Gidon Nunes Vaz Quartet - Embrace Me
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“Denise Jannah's vocals on four of the tracks are simply gorgeous. The end result is a gentle, measured and totally appealing set”.
- HIFI NEWS AND RECORD REVIEW
Denise Jannah - vocals (special quest)
Gidon Nunes Vaz - trumpet / flugelhorn
Timothy Banchet - piano
Thomas Pol - bass
Yoran Vroom - drums
Total time: 36:24
Original recording format DXD 352kHz.
In order to get a little extra 'mojo' we decided to create the DXD Master using a Studer A80 analog reel to reel tape machine running at 15ips.
This album is dedicated to Gidon's mentor Peter Guidi, who passed away in 2018...
Gidon Nunes Vaz Quartet
"There is no playing it safe in jazz. You could say that the safety in jazz is that there is no safety. I prefer a recording session to be as live as possible; everybody in the same room, catching the moment where creativity happens,
old school, no overdubs….no safety.
But…OK...to be honest for this recording I did have a number of safety factors;
Studio 2 in the MCO building is a fantastic hall to play in. With Frans de Rond engineering you know that the sound is going to be right.
With Timothy, Thomas and Yoran as rhythm section I know that the music will be free to flow wherever it wants to go. And Denise is such an enormous source of inspiration. Her mastery inspires you to give it all you got. It is impossible not to play well with her present."
"I believe I and my band members all have our own voice within the tradition. We have learned to 'speak' by the musicians who came before us and we are very proud to be a part of that tradition, however, I do strive to crystallize my own voice and thereby contribute. I play the music I like to play. I don’t sit trying to work out some scheme that I think promoters or critics might like. I play this music because I have to...I can’t play it any other way."
- Gidon Nunes Vaz
(Gidon, Denise, Thomas, Yoran & Timothy)
"There’s a lot of quality musicianship on this recording; it’s very clear. So very rare to hear a group of young people pick up on the vibes (of these standards) and be true to the music. God bless you…...Keep doin what you’re doin.”
- Don Sebesky
Jazz is a living tradition. This recording shows yet again how the younger generation gets inspired by what came before them and the older generation gets revitalized by the energy and fire of the younger generation.
Gidon has handpicked a band of seasoned young musicians. These young men are among the top talents of the european scene. In Spite of their relative young age they already have an impressive track record: Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Phillip Harper, Frank McComb, Cory Henry, Ignacio Berroa, Jesse van Ruller, Ellis Marsalis, Herlin Riley, Ack van Rooyen, Randy Brecker, Steve Masakowski, Wess 'Warmdaddy' Anderson, Gregory Porter, Johnny Vidacovich, Nicholas Payton, Peter Bernstein …… are a few of the masters where they have done their apprenticeship.
And talking about masters, Gidon hit the jackpot when he found Blue Note recording star Denise Jannah willing to add her magic to the date. Denise is in top form here, clearly inspired by her young colleagues, she delivers a pointed yet relaxed rendition of these classic songs.
This recording of Don Sebesky’s 'Yesterday’s Dreams' is in a sense a premiere. It is the first time the composition is being heard with lyrics. Joan Gannij wrote the lyrics and Mr. Sebesky gave her his blessing for telling a good story.
Produced by Gidon Nunes Vaz
Liner notes by Peter Bjørnild
Recording, mixing and mastering by Frans de Rond
Recorded at MCO, Studio 2, Hilversum, The Netherlands, on the 25th of May 2018
Piano tuning: Naomi van Schoot / Charles Rademaker
Used equipment:
Microphones:
Gidon - AEA R92
Denise - Rens Heijnis MPM-91 Tube Mic
Timothy - Josephson C617 (pair)
Thomas - Josephson C700A
Yoran - Rens Heijnis RCM402 (pair), Audix D6
Micpre's: Merging Horus
Microphone cables by AudioQuest
Speakers: TAD Compact Evolution One
Poweramp: Moon 760A
Mixing headphones: Sennheiser HD800S / AKG702
All power cables and power conditioners by AudioQuest
Cover photo by Ruud Breuls
Portrait photo Gidon by Govert Driessen
Other photos by Jan Dirk Bol
Catalog Number: SL-1039A