Ubuntu Music recorded two sold out shows for a planned release of a live album!
Omar
Omar + QCBA
Quentin Collins and Brandon Allen
Ross Stanley
James Maddren
Omar
Ubuntu Music Signs Soul Sensation Omar + QCBA for Live Album Release
Omar + QCBA: Live at Jazz Café
UBU0100 / CD & Digital Formats
Omar Lye-Fook (screen edit)
Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of sensational soul vocalist Omar + QCBA for the release of their upcoming live album, which is being recorded at their two sold out shows at London’s Jazz Café on Friday, 29th May.
Omar Lye-Fook MBE is, without a doubt, one of the greatest soul music talents the United Kingdom has produced in the last 40 years. If anyone has doubts about that, then they should consider the list of legendary artists who happily line up to collaborate with him musically, or simply sing his praises – from Stevie Wonder, the late Leon Ware, Erykah Badu, Common, through to Carleen Anderson, D’Angelo, and Soul II Soul’s Caron Wheeler, Angie Stone and UK artists Courtney Pine, Rodney P, Kele LeRoc, Natasha Watts and Estelle, who all appreciate his truly original and unique voice, his musicianship and his songwriting talent.
Quentin Collins and Brandon Allen (screen edit)
Omar teams up with his decade-long partnership of QCBA, featuring the outstanding trumpet player Quentin Collins and the tenor sax titan Brandon Allen, for an intoxicating musical cocktail of jazz, R&B, funk and soul.
QCBA are an organ driven quartet of virtuosos known for their smart, sassy, contemporary and original music. Influenced by the great Blue Note era of the 60s, they’ve taken the jazz scene by storm with their eclectic collaborations. When QCBA team up with Omar, they deliver an explosion of soul-funk infused music.
QCBA, left to right: Quentin Collins, Brandon Allen, Ross Stanley, James Maddren (screen edits)
Rounding out the band are two absolutely exceptional talents: Ross Stanley, arguably the best Hammond organist in the country, and James Maddren, certainly one of the most sought-after drummers in jazz today.
Commenting on the upcoming project, Omar shared his thoughts: “I’m very excited to extend my collaboration with these great jazz musicians onto a live recording and share this fresh approach to my music with my fans.”
Quentin Collins continued, saying: “"I'm excited to have this opportunity to further develop my longstanding musical relationships with both Omar and Ubuntu Music. For so long now I've been a huge admirer of both Omar's incredible voice as well as his unique song writing style. Having collaborated together for over 10 years, it makes a lot of sense to put down on record QCBA's arrangements of some of Omar’s great songs."
Brandon Allen also chimed in: “The chemistry between Omar and our group has always been very strong. Omar’s distinctive style, combined with our original arrangements of his music, creates something quite unique, which is a blend of soul/funk and the blue note jazz sound. I’m really looking forward to being part of this special performance and live recording.”
Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, adds his perspective: “This album was destined to happen. All of the musicians on this upcoming recording have appeared on Ubuntu Music releases. Omar was a special guest on Camilla George’s last album. Quentin was my original partner in starting the Label and, along with Brandon, released the last QCBA album with Ubuntu. Ross was on this same QCBA release and also features on Nigel Price’s latest. And James was the pivotal drummer on our Martin Speake/Ethan Iverson album, as well as Calum Gourlay’s release. Omar + QCBA was made for a live recording, as anyone who has ever seen this band perform would wholeheartedly agree. They create a highly unique kind excitement and energy at the highest level. We are thrilled to be releasing this album, for everyone to enjoy. We welcome them to our beautiful Family.”
For further information, please contact:
Martin Hummel (Ubuntu Music) martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com
Today's Jazz: Quentin Collins Sextet
Today’s Jazz writes, “there’s a sense of a fine project properly realised and accomplished.”
