Samara Joy Returns With New Studio Album PORTRAIT – Out Now On Verve

October 11, 2024: 3x GRAMMY-winning vocalist Samara Joy has released her new studio album* Portrait* today via Verve Records. Emerging after a busy year of touring all over the world, the album finds the 24-year-old Bronx native channeling her success into the pursuit of musical exploration. Portrait, the follow up to her 2022 breakout album Linger Awhile,offers a snapshot of Joy’s growth not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as songwriter, arranger and band leader. VIBE Magazine called the collection “eight tracks guaranteed to not only impress, but change the way we listen to modern vocal jazz,” while Forbes named it “a monumental step forward as an artist for Joy, who co-produced the record, as well as was responsible in some way for arrangements, writing, even the artwork, on the genius work."

Co-produced by Joy and veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, the 8-song collection showcases a synergistic approach to arranging and the intimate, soulful chemistry Joy has developed with her touring band, an egalitarian octet featuring trumpeter Jason Charos, trombonist Donavan Austin, saxophonists David Mason and Kendric McCallister, pianist Connor Rohrer, bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer Evan Sherman. Joy’s role in the ensemble is multifaceted, balancing her prominence as a vocalist with her contributions as a musical collaborator. “I’m often the fifth voice, the fifth horn,” she explains. “I hope listeners will see that I’m a musician too.”

The album was tracked in streamlined sessions — just two or three takes of each tune — at one of jazz’s most hallowed sites, Van Gelder Studio. Portrait highlights Joy’s prowess as a lyricist, with new arrangements that meld her thoughtful lyrics with music by Charles Mingus, Barry Harris and more. The album also features vibrant interpretations of standards, including new arrangements “You Stepped Out of a Dream” (out now) and “Autumn Nocturne.” The tracklist ultimately proves that the vocal-jazz repertoire can still break new ground while nodding to jazz history.

“A well of inspiration that never runs dry because of the different streams that flow in, constantly pouring into the main source. That’s what comes to mind when I think of this project and the musicians who created it with me,” says Joy of the project. “Eight musicians, eight fresh perspectives and musical backgrounds - all joined together in a context designed for growth and exploration. Designed to put our pens and minds to work creating music inspired by many but still uniquely our own. Because of the incredible depth of musicianship and creativity infused into the sound of this band, I’m honored to be able to present Portrait, shaped after a year of development and revision on the road.”

Listen to* Portrait* (out now) HERE.

About Samara Joy

A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. And while her family history is deeply musical — her grandparents helmed the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, the musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed and arranged his own astounding original work — she didn’t delve into the jazz tradition until college at SUNY Purchase. During her studies there she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which introduced her to the larger jazz scene as a rising star to watch. She was heard, by audiences and critics alike, as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a rightful heiress of the sound, technique and charisma that defined her jazz heroines — including Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln and Carmen McRae.

Joy released her self-titled debut on the Whirlwind label in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which DownBeat said, “With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born.” The album earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in addition to a headline-making win for Best New Artist. A deluxe edition of the album was released, as well as the EP A Joyful Holiday. Her new Verve album, Portrait, which Joy co-produced with the veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, showcases the intimate, soulful chemistry she’s developed with her touring band. Portrait also spotlights her burgeoning gifts as a lyricist, in ingenious arrangements that meld her thoughtful words with music by Charles Mingus, Sun Ra and her late mentor Barry Harris.

Connect with Samara Joy:

Website / TikTok / Instagram / Facebook

Elsden Music is proud to present Above The Clouds, the new album from The Ilario Ferrari Trio.

On the cusp of releasing his fourth studio album, pianist and singer Ilario Ferrari has developed a distinctive compositional style that blends contemporary instrumental jazz with vocal harmonies, incorporating classical nuances and influences from both Indian culture and his South Italian heritage. Ilario’s unique style is perfectly complemented by his two well-known collaborators and rising jazz stars: drummer Katie Patterson and bassist Charlie Pyne, who recently released her album "Nature Is A Mother," (featuring Patterson on drums), which has received high accolades from both the media and fans alike.

