NEW RELEASES: HAVANA, OCOTE SOUL SOUNDS, GEORGE BENSON, COLIE WILLIAMS, AZYMUTH & MORE...

HAVANA - ENTERVENTION

The long-awaited second album from Havana – the soulful Cali singer and songwriter who delivered a knockout debut on the Skoolcraft label a few years back – and her Entervention is just as strong! One of the things we love about Havana is her way of embracing a modern sound without falling into trendiness – with production by Brook D'Leau, GB and Trackademicks that's a great mix of upbeat beatcraft and bubbling atmospherics that are well paired with Havana's lovely, soulful voice and storytelling. Titles include "It Ain't New", "Nitelife", "Shoulda Walked Away", "Daylight", "Not Affected", "Repeat Offender", "Heartache", "In Touch", "Journal" and "Higher".

MOTOWN'S MOWEST STORY 1971-1973

The first ever compilation of the best music made for MoWest – the eclectic, but still soulful cuts made when Berry Gordy Jr. relocated from Motown to the west coast in the early 70s – releasing cool and sometimes strange music with a soul background, yet toasted by LA sunshine! The MoWest subsidiary lasted just a few years, and gets overlooked in the canonization of Motown at it's most classic and revolutionary – but the legacy is pretty incredible. Funk, sunshine rock and soul fused adventurously by a stunningly diverse roster – late period Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (who's comp-opening track is a slept on sunshine pop-soul classic), breezy-jazzy-soul from Odyssey, the sister funk of Sisters Love, a stunning solo left turn from Spinners singer GC Cameron and more great stuff from Syreeta, The Commodores, Suzee Ikeda, Thelma Houston and others. We've been dying for a well selected MoWest comp like this for years, and Light In The Attic stepped to the plate and knock it right out of the park. The songs choices are great, the notes are great. . .everything about it is a win. Essential! Includes "You're A Song (That I Can't Sing)" and "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" and "Broken Road" by Odyssey, "Don't You Be Worried" by The Commodores, "A Heart Is A House" Nu Page, "I Ain't Going Nowhere" by Thelma Houston, "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" by Suzee Ikeda, "You've Got To Make The Choice" and "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love and more.

OCOTE SOUL SOUNDS - TAURUS

Latin funk and other diverse sounds from the increasingly great Ocote Soul Sounds lead by Martin Perna and Adrian Quesada – a group that's been one of the more far reaching, stylistically panoramic collectives for years – and Taurus may be the best yet! From gritty & funky live Latin dancefloor grooves to more richly global soundscapes – blending earthy instrumentation in a way that feels fully modern, but wholy informed by classic Latin, African and otherwise sun toasted sounds of decades past. Loads of excellent percussion – plus flutes, saxes, piano, organ, guitars and ocasional vocals. Include "Primavera", "Pirata", "En El Temblor", "Pathways", "STTP (Speak Truth To Power)", "Cumbia La Magdalena", "Pan Y Circo", "Agua Santa", "Tumba Del Payaso", "Contigo Jamas", "Guantanamo" and more.  

COLIE WILLIAMS - LIGHT UP THE DARKNESS

Colie Williams shines brightly on Light Up The Darkness – great stuff that starts out with her calling out to the jazzy soul legends that influence her – Ella, Billie and others – quite appropriately, as she truly honors that legacy nicely while delivering a modern soul sound that's ultimately all her own! She's also doing her thing with an affirming, spiritual resonance that helps her soar even higher. She's backed by keys, drums, percussion on most tunes and she works takes some stylistic detours, bits of hip hop and reggae, but ultimately it stays on course, help tight by her voice and spirit. "Ol' Soul For A New Day", "Passing Day", "You/Reggae Love", "Everywhere I Go", "All U Need", "In And Out Of Love", "Black Love" and the bonus tracks "You/Reggae Love – The Remix" and "Angel". 

JUNGLE BY NIGHT - JUNGLE BY NIGHT

Warm modern Afro-inspired funk & soul from Amsterdam's Jungle By Night – whose promising earlier 45 primed us pretty well – and this self-titled set of live-in-the-studio grooves for Kindred Spirits more than delivers on it! The set is described simply as "highlights from a recent studio session", which is a classic under-sell. It's solid, soulful and stylistically diverse grooves that roll from classic Afro Funk instrumentals to more of a highlife guitar sound and back again with style to spare. They're calling it a precursor to their first album, which again, is a promise of some pretty incredible work to come! Includes "Hot Mama Hot", "Termite", "Afro Blue", "Get 5", "Great Wide Open", "Camel" and the CD bonus track "ET" (one of the 45 cuts). 7 tracks, running 5 to 7 minutes in length on most of 'em. Mini album? Generously furnished EP? It's 40+ minutes of grooves, however you want to file it.

 

GEORGE BENSON - BODY TALK (REMASTERED)

A sweet funky classic from George Benson – featuring dope arrangements by Pee Wee Ellis, all with a groovy Kudu-type sound! George is the main soloist – but the group is super-hip, with Harold Mabern on electric piano, Frank Foster on tenor, and a little bit of extra guitar from Earl Klugh. George is pulling no punches on this one – really hitting hard on his solos with a freer approach than he used on most of his other records from the time. Titles include "Dance", "Plum", "Body Talk" (plus an alternate take), and "Top Of The World" – and most tracks are looong!

AZYMUTH - AURORA

Heavy Fender Rhodes from Azymuth – sounding almost better here than we've heard them for years! There's a stripped-down, all-classic feel that takes us right back to the group's best work of the 70s – partly because Jose Roberto Bertrami sticks to Fender Rhodes exclusively on the set – using the classic keyboards with a righteous vibe that really brings a hell of a lot of soul to play! And there's also a bit of Incognito help on the production, which helps ensure just the right sound – nothing too modern, nor too gimmicky – just pure Brazilian fusion all the way through – proof that the old ways are still often the best. Titles include "In My Treehouse", "Isso E Partido Alto", "Diz No Pe", "Meu Mengo", "Crazy Clock", and "Aurora". 8 tracks on the vinyl version.

 

Surce: Dusty Groove America

GABRIEL BELLO DEBUTS AT #1 WITH HIS PREMIER JAZZ RELEASE

On June 21st 2011 Gabriel Bello released his first album self titled Gabriel Bello (which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz charts) and immediately many Jazz radio stations and fans were excited. The airplay for his singles "Ice Box" and "Crazy" initially grew most rapidly in Europe and Asia and then grew at a fast rate in the United States. Once the fans heard the music, they could not wait to buy the album and began writing to try and get it as a pre order. It’s being described as soul infused, R&B, jazz, and hip-hop with a Pop twist. He was born into a musical family in Lawrence, MA, (his family is originally from the Dominican Republic). Gabriel's family relocated in his youth to the quiet college town of DeLand, FL. Here he spent most of his young adult life singing in church choirs and learning to play the saxophone. He was accepted at Lee University in Cleveland, TN and began a promising career in music. While attending college, he was feeling sick one day and was shocked to find out from his doctors that it was more serious than he had thought. Gabriel was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease (lymphoma) and had to leave school in order to endure six months of chemotherapy. In the midst of his treatment he was invited to play for Ron Kenoly, during this event he was miraculously healed and has been in remission ever since. Gabriel continues his pursuit of music in all its forms: producer, songwriter, vocalist, programmer, saxophones, keyboards, flute, drums, guitar and he arranges vocals and instruments. Bello has performed with Alvin Slaughter, Gary Oliver, Ron Kenoly, Geron Davis, Christ Church Choir, Jentzen Franklin, and Rascal Flatts just to name a few, and his musical influences include Michael Jackson/Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Brian Mcknight, Tower of Power, Grover Washington Jr., Fred Hammond, John Willams and many more. Gabriel Bellos is available on ECMD / Fontana /Universal Music and Video Distribution (UMVD).

