NEW RELEASES: CHUCK LOEB - UNSPOKEN; THE FRIGHTNRS – NOTHING MORE TO SAY; TIM RAY TRIO – WINDOWS

CHUCK LOEB - UNSPOKEN

Loeb's new CD "Unspoken" is coming out September 30th and the 1st single "Cotton Club" is out and climbing the charts quickly. The CD of 10 new original compositions features some of the finest musicians in the world, and I am blessed to call them some of my dearest friends & family: Nathan East, Will Lee, Brian Culbertson, Everette Harp, Jeff Lorber, Eric Marienthal, Andy Snitzer, Till Brönner, Carmen Cuesta, Lizzy Cuesta & Christina Loeb, Mitchel Forman, Michael Thompson, Ron 'Buttercup' Jenkins, Tom Kennedy, Pat Bianchi, Brian Dunne, Gary Novak, Joel Rosenblatt, David Mann, Mike Davis, Tony Kadleck and mixed by the amazing Phil Magnotti. The CD will be premiered on www.smoothjazz.com a week or so before the release date.

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THE FRIGHTNRS – NOTHING MORE TO SAY

The Frightnrs have plenty more to say here – and they say it in a really sharp-edged approximation of older rocksteady modes! The group are contemporary, but like the best acts on Daptone, they've got an instantly classic feel – thanks to instrumentation and production that take us right back to late 60s Kingston, but with some of the sharper funky currents we've come to expect from the label! And while The Frightnrs may pitch themselves as an old school reggae act, they're also one that have a heavy dose of soul – almost a late night New Jersey current to their music at times – as if the All Platinum/Stang label put out their own version of Jamaican soul. The approach is great, and very unique – and titles include "Hey Brother", "Gotta Find A Way", "What Have I Done", "Nothing More To Say", "All My Tears", "Purple", "Dispute", and "Till Then". ~ Dusty Groove

TIM RAY TRIO – WINDOWS

McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Duke Ellington and Horace Silver are but a handful of the geniuses that pianist Tim Ray (Lyle Lovett, Gary Burton) pays loving tribute to on Windows, a marvelous collection of trio music featuring John Lockwood (bass) and Mark Walker (drums).  And the list goes on: Monk, Jarrett, Hancock…Ray is clearly beholden to his heroes, but also brave enough to step outside he homage to make his own way, as evidenced by a couple of originals he includes here, written with Lockwood.  Ray handles all the arrangements, and all are beautifully improvised and artfully interplayed, as you would expect from such a talented bunch.  Ray, Lockwood, and Walker have logged some miles together, not to mention ample studio sessions.  Most recently, the trio can be heard on Greg Abate’s Motif and Kindred Spirits, by Abate and featuring the late Phil Woods.  A tip of the fedora to these inimitable artists.  Windows is a fitting tribute to transcendent, piano-forged material.  Ray knows the way well enough to drive around a bit, test the roads, and open it up on a straightaway.  All we can do then is enjoy the ride.