'Children's Soul' by Ipocontrio

'Children's Soul' is the new album release from the Ipocontrio collective available through A.MA Records.

Following their initial formation as far back as 2009, the Ipocontrio trio have certainly walked a long road together in their journey towards their now third album release.  Comprised of pianist Bruno Salicone, double bassist Francesco Galatro and drummer Armando Luongo, Ipocontrio's pure-of-heart celebration of jazz and improvisation has long defined the trio's overall aesthetic and approach to music-making and composition.

With their debut having been released in 2011 following their success at the St.Louis Jazz College of Music's European Jazz Contest, 'The Beginning of A Love Affair' became a project that took Ipocontrio to stages across Europe to play alongside world class musicians.  The experience would subsequently broaden each of their understanding and appreciation of jazz compositions on a broader scope and scale and positively impact their music going forward.

'Continuum' - Ipocontrio's second album release - would follow in 2016 and would seek to diversify their sound by incorporating a new dimension in the form of trumpeter Alessandro Presti who features throughout the album.  'Continuum' would also hold the notable distinction of being the first record for Ipocontrio, as a collective and as individual musicians, to fall under the A.MA Records umbrella and it's an exciting relationship that has served the musicians well in the years that have followed.  Outside of Ipocontrio, pianist Bruno Salicone saw the release of his solo offering 'Happy' (2019) which featured bassist Francesco Galatro as part of the album's ensemble while Armando Luongo served as the drummer for Alberto Parmigianni's 'On My Radio', released in 2018, again, through A.MA.

Whether it be through their solo endeavours or through their unified efforts, Salicone, Luongo and Galatro continually prove themselves as adept and masterful performers but there's an undeniable chemistry - or magic - that's generated with the three playing together which is what makes a new Ipocontrio release a project to be celebrated.  

And 'Children's Soul' absolutely lives up to expectations...

Over the course of the album's eight tracks, the trio perform with an impassioned vigour that breathes life into the more spirited numbers like the album's opening title track, 'Day Dreamer' and 'Orione', while delivering equally exquisite performances for the more ballad-inspired compositions like 'When She's Not Here' and 'Light Mood'.  Much like Alessandro Presti's incredible contribution to 'Continuum', 'Children's Soul' benefits from the revered presence of the British-born Canadian saxophonist Seamus Blake who blesses four of the album's eight tracks.  Blake's fantastic career has seen him release numerous projects as a band leader dating back to the early-mid 90s as well as having performed alongside names including Monday Michiru and Mingus Big Band.  Blake delivers some wonderful moments throughout the album and boasts some inspired interplay between the Ipocontrio team.

'Children's Soul' is a magnificent project indicative of the talents of all of its contributors.  It's elegant, playful, and masterfully captures the pure-of-heart sincerity and devotion that the trio have for their craft. 

'Eagle Peak' by Tom Remon Quartet

'Eagle Peak' is the brand new album from the Tom Remon Quartet available through Lunaria Records.

The release of 'Eagle Peak' serves as a wonderful distinction for the London-based guitarist as he comfortably steps into the role of band leader for the first time heading up an excellent array of musicians for this superb release.

And its home on Lunaria Records makes the project all the more fitting.  A London-based label, Lunaria - as described on their Bandcamp page - are "dedicated to supporting its artists, and helping them reach their full potential".  It's certainly a noble cause and its passion that anyone can comprehend when you spend some time rummaging through the incredible music the label has on offer.  Serving as a hub of global blues-based grooves, Lunaria offers varying worldwide interpretations of the genre with releases from Swansea's Mark Pontin Group, Argentina's Daniel De Vita and Massachusetts' Misty Blues.

There's something about Lunaria's pure-of-heart devotion towards its music and its artists that makes Tom Remon, as a part of the roster, something that just fits despite the more jazz-esque tendencies of his music.  Remon's association with the Lunaria extends a little further than 'Eagle Peak', with their first collaboration coming in the form of the Tom Remon and Jim Mullen pairing for their album, 'Duality', released in 2021.  A bold project that positioned the two guitarists side-by-side for their two-man show in what must have been a thrill for each artist - Remon for having secured the opportunity to record with an artist of such reverence and for Mullen to be around such an incredibly gifted musician at the early stages of what is to be a burgeoning career.

As previously implied, 'Eagle Peak' sees Remon expand his roster of collaborators playing as part of a quartet that includes Laurence Wilkins on trumpet, Shaney Forbes on drums and Mike Gorman on organ.  The album kicks off perfectly with the rich 'Anton's Ball' which makes its mark with its affectionate energy that is carried over to subsequent tracks 'Just One of Those Things' and 'Fly Little Bird Fly'. 'One Eternal Bond' displays the collective's distinct skill within the more ballad-inspired compositions but it is the more spirited numbers that demonstrate the quartet at their best.

'Eagle Peak' is an incredibly exciting record and another release to demonstrate the boundless talents of Tom Remon as he strives to forge ahead and cultivate a versatile and dynamic career.

'Music For Riots Revolutions & Showdowns' by Rob D. Vulosic & Q-Sounds Recordings

The notion of rebellion and general protest in music seems to have reached new heights in the last five or so years.  Donald Trump's ascension to Presidency in the US sparked an incredible response from music communities as a divided America sought to comprehend its new place within the global landscape; the events following Harvey Weinstein's downfall sparked an explosive and fiery debate about women's place in society with countless impassioned voices coming through; the death of George Floyd at the hands of arresting police officers, again, held a mirror up to America forcing it to address some serious questions about the very nature of its own soul.

In 1971, Marvin Gaye asked the question 'What's Going On?' in the way that other soul luminaries including Gil Scott-Heron and Curtis Mayfield has in their respective ways.  Maybe that's a question we as a society are forever destined to ask in regards to the governments and politics that influence and dictate our everyday lives and in 2022, it's now time for Q-Sounds Recording to ask that very same question.

'Music For Riots, Revolutions & Showdowns' is a project put together by musician and producer Rob D. Vulosic alongside the French funk and soul label, Q-Sounds Recording.  Over the course of the album's twelve tracks, there's something gloriously uncompromising in its approach - song titles like 'Out The Pigs !', 'Patrol Car On Fire' and Kill The President' venture beyond the simple notion of mere protest but actual revolution in the gritty and abrasive sense of the word.

With many of the compositions revolving around heavy, crashing drums, the album's presentation of cinematic breakbeats leads to some incredible offerings that don't come off as angry as the album title and track names would suggest; overall there's a more sinister and bleak aesthetic to the music throughout: the menacing and sinister tone of 'Capitalism Steals Your Soul' is a standout as is the captivating and trippy sounding 'Kill The President' with a lush but incredibly eerie vocal sample employed to perfection.  'Patrol Car On Fire' boasts an undeniable 70s-style groove while the unexpected 80s soundscape of 'Rebels in the Dark' is very much the scene-stealer here - a blissful and infectious track that at nearly 4 minutes long will leave you wishing it had another 4 minutes to share. 

But just to be clear, this is fantasy.  As a label, Q-Sounds are responsible for putting too much love and positive energy out into the world to genuinely be inciting any extreme level of revolution but it is fantasy born of real emotion.  For Q-Sounds, this is their 'F--k The Police' or their 'Fight The Power' moment.  It's visceral music that serves as a passionate and relevant voice in times where these voices are needed.