R.I.P. LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY

Disco singer Loleatta Holloway has died at the age of 64 after a brief illness. She was mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation", as well as many others. In the early 1970s, Holloway signed with the Atlanta-based label Aware, where she recorded two albums for the label, both of them produced by Floyd Smith—Loleatta (1973) and Cry to Me (1975). Her first single from the second album, the ballad "Cry to Me" rose to #10 Billboard R&B and #68 on the Hot 100, but before the label could really establish Holloway, it went out of business. In 1976, Philadelphia arranger and producer Norman Harris signed Holloway for his new label, Gold Mind, a subsidiary of New York's Salsoul Records. The first release from the album Loleatta was another Sam Dees ballad, "Worn-Out Broken Heart," which reached #25 R&B, but the B-side, "Dreaming," climbed to #72 on the pop chart and launched her as a disco act. She contributed vocals to "Re-Light My Fire" for Dan Hartman, who then wrote and produced the title track of her fourth and final album for Gold Mind, Love Sensation (1980). Eighteen songs of hers charted on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including four #1s. However, it was a ballad that proved to be another big R&B hit for her. "Only You" was written and produced by Bunny Sigler, who also sang with Holloway on the track, and it reached #11 in 1978.

Albums
Loleatta (Aware 1973)
Cry To Me (Aware 1975)
Loleatta (Gold Mind 1976)
Queen of the Night (Gold Mind 1978)
Loleatta Holloway (Gold Mind 1979)
Love Sensation (Gold Mind 1980)
Greatest Hits (The Right Stuff/EMI, 1996)
Queen of the Night: the Ultimate Club Collection (The Right Stuff/EMI, 2001)
Loleatta Holloway: The Anthology (Salsoul, 2005)

Songs
"Cry to Me" (#10 R&B, #68, US Billboard Hot 100)
 "Worn-out Broken Heart" (#25 R&B)
 "Only You" with Bunny Sigler (#87 US, Billboard Hot 100, #11 US R&B)
 "Dreamin'" (US #72), (US Dance #3)(1977)
 "Love Sensation" (#1 US Dance, #5 UK) (1980)
 "Vertigo/Relight My Fire" (with Dan Hartman)
 "Hit and Run" (#3 US Dance), (#56 US R&B)(1977)
 "Catch Me on the Rebound" (#16 US Dance)
 "Crash Goes Love" (#5 US Dance), (#86 US R&B)(1984)
 "Runaway" by The Salsoul Orchestra
 "All About the Paper"
 "The Greatest Performance of My Life"
 "Catch Me on the Rebound"
 "Seconds"
 "I May Not be there When You Want Me (But I'm Right on Time)"
 "Shout it to The Top", Fire Island feat Lolleata Holoway
 Black Box - "Ride On Time" (#1 UK; contains vocal samples from "Love Sensation" - Holloway's vocals are also the only vocals on the track; also Britain's best selling single of 1989)
 Gotta Be #1 (#2, US Dance)
 Marky Mark (aka Mark Wahlberg) & The Funky Bunch - "Good Vibrations" (#1 US, #14 UK; prominently features Holloway's vocals sampled from "Love Sensation." This was Holloway's only US #1 on the Billboard Hot 100; 1991)
 "Dreamin'" (remix) (#1, US Dance)(2000)
 "What Goes Around Comes Around" GTS featuring Loleatta Holloway
 "Don't Leave Me this Way - 2007" (2007 Deep Influence Mix)
 "A Better World" by AgeHa featuring Loleatta Holloway & Jocelyn Brown
 "I-N-S-I-D-E" by CJ TOBA feat Loleatta Holloway (2009 DJ Remix of "Dreamin'," which reached success in DJ/Club Charts)

Holloway died on March 21, 2011 after slipping into a coma. She was 64 years old

BARRY MANILOW - DUETS

For the first time, 15 of Barry's most outstanding and memorable performances with an A-list of singers have been collected for his newest release - Duets.  The title will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting May 3, through Arista/ Legacy. Duets is a timely reminder of Barry Manilow's successful residency at the Paris Theater in Las Vegas, with performance dates now extended into 2012. "I'm very proud of this album," Manilow said recently. "Recording each song was a thrill because these singers are so great, but listening to all of the cuts back-to-back was an overwhelming experience. Getting the opportunity to sing with them was an honor." With worldwide record sales exceeding 80 million, Barry Manilow is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time, according to R&R (Radio & Records).  His track record includes no less than 25 consecutive top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Duets Tracklisting:
Title - With - From album (Year)
1. You've Got A Friend - Melissa Manchester - The Greatest Songs of the Seventies (2007)
2.  Hey Mambo - Kid Creole & the Coconuts - Swing Street (1987)
3.  Let Me Be Your Wings - Debra Byrd - Thumbelina O.S. (1994)
4.  Cherish/Windy - The Association - Greatest Songs Of The Sixties (2006)
5.  Look To The Rainbow - Barbara Cook - Showstoppers (1991)
6.  Islands In The Stream - Reba McEntire - Greatest Songs Of The Eighties (2008)
7.  Big City Blues - Mel Torme (featuring Gerry Mulligan) - 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe (1984)
8.  On A Slow Boat To China - Bette Midler - Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook (2003)
9.  Run To Me - Dionne Warwick - Manilow Collection/20 Classic Hits (1985)
10.  Summertime - Diane Schuur (featuring Stan Getz) - Swing Street (1987)
11.  Sincerely/Teach Me Tonight - Phyllis McGuire - The Greatest Songs of the Fifties (2005)
12.  Blue - Sarah Vaughan - 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe (1984)
13.  Now And Forever - Sheena Easton - The Pebble and the Penguin O.S. (1995)
14.  I Won't Be The One To Let Go - Barbra Streisand - Duets (by Barbra Streisand) (2002)
15.  The Last Duet - Lily Tomlin - Barry (1980)

SADE & JOHN LEGEND TEAM FOR TOUR

Sade, known for their one of a kind timeless sound, have announced that acclaimed singer, songwriter and pianist, John Legend will join every date on their highly anticipated summer tour.  Legend is nominated for five Grammy Awards and two NAACP Awards this year for his collaboration with the Roots on the extraordinary new album Wake Up! The once in a lifetime tour, combining two of the most recognizable and powerful voices in R&B today, will begin on June 16th in Baltimore, Maryland at the 1st Mariner's Arena.  The Live Nation produced tour will make 50 concert stops in top arenas across North America, with additional dates to be announced soon.

John Legend, a six-time Grammy Award winner, is nominated for five additional awards at this weekend's telecast on February 13th for his work with the Roots on Wake Up!, including Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song ("Shine"), Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance ("Hang On In There"), Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals ("Shine"), and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance ("Hang On In There").  Legend is also nominated for two NAACP Image Awards at this year's ceremony on March 4th for Outstanding Album Wake Up! and Outstanding Group, Duo or Collaboration.

