"#1 New Release
in Latin Jazz"
Amazon.com
"Best Jazz CDs of 2021"
16th Annual Jazz Critics Poll
(Michael G. Nastos)
"Top Latin Jazz CDs of 2021"
Avotcja Jiltonilro, KPOO-FM and KPFA-FM
"Top Jazz Albums of 2021"
Roots Music Report
"Music Selection of the Month - June 2021"
Bayou Blue Radio
Nominated for "Outstanding Jazz Recording" in the 2022 Detroit Music Awards
in Latin Jazz"
Amazon.com
"Best Jazz CDs of 2021"
16th Annual Jazz Critics Poll
(Michael G. Nastos)
"Top Latin Jazz CDs of 2021"
Avotcja Jiltonilro, KPOO-FM and KPFA-FM
"Top Jazz Albums of 2021"
Roots Music Report
"Music Selection of the Month - June 2021"
Bayou Blue Radio
Nominated for "Outstanding Jazz Recording" in the 2022 Detroit Music Awards
"14 sizzling tracks."
Jazziz Magazine
"Convergence bursts with joy and authority. The group sounds fresh, and the compositions spur the impulse to dance and encourage intellectual engagement at the same time."
Downbeat Magazine
"Great stuff. The very best of arranging and instrumental art. Not just adrenaline-soaked music but also many fine nuances and even echoes of tango."
JAZZthing Magazine
"Colorful and tight grooves, gorgeous three-horn arrangements, and strong solos."
Jazz Life Magazine
"An extremely skillfully played recording, excellent soloing, with the three horns providing the pointed accents typical of the best Latin music, and impeccable percussion."
Jazzism Magazine
"Original music that's marvelously arranged .... an intense collaboration ... well thought-out intensity ... a multifaceted piece of art ... a record that is a pleasure to return to."
Jazz Podium Magazine
"Terrific new album. This is a winner. Convergence has a lot of great tracks on it. One of those records that we play a lot of, not just a tune or two."
Michael Jewett, WEMU, Ypsilanti, Michigan
"Among the best CDs of the year."
Michael G. Nastos, WCBN, Ann Arbor, Michigan
"One of the best Latin jazz productions of 2021."
DJ El Chino , Solarlatinclub.com, Columbia
“A festive collection of originals. Picante!”
George Harris, Jazz Weekly
“Firing on all cylinders, easy empathy, and great music made at the intersection of many influences.”
Jane Cornwell, Jazzwise
“Beautiful examples of rhythmic complexity which also bespeak the influence of Afrobeat and Samba — a melting pot of sound that goes right to the feet.”
Rolf Thomas, JazzThetik
“One of Detroit's secret treasures, they have more than enough caliente to set the night on fire.”
Chris Spector, Midwest Record
“A burst of joyous celebration and creativity ... a new album which deserves the highest praise possible. ”
Chris Spector, Midwest Record
“The musical arrangements are great! Thanks to the Lunar Octet for keeping jazz alive and well.”
Ed Smith, Jazz Now , WOWD
“Memorable hard bop melodies over infectious rhythms, while the group's interest in Latin and African music gives every cut buoyant grooves that make the songs danceable ... ear-catching melodies and expertly performed improvisations.”
Michael Toland, The Big Take-Over
“A presentation that any fan of Latin-jazz will enjoy.”
Phil Slayback, Phil's Picks
“A powerful collection of originals by a multidirectional group of musicians with remarkable arrangements and perfectly calibrated brass sections. A superb opus in the 'essential' category.”
Thierry Docmac, Bayou Blue News
“A vibrantly colorful, soulful, atmospherically wondrous, breathtakingly sculptured, fantastically crisp, and fresh new album."
Russell Trunk, Exclusive Magazine
“Red Hot!"
Republic of Jazz
“A stirring feast of cultural delights."
Jim Hynes, Making a Scene
"Groovy album."
Tony Hillier, Planet Jazz, Queensland, Australia
"Every track is a keeper."
Tim Wright, WMNF, Tampa, Florida
"I like this one!"
Tony Hillier, Planet Jazz, Queensland, Australia
"I'm so glad these musicians are back at it! They play with a winning combination of telepathy, skills, energy, and maturity."
Jay Paul, WRUV, Burlington, VT
"The Octet's unique blend of African, Caribbean, and South American rhythms wrapped in a modern jazz package is hard to resist and make it hard to stay still, as this is ultimately the finest type of dance music. The arrangements sometimes offer an illusion of a much bigger ensemble. All the soloists impress. Worth the wait!"
