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| Whaling City Sound announces April release "Kind of New" by Jason Miles & Ingrid Jensen Whaling City Sound is pleased to announce it will be releasing Kind Of New, a refreshingly diverse new recording co-led by Jason Miles and Ingrid Jensen, in April, 2015. The pair will be starting to tour as a quintet that same month, and will perform a special preview concert at New York's Winter Jazz Fest in January. WCS's Neal Weiss couldn't be happier. "Kind of New is a strong addition to our catalog, and furthers our commitment to issue music deserving of a wider audience, " said the Massachusetts-based label founder. "I was familiar with Ms. Jensen from her earlier work, so was intrigued to hear the result of this collaboration. Jason Miles' impeccable production is a marvel. They've created a most satisfying musical atmosphere." Jason Miles has always been impressed by Ingrid Jensen. The keyboardist/composer knows a thing or two about trumpet players, having collaborated for over five years with none other than Miles Davis ("I like your name" he said to Jason after being introduced by their mutual friend Marcus Miller). Jason Miles was searching for the perfect collaborator with whom he could write and perform this recording, Kind Of New, so named as both a nod to his former mentor but also to denote something fresh. "No one is making this kind of music these days, " adds the Grammy-recognized producer and keyboardist, whose credits also include work with Luther Vandross, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan and Sting, among others. It's clear, listening to Kind Of New, that the pair are a perfect musical match. Born in Vancouver and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Ingrid Jensen has been hailed as one of the most gifted trumpeters of her generation. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1989, she went on to record three highly acclaimed CDs for the ENJA record label, soon becoming one of the most in-demand players on the global jazz scene. Kind Of New showcases Ingrid's musicality and chops in a way previously unexplored. "Putting the music together with Jason over the past year has been an incredibly rewarding experience, " adds the trumpeter, who has known Jason for almost a decade. "He's one of the greatest producers out there, period. His ability to hear what is needed in the moment is pure magic, and this gift he has for setting the stage helped to inspire the music, especially during our live writing process." Jason agrees, adding that "I feel there is a dimension to Ingrid's playing here that's intriguingly new. When you work with a great player like Ingrid, it's exciting to go deep into the music, because you know she'll take it to the next level." For Jason Miles, the inspiration for these new original compositions was Miles Davis' Cellar Door Sessions, a recently discovered collection of live recordings captured at the legendary Washington, DC club in 1970. Finally issued in 2006, it's now considered one of Davis' finest line-ups, and prompted Pitchfork to state, "there is a case to be made that [bassist] Michael Henderson, drummer Jack DeJohnette, saxophonist Gary Bartz, keyboardist Keith Jarrett and Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira comprised his last indisputably great band." "It wasn't long after I started working with Miles [Davis] that it became obvious that he had a special affinity for the Cellar Door group, " adds Jason Miles. "Since there were no recordings available, it was only after finally hearing the reissue [Columbia Records; 2006] that I realized just how special it was. The perfect combination of musicians." The Cellar Door vibe of that music stayed with the keyboardist. Years later, jamming with Ingrid Jensen, using the germ of a few ideas, he knew he'd found something special. "I think there's great chemistry between us, and I'm thrilled with the results. "It's really our record, " he emphasizes with a modesty atypical for someone of his stature. "You can feel the collaboration between the grooves." Kind Of New, as with each Jason Miles production, features top name supporting players, culled from Miles' impressive rolodex. Jay Rodriguez and Jeff Coffin are heard on saxophones; James Genus contributes bass to "Shirley, " the album's tribute to Shirley Horn. Also contributing bass are Jerry Brooks, Amanda Ruzza and Adam Dorn (Mocean Worker). Nir Felder plays guitar on "Kat's Eye" and there are no less than six drummers and percussionists: Gene Lake, Jon Wikan, Brian Dunne, Mike Clark, Steven Wolf and Cyro Baptista. write your comments about the article :: © 2014 Jazz News :: home page |