Road Warrior (Ubuntu Music)
Quentin Collins Sextet
Released September 13, 2019
Jazzwise Top 10 Releases of 2019
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l3_HTP_vGtvVzwAZpGISuRmVH0lZP-xp4
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/1DvDS2zUdzvRIVv3VvrVOi?si=Xv5HtwV4RRa71Sy0vkz34Q
About:
As one of the hardest working and in-demand internationally renowned jazz trumpet players, Collins has formed an all-star band which is a progression of his quintet with alto sax ace, Tom Harrison, which gave birth to the Quentin Collins Sextet.
Collins’ overarching ambition was to record an album, consisting of original material, with the joint collaboration of a select US-based rhythm section and an established UK-based horn section. The end result is a collection of straight-ahead contemporary bop, composed equally by Collins and Harrison.
As a background, Collins met in-demand US pianist Dan Nimmer (Wynton Marsalis) while touring with Kyle Eastwood, a band Collins has been a regular with for years. Collins was so impressed with Nimmer’s playing that he invited him to be a part of the new project. Nimmer graciously accepted the offer, and suggested that the incredible drummer, Willie Jones III from New York City, joined the line-up. In addition, one of Nimmer’s close friends from high school, NY bassist Joe Sanders, rounded out this most impressive roster.
Collins further decided to stretch the front line with young tenor sax sensation, Leo Richardson, whose debut album Quentin produced on the Ubuntu Music record label. By chance, Tom Harrison also went to music college with Richardson, which made the ensemble that much more synchronistic. Meilana Gillard (who was drafted in to play alto on four days’ notice, when injury left Tom Harrison unable to make the recording) completes the line-up.
Harrison asked the iconic Jazz Messenger’s legend, sax titan Jean Toussaint, to join the project in performing on two tracks and to produce the album. Collins, by contrast, asked the multi-talented composer/arranger/musician Troy Miller (Laura Mvula) to mix the album.
As Collins explains, “This music has been a personal journey of self-discovery. It is also a significant collaboration with my great friend, Tom Harrison. Each of our compositions represents a journey–be it spiritual or physical–and all the great wisdom gained along the way. I hope the love that went into the composing and recording process for ‘Road Warrior’ will be equally embraced by all who listen.”
Regarding his relationship with Ubuntu Music, Collins elaborates, “Releasing Road Warrior on Ubuntu is, for me, the perfect next step in my journey with the Label. Having been Artistic Director for its first three years, I know intimately how much care, attention and love Martin Hummel puts into each project. This comes from a deep and long-standing appreciation for music and music makers and makes working together on this album a real joy and thrill.” Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, sums up the project, saying, “Quentin and I have shared a special relationship, as friends and as business partners with a deep mutual respect for the other. I started the Label with Quentin, and Ubuntu’s second release featured Quentin and Brandon Allen in a terrific album. It gives me great joy to extend the relationship further with ‘Road Warrior’, an absolute killer of an album created by Quentin and another good friend, Tom Harrison. This is a must-hear album that brings Quentin to a new level in his career that is much anticipated and long overdue.”
Track Listing:
1. Road Warrior 7:17
2. Float, Flitter, Flutter 6:05
3. Do You Know the Way? 5:30
4. Look Ahead (What Do You See?) 5:46
5. Jasmine Breeze 5:05
6. The Hill 6:22
7. El Farolito 5:56
8. Wider Horizons 7:45
9. Oh! Look At Me Now 5:09
Personnel:
Quentin Collins: trumpet, flugelhorn
Meilana Gillard: alto saxophone
Leo Richardson: tenor saxophone
Dan Nimmer: piano, Fender Rhodes (4)
Joe Sanders: acoustic bass
Willie Jones III: drums
Special Guest
Jean Toussaint: tenor saxophone (5, 7)
Recorded October 30-31, 2018
Produced by: Jean Toussaint
Mixed by: Troy Miller
Review:
Trumpeter Collins assembled a spectacular line-up for this very impressive album, balancing an all-American rhythm section with a strong UK frontline. Many of the pieces are his; others are by saxophonist Tom Harrison, a frequent associate who was unable to make the session, Gillard being his replacement. The mood is post-bop, with an augmented Messengers feel, the writing compact and the execution consistently rewarding. The title-track would fit the Silver-Blakey template exactly and has their kind of momentum, trumpet at the front, crisp and clear, before the impressive Richardson pushes in and Nimmer opens up, bassist Sanders swinging hard. Harrison’s ‘Float, Flitter, Flutter’ allows Collins to show his Hubbard-like inclinations and Gillard to solo affectingly, the hauntingly, hymn-like ‘Look Ahead’ written by Collins for his son quite sublime. Producer Toussaint adds his sinuous tenor to two tracks. Each piece has its own pleasures: above all, there’s a sense of a fine project properly realised and accomplished.
