{"title":"Season Three","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn its review of our third season, DOWNBEAT writes: “Newvelle exemplifies the art of the LP.\"\u003c\/span\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"season-three","title":"Newvelle Season Three: Complete Box Set","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \"smartly chosen roster of talent and..rich, analog sound.\" –\u003cem\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The music is at once serene, then boisterous and probing, with fragmented instrumental lines and rhythms, ample lyricism and a restless ambition.\" –The Audio Beat\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur third series of records features artwork by photographer \u003cstrong\u003eMaciej Markowicz\u003c\/strong\u003e. Includes box set designed by \u003cstrong\u003eAntoine Leroux\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eCharlie \u0026amp; Paul\u003c\/em\u003e - Steve Cardenas\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Featuring Loren Stillman, Thomas Morgan, and Matt Wilson\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eHalf Light\u003c\/em\u003e - Andy Zimmerman\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Featuring Dave Douglas, Kevin Hays, and Matt Penma\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eClose Your Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e - Lionel Loueke\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Featuring Reuben Rogers and Eric Harland\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eStrata\u003c\/em\u003e - Skúli Sverrisson \u0026amp; Bill Frisell\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eAncestros\u003c\/em\u003e - Francisco Mela\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Featuring Hery Paz, Kris Davis, and Gerald Cannon\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eFair Weather\u003c\/em\u003e - Jason Palmer\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Featuring Leo Genovese, Joe Martin, and Kendrick Scott\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \"\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":833,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"9\":0,\"11\":3,\"12\":0}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"bright roster of artists and a sumptuous visual design\"}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ebright roster of artists and a sumptuous visual design.\" –WBGO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":833,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"9\":0,\"11\":3,\"12\":0}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"bright roster of artists and a sumptuous visual design\"}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"The musicians on Newvelle demonstrate that the light touch can be as expressive in its own way as more extroverted fare.\" –The Absolute Sound\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCollection Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNV013-NV018\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6x 180-gram clear vinyl LPs\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6x Tip-on gatefold jackets and collector's box\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePressing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMPO\u003cbr\u003eVillaines-La-Juhel, France\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49846143764,"sku":"NVSLP003-FULL","price":400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/S3_Full_1.jpg?v=1623489907"},{"product_id":"nv013lp-steve-cardenas-charlie-paul","title":"Steve Cardenas - Charlie \u0026 Paul","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"T\u003cspan data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"\\\"there’s a conversation in the music, there’s interaction, there’s comments throughout\\\"\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":833,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"9\":0,\"11\":3,\"12\":0}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ehere’s a conversation in the music, there’s interaction, there’s comments throughout.\" –\u003cem\u003eDownBeat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Featuring impeccable acoustics and coffee table art cover LP presentation.\" –Audiophile Audition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s so much personality in the music of the great Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. Not in the reductive meaning of the word, implying idiosyncrasy or identifiable devices, rather that listening to their music gives you a palpable sense of having known the artist. This is how an artist can enter a pantheon of sorts. Not through building giant edifices of achievement but by pouring so much of oneself into the music that the music reflects the person.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteve Cardenas has crafted a tribute to Charlie and Paul in not just the interpretation of their compositions but the level of attention and focus that seems to shimmer off the music. It feels like Charlie and Paul are there in every improvised moment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing \u003cstrong\u003eSteve Cardenas\u003c\/strong\u003e on guitar, \u003cstrong\u003eLoren Stillman\u003c\/strong\u003e on alto saxophone, \u003cstrong\u003eThomas Morgan\u003c\/strong\u003e on bass, and \u003cstrong\u003eMatt Willson\u003c\/strong\u003e on drums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNV013\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e180-gram clear vinyl LP\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTip-on gatefold jacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePressing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMPO\u003cbr\u003eVillaines-La-Juhel, France\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Kalypso\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Tangram\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Asia\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"La Pasionaria\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"In The Moment\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Prairie Avenue Cowboy\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Riff Raff\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Pocket Full Of Cherry\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"For Turiya\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/steve-cardenas\"\u003eSteve Cardenas\u003c\/a\u003e - Guitar \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/loren-stillman\"\u003eLoren Stillman\u003c\/a\u003e - Alto Saxophone \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/thomas-morgan\"\u003eThomas Morgan\u003c\/a\u003e - Bass \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/matt-wilson\"\u003eMatt Wilson\u003c\/a\u003e - Drums \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s easy enough to call them giants, those artists that are enshrined in the collective imaginations as having achieved greatness. I think it’s simple to describe people like Charlie Haden and Paul Motian as “genius” or “towering” or even “talented” because the truth might be a little scarier. What if the great artists are simply the ones whose expression resonates because of its honesty? Where does that leave the rest of us when someone can say something that is so simple and true that it endures eternally?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s so much personality in the music of Charlie and Paul. Not in the reductive meaning of the word implying idiosyncrasy or identifiable devices, rather that listening to their music gives you a palpable sense of having known the artist. This is how an artist can enter a pantheon of sorts. Not through building giant edifices of achievement but by pouring so much of oneself into the music that the music reflects the person. I never knew Paul Motian or Charlie Haden, but I feel like I did. Their music has changed the context of my surroundings. Musicians like Charlie and Paul built the world we live in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe musicians on this record did know Charlie and Paul. Leader, Steve Cardenas played in Paul Motian’s band for 14 years and Charlie Haden’s for 10. Loren Stillman also played long tenures with both. Matt Wilson worked extensively with Charlie and Thomas Morgan was Paul Motian’s first call bassist for over a decade. There’s little that connects the compositional style of Charlie and Paul. Maybe there’s more hard edges and quick turns in the music of Motian. Even Charlie’s more cutting pieces like “Pocket Full of Cherry” sound like lullabies. But what draws them together, to my ears, is a certainty of melodic purpose and a child like wonder and freshness. Songs that sound discovered instead of