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 on February 7, 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 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. I’ll Take Romance is his ninth album release, and according to Tyrell “most of my albums have been collections of love songs. But I haven’t done a studio album of just romantic standards since Songs of Sinatra in 2005. I realize that my music is now played at countless weddings, engagement dinners and anniversaries, and it occurred to me that nobody ever created an entire album for people getting engaged and married. 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-Weill catalog, he has selected the relatively obscure gem “Your 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.”

I’ll Take Romance features nearly 20 difference accompanists, including four pianists, four bassists, and four drummers in various combinations. The reason, he says, is that “I’m always recording. When I get an idea, I record it. It’s like a painter who has a studio with all sorts of canvases in various stages of development. Most of these tracks were newly recorded for the album, but others I’ve been working on for years. That’s why you’ll hear the late great drummer Johnny Guerin (who dies in 2004) playing on ‘That’s All’ and ‘You Turn Me Around.’” Additionally, I’ll Take Romance showcased several stellar soloists, including five-time Grammy-winning Randy Brecker, saxophonist David Mann (who also plays flute on “Talk to Me” and “All of You”). Legendary Sinatra and Nat King Cole saxophonist Plas Johnson and harmonicist Will Galison. Another special guest is vocalist Judith Hill, Tyrell’s duet partner on the album’s title track. Tyrell first encountered Hill when he was producing Rod Stewart’s Soulbook (released 2009). “She was singing backup on the Stewart album,” he says, “and I fell in love with her voice, so I asked her to sing on my records. At the time, she was about to go out on tour with Michael Jackson. She was going to sing all the duets with him – you can see her in the film This Is It. He was going to introduce her to the world, She’s an incredibly talented, beautiful girl, and is going to be a big star.”

As for his recently forged relationship with Concord, Tyrell says he is “thrilled” about joining the label. “I’ve been a big fan of John Burke (Concord’s Executive VP and head of A&R) for a long time. As I stated earlier, Ray Charles is my favorite artist of all time, and John produced Ray’s final studio album (2004’s Genius Loves Company) that won a Grammy for Album of the Year. John was the one who signed me, and he’s helped a tremendous amount with this album. He is somebody I really admire.

COOL VIBES FROM NORMAN BROWN

Grammy® Award winner Norman Brown is on close intimate terms with his audience. For almost two decades, it has been an engaging, mutually rewarding relationship, with the multitalented guitarist, composer and singer offering tasty sonic tidbits of classic R&B and contemporary jazz and his fans melting into satisfied aural bliss with every succulent, jazz inflected note. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, Brown first picked up a guitar at the age of 8. Inspired by Jimi Hendrix‟s mind-bending rock sounds, Brown soon discovered his father's favorite artist, Wes Montgomery, and found his stylistic holy grail. After high school, Brown moved to Los Angeles to pursue his musical career, attending the Musicians Institute where he also taught for a time. While playing with his own group in local clubs, and drawing comparisons to George Benson, Brown was discovered and signed to the MoJazz label, a division of Motown.

He delivered his 1992 debut, Just Between Us, and followed with the gold- certified After The Storm and 1996's Better Days Ahead. With critical acclaim and sales behind him, the talented musician made the leap to Warner Bros. and released Celebration, which first teamed him with producer Paul Brown. The 2003 follow-up, Just Chillin', earned Brown much-deserved recognition with a Grammy® Award in the best pop instrumental category. That project was followed by his 2005 release West Coast Coolin', where Brown tested out his skills as a vocalist, a move that was welcomed by the urban AC radio market. In addition, his 2005 compilation The Very Best Of Norman Brown was one of the best- selling smooth jazz albums of that year.

Brown made the leap to the Peak Records label in 2007 for his smash CD Stay With Me, which yielded the R&B vocal hit “Stay With Me” and the smooth instrumental favorites “Let‟s Take A Ride” and “Pop‟s Cool Groove.” With his latest, Sending My Love, Brown is building on the musical foundation he laid with Stay With Me, which landed at Number One on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. In addition to success as a musician and producer, Brown has launched a successful career as a broadcaster. In January of 2007, he brought his engaging personality to Broadcast Architecture‟s Smooth Jazz Network as an on-air personality, hosting this own weekend radio show.

BENNIE MAUPIN - MOONSCAPES / SLOW TRAFFIC TO THE RIGHT

Bennie Maupin is best known for his atmospheric bass clarinet playing on Miles Davis’ classic Bitches Brew album, as well as other Miles Davis recordings such as, “Big Fun” “Jack Johnson,” and “On the Corner.” He was a founding member of Herbie Hancock’s seminal band The Headhunters, as well as a performer and composer in Hancock’s influential Mwandishi band. Born in 1940, Maupin started playing clarinet, later adding saxophone, flute and, most notably, the bass clarinet to his formidable arsenal of woodwind instruments. Upon moving to New York in 1962, he freelanced with groups led by Marion Brown, Pharoah Saunders, and Chick Corea, and played regularly with Roy Haynes and Horace Silver. He also recorded with McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Eddie Henderson, and Woody Shaw to name only a few.

Maupin’s own discography as a leader includes a well-received recording for ECM Records, The Jewel in The Lotus (1974), Slow Traffic to the Right (1976), Moonscapes (1978) both on Mercury Records, and Driving While Black (1998) on Intuition. The instrumentation of Maupin’s current group The Bennie Maupin Ensemble, harkens back to the tradition of great saxophone-bass-drum trios, such as the group led
by Sonny Rollins with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones. While echoes of the great John Coltrane can be heard in Maupin’s work, one can also discern the influences of Yusef Lateef, Sonny Rollins, and Eric Dolphy, as well as Maupin’s contemporaries like Wayne Shorter and the late Joe Henderson. Maupin’s approach to his music is intentional and profound, yet alive in the interpretation of the moment.

