GRAMPS MORGAN – REGGAE MUSIC LIVES

With a mission to heal the world through music, Soul Train Award nominee, Gramps Morgan has unleashed his second, solo, album Reggae Music Lives independently, on his Dada Son Entertainment label. A musical therapy of sorts,Reggae Music Lives is filled with angelic harmonies, authentic compositions and a unique sound brand, Gramps calls "Rockaz". Reggae Music Lives is more than Reggae; it's world-beat, with a little bit of country, a taste of what Americans call rap-Jamaicans call it toasting; mix it with a hint of r 'n' b, a dash of blues synthesized with contemporary reggae that maintains the integrity of the original art form and you get a sense of the musical accents that help to make Reggae Music Lives complete.

After two years in the making, Reggae Music Lives arrives with inspiration, healing and Gramps' determination to make positive changes in the world. The album's first single 'The Almighty' topped the charts in Jamaica, South Florida and New York while 'Life Too Short', released on March 28th, advanced in the fight for justice in the case of Trayvon Martin. Consequently, team Dada Son decided to donate part of the sale proceeds to the family of the slain Florida teenager.

Meanwhile, Mark Brantley, Senior Lawyer and Leader of the Opposition in the National Parliament of St. Kitts and Nevis says: "There is no voice in reggae music today as distinctive as that of Gramps Morgan. His sophomore album reminds us of the deeply spiritual roots of reggae music. Gramps' ability to make music with a global appeal which touches the human spirit and soothes the soul has been taken to new heights in his latest release. I believe that this new effort by this Grammy award winning artist will be a major hit with lovers of conscious reggae music the world over. But don't take my word for it. Pick up a copy, put your feet up and let the music wash over you."

Reggae Music Lives is an evolution of Gramps' professional and musical growth expressed through his singing, narratives, arrangements and compositions. His melodies and hooks are seasoned with mature, worldly lyrics that are delivered flawlessly. All of his experiences have culminated in the creation of a universal sound that he says stems from exposure.

"I've grown so much as a producer, song writer and vocalist. Overall, my experience from touring and working with India Arie; watching John Legend perform every night; touring with different artists; working with the different producers (on this album) and getting a chance to work with my brother Peetah one-on-one writing songs; it's brought me to a whole other level. My experience really came into play in making this. I think this album is really the best of the brand called Gramps Morgan; as a product, you finally get the sound of Gramps Morgan. The first album was just discovering, getting it and learning myself. Gramps Morgan has been born on this album. "

A personal favourite of Morgan's on the album sees the return of India Arie, reuniting with Gramps on "Want Fi Charge Wi" a song whose distinct sound is inspired by African rhythms as is "I Hear You Calling", an ode to Africa. Meanwhile new creative partnerships were also forged on this project, one such collaboration was with renowned duo, Stanley "Rellee" Hayden and Alberto "AL" Cruz also known as the A-Team (Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, Sean 'P-Diddy' Combs, The Notorious B.I.G., KRS 1, Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lauryn Hill, Deborah Cox, etc…) on the song called DREAM.

One of the most promising tracks on the album, DREAM, is as inspiring as it is universal, in message and in sound. When Gramps sings "…celebrate wherever you are, keep on striving for your dream, just lift your head high, let your spirit fly, dream away..." one is reminded to persevere; the song offers hope and is that motivator everyone needs.

Another first, and what Gramps describes as "a dream" was working with the legendary, Clive Hunt (The Rollings Stones, Maxi Priest, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Beres Hammond). Hunt produced three of the thirteen songs on Reggae Music Lives including the title track, which is an unapologetic declaration of the state of Reggae music; and on two love songs that will create their own 'baby boom' "Find Myself Thinking" and "I Know It's Love". Gramps Morgan fans get a different side of Gramps on "Could Dj (Dem Neva Know)" here the singer switches to a toasting style delivery over a phat beat infused with elements of rap, blues, and some rock riffs.
Like his first album 2 Sides of My Heart Vol. 1 Gramps has again assembled an incredible pool of talent from the novice to the accomplished musicians and producers alike, including his seventeen year old son Jemere Morgan, Jason 'J-Vibe' Farmer, Llamar "Riff Raff" Brown, Delroy "Delly" Foster and Kemar "Flava" McGregor.

The songs on Reggae Music Lives are well rounded and crafted with diverse themes from romantic and universal love; to global consciousness and justice, to living in the moment and being grateful. Reggae Music Lives is mature and contemporary, it's the kind of music that can rock on any gadget at work, home or at play. Reggae Music Lives is about the preservation of art, music and culture and Gramps wants the world to know that "Reggae music is here to stay."

DEEP STREET SOUL - LOOK OUT, WATCH OUT

“Welcome return for Deep Street Soul with another collection of down-right dirty funk grooves!” Ginger Tony, Solar Radio

Following up on the success of their debut long player in 2009, Melbourne-based raw funk outfit Deep Street Soul is back with their latest full-length album Look Out, Watch Out (released back in the fall of 2011). The now five-piece band, which welcomes new soul vocalist May Johnston into the fold, have pulled out all the stops with this release. It is jam-packed with punch, heady dancefloor anthems and some wicked instrumentation that will make all music fans take note.

Not only that, but Look Out, Watch Out also includes guest appearances by some incredible artists who help take this album to a new level. There are contributions from Chip Wickham (who guests with New Masters Sounds, Badly Drawn Boy, etc) on sax (and horn arrangements), Howard Brown on trumpet, and guest vocals by Randa Khamis (Randa & The Soul Kingdom), Roxy Ray (Dojo Cuts, The Underbelly, the Liberators) and Shirley Davis.

The band initially started recording this release as a traditional four-piece, before discovering May and her talents. “Finding May was just a complete fluke, and we consider ourselves lucky to have found a vocalist of her calibre in our very own backyard,” says bassist Papa J Hunter. Deep Street Soul began its life as an instrumental ensemble, and these influences are still evident in the instrumental tracks on the release. Papa J jokes that it took the band years to learn to play together before they were ready to add in the mix of a vocalist. “We love the craft involved in writing a killer instrumental tune, but because we had recently taken on a vocalist for the live shows, we found it really opened up our sound and gave us more options on how we constructed our live sets,” he says. “In that sense, it was a natural progression to follow on from this when it came time to record the new album.”

As the first single from the long player, the title-track Look Out, Watch Out is the perfect introduction to the talents of new vocalist May. She makes her presence felt instantly, her voice leaps out of the speakers and smacks you straight in your musical heart! And it was this exact emotion that the band was aiming for with their new release. While their debut in 2009 was a diamond hard and gritty funk and soul template that established them as a formidable force on the global funk scene, they weren’t ready to use the same ‘tried and trusted’ formula for the next album. Look Out, Watch Out expands the band’s sound and repertoire, seamlessly mixing together its guest contributions, a new member, tight original numbers, a choice cover version of a favourite song and, like icing on a cake, some raucous and heavy bass to top it off.

Tough yet soulful, hard yet deeply melodic, Deep Street Soul captures the imagination from the first notes on the album to the last kick-ass track. Don’t miss getting your hands on this one, you won’t be able to switch it off.

http://www.deepstreetsoul.com/

NEW RELEASES - MILTON SUGGS, NOUVELLE VAGUE, KELAN PHILIP COHRAN & THE HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE

MILTON SUGGS – LYRICAL VOLUME 1

Genius work from a singer who makes us proud to live in the Windy City – vocalist Milton Suggs, who emerges here as a hell of a writer and arranger too! Milton's easily one of the best new voices in jazz we've heard in years – filled with a rich sense of imagination on his lyrics and phrasing, and a depth of soul that makes sure that his music and movements are always right on the money – a sound and style that puts him the company of a rare few in jazz – a short list that might include Jon Hendricks, Gregory Porter, Kurt Elling, and Mark Murphy! Yet like all those talents, Suggs has a sound that's uniquely his own – a way of putting over a tune that's tremendous – especially when he takes musical inspiration from others, and makes it something all his own – as he does here with core compositions by Wayne Shorter, Belly Golson, and Roy Hargrove. The Shorter inspiration is especially strong – which is great with us – and the album also features great instrumental accompaniment as well. Titles include "Jayme's Song," "Walking Out," "Only A Memory," "Side By Side," "Die Laughing," "Will You Fly With Me," and "Joy Enough To Spare." ~ Dusty Groove

