NEW RELEASES - JEFF HERSHEY & THE HEARTBEATS, GREG PHILLIGANES, JEFF PARKER TRIO

JEFF HERSHEY & THE HEARTBEATS – SOUL MUSIC VOLUME 1

Raw soul from Jeff Hershey & The Heartbeats – a modern So Cal combo with deep, genuine love for the gritty live soul & R&B sounds of the mid 60s onward – and they're committed to doing it right! The group plays with a live-ready intensity and raw integrity that's really infectious – and they have a charismatic singer in Jeff Hershey to get it across strongly. It's a core sextet of guitar, bass, drums, baritone and tenor sax behind front man Hershey. The album was recorded to analog, to further underscore the authentic approach. That was the right way to go, as it sounds live and direct, no doubt as intended! They also pull off a couple of slower cookers, further demonstrating their depth. We're guessing their live show kills, but they clean up on record, too! Includes "Didn't Come Around", "Way Back Home", "Knock You Down", "Push On Through", "Stay Here At Home", "Good Times", "Another Day Without You", "Nobody Does It (Like You Do)", "Honesty Road", "Wearin' Me Out". ~ Dusty Groove

GREG PHILLIGANES - PULSE

Greg's definitely showing off all his chops on this one – working with help from a huuuge array of famous guest stars – including The Pointer Sisters, James Ingram, Howard Hewett, Jackie Jackson, Michael Jackson, Robbie Nevil, and others. And while the bulk of the record really shows the influence of these mainstream 80s soul artists – and not always in a good way – the record also sports a brilliant tune done with Donald Fagan of Steely Dan, the sweetly grooving "Lazy Nina", which sounds like the best work off Fagan's Nightfly, and has Greg and Don duetting on vocals! Titles include "Behind The Mask", "Signals", "Shake It", "Countdown To Love", "Come As You Are", and "Playin With Fire". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "Only You", "Behind The Mask (12" version)", "Playin With Fire (12" version)", "Behind The Mask (inst)", "Behind The Mask (single)", and "Playin With Fire (inst)". ~ Dusty Groove

JEFF PARKER TRIO – BRIGHT LIGHT IN WINTER

One of the nicest records we've heard from Jeff Parker in years – a trio date with some wonderfully rich sounds, and a great showcase for some of the more lyrical sides of his music! Parker plays in these great chromatic modes throughout – using some slight effects with his hollow-body electric, in the company of bassist Chris Lopes and drummer Chad Taylor – the latter of whom really helps make the album great, thanks to a fluid, open sense of rhythm – yet one that still always knows how to swing! There's more of a groove here than you might usually expect from Jeff, and a sensitivity too – and the album almost feels like the beginning of a rich new chapter in his career. Titles include "Mainz", "Swept Out To Sea", "Freakadelic", "Istvan", "Occidental Tourist", and "The Morning Of The 5th". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - BILL WITHERS, ERIC REED, PHILIPPE BADEN POWELL

BILL WITHERS – JUST AS I AM (40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

A beautiful album by Bill Withers – filled with incredibly well written songs, and an amazing instrumental technique that blended folksy elements with smoother 70s soul, in a sound that would put Bill at the top of the charts for many years, yet still give him cred with soul fans for decades! Booker T Jones arranged, produced, and played electric piano on the album – and we can say without a doubt that the record's one of the few good things to come out of his move to LA! Although the album's not a greatest hits one, given the strength of the tracks, it may as well be, as it includes Withers classics like "Grandma's Hands", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Harlem", and "Hope She'll Be Happier". Also features the nice groover, "Better Off Dead", which has a very tasty intro! ~ Dusty Groove

ERIC REED – BADDEST MONK

Eric Reed's no stranger to the music of Thelonious Monk, but this time around he's got a great approach – a fresh take on these modern classics, served up in soulful ways that definitely fit the "baddest" spirit of the title! There's even more of a rhythmic focus here than in the original compositions – served up with heavy drums from Henry Cole and bass from Matt Clohesy – and topped with bold leads from Seamus Blake on tenor and Etienne Charles on trumpet – both of whom further emphasize the soulfulness of Reed's arrangements. Jose James sings on a version of "Round Midnight" – and other instrumental tunes include "Epistrophy", "Green Chimneys", "Bright Mississippi", "Monk Beurre Rouge", and "Evidence" – as well as Reed's own "The Baddest Monk". ~ Dusty Groove

PHILIPPE BADEN POWELL – BRAZIL: PIANO MASTERS SERIES VOLUME 2

A striking solo set from Phillipe Baden Powell – much bolder and more expressive than his previous album – even though the overall feel is a lot more stripped-down too! Baden's got a very sharp approach to the keys of the piano – working here in a range of tones that's really breathtaking – a stark palette of sounds that's recorded with just the right sort of depth to let all of his most subtle touches come through. As befits his roots, the tunes are a mix of Brazilian numbers and jazz standards – plus a few original compositions as well – and titles include "Canto Triste", "Consolacao", "Prologue", "The Meantime", "Loro", "Choro Para Metronomo", "Ending", "Giant Steps", and "Vista Chinesa". ~ Dusty Groove

METALLIC TASTE OF BLOOD

In an audacious meeting of the minds, guitarist/producer and sonic provocateur Eraldo Bernocchi, who recently released Winter Garden with Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie, has joined forces with Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin, keyboardist Jamie Saft (John Zorn, Bad Brains, New Zion Trio, Black Shabbis) and drummer Balázs Pándi (Obake, Merzbow, Venetian Snares) in the band Metallic Taste of Blood. Spanning the space between metal, progressive dub, alternative rock, free jazz and ambient music in a smooth and all-encompassing way, this latest offering in an ever-burgeoning catalog of renegade albums in the RareNoiseRecords stable ranging from bone-crunching intensity to cinematic soundscapes, with detours into reverb-soaked excursions and fuzz-fueled onslaughts along the way.

"There's really no specific idea or concept at work here," says Bernocchi, co-founder of RareNoiseRecords who has also collaborated with the likes of Bill Laswell, Mick Harris, Toshinori Kondo, Nils Petter Molvaer and Davide Tiso, and is a member of the experimental doom metal band Obake. "These are four musicians who enjoy working together and playing music where they are freely expressing themselves. I'd say it's more of an emotional stream than a juxtaposition of styles. And it just comes by itself, helped by sound."

Bernocchi, who played guitar in an Italian punk band as a teenager, contributes a wide range of stirring six-string work throughout Metallic Taste of Blood (MTOB), including his spaghetti western guitar on "Sectile," his catchy New Wave-ish riffs on "Bipolar" and his heavy, distortion-laced licks on "Schizopolis" and "Fist Full of Flies." Elsewhere, Bernocchi's ambient music influences play out on his reverb-soaked guitar lines on, "Crystals and Wounds" and "Transverse," as well as his sonic seasonings on the elegant, "Glass Chewer" and the cinematic sounding "Twitch."

Bassist Edwin, a native Australian and member since 1993 of Porcupine Tree, the UK underground band hailed as the Pink Floyd of the '90s, brings an unparalleled, wrecking ball intensity to his crunching fuzz bass lines on tracks like "King Cockroach," "Sectile" and "Maladaptive." Says Edwin, "It's always a journey into the unknown working with somebody new, so on my first visit to Eraldo's studio in Tuscany, I had prepared some basslines and programmed drum ideas to get Eraldo and myself started. Naturally, as a bass player, I am quite drawn to repetitive and hypnotic pattern type basslines, so I had tried to come up with things that were strong enough to build on, but also quite open-ended, and hopefully suggestive of different directions. I had been listening to a lot of Moroccan music, especially Bachir Attar's The Next Dream, and was drawn to the trance-like but evolving quality of the music, so I guess a lot of that seeped through in this project. Eraldo mixed me higher and also encouraged me to add more distortion to the bass than I would have, left to my own devices."

