Stories » London's 'Occupy the Pianos Festival' explores the relationship between music and meditation / iNews

Stories for January 17, 2019

  •

    Tony Bennett-Diana Krall & Jeff Goldblum make 'THE BLURT JAZZ DESK'
     
    Posted At : January 17, 2019 11:06 AM

    For our latest installment, Prof. Kopp takes a look at some of the most notable new titles. With 4 out of 5 stars and a 09-14-18 street date, The Upshot: TONY BENNETT & DIANA KRALL – Love is Here to Stay is " meeting of two jazz vocal greats results in a low-key, subdued yet note-perfect musical summit. Also, 4 out of 5 stars, with a 11-09-18 street date - The Upshot: Don't hold it against Jeff Goldblum that he's best-known as an actor. On JEFF GOLDBLUM & THE MILDRED SNITZER ORCHESTRA – The Capitol Studios Sessions on Decca, Goldblum is joined by to-flight guests, the pianist and bandleader shows that he deserves recognition as a skilled jazz artisan as well. READ THE FULL Blurt REVIEWS

  • Seong-Jin Cho interviews with Spokane Public Radio
     
    Posted At : January 17, 2019 10:26 AM

    Seong-Jin Cho recently released his first Mozart recording, Piano Concerto No. 20 & Sonatas, on Deutsche Grammophon, boasting a dynamic interpretation of one of the composer's most powerful and dramatic piano concertos. The Korean pianist was fortunate that his earliest memories of Mozart were fixed by his parents' recordings of two of the composer's greatest operas: The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute. They opened the young musician's heart to the limitless compassion of Mozart's music, which continues to resonate with Cho. "When I play, I try to play with my heart, sincerely," he observes. "I try to convey my feelings and emotion – I've always tried to tell a story to the audience." Mozart, he adds, is the ideal story-telling composer. "His music is always closely related to singing and opera; very often the melodic line has to be rather like bel canto." Cho sat down with Spokane Public Radio's Jim Tevenan to discuss the album. Listen to the attached interview. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px}

  • The Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, but the likes of Tony Bennet and Diana Krall is here to stay / Jazz Weekly
     
    Posted At : January 17, 2019 10:16 AM

    There are certain sounds and styles that will never fade. The Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, but the music of George Gershwin delivered by the likes of Tony Bennet and Diana Krall is here to stay. They team up with the equally timeless trio of Bill Charlap/p, Peter Washington/b and Kenny Washington/dr and the classy combo is rich in rapport. Krall is breathy and Bennett is cozy on "'S Wonderful" and both are lugubrious on a hoot of "Do It Again." Bennet steps out and lets Krall do a gorgeous duet with Charlap on a wanderlust of a "But Not For Me" and Bennett is as soft and leathery as a catcher's mitt for his aria of a beautiful "Who Cares?".  The two have a palpable rapport on pieces like "I Got A Crush On You"; nothing feels rushed or artificial as they toy with "Fascinating Rhythm." A sonic museum of modern art. SEE THE Jazz Weekly PAGE p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px}

  • The unexpected journey of Hee-Young Lim / China Daily
     
    Posted At : January 17, 2019 12:00 AM

    Korean cellist - Hee-Young Lim, launched her first CD French Cello Concertos last November. Now she is tapping into the classical music world in China. "Playing the cello feels like meditation, it becomes sort of a mirror and helps you see within yourself. And since I have no siblings and used to spend a lot of time alone reading books, my parents felt this was all good because it was almost as though I had a constant companion in the cello!" To date, she is the first female Asian cellist appointed as the Principal Solo Cellist of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the major orchestras in Europe and the first cello professor at the Central Conservatory of Music based in Beijing.
    Hee-Young Lim. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]     READ THE FULL China Daily ARTICLE

  • Rare performance of Riccardo Chailly, Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, represents the triumphant return to Verdi and Rossini / Classical Music Sentinel
     
    Posted At : January 16, 2019 12:00 AM

    2018 marks 250 years since Gioachino Rossini's death in 1868. 'Messa per Rossini' was composed in his memory by Verdi and 12 other notable Italian composers. Verdi himself composed the concluding Libera me, which he later used in his own Requiem. Conducted by Riccardo Chailly, this rare performance represents the work's triumphant return to the spiritual home of Verdi and Rossini: the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. {Decca} READ THE FULL Classical Music Sentinel REVIEW

