2022 Year End Review
&
A Look at 2023
Ubuntu Music creates Music Aid for Ukraine, to raise funds to assist Ukrainian refugees.
The general consensus appears to be that most of us are delighted and relieved to see the end of 2022, on numerous levels.
For many, the year started with the tragic and unforgivable invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine in early February, which continues to this day. Incensed and unnerved by this travesty, Ubuntu Music galvanised a number of artists on its roster and created Music Aid for Ukraine, donating all digital streaming and download revenue from select tracks from a bespoke album which was created exclusively for this purpose. We are most grateful to those generous artists who kindly donated their music to this worthy cause.
Music Aid for Ukraine album cover.
The year continued with political unrest and economic instability throughout much of the world…Afghanistan, Iran, Brazil, Indonesia, China, Israel, North Korea, Italy…the list goes on. And, in the USA, former President Donald J Trump desperately attempted to retain some modicum of influence as his false empire crumbled and the impending investigations escalated. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden continued to work tirelessly to curb inflation and rising prices, while addressing the return of Covid and the frightening implications of climate change.
Closest to home, in the United Kingdom, we had three Prime Ministers in a single year, with one in power for only a period of 44 days. We mourned the death of our longest serving monarch, while the Royal Family’s dirty laundry was prominently aired for the world to see. Inflation is running out of control and interest rates continue to rise. Nearly every conceivable service in the country has been or continues to be on strike: ambulance staff, border forces, bus drivers, nurses, post office workers, airport workers, driving instructors, fire fighters, train staff and teachers. Although there are many factors which have contributed to this melt-down, Brexit is most certainly a guilty party in all of this.
However, it wasn’t all gloom-and-doom. Surprisingly and thankfully, the recorded music business registered yet another solid performance. As Martin Hummel, Founder and Director of Ubuntu Management Group and Ubuntu Music, wrote in Sammy Stein’s article on ‘The Power of Small(er) Labels’, “The music industry is growing! Worldwide, in 2021, recorded music revenues grew by 19% to nearly $26 Billion (£23 Billion). The UK, which is the world's third-largest market, grew by 13%. Worldwide streaming grew by 24% and now represents two-thirds of total revenue by format. So, the industry is healthy, to say the very least. Jazz (assuming we can define what jazz is!) represents only 1% of the total market. However, anecdotally, this minuscule genre has been more than pulling its weight. The jazz journey has expanded into embracing various forms of other music genres – hip hop, West African, world music, folk, and ambient, to mention just a few – which, as a result, have intuitively expanded its audience reach and appears to be attracting comparatively younger audiences. Streaming is here to stay, and we need to embrace this. Video provides another channel to deliver the music experience. Putting Covid and its impact behind us, it's an exciting time to be a jazz artist."
Yet again, Ubuntu Music had another banner year, thanks to the incredible Artists it has the honour to represent. The latest business results continue to set the bar yet higher.
In 2022, Ubuntu Music released 28 projects from an exceedingly broad roster of exceptionally talented Artists, from a range of influences and geographies. The consistent DNA that runs through the blood of each of these wonderfully gifted individuals is the quality of their music and the strength of their character as musicians who are unwaveringly dedicated to their craft.
A few of the major highlights for the Artists and the Label are summarised below:
Albums of The Year
Six Ubuntu Music Artists earned six Album of The Year recognitions.
Corrie Dick / Sun Swells (European Modern Jazz Radio)
Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars / Live at Audi Forum Ingolstadt (Jazzwise/Peter Vacher Top 20 Albums of 2022)
Harvey / O’Higgins Project / That’s the Way to Live! (Jazzwise/Peter Vacher Top 20 Albums of 2022)
The Kevin Brady Electric Quartet / Plan B (DownBeat Magazine Best Albums of 2022)
O’Higgins & Luft / Pluto (Jazzwise/Andy Robson Top 20 Albums of 2022)
Steve Baker / Tonic (At the Barrier)
Yoko Miwa / Songs of Joy (Patriot Ledger)
4-5 Star Reviews (or equivalent)
