JESSE COOK: THE RUMBA FOUNDATION

E1 Music is set to release the new album by world music guitarist extraordinaire Jesse Cook. "The Rumba Foundation" will be released on September 29th, 2009. "The Rumba Foundation" brings Cook on a journey across time, space and sound. In the 1800s sailors travelled to Spain carrying a hot new rhythm from Cuba: Rumba. Gypsies took this dance rhythm and created their own hybrid: "Rumba Flamenco." 150 years later, Jesse makes it a round trip by bringing Rumba Flamenco back to its roots, but modernized in what might be his strongest work yet.
With this new release, Jesse melds his trademark Rumba Flamenco style with the music of Cuba, Haiti and Colombia, among others. With all of the instrumental pyrotechnics he employs, Jesse's emphasis is always on the melody and the infectious rhythms that make him an airplay favorite. Amidst all of his dazzling, soulful original compositions, Jesse adds a special highlight -- a spectacular arrangement of Paul Simon's classic "Cecilia," an adaptation that is as creative and catchy as anything he's ever recorded. Jesse Cook has sold over 1 million albums world wide, and over 400,000 in the U.S. alone. In 2008, he achieved something no one before him ever has. He dominated both the smooth jazz radio charts with his Top 3 single, "Café Mocha," and the Billboard New Age chart with his #1 album "Frontiers," which to date has spent over 70 weeks in the Top 10. Jesse Cook is a 2009 Acoustic Guitar magazine Player's Choice Silver Award winner, finishing second only to the legendary Paco De Lucia. At the same time, he continues to play sold-out concerts all over North America and indeed the world, electrifying audiences everywhere with energetic, virtuosic, and melodic concerts.

The Rumba Foundation Track Listing

1. Bogota by Bus

2. Santa Marta

3. Tuesday's Child

4. Manolo

5. Improv 1

6. La Rumba D'el Jefe

7. Improv 2

8. Gaita

9. Rain Day

10. Bombay Diner

11. Afternoon at Satie's

12. Cecilia

13. Homebound

MARC BROUSSARD: WELCOME TO MY LIVING ROOM

Atlantic recording artist Marc Broussard has unveiled details of his upcoming headline tour. The 15-city trek - dubbed "Marc Broussard: Welcome To My Living Room" - will see the Louisiana-based bayou soul troubadour performing acoustically in intimate venues across the country, accompanied by acclaimed guitarist Joe Stark (Sons of William) and drummer/percussionist Chad Gilmore. The tour begins on October 13th at the Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Virginia, and then travels the U.S. through the November 6th finale at the House Of Blues in Houston, TX. The back-to-basics tour will be highlighted by songs from Broussard's earlier material on "Momentary Setback," "Carencro," and his most recent Atlantic Records debut, "KEEP COMING BACK." In addition, fans can expect a preview of new songs.

Broussard's third full-length collection, "KEEP COMING BACK," includes the hit single/video, "When It's Good (Feat. LeAnn Rimes)" and received beaucoup critical acclamation upon its release last September. "Justin T., take note: Marc Broussard is the real blue-eyed, blond, Southern soul singer," wrote Vanity Fair's Lisa Robinson. "He's been compared to Donnie Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, and Van Morrison, and his new album, 'KEEP COMING BACK,' features the outstanding 'Real Good Thing.'" Performing Songwriter also praised the collection, stating "Next time you hear a soul-music fanatic say, 'They don't make 'em like that anymore,' let them hear 'KEEP COMING BACK'... Broussard gives what amounts to a master class in soul singing."

MARC BROUSSARD On Tour 2009
Oct 13 - Alexandria, VA @ Birchmere Music Hall
Oct 14 - Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage
Oct 16 - New York, NY @ The Concert Hall
Oct 17 - Fairfield, CT @ Stage One
Oct 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live
Oct 20 - Evanston, IL @ S.P.A.C.E.
Oct 22 - Nashville, TN @ The Rutledge
Oct 23 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage In The Round
Oct 24 - Fort Worth, TX @ Bass Performance Hall
Oct 26 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Mint
Oct 27 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Mint
Oct 29 - San Francisco, CA @ Café du Nord
Oct 30 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
Nov 5 - Austin, TX @ The Parish
Nov 6 - Houston, TX @ House Of Blues

LES PAUL: 1915-2009

Les Paul, acclaimed guitar player, entertainer and inventor, passed away on August 13 from complications of severe pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York, surrounded by family and loved ones. He had been receiving the best available treatment through this final battle and in keeping with his persona, he showed incredible strength, tenacity and courage. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the thoughts and prayers from his dear friends and fans. Les Paul was 94.

One of the foremost influences on 20th century sound and responsible for the world's most famous guitar, the Les Paul model, Les Paul's prestigious career in music and invention spans from the 1930s to the present. Though he's indisputably one of America's most popular, influential, and accomplished electric guitarists, Les Paul is best known as an early innovator in the development of the solid body guitar. His groundbreaking design would become the template for Gibson's best-selling electric, the Les Paul model, introduced in 1952. Today, countless musical legends still consider Paul's iconic guitar unmatched in sound and prowess. Among Paul's most enduring contributions are those in the technological realm, including ingenious developments in multi-track recording, guitar effects, and the mechanics of sound in general.

Born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin on June 9, 1915, Les Paul was already performing publicly as a honky-tonk guitarist by the age of 13. So clear was his calling that Paul dropped out of high school at 17 to play in Sunny Joe Wolverton's Radio Band in St. Louis. As Paul's mentor, Wolverton was the one to christen him with the stage name "Rhubarb Red," a moniker that would follow him to Chicago in 1934. There, Paul became a bonafide radio star, known as both hillbilly picker Rhubarb Red and Django Reinhardt-informed jazz guitarist Les Paul. His first recordings were done in 1936 on an acoustic--alone as Rhubarb Red, as well as backing blues singer Georgia White. The next year he formed his first trio, but by 1938 he'd moved to New York to begin his tenure on national radio with one of the more popular dance orchestras in the country, Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians.

Tinkering with electronics and guitar amplification since his youth, Les Paul began constructing his own electric guitar in the late '30s. Unhappy with the first generation of commercially available hollowbodies because of their thin tone, lack of sustain, and feedback problems, Paul opted to build an entirely new structure. "I was interested in proving that a vibration-free top was the way to go," he has said. "I even built a guitar out of a railroad rail to prove it. What I wanted was to amplify pure string vibration, without the resonance of the wood getting involved in the sound." With the good graces of Epiphone president Epi Stathopoulo, Paul used the Epiphone plant and machinery in 1941 to bring his vision to fruition. He affectionately dubbed the guitar "The Log."

Les Paul's tireless experiments sometimes proved to be dangerous, and he nearly electrocuted himself in 1940 during a session in the cellar of his Queens apartment. During the next two years of rehabilitation, Les earned his living producing radio music. Forced to put the Pennsylvanians and the rest of his career on hold, Les Paul moved to Hollywood. During World War II, he was drafted into the Army but permitted to stay in California, where he became a regular player for Armed Forces Radio Service. By 1943 he had assembled a trio that regularly performed live, on the radio, and on V-Discs. In 1944 he entered the jazz spotlight--thanks to his dazzling work filling in for Oscar Moore alongside Nat King Cole, Illinois Jacquet, and other superstars --at the first of the prestigious Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts.

By his mid-thirties, Paul had successfully combined Reinhardt-inspired jazz playing and the western swing and twang of his Rhubarb Red persona into one distinctive, electrifying style. In the Les Paul Trio he translated the dizzying runs and unusual harmonies found on Jazz at the Philharmonic into a slower, subtler, more commercial approach. His novelty instrumentals were tighter, brasher, and punctuated with effects. Overall, the trademark Les Paul sound was razor-sharp, clean-shaven, and divinely smooth.
As small combos eclipsed big bands toward the end of World War II, Les Paul Trio's popularity grew. They cut records for Decca both alone and behind the likes of Helen Forrest, the Andrews Sisters, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Dick Hayes, and, most notably, Bing Crosby. Since 1945, when the crooner brought them into the studio to back him on a few numbers, the Trio had become regular guests on Crosby's hit radio show. The highlight of the session was Paul's first No. 1 hit and million-seller, the gorgeous "It's Been a Long, Long Time."

Meanwhile, Paul began to experiment with dubbing live tracks over recorded tracks, also altering the playback speed. This resulted in "Lover (When You're Near Me)," his revolutionary 1947 predecessor to multi-track recording. The hit instrumental featured Les Paul on eight different electric guitar parts, all playing together. In 1948, Paul nearly lost his life to a devastating car crash that shattered his right arm and elbow. Still, he convinced doctors to set his broken arm in the guitar-picking and cradling position. Laid up but undaunted, Paul acquired a first generation Ampex tape recorder from Crosby in 1949, and began his most important multi-tracking adventure, adding a fourth head to the recorder to create sound-on-sound recordings. While tinkering with the machine and its many possibilities, he also came up with tape delay. These tricks, along with another recent Les Paul innovation--close mic-ing vocals--were integrated for the first time on a single recording: the 1950 No. 1 tour de force "How High the Moon." This historic track was performed during a duo with future wife Mary Ford. The couple's prolific string of hits for Capitol Records not only included some of the most popular recordings of the early 1950s, but also wrote the book on contemporary studio production. The dense but crystal clear harmonic layering of guitars and vocals, along with Ford's close mic-ed voice and Paul's guitar effects, produced distinctively contemporary recordings with unprecedented sonic qualities. Through hits, tours, and popular radio shows, Paul and Ford kept one foot in the technological vanguard and the other in the cultural mainstream.

All the while, Les Paul continued to pine for the perfect guitar. Though The Log came close, it wasn't quite what he was after. In the early 1950s, Gibson Guitar would cultivate a partnership with Paul that would lead to the creation of the guitar he'd seen only in his dreams. In 1948, Gibson elected to design its first solidbody, and Paul, a self-described "dyed-in-the-wool Gibson man," seemed the right man for the job. Gibson avidly courted the guitar legend, even driving deep into the Pennsylvania mountains to deliver the first model to newlyweds Les Paul and Mary Ford.