composed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of the songs on this record don’t have traditional harmonic frameworks to improvise over. Rather, the entire song is hung off of the central melodic idea. There’s such looseness and room to breathe in these pieces. I love the way that the band speaks together on the opening track. It takes all of three seconds to establish a unique color. These musicians have so much clarity in their tone and approach. I’m resisting giving a play by play account of each song, but I can’t help also bringing attention to the improvised section on Haden’s “La Pasionaria”. The melody, simple and true, tapers off and Thomas Morgan’s bass is left alone. Each member of the band enters during Thomas’s unstructured solo, Matt first with mallets, then Loren and Steve. What’s remarkable is that Thomas doesn’t have to step back to make space for these other soloists. There isn’t the common give and take as one soloist recedes to let someone else shine. Everyone is using their own voice to say the same thing and it builds so naturally that all the effort of a group improvisation is invisible, as it should be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteve Cardenas has crafted a tribute to Charlie and Paul in not just the interpretation of their compositions but the level of attention and focus that seems to shimmer off the music. It feels like Charlie and Paul are there in every improvised moment. Steve, Loren, Thomas and Matt have made a record of such sustained commitment and clarity that it takes my breath away. Of course the greatest tribute to such singular artists is to speak your own truth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Steve_Cardenas_-_Charlie_Paul_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292792\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":1387430576148,"sku":"NV013LP","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/S3_Cardenas_1.jpg?v=1623489969"},{"product_id":"nv014lp-andy-zimmerman-half-light","title":"Andy Zimmerman - Half Light","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-value=\"{\u0026quot;1\u0026quot;:2,\u0026quot;2\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;Half Light is beautifully recorded and Zimmerman's strikingly-original compositions deserve to be heard. \u0026quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":833,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"9\":0,\"11\":3,\"12\":0}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHalf Light\u003c\/em\u003e is beautifully recorded and Zimmerman's strikingly-original compositions deserve to be heard.\" –\u003cem\u003eAll About Jazz\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of these songs are Andy Zimmerman's compositions – sketches that he lets the band tease apart and put back together. The unique voice isn’t always a prodigy or a technical wizard or an uncanny ear. Because no matter how fast you learn, you’ll never know it all. It’s how you live and who you are that makes you a creator. It’s about a perspective and a desire to share it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndy, Matt Penman, Kevin Hays and Dave Douglas are all masters on their instruments, but much more importantly they have voices that are singular and true.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing \u003cstrong\u003eAndy Zimmerman\u003c\/strong\u003e on tenor saxophone, \u003cstrong\u003eDave Douglas\u003c\/strong\u003e on trumpet, \u003cstrong\u003eKevin Hays\u003c\/strong\u003e on piano, and \u003cstrong\u003eMatt Penman\u003c\/strong\u003e on bass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNV014\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e180-gram clear vinyl LP\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTip-on gatefold jacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePressing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMPO\u003cbr\u003eVillaines-La-Juhel, France\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Half Light\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Clearing\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Orr Springs Road\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Montreux\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"The Bay Area\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Two Sapphires\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Crossing Iowa\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Bess You Is My Woman Now\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Lena's Dance\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Sunset And The Mockingbird\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Golden Hours\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/andrew-zimmerman\"\u003eAndy Zimmerman\u003c\/a\u003e - Tenor Saxophone \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/dave-douglas\"\u003eDave Douglas\u003c\/a\u003e - Trumpet \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/kevin-hays\"\u003eKevin Hays\u003c\/a\u003e - Piano \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/matt-penman\"\u003eMatt Penman\u003c\/a\u003e - Bass \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a bit of a dream for me to listen to this record. A collection of some of my favorite musicians in the world playing a music that sparkles with personal vision. For many people, this might be the first time they’ve heard the music of Andy Zimmerman, but for me Andy is as essential to my own personal musical development and taste as any of the greats. I’m genuinely jealous of the people that get to hear Andy for the first time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’ve never liked the word “talent.” As a society we view talent the same way we viewed intelligence in the 1950’s. You’re either “smart” and you go to college or you’re not and you work with your hands. Before Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and the proliferation of educational theories since the 60’s, being smart was a simple on-off switch. In most ways we use the same black and white approach to music in 2018. It’s common to say “I don’t have any musical talent” or even “my son\/daughter has no gift for music.” Music is a non-representational art-form--it’s not mimicking something found in nature--it is constructed full cloth from the ether. It stands outside of every societal and linguistic marker we have. It’s bigger than our known world and yet, and YET, we insist on this binary, reductive formula. Talent, you either have it or you don’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’ve known and admired Andy Zimmerman’s music for twenty years. We played duo piano and sax throughout our years together in New York University’s fledgling Jazz program. We toured in Europe together and he recorded with me on my first record in 2007. Andy’s got a sound on the horn that is all his own. There’s a musicality in his improvisation that feels sung and never constrained or constructed. I’ve seen people react immediately to Andy’s playing, people not used to listening to Jazz suddenly turning their heads. Something universal is in his playing. For me, Andy could run major scales up and down the instrument and it would still speak volumes. This is perhaps becoming more of a love-letter than liner notes, but as awkward as it might be to say it, maybe this is what’s left when you take “talent” out of the picture. Music, especially instrumental music, is this amorphous, enormous, pervasive, profound thing. It sits outside of every parameter we can frame it with. It doesn’t speak about anything other than itself and it only has meaning when you share it with someone. Music either speaks to you or it doesn’t. If nothing else, love’s at least a bigger and more inclusive word for its source than “talent”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe songs on this record sound like nothing else I’ve heard. Most of these songs are Andy’s compositions, sketches that he lets the band tease apart and put back together. The unique voice isn’t always a prodigy or a technical wizard or an uncanny ear. Because no matter how fast you learn, you’ll never know it all. It’s not how quick you can master something that matters; it’s do you have something to say? Learning how to read when you’re two years old is not an indicator of whether or not you’ll someday write a great novel. It’s how you live and who you are that makes you a creator. It’s about a perspective and a desire to share it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndy, Matt Penman, Kevin Hays and Dave Douglas are all masters on their instruments, but much more importantly they have voices that are singular and true. What’s talent compared to truth? We play music to forget technique. We spend our lives honing a skill set that allows us to be as transparent as possible. We are trying to do nothing more or less than show as much of ourselves as the listener can hear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Andy_Zimmerman_-_Half_Light_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292799\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":1567907446804,"sku":"NV014LP","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/S3_Zimmerman_1.jpg?v=1623489472"},{"product_id":"nv015lp-lionel-loueke-close-your-eyes","title":"Lionel Loueke - Close Your Eyes","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eClose Your Eyes\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e pushes further into Newvelle's improvisational and multifaceted accounting of classics.