FEATURED THIS WEEK ON THE JAZZ NETWORK WORLDWIDE: VOCALIST SHIRLEY CRABBE SHARED HER CD "HOME"

With rich and sumptuous vocals, award winning jazz vocalist Shirley Crabbe fronts a band of stellar musicians. The music is swinging, sophisticated, always up lifting, and overflowing with soul on her current CD “Home”. Featuring Crabbe with Donald Vega, Jim West, John Burr, Alvester Garnett, Brandon Lee, Dave Glasser, Matt Haviland and Special Guest Houston Person.

New York City ~ Shirley Crabbe’s debut album “Home” announces the arrival of a major new artist who invests love and conviction in every note as someone deeply grateful to be pursuing her calling.  Being given a ‘second chance’ at her first love after a bout with surgery on her vocal chords she considers herself blessed receiving a series of awards that placed her in the top five at the 2010 Jazz Mobile “Best of The Best” vocal competition.

  

“I love the American Songbook,” Crabbe says. “It’s so hard to find things that everybody hasn’t done already, but there are treasures out there if you look beyond the usual jazz sources.”  Possessing a voice as rich and plush as any singer on the scene concentrating on rendering each melody with precision and care adding some skilled ‘scat lines’ in her performances.

Crabbe casts a wide net when it comes to undiscovered treasures. From the album’s title track “The Wi” to McCoy Tyner’s “You Taught My Heart to Sing,” and Roland Hanna’s “Seasons,” a tune he wrote for Sarah Vaughan’s classic 1982 album “Crazy And Mixed Up.”  Turning Carole King’s “So Far Away” into an ache-filled lament while making Stephen Sondheim’s “Not While I’m Around” a tender jazz interpretation that would be chilling in its original “Sweeny Todd” context.   She isn’t afraid to tackle some well-worn standards. She effortlessly navigates trombonist Matt Haviland’s brisk and sassy arrangement of “Detour Ahead,” while transforming the lullaby “Summertime” into a rousing, wake-the-baby West African polyrhythmic celebration.

While “I always feel I’m just a singer that likes to sing jazz, more than a jazz vocalist,” Crabbe says. “I love singing classical music, when my whole body is resonating. Intellectually I love it, but with jazz I just feel like I’m free. I can rely on some technique, but I can forget it too, so it’s more about color, flexibility and musical ideas.”

“The Jazz Network Worldwide is happy to feature Shirley’s artistry to the jazz community and beyond.  You can feel her musicality, her style is clearly a strong force honoring the epic stylists of our time yet a unique originality embroiders her delivery in song” says Jaijai Jackson, creator of The Jazz Network Worldwide social network.

Finding the right accompanists has been an essential part of Crabbe’s creative process.  Pianist Donald Vega, Crabbe’s musical director and co-producer on “Home”  offered a steady stream of wise musical and career council throughout the project.  “He is a generous musician and a great advisor,” Crabbe says.   Drummer Alvester Garnett and veteran bassist John Burr provided the sophisticated and sensitive support in the rhythm section.

No doubt growing up in a Caribbean family surrounded by music and dance is what gave Shirley the musical heartbeat she exudes today. From being intrigued by Ella Fitzgerald as a teenager to exploring classic recordings by Carmen, Billie and Sarah, she attended workshops produced by Cobi Narita where she performed with Harold Mabern and Jamil Nasser and got positive encouragement and advice from Etta Jones and Dakota Staton.

Crabbe’s formal training focused on operatic technique and repertoire, but once she started studying voice at Northwestern University she joined a band with a jazzy R&B feel influenced by Steely Dan. Since regaining her voice, she appeared in “Coming to the Mercy Seat” at Shetler Studio’s Theater 54 and “Ain’t Misbehavin’” at the Elmwood Theater.

Always honing her craft and developing her approach, her debut CD “Home” makes a clear statement that Crabbe is one of today’s contemporaries. She’s an artist overflowing with soul who has found the ideal repertoire for expressing her gift.

Visit THE JAZZ NETWORK WORLDWIDE "A GREAT PLACE TO HANG" at: http://www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

DANILO PEREZ TO RELEASE PANAMA 500 ON FEB, 4, 2014

In 1513, Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama, becoming the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean and founding the first permanent European settlement in the Americas. Those events continue to resonate five centuries later as Panama celebrates the landmark anniversary. On his new Mack Avenue release Panama 500, favorite son Danilo Pérez adds his voice to the tributes with a stunning portrait of his native land, its storied history, rich culture and fierce struggles. 

Panama 500 is Pérez' most ambitious project to date, the furthest evolution yet of what the pianist/composer calls "three-dimensional music." His blend of influences makes him the ideal musical chronicler of his country's history: already a land bridge between the Americas with a vibrant indigenous culture, Panama also began to absorb European culture into its own following Balboa's arrival. Pérez similarly weaves together jazz and Pan-American folkloric traditions with influences from European classical music.

"I have been working for years to make music that has an identity very similar to the role that Panama plays in the world," Pérez says. "It's a place where a lot of influences from all over the world come together."

Pérez refers to Balboa's arrival as a "rediscovery," a word that succinctly encapsulates both the importance of his accomplishment and the controversy inherent in European colonization. As he traces Panama's evolution over the 12 tracks on Panama 500, he gives literal voice to the indigenous Guna Indians of Panama, who provide intermittent narration to lend their own perspective on that history.

As Harvard professor Davíd Carrasco writes in his liner notes, "The magical performances in this album emerge from the encounters of indigenous shamans, Spanish migrants of desire, the human agony of African slaves, multicultural love, and transcendent improvisations on agony and love."

To realize his expansive vision for this music, Pérez pulled together a host of musicians from his various endeavors. The album features both of his longest-running rhythm sections-trio mates Ben Street and Adam Cruz; as well as bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade, with whom Pérez works in the acclaimed Wayne Shorter Quartet. "There's a specific spectrum of language that I've developed with both trios," Pérez says. "With Ben and Adam, we use Latin American vocabularies to connect closer with jazz and to expand on the idea of clave. And with John and Brian, it's that language that we've developed playing with Wayne over the years that is indescribable. There's a zero-gravity component to it, where things come out of nowhere."

