BRANDON WRIGHT - JOURNEYMAN

"The wisdom of the journeyman is to work one day at a time," begins the Cormac McCarthy quote that graces the inside cover of Brandon Wright's new album, Journeyman. On his second release as a leader, the 30-year-old tenor saxophonist offers the fruits of his own journeyman days, a personal sound and beyond-his-years hard bop feel forged gig by gig alongside greats like Chuck Mangione, Doc Severinsen, and Fred Wesley.

Wright himself defines a journeyman as "someone who has learned a craft, finished his apprenticeship, and is now out there refining his trade so that one day he, too, can become a jazz master."

It's a modest description, appreciative of the hard work necessary to hone one's musical identity, but an impressive list of supporters speak to Wright's rapid advancement along that path. Those include pianist David Kikoski, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Donald Edwards, the renowned veterans who make up Wright's quartet for this release. All three are colleagues in the Mingus Big Band, which Wright has collaborated with for the past five years.

Wright first encountered the Mingus Big Band during his senior year of high school and immediately determined that one day he would be a part of this "unstoppable powerhouse of raw energy and excitement." Seven years later, after making up his mind to stop pursuing his master's degree to focus full-time on a career in music, he crossed paths with saxophonist Abraham Burton, who invited him to sit in on an upcoming Mingus Band gig. That night at Iridium, he was introduced to Sue Mingus, who invited him to join the ensemble a few months later, where he soon found himself playing alongside Kikoski, Kozlov and Edwards. "When those three guys are together in the Mingus Big Band, I enjoy myself the most," Wright says. "They create the most excitement."

That knack of excitement is evident from the opening moments of Journeyman, which gets off to a blazing start with "Shapeshifter," which Wright penned over the chord changes of Cole Porter's classic "What Is This Thing Called Love" (and includes a brief nod to Tadd Dameron's similarly-composed "Hot House").

Wright is quick to profess his love of the classic Blue Note sound of the label's late '50s/early '60s hard-bop heyday, but is far from a mere throwback. He deftly bridges decades through his transformation of 1990s rock radio hits into the classic jazz idiom, taking Pearl Jam's "Better Man" at a mid-tempo simmer and making an argument for Brit-pop band Oasis' "Wonderwall" as a sinuous standard.

"I want to connect with my audience, especially people of my generation," Wright says. "I think a lot of people who grew up in the '80s weren't really exposed to jazz and don't know what it is. I'm trying to find a way to show them, 'I'm from your generation, I listen to the same music you do, and here's my interpretation of these songs which resonate with me and were a big part of my life as a teenager.'"

Wright evokes even younger days on the album's closer, "She'll Make Me Happy," which the sharp-eared will recognize as a song from The Muppets Take Manhattan - though Kermit and Miss Piggy never could swing quite like Wright and company do on their rendition.

He reaches in the opposite direction for Hoagy Carmichael's time-tested "The Nearness of You," bringing it up to date not through cosmetic alterations but by approaching it as generations of musicians before him have - with heartfelt, deeply personal expression. "As I've gotten older and matured some, I actually find the most satisfying part of a set is playing a ballad," Wright explains. "When I was younger, I felt the need to show everybody how much technique I had through speed and acrobatics. Now, I've discovered that playing relaxed, with a beautiful sound, allows me to get to my most vulnerable state and helps the audience ride that emotional journey with me."

Emotion is key to Wright's own compositions, which make up the remainder of the session and reflect his experiences and growth in the six years since he's moved to New York. The bluesy moan that leads into "Illusions of Light" communicate the pain of a break-up, in this case with a photographer who lends the title its double meaning, capturing both the art of still images and the pain of discovering one's own misconceptions. "Choices" was written following the loss of Wright's grandmother, while "Search for Truth" expresses the saxophonist's frustration with certain dashed career hopes - a loss assuaged somewhat by the tune garnering an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award.

Wright's journeyman days haven't all been painful ones, however - just witness the frenetic tenor showcase "Big Bully" and especially the fiercely funky "Walk of Shame," evidencing lessons learned alongside legendary James Brown trombonist Fred Wesley. The title comes from the tune's infectious groove, which inevitably inspires dancing and perhaps a bit beyond. As Wright slyly protests, "We're not responsible for what happens after the song is played."

It was perhaps inevitable that Wright would maintain an element of humor in his playing, given that his initial inspiration for picking up the sax was a certain animated second-grader. "I was in second grade when The Simpsons first aired," Wright recalls, "and there was an episode where Lisa sings the blues and says that she's in the second grade. I related to her being exactly the same age as me and I just thought it was so cool to play the saxophone."

Comedy has made a resurgence in Wright's approach of late, as the saxophonist has been taking improv classes from the training center of the famed comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade (alumni of which include former SNL cast members Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz). "Whether you're acting or playing music, it's drawn from a very similar emotional place within," says Wright, who took a stab at acting in high school before focusing on music full-time. "Improv studies have changed my life as a person and as a player. As an experiment, I applied the rules that make a successful improv scene to how I approach performing in a small group jazz setting as well as everyday life. The results were astounding. Putting on an improv show is the most terrifying thing I've done, so any musical situation that I used to think was stressful is now much easier for me to handle. I feel like I have a much clearer philosophy on how I want approach jazz improvisation and can't wait to explore this further."

Growing up in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, Wright began playing the sax in school bands and discovered jazz through the inaugural season of "Jazz for Teens," a workshop directed by bassist Rufus Reid. He went on to attend the University of Michigan and the University of Miami, earning four Downbeat student music awards along the way. Accepted into the Henry Mancini Institute in 2005, he connected with composer Maria Schneider and toured Japan with the Gregg Field Orchestra, after which opportunities began to mount and he made the move to New York.

Since that time he's played in stunningly diverse settings, including the Mingus Big Band, Chico O'Farrill's Latin Big Band, and John Fedchock's New York Big Band; toured with longtime Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen; joined Chuck Mangione's working band; and has even taken a solo with Bruce Springsteen thanks to his work with E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg.

wrightjzz.com
posi-tone.com

NEW RELEASES - MIKE REED, FANNY FRANKLIN, CILLA BLACK

MIKE REED’S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS - CLEAN ON THE CORNER

A great one from Mike Reed and his People Places & Things group – a clear, crisp statement of Chicago modernism at its best – not just modes from Reed's own generation, but from the 50s and 60s as well! Reed's an amazing player on his own – but we especially love the way that he's gone back into Windy City tradition, and found a way to re-introduce a special blend of Chicago jazz – that crucial pre-AACM, post-bop style that would often swing, but have really freewheeling solos too – a mode that really went onto influence American jazz in general once Chicagoans moved onto the New York scene in the 60s. The horns here are key to the approach – really deft work on alto from Greg Ward and tenor from Tim Haldeman – plus some great guest cornet from Josh Berman. Most tracks are piano-less, which allows for even freer reed work – but Craig Taborn guests on piano on two numbers – and the great bass of Jason Roebke holds the set together solidly throughout. Titles include versions of Roscoe Mitchell's "Old" and John Jenkins' "Sharon" – plus the tracks "Warming Down", "The Ephemeral Words Of Ruth", "House Of Three Smiles", and "The Lady Has A Bomb". ~ Dusty Groove

FANNY FRANKLIN - GET WET

The first solo set from funky soul songbird Fanny Franklin – and it's a great one! Fanny was the original singer for Orgone and she's been an in-demand voice for a few years now – collaborating with contemporary and legendary figures from Shawn Lee to Dennis Coffey – so it was about time she stepped out front, right? Right! The best part is that she's doing it on her own terms. Classic funk & soul-inspired songcraft, played with a youthful and modern spirit, by excellent musicians. We've loved her voice since we first heard her with Orgone, so to find out now that she also has the goods as a songwriter and primary creative engine, that feels like a total win! Tracks include "Rivers", "Get Wet", "Gasoline", "Good Stuff", "Pushin", "My World", "Open Your Eyes", "All The Pretty Girls", "Dug Up", "Yes You Do" and "Keep On Runnin". ~ Dusty Groove

CILLA BLACK - COMPLETELY CILLA

A smashing collection of work from one of our favorite British girl singers ever – the amazing Cilla Black, whose 60s recordings for EMI are the stuff of genius! The legendary George Martin produced these tracks – and while they don't exactly sound like his work with The Beatles, they are filled with some amazing arrangements, odd little twists and turns, and all these other cool little bits that really work perfectly with Black's enormous vocal range – a brilliant blend of all the right elements together in the studio, to make recordings that have held up beautifully over the years! This massive package brings together everything that Cilla recorded for EMI over the course of a decade – 139 tracks in all – from hits, to album tracks, to b-sides and other rarities – all wrapped up in a great box, with a hefty booklet too. Plus, you also get a bonus DVD – with BBC performances, interviews, and other TV appearances – a heck of a deal at this price! (DVD is NTSC format, but has no region information.) ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - TROYKA, KAIROS 4TET, SECRET QUARTET