Formed in 2020 during the global lockdown, the trio found solace in their musical synergy, quickly developing their unique sound.Their debut performance in 2021 at Lauderdale House in London, live-streamed across Europe, served as a catalyst for their rise to public attention. The trio’s 2021 debut album, "Childhood Memories," was widely praised and received international radio support, helping them secure high-profile live shows.

These live performances include headlining the Watford Jazz Festival in 2022 and collaborating with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra on a world premiere composition by Ilario.They have also performed at the London Jazz Festival, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Ecosuoni Festival in Italy, and Jazzahead in Germany, among others. Additionally, Ilario’s duo with renowned Cuban violinist Omar Puente has garnered positive attention in a range of alternative circles.

Above The Clouds will be released via Elsden Music, a jazz label based in the heart of East London, run by recording and mixing engineer Greg Dowling. At the heart of this new record lies the theme of relationships: our connection to the planet andthe musical and personal bonds between Ilario, Charlie, Katie and their relationships with loved ones. It is also about elevation and observation, from ‘Above The Clouds’ and from the grounded embrace of Mother Earth, impressions of love, loss, and of home are expressed through a beguiling blend of vocal-led songs and instrumentals.

This recording is more than just a simple jazz trio album, with the trio expanding and contracting as each song requires.The Ilario Ferrari Trio’s innovative approach combined with their indisputable skill promises to be a breath of fresh air in the jazz world and beyond.

All music composed by Ilario Ferrari.

Lyrics by Ilario Ferrari except Summer Lullaby by Charlie Pyne Arrangements by Ilario Ferrari, Charlie Pyne & Katie Patterson

Drums and Vocals - Katie Patterson Double Bass and Vocals - Charlie Pyne Piano, Piano FX and Vocals - Ilario Ferrari

All sounds are produced by either acoustic piano, double bass, drums or human voices. Sound effects are generated using pedal effects on the instruments.

Recorded at Curtis Schwartz studio on November 21st and 22nd 2023 and on January the 11th 2024

Strings recorded by Michael John McGlone at Middlesex University Studio Children Choir recorded at St. Johns Church in Watford by Joe Jackson

Mixed by Joe Jackson

Mastered by Nick Watson at Fluid Mastering in Bristol. Album cover picture by Ciprian Turutea

Trio Pictures by Robert Crowley

Strings on the track “Above The Clouds” recorded by Soli Strings Quartet Violin - Abbie Davis

Violin - Annalise Lam Viola - Jules Dos-Reis

Cello - Miranda Lewis-Brown Release date: 11th October 2024

Elsden Music website click here

Ilario Ferrai website click here

“Imagine if Sarah Vaughan played saxophone like Dexter Gordon. That’s approximately the effect when singer and tenor saxophonist Camille Thurman performs.” Downbeat Magazine

“You’re hard-pressed to find rising talents more exciting than Camille Thurman.” The New York Times 

The new album Confluence: Vol. 1 Alhambra, a thrilling collaboration featuring the incredible Camille Thurman and the Darrell Green Quartet, releases on October 4, 2024.
Pre Order Here

'Confluence is a collection of songs recorded during our Fall 2023 tour of Spain. Each city was special and unique in history, culture, and people. The acoustics in each concert hall we performed were simply breathtaking. We wanted to create an album that sonically captured the spirit of the audience and the live magic of the band made on stage. On this album, you will hear each band member shine brightly, purely in their element, unedited, displaying a dynamic sense of virtuosic and creative expression. We hope you enjoy this album!'

Remember the name Camille Thurman. As an accomplished composer, esteemed saxophonist, vocalist, and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, she is quickly becoming one of the leading standard bearers of the art form. Her distinct musical approach to classic and original repertoire, which highlights her craft as a powerhouse singer and instrumentalist, is a captivating blend of tradition and innovation. She makes a considerable and dynamic contribution to the legacy of jazz while paying tribute to its heroes through her music. 

