EXEGESIS – HARMONY OF THE ANOMALY

Electronic jazz ensemble, EXEGESIS, bridges the gap between modern music technology and improvisation in its latest album The Harmony of the Anomaly (Dems Dem's Demos). As the title suggests, the album showcases the group's own unique blend of heterogeneous soundscapes including electronic jazz, live samplers, interactive music software, and complex compositions. With the help of Gretchen Parlato's smooth vocals and guest drummers Greg Gonzalez, Mark Guiliana, Robert Perkins, and Mark Ferber, The Harmony of the Anomaly boasts a well-pedigreed collection of artists and eclectic sounds.

Joined by a shared passion for rhythmic explorations in improvised music, EXEGESIS features bandleader/guitarist Nick Demopoulos (best known for his work with NEA Jazz Master Chico Hamilton); bassist Danton Boller (formerly of the Roy Hargrove Quintet); and new-music drummer Tomas Fujiwara.

Described as adventurous and bold, EXEGESIS references straight bop tradition while utilizing electronically manipulated instrumental timbers and is influenced by Middle Eastern music, 20th century classical and electronic music. "This album is our attempt to express symbols, scientific thought, astronomical ideas, numerical ratios and conceptual art through the manipulation of sound," explains Demopoulos. According to the Buffalo News, "in Demopoulos, EXEGESIS boasts one of the most strikingly virtuosic, well-versed jazz guitarists this side of Pat Metheney."

EXEGESIS based in Brooklyn, NY, is a jazz/electronic music ensemble playing original compositions that stress adventurous improvisations and unique textural layers. Formed in 2001, EXEGESIS is made up of bandleader/guitarist Nick Demopoulos, bassist Danton Boller, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara. EXEGESIS has performed throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. In 2008, EXEGESIS participated in the "American Music Abroad" program sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. Department of State. This program enabled EXEGESIS to perform in Bahrain, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. EXEGESIS has also performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival, The House of Blues, NYC's Dizzy's Club, The Knitting Factory, and The National Geographic Auditorium in Washington D.C. EXEGESIS released its debut album The Order of Chaos in 2002.

http://www.exegesisonline.com/

JOE COCKER – HARD KNOCKS

Joe Cocker is without a doubt, a true musical legend. With 40 years and counting as a major player in the music business, the singer with that unmistakable bluesy soul voice has earned countless accolades for his artistry—Grammys, Golden Globes, Academy Awards and platinum selling albums worldwide. The iconic singer has released Hard Knocks - his 21st album. Hard Knocks is a collection of 9 all new songs plus a cover version of the Dixie Chicks' "I Hope." Produced by Matt Serletic (Matchbox 20, Carlos Santana), Hard Knockc has the timeless "Cocker" sound fusing soul, pop and rhythm and blues into an undeniably infectious mix of a singularly unique contemporary style.

The recording sessions took place in Serletic's own Emblem studios in Los Angeles involving a host of acclaimed musicians like Ray Parker Jr., Tim Pierce and Joel Shearer on guitar, Josh Freese, Matt Chamberlain and Dorian Crozier on drums, Chris Chaney on bass and Jamie Muhoberac on keyboards. The songs were mixed by Chris Lord-Alge and mastered by Bob Ludwig. Songwriters Kara Dioguardi of recent American Idol fame and Marc Broussard have contributed songs to the collection.

Says Cocker, "I don't really know what you would call this album: 'rock/pop'? It's a little more pop than I've been into for quite a while so it would scare me sometimes. I would do the basic tracks and then Matt would go away and do some of these overdubs and he had all these electronic things on there. It was sometimes like 'Oh, my god!'. But I wanted to work with Matt very much. And I always knew what kind of record we would be making."

Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks Track listing:
1. Hard Knocks
2. Get On
3. Unforgiven
4. The Fall
5. So It Goes
6. Runaway Train
7. Stay The Same
8. Thankful
9. So
10. I Hope

http://www.429records.com/sites/429records/429details/d_joecocker.asp

GI BLYTHE – LOST IN SPACE

GIBlythe has released heir debut CD release, Lost in Space. This group of seasoned musical pros are from a variety of impressive musical backgrounds and have come together to fuse a high-energy hybrid of wit and horn-centric good-time Rock, which is amply demonstrated on their new CD release. Lost in Space is an exhilarating introduction to a band that's sure to pique some discerning ears, and raise some diverse eyebrows, in the near future. The CD contains original tunes written by Geoffrey Blythe, Archie Brown & Jim Paterson-including the instrumental "Freedom March" with some swinging, scorching Jazzy moments-and the first cut, "Run Rabbit Run," just might bring you out of your chair, so be forewarned: before you put this disc on be sure and put on your dancing shoes!

GIBlythe is a band of exceptional players from the U.K. and the U.S. that have outrageous chops and share a pure joy of making music that is both exuberant and street savvy. Several members of GIBlythe have worked together in various music settings over the years-including Dexy's Midnight Runners-and along with Geoffrey have collectively played and/or recorded with a number of diverse artists from Elvis Costello, Paul Simon and Nick Lowe to Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter and The Funk Brothers (of Motown fame), to name but a few. GIBlythe's fluid and driving rhythm section, the inventive way that they use horns in a Rock/Soul setting (arranged and delivered with an edgy sense of humor), along with singular vocals, are particularly noteworthy and create a sound that's difficult to compare to anyone else. Simply put, it's a rockin' good time!

GIBlythe's foundation is provided by drummer Crispin ‘the Pump' Taylor and bassist Joe ‘Bear Claw' Burcaw-and these guys cook! They provide a solid pocket that energetically propels the band and allows lead singer Archie Brown and the horns of Geoffrey Blythe and ‘Big Jim' Paterson (trombone & backup vocals), along with the keys of Pete Levin and guitars of Larry Baeder, to alternately punch the rhythm section and float above the smooth ride effortlessly. Although the band's players are accomplished pros, they retain a raucous, authentic post-punk attitude resulting in a sound that's soulful, sometimes Jazzy (with tasteful flashes of dissonance-and a funky beat!), rockin' and audacious-all at the same time!

YUVAL COHEN - SONG WITHOUT WORDS

Soprano saxophonist, composer, arranger and bandleader, recipient of the Landau award for the performing arts in the field of jazz for 2010 (the most prestigious prize in Israel), Yuval Cohen, has developed his own unique sound and melodic approach to composition and improvisation. Lee Konitz, Lew Soloff, Arnie Lawrence and Reggie Workman are just a few of great jazz masters with whom Yuval has collaborated. Born in Tel Aviv, Israel (1973), Yuval is a graduate of the prestigious Thelma Yellin High School for the Arts, and was regularly awarded scholarships from the Israel-American cultural foundations between the years 1987-1996.

