ERIC BENET'S SEXY SOUL TOUR

Eric Benét is heading out for a 19-city tour called the “Sexy Soul Tour” beginning October 29th in Houston’s Verizon Wireless Theatre. Benét has long been considered one of the most romantic live performers out there with a legion of devoted fans. The handsome R&B Grammy nominated crooner will be joined by Mint Condition and Ledisi. Benét's most recent ultra-romantic CD, “Love and Life,” debuted on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart at No. 11 and was a collaboration with longtime production partner Demonte Posey. People Magazine, which gave “Love and Life” 3 1/2 stars, glowed, “Fans of the female persuasion will rejoice when they hear the R&B singer/songwriter regain his footing.”

Eric Benet Sexy Soul Tour Fall 2009 Schedule
October 29 - Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless
October 31 - Atlanta, GA @ The Fox Theatre
November 1 - Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
November 5 - Cincinnati, OH @ The Music Hall
November 6 - Cleveland, OH @ The Palace Theatre
November 7 - Detroit, MI @ The Masonic Temple Theatre
November 8 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Riverside Theatre
November 12 - Minneapolis, MN @ The State Theatre
November 13 - Chicago, IL @ The Arie Crown
November 19 - New York, NY @ The Beacon Theatre
November 20 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Academy Of Music
November 21 - Norfolk, VA @ The Chrysler Theatre
December 3 - St. Louis, MO @ @ The Pageant
December 4 - Kansas City, MO @ The Midland
December 5 - Memphis, TN @ The Orpheum Theatre
December 6 - Dallas, TX @ The Nokia Theatre
December 19 – Seoul, South Korea @ TBA
December 21 – Tokyo, Japan @ TBA
December 27 – Yokosuka, Japan @ TBA
December 28 – Yokota, Japan @ TBA

THE NOVEMBER CONCERT CALENDAR

Lee Ritenour @ TBA, Friedrichshafen, Germany, Nov 1
Federico Aubele @ Shuba’s, Chicago, IL, Oct 31
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ Oven Auditorium, Charlotte, NC, Nov. 1
Joe Sample Trio @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan Nov 1-5
Matisyahu @ The Pageant, St. Louis, MO, Nov 2
Lee Ritenour @ TBA, Munich, Germany, Nov 2
Candy Dulfer @ Jazz Lights, Lunen, Germany, Nov 2
Melba Moore @ The Triad, New York, NY, Nov 2
Laura Izibor @ Highline Ballroom, New York, NY, Nov 3
Lee Ritenour @ TBA, Darstadt, Germany, Nov 3
Federico Aubele @ Varsity Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, Nov 3
Inner Circle @ Downtown Brew, San Luis Obispo, CA, Nov 3
Ivo Neame, Jim Hart @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK, Nov 3
Matisyahu @ House Of Blues, Chicago, IL, Nov 3
Dizzy Gillespie All Stars @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 3
The Temptations @ The Blue Note, Nagoya, Japan, Nov 3-4
Victor Bailet @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 4
Inner Circle @ Moe’s, Santa Cruz, CA, Nov 4
Geoff Eales, @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK, Nov 4
Gerald Albright @ The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA, Nov 5
Geoff Eales @ The Forge, Basingstoke, UK, Nov 5
Inner Circle @ Harlow’s, Sacramento, CA, Nov 5
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The Music Hall, Cincinnati, OH, Nov 5
Lee Ritenour @ Aalenar Jazzfest, Aalen, Germany, Nov 5
Dave Stapelton Quintet @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK, Nov 5
Marc Broussard @ The Parish, Austin, TX, Nov 5
Natalie Cole @ Salem Civic Center, Salem, VA, Nov 5
Matisyahu @ Slowdown, Omaha, NE, Nov 5
Candy Dulfer @ Metropool, Hengelo, Netherlands, Nov 5
Susan Tedeschi @ Ram’s Had, Annapolis, MD, Nov 5
Chris Botti @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 6
Inner Circle @ Rockit Room, San Francisco, CA, Nov 6
Will Downing @ Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham, NC, Nov 6
Natalie Cole @ Sandler Center, Virginia Beach, VA, Nov 6
Marc Broussard @ The House Of Blues, Houston, TX, Nov 6
Gerald Albright @ Rams Head, Annapolis, MD, Nov 6
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The Plaza Theatre, Cleveland, OH, Nov 6
King Sunny Ade @ Knight Concert Hall, Miami, FL, Nov 6
McCoy Tyner @ Terrace Theatre, Washington, DC. Nov 6
U-Nam, Michael Paulo @ The Cellar, Long Beach, CA, Nov 6

Susan Tedeschi @ Westhampton Beach PAC,
Westhampton Beach, NH, Nov 6

Paquito D’Rivera Quintet @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Nov 6-9
Gerald Albright @ Halton Theater, Charlotte, NC, Nov 7
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The Masonic Temple Theatre, Detroit, MI, Nov 7
Natalie Cole @ Chris Everett Event, Boca Raton, FL, Nov 7
Inner Circle @ Bill’s Casino, Lake Tahoe, NV, Nov 7
George Duke, Anita Baker @ Nokia Theater, Los Angeles, CA, Nov 7
Lee Ritenour @ Ingolstader Jazzstage, Ingolstadt, Germany, Nov 7
Matisyahu @ Five Points Music Hall, Birmingham, AL, Nov 7
Kenny G @ Coliseo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nov 7
Susan Tedeschi @ Narrows Center, Fall River, MA, Nov 7
Patti Austin @ Bermuda Jazz Festival, Bermuda, Nov 7
Steely Dan @ Star Plaza, Merriville, IN, Nov 7
Steely Dan @ Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN, Nov 8
Kenny G @ Altos de Chavon, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Nov 8
Matisyahu @ House Of Blues, New Orleans, LA, Nov 8
Teena Marie @ BB Kings, New York, NY, Nov 8
Federico Aubele @ Mountain Stage, Charleston, WV, Nov 8
Lee Ritenour @ den Atelier, Luxembourg, Germany, Nov 8
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, Nov 8
Susan Tedeschi @ Lebanon Opera House, Lebanon, NH, Nov 8
McCoy Tyner @ Terrace Theatre, Washington, DC, Nov 8

Smokey Robinson @ Philharmonic Center For The Arts,
Naples, FL, Nov 8

The Funk Brothers @ Borderline, London, UK, Nov 9

The Funk Brothers, Sherrie Payne, Lynda Laurance @
Jazz Café, London, UK, Nov 10

Matisyahu @ Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh, NC, Nov 10
The Stylistics @ indig02, London, UK, Nov 10
Geoff Eales @ Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, UK, Nov 10
Patti Austin @ Cal State University, Northridge, CA, Nov 10
Lee Ritenour @ Kammgarn, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Nov 10
Keiko Lee @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Nov 10-11
Steely Dan @ Taft Theatre, Cincinnati OH, Nov 10-11

The Funk Brothers, Mable John, Chris Clark, Brenda Holloway @
Jazz Café, London, UK, Nov 11

Matisyahu @ The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC, Nov 11
Alexander O’Neal, Kenny Thomas @ 02 Academy, London, UK, Nov 11
Geoff Eales @ St. Mary’s Chambers, Rawtenstall, UK, Nov 11
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV, Nov 11,13-15,18, 20-22
Andy Dulfer @ Jazzstage, Leverkusen, Germany, Nov 12
Matisyahu @ The Handlebar, Greenville, SC, Nov 12
Candy Dulfer @ Jazztage. Leverkusen, Germany, Nov 12
The Funk Brothers, Thelma Houston @ Jazz Café, London, UK, Nov 12
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The State Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, Nov 12
Geoff Eales @ Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, UK, Nov 12

George Benson @ National Academic Opera & Ballet,
Yerevan, Armenia, Nov 12

The Funk Brothers, Thelma Houston, Brenda Holloway, Chris Clark,
Sherrie Payne, Lynda Laurance, Mable John @ The Dome,
Doncaster, UK, Nov 12

McCoy Tyner @ Royce Gall, Los Angeles, CA, Nov 12
The Wailers @ Alys Robinson Stephens PAC, Birmingham, AL, Nov 12
Medeski Martin & Wood @ The Mass MoCA, North Adams, MA, Nov 12
Medeski Martin & Wood @ The House Of Blues, Boston, MA, Nov 13
Geoff Eales @ Wakefield Sports Club, Wakefield, UK, Nov 13
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The Arie Crown, Chicago, IL, Nov 13
Jazzanova @ Sullivan Room, New York, NY, Nov 13
B.B. King @ Peppermill, Wendover, NV, Nov 13

King Sunny Ade @ Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium,
San Rafael, CA, Nov 13

The Funk Brothers, Thelma Houston, Brenda Holloway, Chris Clark,
Sherrie Payne, Lynda Laurance, Mable John @ HMV Hammersmith
Apollo, UK, Nov 13

Bela Fleck & The Flecktones @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 13-14
Steely Dan @ Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, Nov 13-14

Tavares, Joe Bataan, Black Ivory, Blue Magic, Heatwave
@ Fernwood Hotel, Bushkill, PA, Nov 13-15

Claudia Acuna @ Jazz Standard, New York, NY, Nov 13-15
Medeski Martin & Wood @ The Nokia Theatre, New York, NY, Nov 14
George Benson @ Kremlin Palace, Moscow, Russia, Nov 14
Matisyahu @ Music Farm, Charleston, SC, Nov 14
B.B. King @ Silver Legacy Resort, Reno, NV, Nov 14
Medeski Martin & Wood @ The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse, NY, Nov 15
Matisyahu @ Orange Peel, Asheville, NC, Nov 15
B.B. King @ Heritage Theater, Campbell, GA, Nov 15
Polo Orti Quartet feat. Gary Burton @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 15
George Benson @ Heydar Aliyev Palace, Baku Azerbaijan, Nov 16
Matisyahu @ Buster’s Billiards, Lexington, KY, Nov 16
Branford Marsalis @ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, UK, Nov 16
Steely Dan @ EJ Thomas Auditorium, Akron, OH, Nov 16-17
John Mayer @ The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY, Nov 17
Medeski Martin & Wood @ The Kent Stage, Kent, OH, Nov 17
B.B. King @ Cal State Chico, Chico, CA, Nov 17
Brad Mehldau Trio @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 17-18
Matisyahu @ Norva Theatre, Norfolk, VA, Nov 18
Freda Payne @ RRAZZ Room, San Francisco, CA, Nov 17-22
Medeski Martin & Wood @ The Intersection, Grand Rapids, MI, Nov 18
George Benson @ Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, UAE, Nov 18

