Swinging Into The New Year: News From Brian Lynch And Hollistic MusicWorks

Added: by Brian Lynch

Swinging Into The New Year:
News From Brian Lynch And Hollistic MusicWorks
Brian Lynch here, hoping that your New Year is getting off to a solid start! If you’re like me, you’re experiencing relief from the simple fact that 2021 is now in the rear view mirror. After two years straight of challenge we all deserve a break, and I fervently hope that in 2022 we get one. It’s early on – let’s see how it develops.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve reached out to you all. Despite all that has gone on, I have tried to keep on making music, and there have been some good times and things happening. Here are some highlights from the last year:

HOLLISTIC MUSICWORKS

October was an eventful month for my label Hollistic MusicWorks. The long delayed release of the first volume of my Songbook series, “Bus Stop Serenade”, was marked by release gigs in NYC and Delaware Water Gap, PA, accompanied by immediate (and still gathering) critical acclaim. Jazz Times magazine gave the release a glowing Editor’s Pick review, and Bus Stop made their 40 Best Albums of 2021 list, coming in at #28. Bus Stop also received four stars in Downbeat magazine and copious kudos in other publications.

“Lynch is an undisputed, understated master of the trumpet…the quintet simply swung, their machine oiled by pure camaraderie and expertise…The material here is uniformly excellent. If you can’t get enough of straight-ahead jazz, here’s a generous helping from some of its greatest current practitioners. You might fall in love all over again.” MORGAN ENOS, Jazz Times (Editor’s Pick, #28 on Top 40 Albums of 2021 list)
“These are five of today’s leading inventively straight-ahead players at the top of their game. Collectively, they bring scintillating hard bop. It hits hard and stays dynamic and exciting through both discs. Aside from its power, the real fun is to discover the individual nuances and punctuations each player makes in contributing to the glorious quintet sound.” JIM HYNES, glidemagazine.com

Bus Stop Serenade is available through Amazon, Bandcamp, and of course https://hollisticmusicworks.com.

Speaking of Bandcamp, as a long time user I’ve been very impressed with how the platform has really come into its own as a viable, user friendly way to both present music as a creator and to support musical artists as a listener. Hollistic MusicWorks will be increasing their presence on the platform in 2022, including incorporating physical CDs and other merchandise to the wares on display on HMW’s Bandcamp site. Check it out here: https://hollisticmusicworks.bandcamp.com/
7by7for7 recording session October 2021 (l to r):
Alex Wintz, BL, Craig Handy, Luis Perdomo, Kyle Swan, Murph Aucamp, Boris Kozlov

NEW ON HMW FOR 2022

At the turn of the year, I’m working on not one, but two new projects for release on HMW in 2022. The second volume of the Songbook series, focusing on my Afro-Caribbean (Latin Jazz) inspired originals, now has a firm release date of May 27th. It’s going to be smokin’! Vol.2 features my “Spheres Of Influence Miami Edition” group and the great players that I’ve been working with down there over the last few years. I’m very excited about how this group has breathed new life into some old favorites from my book, as well as two new originals premiered on this album.

The other project for 2022 is really going to be an interesting one. In 2020-21, I received a “New Works 2020” grant from the Knight Foundation to realize an innovative, technologically based concept for interactive music listening, incorporating a modular approach to composing that facilitates interchangeability, juxtaposition, and chance. The project is called 7by7for7: seven tunes by seven musicians, each piece lasting exactly seven minutes. The digital arts medium for delivery of this work is currently under development, with a premiere slated in 2022 as well as a regular album release of the music on HMW. Sounds intriguing? Just wait and see! I’ll keep you posted as this exciting project, a real mind-stretch for me, nears completion.

PERFORMANCE AND ALL THAT

This newsletter has gotten too long already, so I will keep it short. Here are bullet points and a couple of photos memorializing gigging  highlights of 2021:
  • How amazing it was to hit again after 16 months without being on the bandstand!
  • And it was a blessing to be back on stage with Maestro Eddie Palmieri and the rest of his musical family – my family.
  • Playing in NYC again with my own band – the ultimate!
Chucho Valdes & Friends, Paris Nov. 2021

And even at this point in a long career, it’s still possible to be awed by mastery and musical brilliance, to be thrilled by a new musical experience. Being a part of Chucho Valdes’s “Creation” project gave me all this and more, in the company of some simply unreal artistry.

I am planning to stay in better touch in 2022! I’m looking forward to having interesting things (music, news and thoughts) to share with you as I, and we, keep on making our way out of here and towards the future.

Keep safe and strong,
Brian