Released just this past year are pair of funky jazz sets from Bennie Maupin – Slow Traffic To The Right (1976) and Moonscapes (1978)– together in a single set. Slow Traffic To The Right features a great bit of spiritual funky jazz that recalls a lot of the sound of his work with The Headhunters. The first track, "It Remains to Be Seen", is an excellent groover, with some very dark keyboard work by Patrice Rushen, and the rest of the tracks are pretty great too. Pat Gleeson produced and plays synth on the LP, and the cuts include "Quasar", "You Know the Deal", "Water Torture", and "Lament". Next up is Moonscapes, and like a lot of the other Mercury jazz records from the late 70s, it's a great mix of funky jazz playing and smooth studio production. The production is again by Pat Gleeson, who was best known for his arp and synth playing in the mid 70s. Maupin's playing is great throughout, and his pinched hard reed sound feels good on both the fusiony tracks and the smoother funk ones! Tracks include "Nightwatch", "Sansho Shima", "Anua", "Crystals" and "Just Give It Some Time".

fDELUXE - GASLIGHT

A valuable piece of Minneapolis’ musical history re-emerged with the reformation of Prince-founded outfit, The Family, now redubbed fDeluxe, as the sophisto four-piece releases its second album, Gaslight, released on Ropeadope/Sony RED and Art Of Groove/MIG Music (Europe).The band’s origin is nothing short of a who’s who dancing around Paisley Park in concentric circles. Having been formed out of the remnants of Morris Day’s The Time back in 1984, Day was naturally, the group’s first vocalist, but when he stepped out for other pursuits, Prince asked keyboard player St. Paul Peterson to step up to the mic to front The Family along with a newly added vocalist, Susannah Melvoin, twin sister of Wendy Melvoin of the Revolution’s famous subset, Wendy and Lisa, saxophonist/flutist extraordinaire, Eric Leeds (Prince, George Clinton, Chaka Khan, among others) and legendary funk drummer, Jellybean Johnson (of The Time, but also played/produced with Janet Jackson, George Michael, Mint Condition). Prince produced and released The Family’s first self-titled LP in 1985 on the aforementioned label/hotbed, which featured the very first version of the Sinead O’Connor covered smash hit, “Nothing Compares 2 U” and a top ten hit in “Screams Of Passion.”

Fast forward to just a few years ago. The Family had been on an extended, but amicable break, while still staying in touch when long-time friend, Sheila E. convinced the group to participate in a huge benefit concert at the LA Forum. The following year, friend and fan, ?uestlove from The Roots, would do the same, prompting The Family out for a return jam at his hot ticket post-Grammy party. Finally, after the better part of two decades, it stuck. While the initial mach of The Family was more or less a testing ground for Prince’s material around that time, the currently reformed fDeluxe is now solely the creative palette for Peterson, Melvoin, Leeds and Johnson with contributions from Emmy Awards winners Wendy & Lisa, Doyle Bramall (Eric Clapton, Derek Trucks) Oliver Leiber (Ke$ha, Adam Lambert) and more. The band’s new album, Gaslight, combines the essence of the original Family album with the band’s subsequent influences and diverse musical journeys.

Dance, romance and plenty of funk, fDeluxe is that rare band that combines clever, modern material, studio savvy and the stage experience to tear the roof off. Anyone who thought the Minneapolis sound died in the early 1990’s may be in for a shock. Gaslight was released in September 2011 on Ropeadope/Sony RED in the USA and Art Of Groove in Europe with other territories soon to be announced. Formed in Brooklyn NY in 1999, Ropeadope has been recognized worldwide as an eclectic and innovative music company. With a purists’ dedication to music, their roster includes historically important releases from DJ Logic, Antibalas, The Word, and The Spanish Harlem Orchestra as well as critically acclaimed collaborations with the likes of Christian McBride, ?uestlove, King Britt, Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Robert Randolph, and many others.

CEO Louis Marks says, “Ropeadope keeps a steady eye on the past to inform our musical present and future. fDeluxe does exactly that, all the while delivering the nasty soul and funk that keeps you moving. Perfect!” Art Of Groove, a division of MIG -music, is a new label specialized in Funk and Jazz music. The label, based in Germany is home to funk icon Maceo Parker, bass legend Larry Graham/Graham Central Station and multi-time Grammy winner Vince Mendoza to name a few. Art Of Groove head honcho, Joachim Becker says, “We are more than excited to be releasing this fantastic new album!”

The band performed at the Minnesota Black Music Awards on July 15 and made their debut headline performance at the Loring Theater in Minneapolis on Friday, September 16th.

GRAMMY WINNING SAXOPHONIST KENNY G. TO HOST SPECIAL CELEBRITY CRUISES TO ALASKA IN 2013

Grammy Award-winning artist Kenny G has chartered modern luxury line Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Millennium to create a special vacation experience in Alaska, May 17-24, 2013. The world-renowned saxophonist will not only offer multiple performances during the sailing, but also will mix and mingle with guests onboard throughout the cruise. Other recognized artists yet to be announced will perform during the sailing, as well.

In a recording career spanning nearly three decades, Kenny G is the biggest-selling instrumentalist of all time, with sales of more than 75-million records worldwide, and more than a dozen climbs to the top of Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. In the past year alone, Kenny performed in more than 100 concerts in the U.S., Asia and Russia. He continued his iconic status with recent appearances on Saturday Night Live, performing with Foster the People, played a prominent role in pop artist Katy Perry's video hit, "Last Friday Night," and appeared on several Audi TV commercials featured during the 2011 Super Bowl. Since the early 1980s, Kenny G's combination of unparalleled instrumental talent and enduring melodies have resulted in him being recognized as one of the most successful music icons of his generation.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to cruise with my closest fans aboard Celebrity Millennium," said Kenny G. "The experience of playing with my band and sharing the breathtaking sights of one of the most beautiful destinations in the world will be one I'll remember forever. This cruise will allow me to spend quality time and get to know the fans onboard, just as they've gotten to know me through my music. Sailing with them on a week-long Celebrity Cruises vacation will be a highlight of my career, and I can't wait to share the journey."

"We had the thrill of having Kenny perform on our newest Solstice Class ship, Celebrity Silhouette, during the ship's Stateside debut in November, and watching the crowd interact, hearing his exceptional musical talent, and observing his engaging personality was so exciting," said Celebrity Cruises Director of Corporate Sales and Charters Ron Gulaskey. "He's approachable, funny, smart and interesting. The opportunity to sail with him for a week, and experience all this up-close, will create incredible memories for the fans onboard."

To make a booking, or for further information about this special sailing, visit http://www.kennygcruise.com/ or call 1-800-952-2991. Reservations can be held with a deposit of only $100 per person until January 15, 2012, when the full deposit will be due. Special early booking benefits include guaranteed orchestra seating to his opening performance, if full deposits are made by or before that date. Montrose Travel is the exclusive booking agent for this charter cruise; however, agents from other firms also have the opportunity to book their clients on the sailing.

