ROY BUDD - THE STONE KILLER / DIAMONDS

A Roy Budd double-header – with two excellent soundtracks in a single package! The Stone Killer is one of the darkest Budd scores ever – designed to accompany a brutal police film starring Charles Bronson! The main theme has a nice electronic sound that's kind of like the "Mystery Movie" theme from the 70s – then the score moves into some nicely moody regions that feature spare Fender Rhodes riffs underpinned by dark orchestral scoring! Occasional beats and jazzy rhythms move into the picture from time to time, and the album has one nice groovy vocal track – the sweet "Black Is Beautiful", which features Roy on electric keys, and some nice female vocals, very much in the tradition of one of the vocal numbers from Get Carter. Titles include "Jazz Source", "Cool Bossa Source", "Too Late", "Main Titles", and "M3 (sk 1)". Nice stuff, and one of Budd's best moments from the 70s!

Diamonds is next – a great 70s heist film, of the sort that usually provided excellent soundtrack material! Roy Budd rises to the groovy occasion and scores some excellent moments that match a light orchestral sound with a throbbing electric bass and percussion underground – in a style that's like Lalo Schifrin's best work from the time – tight and funky in the right places, and more laidback in others. The LP's overflowing with tracks, including a few bonus mixes, and there's even three vocal numbers that feature The Three Degrees. Titles include "The Thief", "Beauty & The Bass", "Diamonds", "Party Piece", "Thief On the Prowl", and more!

Source: Dusty Groove

UNESCO AND HERBIE HANCOCK ANNOUNCE THE FIRST ANNUAL INT'L JAZZ DAY APRIL 30TH

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock are pleased to announce International Jazz Day to be held April 30th of every year. In partnership with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the initiative– Hancock’s first major program introduced as a Goodwill Ambassador–will encourage and highlight intercultural dialogue and understanding through America’s greatest contribution to the world of music. International Jazz Day will foster and stimulate the teaching of jazz education with a particular emphasis placed on children from disadvantaged communities in classrooms around the world and will be offered to all 195 member states of UNESCO. 

Said UNESCO Director-General Bokova, “The designation of International Jazz Day is intended to bring together communities, schools and other groups the world over to celebrate and learn more about the art of jazz, its roots and its impact, and to highlight its important role as a means of communication that transcends differences”.

In an address to UNESCO officials, Herbie Hancock said, “Please take a moment and envision one day every year where jazz is celebrated, studied, and performed around the world for 24 hours straight. A collaboration among jazz icons, scholars, composers, musicians, dancers, writers, and thinkers who embrace the beauty, spirit, and principles of jazz, all of them freely sharing experiences and performances in our big cities and in our small towns, all across our seven continents.” He went on to say, “Music has always served as a bridge between different cultures; and no musical art form is more effective as a diplomatic tool than jazz.”

In anticipation of April 30thInternational Jazz Day, the celebration will kick-off on April 27th at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris with a daylong series of jazz education programs and performances. An evening concert will feature Herbie Hancock, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Marcus Miller, Hugh Masekela, Lionel Loueke, Tania Maria, Barbara Hendricks, Gerald Clayton, Terri Lyne Carrington, John Beasley, China Moses, Ben Williams, and Antonio Hart, and others to be announced. The daytime events will include master classes, roundtable discussions, improvisational workshops, and various other activities.

International Jazz Day will be celebrated by millions worldwide on Monday, April 30th and will begin with a sunrise concert in New Orleans’Congo Square, the birthplace of jazz. The event will feature a number of jazz luminaries along with Hancock including Dianne Reeves, New Orleans natives Terence Blanchard, Ellis Marsalis, Treme Brass Band, Dr. Michael White, Kermit Ruffins, Bill Summers, and others.

The world-wide programs and events will conclude in New York City at the United Nations General Assembly Hall with an historic sunset concert certain to be one of the most heralded jazz celebrations of all time, with confirmed artists including Richard Bona (Cameroon), Dee Dee Bridgewater, Danilo Perez, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, Zakir Hussain (India), Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Lang Lang (China), Romero Lubambo (Brazil), Shankar Mahadevan (India), Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masekela (South Africa), Christian McBride, Dianne Reeves, Wayne Shorter, Esperanza Spalding, Hiromi Uehara (Japan) and others to be announced. George Duke will serve as Musical Director. Confirmed Co-Hosts include Robert DeNiro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Quincy Jones.

The concert from the United Nations will be streamed live worldwide via the United Nations and UNESCO websites, and will also be post-broadcast on United Nations Radio.

Tom Carter, President of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, said, “The Institute is pleased to be a partner with UNESCO in presenting educational programs and performances as a part of International Jazz Day. For more than a century, jazz has helped soothe and uplift the souls of millions of people in all corners of the globe. It stands for freedom and democracy, particularly for the disenfranchised and brings people of different cultures, religions, and nationalities together.”

The objectives of International Jazz Day are to:
• Encourage exchange and understanding between cultures and employ these means to enhance tolerance;
• Offer effective tools at international, regional, sub-regional and national levels to foster intercultural dialogue;
• Raise public awareness about the role jazz music plays to help spread the universal values of UNESCO’s mandate;
• Promote intercultural dialogue towards the eradication of racial tensions and gender inequality and to reinforce the role of youth for social change;
• Recognize jazz music as a universal language of freedom;
• Promote social progress with a special focus on developing countries utilizing new technologies and communications tools such as social networks;
• Contribute to UNESCO’s initiatives to promote mutual understanding among cultures, with a focus on education of young people in marginalized communities.

The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz will work with UNESCO and its 195 various field offices, national commissions, UNESCO networks, UNESCO Associated Schools, universities and institutes, public radio and public television, as well as NGOs. Additionally, libraries, schools, performing arts centers, artists and arts organizations of all disciplines throughout the world will be encouraged to celebrate the day through presentations, concerts, and other jazz-focused activities. UNESCO will be sending recommendations for events, programs and support materials to its member countries and efforts are underway to raise funds for activities in developing countries where resources are limited. For example, in Brazil the Ministry of Culture will organize a nationwide program celebrating the history of jazz and its contribution to peace in all of its cultural centers; it is hoped that this will eventually be integrated into Brazil’s national educational curriculum. In Algeria, free jazz concerts will take place featuring groups from all over the country as well as conferences promoting “intercultural exchanges between jazz music and Maghreb music”; Russia will host various activities including concerts, photo exhibitions, lectures, virtual magazines and radio programs, while in Belgium the Conservatory of Jazz and Pop will organize outdoor daytime flash mobs/ concerts with Jazz students in bookstores, the Academy of Fine Arts and more. These are just some of the many local events that will be taking place around the world.

For more information about International Jazz Day, please visit the website at:
www.unesco.org/days/jazzday

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS 40TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET

For this 10-CD box set, compilation producer Ralph Tee has created a non-chronological cross-section of the label’s releases between 1971 and 1995 placing emphasis on both hits and rarities. Here he's pulled together under one package over 13-1/2 hours of music from familiar names like Lou Rawls, The O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, The Three Degrees and The Jacksons, as well as cuts from Dick Jensen, Bobby Bennett, Robert Upchurch, Derek & Cyndi, Elliot Hoffman and other names not nearly as recognizable. Also included within the package will be a 60-page full-size booklet containing sleeve notes and track details from Tee, the author of Who’s Who In Soul Music) while David Grimes offers the first-ever comprehensive discography of all U.S. releases from Philadelphia International and its related labels like Gamble and Golden Fleece. Harmless is promising a year-long campaign devoted to the label, including a potentially exciting set exploring Gamble and Huff’s work in the late 1960s before they started their seminal label. Kenny Gamble has even been consulting with Harmless on these projects. The 40th Anniversary Box Set below. It’s due for U.K. release on April 9!

