal learning. Self-identifying as a âjazz rebelâ, rather than being preoccupied with the theoretical and mechanical aspects of jazz, Ebba operates from a mode of pure intuition and feeling. At just 26, âWhen You Knowâ finds Ă sman continuing to push the boundaries of jazz through the two distinct sides of her musical self: the notes she conjures from the trombone and now, her voice.
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Trombone-playing singer-songwriter Aubrey Logan hails from the picturesque surroundings near Seattle, WA. Raised by her two music-educator parents, she began her artistic endeavors as a child singing in theatre and in church, Thoughtful songwriters like Billy Joel & Carole King influenced her early childhood via her singing mother and trumpet-playing father, as well as the soulful musicianship of American horn bands such as Chicago, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Steeley Dan, and more. Things took an intriguing turn when she picked up the trombone at the age of 12, igniting her passion for the jazz tradition.
Aubrey possesses a distinct yet truly unique voice, able to take a song from practically any era or genre and really making it her own, through surprising vocal melisma, scatt jazz interludes and a blissful warm tone that expands over her entire catalogue of originals to innovatively-arranged hits.
Her accolades are as impressive as they are extensive, from clinching victory in the prestigious Shure Montreux Voice competition in 2009 to securing a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she stands as an alumna. Notably recognized as a top trombone player by Downbeat magazine, Aubrey has graced stages globally, touring alongside renowned artists like Dave Koz & Postmodern Jukebox.
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Guitarist, producer, composer & arranger Greg Sanders is an integral part of the UKâs alternative world & jazz scenes. Greg was a founding member of three influential underground world/jazz/fusion groups that formed studying at London's SOAS University from 2008 - 2011:
- alternative afrobeat / post-punk trio Ruby & The Vines with bassist & vocalist Binisa Bonner (Ata Kak) and drummer Ben Assiter (James Blake);
- London latin cult legends Wara (with Eliane Correa);
- and psychedelic jazz / live hip-hop collective FUR
Greg went on to create the jazz / world ensemble Teotima, releasing two critically acclaimed LPs on First Word Records (Counting The Ways, 2013 & Weightless, 2019).As a collaborator, Greg is sought out for his deep musicality and versatility, and has performed and recorded with Senegalese kora master Kadialy Kouyate, Zambian singer-songwriter Namvula, Portuguese singer-songwriter singer InĂȘs Loubet, jazz bass bandleader Jonny Wickham, Brazilian jazz artist BABO MORENO, Brazilian MPB party favourites Big Ben Jorge, as well as Samba Azul, Irini Arabatzi, Hannah Brine and others.
From 2016 - 2018, Greg completed an MA in Jazz Performance & Composition at Londonâs Royal Academy of Music, studying with UK jazz legends including Chris Montague, Mike Walker, Pete Churchill and Nick Smart.Greg works closely with Congolese-Argentinian singer-songwriter Juanita Euka, and co-wrote, produced and arranged Juanitaâs debut LP 'Mabanzo' (Strut Records, 2022), and is the musical director for live shows.
The trio LP Eight Songs (2022) (with Tom Herbert and George Bird) was Greg's first small-group jazz project as a leader.
Today he joins the show to preview his new album, Perfect Strangers.Support the show
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John founded Crown Lane with his wife, back in 2007, and has ensured the business stays ahead of changes in the industry. He loves eating out and spending time with his boys and foster daughter. Today he joins the show to tell us about how he set up and sustains the studio as well as all the brilliant events he runs in the community.
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Robin tells us about his new single, I'm Coming Home, which is out now!
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Winner of the 2018 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the year, Xhosa Cole is an embodiment of the success of numerous community arts programmes in Birmingham including the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, Jazzlines Ensemble, and Birmingham Music Service. Having grown up in Handsworth and first played the Tenor at Andy Hamilton's Ladywood Community Music School, he's now among a long legacy of Birmingham Saxophonists including Soweto Kinch and Shabaka Hutchings. Xhosa has performed twice at the BBC Proms, composed music for the Ripieno Players - a Birmingham-based string orchestra, recorded saxophone for Mahaliaâs debut album âLove and Compromiseâ, and completed a 22 date UK tour. Xhosa Also received the Parliamentary Jazz Award for âBest Newcomerâ in 2019 and Jazz FM 'Breakthrough Act of the Year'.
Crown Lane Studio
Discover South Londonâs hidden gem for musicians. Crown Lane Studio is a stunning multiroom complex.
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As a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, winner of the Rising Star category in the 2019 British Jazz Awards and three-time nominee in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, Alex is known to be one of the most in-demand and versatile saxophonists to have emerged on the British jazz scene.
Praised for her intelligent ear for harmony and a deep knowledge of repertoire across a broad spectrum of styles, Alex's sound is steeped in the tradition of bebop. Her total respect for the heritage of the music can be heard in a fiery, melodic approach inspired by the likes of Phil Woods, Cannonball Adderley and Vincent Herring.
As a bandleader, Alex's quartet features some of the UKâs finest musicians: David Newton, Dave Green and Steve Brown. In summer 2022, she released her latest album âOnly A Yearâ and since then, her quartet have toured extensively around the country, appearing at jazz clubs and festivals including Swanage Jazz Festival and Scarborough Jazz Festival.
