Jazz fusion keyboardist Patrick Bradley honors tangible and “Intangible” influences on his fourth album

The spiritually-minded jazz fusion keyboardist Patrick Bradley doesn’t need a special occasion like marking his tenth anniversary as a recording artist to acknowledge his inspirations both tangible and divine. However, “Dear Friend,” the first single from his forthcoming fourth album, “Intangible,” due August 25, does just that, slated to arrive ten years after the release of his first solo set. Written with the album’s producer, Jeff Lorber, “Dear Friend” pays respectful homage to the seminal musicians who influence and inform Bradley’s contemporary jazz, rock, fusion and R&B mashups released on the Patrick’s Song Factory label.

“My intent was to honor the influence and significant impact that late musicians have on me musically such as keyboardist giants Keith Emerson, Richard Wright, George Duke, Joe Sample and Jon Lord. Bass players Chris Squire and Jaco Pastorius and guitarist Alan Holdsworth have a major influence on my approach to arrangements and melodies. Their influences are woven throughout my musical experiences, abilities and styles,” said Bradley, who wrote and arranged the ten songs that comprise “Intangible” with Lorber. “The tune also celebrates friendship of all kinds - whether it is the intimate friendship between a spouse or lover, a trusted best friend, a mentor, your family pet or the friendship expressed through songs of faith.”        

“Intangible” is the third outing for Bradley and Lorber, the latter of whom is a keyboardist widely recognized as one of the forefathers of jazz fusion, thus an element of mentorship is evident in their ongoing creative friendship. “Jeff and I work very well together. Coming into the studio, I had about 18 songs to work with for this project and we selected ten. Collaborating with Jeff always draws out new dimensions and makes me dig deeper.”

One of the dimensions that Bradley developed under the tutelage of Lorber was to cultivate the ability and the confidence to communicate as a trilingual keyboardist: piano, Hammond B3 organ and Moog synthesizer. Bradley’s nimble finger work dispenses harmonies in equal measures of power and grace, poignant and propulsive, riveting and rousing, and cerebral and accessible. His multi-voiced keyboard approach makes an individual track seem as if it is helmed by more than one protagonist with each unique keyboard instrument providing a different perspective on the melodies. In addition to the heavy usage of the Hammond B3 along with frequent spacy Moog forays, Bradley’s distinctive brand also consists of deep-pocketed grooves constructed by live instrumentation from a core unit of prominent musicians – guitarists Adam Hawley and Michael Thompson, bassist Jimmy Haslip, drummer Gary Novak and Lorber on synth bass, guitar and additional keyboards. A handful of cuts are bolstered by the brawn and bravura of David Mann’s horns. Paul Jackson Jr. cranks out a gale force of electric guitar riffs on “Tail Wind” while Andrew Carney’s trumpet thrives animatedly while exploring “Newport Coast.”                   

There is another essential element to Bradley’s recordings that have been present ever since he issued his debut album, “Come Rain or Shine,” a decade ago. “Music and creativity and whatever talents we each have are a gift from God. Love, faith, hope and even music are all intangible, hence the new album title. Much of our universe is intangible yet we spend the majority of our time seeking the physical and temporal things. I always want to encourage people to look beyond the physical universe and turn our hearts towards God,” said the Southern California native who balances his creative output with a corporate profile by serving as president of the Southern Pacific Region at Whole Foods Market.

Bradley’s singles regularly hit the Billboard chart, but he was especially encouraged by the success and growing support he received for his previous album, 2014’s “Can You Hear Me.” “It gave me a new drive to write, play and collaborate with a newfound zeal and energy, revealing where I am at musically at this time. All music has a piece of the artist within their songs. I find with each new project, I feel the need and responsibility to dig deeper and in a sense, be truer to the musician I am and inspire to be.”

  

“Intangible” contains the following songs:

“Dear Friend”

“Funky Greens”

“Tail Wind”

“On Tap”

“Intangible”

“Find the Way”

“Newport Coast”

“Winds of Change”

“Destiny”

“Out of Bounds”

www.PatrickBradleyMusic.com.

NEW MUSIC: SKINNY HIGHTOWER - EMOTIONS; WILSON PICKETT – WILSON PICKETT SINGS BOBBY WOMACK; BRENTON WOOD – OOGUM BOOGUM

SKINNY HIGHTOWER - EMOTIONS

Skinny Hightower is a smooth jazz pianist who is known for his keen ability to draw influences from other genres of music, claiming that he doesn't listen to smooth jazz. Nonetheless, the result is a smooth, complex blend somewhere in between R&B, jazz, and soul. Skinny started out playing drums as a young child, later developing an ear for piano, bass and guitar. He recorded his first song at nine years old and realized that he'd found a niche in songwriting and recording. As years progressed, Skinny continued recording smooth jazz and has since worked with numerous artists behind the scenes as a producer.

WILSON PICKETT – WILSON PICKETT SINGS BOBBY WOMACK

Two of the hippest soul artists of the late 60s – coming together here for an incredible collection of work! Bobby Womack would explode into huge fame as a star in his own right at the end of the decade – but at the time of these recordings, he was mostly getting play as a songwriter – and the young Wilson Pickett was one of the strongest supporters of his work! The tracks here were all recorded between 1966 and 1968 for Atlantic Records – including many excellent Muscle Shoals recordings – and the style of Womack's writing is a perfect blend with the deep soul vocals of the Wicked Pickett – at a level that almost seems to provide a blueprint for the mode that Bobby would use on his first few length albums. The lyrics are wonderful – full of fantastic feeling, and arguably more mature than some of the contemporary soul from the time – and it's wonderful to hear all the selections together in one place, especially with detailed notes that really frame the whole project. Titles include "It's A Groove", "Let's Get An Understanding", "People Make The World What It Is", "Trust Me", "Remember I Been Good To You", "I've Come A Long Way", "Sit Down & Talk This Over", "Nothing You Can Do", "I'm In Love", "I'm Sorry About That", "I Found A True Love", "We've Got To Have Love", and "Jealous Love" – and the CD also features two great bonus tracks – an early Bobby Womack single from Atlantic in 1967 – with Bobby singing "Find Me Somebody" and "How Does It Feel".  ~ Dusty Groove

BRENTON WOOD – OOGUM BOOGUM

A classic by Brenton Wood – one that crossed over big, and which was a real bright spot on the indie soul scene of the late 60s! Brenton's sound is kind of a swinging LA one – a bit pop in parts, but all-soul on the vocals, which are a bit sweet, but with a raspy edge that's always made Brenton's singles standout with soul fans over the years. The album includes Brenton's big singles "The Oogum Boogum Song" and "Gimme Little Sign" – as well as the tracks "Birdman", "I Like The Way You Love Me", "Best Thing I Ever Had", and "Take A Chance". Oddly, though, the album also features a psychedelic soul cover of "Psychotic Reaction" – the garage classic by Count Five, who were also on the Double Shot label, and who nicely let Brenton cut their song! It's real crazy – trust us!  ~ Dusty Groove

Pianist David Lopato's "Gendhing for a Spirit Rising" Featrures World Jazz Fusion on 2-CD Set

David Lopato Gendhing for a Spirit Rising Musical genres have been melding for ages, yet pianist/composer David Lopato has developed an eclectic East-West fusion that truly has no precedent. A respected educator, inventive composer, inveterate musical explorer, and fearless sonic pioneer who has traveled a highly personal "silk road," Lopato is releasing the extraordinary Gendhing for a Spirit Rising on September 8 via Global Coolant Records. This two-CD set is the culmination of the mesmerizing musical landscape he has cultivated since his first encounter with Javanese gamelan in the mid-1970s.

