Remembering multi-instrumentalist Derf Reklaw on his birthday

Remembering flautist/percussionist & educator Derf Reklaw with a few performances and recordings worth checking.  

LINKS

Derf Reklaw site

CKCU-FM In Memorium: Derf Reklaw

Ubiquity – Archive Releases Derf Reklaw's From The Nile

New Dawn Build An Ark's Revision (An Anthology)

Mark de Clive-Lowe explores the music of Pharoah Sanders on Freedom

Mark de Clive-Lowe enlisted saxophonist Teodross Avery, percussionist Carlos Niño and singer Dwight Trible for the Freedom live tribute to Pharoah. 

Here's the scoop...

Electronic jazz pioneer, pianist, producer, remixer Mark de Clive-Lowe has an envious reputation as a cross genre creative artist who blends acoustic, electronic and world music exploring themes of belonging and identity. Equal parts jazz, house, hip hop and broken beat artist, Jazziz summed him up perfectly - "way before jazz hybridity became a worldwide phenomenon, de Clive-Lowe was busy designing its blueprint.” 

Freedom is a live concert recording made at the Blue Whale, Los Angeles - where Mark put together a Los Angeles based collective consisting of some of the best talents around: Teodross Avery – saxophone, Corbin Jones - bass, souzaphone drummer Tommaso Cappellato, Carlos Niño – percussion and the highly renowned spiritual jazz vocalist Dwight Trible. 

Reinterpreting a set of Pharoah Sanders highly respected music is not for the creatively timid, and Mark himself sets out the approach and philosophy this collective took when approaching this project: “This album is a celebration of the music, joy and spirit that the great master-teacher Pharoah Sanders brings to the world through his lifelong creative journey. We gathered at Los Angeles’ Blue Whale jazz club to perform some of our favourite Pharoah compositions from a place of love, respect and gratitude for all the inspiration he’s brought to each of us. No one can play this music how Pharoah plays it - his expression is unique and imprinted on every one of his compositions in the deepest of ways. We can’t possibly improve on his mastery and share this music simply as a heartfelt thank you to Pharoah - we celebrate you, and are so grateful for all the timeless - and timely - music you have gifted to the world”. 

Across this 12 track album the unique approach of improvised jazz is embellished with MdCL’s tasteful and subtle touches of electronica played & triggered – from behind his array of equipment he reinvigorates and energises the music with a deft and tasteful approach. The interplay between the musicians including vocalist Dwight Trible is flawless and more akin to a extensively rehearsed studio recording than a live concert, such are the skills of all the players. 

The highlights are many and varied, from the delicate, sensitive 'Mansions World' and 'Astral Travelling' to the intense and rhythmically driven tracks 'Ore-Se-Rere' and Teodross Avery’s spine tingling saxophone clarion call that opens the ever green 'You’ve Got To Have Freedom' is a beautiful tribute from one generation of master musicians to Pharoah – one of the greatest ever. 

Get a copy of Freedom via Bandcamp right here. Check out a few tracks below. 

If you happen to be in L.A. this weekend, check out the Freedom album launch at 2220 Arts. Get tickets right here. 

Credits:

Mark de Clive-Lowe - piano, rhodes, keyboards, live effects 

Dwight Trible - vocals 

Teodross Avery - saxophone 

Corbin Jones - bass, souzaphone 

Tommaso Cappellato - drums 

Carlos Niño - percussion 

Makaya McCraven shares Universal Beings doc along with E&F Sides soundtrack album

The 26-minute Universal Beings doc presents the story behind the making of Makaya McCraven's breakthrough album.

Here's the scoop...

An addendum to Makaya McCraven's critically-acclaimed 2018 release Universal Beings, which The New York Times said "affirms the drummer and beatsmith's position as a major figure in creative music," Universal Beings E&F Sides presents fourteen new pieces of organic beat music cut from the original sessions, prepared and produced by Makaya as a soundtrack to the Universal Beings documentary film. 

Directed by Mark Pallman, the Universal Beings documentary follows Makaya to Los Angeles, Chicago, London and New York City for a behind the scenes look into the making of the artists breakthrough album, taking the viewer through the story of Makaya's life, his process and the community of musicians that helped bring this project to life. The Universal Beings documentary and Universal Beings E&F Sides album were released July 31st 2020. Watch the Universal Beings documentary below followed  by the track listing and credits for Universal Beings E&F Sides album and audio clips of "Kings and Queens" featuring saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings and "Butterss Fly" featuring guitarist Jeff Parker and percussionist Carlos Niño. 

Makaya McCraven – Universal Beings E&F Sides

1. Everybody Cool

2. Half Steppin'

3. Mak Attack

4. The Hunt

5. Beat Science

6. Dadada

7. Isms

8. Traveling Space

9. Kings And Queens

10. The Loneliness

11. Her Name

12. Universal Beings Pt. 2

13. Butterss Fly

14. The Way Home

Credits:

Tracks 1, 5 & 11 recorded August 29th, 2017, at H010 in Ridgewood, Queens, New York. Featuring: 

Brandee Younger - harp 

Joel Ross - vibraphone 

Dezron Douglas - double bass 

Makaya McCraven - drums 

Tracks 2 & 14 recorded October 18th, 2017, at Total Refreshment Centre in Stoke Newington, London, UK. Featuring: 

Soweto Kinch - saxophone 

Kamaal Williams - keys 

Makaya McCraven - drums 

Tracks 3 & 4 recorded October 19th, 2017, at Total Refreshment Studios in Stoke Newington, London, UK. Featuring: 

Nubya Garcia - tenor saxophone 

Ashley Henry* - rhodes piano 

Daniel Casimir - double bass 

Makaya McCraven - drums 

*Ashley Henry appears courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited 

Tracks 6, 12 & 13 recorded January 30th, 2018, at Jeff Parker's house in Altadena, California. Featuring: 

Josh Johnson - alto saxophone 

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson - violin 

Jeff Parker - guitar 

Anna Butterss - double bass 

Carlos Niño - percussion 

Makaya McCraven - drums 

Track 7 recorded June 18th, 2017, at Co-Prosperity Sphere in Bridgeport, Chicago, Illinois. Featuring: 

Junius Paul - double bass 

Makaya McCraven - drums 

Tracks 8, 9 & 10 recorded September 2nd, 2017, at Co-Prosperity Sphere in Bridgeport, Chicago, Illinois. Featuring: 

Shabaka Hutchings* - tenor saxophone 

Tomeka Reid - cello 

Junius Paul - double bass, percussion 

Makaya McCraven - drums 

*Shabaka Hutchings appears courtesy of Verve Label Group 

Dwight Trible revisits "Brother Where Are You?" on new Mothership album

"Brother Where Are You?" is off Dwight Trible's new album Mothership available right here.