Though Edwin does exhibit thunderous intensity with his throbbing basslines through this MTOB project, his contributions throughout are far more diverse, alluding to slippery dub bass lines on "Glass Chewer" and a kind of tumbao groove underneath "Schizopolis." As he explains, "I have always loved dub, and it's power and discipline, but have never really played in a context where that influence has come through so much before, but it seemed to come out quite naturally here. The basic foundation for 'Glass Chewer' came about as I was thinking of the polyrhythmic approach that occurs in a lot of African music, where you can feel the beat either in cycles of six beats or four. There is a rhythmic tension and release when the guitar figure comes in and goes out, that really appeals to me. 'Schizopolis' was based around a repetitive fretless bassline, but there's a purposely odd symmetry to the repetition, which is then broken by the slow four section that follows. I have always loved Mick Karn's bass playing, and while his work was unique and truly impossible to copy, I would cite the oddness of the bassline here as something that has been influenced by him, likewise the quirky line on 'Crystals and Wounds.'"

While there were structures laid out for the various pieces on Metallic Taste of Blood, Bernocchi says that 50% of the material is improvised. "Improvising is a process that's a part of me," he says. "It's very difficult at this point to detach from it."

Adds Edwin, "We didn't have any kind of blueprint or set out to make something in a particular direction, it was a case of being led by our instincts and by the possibilities we were creating. It became apparent pretty early on to me and Eraldo that we were working on something new for both of us. As for improvisation, certainly that is a part of the sound. There's even a bass solo on 'Schizopolis,' although is has been transformed by Eraldo's sonic sculpting."

While the initial core of MTOB was Bernocchi and Edwin, the addition of drummer Pándi and keyboaridst Saft came easy. "Balázs was a natural choice as I am working with him in Obake and he really fits a band like this. He is such an amazing drummer, he easily adapts to all the styles of this record." says Bernocchi. "Jamie is an amazing musician and shares with us his passion for experimental music as well as extreme metal, which is something you don't really find in jazz musicians too often. Colin and I created some structures, which were really open ones, and then each musician gave a contribution in term of melodies, layering, and arranging."

Adds Edwin, "One of the things I love about working on music is how other musicians can really surprise you because they hear things to do that you'd never imagined yourself, so it has been very inspiring to me to hear the way the material has developed. Early on in the recording process, Eraldo frequently surprised me by doing what he would do with my initial, very basic ideas. Where I had imagined one thing, he would often do the exact opposite. He added some very atmospheric electronics to where I thought he might riff with his downtuned baritone guitar, for example. And Jamie really knocked me out with some of his input, especially his electronics on 'Maladaptive' and his use of the harpsichord on 'Schizopolis' I am aware that some music 'works' precisely because of the juxtaposition of seemingly incongruous elements, but no one in the band suggested we do anything a certain way; it's more the case that the blend of personalities in Metallic Taste of Blood is what has lead us to the results on the album. So you could say, the personalities have led the concept."

Regarding his two current, similarly intense working bands, Metallic Taste of Blood and Obake, Bernocchi says, "The approach is very similar. There's an improvisation component in both of them. MTOB is much more structured and we conceived the record as a modern kind of opera that was really organic. Obake is much more direct, a punch-in-your-face kind of thing. It'll stay like that and possibly become more and more heavy over the course of a song."

And regarding the potent band name, Edwin says, "It was Balázs' suggestion to use the name Metallic Taste of Blood, which we all liked immediately. I think it fits the music perfectly; it's unsettling, but strangely satisfying at the same time."

Metallic Taste of Blood · Metallic Taste of Blood
RareNoiseRecords · Release Date: June 12, 2012

THE BEST OF PERCEPTION & TODAY RECORDS

Perception Productions, a New York based label that ran from the late 60s through until 1974, was a strangely eclectic affair. Its roster stretched from a radical Afro-American poet through to the pop band King Harvest whose hit ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’ became a massive hit for the UK band Toploader a couple of decades later. The inbetween points covered jazz, funk, vocal harmony soul and proto-disco. In fact distilled down into this compilation the label provides us a view of Manhattan’s black music scene of the period, from the established greats to the fresh young things who would make their mark in the coming years. The two men who ran the label, President Terry Phillips and Boo Frazier burned brightly for that half a decade before almost entirely disappearing from the music scene.

When they started up the label their initial signings suggested that the black high arts were their true love. The first year saw Shirley Horn, James Moody and the most famous of them all Dizzy Gillespie signed in quick succession. Gillespie is one of African-American music’s most important figures, who in the 1940s alongside Charlie Parker figureheaded the revolutionary changes in jazz that were labeled Bebop. He was rarely without a record deal from that day forth until his death in 1993, so getting him to sign to the new label was something of a coup. He made two albums for the label, the second Portrait Of Jenny was a beautiful jazz album, but his debut The Real Thing put him in a more contemporary setting. The funking up of Dizzy was a success and the two tracks we feature here are groove jazz masterpieces. In particular Mike Longo’s ‘Matrix’ has been long sought after by collectors and is a well known sample used most effectively by the Beatnuts on their track ‘World Famous’. The saxophonist – and flute player – James Moody is a contemporary of Gillespie’s his playing was nearly as well respected. He had first recorded in the 1940s, but had often had problems with addiction, which had at times, seem him hospitalised. By the early 70s these problems were largely behind him and he was becoming a respected elder statesman in the music world. He also recorded two albums for Perception The Teachers and Heritage Hum from where we draw the lovely title track. ‘The Teachers’ was recorded with a young jazz-rock group called the Albert who released two albums for Perception both called The Albert. Fronted by vocalist Otis Smith ‘One Life’ is lifted from the first.

By the early 70s jazz was going through a tough period and it may have occurred to Phillips and Frazier that if their labels were going to survive they needed to diversify, however their jazz leanings continued throughout the label’s time. Organist Julius Brockington was a young talent and a typical leader of an organ combo, the most popular format for the jazz clubs in the Black neighbourhoods of the day. His records are in not especially sophisticated, in some ways the music is organ funk or RnB, rather than jazz, as can be seen on this frantic cover version of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Rocksteady’. He also had a single for Perception with his family group the Brockington’s ‘I Just Got To Know’. Brockington and his band backed Baltimore based poet Wanda Robinson on her second album for the label Me And My Friend from which we lift ‘A Possibility (Back Home)’. Her first album was produced by Anthony Davis, but features two tracks that use the backing tracks from the Patrick Adams produced group Black Ivory (more of whom later), one of these ‘Instant Replay’ used the group’s ‘I Keep Asking You Questions’ as its background music. You can listen and compare. Saxophonist Tyrone Washington signed to the label in 1972 to record the obscure album Roots which had Hubert Eves on piano. Washington had gotten his breakthrough in the late 60s when he worked with Horace Silver and recorded his debut album for Blue Note.

Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto was one of the most successful jazz artists of the 60s with her records for Verve, most notably the hit ‘Girl From Ipanema’ recorded with Stan Getz. Her sole album for Perception was something of a gem, with arrangements by Eumir Deodato who at the time was at the height of his success with Creed Taylor’s CTI label. She is backed by an all-star group that includes Airto Moreira, Billy Cobham, Patrick Adams and Mike Longo. Produced by the singer herself, it featured the wonderful ‘Gingele’ and a stunning version of Jorge Ben’s ‘Take It Easy My Brother Charlie’. The final fruit of Perceptions’ dalliance with jazz that we look at is Joe Thomas’ Is The Ebony Godfather. The flautist was nearly 40 when he made this album for Today, late some would say but the good grooves of ‘Chitlins & Cutchifrutos’ and his version of Gary Byrd’s proto rap ‘Every Brother Ain’t A Brother’ obviously attracted the attention of jazz producer Sonny Lester with whom Joe spent the rest of the 70s recording for his Groove Merchant and LRC labels.