Yuval Graduated Berklee College of Music (Summa Cum Laude, 1996), and was awarded prizes for outstanding achievements and the woodwind department award. His compositions were chosen to represent the college in the prestigious jazz magazine, Jazziz. In July 2010 Yuval received his Masters in Composition from the Rubin Academy for Music and Dance in Jerusalem. His debut CD, Freedom (2007), and his recordings with the 3 Cohens (featuring brother and sister Anat and Avishai) have all received rave reviews. Yuval tours extensively with the 3 Cohens, playing in the U.S., Europe, South America and Israel, most recently in support of the band's new recording, Family.(http://www.3cohens.com/).

Yuval Cohen's latest recording for Anzic Records, and his 2nd as a leader, Song Without Words, is all about melody, and a simple, heartfelt and honest dialogue between two friends, and two masterful musicians, Yuval (soprano saxophone) and Shai Maestro (piano). It is an expression of an outlook that merges various musical disciplines, creating a unique and very personal blend. "I feel at home playing in this manner - on the one hand feeling an intense musical activity, yet on the other experiencing a transparency and softness that are the result of the dialogue," explained Cohen.

Yuval Cohen on Song Without Words:
Song without words - From the intro on, when writing this tune, it felt like a song that is missing its lyrics. It has a clear melody, almost naïve. We tried to keep the naïve vibe going through our musical dialogue.

Nehama - This song is like a whipping Israeli song. Like a child playing with a toy. So naïve, so beautiful. Wide and sad.

Bye Bye Blackbird - A version that keeps the melody a secret from the listener. It reveals itself at a relatively late point in the music as we were enjoying the melodic options the tune allows.

Skylark - Shai and I wanted to stretch the melody in a very slow tempo, allowing the bird to spread its wings, to fly slowly and to sing.

Angelo - A beautiful piece by Shai. It has a quality of something so personal, yet familiar. It brings a feeling of being somewhere in Italy in the beginning of the century. I always say in concerts, that the only disadvantage I can find in this tune, is that I didn't compose it myself!

26/2 - An arrangement we did together of the great John Coltrane composition. We decided to make our life harder and to play it in the odd meter of 7/4. In a duo set up, it is like making a Japanese Harakiri in front of a live audience.

Shir Hasade - "The song of the field". It is a beautiful song, sometimes proud, sometimes dark, by the late David Zehavi, an important Israeli composer. It started off as an arrangement I wrote for piano and voice, during the course of my Master's degree. I then brought it to the duo for this recording.

Nature Song - I was envisioning wide meadows in the winter, somewhere in the north of Israel, something like the photo on the cover of the album. Again, the melody is very clear, graspable.

http://www.anzicrecords.com/

ERNESTO CERVINI - THERE

Drummer/composer Ernesto Cervini’s latest album, There, was recorded live at the end of November, 2010, at Cory Weed's Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver, There, features Joel Frahm (saxophones), Adrean Farrugia (piano) and Dan Loomis (bass) and Cervini (drums.) The album follows up Cervini's previous recording distributed by Anzic Records, Little Black Bird (2009),which received heaps of praise from critics and fans alike.

On There, his third recording as a leader, Cervini and the band revel in the joy that musicians experience playing for an enthusiastic crowd, and gives the listener a front row seat to enjoy this riveting set of music. Cervini commented that, performing for a live audience is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a musician. The energy that we get from the audience pushes us to even greater levels of creativity and spontaneity. This was definitely the case when I brought my quartet to perform for two nights at the Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver. The sold-out audience was fantastic, and they propelled us to create some of our best performances to date. Luckily, we recorded both nights and this album features the best music culled from those shows.

The title, There, comes from the fact that the music was recorded over "there" in Vancouver, on the other side of Canada from Cervini's residence in Toronto, and also references and contrasts the drummer and composer's debut CD, Here. Two of the tunes featured on There, "Gramps" and "TGV",are from that first recording. The album art features a drawing by Cervini's wife, Jenny, depicting an abstract view of the Cross-Canada tour's path.

Like most of the music on There, the album's opening tune draws its inspiration from places Cervini has visited (he clearly possesses a quality that all great drummers share; he's always listening), and people that have left indelible impressions on the artist. "Granada Bus" borrows its bass line from a little melody that plays at bus stops in Granada to let people know of the impending arrival of the bus, and, it happens to be in 9/8! "Gramps" is a heartfelt ballad written for Cervini's grandfather while he was sick several years ago (he is better now!), followed by "TGV", based on a jingle Cervini overheard in a famous Parisian train station. He explains, while on vacation in Europe, my wife and I took the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse), which is the bullet train traveling between Paris and London. Whenever there was a track announcement over the P.A. system, they played a couple notes first to get people's attention and I thought it sounded very interesting (and quite mysterious).

Other highlights on There include "Tullamore", the name of an Ontario city Cervini has passed many times in his travels, but has never actually been to. "The Monks of Oka" is dedicated to the wonderful Thelonious Monk, and it's named after the monks of Oka, Quebec who make fantastic cheese. Pianist Adrean Farrugia and saxophonist Joel Frahm also brought in some compelling music, "Woebegone" (Farrugia) and Alert (Frahm), to the quartet during this tour. The drummer's good friend, trumpeter Nadje Noordhuis, arranged the album's one standard, "Secret Love".

I hope that this CD conveys the wonderful interaction we had with our audiences on those two nights, and gives you a feeling of the "live" music experience we all enjoyed! - Ernesto Cervini

Cervini, who has shared the stage with many legendary musicians such as Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Cleo Laine, Pat LaBarbera, Dick Oatts, Buddy DeFranco, Eddie Daniels, Scott Robinson, Dave Binney, Jim McNeely, and many others, has energy to burn, whether radiating it from behind his drums or working on any number of musical and educational projects. Cervini's diversity as a musician (he is also an excellent pianist and clarinetist) has allowed him to travel throughout the world, performing in some of the world's greatest jazz venues such as, Birdland, Sweet Rhythm, The Jazz Standard, The 55 Bar, The Montreal Bistro, The Top Of the Senator, The Rex Jazz and Blues Club, and also many of the world's most prestigious concert halls, such as Massey Hall, The Glen Gould Theatre, The St. Lawrence Center for the Arts and the Sugita Theatre in Yokohama, Japan.

DAVID MERRICK PRESENTS HITS FROM HIS BROADWAY HITS FEAT. ANN-MARGRET

Masterworks Broadway will release David Merrick Presents Hits From His Broadway Hits for digital download and as a disc-on-demand on February 21. It is the first time this compilation from 1964 will be available in these formats. The 12-track album contains such familiar songs as "What Kind of Fool Am I?" from Stop the World I Want to Get Off, "Small World" from Gypsy "Make Someone Happy" from Do Re Mi, "As Long As He Needs Me" from Oliver!, and "Love Makes the World Go Round" from Carnival, as well as less-well known material from Fanny, Destry Rides Again, and Irma La Douce. Originally produced by George R. Marek, the recording features such performers as John Gary, Ann-Margret and The Merrill Staton Voices.

