CHARLIE WILSON RECEIVES TWO GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

One of the most recognizable voices in music today, Charlie Wilson, has received two 2012 Grammy nominations for his chart-topping single, "You Are." Wilson is nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. "You Are" was the first single from Wilson's critically-acclaimed CD, Just Charlie. "We are excited to have the Academy recognize Charlie with these two nominations," stated Michael Paran, Wilson's manager and partner in P Music Group. "This song topped the Billboard Urban Adult Contemporary charts for weeks and we want to thank radio for their continued support We also want to thank Larry Batiste for his beautiful orchestration which was the icing on the cake."

"I am honored to have received two Grammy nominations," stated Wilson. "When I began work on Just Charlie my wife, Mahin, suggested we include some songs that uplifted women. I totally agreed and that's how 'You Are' was born. She is and always will be my inspiration." Wilson's outstanding vocal performance of "You Are" confirms that this song will be a wedding classic for generations to come. The popular music video can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOcBMh3p-AM&ob=av2e

In 2010, Wilson also received two Grammy nominations for Best R&B Album, Uncle Charlie, and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his hit single, "There Goes My Baby." Wilson, who recently returned from Kuwait where he performed for U.S. troops, is currently on the road performing to sold-out crowds.

http://www.unclecharliewilson.com/

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THE QUIET NIGHTS ORCHESTRA - MOVIN'

The Quiet Nights Orchestra hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, released their debut album Chapter One all over the world in 2009 and it has not left anyone indifferent. The album proved above all that jazz is not an outdated genre and definitely not exclusive to jazz clubs alone. The band has always tried to find new ways of expression in their music but still glimpses back to classic jazz, maintaining the roots and pushing the envelope at the same time. This sounds clearly in their sequel, and instead of stomping in the same footsteps as their debut album, they have now developed their sound in the new album Movin'. This time, more band members moved into the composer room, which also demonstrates that the band is not a one man show! The post-production of the album has also played a central role in the recording process this time, adding elements such as strings, vibraphone and guitar as extra ingredients. Eminent guests such as the world-famous musician and arranger Magnus Lindgren and musician Roman Andrén gives the album extra spice!

The stunning band is the same as always consisting of Sofie Norling (Vocals), Peter Fredriksson (trombone / band leader), Jonne Bentlöv (trumpet), Magnus Dölerud (sax), Philip Neterowicz (piano), Peder Waern (double bass), Carl Ottosson (drums) and Jacob Johannesson (percussion). The sound on the album could be described as modern but with the same elegance as Jazz from the 50s and 60s. The compositions sparkle with fresh influences from genres such as soul, funk, house and even some hints of boogie, surf and classic cuban rumba. One thing is certain; that the band does not tread in the same footprint as before, but is movin' forward with a fiery enthusiasm!

Movin' features some great jazzy grooves from and every bit as wonderful as the first. There's wicked blend of modes going on here – a bit of modal jazz, some clubjazz rhythms, a touch of Schema groove, and also just a hint of older jazz modes too – all wrapped together with a youthful, vibrant energy that really makes the whole thing sparkle! If you've ever dug work on labels like Ricky Tick, Schema, or some of the best older Compost material, you'll find plenty here to love – and it's great to know that there's folks like Quiet Nights out there, still putting out grooves like this. Sofie Norling sings these beautiful vocals on a few tracks, but overall most of the set is instrumental – with a nice mix of trumpet, trombone, saxes, and even some vibes.

The Quiet Nights Orchestra Movin’ tracklisting:
01 Waves
02 Movin'
03 When We Fly
04 The Tryout
05 Falling For You
06 The Path
07 Dreaming
08 One More Try
09 I Don't Think So
10 Sundays
11 Rockys Corner
12 He Is My Music

STEVE TYRELL - I'LL TAKE ROMANCE

Often cited as the world’s true “romance crooner” and proponent of all things love, legendary jazz balladeer Steve Tyrell will release his new collection, I’ll Take Romance (his ninth) on February 7th, 2012. His Concord Records debut, I’ll Take Romance, features 12 tracks with Tyrell, backed by his band along with a String Orchestra. The release of I’ll Take Romance will be accompanied by tour dates across the country, including his annual seven week run at New York City’s legendary Café Carlyle, where he replaced Manhattan icon Bobby Short seven years ago.

Inspired by Chelsea Clinton’s choice of his version of “The Way You Look Tonight” for the first dance at her wedding (as told to Tyrell at last year’s Café Carlyle engagement by proud Papa Bill Clinton), Tyrell then decided that his next studio recording should be an album consisting purely of romantic standards- an homage to The Great American Songbook with tracks culled from several genres expressing the theme of romance. Featuring such gems as “That’s All,” “Taking a Chance On Love,” “All of You” and the title track, Tyrell also covers a host of R&B classics, including the Etta James hits “At Last” and “Trust In Me;” Sam Cooke’s “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons;” and Little Willie John’s “Talk to Me.”

In addition, Tyrell included a couple of songs that much of his audience would be discovering for the first time. During the 1960s, when he was a player in pop’s celebrated “Brill Building Sound,” Tyrell became close friends, and subsequently partners, with the hit songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. From the vast Mann-Weil catalog, he has selected the relatively obscure gem “You Turn Me Around.” Written in the early 1970s (and originally recorded by Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers), says Tyrell, “It’s a real find! It’s a song I’ve known for a long time, and always wanted to do.” Also included by Mann and Weil is “Don’t Know Much,” a Grammy winning song that he produced with Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville. Of newer vintage is David Foster and Linda Thompson’s “A Love That Will Last.”

Here’s a listing of upcoming concert appearances:

November 29 – December 31, 2011: The Café Carlyle, The Carlyle Hotel, New York, NY

January 3, 2012: Kravis Center, West Palm Beach, FL (w/Linda Eder)

January 5-8, 2012: Samueli Theater, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA

February 1, 2012: McCallum Theater, Palm Springs, CA

ARTIST PROFILE: HIROMI

Hiromi Uehara first mesmerized the jazz community with her 2003 Telarc debut, Another Mind. The buzz started by her first album spread all the way back to her native Japan, where Another Mind shipped gold (100,000 units) and received the Recording Industry Association of Japan's (RIAJ) Jazz Album of the Year Award. The keyboardist/composer's second release, Brain, won the Horizon Award at the 2004 Surround Music Awards, the Swing Journal New Star Award, Jazz Life's Gold Album, HMV Japan's Best Japanese Jazz Album, and the Japan Music Pen Club's Japanese Artist Award. Brain was also named Album of the Year in Swing Journal's 2005 Readers Poll. In 2006, Hiromi won Best Jazz Act at the Boston Music Awards and the Guinness Jazz Festival's Rising Star Award. She also claimed Jazzman of the Year, Pianist of the Year and Album of the Year in the Swing Journal Japan Readers Poll for her 2006 release, Spiral. Hiromi continued her winning streak with the 2007 release of Time Control; 2008’s, Beyond Standard and 2009’s Place to Be. In 2011, Hiromi released her seventh Concord Record, Voice.

