TONY BENNETT / DAVE BRUBECK - THE WHITE HOUSE SESSIONS, LIVE 1962

RPM/Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is proud to release -- for the first time ever -- the complete Tony Bennett and Dave Brubeck performance from the White House Seminar American Jazz Concert , held on August 28, 1962. With the Washington Monument as the evening's backdrop--the show was moved from its original Rose Garden location to the larger Sylvan Theater grounds nearby to accommodate the crowd--the concert was an end-of-summer event thrown by the John F. Kennedy White House for college students who'd been working as interns in the nation's capital.


Bennett & Brubeck - The White House Sessions, Live 1962 will be available Tuesday, May 28.

One of the great lost treasures of American musical history, the Tony Bennett-Dave Brubeck White House Seminar performance came about when the artists--each already on the bill with his own ensemble--agreed to seize the moment with an impromptu set. While the Bennett-Brubeck recording of "That Old Black Magic" had surfaced on the occasional compilation (Brubeck's 1971's out-of-print LP, Summit Sessions, and 2001's Vocal Encounters), the rest of the Bennett and Brubeck performances--an hour's worth of music--were a mythical lost object in the Sony Music Entertainment vaults until finally surfacing through a fortuitous discovery last December, just weeks after Brubeck's passing on December 5, 2012 (one day shy of his 92nd birthday).

1962 was a pivotal time in American cultural and musical history and for the artists on this recording. Just seventeen days before the White House Seminar American Jazz Concert , Tony Bennett had entered the Billboard charts with his signature song, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," and there is an ebullience in Tony's performances and a palpable excitement of the college-age audience in their recognition of Tony's on-fire success. Dave Brubeck 's "Take Five" had become emblematic of jazz itself and, in 1962, Brubeck's band was picked as the best combo in jazz by Down Beat magazine readers and DJs surveyed by Billboard.

With both Bennett and Brubeck at the top of their respective games, the masters play off and with each other to create a spontaneous collaborative music that stands with the best of each of their work.

It would be 47 years before Tony Bennett and Dave Brubeck would share a stage again to make music when they both appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2009 and performed "That Old Black Magic," one of the standards they'd immortalized in Washington in August 1962.

In his liner notes to the album, noted jazz historian Ted Gioia observes, "Both had arrived at stardom, but were seemingly stars from different galaxies.

"Yet these two beloved musicians also had much in common. Both had served in World War II, and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. Both were active in the Civil Rights Movement—not long before this recording was made, Brubeck canceled 23 concerts rather than replace his African-American bassist Eugene Wright , and Bennett would soon be marching with Martin Luther King in Montgomery, Alabama. But these two artists were musically simpatico as well. They shared a devotion to the great American songbook, and knew how to straddle the worlds of jazz and popular music without compromises or crass commercialism, yet still reach millions of people, many of whom would never step inside a jazz club or read a copy of Down Beat.

"So what a blessing to have these tracks from the past, a true meeting of musical masters, come to us more than half-century after they were made, but still sounding as fresh and alive as they did to those present back in 1962. The concert that day was held to honor college students who had come to Washington D.C. to work for the summer—in fact, they had met earlier that day with President Kennedy. Historians often use the phrase 'the best and the brightest' to refer to the smart, idealistic people who gravitated to government service in those years, but I would apply those same words to the artists on stage that day. And after hiding out in a dark archive for so many decades, the music of two of the best and brightest to ever interpret the American popular song is shining for us once more."

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN - CHANGE OF HEART THE SONGS OF ANDRE PREVIN

The supremely talented singer and pianist Michael Feinstein collaborates with legendary composer-conductor-pianist André Previn for an album celebrating Previn’s repertoire from his lesser-known catalog of pop songs, including many that were written for film. The album, titled Change of Heart: The Songs of André Previn, is set for release by Telarc International on April 16, 2013 (international release dates may vary).

André Previn, whose career spans seven decades, is a music icon, establishing a stellar presence in classical, jazz, opera, film scoring and musical theater. His life’s work is brimming with achievement highlighted by four Oscars and 11 GRAMMY® Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement citation in 2010). With such a diverse imprint on the world of music, it is no wonder his list of collaborations are comprised of artists like Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell, J.J. Johnson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, Sylvia McNair, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pederson, Mundell Lowe and, most frequently in recent years, bassist David Finck. Michael Feinstein is now part of this incomparable list.

Feinstein’s own vast catalog of recordings features several albums on which he is accompanied by legendary songwriters, performing their own tunes, including Jule Styne, Burton Lane, Hugh Martin and Jay Livingston. However, this recording has its own unique flair with Feintstein’s vocals, Previn on piano, and Finck on bass. This is, to the best of Previn and Feinstein’s knowledge, the first time Previn has partnered with a male vocalist.

