Welcome to the weekend and New In Music This Week: October 24th.
I could have easily put 15-18 albums on this week’s list. That’s how much good music there is being released today. Whittling them down to just ten was a challenge, but I believe this combination of classical music, genre-defying music, jazz, musicals and vocals will offer something for everyone.
Here is my top pick for New In Music This Week: October 24th:
JAZZ: A BREATH OF FRESH AIR – Sean Mason – Taylor Christian Records
This perfectly titled album by pianist/composer Mason offers 8 original songs and 42 minutes of music that, according to press notes, was recorded by his band “old-school, with no sheet music, steady eye-contact and no booths or barriers between them.”
That’s just one thing that makes this feel like a classic album of days gone by even though it’s got a modern beating heart at its center. The tunes look backwards and forwards simultaneously. Each and every one of them features outstanding performances by this ensemble.
There’s nothing but pure joy on Boneback, love simply expressed in Open Your Heart, sly playfulness on Duende and tinges of gospel on Rediscovery. Wait until you hear this album!
Mason is joined on this album by drummer Domo Branch, trumpeter Tony Glausi, tenor sax player Chris Lewis and bassist Felix Moseholm.
Mason has steadily been making his name in jazz. A Breath of Fresh Air will continue his ascent with this fine album. One listen to it and you’ll fall under Mason’s spell while joining him and his fine band on a journey of renewal. His and yours.
Here are the other fine recordings that are New In Music This Week: October 24th:
CLASSICAL MUSIC: SCRIABIN: ORCHESTRAL WORKS – Fabio Luisi/Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Pierre-Laurent Aimard/Julius Asal/James Levy/Ema Nikolovska/Danish National Concert Choir – Deutsche Grammophon
If you’ve ever wanted a crash course in the works of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, look no further than this comprehensive recording of his orchestral works.
Conductor Luisi leads the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. These are all taken from live performances.
There are over 3-1/2 hours of music including Rêverie, Op. 24, all three of the composer’s symphonies; Le Poème de l’extase (The Poem of Ecstasy) and Prométhée, Le Poème du feu (Prometheus, The Poem of Fire).
Pianist Julius Asal joins for the Piano Concerto in F-Sharp Minor. You should check out Asal’s 2024 album Scriabin – Scarlatti. He knows his way around Scriabin’s music.
Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard is the soloist and the Danish National Concert Choir joins for the final movement for Promethée. Tenor James Ley and mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska are the soloists for the 1st Symphony.
This is an outstanding collection of performances by the DNSO and Luisi. Fans of Scriabin’s work will love these recordings. The uninitiated will likely find themselves seeking out more of Scriabin’s music.
CLASSICAL MUSIC: USTVOLSKAYA – SYMPHONIES NOS 1 – 5 – London Philharmonic Orchestra/Christian Karlsen – BIS
Russian composer Galina Ustvolskaya is not particularly well known. This recording should change that. Of course, there will be those who quibble with the idea of one-movement symphonies (symphonies 2-5 have just one movement.)
The first symphony has 10 movements and is scored for orchestra and two boy sopranos (Oliver Barlo and Arlo Murray on this recording.) It is the longest and the closest to a traditional symphony – which isn’t truly all that close.
Symphony No. 2 has the subtitle True and Eternal Bliss. It is scored for male reciter (Sergej Merkusjev), small orchestra with piano. Joonas Ahonen is the pianist.
Merkusjev also serves as the narrator for Symphony No. 3 ‘Jesus Messiah, Save us!’ and Ahonen also returns.
Ahonen also plays on Symphony No. 4 ‘Prayer.’ This symphony is scored for contralto (Barbara Kozelj), trumpet (Paul Beniston) and tam-tam (Andrew Barclay) along with piano.
The text used in symphonies 2-4 is by Hermannus Contractus.
The album closes with Symphony No. 5 ‘Amen” which uses The Lord’s Prayer as its text. It is scored for narrator (Merkusjev again), oboe (Alice Munday), trumpet (Beniston), tuba (Lee Tsarmaklis, David Whitehouse), violin (Pieter Schoeman) and wooden cube (Barclay).
The liner notes give you a hint about what you’re going to hear: “Everything about her music is unconventional and asystematic.” It won’t appeal to everyone. There will be those who think it proves overwhelmingly that contemporary classical music in the second half of the 20th century was inexorable.
For me, it was a riveting journey into the mind of a composer who carved out her own unique path. These London Philharmonic Orchestra performances give a convincing argument that Ustvolskaya was a major voice that sadly hasn’t received the attention she deserved.
GENRE DEFYING: sayr: salt / thirst – Jussi Reijonen – unmusic
Finish guitarist and oud player/composer Reijonen is launching a series called sayr with this album where he plays steel string acoustic guitar. Each “side” of this record is its own piece: Side 1 is Salt and Side 2 is Thirst.
For those expecting more of the large ensemble work of his previous record, Three Seconds / Kolme Toista, you’re in for a very satisfying surprise. There are world music influences, classical sounding passages, jazz harmonies and more to be found in this quietly powerful album.
