Home » Jazz News » Recording

70

Soundbrush Records Relaunches With Two New Releases

Source:

Sign in to view read count
SRAÚL JAURENA'S FUERZA MILONGUERA (SR 1017) AND ROGER DAVIDSON'S BRAZILIAN LOVE SONG (SR 1018)

Street Date November 9, 2010

Soundbrush Records, now under the discerning direction of pioneering New Tango bassist/producer Pablo Aslan, proudly announces an important new chapter in its critically acclaimed history with the release of Latin Grammy Award winning bandoneonist Raúl Jaurena's Fuerza Milonguera (SR 1017) and multitalented label founder, pianist/composer Roger Davidson's Brazilian Love Song (SR 1018). Both titles— along with the complete reactivated Soundbrush catalogue of groundbreaking jazz, tango and world music titles —will once again be distributed exclusively in the United States by the Allegro Media Group.

Founded in 2004 by the eclectic pianist/composer Roger Davidson to promote cross- cultural projects, Soundbrush Records is devoted to producing compact discs of the highest order, with pristine sound quality, informative liner notes and striking graphics to complement the innovative music. Davidson, who commenced his professional musical career as an accomplished pianist/arranger/composer in the European “classical music" tradition—well known for his sacred choral music and chamber orchestra works, soon developed an abiding interest in both jazz and Brazilian music and began applying his already impressive abilities to composing and performing music within those genres. Attracting the attention of record producer Helen Keane, longtime manager of legendary pianist Bill Evans, Davidson made his first jazz trio recording, Ten To Twelve (SR 1007), featuring virtuoso bassist David Finck and produced by Ms. Keane herself.

In 2003 Davidson joined forces with Argentine bassist Pablo Aslan to record and coproduce the “joyful historical exploration" Amor Por el Tango (SR 1003) on the his newly formed Soundbrush imprint and was reunited with Finck on the pianist's sophomore trio effort for the label, the “brilliant experiment" Rodger's In Rio (SR 1004), featuring master Brazilian drummer Paulo Braga. Through the years Soundbrush has developed an impressively unique catalogue. In addition to Davidson's own varied musical projects, Soundbrush artists include bandoneonist Raul Jaurena, Venezuelan flautist Marco Granados, Argentine guitarist Francisco Pancho Navarro, Klezmer icon Frank London, and veteran New York jazz singer Carol Fredette, as well as Finck, who made his recording debut as a leader on Soundbrush. Collectively, these discs represent some of the finest recordings of the past decade by artists universally acclaimed as being at the top of their various fields.

Uruguay born New York based bandoneonist Raúl Jaurena has become the world's premiere performer on his instrument, acknowledged for his 2007 Latin Grammy Award winning Soundbrush recording Te Amo Tango (SR 1009), which featured many of his own innovative New Tango compositions. The followup to that universally lauded effort, Pasion por La Vida (SR 1015), found Jaurena joining forces with Roger Davidson, performing intoxicating duets on eighteen of the pianist's original new tango compositions. On his newest release Fuerza Milonguera (named for the Davidson composition that opened their duo date) Jaurena unveils his Tango Orchestra to explore the roots of the music he has been advancing for years, with distinctive interpretations of new and old compositions in the classic tango style.

In his informative notes to Fuerza Milonguera writer Fernando Gonzalez quotes Raúl Jaurena asserting that “Tango, like any other music, needs constant renewal, new blood — but this must happen without forgetting the rules, the codes that make the music what it is... so the idea behind this recording was to go back to the roots—but updated by the experiences I've had, and the music and the sounds I've heard." On the date Jaurena shines a spotlight on the tango style of his native Uruguay —one that reflects the subtle differences between that country and its neighbor Argentina, where the genre was born. The music here has a gentler ensemble sound, while nodding to the traditional Afro- Uruguayan candombe style that still thrives in Montevideo, where the disc was recorded with some of that city's largely unsung master musicians. The sound, while modeled after the classic tango dance orchestras of the '50s, is an updated one —fresh and exciting, while passionately rooted—that reaffirms Jaurena's role as the preeminent keeper of the flame that continues to ignite tango today.

Pianist Roger Davidson has proven himself to be one of the most versatile composers in music today, with a repertory that ranges from classical chamber, symphonic and choral works to straight ahead jazz and various Afro-Caribbean and Latin American forms— even Klezmer music and children's songs. As a followup to his enthusiastically received album of his own original tangos with Raúl Jaurena, Pasion por La Vida, Davidson unveils his considerable talent for writing original music in the various song forms of Brazil—bossa nova, samba and chorinho—on his Brazilian Love Song, an album featuring eighteen of his own compositions in the style of that country's intoxicating traditions.

Davidson knows that love comes in many forms and inspires myriad emotions. The music on Brazilian Love Song is as varied as life itself—ranging from tender to intense. Joined on various tracks by Brazilian master musicians, drummer Paulo Braga and percussionist Marivaldo Dos Santos, with the multitalented David Finck on bass and Aaron Heick on alto saxophone, Davidson weaves a multi-hued tapestry of truly moving music. Beginning with the quintet's performance of the title tune—his first foray into the Brazilian sound, written in 1978, more than a decade after he was first attracted to the style following a hearing of the classic Getz/Gilberto album—we hear just how organically the pianist has absorbed the genre's “syntax" into his own personal musical vocabulary. On the trio track “Calor do Coraçao, featuring Finck's virtuoso arco bass playing, the composer makes evident his ability to express deep feelings with seemingly effortless simplicity. “Ritmo Das Flores," “O Jogo" and “Samba da Sarah" each flows in its own special way with the intoxicating rhythms of Brazil, from Rio to Bahia. Throughout the album's other pieces Davidson demonstrates his love of the music of that land with enchanting expressions of melodies and rhythms that recall its beauty.

“Music is music ... music is for the world," says Davidson in describing his own personal aesthetic and the philosophy of Soundbrush Records that reflects his vision. “Great musicians and great sounds," proclaims Pablo Aslan of the label's productions and its future, where it will undoubtedly continue to explore new musical horizons.

Visit Website | Purchase

For more information contact .

Comments

Tags

View events near Poughkeepsie
Jazz Near Poughkeepsie
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

News

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.