THE SMOOTH JAZZ RADIO BACKLASH CONTINUES

It’s more bad news for the Smooth Jazz radio industry as yet another smooth jazz formatted radio station drops the format. Jacksonville radio stations WJSJ (105.3FM) and WSJF (105. FM) have dropped their Smooth Jazz format over this past weekend and flipped to become the “Coast” 105.3 FM and 105.5 FM, playing rhythmic adult contemporary music. This now makes five smooth jazz radio stations in the past few weeks to switch formats. The others were located in Houston (KHJZ 95.7FM) , New York (WQCD 101.9M), Washington, D.C. (WJZW-FM), and Denver (KJCD 104.3FM).

According to Terrence Rodda, general manager of the two Jacksonville stations that simulcast the same broadcast, …”the change was simply a business decision made because the smooth jazz format didn’t have a big enough audience..” Oh wow – is this really big news? Smooth jazz radio formats have never had a really big audience to begin with. It’s always attracted a niche audience and the ratings were always considered decent but never huge in comparison to more popular formats. All the stations have made money – but they want more (of course). So now they are dropping one by one like flies. Or maybe you could just say that they are all copycatting each other. Face it, smooth jazz radio has been around for 25 years, commanding decent ratings, and now all of a sudden it’s just not working. I put the blame on the station owners as well as the bland programming. There is so much new and exciting music out there and all they could do is play the same old stuff over and over again. As a matter of fact, I’ll save this subject for another posting.

Just a few short months ago it was it was noted that the Smooth Jazz radio format continued to grow and thrive as one of radio's longest running formats in comparison to others that have come and gone. Other format such as "Jammin Oldies", "Arrow", "Jack" and "Movin" have come and gone in many cities where smooth jazz stations continued to be successful. In January of this year, Broadcast Architecture launched the Smooth Jazz Network, featuring smooth jazz artists Dave Koz, Kenny G, Norman Brown, Brian Culbertson, Paul Hardcastle and Ramsey Lewis as on-air hosts. So far the network has spread to 25 markets across the US and brand new stations have launched utilizing the network in Norfolk, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City and Albuquerque. Currently there are more than 50 commercial radio stations across the US playing smooth jazz.

ST. LUCIA, SEABREEZE & MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVALS

ST. LUCIA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Anita Baker, Jonathan Butler, Najee, Angie Stone, Dianne Reeves, Dionne Warwick, Michael Bolton, Air Supply, Alex Bugnon, Nick Colionne, Ledisi and Wyclef Jean have been confirmed as performers for the 17th annual St. Lucia Jazz Festival, taking place May 2nd to May 11th. The St. Lucia Jazz festival will also feature events focusing on the Caribbean island's burgeoning culinary culture, with several restaurants being promoted during the week. More information about the festival click to www.stluciajazz.org

SEABREEZE JAZZ FESTIVAL
Dave Koz, Wayman Tisdale, Norman Brown, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Joyce Cooling, Four 80 East, Euge Groove, and the Sax Pack featuring Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters, and Steve Cole are among the headliners for this year's Seabreeze Jazz Festival, taking place April 16th through April 20th at the Gulf Place Outdoor Amphitheater outside of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the festival, which has expanded its events with a free jazz jam, a golf tournament, and a sunset dinner cruise. The festival is hosted by guitarist Nick Colionne, who will also perform. For more information about the Seabreeze Festival, click to www.seabreezejazzfestival.com

MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
Steely Dan will perform at the festival on July 1 and July 2, with Aretha Franklin is set to at the 29th edition of the Montreal Jazz Festival, according to The Canadian Press. Franklin will perform on July 3rd and 4th at Salle Wilfred Pelletier in Place Des Arts. The Montreal Jazz Fest, which is billed as being the world's largest jazz celebration, kicks off on June 26th.

RAMSEY LEWIS - LEGENDS OF JAZZ TOUR

Smooth jazz radio host and noted pianist Ramsey Lewis has announced this year's Legends Of Jazz tour, based on the popular radio and PBS TV show he hosts. The tour will feature separate lineups in varying locations, with dates spread out through the fall. The tour will be sponsored by AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Ramsey Lewis will perform at ten dates on the tour with the Ramsey Lewis Trio trio. That Legends Of Jazz tour lineup will also feature saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, and smooth jazz group Fourplay featuring Bob James, Larry Carlton, Nathan East and Harvey Mason. In addition, a second lineup under the Legends Of Jazz banner will feature vocalist Kurt Elling with his trio, saxophonist and flutist Ernie Watts and the Ethel String Quartet performing material from saxophonist John Coltrane.

Here’s a peek at Ramsey Lewis’ upcoming tour schedule (includes dates for the Legends Of Jazz tour and solo/trio dates:

March 14 - Wickenburg, AZ @ Webb PAC Trio
March 27 - New York, NY @ Jazz At Lincoln Center Trio
March 28 - New York, NY @ Jazz At Lincoln Center Trio
March 29 - New York, NY @ Jazz At Lincoln Center Trio
April 4 - Colorado Springs, CO @ Broadmoor Hotel Trio
April 5 - Palm Desert, CA @ McCallum Theatre Trio
April 11 - Chicago, IL @ McCallum Theatre Solo
April 13 - Washington, DC @ Kennedy Center Trio
April 24 - Newport News, VA @ Ferguson PAC Legends of Jazz
April 25 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre Trio
April 27 - Eugene, OR @ Hult Center Trio
June 14 - Boston, MA @ Hanover PAC Legends of Jazz
June 15 - Indianapolis, IN @ Indy Jazz Fest Legends of Jazz
August 9 - Highmount, NY @ Belleayre Music Festival Trio
August 16 - Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia Festival With Joffrey Ballet
August 27 - Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center Legends of Jazz
September 5 - Washington, D.C. @ DC Convention Center Legends of Jazz
September 12 - Chicago, IL @ Ravinia Music Festival Legends of Jazz
October 17 - Rehoboth Beach, DE @- Jazz Festival Legends of Jazz
October 19 - Tucson, AZ @ Centennial Hall Legends of Jazz
November 7 - Miami, FL @ Knight Concert Hall Legends of Jazz
November 14 - New York, NY @ Town Hall Legends of Jazz

DAVID SANBORN TOUR DATES

Saxophonist and smooth jazz radio favorite David Sanborn is preparing for a string of tour dates that start at the end of March and continue through June. After the US trek of the tour, he’ll then head off for some Internation dates. David Sanborn has been working on a new album with producer Phil Ramone that will be released later in the year. Sanborn's most recent CD release was 2005's Closer. More recently, he made a cameo appearance on hip-hop artist Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol. 4: Back To The Future. Since his first release in 1975, Taking Off, David Sanborn has release 20 solo albums, and has appeared on countless other songs by other musicians.

Upcoming dates for David Sanborn include: March 26- Oakland, CA @ Yoshi's March 27 – Oakland, CA @ Yoshi’s
March 28 – Oakland, CA @ Yoshi’s
March 29 – Oakland, CA @ Yoshi’s
March 30 – Oakland, CA @ Yoshi’s
April 3- Seattle, WA @ Jazz Alley
April 4 – Seattle, WA @ Jazz Alley
April 5 – Seattle, WA @ Jazz Alley
April 6 – Seattle, WA @ Jazz Alley
April 14 - Palm Beach, FL @ Wellington's
May 5 - Tarrytown, NY @ Tarrytown Town Hall
May 3 - Huntington, NY @- IMAC
May 4 - Uncasville, CT@ Mohegan Sun
May 23 - Las Vegas, NV @- South Point Hotel & Casino
May 24 – Las Vegas, NV @ South Point Hotel & Casino
May 25 – Las Vegas, NV @ South Point Hotel & Casino
June 14 - Rancho Cucamonga, CA @ Lewis Family Playhouse

AN EVENING WITH NATALIE COLE

Grammy winner Natalie Cole has lined up a new series of tour dates. Natalie Cole’s most recent CD was 2006's Leavin', and kicked off her shows on March 14th at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, California. Natalie Cole will next travel to Malaysia to perform March 20th at the Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix Anniversary 2008 gala dinner at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

Natalie Cole is also joining keyboardist and producer Jason Miles, smooth jazz artists Rick Braun and Richard Elliot, and others for this year’s Tri-C Jazz Festival taking place in Cleveland from April 17 through April 27. The program includes an April 19th show by Jason Miles in a tribute to Marvin Gaye and Motown featuring Bobby Caldwell, Walter Beasley, Kevin Mahogany, Maysa and DJ Logic. An Evening of Natalie Cole is set for April 25th, while Braun and Elliot will perform music from their hit R'N'R album as well as their own CDs on April 26th. Other performers for the festival include John Pizzarelli, Joshua Redman, Vijay Iyer, Marcus Roberts, and Eddie Baccus Sr.

Upcoming Natalie Cole dates include:
March 29 - Halifax, NS @ World Trade & Convention Center
April 25 - Cleveland, OH @ Allen Theatre
May 7 - Boston, MA @ Symphony Hall
May 13- Waterbury, CT @ Palace Theater
May 14 - Englewood, NJ @ Bergen Performing Arts Center
May 16 - Morristown, NJ @ The Community Theatre At Mayo Center
May 17 - Bronx, NY @ Lehman Center For The Perf. Arts
May 18 - Stamford, CT @ Palace Theatre

RETURN TO FOREVER - TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED!

Return To Forever, the classic jazz-fusion group from the ‘70’s has reunited for its first tour in 25 years. This amazing group features keyboardist Chick Corea, guitarist Al Di Meola, bassist Stanley Clarke, and drummer Lenny White. The Return To Forever reunion will play more than 50 dates in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The tour kicks off May 29th in Austin, Texas, and will wrap up on August 7th in New York. Along the way Return To Forever will make stops at major music festivals, including Montreal, Canada; Montreux, Switzerland; and Saratoga Springs, New York.

In addition, original members Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke are producing a double-CD anthology to coincide with the tour. The reunion disc will include remixed and remastered tracks from classic Return To Forever albums issued between 1973 and 1976. Return To Forever originally disbanded after a five-year run that ended in 1977. But after a 1983 reunion tour, many thought Return To Forever might never return. Corea says another reunion was always a possibility, particularly with pressure from fans. "We never stopped talking about it ... but in the past couple of years we started talking more seriously about 'hey, when can we set some time down to actually get together and play?'" Corea told The Associated Press. "There were also a lot of requests from fans. One thing that became apparent as the decades flipped along was that people remembered the group, which was kind of surprising and also heartening."