19 Artists received 33 reviews of 4-5 Stars in 2022.
Allison Wheeler / winterspring (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
Asaf Harris / Walk of The Ducks (BBC Music) 4 Stars
Andrew McCormack / Terra Firma (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
Andrew McCormack / Terra Firma (Kind of Jazz) 4 Stars
Brandon Allen / The Stanley Turrentine Project (The Jazz Mann) 4 Stars
Brandon Allen / The Stanley Turrentine Project (Kind of Jazz) 4 Stars
Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars / Live at Audi Forum Ingolstadt (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars / Live at Audi Forum Ingolstadt (The Scotsman) 4 Stars
Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars / Live at Audi Forum Ingolstadt (The Times) 4 Stars
Dave Sear / I Always Thought My Thoughts Were Me (BBC Music) 5 Stars ★★★★★
Dave Sear / I Always Thought My Thoughts Were Me (The Jazz Mann) 4 Stars
Harry Christelis & Pedro Velasco / Scribbling (Jazz.pt) 4 Stars
James Kitchman / First Quartet (Kind of Jazz) 4 Stars
James Kitchman / First Quartet (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
Joe Webb / Summer Chill (The Guardian) 4 Stars
Joe Webb / Summer Chill (UK Vibe) 5 Stars ★★★★★
The Kevin Brady Electric Quartet / Plan B (DownBeat Magazine) 4.5 Stars
The Kevin Brady Electric Quartet / Plan B (Jazz Collector) 4 Stars
Marco Tranchina / Smät Five / More Than Ever (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
Marco Tranchina / Smät Five / More Than Ever (Kind of Jazz) 5 Stars ★★★★★
The Mattan Klein Quartet / The Long Run (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
O’Higgins & Luft / Pluto (The Scotsman) 4 Stars
O’Higgins & Luft / Pluto (UK Vibe) 5 Stars ★★★★★
Omar + QCBA / Live At Last (Blues & Soul) 9 out of 10
Omar + QCBA / Live At Last (Echoes) 4 Stars
Omar + QCBA / Live At Last (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
Omar + QCBA / Live At Last (Kind of Jazz) 4 Stars
Paul Booth / 44 (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
Paul Booth / 44 (UK Vibe) 4 Stars
The Pucciarelli Group / Uplift (Guitarist) 8 out of 10
Sean Gibbs / Confluence (The Sunday Times) 4 Stars
Tomorrow’s New Quartet / All Together, Now! (Jazzwise) 4 Stars
Will Glaser / Climbing in Circles (Morning Star) 4 Stars
Notable Recognitions
Yoko Miwa: DownBeat Magazine’s Critics Poll for Rising Star Pianists
Yoko Miwa: All About Jazz’s Top 100 Favourite Living Jazz Pianists
Ubuntu Music Sampler in Jazzwise Magazine’s 25th Anniversary Issue
Ubuntu Music’s Covermount CD in Jazzwise Magazine’s 25th Anniversary Issue
Streaming Milestones
Chet Baker / Polka Dots and Moonbeams track: 20.4 Million Streams
Rob Barron / A Time for Love track: 4.8 Million Streams
The Banger Factory / Lullaby to A Fading Star track: 4.5 Million Streams
Allison Neale / I Should Care track: 1.8 Million Streams
Rob Barron / Pure Imagination track: 1.7 Million Streams
Paul Booth / Seattle Fall track: 1.6 Million Streams
James Copus / Yearning track: 1.4 Million Streams
Ubuntu Music in The Media
Testimonials in The News
“Any new release from Ubuntu Music fills me with great expectations...“
—Alan Musson
“Martin Hummel and Ubuntu have been and gone and done it again…Ubuntu continue to build a strong roster of artists who indeed are the new bands of tomorrow.”
—Andy Robson
“The esteemed Ubuntu Music – a label synonymous with jazz of the highest quality.”
—Alan Musson
2022 Signings
It was another exceedingly ambitious year, with these outstanding artists welcomed into the Ubuntu Music family. For further information, please click on the name of each artist:
Asaf Harris (tenor sax) / Israel
Brandon Allen (saxes) / Australia
Music Aid for Ukraine Project (various)
Allison Wheeler (vocalist) / USA & Czech Republic
Tomorrow’s New Quartet (quartet) / UK
Steve Baker (multi-instrumentalist) / UK
Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars (octet) / USA & Europe
O’Higgins & Luft (quintet) / UK & USA
His’n’Hers (quartet) / UK & Germany
Allan Holdsworth Project (various) / USA, UK & Europe
REVIEW OF 2022
Another banner year for the release of exceptional music on the Ubuntu Music record label.
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
The Mattan Klein Quartet / The Long Run
The Long Run, Mattan’s latest project, features several his regular musicians, including Toki Stern (Rhodes), Yoni Ben Ari (bass) and Joca Perpignan (percussion), with special guest Nitzan Bar (guitar). Mattan’s music has been described by Yossi Harsonsky, Senior Music critic at Maariv, as, “flowing, bright and listener friendly…his flute sound is clear, crispy and melodic, and the Israeli-Brazilian mix is the ultimate contemporary jazz sound, spiced with warm, unique flute sounds…Klein's virtuoso improvisation lifts Jazz-flute playing to new heights."
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Jazzwise).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Matt Ridley / The Antidote Reloaded
“I am tremendously excited to finally be releasing this latest chapter of my music. To do so, I formed my dream band, made up of truly amazing musicians who really understand what I'm trying to achieve. Alex Hitchcock is a rising star saxophonist who brings great energy with his soloing but also really plays with his heart. Ant Law has been a close musical ally for years. In addition to extremely burning solos, he brings a huge palette of sounds and symphonic textures. Tom Hewson, similarly burning, brings great imaginative flair and, unusually for a jazz pianist, really understands and loves the rockier elements of the music. Marc Michel provides all levels of accompaniment, ranging from combative hi-octane interaction, real commitment to groove, and sensitive brush work at the other end of the spectrum.”
