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The celebrated composer, orchestrator and arranger, and sometime trumpet player, Quincy Jones, died November 3rd aged 91. The Hot Box looks at the jazz contribution he made in the latter part of the 20th century, with tracks from Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole and the man himself.
On this edition I feature some of the best up-coming and established young female Jazz Pianists in Europe featuring the Liv Andrea Hauge Trio, Sunna Gunnlaugs, Francisca Tandoi, Kaja Draksler, Olivia Trummer, Anja Lauvdal, Anne Iversen and others
Read more: Tales from the far Side 12.12.24 Young female European Pianists
Shane Latimer is one of the most truly unique musicians I know. Not merely a prodigious talent when playing straight-ahead Jazz, he is also a singularly arresting practitioner of Free Jazz and “Improvised Music” (whatever that is). In recent years he has turned his death-ray-like musical stare in the direction of electronica, using synthesisers and other occult means of interacting technologically with sound to produce consistently surprising results. The result of his years of experimentation is Residuum available through Diatribe Records, the title of which is allegedly not a commentary upon the government’s housing policy.
It would serve you well to cast aside any assumptions you may have about both Jazz musicians and electronic music before you enter Latimer’s world. This is not your father’s Jazz-musician-makes-electronic-stuff album. I could not possibly begin to assign any sense of genre to this music. It is surely a record filtered through the guitarist’s exceptional knowledge of aesthetic, form, harmony, and structure, however the result reveals itself like a fractal landscape of sonic shapes and events that sprout new lands and new topography at every turn. Expectation and supposition are the enemy of experience here. Comparisons or congruencies don’t apply. This music is its own thing and I advise clean ears when approaching it.
On this edition I'ld like to warm your hearts with some winter-themed Jazz. Come rain, come snow, come storm, jazz will keep us warm.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 05.12.24 The Blue (s) of the Winter-the best in Jazz
On this edition, I once again put on my musical Walking Boots and lead you into the magic of Jazz with music connected with all kinds of Walking.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 28.11.24 Another musical Walk into the magic of Jazz
Victor Lazzarini’s new album, Palimpsest, is a profound exploration of musical memory, history, and reinvention. Drawing inspiration from the idea of a palimpsest—a manuscript written over and layered with traces of the past—the album layers decades of musical influences, genres, and techniques to create a singular sonic tapestry.
Released on June 12, 2024, through Farpoint Recordings, Palimpsest showcases Lazzarini's mastery of keyboards and synthesizers, supported by the dynamic contributions of Mumbai-based drummer and composer Aman Jagwani. Together, they navigate through a spectrum of jazz, electronic, and contemporary music, blending innovation with reverence for tradition.
Read more: Victor Lazzarini's Palimpsest: A Sonic Journey Through Time and Space
The Hot Box #132, an hour-long exploration of fresh and exciting sounds in jazz. This episode dives into new material from remarkable artists, blending the vibrancy of contemporary jazz with the timeless artistry of legends. Featuring tracks from John Donegan's Irish Sextet, Shuteen Erdenebaatar, and the Jihye Lee Orchestra, the episode showcases dynamic compositions and inventive storytelling.