Introducing Smalls Records
The racist cabaret laws enacted in 1926 in New York City banned brass and
percussion instruments in all but a few city-licensed clubs. Used to
control the mixing of races, the laws stifled jazz relentlessly in New York
for nearly sixty years. When they were at once overturned in 1988 on the
grounds of freedom of speech, there followed a minor renaissance of jazz in
New York and a blossoming of new jazz clubs. Smalls was perhaps the most
notable among them.
A labor of love for quixotic impresario Mitch Borden, Smalls was unusually
hospitable to listeners and musicians alike, both young and old. The price
was low, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the music ran until dawn every
night of the week. Over time, Smalls became one of the hubs of the jazz
world and played host to a thriving jazz scene of its own. A generation of
jazz musicians in New York developed on the Smalls scene, giving it a
lasting place in the history of the music. With the closing of Smalls comes
the rise of Smalls' sister club, Fat Cat (75 Christopher Street, NYC), and
the hopes for a bright future there.
The Smalls/Fat Cat scene is also continued now through the new label, Smalls
Records, created out of a moral imperative by one Luke Kaven, a philosopher
turned jazz-presenter-with-a-message. Luke noted the egregious neglect and
indifference of the major jazz labels, particularly in the case of master
pianist Frank Hewitt, and argued that the artists from the Smalls scene
would benefit most from being represented collectively by an insider to the
scene, and that this would help to ensure the survival of this vital scene.
The artists, in turn, elected to permit Luke to carry out his vision.
Smalls Records documents significant musical developments in jazz, with
particular emphasis on the Smalls/Fat Cat scene as an important historical
nexus in the development of the music. We emphasize historical and thematic
continuity, and we pay particular attention to older and lesser-known
artists of unusually high achievement.
Please join us in celebrating the launch of Smalls Records and the release
of our first four titles, available now through
www.smallsrecords.com,
through CD Baby, and in stores beginning this month. These are:
SRCD-0001 -- Frank Hewitt / We Loved You
Frank Hewitt was the master jazz musician in our midst, a veteran bebop
pianist of over fifty years on the NY scene. He was the featured artist at
Smalls, performing once or twice weekly for nine years. Only a few pianists
after Bud Powell and Elmo Hope ever achieved this level of mastery in our
view. This album was originally to be provocatively titled "Get it? Got it.
Good!" but after Frank's untimely passing in September 2002, we decided to
begin issuing an anthology of his recorded work.
SRCD-0002 -- Across 7 Street / Made in New York
The weekly feature on Sunday nights at Smalls, Across 7 Street, was a treat
for serious jazz listeners. The smart, dark-edged music, with its sinuous
melodies and brilliant harmonies, is the fruit of a long-term collaboration
involving a group of New York jazz prodigies who have been steadies on the
New York scene since their early teenage years. The group features Smalls'
regularly-featured artists Chris Byars, Ari Roland, Sacha Perry, John Mosca,
and Danny Rosenfeld. After many years together playing weekly at Smalls,
the group has accumulated an impressive book of original compositions, and
developed a kind of facility with them that one rarely finds. This features
the first volume of original compositions from this unusual group.
SRCD-0003 -- Ned Goold / The Flows
Ned's approach to music is based on original inventions of his that also
work in the context of standard rules of harmony. After many years working
out this approach, he's developed the facility to create an other-worldly
swing strongly rooted in a tradition that goes back to Bird and Bix. To
make this record, Ned recorded forty-seven shows while on national tour, and
distilled some twenty-five hours of tape down to one disk. The result is
the best representation of Ned's talents on record to date. Even his
alter-ego, nefarious critic Arch Mendle, is pleased with this one. Bassist
Ben Wolfe, Ned's long-time collaborator is on this one too, along with
veteran drummer Ron Steen. A collector's item!
SRCD-0004 -- Ari Hoenig / The Painter
For Ari, the drums aren't just rhythmic instruments, they're melodic
instruments, and he takes this concept further than anyone else. As a
drummer who can carry a melody pitch perfect on the drums, as well as one
who can paint with complex rhythmic textures, Ari is naturally suited to
lead his own group. Here we present Ari's recorded debut as leader of his
own group, featuring his most conversant collaborator of long-standing, the
dynamic Jean-Michel Pilc. The group is characterized by fluid time,
sweeping dynamics, and wide emotional range.
Look for an additional five distinctive titles to arrive in late spring!
For all direct inquiries, contact Luke Kaven (luke@smallsrecords.com). For
US dealer enquiries, contact Paul Schulman at Synergy Distribution at (888)
387-6249. For UK dealer enquiries, contact Graham Tanner at Jazz Matters
(info@jazzmatters.com).
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