NOUVELLE VAGUE - ACOUSTIC

Nouvelle Vague live and acoustic in Portugal – covering songs by Echo & The Bunnymen, The Cure, New Order, Yazoo, The Buzzcocks, Eurythmics, New Order, Joy Division, Blondie and others – a remarkably sweet and intimate set! The group are no strangers to covering new wave and post-punk classics, but hearing them in this acoustic format is a bit of a surprising twist, and a rewarding one at that. The breezy, bossa-indebted acoustic guitars, subtle keys, percussion and gentle vocals breath fresh air into some great songs. There's some real wildcard material, too – with takes on the Cramps, Dead Kennedys and others. Includes "The Killing Moon," "Blue Monday," "Sweet Dreams," "Guns Of Brixton," "Blister In The Sun," "Love Will Tear Us Apart," "In A Manner Of Speaking," "Heart Of Glass," "Human Fly," "This Is Not A Love Song" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

KELAN PHILIP COHRAN & THE HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE

An amazing bit of music – and an incredible document of generations of creative jazz energy as well! The legendary Phil Cohran teams up here with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – a collective made up of Cohran's sons, who follow strongly in the rich legacy of his own Artistic Heritage group – yet in a very different way! Hypnotic Brass have caught the ear of many during their bright rise to fame – with a fluid, horn-heavy groove that's really amazing – echoes of Sun Ra and other Chicago creative legends – yet played almost entirely on brass instruments, which gives them an even bolder vibe. Here, working with their progenitor brings the group even more depth than before – an excellent sound that really spins things out wonderfully – percussion layered underneath the horns, solos taking jazzy flight, and an overall righteous vibe that holds things together beautifully. The album's way more than the sum of its parts – and those parts are already rich indeed – and titles include "Stateville," "Cuernavaca," "Ancestral," "Spin," "Apsara," and "Frankincense & Myrrh." ~ Dusty Groove

PALOMA FAITH - FALL TO GRACE

"Faith offers a more modern take on the Brit Blue-eyed soul of Adele and Amy Winehouse."
— SPIN

A captivating chanteuse, a rabble-rousing entertainer and theatrical fashion chameleon, Faith’s debut album, Do You Want the Truth, or Something Beautiful? remains a glossy collection of retro-referencing soul and sassy pop.

From the brass-blasted stomp of ‘Stone Cold Sober’, to the epic sweep of her biggest chart hit ‘New York’, the record went on to sell over half a million copies, earning Faith a nomination for Best British Female at the Brit Awards and the honour of closing the 2011 ceremony singing with Cee-Lo Green. At the behest of Chaka Khan, Faith performed ‘I’m Every Woman’ in front of 50,000 people and earned plaudits from Annie Lennox, who selected Faith join her onstage in support of International Women’s Day.

So much more than just a standard pop artist, one of this 26-year-old’s greatest assets is her wicked and wry sense of humour, she’s outspoken and unafraid: she has an opinion. As an artist she pulls from a wide range of sources, her experiences diverse. With a degree in contemporary dance and a Masters in Time Based Arts from Central St Martin’s, Faith is tri-lingual (English, Italian, and conversational Spanish), and a talented actress to boot (she played the romantic foil to Tom Waits’ Devil in the Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus’). You’re as likely to find Faith on the red carpet or on the fashion front row as judging London’s Next Top Tranny at the local working men’s club.

Now as Faith flips the page and writes the next chapter of her story, this Hackney-born girl is keen to express a new level of intimacy with her music. That’s not to say she lost any of her sartorial and performance panache, but Faith’s focus is on her songwriting. On her new, second album Fall To Grace, she’s made the decision to strip herself emotionally bare.

"At the beginning I wanted to do something that was more of a performance and I still have that element because it is part of me,” she explains, “but I feel like where I’ve been most successful is when I’ve just relaxed and been myself. I feel totally, wholeheartedly behind this album. I feel like it belongs to me and I belong to it.”

Recorded in 2011 with the help of producers Nellee Hooper (Madonna, Massive Attack, Bjork) and Jake Gosling (Ed Sheeran), Faith arrived at a crossroads, not in the studio, but during time spent with none other than Prince, who handpicked Faith to perform at NPG Music and Arts Festival in Copenhagen last summer.

“I wasn’t just supporting him, he was teaching me,” says Faith. “He made me watch all the other acts and gave me little lessons. I was completely bowled over. It began as, let’s do a gig, and it turned into spending the weekend with Prince. That was a real turning point for me. I was in the middle of writing the new record and when I left for the festival I felt I’d got to the top of a certain ladder, but when I went home I felt like I was on the bottom of a new ladder. It was scary because I’m at the bottom of something, but I felt that with his encouragement, I could go out there and achieve something.”

On record Faith takes the reigns, moving away from the reference points that characterised her first record – Etta James, Billie Holiday – guiding her compositions into a new, contemporary realm. Collaborating with songwriters such as Ed Harcourt, Matt Hales (Lianne La Havas), Dan Wilson (Adele), Wayne Hector (Britney, Westlife), and even film score composer David Arnold (countless James Bond films,Independence Day,Narnia), ‘Fall To Grace’ is sonically varied, but completely cohesive. From the disco throb of ‘Blood, Sweat and Tears’ and the giddy dance-pulse that runs through ‘Agony’, to ‘Freedom’ (produced and co written by Al Shux), with its shuffled beats and soaring peaks, Faith’s vocals offer bluesy power and reveal husky emotion.

Backed by spectacular strings and gospel singers, lead single ‘Picking Up The Pieces’ finds Faith exploring the struggle of living with the shadow of a lover’s ex, while ‘Black & Blue’ is peppered with astute social observations. On the twinkling pop of ’30 Minute Love Affair’, she recounts a true experience, a fleeting meeting with a busker in London’s Leicester Square when she was just fourteen. “I asked him if he’d be there the next day and he said he would. When I went back he was gone and I’ve never forgotten it.”

But for Faith, ‘Just Be’ is the album’s crown jewel. “It’s supposed to be a realistic love song for real lovers,” she explains. “It’s saying, ‘He gets on my nerves, but I love him.’ I find that more endearing than, ‘There’s no one out there but him.’ That seems naive. I have a lot of admiration for people who’ve been in relationships a long time, married for years. This is a more knowing take on romance.”

Of the album’s title Faith takes the well-worn phrase, “fall from grace” and with Fall To Grace, gives it a positive twist. “It’s a journey and I think it’s hopeful, so I wanted to fall to grace rather than from,” she explains. “I’m taking bad things that have happened and letting them turn me into a more complete person. Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea that inevitably, when anything bad happens to you in life, you always lose a bit of yourself, but then you heal over. In hindsight, even though you’ve lost something, you become stronger. I feel more equipped.”

She adds: “I like the fact that in old songs when people used to sing about heartache there was a real romance in it. I feel like that’s lost in contemporary music, like everyone’s so abrupt: ‘this is terrible’, or ‘this is brilliant!’ It seems so clear cut. So I wanted to bring some of that old-style back – tears can be beautiful. ‘The Beauty of the End’ is about ending a relationship, but indulging in the romance of what you had. I find it strange that people often demonise exes. Unless an ex has done a dreadful, terrible unforgivable thing, I feel like a lot of the time you just go your separate ways and that’s okay. This song is about saying I love you but we’re not going to be together and this is better for both of us. The accompanying string arrangement (arranged by Guy Barker) is kind of like Dr Dre meets Fellini.”

From the off Faith has always been meticulous in mapping the visual imagery to accompany her music, be they videos, photographs or set design. Ever the film fan, Faith looks on this second record as the union of her first two loves: film and music. It’s the soundtrack to her life. “I wanted it to be a homage to film, for everything to look and feel and sound like it was part of a movie.”

There are nods to her favourite film directors Wong Kar Wai and Federico Fellini, traces of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and even Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. “It’s visually very saturated and emotional,” she says. “I’m crying in a lot of the photographs because I was looking at all those iconic images of Marilyn Monroe when she’s about to go onstage and I was trying to make everything look like it was pre-mask. This idea that for me, the show is I’m smiling, I’m always prepared, but before that there’s always real life. All the imagery that I’ve art directed is about capturing that moment of reality and vulnerability before the show begins.”