Warren Hill, Jonathan Butler, Nick Colionne, Jeff Golub, Euge Groove @
The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, St. James, Jamaica, Nov 18-22

Medeski Martin & Wood @ The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN, Nov 19
George Benson @ Venue TBD, Manama, Bahrain, Nov 19
Queen Latifa @ California Center For The Arts, Escondido, CA, Nov 19
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY, Nov 19
Matisyahu @ House Of Blues, N. Myrtle Beach, SC, Nov 19
B.B. King @ Coussoulis Arena, San Bernadino, CA, Nov 19
Lee Ritenour @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 19-20
Steely Dan @ Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, Nov 19-20
Ashford & Simpson @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Nov 19-22
Medeski Martin & Wood @ The Eagles Club, Milwaukee, WI, Nov 20
Natalie Cole @ Memorial Auditorium, Sacamento, CA, Nov 20
B.B. King @ Centennial Hall, Tucson, AZ, Nov 20
Troyka @ Southbank Centre/Clore Ballroom, London, UK, Nov 20
Chris Botti @ Wellmont Theatre, Montclair, NJ, Nov 20
Tortured Soul @ Double Door, Chicago, IL, Nov 20
Troyka @ Jazz Café, Camden, London, UK, Nov 20
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The Academy Of Music, Philadelphia, PA, Nov 20

Candy Dulfer @ Mass Music Jazz aan de Maas, Maastricht,
Netherlands, Nov 20

Chris Botti @ Hershey Theatre, Hershey, PA, Nov 21
Jeffrey Osborne @ BB Kings, New York, NY, Nov 21
Hiroshima @ Orleans, Las Vegas, NV, Nov 21
B.B. King @ Celebrity Theatre, Phoeniz, AZ, Nov 21
Natalie Cole @ Northern Quest Casino, Spokane, WA, Nov 21
Matisyahu @ Sonar, Baltimore, MD, Nov 21
Eric Benet, Ledisi @ The Chrysler Theatre, Norfolk, VA, Nov 21
Medeski Martin & Wood @ The House Of Blues, Chicago, IL, Nov 21
Jeffrey Osborne @ BB Kings, New York, NY, Nov 21
Kenny G @ McCallum Theatre, Palm Springs, CA, Nov 21
Bobby Caldwell @ Fox Theatre, Visalia, CA, Nov 21

Bela Fleck & The Flecktones @ Bergen Performing Arts Center,
Englewood, NJ, Nov 21

George Benson @ Sala Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy, Nov 22
Kenny G @ The Grove, Anaheim, CA, Nov 22
B.B. King @ Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA, Nov 22
Jeffrey Osborne @ The Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria, PA, Nov 22
Matisyahu @ The Palladium, Worchester, MA, Nov 22
U-Nam, Gregg Karukas @ The Cellar, Long Beach, CA, Nov 22
Jeffrey Osborne @ The Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria, VA, Nov 22
Steely Dan @ Constitution Hall, Washington, DC, Nov 22-23
George Benson @ Teatro Augesteo, Naples, Italy, Nov 23
Matisyahu @ Higher Ground, Burlington, VT, Nov 23
George Benson @ Teatroteam, Bari, Italy, Nov 24
Phillipe Saisse Palladino Trio @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 24
Matisyahu @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park, NY, Nov 24
Chris Botti @ Hillbert Circle Theatre, Indianapolis, IN, Nov 24
John Mayer @ Sound Academy, Toronto, ON, Nov 24
George Benson @ Teatro Metropolitan, Catania, Italy, Nov 25
Candy Dulfer @ Philharmonic, St. Petersburg, Russia, Nov 25
Steely Dan @ Massey Hall, Toronto, ON, Nov 25-26
Marcus Miller @ The Blue Note, Milan, Italy, Nov 25-27
Zero 7 @ 9:30 Club, Washington, DC, Nov 26
Zero 7 @ Terminal 5, New York, NY, Nov 27
Boney James @ Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA, Nov 27
O’Jays @ Bergen PAC, Englewood, NJ, Nov 27
Will Downing @ Lyric Opera House, Baltimore, MD, Nov 27
Candy Dulfer @ International House Of Music, Moscow, Russia, Nov 27

Dave Koz, Rick Braun, David Benoit, Brenda Russell, Peter White @
Saenger Theatre, Mobile, AL, Nov 27

Dave Brubeck @ The Blue Note, New York, NY, Nov 27-29

Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White @ The Blue Note,
Tokyo, Japan, Nov 27-30

Dave Koz, Rick Braun, David Benoit, Brenda Russell, Peter White @
Van Wexel Performing Arts Center, Sarasota, FL, Nov 28

Zero 7 @ House Of Blues, Boston, MA, Nov 28
Matisyahu @ Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ, Nov 28
Federico Aubele @ Oran Mor, Glasgow, SCT, Nov 28
Inner Circle @ Congress Theater, Chicago, IL, Nov 28
Will Downing @ The Landmark Theatre, Richmond, VA, Nov 28
Brian Culberton, Michael Lington @ Anthology, San Diego, CA, Nov 28
Steely Dan @ Salle Wilfred-Pelletier, Montreal, QC, Nov 28-29
Matisyahu @ Olympia Theatre, Montreal, QC, Nov 29
Zero 7 @ TLA, Philadelphia, PA, Nov 29
Federico Aubele @ The Social, London, UK, Nov 29

Dave Koz, Rick Braun, David Benoit, Brenda Russell, Peter White @
Dreyfoos Hall, West Palm Beach, FL, Nov 29

Matisyahu @ The Phoenix, Toronto, ON, Nov 30

Dave Koz, David Benoit, Rick Braun, Brenda Russell, Peter White @
Philharmonic Center For The Arts, Naples, FL, Nov 30

Zero 7 @ Ram’s Head, Baltimore, MD, Nov 30
Federico Aubele @ The Academy 2, Dublin, IRE, Nov 30
Shalamar @ indig02, London, UK, Nov 30

NEW RELEASES: CAFE LOUNGE, CHILL-OUT JAZZ, LONDON CHILL, NEW YORK SMOOTH, PARIS LOUNGE & MORE...

4 Hero & Others – Extensions
Adrian Crutchfield – Private Party
Alfred Shorter Jr. – Just Between Friends
Aretha Franklin – Just A Matter Of Time: Classic Columbia Recordings
Bobby Hutcherson – Wise One
Brenda Holloway – The Early Years: Rare Recordings
Bria Valente - Elixir
Brian Setzer Orchestra – Songs From Lonely Avenue
DJ King Flow – It’s Hard Being Fifteen
Danice A. Nelson & Mark Drummond – 2 Smooth 4 Words
David Boswell – I Like That
Dionne Bromfield – Introducing Dionne Bromfield
Elan Troutman – This Time Around
Forro In The Dark – Light A Candle
Greg Adams – East Bat Soul
Helena Jessie – The Law Of Attraction
Jason Weber – Five 5
Joe - Signature
Jukka Eskola – Walkover
Martin Kember - Cycles
Melanie Fiona – The Bridge
Michael Buble – Crazy Love
Mimi Jones – A New Day
Nina Simone – Original Album Classics: Nuff Said/To Love Somebody/Black Gold/It Is Finished/And Piano
Pink Martini – Splendor In The Grass
Quiet Nights Orchestra – Chapter One
Rhythm ‘N’ Jazz – Party Nights
Robert Glasper – Double Booked
Sarah Brightman – Amalfi Sarah Brightman Love Songs
Steve Baxter – Sugar On The Bone
Toni Hill – Only Love
Various Artists – Berlin Lounge
Various Artists – Café Lounge: Cigarette Copenhagen Blue
Various Artists – Chill-Out Jazz
Various Artists – Jazz Swings Motown
Various Artists – London Chill
Various Artists – New York Smooth
Various Artists – Nu Moods
Varous Artists – Om Lounge: 15th Anniversary Edition
Various Artists – Paris Beats
Various Artists – Six Senses By Claude Challe
Various Artists – Twilight Lounge
Walter Beasley- Free Your Mind

STING - IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT...LIVE FROM DURHAM CATHEDRAL

On November 24, Deutsche Grammophon will release a special, live concert performance on DVD entitled, Sting: A Winter's Night...Live from Durham Cathedral. Filmed at the magnificent Durham Cathedral near Sting's hometown of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in Northern England, the DVD features music off his forthcoming album, If On A Winter's Night... in-stores, October 27. Recorded in HD and produced by Universal Music Classical Management & Productions (UMCMP), in association with Thirteen for WNET.ORG, the program will premiere on PBS's Great Performances series on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 26 at 9 p.m.

Sting: A Winter's Night...Live from Durham Cathedral captures the artist in the unique setting of England's most famous cathedral. Standing on a peninsula overlooking the River Wear in Durham, the one thousand year old UNESCO world heritage building is one of the most iconic landmarks of Northern England. Inside Durham Cathedral, the architecture and atmosphere is as equally inspiring and it is in this setting that Sting was joined by guest musicians including local Newcastle artists Kathryn Tickell (Northumbrian pipes and fiddle), Peter Tickell (fiddle) and Julian Sutton (Melodeon). Other performers from around the world also include Dominic Miller (guitar), Vincent Segal (cello), Scottish harpist Mary Macmaster, Ira Coleman (bass), Chris Gekker (trumpet), David Mansfield (violin and mandolin), Cyro Baptista, Bashiri Johnson and Rhani Krija (percussion) and vocalists Laila Biali, Lisa Fischer, Jo Lawry, and Steven Santoro. Producer, Robert Sadin conducted the ensemble of 35 musicians, which includes additional string and brass sections.

