Ubuntu Music Signs Thad Jones Centennial ft. Joe Magnarelli/Dick Oatts/Gary Smulyan

Thad Jones Centennial / Live at Bird’s Eye

Release Date: 11th October 2024

CD & Digital Formats / UBU0170

Bernd Reiter, Gary Smulyan, Joe Magnarelli, Aldo Zunino, Dick Oatts, Oliver Kent (Photographer: Suthakar Rasnayagam)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the release of The Thad Jones Centennial, a tribute album to one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists and arrangers, featuring an all-star line-up of musicians which include Joe Magnarelli (trumpet), Dick Oatts (alto sax) and Gary Smulyan (baritone sax). It was recorded Live at Bird’s Eye, Basel (Switzerland).

Bernd Reiter, drummer and visionary for the project, explains the thinking behind the idea: “Thad Jones was one of the most influential composers and arrangers in jazz history. As he would have celebrated his 100th birthday in 2023, Gary Smulyan approached me with the idea of a special ‘Centennial’ project to honor Thad with specialists of his music. And nobody knows Thad’s repertoire better than Dick Oatts, Gary Smulyan and Joe Magnarelli, who were closely associated with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra - now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra - for more than 40 years. Thad’s music is mostly played by big bands all over the world. Our project presents it in a small group (sextet) setting, as many compositions by Thad were originally written for quintet/sextet and arranged for a big band at a later date. So, our line-up leaves a lot of space for the soloists and everybody in the band gets a chance to really play on the tunes. Bird’s Eye Basel happened at the end of the tour, so it was also a great opportunity of doing a live recording after having been on the road for two weeks. No rehearsal needed, we could just go to the club and play, which was a special and privileged situation.”

The Bird's Eye Jazz Club, (Basel, Switzerland) is one of the most renowned and popular jazz clubs in Europe for decades. 

Live at Bird’s Eye, Basel features five compositions by Thad Jones and three standards arranged by Jones. The music is modern, straight-ahead jazz throughout, with a contemporary touch of classical swinging. Each soloist on the recording knows how to treat the timeless material with freedom while adding new, personal ideas.

Bernd Reiter is no stranger to the Ubuntu Music record label, as he describes: “Ubuntu is not new to me. I was lucky to already be on three releases for the label, including my own very successful ‘Dameronia’ project. Dick Oatts and Aldo Zunino were part of this recording too. Joe Magnarelli, Gary Smulyan and Oliver Kent have their debut on Ubuntu with this recording. We are all extremely excited about the release and the collaboration with Martin Hummel and the Ubuntu team as this is one of the very few labels nowadays which takes care of the music and the musicians the way it should be.”

Gary Smulyan, Aldo Zunino, Joe Magnarelli, Oliver Kent, Dick Oatts, Bernd Reiter (Photographer: Suthakar Rasnayagam)

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes: “Bernd never ceases to amaze me. He’s constantly creating exciting projects with tremendous musicians and The Thad Jones Centennial is no exception. Bernd has assembled an all-star cast of some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz, who have also performed with legends such as Joe Magnarelli (Lionel Hampton), Dick Oatts (Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra) and Gary Smulyan (Woody Herman). This live recording packs a punch that reminds us of just how special Thad Jones and his music always was, is and will be. It’s so very special for Ubuntu Music to bring this timeless, contemporary jazz to the world, which is certain to put a smile on your face and a tap in your toes .”

Thad Jones in Denmark, 1969. (Video Image)

For further information, please contact:

Bernd Reiter (Artist): berndreiter@gmx.at

Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide): martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com

FEATURE: Dameronia's Legacy All-Stars

Sandy Brown jazz takes a look at the great song, "‘If You Could See Me Now’.

REVIEW: Dameronia's Legacy All-Stars

London Jazz News’ Bruce Lindsay reviews the popular live album.

REVIEW: Dameronia's Legacy All-Stars

The Scotsman gives the album 4 Stars.

FEATURE: Dameronia's Legacy All-Stars

London Jazz News takes a close look at this project.

REVIEW: Dameronia's Legacy All-Stars

The Times writes, “Tadd really is a delight and this proves it.”

Ubuntu Music Signs Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars ft. Dick Oatts & Jim Rotondi for Live Album

Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars / Live at Audi Forum Ingolstadt

8th July 2022

CD & Digital Formats / UBU0113

Left to right: Andrea Pozza, Johannes Herrlich, Dick Oatts, Aldo Zunino, Jim Rotondi, Bernd Reiter, Jon Boutellier, Rik van den Bergh. (Photographer: Christian Miorandi)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of the New-York-Meets-Europe octet, Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars, for the release of their recording, Live at Audi Forum Ingolstadt, on 8th July 2022.

The live album 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.

Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars Album Cover

Most of Dameron’s originals are part of the jazz repertoire these days. This octet brings these originals back in an up to date but still swinging context. The recording was made towards the end of a two-week European tour, so the arrangements were completely in place and the perfect ground for extended and inventive soloing by all the band members. The general concept was to have an octet which provides many of the options of a real big band and at the same moment still leaves enough solo space for everybody. The choice of musicians also followed that idea.