Piotr Michalowski, Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association Newsletter
"This set is a total treat!"
Dave Rogers, WTJU, University of Virginia
"Great stuff!"
Karl Smith, J;Cubed Jazz to the 3rd Power, WVPE, Elkhart, Indiana
"Convergence is a veritable mélange of world music that keeps you pumped from the intro to the last note."
Paula Edelstein, Sounds of Timeless Jazz
"Effervescent from the Midwest. This is music that the world needs a lot. It gives listeners the spark of life."
Tor Hammero, Nettavisen
"Some real Latin cookers, and hard swingers, too."
Clay Ryder, Sound Ideas and Jazz Etiquette
"The Lunar Octet is back with a powerful collection of originals inspired by mambo, samba, funk, Afrobeat, and jazz! RED HOT!."
Se Armo la Rumba en Mexico
The Making of Convergence
The Composers Speak
Radio Airplay:
Week 1 After Release
#1 Most Added CD on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
#1 Most Added CD on the
NACC Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 2 After Release
#9 Most Increased Airplay on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 3 After Release
#9 Most Added CD on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
and
Debut on the "Chartbound" List
Debut at #23 on the
NACC Most Played Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 4 After Release
#1 Chartbound on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
#19 on the
NACC Most Played Jazz Album Chart
First Ranking on the
Muzooka Radio Chart for All Genres
Radio Airplay:
Week 5 After Release
Second Chartbound Week on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
#21 on the
NACC Most Played Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 6 After Release
Third Chartbound Week on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 7 After Release
Debut at #48 on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
#18 on the
NACC Most Played Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 8 After Release
Up 21 spots to #27 on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 9 After Release
#36 on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 10 After Release
Up 11 spots to #25 on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 11 After Release
#31 on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 12 After Release
#31 on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 13 After Release
#41 on the
Jazz Week 13-Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 14 After Release
#46 on the
Jazz Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 15 After Release
#36 on the
Jazz Week 13-Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 16 After Release
#39 on the
Jazz Week 13-Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 17 After Release
#39 on the
Jazz Week 13-Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Airplay:
Week 18 After Release
#40 on the
Jazz Week 13-Week Jazz Album Chart
Radio Stations Playing Convergence
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KCSM, San Mateo, CA KUVO, Denver, CO KTUH, Honolulu, HI KANU, Lawrence - Kansas City, KS KBEM, Minneapolis, MN KCPB, Astoria, NY WOOC, Schenectady, NY WDPS, Dayton, OH WVIA, Pittston, PA KAZI, AUSTIN, TX KUTX, Austin, TX WVST, Richmond, VA WGDR, Plainfield, VT WWVU, Morgantown, WV KEUL, Girdwood, AK KABF, Little Rock, AR KCSB, Santa Barbara, CA KKUP, San Jose, CA KMUD, Redway, CA KVNF, Paonia, CO WWUH, Hartford, CT WXCI, Danbury, CT WDNA, Miami, FL WMNF, Tampa, FL WCLK, Atlanta, GA WRFG, Atlanta, GA KRBX, Boise, ID WCSF, Joliet, IL WICR, Indianapolis, IN WWNO, New Orleans, LA WFWM, Frostburg, MD WOWD, Takoma Park, MD - Washington, DC WERU, East Orland, ME WBLV, Twin Lake, MI