\" –All About Jazz\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is Lionel Loueke’s first ever record of standards. Yet Lionel sounds only like Lionel, even when he’s playing some of the most represented jazz of all time. It’s refreshing to find that, yes, there is something completely new to be heard in “Footprints,” “Solar,” “Body And Soul,” and “Blue Monk.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe recorded this record on a one-day break between a tour with Chick Corea and a tour with Herbie Hancock. Everyone wants to play with Lionel. There is something in the warmth of Lionel’s tone on guitar and his vocals that is so inviting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing \u003cstrong\u003eLionel Loueke\u003c\/strong\u003e on guitar and vocals, \u003cstrong\u003eReuben Rogers\u003c\/strong\u003e on acoustic bass, and \u003cstrong\u003eEric Harland\u003c\/strong\u003e on drums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNV015\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e180-gram clear vinyl LP\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTip-on gatefold jacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePressing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMPO\u003cbr\u003eVillaines-La-Juhel, France\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Footprints\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"It Might As Well Be Spring\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Moon River\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Solar\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Blue Monk\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Body And Soul\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Close Your Eyes\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Naima\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/lionel-loueke\"\u003eLionel Loueke\u003c\/a\u003e - Guitar \u0026amp; Vocals \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/reuben-rogers\"\u003eReuben Rogers\u003c\/a\u003e - Acoustic Bass \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/eric-harland\"\u003eEric Harland\u003c\/a\u003e - Drums \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLionel is maybe my favorite example of a musician whose prodigious technique serves to augment rather than obscure his voice. Want to play the notoriously tricky Coltrane tune Countdown, at 260 BPM? No problem. How about we try it in 13\/8? Sure, simple as breathing. But that’s not the impressive part. The trick is how to play “Countdown” in 13\/8 at 260 BPM and sound exactly like yourself. I’m getting sidetracked already as “Countdown” isn’t even on the record (though you can hear\/watch it being recorded on this page). The point is that there are so few musicians alive today, or of any era, who have an authentic, individual, unmistakable voice. This is Lionel Loueke’s first ever record of standards. Lionel sounds only like Lionel, even when he’s playing some of the most represented jazz of all time. It’s refreshing to find that, yes, there is something completely new to be heard in “Footprints,” “Solar,” “Body and Soul” and “Blue Monk.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLionel actually recorded this record on a one-day break between a tour with Chick Corea and a tour with Herbie Hancock. Everyone wants to play with Lionel. There is something in the warmth of Lionel’s tone on guitar and his vocals that is so inviting. Listen to the way that Lionel opens the record with “Footprints” and then turns around to run a duo version of “It Might As Well Be Spring” with Reuben and then a duo version of “Moon River” with Eric Harland. Check out that big round sound of Eric Harland on “Moon River.” What a masterclass in touch and restraint. Reuben on “It Might As Well Be Spring” is so supportive and loose, letting Lionel lean ALL the way back. It’s almost like Lionel is taking the listener in to a cocktail party and introducing him around to all the players before re-starting a lively conversation with the trio in “Solar.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI love the versatility and edge that this band can tap into. On Side B, when the band hits “Blue Monk,” there’s almost more BB King in it than Monk. Give attention to when Eric clocks that cymbal crash in the first chorus of Lionel’s solo, almost like he’s saying “deal with this,” and of course, Lionel does. “Body and Soul” is the other end of that coin. Running the form straight down: a quick intro, a loose take on the melody, and an improvised cadenza from Lionel to end it -- everything that could be said is already there in the focus and clarity of the interpretation. Then “Close Your Eyes” is where the band completely stretches out. As Lionel said at the time, “There’s magic in this one.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe record closes with Lionel’s solo version of “Naima.” At the session, Lionel said it’s like “Naima visits Africa.” Certainly, Lionel, like all artists, is an amalgamation of all his experiences and his influences. His West African Benin background informs his interpretations in a way that feels so organic and clear. It’s almost as if he can accordion his whole past and musical background on top of itself to dizzying affect. He is live-tracking those vocals even when his singing is in a separate time signature and style than his guitar playing. All these connections and hard-earned skill are overlaid on top of each other and express themselves effortlessly. There is a synthesis of all these influences and a welcoming way he can make it all available to the casual listener that is all his own. Maybe he takes Naima to Africa, but the world is coming to Lionel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Lionel_Loueke_-_Close_Your_Eyes_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292799\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12205965312068,"sku":"NV015LP","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/S3_Loueke_1.jpg?v=1623489851"},{"product_id":"nv016lp-skuli-sverrisson-and-bill-frisell-strata","title":"Skúli Sverrisson and Bill Frisell - Strata","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\"Icelandic bassist Skúli Sverrisson and guitarist Bill Frisell sound like they were made to play together, combining exceptional harmonic depth and simpatico counterpoint on.\" – \u003cem\u003eDownBeat\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"Even on first listen, Strata evokes a feeling of familiarity so rich that it bleeds into nostalgia.\" – \u003cem\u003eJAZZIZ\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"On the surface this is music of simple design, but there is a depth to the layers that adds up to music that is much greater than the sum of its parts.