Sade is nominated for two Grammy Awards this year, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with VocalsBest R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Soldier of Love," both from their critically acclaimed new album, Soldier Of Love.  Selling over a million copies to-date, Soldier Of Love spent three weeks in the number one spot taking its rightful place among the collection of iconic Sade albums. Sade is also nominated for four NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Music Video ("Soldier of Love"), Outstanding Song ("Soldier of Love"), Outstanding Album (Soldier of Love) and Outstanding Female Artist.   for their hit "Babyfather" and

Sade with Special Guest John Legend Tour Dates:
June 16 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
June 19 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
June 21 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum
June 24 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center
June 28 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
June 30 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
July 6 Boston, MA TD Garden
July 15 Ft. Lauderdale, FL BankAtlantic Center
July 17 Orlando, FL Amway Center
August 5 Chicago, IL United Center
August 6 Chicago, IL United Center
August 13 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
August 19 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
August 20 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
August 25 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
August 27 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
August 30 Anaheim, CA Honda Center

T.K. BLUE - LATIN BIRD

T.K. Blue’s new CD Latin Bird, his first for Motéma Music and ninth as a leader, takes the alto saxophonist back to his musical and personal beginnings. Charlie “Bird” Parker was a major early inspiration for T.K., and eight of Parker’s classic compositions are ingeniously reworked in Afro-Cuban, Caribbean, Brazilian, and New Orleans second-line rhythms. The New York-born son of parents from Jamaica and Trinidad, and a mainstay of jazz master Randy Weston’s band since 1980, Blue is profoundly fluent in the various musical styles of Africa and the African Diaspora. “Barbados” is given a calypso arrangement and “Donna Lee” is played as a samba, while “Chi Chi,” “Si Si,” and “Buzzy” utilize a two-three clave. Also in the program is a gorgeous reading of “’Round Midnight,” the saxophonist’s all-time favorite ballad, as well as “He Flew Away Too Soon,” a solo alto saxophone improvisation dedicated to trombonist Benny Powell. Blue’s longtime friend and Weston band mate, Powell had been scheduled to play on "Latin Bird" but died a few days before the session.

Blue’s band for the occasion consists of pianist Theo Hill (“I’m intrigued by his sound, maturity, and creativity”), esteemed colleague Essiet Essiet on bass, Willie Martinez on drums and timbales (also part of T.K.’s previous album), and percussionist Roland Guerrero—the same quintet (with James Weidman filling in for Hill) who performed in December at the World Festival of Black Arts and Culture in Senegal, where Blue also performed with Weston. Special guests on Latin Bird include drummer Lewis Nash, heard on two selections, and trombonist and shell-blower Steve Turre, who contributed to three others.

Born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island, T.K. Blue began gigging around New York City in the mid-1970s with the Natives, a group led by South African pianist Ndikho Xaba. Through Xaba, he met Abdullah Ibrahim (then known as Dollar Brand) and joined his group in 1977. He spent three years touring the world with Ibrahim, with whom he recorded three albums.

Since 1980, Blue has been a member of Randy Weston’s band and currently serves as its musical director. “I’m indebted to him tremendously,” Blue says of the pianist. “He showed me a lot of things about life and how to be a man and also how to seek my heritage and find out about Africa.”

Blue spent much of the 1980s living in Paris and continued performing with Weston, who was also a resident of France. “There were a lot of African people there, which was attractive to me because I wanted to learn about my roots,” he says. “My dad and my grandfather were from Jamaica, but they used to talk to me a lot about Africa.”

The saxophonist, who played in Paris with musicians from throughout Africa, as well as from Brazil, Martinique, and Guadeloupe, made his first album there in 1986. Titled "Egyptian Oasis," the disc came to the attention of the United States Information Agency in France and led to three State Department-sponsored tours of Africa for Blue and his band.

The saxophonist's pcoming shows include Fri-Sat. 5/20-21 at Twins in Washington, DC. (Blue will also appear with his quartet at An Die Musik in Baltimore on Fri. 3/18.)

THE IMPRESSION'S 50th ANNIVERSARY SALUTE TO CURTIS MAYFIELD

Cool Pepper Disc’s debut release, The Impression’s 50th Anniversary Salute to Curtis Mayfield, serves as an emotive and poignant soundtrack for Black History Month, offering a vivid sonic recollection of the divisive 1960s civil rights movement. “Drawing inspiration from church, The Impressions songs reflected the country's social and political concerns of the time, capturing the mood and aspirations of America like no other during the 1960s,” said prominent songwriter/producer/publisher and Cool Pepper Disc founder Jerry Michael, “These legends of soul were the first group to bring inspirational messages into the pop market. They helped pioneer the genre.”

The Chicago-based Impressions exploded onto the music scene with the 1958 national hit “For Your Precious Love.” The song became a top five hit, and is widely accepted today as the catalyst for the emergence of Chicago Soul. The Impressions went on to become a powerhouse group of the "Soulful Sixties", providing a perpetual series of chart hits that served as the score for the civil rights movement. The group’s success was so prolific, The Impressions even managed to take a stand against the arrival of The Beatles, charting no less than five Top 20 hits in 1964, all crafted and tailored by Mayfield.

Cool Pepper’s first release features previously unreleased recordings of 17 Mayfield-penned hits, including "Keep on Pushin'", "Amen", "People Get Ready", "It's All Right", "Woman's Got Soul", "Talking About My Baby" and a never- before-heard extended version of the 1960s smash "Gypsy Woman" which has sat in a music vault since 1961.

"When 'Gypsy Woman' was originally recorded, it was too long for radio, so they cut the last verse for airplay," Michael stated. "The rest is history. It was a huge hit. Now fans will be able to hear the unreleased version for the very first time."

All the tracks on the Mayfield tribute album have been digitally re-mastered by Michael whose career has spanned more than 40 years. Michael initially achieved success as a recording artist for Capitol and Mercury/Smash Records, and went on to become an established music publisher, songwriter, studio owner, and record producer at Suite 900 in the United Artists Tower on Nashville's Music Row. His songs have been featured on gold, platinum and/or multi-platinum albums by top recording acts in pop, rock, R&B, country, adult contemporary and gospel, including Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops, Kansas, Pure Prarie League, Paul Overstreet, The Oak Ridge Boys, Rita Coolidge, Dobie Gray, Exile and Shirley Ceasar.

LISA LINDSLEY - EVERYTIME WE SAY GOODBYE

On her new recording, Everytime We Say Goodbye, jazz vocalist Lisa Lindsley makes a commanding debut as a storyteller and balladeer of the first order. With impeccable support from George Mesterhazy, the pianist and arranger, and bassist Fred Randolph, Lindsley is fearless in exploring the inner workings of her songs and what she calls “the moments of stillness between the lines.”

“As a singer, you are always trying to find your voice,” says Lindsley. “I believe I found it on this album, with the help of George Mesterhazy. Between the three of us, magic happened that weekend in the studio.”

Mesterhazy, best known as Shirley Horn’s pianist during the last several years of her life, and more recently as the musical director for the extraordinary San Francisco singer Paula West, was the catalyst for the session, which was scheduled spontaneously and without rehearsal. Yet Lisa and her musicians recorded most of the songs in first or second takes. “‘The Very Thought of You’ and ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye’ are masterpieces,” Mesterhazy says, “but the whole album is a snapshot of love, talent, and sincerity working in perfect synchronicity.”

Other highlights of the CD include Lisa’s readings of Blossom Dearie’s “Inside a Silent Tear”; “The Nearness of You,” which opens the album; and “Alice in Wonderland” (“I’m in love with Bill Evans and his version really made me want to sing it”).

“Every great song has a complete story in it, with a beginning, middle, and end,” Lindsley says. “When you’re singing you have to be connected to the words, or there’s nothing there, you have to have an emotional connection to the song. I want to tell the audience the story of the song, and my experience with acting helps that immensely.”

Lisa Lindsley was born and raised in Ogden, Utah, the daughter of a jazz-loving father and a former film actress mother who’d left Hollywood because of the McCarthy-era blacklist. By high school Lisa had discovered musical theater, a passion that carried through to college. She attended the prestigious California Institute for the Arts (CalArts) theater program, then spent a decade touring and performing with The Imagination Company.

Recorded during the breakup of her marriage, Everytime We Say Goodbye reflects the currents of longing, melancholy, and fortitude running through her life at that time. In concert, Lisa brings vivacious energy to the stage, with a repertoire reflecting her resilience and rekindled exuberance.

