MIKE CLARK - CARNIVAL OF SOUL

Mike Clark’s most recent album Carnival of Soul (from 2010) is described as a propulsive, joyful collection of jazz/funk tracks that pays homage to one of Clark's beloved genres, the B3 Organ Trio. He comments: "In my early twenties I had my own organ trio gig in a jazz club for half a dozen years. I always loved playing the music because the B3 is such a strong instrument with a big sound--it frees the drums to just play all out. I also did a lot of organ gigs when I first came to New York in the 80s. It's not the setting where I've done most of my jazz playing but I wanted to record an homage to this unique genre that I love so much. I got together some truly fantastic musicians--most of us go way back--and we just had a whole lot of fun."

Born in Sacramento, CA, while growing up Mike had the benefit of traveling around the country with his father, a union man for the railroad. He was also a drummer at one time and had a keen ear, a killing record collection, and a great appreciation for music. This allowed the younger Clark to soak up the diverse regional music of the United States, which he credits as providing an invaluable education. Clark was a prodigy as well, picking up his first sticks at the tender age of five and sitting in--and getting “house” --with bands in Texas and New Orleans when he was as young as 7 and 8. He continued to play in a variety of blues, R&B, organ trios, and jazz bands, settling in Oakland, CA, until his introduction to Herbie Hancock and his recruitment into the Headhunters in 1973. At the tail end of the 70‘s and in 1980, shortly before moving to New York City, Mike did a short but remarkable stint with Brand X, the acclaimed British fusion band founded by Phil Collins, doing two tours and recording their seminal Do They Hurt? and Product.

Next to James Brown's drummer Clyde Stubblefield, Mike's beats with The Headhunters (most notably on "God Make Me Funky") are some of the most sampled in hip hop. Featured in Downbeat, Musician, International Musician & Recording World, Modern Drummer, Jazz Times, Guitar Player, Jazz Is and numerous jazz history and method books, Mike is a former faculty member of Drummers Collective, and is a popular and busy clinician around the country. His book Funk Drumming: Innovative Grooves & Advanced Concepts was published last year by Hal Leonard and is a best seller.

His numerous recording credits include albums with Herbie Hancock, the Headhunters, Brand X, Eddie Henderson, Jack Wilkins, Mark Puricelli, Mike Wolff, and Alien Army, a group led by guitar great Jack Wilkins. As a bandleader, his release Give The Drummer Some was very enthusiastically received, earning a rare four and a half stars in Downbeat, as was The Funk Stops Here, a joint effort with Hancock alumni Paul Jackson. In 2001, his solo CD, Actual Proof met with critical acclaim, as did the 2003 acoustic jazz release, Summertime, featuring Chris Potter and Billy Childs, which spent many weeks in the top ten charts.

Other efforts included a compilation of his legendary, innovative funk beat samples, Mike Clark—The Headhunter, a re-release of the widely acclaimed Thrust album, and, in 1998, The Return Of The Headhunters, featuring Herbie Hancock. Next came Herbie Hancock’s Box Set, featuring Headhunters classics “Actual Proof” and “Butterfly,” from Thrust, a few choice cuts from Manchild, and also some historical tracks from the classic Flood, previously only available in Japan. The Headhunters’ newest effort, Evolution/Revolution, released in 2003, featured the latest Headhunter configuration, with original founding members Mike, Bill Summers and Paul Jackson, joined by Donald Harrison, Victor Atkins (Los Hombres Caliente), and Nicholas Payton.

His 2009 release Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. I produced by Talking House Productions, which featured Christian McBride, Donald Harrison, Patrice Rushen, Jed Levy and Christian Scott, was received with critical acclaim and named one of the best recordings of the decade by Downbeat. Clark signed to Al Hall's Owl Studios back in 2009, and Carnival of Soul marks his debut release on the label. In addition to Clark on drums, the album features Jerry Z, Delbert Bump and Jeff Pittson on Organ, Steve Homan and Rez Abbasi on guitar, Delbert McClinton on vocals, Tim Ouimette on trumpet, Lenny White on drums, Kevin McKendree on piano, Owl Studios artist Rob Dixon on tenor sax and others.

Clark regularly tours the U.S., Europe and Asia, heading up his organ trio, and/or performing as a sideman.
Upcoming appearances include:

November 25-26, 2011
Wolff and Clark Expedition with Michael Wolff, piano, Mike Clark, drums and Chris Severin on bass
Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro New Orleans, LA

January 4-9, 2012
Richie Goods Band
16th festival internacional del jazz de punta des este
Uruguay, South America

HERB ALPERT'S VIBRATO JAZZ AND GRILL...

Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill, Jazz, etc. in Bel Air, CA is changing pitch. Recognized as the number one jazz grill in Los Angeles, Vibrato has a new chef, Wilks Medley. Wilks, trained by celebrity chef Todd English, is serving American grill classics from Kobe burgers, to veal chops, chilled oysters and crab cakes, farm-fresh salads and vegetarian quinoa risotto. Herb Alpert, jazz musician and owner, says, "The musicians play at a certain noise level, so jazz creeps into guests while dining. This is background jazz, not fusion jazz."

"The concept of Vibrato was to have jazz survive. At first, it was to be a great jazz club with food. Now, it is a great restaurant with great jazz," notes Alpert. At Vibrato, the high-end food goes perfectly with high-end jazz. A unique environment in Los Angeles, Vibrato boasts perfect acoustics with impeccable food. "My ambition is to have a club where you feel comfortable, where great musicians can play and appreciate sound and feeling - a venue for jazz players to perform," he says.

The interior design of Vibrato was created by artist Herb Alpert and decorator Clodagh. Vibrato has a hundred seats around the stage, a bar designed like a piano, and a balcony with seating overlooking the club. "The acoustics are a key component of the design," says Alpert, whose art hangs in the club. "Wood and music create good sound. I used the A&M recording studio designer to make sure that the acoustics were right. The mushroom-like globes act as acoustical clouds," says Alpert, who occasionally plays at Vibrato with his wife the famous Brasil 66 singer, Lani Hall. Among the artists who have performed at Vibrato are: The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Steve Tyrell, Seth MacFarlane, Clayton-Hamilton Big Band, Diane Reeves, Houston Person and Bobby Hutcherson.

Zagat Guide reviews of Vibrato run from: "Perfectly prepared steaks" and "first rate jazz" prove "the perfect combination" at this "sophisticated" Bel Air "supper club" co-owned by trumpeter Herb Alpert, to "A beautiful restaurant. The acoustics are perfect for the performers and there is not a bad seat in the house. Well done!"

Adam Robert (now at the Food Network) wrote of Vibrato: "Although Alpert is best known for his music, he added restaurateur to his credits when he opened Vibrato. A grill and jazz club at the top of Beverly Glen." Alpert told Robert: "Food at jazz clubs has always been a kind of second-class citizen. It's the music first, and then let's throw something together." Now Alpert, who once hoped to open a place with his buddy Stan Getz, has an upscale jazz club with food to match. "I was involved in everything," Alpert says, "the look, the feeling of the place, the music, the food. I paid a lot of attention to make the accoustics beautiful."

Steve Oney, Los Angeles Magazine, May 2011 said: "Vibrato, with its cozy wooden interiors, perfect sight lines from every seat, and state-of-the-art acoustics, has drawn performers ranging from Toots Thielemans and Dave Brubeck to Bobby Hutcherson and Chuck Mangione. Which is exactly what Herb Alpert had in mind when he started it. 'There are so many great musicians in L.A.,' he says, 'I run the place so they'll have somewhere to play.'"

On KJAZZ Radio, "The sound at Vibrato is exquisite. The idea was to have a special place for all the jazz musicians and all the young musicians to perform."

Future Jazz performers at Vibrato are: November 15th - Carol Welsman, November 16th - Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, November - 20th Misha Piatigorsky performing with the Sketchy Black Dog, November 22 - Barbara Morrison, and December 3 - Gilbert Castellanos.

Vibrato guests include: Billy Dee Williams, Stevie Wonder, Frankie Valli, Tom Jones, Michael Buble, James Caan, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Chubby Checker, Michael Bolton, James Worthy, Natalie Cole, Shia La Beouf, Jack Nicholson and Vidal and Ronnie Sassoon.

Vibrato Grill, Jazz, Etc. is a Herb Alpert restaurant in partnership with Gregg and Bob Smith of Smith Brothers restaurants.

ZARA MCFARLANE - UNTIL TOMORROW

This 28 year-old London vocalist has made a string of impressive appearances with musicians such as Denys Baptiste, Orphy Robinson, Soweto Kinch and Jazz Jamaica All Stars to name a few. McFarlane’s appearance on the latter’s 2006 Motown-themed album Motor City Roots revealed a singer whose power was offset by delicacy, as was clear from her sensitive handling of Stevie Wonder’s My Cherie Amour. All of these experiences have furthered the growth of Zara McFarlane as an artist in the most complete sense of the term and the singer made good on her potential when she issued her self-produced EP, Until Tomorrow in 2010. The 6 track mini-album was evenly split between original compositions such as Captured and standards like the perennial jazz favourite On Green Dolphin Street. There was enormous poise in the way that McFarlane handled the melodic line and chord changes of a piece but what was arguably as impressive was the fact that she asserted herself as a thoughtful lyric writer. Now that EP has evolved into a full-length album, Until Tomorrow, and it marks Zara McFarlane’s debut for Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings.


Backed by a brilliant aggregation of musicians that includes pianist Peter Edwards, double bassist Nick Walsh, drummer Andy Chapman and saxophonists Binker Goldings, Camilla George and Zem Adu, McFarlane comes into her own on an engrossing set that includes more originals such as Chiaroscuro, Blossom Tree and More Than Mine. “Most of this album was recorded before I even met Gilles,” Zara explains “I did 5 new songs this year in January. Pete [Edwards] wrote arrangements and things just fell into place. I suppose that I was really trying to bring a contemporary feel to old music. I think anyone can listen to jazz but it’s up to us to make it fresh so that anyone can relate to it.”

All of the finesse in Zara McFarlane’s delivery stems from both a natural gift and years of formal study at a very high standard. In 2001 she studied popular music performance at Thames Valley University and then went on to complete a Masters Degree in Jazz Studies at the Guildhall School of Music in 2009. As her education suggests, McFarlane is as drawn to popular culture as she is high art, and her work to date wholeheartedly shows that she is comfortable in a wide variety of contexts. She has thus collaborated with the acclaimed house producer Bopstar, contributed one of her original compositions to the contemporary soul compilation Basement Soul and also done gigs with South African icon Hugh Masekela and the gifted British pianist and arranger Alex Wilson.

The creative spark for Until Tomorrow was lit a long time ago.“Some of the songs on the album go back some time,” she notes. “I’ve wanted to make an album for years, probably about 10 years or so, and now this definitely feels like the right time for me.” One of the curveballs that McFarlane throws on Until Tomorrow is her rendition of The Children And The Warlock and Thoughts. These two superb tracks are by pianist and composer Harry Whittaker, a relatively unheralded figure in the jazz world who is nonetheless respected for his work with Roy Ayers, Carmen Lundy and his own Black Renaissance project. “Gilles [Peterson] introduced me to Harry Whittaker’s trio album, Thoughts Past And Present,” Zara says “There were a couple of tracks that I chose from there. His writing reminded me of Pete’s [Edwards] in a way. It was really melodic, spacious and very emotive. That’s what I try to have in my music. It’s more of an emotional journey as opposed to a just piece for the sake of writing a piece.”

The arrangements for Until Tomorrow have a liberal dose of subtle, stealthy swing, yet as steeped as Zara McFarlane is in the jazz tradition, she has brought an eminently soul undercurrent to what she does, and it is entirely possible that she could appeal to audiences weaned as much on Jill Scott and Erykah Badu as Cassandra Wilson and Dianne Reeves. Blessed with a fine voice and a strength of character that has led her towards thought-provoking, if not challenging lyrics, Zara McFarlane has with Until Tomorrow taken a giant step down the road to what is surely a long, illustrious career.

JOANIE SOMMERS - THE COMPLETE WARNER BROS. SINGLES

Joanie Sommers was the other big female crossover (records and TV) star on the Warner Bros. roster besides Connie Stevens, and just like was the case with Connie, very few of her single sides have come out on CD and the only previous compilation of her work came out only in Japan! This set includes some really cool work from one of the greatest voices in American pop in the 60s – a singer whose style went way beyond most of her contemporaries! Right from the start, Joanie's got a range that's breathtaking – a voice that's equally comfortable in jazz, rock, or mainstream vocals – and which is often recorded by Warner Brothers with some impeccable production that brings it out even more! There's usually a slight sense of echo, a dash of drama, and some well-constructed rhythm patterns used on these early 60s singles – very top-shelf studio work that's made these Sommers singles sparkle for decades – even though most of them barely cracked the charts at the time! The package is a treasure trove of great girl pop from a bygone age – and with a focus on singles, you'll find plenty that hasn't already hit the reissue market – including a duet with Ed Kookie Byrnes! Includes Kookie’s Love Song with Edd Byrnes and the Mary Kaye Trio; One Boy; I’ll Never Be Free; Be My Love; Why Don’t You Do Right; Ruby Duby Do; Bob White; I Don’t Want to Walk Without You; Seems Like Long, Long Ago; Piano Boy; Serenade of the Bells; Makin’ Whoopee; What’s Wrong with Me; Johnny Get Angry; Theme from “A Summer Place;” When the Boys Get Together; Passing Strangers; Goodbye Joey; Bobby’s Hobbies; Memories, Memories; Since Randy Moved Away; Little Bit of Everything; Henny Penny; June Is Busting Out All Over; Little Girl Bad; Wishing Well; Goodbye Summer; Big Man; I’d Be Soo Good for You; I’m Gonna Know He’s Mine; If You Love Him; I Think I’m Gonna Cry Now; Don’t Pity Me; My Block; The Great Divide, and Talk until Midnight.

