LAST CALL ROTATION

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 7, 2010 ARTIST / CD TITLE / RECORD LABEL LIONEL LOUEKE / MWALIKO / BLUE NOTE ERIK TELFORD / KINETIC / EJT MUSIC PAT METHENY / ORCHESTRION / NONESUCH THOMAS LORENZO QUARTET / SPANISH BREEZE / BARCELONA MATT VASHLISHAN / NO SUCH THING / ORIGIN ARAM SHELTON'S FAST CITIZENS / TWO CITIES / DELMARK JERRY LEAKE / CUBIST / RHOMBUS THE TWIN CATS / THICK / OWL STUDIOS CHRISTOPHER'S TEN FAVORITE LAST CALL JAZZ CDs OF 2009 ARTIST / CD TITLE / RECORD LABEL BABATUNDE LEA/UMBO WETI/MOTEMA ROCCO JOHN GROUP/DEVOTION/COCA JOHN MCLAUGHLIN-CHICK COREA/FIVE PEACE BAND/CONCORD THE BAD PLUS/FOR ALL I CARE/HEADS UP MATT WILSON QUARTET/THAT'S GONNA LEAVE A MARK/PALMETTO LISA SOKOLOV/A QUIET THING/LAUGHING HORSE STEVE RAYBINE/IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT/BAD KAT RECORDS, LLC. QUINN SIKORA/SCI-FI/INDEPENDENT RELEASE WADADA LEO SMITH/SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS/CUNEIFORM RECORDS BEN ALLISON/THINK FREE/PALMETTO

Good news for progressive jazz fans. Two remarkable jazz recordings that were featured on Last Call in 2009 won Grammy Awards on Sunday, January 31st. The late Joe Zawinul won a posthumous award for his final recording, 75, which received the “Best Contemporary Jazz Album” award. Also, The Five Peace Band won “Best Instrumental Album” for their Five Peace Band Live recording. This supergroup spearheaded by John McLaughlin & Chick Corea was represented by Corea and the group’s saxophonist Kenny Garrett on the Grammy Pre-Telecast Ceremony. It was a delight to see the group win the prestigious award for a recording that really deserved it. On Last Call in February we will be listening to selections from both of these Grammy-winning discs. Last Call fans have an opportunity to see live music in the area this month which explores the frontiers. The Chicago Underground Duo will play at the Bemis Center's cave-like A Pre-Conscious Space on Wednesday, February 17. The two-man unit is an avant-garde jazz duo consisting of cornetist Rob Mazurek and drummer/percussionist Chad Taylor. They formed in 1997, having both been members of Chicago Underground Orchestra. They have released numerous recordings on the Thrill Jockey label. The most recent effort, Boca Negra  contains both composed and improvised music. The recording contains powerful grooves along with slow moving ballads. When asked to describe their music, the Duo said their band is "an organic mixture of African, Electronic, Coloristic, Jazz influenced life supporting systematic, non-systematic feeling from two humans trying ever to expand outward and inward for the people and ourselves." For more information about this concert you may go to our Jazz Calendar section. The Chicago Jazz Scene is one of the most active in the country these days. We go there for two discs of recent vintage for your enjoyment: ARAM SHELTON'S FAST CITIZENS--TWO CITIES--DELMARK Speaking of Chicago jazz music, Delmark records has released another notable record, Two Cities, spotlighting a band comprised of musicians associated with the Chicago Jazz Scene. Aram Shelton’s Fast Citizens are the Chicago based sextet of Aram Shelton(alto saxophone and clarinet), Keefe Jackson(tenor saxophone & bass clarinet), Josh Berman(cornet), Fred Lonberg-Holm(cello), Anton Hatwich(bass) and Frank Rosaly(drums). Formed in 2002 by Jackson, the Fast Citizens have decided upon a rotating leader chair and for their follow up to the 2006 Delmark release Ready Everyday Shelton has taken the reins. The title Two Cities refers to Shelton's wide-ranging geographic hubs. The saxophonist is still part of the music scene in Chicago even though he is based out of Oakland, California. Aram Shelton’s Fast Citizens present an intense album that includes hard swing, high-energy free improvisation, and lush ballads. Get ready for a ride into the unexpected on “Two Cities” as driven by a band that recalls the freewheeling intensity of Charles Mingus' late 1950s ensemble. JASON ADASIEWICZ'S ROLLDOWN--VARMINT--CUNEIFORM RECORDS Chicago’s jazz and improvised music scene continues to thrive with young, highly articulate and artistic players. Vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz’s Rolldown has released its second release, Varmint, and the music is a super burnin’ affair. A prolific member of Chicago's jazz and improvised music scene, Adasiewicz is quickly attracting widespread recognition through extensive work as a sideman as well as his strong showing in DownBeat's 2007, 2008 and 2009 "Critics' Poll – Rising Star" Vibes category. His expertise on the vibes rapidly matured in only a few short years, having previously worked as a drummer for Chicago rock bands.  