Jazz Guitarist Peter Hand to Release New Project “Blue Topaz” on January 19th, 2024

Jazz Guitarist Peter Hand to Release New Project “Blue Topaz” on January 19th, 2024

Peter Hand Sets Sail on a
Timeless Jazz Odyssey with Blue Topaz

New Bedford, MA – [January 19, 2024] – Acclaimed guitarist and composer Peter Hand embarks on a captivating musical voyage with his latest masterpiece, Blue Topaz, set to grace the airwaves in January 2024. This album marks a seamless evolution for Hand, venturing from his roots in blues and R&B to the alluring depths of jazz.

Blue Topaz is a vibrant tapestry of original compositions, reimagined jazz standards, and pulsating Latin and Brazilian jazz pieces. Hand’s virtuosity is on full display, alongside a stellar lineup of artists including trumpeter Eddie Allen, saxophonist Don Braden, pianists James Weidman and David Janeway, bassist Harvie S, drummer Steve Johns, and the legendary tenor saxophonist Houston Person.

A Deep Dive into Musical Gems
The album opens with the infectious groove of “Hand-Me-Down Blues,” showcasing Hand’s love for Grant Green, Jim Hall, and Pat Martino. Hand, Braden, and Allen take sparkling solos, while Weidman comps assuredly and Harvie S walks the bass with force. Johns’ insistent ride cymbal pulse keeps the energy high throughout this ebullient opener. “Cash or Change” takes a bluesier turn, with Braden’s soulful tenor leading the way. Hand’s solo shines with Wes Montgomery-inspired octaves, followed by Braden’s swaggering statement and a playful quote from Sonny Rollins’ “Alfie’s Theme.” Weidman’s piano solo adds a touch of brilliance to this dynamic track. Hand’s ballad “Bittersweet Morning” is a masterclass in restraint and emotional depth. His unhurried guitar solo and Braden’s soaring soprano sax work create a truly moving soundscape.

Legendary Collaboration and Latin Licks
The album welcomes the legendary Houston Person on two tracks. His soulful reading of Harold Arlen’s “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)” adds a profound layer of authority, while his take on Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” is pure sonic joy. Hand’s respect for Person shines through in his quote: “Houston is a modernist but he loves the Great American Songbook and all of the jazz material that has gone before…he loves to play so much and is still playing as beautifully as I’ve ever heard him.” “Pedro’s Samba” injects a shot of infectious energy with Braden’s superb flute playing and Hand and Allen’s sparkling solos. This track is a testament to Hand’s love of Brazilian music, a passion ignited during his time at Berklee College of Music, which blossomed while he lived in St. Thomas.

A Fitting Close and Enduring Love of Swing
The album closes with the briskly swinging “Curioso,” inspired by the likes of Thelonious Monk. Hand describes it as “basically rhythm changes,” and the Monk influence is evident in the interval choices and playful trading of fours. It’s a fitting end to a journey that celebrates the enduring power of swing, a love that permeates Blue Topaz from start to finish. Peter Hand’s Blue Topaz is more than just an album; it’s an invitation to a transformative musical experience. Get swept away by the soulful melodies, virtuosic solos, and timeless spirit of jazz when Blue Topaz sets sail in January 2024.

Click here for more information

Peter Hand Sets Sail on a Timeless Jazz Odyssey with “Blue Topaz” 1.19.24

Peter Hand Sets Sail on a Timeless Jazz Odyssey with “Blue Topaz” 1.19.24

Peter Hand Sets Sail on a Timeless Jazz Odyssey with Blue Topaz

New Bedford, MA – [January 19, 2024] – Acclaimed guitarist and composer Peter Hand embarks on a captivating musical voyage with his latest masterpiece, Blue Topaz, set to grace the airwaves in January 2024. This album marks a seamless evolution for Hand, venturing from his roots in blues and R&B to the alluring depths of jazz. Blue Topaz is a vibrant tapestry of original compositions, reimagined jazz standards, and pulsating Latin and Brazilian jazz pieces. Hand’s virtuosity is on full display, alongside a stellar lineup of artists including trumpeter Eddie Allen, saxophonist Don Braden, pianists James Weidman and David Janeway, bassist Harvie S, drummer Steve Johns,and the legendary tenor saxophonist Houston Person.

