STINGRAY DJAZZ PRESENTS: NOD TO NEWPORT

Blending elements of EDM, South American music, and psychedelia, SOFI TUKKER offer up an incredibly unique and free spirited sound in our newest episode of The Writer's Block.

An evening with the “Foursight” quartet takes you on a tour of Ron Carter’s discography, with two thousand five hundred albums, which is to say the consideration he has received since his debut in 1959. After accompanying Jacky Byard and Eric Dolphy, he joined Miles Davis’ legendary VSOP with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams, among others. Much more than an accompanist, the double bassist is above all a great soloist, as much in intimate trios as in advanced experimental formations or large orchestras. He will be remarkably surrounded here, during his “Foursight” show at Jazz sous les pommiers 2019.

With his spade-like hands capable of being as delicate as a lace maker, the godfather of Cuban jazz Chucho Valdés (six Grammies and three Latin Grammy Awards) is back with Jazz Batá 2 (2018). 47 years after his first eponymous volume, the giant has brought the influence of the famous batá drum into modern times (sacred Yoruba religious instrument in Cuba). So he's revived the concept of his 1972 Jazz Batá album. At the time, this simple trio project with no drums was experimental. The pianist may have dropped the small band after the roaring success of Irakere (from 1973) but he's always wanted to go back to it. So he has, "with a wider panorama and quintet", says Jésus "Chucho" Valdès. His father Bebo Valdès, the inventor of batanga beats in 1952, taught him music. The album and tour coming our way also mark the centenary of Ramón "Bebo" Valdés (1918-2013) and Chucho's 77th birthday (they were both born on October 9th). The trumpet player Roy Hargrove was a regular at Jazz à Vienne and passed away in November 2018. His unforgettable performance with his quintet at the Roman Theatre on July 12th will remain an incredible memory of the bond between the trumpet player and Vienne audience. The Cuban maestro Chucho Valdès remembers getting a Grammy for his involvement in Roy Hargrove's American-Cuban project Crisol 20 years ago (1998). The Louisiana trumpet player Terence Blanchard is the quintet's special guest and will replicate Roy's flair and talent in this moving tribute.

James 'Blood' Ulmer, the 'Blues Preacher', holds the secret of producing the blues' essence that he learned from his father. However, Ulmer is perhaps more famous for his partnership with Ornette Coleman, who decided to teach the guitarist to play free improvisation in the seventies. Consequently, James 'Blood' Ulmer became an initiator of 'free funk', which rebelled against the new order of neo-bop in the eighties. Now most of his original peers have gone, Ulmer rekindles their fiery memory with a new band.

There is a packed crowd for this De La Soul set at the 2019 Garorock Festival, and with good reason: they witness an unmissable concert by an incomparable group! Having released regular albums since 1989’s 3 Feet High and Rising, the Long Island hip-hop stalwarts of De La Soul have been doing the rounds on a suitably named Gods of Rap tour alongside Public Enemy and the Wu-Tang Clan. With an opening that includes call and response, mic checks and arms waving in the air, the audience gets more than a touch of vintage appeal, something that has led to terms like “heritage rap” being associated with the group. But despite their long and influential career, the De La Soul impact has perennial relevance for much of contemporary music. They pushed boundaries back then and they continue to venture out further. In this performance, we can hear how their sound generously combines jazz, rock, afrobeat, disco and more into a unique blend that is all their own.

On July 20, 2018, double bassist Christian McBride presented his band ‘New Jawn’ at the Malta Jazz Festival. A five-time Grammy winner, McBride is one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today. Hailing from Philadelphia, this music luminary combines jazz, R&B, pop/rock, hip hop/neo-soul, and classical. Gracing the Malta Jazz stage with him are Nasheet Waits (drums), Marcus Strickland (tenor sax), and Josh Evans (trumpet).