The rhythmic density is compounded throughout Panama 500 by percussionists from three different countries: Roman Díaz from Cuba, Rogério Boccato from Brazil; and Milagros Blades and Ricaurte Villarreal from Panama. The classical influence, as well as evidence of Pérez' commitment to education, arrives in the form of violinist Alex Hargreaves, a former student of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, the globally-minded program for which Pérez serves as artistic director.

Pérez explains that he composed the music for Panama 500 almost as the score for an imaginary film about the country's past and present. It opens with "Rediscovery Of The South Sea," which serves as an overture to the suite and loosely describes the Spaniards' journey through the jungle. Díaz' percussion and chanting are meant to invoke the indigenous people contrasted against the more classically influenced melody; Hargreaves later plays an Asian-inflected melody, hinting at the connection with the East that the opening of the Pacific would facilitate. A dense, freely improvised passage with Street and Cruz was added, Pérez laughingly says, because "I'm sure the Spaniards got lost many times. So we went into the studio and I told Ben and Adam to play in that section as if they were lost in the jungle."The track ends with the first of the Guna narrations, adding the insight of someone who was there to witness this portentous arrival. It briefly credits the "Great Father" and "Great Mother" with the creation of the Earth and claims that "this immense continent was granted to us as a loan so that we take care of it."

The title track builds upon the rhythm of La Denesa, a traditional Panamanian folkloric dance, and builds into a celebration of how far the nation has come. And as with any celebration, by the end of the festivities things have loosened up a bit. "When the piano brings the melody back," Pérez says, "I'm trying to play like it's two o'clock in the morning and the left hand is drunk."

"Reflections On The South Sea" opens with an elegant contrapuntal dance between the piano and Sachi Patitucci's cello. After the robust spirit of the previous track, Pérez intended this piece to lend a more somber remembrance from the perspective of the ocean itself. "It hasn't been completely easy," he says of the isthmus' history. "It's been full of struggles as well as victories. I always feel like the sea is the main witness to what happened. I wish we could understand what it has to say."

Named for the Guna term for the Americas, "Abia Yala" begins with a duet between the piano and the native pan flute before segueing into a trio piece with Patitucci and Blade. Both the old world/new world collaboration and the multi-cultural aspect of the trio, Pérez says, "are striving to send a message of hope, acceptance, respect and peace." The music, he continues, is an extension of his work as a UNESCO Artist for Peace. "I'm working every second to make examples of how music can become a tool for the commonality of humanity."

"Gratitude" is an example of the expanded clave approach developed with Street and Cruz, and simply expresses the titular sentiment to so many of the mentors and loved ones in Pérez' life. "I started thinking about everyone from my father and mother to my teachers, Dizzy Gillespie to Steve Lacy to Jack DeJohnette and Roy Haynes, all the way to Wayne Shorter, my wife, my kids. I felt so much gratitude while I was making this record. If you look at the world there's a lot of people not eating or living in warzones. I have the opportunity to be here and do this, and I listen to this piece with tears coming out of my eyes."

2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal, an occasion which Pérez marks in his three-part "Canal Suite." Largely improvised in the studio, the piece further highlights Pérez' educational endeavors by featuring percussionist Milagros Blades, a young student of the Panama City-based Fundación Danilo Pérez. Another Patitucci/Blade trio exploration follows, aptly titled "The Expedition."

A pair of Guna narrations frames the final track, "Panama Viejo," a standard penned by Ricardo Fábrega, whose lyrics serenade old Panama, left in now-beautiful ruins by brutal pirate attacks. These final pieces end the suite on a combination of reflection, reminiscence, hope and respect.

"More than focusing on rediscovery we should focus on celebrating our histories, our stories, our music, our culture," Pérez concludes. "My vision is to create music that serves as a cultural passport, hopefully with Panama as the bridge of the world."

Upcoming Danilo Pérez Tour Dates:

* January 17 / Panama Jazz Festival / Panama City, Panama

** February 6-9 / Jazz Standard / New York, NY

** February 10 / World Cafe Live / Philadelphia, PA

** February 11-12 / Blues Alley / Washington, DC

** February 15-16 / Scullers Jazz Club / Boston, MA

** March 9-23 / European Tour / TBA

*** May 9 / Miami International Jazz Festival / Miami, FL

May 22 / SFJAZZ (special guest w/ Miguel Zenon) / San Francisco, CA

*** August 1 / Deer Isle Jazz Festival / Stonington, ME

August 3 / Newport Jazz Festival (w/ Ben Street, Adam Cruz & Roman Diaz) / Newport, RI

* = w/ John Patitucci, Adam Cruz, Roman Diaz and Alex Hargreaves

** = w/ Ben Street, Adam Cruz, Roman Diaz and Alex Hargreaves

*** = w/ Ben Street & Adam Cruz

PIANIST KRIS BOWERS RELEASES HEROES + MISFITS ON CONCORD JAZZ

Twenty-four-year-old pianist Kris Bowers has grown up in an era of highly accelerated technological advancement. Digital technology has afforded him and his contemporaries access to unprecedented levels of information and communication channels. In many respects, his generation is more powerful than any that has come before it.

Bowers’ awareness of this power and potential is at the heart of Heroes + Misfits, an ambitious debut album that positions him at the forefront of a talented sextet and showcases a musical and compositional style that – while clearly rooted in the jazz tradition – is also reflective of an eclectic musical age. Heroes + Misfits is set for release on March 4, 2014, on Concord Jazz Records.

The sense of creative eclecticism and diversity woven into Heroes + Misfits is characteristic of a generation that has been exposed to more information than any other generation in history, says Bowers, winner of the annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition at the end of 2011. While the sheer volume of information can be potentially overwhelming, it can also be empowering when channeled properly.

“Even before I started writing the music for the album, I started noticing this shift in society where, for the first time, our generation was starting to speak out and be more vocal all over the world,” says Bowers. “It was our turn to be heard, and that was evident in social and political phenomena like the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Arab Spring. Generation theorists have donned us the ‘Hero Generation,’ not unlike the generation that committed itself to a great cause during World War II.”

And yet, his is a generation of individualism as well. “Radio and the media in general used to define what we would listen to or watch or consume,” he says. “But in the age of the internet, people can choose what they want to listen to or follow. They don’t need to conform. Being an individual and being unique – indeed, being a misfit – is celebrated now more than ever.”