GREGG KARUKAS - GK

Gregg Karukas' 11 solo CD's have garnered consistently solid reviews for his signature piano touch, pristine production, and melodies that are both soulful and sophisticated. GK is his latest project on Trippin Records. In addition to being one of the few Smooth Jazz artists that writes and produces his own solo, Gregg has a solid track record contributing to the careers of many others over his 3 decades on the Contemporary Jazz and TV/Film music scene as Producer, Songwriter/arranger, Musical Director and Keyboardist. Gregg has received multiple Best Keyboardist nominations at the Oasis and National Smooth Jazz Awards. In 1987 he became the original keyboardist with the Rippingtons, recording the classic Moonlighting project with Kenny G. and David Benoit. Gregg recommended Dave Koz to play EWI on the Moonlighting record and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 1987 he released his first solo album The Night Owl, which quickly became a Quiet Storm radio staple w/the songs "Walkin' With You", "Talbot Street Cafe" and "Drivetime." He has also been a popular guest artist on tours with Boney James, Peter White, Eric Marienthal, Ricardo Silveira and Larry Carlton and has produced a vast array of artists at his own Nightowl Studios, including Kirk Whalum, Peter White, Craig Chaquico, Phil Sheeran, Gabriela Anders, The Pointer Sisters and crossover pianist David Lanz. As a songwriter, his tunes have been recorded by Richard Eliott, George Benson, Chaquico, Arnold McCuller, Pauline Wilson, Kenia and Deniece Williams.

Those fruitful all-star associations are only the beginning of an amazing journey that would later find the married father of two boys firmly ensconced in the world of his first true musical love, Brazilian music. In this genre, Karukas has toured and recorded with Sergio Mendes, Ricardo Silveira and Dori Caymmi. A career highlight came in 1992 at the Hollywood Bowl when he added his multi-keyboard orchestrations to the music of Toots Thielemans and Brazilian legends Ivan Lins, Caymmi and the late Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Karukas feels lucky to work with singers and musicians whom he feels a magical musical rapport with. "People say my music sounds romantic and uplifting - and I look so happy on stage, he says. It's totally true. For me, the best music comes out of an inner feeling of either intense happiness or sadness. I always try to stay faithful to that original inspiration, because that is where the true sound of emotion' comes from.

"I think we all need music to be the soundtrack to our soul," Karukas adds. "It can inspire us, balance out our lives and relieve stress. I appreciate that and I treat each CD or concert as another opportunity to connect to those sounds and emotions on a deeper level. I love sharing that with others and try to make each project a special event all its own."

SPENCER DAY - VAGABOND

Vocalist-songwriter-pianist Spencer Day is an artistic vagabond, a modern-day musical nomad. Born in Utah, raised in rural Arizona, currently living in Los Angeles with extended residencies in New York and San Francisco, Day has called many places home. Along the way, he has wandered amid the expansive and diverse landscape of American music, developing an artistic sensibility that borrows from numerous sources: jazz, musical theater, cabaret, soul, folk, traditional pop and contemporary pop are just the tip of the iceberg. Day uses intuition and improvisation as his primary tools to craft a sound that is traditional and familiar, yet fresh and innovative at the same time, creating a blend too subtle to parse into neatly defined categories.

Vagabond, his latest release and his first on Concord Jazz, cements his reputation as a balladeer for the new century whose creative voice is distilled from the best elements of the previous one.

“I wanted to create a musical hybrid,” says Day. “I’ve drawn from the Great American Songbook quite a bit in the past, but I really wanted to infuse this album with a more contemporary aesthetic, and also draw on some influences from the early ‘60s, like Burt Bacharach, Roy Orbison and Dusty Springfield. I wanted to create a sound that could stand alone and not be easily put into one category, but at the same time appeal to a broad range of listeners.”

The aforementioned itinerant lifestyle of Day’s youth is very much a part of Vagabond – his third release in five years, following the self-distributed Introducing Spencer Day (2004) and Movie of Your Life (2005). “That was the concept that I wanted to convey here – the idea of leaving home, going out and finding myself outside of those familiar contexts,” he says. “I wanted to make that a universal theme that people could relate to. My goal is to make a record that means something to me personally, but is still open enough that people can find their own relevant messages in it. The best songs are the ones that leave things open to interpretation, as opposed to telling the listener how to feel every step of the way.”

By his own account, Day got a bit of a late start on his journey of artistic self-discovery. Largely self-taught, he grew up listening to a wide cross-section of composers, including Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Joni Mitchell, John Lennon and Paul Simon. He also counts “all those old MGM musicals” he watched as a kid among his primary influences. He didn’t start performing in public until age 21, mostly singing standards in piano bars and retirement homes. “I was probably three or four years into that when I realized that that wasn’t totally satisfying to me,” he recalls. “I realized that I needed to write as well.” That’s when things got into high gear.

While his debut album was primarily a collection of standards, the title track from the followup recording, Movie of Your Life, won San Francisco Academy of Art University’s 2005 competition for best original song. The resulting video was selected by Dolby Laboratories as a demonstration video for the global launch of the Dolby 7.1 system. That same year, he collaborated with improv actor Rafe Chase on a musical, Someday, Love, which premiered at San Francisco’s New Conservatory Theater. In addition to writing the score, Day also starred in the show.

Day performed at the 2007 San Francisco Jazz Festival, and has been a recurring headliner in a number of high-profile Bay Area clubs, including Yoshi’s, the Plush Room, the Great American Music Hall and the Herbst Theatre. On the opposite coast, he has earned raves for performances at the Town Hall, Joe’s Pub and the Canal Room in New York City, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. In the past year alone, he has opened for Rufus Wainwright at the Napa Valley Opera House and appeared at both the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival.

All of which brings Day to the release of Vagabond, an album that he considers “a marked departure” from his previous work. “I have very eclectic tastes, and they’re reflected in this record,” he says. “But I really pulled in the reins on this project to focus on a sound and create a texture that is more consistent than my first two records.”

Vagabond hits the road with “Til You Come to Me,” a clever tune that’s part ode and part plea to a former lover who has recently moved on. The mix of lyrical imagery and urgent rhythm suggests an undercurrent of desperation – a feeling that’s emphasized by the strings and the expressive guitar work of guitarist,cellist, and background vocalist Yair Evnine, Day’s collaborative partner for several years. “You’ll often find someone who’s a killer jazz player, but they can’t play a simple three-chord jam to save their lives,” says Day. “Conversely, you’ll have people who are really good at the simple pop stuff, but they haven’t developed the sophistication of jazz – the unusual time signatures, the key changes, all those things. That’s one of the things I appreciate about Yair the most – how versatile and well rounded he is. He sings, he plays guitar, and he’s a fantastic cellist.”

Further in, the poignant “Weeping Willow” is the story of a roadside tree that sees the world from a melancholy perspective, as evidenced in the refrain: “There is so little time for sorrow, when your life is just passing you by…” For Day, this kind of supernatural imagery is fair game if the end result is a genuine emotional response: “I tend to like the more dreamy pastiches – the little mood pieces that I feel are very unique to my style, and have chord changes that go to interesting places.”

