Mundo: The World of Jane Bunnett

Mundo: The World of Jane Bunnett
To Be Released By EMI Canada On February 14, 2012

Double CD Retrospective Package Features 2 New Tracks

Toronto, Ontario – January 13, 2012 – There are many possible descriptions of Jane Bunnett: Composer/bandleader/multi-instrumentalist/educator/festival organizer. Order of Canada recipient, five-time Juno Award winner and multiple Grammy nominee. Internationally acclaimed artist with a recording career spanning 24 years.

Our preferred phrase is: fearless musical explorer. In tandem with her long-time partner in music and life, trumpeter/composer/producer Larry Cramer, the Toronto-based Bunnett has constantly sought out new musical terrain. That is confirmed vividly on the compelling new career retrospective, Mundo: The World Of Jane Bunnett, to be released on EMI Music Canada on February 14, 2012.

This collection comprises 25 cuts taken from 16 albums, recorded between 1989 and 2008. It also features two brand new numbers showing that Bunnett remains at the peak of her creative powers. “Gotcha” and “After Rain, Comes Sun” were recorded with fast-rising young Toronto ensemble Heavyweights Brass Band, with Telmary featured on vibrant vocals on “After Rain, Comes Sun.”

Bunnett has never felt constrained stylistically, and the result is a body of work that encompasses modern jazz, a rich variety of Cuban-rooted musical idioms, blues, classical, gospel, r ‘n b, and other world music forms.

MUNDO: The World of Jane Bunnett – track listing:

DISC 1

1. Gotcha’ (New Track feat. Heavyweights Brass Band)
2. Kalaidescope (Embracing Voices)
3. Witchi Ti To (Red Dragonfly)
4. For Merceditas (with Don Pullen) (New York Duets)
5. Yo Siempre Oddara (Spirits of Havana)
6. The Real Truth (The Water is Wide)
7. El Diablo (Cuban Odyssey)
8. New Orleans Under Water (Radio Guantanamo)
9. Osain (Ritmo + Soul)
10. Changui for Alfredo (Radio Guantanamo)
11. Please Don’t Ever Leave Me (Doubletime/Duet with Paul Bley)
12. Serenade To A Cuckoo (Water Is Wide)
13. Chamalongo (Chamalongo)
14. Sunshower (Alternate take)

DISC 2

1. After Rain, Comes Sun (New track feat. Heavyweights Brass Band and Telmary)
2. Joyful Noise (Ritmo + Soul)
3. Alma de Santiago (video version) (Alma De Santiago)
4. Rendezvous (Rendezvous/Brazil /Cuba)
5. Don’s Light (Spirituals and Dedications)
6. Son de la Loma (Cuban Piano Masters)
7. Song for Argentina (Spirits of Havana)
8. Amor Por Ti (Chamalongo)
9. Donna Lee (Alma de Santiago)
10. You Don’t Know What Love Is (Live at Sweet Basil)
11. The River/El Rio (Ritmo + Soul)

Jane will be performing across the country this year to celebrate the release of this retrospective package, beginning with several shows in the Toronto area:

Thursday January 19 – Long & McQuade Performance Hall at Jazz FM
Listen Live at 91.1 FM or Jazz FM

Monday January 23 – FREE performance at the Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library with The Toronto Star’s John Teraud – 7:00 pm
Toronto Public Library Appel Salon

Friday January 27 – Hugh’s Room – with special guests Heavyweight’s Brass Band – 8:00 pm
Hugh’s Room

Saturday January 28 – LULA Lounge – Salsa Dance Party with Son Aché
and special guest Jane Bunnett.
7:00 pm Intimate Dinner and Photo Exhibit with Jane Bunnett
9:00pm – 2:00 am – Dance lessons and show!
Lula Lounge

During a colourful and prolific career, Jane Bunnett’s sound and vision has earned her the respect of some giants in the world of jazz. She has collaborated extensively with such legends as Don Pullen, Dewey Redman, Sheila Jordan and Paul Bley, while jazz critics have hailed her virtuosity on soprano saxophone and flute. Bunnett has been the recipient of multiple awards in the prestigious Downbeat and Village Voice Critics’ Polls.

Mundo: The World Of Jane Bunnett is a retrospective look at a formidable career, but Bunnett remains an artist looking forward, not back. The two new tracks included here are eloquent testimony to that approach. Following Jane’s future creative endeavours will be a richly rewarding exercise.

Welcome to The World Of Jane Bunnett. You are in for a treat.

For more information, or to request an interview, please contact:
Dawn Dwyer
D2 communications
416.583.5048
dawn@d2communications.ca