  • Kingdom Choir seeks York singers for Barbican performance / THE PRESS
     
    Posted At : January 16, 2019 12:00 AM

    CHILDREN and youth choirs from across York are being given the opportunity to perform alongside royal wedding performers, The Kingdom Choir. The gospel group who performed the song ‘Stand By Me' at Prince Harry's wedding last May, are inviting York choirs to perform with them on May 8 at the Barbican. The choir, founded in 1994, is a group of male and female singers from London who's songs primarily focus on aspects of Christianity. Conductor Karen Gibson, said they want to help inspire the next generation. She said: "Being part of the royal wedding was such an honour and we were delighted to be part of such a prestigious national day of celebration." p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px} READ THE PRESS ARTICLE

  • Maria Schneider reflects on 'Winter Morning Walks,' before NJSO concerts / WBGO
     
    Posted At : January 16, 2019 12:00 AM

    Maria Schneider's acclaimed classical composition Winter Morning Walks began with a scrap of poetry, which reached her ears before she encountered it on the page. Schneider, a peerless composer for big band, had previously composed a classical song cycle incorporating language by the Brazilian poet Carlos Drummond de Andade. Her vocal collaborator was the illustrious soprano Dawn Upshaw, who responded with enthusiasm to the idea of another, full-length piece. "I had remembered hearing Terry Gross interview a poet [on NPR's Fresh Air]," Schneider recalls recently, speaking by phone from her home state, Minnesota. "So I went to Barnes & Noble and literally opened up every book, because I knew if I saw just a slice of this poetry, I would know the poet." LISTEN TO WBGO INTERVIEW

Top 10 for Jan

  • Various :

    A Day In The Life: Impressions of Pepper

     Impulse! has brought together some of the great progressive jazz musicians of our time to pay tribute to The Beatles'Sgt.
  • John Coltrane :

    1963: New Directions

     A selection of Coltrane's 1963 Impulse! recordings, derived from the original albums Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, Dear Old Stockholm, Newport ‘63 and Live at Birdland In the brief, bright arc that is the career of John Coltrane, 1963 marks a point of transition between past jazz masterpieces and future work, which would transcend the boundaries of the music itself.
  • Pablo Aslan :

    Contrabajo

     At the suggestion of bandoneonist, arranger, and composer Raúl Jaurena, I set out to create a body of work for bass and string quartet, in order to feature the bass not only as foundation and a melodic instrument, but as a driver of rhythm.
  • Cecilia Bartoli :

    Antonio Vivaldi

     Almost 20 years after her historic Vivaldi album, Cecilia Bartoli turns to the composer once again for her brand new solo recording, Antonio Vivaldi.
  • Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra :

    The Capitol Studios Sessions

     Decca Records is thrilled to reveal details of the forthcoming album from Hollywood icon Jeff Goldblum and his long-time band The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, entitled The Capitol Studios Sessions.
  • Soundtracks :

    Roma

     Sony Music, Netflix, Participant Media, and Esperanto Filmoj present the Motion Picture Soundtrack of ROMA, which is available through all digital platforms, on the same day that the film premieres on Netflix.
  • Daniel Pemberton :

    Spider-Man, Into the Spider-Verse OMPS

     Sony Music proudly announces the release of SPIDER-MAN™: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) featuring original music by multiple Golden Globe nominee Daniel Pemberton.
  • Angele Dubeau & La Pieta :

    Ovation

     Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà - Ovation.
  • Joyce DiDonato :

    Songplay

     Joyce DiDonato with Craig Terry, Charlie Porter, Chuck Israels, Jimmy Madison & Lautaro Greco With her album Songplay, Joyce DiDonato takes a new and creative angle on vocal music from the Baroque and Classical periods, as well as from the 20th century.
  • Hee-Young Lim :

    French Cello Concertos w/London Symphony Orch, Yoo

     Hee-Young was appointed as the Principal Solo Cellist of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

London's 'Occupy the Pianos Festival' explores the relationship between music and meditation / iNews

Posted: April 19, 2018 12:00 AM | By: Admin
Bookmark and Share

I am sitting on the floor of a church in Shoreditch, a shaker in my hand, attempting to respond musically to a series of abstract, contradictory statements: making a hard sound that is soft, a private sound that is public, and so on. Initially self-conscious, as others join in, I soon find myself fully focused and absorbed. As I should be: this is mindful music. The exercises vaguely remind me of my hippie upbringing, but mindfulness has become a buzzword in recent years, in music as elsewhere; this weekend, the third full Occupy the Pianos festival, in London will be exploring the relationship between music and meditation. The notion of being truly present has obvious benefits for both listening and playing; really getting in the zone – immersed but listening closely – is surely the ideal state for a concert-goer.