With the rise of the rock 'n' roll revolution of 1955, Les Paul and Mary Ford's popularity began to wane with younger listeners, though Paul would prove to be a massive influence on younger generations of guitarists. Still, Paul and Ford maintained their iconic presence with their wildly popular television show, which ran from 1953-1960. In 1964, the couple, parents to a son and daughter, divorced. Paul began playing in Japan, and recorded an LP for London Records before poor health forced him to take time off--as much as someone so inspired can take time off. In 1977, Paul resurfaced with a Grammy-winning Chet Atkins collaboration, Chester and Lester. Then the ailing guitarist, who'd already suffered arthritis and permanent hearing loss, had a heart attack, followed by bypass surgery.

Ever stubborn, Les recovered, and returned to live performance in the late 1980s. Even releasing the 2005 double-Grammy winner Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played, featuring collaborations with a veritable who's who of the electric guitar, including dozens of illustrious fans like Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Joe Perry. In 2008, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame paid tribute to Les Paul in a week-long celebration of his life which culminated with a live performance by Les himself. Until recently Les continued to perform two weekly New York shows with the Les Paul Trio, at The Iridium Jazz Club in New York City, for over twelve years where a literal who's who of the entertainment world has paid homage. It has been an honor to have Les Paul perform at The Iridium Jazz Club for the past twelve years hosting such luminaries as Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and others and is a tragic loss to owner Ron Sturm both personally and professionally. Iridium intends to celebrate Les Paul's music and legacy every Monday night. Les Paul has since become the only individual to share membership into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame

ISLAND 50th ANNIVERSARY

Reggae fans are being treated to a treasure trove of first-time digital releases with tracks and albums unavailable in any form for some 30 years exclusively on iTunes. The Island 50th Anniversary Reggae promotion, featuring special offers through August 17, marks an important milestone for the genre in the download world. Exclusively available on iTunes and released by Island/UMe will be six "Digital 45s" from the Congoes, Zap Pow and others; a new Bob Marley & The Wailers EP compilation; 10 out-of-print albums and previously unavailable digitally from the likes of the Heptones, Wailing Souls, and George Faith; and three new multi-artist collections. The "Digital 45s" are "Congo Man"/"Congo Man Chant" (Congoes), "Ballistic Affair"/"Ballistic Dub" (Leroy Smart), "Dreadlocks in Moonlight"/"Cut Throat" (Lee Perry), "To Be A Lover (Have Mercy)"/"Diana" (George Faith), "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"/"The Dealer" (Arthur Louis) and "This Is Reggae Music"/"Break Down The Barriers" (Zap Pow). The albums debuting for digital download are Night Food (The Heptones), Wild Suspense (Wailing Souls), To Be A Lover (George Faith), Black Roots (Sugar Minott), Classic Rockers (Augustus Pablo), Jezebel and Just In Time (Justin Hinds & The Dominoes), and the compilations Dubmission and Dubmission 2 -- The Remixes. The I Know A Place EP collects five tracks Bob Marley & The Wailers recorded with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. The title track was first issued on the limited edition retrospective One Love in 2001, has been out of print since, and now makes its digital premiere on I Know A Place. "Who Colt The Game" was issued on the bonus disc that accompanied the U.K. edition of One Love and similarly has been out of print; "Smile Jamaica [version]" was culled from the 2001 Expanded Edition of Kaya. And both "Punky Reggae Party" [Jamaican 12" version] in its full "discomix" and the complete recording of "Keep On Moving" hail from the 2001 Exodus Deluxe Edition. Additionally, three new Island 50th Anniversary - branded 10-track compilations will be issued exclusively on iTunes. Roots Train boasts Junior Murvin, Max Romeo & The Upsetters, Lee Perry, Jah Lion and others. Crucial Classics features vintage recordings from Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear, Toots & The Maytals, The Heptones and more, while Dreadlocks In Moonlight offers romantic reggae classics from Black Uhuru, Dillinger, Toots Hibbert, George Faith and Gregory Isaacs, among others.

BURT BACHARACH, KENNY LOGGINS, PEABO BRYSON, JANE MONHEIT FEATURED ON WHAT LOVE CAN DO

WHAT LOVE CAN DO is a project put together by Phil Ramone that brings together celebrated musicians such as Brian Wilson, Kris Kristofferson, Kenny Loggins, Burt Bacharach and many others each of whom have gone back into the studio to recreate one of their all-time hits as well as record a brand new song. It's a unique idea where artists, under the creative genius of Phil Ramone, record a fresh take on a timeless classic while also offering an up-to-date example of their artistry. Key Adult Contemporary stations such as KWAV (Monteray, CA) and WCDV (Baton Rouge, LA) have already embraced the first single, What Love Can Do by Brian Wilson. WHAT LOVE CAN DO was released on 429 Records on August 4. WHAT LOVE CAN DO is more than just a nostalgic look back for the artist and the listener but it's a heartfelt message from each artist involved that their music is more vibrant and evocative than ever. The lineup of artists participating in the project is truly stellar representing the pop, rock, folk and jazz genres.

WHAT LOVE CAN DO TRACKLISTING:

1) "God Only Knows" Brian Wilson

2) "Un Baile Del Corazon" Stephen Bishop

3) "Your Goodbye" Richard Marx

4) "A Love Song" Kenny Loggins

5) "Sunday Morning Coming Down" Kris Kristofferson

6) "I Still Remember" Burt Bacharach & John Pagano

7) "Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams & Willie Nelson

8) "Hold On To The Nights" Richard Marx

9) "The Wonder" Kris Kristofferson

10) "I'll Remember Your Name" Kenny Loggins

11) "New Music From An Old Friend" Paul Williams & Jane Monheit

12) "Save It For A Rainy Day" Stephen Bishop & Eric Clapton

13) "Alfie" Burt Bacharach & Peabo Bryson

14) "How About Now" Kenny Loggins

15) "What Love Can Do" Brian Wilson

BARBRA STREISAND AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD

In what promises to be a once-in-a lifetime thrill for a hundred of her luckiest fans, Barbra Streisand will celebrate the release of Love Is The Answer - her new album of jazz standards and classics- by singing a selection of these songs on Saturday, September 26 at New York's legendary Village Vanguard, where she last performed in 1961 as the opening act for Miles Davis. Free tickets to this history-making experience will be made available only to fans who either pre-order the new CD or register an entry blank free of charge. Full details and rules can be found on barbrastreisand.com. Soon after her performance at the Vanguard some 48 years ago, Streisand began to build a reputation in Greenwich Village as an extraordinary newcomer on the scene, a not-to-be-missed star on the rise singing in clubs like The Lion and The Bon Soir. With its astounding acoustics and intimate vibe, The Village Vanguard -- an epicenter of the New York jazz scene since an all-jazz policy was implemented in 1957 - was, and is one of the most renowned musical venues throughout the world.'

According to the RIAA, Barbra Streisand is the #1 best selling female recording artist in history and the only woman to make the Top 10 all time best selling artists list, which includes Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Over the course of her career, Streisand has recorded 50 gold, 30 platinum and 13 multi-platinum albums. An artist of unparalleled accomplishments in multiple entertainment fields, Streisand has made her mark as an award winning actress of stage and screen, recording artist, concert performer, movie producer, film director, screenwriter and songwriter. Having earned two Oscars (Best Actress and Best Song), five Emmys, 11 Golden Globes, 10 Grammys including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement and Grammy Legend Awards, a special Tony Award (in 1970 as "Star of the Decade"), two Cable Ace and three Peabody awards, she is the only performer to hold honors from all of those institutions. In addition, Streisand is a recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, America's National Medal of Arts and France's Legion of Honor. In December 2008 she became the first female director to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor.

NEW MAXWELL BLACKSUMMERS’NIGHT TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

Maxwell will return to the road in late September for a series of select North American concert dates, his first since wrapping a sold-out summer tour in early August. Maxwell's highly anticipated autumn tour kicks off at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on September 25. Tickets for Maxwell's North American Fall Tour go on sale beginning August 14. Moving his classic R&B production from theaters to arenas for the second leg of his BLACKsummers'night North American tour, Maxwell's autumn concerts will feature multiple Grammy winning, R&B/rap artist Common providing main support, and 2009 Best Urban/Alternative Performance Grammy winner Chrisette Michele as opening act. BLACKSummers'night, the artist's long-awaited fourth studio album, entered the Billboard Top 200 at #1 following its release on July 7 and has achieved RIAA Gold status, having sold more than 500,000 copies since its release.

Maxwell's BLACKsummers'night Fall Tour w/ Common and Chrisette Michele:
Sept 25 –Toronto @ Air Canada Centre
Sept 26 - Detroit @ Joe Louis Arena (w/o Common)
Sept 28 - New York @ Madison Square Garden
Sept 30 - Richmond @ Richmond Coliseum
Oct 2 - Washington DC @ Verizon Center
Oct 3 - Philadelphia @ Wachovia Spectrum (w/o Common)
Oct 5 - Atlanta @ Phillips Arena
Oct 6 - Charlotte @ Time Warner Cable Arena
Oct 8 - Chicago @ United Center
Oct 9 - St. Louis @ Scottrade Center
Oct 12 - Dallas @ TBAOct 13 - Houston @ Toyota Center
Oct 16 - Los Angeles @ Hollywood Bowl
Oct 17 - San Francisco @ TBA

BLACKsummers'night is the second consecutive Maxwell album to enter the Billboard 200 at #1, the long-awaited successor to 2001's similarly chart-topping Now. With first week's sales of 316,499, according to SoundScan, BLACKsummers'night generated the best overall sales week of Maxwell's career. BLACKsummers'night peaked at #1 on the SoundScan Album Retailer chart and the Current R&B chart. Released on Tuesday, July 7, on CD and in a Limited Edition Deluxe CD/DVD set, BLACKsummers'night is already generating hit singles. The first, "Pretty Wings," rocketed to the #1 slot on America's Urban Adult radio stations after completing an earlier run as the nation's #1 Greatest Gainer/Most-Added song at the Urban Mainstream format. "Pretty Wings" peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart, and is currently #2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it's spent 13 weeks.