Along the way, including a pivotal year spent in Java as a Fulbright Scholar, Lopato carved out a niche for himself by crafting a fascinating and idiosyncratic instrumental voice that distinguishes him from others on the contemporary music scene.

An opulent smorgasbord of sounds, Gendhing for a Spirit Rising showcases the leader's work on piano, marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel, Sundanese kendhang (hand drums), gongs, and electronics. Joining him on the recording are such jazz luminaries as Marty Ehrlich (alto and soprano saxophones), Mark Feldman (violin), Erik Friedlander (cello), Ratzo Harris (bass), Bill Ware (vibraphone), and drummers Tom Rainey and Michael Sarin; classical marimba virtuoso William Moersch; I. M. Harjito, the preeminent master of the Javanese rebab (traditional spike fiddle); and American gamelan masters Anne Stebinger and Marc Perlman (Javanese kendhang).

"I wanted to be able to infuse Western harmonic movement into a modal system that doesn't have that type of motion (and many Indonesian musicians perhaps prefer it that way)," Lopato explains."I sampled the gongs not only because I needed them to be compatible with Western tuning, but also to reinforce that sense of harmonic motion. And I chose certain instruments (vibes, glockenspiel, and marimba) because their timbres are somewhat similar to those of the Javanese instruments upon which their parts are modeled."

Every musical moment on Gendhing for a Spirit Rising is informed by Lopato's decades of intensive study and experimentation that found him embracing stride piano, the post-bop continuum, avant-garde classical music, blues, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and the traditional music of a myriad of other cultures, most importantly that of West Africa and of Indonesia.

Disc 1, Java, contains the recording's title track, a four-movement symphonic work for 10 musicians marked by incantatory rhythms and shimmering textures. The opening movement "Ladrang" flows from Lopato's work early in his career with Steve Reich and features a sumptuous melodic line above its churning rhythmic structure. "This Life" opens up space for improvisation, with Ehrlich's alto and soprano saxophones leading the surging opening theme, which feels like a bebop steeplechase over a lush West Javanese landscape. "Jalan Jiwa" evokes the "walking music" of Wayang Kulit, the traditional Javanese shadow puppet play, while the expansive "Gendhing" is an ingenious melding of Javanese gamelan structure with Western instrumentation and tuning. (Gendhing is a general term used to describe pieces in the gamelan repertoire but also refers to the longest form in terms of gong cycle and overall length in that musical tradition.)

With Bill Ware's vibes serving as a sonic bridge between Disc 1 and Disc 2, the jazz-steeped New York volume kicks off with "Beboppin' with Bella," a striking piece inspired by the interlocking metallophone lines in Balinese gamelan. The meditative "Jakshi" takes a Middle Eastern turn with its keening melody, and the cathartic three-part "Suite 911" flows from Lopato's experience living up the street from the World Trade Center.

David Lopato A prolific composer who has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts for both jazz and classical music, Brooklyn native David Lopato made his recording debut with the critically praised 1982 solo piano session Giant Mbira (Lumina). He followed up with the highly dynamic 1993 trio session Inside/Outside (Enemy), and 1998's The Standard Line (Unity), a duo project with baritone saxophonist David Mott. With his last album, Many Moons (Global Coolant), he returned to the solo piano format.

After earning his B.A. in music composition at Yale in the early 1970s, Lopato went on to study West African drumming and Javanese gamelan at California Institute of the Arts in the mid-1970s. Eight years later, with the aid of a Fulbright Fellowship, he was able to deepen his knowledge of Javanese music and culture at the source. "Much of the music on Disc 1 is an outgrowth of that experience," he says.

On the faculty of the Jazz & Contemporary Music Department at the New School University in New York since 1991, Lopato has taught courses ranging from music theory, composition, and ear training to film scoring and the use of computer technology in music. A vital member of the New York City arts community, he produced a concert series at InHouse, a downtown Manhattan performance space devoted to contemporary improvised music, from 1990 to 2010.

David Lopato and his trio-mates, bassist Ratzo Harris and drummer Michael Sarin, will be performing at Cornelia Street Café in New York City on Monday 10/23, 8:30 pm.  

Web Site: davidlopato.com

Arturo O'Farrill & Chucho Valdés Celebrate Family on Collaborative Album, Familia: Tribute to Bebo & Chico

Familia: Tribute to Bebo & Chico brings together two of the influential families in Afro-Cuban music in a celebration of their late patriarchs: pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader Bebo Valdés and composer, arranger and bandleader "Chico" O´Farrill.

It's a multi-generational tribute led by Arturo O´Farrill and Chucho Valdés - their sons, major figures in their own right - but also featuring the next generation, including pianist Leyanis Valdés, drummer Jessie Valdés, trumpeter Adam O´Farrill and drummer Zack O´Farrill.

In keeping with the theme of Familia, sitarist Anoushka Shankar, daughter of the great Ravi Shankar, is featured playing "Raja Ram," a piece by executive and artistic producer Kabir Sehgal, inspired by memories of his father.

Scheduled for September 15 release on Motéma Music, the 12-tracks presented in two discs, one featuring the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, the other the Third Generation Ensemble, are a mix of classics by Bebo ("Ecuación" and "Con Poco Coco,") and Chico ("Pura Emoción" and "Pianitis") as well as originals by their sons and grandsons. The project was recorded in the studio immediately following sold-out live performances of the material as part of O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Alliance performance series at New York's Symphony Space in January 2017.

"I love that the name of the record is Familiaand that the cover features pictures of everybody, like a family album," said Valdés. "I love it because beyond the musical considerations, this is a very emotional project."

While recording this album, "there were at least two instances in which I literally had to hide in the bathroom to cry," recalled Valdés. "The first one was when I heard the orchestra playing my dad's "Ecuación" [originally written for Dizzy Gillespie in 1982 and orchestrated in 2004 for his "Suite Cubana"]; I remember he wrote that suite in pencil and copied all the parts by hand. And when Arturo's orchestra started playing, the sound put me back at the Tropicana, when I was a kid and Bebo used to take me to the rehearsals - and I had to hide and cry because the emotion was overwhelming. I felt my dad in the room." The other especially emotional moment happened when recording "Tema de Bebo," a piece he included as "Bebo" in his 2013 album Border-Free.