Born in Shizuoka, Japan, in 1979, Hiromi took her first piano lessons at age six. She learned from her earliest teacher to tap into the intuitive as well as the technical aspects of music. "Her energy was always so high, and she was so emotional," Hiromi says of her first piano teacher. "When she wanted me to play with a certain kind of dynamics, she wouldn't say it with technical terms. If the piece was something passionate, she would say, 'Play red.' Or if it was something mellow, she would say, 'Play blue.' I could really play from my heart that way, and not just from my ears."

Hiromi took that intuitive approach a step further when she enrolled in the Yamaha School of Music less then a year after her first piano lessons. By age twelve, she was performing in public, sometimes with very high-profile orchestras. "When I was fourteen, I went to Czechoslovakia and played with the Czech Philharmonic," she says. "That was a great experience, to play with such a professional orchestra."

Further into her teens, her tastes expanded to include jazz as well as classical music. A chance meeting with Chick Corea when she was seventeen led to a performance with the well-known jazz pianist the very next day. "It was in Tokyo," Hiromi recalls. "He was doing something at Yamaha, and I was visiting Tokyo at the time to take some lessons. I talked to some teachers and said that I really wanted to see him. I sat down with him, and he said, 'Play something.' So I played something, and then he said, 'Can you improvise?' I told him I could, and we did some two-piano improvisations. Then he asked me if I was free the next day. I told him I was, and he said, 'Well, I have a concert tomorrow. Why don't you come?' So I went there, and he called my name at the end of the concert, and we did some improvisations together."

After a couple years of writing advertising jingles for Nissan and a few other high-profile Japanese companies, Hiromi came to the United States in 1999 to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. For as open as her musical sensibilities had already been when she came to the U.S., the Berklee experience pushed her envelope even further. "It expanded so much the way I see music," she says. "Some people dig jazz, some people dig classical music, some people dig rock. Everyone is so concerned about who they like. They always say, 'This guy is the best,' 'No, this guy is the best.' But I think everyone is great. I really don't have barriers to any type of music. I could listen to everything from metal to classical music to anything else."

Among her mentors at Berklee was veteran jazz bassist Richard Evans, who teaches arranging and orchestration. Evans co-produced Another Mind, her Telarc debut, with longtime friend and collaborator Ahmad Jamal, who has also taken a personal interest in Hiromi's artistic development. "She is nothing short of amazing," says Jamal. "Her music, together with her overwhelming charm and spirit, causes her to soar to unimaginable musical heights."

At 32, Hiromi stands at the threshold of limitless possibility, constantly drawing inspiration from virtually everyone and everything around her. Her list of influences, like her music itself, is boundless. "I love Bach, I love Oscar Peterson, I love Franz Liszt, I love Ahmad Jamal," she says. "I also love people like Sly and the Family Stone, Dream Theatre and King Crimson. Also, I'm so much inspired by sports players like Carl Lewis and Michael Jordan. Basically, I'm inspired by anyone who has big, big energy. They really come straight to my heart."

But she won't, as a matter of principle, put labels on her music. She'll continue to follow whatever moves her, and leave the definitions to others. "I don't want to put a name on my music," she says. "Other people can put a name on what I do. It's just the union of what I've been listening to and what I've been learning. It has some elements of classical music, it has some rock, it has some jazz, but I don't want to give it a name."

Upcoming concert appearances:

Dec 9, 2011 - Aomori Civic Hall (w/Akiko Yano), Aomori, Japan

Dec 11, 2011 - NHK Hall (w/Akiko Yano), Tokyo, Japan

Dec 13, 2011 - Shizuoka City Culture Hall (w/Akiko Yano), Shizuoka, Japan

Dec 14, 2011 - Zepp Nagoya (w/Akiko Yano), Aichi, Japan

Dec 17, 2011 - Morinomiya Piloti Hall (w/Akiko Yano), Osaka, Japan

SHARON MARIE CLINE - INTERPLAY

Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, Sharon Marie Cline brings a unique and distinguished sense of jazz history to her song stylings. Her artistry, charming and refreshing rhythmic variations breathe enjoyable new life into familiar standards, show tunes and classic jazz. Her original interpretations, smooth mellifluous vocal musings leave a lasting impression on her audience that is truly unforgettable! Her music catalogue consists of a live recording at Simon’s Jazz Bar entitled Interplay, a soulful and romantic Christmas CD By The Fireside as well as a sneak peek of three songs from her upcoming CD This Is Where I Wanna Be Songs of Romance all supported by her band who are known as “The Bad Boyz of Jazz”. Sharon Marie's theme to her music is all about her “Hearts Song”. Her style is reminiscent of a time gone by, yet is distinctively contemporary, sexy an fun!

Cline is a favorite on LA’s jazz scene as well as a 'forward thinker' when it comes to branding her artistry worldwide. Sharon Marie is furthering her international exposure by way of creating a community that is filled not only with her fans but with musical offerings, reviews and her music catalogue for immediate purchase. “Social media has become a standard in promoting our careers and businesses which has become imperative for expanding career opportunities and relationships” says Jaijai Jackson, creator of The Jazz Network Worldwide social network. Known for performing with the finest jazz musicians in the most exclusive rooms on the west coast, Sharon Marie looks to furthering her opportunities through a personal viral marketing campaign. “My new social network is a community where we can all plant dream seeds and nurture them to fruition as we each sing our own ‘hearts song’” says Sharon Marie Cline.

You can listen to some of her selections on The Jazz Network Worldwide at http://www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com/ as well as joining her new social network to support her community and her ‘hearts song’ at http://www.sharonmariecline.com/.

AMY WINEHOUSE & TONY BENNETT HONORED WITH GRAMMY NOMINATION FOR "BODY & SOUL"

Five-time Grammy Award winner and 21st century soul icon, Amy Winehouse has received a 2012 Grammy Award nomination for "Body & Soul", her duet with the legendary Tony Bennett and final recording. The duo's cover of the 1930's jazz classic brings together two distinct eras on one immortally powerful performance. In March 2011, Winehouse and Bennett met at London's famed Abbey Road Studios with producer Phil Ramone for this very special session. The duet sees Winehouse in top form, flawlessly matching Bennett's croon with gorgeous delivery. "Body & Soul" would be her last studio recording before her tragic passing on July 23, 2011, yet it's emblematic of her tremendous talent and presence.

About "Body & Soul", Bennett remarked, "It was a thrill to record with Amy Winehouse and when you listen to the recording of "Body And Soul", it is a testament to her artistic genius and her brilliance as one of the most honest musicians I have ever known." The song is a centerpiece of the forthcoming, Lioness: Hidden Treasures, Winehouse's third studio album due in stores and online December 6, 2011. Compiled by longtime collaborators, Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, the 12-track collection features unreleased gems, covers, and alternate versions of existing songs. It's a proper tribute to Winehouse formidable legacy. Universal Music Group also announced that a portion of proceeds from the album will be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, supporting vulnerable and at-risk youth.  "Body & Soul" also appears on Bennett's Duets II CD.

