JOE LOVANO US FIVE - BIRD SONGS

On January 11, 2011, Joe Lovano Us Five will release Bird Songs, an exploration of the Charlie Parker songbook and the Grammy-winning saxophonist’s 22nd album for EMI’s Blue Note Records (the release of which will mark his 20th year on the label). Lovano will launch the album with a week-long engagement at the Village Vanguard in New York City (January 11-16), and an NPR Live At The Village Vangaurd session that will be webcast on the NPR Music website and broadcast on WBGO at 9:00pm ET on January 12. See below for a list of Lovano’s 2011 tour dates. “I didn’t approach this as a tribute record,” states Lovano, dispelling right off the bat any preconception that the album is a mere retread. Bird Songs breaks the mold of Bird tribute records. It’s a thrillingly adventurous, thoroughly modern, and uniquely personal look at one of the most influential figures in jazz history by one of the most important voices in the music today.

Us Five turned out to be the perfect vehicle for his exploration. Lovano’s dynamic young band features drummers Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela, pianist James Weidman, and bassist Esperanza Spalding who was just nominated for Best New Artist at the 2011 Grammy Awards. Us Five’s debut recording—2009’s Folk Art—was a wide-ranging set of Lovano’s original compositions that resulted in the band being awarded Best Small Ensemble of the Year at the 2010 Jazz Journalist Association Awards and winning the Best Jazz Group of the Year category in the 2010 DownBeat Critics Poll. Lovano completed a double-triple of awards in 2010 by also winning the JJA’s Musician of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year, and DownBeat’s Jazz Artist of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year.

One of the keys to approaching a project like Bird Songs for Lovano was to take Charlie Parker out of the museum and place him in a living, breathing continuum that reaches back to the musicians who had a deep impact on Bird’s development (Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster), but also refracting Bird’s music through the musical prism of those he deeply impacted (John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Wayner Shorter). But most importantly, Lovano sought to personalize Bird’s music. “I wasn’t trying to play like Charlie Parker at all,” Lovano explains. “I was playing from his influences, from where he was coming from, and from the influences of all these amazing cats who were his disciples. I wanted to focus on his incredible compositions, the themes, the harmonic structures, the forms of his tunes and try to open them up and turn them inside out in a way to create my own melodic and rhythmic variations. I wanted to create my own recording. You can’t tell someone else’s story.”

Lovano intentionally made a decision to not approach this music on alto saxophone, Bird’s main instrument. Eight of the album’s eleven tracks—all songs either written by or associated with Parker—feature Lovano on his signature tenor saxophone, though he also performs one song each on straight alto (“Blues Collage”), his unique double-soprano horn the aulochrome (“Birdyard”), and in its recorded debut a G mezzo soprano (“Lover Man”). “For me the tenor saxophone is my voice,” he explains. “I explore a lot of different horns within the woodwind family that fuel my ideas, but I wanted to really play this on tenor because that’s who I am.” "At the young age of 34 Charlie Parker passed and left us with open questions about what would be. I kept wondering how Bird would have developed within these tunes, not just as the incredible soloist that he was but as an arranger and band leader. Bird Songs is my humble attempt to answer some of those questions in my own way."

The track listing for Bird Songs is as follows:
1. Passport
2. Donna Lee
3. Barbados
4. Moose The Mooche
5. Love Man
6. Birdyard
7. Ko Ko
8. Blues Collage
9. Dexterity
10. Dewey Square
11. Yardbird Suite

TOUR DATES:
Jan. 11-16 – Village Vanguard – New York, NY (Us Five)
Jan. 22 – Science Center Theater – Blue Bell, PA (John Scofield-Joe Lovano Quartet)
Jan. 27 – Schwab Auditorium – Park, PA (John Scofield-Joe Lovano Quartet)

Jan. 28 – Music Center at Strathmore – North Bethesda, MD (John Scofield-Joe Lovano Quartet)

Jan. 29 – Grand Opera House – Wilmington, DE (John Scofield-Joe Lovano Quartet)

Jan. 30 – Swyer Theater – Albany, NY (John Scofield-Joe Lovano Quartet)

Feb. 18-19 – Tanna Shulich Hall – Montreal, Quebec (solo)

Feb. 22 – Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola – New York, NY (Playing Our Parts Benefit)

Mar. 4 – Impart Arts Center – Wroclaw, Poland (Us Five)

Mar. 11 – Blue Note – Milan, Italy (Us Five)

Mar. 12 – Sala Concerti Del Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi – Torino, Italy (Us Five)

Mar. 13 – Club Kiff – Aarau, Switzerland (Us Five)

Mar. 14 – Moods – Zurich, Switzerland Moods (Us Five)

Mar. 24 – Wackerhalle – Burghausen, Germany (Us Five)

Mar. 25 – Ronnie Scott’s – London, UK (Us Five)

Apr. 2 – Folly Theater – Kansas City, MO (Us Five)

Apr. 4-5 – Dakota Jazz Club – Minneapolis, MN (Us Five)

Apr. 7-10 – Jazz Showcase – Chicago, IL (Us Five)

Apr. 21-22 – Rialto Theater – Atlanta, GA (solo)

Apr. 28-May 1 – Jazz Alley – Seattle, WA (Us Five)

May 2 – Kuumbwa Jazz Center – Santa Cruz, CA (Us Five)

May 3 – Yoshi’s – Oakland, CA (Us Five)

May 5 – Tribeca Performing Arts Center – New York, NY

May 20 – Philadelphia Museum of Art – Philadelphia, PA

JAZZ ROOTS: A LARRY ROSEN JAZZ SERIES

JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series, one of America's leading performing arts and education programs announces the formation of a new alliance with three strategic partners: IMG Artists, Sony Masterworks and The Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium.The alliance was made official when JAZZ ROOTS signed an exclusive worldwide representation agreement with IMG Artists, one of the world's premier talent management and presenting organizations."The JAZZ ROOTS brand and unique presentations provides an opportunity to bring this powerful music genre to fans across all demographic and territorial boundaries," said IMG Artists' President, Jeff Fuhrman. "We are extremely excited to offer our global resources to help take JAZZ ROOTS to audiences around the world." The six part JAZZ ROOTS series offers a complete 360° experience from concerts and educational programs at performing arts centers across America, to touring theme based shows at concert halls and festivals around the world, to CD packages, television, video and radio productions (including an award-winning National Public Radio program) and iPad Apps.

Launched in 2008 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami- Dade County, JAZZ ROOTS, has the distinction of selling out every one of its concerts in the 2000 seat James L. Knight concert hall from inception to date and is now also being presented at the Winspear Opera House, located in the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, Texas and the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana. The series presents world-class artists in Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Latin and Brazilian music, programmed in uniquely themed multi-artist concerts. Past themes include: "Piano Latino," "Celebrating Miles," "Vocalese," "The Roots of Fusion," "Tribute to Frank Sinatra," "Jazz Meets Gospel," "Guitar Virtuosos", and "American Songbook" among others. Featured artists include: Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, Paquito D'Rivera, John McLaughlin, Patti Austin, Count Basie Orchestra, Ramsey Lewis, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Valentin, Nestor Torres, The Machito Orchestra, Eliane Elias, Ivan Lins, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Manhattan Transfer, Al Jarreau, Jon Hendricks, Dave Grusin, Al Di Meola, Jon Secada, Eddie Palmieri, Michel Camilo, Michael Feinstein and many more.

Joining forces is Sony Masterworks, who announced an agreement to produce JAZZ ROOTS products, starting with a branded 2 - CD compilation package (targeted for April 2011 release) tracing the story of the "Drums from Africa" and their effect on the musical DNA of the Americas. "JAZZ ROOTS presents the music of the Americas in a most compelling fashion," said Alex Miller, President, Sony Masterworks. "Larry Rosen's long career in the music business from musician to producer to entrepreneur has a track record of very successful enterprises, and we are honored to play a role to celebrate JAZZ ROOTS and the amazing musical legacy of the music of the Americas."