Both the new album and DVD conjure the mood and spirit of the season with a diverse collection of songs, carols and lullabies spanning the centuries. Featuring traditional music of the British Isles as its starting point, Sting and guest musicians interpret stirring, folk-based melodies including "The Snow it Melts the Soonest" (traditional Newcastle ballad), "Soul Cake" (traditional English "begging" song), "Christmas at Sea" (traditional Scottish 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: "Lullaby for an Anxious Child" and "The Hounds of Winter," which originally appeared on his previous release Mercury Falling. In addition, the DVD programme features a setting of the "Coventry Carol" in which Sting and musicians are joined by the Durham Cathedral Boys' Choir, as well as songs not included on the album - Peter Warlock's haunting "Bethlehem Down", a lively arrangement of the traditional song "I Saw Three Ships" and Sting's own "Ghost Story".

http://www.sting.com/

JOHN MAYER - BATTLE STUDIES

John Mayer will perform at the Beacon Theatre on Tuesday, November 17 at 9pm to celebrate the release of Battle Studies, his first studio album in three years. The special event, which will also air live in HD that evening on Fuse, is presented by Fuse, Madison Square Garden’s national music television network, and MSG Entertainment. To kick off the live telecast of “John Mayer Live From the Beacon Theatre,” Fuse will support the release of his new album with programming throughout November, including a personal and revealing one-on-one interview special with the artist. Fuse host Steven Smith sits down with Mayer for a candid conversation about his new album, his latest collaborations and plans for the future. Fuse will air additional shows such as “Loaded: John Mayer,” a half-hour of John Mayer’s greatest music videos including his latest single Who Says, plus encore presentations of “John Mayer Live From the Beacon Theatre” and the interview special.

As of today, John Mayer fans can log on to Fuse.tv/johnmayer to find photos, tweets, live blogging and more. The site will feature exclusive live behind-the-scenes footage backstage, during the sound check and after the show, giving fans a can’t miss, one-of-a-kind multi-screen event. “Fuse and MSGE are utilizing their distinct relationship to celebrate a great musician and his new album by connecting John Mayer with his fans in a unique way only we can deliver,” said Mike Bair, president, MSG Media. “Whether they’re at the Beacon Theatre or in their living room watching the concert on Fuse in HD, music lovers will experience a can’t miss performance as well as exclusive and compelling programming both before and after the show on-air, online and via mobile.” “The magic of seeing John Mayer live in one of our iconic venues is something that cannot be duplicated, but it can be shared,” said Jay Marciano, president, MSG Entertainment. “To take what would be an experience originally designed for 2,800 people to more than 65 million households across the U.S. through our national music network, Fuse, and couple that with unique programming and online elements is just one of several ways that artists that play our venues are able to connect with their fans in meaningful ways.”

John Mayer's Battle Studies, scheduled to be released on Columbia Records on November 17, the same day as the live event, will be the fourth studio album for the seven-time Grammy Award winner. The album was co-produced by John Mayer and Steve Jordan and debuts three years after his critically acclaimed 2006 album, Continuum. The album incorporates 70’s and 80’s California rock/pop influences and includes a collaboration with music sensation Taylor Swift, on the track "Half of My Heart."

The legendary and newly-restored Beacon Theatre recently hosted the grand re-opening of the theatre following a 7-month, $16-million restoration and featured seminal artist Paul Simon with special guest Art Garfunkel. This intimate rock room has recently played host to many of the music industry’s most highly anticipated and sought after shows including the 40th anniversary spring run of the Allman Brothers Band with various special guests; the Martin Scorsese documentary film of the Rolling Stones, “Shine a Light”; and a performance by the legendary and reclusive folk artist Leonard Cohen to name a few. John Mayer fans will now have the opportunity to see the band at the 2,800-seat Beacon Theatre on the same day that Mayer’s studio album, Battle Studies, is released.

www.local-83.com
www.fuse.tv/johnmayer.

KEVON EDMONDS - WHO KNEW

Singer Kevon Edmonds is making a dramatic return to recording after nearly a decade of absence with the dreamy "Oh," the 1st single that is quickly moving up the charts towards Top 10 on Billboard's Hot Adult R & B Airplay Chart and on Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles Chart from his Make Entertainment CD, Who Knew (distributed by EMI). Produced by Greg Curtis, the song howcases Edmonds' yearning high tenor in a manner that will have ladies swooning all over again. The beloved song stylist is set to appear and perform on The MoNique Show (check local listings for announcement of guests) and the revamped Soul Train Awards, airing Sunday, November 29th at 9:00 p.m. on BET's new network, CENTRIC (formerly BETJ).

"Oh" speaks to relationships," Edmonds shares, "It's about reconnecting with that person that you're involved with and moving forward in a positive way. People today aren't as grounded as they used to be... They don't go into the union of marriage cognizant of what is truly required. Too often we allow little things to put a wedge between us. I've lived long enough to see people I've known who divorced then look back with regret realizing they didn't stick together long enough to make things work. This speaks to people about fighting for a good thing through the rough patch. If you're fortunate enough to have love in your life, you've got to recognize it and work to hold on to it." As with most songs Edmonds sings, he took into careful consideration the impact that the song would have when he performed it before an audience. "There's an intro I do live that speaks to the importance of how I just described the song," he continues. "I was thinking about the way Rick James opened 'Fire and Desire,' but my way. When I get through, you're ready for somebody to drop some serious love music on you." Kevon has been doing just that throughout his distinguished career.

With two decades of faithful, soulful service under his belt, Kevon Edmonds is among R&B/Pop music's most adored vocalists and songwriters. As the founder and lead singer of vocal trio After 7, Kevon serenaded lovers around the globe with such hits as "Ready or Not" and "Can't Stop" (both reaching #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 R&B Chart and attaining Top 10 status on Billboard's Pop singles Chart). His voice remains a favorite among fans of movie and television thanks to After 7's hits "Nights Like This" (from The Five Heartbeats movie), "Gonna Love You Right" (from Sugar Hill) and the Adult Contemporary smash "Not Enough Hours in the Night" (from the Beverly Hills 90210 television soundtrack). With After 7, Kevon scored a multi-platinum selling debut album, two Gold albums, three Gold singles, seven Top Ten radio singles and three Gold soundtracks. Kevon then co-executive produced his solo debut, 24/7 alongside his brother, pop music icon Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The title track of the 1999 release, "24/7," rose to #2 at R&B radio, crossed over to Pop, and sent the 24/7 CD to Gold status.

Now living in Nashville, the Indianapolis-born vocalist completed a soulful new project with the help of hot producers/songwriters Greg Curtis, Kadis & Sean, Kevin Randolph, Damon Thomas and Jayshaw Champion, his talented nephews Jason Edmonds and Dave Edmonds, along with Aaron Pettigrew and Karl Antoine. Edmonds explains, "I wanted to create a body of work that will take listeners on a musical journey - bridging the gap between the R&B of old and R&B of today. I had my ear on a couple of young producers, but I was not using them to pursue a 'youthful' sound. My goal is to open the ears of today's young R&B listeners so they can hear where the music they listen to really comes from. I simply want to bring back the magic of love and romance." To illustrate his point, Edmonds refers to a remake of "Never Let You down" that he recently recorded for the project Silky Soul Music…An All-Star Tribute to Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. "I recently performed that song at a show in Rozelle, New Jersey," Edmonds shares. "I spoke to the crowd about the importance of paying tribute not to just our fallen soldiers but those still with us. Frankie Beverly is one of those. His band Maze is the Black equivalent of the Grateful Dead in the way they bring out faithful fans every time they do a concert - whether they have a new album out or not! He's impacted the fabric of our culture for a stretch of time."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcL2ONdq4wY

BARRY WHITE - UNLIMITED

Unlimited, produced by UMe in association with the Barry White estate, is an 5-disc extraordinary rarities collection celebrating Barry’s depth as an artist songwriter, producer and genius Groove Master – and honoring his memory in the year he would have turned 65 years old. Unlimited presents 72 tracks from when he stepped out with his own sound, with Love Unlimited in 1972, through his final studio album, the Grammy®-winning Staying Power, released in 1999. Highlighted throughout the four CDs are extended and/or rare versions of his hits – newly mixed and/or edited with great care by Jack Perry, BW’s longtime friend and collaborator – as well as never-compiled personal favorites and LP tracks. Of particular delight to Barry White fans is two discs’ worth of rare Barry productions for a dozen different artists, including Tom Brock, Love Unlimited, Love Unlimited Orchestra, Gene Page, Jimmie & Vella Cameron, Westwing, Jay Dee (a.k.a. Jackie Lee), White Heat and Gloria Scott, who is represented by an unreleased cut and a rare non-LP single – one of six single-only tracks in this set. A special DVD included in Unlimited offers every video from Barry White’s tenure on A&M Records – the hits “Practice What You Preach,” “Sho’ You Right,” “Come On” and eight more – as well as rare bonus clips, including a live duet with Luciano Pavarotti that has become a YouTube phenomenon; each clip has bonus commentary from Jack Perry. The set is housed in lavish packaging befitting Barry’s deluxe grooves. Inside, the set including an essay and selected commentary by Barry himself, and by Perry, with additional notes from Quincy Jones – revealing the stories behind the songs and the man who made some of the funkiest, most romantic music of all time.

Disc 1
1. I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Baby - Alternate Version
2. Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up - Alternate Version
3. Honey Please, Can’t Ya See - Alternate Version
4. Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe - Alternate Version
5. You’re The First, The Last, My Everything - Alternate Version
6. I’ll Do For You Anything You Want Me To - Alternate Version
7. What Am I Gonna Do With You - Alternate Version
8. Let Me Live My Life Lovin’ You Babe
9. You See The Trouble With Me
10. Let The Music Play - Alternate Version
11. Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long - Alternate Version
12. Your Love–So Good I Can Taste It
13. I’m Qualified To Satisfy You - Alternate Version
14. I’ve Got So Much To Give

Disc 2
1. Playing Your Game, Baby - Alternate Version
2. It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me -Alternate Version
3. You Turned My Whole World Around
4. Your Sweetness Is My Weakness – Alternate 12-Inch Version
5. It Ain’t Love, Babe (Until You Give It) - Special Disco Version
6. Ghetto Letto
7. Sheet Music - Alternate Version
8. Ella Es Todo Para Mi (She’s Everything To Me)
9. Barry & Glodean – Our Theme, Pts. 1 & 2
10. Love Song
11. Good Dancin’ Music
12. You’re What’s On My Mind - Non-LP Single
13. Super Lover - Undercover Mix
14. Don’t Play Games