Curated by pianist and composer Rolf Hind will take place between 20-22 April at St John's Smith Square. Studded with many freshly written works, and radical takes on music and concert-giving, this festival features new and radical piano music at its core. At the festival's heart is an ever-growing team of brilliant musicians whose approach is outward looking, unconventional and curious. Artists include Rolf Hind, Elaine Mitchener, Loré Lixenberg, Nancy Ruffer, David Alberman, Zoë Martlew, Siwan Rhys, Ben Smith, George Barton, and more.a

 

READ THE FULL iNews ARTICLE

Crossover Media Projects with Various

  • Various

    A Day In The Life: Impressions of Pepper

    Impulse! has brought together some of the great progressive jazz musicians of our time to pay tribute to The Beatles'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. A Day In The Life: Impressions of Pepper will be available on vinyl for Record Store Day on November 23, available on CD, digital, and streaming platforms on November 30, with a wide vinyl release on January 18, 2019.

    A Day In The Life: Impressions of Pepper includes performances and interpretations by artists such as UK saxophonist and Impulse! recording artist Shabaka Hutchings, Impulse! pianist Sullivan Fortner, Verve recording artist Miles Mosley, Onyx Collective, percussionist Antonio Sanchez, guitarist Mary Halvorson, The JuJu Exchange and more. 

    This stellar lineup represents some of the great progressive jazz artists from around the world: Shabaka from the UK Jazz scene, Miles Mosley and Cameron Graves from LA's West Coast Get Down, Onyx Collective from NYC, Makaya McCraven and the JuJu Exchange from Chicago.  

  • Various

    The Royal Wedding - The Official Album

    Decca Records is proud to release The Official Recording of The Royal Wedding, one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year. Having recorded the entire service live at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle today, every piece of music, the readings, blessings and the vows will be available to listen to permanently on all streaming services in just a few hours: a first for a Royal Wedding. The physical album, on CD, will then be released into retail stores around the world from 1st June. 

    The musical highlight of the moving and joyous ceremony was British cellist, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, one of the most exciting musicians of his generation, who was personally asked by the bride and groom to perform at their wedding. The 19-year-old musician took centre stage for the all-important signing of the register. Dressed in a black Paul Smith suit with vibrant pink tie, Sheku played three beautiful pieces: "Sicilienne" by von Paradis, Schubert's "Ave Maria," and "Après Un Rêve" by Fauré. He was accompanied by orchestra*, as the Royal Couple officially became husband and wife. Knowing he was performing not only for the Royal Family, 600 invited guests in the Chapel, and an estimated global audience of up to three billion people, the talented teenager was thrilled to be involved in the occasion:

  • Various

    Hopes and Dreams - The Lullaby Project

    History was written in 2000 BC, and 2018 marks the 150th anniversary of Brahms' Lullaby, so this precious musical tradition has deep cultural and emotional roots. These personal songs bring people together, span generations, and tell stories about where we come from, who we are now, and our hopes for the future. The legacy continues with the release of Hopes and Dreams: The Lullaby Project on Decca Gold (Verve Label Group). The recording is inspired by the Lullaby Project, a program of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute which pairs pregnant women, new mothers, and family members with professional artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies, supporting maternal health, aiding child development, and strengthening the bond between parent and child. Hopes and Dreams: The Lullaby Project features fifteen lullabies written by parents from across New York City, as performed by Fiona Apple, the Brentano String Quartet, Lawrence Brownlee, Rosanne Cash, Joyce DiDonato, Janice Freeman (The Voice 2017), Rhiannon Giddens (Nashville), Angélique Kidjo, Patti LuPone, Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs), Dianne Reeves, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pretty Yende, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

  • Various

    Jazz Loves Disney 2: A Kind of Magic

    The second installment of the Jazz Loves Disney series, Jazz Loves Disney 2: A Kind of Magic features guest artists including Angélique Kidjo, Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum, Jacob Collier, George Benson, Madeleine Peyroux and more, taking on beloved melodies from the Disney canon. The album will be released on Verve Records on November 10.  The Jazz Loves Disney series celebrates the nostalgia and universal appeal of the music of Disney films. The rich catalogue of Disney songs that span genres and generations inspired producer Jay Newland and arranger Rob Mounsey to continue the series. 

