[COULEURS JAZZ MONTH – THE BEST OF!]

On COULEURS JAZZ RADIO only – www.couleursjazzradio.fr

Paris-time: lMonday 04:00pm, Wednesday 05:00pm, Thursday 06:00pm.

NYC time:at 08:00PM Tursday and 10:00 PM Wednesday

The 12 best albums released last month: November 2024, so:

Chantez sous l’appli !

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With:

⁠Bill Laurance & Michael League for “Keeping Company“
Jon Batiste for “Beethoven Blues”
Jim Mullen 4tet for “For Heavens Sake”
Camille Thouvenot Mettà Trio for “InTriospection”
Judith Owen for “Sings Christmas”
Giovanni Mirabassi & Rosario Giuliani for “Live and Kicking”
Ludivine Issambourg for “Above The Laws”
Michel Petrucciani, Gary Peacock & Roy Haynes for “Jazz Club Montmartre”
Thomas Fonnesbæk & Enrico Pieranunzi for “In Rome”
Philippe El Hage, Youssef Hbeisch for “A Confused World”
Scott Hamilton Feat. Jan Lundgren & Hans Backenroth for “Looking Back”
Keith Jarrett Gary Peacock & Paul Motian for “The Old Country”

——–

Bill Laurance & Michael League – Keeping Company

With Keeping Company, Bill Laurance and Michael League present a second intimate and minimalist album, far from the collective energy of Snarky Puppy. The pianist and oud/ fretless bass player duo explore delicate and atmospheric sounds, highlighting their 20- year musical friendship.

Recorded mostly live, the album embraces an organic and spontaneous approach. The two musicians venture into new territories, blending jazz, melody, and improvisation.

Keeping Company reflects their friendship and shared curiosity, delivering music that feels both personal and universal.

“Carrying out a project together is a celebration of our friendship.” – Bill Laurance

Jon Batiste – Beethoven Blues

Grammy-winning artist Jon Batiste announces Beethoven Blues, his eighth studio album, released on Verve Records/Interscope. This album, the first in a solo piano series, reimagines Beethoven’s iconic works infusedwith the spirit of the blues and unique stylistic richness.

Batiste explains: “Each piece begins with Beethoven’s compositions, which I reinvented on the piano in real-time. This spontaneous exercise honors his genius while engaging in dialogue with my own creative journey.”

Jim Mullen Quartet – For Heavens Sake

Scottish guitarist Jim Mullen, influenced by Jim Hall and George Benson, has explored a wide range of styles, from rock to bebop to jazz-funk.

With For Heaven’s Sake, Mullen returns as part of a quartet, joined by Kristian Leth (drums), Jan Harbeck (saxophone), and Ben Paterson (organ/piano). Together, they reinterpret blues, ballads, and bebopstandards with seamless chemistry. The album features Medication, an original composition inspired by Jobim’s Meditation.

Known for his unique thumb-picking technique, often compared to Wes Montgomery, Mullen continues to captivate jazz enthusiasts with timeless swing.

Camille Thouvenot Trio – InTriospection

In 2016, Camille Thouvenot brought together Christophe Lincontang (double bass) and Andy Barron (drums), forming a trio that blends swing and modernity. Their first album, Crésistance (2021), received praise from Jazz Magazine and led to over 50 concerts. In 2024, the trio recorded inTriospection at La Buissonne Studios. Set for release on

November 8, this album continues the group’s musical journey, inspired by inner seasons and the pianist’s artistic circle—a promising new chapter for this cohesive trio.

Giovanni Mirabassi & Rosario Giuliani – Live And Kicking

After years of musical partnership, Giovanni Mirabassi and Rosario Giuliani finally collaborate on Live and Kicking. Recorded live at Studio Ferber in Paris, the album explores their Italian roots and the American influences that shaped their careers. Blending original compositions with covers like Freddie Hubbard’s Yesterday’s Dream, the duo pays homage to jazz greats, from Massimo Urbani to Charlie Parker. This vibrant work showcases their artistic vitality and timeless vision of jazz.

Ludivine Issambourg – Above The Laws

Over the past 15 years, Ludivine Issambourg has established herself as one of France’s most renowned flutists and composers, collaborating with artists like Wax Tailor, Eric Legnini, and Angélique Kidjo.

In 2024, she releases Above the Laws, the highly anticipated sequel to Outlaws (2020), praised by legendary flutist Hubert Laws. Featuring original compositions and covers, the album draws inspiration from figures like Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson.

Issambourg, alongside talented musicians like Nils Landgren and Céline Bonacina, delivers a modern jazz-funk blend enriched with urban grooves and sophisticated arrangements.