"Unlike many charters, travel agencies wishing to book their clients on the Kenny G Cruise can do so and still receive commission," said Celebrity Cruises North American Charter Sales Manager Andrea Sieger. "When calling Montrose Travel, travel professionals calling from a travel agency to book a client must register their agency with Montrose Travel to receive a 10 percent commission."

JAZZ IN THE GARDENS LINEUP ANNOUNCED!

The lucky 7th year of the two-day Jazz in the Gardens music festival returns to Miami Gardens with an incredible line-up sure to put the audience at Sun Life Stadium on their feet on March 17 and 18, 2012. Beginning Saturday, March 17, 2012, "Jazz in the Gardens" attendees will be treated to exhilarating performances by the queen of neo-soul Jill Scott, the soulful chart topping KEM, Ledisi who was recently named "the next Patti LaBelle by Patti LaBelle", old school human beat box Doug E. Fresh and the timeless jazz superstar Ramsey Lewis. The Sunday, March 18, 2012 line up will feature the incomparable voice of the multi-platinum, nine time Grammy winner Mary J. Blige, R & B legend Patti LaBelle, smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G, jazz guitarist Kevin Eubanks, formerly of The Tonight Show, and locally grown internationally recognized chanteuse Nicole Henry.

"Jazz in the Gardens" owes its success to a simple formula: a star-studded line-up, great food, extraordinarily affordable ticket prices and amazing weather. For the past six years the festival has enjoyed unprecedented growth, consistently delivering stunning increases in attendance. The 2011 festival attracted over 48,000 music lovers, from the Caribbean, the United States and all over Florida, to the beautiful City of Miami Gardens

"Just like all Jazz in the Gardens fans, I anxiously wait to hear who is performing and every year turns out to be a better line-up than the last! The 2012 line-up is absolutely incredible and I look forward to all the fans from around the nation joining us again. This signature Miami Gardens event brings added value to the City and to South Florida in general. I am proud of this City; in the eight years since incorporation, Miami Gardens has seen a steady stream of positive changes, improvements and additions like Jazz in the Gardens, which is more than a concert; it is an opportunity and experience that people want to enjoy year after year," says Mayor Shirley Gibson.

The 2011 "Jazz in the Gardens" featured performances from legendary artists including Ms. Lauryn Hill, Charlie Wilson, Al Jarreau, Jazmine Sullivan, Gladys Knight, The Isley Brothers, EnVogue, Lalah Hathaway, Branford Marsalis and former New Edition members Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant. Previous years have included celebrated artists such as Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, John Legend, Robin Thicke, the late Teena Marie, Wyclef, Babyface, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Chaka Khan, Chrisette Michele, Common, Anthony Hamilton and Roy Ayers.

http://www.jazzinthegardens.com/

ESPERANZA SPALDING - RADIO MUSIC SOCIETY

Esperanza Spalding showcased the album covers of her forthcoming album Radio Music Society to her Facebook fans on Dec 16th. Radio Music Society will be released as two versions. The CD version comes with over 10 music videos that can be obtained via a download card obtained inside the CD package and accessible via her web site. A Deluxe edition of Radio Music Society will come with a bonus DVD and will include conceptual music videos and bonus material, which further express Esperanza’s inspiration and story behind each track. Shot in various locations including New York City; Barcelona, Spain; and her hometown of Portland, Oregon, Radio Music Society, is set to be released on March 20th. Radio Music Society is being described as a more upbeat and more sort of energetic set that was conceived at the same time as Chamber Music Society. According to Splading “Originally I planned to release a double record, but that didn't work. The two (approaches) really couldn't be reconciled," Spalding explains. "So it became two different records. I just decided I wanted to do 'Chamber Music' first and then focus on 'Radio Music.' " Spalding says Radio Music Society which will combine her original compositions with covers of songs by the Beach Boys and Wayne Shorter. Participating are some of the music worlds notable musicians including: jazz legends; Joe Lovano, Jack DeJohnette and Billy Hart; Hip-hop giant Q-Tip, vocalists; Algebra Blessett, Lalah Hathaway, Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke among others. Esperanza also recruits her early childhood mentors pianist Janice Scroggins and Dr. Thara Memory, with the students of the American Music Program ensemble.

SOME NEW RELEASES OF INTEREST...

VERONICA FERREIRO - LAIO

A soul set from Spain – a really sweet debut from Veronica Ferreiro, a singer with depth to rival the best of the American underground! There's a surprisingly non-commercial feel to the music – nicely laidback production, and strong traces of jazz that really make the backings sparkle – and match the great range that Veronica brings to her music – making for a blend that's a lot like some of our favorite Neo Soul albums from the early years of the genre in the US! Lyrics are partly Spanish, partly English – and on the latter, Ferreiro comes across with a sensitive quality that could well have her reaching a wider audience over the next few years. Titles include "Floating Lovers", "Non Quero Crer", "Riverside", "Laio", and "Please Don't Fall In Love".

LATINMUSIK – EDITOR’S CHOICE VOL 3

Contemporary salsa from around the globe – a really excellent series that brings together tracks we really would have missed otherwise! The music here comes from a surprisingly wide range of sources – artists from familiar Latin spots like the US, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Venezuela – plus surprising entries from Germany who really stand up next to the other groups. Music is great throughout – a real dedication to

the kind of classic salsa sounds from the 70s onwards – with heavy percussion, and lots of jazzy instrumentation throughout! Titles include "Piedra Papel Tijera" by Humberto Vargas Y Son Tikizia, "Estamos En Clave" by Rene Rodriguez, "No Te Metas Conmigo" by Susie Hansen, "Lo Que Tu Te Mereces" by Sin Miedo, "This Is Not A Tango" by Juju Orchestra, and "Latin Brother" by Una Mas Trio

JUSSI LAMPELA NONET WITH JUKKA ESKOLA – LAMPELA ESKOLA

Brilliant – and another out of the park winner from the Ricky Tick label! There's a solid, soaring jazz feel here all the way through – an approach that takes the larger ensemble mode of the late 40s "birth of the cool" generation, then forges it onto the leaner, modal-styled sounds that we've come to love from Ricky Tick – a wicked blend that has plenty of appeal to straight jazz fans, but which also brings a fresh sort of energy to the music for the 21st Century! The group's led by arranger Jussi Lampela, but features killer trumpet from Jukka Eskola and baritone and sax from Timo Lassy – both artists you'll know from their own Ricky Tick releases. Titles include "Half Lament", "Driving And Cruisin", Strolllin", "Way Ahead""Together We Went", "Different Angle", and "Afternoon In Central Park". 9 tracks on the CD.