On the new record, Varmint, the warmth of  Adasiewicz’s vibraphone is perfectly complemented by the bold thrusts of Josh Berman’s cornet & Aram Shelton’s  saxophone and clarinet. Bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Frank Rosaly sustain a solid pulse which also drives the music forward. Rolldown’s sonic direction compellingly mixes contemporary drive, swing, energy, and attack with the classic, avant-leaning '60s albums of Blue Note records. Varmint reaches back to those days for a tune written by Andrew Hill as well as presenting six new compositions by the vibraphonist/bandleader. The irresistible result is brought into sharp focus by tight band work forged after 5 years as a unit. Jason Adasiewicz’s Rolldown is one of the most engaging groups on today’s jazz scene, and Varmint is highly recommended listening material. For more information you may visit http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/index.shtml JERRY LEAKE--CUBIST--RHOMBUS PUBLISHING Last Call presents a masterpiece of percussion from a master percussionist. Jerry Leake is back with a new disc filled with amazing musical gems. Cubist is without doubt one of the finest records to arrive in early 2010.  Intro from the CD: Cubism was a brief but significant art movement lead by Pablo Picasso between 1907 and 1914. Cubists represent objects in a single plane, simultaneously opening the object in all its sides in relation to the observer. This multi-viewpoint treatment of a two-dimensional canvas revealed an intentionally ambiguous, fragmented image of reality. Cubism in music also exists: sound and time can be perceived from various viewpoints and centers of gravity. Combinations of sound elements (wood, metal, skin); culture and tradition (African, Asian, orchestral); odd metric structures and unusual subdivisions can open music in all its sides for the listener. New angles in composition and arrangement unfold. Music can also be represented using geometric shapes: as vectors of sound in motion, as particles of musical thought. In South India the rhythm yatis are derived from the curl of a cow's tail, the barrel shaped mridangam drum, an hourglass of the damaru drum. North Indian rhythm cycles, math concepts of tihai and ginti, and African bell patterns can be realized as a compass, graph, or flowing waves. “Cubist” represents my third recording realized with the engineering, guitar playing, and compositional expertise of Randy Roos at his Squam Sound studio. Other friends and colleagues offered their musical perspectives that completed the unique geometry of each percussion sculpture. -Jerry Leake Leake is joined by Randy Roos (guitars, controlled synth), Noam Sender (Turkish ney, zurna, vocals, duduk), Mister Rourke (turntables), Rohan Gregory (violin), Lisa Leake (vocals), Derek Beckvold (bass sax and bari sax), horn arrangements by Ken Schaphorst featuring: Stan Strickland (tenor sax), Dave Harris (trombone, tuba), Mike Pipeman (trumpet), Mike Rivard (bass), Brad Hatfield (keyboard) and Will Graefe (guitar). Leake himself plays an arsenal of percussion, including dozens of African percussion instruments, Indian percussion instruments,  Chinese hanging gongs, Gamelan gongs, Japanese bowl gongs, Tibetan bells, African xylophone, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel, chimes, piano, as well as the familiar congas, bongos and many other percussion instruments.   The result is nothing less than a buffet of percussion. Listeners will find themselves encountering selections driven by rhythms originating from India, Tibet, Africa, and Interstellar Space. Tracks include the cosmic & meditative “Aldebaran” , the Middle-Eastern flavored “Plan 9” and the Tabla driven “Chrysalis”.  Jerry Leake’s Cubist is fantastic! From 2009..more gems for your enjoyment.. BEN ALLISON-THINK FREE-PALMETTO RECORDS The internationally recognized bassist, composer, educator and bandleader, Ben Allison has returned with another disc that sustains his well deserved high regard in the industry. Bassist/composer Ben Allison’s ninth album, Think Free, is part of a paradigm shift that began with his 2005 Palmetto Records release, Cowboy Justice. “I wanted a band that rocked,” says Allison of his changing sound. “I was moving away from the chamber-jazz elements of Medicine Wheel and Peace Pipe and trying to incorporate other sounds into my music. I continue to try to get to something personal. Cowboy Justice, Little Things Run the World (Palmetto, 2008), and now Think Free are all one continuous train of thought.” Allison is joined this time by Jenny Scheinman on violin, which adds a new layer of texture to the proceedings. The band is Ben Allison - bass, Jenny Scheinman - violin, Shane Endsley - trumpet, Steve Cardenas - guitar and Rudy Royston - drums.  