Concord Picante Releases “Ninety Miles”

Stefon Harris, David Sanchez and Christian Scott go the distance on collaborative recording “Ninety Miles.”

Special 2-Disc CD/DVD Package, Ninety Miles, unites North American, Puerto Rican and Cuban jazz artists. Release date: June 21, 2011.

All distance is relative, especially where geopolitical borders and ideologies are involved. We speak one language, they speak another. We follow our system, they follow theirs. When we focus on the differences, a relatively short stretch of land or water starts to look like a yawning chasm. But when we look at each other as individuals and focus on the similarities, that “chasm” is actually a very short distance. Less than a hundred miles.

Musicians – especially jazz musicians, whose craft is in many ways an improvised form of communication – understand this principle inherently, perhaps better than any politician or diplomat could ever hope to. Vibraphonist Stefon Harris, saxophonist David Sánchez and trumpeter Christian Scott cross that divide in their new recording, Ninety Miles, set for release on Concord Picante on June 21, 2011.

Recorded entirely in Havana, Cuba, with the help of some highly talented Cuban players – pianists Rember Duharte and Harold López-Nussa, each leading their own quartets – the nine-song set is an experiment that examines the fascinating chemical reaction that takes place when musicians from different cultures come together and converse in a common language that transcends mere words. The set also includes a DVD that is a sneak peek of the forthcoming documentary of the same name that chronicles the recording process of the album in Cuba. It will also include two bonus live performances of “City Sunrise” and “La Fiesta Va.”

“This record is about the power of music to communicate, and break down some of the barriers that result from language and politics and culture,” says John Burk, Chief Creative Officer of Concord Music Group and producer of the album. He developed the idea for the project after hearing a number of Cuba’s extraordinary young jazz pianists. “Cuba seems to have an amazing amount of incredible musicians, and I was particularly impressed with Harold and Rember,” recalls Burk. “I found it really interesting that these musicians had studied and embraced the jazz genre (an American art form) and taken it to such a high level. Their circumstances, a very solid music educational system with Afro-Cuban roots, coupled with the isolation of the embargo throughout their lifetimes, had created something unique and special in their music.” It took about year to get permission from the U.S. Government, and then Burk, along with co-producer Chris Dunn, booked Harris, Sánchez and Scott to perform in Havana in May 2010 with quartets lead by Harold and Rember. Ninety Miles is a snapshot of the rehearsals just prior to the 2010 performance.

Despite the logistical hurdles, “once we got down there and got into the music, everything worked,” says Burk. “And what we witnessed was a very high level of musicianship, a very high level of communication, and a very sophisticated conversation.”

Harris, a four- time GRAMMY® nominated vibist-percussionist, is no stranger to adventurous collaborative projects. A native of Albany, New York, his earliest work included session gigs with Steve Turre and Charlie Hunter in the 1990s before he recorded his solo debut in 1998 on Blue Note (A Cloud of Red Dust). He’s cut seven albums since then, including his GRAMMY® nominated Concord Jazz debut Urbanus.

Harris contributes three tracks to Ninety Miles. New arrangements of “Black Action Figure” and “This Too Shall Pass” and “Brown Belle Blues” written especially for this project. “Before I wrote it, I listened to a bunch of recordings by Rember and his rhythm section as a way to capture some of their energy in the song,” he says. “On top of that, I put a real soulful, bluesy, almost gospel-like melody on top of it as a way to bring all of our influences together.”

Sánchez brings plenty of his own cross-cultural sensibilities to the project. A native of Puerto Rico, he moved to New York City at 18 and studied at Rutgers University under Kenny Barron while gigging with numerous Latin jazz specialists, including Paquito D’Rivera, Claudio Roditi and Dizzy Gillespie. In a body of recorded work that stretches back to the mid-1990s, Sánchez has crafted a signature sound that seamlessly merges elements of Afro-Cuban rhythm with bebop.