Various Artists, Philadelphia International Records 40th Anniversary Box (Harmless, 2012)

CD 1
1. Zach’s Fanfare – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 1.00)
2. K-Jee – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 4.09)
3. T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia) – M.F.S.B. feat The Three Degrees (Original Single Version 3:35)
4. Message In The Music – The O’Jays (Original Single Version 3.22)
5. Sexy – M.F.S.B. (Original Single Version 3:17)
6. Let’s Groove – Archie Bell & The Drells (Original Single Version 3.06)
7. Backstabbers – The O’Jays (Original Single Version 2:59)
8. The Love I Lost – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Original Single Version 3.35)
9. When Will I See You Again – The Three Degrees (Original Single Version 2:54)
10. I Love Music – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 6:43)
11. I’ll Always Love My Mama – The Intruders (Original Single Version 3.14)
12. Year Of Decision – The Three Degrees (Original Single Version 2:34)
13. The Soul City Walk – Archie Bell & The Drells (Original Single Version 3.13)
14. Bad Luck – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Original Album Version 6.29)
15. Do It Any Way You Wanna – People’s Choice (Original Single Version 3:11)
16. Philly Jump – Instant Funk (Original Album Version 5.01)
17. Take Good Care Of Yourself – The Three Degrees (Original Single Version 3.17)
18. Love Is The Message – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 6.22)
19. Show You The Way To Go – The Jacksons (Original Single Version 3.22)
20. Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 4:17)

CD 2
1. Win Place or Show (She’s A Winner) – The Intruders (Original Single Version 2.20)
2. 992 Arguments – The O’Jays (Original Single Version 2.20)
3. Dirty Ol’ Man – The Three Degrees (Original Single Version 3.10)
4. Satisfaction Guaranteed Or Take Your Love Back – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Original Single version 3.20)
5. Love Train – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 6.04)
6. Get Down With The Philly Sound – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 4.31)
7. Jam Jam Jam (All Night Long) – People’s Choice (Original Album Version 3.32)
8. A Nice Girl Like You – The Intruders (Original Album Version 3.30)
9. If You Don’t Know Me By Now – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Original Single Version 3:17)
10. Me & Mrs Jones – Billy Paul (Original Single Version 4.37)
11. Wake Up Everybody – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Original Single Version 3.39)
12. For The Love Of Money – The O’Jays (Original Single Version 3:45)
13. Don’t Leave Me This Way – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Original Album Version 6.08)
14. Livin’ For The Weekend – The O’Jays (Original Single Version 2.50)
15. You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine – Lou Rawls (Original Album Version 4:28)

CD 3
1. You’re The Reason Why – The Ebonys (Original Single Version 3.04)
2. Days Go By – Bobby Bennett (Original Single Version 2.32)
3. New York City’s A Lonely Town – Dick Jensen (Original Album Version 3.11)
4. Stop And Think – The Trammps (Original Single Version 3.02)
5. One Day Of Peace – Love Committee (Original Single Version 2.49)
6. The Devil Made Me Do It – Robert Upchurch (Original Single Version 3.23)
7. Who In The World – The Ethics (Original Single Version 4.02)
8. Love Don’t Rub Off – Johnny Williams (Original Single Version 3:13)
9. Don’t Be So Mean – Talk Of The Town (Feat John & Gene) (Original Single Version 2:49)
10. Just Got To Be More Careful – Carolyn Crawford (Original Single Version 3:23)
11. Do You Like The Way I Love You – The Ebonys (Original Single Version 3:06)
12. Never Let You Get Away From Me – Anthony White Extended Single Version 4.36)
13. I’m A Changed Person – Kaleidoscope (Original Single Version 3.13)
14. If You Move, You Lose – Carolyn Crawford (Original Single Version 2.51)
15. We’re Not Getting Any Younger – Kaleidoscope (Original Single Version 3.00)
16. On The Ladder Up To Love – Derek & Cyndi (Original Single Version 3.48)
17. Good & Plenty – Carolyn Crawford (Original Album Version 2:35)
18. You Bring Out The Best In Me – Derek & Cyndi (Original Single Version 4:35)
19. Another World – Elliot Hoffman (Original Single Version 3:09)
20. It’s Forever – The Ebonys (Original Single Version 4:27)
21. To Be Happy Is The Real Thing – The Intruders (Original Album Version 3:28)
22. What It Takes – The Soul Survivors (Original Album Version 3:28)
23. Love Is Real – City Limits (Original Album Version 3:28)

CD 4
1. Where Are All My Friends – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Original Single Version 3:15)
2. Free Love – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 4:11)
3. Let Life Flow – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 4:31)
4. It’s Hard Not To Like You – Archie Bell & The Drells (Original Album Version 4:02)
5. Everyone’s A Star – The Intruders (Original Album Version 5:33)
6. Summertime And I’m Feeling Mellow – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 4.00)
7. Hey Baby 2:48 – Anthony White (Original Single Version)
8. Your Love Is Good – Bunny Sigler (Original Album Version 2:53)
9. The Whole Town’s Talking – Billy Paul (Original Album Version 4:48)
10. So Glad I’m The One – Instant Funk (Original Album Version 3:19)
11. If You Wanna Go Back – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 3:24)
12. People Power – Billy Paul (Original Album Version 4:19)
13. Keep On Lovin’ You – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Original Album Version 3:42)
14. Yes You Need Love – Anthony White (Original Album Version 3:36)
15. Nobody Could Take Your Place – Dee Dee Sharp Gamble (Original Album Version 5:01)
16. Party Time Man – The Futures (Original Album Version 5:13)
17. Keep Smilin’ – Bunny Sigler (Original Album Version 5:56)
18. It Ain’t Reggae (But It’s Funky) – Instant Funk (Original Album Version 3:38)

CD 5
1. The Whole Town’s Laughing At Me – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 4:18)
2. Let’s Make A Baby – Billy Paul (Original Album Version 3:39)
3. Now That We Found Love – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 4:30)
4. Blues Away – The Jacksons (Original Album Version 3:13)
5. I Believe In Love – Dee Dee Sharp Gamble (Original Album Version 4.00)
6. Easy, Easy, Got To Take It Easy – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 4.56)
7. I’m In Love Once Again – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 5.54)
8. Use Ta Be My Girl – The O’Jays (Original Single Version 3.55)
9. Strength Of One Man – The Jacksons (Original Album Version 3:57)
10. See You When I Git There – Lou Rawls (Original Album Version 4.29)
11. I Bet She Won’t Love You Like I Do – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 3:18)
12. Come On And Dance Dance Dance – Bunny Sigler (Original Album Version 5.23)
13. This Feeling Is Killing Me – The Jones Girls (Extended Single Version)
14. Let ‘Em In – Billy Paul (Original Single Version 3.25)
15. Picture Us – Bunny Sigler (Original Album Version 2.34)
16. Life Goes On – The Jones Girls (Original Album Version 4:31)
17. Lady Love – Lou Rawls (Original Album Version 4:03)
18. Where Will You Go When The Party’s Over? – Archie Bell & The Drells (Original Album Version 4:07)

CD 6
1. The More I Get, The More I Want – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 4.28)
2. Stop And Think It Over – Anthony White (Original Album Version 4.24)
3. Living Together – The Jacksons (Original Album Version 4.27)
4. (No, No) You Can’t Come Back Now – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 2.29)
5. You Can’t Hide From Yourself – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 4.08)
6. (I’m Just Thinking About) Cooling Out – Jerry Butler (Original Single Version 3.35)
7. Only The Strong Survive – Billy Paul (Original Single Version 3:29)
8. Use Ta Be My Guy – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 3.32)
9. I Don’t Love You Anymore – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 4.00)
10. To Prove I Love You – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 4.12)
11. Things Are Gonna Get Better – Bunny Sigler (Original Album Version 2.58)
12. Not The Staying Kind – Lou Rawls (Original Album Version 3.54)
13. Holdin’ On – Dexter Wansel (Original Album Version 4.54)
14. Don’t Let Love Get You Down – Archie Bell & The Drells (Original Album Version 4.21)
15. Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto – The Philadelphia All Stars (Original Album Version 4.46)
16. You’re Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else – The Jones Girls (Original Album Version 4.34)
17. What’s The Matter With The World? – Lou Rawls (Original Album Version 5.58)
18. When Somebody Loves You Back – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 4.59)

