ERIC VAN ARO RELEASES 'I'M NOT ALONE' (A TRIBUTE TO SAMMY DAVIS JR.)

With his interpretation of the hit song "I'm Not Anyone," internationally acclaimed singer Eric van Aro  adds new emotional layers to an old favorite and pays a touching tribute to the legendary entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. Starting September 14, van Aro's record label and production company, Eraki Entertainment, is making the new single available to music lovers as a digital track on iTunes.

"I'm Not Anyone" was written by Paul Anka for Sammy Davis Jr. as an anthem to self-determination. In a 2007 Billboard article, Anka listed the song among his personal favorites of the works that he had created, in part because Davis was such a great friend and inspiration.

In the new interpretation, van Aro honors the song's message of independence by not being content to imitate the original. With the famed Italian pianist Fabio Gianni, he breaks the song down to its piano-and-singer foundations in order to create innovative personal touches and new depths of meaning. The new version has received high praise from many individuals in the music and radio industry with disc jockeys in the United States, United Kingdom and Italy uniformly calling it "excellent."

As a member of a family of musicians and artists that stretches back eight generations, van Aro has always felt a deep connection to musical tradition, and growing up in show business gave him the opportunity to closely observe and know many major artists. Both Anka and Davis were good acquaintances of his mother, the Italian singer Caterina Valente, who took the photograph of Sammy Davis Jr. that is featured on the record sleeve.

Davis cast a special spell on the young van Aro. "If there is one thing Sammy Davis Jr. has taught us, it is to be yourself and do your own thing," van Aro said. "This is a song about empowerment, about believing – above all else – in yourself."

The intimate style of his version of "I'm Not Anyone," so different from the song's typical grandiosity, proves that van Aro has learned that lesson. The tune starts with a classic jazz piano opening, courtesy of Gianni, and van Aro begins singing softly, giving the impression that he is conducting a personal "conversation" with each listener. The song's intensity slowly swells until van Aro's vocals are a full, rich outpouring of sound, and Gianni's playing matches the heightened volume and emotional intensity. The two dial down the intensity only to have the music build once more. The vocals end with van Aro softly singing "I am free," and the track fades with an even softer melody from the piano.

After working in theater and with live concerts for several years, van Aro founded Eraki Entertainment in 1998. He has released several albums, including 2001's "From the Heart"; "Friends" from 2005, which established van Aro as one of the most accomplished singers on the jazz scene; and the 2008 release "Desert Motel." In 2010, he released the songs "Jazz", "UR" and "Evil Games" in collaboration with the Beats4life label.

"I'm Not Anyone" is available for $0.99 on CD Baby and iTunes. Interested parties can review the entire song before buying at Eraki Entertainment's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ErakiEntertainment.

:::: SOURCE: ERAKI Entertainment ::::

MERYL SAUNDERS / JERRY GARCIA - KEYSTONE COMPANIONS: THE COMPLETE 1973 FANTASY RECORDINGS

KEYSTONE COMPANIONS/ THE COMPLETE 1973 FANTASY RECORDINGS SPOTLIGHTS THE LEGENDARY MERL SAUNDERS/JERRY GARCIA COLLABORATION INCLUDING
SEVEN PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS

Deluxe four-CD box set, due September 25th (U.S./International release dates may vary), contains vintage photos, extensive liner notes and memorabilia

Double vinyl LP reissue of the very first Saunders/Garcia album

Live at Keystone due to be released concurrently

Keystone Companions/The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings, recorded live on July 10 and 11, 1973 at the Keystone club in Berkeley, California, beautifully captures the magical musical friendship of keyboardist Merl Saunders and guitarist Jerry Garcia. The Fantasy Records lavish four-disc set, scheduled for September 25, 2012 release on the heels of the 70th anniversary of Garcia’s birth, includes seven previously unreleased tracks, a special booklet featuring vintage photos; liner notes by Grateful Dead expert David Gans; and a poster, coaster, button, and “scratchbook” (replicating the design of the original album’s promotional matchbooks).

The sterling band featured Saunders on keyboards; Garcia, guitar and vocals; John Kahn, bass; and Bill Vitt, drums. Virtuoso David Grisman added mandolin to Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street.” The mix of songs ranged from Saunders originals to covers of songs by Jimmy Cliff, Junior Parker, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Rodgers & Hart, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Don Nix and Dan Penn and Dylan.

San Francisco-born keyboardist Merl Saunders had been writing and performing in New York before returning to the West Coast. Producer Nick Gravenites offered him studio work that included playing with guitarist Jerry Garcia, already at the helm of one of the world’s most popular rock bands, the Grateful Dead. “Garcia reminded me of [jazz guitarist] Eric Gale,” Saunders recollected, “Anything he played was very musical. He knew how to do a rhythm on any kind of tune — gospel, blues, jazz. I was amazed.”

Saunders also helped Garcia expand his harmonic knowledge and even showed him some Art Tatum runs. “He taught me music,” Garcia said of his friend.

By December 1970, a weekly jam session featuring Saunders, Garcia, Kahn, and Vitt had become a weekly gig at San Francisco’s Matrix. Of course Garcia was already a major figure in the musical counterculture as lead guitarist for the Dead, so he kept this new band low-key — so much that it never really had a name (although it was referred to as The Group at times.) As Garcia said, “I couldn’t take the pressure of being a double celebrity. It’s a drag just being it once.” (That didn’t stop the itinerant Garcia from having a third band as well, Old and In the Way, with David Grisman, Peter Rowan, and Vassar Clements.)

Live at Keystone, originally released as a double LP, was recorded by Grateful Dead associates Betty Cantor and Rex Jackson; all four artists are credited as producers. Additional material was released as Live at Keystone, Volumes 1 & 2 in 1988. Keystone Companions/The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings assembles the original recordings and presents them, remastered, in the order in which the songs were performed at those two shows. The repertoire spans blues, rockabilly, jazz, funk, Broadway, Motown, two Bob Dylan songs, and Jimmy Cliff’s immortal “The Harder They Come.” Some songs appear twice, providing the opportunity to hear how the band kept it loose and fresh.

As Gans notes, “This music is as exciting and satisfying 40 years later as it was on the day it was made.”

On the collection’s September 25 U.S. street date, Fantasy Records will also reissue, on multi-color double vinyl LP, the first Saunders/Garcia album Live at Keystone.

:::: SOURCE: Concord Records ::::

PETE ESCOVEDO LIVE FROM STERN GROVE

“What’s up, San Francisco? Are you ready to have a good time?” asks timbales player and band leader Pete Escovedo at the beginning of Live from Stern Grove, his terrific new album that captures a live show he played earlier this year at the legendary 75-year-old San Francisco venue. Escovedo and his band then swing into a breezy rendition of the Tito Puente classic “Picadillo Jam,” and from that moment it’s readily apparent the band can deliver on Escovedo’s promise. Live From Stern Grove is set for digital release September 25, 2012 on Concord Picante/Stiletto Flats Inc. (There will be a physical release in 2013, international release dates may vary.)

The ensemble brings that same energy to the following track, Wayne Wallace’s “Take Some Time,” a song that allows guitarist Michael Angel Alvarado to exchange spirited riffs with the talented players in the large horn section.

It makes sense Escovedo would recruit a phenomenal player like the Bay Area’s Alvarado to play in his band. Early in his career, Escovedo toured with guitarist Carlos Santana for three years before starting the Latin band Azteca, a group that successfully established Escovedo as a major Latin jazz artist. Throughout the ’70s, Escovedo collaborated with many of jazz’s best players, including Herbie Hancock, Bobby McFerrin, Cal Tjader, Stephen Stills, Anita Baker, George Duke, Dionne Warwick, Barry White and Chick Corea. Given Escovedo’s 50-year history of playing jazz, it’s fitting that several of jazz’s best players contribute to Live from Stern Grove.

Ray Obiedo dials in some terrific guitar work on Escovedo’s rendition of his “Brasiliero,” a contemporary jazz number that benefits from Obeido’s spirited soloing. Guitarist Michael Angel’s intense playing on the first half of “True or False” practically pays homage to Santana before giving way to a fantastic saxophone solo that comes courtesy of special guest Dave Koz.