KENNY WELLINGTON – IN RETROSPECT

Warm, diverse jazzy soul from trumpet player Kenny Wellington – a pivotal player in British scene from the late 70s onward – demonstrating the depth of his talent and his range of styles! Kenny is a founding member of Light Of The World and Beggar & Co – and he's worked with a who's who of some of the great jazz & soul players from the US & UK. A wealth of classic and timeless jazz funk, some fusiony numbers and a bit of smooth soul. Players include vocalists Camelle Hinds and Gee Morris, sax and flute by David Baptiste, trombone by Harry Brown, keys by Toby Baker and Luisimi Falles, bass by Frank Felix and Otto Williams, guitar by Breeze McKrieth and drums by Billy Osborne. Includes "Bahia", "Let's Get Dizzy", "Free Your Mind", "Chill", "Strand Strong", "Oli Ay", "The Mysterious Traveller", "Rain Dance", "Free 'N'Easy", "The Shake Down", "In Retrospect", "Wait Until Tomorrow" and more. 15 tracks in all.

SOLA ROSSA – GET IT TOGETHER

Some of the funkiest grooves we've heard from the New Zealand scene in years – a great mix of live instrumentation and programmed beats and samples – very much in the best Melting Pot mode, but even funkier than usual! Some cuts feature vocals – as the album includes guest work from Bajka, Spikey Tee, and Iva Lamkum – and the mix of modes is great – and reminds us of some of the earlier funk from the Tru Thoughts scene! Titles include "The Ace Of Space", "Love Alone", "Humanized", "Turn Around", "Del Ray", "Lady Love", and "Bond Is Back".

SWEET CATERINA –
VINTAGE COCKTAIL BEAT

The beat here is a bit less vintage than you might guess from the title – but Caterina definitely keeps things sweet – and the album's a nice batch of groovers that really keep up the best side of the Irma sound! Vocals are in Italian, and the rhythms are never too clubby – kind of a mix of retro styles and contemporary dancefloor modes that are just perfect for Caterina's style of singing done with echoes of the 60s and 70s Italian scene, yet served up in a way that's definitely 21st Century overall! A nice comeback from Irma, and a set that reminds us of their sound a decade ago – with titles that include "Eclisse Twist", "Un'Estate Fa", "Splendido Splendente", "Rumore", "La Notte", "E La Luna Busso", and "Parole Parole".

MARIA RITA - ELO

Easily the best record so far from Maria Rita – a set that really pushes her talents a lot, and reaches for a wider range of expression! The vocals are still very much at the forefront – that great legacy from mother Elis Regina, with a similar heavenly approach that works with just about any sort of lyric – but the backings shift things around a good bit, too – moving between full, lush orchestrations, and some gentler, jazzier modes – and even a few cuts that have a lively sense of rhythms. Maria's great throughout – clearly standing strongly on her own, even without the family pedigree – on tunes that include "Santana", "Conceicao Dos Coqueiros", "So De Voce", "A Outra", "Nem Um Dia", and "Pra Matar Meu Coracao". US version features the bonus track "Coracao Em Desalinho".

SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS –
SOUL TIME

Damn damn damn – maybe the funkiest album ever from Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings! The group have always been great, but there's something here that goes even farther than usual – an especially funky snap on the drums at the bottom, even on more laidback tunes – and a stone classic approach to funky soul, one that's definitely been honed to a "T" through their important work on the road during the previous few years! And Sharon Jones is great – with vocals that are way deeper and much longer-lasting than any rehab outpatient wannabe – sending home these tunes with a quality that may well pass most of her classic female soul inspirations from back in the day. And even though the set brings together some older singles and other odd bits, it's got a rock-solid punch that makes it a very unified album throughout! Titles include "Settling In", "I'm Not Gonna Cry", "When I Come Home", "Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects", "New Shoes", "Without A Trace", and "Inspiration Information".

KINGDOM AFROCKS - FANFARE

Plenty of fanfare here – given the great horns that top the groove of Kingdom Afrocks! The ensemble have a Afro Funk vibe that's mighty nice – one that's slightly askew, but in the best way possible – with some cool flat-toned electric piano running ragged over the rhythms, while the horns soar in over the top, and really give the whole record a bold dose of energy in the process! Rhythms really know when to break from the familiar at all the right moments – never sticking too straightly in a 70s Afro Funk mode, and instead going for some bold changes that really keep things interesting – and grooving as well! Titles include "Voodoo Grease", "Will To Live", "Typhoon", "Fanfare", "Escucha", and "Baila Y Goza".

GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW –
OWNED TO MAMA RICKIE

Georgia Anne Muldrow pays tribute to her mother, Rickie Byars Beckwith, a musician and all around artistic force herself on Owed To Mama Rickie – Ms. Muldrow's second album from Animated Cartunes (out of who knows how many surprisingly great albums in the preceding few years) – and quite appropriately, it's among her most spiritual and soulful efforts to date! Georgia is one of those very rare modern funk, soul and hip hop figures, along with the mighty Madlib, with an indefatigable creative energy and who has yet to disappoint. You had to figure that she'd bring her deepest sensibilities for an album as close to her heart as Owed To Mama Rickie, and she does just that. Searching, spiritual lyricism shines this time out – with 4 tracks that share writing credits with Michael & Rickie Byars Beckwith – but there's still quite a bit funk in the production. Honestly, if she's gonna put records out even half this good each time out, we're hoping she continues to drop a couple or three albums a year! Includes "Zulu (The Mind)", "Dr. Feelgood", "EZ Duz It", "Mother, Father, God", "The Jump Rope Song", "The Key", "Love Letter", "Whollyspirit", "Dubby Time!", "More & More" feat Bilal (plus a bonus track remix by our friend Terry Cole of Colemine Records) and "Moonsong Lullabye".

Source: Dusty Groove America

BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY FEATURING JANIS JOPLIN - LIVE AT THE CAROUSEL BALLROOM 1968

Columbia/Legacy Recordings has announced the release of Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968, a previously unavailable live concert recording of Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin, recorded June 23, 1968 by legendary soundman Owsley Stanley, a/k/a "Bear," who supervised the mastering of this release before his fatal car accident on March 12, 2011, in his adopted homeland of Australia. The release of the album marks the one-year anniversary of his passing and is dedicated to Bear.

