Please Only Tell Me Good News – 360ᵒ Jazz Initiative | Stephen Anderson, Director SPECIAL 2-CD SET

SPECIAL 2-CD SET

DISC 1

1 What Now?
2 False Pretense
3 Adversities*
4 Open Sesame
5 Eclipsed

DISC 2

1 Please Only Tell Me Good News
2 Latindia
3 Looking Up
4 Can’t Help Loving That Man**
5 Pursuance of Infinity

The aim of 360ᵒ Jazz Initiative is to promote compositional activity and performances that exhibit a deep awareness of the rich history of jazz while at the same time producing creative new works that demonstrate jazz as a living art form which looks towards the future of the music.

Ramunė Marcinkevičiūtė – voice on Adversities*
Emma Gonzalez – voice on Can’t Help Loving That  Man**
Rachel Therrien – trumpet
Alex Upton – alto sax
Rahsaan Barber – alto, tenor, baritone
Roland Barber – trombone
Juan Álamo – marimba, percussion
Baron Tymas – guitar
Stephen Anderson – piano
Jason Foureman – bass
Christopher Law – bass
Dan Davis – drums
Michael Shekwoaga Ode – drums

Trumpeter, composer, and producer RACHEL THERRIEN (trumpet/flugelhorn) is considered one of the most promising jazz musicians today, playing a wide variety of musical styles and rhythms. Winner of the 2015 TD Grand Prize Jazz Award at the renowned Montreal International Jazz Festival, the 2016 Stingray Jazz Rising Star Award, and nominated as Best Jazz Producer at the IMA’s 2018 Award. She has shared stages with many world-class musicians throughout the Americas and the Caribbean.

Trombonist ROLAND BARBER has performed in venues the world over, from Manhattan to Estonia, including Carnegie Hall, Birdland, the Blue Note, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden. Roland has performed with both the veteran titans of the music and the young lions – including Stefon Harris, Clark Terry, Steve Turre, Aretha Franklin, Wynton Marsalis and the New Orleans Jazz Ensemble.

MICHAEL SHEKWOAGA ODE is a Nigerian American composer, drummer, bandleader, and educator born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spent most of his developmental years in Durham, North Carolina. He received a scholarship to study at Oberlin Conservatory under jazz legend and icon Billy Hart.

REVIEW:

Here’s an ambitious two disc set delivered by the team of Rachel Therrien/tp, Alex Upton/as, Rahsaan Barber/as-ts-bs, Roland Barber/tb, Juan Alamo/mar-perc, Baron Tymas/g, Stephen Anderson/p, Jason Foureman-Christopher Law/b, Dan Davis-Michael Shekwoaga Ode/dr and vocalist Ramune Marcinkeyviciute-Emma Gonzalez for a mix of originals and covers. Alamo’s marimbas work well around Foureman’s pulse on “What Now” while the percussion gets raucous on the Afro Cuban “Strolling”. Tymas’ guitar is richly toned for “Looking Up” and gentle for “Eclipsed” while the saxes are solid on “Open Sesame” and screechingly extroverted around the keys on”Latindia”.  Marcinkeviciute is lovely with Anderson on “ False Pretense” and Gonzalez burns the embers on “Can’t Help Lovin That Man”. Palpable textures.

-Jazz Weekly

REVIEW:

For a small ensemble, this group has a very big band sound. They are an interactive ensemble, comprised of faculty and students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Their goal is to demonstrate jazz as a living art form and bring awareness publicly to the rich history of jazz. The project opens with “What Now?” a composition by pianist and band director, Stephen Anderson.  Stephen’s piano solo is wonderful.  Enter special guest, Rachel Therrien, a female French-Canadian trumpeter, composer, producer and winner of the 2015 TD Grand Prize Jazz Award at the renowned Montreal International Jazz Festival.  She also, in 2016, won the Stingray Jazz Rising Star Award.  Her tone is as smooth as fresh frozen ice and just as cool. Juan Alamo is stellar on marimba and Rahsaan Barber’s saxophone strength is prominent.  Barber is the Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and Saxophone at the University of North Carolina.  He’s played with a plethora of musicians including Christian McBride, Brian Blade, The Temptations, Delfeayo Marsalis, the famed Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the iconic Taj Mahal, pop star Cyndi Lauper, gospel legend, Kirk Franklin and gold record artist Meghan Trainor, to list just a few.  As you can see, his horn is a diversified tool and he competently crosses genres.  On this first cut, you meet the musicians, who step up to interpret Stephen Anderson’s composition, giving it their very best.  The second track is also an Anderson composition, “False Pretense,” where you get to enjoy Anderson’s piano solo, sometimes richly infused with the blues.  We also get to meet drummer, Michael Shekwoaga Ode, on this tune.  He is masterful on his instrument, given free rein to explore excitement and creativity on his drums.  At the fade, he steals the spotlight during a memorable drum solo. As a Nigerian American composer, drummer, bandleader and educator, Mr. Ode was born in Philadelphia but spent developmental years in North Carolina.  Michael received a scholarship to study at Oberlin Conservatory under jazz legend, Billy Hart.  Track #3, “Adversities” features the beautiful vocals of Ramuné Marcinkeviċiuté.  Bass player, Christopher Law takes a solo and soaks up the spotlight, while drummer Dan Davis sounds spectacular on this cut.  “Open Sesame” is composed by saxophone master, Rahsaan Barber and arrives in a splash of a Straight-ahead jazz arrangement.  This time the bassist is Jason Foureman, who steps forward with confidence and creativity on a melodic solo, followed by the composer on his saxophone, exploring all his improvisational possibilities. On Disc #2, the “Latindia” tune composed by Barber turns up the Latin Heat and gives percussionist Juan Alamo an opportunity to shine.  I love the baritone saxophone that Barber uses to color this arrangement. Baron Tymas has written “Looking Up” and uses his piece to showcase his mad guitar skills.  I love the addition of Alamo’s marimba.  On the standard song, “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man of Mine” the composition recalls the voices of both Lena Horne and Ethel Waters.  Although Emma Gonzalez has a lovely voice, I don’t believe she sold us the lyrical content.  It’s a woman who loves her man, in spite of his behavior.  It’s a story of painful, unconditional love and Emma sounds pretty, but not believably distraught.  All in all, Disc 1. & Disc 2 of this double disc set of music is entertaining, well-written and arranged, as well as played and interpreted by a group of excellent musicians.

-Musical Memoirs