"The recording session had a pinch-me feeling, watching two maestros make music at the highest level. This collaboration is a watershed moment not just for the music but for education in our country: how different generations can work, learn, and imagine with each other. The workplace is increasingly intergenerational, and this album shows us how to thrive," said Sehgal, who also wrote the liner notes.

For O'Farrill, Familia suggests a deeply personal follow up to his latest album, Cuba: The Conversation Continues, which won "Best Instrumental Composition" GRAMMY® for the track "The Afro Latin Jazz Suite," as well as winning a Latin GRAMMY® for "Best Latin Jazz Album." It's a conversation between Chico and Bebo, old friends and colleagues in Cuba, who once shared music and a profound mutual admiration, continued and expanded by other, familiar voices.

But Familia is also something else, he noted: It´s a celebration of the creative spirit.

"It's important to me that Familia is not just a nostalgia project," said O'Farrill. "It cannot be. Bebo and Chico were both forward-looking creators so, for us, it was important not just to recreate the music they left us, but to capture the zeal and vision they had for progress. They were innovators. They wrote music that was radical for their times."

As a tribute to that spirit, consider O'Farrill's own "Three Revolutions," celebrating change and progress well beyond the mere political, or Zack O'Farrill's adventurous "Gonki Gonki."

Reflecting on the recent political climate as it relates to Familia, O'Farrill says, "It's sad to see progress made by a family-oriented President be dismantled by a business-oriented one. Business teaches that it's okay to lie, divide, manipulate and do whatever it takes to succeed. Familia stands as a challenge to those people who think mounds of glitter are what life is all about. We support the progress the United States has made with Cuba. Our restored diplomatic relations are a sign of recognition that familial obligations are more important than ideological or business obligations, and that the first order of business is to see those families as global."

As for the recording sessions, "there were many unbelievable moments for me," he said. "I have a photograph of Bebo and Chico standing together and looking very happy so when we first started the session I taped this photo on a very high boom stand. So Chucho and I had our backs to each other, and high up, between us, we had Bebo and Chico watching over the music."

He recalled the recording of "Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters," for which, at one point, "We had everyone in the studio, Leyanis, Jessie, Zack, Adam, a group of young trumpet players from Cuba, the entire band and me and Chucho," said Arturo. "I just took a moment to look at the assembled crowd and I had this overwhelming sense of accomplishment, and thinking of Chico and Bebo."

Arturo "Chico" O´Farrill (October 28, 1921 - June 27, 2001) and Dionisio Ramón Emilio "Bebo" Valdés Amaro (October 9, 1918 - March 22, 2013) first worked together in Cuba at the fabled Tropicana Club. O´Farrill wrote arrangements for the house orchestra and Valdés was the house pianist. From there, their paths diverged widely. O´Farrill moved to New York in the late 40s, lived in Mexico City from 1955 to 1965, when he returned to Manhattan. Valdés left Cuba in self-exile in 1960, first to Mexico and then Europe, settling eventually in Stockholm. Both lived most of their lives as exiles and both unexpectedly found success again, performing and recording, in their winter days, but their paths did not cross again many times.

"A beautiful moment I recall with them was while touring in Spain with Chico in 1995," said O'Farrill. "I believe we were in Madrid and Bebo came to see the band. And when they saw each other there were a lot of hugs and tears. It was very emotional, very powerful. There was a lot of love and respect between them. It was a beautiful thing to witness."

As for the next generation, O'Farrill has played and recorded with his sons Zack and Adam from an early age, but for Valdés, this was the first time in the studio with Leyanis and Jessie.

"They already have recorded their first album, and theirs is a very different music. It has nothing to do with me or Bebo," said Valdés, sounding like a proud dad. Meanwhile O´Farrill, spoke of how moved he was with the way the young guys carried themselves.

"Zack, Adam, Leyanis and Jessie are incredible musicians, and I keep thinking of how their music comes from their humanity," he said. "We have pieces like the ones by Zack and Jessie and you can hear how the vision and spirit of our forefathers has been carried on by the generations that followed. I think Chico and Bebo would've been proud."

Arturo O'Farrill & Chucho Valdés · Familia: Tribute to Bebo & Chico

Label: Motéma Music · Release Date: September 15, 2017

 

Allegra Levy's second album Cities Between Us finds the young vocalist exploring joyous subject matter with vivacious, swinging passion

With the release of her second album, Cities Between Us, on SteepleChase Records, young New York-based jazz vocalist Allegra Levy demonstrates that she has moved on from her rookie recording to reach higher -- and noticeably happier -- ground. As Neil Tesser observes in his liner notes, this sophomore outing does not officially bear the subtitle, "The Lighter Side of Allegra Levy." Yet clearly something new and contagiously uplifting is underfoot, most notably on tunes like "Soy Califa," which includes one line that virtually sums up the entire album: "This beat is full of romance."

Levy's first record, the critically acclaimed Lonely City, released in 2014, was hailed by The New York Times as "freshŠ exoticŠ far beyond the ordinary." DownBeat called it "consistently engaging," and JazzTimes declared her "unquestionably one to watch." Yet with song titles like "Anxiety," "I'm Not OK," and the eminently danceable yet sardonic samba "I Don't Want to Be in Love," the now-27-year-old singer-songwriter's first record was seen by many to be surprisingly downhearted, especially for someone so young.

"I wasn't exactly criticized for that, but yes, people were saying that my music was on the darker end," Levy admits. That, however, was then. This is now. With catchy, upbeat melodies, many of them bursting with unrestrained vivacity and verve, the new songs prove that any prior feelings of melancholy or malaise have gone the way of the eight-track, boy bands and pet rock.

They also show that Levy is still writing lyric-centric songs steeped in the Great American Songbook and still focused on recording her own original music, though she also continues to find inspiration in classic melodies. Fresh off a seven-month stint as artist in residence at the Hong Kong Four Seasons Hotel, she had penned several new compositions, yet also felt inspired to insert her own words into a trio of well-known jazz artists' instrumental tunes.

Legendary pianist Duke Jordan's "Lullaby of the Orient" resonated due to Levy's own recent experiences in Asia. As she explains, "It had such a haunting melody that reminded me of the emotion I felt when I was living abroad." A second is "Soy Califa," by the late, great tenor sax man Dexter Gordon. "It had this really happy, positive, exciting sound and groove," Levy notes, "and I was able to write lyrics about feeling that way because I was feeling that way."

Then there's "Down Sunday," by renowned jazz trumpeter John McNeil, whom she has regarded as a mentor and musical soul mate ever since she studied with him at New England Conservatory of Music. McNeil produced Levy's first album, and supplied arrangements for two of her originals on this one as well. "John has such a talent for arranging in a style that adds intrigue to simple melodies and expresses the mood of the piece in a deep, meaningful way."

Also featured on the new record are Kirk Knuffke on cornet, Stephen Riley on tenor sax, Jay Anderson on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums, as well as pianist Carmen Staaf, who also did some of the arrangements.

"To me, Carmen is one of the most amazing musical voices in jazz, man or woman, today," Levy says of the rising piano star, who recently served as pianist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music.

