In many ways I see myself as a storyteller. Each one of these melodies is like a little tale, a way for me to take all these feelings, arrange them as sound in time, and present them to you in a song. It’s me, opening up to you, sharing what I feel and how I understand the world, and hopefully giving what you feel a name, a sound, a melody.
Like a good story, I wanted it to have enough space for you to use your imagination to make this music your own. These songs are really for you as much as they are for me. And the core of the song is the melody. That’s the main thing for me as an artist.
People like to look down on Miles Davis, saying he plays the melodies wrong, or think Monk’s phrasing is funny, that Duke’s writing is corny, Wayne’s melodies are too abstract. That’s all wrong. The reason we connect with these artists on such a deep level is the gift of melody. If I can give you a melody, a song, it’s like I’ve given life to a dream.
Neil Gaiman wrote that the right song can turn an emperor into a laughingstock, can bring down dynasties - and he’s right. I see myself as a singer and melody is paramount for me. Having facility is nice, but can I really tell you a story or sing you a song - that’s how I want to connect.
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credits
released October 27, 2017
Jonathan Greenstein - Vol 2
Jonathan Greenstein - Sax, Keyboard ; Michael King - Piano, Keyboard ;
Takeshi Ohbayashi - Piano, Keyboard ;
Joshua Crumbly - Bass ;
Jonathan Pinson - Drums ;
Mix - Vishal Nayak, Black Lodge Studios ;
Mastering - Jeremy Loucas, Sear Sound ;
Art - Gil Chen
This record has such a magical flow to it, it seems to capture so directly the ups and downs of life, the joy of music and dance, and it's just so damn catchy and fun to listen to as well. Giles
This is a most impressing genre-spanning magnum opus. Fabian Almazan's Cuban roots shine through the entire suite of blended jazz and neo-classical chamber music. His piano, the guitar-bass-drums combo, the enchanting vocals by Camila Meza, and the string quartet complement each other in a perfect way. Sven B. Schreiber (sbs)
Jazz bassist Nim Sadot pays homage to the life of his his late grandfather, a Polish artist who escaped a Soviet labor camp. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 1, 2022
Florida improv collective Madre Vaca construct four long-form chamber jazz movements, each tied to a specific element. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 16, 2021
Drummer, band leader, sound collagist Makaya McCravens 2nd opus magnum. Material from 4 different purely improvised live sets in 4 cities, recomposed into new compositions/collages. To astonishing results, I have to add. Carsten Pieper