THE VANDERMARK 5 — A Discontinuous Line (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Given the title and dedication of the Vandermark 5's 2006 issue A Discontinuous Line, with two of its pieces being dedicated to architects/filmmakers Charles and Ray Eames ("Convertible, Version One" and "Convertible, Version Two" respectively), and other discontinuous line musicians, architects, and artists such as the late Philip Wilson, Elliot Carter, Sergio Leone, Giorgio de Chirico, Walker Evans, and the great Santiago Calatrava, it is compelling to examine the music along these parameters. Ken Vandermark's writing has grown more formal in recent years, with the places for improvisation marked out. Here, the compositions themselves breathe more, the lines are looser and based on rhythmic ideas and feel rather than formalist notions. Thus, the first "Convertible" piece sounds, upon first hearing, like a loosely conceived improvisation, but the way lines come out of the rhythm section and then the horns, is remarkable because nothing could be further form the truth. Rhythm is the very place of generation; this is true on both "Convertibles," as it were, but that generation follows a harmonic idea from start to finish, and the edgy improvisation inside that idea has the capability of expanding it into another sonic universe heard only by the players as they make the music. The tough, Monk-like swing at the genus of "Reciprocal" has its own way of cracking its own spine to allow for minor-key improvisation on the bass clarinet by Vandermark, who examines the melodic notion from all sides and creates a new one as the piece continues to move and even swing in places. Also, Fred Lonberg-Holm's cello adds not only to the rhythm section, but acts as an engaged rhythmic improviser on whom contrapuntal ideas are regularly juxtaposed against or bounced off until complex, "free" improvisation takes hold of the unit. Monk's persona once more enters the corpus of the Vandermark 5's rigorous playfulness on "Aperture," where a bluesy swinging theme is held by Vandermark's baritone and Kent Kessler's bass until Lonberg-Holm enters to bridge the two, and then it's Dave Rempis on the alto that flies loose of the melody, understanding its modality enough, and its rhythm, to strut off the ledge and seek. This is another remarkable set by the Vandermark 5, a unit that plays together now so effortlessly, even with new addition of Lonberg-Holm, whose manners bring colors and textures to this deliciously and deliriously joyful yet utterly complex music; he's a welcome addition. A Discontinuous Line is full of them, but that's where the listener comes in, to move the music further in discourse by taking it in. 
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1.    Convertible, Version One (For Charles Eames)    8:39
2.    Reciprocal (For Santiago Calatrava)    7:40
3.    La Dernier Cri (For Elliot Carter)    7:48
4.    Some Not All (For Phillip Wilson)    13:46
5.    Aperture (For Walker Evans)    6:45
6.    Morricone (For Sergio Leone)    7:00
7.    Convertible, Version Two (For Ray Eames)    6:26
8.    The Ladder (For Giorgio De Chirico)    10:50
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Dave Rempis
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet [Bb], Composed By – Ken Vandermark
Bass – Kent Kessler
Cello – Fred Lonberg-Holm
Drums – Tim Daisy

HERBIE HANCOCK — Maiden Voyage (1965) RM | SACD, Hybrid | Four Version | RVG Edition Series + The BN Works 4100 Series + The Blue Note Reissues Series | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Between 1965's Maiden Voyage and 1968's Speak Like a Child, Herbie Hancock was consumed with his duties as part of the Miles Davis Quintet, who happened to be at their creative and popular peak during those three years. When Hancock did return to a leadership position on Speak Like a Child, it was clear that he had assimilated not only the group's experiments, but also many ideas Miles initially sketched out with Gil Evans. Like Maiden Voyage, the album is laid-back, melodic, and quite beautiful, but there are noticeable differences between the