As for Knuffke and Riley, "They are such incredible modern players, and have such specific sounds that nobody else has," she says.  "Plus, I got the honor of working with Billy Drummond and Jay Anderson, a powerhouse duo who have recorded with so many amazing musicians and really bring it to another level."

These two elder jazz statesmen also helped Levy rise to another challenge: the need to keep the spirit of jazz alive. "I think the best thing about this album is that it's very true to jazz," she says, "because it's pretty much a 'live' album - not in the sense of it being recorded before a live audience, but in that we recorded everything in one day." In today's world, too many musicians rely too much on technology, she believes.

This is not to suggest that the album was created overnight. The new set of songs evolved over time, some written while she was living in Hong Kong, others gradually acquiring added meaning in light of her travels - "new meaning and also more meaning," she says. Typical is the title track, "Cities Between Us."

"When I wrote it, it was about a long-distance relationship between New York and LA. But when I moved to Hong Kong, it became more about all of my relationships and how difficult it was to live so far away from friends and family."

Then there's the song that most directly explains why this lady is no longer singing the blues.  "When I recorded my first album, I was going through a lot of emotional turmoil," she says.  She had recently graduated college and was grappling with a complicated relationship.

"But with the second album, I had gained a sense of freedom by moving to the other side of the world," she says. "I was feeling strong and independent, not to mention happy." Unfortunately, for a composer, feeling up also has its down side. "I wrote 'Misery Makes the Music' because after I met my boyfriend in Hong Kong, I had a hard time writing now that I was feeling happy." She found herself wrestling with writer's block in the absence of emotional angst and a need to achieve catharsis. As the song wryly laments, "It isn't right, refusing to put up a fight. Instead you fill me with delight. But what's a song without some bite?"

Not everything on the album is sunshine, lollipops, and roses, of course. Another far more plaintive track finds her stuck "on endless middle ground/Love tossed me in the lost and found like a forgotten glove or winter hat."

That song, "Dear Friend," is probably her favorite song on the record, she says. "It's actually meant to be a letter. I was going through a breakup, and I was thinking about a particular friend I was trying to tell the story to. So it's also about the power of true friendship - how important it is, and how fleeting it can be when you travel. You see who sticks around and who doesn't. It's also about that feeling that you're at the end of your rope. That feeling of 'There's no help.' "

Wait, what happened to the lighter side of Allegra Levy? It evidently has learned that love is not all you need. There's also friendship. And, yes, music.

"I became a musician because when I heard certain songs and I was going through something difficult, I felt like I wasn't alone," she says. "When I heard Chet Baker, and Joni Mitchell, I thought those songs specifically spoke to me in that moment, and thought, 'That person knows exactly what I'm going through.'"

As for what she's going through now, with an album entitled Cities Between Us, at least one thing clearly remains to be remedied in her life.

"My music is like an open diary," she says, "a testament to where I am at any point in my life. Right now? Yes, there's still an issue to be resolved. My boyfriend still lives some distance away. But maybe by the next album he won't."

http://www.allegralevy.com/

Bianca Rossini releases Vento do Norte, her latest collection of original bossa nova classics

"Bianca Rossini’s voice is pure, expressive, playful. Her songs poetic, richly grounded in generations of traditions for which she clearly has deep affection, not to mention expertise and facility. The performances, lithe and life-filled, match all that in every note, every nicely turned phrase. But what stands out most on Vento de Norte is her honesty, both emotional and artistic. At root of this is her deep love for the golden age of the samba and bossa nova of her native Brazil — you don’t cite Ipanema in a song title (the silky “Ipanema Paraiso”) without wanting to evoke that era. But she’s not ignoring or dismissing all the experiments and fusions of those styles that have happened over the years. Rather, she’s renewing the spirit that inspired all that in the first place, and has so profoundly inspired her. She sings of amor (“Doce Amor” — “Sweet Love”) and the flirtatious, tantalizing games we make of it (“Tic Tac do Amor”). But what she really wants is for us to love this music, and all she brings to it, as much as she does. And she succeeds. Delightfully." - Steve Hochman, music journalist

On Vento do Norte, Bianca Rossini introduces 10 compositions that are sensuous, establishing a variety of pleasing moods with irresistible bossa nova rhythms. The singer wrote all of the lyrics and co-wrote three of the songs, with composers like Peter Roberts, Grammy-winning songwriter Jon Gilutin, Patrick Lockwood, Steven Rawlins, Marilyn Berglas and Harvey Mason. Bianca’s haunting vocals make each performance a seductive and compelling listening experience. The beautiful melodies, rhythms and Bianca’s luscious singing style create alluring and accessible music.

"When I conjure up perfect bossa nova in my mind, it sounds very much like Bianca Rossini’s elegant Vento do Norte. Bianca’s vocal delivery is sweet and sunny, the arrangements sway and swing entrancingly, and the songs stay with you long after the final notes fade away. Each track is a gem, luxuriant, gleaming and intimate, imbued with timeless traditions and ingenuity. Vento do Norte is a triumph, Bianca Rossini’s most fully realized and enrapturing release to date." - Jeff Tamarkin, music journalist

Among the highlights of Vento do Norte are the gentle love ballad “Doce Amor,” “Ipanema Paraiso” (featuring the tenor of Jimmy Roberts), “Why I Smile,” the catchy melody of “Tic Tac do Amor,” and “Meu Sonho,” a slower piece fully displaying the beauty of Bianca’s voice. Joined by several rhythm sections with either Roberts, Rawlins, Berglas, Gilutin or Mark Nilan on keyboards, Bianca Rossini stakes out her claim as one of the finest bossa nova singers on the scene today, and one of its most important songwriters.

“Vento do Norte manages to be both driving and tender all at once. That intimacy is what sets Ms. Rossini apart from many bossa nova vocalists – all emotion, never indifference." - Doug Boynton, Girl Singers

Born in Rio de Janeiro and currently based in Los Angeles, singer, songwriter Bianca Rossini has had great success in several different fields. Bianca has been performing since the age of three, and she moved to the United States as a teenager. Bianca attended the University of Maryland and George Washington University as a Dance and Theater Major, and studied at the Washington School of Ballet. Bianca worked as a print and runway model in Milan, Rio, New York and Washington DC. Bianca landed several national commercials, music videos, and her extensive television and film credits include Moon Over Parador, Bad Influence, Mobsters, Chicago Hope, The Sentinel, Martial Law, and The Brainiacs. In addition, she composed music for Chicago Hope and The Sentinel. Bianca also choreographed Moon Over Parador, The Sentinel and several music videos. Bianca is a poet and an author and has published 3 books: Love in Black and White, a collection of poems with art by the most popular and influential contemporary landscape photographer Michael Kenna; A Brazilian Heart – Rubies, Murder, Love and Other Poems is comprised of love poems with art by international artists, written in English and in Portuguese; Julia – Confessions of a Brazilian Super Model is a semi-autobiographical tale based in the years Bianca was an international model. 