Here is the complete list of Return To Forever tour dates:
May 29 – Austin, TX @ Paramount Theatre
May 30 – Austin, TX @ Paramount Theatre
June 1 – Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie
June 3 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre Denver
June 4 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kingsbury Hall
June 6 – Portland, OR @ Schnitzer Concert Hall
June 7 – Medford, OR @ Brit Music Festival
June 8 – Seattle, WA @ The Paramount-Seattle
June 9 – Vancouver, BC @ The Centre in Vancouver For Performing Arts
June 11 – San Francisco, CA @ The Grand at the Regency
June 12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Grand at the Regency
June 13 – San Francisco, CA @ The Grand at the Regency
June 14 – Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre
June 17 –St. Louis, MO @ Fox Theatre
June 18 – Omaha, NE @ Holland Performing Arts Center
June 19 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
June 20 – Chicago, IL @ The Chicago Theatre
June 21 – Detroit, MI @ Freedom Hill Amphitheatre
June 22 – Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre
June 24 – Cleveland, OH @ The Plain Dealer Pavillion
June 25 – Toronto, ONT @ Sony Centre
June 26 – Ottawa, ONT @ Ottawa Jazz Festival/Confederation Park
June 27 – Montreal, QUE @ Places des Arts – Pelletier Hall
June 28 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga PAC – Freihofer’s Jazz Festival
July 2 - Vilnius, Lithuania @ Utenos Arena
July 4 – Warsaw, Poland @ Congress Hall
July 5 – Budapest, Hungary @ Budapest Arena
July 6 – Belgrade, Serbia @ Belgrade Arena
July 8 – Paris, France @ L’Olympia
July 9 – Vienne, France @ Vienne Jazz Festival
July 10 – Madrid, Spain @ Via Jazz Festival
July 11 – Girona, Spain @ Cap Roig Festival
July 12 – Lorca, Spain @ Lorca Festival
July 13- Valencia, Spain @ TBD Valencia, Spain
July 16 – Neuhardenberg @ Neuhardenberg Festival
July 18 – Montreux, Switzerland @ Montreux Jazz Festival
July 19 – Essen, Germany @ Grugahalie
July 21 – London, England @ Indigo2
July 23 - Nice, France @ Nice Jazz Festival
July 25 – San Sebastian, Spain @ San Sebastian Festival
July 30 – Miami, FL @ The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre
July 31 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
August 1 – Orland, FL @ House of Blues Orlando
August 2 – Atlanta, GA @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
August 4 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavillion
August 5 – Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center for Performing Arts
August 6 – Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavillion
August 7 – New York, NY @ United Palace

EARL KLUGH - TH SPICE OF LIFE

Smooth jazz acoustic guitar virtuoso, EARL KLUGH, is releasing a long-anticipated ensemble recording, "THE SPICE OF LIFE," April 29th, 2008 on KOCH Records. The album is Klugh's first full-production release in nine years, and is the follow-up to his 2005 solo masterpiece, "Naked Guitar," which drew Klugh's eleventh career Grammy nomination.

This new collection, inspired by the music of Klugh's life, represents a wide-ranging creative vantage point available only to a very rare circle of talents. "THE SPICE OF LIFE" plays through with the authority and impact of a greatest-hits album, and at the same time, the fresh discovery of a journeyman still in the prime of his creativity. Its release coinciding with the awarding of the Album of the Year Grammy to fellow master jazz eclecticist Herbie Hancock, "THE SPICE OF LIFE" responds to a marketplace calling out for substance and the guiding hand of art in pop music.

The many pleasures of "THE SPICE OF LIFE" encompass lush orchestration, warm and vibrant production, and original solo guitar compositions -- all of these in Klugh's unfailingly positive, fresh and imaginative style. As ever, expanding the mind, refreshing the soul and evoking emotions -- in short, heightening the experience and enhancing the environment of life itself -- is the Earl Klugh signature. In an album full of highlights, Klugh reinterprets four of his favorite standards, and three-time Grammy winner and longtime collaborator Don Sebesky contributes five orchestral arrangements, including Earl's boyhood favorite "Canadian Sunset"; his reinterpretation of the Thelonious Monk classic, "Bye Ya"; and a beautiful, witty retro-style revival of "C'est Si Bon." Grammy-winning flute virtuoso Hubert Laws guests, and award-winning composer Eddie Horst arranges the chamber-group string accompaniment, on the Klugh original "Heart of My Life."

At a time when instrumental and vocal artists are under constant pressure to overuse the classics of the American pop-song canon, "THE SPICE OF LIFE" also features a clutch of memorable yet effortless Klugh originals, among them: the properly atmospheric "Ocean Blue," "Driftin'," a warmly melodic pop piece; the forward-looking funk "Sleepyhead," and "Snap!," a taste of the "old school" suggesting Klugh's Detroit childhood, where he first encountered everyone from Yusef Lateef and George Benson to Motown Records' ace house band, the Funk Brothers.

"One of the solo pieces I wrote is directly in the style of Antonio Lauro, a classical guitarist and composer from Venezuela," Klugh notes. "When I was young, there wasn't a lot of sheet music for classical guitar. Antonio's waltzes were some of the first transcriptions I ever had, and they are beautiful. I wrote and named the piece 'Venezuelan Nights' in honor of Antonio."
Klugh continues to be one of the most in-demand live artists globally. In 2007, Klugh introduced his concert series, Night of Guitars, featuring fellow guitar legends Bill Frisell, Russell Malone, Ray Parker Jr. and Peter White. He has recently returned from his second tour with The U.S. State Department and Thelonious Monk Institute in India.

And this April 3rd, Klugh presents his 5th Annual Weekend of Jazz at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO, joining world-renowned peers Ramsey Lewis, Boney James, Mindi Abair and fellow KOCH labelmate Sophie Milman.

Earl Klugh won the 1980 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the million-selling album "One on One" with Bob James, and "Collaboration," his 1987 album with George Benson, was certified Gold by the RIAA. He has recorded over 30 albums in his multi-million-selling career, including four No. 1 albums on Billboard's Jazz Album chart and another 18 albums that charted in the Jazz Top Ten.

"THE SPICE OF LIFE" TRACK LISTING
1. Ocean Blue
2. Sleepyhead
3. Canadian Sunset
4. Venezuelan Nights
5. Driftin'
6. Snap!
7. Bye Ya
8. Heart Of My Life
9. Morning In Rio
10. C'est Si Bon
11. Lucy's World
12. My Foolish Heart
13. The Toy Guitar

BRIAN CULBERTSON - BRINGING BACK THE FUNK

Smooth jazz pianist Brian Culbertson is about to go off into a new direction with his new CD – Bringing Back The Funk. Funk music has been Brian Culbertson’s passion since he was a kid way back in the day. As a matter of fact, the cover image on the new CD Bringing Back The Funk is Brian as a boy listening to one of his favorite group at the time – Earth, Wind & Fire. Fast forward to 2008 when Brian decided to make plans for a new CD, and he thought of getting none other than Maurice White (leader and the visionary force behind Earth, Wind & Fire) to produce the CD. The end result is that he was able to coax the elusive Maurice White to come into the studio with him to executive produce Bringing Back The Funk. The sessions were recorded live in the studio (just like they used to do it back in the funk heyday), which in the end gives the sound of the album a truly classic feel. Brian Culbertson and Maurice White were able to assemble an all-star cast of musicians to take part in the project, including Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, Gerald Albright, Ronnie Laws, plus the vocals of Ledisi, Musiq Soulchild and others. Brian Culbertson’s Bringing Back The Funk is scheduled for release on April 29. Here is the track listing:

1. Funkin’ With My Father (featuring Bootsy Collins)
2. Always Remember
3. Hollywood Swinging (featuring Musiq Soulchild & Gerald Albright)
4. The House Of Music (featuring Larry Graham & Ronnie Laws)
5. You Got To Funkifize (featuring Chance Howard)
6. The Groove
7. The World Keeps Going Around (featuring Ledisi)
8. Excuse Me…What’s Your Name?
9. Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything) (featuring Eddie Miller & David T. Walker)
10. Let’s Stay In Tonight

NEW YORK, DENVER, WASHINGTON, D.C. AND NOW HOUSTON LOSES IT'S SMOOTH JAZZ RADIO STATION!

Now comes the news that 95.7 KHJZ-FM in Houston, Texas has flipped formats to CHR (Contemporary Hits Radio). This now makes it four smooth jazz radio stations in the past few weeks to switch formats. The others were located in New York, Washington, D.C, and Denver . KHJZ-FM in Denver started the switch at 5:37PM on March 12 with a loop of Freestyler’s “Don’t Stop” and Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop The Music” interspersed with announcements proclaiming that something new would occur on Thrusday, March 13 at 3:00PM.

In an earlier post we asked what was happening to smooth jazz radio as both WQCD-FM in New York, WJZW-FM in Washington, and KJCD-FM 104.3 in Denver when each one flipped formats, all within weeks of each other. What all of these stations have in common is the fact that they cite the same reasons for switching formats – ratings and money!. Let’s hope this is not pattern that other Smooth Jazz station owners will follow. In addition, all of the former Smooth Jazz radio stations can be picked up with an HD radio on HD2 ratio frequencies.

Just a few short months ago it was it was noted that the Smooth Jazz radio format continued to grow and thrive as one of radio's longest running formats in comparison to others that have come and gone. Other format such as "Jammin Oldies", "Arrow", "Jack" and "Movin" have come and gone in many cities where smooth jazz stations continued to be successful. In January of this year, Broadcast Architecture launched the Smooth Jazz Network, featuring smooth jazz artists Dave Koz, Kenny G, Norman Brown, Brian Culbertson, Paul Hardcastle and Ramsey Lewis as on-air hosts. So far the network has spread to 25 markets across the US and brand new stations have launched utilizing the network in Norfolk, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City and Albuquerque. Currently there are more than 50 commercial radio stations across the US playing smooth jazz.

LIVE NATION EXPANDS IN FLORIDA

Live Nation, the world's largest live music company, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the majority of the live music assets of late Florida concert promoter Jon Stoll's Fantasma Productions. Fantasma and Live Nation have long been two of the most successful concert promoters in the state. The acquisition includes the Fantasma calendar of shows, two important outdoor mid-sized music venues and two outdoor festivals. As part of the agreement, Mr. Stoll's widow and Fantasma principal Lori Stoll will retain an interest in the profits of the acquired business for a period of years and take a senior position in Live Nation's Florida office. "Over the past year we have worked hard to strengthen our presence in the Florida market, and this agreement is a major step in that expansion," said Neil Jacobsen, President of Live Nation Florida. "This deal represents the union of two of our state's major live music players. Jon Stoll was a legend in the Florida music business and we are honored that Lori has agreed to become part of our team and continue the Stoll family tradition in Florida."

The acquisition, when completed, will include the leases for the Pompano Beach Amphitheatre and Grounds in Pompano Beach (capacity 2,900) and Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton (capacity 3,500), two important Southern Florida music venues. The additions will fill important niches in Live Nation's Florida venue portfolio which already includes the House of Blues in Orlando (capacity 2,100), the Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa (capacity 19,000), Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach (capacity 19,000) and the newly-opened Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theatre in Miami Beach (capacity 2,100). The acquisition will also add two venues in the important mid-sized venue category in one of the top twenty markets in the United States.