Sánchez’s “City Sunrise” was inspired by music from Cameroon. “I had planned to record it on one of my own projects, but it made perfect sense to use it here,” he says. “It not only has a Cuban sound, but there are other elements there as well that give it a world groove.” His second contribution, “The Forgotten Ones” – written for the people of post-Katrina New Orleans – is a quieter, more subtle piece that provides a contrast to some of the more energized tracks in the set.

Both of Sanchez’s offerings are propelled by López-Nussa and his rhythm section, which provides a counterbalance to Duharte and his crew elsewhere in the set. Each of the two pianists contributes two tracks of his own, which further thickens the album’s cultural mix. “Harold and Rember are from the same generation, and yet they have two completely different approaches,” says Sánchez. “Rember is more rooted in the African sound, and he’s a little more raw in some ways. But Harold is completely different. You hear the Cuban influences in his music, and perhaps more of the western European classical piano.”

Born and raised in New Orleans, GRAMMY® nominated trumpeter Christian Scott has been blending elements of Alt Rock, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Classical since his 2006 debut recording, Rewind That. On Ninety Miles, he taps into the Cuban roots that are not only a part of his home but his family history as well. “New Orleans is in many ways an extension of the Caribbean,” Scott explains. “There are a lot of Cuban people in New Orleans as well as Dominican’s and Haitian’s. They come to the city and become very much a part of the culture there. My great-grandmother was born in Cuba, and when I was growing up, she would sing Cuban songs to me. I grew up around that music. So while I don’t particularly think of myself as Cuban, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I was not able to pick up on and appreciate certain aspects of the culture.”

The brilliance and innovation of Ninety Miles is only part of the story. The recording is also a clear statement about the power of music to unite in ways that politics and diplomacy can’t. “The arts can lead the way, because they are the universal language,” says Burk. “And music is certainly one of the most powerful forces within the arts. You can change someone’s life in five minutes with the right piece of music. I don’t know of any other art form that can do that. This record does illustrate a way – or at least the ability – for people to work together despite differences.”

Ninety Miles Official Website: http://ninetymilesproject.com

Stefon Harris

“He swings; and when he plays, he makes you feel good,” says The New York Times. A four-time GRAMMY® nominee, Harris has been honored as Best Vibist by Jazziz, Jazz Times, and Downbeat, and is a six-time Best Mallet winner by the Jazz Journalists Association. Heralded as “one of the most important young artists in jazz” (The Los Angeles Times) and a recipient of Lincoln Center’s Martin E. Segal Award, Harris earned a B.M. in Classical Music and a M.M. in Jazz Performance from Manhattan School of Music. He has released six CDs for Blue Note Records including the Duke Ellington inspired 2006 African Tarantella …Dances With Duke and the GRAMMY® nominated The Grand Unification Theory (2003).

Stefon Harris’ 7th album and Concord Records debut, Urbanus, received rave reviews. People said, “This inventive disc, with his quintet Blackout, delivers in-your-face grooves.” The album went on to receive the GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Urbanus picks up where Evolution (Blue Note – 2004) left off. Both feature Blackout, his scintillating ensemble that’s as versed in modern jazz as it is with rhythms, melodies and soundscapes associated with R&B, pop, hip-hop and funk. Blackout displays a deeper group rapport as well as a more expansive sonic palette. Marc Cary complements the acoustic piano with Fender Rhodes, and alto saxophonist Casey Benjamin, lends his captivating vocoder work to the proceeding. Harris’ brilliance at broadening textures and colors comes to play with his sensational woodwind and string arrangements on a few of the compositions as well.

Harris tours worldwide with his band Blackout and the San Francisco Jazz Collective. He also teaches at New York University and has been Artist in Residence at Fontana Chamber Arts (Kalamazoo), The Lied Center (Lincoln, NE), and San Francisco Performances. Harris has served on the Executive Board of Directors for Chamber Music America and was the first musician elected to the WBGO-FM Board of Directors.

