BY B AO L E - H U U CHRIS CORTEZ | PHOTO BY LYNN DARCY
LOCAL RELEASES
Between them, homegrown jazz players Chris Cortez and Larry Williams have tons of history with an association that goes back to the 1980s. Cortez, of course, is well-known these days as not just a jazz guitarist but also the face of Winter Park live venue Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts and founder of record label Blue Bamboo Music. Williams gave up his local card a while back for L.A., and even gave up his trumpet nearly a decade ago. But life, fate and a recurring dream eventually led Williams full circle back to Orlando, his native instrument and his old bandmate in 2020, culminating in the Cortez/Williams Project. Although new, they’ve been publicly workshopping the new collab with regular live sessions at Blue Bamboo since the spring. Now, they’re ready with their recorded debut. Hermanos is a full-band, 11-song album of supple yet crisp jazz that celebrates Williams’ return to the trumpet and the two main players’ return to each other’s musical company. The LP won’t be rolled out nationally until Jan. 3 but they’re unveiling it locally now with music already available as a stream, download and CD through Blue Bamboo Music’s website (bluebamboo music.net). To send their debut work out into the world right, the Cortez/Williams Project is playing a release party this week. (8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, $25 — limited capacity, masks required) A new electronic act on the Orlando map is Protosynthesis, the duo of engineer Kevin Tuck (Man Is Manmade) and arranger Joshua Jauz (Electric Dawn), whose musical histories go back to when they were both in Swansinger. What’s
Life, fate and a recurring dream led musician Larry Williams back to Orlando, his native instrument and his old bandmate Chris Cortez last year, culminating in the Cortez/Williams Project’s debut album
DJ Three: A portal to house music’s golden era has been opening up all over downtown lately, and this one’s both big and native. For their one-year anniversary, club night Discothèque is going deep with DJ Three, a Tampa OG who was at the vanguard of the Florida rave tsunami that attained global cachet in the 1990s and rocketed him to residencies at legendary clubs like Gainesville’s Simons and NYC’s Twilo. Go dance to a true Florida icon. (9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, Barbarella, $10-$20)
been a friendly synth collaboration for several years eventually became a formal project with the release of a debut single (“Blank Space”) last year. Now Protosynthesis have finally followed that up with brand-new single “Kiss and Tell,” a sliver of minimal and moody electronic pop. Already a notable leap from their first song, this track is a sleek, icy ride into darkness. From here on, Protosynthesis plan to drop singles every month or two. Look for them on Bandcamp.
Dark Time Sunshine, Ceschi, E-Turn, Icon the Mic King: Dark Time Sunshine, the duo of Seattle alt-rapper Onry Ozzborn and Chicago producer Zavala, are coming on this year’s drop of their first album in nearly a decade. Released on Fake Four, Lore is studded with major appearances by Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, Homeboy Sandman, R.A.P. Ferreira and Ceschi. Moreover, the Fake Four-heavy bill will be maxed out with genre-buster Ceschi himself, Orlando rhyme queen E-Turn and battle-rap veteran Icon the Mic King. (8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, Will’s Pub, $15)
MUSIC EVENTS THIS WEEK
Unwed Sailor, MRENC, Chapters, Because we suck at civilization now, Dearest: To this day, Oklahoma’s Unwed protect yourself and mask up if you go out. Sailor remain one the most steadfast ambassadors of new-millennium postStucco, Zap Dragon, Rainbow Park: rock with a cinematic soar that always Stucco is the eclectic, Ween-inspired impresses live. Opening will be Orlando solo vehicle for Welzeins frontman Russ acts Chapters and Dearest, who’ll stretch Nordstrom. For live shows, he fills the the post-rock spectrum from the mathband with members of Timothy Eerie ematics of the former to the texturizing of and makes them all wear white overalls. the latter. A special bonus will be a someCompleting the bill will be the quali- what rare appearance by Lakeland fuzz ty indie rock of Orlando’s Zap Dragon rockers MrENC. (8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, and Daytona’s Rainbow Park. (8 p.m. Will’s Pub, $8-$10) Wednesday, Sept. 15, Will’s Pub, $10) baolehuu@orlandoweekly.com orlandoweekly.com
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SEPT. 15-21, 2021 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY
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