"Jon spent his life creating special music events for Florida music fans," said Ms. Stoll. "I am pleased to have found partners at Live Nation who share that commitment to excellence and to have reached a deal that provides my family with stability and the opportunity to continue what Jon built."

Live Nation is the future of the music business. With the most live concerts, music venues and festivals in the world and the most comprehensive concert search engine on the web, Live Nation is revolutionizing the music industry: onstage and online. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol "LYV." Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.livenation.com under the "About Us" section.

CHUCK LOEB - 50th ANNIVERSARY OF BOSSA NOVA

Smooth Jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb is planning a series of 50th anniversary of the Bossa Nova concerts, and he’s enlisted the help of several top notch fellow smooth jazz artists to come along for the ride. The concerts will be a celebration of the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, Joao Gilberto, and of course Stan Getz. It’s thanks to these 4 artists that the sound of Bossa Nova was able to spread throughout the world and eventually became a phenomenon. The show will be presented as an homage to these artists. The lineup for the shows includes Will Lee (bass); Eric Marienthal (sax); Rob Monsey and Matt King (keyboards); Cliff Almond (drums); Café (percussion); Lizzy Loeb (guitar); and on selected concerts – Chris Hunter (sax) and Tom Scott (sax).

Chuck Loeb has two new album projects in the works. He is currently working on a new album being produced by Jason Miles that will be released later this year. Other musicians joining Chuck Loeb on this project include Gerald Veasley, Ralph McDonald, Maysa, Buddy Williams and a few others. After that one is wrapped, he’ll start to work on another for release in May 2009.

The 50th anniversary of Bossa Nova concert dates are as follows:

April 2 – Irvington, NY @ Irvington Town Hall (Chris Hunter will replace Eric Marienthal on sax)
April 6 – Reading, PA @ Berks Jazz Festival WJJZ Concert, Sheraton Hotel Ballroom (with special guest Tom Scott)
April 10 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Manchester Craftsmans Guild
April 11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Manchester Craftsmans Guild
April 12 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Manchester Craftsmans Guild
April 13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Manchester Craftsmans Guild
April 14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Concert at Duquesne University (Chuck Loeb only)
April 18 – Boston, MA @ Sculler’s Jazz Club
April 19 – Boston, MA @ Sculler’s Jazz Club
April 20 – New York, NY @ SOB’s

JAZZ SINGER JAMES TORME SIGNS WITH KOCH

KOCH Records has announced the signing of jazz singer James Torme. Torme's new album will be released in late 2008. James Torme, son of legendary singer Mel Torme, began his career in music early, often spending significant time with his father and other great musicians including Duke Ellington, Sammy Davis Jr., Peggy Lee and Buddy Rich. He is a uniquely gifted singer whose music infuses older jazz classics with soul and R&B influences. Considering his roots, this shouldn't be surprising. Being recognized for his contribution to the modern jazz scene, Torme was named the recipient of the 2007 Chuck Niles Jazz Music Award.

Today, Torme performs regularly all over the world with his quartet, and select performances with major symphony orchestras. James explains, "I've felt a sense of destiny about singing since I was very young. I'm so proud to be fulfilling that while carrying the torch for my dad and this incredible material."

Torme is also a businessman in his own right. As CEO of Torme Entertainment, LLC, James created TORME JAZZ on which James released his first full length album entitled "Live At On The Path." This live CD features timeless songs such as "Superstition," "Autumn Leaves," "Love For Sale," and "Ain't No Sunshine." He also released an EP called 'Coming Home' which featured the titled track made popular by his father, Mel Torme.

For more information on James Torme click to www.myspace.com/jamestorme, www.jamestorme.com, www.tormeentertainment.com

KOCH Entertainment, founded in 1987 and now in its twentieth year, is the leading and fastest-growing independent music company in the U.S. KOCH's operations encompass record and video labels as well as distribution companies in the U.S. and Canada. KOCH Entertainment is the market leader among independent labels and distributors in both the U.S. and Canada and its record label KOCH Records had the largest number of Billboard charting albums among independents for seven years in a row (2001 - 2007). KOCH Entertainment is a subsidiary of Entertainment One Ltd. which is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market (ticker symbol "ETO").

EMUSIC.COM NOW AT 3.5 MILLION TRACKS

eMusic, the world's largest retailer of independent music and the world's second largest music service after iTunes, announces that its worldwide catalogue has surpassed 3.5 million tracks with the addition of 43 new record labels and aggregators. The eMusic roster now includes important German electronic label Kompakt (Michael Mayer, Superpitcher), influential indie rock outfit Constellation Records (Do Make Say Think, Silver Mt Zion), and popular indie pop/rock/electronic imprint IAMSOUND Records (Cut Off Your Hands), among others.

eMusic (www.emusic.com) is a specialty digital entertainment retailer that has been at the forefront of offering MP3 downloads and customer-friendly prices since its inception in 1998. The company is focused on serving customers aged 25 and older by offering independent music and audio books in a universally compatible format at a great value. It is the world's largest retailer of independent music and the world's second-largest digital music service after iTunes, with more than 3.5 million tracks from 27,000 of the world's leading independent labels and thousands of titles from top audio book publishers. To super-serve its more than 400,000 customers, eMusic provides award-winning editorial content, a vibrant online community and unrivaled music discovery tools. eMusic's subscription-based service offers free music downloads or one free audio book at sign-up, giving consumers an inexpensive, low-risk way to explore great new music and books they wouldn't find otherwise. Based in New York with an office in London, eMusic is available in the U.S. and all 27 E.U. nations. eMusic.com Inc. is wholly owned by Dimensional Associates, Inc., the private equity arm of JDS Capital Management, Inc.

The retailer will also host a South by Southwest (SXSW) Showcase on Wednesday, March 12 at 8:00 p.m. at Maggie Mae's in Austin. The event will be recorded live for future release on eMusic and features a curated, international lineup of up-and-coming artists. Led by Bon Iver, an immensely talented and lauded singer-songwriter from Wisconsin, the showcase also features Frightened Rabbit (beloved young band from Scotland), Brooklyn high-school band the Hysterics (an MTV Breakout Star), Delorean (a dance-rock group from Barcelona), Day for Night (an unsigned NYC dream-rock band featured on NPR) and Peel (heralded Austin psych-rockers).

A free sampler featuring eMusic showcase artists plus an indispensable guide to what's "buzzed about" and "will soon be buzzed about" at SXSW -- compiled by eMusic's expert editorial staff of more than 200 writers -- is available at: http://www.emusic.com/features/hub/sxsw08/index.html.

Also at SXSW, eMusic President and CEO David Pakman will speak on the "Selling Music as a Service" panel at the Austin Convention Center on Thursday, March 13 at 4:15 p.m. "South by Southwest is the perfect chance for eMusic to shine a spotlight on some of the music we're most passionate about," said Pakman. "From indie rock to jazz to classical, more and more independent labels rely on eMusic to help customers discover and buy their music. Having sold more than 177 million MP3 downloads in the last four years, we've long been a leader in selling music in a DRM-free format at prices that customers want."

The lineup for the eMusic SXSW showcase is as follows:
8:00 p.m. - Day For Night
9:00 p.m. - The Hysterics
10:00 p.m. - Delorean
11:00 p.m. - Peel
12:00 a.m. - Frightened Rabbit
1:00 a.m. - Bon Iver

Labels recently signed to eMusic include:

Abeille Musique
Amalgam Entertainment
Amanda Music
AMP Digital Media
Chandos
Cloud 9 Dance
Constellation Records
Delicious Vinyl
Deetown Entertainment
Divucsa Music S.A.
EDINET Publishing Group
Eternal Yip Eye Records
Five Foot Two Records
Heads Up Records
Hudson Entertainment
IAMSOUND Records
Idol Distribution
Kompakt Distribution
Last Gang Records
Lions Gate Music & Publishing
Music Masters
Naïve
No Quarter Records
Oglio Records
Palo Duro Records
Rebel Rebel Management
Remote Control Records
Rooftop Media
Routenote
Ships at Night Records
Skaggs Family Records
Songcast
Soulspazm
Symphonic Distribution
Tallboy 7
Telarc
Twin Sisters Productions
United for Opportunity
UpTown Jazz
Verge Records
Warcon Entertainment
Watunes.com
Zojack World Wide
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CARLY SIMON - THIS KIND OF LOVE

First it was James Taylor, Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell, and now Carly Simon has joined the fold. Carly Simon is now on the roster of Starbucks' Hear Music label. Her first release for the company, "This Kind of Love," will be available April 29. Her new 13-track set has a Brazilian-heavy sound, and finds Simon collaborating with Jimmy Webb and Frank Filipetti. That trio was responsible for Simon's 1997 album "Film Noir." “This Kind of Love” is Carly Simon’s first album of original material since 2000's "The Bedroom Tapes." Her last two projects have featured standards. As a matter of fact, you can hear some tracks from her last two albums at www.myredlounge.com a site that streams music of the genre.

Inspired by and subtly infused with the rhythms of Brazilian music, This Kind of Love explores a wide swath of emotion-romance, reflection, melancholy, anger and humor. It's at once one of Simon's most personal albums as well as one of her most stylistically diverse outings.

Track list for "This Kind of Love":
"This Kind of Love"
"Hold Out Your Heart"
"People Say A Lot"
"Island""How Could You Ever Forget"
"Hola Soleil"
"In My Dreams"
"When We're Together"
"So Many People"
"They Just Want You To Be There"
"Last Samba"
"Too Soon to Say Goodbye"

ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS - THIS YEAR'S MODEL: DELUXE EDITION

The two-CD THIS YEAR'S MODEL - DELUXE EDITION (Hip-O/UMe), now available, adds 11 b-sides, demos, live tracks, and alternate takes to the original album plus a second disc comprised of a previously unreleased concert recorded at the Warner Theater in Washington, DC, on February 28, 1978. Taped on the Starfleet mobile studio, this show was originally broadcast on WHFS in Maryland and only "Chemistry Class" has ever been issued before. Along with performances of several songs from THIS YEAR'S MODEL, including "Pump It Up," "Radio, Radio," "The Beat" and "No Action," this concert also features such Costello favorites as "Watching The Detectives," "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes," "Less Than Zero" and "Waiting For The End Of The World."

THIS YEAR'S MODEL, produced by Nick Lowe, was harder and rawer than Costello's debut album, 1977's MY AIM IS TRUE, partly thanks to the singer-songwriter-guitarist's newly recruited band of keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer Pete Thomas (no relation). The album outcharted its predecessor by reaching #30 in the U.S. and #4 U.K. THIS YEAR'S MODEL - DELUXE EDITION includes the U.K. album-only album tracks "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" and "Night Rally" plus the U.S. album-only "Radio, Radio."