Joining Bowers on this exploration of his times is a team of talented individuals, many of whom he has toured with over the past year or two. The roster of Heroes + Misfits includes: alto saxophonist Casey Benjamin, tenor saxophonist Kenneth Whalum III, guitarist Adam Agati, bassist Burniss Earl Travis II, and drummer Jamire Williams. Guest vocalists Julia Easterlin, Jose James and Chris Turner also lend a hand on four of the album’s ten tracks.

“Bringing this album into the world was a matter of figuring out how to create the most honest representation as possible of who I am as a musician and a composer,” says Bowers. “I wanted to take all the different types of music and all the different influences that are part of who I am, and make all of those things a part of my original compositions.”

The album opens with “Forever Spring,” a brief and atmospheric interlude that positions a gentle but persistent piano line amid chirping birds and other ambient sounds of spring.

The peaceful opening gives way to the much more urgent and electrified “Wake the Neighbors,” which features Agati’s recurring electric guitar riff atop a churning foundation created by Bowers with assistance from the rhythm team of Travis and Williams.

Bowers and Benjamin square off in the foreground of “#TheProtester,” an intriguing track that’s alternately pensive and forceful. The piece is inspired by Time magazine naming the protester as its Person of the Year in 2011. “This was the point at which I really started thinking about what my generation was about and the things it could potentially do to affect change,” says Bowers.

“Forget-er” is a churning, hypnotic piece that features vocalist Julia Easterlin singing a sensual melody above numerous layers of looped harmonies. Chris Turner steps up to the mic in the following track, “WonderLove,” a composition that shimmers with the resonant undercurrent of Bowers’ Fender Rhodes and synthesizers driven by Williams’ syncopated backbeat.

“Drift” is equal parts smoky and soaring, thanks in large part to tenor and alto saxes moving in tandem atop a persistent snare drum pattern, while “First” is a quiet, wistful solo piano interlude that showcases Bowers’ skill at conjuring up moods with the simplest of melodic and harmonic patterns. “First” segues into the equally melancholy and evocative closer, “Ways of Light,” which features the warm vocals of Jose James.

The emotionally stirring coda is just what Bowers is after throughout this entire debut recording. “It’s important to me that this record touches people in some way,” he says. “I want people to have some kind of immediate response to it – whether it makes them feel good, or makes them feel sad, or makes them think about things. I want this music to help people – especially people of my generation – realize the potential and the power that is inside of them. I want it to be an optimistic look at their unlimited possibilities.”

~ Concord Records

OKEH RECORDS PRESENTS THE SOUND OF NEXT WITH SEVEN NEW SIGNINGS

Following its re-activation in January 2013 with releases that included projects by Bill Frisell, Bob James & David Sanborn, Michel Camilo and John Medeski, SONY Masterworks' OKeh Records is proud to announce their next wave of signings. The artists, who are part of the label's "The Sound of Next" campaign are: saxophonist Craig Handy, Tunisian oudist/vocalist Dhafer Youssef, guitarist Nir Felder, drummer Jeff Ballard, saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, African vocalist Somi, and trumpeter Theo Croker.

"Each label, and OKeh is no exception, needs a good balance of established artists and newcomers to reflect what is happening in the world of music today," states Wulf Müller, who oversees A&R for OKeh Records and ideated the re-launch. "The second phase of the re-launch is to focus on great new artists with different backgrounds and different takes on what jazz can be, but they all have one thing in common - they are part of Global Expressions in Jazz."

To showcase the label's new talent in "The Sound of Next" campaign, OKeh will release a 7 track "The Sound Of Next" sampler featuring one song from each of these artists.

"The first wave of OKeh presented well-known masters of the jazz arts: John Medeski, Bob James & David Sanborn, Michel Camilo, and Bill Frisell," explains Chuck Mitchell, Senior Vice President at Sony Masterworks U.S. "Now comes 'The Sound Of Next' - fresh expressions by established voices: Craig Handy's 2nd Line Smith and Jeff Ballard's Trio. And new dimensions opened by new voices: Somi, James Brandon Lewis, Dhafer Youssef, Theo Croker, and Nir Felder. 'The Sound Of Next' is a divining rod, a no-risk device to discover great global expressions in jazz, amidst the daily noise. For OKeh, 'The Sound Of Next' is also 'The Sound Of Now.'"

Upcoming OKeh Album Releases:

January 21, 2014

Craig Handy - Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith - Renowned saxophonist continues the brass band tradition with a creative edge and groove derived from the tight 2nd Line funk of the Crescent City

Dhafer Youssef - Birds Requiem - Oud master of the highest caliber creates music for an imagined movie, blending delicate and melodic tones with modern sensibility

Nir Felder - Golden Age - Stylistically diverse, Brooklyn-based guitarist, composer and songwriter creates new, unique sounds on the electric guitar

February 4, 2014

Jeff Ballard Trio - Time's Tales - First-time band leader, this in-demand drummer and composer breaks out with forward thinking, modern jazz

James Brandon Lewis - Divine Travels - Eclectic saxophonist channels the late avant-garde style of Coltrane, creating free jazz with a spiritual theme

March 25, 2014

Somi - The Lagos Music Salon - Inspired by her time in Lagos, Nigeria, the East African vocalist and songwriter straddles the worlds of jazz, pop and soul

TBA:

Theo Croker - Afro Physicist - Trumpeter, vocalist and composer's powerful modern jazz that pays respect to the tradition of the music while moving jazz forward

Sony Masterworks comprises the Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait, Masterworks Broadway and Flying Buddha imprints. 

ANTON SCHWARTZ - FLASH MOB, DUE JAN 28, 2014

With Flash Mob, his first new recording in seven years, the expressive and swinging tenor saxophonist/composer Anton Schwartz delivers a disc notable for its well-crafted tunes, riveting ensemble work, and abundance of attitude. Schwartz's Antonjazz label will release the CD, his fifth since his 1998 debut When Music Calls and first since 2006's Top 5 radio staple Radiant Blue, on January 28. An audiophile recording, Flash Mob is available as a standard CD and also from HDtracks in high-resolution 96kHz 24-bit digital.

Presenting a diverse program of original tunes, plus one each by Kenny Dorham and Thelonious Monk, Schwartz is joined by a superlative cast including Grammy Award-nominated pianist Taylor Eigsti, rising Bay Area drum star Lorca Hart, big-toned New York trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, and the imperturbably grooving South Bay bassist John Shifflett (who has anchored just about all of Schwartz's recordings). As usual, the saxophonist creates unabashedly appealing music that bristles with intriguing ideas, unbridled energy, and unexpected rhythmic juxtapositions.