More Noteworthy Recordings of 2011

By Raul da Gama, Janine Santana, Wilbert Sostre

		Claudio Roditi – Bons Amigos (Resonance Records) Most fans, even aficionados of contemporary music, still only vaguely know the great trumpeter Claudio Roditi as the “Brazilian who joined Arturo Sandoval in Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra”. It is a pity that Roditi’s musical reputation rests on so narrow a spectrum in his enormous musical career. Few know, for instance, that Roditi was one of the first Brazilian musicians to relocate in the United States of America: in 1970 as a matter of fact. Since then he has criss-crossed America playing with the likes of Tito Puente, Mario Bauzá, Ray Barretto and Dizzy Gillespie… Read full review by Raul da Gama.
		Silvano Monasterios – Unconditional (Savant Records) Silvano Monasterios reaped the benefit of a valuable education. Born in Caracas, Monasterios studied classical piano at José Lamas Conservatory, learned the traditional rhythms associated with sambas of South America, and studied jazz at home with his father. This combination has integrated and developed Monasterios into a superb composer and performer. After winning a scholarship award for best soloist at the Miami Jazz Festival, he moved to the United States to attend Miami-Dade College. He has several jazz honors both here and in Venezuela… Read full review by Janine Santana (jazzhistoryonline).
		Jane Bunnett & Hilario Durán – Cuban Rhapsody (Alma Rec) Saxophonist and flutist Jane Bunnett exploration of cuban music started back in the 1990′s and she is a frequent visitor to Cuba. So Bunnett is not a newcomer to the world of latin music. In fact Bunnett received the 2002 Smithsonian Institute Award for her contributions and dedication to the development of latin jazz. On her new release Cuban Rhapsody, Bunnett recorded with her long time musical friend pianist virtuoso Hilario Duran. Their music partnership goes back to 1990 when Bunnett went to Cuba to record her album Spirits of Havana. Bunnett and her husband… Read full review by Wilbert Sostre.
		Diego Urcola Quartet – Appreciation (CAM Jazz/Sunnyside) Diego Urcola’s is a voice that remained somewhat hidden—certainly tucked away—for two decades in Paquito D’Rivera’s quintet. And then there was the subdued role he played in Los Guachos, the fabulous larger ensemble. However the graceful candour of his voice is irrepressible and it was only a matter of time when he would be heard for what he really is and plays. Urcola is distinct and a singular artist in the manner of his more famous countryman Leandro “Gato” Barbieri. The trumpeter plays with sensuous swagger and digs deep into his own soul for… Read full review by Raul da Gama.
		Antonio Adolfo – Chora Baião (AAM Music) Antonio Adolfo is not very well-known outside of Brazil—yet! His beautiful new recording "Chora Baião" (Cry Baião) is a successful marriage of traditional northern Brazilian musical forms (which meld African, European and indigenous cultures) and jazz. Adolfo has taken the music of two beloved Brazilian artists, Guinga and Chico Buarque, whose fortes are choro and baião and arranged it with his own elegant flavor. He respectfully maintains the integrity of these two masters while infusing his own mastery of composition and arrangement. The album opens with “Dá O Pé … Read full review by Janine Santana (jazzhistoryonline).
		Wayne Wallace – To Hear from There (Patois Records) Wayne Wallace continues to explore the infectious Afro-Cuban rhythms on To Here From There, the follow-up to his 2010 Grammy-nominated album, Bien Bien! (Patois Record, 2009). Wallace is a trombonist with vast experience that includes collaborations with artists such as Count Basie, Joe Henderson, Lionel Hampton, Sonny Rollins and Tito Puente. Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet plays like they were born in Cuba. The danceable “La Escuela” with its piano montuno and the distinctive clave of the Cuban son is dedicated to La Escuela Nacional de las Artes… Read full review by Wilbert Sostre.
		Hendrik Meurkens – Live at Bird’s Eye (Zoho Music) Hendrik Meurkens is, most certainly, one of the greatest musical adventurers from Europe. The harmonica wunderkind who also happens to be a fine vibraphone player seems to have almost singlehandedly rediscovered Brazil decades after Stan Getz and Joe Henderson did almost five decades ago. In doing so Meurkens along with the grandmaster of the harmonica, Toots Thielemans, has cast a refreshing light on Brazilian music, focussing on the angularity and aching beauty longing of its beloved choro. Not only has he brought a new instrument (the harmonica) to… Read full review by Raul da Gama.
		Oscar Pérez Nuevo Comienzo – Afropean Affair (Chandra Rec) Originally from Queens, pianist Oscar Perez studied both classical music and jazz. He focused on jazz because he was able to acquire more work in nightclubs than concert halls. Yet his classical music training comes through in his original compositions. The title work of the present recording, “Afropean Affair” is a commissioned suite from Chamber Music America which combines themes of the past, present and future of music from African, European and jazz sources. While some of the press material claims that Perez is creating a new musical form, I hear this… Read full review by Janine Santana (jazzhistoryonline).
		Sánchez, Harris, Scott – Ninety Miles (Concord Picante) Three young music virtuosos join forces in the Ninety Miles Project, one of the best albums of 2011. Grammy nominated vibraphonist Stefon Harris, New Orleans native, and also Grammy nominated trumpetist Christian Scott and Grammy winner saoxophone master David Sanchez. Ninety Miles is the distance between the USA and Cuba, two countries with great political differences but with a greater love for good music. Recorded in Cuba with cuban pianists Rember Duharte and Harold Lopez Nussa, Ninety Miles is also the result of the visit and exploration of Cuban music… Read full review by Wilbert Sostre.
		Afrodisian Orchestra – Satierismos (Youkali Music) And now comes Satierismos a superb homage from the large Spanish ensemble, Afrodisian Orchestra. These are extraordinary musicians who have—to a man—a wild sense of creativity. Each of the members of the orchestra show outstanding technique especially pianist Marta Sánchez and under the majestic musical direction of Miguel Blanco, the ensemble displays a tremendous genius for tonal color and command of instrumental timbre. But their greatest asset could well be their monumental sense of rhythm, particularly how to take control of this aspect of the… Read full review by Raul da Gama.
		Sammy Figueroa – Urban Nature (Senator Records) For years he has been heard as the driving percussion force behind many disparate legends in a variety of music genres. Involved in multiple Grammy-winning projects, and well versed as a multi percussionist in a variety of world rhythms, he is firmly established as a first call recording and touring musician. Yet this is not where Sammy Figueroa will stay. He has stepped away from being a sideman to shine as a leader. Figueroa’s skills, mature savvy and humor are revealed with perfect timing in his new CD, “Urban Nature”. While the groove of this recording is Latin… Read full review by Janine Santana (jazzhistoryonline).
		Magos Herrera – Mexico Azul (Sunnyside Records) Magos Herrera is the Cassandra Wilson of latin america. There are similarities in their warm, sultry tone, their bluesy feeling and strong command of the jazz language. What makes Magos Herrera different and certainly a unique voice in the jazz world today is her latin heritage that she proudly displays in all of her music. The CD notes describes México Azul as a celebration of México’s golden age of cinema and television. That was back in the 30′s and 40′s. A lot of good music came out of that era, and Magos did a good job in the song selection for this album… Read full review by Wilbert Sostre.
		Duduka da Fonseca Trio Plays Toninho Horta (Zoho Music) Plays Toninho Horta marks the arrival of Da Fonseca as a masterful interpreter of fine repertoire and inasmuch, as he has made Horta’s music his own, something of a “composer” as well. Da Fonseca is clearly one of the finest rhythm colorists around. He is one of several musicians who followed in the footsteps of fellow-Brazilians, Santos, Claudio Roditi and Nilson Matta in locating themselves in the United States. In bringing their artistry abroad, these musicians have become virtual ambassadors for Brazilian musical culture in that country. As is the case with… Read full review by Raul da Gama.
		Francisco Mela and Cuban Safari – Tree of Life (Half Note) Francisco Mela is a man who lives to drum. He studied in his native Cuba and at Berklee College in Boston. He has been known to rehearse twelve hours a day. He caught the attention of Joe Lovano, and the saxophonist hired him for his band Us 5, and strongly encouraged Mela to compose and perform his own music. “Tree of Life” is Mela’s third CD as a leader and it features his band Cuban Safari, which, in addition to Mela’s drums, includes Elio Villafranca and Leo Genovese on piano, Uri Gurvich on sax, Ben Monder on guitar, Luques Curtis on bass, and Mauricio… Read full review by Janine Santana (jazzhistoryonline).
		Kalani Trinidad – Crossing Bridges (Self produced) Flutist Kalani Trinidad is one of the brightest young stars in the Puerto Rico jazz scene today and the first Puerto Rican to win a Presidential Scholarship from Berklee School of Music in Boston. In his style Trinidad echoes the best of the great Puerto Rican flutist that came before him. One may hear on his music the finesse and sensitivity of a Nestor Torres and the inventiveness and intensity of a Dave Valentín. The music on Trinidad debut album Crossing Bridges has elements of smooth jazz on compositions like “Ubiquitous Being”, fusion jazz on “Noche en Madrid”… Read full review by Wilbert Sostre.