When they stepped into the soul and funk arena Perception / Today really found their feet through two people in particular Bill Curtis from the Fatback Band and a young producer called Patrick Adams. The Harlem born Adams was just into his twenties when he began working for the label and he proved incredibly versatile. With Jon Bartel he produced funk rock which was clearly being aimed the same audience that was propelling Motown’s group Rare Earth to the top of the charts. Jon Bartel was the singer songwriter who fronted a group that included Larry O’Brien on guitars and Abe Blaingame on percussion (the LP label credits the artist as the Jon Bartel Thing). Bartel recorded a single album for Perception which came out in 1972 and you can perceive Adams at work in the rhythm guitar arrangement of ‘Naturally Good’, whilst ‘You’ve Just Been Bitten’ includes a big break just waiting to be sampled. Adams also produced the radical funk group Madhouse who’s album ‘Serve ‘Em’ features a vicious caricature of Richard Nixon and a sleeve note that states that the group just knew that the American people would sentence themselves to four more years of hell in the 1972 Presidential election.

His greatest moments at the label came with Black Ivory which was the group that also first introduced the musical world to the genius of Leroy Burgess. Both Burgess and Adams are today lauded as some of the most important figures in the history of dance music, Adams with his songwriting and productions on his own P&P label and for scores of others. Burgess as a performer – often with Adams – and also as a songwriter and producer. Black Ivory were formed when Harlem native Leroy Burgess met his then girlfriends brother Larry Newkirk and discovered that he had a group called the Mellow Souls, after hearing Leroy’s voice Larry asked him to join the group. by the time they joined Today the group consisted of Leroy, Russell Patterson and Stuart Bascombe. They recorded two albums for the Today Don’t Turn You Around and Baby, Won’t You Change Your Mind. We’ve lifted all three tracks we use from their debut album, which was recorded in New York and at Sigma Sound in Philadelphia. The strings and uplifting choruses on ‘Surrender’ and ‘You Keep Asking Me Questions’ certainly reflect the emerging Philadelphia sound, whilst ‘You and I’ shows the group’ roots in vocal harmony singing. Their greatest success came after leaving Today to go to Buddah, most notably their dance classic ‘Mainline’ from 1979.

The Fatback Band’s history is very much that of how street funk developed in New York. Bill Curtis had been in New York since the early 50s, and had been an on the road drummer who had played behind all the big stars of the time either on tours that travelled around the country or as part of the legendary Apollo Theatre’s house band. By the late 60s he was working out of Queens, providing bands for all sorts of events from club gigs to weddings, from covering chart hits to playing calypso. He also had his own label for which he provided the main band, known after the label – and Bill’s drumming style- as The Fatback Band. Tiring of never being paid as an independent label he decided to hand that task over to someone else and signed to Perception in 1971. Their first breakthrough came when with the release of their debut album Let’s Do It Again the track ‘Going To See My Baby’ was picked out by New York’s number one soul DJ Frankie Crocker who started playing it on his show. With his support the group broke through with hits such as ‘Njia (Nija) Walk’ from their second album ‘People Music’. They were rapidly picking up an audience and their final release for the label ‘Dance Girl’ was proving to be very popular when Perception went bust and the record was lost. Fatback then signed to Spring’s ‘Event’ label and went on to massive international success with amongst others ‘Spanish Hustle’ and ‘I Found Lovin’.

Much of the rest of the label’s roster was filled up with one off recordings aiming at greater success. The Eight Minutes for instance where a family group from Chicago who were clearly being aimed at the market dominated by The Jackson 5. Produced by James L Porter, their one album An American Family showed that they were of a higher quality than most of the acts that tried to muscle in on this territory as evidenced by the tracks that we feature. JJ Barnes and Debbie Taylor were soul singers who recorded in many places both before and after Perception. Barnes’ biggest success came in Detroit in the late 60s but his recordings at Perception were perfectly pitched to show off his voice. Debbie Taylor released the album Coming Down To You on Today to little notice which is a shame because numbers like ‘Too Sad To Tell’ deserve more attention. Bobby Rydell had been a pop singer for Cameo Parkway Records in Philadelphia in the early 60s, he clearly had a decent voice as shown on ‘Honeybuns’ but he was a strange signing to Perception / Today.

I’ve saved a final mention for the Johnny Pate written and arranged Blaxploitation soundtrack for ‘Brother On The Run’. Pate was an accomplished jazz bassist, recording for the Bethlehem label in the 50s. In the 60s he found himself much in demand as the consummate arranger on the Chicago soul scene working alongside Curtis Mayfield on much of his seminal production work. In the early 70s he recorded the Outrageous album for MGM and also made two fantastic soundtrack albums. The most famous of these is Shaft In Africa with the acid jazz classic ‘You Can’t Even Walk In The Park’. Just as good is the rare ‘Brother On The Run’, which features Pate alongside a stellar line up of Joe Beck on guitar, Jerry Dodgion on reeds, and a main theme sung by Adam Wade.

When Perception closed its doors in 1974 it had been producing records for nearly 5 years. It’s left behind a legacy of great soul, funk and jazz which is contained within the compilation.

Dean Rudland
December 2011

Tracklist:
CD1
1. Dizzy Gillespie - Matrix
2. The Eight Minutes - I Can't Get No Higher
3. Adam Wade & Johnny Pate - Brother (Title)
4. JJ Barnes – You Owe It To Yourself
5. Debbie Taylor - Too Sad To Tell
6. Joe Thomas - Chitlins & Cuchifritos
7. The Fatback Band - Njia (Nija) Walk
8. Bartel - Naturally Good
9. Madhouse - Get Some Of This
10. Astrud Gilberto – Gingele
11. The Albert - One Life
12. Bobby Rydell - Honey Buns
13. Black Ivory - You And I
14. The Eight Minutes - Take My Love Don't Set Me Free
15. Wanda Robinson - Instant Replay

CD 2
1. Fatback Brother Bill Curtis - Dance Girl
2. Bartel - Boogie
3. Dizzy Gillespie – Alligator
4. Black Ivory - I Keep Asking You Questions
5. Julius Brockington - Rock Steady
6. Tyrone Washington - Submission
7. Joe Thomas - Every Brother Ain't A Brother
8. Bartel - You've Just Been Bitten
9. Black Ivory - Surrender
10. The Eight Minutes - Find The One Who Loves You
11. Astrud Gilberto - Take It Easy My Brother Charlie
12. James Moody - Heritage Hum
13. J. J. Barnes - Wishful Thinking
14. The Eight Minutes - Looking For A Brand New Game
15. Wanda Robinson - A Possibility (Back Home)

~ bbemusic.com

DONALD FAGEN / MICHAEL McDONALD / BOZ SCAGGS - THE DUKES OF SEPTEMBER 2012 TOUR DATES

The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue consists of Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, and Boz Scaggs The group was formed in 2010 and is a resurrection of the previous New York Rock and Soul Revue which featured the same three musicians and played a combination of hits from the members respective careers as well as a wide variety of covers. Donald Fagen and Michael McDonald began working together in the mid-1970s when McDonald would collaborate with Steely Dan, singing and playing keyboards on a lot of their material. The two worked together again during the early 1990s in the short lived New York Rock and Soul Revue which also included Boz Scaggs, Phoebe Snow, Eddie Brigati, David Brigati, Charles Brown, Walter Becker, Cornelius Bumpus and Mindy Jostyn.

