ANTONIO SANCHEZ - NEW LIFE

"Antonio Sanchez, the drummer and composer, compresses many of the strategies from the last 40 years of small-group jazz into each performance, while letting some of today's best soloists tear it up. [His drumming is] a tumbling overspill, deceptive in its suggestion of abandon." - The New York Times

Drummer Antonio Sanchez has played alongside some of the greatest composers in modern jazz - including Chick Corea, Danilo Pérez, Gary Burton, and Pat Metheny, who has called on Sanchez to anchor virtually every project he's undertaken for more than a decade. With his third album as a leader, New Life, Sanchez launches himself into those estimable ranks with a set of bold, compelling new compositions.

As the title suggests, Sanchez sees the album as marking a new chapter in his musical life. "I wanted this record to be a milestone for me as a composer," he says. "When you're a drummer, there's this stigma that you're the musician's best friend but you're not really in the same category as the other guys. I wanted to prove that it doesn't have to be that way."

The fact that Sanchez possesses the ability to craft such a wide-ranging, multi-hued collection should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with his drumming. A three-time GRAMMY® Award winner who studied at the National Conservatory in his native Mexico and at Berklee and the New England Conservatory, Sanchez is a master of dynamics, able to summon rhythmic complexity or melodic nuance as the occasion demands. New Life similarly balances intricacy and emotion, intellect and soul.

The album also features inspired playing from an incredible line-up of Sanchez's peers. The ensemble includes saxophonists Donny McCaslin and David Binney, bassist Matt Brewer, and up-and-coming pianist John Escreet. "It's sheer joy to hear your music played by these amazing musicians," Sanchez says.

On his prior releases - his 2007 debut Migration and Live in New York from 2010 - Sanchez featured a stripped-down line-up with two saxophones, bass and drums (aside from guest appearances on Migration by Metheny and Corea). This time out, he wanted to expand his harmonic palette with the addition of a pianist.

"The horns, bass and drums configuration is great because there's so much freedom and so much space," Sanchez says. "But it's also incredibly hard; with no harmonic instrument it feels like you're walking on eggshells all the time. With piano, you can create a completely different atmosphere or color behind every solo."

Sanchez labored over each of the tunes that comprise New Life, further developing them during a five-week tour prior to entering the studio. Where his earlier compositions tended to be relatively simple vehicles for improvisation - which nonetheless yielded rich fruit in the hands of players like Chris Potter, David Sánchez, Miguel Zenón and Scott Colley - he wanted each of these pieces to tell a story. His years working with Metheny in a variety of settings was an inspiration, Sanchez says, not just musically but in regards to work ethic, collaboration and showmanship.

In his liner notes, Metheny refers to Sanchez as "my main collaborator over the past 13 years," enthusing that "the variety and range represented in this collection is a real testament to Antonio's curiosity and openness as a musician. He gathers from across a wide stylistic spectrum to put together a recording that adds up to a real journey in modern music making."

That journey begins with "Uprisings and Revolutions," which began life as a more placid ballad but took on a new urgency with the inspiration of the Arab Spring. The tension of the rubato opening bursts into the piece's deep groove, mimicking the rush of freedom into the region. "I was inspired by how the Arab people were able to defeat these forces that seemed to be completely undefeatable," Sanchez explains.

Both "Minotaur" and "Medusa" drew from Sanchez's interest in mythology. The former's slow build suggests the minotaur lurking behind one of the twists in his labyrinth through the throbbing bassline and Escreet's simmering Rhodes. For the latter, Sanchez specifically recalled the image of Medusa from the original version of Clash of the Titans, a childhood favorite. The snarling, interweaving melody lines recall the creature's serpentine hair.

"Nighttime Story" is as gentle and soothing as a lullaby, while "Air" is a crystalline gem featuring a caressing soprano melody inspired by Wayne Shorter. "I love the unpredictable, beautiful sonority of his tunes," Sanchez says. "You never know where his tunes are going, but they always go somewhere amazing. I thought this tune had a little bit of that, and it's also full of longing, like a lot of what Wayne does."

The buoyant "The Real McDaddy" was penned with McCaslin in mind, and jokingly references his and Sanchez's habit of referring to each other as "Papi." Sanchez defines the title as defining someone like McCaslin who is "able to be cool in any situation. That tune has a lot of quirky, unpredictable breaks, but to me if you're a McDaddy you can master any situation."

"Family Ties" ends the album on a celebratory note dedicated to Sanchez's own family. "It's such a happy tune," he says. "It represents what my family can be: full of drama but full of happiness at the same time."

A lush, sweeping ascension lasting nearly fifteen minutes, "New Life" is undoubtedly the centerpiece of its namesake album. "It signifies a new life as a composer and a bandleader," Sanchez says. "It's the track that I worked on the most, and the one that was most satisfying to record and listen back to."

The recording also documents a new life for Sanchez in another form - the soaring female vocals are the contribution of singer Thana Alexa, who recently became Sanchez's fiancée.

"I've absorbed so much great music from so many amazing bandleaders that I've been able to work with throughout the years," Sanchez says. With New Life, he reveals the results of that process, showcasing his own profoundly expressive, intensely personal voice.

New Life - Personnel/Track Listing
Antonio Sanchez / drums
Donny McCaslin / tenor saxophone
David Binney / alto saxophone
John Escreet / piano
Matt Brewer / bass
Special Guest: Thana Alexa / vocals

1. Uprising and Revolutions (8:52)
2. Minotauro (8:53)
3. New Life (14:24)
4. Nighttime Story (6:39)
5. Medusa (8:24)
6. The Real McDaddy (8:52)
7. Air (7:39)
8. Family Ties (8:46)

All tracks composed by Antonio Sanchez
Produced by Antonio Sanchez

Upcoming Antonio Sanchez Appearances:
All dates to feature "Migration."

*February 22 / Scullers / Boston, MA
March 7 - 10 / Jazz Standard / New York, NY
March 14 / Puente Xoco / Guadalajara, Mexico
March 17 / BMW Jazz Awards / Munich, Germany
March 23 / Kodaly Center / Pecs, Hungary
March 24 / Ueffilo Music Club / Gioia Del Colle, Italy
March 25 / Moody Jazz Cafe / Foggia, Italy
March 29 / Teatro Petrolini / Ronciglione, Italy
April 3 / Panic Jazz Club / Marostica, Italy
April 5 / Jazz Club Ferrara / Ferrara, Italy

*WGBH Webcast

http://www.antoniosanchez.net
www.camjazz.com

“JUMPINJAZZ KIDS – A SWINGING JUNGLE TALE” TO BE DISTRIBUTED WORLDWIDE VIA THE CHILDREN’S GROUP BEGINNING 2013

Al Jarreau

“A stand-out mix of storytelling and songs . . . animagination-stirring musical adventure!” – Parents’ Choice Foundation

“The music stands on its own superbly . . . Isn’t this how YOU want young people to get hooked on swing?” – Jazz Weekly

JumpinJazz Kids – A Swinging Jungle Tale, the new CD celebrating the rich history of Jazz and Popular music by paying tribute to its legendary pioneers through story, song and a variety of musical styles, has been picked-up for worldwide distribution beginning in 2013 through The Children’s Group. The Children’s Group’s focus will be big-box stores, music retailers, educational channels and specialty stores as well as digital download platforms.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with The Children’s Group,” said Steve Barta, co-Producer, JumpinJazz Kids. “The Children’s Group has an excellent distribution network and expertise in the children’s product area, and we look forward to a successful partnership.”

Added Laura Hunter, General Manager of The Children’s Group, “We see ‘A Swinging Jungle Tale’ creating a whole new (and knowledgeable) generation of jazz music lovers. We're truly excited to be workingwith the team behind Jumpin’ Jazz Kids and bring the Grammy Nominated ‘A Swinging Jungle Tale’ to retail.”

JumpinJazz Kids – A Swinging Jungle Tale is the proud recipient of a Grammy Award Nomination forBest Children’s Album in the 55th Annual Awards to take place in Los Angeles February 10th, 2013. In celebration of the CD release as well as the Nomination, a special performance will take place at The GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles on February 8th at 11am as part of Grammy Week and the Museum’s Educational Outreach Series featuring many of the artists who appear on the CD. The nomination follows JumpinJazz Kids recent win of a Parents’ Choice Gold Award, the highly coveted award for children’s entertainment that is the nation’s oldest nonprofit guide to quality children’s media and toys.

Dee Dee Bridgewater

JumpinJazz Kids – A Swinging Jungle Tale (the CD) is a unique blend of classic storytelling and fun,original jazz/pop songs performed by world-renowned jazz artists Dee Dee Bridgewater, Al Jarreau and Hubert Laws and backed by an energetic jazz quartet, symphony orchestra and narration and voice characterizations by James Murray. JumpinJazz Kids – A Swinging Jungle Tale introduces children to theimaginative worlds of jazz, the spoken word and the Symphony in a fun yet educational, engaging and unique way. Produced and created by music industry veterans Steve Barta and Mark Oblinger and co-author Linda Lawson, JumpinJazz Kids – A Swinging Jungle Tale was released September 25th.

