New Music Monday — Kenny Barron; Jacky Terrasson; & Obed Calvaire

Tune in to Lunchtime! with Arturo Gómez for New Music Monday on Monday, April 22 at noon.

Kenny Barron: “Beyond This Place”
Considered one of the best pianists still active, Barron has had a long and illustrious career. Since hitting the scene in 1960 Kenny made an immediate impact not only as a pianist but as an arranger and composer which is why Dizzy Gillespie recruited him to be his touring and studio pianist. After about 6 years with Diz, he went on to be Yusef Lateef’s pianist for many years before he began to lead his groups while still playing with jazz’s greatest names. In the winter of 2023, Kenny played at the Newmann Center to a capacity audience and brought the house down with his majestic playing. Mr. Barron was elected to the NEA Jazz Master Fellowship in 2010, not only as a performer but also due to his extensive work as an educator.

For his newest session, Kenny selected two fellow Philadelphians, drummer Jonathan Blake and saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins as well as Kiyoshi Kitagawa-bass and Steve Nelson on vibraphones.

Jacky Terrasson: “Moving On”
Jacky has always been an adventurer and always traveling throughout the world not only to perform but to absorb cultures and music he can apply to his playing. One of the most peculiar additions by Jacky is using the recorded sound of a bird singing on Borneo Island in his tribute song to legendary Edit Piaf. This new recording features two different trios led by Terrasson, a French trio, and a US trio as the album was recorded in France and the USA. Eight of the fifteen tracks are originals by Jacky and the remainder are reimagined covers, there are two vocals by Kareen Guiock Thuram and two others by Camile Bertrault. An additional guest is Gregoire Maret on harmonica. Perhaps Terrasson’s finest recording to date, if not his most varied, either way, he has moved on quite a way from his earliest recordings.

Obed Calvaire: “150 Million Gold Francs”
Extremely proud of his Haitian heritage, drummer Obed Calvaire was raised in Mami by parents who taught him the rich history of Haiti. An extremely talented musician, Obed will release his debut as a leader in May, he chose to honor his ethnicity by choosing other Haitian American jazz players like keyboardist/percussionist Harold Saint Louis, bassist Addi LaFosse, and saxophonist Godwin Louis. The acclaimed pianist Sullivan Fortner is on this recording, a non-Haitian however, since he is from New Orleans he is aware of the Haitian/French influences of the Big Easy. The album’s first tune opens with the voice of Obed’s mother singing a Haitian folkloric song, this reflects a child being born hearing his mother as the first sound to enter their ears.

The title of Obed Calvaire’s debut like the contents is Haitian, after Haiti defeated France to become the first independent Black nation in 1804, the French created a naval blockade surrounding Haiti with a ransom of 150 million gold francs to end the blockade, an impossible sum to attain and for which Haiti is still suffering the consequences.

Now in its 21st year of debuting the latest arrivals to the KUVO Jazz library, many of them are played ahead of their official release date. In addition to the music comments, I’ll provide a few tidbits about the artist, if it’s a new or an up-and-coming artist. It all begins at Noon every Monday.

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