Legendary artist/producer Quincy Jones joins the alliance with a plan to implement his Quincy Jones American Popular Music Curriculum, which will be presented in schools across the country in collaboration with the JAZZ ROOTS education program. The JAZZ ROOTS education and outreach components are designed to reinforce audience development, targeting area middle and high schools as well as adults within respective communities. The series provides an opportunity for schools to bring their students to sound checks and performances, with artist conversation (pre and post show), as well as pre-concert workshops for adults. These initiatives organically connect to local community groups, art centers, and the local board of education. "Larry Rosen's JAZZ ROOTS is the most important new concert and educational Jazz series in America," said icon Quincy Jones. "It's so important that Americans and particularly our children learn about their culture. This series is simply imperative. You can't know we're you're going unless you know where you've come from," Jones adds. Jones' curriculum focuses on the growth of all African-based music styles from Jazz, Blues, Gospel, R&B, Funk and Hip Hop to the Brazilian and Latin Jazz genres and to the legendary and contemporary artists who created and popularized these American music styles. "We are extremely excited to join forces with JAZZ ROOTS, IMG Artists, and Sony Masterworks to bring our Quincy Jones American Popular Music Curriculum to schools and audiences around the world," said Quincy Jones Foundation Executive Director, Madelyn Bonnot Griffin. "Larry Rosen has touched on a much needed concert and education series to help enlighten young people today about our American musical roots and the incredible impact our music has had on our culture and the world!"

"The amazing story of the Drums from Africa, which represents the musical DNA of the popular music styles of the Americas, is an example of what our JAZZ ROOTS brand is all about," states Larry Rosen. "We are looking at creating multiple touch points to reach our audience. We have proved that our program includes and goes way beyond the traditional Jazz audience, and we look to engage and entertain music fans who love music and are not boxed in by genre."

Larry Rosen is a musician, producer, executive producer, and music industry entrepreneur, is the Chairman of Larry Rosen Productions, Inc., creator and producer of JAZZ ROOTS - A Larry Rosen Jazz Series, co-founder of GRP Records, co-founder of LRSmedia, and co-founder and past Chairman of N2K, Inc. (NASDAQ). Rosen is the creator and producer of the PBS television series LEGENDS OF JAZZ, and is the creator and producer of multi-media TV series RECORDING: the History of Recorded Music, with hosts Quincy Jones and Phil Ramone. For more information: http://www.larryrosen.com/.

IMG Artists -dynamic, diverse and innovative, IMG Artists is the global leader in the performing arts management, projects and events business. With offices in the United States, Europe, Middle East and Asia, IMG Artists stays ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of arts and entertainment. For more information: http://www.imgartists.com/.

Sony Masterworks -MASTERWORKS Jazz is an imprint of Sony MASTERWORKS. For email updates and information please visit http://www.sonymasterworks.com/.

Quincy Jones American Music Curriculum - With the initial sponsorship of music impresario Quincy Jones, leaders from all parts of the music industry and music education have joined together to share resources, networks and their passion to make music an ongoing part of the lives of children in the United States. For more information please visit qmusiqconsortium.ning.com.

http://www.jazzroots.net/

GREGORY PORTER - WATER

Just six months after the release of his debut album, Water, vocalist Gregory Porter has just been nominated in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category of the 53rd Annual Grammy® Awards. Porter has received raves internationally for Water, which cracked the JazzWeek Top 10 radio chart shortly after its May release, and which has been selling briskly in the US and Europe. For the recording of Water, Porter tapped a powerful cadre of players, among them the iconic alto sax player James Spaulding (Max Roach, Freddie Hubbard, and Bobby Hutcherson, et al,) who plays a featured role on two tracks: "Wisdom" and "Black Nile." The CD was produced by saxophonist, pianist and composer Kamau Kenyatta, and features seven stellar original compositions by Porter that range in style from velvet jazz ballads to the searing soul anthem "1960 What, which has been storming radio airwaves. On this emotionally intimate debut, Porter bares his soul to reveal a performer and songwriter of unusual depth. His moving ballad, "Illusion," about the struggles one faces in relationships, releases this month as the first video single of the album. Porter's vocal prowess has earned him international recognition, prompting Wynton Marsalis, who has tapped Porter several times to perform as a guest vocalist with his Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, to go on record citing him as "a fantastic young singer," and Germany's Jazz Thing magazine to laud Porter's "deep blues-rooted voice, branching out in soul spheres." Interest in the UK is strong. Porter appeared in a two page spread in Echoes Magazine and vocalist and radio personality Jamie Cullum will feature Porter on an upcoming segment of his popular BBC-3 radio program. Porter performs live every Thursdays at Smooke in New York City and will appear this January 8th at Irridium in NYC on a triple bill with fellow Motema artists Geri Allen and Charnett Moffett.

NEW CTI RE-RELEASES FROM FREDDIE HUBBARD, GEORGE BENSON, DEODATO & STANLEY TURRENTINE

FREDDIE HUBBARD – RED CLAY
Amazing work from Freddie Hubbard – one of his best albums ever! The title cut's a classic, but all cuts on the album are great – and really set a whole new standard for soul jazz in the 70s! Unlike the freer runs of Miles Davis, Freddie takes things into territory here that's open, yet tightly controlled – a really soulful, spiritual vibe that's quite different than any of his later commercial work – or his hardbop of the decade before! The lineup includes Joe Henderson on tenor and Herbie Hancock on piano – and even back in the 80's, when everyone was going purist again, and was pretending they didn't like 70's electric jazz at all, they still claimed that this was a great jazz record, and one of the only good ones for CTI. We know better now, of course, and know that there were loads of great CTI sessions – but that doesn't stop this from being one of the best! Titles include "Red Clay", "Delphia", "Suite Sioux", and "The Intrepid Fox".

STANLEY TURRENTINE - SUGAR
A bit hit for Stanley Turrentine – and a pretty darn nice record of extended groovers, with a harder sound than you might expect from the tongue-licking cover, and a title of Sugar! The record's only got three cuts – one of them Stanley's famous version of "Sugar", the other two pretty nice ones ("Sunshine Alley" and "Impressions") – all done in a mode that sounds a lot more like harder Prestige sessions from the same time – that great period when the label was stretching out with some electric piano jazz funk. Butch Cornell's on organ, and his work on the album's part of its success, as is the nice hard drumming of Billy Kaye, who actually hits an Idris Muhammad-ish groove at parts! Titles include "Sugar", "Sunshine Alley", and "Impressions".

GEORGE BENSON – WHITE RABBIT

One of the moodiest sessions on CTI from the early days – and a landmark album that took George Benson from the funky jazz scene into the upper reaches of 70s jazz. The record was put together by Don Sebesky, and it's a lot more high concept than some of George's earlier work – and proof that he was a totally great player who just needed a push in the right direction to find his own vibe. Other players include Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, and Airto – and titles include "California Dreaming", "El Mar", "White Rabbit", and "Little Train".

DEODATO – PRELUDE

A million-seller, but also a record that no home should be without – and easily one of the greatest keyboard albums of the 70s! The album's the one that features Deodato's remake of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" into the funky "2001" – soaring with Fender Rhodes lines that set a new standard for the instrument, with a funky undercurrent that few would have expected for the tune. Other tracks are nice too – and include a great bossa-y version of "Baubles Bangles & Beads", plus "Spirit Of Summer", "September 13", and "Carly & Carole".

Source: http://www.dustygroove.com/

JEROME SABBAGH - I WILL FOLLOW YOU

French-born, Brooklyn-based tenor and soprano saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh brings his singular vision to the fertile ground of improvised music. Bolstered by the broad color palate of virtuosic guitarist and longtime collaborator Ben Monder, and the masterful rhythmic orchestration of legendary drummer Daniel Humair, Sabbagh's lyricism and glowing sound serve as beacons in an improvised journey at once hauntingly beautiful and aggressively unhinged. Taking advantage of the adventurous setting of a trio without a bass, the players' seamless interaction makes it impossible to discern who's leading from who's following, as they shepherd the listener through an ever-changing tapestry of sound. “Without a bassist, there's less of a desire to go into time, " says Sabbagh “and it opens up new textural possibilities." Despite the constant risk taking—or perhaps because of it, the music is always compelling.