TROYKA - MOXXY

In 2009, London based trio Troyka released one of the most revered and highly acclaimed albums of the year, pushing them to the forefront of the British Jazz Scene. Just over two years down the line, Troyka have recorded a sensational second album, one that will send shockwaves throughout the European Jazz scene. Due for release in June 2012 on Edition Records, the album has a maturity about it usually only evident in fourth or fifth albums. Fuelled by textural guitar loops, angular riffs and displaced drum grooves, Troyka have distilled their unique genre bending live act into a compelling listening experience. ~ editionrecords.com
 

KAIROS 4TET - STATEMENT OF INTENT Under the leadership of saxophonist Adam Waldmann, Kairos 4Tet have found a melodious medium between traditional Jazz and the forward facing nature that typifies so much young British Jazz. The band’s compositions are open and accessible, but there’s no compromise when it comes to intuitive, intelligent playing and adventurous arrangements” THE MERCURY PRIZE. Musicians: Adam Waldmann - saxophones; Ivo Neame- piano; Jasper Høiby - double bass; Jon Scott - drums; Emilia Mårtensson - vocals. ~ editionrecords.com

  

SECRET QUARTET - BLOOR STREET

This extraordinary quartet reunites with an album of 9 beautifully crafted originals by Speake, Iles and Hopkins, that firmly confirms their reputation as one of the most formidable quartets on the international jazz scene. Musicans: Martin Speake - alto saxophone; Nikki Iles - piano; Duncan Hopkins- double bass and Anthony Michelli. ~ editionrecords.com

DAVE STAPELTON - FLIGHT

Pianist, composer and Edition label boss Dave Stapleton has recently finished a 3 date mini-tour in the UK to coincide with the release of his new critically acclaimed album Flight with Marius Neset, Olavi Louhivuori, Dave Kane and Brodowski String Quartet. Described by UK's Jazzwise Magazine as 'one of the best conceived and executed albums by a young British Jazz musician for some while', Flight marks Stapleton's eighth release under his own name and is without doubt his finest record to date

Flight is without doubt Dave Stapleton’s finest record to date. Many artists have their ambitions but rarely are these fulfilled with such artistry and beauty. Flight marks Stapleton’s seventh release and he has chosen to use the opportunity to produce a record that reaches far beyond easy categorisation.

Flight is much, much more than just jazz with strings. It is a work that combines its different elements both seamlessly and gracefully. The jazz quartet here features saxophonist Marius Neset and bassist Dave Kane, both Edition recording artists in their own right, and the remarkable talents of drummer Olavi Louhivuori. This is a new group brought together for this album. Yet these musicians sound like they’ve worked together for years, such is the empathy and sensitivity of their playing.

Musicians:
Dave Stapelton piano
Marius Neset tenor saxophone
Dave Kane double bass
Olavi Louhivuori drums
Brodowski String Quarter:
David Brodowski violin 1
Catrin Morgan violin 2
Felix Tanner viola
Reinoud Ford cello

~ editionrecords.com

BUNNY SIGLER - FROM BUNNY WITH LOVE & A LITTLE SOUL

The first track on Bunny Sigler’s From Bunny With Love & A Little Soul, "Sweet Lorraine," sports a title straight out of the Great American Songbook. I hear that title, and the first thing that comes to mind is Nat King Cole tinkling the ivories as he leads his trio. Knowing a bit about Sigler’s history as a vocalist and a hit maker during Gamble and Huff’s wheelhouse days at Philadelphia International, a record of standards would kind of make sense. He’s an industry veteran who is not exactly a household name with the younger generation of fans. However, an album that only looks back would ignore the more contemporary part of Sigler’s resume. He has also worked with some hip-hop and R&B stars, and has the artist’s natural curiosity about what’s happening now. So, in that respect, it should not be surprising that every track on From Bunny With Love & A Little Soul is original.

Sigler doesn’t shy away from embracing both classic and contemporary sounds - touching on both the 70s soul vibes where he reached his initial success, while also embracing the ultra modern production techniques that he picked up while working today’s hit makers. What listeners get on From Bunny With Love in a project that features a lot of good moments, but also a few that are kind of blah and a couple that are derivative and cringe worthy.

First the good: I let my son listen to Sigler’s “You Never Know,” and he thought that he was listening to song by T-Pain. That means that Sigler penned a track that could get some airplay on one of these Hot R&B and hip-hop stations. That track sports a bouncy Latin melody and finds Sigler employing auto-tune. But before you panic and accuse Sigler of selling out, you have to listen to the Spanish guitar flourishes and the tight backing harmonies – especially on the hook. This is a really, really good song, and hearing it the listener will understand why contemporary artists such as Nelly and Jay-Z seek out Sigler.

“You Never Know” can be found in the first half of the album, and Sigler is definitely on top of his game there. Sigler shows that he can stretch his soft tenor vocal range with ease on the ballad “To Love Again,” a track with harmonies that will remind some of that classic Whispers’ sound, while “Nobody Else For Me” could be a steppers’ anthem.

From Bunny With Love loses both momentum and direction in the second half. “How Bad Do You Want It,” Sigler's attempt to pen a bedroom ballad – ala Marvin Gaye – comes off as a derivative, cliché filled parody. “Super Guy” has the funky sound of Curtis Mayfield and finds Sigler boasting of his macking swagger, and it could have worked had Sigler given it an ironic twist. Instead he sang it straight, and it just comes off as dated. The irony comes from the fact that Sigler follows that tune up with the inspirational “I Wish” – a rambling number where the artist sings about world he wants to live in. But not all of the tracks on the second half of From Bunny With Love are misses: Sigler goes hard on the bass driven and percussive funky torch song, “In a Minute,” and the final track, the doo-wop style kiss off ballad “Face the Music,” is absolutely wonderful.

Sigler’s From Bunny With Love & A Little Soul is probably twice as long as it needs to be. Still, there’s more than enough meat here to remind listeners why artists and record executives have been beating a path to Sigler’s door for the better part of six decades. Moderately Recommended

By Howard Dukes
http://www.soultracks.com/

NEW RELEASES - JAZZANOVA, SUGARMAN THREE, THING WITH BARRY GUY

JAZZANOVA – FUNKHAUS STUDIO SESSIONS WITH BAND & PAUL RANDOLPH

One of the greatest records we've ever heard from Jazzanova – a set that really returns the group to their roots, and features live funk instrumentation, and ultra-soulful vocals from singer Paul Rudolph! The sound is unlike anything Jazzanova's done in the past – even tighter, and more soulful than their excellent Of All The Things album – with a lean groove that's light years away from some of their too-electric moments from a decade ago! A number of tunes here are tracks from the group's more electronic years, but redone with much warmer live instrumentation –and the evolution in the music is mindblowing, with stunning results – a record filled with instant classics – as funky drums mix with jazzy horns, and set up a perfect vibe for the complex yet soulful sound of Rudolph's vocals. Titles include "Little Bird", "Flashback", "No Use", "Lucky Girl", "I Human", "Let Me Show Ya", "Theme From Belle Et Fou", "Fedime's Flight", and "Boom Clicky Boom Klack". ~ Dusty Groove.

SUGARMAN THREE – WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

The return of the great ones – and quite possibly the funkiest album ever from The Sugarman Three – a crowning achievement for this funky combo that we've loved for years! The core trio is still in place – soaring Hammond, tight tenor, and heavy drums – but they've also added in some extra help from the Daptone universe – which helps the group hit an ultra-funky sound here – one that's sharp-edged, no-nonsense, and a wicked blend of soul jazz and late 60s funk! There's still plenty of standout tenor solos from Neal Sugarman, and wicked organ lines from Adam Scone – but there's also a bit of added trumpet, and great Bosco Mann basslines – which really give the whole thing a heavy punch. The groove is much more stripped-down and hard-edged than the Dap-Kings – and burns with a fire that never lets up for a minute – proof that in a world of funky revival combos, some of the older act still do it best! Titles include "Mellow Meeting", "Dirty Water", "Rudy's Intervention", "Your Friendly Neighborhood Sugarman", "But It's Alright", "Witch's Boogaloo", "Brother T", and "Love Went Away". ~ Dusty Groove

THING WITH BARRY GUY - METAL

Bassist Barry Guy joins The Thing this time around – really helping to increase their bottom line, given that the group's already got their own bass player! The recording makes inventive use of the paired instruments – putting Guy in the right channel, and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten in the left – so that in stereo, the different basslines ring out beautifully – especially at the more forceful moments, of which there are many! Mats Gustafsson is as compelling as ever on his horns – baritone, tenor, and the great slide saxophone – and Paal Nilssen-Love destroys the drum kit whenever he has the chance. Titles include "Cerium", "Lanthanum", "Europium", "Gadolinium", "Ride The Sky", and "Neodymium". (Limited to 600 copies!) ~ Dusty Groove

AARON DIEHL - THE BESPOKE MAN'S NARRATIVE

In fashion circles, the adjective "bespoke" denotes custom-made suits and shirts and signifies the person who designs and constructs them. On The Bespoke Man's Narrative, his brilliant Mack Avenue Records debut, pianist Aaron Diehl extrapolates this notion to matters of musical invention.