WEMU, Ypsilanti - Detroit, MI WRCJ, Ypsilanti - Detroit, MI KKFI, Kansas City, MO WJSU, Jackson, MS WPRB, Princeton, NJ KVSF, Santa Fe, NM WRUW, Cleveland, OH WXTS, Toledo, OH WSSB, Orangeburg, SC KUSD, Vermillion, SD KRTU, San Antonio, TX KZMU, Moab, UT WTJU, Charlottesville, VA WRUV, Burlington, VT KAOS, Olympia, WA KWIT-FM, Sioux City, IA KOJI-FM, Spirit Lake, IA KISU-FM, Pocatello, ID WKYU-FM, Bowling Green, KY WKPB-FM, Henderson, KY WKUE-FM, Elizabethtown, KY WDCL-FM, Somerset, KY WYPR-FM, Baltimore, MD WYPF-FM, Frederick, MD WYPO-FM, Ocean City, MD WBQA-FM, Portland, ME WBQF-FM, Fryeburg, ME WBQE-FM, Bangor, ME KKTR-FM, Kirksville, MO KAUD-FM, Mexico, MO WNCU-FM, Durham, NC KCND-FM, Bismarck, ND KUND-FM, Grand Forks, ND KDSU-FM, Fargo, ND KPPD-FM, Devils Lake, ND KPPW-FM, Williston, ND KDPR-FM, Dickinson, ND KMPR-FM, Minot, ND KPRJ-FM, Jamestown, ND KNCJ-FM, Reno, NV WAMC-FM, Albany/Schenectady, NY WANC-FM, Ticonderoga, NY WAMK-FM, Kingston, NY WCAN-FM, Canajoharie, NY WCEL-FM, Plattsburgh, NY WAMC-AM, Albany, NY WRUN-FM, Remsen, NY WAMQ-FM, Great Barrington, MA WOSR-FM, Middletown, NY WNYE-FM, New York City, NY WCPN-FM, Cleveland, OH KCCU-FM, Lawton, OK KLCU-FM, Ardmore, OK KZCU-FM, Woodward, OK KYCU-FM, Clinton, OK KOCU-FM, Altus, OK KMCU-FM, Wichita Falls, TX KDSD, Aberdeen, SD KESD, Brookings, SD KPSD, Faith-Eagle Butte, SD KQSD, Lowry, SD KZSD, Martin-Long Valley, SD KTSD, Pierre, SD KBHE, Rapid City, SD KCSD, Sioux Falls, SD KYSD, Spearfish, SD KJSD, Watertown, SD KMXT, Kodiak, AK WUWF, Pensacola, FL WVRU, Radford, VA WJAB-FM, Huntsville, AL KUAZ-AM, Tucson, AZ KUAZ-FM, Safford, AZ WDNA-FM, Miami, FL WQCS-FM2, Fort Pierce, FL WUWF-FM, Pensacola, FL KIBX-FM, Bonner’s Ferry, ID KCCK-FM, Cedar Rapids, IA KALA-FM, Davenport, IA WKYU-FM, Bowling Green, KY WDCL-FM, Somerset, KY WKPB-FM, Henderson, KY WKUE-FM, Elizabethtown, KY WBRH-FM, Baton Rouge, LA WIAA-FM, Interlochen, MI WNMC, Traverse City, MI WICV-FM, East Jordan, MI WIAB-FM, Mackinaw City, MI KEMC-FM, Billings, MT KPRQ-FM, Sheridan, WY KBMC-FM, Bozeman, MT KYPB-FM, Big Timber, MT KYPM-FM, Livingston, MT KYPW-FM, Wolf Point, MT KYPC-FM, Colstrip, MT KYPF-FM, Standford, ID/Lewiston, ID KYPH-FM, Helena, MT KYPR-FM, Miles City, MT KPCA, Petaluma, CA KECC-FM, Miles City, MT KIOS-FM, Omaha, NE WQLN-FM, Erie, PA WSCI-FM, Charleston, SC WEPR-FM, Greenville/Spartanburg, SC WLTR-FM, Columbia/Sumter, SC WRJA-FM, Sumter, SC WNSC-FM, Rock Hill/Charlotte, NC WLJK-FM, Aiken/Augusta, GA WJWJ-FM, Beaufort, SC WHMC-FM, Conway/Myrtle Beach, SC WMOT-FM, Murfreesboro, TN KAMU-FM, College Station, TX KTRL-FM, Stephenville, TX KWBU-FM, Waco, TX KEDT-FM, Corpus Christi, TX KVRT-FM, Victoria, TX KPBX-FM, Spokane, WA WPKN, Bridgeport, CT KMNO, Wailuku, HI WESM, Princess Anne, MD WMNF, Tampa, FL WUCF, Orlando, FL WHFR, Dearborn-Detroit, MI KGLT, Bozeman, MT CJAM, Windsor - Detroit, ON Jazz FM - London, UK WAJH, Birmingham, AL KDUR, Durango, CO KOTO, Telluride, CO WEFT, Champaign, IL WRTI, Philadelphia, PA WECS, Willimantic, CT WGVU, Grand Rapids, MI KETR, Commerce, TX WXLU, Preu, NY/Plattsburgh, NY/Burlington, VT WFAE, Charlotte, NC |
KVSC, Saint Cloud, MN WUNH, Portsmouth, NH WGXC, Hudson, NY WOJB-FM, Hayward, WI WDCS, Treasure Coast, FL WOHM, Charleston, SC WLRN, Miami, FL WPPB, Long Island, NY WMCE, Erie, PA KNPR, Las Vegas, NV Radio St. Pete, Clearwater, FL WSDL, Salisbury, Maryland WWFM, Trenton, NJ KWGS, Tulsa, OK KRPS, Pittsburg, KS, Joplin, MO KCHO, Chico, CA WPSU, State College, PA KFPR, Redding, CA KANU, Lawrence, KA KANH, Emporia, KS KANV, Junction City/Olsburg, KS KANQ, Chanute, KS WETF, South Bend, IN WCBN, Ann Arbor, MI KHNS, Haines, AK KBUT, Crested Butte, CO WSLU, Canton, NY