I Will Follow You follows three critically acclaimed efforts as a leader. North (voted Best CD of 2005 by the readers of French monthly magazine Jazzman) and Pogo (four stars in DownBeat) both feature Sabbagh's uncanny, song-like compositions and lush tone, in a quartet that includes Monder, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Ted Poor. One Two Three (four stars in DownBeat), an album of standards played in the totemic sax-bass-drums instrumentation pioneered by Sonny Rollins, features bassist Ben Street and drummer Rodney Green. I Will Follow You represents a bold departure from the more controlled settings of these albums, yet retains the lyricism, clarity of purpose, and melodic flair that are the hallmarks of the saxophonist's style.

The smooth ebb and flow between tracks has an appealing narrative continuity, opening with the controlled chaos of the title track, which builds in anticipation as Humair moves from brushes to sticks and Monder answers him, at the flick of a pedal switch, with ferocious distortion. Other highlights include “Comptine, " a moody free ballad with echoes of Bartok and “The Clown, " an exploration of a simple melody that becomes increasingly dense as Sabbagh and Monder improvise symbiotically in chromatic counterpoint. I Will Follow You concludes with a sumptuous rendition of “I Should Care, " the album's only standard. “The tracks are short, especially for an album that's mostly improvised. Everything was wide open, but we all strove for concision, which was good, since dragging things out is an easy mistake to make in a free setting."

Sabbagh composed the music with the sounds of Monder and Humair in mind. He set out to avoid prefabricated compositional patterns by writing with pen and paper only, as opposed to sitting at the piano. Coupled with the six improvised pieces, miniatures of unfettered freedom and keen interplay, the compositions endow the album with a self-contained quality, “like a little world unto itself, " he says. Though this is the first time they play together, the three players mesh with a psychic energy that would be impressive even for a longtime working band, a testament to Sabbagh and Monder's exceptional musical bond, and to the 72-year-old Humair's peerless listening ability. A first-call drummer in Europe whose career trajectory took him from playing bebop with the likes of Bud Powell and Dexter Gordon to improvising with avant-garde explorers Tony Malaby and Ellery Eskelin, the protean Humair was an obvious choice for the shifting dynamic of this trio.

“Daniel is a master free player but came up swinging with the best, and he is also a painter. Form is important to him, as it is for Ben and I, " says Sabbagh. “Even when we are playing free, we are ever-conscious of creating a narrative arc in the moment." Sabbagh was exposed to music at a young age by an early teacher, pianist and composer Annick Chartreux, who first inspired him to transcend the confines of genre, a lasting influence. “She would play the overture to Mozart's The Magic Flute, 'So What' from Kind of Blue, and some Jimi Hendrix, all in the same listening session." Since moving to New York in 1995, Sabbagh has played with Guillermo Klein, Bill Stewart, Billy Drummond, and Victor Lewis, in addition to numerous others. Asked about his musical values, he explains: “The keys for me are melody, sound, and interaction. Each player weaves a unique voice into the collective in a way that makes sense with the material, while staying true to their inner song. I think the process of making good music with people is similar whatever the project may be." I Will Follow You is yet another exciting example of Sabbagh's musicianship, integrity and artistic vision.

2011 CONCERT CALENDAR

JANUARY 2011

Eric Benet @ Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO, Jan 1
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, Jan 5
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, Jan 7-9

Michael Henderson, Cool Million, Jean Carne
@ Hilton Hotel, Blackpool, UK, Jan 7-9

Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding @ The Village Vanguard,
New York, NY, Jan 11-16

Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, Jan 12
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, Jan 14-16
Esperanza Spalding @ Weber Chapel Auditorium, Sellinsgrove, PA, Jan 21
Joan Osborne @ Legendary R&B Cruise, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Jan 22
Esperanza Spalding @ Bergen Community College, Paramus, NJ, Jan 22
Bobby Caldwell @ B.B. King Blues Bar, New York, NY, Jan 29

FEBRUARY 2011
Mindi Abair @ Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA, Feb 10-14
Bill Frisell @ Mondavi Center, Davis, CA, Feb 11

Rippingtins ft. Russ Freeman, Steve Olvier @ Smooth Jazz Cruise,
Royal Caribbean Monarch Of The Seas, Feb 11-14

Bill Frisell @ Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA, Feb 12
Mindi Abair @ Laishley Park, Punta Gorda, FL, Feb19
Esperanza Spalding @ Newmark Theatre, Portland, OR, Feb 25
Esperanza Spalding @ Bovard Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA, Feb 26
Esperanza Spalding @ Campbell Hall, Santa Barbara, CA, Feb 27

MARCH 2011
Esperanza Spalding @ Shaftman Perf. Hall, Roanoke, VA, Mar 3
Esperanza Spalding @ Weinberg Center, Frederick, MD, Mar 4
The Manhattan Transfer @ The Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Mar 15-20
The Manhattan Transfer @ The Blue Note, Nagoya, Japan, Mar 25

APRIL 2011
Pink Martini @ Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, MN, Apr 8-9
Pink Martini @ Kennedy Center For Perf Arts, Apr 12-16
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, Apr 20
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, Apr 22-24
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, Apr 27
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, Apr 29

MAY 2011
Santana @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, May 1

AUGUST 2011
Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, Chris Botti, Peter White, Sheila E, David Benoit,
Warren Hill, Jeffrey Osborne, Keiki Matsui @ Dave Koz & Friends At
Sea Alaska, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Aug 26-Sep 2

THE SOULSVILLE FOUNDATION

I’m passing on information that I recently received from Kirk Whalum in support of the Soulsville Foundation. In the event that you did not know, the Soulsville Foundation is a nonprofit organization that depends on outside contributions of various kinds to help operate their three entities - the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Stax Music Academy, and The Soulsville Charter School. The Soulsville Foundation is appreciatiative of everything that their supporters do and so they wanted to reach out and to to let everyone know about this. As a example, Chuck Hutton Toyota in Memphis has included the Soulsville Foundation in their new We Care We Share Charity Drive. If you just follow the link below, sign in with an email address, create a password, and follow the prompts, you will be able to VOTE FOR THE SOULSVILLE FOUNDATION to win $5000 in just a couple of minutes.

Click Here: http://ning.it/gtsNw7

CHICK COREA / STANLEY CLARKE / LENNY WHITE - FOREVER

After reclaiming the jazz-rock world in 2008 with the triumphant return of Return to Forever, pianist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White decided to revisit where it all began, to get back to basics and the soul of their relationship. The result is Forever, a two-CD set of jazz trio standards, updated Return To Forever classics, new music and more. This 2010-Japan only release was recorded live, disc one is a best-of sampler from Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White’s “Return To Forever Unplugged” world tour in 2009. Highlights include the standards “On Green Dolphin Street,” “Waltz for Debby” and “Hackensack,” exquisite Corea-classics “Bud Powell” and “Windows,” Clarke’s beautiful new “La Canción de Sofia” and RTF pieces “Señor Mouse” and “No Mystery.” For disc two, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White invited vocal great Chaka Khan, violin virtuoso Jean-Luc Ponty and original Return to Forever guitarist Bill Connors to join them for a one-time only gig at the famed Hollywood Bowl in LA. The US release is schedule for next June 2011. Also in June 2011, Chick celebrates his 70th birthday (6/12) and Stanley celebrates his 60th birthday (6/30).

