...these five are original...Shner is undoubtedly a John Coltrane disciple, albeit with a personal sound...Together they bring an exciting cocktail that properly tightens the links between Western jazz and African traditions. A startling debut and one for the year-end lists without a doubt!
Its name meaning "the lion spirit" in Shona, a language of Zimbabwe, MHONDORO has produced a powerful first album, full of joy and brimming with the force of life. Melding traditional Zimbabwean music, American jazz, and an unmistakable dose of the Pacific Northwest, Heat Wave celebrates the culmination of its diverse roots. Born during the pandemic as Israeli saxophonist Idit Shner, Zimbabwean vocalist & percussionist John Mambira, and the Oregon-bred rhythm section of pianist Torrey Newhart, bassist Garrett Baxter, and drummer Ken Mastrogiovanni formed a "parent pod" to allow their children to attend virtual school together while the parents jammed in the living room. Realizing that put together, the music created was both global and hyper-local—truly American, in the best sense of the word—it provided a thrilling artistic escape from the times and exciting possibilities for the future.
1. Obsidian Horses 6:51
2. Heat Wave 6:19
3. Mhondoro 6:18
4. Usavabvumire 6:04
5. Mantra Song 3:59
6. Step By Step 7:26
7. Fingerprints 7:00
Idit Shner - alto saxophone & bass clarinet
John Mambira - percussion & vocals
Torrey Newhart - piano & keyboard
Garrett Baxter - bass
Ken Mastrogiovanni - drums
Ratie D - mbira, vocals (1,7)
Produced by Idit Shner
Recorded by T. Newhart and K. Mastrogiovanni
in Newhart's living room, Eugene, OR
July 27 and August 3, 2021
Mixed by Billy Barnett
at Gung Ho Studios, Eugene, OR
Mastered by Charlie Pilzer
at Tonal Park, Tacoma, MD
Front cover photo by Athena Delene
Cover Design & Layout by John Bishop
Midwest Record (Chris Spector)
Growing out of jam sessions that happened because Eugene, Oregon has a small jazz scene and key players could hear each other over back yard fences, the result is a modern take on classic Oregon world jazz from 50 years ago. More in touch with these times than Oregon's original hippie sensibility, all that really matters is that there's some wild ...
Take Effect (Tom Haugen)
The saxophonist and bass clarinet wizard Idit Shner is in the company of John Mambira (percussion, vocals), Torrey Newhart (piano, keyboards, vocals), Garrett Baxter (bass), Ken Mastrogiovanni (drums) and Ratie D (mbira, vocals) for this powerful debut album.
"Obsidian Horses" starts the listen with soulful, wordless vocals that are met with fi ...
Jazz'halo (Belgium) (Georges Tonla Briquet)
The African origin of jazz illustrated by an international quintet. Nothing new, but these five are original. Israeli saxophonist Idit Shner is undoubtedly a John Coltrane disciple, albeit with a personal sound. The energetic percussionist and vocalist John Mambira is from Zimbabwe while the tight playing rhythm section (pianist and keyboardist Tor ...
All About Jazz (Jane Kozhevnikova)
Idit Shner, a saxophonist from Israel based in Eugene, Oregon, has a wide range of musical influences in the projects she has recorded. Her albums have been published on OA2 Records and Origin Classical and have something to offer for any listener. Grounded in the jazz traditions, she has kept reinventing herself musically, so that she has always s ...