"Bad Habits," the lead track and second single from BLACKsummers'night, reached #1 Most-Added song at Urban Adult radio according to Mediabase, the music industry's first mass-airplay monitoring service. Both "Bad Habits" and "Pretty Wings" have made the Top 10 of America's Urban Adult Contemporary charts with "Bad Habits" peaking at #7 and "Pretty Wings" locking down the #1 slot. BLACKsummers'night reached #1 on the iTunes R&B Albums chart while "Pretty Wings" hit #1 on the iTunes R&B Singles chart. BLACKsummers'night is the sensuous opening installment of the artist's monumental BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT trilogy. (The trilogy's subsequent chapters, blackSUMMERS'night and blacksummers'NIGHT, are slated for release in 2010 and 2011 respectively.)

BLACKsummers'night reunites Maxwell with long-time collaborator Hod David, who serves as co-producer and co-writer of the album. Striving for an emotional authenticity and real world sound for the album, Maxwell and Hod recorded the entire album live in the studio with an a-list ensemble of elegantly sympathetic musicians. Maxwell began redefining classic soul music for a new generation with the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, in April 1996. Fueled in part by the RIAA gold single, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)," the Grammy-nominated Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was certified platinum in March 1997, less than a year after its release, and achieved double platinum status, in recognition of sales of more than 2 million copies in the US alone, in 2002. Maxwell followed up with his MTV Unplugged EP, released in July 1997 and certified gold in September 1999. His second full-length album, Embrya, was released in June 1998 and certified platinum in May 1999. Another Maxwell single, the hit "Fortunate," was certified gold in June 1999. His third studio album, Now, entered the Billboard 200 at #1 in August 2001. To date, Maxwell has achieved 10 gold and platinum certifications from the RIAA for his albums and singles.

HARRY CONNICK JR: YOUR SONGS

Columbia Records recording artist, singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr., has already released 24 albums under his own name, which have sold 25 million copies around the world. Although he has recorded various genres of music, from traditional pop to instrumental jazz to funk and blues, he has shown a deep and abiding affection for The Great American Songbook (and his own songs written in that classic style).

Connick's newest Columbia album, Your Songs, to be released on vinyl on August 25 and on CD September 22, both extends this tradition and compliments it. Like his best-selling Only You of 2004, Your Songs consists of Connick singing familiar songs with a full jazz big band and string orchestra, and, as with nearly all of Harry's previous albums, he wrote each of the orchestrations himself. (He also recruited two of his lifelong friends from New Orleans, Branford and Wynton Marsalis, as well as bluegrass guitar virtuoso Bryan Sutton, for guest appearances). On most of his albums, Connick is a virtual one-man band. "My usual pattern is I either write the songs or pick the songs," he says. "Depending on the configuration I arrange, orchestrate, conduct, sing, and then oversee the mixing and mastering. You might say that I'm very hands on."

However, what makes Your Songs different from all of Connick's previous projects is that this album represents the first occasion in which he has teamed up with a record company producer, the legendary Clive Davis. For nearly 50 years, Davis has been one of the leading lights of the music industry and more recently was promoted to Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at Sony Music Entertainment after heading the BMG Label Group. Your Songs is a genuine collaborative effort in which Clive picked most of the songs, Harry arranged and orchestrated them, and then turned the reins in the studio over to his long time friend and producer, Tracey Freeman. "Clive expressed an interest in working with me," he recalls, "but I didn't know what that meant because I had never done a collaboration before."

Davis' concept was to put together a program of classic songs that were both as familiar and as contemporary as possible. Both by accident and design, the selections are skewed towards signature songs for iconic performers: Elvis Presley's "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You," Nat King Cole's "Mona Lisa," Tony Bennett's "Who Can I Turn To?," Frank Sinatra's "All The Way," Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are" and nine others. "Songs that everybody knows," was how Davis put it, rendered with what he describes as "accessible arrangements."

The opener "All The Way" is more intimate and lighter than we're used to hearing, with a beautiful tenor saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis. "And I Love Her" uses a hint of a bolero underpinning to make the Lennon-McCartney classic seem even more romantic than when sung by The Beatles. "The Way You Look Tonight" has been heard for most of the last 70 years as an uptempo swinger, but Harry brings it back to its original status as a slow and intimate love song. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was originally written by Ewan MacColl in the style of an Olde English folk song, then it was reborn as a 70s pop hit, but Connick sings it as a classic Broadway style love song, very emotionally direct, with his heart right on his sleeve. Elton John's "Your Song" is herewith given a finger-snapping beat.

For Burt Bacharach's "Close to You," which features the brilliant New Orleans trumpeter Leroy Jones, Connick notes, "I went in the studio, and I just started playing, and I wound up giving it a whole different groove. I kept the tempo, and I had a guitar play the famous intro vamp, and overall we gave 'Close To You' more of a Gospel feeling." Likewise, he added more of a jazz beat to Billy Joel's all-time classic, "Just The Way You Are."

The immortal Mexican love song "Besame Mucho" was done at the suggestion of Harry's father. "Mona Lisa" is treated more like a dance number than is customarily heard, while "Smile," which is usually done as a minor key lament, is also much more cheerful and upbeat. Harry starred in the acclaimed ABC TV film of South Pacific, but the show's great love song, "Some Enchanted Evening," was the property of another character; Harry makes up for that here by romping through a solid-four reading of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic.

"Who Can I Turn To" is dedicated to the song's composer, the late, great British singer-songwriter Anthony Newley. Don McLean's "And I Love You So," is unique in the annals of American pop in that it was a big number for both Perry Como and Elvis Presley; Connick sings it with a straightforward sincerity. Connick recruited Wynton Marsalis to play on "Can't Help Falling In Love." "I asked him to play the melody on an Elvis Presley tune. And he said, 'I get it! No problem.' But it wasn't a waste of his time because he played it perfectly, in a way that a lesser musician couldn't have done."

When Harry talks about the beauty of playing or singing a melody as simply and beautifully as possible, he's getting to the essential truth of what makes this album special. To be able to take familiar songs and make something fresh out of them - without eviscerating the qualities that make them great to begin with - is truly a rare gift. And it's a gift that Harry Connick, Jr. displays in abundance on Your Songs, making it one of the extraordinary efforts of his career.

THE TANGLEWOOD JAZZ FESTIVAL

The Boston Symphony Orchestra will present its annual Labor Day Weekend Tanglewood Jazz Festival September 4-September 6, 2009 at the Orchestra's summer home in the Berkshire Hills in Lenox, Massachusetts. Jazz greats highlighting this year's festival include Paquito d'Rivera, Regina Carter, Nnenna Freelon, Kenny Barron, Mulgrew Miller, John Pizzarelli, Jessica Molaskey, Kurt Elling, Harry Allen, Bucky Pizzarelli, Aaron Weinstein, Dave Holland, Steve Nelson, Chris Potter, Robin Eubanks, Antonio Hart, Gary Smulyan, Nate Smith, Alex Sipiagian, Jon Faddis, David Hazeltine, Wallace Roney, Sean Jones, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Harolyn Blackwell and Mike Garson. All shows will be held in Seiji Ozawa Hall.

On Friday, September 4, at 8 p.m. the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival will open with "An Evening with Paquito d'Rivera" in which the famed clarinetist performs pieces from his Latin jazz and classical repertoires. A 2005 NEA Jazz Master, winner of the 2008 Downbeat Reader's Poll for best clarinetist and guest artist on Yo-Yo Ma's most recent recording, Songs of Joy & Peace, d'Rivera has extensive expertise in both the jazz and classical music worlds.

On Saturday, September 5 at 2 p.m., John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey (in her Tanglewood debut) will tape their popular radio program, "Radio Deluxe," at the festival for later broadcast on more than 60 stations nation-wide. Normally broadcast from their living room "high above Lexington Avenue," the Tanglewood program will officially take Radio Deluxe on the road for the first time since the program's inception in 2005. The show's format, marked by the duo's urbane, sophisticated humor, inventive playlist, and extensive knowledge of the Great American Songbook, is expanding its repertoire to include such rock era voices as Randy Newman and Joni Mitchell. "Radio Deluxe" from Tanglewood will feature special guests Kurt Elling, Bucky Pizzarelli, Aaron Weinstein and Harry Allen.

On Saturday, September 5 at 8 p.m., jazz violinist and MacArthur Fellowship recipient, Regina Carter will perform with her quartet in a program titled "Reverse Thread," which includes material from her Paganini project plus music from Mali, Senegal, and Uganda. O Magazine said "Carter is a knockout violinist who leads a knockout band."

Following Ms. Carter will be Grammy nominated jazz vocalist, Nnenna Freelon and classical vocalist, Harolyn Blackwell, in "Dreaming the Duke," a program that celebrates the legacy and influences of the great Duke Ellington with innovative solo pieces, duets with chamber and jazz quartets and intimate vocal-piano selections. Noted pianist and arranger, Mike Garson, whose work with David Bowie and in jazz and classical genres has earned him high praise as an arranger, will perform as accompanist and musical director. They will perform classical Ellington standards and selections from Ellington's famed "Black, Brown and Beige Suite."

The Sunday afternoon concert on September 6 will open at 2 p.m. with a rare and exclusive piano duet featuring Kenny Barron and Mulgrew Miller on two nine-foot Steinways performing spontaneous improvisations on original and jazz standard compositions. Performed at the 2005 Marciac Jazz Festival in France, this program has only been performed a few times in the U.S. and in Europe. Barron recently received the BNY Mellon Jazz 2008 Living Legacy Award by the Bank of New York/Mellon.

