Vocalist Jazzmeia Horn’s 2019 Malta Jazz Festival appearance was a celebration of jazz’s future, infused with the soul of its past. Featuring Keith Brown (piano), Rashaan Carter (bass), Irwin Hall (flute and saxophone), and Anwar Marshall (drums), the young singer’s performance was a reminder of jazz’s enduring power to speak to the heart. Situated at the Valletta waterfront outside Our Lady of Liesse Church, Horn’s concert was a truly spellbinding experience.
Sonya Lifschitz is a pianist working across many contexts, with repertoire spanning from 15th century Faenza Codex to works written for her today. She is known for her fiercely imaginative, daring collaborations across film, animation, spoken word, visual and performance art. Robert Davidson has been making music from language since childhood. He has created music from the voices of Australia's prime ministers, from 100 years of radio broadcasts and from stories of asylum seekers and indigenous members of Australia's Stolen Generations. This performance is recorded during Classical:NEXT 2019 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
The Da Pá Virada Sessions series presents the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed in São Paulo, each session offers a unique experience by giving a fresh look into Brazil's music scene. The artists for each session are selected in consultation with Stingray DJAZZ's music editor. One of the artists taking part in this series is pianist Amilton Godoy. He is not only a well-known soloist in his homeland Brazil, but he is also considered one of the world's greatest pianists today, regularly guesting with international top orchestras and conductors. Godoy frequently teaches workshops throughout Brazil and abroad.
The concept of percussion has been altered significantly by the evolution of the instrument. The methods of the innovative reConvert Project are unique and dedicated to changing the face of the percussionist world, by working actively with composers such as Georges Aperghis, Simon Steen Andersen, Michael Maierhof and Jorge Sánchez-Chiong and premiering over a dozen works written to help train emerging young composers. The reConvert philosophy is based on the re-examination of the aesthetic use of percussion instruments, where musical discourse is analysed and adapted to their creative needs. With numerous works using unconventional instruments and staging, a whole new experience is created for the listener. The reConvert project has performed in Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Austria, UK, Japan, Cuba, the US, Argentina and offered workshops in Buenos Aires, Havana, Spain, New York and London (Royal College of Music). In this performance from the 2019 edition of Classical:NEXT!, musicians Lorenzo Colombo (electronics and percussion) and Roberto Maqueda (electronics and percussion) interpret the works "Fernando Manassero" and "Amoeba".
The Da Pá Virada Sessions series presents the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed in São Paulo, each session offers a unique experience by giving a fresh look into Brazil's music scene. The artists for each session are selected in consultation with Stingray DJAZZ's music editor. One of the artists taking part in this series is Paulo Novaes. Coming from a family of musicians, Paulo Novaes has already lived through a lifetime of music in spite of his young age. Paulo is the cousin of singer Bruna Caram, with whom he performed in São Paulo, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, and other major cities. As a singer, composer, and instrumentalist, his creativity is enjoyed in many forms. With three albums out and his song 'Perdoa' reaching over 20 million streams on Spotify, he steps into the spotlights time and time again. Now Da Pá Virada Sessions and Stingray present Paulo Novaes in this New Year's Eve special, which was recorded in Paulo's native city of São Paulo.
The latin music orchestra, La Mambanegra, combines many musical elements, such as Jamaican or Colombian music, as well as Funk and Hip Hop. Yet, their main musical influence comes from 1970s New York, where during the time Salsa was born. The magic of the genre, however, is given new colours by La Mambanegra: with a series of fantastic adventures in Cali, La Habana and New York, the band’s music is inspired by an anonymous and even mythical hero of the Cali’s popular neighborhood Barrio Obrero. Consisting of 8 talented musicians, La Mambanegra presents their charming showcase at the Music Meeting Festival in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
The Da Pá Virada Sessions series presents the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed in São Paulo, each session offers a unique experience by giving a fresh look into Brazil's music scene. The artists for each session are selected in consultation with Stingray DJAZZ's music editor. One of the bands taking part in this series is the duo of Giana Viscardi and Gustavo Marques. After starting their career together, Giana Viscardi and Gustavo Marques released music in many places around the world. After returning to Brazil, they worked together on Giana's album "ORUM", performing in Africa, Europe, and Brazil. In this New Year's Eve special, presented by Da Pá Virada Sessions and Stingray, Giana Viscardi and Gustavo Marques perform conductor and arranger Letieres Leite's arrangements of their work with Orchestra Rumpilezz. Enjoy their fantastic Afro-Brazilian jazz, which combines the best of various continents.