All three guest artists – Bridgewater, Jarreau and Laws – were equally enthralled with the project and offered their support immediately when approached to participate and their performances from the downbeat let you know that this is no ordinary children’s CD. Bridgewater’s unparalleled chops are featured on “ This Elephant’s Gerald,” while Jarreau’s playful vocals highlight “Do The Monkey Swing” and “Hubert Hummingbird.” Laws adds flute to both a song named in his honor, “Hubert Hummingbird” and “Her Name Is Little Growl.”

Hubert Laws

JumpinJazz Kids is a unique line of children’s music that combines classic narrative storytelling withfun, pop-influenced jazz songs backed by a Symphony Orchestra. The stories follow the imaginative adventures of a seven year-old girl named Claire and her stuffed animal friends. The first title in the series, “A Swinging Jungle Tale,” finds Claire in her Grandpa’s backyardjungle looking for a “lost story.” Powered by her imagination alone, Claire’s stuffed animal friends begin to magically come to life and she learns all about their world … and a little bit about herself along the way. In addition, the music for JumpinJazz Kids has been fully-scored for live performances with a symphony orchestra.

With the story for A Swinging Jungle Tale already translated and recorded in French, Japanese and Spanish, it is the vision of JumpinJazz Kids to develop a series of interactive CDs, books, apps, concerts and educational events nationally and worldwide with the premise being to teach jazz and symphonic history, provide music education, promote children’s physical activity through dance and movement, enlighten their understanding of the animal world and most importantly, to allow their imaginations to flow. Concerts have already taken place with full orchestra/jazz quartet in Colorado and Milwaukee and were met with widespread critical acclaim.

JumpinJazz Kids - "A Swinging Jungle Tale" - a celebration of story, song and swing . . . where Imagination is King!

www.jumpinjazzkids.com

GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN SEXTET - CUIDAD DE LOS REYES

Since the release of their 2008 debut, Nuevo Mundo, trumpeter-composer Gabriel Alegría and his Afro-Peruvian Sextet have been blazing a new musical path as they develop and popularize Afro-Peruvian jazz in the United States, Alegría's native Perú, and beyond. The group's stunning new CD, Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of Kings), which will be released on February 12 by Alegría's Saponegro Records, represents a culmination of their efforts to establish Afro-Peruvian jazz as a genre unto itself.

We want the music world to start to really hear and feel Afro-Peruvian jazz music as what it is: a unique and separate brand of Latin jazz that warrants consideration and placement alongside Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz," says Alegría.

The Afro-Peruvian Sextet divides its time between performing in the United States and Perú. Alegría, Laura Andrea Leguía, Freddy "Huevito" Lobatón (the Sextet's main hand percussionist and dancer), guitarist Yuri Juárez, and drummer Hugo Alcázar are Peruvian by birth and upbringing. Bassist John Benitez was born in Puerto Rico and has long been one of the most in-demand jazz musicians in New York City. When Alcázar -- who incorporates a cajón into his trap drum kit and, according to Alegría, "singlehandedly created the whole language for the drums in this style" -- is unable to travel to the U.S. due to family obligations, North Carolina-born drummer Shirazette Tinnin takes his place in the band.

All 13 selections on Ciudad de los Reyes, with the exception of Henry Mancini's "Moon River," were composed by Alegría or Leguía. Dance-derived Afro-Peruvian rhythms known as festejo, landó, tondero, valse, or zamacueca -- all rooted in 12/8 time -- are employed throughout.

"Jazz music is predicated on listening and interacting," Alegría says. "There's a swing pattern and different things that are cues for musicians, but there's no set pattern that you have to obey the whole time. That is the same concept by which traditional Afro-Peruvian music is performed. There's no clave. The cajón players have base patterns much like a jazz drummer has the ride cymbal pattern. The patterns are meant to be interpreted throughout the continuity of a tune. They can go here; they can go there."

Gabriel Alegría, 42, was born and raised in Lima, Perú, which in colonial times was known as the City of Kings before it was Spain's capital in the New World. Throughout his life he has divided his time between Perú and the United States. He attended high school in Gambier, Ohio, where his famous playwright father, Alonso Alegría, was a visiting professor at Kenyon College at the time. Playing an arrangement of "'Round Midnight" in his high school band led him to purchase a Miles Davis recording of the tune. The difference between the chart he was playing and the way Davis played it was a revelation to the 16-year-old trumpeter. The realization that "You can do your own thing with something and create your own ideas and identity" would help him years later in merging the Afro-Peruvian sounds of his homeland with American jazz music.

After receiving his bachelor's degree at Kenyon, Alegría enrolled at City College of New York and earned an M.A. under the tutelage of Ron Carter. He then returned to Perú for seven years, five of them spent in the trumpet section of the Lima Philharmonic while moonlighting as a jazz and rock musician around the capital city. He relocated to Los Angeles and spent four and a half years at the University of Southern California, earning his doctorate degree in 2007. While at USC, Alegría studied, worked, toured, and recorded with his mentor Bobby Shew, vocalist Tierney Sutton, trombonist Bill Watrous, and keyboardist/composer Russell Ferrante.

The trumpeter was then appointed to the jazz faculty at New York University and has been a resident of New York City ever since. His NYU colleagues include jazz luminaries such as John Scofield, Kenny Werner, Chris Potter, Wayne Krantz, Billy Drummond, and Stefon Harris. With Alegría's arrival, NYU has become an important platform for Afro-Peruvian jazz music including theoretical and practical courses on the subject. In addition, NYU fields two touring Afro-Peruvian ensembles each semester.

Following its 2008 recording debut with Nuevo Mundo, the Afro-Peruvian Sextet released two more albums on Saponegro Records: Pucusana (2010) and El Secreto del Jazz Afroperuano (2012).

Once per year, fans of the band are invited to accompany the Sextet on the road in Perú, thereby gaining a unique perspective and insight into jazz, culture, and food in the southern hemisphere. While the concept of fans following a band on the road is typically associated with rock and pop bands, two such Afro-Peruvian jazz tours are scheduled for 2013, the first of which is now in progress. Tour participants effectively become an intrinsic part of the band's "ecosystem," experiencing everything from show production to marketing while on the road with the band.

In addition to the Sextet's Peruvian tours, the following North American dates have been scheduled: 2/21 Zinc Bar, New York City; 3/5 Blues Alley, Washington, DC; 3/15 Drom, New York City; 3/17 Club Café, Pittsburgh; 3/18 Erie (PA) Museum; 3/19 Nighttown, Cleveland; 3/21 Rosse Hall, Gambier, OH; 3/22-23 Natalie's, Columbus, OH; 4/13 Somethin' Jazz, New York City; 6/4-10 Tour Perú; 6/25-26 Medicine Hat (CA) Jazz Festival; 6/27 Edmonton (AB) Jazz Festival; 6/28 Victoria (BC) Jazz Festival; 6/29 Vancouver (BC) Jazz Festival; 7/8 Halifax (NS) Jazz Festival; 8/3-4 Kaslo (BC) Jazz Festival.

"We're definitely on a crusade to spread Afro-Peruvian jazz music to the world," says the trumpeter. "We want it to become part of the language of jazz, and the more we play it and the more feedback we get, the more confident we become that this will be the case."

www.gabrielalegria.com

BURT BACHARACHS "TOGETHER?" FINALLY ARRIVES ON CD, FEATURES JACKIE DESHANNON, MICHAEL MCDONALD

Sexual liberation only goes so far…

So went the tagline of director Armenia Balducci’s 1979 film Amo non amo. When the Italian drama starring Jacqueline Bisset, Maximilian Schell and Terence Stamp was slated for U.S. release, though, the decision was made to replace the score by Italian prog/symphonic “horror rock” band Goblin with a new, more accessible soundtrack. Burt Bacharach was tapped, and the Oscar-winning composer went far in lending an American flavor to the film, retitled for the U.S. market as Together? Like the film itself, though, its RCA Victor soundtrack album was seemingly destined for obscurity. But good news has just come from Japan. Together?, featuring vocals from Jackie DeShannon, Michael McDonald and Libby Titus, and songs by Bacharach and Paul Anka, has received its eagerly-awaited, first-ever CD release on December 26, 2012, courtesy of Sony Music Japan.

Bacharach came out swinging as a film composer with his very first Hollywood scoring assignment. He supplied a felicitous and memorable score for 1965’s What’s New Pussycat?, the first of his three consecutive movies with star Peter Sellers. Bacharach and Hal David earned an Academy Award nomination for their playful title song, and followed Pussycat with another animal title: The Fox. “You Caught the Pussycat…Now Chase the Fox!” proclaimed posters for 1966’s After the Fox. For the comedy directed by Vittorio De Sica, Bacharach supplied a swinging score and another fun title track with David. This time the title song was a kooky romp with Sellers in character as the thieving Fox, bolstered by the vocals of The Hollies. Oscar gold didn’t greet After the Fox, but Bacharach and David received a second nomination in 1967 for their title song to Alfie, although the rest of the film wasn’t scored by Bacharach but by Sonny Rollins.