“Dance” is an original salsa number that Escovedo penned with the help of sons Juan and Peter Michael, as well as daughter Sheila E. The song’s lyrics about losing control and feeling the rhythm “deep in your soul” refer to the tune’s almost-frantic tempo. Guest Sheila E. plays congas on the song, adding to the complex percussion rhythms designed to keep the dance floor moving. The final lyric, “it’s going to make you dance,” is one heck of an understatement.

Sheila E. returns to play congas on “Solo Tu”; you can hear Escovedo introduce her to the audience at the beginning of the percussion-driven song. Escovedo then takes over lead vocals in “Fly Me to the Moon,” a fan favorite he spices up with some Latin flair. Trumpet player Arturo Sandoval shows up on the album’s closing number “Suenos De Los Torreros,” and you can actually hear the audience enthusiastically applaud at the end of his solo and again as Escovedo politely says “thank you all; good night” at the end of this incredible performance.

:::: SOURCE: Concord Records ::::

ELLEN ROBINSON - DON'T WAIT TOO LONG

Since her arrival from the East Coast in the late 1970s, Ellen Robinson has established herself as a protean figure on the active San Francisco Bay Area vocal scene. She's made her mark as an educator, choral director, dynamic performer, and -- over the last ten years -- recording artist.

Her first two albums, On My Way to You (2001) and Mercy! (2006), earned her fans beyond the Bay, including vocal master Carol Sloane who memorably wrote that "Hers is a white chocolate sound, intense and pure, swinging and bitter-sweet." Robinson's momentum is sure to continue with the release on October 16 of Don't Wait Too Long (EMR Music), a live date recorded before a packed house at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley with the singer's simpatico band of Kristen Strom (soprano and tenor saxophone), Murray Low (piano), Sam Bevan (bass), and Dan Foltz (drums). Also on hand was her indispensable producer and longtime friend, Bud Spangler.

"I've had the great pleasure of working with Ellen as her drummer and producer for well over a decade," says Spangler, who's also produced sessions for Taylor Eigsti, vocalist Ed Reed, and Mark Levine's Grammy-nominated Latin Tinge, among many others. "I know that she never sings a song unless she understands its message thoroughly and also embraces its meaning entirely. Each song is a fully realized story. As you listen to these performances, let yourself feel what they're telling you. Ellen always does."

"I have to feel connected to the lyrics," Robinson affirms. "I'm not a gymnastic singer. I do like taking a straight-ahead jazz tune or a pop tune and making it my own. I pick songs that feel inclusive, so that sometimes steers me in a little different direction in terms of my repertoire."

Focusing on ballads with sinuous melodies, Robinson sustains a dreamy mood with a deceptively unadorned style on Don't Wait Too Long. From rarely sung Songbook items such as the album opener "Dance Only With Me," by Jule Styne, Betty Comden, and Adolph Greene, and Irving Berlin's "Be Careful It's My Heart," to Joni Mitchell's "If" (Rudyard Kipling's poem) and the recent-vintage title track, composed by Jesse Harris, Larry Klein, and Madeline Peyroux, Robinson distills the essence of each song. She also contributes three originals ("Soon," "Tick Tock," "The Storm") that fit seamlessly into the sophisticated program.

Growing up in Stamford, Connecticut, Robinson realized by the time she was in high school that music was her calling, but her family offered little support for her dreams of a career as performer or composer. She earned a music education degree at Manhattanville College with a major in piano, and once she was out of college she taught music to kids but "kept writing my own music, which kept me sane and alive."

After relocating to the Bay Area in 1976, Robinson continued to teach music at private schools and at the same time to develop her craft as a singer-songwriter. She happened upon an album by Carmen McRae and was floored: "I didn't know people sang like that."

Years of intensive, self-directed study followed as Robinson immersed herself in the music of McRae as well as Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Betty Carter, Sheila Jordan, Shirley Horn, Carol Sloane, and many other vocal geniuses.

Meeting drummer Bud Spangler at the San Francisco jazz spot Storyville launched an ongoing creative partnership between Robinson and Spangler. "Bud was the angel in my life," says the singer.

A gifted educator who teaches at the Jazzschool in Berkeley and Community Music Center in San Francisco, Robinson directs several vocal programs and ensembles, including a musical theater workshop at Stagebridge, and the Anything Goes Chorus, a community chorus that gives public performances and free concerts at retirement homes, homeless shelters, prisons, and halfway houses since the early 1980s.

She doesn't see much separation between her work in the classroom or on stage. With Don't Wait Too Long she offers an object lesson in music's transformative power, a power that she both embodies and transmits. "As a teacher I feel like I'm a performer, and as a performer I feel like a teacher," Robinson says. "I want people to be entertained and I want them to feel different after they've heard my music."

Ellen Robinson and her band (Kristen Strom, Murray Low, Sam Bevan, Dan Foltz) will celebrate the release of Don't Wait Too Long at the Freight & Salvage (2020 Addison Street, Berkeley) on Sunday, 10/21 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $20.50 in advance, $22.50 at the door.

www.ellenrobinson.com

NATHAN PACHECO RELEASES SELF-TITLED ALBUM

With two PBS concert specials and a headlining North American tour on the horizon, singer Nathan Pacheco is set to release his self-titled Disney Pearl debut album. Produced by Leo-Z, the new album showcases the passionate vocals Pacheco first revealed with the 2009 Voices project. With "Avatar" set as the premiere focus track, the new album arrives in stores September 18th while the PBS special, "Introducing Nathan Pacheco: Live in Concert" premiered August 11 and continues to air across the country.

Like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban before him, Nathan Pacheco mastered the art of pop/classical crossover. In the album's 12 tracks (seven of which he co-wrote) the versatile tenor sings in four languages – English, Spanish, Italian and French – as well as multiple genres, from pop to folk to opera. "All my efforts to master technique are for the sole purpose of connecting with people," Pacheco says. "That's what I go for every time."

Songs on Nathan Pacheco include:

"Avatar" – This beautifully orchestrated debut focus track represents Nathan's core message of love and hope.

"Perdona" – An intimate ballad sung in Spanish that stresses forgiveness as a key to true love.

"Nessun Dorma" – Puccini's timeless aria, given a daringly modern arrangement and sung magnificently by Pacheco.

"Now We Are Free" – Pacheco here sings the haunting ballad from the Academy Award-winning blockbuster, "Gladiator."

"Oyela" – A sweet-toned Spanish song about finding one's place in life and love.

"Infinito Amore" – One of the album's most sweeping tracks, this song, sung in Italian, captures all the drama and passion of Nathan's vocals.

"Tears From Heaven" – A hymn-like song inspired by early American folk melodies, performed by Nathan with true grace.

"Don't Cry" – A ravishing testament to hope against all odds, with Nathan's heart-rending lead vocals backed by symphony orchestra.

"Que L'Amour" – This lilting tune, sung in French and featuring world music flourishes, takes a sly look at relationships.

"Caruso" – Pacheco brings his own spin to this well-known composition by the late Italian songwriter Lucio Dalla. Pure passion.

"Unbreakable" – Not to be outdone by Dalla, on this Pacheco-co-penned song, Nathan sings about the bond only true love seals.

"La Scelta" – A mournful Italian song about loss. Says Pacheco, "You realize things will never be the same, but in grief you accept that that's the way that it is."

"Hallelujah" – Think Jeff Buckley had the last word on Leonard Cohen's masterpiece? Think again, as Pacheco caps his album with an inspirational version of the song.

A native of Washington, D.C., Nathan Pacheco studied music in college. He admired the great operatic tenors, from Pavarotti to Domingo, but also loved pop music, especially classical crossover artists like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban. In 2006, Nathan auditioned for legendary composer-performer Yanni, making his international debut with Yanni's "Voices" project in 2009.