WSLZ, Cape Vincent, NY WXLS, Tupper Lake, NY WSLJ, Watertown, NY WXLS, Lowville, NY WXLG, North Creek, NY WSLL, Saranac Lake, NY WSLG, Gouverneur, NY WXLQ, Bristol, VT WSLO, Malone, NY WXLH, Blue Mountain Lake, NY WXLB, Boonville, NY WXLL, Lake Placid, NY WXLE, Indian Lake, NY WYSU, Youngstown, OH WOJB, Woodland, Wisconsin WRST, Oshkosh, WI WMUU, Madison, WI KJZX, Austin, TX WLPR, Merrillville, IN KPNG, Phoenix, AZ KVIT, Phoenix, AZ KWSS, Phoenix, AZ Wyoming Public Radio South Dakota Public Radio WEKU, Lexington, KY Pittsburgh Jazz Channel KANO, Hawaii Island, HI KHPH, Hawaii Island, HI KKUA, Hawaii Island, Lana’i, Maui, Moloka’i, HI KIPL, Kaua’i, HI KHPR, Kaua’i, O’ahu, HI KIPL, Kaua’i, HI CJUM, Winnipeg, Canada CJRU, Toronto, Canada Planet Jazz 89.1, Queensland, Australia Gallery 41, Berkeley, CA KUSF in Exile (KXSF), San Francisco, CA Bayou Blue Radio, Saint Mars de Locquenay, France WGBH, Boston. MA Sun-Music.net, Boston, MA TAINT Internet Radio, Raleigh, NC WODU, Norfolk, VA WUSF, Tampa, FL KCCK, Cedar Rapids, IA KWIT, Sioux City, IA WBAA, West Lafayette, IN KMUW, Wichita, KS WMCB/WXOJ, Greenfield, MA WMVY, West Tisbury, MA KDNK, Carbondale, CO KBOO, Portland, OR WQLN, Erie, PA KIOS, Omaha, NE WDIY, Bethlehem, PA KEWU, Cheney - Spokane, WA WORT, Madison, WI WSUM, Madison, WI WRIR, Richmond, VA WHFR, Dearborn, MI WRTU, San Juan, PR KNTU, Denton - Dallas, TX WUVT, Blacksburg ,VA CJSW, Calgary, Canada CFRO, Vancouver, Canada RPL, Paris, FR Radio Universidad de Guanajuato, MX Multicult.fm, Berlin, DE Alex Berlin 91.0, DE Radio UNAM, Ciudad de México, MX Ràdio País, Gasconha, FR RCFM Radio Crónica Folk Musical, ES Rádio Filispim, Galiza, ES Radio Círculo, Madrid, ES Groovalizacion Radio, FR Ràdio Klara, València, ES Radio Universidad de Atacama, CL Radio Artigas, UY Radio París-LaPaz, BO TTRadio, ES Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico, PR Radio Kolor, Cuenca, ES Radio Universidad Autónoma del Yucatán, MX Filarmonía 102.7 FM, Lima, PE Radio Aukan, CL Radio Inter S'cool, GP Rádio Zero, Lisboa, PT Radio Universidad de Concepción, CL Radio Universidad de Salamanca, ES Onda Polígono, Toledo, ES WLCH Radio Centro, PA Radio Fuga, Madrid, ES Radio Camino, ES La Voz de Guamote, EC OK Radio, VE Almargen Radio, Andalucía, ES Unicauca Estéreo, CO Hamburger Lokalradio, DE Ràdio Aktiva FM, País Valencià, ES Onda Campus, Extremadura, ES Identidad Sur, Quilmes, AR Onda 4, Andalucía, ES Radio Vieques, PR Radio UABCS, Baja California Sur, MX Rádio Pérola da Serra, São Paulo, BR Radio Son LNRPT, Medellín, CO Radio Etchegoyen, Talcahuano, CL CBFwebRadio, Évora, PT Ah!WorldMusic, Querétaro, MX Onda Latina, Madrid, ES Abubilla Radio, La Rioja, ES CHLY 101.7 FM, Vancouver, CA Radio Carbono, La Pampa, AR Rádio Universidade de Coimbra, PT Ràdio Túria, País Valencià, ES France Musique, Paris, FR One World Music Radio Jazz Hour, Cyprus Sound Ideas - Jazz, Los Altos, CA WWOZ, New Orleans, LA Fiesta Jazz, PBS FM, Melbourne, AU WXKW, Key West, FL Syndicated Radio Shows: Jazz After Hours, Los Gatos, CA (80+ Affiliated Stations) Jazz Happening Now, Los Gatos, CA Hawaii Public Broadcasting, Honolulu, HI M3 Radio, Brooklyn, NY Radio Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ PubJazz Radio, Pittsburgh, PA Modern Jazz Today, Evans, GA WFMT Network, Chicago, IL Jazz with David Basse, Kansas City, MO SoulandJazz, Gilroy, CA Open Jazz, Radio France Mundofonias, Spain |
"Samba Diabolico" on
Jazziz on Disc
Summer, 2021
Ads that appeared in:
Jazziz, Summer 2021
JazzTimes, June 2021
Downbeat, July 2021
Downbeat, August 2021
Hot House, May 2021
JAZZthing, June 2021 (Germany)
Jazzthetik (Germany)
Jazzism (The Netherlands)
Jazzwise (U.K.)