Disc 3
1. Love Unlimited Orchestra/Midnight And You - Alternate Version
2. Love Unlimited Orchestra/Baby Blues
3. Love Unlimited Orchestra/Love’s Theme - Alternate Version
4. Love Unlimited Orchestra/My Sweet Summer Suite - 12-Inch Promo Version
5. Love Unlimited Orchestra/Theme From King Kong - 12-Inch Disco Version
6. Love Unlimited Orchestra/Sweet Moments - Non-LP Single
7. Love Unlimited Orchestra/Whisper Softly
8. Love Unlimited Orchestra/Welcome Aboard
9. Love Unlimited/Walkin’ In The Rain With The One I Love
10. Love Unlimited/It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It’s Spring) - Alternate Version
11. Love Unlimited/Under The Influence Of Love - Alternate Version
12. Love Unlimited/I Belong To You - Alternate Version
13. Love Unlimited/He’s All I’ve Got
14. Love Unlimited/High Steppin’, Hip Dressin’ Fella - Alternate Version

Disc 4
1. Tom Brock/I Love You More And More
2. Tom Brock/If We Don’t Make It Nobody Can - Non-LP Single Version
3. Jay Dee/Strange Funky Games And Things
4. Jimmie & Vella Cameron/Be Fair To Me
5. Gene Page/Satin Soul
6. Gloria Scott- Just As Long As We’re Together (In My Life There Will Never Be Another) - Alternate Version
7. Gloria Scott/I’ve Got To Have All Of You- Previously Unreleased
8. Smoke/Oh Love (Well, We Finally Made It) - Non-LP Single
9. Jay Dee/You’ve Changed
10. White Heat/Take A Look At Yourself (Before You Frown On Someone Else)
11. Black Satin Featuring Fred Parris/How I Wish We Could Do It Again
12. Westwing/Falling In Love Is A No No – Non-LP Single
13. Tom Brock/Have A Nice Weekend Baby
14. Danny Pearson/What’s Your Sign Girl
15. Quincy Jones Featuring Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge & Barry White/The Erotic Garden
16. Tina Turner Featuring Barry White/In Your Wildest Dreams

DVD
1. Sho’ You Right
2. I Wanna Do It Good To Ya
3. When Will I See You Again
4. Follow That And See (Where It Leads Y’all)
5. Put Me In Your Mix
6. Barry White Featuring Isaac Hayes/Dark & Lovely
7. Practice What You Preach
8. Come On
9. I Only Want To Be With You
10. Just The Way You Are
11. I Wanna Do It Good To Ya – Wet Remix
12. Let The Music Play – Funkstar’s Club Deluxe Mix Video
13. Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up – Live From Brussels
14. Barry White & Luciano Pavarotti/You’re The First, The Last, My Everything Live

BOBBY HUTCHERSON - WISE ONE

Easily one of jazz's greatest vibraphonists, Bobby Hutcherson epitomized his instrument in relation to the era in which he came of age the way Lionel Hampton did with swing or Milt Jackson with bop. He isn't as well-known as those two forebears, perhaps because he started out in less-accessible territory when he emerged in the '60s playing cerebral, challenging modern jazz that often bordered on avant-garde. Along with Gary Burton, the other seminal vibraphone talent of the '60s, Hutcherson helped modernize his instrument by redefining what could be done with it — sonically, technically, melodically, and emotionally. In the process, he became one of the defining (if underappreciated) voices in the so-called "new thing" portion of Blue Note's glorious '60s roster. Hutcherson gradually moved into a more mainstream, modal post-bop style that, if not as adventurous as his early work, still maintained his reputation as one of the most advanced masters of his instrument. Bobby Hutcherson’s new release, Wise One, is a prime example of slow-building and soulful vibes from Hutcherson - working here in set of tracks with a heavy influence from John Coltrane, including some key classics from the Coltrane songbook, plus a few standards that have had famous readings by The Great One! Hutcherson's vibes ring out with a sense of majesty that we don't remember before – carried along by some great work from the rest of the group -- Anthony Wilson on guitar, Joe Gilman on piano, Glenn Richman on bass, and Eddie Marshall on drums – players who hit a sweet modal groove on some of the best numbers, with a quality that almost takes us back to some of our favorite Hutcherson moments of the 70s. Titles include "Wise One", "Like Sonny", "Equinox", "Spiritual", "Dear Lord", "All Or Nothing At All", "Nancy", and "Aisha".

FELABRATIONS 2009!

In support of the Knitting Factory Records re-launch of Fela Kuti’s music catalogue, as well as the debut of the FELA! show on Broadway, Giant Step Records is organizing official Felabration events in more than 15 cities across North America throughout the month of October; this outstanding schedule of Felabrations will bring together some of the best DJs, musicians, and promoters around to celebrate the life, music, and birthday of Fela Anikulapo Kuti (October 15, 1938 - August 2, 1997). These events will unite the diverse communities and Tastemakers across the country that are instrumental in keeping Fela’s music alive. The original Felabrations date back to the early 1970s when Fela and his band took over the courtyard of the Empire Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria, and performed several nights a week to thousands of worshipping fans. “The Shrine,” as the courtyard came to be known, became a very popular nightspot and the audience was made up of everyone from the youths of Lagos to professors, civil servants, government officials and even soldiers. And of course, the Shrine was a center for much more than music. To quote Michael E. Veal in his book, Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon, “more than a mere entertainment club, Fela considered it an actual shrine to his ideological heroes - a space in which his political inclinations fused with musical incantations to assume spiritual dimensions.” Now, Felabration is an annual festival dedicated to the promotion of Afrobeat and African culture and to the preservation of Fela’s legend and artistry. Fela would have been 71 on October 15.

Felabrations October 2009 Event Listings
10/12 - HOUSTON
Rocksteady Mondays presents: Felabration! w/ DJ Sun & DJ Chicken George @ The Flat

10/12 - PORTLAND
Felabration! w/ Rev. Shines, DJ Santo & more @ Someday Lounge

10/14 - NEW YORK CITY (BROOKLYN)
Voodoo Funk & Giant Step present: Felabration! w/ DJ Frank Gossner and Ikebe Shakedown @ The Knitting Factory

10/14 - MIAMI
The Electric Pickle, Champion Sound, & Giant Step present: Felabration! w/ DJs Mr. Brown, Sire Esq, & A-Train + special guest Djinji Brown @ The Electric Pickle

10/14 - OAKLAND
Soul.Profess presents: RECESS / Felabration! w/ special guest DJ Cecil & live performance by Delina Brooks @ AIR Lounge

10/15 - NEW YORK CITY (DOWNTOWN)
Jump’n'Funk, Libation, FELA! & S.O.B.’s present: Felabration! w/ DJ’s Rich Medina & Ian Friday @ S.O.B.’s

10/15 - LOS ANGELES
Afro Funke’ presents: Felabration! w/ DJ Nu-Mark, Amon (on percussion), resident DJs Jeremy Sole & Glenn Red, host Rocky Dawuni + special guests @ Zanzibar

10/15 - SEATTLE
SunTzu & Giant Step present: Blueprint / Felabration! w/ SunTzu Sound DJs, special guest Ohmega Watts, & more @ Grey Gallery & Lounge

10/15 - MEXICO (Playa Del Carmen)
Uhuru Afrika presents: Fela Lives! w/ DJs Adam Gibbons, Sabine, & more @ Mi Casa Es Su Casa Holiday

10/15 - PHILADELPHIA
Flygirrl presents: Candyland / Felabration Tribute w/ DJ Mike Nyce @ The Arts Garage

10/16 - LOS ANGELES
Footlong Development & Frolab present: Jump’n'Funk w/ DJ Rich Medina + opening set by DJ Marvski @ Tantra

10/16 - CHICAGO
Listen:Up presents Felabration! w/ DJ Ron Trent & DJ Spinna @ The Shrine

10/17 - SAN FRANCISCO
Giant Step presents: Jump’n'Funk w/ DJ Rich Medina @ 330 Ritch

10/17 - WASHINGTON, D.C.
ESL & Giant Step present: Felabration! w/ DJ Day & live performance by The Donvonte McCoy Sextet feat. Mavis Water @ ESL

10/17 - DENVER
Afroblu presents: Felabration! w/ DJ Santos, resident DJs RJ Duran & CES, and special guests @ The Union

10/24 - BOSTON
Uhuru Afrika presents: Fela Lives! w/ DJ’s: Adam Gibbons, Max Pela, KC Hallett aka KCiv, percussion by Sidy Maiga, & special performance by WUNMI @ All Asia Bar

10/24 - ATLANTA
Spread Love, Jump’n'Funk, & Hot Ice present Felabration! w/ Roy Ayers, Rich Medina, DJ Kemit, Mausiki Scales & Common Ground Collective, DJ Ausar @ 595 North

10/31 - NEW YORK CITY (HARLEM)
Uhuru Afrika + Soul Funktion present: Fela Lives! w/ DJs: Adam Gibbons, Offbeat, DJ OBah, live percussion by Sidy Maiga, and live performance by Amayo’s Fu-Arkestra @ The Shrine

THE SOUL LOUNGE 6

The Soul Lounge series returns with a 3-CD package with 40 tracks in all. This collection is overflowing with contemporary soul cuts from both sides of the Atlantic - great material from UK labels Dome and Expansion. The Soul Lounge 6 presents an overview of the best of the underground -- or an essential way to augment your collection with some well-selected bits from favorite albums. Titles include "Change For Me (Joey Negro mix)" by Eric Roberson, “Last Night” by Seek, ”In Motion” by Tortured Soul, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” by Incognito, “Life” by Hil St. Soul, "Stop Breaking My Heart" by Rahsaan Patterson, "Life" by Hil St Soul, "Radio" by Heston, "Wonderful" by Brenda Boykin, "When You Call My Name" by Frank McComb, "Salt Sea" by Julie Dexter & Khari Simmons, “Radio” by Heston, “Get Away” by Angela Johnson feat. Gordon Chambers, “Part Of My Life” by Anthony David, “Never Ending” by Joslyn, “God Created Woman” by Martha Redbone, "Get Something" by Andreus, "Sweet Baby" by George Duke, “When You Call My Name” by Frank McComb, "Friend Of Mine" by Cooly's Hot Box, "Calma (Louie Vega mix)" by Bah Samba, “Starship” by Conya Doss, "Home To You (Ethan White rmx)" by Tortured Soul, "Perfect Love" by Full Flava with Alison Limerick, “Get Somethin’ by Andreus, “Higher Love” by Maysa”, "Break Up 2 Make Up" by Sam Bostic, “The Message” by Brenda Russell, "The Traveller (part 2)" by Haggis Horns, and “Wonderful” by Brenda Boykin, “Natural” by Don-E, "Pastime Paradise" by Sunlightsquare.