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Omar + QCBA / Live At Last
Omar Lye-Fook MBE is, without a doubt, one of the greatest soul music talents the United Kingdom has produced in the last 40 years. If anyone has doubts about that, then they should consider the list of legendary artists who happily line up to collaborate with him musically, or simply sing his praises – from Stevie Wonder, the late Leon Ware, Erykah Badu, Common, through to Carleen Anderson, D’Angelo, and Soul II Soul’s Caron Wheeler, Angie Stone and UK artists Courtney Pine, Rodney P, Kele LeRoc, Natasha Watts and Estelle, who all appreciate his truly original and unique voice, his musicianship and his song writing talent.
Omar teams up with his decade-long partnership of QCBA, featuring the outstanding trumpet player Quentin Collins and the tenor sax titan Brandon Allen, for an intoxicating musical cocktail of jazz, R&B, funk and soul. The roster is rounded out by the exceptional Ross Stanley (Hammond organ) and James Maddren (drums).
QCBA are an organ driven quartet of virtuosos known for their smart, sassy, contemporary and original music. Influenced by the great Blue Note era of the 60s, they’ve taken the jazz scene by storm with their eclectic collaborations. When QCBA team up with Omar, they deliver an explosion of soul-funk infused music.
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Blues & Soul, Echoes, Jazzwise, Kind of Jazz). Features: Front Covers (Echoes, Jazzwise).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Marco Tranchina / Smät Five / More Than Ever
Tranchina teams up with some of the most active Italian musicians on the London jazz scene. His long-standing collaboration with bassist Mikele Montolli (Sun Ra Arkestra, Nigel Price, Heidi Vogel, Judi Jackson) and alto saxophonist Alan Short (Donna Summer, Natalie Cole, Sam Moore), gave birth to a rhythmically solid album which is infused with lyricism and anchored in the bebop heritage. This is combined with unique contributions created by Tranchina’s new partners in crime, Andrea Solarino (Manzi, Bosso, Burk) and Filippo Galli (Tony Kofi, Jure Pukl, Gina Schwarz).
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Jazzwise, Kind of Jazz).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Brandon Allen / The Stanley Turrentine Project
“This is very much a labour of love. My deep respect for Stanley Turrentine’s music has guided me in putting together these arrangements and in my selection of what I believe is my strongest band to date. I believe that we’ve captured some of the ‘spirit’ of the music and I can’t wait to share this album with the world.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (The Jazz Mann, Kind of Jazz).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
The Pucciarelli Group / Uplift
Giuseppe Pucciarelli’s career has been deeply driven by his commitment to study, compose and perform music at the highest level. His philosophy isn’t very different to that of the legendary performers and composers of European and American Improvised Music. Pucciarelli’s main goal is to carry on shaping the trajectory of European post-bop jazz by recognising and respecting the great composers and improvisers who have already outlined and modelled the foundation of such music. The Pucciarelli Group’s release, Uplift, synthesises all those elements together into a superb and confident album.
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Guitarist).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Harry Christelis & Pedro Velasco / Scribbling
“The music on this album has come together through years of individual self-discovery, and exploration of the endless possibilities that emerge from playing as a duo. Our shared influences and differing life experiences have brought about a harmonious musical relationship based on listening, space, freedom, and interaction. We feel so happy for how we’ve been able to capture this on our debut album ‘Scribbling’, and we hope that others will make their own discoveries when listening.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Jazz.pt).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
James Kitchman / First Quartet
“Having spent the best part of a decade honing my craft as a guitarist and improviser, I made it to a place where I felt my experience and imagination start to converge, so I began to compose the music for this record. There are influences from lots of places - I didn’t want to shy away from exhibiting certain aspects of myself, nor from my jazz tendencies. There are nods to my beginnings in folk and psychedelic rock, harmonies derived from the melancholy and romanticism of Astor Piazzolla and the Nuevo-Tango, melodies inspired by composers such as Chopin and Satie, the expansive textures of Scandinavian jazz and the ‘ECM’ sound, and of course the masters of jazz who continue to inspire and inform my playing style (Coltrane, Rollins, Jim Hall, Scofield, Frisell). I hope this results in a record that will be enjoyed by eclectic listeners and aficionados alike.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Kind of Jazz, Jazzwise)
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Giuseppe Paradiso & Meridian 71 / Parallel Dimensions
“These original compositions represent my extensive and ongoing research into multiculturalism and the different traditions and cultures to which I have been exposed musically and personally. Indeed, my experience performing as a sideman with hundreds of international musicians and artists across genres and continents has undoubtedly shaped my own identity and voice as a musician and brought me to create an eclectic and international ensemble in which I could blend all of these different experiences that have enriched my life both on a professional level as a performer and a composer, as well as on a personal level.”