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Reviews
JAZZthing Review in English:
Great stuff that we seldom get to hear these days. Perhaps because music that is not cutting edge is undervalued? On the occasion of their comeback, the eight men of the Lunar Octet deliver the very best of arranging and Instrumental art. The brass section, featuring Brandon Cooper (trumpet), Stephen Hiltner (alto sax, bass clarinet) and Paul VornHagen (saxophone), cuts through the 14 tracks like a knife through butter. The percussion armada (Jon Krosnick, Aron Kaufman, Olman Piedra) weaves a shimmering rhythmic tapestry from swing and samba, while Sam Clark's guitar and Jeff Dalton's electric bass would make any funk band proud. Without a doubt, "Convergence" offers not just adrenaline-soaked music but also many fine nuances and even echoes of tango. The album conveys the musicians' joy playing together to their listeners, even without a live concert.
Jazzthetik Review in English:
Twenty-five years ago, they shook up the live music scene in Ann Arbor and Detroit and released a couple of albums. Then their members lost sight of one another. Now the Lunar Octet is back again and are even bigger than the erstwhile six-member founding musicians, sprinkled with three newcomers on bass, piano, and percussion.
Latin Jazz continues to be one of the band’s specialties, which they combine in “Subway Tension", and with somber psychedelics in “Mambossa“, freshened up with Brazilian sounds. Even an authentic tango is found in “Until I find Words“, on which alto-saxophonist Steve Hiltner demonstrates his proficiency on clarinet. Hiltner and percussionist Aron Kaufman wrote most of the 14 songs and are extremely experienced at creating ever-new variations of the compact band’s sound.
"The Lunar Octet is like a diamond," says Kaufman. “We all are different facets and express the uniqueness of our musical mission.“
They succeed in producing beautiful examples of rhythmic complexity which also bespeak the influence of Afrobeat and Samba—a melting pot of sound that goes right to the feet.
Latin Jazz continues to be one of the band’s specialties, which they combine in “Subway Tension", and with somber psychedelics in “Mambossa“, freshened up with Brazilian sounds. Even an authentic tango is found in “Until I find Words“, on which alto-saxophonist Steve Hiltner demonstrates his proficiency on clarinet. Hiltner and percussionist Aron Kaufman wrote most of the 14 songs and are extremely experienced at creating ever-new variations of the compact band’s sound.
"The Lunar Octet is like a diamond," says Kaufman. “We all are different facets and express the uniqueness of our musical mission.“
They succeed in producing beautiful examples of rhythmic complexity which also bespeak the influence of Afrobeat and Samba—a melting pot of sound that goes right to the feet.
Jazzism Review in English:
The Lunar Octet, currently nine (!) men, is not very well known in the Netherlands but has been a phenomenon in its hometown of Ann Arbor and nearby Detroit since 36 years ago. Their fame is the result of their high-energy mix of jazz, Latin, and funk, with which the band first killed in their region and later on at major festivals in the U.S. But as things sometimes go, the band members got work, families, and moved apart; the music came second, while the jazz scene in Detroit and the surrounding area was dying. On its own initiative, the band is now seeking a foothold in Europe, swimming against the corona current. If the band manages to perform here, they may well be successful, because Convergence, the band's fourth album (except for live recordings), is an extremely skillfully played recording that manages to avoid the traps where other bands in the genre have often gotten stuck. The heart of the band is drummer Jon Krosnick, who creates a solid foundation. Saxophonist Steve Hiltner refuses to provide one-dimensional arrangements and reveals influences from Wayne Shorter to Tadd Dameron to Brahms. Excellent soloing comes from guitarist Sam Clark and pianist Keaton Royer, with the three horns providing the pointed accents typical of the best Latin music. Not to be missed is the impeccable percussion of seasoned expert Olman Piedra, who takes the whole project to an even higher level.
