BrianLynchJazz.com

The long summer is almost over, and as I swing into September, many things are happening. The most important pertain to my Unsung Heroes recording project:

1) LESS THAN 30 DAYS LEFT ON MY KICKSTARTER FUNDRAISING PROJECT! I’ve had great support from y’all so far for my effort to raise funds to promote and distribute Unsung Heroes. But time is running out, and I’m still short of the goal. If you’ve been waiting to help, now is the time – especially since I’ve added new offers oriented towards the non-musician jazz fan. See what’s new and contribute at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1927361678/get-my-unsung-heroes-project-out-to-the-people

2) ADVANCE OF UNSUNG HEROES VOL.1 NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD! Yes, at long last! Check it out at http://brianlynch.bandcamp.com/ The only difference between this advance release and the official release of the downloadable version is that the cover image and booklet will be slightly different on the official release (coming by the end of the month). If you get the advance version, I will make sure you get the updated material as they come on line.

I’d also like to invite you to check out the numerous blog posts I’ve written about my summer activities on this site…

Thanks, and hope to see you on my Kickstarter backers list!

Best,

Brian

Kickstarter Project in Support of “Unsung Heroes” Project Launched!

Now that the master recordings for my “Unsung Heroes” project are finally in the bag, it’s time to kick the next stage into gear. Design, manufacturing, promotion, publicity, radio play and the preparation of play-along and audio stem packages must all be attended to, and post-haste (I’m writing from Manchester England today, hence the Anglophilic lexicon); as those of you who have been keeping up with this know, I’m behind my release schedule a good bit. The problems as always are time and money. Time (whether 24/7 or 4/4) is my affair here; but I’m reaching out for help on the money part, through a cool fund raising tool I’ve recently become aware of called Kickstarter. Kickstarter lets folks like me raise money for their independent projects by offering the proverbial “cool stuff” in return for contributions. It reminds me a little of the ArtistShare platform, which served me well in my previous self-produced effort, the 2006 Grammy winning “Simpatico”, but with a more informal and flexible concept.

I’d like to invite you to check out my Kickstarter fundraising project and possibly contribute! Take a look at it and plunge in if you can. I will so appreciate your assistance in completing the job for Unsung Heroes, and I also think you will find some good value being offered in return for your contribution.

Contribute at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1927361678/get-my-unsung-heroes-project-out-to-the-people

Travel Plans

I’ve gone over the water for a good bit; just started more than three weeks in Europe doing various fun things and playing the horn. Two stints with Eddie Palmieri (July 2-6 and 16-22) sandwich some special activity. I’ll be at the North Sea Festival on July 11th with the fantastic Cuban flautist Orlando “Maraca” Valle’s Monterey Project All-Stars, who include my good friends Robby Ameen and David Sanchez. From there I go to Paris to start work on a collaborative project with the esteemed French pianist Hervé Sellin that we’ll be presenting next year. This project, launched with a grant by the Franco-American Cultural Exchange, will be presenting new work based on the affinities between jazz and 20th century French music, performed by my ensemble Spheres Of Influence with Hervé as special guest. I’m very much looking forward to starting work on this exciting project!

Recently….

DOWNBEAT REVIEW OF “Bolero Nights For Billie Holiday”

Downbeat magazine had a nice review of my recent Venus Records release in their May issue. You can read it on my site here: http://tinyurl.com/2atck9q . You might like to listen to a sample of the music from that recording. I’m still in the process of getting audio integrated into my discography pages, but for now I’ll post a sample for your listening pleasure here:

“… It is a privilege to listen to Lynch for his rich tone and exquisite time, his command of instruments, his imagination and his conviction….he’s the one whose work invites return listens. Art and the pursuit of mastery are the twin engines of what he does here. Lynch inspires superlative.”

Frank-John Hadley , Downbeat May 2010 (****)

RECORDING NEWS

The Criss Cross record date I made early in June came off well and should be a worthy follow up to my last Criss Cross date from 2004, “ConClave”. The upcoming release is another Afro-Caribbean oriented program featuring the considerable talents of Yosvany Terry (alto sax), Manuel Valera (piano), Luques Curtis (bass), Justin Brown (drums), and the magnificent Pedro Martinez (percussion) .The disc may be out as soon as the fall. Still need a title for it, though….

I was in the same studio (Systems Two in Brooklyn) a couple of weeks later to lay down 5 tunes with the Curtis Brothers, along with Donald Harrison on alto and Ralph Peterson, to complete the tracking for their upcoming record for their own Truth and Revolution label. It was killin’!

Download Of The Month

A new feature I’m instituting is to share with you something from my live performance archives that I dig enough to put out in the world. This month, a live version of my tune “The Palmieri Effect” as played by my group Spheres Of Influence during our Dominican Republic tour of exactly one year ago. Brian Lynch (tp); Zaccai Curtis (p); Luques Curtis (b); Obed Calvaire (d); Pedro Martinez (d).

