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Happy to be kicking off your weekend with a (late edition) Jazz & Juice!

Before we begin, an early note to let you know the only performances this year of "Holidays," the album I released last year with Ted Nash and his big band, will be at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola on December 2nd (two sets.) This might be just the moment to plan for an amazing kickoff to the season. Snatch up a ticket here, or listen to the music for a preview.

Juice

Manu Michelini, winemaker, is part of an Argentine family that has a thirst for what lies beyond their own borders (inside of which they make lots of wine besides.) One of their excursions led to a project in Northwest Spain, where they are adding to the exciting renaissance of the Mencía grape in Bierzo.

Manu's Michelini i Mufatto "En el Camino" Bierzo '22 is an exhilarating take on this versatile grape (and one for Americans to watch out for when thinking of Thanksgiving reds.)

This youthful bottling has blackberry and plum fruit that is judiciously juicy and medium bodied, offset with a marjoram herb nose, dark minerality, and a refreshing sea-spray salinity that persists and rolls you into sip after sip.

With a respect for tradition and a fearless zest for experimentation, this is a great example of a producer's exuberance and adventurousness meeting a place and grape that clearly welcomed the approach.

Jazz

Tracy Yang is a young composer/bandleader who hails from Taiwan and has recorded her debut full album, "OR 手術劇院" (Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records, '24) here in NYC, and the recording speaks of both islands.

The song "Scene Taiwan Collection II. Sea Swell" is a piece that has epic sweep of an ocean voyage, speaking to the nostalgia for what is left and the promise of arrival.

Sebastian Noelle's guitar solo rides the wave of brass and reeds backgrounds evocatively, and the piece lifts to an epic place , eventually settling -- slowly and cinematically -- after its many travels.

This is a track of shores distant and close. Enjoy the journey!

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Scene Taiwan Collection II.... Tracy Yang Jazz Orchestra PREVIEW   ​

Hope this is a treat for the senses -- hope you enjoyed and as always let me know what you think!

Truly,

Kristen

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P.S.: If you know anyone who'd be having fun here with us, send them to main page to see the archive of posts!:)