Jane Bunnett & Hilario Durán – Cuban Rhapsody

Both reeds and woodwinds maestro Jane Bunnett and piano virtuoso Hilario Durán have released enormously successful albums lately. Bunnett made Embracing Voices (EMI, 2009) with the celebrated Cuban a capela choir, Grupo Vocal Desandann. Durán recorded a masterful trio record, Motion (Alma Records, 2010) with bassist, Roberto Occhipinti and drummer Mark Kelso. The two musicians had not worked together in several years, but have enjoyed a highly rated relationship for years, ever since Bunnett brought Durán over from Cuba. So the recording of Cuban Rhapsody (Alma Records, 2011) is first and foremost a celebratory reunion of sorts. It is also a first for Bunnett, who has rarely worked with any producer other than her trumpet-playing husband, Larry Cramer. Putting her art in the hands of Alma and producer Peter Cardinali was also a leap of faith.

For Hilario Durán playing classic repertoire from Cuba sounds like an emotional journey to a place in his youth where he first fell in love with music. For Bunnett, apart from being “Havana-Jane” there was another touchstone: the brilliant album, Jane Bunnett and the Cuban Piano Masters, (EMI/World Pacific, 1996), an album that featured the late Frank Emilio Flynn and José María Vitier. The fact that Durán was not on that album has now been fully redressed. Cuban Rhapsody is an exquisite body of music. Not only does it represent the work of great Latin American composers such as Miguel Matamoros, Ernesto Lecuona, José María Vitier and Emilio Flynn, but this time Durán and Bunnett play some of the most enchanting contradanzas ever put down on record. This is where the rhapsodic element of the record comes in.

Nowhere does Bunnett’s lithe and fluttery tone on soprano saxophone and flute sound better. She plays with sublime authority on both instruments, soaring into the azure of each song with stellar grace. Her command of color and timbre is second to none – in fact on soprano saxophone, she proves that she has few equals and often raises the bar (“María la O”) to such vaunted heights that it seems impossible to envision anyone ever clearing this. Hilario Durán, for his part, shows a distinct side to his playing. His technique and expression is absolutely beyond reproach, but it is his masterly control of harmonically fanciful flights that is stunning on this album. Durán has always been known to have killer tumbao, that rhythmic ingenuity that fires his left hand. On this album there is plenty of that, but also a graceful right hand that creates wondrous whorls of harmony that wrap themselves around Bunnett’s flute or saxophone flights like the other half of a double helix. The two musicians seem to be part of the same DNA when it comes to Cuban music at least and this is one of the most compelling aspects of their playing on Cuban Rhapsody.

This album is brimming with special moments. But the duo truly excel on Miguel Matamoros’ “Son de la Loma” as they address a familiar classic with fire and emotion that makes the hair stand on edge. The “Contradanzas” (all five of them) contain some of the most beautiful playing by both Bunnett and Durán on record. On each of the fabled music, the conversational exchanges on piano and reeds and winds reach a high-water mark and this will be hard to match by anyone who comes after this. “New Danzón,” Durán’s sole composition on the record is a masterpiece of melodic magic as well as harmonic mystery. It is work of this nature that continues to keep Cuban music front and centre today. However, at the end of the day it is the consummate skill of both Durán and Bunnett, especially showcased on Frank Emilio Flynn’s maddeningly lovely “Sherezada”, that makes this recording what it is: a duet album of rare and beautiful playing by two masters of modern music.

Track Listing: Lágrimas Negras; Son de la Loma; Longina; Quirino Con Su Tres; Contradanzas: La Tedezco; El Pañuelo de Pepa; Los Ojos de Pepa; Los Tres Golpes; Tarde en la Habana; María la O; Almendra; New Danzón; Sherezada; Danza Lucumí.

Personnel: Jane Bunnett: soprano saxophone, flute; Hilario Durán: piano.

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Jane Bunnett & Hilario Durán on the web: www.janebunnett.com | www.hilarioduran.com

Review written by: Raul da Gama

Jane Bunnett & Hilario Durán: Cuban Rhapsody

Hilario Durán and Jane Bunnett team up for duet album

Hilario Duran and Jane Bunnett will be releasing their new album, “Cuban Rhapsody” on June 7 in Canada and the US.

When two of the most acclaimed modern explorers of Cuban music combine their prodigious talents on the music they love, musical magic happens. That is demonstrated in truly enchanting fashion on Rhapsody Cubana, the debut duet recording by Jane Bunnett and Hilario Durán. They are both virtuoso players, arrangers, composers, and bandleaders in their own right, and they have the Juno Awards (and Grammy nominations) to prove it. Their shared musical history and close personal friendship now spans 21 years, and this empathy is at the heart of Rhapsody Cubana.