HERB ALPERT & LANI HALL - I FEEL YOU

Herb Alpert and Grammy award winning singer Lani Hall have added several West Coast dates to their "I Feel You" Tour which began reently at the Birchmere Theatre in Alexandria, Virginia.  New dates include stops in Seattle, San Francisco, Santa Monica and Costa Mesa, California.  The tour coincides with the release of their critically acclaimed I Feel You CD on Concord Jazz. "The couple's first studio album in 10 years is a gorgeous collection of re-imagined classics with a couple of Beatles tunes mixed in for good measure.  Both the trumpet legend and acclaimed vocalist, who've been married since 1973, are in fine form as they breathe fresh life into these songs through improvisation and new arrangements," raved USA TODAY in their three and a half star (*** 1/2) review. "Hall's smoky, emotional voice is perfectly suited to the material, especially 'Cast Your Fate to the Wind' and Tijuana Brass smash 'What Now My Love' and Alpert still blows a mean, seductively smooth horn," commented the Boston Herald. Herb and Lani's welcome return to the studio had a first week marked by a #3 debut on the Current Contemporary Jazz chart (according to Nielsen SoundScan) and a major profile on CBS Sunday Morning.

Herb Alpert & Lani Hall Upcoming "I Feel You" Tour Dates:
5/13/11 Seattle, WA Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
5/14/11 Seattle, WA Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
5/15/11 Seattle, WA Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
5/17/11 San Francisco, CA Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
5/19/11 Santa Monica, CA Santa Monica City College – The Broad Stage
5/20/11 Costa Mesa, CA Segerstrom Center for the Arts

http://www.herbalpert.com/

NEIL DIAMOND - THE BANG YEARS 1966-1968

With the Rock & Roll Roll Hall of Fame on March 14, Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings have just released Neil Diamond's The Bang Years 1966 - 1968, 23 core cuts establishing the artist's electrifying transition from struggling Tin Pan Alley songwriter to full-on American rock star lovingly restored to full-impact original mono for this definitive edition. Neil Diamond The Bang Years 1966 - 1968 was officially released everywhere on Tuesday, March 8.

The American independent label Bang Records was founded by songwriter Bert Berns ("Twist & Shout," "Hang On Sloopy") in 1965 and produced a string of AM pop radio hits in the mid-1960s  which included the earliest recordings of Neil Diamond, a Brill Building songwriter transitioning into performing his own songs.

Neil's period as a Bang records artist produced one of the most vibrant and timeless catalogs in pop history. Arriving on the American pop radio scene in the middle of the British invasion and an emerging West Coast psychedelia, Neil Diamond's songs of inner personal struggle and introspection, mixed with an exuberant love of life and sense of awe, struck a chord with an ever-expanding audience through some of the most beloved songs of his career: "Cherry, Cherry," "Solitary Man," "Kentucky Woman," "Shilo," "Red, Red Wine" and others.

Over the years, Neil's Bang Records catalog has inspired some of the most memorable covers in pop history: The Monkees' "I'm A Believer," the best-selling record of 1967; UB40's reggae-fied "Red, Red Wine," a US Number 1 in 1984; Urge Overkill's "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon," pulsing through Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" in 1994; and Johnny Cash's weighty "Solitary Man," on his third American Recordings album with Rick Rubin in 2000.

As a special bonus for Neil Diamond fans, the artist has written a set of extensive and revelatory liner notes especially for Neil Diamond The Bang Years 1966 - 1968, capturing his feelings about the songs and the era as only he could:

"I realized that something was happening that had never happened before for me. My new songs contained something that none of my previous ones had…they contained me and my life at their core.... I had finally found, on the crossroads of desperation and opportunity, the understanding of what I needed to do to write truly affecting songs—I had only to be open and honest, dammit, about my own life and experiences and to stop trying to make up silly songs about made up people, situations and relationships for singers whose lives and feelings I knew nothing about.

"'Solitary Man' would be the first of many 'me' songs and that element along with the superb quality of my producers Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the great recording engineers Tom Dowd, Phil Ramone and Brooks Arthur (who never once allowed me to double my voice—they wanted the real Neil), the musicians (who were the best players in the world) and our arranger, Artie ("It's been a real 'pressure' working with you") Butler would make all the difference.

"Throw all those elements together and you had the beginnings of a Big Bang career that all finally came together in one explosive spiritual expression of creativity. When the dust of that first session settled, my first chart record 'Solitary Man' was born and my life was forever changed. That day led to other days and other sessions and other spiritual moments which were all connected to my life and dreams."


Neil Diamond - The Bang Years 1966 - 1968

TRACK LIST:
1 SOLITARY MAN
2 CHERRY, CHERRY
3 GIRL, YOU'LL BE A WOMAN SOON
4 KENTUCKY WOMAN
5 THANK THE LORD FOR THE NIGHT TIME
6 YOU GOT TO ME
7 I'M A BELIEVER
8 RED, RED WINE
9 THE BOAT THAT I ROW
10 DO IT
11 NEW ORLEANS 
12 MONDAY, MONDAY
13 RED RUBBER BALL
14 I'LL COME RUNNING
15 LA BAMBA
16 THE LONG WAY HOME
17 I'VE GOT THE FEELING (OH NO NO)
18 YOU'LL FORGET
19 LOVE TO LOVE
20 SOMEDAY BABY
21 HANKY PANKY 
22 THE TIME IS NOW
23 SHILO

http://www.columbiarecords.com/
http://www.legacyrecordings.com/
http://www.neildiamond.com/

THE 858 QUARTET - SIGN OF LIFE

Grammy-winning guitarist and composer Bill Frisell has reassembled The 858 Quartet and is preparing for the release of Sign Of Life, their first recording in over five years.  The 858 Quartet was conceived when Frisell was commissioned to compose music inspired by the artist Gerhard Richter's 858 series of paintings which was exhibited by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.  Produced by longtime collaborator Lee Townsend and recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California in late 2010, Sign Of Life features Frisell on guitar, Jenny Scheinman on violin, Eyvind Kang on viola and Hank Roberts on cello. Technically a string quartet, Frisell steers clear of any preconceptions with his distinctive textural and rhythmic guitar playing which anchors a tight yet improvisational ensemble. Sign of Life is set for release on the Savoy Jazz label on April 26th.

Says Frisell: "I write the music down on paper. It is difficult to say what is composed, orchestrated, improvised, or arranged. I don't really have to tell anyone what to do. It is a musical language alive and changing all the time…growing and developing."

Bill Frisell will be performing throughout the year including a residency at the Village Vanguard from April 19-May 1.  In addition, Frisell is at work recording his definitive interpretations of John Lennon songs which is set for release in September 2011 and Floratone, his collaborative group that includes Matt Chamberlain, Tucker Martine and Lee Townshend, scheduled for March 2012.

Sign Of Life track listing:
1. It's A Long Story (1)  (2:39)
2. Old Times (4:59)
3. Sign Of Life (2:49)
4. Friend Of Mine  (5:48)
5. Wonderland (3:18)
6. It's A Long Story (2)   (6:32)
7. Mother Daughter (2:20)
8. Youngster (3:01)
9. Recollection (2:54)
10. Suitcase In My Hand (2:22)
11. Sixty Four (3:52)
12. Friend Of Mine (2)   (1:49)
13. Painter (1:14)
14. Teacher (1:28)
15. All The People, All The Time (2:05)
16. Village (4:20)
17. As It Should Be (1:50)

MONTY ALEXANDER - UPLIFT

Jamaican jazz piano man Monty Alexander is acclaimed the world over for his seemingly extraterrestrial technique and sublime, heartfelt swing. Now with the release of his Jazz Legacy Productions debut Uplift, the pianist opens his personal concert archives to eager listeners everywhere, for an unforgettably riveting recorded affair. "Music is a healing force," Alexander says, who is joined by bassist Hassan Shakur, drummer Herlin Riley, as well as drummer Frits Landesbergen (on one track). "My hope is that by the end of a concert, and by the end of this album too, everybody will be taken with a feeling of uplift. That's what I always want to do." Featuring performances from Alexander's acclaimed live concerts over a three-year period, Uplift includes tracks the prodigious pianist has made his own over a storied, fifty-year career. From heartfelt renditions of standards like "Come Fly With Me" and "Body And Soul," to affecting originals like "Renewal" and "Hope," the album grooves hard and wide, much like Alexander himself. "I like to paint a rainbow of many emotions during a program," Alexander says. "You'll hear me play some blues with a good, old backbeat like 'One Mint Julep," and then I play "Django," which is a very reverential piece to me, having known so many of the musicians associated with it. For me, almost everything I play has a personal reference."