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS CELEBRATES 40 YEARS!



Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff

 Philadelphia International records - one of the greatest black record labels of all time is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Founded by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971, the label launched with the album Going East by Billy Paul in October 1971 but really hit its stride throughout 1972 with a brace of international hits from veteran Philadelphia based signings like the O’Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and the Three Degrees. Legendary A&R visionary Clive Davis was responsible for bringing the Philly hit machine to the Columbia group for distribution – a gamble which proved to be extraordinarily successful as the major distributor struggled to keep up with the hits that were pouring out from Sigma Sound studio in downtown Philadelphia – the recording home of P.I.R. where smashes like “Backstabbers”, “Love Train”, “Me & Mrs Jones”, “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” and numerous others all rolled out in 1972 alone. Just two years later, Philadelphia International became the second largest black-owned company in the U.S.A. following Berry Gordy’s Motown, which had similarly forged its identity with a trademark sound from Detroit. Jump forward 40 years and Philadelphia International is still independent and still owned by its original founders, Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff – an extraordinary achievement in an age where most other independent companies (including Motown) have long since been absorbed into large conglomerates. In celebrating 40th anniversary of Philadelphia International, being planned are some brand new “Philly 40” PIR releases which have been long overdue and will be eagerly anticipated around the world.

The Releases:

• Philadelphia International: The Re-Edits - 21 of the hottest PIR Re-Edits which have been done by PIR enthusiasts from around the world. Fully approved by Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff (due Jan 2012)
• Philadelphia International: The Roots of PIR - What happened before PIR? Ace historian and compiler Richard Searling compiles the pre PIR gems from the Gamble & Huff stable plus an exclusive DVD interview with Kenny Gamble (due Jan 2012)
• Philadelphia International: The Tom Moulton Remixes - the godfather of the Disco Mix and inventor of the 12” format returns to the label where he started and remixes 15 more original PIR tracks to add to 16 of his best original PIR mixes (due Feb 2012)
• Philadelphia International: 40th Anniversary Box Set - PIR expert Ralph Tee goes through the complete history of PIR with a lovingly compiled 10CD deluxe box set with 60 page booklet plus an exclusive DVD interview with Kenny Gamble (due Feb 2012)

THE DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET - THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA STUDIO ALBUMS COLLECTION

As family and friends around the world celebrate Dave Brubeck's 91st birthday on December 6, 2011, attention is also drawn to notable anniversaries of key albums in the Columbia Records discography of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. These include the 55th anniversary of their landmark 1956 album Jazz Impressions Of The U.S.A., the 50th anniversary of the 1961 LP Time Further Out, and the 45th anniversary of Time In, their 1966 finale to the signature series that started with the all-time classic, RIAA® certified double-platinum Time Out in 1959. Those four studio albums, alongside the 15 other Columbia studio recordings that the Quartet released between 1955 and 1967, are brought together for the first time in The Dave Brubeck Quartet - The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection. The deluxe 19-CD box set is available now for pre-order at Sony Music's retail website – http://www.myplaydirect.com/dave-brubeck – in advance of the December 6th (Brubeck's birthday!) release date.

The 19 titles in The Dave Brubeck Quartet - The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection are as follows:

1. Brubeck Time (1955)
2. Jazz Impressions Of The U.S.A. (1956, first time on CD in U.S.)
3. Jazz Impressions Of Eurasia (1958, first time on CD in U.S.)
4. Dave Digs Disney (1957)
5. Gone With The Wind (1959, first time on CD in U.S.)
6. Time Out! (1959)
7. Southern Scene (1960, first time on CD in U.S.)
8. Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein (1961)
9. Time Further Out (1961)
10. Countdown: Time In Outer Space (1962)
11. Bossa Nova U.S.A. (1963, first time on CD in U.S.)
12. Brandenburg Gate: Revisited (1963)
13. Time Changes (1964)
14. Jazz Impressions Of Japan (1964)
15. Jazz Impressions Of New York (1965, first time on CD in U.S.)
16. Angel Eyes (1965, first time on CD in U.S.)
17. My Favorite Things (1966, first time on CD in U.S.)
18. Time In (1966)
19. Plays Cole Porter - Anything Goes! (1967, first time on CD in U.S.)

(This discography, starting with 1959's Gone With The Wind, also represents the total Columbia studio output of the classic longtime lineup of the Dave Brubeck Quartet that began in '58 – Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto saxophone, bassist Eugene Wright, and drummer Joe Morello.)  The Dave Brubeck Quartet - The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection  features each of the 19 albums in a replica mini-LP sleeve which reproduces that LP's original front and back cover artwork. Where applicable, the albums in each box include the bonus tracks that have been released on the expanded CD editions over the years.  As noted above, nine of the titles in The Dave Brubeck Quartet - The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection are making their debut appearance on CD in the U.S. with this box set.

The arrival of The Dave Brubeck Quartet - The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection follows Columbia/Legacy's November 1st debut release of the double-CD, Their Last Time Out (subtitle: The Unreleased Live Concert – December 26, 1967). Recorded in Pittsburgh, the night after Christmas, the concert reflected Brubeck's decision to disband the Quartet at the end of 1967, their tenth and final year together. The concert covered virtually every phase of the Quartet's tenure, from blues ("St. Louis Blues") and standards ("Swanee River," "These Foolish Things," "Take The 'A' Train," "Someday My Prince Will Come," "I'm In A Dancing Mood," "You Go To My Head"), to the Latin flavor of which they were so fond ("Cielito Lindo," "La Paloma Azul"). In true democratic fashion there is also one original composition by each musician: Brubeck's "Three To Get Ready" (listen for Desmond's "12 Days Of Christmas" riff), Wright's "Set My People Free," Morello's "For Drummers Only," and of course, Desmond's "Take Five."

The 16 core years that Dave Brubeck spent at Columbia Records (from 1954 to 1970), saw this complex musician and compassionate bandleader develop into a multi-talented composer, arranger, producer, orchestrator, and ultimately a father figure for at least three generations of jazz players. The Dave Brubeck Quartet, in its early lineup (with alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, drummer Joe Dodge, and a succession of bassists) was signed to Columbia in 1953, by the renowned George Avakian. He followed the pianist's early format (of live concert recordings on Fantasy) and also recorded him live for his Columbia debut, Jazz Goes To College.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection  focuses on the Quartet's studio LPs, which actually began with their second album, Brubeck Time (1954). The so-called 'classic' Dave Brubeck Quartet took shape with the entrance of drummer Joe Morello in 1956 and bassist Eugene Wright in 1958. They staked their claim to jazz immortality in 1959 with the Time Out album, the first million-selling LP in jazz history, featuring the single that changed all the rules, "Take Five" b/w "Blue Rondo A La Turk."