The musical excellence of this album will come as no surprise, though its sound will turn some heads. Both Durán and Bunnett are famed for their innovative take on contemporary Latin jazz and Cuban styles. In fact, in 2002 Bunnett received the prestigious Smithsonian Institute Award, “for contributions and dedication to the development of Latin jazz.” On Rhapsody Cubana, she and Durán they go back to the roots. The album is best described as an exploration of Cuban classical music, and the results are both educational and accessible. This is a style little known in North America and Europe, though it is deeply appreciated in Cuba and Latin America. It is brought to vivid life here, thanks to Hilario’s ever-fluent and dazzlingly accomplished piano playing and Jane’s melodic contributions on soprano saxophone and flute.

The tunes here range in age from the mid 19th century through to the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. These richly romantic compositions are treated with love and respect by these two virtuosos, but they are not afraid to occasionally add a fresh coat of paint to the original arrangements. They are jazz players, after all, so improvization is part of their musical DNA. “Some of our versions are very close to the original rendition, but we are taking some liberties on others,” explains Jane. “We’ll perhaps inject a solo section where there wasn’t any before.” The one original tune here is Hilario’s “New Danzón,” described by Bunnett as “a dance song done in the style of traditional danzón but with a very modern harmony. It is very adventurous and rhythmically demanding.”

The material here moves seamlessly from the subtle elegance of “Danza Lucumi’ to the jaunty “Quirino Con Su Tres” and “Sherezada,” melodies as warm and breezy as a stroll on Havana’s waterfront. A centrepiece of the album is the “Contradanzas,” a medley of five tunes written in the contradanza form. Three were penned by Manuel Saumell, the 19th century composer described as the father of the contradanza, habanera, danzón, guajira, and clave forms and a true pioneer in integrating European classical music with Cuban folkloric styles.

Tunes by such noted 20th century Cuban composers as Frank Emilio Flynn, Ernesto Lecuona, Miguel Matamoros, Alberto Valdés, Manuel Corona, and Emilio Grenet are also reprised here. Hilario notes that “when they composed this music, there was a lot of movement between Havana and New Orleans, Haiti, Mexico, and Spain. European classical music was blended with African, Cuban and early jazz styles.” Their compositions helped form a rich body of work that could be termed the Cuban equivalent of The Great American Songbook, given their timeless appeal.

Hilario Duran is literally well-schooled in these compositions and Cuban classical music in general. Cuba has long been known for having one of the best music education systems in the world, and it is one Hilario grew up in. Returning to the music of his youth gave him great pleasure. “I began studying classical music at a young age, before becoming more involved in investigating jazz and other musical styles. Now I am coming back to my roots. This is music I really love to play. It reminds me of my younger days.” The joy Hilario takes in playing this music is clearly audible on Rhapsody Cubana.

Jane Bunnett’s passionate love affair with all forms of Cuban music is also a long-standing one, and it has been a crucial element in her creative career. A frequent visitor to Cuba, she explains that “I was familiar with a lot of this music. You hear it in the schools, on the radio, and often in the cafes. Our Cuban Piano Masters album back in 1996 was the start of my exploration of Cuban classical music.”

The classical music rooted pieces on Cuban Rhapsody can perhaps be viewed as the Cuban equivalent of the Great American Songbook. They have proved to be both timeless and still relevant, as this album clearly confirms. “It is full of passion and melody, and that’s the essence of Cuban music,” observes the album’s producer, Peter Cardinalli.

In recent years, Hilario and Jane have frequently performed as a duo, exploring this style in the process. The idea of making a record was quickly endorsed by ace Toronto producer/record label head Cardinali, and it is being released on his highly-respected label, ALMA Records. The recording took place at Toronto studio The Drive Shed, with award-winning engineer John ‘Beetle” Bailey at the console alongside Cardinali. This marks the first time Bunnett has worked on a full album with any producer other than her husband and bandmate Larry Cramer, and she thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “Instead of having Larry there going ‘do another take,’ it was Peter saying ‘do another one,’” she jokes. “Actually, it was great working with Peter. He has exceptional ears, and he’s excellent in the studio.” Cardinali has now produced four albums for Hilario, and he notes that “everyone was in sync for the recording.”

Bunnett and Durán each has extensive experience of performing and recording with large ensembles (Hilario’s 20-piece Latin Jazz Big Band has earned a Juno Award, Grammy nomination and international acclaim), but both musicians love the duo setting. “I like every format we do, but I like the duo because of the space and the simplicity. You can really focus on the sound, and the themes are so beautiful,” explains Jane. Hilario adds “I love the freedom of just two people. It is also very challenging and difficult at some points, as we have to fill up this spectrum of sound and play the music right.” Consider this a challenge well met.

The close musical and personal bonds between Duran and Bunnett now stretch back over two decades. In 1990, Jane and Larry Cramer were in Havana to record her ground-breaking and Juno Award-winning album, Spirits Of Havana. Bunnett picks up the story, recalling that “our great friend Guillermo Barreto acted as our producer on the Cuban side. We told him we needed a piano player who had a real sense of jazz but also a respect and love for the folkloric music of Cuba. He said ‘I know exactly who you want,’ and he introduced us to Hilario. He could barely speak any English and was really shy, but he was great. We were immediately on the same page musically.”

Durán terms this meeting “destiny. It changed my life.” He’s not exaggerating, for Bunnett and Cramer later sponsored Hilario and his family as immigrants to Canada, the country they’ve called home since 1998. Hilario frequently performed in Jane’s Spirits Of Havana ensemble, and he became a crucial accompanist for Bunnett on such albums as Rendezvous Brazil-Cuba, Chamalongo, and Ritmo + Soul. In turn, Bunnett has appeared on such Hilario Duran albums as Killer Tumbao. Their musical marriage now takes radiant shape on CD title, and Jane and Hilario are happily committed to live performance of this material in Canada and beyond in the months ahead.

JJA Announces Musical Lineup For Awards

May 3, New York City– Pianist Randy Weston headlines the artist lineup and tickets are now on sale at www.JJAJazzAwards.org for the 15th annual Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards gala, to be held on Saturday, June 11, from 1 pm to 5 pm EDT at City Winery, 155 Varick St. at Vandam in New York City.