It was back on October 1, 1964, that RCA Victor released David Merrick Presents Hits From His Broadway Hits. The album paid homage to the man who delivered the label the original cast recording of Hello, Dolly!, the phenomenal hit that had just opened at Broadway’s St. James Theatre. RCA’s George R. Marek called on John Gary, The Merrill Staton Voices and the sizzling Ann-Margret to capture on record a dozen songs from a dozen different Merrick musicals.

David Merrick Presents Hits from His Broadway Hits
1. Fanny [Fanny] – John Gary
2. Love Makes the World Go ‘Round [Carnival] – Ann-Margret

3. Make Someone Happy [Do Re Mi] – The Merrill Staton Voices

4. Small World [Gypsy] – John Gary

5. Our Language of Love [Irma La Douce] – Ann-Margret

6. Take Me Along [Take Me Along] – The Merrill Staton Voices

7. What Kind of Fool Am I? [Stop the World, I Want to Get Off] – John Gary

8. As Long as He Needs Me [Oliver!] -Ann-Margret

9. Once in a Lifetime [Subways Are for Sleeping] -The Merrill Staton Voices

10. Anyone Would Love You [Destry Rides Again] – John Gary

11. Is It Really Me? [110 in the Shade] – Ann-Margret

12..Hello, Dolly! [Hello, Dolly!] – The Merrill Staton Voices

OSCAR PENAS – FROM NOW ON

Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records recently released the third recording, From Now On, from guitarist and composer Oscar Peñas. Utilizing a multi-cultural band with members from the U.S., Japan and Argentina, Peñas delivers an album of music that he is very attached to, as it truly defines who he is as a Barcelona-born/Brooklyn-based composer and improviser. Paradoxically, Peñas feels that he had to be removed geographically from his native Spain to compose the music for From Now On. The recording is many things, but it is predominantly Peñas' personal and heartfelt reflection on his cultural heritage.

Nylon string guitar was Peñas' first instrument and he uses it again here to great effect, incorporating a dexterous finger picking style from his formative classical training. This technique combines with hints of Iberian music and memories of flamenco, informing the compositions, but never pretending to be faithful to any particular style or palo (sub-genre of flamenco). This influence is most profound on the title track, "From Now On" (featuring Gil Goldstein and Franco Pinna), and also on Encuentro, the oldest composition on the album, from the late nineties.

Spanish music and contemporary jazz are not the only influences on Peñas'writing. Brazilian music was love at first sight for the guitarist, and remains a strong influence on his music. This infatuation is clearly evident when listening to "Choro n.1 (Guinga)"dedicated to the great guitarist/composer from Rio de Janeiro, and "Choro n.2 (Corpo)", a composition that Peñas wrote immediately after attending an outstanding dance performance at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) by the Brazilian Corpo Dance Company that blew his mind.

Argentinean music and Cuban filin are the other strong influences in Peñas'compositions for this album. Samuel Smith,named after a British beer, is his way to pay tribute to an "Argentinean mood", expressed in a recurrent ostinato. Julia, dedicated to the memory of Oscar's late cousin, is an optimistic kind of bolero that simply celebrates life.

Listening to the lyrical, solo-less, last track of the album, Adéu ("goodbye" in Catalan), one could never mistake where Oscar Peñas is from, and where he is now.

http://www.oscarpenas.com/

http://www.bjurecords.com/

ANNE WALSH - GO

Is there time to explore and reflect on musical beauty in the frenetic pace of modern life? It's a question vocalist Anne Walsh asks on her latest CD Go. "The title sums up my wish to move forward as an artist, and strike out into areas of the musical art-form that I haven't had the opportunity to explore in the past." Walsh and husband Tom Zink created this memorable musical journey as the follow up to their previous project Pretty World, which earned a Grammy nomination for the arrangement of "In The Still Of The Night."

The collection showcases a pair of Brazil 66' hits ("Cinnamon & Clove", "Batucada"), several originals written by friends ("Je Vousem", "Bumble Bee", "I'll Wish for You"), classic jazz pieces with original lyrics ( Wayne Shorter's "Go", & Azymuth's "Cascade of the 7 Waterfalls"), a song discovered on LinkedIn ("Melanie"), and even a piece of the soundtrack to Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid ("South American Getaway"). Once again, Walsh's husband, Thomas Zink, produced and arranged the dozen tracks that mesmerize in Go.

The CD gives both a point of view and asks some questions about the current times we live in, and the evolving way we listen to music. "The song Bumble Bee, really sums up what it's like to be alive these days: buzzing around, always moving, wings always flapping, and so busy that it is unfortunately easy to neglect the ones and the things we love," said Zink. Though we are constantly bombarded with information, there is an up side to this sometimes overwhelming deluge: the ability to study, observe and enjoy so many different cultures, and styles of music. "We wanted to incorporate that positive element into the format of the CD, so it's very eclectic." It flows almost like a mix tape from, but with a unique kind of cohesiveness.

Throughout Go a top-notch group of all-star musicians that includes noted bassists Brian Bromberg, and Jerry Watts, saxophonist Gary Meek, Guitarist Larry Koonse, and percussionists Chris Wabich, & Tiki Pasillas, help bring the musical vision alive. The result is a consistently colorful program in which one song leads logically to the next one, yet nothing is predictable or obvious. Not unlike modern life.

While this collection acknowledges the challenges of twenty first century living, it also provides an antidote through the rich layering of the musical elements, and a varied mosaic of orchestration. Some of the songs are fairly simple in their construction, while others invite the listener to thoughtful reflection in order to discover all the elements that are woven into the piece. Anne's voice takes the lead in much of the orchestration - including background parts, on solos, introductions and interludes. "Sometimes with vocal jazz projects, there's a disconnect between the way the voice and other instruments are used in a song, but we wanted to bridge that gap and link the elements together with the voice," explained Zink. In fact, many of the solos evolve as a conversation between Anne's vocals and the solo instrument.

"Ultimately we believe that beauty is real and rooted in the nature of creation. It can be reflected in music, or in the way a life is lived," said Zink. With this in mind, Anne chose to end the CD with an original song (Spring's Unfold) that she wrote as a tribute to the beauty of the sacrificial love that her parents lived out as they raised her and her brothers.

http://www.sonicbids.com/...

http://www.annewalsh.com/

CARMEN LUNDY – NIGHT AND DAY

Carmen Lundy once again proves why she is a true legend of Jazz in a move that will have fans and Jazz enthusiasts everywhere scrambling to get in line for the first copies of the re-issue of her 1987 compact disc Night And Day, which has proven to be one of her most rare and highly-prized CDs. For all those who have been looking for a copy of Night And Day, the 1987 release of all standards featuring Kenny Kirkland, the wait is over! Afrasia Productions, Inc. is re-issuing this out-of-print, much sought-after CD. Available for the first time after many years, the album contains the original tracks with new artwork created by Carmen Lundy especially for this reissue.