CD 7
1. Life On Mars – Dexter Wansel (Original Album Version 5.53)
2. Sonceré (The Infinite Hour Glass) – Michael Pedicin Jr. (Original Album Version 6.26)
3. Tight Money – Leon Huff (Original Album Version 4.38)
4. Compared To What – Billy Paul (Original Album Version 5.21)
5. For The Love of Money – Thad Jones & Mel Lewis (Original Album Version 4.09)
6. Something For Nothing – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 3.00)
7. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be) – Patti LaBelle (Original Album Version 4.09)
8. Manhattan Skyline – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 4.49)
9. In Good Faith – Norman Harris (Original Album Version 5.15)
10. Reality – Monk Montgomery (Original Album Version 5.32)
11. Forever With You – Phyllis Hyman (Original Album Version 4.20)
12. My Favourite Person – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 4.17)
13. I Ain’t Jivin’, I’m Jammin’ – Leon Huff (Original Album Version 5.57)
14. Intro-Love Don’t Come Easy – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 5.09)
15. Mysteries of the World – M.F.S.B. (Original Album Version 5.31)
16. Theme from The Planets – Dexter Wansel (Original Album Version 4.53)
17. Malorie – Billy Paul (Original Album Version 3.40)
18. Set A Little Trap – Phyllis Hyman (Original Album Version 4.20)

CD 8
1. Come Go With Me – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 5.51)
2. Don’t Let It Go To Your Head – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 4.53)
3. Mine All Mine – The Stylistics (Original Album Version 4.53)
4. I’m In Love Again – Patti LaBelle (Original Album Version 5.41)
5. Brandy – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 4.06)
6. The Sweetest Pain – Dexter Wansel (Original Album Version 5.45)
7. Ain’t No Time Fa Nothing – The Futures (Original Album Version 5.31)
8. When I’m Gone – The Jones Girls (Original Album Version 4.53)
9. Turn Off The Lights – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 5.58)
10. I Can’t Stop (Turning You On) – Silk (Original Album Version 4.00)
11. Sooner Or Later – Billy Paul (Original Album Version 5.36)
12. I’ve Been Pushed Aside – McFadden & Whitehead (Original Album Version 5.14)
13. We Got Some Catchin’ Up To Do – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 5.04)
14. Maybe It’s Love This Time – The Stylistics (Original Album Version 4.11
15. Who Can I Run To (Ext Mix) – The Jones Girls (Original 12” Extended Mix 4.56)
16. Close The Door – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 3.37)
17. Children Of The Night – The Jones Girls (Original Album Version 5.13)
18. (You’re The One) Someone Special – The Futures (Original Album Version 4.17)

CD 9
1. Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now – McFadden & Whitehead (Original Album Version 6.07)
2. Was That All It Was – Jean Carn (Original 12” Mix 6.29)
3. Bring The Family Back – Billy Paul (Original Album Version 5:02)
4. Nights Over Egypt – The Jones Girls (Original Album Version 4.43)
5. Only You – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 3:35)
6. Put Our Heads Together – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 5:43)
7. Keep It Comin’ – The Jones Girls (Original Album Version 4:52)
8. I Heard It In A Love Song – McFadden & Whitehead (Original Album Version 5:15)
9. The Spirit’s In It – Patti LaBelle (Original Album Version 5:52)
10. Strut Your Funky Stuff – Frantique (Original Single Version 3:00)
11. What’s Your Name – The Stylistics (Original Album Version 4:55)
12. Dance Turned Into Romance – The Jones Girls (Original Album Version 4:31)
13. Strategy – Archie Bell & The Drells (Original Album Version 6:58)
14. I Love You Anyway – Dee Dee Sharp Gamble (Original Album Version 4:32)
15. Love T.K.O. – Teddy Pendergrass (Original Album Version 4:59)
16. Bet Your Lucky Star – Jean Carn (Original Album Version 4:53)
17. Let Me Be Good To You – Lou Rawls (Original Album Version 5:29)

CD 10
1. Love You Direct – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 3:57)
2. Ain’t You Had Enough Love – Phyllis Hyman (Original Album Version 4:17)
3. Somebody’s Gotta Move – The Dells (Original Album Version 5:09)
4. Do You Get Enough Love – Shirley Jones (Original Album Version 4:39)
5. First Time Together – Phyllis Hyman (Original Album Version 4:07)
6. I Can’t Forget You – Patti LaBelle (Original Album Version 4:33)
7. Hurry Up This Way Again – The Stylistics (Original Album Version 5:56)
8. Easy Money – Dee Dee Sharp Gamble (Original Album Version 4:06)
9. Summer Fling – The O’Jays (Original Album Version 4:53)
10. This Too Shall Pass – Phyllis Hyman (Original Album Version 5:29)
11. Baby Don’t Go Away Mad – The Dells (Original Album Version 4:41)
12. She Knew About Me – Shirley Jones (Original Album Version 4:35)
13. If Only You Knew – Patti LaBelle (Original Album Version 4:44)
14. Extraordinary Girl – The O’Jays (Original Single Version 3:36)
15. Heaven Only Knows – Teddy Pendergrass – (Original Album Version 4:13)
16. Baby Don’t Go, Yet – The Jones Girls – (Original Single Version 5:23)

IKE & TINA TURNER - SWEET RHODE ISLAND RED / THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO IKE & TINA

Two mid 70s sets from Ike & Tina Turner – both a nice pairing on this single CD! First up is Sweet Rhode Island Red – a tight little record that follows with the same sort of energy from the pair's Nutbush City Limits classic! Like that record, this one really reinvents their sound with an almost rootsier groove than before – one that's almost going back before their initial 60s soul mode, to reach for a criss-cross of R&B and bluesier sounds – perfect for the larger audience that had grown to dig the duo in the 70s! Tina actually wrote a good number of songs on the set – and the record's proof that her star was definitely rising, even amidst troubling times for the couple. Titles include "Let Me Be There", "Sweet Rhode Island Red", "Ready For You Baby", "Doozie", "Higher Ground", "Smooth Out The Wrinkles", and "I Know".

On The Gospel According To Ike & Tina, Ike and Tina Turner take on a host of gospel classics – but really rework them with their own sort of early 70s energy! Ike re-arranged all the tunes here – and in a way, the album's one of the most inventive from the pair during this time – almost as if the familiar tunes were giving them leave to stretch out and do some unusual things with their groove – especially Ike, and the way he changes the rhythms and instrumentation with nice little twists and turns. Tina's vocals bring a deeply soulful interpretation to the music – and a sense of sex that really breaks things out of the church! Titles include "Glory Glory", "Father Alone", "Take My Hand Precious Lord", and "Just A Closer Walk With Thee".

Source: Dusty Groove

EARL VAN DYKE - THE MOTOWN SOUND: THE COMPLETE ALBUMS & MORE

A legendary studio musician finally gets his due – as keyboardist Earl Van Dyke steps out in a massive collection of 60s work for Motown – one that features two full albums, 21 bonus tracks, and some very detailed notes! First up on CD 1 is the excellent That Motown Sound album – heavy batch of Motown soul instrumentals that features backings that are often very similar to the vocal versions on Motown – but which are topped with sweet organ solo work from Earl – who has this lean, mean style that's mighty nice – kind of a Jimmy McGriff groove that really fits the soul of the recordings! Most of the backings are exactly the same ones used for vocal hits, but the use of Hammond really transforms them nicely – making the whole record a sweet popcorn soul version of Motown – almost a bit grittier, with a nice sort of backroom jukebox flavor. Titles include "Try It Baby", "Can You Jerk Like Me", "Money", "Can I Get A Witness", "Come See About Me", and "All For You". Then, CD 1 continues with a huge amount of added bonus tracks – some compilation tracks, singles, and more rare bits – with titles that include "Soul Stomp (live)", "Opus & Funk", "6 By 6", "There Is No Greater Love", "You Name It (live)", "He Was Really Sayin Somethin", "Hot N Tot", "Mobile Lil The Dancing Witch", and a massive four-part version of "The Flick"!