  

"I always aim to write the music I'd like to hear," says Schwartz, who for the last three years has divided his time between Seattle and Oakland. "A lot of great music out there doesn't hold my attention the way Stevie Wonder does. I like music that goes someplace. I write for my own impoverished attention span, and it seems to serve me well."

  

The drummer and longtime jazz radio personality Bud Spangler, who's co-produced all of Schwartz's albums, including Flash Mob, is not surprised that Schwartz's music has found a national audience, noting his gift for crafting "catchy compositions. They grab you and stay with you. He works really hard, and he's swinging his butt off."

One reason that Schwartz sounds more lyrical than ever is that he's keeping company with some of jazz's most accomplished vocalists. He plays a key role on Ed Reed's 2011 album Born to Be Blue and his well-received new release I'm A Shy Guy, serving as a thoughtful foil to the late-blooming octogenarian balladeer. He's worked extensively with the crystalline improviser Inga Swearingen, collaborated with many others such as Judy Wexler and young phenom Laila Smith, and, since moving to Seattle, has forged potent ties with the supremely soulful vocalist Gail Pettis and the highly versatile Greta Matassa.

The native Manhattanite (b. 1967) caught the jazz bug early and as a teenager studied with the brilliant but oft-overlooked tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh and the renowned clarinetist Eddie Daniels. Schwartz went on to study math and philosophy at Harvard University, though he found time to play in the school's jazz band, holding down the first tenor saxophone chair after tenorman Don Braden, in a section that included future jazz star Joshua Redman. Schwartz moved to the Bay Area in 1989 and had nearly completed a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence at Stanford when he decided to forgo the degree and devote himself to music full time.

An active teacher, Schwartz maintains a strong presence in both Seattle and the Bay Area, mentoring jazz ensembles and private students in both regions. He has been Artist in Residence at Harvard University and the Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony and is a dedicated clinician, giving frequent master classes and workshops on an impressive range of subjects, from advanced music theory to the physics of woodwind instruments, to the fine details of swing and phrasing, to the business of music.

"It's such a fun challenge to get inside another musician's head, figure out how they understand things, and help build them a ladder that will take them to where they want to go," says Schwartz. "Each time I make an album, the writing and the execution get more and more fun for me, as the process of creating and realizing a vision becomes more and more fluid. It's been a heck of a journey, refining my musical craft over the years -- and amazingly rewarding. To be able to help others along their journey too is doubly gratifying."

Schwartz will be working the following dates with his quintet in support of Flash Mob (East Coast dates are being planned for the spring):

3/1 San Jose Jazz Winterfest

3/1 Pacifica Performances

3/2 Sonoma Jazz Society

3/4 Yoshi's, Oakland

3/6 Kuumbwa, Santa Cruz

3/7 Vitello's, Los Angeles

3/9 JB's, Sacramento

3/11 KPLU in-studio performance, Seattle

3/11-3/12 Jazz Alley, Seattle

3/13 The Cellar, Vancouver BC

3/14 Ivories, Portland

antonjazz.com/new-cd 

RUBEN STUDDARD TO RELEASE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, DUE FEB. 2014 ON VERVE RECORDS

Ruben Studdard will be releasing Unconditional Love, his first studio album in two years, it was announced today by his label, Verve Records. Along with beautiful standards, Unconditional Love contains two original tunes, one of which is the first single, "Meant To Be" which will be released tomorrow, November 19th simultaneous to Studdard's appearance on 'The Biggest Loser.' 16 time Grammy winning producer and Verve Records Chairman David Foster is one of several producers on the CD.

"Silky, classy, sexy, romantic--bring you to your knees--this is how I describe the incredible voice of Ruben Studdard. He feels every note and every word he sings. He is a man with an extraordinary voice," commented Foster.

Unconditional Love is filled with some of the most romantic songs Studdard has ever recorded including "My Love" by the Beatles, The Carpenters classic, "Close To You" which includes Stevie Wonder on harmonica and Bonnie Raitt's poignant, "I Can't Make You Love Me." Additional tracks include a steamy version of Teddy Pendergrass' "Close The Door" which was produced by singer Eric Benet who also produced Studdard's breathtaking version of the Boz Scaggs hit "Look What You've Done To Me." The album also contains a soaring duet with Laylah Hathaway of "With You I'm Born Again" which was originally recorded by Syreeta Wright and Billy Preston. 

"Unconditional Love is my most romantic album yet. I've wanted to record many of these love songs for a really long time. It's the most heartfelt album I've ever recorded and includes many of my favorite songs from all different eras," commented Studdard.

Fans of Ruben--and they are legend--will get to see him perform in February during several shows scheduled including one at NY's Beacon Theatre on February 15th Studdard will also be going on tour with Laylah Hathaway – dates to be announced.

It's been a decade since Fox Television's 'American Idol' crowned Studdard, a Birmingham, Alabama native, its 2003 winner after he pulled in 24 million votes. In the years since, the "Velvet Teddy Bear" (as Gladys Knight nicknamed him) has had a string of gold and platinum records, top ten albums and r&b and pop singles. Along with performing around the world, he has toured as Fats Waller in the national stage tour of "Ain't Misbehavin" and managed to pick up several Grammy and American Music Award nominations along the way.

NEW RELEASES - BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG + NORAH JONES, DEE DEE WARWICK, TYRONE LEE

BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG & NORAH JONES: BILLIE JOE + NORAH: FOREVERLY

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah have teamed up to record Foreverly, a collection inspired by Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, an album of traditional Americana songs reinterpreted by The Everly Brothers in 1958. Reprise Records will release the album on November 25th. "Billie Joe's enthusiasm about the songs and his low-key, open approach to the music was very inviting. He wasn't set in his ideas, which made it fun for us both to sort of discover what felt right for us, musically. I loved that the original was completely stripped down and a little more obscure. There was a lot of room to interpret the songs in our own way." – Norah. The track-listing for Foreverly is as follows: “Roving Gambler,” “Long Time Gone,” “Lightning Express,” “That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine,” “Down In The Willow Garden,” “Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet,” “Oh So Many Years,” “Barbara Allen,” “Rockin’ Alone (In An Old Rockin’ Chair,” “I’m Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail,” “Kentucky,” and“Put My Little Shoes Away.”