Bacharach, David and Sellers were at it again for 1967’s Casino Royale, which also featured Woody Allen among its all-star cast. (“Small World” Dept.: Allen had starred in Pussycat, and Neil Simon, like Allen an alumnus of Sid Caesar’s writers’ room, had written the screenplay for After the Fox!) The much-troubled Casino Royale yielded a score that was the best part of the picture, and also introduced another Oscar-nominated future standard: “The Look of Love.” Bacharach and David finally made their way to the Academy Awards stage in 1970 when “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid took home the Best Song statuette; Bacharach also won a solo trophy for his original score.

Following 1973’s disappointing big-screen musical Lost Horizon, though, the Bacharach and David partnership acrimoniously dissolved, and the composer’s profile receded somewhat. He collaborated with lyricists including Neil Simon, Bobby Russell and Norman Gimbel, but his once-prolific pace was a thing of the past. Just one new Bacharach song was recorded in 1974. In 1975 a brief reunion with David resulted in an album for Stephanie Mills; the pairing with Bobby Russell led to two more songs. The composer laid low in 1976 and returned the following year with Futures, an album which introduced a new Bacharach sound: jazzier, funkier. After another hiatus in 1978, he delivered Woman in 1979, a stylistic successor to Futures, with long, extended compositions that could be described as classical-jazz-pop fusion. This was the artistically-revitalized Burt Bacharach who was tapped to return to film scoring for Together?.

The sexually-minded drama Together? a.k.a. Amo Non Amo (I Love You, I Love You Not) might have seemed like an odd project for Bacharach to have chosen as his film comeback. Set in an Italian resort town, the film centered on Louise (Jacqueline Bisset), a recent divorcee coping with her ex-husband, her current lover, her job and her children, not to mention her feelings about sexual liberation. Bacharach turned in an impressive score that has remained criminally unknown since the film’s failure at the box office. Released on RCA Victor, the relatively brief soundtrack to Together? includes four vocal tracks and five instrumental pieces. Bacharach’s primary lyrical foil was Paul Anka, who had actually composed songs in the previous decade with lyricist Hal David! Anka wrote lyrics for “I Don’t Need You Anymore” and “Find Love,” both sung by Jackie DeShannon in a reunion with Bacharach, and “I’ve Got My Mind Made Up,” sung by Michael McDonald. He also contributed lyrics to the mostly-instrumental “I Think I’m Gonna Fall in Love.” Libby Titus, who had collaborated with Bacharach on Woman, co-wrote and performed “In Tune.”

The score is a diverse one if likely too sophisticated for the carnal behavior onscreen. “I Don’t Need You Anymore” reached No. 86 on the Billboard chart in its single release by DeShannon, and this simple, direct statement of love lost made for a fitting and low-key successor to the ravishing Bacharach/DeShannon ballads of the past. It remains one of Bacharach’s most underrated productions, with a truly lovely vocal from DeShannon, still at the top of her game. “Find Love,” also the single’s B-side, was a more urgent plea to “know what to do/If somebody says ‘Let’s get together’ to find love.” Its cinematic strings, complex melodic shifts and big choir set it apart from the radio-ready “I Don’t Need You Anymore.” Libby Titus’ “In Tune” is slinky, breathy and sensual, befitting the adult subject matter of the film.

Michael McDonald’s “I’ve Got My Mind Made Up” is another lost classic. Bacharach revisited the song in 2010 with Italian singer Karima, but McDonald’s expectedly soulful reading is the definitive one. He navigates the song’s varied emotions with the aid of an uncredited female vocalist, anticipating his chart-topping duet with Patti LaBelle on Bacharach’s “On My Own.” Like “Find Love,” “I’ve Got My Mind Made Up” is filled with dramatic tension. Its strong hook and smoky saxophone riff might have scored a success as a single, but McDonald’s contractual obligations with The Doobie Brothers precluded the song from 45 release. Then again, its orchestral splendor might have sat uncomfortably alongside the Doobies’ smooth L.A. pop-rock-soul of the McDonald era. Bacharach’s instrumental compositions are melodic but arranged very much in the vein of his Futures and Woman albums with unusual textures and surprising flourishes. An evocative finale arrangement of “I’ve Got My Mind Made Up” also appears, and on “If We Ever Get Out of Here” and “I Think I’m Gonna Fall in Love,” the composer/arranger utilizes female background vocals to punctuate the swelling choruses.

With a new wife and a new lyricist (both Carole Bayer Sager), Burt Bacharach would soon be on top of both the charts and the Hollywood scene with his score and theme song to 1981’s Arthur. But the original soundtrack to Together? is a bright spot in one of the less-heralded periods of the composer’s long career, and indeed, some of the best that he could do. It’s available now from Sony Music Japan in the Blu-Spec CD format (playable on all CD players), and is housed in an LP-replica paper sleeve. It can be ordered from various sellers around eBay. An Amazon link does not yet appear to be active.

Burt Bacharach, Together?: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Sony Music Japan/RCA Victor EICP-30011, 2012)

1.I Don’t Need You Anymore – Jackie DeShannon
2.I Think I’m Gonna Fall in Love
3.In Tune – Libby Titus
4.If We Ever Get Out of Here
5.On the Beach
6.I’ve Got My Mind Made Up/I Don’t Need You Anymore (Reprise) – Michael McDonald & Jackie DeShannon
7.Find Love – Jackie DeShannon
8.Luisa
9.I’ve Got My Mind Made Up (Instrumental)

Source: The Second Disc

NEW RELEASES - FRANK MCCOMB, THE UNIVERSAL SOUND OF BURT BACHARACH, GREGG AUGUST

FRANK MCCOMB - THE FANS' FAVORITES: A DECADE OF MUSIC

A heck of a lot of music for one mighty nice price – a fan-selected collection of the best tracks from Frank McComb, packaged here with a bonus disc of rare material too! Frank's always been very plugged in to his followers – and for this collection, he went to his audience and asked them to pick their favorites – the kind of killer soul tracks that have made McComb one of the true underground soul legends of the modern age – a one-man powerhouse who's been able to create some of the best soul music we've heard in years, yet all without the help of a major label or distributor! The set features two full CDs of "favorites", plus a bonus CD with nine more cuts that are "shorties" and instrumentals pulled from Frank's vaults – all delivered with the sweet keyboard lines you'd expect. Titles include "The Bar On 55th & Hough", "White Line In The Sky", "Watching The One You Love", "King Of The Open Road", "Gotta Find My Way", "All You Need Is Love", "Morning Glory", "V 12", "Somebody Like You", "Cupid's Arrow", "Characters Of Our God", "Future Love", "Intimate Time", "Shine", and "The Thing I Failed To Do". 39 tracks in all!  ~ Dusty Groove

THE UNIVERSAL SOUND OF BURT BACHARACH  VOLUME 2 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A pretty cool little collection – a Japanese-only set that's filled with various versions of Burt Bacharach classics pulled from the vaults of Universal Music – including a rich array of 60s recordings we might have missed otherwise! The set appears to have been done in support of a 2008 Bacharach tribute tour, but all of the recordings are of older vintage – and the set includes a huge amount of rare numbers from the first years when Burt's music was getting out to the masses. Titles include "Forgive Me" by Babs Tino, "That's The Way I'll Come To You" by Jack Jones, "Rome Will Never Leave You" by Richard Chamberlain, "These Desperate Hours" by Mel Torme, "The Look Of Love" by Chris Montez, "Magic Moments" by Ronnie Aldrich, "This Guy's In Love With You" by Frankie Valli, "Alfie" by Dee Dee Warwick, "April Fools" by Vanessa Williams, "Promise Her Anything" by Tom Jones, "Who's Got The Action" by Phil Colbert, "Say Goodbye" by Pat Boone, "Waiting For Charlie To Come Home" by Marlena Shaw, "He Who Loves" by Lenny Welch, "Loving Is A Way Of Living" by Steve Lawrence, "With Open Arms" by Jane Morgan, "Ten Thousand Years Ago" by Rusty Draper, "Wishin & Hopin" by The Merseybeats, "For The Children" by Burt Bacharach, and "A House Is Not A Home" by Julie Rogers. ~ Dusty Groove

GREGG AUGUST - FOUR BY SIX

One of the most sought-after bassists and "musician's musician" on the New York scene, what sets bassist Gregg August apart is his musical language which spans the jazz, Latin, classical and avant-garde worlds. Four By Six is the bassist's third album as a leader which magnificently sews together his working bands while documenting a moment in time of the meticulously cultivated sound which is brilliantly captured on this recording. The album's collection of all original compositions and "some of New York's most free-thinking players," features a quartet with Sam Newsome (soprano); Luis Perdomo (piano) and E.J. Strickland (drums) and a sextet with John Bailey (trumpet); Yosvany Terry (alto); JD Allen (tenor); Luis Perdomo (piano) and Rudy Royston (drums). It was truly time to record these groups, which together funnel each one of August's influences, life and legends into one astonishingly beautiful album, showing his versatility as a player, composer and citizen of the world. With liner notes by Stanley Crouch. ~ CD Universe

SHUGGIE OTIS - INSPIRATION INFORMATION / WINGS OF LOVE

For more than four decades, Shuggie Otis has earned respect as a musician's musician. His composition "Strawberry Letter 23," a #5 Pop hit for the Brothers Johnson in 1977, is just the tip of Shuggie's musical iceberg. He has won praise as a guitarist on projects with artists as diverse as his father, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame R&B pioneer Johnny Otis (1921-2012), Al Kooper , Etta James , Charles Brown , Frank Zappa , Chico Hamilton , Don "Sugarcane" Harris, Mos Def, and many others.