For more than a decade she produced and hosted The Bianca Rossini Show, a weekly cable television talk show seen around the country. Her magazine column about the arts in Hollywood was featured in several lifestyle magazines in Los Angeles and online. Bianca's newly released album Vento do Norte follows her internationally acclaimed albums, Meu Amor and Kiss of Brasil, and singles, Return to Brazil and Cosmopolitan Girl. Bianca’s music has been featured on more than 100 jazz radio stations in 15+ countries, including the United States, Europe and South America. Bianca’s music is number one on Pandora's Bossa Nova Radio. On Spotify, Bianca’s songs have been streamed more than one million times.

Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers To Release The EastWest Sessions September 15

Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers will release their first studio album September 15th on Pretty Good For A Girl Records. Recorded over five days at EastWest Studios in Hollywood with legendary blues rock producer Kevin “Caveman” Shirley (Led Zepplin, Joe Bonamassa, The Black Crowes, Aerosmith), the LP is a compilation of 11 gritty blues and rock tracks about adversity, triumph and life lessons. 

Two-time GRAMMY® nominee Mindi Abair enlisted master blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa and 2017 Contemporary Blues GRAMMY® winner Fantastic Negrito to infuse their signature sound and style. The first single “Vinyl” is being sourced to AAA, Blues and Americana radio.

Since her debut in 2000, Mindi has released seven solo albums, and most recently, a live album with The Boneshakers. She’s collaborated on stage and in the studio with a wide cross-section of legendary peers, all helping to solidify her status as one of the most recognized and in-demand saxophonists. 

 During her career, she has garnered ten #1 radio hits, six Top 5 solo records and two #1 spots on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz album chart. Following a two season run as the featured saxophonist on American Idol, resulting in her touring with Aerosmith, Abair released her solo album Wild Heart in 2014. The album, which included collaborations with the late Gregg Allman, Joe Perry and Trombone Shorty, showcased an edgier side to the saxophonist/vocalist and earned her a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. 

When it came time to tour the album, she recruited longtime friend and The Boneshakers founder Randy Jacobs (Bonnie Raitt, Was Not Was, Willie Nelson) to inject his brand of Detroit Blues Rock to the live shows. She and the band had an irrefutable chemistry that quickly lead to a permanent creative collaboration. Their first record, Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers LIVE in Seattle was recorded during their first official show together and released September 2015.

After touring non-stop for two years, Mindi and the band headed into the studio earlier this year to record their sophomore album. Five days at EastWest Studios resulted in an 11-song compilation that showcases her prowess, artistic versatility and wide-ranging musical influences. Bandmate Randy Jacobs commented “No one since Junior Walker has brought saxophone and vocals in one package to the forefront of modern music, with a raucous tone and abandon.”

Written in less than two hours with Nashville-based writer Jerry Flowers, the single “Vinyl” is a pulse thumping, rock fueled soul track that lyrically likens a needle fitting into the groove of a vinyl record with falling in love…“I’m in your groove like a needle on vinyl”. “Play To Win” written with Rob Kleiner (Sia, ZZ Ward, Cee Lo Green) and Patrick Windsor is an anthemic track featuring heavy-hitting, meaty guitar riffs and driving drums fit for an arena. 

Featuring modern day King of Blues Joe Bonamassa, on “Pretty Good For A Girl” Abair shares her disdain for the regularly doled out backhanded compliment, while making a statement about self-empowerment. This arousing track is peppered with boisterous sax and gritty, face-melting blues guitar riffs from Bonamassa. During a writing session in Oakland with 2017 GRAMMY® winner Fantastic Negrito, he played her “She Don’t Cry No More,” written for a women who was a mother-like figure to him. This emotionally evocative rootsy blues song chronicles her story of no longer being in pain and suffering after her passing.

“Everyone is such a force of nature in this band,” says Mindi. “I wanted to create the right vehicle to showcase everyone and capture the swagger of what we do live.”

Album Trailer (Watch): https://youtu.be/dCYRspvHp1s 

Track List: Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers The EastWest Sessions (available wherever digital music is sold)

1.    “Vinyl”
2.    “Not That Kind of Girl”
3.    “Play To Win”
4.    “Pretty Good For A Girl” feat. Joe Bonamassa
5.    “Let Me Hear It From You” feat. Sweet Pea Atkinson
6.    “Live My Life”
7.    “Freedom”
8.    “Had To Learn The Hard Way”
9.    “She Don’t Cry No More” feat. Fantastic Negrito
10.    “Done Me Wrong”
11.    “I Love To Play The Saxophone” 

Listen: https://soundcloud.com/user-266844656/sets/mindi-abair-the-boneshakers/s-4DEc4
Tour Dates: http://www.mindiabair.com/tour/

Website: http://www.mindiabair.com/
Facebook: @MindiAbair         Twitter: @MindiAbair
Instagram: @MindiAbair        YouTube: OfficialMindiAbair

The Very Best Of Diana Krall" Released Today On Vinyl In U.S. For First Time To Mark Album's 10th Anniversary

Verve Records/UMe are celebrating the legacy of the incomparable multiplatinum GRAMMY® Award-winning singer and pianist Diana Krall by releasing The Very Best of Diana Krall on vinyl for the first time in the U.S., as the greatest hits collection nears its 10th anniversary. The album is available today, July 28 as a two-LP set on audiophile-favorite 180-gram vinyl and follows last year's release of eight essential Diana Krall albums on vinyl as part of Verve's 60th anniversary celebration. Covering the years 1996-2006, this 15-track collection compiled by Krall in collaboration with her longtime producer, the late Tommy LiPuma, features highlights from her first decade as a recording artist, during which time the Grammy winning singer/pianist's expressive vocals and delicate, soulful piano work gained her international stardom.

"Easily the most high-profile female jazz artist of her generation," says The New York Times, Krall has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, making the Berklee College of Music graduate one of the best-selling jazz artists of all time. The Very Best on vinyl arrives as Krall celebrates the May release of her acclaimed new album, Turn Up the Quiet, and current tour that will last 2+ years, and take her around the world.

The selections on The Very Best range from intimate trio work to pieces recorded live with a full symphony orchestra. Krall delivers some deeply personal moments and reimagines timeless vintage standards by some of her favorite composers as George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Van Heusen and Cahn, and Bacharach and David.

Overflowing with career highlights, the album includes several tracks from Krall's towering 1999 international breakthrough, When I Look in Your Eyes: her mesmerizing interpretations of Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Let's Fall in Love," and "Pick Yourself Up." That album, her Verve Records debut, was nominated for Album of the Year at the 42nd annual GRAMMY® Awards, the first time in 25 years a jazz singer was nominated in that major category. It won for Best Jazz Vocal and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical).

Throughout the album, Krall's artistry is highlighted on the Gershwin standard "'S Wonderful" and the Bacharach and David-penned title track from her 2001 GRAMMY® Award-winning album, The Look of Love.  This album put her atop her native Canada's all-genre albums chart for the first time and gave her the Artist and Album of the Year trophies at the Juno Awards in her home country.