\" – \u003cem\u003eAll About Jazz\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNewvelle's first-ever reissue features guitarists Skúli Sverrisson and Bill Frisell from their sold out Season Three release \u003cem\u003eStrata\u003c\/em\u003e. While recording this in 2017, the connection between the two musicians was palpable. With Skúli and Bill there’s a shared internal language – a sense of inevitable logic, hypnotizing and surreal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis limited edition repressing of 1,000 copies is now available exclusively through Newvelle Records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNV016R\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e180-gram black vinyl LP\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSingle pocket jacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eChris Muth, Dangerous Music\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePressing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eQuality Record Pressing\u003cbr\u003eSalina, Kansas, USA\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Sweet Earth\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Instants\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Vanishing Point\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Ancient Affection\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Came To Light\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Cave Of Swimmers\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Amedeo\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Afternoon Variant\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Segment\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Her Room\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/skuli-sverrisson\"\u003eSkúli Sverrisson\u003c\/a\u003e - Electric \u0026amp; Acoustic Bass Guitar \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/bill-frisell\"\u003eBill Frisell\u003c\/a\u003e - Electric \u0026amp; Acoustic Guitar \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’ve never been at a session like the one that we had in June of 2017 with Skúli Sverrisson and Bill Frisell. Sometimes you can really sense a connection between two musicians, some fitting together or a frisson of common experience and spontaneous invention. But this was of another order—a quiet and profound communion. With Skúli and Bill there’s a shared internal language—a sense of inevitable logic—hypnotizing and surreal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe studio is a charged environment—a kinetic energy of ideas about to be born, loaded with expectation and possibility. Emotions tend to come to the surface in both good and bad ways. Bill and Skúli hit a deep vein in the first hour and never needed to come up for air. They would track a song of Skúli’s while seated across from each other, barely speaking. Then we would listen back in the control room. After the song was over, no one would say a word for a moment, as if a spell had been cast. Then Bill might look over at Skúli and say, “What do you think if I tried to overlay something on this one?” While Bill tracked a second guitar, Skúli would sit with his head cradled in his hands. When Bill would return to the control room, Skúli would lift his head, wearing a beatific smile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis spell was only stirred once. On the second day of tracking, the film maker Jim Jarmusch came by for lunch. Jim is a longtime fan of Bill’s music. His arrival was a brace of movement and charm. He’d tell a couple of stories, and then we’d sit in silence while Bill and Skúli tracked something. “Brothers from another mother, these two,” I caught Jim muttering under his breath.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSkúli Sverrisson:\u003c\/strong\u003e “Bill’s been a thread throughout my creative life. I wrote songs for this session, but Bill has been such an inspiration to me that, even on songs I wrote before I met him, he was already there.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBill Frisell:\u003c\/strong\u003e “Skúli was one of those guys that I kept hearing about but hadn’t heard his music. Before I heard what he did, I was already wondering, ‘What’s with this guy?’ He had such a huge range, playing with some of my favorite musicians and in styles all over the map. The first time I heard him, the beauty of it touched me right away... I don’t listen to much music. I mostly listen to someone like Duke Ellington—real classics. But I got two of his albums and I kept putting them on. I wouldn’t have known that he was influenced by me. He was tapped in to something I dream of. When we did the recording, it took it to 100%, it felt like something that was in my imagination, but even deeper and further.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSS:\u003c\/strong\u003e “There seemed to be a clear path to the center of the music. The session with Bill was so easy—no complications anywhere. And then having Jim Jarmusch there! He was almost like a ‘ghost producer.’ He’s another one of my heroes, such a great and surreal experience. I was only in New York for three days to record the album, and the whole thing came together so easily and to have Jim there... I really came back home and thought, ‘Did that really happen—was that a dream?’”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBF:\u003c\/strong\u003e “This was really special for me, I’d wanted to play with Skúli for a long time and this was an ideal situation. Sometimes you play music with someone in another context, in someone’s band or at a session, and you think, ‘I’d like to do a project with that person’; but this was the first time we played together. It felt so immediate, like ‘This is it, right now.’”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSS:\u003c\/strong\u003e “I knew Marc Urselli from decades ago when he reviewed a rather obscure record of mine, “Seremonie.” Later we did many tours together with Laurie Anderson, when Marc was the front-of-the-house engineer. We became friends and I felt very connected to him.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarc Urselli (recording engineer):\u003c\/strong\u003e “Bill and Skúli are two of my favorite musicians of all time and having them together in the studio was most enjoyable. They are both so modest and so soft-spoken that (barely!) hearing their comments and compliments to each other, one incredible take after another, was both delightful and hard to believe. Being there when the two played almost felt imposing, in a way. It was like a sacred experience only a few lucky ones were allowed to be a part of.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBF:\u003c\/strong\u003e “Playing alone is so difficult because you get nothing back. But as soon as just one other person plays, there’s a direct response , like an electrical current that returns. It starts to go. You play something and right away it comes back, like a two-stroke engine. Everything you need is there... There’s an elegance to it. I almost feel like I didn’t even play on this record. Compositionally, what Skúli brought is so amazing. There wasn’t anything for me to do, everything was there already. So natural for me to fall into, so effortless. What Skúli chose to play and what he wrote—he built this structure that didn’t have anything blocking me but it was holding me up the whole time. It feels like we’ve known each other longer than we have. And it feels like the start of something.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Skuli_Sverrisson_Bill_Frisell_-_Strata_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292796\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12205966458948,"sku":"NV016R","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/20220522_newvelle_repress_skuli_shop_v2.jpg?v=1653672221"},{"product_id":"nv017lp-francisco-mela-ancestros","title":"Francisco Mela - Ancestros","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe playing is highly expressive; extending phrases or collapsing them, without lavish embellishments but often with raw energy...Mela is a master of nuance and flexibility, regardless of the style the group is engaged in\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e.\" –All About Jazz\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eListening to Mela’s quartet will keep a listener on their toes, with its intense energy...[It] continues the Newvelle tradition of presenting innovative artists free rein to express their musical talents.\" –Audiophile Audition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s not wise to listen to a Francisco Mela record with pre-conceived notions. But, if you come to listen, the reward is profound. Mela’s musical energy is pure and powerful and when you get him in the room with a band this skilled and empathetic, his perspective flows clean from the source.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing \u003cstrong\u003eFrancisco Mela\u003c\/strong\u003e on drums, \u003cstrong\u003eHenry Paz\u003c\/strong\u003e on saxophone, \u003cstrong\u003eKris Davis\u003c\/strong\u003e on piano, and \u003cstrong\u003eGerald Cannon\u003c\/strong\u003e on bass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNV017\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e180-gram clear vinyl LP\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTip-on gatefold jacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePressing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMPO\u003cbr\u003eVillaines-La-Juhel, France\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Black Movie\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Duende\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Vino\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Ornette\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"It's Good To Be Free\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Not So\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Mumbo Jumbo\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Ancestros\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"It's Free To Be Good\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/francisco-mela\"\u003eFrancisco Mela\u003c\/a\u003e - Drums \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hery-paz\"\u003eHery Paz\u003c\/a\u003e - Sax \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/kris-davis\"\u003eKris Davis\u003c\/a\u003e - Piano \u003cbr\u003e Gerald Cannon - Bass \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s not wise to listen to a Francisco Mela record with pre-conceived notions. But, if you come to listen, the reward is profound. Mela’s musical energy is pure and powerful and when you get him in the room with a band this skilled and empathetic, his perspective flows clean from the source.