​The New York City native has amassed several distinctive honors for her musicianship:  NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Jazz Album, recipient of the SOUTH Arts Creative Jazz Road Artistic Residency, Downbeat Magazine’s Critics Poll Nominee for Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist and Vocalist and Rising New Artist (2023, 2022, 2021 & 2020),  two-time winner of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award, a recipient of the Fulbright Scholars Cultural Ambassador Grant and Chamber Music of America Performance Plus Grant (Sponsored by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation) among others. Thurman also has five full-length recordings as a leader to her credit. Her most recent project, “Confluence: Vol 1,” is a collaboration with master drummer Darrell Green and his quartet. 

Thurman made history, becoming the first woman in 30 years to tour, record, and perform full-time internationally with the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra as a saxophonist/woodwind doubler (2018-2020 season). A respected bandleader, she has headlined numerous notable concert venues and jazz festivals worldwide, including the Kennedy Center, The Library of Congress, and the Rose Theater. Her international recognition is a testament to the universal appeal of her music and the profound impact she has made on the global jazz community.

Thurman was chosen by the U.S. State Department under the Fulbright Scholarship grant to tour and perform in Paraguay and Nicaragua as a bandleader. She was recently selected by American Music Abroad and the U.S. State Department to tour and perform in Africa as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador in Cameroon, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, and Mauritania. In May 2020, Camille founded “The Haven Hang: Young Lioness Musician Q&A/ Virtual Mentorship Series.” The Haven Hang serves as a virtual and in-person mentorship series for young women musicians, with an initiative to mentor, aid, and support young women pursuing music careers in the performing arts. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Performance at McGill University. 

The dynamic musician is endorsed by D’Addario Woodwinds & Co. for reeds, Henri-Selmer Paris /Conn-Selmer Inc. for saxophones, and Key Leaves for saxophone products.  

Camille Thurman Website

Drummer Holly Channell to release debut recording "Not Just A Standard"

Message from Holly! 

This is a very special project for me. I chose to do my debut album with arranged jazz standards because that’s how I learned to play and appreciate this music. Black American music is sacred music to me. It cuts deeper, and I am grateful to be a guest within this art form. I became enchanted by this music in January 2017 in a Jazz History class taught by Dr Ryan Nielsen. It was in this class that my life changed. He wasn’t afraid to teach the real meaning of this music, where it really came from, and the realities of the real history of the United States and where we are with those realities today. In this class I learned about Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and many other incredible human beings who used their gifts in music to fight for their basic human rights and tell their stories. I knew right there and then that I wanted to be on that side of history. Since that class I dedicated myself to the craft, and not just with playing but with striving to understand and respect the seat that I am now sitting in and who sat before me. I will always strive to acknowledge and accept that. I have a debt of gratitude to Dr Ryan Nielsen for his bravery, courage, and willingness to teach the truth in a place where that’s not always accepted.

And Thank YOU of course, to Jordi Pujol and Fresh Sound for taking a chance on me and putting out this record! I hope everyone that listens to this record dances a little. -With Love, Holly

About Holly Channell

Holly Channell is an American drummer, musician, educator and composer based in Boston, MA. Versatile, Holly plays everything from Straight Jazz to Pop and Rock. Recently off a tour celebrating the Academy Award Winning lyricist Dorothy Fields, Holly is currently set to release her Debut Jazz Album “Not Just a Standard” with FreshSound Records on a planned 2024 release. Holly’s sound steers from the straight ahead jazz tradition, but is influenced heavily from the 90’s and early 2000’s alternative sounds she grew up listening to. Finding her voice, she resonates heavily with drummers such as Roy Haynes, Max Roach and Elvin Jones, but also appreciates the sounds from the late Taylor Hawkins, Jeff Porcaro, and Nirvana’s Dave Grohl.

Holly started playing drums at age 10, being introduced to the craft by her late Metal-Drumming uncle, Brice Chaput. By age 15, Holly was studying percussion classically, touring with a Symphony Orchestra, and teaching privately and in group educational settings. In 2017 Holly was introduced to the world of Jazz, and never looked back. She got her BA in Jazz Studies, her Master of Music in Jazz Performance from ASU studying with the great Lewis Nash, and received a Master of Global Jazz from Berklee College of Music. Through her education and early career she was able to learn, play and create mentorships with Kobie Watkins, Benny Green, Roxy Coss, Jason Palmer, Wycliffe Gordon and many others. At Berklee Global Jazz Institute Holly worked heavily with Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Joe Lovano, Marco Pignataro, Jerry Leake, Tony Malaby, Ron Savage, Terri Lyne Carrington and Yoron Israel. In 2023, Holly was Recognized and awarded as a Sister in Jazz with the Jazz Education Network where she got to work under the direction of acclaimed bassist Marion Hayden.

