The Squid's Ear Magazine


Valera, Manuel New Cuban Express Big Band: Distancia (Greenleaf Music)

Composer, pianist and band leader Manuel Valera presents his second album with New York-based New Cuban Express Big Band, a large ensemble performing Valera's compositions that fuse the music of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Brazil to forge innovative sounds and textures, leaving room for outstanding solos from vocalists and instrumentalists.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Camila Meza-voice

Bogna Kicinska-voice

Brian Pareschi-trumpet

Michael Rodriguez-trumpet

Stuart Mack-trumpet

David Smith-trumpet

Alex Norris-trumpet

Michael Thomas Jackson-alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute

Roman Filiu-alto saxophone, flute

Remy Le Boeuf-alto saxophone, flute

Joel Frahm-tenor saxophone

Jeremy Powell-tenor saxophone, clarinet

Andrew Gutauskas-baritone saxophone, bass clarinet

Matt Macdonald-trombone

John Yao-trombone

Mike Fahie-trombone

Andy Clause-trombone

Sam Blakeslee-trombone

Jeff Nelson-bass trombone

Manuel Valera-piano

Alex Goodman-guitar

Ricky Rodriguez-bass

Hamish Smith-bass

Jimmy Macbride-drums

Samuel Torres-percussion


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.




UPC: 186980000930

Label: Greenleaf Music
Catalog ID: CD-GRE-1093
Squidco Product Code: 31488

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2022
Country: USA
Packaging: Digipack - 3 panel
Recorded at Orange Sheep Studios on December 8th and 9th, 2019, and on October 1st and 9th, 2020, by Chris Berham.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Grammy-nominated pianist Manuel Valera (Paquito D'Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, Steve Smith) presents his second album from his New Cuban Express Big Band, a spirited ensemble that fuses the music of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Brazil to forge innovative sounds and textures.

'Distancia' draws upon searing personal experiences, going through personal loss and having to pick up the pieces to move forward. Valera uses the broad palette of the big band to express a wide range of moods and emotions. From the haunting 'From Afar,' to the buoyant 'Expectativas', and the fiery 'Gemini,' the writing is dynamic and varied and the ensemble brings out the nuances with both grace and gusto.

The band features some of New York's best creative musicians, including vocalists Camila Meza and Bogna Kici'ska as well as standout soloists Charles Pillow, Remy Le Beouf, and Mike Fahie. Produced by Kabir Sehgal and Doug Davis, Valera presents a very personal album of engaging contemporary big band jazz."-Greenleaf Music


Artist Biographies

"Michael Thomas Jackson has been creating and recording music since 1985. He has been involved in fully notated composition, free improvisation, avant rock, concrete and electronic music, performance art and everything in between. He has worked with tape, found objects, analogue synthesizers, prepared guitars, various percussion, all manner of sound processing, electronic feedback systems, turntables, voice and extended techniques on the clarinet. Michael has played as, in, or with many fine projects and people including Eugene Chadbourne, Rompecabeza, Spool Ensemble, Viktimized Karcass, Alien Planetscapes, Choptsicks, Cobra Clutch, Cephalic Index, The George Steeltoe Ensemble, Brian Osborne, Chris Phinney, Martin Klapper, Rafael Flores, Isolation, Flutter, Jerry's Finger, Truncheonette, Projexorcism, Skoweyajeed, Katsu Itakura, Carl Howard, Bruce Eisenbeil, Quien Es, Thomas Dimuzio, Dave Fox, David Prescott, Pat Lawrence, Ian Davis, Scotty Irving, New Loft, Zan Hoffman, Hal McGee and O.N.E. Michael is currently active performing, recording and releasing music through the Primecuts Recordings imprint, raising a daughter and being poor."

-Heat Retention Records (http://heatretentionrecords.com/index.php/tag/michael-thomas-jackson/)
3/27/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"New York-based Roman Filiú has been a saxophonist, bandleader, composer for over 20 years. Born and raised in Santiago de Cuba, he has played, recorded, and toured worldwide with a great variety of artists. He is currently a member of Henry Threadgill´s Ensemble Double Up, and leads several groups himself such as Quarteria, which features David Virelles, Ralph Alessi, Matt Brewer, Dayna Stephens, Yusnier Sánchez, and Craig Weinrib as well as the Roman Filiú Quartet with Billy Hart, David Virelles, and Thomas Morgan. Among his many collaborations, Román has played in Chucho Valdés´Irakere (Grammy Award nominated Babalú Ayé, Grammy Award winning New Conceptions), has been the musical director of David Murray´s Big Band and has played with outstanding musicians Andrew Cyrille, Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Grammy Award nominated Antiguo), Steve Coleman Dafnis Prieto, Milford Graves, Miguel Zenón, Doug Hammond, Nasheet Waits, Michele Rosewoman, Omara Portuondo, Marcus Gilmore, Lázaro Ross, Alain Pérez, Iván Melón Lewis, Román Díaz, Damion Reid, Pablo Milanés, Liberty Ellman, Stephan Crump, Pepe Rivero, Adam Rogers, Rez Abassi, Roy Hargrove, and Chano Domínguez to name a few.

The musician has been a recipient of the Jazz Gallery Commission Series, the Langnau Jazz Fest Artist in Residence, the Chamber Music America New Jazz Works Award, and the Lucas Artist Residency. He has established himself as a prominent and innovative composer through his work for numerous small ensembles and has written pieces for string quartet, solo piano and saxophone quartet. Roman has also released the albums Blowin' Reflections and Musae, which were praised by the press for their quality and depth."

-Roman Filiu Website (http://www.romanfiliumusic.com/about/)
3/27/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Manuel Valera (born October 17, 1980) is a Cuban pianist and composer.

Valera was born in Havana, Cuba. Since 2000 he has lived in New York City, where he attended New School University. His playing is influenced by Bill Evans, Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, and he has worked extensively in the groups of Dafnis Prieto, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera, Brian Lynch, Yosvany Terry, Jeff "Tain" Watts and Lenny White.

Valera's first CD as a leader Forma Nueva was released in 2004. It features bassist John Patitucci, drummers Bill Stewart and Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez and saxophonist Seamus Blake. Historia, Melancolia and Vientos were released between 2005-2007, featuring drummers Antonio Sanchez and Ernesto Simpson, saxophonist Seamus Blake and Joel Frahm, bassists Ben Street and James Genus and percussionist Luis Quintero. 2009 marked the release of Currents, a trio recording with Genus and Simpson and it was also Valera's debut on the Maxjazz label.

After a hiatus as a leader, to focus on sideman work, in 2012 Valera released New Cuban Express with Yosvany Terry on saxophone, John Benitez on bass, Tom Guarna on guitar, Eric Doob on drums, and percussionist Mauricio Herrera. This recording earned him a nomination for a 2013 Grammy Award in the category "Best Latin Jazz Album"."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Valera)
3/27/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Expectativas 7:46

2. Gemini 9:23

3. From Afar  10:19

4. Pathways 8:16

5. From the Ashes 9:42

6. Impressionistic Romance 10:02

7. Distancia 8:51

8. Remembered 7:06

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Melodic and Lyrical Jazz
Large Ensembles
South & Central American + Caribbean Improvisation
NY Downtown & Metropolitan Jazz/Improv
Song Based Music

Search for other titles on the label:
Greenleaf Music.


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