ANGELIQUE KIDJO SCORES HIGHEST ALBUM DEBUT EVER WITH STARBUCKS ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE "DJIN DJIN"

International music star Angelique Kidjo's has notched her highest chart position ever, as her new album DJIN DJIN (pronounced "gin gin") bows at #61 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart, selling nearly 11,000 copies in its first week. The album has also entered Billboard's World Music chart at #1 and comes in at #56 on the Canadian Album chart.

DJIN DJIN was co-released on May 1st by Starbucks Entertainment and Razor & Tie Entertainment and has received rave reviews from the press. The Associated Press declared the album "lush, dense and beautiful", while The New York Times said of Kidjo's performances on the new album, "she handily reinforces her stature as an upbeat heroine of contemporary Afro-pop." The Washington Times stated, "Despite having been nominated four times, Ms. Kidjo has yet to take home a Grammy. If she continues putting material out like this, it's only a matter of time before she does." Kidjo and guest star Ziggy Marley will be performing a track from the album, "Sedjedo", on NBC's The Tonight Show on Tuesday, May 22nd and will appear on The CBS Saturday Early Show on Saturday, July 14th. The first single from DJIN DJIN, "Salala", featuring Peter Gabriel can be heard nationwide on such tastemaker radio stations as KFOG/San Francisco, WBOS/Boston, KCRW/Los Angeles and many more.

Inspired by the traditions and culture of Kidjo's native Benin in West Africa, the title of the album refers to the sound of the bell that greets the beginning of a new day for Africa. DJIN DJIN is produced by the legendary Tony Visconti (David Bowie, Morrissey, T. Rex) and finds Kidjo partnering with such luminaries as Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, Carlos Santana, Joss Stone and Ziggy Marley to create an album which is truly global in scope. The CD is available simultaneously at Starbucks Company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada as well as traditional retail.

Kidjo and her band of accomplished international musicians have been criss-crossing the globe on tour since February of this year, first as sole support for Josh Groban and currently on a run of headlining dates. Kidjo will again open for Groban on the second leg of his North American tour beginning in mid-July (see below for a full list of tour dates).

Angelique Kidjo on tour:
MAY
11 Santa Cruz, CA Rio Theatre
12 San Francisco, CA Herbst Theatre
16 New York, NY BB King's
17 Washington, DC Lisner Auditorium
18 Louisville, KY Brown Theatre
19 Somerville, MA Somerville Theatre
20 Wilmington, DE Grand Opera House

JUNE
10 New Haven, CT International Festival Of Arts & Ideals
16 Hollywood, CA Playboy Jazz Festival
22 Salt Lake City, UT Utah Arts Festival/Library Square
23 Aspen, CO Jazz Aspen
24 Taos, NM KTAO Solar Center
26 Sante Fe, NM Sante Fe Brewing Company
28 Montreal, QC Le Spectrum

JULY
17 Greenville, SC Bi-Lo Center*
18 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena*
20 Norfolk, VA Scope Arena*
21 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall*
24 East Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines Arena*
25 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum*
27 Manchester, NH Verizon Wireless*
28 Albany, NY Pepsi Arena*
30 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun*
31 Wilkes-Barre, PA Wachovia Arena*

AUGUST
3 Hershey, PA Giant Center
4 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena*
5 Westhampton Beach, NY Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
6 Albany, NY Washington Park Concert Series
7 Milwaukee, WI US Cellular Arena*
8 Green Bay, WI Resch Arena*
10 St. Paul, MN Xcel Center*
12 New York, NY Central Park Summerstage
14 Edmonton, AB Rexcall Center*
15 Calgary, AB Rengrowth Saddledome*
17 Vancouver, BC GM Place*
18 Seattle, WA Key Arena*
21 Napa, ID The Idaho Center*
22 Portland, OR Rose Garden Arena*
24 Stockton, CA Stockton Arena*
25 Anaheim, CA The Honda Center*
28 Salt Lake City, UT Delta Center*
29 Denver, CO Pepsi Center*
31 Omaha, NE Qwest Center*

*supporting Josh Groban

MOMENTUM IS BUILDING FOR JAZZ MY SOUL BY THE JAZZ EXPLORERS

”HYP-Notic, cool ...vocals that will mezmerize you into a trance. That's what this CD by Jazz Explorers is all about. The vocals by Carmen Lundy and the group will haunt you. ... The band is superb and tight. A must have!” -- Leon Reyes KVMR Radio 89.5 FM Nevada City/Sacramento Ca Host: Leon's Jazz In A Box

“ A highly enjoyable CD with excellent compositions and playing from a talented group of musicians... very high quality vocals from Carmen Lundy.” Martin Wright, Radio 3ZZZ, Australia

“ I love love LOVE Mo Trane, and I'll be using it in an upcoming show!!!” Rafe Gomez, The Groove Boutique, WQCD/CD101.9 - New York, NY Rhythm Dynamics Inc. is very happy to report that “Jazz My Soul” by The Jazz Explorers is being noticed and picked up by radio stations across the planet. From trend setting New York, Colorado, California, Florida, Texas and 7 other states to jazz-aware Europe, Australia and beyond, “Jazz My Soul” is showing broad appeal with at least 6 different tracks getting airplay.

This extraordinary project features great performances by a unique gathering of jazz legends, including George Cables, Dave Liebman, Carmen Lundy, Billy Hart, Sonny Fortune, Victor Lewis and Cecil McBee with a strong supporting cast. “Jazz My Soul” propels contemporary mainstream jazz forward with power and subtlety. The Jazz Explorers perform the soulful original music of Boulder, Colorado composer, producer and band leader Tim Duffy, whose influences include Duke Ellington, Howlin' Wolf, Charles Lloyd, Sun Ra, and James Brown.

Producer Bob Funk brings to this project a broad range of musical experience, as an original member of The Uptown Horns, including live performance and/or recording with Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones, BB King, Stevie Wonder, Tom Waits, Albert Collins, Sammy Davis Jr, David Sanborn, James Brown and Frank Sinatra Jr. ”Jazz My Soul” features two shimmering vocals, “We're Only Human” and “Autumn” both with deep under currents, exquisitely interpreted by the great Carmen Lundy, that bridge the classic/smooth/contemporary categories. The instrumental tracks of “Jazz My Soul” convey a broad range of emotions from the driving hard-bop “International Ballistic Soul Kiss” with a burning solo by Dave Liebman, to the funky smooth groove of “Mo Trane”, to the profound piano of George Cables on “Our Father”, “Mystique” and “Moroccan”, culminating with the heartfelt tribute, “In Memorium, Elvin Jones” delivered by former band mate, Sonny Fortune. From atmospheric to inspiring, “Jazz My Soul” is the real deal.

Current US radio play: WQCD/CD101.9 - New York, NY, WMPG, Maine,WNMC, Traverse City, MI, KCME-FM, Colorado Springs, CO WVOF, Bridgeport CT, KDEC/FM100.5 - Decorah, IA, KJZY/Jazzy 93.7 - Santa Rosa, CA, KMGQ/Magic 106.3 - Santa Barbara, CA WCIR/103CIR - Beckley, WV, WSBZ/106.3 The Seabreeze - Destin, FL, WXJZ/Smooth Jazz 100.9 - Gainesville, FL KJJZ/K Jazz - Palm Springs, CA, WWWS/AM 1400 Solid Gold Soul - Buffalo, NY, KTOY - Texarkana, TX, KKSJ/KTSJ - Lafayette, LA WJSJ - Jacksonville, FL, WSJF- St. Augustine, GA, WSSJ/Smooth Jazz 92.3 - St. Augustine Beach, FL.

ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL SET FOR JUNE 8-16

The sixth annual Rochester International Jazz Festival presented by Heluva Good Quality Foods released its lineup for its biggest and most diverse festival of creative improvised music. More than 600 artists from 13 countries will perform in more than 200 concerts at 18 venues during the nine-day event June 8-16.

“This year marks the most extensive and by far the most diverse lineup we have ever presented,” said John Nugent, founder, artistic director and co-producer. “Each year as we expand our event, our main goal is to present a multifaceted artistic celebration of all forms of American music in a smorgasbord of musical tastes. We always work hard to leave no ears behind.”

“Thanks to the City of Rochester’s increased support, we have been able to expand the number of free concerts and are adding another major free outdoor stage,” said Marc Iacona, executive director and co-producer. “That means more fantastic music for the tens of thousands of people who will come here from all over the nation, adding to Rochester’s reputation as one of the nation’s fastest growing music destinations.“

The Festival is presented in 18 venues, most within walking distance, including the Eastman Theatre, Kilbourn Hall, Max of Eastman Place, Harro East Ballroom, Robert Mondavi Festival Tent, Montage Grille, High Fidelity, Memorial Art Gallery, George Eastman House, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Strong National Museum of Play, Mary Jemison Riverboat, Nordic Jazz Now at the Reformation Lutheran Church, Crowne Plaza State Street Bar & Grille, City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage presented by Rochester Area Community Foundation, City of Rochester East Ave. Stage at Alexander St., City of Rochester East Ave. Stage at Chestnut St.

Artists will be coming from 13 countries and the U.S. including Lithuania, Sweden, Hungary, Scotland, Spain, Finland, Norway, Canada, Madagascar, Cuba, Netherlands, Brazil, and Russia.

The 2007 lineup includes 4 Brothers 7, 8Ryan Shaw, Andy Milne's "Dapp Theory, Alytaus Diksielandas (Lithuania), Andreas Petterson 4tet (Sweden), Avishai Cohen Trio, Bettye Lavette, Bill Frisell Trio, Bob Sneider Trio, Bonerama, Brockport Community Big Band, Catherine Russell, Christian Scott, CNYJO with Brett Z, Corey Harris, Corneliu Tutu (Hungary), Cowboy Mouth, Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, Das Contras (Scotland), Dave Brubeck, Dave Glasser 4tet, Dave Rivello Ensemble + guest , Don Byron’s “Ivey Dyvey”, Eastman School of Music Trio, Eldar (Russia), Esperanza Spalding (Spain), Fedchock, Five Corners 5tet (Finland), Fred Costello Quartet , Fred Hersch Trio, Gap Mangione, Gene Bertoncini solo, Geri Allen Trio, Hannah Flanigan 4tet , Harry Allen Quartet, Hilario Duran Trio, Ilmiliekki Quartet (Finland), In The Country (Norway), James Moody 4tet, Jason & Bandwagon, Jazz Animated Films, Jens Winther European Quintet, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jonathan Kriesberg Trio, Josh Irving 4tet , Kyle Eastwood Band, Lalo, Layah Jane (Canada), Los Lonely Boys, Lotte Anker (Denmark), Maceo Parker, Madagascar Slim (Madagascar), Madeleine Peyroux + Dr. John, Mamadou Diabate Ensemble, Mambo Kings, Martin Rickert 4tet (Canada), Matt Wilson Arts & Crafts, Michelle Lambert Bebop for Babies, Midaircondo (Sweden), Mike Cottone Quartet, Motor Kings, Mr. Something Something, Music Educators Big Band, Nancy Kelly, Olu Dara, Omar Sosa (Cuba), Paradigm Shift + Gray/Marcus/Wycliffe, Paul Tillotson Love Trio, Peter Asplund Quartet (Sweden), Randy Brecker 5tet, Revision, Rick Holland-Evan Dobbins, Rik Emmit, Robin Eubanks EB3, Rusted Root, Saskia Laroo (Netherlands), Scott Goudie (Canada), Shooter Jennings, Shuffle Demons, Sisters Euclid (Canada), Solomon Burke + Raul Midon, Soul Rebels (New Orleans), Stephane Wrembel Trio, Steps Ahead, Ted Michaels Sings Sinatra, Tessa Souter, The Capital C’s, The Latin Side of Miles Davis, Tony Caramia, Toots & The Maytalls, Trio Beyond / Jean Luc Ponty, Tiempo Libre, Trio Nossa (Brazil), Vince Ercolamento Quartet, Walter Wolfman, Wynton Marsalis w/ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Zanussi 5 (Norway), Zapp String Quartet (Netherlands) and Animated Jazz Shorts from the Hubley Studio.