Jeditah is an experimental songwriter, producer and singer from Amsterdam. She works with Brendan Jan Walsh on cello and Jordy Pama on synths and electronics. From an early age on, Jeditah has been immersed in the world of music, travelling with her parents as a music collective. She finds inspiration in the works of acclaimed artists like Björk, James Blake, Laurie Anderson and PJ Harvey. When she began experimenting with making her own music, she first only utilized her own voice, lowering and altering it, and eventually adding electronic beats and synths. With Electric AlleyCat, Jeditah has established her position as a singer and songwriter. In between performing and recording with the band, she creates layered soundscapes from old recordings and homemade samples. It's here where she develops her very own sound: playful, melancholic and adventurous – music that speaks to the imagination of the listener. In this concert from 2019's Classical:NEXT!, she performs "Horseman" "You & Me, "Lay Down", "The Night", "Differently" and "Private Space".
Born in Britain and raised in Canada, Richie Hawtin is one of the biggest names in today's electro minimal and is one of the instigators of electro house. Hawtin, who rightly calls himself an artist, is always looking for new concepts and ways to push technological boundaries. Let yourself be carried away by the unique and dancing techno rhythms of this innovative DJ with this highly creative set delivered as part of the 2017 edition of the Family Piknik festival.
Since 1994, World Music Expo (WOMEX) has been attracting musicians, agents, a great number of press agencies, as well as media companies from all over the world. Its main exposition event has been held in various locations throughout Europe, including Berlin, Brussels, Marseille, Stockholm, Seville, Cardiff, and Budapest. In 2018, WOMEX was held in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. One of its showcase participants, Moonlight Benjamin, blends together Voodoo blues, Haitian rock and Creole roll into a riff-heavy, groove-laden sonic concoction built on the tension between her powerful voice and saturated electric guitars.
The Da Pá Virada Sessions series presents the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed and curated in São Paulo by director and presenter Dani Gurgel and producer and engineer Thiago Rabello, each session offers a unique experience by giving a fresh look into Brazil's music scene. The artists for each session are selected in consultation with Stingray DJAZZ's music editor. Influenced by the music of the past and present, samba collective Samba pros Orixás bridges the gap between tradition and modernity. Naturally, Samba pros Orixás’ repertoire is dominated by sambas, alongside ijexás, jongos, samba de roda, and numerous other infectious Brazilian rhythms that will make you want to move. Don’t miss out their tour-de-force performance!
English musician, songwriter, and singer Johnny Marr has enjoyed an exemplary career since his former band The Smiths split up in 1987. His distinctive guitar sound has been part of such varied groups as The Pretenders, The Cribs, Modest Mouse, and Electronic, the group he co-founded with Bernard Sumner of New Order. Now a living legend, Johnny Marr showcases his incredible singer-songwriter talents on each new album. His recent, hit-packed release Call The Comet (2018) gave us “The Tracers” and “Hi Hello,” and his live performances – which usually include some songs from his days with The Smiths – always hit the mark. Enjoy this 2019 show recorded at Rock en Seine in Paris!
Pianist Kenny Barron’s June 27, 2019 appearance at the Alfa Jazz Festival in Ukraine’s Lviv was a celebration of sublime jazz virtuosity. The revered elder statesmen of jazz piano brought his regular working trio of Kiyoshi Kitagawa (bass) and Jonathan Blake (drums), augmented by stellar jazzman Marcus Strickland (tenor saxophone) and young lion Riley Mulherkar (trumpet). Their seamless blend of classic bebop and modern explorations spoke of a deep, emotive connection to each note, captivating the Ukrainian audience with lyrical improvisations during this unforgettable concert.
Oum El Ghait Benessahraoui, who is better known as Oum, gives a unique glance at ethnic Morrocan musical esthetics. The singer-songwriter is considered to be the ambassador of Morrocan culture, too. Deeply influenced by gospel, jazz, soul and R&B genres, today Oum mixes more and more African music genres, such as Sufi, Hassani, or Afrobeat. Yet, the singer’s voice still echoes the colours of Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald or Whitney Houston. It is the African American vocal tradition that made a huge impact on Oum since her early days as the singer. Performing from Music Meeting Festival in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Oum charms the stage with an exotic sonic journey to the undiscovered lands of North Africa.
Ensemble Offspring is Australia's foremost new music ensemble, based in Sydney, made up of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion. At Classical:NEXT, the ensemble features a line-up of internationally acclaimed core instrumentalists, Claire Edwardes (percussionist/artistic director), Zubin Kanga (piano), Jason Noble (clarinet), and Lamorna Nightingale (flute). With a 23-year history, the group embraces all modes of adventurous music making, which has brought to fruition the creation of over 200 new works. The 2019 Classical:Next showcase programme Solitude features two works written for the ensemble by Kate Moore (“Fern”) and Andrea Keller (“Love in Solitude”). Both pieces use acoustic instrumental tones combined with pre-recorded electronics and especially commissioned video art of the Australian landscape.