Included with this set is Brandenburg Gate, Revisited which features a 10-part, 20-minute work for strings arranged and conducted by Howard Brubeck on a theme by Dave Brubeck that was first heard on Jazz Impressions Of Eurasia (1958). In addition to Eurasia, all the other albums in the Quartet's "Jazz Impressions" series are represented in this collection: Jazz Impressions Of The USA (1957), Jazz Impressions of Japan (1964), and Jazz Impressions of New York (1965).

The Quartet was disbanded in 1967, the year of their final Columbia studio LP, The Dave Brubeck Quartet Plays Cole Porter - Anything Goes!, a Swingin' Affair.

BILL FRISELL - ALL WE ARE SAYING

Consummate guitarist, composer and musical interpreter Bill Frisell is set for a slew of promotional activities in December to promote the release of his highly praised new project All We Are Saying — his exploration of the songs of John Lennon. On December 5, Jazz At Lincoln Center will host a listening party and Q&A with Bill from 7-8pm at the Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame. Bill will appear at Barnes and Noble in NYC at 86th and Lexington on December 9th at 4pm for a Q&A and performance. On December 16, Frisell will tape a Tiny Desk Concert in the offices of NPR—airdate TBD. All We Are Saying  featuring his trusted ensemble consisting of Jenny Scheinman (violin), Tony Scherr (bass), Greg Leisz (guitars) and Kenny Wollesen (drums) remains firmly ensconced in the Top 20 of Billboard's jazz charts (both Contemporary and Current). In addition, Bill Frisell will perform alongside Jenny Scheinman at the Village Vanguard from December 6 through December 11.

The project has long been in the works—one could go as far back as the first time he heard the Beatles at the age of 13. Fast forward a few decades and Frisell is asked to put together an impromptu set in honor of John Lennon as part of a special event in Paris. The preparation, performances and reception to these compositions was an inspiration nurtured to fruition with this project. The project is already garnering rave reviews from critics and fans alike (Frisell's Facebook page recorded 5000 "Likes" the first day of posting with hundreds of comments accumulating). Recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley and produced by Lee Townsend, All We Are Saying was released on Savoy Jazz on September 27.

Described by the Wall Street Journal as "the most innovative and influential jazz guitarist of the past 25 years" Frisell's artistry has earned across the board praise for his instinctual musicianship—working both within and beyond the parameters of jazz music as he effortlessly incorporates elements of Americana, world, blues, classical, creating a rich and unique aural tapestry. Says Frisell: "John Lennon's music has been with me, the band, everybody, the world...seems like forever. The songs are part of us. In our blood. There was nothing we really needed to do to prepare for this. We've been preparing our whole lives. The songs are there. All we had to do was play them. Everyone involved with this has their own personal, deep, long, relationship to John Lennon's music. It connects us all and brings us together. I feel blessed having the chance to play this music with these people.".

FRANK SINATRA BIRTHDAY BASH - A SWINGIN' AFFAIR

Frank Sinatra Jr.

Planned for this December 11th in Palm Springs, CA, Organizers of A Swingin' Affair have been inundated with calls from performers and Sinatra fans from all over the country. On December 11th, in Palm Springs, CA, ticket holders are guaranteed a night of a lifetime with performers from Phillip Lomax from the X-Factor, and Daniel Joseph Baker from America's Got Talent, to Frank Sinatra Jr., Matt Dusk and Lainie Kazan. Guests will also be treated to a 3-course meal and the Birthday celebration will last into the wee small hours of the morning. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Alzheimer's Association California Southland Chapter. There are 3 levels of tickets, say Organizers, "We wanted to make this event affordable for everyone." Gala ticket prices are $150, $250, $350 and $450 and the exclusive Sinatra home cocktail party is $350. VIP tickets are $1,000, which give you preferred seating and entry into all of the 3 separate parties that will be going on throughout the day. The event has been branded as more of a Lifestyle Experience due to its uniqueness, and it's far cry from your standard gala.

VIP and Sinatra Cocktail Party ticket holders will get to attend a special cocktail party at Frank Sinatra's former estate, and then be chauffeured via Limousine afterwards to the posh Riviera Palm Springs, where Sinatra himself used to throw some of his most lavish parties. The gala will start with a 3-course meal and then Pamela Anderson, the evening's host, will guide Sinatra fans through a multitude of exciting entertainment. Frank Sinatra Jr. will wrap up the gala by performing with his 20 piece orchestra, and a finale is planned that has been under wraps since the planning of the event.

In true Rat Pack fashion, there is yet one more after party, where Daniel Joseph Baker, a favorite from America's Got Talent and Phillip Lomax, the outgoing Sinatra style singer with the famous smile, will perform along with Luca Ellis who was nominated earlier in the month for an Ovation award for his portrayal of Frank Sinatra in the Broadway show "From Hollywood to Hoboken". Guests will be able to mingle with celebrities and will once again feel the magic of Sinatra.

Morgan Heard and Rick Coronado organized the event due to the severe local and Federal budget cuts. Both Organizers are affected personally by Alzheimer's. Mr. Heard currently takes care of his Mother who has been afflicted with the disease for 6 years now. "It has been totally devastating to me," says Morgan. "My Mother and I have always been very close, and after the diagnosis, I moved her in with me and have been taking care of her ever since." He also added, "Being a huge Sinatra fan, and living in the same town where he lived, I felt we needed to celebrate his Birthday and his impact on not just my life, but the millions of others, and his contribution on the world of music. Not many people knew, but Frank was a very generous man, and helped many people. I thought this would be a perfect way to help the more than 11,000 people locally with Alzheimer's and the more than 25,000 caretakers who take care of them."

The proceeds from this event will benefit the Alzheimer's Association California Southland Chapter, and Organizers hope to make this an annual event. "We want this to be an annual event, and it is up to the people to make sure our first event is a success, so that we may create awareness and celebrate the life and music of Frank Sinatra," says Morgan Heard.

No event of this kind has been created before, and ticket holders will have a chance to spend a day as if they were one of Mr. Sinatra's friends. From the cocktail party at his former estate, and a star studded gala and show at the posh Riviera Palm Springs, to a glitzy after party that lasts into the wee small hours of the morning. Tickets are available by calling 760-561-5561 or by visiting http://www.aswingingaffair.com/

CHRIS BOTTI – THIS IS CHRIS BOTTI

Ever since the release of his critically acclaimed CD entitled When I Fall In Love back in 2004, Chris Botti has become the largest selling American instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 Jazz Albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum & Grammy Awards. Over the past three decades, he has recorded and performed with the best in music including such diverse artists such as Frank Sinatra, Sting, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Joshua Bell and Aerosmith's own Steven Tyler. He’s been hitting the road for 250 plus days per year, and Chris and his incredible band have performed with many of the finest orchestras, at some of the world's most prestigious venues, including performances at the World Series and Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony. His latest release, This Is Chris Botti, is a compilation of tracks featured in recent releases.