"Care was taken to preserve and ensure the integrity of the music as well as to present an accurate snapshot of the masterful talent of one of the greatest singers of her generation and one of the hottest live bands in the San Francisco scene," wrote Bear's widow, Sheilah Stanley, in her dedication to Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968. "This is Bear's vision -- how he heard the band live, and how he wanted to transmit that to you... this truly is Bear's presentation of this phenomenal band and inspirational music."

Cited by San Francisco rock scribe Joel Selvin as "truly one of the fathers of today's concert sound systems," Owsley Bear Stanley "supervised the sound at the Carousel Ballroom, a former big band dance palace at the corner of Market and Van Ness in downtown San Francisco that, for a few brief, glorious months in 1968 was operated by a collective formed by the Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Big Brother and the Holding Company, a social/musical laboratory experiment akin to inmates running asylums, whose six-month run may well have corresponded with the height of the whole '60s Haight-Ashbury/San Francisco thing...."

An essential and pivotal figure in the San Francisco counter-cultural scene, from beatniks to hippies to beyond, Bear began mixing live sound with the Grateful Dead in 1966 and ran the sound system for the Carousel until Bill Graham took over and rechristened it the Fillmore West in the autumn of 1968. From his first days with the Dead, Bear would record the shows he was involved with as a way to improve his live system set-ups. Bear's "sonic journals" are generally regarded as the gold standard for live concerts from the psychedelic era.

"What is key about these moments captured by Owsley is that they're a true representation of what this mythic band really sounded like live," notes rock scribe Jaan Uhelszki in her essay on Janis and Big Brother's enduring ability to astound and surprise. "The rough magic, the explosive synergy, the dangerous frisson of boundaries being demolished between artist and audience....these 14 songs are a testament to what a force of nature Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company was during these two nights at the Carousel Ballroom. Showing them at the zenith of their considerable power, it is so fortunate that this recording was ever made -- only two months before their break up. This is one of the few living documents of that propitious and monumental pairing."

"He viewed these recordings as windows into the past," wrote Bear's son, Starfinder Stanley, in his notes for Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968. "So this is not just a live recording of Janis Joplin singing with Big Brother and the Holding Company. This is an auditory portal that...can transport you back to the short-lived but incredible world of the Carousel Ballroom in 1968."

Big Brother and the Holding Company Featureing Janis Joplin -
Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968
tracklisting
1. Combination Of The Two
2. I Need A Man To Love
3. Flower In The Sun
4. Light Is Faster Than Sound
5. Summertime
6. Catch Me Daddy
7. It's A Deal
8. Call On Me
9. Jam - I'm Mad
10. Piece Of My Heart
11. Coo Coo
12. Ball & Chain
13. Down On Me

Bonus Track:
14. Call On Me (Saturday Show - June 22, 1968)

PAN AM: MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE ORIGINAL SERIES

Pan Am: Music From and Inspired By the Original Series, a collection of music from and inspired by the ABC television drama, slated for January 17, 2012 CD release from Verve Music Group, is a non-stop flight back to the early ’60s. The collection features 14 songs by Buddy Greco, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz & João Gilberto with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Peggy Lee, Shirley Horn, Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Brenda Lee, Connie Francis and Dinah Washington, plus new artists Grace Potter and Nikki Jean.

According to the Verve Music Group’s SVP of A&R Jay Landers, “The Pan Am series goes to great lengths to capture the dawn of the jet age with accuracy, and music plays a vital role. Many of the artists of the era are found in the classic Verve catalog so it was a great synergistic opportunity.” Also, S-Curve/Universal recording artist Nikki Jean sings the Lennon & McCartney classic “Do You Want To Know a Secret.”

The TV series Pan Am follows the travels of a young flight crew as they set off on international adventures at the dawn of the Jet Age in the 1960s. The show captures a time when only a few could experience a global adventure or gain a front-row seat to history. Those lucky enough flew Pan Am, the largest, most prestigious airline in the world. More than Coca-Cola, Elvis Presley or the transistor radio, Pan Am exported American culture to the world abroad and brought that world back to American shores. The crew travels to intoxicating cities such as Paris, Berlin, Monte Carlo and Rome and bumps into history along the way. Through their eyes, Pan Am revisits an era nearly half a century ago. So, buckle up . . . adventure calls . . . and thank you for choosing Pan Am.

Track List:

1. Buddy Greco – “Around The World”

2. Grace Potter – “Fly Me To The Moon”

3. Bobby Darin – “Call Me Irresponsible”

4. Ella Fitzgerald – “Blue Skies”

5. Stan Getz & João Gilberto w/Astrud Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim – “The Girl From Ipanema”

6. Peggy Lee – “New York City Blues”

7. Shirley Horn – “The Best Is Yet To Come”

8. Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66 – “Mais Que Nada”

9. Billie Holiday – “Just One More Chance”

10. Count Basie – “I Can’t Stop Loving You”

11. Brenda Lee – “Break It To Me Gently”

12. Nikki Jean – “Do You Want To Know A Secret”

13. Connie Francis – “Quando Quando Quando (Tell Me When)”

14. Dinah Washington – “Destination Moon”

New episodes of Pan Am will air starting January 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. The series stars Christina Ricci (“Penelope”) as Maggie, Margot Robbie (“Neighbours”) as Laura, Michael Mosley (“Justified”) as Ted, Karine Vanasse (“Polytechnique”) as Colette, Mike Vogel (“The Help, ” “Blue Valentine”) as Dean and Kelli Garner (“Going the Distance”) as Kate. Series creator Jack Orman (“ER, ” “Men of a Certain Age”), Thomas Schlamme (“The West Wing, ” “Parenthood”), Nancy Hult Ganis (“Akeelah and the Bee”) and Steven Maeda (“Lie to Me, ” “Lost”) are executive producers. Pan Am is produced by Jack Orman Productions, Out of the Blue Entertainment and Shoe Money Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television.

