Wednesday, November 11, 2015

NEW RELEASES: BRENNA WHITAKER; GERARDO FRISINA PRESENTS – LIVIANA FERRI AND CUBAFRO; KENNY BURRELL - THE ROAD TO LOVE

BRENNA WHITAKER

As a kid growing up in Kansas City, Brenna Whitaker fell in love with the music of jazz and blues singers from a long-ago era. "Ruth Brown, Peggy Lee, Cab Calloway, Etta James - those are my people," says the L.A.-based vocalist. "I don't even know how I ended up knowing so many of their songs and standards from back then. It's almost like they found their way to me, like I'm from another time." After landing her first professional theater gig at age 11, moving to New York City on her own to study with Broadway veterans at age 17, and spending her early 20s leading jazz bands back home in Missouri, Whitaker headed to L.A. and started setting up a series of residencies that eventually attracted fans like Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, and Michael Bublé and caught the attention of Verve Music Group chairman and 16-time Grammy Award-winner David Foster. The first new artist Foster has agreed to develop and produce since discovering Bublé, Whitaker is now set to release a debut album for Verve that finds her reviving a vast American jukebox of classic songs and revealing the full force of her stunning, soulful voice. ~ Verve

GERARDO FRISINA PRESENTS – LIVIANA FERRI AND CUBAFRO - YE MAYA E - CONFIANCE A LA MUSIQUE


Gerardo Frisina works here with a great female singer – the lovely Liviana Ferri, who brings in a much deeper vibe than usual to his music! Part of that quality also comes from the Cubafro group, who work with Ferri and bring in plenty of raw percussion – all directed by Frisina's songwriting and percussion, but in a way that's maybe more classically-styled Latin than some of his own music. The group's also got some wonderfully heavy acoustic bass on the leadoff cut – plus trumpet lines and a bit of flute too – on the titles "Ye Maya E", "Confiance A La Musique", and "Ye Maya E (Ye Maya)".  ~ Dusty Groove


KENNY BURRELL - THE ROAD TO LOVE

Few can claim the title of living legend. Kenny Burrell is just such a person. In fact he's more he's living history, past, present and future. His credentials are voluminous and accomplishments staggering, and he hasn't stopped. Today, he is active recording and performing, a respected educator, and an elder statesman of the music. His legacy is pervasive. His soulful sound and approach have influenced virtually everyone claiming a jazz pedigree but extends to many outside the genre, a la Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Steve Howe, Andy Summers, and Freddie King. Here Burrell is backed by some of his favorite West Cost colleagues in a varied program of standards and few originals by the leader himself, including one brand new composition. Also on hand is the exuberant voice of Barbara Morrison who brings her tremendous talent and personality to three tracks.~ Amazon


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