CALGARY JAZZ FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINEUP

The “New” Calgary Jazz Festival has announced it’s headline acts for the 2007 event, slated to run June 19-24 at various locations in the city. Offering an eclectic lineup that ventures into world, contemporary, funk and blues from every corner of the globe, there’s something for everyone.
Below is a listing of artists sent out in a newsletter from festival organizers this past weekend:

Tuesday, June 19
NoName Jazz Sextet CANTOS
Saxophonist Alexandre Côté and drummer Ugo Di Vito lead this hot young Montreal group. Their compositions are influenced by sixties Hard Bop.

Mr. Something Something The Auburn
Juno nominees, chart topping recordings, and energetic live shows, the ‘Mr. Sum Sum’ afro-funk collective is a guaranteed good time.

The October Trio. Beat Niq
Vancouver Jazz Fest’s Galaxie Rising Stars Award winners deliver up a tight show of everything from intimate, subtle renderings to blistering grooves like no others. Evan Arntzen (saxophones), Josh Cole (bass), and Dan Gaucher (drums) are claimed as that city’s most creative musicians, but we won’t forget Dan’s strong Calgary roots.

ZMF Trio CANTOS
National Jazz Awards violinist Jesse Zubot (aka Zubot & Dawson) presents his latest cutting edge jazz project with Toronto drummer Jean Martin and the infamous American bassist Joe Fonda. Blurring the lines between contemporary improvisation, composition and old school free jazz, it’s always an incredible performance. www.dripaudio.com

Wednesday, June 20th
Elmer Ferrer Band Wild Rose Brewery
While being trained in classical guitar styles at Havana’s famed National School of Arts, Elmer saw a bootleg copy of the Armerican movie Crossroads and decided he wanted to play the blues. He secretly studied electric guitar until the same school that denied him his desire recognized his talent and hired him to teach at the new ‘Department of Electric Guitar’ Now widely recognized as Cuba’s best on the axe, Ferrer adds high energy Afro-Cuban flair to the blues. www.elmerferrer.com

Rollanda Lee and The Canadian Hot Stars Quincy’s
The original ‘Dixie Chick’ has entertained audiences all over the world.. Her own seven piece Canadian Hot All Stars (including Calgary trumpeter Al Muirhead) swing with traditional 1920’s and 30’s jazz New Orleans style.

Christine Jensen Quartet Beat Niq
The Montreal arranger and saxophonist has been labeled “one of the most important Canadian composers of her generation”, by Globe and Mail jazz critic, Mark Miller. Her quartet are also Canadian jazz all stars - Dave Restivo on piano, Fraser Hollins on bass, and Greg Ritchie on drums.

Community Performance Series with Mark Sonksen
Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association 8 pm
Chicago bassist and composer joins Calgary favourites Gerry Hebert on sax, Keith Smith on guitar, and Jon May on drums in this version of the monthly series for serious jazz listeners.

Thursday, June 21
Pierre Dørge & The New Jungle Orchestra with Brandi Disterheft Cantos
Guitarist Pierre leads a wild, ten piece Danish ensemble that combines swing, bop, and Euro-classicism in rich, bursting, dadaistic freestyle harmonies. Definitely not easy listening, but a once in a lifetime experience. National Jazz Awards Rising Star Brandi Disterheft “has the same lope or rhythmical pulse as my late bass player Ray Brown. She is what we call serious” says Oscar Peterson.

Dhafer Youssef with Jatinder Thakur and the Divine Shadows String Quartet, and Amir Amiri. Cathedral Church of the Redeemer Tunisian-born singer and oud virtuoso Dhafer Youssef’s haunting, Sufi inspired music has captured the hearts and minds of audiences across Europe. Hailed by The Guardian as world music’s most exciting new star, Youssef draws on the evocative sound of his Islamic heritage, combining it with new directions in European jazz to create a distinctive and atmospheric sound. Accompanied by Indian virtuoso tabla player Jatinder Thakur and the Divine Shadows Strings, (aka the Koehne Quartet), this will truly be a memorable performance. www.dhaferyoussef.com

Amir Amiri immigrated to Canada from Iran with little more than his hammer dulcimer ten years ago. Since then, he has become one of our most cherished musical resources, filling concert halls and intimate clubs across North America with his own spiritual compositions. Joining him is Edmonton’s award winning drummer and percussionist Sandro Dominelli

Jan Verwey, with Jillian Lebeck and Paul Rushka Beat Niq
One of the few who dared to play the chromatic harmonica in jazz, he created his own style. This Dutch innovator is accompanied by bassist Paul Rushka and Jillian Lebeck, one of Canada’s most dynamic and innovative vocalist/pianist/composers.
www.jillianlebeck.com

Thursday & Friday June 21 & 22 Ironwood, Southwood United Church
Matt Masters sings the standards with Terra Hazelton and and the Valleau Village People. The country crooner has found his true voice in jazz with Calgary expatriate Terra Hazelton (of Jeff Healey fame) and the Valleau Village People (who had to come up with this name to avoid contractual obligations).

Friday, June 22
Joshua Redman and Kris Davis The Gateway Lounge
One of the most compelling and fearless saxophone voices in jazz. His latest cd, ‘Back East’ pushes boundaries and stimulates his creative juices in the classic acoustic trio format, with bassist Reuben Rogers and Antonio Sanchez on drums.
Son of recently deceased legend Dewey Redman, Joshua burst onto the jazz scene in 1993 with his self-titled debut cd and Wish. Both sold over a quarter of a million copies combined—unheard of in jazz. Although his muscular swing and earthy ballads may evoke Sonny Rollins, Redman has proven himself a wide-ranging musician and a fearless voice at the vanguard of contemporary music. Michael Brecker simply called him “a genius.” www.joshuaredman.com

Jens Winther Euro Quintet Cantos
Denmark’s leading trumpeter brings his hot, up-tempo band and arrangements to Canada. Internationally renown, Winther’s talent has been recognised with numerous awards and prizes for his outstanding contribution to the world of jazz as a player, composer and bandleader.

Tobey Foyeh and Orchestra Africa and Lynn Olagundaye and Guerrilla Funk Monster Quincy’s on Seventh Tobey first came to America from Nigeria touring with Hugh Masekela. Originally trained in traditional music, he went on to Bostons’ Berklee College and now composes, arranges, and produces complex pieces featuring African instruments and back-up singers and dancers in costume with electronic keyboards and guitars. Their music expresses social situations in Africa, the people, and their joys and pains.

Lynn Olagundaye and the Guerrilla Funk Allstars are all Canadian born, but they present the rhythm of their roots in full on rhythm and blues hip hop party to rock the house.

Kellylee Evans The Ironwood
Delivering a rich, smooth but unique vocal style through jazz, soul, R & B, and blues is garnering Kellylee world wide attention, including that of Quincy Jones, Al Jarreau, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling and other judges at the Thelonius Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition. She earned the silver medal out of a field of 160. One to watch. www.kellyleeevans.com.

Saturday June 23
James Hunter The Gateway Lounge
‘People Gonna Talk’ about James Hunter’s Calgary debut. Discovered by Van Morrison, James’ songwriting craft and impassioned performances have turned him into today’s hottest act in Roots and Blues. www.jameshuntermusic.com

Vijay Iyer Quartet with Rudresh Mahanthappa Ironwood
Cutting edge jazz from two leading innovators at the heart of the New York scene. Vijay is a forceful, rhythmically invigorating performer who with a unique sense for compositional balance. Described as “one of the most original and accomplished young pianists in years’. He often works with saxophonist Rudresh, who was just awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for ‘distinguished achievement in the past and exceptional promise for future accomplishment’ in composition and performance. Both men draw on their Asian heritage and American influence to create dynamic, stunning performances that could well be one of the best shows of the festival. www.vijay-iyer.com, www.rudreshm.com

UMO Jazz Orchestra Quincy’s on Seventh
Arguably one of the best big bands in the world is from Finland. Continuous support by the city of Helsinki and the ministry of education has helped keep UMO together for over thirty years, record 23 cds and have a repertoire of 1200 compositions. www.umo.fi

Marianne Trudel Quintet Cantos
The award-winning pianist from Montreal offers a rich quilt of sonic colours seemlessly stitched together with a keen sense of compositional design and deft improvisational gestures. Drawing equally on the classical, jazz and free improv idioms, she cleverly balances these influences out on a razor’s edge. With Rob Mosher (soprano sax, oboe - New York), Jonathan Stewart (tenor sax - Kingston, Ontario), Morgan Moore (bass - Montreal) and Kelby MacNayr (drums - Victoria, BC). www.mariannetrudel.com.

Barry Romberg Beat Niq
Juno Award-winning drummer mixes contemporary with free jazz in a powerful performance. With supreme saxophonist Kirk Macdonald, trumpeter Kevin Turcotte and Rich Brown on bass. www.barryromberg.com

Sunday June 24
Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra with The Bad Plus The Gateway Lounge
A double header dance party featuring the politically-charged, funk-driven Antibalas and the musically controversial Bad Plus. The eleven piece Afrobeat Orchestra incorporates elements of jazz, funk, dub, improvised music, and traditional drumming from Cuba and West Africa with strong lyrics in a driving beat.

The Bad Plus is a midwest American collective that challenged the definition of jazz trio. Bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson, and drummer David King mixed their own diverse compositions with covers of rock bands like Nirvana and Aphex Twin. Favoring group improvisation over individual solos, eschewing all jazz cliches, The Bad Plus rip into each set with precision, dynamics and reckless abandon, attracting new audiences to jazz.

Francois Carrier Cantos
An inexhaustible improviser, Carrier pushes boundaries of creative evolution with his saxes and some of the biggest names in the business. His latest cd is a 1999 recording of him with the late Dewey Redman. He appears for a Sunday afternoon performance in Calgary with drummer Michel Lambert and French bassist Jean Jacques Avenel. www.francoiscarrier.com

Coco Zhao The Auburn Saloon
Avant-garde crooner from China charms all with his Sinatra-style performance. Out of a small town in the Hunan province of China comes the exotic Dream Situation. Zhao challenges the stereotypical jazz vocalist image, singing the lyrics in Chinese, but transcending cultures with contemporary American jazz idioms.