NEW RELEASES FROM FRANK SINATRA, MELBA MOORE & PHIL PERRY, N'DAMBI, STING & MORE...

Al Jarreau – The Very Best: An Excellent Adventure
Andrew Nes – Try Something New
Art Sherrod Jr. - Seasons
Barbra Streisand – Love Is The Answer
Breakestra – Dusk Till Dawn
DJ Cam Presents InLove-Stories
DJ Cam Quartet – Diggin’
Earth Wind & Fire – The Collection
Earth Wind & Fire – The Music Of Earth Wind & Fire
Fire (Mats Gustafsson) – You Like Me Five Minutes Ago
Frank Sinatra – Christmas With Sinatra & Friends
Frank Sinatra – The Collection
Frank Sinatra – The Music Of Frank Sinatra
Freddie Jackson – Diamond Collection
Gerald Wilson - Detroit
Guiltypleasures – Lovestories
Hakon Kornstad – Dwell Time
Havard Stubo Quartet – Way Up (Way Down)
IPA – Lorena
Isley Brothers – The Music Of The Isley Brothers
Jason Adasiewics Rolldown – Varmint
Jazztronik – Early Years 2003-2006: Pathway Through The Decade
Jiva & Others – Reloved & Beloving: The Remix Album
Kenny G – The Music Of Kenny G
Khari Lemeul – Morning Music
Kim Davis – Live, Learn, Love
Latimore – All About The Rhythm And The Blues
Luther Vandross – The Collection
Manhattan Transfer – The Chick Corea Songbook
Manu Dibango – Makossa Man: The Very Best Of Manu Dibango
Maria Muldaur – Maria Muldaur & Her Garden Of Joy
Marie Digby – Second Home
Melba Moore & Phil Perry – The Gift Of Love
MeShell Ndegeocello – Devil’s Halo
Michael McDonald – This Christmas
Miles Davis – The Collection
Miles Davis – The Music Of Miles Davis
N’Dambi – Pink Elephant
Nicolay – City Light Vol. 2: Shibuya
Poncho Sanchez – Psychedelic Blues
Ramsey Lewis – Songs From The Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey
Ray Charles – Genius Hits The Road
Robin Duhe – Life
Rodrigo Amado/Kent Kesslet/Paal Nilssen-Love – Abstract Truth
Santana – Marathon: 30th Anniversary Edition
Saunders sermons- Classic Delight
Seamus Blake - Bellwether
Soil & “Pimp” Sessions – 6
Soul 4 Introducing Mattia Cigalini – Arriving Soon
Speedometer – Soul Groovin’
Sting – If On A Winter’s Night
Sweep – I’m Ready
Tina Turner – Tina Live
Tracy Hamlin – Better Days
Uptown Funk Empire – Empire Strikes Back
Various Artists – Brazilution: Summer Edition 2009
Various Artists – Erotic Lounge Vol. 8
Various Artists – Havana Lounge: Musica de Cuba
Various Artists – Prive: The Lounge Anthology
Various Artists - Real Ibiza Chill Out Vol. 3
Various Artists – Samba Club Night
Various Artists – Soul Togetherness 2009
Wadada Leo Smith – Spiritual Dimensions
Wayne Jones – Saturday Street

DAVE KOZ & FRIENDS - A SMOOTH JAZZ CHRISTMAS

Dave Koz, the Grammy-winning saxophonist is planning the next excursion of the annual Smooth Jazz Christmas tour. He’ll join forces with the tour's original cast--trumpeter Rick Braun, pianist David Benoit, guitarist Peter White and keyboardist Brenda Russell--for the trek, which begins Nov. 27 in Mobile, AL. The holiday outing will visit theaters in 21 cities before concluding Dec. 22 in Mesa, AZ. Details are shown below. Koz and friends will perform tracks from their respective catalogs, as well as songs from the tour's namesake album, A Smooth Jazz Christmas By Dave Koz & Friends, which was released in 2001. Koz has also released two other holiday collections: 1997's December Makes Me Feel This Way and 2007's Memories Of A Winter's Night. Last September, the he released his first retrospective, Dave Koz Greatest Hits, which includes "You Make Me Smile," "Can't Let You Go (The Sha La Song)" and "Faces of the Heart."

Smooth Jazz Christmas Tour Dates
November 2009
27 - Mobile, AL - Saenger Theatre
28 - Sarasota, FL - Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
29 - West Palm Beach, FL - Dreyfoos Hall
30 - Naples, FL - Philharmonic Center for the Arts

December 2009
2 - Melbourne, FL - King Center for Performing Arts
3 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
4 - Cleveland, OH - Playhouse Square
5 - Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre
6 - Columbus, OH - Palace Theatre
7 - Newport News, VA - Ferguson Center for the Arts
8 - Waterbury, CT - Palace Theater
9 - Morristown, NJ - Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts
11 - San Francisco, CA - Nob Hill Masonic Center
12 - San Diego, CA - Copley Symphony Hall
13 - Palm Desert, CA - McCallum Theatre
15 - Santa Rosa, CA - Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
17 - El Paso, TX - The Plaza Theatre
18 - Sacramento, CA - Radisson Hotel Sacramento
19, 20 - Cerritos, CA - Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
22 - Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center

JOSHUA BELL - AT HOME WITH FRIENDS

Joshua Bell’s new album, At Home With Friends, the Grammy Award-winning violinist fulfills a life-long career dream of recording a CD of instrumental and vocal duets with a diverse group of artists including Chris Botti, Sting, Josh Groban, Kristin Chenoweth, Regina Spektor, Anoushka Shankar, Marvin Hamlisch, Tiempo Libre, among others. Bell is one of America’s most celebrated violinists and has changed the face of classical music since he first appeared on stage with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of 14. Among the more than 30 CDs Bell has recorded, his performances for Sony Classical film soundtracks also include The Red Violin, which won the Oscar for Best Original Score; the Classical Brit-nominated Ladies in Lavender; and the Academy Award-winning film Iris, in an original score by James Horner. Bell’s most recent soundtrack recordings for Sony Classical are Angels & Demons and Defiance. September 29, At Home With Friends took the #1 spot on both Billboard's Classical and Classical Crossover charts, and the #2 position on the Heatseekers Chart.

The concept of At Home With Friends was inspired by Bell's long-time practice of holding 'musical soirees' at his New York residence - eclectic gatherings of musicians, actors, comics, literary figures and others who convene for the sheer joy of sharing their art in an informal setting. With this in mind, Bell has spent the past four years designing and building his home in Manhattan to accommodate the ideal 'stay-at-home' venue. With more than 30 original albums to his credit, Bell has captured the public's attention like no other classical violinist of his time, enchanting audiences worldwide with his breathtaking playing and tone of rare beauty, as performed on his legendary Stradivarius violin made in 1713. Equally at home as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra leader, Bell has earned countless awards and honors for his work as a concert stage performer and recording artist. He has won multiple Grammy awards and was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize. His 2004 album Romance of the Violin was named the "Classical CD of the Year" by Billboard Magazine, with Bell named "Classical Artist of the Year." In the national spotlight since age 14 (when he made his acclaimed orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra), and a recording artist since age 18, Bell has been an exclusive Sony Music artist for more than a decade.

Acclaimed for the wide range of music he has chosen to record, Bell's output ranges from mainstream classical concertos by Sibelius and Beethoven, a live recording with the Berlin Philharmonic (Tchaikovsky concerto), the bluegrass inspired Short Trip Home - from the jazz influenced Gershwin Fantasy, to the Bernstein-inspired West Side Story Suite and many others. His interest in film is particularly notable, having performed all the violin solos in The Red Violin, helping the film win an Oscar for the "Best Original Score" (written by John Corigliano). He has received recognition beyond his awards that are not common to most classical artists, having been the first musician to have a classical music video played on VH1, to appearing as himself on Sesame Street and alongside Meryl Streep in Music of the Heart.

At Home With Friends Track Listing:
I Loves You Porgy - featuring Chris Botti, trumpet
Come Again - featuring Sting, vocals
Oblivion - featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Cinema Paradiso - featuring Josh Groban, vocals
Para Ti - featuring Tiempo Libre, various
My Funny Valentine - featuring Kristin Chenoweth, vocals
Maybe So - featuring Edgar Meyer, Double-bass, Sam Bush, Mandolin and Mike Marshall, Guitar
Grieg: Sonata No. 3 - featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff (Zenph re-performance)
Eleanor Rigby - featuring Frankie Moreno, piano & vocals
O, Cease Thy Maiden Fair - Nathan Gunn, baritone
Il Postino - featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Left Hand Song - featuring Regina Spektor, piano & vocals
Chovendo Na Roseira - featuring Dave Grusin, piano
Look Away - featuring Edgar Meyer, bass and Chris Thile, mandolin
Variant Moods: Duet for Sitar & Violin (abridged version) - featuring Anoushka Shankar, sitar
I'll Take Manhattan - featuring Marvin Hamlisch, piano

http://www.sonymasterworks.com/
http://www.joshuabell.com/

BARBRA STREISAND'S NUMBER ONE ALBUM! - LOVE IS THE ANSWER

Barbra Streisand's album Love is the Answer debuts #1 on the US charts by selling 180,415 for the week of September 29th. She has increased her prior record of length of time between her first #1 album (People, 1964) and her most recent. This unprecedented success ties her with the Beatles for 3rd place behind Frank Sinatra (41) and Rolling Stones (36) for top 10 album first week sales. Setting numerous records that may never be exceeded, her new album topped a powerful field of new albums to win #1. Although no other artist or act had matched her prior record of four straight decades at #1, the new achievement may be a bar that can never be equaled. Streisand is the #1 female album-selling recording artist in history and the only woman to make the Top 10 all time best selling artists list. Her accomplishments include 50 gold, 30 platinum and 13 multi-platinum albums. Barbra's previous number #1 albums include: People (1964), The Way We Were (1974), Greatest Hits Volume II (1979), Guilty (1980), The Broadway Album (1985), Back to Broadway (1993) and Higher Ground (1997). The first full-length collection of new studio recordings from 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. Among the many accolades for the album, Anthony Tommasini in The New York Times wrote: "like a great jazz singer, lending an earthy emotional cast to the moment."Last week, Streisand returned to the New York's legendary Village Vanguard (where she auditioned 48 years ago) and performed songs from Love is the Answer for an intimate crowd of friends and lucky fans. As stated in The New York Times: "Concerts by Ms. Streisand are rare, but the scale of Saturday's show was exceptional enough to briefly upend the natural social order of celebrity events." 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, ten Golden Globes, eight Grammys, a special Tony Award (in 1970 as "Star of the Decade"), and two Cable Ace 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, the National Endowment for the Arts National Medal of Arts, the prestigious Peabody Award, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In the past year, Barbra Streisand was awarded the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor for Exemplary Lifetime Achievement in The Performing Arts. Her most recent motion picture, "Meet The Fockers," became and remains the only live-action comedy to exceed the half billion dollar box office mark.