Besides Weston, trumpeter Wallace Roney’s sextet, Canadian flutist/soprano saxophonist Jane Bunnett with Cuban-born pianist Hilario Duran and special guest Candido on congas, singer Gregory Porter (a nominee for the JJA’s Male Vocalist of the Year Award) and the Hammer Klavier Trio from Hamburg will perform at the event. The JJA gala, a fundraiser for the non-profit professional organization that promotes coverage of jazz in all media, will also feature announcements and presentations of the Awards to winners, and introductions of “Jazz Heroes” honored for extra-musical jazz activism in locales across the U.S. (in order to highlight the decentralized aspect of jazz activism, the JJA is not inducting “A Team” jazz activists this year). City Winery refreshments and beverages, as well as Brother Thelonious Ale and Celebrity Jazz cognac will be served.

The Jazz Awards is being produced as live streaming video, viewable online (and later archived) at JJAJazzAwards.org. Free satellite parties have been convened to watch the Awards in Berkeley, Boston, Nashville, Phoenix, Portland OR, Seattle and Washington, D.C, among other sites.

The general public may purchase tickets to the Awards gala in New York for $150. Ticket reservations, the list of all nominees for 2011 JJA Jazz Awards, details about the satellite parties and videos of the performers are also available at www.JJAJazzAwards.org.

Jazz Awards headliner Randy Weston, robust at 85 and a recently named Guggenheim Fellow, is a nominee for the JJA’s Best Book of the Year Award for his autobiography African Rhythms (“arranged” by former JJA vice president Willard Jenkins). Weston’s performance and that of singer Gregory Porter, whose album Water was nominated for a Grammy as vocal jazz cd of the year, are being supported by Motema Records. Acclaimed trumpeter Wallace Roney and his band with his brother Antoine and Arnold Lee on saxophones is being supported by HighNote/Savant Records.

Pianist Hilario Duran, born in Cuba and residing in Canada, has been nominated for two Juno Awards for his 2010 album Motion, hailed as #1 of the year by the Latin Jazz Network; soprano saxophonist/flutist Jane Bunnett, a multiple Juno winner who led her Spirits of Havana ensemble at the 2009 JJA Jazz Awards, has been Duran’s guest artist on tour with a 13-piece Latin Jazz band. Their performance is supported by Alma Records; master conguero Candido Camero, who joins them, was voted Percussionist of the Year by the JJA in 2009. The Hammer Klavier Trio, presented by Jan Matthies Management, is the subject of a JJA-nominated Short Form Video of the Year, and appears at the Jazz Awards as part of its debut American tour.

The JJA Jazz Awards is the only broad-based, independent, international celebration of jazz excellence. Begun in 1997 as a collaboration between the Jazz Journalists Association and Michael Dorf (then executive director of the Knitting Factory, now Founder and CEO of City Winery), it has been produced annually since 1999 by the JJA as part of its effort to increase awareness of jazz worldwide through writing, photography, audio/video and new media productions.

JJA Jazz Awards are presented 39 categories encompassing jazz music, presentation and documentation. The JJA’s “Jazz Heroes” are activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant impact on their immediate locales. The 2011 “Jazz Heroes” are:

• Omrao Brown, managing partner of Bohemian Caverns, who has helped stimulate new jazz activities in Washington, D.C.
• Peggy Cafritz, supporting founder of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C.
• John Gilbreath, executive director of Earshot Jazz, Seattle.
• Dr. Maiterya Padukone, dentist affiliated with the Jazz Foundation of America, treating musicians in New York City.
• Don Z. Miller, jazz impresario of Arizona, Mexico and Europe.
• Ed Reed, 82-year-old singer and substance abuse counselor, Richmond, California.
• Mike Reed, drummer, bandleader, music series and festival presenter, Chicago.
• Roger Spencer and Lori Mechem, directors of the Nashville Jazz Workshop, Nashville.
• Elynor Walcott and her sons, proprietors of Wally’s Jazz Café, longtime venue for youthful and emerging jazz in Boston.

The Jazz Awards gala raises funds for JJA educational efforts and activities aimed at developing new audiences for jazz. These include the eyeJAZZ video training program, audience enrichment programs at jazz festivals and educational institutions, initiatives using social media to activate under-addressed segments of the potential jazz audience and establishment of online platforms for jazz journalists.

To see all nominees for the 2010 JJA Jazz Awards and to purchase tickets for the gala, go to www.JJAJazzAwards.org. For further information, contact President@JazzJournalists.org.

For additional information, please contact:
DL Media · (610) 667-0501
Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com

Kim Smith PR · (718) 858-2557
Kim Smith · ksmithpr@earthlink.net

Jazz Journalists Association

Visit the the Jazz Journalist Association’s website, at www.jjajazzawards.org

Jane Bunnett – “Cuban Rumba Roots Meets Jazz”

Jane Bunnett returns to her roots in Cuban Music to present a brand new project “Cuban Rumba Roots Meets Jazz”

This project features new Rumba drum and dance group ” Iya Ire” with Jane’s Spirits of Havana group featuring special guest Hilario Duran.

This project recreates the buzz of Jane’s groundbreaking award winning 1st Cuban recording “Spirits of Havana” from the early 90′s Roots Rumba with allstar Jazz soloists!!!!

Hugh’s Room. Toronto, March 19, 2011. Photographs by Danilo Navas

View slideshow: Jane Bunnett – “Cuban Rumba Roots Meets Jazz” (this link will open in a new window)

Hilario Durán celebrates 35 years of musical career at the Royal

Review written by: Danilo Navas

Pianists abound in the Island of Cuba. Excellent pianists indeed, but only a selected group meet the high standards of virtuosity. Hilario Luis Durán Torres, better known as Hilario Durán belongs to that group. His nickname “Con Tumbao” fits him perfectly well. His percussive attack is killer. Born in Havana, Cuba in 1953, Durán never dreamed he would become a Canadian citizen one day, even less that he would make Toronto his permanent residence. An almost fortuitous event was the first step that eventually would take him to Canada. That was back in 1991, when legendary drummer Guillermo Barreto introduced him to flautist and saxophonist Jane Bunnett, who was looking for a pianist who could participate in her project “Spirits of Havana.” She was recording at the Egrem Studios and she needed a pianist well-versed on both, Afro-Cuban rhythms and Jazz harmonies. The rest is history.