Jazz Podium Review in English:
A very attractive mix of styles, mainly Latin-American and Caribbean but also with African influences, performed by a nine-man strong band from Ann Arbor formed in 1984. The band went silent for 26 years and has now resurfaced with this intense collaboration, which is good news. They are masters of the styles mentioned above and deliver their own compositions, marvelously arranged, with plenty of room for nice solo excursions that create a sense of freedom over and over again — like in "Subway Tension", where an electric guitar is followed by a bass clarinet, and an extremely delayed trumpet. Or in "Mambossa", where a rocking guitar, supported by congas and brass instruments, is solidly embedded in the rhythm, and they also let a riff pulsate throughout, like in "Heart of Congatar", with its form-busting clarinet. However, sometimes a tune flows too easily, like in "Cruisin‘", with its overly proper pop feel. In contrast to many Latin bands, though, they don’t allow the mere desire for rhythm to take over the structure of a song. Instead, they create the impression of dance-like lightness regularly. It is only fair to give credit to every one of these musicians who created this multifaceted piece of art. Here they are: Brandon Cooper (trumpet and French horn), Steve Hiltner (alto saxophone, clarinet & main songwriter), Paul Vornhagen (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto clarinet). Sam Clark (guitar), Keaton Royer (piano), Jeff Dalton (bass guitar), Jon Krosnick (drums). Aron Kaufman (congas, bongos) and Olman Piedra (percussion). An album that is always a pleasure to return to - not only during summertime.
LEVI SORGLOS
LEVI SORGLOS
Jazz Life Review in English
Formed in 1984 in Ann Arbor, a suburb of Detroit, the Lunar Octet became popular for its unique sound mixing Latin, Brazilian, afro-beat and jazz. They released their debut album in 1994, performing at national jazz festivals and on concert tours. As the members walked their own paths, the group disbanded. But it was reorganized in 2014, and this CD was finally completed. With the addition of some powerful young talent on piano, bass, and percussion to the original band members, the band has evolved with a variety of colorful and tight grooves, gorgeous three-horn arrangements, and strong solos.
Neon Jazz Interview of Jon Krosnick about Convergence
Jazz Now Interview of Jon Krosnick about Convergence
Ed Smith, Host of Jazz Now
Steve Hiltner, Jeff Dalton, and Jon Krosnick on Gail Boyd's "Alternative Venues for Jazz" Program
Review of Convergence by Russian Jazz Critic
Konstantins Grehovs on Youtube - June 7, 2021
Konstantins Grehovs Review in English
Hello friends.
Today is June 7, 2021, and the presentation by Apple has just ended. You know how much I love this company and use their products, from the phone to the computer, and I really like that they improve the sound constantly and work on the sound. This is the best thing about this company, and this presentation described lot of new products that we will receive next month or closer to the end of the year.
But today, I listened to jazz twice in a row. I played the album while walking around the city, and I had listened to it before that, so I decided to review it today.
The Lunar Octet offers a collection of 14 originals with the bright album title “Convergence”, which can be translated to mean the convergence of different styles. I read Wikipedia to find out what the word “convergence” means, and it turns out it means “an unusual type of mixture”. And there is indeed a mixture of different, different, different styles on this album.
The band has a beautiful website. There, you can read much about this album, but I will briefly tell you what I learned. Formed in 1984, the Lunar Glee Club group turned into the Lunar Octet in the nineties, and in addition to dance, jazz, and Afro-beat, the group added to its repertoire samba, salsa, mambo, and many other styles, thanks to skillful arrangements by alto saxophonist Stephen Hiltner and the virtuoso on congas, Aron Kaufman. These two are the main guys who composed this entire album. Not only are they arrangers: they are arrangers and composers, and there are also co-composers of other compositions. But these two composers are the organizers of this large team of nine members.
