Ted Morcaldi Trio - new album and UK tour dates.

Sunday, April 13, 2025

US guitarist & composer Ted Morcaldi will release his new trio album "Celestial Stranger" on May 30th 2025. He will be performing UK live shows in May, June and November.

We have received the following press release;

TED MORCALDI – CELESTIAL STRANGER

Celestial Stranger is an album of thought-provoking original contemporary jazz by a trio of celebrated musicians, featuring Joel Humann, Joshua Blackmore, led by guitarist Ted Morcaldi – the trio’s debut (CD/DL) is due out Fri 30th May via contemporary music label, Clonmell Jazz Social.

Working on electric, classical, and twelve-string guitar, as well as the Roland P/V synthesiser, Morcaldi casts his vivid, wistful, tonal phrases into a deep, nocturnal, reverberant suspension, reminiscent of ECM productions, his playing rendered luminous against the dark, open-ended recesses of the imagination.

There are reminders of the musicians Morcaldi openly admires – David Sylvian and Holger Czukay, of Can, especially when he hits multi-angled grooves with his fellow players, of Jon Hassell’s haunting fourth world explorations.

The group Moraldi put together for this album – bassist Joel Humann and Joshua Blackmore on drums lay down a discreet but frictional, almost abrasive, scuffling backdrop, as if throwing down a complex challenge, a counterpoint to which Morcaldi rises time and again.

In addition, joined by Blackstar bassist Tim Lefebvre, reimagine Bowie’s Art Decade from Low. Lefebvre’s shimmering effects salute the late Trailblazer, mirroring Morcaldi’s own eastward-leaning, deep jazz adventurism.

Celestial Stranger is a wonderful album of multiple, myriad pleasures, not merely standing on the shoulders of giants but soaring to new places of his own. Electric and eclectic, a true jazz for the 21st century.

Ahead of the album release, Ted Morcaldi will be releasing the following singles via digital retail and streaming services: ‘Time Windows’ on 28th March 2025, and ‘Elyesque’ on 2nd May 2025.

Ted Morcaldi will be performing material from Celestial Stranger at the following dates:

1st May – Hot Numbers, Cambridge
11th May – The Geldart, Cambridge
8th June – The Geldart, Cambridge
14th November – Clonmell Jazz Social Series,The Green Note, London (EFG London Jazz Festival)

Credits:

Ted Morcaldi – electric, classical and twelve-string guitar, Roland P/V synthesiser
Joel Humann - upright bass, electric bass on ‘Stand There’
Joshua Blackmore – drum kit
Tim Lefebvre - electric bass and effects on ‘Art Decade’

All music written byTed Morcaldi except‘ Art Decade’ by David Bowie

“A tight yet versatile trio, making the most of Ted’s intriguing compositions…with the US guitarist equally adept on electric and acoustic instruments, enhancing the former with loops and electronic effects, often creating multi- layered soundscapes…” – JazzToday

“Morcaldi’s playing brings together a sense of earthiness and grit with a celestial air of exploration–economical in its expression as it is outwardly searching in its disposition.” – Love All Day Records

https://www.clonmelljazzsocial.com

https://www.tedmorcaldimusic.com

https://tedmorcaldi.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ted_morcaldi/