two records. Hancock's melodies and themes have become simpler and more memorable, particularly on the title track, but that hasn't cut out room for improvisation. Instead, he has found a balance between accessible themes and searching improvisations that work a middle ground between post-bop and rock. Similarly, the horns and reeds are unconventional. He has selected three parts -- Thad Jones' flügelhorn, Peter Phillips' bass trombone, Jerry Dodgion's alto flute -- with unusual voicings, and he uses them for tonal texture and melodic statements, not solos. The rhythm section of bassist Ron Carter and drummer Mickey Roker keeps things light, subtle, and forever shifting, emphasizing the hybrid nature of Hancock's original compositions. But the key to Speak Like a Child is in Hancock's graceful, lyrical playing and compositions, which are lovely on the surface and provocative and challenging upon closer listening. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1.    Riot    4:36
 Herbie Hancock 
2.    Speak Like A Child    7:47
 Herbie Hancock 
3.    First Trip 5:58
Composed By – Ron Carter
4.    Toys    5:50
 Herbie Hancock 
5.    Goodbye To Childhood    7:04
 Herbie Hancock 
6.    The Sorcerer    5:36
 Herbie Hancock 
7.    Riot (First Alternate Take)    4:55
 Herbie Hancock 
8.        Riot (Second Alternate Take)    4:40
 Herbie Hancock 
9.        Goodbye To Childhood (Alternate Take)    5:49
 Herbie Hancock 
Credits :  
Alto Flute – Jerry Dodgion
Bass – Ron Carter
Bass Trombone – Peter Phillips
Drums – Mickey Roker
Flugelhorn – Thad Jones
Piano – Herbie Hancock
Producer – Duke Pearson
Recorded By, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder

YANN TIERSEN – 11 5 18 2 5 18 (2022) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Though Yann Tiersen's music is no stranger to electronics, they've never been the focus of his music quite the way they are on 11 5 18 2 5 18. Created while preparing for his late 2021 live set at Superbooth, a Berlin festival celebrating synthesizers and modular gear, the album is both a continuation and a departure for Tiersen. His previous album Kerber fused delicate piano melodies with ambient washes and textures, a direction he embellishes on with the softly drifting "11 5 18 12 1 14 14," but more often than not, 11 5 18 2 5 18 provides new perspectives on Tiersen's time-tested strengths. The heartrending melody of "16 15 21 12 12. 2 15 10 5 18" harks back to early works like Le Valse des Monstres, but the John Carpenter-like arpeggiated synths and syncopated beats that surround it sound unlike anything else in his body of work. Just how propulsive 11 5 18 2 5 18 is may come as a shock to longtime fans: the album's title track combines tones that flicker like rainbows refracted through cracked glass with a heavy, thrusting beat that borders on industrial, while the joyous anticipation and momentum "11 5 18. 1 12. 12 15 3 8" builds wouldn't be out of place at a rave. Though the move to the dance floor is the most surprising thing about the album, it's not necessarily the most interesting. At times, the insistent rhythms hinder the swift, subtle shifts in melody and mood that make Tiersen's music so compelling, and the way many of the tracks inevitably build to a four-on-the-floor beat becomes repetitive, robbing otherwise intriguing pieces like "1 18. 13 1 14 5 18. 11 15 26 8" of some of their impact. Nevertheless, 11 5 18 2 5 18 has some genuinely unexpected moments. The tracks with vocals -- which haven't featured prominently in Tiersen's work since 2019's ALL -- are among the highlights, with the ethereal female vocals on "13 1 18 25 (6 5 1 20. 17 21 9 14 17 21 9 19)" adding a graceful complement to its driving pulse and the darkwave leanings of "3 8 1 16 20 5 18. 14 9 14 5 20 5 5 14" suggesting that a collaboration between Tiersen and TR/ST could be magic. While the new approaches he uses on 11 5 18 2 5 18 aren't always as distinctive as his previous work, it's still worth hearing for fans of his compositional skills, which remain strong despite the album's changes. Heather Phares
Tracklist :
1.    11 5 18 2 5 18 (11:39)
