Pure Mellow Jazz

Trio - Wedding March

Blame It On My Youth 
Produced by Nima Skeemz
Recorded and Mixed by Nima Skeemz and Elan Wright at the Ruby Room 
Mastered By D-Sane (Not 2 Sane Productions).

Blame It On My Youth (Prod. by Nima Skeemz)

Notes From New York

There Is No Music

Black Notes from the Deep

The Morning After the Night Before

NOW YOU'RE GONE.mp3

Beloved of the Sky

The Winter of My Discontent

Romaria

From Davy Mooney & Ko Omura's "Benign Strangers" (7/27/18) on Sunnyside Records.

The world is remarkable in that people from far off places and different walks of life can have an immediate, dramatic impact on each other after meeting just once. The notion of meeting a newcomer who embraces new people and ideas but also freely puts forth his own ideas is the theme of guitarist Davy Mooney and drummer Ko Omura’s new recording, Benign Strangers. 

Originally from New Orleans, Mooney is a longtime regular on the New York scene and, for the past year, he has been teaching at his alma mater,  the University of North Texas in Denton. Mooney’s two Sunnyside releases, Perrier Street and Hope of Home, highlight his fantastic playing and composing with an incredible cast  of musicians graced with the New Orleans magic, including saxophonist John Ellis, pianist Jon Cowherd and drummer Brian Blade.

Intrigued by the culture after his first visit in 2008, Mooney has been a regular visitor to Japan. After the 2012 release of Perrier Street, he reached out to a Japan based UNT friend for help getting a tour and ensemble together. It was then that Mooney met Ko Omura.

Omura was born in Tokyo but grew up in the United States and Australia. After graduating from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and a stint in Sydney, Omura returned to Tokyo where he has made his name as a top-notch drummer and organizer and influencer in the local scene. 

Mooney returned to Japan to tour over the next two years. The initial tours mainly featured Mooney’s pieces but a fluid dynamic was enforced as Omura’s influence began to shape the sound of the collaboration by introducing his own music into the touring ensembles. Mooney and Omura’s composing styles are well suited, as they both are melodists of high degree. It wasn’t long before the duo began making plans for further endeavors, including a recording. 

During the brutal cold of January 2018, Mooney and Omura met in New York City to record with a small ensemble. It was a warm, reunion-like atmosphere in the studio, as Mooney had long friendships with all involved. But apart from pianist Glenn Zaleski, it was the first time Omura had met the assembled cast, which included John Ellis, bassist Matt Clohesy and engineer Michael Perez-Cisneros.

Benign Strangers

Davy Mooney & Ko Omura - Benign Strangers

Vanished Gardens

Ballad Of The Sad Young Men

Kaleidoscope

Gymnopédie No. 1

Helsinki Songs

Birthday Song

From Aaron Goldberg's "At The Edge of The World" (11/16) on Sunnyside Records.

For the past two decades pianist Aaron Goldberg has crisscrossed the globe, spreading his music and absorbing local knowledge along the way.  True to the jazz mentality, he learned to embrace serendipity as an artistic muse.  Five years ago this month, in an historic chateau at the exact geographic center of France, Goldberg was reunited with an early influence.  Soon a new project began to take shape.  Goldberg’s latest recording, At The Edge of The World, documents this recent collaboration with drummer and percussionist Leon Parker, a brilliant innovator and performer, in a new trio along with the gifted bassist Matt Penman. 

While studying at the New School in the early 1990’s Goldberg was introduced to Parker’s singular playing alongside keyboard icons including Kenny Barron, Brad Mehldau and Jacky Terrasson. Parker was a trailblazer on the kit, intent on developing a distinct language and sound all his own. Goldberg went on to attend Harvard but would return in the summers to the City to make sessions with both innovative peers and big city legends, including a multiyear musical mentorship from Betty Carter and a memorable gig with Parker in 1992.

In the decade after his return to NYC in 1996, Goldberg made a name for himself in the bands of Joshua Redman, Al Foster, Wynton Marsalis and Kurt Rosenwinkel, all while developing his own highly regarded trio with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland. Parker, on the other hand, left New York on September 10 2001 for France, where he stopped playing drum set and nearly disappeared from the jazz world altogether. 

Over a decade later Goldberg found himself in France without a drummer and was curious to see if Parker would be interested in playing again. Leon still remembered him well after 20 years, and without any rehearsal the gig became an unexpected triumph as the two experienced an instant musical reconnection.  It wasn’t long before Parker expressed his interest in continuing their pairing on a more permanent basis, not as a sub but rather a full-fledged member of Goldberg’s band. Parker had found a musical outlet that he hadn’t fully known that he needed, and soon he was eager to get back into the scene.

By the fall of 2015 the duo was dialed in to tour but there were still significant logistical and financial hurdles to overcome.  So Aaron applied for a French-American Jazz Exchange Grant to support this new trio project. Fortunately both the French and American governments were smiling down on them from above, and the duo received both the FAJE grant and a new passport for Parker just in time for the first gig of their tour. The grant also provided enough resources to partially fund two recording sessions: one became Goldberg’s At The Edge of the World, and another led to a co-produced Leon Parker album.  Together these developments allowed for the re-ignition of Parker’s musical career, and he dove back into playing upon his return to NYC.

Goldberg’s longstanding appreciation for the drummer’s highly conversational style continued to grow as they had ever more fun on the bandstand with each tour. The joy in their shared swing and united groove was infectious and their interaction organic. Night by night Parker began to incorporate more of his singular vocal percussion as well as EmbodiRhythm, his personal body percussion techniques, into the music.  The collaboration evolved from an exploratory project into a partnership.

At The Edge Of The World

Luaty

Aaron Goldberg - Luaty

The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul

Conversation Among the Ruins

Trio Tapestry

Sparkle Lights

Jazzkoral

Can't Let Go

Street of Dreams

Pure Imagination (feat. Dena DeRose, Ignasi González & Jo Krause)

Music fans first heard the miracle voice of Jimmie Herrod on record with Pink Martini's release of the single "Exodus" in 2018. The Pacific-Northwest based singer has been touring full time with the globe-trotting "little orchestra" Pink Martini for the past two years, his breathtaking soaring vocals bringing an instant standing ovation at each Pink Martini show. 

To help more fans worldwide witness this thrilling new voice, Pink Martini bandleader Thomas Lauderdale has produced a special five-song ep featuring Jimmie's astonishing talent, "a voice like a beacon of hope" (Seattle Times), accompanied by Pink Martini. Featuring the title track, an epic new recording of the hit song "Tomorrow" from "Annie", alongside memorable repertoire like "He Was Too Good to Me" and a catchy cover of "Tell Him", originally made famous by The Exciters, this new ep is a must listen for fans of Pink Martini and, indeed, anyone who appreciates rich and orchestral pop.

Pure Mellow Jazz

Stephen Davies 16