The collection is also notable for Krall's imaginative take on Tom Waits' "The Heart of Saturday Night" and the dark and seductive "You Go to My Head" taken from The Look of Love sessions, both previously unreleased. It also features beautiful live renditions of "East of the Sun (West of the Moon)" and "Fly Me To The Moon," recorded with a symphony orchestra at Krall's sold-out concerts at Paris' Olympia Theatre for her remarkable live album, Live In Paris.

Included on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums of the Decade list, The Very Best of Diana Krall is both the perfect sampler for the new listener and a reminder for her most passionate fans all the reasons Diana Krall is regarded as one of the greatest Jazz artists of her time.

The Very Best of Diana Krall Tracklisting

Side A

1. 'S Wonderful

2. Peel Me a Grape

3. Pick Yourself Up

4. Frim Fram Sauce

Side B

1. You Go to My Head

2. Let's Fall in Love

3. The Look of Love

Side C

1. East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)

2. I've Got You Under My Skin

3. All or Nothing at All

4. Only the Lonely

Side D

1. Let's Face the Music and Dance

2. The Heart of Saturday Night

3. Little Girl Blue

4. Fly Me to the Moon

Robert Cray Teams with Steve Jordan and Legendary Memphis Sidemen for New Album

Robert Cray has been bridging the lines between blues, soul and R&B for the past four decades, with five Grammy wins and over 20 acclaimed albums. For his latest project, Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm, the Blues Hall of Famer traveled to Memphis with his friend, renowned Grammy Award winning producer Steve Jordan, to make a classic soul album with Hi Rhythm, the band that helped create that sound. Jordan and Cray met in 1987 while working on the concert film Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll, a tribute to Chuck Berry. Steve produced Robert's Grammy winning Take Your Shoes Off in 1999, and a number of other albums, including the exciting 4 Nights of 40 Years Live. 

He knew of Robert's deep love of O.V. Wright and other Memphis soul legends, and suggested they take up residence at Royal Studios, where Wright, Ann Peebles, Al Green, Syl Johnson, Otis Clay and many others recorded with the venerable producer, songwriter, arranger and engineer, Willie Mitchell. 

The core of Mitchell's Hi Rhythm band used on many of those landmark sessions was still around, though Mitchell himself had passed in 2010. Set inside an old theatre, the funky Royal Studios looks much as it did when Al Green was cutting those classics for Hi Records. Guitarist Teenie Hodges has passed away, but his brothers Rev. Charles Hodges (organ and piano) and Leroy "Flick" Hodges (bass), along with cousin Archie "Hubbie" Turner (keyboards), were still there. "It was a soul, rhythm and blues, fantasy camp for us. Those guys have been playing in that room for 50 years," says Jordan. Robert penned "You Had My Heart" and "The Way We Are," two stunning love songs. 

Many timeless soul songs were statements in a time of turmoil, and so it is again with Cray's "Just How Low." The album opens with a driving, soulful version of Bill Withers' "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh" that sounds as if it was originally from an old Hi Rhythm recording. Jay-Vee Records knows it's very lucky to have these powerful songs. When Robert chose two Tony Joe White songs for the album, White, a big fan of Cray, came up from Nashville to sit in. First up is the moving ballad "Aspen, Colorado" (the sister song of his "Rainy Night in Georgia"). The other end of the spectrum is the swirling psychedelia of "Don't Steal My Love." The tribute to O.V. Wright and Hi Rhythm is the horn-driven version of "You Must Believe in Yourself." Known for writing "Mustang Sally" and many other songs, Sir Mac Rice's "I Don't Care" follows on the album with an unforgettable hook, and Rice's funky "Honey Bad" features more guitar brilliance from Cray. Moving into early R&B from the 5 Royales, Robert performs "I'm With You Pt.1" then turns the guitar loose on "I'm With You Pt 2."

NEW MUSIC: ARTHUR ALEXANDER; THE DELFONICS – TELL ME THIS IS A DREAM; DIAMOND ORTIZ – BABY LOTION

ARTHUR ALEXANDER

Country/Soul pioneer’s 1972 comeback album—reissued and expanded! When The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Humble Pie, Dusty Springfield, George Jones & Johnny Paycheck, Bob Dylan, the Bee Gees and countless others cover your songs, you must be on to something. Arthur Alexander was a songwriter and song stylist, whose career took off in the early 1960s—writing and recording hits like “Anna (Go To Him)” and “You Better Move On”—some of the earliest hits recorded at Rick Hall’s Fame Studios and featuring the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. After a short break at the end of the decade, he released a self-titled,“comeback” album in 1972. Omnivore Recordings is pleased to reissue Arthur Alexander four decades later, expanded with six bonus tracks—two previously unissued. With new liner notes form Barry Hansen (better known to most as Dr. Demento), the package also features the piece he wrote for the album’s original issue. Arthur Alexander’s 12 tracks were produced by Muscle Shoals bassist Tommy Gogbill, and include a version of “Burning Love”—covered by Elvis Presley shortly after the album’s release. Alexander’s two Warner Bros. follow-up singles are also here, as well as a pair of tracks from the original sessions, unearthed and unheard until now. As Hansen wrote in the original notes, “Arthur is especially proud of the variety and versatility of his work on this album. All of it is strong medicine, and should be a fine antidote for a lot of bad scenes.” Arthur Alexander, inducted into the Alabama Music Hall Of Fame, is a music legend. Arthur Alexander is a legendary recording.

THE DELFONICS – TELL ME THIS IS A DREAM (EXPANDED AND REMASTERED)

Funky Town Grooves U.K. has an expanded edition of The Delfonics’ fourth album – their first with Major Harris in the line-up, and first without Thom Bell at the helm  Digitally remastered and expanded edition includes four bonus tracks. Tell Me This Is A Dream is the fourth album by American soul group The Delfonics, released in 1972 on the Philly Groove label. This album introduced singer Major Harris to the lineup replacing founding member Randy Cain. Lead single "Hey Love", with it's innovative and distinctive use of harmony, is often singled out as one of the group's greatest recordings. Also includes “Walk Right Up to the Sun” and has been expanded with bonus tracks: singles of non-LP side “Think It Over” (arranged by Norman Harris and Vince Montana), the rare “Delphonics” Arista single “Don’t Throw It All Away” b/w “I Don’t Care What People Say,” and the 45 version of the album’s “Baby I Miss You.”