2.    11 5 18. 1 12. 12 15 3 8 (6:23)
3.    1 18. 13 1 14 5 18. 11 15 26 8 (4:23)
4.    16 1 12 5 19 20 9 14 5 (4:57)
5.    3 8 1 16 20 5 18. 14 9 14 5 20 5 5 14 (6:10)
6.    11 5 18 12 1 14 14 (4:05)
7.    11 5 18. 25 5 7 21 (3:47)
8.    16 15 21 12 12. 2 15 10 5 18 (4:33)
9.    13 1 18 25 (4:05)
Featuring – Quinquis
Credits :
Producer, Mixed, Written-By – Yann Tiersen

LUDOVICO EINAUDI — Taranta Project (2015) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1.        Introductio Ad Regnum Tarantulae 4:20
Accordion – Roberto Gemma
Bagpipes [Bag Pipe] – Giulio Bianco
Banjo – Leo Einaudi
Bouzouki – Emanuele Licci
Cello [Electric Cello] – Marco Decimo
Conductor [Rome Film Orchestra Conducted By] – Michele Fedrigotti
Electronics [Live Electronics], Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Music By – Ludovico Einaudi
Orchestra – Rome Film Orchestra
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò, Mauro Durante
Viola – Antonio Leofreddi
Violin – Laura Riccardi
2.        Taranta 4:21
Accordion – Roberto Gemma
Bouzouki – Emanuele Licci
Cello – Marco Decimo
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Davul [Tapan] – Giancarlo Paglialunga
Electric Guitar – Justin Adams
Electronics [Live Electronics], Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Fiddle [Ritti] – Juldeh Camara
Flute – Giulio Bianco
Kemenche – Cafer Nazlibaş
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Lyrics By – Mauro Durante
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Music By – Ludovico Einaudi, Mauro Durante
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi
Soloist, Violin [Solo Violin] – Mauro Durante
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò
Viola – Antonio Leofreddi
Violin – Laura Riccardi
Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Cinzia Villani, Enza Pagliara
3.        Fimmene 4:17
Accordion – Roberto Gemma
Arranged By – Ludovico Einaudi
Backing Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Cinzia Villani, Emanuele Licci, Enza Pagliara, Giancarlo Paglialunga
Bouzouki – Emanuele Licci
Cello – Marco Decimo
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Electric Guitar – Justin Adams
Fiddle [Ritti] – Juldeh Camara
Goblet Drum [Darbuka] – Oray Yay
Kanjira – Antonio Castrignanò
Kemenche – Cafer Nazlibaş
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Lead Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Enza Pagliara
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Percussion – Alessandro Monteduro
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi
Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Tambourine – Mauro Durante
Written-By – Traditional
4.        Nazzu Nazzu 5:36
Accordion – Roberto Gemma
Arranged By – Ludovico Einaudi
Bouzouki – Emanuele Licci
Cajón [Cahon] – Cafer Nazlibaş
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Electric Guitar – Justin Adams
Fiddle [Ritti] – Juldeh Camara
Flute – Giulio Bianco
Goblet Drum [Darbuka] – Oray Yay
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Lead Vocals – Cinzia Villani, Juldeh Camara
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Percussion – Alessandro Monteduro
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi
Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò, Mauro Durante
Written-By – Traditional
5.        Choros 5:48
Accordion – Roberto Gemma
Bagpipes [Bag Pipe] – Giulio Bianco
Bouzouki – Emanuele Licci
Cello – Marco Decimo
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Electronics [Live Electronics], Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Music By – Ludovico Einaudi
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi
Soloist, Violin [Solo Violin] – Mauro Durante
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò
Viola – Antonio Leofreddi
Violin – Laura Riccardi
6.        Core Meu 5:28
Accordion – Roberto Gemma
Backing Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Antonio Castrignanò, Emanuele Licci
Bouzouki – Emanuele Licci
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Goblet Drum [Darbuka] – Oray Yay
Lead Vocals – Antonio Castrignanò
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Music By – Ludovico Einaudi