Of course where these songs, and Paloma Faith, truly come alive is onstage. It’s before an audience that every aspect of her vision is fully realised. It’s in the live delivery that Faith connects with her audience.

“A lot of people write songs because they want to record them in a studio, they want put their feelings out there,” she says. “I don’t write songs for that reason: I write songs so I can perform them.”

A captivating chanteuse, a rabble-rousing entertainer and theatrical fashion chameleon, Paloma Faith prepares to unleash her second album, Fall To Grace, which debuted on the top of the UK charts to critical acclaim, with the first US single "Picking Up The Pieces" dropping soon.

So much more than just a standard pop artist, one of the 26-year-old’s greatest assets is her wicked and wry sense of humour. With a degree in contemporary dance and a Masters in Time Based Arts from Central St Martin’s, Faith is tri-lingual (English, Italian, and conversational Spanish), and a talented actress to boot (she played the romantic foil to Tom Waits' Devil in the Terry Gilliam's 'The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus'). On her new album Fall To Grace, she’s made the decision to strip herself emotionally bare. But where these songs, and Paloma Faith, truly come alive is onstage with sartorial and performance panache.

palomafaith.com

CHARLIE MINGUS - THE JAZZ WORKSHOP CONCERTS 1964-65

Mosaic Records Celebrates 90th Birthday Anniversary of Charles Mingus with 6-CD Limited Edition Collection Including Previously Unreleased Material

Because this is the 90th birthday anniversary year of Charles Mingus, Sue Mingus called last spring to ask Michael Cuscuna whether he might be interested in issuing some of the unreleased Mingus tapes she had in the archives. It didn't take long to make such a decision! Charles Mingus was always the most incandescent of jazz's few true geniuses, and the mid-1960s was undoubtedly one of the most tumultuous periods in his - and America's - storied history. In Mingus' case, that personal, social and political upheaval was the recipe for some of his most ferociously creative output, represented here by four intense, combustible concerts by some of his most legendary groups.

Mosaic Records collects that quartet of masterful performances on the new 6-CD box set Charles Mingus - The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65 (Town Hall, Amsterdam, Monterey & Minneapolis). Only 47 minutes of the Town Hall concert has been available on an authorized CD. Here a disc and a half worth of music from Town Hall and Minneapolis is being released for the first time in any format.

The line-ups for these concerts include some of Mingus' most vital collaborators: Eric Dolphy, Charles McPherson, Jaki Byard, Johnny Coles, Clifford Jordan, Dannie Richmond. The repertoire includes some of the bassist/composer's greatest works, along with three never-before-issued compositions.

Taken together, this monumental collection gathers an essential body of music from a time when Mingus was as determined to express his independence as his artistry. They represent the fruits of his famously demanding Jazz Workshop and were intended for his own newly-launched record label. Set producer Michael Cuscuna says, "These four triumphant performances capture Mingus at a peak musically and as an entrepreneur, seeking to control the rights to his own music and his economic destiny."

The 13 months spanned by this collection were remarkably eventful for both Mingus and the country, which was embroiled in the height of the Civil Rights struggle and still reeling from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. During this period Mingus assembled his legendary sextet with Dolphy, Byard, Richmond, Coles and Jordan (which appears here on the Town Hall and Amsterdam concerts); suffered the death of Dolphy, one of his closest collaborators; met his future wife, Sue Graham Ungaro; broke off his productive relationship with Impulse! Records; and took his second stab at releasing his own work.

"After a decade of recording for some of the biggest record labels in the industry," Cuscuna relates, "Charles Mingus decided in 1964 to return to the DIY model that he had begun in the early '50s with Max Roach and their label Debut. The Jazz Workshop label was launched in time for his celebrated Town Hall concert and subsequent European tour (represented here by its Amsterdam concert) with his stellar sextet."

The Town Hall Concert constitutes this set's first disc and contains the music originally released by Fantasy/Debut, supplemented by an additional 32 minutes of unissued material. Originally a benefit for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the concert took place on April 4, 1964 (and is not to be confused with Mingus' other Town Hall concert, the big band performance 18 months earlier in which he sought to premier his extended work "Epitaph"). The previously-unreleased portion features a duet with Byard on Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady," a 20-minute rendition of Mingus' "Peggy's Blue Skylight," and an incomplete performance of his Bird tribute "Parkeriana" before the tape ran out.

The sextet reconvenes at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw six days later for the stunning concert that makes up the next two CDs. The date, which revisits several of the tunes from the Town Hall Concert, showcases Mingus' ability to look both forward and back, paying tribute to Ellington, Bird and Dizzy Gillespie (plus a vast swath of the jazz piano tradition on Byard's set-opening "A.T.F.W." referring to Art Tatum and Fats Waller) while displaying his barbed modernity on his own classics "Meditation on a Pair of Wire Cutters" and "Fables of Faubus."

Much had changed by that September when Mingus performed at the seventh Monterey Jazz Festival. Dolphy had passed away unexpectedly in Europe three months earlier and Mingus was leading a new sextet. With the exception of saxophonist John Handy who was replacing an ailing Booker Ervin, this is the group that he would come to dub "My Favorite Quintet." Byard and Richmond remain, joined by Charles McPherson and Lonnie Hillyer, recorded for the first time here. Following an Ellington medley and Mingus' "Orange Was The Color Of Her Dress Then Blue Silk," six more musicians take the stage. The augmented ensemble debuts "Meditations on Integration," the orchestral reworking of "Meditation on a Pair of Wire Cutters."

Accolades poured in for the concert. "Monterey belonged to Charles Mingus," wrote The San Francisco Chronicle. "It was a triumph." DownBeat ranked it among those concerts that "have that rare and delicious moment when the intensity of a performance, its inspiration, is so overwhelming it sets off something akin to an electric shock," while Time Magazine declared that Mingus "must be ranked among the greatest of jazz composers."

The final two discs represent a "My Favorite Quintet" concert from Minneapolis in May of 1965, demonstrating how far the ensemble had evolved. Originally licensed to Fantasy Records and released as My Favorite Quintet Volume One, the version contained in this set restores 68 additional minutes to the concert which have never been issued before, including three otherwise unrecorded Mingus compositions: "Copa City Titty," "A Lonely Day In Selma, Alabama"and "Bird Preamble."

Finding the leader in high spirits, the date features a medley of standards, an offbeat takeoff on "Cocktails for Two," and Mingus replacing Byard on the piano bench twice: for the intro to "Peggy's Blue Skylight" (during which Byard returns the favor and picks up the bass), and for a brief solo to cover stage time while Richmond's drums were being tended to.

The release of previously unheard and hard-to-find music by a giant of Charles Mingus' stature would be welcome under any circumstances, but these four performances find the legendary bassist, composer and iconoclast at the height of his powers. As the mutating line-ups reveal, this was a period of change and of discovery which would soon draw to a sudden close. As Cuscuna recounts, Mingus "would essentially leave the music world in 1966 for almost four years, only to rise stronger than ever in the '70s."

Listening to the music on these six CDs, it's hard to imagine anyone, even Mingus, rising stronger than he sounds here. Fiery, complex, gutsy, witty, vicious and tender - all of his passion and intellect are on display here in their most elemental and vital forms. Mosaic has recovered, unearthed, and reassembled not one but four masterpieces.

mingusmingusmingus.com

NICK PRIDE & THE PIMPTONES - AFTER MIDNIGHT FEAST OF JAZZ

Nick Pride & The Pimptones' After Midnight Feast Of Jazz was one of the high points of 2011 with its blend of funk and jazz instrumentals with a couple of vocal tunes added to the mix. Like the best of the 21st century generation of funk bands, there were enough good tunes and enough stylistic variety to make the album stand out from the crowd.

Hot on the heels of the success of that album Nick Pride and his label Record Kicks commissioned some remixes which are now presented on this album release. Available on CD in Japan only under the title After Midnight Feast Of Jazz, but available digitally elsewhere around the world on bandcamp (under the title Remixed Feast Of Jazz), the new release features thirteen tracks with remixes from the likes of Smoove, TM Juke, Diesler and Soopasoul to name but a few.

The deep funk monster Come And Get It is transformed into something of a party tune with the TM Juke jazz dance mix, where the trumpet really comes to the fore over the beats. Lay It On The Line with Zoe Gilby on vocals is versioned twice on the album with the Danny Massure rmx giving it more of a swinging feel while the James Beige rmx offers a bossa take on the tune, the latter of which works really well.

The Fab Samperi rmx of Brighter Day featuring Susan Hamilton, beefs up the beats a bit and adds some effects to give it more of a club feel, while the Ill Advised rmx has more of a mid-tempo underground R&B feel to it. The other track to get a double remix treatment is Midnight Feast Of Jazz, with the Renegades of Jazz rmx giving it a jazzy breakbeat feel and the Soopasoul rmx and some interesting flourishes and edits to what was already an outstanding dance tune.

Other tracks worthy of mention are the Daytoner remix of the Latin-flavoured Hug Lorenzo, as well as the Tim Shaw rmx of Mia Sorella, which successfully transforms the tune from a slick mid-tempo jazzy tune into nu-jazz dance number. After Midnight Feast Of Jazz is a creditable project offering some interesting versions and remixes which make you want to check out the original album once again.
 
~ Originally posted on Tokyo Jazz Notes HERE

ALICIA SALDENHA - DANCE WITH THE SUN

Alicia Saldenha attracted a lot of attention last year with her vocal performances on the indigo jam unit covers project Rose. Featuring half a dozen covers of classic jazz, soul and funk tunes, the album was very well-received and went on to win the Tokyo Jazz Notes Readers' Poll as the best Japanese release of 2011.

Having shown the world how well she can carry a song, the Osaka-based Trinidadian vocalist now returns with her debut solo album featuring mostly original material giving an insight into Alicia Saldenha the songwriter in addition to her performance skills. Recorded in New York, Dance With The Sun features an impressive backing band with Barney McAll on keyboards, Gabe Cummins on guitars, Mark Kelley on bass and Chris Eddleton on drums in addition to appearances from Peck Allmond and Takuya Kuroda adding horns on a few tracks.

Dance With The Sun is an appropriate title for an album that mixes soul, jazz, funk and reggae influences, and with the band captured live in the studio, it all has a very fresh sound. If this is to be compared with anything, I'd say that the album is close to the kind of crossover sound that Julie Dexter is known for, effortlessly merging genres to create an original sound.

The album opens strongly with four tracks that represent distinctly different styles. Never Gonna Be The Same is a jazz-reggae fusion number that hits just the right balance with McAll's organ playing the perfect backdrop for the vocal line. Love Cast A Spell On Me is a modern soul number while Ooh Boy, the first single sung half in English and half in Japanese, is a sunny slice of radio-friendly lovers rock ideal for the summer months. Doctor, meanwhile, is a warm piece of retro-styled soul that is a fun listen.

The cover of the Bacharach standard Close To You and the ballad I Wanna Be With You are perhaps not essential, but this is more than compensated by the other tracks on offer. Without Reason starts out as a ballad but develops into a delicious reggae-tinged number. It's subtle and understated, but is nevertheless one of the stronger tracks on the set and is followed by the wonderfully funky neo-soul of Ne Complique Pas Les Choses.

Dance With The Sun is an impressive debut that offers a crossover of musical styles as well as an effortless merging of Caribbean, Japanese and new York influences and marks Alicia Saldenha as a name to watch.

~ Originally posted on Tokyo Jazz Notes HERE

THE FILTHY SIX - THE FOX

London-based outfit The Filthy Six, led by trumpeter Nick Etwell, earned great plaudits with their eponymous debut release back in 2010, packed full of soulful organ jazz instrumentals. Two years on and the band are back with their second album, The Fox, named after Graham Fox, the drummer on their first album who sadly passed away at an early age.

The new album features a dozen tracks, ten of which are originals, all capturing the dynamism of their tight live shows. The groove and feel of the music is based in the soul jazz sound of the mid sixties, recalling some of the classic sounds of the era on Blue Note and Prestige, and the band have absolutely nailed the sound while adding enough of their own ideas to make it more than just a retro pastiche.

The opening track, the aptly named Midnight Boogaloo, is classic sixties style soul jazz with a Latin twist, with Pete Whittaker's bluesy Hammond providing great backing for the from the horn section, making for a perfect mod jazz track. Down Frenchmen St. continues in the same vein, albeit more straight ahead soul jazz.

Tracks such as Prattle In Seattle, The Rum Diary and Jukebox really swing, and the influences of greats such as Lou Donaldson, Brother Jack McDuff and Grant Green are in clear evidence.

One new departure on this album is the inclusion of vocals, with Brendan Reilly guesting on lead vocals on two tracks. The first is a cover of Girlfriend, made famous by Michael Jackson, reworked here with a Tighten Up-style groove to great effect. This is followed by the party tune Get Down, with vocalist Reilly backed by The Filthy Choir.

The Fox sees The Filthy Six going from strength to strength. An absolute must for anyone into organ jazz or simply good music played live. The only remaining question is will we have the chance to see them live here in Tokyo? I certainly hope so.

~ Originally posted on Tokyo Jazz Notes HERE

SMOOTH JAZZ HITS: ULTIMATE GROOVES

Concord Records will release Smooth Jazz Hits: Ultimate Grooves, the latest installment in the series of smooth jazz compilations. The 12-track album features titles by stand-out contemporary artists such as Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Norman Brown, Jessy J, Peter White, and more.

"Selected exclusively from albums that have claimed the top half-dozen slots on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, this release brings together, in one collection, some of the most in-the-pocket recordings in smooth jazz today." said Nick Phillips, producer of the compilation and VP of Catalog and Jazz A&R at Concord Music Group. "From the irresistible, funky shuffle feel of Dave Koz's chart-topping 'Anything's Possible' to the driving, Latin-spiced rhythms of Jessy J's 'Hot Sauce,' Smooth Jazz Hits: Ultimate Grooves, quite simply, features the top artists in smooth jazz in their most grooving tracks."

ARTISTS & TRACK LIST:
1. Anything's Possible-Dave Koz
2. Botswana Bossa Nova-David Benoit
3. Highway 70-Gerald Albright
4. Big Brother-The Jeff Lorber Fusion
5. Come Go With Me-Norman Brown
6. On & On-Candy Dulfer
7. Oh Yeah-Walter Beasley
8. Any Way You Wanna-Mindi Abair
9. Riviera Jam-The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman
10. Brother Earl-Paul Brown & Marc Antoine
11. Here We Go-Peter White
12. Hot Sauce-Jessy J

~ Concord Records

AZYMUTH'S JOSE ROBERTO BERTRAMI 1946-2012

Jose Roberto Bertrami, one of Brazil’s most celebrated pianists and a revolutionary musician, sadly passed away in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday July 8, 2012 at the age of 66.

Keyboardist, composer and leader of the inimitable Brazilian trio Azymuth, Ze Roberto is known for creating the mesmerising and genre blending samba doido (crazy samba) a mix of samba, jazz, funk and rock with an infectious swing and has had a huge influence on Brazilian music through his solo projects, collaborations and session work.

One of the Brazilian greats, he is responsible for cross-pollinating Brazilian music, bossa nova, samba and folk styles, with jazz, R&B, using his unique keyboard sound, harmonics and is a true technocrat. Amongst many others, he has arranged and written with Sarah Vaughan, Elis Regina, Mark Murphy, Joe Pass, Erasmo Carlos, Jim Capaldi, Milton Nascimento, Airto, Flora Purim and his signature sound can be heard on many of the best-known Brazilian productions, like Erasmo Carlos, Mulher, Jorge Ben, Africa Braz il, the first record of Candeia and hundreds more.

During his almost five decades with Azymuth Bertrami toured the world many times, signed to Milestones Records to release the classic albums Light As A Feather and Telecommunications and had a worldwide chart hit with ‘Jazz Carnival’. Since 1994 Bertrami rekindled his career with Far Out Recordings releasing two solo albums, Things Are Different and Aventura, and ten Azymuth albums. He was also heavily involved with other projects for the label including the unreleased Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra.

Joe Davis and Far Out Recordings have lost one of their dearest friends and most talented musician who shaped the sound of the label and Brazilian music for fifty years.

"He will be sorely missed. I think he is one of the world’s musical geniuses. I have had so much fun, laughs, musical inspiration and direction from Ze. He was a big part of why we started our label and why it has lasted so long. We have toured the world and he is a person whom I have only beautiful memoires of. I feel blessed that we had spent so much time together and worked so long together. I will dearly miss him and like our Azymuth family, I am so, so sad, Brazil will never be the same. He is now in peace and his music will live forever." Joe Davis

A big thanks to everyone who supported his music throughout the years.

~ Far Out Recordings

TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS & PATO BANTON HEADLINE 28TH ANNUAL REGGAE ON THE RIVER

Truly a global musical event, the Mateel Community Center’s 28th annual Reggae On The River will light up Benbow Lake State Recreation Area in Garberville, CA on the weekend of July 21 and 22 with an exciting blend of reggae and world music talent from the far corners of the earth.

Featuring a line-up consisting of more than 30 classic and cutting edge artists on two stages, the festival will celebrate Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence from imperial rule and will honor this momentous occasion by presenting some of the island’s best talent. These festivities will include performances by next generation rising stars like Romain Virgo, Duane Stephenson, and Turbulence; a rare U.S. appearance by the triple-platinum recording artist and reigning queen of Jamaican dancehall, Lady Saw; stalwart performers like Fantan Mojah and Yami Bolo; and elder statesmen such as Winston Jarrett and the one and only Toots and The Maytals, the artist credited with coining the term “reggae” with his 1968 hit, Do The Reggay.

The festival will also feature a rich selection of artists from the fertile soils of St. Croix, one of strongholds of modern reggae music, with sets by the island’s two premier bands, Midnite and Bambu Station, along with debut ROTR performances by two of the island’s most exciting female vocalists, Reemah and Lady Passion.

Coming all the way from Argentina to represent South America’s burgeoning reggae scene is Alika, a nominee for Best Independent Artist at the 2009 MTV Music Awards and a beautiful bi-lingual vocalist known as her nation’s “queen of reggae and dancehall.”

Pato Banton

From the continent of Africa, the festival will showcase one of Zimbabwe’s most prolific artists, Oliver Mtukudzi & Black Spirits, who has released more than 57 albums since his start in 1975 and is also recognized as one of the Africa’s greatest humanitarian artists for his groundbreaking work to combat HIV/ AIDS. Also featured will be the emerging talent of South Africa’s Nkulee Dube. The daughter of reggae legend, Lucky Dube, she fuses ethno-soul, jazz, reggae, and African influences and received a whopping 6 nominations at this year’s 31st annual International World & Reggae Music Awards, where she’ll appear just before coming to ROTR.

The event will also feature a rare West Coast appearance by the legendary Calypso Rose who hails from the island of Tobago. With more than 800 songs to her credit, she is the most prolific and accomplished female calypso artist of all time.

Toots & The Maytals

U.K. favorite, Pato Banton, is also back after a hiatus from touring to present his classic British reggae flair in the company of his new ensemble, The Now Generation.

Of course, the festival will also feature a host of top-notch homegrown talent, including the award-winning Native American artist, Casper Loma Da Wa & The Mighty 602 Band of the Hopi Nation in Arizona; Hawaiian faves, Humble Soul and Guidance Band; Miami’s own Streetkind; U.S.-based/ Jamaican-bred talent like Tosh Meets Marley, Junior Toots, Winstrong, and Daniel Bambaata Marley; top West Coast acts including Quinto Sol, Indubious, and The Lions; and local faves, Synrgy and Juce.

Additionally, the event will host more than 80 craft, food, and non-profit vendors; a lively kid zone; and a weekend full of happy reggae fun on the banks of the majestic Eel River. For the full scoop, check out a copy of the official program guide, out now at select newsstands throughout CA/ OR, or visit http://www.reggaeontheriver.com/, where stage schedules, artist bios, sales links, and all other festival info can be found.

OUT OF MANY - 50 YEARS OF REGGAE MUSIC

HISTORICAL 3 DISC BOX SET NOW AVAILABLE JULY 31

August 6th marks the 50th Anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence and VP Records is celebrating with the island's iconic music. On July 31, the label will release an extensive 3 CD set Out Of Many, 50 Years Of Reggae Music - chronicling the genre's evolution with an iconic hit from each year since 1962

Out Of Many - 50 Years of Reggae Music captures the essence of every era over the past five decades with these 51 distinctive hits from artists including Lord Creator, Alton Ellis, Skatalites, Augustus Pablo, Dennis Brown, Culture, Eek-A-Mouse, Yellowman, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, Shabba Ranks, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Ninjaman, Beres Hammond, Lady Saw, Beenie Man, Sizzla, Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Tanya Stephens, Mavado, Gyptian and many more. The collection includes extensive liner notes written by reggae historian Noel Hawks. He discusses the innovation and evolution of the island's music, and how the iconic label VP Records - once Randy's Record Mart at 17 North Parade in Kingston, Jamaica - played a crucial role in the production and worldwide distribution of these sounds.

The album features the monumental anthems that played a pivotal role in the Jamaica's musical history. The disc opens with Trinidadian singer Lord Creator's 1962 calypso track "Independent Jamaica." This benchmark record was the #1 in Jamaica at the time and was produced by Vincent Chin, the founder of Randy's and VP Records. It was also the first song licensed in the U.K. by Chris Blackwell's Island label.

The set then delves into the ska era with The Skatalites' "Malcolm X" to the soulful cool sounds of rocksteady with hits "Mouth A Massy" by Alton Ellis, "Take It Easy" Hopeton Lewis and "Ba Ba Boom" by The Jamaicans. Featured songs like Dave and Ansel Collin's timeless "Double Barrel" (Jamaica's first #1 hit in the UK) and Dennis Brown's "Westbound Train" mark the defining era of reggae, which is further solidified with 70s' roots classics like Junior Byles' ominous "Fade Away" and Culture's "Two Sevens Clash."

The Out Of Many collection also includes the 1985 game-changing hit "Under Me Sleng Teng" produced by King Jammy and the track's vocalist Wayne Smith. This song introduced computer driven rhythms, which spawned the dancehall era and created the template for contemporary reggae music as a whole.

From dancehall hits (Shabba Ranks' "Mr. Loverman," Beenie Man's "Who Am I," Sean Paul's "Get Busy" and Mavado's "Weh Dem A Do") to lover's rock anthems (Beres Hammond's "Can't Stop A Man" and Gyptian's "Hold You"), roots reggae tunes (Sizzla's "Just One Of Those Days" and Tanya Stephens' "These Streets") leading into dubstep ("Zungguzungguguzunggezeng (Horsepower Remix)" by Yellowman), Out of Many's musical sphere offers a well-rounded variety of the island's seminal sounds.

Over the past fifty years Jamaica's music has made an indelible mark as a cultural beacon throughout the world. Today, reggae is one of the most influential musical forms. Out Of Many celebrates these achievements of the past and the promise of the future in one must-have collection.

Out Of Many – 50 Years of Reggae Music Track Listing:
Disc 1
1. Independent Jamaica – Lord Creator (1962)
2. Blow Roland Blow – Joanne Gordon/ Roland Alphonso (1963)
3. Malcolm X – The Skatalites (1964)
4. Mouth A Massy – Alton Ellis (1965)
5. Take It Easy – Hopeton Lewis (1966)
6. Ba Ba Boom – The Jamaicans (1967)
7. Such Is Life – Lord Creator (1968)
8. Love The Reggay – Gaylads (1969)
9. Love Of The Common People – Nicky Thomas (1970)
10. Cherry Oh Baby – Eric Donaldson (1971)
11. Java – Augustus Pablo (1972)
12. Westbound Train – Dennis Brown (1973)
13. Everything I Own – Ken Boothe (1974)
14. Fade Away – Junior Byles (1975)
15. I’m Still In Love With You – Marcia Aiken (1876)
16. Two Sevens Clash – Culture (1977)
17. Smoking My Ganja – Capital Letters (1978)
18. We Got Love – Freddie McGregor (1979)
19. Ice Cream Love – Johnny Osbourne (1980)

Disc 2
20. Wah-Do-Dem – Eek-A- Mouse (1981)
21. Fattie Boom Boom – Ranking Dread (1982)
22. Zungguzungguzunggezeng – Yellowman (1983)
23. Here I Come – Barrington Levy (1984)
24. Under Me Sleng Teng – Wayne Smith (1985)
25. Hello Darling – Tippa Irie (1986)
26. Rumours – Gregory Isaacs (1987)
27. Telephone Love – JC Lodge (1988)
28. Twice My Age – Krystal & Shabba Ranks (1989)
29. Mr. Loverman – Shabba Ranks & Deborah Glasgow (1990)
30. The Going Is Rough – Home T, Cocoa Tea & Cutty Ranks ((1991)
31. Gal Wine – Chaka Demus & Pliers (1992)
32. The Return – Father & Son – Ninjaman & Ninja Ford (1993)
33. Under mi Sensi (94 Spliff) – Barrington Levy (1994)
34. Can’t Stop A Man – Beres Hammond (1995)
35. Give Me The Reason – Lady Saw (1996)

Disc 3
36. Who Am I – Beenie Man (1997)
37. Heads High – Mr. Vegas (1998)
38. Can You Play Some More – Beres Hammond & Buju Banton (1999)
39. Down By The River – Morgan Heritage (2000)
40. Give It To Her – Tanto Metro & Devonte (2001)
41. Just One Of Those Days – Sizzla (2002)
42. Get Busy – Sean Paul (2003)
43. Pon De River Pon De Bank – Elephant Man (2004)
44. Living In Love – I Wayne (2005)
45. These Streets – Tanya Stephens (2006)
46. Weh Dem A Do – Mavado (2007)
47. Roots – Etana (2008)
48. I Feel Good – Beres Hammond (2009)
49. Hold You – Gyptian (2010)
50. Zungguzungguguzungguzeng (Horsepower Prod Remix) – Yellowman (2011)
51. Independent Jamaica (2012)- Peetah Morgan & Hollie Cook

NEW RELEASES - CALTONE'S JAMAICAN 45s, AARON BAHR DECTET, TV SOUND & IMAGE

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC - CALTONE'S JAMAICAN 45s 1966-1969

Cooking Kingston sounds from the 60s – a heady helping of work from the under-documented Caltone label – an early imprint whose quality level was right up there with Studio One! Caltone was a smaller operation, but managed to issue sides by some of the best on the scene at the time – and did so in a way that often created a nice sense of variety, given the looser setup of the company. Most of the grooves here are in a rock-solid rocksteady mode – with plenty of echoes of American 60s soul – and although the instrumentation is great throughout, the sublime vocals on some cuts are really what make the package crackle! Titles include "Killer Joe" by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, "Making Love" by Devon & The Tartans, "Hold Your Love" by The Cool Cats, "Hear Them Say" by Eric Monty Morris, "Gypsy" by The Emotions with Lynn Taitt Band, "The Journey" by The Uniques, "Return Home" by Alva Lewis, "I'll Never Try" by The Clarendonians, "Why Wipe The Smile From Your Face" by The Kingstonians, "Listen To The Music" by Lloyd & The Groovers, and "You Are The One" by King Rocky & The Willos. ~ Dusty Groove

AARON BAHR DECTET - PROLOGUE

"Music is the sound track of people's life. Aaron's compositions are poetic running water with gyroscopic textures and shapes. And his trumpet playing outlines his extremely talented and sincere musical artistry. Brilliant, Bravo!" Tiger Okoshi

"Bahr is a detail man: He writes for large ensembles, taking care to bring out small melodic ideas. Prologue includes four incandescent suites, a horn-plumped Beatles cover, and a nod to Miles."- East Bay Express

Aaron Bahr is a trumpet player and composer from the California Bay Area. He is a graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston where he was the 2008 Jimmy Lyons Scholar. While attending Berklee, he had the pleasure of performing and studying with such artists as Greg Hopkins, Tiger Okoshi, Phil Wilson, Maria Schneider, Ron Carter, Dave Liebman, among many others. He plans to continue his studies at New England Conservatory in their Master's in Jazz Composition program.

Aaron is devoted to making music that is musically lush, rich with orchestration, but always devoted to simple, singable melodies. He believes that music does not need to sacrifice quality or expression in the name of mass-appeal; that music can be complicated but made from the simplest building blocks and be made into something everyone can enjoy. ~ CD Universe

TV SOUND AND IMAGE - BRITISH TELEVISION, FILM AND LIBRARY COMPOSERS 1956-1980

England was a surprisingly funky place in the 60s and 70s – home to a rich array of great grooves created by the scene's important sound library labels – staffed by the cream of the crop of the British jazz musicians and soundtrack composers of the time! The work of these cats often backed bigger names in film and TV – James Bond, The Avengers, Dave Allen, and others – but this set digs even deeper, to uncover a host of great instrumental moments that go way beyond famous movie themes – a wealth of excellent cuts from the late 50s through the late 70s – starting with exotic jazz modes, moving into 60s mod swingers, and including a fair bit of 70s electric funk as well! This scene's been reissued a bit before, but never this well – as Soul Jazz do their usual top-shelf job of bringing the music together – and offering up detailed notes and a great package that really sends the whole thing home. Part 2 – 2LP version features 17 tracks that include "Canvas" by Brian Bennett, "Death Line" by Will Malone, "Folk Song" by James Clarke, "Steam Heat" by Barbara Moore, "Artful Dodger" by Syd Dale, "Jaguar" by John Gregory, "Whole Lotta Love" by CCS, "Face Up" by Alan Moorehouse, "Angels" by Alan Parker, and "Soul Thing" by Keith Mansfield. ~ Dusty Groove

THE COMPLETE TONY BENNETT / BILL EVANS RECORDINGS

Having completed his relatively brief sojourn with MGM/Verve with 1973's Listen Easy, Tony Bennett was in the midst of forming his own label, Improv Records, when he made a deal with jazz pianist Bill Evans to cut two LPs: The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album and Together Again. (The first would be for Evans' label, Fantasy Records, the second to follow on Improv.) The singer and his collaborator -- "accompanist" does not adequately describe Evans' contribution, and in any case he received co-billing -- got together in a recording studio over four days in June 1975 with no one other than the producer, Helen Keane and an engineer present, and quickly recorded two of the best albums of either's career.

For Bennett, it was a dream project; for years (decades, actually), he had been balancing the demands of commerciality with his own inclinations toward jazz and affection for the songs of Broadway masters and of the Great American Songbook. Left to himself with a jazz partner, he naturally gravitated toward both interests. There were songs here that he had already recorded, but never in so unadorned and yet fully realized a fashion. Evans was an excellent accompanist, using his steady left hand to keep his singer centered, but ready, whenever the vocals were finished, to go off into his characteristically lyrical playing. Bennett could seem a bit earthbound when he came back in (he still wasn't really a jazz singer), but his obvious enthusiasm for the project, coupled with his mastery of phrasing in songs he understood perfectly made him an equal in the partnership.

As far as the major-label record business was concerned, the 46-year-old singer might have been over the hill and indulging himself, but in fact he was in his prime and finally able to pursue his ambitions unfettered, and that would prove itself a major boost to his career over time. For the moment, he'd made an excellent jazz-pop hybrid in which both musicians were shown off to advantage. [Of the 20 alternate takes and two bonus tracks included in this complete package, nine are previously unreleased except on the Bennett box set, The Complete Improv Recordings. Not surprisingly, they are more interesting for Evans' different improvisations than for anything else. But they also demonstrate that he and Bennett tried different approaches to the tunes. "Young and Foolish," the lead-off track on their first album, begins with both Bennett and Evans on the refrain, but the alternate take starts with Evans alone, followed by Bennett singing the song's introductory verse instead; the version runs a minute longer. The alternate take of "The Touch of Your Lips," on the other hand, is at a faster tempo and a minute shorter. None of the alternate takes actually improves on the originally released ones, but they show how well considered the album was. (by William Ruhlmann)

JOE BONAMASSA - DRIVING TOWARDS THE LIGHT

He'll never be the new Stevie Ray Vaughan, but at the rate blues-rock (emphasis on the latter) guitarist Joe Bonamassa is going, he can take a stab at being the next Gary Moore. Like the Irish guitarist, Bonamassa is influenced by the British blues-rockers more than the Americans they lifted their licks from. He's also just as prolific; this is his thirteenth album in twelve years and that's not including side projects with Black Country Communion and Beth Hart, and DVDs grabbed from his 200-night-a-year road schedule filled with sweaty, high-energy performances. Makes you tired just reading about it.

Bonamassa isn't much of a songwriter so he wisely contributes only four tunes to this disc's eleven, with some relatively obscure deep blues covers from Howlin' Wolf ("Who's Been Talkin'"), Willie Dixon ("I Got All You Need"), and Robert Johnson ("Stones in My Passway") gravitating toward his roots side. Also included are offbeat choices from Bill Withers ("Lonely Town/Lonely Street") and Tom Waits ("New Coat of Paint"). For better or worse, they all end up sounding like Joe Bonamassa tracks, since he feeds them into his leathery rock sensibilities, churning out requisite hot guitar solos whether they serve the song or not.

He's left his road-hardened band on the sidelines and calls in top-notch session guys, including Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, David Letterman drummer Anton Fig, and keyboardist Arlen Schierbaum, whose piano and organ add some much-needed R&B attitude to the hard rock attack. Bonamassa even relinquishes lead vocals to Australian Jimmy Barnes, who goes so over the top singing his own "Too Much Ain't Enough Love" it seems like he is auditioning for AC/DC. Longtime producer Kevin Shirley gets a slick, professional sound from these guys, and when everyone is cooking and the material is solid, such as on the grinding Bonamassa original "Dislocated Boy" and the Wolf cover (including a spoken word sample of the blues legend that kicks off the tune), the arrangements and guitars mesh together like whisky and soda.

What Bonamassa lacks in a distinctive sound and singing, he makes up for with sheer determination, which is almost enough to push the album from pretty good to pretty great, especially on the horn-enhanced slow blues of "A Place in My Heart" that explodes out of the speakers in a way Gary Moore could summon at will. In other words, this is a keeper if you've already bought into the guitarist's more-is-more approach that has served him well thus far, and he shows no signs of abandoning it now. ~ Hal Horowitz

AL DEGREGORIS - TIMES AND TRAVELS

Jonathan Widran, All Music "A keyboardist, composer and artist of extraordinary depth and vision, Al DeGregoris was on a mission to take his sound to the next level after the success of his debut-and succeeds brilliantly by complementing his own array of keyboard sounds, melodies and grooves with key contributions by the contemporary jazz elite. Despite all the star power, DeGregoris holds his own with a multi-faceted, multi-textured vibe that Jeff Lorber and Bob James would appreciate. In a genre where many artists find their pocket and continue to mine the same safe territory, DeGregoris' has a blast taking stylistics leaps across cultures and time, going back to classic funk and big band, island and culture hopping and finding a few rockin' sweet spots amidst the cool retro urban flow. These are Times and Travels that people are going to love experiencing."


Brian Soergel, JazzTimes "A complete musician who started playing at 4 and has studied with an impressive list of musicians himself, Al DeGregoris is a welcome addition to the smooth jazz field. With a style as cool and as inventive as Joe Sample, Brian Culbertson and David Benoit, DeGregoris' songs are wonderfully harmonic and toe-tappingly suited to live shows and festivals as well as deserving airplay rotation. Like any great smooth jazz CD, "Times & Travels" mixes moods for maximum listenability. "Follow Your Dreams," a bouncy track with horns and vibes, leads off and is as tasty as anything on smooth-jazz radio the last couple of years. DeGregoris can do funk, as he explores with "We Don't Do That Here" and "Drive Time," the latter capturing the essence of a great Crusaders tune and features Chieli Minucci on guitar. "Bamboo Forest" is a smooth highlight, a relaxing song whose guitar work is reminiscent of Earl Klugh. Finally, DeGregoris shows off his skills with a short, solo-piano "Prelude" and his jazz chops with the swinging and energetic "4 X Four".

PAT METHENY UNITY BAND

On Unity Band, Pat Metheny reveals that he can look in two directions at once. The group he's assembled here is an all-star ensemble. Drummer Antonio Sanchez has been with him for a decade, while double bassist Ben Williams makes his first appearance with the guitarist, as does tenor saxophonist Chris Potter (whose soprano and bass clarinet playing are on display, too). Metheny makes full use of this ensemble's possibilities. That said, he looks back through his catalog and composes for this band from some of the information gleaned there.

One can recall the swirling melodic euphoria of the Pat Metheny Group in the guitar and guitar-synth interplay in "Roofdogs." On the ingenious "Come and See," Metheny's many-stringed Picasso guitar meets Potter's bass clarinet to create a tonal inquiry before Williams and Sanchez establish a deep blue groove. When Potter adds his tenor and Metheny his electric, we get a Latinized swinging pulse that is ever so slightly reminiscent of the 80/81 band with Michael Brecker and Dewey Redman (this isn't the only place that happens here).

Fans of Metheny's more abundantly lyrical side will appreciate the breezy sway of "Leaving Town," though its melody -- twinned by his guitar and Potter -- is full of compelling tight turns, before the rhythm section evokes a deep, swinging blues and the guitarist gets refreshingly funky in his solo. On "Signals" Metheny uses his Orchestrion and guitar with live loops; the band employs live loops throughout the intro on top. Potter's tenor solo is emotive, grainy, and reaching, while the atmosphere recalls -- only generally -- the album the guitarist cut with Steve Reich. The nocturnal, smoky "Then and Now" has a torch ballad quality due to Potter's utterly songlike solo. Set closer "Breakdealer" begins at the boiling point and gets hotter.

The title hints at what Sanchez does throughout the tune while pushing forward, but Williams not only keeps up, he adds propulsive shades of his own and rocks the arpeggiated changes fluidly. Metheny and Potter are free to sprint and they do; both dazzle with their lyric invention and knotty, imaginative, nearly boppish solos. The two front-line players are surely at their best in one another's company on the date; you expect them to be. Yet it's the rhythm section that astonishes thoroughly. Their interplay is not only intuitive, it's informative; it points to new corners for Metheny and Potter to explore. Given the guitarist's more compositional solo experiments of the last few years -- all of which have been very satisfying -- Unity Band is a return to what he does best: composing for, and playing with, a band of top-shelf players. ~ Thom Jurek

BRUBECK BROTHERS QUARTET - LIFETIMES

New CD by Brubeck Brothers Quartet, To Be Released by Blue Forest Records July 24

Since the early 1970s, Chris and Dan Brubeck have performed and recorded frequently with their father Dave in Two Generations of Brubeck, the New Brubeck Quartet, and Trio Brubeck. Now, on the Brubeck Brothers Quartet's new CD LifeTimes, they and "honorary brothers" Mike DeMicco (guitar) and Chuck Lamb (piano) have chosen to honor Brubeck père by reimagining a number of his best-known songs.

"Dave Brubeck's music is rich with challenging chord progressions and beautiful melodies," says Chris. "Dave is one of the biggest inspirations in all our lives, and we all thought it was time to salute his compositions, adding the BBQ's fresh approach to some of his most enduring tunes."

Those would be "Jazzanians," which first appeared on Trio Brubeck (1993) and was written in honor of the like-named multiracial South African student band led by eldest brother Darius Brubeck; "Kathy's Waltz," introduced on Dave's Time Out (1959) and named for his only daughter; "My One Bad Habit," inspired by a remark Ella Fitzgerald made to Dave ("My one bad habit is falling in love") and first sung by Carmen McRae on Dave and Iola Brubeck's 1961 all-star album The Real Ambassadors; and "The Duke," an Ellington tribute first recorded by Dave in 1955 and heard here in an arrangement with "a little bit of half time and double time from the first bar," says Dan, "with those grooves alternating throughout the track."

Also included is Dave's biggest hit "Take Five" (composed by Paul Desmond), which Dan kicks off with a second-line New Orleans groove in 5/4, along with two originals by pianist Lamb ("Go Round," "The Girl from Massapequa") and one by guitarist DeMicco ("Prezcence").

LifeTimes, BBQ's fourth CD and their first since 2008's Classified, is the latest chapter in the brothers' near-lifelong series of collaborations. Chris (b. 1952) and Dan (b. 1955) benefited from early exposure to the family business: the Brubeck Quartet regularly rehearsed at the Brubecks' Connecticut home, and drummer Joe Morello would leave his practice set behind. "He let me bang around on 'em," Dan recalls. "I used his drums all through high school."

Chris, who started on piano at age 5 and trombone in fourth grade, met Trummy Young, Louis Armstrong's trombonist, while Young and Armstrong were working with his parents on The Real Ambassadors and years later, as an adult, got to know Young. "He and Paul Desmond really shaped my ears," says Chris.

In addition to recordings and performances over the years with their illustrious father, Chris and Dan have recorded together with pianist Andy LaVerne (for Blackhawk); made two albums with brother Darius featuring Larry Coryell; and pursued their own very different individual paths. Chris, a self-taught arranger and composer, has had compositions commissioned and performed by orchestras around the world, including the Boston Pops, Baltimore Symphony, and Czech National Symphony Orchestra; he also tours and records with the blues-roots group Triple Play. Dan's résumé includes work with Coryell, Roy Buchanan, the Band, and the Dolphins, a group he co-founded with Mike DeMicco. Mike and Chuck Lamb first played together 30 years ago in Chuck's fusion group, Dry Jack. The intertwining pasts of the BBQ have helped them to forge a unique musical bond.

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet is touring this summer in support of LifeTimes, with shows scheduled as follows: 7/24 Gate House Cafe, Southbury, CT; 7/26 View Arts Center, Old Forge, NY; 7/27 Infinity Hall, Norfolk, CT; 7/28 Summer Arts Festival, Huntington, NY; 7/29 Oswego (NY) Harborfest; 7/31 Machias Bay Chamber Concerts, Machias, ME; 8/1 Strand Theater, Rockland, ME; 8/2 Rockport (ME) Opera House (second half of concert: BBQ will perform Chris's Vignettes for Nonet with the Bay Chamber Concerts woodwind quintet); 8/25 Vancouver (WA) Wine & Jazz Festival; and 10/5 Fredfest, Fredericksburg, VA. (Photo of Chris and Dan by Stephane Colbert.)
On 9/12, the Quartet will embark on a two-week tour of Russia, co-sponsored by the U.S. State Department. The group will be performing by themselves as well as with the Russian National Orchestra (at Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow) and with various guest artists including saxophonist Igor Butman, flutist Maxim Rubstov, and trumpeter Vladislav Lavrik.

At the Tchaikovsky Hall concert, on 9/17, the group will perform selected tunes with the Orchestra, and Chris Brubeck and Vladislav Lavrik will play Chris's trumpet and trombone concerto, From the Blues to Beyond. Other dates include: 9/14 Igor Butman Jazz Club, Moscow; 9/19 Town Hall concert, Efremov; 9/21 Music School concert, Samar; 9/22 Moscow Conservatory Great Hall; 9/25 Mariinsky Concert Hall, St. Petersburg.

http://www.brubeckbrothers.com/

NEW RELEASES - PAULO MOURA & ANDRE SACHS, SERGIO SAMPAIO, MAURO SENISE

PAULO MOURA & ANDRE SACHS – FRUTO MADURO

One of the most creative settings we've heard in years for the reed work of Paulo Moura – thanks to a collaboration here with guitarist Andre Sachs, who helps provide some really fresh sounds and different rhythms than we might normally hear on some of Moura's other later work! The style here almost takes us back to Moura's most creative modes of the 70s – still rootsy at the core, with echoes of older choro styles, yet also inflected with some great jazzy touches too – especially on the warmer shadings of the tunes from other instrumentation – which really helps make Moura's clarinet sound rich and expansive. Titles include "Coquetel", "Macunaima", "Andina", "Trem Do Moura", "Obstinado", "Chroma 2", and "Mulatas Etc E Tal". ~ Dusty Groove

SERGIO SAMPAIO – TEM QUE ACONTECER

Soulful samba from the great Sergio Sampaio – stepping out here on one of his better-remembered records from the 70s! The album's got a really unique approach – in that it's not always all-out rhythm and energy – but occasionally hits these mellower moments that are really nice – laidback and feeling, yet still in the same spirit of the rest of the music too – and hardly ballads or love songs at all, just these thoughtful passages that really expand the sound of the album way past the obvious! Instrumentation changes to fit the mood of the tunes, which also adds to the depth – and titles include "Ate Outro Dia", "A Luz E A Semente", "O Filho Do Ovo", "Velho Bode", and "Que Loucura". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "O Teto Da Minha Casa", "Ninguem Vive Por Mim", and "Historia De Boemio". ~ Dusty Groove

MAURO SENISE - AFETIVO

Beautiful reed work from Mauro Senise – spun out over some really creative arrangements that have him sounding even more fluid and expansive than ever – and recorded with help from great guests who include Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti, Wagner Tiso, Edu Lobo, and Gilson Peranzzetta! Given that Mauro's helped out most of these artists over the years, the sense of collaboration here is really warm and rich – that great Brazilian instrumental way of sounding expressive, yet never in an overly-emotive or cloying sort of way – easily moving through some classic references, but always with a sense of fresh discovery too. Titles include "Choro Bandido", "Ondine", "Choro Sim Porque Nao", "Tie Sangue", "Bodas De Prata", and "Mauro E Ana". ~ Dusty Groove

THE BRECKER BROTHERS - THE COMPLETE ARISTA ALBUMS COLLECTION

 •The Brecker Brothers -- Michael and Randy -- were one of the most successful of the jazz/fusion groups that arose in the 1970s, recording 6 best-selling albums for Arista between 1975 and 1981.

•None of these albums have ever been released on CD in the U.S.

•Randy Brecker contributes liner notes to the set also which includes full discographical info. and rare photos.

•The band will be playing major jazz festivals in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

•Randy’s own profile at the moment is very high. He received 3 Grammy nominations this year.

Trumpeter Randy Brecker and saxophonist Michael Brecker had already shared the bandstand and logged plenty of studio time together before they formed The Brecker Brothers. The siblings stood as a team with Horace Silver’s hard bop ensemble, the proto-fusion unit Dreams, and Billy Cobham’s early Crosswinds band, as well as on myriad studio dates for a panoply of artists from James Taylor to Parliament.

By 1975 it was time for them to make their own mark. Gathering together some of the cream of the studio players that they were spending considerable time with, including saxophonist David Sanborn and bassist Will Lee, the brothers formed a tight combo that would integrate their taste for jazz, fusion, R&B, funk and pop. Right out of the box, they garnered a hit single, “Sneakin’ Up Behind You,” from their debut recording, Brecker Brothers, which also included the emblematic “Some Skunk Funk.”

Subsequent albums saw name players like guitarists Steve Khan and Hiram Bullock, keyboardist George Duke, bassist Marcus Miller and vocalist Luther Vandross making vital contributions. No matter how commercially oriented the music might veer, the solid playing of both Randy and Michael could be heard. On such albums as the live recordings, Heavy Metal Bebop and the special project Blue Montreux, the brothers fully displayed their extraordinary technical skills and gutsy phrasing. Combining jazz chops and R&B seasoning, both of the Breckers became important stylistic influences on their respective horns.

In retrospect, the Brecker Brothers can be seen as dashing heroes, unafraid to follow wherever their muse lead them no matter what straight-laced critics objected to. From today’s eclectic viewpoint, their up front blend of jazz and outright pop sounds was not only ahead of the curve, it was right up to the minute.

•Musicians on the records make a jazz/fusion hall of fame including David Sanborn, Steve Gadd, Will Lee, Harvey Mason, Marcus Miller, George Duke, and many more.

•In 1979 they also participated in all-star shows at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The band was Steve Khan, Tony Levin, Mike Mainieri and Steve Jordan. These two albums are included here as bonuses.

•The Brecker Bros. have reunited as The Brecker Brothers Reunion Band-- with excellent Italian saxophonist Ada Rovatti keeping it in the family (she is Randy’s wife) and ably filling the late Michael’s role -- for an all-new studio recording of all new material, featuring David Sanborn, Mike Stern, Dave Weckl, and Will Lee (to be released in September).

•A new Brecker Bros. Reunion live DVD from the Blue Note jazz club will also be released. Both new releases are on Half Note Records, the label of The Blue Note Jazz club in New York, who will sponsor a record release show the week of Sept. 11-18 in New York.

Albums included:
1.The Brecker Brothers
2.Back to Back
3.Don't Stop the Music
4.Heavy Metal Be-Bop
5.Detente
6.Straphangin'
7.Blue Montreux
8.Blue Montreux II