The Week in Jazz is your roundup of new and noteworthy stories from the jazz world. It’s a one-stop destination for the music news you need to know. Let’s take it from the top.
Noteworthy
Iconic John Coltrane Album Certified Platinum in the United States: John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme from 1964 has been certified Platinum in the United States. To celebrate this landmark achievement, Verve has released a limited Mastercut edition of this iconic album, each cut from the original source material without digital interference and housed in a numbered custom package. Order it here.
Blue Note Collaboration with L.A. Streetwear Brand The Hundreds: Blue Note Records have collaborated with Los Angeles streetwear brand The Hundreds on a new collection featuring classic Blue Note graphics across a wide range of pieces, including T-shirts, long sleeves, pullover hoodies, crewnecks, varsity jackets, tote bags, hats and stickers, as well as limited edition record slip mats and a trumpet-styled incense holder. The collection is available now HERE.
Gilad Hekselman Signs to Edition: Israeli-born, New York-based guitarist/composer Gilad Hekselman, known for his uniquely progressive and timeless sound, has signed to Edition Records. He is set to release his new album, Far Star, in 2022. Conceived and composed during the pandemic, the new record will also feature Shai Maestro, Eric Harland, Ziv Ravitz, Nomok and Amir Bresler.
New Fela Kuti Vinyl Box Set Out December 10: Knitting Factory Records will release the fifth installment in its vinyl reissues series Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti’s catalog. Box Set #5 is due out December 10 and was co-curated by Fela’s son, multi-instrumentalist Femi Kuti, and Coldplay’s Chris Martin. It includes 7 vinyl LPs, a 20-page full-color booklet and comes with a poster designed by Nigerian artist Lemi Ghariokwu. Order it here.
Thundercat Celebrates 10th-Anniversary of Debut Album on RSD Black Friday: Thundercat will release a 10th-anniversary deluxe vinyl edition of his debut album, The Golden Age of Apocalypse, on Record Store Day Black Friday, November 26. Released via Brainfeeder and featuring two bonus tracks, the LP comes in translucent red housed in a shiny gold Mirri board sleeve with a large Thundercat logo hologram sticker and gold rainbow holofoil detail.
Upcoming Satoko Fujii Albums: Pianist/composer Satoko Fujii will release two new albums on November 19. The first, Underground, is a duo album with mallet virtuoso Taiko Saito, made by exchanging sound files over the internet. The second, Mosaic, features her trio with Takashi Itani and Natsuki Tamura and was recorded live via the internet. Listen to our JAZZIZ Travel podcast conversation with Satoko Fujii from earlier this year via the player below.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1EUEmmfaWusuciGHo4F9TV?si=x0yummjjQSWpgrXstghp0g
Album Announcements
John Patitucci & Andy James, An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James (Le Coq): An Evening with John Patitucci & Andy James, released on November 5, finds the vocalist and the bass master co-leading a session that recreates the sultry atmosphere of a candlelight nightclub via a program of jazz standards and pop classics. The album boasts an all-star ensemble, arrangements by Bill Cunliffe and contributions by Chris Potter, Rich Margitza, Terell Stafford and more. Order it here.
Dave Young, Mantra (Modica): Dave Young is one of Canada’s most celebrated bassists and a first-call musician for such greats as Oscar Peterson, Kenny Barron, Tommy Flanagan and many more. On his 16th album, he presents six originals alongside renditions of compositions by Thelonious Monk, Woody Shaw and Horace Silver, performed with an augmented sextet and special guests. Mantra was released on November 5 and you can order it HERE.
Jeff Hamilton, Merry & Bright (Capri): Drummer Jeff Hamilton breathes new life into his favorite Christmas tunes on his forthcoming holiday album, Merry & Bright, due out November 19. “I’ve always enjoyed holiday music and have been planning on doing a Christmas project for many years,” he explains via a press release. The music on the record is performed with his acclaimed trio with pianist Tamir Hendelman and bassist Jon Hamar. Pre-order it here.
Alex Brown, The Dark Fire Sessions (self-released): Alex Brown’s vibrant forthcoming record pays homage to the transformative power of musical camaraderie via ten original compositions. The Dark Fire Sessions, released on October 15, finds him in the company of bassist Zach Brown and drummer Eric Doob, plus several special guests. It is also Brown’s first release as a leader in over a decade. Listen to The Dark Fire Sessions via the player below.
Live Music and Festival News
New All-Star Outdoor Concert Series in Doral, Florida: The Downtown Doral Culture and Arts Foundation in Doral, Florida, will present the debut edition of Doral Live. This is a three-week concert series showcasing a diverse roster of national touring artists and South Florida cultural organizations. It will take place on December 3-19 and is the centerpiece of the Downtown Doral Holiday Fest. Artists scheduled to perform include The Joey Alexander Trio, Arturo Sandoval, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and Elizabeth Caballero with Shelly Berg, among many others. More here.
Wadada Leo Smith to Stream 80th-Birthday Concert Celebration: Iconic trumpeter/composer Wadada Leo Smith will celebrate his 80th-birthday with a concert performance on December 18. The concert will feature duet, trio and group performances by Smith, Pheeroan akLaff on drums, Sylvie Courvoisier on piano, Erika Dohi on piano, Lamar Smith on guitar. The concert will be streamed on Smith’s website.
Trineice Robinson Livestream Concert, November 21: Vocalist Trineice Robinson will celebrate the release of her debut album, All Or Nothing, with a livestream performance on November 21. The concert is presented by Jazz Power Initiative and the National Jazz Museum of Harlem as part of the Intergenerational Jazz Power Jam series and features Robinson alongside saxophonist Don Braden and the Jazz Power Ban. More here.
Angel Bat Dawid Artist-In-Residence at 2022 NYC Winter Jazzfest: Angel Bat Dawid has been announced as the artist-in-residence at the 2022 NYC Winter Jazzfest, which will take place at various New York venues on January 12-22. The clarinetist/vocalist/composer will debut a new performance called “Afro-Town Topics: A Mythological Afrofuturist Revue” with Sun Ra Arkestra’s Marshall Allen on January 17. This year’s NYC Winter Jazzfest will also feature performances by Georgia Anne Muldrow, Terence Blanchard, Makaya McCraven, Samara Joy and more. Click here for the full schedule.
Live From Our Living Rooms Presents 55 Bar, November 18-December 9: Live From Our Living Rooms, the livestream concert series launched last year to support musicians facing difficulty during the COVID-19 pandemic, has extended its virtual setting to include live venues. The series will resume at New York City’s 55 Bar on November 18-December 9 and feature Eric Harland, keyboardist BIGYUKI, pianist Taylor Eigsti and the Alexa Tarantino Quartet. More here.
New York’s globalFEST Returns in 2022: New York’s globalFEST is set to return in 2022 for a celebration of diversity and culture through music from different parts of the world. The festival’s flagship event will take place at the newly-renovated Webster Hall on January 16. There will also be a second edition of NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST, hosted by Angelique Kidjo and presenting exclusive video performances, that will run on January 18-20. More here.
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