The Dukes of September 2012 tour dates:
 June 20 – Fox Theatre – St. Louis, MO
 June 22 – Jazz Aspen Snowmass Festival, Aspen, CO
 June 24 – The Joint @ The Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
 June 25 – Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, San Diego, CA
 June 27 - Wells Fargo Center for the Performing Arts - Santa Rosa - CA
 June 30 - Civic Auditorium - San Jose - CA
 July 01 - Paramount - Oakland - CA
 July 05 - Britt Pavilion - Jacksonville - OR
 July 06 - Chateau Ste-Michele - Woodenville - WA
 July 07 - Orpheum - Vancouver - BC
 July 10 - Paramount - Denver - CO
 July 14 - Verizon Theater - Grand Prairie - TX
 July 15 - ACL Live at Moody Theater - Austin - TX
 July 17 - Woodlands Pavilion - Woodlands - TX
 July 20 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - Alpharetta - GA
 July 21 - Amphitheater at The Wharf - Orange Beach - AL
 July 24 - Ruth Eckherd Hall - Clearwater - FL
 July 25 - Hard Rock Hotel and Casino - Hollywood - FL
 July 27 - St. Augustine Amphitheater - St. Augustine - FL
 July 28 - Tuscaloosa Amphitheater - Tuscaloosa - AL
 August 01 - Beacon Theater - New York - NY
 August 02 - Beacon Theater - New York - NY
 August 05 - Borgata - Atlantic City - NJ
 August 08 - Musikfest - Bethlehem - PA
 August 11 - CMAC - Canandaigua - NY
 August 14 - Jacob's Pavilion - Cleveland - OH
 August 15 - Zoo - Toledo - OH
 August 17 - Pine Knob - Detroit - MI
 August 18 - Kresge Auditorium - Interlochen – MI
 September 10 – PNC Pavilion, Cincinnati, OH
 September 27 – Red Rock Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO

CLASSICS REVISITED - EDDIE HARRIS, FREDDIE HUBBARD, ARTHUR BLYTHE

EDDIE HARRIS – PLUG ME IN

Killer stuff – and an amazing album that not only showcases the varitone sax talents of Eddie Harris, but also features some fantastic arrangements by Chicago soul genius Charles Stepney! Harris plugs in right from the start – blowing an electric sax that comes up with some groovy groovy sounds – perfect for Stepney to work with on the backdrops – mixing together funky orchestrations, off-kilter strings, and even some prepared piano, ala John Cage – similar to the mode he used with Ramsey Lewis at Cadet! Tunes are wonderful – offbeat, funky, and plenty darn soulful – and titles include "Live Right Now", "It's Crazy", "Winter Meeting", and "Theme In Search Of A TV Commercial". ~ Dusty Groove

FREDDIE HUBBARD – BLACK ANGEL

A totally fantastic set from the turn of the 70s, and one of Freddie Hubbard's most soulful, spiritual albums ever – a seminal chapter in the evolution of soul jazz – and a record that was a keen inspiration for changes to come on labels like Strata East and Black Jazz! The group here features Kenny Barron on both electric and acoustic piano – really stretching out with a hip, open sort of sound – possibly his first of this type on record – and other players include James Spaulding on alto and flute, Reggie Workman on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and Patato Valdes on added percussion – giving a more complicated groove to the best numbers. Tunes are all long and well-penned – three by Freddie himself ("Eclipse", "Spacetrack", "Gittin' Down"), one by Kenny Barron ("Black Angel"), and one by Walter Bishop (the original recording of his classic "Coral Keys"!) ~ Dusty Groove

ARTHUR BLYTHE – LENOX AVENUE BREAKDOWN

A stunning Columbia Records debut from Arthur Blythe – recorded at a time when the label was really sinking its teeth back into quality jazz, and helping artists like Arthur get some great new exposure! At the time of the date, Blythe had already spent years working in the jazz undergrounds on both coasts – developing a searing sound on alto sax that's perfect for the focused structure of this album – almost a tone poem of sorts, offering up a portrait of the Harlem scene that was a key part of Arthur's life at the time. The sounds are sharp, but also have a sense of energy that really holds them together – guiding the players through long readings of well-penned tunes by Blythe that are filled with loads of energy and life! Players include James Newton on flute, James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Bob Stewart on tuba, Cecil McBee on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Guillermo Franco on percussion – and titles include "Odessa", "Slidin Through", "Down San Diego Way", and "Lenox Avenue Breakdown". ~ Dusty Groove

JOE COCKER, K.D. LANG & THE DUKES OF SEPTEMBER TO HEADLINE JAZZ ASPEN SNOWMASS JUNE FESTIVAL

Chris Botti

The Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) June Festival returns to the Benedict Music Tent with a line-up including new faces and old favorites, an expanded JAS Café Downstairs at the Nell series, and the addition of a nightly pre-concert Lawn Party prior to the headline concerts.

The Festival kicks off on Friday, June 22 with three of the biggest names in jazz-rock and soul, The Dukes of September, featuring Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs. Saturday, June 23 brings the iconic blues-rocker, Joe Cocker, to the stage, who last played JAS in June 2003. The first weekend concludes on Sunday, June 24 with pop/country singer/songwriter k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang in her first ever JAS appearance.



The Dukes of September: Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs





The following two weeks will feature an array of eclectic performances at the JAS Café Downstairs at the Little Nell: on Friday, June 29 the French/Brazilian magic of vocalist Cyrille Aimee and guitar virtuoso Diego Figueiredo returns after wowing audiences with their January performances; Saturday, June 30 will feature the Gypsy Jazz of the Hot Club of Detroit; Thursday, July 5 the 14-piece Cuban Band Wil Campa Y su Gran Union takes the stage; and on Friday, July 6 New Orleans trombonist, and 21-year head horn playing in Harry Connick's Big Band, Lucien Barbarin and the New Orleans Rhythm Revue will close out the Nell shows. On August 10-11 singer/songwriter/guitarist Raul Midon will be featured at the JAS Café with more summer acts still to be announced. Each evening will feature performances at 7:30 and 9:15pm. Tickets are $32/each in advance, $40 at the door.

Joe Cocker

The June Festival concludes with jazz trumpeter Chris Botti and special guest Caroline Campbell on violin, Saturday July 7 at the Benedict Music Tent, presented in association with the Aspen Music Festival and School. Botti tickets are available now at 970-925-9042 or aspenmusicfestival.com.

New this year is a nightly JAS pre-concert Lawn Party on the Benedict Music Tent grounds (June 22-24). Live music and multiple food and beverage vendors will be available from 6pm nightly for the public to enjoy.

June Festival Host Sponsors include The Town of Snowmass Village and The Denver Post. Other sponsors include CME, Coors Light, Alpine Bank, Patron Tequila, KSPN, The Myers Roberts Collective and Aspen Sojourner.

Tickets for the June 22-24 shows are on sale now. They can be purchased at 866-JAS-TIXX (527-8499), jazzaspensnowmass.org, or the Belly Up Box Office (544-9800). For information on festival patron (VIP) tickets please contact the JAS office at 970-920-4996 or visit jazzaspensnowmass.org.

JAS Café tickets are available at 866-JAS-TIXX or jazzaspensnowmass.org In addition to the June Festival Café shows, additional Café performances will take place July 27-28 (acts tba) and August 10-11 (featuring singer/songwriter/guitarist Raul Midon & an additional act tba).

PIANIST & COMPOSER LEO BLANCO TO APPEAR AT THE JAZZ CARAVAN @ MIRELLE'S

The Jazz Caravan @ Mirelle's is presenting Leo Blanco with a perfomance on Friday, May 11.

Leo Blanco is a Venezuelan pianist, arranger and composer. Leo grew up in Mérida-Venezuela, where from early age he was surrounded by Venezuelan folklore – a blend of African and European musical traditions– as well as jazz, classical music and pop. At the age of 11 he already was a member of the Mérida Youth Symphony Orchestra.

After moving to Caracas at the age of 16 he performed and recorded with his own Jazz trio, while studying Improvisation, jazz harmony and piano at the musical Institute “Ars Nova” and University of Musical Studies. Soon he started working with very well known jazz and Latin pop national artists. During his eight year in Caracas, Leo obtained vast experience as a composer, arranger, and musical producer while working as musical director at the city’s oldest and most important jazz venue, Juan Sebastian Bar. There, with the Leo Blanco Trio, he shared the stage with major international jazz artist such as Terence Blanchard, Danilo Perez, Pat Metheny, Chucho Valdez (Irakere), Joao Bosco, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

His interest in world music and jazz brought him to Boston in 1996, where he immediately obtained a full scholarship to study composition and improvisation in both Berklee and then New England Conservatory. His talent and dedication to music was very quickly recognized in the US. In March 1996, Leo was the first Latin American to win to a prestigious Jazz awards: the “Boston Jazz Society Award”, and in May of the same year, he received the Billboard Grant Award for his “talent, commitment, achievement and other attributes indicating that he is likely to make a significant contribution to society through music. Comissioned to write a new piece “End of the Amazonia” for the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra

Leo continued to be very active in the international music scene. He has participated in a number of musical projects, adding his creativity and talents to other genres such as North American folk, Afro Latin, classical. He has played with highly acclaimed artists such as Dave Liebman, George Garzone, Luciana Souza, Bob Moses, Dave Samuels, Jamey Haddad, Antonio Sanchez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Jane Bunnett.