MICHAEL BUBLE - CRAZY LOVE

Michael Bublé’s Crazy Love is his first studio album after a two and a half year absence, will be released on October 9th the same day he will be performing live on The Oprah Winfrey Show, it was confirmed by 143/Reprise Records. The multi-Grammy winning and multi-platinum recording artist will also be singing on The Today Show live on October 13th. “Crazy Love” includes two original songs written by Bublé and collaborators Amy Foster-Gillies and Alan Chang. The first single, the Bublé penned “Haven’t Met You Yet,” already a hit at radio, is currently No. 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary (A/C) charts. The video for “Haven’t Met You Yet” premiered last week on AOL. “Crazy Love” includes Bublé’s always original spin on classics including, “Cry Me A River,” Dean Martin’s “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You,” Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind” and “All of Me.” The title song is a cover of the Van Morrison gem “Crazy Love.” Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings make a guest appearance on the 60’s hit “Baby (You Got What It Takes).” The album contains 12 tracks (and 1 bonus track), including two original songs. A special edition of the CD will be released via his website only, like he has done for It's Time, Call Me Irresponsible, and the recently released Madison Square Garden. This version will be a two-CD edition containing the standard album on one CD, a remix album on the other one. It will also contain a DVD and a 32 page booklet. The album was produced by David Foster, Bob Rock and Humberto Gatica and recorded in Vancouver, Brooklyn, NY and Los Angeles. Michael Bublé’s previous CD, the Grammy winning, Call Me Irresponsible (from 2007) was a number one album in over 15 countries. He has sold over 22 million CDs over the course of his career

7DIGITAL LAUNCHES IN U.S.

7digital, the digital media delivery company and home of the MP3, has announced its official launch in the United States. The arrival of 7digital provides U.S. consumers with access to millions of DRM-free songs in the MP3 format – including content from Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, EMI Music and independent labels – which can be played and shared across any music-enabled device. “7digital is the ultimate resource for music aficionados and we’re excited to bring our service to the United States with an extremely compelling consumer offer,” said Ben Drury, CEO of 7digital. “The high-quality, DRM-free MP3 format is what consumers demand, enabling music lovers to enjoy their favorite content anywhere, at any time.” MP3 downloads from us.7digital.com are compatible with any music player including iPods, iPhones, BlackBerries, MP3 players and mobile phones. 7digital has licensed over 6 million songs for digital distribution globally. “7digital is a compelling and innovative offering that provides consumers more freedom of choice on where to find and purchase their music online,” stated Amanda Marks, executive vice president and general manager of Universal Music Distribution. “And we are looking forward to working with 7digital to ensure that consumers continue to have access to the widest selection of music possible whenever, wherever and however they want.” Said Michael Nash, executive vice president, digital strategy and business development, Warner Music Group, “7digital has been a terrific partner for us and a proven hit with consumers in the UK, so we look forward to working with them to bring U.S. music fans another source of high-quality digital music, not only on 7digital.com, but through their compelling mobile applications as well.”

DETROIT LOSES SMOOTH JAZZ STATION - WVMV SWITCHES TO TOP 40

Detroit’s smooth jazz radio station, WVMV, spent the weekend stunting (or paying the way for a format change), and this morning made the flip to Top 40 at “Amp Radio.” The former smooth jazz station went into stunt mode on Friday, with a website at http://www.987takeover.com/ hosting a contest inviting listeners to guess the new station’s name. Smooth Jazz 98.7 WVMV made a switch to a Top 40 format at 5PM EST on Friday, October 2 with “98.7 Wheelz The Hits You Grew Up With!” Then Guns N' Roses' “Welcome To The Jungle” aired before it was interrupted by audio of Kanye West’s recent MTV incident. When Kanye said Beyoncé made one of the best videos of all time, an announcer cut in and said, "Okay, we'll play Beyonce," and then “Sweet Dreams” kicked in and 987Takeover.com was born. This was followed by Black Eyed Peas “I Got A Feeling,” Eminem “Lose Yourself," Pitbull “I Know You Want Me,” Miley Cyrus “Party In The USA,” Cobra Starship “Good Girls Go Bad,” Jay-Z “Run This Town,” Taylor Swift “Love Story,” Britney Spears “Radar,” Keri Hilson “Knock You Down," Kings of Leon “Use Somebody,” Justin Bieber "One Time," Drake "Best I Ever Had," Boys Like Girls "Love Drunk," Lady Gaga "Poker Face" and Jay Sean "Down." As a smooth jazz station, WVMV-FM was ranked a respectable No.11 in the market, but it was also CBS Radio's lowest-rated music station and a format that doesn't rate as well under Arbitron's portable people meter system. As AMP Radio, WVMV will play “All The Hits,” going head to head with Clear Channel’s WKQI-FM, the top-rated station in the market with a 6.0 average quarter-hour share, per Arbitron’s ppm ratings for August. The AMP brand has been successful for CBS Radio since its February debut with AMP Radio in Los Angeles challenging Clear Channel's Top 40 stalwart, KIIS-FM. Since the flip, KAMP-FM in L.A. has doubled its ratings and has been tied for No.8 in the ratings. To kick-of the new programming, AMP Radio is playing 10,000 songs in a row with limited commercial interruption. Artists on the play list include Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Rihana, T.I., Kanye West, Usher, Britney, Pink, Kelly Clarkson and Katy Perry, among others. WVMV's former Smooth Jazz programming has moved to the FM's HD2 subchannel and can be heard online at http://www.smoothjazzdetroit.com/.

ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY - THE VERY BEST OF ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY

British smooth jazz band, Acoustic Alchemy, return with the release of The Very Best Of Acoustic Alchemy, as guitarists Greg Carmichael and Miles Gilderdale celebrate a successful two decades with the second Best Of compilation. Ever evolving, yet instantly recognizable, they have become a true force in contemporary smooth jazz. Acoustic Alchemy have just posted some tour dates extending out to June 2010. Their highly entertaining live show featuring Greg and Miles is supported by Fred White on keyboards and the Grainger brothers on base and drums.

Acoustic Alchemy Upcoming Tour Dates
Oct 8 @ Boulton Center, Bayshore, NY
Oct 9 @ Scullers Jazz Club, Boston, MA
Oct 10 @ Scullers Jazz Club, Boston, MA
Oct 11 @ Tupelo Music Hall, Londonberry, NH
Oct 13 @ BB King’s, New York, NY
Oct 15 @ Town Crier, Pawling, NY
Oct 16 @ The Egg-Swyer Theater, Albany, NY
Oct 17 @ Infinity Hall, Norfolk, CT
Oct 18 @ The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
Oct 20 @ Blair Mansion, Silver Spring, MD
Dec 10 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 11 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 12 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 13 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 14 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 15 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 16 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 17 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 18 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 19 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 20 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 21 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 22 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 23 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 27 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 28 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 29 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 30 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK
Dec 31 @ Pizza Express Jazz Club, London, UK

2010 Tour Dates
Feb 12 @ Latvian National Symphony, Riga, Latvia
Feb 26 @ Cerritos Centre, Cerritos, CA
Feb 28 @ Villa Montalvo, Saratoga, CA
June 25 @ one World Theater, Austin, TX

DAVE KOZ & FRIENDS A SMOOTH JAZZ CHRISTMAS

Dave Koz & Friends A Smooth Jazz Christmas will be back on the road once again this year. In celebration of the tour's 12th anniversary, this year's Dave Koz & Friends A Smooth Jazz Christmas Tour will feature a reunion of the original cast. Multi-Grammy nominee and saxophonist extraordinaire Dave Koz will be joined by Rick Braun, David Benoit, Peter White and Brenda Russell on the 21-date holiday outing, which launches November 27th in Mobile, AL and concludes on December 22nd in Mesa, AZ. The quintet will perform hits from their respective catalogues and join together on a variety of holiday favorites - including many from their album, A Smooth Jazz Christmas By Dave Koz & Friends. Koz has also released two other holiday collections, December Makes Me Feel This Way (1997) and Memories of a Winter's Night (2007).

Dave Koz latest album is Dave Koz - Greatest Hits, released in the Capital label last September, and is his first-ever retrospective album. The album includes Koz classics such as "You Make Me Smile," "Faces of the Heart," "Can't Let You Go (The Sha La Song)" featuring the late Luther Vandross and "Honey Dipped" plus four brand news songs, it bowed at No. 1 on both Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and iTunes' Jazz Album chart. The lead single "Life In The Fast Lane," was No. 1 on the Smooth Jazz chart for seven weeks. It was followed by "Bada Bing," which hit No. 2, and Koz's latest single, "And Then I Knew," which just went to radio. "And Then I Knew" was produced by Rob Cavallo (Dave Matthews Band, Green Day).

