Benjamin Herman (alto saxophone, C-melody saxophone, flute) began
playing saxophone at the age of twelve, and was soon active on the
professional club circuit. By the time he received the Wessel Ilcken Prize at 21, he had already performed all over the world.In 1991, the year he graduated with honours at Hilversum Conservatory, Herman was the only European selected for the Thelonious Monk Competition. Other candidates included Joshua Redman, Chris Potter and Eric Alexander.Back from studying with Dick Oatts at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, Benjamin Herman soon began initiating his own projects, including the pioneering New Cool Collective ensemble.As one of Holland’s most productive and prominent jazz musicians,
Benjamin Herman is a much sought-after soloist. He has played and
recorded with Rein de Graaf, Fra Fra Big Band, Michiel Borstlap, Candy
Dulfer, Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Misha Mengelberg, Paul
Weller and Georgie Fame.He has also made a name as a composer at home
and abroad.Herman plays numerous concerts each year with New Cool Collective
and his quartet (Benjamin Herman: alto sax, Jesse van Ruller: guitar,
Carlo de Wijs: Hammond organ, Martijn Vink: drums) strongly inspired by
popular dance-floor jazz. New Cool Collective and the New Cool
Collective Big Band often perform at international pop venues and
festivals, resulting in a following far beyond the normal jazz concert
crowd. BENJAMIN HERMAN
The music combines all the different musical traditions Joe has been
involved in – years of Classical training (composing from an early age,
singing in choirs and playing in orchestras), whilst at the same time
playing in all manner of bands and ensembles, DJing and producing, and
performing live improvised experimental music.By tapping into the energy of virtuoso drum solos and adding the
elements of other music that are dark and beautiful, he creates
Electronic music made with acoustic instruments, drums, field recordings
and natural sounds – intense, beat-driven Classical textures with
layers of energy, emotion and atmosphere.Like all of Joe's mixtapes, there is a broad and multi-layered range
of music and sound from around the world, from contemporary releases
stretching back to the 1940's and something from every decade in-between
- including imagined collaborations such as Burial with vocals from
Argentinian folk legend Mercedes Sosa, or Linton Kwesi Johnson reciting
poetry over Tipper's immaculately-produced beats.There is also a
wealth of sound design and spoken word, taken from interviews with
composers, radio programmes (many recorded by Joe), and poetry recitals.Other
artists making appearances in this fast-paced mix include Four Tet,
King Tubby, Frank Sinatra, Junip, Kidkanevil and Daisuke Tanabe,
Squarepusher, The Four Tops, DJ Shadow, Floex, Finley Quaye, Clarinet
Factory, Origamibiro and many more…HIDDEN ORCHESTRA
Polish duo Skalpel channeled the influence of their homeland's rich jazz
traditions into their own contemporary electronic sound. DJs/producers
Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudlo first teamed in Wroclaw, Poland, in 1998.
Working in virtual anonymity, Skalpel soon began assembling the first of
their Eastern European fusion-inspired cut-and-paste mosaics by
sampling classic LPs from artists including Krzysztof
Komeda, Tomasz Stanko, and the Novi Sisters, spending months and even
years in search of the right sounds to complete each individual track.
In 2000 Pudlo interviewed Ninja Tune label artist DJ Vadim for the
Polish hip-hop magazine Klan. Soon after, Vadim invited Skalpel to tour
Poland with his Russian Percussion ensemble, and after returning to
Wroclaw the duo issued their debut CD-R, Polish Jazz. Despite limited
distribution, the release was the subject of rapturous acclaim and in
2001 Ninja Tune extended a record deal. Skalpel spent the next three
years working on its self-titled debut LP, earning comparison to jazz
icons Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock with the end result. Konfusion
followed in 2007. SKALPEL
In 2006, the Juke Hounds were drawn together by a shared attitude about
the world. A Midwestern grit that made each of them relate to the blues
in the first place -- and then to each other.The Juke Hounds play the ”blues with a feeling” all right. But that
feeling is not the familiar woe-is-me nobody-loves-me pose, but one of
defiance and swagger that says "you can't keep me down." The music, the
lyrics and and even the bands aggressive stage presence, announce they
are a force to be reckoned with.Brittany Nader Of Buzzbin Magazine agrees that when the Juke Hounds start to play,
“it’s impossible not to get up and start shaking along to the rhythm.”
Mike Fuller of Water Street Tavern, echoes the observation: "There are a
lot of people dancing and moving around. Not a lot of people are
sitting down…. Everyone stands and treats it like a rock show, and
that's pretty much how it is."The Juke Hounds know something about defiance. When friends, family and
even fellow musicians insisted that playing the blues in Ohio was a
foolish waste of time, The Jukes took their advice as a personal
challenge. Today, the Juke Hounds are rocking the blues to packed houses
across Northeast Ohio -- not to mention all the way to Memphis.In 2010, The Juke Hounds won the Cleveland Blues Society “Road To
Memphis” competition and represented Akron, Canton, and Cleveland at the
2011 International Blues Competition in Memphis where the band
showcased at the Hard Rock Café’ on Beale Street. This year (2013), the
Juke Hounds won the NEOBA Blues Competition and will represent Northeast
Ohio at the 2014 International Blues Competition held in Memphis TN. THE JUKE HOUNDS
Ed Stallman is a guitarist and keyboardist from San Diego who currently
plays instrumental blues, jazz, and rock. All songs are produced,
engineered, and recorded by Ed Stallman at Coastal Eddie Studio. "I have
combined sequenced background music and lead guitar parts to create
some really groovy
tunes. I am a 30-year guitar, keyboard, and vocal
pro. I have sold thousands of CDs and downloads on the Internet and have
amassed over two million downloads and streams of my songs to date. You
have probably heard some of my tunes at a local store or eatery via
Trusonic music service."Ed Stallman's playing is just incredible. He is a true world-class
player who delivers amazingly intricate, tasteful, grooves in each and
every one of his instrumentals. When we think of guitar solos, we tend
to think of cryptic riffs that are great to hear but hard to remember.