 

Peter Hand/WCS

Peter Hand/WCS

Peter Hand

Blue Topaz

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This concert features Peter Hand, Duane Eubanks, Peter Brainin, Harvie S and Steve Johns! Peter will be playing selections at this free concert from his new album, Blue Topaz, on Whaling City Sound records.

 

Peter Hand for his incredible track “Hand-Me-Down Blues” being featured as the Song of the Day on AllAboutJazz!

 

Click here for the full review

 

Click Here to Read Full Album Review

 

Peter Hand

Blue Topaz

Whaling City Sound

Guitarist Peter Hand is both new to this writer and these pages even though he has issued three acclaimed big band recordings. Blue Topaz, though represents a new step forward for Hand, working with a surefire small combo to deliver his straight-ahead originals, jazz standard interpretations, as well as Latin and Brazilian offerings. Hand originally comes from a blues and R&B background, which is evident in this predominantly hard bop/soul-jazz repertoire. He’s connected with these vital collaborators – trumpeter Eddie Allen, saxophonist Don Braden, pianists James Weidman and David Janeway, bassist Harvie S, drummer Steve Johns, and tenor saxophonist Houston Person who appears on two selections.

Kicking off with the infectious swinger “Hand-Me-Down Blues,” Hand echoes the clean picking of early Grant Green, Jim Hall, and Pat Martino in the first solo as well as his blues/R&B background. Passing the baton first to Allen and then Braden and later to each band member, each picks up on the inspired groove, with the rhythm section remaining in-the-pocket sturdy and stepping forward confidently in their brief turns. “Cash or Change” heads in a more distinct bluesy direction, with Harvie S delivering a robust intro that yields to a deeply toned Braden tenor statement followed by Hand’s smoothly picking liquid lines that evoke Wes Montgomery, but in the final analysis the featured soloist is Braden who declaratively struts his stuff.  Hand’s ballad “Bittersweet Morning” floats gorgeously with dreamy solos from Braden on soprano, and a lush, Hall-like take from the leader.

Hand developed a love for Latin jazz while growing up in New York and broadened his tastes for Brazilian music while at Berklee and when living in St. Thomas where he had the opportunity to play that music in local bands. His “Pedro’s Samba” reflects his adept feel for this genre, with Braden excelling on flute. The oft covered standard “One For My Baby (And One More for the Road)” is a showcase for Person, who is one of those saxophonists who is clearly identifiable in just the first two or three notes that come from his horn. David Janeway, who has a three -decade history with the bass-drum tandem of Harvie S and Johns, takes the piano chair, and proves the perfect accompanist for Person’s signature bluesy style.  There is no pianist aboard for another recognizable tune, Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower,” a vehicle for trumpeter Allen in this modal 1967 gem where he’s joined up front with sparkling takes from Hand and Braden on tenor to a lightly tinged Latin rhythm.

Note that while Braden also plays unequivocally soulfully, it’ easy to differentiate him and Person. The latter shows that he’s adept at more than the mid-century standards with his take on Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” from 1980’s Hotter Than July.  He begins in an unhurried, most relaxed fashion, clearly wringing out every note in the wonderful melody before growing more animated upon each entrance, spurred on by Hand’s equally tasteful and downright bluesy lines.  As an aside, it’s a bit ironic that Hand covers a Wonder tune with Person in the tenor chair when Braden’s last two albums have been tributes to the Motown great. (See his Earth, Wind, and Wonder Vol. 2 on these pages.)  Suppose we just chalk this up to pure coincidence.

Allen alternates liquid and fierce runs on the muted trumpet while Hand swings easily on “Rosalyn,” written for his wife. Careful listening though reveals `notable versatility in the rhythm section as Johns switches from brushes in the initial and closing sections to sticks midstream, accenting his ride cymbal in solos from Weidman and Harvie S, before the quintet (in this case) gathers for the unison melody to bring it out.  The title track, a term that could easily describe the color of Caribbean waters (like those of St. Thomas where Hand was fortunate to spend some time) is a light, breezy romantic bossa nova featuring fine takes from Allen, Hand, and Weidman again in a quintet rendering as Braden sits it out.

The album closes with a nod to Monk both in the title and tune itself in the hard swinging “Curioso” with the full sextet engaged in a series of turns from Braden’s tenor to Allen’s trumpet to Hand’s guitar and Weidman’s piano, highlighted by the trading on fours with drummer Johns. You can hear the enthusiasm of the players here as the track forms a kind of bookend to the hard bop opener.