Following THIS YEAR'S MODEL, Costello would crack the Top 10 in America and become a major pop culture figure. He would go on to spread his musical wings by delving into everything from country to sophisticated pop, classical to jazz, and collaborating with everyone from Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and Diana Krall to, most recently, R&B great Allen Toussaint. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him among its "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

The added selections, subsequently issued in a 2001 two-CD package, include the b-sides "Big Tears" and "Tiny Steps"; AMERICATHON soundtrack contribution "Crawling To The USA"; demos for "Running Out Of Angels," "Greenshirt" and "Big Boys"; live "Neat Neat Neat" and "Roadette Song"; and alternate takes of "This Year's Girl" and "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea."

ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS - THIS YEAR'S MODEL
DISC ONE:
1 No Action
2 This Year's Girl
3 The Beat
4 Pump It Up
5 Little Triggers
6 You Belong To Me
7 Hand In Hand
8 (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
9 Lip Service
10 Living In Paradise
11 Lipstick Vogue
12 Night Rally
13 Radio, Radio

Bonus material: b-sides, demos, live tracks, alternates, etc.
14 Big Tears
15 Crawling To The USA
16 Tiny Steps
17 Running Out Of Angels (demo version)
18 Greenshirt (demo version)
19 Big Boys (demo version)
20 Neat Neat Neat (live)
21 Roadette Song (live)
22 This Year's Girl (alternate Eden Studios version)
23 (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (alternate Basing Street Studios version)

ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS - Live At The Warner Theater, Washington, DC, February 28, 1978

DISC TWO:
1 Pump It Up*
2 Waiting For The End Of The World*
3 No Action*
4 Less Than Zero*
5 The Beat*
6 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes*
7 (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea*
8 Hand In Hand*
9 Little Triggers*
10 Radio, Radio*
11 You Belong To Me*
12 Lipstick Vogue*
13 Watching The Detectives*
14 Mystery Dance*
15 Miracle Man*
16 Blame It On Cain*
17 Chemistry Class

* Previously Unreleased
For additional information click to:
http://www.ilovethatsong.com
http://www.elviscostello.com
http://www.shorefire.com

MATT SAVAGE SIGNS WITH SONY/ATV MUSIC

Sony/ATV Music Publishing have announced that jazz composer/pianist Matt Savage have signed an international sub-publishing agreement, covering all countries except the United States and Canada. The agreement with the acclaimed jazz prodigy includes Matt Savage's back catalogue and future works, beginning with all original compositions featured on the last six albums recorded by the Matt Savage Trio.

The Matt Savage Trio most recently appeared on the CBS show "Late Show with David Letterman," performing "El Fuego" from "HOT TICKET: Live in Boston." Following the Matt Savage Trio's broadcast, "HOT TICKET: Live in Boston" reached #2 in live jazz album sales on Amazon.com. In December, Matt Savage and his music were featured on "Piano Jazz," the acclaimed National Public Radio (NPR) syndicated series hosted by Marian McPartland.

The Matt Savage Trio released their sixth album in January, titled "HOT TICKET: Live in Boston," and it has hit #11 on the "Jazzweek" charts. “HOT TICKET: Live in Boston” was distributed by Palmetto Records (MRI/RED) and "HOT TICKET: Live in Boston" includes eight new Savage-penned songs and three original tracks revisited. The album was recorded during two concerts at Tufts University's Distler Performance Hall at the Granoff Music Center. In addition to Matt Savage on keyboards, the Matt Savage Trio is comprised of Dave Robaire on bass and Joe Saylor on drums. "HOT TICKET: Live in Boston" was produced by Grammy-nominated Jonathan Wyner and engineered by nine-time Grammy-winner, Tom Bates.

For more information on the Matt Savage Trio click to www.savagerecords.com and www.myspace.com/mattsavagetrio

ANOTHER SMOOTH JAZZ RADIO STATION BITES THE DUST

In an earlier post we asked what was happening to smooth jazz radio as both WQCD-FM in New York and WJZW-FM in Washington had flipped formats, both within weeks of each other. Now comes news that KJCD-FM 104.3 in Denver has done the same. The station owner, Lincoln Financial Media dropped Smooth Jazz programming on 104.3 KJCD-FM in Denver on Thursday, March 6. Lincoln Financial Media moved Sports 950 The Fan KKFN Denver to the 104.3 signal that had been home to KJCD at 1pm yesterday. KKFN will simulcast on 950 and 104.3 until the end of March, when a new format will debut on 950. The Smooth Jazz format will continue on 98.5 KYGO-HD2 and SmoothJazzDenver.com. T

he Fan offers a combination of local and syndicated programming, including The Sports Guys in mornings; Jim Rome in middays; Irv Brown, Joe Williams, and Jim Armstrong in afternoons; and Dan Patrick in nights. Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets games also move to the FM. KJCD's website at www.smoothjazzdenver.com gives listeners the details, citing "declining audience ratings over the past couple years combined with a decline in advertising support from our clients." What else is new?

Haven’t you noticed that the owners of WQCD-FM and WJZW-FM cited the same reasons for switching formats. Let’s hope this is not pattern that other Smooth Jazz station owners will follow. The Smooth Jazz programming will be streamed from the website and heard as an HD subchannel of Country clustermate KYGO, and station e-mail updates will continue.

SARAH MCLACHLAN TO RELEASE RARITIES, B-SIDES AND OTHER STUFF VOLUME 2

Pulled from Sarah McLachlan's illustrious recording career, the Rarities, B-Sides 2 And Other Stuff, Volume 2 collection contains Sarah McLachlan material never before available before on one CD. The collection includes live performances, rare recordings, remixes and soundtrack contributions. In addition, the album includes exceptional, one of a kind duets with Bryan Adams, Cyndi Lauper, Emmylou Harris, and more! The CD will be released on April 29, 2008 and see below for a tentative listing of the included songs. Note that the final CD package is being assembled as of this writing.

Since signing with Arista nearly two decades ago, every one of Sarah McLachlan's studio and live albums and videos have been certified gold, platinum, multi-platinum, or diamond by the CRIA, starting with Touch (1988) and Solace (1991), both platinum sellers. Her 1994 breakthrough, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (2x platinum) was followed by the digitally enhanced multimedia version of The Freedom Sessions (1995, gold). Sarah's landmark fourth album, the Diamond certified Surfacing (1997), contained two Grammy Award-winning tracks, as "Building a Mystery" won for Best Female Pop Vocal, and "Last Dance" was voted Best pop Instrumental. 1999's quadruple-platinum Mirrorball, and its platinum long-form videocounterpart, were both culled from that year's Lilith Fair tour, and spun off Sarah's third Grammy-winning performance, as "I Will Remember You" won for Best Female Pop Vocal. The 5 times platinum Afterglow followed in 2003,
and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album, while its opening track, "Fallen" was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal.

***Note - Working Track listing below - Final to be announced shortly:
1. Ordinary Miracle
2. Blackbird
3. Time After Time (with Cyndi Lauper)
4. River
5. Don't Let Go (with Bryan Adams)
6. Angel (Live) (with Emmylou Harris)
7. Pills (Live) (with The Perishers)
8. The Rainbow Connection
9. Prayer of St. Francis
10. Unchained Melody
11. Silence (DJ Tiesto ISOS Remix

MINDI ABAIR, THE RIPPINGTONS, STEEL PULSE TO TOPLINE SUNFEST

SunFest, Florida's largest music, art and waterfront festival, will be held April 30-May 4, along one of the most scenic sections of Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach. National headline entertainment scheduled to perform include Sheryl Crow, Fergie, The Black Crowes, John Legend, Natasha Bedingfield, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Steel Pulse, Hellogoodbye, Stephen Marley, The Academy Is, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Little Feat, Hot Tuna, The Rippingtons, Classic Albums Live, Little River Band, Mindi Abair, and Morris Day & the Time. Additional entertainment announcements will be made as they are confirmed.

"SunFest is a kick-off to the summer festival and touring season," said Paul Jamieson, Executive Director of SunFest. "We're excited about our line-up and believe it is one of the best in years." SunFest 2008 will be held from April 30-May 4 along the Flagler Drive waterfront in West Palm Beach, Florida. SunFest of Palm Beach County, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in West Palm Beach, is a Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council Funded Project and is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Arts Council.

Sheryl Crow will perform on the WaMu Stage, Wednesday evening April 30. Sheryl Crow's lyrics touch (relate) personal issues that she has struggled with through life. Her new album, Detours, touches on the world around us and how it is changing. She is a three-time Grammy winner, with featured hits, "All I Wanna Do," "Strong Enough," "First Cut is the Deepest" and "My Favorite Mistake."

George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Wednesday evening April 30. Clinton is internationally known as one of the fathers of funk and performs with Parliament Funkadelic.

Michael Franti & Spearhead will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Wednesday evening April 30. Michael Franti is an American poet and musician. The band Spearhead is a mix of hip-hop, funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock. The band's hits include "Everyone Deserves Music," "We Don't Stop," and "Bomb the World."

Good Charlotte will perform on Thursday evening May 1 during New Music Night at SunFest. From the opening sounds of Good Charlotte's fourth album Good Morning Revival -- which launches with an artful, innovative sound collage that slides into the irresistible "Misery"-- the world-famous band has sold over nine million albums. Good Charlotte includes singer Joel Madden, guitarist Benji Madden, bassist Paul Thomas, guitarist/keyboardist Billy Martin, and new Good Charlotte drummer Dean Butterworth.

Finger Eleven will perform on Thursday, May 1 during New Music Night at SunFest. Finger Eleven originated from Ontario as Rainbow Butt Monkeys. Their music varies from Rock to Country and dance to funk. They are known for their hits "Paralyzer" and "One Thing."

Fergie will perform on the WaMu Stage, Friday evening May 2. Fergie is best known as a member of the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas. Her first solo album, The Dutchess, went triple platinum, featuring hits songs "Glamorous," "Big Girls Don't Cry," and "Clumsy."

Hot Tuna will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Friday evening May 2. Hot Tuna has led American music with their acoustic and electric blues sound. Hot Tuna has been accompanied by some of the greatest musicians such as Erik Diaz and Barry Mitterhoff.

Little Feat will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Friday evening May 2. Little Feat's music goes beyond boundaries with a freewheeling combination of California rock and Dixie inflected funkboogie. Little Feat also expresses blues, country, folk, rock, and jazz in the mix of their music. The band's hits include "Rocket in My Pocket," "Rock and Roll Doctor," "Let it Roll," and "Easy to Slip."

Steel Pulse will perform on the Tire Kingdom Stage, Friday evening May 2. Steel Pulse is a well-known reggae band from England. Their music sends a message of hope, education, and activism to listeners. Their hit "Babylon the Bandit" earned them a Grammy Award.

The Black Crowes will perform on the WaMu Stage, Saturday evening May 3. The Black Crowes' music is a mix of rock, blues, country, gospel, and soul. Their just releases seventh album includes the hit "Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution."

Classic Albums Live will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Saturday afternoon May 3. Classic Albums Live is a Canadian classic rock group that performs tributes to Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones and more. At SunFest, they will perform
music from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Doors.

