Another month of fantastic releases from Schulich's musical community from a wide variety of artists and ensembles鈥攕croll down to read about some selections that we particularly enjoyed!
Gang of Three - Andr茅s Vial (Chromatic Audio)听
Released October 4, 2019听
While his previous recording project Sphereology Volume One paid tribute to jazz iconoclast Thelonious Monk, pianist Andr茅s Vial (current Schulich doctoral candidate and combo instructor)听changed gears with the release of a trio album of original music earlier this month. Featuring bassist Dezron Douglas (returning from Sphereology) and drummer Eric McPherson, the group鈥檚 chemistry is evident from the start of Atonggaga Blues, the album鈥檚 opening odd-time romp. The ensemble takes a modern approach to the idea of a piano trio, with a wonderfully loose groove on tracks like Montaigne and the Latin-tinged Put Your Spikes In. Vial鈥檚 writing is engaging from start to finish鈥攈opefully there鈥檚 a follow-up release!
Four Visions - Samuel Blais (Sunnyside Records)听
Released October 11, 2019
The idea for Samuel Blais鈥� (BMus 2005) new saxophone quartet recording has been germinating for almost a decade before its release earlier this month. Having played in groups such as the Conservatoire de musique de Montr茅al鈥檚 saxophone quartet and the Nota Bene Sax Quartet, Blais has carried a love for the format for most of his professional life. It was during his time at the Manhattan School of Music with mentor David Liebman in 2011 that his idea to form his own saxophone quartet came to be, which features the saxophonistic cream of the crop鈥擝lais on baritone saxophone, Liebman on soprano, Donny McCaslin on tenor, and David Binney on alto.
All members of the ensemble are also accomplished composers, and unsurprisingly, the recording features new music from all four. Of particular note is Binney鈥檚听Empty Sunbeam, which opens and closes with gorgeous chorales and features each saxophonist soloing in turn over a rhythmic ensemble backdrop.听
The album鈥檚 opener,听Blaizza, is featured in the video below from the quartet鈥檚 Montreal visit in 2012.听
Art &听Rhapsodie听-听Alc茅e听Chriss III (ATMA Classique)听
Released October 11, 2019
Not one to come in without a splash, Alc茅e Chriss III (current Schulich doctoral candidate and winner of the 2017 Concours international d鈥檕rgue du Canada) recorded his debut album entirely on the Grand orgue Pierre-B茅ique at the Maison symphonique. Chriss' musical mastery and breadth of influences are showcased here, with the disc鈥檚 repertoire including classic organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Sergei Rachmaninoff, adaptations of jazz pianist Art Tatum鈥檚 improvisations on two jazz standards, a tribute to jazz giant John Coltrane, and pieces from pioneering organ composers Jean Guillou and Jeanne Demessieux.
Watch as听Alc茅e听tackles the album鈥檚听final piece,听his own distinctive arrangement of Richard Wagner鈥檚 famous听Ride of the Valkyries听蹿谤辞尘听顿颈别听奥补濒办眉谤别,听in this video from 2017:听
The Mystic Mind 鈥撎齇rchestre听national de jazz de Montr茅al (Self-release)听
Released October 12, 2019
The third release by this Canadian all-star jazz听ensemble听is entirely made up of a multi-movement work by trombonist Jean-Nicolas Trottier (DMus 2019). Trottier鈥檚 refined writing gives听plenty of space for three top-shelf soloists鈥攕axophonist Yannick Rieu, guitarist听Sylvain Provost, and pianist Rafael Zaldivar听鈥攖o shine, while still integrating their individual musical voices neatly into the overall arrangements. The big band鈥檚 wide sonic palette is on full display here, with full-band听writing broken up by pieces like听Daydream, which opens with a听woodwind section soli听before transitioning into a solo piano exploration by Zaldivar, or shorter interludes like the moody solo guitar feature听Altered Recollection.听
Watch an album preview here, with scenes from the recording session at Montreal鈥檚 Studios Piccolo:听
Focus 鈥� Adam听Cicchillitti/Steve Cowan (Analekta)听听
Released October听25
Just a year after releasing an album of Spanish guitar music, guitarists Adam听Cicchillitti听(DMus 鈥�22) and Steve Cowan (DMus 鈥�19) are back with a record听focused on contemporary Canadian music including works by 污污草莓视频 alumni Harry听Stafylakis听(BMus 2010), Jos茅 Evangelista听(DMus 1984), and Jason Noble听(PhD 2018). As expected in听any output from these two award-winning guitarists, this new album offers impressive displays of virtuosity throughout insightful performances.听听
Listen to these two long-time friends听execute听impressive extended听guitar听techniques in Choro: The Joyful Lament for Villa-Lobos,听which appears as the album鈥檚 third track:听
The Etudes Project, Volume One: ICEBERG 鈥� Jenny Lin (Sono听Luminus)听
Released October 25
The second album on this list to include music by composer and alumnus Harry Stafylakis, this album highlights the piano as a solo instrument through concert 茅tudes by Claude Debussy, Olivier Messiaen, Gy枚rgy Ligeti, and Philip Glass, as well as ICEBERG New Music, a collective of ten young NYC-based composers. Pianist Jenny Lin鈥檚 effortless technique is seen throughout the recording鈥檚 wide-ranging contemporary and classic repertoire.
Are you a Schulich community member and releasing an album soon? publicity.music [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Schulich%20Release%20Radar%20Submission) (Email us to let us know).
