Tuesday, June 21, 2011

TOKiMONSTA - Creature Dreams ep (2011)

TOKiMONSTA ("toki" means rabbit in Korean, apparently; "monsta"… is something that lives under your bed, right?) is Los Angeles producer Jennifer Lee – a female presence in a scene dominated by laptop-mashing males. While softer and calmer at its centre than the work of labelmates like Lorn and Teebs, her music’s design isn’t informed directly by her sex; it’s more likely that this well-studied but emotionally rich sound is the product of development, of trial and error. Active for some time (though this EP is likely to comprise an introduction for many), Lee is no newcomer to the world of experimental electronica, and has enjoyed limited overseas exposure – she toured the UK back in 2009, and released through London-based label Ramp Recordings. Creature Dreams, then, is the latest evolution of an artist steadily developing a very singular voice.

Not that she uses her own, literally. Creature Dreams’ vocals come from Gavin Turek, another LA native (and a she, not a he) whose soulful contributions decorate Darkest (Dim) and Little Pleasures: not numbers to bop to, but to relax with. The latter has a really warm, slightly trip-hop feel to it: more mid-90s Massive Attack than coffee-table Morcheeba. Light acoustic guitar on Stigmatizing Sex gives an otherwise solely synthetic piece a nice organic quality, and Bright Shadows is a skittering delight that ticks many of the same (quirky) dancefloor-pleasing boxes as another inventive individual on the Brainfeeder roster, Daedelus. Mood-wise, this is a set best listened to at twilight.

By Mike Diver

Latest tracks by TOKiMONSTA


Thursday, June 16, 2011

San Javier Jazz Festival, Spain (25/6 - 30/7 2011)


The 14th edition of the San Javier Jazz Festival which will be held from June 25th to July 30th, will be dedicated to the memory of Gary Moore and Solomon Burke and will include some of the best musicians in the current jazz and blues scene.

The return of legendary pianist Ramsey Lewis, this time with his Electric Band and with a Jazz-Funk project, a genre which he invented. Jazz Rock supergroup Chicago's first concert in Spain; the return of Eric Burdon & The Animals, and two of the world's most prestigious big bands, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with special guest John Pizzarelli are some of the highlights of this year's program.

Other jazz greats like Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander, Californian guitarist Lee Ritenour, or guitarist John Scofield will clear the way for other young musicians who are already world renown like Japanese pianist Hiromi with her new trio, Danish pianist Niels Lan Doky, or the new star of the accordion Ludovic Beier. Among the many European performers in this edition of the festival there will also be Spanish jazz musicians, like the pianist from Cadiz Sergio Monroy, the guitarist from Mallorca Biel Ballester and his trio who will perform with Romanian violinist Costel Nitescu, Catalonian pianist Albert Bover and his trio with the Detroit singer Carla Cook, and the also Catalonian pianist Jaume Vilaseca and his quartet with Indian sitarist Ravi Chary.

Other important names are the fantastic jazz vocalist Rene Marie; the great lady of the bossa nova Leny Andrade, or the French group Pink Turtle.

Blues and rock will also be featured, as expected in an edition dedicated to Gary Moore, therefore, in addition to the already mentioned performances by Chicago and Eric Burdon, there will be performances by Elvin Bishop, Lucky Peterson, Albert Lee & Hogan's Heroes and veteran British singer Chris Farlowe with the Norman Beacker Band, without forgetting to mention San Francisco bluesman Joe Louis Walker.

All in all, an edition with concerts to satisfy the most diverse palates, and which will stay true to the festival's policy of maintaining popular prices for tickets and season passes so everyone can have easy access to the temple of jazz and blues that is the Parque Almansa auditorium.

Most of the concerts can also be enjoyed by fans throughout all of Spain thanks to the collaboration of Televisión Española, Radio 3 and 7 Región de Murcia.

Jazz on Film: "Sweet Smell of Success" (1957)



THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
USA 1957 • 93 mins • Directed by Alexander Mackendrick

Great film about New York ‘s underbelly. The sound track and the film features Chico Hamilton and his group with Jim Hall (gtr) ghosting for Martin Milner, the jazz musician being framed by Burt Lancaster. Conte Candoli (tpt) and Frank Rosolino (tbn) are briefly featured with Chico Hamilton. With Carson Smith, Paul Horn and Fred Katz.

Nu:tone - Words and pictures (2011)

12 NuTone - Invisible (featuring 4hero & Natalie Williams) by snex908999

This is Dan's most ambitious project yet with a wealth of cutting edge drum and bass productions featuring some of the finest vocalist and collaborators from within the scene and beyond. 4 Hero, Ben Westbeech, Natalie Willams, Stac, Logistics, Heidi Vogel, Lisa Milett, Kyan and Sophie Paul all feature on this breathtaking album! Out now on Hospital Records!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Festival Season: "Voices Across The World" @ the Royal Opera House London

Orlando Gough, Royal Opera House Associate Artist, curates this year’s annual summer celebration of traditional and contemporary music from a variety of global cultures, with a focus on different singing traditions and the uniqueness of the human voice.