LATIN JAZZ - DENGA & EL MAJA - ROBIN JONES AND HIS QUINTET

The CD features 2 classic Latin jazz LP's (Denga and El Maja) that were recorded in the UK in the early 1970's featuring the Robin Jones Seven - a band comprising the leading exponents of the genre at the time. The 2 LP's were recorded live at CTS studios in London with no 'over-dubbing'. The recordings featured on this CD represent rare examples of Latin Jazz recorded in England where, with the possible exception of Kenny Graham (in the early 50's) there had been little or no Latin Jazz to speak of. However, Latin music had first become popular in England during the 30's with the Rhumba craze that followed worldwide success of 'El Manicero'. This was followed by the samba and conga dances of the 40's.While the music of New York bands lead by Tito Rodriguez, Machito, etc. were known to some in England during the 50's, it had not been as freely available and popular as that typified by George Shearing with his quintet line up. During the 60's, Brazilian music also became very popular through the recordings of Stan Getz and Sergio Mendes. However, until the formation of this band, the UK based Latin ensembles such as those led by Edmondo Ros, Roberto Ingles, although very popular, were only watered-down imitations of Latin Big bands in the US and more often that not, ignored many of the conventions of Latin music. These bands in an attempt to achieve broad popular appeal, favoured Latinised versions of tunes familiar to English audiences.

Robin Jones & His Quintet
Denga [03:19]
Goodbye Batucada [03:32]
Urubu [03:15]
Autumn [03:27]
Con Fuego [04:07]
Zapatos Amarillos [03:12]
Africa Revisited [03:14]
El Sueno [03:19]
Surfaticket [03:04]
My Summer Love [03:01]
Tristeza [03:16]
Sucio Mambo [02:36]

The Robin Jones Seven
El Maja [03:21]
Santa De La Luna [03:28]
Oya [03:03]
Atlas [07:05]
Batucada Da Vida [04:32]
The Wailer [03:20]
Chant Afrique [03:43]
El Lobo [03:04]
Carica Papaya [02:40]

SANDY BARBER - I THINK I'll DO SOME STEPPING ON MY OWN / DON'T YOU WORRY BABY

Records are made every day, released every week, and even with the best will in the world this means that scores of records are ignored or lost from the moment that they are pressed. However it is also true that the collector, the DJ and the fanatic are all out there looking for something that can lift their soul. So there is always hope that if your record is good enough, one day it will be discovered and revered. Artists as diverse as Terry Callier, David Axelrod and Vashti Bunyan have all benefited from this effect, and if there is any justice in the world so should Sandy Barber’s album The Best Is Yet To Come.

Born in New York City on June 8th 1955, Barber grew up and attended school just across the river in Englewood New Jersey. With the encouragement of her big family she was singing from an early age at any events that would have her. As a teenager she came second at the legendary ‘Talent Night’ at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. The Apollo was known throughout America as the premier venue of the African American circuit, and was infamous for its tough audience. Even stepping onto that stage was a challenge, but to finish in the top three was a serious achievement.

The appearance at the Apollo was heard by Chris Curry who arranged for Sandy to audition for David Jordan a producer who was working on a group called Rare Pleasure. He had a song called ‘Let Me Down Easy’ and felt that Sandy’s voice was perfect for it. The record released on Cheri Records became a club anthem – today probably better known for being sampled by David Morales on his hit ‘Needing U’ – with Sandy’s vocals perfectly capturing the songs pleading nature. Sandy didn’t enjoy working with a group and went out on her own soon after, a decision that was vindicated when a mutual friend introduced her to the producer, writer and record label owner Clyde Otis, who Sandy describes as ‘her mentor’. Otis liked what he heard and signed her immediately to the deal that would produce her album The Best Is Yet To Come.

When he signed Sandy he was bringing with him over a quarter of a century of knowledge and experience and he used it all in putting together the record. The vocal arrangements were handled by Tasha Thomas, the incredible singer who had made her name in the stage play of ‘The Wiz’, who recorded the wonderful ‘Shoot Me (With Your Love), at the time one of the hottest singers on the scene. The musical arrangements were by Nat Adderley Jr, son of the jazz trumpeter, and a brilliant keyboard player in his own right, who had recorded with the group Natural Essence on Fantasy.

The album opens with ‘Look Out Sky’ which lays out the stall for the whole album. A glorious uplifting soul song that benefits from the thoughtful arrangement that allows for plenty of space within the record for the voice to shine through. ‘I’ve Got Something Good’ has a pounding four to the floor rhythm and a great horn arrangement as Sandy tells about her good thing. Especially notable on this track is the vocal backings that mimic and sing along with the rising synthesiser part. ‘The First Time’ takes the tempo way down and is a jazz based ballad reminiscent of Marlena Shaw’s ‘Go Away Little Boy’, with a fine string arrangement. The first side ends with the fantastic ‘Don’t You Worry Baby (The Best Is Yet To Come), seven minutes of carefully arranged ecstatic soul. The record builds from a elongated intro, through some banked backing vocals to the full on song, before dropping into an instrumental middle section of strings and saxophone, and an improvised out-section where Sandy’s voice comes right back in.

The album has become sought after in recent years for the cut that opens up side two ‘I Think I’ll Do My Stepping At Home’, once more the rhythm section and its arrangement proves to be the perfect foil for Sandy’s love-worn but defiant voice. This is followed by the discofied version of the theme to ‘Wonderwoman’ the late 70s TV staple starring Linda Carter. This contrasts with the vibrant, but extremely jazzy ‘Can’t You Just See Me’ which rolls along on an astounding piano part and some bluesy guitar. The original album ends with the emotional overload of the second ballad of the album ‘Stay Here With Me’, a fitting showcase for Sandy’s voice.

‘Wonder Woman’ was lifted as a single, possibly in the hope that it would get sales on the back of the success of the TV series, and it was backed by a non-album B-side, ‘Remember Me’ another cut that could have sat very well on the album. Access to the master tapes at Otis’ Argon productions has allowed us to unearth four previously unreleased tracks including the lovely ‘Let’s Get Back Together’, that appear to have been recorded later, possibly for a follow up album for The Best Is Yet To Come.

Sandy continued singing, joining the group Blue Moderne who released records on Roll and Atlantic, before appearing solo as Sandy B on Vinylmania, Nervous and King Street amongst others. She lives in New Jersey and continues to sing in and around New York.

Out now is the single taken from the forthcoming album The Best Is Yet To Come - Deluxe Edition. It comes with instrumental and new mixes by John Morales and Al Kent.