 Alexander was born in Kingston, Jamaica and felt the gravitational pull of music at an early age. "When I was a kid in my Country, I used to hear the folk bands play Calypso music and other songs made popular by people like Harry Belafonte," Alexander explains. "Every time I came into contact with the musicians playing that music, there was always joy. And that was my whole experience with music and what led me to be a musician in the first place." Self-taught and unable to read traditional music notation, Alexander's seemingly unorthodox approach to the piano would not prevent him from attaining widespread global acclaim. He would make musical waves in his homeland first, (leading the group Monty and The Cyclones), and soon after, his two-fisted piano pyrotechnics would send him into the musical stratosphere, performing and/or recording with legendary artists like Frank Sinatra, Milt Jackson, Ray Brown, and countless others. A commanding career as a solo artist would soon follow, with Alexander recording over sixty albums as a leader himself, and anchoring countless tours to support them.

Uplift finds Alexander at the peak of his creative form, with the kind of musically adventurous set the esteemed pianist's concerts are known for. The album opens with a swinging nod to Frank Sinatra on the Jimmy Van Heusen/Sammy Cahn standard "Come Fly With Me," with Alexander's technical tenacity on full, recorded display. "That tune takes me right back to Frank Sinatra sitting in the back room at Jilly's when I was playing piano there at the age on nineteen, he says. "I like to tell people that I'm really a saloon piano player at heart." Other arresting album tracks include the scintillating, shuffle-fied "One Mint Julep," and a stride-meets-Monk take on "Sweet Georgia Brown," with a nod to two of Alexander's musical mentors. "The real heroes on that tune for me were Nat "King" Cole and Oscar Peterson," he explains. "Nat Cole had a real simultaneously hot and cool style in his fingers, and Oscar Peterson's mastery of the piano, powerful rhythm and full orchestral approach was very effecting to me." Known for his ability to leap tall chord changes at breakneck speeds, Alexander surprises on Uplift with a healthy dose of musical variety as well. A mournful reading of John Lewis' venerable jazz ballad "Django," (complete with mid-song swing interlude), a masterfully-modulating, waltz-like rendition of the jazz staple "Body and Soul," and nods to his Jamaican homeland on Calypso-flavored tracks like his own "Home" and Blue Mitchell's "Fungi Mama," round the album out with fire-filled flair.

montyalexander.com 

LEE RITENOUR - 6 STRING THEORY

Lee Ritenour has announced the launch of the second annual Yamaha Six String Theory Guitar Competition, in partnership with the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation and the National Guitar Workshop. Entries will be accepted from February 15-April 30 for rock, blues, jazz/fusion, acoustic, classical/flamenco and country guitar players. Six winners from each musical genre will be invited to Montana for the finals and will receive scholarships to participate in The Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop. The final competition will take place in conjunction with the workshop’s activities and is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at the Bigfork Performing Arts Center. The event will be open to the public. The contest is the inspiration of the legendary GRAMMY® award winning guitarist/composer and producer, Lee Ritenour, who debuted the international competition in 2010 with the release of his all-star guitar CD, 6 String Theory. The CD has been named Guitar International’s “Best Album of 2010,” Jazziz’ “Publisher’s Album of the Year – and culminated in Ritenour recently receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from Guitar Player Magazine. The CD features 20 world-class guitarists including George Benson, BB King, Slash, Vince Gill, Robert Cray, and the winner of the 2010 competition Shon Boublil. Prizes for this year’s competition include a weeklong stay at Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork for a family of four, a potential Concord Records recording contract, a National Guitar Workshop scholarship, as well as many other prizes from Yamaha Guitars, Monster Cable, D’Addario Strings, and others. Competitors are required to send an online video submission. To enter and for complete contest rules and regulations, visit http://www.sixstringtheory.com/.

AMBROSE AKINMSIRE - WHEN THE HEART EMERGES GLISTENING

Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire has announced Spring tour dates with his quintet in the U.S. and Europe in support of his forthcoming Blue Note Records debut When The Heart Emerges Glistening. The tour will kick off April 14 with a four-night engagement at the Jazz Standard in New York City, and includes a 12-date run in Europe, as well as a homecoming performance at SFJAZZ in San Francisco on May 22 and an appearance at the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles on June 11. Akinmusire.' touring quintet will feature tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown. Additional Summer tour dates in the U.S. and Europe will be announced shortly.

 TOUR DATES:

April 14-17 – Jazz Standard – New York, NY
April 26 – Redwood Jazz Alliance – Arcata, CA
April 28 – Outpost Performance Space – Albuquerque, NM
April 29 – Detroit Institute of the Arts – Detroit, MI
May 1 – Tri-C JazzFest – Cleveland, OH
May 6 – Vincenza Jazz – Vincenza, Italy
May 7 – La Spirale – Fribourg, Switzerland
May 9 – Musig im Ochsen – Muri, Switzerland
May 10 – A-Trane – Berlin, Germany
May 11 – Sendesaal Bremen – Bremen, Germany
May 12 – Club Unterfahrt – Munich, Germany

May 13 – Théâtre de Cavaillon – Cavaillon, France

May 14 – Bimhuis – Amsterdam, The Netherlands

May 16 – DeWerf – Brugge, Belgium

May 17 – Jazz à Saint-Germain-Des-Pres 2011 – Paris, France

May 18 – Ronnie Scott’s – London, United Kingdom

May 19 – Club Fasching – Stockholm, Sweden

May 21 – Athenaeum’s San Diego Studio – San Diego, CA

May 22 – SFJAZZ @ Yerba Buena Center  for the Arts – San Francisco, CA

May 23-24 – Daly Jazz – Missoula, MT

June 11 – Playboy Jazz Festival – Los Angeles, CA

MISHKA @ THE 2ND ANNUAL PUNTA SAYULITA CLASSIC

Mishka is an authentic musician in an underrepresented genre with an incredible story—from growing up on a boat in Bermuda to having one of film's most iconic figures, Matthew McConaughey, start his own record label exclusively for his music. McConaughey first became familiar with Mishka on New Year's Eve in 2000 after he had been unable to sleep for three consecutive days. When he heard Mishka's music, McConaughey admits he "slept like a baby for 5 straight hours," and was immediately hooked to Mishka's comfort-inducing, soulful melodies. McConaughey became a man on a mission, determined to track down the artist that was behind the "soundtrack of his life," and searched for Mishka for almost five years before finally catching him at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. McConaughey made a quick phone call to his lawyer upon meeting Mishka and officially created the j.k. livin record label to release Mishka's music to the masses. Mishka's 2009 release, "Above the Bones," debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts, and Mishka was named 2009's Best New Artist by iTunes in the Singer/Songwriter category.

