February 2002 at parafono Sam Newsome βιογραφικό: Ο σαξοφωνίστας (σοπράνο σαξόφωνο) Sam Newsome γεννήθηκε στο Μέριλαντ και μεγάλωσε στο Χάμπτον της Βιρτζίνια των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών. Ο αδελφός του, που έπαιζε τρομπέτα σε ένα φανκ σχήμα, ήταν αυτός που τον παρακίνησε και τον 'έσπρωξε' να ασχοληθεί με τη μουσική, ενώ η αγάπη του για τη τζαζ αναπτύχθηκε ενώ ήταν ακόμη μέλος στην Τζαζ μπάντα του σχολείου του. Ηχογράφησε το πρώτο του άλμπουμ "SAM, I AM", το 1992 με τον Mulgrew Miller, τον James Genus και τον Billy Drummond για την εταιρεία CRISS CROSS. Η συνεργασία του με τον Terence Blanchard από το 1991 έως το 1994, τον βοήθησε να δουλέψει σε ηχογραφήσεις κινηματογραφικής μουσικής, όπως "The Malcolm X suite", "Inkwell", "Simply States" και "Sugar Hill", όπως επίσης και στην εμφάνισή του στην ταινία του Spike Lee "Malcolm X". Εχει συνεργαστεί με τον θρυλικό βιμπραφωνίστα Lionel Hampton και τους εξαίρετους Donald Byrd-τρομπέτα και Jack Mc Duff-όργανο και τους πιανίστες George Cables και James Williams. Αλλάζοντας από τενόρο σε σοπράνο πριν λίγα χρόνια, ο Newsome έχει καλλιεργήσει ένα ελεύθερο μουσικό πνεύμα, το οποίο βασίζεται σε ένα σύνολο διαφορετικών επιρροών από Νέο-Υορκέζικη τζαζ, Αφρικάνικη, Βραζιλιάνικη, Ινδική, Λάτιν και Φανκ μουσική, που ο ίδιος αποκαλεί "Διαπολιτισμική Τζαζ". Sam Newsome c.v. "Now, I'm looking to bring more people into the band to play the role of a soloist more than accompanist. By me surrounding myself with players who are going to kick me in the ass while I'm playing, it just makes me take it to the next level." Born in the eastern shore of Maryland and raised in Hampton, Virginia, Sam Newsome was most inspired to play music by his brother, who played trumpet in funk band. However, his love for jazz developped while a member of his junior high school jazz band. An alumnus of the Berklee College of Music, Newsome recorded his first album as a leader, "SAM, I AM", in 1992 with Mulgrew Miller, James Genus, Billy Drummond for Criss Cross Label. Working with Terence Blanchard from 1991 - 1994, he collaborated on such notable soundtracks and recordings as "The Malcolm X suite", "Simply States", "Inkwell" and "Sugar Hill" as well as he performed in Spike Lee movie "Malcolm X". Newsome has also worked with legendary vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, trumpet master Donald Byrd, monster organist Jack Mc Duff, and accomplished pianists George Cables & James Williams. Switching from tenor to soprano a few years ago, Newsome has cultivated a free-spirited musical concept that is an organically grown amalgam of New York Jazz, African, Brazilian, Indian, Latin and funk music, Sam simply calls it: "cross-cultural jazz". Sam has also worked with: Bruce Barth, Ralph Peterson Fotet, John Hicks, Cecil Brooks III, Greg Tardy, Peter Washington, Steve Wilson, Avishai Cohen, Wynton Masalis, Branford Marsalis, Antonio Hart ... Sam Newsome & Global Unity: When Newsome discovered a newfound love for soprano sax, his original intent was to form a little jazz trio and record and tour with that. When his drummer Joao Vincent Lewis introduced him to some exotic percussion instruments he brought to add colors, Newsome started exploring the possibilities of mixing jazz and organic world grooves. With some simple experimentation, he found that the timbre of the soprano fit in well with various instruments from around the world. "The concept of the band is to play jazz with a different sound palette," says Newsome. "We have all the things any regular jazz group would have... song structure, harmonies, interaction between the musicians and improvisations... only instead of a trap drum, I may use the dumbek. Rather than horns, I may use Elisabeth Kontomanou's wordless vocal improvisations. I've always had exotic tastes and feel an excitement living in New York and being exposed to so many world cultures all at once. Our sound developed out of these interests very naturally. With the soprano, I felt I could sing more because the instrument has a vocal-like quality. I can get to the point more quickly and clearly on the soprano than I ever could on tenor." Fans who enjoyed the first Global Unity project will appreciate the greater harmonic depth of the material here due to the inclusion of piano (Jean-Michel Pilc) and guitar (Marvin Sewell). "This project has more conventional jazz elements," says Newsome. "On the first, the only chorded instrument was the Oud (a Middle Eastern lute), but trying to go that route at the beginning this time, I found myself in a slight rut. Having these extra harmonic possibilities allowed me to grow as a composer and gives these songs greater impact. I don't have piano and guitar on every song, though. It was more interesting to alternate them from track to track, so as to surprise listeners and take them to different unexpected places." While the first project featured a mix of originals and covers, Newsome showcases his aforementioned development as a composer here, writing or co-writing every track. The folksy, bluesy "When You See The Light" blends his soaring soprano lines with Elisabeth Kontomanou's lush wordless vocals. The rolling grooves of that tune give way to the moody and mystical "A Night in Indonesia", an Eastern flavored ambient tune which features a hypnotic blend of the same sax and voice elements, enhanced by Adam Cruz's steel pans. "An Afrasian Occasion" blends a seductive soprano line with Meg Okura's violin and African instruments like Kalimba, Gourd and Caxixi. "The Wedding March Of A Playboy" is a romance with tribal percussion underpinnings. Newsome and Kontomanou's amazing synergy propels both that tune (which indeed features a marching rhythm line) and the explosive Middle Eastern jam "Into Nation of Islam." "Bongo Betty" is a cool all-percussion interlude duet between Gilad's Berimbau and Kahlil Kwame Bell's bongos. "The Sucker's Game" finds Newsome gliding through an elegant and soulful smooth jazz flavored landscape, while "Dance of the Deli Lama" once again pairs him with Kontomanou's wailing vocals over a tight ensemble groove featuring Marvin Sewell's slide guitar. The final two tracks pair Newsome with twelve-string guitar and vibes ("Dread Man Walking") and Sewell's simply stated slide guitar (the lyrical ballad "When You Hide From Me"). Photos: parafono