"The idea for the metaphor was that the composition and concept were specifically for these musicians," Diehl says, referring to his working quartet of 30-ish all-stars - vibraphonist (and Mack Avenue artist) Warren Wolf, bassist David Wong and drummer Rodney Green - that interprets the five originals and five arrangements comprising the program. "There's a sequence, an arc, a beginning, middle and end. Each piece has something to do with my musical development."

The project gestated in April of 2011 in Indianapolis after Diehl, 26, earned first place in the rigorous Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz Competition of the American Pianists Association. The award garnered him $50,000 in career support and an opportunity to record with Mack Avenue Records.

"I thought it would be wise to use the opportunity to document this ensemble," Diehl states. "I decided to compose and arrange music in line with our own sound and conception, while using the strategies of bandleaders like John Lewis and Duke Ellington, who developed their music in line with the abilities of their personnel."

Diehl is singularly positioned within his generation to apply these lessons to a contemporary context. An alumnus of Todd Stoll's Columbus (Ohio) Youth Jazz Orchestra, which specializes in performing a broad timeline of Ellington's music, he spent the last six months of his sophomore year at Juilliard - he was 19 at the time - helping pianist John Lewis' widow, Mirjana, to organize her late husband's archive of manuscripts, scores, reel-to-reel tapes and recordings. Already intimate with the stride piano canon from his teens, Diehl applied the quality time with Lewis' Bach-to-blues oeuvre towards finding a conceptual space in which to coalesce his varied interests.

This quartet initially took shape in 2008 - then with drummer Quincy Davis - when Diehl was asked to play a concert of Lewis' music. By an April 2010 performance of this repertoire at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Rodney Green had assumed the drum chair.

"Warren is a virtuoso," Diehl says of his fellow Mack Avenue artist. "There couldn't be anyone more appropriate to play the part of Milt Jackson. David is a fluid, precise player with a lot of finesse and a strong bow, who comes straight out of the bebop-based approaches of Percy Heath and Paul Chambers. Mrs. Lewis said that John would have loved him.

"I hadn't realized it, but Rodney listened a lot to Connie Kay, and told me that one reason he wanted to be part of this project was to get more inside Connie's approach."

In preparing this program of creative refractions of the aforementioned oeuvres, Diehl focused on nurturing an ensemble sound. "Rather than feature just my piano playing, I like to involve everybody in the process," he says. "Sharing the wealth allows for more musical possibilities."

For all his collective orientation, Diehl commands attention at the piano. Addressing a Fazioli F-228 grand piano, he showcases a nuanced touch, a comfort zone with tempos ranging from rubato to brisk, encyclopedic harmonic knowledge, an abiding sense of blues expression and a will - when necessary - to swing. He's assimilated vocabulary across the timeline, finding fresh, idiomatic ways to mix-and-match ideas drawn from a diverse cohort including, among others, Lewis, Ellington, Ahmad Jamal, Marcus Roberts and Kenny Kirkland. As he puts it, "My overall goal is trying to figure out how to connect all the language to make an interesting and engaging performance, and also develop my own voice. Why limit yourself to just playing something here and something there? It's all gold."

Diehl's all-jazz-is-modern attitude dates to formative years. "I started young with Bach, so going into jazz, I had an affinity for piano," he says. He also developed a feeling for music's ritualistic functions by playing for Mass in the Catholic Church that his parents attended, as well as services held for a primarily African- American clientele at his father's funeral home. At 13 he joined Stoll's Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra; at 16 he took a steady trio gig in a Columbus hotel lounge; at 17, directly after graduating high school, he joined the Wynton Marsalis Septet for a European tour of one-nighters. That fall, he matriculated at Juilliard, where Oxana Yablonskaya worked with him on "how to develop various aspects of my sound."

The group simpatico shines through on "Moonlight In Vermont," to which Diehl imparts an Ahmad Jamal meets the MJQ feel, establishing bespoke ensemble support for solos by Wong and the leader.

The chops come out full force on "Stop and Go," a boppish contrapuntal quartet piece that, Diehl says, "alternates between half-time and double-time." He adds that the term is used in aviation (Diehl's a licensed pilot who learned to fly in high school) that is used when you land on the runway, briefly touch the ground, stop and then immediately take off again. "Aviation has always been my second passion, ever since my father began flying when I was a toddler. After earning his license, my mom wouldn't fly until he had a few more hours logged, but my sister and I never declined opportunities to get in the air."

Diehl wears his classical erudition lightly on a gorgeous trio re-imagination of the "Forlane" section of Maurice Ravel's "Tombeau de Couperin." He approaches George Gershwin's "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" similarly, improvising intensely on the melody while remaining true to the score.

"This record is just a starting point, something on which to build and invest," Diehl says. "Hopefully, over the long term, the ensemble will develop and refine a band sound." Devotees of the idiom will eagerly await the process.

The Bespoke Man's Narrative track listing:
1. Prologue (Aaron Diehl)
2. Generation Y (Aaron Diehl)
3. Blue Nude (Aaron Diehl)
4. Moonlight in Vermont (John Blackburn/Karl Suessdorf)
5. Single Petal of a Rose (Duke Ellington)
6. The Cylinder (Milt Jackson)
7. Stop and Go (Aaron Diehl)
8. Le Tombeau de Couperin (III. Forlane) (Maurice Ravel)
9. Bess, You Is My Woman Now (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Du Bose Heyward)
10. Epilogue (Aaron Diehl)

aarondiehl.com
mackavenue.com
dlmediamusic.com

AN EVENING WITH CALVIN KEYS

For nearly fifty years jazz guitarist Calvin Keys has been a leader of his own bands, producer of his recordings and on first call for his exceptional style as an accompanist and soloist by many other legends of jazz!

It was in Calvin's birth city of Omaha that he secretly starting to teach himself to play on his uncle's Gibson after being warned away from the instrument. It was on one such occasion that his uncle caught him and he was so impressed that he gave him the guitar. Thank goodness for that uncle!! At age 16 he first played guitar professionally mostly on popular music and blues gigs. Soon after a friend turned him on to Miles Davis and that's when he shifted his direction towards jazz!

As Calvin says it was “something new to explore”. Around this time Calvin was also introduced to the father of electric guitar, Charlie Christian whom Calvin has referred to as “the master be booper”, Keys continues “before Charlie Christian the guitar was a chordal instrument, he started using it as a solo instrument”.

Not long after his first professional relationship with the organ took place with Frank Edwards. From there that special kinship that the organ and guitar seem to enjoy blossomed and as Calvin says of that relationship “the guitar blends very well with the organ” and gigs or recordings with the giants of the organ like Jimmy Smith, Jimmy MC Griff, Jack McDuff, Trudy Pitts, Dr. Lonnie Smith and Papa De Francesco followed.

After hearing him with Ahmad Jamal, organist Charles Earland was so thrilled that he asked Calvin to join his band for a special New York City performance! A move to Los Angeles in 1969 launched another wave of growth as Keys became the guitarist in the house band at the Persian Room with Red Holloway.During this same period Calvin co-led a band with Blue Mitchell, and connected with with yet another master organist Doug Carn whom he later recorded with on Doug's Adams Apple release that featured the now great Jean Carn on the famed Black Jazz label. Other highlights of Calvin's Los Angels period is his work with the great Oscar Brown Jr. at the legendary club Memory Lane and this was the period he met Ray Charles whom he'd work with off and on until 1995.

It was after a 1974 moved to Oakland Ca. that Calvin's nearly 20 years with Ahmad Jamal begin. As Calvin says of his hearing Ahmad “Ahmad is a master of time, I felt it deep inside my bones the first time I heard him” This relationship included touring extensively with Ahmad through out Europe with a live recording, Live In Paris recorded at the famed Salle Pleyel which has finally made its way to the US!! That tour also included stops state side at Carnegie Hall and the JVC Jazz Festival!! It was during this same period that Calvin begin his work as music director with yet another giant, Earl “Fatha” Hines.