Mishka will perform a special benefit concert on Saturday night, March 12th, following Day 1 of competition at the 2nd Annual Punta Sayulita Longboard & Stand-Up Paddle Classic. The free concert will be recorded by Telehit, Mexico’s #1 music television channel, for airing on Telehit at a later date. “We are excited to announce that Mishka will be playing at the Punta Sayulita Classic- Mishka’s reggae roots music has great sound and soul and will be a fantastic addition to the weekend festivities for all to enjoy the ‘aloha spirit’ of the Punta Sayulita Classic. Moreover, the fact that Mishka, having grown up a waterman himself and having an appreciation for the ocean and environment are attributes that make him an ideal fit for the Punta Sayulita Classic,” according to Kevin Roberts of Punta Sayulita.

“This year’s Punta Sayulita Classic is very fortunate again to feature some of the world’s top ranked professional longboard and SUP surfers and paddlers along with a mix of talented amateurs which is one of the unique qualities of this charity event,” added Roberts. We are also pleased to announce another addition to the event schedule whereby on Friday, March 11, a surfing clinic for special needs and underprivileged children from Sayulita and the greater Bay of Banderas area will feature personalized instruction by Malibu, California longboard surfer Jimmy Gamboa and members of his TheraSURF Foundation along with other participating Punta Sayulita Classic professionals and instructors from local Sayulita surf schools.

Mishka was named the 2009 “Best New Artist” by digital music leader iTunes. In March 2010, Mishka released his fourth album, Talk About, featuring tracks produced by Butch Walker and a collaboration with country legend Willie Nelson. The album debuted at #1 on the iTunes Reggae Music Charts. Mishka’s 2009 release, Above the Bones, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts and was followed by an extensive world tour.

http://www.mishka.com/

BIANCA ROSSINI – KISS OF BRASIL

Producer Peter Roberts of BDM Records has announced the release of multi-talented, singer and songwriter Bianca Rossini’s debut album, Kiss of Brasil. The evocative original songs of Kiss of Brasil are destined to become Bossa Nova classics alongside of those written by João Giberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim; the “fathers” of Bossa Nova. Kiss of Brasil’s intoxicating beat is the new extended genre of Brazilian music that’s taking over the cool jazz movement. Kiss of Brasil offers mesmerizing songs, like: Ipanema Paraiso, Nós Dois, and Corazón de Oro that are destined to become hits. The album contains songs, which were co-written with Marilyn Berglas, Harvey Mason, Peter Roberts, Ken Hirsch, Steve Rawlins and Patrick Lockwood. The album also includes performances by Grant Geissman, Grecco Buratto, Roberto Montero, Marco Tulio, and Sandro Feliciano.

A significant voice in Brazilian music, Rio de Janeiro-born, Los Angeles based Bianca Rossini is renowned for her sensuous performances of Bossa Nova, Samba and Bolero at the forefront of L.A.'s current wave of Brazilian music. Kiss of Brasil is the latest achievement in Bianca’s multi- faceted career, which includes featured film and television acting roles opposite stars that include James Spader, Hector Elizondo, Richard Dreyfuss, Christian Slater, Dick Van Dyke and Dom DeLuise. Bianca also appeared in Moon Over Parador, The Fast One, Brainiacs, Mobsters, and Bad Influence. Bianca has composed music for TV series The Sentinel and Chicago Hope. Along with producing and hosting The Bianca Rossini Show, a weekly Los Angeles TV talk show, Bianca has authored three books: Love in Black and White (2009), A Brazilian Heart – Rubies, Murder, Love and Other Poems (2006), and Julia – Confessions of a Brazilian Super Model (2001).

Taking a cue from her friend and co-writer, music critic Don Heckman, Bianca created an album that is sure to fan the flames of romance. Bianca grew up with international musical influences, and has always had a gift for composing lyrics and music. She has co-written with Brazil's leading composer and singer Sergio Santos, Claudio Nucci and Andre Mehmari. In the LA area, Bianca has also written with Dana Kaproff, Jon Gilutin, Don Heckman and Glenn Scott Lacey. Bianca has stopped counting after writing more than 350 songs in less than 2 years! Kiss of Brazil available on the world wide net stores after March 10, 2011.

To listen to Bianca's Kiss of Brasil sample songs go to http://www.biancarossini.com/cd-page

BARRY WHITE FOR THE DIGITAL AGE

Barry White was the ultimate Love Man; known for his sensual deep voice, size, and highly romantic image. From his own records to his own orchestra and "girl group," Barry has ruled the heart of his fans for more than four decades. He is a five-time Grammy Award-winner with his greatest soul, funk, and disco successes in the 1970s as a solo artist. Barry White has many gold and platinum albums and singles, with worldwide sales of over 100 million albums. He also appeared on many television shows such as Soul Train, The Today Show, and even guest appearances on The Simpsons. Now Barry White is about to have a digital presence via the Penté Group, a leading developer of entertaining applications for mobile devices and social media based on entertainment personalities' licenses, today announced an exclusive digital media partnership with the estate of Barry White to create and develop mobile and social applications while controlling and maintaining barrywhite.com. The agreement will create a unique experience around Barry White who was known for his deep, seductive voice and sultry music.

"Penté Group has the experience and understanding of the music industry to know how best to develop and host creative web sites, mobile media applications and social networking for any artist," noted Jack Perry, Management, Barry White Estate. "Their idea of fun and entertaining mobile apps featuring Barry White will please every fan. Barry would have loved taking his legacy to the next level with the technology Penté can provide." Under the partnership, Penté Group will be developing a series of mobile and social applications for multiple platforms while controlling and maintaining a new web presence for Barry White and plans to roll out iPhone and Facebook platforms in 2011 and will likely add other popular platforms in the coming months. The applications will reflect Barry White's unique personality while leveraging his voice and music to create both novelty and fan driven applications.

JAZZ IN THE GARDENS ADDS ISLEY BROTHERS TO LINEUP

Jazz in the Gardens has announced a new addition to the star-studded line up to include The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald & Ernest Isley "Celebrating 50 Years Of Music" to the sixth annual music festival. The festival returns to Miami Gardens' SunLife Stadium, March 19 and 20, 2011for the 6th consecutive year. This highly anticipated performance marks the first time in over five years that The Isley Brothers have performed together. With a music catalogue spanning over 50 years including hits, "Twist & Shout," "It's Your Thing," "Summer Breeze" and "Between The Sheets," this performance is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Elyse Murray, CEO of Elyse Group 7, Agent for The Isley Brothers, comments, "We wanted to preserve music history by reuniting The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald and Ernest Isley for the sake of the next generation. They are living, walking archival legends of all genres of music," says Murray. "Now everyone can see them making history at Jazz in the Gardens."

Saturday, March 19, 2011, Jazz in the Gardens attendees will be treated to electrifying performances by Ms. Lauryn Hill, Charlie Wilson, Al Jarreau, Lalah Hathaway and Bobby Brown/Johnny Gill/Ralph Tresvant aka "Heads of State." On Sunday, March 20, 2011 the line-up will feature R&B legends The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald & Ernest Isley, Gladys Knight, EnVogue, and Branford Marsalis. 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.

http://www.jazzinthegardens.com/

ROBERT HURST – BOB YA HEAD & UNREHURST VOL. 2

Robert Hurst has delivered two released simultaneously - two new and very different CDs on his Bebob imprint—Bob Ya Head, an intriguing foray into world music and electronica (with Darryl “Munyungo” Jackson, Marcus Belgrave, and Karriem Riggins), and Unrehurst Vol. 2, a 2007 all-acoustic trio date recorded at Smoke in New York City (with Robert Glasper and Chris “Daddy” Dave). Robert Hurst was born in Detroit and took up bass as a young boy after seeing the Modern Jazz Quartet perform and meeting Percy Heath. Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, a Detroit icon, was an early mentor for Hurst, who began working professionally with Belgrave at 15. After meeting drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts on a gig, Hurst was recommended by Tain to his boss, Wynton Marsalis, whose group the bassist joined after college and with whom he recorded seven albums for Columbia.