The Royal Opera House

Paul Hamlyn Hall 2pm - 6.30pm

July 31 2011, Covent Garden, London

Orlando has invited twelve of his favourite singers to perform at the Royal Opera House on one day. The singers will perform unplugged, either a cappella or with minimal accompaniment in the Paul Hamlyn Hall between 2pm and 6.30 pm. In Orlando’s words:

‘Each of them not only has an amazing voice but an original and radical attitude to singing’ :

Christian Zehnder is a spectacular yodeller and throat-singer.
John Tomlinson, the legendary opera singer with a seriously bass voice.
Mikhail Karikis is an eye-opening performer and ear-opening singer.
Erika Stucky sounds more like Tom Waits than any other female singer I know of.
Dessi Stefanova sings like a Bulgarian, which she is – enough said.
Clare Wilkinson sings early music as if it were brand new.
Manickam Yogeswaran is a Tamil from Sri Lanka with a voice of pure honey.
Phil Minton sings with a bravery verging on the heroic.
Loré Lixemberg is the most experimental opera singer I’ve ever come across.
Eska Mtungwazi sings jazz-soul-hip-hop-folk-African music with a friskiness verging on the ecstatic.
Talitha MacKenzie sings Gaelic music in a way that makes you understand Gaelic
Melanie Pappenheim has the voice of an angel and the sense of humour of the devil

Orlando Gough

There will also be surprise events in the other front-of-house spaces including an exclusive showing of the film Turbulent by artist Shirin Neshat and a chance to try out your own voice in an Extreme Karaoke – an aural playground created by composer Dominic Murcott.


Motor Mouth Music Linbury Studio Theatre 7pm - Unreserved standing only

A selection of the singers from the day will join electronic artist Andrew McDonnell in a thrilling improvised session. Expect looping, live sampling, duets, trios, choruses, transformations - experimentation and exhilaration!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Festival Season 2011



It's been kinda lazy lately @ TJ headquarters and usually what it needs to get up and going again it's an email from the other part of the globe from a keen reader who just wants to know some crucial jazz dates in the Old Continent and beyond.
Montreux, Switzerland begins its allstar festivities on the 1st of July with Carlos Santana & John McLauglin. And that's only the opening act! Quincy Jones, Sting, BB King, , Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, Jimmy Cliff, The Skatalites, Ziggy Marley, Alpha Blondy, Yousou N'Dour, Seal, Trilok Gurtu, Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin, George Benson, Leon Russel, Dr. John, Ruben Blades, Liza Minelli, Ricky Martin, Rumer, Esperanza Spalding, James Blake, Arcade Fire, Lamb, Mogwai, Deep Purple and TJ absolute favs RAPHAEL SAADIQ, CHARLES BRADLEY, ALOE BLACC, MARIO BIONDI, ERIC TRUFFAZ, FEMI KUTI and last but not least BOOTSY COLLINS!
Worth checking out the celebration for the 30 years of TommyBoy records with a concert featuring Africa Bambaata, Coolio, Digital Underground, House of Pain, Naughty by Nature, Prince Paul as well as a Tribute to Miles Davies with Herbie Hancock and Wayner Shorter!


The capital of Umbria region, Perugia, hosts one of the best European jazz festivals known as UMBRIA JAZZ (8-17 July). It's a perfect opportunity 4 us to make it public that this particular jazz institution is the spark of birth for this blog. In fact the idea of the blog was conceived while living in the Etruscan town and breathing the UJ air every summer!
Wanna know what's in store 4 this year's edition? Grab a bite ...
P R I N C E (yeah the one and only, Gilberto Gill & Sergio Mendes, BB King, Dee Alexander & Caro Emerald, Miles Tribute feat. Hancock, Shorter and Miller, OUR MAN AHMAD JAMAL, Branford Marsalis, Santana, Liza Minnelli, Renato Sellani & Massimo Moriconi, Stefano Mincone Trio, Anat Cohen Quartet, Giovanni Guidi Quintet (feat another TJ fav GIANLUCA PETRELLA), Tia Fuller Quartet, Chihiro Yamanaka Trio and many more...

Our (relatively) newest entry of favourite festivals, GP's WORLDWIDE takes place between 6 - 10 July in Sete France and between 16 - 18 September in Singapore (we'll be posting more about the Sing fest nearer to its dates).
Meanwhile in Southern France this year's line-up is rammed with heavyweight talent includes Raphael Saadiq live, Dam Funk w/ Master Blazter live, James Blake live, Jamie xx, Flying Lotus live, Mount Kimbie live, Derrick Carter, Laurent Garnier presents L.B.S live, Kode9, The Pyramids live, DJ Harvey, Konono No.1 live, Rich Medina, Benji B, Owiny Sigoma Band live, Sofrito Soundsystem, FM Belfast live, Cut Chemist, Joy Orbison, Brandt Brauer Frick live, Souleance live, Prommer & Barck live, Baths live, David Rodigan, Ghostpoet live, Pearson Sound aka Ramadanman, Rainer Truby, Awesome Tapes From Africa, Lefto, Simbad, Dj RKK, Quantic, Boiler Room x Young Turks, Ross Allen, Toshio Matsuura, MC Dynamite and many more

That's it for now folks...more essential info about Euro Twisted Jazz fests as we go along. Have a nice trippin' ...Take Care!