A 61 Track Collection of Frank Kimbrough’s Compositions, Featuring 67 World-Class Artists
Newvelle Records releases a 61 track digital anthology of Frank’s original compositions, recorded as the New York jazz scene reopened in May 2021.
July 2021 – Newvelle Records today has released KIMBROUGH, a collection of 61 original compositions by jazz artist and educator Frank Kimbrough, who passed away in December 2020. Featuring tribute performances from 67 of Frank’s former bandmates, students, and friends across multiple generations, KIMBROUGH was recorded over three and a half days in New York as the musical world began reawakening in May 2021. All proceeds from this definitive collection of Frank’s music, available on high-quality digital download on Bandcamp, will benefit the Frank Kimbrough Jazz Scholarship at The Juilliard School.
“Frank was a genuine ‘musician’s musician’ whose talent as a player, composer, and teacher fueled generations of artists in the New York jazz community,” said Elan Mehler, cofounder and artistic director of Newvelle Records, and a student of Frank’s at New York University in the 1990s. “There is something miraculous about attracting 67 world-class artists together in a studio, just as the world began emerging from the pandemic. Only someone of Frank’s impact could inspire such an ambitious project.”
Frank famously never practiced piano and wrote nearly all of his compositions wandering through New York. He implored students to spend less time in the practice rooms and more time on the subway platforms, bar stools, and park benches that sparked so much of his own musical inspiration.
Blending four generations of jazz musicians – from artists who played with him in his earliest years in North Carolina, to students he taught over Zoom during the pandemic – KIMBROUGH features 55 different bands across 61 tracks. Some had begun playing together 40 years ago, while others were meeting in the studio for the first time. All volunteered their time as tribute to a man they knew for his generosity, perspective, and creativity.
“Every moment with him on the stage was just beautiful,” said Steve Wilson, who appears on tenor saxophone on four tracks. “Not only was he supporting you, he was collaborating with you in the moment.”
KIMBROUGH features 67 artists: Addison Frei; Alexa Tarantino; Alexis Cuadrado; Allan Chase; Allan Mednard; Ben Allison; Ben Monder; Ben Rosenblum; Ben Wolfe; Billy Drummond; Clarence Penn; Craig Taborn; Dan Tepfer; Dave Douglas; Dave Treut; Dezron Douglas; Donny McCaslin; Douglas Marriner; Elan Mehler; Elio Villafranca; Evan Harris; Francisco Mela; Fred Hersch; Gary Versace; Glenn Zeleski; Helen Sung; Immanuel Wilkins; Isaiah J. Thompson; Jacob Sacks; Jay Anderson; Jeff Cosgrove; Jeff Hirshfield; Jeff Williams; Jesse Neuman; Joe Lovano; Joel Wenhardt; John Hébert; Kirk Knuffke; Martin Wind; Marty Jaffe; Matt Wilson; Micah Thomas; Michael Blake; Michael Formanek; Noah Halpern; Noah Preminger; Olivia Chindamo; Patrick Cornelius; Rich Perry; Rich Rosenzweig; Riley Mulherkar; Rob Jost; Ron Horton; Rufus Reid; Ryan Keberle; Samora Pinderhughes; Satoshi Takeishi; Scott Robinson; Scott Spivak; Sean Mason; Steve Cardenas; Steve Wilson; Ted Nash; Tim Horner; Todd Neufeld; Tony Moreno; Tony Scherr
To buy Kimbrough, browse to the project’s Bandcamp page. Proceeds help endow the Frank Kimbrough Music Scholarship at Juilliard.