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the title track, “Ancestros,” Hery Paz is playing the Chinese horn, the Suono, which travelled from China to Cuba with migrant workers in the mid-19th Century and became so vital a part of Cuban carnival tradition that it was renamed the “corneta china.” Here it bridges an intro and outro into a driving modern and unique piece replete with deft improvisational frameworks in which the musicians are let loose to roam. Francisco’s music is fiercely individual, but you can hear how his background and his influences intermingle and how the outlook of the great Paul Motian and Andrew Hill (both also represented on the album on Hill’s “Not So” and Motian’s “Mumbo Jumbo”) shine brightly in Mela’s compositions. I’m amazed by the microcosms—worlds of their own—that Mela builds with his compositions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn every track, the incredibly responsive and intuitive playing of Kris Davis prods at the thematic material from all sides, bringing out every reaction and tendril of an idea from Mela’s writing. I love the way she dissects Mela’s themes and re-assembles them in her solos. Hery Paz is also a singular voice on the saxophone and bass clarinet. Check out the opening of the record as the unaccompanied melody on solo bass clarinet roots around almost like it’s finding its shape as it goes. Paz’s tone on the instrument is deep and personal and the record begins almost as if a Prokofiev character is peeking into view. Throughout the record, the accompaniment from Mela is so instantly reactive while being simultaneously supportive that the band dances in lock step, no matter how furious and wild the steps. Of course, from one end to the other, you can hear the huge impact of Gerald Cannon. Gerald and Mela play together worldwide in McCoy Tyner’s trio (and the Crash Trio with Newvelle favorite Leo Genovese), so their synergy and swing come as no surprise; but the effortless way in which the tempo can establish itself and then dissolve and re-emerge is a master-class in poise and feel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of the loose 5\/4 driving feel of “Vino” captured in the video here, you can hear Mela exclaiming, “Wow, I was listening to that in my head for a long time. Just like that!” His vision snaps into focus in the collective improvisation. Just like he imagined it and never to be repeated the same way again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Francisco_Mela_-_Ancestros_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292799\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12205967343684,"sku":"NV017LP","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/S3_Mela_1.jpg?v=1623489775"},{"product_id":"nv018lp-jason-palmer-fair-weather","title":"Jason Palmer - Fair Weather","description":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"It will undoubtedly become a collector’s item.\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":833,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"9\":0,\"11\":3,\"12\":0}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIt will undoubtedly become a collector’s item.\" –The Arts Fuse\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe repertoire on this record falls right into place. Arrangements of some lesser known standards (Jason calls them “derangements”) are accompanied by a couple of originals that complement the melodic drive of these tunes. Jason’s writing on this record runs contrary to some of the more rhythmically and harmonically complicated compositions that he’s been honing at Wally’s, the Boston café where he's played for the past two decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis choice to play the simple and true on this record, and the way the band coalesces around this choice, speaks volumes about the discoveries of a life of musical investigation. It’s not how far you go but how deep you dig that matters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing \u003cstrong\u003eJason Palmer\u003c\/strong\u003e on trumpet, \u003cstrong\u003eLeo Genovese\u003c\/strong\u003e on piano, \u003cstrong\u003eJoe Martin\u003c\/strong\u003e on bass, and \u003cstrong\u003eKendrick Scott\u003c\/strong\u003e on drums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNV018\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e180-gram clear vinyl LP\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTip-on gatefold jacket\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePressing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMPO\u003cbr\u003eVillaines-La-Juhel, France\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Nameless\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Fair Weather\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Easy Living\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Moonlight Becomes You\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Miracles\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"You Know I Care\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Nefertiti\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Raise The Love Ceiling\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Old Folks\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/jason-palmer\"\u003eJason Palmer\u003c\/a\u003e - Trumpet \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/leo-genovese\"\u003eLeo Genovese\u003c\/a\u003e - Piano \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/joe-martin\"\u003eJoe Martin\u003c\/a\u003e - Bass \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/kendrick-scott\"\u003eKendrick Scott\u003c\/a\u003e - Drums \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving grown up in the Boston area, I know what it is like to live in a city that’s musically in thrall to New York. There’s the small feeling of abandonment as each year another crop of young musicians make the trek to NYC to see if they can cut it with the world’s best. This underlines the central fallacy of many musical and artistic narratives. Because, of course there is no meaningful metric with which to judge art other than the personal. You can’t measure yourself against the best, because music, and especially improvised music, is a non-representational art form without parameters. What you can do is to search for a home for your music to grow, or to build your own home—to carve out a space to nurture your music and help others do the same.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a number of exciting venues in Boston but the oldest and the one with the most flavor is Wally’s Café. Wally’s has been hosting live jazz nightly since 1947, and it has a sense of history that few venues have. Almost every weekend over the past 19 years, Jason Palmer has been leading the band at Wally’s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a clarity and honesty in Jason’s playing that I find unmistakable. Jason says that if it wasn’t for his extended residency, he doesn’t think he’d still be playing music today. It is at Wally’s that Jason found the space to build a world view and the technique to express it. In his words, it’s “done wonders for my playing, composing, confidence, patience, etc. The residence there has given me a more solid reason to continue to do the work in this music that’s required to get better. I’ve been able to retain consistent bands and write and arrange for them, and I always have an audience.” This record shows how clearly devoted Jason is to the tradition of jazz without being beholden to it. This isn’t statement music. Free of gimmicks, this is music whose integrity and honesty is the statement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re familiar with Newvelle’s first season, then you already know the iconoclastic fearless musician, Leo Genovese. Leo seemingly can find the closest melodic distance between two disparate points in record time. His technique is prodigious and he can take corners at speeds unavailable to many professional musicians, but he often chooses to go right through the wall to get to where he needs to be. Leo likes to tear holes in the fabric of the song to let the light peek through at odd angles and illuminate something that everyone else was missing. Leo reminds me of the stories about Zen masters who answer a question with a swift wrap upside the head, but then...enlightenment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s not an overstatement to say that Kendrick Scott and Joe Martin are among the most in-demand rhythm section on the planet. Despite their huge technical abilities, it’s clearly their tone that sets them apart from the crowd. Individualistic and full, it is a tone born of clarity rather than crafted by an idiosyncratic urge to stand out. Like all the greats, they can sound only like themselves but can play with anybody.