Karkhana ‎– Live At Metro Al-Madina (2015)

Karkhana ‎– Live At Metro Al-Madina (Sagittarius A-Star, 2015)

Personnel:
Umut Çağlar: Flute, Violin, Percussion

Mazen Kerbaj: Trumpet, Trombone [plastic], Synth [crackle]

Sam Shalabi: Oud, Electric Guitar

Maurice Louca: Organ

Özün Usta: Double Bass

Sharif Sehnaoui: Drums

Tracklisting:
01 - Under The Red Light, Part I
02 - Under The Red Light, Part II

This is one of the most powerful releases in the combined Qbico and Sagittarius A-Star catalogues. Imagine a cross between Kluster and Taj Mahal Travellers with a Middle Eastern feel (the musicians are from Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon). Their first record was recorded live in Beirut on February 25th, 2014. The musicians are Mazer Kerbat (trumpet, plastic trombone, crackle-synth), Umut Çağlar (flutes, violin, kalimba), Sam Shalabi (electric guitar, oud), Maurice Louca (synth, electronics), Özün Usta (double bass, cura) and Sharif Sehnaoui on drums. The sound that you hear at the end of the second clip it's not a monster's breath. The ticket to the ride. [Shiny Beast]

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Faruq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers - Rwanda (2005)

Faruq Z. Bey with Northwoods Improvisers - Rwanda (Qbico, 2005)

Personnel:
Faruq Z. Bey: tenor sax, alto sax, Zola Phone
Mike Carey: flute, bass clarinet
Skeeter Shelton: tenor sax
Mike Gilmore: vibes, marimba, dhumbeks, bone guitar
Mike Johnston: bass, shenai, percussion
Nick Ashton: drums

Tracklisting:
1. Rwanda (Johnston)
2. Mamaka II (Bey)

3. Himalayan Footpath (Gilmore)

4. Gogisci [Smoke] (Johnston, Mateen)*
*in CD-version

"There are lions and oribi roaming through the savannah during the opening mystery of this song. Dark birds of prey follow their movements. Mike Gilmore, Nick Ashton and Mike Johnston create a percussive landscape filled with shadow and flashes of light. The flutes of Faruq Z. Bey and Mike Carey begin the journey like winds over the tall grasses and rolling hills, heading toward the volatile waters of Lake Kivu. When the bass of Johnston thunders into being, you are moving across the surface of the lake, feeling each crest and trough of the blue-black waves of Kivu. The flutes are now calling the barefoot fishermen to dance, dreaming of barbel, catfish and tilapia. The Tenor Sax of Bey first, and then Skeeter Shelton, pull you into two worlds: you’re still on that deep and dangerous African lake, but at the same time, you are now viewing the streets of Detroit from the backseat of a slow-moving Buick. It’s late summer and the windows are rolled down. The tires hiss and the streetlights flash across your face. Gilmore’s marimba solo brings you back to that Rwandan plain. Though now you are the lion, stalking the oribi. The saxes come back in, this time with Carey joining the drive and leading the expedition. Finally, your are returned to the opening mystery. The bass and percussion dissolve the water and land into ethereal winds, and those dark raptors rise in widening circles until they disappear into the silence".

"Gorgeous, earthy, unhurried Mother Africa jazz here, deep and dark, mysterious yet reassuring. Sax/flute master Bey leads a superb group of like-minded story-tellers; together they bring forth a kind of ancient knowledge I can’t begin to understand. Long journeys unfold before us… our guides are bass, drums, saxes, flutes, bass clarinet, and vibraphone/marimba. Along the way we meet shenhai, zola phone, and bone guitar. Night comes in and spirits visit and we are at peace" Max Level (KFJC Radio)

"enter Faruq... through my old friend Mike Johnston who used to bid and win in my old jazz auctions... another pillar of qbico records and a unique voice. love their music (such a warm and African sound), their compositions (never get tired of hearing them), their artworks (Mike ltd hand-made covers are among the best on qbico). i finally met Faruq (and of course Mike and the rest of the band) in Detroit for the unite, no words, just shake hands AND looks... Mike told me some deep stories about him from the 60's... a kind of legendary figure, especially in the Detroit area.. in fact they played mostly there for a long time, but fortunatly recently they played Issue Project Room in NYC, thanks to an invitation from my friend Lawrence. Faruq got some health problems, that's why they can't move much... anyway, i did three rockets by Faruq (plus one-sided by the Northwoods), so i really hope the message'll be spread loud and clear, beyond Det." [qbico]

Poll Winners of 2005 honorable mention WEMU Radio.