Barron and Miller will be followed by one of the most enduring large jazz ensembles in the U.S., the Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Founded by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, the orchestra received a Grammy Award in 2009 for its recording, Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard (Planet Arts Records) in the "Best Large Jazz Ensemble" category. For over four decades the Orchestra has performed on Monday nights at the world-famous jazz club, the Village Vanguard in New York.

Closing the festival on Sunday, September 6, at 8 p.m. will be trumpeter Jon Faddis and his Quartet with guest trumpeters Sean Jones and Wallace Roney. "The Majesty of the Trumpet" is a celebration of the role of the trumpet in jazz throughout the past century, from Louis Armstrong to Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and more.

Following Jon Faddis will be bassist and big band leader, Dave Holland, with his all-star band including Chris Potter, Jaleel Shaw, Gary Smulyan, Steve Nelson, Nate Smith, Alex Sipiagian and Robin Eubanks. A native of the United Kingdom, Holland worked extensively with Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Jack DeJohnette and Herbie Hancock in addition to performing with chamber orchestras and classical composers.

Jazz Café artists this year include saxophonist Benny Reid, pianist and vocalist Michael Kaeshammer, pianist Evgeny Lebedev, vocalist Steven Santoro and violinist Ben Powell. Jazz Café events are free with a ticket to the main stage event.

For more info click to: www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org.

BRENDA RUSSELL - IN THE THICK OF IT

Brenda Russell’s latest, In The Thick Of It, is a must-have 30th anniversary celebration. It’s a 16 track career-spanning collection from the multi-talented, grammy-nominated New York soul singer/songwriter. With a voice that caresses like melted caramel and lyrics that touch the deepest recesses of your emotions, singer/ songwriter Brenda Russell proves that a glowing talent only deepens with time. This greatest hits collection includes such gems as "Piano In The Dark," "If Only For One Night," “Dinner With Gershwin” and the much-loved anthem "Get Here," In The Thick Of It is released in coordination with the U.K.’s Jazz FM.

The album includes many of her finest recordings from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, right up to the present day, with booklet notes by Brenda herself recounting the stories behind the songs. Included on the album is the haunting “Le Restaurant”, with David Sanborn as guest, “Walkin’ In New York” (more recently covered by Manhattan Transfer) and “Make You Smile”, a collaboration with Bluey from Incognito, recorded in the UK, plus the early A&M hits that introduced her music to a worldwide audience.Other artists she has collaborated with, or those who have recorded her songs over the years, include Luther Vandross (“If Only For One Night”), Donna Summer (“Dinner With Gershwin”), Chaka Khan, Earth Wind & Fire, Ray Charles, Dionne Warwick. Roberta Flack, Michael McDonald, David Foster, Patrice Rushen, Rufus and Lalah Hathaway.In The Thick Of It

In The Thick Of It Track Listing

1. Walkin' In New York

2. Make You Smile

3. In The Thick Of It

4. So Good So Right

5. Piano In The Dark (feat. Joe Esposito)

6. Get Here

7. If Only For One Night

8. Catch On

9. It's A Jazz Day

10. Too Cool For The Room

11. Let Somebody Know

12. Expect A Miracle

13. Le Restaurant (feat. David Sanborn)

14. I Know You By Heart

15. Matters Of The Heart16.No Time For Time

NEW RELEASES FROM GEORGE BENSON, FOURPLAY, GIL PARRIS, BRIAN BROMBERG & OTHERS...

Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra – Definitely Roots (Mast)
Bee The Voice – Groundscape
Bird - Covers
Bohemiavoodoo – Bohemian Bazaar
Brian Bromberg – It Is What It Is
Calima Shatiday – Poolside II
Cindy Bradley - Bloom
Cinematone – SmoothDeluxe
Cookin’ On 3 Burners – Soul Messin’ (Freestyle)
DJ Baku – JapaDapta
DJ Cam Presents InLove – Stories (Inflammable)
DJ I.N.C. & The Soul People – The Afterset Sessions, Vol. 2
Donald Patterson - Family
Ennio Morricone – The Complete Edition (GDM, 15-CD)
Excellent Gentleman – Just Say Yes
Fourplay – Live In Cape Town
Frances Hime & Others – Album Musical 2 (Boscoito Fino)
George Benson – Song And Stories
Georgia Anne Muldrow – Umsindo (E1)
Gianni Basso & Irio De Poula – Recado Bossa Nova (Déjà Vu)
Gil Parris – A Certain Beauty
Impellers – Robot Legs (Freestyle)
J.P. DeLaire – In My Life
Jazoulster – Play It Cool, Vol. 1
Jazzida Grande – Petit Morceau L
Jazzida Grande – Petit Morceau R
Jazzlife Sextet – Tell Stories (Déjà Vu)
Jerry Goldsmith – Cain’s Hundred (Film Society Monthly)
Joe Ercole -Exposed
Joy Jones – God Child (Future Soul)
Joyce – Slow Music (Biscoito Fino)
Kool & The Gang – Live At PJ’s (DeLite/Reel)
Lamont Dozier/Holland Dozier – Love & Beauty (Invictus/Demon)
M-Swift – Evening Sun (Freestyle)
Nanami Morita - Colors
Miles Jaye – The Truth About Love
Monica Salmaso – Noites De Gala (Biscoito)
Orquestra Pertrobas Sinfonica – Pixinquinha Sinfonica (Rob)
Paris Match – Passion8
Paula Atherton – Groove With Me
Paula Griffin – A Little Rain Must Fall
Peter White – Good Day
Pixinguinha – Pixinguinha No Cinema (Rob)
Randy Brown – Welcome To My Room/Midnight Desire (Casablanca/Shout)
Root Soul – Root Soul
Smooth Reunion – Cleaning Up The Business (D-Vine)
Sound Stylists – Greasin’ The Wheels (Freestyle)
Streetwize – Pull U To Bed
Susi Hyldgaard - It’s Love We Need (Yellow Bird)
Toni Redd – ‘N’ The Key Of Redd
Torcuato Mariano – So Far From Home
Trioganico – Convivencia (Now Again/Stones Throw)
Van Hunt – Use In Case Of Emergency
Various Artists – Cinematic Funk Presented By Mocambo (Mocambo)
Various Artists – Contemporary Soul Songbook Vol. 1 – 16 Stunning Tracks From Today’s Modern Soul Artists (Soul Unsigned)
Various Artists – Dramatic Funk Themes Vol. 2 – Thrilling Rare Grooves From UK’s Leading Music Libraries 1970-1980 (Show Up)
Various Artists – Michael Jackson In Bossa Moments
Various Artists – Stasera Shake Vol. 3 – The Ultimate Collection Of Italian Sixties Music (Boss A Tone)

FRANK SINATRA - MY WAY 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Frank Sinatra Enterprises has announced an agreement with the Concord Music Group to release select titles from Sinatra’s Reprise Records catalog, including an unreleased live recording. The agreement commenceed this past May with the first two titles: My Way 40th Anniversary Edition, which includes two previously unreleased tracks and the never-before-available Live At The Meadowlands, the 1986 live album that spotlights Sinatra back in his New Jersey stomping grounds, wooing a sold-out crowd.

Produced by Don Costa and Sonny Burke, My Way was released in March 1969 and features a varied collection of contemporary pop songs, including Simon and Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson,” The Beatles’ “Yesterday,” Ray Charles’ “Hallelujah I Love Her So,” and the iconic title track, “My Way,” which would become his career theme song. The song occupies a special place in popular music, influencing generations of musicians, from Elvis Presley to the Sex Pistols, both of whom conspicuously recorded their own versions. Famous Sinatraphile Bono, who contributes the My Way 40th Anniversary Edition liner notes, wrote of the song, “..[it’s] a boast – more kiss-off than send-off – embodying all the machismo a man can muster about the mistakes he’s made on the way from here to everywhere.” Also included are two unreleased tracks: Stevie Wonder’s classic “For Once In My Life, recorded on August 13, 1969 for the Sinatra television special, and a live version of “My Way,” recorded on October 24, 1987, at Reunion Arena in Dallas.

My Way 40th Anniversary Edition Tracks
1. Watch What Happens
2. Didn’t We
3. Hallelujah I Love Her So
4. Yesterday
5. All My Tomorrows
6. My Way
7. A Day In The Life Of A Fool
8. For Once In My Life
9. If You Go Away
10. Mrs. Robinson

Bonus Tracks:
11. For Once In My Life
12. My Way

JOE MCBRIDE - LOOKIN' FOR A CHANGE

New from Joe McBride is an iintriguing new recording, Lookin' For A Change, that reinterprets a dozen contemporary pop songs via straight-ahead jazz arrangements. Along out with the help of a live trio - guitarist Dan Wilson, bassist Roger Hines and drummer Elijah Gilmore - the album includes a collection of songs originally written and recorded by a range of pop luminaries, including Gnarls Barkley, Coldplay, John Mayer, Seal and several others. These reinterpretations, along with three original compositions from McBride's own inspirational well, make for an engaging juxtaposition of the best elements of contemporary pop and traditional jazz.

Lookin’ For A Change opens with a buoyant take on Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," wherein McBride augments his energetic piano work with a vocal line reminiscent of Al Jarreau. Further into the set, McBride injects Corrine Bailey Rae's "Like a Star" with a Latin groove that's full of energy without being overbearing. In the home stretch, McBride's rendition of Seal's "Kiss From a Rose" puts a gentler jazz spin on this passionate ode without sacrificing any of the emotional impact of the source material. The set closes with the infectiously rhythmic title track, an appeal for greater tolerance and understanding in a rapidly evolving society. Written by McBride, the song is laced with subtle but unmistakable hints of R&B and funk amid the predominantly jazz-flavored arrangement. This is McBride at his best, sending a clear and positive message without delivering a heavy-handed sermon.