Little River Band will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Saturday afternoon May 3. Little River Band is an Australian rock group that named themselves after a road sign, Little River. They are the first Australian band to make it big in the United States, with over 25 million records sold. Little River is known for their hits, "Take it Easy on Me," "Lady" and "Reminiscing."

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Saturday evening May 3. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' music mixes third wave ska and hard-core punk sounds. They have released seven albums, three EP's, and one live record. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are best known for their hit "The Impression That I Get."

The Academy Is will perform on the WaMu Stage, Saturday evening May 3. The Academy Is has a sound that mixes rock, indie and emo. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, The Academy Is was ranked one of the top ten artists to watch. Featured hits of The Academy Is include "We've Got a Big Mess on our Hands," "Neighbors" and "Sleeping with Giants."

Natasha Bedingfield will perform on the Tire Kingdom Stage, Saturday evening May 3. Natasha Bedingfield is a pop singer and songwriter known for her albums Pocket Full of Sunshine and Unwritten.

Stephen Marley will perform on WaMu Stage, Sunday afternoon May 4. Stephen Marley, son of Bob Marley, is a producer, singer, songwriter, and a multi-instrumentalist. He won five Grammy Awards, which is more than any reggae artist. His latest album Mind Control features hits "Mind Control" and "Chase Dem."

Mindi Abair will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Sunday afternoon May 4. Mindi Abair is a soul, jazz, and pop saxophonist with stellar melodies, insinuating rhythm and seductive vocals. Her album Life Less Ordinary includes hits "Do You Miss Me," "Ordinary Love" and "Long
Ride Home."

The Rippingtons will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Sunday afternoon May 4. The Rippingtons are considered a contemporary, smooth jazz group. In 2006, The Rippingtons celebrated their 20th anniversary and released their greatest hits album. The Rippingtons hits
include "Let It Rip" and "Wild Card."

John Legend will perform on the WaMu Stage, Sunday evening May 4. John Legend is a five-time Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and performer whose with his debut studio album Get Lifted featured the hit song "Ordinary People." His sophomore album Once Again, featured hit single "Save Room."

Morris Day & the Time will perform on the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Stage, Sunday afternoon May 4. Morris Day is an American composer, musician, drummer, and lead singer of the band The Time. The Time is a funk and dance ensemble band formed in the 80's known for hits "Jungle Love" and "The Bird" and appearance in the movie Purple Rain.

Hellogoodbye will perform on the Tire Kingdom Stage, Sunday afternoon May 4. Hellogoodbye is a punk rock group that started out as a small band in California. Their single "Here (In your Arms)" went platinum and helped launch their career.

More entertainment announcements will be made as they are confirmed. Reserved seats for the WaMu national headline performances will go on sale to the public on March 20. The purchase of reserved seats is available now to Club SunFest members. For tickets information for SunFest 2008 click to http://www.sunfest.com.

WHAT'S HAPPENING TO SMOOTH JAZZ RADIO?

Given the recent demise of two major market smooth jazz radio stations in New York and Washington, one has to wonder what’s happened to the format. A radio-industry Website recently pondered if it’s “time to sound a death knell for the format.” In New York, long-time smooth jazz station WQCD-FM 101.9 switched formats (Rock) after 20 years, and in Washington, 14-year smooth jazz station WJZW-FM 105.9 made the move to Oldies.

But let’s face it – both of these stations are corporate-owned and are in a world where it’s a numbers game. Ratings = advertising revenue = stock value – well you get the picture. It’s all actually a game where your numbers (and value) need to rise from quarter to quarter in comparison to your local competition, and if it doesn’t, then upper management looks for ways to enhance value. In these particular cases, it was determined that a format switch was necessary.

New York’sWQCD 101.9 and Washinton’s WJZW 105.9 still live on; however, you need to have and HD radio to tune in. Even if you did own an HD radio, these stations are not really what they used to be considering that they are totally automated without any radio jocks. The loss of both of these stations leaves smooth jazz listeners with really no alternative in both of those markets. Such a shame.

One bright spot for the format is a Seattle smooth jazz station - KWJZ-FM/ 98.9. KWJZ-FM has been a consistent top 10 ratings and rankings performer, according to Arbitron data. Among listeners 12 and older, KWJZ ranked sixth in fall, fourth in summer, among commercial stations in the market. One advantage for KWJZ is that it's part of a privately held company, which actually makes it less susceptible to the pressures to cut spending to satisfy Wall Street, a trend now sweeping many publicly traded radio companies. In fact, KWJZ just started a new television advertising campaign. Interestingly, those ads still use the word smooth -- as in "smooth out," the implication being that the station is an antidote to a hectic world. But neither they nor the new logo uses "jazz." The saxophone in the old logo has been replaced by a highly stylized suggestion of a sax.

JUDY GARLAND - GARLAND AT THE GROVE

DRG Records has announced the CD debut of the very first professionally-preserved Judy Garland concert recording -- her first official and legitimate "live" album, GARLAND AT THE GROVE. Every song Judy sang that night is being presented for the first time ever on one release, as the original LP deleted three songs. Those missing songs and all of the others have now been Digitally Remixed, Remastered and Restored in glorious 24-bit stereo sound here, from the original 3-track tapes made on that historic night.

Using Algorithmix EQ and restoration tools, Alan Silverman of Arf! Digital brought the sound back to life, and restored spectral imbalances in the original recording. The CD's producer Scott Schechter says this digital debut of GARLAND AT THE GROVE thus "presents the extra richness and fullness heard at the Cocoanut Grove that night, but not quite preserved on the original LP. Listening to this CD, you'll feel like you're at a glamorous 1950s nightclub, right in the audience, sitting at the best table at the Grove."

This CD release marks the 50th Anniversary of the year the album was recorded, 1958. GARLAND AT THE GROVE was recorded on the closing night of Judy's July 23rd-August 5th, 1958, 2-week engagement at the famed Cocoanut Grove, in Los Angeles, CA. Her label, Capitol Records, dispatched its remote recorders to capture Garland's performance using the then-new multitrack stereo sound. Yet it has taken nearly 50 years for the world to finally hear her entire nightclub act -- From the time Judy makes her entrance, to the post-performance announcement that the evening was recorded for an album, every second of tape is included here: All 13 songs are at last on this one CD.

The songs range from the old (Judy's movie masterpieces "The Trolley Song," "You Made Me Love You," "After You've Gone," and "Over The Rainbow") to newer songs she'd just cut for Capitol ("Day In, Day Out," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," and "Do It Again"), to songs that had either recently become concert stables or would be repeated on her later TV series ("Rock-a-bye Your Baby," and a sizzling "When The Sun Comes Out"). Another highlight is the star's take on the newest song in the lineup, the smash novelty song "The Purple People Eater." Judy is backed on GARLAND AT THE GROVE by the bright, swinging orchestra conducted by the Cocoanut Grove's resident musical director, Freddie Martin. Along with the sparkling sound, GARLAND AT THE GROVE features the original album artwork, and new detailed liner notes by Schechter, preeminent Garland-Minnelli historian, and author of "Judy Garland: The Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Legend," and "The Liza Minnelli Scrapbook."

TRACK LISTING:
1) Garland Overture
2) When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)
3) Day In, Day Out
4) I Can't Give You Anything But Love
5) Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart
6) Purple People Eater
7) Medley : You Made Me Love You / For Me and My Gal / The Trolley Song
8) Do It Again
9) When the Sun Comes Out
10) Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody
11) Over The Rainbow
12) After You've Gone
13) A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow
14) Swanee

STEVE WINWOOD - NINE LIVES

Steve Winwood has signed a new deal with Columbia Records. His label debut, "Nine Lives," will arrive April 29. The nine-track set is Winwood's first studio album since 2003's "About Time," which he released on his own Wincraft label. Steve Winwood is also teaming up with ex-bandmate Eric Clapton for a series of upcoming concerts. Eric Clapton, who played briefly with Winwood in Blind Faith in the late 1960s, contributes guitar on first single from the album "Dirty City," which is currently available, and it hit the U.S. radio outlets on February 25.

Both Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton were reunited last July at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago, which leads them to the upcoming three-shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden. They will be will be backed by bassist Willie Weeks, drummer Ian Thomas and keyboardist Chris Stainton.In addition, this summer, Steve Winwood will be back on the road in the U.S. as the support act for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Track list for "Nine Lives":
"I'm Not Drowning"
"Fly""Raging Sea"
"Dirty City"
"We're All Looking"
"Hungry Man"
"Secrets"
"At Times We Do Forget"
"Other Shore"

Steve Windwood Tour Dates
May 30 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
May 31 – Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
June 3 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
June 5 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center
June 6 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center
June 8 – Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavillion
June 10 - Burgettstown, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
June 11 - Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
June 13 - Boston, MA @ TD Banknorth Garden
June 14 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
June 17 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
June 18 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
June 21 - Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lakes Performing Center
June 22 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
June 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
July 2 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
July 3 – Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
July 5 – Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheater
July 8 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
July 9 – Atlanta, GA @ Verizon Wirless Amphitheater
July 11 – Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Verizon Wirless Amphitheatre
July 12 – Raleigh, NC @ Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
July 15- Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ BankAtlantic Center
July 16 – Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum
July 19 – Denver, CO @ Mile High Music Festival
July 20 – Omaha, NE @ Quest Center Omaha
July 22 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
July 23 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
August 7 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Verison Wireless Amphitheatre
August 9 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
August 11 – Calgary, AB # Penbrowth Saddletone
August 12 – Edmonton AB @ Rexall Place
August 15 – George, WA @ The Gorge
August 16 – George, WA @ The Gorge
August 20 – Glendale, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
August 22 – Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphiteatre
August 23 – San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Park
August 26 – Selma, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

NO WOMAN NO CRY: MY LIFE WITH BOB MARLEY

The Weinstein Company has announced that they have acquired the rights to develop, produce and distribute the first ever biopic about the legendary Jamaican singer, songwriter, guitarist, and activist, Bob Marley and his wife Rita Marley. The feature film will be based on the autobiography "No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley" which was written by Rita Marley, the widow of the legendary reggae musician. The book is an intimate and epic account of their relationship, which went from the streets of Trenchtown to the heights of the international music and political worlds. Rudy Langlais ("The Hurricane") is set to produce the film from a script written by Lizzie Borden ("Working Girls"). Rita Marley will serve as executive producer.

Bob Marley was born under the name of Nesta Robert Marley in the Jamaican countryside town of Nine Miles in 1945. His father was a white Jamaican Marine Officer and Captain of English descent, while his mother was a young black Jamaican girl. After his father's death, Bob Marley moved with his mother to the Kingston ghetto of Trenchtown. There he began playing music, imitating American R&B, and soon formed a band with several other musicians, including Neville O'Riley Livingston and Peter Tosh, calling themselves The Wailers. Their music evolved into what they called "reggae," expressing their rebellious spirit against British colonial rule. Financed by Island Record owner and fellow Jamaican Chris Blackwell, Marley and the Wailers soon were brought to international attention and broke out into world fame. Marley went solo under Blackwell's direction and became an international legend, his music addressing everything from passionate love to revolution in the third world, to humanity's unity in the anthem "One Love." Bob Marley died of a long- gestating cancer in 1981. At the end of the century, Time Magazine and The New York Times named him the most important popular artist of the 20th Century and his record "Exodus" the important record of the century. He was also awarded the United Nations Medal of Peace for the Third World.