CD 2 starts with Earl Of Funk – a set that's overflowing with great original tracks, plus some sweet funky covers too! The style here is quite different than Earl's previous work – and quite different from most of Motown too – with a hard-edged approach to the grooves that's much more like the work going on in the funky 45 underground on other labels – especially on the drums, which often snap nicely and give the album a great breaking sort of sound! The set was recorded live at the Hi Chapparal club in Detroit, with audience noise dubbed in later – and titles include "The Flick", "Cissy Strut", "Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again", "Fuschia Moods", "The Stingray", "The Whip a Rang", "Someday We'll Be Together", and "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye". CD 2 then moves on to include another 8 bonus tracks – a few core instrumentals with vocals stripped off and Van Dyke's organ added in – and a few singles too! Titles include "Ode To Benny B"," Gonn Give Her All The Love I've Got", "Fever In The Funk House", "Greedy Green", "Behold", "Up On Your Feet", and "Runaway Child Running Way". The set features 45 tracks in all – and full notes to finally unlock the mystery of this music!

Source: Dusty Groove

NATALIE COLE - INSEPARABLE / NATALIE / UNPREDICTABLE

A triple pack of early magic from Natalie Cole! Inseparable is Natalie's stunning debut for Capitol Records in the mid 70s – a real surprise, and a set that should have had the singer blossoming even more than she did at the time! As with some of the other Capitol soul sessions of the time, the album's done very firmly under the guidance of Charles Jackson and Marvin Yancey – a pair who give Natalie just the right sort of backing to launch her career – a sound that's full and rich, deeply sophisticated – but also still plenty soulful, almost in the mode of some of Minnie Riperton's work at the time. Given the pair's Chicago roots – and the arrangement help from Richard Evans – that comparison is no surprise, and Natalie rises to the occasion nicely. Titles are all originals too – and include "Needing You", "Joey", "I Can't Say No", "Something For Nothing", "I Love Him So Much", "You", "Your Face Stays On My Mind", and the huge hit "This Will Be".

Next up is Natalie – a record that really has Natalie Cole finding her groove – not needing any help from her famous familial legacy, thank you – and instead stepping out with a tight, proud mode that really helped refine the sound of female soul in the 70s! The album's got plenty of influences from the Chicago soul scene – including songwriting and production from the team of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy – and work from key session players like Richard Evans and Gene Barge, who worked in the Curtom Studios to craft the grooves on the set! Titles include "Keep Smiling", "Mr. Melody", "Heaven Is With You", "Can We Get Together", "Touch Me", "Hard To Get Along", and "Good Morning Heartache".

Unpredictable is an album that reunites Natalie Cole with the smooth soul team of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancey – the team who did such a great job with Natalie's Capitol debut, and who really continue the groove here too! The album's got a rock-solid approach through and through – a quality that has Natalie really standing out on her own as a positive young artist in soul – without any need to nod towards her father, as in later years. And Jackson and Yancey bring a nice dose of Chicago soul class to the affair – which turns out to be a perfect match for Natalie's vocals! Titles include "Be Mine Tonight", "Party Lights", "This Heart", "I've Got Love On My Mind", and "Still In Love".

Source: Dusty Groove 

NEW CHRIS BOTTI ALBUM, IMPRESSIONS, FEATURING HERBIE HANCOCK, ANDREA BOCELLI, MARK KNOPFLER, DAVID FOSTER & CAROLINE CAMPBELL

Trumpeter Chris Botti, the world's largest selling jazz instrumentalist, will release his latest album, Impressions, on Columbia Records on April 17, 2012. A collection of songs and compositions expressing his love for rich, evocative melodies, the album showcases Botti among a high profile group of featured guests, including pianist/composer Herbie Hancock, tenor Andrea Bocelli, country singer Vince Gill, rock star Mark Knopfler, composer/pianist David Foster and violinist Caroline Campbell.

The colorful array of music Botti has selected for Impressions reaches across stylistic areas and national boundaries with works by classical composer Frederic Chopin, American songwriters George Gershwin, Harold Arlen, R. Kelly, Randy Newman, Bob Thiele and David Weiss, Brazilian songwriter Ivan Lins, Argentine composer Astor Piazolla, Cuban composer Cesar Portillo de la Luz, as well as a pair of songs co-written by Botti. Many of the tracks are deeply enhanced by the superb orchestrations of William Ross, Vince Mendoza, Gil Goldstein and Jaques Morelenbaum.

Melody has always been at the heart of Botti's music. Whether applying the lush sounds of his trumpet to the long, lyrical phrases of a familiar ballad or the arching, rhythmic lines of a jazz improvisation, his solos tell evocative stories, finding their way into the very heart of a song.

Impressions offers all that and more. Like Chris Botti in Boston, as well as other albums reaching back to 2004's When I Fall In Love, the music on Impressions fulfills Botti's desire to offer the sort of programming variety that provides a little something for many different tastes. Every track on Impressions is an individual highlight, filled with memorable moments:

- Botti's elegiac performance of the album-opening orchestral version of Chopin's Prelude No. 20 in C minor.

- The magnificent voice of Andrea Bocelli singing the brand new song,"Per Te (For You)," composed for the album by Botti, David Foster and Tiziano Ferro.

- A floating, intimate duet between Botti and the subtle guitar of Leonardo Amuedo on R. Kelly's"You Are Not Alone," a hit for Michael Jackson in a very different version.

- Country singer Vince Gill's poignant version of Randy Newman's "Losing You."

- The irresistible rhythmic flow and improvisational flair of"Tango Suite," co-composed by Botti and Herbie Hancock.

- A quartet of songs reaching into the world of Latin music: Rodrigo's magnificent En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor, the trumpet and guitar lines of Brazilian songwriter Ivan Lins' lovely "Setembro," the swaying rhythms of Astor Piazolla's tango, "Oblivion," and the dark sensuality of a Cuban bolero, "Contigo En La Distancia."

- The cinematic intensity of the choral-textured, Middle Eastern timbres of "Sevdah."

- Botti's convincing foray into the Great American Songbook via the familiar classics, "Summertime" and "Over the Rainbow."

- The lovely, closing coda of Mark Knopfler's warm and amiable take on "What A Wonderful World."

Chris Botti's Impressions, combining a full menu of his incomparable trumpet playing, an exciting program of music and an impressive line-up of featured artists, is filled with major hit potential, fully ready to join his growing line-up of hugely popular CDs selling more than 3 million copies worldwide.

Chris Botti - Impressions tracklisting:
1. "Prelude" (Frederic Chopin)
2. "Per Te (For You)" (Chris Botti/David Foster/Tiziano Ferro)
3. "En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor" (Joaquin Rodrigo)
4. "You Are Not Alone" (R. Kelly)
5. "Losing You" (Randy Newman)
6. "Tango Suite" (Chris Botti/Herbie Hancock)
7. "Setembro" (Ivan Lins)
8. "Oblivion" (Astor Piazolla)
9. "Sevdah" (Gabriel Yared/Tanja Tzarovska)
10. "Summertime" (George and Ira Gershwin/DuBose Heyward)
11. "Contigo En La Distancia" (Cesar Portillo de la Luz)
12. "Over the Rainbow" (Harold Arlen/E.Y. Harburg)
13. "What A Wonderful World" (Bob Thiele/George David Weiss)

Source: Columbia Records

LUTHER VANDROSS - HIDDEN GEMS

The overwhelming talent of the late Luther Vandross (1951-2005), eight-time Grammy Award®-winning singer extraordinaire, songwriter, producer, arranger, and soul music visionary, are the focus of Hidden Gems. This new collection of 15 seldom-heard deep album tracks and movie soundtrack songs will arrive in stores on April 17, 2012, just three day's prior to Luther's birthday on April 20.