In 1989, Hurst began working with Branford Marsalis and remained for five years, again recording for Columbia. Hurst continued on with Branford to California to begin work on The Tonight Show. When Marsalis left leadership of the show’s band in 1994, Hurst stayed on for another six years. “It is so rewarding to finally be releasing this new music,” says the bassist. “It’s been quite a magical journey becoming the man and musician my audience has come to know. The majority of my fans identify me as a ‘straight-ahead’ jazz bass sideman, and while I love playing jazz and will always do so, I found it necessary as an artist to express my many other musical influences. I believe the one constant in jazz is ‘change.’ Each generation has broken the mold of the previous. With so much more of my music already written and even recorded, I look forward to all of my upcoming projects further addressing the notion of change and the evolution of our music.”

Hurst, who in 2008 became an Associate Professor of Music with tenure at the University of Michigan, worked on Bob Ya Head over a two-year period while commuting between Los Angeles and relocating to his native Michigan. He describes the music on his latest release as “the culmination of my experiences while working and living in L.A,” where he was based throughout the 1990s, as a founding member of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno’s Tonight Show Band. Also, while becoming an active studio musician on the Los Angeles music scene, he “got into world music and heard African musicians and musicians of all ethnicities.” Hurst’s electric and acoustic bass playing is featured on the Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen soundtracks, “and a lot of that music had an electronica-type vibe. Some of it sounds really acoustic, but it’s quite sampled and very high-tech.”

Due to record-breaking winter storms, Unrehurst Vol. 2 was recorded in New York without any rehearsal, but Hurst, pianist Robert Glasper, and drummer Chris Dave clicked from the moment they hit the bandstand and their empathy is evident from the adventurous performances on the new disc. Hurst describes Dave as “an underground, super funky cat.” Glasper, the bassist says, “is open to all kinds of music, and he’s extremely fearless. It’s the gamut of total restraint to total abandon.” Glasper was also featured on Unrehurst Vol. 1 (Bebob, 2001), with drummer Damion Reid.

The bassist debuted on record as a leader in 1993 with Robert Hurst Presents: Robert Hurst(DIW/Columbia), featuring Kenny Kirkland, Branford Marsalis, Marcus Belgrave, Ralph Jones, and Jeff “Tain” Watts. Most of the music on the disc was specifically written with this exact personnel in mind. The following year, Hurst released a trio session, "One for Namesake" (DIW/Columbia), with Kirkland and Elvin Jones.

In recent years, the bassist has recorded and toured extensively with Diana Krall and Chris Botti, and continues to do so. He’s maintained his long association with Jeff “Tain” Watts and will perform with the drummer’s band at the Jazz Standard in New York 1/18-23 and at the Detroit Institute of the Arts 2/11 (also featuring Geri Allen).

Hurst is planning his CD release show—at Detroit’s Virgil Carr Center 3/11—and is scheduling a series of spring and summer appearances across the nation. He’s also preparing a fall 2011 release of "Bob: A Palindrome" (on Bebob), a sextet session with Glasper, Belgrave, Branford Marsalis, Tain Watts, and Bennie Maupin. “Branford recently told me, ‘You’ve got to be brave to do what WE do,’” says Hurst. “I boldly agree and look forward to compiling a wealth of work which exemplifies such bravery!”

SOLOMON BURKE – HOLD ON TIGHT

Solomon Burke recorded his final album in October 2009 in Brussels, Belgium with the Dutch band De Dijk.  One year later, on October 10th, the "King of Rock 'n' Soul" died on his way to Amsterdam where he was to perform with De Dijk.  Now that masterful album, which was issued in Europe prior to his passing and reached platinum status, debuts in the U.S.  Hold On Tight (Verve Forecast), which will be released March 22, 2011, from Solomon Burke & De Dijk, marks the legendary singer's last musical testament.

Burke first met De Dijk when they shared a stage in the Netherlands in 2007.  The quintessential Dutch rock and soul band (eight members including a horn section) is considered to be one of the most important Dutch bands of the past 25 years but had never recorded in English.  But with their musical hero Burke taking on lead vocals and co-writing the music and lyrics of every song but "Text Me," they recorded an album in English for the first time.  Also featured is music icon and long-time friend of Burke, Jools Holland, on piano for "What A Woman."

Burke and De Dijk worked together on Hold On Tight at the ICP studios in Brussels for six days. The (originally Dutch) songs of De Dijk were translated in English and re-recorded with Burke for this special occasion including the band's hit songs like Hold On Tight (Hou me vast), What A Woman (Wat een vrouw), Good For Nothing (Nergens goed voor), Seventh Heaven (Zevende hemel), I Gotta Be With You (Ik kan het niet alleen), and My Rose Saved From The Street (Mijn van straat geredde roos).

In the mid-'60s, Burke scored a series of R&B and pop hits for Atlantic Records, including his signature R&B #1 "Got To Get You Off Of My Mind," R&B #2 "Tonight's The Night" and classic "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love."  Enormously influential not only with his music but also his stage presence, Burke always performed wearing a regal robe and sporting a crown.  In the 2000s, he enjoyed a revival of interest, in 2003 winning a Grammy for Don't Give Up On Me.  Two years earlier, he had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a fitting honor for a man who bridged gospel, blues and R&B, the very foundations of rock and roll.

Hold On Tight Tracklisting:
Hold On Tight
My Rose Saved From The Street
What A Woman
No One
More Beauty
I Gotta Be With You
Seventh Heaven
Good For Nothing
Text Me
Don't Despair
The Bend
Perfect Song

Musicians: De Dijk with Solomon Burke; Peter van Soest trumpet; Kim Kops keyboards; Huub van derLubbe vocals; Nico Arzbach guitar; Hans van der Lubbe bass; Roland Brunt sax; JB Meijers guitar

http://www.thekingsolomonburke.com/

FREDDIE HUBBARD – PINNACLE, LIVE AND UNRELEASED FROM KEYSTONE KORNER

Freddie Hubbard was, next to Miles Davis, the most dramatic and far-reaching brass player of the past 60 years. He died at age 70 in December 2008, leaving a legacy of some 100 recordings under his own name and with everyone from Wes Montgomery and Art Blakey to Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Oscar Peterson, Quincy Jones, Dexter Gordon, George Benson, Sarah Vaughan, Max Roach, Count Basie, Ornette Coleman and many others. Throughout the course of his luminous international career, Hubbard established a standard of pure sound that brass players aspire to today. Hubbard's explosive and lyrical virtuosity (first noted during a high school band performance in his hometown of Indianapolis) as well as his flow of brilliant, spontaneous ideas and determination to play loudest, hardest, fastest and most imaginatively, will never go out of style. Pinnacle comprises more than an hour of highest level performances by Hubbard on trumpet and flugelhorn, with pianist Billy Childs, bassist Larry Klein (better known now as Joni Mitchell's producer), saxophonists Hadley Caliman and David Schnitter, trombonist Phil Ranelin, and drummers Eddie Marshall and Sinclair Lott.

From the very start of Pinnacle, Live And Unreleased From Keystone Korner it's clear Hubbard and company came to Keystone Korner to play. "The Intrepid Fox," a memorable tune from Hubbard's 1970 hit album Red Clay, contains one of the trumpeter's signature solo strategies: He rises within a minute from intimate musings to sustained trills and an acrobatic upper register push, resolving it all in a post-climactic chorus replete with perfectly placed lip buzzes. "First Light," the title-track from Hubbard's 1971 album, is a swinging mid-tempo blues in which the trumpeter quickly shifts to double-time.

