If you’re looking for some great new music to discover this weekend, look no further than our weekly New Release Cheat Sheet. This week’s new music roundup includes Theon Cross’ reimagination of a Thelonious Monk classic, Manel Fortià bridging his Mediterranean and Spanish roots with the sounds of modern New York jazz, Mark de Clive-Lowe paying tribute to the great Pharoah Sanders and more. New Music and Videos
Manel Fortià, "Simple" [Video Premiere]
Manel Fortià recently released Despertar, his new trio album on which the Barcelona-born bassist bridges his Mediterranean and Spanish roots with the sounds of modern New York jazz. Described as a musical self-portrait, the record includes spirited originals inspired by his experiences while living in New York City between 2016 and 2020, touching on several varied influences. Among them, is the jubilant "Simple," dedicated to Jackson Heights in Queens, home to a big Colombian community. Watch the premiere of a video performance of this track by Fortià with pianist Marco Mezquida and drummer Raphaël Pannier via the player below. https://youtu.be/OWr2wdyNRg8
Theon Cross, "Epistrophy"
Blue Note Records has released the second single off its Blue Note Re:imagined II project, which finds some of the hottest names on the contemporary UK jazz scene reimagining famous tunes from its fabled catalog. The latest single from this project is a reimagining of Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy" by tuba player Theon Cross, a core member of Sons of Kemet, who has also collaborated with such artists as Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia and Jon Batiste. "Epistophy" first appeared on Monk's 1948 Blue Note album, Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1. Blue Note Re:imagined II will be released on September 30. https://youtu.be/i5Co0p0mcUA
DOMi & JD BECK, "WHATUP"
DOMi & JD BECK will release NOT TiGHT, their highly-anticipated debut album on Anderson .Paak's new label APESHIT, in partnership with Blue Note Records, on July 29. The announcement comes with the release of its new single, the virtuosic instrumental "WHATUP," which exemplifies their unique sound complete with shimmering keyboards and skittering drums. You can watch their live VEVO studio performance of the track via the player below. NOT TiGHT will also feature several notable guests, including Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock, Thundercat and many more. https://youtu.be/_pXw_ViZoWI
New Albums
Moor Mother, Jazz Codes (ANTI-)
With Jazz Codes, Moor Mother moves towards a more melodic approach, layering jazz, blues, soul and hip-hop. The new collection, which sprung from a book of poetry by the same name, also honors the jazz and blues icons of the past. Aside from a great number of special guests, the record also marks Moor Mother's new collaboration with Swedish producer Olof Melander. https://open.spotify.com/album/2EET9vTNVbzuhm49j1CHn9?si=8epmGwNdSPaFifquI1x-OA
Mark de Clive-Lowe, Freedom - Celebrating the Music of Pharoah Sanders (Soul Bank)
Electronic jazz pioneer Mark de Clive-Lowe and a venerable collective of like-minded musicians pay tribute to spiritual jazz legend Pharoah Sanders, reinterpreting twelve of his works at a live concert recorded at the Blue Whale, Los Angeles. Freedom, the concert's recording showcases a unique approach to improvised jazz with tasteful and subtle touches of electronica while celebrating one of the most influential jazz artists of all time. https://open.spotify.com/album/6zprzD7nden9hPnktRKCu6?si=kSTd9hs0R_qTOLWtKHEMMA
Eyal Vilner Big Band, The Jam! (self-released)
Multi-instrumentalist Eyal Vilner further cements his status as an innovative voice on the modern-day big band scene with his new large ensemble recording, The Jam! The album features 14 tracks using jazz traditions as a springboard for an innovative approach to syncopated rhythms, achieving a brilliant representation of jazz movements of the past and the present. https://open.spotify.com/album/6XNos5YaQTKSRTa3CGSsik?si=ZJ_pmHfHQb2ZEHJZdUgR0A
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