In the liner notes written by Luther's life-long collaborator Fonzi Thornton, Hidden Gems is described as "a deeper dig into the musical treasure trove of Luther Vandross, uncovering lesser known songs and performances that he endowed with the same passion and love as his well known repertoire." The album was compiled and produced in association with Luther's family, his niece Seveda Williams and cousin Brenda Shields, in order to present "an album compilation with a different theme his fans might enjoy, a collection which highlights Luther's ideas of song selection and how they complement THAT VOICE." Hidden Gems will allow casual listeners to discover songs they never heard, and devoted fans the opportunity to re-live what they loved about Luther Vandross.

Luther has 15 RIAA platinum and multi-platinum albums to his credit in the U.S. and worldwide sales of more than 30 million records. In 2010, National Public Radio included Luther in its "50 Great Voices" series.

Hidden Gems spans the timeline of Luther's major label recording career, from 1981 to the new millennium. These range from a track from his Never Too Much solo album for Epic in 1981 ("You Stopped Loving Me"); to a pair of tracks from Dance With My Father, his final studio album in 2003 (which received four Grammy Awards), namely "Once Were Lovers," with a harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder, and "Buy Me A Rose." The latter was sung by Luther for Oprah Winfrey when she visited him for his final television performance.

The bulk of Hidden Gems is devoted to Luther's 15-year tenure at Epic Records from 1981 to 1996, which produced nearly a dozen original studio albums, six of which are represented here:

•Never Too Much (1981, "You Stopped Loving Me");
•Forever, For Always, For Love (1982, "Once You Know How");
•Any Love (1988, "I Know You Want To");
•Power Of Love (1991, "I (Who Have Nothing)," a duet with Martha Wash from the Weather Girls, a remake of the 1963 Leiber & Stoller-penned classic by Ben E. King, that was made into a duet by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway in the '70s);
•Songs (1994, "The Impossible Dream," the timeless standard from Broadway's Man Of La Mancha);
•Your Secret Love (1996, "Goin' Out Of My Head," with its swirling string arrangement by Nat Adderley, a remake of the 1964 pop hit by Little Anthony & the Imperials, written by Teddy Randazzo); and also:
•One Night With You: The Best Of Love, Volume 2 (1997, "When You Call On Me (Baby That's When I Come Runnin')," written and produced by R. Kelly).

Two of the tracks on Hidden Gems are songs that Luther recorded for original motion picture soundtracks, whose albums are long out-of-print:
•"Heart Of A Hero" (from 1992's Hero, starring Dustin Hoffman), and
•"The Thrill I'm In" (from 1995's Money Train, starring Wesley Snipes).
"Are You Using Me?" is an exciting dance floor track that Luther co-wrote with Thornton, 'Little' Louie Vega, and Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez, which originally appeared on I Know, an album released by Luther on Virgin Records in 1998.

Luther's self-titled debut album for Clive Davis' J Records in 2001 was a #2 R&B and #6 pop success and is represented on Hidden Gems by "I'd Rather" (composed by longtime collaborator Shep Crawford), and "Like I'm Invisible" (co-written with Thornton). From the Japanese version of I Know comes "You Really Started Something" (co-written with Denise Rich and Junior Vasquez).

Luther's final studio album became a classic for every generation. Dance With My Father, released in 2003 on J Records, was honored with four Grammy Awards® spanning 2003 and 2004. They comprised Best R&B Album, Song Of the Year and Best R&B Song for its title tune "Dance With My Father," and Best R&B Vocal by a Duo/Group for Luther's duet with Beyonce on 'The Closer I Get to You," (a cover of the Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway classic). From Dance With My Father, Hidden Gems reprises "Once Were Lovers" (co-written with Thornton).

"When he hit the world stage he wasn't trying to be the next Sam Cooke, or Peabo Bryson or Frank Sinatra," Thornton's liner notes to Hidden Gems conclude. "He was just brilliantly intuitive about what songs showcased the dynamics of his vocal ability and radiated soul in a way that has not been heard in R&B and pop music before or since. He didn't have to sweat or shout or do splits – he opened his heart and left us beautiful Diamonds, Rubies and Emeralds of Music."

Hidden Gems by Luther Vandross Selections:
1. When You Call On Me (Baby That's When I Come Runnin') (I)
2. Once You Know How (B)
3. I Know You Want To (C)
4. Once Were Lovers (M)
5. You Stopped Loving Me (A)
6. The Impossible Dream (F)
7. Are You Using Me? (J)
8. Goin' Out Of My Head (H)
9. The Thrill I'm In (G)
10. Heart Of A Hero (E)
11. Buy Me A Rose (M)
12. I (Who Have Nothing) (duet with Martha Wash) (D)
13. I'd Rather (K)
14. Like I'm Invisible (K)
15. You Really Started Something (L).

Album index:
(A) – from Never Too Much (Epic Records, released 1981)
(B) – from Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic, released 1982)
(C) – from Any Love (Epic, released 1988)
(D) – from Power Of Love (Epic, released 1991)
(E) – from Hero soundtrack (Sony Music, released 1992)
(F) – from Songs (Epic, released 1994)
(G) – from Money Train soundtrack (Sony Music, released 1995)
(H) – from Your Secret Love (Epic, released 1996)
(I) – from One Night With You: The Best Of Love, Volume 2 (Epic, released 1997)
(J) – from I Know (Virgin Records, released 1998)
(K) – from Luther Vandross (J Records, released 2001)
(L) – from Luther Vandross (Japanese Version, RCA Records, released 2001)
(M) – from Dance With My Father (J Records, released 2003).

http://www.luthervandross.com/

ROBERT GLASPER'S "BLACK RADIO" DEBUTS AT #15 ON BILLBOARD TOP 200

Robert Glasper has earned the first-ever Billboard Top 200 chart debut of his career with the impressive first-week showing of his widely acclaimed new album Black Radio, his fourth album for EMI’s Blue Note Records which was released on February 28. The album lands at #15 this week on the Top 200 chart—and #10 on the Top Current Albums chart—with sales of 20,854 units. Black Radio reached #3 on the overall iTunes Music Store in the U.S., and remains #1 on the iTunes Jazz charts in 9 countries including the U.S., U.K., France, Australia, and Japan.

The release week buzz on Black Radio was fueled by a stand-out performance of “Always Shine” with Lupe Fiasco and Bilal on CBS Late Show With David Letterman, a Sunday Arts & Leisure feature in The New York Times, and an interview segment on NPR All Things Considered, as well as numerous rave reviews. Robert Glasper Experiment also played two sold-out shows at the Highline Ballroom in New York City featuring many of the album’s special guests.

In the meantime, Robert Glasper Experiment is continuing a round of North American tour dates in celebration of the new album Black Radio. Glasper’s tour is taking  him to Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington DC, with more dates to be announced shortly. See below See below for a list of upcoming tour dates.

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 – Upcoming 2012 Tour Dates:
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)

DENNIS ROLLINS - THE 11TH GATE

For 25 years British trombonist Dennis Rollins has played at the forefront of the UK jazz, funk and pop scene as an ‘impossibly virtuosic’ sideman to such stars as Maceo Parker, Courtney Pine, The Brand New Heavies, Blur, Tom Jones and as an award-winning leader in his own right.

Rollins is best known on the British and international jazz scene and is celebrated for his versatility and muscular approach on the trombone. A British musician with Jamaican roots and a top-class jazz/funk pedigree, Rollins’ diverse musical influences are at the heart of his crowd-pleasing compositions, which consistently elicit high praise. Among his accolades are winning the 2006 BBC Jazz 'Best Band' award in 2006, the Parliamentary Jazz Education' Award, and Ronnie Scott's 'Best Trombone' Award.

Obviously Rollins is considered a national musical treasure in the UK, and the buzz already surrounding his first international release, The 11th Gate, is setting the stage for him to rise to the rightful place as one of the world’s most formidable performer–leader–composers in his genre.

Alongside Rollins in the Velocity Trio are organist Ross Stanley (The Steve Howe Trio, Mark McKnight, Dylan Howe) and the fiery young drummer Pedro Segundo. The three cast a spellbinding sound as a charmed collective of musical prowess and muscular virtuosity that almost telepathically creates refined contemporary jazz arrangements marked by deep simmering grooves, attracting multiple generations of jazz, funk and world music fans. The 'electric' energy of Rollins’ Velocity Trio morphs seamlessly from atmospheric ethereal melodies generated by Rollins’ multi-harmonized horn to cinematic washes of Segundo's cymbals spilling over Stanley's growling organ grooves, to choral gospel riffs in praise of nature's inherent vibrational divinity.

The Trio’s collaborative energy illuminates each of The 11th Gate’s eleven tracks. The CD’s opening track,“Samba Galactica,” provides a first taste of the group’s imaginative artistry as they embellish samba rhythms with the interplay of Rollins’ steady trombone and Stanley’s roaring organ. On “Emergence,” Stanley’s organ sets an almost ethereal mood, echoed by Segundo’s mellow touch, laying a smooth foundation over which Rollins can move in to up the intensity. The same level of energy propels “Ujamma,” on which a musical tension builds until it is steadied, supported by the trombone’s slow sombre groove and a swinging drumbeat. On “The Other Side,” Segundo’s rhythmic contributions add a dash of delight, as if to transport listeners to that “other side” for which the track is titled.

The title of the CD also references Rollins’ 47th (4 + 7 = 11) birthday, emphasizing the positive numerical significance of this extraordinary musical leader and his unique musical vision.

Source: Motema.com

NEW RELEASES: CAMERA SOUL, SOUNDS FROM THE SOUL UNDERGROUND, FANIA ALL-STARS

CAMERA SOUL - WORDS DON'T SPEAK

If you like the sound of European jazz, then you will truly enjoy this release from Camera Soul entitled Words Don’t Speak. It’s from the same team that brought us Italian Bossa Bar by Marchio Bossa. This is an Italian release which features a total of 11 songs, 8 of which are original composutions. The overall sound of this release reminds us of the sou/jazz sounds from latter 70s to the early 80s. Keyboardist and producer Pippo Lombardo has enlisted a top notch group of musicians for this album, which features vocals by Serena Brancale. Top tracks include , “Born to Be (Forever Mine),” “Bossanova,” the Maurice White-penned, “Miracles," and the cover of Lionel Ritchie’s “Love Will Conquer All.”

Camera Soul – Words Don’t Speak Tracklist
1. Words Don’t Speak
2. Again
3. Born To Be (Forever Mine)
4. Love Will Conquer All
5. All Dark
6. Bossanova
7. Miracles
8. I Am
9. Zigzags
10. Whereabouts
11. Suddenly

SOUNDS FROM THE SOUL UNDERGROUND – A FRESH MIX OF CONTEMPORARY SOUL, FUNK, JAZZ, LATIN & AFROBEAT FROM AROUND THE WORLD


The soul underground of today – proof that there's still some amazingly deep music being made in the 21st Century, as long as you know where to look! The groups here are all contemporary, but they work strongly in the sounds of the 60s and 70s – the best funk and soul modes from that classic generation, put together faithfully, but with a fresh approach too – given the youthful energy that most of these artists bring to their recordings! There's just a few contemporary touches here and there, but overall most of the production and instrumentation is very much in the best vintage mode – on these cuts pulled from hard to find imports and rare 7" single releases of the past few years. But hardly just take our word for it – there's plenty to please your ears the moment you jump into the set – cuts that include "You What" by The Andy Tolman Cartel, "Poker Nights Theme" by The Delicious Allstars, "Shaft In Africa" by The Mighty Showstoppers, "Put Leg To Road" by Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra, "Mr G" by Jessica Lauren Four, "Cockroach Grind" by The Haggis Horns, "Kekfeny" by The Qualitons, "Cramp Your Style" by The Killer Meters, "Cascade" by Renegades Of Jazz, "Hey Girl" by Jo Stance, and "Something's Gotta Give" by Nick Van Gelder.
Source: Dusty Groove

FANIA ALL-STARS – LIVE AT THE RED GARTER VOl. 2

A Latin soul party – beyond compare! The album's a completely wonderful live set that really captures the energy, excitement, and warm sociability of the hip New York scene at the end of the 60s. The music is stunning – a freewheeling blend of jazz, soul, and Latin themes – played with effortless ease by a lineup that includes Joe Bataan, Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Bobby Quesada, Louie Ramirez, Ralph Robles, and some of the other heavy-hitters of the Latin soul years. (Just imagine trying to get so many jazz or rock talents together on one stage – it would never happen!) The album's incredible – and even the spoken introductions and crowd noise really help set the feel of the era's mighty magic power! Titles on this second volume include "Kikapoo Joy Juice", "If This World Were Mine", "Richie's Bag", "Red Garter Strut", and "Son Cuero Y Boogaloo". Firey stuff, and one of their best records!
Source: Dusty Groove

MICHAEL PEDICIN – BALLADS...SEARCHING FOR PEACE

Tenor saxophonist Michael Pedicin, whose 40-plus-year career has included tours with Dave Brubeck and Maynard Ferguson, has long demonstrated a profound feeling for ballads--those slow, tender songs with lovely melodies that, in the hands of the best purveyors, create a powerful emotional intimacy. On his new CD Ballads... searching for peace, Pedicin focuses on the genre with seven masterful renditions, ranging from a timeless standard to attractive originals and classics of the jazz repertoire. The disc is Pedicin's 10th.

Ballads...searching for peace draws some of its inspiration from the 1962 Ballads album by John Coltrane, Pedicin's main musical hero. "From the time Trane did Ballads, I've always wanted to do a ballads album," explains Pedicin. "I finally did it. There is nothing quite as inspiring and satisfying for me as playing a beautiful ballad."

For the new album, Pedicin teams with longtime colleagues: guitarist John Valentino, who co-produced the session with Pedicin and engineer John Mulhern; pianists Dean Schneider (also a member of Pedicin's other group, the Brubeck Project) and Barry Miles; and the rhythm tandem of bassist Andy Lalasis, and drummer Bob Shomo.

The album kicks off with an evergreen that has been recorded by many, including Coltrane: Don Raye and Gene DePaul's "You Don't Know What Love Is," which opens and closes with expressive saxophone cadenzas. "I've been playing it for a long time," Pedicin says of the song, which was the title track of his 1991 FEA CD release. "It has always been one of my most requested songs."

Other highlights include Wayne Shorter's poignant "Virgo" and McCoy Tyner's gorgeous "Search for Peace," as well as Hank Mobley's rarely-played "Home at Last," done as a gentle bossa with solos from the leader, Schneider, Valentino, and Lalasis.

Originals comprise the remainder of the selections. "Blame It on My Heart" and "Few Moments" were brought to the session by Valentino; Pedicin contributes the romantic-tinged "Tell Me," its title suggestive of his other line of work as a psychologist. Pedicin feels the album presents him at his best. "I don't think I've ever been able to proudly listen to one of my own CDs until this ballads album," he says.

The saxophonist grew up in a musical family. His dad, alto saxophonist and singer Mike Pedicin, was an extremely popular entertainer and bandleader in the Philadelphia area who had a No. 1 Billboard pop chart hit in 1957 with "Shake a Hand." "I idolized my dad," Pedicin says. "He allowed me the freedom to learn about music, the saxophone, and life itself--the way I needed to learn it."