Production Executive, Ben Famiglietti brought this project to The Weinstein Company, along with Michael Cole, Co-Head of Production. They will oversee the project on behalf of The Weinstein Company. Eric Roth, EVP of Business and Legal Affairs negotiated the deal on behalf of The Weinstein Company. Mickey Freiberg from ACME Talent Literary along with Eric Weissmann from Weissmann, Wolf, Bergman, Colman & Silverman negotiated on behalf of Rudy Langlais and Lizzie Borden. Attorneys Bob Epstein, Marvin Zolt and Claude Ismael represented Rita Marley in negotiations."No Woman No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley" written by Rita Marley with Hettie Jones, was published by Hyperion in May of 2004.


Rita Marley was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, married Bob Marley in 1966 and remained married to him until his death in 1981. She was the mother of two of his children, who displayed musical talent like their parents. Rita was also a musician, and performed with a girl-group called
the I-Three who had been the back-up singers to Bob Marley and the Wailers. After having witnessed the visit of Ethiopian leader Haile Selassie to Jamaica in 1961, Rita Marley converted to the Rastafarian religion and introduced it to Bob as well. He began to devote his spiritual life to its
beliefs and adopted its traditions, which included wearing his iconic dreadlocks. As Marley's music and persona became more and more controversial in Jamaica, the political turmoil it stirred resulted in an assassination attempt on the eve of a concert in Kingston, at which Bob and Rita were shot. To this day, Rita Marley is a benefactor of numerous humanitarian causes. She continues to perform worldwide and lives in Ghana, West Africa.

Rita Marley stated, "Bob always told me, 'Wherever you are I will be there' and I didn't understand it until much later. Our lives began in a government yard in Trenchtown with hopes of reaching the world through music and through our dreams. I wrote my book to tell my story -- of the dreams we shared and those days we spent living and believing in our hope. I saw it and now we get to tell it through our movie. I've waited a long time to tell this story, about growing up in Jamaica and meeting Bob and making our music and falling in love and making our family. All that, and all that we went through went into this. Now is that time. This is my story."

The Weinstein Company (TWC) was created by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films Corporation in 1979. TWC is a multi-media company that officially launched on October 1, 2005. Dimension Films, the genre label that was founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, is also included under the TWC banner. During the Weinsteins' tenure at Miramax Films the company released some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful independent feature films which received 249 Academy Award(R) nominations and won 60 Oscars(R), have generated billions of dollars in worldwide box office receipts and billions more in home video sales. In its history, Dimension Films has released some of the most successful franchises including "Scream," "Spy Kids" and "Scary Movie.

The film will be released worldwide in 2009.

2ND ANNUAL PORT-AU-PRINCE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, has just kicked off the Port-au-Prince International Jazz Music Festival. It’s the 2nd Edition of this eight-day jazz festival celebrating Haitian and world jazz music. The festival started on March 2 and runs through March 9. The performances are being held at the historic "Canne a Sucre", Kiosque Occide Jeanty (Champ de Mars), and l'Institut Francais d'Haiti (French institute).

The Port-au-Prince International Jazz Festival is a form of cultural exchange and it features nine international jazz bands coming from Brazil, United States, Mexico, Canada, Chile, Spain, Switzerland, France, as well as Haitian jazz musicians - Mushy Widmaier, Les Freres Courtois, Mark Richard, Jowee Omicil, Thurgot Theodat, among others.

The founder of the Jazz Festival is Joel Widmaier, who is himself a well-known Haitian drummer from the group Zekle (one of the bands at the heart of the 1980s Nouvel Jenerayson movement). Widmaier’s hopes that the Festival will help promote Haitian Jazz across the country and perhaps the world. "We have some excellent Haitian musicians playing jazz, and its a great movement to promote in Haiti. Joel and the festival organizing committee, which includes the embassies of the United States, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, and the Haiti Cultural Ministry, seek to build on the success of the Jazz Festival from last year. Due to the current political landscape in Haiti, the Festival is not expected to draw foreign visitors. However, for the Haitians of Port-au-Prince, the opportunity to listen to these styles of jazz is more food for the soul of a music loving nation.

Jazz music is not new to Haiti, the island has a long history of a rich musical culture. Following several decades after World War I and the two American occupations ( 1915 & 1934), jazz was being played everywhere in Haitian high society, dance halls, and in the military. Jazz Des Jeunes, the premiere Haitian orchestra of the 30's and 40's, adapted some form of American jazz and fused it with folklore to conjure up the term ' Haitian jazz". Before Konpa came along the mid 50's, Jazz Des Jeune inspired a whole new generation of Haitian musians, including some of Haiti's great's folklore/ jazz singers Gerald Dupervil, Edner Guinard (Jazz Guinard), Raoul Guillaume, Issa El Saieh, Toto Bissainthe, David Mettelus ( Ti-Coca), Dodolphe Legros, Guy Durosier, Joe Trovillog, Raoul Guillaume, Saxophonist Nemours Jean Baptiste and Weber Sicot.

FRANK SINATRA - SINATRA AT THE MOVIES

Frank Sinatra was a titan of 20th Century entertainment, with record-breaking successes in both music and film throughout his legendary career. Capitol/EMI celebrates Ol' Blue Eyes' musical contributions to many of Hollywood's most memorable classic films, in several of which he also starred, with the April 15 release of a new 20-track CD and digital collection titled Sinatra At The Movies.

Born Francis Albert Sinatra on December 12, 1915, Frank Sinatra passed away on May 14, 1998, leaving behind an unparalleled cultural legacy that continues to thrive. Sinatra's global album sales total more than 150 million copies, and Capitol/EMI's 2002 release, Classic Sinatra, has sold
approximately two million units in the U.S. alone.

Sinatra At The Movies is one of several high-profile music and DVD releases honoring the Chairman of the Board's storied career as a pioneering legend of entertainment. Other upcoming salutes to Sinatra include a commemorative U.S. postage stamp to enter circulation on May 13
and special TV programming, co-hosted by his children, through the month of May on Turner Classic Movies (TCM), including more than 30 of Sinatra's films and four of his television specials.

Sinatra At The Movies includes title themes from The Tender Trap, From Here To Eternity, Young At Heart, Three Coins In The Fountain and Not As A Stranger, as well as "Chicago" and "All The Way" from The Joker Is Wild, "I Could Write A Book" and "The Lady Is A Tramp" from Pal Joey, "How Deep Is The Ocean" and "All Of Me" from Meet Danny Wilson, "To Love And Be Loved" from Some Came Running, and more.

With a career that spanned more than six decades, Frank Sinatra was truly "The Entertainer of the 20th Century." Also known as "Ol' Blue Eyes," "The Chairman of the Board" and "The Voice," Sinatra racked up 31 gold albums, one gold single, nine platinum albums (including three that went multi-platinum), and two gold and platinum videos in the United States. He won 10 Grammy Awards(R), and when he was awarded the Grammy Legend Award in 1994 he was introduced by U2 singer Bono, who said, "His songs are his home and he lets you in, but you know that to sing like that you've got to have lost a couple of fights. To know tenderness and romance you've got to have had your heart broken."

Frank Sinatra appeared in 58 films and won three Academy Awards(R) (including an honorary Oscar(R) for The House I Live In). He also starred in his own television show and in numerous specials, earning Emmys(R) and a Peabody Award(R), and he performed thousands of tour dates around the world. Frank Sinatra was saluted by The Kennedy Center Honors as a cultural icon, and was awarded the Presidential Medal Of Honor and the Congressional Gold Medal (Congress' highest civilian award).


SINATRA AT THE MOVIES (CD & Digital Album)

1. (Love Is) The Tender Trap [The Tender Trap]
2. From Here To Eternity [From Here To Eternity]
3. I Love Paris [Can Can]
4. How Deep Is The Ocean [Meet Danny Wilson]
5. I Could Write A Book [Pal Joey]
6. All The Way [The Joker Is Wild]
7. Young At Heart [Young At Heart]
8. Not As A Stranger [Not As A Stranger]
9. All Of Me [Meet Danny Wilson]
10. High Hopes [A Hole In The Head]
11. The Lady Is A Tramp [Pal Joey]
12. Monique [King's Go Forth]
13. Chicago [The Joker Is Wild]
14. Three Coins In The Fountain [Three Coins In The Fountain]
15. I Believe [It Happened In Brooklyn]
16. Wait For Me [Johnny Concho Theme] [Johnny Concho]
17. C'est Magnifique [Can Can]
18. I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night [Higher And Higher]
19. Just One Of Those Things [Young At Heart]

20. To Love And Be Loved [Some Came Running]

ERIC BURDON & WAR REUNION CONCERT

For the first time in 37 years, Eric Burdon and WAR will be performing together - for one night only - at London's historic Royal Albert Hall on April 21. Incidentally, Rhino Records is also planning to reissue the two Eric Burdon and WAR classic albums. The two Burdon/WAR collaborations, 1970's "Eric Burdon Declares WAR" and "Black Man's Burdon," are to be released March 24 in the U.K., followed by the release of their 1976 compilation album, "Love Is All Around," on March 31. It was the Burdon-led, near-chart-topping "Spill the Wine" that introduced the masses to the group in 1970.

The Eric Burdon and WAR lineup for the show will be comprised of Burdon and keyboardist Lonnie Jordan, as well as Start Ziff (guitar), Francisco "Pancho" Tomaselli (bass), Fernando Harkless (saxophone), Mitch Kashmar (harmonica), Marcos Reyes (percussion) and Salvador Rodriguez (drums). The performance will also be filmed for subsequent DVD release.

Eric Burdon is also in the midst of a solo tour and concert dates are as follows:
March 1 – Lake Tahoe, NV @ Harrahs
March 28 – Stuttgart, Germany
March 29 – Stuttgard, Germany
April 26 – Hubbard Park – Band Shell Stage, CT
May 3 – Ridgefield Playhouse, CT
May 4 – New York, NY @ The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
June 11 – Peace Plaza, MN
Sept. 13 – The Cannery Casino, NV

2008 JACKSONVILLE JAZZ FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

This year the festival will include performances by Dave Koz, Terence Blanchard, John Pizzarelli and Poncho Sanchez, among others. Here’s the full 2008 schedule.

April 11
7 p.m., The Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition: Five finalists compete for a $3,500 award and the chance to perform at Metropolitan Park on Sunday.