Out of print!!!

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Don Cherry - Modern Art (Live in Stockholm, 1977) (2014)

Don Cherry - Modern Art (Live in Stockholm, 1977) (Mellotronen, 2014)

Personnel:
Don Cherry: Trumpet [Pocket Trumpet], Flute, Conch [Conch Shell], Piano, Vocals, Xalam [Doussn' Gouni] 
Bronisław Suchanek: Bass [String Bass]  
Torbjörn Hultkrantz: Bass [String Bass]  
Georg Wadenius: Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Voice  
Tommy Koverhult: Flute  
Peter Ek: Rattle [Calabash], Tabla, Zither [Drone Zitther], Claves 
Moki Cherry: Tambura  
Lena Ahlman: Tambura

Per Tjernberg: Drums [Hand-Drums], Percussion

Tracklisting:
01 - Love Train

02 - Awareness

03 - Meditation

04 - Universal Mother

05 - Que Faser

06 - Eagle Eye

07 - Karmapa Chenno

08 - Mahakali (Excerpt)

09 - Ornettunes

10 - California

11 - Desireless

12 - Marimba, Goddess Of Music

13 - Chenrezig

This limited-edition CD and LP, recorded at Stockholm’s Museum of Modern Art in 1977, includes selections from trumpeter Don Cherry’s 1977 Hear & Now, a fusion-tinged outing that generated some controversy when it was released. Although it doesn’t quite live up to its billing as “Hear & Now unplugged” (only five of the 13 songs—“Universal Mother,” “Eagle Eyes,” “Karmapa Chenno,” “Mahakali” and “California”—are from that LP), Modern Art provides a rare opportunity to hear Cherry reinterpret that material in a primarily acoustic setting.

Despite its pervasive spirituality, this is no exercise in New Age navel-gazing. Cherry ascends and soars, firing off multi-note fusillades with spitfire ferocity and blatting out tongue-stop-toughened extended phrases. As he did on Hear & Now, though, he also lays out frequently, letting flutist Tommy Koverhult and guitarist Georg “Jojje” Wadenius take the spotlight. According to percussionist Per Tjernberg’s liner notes, Koverhult arrived at the gig late, unfamiliar with most of the material, but he was a longtime Cherry compatriot and fit in seamlessly. Brilliant, full-toned and as improvisationally fearless as Cherry himself, he also summons a powerful rhythmic thrust alongside Tjernberg and fellow percussionists Peter Ek, Moki Cherry (Don’s wife) and Lena Ahlman. Wadenius alternates feathery leads with resonant chording, and he contributes chants, prayers and wordless imprecations throughout the set, seemingly having mastered not just the vocabulary but the rhythmic syntax and vocal timbre of traditional Indian devotional singing.

As is now widely acknowledged, Don Cherry was playing “world music” long before it was called that; even aside from the historical significance of the five Hear & Now offerings, this set gives us an essential glimpse of this facet of his legacy. [Jazz Times]

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Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Archestra - The Reason Why Vol. 2 (2014)

 Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Archestra - The Reason Why Vol. 2 (Headspin, 2014)

Personnel:

Goran Kajfeš: Trumpet, Cornet, Percussion, Synthesizer

Per "Ruskträsk" Johansson: Baritone, Alto and Sopranino Saxophone, Clarinet, Flutes

Jonas Kullhammar: Tenor and Soprillo Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute

Jesper Nordenström: Organ, Upright Piano, Synthesizer, Omnichord

Andreas Söderström: Acoustic, Electric and Lapsteel Guitar

Reine Fiske: Electric Guitar, Mellotron

Robert Östlund: Electric Guitar, Sytnthesizer

Johan Berthling: Electric and Acoustic Bass

Johan Holmegard: Drums, Percussion

José Gonzáles: Voice

Tracklisting:
01 - Dokuz Seki/Esmerim
02 - Adimiz Miskindir Bizim

03 - New Track
04 - A Lua Girou
05 - Tamzara
06 - Yet Again

It is impossible to guess where Sweden's most innovative musicians will take us when he releases the new album, but one can always be sure to have a fantastic musical adventure. Here he begins with a few covers of Turkish psychfunk from the early 70s, and it he finds a groove that beats most of what he has done before. Reine Fiske electric guitar flippers away somewhere where no electric guitar found since 1972, and Goran Kajfeš self shines when he says Ulf Adåkers mission channeling Miles most exquisite funky tones in entirely new ways. Like the mixture arkestern spoiled us with volume one, we then both Armenian folk music and Brazilian influences, in a subtly beautiful interpretation of Milton Nascimentoz "A Lua Girou". Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Arkestra excel themselves, and it is thus mixed beautifully and ridiculously captivating both jazznovisen as connoisseur in the audience must cheer. [Nöjesguiden]

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Highly recommended! This tune is already nominated to swedish Grammy! One of the best album in 2014!

And you can find "The Reason Why Vol. 1" right here!

The Auanders - Live In Pisa (2013)

The Auanders - Live In Pisa (Auand, 2013)

Personnel:

Francesco Lento: trumpet

Gaetano Partipilo: alto sax, flute

Francesco Bearzatti: tenor sax, clarinet

Francesco Bigoni: tenor sax, clarinet

Beppe Scardino: baritone sax, bass clarinet

Federico Pierantoni: trombone

Francesco Diodati: guitar

Francesco Ponticelli: double bass, electric bass

Ermanno Baron: drums

Tracklisting:

01 - Loop Bed

02 - Congo

03 - A Quarries Lamp

04 - Trumpet Garden / Erba

05 - Circle

06 - Joy Plant

07 - Leica Lenses

08 - Virus

09 - Hit

This is a co-production with the Jazzit label as well as a part Auand all-star unit. The members who are leaders of their own include: Partipilo, Bigoni, Scardino and Bearzatti, five of the members have contributed songs to this long (73+ minute) effort. Considering that this is a nine-piece ensemble with four sax players, this is more of a focused group effort with well written pieces. The opening song, “Loop Bed” is a lovely, laid back song, a righteous beginning. “Congo” features layers of Latin-sounding percussion with impressive horn arrangements and some great solos from the bari sax (Scardino), trumpet (Lento) and trombone (Pierantoni). Writing for a nine-piece unit is no easy matter as each piece provides different structures, harmonies and challenges. There are a handful of freer sections amongst the more written pieces, which seem to fit the overall story which holds this together. There a couple of more mellow pieces which feature some exquisite arrangements and elegant solos as well. [DMG Newsletter]

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Gilbert Holmström New Quintet - Tiden Är Kort (2013)

Gilbert Holmström New Quintet - Tiden Är Kort (Moserobie, 2013)

Personnel:
Gilbert Holmström: tenor saxophone
Jonas Kullhammar: stritch, tenor, baritone & bass saxophone
Magnus Broo: trumpet
Torbjörn Zetterberg: double bass
Jonas Holgersson: drums

Tracklisting:
01 - 1976
02 - Osaka
03 - Desert Walk
04 - Libero
05 - Stars Fading Blue
06 - Dog Fight
07 - Indian Chant
08 - Tiden Är Kort

Holmström, now 77 years old, is part of the Nordic jazz legacy in its various incarnations. A Charlie Parker concert at Gothenburg's Concert Hall in 1950 left a lasting impression on him and convinced him to choose a musical career over dentistry. Gilbert Holmström led his own quintet in the sixties inspired by the American free jazz of Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and Archie Shepp, and in the seventies his quintet— now called Mount Everest—alternated between fusion and expressive, acoustic jazz, later spiced with Latin elements. Since the mid- eighties his musical activities focused around the Jazzgalleriet in Gothenburg, his hometown, where exhibitions and concerts were organized.

Moserbie—Kullhammar's label—reissued in 2011 the classic album of Holmström quintet from 1965, Utan Misstankar (Without Suspicion), still considered one of the best Swedish jazz albums of all times. Recording Tiden Är Kort (Time is short) with a new quintet is a natural conclusion of the successful reissue. Holmstrom wrote all the compositions except the title piece, taken from the old Christian song.