By the time Pedicin Jr. was 13 and had heard saxophonist Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson in person and Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley on record, he knew he wanted to spend his life playing saxophone. At 20, Pedicin began earning his living as a member of the horn section at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios, where he worked for producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, playing on sessions by such artists as the Spinners and Lou Rawls. He also went on the road with Maynard Ferguson, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie.

In 1980, Pedicin made his first album, Michael Pedicin Jr. (Philadelphia International), which yielded the surprise hit "You"--big in New York City and even bigger in the Philippines. Subsequently he toured with Brubeck, and was a mainstay in the Atlantic City casinos, hiring orchestras and playing behind such singers as Frank Sinatra.

Pedicin has since played a lot of straight-ahead jazz, formed his Brubeck Project (which released its debut CD earlier this year on Jazz Hut), and toured with such notables as guitarist Pat Martino. He also earned a Ph.D in psychology and, in addition to his musical activities, has a private psychology practice specializing in helping creative people. He's an active educator as well, currently an Associate Professor of Music and Coordinator of Jazz Studies at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

Still, playing comes first. "I will never put my saxophone down until I can't play anymore," he says.

http://www.michaelpedicin.com/

PAT METHENY & DIANNE REEVES TOPLINE THE 2012 NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL



Pat Metheny



George Wein, producer and founder of the Newport Jazz Festival® and Chairman of the Newport Festivals Foundation™ has announced the program for the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival to be held in Newport, RI August 3 - 5 at the historic Fort Adams State Park and the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport Casino.

The 2012 Newport Jazz Festival® features Pat Metheny Unity Band with Chris Potter, Antonio Sanchez and Ben Williams; Dianne Reeves; Jack DeJohnette's 70th Birthday Celebration featuring his Quintet and an All-Star group performing two sets; Bill Frisell - John Lennon Songbook; Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints; The Bad Plus with Bill Frisell; James Carter Organ Trio with Special Guests Rodney Jones and Miche Braden.



Dianne Reeves



In addition, also appearing are Dafnis Prieto Sextet; 3 Clarinets: Ken Peplowski, Evan Christopher, Anat Cohen; Christian McBride's Inside Straight; John Ellis & Double-Wide; Darcy James Argue's Secret Society; and Pedrito Martinez Group on Saturday, August 4, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm, on three unique stages at Fort Adams State Park.



Then on Sunday, August 5, the music continues at Fort Adams at 11:00 am with the Tedeschi Trucks Band; Maria Schneider Orchestra; Jason Moran and the Bandwagon; Kurt Elling; Miguel Zenón's Rayuela; Jenny Scheinman & Bill Frisell; Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet; Rudresh Mahanthappa's Samdhi; Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke with special guest Becca Stevens; John Hollenbeck's Claudia Quintet + 1 featuring Theo Bleckmann; 3 Cohens: Yuval, Anat and Avishai Cohen; Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks; Lewis Nash Quintet featuring Jeremy Pelt and Jimmy Greene; Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Centennial Project; and Berklee Global Jazz Institute Sextet.

THE BERNIE WORRELL ORCHESTRA

Rock n' Roll Hall of Famer, Grammy winning featured musician, and co-founder of the original Parliament-Funkadelic (P-Funk) puts a unique funked up spin on his new album featuring The Bernie Worrell Orchestra! Including songs from Bernie Worrell: Standards as well as classics from Bernie's past collaborations. Five upcoming performances featuring special guests including: Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club and Steve Scales of the Talking Heads (Sunday April 1st performance):

Friday, March 17, 2012 - 8:30 PM

Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleeker Street, New York, NY 10012
http://lepoissonrouge.com/events/view/3033


Friday, March 23, 2012 - 8:00 PM
The Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211
http://www.brooklynbowl.com/

Friday, March 30, 2012 - 8 PM
The Spot Underground
15 Elbow St, Providence, RI 02903
http://thespotprovidence.com/

Sunday, April 1, 2012 - 7:30 PM

Stage One

70 Stanford Street, Fairfield, CT 06824

http://fairfieldtheatre.org/

Friday, April 13, 2012 - 8PM - (originally scheduled for 3/10)

The Historic Blairstown Theatre

30 Main St., Blairstown, NJ 07825

http://thehbt.com/

How many artists can say they were in on the ground floor of an honest-to-Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame supergroup, while inventing a completely original and uncanny sound and, in the ensuing years, building a legendary reputation as one of the most versatile hired guns in the music business? True funkateers know the history. From the fat Minimoog bass lines of “Flash Light” and “One Nation Under A Groove” to the percussive piano runs of “Chocolate City” and “Give Up the Funk,” Bernie Worrell is synonymous with the legacy of Parliament-Funkadelic; in fact, he’s one of the originators of the psychedelic funk sound, having written and co-produced the lion’s share of the music going back to Funkadelic’s formative years, with an eclectic ear for everything from Chopin to the Chi-Lites.

These days the terms “living legend” or “funk icon” really don’t come close to doing him justice. “Funk iconoclast” is probably more apt, considering the breadth of Worrell’s contributions to seminal albums outside the P-Funk canon—including Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense and Public Image Ltd’s Album, to name two of the more monolithic examples. Keith Richards, Yoko Ono, Bootsy Collins, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Mos Def, Sly & Robbie, Deee-Lite, Bill Laswell and many more have recruited Bernie in the studio and on tour—all for his versatility, vision and feverish creativity whenever he gets his hands on a keyboard.

June, 2011 saw the release of Bernie Worrell: Standards -- Bernie's take on jazz standards -- precipitating the decision by Worrell and co-producer, Evan Taylor to "take the show on the road". The Bernie Worrell Orchestra performs with a nine piece band consisting of two guitarists, two drummers, bass, percussion and a three piece horn section that performs songs from this album along with songs from Bernie's vast repertoire. The enthusiastic response from fellow musicians means that you just don't know who will show up to join the BWO on stage.

More information, including tour dates, can be found at http://www.bernieworrell.com/.

NEW RELEASES: CAETANO VELOSO & DAVID BYRNE, ITHAMARA KOORAX, EMILIO SANTIAGO

Caetano Veloso & David Byrne -
Live At Carnegie Hall

A legendary pairing of two amazing artists – a once-in-a-lifetime performance from Caetano Veloso and David Byrne (and we don't mean that as a Talking Heads pun, either!) The album's got a stripped-down, acoustic feel that really lets both singers open up and dominate the proceedings – Caetano at first, in a presentation of some of his own songs – then Byrne on some of his music – all in an instrumental setting that features guitars from both singers, plus cello from Jacques Morelenbaum, and percussion from Mauro Refosco – starting from gentle spareness to more focused energy, a bit like the style used by Byrne in Stop Making Sense, yet still acoustic overall. The singers come together as the set moves on – clearly comfortable in a warm friendship – and titles include "Sampa", "Coracao Vagabundo", "Mahata", "The Revolution", "And She Was", "She Only Sleeps", "Life During Wartime", "Road To Nowhere", "Um Canto De Afoxe Para Bloco De Ile", "Terra", "Nothing But Flowers", and "Heaven".

Ithamara Koorax -
Got To Be Real

Maybe the greatest album so far from Ithamara Koorax – and quite a change from some of her previous records, too! A number of the songs are 70s soul classics – music that's clearly inspired Ithamara over the years, and which really drives her to deliver a strongly soulful vocal approach throughout! Another great aspect of the album is the presence of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who brings in these amazing Fender Rhodes lines that really fit the sound – the kind of warm, soulful lines that always made his work in Azymuth so great. There's still a nice dose of Brazilian jazz in the mix, but the overall approach is a lot more soul-based than usual – and the jazzy keyboards really deepen the sound, too – and give the record a feel that's way deeper than just a collection of covers. Titles include "Got To Be Real", "Butterfly", "Goin Out Of My Head", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Negue", "My Favorite Things", "Vesti Azul", and "Pigmalio 70".