twitter.com/GabrielBello1

www.reverbnation.com/gabrielbello

GLOBAL NOIZE FT. JASON MILES, DJ LOGIC, FALU – A PRAYER FOR THE PLANET

The second release from Global Noize featuring Jason Miles, DJ Logic and Falu is A Prayer For The Planet – set for U.S. release on August 23, 2011 on the Lightyear/EMI imprint. The CD has already been released in Europe. This being their sophomore effort, is being described as Global Noize’s declaration on the state of our world in the 21st century, and it features appearances by Karl Denson, Mocean Worker, Jeff Coffin, Oz Noy, Jay Rodriguez, Mailka Zarra, Lica Cecata, and others. Jason Miles, DJ Logic and Falu have crafted a truly imaginative and compelling album without sacrificing the global groove, melody and innovation that made up the first Global Noize release. As described by DJ Logic, Global Noize is “a hip and electric musical journey crossing all boundaries,” and is an organic, free-spirited sonic brew of some of the best elements of jazz, funk, electronica and world fusion – it is music without borders. The group has performed at a number of venues and festivals, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, Aspen Jazz, the Berks Jazz Festival, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, among others. Over the years, many innovative and world-class musicians have performed with Global Noize, including Fred Wesley, Eric Krasno, Billy Martin, Cyro Baptista, Jeff Coffin, Ian Neville, Bernie Worrell, Me’shell Ndgeocello, Oteil Burbridge, Karl Denson, John Popper, Adam Deitch, George Porter Jr., & Christian Scott, among others.

Keyboardist extraordinaire Jason Miles, is also a producer, arranger, and composer who has crafted music for Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller, Gato Barbieri, David Sanborn, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, The Crusaders, Michael Brecker, among others. He has produced ambitious musical tributes to both Weather Report (Celebrating The Music Of Weather Report) and Ivan Lins (A Love Affair, The Music Of Ivan Lins), from which he won a Grammy award for his production of ‘She Walks This Earth.” Miles has also produced To Grover With Love, the acclaimed and visionary tribute to Grover Washington Jr. In 2004 he masterminded the Contemporary Jazz Collection Maximum Grooves – Coast To Coast, which earned him his fourth Grammy nomination. Miles’ production of Gato Barbieri’s CD, The Shadow Of The Cat, won the Billboard Latin Jazz Album of 2003, and also received a Latin Grammy nomination. 2005 saw the release of his forward thinking homage to Miles Davis entitled Miles to Miles, In The Spirit Of Miles, and in 2006 he re-imagined Marvin Gaye’s music with What’s Going On, The Songs Of Marvin Gaye. In 2008, Koch Entertainment released volume 2 of the highly successful tribute to Grover Washington Jr., To Grover With Love. Also released in 2008 on Shanachie Records was Soul Summit Live At The Berks Jazz Festival which brings together the ultimate mixture of Jazz and Soul with guest artists Steve Ferrone, Bob Babbitt, Reggie Young, Richard Elliot, Maysa, Susan Tedeschi, and others.

New York City based deejay, DJ Logic’s role as an electronic-music ambassador keeps him at the top of his game. Whether the scratch artists instructs tablas to flirt with drum ‘n’ bass (such as on his Nina Simone and Billie Holiday remixes found on Sony’s Remixed and Reimagined volumes), or while meshing free styling MC’s with Afro-Cuban rhythms (such as on Share Worldwide Funk), Logic an be found paying homage to his predecessors while contributing his visions to the deejay genre. Along the way he has amassed a veritable mountain of collaborations since the early nineties, including works with Medeski Martin & Wood, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, Jack Johnson, Mos Def, Ben Harper, Charlie Hunter, John Mayer, and many others.

Vocalist Falu is widely recognized for a rare ability to seamlessly blend a signature modern innovative rock style with a formidable Indian classically-shaped vocal talent. In her early years she was trained vigorously in the Jaipur musical tradition, honing her talent for up to 16 hours a day at times. Her self-titled debut CD was produced by Palmyra Delran and engineered by Grammy winner Emery Dobyns and was released in 2007. She has performed as a soloist with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project and onstage at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the White House, and at Lincoln Center in New York where she performed with Slumdog Millionaire composer A.R. Rahman.

On July 30th they will perform at the Belleayre Music Festival in Highmount, NY, and on July 31st at The Falcon in Marlboro, NY.

This release is highly recommended so check it out!

A Prayer For The Planet Track List:
1. A Prayer For The Planet
2. 21st Century Preacherman
3. Tokyo Sunrise
4. Charismalove
5. Viva La Femme
6. Walking On Air
7. RIOS (A Riot In Outer Space)
8. Wanna B With U
9. Natuereza E Paz (Nature and Peace)
10. Cosmic Hug

THE RIPPINGTONS FEATURING RUSS FREEMAN - C'OTE D'AZUR

 The Rippingtons’ latest Peak Records recording Cote D’Azur - inspired by Freeman’s passion for the French people and the storied region of the French Riviera is more than simply the latest stamp on Freeman’s well traveled passport. Beyond simple wanderlust or a gathering of “musical postcards” from the Southern region of France, it taps into a spirit that’s deeper and more transcendent than any other group project to date. All of the songs on Cote D’Azur tell stories of Freeman’s extensive travels in France with his wife Yaredt Leon, a hit songwriter in her own right who contributed tracks to the Ripps Latin-themed Wild Card (2005) and Modern Art (2009). Cote D’Azur is bookended with songs they wrote together, the high energy title track and the beautiful “Mesmerized.” Yaredt has been Freeman’s consummate travel partner these past years. For a time, he couldn’t get enough of Italy, but the minute Leon (whose mixed heritage is Colombian-French) introduced him to her father’s homeland of France, Freeman was hooked.

“This is the best album I’ve ever written,” he says, “and unlike on any other Rippingtons recording, the music is a pristine crystallization of the way I first heard it in my head. I think the incredible cultural connection between France and America hit me one night in Nice when I was watching a show on the history of St. Tropez. Brigitte Bardot was so well known as a model and film actress, but in the 60s she also did hundreds of music videos of French remakes of songs that were big hits in America. Remakes of everything from Elvis to the Beatles were huge. Johnny Hallyday is a French music superstar who patterned himself after Elvis. All of this taught me how close our cultures really are. They also were big into American surf music in the early 60s, and that inspired the new song ‘Le Calypso.’ All of this, combined with Yaredt’s French heritage, really made me fall in love with the country.”

Cote D'Azur Track List:
1. Cote D'Azur 4:21

2. Le Calypso 3:32
3. Bandol 3:50
4. Sainte Maxime 4:15
5. Postcard From Cannes 4:22
6. Passage To Marseilles 3:40
7. Provence 4:25
8. Riviera Jam 3:25
9. Rue Paradis 4:34
10. Mesmerized 3:24

GREGG ALLMAN - LOW COUNTRY BLUES

As a founding member of the one and only Allman Brothers Band, and in his own storied solo career, Gregg Allman has long been a gifted natural interpreter of the blues, his soulful and distinctive voice one of the defining sounds in the history of American music. Low Country Blues is the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s seventh solo recording and his first in 14 years. Produced by T Bone Burnett, the album finds Allman putting his own stamp on songs by some of the blues giants whose work has long informed his own, from Muddy Waters and B.B. King to Bobby Bland and Magic Sam, plus one original, the soulful “Just Another Rider.” Named for the coastal Georgia region Allman calls home, Low Country Blues stands as a high water mark in an already remarkable body of work, rich with passion, verve, and the unerring confidence of a true survivor. Low Country Blues spotlights new and unique arrangements of classic blues songs that showcase the talents of an iconic artist who himself has generated a catalog of his own “classic” songs. From early 20th century progenitors like Sleepy John Estes (“Floating Bridge”) and Skip James (“Devil Got My Woman”) to 1950’s big band R&B by Bobby Bland (“Blind Man”) and Amos Milburn (“Tears, Tears, Tears”), from Muddy Waters’ 1948 Delta-infused Chicago blues classic single “I Cant’ Be Satisfied” to West Side soulman Magic Sam’s signature song “My Love Is Your Love,” from the almost chain-gang clang of the traditional “Rolling Stone” to the one original on the album, “Just Another Rider,” Gregg Allman stakes his claim to more than seventy-five years of American roots music history.