Bernd Reiter (Photographer: Frank Matthey)

Drummer Bernd Reiter (Austria) is the driving force behind the project. He studied in Graz and New York and, after several years in Munich, he now lives in Paris. He was awarded several prizes, including the Hans Koller Prize, the Austrian Jazz Prize and has already worked with many international jazz greats. It was his long wish to present the music of Tadd Dameron and "Philly" Joe Jones and, as a result, he put together a real ‘All-Star’ octet with outstanding jazz soloists from New York and Europe.

Jim Rotondi and Dick Oatts (Photographer: Frank Matthey)

Jim Rotondi (USA--trumpet) and Dick Oatts (USA--alto saxophone) are among the most respected musicians of the New York jazz scene. Jim Rotondi has worked with artists such as Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, Lou Donaldson, Curtis Fuller, George Coleman, and many others. He is also professor for jazz trumpet at the University of Art in Graz. Dick Oatts has been part of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band (now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) since the late 1970s and has also worked with musicians such as Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Chick Corea, Tito Puente, B.B. King, and Diana Ross.

Jon Boutellier, Rik van den Bergh and Johannes Herrlich (Photographer: Frank Matthey)

Jon Boutellier (France--tenor sax) is considered the young French saxophone star and also works as an arranger for various big bands. Rik van den Bergh (Netherlands) is a baritone sax artist who has played and toured with Joe Magnarelli, Jim Rotondi, Dick Oatts, Teddy Edwards, Don Braden, Dan Barrett, Gary Smulyan, and Ronnie Cuber. Trombonist Johannes Herrlich teaches in Vienna and Munich and has also worked for years with jazz giants such as Kenny Wheeler, Joe Haider and many more.

Andrea Pozza and Aldo Zunino (Photographer: Frank Matthey)

Andrea Pozza (Italy) is considered a pianist capable of handling with great ease any repertoire and boasts collaborations with the "sacred cows" of jazz such as Harry "Sweet" Edison, Chet Baker, Scott Hamilton, Steve Grossman, George Coleman, Lee Konitz and others. Bassist Aldo Zunino (Italy) hails from Genova and has played with many of the greats including Enrico Rava, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Tommy Flanagan, Joe Chambers, Gary Bartz, Clark Terry, Kenny Burrell, Lester Bowie, Junior Mance, Cedar Walton, Nat Adderley, Clifford Jordan and Horace Parlan.

The exceptional trumpet ace Jim Rotondi gives his view of the project: “Similar to the groups that the great composer, Tadd Dameron, led throughout his own career, the Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars offers a sound somewhere between small group and big band, courtesy of a dynamic five horn front line with great soloists and tailor-made arrangements. But make no mistake, this is no repertory group. This music is now!”

The world-renowned trumpet player continues, giving his assessment of the line-up: “The music featured on this album by the Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars is timeless, emanating from the pen of one of the greatest composers the music has ever known. It’s led by the tenacious European drummer, Bernd Reiter, and the band boasts a truly All-Star lineup:

·      Legendary US alto saxophonist Dick Oatts, who possesses a sound unique and all his own.

·      From the Netherlands, a truly positive force in the European Jazz community, baritone saxophonist Rik Van den Bergh.

·      A truly dynamic and versatile voice on the trombone, as well as a pillar of the Vienna jazz scene, Johannes Herrlich.

·      Brilliant French saxophonist, composer, and arranger, Jon Boutellier.

·      One of the most popular rhythm teams on the European concert circuit, pianist Andrea Pozza (Italy) and bassist Aldo Zunino (Italy).”

Left to right: Johannes Herrlich, Jon Boutellier, Dick Oatts, Rik van den Burgh, Bernd Reiter, Andrea Pozza, Jim Rotondi, Aldo Zunino.

Concerning their new-found relationship with Ubuntu Music, Bernd Reiter comments: “I had the pleasure to be on two Ubuntu albums in the past (‘Burnin’ in London’, featuring Eric Alexander and Harold Mabern; ‘Live Encounter’, featuring Eric Alexander, Seamus Blake and Mike LeDonne). The first one was a particularly special treat and is a wonderful memory of the late, great Mr. Harold Mabern. Ubuntu’s way of presenting music and the musicians is the perfect match for this Dameronia octet album!”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, shares his parting thoughts: “It’s a pleasure to be reunited with Bernd and to extend the relationship with the Dameronia’s Legacy All-Stars for this album. I saw the band perform at Ronnie Scott’s in 2021 and just knew this would make a great live project. It’s such an honour to have Dick (Oatts) and Jim (Rotondi) to be a part of recording, which made this even that much more special. It’s a timeless, musical exposé of highlights from Dameron’s phenomenal catalogue, for all the world to enjoy. We graciously welcome these guys to the Ubuntu Music Family.”

For further information, please contact:

Bernd Reiter (Artist)                                                   berndreiter@gmx.at

Emma Perry (UK Publicity)                                        emmasarahperry@gmail.com

Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide):           martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com