That led to his signing with Disney Pearl, which released last Christmas the single "O' Holy Night," a duet with Welsh multi-platinum mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins. He and Jenkins later embarked on a sold-out 25-city U.K. tour with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Last December, Nathan performed his first headlining concert dates at the Geffen Playhouse, where he premiered songs from the new album, which was recorded in part at London's Air Lyndhurst Studios with London's Philharmonia Orchestra. His PBS concert specials were filmed before a live audience in Santa Monica at the Broad Theater. "Introducing Nathan Pacheco: Live In Concert" premiered August 11 and will run across the country during upcoming PBS pledge weeks and will be followed by "Nathan Pacheco: Christmas" airing the month of December.

Nathan Pacheco will be available September 18, 2012. For more information on Disney Pearl Series releases, please visit Disney.com/music, Facebook.com/ disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic.

SOURCE Walt Disney Records

HERBIE MANN - MELLOW / HOLD ON, I'M COMING

This two-disc set from Collectables features a pair of out of print Herbie Mann LPs: Mellow and Hold On, I'm Coming. Originally issued in 1981 and 1972, respectively, Mellow contains a live date from 1977. These 11 jazz-pop tracks include "Cinnamon Flower," "Hold On, I'm Comin'," and two separate versions of "Memphis Underground." This is an enjoyable reissue from the Mann's massive catalog on Atlantic Records, but most listeners would be better served with one of the many compilations in print. - by Al Campbell, AMG

Mellow was released by Atlantic Records after dropping him from their roster. Made up primarily of outtakes from mid- to late-'70s recording sessions, the album sounds like the hodgepodge it is. Highlights include a take on Milton Nascimento's "Cinnamon Flower" and a lengthy version of Mann's classic "Memphis Underground," recorded at the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival with guests Sonny Fortune, David Newman and the Brecker Brothers. The low point arrives with the opening track, a cover of Bob Marley's "Bend Down Low" left over from the Reggae sessions, in which Mann actually sings the lead vocal. - by Jim Newsom, AMG

This is one of the best Herbie Mann recordings and arguably his most rewarding of the 1970s. This long out of print LP features the leader/flutist, David Newman (on tenor and flute), the avant-garde guitarist Sonny Sharrock, and a fine backup rhythm section (electric pianist Pat Rebillot, bassist Andy Muson, and drummer Reggie Ferguson) stretching out on a variety of R&Bish material including "Respect Yourself," "Memphis Underground," and "Hold on, I'm Comin'." The high quality of the solos and the spirited ensembles (which were inspired by the audience at the 1972 New York Jazz Festival) make this a generally memorable session. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Tracks on Mellow:
1. Bend Down Low (Bob Marley) 6:51
2. Sir Charles Duke (Herbie Mann) 5:21
3. Cecelia (Paul Simon) 5:34
4. Cinnamon Flower (Milton Nascimento) 5:06
5. Memphis Underground (Herbie Mann) 17:03
6. Another Star (Stevie Wonder) 5:28

Tracks on Hold On, I'm Comin':
1. (Gimme Some Of That Good Old) Soul Beat Momma (Herbie Mann) 7:35
2. Never Can Say Goodbye (Clifton Davis) 4:35
3. Respect Yourself (Luther Ingram/Sir Mack Rice) 8:51
4. Memphis Underground (Herbie Mann) 13:06
5. Hold On, I'm Comin' (Isaac Hayes/David Porter) 4:07

:::: SOURCE: Into The Rhythm ::::

NEW RELEASES – WEATHER REPORT, CHARLIE MINGUS, KLANG

WEATHER REPORT – LIVE IN BERLIN 1975

A massive mid 70s live set from Weather Report – a record that has the group stretching out even more than on their classic studio albums! There's an undercurrent of darkness here that we really love – an edge that always makes us feel like things are about to go off the rails, or maybe take one of the more avant Miles electric turns – even though the group really keep things tight throughout, and manage to swing searing sounds into soaring solos with effortless ease! Lineup includes Joe Zawinul on Fender Rhodes (a noisy one at that!), Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano sax, Alphonso Johnson on bass, Chester Thompson on drums, and Alex Acuna on percussion – and titles include "Mysterious Traveller", "Freezing Fire", "Scarlet Woman", and the 20 minute long "Badia/Boogie Woogie Waltz". (Limited pressing of 2000 copies.)

WEATHER REPORT – LIVE IN COLOGNE 1983

A soaring set from Weather Report – captured here in an early 80s lineup that features great keyboards from Joe Zawinul and sublime saxophone from Wayne Shorter! The tunes are nice and long, and bristle with that power the quintet had at this point – a well-earned tightness that really made concerts some of their best moments – propelled by rhythms that really let the main solos fly free, especially in a live setting like this. Victor Bailey is on bass, Omar Hakim on drums, and Jose Rossy on percussion – and the set features loads of long tracks – including "Where The Moon Goes", "Fast City", "D Flat Waltz", "Two Lines", "Plaza Real", "Procession", and a great long medley of classics.

CHARLIE MINGUS – OH YEAH

Quite a crazy little record from Charles Mingus! Mingus plays piano and sings (yes, you read that right!) in a tight sextet with Booker Ervin and Roland Kirk on reeds, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. Mingus is trying out a kind of messed-up, blues-inspired sound here – but for some reason the tracks sort of fall short of their potential, perhaps because they're not infused with the same clarity and anger as his earlier works, or perhaps because Mingus' work on the piano just isn't as fierce as his bass playing. Still, the album's a nice one, and way better than the other Mingus piano album, on Impulse. Titles include "Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me", "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Devil Woman", and "Passions Of A Man".

KLANG - BROOKLYN LINES...CHICAGO SPACES

Tremendous work from this young group – a set that embraces a range of modern jazz traditions, then pushes them forward strongly to the next generation! The lineup here features some of the sharpest talents of the current Windy City underground – James Falzone on clarinet, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, Jason Roebke on bass, and Tim Daisy on drums – all players who feel each others' strengths instantly, and find ways of coming together that are even greater than the sum of the already-strong parts! Falzone's clarinet is especially amazing – a fresh new voice on the instrument that pushes past even John Carter or Jimmy Giuffre – showing us that the instrument can really carve strong modern lines, when in the right hands. Adasiewicz's vibes are always a treat – and ring out beautifully – and both Roebke and Daisy have the right sort of freewheeling rhythms to set even more fire to the other two players. Titles include "Ukranian Village", "Carol's Burgers", "Chicago Spaces", "Brooklyn Lines", "Jazz Searching Self", and "Alone At The Brain".

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

NEW RELEASES - TOMMIE YOUNG, WILLIE MITCHELL, BEGGAR & CO.

TOMMIE YOUNG – SHREVEPORT SOULSTRESS

Deep soul from deep in Louisiana – a killer collection of work from the great and overlooked Tommie Young! Tommie only cut a handful of singles and one full album for the small Soul Power offshoot of Jewel Records – but those tracks have earned her a place in our hearts for years – work to rival the indie greatness of contemporaries like Betty Lavette, Betty Harris, or Ann Sexton, with a similar strength of quality that always has us wondering why Young never struck it bigger at the time! The set's a perfect collection of female soul numbers – some of them funky, some of them more laidback and with a really heartbreaking sound – a perfect introduction to Tommie's genius, with cuts that include "Everybody's Got A Little Devil In Their Soul", "That's How Strong My Love Is", "Midsummer Dream", "You Brought It All On Yourself", "That's All A Part Of Loving Him", "She Don't Have To See You", "Get Out Of My Life", and "You Can't Have Your Cake & Eat It Too".

WILLIE MITCHELL – MEMPHIS RHYTHM KING

A smoking selection of work from Memphis giant Willie Mitchell – some of the funkiest tracks he ever recorded, stuffed together in one mighty set! Willie's probably best know for his famous studio work for Ann Peebles and Al Green – but on his own, Mitchell can carve out a cooker like nobody's business – in this case with a great ear for the kind of harder instrumental soul sounds you might hear from Stax or Atlantic Records at the start of the 70s! These tunes have a way harder edge than the compressed, smooth sound of Willie's work with singers – and often feature a sharp solo instrument in the lead – such as tenor sax, riffing guitar, or soulful trumpet. Titles include "Breaking Point", "Six To Go", "Poppin", "Pearl Time", "20-75", "Leo's Mood", "The Champion", "Mercy", "That Driving Beat", "30 60 90", "Everything's Gonna Be Alright", and "Big Power House".