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Paul Booth / 44
“I loved the challenge of writing for this double quartet, especially when it came to figuring out how I was going to use two bass players. We recorded five originals, two freely improvised pieces which in my opinion really show how these exceptional musicians listen to one another and finally a new take on Miles’ ‘Four’. In choosing the musicians who appear on this album, I wanted to have a combination of some of my long-standing friends/collaborators and some of the younger musicians from the UK jazz scene who have really impressed me. I’m extremely proud of this whole ensemble and the music we created in one afternoon and ‘live’ in one room.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Jazzwise, UK Vibe).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
The W / Live at Kings Place
The W are a band in the true sense of the word. They meet regularly, learning the music by heart and shaping Bruno's compositions together. The compositions themselves have a story to tell, as each one based on a single idea/concept, and written with melody at the forefront. Bruno, Andrea and Gene have been working together for many years. The addition of Heidi Vogel brings another layer of depth and lyricism to the music. “I’ve been working with Heidi in her own groups for over 10 years”, says Bruno. “I’ve always wanted to include her in a project of my own, and from the first time she sang with us, it just felt right. Her soul and range are extraordinary, especially without words: I can write as if I were composing for trombone, trumpet, or operatic soprano.”
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Asaf Harris / Walk of The Ducks
“The idea behind ‘Walk of The Ducks’ is to make an album that is sincerely me. It concludes some of the most powerful experiences and emotions I have had in my journey of life. I strongly believe that composing and playing music is my best way for self-expression, and I can’t wait to share this album with the world.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (BBC Music).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Various Artists / Music Aid for Ukraine
Ubuntu Music has created an initiative to help provide assistance to Ukrainian refugees. The Ubuntu roster of participating artists/tracks include Andrew McCormack (UK), Chet Baker (USA), Darius Brubeck (USA), Dave & Judith O’Higgins (UK/Germany), Leo Richardson (UK), Noemi Nuti (Italy/UK/USA), Omar + QCBA (UK), Paul Booth (UK), Roy Mor (Israel) and Yoko Miwa (Japan/USA).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Tomorrow’s New Quartet / All Together, Now!
“I think the music encompasses everything I was feeling during that period, from fear and uncertainty to fleeting moments of optimism. There’s even one tune on the album dedicated to my neighbour who sadly passed away from Covid related complications in November 2020. I named the band ‘Tomorrow’s New Quartet’ as I felt it embodied the optimism that composing this music and arranging the recording of this album gave me. This project provided a sense of purpose during that challenging period, and this album is the final product of all that work. The band’s line up comprises of Helena Kay, Deschanel Gordon, Flo Moore and myself. These guys are some of my favourite musicians to play with and I felt super lucky that they agreed to get involved and continued to contribute so much to the project.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Jazzwise).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Ron Magril / Until Now
“I truly believe that ‘Until Now’ describes exactly who I am as a musician and as a human being. When the pandemic started and I had to leave my new home in New York, hold my studies for a while and return to Tel Aviv, my hometown. Those days were tough for me. To feel that emptiness and depression made me realize how passionate I am about recording and playing my music live and I knew that it was finally the right moment for me to record my debut album and to play my music again.”
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Joe Webb / Summer Chill
"The idea behind the project was to create a soundtrack to a pool party in the 1960s. I spent some time watching films throughout the recent lockdowns which were inspired by this era. Even though it was difficult to write music during the past two years, I felt it was important to document this period in some way, especially with the musicians I had spent the most time with during this period”.
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (The Guardian, UK Vibe).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Steve Baker / Tonic
“From its conception I envisaged this record as being quite cinematic with a lot of people involved. I needed a break from the artistic and time constraints of scoring for media and felt the need to sit at the piano and do some really serious composing. I needed a kind of Tonic. Musically it was important for me to bring an improvisatory quality to the record, and I am humbled and fortunate to have worked with some amazing jazz musicians along the way. The orchestrations evolved throughout the making of this record in response to their incredible artistry, imagination and individualism.”
Recognition: Album of The Year (At the Barrier).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Allison Wheeler / winterspring
“I’ve been enamoured with great storytelling from a young age and the music is influenced by many of my favourite storytellers from different art forms. Looking back, I see that I’ve written most of it to reconcile and make peace with a battle I’ve been fighting within myself. In many ways, I think the record will set me free. It’s been a way to express and deconstruct the pains and the joys of life, and I hope others will be able to relate to it and find themselves moved by the world we’ve created.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Jazzwise).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars / Live at Audi Forum Ingolstadt
New-York-Meets-Europe octet, Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars, features the classic and timeless compositions of Tadd Dameron, a truly innovator of bebop, well-known and appreciated for his beautiful lyric melodies. The pianist Tadley Ewing Peake “Tadd” Dameron was one of the great composers and arrangers in jazz history. He worked for Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Lanceford, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan. He also led various groups with musicians like John Coltrane and, more specifically, the drummer “Philly” Joe Jones. “Philly”, so called because of his Philadelphia roots, was a member of Miles Davis’s first great quintet and one of the most influential drummers of his time. In the 1980s he founded the group Dameronia Ensemble as a tribute to the time when he performed with his good friend Tadd Dameron.