In the international arena, Leo has been a guest of renowned World Music and Jazz Festivals, such as Newport Jazz Festival (USA), Monterey Jazz Festival (USA), North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland), Edinburgh’s International Festival (Scotland), Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Kobe Jazz Festival (Japan), Festival de Música (Brazil), Festival Latino Americano (Italy), Festival Latino (Italy), Festival Tentarera (Germany), Music Festival de Paleo (Switzerland). He was invited to perform and record a T.V Broadcast by the Cultural Ministry of Yugoslavia. He has played as guest soloist with several Venezuelan orchestras, including Symphonic Orchestra of Funda Ayacucho, Symphonic Orchestra of Mérida and the Symphonic Orchestra of Lara.

Blanco’s most recent Album CD is Africa Latina on the European label Ayva with notable musicians like saxophonist Donny McCaslin, drummer Antonio Sánchez and guitarist Lionel Louke, among others. This new recording is “an excursion through the music hinterland of African music influenced on Venezuela, Colombia and Peru.”

Blanco will be performing at The Jazz Caravan at Mireilles at 170 Post Avenue, Westbury, NY on Friday, May 11.

mirelles.com

LEE RITENOUR - OVERTIME

Grammy Award-winning multi-genre guitarist Lee Ritenour’s debut Blu-Ray, Overtime, is set for release on June 19. Recorded over two days in a Burbank, California studio, almost three hours in length,

Overtime is a tour-de-force of jam-happy proportions as the guitarist is placed in a variety of environments that show off his extraordinary skill of adapting to each and every genre-specific moment. From the soulful funk of The Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” to a stunning set of Brazilian samba to the jazz-rock fusion of his early days, Rit rocks, swings, and rolls in a progressive mélange of satisfying chops and intelligence.

There’s an innate feel in these grooves that one cannot only respond to intellectually but viscerally…in the gut. The songs are culled from 1977’s Captain Fingers, 1978’s Captain’s Journey, 1981’s Rit, 1988’s Festival, 1992’s Wes Bound (a tribute to the legendary guitarist Wes Montgomery) and 2003’s Twist Of Motown.

And The Cast! Luminaries include the Grammy Award-winning vocalist/pianist Patrice Rushen; trumpeter Chris Botti (who has had four #1 jazz albums); flute/sax man Ernie Watts (from Charlie Haden’s Quartet West and the 1981 Rolling Stones tour); multi-instrumentalist Eric Marienthal (sax, flute, piccolo) from The Chick Corea Elektric Band; Peruvian percussionist Alex Acuna; acclaimed soul singer Kenya Hathaway (daughter of the late Donny Hathaway); drummer Harvey Mason (from Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters) and many others. Composer/arranger/pianist Dave Grusin (with whom Ritenour won a 1985 Grammy Award for Harlequin) shares the bill with the band on a four-track 2011 Montreux Jazz Festival bonus: “Wes Bound” “Stolen Moments” “The Firm” and “Lay It Down.”

Lee Ritenour has spiced up sessions and stages for everyone from Tony Bennett, Lena Horne and Steely Dan to Pink Floyd and Dizzy Gillespie. He’s been at the forefront of fusion, has crafted cool improvisations in the mode of Miles Davis, contributed to super-group Fourplay and has made pop inroads into Brazilian music. Throughout Ritenour’s 30-album career, his individuality and resourcefulness always shines through.

TRACK LISTING:
1) Party Time
2) Blue In Green
3) Mizrab
4) Sugarloaf Express
5) Harlequin
6) Beyond The Storm
7) Dinorah Dinorah
8) P.A.L.S.
9) Captain Fingers
10) Morning Glory
11) Captain Caribe
12) Night Rhythms
13) A Little Bumpin’
14) Water To Drink (Agua de Beber)
15) Possibilities
16) Papa Was A Rolling Stone
17) Is It You?
18) Thirteen
19) She Walks This Earth

BRIAN CULBERTSON - DREAMS

This summer, prolific R&B/Jazz musician Brian Culbertson invites you to close your eyes, open your ears, and fall deep into a lush world of musical fantasy with his breathtaking thirteenth album Dreams (Verve/Universal). With the help of lauded guest vocalists Vivian Green, Noel Gourdin and Stokley Williams of Mint Condition, Dreams masterfully melds jazz sensibility with an R&B flair in a wondrous mélange of enchanting grooves.

The result is a stunning collection of 10 mesmerizing tunes, including the poignant lead single "Still Here" -- featuring the soulful rapture of Vivian Green, telling the passionate tale of how taking a risk on love can have a happy ending. "Your Smile," the album's lead jazz single, is an exquisite rhythmic excursion underscored with an undeniable buoyant groove. Brian recruited the R&B vocal prowess of singer Stokley Williams to enhance the melodic elegance of "No Limits," whose romantic lyrics accentuate the thrill of actualizing an altruistic union. On "You're My Music," Boston-based singer Noel Gourdin pours his thick, soulful vocals over both Brian's shimmering piano chords and bass guitar licks.

Dreams was arranged by esteemed R&B producer and longtime collaborator Rex Rideout (Angie Stone, Ledisi, Luther Vandross, Lalah Hathaway, Will Downing, Kem) while also calling on four of R&B's top session players to help round out the sound: bassist Alex Al (Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones) and guitarists Michael Thompson (Babyface, Toni Braxton), Rob Bacon (Beyoncé, Raphael Saadiq), and John "Jubu" Smith (Frankie Beverly & Maze, Whitney Houston).

Brian has released his 4-track EP Dreams featuring several of the album's stellar tracks, "Your Smile," "Later Tonight," "Still Here" f/ Vivian Green and "No Limits" f/ Stokley Williams. The EP serves as a delectable audio appetizer for Brian's full length album due out this Summer 2012.

With the concept of dreams, Brian felt enraptured in a vivid sequence of thoughts, images, and sensations -- a lifelike realm where radiant colors, sounds, and illusions intersect, creating the most vibrant experience.

"Last summer, I just started having these really vivid dreams, I was waking up inspired to get into the studio and write songs. Songs that made me feel like those dreams. On this whole record, I really concentrated on piano melodies that were really catchy and emotional. Melodies that tried to take you somewhere. On a little musical journey, if you will."

Having worked with an array of stellar R&B artists such as Faith Evans, Ledisi, Brian McKnight, Kenny Lattimore, Musiq Soulchild and Avant on his past albums -- in total, Brian has produced or performed on over 25 No. 1 records, topping the Billboard Charts, regularly appearing as the opening act for Barry Manilow, lauded by Prince, and received six Oasis Jazz Awards.

Upcoming events and tours include the already sold-out Brian Culbertson's Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, taking place between June 7-10th. Celebrating the finest in wine, food, art, and music in the heart of California's rich viticultural Napa valley, guests of the festival will be entertained by Brian and a host of special guests and fellow recording artists including comedian Sinbad, pianist David Benoit, saxophonists Eric Marienthal and Eric Darius, and vocalists Kenny Lattimore and Oleta Adams. Brian will also head out on tour with legendary jazz saxophonist David Sanborn during a 30-date stop appropriately titled The Dream Tour which will take place at an array of venues including wineries, cruises, casinos and festivals between June 17th and September 22nd.

2012 is certain to be a pivotal turning point in Brian's illustrious career. Dreams holds the key to a new dimension of the jazz listening experience by effortlessly combining elements of R&B and soul with spellbinding melodies and the marvel of inner visions. With Dreams, as with his previous efforts, Brian proceeds to keep the genre of jazz alive and viable by consistently injecting a fresh approach into his own unique sensibility. Dreams definitely proves that jazz and groove fit hand-in-glove.