More than 10 years after relocating to Toronto with his family, el Maestro (as he’s respectfully called by his peers, students and friends) Hilario Durán, a Grammy nominated artist; multi Juno Awards and National Jazz Awards winner; recipient of the 2007 Chico O’Farrill Lifetime Achievement Award and one of the 10 most influential Hispanic Canadians in 2009, is at the top of his game as a performer, composer, arranger and educator. Durán has become an integral and important part of the Canadian music scene. He’s also a invaluable member of the jazz faculty at Humber College, where he acts as adjunct piano professor and ensemble director.

Durán leads several projects in various formats. One of his dreams was to form a big band that would allow him to put in practice his past experience composing and arranging for a large ensemble. That dream already became a reality in 2007, with the support of Roberto Occhipinti. Featuring Grammy Award winning jazz great Paquito D’Rivera, drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernández and a who’s who of Cuban and Canadian jazz artists, Durán recorded “From the Heart,” a Juno Awards winner CD in the Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year category. It is with this cherished project, his Latin Jazz Big Band, that Hilario celebrated his 35 years of musical career at the Royal Theatre in Toronto, on Saturday, September 25, 2010.

It was an electrifying night at the Royal, a beautiful theatre located on College Street, in the heart of Little Italy. A sold-out event sponsored by JazzFM, the venue’s atmosphere was filled with a cascade of notes, mesmerizing grooves, tantalizing rhythms and magnificent perfomances. Special Guest Jane Bunnett joined Durán as a duet partner and as a member of his big band. She recalled the terrific experience of all these past years working with one of the true Cuban Piano Masters. In return, Durán credited Bunnett -a Torontonian musical icon- for being instrumental in the achievement of his goals in Canada.

The 13-members-band performed a selection of tunes from Hilario Durán Trio’s latest CD “Motion,” and from his Big Band CD “From the Heart.” Jane Bunnett also contributed a couple of her own compositions. The program was completed with songs from the Cuban and Latin-American songbooks. One of the highlights of the night was the participation of another great Cuban-Canadian, the charismatic Luis Mario Ochoa, who sang very passionate, beautiful arrangements of Ernesto Lecuona’s “Siboney” and Chabuca Grande’s “La Flor de la Canela.”

Hilario Duran and his Latin jazz Band with Special Guest Jane Bunnett Program

FIRST SET
Host Presentation: Introduction and presentation of the first set by Laura Fernandez of JazzFM.
Opening: Composed by Hilario Durán.
Mambo Influenciado: Chucho Valdés’ composition arranged by Hilario Durán.
Ochosi: Public domain. Prayer to Ochosi, one of the deities of the Yoruba pantheon.
Siboney: Famous Cuban song composed by the great pianist Ernesto Lecuona, arranged by Hilario Durán featuring vocalist Luis Mario Ochoa.
Habanera: Yailen Durán’s composition, dedicated to the close relationship between Spain and Havana, Cuba.
Almendra: Composed by Abelardo Valdés. Almendra is a famous Cuban Danzón arranged by Hilario Durán.
Tango Moruno: From the new JUNO nominated CD “Motion.” Composed by Hilario Durán and performed by his Trio.

SECOND SET
Danza Negra: Composed by the great Cuban pianist Ernesto Lecuona, arranged by Hilario Durán; from the new CD “Motion” and performed by Hilario Durán Trio.
Tarde en la Habana: José María Vitier’s composition. Performed by Hilario Durán and special guest Jane Bunnett (duet).
I Hear Voices: Composed by Jane Bunnett and arranged by Hilario Durán.
Francisco’s Dreams: Special guest Jane Bunnett’s composition arranged by Hilario Durán. This song is dedicated to the late Pancho Quinto, famous Cuban percussionist which performed with Jane and Hilario for a very long time.
Drume Negrita: Beautiful Cuban lullaby featuring vocalist Yailen Durán.
La Flor de la Canela: “The Cinnamon Flower”, amazing Latin American song composed by Chabuca Granda, arranged by Hilario Durán and performed by vocalist Luis Mario Ochoa.
Manteca: Performed by the orchestra, arranged by Hilario Durán, featuring Mark Kelso on drums, Joaquin Hidalgo on congas and Hilario Durán on piano.

ENCORE
Yo Toco de Tó: Featuring Yailen Durán and Luis Mario Ochoa.

Hilario Duran and his Latin jazz Band with Special Guest Jane Bunnett Members

Hilario Durán: Pianist, Arrangements and Musical Director
Jane Bunnett – Special Guest: Soprano Sax and Flute
Roberto Occhipinti: Bass
Yailen Durán: Vocalist
Luis Mario Ochoa: Vocalist
Pol Coussee: Tenor & Baritone Sax
Jorge Maza: Alto Sax
Vern Dorge: Tenor Sax
Alexander Brown: Trumpet
Dave Dunlop: Trumpet
Christopher Butcher: Trombone
Joaquin Hidalgo: Percussion
Mark Kelso: Drums

Photographs of this special concert can be viewed as a Slideshow.

Hilario Duran and his Latin Jazz Band with Jane Bunnett

Jazz FM and The Royal Present: Hilario Duran and his Latin Jazz Band, with Special Guest Star Jane Bunnett – Saturday, September 25, 2010 At The Royal – 608 College Street, Toronto. For complete and detailed information about this great event, and to buy your tickets online, visit www.torontohispano.com

Jane Bunnett and The Cuban Piano Masters at Koerner Hall, Toronto

Feature/Review written by: Danilo Navas

The Cuban Piano Masters Project

This unique musical group was first conceived in Havana, Cuba in 1992 at the National Theatre with the great Cuban pianists José María Vitier and the late Frank Emilio. It was brought to fruition in Canada in 1993 with a ground-breaking concert at the Glenn Gould Theatre (CBC) and became Jane Bunnett’s recording debut for EMI/Bluenote.