I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own b/w Don't You Worry Baby - Sandy Barber

I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own - Sandy Barber

I Think I'll Do Some Stepping (On My Own)(John Morales Vocal Mix) -

I Think I'll Do Some Stepping (On My Own)(John Morales Alternative Mix) - Sandy Barber

I Think I'll Do Some Stepping (On My Own)(John Morales Instrumental Mix) -

I Think I'll Do Some Stepping (On My Own)(Al Kent's Classic Mix) - Sandy Barber

I Think I'll Do Some Stepping (On My Own)(Al Kent Disco Jam) - Sandy Barber

Don't You Worry Baby (The Best Is Yet To Come) - Sandy Barber

Don't You Worry Baby (The Best Is Yet To Come)(John Morales Vocal Mix) -

Don't You Worry Baby (The Best Is Yet To Come)(John Morales Jazz'd Up Mix (Instrumental))

BOSSA NEGRA - SUMMER SAMBA

Bossa Negra is a musical concept created by producers Howard Lee and Sérgio Luiz Brandão with the aim of making Brazilian music accessible outside of Brazil without compromising the integrity of the music. The result of this pioneering collaboration has resulted in the first ever studio recording of well-known Brazilian songs rearranged, reinterpreted and sung with Chinese and English lyrics. In addition to the project’s lyrical reinterpretation of well-known Brazilian songs, the producers have also created the first ever fusion of Chinese, Australian and Brazilian music into one album. By taking popular songs from China and Australia, Bossa Negra has pioneered a new direction in world music by recording these songs with a Brazilian arrangement and incorporating instruments from each of these countries.

Giants of the Brazilian music industry were recruited to write the arrangements for this album including Renato Fonseca (who toured with Djavan on keyboards), Luiz Brasil (whose arrangements have appeared on the albums of Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil & Gal Costa), Marco Brito (Ivan Lins’ current pianist) and Sérgio Luiz Brandão. The album was recorded in Rio de Janeiro Brazil in 2009 and consisted the crème de la crème of Brazilian musicians including the following Grammy winners: Armando Marçal - multiple recipient of numerous Grammys for his role as the percussionist of Pat Metheny’s band during the 1990’s; Renato Fonseca - “Best Brazilian Song” received in 2000 for his role as the keyboardist and programmer on Djavan Ao Vivo album; and Marco Brito - “Album of the Year” & “Best MPB album” as the pianist for the album Cantando Histórias with Ivan Lins received in 2005.

Other musicians include Cassio Cunha (Alceu Valena), Carlos Balá (Djavan), João Viana (Djavan’s son), Cesinha (Caetano Veloso), Pantico Rocha (Lenine) on drums, Luiz Brasil (Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa), João Castilho (Djavan, Simone) on guitars, Jesse Sadoc, Marcelo Martins, Aiduas Ayres (Joao Bosco) on horns, Marco Lobo on percussion, William Barton on didgeridoo, Aria nominee Jacqueline Gawler and “asian new talent” recipient Joanna Dong on the vocals. Special guests include Samba legend Tia Surica of Portela Samba School, Paulinho da Viola’s daughter Eliane Faria, Brazilian rock legend Evandro Mesquita plus Grammy recipient and Brazilian pop sensation Jorge Vercilo.

Sérgio Luiz Brandão (co-producer - Brazil): With hundreds of albums and thousands of performances to his credit, Sérgio Luiz Brandão, the multi-instrumentalist, bass virtuoso, arranger, composer and producer has been a monumental figure in the Brazilian, latin and jazz scene for the past 40 years both in Brazil and the USA. They include; Antonio Carlos Jobim, Sérgio Mendes, Jaco Pastorius, Astrud Gilberto, Jeff “tain” Watts, João Bosco, Gilberto Gil, Marcos Valle, Johnny Alf, Wanda Sa, Michele Camillo, Kenny Kirkland, Flora Purim, Chico Freeman, Airto Moreira, Paquito D'Rivera, Gato Barbieri, Jon Lucien, Herbie Mann, Toots Thielemans, Naná Vasconcelos, Randy Brecker, Carlos Franzetti, Dom Um Romão, Trilok Gurtu, Jorge Dalto, Nara Leão, Leny Andrade, Cyro Baptista, Romero Lubambo, Toninho Horta, Café, The Black Eyed Peas, Will.I.Am, John Legend and Tania Maria. Sérgio Luiz Brandão also co-produced Ivan Lins’ album Juntos with Quincy Jones in 1984. The album was a blockbuster with both critical and commercial acclaim in this USA/Brazil coproduction. Sérgio was instrumental in recruiting the musicians that performed on this record including: Nana Caymmi, Djavan, Tim Maia, Elba Ramalho, George Benson, Verônica Sabino, Erasmo Carlos, Simone, Patti Austin, Paulinho da Viola, Beth Carvalho and Marcus Miller.

Howard Lee (co-producer Hong Kong- China): Musician, promoter and producer Howard Lee was first exposed to Brazilian music whilst playing with various jazz bands in China and Australia. To further explore his curiosity in Brazilian music, he travelled to Brazil in 2003 for almost 2 years. The aim of the trip was to study the many facets of Brazilian music, culture, and the historical/social context in how music plays a role in Brazilian society. These cities included Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, Porto de Galinhas, Olinda, Belo Horizonte, Ouro Preto, Manaus, Foz do Iguaçu and Sao Paulo. During this period he had the fortunate opportunity to study with some of Brazil’s most respected musicians including the drummer of Hermeto Pascoal’s band for the past 20 years Márcio Bahia, Edu Ribeiro from Yamandu Costa’s band as well as percussionists from Mono Bloco and Mangueira samba school.

Upon the return of this trip, Howard Lee has made it a mission to promote Brazilian music wherever he goes. This included the formation of the Hong Kong Bloco, the first samba percussion ensemble of it’s kind in the region as well as being the founder of the band Bossa Negra.

Album information:
Lead Vocals Mandarin: Joanna Dong

Lead Vocals English Jacqueline Gawler

Guitars: João Castilho

Bass: Sérgio Luiz Brandão

Keyboards/Piano: Renato Fonseca

Percussion: Armando Marçal

Sax: Paulo Levi Teixeira

Drums: João Viana

Arranger: Renato Fonseca (based on Marcos Valle’s live performances)

Backing Vocals: Jacqueline Gawler

Recording Engineer: Fabricio Matos

Mixing Engineer: Nicolas Kalwill

Mastering Engineer: Greg Calbi

Recording Studio: Fibra Studios - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Recording Studio (Joanna's vocals): Resonance Audio – Singapore

Mixed at Estudios Panda - Buenos Aires, Argentina

Mastering Studio: Sterling Sound New York

English Lyrics: Norman Gimbel

Mandarin Lyrics: Joanna Dong

http://bossanegra.com/

TONY BENNETT - DUETS II THIRTEEN GREAT PERFORMANCES

Tony Bennett made music history with the Grammy-nominated CD Duets II when it debuted at the top of the Billboard Album charts, making Bennett the oldest vocal artist ever to achieve the number one spot. Recently nominated for three Grammys, including Best Traditional Pop Vocal, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s), the critically acclaimed album followed the 85-year-old singer's Grammy-winning 2006 Duets CD, which had, in turn, been released in honor of his 80th birthday.