This Is Chris Botti Tracklist:
01. Italia (feat. Andrea Bocelli) [05:34]
02. When I Fall In Love [04:21]
03. I've Got You Under My Skin (feat. Katharine Mcphee) [04:16]
04. Someone To Watch Over Me [04:35]

05. Estate [04:06]

06. The Very Thought Of You (feat. Paula Cole) [04:53]

07. No Ordinary Love [06:04]

08. Emmanuel (feat. Lucia Micarelli) [05:55]

09. Hallelujah [03:00]

10. I've Grown Accostumed To Her Face (feat. Dean Martin) [03:10]

11. Nessun Dorma (Turandot) [03:50]

12. If I Ever Lose My Faith In You (feat. Sting And Dominic Miller) [05:31]

13. Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro) [05:12]

ERIC WINSTONE PLAYS 007 / SUPERSONIC SOUNDS

A pair of albums from the U.K. scene of the 70s - and first up is Eric Winstone Plays 007 – which includes a batch of James Bond themes handled in a way that's a bit different than usual. Given the early 70s recording time of the record, the approach is nicely changed up from many 60s outings of this nature – production that's often got some nice warm touches, and arrangements that get a bit loose and free with the tunes – not nearly as slavishly tied to the original soundtracks. Winstone brings in some surprising jazzy flourishes to some numbers – and titles include "The Man With The Golden Gun", "Thunderball", "Diamonds Are Forever", "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", "The James Bond Theme", and "Live & Let Die". Supersonic Sounds is a mixture of early 70s film themes and a few other numbers, put together by Eric Winstone with a vibe that's somewhere in the more easily grooving side of the U.K. sound library scene fo the time – not all-out funky, but with some really impeccable arrangements that set the record way apart from more familiar pop instrumental fare! Titles include "Shaft", "Oasis", "Something", "Good Vibrations", "Playboy", "Hacienda Happenings", and "The Good The Bad & The Ugly".

ERIC WINSTONE PLAYS 007
THE ORIGINAL LP AV INT 1005 (1973) STEREO
The James Bond Theme from ‘Dr No' (Norman)

From Russia with Love (Bart)

Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang from ‘Thunderball' (Barry; Bricusse)

Goldfinger (Barry; Bricusse; Newley)

Diamonds are Forever (Barry; Black)

Underneath the Mango Tree from ‘Dr No' (Norman)

The Man with the Golden Gun (Winstone; Dale)

Thunderball (Barry; Black)

You Only Live Twice (Barry; Bricusse)

Do You Know How Christmas Trees Grow? from ‘On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (Barry; David)

Live and Let Die (P & L McCartney)

The James Bond Theme reprise (Norman)

SUPERSONIC SOUNDS

THE ORIGINAL LP AVE 0114 (1972) STEREO

'The Godfather' theme (Rota)

'Shaft' theme (Hayes)

The Impossible Dream from the film ‘Man of La Mancha' (Leigh; Darion)

Oasis (Winstone)

Something (Harrison)

Sabre Dance (Khachaturian arr Geldard)

'The Onedin Line' theme (Khachaturian arr Isaac)

Play Boy (Geldard)

Good Vibrations (Wilson)

Tara's Theme from the film ‘Gone with the Wind' (Steiner)

'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' theme (Morricone)

Hacienda Happenings (Walter)

THE GENIUS OF GEORGE DUKE

The scope of keyboardist-composer-producer George Duke’s imprint on jazz and pop music over the past forty years is almost impossible to calculate. He has collaborated with some of the most prominent figures in the industry. A producer since the 1980s, he has crafted scores of fine recordings – many of them Grammy winners – for artists representing almost every corner of the contemporary American music landscape.

Duke was born in San Rafael, California, on January 1946. When he was four, his mother took him to a performance by that other Duke of jazz, Duke Ellington. He admits that he doesn’t remember much of the performance, but his mother told him years later that he spent the next several days demanding a piano.Duke began his formal training on the instrument at age seven, his earliest influence being the culturally and historically rich black music of his local Baptist church. By his teen years, his universe of musical influences had expanded to include the more secular sounds of young jazz mavericks like Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Les McCann and Cal Tjader – all of whom inspired him to play in numerous high school jazz groups. After high school, he attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and received a bachelors degree in 1967.

But perhaps the most important lessons came when Duke joined Al Jarreau in forming the house band at the Half Note, the popular San Francisco club, in the mid ‘60s. He also played with Sonny Rollins and Dexter Gordon in other San Francisco clubs around the same time. For the next several years, Duke experimented with jazz and fusion by collaborating and performing with artists as diverse as Jean Luc-Ponty, Frank Zappa, Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Cobham and Stanley Clarke. He launched his solo recording career at age 19, and shortly thereafter began cutting LPs for the MPS label in the ‘70s. As the decade progressed, he veered more toward fusion, R&B and funk with albums like From Me To You (1976) and Reach For It (1978). During this period he recorded what is possibly his best loved album, Brazilian Love Affair. Released in 1980, the album included vocals by Flora Purim and Milton Nascimento, and percussion by Airto Moreira. Love Affair stood in marked contrast to the other jazz/funk styled albums he was cutting at the time.

Duke’s reputation as a skilled producer was also gathering steam. By the end of the ‘80s, he had made his mark as a versatile producer by helping to craft recordings by a broad cross section of jazz, R&B and pop artists: Miles Davis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, A Taste of Honey, Jeffrey Osborne, Deniece Williams, Melissa Manchester, Al Jarreau, Barry Manilow, Smokey Robinson, The Pointer Sisters, Take 6, Gladys Knight, Anita Baker, Lyle Lovett, Sarah Vaughn, Rachelle Ferrell, Natalie Cole, Dianne Reeves and many others. Several of these projects scored Grammy Awards. Duke also scored a top 10 song, "Sweet Baby" with musical compadre Stanley Clarke, to date they have recorded three albums together known as the Clarke/Duke Project.

During this time, Duke was just as busy outside the studio as inside. He worked as musical director for numerous large-scale events, including the Nelson Mandela tribute concert at Wembley Stadium in London in 1988. The following year, along with Marcus Miller, he served as musical director of NBC’s acclaimed late-night music performance program, Sunday Night. The ‘90s were no less hectic. He toured Europe and Japan with Dianne Reeves and Najee in 1991, and joined the Warner Brothers label the following year with the release of Snapshot, an album that stayed at the top of the jazz charts for five weeks and generated the top 10 R&B single, “No Rhyme, No Reason.” Other noteworthy albums in the ‘90s included the orchestral tour de force Muir Woods Suite (1993) and the eclectic Illusions (1995), in addition to the numerous records Duke produced for a variety of other artists: Najee, George Howard, the Winans, Smokie Norful and Natalie Cole (Duke produced 1/3 of the material on Cole’s Grammy winning 1996 release, Stardust).