NEW RELEASES - SKII HARVEY, SUNNIE PAXSON, CYNTHIA BASINET

SKII HARVEY – BOUND BY HISTORY

Australian singer/songwriter Skii with her sultry, sassy voice has been likened to a cross between Tina Turner and Ella Fitzgerald. Skii is a life long singer/songwriter. She began her career huddled over an old upright piano squeezed into her mother’s small semi in Redfern where their tiny porch had been converted into a makeshift bedroom. Like many artists she worked a couple of jobs by day and the gig circuit by night.

Her voice has stopped the likes of Sting and Ricky May but it is her song writing that has brought her to the attention of the Billboard music awards, the UK songwriting awards, Australian Songwriter’s Association, Song of the Year and as a producer’s choice in the LA music awards. Bound By History is Skii’s 3rd album. Her first Album “Uncompromising” and her critically acclaimed second album “Foolish Girl” can also be found on iTunes.

“Bound By History is the next chapter” says Skii, “It is about being strengthened and encouraged by your past as well as cautioned. We are all made up of our history both singularly and collectively but it is how we step into the future that truly counts.” ~ skiiharvey.com

SUNNIE PAXSON - BOHEMIAN SUN
Innovative songwriter, producer, arranger and performer Sunnie Paxson has already proven herself as a talented jazz pianist and recording artist. Paxson has toured with Grammy award winning bassist Stanley Clarke and has recorded and/or shared the stage with many including Justo Almario, Larry Carlton, Danny Gottlieb and Michael Paulo to name a few. Her compositions and performances can be heard in feature films and television including the smash hit “Desperate Housewives.”

A native of Philadelphia, Sunnie was a child piano prodigy from amusical family. Her skills were honed by studies with world-renowned pianists Bernard Peiffer, Jimmy Amadie and Ray Santisi. Paxson attended Berklee College of Music and the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts.

Paxson was voted one of “Los Angeles’ Best Jazz Performers” in Los Angeles Magazine. In the world of radio, Sunnie is known on stations throughout the US as well as internationally. This was due to her successful debut solo album, Groove Suite, which contained the ultimate feel-good single “Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied),” featuring longtime friend Clarke on bass. Jazz Week listed Sunnie as one of the top 100 artists with the most spins for two years during the peak run of this CD. On Sunnie’s newest album, Bohemian Sun, her first release on the Roxboro Entertainment Group label, she returns to her solid jazz roots with this straight-ahead jazz trio record which consists of herself Stanley Clarke/bass and Ronald Bruner, Jr. /drums) featuring some of her own compositions, some standards and one song written by Clarke.
~ roxboroentertainment.com

CYNTHIA BASINET - IT'S ONLY A PAPER MOON

Actress, humanitarian, and Great American Songbook aficionada Cynthia Basinet follows up her stunning holiday release, “The Christmas Song” with one of our most beloved musical chestnuts… It's Only A Paper Moon. Ms. Basinet absolutely nails her unique read on a song that was penned by Harold Arlen, Billy Rose and E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, and first published in 1933. The lyrics play on our perceptions of reality vs. fantasy, and Cynthia’s compelling version ingeniously captures that quirky vibe perfectly. Adding to Ms. Basinet’s luscious vocal talent is pianist, composer, musical director Lee Musiker, whose extensive resume includes working with superstar names like Mr. Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, and Paul McCartney. This is a performance not to be missed, so my advice to you is to download your copy of Cynthia Basinet’s amazing version of It's Only A Paper Moon. Then you can decide if your life is real or make believe! " ~ Scott O’Brien (SmoothJazz.com)

CHRIS GODBER - MY OFFERING

Chris Godber (Pronounced God - brrr) born July 13, 1985 is a saxophonist, producer and multi instrumentalist from Panama City, Florida. He plays soprano, alto and tenor saxophones in addition to the piano, keyboards, and acoustic guitar. He can be heard playing most of the background instruments and drum programming on his first three albums. His music is heavily influenced by Contemporary Jazz, R&B and Gospel and by elites such as Grover Washington Jr., Boney James, Kenny G, Kirk Whalum, Brian Culbertson, Chris Tomlin and the likes of Michael W. Smith’s piano work and composition.

Chris's latest album My Offering is his 4th album to date garnering praise and reviews the world over. Scott O'Brien from SmoothJazz.com says "If you’ve ever wondered what Kenny G would sound like if he kicked it up a notch, then you need to listen to this guy play. Patrick Van de Wiele of SmoothJazz.eu says, “Sometimes he makes me think of Kenny G…you can easily situate him between those other more famous smooth jazz sax players!"

Unlike those “other more famous sax players”, however, Chris suffers from asthma. When starting middle school in Charleston, SC he aspired to start playing the saxophone, but his doctors told him he wouldn’t be able to because it may aggravate his symptoms. Chris didn’t take no for an answer and took to the sax anyway! Though he struggled with it more so than other students at the time, he soon overcame the hurdle that was holding him back and used the saxophone as a form of self treatment for his asthma symptoms. Chris gives God all of the credit for allowing him to play and saying, “That’s why I play for Him. He’s the one that allows me to do so in the first place.”

Though Chris still has asthma, God has allowed him to overcome it. It's only one of many miracles God has blessed Chris and his family with. His sister, Sarah was born 3 months premature in Bonn Germany back in 1990. Because of the complications with delivery and her stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the doctors didn't give much hope of survival to Chris's family. However, through much faith and prayer God blessed them with Sarah and after 4 months she was able to come home from the hospital! Today she is a huge asset to Chris's ministry helping in various areas of marketing and web updates!

In early 2011 Chris signed with L.A. Sax to endorse their saxophones and has nothing but great things to say about them. "From the first note I was in awe at how well they played and capturing my voice in the sax. I like them so much I recorded the new album with them, and the songs I had already recorded with my other horns I then re-recorded!" -Chris Godber. As an artist endorser Chris has access to these wonderful instruments so if you'd like to buy a horn through Chris at a you can do so here. (Discounts available for students)

Chris has worked with various other musicians both in the studio and on the stage. He was a National Finalist in GMA’s (Gospel Music Association) 2005 Music in The Rockies, Estes Park, CO. He’s performed with T. Graham Brown and has also been an opening act for various Gospel Artists such as, “Seventh Day Slumber”, “KJ 52” and has performed for “Dancing With The Stars” on two occasions. Chris also recently caught the attention of saxophone legends Kirk Whalum and Gerald Albright during the 2011 Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Pier Park, Panama City Beach, FL where they came by after one of Chris’s performances telling him how much they enjoyed his music and his inspirational message! Chris continues to travel and perform leaving audiences breathless and inspired wherever he goes!

http://www.chrisgodber.com/

NEW RELEASES - KERKKO KOSKINEN ORCHESTRA, JOE LOCKE / GEOFFREY KEEZER GROUP, HAWTHORNE HEADHUNTERS

KERKKO KOSKINEN ORCHESTRA – TRAINS & LETTERS

A brilliant set from Finnish arranger Kerkko Koskinen – one with loads of deep jazzy textures, and a feel that's almost like some lost European soundtrack of the late 50s! The arrangements are tight, but never overwhelming – so that the ensemble's soloists have plenty of room to stretch out in creative patterns of their own – mixing in some great modern jazz modes that really deepen the feeling of the whole record – with elements that remind us of the best Swedish or French jazz experiments of the 50s! Players include Jukka Eskola on trumpet, Timo Lassy on tenor and flute, and Kerkko Koskinen himself on cembalo – and the record's got some especially evocative vibes from Penu Savolainen, who handles his instrument with these sharp chromatic tones that are mighty nice. Titles include "Day Train", "The Answer", "Night Train", "Calling Mrs Aagaard", "Taipan March", and "Modern Single Man". ~ Dusty Groove

JOE LOCKE / GEOFFREY KEEZER GROUP - SIGNING

Joe Locke's vibes, and some great work on Fender Rhodes and piano from Geoffrey Keezer – wrapped up beautifully in a mode that makes for one of the best records from either player in a number of years! From the notes, it's clear that the album's definitely a co-led session – with different arrangements and compositions contributed from each player – a nice sense of depth that really allows for some complex tones from the piano and vibes – styles that go way past the obvious! Rhythms are a part of this too – thanks to simple, effective touches from Mike Pop on electric and acoustic bass, and Terreon Gully on drums – and titles include "Hide & Seek", "Naima", "Darth Alexis", "The Lost Lenore", and "Signing". ~ Dusty Groove.