Through the years Calvin Keys has graced the stage with Donald Byrd, Lou Donaldson, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Carmen McCrea, Gloria Lynn, Jackie Ivory, Jackie Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Eddie Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, George Coleman, Jimmy Witherspoon, Hadley Caliman to name a few.

As a further display of Calvin Keys virtuosity he has shared the stage with Motown legend Martha Reeves at San Francisco's famed Razz Room as well the Blues Cruise with Taj Mahal. Not limited to his beloved jazz roots Calvin has also worked in video's with MC Hammer and Luther Vandross. Guitar visionary Pat Metheny who has been a fan of Calvin Keys' since the start of his own career has called Calvin “the real deal” and has been so moved that he wrote the tune Calvin's Keys which is on his Day Trip CD!!

While performing is always a priority for Calvin Keys, including a 2010 2 month tour of Uruguay he has found time to record 14 Cd's as a leader. The highlights being Proceed With Caution and Shawn Neeq both on the aforementioned Black Jazz label Standard Keys and An Evening With Calvin Keys of which a reviewer for Euroclubdejazz.com Brian Harvey says “his work brings to mind other giants with similarity endless flows of delightful original ideas like Paul Gonzalez, Sidney Bechet, Django Reinhardt and Sonny Rollins” both on Life Force Jazz Records.

Other recordings are Maria's First and Full Court Press on Olive Branch Records up to the more recent Calvinesque and Hand Made Portrait on the Silverado label are all exceptional recording featuring Calvin's “single note style”. While Calvin's Wide Hive Records recordings Detours: Into Unconscious Rhythms, Vertical Clearance and Electric Keys are less straight ahead they still find him at the very top of the guitar ladder!

His latest CD is entitled An Evening With Calvin Keys.

~ calvinkeys.com.

NEW RELEASES - JESSE FOSTER, NACKA FORUM, MATTHIAS LANDAEUS

JESSE FOSTER – PEOPLE, PLACES AND SONGS

After many years of honing his craft and teaching others, Jesse Foster has finally released the musical offering that those of us that know him have been waiting for. Born in Bessimer, Alabama and raised in Cleveland Ohio, Jesse recognized his musical calling at an early age and pursued his own natural course of study, by receiving formal training and absorbing influences from other great artists. He is a singer, songwriter and percussionist extraordinare, with an original composition and arranging style, which conveys deep and personal messages through songs crossing a wide range of musical genres.

Although Jesse has worked with and been influenced by many renowned artists,he credits the body of works by master artists like Wes Montgomery, Marvin Gaye, John Coltrane, Smokey Robinson, David Ruffin, Nat"King"Cole and Miles Davis, for having a profound impact on his concepts, musical direction and career. In the seventies Jesses travels brought him to San Francisco where for over thirty years now, his writing performing and teaching has received international acclaim and earned him a special place amongst the unsung heroes of the music scene. Jesse views life as a series of segways, living moment to moment and song to song, never knowing what will happen, but possessing relentless drive and undying faith in his mission. ~ lifeforcejazz.com

NACKA FORUM – FEE FI FO RUM

The group's only a quartet, but they've got a combination of sounds and instruments to rival that of a much larger ensemble! The strength of the record really comes from the twin horn talents of Goran Kajfes and Jonas Kullhammar – the former on cornet, bass trumpet, flexatone, electric trumpet, and Steiner EVI – the latter on tenor, baritone, bass sax, flute, clarinet, minimoog, mellotron, and even moisturizer! These two stalwarts of the Swedish scene are well grounded by the rhythms of Johan Berthling on bass and Kjell Nordeston on drums (and a bit of vibes) – working with a firm guiding hand on some of the more focused tunes here, and really letting Kajfes and Kullhammar stretch out their tones at other points. Titles include "Fanfarum For Electric Forum", "Jimmy", "Dinner With Inner", "Yasuragi", "Borkum Riff", and "Gluck". ~ Dusty Groove

MATTHIAS LANDAEUS – JUL PA JAZZVIS

A sweet trio album from pianist Mathias Landaeus – based around classic Swedish Holiday tunes, but handled instrumentally – which means that you can enjoy the album all year long! The record's way different than an American jazz Christmas album – partly because of the relatively unfamiliar tunes, but also because of the gently expressive style that Landaeus brings to his readings – piano lines that are pointed, yet somewhat softly sensitive too – and guided nicely by the bass of Kristian Lind and drums of Jonas Holgersson. There's almost a Brubeck vibe in the album at times – and titles include "Ja Se Det Snoar", "Hej Tomtegtubbar", "Staffan Var En Stalledrang", "Hosianna Davids Son", and "Nu Ar Det Jul Igen". ~ Dusty Groove

THE ELMER GIBSION TRIO LIVE

"Elmer Gibson is probably a new name for most of us, but he has been performing his brand of mainstream Jazz for many years, perhaps most notably with the Norman Connors Band in the 1970s. Gibson is an excellent pianist and a good composer and arranger, with good taste in sidemen." It is ironic that Steven Loewy wrote this review for Generation Dance in Cadence Magazine, April, 2003, because it is especially applicable in this offering, which he has not heard.

The Elmer Gibson Trio Live date features an unknown bassist, Rick Jones, a doctorate of electronic engineering, who cut his eyeteeth playing with Elmer over the previous ten years, and a rediscovered powerhouse drummer named Ron Free, who hadn't been heard from in 30 years, since his days with Mose Allison. Ron sat in on Elmer's gig at the Chef and Clef in Charleston, SC, the year before and this was Elmer's first opportunity to call him for a gig. Ironically, Ron's first official recording date (at the tender age of 20) was given to him by a cousin of Elmer's, the eminent bassist Oscar Pettiford. Oscar had heard him perform in the pit band for an off-Broadway show called "The Shoestring," and was obviously impressed.


What is truly amazing is the fact that this session would not exist if it had not been for Rick's foresight and engineering skills that made him bring his DAT recorder that inauspicious November night in 1994. Rick had received his first taste of big-time drummers when Elmer headlined a trio date for the Artsplosure Festival (Raleigh, North Carolina) featuring Danny Richmond, and another with Bobby Durham, sadly, neither of which was recorded. Rick had this to say about his experience with Ron: "Elmer and I had played together enough that I knew his music pretty well. Ron, of course, was not familiar with any of Elmer's music.

Given those circumstances, what you hear from Ron in the performances recorded at that gig, is remarkable. Even the first time through a given tune, you can hear how Ron is able to anticipate the rhythmic aspects of the tune and make it sound like we had been playing together for years. His musical radar created a cohesiveness that inspired us collectively and lifted the music to new heights.""What Happened to Ronnie Free?" shouts a headline from an article by Sam Stephenson in the Oxford-American (July/August 2000).

Well, this CD answers the question. And what does Ron think about his re-emergence? "I am proud of our performance. We did some serious cooking, rare and well done at the same time. We had a lot of good energy going." And what does Elmer Gibson think about this recording? "If Rick hadn't saved those DATs, and if I hadn't decided to revisit them in 2001, I would have missed presenting what is probably my best performance on record to date. Totally unselfconscious and full of genuine emotion and a lot of fun." How ironic.

Elmer Gibson Trio:
Elmer Gibson (piano)
Rick Jones (bass); Ron Free (drums).
Liner Note Authors: Bob Rogers; Elmer Gibson.
Recording information: Raleigh, NC (11/19/1994).
Photographer: Robert Flynn.

~ lifeforcejazz.com

JAMES LEARY - TOGETHER

In the world of bassists/composers associated with the music commonly known as jazz, and sometimes referred to as America’s classical music or National Treasure, names like Oscar Pettiford and Charles Mingus stand out amongst an elite group. However, this elite group has expanded over the years along with the natural role of bass in contemporary music ensembles. Today we have many great bass players who are also great composers and James Leary is certainly one among them!


As a bassist, James Leary has worked consistently for over fifty years performing with many of the world’s most renowned entertainers and performing artists. He has accumulated a long list of credits, overshadowing an equally impressive list of personal artistic accomplishments (For more bio information, please visit http://www.jamlearmusic.com/).