Carmen is very excited to bring you this classic album on its 25th anniversary featuring some of Jazz' finest musicians. Says Carmen, "This recording has always been one of my favorites. Those were special times for Jazz in the mid 80s in New York City. This record was especially magical because of these incredibly gifted players. I want to thank our beloved Kenny Kirkland, Victor Lewis, Alex Blake, my brother Curtis Lundy, Rodney Jones and Ricky Ford for sharing in the making of this, my first and only recording of all standards." Yes, Night And Day is the only all standards album Ms. Lundy has ever released, making it one of the reasons this is such a momentous occasion. This reissue was recently released and isl preceding Carmen's new upcoming CD of all originals (and one arrangement) to be released in February 2012.

http://www.carmenlundy.com/

http://twitter.com/Carmen...

www.facebook.com/carmenlu...

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AMANOVA - WHAT A WAY TO BE

French singer Amanova is preparing for the release of her first EP later this year which will contain 6 songs. Amanova is a true artist at heart who brings a very soft and soothing charm to the music that she loves to perform, whether it be soul, blues or jazz. She discovered her love for music when she was only 12 and since then she has been expressing herself musically. Her musical singing style is categorized as soothing with a hint of beautiful tenderness and sweetness, but yet jazzy and colorful at the same time.

“Cool excellence. She has produced a potent yet relaxing, laid back sound with vocals that, if they could be eaten would simply melt in the mouth. Amanova! Remember the name.”

Mr A. Domenico (GB) Cool Excellence – Review about “What A Way To Be”

She's got four songs available right now that you can listen to and enjoy: "What A Way To Be," "Unstoppable," "Then Will Come The Chance," and "Call Me."  Just go to http://www..amanova.net/ for more information. Her full EP will be out sometime during the August/September time frame.

In the meantime if you want to catch her live, here is where she will be appearing:

Live: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Bar-Club Apoteca Luxembourg City (LU)

9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Live: Friday, February 10, 2012

Restaurant MIA ZIA Belvaux (LU) at 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

TV-show "Head of the Art"

VOSGES TELEVISION Epinal (FR)

Diffusion 18h30 - 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

then visible on the net

Live: Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Evening of Valentine's Day

Restaurant MIA ZIA Belvaux (LU) at 8:30 p.m.

Live: Thursday, February 23, 2012

Special Concert Hot Truck Jazz Session

SUNSET JAZZ CLUB in Paris (FR) at 8:30 p.m.

Amanova - Hallie Weiner - Réjane Artico

Tickets: http://www.sunset-sunside.com/2012/2/artiste/470/596/

Live: Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Bar the 47 Place St Louis Metz (FR)

http://www.amanova.net/

TONY BENNETT – ISN'T IT ROMANTIC?

Concord Music Group is about to release Isn’t It Romantic? by Tony Bennett on February 15, it’s a new 15-track release culled from Tony Bennett’s recordings for the Improv and Fantasy labels, originally released between 1975 and 1977. Bennett founded Improv Records in 1975 with the determination of an industry veteran ready to make a statement of creative freedom. He had concluded a long tenure at Columbia Records and a two-album deal for MGM when Improv was born, and although the label only released some ten albums in its short lifetime, its music resonated with the full power of what we now call The Great American Songbook. A glance at some of the songwriters represented on Isn’t It Romantic? proves this: Leonard Bernstein, Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter.

More than one-third of the tracks originated on The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, the first collaboration between Bennett and the jazz pianist, known for his sensitive work as a pioneer of the modal jazz style. Bennett and Evans made for incredibly sympathetic partners, and their work together is mood music of the highest order. Three tracks come from their 1977 follow-up, Together Again, recorded for Improv.

Though nothing is present from the freewheeling Tony Bennett/The McPartlands and Friends Make Magnificent Music, each one of Bennett’s other Improv albums is represented. From the original Sings 10 Rodgers and Hart Songs comes three cuts including “Isn’t It Romantic?,” written by the team for the 1932 motion picture Love Me Tonight. Its “sequel” (from the same 1973 recording sessions with the Ruby Braff-George Barnes Quartet) Sings More Great Rodgers and Hart has yielded “My Romance,” from the 1935 musical Jumbo. Finally, 1975’s Life is Beautiful has been culled for both its title track (gifted to Bennett by its songwriter, Fred Astaire!) and Herman Hupfeld’s “As Time Goes By,” introduced in the 1931 Broadway musical Everybody’s Welcome but immortalized on the silver screen in 1942’s Casablanca.

This relatively brief period of Bennett’s still-thriving career has been anthologized numerous times, including on 2004’s The Complete Improv Recordings (Concord CCD4-2255), a cornerstone of any music library, and 2006’s Tony Bennett Sings for Lovers. There’s nothing new for completists, but if you’re looking for a succinct sampler of the period, each of the fifteen tracks here is beyond reproach. Isn’t It Romantic? arrives on February 7. This is classic, classy singing at its finest.

Tony Bennett, Isn’t It Romantic?
1. Make Someone Happy
2. Isn’t It Romantic?
3. As Time Goes By
4. My Foolish Heart
5. I Could Write a Book
6. Days of Wine and Roses
7. Dream Dancing
8. The Touch of Your Lips
9. Lover
10. But Beautiful
11. Young and Foolish
12. We’ll Be Together Again
13. My Romance
14. Lucky To Be Me
15. Life Is Beautiful

MARCUS STRICKLAND – TRIUMPH OF THE HEAVY VOLUME 1 & 2

Marcus Strickland's seventh recording Triumph of The Heavy Volume 1 & 2 is a definitive statement from the critically-acclaimed and world renowned saxophonist. This ambitious two-CD set takes the listener on a journey from the studio to the stage alongside a highly-developed Marcus Strickland; one who is very sure of what he's doing on the saxophones (soprano, alto and tenor), and very comfortable taking risks.

On Volume 1 (laid down at Systems Two in Brooklyn, NY) Strickland records on the alto saxophone (his new P. Mauriat alto) for the first time (on tracks 4, 6, 7, 9, 10), and recorded the band while the music, a whole new set of originals, was still new to the musicians. This half of the recording is the documentation of the birth of his new quartet, featuring David Bryant, who fully embraced Strickland's percussive writing and approach for the piano in a quartet setting, the third Strickland "brother", Ben Williams on bass, and twin brother E.J. Strickland on drums. "In a way I added more excitement to the studio process by recording while the music was fresh, while it was close to the beginning of its development and interpretation," explained Strickland.

In contrast to Volume 1, on Volume 2 the trio displays the incredible results of extended touring together as they stretch and reinvent their repertoire, spurred on by an enthusiastic crowd at Firehouse 12 in New Haven, CT. The musical conversations and interactions are on an extraordinary level, only possible with time and trust. Strickland explains further, "The biggest development is trust: we trust each other more on this record than on Idiosyncrasies (StrickMuzik, 2009) because that was towards the beginning of the trio. And when trust is at such a height, it allows many spontaneous things to happen. It's very exciting. Playing with E.J. and Ben gets a performance out of me that's like no other with anybody else. While playing the track 'Surreal', for example, I remember we were very in tune with the groove. It was swinging extremely hard and I did some things on the horn that I didn't know I could do before the session. And that's what it's all about. That feeling is like no other!"