But it was Shuggie's third and final album, 1974's Inspiration Information on Epic Records, that was destined to inspire at least two generations of admirers around the world. Widely regarded as a masterpiece, songs from the long out-of-print album have been sampled on pop hits including OutKast's "Ms. Jackson," Beyonce's "Gift From Virgo," Digable Planets' "For Corners," and the list goes on.

In this new package, the first CD will comprise the original nine-song Inspiration Information album, with the addition of four previously unreleased bonus tracks recorded in 1971. The tracks were done at Columbia Studios and at Hawk Sound, the 16-track studio built in the backyard of the Otis family homestead in the West Athens neighborhood of Los Angeles. The second CD, entitled Wings Of Love, is a new album of 14 previously unreleased live and studio tracks recorded by Shuggie between 1975 and 2000. This is the first new music that the world has heard from Shuggie since 1974.

The release of Inspiration Information/Wings Of Love caps an amazing new phase of Shuggie's career, as he emerged from his quiet (but productive) seclusion in Los Angeles to complete this package and return to the stage. "The Shuggie Otis Rite Tour" commenced in November 2012, with a European trip that included shows in London, Paris, Antwerp, Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Dublin. After the UK shows, The Independent hailed Shuggie as a "Musical visionary," while The Guardian called him "A spectacularly gifted musician."

Four days after the European leg concluded, Shuggie made a rare appearance at the intimate subterranean Echoplex venue in L.A.'s Echo Park area. (The last time Shuggie played a local show was a one-off date with Mos Def in 2004, in conjunction with Mos Def's second album, The New Danger, on which Shuggie played guitar on "Blue Black Jack.") L.A. Weekly blogger Sean O'Connell attended the Echoplex show and wrote: " Shuggie Otis is Los Angeles music royalty... Shuggie's performance last night hovered somewhere amid the past and the future, acknowledging his soulful heritage while dipping into a blues-drenched familiarity that united father, son and holy ghost."

"The Shuggie Otis Rite Tour" carries on through the winter and spring of 2013, beginning in Mexico, then Australia and Japan, culminating with a cross-country North American trip in April. The touring includes album release week shows in Chicago ( Lincoln Hall on April 17th) and New York City (BB King's on April 18th). (Please see itinerary below.)

In his native Los Angeles and around the world, the name Shuggie Otis is spoken in reverential tones by his peers, as a multi-talented instrumental genius (most notably on guitar), songwriter, producer and all-around reminder of the musical joys of the psychedelic era. In his liner notes essay for Inspiration Information/Wings Of Love, UK-based writer Chris Campion ranks the original LP alongside such late-'60s/early-'70s breakthroughs by black artists as Love's Forever Changes, the Jimi Hendrix Experience's Axis Bold As Love, Sly & the Family Stone's There's A Riot Going On, and Stevie Wonder 's Innervisions.

Another longtime fan is Columbia recording artist Raphael Saadiq , who has said: "Millions of thoughts fly through my mind when I think about the music of Shuggie Otis . The word 'genius' is frivolously used these days, but when it comes to Shuggie and his brilliant body of work, it is not used often enough. His music is passion personified and you would have to be deaf not to hear it."

Shuggie Otis (b. 1953) spent virtually his entire young life playing in and around the various Johnny Otis bands which introduced such R&B legends through its lineups (since the late-'40s) as Big Jay McNeely, Wynonie Harris, Charles Brown , and Little Esther Phillips, to name a few. Shuggie was finally "discovered" by Al Kooper during his stint as a Columbia Records A&R staff producer starting in the late-'60s. Kooper's second 'Super Session' LP, Kooper Session : Al Kooper with Shuggie Otis (released early 1970) essentially introduced Shuggie, the guitarist on all seven tracks, who was a 15-year old wunderkind when he recorded the album.

He was a year older when he recorded Here Comes Shuggie Otis (released late 1970) for Epic, his first official LP under his own name, produced by Johnny Otis and featuring the cream of L.A. jazz session players. Freedom Flight (Epic, 1971), again produced by Johnny Otis , was Shuggie's second solo LP in two years, and is the source for "Strawberry Letter 23." Shuggie was just 21 years old when Inspiration Information was issued on Epic at the end of 1974.

After the release of Inspiration Information, as far as the public knew, Shuggie simply disappeared from view. But as he told Chris Campion , he "never stopped making music… There were little lapses here and there, little breaks from time to time, but I never stopped playing, writing, recording. I was still going around to record companies, still pitching my tapes." Those tapes, most of them recorded at his home studio, are the substance of the "new album" – or "lost album," depending on your perspective – now known as Wings Of Love.

"Like pop as Michael Jackson made it, as Prince made it, but more," Campion offers, while also suggesting, "That you can hear traces of both those artists in their prime on Wings Of Love is no mere accident. Such has been Shuggie's influence, you can bet they were not only aware of Shuggie Otis , they studied him." Several tracks are singled out, among them "Tryin' To Get Close To You" (which utilizes the Rhythm King, an early beatbox-metronome that became a signature of Shuggie's sound and which he still employs today); "Doin' What's Right" (one of several songs that "name-check" Inspiration Information); "Black Belt Sheriff" (" Shuggie Otis , simple and plain, stripped and bare, singing and playing, without either a studio or a band to back him up"); and of course the epic 11 and a half-minute title track, "Wings Of Love" ("build[ing] on a melody, brilliant in its minimalism, that circles, builds, takes off, soars and flies, buoyed by dazzling guitar arpeggios that sound like Paganini ripping on electric guitar").

An overriding theme is "the romantic, lovelorn teenager, who has now grown up and matured, lived and learned, sometimes hard lessons, but never in vain. He's no longer just dreaming of an idealized love, but has found it, tasted it for real and now has to work out how to get it and/or keep it." This is the driving force behind "Give Me A Chance," "Don't Run Away," "Tryin' To Get Close To You" and "Special."

Wings Of Love, Campion sums up, is "a time capsule of music from another age – to be precise, several ages – buried, but not forgotten, waiting for the date it can be cracked opened, pored over and appreciated. And that time is now."

INFORATION INFORMATION/WINGS OF LOVE by SHUGGIE OTIS

(Epic/Legacy 88697 74700 2 8)

CD One: INSPIRATION INFORMATION – Selections: 1. Inspiration Information • 2. Island Letter • 3. Sparkle City • 4. Aht Uh Mi Hed • 5. Happy House • 6. Rainy Day • 7. XL-30 • 8. Pling! • 9. Not Available • Bonus tracks (previously unreleased): 10. Miss Pretty • 11. Magic • 12. Things We Like To Do • 13. Castle Top Jam.

CD Two: WINGS OF LOVE – Selections: 1. Intro • 2. Special • 3. Give Me Something Good • 4. Tryin' To Get Close To You • 5. Walkin' Down The Country • 6. Doin' What's Right • 7. Wings Of Love • 8. Give Me A Chance • 9. Don't You Run Away • 10. Fireball of Love • 11. Fawn • 12. If You'd Be Mine • 13. Black Belt Sheriff • 14. Destination You!