"One of Another Kind" was Hubbard's contribution to the repertoire of V.S.O.P., the mid '70s hard-bop quintet he co-led with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. "Happiness Is Now," which Hubbard introduced on his 1980 studio album Skagly, is one of his unusual tunes, and pairs languid melody with hip back-beat. "The Summer Knows," Michel Legrand's ballad for the soundtrack of the film Summer of '42, is graced with some of Hubbard's warmest, most relaxed feelings. It's followed by "Blues for Duane," which is inspired by Hubbard's son and portrays another dazzling, top octave trumpet solo.

Pinnacle concludes with Hubbard's only known recording of "Giant Steps," Coltrane's chord-racing composition, which has become a jazz standard, with its peculiar set of chord progressions and racing tempo. In eight choruses of variation stretching over four and a half minutes, Hubbard demonstrates complete mastery of the difficult line's fast-paced changes. Here and on "One of Another Kind" tenor saxophonist Caliman, who died in September 2010, solos with power to match Hubbard's own. Throughout all of Pinnacle, Hubbard enjoys solid support from his working ensemble, most especially grand- and electric-pianist Childs, who joined Hubbard's band shortly after his graduation from University of Southern California as a composition major. Childs has earned continued acclaim as an instrumentalist and music writer, receiving a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship in 2009. Drummers Eddie Marshall and Sinclair Lott share responsibilities for unfailing propulsive rhythms.

Though the world is poorer now that Freddie Hubbard is gone, it gets richer as previously unheard documentation of his art emerges for the public to savor. Pinnacle, Live and Unreleased: From Keystone Korner is an occasion for rejoicing in the thrills and beauty Freddie Hubbard could wring from his trumpet and flugelhorn. It is as the title suggests, music by a jazz giant in peak form.

http://www.resonancerecords.org/

YELLOWJACKETS - TIMELINE

New from jazz group Yellowjackets is their latest release – Timeline. In music, time flies, styles unstoppably evolve, and bands come and go. But there are also rare stable, forward-moving forces on the scene, one prime example in jazz being the Yellowjackets. As of 2011, this beloved eclectic, electro-acoustic jazz band that keyboardist Russell Ferrante and bassist Jimmy Haslip built celebrates the ripe young, deep age of 30, a milestone commemorated with another powerful and heartfelt album, fittingly named Timeline.

In fact, Timeline is a special occasion on more than just the 30th anniversary front, also being the first step in a new relationship with the respected jazz label Mack Avenue Records, and the first new album with an important alumnus back in the ranks, the dynamic and flexible drummer Will Kennedy. Kennedy, who worked with the group for ten years and appeared on half its discography to date, returns to the ranks after a dozen years away. He fits seamlessly into the band, alongside Ferrante, Haslip and the multi-talented saxophonist-composer Bob Mintzer, whose critical role in helping define the group's current sound goes back to 1991.

For longtime Yellowjackets fans, the new album arrives as a confirmation and extension of the high expectations for this band. For new listeners, it's an ideal introduction. Timeline is the band's 21st official recording not including special side projects and guest spots. The band's background gleams with various honors, including 17 Grammy nominations and two Grammy awards to show for their efforts - so far. As Haslip explains, "We get extremely engaged with every project and we try to elevate and open things up. That's always the goal with every project. I'm not saying we always succeed. But the focus is to always try to do something that is hopefully engaging. And being that Russell, myself and the guys in the band have a certain chemistry." He adds, with a laugh, "It's not easy to accomplish this after thirty years."

For this eleven-track song set, most of the material was penned by the prolific and inspired Mintzer and Ferrante, kicking off with Mintzer's bold, boppish but propulsively-grooving "Why is It" and the snaky, syncopated and aptly-named "Tenacity," which could also be an operative descriptor for the group's m.o. Ferrante's title track is a lovely and lyrical, anthem-like piece, its melody-a sweet but also artfully thickening plot--stated first on Haslip's fretless bass and expanding into saxophone and arrangement twists. It's as if the song's emotional grounding and searching qualities tell the tale of this band, to date.

Musically, the terrain on Timeline is characteristically diverse but also cohesive, melodically accessible and also gently experimental, in keeping with the Jackets' concept for three decades. Beautiful balladry, such as Ferrante's "Indivisible" and Mintzer's "My Soliloquy," intertwine with modern-day variations on traditional swing themes, on Mintzer's "Like Elvin" (also one of the songs featuring a new sound for the band, guest trumpeter John Diversa) and Ferrante's "Numerology." Kennedy's one composition, "Rosemary," explores an inventive rhythmic-melodic feel, with its lyrical balladic melody laying atop an exotic drum groove.

And roughly in the middle of it all comes the slinky-funky Ferrante-Haslip tune "Magnolia," originally written during the time of the 2008 album Lifecycle, but coming fully to light here. And as it happens, that song becomes a great vehicle for another strong historical linkage in the band's history, as guitarist Robben Ford makes a rare cameo on record, with a spicy wah-wah-fied guitar solo. This is Ford's first appearance on a Yellowjackets album since 1994's Run For Your Life, engaging in easy dialogue with the band he half-accidentally launched.

Yellowjackets, as a unit, was actually assembled for Ford's popular 1978 album Inside Story. Remembering back to the Inside Story project, Haslip laughs "I wasn't even thirty years old when we did that. I think I was 26 or 27. About a year later, in 1980 we got a deal with Warner, through Tommy Lipuma, to do an instrumental record! That was a really exciting moment, to actually realize that we had been signed by a major record label to do an instrumental project. Our first recording, Yellowjackets, was released in 1981."

And from those humble, auspicious and unforced beginnings grew the long and ongoing saga of one of jazz' most long-lasting bands. Another early blast of affirmation came after they received a Grammy nomination for that 1981 debut album. "We never thought that could happen," Haslip recalls. "We didn't win, but just having a nomination was certainly a boost, a shot in the arm. “Multiple chapters and subplots have wended through the band's history, including the presence of more R&B-geared alto saxophonist Marc Russo for most of the '80s, before Mintzer's jazzier voice shifted the stylistic balance. Drummers have included Peter Erskine, for a brief and unfortunately unrecorded incarnation, a happy decade long stretch with Marcus Baylor, and Kennedy, then, now and into the future.

All along, the band has mastered the art of being both accessible and adventurous, with strong grooves and melodies blended in with surprising twists. Calling them a "fusion" band doesn't do the project justice. Haslip comments, "I think it's just how we're wired. We are very passionate about the music, obviously, and I we love to listen to everything. It motivates us in many ways. And with that motivation, we are also creatively inspired to continue our progression." All in all, Timeline is another significant link in the strong historical chain of this band's story. Haslip notes that "We have a legacy that follows us around, going on thirty years now, which is self-propelled at this point and fuels our motivation and honorable intent to create music. But at the same time, it takes patience, hard work and nurturing.

http://www.yellowjackets.com/

THE ANGELA BOFILL EXPERIENCE RETURNS

Smooth Jazz New York, New York City's premier live jazz concert promoter, has announced the return of The Angela Bofill Experience for 2 shows at 7:30pm and 10:00pm on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in Times Square.

Back by popular demand, the show features star-studded performances including Grammy award winner Dave Valentin, Maysa, and Kim Waters. As most fans know, longtime Jazz/R&B music great Angela Bofill suffered a stroke in early 2006. Later that year, she received the SoulTracks Lifetime Achievement Award and appeared to be on her way to recovery. Unfortunately, in July 2007, Angie suffered another massive stroke and was in critical condition for quite some time. "We feel very fortunate to be able to present Angela Bofill's special New York City return engagement and support her in the next phase of what has been an amazing career," notes Sam Kimball, Smooth Jazz New York co-founder. "Fans recognize her musical contributions and continue to come out in full force to see this dynamic woman and the talented line up she has assembled to share her music."

