CHALLENGE Records are distrinuted in the Uk by New Note Ltd

Release date: 27 August CHALLENGE

HARRY ALLEN Hits By Brits CD CR73258
This new recording is perhaps tenor saxophonist Harry Allen’s best yet and teams him with a group of equally talented young Americans: bassist Joel Forbes, guitarist Joe Cohn, son of Al Cohn, drummer Chuck Riggs, and on four cuts, trombonist John Allred. They perform a fine collection of tunes from the era of the great British Swing Bands by the likes of Ray Noble and others.

ANDREAS SCHNERMANN Tell Me The Truth About Love CD CR73254
Composer and bandleader Andreas Schnermann has set the poems of W. H. Auden, (1907–1973) to music. Schnermann took up the challenge to set Auden’s complex words to music and create a unique jazz album with the assistance of a talented group of musicians, including vocalist Inga Luhning. An outstanding track is the emotional "Funeral Blues", which was featured in the movie “Four Weddings and a Funeral”. In the jazz interpretation here it becomes the purest blues one can imagine in a modern jazz idiom.

BASELINE with JOHN ABERCROMBIE Standards CD CHR70023
In 1994 the leading Dutch bassist Hein van de Geyn recorded a second album with the American guitarist John Abercrombie. This time they chose a programme of jazz standards including compositions by Dave Brubeck, Horace Silver and Sonny Rollins. This CD, which captures the masterful improvisation of three accomplished musicians, is available once again.

ON3 Guess What? CD CR73257
ON3 is a trio featuring Vinny Valentino on guitars, Gilad on drums and bassist John Benitez that has been making quite a name for itself on the New York jazz scene. Playing mostly their own compositions they bring an original and contemporary take on the jazz guitar trio. George Benson says of them: “The trio exhibits great musicianship and the compositions are superb.”

Release date: 28 May CHALLENGE JAZZ

ERIC VLOEIMANS Gatecrashin´ CD CHR70138
The Dutch trumpeter Eric Vloeimans has been acclaimed for his acoustic jazz sets (including a 4 star review in the Guardian for his most recent recording). For his latest project he has taken a step into the world of electronic music, developing new sounds and exploring new possibilities, with Jeroen van Vliet on keyboards, the Icelandic bassist Gulli Gudmundsson and drummer Jasper van Hulten.

DMITRI KOLESNIK Five Corners CD CR73256
The Russian bassist Dmitri Kolesnik leads an all-star group of New York musicians on their second recording. Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeters Alex Sipiagin and Jim Rotondi, pianist Andrei Kondakov and drummer Lenny White perform Kolesnik’s accomplished hard-bop compositions – a recording that veteran bassist Ron Carter says you’ll want to hear again and again.

AVAILABLE NOW

KENDRA SHANK A Spirit Free - Abbey Lincoln Songbook CD CR73253
Vocalist Kendra Shank devotes this album to the compositions of Abbey Lincoln, who is not only one of the great jazz vocalists but also an under-rated composer. Kendra Shank is regarded in America as "one of the top jazz singers around today" and she is joined on this recording by her regular backing band which perfectly complements her warm voice and subtle improvising style.

HEIN VAN DER GEYN'S BASELINE The Guitar Album CD CHR70135
with JOHN ABERCROMBIE
In 2006 the Dutch jazz bassist Hein Van De Geyn invited the US guitarist John Abercrombie to guest with his Baseline trio that features Ed Verhoeff on guitar. They perform a set of thirteen originals (plus one standard “My Funny Valentine” with the two guitarists playing off each other, each with their own distinctive sound.

RECENT RELEASES

ENRICO PIERANUNZI QUINTET Don't Forget The Poet CD CHR70065
Enrico Pieranunzi, one of the leading pianists in Europe, performs a set of originalswhich give a broad overview of his work as a composer. He plays in a colourful and percussive style backed by some of the finest exponents of the Dutch modern jazz scene.

STATE OF MONC Clippertron CD CR77046
State of Monc are trumpeter/programmer Arthur Flink and sound & drum programmer Hielke Praagman. They blend electronic with acoustic music, and have been acclaimed in the Dutch press as the Dutch answer to Eric Truffaz - 'however more colourful', and Nils Petter Molvaer - 'only more exciting and raw'.

LEE KONITZ Dialogues CD CHR70053
This studio session by Lee Konitz, one of the most influential alto saxophonists in the development of modern jazz, was recorded in 1997, shortly after his 70th birthday. It contains seven standards that Konitz has been associated with for most of his artistic life, but all of them sound freshly considered, as he is spurred on by the Bert Van Den Brink trio.

CHET BAKER Hazy Hugs CD CHR70058
Reissue of a 1985 session by the legendary trumpeter Chet Baker who is the featured soloist with the Amstel Octet, made up from the best of Dutch jazz musicians. Originally released on LP in 1986, this attractive re-packaging of this much sought-after classic recording includes four alternate takes.

BOB BROOKMEYER NEW ART ORCH. New Works - Celebration CD CHR70066
The recording debut in 1997 of the renowned trombonist/composer Bob Brookmeyer’s New Art Orchestra, features the four-part suite "Celebration", originally written as a feature for the late baritone sax great Gerry Mulligan. Scott Robinson takes Mulligan’s role admirably on the premiere recording of this extended work, and the album is completed by four more compositions by Brookmeyer, whose solo on "Boom Boom" demonstrates that his playing is as exciting as ever.

LIEBMAN / SWALLOW / NUSSBAUM We Three - Three For All CD CHR70130
“Three For All” features the trio of saxophonist Dave Liebman, bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Adam Nussbaum. The first time these three musicians played as a unit was during a European tour in 2005. On this subsequent studio recording they sound as though they have been playing together for many years as they performs a programme of originals and jazz standards.

ERIC VLOEIMANS Summersault CD CHR70128
This unusual trio of trumpet, guitar and drums is led by the Dutch trumpeter Eric Vloeimans who is rapidly establishing himself as one of Europe’s leading jazz musicians. They perform a programme of originals which features material as varied as chamber and surf jazz.

MONSIEUR DUBOIS Ruff CD CR77043
Monsieur Dubois are a Rotterdam jazz collective that perform hard-hitting dance floor jazz. Their funky grooves never stray far from their jazz roots and to these they have added drum’n’bass rhythms, Latin percussion and ‘70’s style funk.

DORAN/STUCKY/STUDER Jimi CD DMCHR71049 Like many others, Christy Doran was influenced in his youth by the revolutionary playing of Jimi Hendrix. However, given his background in jazz and improvised music, “Jimi” sees the guitarist take the music into startling new directions.

ENRICO PIERANUNZI Live In Paris CD CHR70126
Enrico Pieranunzi is one of Italy’s finest post bop pianists. Joined by bassist Hein van de Geyn and drummer Andre “Dede” Ceccarelli, “Live In Paris” (recorded at “Le Duc De Lombards”), sees three outstanding musicians in complete empathy with each other.

DUTCH JAZZ ORCHESTRA The Lady Who Swings The Band CD CR73251
Pianist/compose/arranger Mary Lou Williams left behind an important body of work originally recorded by Andy Kirk, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and others. The Dutch Jazz Orchestra revisits her outstanding musical legacy and also performs nine previously unrecorded pieces.

ROSEANNE VITRO Live At The Kennedy Center CD CR73252
Roseanna Vitro is one of the most remarkable female jazz vocalists performing today. Her latest CD is a live recording from The Kennedy Centre, Washington DC, and is an intriguing mix of the well known (“Black Coffee”) and the less familiar (Bill Evans’ “Twelve Tone Tune”) - all performed, quite appropriately, in a distinctly personal way.