The title, Triumph of the Heavy, grew out of an experience Strickland had with his girlfriend. The saxophonist explains, "once upon a time, some months after I started seeing my girlfriend Dawn, we were in the car listening to my iPod. We'd never listened to her music in the car, so I said to her 'hey, why don't you put on your iPod?' So she does. And her immediate reaction after hearing her music was, 'You know what? This sounds kind of light compared to the music you listen to.' And that really stuck with me because often times many things have been extracted from commercial music so it can appeal to the masses. Quite often in the music industry, there's an entity (a producer, manager or A & R guy) trying to get artists to adulterate their sound so it's more 'accessible. After that day in the car I wanted to associate the title of my next recording with weight, because I wanted to express that music with substance, a strong sound and which takes risks can triumph, it can move people. It can, in fact, appeal to a greater audience. But, as demonstrated through my girlfriend's experience, only if we give it a chance through exposure. So that's what I call it: Triumph of the Heavy."

Strick Muzik Catalog:

Marcus Strickland - Twi-Life (SMK 001)

Marcus Strickland - Open Reel Deck (SMK 002)

E.J. Strickland - In This Day (SMK 003)

Marcus Strickland - Idiosyncrasies (SMK 004)

Marcus Strickland - Triumph of the Heavy Volume 1 & 2 (SMK 005-6)

http://www.marcusstrickland.com/

ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

Robert Glasper Experiment has announced North American tour dates including a February 28 show at the Highline Ballroom in New York City in celebration of their highly-anticipated new album Black Radio, which will be released by Blue Note Records that same day. The Highline Ballroom show will feature special guests including yasiin bey (Mos Def), Chrisette Michele, Lalah Hathaway and others. Tickets are currently on sale through the Highline Ballroom website. Glasper's tour will also bring him to Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington DC, with more dates to be announced shortly. See below for a full list of upcoming tour dates.

Glasper also teamed up with Indaba Music, the pioneering online music creation site, to launch a remix contest for the song "Move Love" from Black Radio, which features vocals from rising stars KING. Indaba's international community of more than 600,000 musicians will be given each component of the song-including the individual vocal, drum, keyboard, and other tracks-and asked to create their own remix. Glasper will judge all of the entries and select the winner, who will receive a $500 cash prize, a royalty-free one-of-a-kind piano sample created by Glasper for use in an original composition, and a signed copy of Black Radio.

Additionally, Glasper has released a lyric video for "Ah Yeah," the first official single from Black Radio which features Musiq Soulchild and Chrisette Michele, and is the #3 Most Added track this week at Urban AC radio (and the #1 Most Added new song at the format), a rare crossover achievement for a jazz pianist. The single is currently available through all digital retailers. Album pre-orders have also launched on Amazon and iTunes. A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Black Radio can be viewed on Glasper's YouTube Channel.

Black Radio boldly stakes out new musical territory and transcends any notion of genre, drawing from jazz, hip-hop, R&B, soul and rock, but refusing to be pinned down by any one tag. The album showcases Glasper as a multi-talented producer, songwriter, keyboardist, and bandleader, and features many of his famous friends from across the spectrum of urban music, seamlessly incorporating appearances from a jaw-dropping roll call of special guests that includes Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Shafiq Husayn (Sa-Ra), KING, Ledisi, Meshell Ndegeocello, Chrisette Michele, Musiq Soulchild, Stokley Williams (Mint Condition), and yasiin bey.

ROBERT GLASPER - 2012 TOUR DATES:
January 31, Blue Note Jazz Club, New York, NY (with Chrisette Michele)
February 1, Blue Note Jazz Club, New York, NY (with Chrisette Michele)
February 2, SF Sketchfest @ Yoshi's, Oakland, CA (with Reggie Watts)
February 4, Hope College, Holland, MI (Robert Glasper Experiment)
February 9, Olin Arts Center, Lewiston, ME (Robert Glasper Trio)
February 10, Jazz Bistro, St. Louis, MO (Robert Glasper Trio)
February 11, Jazz Bistro, St. Louis, MO (Robert Glasper Trio)
February 16, Mansion at Strathmore, Bethesda, MD (solo)
February 17, Yardbird Suite, Edmonton, AB (Robert Glasper Experiment)
February 19, West End Cultural Center, Winnipeg, MB (Robert Glasper Experiment)
February 23, Black Box Theater, Baton Rouge, LA (Robert Glasper Experiment)
February 24, Montreal Highlights Festival, Montreal, QB (Robert Glasper Experiment)
February 28, Highline Ballroom, New York, NY (Robert Glasper Experiment w/guests)

March 1, World Café Live, Philadelphia, PA (Robert Glasper Experiment with Bilal)

March 10, Double Door, Chicago, IL (Robert Glasper Experiment)

March 17, The New Parish, Oakland, CA (Robert Glasper Experiment with Bilal)

March 18, Brick & Mortar, San Francisco, CA (Robert Glasper Experiment with Bilal)

March 20, Anthology, San Diego, CA (Robert Glasper Experiment with Bilal)

March 22, The Exchange, Los Angeles, CA (Robert Glasper Experiment with Bilal)

March 23, Neumos, Seattle, WA (Robert Glasper Experiment with Bilal)

March 30, Casbah Durham @ Duke Performances, Durham, NC (Robert Glasper Trio)

March 31, Casbah Durham @ Duke Performances, Durham, NC (Robert Glasper Trio)

April 3, Warner Theatre, Washington, DC (Robert Glasper Experiment)

http://robertglasper,com/

LUXURY SOUL 2012

Expansion Records has put together this fantastic 3-CD set celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Luxury Soul Weekender in the U.K. The 35-track collection features acts who have performed live at the popular weekends over the past decade. It’s an impressive array of artists both contemporary (Eric Benet, Frank McComb, Omar, Cool Million, Anthony David, Ledisi, Adriana Evans, Rahsaan Patterson) and vintage (Ashford & Simpson, Roy Ayers, Sheree Brown, Howard Hewett, The Valentine Brothers, Jean Carne, Chapter 8, Bobby Womack, Phil Perry) to name a few. The music reflects Ralph Tee's Luxury Soul Jazz FM show which airs on Sundays at 4pm - quality vocals, songwriting, musicianship and productions from the best contemporary soul artists. This compilation also includes an exclusive CD version of 'Wake Up Everybody', the Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes classic recorded by Eric Benet who performed for Jazz FM and Expansion at the Luxury Soul Weekender in Birmingham last year.