09-07-04_The_Palmieri_Effect right-click to download

What I’m Checking Out…

TUNES

• DUTILLEUX: Orchestral Works (Complete) - Yan Pascal Tortelier/BBC Philharmonic (Chandos)
• a lot of Coltrane on shuffle
• Various Artists: Cold Heat: Heavy Funk Rarities, Vol. 1: 1968-1974 (Stones Throw)
• Linda Oh (with Ambrose Akinmusire and Obed Calvaire) – Entry
• Ronnie Mathews – Doin’ The Thing (OJC) – thanks to Alex Hoffman for bringing up this classic side that I was deeply into back in the day!

BOOKS

• American Popular Song – Alec Wilder
• The World Of Jazz Trumpet – Scotty Barnhart
• Young Stalin – Simon Sebag Montefiore
• Constructing America – Gary Wills

As June approaches, I’m luxuriating in a little down time, as the pace slows a little after a whirlwind spring. But there’s still plenty going on; gigs, a new recording in the works, planning for new enterprises and always the quest to discover more about music, life and its meaning.

Brian Lynch and Spheres Of Influence at Zinc Bar Thursday June 3rd

If you’re in New York City, come on by one of my favorite spots through the years, Zinc Bar, and dig the sounds as we get ready to go into the studio the next day for Criss Cross Records. This edition of Spheres Of Influence includes:

• Brian Lynch – trumpet & flugelhorn
• Yosvany Terry – saxes
• Manuel Valera – piano
• Luques Curtis – bass
• Justin Brown – drums
• Pedro Martinez – percussion

Latvian Tour Rescheduled

I’m happy to announce that my NYU Ensemble’s Latvian tour, postponed from last month due to volcano generated travel difficulties, has been rescheduled to August 24th through the 28th. You can keep tabs on the Ensemble and the tour activities (and also make a tax deductible contribution towards out tour expenses!) at out New York Foundation for the Arts blog page. We also have a Facebook page and I’ll be blogging the tour and its runup on www.brianlynchjazz.com.

Unsung Heroes Mastered; Announcement Soon on Release Schedule

Unsung Heroes Project

French-American Jazz Exchange grant awarded to Brian and pianist Hervé Sellin!

I was elated to receive the news this past month that I’ve been awarded a French-American Jazz Exchange grant for 2010. This award, created by the French-American Cultural Exchange, Chamber Music America, and the French Embassy, funds collaborative projects that unite French and US jazz artists. The program has received support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Cultural Services Of the French Embassy, Cultures France and FMEO – Le Bureau Export de la Musique Française. My French partner in the grant will be a most redoubtable pianist and composer and good friend, Hervé Sellin. Hervé and I have worked together in the recent past with Phil Woods, and I played his music in a concert for Jazz At Lincoln Center a few years back; excellent stuff! Hervé is a brilliant player and writer, and I am really looking forward to collaborating with him.

Brian named to Merit School Of Music National Advisory Board

Over the last few years, I’ve been privileged to be able to work with the talented students at Chicago’s Merit School of Music, a weekend program for primary through high school age music students giving opportunities not available in the school system. This program has nurtured many accomplished musicians in the Western classical, jazz, and Latin music genres, including clarinetist Anthony McGill, who played for President Obama’s inauguration ceremony; Merit alumni that I’ve had contact with and bear watching include smoking Chicago trumpeter Victor Garcia (co-leader of the Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble), and young baritone sax man Jonah Parzen-Johnson, also a student of mine at NYU. Merit’s dynamic jazz & Latin jazz ensemble conductor Michael McLaughlin and I have collaborated in a number of workshops and concerts both in Chicago and New York City. Now I’ve been given the honor of being named to Merit’s National Advisory Board, alongside such great artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Ramsey Lewis, and Emmanuel Ax. All I can say is, wow! I’m looking forward to a long and rewarding association with Merit and their students.

Unsung Heroes Project Goes to Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival!

My “Unsung Heroes” Project (Alex Hoffman, tenor sax; Rob Schneiderman, piano; David Wong, bass; Pete Van Nostrand, drums) along with special guest Donald Harrison on alto sax will be hitting the road at the beginning of March to perform at the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia. This will be this band’s first appearence on the international bandstand in advance of the release of their recording project in May on my new label, Hollistic MusicWorks. You can find out more about the Unsung Heroes Project on HollisticMusicWorks.com, or view a video trailer for the project.

Brian Lynch NYU Ensemble Spring Tour 2010: Blue Note NY, Latvia

My NYU student ensemble, fresh from a great gig at NYC’s Bowery Poet’s Club, will also be hitting that international bandstand this spring. We will we performing in the Baltic country of Latvia, in association with NYU, the New York Foundation for the Arts, and the U.S Embassy in Latvia. Details are still being finalized, but we should be off to Europe at the end of March or early April. Either just before or just after our trip, the ensemble will also be appearing at the NY Blue Note for the Jazz Brunch on Sunday, April 4th. The students in my band are playing great and we’re very excited about these hits!

New Videos on YouTube, Facebook

We’ve been going through the archives and putting up more BL video on my YouTube page and Facebook fan pages. Check them out by accessing the links below:

• YouTube
• Facebook (Official Brian Lynch Fan Page)*
• Unsung Heroes Project (Facebook Page)*
• Spheres Of Influence (Facebook Page)*

*Select the “Video” tab on Facebook Pages