BEGGAR & CO. FEATURING THE JAZZ FUNK COLLECTIVE – SLEEPING GIANTS

Maybe the greatest record we've ever heard from Beggar & Co – a set that sparkles strongly from a host of excellent guest work – not just from Incognito, but also from some key American musicians as well! The groove is tighter than ever – and very much in the 70s-inspired style that's always made us love the group – a wonderfully warm blend of jazz, funk, and soul that comes off with the feel of a lost treasure from way back! The set's got a positive, upbeat sound throughout – and titles include "If You Really Love Me", "Victoria Park", "Summer Is Here At Last", "While The City Sleeps", "New Beginnings", "Rise", "Yesterday's Gone", and "Changes".

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

RONNIE DYSON – LOVE IN ALL FLAVORS / THE MORE YOU DO IT

A pair of overlooked gems from Ronnie Dyson – both of which show there's way more to love than just his early hits! On Love In All Flavors, Ronnie's older than during his falsetto soul early years – and he's working here with some impeccably mature Chicago soul arrangements by Gene Barge, Gene Page, and Richard Evans. The album's produced by the always-great modern soul dynamic duo of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancey (ex-Independents), and it's got an approach that mixes deeply soulful vocals with smoother backings, kind of in the same mode that The Manhattans were using, but with a bit more of a modern tip that points towards the Capitol work by the Jackson/Yancey team. Tracks include "I Want To Be Where You Are", "Sara Smile", "Don't Be Afraid", "I Just Want To Be There", and "Ain't Nothing Wrong".

On More You Do It, Dyson works with the 70s hit soul team of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy – the pair who brought great sound to Natalie Cole, and who work some similar magic with Ronnie! The album was recorded in Chicago – partially at Curtom – and has arrangements from Gene Barge, Gene Page, and Richard Evans – all of whom bring a fullness to the record that's a nice change from Dyson's more fragile work of earlier years. Some of the best cuts have a gentle midtempo groove that's almost like Leroy Hutson – warm, and never slick – very personal, and stepping along nicely. Titles include "The More You Do It", "You & Me", "Jive Talkin", "Close To You", "Love Won't Let Me Wait", and "Lovin Feelin".

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

NEW RELEASES – THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA, SOUL LOUNGE 9, HOLLAND - DOZIER

THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA - SOLIDARITY

We've always loved these guys – but they really blow us away with this smoking album – a set that has them funkier than ever, yet also reaching out to embrace some great new styles too! The Afro Funk of their core is still firmly in place – yet there's also wider echoes of global sounds really being embraced by a younger generation – bits of Colombian rhythms, psychedelic inflections, and really vibrant instrumentation that helps make this record sparkle even more than their already-great previous efforts! Production is totally smoking, too – and makes the set feel more like a Soundway compilation of rare tracks from the 70s than a contemporary set – definitely another plus in our book. Titles include "Cartao Postal", "Kelen Ati Leen", "Bibinay", "Kingpin", "Conquering Lion", "Tanbou Lou", and "Nijaay".

SOUL LOUNGE 9 – 40 SOULFUL GROOVES (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

40 tracks, at one mighty nice price – and a killer entry in the long-running Soul Lounge series! Think "soul" more than "lounge" – and get past the Hed Kandi-like image on the cover – because this stuff is the real deal – a great collection of Neo Soul gems pulled from the rich catalog of Dome Records – plus excellent tracks from other contemporary labels too! There's plenty to love here if you love our Neo Soul section – and we dare say that the track selection here is as good as we would have chosen, were we to put out such a set. Titles include "Nights" by Sy Smith with Rahsaan Patterson, "You Got Love" by Kindred The Family Soul, "Like This" by Avery Sunshine, "1960 What (Opolopo kick & bass rerub)" by Gregory Porter, "Get Myself Together (souldynamic rmx)" by Angela Johnson, "Zaius (Ski Oakenfull mix)" by Incognito, "In The Thick Of It" by Sunburst Band with Angela Johnson, "This Is What You Are" by Mario Biondi, "Sweetness" by Carleen Anderson, "Warm Human" by Heston, "Never In Your Sun" by Khari Cabral Simmons with India Arie, "Body Language" by Anthony David, and "Teardrops" by Avani.

HOLLAND - DOZIER – CREATIVE CORPORATION

Post-Motown magic from the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland – a killer collection of their initial work for the Invictus label, including some of Lamont Dozier's greatest solo material! The set is smoking all the way through – a real high-point in 70s soul, with cuts that have gone onto be underground classics over the years – the kind of music we started Dusty Groove just to help promote! Lamont's vocals are tremendous, and even the instrumental tracks cook brilliantly too – thanks to a sharp punch that the trio never had this well back at Motown – kind of a 70s refinement of their previous groove, with a sound that's completely sublime all the way through. Titles include "Can't Get Enough", "New Breed Kinda Woman", "I'm So Glad", "Super Woman", "Where Did We Go Wrong", "Lady By Day", "Don't Leave Me Starving For Your Love (parts 1 & 2)", and both vocal and instrumental versions of the killer "Don't Leave Me

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

THE MAIN INGREDIENT - EUPHRATES RIVER / AFRODISIAC

Two of our favorite albums by The Main Ingredient – back to back on a single CD! Euphrates River is a wonderfully complex batch of tunes that shows that the group were taking a cue from some of their hipper contemporaries, and pushing past a stock hit formula. Bert DeCoteaux was still arranging, but the group produced themselves, giving the record a sexy funky feeling in the best parts, not that dissimilar from some of Marvin Gaye's work, or records by groups like The Isley Brothers or The O'Jays. Includes great versions of two Seals & Crofts songs – "Summer Breeze" and "Euphrates" – both a perfect example of this style, as is "Happiness Is Just Around The Bend" – plus a great reading of Willie Hutch's "California My Way", which has a super-dope sample at the beginning. Of course, the album still includes material like their hit " "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", a sweetly style AM radio pop hit in the band's best style of earlier years.

Afrodisiac is one of the most righteous albums ever from the Main Ingredient – as you might guess from its title and stylish cover! The group are really opening up here – and show a distinct Stevie Wonder influence throughout – not just because they perform their own hip takes on a number of tunes by Stevie, but also because Wonder himself plays a bit on the record! Rhythms are inventive, and grooves nice and complex – way past standard chart soul, into a heady mix that holds up beautifully over the years. Keyboards slide in great with the harmonies – and titles include great versions of Stevie Wonder tunes "Superwoman", "Where Were You When I Needed You", "Something Lovely", "Girl Blue", and "I Am Yours" – plus the great breakbeat track "You Can Call Me Rover", which has a very tight drum sound at the beginning, and tight soul harmonies all the way through. Also features a hip take on the Isleys' "Work To Do" too!

:::: SOURCE: Dusty Groove ::::

LOVING THE SILENT TEARS: A NEW MUSICAL TO PREMIERE AT THE SHRINE IN L.A. THIS OCTOBER

The red carpet premiere of Loving the Silent Tears: A New Musical is anticipated as one of the most star-studded, spectacular year-end events, to be held on October 27 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

The first of its kind in theatre history, Loving the Silent Tears will take the audience on an elevating journey across six continents and 16 countries, to tell a compelling story about humanity’s search for inner peace and happiness.

The musical will star 2-time Grammy-winning artist Jon Secada, Grammy-winning icon Jody Watley, and Broadway stars: Tony winner Debbie Gravitte, Tony winner Kiril Kulish, Emmy winner and Tony nominee Liz Callaway, and Tony nominee Patti Cohenour.

They will be joined by Grammy-winning reggae legends Black Uhuru, Arab singer Camellia Abou-Odah, Italian tenor Mark Janicello, Korean pop star Brian Joo, award-winning Israeli singer Liel Kolet, Irish soprano Katie McMahon, Korean singer Heather Park, award-winning Brazilian singer Fabiana Passoni, and Persian superstar Siavash Shams.

