Motéma Music

Motéma Music
Founded	2003
Founder	Jana Herzen
Status	active
Distributor(s)	Allegro Media Group
Genre	Jazz, World Music
Country of origin	US
Location	New York, New York
Official Website	motema.com

Motéma Music is an American record label focused on jazz and world music, as well as other creative projects by virtuosic musicians who also compose. It was founded by Jana Herzen in 2003, and is now based in Harlem, New York City. Among the artists on the label are Monty Alexander, Randy Weston, Charnett Moffett, Geri Allen, Lynne Arriale, Rufus Reid, Marc Cary, Jean-Michel Pilc, Malika Zarra, and René Marie. The name means "heart" in Lingala.^[1] Motéma has been described as "what Bluenote was to the jazz labels of the 60s...for the 21st century"^[2] and "a welcoming beacon, documenting brilliant improvisers who are rapidly expanding the art form."^[3]

History

Motéma Music was begun in the San Francisco Bay Area. A production company since 1997,^[4] it became a label after signing Babatunde Lea for his album, Soul Pools. Jana Herzen, a singer-songwriter who composed and performed on "'Round the World" on Soul Pools, was trying to get out some records and created the label to do so, never intending to be a CEO.^[5] She chose the name because of its similarity to the sound of "Motown."^[6] The label quickly caught the attention of Jazziz. Jazz represents about 70% of the label's output. Her own album, Soup's on Fire, is jazz-influenced, but not strictly jazz. The company was formed by Herzen, Lea, Ronnie Lippin, and Jean-Marc Lumbrano, mainly with money from Herzen's parents, Stanford University scientists Leonard and Leonore Herzenberg.^[7]

Herzen moved the label to New York in 2005 to be closer to the action. At one time, it was based in the third floor of the Langston Hughes House, which was obtained for them by Shon 'Chance' Miller.^[8] The label has since moved elsewhere on the same street. The logo is designed by Winston Smith.^[9]

The label is very artist-centric and focused on each artist's career development. It was because of this reputation that such highly-respected artists such as Geri Allen and Rufus Reid came to the label.^[10] Herzen attributes this to her being an artist herself. She has no plans to give up physical CDs so that her artists have something to sell at concerts.

Jazz Therapy

Roni Ben-Hur and Jana Herzen founded the Jazz Therapy series as a benefit for the Dizzy Gillespie Memorial Fund of the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center Foundation in Englewood, New Jersey, which underwrites medical care for uninsured jazz musicians who are unable to pay for medical care. The series so far has included CDs by Ben-Hur and Ithamara Koorax and Juarez Moreira. Ben-Hur met Nilson Matta in the performance lounge of Englewood Hospital, which led to their collaboration on the third release in the series.

Discography

2003

• Babatunde Lea - Soul Pools with Ku-umba Frank Lacy, Hilton Ruiz, John Benîtez, Mario Rivera, Kevin Jones, Jana Herzen, Raul Midon, Ernie Watts, Geoff Brennan 7-09363-7136-2
• Babatunde Lea - Level of Intent with Jon Faddis, Charnette Moffett [sic], Hilton Ruiz, Frank Colón, John Purcell, Frank Lacy, Tommy James, Santi Debriano, Kenny Barron, Marvin Horn 8-20320-0047-2 (reissue of a 1996 Diaspora Records album)
• Lynne Arriale Trio (Jay Anderson, Steve Davis) - Arise MTM71372

2004

• Babatunde Lea - Suite Unseen: Summoner of the Ghost with Steve Rurre, Richard Howell, Glen Pearson, Geoff Brennan, Ron Belcher, Bujo Kevin Jones MTM 00002
• Jana Herzen - Soup's on Fire MOTEMA 6681-2
• Discomind - The Fresh Turnout unnumbered [digital download; physical CDs are promotional items only]
• DJ Jackie Christie - Made 4 U RAD 90079-2

2005

• Lynn Arriale Trio (Jay Anderson, Steve Davis) - Come Together MTM 00001

2006

• Marc Cary - Focus with David Ewell, Sameer Gupta MTM-00005
• Bujo Kevin Jones with Kelvin Sholar, George Makinto, Brian Horton, Kevin Louis, Damon Warmack, [[Jamieo Brown] - Tenth World MTM 0000-3
• Kit McClure Band - Just the Thing: The Sweethearts Project Revisited RH 9005
• Lynne Arrialle Trio (Jay Anderson, Steve Davis) - Live MTM-00007