In 1997 the 2nd edition was presented at the Montreal Jazz Festival with collaborators Hilario Durán and Frank Emilio. This concert was filmed by Le Spectre and shown worldwide as “Jane Bunnett and the Cuban Piano Masters” (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUmrR7kMRmk).

Now in its third edition, this is a presentation of three generations of piano with Jane’s original collaborator Hilario Durán, current pianist Elio Villafranca and elder master Guillermo Rubalcaba (who appeared with Jane in her 2000 National Film Board Documentary “Spirits of Havana.”

The Cuban Piano Masters 2010/2011 Edition

The Venue

The superb new Koerner Concert Hall is a magnificent, state-of-the-art 1,135-seat venue located in the heart of downtown Toronto. Koerner Hall is one of three stages housed under the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, which is the Royal Conservatory’s new Toronto home. The elegant, modern architecture, goes hand in hand with the exceptional acoustics of the hall. It has received unanimous praise by performers and spectators alike.

Jane Bunnett and The Cuban Piano Masters was the last show of a concert-series dedicated to exploring the roots and advancements of the tremendous fusion of Latin Music and Jazz, known under the umbrella term of Latin jazz.

The Musicians

Jane Bunnett, soprano saxophone, flute
Hilario Durán, piano
Guillermo Rubalcaba, piano
Elio Villafranca, piano
José Luis Quintana (Changuito), timbales
Larry Cramer, trumpet
Roberto Riveron, bass
Jorge Torres (Papiosco), percussion
Luis (Luisito) Orbegoso, percussion

The Music

Part I
1. La Comparsa (Ernesto Lecuona)
2. Scheherazada (Frank Emilio Flynn)
3. Lágrimas Negras (Miguel Matamoros)
4. Oguere’s Cha (Elio Villafranca)
5. Timba Mabó (Hilario Durán/José Luis Quintana “Changuito”)

Part II
1. Fool On The Hill (Lennon/Mc Cartney) (Arranged by Elio Villafranca)
2. Quirino Con Su Tres (Poem by Nicolás Guillén/Music by Emilio Grenet)
3. Havana City (Hilario Durán)
4. I Hear Voices (Jane Bunnett)
5. Andalucía (Ernesto Lecuona)
6. Cacique (Elio Villafranca)
7. El Manicero (Moisés Simons)

Encore
- Ron Con Ron (Rum With Rum)

The Concert at Koerner Hall, Toronto

On Saturday, April 17, 2010, at around 8:00 pm, Jane Bunnett opened this special concert, soloing on her soprano, creating an almost sacred atmosphere in the magnificent Koerner Hall. That was a fit preamble to one of the most famous compositions by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, “La Comparsa.” One by one, the three pianos and the rhythmic section joined Jane Bunnett on a journey through popular, classical Cuban music and jazz.

Next on the program was “Scheherazada,” performed as a tribute to his composer, the late Piano Master Frank Emilio Flynn (1921-2001). The audience was treated to a joyful rendition of this piece, originally recorded as a cha cha chá in 1997 by Emilio, on his album “Barbarísimo.”

Next, Bunnett and Guillermo Rubalcaba joined forces as a duet on another classic piece, “Lágrimas Negras” (Miguel Matamoros).

The youngest of the three Masters, Elio Villafranca, contributed his first composition of the night, the enchanting “Oguere’s Cha,” recorded by Villafranca on his first CD, “Incantations.” A very spiritual piece, “Oguere’s Cha” began with a beautiful chant masterfully performed by percussionist Luis (Luisito) Orbegoso, who’s very well known in the Toronto Latin and Jazz musical circuit. Elio and Hilario exchanged lyrical melodies and waves of rhythm and harmony in their interaction, bringing the call and response patterns to a high level of complexity.

Right after, and closing the first part of the concert, another very special guest came on stage. The legendary percussionist José Luis Quintana (Changuito) introduced “Timba Mabó,” a descarga written by Hilario Durán and Changuito during the recording of Hilario’s CD “Killer Tumbao” in Havana, Cuba, back in 1997.

As it’s been customary on this Latin Jazz Series concerts, after the intermission, Mervon Mehta (Executive Director, RCM Performing Arts) joined the featured artist (in this case Jane Bunnett) for a brief chat. Bunnett shared her musical views and ideas with the audience, opening right after the second part of the show with a duet. This time, Jane and Elio Villafranca performed a beautiful rendition of “Fool On The Hill” (Lennon/McCartney). An intricate Villafranca’studio of this popular piece unfolded, led by the piano, and nicely complemented by Bunnett’s flute.

The duet became a trio. This time, Jane and her soprano horn were joined by Hilario Durán on the piano and “Changuito” on the timbales. They did a wonderful interpretation of “Quirino con su Tres,” a popular tune created by Emilio Grenet, who wrote music to a poem by Nicolás Guillén in the 1930′s.

Then it was Durán’s turn of contributing a composition, “Havana City,” from his recording “Encuentro en La Habana,” made in Cuba in 2005 with his former bandmates from “Perspectiva.” A tribute to the city of dreams, as I call it, “Havana City” evoques the nostalgia of the artist’s motherland, the cherished souvenirs and the ghosts of a lifetime.

The next piece was “I Hear Voices,” a song written by Jane Bunnett, from her Juno Award winning album “Embracing Voices.”

Then the classic song “Andalucia,” composed by Ernesto Lecuona, received a modern treatment. Arranged by Maestro Guillermo Rubalcaba. The three pianos participated in the dialogue.

“Cacique” came after. The second composition of the night by Elio Villafranca. Another spiritual song, introduced by Elio singing a chant/prayer to the Orisha Oduduwa (Odua).

Possibly the most popular Cuban song of all times, “El Manicero,” written by Moisés Simons, ended a fantastic musical trip to the Caribbean island. Three true Masters representing the best of the Cuban pianistic tradition, led by a more than passionate Canadian, took us on a helluva ride with their distinctive voices. Big kudos to Jane Bunnett for making this great concert a reality. Not an easy task to accomplish, this show is definitely one of the landmarks in Jane’s musical career.