“Joe” is the story of a young man leaving home to make his way in the world. He leaves behind some misunderstandings and resentments, and takes with him plenty of warnings about how hard the world is likely to treat him. In the end, Joe’s fate remains a mystery.

Or does it? The title track, which follows immediately, is in many ways a companion piece to “Joe,” with its declaration of a wanderlust that comes with no apologies. The tempo here is subtlely elastic, thanks to the rhythm section of bassist Jon Evans (Tori Amos) and drummer Scott Amendola (Charlie Hunter), both of whom move just slightly in and out of the pocket throughout the track – not unlike the wayfarer who refuses to stay on the path. “It’s been very humbling for me to work with these guys, because they’re total badasses,” says Day. “All through the process of making this record, I felt as though I was able to grow a lot just by being around them and being around their talent.”

“Little Soldier” comes from Day’s distant but lasting memory of his mother sending him off on his first day of kindergarten, but the theme of parting and lost innocence resonates on a number of other levels for those who have heard the song in Day’s live performances. “It’s a song about a young child leaving home for the first time,” he says, “but given that we live in a country that’s been at war for several years now, some people have taken a different meaning from it, and I’m totally fine with that. The important thing is that the song touches you in some way and makes you feel something.”

“Tuesday Morning (Maybe)” rattles off a series of questions that are at the very least disjointed, and at times a little bit frantic. “I wanted this song to come from the perspective of someone having a panic attack,” says Day. “It’s intended to be kind of funny. You’re asking all these questions because you’re just kind of freaking out. One morning you wake up and the whole world is bearing down on you, and it all seems like a huge, apocalyptic nightmare. But eventually you come back down from it.”

The set closes with “Better Way,” a call for change that’s upbeat and optimistic, without being heavy handed or preachy. “Ultimately, I want to touch people, and I want them to feel something,” says Day. “If I can get people to examine the present moment a little more closely – even if just for a couple minutes – and maybe step outside of their mindless routine, or pick up the phone and call someone they haven’t talked to in a while, I feel like I’ve done something worthwhile. An awareness of the present – for myself as much as for anyone listening to this record or experiencing one of my live performances – is something I really encourage. I don’t intend to tell people how to feel, or how to get to a certain place. It’s more a matter of inviting them to come along with me…It’s a one-way ticket. You don’t get to turn around. So make sure you’re paying attention and enjoying it.”

Day is currently busy with pre-production of his next album on Concord Records. He’s recently done a few unannounced gigs and private events, testing out new tunes and getting a good feel for the theme and flow of the new album, which goes into full production later this month, with a release in early 2012.

SHUYA OKINO (KYOTO JAZZ MASSIVE) - DESTINY

Timeless club soul from Kyoto Jazz Massive groover Shuya Okino – who recruits an all star line up of guests for Destiny – and crafts dancefloor ready, string-sweetened soul and jazzy boogie styled numbers that are nice as just about anything he's done to date! Most impressively, Okina honors the legacy of 70s jazzy soul while employing modern elements, and makes fresh grooves out of it that will stand the test of time. As with his United Legends album back in 2006, Shuya Okino has assembled an impressive array of international artists to help him achieve his vision, with the likes of of N'Dea Davenport, Navasha Daya, Diviniti, Clara Hill and Pete Simpson guesting on vocals, and some of the key musicians on the Tokyo scene (Masato Nakamura, Kenichi Ikeda, Motoharu, Shota Hishiyama, SWING-O a.k.a. 45, Nobukai Fujii, Takao Hirose and more) providing the backing. And with such an impressive line-up of musicians, you just know that you're in for a treat.

The central concept behind the album is 'jazz meets boogie', with the classic funk-disco sound of the late 70s early 80s and jazz sounds combining with modern production values to create a superb dance album.. Together with co-producer Kenichi Ikeda (better known as Root Soul), Shuya Okino set himself the challenge of recording covers of some all-time dance classics alongside some original tunes written in a similar boogie style. The result is an album packed full of memorable and stylish dance tunes that are likely to last the test of time.

Each guest vocalist features on one cover and one original, with the chance to tackle songs both old and new. For the covers, Okino refers to classics from the songbooks of Rose Royce, Aquarian Dream, Eddie Russ, Narada Michael Walden and Don Blackman, and the the originals, penned by Shuya Okino and Kenichi Ikeda, more than match the standards of the tunes from the past.

The opening track is a faithful, but storming version of Rose Royce's Still In Love with Navasha Daya on vocals complete with a full string section, which was out as a 12-inch earlier this year, and is already a contemporary club classic. Daya appears again later on the original Love And Live, an uptempo club number with lyrics from Daya's husband and Fertile Ground co-member James Collins, featuring a wonderful jazzy piano solo in the middle from Shota Hishiyama.

Diviniti takes the mic for the original tune Sun Will Rise, which has all the hallmarks of the classic boogie era, but also something that will appeal to the house crowd too. And she also features on the cover of the Eddie Russ rare groove favourite, Take A Look At Yourself, interpreted here with a really heavy bass line and sax from Soil & "Pimp"Sessions' Motoharu, on what is definitely one of the high points of the album.

Unlike the other guest vocalists, former Brand New Heavies singer N'Dea Davenport gets to appear on three tracks, the first of which is a cover of the Aquarian Dream disco anthem, Look Ahead, which remains faithful to the original to the original, but at the same time brings the tune into 2011.

The title track is an original that has all the hallmarks of a Kyoto Jazz Massive classic, with infectious dance grooves and a sing-along refrain. The third track featuring N'Dea Davenport is the mid-tempo Deep Into Sunshine, a delightful summer tune with guest sax from Masato Nakamura.

Clara Hill guests on Just Do It, a cool, stripped down mid-tempo late night tune as well as a delicious cover of Narada Michael Walden's Give Love A Chance, where she sings in a suggestive breathy fashion.

Pete Simpson is the final guest vocalist, with Let Nothing Change You, a fantastic original that could have been written thirty years ago, but at the same time belongs in the present. Then, to close the album, we have the classic Don Blackman tune Holding You, Loving You, given a jazzy treatment here with some wonderful piano and double bass to accompany the soulful vocals from Simpson.

Destiny is a superbly crafted album that sees Shuya Okino continuing his mission of blending influences of classic soul and funk with modern electronic grooves.

CESARIA EVORA - NHA SENTIMENTO

Cesaria Evora began her career as a singer in Mindelo on the island of São Vicente more than forty-five years ago. Aged just twenty, she was already singing of romantic disappointments and the remoteness of the Cape Verde islands, expressing a remarkable melancholy that is illustrated by recordings made at the time, reissued at the end of 2008 on Radio Mindelo. Entrenched in a saudade of universal appeal or settling quietly over her windswept islands, this Atlantic melancholy remains Cesaria Evora’s trademark. Whether she sings coladeras (catchy songs perfect for the dance floor) or mornas (Cape-Verdean blues), her voice holds an inescapable fascination for the listener.