DEE DEE WARWICK - I WANT TO BE WITH YOU

Wonderful work from Dionne Warwick's lesser-known sister – a hell of a great singer, and one who packs even more punch than her famous sibling! The gem of a set has all the poise and class of Dionne, but comes across with a lot more soul as well – a great mix that's very much in the best New York uptown mode of the 60s, with production from Ed Townsend, and arrangements from the Teacho Wilshire, Jimmy Wisner, and Horace Ott! Even when strings and larger charts come into the mix, Dee Dee's vocals push right out front in the mix – really bringing a lot of feeling to tunes that include "Worth Every Tear I Cry", "I Want To Be With You", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Another Lonely Saturday, "House of Gold", and "Gotta Get Ahold Of Myself". CD features lots of bonus cuts from singles, too – including "Monday Monday", "You Don't Know", "Lover's Chant", "Locked In Your Love", "We've Got Everything Going For Us", "Girls Need Love", and "I'll Be Better Off Without You". ~ Dusty Groove.

TYRONE LEE - INVITATION

An inviting set of UK soul from Tyrone Lee! It's a nice mix of uptempo and mid tempo groovers with a modern sound, though it skirts contemporary trends, giving it a vibe that'll stand the test of time. Tyrone has a naturally soulful and confident presence – with the poise of a veteran – even if this is the first we've heard from him. Nice stuff from Expansion UK! Titles include "Time Of Your Life", "What Took You So Long", "Hot2Nite", "Get 2 Know U", "Invitation", "Get My Life Back", "Listening To Your Heart", "Overload", "Turn Up The Heat", "Woman In My World" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - NANCY SINATRA, BARB JUNGR, BRENDA HOLLOWAY

NANCY SINATRA - SHIFTING GEARS

A trove of previously unissued recordings from Nancy’s vault will no longer be lonely as she shares them with the world in her latest album, Shifting Gears (available December 3). Culled from hundreds of masters, this collection of “Unreleased and BIG!” ballads delivers Nancy’s interpretations of late 1960s and early 1970s pop classics, as well as standards derived from iconic Broadway and movie musicals. Having invested years in restoring and remixing these masters, Nancy reported on the early progress (as of 2008) in rescuing her unreleased gems: “It’s been a real struggle because when we say ‘vault’ we really mean ‘garage,’ which is where the tapes were for decades before we had the vault. Some were multi-track, some were 1/4 inch and some were only cassettes!” Here is the full tracklisting:  As Time Goes By / When I Look in Your Eyes / Holly Holy / I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise / Cockeyed Optimist (Guitar Version) [feat. Billy Strange] / I Can See Clearly Now / Killing Me Softly with His Song / Play Me / Something / MacArthur Park /  The Hungry Years / Cockeyed Optimist (Orchestra Version) / Why Did I Choose You? / I Don't Know How to Love Him / We Need a Little Christmas

BARB JUNGR - MAN IN THE LONG BLACK COAT: BARB JUNGR SINGS BOB DYLAN

Internationally renowned as 'one of the best interpreters of Bob Dylan' (Village Voice, NY), Barb Jungr pays tribute to her musical hero with a compilation of her favorite Dylan songs. Originally released in 2011 to mark Dylan's 70th birthday year, Man In The Long Black Coat is re-issued as part of Linn's ECHO series that offers a second chance to enjoy the best of the label's award-winning catalog. Barb's unique interpretations of some of Dylan's most popular songs draw on the huge range of influences she has absorbed during her varied and extensive career, from cabaret to European jazz. Her imaginative re-workings not only reveal her passion for Dylan's songs but also her great skill as an interpreter and singer. Man In The Long Black Coat saw the inclusion of four never before recorded tracks: 'Sara,' 'Man In The Long Black Coat,' 'It Ain't Me Babe' and 'With God On Our Side.' With rave international reviews and two prestigious New York awards (2008 Nightlife Award for Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist and Best International Artist 2003 Backstage Award), Barb is renowned for her unique vocal style, interpretation of song and radical approach to arrangements. Her acclaimed releases and revelatory live performances have brought her to audiences all around the world. ~ amazon

BRENDA HOLLOWAY - TH ARTISTRY OF BRENDA HOLLOWAY

First it was an appetiser to the career of Brenda Holloway with The Early Years - Rare Recordings 1962-1963 (ACE 1241). Now we have the main course with this expanded reissue of The Artistry Of Brenda Holloway, a compilation LP released exclusively in the UK in 1968. The album contained all nine of Brenda's Tamla A-sides, five B-sides and two titles from her Every Little Bit Hurts LP, which are joined here by eight bonus titles from the Motown vaults. The Artistry album was issued in mono and stereo, but the stereo version is much rarer today, so we've gone with that, with one exception. The track Every Little Bit Hurts exists only in mono and fake stereo; in the absence of a true stereo version, we've used the original mono master here. The bonus titles span Brenda's Motown career, from 1964's pop-sounding Mr Lifeguard (Come And Rescue Me) to the soulful It's Love I Need, completed just a few months before her departure from the company in 1968. One stand-out track that deserves special mention is After All That You've Done, a typically breathy gem from the pen of Smokey Robinson. ''I'm so very grateful to my loyal fans all around the world, especially those in the UK who have never stopped supporting my career,'' says Brenda. ''I'm truly delighted that my name and work are still relevant today. When The Artistry Of Brenda Holloway album was first released in the UK in 1968, I always wished that the rest of the world could have been able to enjoy it as well. Now they finally can.'' Compiled and annotated by noted Motown historian Keith Hughes.