Track listing / Disc 1:
“On Green Dolphin Street”
“Waltz For Debby”
“Bud Powell”
“La Cancion De Sophia”
“Windows”
“Hackensack”
“No Mystery”
“Senor Mouse”

Disc 2:
“Captain Marvel”
"Senor Mouse” w/Connors, Ponty & Khan
“Crescent “
“Armando’s Rumba” w/Ponty
“Renaissance” w/Ponty
“High Wire” w/Khan
"I Love You Porgy” w/Connors, Ponty & Khan
“After The Cosmic Rain” w/Connors & Ponty
“Space Circus” w/Connors & Ponty
“500 Miles High”.

Musicians: Chick Corea, piano, Fender Rhodes; Stanley Clarke, acoustic & electric bass & Lenny White, drums. Disc 1 recorded live at Yoshi's in Oakland California, Jazz Alley in Seattle Washington and the Blue Note Tokyo. Disc 2 recorded at Mad Hatter studios except "500 Miles High", recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

AL JARREAU & GLADYS KNIGHT TOPLINE JAZZ IN THE GARDENS 2011

Having been voted the best festival of 2010 best festival of 2010 by Miami New Times, the two-day music festival returns to Miami Gardens for another year of performances at Sun Life Stadium on March 19 and 20, 2011. Beginning Saturday, March 19, 2011, "Jazz in the Gardens" attendees will be treated to performances by Charlie Wilson and Al Jarreau, The Sunday, March 20, 2011 line up will feature Gladys Knight, En Vogue, El DeBarge, Lalah Hathaway and Branford Marsalis performing their classic hits. Joining the star-studded cast, and adding his unique and internationally renowned mixing skills, is Miami's own bright star, D.J. Irie, the official DJ for The Miami Heat and now "Jazz in the Gardens." "Jazz in the Gardens" owes its success to a simple formula: a star-studded line-up, great food, extraordinarily affordable ticket prices and amazing weather. For the past five years the festival has enjoyed unprecedented growth, consistently delivering stunning increases in attendance. The 2010 festival garnered a heaping 45,000 guests, attracting both locals and thousands of out-of-towners to the beautiful City of Miami Gardens.

"Like all Jazz in the Gardens fans, I wait in anticipation to hear who is performing and once again I'm excited! The 2011 line-up is absolutely fantastic and I look forward to all the fans from around the nation joining us again. This added event in Miami Gardens brings added value to the City and to South Florida in general. I am proud of our City; in the seven years since incorporation, the City has seen a number of tremendous positive changes and improvements. There is a lot more work ahead of us, but Jazz in the Gardens is more than a concert, it is an opportunity and experience that people want to enjoy year after year," says Mayor Shirley Gibson.

The 2010 "Jazz in the Gardens" included performances from A-list artists including Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Robin Thicke, Teena Marie, Boyz II Men, Cassandra Wilson, David Sanborn, Melanie Fiona, Joe Sample and K'Jon. Previous years have included celebrated artists such as Wyclef, Babyface, Kenny G., Frankie Beverly and Maze, Chaka Khan, Chrisette Michele, Common, Erykah Badu, Anthony Hamilton, Roy Ayers, The O'Jays, Nancy Wilson, George Benson, Sergio Mendez, Luciano, KEM and Boney James.

http://www.jazzinthegardens.com/

SANTANA 2011 TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

Carlos Santana has announced his 2011 Guitar Heaven concert dates, including a South Pacific Tour, which will feature hits from Santana's four-decades-long career, as well as songs from his latest album Guitar Heaven. Tour dates are as follows:

January 5, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
January 7, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
January 8, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
January 9, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
January 12, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
January 14, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
January 15, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
January 16, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
March 4, 2011 - Jakarta, Indonesia @ Java Jazz Festival
March 5, 2011 - Jakarta, Indonesia @ Java Jazz Festival
March 13, 2011 - Perth, Australia @ Sandalford Estate Swan Valley
March 16, 2011- Melbourne, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena
March17, 2011 - Adelaide, Australia @ Entertainment Centre
March 20, 2011 - Auckland, New Zealand @ Vector Arena
March 22, 2011 - Christchurch, New Zealand @ CBS Canterbury Arena
March 24, 2011- Brisbane, Australia @ Entertainment Centre
March 25, 2011 - Sydney, Australia @ Acer Arena
March 26, 2011 - Hunter Valley, Australia @ Hope Estate
April 20, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
April 22, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
April 23, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
April 24, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
April 27, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
April 29, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
May 1, 2011 – Hard Rock Hotel @ Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

TOM JONES - GREATEST HITS REDISCOVERED

Tom Jones’ latest release, Greatest Hits Rediscovered is a musical timeline of hit singles spanning almost five decades, released in a year that saw Sir Tom Jones celebrate his 70th birthday. Greatest Hits Rediscovered is a collection of singles running from his first number one "It’s Not Unusual" back in 1964, the hits from the 60’s ("What’s New Pussycat", "Thunderball", "Green Green Grass Of Home" and "Delilah"), the likes of "She’s A Lady" from the 70s, through to more recent successes that reignited global interest in an artist that to date has over 100 million records worldwide, like the reworked Prince classic "Kiss", the rocking "Mama Told Me Not To Come" or "What God Am I".

Tom Jones, Greatest Hits Rediscovered (Universal (U.K.), 2010)

Disc 1

1.   It’s Not Unusual

2.   What’s New Pussycat?

3.   Thunderball

4.   Green, Green Grass of Home
5.   Detroit City
6.   Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings
7.   I’ll Never Fall in Love Again
8.   I’m Coming Home
9.   Delilah
10. Help Yourself
11. Without Love (There is Nothing)
12. Daughter of Darkness
13. She’s a Lady
14. Till
15. The New Young Mexican Puppeteer

Disc 2
1.   Kiss – Art of Noise featuring Tom Jones
2.   If I Only Knew
3.   Burning Down the House (featuring The Cardigans)
4.   Baby, It’s Cold Outside (featuring Cerys Matthews)
5.   Mama Told Me Not to Come (featuring The Stereophonics)
6.   Sex Bomb (featuring Mousse T)
7.   Medley from “The Full Monty” – Robbie Williams and Tom Jones
8.   Stoned in Love (Radio Edit) – Chicane featuring Tom Jones
9.   Tom Jones International (Radio Edit)
10. Give a Little Love
11. It’ll Be Me (with Jools Holland)
12. Burning Hell
13. What Good Am I?

Disc 1, Track 1 from Along Came Jones (Decca, 1965)
Disc 1, Track 2 from What’s New Pussycat? Original Motion Picture Score (United Artists, 1965)
Disc 1, Track 3 from Thunderball: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (United Artists, 1965)

Disc 1, Tracks 4-6 from Green, Green Grass of Home (Decca, 1967)

Disc 1, Track 7 from 13 Smash Hits (Decca, 1967)

Disc 1, Track 8 from non-LP single (Decca, 1967)

Disc 1, Track 9 from Delilah (Decca, 1968)

Disc 1, Track 10 from Help Yourself (Decca, 1968)

Disc 1, Track 11 from Tom (Decca, 1969)

Disc 1, Track 12 from I (Who Have Nothing) (Decca, 1970)

Disc 1, Track 13 from Tom Jones Sings She’s a Lady (Decca, 1971)

Disc 1, Track 14 from non-LP single (Decca, 1971)

Disc 1, Track 15 from Close Up (Decca, 1972)
Disc 2, Track 1 from non-LP single – later released on The Best of The Art of Noise (China, 1988)
Disc 2, Track 2 from The Lead and How to Swing It (Atlantic, 1994)

Disc 2, Tracks 3-6 from Reload (V2, 1999)

Disc 2, Track 7 from Angels (Japanese EP) (Toshiba EMI, 1998)
Disc 2, Track 8 from Somersault (Modena, 2007)

Disc 2, Track 9 from Mr. Jones (V2, 2002)

Disc 2, Track 10 from 24 Hours (S-Curve, 2008)

Disc 2, Track 11 from Tom Jones and Jools Holland (2004)

Disc 2, Tracks 12-13 from Praise and Blame (Island, 2010)

MELBA MOORE REISSUES COMING SOON...

Funky Town Grooves (FTG) Records has announced that six of Melba Moore’s albums LPs from the 80's are coming out on CD between now and March 2011. Moore is the daughter of jazz bandleader Teddy Hill, rose to prominence on Broadway as a cast member in Hair and won a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Purlie in 1970. She began a recording career on Buddah and Epic – but it wasn’t until the early 80's and a switch to Capitol that her career started to smoke. Most of her recordings, including the U.S. dance hit “Love’s Comin’ at Ya,” were produced by Kashif, one of the writers/producers behind Whitney Houston’s debut album. Moore started to gain huge success as a singer signing with Capitol Records and reaching the top 5 on the R&B charts with the dance pop/funk single, "Love's Comin' At Ya", which also hit the top 20 in the UK and became a sizable hit in some European countries for its post-disco sound. A string of R&B hits would follow during this decade including 1983's "Keepin' My Lover Satisfied" and "Love Me Right", 1984's "Livin' For Your Love", 1985's "Read My Lips", which later won Moore a fourth Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, making her just the third black artist after Donna Summer and Michael Jackson to be nominated in the rock category, and 1985's "When You Love Me Like This". In 1986, she scored two number-one R&B hits, including the duet, "A Little Bit More", with Freddie Jackson and "Falling". She scored other popular R&B hits including "Love the One I'm With (A Lot of Love)" and "It's Been So Long". Between January and March of 2011 Funky Town Grooves will release the first five of Moore’s LPs for Capitol, each with bonus B-sides and remixes.

So far one record has already been released; FTG Records has done a straight reissue of Moore’s swan song for Epic, Closer (1980). Here they are:

 Closer (FTG Records, 2010 – originally released as Epic JE 36412, 1980)
1.   Everything So Good About You
2.   You Got Me Loving You
3.   Closer
4.   Something on Your Mind
5.   Shame
6.   Never Gonna Let You Get Away
7.   Rest Inside My Love
8.   I Could Never Miss You More
9.   Next to You
10. You Don’t Know What You Do to Me

What a Woman Needs: Expanded Edition (FTG-231, 2011 – originally released as EMI America ST-17060, 1981)
1.   Let’s Stand Together
2.   Your Sweet Lovin’
3.   What a Woman Needs
4.   Take My Love
5.   Overnight Sensation
6.   Each Second
7.   Piece of Rock
8.   Let’s Go Back to Lovin’
9.   Take My Love (Long Version) (12″ A-side – EMI America 12EA 130, 1981)
10. Just You Just Me (7″ B-side – EMI America EA 130, 1981)

The Other Side of the Rainbow: Expanded Edition (FTG-232, 2011 – originally released as Capitol ST-12243, 1982)
1.   Love’s Comin’ At Ya
2.   Underlove
3.   Mind Up Tonight
4.   Knack for Me
5.   How’s Love Been Treatin’ You
6.   Don’t Go Away
7.   I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie-Honey Bunch)
8.   The Other Side of the Rainbow
9.   Underlove (M&M Mix) (12″ B-side – Capitol 8547, 1982)
10. Love’s Comin’ At Ya (Instrumental) (12″ B-side – EMI America 7803, 1982)
11. Mind Up Tonight (Instrumental) (12″ B-side – Capitol 8543, 1982)

 Never Say Never: Expanded Edition (FTG-233, 2011 – originally released as Capitol ST-12305, 1983)
1.   Love Me Right
2.   Keepin’ My Lover Satisfied
3.   Got to Have Your Love
4.   Livin’ for Your Love
5.   It’s Really Love
6.   Never Say Never
7.   Lovin’ Touch
8.   Lean on Me
9.   Love Me Right (Extended Remix) (12″ A-side – Capitol V-8586, 1983)

Read My Lips: Expanded Edition ( FTG-234, 2011 – originally released as Capitol ST-12382, 1985)
1.   Love of a Lifetime
2.   I Can’t Believe It (It’s Over)
3.   Read My Lips
4.   Dreams
5.   When You Love Me Like This
6.   Winner
7.   King of My Heart
8.   To Those Who Wait
9.   Mind Over Matter
10. I Can’t Believe It (It’s Over) (Extended Remix) (U.K. 12″ A-side – Capitol 12CL-381, 1985)
11. Read My Lips (Remix Version) (12″ promo A-side – Capitol SPRO-9381, 1985)
12. When You Love Me Like This (Special Club Remix) (12″ A-side – Capitol V-8647, 1985)
13. Winner (Instrumental) (12″ B-side – Capitol V-8647, 1985)
14. Read My Lips (Extended Version) (12″ promo B-side – Capitol SPRO-9381, 1985)
15. When You Love Me Like This (Monster Groove Mix) (12″ promo B-side – Capitol SPRO-9446, 1985)

A Lot of Love: Expanded Edition (Funky Town Grooves FTG-235, 2011 – originally released as Capitol ST-12471, 1986)

1.   There I Go Falling in Love Again

2.   It’s Been So Long

3.   I’m Not Gonna Let You Go

4.   Love the One I’m With (A Lot of Love)

5.   You Trip Me Out

6.   A Little Bit More

7.   Falling

8.   Stay

9.   When We Touch (It’s Like Fire)

10. Don’t Go Away

11. Love the One I’m With (A Lot of Love) (Extended Version) (12″ promo A-side – Capitol SPRO-9717, 1986)

12. I’m Not Gonna Let You Go (Remix) (12″ promo A-side – Capitol SPRO-79051, 1986)

13. It’s Been So Long (Extended Remix) (12″ A-side – Capitol V-15280, 1986)

14. Love the One I’m With (A Lot of Love) (Club Mix) (12″ promo A-side – Capitol SPRO-9776, 1986)

15. Don’t Go Away (12″ B-side – Capitol V-15236, 1986)

16. A Little Bit More (Radio Edit) (7″ A-side – Capitol B-5632, 1986)

ESPERANZA SPALDING NOMINATED FOR BEST NEW ARTIST

Telarc International and Heads Up International, divisions of Concord Music Group, received 7 GRAMMY® nominations, as announced by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) on December 1, 2010. The nominations were in an array of categories including Best New Artist, pop, jazz, blues and classical. All nominations were for albums released from September 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010. Winners will be announced at the 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards on Sunday, February 13, 2011 (8:00-11:30 PM, ET/PT), at Staples Center in Los Angeles, airing live on the CBS Television Network.



Esperanza Spalding



The Telarc and Heads Up nominations are:

Best New Artist
ESPERANZA SPALDING

Bassist, singer and composer Esperanza Spalding combines the imaginative flights of a serious improviser with the musical accessibility of a pop star and within two years of her solo debut has beguiled success at nearly unimaginable heights. Esperanza, her 2008 release, spent over 70 weeks on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart and was the most successful internationally selling debut that year. Spalding’s most recent release, Chamber Music Society, is a brilliant marriage of string and jazz trio, and a showcase for her eclectic sensibilities along with her vocal and compositional talents. Other career highlights include two televised performances at the White House, a Banana Republic ad campaign, features in Oprah Magazine and The New Yorker, numerous awards and high profile tour dates, capped by an invitation to perform at the 2010 Nobel Prize Ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Spalding was nominated for Best New Artist along with Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence & the Machine, and Mumford and Sons. Her inclusion in this mainstream category signifies her considerable appeal to a broad audience.