Peter Vacher (Jazzwise)
Ellora Management and Ubuntu Management Group Announce the Creation of a Formal Collaborative Partnership
The two businesses plan an aggressive expansion of
shared services with select artists from their respective rosters.
Left to right: Laura Hess-Hay and Martin Hummel.
Ellora Management Inc, a division of Ellora Designs LLC, is a Lakeville, Connecticut-based company which provides diversified music and related services to jazz artists. It is owned and managed by Laura Hess-Hay, who has considerable talent management experience. Its roster includes Ahmad Jamal, Hiromi and Marialy Pacheco.
Ubuntu Management Group Ltd is a London-based company that provides diversified music services which includes consulting, talent management and recorded music through its record label, Ubuntu Music. It is owned and managed by Martin Hummel, who has a considerable track record in advertising, marketing and communications across a broad spectrum of businesses throughout the world. Artists who have appeared on its album releases include Alina Bzhezhinska, Andrew McCormack, Camilla George, Chet Baker, Darius Brubeck, Eric Alexander, Harold Mabern, Jay Phelps, Laurence Hobgood, Mike LeDonne, Quentin Collins and Seamus Blake.
These two businesses first came together in 2019 through the shared mutual interest in a young Turkish pianist, Hakan Başar. Ellora manages Başar while Ubuntu released his debut album that same year.
The success of this initial encounter led to the decision to work together with Boston-based Japanese pianist, Yoko Miwa. Again, Ellora manages Miwa while Ubuntu will be releasing her next album on its label later this year.
Collaborations with additional artists have been identified and will be announced, shortly.
The essence of the relationship between these two parties resides in leveraging Ellora’s considerable management track record and its booking agent infrastructure along with Ubuntu’s business/marketing management experience and its highly successful Ubuntu Music record label.
Speaking on behalf of Ellora Management, President Laura Hess-Hay said, “Martin Hummel and I came together like a tornado having like minds on absolutely everything we were seeking for our mutual artist, Hakan Başar. As our talks continued and we evolved sharing our views about how we worked and what we intended to achieve in our lives musically, it quickly became apparent that we were like mirrors of the other.
My family is my priority, and this includes my music family as well. Martin’s priorities are absolutely the same. It quickly became apparent that together we could accomplish more for our upcoming family of new artists. Look out for some wonderful happenings in the near future!”
Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Management Group elaborated further, saying, “This partnership seemed destined to happen. Laura Hess Hay Jamal and I share the same ethos, values and passion for what we do and for the artists we represent. We have complimentary skills and geographic breadth. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed working together and independently came to the view that we should formalise the relationship. We have some very exciting plans ahead and firmly believe that the combined forces of our two businesses will continue to make a significant difference to our artists.”
For further information, please contact:
Mike Wilpizeski (mikew@chartroommedia.com) at Chart Room Media, 718 459 2117 (USA)
Ellora Management: info@elloramanagement.com
Ubuntu Management Group: info@ubuntumanagementgroup.com
Websites
https://www.elloramanagement.com/
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For the full review, please click on the image, above.
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For the full article, please click on the image, above.
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London Jazz News writes, “ If you haven’t run across this album already, it’s worth seeking out.”
For the full review, please click on the image, above.