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe repertoire on this record falls right into place. Arrangements of some lesser known standards (Jason calls them “derangements”) are accompanied by a couple of originals that complement the melodic drive of these tunes. Jason’s writing on this record runs contrary to some of the more rhythmically and harmonically complicated compositions that he’s been honing at Wally’s. His choice to play the simple and true on this record, and the way the band coalesces around this choice, speaks volumes about the discoveries of a life of musical investigation. It’s not how far you go but how deep you dig that matters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Jason_Palmer_-_Fair_Weather_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292799\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12205968523332,"sku":"NV018LP","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/S3_Palmer_1.jpg?v=1623489817"},{"product_id":"skuli-sverrisson-and-bill-frisell-strata-digital","title":"Skúli Sverrisson and Bill Frisell - Strata (Digital)","description":"\u003ca class=\"bttn bttn--secondary product-form__cart-submit mt2\" href=\"https:\/\/skulisverrisson.bandcamp.com\/album\/strata\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e Download \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Icelandic bassist Skúli Sverrisson and guitarist Bill Frisell sound like they were made to play together, combining exceptional harmonic depth and simpatico counterpoint on.\" –\u003cem\u003eDownBeat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"In a society in which we are bombarded daily with crass and obscene vitriol, it is such a pleasure to experience the beauty and contentment of improvised instrumental music that crosses many genres to satisfy the soul and heal the heart.\" –Audiophile Audition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile recording this for our third season, the connection between the two musicians was palpable. With Skúli and Bill there’s a shared internal language – a sense of inevitable logic—hypnotizing and surreal. Now available for download and streaming.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNVD02\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHigh-quality digital download\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Sweet Earth\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Instants\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Vanishing Point\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Ancient Affection\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Came To Light\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Cave Of Swimmers\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Amedeo\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Afternoon Variant\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Segment\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Her Room\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/skuli-sverrisson\"\u003eSkúli Sverrisson\u003c\/a\u003e - Electric \u0026amp; Acoustic Bass Guitar \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/bill-frisell\"\u003eBill Frisell\u003c\/a\u003e - Electric \u0026amp; Acoustic Guitar \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’ve never been at a session like the one that we had in June of 2017 with Skúli Sverrisson and Bill Frisell. Sometimes you can really sense a connection between two musicians, some fitting together or a frisson of common experience and spontaneous invention. But this was of another order—a quiet and profound communion. With Skúli and Bill there’s a shared internal language—a sense of inevitable logic—hypnotizing and surreal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe studio is a charged environment—a kinetic energy of ideas about to be born, loaded with expectation and possibility. Emotions tend to come to the surface in both good and bad ways. Bill and Skúli hit a deep vein in the first hour and never needed to come up for air. They would track a song of Skúli’s while seated across from each other, barely speaking. Then we would listen back in the control room. After the song was over, no one would say a word for a moment, as if a spell had been cast. Then Bill might look over at Skúli and say, “What do you think if I tried to overlay something on this one?” While Bill tracked a second guitar, Skúli would sit with his head cradled in his hands. When Bill would return to the control room, Skúli would lift his head, wearing a beatific smile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis spell was only stirred once. On the second day of tracking, the film maker Jim Jarmusch came by for lunch. Jim is a longtime fan of Bill’s music. His arrival was a brace of movement and charm. He’d tell a couple of stories, and then we’d sit in silence while Bill and Skúli tracked something. “Brothers from another mother, these two,” I caught Jim muttering under his breath.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSkúli Sverrisson:\u003c\/strong\u003e “Bill’s been a thread throughout my creative life. I wrote songs for this session, but Bill has been such an inspiration to me that, even on songs I wrote before I met him, he was already there.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBill Frisell:\u003c\/strong\u003e “Skúli was one of those guys that I kept hearing about but hadn’t heard his music. Before I heard what he did, I was already wondering, ‘What’s with this guy?’ He had such a huge range, playing with some of my favorite musicians and in styles all over the map. The first time I heard him, the beauty of it touched me right away... I don’t listen to much music. I mostly listen to someone like Duke Ellington—real classics. But I got two of his albums and I kept putting them on. I wouldn’t have known that he was influenced by me. He was tapped in to something I dream of. When we did the recording, it took it to 100%, it felt like something that was in my imagination, but even deeper and further.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSS:\u003c\/strong\u003e “There seemed to be a clear path to the center of the music. The session with Bill was so easy—no complications anywhere. And then having Jim Jarmusch there! He was almost like a ‘ghost producer.’ He’s another one of my heroes, such a great and surreal experience. I was only in New York for three days to record the album, and the whole thing came together so easily and to have Jim there... I really came back home and thought, ‘Did that really happen—was that a dream?’”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBF:\u003c\/strong\u003e “This was really special for me, I’d wanted to play with Skúli for a long time and this was an ideal situation. Sometimes you play music with someone in another context, in someone’s band or at a session, and you think, ‘I’d like to do a project with that person’; but this was the first time we played together. It felt so immediate, like ‘This is it, right now.’”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSS:\u003c\/strong\u003e “I knew Marc Urselli from decades ago when he reviewed a rather obscure record of mine, “Seremonie.” Later we did many tours together with Laurie Anderson, when Marc was the front-of-the-house engineer. We became friends and I felt very connected to him.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarc Urselli (recording engineer):\u003c\/strong\u003e “Bill and Skúli are two of my favorite musicians of all time and having them together in the studio was most enjoyable. They are both so modest and so soft-spoken that (barely!) hearing their comments and compliments to each other, one incredible take after another, was both delightful and hard to believe. Being there when the two played almost felt imposing, in a way. It was like a sacred experience only a few lucky ones were allowed to be a part of.