CHILL GROOVES & SMOOTH JAZZ NEWS

The JVC Jazz Festival New York will feature Keith Jarrett/Jack DeJohnette/Gary Peacock, Eartha Kitt, Nancy Wilson, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and many others. The JVC Jazz Festival is set for June 17 –30.

Susan Tedeschi will perform the following concerts: May 19 at Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point CA, and August 2 at Ravinia in Highland Park IL (with Buddy Guy).

Soulful crooners The Persuaders performed on May 5th at Frank’s Lounge in Brooklyn, NY at 660 Fulton Street. They’ll not only performed, but also have a meet/greet, sign autographs and more.

A number of performer will appear at the upcoming Soul-Patrol Convention in Philadelphia during the memorial day weekend (May 25-27). Performers appearing at the Philadelphia Black Heritage Ferstival include Barbara Mason, Billy Griffin, Chi-Lites, Jason Miles, Jimmy Castor, Ken Webb, Melba Moore, Michael Henderson, and Ray, Goodman & Brown.

Brian Culbertson will be staying out West during the month of May. Here are his current tour dates: May 25 in Seattle at WABenaroya Concert Hal, and May 26 at Incline Village, NV Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe.

WAYNE SHORTER TOUR DATES

Wayne Shorter will perform the following concerts: June 21-22 at Concertgebouw in Amsterdam Netherlands, June 27 at Carnegie Hall in New York NY, June 29 at Theatre Maisonneuve in Montreal QC, July 28 at Chapiteau in Marciac France, August 3 at Kurhaus in Wiesbaden Germany, August 5 at International Centre in Harrogate UK, and March 28 at Kimmel Center in Philadelphia PA.

WYNTON MARSALIS WINS 2007 MONTBLANC DE LA CULTURE AWARD

Wynton Marsalis, artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, was presented with the 2007 Montblanc de la Culture Award, which supports the arts in ten countries, at a gala held during the Tribeca Film Festival last night. The event, at the Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts, was emceed by actor and Saturday Night Live alumnus Dean Edwards and included Montblanc jurors singer/songwriter Rosanne Cash and producer Lee Daniels, Festival co-founders Craig Hatkoff and Jane Rosenthal, and other celebrities.

The evening's festivities included surprise tributes and performances by individuals who have been influential to Marsalis' life and career. Wynton's father, Ellis Marsalis, tap dance maestro Savion Glover, percussionist Roy Haynes and legendary 81-year-old jazz artist Clark Terry, Marsalis' longtime friend and mentor, performed to honor Marsalis. Created in 1992, the Montblanc de la Culture Award honors individuals in 10 countries who commit their time and resources to enhance the arts and culture. An international panel of jurors selects a winner from each country. Actor Val Kilmer was also one of this year's U.S. jurors.

As this year's U.S. winner, Marsalis received a monetary award that he has chosen to donate to Jazz at Lincoln Center, as well as a limited edition of this year's Montblanc Patron of Art Writing Instrument -- one of only 10 in the world -- specially designed and named for Alexander von Humboldt, the German naturalist and arts patron who supported many artists of his time. This year's other U.S. nominees were music impresario Quincy Jones and Martha Richards, who established the Fund for Women Artists.

"We are proud to honor all the nominees tonight for their efforts on behalf of the arts, and we congratulate Wynton Marsalis on being voted this year's Montblanc de la Culture Award winner," said Jan-Patrick Schmitz, President and CEO of Montblanc North America. "His commitment to improving people's lives through music, and his contributions to numerous arts endeavors, are closely aligned with Montblanc's core values - to support the arts and artists worldwide, thus nourishing the soul of civilization."

As part of the gala, an inspirational canvas was autographed by Wynton Marsalis and other invited guests, including Tribeca Film Festival co-founders Robert De Niro, Craig Hatkoff and Jane Rosenthal, Emmy Rossum, Salman Rushdie, Naomie Harris, Mort Zuckerman, Grace Hightower De Niro, Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosanne Cash and Lee Daniels. The canvas will be auctioned at a later date, with proceeds to benefit educational programs at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Savion Glover and Roy Haynes were the first to take center stage, surprising Marsalis. The two wowed the crowd with fancy footwork and dynamic rhythm in honor of Marsalis. After Marsalis accepted the award, Terry Clark, Ellis Marsalis and Roy Haynes, along with jazz musicians Stantwan Kendricks and Mark McLaurine, played in an impromptu jam session that energized the crowd.

As an advocate, educator and cultural leader for music education, Marsalis regularly conducts master classes, lectures and concerts for students, including the popular Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz for Young People concerts that spawned the first-ever comprehensive jazz appreciation curriculum of the same name for grades 4-9. Marsalis' organization, Jazz at Lincoln Center, is dedicated to bringing jazz to a larger audience and, in doing so, produces nearly 1,000 performances and educational events each year. His educational endeavors also include the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival that has involved more than 3,500 bands in North America and Australia.

Brandford Marsalis will perform the following concerts: May 5 at Clarke Atlanta University in Atlanta GA, May 6 at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans LA, May 8 at The Seasons in Yakima WA, May 10-13 at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle WA, May 15 at Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis MN, May 16 at Paramount Theatre in St. Cloud MN, May 17 at Detroit Orchestra Hall in Detroit MI, May 18 at Wharton Center in E. Lansing MI, June 20 at Town Hall in New York NY, June 21 at International Jazz Festival in Ottawa ON, July 2 at Arts on the Avenue in Philadelphia PA, July 6 at Theatre Maisonneuve in Montreal QC, July 7 at Connecticut State University in Danbury CT, August 8 at Center for the Arts in Jackson WY, August 10 at Dartmouth College in Hanover NH, August 11 at JVC Jazz Fest in Newport RI, September 22 at Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston SC, October 20 at Trinity University in San Antonio TX, October 26-27 at Lincoln Center in New York NY, November 10 at Fox Cities PAC in Appleton WI, November 17 at Wesleyan College in Rochester NY, January 4 at Scottsdale Center for the Arts in Scottsdale AZ, January 6 at Philharmonic Center in Naples FL, and February 1 at Purchase Center in Purchase NY.W

MAYNARD FERGUSON’S FINAL CD RELEASED

Contemporary Productions has announced the release of The One and Only Maynard Ferguson Legacy CD.

Recorded at Bennett Studios in Englewood, NJ, following a sold out engagement in New York City at the famed Blue Note Jazz Club, this CD includes Ferguson's last recordings along with marquis alumni from decades of jazz music they shared together. The One and Only Maynard Ferguson will go on sale this Friday, May 4th and will be sold exclusively through the Maynard Ferguson website http://www.maynardferguson.com. Retail cost is $20.

Ferguson, affectionately known as "The Boss," worked with hundreds of musicians worldwide throughout his more than six decades in the business. He often enlisted the musical and composition talents of notable and famous alumni including Wayne Bergeron, Denis DiBlasio, Chip McNeill, and Steve Wiest as well as many of his Big Bop Nouveau Band members. These talented individuals are just a handful of featured musicians on The One and Only Maynard Ferguson CD. This recording contains nine tracks -- five are new takes on old favorites including "The Days of Wine and Roses" and "Besame Mucho," where fans will enjoy a dueling trumpet duet between Ferguson and Wayne Bergeron. Other tunes include three original compositions by Denis DiBlasio, and an all new composition by pianist and Ferguson's son-in-law, Christian Jacob titled "Lost Horizons" featuring the beautiful flugelhorn played by Ferguson.

The One and Only Maynard Ferguson is quintessential of 'The Boss' and a very seductive collection full of original pieces plus Ferguson's unique take on familiar tunes," said Dr. Herb Wong, an internationally respected jazz journalist, historian, critic and concert producer. "The arrangements by Denis DiBlasio and Chip McNeill are incredible and certainly reflect that unmistakable Maynard Ferguson flair. Memories of bygone performances stand out in this legacy CD, I could hear how excited he was ... Ferguson's
performance was tumultuous."

Ferguson passed away just three weeks after The One and Only Maynard Ferguson was recorded, at the age 78. What was intended to be just one of many albums recorded, this particular one has evolved into Ferguson's legacy piece. The One and Only Maynard Ferguson is sure to secure Ferguson's deserved standing as a legend in the history of American Jazz.

Maynard Ferguson Background:
Walter Maynard Ferguson, born May 4, 1928, in Montreal, started his career at age 13 when he performed as a featured soloist with the Canadian Broadcasting Company Orchestra. He opened for some of the great Big Band Leaders of the 1940s including Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Harry James, and then went on to play with Charlie Barnett, Jimmy Dorsey and Stan Kenton. In 1945 at age 17, Ferguson became the leader of his own Big Band. The 78 year old musical phenomenon went on to record more than 60 albums, receiving numerous honors and awards including the GRAMMY(R) nomination for "Gonna Fly Now" otherwise known as the theme from the movie Rocky. In 2005, Ferguson was awarded Canada's highest civilian honor, the "Order of Canada" from the Right Honorable Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. Additionally, Ferguson has been the recipient of DownBeat Magazine's prestigious "DownBeat" award.

"The Boss" had performed for packed houses for decades. In his final days, he and the Big Bop Nouveau Band were touring the United States, recording what we now know as The One and Only Maynard Ferguson and preparation for a fall 2006 tour in Tokyo. Maynard Ferguson was passionate about his music, his fans and his family. An inspiration both onstage and off, Ferguson's life was full of high notes. His dedication to his craft was unparalleled and his vibrant presence on stage was legendary. Maynard Ferguson will be greatly missed. Maynard Ferguson: 5/4/1928 - 8/23/2006

DIANA KRALL TOUR UPDATE

Singer Diana Krall has just announced dates in support of her latest smooth jazz release, From This Moment On, beginning on June 8th in Oakland, California and criss-crossing the country before returning to California on September 22nd for her appearance at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Her co-headliner at many of the shows will be trumpeter Chris Botti.

This marks her first major public appearances in a year, as the Grammy-award winner took some time off with her husband Elvis Costello after the birth of their twin sons. She will be joined by the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra for her four night stretch at Las Vegas' Hilton Hotel, and for her two nights at the Hollywood Bowl.