2007

• Marc Cary & Shon 'Chance' Miller - XR Project: AbStraKt|BlaK MTM-00004
• Pete Levin - Deacon Blues featuring Joe Beck, Mike DeMicco, Danny Gottlieb, Tony Levin, Ken Lovelett, Carlos Valdez MTM-0008
• Roni Ben-Hur - Keepin' It Open with Jeremy Pelt, Ronnie Mathews, Santi Debriano, Lewis Nash, Steve Kroon 232537
• Rufus Reid Quintet (Sumi Tonooka, Tim Horner, Freddie Hendrix, Rich Perry) - Live at the Kennedy Center MTM-00009 (CD+DVD)
• Ryan Cohan - One Sky with Bob Sheppard, Geof Bradfield, Tito Carillo, James Cammack, Lorin Cohen, Kobie Watkins, Ruben Alvarez, Jean-Christophe Leroy MTM-00012
• Amy London - When I Look in Your Eyes featuring John Hicks, Lee Musiker, Roni Ben-Hur, Rufus Reid, Leroy Williams, Chris Byars MTM-00011
• KJ Denhert - Lucky 7 MTM-00014

2008

• Antonio Ciacca Quintet (Kengo Nakamura, Rodney Green, Stacy Dillard, Joe Magnarelli) - Rush Life 232536
• Bujo Kevin Jones - Bujo Kevin Jones & Tenth World Live! with Kelvin Sholar, Brian Horton, Kevin Louis, Joshua David, Jaimeo Brown MTM-00020
• KJ Denhert - Dal Vivo a Umbria Jazz with Bennett Paster, Ray Lavier, Mamadou Ba, John Caban, and featuring Aaron Heick MTM - 00017
• The New Jazz Composers Octet - The Turning Gate MTM-00019
• Roni Ben-Hur, Gene Bertoncini - Smile: Jazz Therapy, Volume 1 MTM - 00018

2009

• Lynne Arriale - Nuance: The Bennett Studio Sessions featuring Randy Brecker, George Mraz, Anthony Pinciotti MTM-00022
• Charnett Moffett - The Art of Improvisation with Will Calhoun, Yunchen Lhamo, Pat Jones MTM-21
• Sertab Erener, Demir Demirkan - Painted on Water MTM23
• Oran Etkin - Kelenia MTM - 24
• Tessa Souter - Obsession MTM-27
• Babatunde Lea's Umbo Weti: A Tribute to Leon Thomas with Dwight Trible, Ernie Watts, Patrice Rushen, Gary Brown MTM-25
• Alexis Cole - The Greatest Gift MTM-26
• N.E.D. - No Evidence of Disease MTM-29
• Ithamara Koorax, Juarez Moreira - Bim Bom - The Complete João Gilberto Songbook (Jazz Therapy, Vol. 2) MTM-30
• Roni Ben-Hur - Fortuna with Ronnie Mathews, Rufus Reid, Lewis Nash, Steve Kroon MTM-28
• 2009 Motéma Summer Sampler
• Antonio Ciacca Quintet (Kengo Nakamura, Ulysses Owens, Stacy Dillard, Steve Grossman) - Lagos Blues MTM-32
• 2009 Motéma Winter Sampler

2010

• Rufus Reid featuring Steve Allee & Duduka da Fonseca - Out Front MTM-36
• Tomoko Sugawara - Along the Silk Road with Robert Dick and Ozan Aksöy MTM-31
• Geri Allen - Flying Toward the Sound MTM-37
• Lynne Arriale - Solo MTM-38 [unreleased]
• Sertab Erener, Demir Demirkan - Love (EP) MTM-44 [digital download; only promo CDs exist]
• Marc Cary - Focus Trio Live 2009 MTM-33
• Patrick Stanfield Jones - A Heart and an Open Road with Barry Wiesenfeld, Don Gardner, Steven 'Muddy' Roues, Rave Tesar, Jana Herzen, Kit McClure, Erik Lawrence, Chip Larison MTM-39
• Gregory Porter - Water MTM-41
• Charnett Moffett - Treasure MTM-43
• Geri Allen and Timeline - Live MTM-42
• Ryan Cohan - Another Look MTM-45
• Motéma Music Summer Sampler 2010
• Oran Etkin - Wake Up Clarinet! MTM-TMB-46-1
• Sameer Gupta - Namaskar with Marc Cary, Pt. Ramesh Misra, Srinivas Reddy, David Boyce, Prasant Radhakrishnan, Charith Premawardanan, David Ewell MTM-49
• Randy Weston - The Storyteller MTM-51
• KJ Denhert - Album No. 9 MTM-47
• Bettina Jonic - The Bitter Mirror: Songs by Bob Dylan and Bertolt Brecht MTM-50 (reissue of 1975 album)