Along with her upcoming jazz album, Holly has also released self-produced singer-songwriter singles under the pseudonym Holly Marie, which helps her go back to her roots when she first started music; picking up a Guitar for Dummies Book. These releases are available on all streaming platforms. Holly continues to teach privately and in higher education while performing with musicians from around the world. She is also a loving mother and wife. As a member of the LGBTQ+ Community, she continues to be an advocate for human rights not only as a queer member of society, but as a woman in a man’s world. She is currently working on a musical project revolving around the life cycle of a woman in the United States and is set to premiere it at the Berklee Global Jazz Festival in April 2024.

Along with educating her own studio of music students and at University, Holly performs and is a clinician at Jazz festivals throughout the world, some of which include the Panama Jazz Festival, BYU-Idaho Jazz festival, Highland Jazz Festival, Berklee Global Jazz Festival and many others.

Holly Channell - Drums

Jason Palmer - trumpet

Mike Kocour - piano

Ben Headquist - bass

Release Date: October 4th, 2024

(Fresh Sound New Talent)

 https://hollychannellmusic.com/

“I wanted to tell the most honest and personal stories possible. The most personal stories are what I can do best and know best.”

For Sol Jang, "19-29" is more than her debut album, it's a significant milestone that captures her rich experiences and personal growth across different continents. Scheduled for release by Unit Records on October 3, 2024, this album warmly invites listeners into Sol's exploration of identity, culture, and belonging through a seamless blend of jazz.

Blending traditional jazz harmonies with elements of free improvisation and classical music, "19-29" offers listeners an immersive journey. The album features eight original compositions alongside two improvisational pieces, incorporating voice messages from Sol’s phone, adding a deeply personal layer to the musical narrative.

"19-29" is distinguished by its innovative use of sound devices to convey the layered emotions and narratives of Sol's life. Among these, ambient subway sounds from Sol’s father's phone emerge not just as background noise but as a means to give sonic experiences to the listeners. For Sol's experiences of chaos and clarity, of being lost and found, drum and bass improvisations mirror Sol's internal tumult, while the piano narrates her journey in harmonies and melodies, showcasing the album’s deep commitment to storytelling through musical metaphors.

Through this album, the trio gently encourages listeners to delve into the nuances of its stories through the beautiful complexity of music. It’s an album that hopes to resonate with those who hear it, inviting them into a shared space of contemplation and discovery.

The trio will be celebrating the release with a tour of South Korea in May and another tour of the Netherlands and Germany from October till March 2025.

Sol Jang website click here

For more info click here

The seamstress of worlds and words, Carmen Souza, returns with her eleventh album Port’Inglês (English Port). This Arts Council England supported album releases through Galileo Music Communication on 27th September 2024, with the launch concert taking place on 30th November at London’s Crazy Coqs. Port’Inglês reveals untold stories from years of British presence in Cape Verde and the decolonisation struggle under Portugal. “Port’Inglês” is Carmen Souza’s deeply personal journey exploring her roots and, in the process, exploring what alchemy arises from the dust of pain, loss and chaos of this colonised period.

“Port’Inglês” is a celebration of Cape Verdean identity. It is fascinating to accompany Carmen through this musical suite as she explores the origins of her diasporic identity through language and different voices from colonised Cape Verde. She links the UK and Cape Verdean worlds, both connections close to her heart.Jazz waltzes freedom with traditional Cape Verdean rhythms such as funaná, contradança, morna and mazurka; as well as with English folk inspired sea shanty “Francis Drum” which portrays contradictory sides of English explorer, Francis Drake. Was he a British hero sailor or a terror and pillager?