Stallman is different. I can actually recall the melodies and I can sing
along with his guitar riffs in the car! Stallman's mastery of
blues/jazzy and funky guitar is second to nobody. Add to this some
fabulous studio production - and you have it all. His album is a great
example of a great guitar player, with rhythm to burn and an imagination
to match. ED STALLMAN
A singer who generates the passion, insecurities, bruises and
lionheart of truly iconic performers such as Billie Holiday, Janis
Joplin and Etta James.” – The Orange Press.Alex Hahn is an emerging soul star of Sydney, Australia's thriving music scene.Moving
to Ireland in 2005, Alex fronted the highly successful funk band
Electrogecko who, with their unique versions of classic jazz standards,
enjoyed residencies all over the country.On her return to
Australia in 2008, Alex teamed up with renowned jazz musicians, Charlie
Meadows and Nick Hoorweg. The trio enjoyed weekly residencies across
Sydney.In 2013, Alex produced her debut album The Wallflower – a
tribute to Etta James, with her 7-piece soul band The Blue Riders. It is
performed with the brutal emotional honesty that has come to define
Alex’s powerful voice and has received glowing reviews from audiences
and critics alike.Alex has recently relocated to the UK and is
taking her acclaimed Etta James tribute show on the road across Europe.
She performed the show at Oliver Plunketts in Cork, Ireland for the 2013
Cork Jazz Fringe Festival with great success.As well as her live
work, Alex has also lent her voice to numerous short films, television
commercials and notably, provided vocals for DreamWorks Acer Arena
Spectacular, How To Train Your Dragon."Soul singer Alex Hahn's
new release The Wallflower works like a voodoo charm. Hahn and her band
never hit a weak spot" – John Hardaker, Jazzscene."I hear hints
of the histrionics of Joplin and the soul-deep stylings of Aretha, but,
most of all, I hear a ripping, arsey, brassy, young singer. ALEX HAHN
Naomi Uyama has been steeped in classic jazz from the swing era since beginning her lindy hop career at the tender age of 16. After going crazy for swing dancing, winning international awards, and teaching around the world she began to focus more and more on the music. She began singing and studying, moving to New York City for more access to the growing traditional jazz scene there. After getting to work with some of the lindy scene's most prominent bands she decided to form her own project- the Handsome Devils.As the idea took shape the focus was on choosing the right guys. The musicians had to be great players, have respect for dancers, and work well together on and off the bandstand. The Devils were all hand picked from the top talent in the classic jazz scenes of New York and Chicago. Naomi considers herself so fortunate to get to work with her dream swing band line up, and is constantly in awe of the Devils' musicianship.Though formed recently the individual members have decades of experience swinging hard and keeping dancers happy. They have just released their debut self titled CD, and have played across the U.S. in renowned ballrooms and at pro competitions, and at the world's largest swing dance camp- Herräng, in Sweden. NAOMI AND HER HANDSOME DEVILS
Janiva pushes the roots, rock, and soul envelope with daring new album Original. Magness brings her songwriting skills and stunning range to the fore, with help from Grammy nominated producer Dave Darling. The new album stretches the artistic boundaries of roots, rock and soul music. Its 11 songs seamlessly weave all three genres into a highly original approach defined by nakedly honest storytelling and the live-wire emotionalism of Magness’ two-and-a-half octave range, buoyed by arrangements that effortlessly blend traditional sounds with the edge of experimentation.
Magness is among the premier blues and R&B singers in the world
today. Her voice possesses an earthy, raw honesty born from her life
experience. A charismatic performer known for her electrifying live
shows, Magness is a gutsy and dynamic musical powerhouse. She received
the coveted 2009 Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year
(she is only the second woman to ever win this award, Koko Taylor being
the first). She also won Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year,
an honor she also received in 2006 and 2007. She has received a total of
seventeen Blues Music Award nominations, including one for 2012’s
Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year. USA Today declared,
“Magness is a blues star,” and The Philadelphia Inquirer said, “Magness
sings superbly, with a scorching intensity. JANIVA MAGNESS
Christian Prommer is an american producer, Dj , drummer and musician who
has produced and composed genre defining and award winning dance music
for two decades. As founding member of Fauna Flash, Trüby Trio and
VoomVoom, as producer and co-writer for Kruder and Dorfmeister, Dj Hell
(their effort “Teufelswerk” was Echo nominated), Kim Sanders (they won
the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik) , The Dining Rooms,
Incognito and with his own projects Prommer and Barck and most notably
Christian Prommers Drumlesson. As a musician and collaborator he has
worked with Carl Craig, Patrick Pulsinger, Brian Ferry, Tony Allen,
Bugge Wesseltoft, Joe Sample, Til Brönner, Mousse T, Wolfgang Haffner,
Incognito, Klaus Doldinger and many more. With his band, solo shows and
dj sets he travels the world non stop from big jazz festivals to the
darkest after hour clubs. CHRISTIAN PROMMER