HAWTHORNE HEADHUNTERS – MYRIAD OF NOW

Electro funk, boogie soul and spacey hip hop from Hawthorne Headhunters – completely delivering on the promising earlier EP and rivaling the best of their similarly-traveling peers – particularly Plug Research labelmate Shafiq Husayn, along with leftfield funk leaders Dam Funk and Georgia Anne Muldrow – and we do not take those comparisons lightly! The Hawthorne Headhunters started as more of a freewheeling collective, though here as more of a partnership between Coultrain and Black Spade. 70s jazz funk, 80s synth soul and otherwise spacey sounds and the insistent underlying bounce of the best hip hop continue to inform the sound. Titles include "Sum People Don't Change", "Collage" feat Rockwell Knuckles & Tef Po, "Luv Galactic" feat I Am, "Teleport", "Yellow Cougar", "Whirlwind", "Ghostfields", "Fairweather" feat Von Pea & Haz Solo, "Hole In The World", "Tribute" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - JAZZ COURIERS, TY CAUSEY, STEVE KUHN

JAZZ COURIERS LIVE IN MORCOMBE 1959 – TIPPIN’

Primo work by one of the greatest Brit jazz groups of the 50s – the legendary Jazz Couriers, and their smoking frontline of Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott on tenor sax! The pair have a way of coming together that's simply beautiful – not the kind of "battle" you might have gotten from American tenorists a few years before – and instead, a way of collaborating on long-spun, beautifully-blown tracks that really expand under the two voices of the tenors – in ways that other hardbop groups might with just a sax and trumpet. Part of the group's success is their great rhythm section too – Terry Shannon on piano, Jeff Clyne on bass, and Billy Eyden on drums – a trio who really kick things into gear wonderfully on this previously-unissued live date! The material was recorded at a restaurant gig – nice and intimate, but with very good sound – so much so that the record is very much on a par with the group's famous studio sides of the time. Tubby Hayes also plays a bit of vibes on the record – and titles include "For All We Know", "Embers", "Tippin", and "Cherokee/The Theme". ~ Dusty Groove

TY CAUSEY – FALSE FACES

Strongly emotional and slowly simmering craft from Ty Causey – a veteran of the midwestern smooth, jazzy soul scene – and his efforts are as strong as ever here! There's an easygoing confidence in Ty's approach that he's carried for a while – and that continues in full effect here. His songs speak to straight forward, soulful truth, with a relaxed style and emotional and spiritual depth. The production is just as sweet – with a smooth soul pace, and subtly dexterous musicianship. Some guitar, a bit of flute or sax come into play with nice keys and percolating percussion. Includes "Must Be Magic", "Too Much Baggage", "Tap Into This Chemistry", "I'll Wait For You", "I'll Wait For You", "You'll Never Be Lonely", "False Faces", "Love Call", "A Reason Why", "Hot 2 Night", "The Limit of Love", "Bold And Beautiful". ~ Dusty Groove

STEVE KUHN - WISTERIA

Steve Kuhn's a player who's always got our ears – a pianist we've loved from the late 60s onwards, still sounding great on this lovely set for ECM! There's a warmth here we haven't heard from Kuhn in a while – almost a return to those lyrical modes we loved in his 70s work for the label, particularly his acoustic lines – which always seemed to have this open flow that was definitely informed by work on Fender Rhodes, yet still in a very classic style overall! Kuhn's amazing here – and the album's one that definitely lives up to all of our love for his older records – and the trio is perfectly subtle, too – with gentle work on bass from Steve Swallow and quietly evocative drums from Joey Baron. Titles include "Chalet", "Romance", "Pastorale", "Wisteria", "Promises Kept", "Dark Glasses", "A Likely Story", and "Permanent Wave". ~ Dusty Groove

KIRK WHALUM 2012 ROMANCE LANGUAGE TOUR DATES

Houston, TX - Sunday, April 29th, 2012
Arena Theater - with Jonathan Butler

Durham, NC - Friday, May 4th, 2012
The Carolina Theater Box Office 919.560.3030
w/Kevin Whalum wsg Nicole Henry. Fundraiser to benefit the DNS Scholarship Fund

Charlotte, NC - Saturday, May 5th, 2012
Halton Theater - 4th Annual Carolina Jazz Concert Series (Central Piedmont Community College)
Romance Language Tour w/Kevin Whalum wsg Nicole Henry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TrdqWBFkO0@jazzdiva @cpcc

Temecula, CA - Saturday, May 19th, 2012
South Coast Winery
Romance Langauge Tour

Pasadena, CA - Saturday, May 26th, 2012
Central Park
Romance Language Tour

Columbia, MD - Saturday, June 2nd, 2012
Capital Jazz Festival Merriweather Post Pavilion
Romance Language Tour

Hoover, AL - Sunday, June 3rd, 2012
Preserve Jazz Festival
Romance Language Tour w/Kevin Whalum wsg Nicole Henry

St. Louis, MO - Sunday, June 10th, 2012
Saxquest Saxophone Shop
Sax workshop Kirk Only 2 PM
http://www.saxquest.com/
Cincinnati, OH - Friday, June 15th, 2012
Kingsgate Marriott Hotel
Romance Language Tour w/Kevin Whalum wsg Nicole Henry

Chicago, IL - Sunday, June 17th, 2012
Ray and Joan Kroc Comm. Center
Real Men Cook Event
http://www.realmencook.com/

Johannesburg, SA - Thursday, June 21st, 2012
Carnival City
Romance Language Tour

Cape Town, SA - Friday, June 22nd, 2012
His People Church
Romance Language Tour

Kwazulu Natal, SA - Saturday, June 23rd, 2012
Port Shepstone - Ugu Jazz Festival
Romance Language Tour

Houston, TX - Friday, July 6th, 2012
Miller Outdoor Theatre
Romance Language Tour w/Kevin Whalum wsg Nicole Henry

Austin, TX - Saturday, July 7th, 2012
One World Theatre
Romance Language Tour w/Kevin Whalum wsg Nicole Henry

Accra, Ghana - Friday, July 27th, 2012
International Conference Center
Romance Language Tour

Long Beach, CA - Saturday, August 11th, 2012
Rainbow Lagoon
Romance Language Tour

St. Louis, MO - Sunday, September 16th, 2012
Sheldon Concert Hall
Romance Language Tour

San Antonio, TX - Saturday, September 22nd, 2012
Travis Park
Jazz'SAlive Festival Romance Language Tour
http://www.saparksfoundation.org/jazzsalive.html

Italy, Greece , Sicily - Sunday, September 22nd, 2013
Dave Koz and Friends Cruise
http://www.davekozcruise.com/

CAROLE KING - THE LEGENDARY DEMOS

Carole King’s The Legendary Demos is being released via Hear Music/Concord Music Group. A previously unreleased collection of 13 history-making Carole King recordings of some of her most celebrated songs, The Legendary Demos traces King's journey from her days as an Aldon staff writer in the 1960's, where she crafted hit after hit for other artists, to the dawn of her own triumphant solo career in the 1970's, and contains her original recordings of future standards like "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "It's Too Late," and "You've Got A Friend." Featuring liner notes by acclaimed author and Rolling Stone contributing editor David Browne, the collection brings to light a heretofore missing link in the chain of King's career. Fittingly, The Legendary Demos serves as a companion to King’s long-awaited memoir, A Natural Woman, which is being released April 10th, 2012 via Grand Central Publishing.

Aldon Music used these demos—short for “demonstration records”—to pitch King's material to other artists, from Gene Pitney and Bobby Vee to Aretha Franklin and the Monkees. While the recordings have long been coveted and collected within the industry, they have never before been released to the public.