DIAMOND ORTIZ – BABY LOTION

A set that's as smooth as the baby lotion offered by the title – warmly laidback soul, with a definite old school vibe – and a style that almost feels like lost underground work from the LA scene of the early 80s! There's a funky core to most tracks, but one that moves nice and slow, too – stepping along at a pace that's just right for the keyboard flow and slight electro touches – which also include some vocoder work that's as great as the instrumentation! Titles include "Courvoisier", "Reeki Reeki", "Freak Nasty & Classy", "I'm A Rock Yo World", and "Hennything Is Possible". (Limited to just 300 copies!)  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW MUSIC: SYLVER LOGAN SHARP – THE GROOVEMENT; ERIC ROBERSON - WIND; VAN MORRISON – ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES

SYLVER LOGAN SHARP – THE GROOVEMENT

An extraordinarily soulful and expressive vocalist best known as the voice of Chic for her 20 years of touring and recording with Nile Rodgers’ funk/disco band, Sylver Logan Sharp brings a deep musical history and a supremely eclectic vibe to her contemporary jazz debut The Groovement. Recorded live in Stockholm, the collection features a playful mix of dance/funk, dreamy R&B, rock, pop and jazz. While her emotional original ballads and edgy pop tunes are compelling, listeners will also discover fresh depth in the lyrics and melodies of a generous handful of classic hits that Sharp magnificently re-imagines, such as her first Smooth Jazz single, Christopher Cross' "Sailing." When she’s not singing, Sharp designs her own line of custom jewelry called Sylverwear, which has many celebrity clients. Likewise, The Groovement is loaded with musical jewels every listener will be dazzled by. ~smoothjazz.com

ERIC ROBERSON - WIND

Eric Roberson's one of the few people who can make us fall in love again with his music from the very first note of a record – as he does here on the opening track, which is an incredibly soulful ode to the greatness of Clarie Huxtable! The set only gets better as it moves on – and once again proves that Roberson's one of the hippest, most positive artists around – the kind of contemporary soul singer that owes nothing to the past – and makes us maybe even more glad that we've grown up in his generation, than the era or Stax or Motown! If you've wondered where all the greatness in soul music has gone, you only need to lend an ear to this wonderful set – as Eric will win you over with his great vocals, sharp songwriting, and beautifully understated sound. The album features guest work from Kaidi Tatham, James Poyser, Will Downing, and Marcus Roberts – on titles that include "Claire", "Love Her", "Sky As Green", "If Only", "God In You", "Lyrics Of Pleasure", and "Heart Said".  ~ Dusty Groove

VAN MORRISON – ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES

Roll With The Punches – Van Morrison’s 37th studio album - sees him simultaneously hand-picking a selection of rhythm and blues classics (by the likes of Bo Diddley, Mose Allison, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Lightnin’ Hopkins among others) and recording a set of new self-written songs. It’s an album that features raw, intimate interpretations of some of the cornerstones of rock’n’roll alongside five new numbers by one of our most consistently brilliant recording artists. Roll With The Punches was produced by Van Morrison and recorded with an incredible team of studio collaborators including Chris Farlowe, Georgie Fame, Jeff Beck, Paul Jones and Jason Rebello. 

NEW MUSIC: THE JT PROJECT – ANOTHER CHANCE; WILL DONATO – SUPERSONIC; DAVE STRYKER – STYRKIN’ AHEAD

THE JT PROJECT – ANOTHER CHANCE

The JT Project: a multi-talented force of sound that brings forth a unique musical conceptualization: 'a new genre in music called JT'. Adventurous and bold, Jacob Webb (Keyboards/Bass) and Todd Schefflin (Saxophone), leaders of The JT Project, knew that it would take more than just a passing interest in music to become the creative force that they envisioned. Jacob commands each stroke on the keyboard to awaken the soul with a touch of fire, and Todd caresses the notes to life with every breath. Todd hailing from Philadelphia, and Jacob from Kansas City, the two musician's paths collided in 2007 at the prestigious William Paterson University music department in New Jersey. After an immediate musical connection, Jacob and Todd started writing music together, which eventually led to the formation of The JT Project in 2009. The JT Project has exponentially expanded into a musical collective, incorporating the most talented Jazz and Soul musicians in New York City.

WILL DONATO – SUPERSONIC 

National recording artist and saxophonist Will Donato is an exciting performer and award-winning composer, whose new CD release, "Supersonic," is his seventh solo CD release on Innervision Records. Will currently has a hit radio single, "Supersonic" which is the title cut off the new CD release. This CD is a virtual "Who's Who" of the very best in the Groove music genre including Jeffrey Carruthers, Darren Rahn, Tony Moore, Steve Oliver, Byron Counts, Tony Guerrero, Chase Huna, Tateng Katindig, Rod King, George Landress, Kay-Ta Matsuno, Christian Poezach, Eddie Reddick, JJ Sansaverino, Gary Stanionis, Eric Valentine, Roberto Vally, and phenom Darryl Williams! Grammy nominee George Landress is also featured!

DAVE STRYKER – STYRKIN’ AHEAD

Strykin Ahead, his 28th CD as a leader. Stryker augments his working trio of Jared Gold on organ and McClenty Hunter on drums with vibraphone player Steve Nelson, all on-board for a second go-round after their stellar contri- butions to last year s Eight-Track II. Like the leader, Nelson is a preternaturally flexible and in-the-moment improviser with deep roots in the tradition who knows how to push the envelope without damaging the contents. Stryker internalized those imperatives on a 1984-1986 run with Brother Jack McDuff, and he received further invaluable training in the art of musical communication during a decade on the road with Stanley Turrentine, to whom he paid homage on the 2015 release Don t Mess With Mister T.

NAJEE'S New CD 'POETRY IN MOTION" Pays Homage to Prince & Al Jarreau & Unites Najee with All-Start Line Up Including Will Downing, Maysa, Eric Roberson, Incognito & More

"As a musician, there is always something new that I want to share with my audience," admits Najee, the multi-Platinum selling contemporary jazz pioneer who has made a career of reinventing himself, sparking trends and never resting on his laurels. "The ability to collaborate with different musicians and to continually find fresh approaches to my music is what keeps me inspired." 

The multiple Grammy-Award nominated instrumentalist, composer and quadruple threat who is equally adept on soprano, tenor and alto saxophones and flute, recently celebrated his 30th anniversary as a recording artist. Najee, who has collaborated with iconic figures Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock and George Duke, will release his seventeenth album as a leader, Poetry In Motion, August 25, 2017. 

The anticipated CD is dedicated to two ground-breaking musicians who Najee has had the distinction of working with - Prince and Al Jarreau. "Both artists in their own way have changed the culture of music forever," shares the saxophonist. "Whenever I have worked with people of their caliber of artistry, I have always walked away with something that helps to shape my musical conversation." Poetry In Motion finds Najee nothing short of inspiration, as he calls upon a few all-star friends to create a dialogue well worth remembering. Najee's fourth recording for Shanachie unites him with such dynamic musicians as Will Downing, Maysa, Eric Roberson, Bluey of Incognito, Barry Eastmond, Bobby Lyle, Blake Aaron and Randy Bowland.     