In 2000, Duke severed his ties with Warner Records and launched his own record label, BPM (Big Piano Music). “I spent thirty years at other labels as a recording artist,” he says. “I felt it was time for me to step up to the next level of challenge and form a company that would give me and other artists the opportunity to create quality music and push back the musical restraints that dominate most record labels these days.” But even with the new responsibilities and challenges associated with running a record label, Duke has continued to juggle the multiple career tracks of recording solo albums, international touring and producing records for other artists. In addition to his own Face the Music (2002), he also produced recent tracks for Wayman Tisdale, Dianne Reeves, Kelly Price, Regina Belle and Marilyn Scott.

For the better part of 25 years, Duke has also composed and recorded numerous scores for film and television. In addition to nine years as the musical director for the Soul Train Music Awards and the Soul Train TV show, he also wrote music – either individual songs or entire soundtracks – for a number of films, including The Five Heartbeats, Karate Kid III, Leap of Faith, Good Fences, Never Die Alone and Meteor Man.

With more than thirty solo recordings in his canon and a resume that spans more than 40 years, Duke joined forces with the Heads Up label with the August 26, 2008, release of Dukey Treats, a return to the old-school funk sensibilities of icons like James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone and Parliament/Funkadelic. A careful balance of rhythmic energy and simmering balladry, Dukey Treats recalls the golden age of funk and soul, while at the same time maintaining a fresh sound and addressing issues that are relevant to the global culture of the 21st century. This idea continued with the 2010 release of his latest CD Deja Vu.

“I feel a responsibility to carry positive messages in my music,” says Duke. “I think music is meant to lift people up. I don’t think you can push things under the rug and not address them. Those who have the ability and the opportunity to let people know what’s going on musically and socially should not be afraid to say it and do it and play about it and sing about it.”

LADY DAY: THE COMPLETE BILLIE HOLIDAY ON COLUMBIA 1933-1944

Billie Holiday - Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia - 1933 - 1944 is the most complete package to date of Billie Holiday Columbia Albums. Included are 153 masters, 35 were first released only in 2001, and each individual album is packaged in a replica mini-LP sleeve reproducing that album’s original cover art. Although her career extended to her untimely death in 1959, the reputation, legend and legacy of Billie Holiday would be secure if we had only these sublime recordings to sustain us. It can be easily argued that her work for Columbia and its various subsidiaries of the time captured Holiday at her peak -- her voice in top shape, her phrasing at its most inventive and her accompanists the best she would ever have.

Holiday is simply dazzling on scores of popular songs, both imperishable standards and ephemeral pop ditties that we wouldn’t know without her imprint having legitimized them. Whether applying her vocal magic to “Pennies From Heaven,” “A Fine Romance,” “I Cried For You,” or “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,” to pick a random handful from this treasure trove of 230 tracks, Holiday is, well, Holiday. No one has yet to approach her unique way with a song, her lack of vocal technique fully compensated by her inventive manipulation of rhythm, her melodic improvising, and her complete emotional attentiveness.

But Holiday, no matter her brilliance, isn’t the whole show here. Attention must be paid to the supporting musicians, including such jazz geniuses as pianist Teddy Wilson, trumpeters Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge and Bunny Berigan, drummer Jo Jones and saxophonists Chu Berry and Johnny Hodges, among the cream of the swing era big bands who were honored to be in the studio with Holiday. Chief among them was tenor saxophonist Lester Young, whose musical union with Holiday is the stuff of legend. Their weave of voice and horn on “Me, Myself and I,” “When You’re Smiling,” "He's Funny That Way," and "A Sailboat in the Moonlight" is a case of sheer artistic telepathy.

Among the highlights of this deluxe set are revealing alternate takes and recordings of live performances, including those from Holiday’s short-lived stint with the Count Basie band. Of the 153 masters collected here, 35 were first released only in 2001. Everything, it hardly needs to be said, is essential listening.

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA - THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA ALBUMS COLLECTION

The Mahavishnu Orchestra, in its original incarnation, lasted just four years, but in that brief time, the pioneering quintet set both the template and the high-water mark for fusion music. No band ever rocked as hard in a jazzy place as guitarist John McLaughlin’s charging ensemble. McLaughlin had already built a firm reputation in his native England as a keen improviser with blues and rock leanings when he was invited by drummer Tony Williams in early 1969 to join him in New York. Almost immediately, McLaughlin was swept up into the very epicenter of the burgeoning fusion movement, appearing on – in 1969 alone – three of the genre’s most significant recordings: Emergency! (by the newly-formed Tony Williams Lifetime) and In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew, the epochal Miles Davis albums that kick started fusion. When it was time for McLaughlin -- who, in his initial New York stay, had quickly developed from a gifted player to a brilliant one -- to form his own band, he brought together musicians who could apply full-force rock energy to improvisatory jazz skill. Keyboardist Jan Hammer, violinist Jerry Goodman, and drummer Billy Cobham were each extravagant virtuosos eager to match McLaughlin at his own game; bassist Rick Laird contained the passion with his steady bass lines. Dubbed the Mahavishnu Orchestra, the new band released its debut recording, The Inner Mounting Flame in August of 1971: fusion as we know it was now fully born. Younger listeners raised on rock responded to the band's vitality and extraordinary musicianship; before long The Mahavishnu Orchestra was appearing with the likes of The Byrds and Aerosmith. Subsequent hit albums built on The Inner Mounting Flame’s innovations; Hammer added synthesizers to his arsenal, developing a keyboard style nearly as influential as that of McLaughlin’s frenetic guitar work and Cobham’s rumbling percussive attack. But it was nearly inevitable that the life span of such a dynamic ensemble would be brief. The Mahavishnu Orchestra threw down the gauntlet; fusioneers who followed have been trying to catch up ever since.

• 2011 marks the 40th Anniversary of the founding of the band and its signing to Columbia Records.

• Features the original classic line-up of the band led by John McLaughlin -- and including Billy Cobham, Jan Hammer, Jerry Goodman and Rick Laird.

• Smash hit albums The Inner Mounting Flame and Birds Of Fire are here, along with the band’s only live album Between Nothingness And Eternity, plus the rare The Lost Trident Sessions.

• Also contains the very rare bonus track, a 15 minute live version of “Noonward Race” from the Mar Y Sol Festival in 1972 in Puerto Rico.