Diana Krall Tour dates:

June 8, 9 - Oakland, CA - Yoshi's
June 14, 15, 16, 17 - Las Vegas, NV - Hilton Hotel (w/Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra)
June 19 - Livermore, CA - Wente Vineyard
June 20, 21 - Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery
June 24 - Santa Rosa, CA - Wells Fargo Center
July 7 - Atlantic City, CA - Borgata Event Center (w/Chris Botti)
July 8 - Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center (w/Chris Botti)
July 9 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation PAC (w/Chris Botti)
July 10 - Providence, RI - Providence {PAC (w/Chris Botti)
July 12 - Wallingford, CT - Chevrolet Theater (w/Chris Botti)
July 13 - Hyannis, MA - Cape Cod Melody Tent
July 14 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion
July 16 - Vienna, VA - Wolftrap Filene Center (w/Chris Botti)
July 18 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park (w/Chris Botti)
July 19 - Nashville, TN - Schermerhorn Symphony Center
July 21 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theater (w/Chris Botti)
August 7 - Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater (w/Chris Botti)
August 8 - Eugene, OR - Cuthbert Amphitheater (w/Chris Botti)
August 9 - Portland, OR - Keller Auditorium (w/Chris Botti)
August 11, 12 - Woodinville, WA - Chateau St. Michelle
August 14 - Lake Tahoe, NV - Harveys Outdoor Amp. (w/Chris Botti)
August 15 - San Francisco, CA - Davies Symphony Hall
August 17, 18 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl (w/Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra)
August 19 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl (w/Chris Botti)
August 21 - Temecula, CA - Pechanga Casino
August 22 - San Diego, CA - Bayside
August 23 - Phoenix, AZ - The Dodge Theater (w/Chris Botti)
August 27 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater (w/Chris Botti)
August 29 - St. Louis, MO - Fox Theater (w/Chris Botti)
August 31 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater (w/Chris Botti)
September 2 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia (w/Chris Botti)
September 22 - Monterey, CA - Monterey Jazz Fest

MONTERAY JAZZ FEST ANNOUNCES 2007 LINE UP

The 50-year-old Monterey Jazz Festival has announced its star-studded lineup for 2007, featuring trumpeter Terence Blanchard, vocalist Diana Krall, pianists Dave Brubeck and Gonzalo Rubacalba, saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Ornette Coleman, and many more jazz favorites. The event is scheduled to take place on the weekend of September 21st through 23rd at the Monterey, California Fairgrounds. Shows will occur in the afternoons and evenings, from Friday through Sunday, at the large Arena/Lyons stage and at five additional venues on the grounds. For more information, go to www.montereyjazzfest.com.

Artists scheduled to perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival's Arena are:

Friday, September 21st - Evening
John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension
Dave Holland, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter, Eric Harland
Isaac Delgado

Saturday, September 22nd - Afternoon
Los Lobos
Otis Taylor Band
James Hunter

Saturday, September 22nd - Evening
Diana Krall
Gerald Wilson Orchestra (premiering "Monterey Moods")
Terence Blanchard Quintet (premiering "Requiem for Katrina") with Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra

Sunday, September 23rd - Afternoon
Ornette Coleman
Next Generation Jazz Orchestra with Artist-In-Residence Terence Blanchard
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts/Winning Big Band from MJF's Next Generation Festival

Sunday, September 23rd - Evening
Sonny Rollins
Dave Brubeck Quintet with special guest Jim Hall
Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Stars with Terence Blanchard, Nnenna Freelon, Benny Green and James Moody

NORMAN BROWN - NEW CD & TOUR INFO

Grammy Award-winning guitarist/singer Norman Brown has just released Stay With Me, and this summer he will launch his third annual Summer Storm tour, with Peabo Bryson, Marion Meadows and Jeff Lorber. The tour begins on May 26th in Oceanside, California and continues through the summer and fall, winding up in Avalon, California at the Catalina Jazz Fest on October 21st.

The title track was written and produced by singer/songwriter Brian McKnight, who provides back-up vocals to the R&B tune. Trumpeter Rick Braun and saxophonist Kirk Whalum also guest on the album for a reunion of supergroup BWB on "It's Not Over," and guitarist/producer Paul Brown collaborated on "Pop's Cool Groove" and "Soul Dance" and produced "I Need You." One of his favorite tracks is the bossa nova-flavored "Pop's Cool Groove," which was inspired by his father, who was a fan of legendary guitarist Wes Montgomery. "He would sit down in the basement and listen to me practice for hours and hours," Brown recalls of his dad. "He really liked Wes Montgomery and that style, so I learned that style. And when I finished this song, it was like, 'Oh, yeah. This is Pop's cool groove."

Stay With Me includes the following tracks:

"Let's Take A Ride You"
"You Keep Lifting Me Higher"
"Pop's Cool Groove"
"It Ain't Over BWB"
"So In Love"
"Stay With Me"
"Soul Dance"
"Every Little Thing"
"A Quiet Place"
"I Need You"
Dates for Norman Brown's Summer Storm tour are as follows:

May 26 - Oceanside, CA - Oceanside Pier Amphitheater
June 17 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl/Playboy Jazz Fest
June 20 - Detroit, MI - Chene Park
June 22 - Wilmington, DE - Rodney Square
June 23 - Hampton, VA - Hampton Jazz Fest
June 24 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Freihofer's Jazz Fest
July 7 - Omaha, NE - Omaha Riverfront Jazz & Festival (w/o Peabo Bryson)
July 8 - Columbus, OH - Wendy's Corporate Headquarters
July 20 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
July 21 - Melbourne, FL - King Center for Performing Arts
July 22 - Indianapolis, IN - Indianapolis Black Expo
July 28 - Harrisburg, PA - The Forum Theatre
August 17 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
August 18 - Temecula, CA - Wilson Creek Winery
August 24 - Seattle, WA - Seattle University
August 25 - Las Vegas, NV - Boulder Station Casino
September 7 - West Bend, WI - Ziegler Kettle Moraine Jazz Fest
September 8 - Central Park, CA - BB Jazz Fest
September 22 - Scottsdale, AZ - Scottsdale Civic Center Amphitheater
October 19 - Clearwater, FL - Clearwater Jazz Holiday
October 21 - Avalon, CA - Catalina Jazz Festival

2007 JVC JAZZ FESTIVAL – NEW YORK TAKES OVER THE CITY JUNE 17-30

The 2007 JVC Jazz Festival - New York, produced by George Wein and The Festival Network, takes over the city June 17 - 30 with more than 300 artists in nearly 200 concerts and events (including clubs) at 28 venues in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and reaching as far as Philadelphia.

The 8:00 p.m. Carnegie Hall concerts begin on June 21 with Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, Gary Peacock followed by India.Arie and Lizz Wright on June 22 and Patti LaBelle and Lou Donaldson Quartet, June 23. Don't miss C'est Si Bon: Eartha Kitt's Fabulous 80th Birthday Concert on June 25 and Cesaria Evora and The Bird and the Bee on June 26. Ron Carter: The Master @ 70 takes the stage on June 27, featuring Ron Carter & Friends in four groups -- Quartet with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter & Billy Cobham; Trio with Mulgrew Miller & Russell Malone; Duets with Jim Hall; and New Quartet with Stephen Scott, Payton Crossley & Rolando Morales. Then it's Nancy Wilson's Swingin' 70th Birthday Party with Nancy Wilson Trio and Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, Nnenna Freelon, Herbie Hancock, Ramsey Lewis and Dianne Reeves on June 29 and Bela Fleck & The Flecktones plus The Del McCoury Band on June 30.

At Zankel Hall, catch Lee Konitz's Beautiful 80th Birthday Party featuring Lee Konitz with Orquestra Jazz Matosinhos & New Nonet & String Quartet plus special guests Paul Motian & Steve Swallow on June 25; Benny Carter Centennial Celebration: The King of New York starring Loren Schoenberg Big Band, June 26; and Jean-Luc Ponty, June 27, all at 8:30 p.m.

The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College presents Jimmy McPartland Centennial Celebration, June 19; We Remember Ruby: A Musical Salute to Ruby Braff, June 20; and Phoebe Jacobs -- A Life Well-lived: A Work Still in Progress featuring the Music of Eubie Blake, Benny Goodman, Peggy Lee, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan & Louis Armstrong on June 21, all at 8:00 p.m.

JVC Jazz Festival moves to The Town Hall at 8:00 p.m. for Preservation Hall at Town Hall: Bourbon Street Comes to Broadway on June 19, followed by a double bill with Branford Marsalis and the Joshua Redman Trio on June 20. Wrapping up the series is YKK Presents Jazz: East & West featuring on June 21.

Kenny Barron & Eliane Elias perform at The Allen Room at Rose Hall on June 24 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. JVC Jazz Festival presents Vijay Iyer & Rudresh Mahanthappa Duo on June 22, Anat Fort, June 27 and Ned Rothenberg & Glen Velez on June 29 at the Rubin Museum of Art at 7:00 p.m.

Hurry up to Harlem for A Father's Day Gift with Sonny Fortune Quartet on June 17 at 3:00 p.m. at Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Geri Allen Trio at the Studio Museum in Harlem on June 27 at 7:30 p.m.

The Jazz Standard spotlights five World Jazz Nights featuring Lionel Loueke Trio on June 26; Avishai Cohen Sextet, June 27; and Roswell Rudd's MALIcool, June 28 - 30 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. with an 11:30 p.m. set on Friday and Saturday. The 2-for-1 Club Night series offers special discounts to JVC Jazz Festival ticket holders at The Blue Note, Iridium Jazz Club, The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, Smoke, Sweet Rhythm and Zinc.

Catch free concerts Outdoors at Citicorp Plaza at St. Peter's Church at 12:30 p.m. including Downbeat Presents: Jazz Combos on June 21 and a Celebration of International Women in Jazz on June 28. The JVC Jazz Festival teams up with Celebrate Brooklyn! to present Groove Collective, Ravi Coltrane Quartet and Craig Harris Ensemble in a free concert at Prospect Park Bandshell at 7:00 p.m. on June 29.

Shop and bop 'til you drop at six free concerts at Macy's including Sonny Fortune at Macy's Herald Square on June 7 at 6:00 p.m.; an artist to be announced at Macy's Brooklyn on June 8 at 6:00 p.m.; International Women in Jazz featuring Audrey Silver Quartet at Macy's Queens, June 9, at 3:00 p.m.; Eric Mintel at Macy's Center City in Philadelphia at 3:00 p.m., June 9; and Roni Ben-Hur, June 14 at 6:00 p.m. and an artist to be announced on June 18, at noon at Herald Square.

Hotel 57, located at 130 East 57th Street, is the host hotel of the JVC Jazz Festival. Call (212) 753-8841 or visit www.hotel57.com. Tickets for JVC Jazz Festival are on sale now at respective box offices. For a Festival brochure, call (646) 862-0458, write JVC Jazz Festival - New York, P.O. Box 1169, Ansonia Station, New York, NY 10023 or visit the JVC Jazz Festival website at www.festivalproductions.net. JVC, sponsor of JVC Jazz Festivals worldwide since 1984, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of high quality audio and video products.

CANADIAN SMOOTH JAZZ AWARDS

The Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, hosted by Alexander Zonjic, gave double honors to the Strung Out Troubadors featuring Rik Emmett and Dave Dunlop on Friday (April 27th) night, awarding their self-titled set Album of the Year and the band itself Group of the Year.

Other notable wins went to Warren Hill for Wind Instrumentalist for the third straight year; Al Jarreau for International Vocalist; Nick Colionne for International Instrumentalist; and jazz supergroup Spyro Gyra, who were awarded the George Benson Lifetime Achievement Award.