Whether it was a potential single for the Monkees or a solo performer like Pitney, King’s demos were remarkable in their completeness. “When she sat down to the piano and played a demo of one of her songs, the whole arrangement appeared right in front of your eyes magically,” recalls Brooks Arthur, who engineered a number of these efficient sessions for King at one of several midtown Manhattan studios. “A lot of the smarter producers would adhere to Carole’s demos. If you stuck to that, you’d come home a winner.”

King and then-husband/songwriting partner Gerry Goffin signed with Aldon Music in 1959, and anyone who listened to the radio during the first half of the ‘60s will recognize the songs of teen passion and devastating heartbreak heard in King’s original recordings. “Take Good Care of My Baby” was a No. 1 hit for Bobby Vee in 1961. Goffin’s gift for tapping into teen anguish—in this case, hiding behind a stoic public face—was never conveyed better than in “Crying in the Rain,” which the Everly Brothers took into the top 10 in early 1962. “Just Once in My Life” was the Righteous Brothers’ follow-up to their still-spine-tingling “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” and King’s demo reveals how she and Goffin were instantly able to tap into the duo’s (and producer Phil Spector’s) dramatic, impassioned sound.

Like many of their fellow songwriters at the time, King and Goffin wrote songs for Don Kirshner’s TV show about a fictional, Beatles-derived pop band that debuted in September 1966. The Monkees turned out to be more credible singers (and musicians) than anyone initially expected, as their high-charting 1967 version of King and Goffin's “Pleasant Valley Sunday” revealed. The Monkees also cut “So Goes Love,” a dreamier ballad heard here, but the track didn’t make their first album and wasn’t released until long after they’d disbanded.

The Legendary Demos includes early takes of six tracks that formed the basis for King’s world-wide solo breakthrough Tapestry. King and lyricist Toni Stern’s ever-poignant “It’s Too Late” is here, along with King’s own “Way Over Yonder,” “Beautiful” and “Tapestry,” all three bursting with the artistic and spiritual renewal infusing King’s life during this period.

Among the collection’s numerous gems is the original 1967 demo for Goffin, King, and producer Jerry Wexler’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” a song that would later appear on Tapestry and of course be famously cut by Aretha Franklin later that same year. King’s version offers several different takes from the Franklin and Tapestry versions. Her delivery in the opening lines is looser (check out the way she stretches out “Lord” in “Lord, it made me feel so tired”), and the bridge is even more imbued with palpable romantic and sexual heat.

And finally, there’s King’s initial take on “You’ve Got a Friend,” a classic entry in the Great American Rock Songbook. Milling around in the Troubadour balcony during soundcheck, her friend James Taylor heard King perform the song on a bare stage and was immediately taken with it; his own version, a massive hit, would arrive the following year.

The Legendary Demos Tracklisting:
1. Pleasant Valley Sunday (Goffin/King)
(Carole King: vocal; other musicians unknown) circa 1966
Covered by The Monkees (1967) - #3 on the U.S. Pop Charts

2. So Goes Love (Goffin/King)
(Carole King: vocal; other musicians unknown) circa 1966
Covered by The Turtles (1967)

3. Take Good Care of My Baby (Goffin/King)
(Carole King: vocal, piano) circa 1961
Covered by Bobby Vee (1961) - #1 on the U.S. Pop Charts

4. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Goffin/King/Wexler)
(Carole King: vocal, piano) circa 1967
Covered by Aretha Franklin (1967) - #8 on the U.S. Pop Charts

5. Like Little Children (Goffin/King)
(Carole King: vocal; other musicians unknown) circa 1966
Covered by The Knickerbockers (1966)

6. Beautiful (King)
(Carole King: vocal, piano) circa 1970

7. Crying In The Rain (Greenfield/King)
(Carole King: vocal; other musicians unknown) circa 1962
Covered by The Everly Brothers (1962) - #6 on the U.S. Pop Charts

8. Way Over Yonder (King)
(Carole King: vocal, piano) circa 1970

9. Yours Until Tomorrow (Goffin/King)
(Carole King: vocal; other musicians unknown) circa 1966
Covered by Paul Wayne (1966)

10. It’s Too Late (King)
(Carole King: vocal, piano) circa 1970

11. Tapestry (King)
(Carole King: vocal, piano) circa 1970

12. Just Once In My Life (Goffin/King/Spector)
(Carole King: vocal, piano) circa 1965
Covered by The Righteous Brothers (1965) - #9 on the U.S. Pop Charts

13. You’ve Got A Friend (King)
(Carole King: vocal, piano) circa 1970
Covered by James Taylor (1971) - #1 on the Billboard Top 100 Charts

Carole King is arguably the most successful and revered female songwriter in pop music history. To date, more than 400 Carole King compositions have been recorded by more than 1000 artists, resulting in 100 hit singles - many of them reaching #1. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, King was the first woman to win four GRAMMY® Awards in one year, and her landmark 1971 album Tapestry received a Diamond Award from the RIAA for sales of more than 10 million units in the U.S., with more than 25 million units sold worldwide.
 
~ Concord Records

JACKSONVILLE JAZZ FESTIVAL FULL LINEUP

Mayor Alvin Brown and the City of Jacksonville are proud to announce the latest additions and full lineup of performances for the 2012 Jacksonville Jazz Festival. The annual tradition will be held Thursday, May 24 through Sunday, May 27 in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. The festival is free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

“The Jacksonville Jazz Festival promises world-class performances for families and friends throughout Memorial Day weekend,” said Mayor Alvin Brown. “Come join us for the music and take some time to explore Downtown at its best.”

Additions to the lineup include: Béla Fleck and the Marcus Roberts Trio; Najee; Jonathan Butler; Pop/Jazz featuring Karen Briggs; Grace Kelly Quintet; Firecracker Jazz Band; Navy Band Southeast TGIF; Doc Handy; Tropic of Cancer; Pierre & Co.; BK Jackson; Elisha Parris; Noel Freidline Quintet; St. Johns River City Band; Ya’ Gozo’ The Latin Jazz Band; Longineu Parsons; Von Barlow’s Jazz Journey featuring Tina Fabrique; BERT Quartet featuring Claire Heusinger; John Ricci Quartet; The Fusion Band; Isaac Byrd Jr. and Tribe Judah; BayStreet; Aaron Bing; Sacred Jazz featuring the Noel Freidline Quintet with the Jacksonville Mass Choir; and The Kelly/Scott Quintet.

Artists previously announced: Sonny Rollins; Corea, Clarke and White; Patti Austin with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra; Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue; Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band featuring Terence Blanchard; Karrin Allyson Quartet; Brian Culbertson; Michael Mossman and Antonio Hart with the University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble 1; Jazz Crusaders; The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman; Soul Rebels; Raul Mídon; Cindy Blackman Santana & Another Lifetime; Madeleine Peyroux; Linda Cole & the Joshua Bowlus Trio; Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Jazz Ensemble 1; JB Scott’s Swingin’ Allstars; and Just Jazz Quartet.

Other activities held as part of the Jazz Festival: Art in the Heart Downtown, a juried art show and craft sale, the Wine Down/Brew Town Tasting Experience, Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition presented by Keyboard Connection Pianos & Organs, ‘Round Midnight Jazz Jams, Generation Next Youth Talent Competition, and a jazz brunch.

The 2012 Jacksonville Jazz Festival is proudly produced by the City of Jacksonville Office of Special Events with support from these sponsors: Jacksonville Aviation Authority; Verizon; Duval County Tourist Development Council; Shands Jacksonville; the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, the official host hotel; the Omni Jacksonville Hotel, the official co-host hotel; Keyboard Connection Pianos & Organs; CBS47 Action News; V101.5; JAZZIZ; Beringer; Coca-Cola; Champion Brands; Farah & Farah and Jax River Cruises.

For more information on the 2012 Jacksonville Jazz Festival, call the Office of Special Events at (904) 630-3690 or visit the official Jacksonville Jazz Festival website and social pages.

JaxJazzFest.com
Facebook.com/JacksonvilleJazzFestival
Twitter.com/JaxJazzFest or @JaxJazzFest #JaxJazzFest