2011

• Amy London - Let's Fly featuring Roni Ben-Hur, Santi Debriano, Steve Williams, Steve Kroon, Tadro Hammer, Glauco Sagebin, Richard Wyands MTM-56
• Lynne Arriale - Convergence MTM-54
• Rondi Charleston - Who Knows Where the Time Goes with Dave Stryker, James Genus, Clarence Penn, Lynne Arriale, Brandon McCune, Mayra Casales MTM-55
• René Marie - Voice of My Beautiful Country MTM-59
• T.K. Blue - Latin Bird featuring Willie Martinez, Roland Guerrero, Essiet O. Essiet, Theo Hill and special guests Lewis Nash, Steve Turre MTM-57
• 2011 Motéma Music Sampler
• Rufus Reid & Out Front (Steve Allee & Duduka da Fonseca) featuring Toninho Horta, Bobby Watson, Freddie Hendrix, JD Allen - Hues of a Different Blue MTM-58
• Malika Zarra - Berber Taxi MTM-60
• Roseanna Vitro - The Music of Randy Newman, arranged by Mark Soskin with Sara Caswell, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner, Jamey Haddad, Steve Cardenas MTM-65
• Nilson Matta and Roni Ben-Hur with Victor Lewis and Café - Mojave - Jazz Therapy, Vol. 3 MTM-64
• Jean-Michel Pilc - Essential MTM-61
• Monty Alexander - Harlem - Kingston Express Live! with Karl Wright, Yotam Silberstein, Hassan Shakur, Obed Calvaire. Robert Thomas^{[disambiguation needed ]}, Hoova Simpson, Andy Bassford MTM-67
• JC Stylles featuring Pat Bianchi and Lawrence Leathers - Exhilaration and Other States MTM-68
• A Moving Sound - A Moving Sound [compilation from their second and third albums] MTM-71
• Pilc Moutin Hoenig - Threedom MTM-72
• René Marie - Black Lace Freudian Slip with Kevin Bales, Rodney Jordan, Kenneth Baxter, Quentin Baxter, Bill Kopper, Lionel Young, Dexter Payne, Michael A. Croan MTM-74
• David Murray Cuban Ensemble plays Nat King Cole en Español with special guests Daniel Melingo, Juanjo Mosalini, The Sinfonieta of Sines MTM-73
• Geri Allen - A Child Is Born MTM-69
• Kelvin Sholar - Rites of Fire: Visions of Stravinsky

References

1. ^ http://www.cindybyram.com/artists/motema.htm
2. ^ Christian Kallen. "Motéma Night at the Raven and the Ecstasy of Jazz." The Healdsburg Paper http://healdsburg.patch.com/articles/motma-night-at-the-raven-and-the-ecstasy-of-jazz June 10, 2011. Accessed August 24, 2011.
3. ^ http://www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org/wordpress/motema-music-night-june-9/
4. ^ http://www.motema.com/press/jana-herzen/134
5. ^ Alex Henderson. "Motéma Music" All About Jazz, November 2010, pp. 12 & 39
6. ^ ibid
7. ^ Jeff Rivers. "Jana Herzen, Musician and Jazz Label's Chief Cook." The Hartford Courant, April 3, 2003. http://articles.courant.com/2003-04-03/entertainment/0304031618_1_motema-music-record-label-arriale
8. ^ Arcynta Ali Childs. “Lawsuits and the Langston Hughes House.” The Village Voice, August 27, 2008. http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-08-27/news/lawsuits-real-estate-relics-and-the-langston-hughes-house/
9. ^ http://winstonsmith.com/dossier/
10. ^ ibid

External links

• Official site
• Motéma Music's channel on YouTube