NEW RELEASES - MARQUEAL JORDAN, JASON WEBER, NICK VAYENAS

MARQUEAL JORDAN - CATALYST

Chicago-based artist, and Los Angeles native, Marqueal Jordan is the rare musician who is blessed with the gift of being equally proficient as an instrumentalist and a vocalist. His distinctive saxophone tone and style, combined with his soulful vocals, places him in the tradition of legendary dual talents, George Benson, Donny Hathaway and Ronnie Laws. Described by fellow saxophonist Mike Phillips as "one of the most versatile saxophonists in the game today", Marqueal (pronounced Mar-KWELL) earned his reputation as an electrifying live performer after moving to Chicago in 1995. He was the front man for the Chicago-based funk unit, Fat Time, and became an integral member in numerous Jazz, R&B and Blues bands in the city. In 2008, Smooth Jazz star Brian Culbertson asked Marqueal to join his touring band and since then he's captivated audiences around the world with his talents. As a sideman, he's performed with an amazing list of major artists such as Oleta Adams, Gerald Albright, Patti Austin, Avant, Average White Band, Rick Braun, Peabo Bryson, Jonathan Butler, Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Aretha Franklin, Savion Glover, Larry Graham, Buddy Guy, Lalah Hathaway, Al Jarreau, Earl Klugh, Dave Koz, KRS-ONE, Jeff Lorber, Maysa, Najee, Ray Parker, Jr., Phil Perry, Eric Roberson, David Sanborn, Jill Scott, Sinbad, Gerald Veasley, and Kirk Whalum. "Catalyst" is Marqueal Jordan's solo debut CD. After years of sideman work and being involved with original bands and projects over the years, "Catalyst" reveals the focused vision and emergence of Jordan as an artist, songwriter and producer. ~ marquealjordan.

JASON WEBER - IN TOO DEEP: THE BARITONE SESSIONS

"In Too Deep" is saxophonist Jason Weber's 8th CD release. Unlike Weber's previous work, this album is exclusively a baritone saxophone feature. "I feel the bari is an under-utilized voice, except when holding down the bottom end of a horn section like Doc Kupka in Tower of Power", Weber explains. "Typically it's tenor, alto or soprano handling the melodies & solos. There are some obvious exceptions with albums by some great bari players like Pepper Adams, Ronnie Cuber & Gerry Mulligan, but their music is primarily straight ahead jazz. This album has more of a funky, contemporary vibe. I also wanted to showcase the extended altissimo range of the bari on several of the cuts which is also something that you don't hear often enough. It has a very cool, fat texture that you can't get on tenor & alto." ~ cduniverse.com

NICK VAYENAS - SOME OTHER TIME

Trombonist, trumpeter and vocalist Nick Vayenas presents his third release as a leader, 'Some Other Time'. The album is a truly eclectic set of music comprised of four original compositions by Vayenas (which range from multi-metered funk grooves to full on driving rock) and four expertly arranged covers. It features saxophonist Patrick Cornelius, bassist Michael Janisch and guitarist Doug Wamble. The covers on 'Some Other Time' include Michel Legrand's "You Must Believe in Spring", Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time", Cole Porter's "So in Love" and Oscar Levant's "Blame It On My Youth". Vayenas' take on these four classics have virtually transformed them into new songs of their own. Nick Vayenas seamlessly straddles both the commercial music industry and the creative jazz world, having worked comfortably with international pop superstars like Michael Bubl‚ and Josh Groban, and respected New York jazz artists like Kendrick Scott, Dayna Stephens, and Patrick Cornelius. He is equally at home performing in intimate New York jazz clubs such as The Jazz Gallery and The Blue Note as well as in huge arenas around the world. All of these diverse music experiences that make up Vayenas' colourful history have found their way into the music on 'Some Other Time'. ~ cduniverse.com

NEW RELEASES - COSMIC MACHINE, COSMIC EYE, THE ELECTRONIC PEANUT BUTTER COMPANY

COSMIC MACHINE - A VOYAGE ACROSS FRENCH COSMIC & ELECTRONIC AVANT GARDE 1970 TO 1980

Incredible electronics from the French scene of the 70s – spacey, funky, trippy, and even a bit clubby too – a perfect cross-section of all the cool analogue elements that were ebbing forth from Paris at the time! A few of the bigger French artists broke big on these shores – often paving the way for soppier work of the next generation – but this set features a much deeper range of talents than we ever would have expected – plenty of cats who easily match the most experimental styles of the German prog electronics world, or the dark corners of Italian soundtrack composers, or even some of the fiercer grooves to come in the pre-house years in the clubs! Reading the set list, you might be surprised to hear some of these artists in the same company as each other – but hearing the set, you'll be wonderfully pleased at the way the whole thing comes together – a great range of cuts that includes "Motel Show" by Pierre Bachelet, "Shanti Dance (parts 1 & 2)" by Droids, "Magic Fly" by Space, "Temps X" by Didier Marouani, "Le Reve" by Patrick Juvet, "Le Bracelet" by Alain Gouraguer, "Rocket Man (inst)" by Rockets, "Disco Energy" by Universal Energy, "Love Machine" by Space Art, "Survol" by Francois De Roubaix, "Le Physique Et Le Figure" by Serge Gainsbourg, and "Spirit" by Frederic Mercier. ~ Dusty Groove

COSMIC EYE - DREAM SEQUENCE

The most mindblowing work we've ever heard from guitarist Amancio D'Silva – a really freewheeling blend of jazz and Indian music, and a set that goes far beyond most of his other albums! The album definitely lives up to the dream sequence promised by the title – as it features one long track that spins out in a beautiful blend of tablas, sitar, flute, percussion, violin, and Amancio's own great electric guitar! The leader crafts these trippy solos that are a bit like the work of Gabor Szabo, but even more open-ended and exotic – and the group also features some great work on sax from Alan Branscombe, plus violin from John Mayer – who'd worked on previous experiments of this nature with Joe Harriott. Despite the length of the track, the record is never over-indulgent or repetitive at all – as D'Silva constantly shifts the mood and the sounds – creating this wonderful interplay that really makes for a scenic richness throughout – an evocative journey in music that holds us completely rapt all the way through. ~ Dusty Groove

THE ELECTRIC PEANUT BUTTER COMPANY - TRANS-ATLANTIC PSYCH CLASSICS VOL. 2

A really wonderful collaboration between Shawn Lee and Adrian Quesada – and a set that maybe goes further than a lot of recent work from the artists on their own! Quesada's ear for the psychedelic mixes wonderfully with Lee's funky grooves – in a space that's as trippy as it is soulful, and which wonderfully skirts a space between all the different genres you'd be likely to find in the coolest crate digger's collection! There's vocals on many tracks – but slung out over core instrumentation that really gets things going from a soulful perspective – so much so that even some of the more rockish moments soon get plenty funky. Keyboards are wonderful, production is rock-solid, and the whole thing's exactly the kind of nugget you'd guess from the title. Tracks include "Going In Circles", "Christophe Waltz", "Tape Lifter", "Cold Blood", "Dreams", "Mono Man", "Big Tweed", and "Backstreet Wall". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - MILES DAVIS, HARRISON BANKHEAD, TEOTIMA