“To be honest, I really wanted to try to reach a different audience with my new album,” McBride says. “I’m all about growth. It’s all about making the old things new. It’s okay to look back for just a moment, but the more important idea is to keep our eyes on the future.”Happily living in Cleveland when he’s not on tour, McBride enjoys playing locally and keeping busy in the studio. He says, “I’m grateful to God that he has given me the ability to play music and to share it with others.”

THE WEATHER CHANNEL TUNES OUT SMOOTH JAZZ

The smooth jazz music that for years has played in the background of the Atlanta-based Weather Channel’s “Local On the 8s” segments has been replaced with soft rock songs instead.“ I think we’ve been doing an injustice to our viewers playing, for the lack of a better word, elevator music on the segments for all these years,” said Geoffrey Darby, the cable network’s new executive vice president of programming, The old sound was so popular, the network released a CD of “Weather Channel Smooth Jazz” that went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Current Contemporary Jazz Album Chart. But all that smoothness let the programming slip too far into the background. This wasn’t great for the audience or the network’s advertisers who prefer viewers who are awake. Now, instead of hearing Spyro Gyra in the background while the announcer is intoning the latest local update (“Sunny and 75”), listeners hear tracks from the Rolling Stones (“Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”).“People would have it on but they wouldn’t be watching and they wouldn’t be listening,” said Darby, who pushed for the change after joining the network in February. “We wanted music that would get their attention —- and this has.” It’s really to bad that smooth jazz has gotten such a bad rap after all these years, but the reality is that the genre has really shot itself in the foot by releasing boring and bland music for so many years. In any event it is time to move on to the next level/ Hey – anybody ever check out Blu 102.7 broadcasting out of Sante Fe, New Mexico. The good new is that you can hear a really cool mix of Jazz, Rhythm, World and Chill, but the bad news is that they are no longer streaming on the web. I bet it has to do with the royalty problem that is causing many stations to no longer stream. Let’s hope they can come back online soon because it is really a format worth looking into. If you have some time check out their playlist.

FREDDIE HUBBARD - WITHOUT A SONG: LIVE IN EUROPE 1969

In its continuing series of unearthing previously unissued archival music by the legends of jazz, Blue Note Records has released Without a Song—Live in Europe 1969 by trumpeter icon Freddie Hubbard, who passed away last December at the age of 70. Recorded at shows in England and Germany, the album features seven tracks performed with an all-star quartet, comprising pianist Roland Hanna, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Louis Hayes. The album captures Hubbard at the peak of his career during 1969's Jazz Wave on Tour that was produced by Sonny Lester and recorded by Malcolm Addey. After years of being in the Blue Note vaults, last year producer Michael Cuscuna sent the tapes to Hubbard, who enthusiastically embraced the idea of letting the music finally being released."

Freddie said that this was some of his best playing ever captured on tape," says Cuscuna, who enlisted Addey to remix and master the live recordings in 24 bit. "Freddie was like a schoolboy when he heard these tapes. He was jumping up and down. He was thrilled. He was full-steam ahead with the release and wanted to do publicity surrounding it. He wanted to show who the real Freddie Hubbard was." Trumpeter and bandleader David Weiss, who worked closely with Hubbard from 2000 to his death, listened with him to the tapes Cuscuna delivered. In the liner notes to Without a Song, Weiss writes, "Freddie and I listened to the three concerts the music on this CD is culled from while we were working on what turned out to be his final album, On the Real Side. Every day while driving back and forth from the studio, we would pop this music into the CD player and soak it all in. Freddie really enjoyed this music."

The Jazz Wave tour featured several acts that traveled together and played 25-30-minute sets at each stop throughout Europe. Other performers on the bill included the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, Jeremy Steig, Kenny Burrell and Jimmy McGriff. The tour was documented with a 1970 double-LP Blue Note release, Jazz Wave. On that compilation, only Hubbard's stunning rendition of "Body and Soul" was released. The rest of the material of the tour was shelved. Recorded in Bristol and London, England, and at a date in Germany, Without a Song features Hubbard breathing fire, swinging mightily and musing lyrically throughout, including on the title track, "The Things We Did Last Summer," "A Night in Tunisia" and one of the leader’s hit tunes, "Hub-Tones," in a truncated version that served as the end song of his sets during the tour. The album also includes Red Garland's "Blues By Five" (a rarely played tune that Miles Davis once covered) and the avant-leaning, tempo-shifting original, "Space Track." In regards the latter, Cuscuna says that it wasn't originally slated to be on the album, but Hubbard requested it. “

These performances show the range of these guys and the way they approached hard bop,” says Cuscuna. Weiss adds in the liners, “This recording captures Freddie at one of the creative high points of his career when all his experiences of the past decade—performing with Art Blakey and playing on all those classic Blue Note recordings—seem to have reached an apex. He was still pretty early in his career as a bandleader at this point but except for Louis Hayes, this was not his regular working band at the time which might account for the program being mostly being made up of standards with a couple of originals sprinkled in.” Without a Song captures Hubbard during a period when he was one of jazz’s most important artists whose influence continues to hold sway today. “As these recordings once again attest, Freddie was the complete package,” says Weiss. “[He had a] huge, fat sound, incredible range, as harmonically complex as they come but also quite the lyricist and boasted perhaps the most prodigious technique in the history of jazz trumpet. And as these recordings yet again prove, he gave it his all at all times, night after night, year after year.”

CAROL DUBOC - BURT BACHARACH SONGBOOK

Golf Note Music has announced the latest release from Carol Duboc, who ishailed as "one of the most interesting and dynamic jazz singers of her generation" by Jazz Times Magazine. The platinum-selling vocalist, songwriter and arranger will introduce her new Burt Bacharach Songbook in stores and online on August 18, 2009. Duboc served as producer and arranger, and brings her unique jazz sensibility to a collection of contemporary pop classics by Burt Bacharach Bacharach and lyricist Hal David. Selections on the CD range from a playful take on "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" to a paired down, heartfelt version of "Anyone Who Had a Heart." Duboc's trademark sensuality comes through in her simmering interpretation of "Walk on By" and her refreshing perspective as a songwriter is highlighted on the disc's only original track "My Melody." The album also features intricate and effortless contributions by world-renowned flautist, Hubert Laws as well as musicians Danny Embrey on guitar, Joe Cartwright on piano, Bob Bowman on bass, Tim Cambron on drums and Luis Conte on percussion.

Carol Duboc first stepped out as a solo artist with her debut album With All That I Am in 2001. She immediately began earning critical acclaim as one of the top new jazz singers on the music scene. Sandy Shore of smoothjazz.com announced "Smooth Jazz has a new poster girl!" She has sold over three million records as a writer and arranger and has worked with Patti LaBelle, Tom Jones and Jeff Lorber, among many others. Her writing and arranging success has included, among other things, the song "This Word is All" on Patti LaBelle's Gems CD, which went Gold, as well as the title cut, "Precious", on Chante Moore's Gold CD. Carol also penned the hit single "Never Do You Wrong" for Stephanie Mills, and the song "That Boy" on Jade's Jade To The Max CD, which attained Platinum status. The Burt Bacharach Songbook is Duboc's fifth release following her four critically acclaimed albums beginning in 2002, and her big screen debut as "Pumpkin" in Be Cool in 2005, which starred John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Danny DeVito. Duboc's music can be heard on radio stations across the country.

QUINCY JONES TO HEADLINE 14TH ANNUAL BERMUDA MUSIC FESTIVAL

Quincy Jones will be joined by a number of A-list artists for a once-in-a-lifetime performance at the14th Annual Bermuda Music Festival from October 29 - 31, 2009. Named by Time Magazine as one of the six most influential Jazz artists of the 20th Century, Quincy Jones stands as one of the most successful and admired creative artists and executives in the entertainment world. Quincy Jones is celebrated as the producer and conductor of We Are The World, the number one best-selling single of all time, as well as for collaborating on some of Michael Jackson's most popular albums including "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad."

Kicking off this year's Bermuda Music Festival on October 29(th) will be the Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, record producer and actor Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo has wowed audiences with his talents since 2006 with his multi-platinum chart topping debut, In My Own Words. He has written chart-topping hits for Mario, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna and Beyonce and is also the voice behind So Sick and Miss Independent. Ne-Yo most recently performed at the 2009 BET Awards and is currently on tour in the UK.

Over the past 14 years, Bermuda has welcomed an unparalleled lineup of star performers to its pristine pink sand beaches for the Bermuda Music Festival including: Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Kenny G, Seal, Natalie Cole and Isaac Hayes, to name a few. Last year, Tickets for the 2009 Bermuda Music Festival will go on sale to the public through the Internet, by phone and at on island ticket outlets beginning Wednesday, July 22(nd) at 8:00 a.m. ADT. For additional details and package information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Bermuda Music Festival website at www.bermudatourism.com/bermuda_music_festival.aspx or call 1-800-309-8497. There is an eight ticket purchase limit per person, per performance.

THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER TO PERFORM FOR THE SOCIETY OF SINGERS

The Manhattan Transfer are set to perform a benefit concert for the Society of Singers (SOS), which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The show will take place on the evening of September 11, at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood The Manhattan Transfer, which consists of Tim Hauser, Janis Siegel, Alan Paul and Cheryl Bentyne, was founded more than 35 years ago by Hauser, who dreamed of blending jazz, R&B, pop, rock 'n' roll, salsa and swing into a vocal group without limits. In the early 1970’s, performances at Max’s Kansas City, Trude Heller’s and Reno Sweeney in New York City soon developed for them a cult fan base, and it was at the latter venue that Ahmet Ertegun, found and chairman of Atlantic Records, saw them and offered then a recording contract which resulted in the release of their first album, The Manhattan Transfer (1975). The album included the group;s first successful single, the gospel tune “Operator”. The group has released more than two dozen albums, enjoyed 18 charting singles (including the Top 10 pop hit "The Boy from New York City") and won eight Grammy Awards in a variety of categories; in 1981, they became the first group to win Grammys in both pop and jazz categories in a single year. In 2006, The Manhattan Transfer released The Symphony Session, a collection of the group's successes re-arranged for symphonies and popular orchestras, and The Definitive Pop Collection, a two-disc collection of the group's tunes which would cause one to believe they were only from the group's popular music repertoire. Instead, it's a hodge-podge of the group's songs distributed by their contracts with the Atlantic company. Also that year their second concert DVD was released: The Christmas Concert, and was broadcasted by PBS in select locations. Four Quarters Entertainment will release Manhattan Transfer's new CD entitled The Chick Corea Songbook in September.