Back in 2009 (and three years after her last album Rogamar), the Cape-Verdean singer released Nha Sentimento, an album that combines gravity and lightness of tone. This new opus is more coladera than morna. Recorded by Nando Andrade and produced by José da Silva, Nha Sentimento conveys a deep emotion that never detracts from apparently light-hearted, but often seriously-motivated songs, whose joie de vivre repeatedly proves stronger than their sorrow, regret and desire. When this is not the case, the words convey an insular resignation that is very much a part of Cesaria, since she has so clearly experienced the things she sings about - on Vento de Sueste, for instance, a morna that conjures up feelings that have never left her.

Zinha is one of the album’s liveliest tracks. It is a carefree song that suggests strong emotion, but is eminently danceable. As on most of the album’s tracks, Cesaria is backed by delicate percussion work from Tey Santos. Heir to the Cape-Verdean musical scene of the 50s and 60s, Santos learned to play with musicians of the day and they passed on their skills to him. In his playing, we detect a certain nostalgia for those golden years. He perpetuates a style that has almost vanished today, but perfectly suits Cesaria’s voice. He previously accompanied her on the Mar Azul album that brought her worldwide recognition in 1991. His terribly-subtle, but very-present style of playing is one of the record’s key ingredients. Producer and pianist Nando Andrade features it prominently, emphasising the feeling of nostalgia, while the more modern technique of his fellow percussionist Miroca Paris is only rarely apparent.

The other high point of Nha Sentimento is Ligereza, featuring accordion from Henry Ortiz recorded in Bogotá. The song works an immediate charm, like the light caress of a summer breeze. Ortiz brings a Latin touch to the Cape-Verdean melody, giving us the feeling that the piece is terribly familiar. Cesaria’s singing is closely entwined with the record’s production and the work of the musicians accompanying her. In fact, she has put more into the recording process than ever here, working in close partnership with Nando. She is at her emotional peak, recapturing all the intensity and quality of her finest years.

Although Cesaria has tended towards the catchiest of songs on this album, she has by no means turned her back on the musical style for which she became famous. The three mornas on the album - Vento de Sueste, Sentimento and Mam’Bia E So Mi - are enhanced by Egyptian string arrangements from Fathy Salama, who conducted the Cairo Orchestra. This natural partnership underlines the Arab roots claimed for morna, via Arab-Andalusian music, by musicologist Vasco Martins and writer Manuel de Novas.

Indeed, Mam’Bia E So Mi reminds us of Oum Kalsoum and Abdel Halim Afez’s most glorious moments with its bright string arrangements. Phrased by different inflections, Cesaria’s voice glows with new colours. Here, Cape-Verdean blues and greens become purples and golden-browns, and her vocal eloquence goes straight to the heart of the matter, never missing its target.

The cheerful Esperança di Mar Azul returns to familiar themes. The percussion breathes life into the piece and Régis Gizavo’s accordion adds a subtle melancholic touch. Written by Teofilo Chantre, Esperança di Mar Azul is a song full of hope, replete with consistently-lively expressiveness. “The hope of the blue sea / Bears up those who believe in their love,” she sings to sweethearts as she looks towards the Atlantic spray, wind and sun.

As ever, Cesaria bows to fate - on Fatalidade, for instance, with its bittersweet backing vocals. “Work, strive and sing / Water your life with the sweat of your joy / All fate will end / And your day will come, yes, your day…” she sings, as if it had always been her day, without ever looking back. This way of moving on with her eyes firmly on the path ahead whatever the obstacles remains one of her chief virtues, whatever the nostalgic emotion she may bring to her singing.

In the course of these fourteen songs mainly written by Teofilo Chantre and Manuel de Novas, Cesaria again celebrates her homeland, as on the eloquent Verde Cabo di Nha Odjos, a poem co-written by Luis Pastor and Teofilo Chantre. “Green Cape of my eyes / Mindelo of my glory / I want to die in your green / And live in your songs.” What could be a better epitaph for the songs on Nha Sentimento?

Before the release of this album she suffered a stroke during her Australian tour in 2008, and in 2010 she suffered a heart attack. In late September 2011, Evora's agent Lusafrica announced that she had ended her singing career due to poor health. We wish her well.

SOIL & "PIMP" SESSIONS - MAGNETIC SOIL

Magnetic Soil is Soil & "Pimp" Sessions first album of original material since 2009. Soil & "Pimp" Sessions, are known for mixing in sounds of rock, punk, electro and funk, and this album being their 7th is no exception. This time around, Soil & "Pimp" still have lots of the fast-jamming jazz of their roots, but they're also expanding their rhythmic palette nicely – bringing in some earthy percussion at points, stepping forward in a flurry of horns at others, and even hitting a surprising soul vibe at some especially nice moments! If you've dug these guys before, you'll find plenty to love on this set – and you'll be very pleasantly surprised at how they've stretched out their core acoustic groove to reach for some new frontiers on the club jazz scene. Titles include "Moon At Noon", "Asa", "Tell Me A Bet Time Story", "Awesome Knowledge", "Sexual Hungry", "Movin", "Do Re Mi", and "Freedom Time".

The set kicks off with "Sexual Hungry', which mixes heavy drums with some African chants before the horns burst in with an infectious riff. Simple but charged with raw, intense power, this tune harks back the ritualistic origins of music. This is followed by the sole cover on the album, a version of the Brecker Brothers' funky fusion classic, "Some Skunk Funk", which is deftly enough executed and given a Soil & "Pimp" Sessions feel.

The sunny uplifting "Movin'" with Maia Hirasawa on vocals is more of pop than jazz, though that doesn't detract from the fact that it's a great tune, and is worth its place on this set.

"Junk" is an uptempo number that has a funk-rock feel with shouts of encouragement from agitator Shacho that will no doubt be a fun part of the live set. Things then slow down for a couple of more reflective tunes, starting out with "Do-Re-Mi", that features Motoharu on soprano sax, and "Deep Inside", which opens with a minute of solo piano from Josei. This track is pure jazz and stands out as one of the high points on the album.
Right from the samba-flavoured drum and percussion intro, you just know that "Freedom Time" is going to be a monster tune. It's a great dance number and is classic Soil & "Pimp" Sessions track that equals some of the greats from their first couple of albums.

"Above The Crowds" is a catchy disco influenced number complete with vocoder that will no doubt be a crowd-pleaser but suffers from coming straight after "Freedom Time". "A Decade" which follows is fun and has a powerful driving bassline from Akita Goldman.

"Moon At Noon" is reggae-tinged track with a memorable hook that is probably the most successful of the tracks on the set where the band throw various different styles into the mix. "Asa" is quite simply a single collective grunt before the synth-heavy dance number "Jazzman In The Rave", a straightforward number that has a darker central passage with a sax solo from Motoharu.

On the jazz side there is "Tell Me A Bet Time Story", which is in stark contrast with the more subdued tones of "Awesome Knowledge", a beautiful tune where the interplay between trumpet and soprano sax is delightful and it's a wonderful way to round off the set. With Magnetic Soil, Soil & "Pimp" Sessions continue to push the boundaries of their sound with some tracks blending a variety of different styles.