Bassist Ben Allison has released eight previous albums of original music — Little Things Run the World(2008), Cowboy Justice (2006), Buzz (2004), Peace Pipe (2002), Riding the Nuclear Tiger (2001), Third Eye (1999), and Medicine Wheel (1998) on Palmetto Records, and his 1996 debut Seven Arrows on the Koch Jazz label. Ben Allison is a "visionary composer, adventurous improviser, and strong organizational force on the New York City jazz scene, [and] has emerged as a rising star over the past decade" (JazzTimes). Born in 1966 in New Haven, Connecticut, Allison has performed internationally with world class musicians, appeared on over 40 albums by various artists and has written music for film, national television and radio, including the theme for the National Public Radio (NPR) show On the Media. At the age of twenty-five, Ben Allison formed the Jazz Composers Collective, a musician-run, non-profit organization based in New York City dedicated to constructing an environment where artists can develop and explore new music. With his groups Peace Pipe, Man Size Safe, Medicine Wheel and the Kush Trio Ben Allison has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Brazil winning fans and building new audiences. In summer 2007 Allison performed at the Toyota-Scion of Iowa City Jazz Festival. KIOS Last Call host Chris Cooke caught up with him for an interview there. That interview is available through our Last Call webpage. Visit Ben Allison's website at  http://www.benallison.com/ BABATUNDE LEA-UMBO WETI-MOTEMA RECORDS Master Percussionist Babatunde Lea has reached a dazzling new height of artistic accomplishment with colleagues that comprise a dream team of like minded musicians. Dwight Trible, vocals; Ernie Watts, saxophone; Patrice Rushen, piano and Gary Brown, bass converge with Babatunde Lea to create spiritual jazz. Umbo Weti is comprised of two discs, one of which has video content. There's much to enjoy here--readings of "Cousin Mary" & "Let The Rain Fall On Me" are balanced by presentations of "Boom Boom" and "Song For My Father". One of the highlights of the set is a mesmerizing reading of Pharoah Sanders' "Creator Has A Master Plan", a tune co-written by Leon Thomas. The live recording is a tribute to Thomas, a 1960s spiritual jazz singer who was a forefather of free jazz vocalization and who worked with Pharaoh Sanders and Carlos Santana.    Bandleader & Master Percussionist Babatunde Lea was raised in New York City and Englewood, New Jersey before migrating westward to the San Francisco Bay area in 1966. Percussionist Bill Summers helped to immerse Babatunde further in the global rhythms that have become his specialty. Now as a master percussionist and bandleader Lea shares with audiences a spiritually deep music that connects with the rhythms of everyday life. Babatunde Lea says, "I draw a lot from African culture, and one of the main things I've come to understand is that music is functional; in African culture, music accompanies everything... from birth ceremonies to funerals. The music is there to open people up to the deepest experiences of life. Music is a resource like oil or water; it does the bidding of who controls it. For my part, I know exactly what I want done with the energy I create with my music. It is my wish that my music will empower people to look within and become agents of peace and change in their hearts, in their families and in the world at large." One of the finest releases of 2009 and of the last several years, this recording is a blessing. For more information you may visit http://www.motema.com/artist/babatunde-lea         As announced on Last Call: Visit  http://thestory.org/archive/  for an interview with Pat Gleeson, who played Moog synthesizers with Herbie Hancock's 1970's Mwandishi Band.  Quinn Sikora--Sci-Fi--Independent Release Last Call presents an interview with Quinn Sikora. His new CD, Sci-Fi, is a remarkable recording made by one man band Sikora, programming these sounds into a computer. The result is a musical potpourri of electronica that is at times meditative and at others adventuresome. Quinn has worked as a drummer with local area bands. As a science fiction fan for decades he has found inspiration in sources as diverse as the 1970's TV show Land of the Lost as well as The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Last Call will present music and conversation with Quinn Sikora on October 3rd.  Listen to an interview with Quinn Sikora. For more information you may visit http://quinnsikora.com/home.html Joel Vanderheyden--Complete Life--Mize Music Making his debut on Last Call this fall is saxophonist Joel Vanderheyden. His new recording, Complete Life, presents a compelling selection of tunes that nicely contrast each other. The writing and performance is exceptional--an excellent debut for an artist who is also a noted jazz educator. A seasoned performer and clinician in both jazz and classical styles, Joel Vanderheyden is a saxophonist, composer and educator from Minneapolis, MN who currently resides in Iowa City, IA. He has served as Director of Jazz at both the University of Minnesota, Morris and Oakton Community College in the Chicago area, and has performed at jazz