    7 NEW  106 TOTAL
    SYND:     NPR, CBC
    Direct: SiriusXM
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Portland, Detroit, Denver, Memphis, Orlando, Albuquerque, Wichita, Madison WI, Honolulu, HI(Statewide), Barcelona, Berlin
    INTER: Canada, UK, Spain, Germany, South Africa
    Online: LaughingPlace, Troonradio, Quisqueya, udiscovermusic, The Healthy Mouse, The Daily Shuffle, Dis411, NextBop.com, MOJA, GreenArrow, Jazz Gallery 41, The Jazz groove, Sun Music, Jazz Weekly, Radio Free Amsterdam

    19 Jazzweek ADD's

  • Various

    The Passion of Charlie Parker

    The Passion of Charlie Parker is a new album from producer Larry Klein that tells the story of Charlie Parker using his music as inspiration for new songs that narrate his life. Guest artists include Gregory Porter, Madeleine Peyroux, Kandace Springs, actor Jeffrey Wright, and more. The album will be available on impulse!/ Verve digitally on June 16, with physical release to follow on June 30. Larry Klein says, "With this album I've endeavored to do something new and different in an effort to illustrate who ‘Bird' was as an archetypal character, and to draw attention to the huge impact that his work had on Jazz." Rather than create another tribute of traditional bebop tunes, Klein partnered with lyricist David Baerwald to create a musical play that tells the story of Charlie Parker's life while still playing with the jagged melodic nature of Charlie Parker's compositions.

    7 NEW  123 TOTAL
    SYND:     Jazz After Hours, Jazz Happening Now, Jazz Inspired, Voice of America
    Direct: SiriusXM
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Portland, Miami, Detroit, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Austin, Denver, Albuquerque, Orlando, San Antonio, Sacramento, Louisville, Knoxville, Madison WI, Rochester, Tampa, Honolulu, OR(Statewide), WV(Statewide), VT(Statewide), KS(Statewide), MS(Statewide), HI(Statewide), Toronto, Vancouver
    INTER: Canada, UK
    Online: GreenArrow, Jazz & Blues Report, KUHS/Vaya, Soulandjazz.com, Jazz Weekly, Radio Valencia, Que4 Radio, Freaky Party, theguardian

    45 Jazzweek ADD's

  • Various

    Jazz Loves Disney

    Classic Disney tunes are given the big-band jazz treatment on this new release, featuring artistssuch as Gregory Porter, Melody Gardot, Stacey Kent,Jamie Cullum and more. Released on Verve on November 18, 2016, this album celebrates classic Disney magic and Walt Disney's love for jazz. Produced by Jay Newland and arranged and directed by Rob Mounsey, Jazz Loves Disney celebrates the heritage of Disney music from beloved films such as Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, The Jungle Book and more.

    9 NEW  133 TOTAL
    SYND:     Radio DeLuxe, CBC
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, St. Louis, Detroit, San Diego, Denver, New Orleans, Houston, Baltimore, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Albuquerque, Sacramento CA, Orlando, Tampa, Madison WI, Boulder, Knoxville, Hartford, Omaha, Reno, Raleigh NC, KS(Network), ME(Network), Honolulu, Montreal, Vancouver
    INTER: Canada, Italy
    Online: Jazziz, BroadwayWorld.com, GreenArrow, Jazz From Gallery 41, Jaz&BluesReport, Baeble, Disney Examiner, Jazz Weekly, Radio Valencia, Jazz Spotlight On Sinatra, The Jazz Groove, The Mail On Sunday, Jazz Times

    37 Jazzweek ADD's

  • Various

    Hacienda Classical

    In a bold and unprecedented step, the innovative Manchester Camerata has taken part in a new musical experiment that has seen it team up with DJs Graeme Park and Mike Pickering, the original DJs behind the unique Haçienda club sound, to create spin club classics in full harmony with the live orchestra, alongside vocals from the AMC Choir and special guests.   Manchester Camerata embraced the Hacienda Classical project right from the start showing great respect for the Hacienda's legacy and displaying a shared love of Manchester's music and people.

    13 NEW  28 TOTAL
    Direct:     Stingray, AccuRadio
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Portland, New Orleans, Albuquerque, SC(Statewide), Canada
    Online: DJ Mag, Manchester Evening News