Tyshawn Sorey Opera Debuts in Philadelphia and Happy Birthday to Henry Threadgill

Tyshawn Sorey’s Cycles of My Being featured in The New York Times 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE

Tyshawn Sorey’s collaboration with Lawrence Brownlee and Terrance Hayes, Cycles of My Being, debuts February 20th at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, PA. It then travels to Chicago and New York,where it will be performed at Carnegie Hall in April. Congratulations to Tyshawn for a great start to 2018. Watch this performance of Tyshawn’s Josephine Baker: A Portrait from the 2016 Ojai Festival.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDhq860pTuA[/embedyt]

Happy birthday to Henry Threadgill who turned 74 on February 15th. The maestro will have two releases this year, Dirt… And More Dirt by 14 or 15 Kestra:Agg and a new Double Up Plus Ensemble release.

New York Times Praises Jen Shyu’s Live Performance

Pi Recordings artist, Jen Shyu, has been included in The New York Times January in Live Jazz: 5 Standout Shows. Her recent performance at The Jazz Gallery, combining storytelling, audience participation, and singing, is said to have “turned the stage into a space of imaginative ritual.”

Shyu’s recent release, Song of Silver Geese, was also mentioned by The New York Times as one of the best albums of 2017, in addition to earning rave reviews from Downbeat Magazine. Jen Shyu will be performing across the US as a part of her SOWN / SEWN 50-State Tour, which begins February 2nd at Music Mansion in Providence, Rhode Island. We hope to see you there!

Watch this video EP For Song of Silver Geese  by Lee Seong Uk:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKm-Ii1bMiA[/embedyt]

New York Times Best of 2017

Two of Pi Recordings’ 2017 releases have been included in The New York Times Best Albums of 2017, Tyshawn Sorey’s Verisimilitude and Jen Shyu’s Song of Silver Geese. Song of Silver Geese was also received a rave 4.5 star review in the most recent issue of DownBeat.

Finlayson in the News, Lehman and Threadgill at Big Ears and New Vinyl for Sale

Last week, Jonathan Finlayson’s album “Moving Still” was featured on All About Jazz. The review calls Finlayson an “In demand” trumpeter who is “laying a foundation of top-tier groundwork in recordings with Steve Coleman on all of the uncompromising composer’s Five Elements albums since 2002.”

“His expertise at creating atmosphere through texture and color gives each of the pieces on Moving Still a bold, energetic feel without being exaggerated.” – Karl Ackermann at AllAboutJazz.com

In festival news, Steve Lehman and Henry Threadgill have been booked to perform at The Big Ears festival 2017 in Knoxville, TN.

Finally, Henry Threadgill’s Pulitzer Prize winning “In for a Penny, In for a Pound” is available on 2LP vinyl. It is in stock and ready to ship!

Jen Shyu and Steve Coleman at the Stone

For our listeners in New York City, Jen Shyu is finishing up her run at The Stone with a different group of musicians each night. She will be performing every night through August 14th with sets at 8 and 10pm.

Also, starting on August 30th Steve Coleman will be celebrating his 60th birthday with a month of performances at the Stone. He will be playing in multiple groups, with a high potential for new music.

Early Press for Steve Lehman’s Selebeyone

Steve Lehman’s invigorating new recording Sélébéyone is receiving some fantastic pre-release press.

“If this is the direction jazz is heading, Lehman, as usual, is miles ahead.”-Downbeat

“Jazz purists, and even some more exploratory listeners, may have to open their ears a bit wider with Sélébéyone, but it will prove well worth it.”- All About Jazz’s Karl Ackerman

“Like all titanic hip-hop and jazz records theirs contains much to consider, lessons to be learned, poetry to contemplate, and new cultures to absorb.”- All About Jazz’s Mark Corroto

Sélébéyone is available for pre-order on bandcamp

More Press for The Inner Spectrum of Variables

Tyshawn Sorey’s The Inner Spectrum of Variables is continuing to get rave reviews in the press.

“This is an astonishing, indefinable work that drags jazz and modern composition into an entirely new realm.”-The Wire

“The Inner Spectrum Of Variables is a hugely impressive and often moving work, establishing Sorey as a worthy heir to creative composers like Anthony Braxton and Henry Threadgill”-The Quietus

“This is one of those rare releases where one can say with confidence that something new and exciting is taking place. Sorey is fast becoming one of the most intriguing musicians and composers of his generation, and if this music is any indication, it signals the opportunity for more creative work to be done in bringing the worlds of classical and improvised music into closer contact.”-Free Jazz Blog

Tyshawn Sorey will be premiering a new work for his Alloy Trio at The Newport Jazz Festival on July 29th. We hope to see you there.

Tyshawn Sorey at the Stone and Another Review for His New Recording

Tyshawn Sorey will be in residency at The Stone this week. Come through and check out what the New York Times calls “a rare performance” and one of “10 Things to Do Now in NYC”

Additionally, Tyshawn Sorey’s new album The Inner Spectrum of Variables has been called “a highlight of the year” by Burning Ambulance.

New Recording from Steve Lehman

Steve Lehman’s ambitious new project Sélébéyone featuring rappers HPrizm and Gaston Bandimic with composition and production from Maciek Lasserre is almost here.

The second track from this recording “Are You In Peace?” was recently featured in Pitchfork.

“In finessing this range of linguistic dexterity and instrumental expression, the worldliness of the band’s performance amounts to a startling new take on the posse cut.”-Pitchfork

Check out the Full Review at Pitchfork

Recent Press for Henry Threadgill

Henry Threadgill’s recently released Old Locks and Irregular Verbs has received a myriad of positive reviews!

“It’s all too much to think about, except for the fact that it’s not. Threadgill’s masterful blend of the independent and interdependent is alive and well in Old Locks and Irregular Verbs.”-All About Jazz

Full review at All About Jazz

“Henry Threadgill may be in his early 70s, but he continues to make music that sounds like no one else. Even when he branches out and doesn’t quite sound like himself, he remains inimitable to a startling degree.”-PopMatters

Full review at PopMatters

“Recent Pulitzer winner Henry Threadgill only makes important records. In the jazz avant-garde, he is both revered elder statesman and active agent provocateur.”-JazzTimes

Full review at JazzTimes