As if we hadn’t had enough, we were regaled with an encore: the descarga “Ron con Ron” (Rum with Rum), previously recorded on Bunnett’s Cuban Odyssey – Spirits of Havana project.

From an interview with Mrs. Bunnett conducted by John Goddard (Toronto Star daily), I extract the following, where Bunnett describes the significance of each player on this concert.

Guillermo Rubalcaba: “At 83, he is super well-known and in great health. There are not a lot left — guys in their 80s who play in that beautiful, elegant piano style (of 1930s Cuban cha-cha-chá) that blends very European influences with Afro Cuban rhythms. “Guillermo is founder of one of the most famous groups in Cuba, Charanga Rubalcaba, and plays with Buena Vista Social Club.”

Hilario Durán: “In terms of the growing modern jazz scene in Cuba in the 1970s and 1980s, Hilario was one of the more profound players. He was big there. He had his own group “Perspectiva,” besides doing all the other work he was doing.

“When I met him (in 1991 in Havana) he probably had made well over 400 recordings as a sideman, working in the EGREM recording studios, just working away arranging, composing, directing and backing many of the great Cuban masters.”

Elio Villafranca: “Elio is in his 30s, one of the new generation of Cuban musicians on the cutting-edge New York scene. I would say he’s a jazz musician first but really draws from his Cuban roots. He is from Pinar del Río, the little boot part of western Cuba.

“We’ve been working a lot in the States together and playing a lot in Europe.”

Changuito: “He’s done a million recordings. He joined Los Van Van (in 1970), which for me is the best salsa band, my favourite, and he was sort of the originator of the songo rhythm, one of the groundbreaking rhythms the group developed. He left a few years ago to focus more on Latin jazz.”

View Slideshow – Jane Bunnett and the Cuban Piano Masters
Photographs by Danilo Navas

Desandann – ¡Pwan Dife! – Light The Flame! (Self Produced- 2010)

Thanks to their greatest champions outside Cuba, Jane Bunnett and Larry Cramer, the extraordinary ten-person vocal ensemble, Desandann has returned after a decade with their second, spell-binding album, ¡Pwan Dife! (Light The Flame!), which features Jane Bunnett and Pablosky Rosale. The album was recorded on the back of Bunnett’s brilliant, Juno award-winning album Embracing Voices, (EMI/Sunnyside Records, 2008), which was set around the ensemble as they played counterpoint to Bunnett’s soaring flute and soprano saxophone. While Bunnett’s album was a slight departure for Desandann and explored the soulful and twirling mixture of jazz and Afro-Haitian sounds, ¡Pwan Dife! returns the group to the aural landscape that celebrates the legacy of Haitian music in Spanish and Creole.

The repertoire on the album gives free rein to the human voice and the celestial manner in which the soaring soprano voices meld with the altos and the earthy colors tumble down as the tenors enrich the vocal canvas. Then there are the riveting basses that weave the vocal tapestry together with the clear growl of command. Together the fine female and fine male voices navigate the dense harmonies and intricate intertwining call-and-response and contrapuntal structures with perfect control of emotion and musicality that sets Desandann apart from any vocal group in any form of music today. Their fluid orchestrations throughout may even make chamber and symphonic choral groups blush with envy.

Although best experienced live where their physical presence casts a hypnotic spell on the rapt audience, their vocal gymnastics conjure the slow grind of hips and swaying bodies as if they were in the room itself. The earthy echoes of percussion woven together with hand-claps on classic renditions of “Sinbi,” “Papa Danbala” and “Tande” pulsate to the rhythm of the heart-beat. On the latter, Pablosky takes a stellar turn with a truly memorable tres-guitar solo that burrows into the mind’s inner ear and delights the senses. Just how much can be achieved with a mere four strings by Rosale’s unbridled versatility and soul-stirring emotion is a wonder each time he makes an appearance, no matter how brief. On the prancing, “Baila el cha cha cha” Jane Bunnett returns the favor with some celestial pyrotechnics on flute as she returns the favor that Desandann bestowed upon Embracing Voices.

The album also features two memorable rendition of classic repertoire: “Les Feuilles Mortes,” better known in its many English incarnations as “Autumn Leaves.” Desandann turn Serge Gainsbourg and Joseph Cosma’s classic into a timeless piece of pitch-perfect music. The harmonic leaps here are outstanding and serve as a reminder of how fresh an old song can be remade once infused by genius. The other surprise is “Unforgettable,” a song made famous by Nat “King” Cole. On their hair-raising version, Desandann breathes the softest of emotions into the lyrics as they unfold with not a dry eye in the house. Despite the even brilliance of the album there might just be a case to single out “Homanaj a Soley: Suite in 5” for the sheer mesmerism of the voices as they navigate complex changes in rhythm.

¡Pwan Dife! is an important addition to the literature of vocal music in any idiom or cultural Diaspora. This is an album that deserves repeated listening as it pushes the boundaries of harmonic excellence into a virtually supernatural realm.

Tracks: 1. Ou Pa Nan Chay; 2. Sinbi; 3. Papa Danbala; 4. Tande; 5. Baila el cha cha cha; 6. Tripita en la Habana; 7. Les Feuilles Mortes; 8. Se Lamu; 9. Tripot; 10. Kadja Boswa; 11. Morasa Elu; 12. Homanaj a Soley: 13. Suite in 5; 14. Unforgettable.

Personnel: Emilia Diaz Chávez: alto soloist; Marina Collazo Fernández: alto soloist; Teresita Romero Miranda: alto soloist, arranger; Yordánka Sanchez Fajardo: soprano soloist; Irian Rondón Montejo: soprano soloist; Angel Suárez Pérez: tenor soloist; Fidel Romero Miranda: tenor soloist, percussion; Marcelo Andrés Luis: bass soloist, arranger, percussion; Dalio Arce Vital: bass soloist, percussion; Rogelio Rodriguez Torriente: bass soloist, percussion; Special Guests: Jane Bunnett: soprano saxophone, flute; Pablosky Rosale: tres guitar.

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Grupo Vocal Desandann on the web: www.myspace.com/desandann

Review written by: Raul da Gama

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