THE JASON STEIN QUARTET - THE STORY THIS TIME

The debut album of The Jason Stein Quartet, The Story This Time, brings together Chicago bass clarinetist Jason Stein with three of his favorite improvisers. With Joshua Abrams on bass, Frank Rosaly on drums, and Keefe Jackson on tenor saxophone and contrabass clarinet, the album features five original compositions by Stein and six underexplored compositions by jazz luminaries Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Lenny Tristano, and Thelonious Monk. Following three critically acclaimed albums with his trio Locksmith Isidore, Stein's new Chicago quartet seamlessly integrates rigorous written material with fierce and imaginative improvisational flights.

Jason Stein was born in 1976 and is originally from Long Island, New York. Stein is one of the few musicians working today to focus entirely on the bass clarinet. He studied at Bennington College with Charles Gayle and Milford Graves, and at the University of Michigan with Donald Walden and Ed Sarath. In 2005, Stein relocated to Chicago and has since recorded for such labels as Leo, Delmark, Atavistic, 482 Music and Clean Feed. Stein has performed throughout the US and Europe, including performances in festivals in Lisbon, Cracow, Utrecht, Barcelona, Debreccen and Ljubljana. He has had the opportunity to perform with a number of exciting local and international musicians including: Michael Moore, Jeff Parker, Oscar Noriega, Rudi Mahall, Ken Vandermark, Rob Mazurek, Jeb Bishop, Michiel Braam, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten, Urs Leimgruber, Pandelis Karayorgis, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Tony Buck, Eric Boren, Kent Kessler, Tobias Delius, Jack Wright, Michael Zerang, Michael Vatcher, Frank Gratkowski, Peter Brotzman, and Wilbert DeJoode.

The Jason Stein Quintet:
Jason Stein - bass clarinet
Keefe Jackson - reeds
Josh Abrams - bass
Frank Rosaly - drums

CAMERON PIERRE – RADIO JUMBO

Cameron Pierre is a respected staple on the U.K. Jazz scene. The guitarist was born in London and raised on the Caribbean island of Dominica. Pierre taught himself to play the guitar at age sixteen and began his musical career in the reggae genre playing for artists such as Barrington Levy, Al Campbell, Dennis Brown and Wayne Marshall. He found his niche with jazz and cites George Benson, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker as some of his greatest influencers. His music unabashedly reflects his rich Caribbean heritage. To date he has released six albums: Friday Night (1997), Return to the Source (1999 ), The Other Side of Nottinghill (2002), Devotion (2003), Pad Up (2007) and Radio Jumbo-featuring Mario Cononge (2011). Pierre has worked with Pee Wee Ellis, Orphy Robinson, Alex Wilson, Jazz Jamaica, Dennis Rollins, Omar Puente, Junior Walker, Joe Cocker, and numerous others in the jazz genre. In 1994 he formed 'Creole', a multi-cultural mélange of musicians from Africa, Haiti, Cuba and the Caribbean, enjoying wide critical acclaim for their performances at the Glastonbury and Womad Festivals. He is the first artist signed to saxophonist Courtney Pine’s Destin-E label and has toured Europe and the Caribbean with Pine. Pierre’s own The Cameron Pierre Band has performed at London Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, Breacon Jazz Festival in Wales.

His latest album, Radio Jumbo, was recorded in just one day at London’s Holodeck Studios, and it features renowed French pianist Mario Cononge. Radio Jumbo is a mix of French Antillean rhythms and influences fused against a backdrop of jazz interpretation. “I love Jazz music and it’s tradition for it offers me the unique opportunity of self expression unmatched by any other art form, says the Dominica-reared Pierre, who had only one day of rehearsal with the musicians prior to recording the live album. Radio Jumbo consists of ten tracks, two of which see vocal contributions by Dominicans Michele Henderson and Dave Joseph.

Henderson, hugely popular in the French West Indies, masterfully covers Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star”, while Joseph gives a stirring narration on the track “Traditional.” Pierre debuts his banjo playing skills on “Traditional” as well as the title track “Radio Jumbo.” A staple of the Jing Ping bands he listened to as a child; Pierre says he always dreamt of incorporating the traditional African instrument into his music.

The album was named after a radio station from his teenage days in Dominica called Radio Jumbo and reflects the Creole heritage of both Pierre and Canonge (who hails from Martinique). Sharing a love for sounds such as zouk, cadence, kompa, and beguine; and influenced by bands such as Tabou Combo, Magnum Band, Malavoi (of which Canonge was a member) Grammaks, Exile One and others; wanting to work together was easy. Pierre first saw Caononge perform at a party in Paris in 1994 and found his way to the band’s rehearsal the following day. It took 16 years, though, for the two to actually get together to record any music.

During the recording of Radio Jumbo, Canonge was instrumental in getting Pierre’s ideas across to the musicians (including a string quartet) who were not familiar with some of the French-influenced rhythms. Still, they all shared a Caribbean sensibility; drummer Wesley Joseph was of St. Lucian descent, and the bass player Michael Bailey and percussionist Donald Gordon had in common their Jamaican heritage. Pierre is hopeful that a European and Caribbean tour with Canonge can take place next year. In the meantime he plays the UK jazz circuit with his own Cameron Pierre Band, and to Composer, producer, arranger, teacher;

Radio Jumbo Track List.
1. Ma Molly
2. Big Foot
3. Radio Jumbo
4. Another Star (With Michele Henderson)
5. Solomon
6. If Only
7. Soul Eyes
8. Traditional
9. Like I Remembered
10. Room 115

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MIGUEL MIGS - OUTSIDE THE SKYLINE

The mighty Miguel Migs returns with his third artist album, a genre-crossing creation featuring guests ranging from Bebel Gilberto to Capleton to Meshell Ndegeocello. When it came to recording his new album Outside The Skyline, Miguel Migs was able to pull together an impressive line-up of collaborators; original disco diva Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, reggae legends Half-Pint and Freddie McGregor, first lady of musicianship Meshell Ndegeocello, Berlin based singer Georg Levin and bossa nova phenomenon Bebel Gilberto all make an appearance on the album, alongside two vocalists who’ve been regular co-conspirators, Aya and Lisa Shaw. The result is an album that’s trademark Migs. Informed by house but no slave to metronomic dancefloor rhythms and tempos, it takes influences from jazz, reggae, soul and more, with a heavy emphasis on high-quality songwriting and equally high production values. Despite achieving levels of success – both critical and commercial – Migs remains a genuinely humble, self-effacing individual. A globe-trotting A-list DJ, nominated on a Beatport poll as Best Deep House Producer who, rather than constantly bigging himself up, prefers to let his music to the talking. Thankfully, Migs’ music more than does the talking – it speaks to people. Enjoy!