Low Country Blues Track Listing:

1. Floating Bridge 4:46

2. Little By Little 2:46

3. Devil Got My Woman 4:53
4. I Can't Be Satisfied 3:34
5. Blind Man 3:46
6. Just Another Rider 5:40
7. Please Accept My Love 3:07
8. I Believe I'll Go Back Home 3:50
9. Tears, Tears, Tears 4:55
10. My Love Is Your Love 4:14
11. Checking On My Baby 4:07
12. Rolling Stone 7:04

GERALD ALBRIGHT TOUR DATES

Gerald Albright has earned his reputation as a “musician’s musician.” Born in Los Angeles, he began piano lessons at an early age. During the ’80s, Albright became a highly requested session musician, playing on albums by a wide variety of artists – including Anita Baker, Ray Parker, Lola Folana, Atlantic Starr, Olivia Newton-John, the Temptations and Maurice White. After two of his albums hit the number one slot on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz Chart, and were nominated for Grammy® Awards in 1989 and 1990, Phil Collins asked him to front a Big Band and they toured together. He also performed and toured with Les McCann, Jeff Lorber, George Duke, Earl Klugh, Will Downing, Jonathan Butler, Hugh Masekela, Chaka Khan, and Rachelle Ferrell, Quincy Jones and Whitney Houston, among many others.  Over the years, Albright has appeared on numerous TV shows such as “A Different World” and “Melrose Place”. Albright was selected to play at President Clinton’s inauguration ceremony. Along the way, he has sold over a million albums in the U.S. alone and has appeared on nearly 200 albums by other artists. His latest three albums New Beginnings (2008), Sax for Stax (2009) and Pushing the Envelope (2010) were Grammy nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

July 15 -Sacramento, CA @ Radisson Hotel Sacramento
July 16 - Oceanside, CA @ Pier Amphitheater; KIFK Smooth Jazz 98.1
July 17 - San Dimas, CA @ Bonelli Park; Jazzfest West 16th Annual
July 20 - New York, NY @ Smooth Jazz Spirit Cruise Ship, Pier 63
July 21 - Reading, PA @ Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base; Sheraton Hotel
July 22 - Annapolis, MD @ Ramshead On Stage
July 28 - San Francisco, CA @ Yoshi's
July 20 - San Francisco, CA @ Yoshi's
July 30 - Portland, OR @ Spirit of Portland River Cruise
Aug 6 - Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theater (w/Alex Bugnon)
Aug 13 - Kettering, OH @ Fraze Center for the Peforming Arts (w/Fourplay)
Aug 14 - Richmond, VA @ Maymount Park
Aug 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Dell Music Center
Aug 26 - Copper Mountain, CO @ Copper Mtn. Big Horn Ballroom
Sept 3 - North Carleston, SC @ N. Charleston PAC
Sept 10 - St. Paul, MN @ Selby Jazz Fest
Sept 17 - Augsburg, Germany @ Parktheater im Kurhaus Goggingen
Sept 23 - Newport Beach, CA @South Coast Plaza
Sept 25 - Temecula, CA @ Thornton Winery
Oct 7 - Kampala, Uganda @ Kampala Serena Hotel: The Nile Gold Jazz Safari 2011
Oct 15 - Rehoboth, DE @ Rehoboth Beach Convention Center
Oct 16 - Phoenix, AZ @ JW Desert Ridge Jazz Festival-Sage Court
Oct 22 - Cincinnati, OH @ Aronoff Center
Oct 28 - Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
Dec 8 - Jackson, MS @ Alamo Theater
Dec 11 - Hayward, CA @ Palmceia Baptist Church
Jan 15 - 22, 2012 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Smooth Jazz Cruise

MICHEL CAMILO - MANO A MANO

The opening track of pianist and composer Michel Camilo's new release, Mano a Mano as he joins the Decca/EmArcy (Universal Music Group), is not only a scene setter but a declaration of principle. Optimistic, brimming with energy and understated virtuosity, "Yes," an original composition by Michel, hints at the sound of classic Cubop while celebrating modern Afro-Caribbean jazz. "'Yes' is a positive piece," says Michel. "It's an affirmation. It's saying that getting involved in this music, in this project, has been all worthwhile. The piece is in the mold of a 'Donna Lee,' or an 'Indiana,' and it was a way for us to say 'Yes, we know the jazz tradition. But we also know something else. And here there are two traditions.'" In Mano a Mano, Michel Camilo, returns to one of his most effective settings, the trio, but with a twist, using congas and small percussion, instead of trap drums. Featuring longtime friends, master conguero Giovanni Hidalgo and bassist Charles Flores, Michel's trio creates a lighter, more open sound, still powerful, yet also with a certain sweet mango-flavored lyricism that proves to be a perfect vehicle for a wide ranging repertoire that includes eight original compositions and three standards. It's a recording that speaks of an artist reaching maturity, connecting personal and professional moments of his past with a fresh, clear vision of the future. But it all started, however, on a chance encounter. "In June 2010 there was a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Heineken Jazz Festival in Puerto Rico and the organizers invited back all the living 'highlights' in the history of the festival," recalls Michel. " I appeared with my trio, but as part of the event I was asked to also prepare a number for the festival's big band which could eventually become a great descarga (Latin-style jam session). I loved the idea and was already thinking about inviting Giovanni to join us, thinking of when we recorded One More Once (1995) And sure enough, it became a great jam ... but at one point, the band stopped and Giovanni and I were left playing as a duo and it reminded me of when we did Hands of Rhythm, 15 years ago, and I thought 'Hang on now, there is something here.'"

The idea of a possible duet album quickly evolved into a trio date. "I thought about it and realized that I had done a duo record. It was better to move on," explains Michel. And knowing the players, he knew it was a chance for something truly special. Giovanni Hidalgo is a "very mindful player, and very musical," he says. "He is a one of a kind conguero. He doesn't only hear rhythm but melody and harmony. For this recording he used five and six congas, and he tunes them to certain pitches and creates a scale. There is nothing random about it, it's well thought out, and that helped the melodies and harmonies." And for Mano a Mano, Michel, wearing the producer's hat, also asked Giovanni to play smaller percussion, something that has rarely been asked of him. The result is a subtly shaded tapestry of sound that adds colors and textures to the music. Meanwhile Charles Flores, Michel's long time collaborator, was the obvious choice on the bass."Charles has been with me for awhile now, I've seen him grow to become a tremendous bass player," offers Michel. "He not only has a great technique but also a great harmonic concept and this sense of space, of economy, in the Charlie Haden tradition." He says Hidalgo's and Flores's playing give him a "a great latitude of touch." Michel says his experiences playing in European classical music settings, performing standard repertoire and his own piano concertos as a soloist with symphony orchestras in the US, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean, have made him a subtler, better pianist. Now, with this trio, he is able to "caress the keys, control the attack, the dynamics."

Moreover, the group represents not only a "meeting of the minds, each one of us with a rich musical baggage and our own rhythmic notions" but also, considering Michel is Dominican, Giovanni Puerto Rican, and Charles Cuban, the coming together of three potent Afro-Caribbean musical traditions. "I knew it was going to be a good combination," he says. With this trio in mind, Michel wrote the original music in the span of one week, last December. "It was a surreal experience," he recalls. "It was as if everything was ready and it was only a matter of sitting down and letting it flow out. It was truly magical."

