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Dopolarians, “The Release”

Avant-garde, multi-lineup collective Dopolarians – with William Parker, Kelley Hurt, Brian Blade, Christopher Parker, Chad Fowler and Marc Franklin – have shared a new single from their upcoming sophomore album, The Bond. From beautiful, impressionist sounds of solo piano to aggressive, Coltrane-inspired bashing and wailing, “The Release” features fierce and intense interplay and the first collaboration between drummer Brian Blade and bassist William Parker. The Bond is due out on April 2 via Mahakala Music.

from www.jazziz.com

That’s right. It’s Pedrito Martinez, whose new album Acertijos (Riddles) promises to deliver a world of grooves through nine new compositions that showcase his astounding rhythmic versatility and commanding voice. Bringing Martinez’s vision into focus are a number of high-profile guests, including blues guitar legend Eric Clapton, who appears on three tracks. His soul-stirring acoustic guitar can be heard on the album’s opener, “Aumba.” 

Clapton has been a close friend and admirer of Martinez since 2009, when the guitarist first heard him perform at the famous New York City Cuban restaurant Guantanamera. The two have been collaborating ever since, with Martinez appearing at Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2019. For Acertijos, Martinez flew to London to record a new version of Clapton’s well-known song “My Father’s Eyes.” Re-interpreted in Spanish as “Los Ojos de Mi Padre,” the song features both men in a stunning vocal duet. Additional guest appearances on the album include saxophonists Miguel Zenon and David Sanchez, trumpeters Sean Jones and Etienne Charles, and vocalist Isaac Delgado Jr. and Mitchell Delgado, among many others.

In a press statement, Martinez called Acertijos “a compilation of emotions … and the story of my life living in New York and Cuba.” A vocalist and percussionist with a wide array of styles within his grasp, Martinez relocated to New York City from his native Havana in 1998. He was a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Afro-Beat band Yerba Buena, recording two albums with the group, including genre-defying President Alien featuring Roy Hargrove and Meshell Ndegeocello. His playing was also featured in the films Calle 54 (2000) and Chico and Rita (2010).

In 2005, Martinez formed the Pedrito Martinez Group, whose self-titled debut album was nominated for a GRAMMY Award in 2013. His 2016 follow-up album, Habana Dreams, was recorded largely in Cuba, with guests including Ruben Blades and Angelique Kidjo.

Martinez is widely considered one of the world’s foremost purveyors of Cuban folk music. With Acertijos, he is realizing a sound that taps into the spirits of his homeland, and a few from his new home, too. He says: “The spirits I accumulated when I was living in Cuba, and all the spirits I accumulated here [in the US]. They put me on my way.”

Acertijos will drop March 19, 2021, and will be available on all digital platforms with a limited vinyl edition available on Immediate Family Records.

 

Michael Lington, “Baker Street” feat. Javier Colon  

Saxophone great Michael Lington turned his home studio into a virtual performance room during lockdown for his popular ongoing series of weekly shows on the SageIt Platform, featuring duets with musical friends of originals and covers from his 20-plus-year solo discography. Highlight moments from the series are now collected in an upcoming album, Alone Together – out on March 26 via Peak/BFD/The Orchard – including the first single, a rousing version of “Baker Street” with The Voice winner Javier Colon. Other guests on the record include Dave Koz, Kenny Lattimore, Boney James and many more.

John Patitucci, Vinnie Colaiuta, Bill Cunliffe, Trio (Le Coq)

Veteran jazz virtuosos pianist Bill Cunliffe, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta join forces for the first time as a trio. This album, simply titled Trio, captures their high-spirited, vigorously swinging standards session, including takes on compositions by George Shearing, Chick Corea, Miles Davis and more, and is released via the new imprint Le Coq.

Alfa Mist, “Run Outs”

London-based producer/pianist Alfa Mist will release Bring Backs, his debut album for ANTI-, on April 23. The record marks a new moment in the evolution of Alfa Mist, who has steadily been establishing himself as one of the most dynamic and consistent talents to emerge from the British capital’s widely celebrated jazz reformation. The announcement is accompanied by the release of its first single, “Run Out,” which he explains is named after a street game he remembers playing as a child and brings together “the vibe of my earliest beats with where I’m at today.”

from www.jazziz.com