THE AUGUST CONCERT CALENDAR

Roberta Flack @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 1
Steely Dan @ Beacon Theatre, New York, NY, Aug 1
El Chicao @ Monteray Bay Berry Festival, Santa Cruz, CA, Aug 1
Bobby Caldwell @ Thornton Winery, Temecula, CA, Aug 1
Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire @ Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena At Harvey’s, Lake Tahoe, NV, Aug 1
Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson @ Texas Station, North Las Vegas, NV, Aug 1
Bob James, Earl Klugh @ Blue Note Jazz Club, New York, NY, Aug 1-2
Malo, The Pete Escovedo Orchestra @ Monteray Bay Berry Festival, Santa Cruz, CA, Aug 2
Bela Fleck @ Summersfest, New York, NY, Aug 3
Greg Karukas, Blues Alley, Washington, DC, Aug 2
Diane Schurr @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 2-5
Bela Fleck @ Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, Aug 4
Bela Fleck @ Paramount Theatre, Rutland, VT, Aug 5
The Wailers @ Oregon Zoo Amphitheatre, Portland, OR, Aug 5
Najee @ Smooth Cruises Chelsea Piers, New York, NY, Aug 5
Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Peabo Bryson @ Soundboard Theatre Motor City Casino, Detroit, MI, Aug 6
Freda Payne @ Iridium, New York, NY, Aug 7
The Wailers @ Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom, Snoqualmie, WA, Aug 6
Bela Fleck @ Franco Folies Festival, Montreal, QC, Aug 6
Bobby Hutcherson featuring Renee Rosnes@ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 6-10
Bela Fleck @ Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, Orkney Springs, VA, Aug 7
The Wailers @ Edmonton Folk Festival, Edmonton, AB, Aug 7
Chris Botti @ Tanglewood, Lenox, MA, Aug 7
Steely Dan @ Foxwoods Casino, Mashantucket, CT, Aug 7
Erykah Badu @ Chene Park, Detroit, MI, Aug 7
Mindi Abair @ King Center For The Performing Arts, Melbourne, FL, Aug 7
Latin Jazz All Stars @ Creole, New York, NY, Aug 7-8
Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Peabo Bryson @ Atlantic City Hilton, Atlantic City, NJ, Aug 8
Diana Krall @ Pearl Concert Theatre, Las Vegas, NV, Aug 8
The Wailers @ Regina Folk Festival, Regina, SK, Aug 8
Bela Fleck @ Folk Festival, Edmonton, AB, Aug 8
Steely Dan @ Borgata Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ, Aug 8
Leela James @ The Grand Ballroom At Regency Center, San Francisco, CA, Aug 8
Will Downing, Angie Stone @ New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ, Aug 8
Erykah Badu @ Merriweather Post Pavillion, Columbia, MD, Aug 8
Bettye LaVette @ Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival, Clarksdale, MS, Aug 8
Teena Marie, Spirit Fest – Merriweather Post Pavillion, Columbia, MD, Aug 8
Bettye LaVette @ San Jose Jazz Festival, San Jose, CA, Aug 9
Etta James & The Roots Band @ The Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria, VA, Aug 10
Bela Fleck @ Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA, Aug 10-11
Peter White, Mindi Abair @ Scullers Jazz Club, Allston, MA, Aug 11
Russell Taylor @ SOB’s, New York, NY, Aug 11
Buddy Guy @ Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA, Aug 11
Lee Ritenour Group, Annekei @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 11-15
Buddy Guy @ The Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA, Aug 12
Bela Fleck @ Rio Theater, Santa Cruz, CA, Aug 12
Eliane Elias @ Iridium, New York, NY, Aug 12
Diana Krall @ Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA, Aug 12
Peter White, Mindi Abair @ Spirit of New York Cruise Ship, New York, NY, Aug 12
Peter White, Mindi Abair @ Birchmere, Alexandria, VA, Aug 13
Chico DeBarge @ SOB’s, New York, NY, Aug 13
Will Downing @ Jean Kiosk Park, Benton Harbor, MI, Aug 14
Peter White, Mindi Abair @ Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD, Aug 14
Brian Culbertson @ PNC Banks Arts Center, Holmdale, NJ, Aug 14
Steely Dan @ Mud Island. Memphis, TN, Aug 14
Buddy Guy @ Primm Valley Resort, Primm, NV, Aug 14
Arturo Sandoval @ Blues Alley, Washington, DC, Aug 14-15
Buddy Guy @ Historic Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA, Aug 15
Brian Culbertson @ Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT, Aug 15
Steely Dan @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA, Aug 15
Mindi Abair @ Nicollet Commerce Park, Burnsville, NY, Aug 15
Will Downing @ Mahalia Jackson Theatre, New Orleans, LA, Aug 15
Diana Krall @ Peppermill Reno Tuscany Ballroom, Reno, NV, Aug 15
John Legend, India.Arie @ Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA, Aug 15
Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson @ Ironstone Vineyard, Murphy’s CA, Aug 16
Bonnie Raitt @ Wolf Trap Filene Center, Vienna, VA, Aug 16
Tania Maria @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 16-18
Bonnie Raitt @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA, Aug 18
Bonnie Raitt @ Palace Theatre, Louisville, KY, Aug 19
Tower Of Power @ San Mateo Fair, San Mateo, CA, Aug 19
Marion Meadows @ Smooth Cruises Chelsea Piers, New York, NY, Aug 19
Sax For Stax w/Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright @ Snoqualmie Resort, Snoqualmie, WA, Aug 19
Akiko Yano Trio feat. Will Lee & Chris Parker@ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 19, 20, 22, 23
Tower Of Power @ Humphrey’s By The Bay, San Diego, CA, Aug 21
Michael Franks @ House Of Blues, New Orleans, LA, Aug 21
Sister Sledge @ Indig02, London, UK, Aug 21
Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Peabo Bryson @ Spirit Mountain Casino, Grand Ronde, OR, Aug 21
Sax For Stax feat. Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum @ The Hyatt Newporter, Newport Beach, CA, Aug 21
Bonnie Raitt @ Ravinia, Highland Park, Il, Aug 21-22
Michael Franks @ House Of Blues, Dallas, TX, Aug 22
Steely Dan @ Gibson Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, CA, Aug 21, 22, 24. 25
Phil Perry @ Smooth Cruises Chelsea Piers, New York, NY, Aug 22
Al Green @ Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino, Tulsa, OK, Aug 22
The Wailers @ Belleayne Music Festival, Highmount, NY, Aug 22
Tower Of Power @ The Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA, Aug 23
Michael Franks @ City Of Gardena Jazz Festival, Gardena, CA, Aug 23
Diana Krall @ Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA, Aug 23
Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Peabo Bryson @ JVC Jazz The Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA, Aug 23
The Wailers @ Chicken Box, Nantucket, MA, Aug 24-25
Ramsey Lewis Trio @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 24-29
Bonnie Raitt @ White River State Park, Indianapolis, IN, Aug 25
Neville Brothers, Dr. John @ The Keswick, Philadelphia, PA, Aug 25
Laura Isidor @ Billboard Live, Osaka, Japan, Aug 26
The Wailers @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, NH, Aug 26
Roy Ayers @ Blue Note Jazz Club, New York, NY, Aug 25-30
George Benson, Ledisi @ Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA, Aug 27
Al Green @ Tulalip Amphitheatre, Tulalip, WA, Aug 27
Al Green @ McMenamins Amphithreatre, Troutdale, OR, Aug 28
Diana Krall @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR, Aug 28
The Wailers @ Joey Harrison Surf Club, Ortley Beach, NJ, Aug 28
Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Peabo Bryson @ Humphrey’s, San Diego, CA, Aug 28
Steely Dan @ Palms, Las Vegas, NV, Aug 28
Laura Isidor @ Billboard Live, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 28-29
Teena Marie @ Country Club Hillsm Chicago, IL, Aug 29
Mindi Abiar @ Idyllwild Arts Academy, Idyllwild, CA, Aug 29
King Sunny Ade @ Capital One Bank Theatre, Westbury, NY, Aug 29
Tower Of Power @ River Rock Casino, Richmond, BC, Aug 29
Sax For Stax w/Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright @ John Hay High School, Cleveland, OH, Aug 29
Teena Marie @ Fox Theater, Detroit, MI, Aug 29
Al B. Sure! @ Spotlight, Coachella, CA, Aug 29
Bonnie Raitt @ Red Rocks, Morrison, CO, Aug 30
Steely Dan @ Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL, Aug 30
Bettye LaVette @ Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, San Francisco, CA, Aug 30
Kora Jazz Trio @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 30-31
Bettye LaVette @ Jimmy Mak’s, Portland, OR, Aug 31

CEU - VAGAROSA

Brazilian singer-songwriter Ceu, who instantly grabbed worldwide attention with her Grammy-nominated debut album (2007), has returned with a fresh new album, VAGAROSA. The album was released internationally on July 7th. On this new release, Ceu once again teamed up with artist/ producer Beto Villares to produce and record her new compositions. The result is a fresh, modern Brazilian sound which incorporates elements of soul, samba, dub, hip-hop and electronica. With the release of Vagarosa, Ceu takes her place as one of the most fascinating & creative performers currently working on the Global stage. VAGAROSA (her second album), arrives four years after her debut, finds her sticking to the style that first brought her to the attention of the world music and hipster-lounge communities. On thins new release she is still throwing in surprisingly capable reggae grooves ("Cangote," the first full song on this CD, boasts a deep dub bassline and some extremely haunting organ); and still multitracking her vocals into a conversation. It`s a lilting yet heady blend that she pulls off with an utter confidence that`s fascinating in such a young artist. Ceu`s songs flirt with a Tom Waits-like clatter sometimes, but always resolve themselves into drifting bliss. For insatance, her psychedelic take on Jorge Ben`s "Rosa Menina Rosa," the only song on VAGAROSA she didn`t write, works itself into a whirling storm of reverb and phasing effects, yet never loses its essential breeziness. Computer-generated vinyl crackle turns up on the album intro, as well as "Somnambulao" ("Sleepwalking. The last track, "Espa¿onave," throws in field recordings of rain forest creatures and multi-tracked vocals alongside fuzzed-out guitar, creating a feel reminiscent of the work of the similarly brilliant Mexican art-pop princess Natalia Lafourcade. VAGAROSA is an impressive, assured album well worth a listener`s time, whether one speaks Portuguese or not.