As this was my first introduction to Reijonen, I took a journey into other music he’s recorded including Three Seconds and Un. His diverse interests make him an utterly unique composer and with this album, a quietly powerful one as well.
JAZZ: HANAMICHI – THE FINAL STUDIO RECORDING VOL. II – Masabumi Kikuchi – Red Hook Records
A cynic might think, The Final Studio Recording Vol. 2? How many volumes can there be? (Actually the press releases alludes to “a continuation of…final studio sessions.”
Once you listen to this beautiful album, you’ll hope the answer is many more. In fact, this album can easily share space with sayr: salt / thirst as both are contemplative works that inspire reflection.
There are three improvisations that Kikuchi performs here. There are also improvisations on four popular songs: Manhã de Carnaval, Alone Together, I Loves You Porgy and My Ship.
The music here is gorgeous. The most compelling aspect of his playing here is in the space he allows between notes and phrases. As if he is encouraging us to take a beat to ourselves to absorb what’s been offered to us and prepare for what’s next.
These recordings come from sessions in December 2013. He passed away in 2015. Alone Together is perhaps not just a song choice, but also a message of how we can best take in this recording.
JAZZ: OF THE NEAR AND FAR – Patricia Brennan – Pryoclastic Records
Brennan is a vibraphonist/composer who richly deserves all the praise she’s received so far (including for her previous album, Breaking Stretch, which found its way on multiple top ten lists that year.) That acclaim is going to increase exponentially with Of the Near and Far.
This is a stylistically progressive album that allows Brennan, an amateur astronomer, to explore the known and unknown parts or our world(s). The music reflects both those worlds via her fascinating combination of musicians.
They are electronic musician Arktureye; Kyle Armbrust on viola; Kim Cass on bass; Sylvie Courvoisier is on piano; Pala Garcia on violin; John Hollenbeck on drums; Modney on violin; Michael Nicolas on cello ad Miles Okazaki on guitar. Eli Greenhoe conducts.
Will jazz purists be welcoming to Of The Near and Far? I certainly hope so. This music is both mind and genre-expanding. And unlike anything else you’ve heard in quite some time.
JAZZ: OVERCOMING – Zahili Zamora – Self-released
What does an artist do when they are burned out and wondering if they will ever be enough? Take time. Relax. Think. Then write a suite of songs that allow total expression of their soul and take listeners into their own portrait of an artist.
That is what Cuban-born singer/composer/pianist Zahili has done on this intensely contemplative and beautiful album.
On Overcoming she is joined by Sean Jones on flugelhorn; Pedrito Martinez on bata drums; Julian Miltenberger on drums and Gerson Lazo Quiroga on electric bass.
If this album proves to be the catharsis Zamora needed, I hope it means there will be new found discoveries that are just as compelling on the next album.
JAZZ: SILVER IN SEATTLE: LIVE AT THE PENTHOUSE – Blue Note Records
This unearthed concert by pianist Horace Silver took place in August 1965 at The Penthouse in Seattle, Washington. What a lively concert it was.
Perhaps Silver was fueled by the success of his album Song For My Father which made the Billboard 200 list that year.
This album opens with Joe Henderson’s Kicker which is a very lively way for this set to open. The other four songs in this recorded set are all Silver compositions: Song For My Father, The Cape Verdean Blues, Sayonara Blues and No Smokin’. That last song proves to be a misnomer, because this ensemble is definitely smokin’ in this concert.
Joining Silver for this concert were tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, drummer Roger Humphries, trumpeter Woody Shaw and Teddy Smith on bass.
MUSICALS: WE LIVE IN CAIRO – Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording – Center Stage Records
One listen to this impressive musical left me wishing I had seen this Off-Broadway musical. The book, music and lyrics are by The Lazours.
Brothers Daniel and Patrick Lazour received Jonathan Larson Grants in 2021.
Their musical takes place in Egypt in the first two months of 2011. If you recall, those months were filled enormous protests that lead to Mubarak’s resignation. The second act explores what followed and how the characters they’ve created respond to each other and those events.
One can never truly know how good a musical is just by listening to a cast recording. That being the sole criteria by which I can judge We Live In Cairo, the music is exciting, fresh and entertaining.
VOCAL: GELOSIA! – Philippe Jaroussky – Erato Records
Countertenors are amongst my favorite singers to listen to. This album, which translates to Jealousy, has quickly become another favorite.
What’s most fascinating are the two world premiere recordings: Nicola Porpora’s Cantata “Perdono amata Nice” and Baldassare Galuppi’s La Gelosia, a cantata a voce sola con strumenti. Both use Pietro Metastasio’s La Gelosia was their text. It’s intriguing to hear how each composer took about setting that text to music. The differences are equally as compelling as the similarities.
Jaroussky also performs cantatas by Handel, Scarlatti and Vivaldi. Jaroussky is accompanied by Artaserse, a Baroque ensemble.
The programming of all works that were designed to be accompanied by a string ensemble is a smart choice and one that perfectly sets Jaroussky’s vocals front and center. Deservedly so, he sings gorgeously on Gelosia!
Here ends New In Music This Week: October 24th.
Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the music!
Main Photo: Part of the album art for Sean Mason’s A Breath of Fresh Air