David Sánchez

Ask a roomful of jazz fans about GRAMMY® Award-winning saxophonist David Sánchez and the ensuing buzz will be filled with exultant praise for one of the finest saxophonist of his generation. Such comments are entirely valid, to a point. The Puerto Rico-born Sánchez is unquestionably one of the finest, most progressive players on the contemporary scene, as more than a decade’s worth of bold, brilliant work has already proven. But, is Sánchez a master of Latin Jazz or an exemplary player who also happens to be of Latin heritage? The distinction may seem subtle, but is actually profound. As noted critic Bob Blumenthal observed, “[Sánchez] has been nurturing his own distinct variety in recent years, one that draws heavily on…Miles Davis and John Coltrane and weaves rhythms in fluid strands. What results is far closer to the more daring post-bop tradition than to standard Latin music.”

Sanchez started playing drums and percussion at age 8, before switching to tenor saxophone at age 12. The bomba and plena rhythms of his native country, accompanied with Cuban and Brazilian musical influences, shaped his early musical taste. In 1986, he enrolled in the Universidad de Puerto Rico, but went to New York City instead. In 1988 he was awarded a music scholarship to Rutgers University in New Jersey. Due to the University’s close location to New York City, Sanchez became an active member in the jazz community. His first musical experiences include pianists Eddie Palmieri and Hilton Ruiz. In 1991, thanks to trumpeter Claudio Roditi, Dizzy Gillespie invited Sanchez to join his “Live the Future” tour.

Concurrent to maintaining his busy tour schedule, Sánchez continues his longstanding tradition of assisting with jazz education programs. Such work, he says, “gives me great satisfaction. At the same time, it’s a real challenge, and you end up learning so much yourself. You give, but you receive too. It gives me such tremendous joy.”

Sanchez’s last Concord release Cultural Survival topped the critic’s best jazz albums of the year’s lists and garnered accolades from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and more.

Christian Scott

Christian Scott has been recognized as one of the brightest and most daring young stars in music today. The Wall Street Journal says of his work: “Scott captures exciting moments of creative realization and a career in ascent.” At the mere age of 21, the New Orleans native was named one of the “faces to watch” by Billboard, received a GRAMMY® nomination for his Concord debut album Rewind That, and was honored as one of Ebony’s “30 Young Leaders Under 30.”

Scott, a New Orleans native, began playing the trumpet at age 12. At age 13 he was skilled enough to play in his uncle’s band; saxophonist Donald Harrison, the former Art Blakey Jazz Messenger. He later attended the prestigious New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, a high school whose other alumni include Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard and Harry Connick Jr. Scott was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston where he completed two degrees in two years.

Scott’s most recent solo album, Yesterday You Said Tomorrow, was included in NPR’s 50 Favorite Albums of 2010, and received glowing coverage in countless outlets including People Magazine, Village Voice, Entertainment Weekly, VIBE and MOJO. In April 2011, Scott was invited by President Obama to perform at the Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Harlem New York. He has made high-profile appearances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and was invited to perform during a handful of tour dates with Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke’s supergroup Atoms for Peace. He will be making an on-screen guest appearance in the HBO series about New Orleans musicians, Tremé, later this season.

The Ninety Miles Project

Stefon Harris, David Sanchez and Christian Scott go the distance on collaborative recording “Ninety Miles.”

Special 2-Disc CD/DVD Package, Ninety Miles, unites North American, Puerto Rican and Cuban jazz artists.

Critically acclaimed jazz musicians vibist Stefon Harris, saxophonist David Sánchez and trumpeter Christian Scott have collaborated to create a distinctly unique collection of songs, Ninety Miles. Recorded over the span of a week in Havana, Cuba, the US based trio recruited local Cuban musicians including pianists Rember Duharte and Harold López-Nussa to create the 9 song collection. The result is a true Cuban American musical collaboration that defies political borders. Ninety Miles will be released on Concord Picante on June 21st, 2011.

All distance is relative, especially where geopolitical borders and ideologies are involved. We speak one language, they speak another. We follow our system, they follow theirs. When we focus on the differences, a relatively short stretch of land or water starts to look like a yawning chasm. But when we look at each other as individuals and focus on the similarities, that “chasm” is actually a very short distance. Less than a hundred miles.