Vagarosa Track Listing:
1. Sobre O Amor E Seu Trabalho Silencioso (Ou Intro Do Cangote)
2. Cangote
3. Bubuia
4. Grains De Beaute
5. Vira Lata
6. Comadi
7. Papa
8. Ponteiro
9. Primeiro Desenho
10. Cordao Da Insonia
11. Rosa Menina Rosa
12. Sonambulo

Céu is currently performing select U.S. dates with upcoming appearances scheduled as follows:

July 17 - The Roxy - Los Angeles, CA

July 18 - Herbst Theatre - San Francisco, CA

July 21 - The HighLine Ballroom - New York, NY

MAXWELL - BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT A HUGE SELLER!

Singer Maxwell has entered the Billboard Top 200 at #1 this week with his long-awaited fourth studio album, BLACKsummers'night, one of the year's most heavily-anticipated event records. With first week's sales of 316,499, according to SoundScan, BLACKsummers'night is enjoying the highest debut sales week, and best overall sales week of Maxwell's career. BLACKsummers'night is #1 on the SoundScan Album Retailer chart and is #1 on the Current R&B chart. Released on Tuesday, July 7, on CD and in a Limited Edition Deluxe CD/DVD set, BLACKsummers'night is the first full-length Maxwell release since Now, his critically-acclaimed third studio album, also debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 in August 2001.

Maxwell recently returned to the top of the nation's singles charts when "Pretty Wings," the first single from BLACKsummers'night, rocketed to the #1 slot on America's Urban Adult radio stations less than eight weeks after its release after completing an earlier run as the nation's #1 Greatest Gainer/Most-Added song at the Urban Mainstream format. "Pretty Wings" has spent four weeks in the #1 slot of Billboard's Hot Singles Sales chart, where it's closely followed by "Cold," another single from BLACKsummers'night. Each a chart-topper on iTunes, BLACKsummers'night reached #1 on the iTunes R&B Albums chart while "Pretty Wings" hit #1 on the iTunes R&B Singles chart. "Bad Habits," the lead track and second single from BLACKsummers'night, is the nation's #1 Most Added song at Urban Adult radio according to Mediabase, the music industry's first mass-airplay monitoring service.

Maxwell began redefining classic soul music for a new generation with the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, in April 1996. Fueled in part by the RIAA gold single, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)," the Grammy-nominated Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was certified platinum in March 1997, less than a year after its release, and achieved double platinum status, in recognition of sales of more than 2 million copies in the US alone, in 2002. Maxwell followed up with his MTV Unplugged EP, released in July 1997 and certified gold in September 1999. His second full-length album, Embrya, was released in June 1998 and certified platinum in May 1999. Another Maxwell single, the hit "Fortunate," was certified gold in June 1999. His third studio album, Now, entered the Billboard 200 at #1 in August 2001. To date, Maxwell has achieved 10 gold and platinum certifications from the RIAA for his albums and singles.

BLACKsummers'night reunites Maxwell with long-time collaborator Hod David, who serves as co-producer and co-writer of the album. Striving for an emotional authenticity and real world sound for the album, Maxwell and Hod recorded the entire album live in the studio with an a-list ensemble of elegantly sympathetic musicians. BLACKsummers'night is the opening installment of the artist's monumental BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT trilogy. (The trilogy's subsequent chapters, blackSUMMERS'night and blacksummers'NIGHT, are set for release in 2010 and 2011 respectively.)

Maxwell - BLACKsummers'night North American Tour - Summer 2009
July 15 - Columbus, OH @ Palace Theatre
July 16 - Cleveland, OH @ Allen Theatre
July 18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz
July 19 - Buffalo, NY @ Sheas PAC
July 21 - Albany, NY @ The Palace
July 22 - New Jersey @ NJPAC
July 24 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata
July 25 - Foxwoods @ Foxwoods
July 27 - Norfolk, VA @ Chrysler Hall
July 28 - Savannah, GA @ Johnny Mercer
July 30 - Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
July 31 -Miami, FL @ Waterfront Theatre at the American Airlines Arena

musze.com
myspace.com/maxwell
twitter.com/_maxwell_
columbiarecords.com

EL CHICANO, MALO & THE PETE ESCOVEDO ORCHESTRA IN CONCERT

Latin legends Sapo and El Chicano will rock the crowds at the Monterey Bay Berry Festival on the weekend of August 1-2 at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. The festival opens at 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day with the Berry Carnival closing at 11 p.m. on Saturday and 10 p.m. on Sunday. Among the bands performing will be Sapo featuring Richard Bean; El Chicano; The Pete Escovedo Orchestra; Malo, featuring Jorge Santana; Lava; the Tommy Castro Band; The Backyard Blues; La Ventana Band;and Los Morros Del Norte.

According to their press release millions of delicious, nutritious, mouth-watering strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries will be ripe for the celebration. Tasty dessert treats and entertainment are just part of the fun over the weekend. There will be arts and crafts booths, a wide range of Festival food selections, and gooey contests for young and old happening each day. New attractions include the Gold Coast Arabian Classic and Amateur Horse Show, a Muscle Car Show and a wellness faire to learn about the nutritional values of eating berries.

Saturday, August 1 Schedule:
12 Noon: Lava
1:45 p.m.: The Backyard Blues
3:30 p.m.: Tommy Castro Band
5:30 p.m.: Sapo
7:30 p.m: El Chicano

Sunday, August 2 Schedule:
12:15 p.m.: La Ventana
2 p.m.: The Pete Escovedo Orchestra
4 p.m.: Malo

http://www.berryfestival.org/
www.myspace.com/saporichardbean
http://www.elchicanomusic.com/
http://www.peteescovedo.com/
http://www.malomusic.com/
http://www.lavamusicrocks.com/
http://www.tommycastro.com/
http://www.backyardblues.com/
www.myspace.com/laventanabandcom
http://www.morrosdelnorte.com/

NEW RELEASES FROM TEENA MARIE, NICOLA CONTE, MAXWELL, JOE JACKSON, CEU & OTHERS...

Al B. Sure! – Honey I’m Home
Alonzo Wright – Bitz Of Pieces (OTH)
Ceu – Vagarosa (Six Degrees)
Chokolate – To Whom It May Concern (Chokolate Music)
Clara Moreno – Miss Balanco (Far Out)
Count Basie- Basie Land – Remastered (Verve)
Crusaders – Images – Remastered (Verve)
Dee Alexander – Wild Is The Wind (Blujazz)
El Super Mini Combo – Nacional (Super Mini Combo)
Emma Tricca – Minor White (Cbird)
Fernando Porto – Auto-Retrato (EMI)
Freddie Hubbard – High Energy – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Freddie Hubbard – The Baddest Hubbard – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Freddie Hubbard – Polar Arc – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Freddie Hubbard – Liquid Love – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Freddie Hubbard – Windjammer – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Freddie Hubbard – Bundle Of Joy – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Freddie Hubbard – The Love Comments – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Freddie Hubbard – Skugly – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Gato Barbieri – Chapter 3: Viva Emiliano Zapata – Remastered (GRP)
Grover Washington Jr – A Secret Place (Verve)
Herb Ellis & Charlie Byrd – The Midnight Roll – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Herb Ellis & Charlie Byrd – Guitar Guitar – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Herculaneum – Herculaneum III (Clean Feed)
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Honest Jons)
Irene Cara – Carasmatic (Wounded Bird)
Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Soul - Remastered
Ivan Lins – Ivan Lins & The Metropole Orchestra (Biscoito Fina)
JJ Band (Chicles and Chakackas – JJ Band (Polydor/Sonorama)
Jeffrey Osborne – Greatest Hits Live! (E1 Music)
Joe Cocker – Joe Cocker (A&M/Hip-O Select)
Joe Jackson – King Pleasure Time: The Remixes (Ryodisc)
Joelle Leandre & George Lewis – Transatlantic Vision (Rogue Art)
Jorge Ben – Salve Simpatia (Som Livre/Bomba)
King Curtis – Get Ready (Wounded Bird)
Lars Bartkuhn – New Continent (Sonar Kollektiv)
Laura Nyro – Mother’s Spiritual – Remastered (Columbia)
Lee Fields & The Expressions – New World (Truth & Soul)
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Easy (Tamla/Univ.)
Maxwell – BLACKsummers’night (Columbia)
Moments – A Moment With The Moments (Rhino)
Moments – My Thing (Rhino)
Moments – The Moments Live At The Miss Black America Pageant (Rhino)
Moments – The Other Side Of The Moments (Rhino)
Neville Brothers – Live At Tipitan’s
Nicola Conte – Presents Viagem 2 (Far Out)
Nomo – Invisible Cities (Ubiquity)
Olli Ojajarvi Trio – Out Of Mind (Ricky Tick)
Paul Dunmall Sun Quartet – Ancient & Furure Airs (Clean Feed)
Peggy Lee – Jump For Joy – Remastered (DRG)
Quincy Jones – Quincy Jones Explores The Music Of Henry Mancini (Verve)
Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Virgo Red – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Starbooty – Remastered (Wounded Bird)
Sammy Davis Jr. – Sammy’s Swingiest Sides (26f)
Santucci Scoppa – New Tradition (Arision)
Soulive – Up Here (Royal Family)
Stefania Rava – Send In The Clows (Deja Vu)
Steve Kuhn & Joe Lovano – Mostly Coltrane (ECM)
Sunil Dev – Music Of Sunil Dev (Heavenly Sweetness)
Teena Marie – Congo Square (Stax)
Terry Callier – Hidden Conversations (Mr Bongo)
Various Artists – Island Life: 50 Years Of Island Records (Universal)
Various Artists – Le Bresil Au Cinema (Universal)
Various Artists – Present – The Soundtrack From The Surf Movie By Thomas Campbell (Brush Fire)
Various Artists – Revolution (Rapster)
Various Artists – Shapes 09:01 (Tru Thoughts)
Warren Wolf – Raw (WW Music)
Wes Montgomery – Down Here On The Ground (Verve)

MICHAEL JACKSON: 1958 - 2009

Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaves an indelible imprint on popular music and culture. Five of Jackson’s solo albums – “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” “Bad,” “Dangerous” and “HIStory,” all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label – are among the top-sellers of all time. During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and “Thriller” as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award’s Artist of the Century Award. Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller"—widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form—helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists.