Recognition: Album of The Year (Jazzwise Top 20). 4-5 Star Reviews (Jazzwise, The Scotsman, The Times).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Dave Sear / I Always Thought My Thoughts Were Me
“The music I’ve composed and arranged for my debut album was influenced by my lifelong journey with anxiety and OCD. During the Covid lockdown period I had a lot more time to think, and overthink, and it really dawned on me that so many people struggle with the same issues as me, even though I always used to think my thoughts were ‘normal’. This inspired me to write some music which therefore finally made me feel ready to release my debut album. I reflect on the harder aspects of living with these issues, as well as the positive, embracing good times and thanking many people/places that have been of significant help throughout. Jazz music has been a great friend and of continual support throughout the last decade of my life and I wanted to recognise that in this music too.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (BBC Music, The Jazz Mann).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
His’n’Hers / Omicron
His’n’Hers affectionately pits Mr & Mrs O’Higgins against each other as in the movie, Mr & Mrs Smith. In reality, this is a swinging “tough tenors” band in the good humoured tradition of the great Johnny Griffin - Eddie Lockjaw Davis group, who made nine albums together between 1960 and 1962. But what Griffin and Davis did together was not a competition, however apparently combative. It was collaboration, mutual inspiration and special because of both the similarity and contrast of the two protagonists.
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Corrie Dick / Sun Swells
“This is outsider jazz; it’s extremely listenable music that has lots of very current, familiar ingredients but put together in a way you may not be familiar with. Some key elements include soaring folkish melodies, Scandinavian free jazz, 90s-kid grooves, a playful shunning of conventional jazz roles and form, stillness, turbulence, beautiful and ugly-pretty sounds, warmth, stunning lyrical imagery, climate change, feminism, and eclectic guests. It’s an album that embraces contrasts and spectra and that can be listened to in so many ways. It finds cohesion in the disparate.”
Recognition: Album of The Year (European Modern Jazz Radio).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Andrew McCormack / Terra Firma
“Most of the music was developed at my London home during the COVID pandemic lockdowns of 2020/21. Tours and concerts were cancelled and I, like all of us, suddenly found myself at home 24/7. Knowing I wouldn’t have this opportunity again, I tried to make the most of the situation that I could. Some of the titles on this record allude to particular events of the last few years. ‘Prayer for Atonement’ was written as a response to the killing of George Floyd and the chaos that followed it. With the current situation in Ukraine, that prayer continues. ‘Fake News’ is truly the scourge of our times as we all seem susceptible given the algorithms of the internet. But the hopeful ‘Cherry Blossom’ was written in the spring of 2021, where things were starting to look up after a terrible winter and there were finally glimpses of normality on the horizon.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Jazzwise, Kind of Jazz).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
O’Higgins & Luft / Pluto
This is straight-ahead modern jazz in the African-American tradition, clearly coming from the Monk and Trane lineage, but not bound to emulating it. You will hear Luft easily morphing Wes Montgomery with Bill Frisell, his own trademark soundscapes and worldly influences, while O’Higgins’ emotive melodies evoke Dexter, Trane, Joe Henderson and Brecker, with a melodic logic of his own. In addition to these extremely talented co-leaders, the band includes an all-star line-up consisting of Ross Stanley / piano, Misha Mullov-Abbado / bass and Rod Youngs / drums.
Recognition: Album of The Year (Jazzwise Top 20). 4-5 Star Reviews (The Scotsman, UK Vibe).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Sean Gibbs / Confluence
“Confluence is without doubt my biggest project to date. The title refers to different aspects of my musical and personal life, which seemed to come together at the right time to make it happen. It also represents the joyous gathering of so many incredible musicians and friends. I’m immensely grateful to everyone involved. I wrote with the specific players in mind, and it was incredibly rewarding to hear what they brought to my compositions. I wanted to stay true to the fundamentals that resonate with me - lyrical melodies, hearty grooves and a deep connection to the blues. Having a world class 17-piece band to work with brought these concepts to new heights and opened up so many more possibilities.”
Recognition: 4-5 Star Reviews (Sunday Times).
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
The Pucciarelli Group / Shall We Say It Is Worth it
Jazz Guitarist and composer Giuseppe Pucciarelli built a large and constant following around Europe with the release of his debut album, Shall We Say It Is Worth It. The album recorded in 2017 shows fantastic compositions, virtuosic solo journeys and a sophisticated yet understandable sense of harmonies and melodies. Pucciarelli’s new quartet- featuring Ergio Valente (Piano), Aldo Capasso (Bass) and Marco Gagliano (Drums)- has created an instantly identifiable sound grounded on creative melodic innovation.
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
His’n’Hers / The Christmas Song
The tenor sax couple are at it, yet again, with a seasonal single release from Judith and Dave O’Higgins that features the ‘His’n’Hers frontline tenor saxes playing straight-ahead jazz. The Christmas Song is an all-time classic, originally written by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé in 1945. This song has also been commonly referred to as Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire and was originally subtitled Merry Christmas to You.