Luxury Soul 2012
Disc 1
1.   Eric Benet - Wake Up Everybody
2.   Frank McComb - Actions Speak Louder Than Words
3.   Incognito - It's Just One of Those Things
4.   Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band - Rough Times
5.   Live Tropical Fish - Rubber Soul feat. Omar
6.   Reel People - Sure
7.   Real - Satisfaction
8.   Soul Talk - I Want It
9.   Cool Million - Love The Beat (JD73 Remix) feat. Laura Jackson
10. Dennis Taylor - Enough Is Enough
11. Gianna - Things That I Do
12. Bob Baldwin - Too Late feat. Phil Perry

Disc 2
1.   Adriana Evans - Let You Get Away
2.   Anthony David - 4 Evermore (No Rap Version)
3.   Pretty Terry - Shake It Off
4.   Angela Johnson - Anything
5.   Rahsaan Patterson - Straighten It Out
6.   Ledisi - I Can't Let You Go
7.   Howard Hewett - Crystal Clear
8.   Donna Gardier - You Don't Know
9.   Johnny Britt - In The Meantime
10. Sheree Brown - Just A Simple Love
11. Victor Haynes - Music and Love

Disc 3

1.   June Yamagishi - I'll Come Running Back to You feat. Bobby Womack

2.   Chapter 8 - So In Love

3.   Ashford & Simpson - I'm Not That Tough

4.   The Valentine Brothers - Just Let Me Be Close To You

5.   Jean Carne - Flame of Love

6.   Keni Burke - I Get Off On You

7.   Kloud 9 - Priority

8.   Maysa Leak - Compliments

9.   Al Olive - Slow Down

10. Ebony Alleyne - Know Your Way

11. Lenny Williams - Inner City Rainbow
12. Lullabye-Ray Gaskins Feat. Roy Ayers

HUGH MASEKELA – JABULANI

Some of trumpeter and vocalist Hugh Masekela's earliest memories are filled with joyous music. As a child in Witbank, South Africa, he recalls the celebratory songs that filled his home town in the weeks prior to the weddings of friends and family members. In the month before the wedding of his aunt and uncle when he was just four years old, "the betrothed's young neighbors, friends and relations would conduct a nightly choir practice from dusk until close to midnight," he recalls, "marching up and down the street, singing the most beautiful songs accompanied by occasional, very intricate choreographed moves which were a pure joy to witness." When the wedding day finally arrived, the event was filled with music, dancing, feasting, drinking and seemingly endless merriment. In the years that followed, Masekela committed many of these traditional wedding songs and dances to memory. "I came to really love the songs and looked forward to coming weddings, choir practice and meeting beautiful girls," he says.

Masekela relives these joyous and heady days of his youth on Jabulani, his new album scheduled for release on January 31, 2012 as part of the Listen 2 Africa Series / Razor & Tie. Sometimes wise, sometimes comical, oftentimes both, the 11-song set includes many traditional songs that date back several generations in South African wedding tradition. "This anthology and choreography have stayed deeply embedded in my memory," he says. "This is a tribute to the township weddings of yesteryear." Masekela is joined on Jabulani by a large crew of talented players: bassist Fana Zulu; keyboardists Randal Skippers, Xoli Nkosi and Don Laka; guitarists Cameron Ward and Ntokozo Zungu; drummer Lee-Roy Sauls; and percussionist Godfrey Mgcina. The celebration is further enhanced by the joyous and rousing voices of no less than ten background vocalists.

Jabulani opens with the shimmering "Sossie," a traditional song that tells the tale of an ex-lover who castigates the other half for marrying someone who is unemotional, overly intellectual, and worst of all, can't dance. In the townships of South Africa, says Masekela, "being unable to dance is a sign of dementia and total social bankruptcy."

The rousing "Fiela" is a bit of practical advice to young married couples to make a happy home by making a clean home, while the yearning but upbeat "Iph'Indela" is one man's lament for a beautiful lover he left behind in Takoradi - a port city in Ghana - and his vow to go back and find her. In a playful vocal duet featuring Masekela and Tsepo Thsola, "Tsoang Tsoang" tells the story of a young man of modest means who couldn't afford the dowry for his bride Naledi. With help from his friends, he is able to afford the dowry, and the couple join in the singing and dancing in the streets in anticipation of a happy life together.

Driven by an uptempo backbeat that belies its poignant message, "Mfana" is a traditional song for a boy whose sister has married a man from a faraway land who has taken her home with him. The marriage has forever changed the dynamics of the family, and now the boy must find a new best friend to replace the close relationship he'd had with his sister, whom he will never see again. Likewise, the rhythmic and churning "Uyeyeni" tells a very similar story of Yeyeni, a woman who is sorely missed by her friends and loved ones - and perhaps even a past lover - since she has entered into marriage.

Masekela explains that the weddings of South Africa's rural and urban communities "are filled with declarations of caution, inspiration, joy, apprehension, doubt, downright excitement and endless advice. The speeches are all about domestic bliss, generosity, protection, respect, affection, kindness, loyalty love, regeneration, intimacy and support. They are pleas against violence, abuse infidelity, amnesia, slothfulness, jealousy, envy and exploitation. Hundreds of songs are composed anonymously on these issues and rehearsed for months before the wedding.' Simply put, says Masekela, the very heart of Jabulani "is beautiful music."

AL TURNER – SUNNY DAYS

Bass Guitar Impresario, Al Turner, affectionately called “The Burner”‚ has recorded his third record Sunny Days. This gifted producer, expands his iconic signature style with a smooth inspirational message outlining that “no matter how dark or difficult your situation seems you can always look forward to sunny days” says Turner. Being one that is destined to create music that inspires, uplifts and edifies the soul, Turner has decided to take his bass and give back to a community that needs soulful encouragement. He wants to bring his expertise to sponsored fundraisers and community events that support the research and development seeking a cure for breast cancer.

Sunny Days is the latest addition to his diverse catalog, strikingly balanced, making an eclectic melodic statement by skillfully blending Jazz, Funk and R&B. Opening with “Zo” a collaborative groove that sets the stage for collaborations with the likes of Bob James, Nelson Rangell, Marlon McClain, Dave McMurray, Maurissa Rose and Herschel Boone are found on this fine piece of work.

“Often times as one takes on the marketing and promotion of their career they go through the normal paces that are set before them. For Al, this disease has struck close to home, his wife Theresa has struggled with breast cancer throughout their relationship. Collectively they are formulating a way to create a community of breast cancer survivors having a place to voice their concerns, trials, triumphs and recovery. Together they are making a way to bridging the goals of healing, not only through the miracles of medicine but by way of Al’s soulful music inspiring not only Sunny Days but ones that bring breakthroughs with a common bond” says Jaijai Jackson, creator of The Jazz Network Worldwide social network.

Turner is no stranger to the industry and has played with some of the brightest luminaries on the scene ie. Earl Klugh, Bob James, Aretha Franklin, Oleta Adams, Anita Baker, Nancy Wilson, Randy Crawford, Gladys Knight and is currently the music director for R&B vocalist Kem.

Not only is he known for his musicianship but a composer and producer as well on songs for recording artists Earl Klugh, Bob James, Tim Bowman, Edgar Wallace, Jr., Guy Ensley & Ron Otis. Al’s artistry exceeds category and has been featured on many television and radio commercials. His touring schedule is packed with various dates that have encompassed Cheryl Lynn, Oleta Adams, David Benoit and Everette Harp.