JEFF GOLUB - BLUES FOR YOU

E1 Music has announced the release of "Blues For You," the new album by contemporary jazz guitarist Jeff Golub, on August 25, 2009. “Blue For You” is produced by legendary producer John Porter (Los Lonely Boys, The Smiths, Buddy Guy, etc.), "Blues For You" has Golub exploring the blues and R&B roots that he's developed over years of touring and recording with Rod Stewart, Peter Wolf, John Waite, Dar Williams and more, while keeping a taste of the chart-topping contemporary jazz for which he's become known. "Blues For You" also features Shawn Pelton on drums ("Saturday Night Live" band), Tony Garnier on bass (Bob Dylan), and Kenny White on keyboards (Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn) to round out the rhythm section. Unlike his previous albums, Golub has four vocal songs on "Blues For You." He enlisted vocalists Billy Squier on the track "Everybody Wants You," Triple-A favorite Mark Cohn on "I Don't Worry About a Thing" and the legendary Peter Wolf on "Rooster Blues" and John Waite on "Lost Mind."

The band recorded this album live at Skyline Recording Studio in Manhattan in about four days, with special guests floating in and out. There is not one fade out ending on the entire record. "Not that we always had a prearranged ending," Golub says. "You can hear how the band is following each other. This can only happen recording a live band made up of musicians who are really listening." Golub has released 6 solo albums and 3 albums as the leader of the instrumental band Avenue Blue. Before becoming an instrumentalist, Jeff worked as a sideman to a number of very successful rock and pop artists. Golub got his first major gig with rocker Billy Squier after relocating to New York from Boston in 1980. He performed with Squier for several years, appearing on 7 albums and 3 world tours. He also spent many years working with iconic singer Rod Stewart, and appeared on 5 world tours and 4 recorded albums.

http://www.kochrecords.com/
http://www.jeffgolub.com/

BARBRA STREISAND - LOVE IS THE ANSWER

Columbia Records has just announced the release of Love Is The Answer, the eagerly-awaited new studio album from Barbra Streisand, available everywhere on Tuesday, September 29. The first full-length collection of new studio recordings from eight-time Grammy award winner Barbra Streisand since 2005's Guilty Pleasures, and first new Barbra Streisand album since Live In Concert 2006, Love Is The Answer presents the artist as a cabaret and jazz singer of emotional clarity, depth and maturity, offering the listener a warm and intimate selection of late night meditations on love's powers, heartbreaks and solaces. Love Is The Answer provided an opportunity for Streisand to work for the first time with the Grammy-winning Canadian jazz artist Diana Krall (piano) and her quartet (guitar, bass, drums) who brought a refined and sensual poignancy to the album's spare and subtle accompaniments. Rounding out the album's smoky after hours ambience with his sublime orchestrations is the legendary songwriter ("The Shadow of Your Smile") and Grammy-winning arranger Johnny Mandel (who worked with Streisand on her 1993 Back to Broadway album and arranged/co-produced Krall's 1998 Grammy-winning When I Look In Your Eyes).

According to the RIAA, Barbra Streisand is the #1 best selling female recording artist in history and the only woman to make the Top 10 all time best selling artists list, which includes Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Over the course of her career, Streisand has recorded 50 gold, 30 platinum and 13 multi-platinum albums. An artist of unparalleled accomplishments in multiple entertainment fields, Streisand has made her mark as an award winning actress of stage and screen, recording artist, concert performer, movie producer, film director, screenwriter and songwriter. Having earned two Oscars (Best Actress and Best Song), five Emmys, 11 Golden Globes, 10 Grammys including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement and Grammy Legend Awards, a special Tony Award (in 1970 as "Star of the Decade"), two Cable Ace and three Peabody awards, she is the only performer to hold honors from all of those institutions. In addition, Streisand is a recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, America's National Medal of Arts and France's Legion of Honor. In December 2008 she became the first female director to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor.

STING - IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT...

This fall, Sting is preparing to release a new album entitled "If On a Winter's Night..." In collaboration with esteemed producer and arranger, Robert Sadin, "If On a Winter's Night..." features traditional music of the British Isles as its starting point. Sting and guest musicians interpret a stirring collection of songs, carols, and lullabies including The Snow it Melts the Soonest (traditional Newcastle ballad), A Soalin' (traditional English "begging" song) Gabriel's Message (14th century carol), Balulalow (lullaby by Peter Warlock) and Now Winter Comes Slowly (Henry Purcell). Two of Sting's own compositions are also featured on the album, Lullaby for an Anxious Child and The Hounds of Winter, which originally appeared on his previous release Mercury Falling, alongside Hurdy Gurdy Man, -- a musical reworking and English translation (by Sting) of Der Leiermann from Schubert's classic winter song-cycle Winterreise. For this exploration of the themes and emotions of Winter, Sting is joined by friend and long time colleague, guitarist Dominic Miller. Additional guests include an ensemble of three remarkable musicians from Northern England and Scotland: Kathryn Tickell (fiddle and Northumbrian pipes), Julian Sutton (melodeon) and Mary MacMaster (metal string Scottish harp), along with Daniel Hope (violin), Vincent Segal (cello), Chris Botti and Ibrahim Maalouf, (trumpet), Cyro Baptista and Bijan Chemirani (percussion), the Webb Sisters (vocals) and Stile Antico (vocal ensemble). As a solo musician and member of The Police, Sting has sold over 100 million records and received sixteen Grammy Awards for his work. "If On a Winter's Night..." will be released on October 27, 2009 on Deutsche Grammophon.
http://www.sting.com/

NICOLA CONTE - A SWINGING JOURNEY THROUGH THE LOST CLASSICS of 60's POPULAR BRAZILIAN MUSIC

Nicola Conte is one of my most favorite artists of all-time and he's just released a new compilations of lost Brazilian classics. Note that the following is from a great website known as Dusty Groove America. Do check them out if you have a chance. The new Nicola Conte release is an amazing batch of rare 60s bossa nova -- all hand-picked by the mighty Nicola Conte, an artist who definitely shows a strong love of the bossa in his own music! The package digs even deeper than Conte's first volume in the Viagem series -- and brings together loads of rare bits we haven't seen reissued before, mixed with some other killers from the RGE catalog of the 60s -- definitely the farther reaches of bossa recordings in Brazil from the time, and the kind of tunes we're happy to have together in a sweet little set like this! There's loads of groovy rhythms, jazzy instrumentation, and great lead vocals on some of the cuts -- and the collection features 18 gems that include "Bossa Nova" by Bobby McKay, "Balanco Do Mar" by Zil Rozendo, "Ninguem Na Rua" by Dick Farney, "Sem Deus A Familia" by Cesar Roldao Vieira, "Yema Tres" by Tema Tres, "Queimada" by Anamaria Bom, "Miss Bikini" by Marcia with Manfredo Fest Trio, "Se A Treisteza Chegar" by Lygia, "Maria Fulo" by Flora, "Redondo Sambao" by As Meninas, "Consolacao" by Tenorio Jr, "Sambinha" by Vera, "Amanha" by Janinha, "Bossa So" by Sansa Trio, and "Deixa O Morro Cantar" by Claudia.
Source: www.dustygroove.com

CHITOWNSMOOTHJAZZ.COM

I’ve just discovered a new website – ChitownSmoothJazz.com and after a few listens I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this site! This site is in response to a lack of a smooth jazz radio station in Chicago. As you all know, FM radio stations have been dropping the Smooth Jazz format -- including stations in New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and also Chicago. As these stations flip their formats they are abandoning hundreds of thousands of listeners who love Smooth Jazz music as part of their day. ChitownSmoothJazz.com consists of nine different channels of music, focusing on different styles, instruments, and moods. They also promise to include more channels in the near future, including a 24/7 channel dedicated to Chicago-based artists. They also promise to play far fewer commercials than your standard FM stations. Instead of 8-12 minutes per hour of spots, they will have less than 2 minutes per hour. One of the features of the site is that you can customize the artists we play on your stream via the "Artist list" tab. You can also skip songs you don't like. Another feature is their comprehensive “Now Playing” information, including title, artist, album, composer, year of release, and a link to the Amazon page for the CD that's playing. One real plus is that they have deeper playlists which translate to literally thousands of songs instead of just a few hundred. Also, a greater emphasis on actual jazz artists (i.e., less "pop adult contemporary"). And for those of you from the Chicago area, they also hope to bring back some of your favorite Chicago-based Smooth Jazz air personalities, as the folks behind ChitownSmoothJazz.com have already reached out to them. I truly hope this site becomes a huge success. Enjoy the music!