GWILYM SIMCOCK — Good Days at Schloss Elmau (2011) FLAC (tracks), lossless

 Chick Corea calls him an "original, a creative genius" and Jamie Cullum, undisputed star of British jazz, declares him "our best young piano player". ACT
Tracklist :
1    These Are The Good Days    6:06
2    Mezzotint    6:37
3    Gripper    6:35
4    Plain Song    5:49
5    Northern Smiles    5:44
6    Can We Still Be Friends?    12:17
7    Wake Up Call    5:27
8    Elmau Tage    9:28
Credits:
Cover – Lee Ufan
Piano, Composed By, Producer, Liner Notes, Mastered By – Gwilym Simcock

VIJAY IYER TRIO — Accelerando (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Surprising interpretations of both traditional jazz and dewy pop and funk pieces, plus pulsating original compositions: One of the "most important pianists of our time" (The New Yorker) returns with his award-winning trio. ACT

It's almost impossible not to consider Accelerando by pianist Vijay Iyer's working trio with bassist Stephen Crump and drummer Marcus Gilmore a companion to 2009's excellent Historicity. Its obvious similarities are that it places a handful of originals alongside a host of cover versions. These come from well-known artists from the worlds of jazz, 21st century dance music, and R&B. But there are key differences, too: for starters, this trio has been together longer; nowhere does that matter more than it does in jazz. The intuitive interplay and collective mindset that this trio possesses are exponentially more mature than they were on Historicity, despite its sharpness and musical acumen. The willingness to take chances is greater, as is the ability to make those risks pay off. Take the reading of "Human Nature," a tune recorded by Michael Jackson for the iconic Thriller. The melody is irresistible and Iyer maintains its framework while he builds on it by syncopating, extrapolating, and coloring it so that it becomes rich with complexity and textures, all the while keeping its melodic integrity. The rhythmic pulse is doubled on the snare, hi-hat, and bass drum. Crump's bass accompanies rather than propels, so his bass is where the groove lies. Heatwave's "The Star of a Story" is likewise melodically intact, but its rhythmic basics are set on a groove that finds funk in waltz time. Iyer discovers subtleties and hidden harmonic corners in his middle register that are remarkable to anyone familiar with the tune. "Mmmhmm," by Flying Lotus and singing bassist Thundercat, is realized with bowed basslines by Crump that both accompany the melody and state it, sparse chordal suggestions by Iyer in the higher register, and a gradually increasing vamp by Gilmore (that sounds like a defective loop because of its intentional slippage), all of which enchant the listener enough to provide Iyer the opportunity to solo using knotty clusters of post-bop dissonance and lyricism. Herbie Nichols' "Wildflower" swings hard with its lean angular line accenting his use of the piano as both a palette of tonal colors and a rhythm instrument. Iyer's own tunes, such as the title track and "Lude," reveal an extensive, purposeful build on jazz history from Thelonious Monk (in the latter) to the future (in the former), where dynamic repetition and gradually complex harmonic multiplications result from simple beginnings. What's most remarkable about these tunes, and the others here, are how consciously danceable they are. The set closes with Duke Ellington's "The Village of the Virgins," from his and Alvin Ailey's jazz ballet entitled The River. The river is obviously the Mississippi; gospel, blues, early jazz, swing, and even 1940s R&B make their voices heard in a nearly processional strut. The trio's interplay takes the structure -- originally performed by a jazz orchestra -- and boils it down to its essences, leaving space for nuance, grace, and elegance. Accelerando is a triumph in creativity and expert musicianship, and further underscores Iyer's status as a genuine jazz innovator.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    Bode 2:18
Written-By – Vijay Iyer
2    Optimism 7:23
Written-By – Vijay Iyer
3    The Star Of A Story 5:46
Written-By – Rodney Temperton
4    Human Nature [Trio Extension] 9:39
Written-By – John Bettis, Steve Porcaro
5    Wildflower 4:10
Written-By – Herbie Nichols
6    Mmmhmm 4:33
Written-By – Flying Lotus, Thundercat
7    Little Pocket Size Demons 7:14
Written-By – Henry Threadgill
8    Lude 4:54
Written-By – Vijay Iyer
9    Accelerando 2:51
Written-By – Vijay Iyer
10    Actions Speak 5:38
Written-By – Vijay Iyer
11    The Village Of The Virgins 5:17
Written-By – Duke Ellington
Credits:
Bass – Stephan Crump
Cover [Art - Mother As A Mountain] – Anish Kapoor
Drums – Marcus Gilmore
Piano, Producer – Vijay Iyer