By the way, I say nine, although the name of the band is “Octet”. “Octet” is eight. When I read their website and looked at the photos, everywhere I see nine people, and everywhere on this album, there are nine people. A very long list of other musicians have participated over all the years since the group was formed in 1984 - a very long line-up of members. But nine people took part in this album. Included are drummer Jon Krosnick, leader of the fusion group Charged Particles, tenor saxophonist Paul VornHagen, leader of the jazz institution Tumbao Bravo (not Brazilian but Cuban), trumpet player Brandon Cooper, guitarist Sam Clark, young pianist Keaton Royer, bassist Jeff Dalton, and percussionist Olman Piedra.
Why did they break up? They worked in the eighties and nineties of the last century, but then they went to different cities, and it became difficult for them to gather so big a team, so they parted ways. They reunited in 2014, and again, they were invited to perform at festivals. And they decided wisely to stick together.
Obviously, they are individuals. But in other line-ups, they did not achieve the good success that they had before with this group. So they got together and started to play again, and everything has worked out great for them this time around. They composed new pieces, of course, and visited a bunch of different festivals and arranged tours. They played in really different venues and played enough so this album turned out to be quite wonderful.
It was recorded, by the way, before the pandemic. It’s very good that they did that, so there were no special restrictions, and it all worked out well.
It was very interesting for me to read that one of the co-founders said the Lunar Octet is like a diamond. According to percussionist and co-founder Aron Kaufman, who his colleagues call the “soul of the group”: “We are different facets of a diamond, expressing the uniqueness of our musical mission. And it's not about our technique. Everyone's striving to become better and to show how wonderful we are together. We cheer people up by demonstrating love for different musical cultures, by bringing them to life in our special way, bringing light into the darkness.” I take it that that means that this diamond can create a diverse variety of colors from a small glow and light up a big room. The music brings the light into the darkness. The band shines like a diamond, he said. And in fact, this is the way they are.
The album turned out to be very diverse in styles. I generally call this album “fusion” because, in addition to what I mentioned already are mambo, salsa, and Afro-beat, plus funk: good funky grooves. Since there are so many musicians, the music is very rich and is obviously Latin. Latin styles prevail here – that’s for sure. Those styles are in all the compositions, but the compositions are all different from one another.
I chose two to add to my playlist; I couldn’t pick the single best tune that would give a good idea of the whole album. So I chose two: one is the fastest and coolest, in such a bebop - Latin swing style, where every musician fully gives their all to the music, and everyone has excellent solo space in this composition, which is quite long. The second composition is half as long, and it sounds similar to a waltz: a slow, very beautiful composition, in bossa nova style, called “Until I Find the Words,” the 12th composition on the record. The one about which I spoke first is “Sambo Diabolico”, the 9th tune on the record.
There are only 14 compositions on the album, and all are very different, which makes the album really great. Everyone will surely find a favorite tune here, even people who are listening to jazz for the first time. Not only is there jazz here, but also different styles of music, which is good. This is such nice music that you can simply listen to it sitting in a cafe or lounge, with its very unusual dance rhythms. When you listen, you will understand what I'm talking about.
So the two compositions have been added to my playlist, which is called “Jazz in Russian - 3”. The first two playlists have already appeared there; each one has 50 tunes. These playlists are on Apple Music because I am subscribed only to Apple Music. These playlists are publicly available. You can find “Jazz in Russian” by typing “jazz” in Latin letters and “Cyrillic” in Russian. By the way, my podcasts can be found the same way, also called “Jazz in Russian”.
This is Konstantins from Ireland – still with you – listening to this enjoyable album.
By the way, I forgot to say that the band has four more albums. In 1984 and in the nineties, they recorded four albums before they broke up. And then in 2014, they got together again, and now this album is their first with the new line-up, and, of course, includes new compositions.
So listen to a pleasant album of fusion and Latin jazz, with just enough of everything: jazz as well as various other styles of music, all the best.
Today is June 7, 2021, and the presentation by Apple has just ended. You know how much I love this company and use their products, from the phone to the computer, and I really like that they improve the sound constantly and work on the sound. This is the best thing about this company, and this presentation described lot of new products that we will receive next month or closer to the end of the year.
But today, I listened to jazz twice in a row. I played the album while walking around the city, and I had listened to it before that, so I decided to review it today.
The Lunar Octet offers a collection of 14 originals with the bright album title “Convergence”, which can be translated to mean the convergence of different styles. I read Wikipedia to find out what the word “convergence” means, and it turns out it means “an unusual type of mixture”. And there is indeed a mixture of different, different, different styles on this album.