Albums included:

1. The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)

2. Birds Of Fire (1973)

3. The Lost Trident Sessions (1973)

4. Between Nothingness and Eternity (1974)

5. Bonus Disc: Between Nothingness And Eternity [Disc 2] All tracks previously unreleased

LET IT BE ROBERTA - ROBERTA FLACK SINGS THE BEATLES

Roberta Flack the four-time Grammy Award-winning artist is back with a new song and forthcoming album, Let It Be Roberta - Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles — a collection of Beatles song interpretations. The first single "We Can Work It Out" has been chosen as Amazon's "Song of the Day" for November 27th. The single will be highlighted as one of the best current singles on Amazon's MP3 Pages and will be specially priced at 89 cents until December 4th. Roberta Flack has long been known as an unparalleled musician who effortlessly inhabits the worlds of pop, soul, R&B, jazz and folk. From her very first recording , "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" which hit #1 in the U.S across all charts, Flack has created strong emotional bonds with her listeners through her poignant musicality and unerring stylizations while also shining an uncompromising light onto the culture and politics of the times. Flack is putting the finishing touches on her new album—her first in over 8 years. Newly signed to a partnership of 429 Records, Sony ATV Music Publishing and Flack's RAS Records, the album which was produced by Sherrod Barnes, who has also produced Beyonce' and Angie Stone, with contributing producers Jerry Barnes and Barry Miles, is slated for release on February 7th worldwide (Sony Music will release the album in Japan).

Since bursting onto the scene in 1969 with the blockbuster album First Take (produced by the legendary Joel Dorn), she's followed her fiercely uncompromising lyrical and musical muses earning her a place alongside pioneering artists such as Aretha Franklin, Elton John, and Nina Simone. A multiple Grammy winner, she is the only artist along with U2 to win "Record of the Year" in consecutive years (for "The First Time, Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly"). Although she's taken some time between recordings, she's never stopped performing having constantly toured worldwide. Flack, a national treasure gives her time freely to a host of charitable and humanitarian causes--among them, the ASPCA (spokesperson of the year for 2011) and the Roberta Flack School of Music in Bronx, NY (which she founded in 2006). Says Roberta: "My passion for this project comes from the magical genius of the greatest songwriters of all time. Love, inspiration, friendship and my own life's lessons come together when I sing the songs they created. I am honored to be a part of the fabulous legacy of the Beatles."

BARRINGTON LEVY - IT'S ABOUT TIME

Levy’s fans have been long waiting for this album for nearly 17 years. His new album, It's About Time, is full of heavy hitters such as Snoop Dogg, Damien Marley, Jada Kiss, Busta Rhymes just to name a few. The album is releasing under Barrington’s Entertainment company, “Black Roses Entertainment.” The company is a music and video digital distribution company and also produces content in the motion picture industry, broadcast and online media markets. The lead single, Love Me Like This was recorded in California in 2010 where when both icons came together to make this reggae tune. The song speaks of a girl's love, with Barrington Levy's strong vocals resounding off the soothing reggae rhythm. Combined with the late and iconic Heavy D vocals, the two artists have created a true recipe for a hit track. With Heavy D's recent passing, Barrington Levy sends his condolences to the family, as he wishes to show his respect by sharing the work that they did together and the magic they created with the rest of the world.

Caesar Augustus, creative director at Augustus Films & Aura Media Group is producing Barrington’s music video entitled “Healthy,” featuring Damien Marley. Augustus also also directed Barrington’s last video “No War”, featuring Konvict’s artist Kardinal Offishall in early February in Philadelphia, Pa. “Healthy” goes into production mid January 2012 and is set to be his first single of his new Album. The music video will be filmed near Levy’s hometown in Jamaica. “A raw, original reggae look is what I am looking for and Jamaica can give us the look we need. I have two legendary reggae artists involved so it has to be authentic and represent the culture to the fullest,” states director Caesar Augustus. The video is set to release on MTV & VeVo in February. In February of 2012, Black Roses Ent. & Aura Media Group begin production on Levy’s documentary entitled “Barrington”. The 90 minute documentary features an exclusive invitation into the history and making of legendary reggae artist. Cameras will follow Barrington worldwide during his European tour promoting his new album.

SERGE GAINSBOURG - HISTOIRE DE MELODY NELSON

Fantastic stuff – and a record that may well be the greatest ever from the mighty Serge Gainsbourg – high praise indeed, considering the greatness of Gainsbourg's other music! The album is one long suite built around a spare, electric bass-driven theme – a slow funk riff that's been sampled countless times over the years, and which has gotten the album continuous play on both sides of the Atlantic for many many years. The mighty Jean-Claude Vannier handles the arrangements, and Serge mutters the lyrics over the top, in a raspy loud whisper – while the funky rhythms dart in and out of odd washes of sound, and unusual eerie sounds. There's a very strong soundtrack feel to the album, as waves of music envelop the lyrics – tripped out in funky beats that have become legendary over the years, thanks to some very famous samples! Titles include "En Melody", "Cargo Culte", "Ballade De Melody Nelson", "Valse De Melody", "Ah! Melody", and "L'Hotel Particulier". Amazing box set version features the whole record on CD and LP, plus a full bonus CD and LP of alternate takes from the album – a real treasure trove of grooves – plus both vocal and instrumental versions of "Melody Lit Babar"! DVD features the original album 5.1 mix – and a 40 minute documentary on the making of the album, with optional English subtitles. Also features an oversized hardcover book – filled with notes in English and French, translations of the tunes, and even rare photos too! (DVD is NTSC coded, All Region). Source: Dusty Groove

LANDAU EUGENE MURPHY JR. - THAT'S LIFE

Columbia Records is releasing the debut album from Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., this year's "America's Got Talent" winner, on November 21, 2011. Landau's emotional American's Got Talent triumph on September 14 was seen by more than 14 million viewers. And his thrilling renditions of Frank Sinatra classics like "My Way," "Fly Me To The Moon," and "Under My Skin" won him a legion of supporters who were wowed by his poise-under-pressure and unassuming charm. For his debut album, That's Life, Landau will collaborate with Grammy Award-winning producer Steve Tyrell on a songbook of Rat Pack hits from the '60s, '70s and '80s.

Admired by his fans as much for his down-to-earth nature as for his incredible talent, Landau is a 37-year-old father of four who has supported his family by working at a car wash ("I'm a new car detailer," he explained to the AGT judges) for the past 10 years. His prize for winning the four-month-long talent search: $1 million and a contract to headline at the Colosseum Theater at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. However, Landau says his real prize has been the support and love of the family members and friends who encouraged him to take a chance and enter the contest. When Landau first auditioned on NBC's "America's Got Talent" in June 2011, he said simply, "I am here to show America I can sing." And when he did sing, he gave the audience in New York's Radio City Music Hall a moment of astonishment. Landau's version of "Under My Skin" brought the audience – and even the judging panel - to their feet. "I was thinking that you'd be a total train-wreck," admitted judge Piers Morgan. "I couldn't believe what I was hearing!" Added judge Howie Mandel: "Your life will never be the same."

As the competition went on, Landau revealed more about himself – including some aspects of a painful past. "I've had a lot of low points in my life," he said, including one period of homelessness when he was 19. As he grew older and put his life in order, Landau made it a goal to help those less fortunate. He has performed in several benefits for West Virginia children's charities in recent years. After Landau's landslide win on "America's Got Talent," the singer's tiny hometown of Logan, West Virginia, threw a parade and welcome home celebration in his honor. The event filled the local fieldhouse to overflow capacity and included a visit from state Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, who awarded Landau with The Distinguished West Virginian award. Other awards and tributes flowed in from state and local officials and a local street was even named "Landau Lane" in honor of the singer. Now the underdog has become top dog - and can't believe his good fortune. Landau noted, "This would be meaningless if it wasn't for my wife and children and the rest of my family. I wanted to win for them, not just for the money, but so that they could feel proud of me. I wake up in the morning and I can't believe how much my life has changed."