“It is very special to be a part of something of this magnitude,” said Jody Watley. “What a great cast and collection of musicians, composers, artists, the global message, the magnificence!”

Loving the Silent Tears promises the ingenious direction of Tony nominee Vincent Paterson (Michael Jackson’s Bad and Madonna’s Blond Ambition tours), lively dances choreographed by Emmy-winning Bonnie Story (High School Musical), the imaginative stagecraft of Emmy-winning set designer John Iacovelli (Peter Pan), and a vibrant display of costumes by award-winning designer Sharell Martin (Chicago).

Vincent Paterson stated, “It will be a wonderful evening of theatre – beautiful costumes, great sets to look at. They’re going to hear great music. They’re going to see great dancing. There are some beautiful messages here about enlightenment and self-realization, and that’s always a nice reminder to have throughout life.”

With all elements in place to make for absolutely thrilling musical theatre, the show was inspired by a poetry anthology titled Silent Tears, written years ago by world-renowned spiritual teacher, humanitarian and artist Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Award-winning playwright Cynthia Ferrell noted, “What interested me most in Loving the Silent Tears honestly was the poetry. The poetry is so beautiful and the message of the poetry, it’s so consistent throughout the piece, and the nuances of it are gorgeous and it’s just so inspiring. It just makes you come to the project with a happy heart.”

Taking a unique approach, multiple eminent composers have come together to set Supreme Master Ching Hai’s soulful verses to soaring melodies: 6-time Grammy winner and 2-time Oscar nominee Jorge Calandrelli (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), 2-time Oscar winner Al Kasha (The Poseidon Adventure), Emmy winner Doug Katsaros (Footloose), 2-time Grammy winner and Oscar nominee Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls), Tony and Emmy winner Don Pippin (Oliver!), Grammy winner Nan Schwartz (Harry Potter), and Oscar and 2-time Grammy winner David Shire (Saturday Night Fever). With the sheer volume of brilliant musical minds so generously pouring their creativity into the score, it’s evident that music lovers are in for a treat.

Jon Secada will also be debuting a song that he composed for the musical, based on Supreme Master Ching Hai’s poetry. He said, “I think the audience will find listening to the lyrics of the songs, which are from Supreme Master Ching Hai's poems, a transformative and enlightening experience.”

Composer Al Kasha stated, “All these composers who are the best in the world and all of these singers who won Grammys and Tonys from Broadway worked on this piece because they saw the spiritual nature of it. I think it will lift the audience up inspirationally, I really do.”

With a superb cast and creative team, beautiful poetry as lyrics, and accompaniment by a 30-plus member dancing ensemble and a live orchestra, Loving the Silent Tears will be an unprecedented show of grand proportions and five-star production value.

The evening will commemorate the 19th anniversary of Supreme Master Ching Hai Day honoring the values of philanthropy and peace. A pre-show art exhibition at the venue will feature Supreme Master Ching Hai’s uplifting creative works, with free admittance for all attendees.

“This is the coming together of music in the name of a good purpose, a higher purpose, a spiritual purpose, that brings out the best in people,” stated composer Nan Schwartz. “I think the show sounds like an incredible event for all people to attend.”

There will also be a celebrity red carpet.

Loving the Silent Tears on October 27 will be a one-time extraordinary event that will inspire audiences of all backgrounds. So don’t miss it – and share the meaningful experience by bringing family and friends.

SilentTearsMusical.com
Facebook: facebook.com/SilentTearsMusical
Twitter: twitter.com/LoveSilentTears

LOVING THE SILENT TEARS
Saturday, October 27, 2012

2pm: Art Exhibit

3pm: Red Carpet Arrivals

4pm: Show

Shrine Auditorium 665 West Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007

Tickets are on sale at: The Grove’s Concierge 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036

and 1-800-745-3000 * www.ticketmaster.com

BRAZILIAN SINGER FABIANA PASSONI JOINS 'LOVING THE SILENT TEARS: A NEW MUSICAL'

‘Loving the Silent Tears: A New Musical’ to Premiere in L.A. Brazilian artist Fabiana Passoni will be in the star-studded cast

She is recognized as the Best Female Brazilian Singer living in the US by the Brazilian International Press Awards’ 2012 Colégio Eleitoral. One of her newest singles, “Lovin’ You,” has already become one of the Top 50 on Jazz America’s music chart. With her velvety Brazilian voice and enchanting live performances, Fabiana Passoni has easily won hearts of audiences in various parts of the world.

Now the award-winning jazz artist has joined the star-studded company of Oscar, Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award winners for “Loving the Silent Tears,” a new musical debuting on October 27 in Los Angeles at the famous Shrine Auditorium, which had hosted the annual Oscars and Grammy Awards.

Fabiana stated, “What a great honor for me to work with such great artists, songwriters, producers and directors! I am so proud to represent my home country of Brazil in ‘Loving the Silent Tears.’”

The new musical is directed by Tony Award nominee Vincent Paterson (Michael Jackson’s Bad and Madonna’s Blond Ambition tours), with Emmy-winning choreographer Bonnie Story, Emmy-winning set designer John Iacovelli, and award-winning costumer designer Sharell Martin.

Created by 2-time Oscar-winning composer Al Kasha, the show tells a story about humanity’s search for inner peace and lasting fulfillment. It goes on a journey around the globe – to 16 countries on six continents!

Representing Brazil, Fabiana will star with Jon Secada, the 2-time Grammy-winning icon who will also represent Latin America, Grammy-winning singer Jody Watley, Grammy-winning reggae band Black Uhuru, Arab singer Camellia Abou-Odah, Italian tenor Mark Janicello, award-winning Israeli singer Liel Kolet, Irish soprano Katie McMahon, Korean singer Heather Park, and Persian superstar Siavash Shams.

Jon Secada said, “I am very excited to be part of this special event and look forward to performing in the new musical, ‘Loving the Silent Tears.’”

Award-winning Broadway stars are also part of the international cast, including Tony Award winners Debbie Gravitte, Kiril Kulish, and Michael Maguire, as well as Emmy Award winner and Tony nominee Liz Callaway.

“To take part in such an important musical with an international flavor is a new high point in my career.” said Fabiana. “The story line for the musical perfectly matches my own personal quest for inner peace and happiness.”

“Loving the Silent Tears” is based on the profound poetry collection, “Silent Tears,” written by world-renowned spiritual teacher, humanitarian, poet and artist Supreme Master Ching Hai.

Her richly expressive verses have been set to music by 6-time Grammy winner and 2-time Oscar nominee Jorge Calandrelli (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), the above-mentioned 2-time Oscar winner Al Kasha (“The Poseidon Adventure”), Emmy winner Doug Katsaros (“Footloose”), 2-time Grammy winner and Oscar nominee Henry Krieger (“Dreamgirls”), Tony and Emmy winner Don Pippin (“Oliver!”), Grammy winner Nan Schwartz (“Harry Potter”), and Oscar and 2-time Grammy winner David Shire (“Saturday Night Fever”).

Al Kasha, who is also the creator of the musical, said, “All these composers who are the best in the world and all of these singers who won Grammys and Tonys from Broadway worked on this piece because they saw the spiritual nature of it. I think it will lift the audience up inspirationally, I really do.”

In her own refreshing style, Fabiana, who was born in Poços de Caldas, Brazil, combines jazz fusion with the older rhythms of her homeland such as bossa nova, baião, and samba.

In “Loving the Silent Tears,” she will convey the passion that is so natural to her, through songs based on Supreme Master Ching Hai’s heartfelt poems.

In one number, she cries out to the Lord:

“Master, You must have forgotten to use Your human eyes
Now that the heavenly one is no longer shut.
That’s why You do not see me in my lonely corner
Longing to see You.”

“Loving the Silent Tears: A New Musical” will celebrate the 19th anniversary of Supreme Master Ching Hai Day, a day that officially recognizes the world humanitarian’s endeavors for greater peace. For more than two decades, Supreme Master Ching Hai consistently has come to the aid of disaster victims and others in need, including in Brazil and throughout South America. She has also honored former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with her Shining World Leadership Award for his “Zero Hunger” program.

