MATT HERSKOWITZ "MIRROR IMAGE"

Per il secondo album solista di Matt con Justin Time, si voleva esplorare quello che è diventato un tema sempre più importante nella sua musica e composizione: la riconciliazione dei suoi lati jazz e classico. Matt ha mescolato elementi di entrambi per alcuni anni ormai, ma uno sembrava sempre favorire l'altro. E, dopo due album di arrangiamenti di Bach, un progetto Chopin, con il suo trio jazz e alcune altre uscite ibride, voleva esplorare questa fusione in quanto si riferisce alla sua musica e attraverso composizioni classiche.Ma questa volta è solo Matt e il piano, puro e semplice. Registrato a novembre e dicembre 2018, l'album riunisce i lati classico e jazz di Matt, sia vecchi che nuovi, in modo molto organico. Il repertorio è composto da materiale originale e di copertina, tutto arrangiato da Matt. In tutte e otto le tracce, [Herskowitz] mostra tocco, potenza, abilità artistica e una solida comprensione dell'audacia necessaria per una grande esibizione. L'atmosfera generale della registrazione è riflessiva, contemporanea e rilassante, ma non in modo ambientale. È una bellissima registrazione che farà appello a un pubblico di ampio respiro. Pianista, compositore e arrangiatore, Matt Herskowitz ha creato una voce unica e personale nella musica. MATT HERSKOWITZ

CLAUDIO ANGELERI "BLUES IS MORE"

Claudio Angeleri pianista, compositore tra i più interessanti e raffinati della scena jazzistica italiana, oltre a essere docente italiano,essendosi diplomato in pianoforte jazz col massimo dei voti alla University of West London..Da ben trentadue anni suona jazz e dirige una scuola di musica fortemente jazzistica,e da sei anni circa è organizzatore dell’International Jazz Day Bergamo. Ha collaborato con musicisti di valore internazionale tipo Bob Mintzer, Charlie Mariano, Franco Ambrosetti, Gianluigi Trovesi e altri. La sua musica ha varie sfumature,essendo influenzato da Salsa, Jazz Funky e Blues.Accompagnato dal sassofonista e arrangiatore Gabriele Comeglio, la vocalista Paola Milzani ed il bassista elettrico Marco Esposito e talenti come il trombonista Andrea Andreoli. "Blues is more" è il titolo del suo nuovo disco prodotto dalla Dodicilune.Contiene sette composizioni originali di Angeleri in omaggio a tre grandi artisti del pianoforte: Ellington, Powell e Monk.Ci si rende conto della qualità esecutiva notevole,originale, moderno e contemporaneo,che riesce a comunicare qualità ritmica e compatta,melodicamente godibile.CLAUDIO ANGELERI

ANDREAS LOVEN "DISTRICT SIX"

Andreas Loven is a pianist and composer from Oslo, Norway, signed to the acclaimed Norwegian jazz label Losen Records.He departed from his career in engineering, moved to South Africa and ventured into jazz in his early twenties. He has since performed extensively all over South Africa with artists such as Shane Cooper, Mandla Mlangeni, Buddy Wells, Keenan Ahrends, Jonno Sweetman, Nick Williams, Romy Brauteseth, Clement Benny and others.
Recent performances in Europe include Oslo Jazz Festival, Canal Street and the National Jazz Scene.In January 2015, Andreas released his debut album, Nangijala, to high critical acclaim at Losen Records. The album consisted of duos with south african sax-legend and close friend, Buddy Wells and also Spha Mdlalose on vocals.In February 2016 Andreas Loven releases his second album recorded with his south african quartet, rooted in both south african jazz traditions, nordic folk and other inspirations. ANDREAS LOVEN
 

TAMUZ NISSIM "THE MUSIC STAYS IN A DREAM"

Jazz singer, songwriter and pianist Tamuz Nissim from Tel Aviv in Israel has spent the last six years in Europe performing with the most talented musicians in festivals and music venues, leading her own projects as well as singing in different bands, theatre shows and movie soundtracks.Her debut CD “The Music Stays in a Dream” (2013) featuring her original compositions was presented in radio shows in Israel, the Netherlands and Greece and in several festivals such as the Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival, the Preveza Jazz Festival, the Montofoli Festival and the Tinos Jazz Festival. Her performances won warm reactions from the audience and the press, describing Tamuz as a “very charismatic artist” (BHMagazino), “a voice that caresses your soul” and “a proof that jazz is a living art and that stars are still being born” (Athens Digital).Tamuz grew up in an artistic family; her mother is a dancer and a choreographer and her father is a writer. Both of them play an instrument and have a great love for classical and jazz music. She started playing classical piano at the age of 6. She started to sing when she was 14 and she was accepted to the Jazz music department of the Ironi Alef High School of the Arts. Her high school band appeared twice at an open stage at the Tel Aviv Jazz Festival. At this time she won twice a scholarship from the American Israeli Art Foundation. By the age of 16, Israeli jazz giants such as Ofer Ganor, Amos Hoffman and Shay Zelman had recognized her potential and performed with her. In 2005 she sang in the soundtrack of Ilan Heitner’s movie ‘Bruno in Love’. At this time she also worked with a group of dancers and composed the music to a dance show, her mother’s adaptation of ‘A Street Car Named Desire’.She moved to the Netherlands in 2007 to study at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Den Haag; from there she received a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts. In the Netherlands she met musicians from around the world and started collaborating with the guitarist Giorgos Nazos, the bassist Vassilis Stefanopoulos and the pianist Francesca Tandoi, with whom she recorded her debut CD. In 2012 she played the main role in a Jazz Musical “One doubt Arose in the mind of a noble Vigilante” The performances ware fully booked and well accepted.Tamuz spends her time travelling between Greece, Israel and Holland, performing with her band and as a guest artist in music venues and festivals. She leads two versions of her quartet, one in Greece and one in Israel, both with the guitarist Giorgos Nazos, with whom she has been playing for the last 6 years. She also performs with other influential artists such as the Greek singer Martha Mavroidi; their project of voice improvisations was presented in 2013 at Women’s Festival in Israel. TAMUZ NISSIM
 

JEX SAARELAHT TRIO "LIMINAL"

Melbourne pianist-composer Jex Saarelaht, best known as the leader of a long-running trio, debuted his quartet with saxophonist Julien Wilson at the 2007 Wangaratta Jazz Festival. Since then the personnel has settled to include Jonathan Zwartz (bass) and Niko Schäuble (drums).Since the mid ‘80s, Jex has performed and recorded with an impressive list of Australian and international musicians, from Dale Barlow and Bernie McGann to Vince Jones and Chris Wilson, from Renee Geyer and Kate Ceberano to Sheila Jordan and Steve Lacy. Key international performances include the Edinburgh Festival, Birmingham International Jazz Festival, London’s Jazz Café and Southbank, and the Aarhus International Jazz Festival, Denmark.A founding member of legendary Melbourne bands, Dianna Kiss and Doug de Vries’ New Tango Quintet, Jex has also led his own bands, including the Jextet in the mid ‘80s. His trio played its first gig in 1993 with the same line-up (Philip Rex and Niko Schäuble) remaining to this day. They released a superb 2-CD set, ‘Fridays, Late’ (Bennetts Lane) in 1999. JEX SAARELAHT TRIO