The evening featured performances by Brian Culbertson, Warren Hill, Gabriel Mark Hasselbach, Carol Welsman, Maysa, David Pack and Jeff Lorber.
The winners of this years Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards are:

International Instrumental - Nick Colionne
International Vocal - Al Jarreau
Female Vocalist - Kellylee Evans
Male Vocalist - Marc Jordan
Group/Duo - Strung Out Troubadours
Guitarist of the Year - Johannes Linstead
Wind Instrumentalist of the Year - Warren Hill
Keyboardist/Pianist - Carol Welsman
Album of the Year - Rik Emmett / Dave Dunlop - Strung Out Troubadours
Best Original Composition presented by SOCAN - Amy Sky /Eddie Schwartz - "Everything Love Is"

LIVE GROVER WASHINGTON JR. CD TO BE RELEASED

A live performance from the Monterey Jazz Festival by the late smooth jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. will be released on July 31st as the debut disc from Monterey Jazz Festival Records, the new label created to celebrate the festival's 50th anniversary this fall. The album is yet to be titled.

The performance was Washington's only one at the legendary festival, just five years prior to his death from a heart attack on December 17, 1999 at the age of 56. On the never-before-heard recording, Washington plays tenor, alto and soprano sax, and he is joined by music director Bill Jolly on keyboards and vocals, Donald Robinson on keys, Richard Lee Steacker on guitar, Lanar Brantley on bass, Steven Wolf on drums, and Pablo Batista on congas and percussion.

Live Monterey Jazz Festival records featuring Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk and Shirley Horn will also be released on July 31st and additional releases are slated for September.

The track listing for Grover Washington Jr.'s Live CD includes:
"Black Frost"
"Gramercy Park"
"Brand New Age"
"When I Fall in Love"
"Please Send Me Someone to Love"
"Take Five (Take Another Five)"
MEDLEY:
"Winelight"
"Inner City Blues"
"Jammin'"
"Ain't No Sunshine"
"East River Drive"
"Inside Moves"
"Lock It in the Pocket"
"Just the Two of Us"
"Sausalito"

URSULA 1000 IN EUROPE

Globetrotter extraordinaire Ursula 1000 will return to Europe for another round of DJ dates this summer. Look for a brand new, digital only remix album from Mr. 1000 in the coming weeks complete with his brand new video for "Electrick Boogie."

Ursula 1000
5/03: @ Cheeky B*stard @ Hiro Ballroom, New York, NY
5/04: @ Palacio del Peligro, San Francisco, California
5/16: @ Capri Bar, Essen, Germany
5/18: @ Summer Stage, St. Petersburg, Russia
5/19: @ Foo Club, Hamburg, Germany
5/23: @ Supercharged @ Club Audio, Brighton, UK (w/ Fort Knox Five)
5/25: @ Fabric, London, UK (w/ Fort Knox Five)
5/26: @ Live Music (Eclipse), Bucharest, Romania
5/27: @ Chill Out Festival, Istanbul, Turkey
6/01: @ Donna Disco, Kiev, Ukraine
6/02: @ Siroco, Madrid, Spain
6/03: @ Beach Bar Helona, Halkidiki, Greece
6/04: @ Arthouse - Thessaloniki, Greece
6/06: @ 603 Club - Saarbrucken, Germany
6/09: @ Supperclub, San Francisco, California
6/15: @ APT, New York, NY
6/23: @ Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia MD
(with Manu Chao, Thievery Corporation, Bebel Gilberto, Nickodemus, Thunderball)

KCSM-FM PROMOTES WORLD”S THIRD LARGEST COLLECTION OF JAZZ RECORDINGS

Goodman Marketing Partners (GMP), a full service direct marketing company, has created a direct mail campaign for KCSM-FM in San Mateo, Calif., that promotes the little known fact that KCSM maintains the world's third largest collection of jazz recordings. Only the Smithsonian Institute and Rutgers University have larger ones. "Financial supporters of KCSM-FM have one big thing in common, they all love jazz," says Carolyn Goodman, founder, president and managing partner of GMP. To leverage that commonality, the direct mail campaign features the station's on-air host of "A Morning Cup of Jazz," Alisa Clancy, to serve as its spokesperson. Written in her voice, the direct mail letters make many references to jazz musicians, selections and jazz trivia. Speaking as a "jazz insider" throughout the letters, she creates a relationship with the reader with both popular and obscure facts, tidbits and recording information.

Alisa's letters also ask listeners for their input with requests for a particular artist or recording. The letters create an open and inviting atmosphere while asking the reader to make a financial contribution to the station. An eye-catching buckslip features a jazz quiz to engage readers and help them discern their jazz knowledge. "We have been extremely pleased with the results this campaign is achieving for us," says Sinclair Crockett, development director of KCSM. "We have exceeded our fundraising goal and increased the stature of our station as a leading purveyor and resource of one of the world's largest collections of jazz."

Goodman Marketing Partners is a strategic direct marketing company comprised of senior direct response specialists who design, develop and execute direct marketing solutions. The firm provides clients with a complete range of direct response services including direct mail, email, landing pages, direct response print, television and radio, and point-of-sale collateral. Current clients include Autodesk, Wells Fargo Bank, St. Supery Vineyards and Winery, KCSM-TV, KCSM-FM, Home Service USA, and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In 2006, the San Francisco Business Times ranked GMP as one of the "Top 100 Women-Owned Businesses" in the San Francisco Bay Area.

NEW FEDERICO AUBELE ITUNES EXCLUSIVE EP!

Federico Aubele will release an iTunes exclusive live EP "Live @ Stubbs" this coming Tuesday, May 8th. This 3-track EP features a live version of "En el Desierto," a brand new song from Federicos forthcoming album, Panamericana. The EP was recorded on a hot and hazy night at the legendary Stubbs Bar-b-q in Austin, Texas as Federico opened for Thievery Corporation to help kick off last years Austin City Limits Music Festival. The new album, Panamericana, is released worldwide on September 18th, 2007.

Due to a broken ankle, Bebel Gilberto has had to postpone her LA, Chicago & Toronto dates due to start next week. That means that Federico Aubeles tour dates have changed as well. New dates are below including an appearance at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Federico Aubele
DJ
5/5: @ Moorea Beach @ Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
5/11: @ Loft party, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Nickodemus)
5/12: @ Moorea Beach @ Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
Acoustic
5/19: @ Carnival Center, Miami, FL
5/22-23: @ Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY
Supporting Bebel Gilberto
6/30: Montreal Jazz Festival @ Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, Montreal, Quebec
Supporting Skye
**Special instructions for LA loft party RSVP to artdontsleep@sbcglobal.net venue and address will be announced the day of the show. $12 9pm late

TITO PUENTE – NEW BIOGRAPHY DUE ON KING OF LATIN JAZZ

"Tito Puente: When the Drums Are Dreaming" (now available through AuthorHouse) is the life story of Ernesto "Tito" Puente, the legendary Latin music king. This entertaining and revealing book by Josephine Powell, Puente's former dance partner and artistic advisor, recounts the fascinating and inspirational life of the man once referred to as the "greatest Latin musician of the twentieth
century."

Puente, a dirt-poor Puerto Rican-American, was born in 1923 in New York's Spanish Harlem. As a young boy, he dreamed of becoming a dancer like Fred Astaire; however, an ankle injury gave him the opportunity to explore his musical talents. At 14, Puente won the Benny Goodman-Gene Krupa drum contest. He soon discovered the intoxicating sound of Cuban music, and at 17 he joined the Machito Orchestra, becoming proficient in the Cuban timbale drums.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Puente felt compelled to enlist in the U.S. Navy, where he led a band performing wartime tunes for his ship's crew. When the war ended, musical influences drove him to Havana, where he explored the ancient Afro-Cuban rhythm of the drums. It was here that Puente became a devotee of Santeria, an Afro-Cuban cult religion often referred to as black magic. The ritual drum pattern of this music was mesmerizing to Puente and would forever haunt him.

In 1956 Puente signed with RCA Records, but with the emergence of rock 'n' roll, record producers soon bailed out of Latin music. The Cuban Revolution brought stringent embargoes of products and music that ended an era of flourishing creativity and sent Cuban music and entertainment underground. Puente was forbidden to return to Havana to further his knowledge of Cuban music. While he went on to record more than 135 albums, receive numerous awards and Grammy nominations, and achieve worldwide acclaim and respect, his inability to explore this type of music left him feeling unfulfilled. Powell concludes, "Tito became larger than life. He was highly recognizable and while his adoring public sought his signature, he wasn't satisfied. Until his death, the Latin beat continued to haunt him."

Powell, a gold medal ballroom dancer, has been a presenter and judge for the Feather Awards, the U.S. Open National Swing Dance Competition and the National Salsa Dancing competitions. She is a Cuban music historian, and a lecturer/consultant on ballroom music and dancing, as well as in Latin American music. She was a consultant on the motion pictures "Salsa," "Havana" and the "Mambo Kings," whose soundtrack received a Grammy nomination. She is a regularly featured musicologist on radio stations KXLU
and KPFK in Los Angeles. In 1990, Powell obtained a star for Puente on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Now retired from the entertainment industry, Powell is a successful Realtor in Beverly Hills, and the President of Pan Americana Enterprises Inc. "Tito Puente: When the Drums Are Dreaming" is the author's first book.

NEW HOWARD HEWETT DUE - FIRST IN 10 YEARS

Veteran singer Howard Hewett has recorded his first new album in a decade. The album, titled If Only, will be released May 15th on The Groove Records. The latest single from the former Shalamar singer's project is the ballad "Can U Feel Me," which follows the leadoff track "Enough."

Featured on the album are top-notch musicians including keyboardist George Duke, saxophonist Gerald Albright, singer Marc Nelson, guitarist Nils, bassist Nathan East, drummer Ricky Lawson and percussionist Paulinho Da Costa. The album also features one of the last recordings by the late Billy Preston, who played on Hewett's version of John Lennon's "Imagine."

"The reason I didn't put out a record sooner is because I didn't have much to say. Things are different now," explains Hewett. "I can honestly say that I've stayed true to myself over the years and I take pride in that. I've spent the last bunch of years enjoying my family, being home during my daughter's formative years, and connecting with fans over 125 times each year via performances and personal appearances. People are always asking me when I will put out a new record. The timing feels right now and I'm excited about performing the new music."

Hewett is set to unveil the new material at a special May 11th performance at B.B. King's Blues club in Los Angeles. 

R&B SINGER /SONGWRITER JOE DEBUTS AT #1 ON BILLBOARD R&B CHARTS

Jive recording artist and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Joe debuts at #1 this week on Billboard's R&B Albums chart with his new album, Ain't Nothin' Like Me. The album also debuted in the #2 spot on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart selling 98,090 units. The album features collaborations with Nas, Yung Joc
and label mate Papoose; with top- notch production by StarGate, Tim & Bob, Sean Garrett, Cool & Dre and others.