He also decided to include three standards, two from the jazz tradition, the other one a Latin American classic - Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder," John Coltrane's "Naima," and Ariel Ramírez's "Alfonsina y el Mar." Musically, it's a demanding repertoire that cuts a wide swath. It includes Latin jazz barnburners (such as "Yes," and the title track) but also a nod to the sound of boogaloo and the 1960s Latin soul ("The Sidewinder"); a samba-choro ("No Left Turn"), and a sly, neo-traditional rumba ("Rumba Pa'Ti"). Moreover, in Mano a Mano, Michel explores two essential popular styles from the Dominican Republic. His take on bachata, a kind of ballad, results in the exquisite "You and Me," which Michel calls "a bachata in black tie." While in "Rice and Beans," he reworks merengue, a two-step dance style. It's a first for Michel. "I played it at a rehearsal, just for kicks, as a lark, and everybody jumped in 'Yes, yes, let's do that one.' So it stuck. It's actually merengue-jazz. It's in the merengue tradition (and you can feel the typical quintillo, a five-note rhythmic figure, throughout the piece) -- but with the type of harmonic changes you find in jazz." And just as this trio can groove and dance, "Alfonsina y El Mar," a song from the Great Latin American Songbook made famous by the late singer Mercedes Sosa, gets here a thoughtful, smart "three-way intimate conversation." It's not by chance. For Michel, Mano a Mano underscores the fact that Latin jazz "is not just a continuous jam session. Yes, we can bring high energy when it's called for, but we also can be subtle when we need to be." Mano a Mano will be released digitally on July 26 and to retailers on September 13.

Michel Camilo Tour Dates:
June 28 - Teatro Nacional - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
July 4 - Istanbul Jazz Festival - Sepetciler Palace - Istanbul, Turkey
July 8 - Festival Alhaurín de la Torre - Alhaurín de la Torre (Málaga), Spain
July 13 - Festival Veranos de la Villa - Escenario Puerta del Angel - Madrid, Spain
July 15 - 35 Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz - Polideportivo de Mendizorrotza - Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain -
July 17 - Umbria Jazz - Perugia, Italy
August 2 - 34 Jazz in Marciac - Marciac, France
August 6 - 57th Newport Jazz Festival - Newport, RI
August 19 - National Concert Hall - Taipei, Taiwan
August 20 - National Concert Hall - Taipei, Taiwan
August 22 - Billboard Live! - Osaka, Japan
August 23 - Billboard Live! - Tokyo, Japan
August 24 - Billboard Live! - Tokyo, Japan
September 17 - Teatro del Pentagonito - Lima, Perú
September 27 - Blue Note Jazz Club New York - New York, NY
September 28 - Blue Note Jazz Club New York - New York, NY
September 29 -Blue Note Jazz Club New York - New York, NY
September 30 - Blue Note Jazz Club New York - New York, NY
October 1 - Blue Note Jazz Club New York - New York, NY
October 2 - Blue Note Jazz Club New York - New York, NY
October 8 - Max M Fischer Music Center - Detroit, MI
October 9 - Max M Fischer Music Center - Detroit, MI
October 20 -Auditorium - Orchestre National de Lyon - Lyon, France
October 21 -Auditorium - Orchestre National de Lyon - Lyon, France
October 22 - Auditorium -Orchestre National de Lyon - Lyon, France
October 27 - JazzNoJazz Festival - Theaterhaus Gessnerallee, Grosser Saal - Zurich, Switzerland
November 4 - Auditorio Nacional de Música - Sala Sinfónica - Madrid, Spain
November 5 - Auditorio Nacional de Música - Sala Sinfónica - Madrid, Spain
November 6 - Auditorio Nacional de Música - Sala Sinfónica - Madrid, Spain

michelcamilo.com.

JAZZ CLASSICS FROM DUKE ELLINGTON, COLEMAN HAWKINS, PHAROAH SANDERS, SONNY ROLLINS, ART BLAKELY, McCOY TYNER, AHMED JAMAL, MILT JACKSON, ALICE COLTRANE & OTHERS...

More than a dozen of the greatest modern jazz artists in history are heard on packages bringing together two classic Impulse! albums, largely from the 1960s, from each of them. Set for release on July 26, 2011, these Impulse/Verve two-for-one reissues reveal both the genius and the joy of these extraordinary purveyors of the art of jazz. Duke Ellington was Old School but he teamed with the New School for a pair of 1963 albums with bebop sax leviathans. His And John Coltrane found the Duke in a quartet with that sax legend while Meets Coleman Hawkins was tagged by The New York Times as "one of the great Ellington albums, one of the great Hawkins albums and one of the great albums of the 1960's." The pioneering Hawkins is represented by the 1962 albums Today And Now and Desafinado, while another sax god, Sonny Rollins is heard with On Impulse!/There Will Never Be Another You. Though both were recorded in 1965, only On Impulse! was released that year. The live There Will Never Be Another You, recorded at New York's Museum Of Modern Art, would finally be issued in 1978. Another resident in the sax pantheon, Pharaoh Sanders, contributes 1971's Village Of The Pharoahs teamed with 1972's Wisdom Through Music. Free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler once said "Trane was the Father, Pharoah was the Son, I am the Holy Ghost." Ayler's set combines 1967's Love Cry with his 1969 finale The Last Album. Also released in a single package is a pair of Afrocentric albums from saxman Archie Shepp, 1968's For Losers and the following year's Kwanza. Blowing a different horn is Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers' trombonist Curtis Fuller with Soul Trombone (1961)/Cabin In The Sky (1962).

Leading the albums featuring keyboard kings is the McCoy Tyner Trio with his 1962 debut Inception plus 1964's Reaching Forth. Innovative pianist Ahmad Jamal soars on Freeflight, recorded at the 1971 Montreux Jazz Festival, which joins 1972's Poinciana Revisited. Another sort of keyboard, the vibraphone, was the realm of Milt Jackson, with 1962's Statements/1964's Jazz 'n' Samba. On the distaff side are Alice Coltrane, who melded organ and harp, Eastern religion and Western music, for Universal Consciousness (1972)/Lord Of Lords (1973), and the Shirley Scott Trio, from the Queen of the Organ, with For Members Only (1963)/Great Scott!! (1964). The jazz guitar takes the spotlight via Gabor Szabo, with the Hungarian's live 1967 albums The Sorcerer and More Sorcery, recorded in Boston and at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Two acclaimed drummers also boast reissues: Elvin Jones, best known for his work with Coltrane, with Illumination! (1963)/Dear John C. (1965), and the enormously influential Art Blakey with Jazz Messengers!!!! (1961)/A Jazz Message (1963). Jazz, whether bebop, hard bop or post-bop--or simply modern--reached new heights in the '60s and early '70s through artists on Impulse! Now many of their albums return to once again celebrate a musical genre without boundaries.

CONCORD MUSIC GROUP OFFERS 18 STREAMING CHANNELS

AARP and Concord Music Group have teamed up to create a new multi-media, online resource designed to help adults find the music they love in the digital age. AARP Internet Radio, a free music player provided by Slacker, features 18 free streaming channels of handpicked music catering to the musical tastes of Americans age 50+ and is the initiative's centerpiece. Its aim: to make enjoying music intuitive and fun—especially for people who have been largely underserved by conventional music sources. "AARP and Concord Music are uniquely positioned to help adults connect with the artists they love and become engaged in the online community of music," said Hugh Delehanty, senior vice president of AARP's media properties. "Our internet radio is easy to use and makes new resources available to people who may not be used to getting their music online, as well as those who already are."