Driven by his artistic mastery, Al Turner, "The Burner" is an A-List side man and has performed hundreds of live shows nationally and internationally and continues to amaze and thrill audiences who will undoubtedly find themselves groovin’ to Sunny Days.

http://www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com/

http://www.alturner.com/.

27TH ANNUAL WINTER MUSIC CONFERENCE (WMC)

Winter Music Conference (WMC) is about to launch it’s 27th annual program for what is largely regarded as the pre-eminent platform on the global music industry calendar for launching new music, technology and trends. Winter Music Conference Week 2012 happens March 16 – 25, 2012 in Miami Beach, Florida.

For 2012, WMC plans to further enhance the WMC experience by delivering ten non-stop days of music programming in Miami Beach and Miami. This expansion will wrap the program week with two full weekends of parties and events. WMC Co-founder, Bill Kelly, explains, "Expanding the WMC dates was an easy decision given the high demand of artists, businesses and industry delegates. Miami Beach and the greater Miami area boast some of the most celebrated event and club venues as well as the hotels and resorts that comprise South Beach's famed Art Deco District. Hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops and every sort of possible entertainment venue are filled to capacity during WMC Week to the point where five days just wasn't enough."

New for 2012, WMC will be unveiling correlated segments of its industry program dedicated to music and fashion on its opening weekend and indie rock meets electronica programming under the WMC Rocks header on the closing weekend, in addition to its standard programming and events. More details will be announced over the coming weeks.

Winter Music Conference 2012

• Music Meets Fashion: March 16 – 17, 2012

• DJ Sets, Live performances & Parties: March 16 – 25, 2012
• WMC Music Industry Program: March 19 – 24, 2012

• WMC Trade Show & Exhibits: March 19 – 20, 2012

• Art & Record Collectors Show: March 24, 2012

• WMC Rocks: March 23 – 25, 2012

• Club & Poolside Events: March 16 – 25, 2012

CHICK COREA 2012 TOUR DATES

Chick Corea will be appearing in concerts throughout the year featuring both Gary Burton and Bobby McFerrin. Here is the list.

March 12 @ Victoria Hall, Geneva, Switzerland (w/Gary Burton)
March 13 @ KKL Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland (w/Gary Burton)
March 14 @ Rome Auditorium, Rome, Italy (w/Gary Burton)
March 15 @ Athens Concert Hall, Athens, Greece (w/Gary Burton)
March 16 @ Palace Hall, Bucharest, Romania (w/Gary Burton)
March 18 @ Palace of the Arts, Budapest, Hungary (w/Gary Burton)
March 21 @ Wiener Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria (w/Gary Burton)
March 22 @ Wiener Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria (w/Gary Burton)
March 23 @ Stokholm Concert Hall, Stockholm, Sweden (w/Gary Burton)
March 25 @ Goteborgs Konserthus, Goteborg, Sweden (w/Gary Burton)
March 30 @ University of North Carolina, Wilmington, NC
April 1 @ Miller Center for the Arts, Reading, PA
April 2 @ Palais Montcalm, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
April 3 @ Markham Theater for the Performing Arts, Markham, Ontario, Canada
April 4 @ Massry Center for the Arts, Albany, NY
April 6 @ Manchester Craftsman’s Guild, Pittsburgh, PA
April 11 @ Barbican, London, UK (w/Gary Burton)
April 12 @ Le Rocher de Palmer, Cenon, Aquitaine, France (w/Gary Burton)
April 13 @ Theatre Simone Signoret, Confians St. Honrine, France (w/Gary Burton)
April 14 @ Espace des Arts, Chalon-sur-SaA’ne, Bourgogne, France (w/Gary Burton)
April 16 @ Maison de la Culture, Amiens, Picardie, France (w/Gary Burton)
April 17 @ Salle Pleyel, Mullhouse, Paris, France (w/Gary Burton)
April 18 @ La Filature, Mullhouse, France (w/Gary Burton)
April 19 @ Flagey, Brussels, Belgium (w/Gary Burton)
April 21 @ Arsenal, Metz, Lorraine, France (w/Gary Burton)
April 22 @ Philharmonie, Luxembourg 9w/Gary Burton)
June 14 @ Ortiabrsky Grand Concert Hall, St. Petersburg, Russia (w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 15 @ Tchaikowsky Concert Hall, Moscow, Russia 9w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 17 @ Philharmonie, Luxembourg, Luxembourg (w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 18 @ Meistersingerhalle, Nuremberg, Germany (w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 19 @ Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany (w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 22 @ Festspiehaus, Baden-Baden, Germany (w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 23 @ Gasteig Philharmonie, Munchen, Germany (w/Bobby Mcferrin)
June 24 @ Liederhalle Hegelsaal, Stuttgart, Germany (w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 25 @ Philharmonie Essem, Essen, Germany (w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 26 @ Berlin Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany (w/Bobby McFerrin)
June 30 @ Hamburg Laeszhalle, Hamburg, Germany (w/Bobby McFerrin)

THIRD WORLD, MARCUS MILLER, PATTI AUSTIN & HUGH MASEKELA ADDED TO CAPE TOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL LINE-UP

This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival will take on March 30th and 31st. In its 13th year, the festival continues to titillate South African audiences with the finest in local and international performers at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The headliners reflect the festival's philosophy of broadening audience's perspectives of what is understood as 'jazz'.

"If it's music, sweet music, lets it play," is the philosophy of Jamaican-hailing reggae band Third World - one of the headliner acts aimed at bridging these divides. Originally formed in 1973 in Kingston, Third World has over its three-decade spanning career interwoven subtleties of funk, soul, R&B and rock into reggae music, releasing 23 albums in total. They are one of Jamaica's longest running acts which means that they easily bumped heads with the likes of Bob Marley and the Wailers early in their career. Third World will make their South African debut at this year’s festival, firing up their message of peace, love and unity.

Brooklyn based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Marcus Miller is another major artist who headlines the festival. While Millers' main instrument is bass, his prolific work started in the late 70s. He has worked as an arranger, songwriter, film score composer, keyboardist, clarinetist and saxophonist. A live set from Miller can include an odd mix of anything from The Talking Heads to John Coltrane and The Stylistics. Miller was born at a time when jazz was peaking in New York. He was part of a musical family which made becoming a multi-instrumentalist in his teenage years natural. Some of his best known work is with Miles Davis during the early 80's, working on the albums Tutu and Music from Siesta. He has an epic background of musical accolades and as a session musician has worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Wayne Shorter, Chaka Khan and Aretha Franklin.

Harlem born songwriter and vocalist Patti Austin and her trio will tour her Grammy award-winning jazz program which includes hits ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Avant Gershwin. Austin has a legacy of 16 solo albums which cross musical boundaries. Her road to success was paved early as she made her debut at the Apollo Theatre in 1954 at the age of four and had a contract with RCA Records when she was five. Keeping the musical fires burning, The Patti Austin Trio's festival performance will form part of a massive 2012 European tour with their new album Sound Advice.