TO LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE, ABOVE.
Allan Holdsworth’s Legacy / The Nineteen Men of Tain
The Nineteen Men of Tain is a tribute to the late guitarist, Allan Holdsworth. The 13-track album features 19 artists, as the album’s title suggests, and features a stunning array of special guests, including guitarists Mike Stern and John Etheridge, drummer Paul Wertico and pianist Jason Rebello. “It was about a week after Allan’s passing. We were shocked and we felt we needed to do something special to remember him and to honour his legacy. The idea was to create a tribute album which would include outstanding musicians performing Allan’s songs for a charity we would create, to host a music contest and festival in his honour.”
A LOOK AT UBUNTU MUSIC IN 2023
It was another banner year for Ubuntu Music and its roster of exceptional Artists in 2022.
And 2023 promises to be just as exciting…
The W / Portrait (January)
Like the four equal lines that make up the letter ‘W’, the four members of the group come together as one voice to create a perfectly balanced and compelling new sound. They are a band in the true sense of the word. They meet regularly, learning the music by heart and shaping Bruno’s melody and groove-led compositions together. Bruno Heinen, Professor of jazz piano and composition at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, is as much a composer as he is a pianist: He describes the project: “My compositional path has been one of self-discovery, learning and reflection. My writing informs my improvising and visa-versa. I have taken a long time to find my feet, having been involved with many collaborative projects in the past. These have been both rewarding and enriching, but over the last three years I feel that I have ultimately found my compositional voice writing for The W. Heidi Vogel, Gene Calderazzo, Andrea Di Biase, and myself come from four unique and distinctive places musically - each member brings something different to the table, but I feel that these artists deeply understand my music. I am continuously excited at the prospect of writing for the band and am lucky that they are willing to get together regularly and learn my music by heart. This album is the culmination of that writing over the last three years, and I have drawn inspiration from personal sources for the compositions that make up Portrait; my four-year-old daughter, my ethnomusicologist grandfather, and the music of my former teacher John Taylor amongst others.”
Enzo Zirilli’s ZiroBop / Ten Past Never (February)
Enzo Zirilli formed ZiroBop, his own band, in 2013 with rising star guitarists Rob Luft and Alessandro Chiappetta, along with the gifted bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado. “ZiroBop was born in 2013 in London, when I met the very talented Rob Luft, Alessandro Chiappetta and Misha Mullov-Abbado. The music we play on this album, like in the previous two, mirrors my idea and our collective idea of playing music at 360 degrees, getting deep inside all the jazz languages, from the very early days through the modal and post avant-garde mood, mixed with influences from Indian, South American and eastern world music.”
Eddie Gripper / Home (March)
Home, Eddie Gripper’s debut album, consists of a traditional trio format and exhibits a keen rhythmic focus. The development of this vocabulary is evident from beginning to end; metrically challenging grooves are paired with rich, elegant harmonies, culminating in an outcome that is both provocative and gratifying. The stylistic range of compositions (through choice of instrumentation and arrangement) helps to support an overall, arcing narrative. Each track is a journey through time and space - beginning and finishing at a familiar and comforting destination before moving onto new or subtly developed ideas. The trio breathes together as one homogeneous sound, with individual players taking to the spotlight to elaborate on their own interpretations of the music at hand.
Five Way Split / All The Way (March)
Five-Way Split is a new jointly led band which was formed in 2020 and features some of the finest contemporary jazz bebop musicians in the UK. Five-Way Split is fronted by internationally renowned trumpet star Quentin Collins, Greek saxophone phenomenon Vasilis Xenopoulos and the golden touch of pianist Rob Barron. Added to this is virtuosic double bassist Matyas Hofecker and hard-swinging drummer Matt Home. The band’s vision is to carry on the lineage of groups like Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers as well mirroring the New York contemporary-bop scene. From this inspiration, the band presents a sound that respects the tradition of the hard-bop era whilst also bringing it up to date for today’s audience. With an extensive repertoire of carefully crafted and imaginative original compositions, along with cool, swinging material by greats like Jimmy Heath, Cedar Walton and Horace Silver, Five-Way Split delivers some of the best swinging and soulful music in contemporary jazz.
Tristan Banks / View From Above (March)
View From Above is the debut album from UK drummer/composer/producer Tristan Banks, who draws on over 30 years of experience as a sideman for many Grammy award-winning and platinum selling artists. Mixing influences from the jazz, Latin jazz and fusion idioms, the music is a unique combination of high-octane virtuosic performance and sublimely melodic composition. Banks brings together his long-standing musical friends--Paul Booth (saxes), John Crawford (piano) and Davide Mantovani (bass)--to articulate his musical vision. “I have always had an interest in music that makes you move as well as simulating the mind with musical interplay and deeper compositional concepts, so the idea was to select tunes that I had written over the last 15 years and record them in a live performance setting with no click track or isolation recording techniques. This created a perfect environment to generate and capture the musical energy of the performance.”