festivals in Switzerland, France, and notable stateside venues including Carnegie Hall, Blues Alley, The Dakota, The Artists’ Quarter, The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, and The Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts. In 2000, Joel performed with Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown at the Montreux Jazz Festival, opening for B.B. King, and has since shared the stage with many notable national and local jazz luminaries, including Jeff "Tain" Watts, Ingrid Jensen, Butch Warren, Mary-Louise Knutson and others. He performs in Koplant No, a band that has been a regular presence of the prestigious Iowa City Jazz Festival. Koplant No features Brian Lewis Smith on trumpet and laptop, Drew Morton on bass, Rob Baner on drums and samples, and Vanderheyden on saxophone. Vanderheyden is joined on the new record by Koplant No as well as special guests Steve Grismore on guitar, Tim Daugherty on keys, Jim Dreier on percussion and Brady Schlue on trombone. The result is nothing less than exceptional--delivery is assured on the leader's promise of "simplicity and cacophony" in a program of 8 compositions that range from the melodic to the highly spirited. Highly recommended, one of the best jazz rock records to be released in years! For more information you may go to http://www.joelvanderheyden.com/    Steve Raybine--In The Driver's Seat--Bad Kat Records, LLC. Steve Raybine is back. The third CD from the "Master of the Mallets", In the Driver's Seat, Raybine's latest is his best yet with a vibrant collection of originals and covers delivered with impeccable artistry. The disc gets underway with the energetic "Step It Up" which features a horn section, a new direction for the vibraphonist, who presents three horn fueled numbers on the disc. Jazz fans looking for familiar territory will find covers of Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar" and Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love". Raybine also steps out as a soloist on inspired readings of jazz classics "Night and Day" and "Summertime". Some special guests are on board for the new recording, including Alto Saxophonist Nelson Rangell, Flautist Steve Kujala and Alto and Tenor Saxophonist Michael Paulo. The CD is important to note becuase of the fact that Raybine features his fellow Omaha musicians on the disc--a big plus for talented artists such as Keyboardist Dan Cerveny, Drummers Calvin Hansen and Carlos Figueroa, Percussionist Joey Gulizia, and Raybine's own son David who is emerging as a talented tenor saxophonist. Steve Raybine, a member of the Independent Artist Registry, is an accomplished vibraphonist, percussionist, composer, arranger, author, instructor, educator and clinician. Steve's musical philosophy is only the beginning of what sets him apart from other musicians, believing that "Freedom of expression and everyone's musical journey is an ongoing process uniquely their own." Listen to an interview with Steve Raybine here. For more information about In The Driver's Seat you may visit http://www.steveraybine.com/ Matt Wilson Quartet--That's Gonna Leave A Mark--Palmetto Records Matt Wilson's exceptional drum artistry has been featured on the Last Call for many years. A master of the  unexpected, Wilson is always a delight to hear as a sideman or bandleader. Matt Wilson has worked with Dena DeRose in recent years as her drummer on several recordings. He also leads Matt Wilson's Arts and Crafts that released two records featured on Last Call: 2004's Wake Up! (To What's Happening) and 2006's The Scenic Route. Wilson also leads a quartet that has just released That's Gonna Leave A Mark. Wilson and Co. take the listener on another freewheeling ride to the frontiers of jazz. With Andrew D’Angelo-alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Jeff Lederer- tenor & soprano saxophone, clarinet and Chris Lightcap- acoustic and electric bass, Wilson skillfully navigates between reflective ballad artistry ("Come and Find the Quiet Center")and sonic burners("Area Man"). Special guests the Swayettes and the Wilson Family Singers contribute on a spirited reading of War's "Why Can't We Be Friends" which closes out this highly recommended disc. For more information you may visit http://www.mattwilsonjazz.com John McLauglin-Chick Corea/Five Peace Band Live/Concord Fans of classic 70s fusion need look no further than to the new 2 disc set from Jazz giants Guitarist John McLaughlin and Pianist Chick Corea. They have formed a new outfit, Five Peace Band, comprised of some of the most accomplished musicians of the past 20 years--Bassist Christian McBride, Drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and Saxophonist Kenny Garrett. Herbie Hancock is a special guest on one of the tracks, an outstanding rendition of "In A Silent Way/It's About That Time".  