ROCK CANDY FUNK PARTY - WE WANT TO GROOVE

With its reboot of classic '70s /'80s jazz-funk, Rock Candy Funk Party (RCFP) delivers a sound that's as celebratory as the name suggests. The group is powered by a lineup of world renowned players—album producer Tal Bergman (drums), Joe Bonamassa (guitar), Ron DeJesus (guitar), Mike Merritt (bass) and Renato Neto (keys)—who came together for the sheer fun of making music, and a mutual love of genre-blurring grooves. RCFP's first album We Want Groove is due out in January 29, 2013 on J&R Adventures, the independent label founded by Bonamassa and his longtime manager, Roy Weisman . Fans can pre-order the album here: www.rockcandyfunkparty.com and get their first taste of it with a free download of the single "Octopus-e" here: http://rockcandyfunkparty.com/freesong/press-release/

The album features nine tracks—eight originals and one cover—full of space and texture, that mash up funk, jazz, and rock with virtuoso musicianship. It includes a DVD with a making-of featurette, two in-the-studio featurettes and the official music video for "Octopus-e." While the album is instrumental, the interplay between RCFP's members—whose collective credits include Joe Zawinul, Hugh Masekela , Prince, LL Cool J, Ruth Brown , Chaka Khan , Simples Minds, Billy Idol , Tito Puente , Bruce Springsteen , Rod Stewart , Levon Helm , Conan O'Brien, Luther Vandross , Sheila E. and many more—is a riveting conversation all its own. "It really was the definition of collaboration, one of those records where you want to bottle the vibe and save it for all albums," says Bonamassa.

That improvisational nature comes through on We Want Groove, which was recorded live over the course of ten straight days at Tal Bergman Studios in Los Angeles, California. The environment was egalitarian and ego-neutral, with each player sharing equally in creating the music. "The concept of this record had everything do with interplay," says Bergman, "where everybody feeds off each other, reacts, and captures the moment."

In title and spirit, the album tips its hat to Miles Davis ' classic 1982 live instrumental LP We Want Miles, which Merritt says "was kind of a template for our project." Its influence is one of many echoing through RCFP's re-imagination of jazz-funk—the album opener, "Octopus-e," boasts a sinewy funk groove that suggests a meeting between Jeff Beck and the Average White Band. The gorgeously atmospheric "The Best Ten Minutes Of Your Life" has an early '70s Temptations-style groove that just "lays there for late night." The album closes with the lush and soulful melodies of "New York Song." "All flavors went into making this album," says Bergman, citing other influences including Herbie Hancock , James Brown , Weather Report, Earth, Wind & Fire, Led Zeppelin, Sly Stone, and, of course, Miles Davis .
Bonamassa says, "Tal did a great job making sure the album didn't become over indulgent. The challenge was to keep it fresh without our influences overwhelming the music—to keep the band vibe without it becoming too many ideas from too many people. It was important to commit to the moment and keep it fresh, and fun. There is a fine line."

RCFP grew out of Bergman and DeJesus' 2007 instrumental album Grooove Vol. 1, and subsequent live dates at L.A.'s storied jazz spot The Baked Potato. They encouraged other musicians to jam with them, including Merritt, (currently a member of The Basic Cable Band on Conan) and Neto (who toured with Prince from 2002-2011) who joined the line-up early on. Bonamassa made his RCFP debut in early 2012 during one of his rare breaks from the road when Bergman—who has toured with the guitarist—invited him to sit in on a pair of gigs.

To celebrate the release, RCFP will play two exclusive shows each night on January 23 and 24 at The Baked Potato (3787 Cahuenga Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604). The first show is at 9:30PM, the second at 11:30PM. Currently, both 9:30PM shows are sold out. Buy advance tickets here: http://www.thebakedpotato.com.

We Want Groove Tracklisting:
CD
1. "Octopus-e"
2. "Spaztastic"
3. "Ode To Gee"
4. "We Want Groove"
5. "The Best Ten Minutes of Your Life"
6. "Animal/Work"
7. "Dope On A Rope"
8. "Root Down (and Get It)"
9. "New York Song"

DVD
1. "The Making of We Want Groove"
2. "In the Studio – Episode 1"
3. "In the Studio – Episode 2"
4. "Official Music Video for Octopus-e"

www.rockcandyfunkparty.com
www.facebook.com/rockcandyfunk
www.twitter.com/rockcandyfunk
www.youtube.com/rockcandyfunkparty

THE JAMES HUNTER SIX - MINUTE BY MINUTE

For his first new album in five years, Minute By Minute, British soul man James Hunter teamed with Daptone mastermind Gabriel Roth (Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones) for a horn-fueled blast of deep soul and R&B. The album's 12 new original songs mark not only Hunter's first collaboration with Roth (aka Bosco Mann), but his first time recording in America. Due out Feb 26 (N. America) & March 25 (ROW) on Fantasy Records, 'Minute By Minute' follows 2008's 'The Hard Way,' which Rolling Stone called "unbelievably awesome." Check out the RollingStone.com premiere of "Minute By Minute" here: http://rol.st/11TwMmp.

Cut live in the studio by The James Hunter Six—Damian Hand on tenor saxophone, Lee Badau on baritone saxophone, Jonathan Lee on drums, Jason Wilson on double bass, and Kyle Koehler on organ—the album finds Hunter at his most swingin', unleashing the "fire in his gut" (Rolling Stone) with searing vocals and punchy guitar. Album opener "Chicken Switch" cuts an infectious groove from the outset, while "Minute By Minute" recalls the passionate charisma of Wilson Pickett, and "Heartbreak" rides a doleful shuffle somewhere between the blues and bossa nova.

Hunter, who has supported the likes of Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Etta James, and Willie Nelson among others, emerged as a soul powerhouse in 2006 with 'People Gonna Talk,' which hit #1 on the Billboard Blues chart, landed on year-end lists from Mojo to USA Today, and was nominated for a Grammy. His next album, 'The Hard Way,' was another Billboard Blues #1, and Paste said it "re-renders the art of musical seduction even more convincingly than Hunter's mentor Van Morrison," while the New York Times praised Hunter's "tight slithery groove" and "sweet growl."

Stay tuned for more info on the album and tour dates.

'Minute By Minute' Tracklist:
1. Chicken Switch
2. Minute By Minute
3. Drop On Me
4. Heartbreak
5. One Way Love
6. Goldmine
7. Let the Monkey Ride
8. The Gypsy
9. So They Say
10. Nothin' I Wouldn't Do
11. Look Out
12. If I Only Knew

James Hunter on the Web:
http://www.jameshuntermusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Hunter-Music/276780455690526

TONY BENNETT - AS TIME GOES BY: GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK CLASSICS

In the post-WWII era of American popular music, Tony Bennett rapidly emerged as one of the most distinct and popular voices on the landscape, due in large part to a versatile and dynamic style that has enabled him to sing pop standards, jazz, show tunes and just about any other genre that has emerged in the span of his six-decade career. Indeed, any discussion of the Great American Songbook — however it may be defined — will inevitably lead to Tony Bennett.

Concord Records has captured that very significant segment of the discussion in a compilation called As Time Goes By: Great American Songbook Classics. Set for release on February 5, 2013 [international release dates may vary], the set showcases Bennett’s unique interpretations of timeless songs by some of the most legendary of American composers: Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers and Hart, Henry Mancini, and many others. Culled from recordings made during the mid-1970s, the 12-track collection is enhanced with digital remastering by Joe Tarantino and insightful new liner notes written by author and music critic Will Friedwald.

“When you say ‘Great America Songbook’ to almost anyone,” says Friedwald, “they know exactly what you mean: the specific canon of songs, mostly written for Broadway shows between the two world wars, largely composed by Jewish immigrants and African-Americans with names like Gershwin and Ellington. And as the career of Tony Bennett, more than almost any other artist, proves again and again, only the Great American Songbook truly deserves to be called the Great American Songbook . . . Only in the Broadway-based songbook is there anything like a true ‘songbook,’ a common lexicon of classic songs that all the artists in the field will pick from.”

Put this artistically and historically resonant material in the hands of a sensitive and versatile artist like Bennett, Friedwald adds, and the results will be inevitably satisfying.

“It’s to Mr. Bennett’s credit that he can be whisperingly intimate, that he can deliver a message that seemingly comes directly out of his own soul, on a song written by a composer he probably never met, with a full symphony-sized orchestra, and within the confines of a tightly arranged medley,” says Friedwald. “It’s true that the orchestration was written for Mr. Bennett by his longtime musical director Torrie Zito, but even so, it takes a remarkable talent to make it seem like such a direct and personal expression of one’s soul . . . to take a song that may be decades old, something that’s been sung by thousands of other singers, and turn it into a unique and highly personal communication.”

Whatever page in that vast canon you may open to, Tony Bennett’s As Time Goes By has a rich musical story to tell — one that stretches back nearly a century and reintroduces us to the legacy of the Great American Songbook through the voice and the heart of a modern-day legend.

JONATHAN KREISBERG - ONE

"Jonathan Kreisberg is a great musician whose playing and writing always tell a story. His formidable technique and intellect never get in the way, but only serve the agenda of the heart." - Joe Locke

"Jonathan Kreisberg is a creative guitarist who has been an integral member of my trio for many years. He is a passionate musician with great vision, and he is constantly in fiery pursuit of innovation." - Dr. Lonnie Smith

A solo performance represents the most intimate communion between an artist and their instrument. The title of guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg's first solo album, ONE, succinctly expresses that idea. "I've played in many group situations and with some legends of jazz and other idioms... but it wasn't until now that I really felt ready to document what I've been doing in a solo setting. For that, I had to feel at one with the guitar."