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting have just announced that bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding, in response to the Diversity and Innovation Fund Request for Proposals, has been asked to host Find The Beat, a progressive new television show on PBS. Find The Beat, a new program that promotes diversity, features Spalding joining with a group, a band or solo musician to explore the roots of their music. Their journeys take them to see authentic performers, explore cultural connections and investigate musical history.  PBS and the CPB issued a request for proposals for a new television show to be sponsored by their Diversity and Innovation Fund. The DI Fund, “seeks to diversify the National Program Service by attracting younger and more racially and ethnically diverse viewers and visitors.” More than 200 submissions were received in response to the request for proposals, from which only 16 were chosen by their editorial staff to advance to panel review. Esperanza Spalding combines the imaginative flights of a serious improviser with the musical accessibility of a pop star and within two years of her solo debut has beguiled success at nearly unimaginable heights.
http://www.esperanzaspalding.com/

Best Pop Instrumental Performance
NO MYSTERY
Stanley Clarke
Track from: The Stanley Clarke Band
[Heads Up International]

Best Pop Instrumental Album
PUSHING THE ENVELOPE
Gerald Albright
[Heads Up International]

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
THE STANLEY CLARKE BAND
The Stanley Clarke Band
[Heads Up International]

NOW IS THE TIME
Jeff Lorber Fusion
(Heads Up International]

Best Traditional Blues Album
JOINED AT THE HIP
Pinetop Perkins & Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith
[Telarc]

Best Engineered Album, Classical
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN...?
Robert Friedrich, engineer (Turtle Island Quartet, Stefon Harris & Mike Marshall)
[Telarc

Since 1980, Telarc International, a division of Concord Music Group, has won 58 GRAMMY® Awards for performance, production and engineering. Other important awards include the French Grand Prix du Disque and Diapason d’Or; Japan’s Record of the Year; Germany’s Audiophile CD of the Year; and Gramophone Magazine’s 2004 Label of the Year. Although it began as a classical-only label, Telarc now boasts a catalog of more than 1000 recordings, ranging from classical and classical-crossover to jazz, contemporary jazz, Americana, pop and blues. For nearly 20 years, Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, has been successfully carving its niche in the world of contemporary instrumental music. Heads Up artists and releases have consistently landed on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz, Traditional Jazz and World Music charts, and have garnered numerous industry awards, including Billboard’s Contemporary Latin Jazz Album of the Year, the AFIM’s Independent Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year, seven GRAMMY® Awards and numerous GRAMMY® nominations. Heads Up was also the winner of JazzWeek’s Radio Programmers Album of the Year Award for two consecutive years, and Gibson Guitar’s Best Female Jazz Guitarist. In addition to the awards and accolades, Heads Up artists have regularly captured the #1 slot in national radio airplay.

THE TOP 10 CHRISTMAS SONGS PLAYED ON THE RADIO...

As radio stations across the nation ramp up their festive playlists, with many flipping to all-holiday music, traditional favorites still rule the airwaves, according to the latest holiday song data released by ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers). The performance data is tracked by radio airplay monitoring service, Mediaguide, from over 2,500 radio stations nationwide.

Highlights of the data include:

• 1,987 different holiday songs have been played on radio from 10/1/10 to 12/3/10.

• Holiday songs have been played 1,539,526 times altogether.

• In many cases, newer versions of the original recordings have become the most popular renditions heard on radio today.

• KCKC-FM (Kansas City, MO) was the first station to switch to all-holiday music programming on November 1, 2010. Since then, 178 additional stations have switched to all-holiday music.

• The top 10 most-played ASCAP holiday songs so far this holiday season are:

1. "Sleigh Ride" - played 59,797 times
Written by Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Most popular artist version performed by Leroy Anderson

2. "Winter Wonderland" - played 53,762 times
Written by Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
Most popular artist version performed by Eurythmics

3. "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" - played 44,576 times
Written by Edward Pola, George Wyle
Most popular artist version performed by Andy Williams

4. "Jingle Bell Rock" - played 44,055 times
Written by Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
Most popular artist version performed by Bobby Helms

5. "White Christmas" - played 37,797 times
Written by Irving Berlin
Most popular artist version performed by Bing Crosby

6. "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" - played 36,043 times
Written by Meredith Willson
Most popular artist version performed by Bing Crosby

7. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" - played 33,980 times
Written by Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
Most popular artist version performed by The Carpenters

8. "Frosty the Snowman" - played 30,875 times
Written by Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
Most popular artist version performed by Jimmy Durante

9. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting...)" - played 29,378 times
Written by Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
Most popular artist version performed by Nat King Cole

10. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" - played 28,179 times
Written by Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
Most popular artist version performed by Amy Grant

Note: The list represents an aggregation of all different artist versions of each cited holiday song played on radio from 10/1/10 through 12/3/10. Each song includes songwriter credits, and cites the most popular artist version currently being played on radio.

Mediaguide, co-owned by ASCAP, uses proprietary digital fingerprinting and watermarking technology to monitor and measure music and advertisement airplay on more than 2,500 commercial, non-commercial and college radio stations in over 150 US markets, real time, 24/7.

Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from nearly 400,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances. ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members. http://www.ascap.com/

MARCUS JOHNSON - FLO (FOR THE LOVE OF): CHILL VOLUME 2

Marcus Johnson has just released his latest entitled FLO (For the Love Of): Chill Volume 2, which is a follow-up to the 2008 Billboard Charting FLO series.  The CD was released on November 9, 2010. In this highly anticipated CD, international jazz keyboardist and NAACP Image Award nominee Marcus Johnson presents a musical journey that delivers a hypnotic chill and a smoothed out lounge club vibe that is branded to give the listener a relaxed audio experience. From the futuristic international sound to laid back smooth vocals, FLO (For the Love Of): Chill Volume 2 delivers music you don’t have to think about. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy. Imaginative in itself and already receiving rave feedback from live performances, this crowd pleaser is bound to top the Billboard chart like its predecessor. FLO (For the Love Of): Chill Volume 2 deliberately flies outside of the box of the smooth jazz platform with a unique European bend as Marcus Johnson collaborates with Julien “DJ Young Pulse” Ozonder of Paris, France. Urban edginess meets a jazzy smoothness on the tracks and a piano-tinged, jazzy trip-hop flavor laces the electronic grooves. FLO (For the Love Of): Chill Volume 2 is the soundtrack to a contemporary lifestyle.

FLO (For the Love Of): Chill Volume 2 track listing:
1.Eiffel Tower
2. Summertime
3. Nanosecond Culture
4. Love Affair
5. Fancy
6. Suffice to Say
7. In My Room [Remix]
8. Oaxaca
9. Shine
10. Say Yes [Remix] 

MARCUS MILLER - A NIGHT IN MONTE CARLO

Bassist Marcus Miller continues this legacy with A Night In Monte-Carlo, a live audio document of an amazing concert he was commissioned to perform on November 29, 2008 in the “rich man’s playground” of Monaco – a performance of music of his choice, much of it from his pen, featuring his arrangements for symphony orchestra. A Night In Monte-Carlo is set for release on February 1, 2011 on Concord Jazz, a division of the Concord Music Group. It features Marcus leading both his quartet and the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, with special guests: trumpeter Roy Hargrove as well as singer, songwriter and guitarist Raul Midón. “I was invited by Jean-René Palacio, the Artistic Director for the principality of Monaco to present some of my music with the orchestra on the French Riviera,” Marcus recalls. No stranger to the area, as he has performed there many times and played there on his downtime as a race car buff during the Grand Prix, Marcus relished the opportunity of sharing his music in the breathtaking and intimate 600-seat Monte-Carlo Opera House.  The repertoire for A Night In Monte-Carlo covers nearly a century of music – from two styles of opera to jazz, including a contemporized spiritual and a timeless ballad. The program opened with a BANG with “Blast!” the Grammy-nominated Middle Eastern-tinged instrumental of futuristic world fusion funk that has been begging for a symphonic treatment since it was birthed on his ninth album, Marcus (2008). Not knowing what to expect, the audience was taken by surprise when the huge sounds of the orchestra and quartet filled the Opera House with this musical Molotov cocktail.

Next was a version of Miles Davis’ “So What,” the classic of cool from the master’s groundbreaking 1959 LP Kind of Blue. “The original recording has a beautiful Bill Evans solo piano introduction that most musicians never play when they cover the tune,” Miller states. “I took that intro and gave it a full orchestration that leads into some nice stretched out playing from Alex Han on alto sax and Federico Gonzalez Peña on piano. I loved the contrast between the orchestra and DJ Logic on turntables. The string players were looking at him like, ‘What’s that he’s doing?’ while Logic was glancing over his shoulder, blown away by what they were playing. That’s what this was all about.”