Fraser Smith Quartet / Tip Top! (April)
Tip Top! is the current stop-off-point in the musical journey/career of sax man Fraser Smith. Two decades of study and scholarship have informed this album of original material. Wholly inspired by the music and artists of the late bebop to early hard bop periods, Fraser pays tribute to his heroes with ten tracks stylistically dedicated to the jazz masters of the mid-twentieth century. “I wanted to take a snapshot of where I was at that point with my playing. It is only recently I’ve felt that years and years of study and performing have begun to manifest, allowing me to express myself more accurately. Feeling a new control and facility enabled me to compose in the vein I was aiming for. This was another major driving force behind this venture.”
Ray Greene / Stay (April)
Vocalist and trombonist Ray Greene has performed and recorded with a number of the most successful and influential names in the fields of Pop, Funk, and R&B; most notably Aretha Franklin, the Isley Brothers and Natalie Cole. Greene was selected by the popular and innovative soul/fusion band Tower of Power, where he served as the lead vocalist and trombonist for several years.Ray was then invited to join the legendary Carlos Santana. Ray has travelled throughout the globe with the famed guitarist. From Dubai and Singapore, to Australia, Africa and Europe, Santana’s music and live performances have been a phenomenal showcase for Greene’s vocals and musicianship. Ray’s upcoming project, Stay, is a Soul/R&B album that hearkens back to the days of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, who delivered such power and determination in their approach to singing their classic material. This project begs the question, “what would these gentlemen be doing if they were still with us today?” or, more specifically, “what type of music would Bobby Womack or Jackie Wilson be listening to?” Soul music is at the heart of this collection of songs. However, the record is also heavily influenced by artists and musicians from an array of different genres and sub-genres of Soul and R&B music. There are elements of Jazz improvisation, Blues, Gospel, Pop and even Reggae. ‘Stay’ is the culmination of all these styles coming together to tell the many different stories of life, love, and relationships.” Stay features an exceptional array of talent, including Santana guitarist and vocalist Tommy Anthony, Tower of Power guitarist Jerry Cortez, along with bassist Ray McKinley, who performs and tours with Sheila E.
Bruno Heinen & James Kitchman / Rain Shadows (May)
"The album features compositions by each of us, interspersed with free improvisations. We wanted to capture the musical dialogue and rapport that we’ve developed whilst keeping a feeling of focussed freedom. Our compositional styles come together through a shared harmonic language, reminiscent of composer Charles Ives and the period of early twentieth century music at which tonality was reaching breaking point and beginning to unravel. The album travels across a spectrum of moods on its path; from bright optimism to the murky depths of despair and back again.”
Sharp Little Bones / Volumes I & II (May)
Sharp Little Bones’ debut album, Volumes I & II, consists of refreshingly original music from Simon Paterson (bass), Andrew Wood (drums) and Paul Deats (keys), featuring very special guest Tony Kofi (saxes). The band play tight, energetic, and catchy, melodic music. Their sound has a fresh, contemporary appeal of acoustic forces rooted in the bebop tradition, while embellished with tasteful electronics.
Joshua Jaswon Octet / Polar Waters (June)
In developing the music for this album, Joshua Jaswon wanted to make bolder compositional decisions and push the limits of how words, form and improvisation could interact. Further drawing out the distinct musical personalities of each member of the Octet into the group's collective sound was a part of the ensemble's natural evolution from its first record and something that has developed through extended time living with and performing the music. Jaswon was focused on exploring the fluidity of roles, sound colours and textural combinations in the ensemble and how this related to both the collective and individual.
Uriel Herman / Different Eyes (July)
Different Eyes is a project led by the exceptional Israeli pianist and composer, Uriel Herman and his quartet, fand eatures trumpet player Itamar Borochov. Uriel Herman has been performing worldwide--with his quartet and as a soloist--over the past eight years. His sound draws form his classical piano upbringing with a mastery of complex Middle Eastern rhythms and melodies. "We all have one pair of eyes but there are countless layers of seeing. We can see or choose to look. Our memories and dreams are painted in different colours every time we visit them and therefore each moment gives a singular meaning to looking in and out. ‘Different Eyes’ is an intimate portrait that begins in my childhood streets of Jerusalem and goes all the way to a lullaby that I sing to my son.”
Wandering Monster / Zenna (August)
Producing a sound that’s intense and raucous, yet sensitive and intellectual, Wandering Monster reaches beyond what may be expected from the tried and tested line-up of the tenor saxophone/guitar quintet. The band performs original compositions influenced by their love of jazz, rock and world music. Zenna is their third release on Ubuntu Music.
And here are just a few of the other very exciting projects in development for 2023…
Shear Brass / Celebrating Sir George Shearing
Led by Sir George Shearing’s great nephew, Carl Gorham, Shear Brass brings a fresh and dynamic new approach to music of one of Britain’s greatest ever jazz pianists and composers. The line-up includes Pete Long (saxes), Alistair White (trombone), Jason Mcdermid (trumpet), James Pearson (piano) and Alec Dankworth (bass). Recorded at Jools Holland’s London studio.