While most of his time is spent on tour with his dynamic Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet and alongside Hammond B3 organ legend Dr. Lonnie Smith, in a far more intimate setting he began noticing an entirely different alchemy. The idea for this recording came to Kreisberg upon the realization that his playing reached a uniquely expressive level when playing solo in more intimate concert environments, or even casually at home for friends.

"There's something about connecting with just one or two people who are really listening to you in a solo setting that's totally different than playing for an audience," Kreisberg says. "It's a more intense connection, and it brings a different energy. I wanted to try to capture that feeling. I didn't want it to sound like you were in a huge hall in front of hundreds of people. I wanted it to sound like you were sitting in front of me, like you could hear the strings and the pick and my breathing - all of the life of the guitar."

To achieve that effect, Kreisberg recorded ONE without using overdubs, loops, or extra tracks. "The music making establishment uses so much technology these days that the idea of the instrumentalist is becoming marginalized," he says. "On the purest level, I wanted this to be an instrumentalist's record."
The end result is a collection that offers a wide-ranging overview of Kreisberg's approach to the solo guitar, diverse in style and feel but emotionally cohesive. From the overcast passion of Baden Powell's "Canto de Ossanha" to the silky acoustic elegance of "Skylark," the fragile spirituality of "Hallelujah" to the sci-fi abstractions of "Escape From Lower Formant Shift" - each piece offers a new perspective while maintaining a profound intimacy.

Kreisberg traces his relationship with the solo guitar back to his earliest days with the instrument. As a young guitar student, he found his connection not through mastering the basics or exploring other composer's work, but through his own private inventions. "Very early on, I was drawn to just playing the guitar for hours," he recalls. "I was supposed to be practicing scales and reading melodies from books, but I was drawn more towards creating things. I wasn't thinking about whether I was improvising or composing at that point; I was just making things up."

That penchant for spontaneity naturally guided Kreisberg to focus on jazz, though his music continues to fold in elements from a variety of other genres - ONE ­­delves into folk, rock, classical, and even film scores for its material and sound; but in his earliest days, improvisation took a decided prominence. "Whenever I would play classical concerts I was terrified because the idea of just locking myself into playing something exact didn't feel right. It gave me too much time to think; I would just be sitting there watching my hands move, but the second I was improvising I would forget completely where I was, who I was, and just be in that moment."

After becoming a first-call guitarist in his hometown of Miami, where he also formed the first version of his trio and performed contemporary classical works with Michael Tilson Thomas' New World Symphony, Kreisberg moved back to the place where he was born, New York City, in his early twenties. An unknown on that demanding scene, he returned to the solo guitar, taking gigs in bars and restaurants until he could establish his bona fides.

But solo performance faded into the background as he became more established, playing with the likes of drummer Ari Hoenig and vibraphonist Joe Locke and establishing his ongoing relationship with Dr. Lonnie Smith. He also made several critically acclaimed recordings with his own bands, typically sharing the frontline with saxophonist Will Vinson and featuring a host of the city's most creative musicians, including pianists Aaron Goldberg, Gary Versace and Henry Hey; bassists Larry Grenadier and Matt Penman; and drummers Bill Stewart and Mark Ferber.

ONE is therefore a means to reestablish his one-on-one connection with the instrument. "This album is about falling back in love with the guitar," Kreisberg says. "It's really rewarding when you can find new ways to do things within what a supposedly limiting instrument can do. So I wanted to address different aspects of the guitar and apply that to different styles of music."

That spirit flows throughout the recording. There are unique takes on familiar themes like "Summertime" and "Caravan", respectful new readings of living poets Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Wayne Shorter's "E.S.P.", and a pair of completely improvised pieces: the aforementioned "Escape From Lower Formant Shift," (which he envisioned as the soundtrack to a science fiction thriller a la Blade Runner); and "Without Shadow" (a nod to the title track of his group's most recent album, Shadowless), where his guitar takes on the sound of an organ, a nod to Dr. Lonnie Smith.

"Lonnie inspires me a lot. He's someone who really reinforces the beliefs I already had. I feel like Lonnie is my musical godfather - both of us have an instinct for searching out new sounds, which can be a little A.D.D., but if you use it the right way it can create really dynamic recordings and performances," says Kreisberg. "I think before I played with Lonnie I might not have made some of the choices that I made on this record. I think that the end result is a complete experience for the listener."

Perhaps the most relevant lesson in terms of ONE is that it only takes a singular voice to unite a wildly diverse sonic palette. "There's a way to have very varied material, but if it all goes through one particular creative person's prism it's refracted in a way that it all becomes part of the same vision."

ONE Personnel & Track Listing:
Jonathan Kreisberg / guitar
1. Canto de Ossanha (Baden Powell & Vinicius de Moraes) - 5:11
2. Summertime (George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward) - 6:02
3. Without Shadow (Jonathan Kreisberg) - 1:22
4. Skylark (Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer) - 5:23
5. Caravan (Juan Tizol) - 5:05
6. Tenderly (Walter Lloyd) - 2:02
7. My Favorite Things (Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein) - 4:05
8. Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) - 5:27
9. E.S.P. (Wayne Shorter) - 4:17
10. I Thought About You (Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer) - 4:42
11. Escape From Lower Formant Shift (Jonathan Kreisberg) - 2:34

Upcoming Jonathan Kreisberg Appearances:
All appearances are with Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet unless otherwise noted.
** January 9 / La Lanterna / New York, NY
* January 10 & 11 / Jazz Standard / New York, NY
** January 16 / La Lanterna / New York, NY
** January 23 / La Lanterna / New York, NY
** January 30 / La Lanterna / New York, NY
*** February 11 / Stars / Vordingborg, Denmark
*** February 12 / Paradise Jazz / Copenhagen, Denmark
*** February 14 / Dexter / Odense, Denmark
March 5 / Widder Bar / Zurich, Switzerland
March 6 / Duc Des Lombards / Paris, France
March 7 / Institut Musical Formation Professionnelle / Salon de Provence, France
March 9 / AMR / Geneva, Switzerland
March 10 / Jazzclub Q4 / Basel, Switzerland
March 12 & 13 / Pizza Express / London, United Kingdom
March 14 / The Spin / Oxford, United Kingdom
March 15 / Hadeland Jazz Forum / Hadeland, Norway
March 16 / Herr Nilsen Jazzklubb / Oslo, Norway
April 5 & 6 / Smalls Jazz Club / New York, NY

* With Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio
** With Jonathan Kreisberg Trio
*** With Morten Christian Quartet

JonathanKreisberg.com

NEXT COLLECTIVE - COVER ART

Features rising stars: saxophonists Logan Richardson and Walter Smith III, guitarist Matthew Stevens, keyboardists Gerald Clayton and Kris Bowers, bassist Ben Williams, drummer Jamire Williams, and special guest trumpeter Christian Scott (aka Christian aTunde Adjuah)

Set For Release February 26th, 2013 (US) / International release dates vary

Concord Jazz eleases an exciting new project by Next Collective titled Cover Art — an ensemble recording by the next generation of jazz greats exploring their own interpretations of songs by such contemporary artists as Bon Iver, Drake, N.E.R.D, Little Dragon and more. The album contains 10 tracks and the digital version will include special bonus tracks.

Not often—maybe every quarter century—a new generation of musicians gets to the scene and rapidly develops a collective musical identity of its own. So it was in the jazz of the late ’60s and into the ’70s when a group of newcomers helped bring the funk and R&B grooves. We saw it again in the early ’90s, when a loose-limbed hybrid of jazz and hip-hop became the hippest flavor of the day, a crew of jazzmen working closely with deejays and rappers. As one looks further back in the tradition, other generational examples pop up, almost like clockwork.

Yet it’s never some carefully worked-out plan that ushers in the new breed. It simply happens—and it’s happening again now. The right people together at the right time, with a marked sound of their own: a sound best described as flowing with the improvisatory rush of modern jazz, all the while reflecting many of today’s most expressive popular styles— electronica and hip-hop; ambient and alternative rock as well as embracing uptempo or slow and moody, there’s a distinct undercurrent of funk. A Dutch music festival coined the term “New Urban Jazz” just this past summer. The leading lights making up this new wave include saxophonists Logan Richardson and Walter Smith III, guitarist Matthew Stevens, keyboardists Gerald Clayton and Kris Bowers, bassist Ben Williams, drummer Jamire Williams and special guest trumpeter Christian Scott (aka Christian aTunde Adjuah).

Together these names stand as the best of this next generation. They are improvisers, melodists, and arrangers. Some are bandleaders, some soon to be, and they’re a tight bunch: long-time friends, including a few who have studied together, and all of them have played together, on stages and in sessions.