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBF:\u003c\/strong\u003e “Playing alone is so difficult because you get nothing back. But as soon as just one other person plays, there’s a direct response , like an electrical current that returns. It starts to go. You play something and right away it comes back, like a two-stroke engine. Everything you need is there... There’s an elegance to it. I almost feel like I didn’t even play on this record. Compositionally, what Skúli brought is so amazing. There wasn’t anything for me to do, everything was there already. So natural for me to fall into, so effortless. What Skúli chose to play and what he wrote—he built this structure that didn’t have anything blocking me but it was holding me up the whole time. It feels like we’ve known each other longer than we have. And it feels like the start of something.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Skuli_Sverrisson_Bill_Frisell_-_Strata_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292796\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40963231187140,"sku":"NVD02","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/Strata_digital_store.jpg?v=1638983699"},{"product_id":"steve-cardenas-charlie-paul-digital","title":"Steve Cardenas - Charlie \u0026 Paul (Digital)","description":"\u003ca class=\"bttn bttn--secondary product-form__cart-submit mt2\" href=\"https:\/\/newvellerecords.bandcamp.com\/album\/charlie-paul\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e Download \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"T\u003cspan data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"\\\"there’s a conversation in the music, there’s interaction, there’s comments throughout\\\"\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":833,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"9\":0,\"11\":3,\"12\":0}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ehere’s a conversation in the music, there’s interaction, there’s comments throughout.\" –\u003cem\u003eDownBeat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Featuring impeccable acoustics and coffee table art cover LP presentation.\" –Audiophile Audition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s so much personality in the music of the great Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. Not in the reductive meaning of the word, implying idiosyncrasy or identifiable devices, rather that listening to their music gives you a palpable sense of having known the artist. This is how an artist can enter a pantheon of sorts. Not through building giant edifices of achievement but by pouring so much of oneself into the music that the music reflects the person.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteve Cardenas has crafted a tribute to Charlie and Paul in not just the interpretation of their compositions but the level of attention and focus that seems to shimmer off the music. It feels like Charlie and Paul are there in every improvised moment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing \u003cstrong\u003eSteve Cardenas\u003c\/strong\u003e on guitar, \u003cstrong\u003eLoren Stillman\u003c\/strong\u003e on alto saxophone, \u003cstrong\u003eThomas Morgan\u003c\/strong\u003e on bass, and \u003cstrong\u003eMatt Willson\u003c\/strong\u003e on drums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNVD07\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHigh-quality digital download\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Kalypso\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Tangram\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Asia\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"La Pasionaria\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"In The Moment\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Prairie Avenue Cowboy\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Riff Raff\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Pocket Full Of Cherry\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"For Turiya\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/steve-cardenas\"\u003eSteve Cardenas\u003c\/a\u003e - Guitar \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/loren-stillman\"\u003eLoren Stillman\u003c\/a\u003e - Alto Saxophone \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/thomas-morgan\"\u003eThomas Morgan\u003c\/a\u003e - Bass \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/matt-wilson\"\u003eMatt Wilson\u003c\/a\u003e - Drums \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s easy enough to call them giants, those artists that are enshrined in the collective imaginations as having achieved greatness. I think it’s simple to describe people like Charlie Haden and Paul Motian as “genius” or “towering” or even “talented” because the truth might be a little scarier. What if the great artists are simply the ones whose expression resonates because of its honesty? Where does that leave the rest of us when someone can say something that is so simple and true that it endures eternally?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s so much personality in the music of Charlie and Paul. Not in the reductive meaning of the word implying idiosyncrasy or identifiable devices, rather that listening to their music gives you a palpable sense of having known the artist. This is how an artist can enter a pantheon of sorts. Not through building giant edifices of achievement but by pouring so much of oneself into the music that the music reflects the person. I never knew Paul Motian or Charlie Haden, but I feel like I did. Their music has changed the context of my surroundings. Musicians like Charlie and Paul built the world we live in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe musicians on this record did know Charlie and Paul. Leader, Steve Cardenas played in Paul Motian’s band for 14 years and Charlie Haden’s for 10. Loren Stillman also played long tenures with both. Matt Wilson worked extensively with Charlie and Thomas Morgan was Paul Motian’s first call bassist for over a decade. There’s little that connects the compositional style of Charlie and Paul. Maybe there’s more hard edges and quick turns in the music of Motian. Even Charlie’s more cutting pieces like “Pocket Full of Cherry” sound like lullabies. But what draws them together, to my ears, is a certainty of melodic purpose and a child like wonder and freshness. Songs that sound discovered instead of composed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of the songs on this record don’t have traditional harmonic frameworks to improvise over. Rather, the entire song is hung off of the central melodic idea. There’s such looseness and room to breathe in these pieces. I love the way that the band speaks together on the opening track. It takes all of three seconds to establish a unique color. These musicians have so much clarity in their tone and approach. I’m resisting giving a play by play account of each song, but I can’t help also bringing attention to the improvised section on Haden’s “La Pasionaria”. The melody, simple and true, tapers off and Thomas Morgan’s bass is left alone. Each member of the band enters during Thomas’s unstructured solo, Matt first with mallets, then Loren and Steve. What’s remarkable is that Thomas doesn’t have to step back to make space for these other soloists. There isn’t the common give and take as one soloist recedes to let someone else shine. Everyone is using their own voice to say the same thing and it builds so naturally that all the effort of a group improvisation is invisible, as it should be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteve Cardenas has crafted a tribute to Charlie and Paul in not just the interpretation of their compositions but the level of attention and focus that seems to shimmer off the music. It feels like Charlie and Paul are there in every improvised moment. Steve, Loren, Thomas and Matt have made a record of such sustained commitment and clarity that it takes my breath away. Of course the greatest tribute to such singular artists is to speak your own truth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Steve_Cardenas_-_Charlie_Paul_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292792\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40963371040964,"sku":"NVD07","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/Charlie_Paul_digital_store.jpg?v=1638984188"},{"product_id":"andy-zimmerman-half-light-digital","title":"Andy Zimmerman - Half Light (Digital)","description":"\u003ca class=\"bttn bttn--secondary product-form__cart-submit mt2\" href=\"https:\/\/newvellerecords.bandcamp.com\/album\/half-light\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e Download \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-value=\"{\u0026quot;1\u0026quot;:2,\u0026quot;2\u0026quot;:\u0026quot;Half Light is beautifully recorded and Zimmerman's strikingly-original compositions deserve to be heard. \u0026quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":833,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"9\":0,\"11\":3,\"12\":0}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHalf Light\u003c\/em\u003e is beautifully recorded and Zimmerman's strikingly-original compositions deserve to be heard.