MILES DAVIS - THE ORIGINAL MONO RECORDINGS

Vintage Miles Davis – heard the way most folks first enjoyed these albums at the time – in glorious mono fidelity! The set brings together rare mono mixes of these gems from Miles – with a bold sound that really gets to the heart of the trumpeter's classic approach – and which has mostly been out of commercial circulation for decades! Every record in the package is a stunner – the kind of work that never gets old, and which is maybe even truer to its original spirit in this format than in stereo. The package features a cool slipcover, a nice booklet, and LP-sleeve versions of the CDs – just like having tiny little records – with nine full albums that include Round About Midnight, Jazz Track, Miles Ahead, Milestones, Porgy & Bess, Kind Of Blue, Sketches Of Spain, Someday My Prince Will Come, and Miles & Monk At Newport. ~ Dusty Groove

HARRISON BANKHEAD - VELVET BLUE

A wonderful small group set from bassist Harrison Bankhead – and a record that really showcases the overlooked spiritual side of his music! Bankhead's bass has been a key part of Chicago avant jazz for decades, but with this set he really finds a great space all his own – on long tracks that often have strong modal undercurrents, thanks to his own work in the lead – which then really stretch out with strong reed solos from Ed Wilkerson on tenor and clarinet, and Mars Williams on alto, tenor, and soprano sax. In the best AACM tradition, both players also dabble in some other instrumentation as well – Wilkerson on didgeridoo and harmonica and Williams on kalimba – and the quartet also features Avreeayl Ra on drums and additional thumb piano too. A few moments get a bit more outside, but still hew to the spiritual quality of the music – and titles include "Ancestors Of The Pharoahs", "Right On It", "After Hours", "Velvet Blue", and "Rhythm Of The Earth". (In a beautiful hand-pressed cover, too!) ~ Dusty Groove

TEOTIMA - COUNTING THE WAYS

Counting The Ways is the debut album from Teotima, a 14 piece spiritual jazz ensemble from London. Guitarist-composerGreg Sanders started Teotima; taking powerful, elegant but deceptively complex grooves of West Africa, Cuba and Brazil and adding the sensibility of classic American soul and funk he brought together a loose collective of musicians in 2011 to workshop ideas. As an intrinsically live project, all the individual band members were key to the project and their improvisation is a central part of the album. Recorded as-live at London's Fishmarket Studios under the watchful eye of engineer Ben 'Nostalgia 77' Lamdin, the record achieves a synchronicity that only this kind of old-fashioned approach can produce. One of the most striking things about the record is the huge scope that it encompasses - the arrangements of Gil Evans and David Axelrod, grooves reminiscent of Arthur Verocai and the Fania All Stars and the textures of more modern groups such as The Floating Points Ensemble and Snarky Puppy. All of these truly organic facets combine to create a striking 43-minute long debut album from Greg Sanders and his Teotima Ensemble.

THE ANIMALS - THE MICKIE MOST YEARS AND MORE (5-CD SET)

They were right among the first rank of British Invasion bands, with 11 American chart hits in their first two years of existence. They were responsible for some of the most enduring recordings of their era, songs like “The House of the Rising Sun” (which famously caused Bob Dylan to jump out of his car seat when he first heard it on the radio) and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” And their lead singer, Eric Burdon, had (and still has) one of the most distinctive voices in all of rock ‘n’ roll. Yet, unlike their famous peers, the Animals have never had a box set devoted to their work…till now, 50 years after their first release!  

The Mickie Most Years and More offers for the first time ever on CD the group’s first four American albums (all of which charted, the first three produced by Mickie Most)—The Animals, The Animals on Tour, Animal Tracks and Animalization—in their original mono versions, all newly remastered by Adam Ayan at Gateway Mastering from the original tapes. And each album features a bevy of bonus tracks, 16 in all, including their first release ever, the I Just Wanna Make Love to You EP that came out on the Graphic Sound label in 1963 (later reissued by Decca in 1965 as In the Beginning There Was Early Animals), four tracks previously unreleased in the U.S., three single versions (including “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” and “It’s My Life”), four alternate versions (three in stereo) of such tracks as “Talkin’ ‘Bout You” and “Don’t Bring Me Down,” and one U.K.-only track (“Roadrunner).” Liner notes to each album are by Rolling Stone’s David Fricke and, to sweeten the pot even more, we’re including an Animals T-shirt (100% cotton; size extra large) exclusive to this set. No collection of British Invasion and, for that matter, ‘60s rock and roll is complete without these records…this collection brings it on home. Brought to you by ABKCO Music and Records and Real Gone Music!

Disc One: I Just Wanna Make Love to You (1963) / 1.   I Just Wanna Make Love to You / 2.   Big Boss Man / 3.   Boom Boom / 4.   Pretty Thing 

Disc Two: The Animals (1964) / 1.   House of the Rising Sun / 2.   The Girl Can’t Help It / 3.   Blue Feeling / 4.   Baby Let Me Take You Home / 5.   The Right Time / 6.   Talkin’ ‘Bout You / 7.   Around and Around / 8.   I’m in Love Again / 9.   Gonna Send You Back to Walker / 10. Memphis, Tennessee / 11. I’m Mad Again / 12. I’ve Been Around / Bonus Track: 13. Talkin’  ‘Bout You (full version)

Disc Three: The Animals on Tour (1965) / 1.   Boom Boom / 2.   How You’ve Changed / 3.   Mess Around / 4.   Bright Lights, Big City / 5.   I Believe to My Soul / 6.   Worried Life Blues / 7.   Let the Good Times Roll / 8.   Ain’t Got You / 9.   Hallelujah, I Love Her So / 10. I’m Crying / 11. Dimples / 12. She Said Yeah /  Bonus Tracks: 13. Baby What’s Wrong / 14. F-E-E-L / 15. New Year’s Radio Spot

Disc Four: Animal Tracks (1965) / 1.   We Gotta Get Out of This Place / 2.   Take It Easy Baby / 3.   Bring It on Home to Me / 4.   The Story of Bo Diddley / 5.   Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood / 6.   I Can’t Believe It / 7.   Club A-Go-Go / 8.   Roberta / 9.   Bury My Body / 10. For Miss Caulker / Bonus Tracks:  