Together is a CD project featuring a compilation of original compositions written and arranged by James Leary. The music is an integral part of his musical legacy and chronicles many of his west coast artistic endeavors, emanating from a deep sense of social responsibility and dedication to community involvement. The first seven tracks showcase a unique big band sound, recorded and independently released on vinyl in 1980. Although the music was well received by those hearing the band live as well as on recordings, the record album was not promoted and got very little national or international exposure. Today, the music is heralded as a classic San Francisco Bay Area treasure, witnessed and heard by only a few. With George Cables, Eddie Marshall, Kenneth Nash and Babatunde Lea joining him in the rhythm section, James paints a musical landscape for the incomparable solo genius of the great tenor saxophonist, Joe Henderson, backed by some of the finest section players in the Bay Area at that time! We are sure both casual listeners and serious music enthusiasts will agree that it would be a “Cardinal Sin” not to re-release these tracks with a goal of reaching broader audiences and increasing opportunities for the greater public to experience and collect this music.

The remaining six tracks were taken from various sessions produced in Southern California, during the 1990’s. With the exception of the tune “Little Joe,” James composes for smaller ensembles on these tracks, featuring “jazz” heroes based in and around the Los Angeles area, including our co-founder and inspiration for LifeForcejazz Records, the legendary Billy Higgins. Whether writing for instrumentals, vocals, small or large ensembles, James Leary is a music storyteller with a dedicated connection to other performing arts disciplines. Listeners of this CD will hear his propensity for creating and harmonizing haunting melodic themes over an array of different rhythms and tempos, which is also his formula for scoring sound tracks used in films, modern dance or theatrical productions. Although the innovative music presented on this disc reflects James Leary’s interpretation, expression and statement of personal experiences, it also positively impacts the consciousness of society by continuing to convey messages of peace, love, unity and the idea that “we can make a deal,” Together!
 
~ lifeforcejazz.com

ROLANDO MATIAS - LIVE VOLUME ONE

Traditional and Latin jazz musicians have taken separate risks to develop unique experimental approaches. Traditional jazz musicians have spent decades building, destroying, and reconstructing the harmonic foundation of jazz. Latin jazz musicians have emphasized rhythmic diversity, exploring the connections between jazz and a variety of Caribbean and South American traditions. Paths often cross through the stylistic embellishment of jazz standards with fixed harmonic forms, and diverge between avant-garde and Latin music. Percussionist Rolando Matias and his Afro-Rican Ensemble bring all jazz roads together into an intriguing mixture of risk, experimentation and history on "Live" Volume One.


Several repertoire choices immediately set the band apart from many Latin jazz ensembles. Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "Volunteered Slavery stands the furthest outside of Latin jazz conventions. Matias opens the piece with spoken word, and then leaves bassist Roger Hines to freely define a swing feel behind trumpet player Mike Wade and pianist Baris Buyukyildirim. The full Latin rhythm section brings the song to an up-tempo finish. The veiled appearance of a two-chord dance song starts Pharaoh Sanders' "Thembi (Part 1), as tenor saxophonist Eddy Bayard plays the melody. Wade and Bayard push their solos outside the harmony while Buyukyildirim and Hines boldly eliminate the harmonic center. As the band transitions into the sparse texture of "Thembi (Part 2), Buyukyildirim freely explores the territory between traditional melodies, polytonality, and Tyner-like open voicings. Beyond the novelty of unusual song choices, the full commitment to the musical aesthetics creates a stimulating musical experience.

Matias and his group rhythmically reconstruct standards as well, elevating the traditional music with their inspired performances. Joe Henderson's "Mamacita inherits a salsa rhythm, while maintaining its original hard bop flare. Wade and Bayard have done their homework on this jazz era, and they deliver fiery solos full of blues flavor and bop shape. "Black Narcissus opens with Hines rhythmically bowing his bass over a Comparsa rhythm. As the rhythm section builds intensity, Bayard delivers the melody and then plays a strong and passionate solo. Buyukyildirim takes center stage in "Tico Tico, a Bomba with traditional melodic and harmonic structures. After locking the melody into the drums, Buyukyildirim completely explores the changes, alternating between tense rhythmic patterns and flowing melodic phrases. Matias and guest timbalero Bobby Matos bring a passionate sense of tradition to "Song for Judd, providing heartfelt and studied percussion solos. The group builds strong performances, combining the best of both jazz worlds with their defined personal voices.

Matias and his group prioritize risk taking on "Live" Volume One, bringing together diverse musical aesthetics. At times, the album reflects the downsides of musical risks—momentary lacks of unity, occasional tuning issues in the winds, and an uneven recording. Yet the positive results push the band into uncharted Latin jazz territory, forcing them to explore new improvisational challenges. Their musical journey reflects broad jazz history knowledge and an unbridled creative spirit. Their performance evolves into a clear statement of personality and character, exposing a tradition of unified experimentation.

~ lifeforcejazz.com

FRANK D'RONE - DOUBLE EXPOSURE

If you haven't heard the velvety voice and sultry strumming of Chicago treasure Frank D'Rone, well, better late than never. Fortunately, you can hear everything the man has to offer, and maybe a little bit more, on his latest album, Double Exposure.

D'Rone, who has been around long enough to be endorsed by none other than Nat King Cole, has a natural born affinity for providing great entertainment. Whether he's belting out in front of a sizzling big band, singing some swinging pop-jazz, or crooning acoustic ballads, D'Rone can do it all and make it seem effortless. Double Exposure, and his frequent gigs in and around Chicago, and throughout his career in major nightclubs throughout the country, attest to this.

So, yes, D'Rone has indeed been there and done that. He has connected with audiences for decades; his mellow demeanor and outsize talent is shown in abundance on Double Exposure. The recording pops on impeccably arranged big-band style tunes like the opening "When the Sun Comes Out" and "Pick Yourself Up." D'Rone makes solid contact on his many guitar-based ballads, including "Make Someone Happy" and "The Very Thought of You." Throughout the record, D'Rone proves he can dazzle regardless of the genre.

Born in Providence, Frank started singing and playing the guitar on stage at the age of five. At 11, he had his own local radio show and at 13 he'd won an artist's degree in classical guitar. He formed his own band and played local dates while finishing school then took his show on the road, playing in New York City and Chicago. Frank eventually ending up in a successful residency at a Chicago club called Dante's Inferno.

During this time, Chicago proved to be a friendly place and D'Rone made a name for himself among the elite artists of the era. Celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Ella Fitzgerald, Shecky Greene, Oscar Peterson, Alan King, Ray Brown, Stan Kenton, June Christy and many more turned up to see D'Rone do his thing. He gained a reputation as a true artist, a singer's singer. One of his most enthusiastic admirers, the late Nat "King" Cole, penned the liner notes for Frank's first album. Sinatra requested that D'Rone be hired to play the lounge when he played Las Vegas and Atlantic City venues.

D'Rone's rare talent has served him well everywhere he goes. Frank was headlining the world-famous "Copacabana" when Tony Bennett took over the microphone on opening night and told the audience, "A few years back, Nat 'King' Cole said that Frank D'Rone was the finest singer around. Tonight he has proved that Nat was right!"

If it's "right" with Cole and Bennett, it'll be "right" with you, too. Check out Double Exposure.

MANUEL GALBAN - BLU CHA CHA

“We began with a selection of about one thousand tunes,” said Cuban guitar legend Manuel Galbán and the album’s producers Juan Antonio Leyva and Magda Rosa Galbán. Indeed, Blue Cha Cha, recorded in 2010 and the first solo work to be released by the late guitarist in many years, had been hatched conscientiously. This was a characteristic adopted by Galbán throughout his career. He was a musician who liked to allow projects to mature for as long as necessary to ensure optimal results and was averse to embarking on unwarranted adventures.

“Blue Cha Cha is a record that needed to be made, so it’s a real gift,” says Galbán’s daughter, Magda Rosa. “My father used to laugh a lot, and he would say that everything in life has to be given because ‘you know, from up the sky, there are many clouds that you cannot see…’ With this album he could see his dreams come true, and I hope that God enjoys his music as much as we have here on earth.”

When you first listen to Blue Cha Cha, a CD/DVD set for release June 26, 2012, on Concord Picante, a division of Concord Music Group, what strikes you is the variety of styles that show us once again the very best of Galbán, the maestro who left the famed Los Zafiros, then astounded the world with Buena Vista Social Club™ and, subsequently, with Ry Cooder on their sensational, #1 Latin Pop and GRAMMY® Award winning Pop Instrumental album, Mambo Sinuendo. After Galbán moved to Havana, he became one of the most active musicians on the Cuban music scene, a guitarist who was highly sought after by countless leading bands throughout his sixty-year career. Unquestionably, Blue Cha Cha is virtually a musical encyclopedia in which Galbán pooled the experience built on a lifelong career devoted to music. This knowledge assisted him throughout his entire life and helped transform him into a genuine benchmark of popular Cuban music. Blue Cha Cha is an ambitious and generous album.