Dave Koz & Friends A Smooth Jazz Christmas Tour 2009
With Special Guests Rick Braun, David Benoit, Brenda Russell & Peter White

11/27 Mobile, AL Saenger Theatre
11/28 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
11/29 West Palm Beach, FL Dreyfoos Hall
11/30 Naples, FL Philharmonic Center for the Arts
12/2 Melbourne, FL King Center for Performing Arts
12/3 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
12/4 Cleveland, OH Playhouse Square Center/Palace Theatre
12/5 Chicago, IL Chicago Auditorium
12/6 Columbus, OH Palace Theatre
12/7 Newport News, VA Ferguson Center for Arts
12/8 Waterbury, CT The Palace Theatre
12/9 Morristown, NJ Community Theatre
12/11 San Francisco, CA Nob Hill Masonic Center
12/12 San Diego, CA Copley Symphony Hall
12/13 Palm Desert, CA McCallum Theatre
12/15 Santa Rosa, CA Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
12/17 El Paso, TX Plaza Theatre
12/18 Sacramento, CA Radisson Hotel Ballroom
12/19 Cerritos, CA Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
12/20 Cerritos, CA Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
12/22 Mesa, AZ Mesa Arts Center/Ikeda Theatre

JOHN MAYER - BATTLE STUDIES

John Mayer's Battle Studies will be released on November 17th, 2009 on Columbia Records. The seven-time Grammy Award winner's fourth studio album was co-produced by John Mayer and Steve Jordan and debuts three years after his critically acclaimed 2006 album, Continuum. Incorporating the warmth, melodies and simplicity of 70's and 80's California rock/pop, Battle Studies is a confessional, relaxed and liberated album recorded in a private home in California where Mayer lived and worked over the course of six months before wrapping at the famed Capitol Studios in Los Angeles.

The album's first single, "Who Says" challenges conventional standards of what one can accomplish or undertake -- despite society's constraints. Battle Studies also showcases universal themes on "Heartbreak Warfare," "Assassin," and "War of My Life," while flexing guitar chops on "Rock Song," and a reinterpretation of "Crossroads." The famously collaborative guitar player also invited one of music's brightest new talents, Taylor Swift, to appear on "Half of My Heart."

"I approach music like a director doing a period piece," says Mayer. "Where Continuum was R&B and Soul, Battle Studies was written with the timelessness of Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac and Neil Young in mind. The melodies and message are concise and from-the-gut with the efficiency of simplicity."

A John Mayer North American tour is currently being planned and will follow the release of Battle Studies in early 2010, details to be announced soon. In the meantime, two rare performances by John Mayer Trio (John Mayer, Steve Jordan, Pino Palladino) have been announced for December -- December 29th in San Diego at the Copley Symphony Hall and a New Year's Eve show on December 31st in Las Vegas at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

The consistency with which John Mayer combines wordcraft and melody has earned him rarefied status in popular culture as a genuine and respected songwriter and musician. Since his acclaimed debut in 2001 with Room For Squares, each release has earned John Mayer additional accolades. Through 2003's Heavier Things, his work with John Mayer Trio in 2005, Continuum's 2006 release and now, Battle Studies, John Mayer has established himself as a musician and collaborator who exceeds genre boundaries. The guitarist, vocalist and songwriter has earned seven Grammy Awards and sold nearly 12.5 million albums worldwide.

In May 2007, Time Magazine placed John Mayer on their Time 100 list of the most influential contemporary thinkers, leaders, artists and entertainers. For two consecutive years, Rolling Stone Magazine featured John Mayer on the cover of their annual "Guitar" issue -- first with the May 2008 "Living Guitar Legends" issue and then as part of February 2007's "Guitar Heroes" round-ups featuring Mayer with peers and icons alike.

Pairings with a range of artists are a defining trait of the musician whose collaborative streak is well-known. From rock to blues, hip-hop to jazz to country, Mayer has performed and/or recorded with Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy Guy, T-Bone Burnett, Herbie Hancock, Dixie Chicks, Jay Z, Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift. In 2005, Mayer famously toured and recorded with power players Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan as John Mayer Trio, whose live album TRY! featured searing blues and rock. As on Continuum, John Mayer again took the helm as the co-producer of Battle Studies, his fourth studio album, which will be released November, 17, 2009.

Source: Columbia Records

RAY CHARLES - THE GENIUS HITS THE ROAD

When Ray Charles left Atlantic Records for ABC-Paramount, his first move was to gather up a dozen vintage songs about U.S. destinations. The resulting album, The Genius Hits the Road, in turn gave Charles his first No. 1 hit, a soulful reading of Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia On My Mind." The album, which also contains such travel songs as "Alabamy Bound," "California, Here I Come," "Deep in the Heart of Texas" and "Blue Hawaii," marked the start of Charles' long association with producer Sid Feller and featured band longtime accompanists saxmen David "Fathead" Newman and Hank Crawford, plus the Raeletts.A deluxe reissue of The Genius Hits the Road, augmented by six bonus tracks, digital re-mastering and new liner notes by Bill Dahl alongside original notes by Rick Ward. "This was the first album we made together," said late producer Feller. "(Ray) wanted to do songs either about states or cities. A lot of the material he knew himself. He'd give me some titles and then check through catalogs and publishers for other ones that had names of cities or states."The Genius Hits the Road was recorded in two lengthy New York recording sessions in March 1960. "Georgia On My Mind" was first on the evening's agenda. The song's lyricist Stuart Gorrell actually found his inspiration in Carmichael's sister Georgia rather than the state, but the words pay tribute to either. It was Charles' first No. 1 hit, earning him two of four Grammys that year. The album also contained a version of Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger's "Blue Hawaii," recorded originally for the 1937 movie Waikiki Wedding starring Bing Crosby. A year after Charles recorded it, the song became the title track to a 1961 Elvis Presley film.The 12 songs of The Genius Hits the Road were by no means the only travel tunes Charles recorded in his ABC-Paramount tenure. The expanded edition reissue adds six more. The best known of these is Charles' No. 1 version of Percy Mayfield's "Hit the Road Jack," which joins Les Brown's "Sentimental Journey," Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky," Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia," Paul McCartney's "Long and Winding Road," John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and Charles' own "I Was on Georgia Time."The Genius Hits the Road vaulted to No. 9 on Billboard's pop charts during a 50-week run that began in October 1960. But this particular road was just the beginning of a new journey for Brother Ray.

Source: Concord Records

RAMSEY LEWIS - SONGS FROM THE HEART: RAMSEY PLAYS RAMSEY

Concord Jazz presents Songs From the Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey, the debut Concord Jazz CD from iconic pianist/bandleader Ramsey Lewis. At the age of 74, Ramsey Lewis has not only continued to be active in the jazz world, but he's also forging ahead with a newly inspired creative instinct as a composer. This re-envisioned artistic sensibility is showcased on his new album, which is a remarkable, refined collection of 12 new originals that he composed over a period of two years. The collection includes music from two commissioned world premiere performances at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois, just north of Chicago. Eight songs come from the score of 2007's ballet To Know Her...written for the Joffrey Ballet Company and four pieces come from 2008's Muses and Amusements suite performed with the Turtle Island Quartet.

Songs From the Heart, Lewis' first trio recording in five years, features eight pieces with bassist Larry Gray and drummer Leon Joyce, and four piano solo performances. To Lewis, the CD marks a turning point in his storied career: he's found new life as a composer. "Initially nothing was compelling me to go into the studio," says the three-times-Grammy-winner Lewis, who in addition to his 80-plus album career (seven went gold) is also a Chicago-based radio personality and host of the PBS TV series Legends of Jazz. "But since I'd been composing so much and people were responding positively to the new songs, I decided to do an entire album of my own material instead of recording music by other artists."

In regards to his newfound love of composing, he adds, "I'm like a kid on Christmas morning all over again. For me, it's all about the music. It's what makes me sleep well and jump out of bed in the morning to work on new melodies. I can't wait." Lewis says that his early hits-most prominently his mid-‘60s international breakout tunes "The ‘In' Crowd," "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water"-in some ways spoiled him. "Darn those hits," he says jokingly. "In the early days with the trio I wrote more, but once you get so popular you tend to get a little lazy. It comes to a point where you compose three or four songs for a new album, then one or two seems to suffice."

In 2006, Welz Kauffman, the president/CEO of Ravinia, suggested that Lewis, the jazz artistic director there, compose a score for the Joffrey. The pianist met with the ballet company's then- executive director Jon Teeuwissen and then set forth to work on an hour's worth of material. He was in for a rude awakening. "I sat down at the piano and all I could think of was Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev and music for classical ballet," he says. "As I sat at the piano with no ideas, my wife Jan told me, ‘I'm hearing you and you're suffering. Why don't you just turn on a tape recorder and play?' I told her, ‘But I'm trying to compose.'"

However, Lewis took her advice and began to discover melodies as he improvised. His breakthrough song is the CD's leadoff track, the lyrical "To Know Her Is to Love Her." More tunes quickly followed even without using the tape recorder ("It was almost like writing shorthand," says Lewis), and he presented the eight compositions to Joffrey choreographer Donald Byrd. "He liked my old hits, but he had nothing but superlatives for the new material," says Lewis, who notes that one tune, "Clouds in Reverie," was a version of a piece written for the previous year's Ravinia project, One Score, One Chicago: New Scenes From Childhood.

Joffrey choreography began in April 2007 for the June 2007 performance. A month before the premiere Lewis saw his first rehearsal. The troupe put his recorded demos on and began to dance. "The way they moved brought tears to my eyes," says Lewis. "When I started out in bands when I was 16, people danced to our music. This took me back 50 years, and here I was writing for dancing again."

At Ravinia, the performance garnered a rousing applause from the audience and critical plaudits from the press. Lewis says, "My son pointed out to me that this was the first concert of mine he had seen that got a standing ovation without me having to play the hits. That told me something about focusing more intently on composition."

Kauffman was so impressed that he immediately commissioned Lewis to write new works for Ravinia in 2008. He decided to compose for a string quartet to accompany his trio. On the recommendation of his good friend and fellow pianist Dr. Billy Taylor, Lewis enlisted the Turtle Island Quartet to perform a suite of eight new originals, including the relaxed-swinging "The Spark" and the bowed ballad "The Conversation." Of the former, Lewis says, "I like the energy in this song. I was thinking of a groove-not rock, but something that had an element of excitement and forward motion while at the same time was melodic."

From the ballet score, Lewis explains that the emotive tune "Touching, Feeling, Knowing" is based on a folk melody he heard when he visited Soweto, South Africa. "It's a simple melody that I used as the basis for this song. When we play it, it reminds me of South Africa." In regards to the appropriately titled "The Way She Smiles," Lewis says, "That's one of those songs that just happened. I woke up one morning and was thinking of a New Orleans groove."