Ain't Nothin' Like Me, is the R&B balladeer's sixth album. Joe's single "If I Was Your Man" is currently a Top 5 staple on Billboard's Urban AC chart and is in rotation at BET and BET J. The album has received glowing
reviews: AP raves, "Joe is still on his A-Game;" and The Dallas Morning News says the album "should reinforce his status as a certified soul crooner for the grown and sexy set ... "

Throughout his 14-year career, Joe has collaborated with a broad range of talented artists including: Mariah Carey, G-Unit and the late Big Pun. The Columbus, Georgia native has sold over 5 million albums to date. Joe recently performed his smash hit "If I Was Your Man" on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Additional television appearances include BET's Mother's Day Special, and the new season of MTV's Making The Band. Joe recently embarked on a national tour with fellow R&B singer Brian McKnight that kicked off in Oakland, CA on April 27 and will stop in most major markets including Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta and New York.

MICHAEL BUBLE TOPS THE ITUNES ALBUM CHARTS AROUND THE WORLD

Michael's Buble's brand new studio release, Call Me Irresponsible, was released this week worldwide! The CD has entered the top 10 on the iTunes album chart in over 19 countries and has debuted at the #1 spot in Germany and 5 other European territories!

Michael performed a sensational show at New York's famed Webster Hall on Monday, April 30th. The show was broadcast live worldwide exclusively in MSN's Control Room. The concert will remain on MSN for six months and can be viewed right here: http://music.msn.com/michaelbuble. Also on MSN will be Buble videos, artist information and photos that span his entire career.

Check out http://michaelbuble.com next week when Michael's entire U.S. tour is announced. Shows in New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles go on sale this Friday at 10am through Ticketmaster and Chicago is on sale next Monday!

Members of Michael's official fan club, Bungalow-B, have a chance to buy tickets before the public so why not check into Bungalow-B.com to get in on the presale action and find out what other gifts and rewards can be yours!

There are 3 different versions of Call Me Irresponsible to choose from: Standard, Special, and Internet Editions. The deluxe Internet Edition is available only in Michael's Store. The 15 track CD pairs with a beautiful 40 page full color hard cover book encased in a metal look slip case. This is a must-have for any MB fan! Call Me Irresponsible can also be found in Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Whole Foods, Sharper Image, Nordstrom and Target stores across America.

Target is packaging an exclusive 30 minute 'making of' DVD with the 13 track CD. This is available in Target stores only! If you prefer your music digitally then check out our iTunes Exclusive. Call Me Irresponsible includes bonus track "L.O.V.E." plus an exclusive behind the scenes video & PDF.

Michael is back in the UK this week for more European press. He appears this Thursday on Parky TV. Check out the Regis & Kelly Show Thursday, May 10th where Michael makes a guest appearance.

BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS – ROOTS, ROCK , REMIXED TO BE RELEASED JULY 24, 2007

Bob Marley is one of the most celebrated and beloved figures on the planet and the term reggae is aynonymous with the musical legacy he left behind. Digging deeply into that sacred catalog, the dozen remixes of legendary songs on Roots, Rock, Remixed are taking the familiar and cherished and reintroducing it to sound systems worldwide. Roots, Rock, Remixed is slated for release on Quango/rockr music, July 24, 2007.

Featuring a crop of today's hottest producers - including Jimpster (Jamie Odell), Yes King (Rhys Adams & Mark Rae), Trio Elétrico (Boozoo Bajou), Fort Knox Five and DJ Spooky - Roots, Rock, Remixed balances that fine line of being respectful to the inimitable artist Nesta was, and using the bass-heavy, digital technologies available to us today. Nothing of the gorgeous, analog originals (including classics like "One Love," "Trenchtown Rock," and "Lively Up Yourself") is lost in translation.

While some bootleg remixes of these songs exist, Roots, Rock, Remixed is the first remix album to receive a certified blessing from the Marley family and Chris Blackwell, himself, who stated, "Roots, Rock, Remixed retains the songs and the spirit of the original Wailers' recordings and creates a great dance party record."

"We thought there was a lack of quality Bob Marley remixes for the underground," says David Hargis, co-producer and VP of A&R at rockr music, which spearheaded this project. "There have been a few high profile, mass market projects, but we wanted to present something for dance club audiences. There's a lot of warmth and humanity in these songs. None sound too electronic or far from the analog originals. Everyone who worked on this project had deep respect for the music."

Yet, those drum beats and bass lines are completely new - the studio refurbishing of skilled hands and ears. Cordovan's hip-hop slick-kick adds punch to the sing-along "One Love," while Afrodisiac Sound System takes "Soul Shakedown Party" from ghetto blaster to mega club experience. Jimpster's excellent retelling of "400 Years," considered crucial in the Peter Tosh library, makes this song of rebellion available for the four-on-the-floor audience. Through and through, the Wailers shine in every moment.

"We're honored to work with such an important body of music," says Jeff Daniel, the album's co-producer and rockr music's chief. "Marley's sound was like no other and his indelible stamp can be heard all through these great new remixes. We took great care not to disrespect his legend."

"There's a really nice balance between those that stick to the roots, and the ones that create their own interpretations," says Bruno Guez, President of Quango Records. Adding to the sentiment, Hargis continues, "Some of the remixers stuck with the familiar song structure and layered modern elements into them, while others took samples of the originals and transformed them into something completely new. It was often astounding how creative these DJs & producers were."

Originally launching Quango under Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures years ago, Guez knows the Marley catalog inside and out. While Blackwell was pivotal in introducing the young Rasta to global ears, this project is quite circular for the groundbreaking Quango.

"These are many of the seed songs for Bob," Hargis concludes. "He went back through his catalog and updated many of them for Island later in his career. In a sense, we're doing the same thing with these remixes. There are a lot of special songs here."

GRAMMY-NOMINATED HAPRIST DEBORAH HENSON-CONANT

She strides on stage with the energy of a rock star and pulls a soulful, electrifying power-chord from her harp. If you think the harp isn't "that" kind of instrument, it wasn’t until Deborah Henson-Conant got her hands on it - literally - and convinced European builders to invent a harp she could strap on like an electric
guitar. Now she takes center stage, her multi-colored braids flying, and plays in styles from Flamenco to Blues, with a musical-theatre-style singing voice and a narrative of storytelling and humor. The result: one-woman shows that blur the line between musical performance and theatrical event.

"The transformation of my harp is a metaphor for what happens when we break personal stereotypes and authentically express who we are," says Henson-Conant. "That's what I try to do in every show." In her latest work - the DVD, CD and TV special "Invention & Alchemy" - Henson-Conant collaborates with an 80-piece orchestra, reinventing the interplay of soloist and symphony into a more interactive and theatrical
format she dubs "symphonic music theatre."

"I wanted to use all the power and the beauty of a full orchestra as an entrance to personal experience," says Henson-Conant, who wrote all the songs, stories and orchestrations. The project continues to win awards, from a Grammy Nomination to first prize in the International Songwriting Competition, and is appearing on PBS stations nationwide. Described as a "combination of Leonard Bernstein, Steven Tyler and Xena
the Warrior Princess" by the Boston Globe, Henson-Conant has opened for Ray Charles, been featured at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, played the 17,000-seat Bercy stadium in Paris, won awards from NEA and "Meet the Composer" and been featured on shows from NBC's "Today" to NPR's "Weekend
Edition."

Henson-Conant's upcoming performances include solo shows in Boston and NYC, and orchestral shows in NY State and Florida. Her recent Science-Meets-Music series debuted at the Cambridge Science Festival.

THE GROOVE BOUTIQUE BACK IN THE GARDEN STATE!

Beginning 5/16, Rafe will be back in the Garden State for an exclusive and oh-so-happnin' weekly appearance: Jazz Wednesdays at 46 Lounge!. 47 Lounge a beautiful restaurant/club that's around 15 minutes outside of the Lincoln Tunnel in Totowa, NJ, is the ideal locale for amazing food, irresistible cocktails, indulgent ambiance, and live jazz!  Some of the hottest NYC studio cats, t.v. musicians, and recording artists will be doing their thang at Jazz Wednesdays - along with the hosting and spinning services of Mr. G...

Coming to Jazz Wednesdays @ 46 Lounge:
5/16 - Saxophonist Jerry Vivino of The Max Weinberg 7 ("Late Night with Conan O'Brien")
5/23 - Guitarist John Tropea (Deodato, Ray Barretto, David Sanborn, Paul Simon, The Blues Brothers)!
5/30 - Harmonica guru Rob Paparozzi of The Blues Brothers Band

There's no other night in northern NJ as cool, sexy, and delicious as Jazz Wednesdays @ 46 Lounge!  Cover is $10 (free admission with dinner).  For table reservations, call 201.998.4001!
 

CHICAGO JAZZ FEST 2007

Pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Charlie Haden and the Mingus Big Band will headline the 29th annual Chicago Jazz Festival, running Aug. 30 to Sept. 3."An Evening with Herbie Hancock" will open the festival with a performance Aug. 30 at Symphony Center. The music-making then will shift to Grant Park on Aug. 31, when the featured artists will include the Michele Rosewoman septet and the Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood quartet. On Sept. 1, singer Ernestine Anderson will perform with saxophonist/flutist Frank Wess; the evening will close with Haden and his Liberation Music Orchestra (Haden serves as this year's artist in residence). On Sept. 2, Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra, featuring Bill Dixon, and the Mingus Big Band will conclude the fest.

As always, three nights of performances will precede the official festival, making for a Chicago Jazz Festival week stretching from Aug. 27 to Sept. 3. Trumpeter Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic will play in Millennium Park on Aug. 27. Jon Faddis, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, James Moody and others will play "A Night in Havana" tribute to Dizzy Gillespie at the Harris Theater Aug. 28. And the annual Jazz Club Tour will take visitors by bus to several venues, Aug. 29.

For more information, call the Mayor's Office of Special Events, which produces the festival, at 312-744-3315, or the Jazz Institute of Chicago, which programs it, at 312-427-1676.

SOUTH JERSEY NOW HAS ITS OWN EXCLUSIVE SMOOTH JAZZ PARTY

ON May 25, 2007, SMOOTH 91.7 & FRIENDS will launch the LAST FRIDAYS SMOOTH JAZZ LISTENER PARTIES at Gensollen's Nightclub, located just outside of Atlantic City at 247 White Horse Pike(Rt. 30) in Absecon, New Jersey, where our aim is to have a place to connect with our Smooth Jazz listening audience, while also allowing them to connect with each other.

Performing live on May 25th will be Wilmington, DE supergroup Aniya, plus 15-year- old keyboardist, producer and arranger Kne-O’Chaw Hampton. On the last Friday of each month, all Smooth Jazz aficionados will be able to schedule an escape from your busy lifestyle...in a place that's created just for you and where you can eat, drink and Get Their Smooth Groove On. South Jersey's only Smooth Jazz listener appreciation parties will make it live--with concerts showcasing many of the region's emerging Smooth Jazz stars & Personal--with socializing, networking and partying in the cozy atmosphere of our host venue.