Carmen Souza and long-time collaborator Theo Pascal’s two decade, matured original Lusophone/Cape Verdean sounds, add another dimension to the music and symbolise the significant cultural exchange embodied within the album. The collaboration of prominent jazz musicians from across the globe reinforces and celebrates this interconnectedness. Musicians include Elias Kacomanolis (Mozambique), Diogo Santos (Portugal), João Oliveira (Angola), Deschanel Gordon (UK), Zoe Pascal (UK/Portugal), Mark Kavuma (UK) and Gareth Lockrane (UK). “Port’Inglês” breaks chains, journeying beyond linguistic and cultural confines. Whilst proclaiming the saga of the Islands, the music echoes a call for freedom traversing geography.

Significantly, “Port’Inglês” releases the same year Portugal celebrates 50 years of the Carnation Revolution, the military coup that overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo government in 1974. This movement paved the way for the end of Wars in colonial Africa and opened the door to Independence from Portugal. “Port’Inglês” celebrates and reclaims unheard Cape Verdean voices that shape identity today. Carmen Souza’s Master’s thesis on the British presence in Cape Verde inspired the album:

“I drew inspiration from the tales told in Cape Verde to create this musical suite. Through my research for my Master’s thesis, I sought to embody this historical period through music. The album explores themes of cultural identity, resistance, colonialism and the ongoing struggle for decolonisation, highlighting the connection between Cape Verde and the UK. Inspiration came from popular tales, tales of the sea, and even sea shanties from British folk music.”

Carmen resided in the UK for 16 years, a country that nurtured her creativity. Her research reveals a bond she hadn’t yet realised between the UK and Cape Verde. The synchronicity of Charles Darwin sailing to Cape Verde from Woolwich Arsenal, the very London town she made home for four years, all the more symbolises this shared connection. The morna “Cais D' Port’Inglês” portrays cultural assimilation through the sea waves during the British presence: “In the piers of these English ports/ There is richness/That the sea waves bring and take away…”

Whilst unravelling untold stories, Carmen unravels her identity. She explores how the British presence shaped her motherland’s culture; a culture she inherited. This new music demonstrates how intimately linked culture and language are. The track “Moringue” reflects how different languages on the same land can create misinterpretation and missed connection between individuals. Whereas, “Ariope” describes connection through the incorporation of English language into native Cape Verdean Creole and shaping a new identity. For example, “hurry up” becomes “ariope” – terms Carmen Souza heard from her parents and as part of her culture. The backdrop in “Ariope” of port workers addressed derogatorily gives insight into the abuse of power in Cape Verde.

Yes, this is personal. Yet, “Port’Inglês” reflects that things are not clear-cut. The album portrays different realities of this colonised period and suggests imprints left on future generations. Like an ink-stained fingerprint, identity does not remain the same.

The album carries angry jazz and probes: “If colonization/was such a benefit/why did you need chains and whips to make it convincing/what worth is there/in a prosperity stained with blood and pain? ...”  (Track 2, “Pamodi”). However, the song “Amizadi” tells a story of friendship between two cultures based on prolific Cape Verdean writer, composer and singer B. Leza’s support and admiration for the British: “Let me tell you the Friendship story between two cultures/ This story is not in the books/ It is not taught at schools/ The British and their boats came to sail in our waters/ To make business, buying Donkeys, Salt and Anchil/… Pirates came and destroyed cities and churches… The British came defend our ports…”

Carmen Souza opens a porthole into histories. Perhaps traditional history prefers linear structure. “Port’Inglês” defies tradition by presenting authentic experiences. The album sound creation process also reflects this integrity. Composer Theo Pascal reflects: “Our priority was to allow each instrument’s acoustic ‘colours’ to shine through organically, without requiring extensive digital processing or effects. The use of analogue and other digital recording techniques is a nod to the historical nature of the stories we tell here, adding a layer of authenticity to the album.”

Carmen Souza’s music is celebrated for not fitting into a box. Now, Carmen Souza’s untold stories rise from the ashes of the past to rock the boat.

“Port’Inglês” releases internationally through Galileo MC on
September 27th 2024.

Carmen Souza website

Tickets for launch November 30th at Crazy Coqs London, click here