This extended track was orginally recorded in the fertile Miles Davis studio sessions of the late 60s, in which McLaughlin and Corea served as sidemen. Later they went on to form the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever, respectively, in addition to careers as renowned musicians. After working as a sideman for Miles in the 1980s Garrett has enjoyed his own successful career as a saxophonist and bandleader. The Five Peace Band is an astonishing convergence of musical talent which explores the frontiers of jazz in very creative ways. The Bad Plus/For All I Care/Heads Up This band has earned a reputation over the last several years as iconoclasts. An acquired taste to many, refreshingly outrageous to others, The Bad Plus is joined by vocalist Wendy Lewis on this new effort. Once again, The Bad Plus- Ethan Iverson on piano, Reid Anderson on bass and David King on drums, with the addition of Lewis, present a remarkable session of originals and covers of pop and rock tunes delivered in a jazz context.  But that context is delivered in the trademark Bad Plus style--the fearless free-spirited demolition of expected chord structure and melody into something completely unexpected. Listen to versions of "Barracuda", "Lithium", and "How Deep Is Your Love" for examples of the band in peak form. The band visited Omaha in April! The Bad Plus website is www.thebadplus.com . Listen to an interview with the Bad Plus bassist Reid Anderson.  Visit http://www.npr.org/music  for live performances with The Bad Plus. Lisa Sokolov/A Quiet Thing/Laughinghorse Records When I first heard Lisa Sokolov a few years ago I was amazed. Her vocal delivery is unlike any Jazz vocalist I have ever heard. In her freewheeling delivery which can go unexpectedly from an intimate whisper to a passionate shout, Lisa mines the depth of human experience without fear--and in doing so is a very welcome presence. On her new recording A Quiet Thing Lisa follows up her 2004 release Presence(which receieved 5 Stars in Downbeat Magazine) with another disc which explores standards in ways never before conceived or attempted--with astonishing results. Memorable vocal solo performances at the piano are mixed with recordings with John DiMartino on keyboards, Cameron Brown on bass and others. Lisa is also a noted educator, and is the Director of The Institute for Embodied VoiceWork in New York.  Joe Zawinul and the Zawinul Syndicate/ 75 / Heads Up He lived 75 years and in those years became the greatest electronic keyboardist in all of jazz. The Cannonball Adderley pianist whose work with Miles Davis helped launch fusion jazz, Joe Zawinul is also known for co-founding the jazz supergroup Weather Report. Since the late 1980s Zawinul has lead his own band which has created an intoxicating mix of jazz and world music. The keyboard legend recorded a series of powerful live performances  with his Zawinul Syndicate in the summer of 2007 at the Lugano Jazz Festival. The band included Zawinul on keyboards; Sabine Kabongo on vocals and percussion; Alegre Correa on guitar and vocals and berimbau; Linley Marthe on bass; and Paco Serry on drums and percussion and vocals & Jorge Bezerra and Aziz Sahmaoui on percussion and vocals. Spirited performances of familiar Zawinul tunes such as Fast City/Two Lines and Badia/Boogie Woogie Waltz are presented. Also included in this very special two disc set is a very moving final live performance with Weather Report co-founder Wayne Shorter of "In a Silent Way." For Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter & Weather Report fans, this 14 minute long heartfelt duet is worth the cost of the two CDs. Performed on August 2, 2007 at Veszprem, Hungary, this was the next to last performance of Zawinul’s life. Joe Zawinul passed away on September 11, 2007. This is a very fitting tribute to his immense talent and musical genius. The Rocco John Group/Devotion/Creative Artists Productions The latest release from this band based out of the New York area, the Rocco John Group continues to create their own potent mix of Avant Garde jazz. Led by saxophonist Rocco John Iacovone, Iacovone's music is as strongly influenced by John Coltrane's spiritual message as it is the lessons learned from studying with saxophone greats Sam Rivers and Lee Konitz. The result is a solid session that engages and challenges the listener, comprised of all originals. Riffin' For Eric, Mischievous Mystic and Dreams are standalone gems from the disc which also contains the ambitious and inspired Devotion Suite. Iacovone, who leads the band on alto and soprano saxophones, is joined by Mike Irwin on trumpet, Aaron Keane on Bass and Dalius Naujokaitis on drums and percussion. Visit www.roccojohnmusic.com .  Listen to our interview with Rocco John Iacovone  Thanks for listening to the Last Call on KIOS. We celebrated our 14th Anniversary in January and look forward to sharing with you more exciting progressive jazz music! Join us Saturday nights at 11pm!