LAST FRIDAYS will present a sophisticated and classy mix of Smooth Jazz, delicious food, occasional gourmet wine tastings, hourly door prizes and even an old-school dance partying in between and after the live music sets. Live performances by the region's most talented emerging artists will have our patrons looking forward to each subsequent visits. SMOOTH 91.7 creator, producer and host Dorian Gilmer will set a festive tone with Mardi Gras beads to welcome patrons and door prizes such as Smooth Jazz cds, SMOOTH 91.7 sampler cds and t-shirts, as well as sponsored copies of national Jazz magazine publications...and that's just for starters.

”LAST FRIDAYS” IS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC & THE MUSIC LOVER... and other artists whose music will be “discovered”(or re-discovered) at LAST FRIDAYS will include... AIRBORNE, PAULA ATHERTON, PAULINE BENNICK, ALFONSO BLACKWELL, ELLAS y AMIGOS, KNE- O'CHAW HAMPTON, IGUAZU, HOWARD ISAACSON, GORDON JAMES, ANDREW NEU, PLEX BAND, QUEST feat. MIKE JAROSZ, SPUR OF THE MOMENT, LOUIS “NICKY” TAYLOR, DON ”JUAN” WARD, LANNY WARD, ...and numerous other pleasant surprises.

TICKETS for Last Fridays are $20 for General Admission(bar seating and rear tables) and $35 for VIP(close-up reserved table seating with complimentary appetizers from 7-9pm). All tickets are $10 off when purchased in advance by calling 609-204-9466 or 609-892 -1771. Please visit the official website --at www.lastfridays.gq.nu--to keep abreast of up-coming performers and special theme nights. While you're there, you can hit us up in the Guestbook, where all visitors can leave their “2-cents” for all others to see.

COOL JAZZ WINNIPEG FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES HEADLINERS

COOL Jazz Winnipeg Festival has announced headline acts for the 2007 festival this week. The world-class roster will include jazz piano masters Herbie Hancock and Dave Brubeck, vocalist Madeleine Peyroux, and blues guitar god Derek Trucks among the many performers.
Pushing back the dates of the festival by one week to accommodate some acts, the festival will run June 22 to July 2 rather than it’s traditional June dates.

The Performance Series headliners will feature a number of notable double-bills: Herbie Hancock teams with the Kenny Garrett Quartet, Joshua Redman Trio with post-boppers The Bad Plus, and singer/pianist Freddy Cole with saxophonist David (Fathead) Newman.

The Pyramid Casino’s New Groove Series will feature British R&B sensation James Hunter, Verve artist singer-songwriter Jackie Greene, turntablists DJ Champion and Girl Talk, hip-hopper Cadence Weapon, instrumentalists The Hylozoists, Afrobeat ensemble Antibalas and the Latin group Salsa Na’Ma.

The Windsor Hotel will showcase the Blues Series, which will feature John Lee Hooker Jr., picker Guitar Shorty and California jump-band Little Charlie & the Nightcats. The festival’s Late Nite Series showcases the inventive Vijay Iyer Quartet, Canuck singers Sophie Milman and Dione Taylor, bassist Esperanza Spalding and a host of local acts.

‘JAZZ MY SOUL’ FROM THE JAZZ EXPLORERS

Rhythm Dynamics, Inc. is proud to announce "Jazz My Soul" CD by The Jazz Explorers, a new collective jazz workshop built on a deep creative foundation with broad appeal. This extraordinary project features great performances by a unique gathering of jazz legends, including George Cables, Dave Liebman, Carmen Lundy, Billy Hart, Sonny Fortune, Victor Lewis and Cecil McBee with a strong supporting cast. "Jazz My Soul" propels contemporary mainstream jazz forward with power and subtlety.

The Jazz Explorers perform the soulful original music of composer, producer and band leader Tim Duffy, whose influences include Duke Ellington, Howlin’ Wolf, Charles Lloyd, Sun Ra, and James Brown. Producer Bob Funk, owner of Rhythm Dynamics, brings to this project a broad range of musical experience, as an original member of The Uptown Horns, including live performance and/or recording with Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones, BB King, Stevie Wonder, Tom Waits, Albert Collins, Sammy Davis Jr, David Sanborn, James Brown and Frank Sinatra Jr.

"Jazz My Soul" features two shimmering vocals, "We're Only Human" and "Autumn" both with deep under currents, exquisitely interpreted by the great Carmen Lundy, that bridge the classic/smooth/contemporary categories. The instrumental tracks of "Jazz My Soul" convey a broad range of emotions from the driving hard-bop "International Ballistic Soul Kiss" with a burning solo by Dave Liebman, to the funky smooth groove of "Mo Trane", to the profound piano of George Cables on "Our Father", "Mystique" and "Moroccan" culminating with the heartfelt tribute, "In Memorium, Elvin Jones" delivered by former band mate, Sonny Fortune. From atmospheric to inspiring, "Jazz My Soul" is the real deal.

DIANA KRALL TOUR UPDATE

Diana Krall will perform the following concerts: June 8-9 at Yoshi's in Oakland CA, June 14-17 at Las Vegas Hilton in Las Vegas NV, June 20-21 at Mountain Winery in Saratoga CA, July 14 at Bank of America Pavilion in Boston MA, August 14 at Harvey's Outdoor Amphitheatre in Stateline NV, August 15 at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco CA, and September 22 at Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey CA.

NEW RELEASES MAY 1, 2007

Allman Brothers Band - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: (Island/Mercury)
Angelique Kidjo - Djin Djin (Razor & Tie)
Antonio Carlos Jobim - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: (Hip-O)
Black Uhuru - Brutal/Brutal Dub (Ras)
Booker Ervin - Freedom Book [Bonus Track] (Prestige)
Dan Carlin - Prowlin (Rhombus)
Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True (Hip-O)
Erik Truffaz - Arkhangelsk (Blue Note)
Fats Domino - Walking to New Orleans (St. Clair)
Fred Hersch Trio - Night & the Music (Palmetto)
Jay Hoggard - Right Place (JHVM)
Jay Hoggard - Songs of Spiritual Love (JHVM)
Jimmy Cliff - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: (Hip-O)
Joan Armatrading - Into the Blues (429 Records)
John McLaughlin - Indiana (Island)
John Tesh - Passionate Life (Word Entertainment)
L.T.D. - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: (A&M)
Marcia Griffiths - Melody Life: Reggae Anthology (VP)
Mary Jane Girls - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: (Motown)
Michael Bublé - Call Me Irresponsible (Reprise/WEA)
Michael Bublé - Call Me Irresponsible [Bonus Track] (Reprise/WEA
Mike Taylor - Pendulum (Sunbeam)
Mood Architects - Malibu: Jazz at the Beach House (Avalon)
Nadine Sutherland - Call My Name (Eight76)
Puppini Sisters - Betcha Bottom Dollar (Verve Forecast)
Rahsaan Roland Kirk/Jack McDuff - Kirk's Work (Prestige)
Roy Haynes/Phineas Newborn/Paul Chambers - We Three [Prestige] (Prestige)
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - 20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection (A&M)
Stephanie Mills - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: (Geffen)
Tadd Dameron with John Coltrane - Mating Call (Prestige)
Terry Walker - True Vision (Que Note)
Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Monk [Prestige #2] (Prestige)
Third World - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: (Island)
Toots & the Maytals - Recoup (Rhythm Club)
Toots & the Maytals - Ska Father (Rhythm Club)
Various Artists - Jazz at the Philharmonic 1956 (Fresh Sounds)

SIMPLY RED RELEASES NEW SINGLE

Simply Red's next single will be the title track STAY which will be released in the UK on May 28th to co-incide with the live dates at the Royal Albert Hall in London. There will be two different versions of the single available, a CD maxi and for the first time ever a DVD single. The CD maxi features 5 versions of Stay; the original version, a brand new radio version and three remixes. The limited edition DVD features new exclusive footage of Stay (live) and So Not Over You (live) from the Paradiso showcase in Amsterdam in February The CD maxi features 5 versions of Stay; the original version, a brand new radio version and three remixes. The limited edition DVD features new exclusive footage of Stay (live) and So Not Over You (live) from the Paradiso showcase in Amsterdam in February.

Simply Red travel back to the UK from Canada today to record TV shows in Austria, Italy and Sweden this weekend:
Friday 4th May "Dancing Stars" in Vienna
Saturday 5th May "Apocalypse Show" in Rome
Sunday 6th May "Bingolotto" in Gothenburg

ALLABOUTJAZZ.COM LAUNCHES MP3 DOWNLOAD STORE

James Pearse, the AAJ Download Store Manager, has experienced many facets of the music industry firsthand having worked for a record label, a physical music store, and an online retailer; and has helped contour a store that will appeal to jazz buyers and sellers alike. “The music downloads will be accessible from almost any page at the AAJ website. If you go to an AAJ page about Freddie Hubbard, for instance, you will find links there to download and purchase Freddie Hubbard songs and albums. You'll see this integration throughout the website. AAJ is in a unique position to play a key role in boosting jazz download sales. We're very excited about what this can mean for jazz musicians and fans everywhere,” explains Pearse. AAJ will work directly with record labels and distributors to build a store that offers a deep catalog of music spanning the many genres of jazz.

NEW RELEASES FROM DAVE KOZ, FOUR 80 EAST, MARIO BIONDI, NORMAN BROWN & OTHERS...

Here’s a list of some recent Smooth Jazz releases that you might have missed…
Andre Ward – Crystal City (Orpheus Music)
Bill McGee – Chase The Sunset (804 Jazz)
Boday – Butterfly Legs (Boday.com)
Brian Bromberg – Downright Upright (Artistry Music)
Chieli Minucci & Special EFX – Sweet Surrender (Shanachie)
Chris Webster – Something In The Water (Dig Music)
Chuck Loeb – Presence (Heads Up)
D-Lucca – Cruise Control (Dlucca.com)
Dalminjo – One Day You’ll Dance For Me Tokyo! (Kriztal Entertainment)
Dave Koz – At The Movies (Capitol)
Dee Lucas – Something To Ride 2 (Mo Better)
Down To The Bone – The Best Of Down To The Bone (Narada)
Dwight Searls – Purpose (Japooonie Records)
Earl Carter – My Paradise (E&M Music)
Fattburger – Greatest Hits (Shanachie)
Four 80 East – Enroute (Native Language)
Jeff Golub – Grand Central (Narada Jazz)
Jeff Lorger – He Had A Hat (Blue Note)
Jill Scott – Collaborations (Hidden Beach)
John Pedersen – Groovidi (Paradise Jazz Music)
Keith Andrew – Keith Andrew (KeithAndrew.com)
Ken Navarro – The Meeting Place (Positive Music)
Kymaera – Into The Rainbow (Sheridan Square)
Lamb & Meyer – Don’t Get No Better (BlueHour Records)
Lao Tizer – Diversify (Yse Records)
Lauren Wood – Love, Death & Customer Service (Bad Art Records)
Marco Albani – Chronos (Delta Top)
Mario Biondi & The High Five Quartet – A Handful Of Soul (Schema/Import)
Mark Adams – Feel The Groove (Roberts Music)
Nathan Harasim – Next In Line (NathanHarasim.com)
Nils – Ready To Play (Baja Records)
Norah Jones – Not Too Late (Blue Note)
Norman Brown – Stay With Me (Peak)
O.D. Jamison – Joseph Wooten & Friends (My Love Records)
Outta Nowhere – Outta Nowhere (M Entertainment)
PJ Spraggins – The Light Of Day (PJSpraggins.com)
Patti Austin – Avant Gershwin (Rendezvous)
Paul Brown – White Sand (Peak)
Peter Duval Lee – It’s A New Day (Innocent Bystander)
Randy Crawford & Joe Sample – Feeling Good (PRA Records)
Simply Red – Stay (SimplyRed.com)
Stix Bones – Groove Like This (Bone Entertainment)
Terry Disley Experience – Across The Pond (Independent)
Tim Cunningham – Manchester Road (TimCunningham.com)
Tony DeSare – Last First Kiss (Telarc)
Walter Beasley – Ready For Love (Heads Up)

HIROSHIMA CELEBRATES CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON NEW ALBUM

Jazz fusion band Hiroshima's forthcoming release, Little Tokyo, celebrates cultural diversity by exploring the music of Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Though the band, founded by wind instrument player Dan Kuramoto and koto player June Kuramoto, has always embraced a variety of global sounds and merged it with contemporary music, Little Tokyo points to an all-inclusive world view.

