MYBLOG by Ouriel

Discovering Esperanza Spalding

I am probably late in the race but i just discovered the highly talented jazz musician Esperanza Spalding. She's only 23 and plays double bass. Quite unusual. But she also has a great voice too:  If Stevie was a girl this is what he would have been. I am not a bass fan, i always skip the bass sections in a jazz tune because i can't really "read" them. But here the combination is interesting. The same musician leads the two main layers of the song: the bottom layer (the bass) and the top layer (the voice). And it works well.

I let you discover a great song below and strongly recommend her last album

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Congrats to Yaron Herman for "Les Victoires du Jazz"

I just heard from my Friend Yaron Herman that he won the award of the revelation of the year at "Les Victoires du Jazz", one of the most prestigious jazz award in France. If you read this blog you know i am a big fan of Yaron, He totally deserved this prize. He was one of best selling jazz album this year and has a fully booked agenda



He has just finished recording a new album that will come out soon. The content looks amazing, mixing all kinds of different sources and will even play with a string quartet. I have no doubt this will be a great album.

[Video] Jazz is about using silences, not playing notes

i guess you could say that about music in general, but i think it applies in particular to jazz where rythm is probably the key component.

Here is a great example by the great George Duke. Note the usage of Silences and how the grooves get out of it. By magic.

Good job Yaron

i was proud to walk in Paris metro the other day and this ad for the La defense jazz festival with my good friend Yaron Herman, an israeli pianist living in france (the opposite of me), showcased just above Herbie Hancock.

Keep up

Stop Talent: Jose James, the new voice you have to know

I listen to lots of music, but it is very rare i stick to a new discovery and keep listening to the disc over and over. Like love at first sight, Love at first listening is very rare. It happened to me with Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett more recently with Eliane Elias, Raul Midon and a few others. Jose James is the recent addition, i discovered via my musician friend Yaron Herman (actually they are friends..)

Jose James is a new young american singer that has a amazing control of his voice. His first album "The Dreamer" is a total knock out and i really strongly recommend you to find it and buy it. He reminds me a lot of Gil Scott Heron but with a softer more delicate tone. He can sing awefully complex songs and make them sound just like they were children songs (listen to NOLA coming from an old great Spike Lee movie). He can also take a dead simple, nearly boring melody and bring all the sophisticated nuances out of it (listen below to BlackEyedSusan for example).

I already take a bet, Jose James will be one of the most popular pop/jazz singer of the new generation in a couple of years taking up on Kurt Elling and Al Jarreau. It is very rare you hear this kind of talent. I think my bet is not very risky.

Listen below the track BlackEyedSusan or here more extracts and here his last.fm page

Jose James

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JazzCast: Great version of Round Midnight

Sometimes on youtube you can find better stuff than on iTunes. for free. and legal. Check this out

Technorati Tags: jazz piano roundmidnight

Super Talent - Raul Midon

Raul Midon is probably one of the top 10 most talented musician of the new generation. Watch him at TED sing, play. Blowing. I forgot to precise: he's blind and will remind you a lot of Stevie Wonder

One of the best Jazz intro i have ever heard

I just stumbled upon this video in YouTube (they have some great recommendations there). Brad Mehldau is giving here a stunning solo intro to "The way you look tonight" we all know. It's hard to figure out how he s going to bring in the tune. But he makes it. Really amazing

Jazz Talent Alert: Lois Mahalia

The wonders of Youtube. Just Stumbled upon this great song and great voice: Lois Mahalia (her Youtube Channel here). The song is called "Smile" but has nothing to do with the Charlie Chaplin composition. The pianist is not bad either (although a bit classical). I never heard about her before. Probably would not have without Youtube and the related features. Is she famous? will she be one day? Hope you like it anyway

"Mas que Nada" like you never heard

Michel Petrcuciani and Al Jarreau in one of the most famous brazilian songs in their own style. Stunning

Discovered via Alain