The New York Times included the new track “Cycles and Seasons” from David Murray’s release Blues for Memo, featuring Saul Williams, on “The Playlist” this week.
“This track has two musical sections: a querying refrain, with a tweaked blues melody that lodges quizzically between major and minor, and a skating section of crisp swing. Throughout, Mr. Williams and the pianist Orrin Evans maintain a jittery and prolix flow, demanding action but not waiting around for you to take it.” – Giovanni Russonello
Click here for the full article!
The French newspaper Libération published a full page article on the new album by David Murray featuring Saul Williams, Blues for Memo, available for download and streaming now. Click here to read the article!
David Murray’s new album Blues for Memo is now available online to download and stream!
Featuring acclaimed actor/poet Saul Williams, Murray crafts a powerful, political expression of the blues, paying homage to a pioneer of Istanbul’s jazz scene, Mehmet “Memo” Uluğ. Inspired further by the legendary conductor/cornetist Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris and poet Amiri Baraka, Blues for Memo is a cutting-edge collaboration of jazz and poetry.
Listen/Download here!
Arturo O’Farrill won his fourth Grammy Award this evening at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in New York City. O’Farrill won Best Instrumental Composition for “Three Revolutions” from his latest album Familia: Tribute to Bebo & Chico by Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdes, released in September 2017.
Check out the song here!
Jana Herzen, owner and president of Motema Music, was interviewed in Billboard Magazine in celebration of Motema’s 15th Anniversary!
Check it out here!
NYC Winter Jazzfest begins tonight! The following Motema artists will be playing this weekend’s festival:
FRIDAY:
Stefon Harris- The New School Tishman Auditorium @ 8:20 pm
Donny McCaslin- le poisson rouge @ 9 pm
SATURDAY:
Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet- le poisson rouge @ 9 pm
Rene Marie- Subculture @ 10:20 pm
Click here for the full schedule!