At an early age, Galbán became one of the most innovative, creative and original musicians his native Cuba had ever seen, as well as an instrumentalist who achieved much worldwide acclaim. For this project, there was nothing better than going over his career and choosing all the music that always had meaning to him – Afro-Cuban music, bolero, Latin American music, rhythm and blues – and inviting some of the biggest names from these styles to perform on the album. Omara Portuondo, Rosa Passos, Trío Esperança, Eric Bibb, Sissoko Ballaké and Marcelo Mercadante, among others, all feature alongside Galbán. There are one-on-one arrangements with the aim of triumphing together rather than vying for the limelight, and they show how the sounds of Galbán’s guitar preserve sensitivity and relevance.

However, Blue Cha Cha is not merely an album of encounters; rather, it is about reunions. Galbán revives a repertoire that formed part of his musical education, and he performs alongside colleagues with whom he had shared stages and studios on earlier occasions. It offers a memory of those who are no longer with us, as indeed one can detect a sense of sorrow in “Duele,” which Galbán performed with GRAMMY® Award winning singer Omara Portuondo. “I feel very thankful and proud for being part of this album,” says Portuondo. “Manuel Galbán was an incredible musician and a great person who contributed immensely to Cuban music.”

The dulcet tones of Rosa Passos almost seem like a whispered declaration of love. “I felt very happy and honored when I was invited to participate on the beautiful song ‘Alma Mía’ on Manuel Galbán’s final album,” Passos says.

Galbán revisited his times with Los Zafiros on the track “Bossa Cubana,” as if the aim was to close a professional circle. Galbán may not have been who he was if not for the years he spent with a group that changed the course of Cuban music.

Blue Cha Cha embraces everything from the combination of Galbán’s distinctive guitar work and Sissoko Ballaké’s kora on “Batuca” to Eric Bibb’s style of blues on “Bluechacha.” “I was happily surprised to learn that Manuel Galbán was aware of me as a musician,” says Bibb. “I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to be a part of his final recording. Being in the studio working on “Bluechacha” was an unforgettable experience that I’ll always treasure. Manuel Galbán was an amazing guitarist and bandleader – it’s a great honor to be a small part of his recording legacy.”

These words lay testimony to an ever-apparent aspect: when you bring musicians from entirely different walks of life to a studio and they can connect regardless of language or culture.

Galbán revisits the sound that he himself forged and so many have tried to imitate, his unique playing style was perfectly suited to the most modern sounds. Galbán’s career had brought him to all four corners of the world, where all his inspirations and experiences are revealed on this final recording.

A close friend said after his passing, “There is always a big sadness when someone beloved has gone, but for Manuel there is a sense of happiness, because he lived as he wished, he traveled the seven seas, he loved, he drank and he touched the angels. Surely, tonight they are preparing a jam session with Ibrahim, Cachao and his other friends – where rum will finish all of them, and they’ll keep playing until dawn…”

As we approach the one-year anniversary of Galbán’s passing (July 7, 2011), the result is a recording with an almost orchestral feel, bursting with the energy that only he could glean from the guitar. With his uniquely personal stylistic elegance, Galbán could transform any tune into a gem, adapting it to a language ahead of its time, a language he created, where the sounds of the instrument bore as much significance as the discourse of the guitar. Galbán was a cornerstone of the six-string instrument, and he achieved something that very few are ever able to do: only a couple of bars are needed to recognize his unmistakable style.

CHRISTIAN SCOTT - CHRISTIAN ATUNDE ADJUAH

On July 31, 2012, Edison Award winning trumpeter-composer-producer-bandleader Christian Scott releases his compelling new album, Christian aTunde Adjuah. The follow-up to his critically-acclaimed Yesterday You Said Tomorrow is an inspired and provocative two-disc, 23-track collection. With the artist’s trumpet at the heart of most of the tunes, the album features reflective ballads, light and dreamy soundscapes, guitar-edged and rock-inflected cookers, trumpet ecstasies as well as clarion calls and anguished wails.


An intrepid explorer, Scott ups the ante on his new double album Christian aTunde Adjuah, continuing to delve into uncharted jazz territory. Scott’s band consists of guitarist Matthew Stevens, drummer Jamire Williams, bassist Kris Funn and pianist Lawrence Fields (whose piano sound is often spiced for effect by using paper on the instrument’s strings). Scott also recruited guests tenor saxophonist Kenneth Whalum III, alto saxophonist Louis Fouche IIII, and trombonist Corey King.

Christian aTunde Adjuah is arguably the most personal project to date for the young artist, reflected in the album title, Christian aTunde Adjuah-- the artist’s new name, and the album cover -- a photo of the Scott in the traditional attire of his culture the Black Indians of New Orleans.

Scott says, “The album cover is a self-portrait, a two-tiered depiction of me in the ceremonial regalia of the Afro-Native American Culture of New Orleans-- colloquially known as Black Indians or Mardi Gras Indians. The photo represents the same general idea that the record does. It's about the willingness to forge new paths and to seek new terrain while excavating one’s own past as a means of gaining a better contextual understanding of that path.” Scott explains, "The cover. The album. Everything represents the completion of my name. I am Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. The addition of the names aTunde and Adjuah comes from two cities in the West African nation of Benin, which is present day Ghana. It’s just a way for me to tell the world that I accept all of my past and am willing to explore it. So in a sense, I haven't changed my name. I’ve completed it to reflect another part of my ancestry and lineage-- the part before Scott.”

Christian aTunde Adjuah opens with “Fatima Aisha Rokero 400,” where the trumpeter boldly soars over Stevens’ guitar and eerie muses. The song is about the ethnic cleansing, kidnapping and more specifically the rape of 400 indigenous African Sudanese women by Janjaweed soldiers in the town of Rokero. “New New Orleans (King Adjuah Stomp),” a rhythmic bouncer about the resilience of post-Katrina New Orleans. Also included on the first disc is the light, quiet, muted-trumpet of “Who They Wish I Was” about how people have equated his band with the classic Miles Davis Quintet of the ‘60s; the pounding “Pyrrhic Victory of aTunde Adjuah” about the negative reactions of people to Scott’s name completion; as well as "Kiel," a reflective musical portrait of Christian’s twin brother, director of the critically-acclaimed, award winning short The Roe Effect. Also included is the rhythmically skittering, celebratory “Spy Boy Flag Boy,” about the Scott brother’s New Orleans-based Black Indian lineage and their roles in their grandfather Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr.'s tribe.

The second disc opens with the catchy melody, guitar-growled, hopeful “The Berlin Patient (CCR5)” about the AIDS patient from San Francisco who was cured via an experimental treatment in Berlin; the snappy-drum patterned “Trayvon” that addresses the recent killing in Florida of an innocent black teen; the melodic tune “Liar Liar” about the deception-filled end of a relationship; and the ballad “I Do” that Scott wrote to celebrate his engagement.

Scott ends the album with the romantic beauty “Cara,” a song named after the musician’s mother. Scott’s breathy trumpet lines over Fields’ rich piano comping. Scott says, “There’s no better way to end the album because it’s a song for my mother who sacrificed everything for Kiel and me.”

A tour de force masterwork, Christian aTunde Adjuah opens a wide window on Scott’s present—as well as his past (especially in reaction to the jazz trads complaining about his breaking free from the jazz standard) and his auspicious creative future. In his liners, Scott writes that the listener will hear on the album “a stretching of jazz, not a replacement. That is what I hope younger people will be able to take away from it as well—the idea that innovation should never be regarded as a problem in artistic practice, that one should always be aware of what has come before, and finally, that criticisms shouldn’t evoke paralysis, [but] should inspire action.”

GERALD ALBRIGHT / NORMAN BROWN - 24/7

As listeners, we like to enjoy music 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So it’s a good thing that contemporary jazz greats Gerald Albright and Norman Brown have been working overtime to produce 24/7, their first album together. This June 19, 2012 release on Concord Jazz, a division of Concord Music Group, offers ten killer soul-jazz tracks of music that never sleeps.

Ever since the debut of Norman Brown’s critically acclaimed 2002 album, Just Chillin’ – which won a GRAMMY® in the prestigious Best Pop Instrumental Category – this innovative and original guitarist has been front and center in the fast evolving fusion of pop, R&B and jazz that has captured the imagination of true music aficionados across the country and around the world.

On 24/7, Brown teams up with saxophone master Gerald Albright, whose high-profile recordings have established the Los Angeles-based musician as one of the most prominent artists and a true “musicians' musician.” Whether he is playing contemporary or straight-ahead jazz, Albright stands in a class all by himself. His 2010 release, Pushing The Envelope, received a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Album.