Next is a beautiful rendition of “I Loves You Porgy” from the Gershwin opera Porgy & Bess that features Miller playing the bittersweet melody on fretless bass – a tasty contrast as couched by the strings. Then the orchestra takes a break as Miller introduces one-man band Raul Midón to the stage to sing “State of Mind,” a song that the blind singer/songwriter/guitarist recorded as the title track of the 2005 CD that launched him into the mainstream. Midón often performs the song alone simulating drums on the body of his guitar and the sound of a trumpet with his lips. Here, Marcus accompanies him on bass with Peña adding udu (an African percussion instrument). “What Raul does is amazing and this tune has a great energy,” says Miller.

When the orchestra returns, it is to accompany one of the finest living jazz trumpet players, Roy Hargrove, on a song that Marcus composed for the great Miles Davis titled “Amandla,” the soaring title track of the acclaimed 1989 follow-up album to the first Miller/Davis collaboration, Tutu. “Roy is one of the baddest trumpet players out there,” Miller shares. “We’re always passing each other in airports and at festivals. When I hosted the North Sea Jazz Cruise, I made sure to invite him as one of my guests. I had to bring him back for this show. His sound is gorgeous on this tune and he really opens up on his solo.” Marcus additionally features Hargrove playing the warmer flugelhorn on a dreamy rendition of the 1941 chestnut “I’m Glad There Is You” – a song Hargrove recorded on his 2000 CD Moment To Moment: Roy Hargrove With Strings.

The second more traditional of the opera pieces follows with a lovely melodic statement from Giacomo Puccini’s “O mio babbino caro (Oh, my dear papa),” a highlight from his 1918 one-act opera Gianni Schicchi. Again, Marcus plays the melody - usually associated with a lyrical soprano voice - on the fretless bass, providing a haunting feeing of déjà vu for the audience within the Opera House. This leads into the grand finale of the festive Brazilian pop classic “Mas Que Nada.” Marcus arranged and produced a soulful version of the song for singer Al Jarreau’s 1994 CD/DVD project Tenderness. He reprises that here - propelled with aplomb by drummer Poogie Bell – as a vehicle for all to return to the stage, with Roy Hargrove trading trumpet lines with Raul Midón’s “voice trumpet.”

A Night In Monte-Carlo closes with two very special pieces. The first is Marcus’ reverent yet contemporary interpolation of the spiritual “Amazing Grace” which he calls “Your Amazing Grace” that features him on an instrument that has fast become his most singular voice, the bass clarinet. That is followed by an inspired 11th hour addition, “Strange Fruit,” recorded in his Los Angeles recording studio. The chilling portrait of racial hatred that Billie Holiday first performed in 1939 on the stage of Café Society, the title metaphorically conjures the bodies of black men, women and child lynch victims hanging from trees in the American south in the not so distant past. It is an image and meditation that Miller brings to highly emotive recall in his musical history lesson for orchestra, crying its blues through his mournful bass clarinet accompanied by the piano of his frequent friend and collaborator Herbie Hancock.

Since this recording was made in 2008, Marcus has presented A Night In Monte-Carlo with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic featuring Lalah Hathaway and Raul Midón for the 50th Anniversary of Jazz a Juan in the summer of 2010, and more recently at the Tokyo Jazz Festival with the NHK Symphony Orchestra featuring Roberta Flack and young trumpeter, Christian Scott. He has tailored each program to include his special guests and plans to continue to do so with various artists for upcoming shows.

SEAN JEFFERSON - DREAMWORKS

Drummer/composer Sean Jefferson isn’t about rewriting the rules of jazz, he challenges jazz conventions by pursuing unpredictable paths, creating a body of work that ignites the senses. Instead of following generic patterns, Jefferson leads his fellow musicians – pianist Harold O’Neal, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, and bassist Richie Goods – into a spellbinding hybrid of cutting-edge and mainstream sensibilities. Equally influenced by iconic drummers such as Elvis Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Jeff “Tain” Watts as well as renowned composers like Aaron Copland and Paul Hindemith, Jefferson gained recognition as the drummer for the Grammy-nominated organ trio Paradigm Shift. Signed to Wycliffe Gordon’s label Bluesback Records, Jefferson first jammed with his new bandmates at the 2009 Rochester International Jazz Festival. The chemistry between them proved to be one that was made for a long-term bond, resulting in Jefferson’s latest album, Dreamworks. The CD establishes not only Jefferson’s robust drum work but also his keen compositional skills. Most of the tracks on the record are originals. However, Jefferson still injects his only cover, a remake of Thelonious Monk’s timeless classic “‘Round Midnight,” with a mood-spinning film noir vibe. The rest of the album, from the liquid flow of the title track to the disorderly conduct of “Awakening,” illustrates the balance of light and shadow between waking and dreaming. Dreamworks has already received praise from the “JazzTimes” website, calling it “a tightrope between high-brow experimentalism and metropolitan cool.” The CD distinguishes itself by remaining true to Jefferson’s uncompromising vision, refusing to be bound by any genre restrictions yet remaining melodic enough for the common fan.

http://www.seanjefferson.com/

GUISEPPE DELISO - REBIRTH

Italian jazz guitarist Guiseppe Deliso, who has been making and playing some of the best traditional jazz to be found anywhere in the world for a number of years, has finally released the first full album of his self-penned works. The release, Rebirth, is the perfect demonstration of the versatility that makes Giuseppe such a unique talent. It includes wonderfully inventive examples of blues, bossa nova, latin, be-bop and traditional jazz. All played with Giuseppe’s tell-tale marks of invention, wit and creativity. It’s a collection of songs as fresh and remarkable as on any jazz album released in modern times. But, while being unmistakably of its time, it also gives a nod to the greats that inspired it. You can hear the influence of Grant Green alongside Lee Ritenour, Charlie Christian, Louis Armstrong and George Benson. Yet Giuseppe also puts his own inimitable personal mark on everything he touches. The release is a long time coming. The title track – ‘Rebirth’ – comes from an idea originally composed by Giuseppe 20 years before, but which has been molded and crafted over time to become possibly the stand-out song in this collection. It is not only an appropriate name for the song, but also for the album. This is a record that will give birth not only to its creator’s name in the music-loving public but might even make some listeners rediscover their old love for great jazz. Deliso is accompanied by some truly outstanding individuals – Marco Boccia on bass, pianist Vito Liturri, Davide Viterbo on cello, drummer Lello Patruno and sax player Vincenzo Antonicelli – Giuseppe’s playing shines through like a beacon. Rebirth is a record not only for jazz lovers, but for lovers of any music that comes from deep in the soul. It is a genuinely remarkable performance from a genuinely remarkable musician and composer who will now finally discover the fame he so richly deserves.

http://www.rebirth-album.com/
www.rebirth-album.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Saturday-Night-Groove1.mp3
www.cdbaby.com/cd/GiuseppeDeliso
www.facebook.com/Rebirth.album

PERRY TOLE - FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE

Perry Tole takes listeners through a lover’s rock wonderland on his debut studio album Flight Of The Eagle, set for digital and physical release on November 22, 2010. The album features 15 visionary tracks that pulsate with his Caribbean culture’s energy and passion. While some of his songs fit into the smooth reggae mold, many of his compositions escape convention, flavored with progressive‐rock energy that gives his sound, as he calls it, “Danceability.” Growing up in Jamaica, Perry’s first musical influences came from the reggae, R&B and country tunes streaming from the jukebox at his mother’s restaurant. At the age of 16, inspired by Jimi Hendrix and Cat Stevens, Perry picked up the guitar and later entered the Jamaica School of Music, where he became part of the noted Jamaican reggae/rock fusion band Native. Native released two major albums under Arista (England) and RCA (LA) and a third under independent record label Jamaica Records (NY). The bands seminal album Black Tracks received critical acclaim. Perry Tole signed to Simple Life Soul in 2010 as a solo instrumentalist and will release his debut album under the same label. The project is currently in phase one of radio promotions, with phase two starting in January, and phase three in March. The title track “Flight of the Eagle” and epic ballad “Don’t Walk Away” are currently in AAA radio rotation in the United States. A promotional tour through the US will launch in Spring 2011.