April 12
1 p.m., Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition Winner2 p.m., Lynne Arriale Trio featuring special guest Benny Golson; Lynne Arriale (piano), Rufus Reid (bass), Anthony Pinciotti (drums), and Benny Golson (tenor sax)
3:30 p.m., 20th Anniversary Celebration of the University of North Florida Jazz Program “Past, Present, and Future” featuring the UNF Jazz Ensemble 1 Big Band, the UNF Jazz Faculty and the 2008 UNF Alumni Reunion Group.
5:30 p.m., Terence Blanchard
7 p.m., The St. Johns River City Band with John Pizzarelli
Noon–10 p.m., Art at the Met Art Show and Sale
Noon–10 p.m., 38° Latitude: A Wine Tasting Experience

April 13
10 a.m.–1 p.m., Jazz Brunch
10 a.m., Najee
11:30 a.m., Norman Brown
1:30 p.m., Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band
3 p.m., Dave KozTickets will go on sale in early March and will be $10 a day.

Tickets for the Jazz Brunch tickets are available for $40 and include general admission into Metropolitan Park on April 13. Tickets are available at www.jaxjazzfest.com or by calling (904) 355-2787.

UPCOMING CD RELEASES

My Blueberry Nights Soundtrack
The soundtrack for My Blueberry Nights will be released on the Blue Note label on April 1. The My Blueberry Nights soundtrack CD will feature songs by Cat Power, Ry Cooder, Amos Lee, Mavis Staples, plus a new track by Norah Jones (“The Story”).

Also on tap from Blue Note is a Wynton Marsalis release entitled, He And She, on May 13.

New Verve Releases
Verve Records is preparing a batch of new release set to go out on March 18. Here’s a list of what to expect: I Got A Woman And Some Blues from George Benson; Live At The Village Gate by Jimmy Smith; A Night At The Vanguard by Kenny Burrell; New Orleans Night by Louis Armstrong; Fantabulous by Oliver Nelson; Plays Count Basie by Oscar Peterson;; Bridge Over Troubled Waters by Paul Desmond; and Jazz Giants ’58 from Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio.

Eric Burdon & WAR Reissues
Rhino Records is also planning to reissue the two Eric Burdon and WAR classic albums. The two Burdon/WAR collaborations, 1970's "Eric Burdon Declares WAR" and "Black Man's Burdon," are to be released March 24 in the U.K., followed by the release of their 1976 compilation album, "Love Is All Around," on March 31.

August Darnell, Kid Creole & Dr. Buzzard’s Savannah Band
A Kid Creole deluxe CD! Yes folks! Finally a release that includes Kid Creole, August Darnell and everything else in between (including Dr Buzzard’s Savannah Band with the great Cory Daye). Strut Records (from the UK) is packaging a deluxe digipak release, along with a 16-page booklet. The album will include a batch of August Darnell projects, and this includes the Kid Creole and the Coconuts music - - and maybe even the Dr. Buzzard stuff. This will also be released in the U.S. on March 25.

KENNY G - RHYTHM AND ROMANCE

Kenny G’s new album “Rhythm And Romance” is his first since signing a new deal with Starbucks Entertainment and Concord Records. The new CD (released on February 5) is a selection of Latin love songs. Kenny G is backed by Latin musicians on this set, including drummer Alex Acuna, percussionists Michito Sanchez and Paulinho Da Costa, bassist John Penia, and guitarist Ramon Stagnaro. Camilia and Barbara Munoz contribute vocals throughout. Kenny G is touring in support of the album and listed below are a select number of upcoming U.S.dates. Kenny G will then head on to Asia (including China) for a series of concert dates before heading back for additional North American concerts.

March 7 - Juneau, AK @ Centennial Hall Convention Center
March 9 - Fairbanks, AK @ Hering Auditorium
March 10 – Anchorage, AK @ Atwood Concert Hall
March 14 – Kahului, HI @ Castle Theater
March 15 – Honolulu, HI @ Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall
March 16 - Honolulu, HI @ Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall
March 19 – Greenville, SC @ Peace Center
March 21 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Raymond Kravis Ctr. For Perf. Arts
March 22 – Melbourne, FL @ King Center For Performing Arts
March 24 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
March 25 – Fort Myers, FL @ Barbara B. Mann Perf. Arts Hall
March 26 – Miami Beach, FL @ Fillmore At Jackie Gleason Theater

THE RETURN OF RETURN TO FOREVER

Beginning this June, a reunited Return To Forever will be hitting the road for the first time in 25 years. The classic lineup of keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Al Di Meola, and drummer Lenny White are so far scheduled to play between 30 to 40 concerts across the U.S.

After a series of major concerts in theaters and small amphitheaters in major U.S. markets as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and New York, Return to Forever will head for Europe in July. The band will then come back to the States in August.

"It's been a long time coming," says founder Chick Corea, "and I think it's going to be a blast! We plan to take the songs from the albums we made in the '70s and just play them like they've never been played before."

"In retrospect, the '70s were a very powerful time in instrumental music," Stanley Clarke adds. "We're going to go out and play our music as honestly as we did then, and it will be a great thing for all of us."

Al Di Meola says, "This is something we've talked about for close to 30 years... how's that? 30 years! We've come close a few times, but finally the timing was right.""We all felt the time was right to come back on a grand scale, raise the bar again and show people what serious music is really about," Lenny White concludes.

Return To Forever are releasing an anthology album of remixed and remastered songs from such classic albums as “Where Have I Known You Before,” “Romantic Warrior,” No Mystery,” and “Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy.” Return to Forever helped create and define fusion, a new genre that brought multitudes of rock 'n' roll fans into the jazz world for the first time.

Chick Corea, Al Di Meola, and Stanley Clarke are also scheduled with their own tours this year. Stanley Clake is supporting his new CD, “The Toys Of Men,” which recently debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz chart last month. Al Di Meola is supporting two recent releases” “Consequence Of Chaos” and “Diabolic Inventions And Seduction For Solo Guitar, Vol. 1: Music Of Astor Piazzolla.

2008 PLAYBOY JAZZ FESTIVAL

Bill Cosby is set for the role of the master of ceremonies at the 30th annual Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. Among the artists performing this year includes Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, Poncho Sanchez, Keb’ Mo’, Dr. John, and Dee Dee Bridgewater, among others. One of the most popular annual music festivals in Southern California, the Playboy Jazz Fest boasts a half-dozen straight-ahead jazz acts and musicians performing everything from funk to big band to Brazilian jazz to smooth jazz to blues.The June 14-15 festival will bring back Cosby, who has missed only three turns as host since the first presentation in Los Angeles in 1979.

The June 14 lineup includes the Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band; the James Moody Quartet; Dr. John; R and R featuring Rick Braun and Richard Elliot; Hirmoi's Sonicbloom; Sherrie Maricle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra; and pianist Robert Glasper. Emcee Bill Cosby will again oversee the Cos of Good Music, which this year will feature Ambrose Akinmusire, Dwayne Burno, Ndugu Chancler, Benny Green, Billy Harper, Jerry Peters and David T. Walker.

Herbie Hancock will appear with bassist Dave Holland, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and guitarist Lionbel Loueke, plus saxophonist Chris Potter on June 15, day two of the fest. Al Jarreau and Tower of Power are first-day headliners. Besides Hancock, the June 15 lineup features Keb' Mo', Roy Hargrove Big Band, Guitars & Saxes, Ivan Lins with Oscar Castro-Neves, Plena Libre, Ryan Shaw and the View Park Prep Jazz Ensemble.

THE RETURN OF JAZZ FM IN LONDON

Jazz FM in London and the North West are being revived by GMG Radio as a digital-only station. The relaunch comes just weeks after GCap Media announced plans to close down its digital-only jazz station, theJazz. Jazz FM is scheduled to be revived later in the year pending approve by media watchdog Ofcom. It will be available on the digital audio broadcasting (DAB) platform, 24 hours a day. GMG had rebranded Jazz FM in London and the North West to Smooth FM three years ago in a bid to broaden the stations appeal and boost audiences; however, it now seems that the Jazz FM brand could still garner some audiences with an online presence. GMG Radio chief executive, John Myers, says the demise of theJazz means there is an opportunity to revive the Jazz FM format for fans of the genre. He adds: "We have always carried on Jazz FM online but we now hope that the gap left by theJazz will enable us to win an increase audience to this new service." Jazz FM was widely known for its mix of smooth jazz, chill, R&B, funk, and dance, all fused for what was a great sounding station. Of course, as we have seen so many times before with so many other radio stations, it’s all about the business of radio. In other words, radio is created for the masses and not for the particular few. This is why niche radio formats will never work on a grand scale. And so this is why all of these unsuccessful formats have gone to live streaming on the Internet. Oh well.

SIMPLY RED'S MICK HUCKNALL TO RELEASE SOLO ALBUM: "TRIBUTE TO BOBBY"

The Bobby in question is the enormously influential African- American singer Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, sometimes referred to as the ‘Lion of the Blues’. ‘Tribute to Bobby’ is a twelve track master class in soul, blues and R&B and a tribute to one of Mick Hucknall’s most important inspirations and musical idols. Along with such artists as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and Junior Parker, Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with blues and R&B. He sang classics such as big-band blues number ‘Farther Up The Road’ (US R&B top 10 hit in 1957) and perfected his craft in the 1960’s with a series of releases including ‘Cry Cry Cry’ and ‘I Pity The Fool’.

Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland perhaps achieved his greatest recognition much later in his career; in 1992 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1997 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.On the album ‘Tribute to Bobby’ Hucknall’s compelling vocals emphasise the sentiment of each of the twelve cover songs, whilst masterfully adopting the songs and making them entirely his own. The album is set for release in the U.K. on May 19th.

Here are the Mick Hucknall solo tour dates announced so far are:
29 June Bristol, UK - Colston Hall
30 June Wolverhampton, UK - Civic Hall
1 July Liverpool, UK - Summer Pops
3 July Manchester, UK - Apollo
4 July Newcastle, UK - City Hall
5 July Oxford, UK - New Theatre
7 July Leicester, UK - De Montfort Hall
8 July Ipswich, UK - Regent
9 July London, UK - Indigo 02 Arena
12 July Weert, Holland - Bospop
13 July Werchter, Belgium – Werchter Boutique Festival
16 July Munich, Germany – Tollwood Festival
18 July Zurich, Switzerland – Live At Sunset Festival
25 July Tuln, Austria – Danube Festival

All these UK dates go on sale at 9am on Friday 29th February. For more information click to www.simplyred.com and www.myspace.com/simplyred

NEW MUSIC RELEASES THIS WEEK

Here's a batch of some new stuff that available now...