Miguel Migs -Outside The Skyline Track List

1. Intro - Life (feat. Half Pint)

2. Tonight (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello)

3. Breakdown (feat. Lisa Shaw)

4. Everybody (feat. Evelyn ''Champagne'' King)

5. The Distance (feat. Aya)

6. Life feat. (Half Pint)

7. Close Your Eyes (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello)

8. They Don't Know (feat. Freddie McGregor)

9. The System (feat. Capleton)

10. Zuzu (feat. Bebel Gilberto)

11. Changin' (feat. Sonny J Mason)

12. Don't Stop (feat. Aya)

13. Lose Control (feat. Lisa Shaw)

14. Getaway (feat. Georg Levin)

KIM WATERS - THIS HEART OF MINE

Kim Waters latest release is his 17th album as a leader and tenth for Shanachie Entertainment, This Heart of Mine, which artfully showcases why he has long held the throne as the King of Smooth Urban Jazz. This Heart of Mine finds the saxophonist doing what he does best -- creating dreamy melodies, sultry ballads, reinventing timeless R&B hits and playing funky dance-inspired and hot stepper originals. Waters brings to life a tapestry of love songs that explores the full range of emotions that love sparks. The CD opens with the soulful and inviting “Heart Seeker,” which shines light on Waters’ undeniable knack for crafting unforgettable melodies and songs that take you on a journey.

The album’s first single “Free Fall,” reunites Waters with celebrated producer Davy D. The dynamic duo joined forces for the #1 hit song “Water Fall” from Kim’s 2002 recording Someone to Love You. “Working with Davy D comes very easy because he has this amazing ability to create incredible tracks,” says Kim. “Once he creates the beats I then add my own jazz vibe and the result always turns into something amazing! Davy D is great at everything he does.”

A highlight on This Heart of Mine is the sublime Kim Waters ballad “Am I a Fool,” featuring several-time Grammy nominated Soul Prince, Calvin Richardson. The duo also has a stunning new video that takes the song to new heights. “‘Am I a Fool’ is a song that I wrote about a man who is so in love with his woman that he let's her run all over him and take advantage of his kindness,” explains Kim. “I have witnessed this with several friends and was inspired to write this song.”

“Am I A Fool” has all the ingredients for a hit at urban radio. In recent years Waters has garnered a new fan base recording such diverse projects as The Sax Pack (with fellow saxophonists Jeff Kashiwa and Steve Cole) and his own Streetwize and Tha’ Hot Club CDs that are known for their clever reworkings of the hottest hip hop, R&B and reggae hits on the radio. On This Heart of Mine, Waters does a hot buttery soul rendition of the R. Kelly ballad “Love Letter” as well as takes on the Alicia Keys and Jay-Z smash hit “Empire State of Mind.” The latter features Kim Waters’ wife and vocalist Dana Pope, who is also featured on the Streetwize recordings. “I decided to record ‘Love Letter’ and ‘Empire State of Mind’ because I am a fan of both R. Kelly and Alicia Keys. Both of these songs have true messages. ‘Love Letter’ is an open expression of love that I can relate to while ‘Empire State of Mind’ offers an inspirational message of hope and the fulfillment of dreams.”

No Kim Waters CD would be complete without his trademark - get your groove on - dance floor anthems. Songs like the uplifting and in the pocket “The Groove’s Alright,” “Running To Love” and Waters’ ode to dedicated Steppers around the country, “Step to This,” demonstrate the saxophonist’s delicate balance of jazzy grooves with R&B flavor. Waters once again hits the mark with his seductive ballads “I Love My Girl” and “Stay With Me Tonight.” He penned “Double Two Love” for his musically gifted twin daughters, Kimberly and Kayla. “Being a Dad is the most important job and my family is my main inspiration,” confides Kim. “Kimberly and Kayla are the key to my heart and they inspire me to continue to create my music and keep it fresh. They are truly angels. Even though they are 21 years old this year, they will always be my little girls. ‘Double Two Love’ is my way to express my love for them through music and gives them something to share with their friends and family forever!”

MANU DIBANGO - AFRO-SOUL MACHINE

A solid and decades spanning double dose set of classic and less canonized gems from African sax legend Manu Dibango on 2-CDs with material recorded from the mid 70s to early 00s. For 50 years, Manu Dibango has been on the frontline of popular music. This is an amazing achievement, and even more so when you realize he can still simply be described as an 'instrumentalist from Africa'. How he's achieved this and some of the fruits he's given us along the way, is the subject of this release. Manu Dibango has never stayed still; whether on marimba, keyboard or saxophone and usually with his distinctively gruff vocals half-talking, half-singing, he makes his mark. It's got blueprint level 70s Afro Soul, timeless African boogie, sultry, kinda jazzy groovers with Afro percussive elements, European dancefloor influenced numbers and more – well chosen to highlight his stylistic sprawl over the years! 30 tracks on 2CDs: "Bessoka (Version Courte)", "Lagos Go Slow", "A La Claire Fontaine", "Waka Juju", "The Panther", "Soul Makossa (Manu Version)", "Ambiance Tropika", "Aloko Party", "Reggae Makossa" "Negropolitaines", "Gombo Sauce", "Mboa", "Tek Time" and many more

Manu Dibango - Afo-Soul Machine tracklist:
Disc 1

1.Bessoka [Version Courte]

2. Lagos Go Slow

3. Africa Boogie

4. A La Claire Fontaine

5. Waka Juju

6. Super Kumba

7. Manga Bolo

8. Du Bush a Bush

9. Blowin' Western Mind

10. Mboa

11. Gombo Sauce

12. Negropolitaines

13. Pour Une Poignee De Cfa

14. The Panther

15. Mpuli Mwa Moni

Disc: 2

1. Soul Makossa [Manu Version] 
2. Ambiance Tropika
3. Mincalor
4. Pavane Pour Une Melodie
5. Images De Famille
6. Soul Fiesta [Remix Version Lounge] 
7. Tek Time
8. Aloko Party
9. Kango
10. Ngosso
11. Chock 'n' Soul
12. Qui Est Fou De Qui
13. Black Beauty
14. Reggae Makossa
15. Un Soir Au Village

AZYMUTH - AURORA

Returning to their huge old school sound, this new recording celebrates 35 years of Azymuth as “arguably the most successful band to come out of Brazil.” The signature swing samba is heavier than ever with a string of unforgettable tunes: from dance-floor fillers and lush jazz to hard, grooving samba funk and warped psychedelia. Together the original three piece Azymuth orchestra has made their strongest album since the seminal recordings Azimuth and Light as a Feather.

Aurora, the follow-up to 2008’s Butterfly draws on the sound that was so synonymous with their work in the 1980s, mixing disco, jazz, funk, psych, and samba with their super style, playing, and improvisation. Together with producer Daniel Maunick and David Brinkworth (Harmonic 313), Azymuth recorded Aurora in Rio de Janeiro over a two week period. 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", "Carnaval Legrand", "Diz No Pe", "Meu Mengo", "Crazy Clock", and "Aurora". 12 in all.