Now, they are all featured on an exciting project—Next  Collective—an ensemble recording that documents this new jazz age. “There was a point in the sessions for this album,” says producer Chris Dunn, “when I looked around the room and suddenly realized the level of talent packed in there together, the cream of the new crop, so to speak—and how much they are invested in jazz and also soaked in the music going on around them.”

Sr. Director of A&R for Concord Music Group, Dunn conceived, coordinated and produced this debut recording along with the members of Next Collective. Titled Cover Art, the album is scheduled for release February 26, 2013 (international release dates may vary) on Concord Jazz. Speaking to the album’s development, Dunn states, “It began as a way of introducing three new artists on Concord—Richardson, Smith, and Stevens. They are all great writers, but doing a recording of their originals, when not using their own band members, and all three having very different styles as leaders… that’s a tall order musically. It could make for a very disjointed experience no matter how great the playing. Instead, I thought it would be cool to do a project of covers from their generation and make a super group of the same. Each player chose and arranged tunes that came from any contemporary style they really liked: strong melodies but no jazz. The tunes we ended up with really bring something fresh to the table.”
The range in the feel of the tunes on Cover Art speaks both to the arranging talents of the members of Next Collective, and also to the diversity of their collective taste (what jazz veterans like to call “big ears”). The styles represented by these originals are a hyphenated hodge-podge—hip-hop and punk-funk, singer-songwriter and guitar-pop, electro-R&B and alt-rock. From Jay Z and Kanye West’s “No Church In The Wild” to Pearl Jam’s “Oceans” to Meshell Ndegeocello’s “Come Smoke My Herb,” to Drake’s “Marvins Room,” to Bon Iver’s “Perth,” the album delivers a cohesive flow. Other themes by Missy Elliott, Grizzly Bear, Rufus Wainwright and more not only serve as bonus tracks but also give a wide-lensed view of today’s musical outlook.

The versions that comprise Cover Art are often striking in how the songs have been reimagined, and compelling in the way they bounce off each tune’s original mood. Check how a tune like “Fly or Die”— a rock-fueled slice of R&B by N.E.R.D.—is recast by Ben Williams with the bounce and gear-shifts of a late ’70s fusion workout. Or how efficiently close to the atmospheric, neo-soul buoyancy of D’Angelo’s “Africa” Clayton steers his own reworking. Or how the metronomic beats and laconic lyricism of Little Dragon’s “Twice” are faithfully recreated in an acoustic jazz setting, courtesy of Richardson; the reversed horn lines that kick off the tune (and the album) are a clear signal that this project is both as mindful of the studio-craft of its many musical sources as it is of the live interaction of the jazz tradition. Cover Art has its feet firmly planted in the overlap of as many styles as possible.

Yet there remains an intuitive consistency throughout the album that owes much to an almost wordless connection felt by the musicians as they recorded together in Manhattan’s Sear Sound. “I was glad to hear that all the music fits together as an album even though it comes from a wide variety of places,” says Walter Smith III, who chose and re-arranged the Bon Iver, Becca Stevens and Dido tunes. “The main thing that still sticks out for me is how everyone was on the same page during the sessions. There was little to no discussion about much other than the basic road maps of the arrangements. When music can happen that way, something special usually comes out of it.”

For Matthew Stevens—who brought in the Pearl Jam, Wainwright and Portishead compositions—Cover Art benefited from familiarity with the songs and with each other. “The sessions were a blast, equally focused and relaxed. It felt like a family reunion—a lot of mutual respect present and a lot of laughs. It’s a great concept for an album since everyone had a connection with all the material.”
“When I listen to this album, and remove myself from having been a part of it, it sounds like a classic from beginning to end,” says Logan Richardson, who contributed arrangements of songs by Little Dragon and Ndegeocello. The remaining tunes were interpreted by Gerald Clayton (D’Angelo, Missy Elliott), Kris Bowers (Stepkids, Grizzly Bear), Christian Scott (Jay Z & Kanye West, Drake), Ben Williams (N.E.R.D.), and Jamire Williams (Stereolab). The temptation to dig these versions, and compare them to the originals is difficult to deny; in fact, it’s an exercise that should not be resisted, as it reveals the degree of inspiration and thought that went into Cover Art.

Time—as it always does—will tell how prescient this collection is of what is coming, what is truly around the corner for this music we tend to limit to the term “jazz” (and yet often includes much more). Cover Art is one of those albums that captures a rare moment in time—the coming together of a new generation and a new sound—while the Next Collective stands as one of those ensembles too laden with talent and future bandleaders to remain together for too long. “They’re young—but they’re not young players,” says Dunn. “All of these cats are real players despite their ages, with real experience under their belts.” And the majority of that experience has found them in each other’s company. That’s as good a reason as any to explain why Cover Art feels so much like the document of the next generation in jazz.

Complete Album Track Listing (bonus tracks on digital album to be announced):
1. Twice (Little Dragon)
2. No Church In The Wild (Jay Z and Kanye West)
3. Africa (D’Angelo)
4. Fly Or Die (N.E.R.D)
5. Oceans (Pearl Jam)
6. Refractions In The Plastic Pulse (Stereolab)
7. Marvins Room (Drake)
8. Come Smoke My Herb (Meshell Ndegeocello)
9. Perth (Bon Iver)
10. Thank You (Dido)

RON DAVIS - BLUE MODULES

Ron Davis is on a mission, realized on his 8th release, entitled Blue Modules.

It's all about his drive to move jazz somewhere where it hasn't been for years - back to its rightful, appreciative audience. In recognition of the birth of jazz, when it proved to be the 'pop' of its day, Ron Davis has made it his charge to wade well past the tired, 'playlist' standards that pass for the jazz of +today and, surrounded by a top-flight crew of innovative players and instrumental leaders, Davis has pushed to evolve a fresh definition of jazz which embraces classical, funk, rap, blues, world and even country music - removing the borders which can often get in the way of honest appreciation.

Blue Modules is his seismic shift in this new direction. His band is comprised of Ross Macintyre on bass, Roger Travassos on drums and percussion but also adds guests like the electrifying Donna Grantis on guitar and actor Diego Matamoros on vocals. Boasting a truly eclectic mix of songs you'd never expect to find on a jazz release, all tied together in the spirit of improvisation amongst like-minded adventurers, is exactly the point.

On this new release, Davis stretches himself - with the help of his fellow players - underlining his skills as a phenomenal instrumentalist, as a composer and arranger. He jumps from grand piano to Fender Rhodes, celeste and back again - honouring the true progression of his take on what jazz should - and can - be. At the same time, he doesn't abandon his fan base - those who know him for his swing-based, post-bop approach to the genre of jazz piano. He merely adds to our collective knowledge with his tirelessly progressive approach to the instrument, to the category and to one's ability to appreciate a fresh approach to musical enjoyment.

With a deeply-rooted desire to break down all borders, if not expectations, Davis has assaulted some surprising covers, interspersing them with smart, lively originals. "Roger's Rumble" is a piano-based blast from outer space and a showcase for both sampled keyboards and Roger Travassos on drums/ The funky "Pawpwalk" features recalls the '80s in general and Lonnie Liston Smith in particular, with some decisive guitar incisions by Grantis, at her most controlled. Sesame Street's "Mahna Mahna" keeps its sassy New Orleans line. It's a spirited reinvention showcasing Davis's piano talents together with some big-bottomed, nimble bass-playing from Ross Macintyre. Davis & Co. make something special out of XTC's original punk-based classic "Making Plans For Nigel", while Davis' cover of Elvis' "Viva Las Vegas" owes something to Sin City but, minus its typical bombast- with an outstanding percussive contribution from Travassos. Davis' cover of Hendrix' "Voodoo Chile - Slight Return" marks the appearance of Diego Matamoros' talking vocal (in the sole non-instrumental) - reinventing the piece full-circle like something birthed in a dub poetry club.

Blue Modules is not so much something for everybody as it is a fresh way to approach music new and old. Best summed up by the title track, Davis and his simpatico crew create a heartfelt stew of sounds that steer clear of labeling while appealing to the ability of a groove to strike a nerve. The smooth, funky and highly elastic "Blue Modules" track best defines Davis' spirited sense of adventure and legitimate decision to steer clear of genres for their own sake. Taking something so sacrosanct as a Beatles' song - most notably, "You Can't Do That", speaks volumes to his newfound direction - the reinvention of pop on his terms. Chances are good you'll dig it as hard as Davis can dish it out.

A giant step forward.