Musicians – especially jazz musicians, whose craft is in many ways an improvised form of communication – understand this principle inherently, perhaps better than any politician or diplomat could ever hope to. Vibraphonist Stefon Harris, saxophonist David Sanchez and trumpeter Christian Scott cross that divide in their new recording, Ninety Miles, set for release on Concord Picante on June 21, 2011.

Poncho Sanchez – Psychedelic Blues (Concord Records 2009)

Few Latin ensembles have continued to play with such elegance, swagger and irresistible sensuality as those put together by Poncho Sanchez for decades. The leader’s ability to wrap his chops around the blues, and keep swing and clave together with attractive simplicity is now quite legendary. At times Sanchez can also blend his bubbling Latin repertoire with forays into a soulful realm, lending his gravelly voice and puckish charm to vocalizing in the grand manner. On Psychedelic Blues, however, he struts in a decidedly Latin style with rhythms and synchopations like greased lightening. In addition, the results are staggering – this whether the music dallies langorously or when it revs up.

Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” is the perfect kick-start – crackling guiro and all – to this old-fashioned set. Yet it breathes life into the session with a wonderful new arrangement by David Torres. As always, the growl of Francisco Torres’ trombone and howling brass of Ron Blake slide in and around the sleek woodwinds – rapier sharp and on the money. “Crisis,” a wonderfully familiar melody from the late Freddie Hubbard burns in a low flame as Arturo Sandoval crackles on the trumpet in characteristic fashion. The “Willie Bobo Medley” is simply the finest example of molten harmonies, angular rhythms and streetwise fun that only this song could bring. Sanchez’s vocals soar like Ray Charles.

Coltrane’s “Grand Central” is somewhat familiar – almost a déjà vu in terms of its arrangement, but the bright reeds and woodwinds, playing counterpoint to brass – especially Torres’ trombone makes for a slightly more angular melody. The timbalero, George Ortiz always puts in a stellar turn everytime the spotlight is on him and his ability to play across Sanchez’s congas is almost ethereal. There is a master class from Sanchez on “Silver’s Serenade,” as he chops and slaps – open-handed and cupped palms – then slices and breaks the skins. All this in just a few seconds of conga solo that seems to last a lifetime as the notes hang in the air delightfully.

“The One Ways” and “Delifonse” showcase not just percussion, but also the work of the ensemble. Solos are somewhat short, but then this is classic showmanship. It is Poncho Sanchez’s way of showing majesterial leadership for his band to follow. Incidentally, his solo on “The One Ways” provides further evidence that there is a master at work. Francisco Torres is staggering and almost speech-like on “Delifonse.” And just when you thought you could not ask for more, it is the turn of the master trumpeter, Ron Blake to take flight with Sanchez, on “Con Sabor Latino.” Nevertheless, it is on “Psychedelic Blues” that the group truly shines. Sanchez leads from the front, ringing fast and surprising changes and when he is ‘on song’ – as he surely is here – there is no telling where his genius will lead him.

The set is relatively short, but then the group always maintains the excitement and swinging pulse at such a fever pitch, that elation lingers longer than the echoes of the last, dying notes. This is vintage Poncho Sanchez the kind that you do not want ever to end.

Tracks: Cantaloupe Island; Crisis; Psychedelic Blues; Willie Bobo Medley – I Don’t Know/Fried Neck Bones and Some Homefries/Spanish Grease; Grand Central; Slowly But Surely; Silver’s Serenade; The One Ways; Delifonse; Con Sabor Latino.

Personnel: Poncho Sanchez: congas, percussion, lead vocals; David Torres: piano, Hammond B-3 organ; Javier Vergara: tenor and alto saxophones; Ron Blake: trumpet, flugelhorn; Francisco A Torres: trombone; Tony Banda: bass, background vocals; George Ortiz: timbales; Joey de Leon Jr.: bongos, percussion, background vocals; Scott C Martin: baritone saxophone; Andrew Synowiec: guitar; Alfredo Ortiz: bongos, percussion. Special Guest: Arturo Sandoval: trumpet (2).

Poncho Sanchez on the web: www.ponchosanchez.com

Review written by: Raul da Gama