Yes, Hand is supposedly a rookie in the small combo vernacular, but one would never guess it. Instead, he’s an instant winner (so tempting to say “Hands down” but let’s just leave that alone) with this uplifting session.

Click here for the full review

 

 

Take a superb guitarist like Peter Hand, put him in the company of primo fellow jazzers like saxophonist Don Braden, trumpeter/flugelhornist Eddie Allen, pianists James Weidman or David Janeway, bassist Harvie S and drummer Steve Johns, bring in the tenor sax magic of Houston Person for a couple of tracks and you will get the kind of hip sounds that can be found on Blue Topaz(Whaling City Sound – 140).  Seven of the nine selections are original tunes by Hand, while the other three are Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower” “One for My Baby” and Stevie Wonder’s “Lately,” the last two having Person lovingly caressing the tunes with support from Hand, Janeway, Harvie S and Johns.  Braden on tenor sax for six cuts, flute and soprano sax for one each is a consummate reed player.  Allen graces seven of the ten tracks with tasty and creative improvisations.  Harvie S is one of those bass players who always finds the right notes, while Johns keeps things in a steady groove throughout.  Blue Topaz, filled with well-conceived arrangements by Hand, is a welcoming listening experience from first note to last. (www.whalingcitysound.com)
Joseph Lang, Jersey Jazz February Issue

Tonight: AHA! New Bedford with Peter Hand, Don Braden, Tom Casale, and Mark Walker at the Jazz Wall

Tonight: AHA! New Bedford with Peter Hand, Don Braden, Tom Casale, and Mark Walker at the Jazz Wall

#LatinGenesis / Liebman-Braden-Moretti

WCS 013 

Latin Genesis

Liebman-Braden-Moretti

 A new CD inspired by a legendary session! Saxophonists Dave Liebman, Don Braden, and Dan Moretti are featured here in a Latin session that has its roots in Elvin Jones’ 1972 album “Genesis”. This group generates raw, grooving, high-energy Latin-jazz.
Featured
Dave Liebman / tenor and soprano sax
Don Braden / tenor and soprano sax
Dan Moretti / tenor and soprano sax, flute, alto flute, and bass clarinet
Oscar Stagnaro / bass
Mark Walker / drums
Pernell Saturnino / percussion
Jorge Najaro / percussion

Rick Andrade / talking drum

 

Click here for more information

Systems Two Recording Studio Closed

From an update from Peter Hand about our friends Joe and Nancy Marciano~wonderful people-thank you for everything!

Recent WCS releases include:
“Passion Reverence Transcendence” Benito Gonzalez, Gerry Gibbs, Essiet Okon Essiet
“92 Years Young: Jammin’ at the Gibbs House” Terry Gibbs
“Steppin’ Up” The Eric Hargett Trio featuring Joey DeFrancesco and Gerry Gibbs
“Thrasher Dream Trio Live in Studio” Gerry Gibbs, Ron Carter, Kenny Barron + guests

News- Systems Two Recording Studios Closed
As some of you may know, there’s been an unexpected development at Systems Two. It won’t affect the quality of the finished album, but it will take somewhat longer than expected to be completed.A few weeks ago, Systems Two owners Joe and Nancy Marciano broke the news that after 44 years they were retiring and going out of business. Buyers had been approaching them to sell the studio building in an increasingly gentrified, “hot” area of Brooklyn. Although the recording business was something they loved dearly, Nancy and Joe decided it was the right thing to do at the right time.

However, following the recording sessions, the mixing and mastering of my album was not yet completed when the studio ceased operation. The good news is that Mike Marciano is not retiring, and he will continue with current and new projects.

Systems Two has been one of the most renowned studios for hundreds of jazz and classical artists, and Mike Marciano is recognized as one of the best in the business. With Systems Two closing, he’s arranged to work as an independent engineer at Samurai Studios in Astoria, Queens. He’s also relocated all the equipment from the Systems Two “B” control room to his home on Long Island, creating a replica of the mixing/editing/mastering studio…

For more info visit http://wbgo.org/post/systems-two-recording-prolific-and-pivotal-studio-brooklyn-quietly-closes-its-doors#stream/0

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