Completing the headliners of international performers is Kansas City-born vocalist Kevin Mahogany. New Yorker Magazine has labeled him "The Standout jazz vocalist of his generation". Starting off his career as an instrumentalist, Mahogany has focused his career on being a jazz vocalist in the style of Joe Williams. Currently he runs his own label called Mahogany Jazz.

The legendary Quincy Jones is responsible for discovering and introducing Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez to the festival organizers. The impromptu performance of Rodriguez in Jones’ lounge for organizers Rashid Lombard and Billy Domingo convinced the pair that Rodriguez was a natural fit for the festival. Jones says "I'm thrilled that Alfredo has been given a platform to perform at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. I think he will find surprising musical similarities between his roots in Cuba and his South African experience."

Other international performers at the festival include Chinese minimalist solo pianist Xia Jia and French bossa nova meets nu-wave act Nouvelle Vague. Joining them is Allen Stone, a storytelling guitarist and singer from Washington who could be described as a funky white boy with soul. Angolan afro-funk singer and composer Gabriel Tchiema completes the line-up of international acts.

Audiences will be thrilled to see legendary South African trumpeter and bandleader Hugh Masekela return to the festival and present a special project for the first time on local shores. Masekela will rally up an army of musical giants for 'MAMA AFRICA' -a tribute to the great songbird Miriam Makeba. Masekela as musical director joins forces with a powerhouse trio of vocalists in the form of Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa Mazwai and Zolani Mahola. The show made its debut at the Rio Loco Festival in Toulouse, France in June 2010 and has since travelled to Barcelona, London and Berlin. Masekela won't be the only South African legend on stage this year. Dorothy Masuka will also perform at the festival. Masuka rose to fame in the 50's as a struggle artist as a singer alongside the likes of Masekela and Makeba.

If the edgiest music that is coming out of South Africa at the moment is hip-hop, then the festival has been spot on with the talent this year. HHP aka Hip Hop Pantsula and Cape Town's own swag-boasting Ill Skillz aka Ill Literate Skill join the line-up. HHP is a multi-SAMA award-winning rapper and alongside Ill Skillz represent fresh and youthful South African voices.

There is a huge focus on African roots and rhythms on the festival line-up this year. Pietermaritzburg born saxophonist Steve Dyer has been on the South African music scene for some time but he has constantly evolved musically. His latest project Ubuntu Music will be released as an album this year and performed at the festival for the first time. His band features pianist Bokani Dyer, bassist Shaun Johannes, trumpeter Lwanda Gogwana and drummer Andre Swartz. In a similar vein, South

African bassist Herbie Tsoaeli, who has performed with some of S.A's greatest jazz musicians, will be presenting his long-awaited debut album African Time. Harmonica player Adam Glasser has spent significant time between South Africa and the United Kingdom, collaborating with major artists from both countries such as Dudu Pukwana and Toots Thielemens. Glasser will present his latest album Mzansi at the festival. Cape Town based saxophonist Victor Kula grew up in Rylands and now resides in Gugulethu. He has kept his musical associations proudly local and is greatly influenced by the late Winston 'Mankunku' Ngozi. Hassan'adas led by percussionist John Hassan experiments with Marrabenta and African jive rhythms

Old school glitz and glamour diva Sophia Foster, one of S.A's sisters of song also joins the line-up. Another kind of diva, ex-fashion stylist Lindiwe Suttle initiated her career as a vocalist with Rus Nerwich and The Collective Imagination in 2008. Now Suttle has returned from Berlin with a more electronic focus on her debut album Kamikaze Art courtesy of engineer Dave Kutch whose previous work includes Al Green and Alicia Keys.

Zakes Bantwini has himself confessed that his live performance launches a wilder alter-ego, “Zakhele Madida (his real name) is actually a shy guy and a bit reserved. When I 'm on stage I am in a trance and the Zakes Bantwini character takes over. He just comes out.” Bantwini is one of the few South African artists who has managed to cross the boundary of afro-house and live jazz. Radio personality, Idols judge, singer and songwriter Unathi will also perform at the festival. Fans can expect new material from Unathi since she recently released her third album entitled With Love.

The rest of the line-up for 2012 is completed by the following artists: James Ingram (USA), Dave Koz with special guest Patti Austin (USA), Mike Stern with special guest Dave Weckl (USA), Virtual Jazz Reality (SA), Brubecks play Brubeck (USA/SA), Ron Carter, Donald Harrison and Lenny White (USA), Andre Petersen Quintet (SA), Atmosphere (USA), Jean Grae (USA), Goodluck (SA), Zamajobe (SA), Zahara (SA), The Jason Reolon Trio (SA), David Sanchez with special guest Lionel Loueke (Puerto Rico/Benin), The Moreira Project (Mozambique) and Alexander Sinton High School Jazz Band (SA).

http://www.capetownjazzfest.com/

ROB GARCIA - THE DROP AND THE OCEAN

For over a decade, drummer/composer Rob Garcia has been a major force on the jazz and creative music scene in Brooklyn, NYC and beyond, collaborating with some the most noteworthy musicians of our time, such as Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Joseph Jarman, Diana Krall, Anat Cohen, Woody Allen, Howard Alden, Lynne Arriale, Dave Binney, Ben Monder, Scott Colley, Marty Erhlich, Chris Cheek, Myra Melford, and Vince Giordano, to name but a few. Garcia has also collaborated with other A-list musicians much too numerous to mention here. Suffice it to say, his pedigree is well established.

The Drop and The Ocean, the follow up to Rob Garcia's previous, critically-acclaimed recording on BJURecords, Perennial. The Drop and the Ocean features Garcia's working band, including two young sensations and regulars in the group for the past three years, Noah Preminger (saxophones) and Dan Tepfer (piano), as well as the future bass legend and long time friend, John Hebert.

The album is titled after the Sufi concept, which deals with the human experience as an individual (the drop), and the path to surrendering to something bigger (the ocean). Garcia explains further, "I was very inspired by this concept when a friend first brought it to me. She explained how we can try to hold so tightly to our individuality when we can let go and become the ocean." The twelve Garcia compositions on this recording are musical contemplations and ruminations on this concept. The CD opens with the rhythmic whirlwind, "Will", referring to the will of the individual, followed by "Boundaries", which is about listening to what your higher-self is telling you in those challenging moments and acting upon it", explains Garcia.

Throughout The Drop and the Ocean, Garcia includes three drum improvisations as interludes, "Flash #1, #2, and 3#" which reflect on how short and precious our time here is. Other highlights on the recording include the gorgeous ballad, "Lost By Morning" (which is about getting caught up with shoulds and shouldn'ts); "The Drop Part 2", dedicated to the fun of being human; "River", the path a drop travels to the ocean; "Humility", which Garcia says is "about being a parent and those times when I have no idea what to do"; and "The Return", "returning to our true selves, a process and an event that can happen countless times in our lives," explains Garcia.

Clearly the release of The Drop and the Ocean is one such event for Rob Garcia, as he utilizes his compositional, drumming and band-leading skills to their full extent to share with us a set of beautiful and compelling music based on a concept that is personally inspirational.

http://www.robgarcia.com/