Before the show, guests are invited to see celebrity red carpet arrivals and an art exhibition of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s inspirational creative works.

The event will be a one-time-only presentation on Saturday, October 27 at Los Angeles’ prestigious Shrine Auditorium, which is the single largest proscenium-style stage in North America.

Tickets for “Loving the Silent Tears” are available at 1-800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com

For more information, please visit:
SilentTearsMusical.com
facebook.com/SilentTearsMusical
twitter.com/LoveSilentTears

LOVING THE SILENT TEARS
Saturday, October 27, 2012
2pm: Art Exhibit
3pm: Red Carpet Arrivals
4pm: Show
Shrine Auditorium
665 West Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007

Order tickets at Ticketmaster:
1-800-745-3000 * www.ticketmaster.com

MACEO PARKER - SOUL CLASSICS

Renowned Saxophonist Maceo Parker will release a new live album Soul Classics, on September 18th through Listen2 Entertainment / Razor & Tie.

Parker reunites with the WDR Big Band for Soul Classics, a collection of nine songs recorded live at the Leverkusener Jazz Festival in Leverkusener, Germany, in November 2011. The recording captures Parker with special guests – bassist Christian McBride and drummer Core Coleman-Dunham – in collaboration with the Cologne-based 15-piece orchestra led by conductor/arranger Michael Abene that has previously backed such prominent artists as Ray Charles, Joe Zawinul, Michael and Randy Brecker, and many others.

Maceo Parker, the saxophonist who pioneered the sounds of funk and soul in the 1960s as the high-profile sideman to the legendary James Brown, has since established a solo career that embraces not only that seminal funk sound but also jazz, R&B and more. In the decades since his departure from Brown’s bands in 1970, Parker collaborated with other high profile figures like George Clinton and Bootsy Collins, and released a string of solo recordings that proved his merits as a composer and bandleader.

He first encountered WDR Big Band with the two-disc release of Roots & Grooves, a 2008 album that was on one hand a Ray Charles tribute and on the other a collection of Parker’s own material in rich big band arrangements.

“It’s great to make another live recording with the WDR Big Band,” says Parker. “I remember being very excited about Roots & Grooves, and I’m just as excited three ears later about Soul Classics. This is a big band that truly understands the universal elements of American soul and R&B, and is able to convey them to an audience in rich, full and interesting arrangements. Listeners are going to some very familiar songs in an entirely new way, and in the process, they’re going to rediscover just how great the material really is.”

Parker drew his inspiration for the performance in much the same way that generations of American artists have drawn inspiration for decades – by listening to the radio. “I had my satellite radio on one of the soul stations, and I just listened to whatever they played,” he explains. “If I felt good about something, I’d jot it down. That’s the way I came up with my list of the soul classics that we played in the performance. The result was a couple of Aretha Franklin songs, some Jackson Five, a little bit of Michael Jackson, Bill Withers, Isaac Hayes and a couple more. And of course, I included some James Brown.”

Soul Classics kicks off with a blast of energy from the James Brown canon – a driving rendition of “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” propelled by the rock-solid combination of the WDR horn section and Coleman-Dunham’s clockwork drumming and Parker’s own soul-drenched vocals.

The followup track is an equally punchy and high-energy instrumental version of “I Wish,” one of two Stevie Wonder songs in the set. The second is the celebratory “Higher Ground,” which is built on a muscular synthesizer and horn bed that provides plenty of room for Parker and a few other WDR horn players to use the melody line as a lunch pad for some impressive solo acrobatics.

Further in, Parker and company slow it down a bit with a slow and sultry rendition of Isaac Hayes’ “Do Your Thing” that relies on Frank Chastenier’s Hammond B-3 to underscore some dramatic horn work by Parker and his WDR counterparts on horn. Paul Shigihara also delivers some intriguing, vibrato-laden guitar lines in between the horn solos.

Parker once again steps up to the mike to deliver the vocals on “Rock Steady,” his homage to soul queen Aretha Franklin.

He closes the set in much the same way he opens it – this time with one of his own compositions, the punchy and uptempo “Come By and See,” a song whose energy and percussive impact is reminiscent of the James Brown heyday. It’s a free-for-all number, with plenty of call-and-response and audience participation. Well before the Midway through the song, the positive and enthusiastic crowd response is hard to miss.

“As I get older, it becomes increasingly important that I chase moments that are really fun for me,” says Parker. “Working with the WDR Big Band has once again taken me to that peak, just as it did three years ago. I’m so thankful to everyone connected to this project – especially my two sidekicks, Cora and Christian – and to Michael Abene for the great arrangements and for assembling such a spectacular band.”

While soul music may be an inherently American art form, “sometimes you have to step beyond the cultural boundaries of the music’s point of origin and hear it through the ears of musicians from a different culture in order to regain your appreciation for it,” he says. “The experience serves as a reminder that this music taps into something that’s universal to the human experience. Thanks to a brilliant team of musicians, these Soul Classics make a direct connection to everyone everywhere.

Maceo Parker, Soul Classics, Track List:
01. Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
02. I Wish
03. Yesterday I Had The Blues
04. Higher Ground
05. Do Your Thing
06. Rock Steady
07. One In A Million You
08. Soul Power
09. Announcement
10.Come By And See

:::: SOURCE: Honest Tune::::

SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISING ON BOTH COASTS

The Smooth Jazz Cruise unveils a new West Coast sailing for 2013 along with the lineup and ports for the 2014 East Coast excursion

As the perennially sold-out sailings of The Smooth Jazz Cruise: The Greatest Party at Sea prepares to launch its 10th anniversary excursions in January 2013, parent company Entertainment Cruise Productions is determined to keep the party going strong by creating a West Coast outing from San Diego to exotic Mexican ports in the fall of 2013 with music hosts Brian Culbertson and Boney James. Grammy winners David Sanborn and Marcus Miller will perform on the new program and continue to serve as the music hosts of the traditional January sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise in 2014 that will embark from Fort Lauderdale to Caribbean paradise as it has done for a decade. Both 7-day cruises will be held aboard Holland America’s luxurious M/S Westerdam and feature performances by legends, hitmakers and fan favorites.

“As we enter the second decade of The Smooth Jazz Cruise, we want to keep things fresh for our loyal family of cruisers that comes back year after year. Thanks in part to their suggestions, we decided to spread the love by creating a sensational West Coast cruise. With a cruise on both coasts, we feel that the hosts should reflect the different personalities of each coast. I cannot imagine a more exciting cruise menu than Brian Culbertson and Boney James hosting a West Coast cruise and David Sanborn and Marcus Miller topping an East Coast cruise. Brian, Boney, David and Marcus will perform on both cruises as will Jonathan Butler and Candy Dulfer. We’re going to showcase 22 incredible headliners between the two cruises,” said Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of St. Louis-based Entertainment Cruise Productions.

The first-ever left coast departure for The Smooth Jazz Cruise, the West Coast expedition will make its maiden voyage October 12-19, 2013 from San Diego and visit Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Baja Coast. Joining Culbertson, James, Sanborn, Miller, Butler and Dulfer as performers will be Rick Braun, Norman Brown, Richard Elliot, Euge Groove, Kenny Lattimore, Earl Klugh, Oleta Adams, DW3, comedian Alonzo Bodden and special guest Al Green.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise 2014 will cruise from Fort Lauderdale January 11-18 with stops in Turks & Caicos, San Juan, St. Maarten and Half Moon Cay. The parade of performers will consist of Sanborn, Miller, Culbertson, James, Butler, Dulfer, Kirk Whalum, Peter White, Sheila E, Keb Mo, Keiko Matsui, Maysa Leak, Mindi Abair, DW3, Bodden and special guest Jeffrey Osborne.