Michel Petrucciani & Gary Peacock & Roy Haynes – Jazz Club Montmartre

A rare gem, this double album captures Michel Petrucciani at his peak, performing live in a trio with Gary Peacock (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums) at Copenhagen’s Jazzhus Montmartre on July 3, 1988.

The setlist includes original compositions (13th, She Did It Again) and jazz standards (My Funny Valentine, Autumn Leaves, Giant Steps). The trio’s chemistry and Petrucciani’s masterful artistry shine through, making this album a standout release for 2024.

Thomas Fonnesbæk & Enrico Pieranunzi – In Rome

Storyville Records unveils In Rome, a new album by Danish bassist Thomas Fonnesbæk, accompanied by Enrico Pieranunzi (piano), Rosario Giuliani (saxophone), Roberto Gatto (drums) and Valentina Ranalli (vocals). This opus features 11 original compositions, including 9 by Pieranunzi, 1 by Fonnesbæk and 1 by Gatto.

Renowned for his virtuosity and unique style, Thomas Fonnesbæk collaborates here with some of the leading figures in European jazz. The musical alchemy between Fonnesbæk and Pieranunzi, who has worked with legends such as Chet Baker and Ennio Morricone, is at the heart of this recording. Roberto Gatto enriches the trio with subtle drumming, while Rosario Giuliani and Valentina Ranalli add a touch of lyricism.

Recorded in Rome in 2023, À Rome embodies the creativity and elegance of European jazz.

Scott Hamilton – Looking Back

With Looking Back, American tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton celebrates his 70th birthday and revisits his career in a tribute album imbued with emotion and gratitude. Through 10 carefully chosen tracks, he pays tribute to musicians who have marked his career, such as Ruby Braﬀ, Jimmy Rowles and Tommy Flanagan.

Right from the start, Hamilton went against modernist trends, drawing inspiration from swing legends like Ben Webster and Lester Young. His warm sound and melodic playing have made him a master of traditional jazz.

Recorded with his touring partners – Jan Lundgren on piano, Hans Backenroth on double bass and Kristian Leth on drums – this album is a testament to their musical complicity. Together, they reinterpret timeless compositions with ﬁnesse.

With Looking Back, Scott Hamilton invites us to relive the great hours of jazz, while celebrating its rich musical heritage.

Keith Jarrett – The Old Country

On November 8, 2024, ECM unveils The Old Country: More From The Deer Head Inn, an album that continues the legacy of At The Deer Head Inn, one of Keith Jarrett‘s most celebrated albums. This new edition features previously unreleased recordings by Jarrett’s trio, accompanied by Gary Peacock on double bass and Paul Motian on drums. Highlights include a swinging version of Thelonious Monk’s Straight, No Chaser, as well as American song standards such as Everything I Love, How Long HasThis Been Going On? and I Fall In Love Too Easily.

The subtle interplay between the musicians, especially the way Jarrett explores harmonies and melodies while venturing off the beaten track, makes this recording a precious testimony.

This new album comes as Jarrett, after years of health diﬃculty, has announced that he will no longer be able to play in public. It therefore proves even more signiﬁcant, being one of the last major contributions from this historic trio, whose members, Motian and Peacock, left us in 2011 and 2020 respectively.

The Old Country will be a rare opportunity to rediscover the magic of these musicians in top creative form.

Philippe El Hage – A Confused World

In A Confused World, pianist Philippe El Hage and percussionist Youssef Hbeisch create a crossbred music, at the crossroads of jazz and Middle Eastern inﬂuences. El Hage‘s compositions, underpinned by Hbeisch‘s complex rhythms, oﬀrent a dialogue between two cultures, shot through with a quest for peace and hope in a troubled world. Each track varies thanks to changing percussion and a prepared piano that brings unique sonorities.

The album explores contrasts, from the sunny A Confused World to the softness of A Full Moon, via the futuristic textures of Melody From Another World. With inﬂuences ranging from Chopin to traditional Middle Eastern music, this album embodies the fusion of cultures, a hopeful bridge of sound between East and West.

Judith Owen – Swings Christmas

The Irish singer presents 14 Christmas classics revisited with the joyous spirit of New Orleans. Available November 8 on Twanky Records, the album was recorded at Esplanade Studios with the J.O Big Band. Produced by Judith Owen and John Fischbach, the album features arrangements by John Wasson and performances by renowned musicians, including Jason Marsalis on vibraphone. In addition to recent recordings, seven remastered tracks from earlier sessions add an extra touch of festive magic.

The album’s release coincides with Judith and her husband, actor Harry Shearer’s annual charity event: Christmas Without Tears, with proceeds going to charity. This year, the evening will be held at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans on December 17, with the J.O. Big Band and special guests.

Judith Owen Swings Christmas is the follow-up to her critically acclaimed album Come On And Get It, Couleurs Jazz Media in particular, with over 3 million listens.