Here's where you can find Perry Tole:
http://www.SimpleLifeSoul.com and on Twitter @PerryTole.

SADE EARNS TWO GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

After a decade out of the spotlight, Sade's eighth album, Soldier Of Love exploded onto the charts in February and instantly made music history. The album ranked in the top 10 among Billboard's 200 making them the first group since Led Zeppelin to hold this accomplishment. The attention grabbing first single "Soldier of Love" made radio history debuting at # 11 on the Urban Hot AC chart, making it the highest debut of the decade and the third highest all-time on the Urban Hot AC chart. "Soldier of Love" also debuted at # 5 on the Smooth Jazz airplay chart while also becoming the first ever vocal to hit # 1 on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown. Now on the heels of an epic year for Sade, the band's platinum selling Soldier Of Love, marks another milestone today by garnering two Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal by a Group for "Babyfather" and Best R&B Vocal by a Group for "Soldier of Love". Holding down the top spot on the charts for three weeks upon its release, the critically acclaimed album takes its rightful place among the vast collection of iconic Sade albums.

Entertainment Weekly featured Soldier Of Love in their "Must List" and gave the album an "A", Rolling Stone wrote, "it's unimpeachably excellent," and The Boston Globe calls it, "a rich and rewarding album." But the accolades don't stop there. Associated Press raved, "like a long-ago lover not quite forgotten, Sade has returned to steal our hearts with more beautiful, uncategorizable music," Billboard was quoted as saying, "it's been 10 years since Sade released an album, but be forewarned – the giant has awoken," while People Magazine reminds us that "Sade remains the voice of comfort to the wounded heart."

Sade recently announced their highly anticipated return to the world's stage. The North American leg, produced by Live Nation, begins on June 16th, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland at the 1st Mariner's Arena. Tickets are on sale at LiveNation.com.

Known for their one of a kind timeless sound, Sade has enjoyed phenomenal success both internationally and stateside throughout the span of their twenty-five year career. Since the release of their debut album, Diamond Life in 1984 the band has seen all five of their studio albums land in the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart selling a total of more than 50 million albums worldwide to date. They've been nominated for American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and have won three Grammy Awards – first in 1986 for Best New Artist, then in 1994 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group for "No Ordinary Love", and again in 2002 for Best Pop Vocal Album with Lovers Rock.

Sade.com

BOB SHEPPARD - CLOSE YOUR EYES

Bob Sheppard has long been one of the top reed players based in Southern California. Constantly in demand for record sessions, club dates, concerts, soundtracks, and an enormous amount of projects, he has the ability to sound both creative and comfortable on a variety of instruments, no matter what the setting. Now, Sheppard moves onto the next chapter in his long career, with the release of Close Your Eyes on BFM JAZZ. Close Your Eyes gives Bob Sheppard an opportunity to present his own music with some of his favorite musicians. Not only is Sheppard featured on tenor and soprano (in addition to playing flute, alto flute, piccolo, clarinet and bass clarinet), but he also contributed two songs and arranged all nine performances. The music is spontaneous and swinging yet purposeful, modern and personal. It is Sheppard's most significant recording as a leader.

Bob Sheppard is joined by either Alan Pasqua or John Beasley doubling on piano and organ, bassist Gabe Noel, drummer Antonio Sanchez, and percussionist Walter Rodriguez with two guest appearances apiece by trumpeter Alex Sipiagen and guitarist Larry Koonse. Close Your Eyes begins with the title cut, a veteran standard that Sheppard's inventive arrangement and restrained yet often-explosive solo make sound brand new. “Surface Tension,” which has a major role for Koonse's guitar, is a well disguised reworking of “What's New.” Another swing era ballad, “Goodbye” (which was Benny Goodman's closing theme song), is given an introspective yet emotional treatment by Sheppard. The other selections include the complex yet catchy “Brain Fog,” the playful “Fast Company” (a perfect showcase for Sheppard's soprano), the quietly spooky “Phantoms,” “Lightness” (which is full of inner heat), Joe Henderson's “Gazelle” which sounds like the soundtrack to an African adventure, and the brooding strut “All In A Row.” The musicians excel at exploring unusual song structures and creating original ideas. Sheppard's mellow tone establishes the mood for these thoughtful pieces, and his solos set a high bar for his sidemen to match.

Originally an East Coaster, Sheppard started his musical journey playing professionally in and around Philadelphia at the age of sixteen. Learning to play many musical styles with every kind of band was common and expected in the fertile 70s. As a studied clarinet player, Sheppard attended college and eventually earned a Masters degree from the Eastman School of Music before ending up in Los Angeles. However, Sheppard strongly attributes his most valuable schooling to his real world apprenticeship in and around Philly. Sheppard's unexpected move to LA proved to be fortuitous as his intuitive musicality and creative voice quickly helped him become an in demand fixture in and out of the studios. He has appeared on more than one hundred movie and television soundtracks and worked with the who's who of music. Among his most important associations was his eight year tenure with Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea's Origin, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchel, Herbie Hancock, Peter Erskine, Billy Childs, Mike Stern, Vince Mendoza, Scott Henderson, Michael Brecker, Horace Silver, James Taylor, Natalie Cole, Queen Latifah, Randy Brecker, Lyle Mays, Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band, Nat Adderley, Rickie Lee Jones, Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello, Randy Newman, Scott Henderson, Michael Franks, Otmaro Ruiz, Kurt Elling, George Duke, Bill Cunliffe, Marilyn Scott, and Diane Reeves. Sheppard recently toured with Billy Childs, Boz Scaggs, Kurt Elling and Peter Erskine and the Bob Sheppard quartet. In addition, he is a part-time faculty member at the USC Thornton School of Music and frequently conducts clinics at colleges.

Bob Sheppard's Close Your Eyes is a perfect match for the newly formed BFM Jazz. His playing is thoughtful and passionate, there are many subtle surprises, and the music is a perfect example of creative 21st century Jazz.

SMOOTH JAZZ NEW YORK CONCERTS

Smooth Jazz New York, New York City's premier live jazz concert promoter, has announced two star-studded smooth jazz Christmas shows in December at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City: "A Peter White Christmas with Mindi Abair & Rick Braun" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas with David Benoit." "Since New York is the birthplace of modern jazz, we're bringing some of the genre's finest acts home for the holidays," notes Sam Kimball, Marquee Concerts/Smooth Jazz New York co-founder. "And what better way to celebrate the season than with extraordinary artists performing classic holiday hits." On Saturday, December 4th at 7:30pm and 10pm, in his "A Peter White Christmas," White leads an all star lineup featuring Rick Braun and Mindi Abair, performing dazzling arrangements of holiday favorites. Over the past 16 years, White has kept smooth jazz fans worldwide enthralled by his spirited melodies, soulful grooves and inviting, instantly recognizable acoustic guitar tone. Always finding unique ways to bring his modern sensibilities to cherished pop classics, his seasonal renditions are sure to captivate. The following Saturday, December 11th at 7:30pm and 10pm, The David Benoit Quartet returns to New York for a special Peanuts-inspired holiday show, performing the classics from Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Over the past 25 years, composer and pianist David Benoit has been a passionate musical innovator committed to the exploration of many different art forms on the American landscape. His prolific output in the last decade includes several prominent Charlie Brown related projects including "Here's To You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years" and his star-studded "40 Years: A Charlie Brown Christmas." These memorable works reflect his lifelong passion for the music of Guaraldi, Peanuts' original composer, and solidify Benoit's role as his musical heir.

 http://www.smoothjazznewyork.com/.