~ CD Universe

NEW RELEASES - THE ROBERT BOSSCHER QUARTET, EDDIE GOMEZ, MELISSA ALDANA

THE ROBERT BOSSCHER QUARTET - PLAYS SINTER JAZZ

Listening to the old Dutch Sinterklaas songs, you might wonder why they have not been recorded by major platinum selling artists. Many great American recording artists have acknowledged the great quality of their Christmas songs. Because of the wonderful melodies of the Dutch songs, New York based Jazz pianist Robert Bosscher decided it was high time to change the situation. In the wonderful Tedesco Studio in New Jersey he recorded a Sinterklaas Jazz Album with his all-star New York Quartet. Hopefully this will not cause too much tension this Holiday season, since the album turned out beyond expectations. I'm afraid the release of this album will only worsen the already very competitive relationship between Santa Claus and Sinterklaas. ~ CD Universe

EDDIE GOMEZ - PER SEMPRE

Eddie Gomez collaborated with five Italian musicians to produce this 2009 session, which primarily focuses on original ballads. The veteran bassist, recognized as a major player since his 11-plus years working with pianist Bill Evans, is in top form, providing an inventive foundation in the rhythm section. The sole standard is an unusual "Stella by Starlight" with tenor saxophonist Marco Pignataro (who also doubles on soprano sax) and flautist Matt Marvuglio alternately playing the lead and harmony, with the pulsating rhythm section that includes Gomez, pianist Teo Clavarella, and drummer Massimo Manzi. The bassist's warm ballad "Arianna" glistens with its early morning, spring-like air, showcasing its composer playing both arco and pizzicato, with him chanting softly along with his solo. Gomez's new version of his "Forever" (premiered on his 1987 CD Power Play) is an elegant affair with potent solos by Pignatano, Clavarella, and Marvuglio. The pianist's "Pops and Alma" has the flavor of progressive chamber music, while Marvuglio's extended "Why Cry?" is an emotional affair, with powerful playing by Pignatano (who switches to soprano for his solo) and the composer in a lush setting. Pignatano's somber ballad "Homesick" is beautifully voiced, with Gomez's haunting arco bass setting the mood, followed by the miniature bass solo in his "Epilogue." ~ Ken Dryden

MELISSA ALDANA - SECOND CYCLE   Second Cycle"Second Cycle" is Melissa Aldana's new album. Following the success of "Free Fall" and the positive reviews of this talented sax player by New York as well as international critics, Melissa went on to write new compositions. New York is where Melissa currently lives and where she has entered this "Second Cycle" showing her passionate, rushing life. Melissa has developed a new way of dealing with her inner music; she has created a new environment where she feels comfortable, a new unpredictable journey that immerses us in a new world of emotions, intricate harmonies that are transformed into evocative melodies through Melissa's delicate hands. In this new record we can find a new Melissa full of vitality. Her improvisations show once again her great technical mastery of the sax, and her ideas are developed fluently, showcasing her great personality. Her voice on the tenor saxophone arouses the curiosity to continue listening to the rest of the jazz pieces she has composed. Gordon Au - trumpet, Joseph Lepore - bass, Ross Pederson - drums support each and every single note blown by Melissa. Recorded under Greg Osby's label Inner Circle Music (like Free Fall, her 2010 debut album), Melissa is "actually one of my favorite saxophones on the planet because of her single voice, her special quality and characteristics", Greg affirms."Second Cycle" inspires math, conception, truth, and authenticity to this new cycle in Melissa's musical and personal life. ~ CD Universe

NEW RELEASES - DAVE TOFANI, CHESTER THOMPSON, AUBREY DAYLE

Dave Tofani's, Manhattan Carnival, was released nationally and received wide critical acclaim & made the Radio and Record Charts at #7 for 8 weeks, which led to a Grammy nomination. A blend of jazz/fusion and traditional jazz Dave performs here on tenor and soprano saxophones backed by New York City's most stellar rhythm section players, all stars in their own right: Warren Bernhardt (Piano,) Cliff Carter (Piano,) Dave Charles (Percussion,) Mark Egan (Bass,) Anthony Jackson (Bass,) Jimmy Madison (Drums) and Ross Traut (Guitar). The album was recorded in the top studios in NY, the Power Station and A & R Recording.


   

CHESTER THOMPSON - MIXOLOGY

 

Earthy, energetic & exciting - The musical style of organist / keyboardist Chester Thompson will take you for a ride! "Medallion" & "Sista Strut" display infectious dance rhythms and patented bottom end prowess. "Miracle", featuring Tower Of Power bandmate Ron E. Beck, pulls the heartstrings & his interpretation of the classic "You Leave Me Breathless" shows that emotion reigns supreme in the contemporary world of Chester Thompson. With Howard Wiley on saxophone, Barry Finnerty & Chris Cain on guitar, Mike Clark & Brian Collier on drums, Joel Behrman on brass and Kenneth Nash on percussion.

   

AUBREY DAYLE - MY ID/JEWEL   This CD is Aubrey Dayle's third recording. It is truly a pivotal effort in that it represents a second chance at life for Mr. Dayle. Aubrey will receive a healthy kidney with a transplant from his wife Julie. The CD is called "Jewel". it represents the magnificent gift that the new organ will be for him and the person that it will come from. The current lineup of his band called "My id" includes bassist Rich Brown ( Steve Coman, Andy Milns), saxophonists Michael Stuart (Elvin Jones) and Richard Underhill (The shuffle Demons, Taj Mahal, Blue Rodeo) the 2004 first prize and public prize winner at the international Montreux Jazz Festival Jazz solo piano competition, Robi Botos (Pat LaBarbra, Brandford Marsalis), and drummer/composer and band leader Aubrey Dayle. Vernon Reid The famous guitarist from the band "Living Colour" also makes a guest appearance on the first track called "The Right Move". His signature sound and explosive soloing technique is articulated beautifully on the track. This CD represents perseverance at a high level. despite kidney failure Aubrey and his band managed to produce an exciting contemporary jazz recording that has the feel and excitement of instrumental music from the 1970s and 80s.   ~ CD Universe

FESTIVAIS DA CANCAO VOL. 2: 1969 - 1972

Legendary work from a crucial component of Brazilian culture in the late 60s and early 70s – the International Song Festivals of the time – a very important way of presenting both new talent and new compositions as well! The events were really unique, and often quite striking – from both a cultural and political perspective – as artists used the festivals as a key platform for taking steps forward in their words and music – sometimes steps that were even bolder than their studio work on record! Performances are unique to the records, and usually represent some key non-album tracks from the artists involved. This second volume brings together work from the 1969 to 1972 versions of the Festivals – a really crucial time in Brazilian music, represented here by performances from Clara Nunes, Marcos Valle, Quarteto Forma, Beth Carvalho, Golden Boys, Tiaguara, Evinha, Antonio Adolfo & Brazuca, Maria Odette, Oz Brazoes, Hermes Aquinho, Alceu Valenca, O Grupo, Vox Populi, Martinho Da Vila, Luiza, Som Okey 5, Jards Macale, Os Tres Morais, Tribo, Toni Tornado, Agostinho Dos Santos, Trio Esperanca, Wilson Simonal, O Terco, Som Imaginario, Wanderlea, Silvo Cesar, Osmar Milito, Ze Rodrix, Claudia, Alaide Costa, and many others! Box features the full albums IV Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular Vols 1, 2, & 3 (1969), V Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular Vols 1 & 2 (1970), VI Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular (1971), and VII Festival Internacional Da Cancao Popular (1972) – and most albums have bonus tracks too! ~ Dusty Groove

THE DAN HAERLE QUARTET - LIVE AT THE LUMINOUS SOUND

As of the summer of 2002, Dan Haerle retired from full-time teaching. He was a faculty member in the Jazz Studies Division of the College of Music at the University of North Texas for 25 years (Regents Professor for the last 10 years). He taught Jazz Piano, Jazz Fundamentals, Advanced Jazz Improvisation, Jazz MIDI, Graduate Jazz Improvisation, Rhythm Section Master Class and he supervised the jazz chamber music program. He directed the Jazz Strings and a keyboard ensemble called The Zebras. He taught the courses in basic MIDI theory, sequencing and jazz notation.

Dan was inducted into the International Association of Jazz Education "Hall of Fame" at the annual conference in Toronto on January 9, 2003. The IAJE Hall of Fame Award honors individuals whose musical contributions and dedication to jazz education over the past 25 years have created new directions and curricular innovations for jazz education worldwide.
In 2007, Dan completed his modified service at UNT and became a member of the adjunct teaching faculty. In the fall of 2007, he was named Professor Emeritus.

On January 6, 2012, the Jazz Education Network (JEN) awarded Dan (along with Jamey Aebersold, David Baker and Jerry Coker) the distinction of "LeJENd of Jazz Education" at its 3rd annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky.Some highlights of performing experience:• Toured the U. S. and Canada with the Stan Kenton Band during Stan's illness, the summer of 1971• Toured the U. S. and Europe with the Clark Terry Quintet, the spring and summer of 1975• Did extensive recording and show work in Dallas, Miami Beach and New York, from 1963 to 1975• Has performed with Chris Connor, Mel Torme, Al Jarreau, Pat Metheny, Dave Liebman, Woody Shaw, Kai Winding, Atilla Zoller and Freddie Hubbard• Has been active as clinician and guest artist at many colleges and universities from 1968 to the present.

~ CD Universe