  

Najee is a master storyteller. Whether the debonair multi-instrumentalist is engaged in a verbal or musical conversation, his alluring charisma has a way of seducing you into his world. His technical agility, grace, compositional prowess, unbridled passion and fearless genre bending have made him one of the most sought after musicians of his generation.  Poetry In Motion is a riveting sonic journey that finds the saxman doing what he does best - shape-shifting through diverse musical terrain and fusing the best elements of all the music that is close to his heart. "As a youngster growing up in New York City I was exposed to a multi-cultural musical environment," reflects the saxophonist.  "It was through these interactions that I was able to benefit from playing with people who played Latin music, Jazz but mostly R&B. This has become a part of my musical personality. I must admit at times I struggle to stay focused with one genre!" Lucky for us Najee does not have to choose and the result on Poetry In Motion is a beautiful expression of his musical curiosity and identity. 

Poetry In Motion opens with the buoyant and luminescent "Stratosphere," showcasing Najee's soaring, warm and supple soprano saxophone. Najee penned the intoxicating and inviting original with Barry Eastmond who lends his piano and compositional skills to several tracks on the CD.  Eastmond has produced and collaborated with everyone from Al Jarreau and Anita Baker to Freddie Jackson and Brandy. "I've known Barry for a very long time and working with him was one of the greatest joys of recording this album," shares Najee.  The irresistible and fun loving "Is It The Way," features singer Eric Roberson. "Eric is one of the brightest young R&B vocalists, producer, songwriter and performer in our industry and it was an absolute pleasure to have him contribute his gift on this record," shares Najee. Roberson's soulful vocals gel perfectly with Najee's bluesy soprano and Eastmond's buttery keys. 

Poetry In Motion also finds Najee collaborating with the brilliant producer, multi-instrumentalist and Incognito mastermind Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick. "Bluey is one of the greatest people to work with in the studio," shares Najee. "He is unique in his approach to getting the work done." Indeed Najee, Bluey and Incognito get the work done on the tour-de-force dance-floor number "Let's Take It Back." Najee changes the pace with the seductive and Latin-tinged "Noche Romantica," the perfect platform for the saxophonist to shine a spotlight on his gorgeous tone and impeccable phrasing. The syncopated intro with Najee on his flute calls to mind Chick Corea's "Spain," while his passionate and emotive tenor saxophone at times is reminiscent of the longing tenor of Gato Barbieri.  Najee enlists the "Prince Of Sophisticated Soul," Will Downing for the moving "We'll Be Missing You." He shares, "Over the years we have worked together on several records and have performed around the world. I could not have made a better choice to write and perform a song that honors Al Jarreau and Prince."

Downing also came up with the title of the album. The song "Poetry In Motion," is a memorable number that showcases Najee's agile flute and Bobby Lyle's funky and groove-heavy piano. "Song For The Ladies," will no doubt delight Najee's female devotees. The sweet R&B flavored ditty with a new jack swing is hard to resist. The Grammy-nominated and dynamic vocalist Maysa adds her sultry and honey-toned alto to "Don't Make Me Wait" which she co-wrote with Najee. The chemistry that Maysa and Najee share is undeniable. "Maysa is my sister musically speaking," shares Najee. "She is truly one of the best and most versatile vocalists in the music industry." A highlight on Poetry In Motion is the song "Running Away." It's air-tight groove, synergistic interplay and boundless joy make for one of the album's defining moments as Najee is joined by guitarist Blake Aaron and guitarist Randy Bowland, who penned the tune originally for Jill Scott. The album comes to the perfect close with the gorgeous flight of fancy "Duology."

In a business where trends and artists come and go, Najee's name is synonymous with innovation, consistency and the best in contemporary jazz. With two Platinum and four Gold albums under his belt, Najee has enjoyed a career spanning three decades and he is proving that the best is yet to come! An alum of the New England Conservatory of Music, Najee was mentored by jazz giants Frank Foster and Jimmy Heath as well as classical maven and flutist Harold Jones of the New York Philharmonic. Najee has also had the distinction to perform for Presidents Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela and made appearances on The Tonight Show and Good Morning America. "I have always tried to maintain consistency when it comes to music I've recorded throughout the years," confides Najee. "As an artist I have been fortunate to attract an audience very early in my career that has followed and grown with me. My challenge has always been to record music that I enjoy playing while at the same time meeting the requirements that I believe my audience would like to hear. I am always looking for something to help me continue to grow as a musician."

Born in the Greenwich Village section of New York City and raised in Jamaica, Queens, Najee's musical pursuits began in grade school.  "As a kid I was into the R&B and Jazz music of my time," he shares. "I familiarized myself with different kinds of music all the time." As I began to develop on my instrument, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Yusef Lateef and Hubert Laws on flute were some of the artists that inspired me. As an industrious and hungry young musician, Najee had the good fortune of coming through Dr. Billy Taylor's now legendary Jazzmobile program. While a student at the New England Conservatory (where both Najee and his brother attended) he studied jazz with George Russell and Jaki Byard.  When he finished school Najee returned to New York in the early 80s and was lucky to land a gig with Chaka Khan along with his brother and guitarist Fareed (who is now his manager). In 1987 Najee's Theme was released and the saxophonist earned a slot on tour with singer Freddie Jackson. 

The following year, Day By Day was released, and in 1991, Tokyo Blue, which is one of Najee's most successful and enduring recordings. Tokyo Blue (which was producedby Najee's brother Fareed) and Day By Day both went Gold and led to two Soul Train Awards for Najee (Best Jazz Artist in 1991 and 1993). Just An Illusion came in 1992 and around this time he collaborated with such iconic figures as Quincy Jones and a collaboration with jazz greats Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham and Larry Carlton resulted in the album Live At The Greek. Share My World came in 1994 and was followed in 1995 by a critically acclaimed tribute to Stevie Wonder's 1976 classic, Songs In The Key Of Life.  The CD was produced by George Duke and featured Herbie Hancock and Sheila E. among others. His CD Morning Tenderness, released in 1998, went to #1 on the contemporary jazz charts. 

For Najee, the late '90s were marked by extraordinary international experiences, from performing at Nelson Mandela's birthday celebration in South Africa to playing as a special guest of President Clinton at the White House at an event honoring President Jerry Rawlings of the Republic of Ghana. Najee also spent two years of touring (2001-2003) with Prince and appears on Prince's albums Rainbow Children and One Night Alone. In 2003 Najee released Embrace, featuring special guests Roy Ayers and BeBe Winans. My Point Of View was his follow up in 2005 featuring his good friend and vocalist Will Downing. 2007's Rising Sun joined Najee with Phil Perry and Mind Over Matter from 2009 paired Najee with singer Eric Benét.   The Smooth Side Of Soul followed in 2012, successfully covering such diverse terrain as Jimmy Heath and Ne-Yo and the follow-up, The Morning After, arrived in 2013 debuting at #1 on the Billboard charts and exploring the many sides of love.  You, Me & Forever was released in 2015 and united Najee with the likes of James Lloyd and Frank McComb among others.

Najee concludes, "As an artist and a musician I am always striving to evolve and grow. Most of all I try to maintain a unique identity in the music industry." With the release of Poetry In Motion, Najee confirms that he is still the King Of Contemporary Jazz and that his evolution is not done yet!