Affectionately known amongst passengers as “The Greatest Party at Sea,” The Smooth Jazz Cruise spotlights music icons, Grammy winners and chart-topping contemporary jazz, R&B and adult contemporary artists aboard a first-class, full ship charter. It is an extraordinary week devoted to live music with the luminous lineups presented in theatre, club and intimate piano bar settings. The velvet rope is removed allowing cruisers to mix and mingle freely with the musicians at cocktail parties, informative seminars, autograph and Q&A sessions, theme nights, sporting contests and special land excursions while in port. The magic of The Smooth Jazz Cruise is best understood by first-hand experience. Nearly 60% of the passengers are repeat guests. To reserve a cabin, call toll-free in the U.S. and Canada 888.852.9987 and 800.852.99872 from abroad. For further information, please visit www.thesmoothjazzcruise.com.

DIONNE WARWICK CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH NEW RELEASE 'NOW'

Dionne is celebrating an amazing 50 years in the music business, with the release of Now on 22nd October 2012. The album will be preceded by a double a side release featuring a new track "Is There Anybody Out There?" coupled with the Burt Bacharach and Hal David classic "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" on the 14th October 2012. Only the true greats get to contemplate precisely how to celebrate 50 years in the music business. So Dionne Warwick thought long and hard about how she should mark the five decades that have passed since her debut single, 'Don't Make Me Over' in 1962. That song - written especially for her by her enduring songwriting partners Burt Bacharach and Hal David - became a Top 30 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, sparking an incredible run of success that has seen her chart over 50 U.S. hit singles, win five Grammys and sell over 100 million records.

Contemplating a back catalogue of such pangenerational appeal and all-encompassing scale -studded with hit singles and albums in every decade - Dionne decided the best approach would be to revisit some of her favourite songs from five decades of classics. And when she decided it would be "virtually impossible" to choose the songs herself, she polled her colleagues, her peers and her fans as to which songs should receive a 2012 makeover. In the process, she discovered that everyone has a different favourite Dionne Warwick song. Some chose her classic Bacharach and David hits such as '(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me', others including a fellow superstar even got in on the act, Stevie Wonder no less, encouraged Dionne to revisit her 1965 song 'Are You There With Another Girl' "It's his favourite song," Dionne smiles. "Every time I see Stevie it's the first thing he sings to me."

But nostalgia - even with a twist - was never going to be enough to mark such a landmark anniversary. Unlike many of her 1960s contemporaries, Dionne has never stopped recording or playing live, neither have her original songwriting partners who have also remained at the top of their game since first separating with both Dionne and each other in 1972. So Dionne decided to also tackle two new (to her) songs each by the men who helped bring her voice to the world. Allowing the songwriters to choose the songs themselves ("Over 50 years of recording with them, I've built up a little trust in their decisions," she smiles), she provides definitive takes on Bacharach's 'Love Is Still The Answer' and new single 'Is There Anybody Out There?' and David's 'It Was Almost Like A Song' and '99 Miles From LA'. And, in the process, she brings her relationship with them right up to date.

:::: SOURCE: ContactMusic.com ::::

TONY BENNETT & MARC ANTHONY DUET "FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE" TO BE RELEASED SEPTEMBER 25

The Newest Addition To Bennett's Multi-Platinum Duets Series Finds The Legendary Vocalist Collaborating With Top Latin Recording Artists Such As Marc Anthony, Christina Aguilera, Ricardo Arjona, Chayanne, Gloria Estefan, Vicente Fernandez, Juan Luis Guerra, Romeo Santos, Thalia, Vicentico And More

"You can throw a rock anywhere in Latin American and you will find a Tony Bennett fan... We are kindred spirits... 'For Once In My Life' is one of my favorite songs"- Marc Anthony

"I was really looking forward to recording with Marc, because he's such a wonderful friend. We first met at the GRAMMYs and he and I became very close, so it's was a joy to sing with him" – Tony Bennett

Legendary performer and 17-Time GRAMMY winner Tony Bennett, will release his latest CD, Tony Bennett: Viva Duets, worldwide on Monday, October 22nd on Columbia Records. Viva Duets, is the singer's third duets-themed project, following the platinum selling and critically praised Duets and Duets II CDs. Featuring many top names in the Latin recording industry, Viva Duets finds Bennett performing his greatest hits with a celebrated roster of artists including Marc Anthony, Christina Aguilera, Ricardo Arjona, Chayanne, Franco De Vita, Gloria Estefan, Vicente Fernandez, Juan Luis Guerra, Dani Martin Romeo Santos, Thalia, and Vicentico. A truly international endeavor, Viva Duets features bi-lingual performances with artists representing nine countries and three continents.

In advance of the full album arrival, fans will be able to enjoy Tony's heartfelt duet with Marc Anthony with the September 25th release of "For Once In My Life". The next day (9/26), Vevo will present a special video premiere that captures the two close friends collaborating in the studio.

Tony Bennett's first two duet projects, Duets and Duets II, both achieved platinum sales, multiple GRAMMY awards and were the best selling albums in his career to date. Bennett made music industry history when Duets II entered Billboard's Top 200 at the #1 position, making him the oldest artist, at the age of 85, to have a CD in the top spot. The Duets project also had international acclaim, hitting the top of the charts in several countries including Portugal and Mexico.

The track listing for TONY BENNETT: VIVA DUETS is as follows:
01. The Best Is Yet To Come – duet with Chayanne
02. The Way You Look Tonight – duet with Thalia
03. Steppin' Out With My Baby– duet with Christina Aguilera
04. For Once In My Life – duet with Marc Anthony
05. Are You Havin' Any Fun? – duet with Dani Martin
06. The Good Life – duet with Franco De Vita
07. Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me) – duet with Gloria Estefan
08. Just In Time – duet with Juan Luis Guerra
09. Cold, Cold Heart – duet with Vicentico
10. I Wanna Be Around – duet with Ricardo Arjona
11. Rags To Riches – duet with Romeo Santos
12. Return To Me (Regresa A Mi) - duet with Vicente Fernandez

www.tonybennett.com
www.exploringthearts.org
ww.zenofbennett.com

SOURCE Columbia Records/RPM Records

NAKED TRUTH - OUROBOROS

Cornetist Graham Haynes Joins Powerhouse Group on Their Second Release

Stream "Dust" and "Yang Ming Has Passed" from Ouroboros

Take the polyrhythmic electro-acoustic beats of King Crimson and Stickmen drummer Pat Mastelotto, add fuzz-inflected lines of creative electric bassist and producer Lorenzo Feliciati, add jazz-informed textures of Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3 organ, piano and synthesizer player Roy Powell, and finally blend in the unique voice of avant-jazz cornetist Graham Hayne: You will have the raw ingredients of one of the most powerful and unique instrumental groups on the scene today.


On Ouroboros, their second release, the members of Naked Truth boldly push the envelope of contemporary electric instrumental music, an edgy blend of jazz, prog-rock, ambient music and electronica, as they themselves explain. Graham Haynes, who succeeds original trumpeter Cuong Vu in the lineup and is a longtime collaborator of Bill Laswell as well as part of an ambient-electronica improv duo with DJ Hardedge, says "The stuff I do with Hardedge is all completely 100% improvised - Naked Truth is very different in that we try to bring more structure to the music while keeping it loose at the same time."

"I came to Bill Laswell's studio in New Jersey with several pre-produced ideas, most of which already involved the drumming of Pat Mastelotto" adds Italian bass player Lorenzo Feliciati, who is also responsible for the whole of the post production and pre-mix of the recording. Roy Powell continues: "I had several ambient textures recorded at my studio in Oslo with my prepared piano and new Moog things done on the iPad. Then after listening to it, Pat and Lorenzo put down a rhythm track - Pat using both electric drums and an acoustic kit simultaneously, which he is a monster at doing. And finally Graham found a space for his lyrical and inventively treated cornet work to round off the whole process."

"The main thing for me," says Haynes, "is I didn't want to just play over loops, because I had already done that. I wanted to have some kind of flesh, some kind of harmonic content to deal with. So Roy and I each brought in some harmonic ideas, Lorenzo and Pat brought in different pre-recorded grooves and sketches, and we interacted with all these ideas playing live in the studio. Everybody brings in something, everybody's got their own flavor. And a couple of guys have several flavors that they bring to the session."