Holmstrom is backed by Kullhammar and Kullhammar Quartet rhythm section—double bassist Torbjorn Zetterberg and drummer Jonas Holgersson plus the brilliant trumpeter Magnus Broo, a member of the Swedish- Norwegian quintet Atomic. This quintet enjoys supporting the articulate and commanding solos of Holmström, gently repeating and expanding his musical ideas almost like a choir, all locked in light swinging pulse. The emotional ballads "Osaka" and "Stars fading blue" highlight Holmstrom's soft and velvety tenor voice while "Desert Walk" and "Indian chant" emphasizes the tight and supportive interplay with Kullhammar and Broo, all three soaring above the hypnotic, propulsive rhythms laid by Zetterberg and Holgersson. The smoking, be-bop "Dog fight" offers Holmström opportunity to trade fast, muscular solos with Kullhammar and Broo. This heartfelt tribute to a great musical figure is concluded with a soulful ballad that injects a soft swinging pulse to an ancient hymn. [Allaboutjazz]

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Torbjörn Zetterberg - Och Den Stora Frågan (2014)

Torbjörn Zetterberg - Och Den Stora Frågan (Moserobie, 2014)

Personnel:
Torbjörn Zetterberg: double bass, percussion
Susana Santos Silva: trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion;
Mats Äleklint: trombone, percussion;
Jonas Kullhammar: tenor & baritone saxophones, clarinet, flute, percussion;
Alberto Pinton: baritone saxophone, clarinet, flute, piccolo flute, percussion;
Jon Fält: drums, percussion

Tracklisting:
01 - En Bra Start På Dagen
02 - Världen Är Sig Aldrig Lik
03 - Mästare av Vad

04 - Ingen Tid Till Ingenting
05 - DO-DODO-DO-DO-DO
06 - Hyllning Till Ovissheten
07 - 1+1=1
08 - Visa Från Mitten av Universum

Swedish double bassist Torbjorn Zetterberg did not record as a bandleader for more than seven years. Zetterberg, a member of the Jonas Kullhammar Quartet and a prominent figure in Nordic jazz since the late nineties, experienced an existential crisis at the peak of his busy, successful career. He felt bored and unsatisfied, so in 2010 he decided to leave city life and moved to a Buddhist temple without his instrument. He stayed at the temple for a year and still spends half of his time there.

Och Den Stora Fragan ("And the Big Question" in Swedish) is a welcome return. Zetterberg employs musicians who played with him before, most of them on his last album as a bandleader, Skildrar Kvinnans Kamp (Moserobie, 2008). He adds Portuguese trumpeter Susana Santos Silva, who collaborated with him on a set of impressive improvised dialogues, Almost Tomorrow (Clean Feed, 2013) and drummer Jon Falt, a member of pianist Bobo Stenson's trio.

Zetterberg states that he now feels more and more that he actually lives his dream, as he should have since the beginning of his career. Indeed Och Den Stora Fragan is charged with joyful urgency, shiny optimism and confident flowing energy, despite the doubts and uncertainties that accompany any creative, artistic process. His tight arrangements with the swift shifts in rhythm and colors bring to mind the great bands of Charles Mingus. All these qualities are immediately summarized in the opening, 30-second piece "En Bra Start Pa Dagen."

Other pieces highlight Zetterberg as a resourceful and thoughtful composer, with a gift for sketching an evocative, even exotic story, as on "Varlden Ar Sig Aldrig Lik" and "Visa Fran Mitten av Universum." The powerful reed section—Santos, trombonist Mats Aleklint and sax players Kullhammar and Alberto Pinton—produce myriad colors. Zetterberg uses the same strong, opinionated musicians to question basic composition on the open-form piece,"Mastare av Vad."

"Ingen Tid Till Ingenting" is a concise, muscular and fast post-bop piece that stresses the ensemble as a tight, massive unit. "DO-DODO- DO-DO-DO" and "1+1=1" continue in the same vein featuring brilliant, passionate solos. The clarinets of Kullhammar and Pinton add a fragile, gentle colors to the lyrical,"Hyllning Till Ovissheten," that also features a beautiful solo by Zetterberg.

Brilliant, profound and inspiring. [Allaboutjazz]

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