The show features a narrative from Ms. Bofill and a musical presentation of the songs most relevant to her career. "Angel of the Night," "This Time I'll Be Sweeter," "Break it to me Gently," "Under the Moon and Over the Sky," "I'll Try," and many other songs will be performed by Bofill's longtime friend and confidante Dave Valentin, captivating vocalist Maysa, and critically acclaimed saxophonist Kim Waters. In between the talented line up's performances, Angela will provide on-stage narratives about the tunes, touching on some humorous anecdotes.

Smooth Jazz New York is a subsidiary of Marquee Concerts, producers of the CD101.9 Smooth Cruises for the last 12 years. With CD101.9 off the air, enthusiasts of this genre of music have come to rely on Smooth Jazz New York to fill the void. The organization produces and promotes New York's biggest and best Smooth Jazz shows and serves as the portal for live jazz shows in the New York Metropolitan area. Learn more at

http://www.smoothjazznewyork.com/

TRI-C JAZZFEST CLEVELAND FEATURING SMOKEY ROBINSON, DAVE KOZ, TROMBONE SHORTY & OTHERS...

From April 28 to May 8, the 32nd annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland will feature a line-up of jazz, blues and R&B artists from around the corner and across the globe. Iconic R&B singer and songwriter Smokey Robinson, the King of Motown, plays JazzFest for the first time, crooning selections from his seemingly endless arsenal of Top 40 hits. Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Cleveland Orchestra salute Ella Fitzgerald, the First Lady of Song, plus Orchestre National de Jazz, straight from France, pays tribute to drummer and vocalist Robert Wyatt. The always popular Smooth Jazz All-Stars return with an award-winning cast, including Dave Koz and Brian Simpson, and "avant-groove" group Medeski, Martin & Wood highlight a jam-band evening of free jazz, funk and hip hop. New Orleans legend Trombone Shorty and his band Orleans Avenue kick off the festival with their rollicking "Supafunkrock" sound at the House of Blues. JazzFest continues its tradition of spotlighting up-and-coming artists with the "Debut Series," this year featuring trumpet players Ambrose Akinmusire and Maurice Brown and saxophonist Tia Fuller. "Women in Jazz" salutes singer Betty Carter, the Godmother of Jazz, while local great Ernie Krivda and an all-star band of Midwestern artists pay homage to jazz from the Heartland. For the young, and young at heart, Joe Hunter reprises his "Jazz for Kids" series at the Children's Museum of Cleveland, while MOCA hosts versatile pianist Robert Glasper, who effortlessly connects jazz and blues to contemporary urban sounds.


Here's the 2011 Tri-C JazzFest lineup::

Wednesday, April 27, 8:00 p.m. – Special JazzFest Preview for the Community: The Eddie Baccus Organ Summit with Special Guest Bobby Floyd, Karamu House

Thursday, April 28, 5:00 p.m. – Kick Off Day: Mardi Gras Parade, Tower City Center

Thursday, April 28, 7:00 p.m. – Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, House of Blues

Friday, April 29, 8:00 p.m. – A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald with Dee Dee Bridgewater and The Cleveland Orchestra, Severance Hall

Friday, April 29, 8:00 p.m. – Orchestre National de Jazz: The Robert Wyatt Project, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Saturday, April 30, 1:00 p.m. – Women in Jazz – A Tribute to Betty Carter, Olivet Baptist Church

Saturday, April 30, 8:00 p.m. – Smooth Jazz All-Stars Featuring Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Dave Koz, Kenny Lattimore, Ray Parker, Jr. and Brian Simpson, State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare

Sunday, May 1, 4:00 p.m. – Debut Series with The Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet and The Tia Fuller Quartet, East Cleveland Public Library

Sunday, May 1, 8:00 p.m. – Debut Series with Maurice Brown, Nighttown

Monday, May 2, 6:30 p.m. – Sammy DeLeon y su Orquesta at the International Children's Festival, "Celebrating the Music of Tito Puente", State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare

Monday, May 2, 7:00 p.m. – The Dave Sterner Quintet and the Tri-C Jazz Studies Performance Combo, Brothers Lounge

Tuesday, May 3, 7:00 p.m. – Ernie Krivda's "Thunder from the Heartland", The Hermit Club

Wednesday, May 4, 8:00 p.m. – The Robert Glasper Trio, MOCA Cleveland

Thursday, May 5, 8:00 p.m. – "Miles & Trane @ 85 – Re-Imagined" TCJF Soundworks with special guests NEA Jazz Master Benny Golson and drummer Ndugu Chancler, Tri-C Metro Auditorium

Friday, May 6, 7:00 p.m. – "Tri-C JamFest" – Three Bands-One Jam: Medeski, Martin & Wood, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Will Bernard, State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare

Saturday, May 7, 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. – Jazz for Kids, Children's Museum of Cleveland

Saturday, May 7, 3:00 p.m. – Gospel Jazz with Present Day and special guest Sean Jones, Antioch Baptist Church

Saturday, May 7, 8:00 p.m. – Smokey Robinson, State Theatre at Playhouse Square

Sunday, May 8, 11:00 a.m. – Oikos Ensemble - Jazz Vespers, Pilgrim United Church of Christ

Sunday, May 8, 3:00 p.m. – Regina Carter's "Reverse Thread", Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art

BOB MARLEY - LIVE FOREVER: THE STANLEY THEATRE, PITTSBURGH, PA, SEPTEMBER 23, 1980

Universal Music Enterprises and Tuff Gong Records have teamed up to present Bob Marley & The Wailers – Live Forever: The Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA, September 23, 1980. This never before released 2 CD concert was recorded 30 years ago while Bob was touring in support of his famed album, Uprising. Live Forever features many of Bob's most cherished songs. Live Forever also immortalizes his final concert, and the last song Bob ever performed in concert: his rally cry for equality, "Get Up Stand Up." Available on CD for the first time, unforgettable performances of "No Woman No Cry," "Jammin'" and "Is This Love," to name a few, appear on this incredible audio documentary depicting an innovator and inspiration to people of many generations.  "Bob's music has always conveyed a message of hope, unity and love. It has brought countless people together as it did that night 30 years ago in Pittsburgh. To hear that music today and to be able to share it with a new generation shows that Bob is as relevant today as he was 30 years ago," says Rita Marley.

With an unbelievable more than 18+million Facebook followers, Bob Marley and his music are being celebrated throughout the country. Some events include Amazon.com's exclusive premiere of "Redemption Song" performed by top artists around the world, Mog.com's streaming the album in its entirety, radio markets across the US premiering Bob Marley radio specials, and Clearchannel.com's national broadcast premiere of the Live Forever songs.

In celebration of Bob Marley's would-be 66th birthday on February 6, 2011, the Marley Family launched a brand new website which will offer a more intimate Bob Marley experience and include fresh, exclusive content. To learn more, visit the Marley Family's primary website at http://www.bobmarley.com/.

Also coinciding with Bob Marley's birthday, the Marley family's philanthropic website, 1Love.org, is partnering with charity: water (http://www.charitywater.org/), to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. This is a special Marley Mission to drive awareness and support of this great cause.

The epicenter of a global movement, 1Love.org is a not-for-profit business created with the Marley Family that is dedicated to spreading Bob Marley's message of unity and peace by lifting up a new generation of "young gongs" to strike the hammer for charities, causes and ideas that empower youth, protect our planet and encourage global peace. A portion of the proceeds from product sales of two new Marley Family ventures, The House of Marley personal audio products and Marley's Mellow Mood 100% natural relaxation teas and sodas, support 1Love.org. Join the movement and learn more at http://www.bobmarley.com/, http://www.1love.org/, http://www.thehouseofmarley.com/ and http://www.marleysmellowmood.com/.

http://www.bobmarley.com/

SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises