THE VERY BEST OF NEIL DIAMOND - THE ORIGINAL STUDIO RECORDINGS

Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings have announced the release of The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings on Tuesday, December 6. The new long-awaited definitive single disc compilation of 23 best-loved hits and signature tracks from America's quintessential singer-songwriter is the first Neil Diamond collection to draw from the artist's complete studio discography. The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Records includes his first pop chartings as a writer/performer for Bang Records in the mid-1960s; his spectacular career-defining hits for Uni/MCA (1968-1972); music from 1980's The Jazz Singer (his 5x platinum-selling soundtrack album on Capitol Records) and studio essentials from a long-running association with Columbia Records that began in 1973 with the Jonathan Livingston Seagull soundtrack album and runs through a pair of Rick Rubin-produced albums: 12 Songs (2005) and Home Before Dark (which became Neil's first Number 1 album on the Billboard 200 in 2008).

The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings includes "Recollections," a revelatory set of liner notes penned by Neil especially for this collection, providing anecdotal detail and behind-the-scenes point-of-view insight into each of the songs. In his reflections on "Hell Yeah," the track that closes the album, he writes, "'Hell Yeah' is an affirmation of a lifetime spent devoted to music and my attempt to find a personally satisfying life for myself beyond the music. I have that life now but it was a much harder job than I thought possible. Still, well worth all the years and all the tears."

In closing his "Recollections" for The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings, Neil says, "I wish I could personally thank the hundreds of musicians, arrangers, and engineers who, along with the producers, spent long days and nights in studios around the country to make these recordings vibrate and thrill. As a songwriter I can only humbly bow down and thank them all from the depths of my heart for giving wings to my dreams."

Across a musical career spanning nearly five decades, Neil Diamond has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide, with a remarkable track record of 16 Top Ten albums, and 37 Top Ten singles. A Grammy Award-winning artist, Neil Diamond has been inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award. Among Diamond's many other honors, he has received a Golden Globe Award, 12 Grammy nominations and was named the 2009 MusiCares Person of the Year.
Neil Diamond, a 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, was recently announced as a 2011 Kennedy Center Honoree and will be part of the 85th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings
track listing

1. Forever In Blue Jeans
recorded November 1978
arranged and conducted by Tom Hensley
Produced by Bob Gaudio
Columbia single #3-10897, rel. 1/16/79
charted 1/27/79; weeks: 11; peak: #20
from the Columbia album You Don't Bring Me Flowers (FC 35625), rel. 12/78

2. Beautiful Noise
recorded 11/5/75
strings and horns arranged by Nick DeCaro
Produced by Robbie Robertson
Columbia single #3-10452, rel. 11/16/76
from the Columbia album Beautiful Noise (PC 33965), rel. 6/10/76

3. Love On The Rocks
recorded October 1980
Produced by Bob Gaudio
Capitol single #4939
charted 11/1/80; weeks: 20; peak; #2(3)
from the Capitol album The Jazz Singer (SWAV-12120), rel. 11/10/80

4. Cherry, Cherry
recorded 1966
Produced by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
Bang single #528
charted 8/20/66; weeks: 12; peak: #6
from the Bang album The Feel Of Neil Diamond (BLP-214), rel. 10/66

5. I Am…I Said
Produced by Tom Catalano
UNI single #55278
charted 3/27/71; weeks: 10; peak: #4
from the UNI album Stones (93106), rel. 10/71
Originally released in 1971

6. Sweet Caroline
Produced by Tommy Cogbill, Tom Catalano & Neil Diamond
UNI single #55136
charted 6/28/69; weeks: 14; peak: #4
from the UNI album reissue Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show (73047), rel. 7/69
Originally released in 1969

7. Cracklin' Rosie
Produced by Tom Catalano & Neil Diamond
UNI single #55250
charted 8/22/70; weeks: 15; peak: #1
from the UNI album Tap Root Manuscript (73092), rel. 10/70
Originally released in 1970

8. Play Me
Produced by Tom Catalano & Neil Diamond
UNI single #55346
charted 8/12/72; weeks: 11; peak: #11
from the UNI album Moods (93136), rel. 6/72

9. I'm A Believer
recorded 1967
Produced by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
Bang single #586
charted 6/26/71; weeks: 8; peak: #51
from the Bang album Just For You (BLP-217), rel. 9/67

10. Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon
recorded 1967
Produced by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
Bang single #542
charted 4/8/67; weeks: 11; peak: #10
from the Bang album Just For You (BLP-217), rel. 9/67

11. Holly Holy
Produced by Tom Catalano & Tommy Cogbill
UNI single #55175
charted 11/1/69; weeks: 14; peak: #6
from the UNI album Touching You, Touching Me (73071), rel. 10/69
Originally released in 1969

12. Solitary Man
recorded 1966
Produced by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
Bang single #519
charted 5/21/66; weeks: 10; peak: #55
from the Bang album The Feel Of Neil Diamond (BLP-214), rel. 10/66

13. Song Sung Blue
Produced by Tom Catalano & Neil Diamond
UNI single #55326
charted 5/6/72; weeks: 13; peak: #1
from the UNI album Moods (93136), rel. 6/72

14. You Don't Bring Me Flowers
duet with Barbra Streisand
arranged by Alan Lindgren
recorded November 1978
Produced by Bob Gaudio
Columbia single #3-10840, rel. 10/17/78
charted 10/28/78; weeks: 17; peak: #1(2)
from the Columbia album You Don't Bring Me Flowers (FC 35625), rel. 12/78

15. Hello Again
recorded October 1980
Produced by Bob Gaudio
Capitol single #4960
charted 1/31/81; weeks: 16; peak; #6
from the Capitol album The Jazz Singer (SWAV-12120), rel. 11/10/80

16. Red, Red Wine
recorded 1967
Produced by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
from the Bang album Just for You (BLP-2170), rel. 9/67

17. If You Know What I Mean
recorded 11/5/75
strings and horns arranged by Nick DeCaro
Produced by Robbie Robertson
Columbia single #3-10366, rel. 6/4/76
charted 6/19/76; weeks: 12; peak: #11
from the Columbia album Beautiful Noise (PC 33965), rel. 6/10/76

18. Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show
Produced by Tommy Cogbill & Chips Moman
UNI single #55109
charted 2/22/69; weeks: 13; peak: #22
from the UNI album Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show (73047), rel. 3/69
Originally released in 1969

19. Pretty Amazing Grace
Produced by Rick Rubin
from the Columbia album Home Before Dark (88697 15465 2), rel. 5/6/08

20. Kentucky Woman
recorded 1967
Produced by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
Bang single #551
charted 10/14/67; weeks: 8; peak: #22
from the Bang album Just For You (BLP-217), rel. 9/67

21. Shilo
Produced by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich
Bang single #575
charted 2/7/70; weeks: 14; peak: #24
from the Bang album Just For You (BLP-217), rel. 9/67
Originally Recorded 1967.

22. America
recorded October 1980
Produced by Bob Gaudio
Capitol single #4960

charted 4/25/81; weeks: 17; peak; #8

from the Capitol album The Jazz Singer (SWAV-12120), rel. 11/10/80

23. Hell Yeah

Produced by Rick Rubin

from the Columbia album 12 Songs (88697 03958 2), rel. 11/8/05

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EMANUELE CISI QUARTET - HOMECOMING

Emanuele Cisi has earned a reputation as being one of Italy's top tenor and soprano saxophonists over the last two decades with his distinctive fluid style that oozes with style and lyricism. He has cut six albums under his own name and has participated in dozens of others as either a co-leader or sideman.  He’s recorded in many different European countries for both Italian and foreign labels (including Blue Note and Universal). He’s played at concerts and TV shows Europe, United States, and China, and has collaborated with the likes of Clark Terry, Jimmy Cobb, Billy Cobham, Nat Adderley, Aldo Romano, Daniel Humair, Enrico Rava, Paolo Fresu, Sting and many others.

His latest album, Homecoming, was recorded with his quartet comprising of Luigi Bonafede (piano), Rosario Bonaccorso (bass) and Francesco Sotigu (drums), and is out on the Japanese label that specialises in Italian jazz, Albore Jazz. The format here is very organic – tunes that build slowly but strongly, all penned by Cisi and other group members. The soprano sax tunes are especially nice – gently arcing in space with a open, earnest feel – never stretching out too much, but finding just the right pace for the pulse. Titles include "Sweet Prayer", "Temporary", "Warnin Up", "Rosa", "Homecoming", and "Like Luigi". The sound is very much modern European post-bop jazz with a nod of respect to Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, and the whole set has a warm and rich feel to it. The album bursts into life with Like Luigi, an explosive, uptempo number with Cisi offering us a stunning, expressive tenor workout that dominates the piece with just short space for a breather in the mid-section. It's a tune that won't let you sit still, but just as you're really getting into the swing of things, it comes to an abrupt halt at the four minute mark, leaving the listener hungry for more.

The title tune is a mellow, laidback ballad with soprano sax that is full of longing and has an understated feel that gives it power. This is followed by the foot-tapping "Scisi Ta'", a wonderful slice of mid-tempo jazz with Cisi weaving his melodies over some really solid backing. Elsewhere high points include the soprano-led "Temporary," a very modern European jazz number and the swinging "Song For Bengt," which could either be a tribute to the Danish tenorman, Bengt Jaedig or his compatriot, pianist Bengt Axen, since it features both lengthy tenor and piano solos, though either way it's a great tune. Homecoming really highlights the talents of Emanuele Cisi and his band both as performers and composers. and is a great jazz album for late summer evenings, that is worth

SOUL TOGETHERNESS 2011

This latest installment of the Soul Togetherness series (the 12th), includes 15 modern soul room dancefloor tracks. This compilations features music from the U.S, Japan, Australia, South Africa Venezuela and the U.K. on yet another essential selection of the year’s finest new music and revivals, and it features expansive tracks from Heston, Rahsaan Patterson, Deborah Bond, They, Reel People, Electric Empire, the legendary Leon Ware and many more. As Japan becomes a force in fine new soul music, included is a killer cut from Shuya Okino (Kyoto Jazz Massive) with “Give Yourself A Chance;” Electric Empire from Australia; Nothende from South Africa; a taste of Venezuela disco courtesy of London-based Los Charly’s Orchestra; and from the U.K. the best of this year’s top tunes from Sarah Fonteyne and Reel People. Also included are "And You Don't Stop" by Kelly Price, “Kiss Of Life" by Maydie Miles, "Maybe You'll Be Back" by Sharon McMahan, "Messing" by Sarah Fontaine, "On The Beach (Atjazz Love Soul Mix)" by Leon Ware and more.

Soul Togetherness 2011 Track Listing:
1. Shuya Okino - Give Your Love a Chance
2. Heston - Greatest Lover (CB Remix)
3. Nothende - Celebrate
4. Kelly Price - & You Don't Stop
5. Debórah Bond - 5:35
6. Rahsaan Patterson - 6:00 AM
7. They - FatBack
8. Mary Mary - Survive
9. Reel People feat. Tony Momrelle - Tell Me Why
10. Maydie Myles - Kiss Of Life
11. Sharon McMahan - Maybe You'll Be Back
12. Electric Empire - Baby Your Lovin

13. Sarah Fonteyne - Messing

14. Los Charly's Orchestra - Feeling High

15. Leon Ware - On The Beach (Atjazz Love Soul Remix)

ARTIST PROFILE: ESPERANZA SPALDING

If "esperanza" is the Spanish word for hope, then bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding could not have been given a more fitting name at birth. Blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren, and a natural beauty that borders on the hypnotic, the young prodigy-turned-pro might well be the hope for the future of jazz and instrumental music. Spalding was born and raised on what she calls "the other side of the tracks" in a multi-lingual household and neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Growing up in a single-parent home amid economically adverse circumstances, she learned early lessons in the meaning of perseverance and moral character from the role model whom she holds in the highest regard to this day - her mother.

But even with a rock-solid role model, school did not come easy to Spalding, although not for any lack of intellectual acumen. She was both blessed and cursed with a highly intuitive learning style that often put her at odds with the traditional education system. On top of that, she was shut in by a lengthy illness as a child, and as a result, was home-schooled for a significant portion of her elementary school years. In the end, she never quite adjusted to learning by rote in the conventional school setting. "It was just hard for me to fit into a setting where I was expected to sit in a room and swallow everything that was being fed to me," she recalls. "Once I figured out what it was like to be home-schooled and basically self-taught, I couldn't fit back into the traditional environment."

However, the one pursuit that made sense to Spalding from a very early age was music. At age four, after watching classical cellist Yo Yo Ma perform on an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, the roadmap was suddenly very clear. "That was when I realized that I wanted to do something musical," she says. "It was definitely the thing that hipped me to the whole idea of music as a creative pursuit." Within a year, she had essentially taught herself to play the violin well enough to land a spot in The Chamber Music Society of Oregon, a community orchestra that was open to both children and adult musicians. She stayed with the group for ten years, and by age 15, she had been elevated to a concertmaster position.

But by then, she had also discovered the bass, and all of the non-classical avenues that the instrument could open for her. Suddenly, playing classical music in a community orchestra wasn't enough for this young teenager anymore. Before long she was playing blues, funk, hip-hop and a variety of other styles on the local club circuit. "The funny thing was, I was the songwriter, but I had never experienced love before. Being the lyricist and the lead singer, I was making up songs about red wagons, toys and other childish interests. No one knew what I was singing about, but they liked the sound of it and they just ate it up."

At 16, Spalding left high school for good. Armed with her GED and aided by a generous scholarship, she enrolled in the music program at Portland State University. "I was definitely the youngest bass player in the program," she says. "I was 16, and I had been playing the bass for about a year and a half. Most of the cats in the program had already had at least eight years of training under their belts, and I was trying to play in these orchestras and do these Bach cello suites. It wasn't really flying, but if nothing else, my teachers were saying, ‘Okay, she does have talent.'"

Berklee College of Music was the place where the pieces all came together and doors started opening. After a move to the opposite coast and three years of accelerated study, she not only earned a B.M., but also signed on as an instructor in 2005 at the age of 20 - an appointment that has made her the youngest faculty member in the history of the college. She was the 2005 recipient of the prestigious Boston Jazz Society scholarship for outstanding musicianship.

In addition to the studying and the teaching, Spalding's years at Berklee also created a host of networking opportunities with several notable artists, including pianist Michel Camilo, vibraphonist Dave Samuels, bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Pat Metheny, singer Patti Austin, and saxophonists Donald Harrison and Joe Lovano. "Working with Joe was terrifying," she recalls, "but he's a really generous person. I don't know if I was ready for the gig or not, but he had a lot of faith in me. It was an amazing learning experience."

Spalding's journey as a solo artist began with the May 2008 release of Esperanza, her debut recording for Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, which went on to become the best selling album by a new jazz artist internationally in 2008. The highly acclaimed release was the first opportunity for a worldwide audience to witness her mesmerizing talents as an instrumentalist, vocalist and composer. The New York Times raved, "Esperanza has got a lot: accomplished jazz improvisation, funk, scat singing, Brazilian vernacular rhythm and vocals in English, Portuguese and Spanish. At its center is a female bassist, singer and bandleader, one whose talent is beyond question."

Soon after release, Esperanza went straight to the top of Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart where it remained for over 70 weeks. Spalding was booked on the Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, the CBS Saturday Early Show, the Tavis Smiley Show, Austin City Limits and National Public Radio. Other highlights included two appearances at the White House, a Banana Republic ad campaign, the Jazz Journalists Association's 2009 Jazz Award for Up and Coming Artist of the Year, the 2009 JazzWeek Award for Record of the Year, and many high profile tour dates, including Central Park SummerStage in New York and the Newport Jazz Festival. 2009 was capped by an invitation from President Obama to perform at both the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Oslo, Norway - where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded - and also at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert.

In early 2010, Spalding was the subject of an in-depth profile in The New Yorker, she was also featured in the May 2010 Anniversary issue of O, The Oprah Magazine's "Women on the Rise" (in a fashion spread that features portraits of 10 women who are making a difference in various careers), and she was again nominated by the Jazz Journalists Association for their 2010 Jazz Award for Up and Coming Artist of the Year.

If Esperanza marked a brilliant beginning for this gifted young artist, then Spalding's August 2010 release, Chamber Music Society, sets her on an upward trajectory to prominence. Inspired by the classical training of her younger years, Spalding has created a modern chamber music group that combines the spontaneity and intrigue of improvisation with sweet and angular string trio arrangements. The result is a sound that weaves the innovative elements of jazz, folk and world music into the enduring foundations of classical chamber music traditions. Co-produced by Esperanza and Gil Goldstein (with string arrangements provided by both), Chamber Music Society finds Esperanza with a diverse assembly of musicians: pianist Leo Genovese, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, percussionist Quintino Cinalli, guitarist Ricardo Vogt, and vocalists Gretchen Parlato and the legendary Milton Nascimento. The string trio is comprised of violinist Entcho Todorov, violist Lois Martin and cellist David Eggar.

On February 13, 2011, Spalding won the Grammy® Award for Best New Artist. She is the first jazz musician to ever win this award. "People have asked me what significance being a jazz artist particularly brings to the award," she says. "We all know that jazz artists aren't typically nominated in this category, so that alone is special about the award this year. But, mainly I hope this will be significant in that the media spotlight will illuminate more than just an edge of the HUGE breadth of all that is happening in jazz music as a whole right now." In addition to touring with Joe Lovano, Spalding has also performed with pianist McCoy Tyner, among others.

RICHARD BONA - TEN SHADES OF BLUES

Ever since his solo debuts in 1999, Richard Bona has defended the idea of music that’s universal: generous and accessible to all. He was born in 1967 in Minta, a tiny Cameroon village, into a family where both his mother and grandfather were singers. Richard was playing the balafon by the time he was four, and then he taught himself to play the guitar. Later, in the capital of Douala, a jazz-club owner played him records by bassist Jaco Pastorius; Richard decided he’d teach himself to play the bass as well. In 1989 he went to Europe, living in Germany for a while before moving to France to complete his bass education. He took lessons for some seven years in Paris, and at the same time he became a familiar figure in the capital’s clubs, where he met Didier Lockwood and Marc Ducret, and the Africans Manu Dibango and Salif Keita. “It was a very formative period; I was meeting people whose styles varied.” In 1995 Richard went to New York. For the next few months he visited the city’s famous jazz clubs and worked with Michael and Randy Brecker, Pat Metheny, Larry Coryell, Mike Stern, Steve Gadd, Joe Zawinul, even singer Harry Belafonte. Richard Bona suddenly had a reputation for being one of the best bassists of his time, and by now he was also giving people a glimpse of his other talents as a composer and singer. A solo career was beckoning.

Scenes From My Life was released in 1999. It was followed by Reverence (2001), Munia: The Tale (2003), Tiki (2006, with John Legend and Djavan) and the live album Bona Makes You Sweat in 2008. The musician found his audience immediately: his brio as a fluid instrumentalist made everything seem easy, and his slender singing voice had real melody; coupled with these musical talents were his gifts as a natural showman, for Bona appeared to be born for the stage. Above all, his compositions naturally took in different sources: Africa, jazz, fusion… Bona was still highly sought-after as an instrumentalist, and he regularly received calls from some of the greatest musicians, including the late Joe Zawinul, Mike Stern and Larry Coryell. His reputation went beyond jazz and world music however, and he caught the attention of such stars as Bobby McFerrin, Paul Simon, Chick Corea, Chaka Khan or George Benson. In 2004, Richard Bona joined his talents with those of Lokua Kanza from the Congo and Gerald Toto from Martinique, and together they released TotoBonaLokua.

Far from slowing down his rhythm, Bona the globe-trotter has maintained his pace, and one look at his 2009 schedule is enough: a tour with Sylvain Luc and Steve Gadd, plus dates with Bill Evans and his group Soulgrass, a summer of festivals alongside Richard Galliano (with Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Clarence Penn)…all this activity shows that Bona has remained an eclectic. “Frankly, that’s why I do what I do. I get bored when I stay inside one format; once I’ve done it I want to move on to something else. Why wouldn’t I? I feel like a student, in the sense that I know what I don’t know.” Ten Shades of Blues, Richard Bona’s fifth studio CD, synthesizes his thirst for new things, even if Bona’s unmistakable stamp can be heard after just a few bars: “It’s my role to make all this coherent. It wouldn’t be nice for the listener to zip from one mood to the next if there wasn’t a link.”

MAYSA - MOTIONS OF LOVE

Longtime Incognito vocalist Maysa is one of finest Soul/Jazz singers to emerge in the past 20 years, as evidenced by her acclaimed solo albums highlighted by her gorgeous, unique vocal sound. Motions Of Love s a set of all new songs, highlighted by a wonderful duet with Dwele and featuring a new song composed and produced especially for this album by the legendary Stevie Wonder. Over the years Maysa has established herself as one of the leading contemporary female soul singers, her new album Motions Of Love she will please her many fans. 'Get With Me' is a nice uptempo track, the shuffling 'Name It On The List' grooves along nicely, and 'Love Sweet Love' is a good dancer. 'Dance With Me' is a good mid tempo stepper, 'Hold On' is a nice subtle mid tempo that builds nicely, 'Flower Girl' an upper mid tempo head nodder featuring Dwele. The atmospheric cover of Angela Bofill's 'I Try'and the ballad 'It's Over are also highlights, as well as “Have Sweet Dreams” featuring Stevie Wonder on harmonica. The album is set to be released November 8, 2011

Maysa - Motions of Love
1. Get Wit Me
2. Come Dance With Me
3. Day N Night
4. Flower Girl (feat. Dwele)
5. Have Sweet Dreams (co-written by Stevie Wonder)
6. Motions Of Love
7. You Won't Find Your Way
8. When It's Over
9. Love Sweet Love (LSL)
10. Hold On
11. I Try
12. When It's Over (Reprise)
13. Your Name's Not On The List
14. Special Place

CHICO HAMILTON - EL CHICO / THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF EL CHICO

Amazing sounds throughout – 2 killers from Chico Hamilton! El Chico is light years ahead of the staid sounds that Chico Hamilton was cutting in the 50s! Hamilton's one of those players who has an amazing range to his music – almost all of it really incredible, as Chico always shifts things up over time – continually trying new things, and new modes of expression – even though, given his popularity, he could have just kept recording the same things year after year. This album is true testament to that propensity for growth in Hamilton's music – a wonderfully unbridled set that's filled with unusual rhythms, odd instrumentation, and even some of the first touches of psychedelic jazz to appear in the 60s! Players include Sadao Watanabe on alto and flute, Gabor Szabo on guitar, Jimmy Cheatham on trombone, and Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja on percussion – all working together in a really wonderful range of modes from track to track – always groovy, but also pretty far-reaching and exploratory too! Titles include "El Moors", "Helena", "Strange", "Marcheta", "El Chico", and "Conquistadores". Further Adventures is massively groovy work from Chico Hamilton – one of his standout swingers for Impulse Records in the 60s, and a set that really showcases all the changes in music he'd made for the decade! The set features some wonderful reed work from Jerome Richardson and Charlie Mariano, plus some especially great guitar from Gabor Szabo – a player who was rising to fame in Hamilton's group, but also stands out here with lots of the breezy grooves he'd bring to his own dates for Impulse. Tracks are short, but in a good way that really keeps them focused – and other players who complete the groove include Clark Terry on trumpet and Ron Carter on bass – both of whom nicely pick up Chico's sense of adventure and humor. Titles include "Monday Monday", "Daydream", "Stella By Starlight", "Evil Eye", "Manila", "That Boy With The Long Hair", and "Monday Monday".  Source: Dusty Groove

GOAPELE - BREAK OF DAWN

Singer/songwriter Goapele broke out of Bay Area at the beginning of the last decade determined to make a difference in the world of music. Seamlessly blending genres while refusing to be limited by the “neo-soul” tag, the eloquent singer/songwriter completed her first release Closer in 2001 and never looked back. Embraced from the beginning by critics and fans alike, Goapele craved the perfect niche for herself as she created music that fused jazz, soul and hip-hop with her own beautiful poetry.


Yet, while the Oakland native and former Berklee College of Music student has continued to grow as artist and live performer in the eleven years since her debut, Goapele is also known as a savvy businesswoman. Not content to be merely another singer lost in the machine, Goapele’s follow-up recordings Even Closer (2002) and Change It All (2005) were released through majors in conjunction with her own independent label Skyblaze. “I like being more hands on when it comes to my music,” Goapele says of the family owned independent label. “Establishing Skyblaze allowed me to have a more direct connection with my business as well as the music.”

While Rolling Stone magazine once called Goapele the “spiritual love child of Sade and D’Angelo,” her searing voice can be both sensuous and serious, often on the same song. After taking off six years from recording, Goapele has returned to the forefront of the music scene with Break of Dawn, a collection of sophisticated songs dealing with love, loss and all the life in between. “One of my goals for the newest project Break of Dawn was to be more uninhabited,” Goapele says. “I came into this business as a young woman who wanted to be taken seriously for my music, but, now I’m more willing to share my sexiness as well. I realize that it’s possible to be both complex and provocative.”

As a perfect example of Goapele’s more sensuous side, her first single “Play” is like a hot bubble bath overflowing with synths and passion. "I was working with producers Electric Thunderbolt, Dan Electric and Teddy Thunderbolt, and they started a little vibe with the synths and drums. I just liked it so much I was ready to get into the recording booth,” Goapele says. With sizzling rhythms that are subtle, sexy, but nonetheless funky, one feels as though Goapele is whispering lustful secrets in your ear. “Milk & Honey,” produced by Bedrock, is another sleek, sexy song that helped set the tone for Break of Dawn. “Bedrock and I worked together on the last album, and when he started working on the music for ‘Milk & Honey,’ I knew that was the direction I wanted to go in.”

Recorded mostly at Zoo Studios in Oakland, Break of Dawn digs deep while honestly revealing the many layers of experience that defines Goapele, from the birth of her daughter to the death of her father as well as a close friend. “When I began thinking about the kind of disc I wanted to make, I felt as though the world was open,” Goapele states. “My musical foundation was already in place, so I could experiment and try new things.” As one of the earliest songs recorded for this project, the title track is the perfect anthem of perseverance in an ever-changing world that we have no control over. “I chose Break of Dawn as the title, because for me it represents being able to face challenges while still moving forward. After recording Break of Dawn, I felt that through the good and bad things that have happened in my life, these were the experiences that led me to where I am today.”

Produced by multi-instrumentalist Malay, who has worked with John Legend and Big Boi, the self-empowering song has a vibe that matches the Goapele’s personality perfectly. “Both the album title and the song represents a new day and yet another opportunity to live the life we want to life,” Goapele explains. “This is what keeps me inspired and motivated.” Collaborating with an array of creative folks including Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Bobby Ozuma, Malay and Bedrock, this is also the first project Goapele has worked with other songwriters. “Writing lyrics has always been such a personal process for me, but for Break of Dawn, I decided to take some of the pressure off of myself,” she says, laughing. Songwriter Carman Michelle teamed-up with Goapele and producer Krucial to help compose one of the album’s most heartfelt songs “Hush,” a beautiful lullaby written for her four-year-old daughter. “For the first time I felt I didn’t have to do everything myself.” Another emotionally charged track is “Tears on my Pillow,” a sorrowful song that explores death, abandonment and separation. Produced by Bobby Ozuma, “Tears on my Pillow” is a hard-hitting soulful song that explores Goapele's more bluesy side.

Growing-up in Oakland, her politically activist parents helped Goapele develop her musical taste by taking her to countless concerts. “Both of them loved music, so we’d go to shows,” Goapele says. Her father was a politically exiled South African who knew many of the musicians. “They were often friends of the family, so they would let me go on stage to sing and dance with the backup singers.”

Indeed, a little bit of the James Brown/Prince vibe comes through on the hypnotic-funk of “Money.” As the last song recorded for Break of Dawn, she says, “Although I’m a naturally laidback person, I felt I need a song to kick up the tempo a little bit. Malay played me a funky bassline and we just took the song from there. The subject of money is stressing out so many people these days, but I wanted folks to realize it’s not more important than relationships with other people.”

JOSH MILAN PRESENTS HONEYCOMB MUSIC VOLUME 1

Following up to the massive success of "Your Body," Josh Milan has written and produced a full length CD - Josh Milan Presents Honeycomb Music Volume 1 - that features songs with some of his favorite seasoned artists as well as fresh and new talent, including Sandra St. Victor, ChinahBlac, Crystal Johnson, Cinnamon Brown, Honey Sweet, and a few others have lent their talents to complete this project. Josh Milan is a former member of the legendary combo Blaze – a group that so perfectly brought a genuine depth of soulful songwriting integrity to the dancefloor scene from the mid 80s house era onward. Now Milan carries on that tradition with the debut of his Honeycomb Music project. Milan wrote and produced each track on the 2-CD package – with some great voices from the contemporary scene and names we're seeing for the first time. “The project is an attempt to put live instrumentation and overall soul back into house music” Milan says. “Live instrumentation and strong songs stand out here, just as they did for Blaze” Most tracks on the CD run between 5 & 7 minutes, and include songs by Angela Johnson, Crystal Johnson, T'Zelle, Lamone, Honey Sweet feat Cassio Ware, Chinahblac, Lamone, Sandra St. Victor and others. Titles include "Kipepeo" by T'Zelle, "Raul Rosario, We Miss You" by Honey Sweet, "Forever I Do" by Angela Johnson, "GOD" by Dawn Tallman, "Under The Moonlight" by Cinnamon Brown, "Who Am I" by Crystal Johnson, "Your Eyes" by Lamone, "Till You Go Home" by Chinahblac and more.

Milan, the record label's owner and creative force, has written and produced some of the most popular music in dance music history. After 20 years of writing, recording, and performing music as the former member of Blaze and for other artists such as Grammy award winning producer "Little Louie" Vega, dance music artist Barbara Tucker and producing giant Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez, Milan has finally launched his own record company, Honeycomb Music. In a short time, Honeycomb Music has quickly become a name synonymous with class and has even enjoyed its first taste of success when the single, "Your Body," went to #1 around the globe, fast becoming one of the hottest releases of the year. "There is a lot of live instrumentation that the industry has gotten away from. That's the main reason I'm starting Honeycomb Music. I wanted to be in full control of the music that comes out. Labels like to have a hand in your music. The industry has a way of dictating what some producers feel they should produce. I'm choosing to march to my own BEAT. After this project comes out, I will be finishing my solo project. I'm looking forward to an extremely creative year!"

CHRIS STANDRING & KATHRIN SHORR - SEND ME SOME SNOW

On their warm and inviting first collaborative collection on Ultimate Vibe Recordings, renowned contemporary jazz guitarist Chris Standring, and the award winning folk/pop singer/songwriter, Kathrin Shorr, celebrate "the most wonderful time of the year" with a unique vintage pop/jazz vibe that draws on traditions of the past while blazing new trails for the ever-popular genre. While evoking feelings of nostalgia for days gone by, the ten witty, charming and easy grooving originals make the perfect fresh accompaniment for a whole new set of inspiring Yuletide memories.

Driven by the dynamic blend of Standring's crisp electric and acoustic guitar and Shorr's soulful voice, smart phrasing and clever lyrics, Send Me Some Snow features top L.A. based musicians, including bassist Larry Steen and drummer Dave Karasony, who played on Standring's ambitious, largely autobiographical 2010 recording Blue Bolero-a set which spawned the hit radio single "Bossa Blue" (the #1 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Track of the Year). Other key players complementing Standring and Shorr's exciting chemistry are bassist Dan Lutz, pianist Mitchel Forman and longtime Standring associate Dino Soldo, who adds harmonica magic to "Christmas Ain't Christmas" and tenor sax, clarinet and EWI to "Mistletoe Moon." Also carrying on the rich textural elements of Blue Bolero, many of the tracks on Send Me Some Snow feature a four piece string quartet featuring two violins, a viola and cello.

While both were enjoying remarkable success in their individual genres, Standring first met Shorr several years ago at a party where he was so blown away by her singing that he grabbed his guitar and joined her. They became close friends over the next several years and Standring decided on a whim to send her a track he had been working on that sounded like the start of a Christmas song. Though she was on a writing retreat working on material for Sweet Talk Radio--the popular folk/pop duo she has with her husband Tim Burlingame--Shorr came up with a strong melody and unique lyrics. "Send Me Some Snow" became the catalyst and eventual title track for what evolved into a full-fledged project.

"I had been pondering the idea of recording a Christmas album for a number of years," Standring says, "but the thought of recording yet another version of 'Jingle Bells' didn't inspire me in the least. I knew Kate had an affinity for holiday songs and she did a wonderful version of 'Winter Wonderland' at Hotel Café, so I thought it might be fun to see if she might want to write a Christmas song together. When I sent her the track that developed into Send Me Some Snow, I didn't think it would grow into something this substantial. But everything developed organically. I invited her to my studio and we wrote another, then another. If we had contrived a full album from the start, I don't think it would have been as incredible an experience.

"Once we got rolling," the guitarist adds, "an overall concept took shape and we focused on vintage sounding original songs with lush string arrangements, old school type vocal sounds, organic drum sounds and upright bass-almost as if you might hear these songs on a classic LP from the 40s or 50s. Throughout the process, it occurred to us, much to our surprise, that we were creating something very original that few if any artists in our genres had done in the past. We couldn't find anyone who had done an entire album of originals with this kind of vintage sound. Our creativity was spurred by the desire to do something fresh and new but that would tug at people's hearts like the standards do. Christmas music has an emotional power like no other to bring on feelings of nostalgia and sentimentality.

Tongue firmly planted in cheek, Standring says that for him, the best part of the experience was when Shorr-also British born-brought over chocolates and tea for him to share. "The entire project flowed effortlessly from beginning to end" he says. "When you work with someone you vibe so well with, it's like you're coming from the same place creatively. We 'get' each other musically and that's a rare thing to discover." Shorr says, "I tried to come at the theme as originally as I could, looking for new ideas that hadn't been done much before. I think the second song we wrote was 'Dear Santa' which is from the perspective of Mrs. Claus and what her Christmas is like every year. That was a good jumping off point for us."

Standring and Shorr launch the set with the title track, featuring a cool shuffling jazz groove behind her whimsical lead vocal and harmonies, all wrapped around the theme of wanting for Christmas the one thing money can't buy. It's a unique twist on the desire for a white Christmas and giving that to the one you love. On "Someone's Gonna Get Something (For Christmas)," the duo creates a charming and infectious sing-a-long around the story of a woman who suspects she might be proposed to on this special day. Shorr says, "It's an amazing compounding of goodness, offering hope for the future on the perfect day for it." Shorr draws on her extensive folk/pop background for the soulful, jazz inflected romp "I've Got A Thing For Jack," as in Frost.

The duo also recognizes that for many, Christmas can be a melancholy time of year, a notion they express beautifully on the graceful and slightly bittersweet "Christmas Ain't Christmas." The deep emotions are enhanced by Soldo's harmonica and Standring's thoughtful nylon string lines. They try something edgy on the sassy, funked up pop/rocker "Naughty or Nice," creating distortion around Shorr's lead vocal and adding finger snaps and a touch of blues. The gentle, plaintive ballad "Dear Santa" was inspired by Shorr's reflection on the loneliness Mrs. Claus must feel being alone on Christmas Eve while her hubby brings joy to kids all over the world. The cleverly titled "Mistletoe Moon" is old fashioned holiday fun at its best, a contemporary take on the swinging big band sounds and vocal harmonies (a la The Andrews Sisters) of the past. Shorr describes it as "a song that leans towards Christmas but whose sentiment about getting caught up in romance applies throughout the year."

Anyone who lives in sunny climes can relate to the soft folk/pop flavored "Christmas in Tinseltown," which is what happens when two artists who live in Southern California write and produce a Christmas recording during the summer when it's 80-90 degrees out. While it includes imagery specific to Hollywood, the track is really about the fact that all the glitz in the world doesn't compare to the glow of love between two people when the lights go down. "There's No Time Like Christmas Time" is all about the sights and sounds of Christmas, looking forward to the season and being full of optimism. Send Me Some Snow wraps with the collection's wistful and romantic "Through the Holidays," written from the point of view of someone pleading with a lover to love them through the holidays before making any fateful decision about their relationship.

As they raise a toast to their dynamic collaborative recording, Standring and Shorr have a great deal to celebrate this season. One of contemporary urban jazz's most popular artists since the late 90s, Standring in 2010 followed his popular solo recordings Soul Express and Love and Paragraphs with Blue Bolero, a personal, expansive artistic statement (on his own label, Ultimate Vibe) featuring a trio and orchestral arrangements which represented a 180 degree departure from the "in the pocket" grooving instrumental style he was best known for. The single "Bossa Blue" spent eight weeks at #1 on the Billboard contemporary jazz radio chart and was declared the #1 contemporary jazz track of the year. In 2007, he achieved similar success as the co-writer of the Rick Braun/Richard Elliot hit "RnR," which was #1 for over two months.

Since Sweet Talk Radio, the folk/pop duo of Shorr and her husband Tim Burlingame, released their critically acclaimed debut album My Hallelujah in 2009, they have enjoyed numerous TV licensing placements and a vigorous touring schedule. Over the years, their music has been heard on "Army Wives," "Haven," "Beautiful People," "Fairly Legal" and "In Plain Sight," and the duo have also scored several independent films. They play regularly in Los Angeles at venues like The Hotel Café and have performed at numerous folk festivals throughout the Western U.S.

Standring and Shorr made their live debut together in October at the Catalina Island Jazz Trax Festival. "Chris and I are really excited about Send Me Some Snow," says Shorr, "and I hope that people who love Christmas music and have a thing for the classics will 'get' it too. I'm inspired by the widespread success in recent years of original holiday songs like Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson's 'Winter Song.' Send Me Some Snow is our contribution to an historically beautiful landscape of music. It's that music that inspired us to throw our own hats in the ring and go back in time when melody was king and romance was everything."

Chris Standring & Kathrin Schorr - Send Me Some Snow
1.Send Me Some Snow

2. Someone's Gonna Get Something (For Christmas)

3. I Got a Thing for Jack

4. Christmas Ain't Christmas Without You

5. Naughty or Nice

6. Dear Santa

7. Mistletoe Moon

8. Christmas in Tinseltown

9. There's No Time Like Christmas Time

10. Through the Holidays

DEXTER GORDON - THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA ALBUMS COLLECTION

This brand new compilation from Columbia includes 6 great albums on 7 CDs, with each individual album packaged in a replica mini-LP sleeve reproducing the album's original cover art.  In addition, there is a booklet with full discograpical information, rare photos and liner notes.  The box-set is produced by Michael Cuscuna, co-directed by Woody Shaw III, with liner notes by Cuscuna and Gordon's widow and long-time manager, Maxine Gordon.

There are no second acts in American lives” wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald, a man who never would have put those words to paper had he lived to see Dexter Gordon’s triumphant late career revival. Actually, the great tenor saxophonist had a number of “second acts” during his lifetime. Yet the late 1980’s flourish that found Gordon (1923-1990) an international star and an Oscar nominee could hardly be topped for a dramatic finale. Gordon may have come of age in the Swing Era worshipping the dual tenor deities Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, but he made his mark during the subsequent rise of bebop, translating Charlie Parker’s revolutionary rhythmic and harmonic language to the tenor saxophone. From 1945 to 1962 “long tall Dexter” (LTD) maintained his status as one of the unimpeachable tenor titans, notwithstanding prison spells that somehow never stalled his momentum. Relocating to Europe, Gordon, his ear ever open to stylistic changes in jazz, retained his celebrity.

On returning Stateside in 1976, Gordon was signed by Columbia Records, who documented him on the celebratory Homecoming: Live At The Village Vanguard. Subsequent albums found Gordon, still in fighting shape and now receiving higher public visibility than ever before, turning out a series of acclaimed recordings that united him with younger associates including Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, and George Cables.
Gordon’s ultra hip manner and regal bearing made him a natural for films, and in 1986, he starred in Round Midnight in a role loosely based on both Bud Powell and Lester Young, ultimately garnering a deserving Academy Award nomination. (Gordon also appeared in the posthumously released Awakenings alongside Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams.) He went out a “star, ” a role he had already embodied in the jazz world for some five decades

Gordon Dexter - The Complete Columbia Albums Collection includes:
Homecoming: Live At The Village Vanguard [2 CDs] (1976)
Sophisticated Giant (1977)
Manhattan Symphonie (1978)
Live At Carnegie Hall (1978)
Gotham City (1980)
Bonus Tracks ( a new compilation disc of bonus material)

THE CAMELLIA SESSIONS RE-LIVES CLASSIC TRACKS WITH NEO.SON / CHARLIE SEPULVEDA AFTER HOURS / MAMBOLERO VOLUME 1

The Camellia Sessions aims to let listeners experience some of the world's best known music through the reinvention and "re-living" of classic music tracks. Camellia Sessions has selected songs from throughout many decades and genres to re-record for a multi-volume jazz, world and lounge music series. Available digitally only, the first three volumes in the "Camellia Sessions" collection - Neo.Son, Charlie Sepulveda After Hours and Mambolero Volume 1 were all released on October 25th, 2011.

The Camellia Sessions blossoms, re-living the spirit of true musical classics through fresh, contemporary productions and creative visuals. Especially crafted for a global audience, these are essential "Re-lived" versions of the classic songs which usher you to the fondest of memories. Re-lived Music is more than just a new music genre. It is the music that you grew up with, remixed and remade in a way that gives justice to the original song. Re-lived Music has the presence of the original song while still remaining an updated new version of it. If that "feel good" feeling is lost then one could say the song was remade, covered or remixed, but not Re-lived. All of the best musical standards can be "Re-lived" when an artist or musician truly creates a modern version of a classic track.

Produced by peermusic Miami's Creative Director Julio Bague, the Camellia Sessions will revive the spirit of true classics through fresh, contemporary productions and creative visuals designed by critically acclaimed artist Sinuhe Vega. Vega's work incorporates a multi-medium, layered process including sculpture, paint and photography, all culminating in what creates a sensory experience for viewers. Said Bague, "The goal of the Camellia Sessions is to provide classic master recordings with a new creative spin through a line of albums - released periodically and only digitally - containing new versions of these songs performed by various artists. By creating these albums aimed at the club and lounge crowds, we hope to introduce some of these classics to a whole new generation of listeners while maintaining the integrity of the originals."

Neo.Son, the first of the releases, includes classic songs made famous by the likes of Buddy Holly ("Everyday"), Nat King Cole ("Perfidia"), Donovan ("Mellow Yellow"), Desi Arnaz ("Babalu"), Sammy Davis Jr. ("You Are My Sunshine") and more, which have been re-lived by sultry female vocalist Natascha Bessez and eclectic programmer/keyboardist Gabó. The remixes give these classics an electro, loungy, fun and sensual feel. "Mellow Yellow" will be the first single release off of the album and a music video will follow.

In After Hours, featuring the trumpet of Charlie Sepulveda and accompanying guitars, jazz classics such as Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust," Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind," Tony Bennett's "Skylark" and Xavier Cugat's "Cachita" are revisited with a jazzy, laid-back approach perfect for the wine and club crowd.

Mambolero Volume 1, featuring signature mambos and boleros made famous by the likes of Tito Puente ("Ran Kan Kan"), Rafael Hernandez ("Enamorado De Ti"), Perez Prado ("Pianolo") and more, have all been re-recorded in an updated yet classic style by a variety of artists. "These are songs you listen to while you live your life. Don't take a moment to listen, listen as you enjoy the moment. Just as the camellia is an international flower, the Camellia Sessions will surely resonate with a global, grooving audience."

 http://www.camelliasessions.com

DEAN MARTIN AND SCARLETT JOHANSSON DUET ON DINO'S CLASSIC HOLIDAY ALBUM "MY KIND OF CHRISTMAS"

Universal Music Enterprises has released the Dean Martin classic holiday album My Kind of Christmas, and the 14-track collection features the new Dean Martin duet with special guest singer and actress Scarlett Johansson of the timeless song “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” Dean Martin loved the holiday season and My Kind of Christmas creates that wonderful nostalgic feeling when gathering with family and friends, decorating the tree and reminiscing while a New Year lingers just around the corner. Nobody sings the holiday classics better than Dino.

Dean Martin “My Kind of Christmas” features more than a dozen timeless classics full of sparkling Christmas cheer including; “White Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer,” as well as Dino’s popular take on “A Marshmallow World.” Famed actress and singer Scarlett Johansson recently recorded an all-new duet of the song “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” exclusively for My Kind of Christmas. A long time fan, Johansson, along with Martin, shares a similar artistic, award-winning career path following both their love of acting and music. “Growing up in New York City, Christmas was never Christmas without Dino,” said Johansson. “Recording in the studio with Mr. Martin in my headphones felt as though he were standing right next to me, crooning with that mischievous gleam in his eye. When I was asked to sing on this album, it was literally a childhood dream come true.”

Capping off a big year in a resurgence of The King of Cool, previous releases and projects throughout 2011 have included the hit Valentines Day single “Hey, Good Lookin’” (Shake It Remix), a new 60+ page hardcover book containing behind-the-scenes and never before seen photos with a 2-CD musical anthology titled Dean Martin: Cool Then, Cool Now, the release of three new DVD collections featuring The Best of the Dean Martin Variety Show from Time-Life, and two collections of music from Capitol/EMI, the deluxe edition of Dino: The Essential Dean Martin and an new title Classic Dino: The Best Of Dean Martin.

A famed star of the silver screen, television icon, Grammy® Award-winning singing sensation and member of the renowned “Rat Pack,” Dean Martin’s show business legacy is legendary. His musical career features such classics as “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head,” “That’s Amore,” “Mambo Italiano,” “Everybody Loves Somebody,” “Sway,” “Volare,” and more, releasing dozens of album recordings over his lifetime. Starring in dozens of well-known movies including Ocean’s Eleven, Rio Bravo, The Caddy, and Who Was That Lady?, for which Martin received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, coupled with a highly popular television career, Dean Martin certainly earned his nickname as the “King of Cool.”

Dean Martin “My Kind of Christmas” track listing:
1. Baby It's Cold Outside
2. Silver Bells
3. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
4. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. The Christmas Blues
6. Winter Wonderland (THE SWINGIN' YULETIDE MIX)
7. Silent Night
8. A Marshmallow World
9. I'll Be Home For Christmas (DUET WITH SCARLETT JOHANSSON)
10. Jingle Bells
11. Blue Christmas
12. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
13. White Christmas
14. Peace On Earth
15. Silent Night

Official Dean Martin website: http://www.deanmartin.com/
Become a fan on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DeanMartin
Follow on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DinosPlace

FOURPLAY - LET'S TOUCH THE SKY

For two decades, the contemporary jazz quartet known as Fourplay has enjoyed consistent artistic and commercial success by grafting elements of R&B, pop and a variety of other sounds to their unwavering jazz foundations. In the course of a dozen recordings – six of which have climbed to the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album charts – the supergroup has continued to explore the limitless dimensions and permutations of jazz while at the same time appealing to a broad mainstream audience.

The Fourplay story begins in 1990, with keyboardist Bob James, who had already established himself as a formidable figure in keyboard jazz – not just as an instrumentalist but as a composer and arranger as well – with solo recordings dating as far back as the mid 1960s. In 1990, James reunited with his old friend, session drummer, producer, composer & recording artist Harvey Mason (Herbie Hancock, Barbra Streisand, Notorious Big), during the recording of James’ Grand Piano Canyon album. Also involved in the project were guitarist Lee Ritenour (Sergio Mendes) and bassist/vocalist Nathan East (Barry White, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins). The Grand Piano Canyon sessions marked the genesis of the group that eventually came to be known as Fourplay. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1991, and included a blend of jazz, R&B and pop.

The original lineup of James/Ritenour/East/Mason stayed together for three successive albums, including Elixir (1994), a set that features some high-profile guest vocalists: Phil Collins, Patti Austin and Peabo Bryson. East also delivers some noteworthy vocal contributions on Elixir, and has continued to do so throughout most of Fourplay’s subsequent studio outings.

Ritenour, whose guitar work in tandem with James’ keyboards served as the cornerstone of the early Fourplay sound, left the lineup in the mid-1990s and was replaced by Larry Carlton (The Crusaders, Joni Mitchell, Quincy Jones). Carlton made his first studio appearance with the band with the release of 4 in 1998. 4 included compositions by all four members, as well as an impressive crew of guest vocalists: El Debarge, Babyface Edmonds, Kevyn Lettau and Shanice.

Following the 1999 release of Snowbound, a mix of traditional and contemporary holiday songs, Fourplay shook things up a bit with Yes Please!, an album that challenged the standard definitions of contemporary jazz by incorporating elements of blues, funk and even Celtic music. JazzTimes critic Hilarie Grey called Yes Please! “an expansive album that incorporates each artist’s strengths, and in the process travels in some unexpected directions.” Grey added: “Yes Please! works where similar projects fail simply because it lets its artists play, without imposing artificial boundaries.”

The sense of experimentation continued with the 2002 release of Heartfelt. The material in this set emerged from a series of improvisational performances that were assembled into full compositions. As a result, the tunes have less clearly defined melodies, but the overall album is both exploratory and accessible at the same time.

Journey, released in 2004, is a laid-back affair, but complex at the same time. Consistent with Fourplay’s eclectic philosophy, Journey incorporates a range of stylistic elements – as evidenced by such high points as the delicate cover of the 1993 Sting hit “Fields of Gold” and the Mason bossa nova flavored “Rozil.”

X followed in 2006, with guest vocals by blue-eyed-soul icon Michael McDonald, who delivers an inspired rendition of Steve Winwood’s “My Loves Leavin’.” JazzTimes called X “a softly funky, superbly crafted and unapologetically low-key album.”

Fourplay joined the prestigious roster of artists on Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, with the 2008 release of Energy, which spent three consecutive weeks at the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart. The album grafts a variety of sounds – R&B, pop, African and more – to Fourplay’s unwavering jazz foundations. In addition to vocals by East, Energy features a vocal track by bassist Esperanza Spalding.

After 12 years with the group, Carlton left in April 2010 to delve further into his solo career, and the band welcomed its newest member, multi-faceted virtuoso guitarist, Chuck Loeb. His musical contributions undoubtedly enhance the creativity and pursuit of excellence Fourplay has enjoyed in the studio and on the stage. Loeb makes his highly anticipated debut with the quartet on Let’s Touch The Sky, the band’s latest recording that also includes thrilling performances by guest vocalists Anita Baker and Ruben Studdard.

The infusion of new blood into the Fourplay lineup creates an opportunity to bring an even higher level of energy and inspiration into a band that is already known for taking chances and pushing the limits of contemporary jazz. “All four of us have been in this business long enough to know that there’s always pressure to compromise, and we don’t want to do that,” says James. “We don’t want to end up in the middle of the pack. We always aim to be leaders, and take the music to another level and raise the standards higher. I think the music on this new record, thanks in large part to Chuck’s early contributions – and to the ongoing team spirit of the band as a whole – is very much a reflection of that philosophy.”

RAUL MIDON - SYNTHESIS

Search for Raul Midón on YouTube and you’ll find a clip of the New York-based vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2006. Performing “State of Mind,” the title track from his 2005 debut album, Midón unleashes a silky, soulful tenor and dazzling percussive guitar style — a syncopated, flamenco-and jazz-infused approach in which bass, harmony, and melodic lines emanate from the fretboard in one slap-happy storm. If that weren’t enough, Midón busts out his improvisational mouth horn technique, in which he creates a bebop “trumpet” solo entirely with his lips, earning himself a spontaneous burst of mid-song applause from the audience in the process. It’s a virtuosic performance, and one that reveals what has made Midón such an exciting artist to watch over the past few years.

The New Mexico native funnels all that creativity and fiery passion into his third album, Synthesis, which he recorded in Los Angeles in June 2009 with legendary producer and bassist Larry Klein, who is noted for his work with such luminaries as Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, and Peter Gabriel. A genre-defying blend of soul, pop, jazz, folk, and Latin elements, the song “Invisible Chains” showcases Midón’s evolution as an artist as he sets some of his more biting insights about betrayal, fear, loss, and the American Dream to deceptively up-tempo swinging rhythms and deliriously catchy melodies. While “Never Really Gave,” “Don’t Take It That Way,” and “Invisible Chains” crackle with tart observation, songs like “Next Generation,” “Call My Name,” and “Moment to Moment” strike a more uplifting tone.

“Larry encouraged me to write from a different perspective than I have in the past,” Midón says of the lyrics on Synthesis. “I’ve written a lot of songs about hope and inspiration and that sort of thing, which is cool, but there are other aspects to life. I’ve tried to expand my repertoire a bit. This is not a record about trying to enhance somebody’s understanding of my woes. It’s more about trying to go deep into just how it is to live life and all the different things you feel. Like how you can be very angry at somebody and still love them, or how you meet people who teach you things, but you don’t want to be like them. I’m talking about how I feel about the world and how I fit into it.”

Midón has always experienced the world differently than most. The son of an Argentinean father and an African-American mother (who died when Midón was young), Raul was born prematurely in a rural hospital in Embudo, New Mexico, where he and his twin brother, Marco, were blinded as infants after spending time in an incubator without adequate eye protection. “At the time, they didn’t know you have to protect the eyes from the oxygen of the incubator,” Midón says, “so a generation of people were blinded in that way.” Marco now works for NASA as an electrical engineer while Raul followed a musical path inspired by his father, a professional Argentine folkloric dancer with a diverse record collection that included Beethoven and Mozart, progressive composers John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen, and jazz greats Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Sonny Rollins.

“We were the kind of family who would put on a record and sit and listen to it, not have it play in the background and go about our business,” Midón recalls. “It was like an event.” Young Raul began playing hand drums at age four before shifting his focus to guitar while he and Marco attended a school for the blind from age five to fifteen. “I don’t believe that blindness makes you a better musician,” Midón says. “I think perhaps it focuses you in a very pragmatic way. I knew I had limited job possibilities, but the Midóns don’t believe in backup plans — like ‘Do music, but get your teaching degree in case it doesn’t work out.’ That’s never been our modus operandi. I knew that I had this talent, so blindness focused me on developing that talent. But I don’t think it made me play better. Most of the great musicians I know can see.”

After completing his final two years of high school at a Santa Fe prep school, Midón attended the University of Miami, which he selected for its prestigious jazz curriculum. He remained there after graduating and became an in-demand backup singer, working primarily in the Latin-pop world for such artists as Julio and Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Ricky Martin, and Alejandro Sanz. He also worked the club circuit, sprinkling the requisite cover songs amid the original tunes he was beginning to write. In 2002, Midón walked away from his lucrative work as a back-up singer to pursue a career as a solo artist in New York City.

“I was making a living as a professional musician, but I wasn’t pursuing art,” Midón says. “In Miami, you played your songs in a seafood restaurant as background music, and at some point you would get the request for ‘Margaritaville.’ It’s very different than playing in New York where people go to hear original music.” Yet Midón’s first year in Manhattan didn’t pan out as he’d expected (a period he chronicles on State of Mind). His experience singing back-up on countless Latin-pop records didn’t mean automatic work, so he found a gig playing in between sets by a Top 40 band at a club in the West Village, where he began to develop his show-stopping performance style.

“I took on this warrior approach to playing guitar,” Midón says. “Like a ‘You have to pay attention to this because you’ve never heard or seen anything like it before’ kind of thing.” He began to attract attention and eventually landed a monthly residency at highly regarded downtown club Joe’s Pub. In 2003, he was approached backstage to perform at a show called “The Movie Music of Spike Lee” at Carnegie Hall, along with Terence Blanchard, Angie Stone, Cassandra Wilson, and Bruce Hornsby. Midón received a standing ovation, a rave in the New York Times, and, eventually, an audience with legendary producer Arif Mardin, who signed him and co-produced State of Mind, which garnered critical accolades for its heady fusion of old-school soul, Latin, jazz, and timeless singer/songwriter folk-pop.

For the next several years, Midón made a name for himself touring throughout the U.S., Europe, and Japan, then released his second solo album, A World Within a World, in 2007, which, with its uplifting lyrics about social consciousness and insinuating grooves, went a long way toward further establishing Midón as an artist “who contributes something lasting to the musical landscape,” as NPR said of him. Guitar Player called Midón “one of those rare musical forces that remind s how strong and deep the connection between man and music can sometimes be.”

In June 2009, Midón arrived in Los Angeles to begin recording with Klein, whose previous work with so many beloved singer-songwriters Midón credits with making his voice sound more alive than he’d ever heard it recorded. “I wanted to work with someone I can communicate with as a musician, who has that background and vocabulary, particularly harmonically,” he says. “Larry is the kind of producer who is coming from where I’m coming from.”

Midón and Klein agreed that all the elements should be acoustic. “I wanted to get back to organic recording,” Midón says. “We did more programming on the last record, and I wanted the new album to feature real musicians playing. So it’s guitars, bass, drums, vocals, and not a lot of effects.” The band includes session vets Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Paulinho Da Costa (percussion), Dean Parks (guitar), and Jamie Muhoberac (keyboards), as well as Klein on bass. The result is an intimate, classic-sounding album that is sure to delight newcomers to Midón’s music and those who’ve been following his remarkable talent for years.

“I’ve always been interested in combining elements,” Midón says. “This album has elements of soul and pop. There are some improvisational elements. There are some songs that are perhaps a bit challenging musically, but my hope is that the album appeals to a broad audience. I think there’s something here for everyone.”

LEA SALONGA – THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Recorded at New York’s Café Carlyle, Lea Salonga’s latest CD entitled The Journey So Far features favorite tracks from throughout Lea’s career; a mix of Broadway, jazz, pop and cabaret standards. The Journey So Far, the new live CD from veteran Broadway and Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga, the Filipina singer and actress who is best known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon (and for which she won the Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk Outer Critics and Theatre World Awards). Says Salonga, “We wanted to make this recording something very personal, touching on my life as well as my career. There are songs from my homeland, musical theater, film, and the jazz and pop worlds…this is more than just a recording; it’s a memento, a lasting souvenir of this very special time in my life.”

Recorded at the Café Carlyle with musical director Larry Yurman on piano, Jack Cavari on guitar, John Miller on bass, and Dave Ratajczak on drums. “The Journey So Far” features such timeless classics as “My Romance,” “Let’s Fall In Love,” “Someone To Watch Over Me,” “Salamat Salamat Musika,” “I Have Dreamed,” “Something’s Coming” and “There’ll Be Time.” “The Journey So Far” was produced by Nashville-based industry veteran Chris Keaton. "Lea is the consummate entertainer and, in my opinion, one of the premier vocalists on the planet,” said Keaton. “Working on this project is a dream come true for me, especially being a Nashville based industry professional....Broadway/Nashville, who knew? I really do believe this recording will open new doors and introduce Lea to a 'whole new world' of fans."

The Journey So Far is Salonga’s 26th CD release (she began her recording career at the age of 10 with her first album, Small Voice). Amongst many other theatrical productions (including the critically-acclaimed revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song), Salonga was the first Asian actress to play the roles of Eponine and Fantine in the musical Les Miserables on Broadway, and also provided the singing voices of two Disney “princesses” – Jasmine in the film Aladdin and Fa Mulan in the films Mulan and Mulan II. In addition to her roles on the Great White Way, Salonga has starred in many theatrical productions in the Philippines and the Pacific Rim countries and continues to tour worldwide. She has performed with the likes of Harry Connick Jr., Michele Lee, John Lithgow, Jeff Daniels, and Russell Watson, and is active in such Broadway organizations as the Broadway Artists Alliance, Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS and The Actor’s Fund. Salonga received a Presidential Award of Merit from Philippine President Corazon Aquino. Salonga is currently on tour through 2012 in support of her album

http://www.leasalonga.com/

BERARDI JAZZ CONNECTION - ANYWAY

Berardi Jazz Connection is the brainchild of drummer and percussionist, Francesco Lomagistro, whose idea it was to put together all of the experiences that come from his passion for African-American music, the groove, and the synergy between rhythm and melody. Lomagistro partnered with Ettore Carucci (piano and fender rhodes) to form Berardi Jazz Connection, along with three other talented musicians – Vincenzo Prestra (sax); Andrea Sabatino (trumpet); and Camilo Pace (double bass). Berardi is actually the name of the street where Lomagistro arranged the room of an old apartment to become his first rehearsal studio. He used to spend most of his time there. Along with Ettore Carucci, they began to play their early jazz standards, researching what was destined to become in time their style of playing. They shared a few experiences as "sidemen" and nurtured the ideas that would eventually create their first album project. The atmosphere on each of their releases is assuredly jazz, but with "modern" influences that can be easily associated to the nu-jazz movement coming out of Europe. The group has three releases to date - The Way I Like It, Do It, and Anyway (released 2010). With Anyway, they're even more jazz-based than before – still with rhythms aimed at a club jazz crowd, but mostly played live, with a spontaneous sort of energy that rivals the best of the Ricky Tick record label scene, and maybe a bit of the Schema world too. There seem to be more great keyboards that ever before – nice and warm, but never slick or smooth – and some cuts have vocals – although most of the grooves are still in an instrumental jazz mode, and one that really sums up the sound of Italy's scene in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Titles include "The Right Time", "Walking In The Village", "Running Away", "Indecision", and "Just Let Me Be". Berardi Jazz Connection is one of those groups who seem to impress more and more with each new album.