Emilio Santiago -
So Danco Samba – Ao Vivo

A nice little live set from Emilio Santiago – recorded in support of his excellent studio album of the same name, but with a slightly different feel overall! Instrumentation is by a tight combo with more than a bit of jazz in the mix – perfect for Santiago's vocals, which have all the warm, soulful qualities we've loved for decades – a sound that was already mature and fully-formed back in the 70s, and has only gotten better as years have gone on! Keyboards and percussion make the instrumentation sound great – and titles include "Confissao", "Olhou Pra Mim", "Nunca Mais", "So Danco Samba", "Influencia Do Jazz", "Sambou Sambou", and "Tendencia".

Source: Dusty Groove

PHRONESIS - WALKING DARK

Phronesis are a dynamic trio who need little introduction. Their fourth album, Walking Dark, is the highly anticipated follow-up to the acclaimed Alive [Edition], which was voted ‘Jazz Album of the Year’ by both Jazzwise and MOJO magazines in 2010. Since the success of this release, the band have toured widely across Europe and North America, earning consistent praise for their vibrant live performances.

Formed by Danish bass player Jasper Høiby in 2005, the energy and individuality of Phronesis comes from an extraordinary democracy of expression and almost telepathic empathy between the musicians – three of the finest players on the European jazz scene today. British pianist Ivo Neame and Swedish drummer Anton Eger come together with Høiby to create a poly-rhythmic sound that is utterly accessible despite its underlying complexity, full of emotion and heart yet always delivered with clarity and direction.

Walking Dark is titled in reference to a series of concerts the trio played in total darkness as a dedication to Høiby’s visually impaired sister, and is the culmination of a body of work they have explored in performance since their second release, Green Delay. Høiby explains, “The Pitch Black project has provided us with the opportunity to focus on the intuitive aspect of how we communicate musically between ourselves, and with the listener. For me personally, it’s also been a way of giving something positive back to my sister, who continues to walk in darkness”.

Høiby describes Walking Dark as ‘a joint Phronesis adventure’ – the first album in which all members of the band contribute to the writing, as well as the arranging. Yet through these individual compositional textures, each track nevertheless displays the characteristic groove-driven ‘Phronesis sound’, incorporating constantly shifting yet expertly tight rhythmic patterns and exploratory openness. The album sees all three players reaching further than ever before, creating music that by turns drives with urban energy and resonates with mountainous space and sheer delightful abstraction.

With Walking Dark, this compelling trio have replicated in a studio setting the cha¬rismatic energy that makes them such a remarkable live force on stages internationally, and have produced an indisputable statement as to where jazz is heading in 2012.

JASPER HØIBY double bass
IVO NEAME piano
ANTON EGER drums

Source: Edition Records

JOSH ARCOLEO - BEGINNINGS

The first thing that hits home with Beginnings – tenor saxophonist Josh Arcoleo’s debut CD – is its timelessness. It’s immediately modern and wonderfully assured and yet the entire tradition of jazz’s first instrument seems to flow through it. Arcoleo has a highly personal tone on his horn and there’s an individuality about his sound that is bold and commanding. Some musicians take years to learn these lessons and others never do. Josh Arcoleo, just 23 with already plenty of road miles under his belt, definitely has gravitas, that rarest of qualities, and he has it in spades.

It’s no surprise that he studied with James Brown Alumnus Pee Wee Ellis and claims Ellis’ one time tutor Sonny Rollins as an influence, along with the great Joe Henderson. We’re talking ‘big tenor’ here. Just listen to the intro to the title track. Arcoleo and his musicians sketch what is to come quite beautifully but it still doesn’t prepare you for the majestically elegant way the music unfolds.

And there’s a more delicate strength to Phoenix, with its gorgeous introduction from pianist Ivo Neame, and to Glade. Both reveal Arcoleo’s growing confidence and skills as a writer but they also suggest that here is a musician who knows how to draw out the best of his sidemen. The space that James Maddren and Calum Gourlay create on both of these tunes is astonishing, whilst Neame plays with perfect poise and weight. And there is a nicely loose feel to Arcoleo’s entry on Phoenix before he pushes the pace and ratchets up the tension. Elsewhere, there’s a real muscularity to be found in the opening track, Dean Road, whilst Nomads’ Land bristles with electricity. In tough times like these, the music must show both its vigour and its tenderness and Beginnings is all these things and more.

When tenorist Dick Morrissey first hit the West End in the early sixties, Ronnie Scott dubbed him ‘the kid with the tenor’. There’s been a few new tenor kids come through town since then. Now there’s a new star, only he ain’t a kid. Josh Arcoleo is blessed with a voice and a vision that’s already mature and full of authority. Beginnings is one of the most complete debut albums in a long time. More than that its title warns of things to come. This is so much more than just the Beginnings.

Musicians:
JOSH ARCOLEO saxophones
IVO NEAME piano
CALUM GOURLAY double bass
JAMES MADDREN drums

Source: Edition Records

DIANA KRALL ANNOUNCES "SUMMER NIGHTS" TOUR

Diana Krall, the multi-platinum, Grammy®-winning musician with an unprecedented nine #1 Billboard Jazz chart debuts, will begin her biggest year of touring since 2009 on March 22. After multiple appearances during Grammy® week in Los Angeles, Krall is announcing nearly 20 additional dates on her 40-city, 2012 "Summer Nights" tour, taking place across the U.S. this spring and summer.

Krall will be joined on tour by Anthony Wilson (guitar), Robert Hurst (bass), and Karriem Riggins (drums).

Since her Grammy®-winning tenth studio album Quiet Nights (Verve) was released in 2009, Krall has performed on four different continents, produced Barbra Streisand's Love Is the Answer, contributed "Simple Twist of Fate" to the charity album Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International and performed on Paul McCartney's new album, Kisses On The Bottom.

Diana Krall "Summer Nights" U.S. Tour:
3/22 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center
3/24 - Key Largo, FL - Ocean Reef Cultural Center
3/26 - West Palm Beach, FL - Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
3/27 - Sarasota, FL - Van Wezel Prof. Art Center
3/28 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
3/30 - Virginia Beach, VA - Sandler Center for the Performing Arts
3/31 - Newport News, VA - Ferguson Center
6/19 - Baltimore, MD - Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
6/21 - Vienna, VA - The Filene Center
6/22 - Rochester, NY - Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
6/23 - Lenox, MA - Tanglewood
6/26 - New Brunswick, NJ - State Theatre
6/27 - Lancaster, PA - American Music Theatre
6/29 - Hyannis, MA - Cape Cod Melody Tent
6/30 - Cohasset, MA - South Shore Music Circus
7/01 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/03 - Williamsport, PA - Community Arts Center
7/06 - Chautauqua, NY - Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
7/07 - Ocean Grove, NJ - The Great Auditorium
7/08 - Bethlehem, PA - Sands Bethlehem Event Center
7/11 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheater
7/12 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center For the Performing Arts
7/13 - Nashville, TN - Schermerhorn Symphony Center
7/15 - Louisville, KY - The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall
7/16 - Milwaukee, WI - The Riverside Theater
7/17 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia Pavilion
8/05 - Beaver Creek, CO - Vilar Performing Arts Center
8/06 - Denver, CO - Denver Botanic Gardens - York Street
8/08 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
8/10 - Pala, CA - Pala Casino - Starlight Theater
8/11 - Indio, CA - Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Special Event Center
8/13 - Las Vegas, NV - The Smith Center for the Performing Arts - Reynolds Hall
8/15 - Livermore, CA - Wente Vineyards
8/16 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
8/18 - Lincoln, CA - Thunder Valley Casino Resort - Outdoor Amphitheatre
8/21 - Turlock, CA - Turlock Community Theatre
8/22 - Hanford, CA - Fox Theatre
8/19 - San Francisco, CA - Davies Symphony Hall
8/24 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
8/25 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
8/26 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
8/28 - Santa Rosa, CA - Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
8/29 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Pavilion
8/31 - Portland, OR -Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
9/01 - Woodinville, WA - Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
9/02 - Woodinville, WA - Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery

http://www.dianakrall.com/