Feliciati adds "Graham in particular was terrific in coming up with melodies and ideas during this process. He really surprised me with his use of electronics on the cornet. It is not easy to hear a new or different approach these days from everything that Miles Davis had done with trumpet and electronics. But I think Graham is adding so much, creating his own vocabulary on the instrument that it is fresh and unique while also being in some way a sincere tribute to the great Miles, whom we are all very connected to."

He continues, "Working with Bill Laswell, who produced the final mix of Ouroboros, was both a nerve-racking and exciting experience. "I admire Laswell so much," he says. "He is a genius, one of the best and most forward-looking artists of the entire scene as well as a wonderful bass player. So you can imagine how happy and honored I am to have his touch on the music."

Pat Mastelotto reflects how one tune from Ouroboros evolved during the sessions at Bill Laswell's Orange Studios. "What eventually became 'Dust' began as a trippy kind of Pink Floyd thing that Roy brought in. It had no intrinsic time or tempo so to hold the fort I decided to throw down that double-timed beat box stuff that you hear, so then we had an anchor to improvise around. Then I started jamming on the drumkit to what Lorenzo was doing with all that high fuzzy feedback bass stuff he was playing. At some point I reached over and turned off my beatbox, and from there the attitude was, 'whatever happens, happens.' I just go for it and look for 'happy accidents' to come along in the process."

Founder of the successful '80s pop group Mr. Mister as well a member since 1994 of King Crimson and more recently in the power trio Stick Men (with noted stick players Tony Levin and Markus Reuter), Mastelotto says Naked Truth is unlike any band he's ever been in. "For me, it's the addition of the trumpet and keys that makes it different. It seems I work with gobs of guitar and stick players but seldom do I get to interact with a horn. And Graham is a killer improviser. He is really a powerful force. And while I have worked with keyboard players, it has been quite a while, so working with someone of Roy's caliber is a special treat. Roy is over-the-top good on everything -- piano, Hammond B3 organ, synthesizers. He also does killer iPad stuff, so he's both old and new school. And like Graham, he's a very smart and tasty improviser."

The opener, "Dust" pits aggressively driving rhythms from Feliciati and Mastelotto against the relaxed, ambient textures of Powell's spacious piano and Haynes' lyrical cornet work floating over the top in half-time. Atmospheric offerings like the lyrical "Orange" and the cinematic "Garden Ghosts" weigh in on the other side of the dynamic spectrum from the thunderous barrages of powerfully kinetic playing heard elsewhere on Ouroboros, as on the crunching, rock-edged "Dancing with the Demons of Reality" and the intense, syncopated backbeat number "In a Dead End with Joe."

The slamming, upbeat "Right of Nightly Passage" sounds like electrified trumpeters Miles Davis and Jon Hassell sitting in with King Crimson, with Mastelotto providing an insistent undercurrent of "Thela Hun Jinjeet" styled drumming on the tom toms. Haynes' muted and wah-wah-inflected cornet lines float ominously over Felicati's bubbling bass lines and Mastelotto's precision fills in the groove on "Yang Ming Has Passed". The newest member of Naked Truth also provides some ethereal harmonized trumpet work on the sparsely appointed noirish closer, "Neither I," that lends a chilling sense of mystery to the proceedings. A distinct feeling of search and discovery permeates every track on this adventurous renegade outing that defies genre categorization.

A potent collection of blistering intensity and dark beauty, Ouroboros is the stuff that dreams are made of - both scary and sublime.

Naked Truth EPK 2011-2012
Ouroboros Personnel & Track Listing:
Roy Powell / keyboards
Graham Haynes / trumpet, cornet
Lorenzo Feliciati / bass
Pat Mastelotto / drums

1. Dust - 7:37
2. Dancing with the Demons of Reality - 4:07
3. Garden Ghosts - 9:01
4. Orange - 5:05
5. Right of Nightly Passage - 5:05
6. Yang Ming Has Passed - 5:21
7. In a Dead End with Joe - 4:45
8. Neither I - 8:46

Upcoming U.S. Performances
September 26 / ShapeShifter Lab / Brooklyn, NY
September 27 / Bearsville Theater / Woodstock, NY

:::: SOURCE: DL Media :::

LARRY GRAHAM & GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION - RAISE UP

Raise Up Includes Guest Appearances By Prince and Rafael Saadiq

Album Set for Release on September 25, 2012

Bassist Larry Graham – the architect of the slap-and-pluck bass technique that defined the funk sound of the ‘60s and ‘70s and continues to inspire bassists across virtually every genre to this day – may specialize in the low end of the sonic spectrum, but he’s just as ready to take his music to unprecedented heights. He’s been doing it for more than four decades – first as the rock-solid foundation for a string of enduring and iconic hits by Sly and the Family Stone, and later as the head of his own powerhouse unit, Graham Central Station.

After a 13-year hiatus, Graham Central Station makes its triumphant return with Raise Up, set for release on Listen 2 Entertainment distributed and marketed by Razor & Tie on September 25, 2012. Rise Up includes new versions of three classic GCS tracks, along with ten new songs for a new generation of fans. The album features guest appearances by Prince – a longtime collaborator with Graham and GCS since the late 1990s – as well as songwriter/guitarist/producer Rafael Saadiq.

Raise Up does just what the title demands, with a series of high-energy bursts that force listeners out of their chairs and into action. The combination of thumping backbeat, no-hold-barred orchestrations and upbeat, optimistic messages is designed to not just make people move, but make them move in a positive direction. Raise Up is a statement of defiance against the many obstacles and challenges that so often slow us down or keep us from realizing our fullest potential.

“We’d been touring for the last couple years before I made my final selection of songs and put this record together,” says Graham, who recorded the songs with the band at Studio de l’Hacienda in Tarare, France, in the summer of 2011. “So I got a chance to see what works with live audiences. I got a chance to see what they like and what they want and what they react to. So this CD is a reflection of that – what the people want when we play our live show.”

Along with Prince and Saadiq, Graham has assembled a high-caliber lineup of musicians for the 21st century edition of Graham Central Station: guitarist William Rabb, keyboardists David Council and Jimmy McKinney, drummer Brian Braziel and vocalist Ashling Cole.

The party starts with “GCS Drumline,” an all-percussion piece, with cymbals and whistle blasts counterbalancing four snare drums playing in tandem. The track is equal parts opening salvo, pep rally and call to action. The message is clear: high-energy dead ahead. The in-your-face followup, “Throw-N-Down the Funk,” sets up a fiery counterpoint between meaty brass arrangements – courtesy of the Millfield Horns, hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark – and tasty bass riffs.

The steady grooving “It’s Alright” is the first of three “new master” versions of previously recorded GCS compositions by Graham. The others are the mischievous sounding “It Ain’t No Fun To Me” and the churning “Now Do You Wanta Dance.”

Electronically enhanced and edgy, the title track features Prince on drums, keyboards and backing vocals. The song challenges everyone within the sounds is a call to stand up against the often oppressive circumstances that define the post-9/11 world. Prince reappears on two subsequent tracks, serving up melancholy lead guitar licks (along with keyboards, drums and backing vocals) on “Shoulda Coulda Woulda,” a tale of regret over a love that has died because the lover failed to say the right words and do the right things at the right time; and later with more guitar on “Movin,’” a thundering challenge to get listeners on their feet before the curtain falls and the band hits the road.

Ashling Cole delivers lead vocals on an high-octane cover of the Stevie Wonder hit, “Higher Ground,” and is Graham’s nod to an old friend and frequent collaborator over the past four decades. “He’s a great writer, a great musician and a great friend,” says Graham. “I just like his songs, and I like to play them my way.”

“One Day,” the inspirational closer, features Graham, his wife Tina and Rafael Saadiq on vocals, all delivering a rousing ballad-turned-anthem that envisions a promising future – one that could be closer than we think.

“The music on this album is like a live performance,” says Graham. “I wanted to tell a complete story, with a great beginning, a powerful body and a dynamic conclusion. I want that story to be uplifting and encouraging, something to help people rise above whatever challenges they’re facing in life – whether it be personal issues or family issues or work issues. Everybody’s dealing with something. I want this music to help raise people up and enable them to overcome adversity.”