IIRO RANTALA — Lost Heroes (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 "A masterpiece of musical hero worship." (Süddeutsche Zeitung)

"A natural phenomenon on the keys." (Jazzthing) ACT
Tracklist :
1    Pekka Pohjola    7:36
Music By – Iiro Rantala
2    Waltz For Bill (For Bill Evans)    6:04
Music By – Iiro Rantala
3    Can't Get Up (For Jaco Pastorius)    3:08
Music By – Iiro Rantala
4    Tears For Esbjörn (For Esbjörn Svensson)    5:28
Music By – Iiro Rantala
5    Thinking Of Misty (For Erroll Garner)    6:28
Music By – Iiro Rantala
6    Jean And Aino    7:22
Music By – Iiro Rantala
7    Donna Lee (For Art Tatum) 3:36
Music By – Charlie Parker
8    One More Waltz For Michel Petrucciani    4:08
Music By – Iiro Rantala
9    Bluesette (For Oscar Peterson) 4:04
Music By – Toots Thielemans
10    Intermezzo (For Luciano Pavarotti) 5:50
Music By – Pietro Masgagni
Credits:
Artwork [Cover Art By] – Joel Shapiro
Piano – Iiro Rantala

JULIAN & ROMAN WASSERFUHR — Gravity (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After "Remeber Chet" and "Upgraded", another quantum leap in the career of these two exceptional talents: "The wonderful trumpeter Julian Wasserfuhr and his congenial pianist brother Roman succeed in directly conveying emotion beyond all the craftsmanship and instrumental virtuosity they possess anyway." Matthias Brandt (German actor) ACT
Tracklist :
1    Twinkle Eyes 4:52
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
2    Englishman In New York 5:35
Composed By – Sumner
3    Interlude 1:28
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
4    Love 5:17
Composed By – Kaempfert
5    Ramos Us 3:59
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
6    Fool's Paradise 6:13
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
7    Branca 6:14
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
8    Gravity 2:49
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
9    Midnight Walk 3:30
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
10    If The Rain Comes 4:10
Composed By – Danielsson
11    Blue Desert 4:49
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
12    Some Other Time 4:29
Composed By – Haffner
13    Theo 2:48
Composed By – J. & R. Wasserfuhr
Credits:
Bass, Cello, Guitar – Lars Danielsson
Drums – Wolfgang Haffner
Piano, Celesta, Synthesizer – Roman Wasserfuhr
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Julian Wasserfuhr

PIERRICK PÉDRON — Cheerleaders (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Celebrated in France, here the new jazz promise: original and surprising, alto saxophonist Pierrick Pédron dances between the genres. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Esox-Lucius    6:22
2    The Cloud    6:40
3    Miss Falk's Dog    4:15
4    The Mists Of Time    3:21
5    Nonagon's Dance    4:12
6    2010 White Boots    7:13
7    The Cheerleader's NDE    6:17
8    Coupe 3    6:27
9    Toshiko    6:10
Credits:
Pierrcik Pédron -Alto Saxophone
Chris De Pauw - Guitar
Laurent Coq - Piano, Keyboards
Vincent Artaud - Bass
Franck Agulhon & Fabrice Moreau - Drums
and others