Jazz in Duketown is the largest free outdoor jazz festival in the Netherlands. It's a real gathering for jazz addicts, inviting internationally renowned artists. In 2019, one of them is Copenhagen-based Norwegian saxophonist Marius Neset, who is known internationally for his collaborations with People Are Machines, Kaktusch, JazzKamikaze, and Django Bates' projects StoRMChaser and Human Chain. Neset completed his Master's degree at the Copenhagen Rhythmic Music Conservatory in 2008.
Since 1994, World Music Expo (WOMEX) has been attracting musicians, agents, a great number of press agencies, as well as media companies from all over the world. Its main exposition event has been held in various locations throughout Europe, including Berlin, Brussels, Marseille, Stockholm, Seville, Cardiff, and Budapest. In 2018, WOMEX was held in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. One of its showcase participants, composer/performer/anthropologist Rob Thorne, is a diverse explorer in the newly revived evolution of taonga puoro, traditional Māori instruments, fusing these ancient voices with modern sounds and technology. He creates ethereal and immersive site-specific works as well as contemporary chamber music, born out of in-depth research and respect for tradition.
GusGus was founded in 1995 as a collective of film music creators. After signing a contract with the 4AD label the following year, GusGus became one of the most popular electro formations in Iceland, a status that was cemented internationally by the release of Polydistortion in 1997 Over the next two decades, GusGus explored virtually every sub-genre of electronic music, from house to trance, to techno and trip-hop. Discover GusGus at the Sónar Reykjavík 2018 festival, where founding members Biggi Veira and Daníel Ágúst present the latest album from the band, Lies Are More Flexible. With his exceptional vocal talent, fascinating electronic hacks and subtle arrangements, GusGus promises to impress you.
Experience the incredible richness of our world’s music in this performance by the unparalleled Afro-Cuban pianist Omar Sosa! Whilst staying true to Cuban music traditions, Sosa shows an insatiable curiosity: tirelessly exploring music from around the world – from the Caribbean to India and from West Africa to the Arab World – nothing seems to escape his thirst for discovery. A celebration of rhythm in all its forms, this Omar Sosa concert from the French Ramatuelle Jazz Festival promises an intense mystical experience!
In 1998, Antonio Faraò won the prestigious Concours Martial Solal, awarded to him by Herbie Hancock! Since then, this talented Italian jazz pianist has made his mark as a player of elegance and lyricism, which has allowed him to collaborate with the best European and American musicians. On his last album "Evan", recorded in the United States, he leads an all-star band starring Joe Lovano on tenor saxophone. On a beautiful summer night at the French Jazz à Ramatuelle festival, Faraò performs at the breathtaking Theatre de Verdure in the company of saxophone legend Dave Liebman. With refined ballads, a feline groove, elegance, and lyricism, this musical meeting sparkles – if you watch closely you might even see some bright new stars lighting up in the night sky above Ramatuelle!
GayBird Leung has worked in the Hong Kong music industry since 1996 as a music director, composer, and producer for over a hundred music productions, concerts and theatres. He continues to explore the realm of music creation, investigating potential formats of electronic music performance that enhance the music experience. The Zephyr Quartet, consisting of Emma Perkins (violin), Emily Tulloch (violin), Jason Thomas (viola) and Hilary Kleinig (cello) are Australia's leading genre-defying explorers of dynamic cross-art form music focused collaborations. During this showcase at Classical: NEXT 2019 in Rotterdam, they perform GayBird Leung's composition “Music in Anticlockwise” (2017).
The Da Pá Virada Sessions series presents the best musicians of contemporary Brazilian jazz, and beyond. Filmed in São Paulo, each session offers a unique experience by giving a fresh look into Brazil's music scene. The artists for each session are selected in consultation with Stingray DJAZZ's music editor. One of the artists taking part in this series is pianist Karin Fernandes. She is dedicated to the performance of 20th and 21st century piano repertoire and has premiered numerous new compositions. As a soloist, Karin Fernandes has performed with prestigious Brazilian orchestras.
Bassist Kyle Eastwood (1968) is an explorer, equally at ease with jazz melodies as with pop songs. In the late 1970s, his father Clint took him to see his first jazz concert - a Count Basie performance. Eastwood Jr. was in awe of the drummer and wanted to play an instrument himself. It so happened he wasn’t so much interested in jazz, preferring rhythm and blues, Motown and Stax records, funk groups, and North African and Indian music. Eastwood became a brilliant bassist and the composer of highly original soundtracks. His 2015 album "Time Pieces" is a collaboration with brilliant British musicians, such as trumpeter Quentin Collins and saxophonist Brandon Allen. In this broadcast, Eastwood and his fellow musicians revisit the hard bop legacy of Blue Note Records. Eastwood and his band perform original music, as well as songs made famous by Horace Silver and Herbie Hancock. Their contemporary take on Charles Mingus’ “Boogie Stop Shuffle” is not to be missed!