\" –\u003cem\u003eAll About Jazz\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of these songs are Andy Zimmerman's compositions – sketches that he lets the band tease apart and put back together. The unique voice isn’t always a prodigy or a technical wizard or an uncanny ear. Because no matter how fast you learn, you’ll never know it all. It’s how you live and who you are that makes you a creator. It’s about a perspective and a desire to share it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndy, Matt Penman, Kevin Hays and Dave Douglas are all masters on their instruments, but much more importantly they have voices that are singular and true.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing \u003cstrong\u003eAndy Zimmerman\u003c\/strong\u003e on tenor saxophone, \u003cstrong\u003eDave Douglas\u003c\/strong\u003e on trumpet, \u003cstrong\u003eKevin Hays\u003c\/strong\u003e on piano, and \u003cstrong\u003eMatt Penman\u003c\/strong\u003e on bass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAlbum Facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCatalog\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNVD09\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHigh-quality digital download\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRecording Detail\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecording\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMixing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMarc Urselli, East Side Sound\u003cbr\u003eNew York, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMastering\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAlex DeTurk, The Bunker Studio\u003cbr\u003eBrooklyn, New York, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack Listing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"track-listing\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE A\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Half Light\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Clearing\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Orr Springs Road\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Montreux\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"The Bay Area\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Two Sapphires\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSIDE B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Crossing Iowa\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Bess You Is My Woman Now\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Lena's Dance\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Sunset And The Mockingbird\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Golden Hours\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLiner Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusicians:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/andrew-zimmerman\"\u003eAndy Zimmerman\u003c\/a\u003e - Tenor Saxophone \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/dave-douglas\"\u003eDave Douglas\u003c\/a\u003e - Trumpet \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/kevin-hays\"\u003eKevin Hays\u003c\/a\u003e - Piano \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/matt-penman\"\u003eMatt Penman\u003c\/a\u003e - Bass \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-top\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"liner-notes-content\" class=\"liner-notes-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"inner-content\" class=\"inner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a bit of a dream for me to listen to this record. A collection of some of my favorite musicians in the world playing a music that sparkles with personal vision. For many people, this might be the first time they’ve heard the music of Andy Zimmerman, but for me Andy is as essential to my own personal musical development and taste as any of the greats. I’m genuinely jealous of the people that get to hear Andy for the first time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’ve never liked the word “talent.” As a society we view talent the same way we viewed intelligence in the 1950’s. You’re either “smart” and you go to college or you’re not and you work with your hands. Before Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and the proliferation of educational theories since the 60’s, being smart was a simple on-off switch. In most ways we use the same black and white approach to music in 2018. It’s common to say “I don’t have any musical talent” or even “my son\/daughter has no gift for music.” Music is a non-representational art-form--it’s not mimicking something found in nature--it is constructed full cloth from the ether. It stands outside of every societal and linguistic marker we have. It’s bigger than our known world and yet, and YET, we insist on this binary, reductive formula. Talent, you either have it or you don’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’ve known and admired Andy Zimmerman’s music for twenty years. We played duo piano and sax throughout our years together in New York University’s fledgling Jazz program. We toured in Europe together and he recorded with me on my first record in 2007. Andy’s got a sound on the horn that is all his own. There’s a musicality in his improvisation that feels sung and never constrained or constructed. I’ve seen people react immediately to Andy’s playing, people not used to listening to Jazz suddenly turning their heads. Something universal is in his playing. For me, Andy could run major scales up and down the instrument and it would still speak volumes. This is perhaps becoming more of a love-letter than liner notes, but as awkward as it might be to say it, maybe this is what’s left when you take “talent” out of the picture. Music, especially instrumental music, is this amorphous, enormous, pervasive, profound thing. It sits outside of every parameter we can frame it with. It doesn’t speak about anything other than itself and it only has meaning when you share it with someone. Music either speaks to you or it doesn’t. If nothing else, love’s at least a bigger and more inclusive word for its source than “talent”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe songs on this record sound like nothing else I’ve heard. Most of these songs are Andy’s compositions, sketches that he lets the band tease apart and put back together. The unique voice isn’t always a prodigy or a technical wizard or an uncanny ear. Because no matter how fast you learn, you’ll never know it all. It’s not how quick you can master something that matters; it’s do you have something to say? Learning how to read when you’re two years old is not an indicator of whether or not you’ll someday write a great novel. It’s how you live and who you are that makes you a creator. It’s about a perspective and a desire to share it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndy, Matt Penman, Kevin Hays and Dave Douglas are all masters on their instruments, but much more importantly they have voices that are singular and true. What’s talent compared to truth? We play music to forget technique. We spend our lives honing a skill set that allows us to be as transparent as possible. We are trying to do nothing more or less than show as much of ourselves as the listener can hear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e– Elan Mehler\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"read-more-overlay\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#liner-notes-top\" class=\"read-more-trigger smooth-scroll\" style=\"opacity: 0.8; display: block; text-align: center;\"\u003e Continue reading \u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top: 20px; opacity: 0.8; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/files\/Andy_Zimmerman_-_Half_Light_Liner_Notes.pdf?v=1598292799\" class=\"btn-link\"\u003e Download printable PDF \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Newvelle Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41296267149508,"sku":"NVD09","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1598\/3657\/products\/20211110_newvelle_digital_andy_zimmerman_shop.jpg?v=1647191665"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.newvelle-records.com\/collections\/season-three\/season_03-season-three.oembed","provider":"Newvelle Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}