Crown Lane Studio
Discover South Londonâs hidden gem for musicians. Crown Lane Studio is a stunning multiroom complex.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show
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Hailing from the North Coast of Scotland, bassist/composer Ali Watson journeyed to London to pursue his studies in music, returning to his homeland in 2022 to establish himself in Glasgowâs vibrant jazz scene.Driven by a desire to craft music that served as an escape and antidote to the relentlessness and overstimulation of modern life, his debut album âTerrariumâ is set to release on November 26th.
Watson describes his music as âcomplex yet melodicâ; drawing on Contemporary Jazz, Scottish Folk, Impressionist Classical music and his heroes in Aaron Parks, Kit Downes and Larry Grenadier to make his own distinctive imprint on modern Scottish Jazz.
Beginning most of his compositions on the upright piano in his motherâs home, Watson finds the safety and seclusion he experiences there enables him to enter an uninhibited and spontaneous state of mind, unaffected by the rest of the world.
Led by lyrical folk melodies, colourful harmony, intimate instrumental textures and gently propellant grooves, each of Watsonâs nine deeply personal compositions are interpreted and performed by his quartet with maturity, personality and feeling.
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Tigran Hamasyan is considered one of the most remarkable and distinctive jazz-meets-rock pianists/composers of his generation. A piano virtuoso with groove power, Hamasyan seamlessly fuses potent jazz improvisation and progressive rock with the rich folkloric music of his native Armenia.
In addition to awards and critical acclaim, Hamasyan has built a dedicated following worldwide, as well as praise from Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau and the late Chick Corea. âWith startling combinations of jazz, minimalist, electronic, folk and songwriterly elementsâŠHamasyan and his collaborators travel musical expanses marked with heavy grooves, ethereal voices, pristine piano playing and ancient melodies. Youâll hear nothing else like thisâ (NPR)Support the show
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Tom is based in Manchester, UK. He studied Saxophone and composition at the Royal Northern College of Music and the University of Manchester. His classical training from Rob Buckland (saxophone), Camden Reeves and Gary Carpenter (composition) continues to inform all of his original work, which blends his distinctive voice as an improviser, with a characteristically genre bending compositional flare that absorbs the language of contemporary classical, popular and jazz styles.
He studied Jazz with Steve Berry and Tim Garland under a scholarship kindly granted by The Kinder Family Trust and with sponsorship from The Royal Society of Musicians.
Tom now works internationally as a performer and composer of Jazz, Classical and Commercial Music. Tom has performed at venues which have included The Royal Albert Hall, Royal Exchange Theatre, Colston Hall, Glastonbury Festival, Kingâs Place London, Band on the Wall, The Royal Philharmonic Hall and the world famous 100 Club as well as for various TV/Radio platforms. His professional life involves work in a variety of disciplines such as session touring and studio work, theatre pit work, multi-instrumental positions and original jazz projects. He accepts commissions from Classical performers for new works, as well as composing for commercial briefs including Film/TV and arranging.
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Joan Hutton is a performer, composer and educator residing in Minneapolis. Joanâs diverse interests have taken her from jazz, free improv and funk to classical, chamber music and pit orchestras. She has released two jazz albums featuring her original music, with co-leader Sue Orfield, on Shifting Paradigm Records: âTake That Backâ (2022) and âSplashâ (2024.) She is a member of the Ancia Saxophone Quartet, which has recordings out on the Naxos and Albany labels. Joan teaches a large studio of private students around the Twin Cities and is the saxophone and clarinet instructor at Augsburg University.
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Darius and Cathy join the show to share their lifetime of work and achievements. With a new book and film Playing The Changes as well as a rerelease of The Jazzanians iconic album We Have Waited Too Long theres so much to catch up on!
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In a world which celebrates the virtuosity of the individual, HLKâs vision has been to develop their ensemble virtuosity, compelled by a unified vision. The music comprises precise notated sections, moments of conversational interaction and room for individual improvisation. It is a delicate but powerful balance. This unique, interdependent rhythmic language has required unparalleled commitment, but yielded astonishing results. The Trioâs music is celebrated for being emotionally and cerebrally challenging yet accessible, captivating audiences young and old across the UK and mainland Europe.
HLK have completed their second recorded volume: âAnthropometricksâ. Their unique musical relationship with Dame Evelyn Glennie has evolved and the results captured in five of the eight compositions on the album. Two additional artists have also been invited into the fray. British Cellist Natalie Cleinâs rich tone and melodic interpretation add a wealth of texture. Varijashree Venugopal contributes a spell-binding vocal performance, including an incredible improvisation on the title track. Today Rich Kass, Rich Harrold and Ant Law join Rob Cope to chat about the new album.Support the show
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Sam joins Rob Cope to tell us all about his brand-new album. We chat about the music, the influences and the key decisions behind the project.
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Lorenâs began her career as something of a prodigy at age 13, when she won a songwriting contest, gaining national attention. Before she was 19, she did a stint in Nashville, soaking up that cityâs ancestry of great American songwriting. She recorded her first album at 20, and from there she was off and running, recording successive albums that garnered awards, Billboard recognition and an international following that has sent her touring around the globe, including stops in Korea, Africa, Japan, Canada and the Caribbean, to name a few locations. Her records regularly make âbest ofâ lists, and her sublime talents as a vocalist are attested to by several albums hitting the #1 slot on Canadian and Japanese jazz charts. Today she joins the show to tell us all about her new album.
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Swedish artist, Vidya talks to Tara Minton about her new album, Adi Shakti.
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