Paul Mottram / Seven Ages of Man
Seven Ages of Man is a new hybrid Jazz / Classical work by composer/arranger Paul Mottram and features a large scale 70-minute work scored for Jazz Sextet and String Orchestra which explores the intersection between the worlds of classical music and jazz. It features sections underpinned by jazz grooves and improvisation but woven into a tight thematically developed classical structure. It was written for acclaimed jazz musician Tim Garland (soprano/tenor sax and bass clarinet) who performs as the principal soloist, and features Jason Rebello on piano and Jonny Mansfield on vibraphone. The idea and title of the album come from the Seven Ages of Man, a concept popular in art and literature during the Middle Ages, which forms the basis of the All the World’s a Stage speech performed in Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It. The project was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.
Tim Garland and Paul Mottram.
Nadav Berkovits / Cycle & Line
Nadav Berkovits is a Musician, Pianist and Composer based in Jerusalem, Israel. Born to a musical family, Nadav was exposed from a young age to Jazz, Classical, Afro-cuban music as well as Israeli and Middle Eastern music. Growing up in such a diverse environment led him to explore and play many genres. He travelled to Cuba to explore Afro-Cuban music and culture. This EP is Nadav’s first solo piano album.
A CLOSING WORD OF
PROFOUND GRATITUDE
Martin Hummel and Omar Lyefook.
As we say every year, this business doesn’t get any easier. It is exceedingly demanding, relentless and all-consuming.
Particularly if you are committed to doing it right, with dignity, respect and professionalism, whilst always putting the Artists and the quality of their music first.
And it was an especially difficult year for everyone, yet again, given the challenges that 2022 bestowed upon us with relentless aggression.
Ubuntu Management Group and, within it, Ubuntu Music, started about six years ago as an experiment, by devoting our attention to the music we love most. That approach continues to guide our thinking.
This would never have been possible without some remarkable people who were patient enough to give us a chance and to continue to support us. There are many, but the few in particular we’d like to thank include Emma Perry, along with Rupert Burley at Dynamic Music, our UK publicity/marketing partners who work tirelessly to raise the profile of our Artists. Big thanks to the publicity teams in the US (Ann Braithwaite and Mark Elf), BeNeLux/Germany (Inge De Pauw) and France (Sylvie Durand). And a massive thank you to Sam Carelse, our Label Manager, who jumped right in and made such a significant difference to Ubuntu and its Artists. Laura Hess-Hay Jamal, our partner at Ellora Management in the US. Chris Philips from Jazzed and Jazz FM--along with Ruth Fisher, plus Paul/Sarah/James from Ronnie Scott’s. Leo Richardson for being my confidant and wing man. John Fordham and Dave Gelly from The Guardian/Observer, Kevin Le Gendre, Ian Shaw, Sebastian Scotney and crew at London Jazz News, Mike Flynn/Jon Newey + Peter/Robert/ Selwyn and crew at Jazzwise, the wonderful team at BBC Music Magazine, the US DownBeat and JazzTimes Magazine staff, Jazziz’s Michael Fagien, Eddie Myer at SJM and Jazz Views (and everywhere else, it seems), Marc Myers at JazzWax/Wall Street Journal USA, The Jazz Mann’s Ian Mann, Lance Liddle at Bebop Spoken Here, Matt Ruddick at Kind of Jazz, UK Vibe’s Michael/Alan/Tim/Brian/Andy gang, Marlbank’s Stephen Graham, Paul Pace and crew (Jackie, Matt and Clement and Tara) from The Spice of Life, Roger Farbey and Chris May at All About Jazz, Jazz Journal’s Mark Gilbert, Gary and Janine at Tomorrow’s Warriors, Jazz in Europe’s Erminia Yardley, Soul and Jazz’s Brian Hurst, Chris Hodgkins, Sandy Brown Jazz’s Ian Maunde, Ruari and Jack at Jazz Café, Ross and Joseph from Pizza Express, mastering supremo Peter Beckmann at TechnologyWorks, Luc Saint-Martin, Carl Hyde, The Sunday Times’ Clive Davis, Mary James, the brilliant Monika S Jakubowska, Tim Dickeson, Steve Funkyfeet, Steven Cropper, designer Darren Rumney, Jazz Royalists Peter Freeman & Alan Hayward, the team at Sound Performance and the guys at The Orchard—Scott, Ben and especially Matt & Fred. And, of course, Simon ‘Goatious Foot’ Page, who never fails to dazzle one and all.
Most of all, to the amazingly talented Artists, who make us look much better than we are and who make the extraordinary journey worth every step. You are the heart and soul of this venture and we are eternally grateful for placing your faith in us.
And lastly and most importantly, to my wonderful wife and daughters, for allowing me to live the dream and supporting me irrespective of my many idiosyncrasies. Love you, to infinity and beyond!
Can’t wait for this year to happen and then next year to come along…
Leslie, Camila & Sabrina Hummel.