The band has a beautiful website. There, you can read much about this album, but I will briefly tell you what I learned. Formed in 1984, the Lunar Glee Club group turned into the Lunar Octet in the nineties, and in addition to dance, jazz, and Afro-beat, the group added to its repertoire samba, salsa, mambo, and many other styles, thanks to skillful arrangements by alto saxophonist Stephen Hiltner and the virtuoso on congas, Aron Kaufman. These two are the main guys who composed this entire album. Not only are they arrangers: they are arrangers and composers, and there are also co-composers of other compositions. But these two composers are the organizers of this large team of nine members.
By the way, I say nine, although the name of the band is “Octet”. “Octet” is eight. When I read their website and looked at the photos, everywhere I see nine people, and everywhere on this album, there are nine people. A very long list of other musicians have participated over all the years since the group was formed in 1984 - a very long line-up of members. But nine people took part in this album. Included are drummer Jon Krosnick, leader of the fusion group Charged Particles, tenor saxophonist Paul VornHagen, leader of the jazz institution Tumbao Bravo (not Brazilian but Cuban), trumpet player Brandon Cooper, guitarist Sam Clark, young pianist Keaton Royer, bassist Jeff Dalton, and percussionist Olman Piedra.
Why did they break up? They worked in the eighties and nineties of the last century, but then they went to different cities, and it became difficult for them to gather so big a team, so they parted ways. They reunited in 2014, and again, they were invited to perform at festivals. And they decided wisely to stick together.
Obviously, they are individuals. But in other line-ups, they did not achieve the good success that they had before with this group. So they got together and started to play again, and everything has worked out great for them this time around. They composed new pieces, of course, and visited a bunch of different festivals and arranged tours. They played in really different venues and played enough so this album turned out to be quite wonderful.
It was recorded, by the way, before the pandemic. It’s very good that they did that, so there were no special restrictions, and it all worked out well.
It was very interesting for me to read that one of the co-founders said the Lunar Octet is like a diamond. According to percussionist and co-founder Aron Kaufman, who his colleagues call the “soul of the group”: “We are different facets of a diamond, expressing the uniqueness of our musical mission. And it's not about our technique. Everyone's striving to become better and to show how wonderful we are together. We cheer people up by demonstrating love for different musical cultures, by bringing them to life in our special way, bringing light into the darkness.” I take it that that means that this diamond can create a diverse variety of colors from a small glow and light up a big room. The music brings the light into the darkness. The band shines like a diamond, he said. And in fact, this is the way they are.
The album turned out to be very diverse in styles. I generally call this album “fusion” because, in addition to what I mentioned already are mambo, salsa, and Afro-beat, plus funk: good funky grooves. Since there are so many musicians, the music is very rich and is obviously Latin. Latin styles prevail here – that’s for sure. Those styles are in all the compositions, but the compositions are all different from one another.
I chose two to add to my playlist; I couldn’t pick the single best tune that would give a good idea of the whole album. So I chose two: one is the fastest and coolest, in such a bebop - Latin swing style, where every musician fully gives their all to the music, and everyone has excellent solo space in this composition, which is quite long. The second composition is half as long, and it sounds similar to a waltz: a slow, very beautiful composition, in bossa nova style, called “Until I Find the Words,” the 12th composition on the record. The one about which I spoke first is “Sambo Diabolico”, the 9th tune on the record.
There are only 14 compositions on the album, and all are very different, which makes the album really great. Everyone will surely find a favorite tune here, even people who are listening to jazz for the first time. Not only is there jazz here, but also different styles of music, which is good. This is such nice music that you can simply listen to it sitting in a cafe or lounge, with its very unusual dance rhythms. When you listen, you will understand what I'm talking about.
So the two compositions have been added to my playlist, which is called “Jazz in Russian - 3”. The first two playlists have already appeared there; each one has 50 tunes. These playlists are on Apple Music because I am subscribed only to Apple Music. These playlists are publicly available. You can find “Jazz in Russian” by typing “jazz” in Latin letters and “Cyrillic” in Russian. By the way, my podcasts can be found the same way, also called “Jazz in Russian”.
This is Konstantins from Ireland – still with you – listening to this enjoyable album.
By the way, I forgot to say that the band has four more albums. In 1984 and in the nineties, they recorded four albums before they broke up. And then in 2014, they got together again, and now this album is their first with the new line-up, and, of course, includes new compositions.
So listen to a pleasant album of fusion and Latin jazz, with just enough of everything: jazz as well as various other styles of music, all the best.
English Translation:
The Lunar Octet is back with a powerful collection of originals
inspired by mambo, samba, funk, Afrobeat, and jazz!
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