11. Roadrunner / 12. Don’t Want Much / 13. We Gotta Get Out of This Place (U.K. single version) / 14. It’s My Life / 15. I’m Gonna Change the World

 Disc Five: Animalization (1966) / 1.   Don’t Bring Me Down / 2.   One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show /

3.   You’re on My Mind / 5.   She’ll Return It / 6.   Inside-Looking Out / 7.   See See Rider / 8.   Gin House Blues / 9.   Maudie / 10. What Am I Living For / 11. Sweet Little Sixteen / 12. I Put a Spell on You / Bonus Tracks: 13. Don’t Bring Me Down (stereo) / 14. Cheating (stereo) / 15. See See Rider (stereo)

~ Real Gone Music

TOWER OF POWER - HIPPER THAN HIP (YESTERDAY, TODAY, & TOMORROW) - LIVE ON THE AIR & IN THE STUDIO 1974

On May 14, 1974, Tower of Power went to radio station WLIR in Hempstead, Long Island and played a live-in-the-studio show that set the station ablaze as well as the radios of any listeners that were lucky enough to hear it.

Flash forward nearly 40 years. On a whim, a tape collector sends us the show, saying that of his 10,000-plus recordings of live concerts, this set was his favorite. Well, people send us stuff all the time; but within about five minutes of listening to this show, we know we HAVE to find a way to expose the record-buying public to this performance. So, fingers crossed, we send it to the band, and much to our delight, they agree with us. In the words of Emilio Castillo, founding member and leader of Tower of Power: “We were clearly at the top of our game firing on all 10 cylinders."

Indeed, Hipper Than Hip captures the band at their commercial peak, fresh from releasing their fourth album, Back to Oakland, and featuring such key early tracks as “You’re Still a Young Man,” “Down to the Nightclub,” “So Very Hard to Go,” “Time Will Tell” and, of course, “What Is Hip?” with Lenny Williams on vocals. What makes the recording particularly overpowering—aside from the band’s performance, which is so on the money that calling it “tight” doesn’t really do it justice—is that it was a live-in-the-studio session, so the fidelity is the equal of a studio recording, yet it has all the passion and immediacy of a live concert.

This Real Gone Music release includes photos and liner notes by noted R&B producer, scholar—and long-time friend of the band—Leo Sacks. 2013 marks the 45th anniversary for Tower of Power—Hipper Than Hip (Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow—Live on the Air & in the Studio 1974 marks a major addition to the band’s discography.

DISC ONE: Intro / Oakland Stroke / Squib Cakes / This Time It's Real / Soul Vaccination / You're Still a Young Man / Clean Slate / So Very Hard to Go / Get Your Feet Back on the Ground

DISC TWO: Intro / Time Will Tell / Man from the Past / Down to the Nightclub / Just When We Start Makin' It / Knock Yourself Out / What Is Hip

~ Real Gone Music

PANAMA JAZZ FESTIVAL TO FEATURE DANILO PEREZ, LIZZ WRIGHT, KENNY GARRETT, JOHN PATITUCCI AND OTHERS

Uniting internationally acclaimed jazz artists, renowned educators and jazz fans from around the globe, the 11th Annual Panama Jazz Festival will be held January 13-18, 2014 at The City of Knowledge in Panama City. The festival honors the 500th Anniversary of the re-discovery of the Pacific Ocean, as well as the 100th Anniversary of the Panama Canal.

Among the headliners for this year's festival is founder and Artistic Director Danilo Pérez and his recently assembled Panama 500 band, featuring violinist Alex Hargreaves, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Adam Cruz and percussionist Roman Diaz. The group will perform music from the pianist's forthcoming album, Panama 500 (February 4, Mack Avenue Records).

  

"Balboa's re-discovery of the Pacific Ocean and the construction of the Panama Canal have had a tremendous importance in the world because they created and connected the new great sea route between America, Europe and Asia," explains Pérez. "Panama has become a path of adventure that unites the world and it makes great sense to celebrate it with Jazz. The history of Panama is connected with globalization like no other country and this is why we want to celebrate Panama's unique contributions to the world through jazz music."

  

Additional headliners include vocalist Lizz Wright, the Kenny Garrett Quintet, jazz fusion collective HBC Trio (guitarist Scott Henderson, bassist Jeff Berlin and drummer Dennis Chambers), Peruvian drummer Jorge Pérez with special guest saxophonist George Garzone, vocalist Nedelka Prescod, guitarist Shea Welsh, vocalist Michelle Coltrane (daughter of John Coltrane), and pianist Kevin Harris.

Larger ensemble performances include Puerto Rican percussionist Eguie Castrillo with the Panama Jazz Festival Latin Band and special guest vocalist Wichy Camacho, along with the John Patitucci Latin Jazz Project in collaboration with the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. Four national bands will be featured at this year's festival: Osvaldo Ayala Transismico Project, Luci and The Soul Brokers, Señor Loop and The Danilo Pérez Foundation Band.

Furthermore, the festival will host The 2nd Latin American Music Therapy Symposium, bringing music therapists from the Chile, Argentina, Panama, Venezuela, Costa Rica (among other Latin American countries) and the United States together to present on the therapeutic effects of music.

Since its inception in 2003, the Panama Jazz Festival has attracted over 200,000 jazz fans worldwide and has announced over three million dollars in international scholarships. Last year, the festival welcomed 1,700 students from around the world who participated in the educational events. This year, the festival continues its commitment to education by hosting the Golandsky Institute, a not-for-profit organization based in New York. They will offer master classes for jazz and classical pianists as well as other instrumentalists, emphasizing the application of the Taubman approach to build technical ease and to explore musical interpretation. This approach has proven to be highly effective in the resolution of technical and artistic limitations, as well as in curing and preventing repetitive stress injuries in musicians.

Other participating educational institutions include Boston-based schools, Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory, which will both be holding auditions for admission and scholarships. The Berklee Global Jazz Institute will hold master classes, perform social work with Panamanian youth and perform in various settings throughout the festival. The school will also start a program where students will earn one college performance credit to Berklee. In addition to these various universities, Crossroads High School (Los Angeles) will be participating in this year's events.

"In the past 10 years, the festival has provided scholarships for admissions to various universities around the world. These scholarships have often gone to youth from poverty-stricken neighborhoods."

Pérez concludes, "with the diversity and quality of artists that we bring to Panama, our first commitment has always been to showcase the best of what jazz can offer."