Landau and Steve Tyrell are working on the new album and songs titles include: "My Way," "Witchcraft," "Night and Day," "Fly Me To The Moon," "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "Something Stupid (featuring Judith Hill)," "Ain't That A Kick In The Head?," "That's Life," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "I've Got The World On A String," and "Baby It's Cold Outside (featuring Judith Hill)." During his storied 40-year music career, Tyrell has scored movies (That Thing You Do, Father of the Bride), produced albums for dozens of top singers (Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Linda Ronstadt, Mary J Blige, Chris Botti, Bonnie Raitt, Bette Midler, Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder among them) and recorded his own albums.

EARTH, WIND & FIRE - NOW, THEN & FOREVER

Legacy Recordings has announced the release of Now, Then & Forever, the ultimate single-disc celebration of Earth, Wind & Fire, the iconic American soul-funk-fusion powerhouse which Rolling Stone said "changed the sound of black pop." EWF has been getting parties started across the planet since the group's Chicago inception in 1969 and 2012 promises to be another banner year for the band, beginning with the release of Now, Then & Forever on Tuesday, January 31. More than simply a new career-spanning best-of compilation, Now, Then & Forever centers around favorite tracks hand-picked by A-list celebrity friends and fans of the band including world-class musicians whose work has been influenced or inspired by EWF's groundbreaking catalog. Celebrity curators who've picked their favorite EWF songs for the Now, Then & Forever collection include Andre 3000, Lenny Kravitz, Pharrell, Raphael Saadiq, will.i.am and David Foster, among others. Now, Then & Forever will premiere "Guiding Light," an avidly awaited brand-new EWF song, as well as a new remix by will.i.am. "Guiding Light" provides a hint of things to come from Earth, Wind & Fire, who're preparing a full-on new studio album for summer 2012. Inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, Earth, Wind & Fire has earned six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards alongside numerous other accolades, not least of which is--with more than 90 million albums sold worldwide--EWF's standing as America's seventh top-selling musical group of all-time. Earth, Wind & Fire will be presented with the prestigious Legend Award at the 2011 Soul Train awards, airing November 27.

ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT - BLACK RADIO

Robert Glasper has long kept one foot planted firmly in jazz and the other in hip hop. The Los Angeles Times once wrote that "it's a short list of jazz pianists who have the wherewithal to drop a J Dilla reference into a
Thelonious Monk cover, but not many jazz pianists are Robert Glasper," adding that "he's equally comfortable in the worlds of hip-hop and jazz," and praising the organic way in which he "builds a bridge between his two musical touchstones." On February, 28, 2012, Robert Glasper Experiment will release Black Radio, a future landmark album that boldly stakes out new musical territory and transcends any notion of genre, drawing from jazz, hip hop, R&B and rock, but refusing to be pinned down by any one tag. The first full-length album from the Grammy-nominated keyboardist's electric Experiment band—vocoderist/saxist Casey Benjamin, bassist Derrick Hodge, and drummer Chris Dave—Black Radio also features many of Glasper's famous friends from the spectrum of urban music, seamlessly incorporating appearances from a  jaw-dropping roll call of special guests including Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Shafiq Husayn (Sa-Ra), KING, Ledisi, Chrisette Michele, Mos Def, Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Stokley Williams (Mint Condition). Throughout the Experiment wears its eclecticism on its
sleeve, presenting new collaborative originals and surprising cover songs. They transform the Afro-Cuban standard "Afro Blue" with Badu, Sade's "Cherish The Day" with Hathaway, David Bowie's "Letter to Hermione" with Bilal, and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with Benjamin's vocoder ocal.

Robert Glasper Experiment - Black Radio
1. Lift Off/Mic Check (featuring Shafiq Husayn)
2. Afro Blue (featuring Erykah Badu)
3. Cherish The Day (featuring Lalah Hathaway)
4. Always Shine (featuring Lupe Fiasco & Bilal)
5. Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.) (featuring Ledisi)
6. Move Love (featuring KING)
7. Ah Yeah (featuring Musiq Soulchild & Chrisette Michele)
8. Consequence Of Jealousy (featuring Meshell Ndegeocello)
9. Why Do We Try (featuring Stokley Williams)
10. Black Radio (featuring Mos Def)
11. Letter to Hermoine (featuring Bilal)
12. Smells Like Teen Spirit

WILL DOWNING - YESTERDAY

Part one (of three) of a great new project from Will Downing – a set in which he deals with the past, present, and future of soul music. This set's about the past, in case you can't guess from the title – and has Downing doing some wonderfully sweet takes on soul classics from years back – four solid smokers from the 60s and 70s, all given that incredibly warm, soulful Will Downing approach! There's a slight touch of jazz in the backings, and all the sophistication in the vocals that have always made Will so great – and titles include "La La Means I Love You", "Send For Me", "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", and "Ooh Baby Baby".  Will Downing’s Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow represents the artist’s first independent release and will fittingly be delivered in a revived format of yesterday, the EP. So named for its Extended Play, the EP is more than a single but less than a full album and in this case will represent three brilliant four-song releases that will be delivered over the course of a year.

Music lovers left hungry for something grown and sexy should rejoice over these bite-sized creations. As the name suggests, the first EP, Yesterday, will be the appetizer, focusing on some of Will Downing’s favorite re-makes or as he refers to them, “interpretations”, of songs of yesterday , delivered seamlessly with both his signature stylings and a deep respect for the original. The listener will be treated to an absolute classic Quiet Storm R&B set as Downing puts his stamp on The Delfonics’ – "La La Means I Love You", Smokey Robinson’s – "Ooh Baby Baby", Angela Bofill’s – "This Time I’ll Be Sweeter" and the project’s first single, the Atlantic Starr signature slow jam – "Send For Me". In hand-picking these selections, Downing insightfully notes that “each song interprets love from a different point of view”.

The next release, Today, will arrive around Valentine’s Day 2012, and will showcase Will Downing’s well earned status as the Prince of Sophisticated Soul. Dessert gets served in the form of the projected Summer 2012 release of Tomorrow, which will feature Downing venturing slightly outside of the box in which some might expect him to remain. The musical trilogy Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow represents a rare display of an artist in complete touch with his craft, his audience and the changing times that currently influence both. For the consumer, the uniquely staggered time-release schedule will keep the fresh product coming while offering the experience of focusing more deeply on fewer songs at a reduced cost to acquire. This time around, the anticipated song creations that will serve to complete the trilogy are part of the intrigue and mystique of the release. However, given the considerable quality of the body of work that is Will Downing’s “yesterday”, there is little reason to expect anything less, today, tomorrow or ever!