"Finding new music and even old favorites has become more complicated and difficult for so many people," stated Concord Music Group president and CEO, Glen Barros. "AARP is a trusted source of information and guidance. Working closely with them, we aim to help adults across the country reconnect with the enjoyment of music and the artists who create it." Recently launched on http://www.aarp.org/, the music player's channels include an array of genres featuring rock, blues, jazz, classical, R&B, coffeehouse, classic rock, oldies, country and vocals standards, just to name a few. Users seeking music from up-and-coming artists can check out the 'Fresh Sounds' channel providing the best of what's new in popular music. AARP Internet Radio also features a dedicated channel highlighting the music of one particular artist, which will change from month to month. The 'Artist' channel is currently streaming the music of legendary songwriter Paul Simon and AARP will also unveil new channels in the coming weeks and months, including a 'Members Choice' channel, which will allow AARP members to serve as guest DJs.

Visitors to the AARP website can open AARP Internet Radio in a separate window displaying the music player and a list of stations to choose from. Users will have the option to play, pause or skip songs, and easily change stations. In addition, the simplified radio player from Slacker (recently selected as PC Magazine's best streaming radio provider) allows users to multi-task, letting them stream their favorite station while working or playing online. In the future, AARP plans to make the music player available via AARP mobile apps on portable devices such as smartphones and tablets. In addition to the music player, AARP is also enhancing editorial content on a new AARP online music page www.aarp.org/music. Drawing from sources across the music industry, this new portal offers a collection of informative music news, reviews, artist interviews, and how-to's specifically designed for grown-up music lovers. Registered users of www.aarp.org will have the added benefit of access to the site's music community chat room, where they can connect with music fans from around the country.

RAY CHARLES LIVE IN CONCERT

In the half-century between his earliest recordings in the 1950s and his death in 2004, Ray Charles ascended to icon status by leaving his mark on virtually every form of American popular music that emerged in the latter half of the 20th century. Nowhere was this more evident than in his live performances, where one was likely to hear shades of blues, soul, R&B, jazz, gospel, country, and more in a single evening - indeed, sometimes in a single song. To put it simply, the Right Reverend did it all. All of these subtle shades and styles are evident in Concord Music Group's reissue of Ray Charles Live in Concert. Originally released as a 12-song LP on ABC-Paramount in early 1965, Live in Concert captured Charles at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in September 1964. More than four decades later, the CD reissue brings additional depth and perspective to the 1964 recording with the help of 24-bit remastering, seven previously unreleased tracks and extensive new liner notes that provide additional historical context to what is already considered a pivotal recording in Ray's overall body of work. "There could be no more uplifting live musical experience than digging Ray Charles and his mighty orchestra in their prime," says roots music historian Bill Dahl. Indeed, the 15-piece orchestra backing Ray on this date - assembled just a few years earlier in 1961 - boasted no less than a dozen horns, including formidable saxophonists David "Fathead" Newman, Hank Crawford, and Leroy "Hog" Cooper, all of whom had been with Ray since his days as a leader of smaller combos. "This amazing aggregation," says Dahl, "was every bit as conversant with the intricacies of modern jazz as with the gospel-blues synthesis that Brother Ray pioneered during the mid-1950s, when he began accruing serious cred as the father of what would soon become known as soul music." In the span of 19 songs, Live in Concert illuminates the route to that destination. Ray wastes no time taking his audience on a ride from jazzy big band groove of "Swing a Little Taste" to the Latin-flavored "One Mint Julep" to the blues-gospel hybrid of his classic "I Got a Woman." Although his live rendition of "Georgia On My Mind" on this date didn't make the cut on the original LP, the song is a standout track on the reissue, thanks to his complex organ runs and the flute lines moving in counterpoint with his rich vocals. Clough considers the yearning "You Don't Know Me" and the previously unreleased "That Lucky Old Sun" to be among the high points of the recording. "It sounds like he's really baring his soul on those two tracks, and they just sound incredible," says Clough, noting that Ray was unaware that tape was rolling during this performance. "This particular date was at the end of their tour, and the performance seems a little loose as a result - in a good way, and in a less slick way." Further in, the rousing "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" is driven by a gospel groove and embellished with a sax solo by Newman that closely mirrors the original 1957 recording. The result is a familiar hit for an audience that's more than ready to reinforce Ray's foot-stomping beat with handclaps. The sly and swaggering "Makin' Whoopee" is delivered completely off the cuff, with drummer Wilbert Hogan, bassist Edgar Willis, and guitarist Sonny Forriest improvising an accompaniment behind what Dahl calls "Ray's luxurious piano and breathy, supremely knowing vocals." By all accounts, Ray spontaneously inserted the song into the set in response to the negative press he'd received overseas about his private life. In the home stretch, Ray introduces the Raeletts, the female backing vocalists who served as his foil for some of his biggest hits. Together they work their way through "Don't Set Me Free" (with Lillian Fort stepping forward for a duet with Ray), the comical "Two Ton Tessie" and the torchy "My Baby" before climaxing with the churning "What'd I Say," a song tailor-made to stoke any room to a fever pitch. A huge piece of the Ray Charles legacy is his mastery of any style he touched, and his ability to make it his own in a way that no other artist could - powers that can only come from an innate sense of adventure and spontaneity that are fully evident in Ray Charles Live in Concert.

Ray Charles Live In Concert Track Listing:
1. Opening
2. Swing A Little Taste 3:39
3. One Mint Julep 2:59
4. I Gotta Woman 6:09
5. Georgia On My Mind 7:26

6. Margie 2:18

7. You Don't Know Me 3:17

8. Hide Nor Hair 2:55

9. That Lucky Old Sun 5:13

10. Baby, Don't You Cry 2:39

11. In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down) 6:51

12. Hallelujah I Love Her So 2:58

13. Making Whoopee 6:08

14. Busted 2:23

15. Don't Set Me Free 3:49

16. Two Ton Tessie 4:43

17. My Baby 5:01

18. What'd I Say 4:26

19. Finale 1:57

HIROMI - VOICE

Pianist and composer Hiromi Uehara, whose passionate and incendiary keyboard work has been a shining light on the jazz landscape since her 2003 debut, believes that the voice that never speaks can sometimes be the most powerful of all. Her newest release, a nine-song trio recording simply titled Voice, expresses a range of human emotions without the aid of a single lyric. “When I play music, I realize that it really filters emotions,” says Hiromi. “I called this album Voice because I believe that people’s real voices are expressed in their emotions. It’s not something that you really say. It’s more something that you have in your heart. Maybe it’s something you haven’t said yet. Maybe you’re never going to say it. But it’s your true voice. Instrumental music is very similar. We don’t have any words or any lyrics to go with it. It’s the true voice that we don’t really put into words, but we feel it when it’s real.” Although a mesmerizing instrumentalist in her own right, Hiromi enlists the aid of two equally formidable players for this project – bassist Anthony Jackson (Paul Simon, The O’Jays, Steely Dan, Chick Corea) and drummer Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, Judas Priest, David Gilmour, Jack Bruce). Jackson had previously played on a couple tracks from each of Hiromi’s first two albums – Another Mind in 2003 and Brain in 2004 – but they had never recorded an entire album together. “I’ve always been a huge fan of his bass playing,” she says. “I’ve always liked playing with him, and I was very happy that we finally had the chance to make an entire album together.” She hadn’t crossed paths with Phillips prior to this project, but he came highly recommended by not only Jackson but also Stanley Clarke, the legendary jazz fusion bassist who gave her a prime spot on his two most recent projects, Jazz in the Garden in 2009 and The Stanley Clarke Band in 2010. “The more music I wrote for this album, the more clearly I heard the sound of Simon on drums,” says Hiromi. “When I told Anthony and Stanley that I was thinking of Simon to play drums for this project, they both encouraged me to ask him, so I did, and I’m so happy with how it turned out. From the first note of the first rehearsal, I was very excited about where we could go with this recording.”

Further in, “Temptation” is relatively understated in comparison to the preceding tracks, but with a solid piano melody that keeps beckoning. The song invites the listener to ponder what happens when we finally give in to that thing we find so seductive and alluring. Hiromi asks: “Is the result of that temptation sweet or bitter?” “Haze,” the one solo piano track in the entire recording, is just what the title suggests – a shimmering piece whose melodic edges are sometimes sharp and other times undefined. The song suggests “unclear vision, focused then blurry again,” says Hiromi. “There was so much excitement among all three of us when we were recording this record. Even when I was tracking this solo piece, Anthony and Simon were giving me a lot of encouragement about the different takes, what was working and what wasn’t.” Taken as a whole, the individual tracks on Voice do tell a story, says Hiromi, but she’s quick to note that the story is open-ended and subject to interpretations. “I’m not talking about a story in the sense of a novel,” she says. “People can just listen to it and decide how it reflects their own lives. They can just imagine whatever the music makes them imagine. That’s the beautiful thing about music without words. It’s just a matter of using your imagination, finding your own voice within the music, and traveling with it wherever it takes you.”

Voice Track Listing:

1. Voice 9:13

2. Flashback 8:39

3. Now or Never 6:14

4. Temptation 7:49

5. Labyrinth 7:40

6. Desire 7:16

7. Haze 5:49

8. Delusion 7:43

9. Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8, Pathetique 5:13

ELIANE ELIAS - LIGHT MY FIRE

Since the mid-1980s, pianist/vocalist Eliane Elias has grafted various elements of jazz, pop, soul and other styles to her deep Brazilian roots to create a hybrid groove that exists comfortably on any hemisphere. Borrowing from an array of sources and singing in a variety of languages, Elias consistently forges a sound that appeals to listeners of every geographic locale and cultural persuasion. Her newest release, Light My Fire, wields this universal sound to explore the various corners of the human heart – from romance and passion to the shared joy of being alive and embracing everyone into the dance of life. Along with four compositions written or co-written by Elias herself, the album also includes covers of familiar works by songwriters as diverse as Jim Morrison and the Doors, pop icon Stevie Wonder and jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond. Elias weaves it all together into a cohesive whole by injecting each of the twelve songs with distinctly Brazilian grooves that alternate effortlessly between the fiery and passionate to the cool and sophisticated. “Some of the tunes are cool and laid back, but others are quite rhythmic and joyful,” says Elias. “And they have some different grooves. I tend to gravitate toward romance – beautiful melodies, beautiful harmonies and rhythms with a great feel. But more than anything else, I’m singing about love on this record in its different aspects and dimensions.” Backing Elias on Light My Fire are twelve high-caliber musians, including special guests guitarist/vocalist Gilberto Gil and trumpeter Randy Brecker. The rhythm section – which has accompanied Elias on several of her most recent recordings – includes guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Paulo Braga. Also on hand to sing with Elias and Gil on “Toda Menina Baiana” is Elias’ daughter, singer-songwriter Amanda Brecker. New to Elias’ team is percussionist Marivaldo dos Santos, drummer Rafael Barata, guitarists Romero Lubambo and Ross Traut, and flutist Lawrence Feldman. I’ve made more than 20 records in my career,” says Elias. “I’m proud of all of them, but I’m especially excited about this one,” says Elias. “It feels like it has a life and an energy all its own. With very few exceptions, nearly all of the songs were first takes. Everybody in the studio was so focused, and it was such a fun record to make. The music was really flowing, and we all felt very relaxed. From the very first day, not a note was wasted by anyone. It was an amazing experience.” Says Elias, “I’m very excited about the music on this album. I think it’s cool, sexy and fun. This recording is the truest expression of what I’m doing right now, and it represents very closely what people hear me doing live in concert. I hope this music brings some romantic, joyful and heartfelt moments to those who hear it.”

Light My Fire Track Listing:1. Rosa Morena 4:18

2. Stay Cool 4:03

3. Aquele Abraço 5:18

4. Light My Fire 5:38

5. Isto Aqui O Que É (Silver Sandal) 4:00

6. My Cherie Amour 4:31

7. Toda Menina Baiana 4:23

8. Bananeira 3:28

9. Made in Moonlight 5:12

10. Turn To Me (Samba Maracatú) 3:39

11. Take Five 5:13

12. What About the Heart (Bate Bate) 4:46

WARREN HAYNES - MAN IN MOTION

Warren Hayne's latest release, Man In Motion,  is a snapshot of a creatively restless musician who is constantly in artistic motion. "Musicians are students for life. We have to continually take new approaches," affirms Haynes. It's not Haynes' first foray as a soul man, however. "Soul music was my first love," says Haynes. "The first LPs I had growing up in Asheville, NC were greatest hits compilations from Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, James Brown, Junior Walker, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Wilson Pickett and The Supremes." Man in Motion contains all original Haynes songs with the addition of original Stax recording artist William Bell's hit "Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday." Kicking off with Warren Haynes' unmistakable and masterful guitar over gospel-soaked piano, the title track to the dynamic new album Man In Motion functions as a mission statement for the legendary musician and his signature brand of rock, blues and soul. Driving horn blasts and powerful organ punctuate some of the most soulful guitar playing and singing that Haynes has ever recorded.

The album harks back to another theme of his young life: Haynes started out as a singer before he began playing guitar. "The vocal is more of a centerpiece on Man In Motion," he says. Haynes' singing shines on the album, with a bold and emotive delivery that shimmers with his smoky vibrato. Man In Motion clocks in at over an hour, allowing for its ten tracks to breathe and develop, punctuated by a stellar rhythm section and sophisticated, moving solo guitar work from Haynes. The studio band includes Ivan Neville on background vocals and organ, Ian McLagan on piano, Ruthie Foster on background vocals, George Porter, Jr. on bass and Ron Holloway on saxophone. Haynes recorded the album at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studios to two-inch tape with vintage tube microphones and everyone playing together in the same room. "We recorded it live to capture the emotion, passion and spontaneity."

Man in Motion Track Listing:

1. Man In Motion 7:51

2. River's Gonna Rise 6:51

3. Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday 5:29

4. Sick Of My Shadow 6:56

5. Your Wildest Dreams 7:18

6. On A Real Lonely Night 7:38

7. Hattiesburg Hustle 6:33

8. A Friend To You 5:44

9. Take A Bullet 5:24

10. Save Me 6:15

AN EVENING WITH DAVE GRUSIN

Jazz recording artist, pianist, composer, arranger, and winner of 10 Grammys, and Oscar - has a new album entitled An Evening With Dave Grusin. Grusin steps out from behind the various machinations of film and television production to take center stage on An Evening with Dave Grusin, a groundbreaking live recording that captures him conducting and performing with a host of stars, and backed by the 75-piece Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Florida, in December 2009. The album is a collection of 12 songs by Grusin, Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin and Henry Mancini. Guest performers on the date include Jon Secada, Patti Austin, Monica Mancini, Gary Burton, Arturo Sandoval, Nestor Torres and Sammy Figueroa. “This recording was a great opportunity to revisit some of my previous film work,” says Grusin, “as well as performing music by George Gershwin, and some material from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, two giants among American composers. And I’m especially fond of the Henry Mancini songs. Hank was a friend of mine, and a mentor who helped so many of us get into the business of film scoring.” The word “orchestration” can have more than one meaning in a project that involves 75 musicians and a series of high-caliber guest performers, Grusin admits. “Recordings like this can be challenging,” he says. “There are a lot of pieces that have to come together in the right place and at the right time – both in the planning stage and during the actual performance. But everyone was a professional at every step of the process. I’m grateful for the longtime association I’ve had with Larry Rosen, and for the contributions so many other great people who helped make this happen. I think this recording captures some of the work I’m most proud of, along with the work of people whom I’ve admired for many years.” This groundbreaking project, which is the first music performance to be simultaneously released on CD, Blu-ray, and iPad App brings together a team of world class experts. The team includes award winning producers Larry Rosen and the legendary Phil Ramone; multi-Grammy winning recording engineers Eric Shilling and Frank Filipetti; and the cutting edge iPad App development team from ROBA Interactive.

An Evening With Dave Grusin Track Listing
1. Fratelli Chase 1:55

2. Cool 4:30
3. Maria 5:42
4. Makin' Whoopee 5:25
5. I Feel Pretty 7:25
6. Bess You Is My Woman Now/I Loves You Porgy 6:22
7. It Might Be You 6:16
8. On Golden Pond/New Hampshire Hornpipe 6:04
9. Somewhere 4:54
10. Moon River 4:38
11. America 7:40
12. Memphis Stomp 1:05

NICOLE HENRY - EMBRACEABLE

After releasing a trio of critically-acclaimed albums and amassing reams of rave reviews and accolades about her live performances, Nicole Henry could have simply continued singing the Great American Songbook to blissfully satiate discerning music listeners. But like the truly gifted artist that she is, Henry deemed the time right to change, grow and expand her artistic muse. Audacious and undaunted in the face of uncertainty and risk, the highly rewarding result is Embraceable, an exquisite and elegantly performed twelve-song collection that adeptly delivers material certain to please those familiar with Henry's soul-stirring artistry while garnering ardent admirers beyond jazz. Grammy nominated producer Matt Pierson (Kirk Whalum, Jane Monheit, Joshua Redman) produced the gorgeous record that will be released August 23rd through ArtistShare, a unique platform that invites fans to help finance and follow the creative process of their favorite artist's recording project through exclusive behind-the-scenes video clips, photos and updates. While jazz standards are timeless, Henry is a young, radiant, contemporary woman and an innate story-teller who desired to pour her passion into newer songs about experiences and emotions related to love and romance that she could establish as her own "modern standards." Henry and Pierson elected to record four original songs for Embraceable, including a pair of soulful ballads from gospel/R&B artist John Stoddart ("Anything For You" and "Even While You're Gone"), the triumphant affirmation "Hush Now" penned by Oli Rockberger, and collaborated with Stoddart and Doug Emery to compose the rousing "A Little Time Alone," featuring Kirk Whalum's soaring sax and a celestial, Sunday morning churchlike Henry vocal. Whether it be a Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil tune ("Just A Little Lovin'"), a signature song from Bob Marley ("Waiting In Vain"), or a Gershwin classic ("Embraceable You"), each song emerges from the core of her being. Although Henry possesses the vocal power capable of lighting up her hometown of Philadelphia, instead she skillfully lets her voice caress, emoting with the same kind of iconic grace, class and control from which legends are made. And when she does release her full command, it's genuine, poignant and stunning. Pierson was savvy to maintain the sense of warmth and intimacy that Henry's alluring voice fosters naturally by using only live instrumentation, including horn and string sections. Recorded in New York City, he summoned world-class musicians to contribute to Embraceable including Whalum, guitarists Julian Lage, Jef Lee Johnson and Larry Campbell, Gerald Clayton (piano), Shedrick Mitchell (organ), Gregoire Maret (harmonica), Larry Grenadier (bass), Eric Harland (drums), Bashiri Johnson (percussion), and Gil Goldstein (piano), the latter of who splendidly arranged "Waiting In Vain" and "Embraceable You." On August 22nd, Henry will celebrate the album release with a show at Dizzy's at Lincoln Center featuring many of the musicians who played on the disc including Lage, Grenadier and Harland.

Embraceable Track Listing
"Just a Little Lovin'"
"Like Someone in Love"
"Anything for You"
"Since I Fell for You"
"Trouble in Mind"
"Hush Now"
"Waiting in Vain"
"Embraceable You"
"A Day in the Life of a Fool"
"Even While You're Gone"
"A Little Time Alone"
"Save Me From Myself"

http://www.nicolehenry.com/

BEN WILLIAMS - STATE OF ART

State Of Art is a result of Williams’ first prize in the 2009 Thelonious Monk International Competition for double-bass. The album marks Williams’ first album as a leader, however it is not the bassist’s first time working with the Concord Jazz family. For the past two years, Williams has been a working member of two Concord Jazz artists’ working bands: vibraphonist Stefon Harris & Blackout, a R&B and hip-hop-tinged group, which calls on Williams’ unique connection with go-go, from his native Washington, DC to inform its sound and pianist Jacky Terrasson’s Trio. Williams was featured on Harris’ 2009 Concord Jazz debut, Urbanus and Terrasson’s 2010 Concord Jazz debut, Push. So it is particularly fitting that he now joins the Concord Jazz roster as a leader in his own right.The title of Williams’ debut stops modestly short of such a bold argument, but does sum up the young bassist’s of-the-moment approach. “I’m trying to interpret the times,” Williams says, “to represent what’s going on today.” To that end, State of Art is a wholly contemporary amalgam of jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and even classical influences which fully acknowledge the past while maintaining an urgency born of the here and now. The variety of flavors that comprise this musical stew, Williams explains, are drawn from his full 26 years of experience – with perhaps an extra nine months besides.

“I always feel like you start your musical training maybe even before you’re born,” he says. “Consciously or subconsciously you soak in all the music you hear around you, so when you do get to the point where you’re expressing your own music that stuff is all mixed in there whether you like it or not. So I just try to be honest and represent all that influence.” Williams cites his mother’s tastes as defining his earliest listening experiences. At home he was surrounded by the sounds of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, the Jackson 5; his formative years coincided with the heyday of Michael Jackson and Prince. Those inspirations are deeply imprinted on State of Art, not only in Williams’ choice of repertoire – which includes Jackson’s relatively obscure “Little Susie” and Wonder’s 1985 hit “Part-Time Lover” – but in his own original compositions, like the infectiously groovy opener, “Home”, and the James Brown tribute “Mr. Dynamite”, which also evokes latter-day Cannonball Adderley. They also surface in the surprising context of the album’s sole standard, an airy reimagining of “Moonlight in Vermont” that sees Williams switching to electric bass. “I like to juxtapose something old with something new,” he says. “Where ‘Part-Time Lover’ is the only song on the record that swings the whole way through, even though it happens to be a Stevie Wonder cover, ‘Moonlight in Vermont’ is the reverse: a very old standard interpreted in a very modern way. It’s probably closer to Prince than Frank Sinatra.” He also ventures boldly into the common ground between jazz and hip-hop on “The Lee Morgan Story”, a tune by emcee John Robinson that he discovered when the two appeared together as part of jazz/hip-hop fusioneers Revive Da Live’s show “Hip-Hop 1942.” He invited not only Robinson to revive his role as Morgan’s rap biographer for the recording, but also recruited trumpeter Christian Scott, himself no stranger to blurring genre boundaries.

Though the Monk Competition has established Williams’ place among the leading bassists of his generation, it wasn’t his first instrument. He began by playing around on a classically-trained cousin’s piano, which he then inherited when she upgraded to a newer instrument. “I still remember that day when my mom made me go into the basement,” Williams recalls. “I heard all this noise, and I came upstairs and there was a piano. Having a piano in the house was the best gift I probably ever could have gotten.” Williams learned the piano by ear, picking out TV theme songs and tunes he heard on the radio. By the time he got to middle school, he’d decided to pursue the guitar, but mistakenly signed up for a string class that taught only violin, viola, cello and bass. “By the time I found out, it was too late to get into the guitar class. So I picked what looked like the coolest instrument, and that was the bass. Needless to say, I stayed in the class.” While he continued to play piano, and has even won piano competitions in his native Washington D.C., he quickly took to the bass and, through that, to jazz. He went on to study with Rodney Whitaker and Jack Budrow at Michigan State University School of Music and earned his Masters at Juilliard. Since leaving academia Williams has relocated to New York and joined vibraphonist Stefon Harris’ like-minded group Blackout and performed with a host of jazz greats, including Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Pat Metheny, Roy Hargrove, Mulgrew Miller, and Cyrus Chestnut. The band Williams assembled for State of Art is a first-time assemblage of his peers, most of whom he’s played with in a variety of different configurations. At its core, the band consists of tenor/soprano saxophonist Marcus Strickland, guitarist Matthew Stevens, keyboardist Gerald Clayton, drummer Jamire Williams (who also appeared with the bassist on Terrasson’s Push) and percussionist Etienne Charles, joined on three tracks by alto/soprano saxophonist Jaleel Shaw. Williams mixes a string quartet into his arrangements of Jackson’s “Little Susie” and Bay Area soul singer Goapele’s tender, yearning “Things Don’t Exist.”

State of Art Track Listing
1. Home 4:13
2. Moontrane 6:31
3. The Lee Morgan Story 4:32
4. Dawn Of A New Day 7:38

5. Little Susie Intro 1:24

6. Little Susie 6:46

7. November 7:07

8. Part-Time Lover 7:07

9. Things Don't Exist 6:01

10. Mr. Dynamite 5:32

11. Moonlight In Vermont 4:52

WHAT MATTERS MOST - BARBRA STREISAND SINGS THE LYRICS OF ALAN AND MARILYN BERGMAN

Barbra Streisand's long-cherished desire to release an album of music with lyrics exclusively written by her collaborators and friends, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, will be achieved with her latest release What Matters Most- Barbra Streisand Sings the Lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman for Columbia Records. The ten song album, and deluxe edition, will be available August 23, 2011. What Matters Most is Streisand's first new album since the September 2009 release of Love Is The Answer, which debuted at Number One, making her the only artist to achieve number one albums in five consecutive decades. The new album, which Streisand personally produced, is comprised of ten Bergman songs which Streisand has never previously recorded. Included in the set are the Academy Award winning songs "The Windmills of Your Mind" (from the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair); "So Many Stars" (originally a hit song for Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66); "Nice 'n' Easy" (popularized by Frank Sinatra); and "That Face" (first recorded by Fred Astaire) . The CD will be packaged in a jewel box with a 24-page color booklet. The deluxe edition CD will include ten previously released performances of Barbra singing the lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman including "The Way We Were", "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", "Papa Can You Hear Me?" and "Pieces of Dreams". Reflecting on her long-held desire to devote an entire album to the amazingly varied and consistently inspired music of the Bergmans, Streisand noted, "Alan and Marilyn Bergman have a remarkable gift for expressing affairs of the heart." The affection and respect between lyricists and artist is quite wonderful. "When we write a song, we hear Barbra," said lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman. "She makes the connection from the heart to the mind, and it emerges through her voice."

According to the RIAA, Barbra Streisand is the #1 best selling female recording artist in history and the only woman to make the Top 10 all time best selling artists list, which includes Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Over the course of her career, Streisand has recorded 50 gold, 30 platinum and 13 multi-platinum albums, all records for female performers. An artist of unparalleled accomplishments in multiple entertainment fields, Streisand has made her mark as an award winning actress of stage and screen, recording artist, concert performer, movie producer, film director, author and songwriter. (She won an Academy Award for writing the music to "Evergreen" – the theme song from "A Star Is Born") Having earned two Oscars (Best Actress and Best Song), five Emmys, ten Golden Globes, eight Grammys, a special Tony Award (in 1970 as "Star of the Decade"), and two Cable Ace awards, she is the only performer to hold honors from all of those institutions. In addition, Streisand is a recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, the National Endowment for the Arts Medal, two prestigious Peabody Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Grammy Legend Award. She's also received the Kennedy Center Honors and most recently the MusiCares Person of the Year Award.

During their distinguished career Alan and Marilyn Bergman have been nominated for sixteen Academy Awards, winning three for "The Windmills of Your Mind" (1968) "The Way We Were" (1973) and the score for "Yentl" (1984). "The Way We Were" also earned a Golden Globe and two Grammys.

RETURN TO FOREVER TOUR DATES

24 June - Northhampton, MA, Calvin Theater

25 June - Syracuse, NY, Syracuse Jazz Festival

26 June - Montreal, QB, Montreal Jazz Festival

27 June - Ottawa, ON, Ottawa Jazz Festival

28 June - Toronto, ON, Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival

1 July - Berlin, Germany, Zitadelle

2 July - Hamburg, Germany, Stadtpark

3 July - Neckarsulm, Germany, Audi Forum

4 July - Munich, Germany, Small Tollwood Arena

5 July - Krackow, Poland, Hala Wisly

7 July - Vienne, France,Vienne Jazz Festival

8 July - Rotterdam, Netherlands, Northsea Jazz Festival

9 July - Paris, France, Olympia

10 July - Gent, Belgium, Gent Jazz Festival

11 July - Duisburg, Germany, Piano Festival Ruhr

12 July - Montreux, Switzerland, Jazz Festival

14 July - Sete, France Theatre de la Mer

15 July - Aosta, Italy, Bard Fortress

16 July - Pescara, Italy, Pescara Jazz Festival

17 July - Rovinj, Croatia, Park Forrest

20 July - Patrimontio, France,Theatre de Verdure

22 July - Madrid, Spain, Puerta del Angel

23 July - San Sebastian, Spain, Kursaal Auditorium

26 July - Marseilles, France, Marseille Jazz Festival

28 July - San Deliu, Spain,

29 July - Marciac, France, Marciac Jazz Festival

1 August - Tel Aviv, Israel, Casesaria Amphitheatre

7 August - Pittsburgh, PA, Stage AE Zappa Plays Zappa

8 August - Buffalo, NY, UAB Center for the Arts Zappa Plays Zappa

9 August - Baltimore, MD, Merriweather Post Pavilion Zappa Plays Zappa

10 August - Philadelphia, PA, Mann Center Zappa Plays Zappa

11 August - Boston, MA, Bank of America Pavilion Zappa Plays Zappa

12 August - New York, NY, Beacon Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

13 August - New York, NY, Beacon Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

16 August - Columbus, OH, LC Pavilion Zappa Plays Zappa

17 August - Cleveland, OH, State Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

18 August - Cincinnati, OH, PNC Pavilion Zappa Plays Zappa

19 August - Detroit, MI, Meadowbrook Zappa Plays Zappa

20 August - Hammond, IN, Horseshoe Casino Zappa Plays Zappa

21 August - Indianapolis, IN, The Murat Zappa Plays Zappa

22 August - Nashville, TN, Schermerhorn Symphony Center Zappa Plays Zappa

24 August - Minneapolis, MN, Orpheum Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

25 August - St. Louis, MO, Fox Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

26 August - Kansas City, MO, Midland Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

27 August - Denver, CO, Paramount Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

28 August - Salt Lake City, UT, Red Butte Garden Zappa Plays Zappa

8 September -Atlanta, GA, Fox Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

9 September - Orlando, FL, House of Blues Zappa Plays Zappa

10 September - Boca Raton, FL, Mizner Park Amphitheatre Zappa Plays Zappa

11 September - Clearwater, FL, Ruth Eckerd Hall Zappa Plays Zappa

13 September - Austin, TX, Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

14 September - Grand Prairie, TX, Verizon Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

15 September - Houston, TX, Verizon Wireless Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

17 September - Mesa, AZ, Mesa Arts Center Zappa Plays Zappa

19 September - San Diego, CA, Humphrey's Zappa Plays Zappa

20 September - Los Angeles, CA, Greek Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

21 September - Davis, CA, Mondavi Center Zappa Plays Zappa

22 September - San Francisco, CA, Warfield Theatre, Zappa Plays Zappa

23 September - Eugene, OR, Hult Center Zappa Plays Zappa

24 September - Seattle, WA, Paramount Theatre Zappa Plays Zappa

2-10 October - Japan