Bulgarian pianist Milcho Leviev came to my attention about 20 years ago via the Los Angeles record label MA Recordings, a high-end label. I was floored by the quality of his playing, and wondered why he didn’t receive more attention in the US than he has. Bassist Dave Holland needs little introduction, as he has a flood of crucial records on labels like ECM Records.
Fusion
[Music] Grupa Marina Škrgatića – Čežnja
Grupa Marina Škrgatića are one of a score of magnificent groups which came out of the former Yugoslavia who produced music of ridiculously high quality. As usual, there’s little information in English about the band, so it’s best to use Chrome or Firefox and see if you can translate this.
[Music] Tal Gamlieli (featuring Avishai Cohen) – Dania (Live at the Lily Pad)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl4miufiBYo
I’m utterly impressed with the quality of Jerusalem’s jazz scene. With performers like trumpeter Tal Gamlieli, they’re becoming a world-class scene.
[Music] Boomerang – Mirage (Kazakhstan/USSR, 1986)
Another Soviet ethno-jazz project of high quality. Boomerang hailed from Kazakhstan, and this particular album is considered their rarest.
[Music] Ken Hyder’s Talisker – Close the Window and Keep It Down (1977)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuPtSw82Aac
Ken Hyder is an incredible Scottish percussionist who has worked with some of the most interesting musicians in Great Britain, and as far away as Siberia. This is early material, thankfully reissued and available at Forced Exposure.
[Music] Chico Buarque feat. Telma Costa – Eu Te Amo
Some mellow Bossa Nova to end the night, written by Antônio Carlos “Tom” Jobim and Chico Buarque.
[Music] Uri Caine & Masada String Trio – Jazz in Marciac 2008
A stunning bit of live footage here. Though the stars of the video are John Zorn’s Masada String Trio, pianist Uri Caine utterly dominates the first half of the show with gorgeous improvisation.
The lineup for the night:
Uri Caine – Piano
Mark Feldman – Violin
Erik Friedlander – Cello
Greg Cohen – Double bass
John Zorn – Direction
[Music] Ya disponible la Pre-release del primer cd recopilatorio de La Montaña Rusa Radio Jazz!
Wonderful news from our friends in Spain! After all these years of having a wonderful radio program, La Montaña Rusa Radio Jazz has decided to release their first-ever CD. They will be a huge asset to the incredible talent Spain has to offer.
[Music] Dino Saluzzi – Otoño
The trip of bandoneonist Dino Saluzzi, his son, the saxo-clarinettist Felix Saluzzi, and cellist Anja Lecher, make for a warm trio of avant-tango.
[Music] Rudolph Johnson – The Highest Pleasure
Soulful jazz-funk by Rudolph Johnson, who sounds like someone Kruder & Dorfmeister would have ripped a riff from.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 