“The title is reflective of the commitment that both of us have made in terms of our instruments,” Albright says. “Even when we sleep we’re thinking about melodies, recordings, concerts and whatever we’re going to do next. 24/7 also speaks to the camaraderie between us. I first met Norman back in the ’80s, when we would play together at a club in Redlands, CA. Other musicians would stop by, but I was always impressed with Norman’s playing. It was a lot of fun – but a challenge as well. We went our separate ways, but here we are now.”
Brown adds, “When we were recording the project, we didn’t have a lot of time – so we were working on it 24/7!”

24/7 spotlights Brown on lead and rhythm guitars, alongside Albright on alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, flutes, bass guitar, electric wind instrument, percussion, programming and background vocals. The band for most of the recording alternates between keyboardist Tracy Carter, rhythm guitarist Rick Watford and drummer Jay Williams; and keyboardist Herman Jackson, bassist Byron Miller, drummer Charles Streeter and percussionist Ramon Ysalas.

The album opens with “In The Moment,” a pop instrumental gem that gives Albright’s horns and Brown’s guitar lots of breathing room. “This was one of the last tunes I wrote for the project,” Albright says. “I felt we needed something uptempo and funky. Later on, we decided it should go first. The tune was very spontaneous – it came to me ‘In the Moment.’”

Herman Jackson’s “Keep It Moving” sets the mood to kick back and enjoy the ride. “Herman and I have worked together for years,” says Brown. “He’s my production partner and has worked with me on all of my albums. When we were in the studio cutting tunes, Herman played me this track, and I felt it really fit the mood of the whole record.”

“Perfect Love,” another showcase for Brown’s trademark fluid playing and clean articulation, spotlights the guitarist’s daughter, Rochella, and godson, DeMille Cole-Heard, on lead vocals. “I just love the concept of love,” Brown says. “My music is always centered on some aspect of love, and that’s been a recurring theme in all of my compositions. The lyrics were written by Dr. Farid Zarif, a natural doctor who I’ve worked with on my diet and fitness, but he’s also a musician who’s worked with Stevie Wonder.”

On “Buenos Amigos,” Albright draws creative inspiration from American jazz percussionist Willie Bobo (1934-1983), one of the many legendary musicians with whom he has worked. “I’m really into Latin music,” Albright says. “There was a big time period when I played with Willie. He really schooled me on how to play Latin, and I wanted to reflect on those experiences. The title refers to my friendship with Norman.”

It was Brown’s idea to update “Tomorrow,” a mellow Brothers Johnson classic from 1976. “I like to give the audience something familiar, but with a twist,” says Brown. “I thought this track was perfect for Gerald and me. It fits the project completely.”

Brown’s “Yes, I Can” features an irresistible groove and a positive vibe. “I always like to find something energetic, funky and groovy,” he says. “This track started with the groove and came together quickly. The tag at the end just spoke to me” ‘Yes, I can,’ ‘Yes, I can.’”

Albright’s daughter, Selina, contributes her vocal skills to the well-polished and soulful title track (and later to “Champagne Life”). “Norman and I collectively decided on the title,” Albright says. “We went through several choices. Mark Wexler [Senior Vice President and Label Manager for Concord’s Jazz and Classics Group] encouraged us to pull out all the stops and employ the talents of our daughters. Selina actually wrote the lyrics. In my opinion, this is a classic Gerald Albright mid-tempo tune. I was even able to play bass and dig in with some orchestration.”

It was Albright’s decision to include “Champagne Life,” from singer Ne-Yo’s album Libra Scale. “When I first heard Ne-Yo’s version,” he says. “I thought, ‘this feels good,’ and this would also work as a nice tune for our summer concert dates! First and foremost, I love the tune. This was the first song I brought to Norman when we started the project.”

Brown co-wrote “The Best Is Yet To Come” with Jeanette Harris. “Jeanette is a young saxophonist,’ he says. “And I was producing her album. I wrote several tracks with her, and this was one of them. Later, I decided to use it on our record. There’s a throwback feel to it that reminds me of music from the days of CTI Records.”

24/7 closes with Albright’s laid back “Power Of Your Smile.” “A thick, orchestral ballad was the one thing that we didn’t have on the album,” Albright says. “I also wanted it to have a melody that people could sing – with a nice balance between the guitar and the saxophone. After all, there’s a camaraderie between Norman and me – we’ve been friends for three decades.”

“I’ve been a big fan of Gerald Albright since back in the day,” says Brown. “He’s one of the world’s premier saxophonists, and it’s an honor to work with such a great talent. That’s what makes this project so special.

''IN THE SPIRIT OF ETTA JAMES' TRIBUTE ALBUM COMING SOON FROM LEELA JAMES

Since her childhood in L.A.'s eclectic urban culture, singer Leela James has woven the soul tradition into and around every corner of her creative identity. Deep within her rich and powerful voice are the echoes of Aretha Franklin, Mavis Staples, Gladys Knight and other iconic divas of generations past.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, James was surrounded by music from a very early age – much of it from the soul, R&B and gospel traditions that predated her by at least a couple decades. “There was definitely a lot of Al Green played in our house," she recalls. "And there were other gospel singers too, like James Cleveland, The Mighty Clouds of Joy and Shirley Caesar." She recalls her neighborhood as an extension of her own home and family. As such, she absorbed the eclectic array of whatever was playing in her friend's homes and on the streets. There was the soul and R&B and funk from artists like Aretha, Smoky Robinson and Parliament," she says. “And there was B.B. King and all the other blues artists, and then the hip hop by Run DMC and LL Cool J. There was so much that I was exposed to."

Along the way, it never occurred to her that much of what she was hearing was at least a generation ahead of her time. "Good music is timeless," she says, "so you don't really stop to think that certain music is from a different period and you're too young to embrace it. If it's good, it's good." By the time she was in high school, she was singing in numerous talent showcases and competitions. "I knew it was something that I wanted to pursue," she says, "because I enjoyed the music and I enjoyed being on stage and making people feel good and getting a positive reaction from singing."

She made her recording debut with A Change Is Gonna Come, released on the Warner label in 2005. The album title alone – taken from the title of a 1964 posthumous hit by Sam Cooke and an anthem for the civil rights movement – speaks to James' deep-rooted belief in the soul tradition and its ever-present potential to influence history. In the midst of a change in management and label over the next four years, James kept busy with an aggressive tour schedule that introduced her to festival audiences in the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa and elsewhere around the world. Along the way, she was nominated for 2006's Outstanding New Artist by the NAACP Image Awards and Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist of 2008 by the Soul Train Music Awards.

In 2009, she recorded Let's Do It Again for the Shanachie label. The album was a series of covers – mostly soul, R&B and funk tunes by the likes of Bootsy Collins, The Staples Singers, Al Green, James Brown and Bobby Womack. Also in the mix were songs originally recorded by lesser known artists like Betty Wright and Phyllis Hyman. Let's Do It Again prompted readers of soultracks.com – the respected website for all things soul, R&B and gospel – to tap James as Female Vocalist of the Year in the site's 2009 Readers Choice Poll in December 2009. But the time for James’ tributes to the old masters – however legendary – is past. My Soul (2010) consists primarily of material written or co-written by James and crafted by an assortment of talented producers, including Gerrard Baker, Carl "Chucky" Thompson, Kadis & Sean and others. The album is a giant step forward in James’ ongoing process of defining who she is and what the soul tradition has meant to her.

Clearly, Leela James's musical soul embraces an infinite range of emotions and human struggles. As an artist and as a person, making tough choices and doing the right thing – even if it's the hard thing – is what she's been all about for more than a decade. In the process, she has never lost sight of the core values of the soul tradition – passion, perseverance and a strong sense of identity. All of these and more are at the foundation of My Soul.

"In the past, people tried to put me in a box, based on what they thought soul should sound like," she says. "But soul is whatever comes out of you when you bring your deepest and most honest emotions to the forefront. All these songs are a representation of my soul."

Set for release in the coming months from Shanachie Entertainment is the highly anticipated tribute album entitled, In the Spirit of Etta James.
~ leelajames.com

LR-60 & MR. MOODS - ULTRAVIOLENCE

LR-60 & Mr. Moods released the album Coldest Memories in June 2008. Another project Ultraviolence released in Nov., 2009 followed by their newest release Cosmic Serenades. 2008s Coldest Memories opened wide the floodgates for the presentation to the world of LR-60s atmospheric, soaked-in-hooks style.

A lush chillout-jazz-for-tomorrow project, Coldest Memories has as its source of mesmerism addictive downtempo collection of grooves, a melting pot of moods and textures, dense atmospherics manifesting in paradoxical spaciousness and a merging of jazz and electronic trip.Coldest Memories, Ultraviolence and the newset Cosmic Serenades bring forward LR-60s captivating conglomerate of post-modern jazz, trip-hop, dub, chillout and so much more.

LR-60 is trumpet player Skip Warren, who found the fulfillment of a vision when he discovered electronic artist Christian Denis aka Mr. Moods. Through their correspondence they discovered that they shared the same musical goals and tastes. Thus, Warrens extensive jazz, blues and soul experience perfectly dovetailed with Mr. Moods electronic excursions.

LR-60 toured with the late "Disco Lady" Johnnie Taylor for four years in the late 70s and also played with the late Z.Z. Hill for a year. He toured with blues legend Bobby Blue Bland for a decade from 1981 to 1991. That connection nabbed him countless shows with B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Greg Alman, Albert King, Little Milton, Clarence Carter, Tyrone Davis, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Wilson Pickett, Junior Walker & The Allstars, John Lee Hooker, Dr. John, Millie Jackson and James Brown just to name a few.

He also enjoyed a stellar opportunity recording with gospel singer Kirk Franklin on the Nu Nation Project album with noted gospel artist Fred Hammond. LR-60 has also written and recorded original compositions for CNN. LR-60 & Mr. Moods can also be heard on the premier internet chill/lounge station SmoothJazz.com.

~ www.soundclick.com/lr60.

SUPERSAX - CHASIN' THE BIRD / DYNAMITE

Two MPS gems from this unusual 70s ensemble – back to back on the same CD! Chasin' The Bird features classic bop modes, updated strongly for the 70s – and played by a hip group of older players who really know how to cook! Supersax is led by Med Flory on alto, who also did the arrangements – and works here with great reed help from Warne Marsh and Jay Migliori on tenor, Joe Lopes on alto, and Jack Nimitz on baritone – plus soaring sounds from Conte Candoli and Blue Mitchell on trumpets, Frank Rosolino on trombone, and Lou Levy on piano – all of whom really help the reed players find their groove! Charts are large, as is the ensemble, but there's a nice sense of individual personalities too – even when all the saxophonists are taking a solo together at once. Titles include "Shaw Nuff", "Drifting On A Reed", "Oop Bop Sh'Bam", "Now's The Time", and "The Song Is You".

Dynamite is a looser, more free-swinging album than usual for Supersax – one that still has the group working with some key contributions from west coast jazz luminaries, but in a vibe that's almost more small combo than larger ensemble! The tracks here include a fair bit of Bud Powell and Charlie Parker numbers, but the arrangements are mighty fresh – open, and swinging with some hipper 70s touches, thanks to rhythms from a trio that features Lou Levy on piano, Fred Atwood on bass, and John Dentz on drums – players that are never locked into a strict bop mode. As with other Supersax albums, there's a brace of reed players working together at the front – Lanny Morgan on alto, Jack Nimitz on baritone, and both Jay Migliori and Don Menza on tenors – coming together as one voice on the solos, and getting some key help from Conte Candoli on trumpet and Frank Rosolino on trombone. Titles include "The Fruit", "Bambu", "Blues For Alice", "Tempus Fugit", "Parker's Mood", and a surprising, but great take on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave". ~ Dusty Groove

LISA HILTON - AMERICAN IMPRESSIONS

In the galaxy of contemporary jazz piano, one of the brightest stars to shine is Lisa Hilton. The highly regarded publication JazzReview even referred to her as “The Lioness Of Jazz.” And by contemporary jazz I’m not referring to so-called smooth jazz, happy jazz, or jazz-pop, I’m talking about the real thing – adventurous post-bop jazz that is not afraid to color outside the lines or tread close to the edge. While Lisa is influenced by a range of the greatest musicians and composers of all times including Beethoven, Debussy, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, and many others, she honors the past while being firmly rooted in the present, with an eye on the future. She believes in tradition expressed in new ways, and goes on to say: “I feel very strongly that this generation of jazz artists will create a body of work that will become the classics of the future. Music today combines elements of our past in new ways that speak of contemporary life.”

Music, and piano in particular, dwells deep in her DNA. Lisa’s great uncle was Willem Bloemendaal, an early 20th century Dutch piano virtuoso whose life story she was greatly inspired by. In the small central California coastal town where Lisa lived in her early years, she not only taught herself to play, but began creating elementary compositions. It wasn’t long until, at the tender age of eight, she charted a course for her life and began formal training in classical and twentieth century piano literature. Her education was well rounded however, and she eventually went on to college to study art. The concepts of design that she studied are still integrated into her music and composing to this day. She sees the piano as her true “voice,” and shares that “when I play, I’m communicating our world through the notes.” With a career that boasts an impressive 16 CD’s and over 170 iTunes tracks that have gained worldwide radio airplay and awards, Lisa is certainly making her “voice” heard. However, she also communicates through other media and is a published author with her own blog for over a decade, as well as writing articles in jazz magazines, and currently working on a book about musicianship.

And speaking of musicianship, her latest CD, American Impressions, is a sterling example. Over the years, Lisa, whose musical brilliance has been compared to Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, and George Shearing, has surrounded herself with some of the top players in jazz, and this project is no exception. Her band members are all Downbeat Critic’s Choice award winners with extensive music industry credits. J.D. Allen, who accompanies Lisa on tenor sax, has played and toured with, among others, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, and drummer Cindy Blackwell (who, incidentally, recently married Carlos Santana). Another drummer of note, Nasheet Waits, provides the rhythmic propulsion for this group, as he has with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jason Moran, and more. And rounding out the quartet is Larry Grenadier on bass, whose credits include touring with Brad Melhldau, and recording with Pat Metheney, Joshua Redman, Chick Corea, and others. Quite the all-star line up!

The conceptual focus of the album flashes me back to a late 60’s song by The Steve Miller Band, entitled “Living In The USA.” Although I’ll let Lisa articulate it from her perspective: “As American composers George Gershwin, Aaron Copland and others have done, I seek to create musical experiences focused on impressions of everyday life in America- everything from subways to rain showers that we share in common. As an American composer and pianist, I embrace or reference our great traditional music: jazz, blues, minimalism, Americana, and our songbook of standards, in a way that is embedded in the twenty-first century.”

The album generates some heat on the opening track called “Too Hot.” Actually, the piece manages to be both warm and cool at the same time. Lisa kicks it off with a piano intro based on a two-chord modulation, setting the scene for the other group members to add their fuel to the fire. When the sax eventually made its entrance it brought to mind, at least for me, the classic quartet of John Coltrane with McCoy Tyner, one of my all time favorite dynamic duo’s. Lisa and group establish a nice groove that sustains for the whole song, with a mid-section that moves toward the “outside” a bit, before settling back in. One of the outstanding features of Lisa’s music is its diversity. The album reflects an ever-changing spectrum of styles, moods, and influences. A good example of this is on “When It Rains,” which opens with cascading piano arpeggios, washes of cymbal, and the textural percussion of brushes on drums, before evolving into a light melody with lovely liquid piano notes raining over cello-like bowed bass. This is one of Lisa’s more impressionistic pieces, and one of my favorites.

Things shift quickly to another track on the next piece entitled “Subway.” With its fast pace and urgent sense of forward motion, it perfectly captures the vibe under the streets in a city like New York. As might be expected, this is one of the edgier compositions, and is a wild ride – hang on. Then, providing a perfect breather, is “Accidental Romance,” a laid back bluesy number, perhaps influenced by Lisa’s long time love for artists like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, etc, although in a jazzier, more free flowing style than the standard 12 bar blues.

An intriguing choice for a cover tune is an instrumental interpretation of Joni Mitchells “Rainy Night House,” which first appeared on her Ladies Of The Canyon album released in 1970. This is a whole other piece of Americana and a welcome addition to the patchwork quilt this album represents. Its quiet sensitivity conveys considerable emotion and does a good job of representing Joni in spirit. The aquatic ambience continues on the next track with the appropriately named “Waterfall,” which would make a nice trilogy with the preceding track and “When It Rains.” The album’s other standard tune is “Echoes Of Harlem” by Duke Ellington. I really like Lisa’s and the group’s interpretation of the song, which oozes with urban cool.

In addition to her career as a recording artist and performer, another thing that is equally cool is the work the Lisa does with children who have visual handicaps. For a number of years, she has been involved in conducting workshops and playing with young musicians who are blind or visually impaired in various schools and facilities for youth in Boston, Chicago, LA, and other places. Lisa’s desire to use her music and talents as a vehicle to serve others is perfectly reflected in her creative philosophy: “The object of art is to express and communicate and move others. It is always my desire to touch people deeply through the art in my music.”

~ michaeldiamondmusic.com