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi
Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris, Ludovico Einaudi
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò, Mauro Durante
7.        Tonio Yima / Rirollala 4:01
Accordion – Roberto Gemma
Backing Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Cinzia Villani*, Emanuele Licci, Enza Pagliara, Giancarlo Paglialunga
Bouzouki – Emanuele Licci
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Drum Machine – Mercan Dede
Electric Guitar – Justin Adams
Fiddle [Ritti] – Juldeh Camara
Flute – Giulio Bianco
Goblet Drum [Darbuka] – Oray Yay
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Lead Vocals – Emanuele Licci, Juldeh Camara
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Music By [Rirollala] – Traditional
Music By [Tonio Yima] – Juldeh Camara, Justin Adams
Percussion – Alessandro Monteduro
Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò, Mauro Durante
8.        Mamma La Rondinella 4:18
Arranged By – Ludovico Einaudi
Backing Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Cinzia Villani, Emanuele Licci, Enza Pagliara, Giancarlo Paglialunga
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Goblet Drum [Darbuka] – Oray Yay
Kemenche – Cafer Nazlibaş
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Lead Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Enza Pagliara
Percussion – Alessandro Monteduro
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi
Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò, Mauro Durante
Written-By – Traditional
9.        Preludio / Nar I-Seher 10:04
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Goblet Drum [Darbuka] – Oray Yay
Kemenche – Cafer Nazlibaş
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Music By [Nar I-Seher] – Mercan Dede
Music By [Preludio] – Ludovico Einaudi
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi
Sampler [Samples], Sounds, Ney, Drum Machine – Mercan Dede
Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò, Mauro Durante
10.        Ferma Zitella 4:09
Arranged By – Ludovico Einaudi
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Lead Vocals – Giancarlo Paglialunga
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi
Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Tambourine – Mauro Durante
Written-By – Traditional
11.        Santu Paulu / Finale 6:21
Accordion – Roberto Gemma
Arranged By – Ludovico Einaudi
Backing Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Cinzia Villani, Antonio Castrignanò, Emanuele Licci, Enza Pagliara, Giancarlo Paglialunga
Bagpipes [Bag Pipe] – Giulio Bianco
Bouzouki – Emanuele Licci
Cello – Marco Decimo
Cello [Electric Cello] – Redi Hasa
Conductor [Rome Film Orchestra Conducted By] – Michele Fedrigotti
Electric Guitar – Justin Adams
Electronics [Live Electronics], Synth [Synth Bass] – Alberto Fabris
Fiddle [Ritti] – Juldeh Camara
Flute – Giulio Bianco
Goblet Drum [Darbuka] – Oray Yay
Kemenche – Cafer Nazlibaş
Kora – Ballaké Sissoko
Lead Vocals – Alessia Tondo, Cinzia Villani, Antonio Castrignanò, Emanuele Licci, Enza Pagliara, Giancarlo Paglialunga
Mandola – Gianluca Longo
Orchestra – Rome Film Orchestra
Percussion – Alessandro Monteduro
Tambourine – Antonio Castrignanò, Mauro Durante
Viola – Antonio Leofreddi
Violin – Laura Riccardi
Written-By – Traditional
12.        Nuvole Bianche 5:39
Lead Vocals – Alessia Tondo
Lyrics By – Alessia Tondo
Music By – Ludovico Einaudi
Piano – Ludovico Einaudi

STEPS — Paradox (1982-1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This great recording shows a different side to Steps' music by showcasing a more avant-garde style. Peter Erskine replaces Steve Gadd on drums. Paul Kohler
Tracklist :
1.    NL4    8:45
Written-By – Don Grolnick
2.    The Aleph    9:58
Written-By – Mike Mainieri
3.    Patch Of Blue    7:49
Written-By – Mike Mainieri
4.    Four Chords    10:53
Written-By – Don Grolnick
5.    Take A Walk    11:56
Written-By – Michael Brecker
6.    Nichka    2:24
Written-By – Eddie Gomez
Credits :
Performer [Steps] – Don Grolnick, Eddie Gomez, Michael Brecker, Mike Mainieri, Peter Erskine