The Rhythm Future Quartet - Rhythm Future Quartet & Friends (2018) [Hi-Res]

Rhythm Future Quartet, America’s premiere Gypsy jazz ensemble, is an airtight musical unit distinguished by its indivisible group sound and relentless swing as well as the seemingly effortless virtuosity of its four key members. But that doesn’t mean that there’s no room for special guests to add to the harmonious mirth. On the new release, Rhythm Future Quartet and Friends, the ensemble - with Jason Anick on violin, Olli Soikkeli on guitar, Max O’Rourke on second guitar and Greg Loughman on bass–is joined by three noteworthy associates: the critically acclaimed singer Cyrille Aimée (Mack Avenue), brazil’s top bandolimist Hamilton de Holanda, and world class Gypsy guitarist Stochelo Rosenberg.

While maintaining the effervescent lilt, virtuosic musicianship and adventurous musical leanings of their previous recordings, Rhythm Future Quartet and Travels (picked as one of the best jazz albums of 2016 by All About Jazz and the Huffington Post), RFQ and Friends brings vibrant new colors to the mix. With its arresting blend of Hot Club of France styled string jazz, Brazilian and East European idioms, classic swing and classical music, the album marks a significant moment in the growth of a continually evolving ensemble. (And one with continually increasing popularity: the quartet’s version of Django’s "Minor Swing" has over four million views on YouTube, while their video clip of "Bushwick Stomp" from ‘Travels’ has over three million Facebook views.)

“RFQ and Friends is centered around the collaborative nature of the quartet,
how we co-arrange both our original music and tunes that reference the classic Gypsy jazz sound to mark everything with an individual group identity,” Says Anick. “As we keep developing as a working unit though, we feel the need to continually spice things up. Welcoming in the special guests allows us to explore new and inspiring collaborations. Each guest brings something truly special to the ensemble sound and the album as a whole.”

In its artful combination of original pieces from all four group members, in addition to durable compositions from Duke Ellington, Oscar Pettiford, Django Reinhardt, Joshua Redman and the Brazilian choro master Garoto, RFQ and Friends reflects the band’s embracing stylistic sweep.

“Jaytude No. 1 in Em” is a “Jason Etude,” an Anick original that attempts to combine the flavor of the Paganini caprices with the contemporary composer’s own musical sensibilities. The lilting rhythm of “Cachoeira,” another Anick composition, evokes the Brazilian rainforest and the country’s vivacious musical spirit which has so captivated the band’s collective imagination. The beautiful ballad “Colorado,” co-written by Anick and O’Rourke, displays the quartet’s abundant lyricism, while “Olli’s Bossa” is a spirited Solikkeli romp that adds inventive touches of tango and bossa nova to the Gypsy jazz atmosphere. The suitably romantic “Treetops” was written by Anick for his wife Kim. Sheathed in a Balkan funk groove, the Loughman composition, “Vertigo” evokes a delightfully shivery vibe. “Sleepless,” co-composed by Anick and his father, is a reworking of a favorite tune first heard on the violinist’s 2010 solo album of the same name. Here, it features the acclaimed European Gypsy jazz guitarist Stochelo Rosenberg. The album closes with a surprise. O’Rourke’s “136 Harrison” finds the quartet joined by a string octet comprised of students from the Berklee College of Music where Anick teaches. The nostalgic melody and accordant performance acts as a lovely parting gift from the band.

Rhythm Future Quartet approaches the jazz tradition with characteristically eclectic strokes, accessing material from the swing, bebop and present day jazz idioms. The Ellington classic “Solitude” features the critically acclaimed French vocalist Cyrille Aimée (Mack Avenue), whose Continental approach enhances the band’s Hot Club vibe. “Tricotism,” by the great bassist Oscar Pettiford, demonstrates how effortlessly the quartet bends bebop to its own wishes. “Jazz Crimes,” a Joshua Redman composition first heard on the saxophonist’s 2002 album, Elastic, showcases the Brazilian master bandolinist Hamilton de Holand gleefully mixing it up with the quartet. “Minor Blues” finds Rhythm Future Quartet tipping its hat to one of its main influences, the brilliant Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. One of Django’s most infectious tunes, “Minor Blues” shines light on the ease with which the quartet is able to effectively salute an idol while carving out a distinct identity from iconic source material. “Desvairada” by the legendary composer and guitarist Garoto, comes from an altogether different musical tradition, Brazilian Choro. The quartet’s comfortable take on the idiom once again reveals how resourceful and adaptable a force it has become since its formation in 2013.

While RFQ and Friends, adds new flavors to the musical broth in the way of additional musicians, it still speaks with the authentic directness that is the trademark of Rhythm Future Quartet. “The guests were fantastic and truly served the song,” Anick says, “They were the icing on the cake.”

Jason Anick, an award-winning composer and one of the youngest violin professors at the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston, has shared the stage with an array of artists including Grammy award winning guitarist John Jorgenson, Stevie Wonder, The Jim Kweskin Jug Band, and Tommy Emmanuel. After relocating from Scandinavia Olli Soikkeli quickly became a top call guitarist in the bustling Brooklyn jazz scene. He has performed alongside Cyrille Aimee, and the celebrated guitarists Frank Vignola and Bucky Pizzarelli, and many prominent contemporary players. Max O’Rourke was the winner of the 2015 Saga Award from DjangoFest Northwest, and at 22 has already toured/recorded with many of the top American Gypsy Jazz musicians including John Jorgenson and Gonzalo Bergara. Greg Loughman is a top call bassist in Boston and has been heard with such luminaries as Sheila Jordan, Curtis Fuller and George Garzone.