Yussef Dayes
Black Classcal Music (LTD. Mint Coloured Ed.)

Tony has made a great album, it sounds like a lost album from the european spiritual jazz scene of the 1970s. A nice balance of themes with spirited playing. Great analogue recording too! - Nat Birchall, Gondwana RecordsFresh new UK jazz talent who can only be destined for great things! This album can only be a future classic. - Jazzman Gerald, Jazzman RecordsTony Burkill - Work Money DeathReleased on the 17th of November on Leeds Jazz & Soul label ATA Records, the debut from Tony Burkill “Work Money Death” explores the foundations laid by the great Tenor players of the 60s & 70s: Gato Barbieri, Pharoah Sanders, John Klemmer and John Coltrane, taking inspiration from their work and using it as a springboard for Tenor Saxophonist Tony Burkill’s improvisation. Co-written with Bassist Neil Innes, the album attempts to frame Tony’s playing within the context of that which has provided the most influence.Who is Tony Burkill?A stalwart of the Leeds music scene for the best part of 3 decades, Tony Burkill has so far maintained a low profile nationally, choosing to favour continued study and development on the instrument over attainment of success or recognition within the music industry. Working as a sideman for hire on the local circuit, he has impressed audiences with his powerful and gutsy approach to improvisation, and has been a well kept secret amongst both musicians and audiences in the north of England since the 1980s.Recently featuring as a guest soloist on the debut album by The Sorcerers, Tony has been on the radar of ATA Records since the inception of the label. Impressed by his exuberant and earthy performance style they decided to embark on the writing and production of what was to become “Work Money Death”, choosing to frame his playing in the context of the performers that have helped to shape his sound, most notably the spiritual jazz of the 60s and 70s.Featuring on the record are Drummer Sam Hobbs (The Electric Doctor M and Producer of Matthew Bourne’s Moogmemory), Bassist Neil Innes (The Sorcerers, Eddie Roberts’ Roughneck), Pianist George Cooper (Abstract Orchestra), Percussionist Pete Williams (The Sorcerers) and features a guest performance from Pianist Matthew Bourne on the track “Beginning and End”.Album opener “Third Of All Numbers” begins the LP with a Brubeckian jazz waltz that organically shifts between 3 and 6 time throughout, providing an ever shifting base for Tony’s thematic development of the main melody. “Out Of Sorts With The World” swaps piano for Farfisa organ and lays out a percussion-heavy Ethio-jazz groove that acts as the perfect foil to Tony’s bruising John Klemmer inspired performance. The tempo takes a step down on “Out Of a Shooting Star” (a reference to Tony’s unusual choice of Saxophone for this recording: A 1960s student model - the Conn Shooting Star) with George Cooper’s understated piano playing echoing the tender melody over a constantly evolving bed of flute, bass clarinet and percussion.“Work Money Death” is constantly propelled forward by Sam Hobbs’ agitated drumming and George Cooper’s McCoy Tyneresque piano playing, allowing for Tony to channel John Coltrane and Gato Barbieri. The final track “Beginning And End” features Matthew Bourne on piano over a hypnotic pulse of handclaps, bells, drums and bass, evoking Sun-Ra’s and Pharoah Sanders’ more cosmic output.

Favorite Recordings proudly presents a reissue of the first and eponymous LP by Esperanto, a Venezuelan Jazz-Fusion masterpiece originally released in 1980. This rare and sought-after album recorded in Caracas by talented musicians could be likened to the best of the South American scene with strong Funk & Latin influences. Following the recent reissue of Sacbé, this one is a little wonder and a must-have for anyone interested in Latin Jazz-Funk & Fusion. Fully remastered and available as Gatefold Tip-On vinyl LP.Like most bands, the story first started as a series of jam sessions. Multi-instrumentist Jorge Aguilar and his drummer Pablo Matarazzo were playing in a band, covering a various number of Latin genres from Merengue to Salsa and playing at parties, even though they were mostly influenced by Jazz or Funk, but also British Rock or Brazilian music. Still, they were dreaming about a real band. Thus, while some of their friends were on vacations in Venezuela during their studies at Music school in Boston and New York, they immediately organized jam sessions. First impros quickly became songs and Pablo and Jorge were finally joined by Roldan Peña, Gustavo Arranguren, Ezequiel Serrano, Marcus Vinicius and Nenè Quintero.With the help of a friend, they recorded songs and brought those tracks to radio stations. Without realizing it, the group gained a certain notoriety in Caracas and began to give shows that became quite famous. Sometimes, they had to play two times in the same night with people still waiting outside!With the money earned, they kept recording their songs but now in a quite better studio. The album was taking its final shape, with an exciting blend of Funk, Fusion and Jazz-Rock elements, all mixed with Latin music influences. With an extensive use of synthesizers, the tracks sounded like a fresh wind blowing over the city of Caracas.After bringing a few friends to record their parts, the album was then offered to CBS for distribution – some of their executives had just become fans after experiencing one of their amazing gigs! But in exchange, they also had to record two more commercial songs, a cover of "Ticket To Ride" by The Beatles, and “Vereda Tropical", a classic in the Latin market. Jorge reminds: "The rest of the songs were compositions by myself and by other members of the band. The album was recorded in its entirety almost live, that is, all of us playing together and without many overdubs because we did not have many tracks nor money to pay studio time. Certainly, we were one of the bands that started the Fusion jazz movement in Venezuela and the most recognized because we managed to be played a lot on the radios and we filled the largest number of concerts as well as obtained the largest number of sales".The band kept recording other albums, notably with Warner Bros after the label was again really impressed by their opening show for Peter Frampton Comes Alive Tour one night in Caracas. Jorge adds: "Today if you ask people around 60 years old in Venezuela about a Fusion group, they will tell you that Esperanto is the band they remember! I think the most significant thing about the Esperanto band is that it was quite naïve since we were all in our early 20s and we did everything just for the pleasure of playing without thinking about the economic aspects of the industry".