The 11 tracks on the album, due in stores May 22nd via Heads Up International, explore this multi-cultural stance, adopting a Middle Eastern style on the album's opener "Midnight Sun," mixed with the Japanese taiko drum sound of Kuramoto's bandmate Shoji Kameda. Bassist Kimo Cornwell and bassist Dean Cortez trade licks on a variety of tracks, most notably "On The Fence." The album also features Pieces of a Dream keyboardist James Lloyd (on "Lanai") and guest percussionist Richie Gajate Garcia (on "Sir Charles").

Kuramoto says of the band's mission to break with trends, "So many musicians are so afraid to stretch themselves. There's so little that they're allowed to play if they want to survive commercially. But we as a band have always believed that there's more to it than that, and we will continue on our journey to explore those possibilities, regardless of the next fad on the horizon."

Little Tokyo, which is named after the neighborhood in Los Angeles, includes the following tracks:

"Midnight Sun"
"On The Fence"
"Lanai"
"Red Beans And Rice"
"Sir Charles"
"Hidden Times"
"Shades of Honor"
"Quan Yin"
"Drama"
"Hiro Chill"
"Little Tokyo Underground"

GLADYS KNIGHT TO RECEIVE ELLA AWARD

Gladys Knight, a singer, actress and humanitarian whose five-decade career stretches from gospel music to pop hits to R&B classics, has been chosen as the recipient of the 16th Annual ELLA Award by the Society of Singers (SOS). The announcement was made by Jerry F. Sharell, the president and CEO of SOS, a non-profit organization that offers comprehensive services to meet the emergency financial needs of professional singers worldwide. Named after its first recipient, Ella Fitzgerald, the ELLA Award is given to singers whose significant musical accomplishments are equaled by their dedication to charitable and humanitarian causes both local and international.

"Gladys Knight has one of the greatest and most distinctive voices of our time, and is a woman who has helped countless people through her humanitarian and philanthropic work," says Sharell. A seven-time Grammy Award winner with Number One hits in the pop, R&B and Adult Contemporary formats, Knight has released close to 40 albums; her hits include "Midnight Train to Georgia," "I've Got to Use My Imagination" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." Her most recent album is "Before Me," a tribute to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday. The fall 2006 release was part of a charity initiative that Knight launched in collaboration with Ashley Stewart Stores. She also works with charities ranging from the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society to the Minority AIDS Project and amFAR.

The honor will be presented to Knight at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on September 10, 2007. Previous recipients of the ELLA Award, besides Ms. Fitzgerald herself, include Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Peggy Lee, Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett and Placido Domingo.

The Society of Singers was founded in 1984 by Chairman Emeritus Ginny (Mrs. Henry) Mancini and Gilda Maiken Anderson when the two friends, both of them former professional singers, realized that many of their friends and colleagues were without pensions, unions, medical insurance or places to turn for financial help during tough times. SOS aids professional singers of all ages, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, and offers scholarship programs designed to advance the vocal arts.

RICARDO LEMVO TO RELEASE FIFTH ALBUM 'ISABELA'

Ricardo Lemvo's mix of Cuban salsa and pan-African styles like soukous and Congo rumba has been described by the Los Angeles Times as "seamless and infectious." Born in Congo-Kinshasa of Angolan ancestry, Lemvo formed his Los Angeles-based band Makina Loca in 1990. Since then he has refined his craft and vision, raising his joyous voice with strength, singing songs that celebrate life. He has been enthusiastically acclaimed by both print and broadcast media including BBC Radio, NPR, the NBC Today Show, and CNN World Beat. He has toured extensively in Europe, Australia, and Latin America, and has performed in some of the most prestigious venues in North America including The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Lincoln Center in New York City and The Montreal Jazz Festival.

Isabela, Lemvo's fifth album, can be enjoyed purely for the way it moves, or you can drill down into its complex Afro-Atlantic heritage. Its cosmopolitan bouquet of musical styles is sung in six languages including Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Lingala and Kikongo, each with its own distinct musicality. Isabela's repertoire ranges from "Kasongo Boogaloo," a fiery upbeat boogaloo, to '50s Congo classic "Lollobrigida" (written by the late Congolese guitarist Tino Baroza in honor of Italian movie star Gina Lollobrigida), to "Serenata Angolana," a duet with Cape Verdean songstress Maria de Barros that Lemvo dedicated to his beloved Angola. Lemvo even learned to sing in Turkish for his version of Candan Ercetin's "Elbette," which he turns into a Turkish tango. Lemvo's songs are inspiring vignettes of life delivered with flair, using rhythms that are inviting and familiar. Ultimately, it could only come from someone who has seen the world and gathered the music of life.

ALLEN TOUSSAINT TOUR DATES

Allen Toussaint will perform the following concerts: April 15 at Joe's Pub in New York NY, April 28 at Howlin' Wolf in New Orleans LA, May 6 at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans LA, May 10 at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz CA, May 11 at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco CA, May 15 at Birch North Park Theatre in San Diego CA, June 2 at The Anvil in Basingstoke UK, June 4 at Barbican Centre in London UK, June 5 at Queens Hall in Edinburgh UK, June 6 at De Montfort Hall in Leicester UK, June 7 at Colston Hall in Bristol UK, June 8 at Lighthouse in Poole UK, June 9 at Derngate in Northampton UK, June 10 at The Sage in Gateshead UK, June 12 at Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool UK, June 13 at Warwick Arts Centre in Coventry UK, June 14 at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester UK, June 15 at The Dome in Brighton UK, June 22 at Teatro Circo in Braga Portugal, June 23 at CAE in Portalegre Portugal, August 11 at North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh NC, and August 12 at Blues & Roots Festival in Burnaby BC.
All dates June 2 through June 15 with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

SPYRO GYRA 'GOOD TO GO-GO' DUE JUNE 12

Smooth jazz outfit Spyro Gyra are readying the release of their new album, Good To Go-Go, on June 12th, via Heads Up. The 12-track album is the platinum-selling band's 26th, and their fifth release on Heads Up.

The band has also made a line-up change with the addition of Trinidad native Bonny B (short for Bonaparte) on drums and percussion. He had been touring with the band prior to the recording of Good To Go-Go and the band credits him with modifying their overall philosophy.

Group founder and saxophonist Jay Beckenstein said of the new face in the band's line-up, "The fact that we had this new drummer with this great spirit about him prompted us to go in the direction of a more live-sounding, less produced record. The band was just sounding so killer on the road that I wanted to capture some of that energy and reproduce it on the record. When you bring somebody new on board who's bringing some unexpected things with him, it shakes you up a little bit and puts you in new territory. It's been a process of discovery for all of us, and it's been a lot of fun."

Beckenstein said: "I think that along our journeys -- and we've journeyed into a lot of different styles and not all of them fit under the smooth jazz umbrella--but in those journeys we've come up with some combinations of pop and jazz and R&B and jazz that pre-dated what came to be known as smooth jazz. And in that sense, some of what we did, we were smooth jazz innovators. But to say that what we were doing when we were doing that was we were playing smooth jazz, wouldn't be accurate because it was a very small percentage amongst many other things we were doing musically."

He also said that working with the group has only gotten better: "It has gotten easier and easier. I mean after 30 years, something that tends to disappear, or at least it has with us, is the ego-based problems. Nobody feels threatened by anybody else. Nobody feels that if somebody else comes up with something really, really good that it puts me to the side or it makes me smaller in any way. We all root for each other."

Tour dates to support Good To Go-Go have not yet been announced.

The Good To Go-Go track listing is as follows:

"Simple Pleasures"
"Get Busy"
"Jam Up"
"The Left Bank"
"Funkyard Dog"
"Along For The Ride"
"Island Time"
"Wassup!"
"Easy Street"
"A Winter Tale"
"Good To Go-Go"
"Newroses"

NESTOR TORRES TO RELEASE NEW COMPILATION CD

Puerto Rican-born jazz flutist Nestor Torres will release a career-spanning compilation next week (April 24th), titled The Very Best Of Nestor Torres.
Torres says that back in the '80s, he attended a Buddhist lecture in Japan on the arts, where a point of the lecture stayed with him for many years. "He talked about how some of the greatest works of art are of a religious nature, of a religious inspiration and overtones. And he said that we know this from our western perspective in terms of Christian works, that's what is really widely known. And he said the time had come for a new type of religious work, a new type of spiritual art to emerge. And that stayed with me."

Torres grew up in a family of musicians; his father was a pianist, organist and vibraphone player who often jammed with other musicians while young Nestor played along on pots, and later, a kid-sized drum set. But when entering one of the island's music schools, he was faced with a dilemma. Torres explained: "When I entered middle school I had a chance to go to what they call in Puerto Rico Escuela Libre de Musica; they have six of them throughout the island. And at the entrance exam or the entrance forms as I'm applying to go in, they asked what instrument do you want to learn. I said Hmmmm. And I just simply did not know."

Torres said he then made the decision that determined his future: "I mean, I had been playing the drums since I was like 5, Santa Claus had brought me a little drum set. It was professional, it was little, but it was a professional drum set. And I just didn't think about percussion to study music. I mean, if I was to study music I wanted to learn musical notes and harmonies and scales and stuff like that. So as I'm trying to figure it out I looked up and I saw up on the blackboard and saw a picture of a flute."

CD101.9 SMOOTH CRUISES ‘07

New York’s CD101.9 has confirmed dates for their upcoming Smooth Cruises ’07. Dates and scheduled acts are as follows:

June 20: Down To The Bone
June 27: Bobby Caldwell
July 11: Jeff Golub & Warren Hill
July 18: Gerald Albright
July 25: Brian Culbertson
August 1: The Rippingtons
August 8: Spyro Gyra
August 15: Mindi Abair
August 22: Richard Elliot
August 29: Alex Bugnon & Marion Meadows