One of the added bonuses of Lewis' prolific writing has been an enrichment of his pianistic talent. "The composing has informed my playing," says Lewis. "I'm looking at harmony and melody in a different way. I've noticed that my solos have become deeper and more contemplative." On Songs From the Heart, Lewis takes the solo spotlight four times, including the film noir-ish "Long Before She Knew" and reflective muse "The Glow of Her Charm."
The latter arrived when Lewis was working on an intro to the song "In the Still of the Night" that he was performing one evening in Washington, D.C. He was in his hotel room on a grand piano, determined to find a prelude. Once again, his wife offered her wisdom. "Jan was listening to me and said, ‘What's that? That's a song, not an introduction. You've got a new song.' And, if course, she was right."

On Songs From the Heart, Lewis offers graceful music, played with a light, gentle, joyful touch, and focused on melody. Writing in the CD liner notes, Lewis pointed out that in the CD's initial planning stages, all artistic and record company parties agreed that Songs From the Heart should be characterized by "heartfelt, lyrical and inspirational" music "that my fans had come to expect."
In the liners, Lewis also noted, "Our desire was to convey a sense of beauty, joy, simplicity and lyricism...I am extremely proud of the results." He adds, "Looking back at all the music that I've written over the last few years, I think I'm coming up with something unique. I think I'm developing a style."

Source: Concord Records

PONCHO SANCHEZ - PSYCHEDELIC BLUES

If music were about pictures, percussionist Poncho Sanchez's music would best be described as a kaleidoscopic swirl of some of the hottest colors and brightest lights to emerge from either side of the border. At any given show, on any given record, fragments of Latin jazz, swing, bebop, salsa and other infectious grooves collide and churn in a fiery swirl, with results that are no less than dazzling. All of these sounds and more come together in Psychedelic Blues, Sanchez's twenty-fourth recording on Concord Records. "The last couple records have gone a little heavy on the soul music, which has gone over really well in our live shows, but we wanted to do more of a straightahead Latin jazz record this time - something in the tradition of our earlier Concord records that we made back in the ‘80s."

With that strategy in mind, Sanchez enlisted guitarist Andrew Synowiec to change up the sound on a few tracks. Synowiec, a regular member of the L.A.-based Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band, landed the gig about five minutes into his audition. "He came through the door with just a guitar and an amplifier," says Sanchez. "No effects pedals or other gadgets. He plugged and started to play, and I said, ‘No more auditions. We're using this guy.'" Along with Synowiec is the same lineup that has backed Sanchez on several records and countless live shows: keyboardist/arranger David Torres; saxophonist Javíer Vergara; trumpeter/flugelhornist Ron Blake; trombonist/arranger Francisco Torres; bassist/vocalist Tony Banda; timbalero George Ortiz; and percussionist/vocalist Joey De León. Even a couple alumni from earlier configurations of Sanchez's band - baritone saxophonist Scott Martin and percussionist Alfredo Ortiz - step back in to lend a hand on Psychedelic Blues. A few of these seasoned players go back more than 30 years with Sanchez, back to some of his earliest gigs as a local fixture in the Los Angeles club circuit.

Although born in Laredo, Texas, in 1951 to a large Mexican-American family, Sanchez grew up in a suburb of L.A., where he was raised on an unusual cross section of sounds that included straightahead jazz, Latin jazz and American soul. By his teen years, his musical consciousness had been solidified by the likes of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Wilson Pickett and James Brown. Along the way, he taught himself to play guitar, flute, drums and timbales, but eventually settled on the congas. At 24, after working his way around the local club scene for several years, he landed a permanent spot in Cal Tjader's band in 1975. "I learned a great deal from Cal," says Sanchez, "but it wasn't as though he sat me down and taught me lessons like a schoolteacher. Mostly it was just a matter of being around such a great guy. It was the way he conducted himself, the way he talked to people, the way he presented himself onstage. He was very elegant, very dignified, and when he played, he played beautifully. The touch that he had on the vibes - nobody has that sound. To me, he was - and is, and always will be - the world's greatest vibe player." Sanchez remained with Tjader until the bandleader's death in 1982. That same year, he signed with Concord for the release of Sonando!, an album that marked the beginning of a prolific musical partnership that has spanned more than 25 years and has yielded two dozen recordings.

Psychedelic Blues, the latest product of that partnership, opens with the simmering "Cantaloupe Island," a Herbie Hancock composition recast in a Latin jazz groove. A number of soloists step forward here, most notably Torres on trombone and Synowiec on guitar - all weaving effortlessly above a firmly anchored rhythm section. Premier Latin trumpeter Arturo Sandoval - Sanchez's friend since their first gig together at a festival in Sardinia, Italy, some twenty years ago - makes a guest appearance via a rendition of Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis." The track showcases Sandoval's respect and reverence for the American bebop maestro who had passed away just a few months before the Psychedelic Blues sessions.

The title track is a fast-moving mambo, originally written by Sonny Henry and arranged here by Francisco Torres, who attaches a surprise at the end of the track. "Francisco really souped it up," says Sanchez. "The song has some nice horn lines, and some great jazz riffs, and then it ends in a bolero. So the song burns almost all the way through, and then at the end it shifts into a ballad."
The intriguing centerpiece to the album is a Willie Bobo medley featuring "I Don't Know" (a Sonny Henry piece commonly associated with Bobo), the laid back "Fried Neckbones and Some Homefries" and the slightly more urgent "Spanish Grease." All three of these songs merge effortlessly to create a nostalgic nod to the revered Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz percussionist of the ‘60s and '70.

Further into the set, Sanchez and the band turn "Silver's Serenade" - originally a swing tune by Horace Silver - into a mambo with personality to burn, thanks in large part to solo work by Francisco Torres. When Poncho himself steps forward to deliver some syncopated conga lines, the net result is an infectious groove. The salsa-flavored closer, "Con Sabor Latino," is an old song by Rene Touzet, a native of Cuba who became a well known Latin bandleader in Los Angeles in the ‘50s and ‘60s. In many ways, the song is Sanchez's tribute to some of the musical memories of his childhood. "My older brothers and sisters used to see Touzet play at the Hollywood Paladium," he says. "Back then, Chico Sesma was the only Latin disc jockey on the radio in southern California, and ‘Con Sabor Latino' was his theme song."

Whether it's salsa, straightahead jazz, Latin jazz, or even elements of soul and blues, the mesmerizing array of sounds and colors from Poncho Sanchez's youth have telegraphed across the decades and continue to inform his creative sensibilities to this day. "There's room for a lot of different sounds in our music," he says. "I think people have come to know that that's what Poncho Sanchez is all about. We put it all together in a pot, boil it together and come out with a big stew. This isn't some marketing strategy to sell records. These are the sounds I grew up with. So when I play this music, I'm not telling a lie. I'm telling my story. This is the real thing."

Source: Concord Records

NEW DJAY3 ADD-ON TO ITUNES

Every once in a while you see a new product out there that is really exciting and new, and so here is something that I am looking to pickup and enjoy. Algoriddim, which is a leader in next-generation music software for the Mac, today announced the release of djay 3, the completely revamped version of its fun and innovative music software application for Mac and iTunes. A host of unprecedented new features, including an Automatic Tempo & Beat Detection, Auto-Cut Scratching and extensive MIDI Support, combined with the program's redesigned user interface, make djay 3 the perfect tool for beginners and pros alike.

Previous djay editions have given iTunes users access to a brand new skill set, providing them with the tools to play live, create and record mixes at home, or during parties and events. Now, with djay 3's sophisticated on-the-fly tempo and beat detection, users can easily match the playback speed of two songs for a perfect transition. In addition, Auto-Cut, a breakthrough in digital scratching, allows the user to scratch music like a pro, completely in sync with the song's beat and rhythm. These, alongside djay 3's many other innovations, are straightforward enough to enable a total novice to discover the world of DJing and a professional artist to take their mixes to new heights - all without the need for additional external equipment.

With the click of a single button, djay 3's enhanced Automix lets users sit back and enjoy their own parties while the software mixes the music on its own - non-stop and fully-automatic. If users prefer a hands-on approach, they can step in any time to showcase their creativity and produce cutting-edge musical experiences using djay 3's versatile and easy-to-use FX tools. Combined with its innovative support of Multi-Touch gestures on a notebook's trackpad, djay 3's immersive interface recreates the feeling of a real turntable DJ setup.

"Feedback from our previous djay releases has proved that music fans at any level embrace the idea of adding their own creative touch to their favorite tunes," said Karim Morsy, CEO of algoriddim. "With this newest version of djay, we've taken the effects that professionals take years to learn and simplified them into easy, intuitive maneuvers. Even the best performers will be able to appreciate djay 3's ease-of-use and high-quality sound, and we're sure that iTunes users everywhere will recognize just how fun and easy it can be to mix and scratch their own music collection."

djay 3's Top New Features Include:
- Automatic Tempo & Beat Detection: Easily matches two songs for a perfect transition;
- Auto-Gain: Automatically adjusts the volume of two songs to the same level;
- Beat-matched Looping and Audio FX: Spices up your mix with new stunning, high-quality effects;
- Auto-Cut Scratching: Lets you scratch like a pro in sync with the song's beat and rhythm;
- Enhanced Automix: Let's you queue up your favorite tracks in advance; and
- MIDI Learn: Allows you to plug in your favorite MIDI controller and easily map all features in djay.

djay 3's Improved and Updated Features Include:
- Multi-Touch Trackpad Scratching: Lets you use a mouse or two-fingered gesture on a notebook trackpad to mix and scratch songs with pristine sound quality;
- Automix: Automatically mixes playlists with seamless DJ-style transitions that require no supervision;
- Seamless iTunes Integration: Automatically pulls songs, cover art and playlists from iTunes when launched; and
- Drag & Drop Mixing: Lets you easily mix tracks from iTunes that are dragged and dropped onto the virtual turntables.

djay 3 is available for a free 15-day trial or for purchase from http://www.djay-software.com/. It is also available for purchase from Apple retail locations for $49.95 or EUR 39.95 (+ VAT).

Created exclusively for the Mac, djay seamlessly integrates with your iTunes library and makes it easy to mix your favorite music. Perform live, create and record mixes at home, or let djay mix any playlist automatically with seamless, professional transitions. Unprecedented ease-of-use, combined with powerful and innovative features like Drag & Drop mixing, Automatic Tempo & Beat Detection and Multi-Touch Trackpad Scratching, make djay the perfect tool for beginners and seasoned pros alike. djay supports all major audio formats, including MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, Audio-CD and DRM-protected songs from the iTunes Music Store.