Tony Bennett: Duets II, a presentation of Thirteen Great Performances, features the singer's greatest hits, performed by Bennett and today's biggest stars, including John Mayer, Michael Buble, k.d. lang, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Queen Latifah, Norah Jones, Josh Groban, Faith Hill, Alejandro Sanz, Carrie Underwood and more. The sessions, filmed to capture the magic of these performers singing with the master of the Great American Songbook, airs on Friday, January 27, 2012, at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

The album took more than six months to record, with each track recorded face-to-face with his singer partners in studios around the world, from LA to Nashville to London. Among the many highlights is Amy Winehouse's last recorded track ("Body and Soul"), which was produced in London's famous Abbey Road Studios in March. Other tracks were recorded in New York in late July: the Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart classic, "The Lady Is a Tramp," with Lady Gaga, and the Alan and Marilyn Bergman classic, "How Do You Keep the Music Playing," with Aretha Franklin, and "Stranger in Paradise," with Andrea Bocelli, recorded at the singer's Italian home (see full track listing below).

The CD received kudos from all quarters. The Wall Street Journal noted that the singer was "…constantly reaffirming his position as pop music's greatest living patriarch," and Associated Press observed, "Tony Bennett is as timeless as the songs he sings on Duets II.'" The musical segments are highlighted by insights on the process from the performers, making for an up-close look at one of the year's most celebrated recordings. The sessions were filmed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Dion Beebe ("Chicago," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Collateral"), providing a personal, behind-the-scenes look at Bennett's latest collaborations and his artistic approach with each song.

Entering his seventh decade as a recording artist with more than 100 albums and 15 Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Bennett has earned his legendary status many times over. He remains the Columbia recording artist with the greatest longevity at the label. His 2007 primetime special, "Tony Bennett: An American Classic," won seven Emmy Awards and was directed by Academy Award winner Rob Marshall. He has performed for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama. He also worked with and marched alongside Martin Luther King in his 1965 civil rights march and was honored with the Martin Luther King's Salute to Greatness Award.

In addition to performing, he is a visual artist as well, with three of his original paintings featured in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian, including his portraits of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. His humanitarian efforts are renowned, and the United Nations honored him with their Humanitarian Award in 2007.  He has published three books — his autobiography, The Good Life, and two collections of his paintings, Tony Bennett: What My Heart Has Seen and Tony Bennett in the Studio: A Life of Art and Music. Bennett founded, in association with the Department of Education in New York City, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts — a public arts high school in his hometown of Astoria, Queens. With his wife, Susan, he established Exploring the Arts, a charitable organization that supports arts education in NYC public high schools. Exploring the Arts supports 14 public high schools throughout New York City.

The full song program follows:

"The Lady Is a Tramp" (Lady Gaga)

"One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)" (John Mayer)

"Body and Soul" (Amy Winehouse)

"Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (Michael Buble)

"Blue Velvet" (k.d. lang)

"How Do You Keep the Music Playing" (Aretha Franklin)

"The Girl I Love" (Sheryl Crow)

"On the Sunny Side of the Street" (Willie Nelson)

"Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" (Queen Latifah)

"Speak Low" (Norah Jones)

"This Is All I Ask" (Josh Groban)

"Watch What Happens" (Natalie Cole)

"Stranger in Paradise" (Andrea Bocelli)

"The Way You Look Tonight" (Faith Hill)

"Yesterday I Heard the Rain" (Alejandro Sanz)

"It Had to Be You" (Carrie Underwood)

UNÉ

UNE’s musical journey begin in the Jeffrey Projects in Detroit “the motor city,” as one could only imagine would be the birthplace of an R&B singing phenomenon. Encouraged by his mother at an early age to use his God given talent, UNE’ would perform with his brothers and close friends at various venues in Detroit. There the self-taught singer/songwriter UNÉ (pronounced “you nay”) came to be and started developing his natural gift…his voice. chose this name to express his universal, eternal and soulful spirit. UNE’ also has performed in various stage plays in Detroit and in the mid-west area, where he met Ernest Thomas (Raj) television star from the hit TV show “What’s Happening” and “Everybody Hates Chris” (Mr. Omarr). Afterwards, UNE’ moved to the L.A. area to further his music career and teamed up with Ernest Thomas and Carmela C. Martin to form Unet Music & Entertainment, where he completed his self-titled CD UNE’. Which was produced by Sterling G. and co-produced by Carmela C. Martin. And recently, UNE’ formed UneMusic to further develop himself as an independent artist.

My goal is to make music that touches the very soul of a person. To take them on a journey with me, whether it’s traveling the byways of love or the passages of hurt, I want my music to be a spiritual ride we (the listener) both could share in. When you hear UNE’ on his self-titled CD, you experience his heartfelt sound---smooth, strong and at the same time, gentle. As he sings about life’s journeys, you know that he has experienced a myriad of peaks and valleys. His sojourns in romantic relationships give his music a deep resonant texture, as evidenced by his song “I Can Remember.” When you listen to “I Really Love U Love,” “You Complete Me” and “I Won’t Complain”, you will know this singer/songwriter has been there. Cuts like “Lady You Are” and “Hit Da Shaw” emanated from people in his life who were close to him. UNE’s lyrics are tangible, real not fabricated nor written by a detached source.

Like his Motown predecessors, he carries the magnetism that legendary greats such as Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson possess. His sound is divine whether accompanied by instruments or a cappella. The soul of his music stems from bittersweet realities of love, life and the hurt and joy that it can bring.

UNE’ has performed his music at various venues in the U.S. and abroad in Manchester and London, England under Soulchoonz Promotions. And currently UNE’ is performing an acoustic version of his smooth soul/R&B music accompanied by jazz/blue guitarist, Albert John in the L.A. area. At such venues as the “House of Blues” in Hollywood and Busby’s in L.A. under Surge Events Promotions.

One fan commented, “I love your CD and your live performance was even greater! UNE’ touches the heart and spirit of his audience”.

http://www.unesongs.com/

http://www.unemusic.com/

www.myspace.com/unesongs

www.facebook.com/unesongs

www.youtube.com/UneMusic