Opening the set is the cool, fresh title track ‘Aurora’, which features Alex’s daughter and fellow Far Out recording artist Sabrina Malheiros on vocals alongside Marcio Lott. ‘In My Treehouse’ is an extremely personal track written by Bertrami, which is influenced by his oak tree and dreams that recall his childhood playing in a tree house in his mother’s hometown. ‘Isso É Partido Alto’ encapsulates the sound of Azymuth, the focus on their signature groove, partido alto (one of the oldest traditional samba rhythms). ‘Diz No Pé’ is a samba monster combining broken drumming with syncopated samba instrumentation, written by Ivan Conti. ‘Carnaval Legrand’ is dedicated to one of Jose Roberto Bertrami’s peers – the great Franco-Armenian arranger and composer Michel Legrand, while ‘Meu Mengô’ is inspired by Alex Malheiros’ football team – Flamengo – another passion shared with his Azymuth band-mates

The Original Cult Trio Pianist, songwriter, and band leader Jose Roberto Bertrami is recognized as one of the legends of Brazilian music, remaining one of its most influential keyboardists. He is responsible for the intensity and maverick approach of Azymuth. Ivan Conti is Azymuth’s drummer and percussionist. Known as Mamao, he is a spontaneous and incredibly energetic drummer, and the real hardcore Carioca of the trio. He has collaborated on a number of major projects in recent years including 2008’s Jackson Conti ‘Sujinho’ album with Madlib. On bass is Alex Malheiros, who learnt his trade playing with the master of Brazilian swing, Ed Lincoln. Alex is respected in Brazil as one of the original groove masters. The threesome is responsible for twenty five studio albums from 1975 crate-digger favourite debut Azimuth (Far Out re-issued in 2007); to 1979’s Light as a Feather (which spawned ‘Jazz Carnival’); and ‘80s classics including ‘Telecommunication’. One of the biggest jazz funk tunes of all time, ‘Jazz Carnival’, spent eight weeks in the UK Top 20 in 1980 and was a Number 1 hit around the world in the dance charts

One of very few successful bands to have kept the original line-up, in their sixth decade the cult trio continue to tour the globe wowing audiences at the finest venues and festivals. Azymuth’s previous seven recordings for Far Out have been both critically acclaimed by the press and spun heavily by global DJs. With Aurora their finest work yet for the label, the samba legends swinging ‘samba doido’ (crazy samba) is primed to win over another generation of fans. You’re in the hands of masters.

MAURICIO MAESTRO FEATURING NANA VASCONCELOS - UPSIDE DOWN

Mauricio Maestro began his career as a member of the vocal quartet Momentoquatro in the late 60s, before he and Nana Vasconcelos became friends as members of Luiz Eça's band Sagrada Familia. The pair also formed part of Milton Nascimento's Clube De Esquina scene along with Joyce and Marcos Valle on his legendary Clube De Esquina album series. Having arranged for Brazil's top artists from an early age Mauricio Maestro lent his masterful bass playing to Joyce's classic early albums, The Holy Family, played on and produced Visions of Dawn and founded Boca Livre in 1979 - one of the most successful groups ever to emerge from Brazil. Nana Vasconcelos has released more than thirty albums over an epic forty year career that took in spell playing with legendary folk-prog band A Tribo. Vasconcelos is a vocalist and berimbau player of immense quality and displays his percussion skills that saw him named best drummer in the world for eight straight years by U.S. magazine Downbeat.

Now Mauricio Maestro and Nana Vasconcelos finally reconnect on the second part of their four decade psychedelic folk trilogy. Following on from Visions of Dawn – the 1976 acid-folk lost classic – Upside Down stirs up a time when people dared to make remarkable liberated records like this. Nana and guest vocalist Kay Lyra – who completes the present day folk trio – combine floating harmonies and delicate string-led psychedelia. Maestro's moving compositions melt together hypnotising strings with his own darting acoustic guitar and wonderfully languid vocals. The master of percussion Nana Vasconcelos brings an endless concoction of exotic instrumentation to stirring life as mind-bending vocals move in and out of focus. Nana and Mauricio reunite on this modern acoustic masterwork full of simple pleasures.

This is a contemporary set, but one that's unlike any other recent Brazilian recording we can think of – given the very unique vibe that Mauricio Maestro is going for. The sound here has deep rhythms and folksy touches – a warm acoustic mode, but topped with some slight electricity and larger arrangements – a bit like some of the more creative sounds in the Brazilian underground during the post-Tropicalia years – yet with a richness that takes it much farther too! Maestro handled the arrangements, and he brings in a jazz-tinged quality that's not unlike the Milton Nascimento generation – yet the overall approach is earthier too, and vocals are handled by Mauricio, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, and Kay Lyra – swirled up with a bit of light string backings that really help the record soar to the skies! We'd rank this one right up there with classics from the 70s by Joyce or Edu Lobo – but we also recognize that it's very much it's own record too. Titles include "Jungle Bells", "Agua Clara", "Canto Do Paje", "Todos Os Santos", "Ciclo Da Vida", and "Ouvindo Estrelas."

MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO - WEATHER

Meshell Ndegeocello is back with her latest album Weather, out November 8th on Naïve in the U.S. Her ninth album in 20 years, Weather finds the eclectic songwriter expanding on her iconic style, a lush album of intimate songwriting. Produced by Grammy-winner Joe Henry (Aimee Mann, Solomon Burke, Ani DiFranco), Weather is the latest addition to Meshell’s diverse catalog. A strikingly organic record, the album finds Meshell experimenting with the sparse, orchestral melodies paired with thoughtful lyrics, all performed by a band of fearsome musicians. The album opens with the title track “Weather,” a spacey, soulful groove that sets the stage for the rest of the record. Tracks like “Oysters” and her cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel” find Meshell constructing hushed ballads, centered around mournful piano. These tracks are juxtaposed with Meshell’s defiant, soulful stomps on songs like “Rapid Fire” and “Dirty World.” The album also features all-star collaborations with the likes of Chris Connelly (ex-Revolting Cocks, Ministry), Benji Hughes, and Joe Henry. Weather, ironically, might be her most easily appealing and accessible album since her mainstream breakout – with a haunting, moody quality and deep sinking emotionalism. Producer Joe Henry is a good fit – the record has a quiet, kind of noirish quality that serves Meshell very well. Includes  "Feeling For The Wall",  "Chance", "Crazy And Wild", "Dead End", "Don't Take My Kindness For Weakness" and more.

Born Michelle Johnson in Berlin, Meshell Ndegeocello has spent that last twenty years forging a unique career that’s as distinct as it is critically celebrated. Arriving in New York in the early ’90s with a few bedroom demos and her bass, Meshell quickly struck out on her own, joining The Black Rock Coalition and eventually signing to Madonna’s newly minted Maverick Records. Her politically charged, sexually rebellious music crossed boundaries and norms, all while incorporating a bit of everything into her sound, including hip hop, rock, R&B, new wave, go-go and punk. Her neo-soul anthem “If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night)” topped the charts, and cover of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night,” performed with John Mellencamp, became a ’90s classic. Quickly developing into a musician’s musician, Meshell has shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, James Blood Ulmer, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tony Allen, John Medeski, Billy Preston, Chaka Khan, and more.

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

http://www.neildiamond.com/

http://www.columbiarecords.com/

http://www.legacyrecordings.com/

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)