Alice Babs – Illusion (Vax/Sweden)
Angela Johnson – Woman’s Touch (Purpose)
Antonio Carlos Jobim – Pure Bossa Nova: A View On The Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim (Verve)
Average White Band – Soul & The City: Recorded Live At B.B. King’s (Copycats)
B.B. King – Live (Geffen)
Beady Belle – Belvedere (Jazzland/Norway)
Carlos Lyra - Pure Bossa Nova: A View On The Music Of Carlos Lyra (Verve)
Fanga – Natural Juice (Underdog/France)
Funky Muchachos – Funky Muchachos Play Soul Jazz (Tito’s Record/UK)
Gilles Peterson – Gilles Peterson In The House LP 1 (Defected/UK)
Jsoul – Love Soldier (Blackout Studios)
Larry Graham & Graham Central Station – Star Walk (Warner/Wounded Bird)
Lizz Wright – Orchard (Verve)
Lulu – To Sire With Love/It’s Lulu (Epic/Wounded Bird)
Nara Leao - Pure Bossa Nova: A View On The Music Of Nara Leao (Verve)
National Bank – Come On Over To The Other Side (Universal/Norway)
Nicola Conte – Nicola Conte Presents Viagem: A Collection Of 60’s Brazilian Bossa Nova & Jazz Samba (Som Livre/Far Out/UK)
Nicodemus – Endangered Species Remixed (ESL)
Nina Simone – Tell It Like It Is: Rarities & Unreleased Recordings 1967 to 1973 (RCA/UK)
Os Cariocas - Pure Bossa Nova: A View On The Music Of Os Cariocas (Verve)
Pete Rock – NY’s Finest (Nature Sounds)
Peter Brotzmann/Peter Uuskyla Duo – Born Broke (Atavistic)
Roberto Menescal - Pure Bossa Nova: A View On The Music Of Roberto Menescal (Verve)
Swing Out Sister – Beautiful Mess (Avex/Japan)
Sylvia Telles - Pure Bossa Nova: A View On The Music Of Sylvia Telles (Verve)
Tamba Trio - Pure Bossa Nova: A View On The Music Of Tamba Trio (Verve)
Tammy Harris – Natural Vibe (Root Soul)
Vandermark 5 – Beat Reader (Atavistic)
Walter Wanderly – Pure Bossa Nova: A View On The Music Of Walter Wanderly (Verve)
Various Artists – Putumayo Presents Euro Groove (Putumayo)

DONNA SUMMER -CRAYONS

Donna Summer is ready to release her first brand new studio album of all new-material on May 20. She’s just signed a new contract with Sony BMG’s Burgundy Records for a new CD called “Crayons.” Summer helped define the 70’s pop music generation and “Crayons” will have all the characteristics that made Donna Summer an icon. “Crayons” will contain a mix of up-tempo tunes and ballads.

With this release, Donna Summer is working with a wide range of collaborators, including Danielle Brisebois, Greg Kurstin, JR Rotem, Lester Mendez and Evan Bogart (co-writer of Rihanna’s smash “SOS” and the son of legendary record executive and Donna’s mentor, Neil Bogart).

Donna describes the background of the title Crayons and the aesthetic of the album as "a menagerie of colors and styles, with hints of different ethnic traditions and sounds. My dream is that when people hear the music it will remind them of their youth, their childhood and the joy and wonderment they felt exploring their first pack of Crayons."

Remixes of the track "I'm A Fire" were serviced to U.S. clubs on February 16, and the first single, "Stamp Your Feet", is set for release in April 2008. Donna Summer's last album of completely new material was 1991's "Mistaken Identity" (Atlantic). Since then, she has released holiday and live albums, as well as 1996's "I'm a Rainbow," featuring tracks originally cut in 1981

Donna's long list of musical accomplishments include: 14 #1 Billboard singles, 12 Gold and Platinum singles, 5 Grammy Awards, 6 American Music Awards, 2 Double Platinum albums, 1 Platinum album, 8 Gold albums. Her song "Last Dance" won both Oscar and Golden Globe awards.

For additional information, click to http://www.bmg.com/ and http://www.DonnaSummer.com/

SIMPLY RED COLLECTOR'S EDITION - STARS

Here's a treat for all of you Simply Red fans. They have just released a fantastic new collector's edition of the Stars album as part of a new joint venture between Simply Red and Warners. This 2CD and DVD set is released this week in the UK (other countries may vary). It contains over 4.5 hours of content including: the original album, the Robert Johnson sessions, Live In Hamburg 1992 and 11 dance mixes. In addition, a DVD wit the Montreux Jazz Festival concert 1992 and 5 videos, and a 36 page booklet with new notes and rare photos remastered from the original tapes.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1 - Original Album (Remastered)

1. Something Got Me Started

2. Stars

3. Thrill Me

4. Your Mirror

5. She's Got It Bad

6. For Your Babies

7. Model

8. How Could I Fall

9. Freedom

10. WonderlandBonus Tracks (Robert Johnson sessions)

11.Come On In My Kitchen [Remastered]

12. Ramblin' On My Mind [Remastered]

13.Me And The Devil Blues [Remastered]

14. When You've Got A Good Friend [Remastered]

Bonus Tracks (Live In Hamburg 23rd Feb 1992)

15. Sad Old Red [Live Remastered]

16. More [Live Remastered]

17. Something Got Me Started [Live Remastered]

18. Thrill Me [Live Remastered]

19. Your Mirror [Live Remastered]

20. She's Got It Bad [Live Remastered]

Disc 2 - Mixes (Remastered)

1. Stars [PM-ized Mix]

2. For Your Babies [Edition Francais]

3. Something Got Me Started [Esmoove's Late Night Mix]

4. Thrill Me [Steppin' Razor Mix]

5. Freedom [Perfecto Mix]

6. Stars [Comprende Mix]

7. Something Got Me Started [Hurley's 7" Mix]

8. Thrill Me [Connoisseurs Mix]

9. Freedom [How Long Mix]

10. Something Got Me Started [Perfecto Mix]

11. Thrill Me [Nellee Hooper's Dub Mix]

Disc 3 - DVD Featuring the 1992 Montreux Jazz Festival Concert plus 5 promo videos

ALICIA KEYS TEAMS UP WITH CHARITY

Multi-Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, producer, actress and philanthropist Alicia Keys recently partnered with Seattle-based Treemo (http://www.treemo.com) to launch the innovative "As I Am" contest, a mobile and web contest to support the Keep A Child Alive (KCA) charity. The contest directly benefits KCA as Treemo will donate $1 to the cause for every unique user who enters the "As I Am" contest, up to $10,000.

Keys is the Global Ambassador for Keep A Child Alive, a charity providing an urgent response to the AIDS pandemic ravaging Africa. KCA provides comprehensive AIDS care to over 20,000 people living with AIDS; including provision of life-saving AIDS medications, nutritional support and treatment for AIDS-related illnesses. They also provide care and support to thousands of children who have lost their parents from this devastating disease. KCA uses 100% of public donations for the cause, a fact very few charities can honestly claim.

"This contest and Treemo's support will not only increase our ability to spread the word about the realities of this pandemic, but also recruit more potential donors who can easily see they can indeed save the life of someone who needs their help. It's only $1 a day to sustain a life; it's time we all start giving a buck," said Leigh Blake, Founder and President of KCA. For more information about Keep A Child Alive, click to http://www.keepachildalive.org/.

The "As I Am" contest celebrates the third track on the album titled "Superwoman" by allowing fans to create a Treemo.com account at http://alicia.treemo.com and upload via their mobile phone or web, a photo, video, or text, telling a story about someone they know who is a "Superwoman." Since launching, the contest has generated over a thousand entries from throughout the US, each full of rich personal stories of courage, admiration, and heart-felt nominations.

"Keep A Child Alive's mission is to empower and inspire people to act and save lives. Now my fans can share with me in real-time, from anywhere anytime, their own personal stories of empowerment and help support KCA's efforts," said Alicia Keys.

At http://alicia.treemo.com, users may browse all the contest entries, receive updates on Alicia's favorites, and download ring tones of her hit tracks "No One" and "Like You'll Never See Me Again" from her number one multi-platinum selling album "As I Am."

The contest will be promoted via a nationwide Top 40 radio campaign in major urban markets, from KKDA in Dallas to KUBE in Seattle to WJMN in Boston and more. Each of these radio stations will review the contest entries and select three winners to receive an iPod Touch and an "As I Am" CD signed by Keys. Each station will then choose three semi-finalists to compete for the grand prize concert trip giveaway to see Alicia Keys on tour in the United States. Fans may text ALICIA to 873366 to receive contest news and view the latest entries via their mobile phones. Entries for the "As I Am" contest must be received at http://alicia.treemo.com by February 28, 2008. For complete Contest Rules, visit http://alicia.treemo.com/static/contest_rules.

As I Am Contest Radio Shortcode: Text ALICIA to 873366
"We are thrilled to partner with Alicia to power the "As I Am" contest and contribute to Keep a Child Alive," said Brent Brookler, Treemo's CEO. "Within the entertainment industry, we are witnessing the arrival of forward thinking artists like Alicia who are paving the way in the industry with integration of web and mobile community features to better connect with fans. Treemo's platform allows these artists to promote their brand and social causes with powerful social media tools and creative campaigns that reward fans for participating in the artist's community."

RYODISC TO CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY - OFFERS FREE DOWNLOADS!

Rykodisc, the first label to embrace and usher in the compact disc era, proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2008. As a way of saying thanks for supporting our music, Rykodisc is offering 5 free downloads, commemorating our first 25 years, every month of 2008 at www.rykodisc.com. Subsequent downloads will be posted on the 25th of every month during 2008.

The first 5 downloads highlight our rich history with world music. Artists to be featured include Nigeria's juju master King Sunny Ade, world renowned guitarists Ali Farka Toure & Ry Cooder, the sophisticated instrumental sounds of Toumani Diabate, Baka Beyond from the rainforest of Cameroon, and Taj Mahal & Toumani Diabate.

Rykodisc is a recognized leader within the independent music arena. Originally founded as the first CD-only label, Rykodisc is home to a collection of visionary artists including Frank Zappa, Bill Hicks, Morphine, Joe Jackson, Gary Louris, Brian Eno and Elf Power. The label's continued mission is to cultivate an environment that is artist-driven, progressive and forward-thinking as we approach the next 25 years in an ever-changing musical landscape.

John Esposito, President and CEO of WEA Corp., Warner Music Group's US retail sales and marketing company, said, "From the first time I picked up one of those green jewel cases back in the day, I knew Rykodisc was a music company with a distinct point of view. Every album I have enjoyed since has been special and unique. Today, Rykodisc remains a safe haven for creativity, integrity and inspiration."

Rykodisc and its sister company, Ryko Distribution, are headquartered in New York City and are subsidiaries of Warner Music Group. In 2007, Rykodisc merged Cordless Recordings into its operations. Cordless Recordings focuses on developing and exposing new talent through the digital media space. The label was founded by legendary industry veteran, Jac Holzman, who also founded the esteemed labels, Elektra and Nonesuch Records.

In 2008, look for Ryko to complement its signature green jewel case with innovative eco-friendly "green" packaging on selected releases. We begin the year with a stellar album from Joe Jackson, followed by new releases by such artists as Gary Louris, Supreme Beings of Leisure, Elf Power, Was (Not Was), and many more.