The project began last April when Feinstein telephoned Previn to wish him a happy birthday. “When I called,” says Feinstein, “I said I would like to do an album of his songs. There was silence. Finally he said, ‘Is there enough?’ He was quite serious, because he didn’t take into account the voluminous amount of work he had done through the years. I think he came to dismiss his own songs, presuming that because they weren’t necessarily hits, they weren’t worthwhile or worth revisiting.” Says Previn of that initial conversation, “I proposed to Michael that there wouldn’t be more than a dozen people who would be interested, but he argued with me, and he is very persuasive, so I said okay.”

The album opens with “(You’ve Had) A Change of Heart,” with lyrics by Previn’s most frequent collaborator, his second wife Dory Langdon. The second track, “The Easy Way,” was written for the 1968 screen adaptation of Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls, but not included in the film. Also from Valley of the Dolls, performed in the film by Patty Duke’s character, is “Give a Little More.” “Empty Is My Room” and “Goodbye” are from an unproduced score for a musical film adaptation of Goodbye, Mr. Chips. Feinstein says, “André has a tremendous gift for melody and is able to write songs that have complexity but are very accessible.”

The album also includes “Yes” best known from the version recorded by Doris Day, with Previn, in 1962 for the album Duet, “It’s Good to Have You Near Again,” and “Just for Now,” and “Little Lost Dream,” from Johnny Mercer’s final stage show, a musical adaptation of novelist J. B. Priestley’s The Good Companions. Two of Previn’s film themes are “Two for the Seesaw (A Second Chance)” and “Why Are We Afraid?.” The final works on the album are “Quiet Music” from Previn’s 2001 album Live at Jazz Standard, with Finck and “You’re Gonna Hear from Me,” featured in the 1965 film Inside Daisy Clover, costarring Natalie Wood and Robert Redford, which remains one of Previn’s best-known songs.

In assessing Change of Heart, Previn says, “We had a good time making the album.” From Feinstein’s perspective, “It was thrilling working with André. He’s got the greatest sense of humor, is a great storyteller and he’s a link to a history that is very important to me; yet he’s still here, still contemporary and still making great music. He’s one of the most versatile musicians I have ever known because he is completely unfettered by genres. He loves all kinds of music and is conversant in a way that is staggering, yet he is very humble and self-effacing, especially when it comes to his own work. I suspect it was fun for him to look at these songs and find out that what he wrote was a hell of a lot better than he remembers it.”

11-YEAR-OLD MUSICAL PRODIGY EMILY BEAR, SET TO RELEASE CONCORD RECORDS/QWEST RECORDS DEBUT - DIVERSITY - ON MAY 7, PRODUCED BY MENTOR QUINCY JONES

11-year-old musical prodigy Emily Bear, a pianist and composer set to release Concord Records/Qwest Records debut Diversity on May 7, produced by legendary multi-Grammy Award winning producer, composer and arranger Quincy Jones. Bear, who is managed by Quincy Jones Productions, has the ability to seamlessly move from Classical to Jazz and Be-bop, while demonstrating musical prowess comparable to pianists/composers twice her age, has written 13-original songs for the new project, performed with a Jazz Trio (international release dates may vary). She first broke into the national spotlight at age 6, as a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, performing Mozart, jazz and an original song she composed. She was invited back five more times within the span of two years, performing original music each visit.

Comments Quincy Jones: “I am at once astounded and inspired by the enormous talent that Emily embodies. She is the complete 360-degree package, and there are no limits to the musical heights that she can reach.”

Jones will join Bear for record release parties in NY (5/15) and LA (5/8), which also includes scheduled press dates.

"Emily is extraordinarily gifted,” says John Burk, Chief Creative Officer, Concord Music Group. “She obviously has incredibly advanced technical skills far beyond her years, but what I find most extraordinary, is her emotional and compositional depth.”

The CD title Diversity represents the diversity of Bear's style, as well as the diversity of the cultures that are her musical influences. The project was recorded at Westlake Studios. Using Bear's own jazz trio handpicked by Jones, she demonstrates both her versatility and an open-hearted melodic soul at the piano, composing, orchestrating and performing a multi-genre repertoire with full command.

Some of her reflective mood compositions include “Blue Note,” “Alika,” “Jessie’s Song” and “Tutti Cuore”; While she gets down with a Latin feeling in the rhythm section with the catchy “Hot Peppers” and self-explanatory “Salsa Americana”. “Peralada” conveys a specific Spanish flavor, as inspired by the Catalan city where she first performed this piece at a music festival, and she utilizes her classical technique to a tee in “Reflections.” “Northern Lights” is the piece for which she won an ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award at the tender age of 6, and “Q” refers to the nickname of Bear's legendary producer, which after a heartfelt slow intro, turns into a jaunty jazz-trio tribute to the ever-youthful spirit of the iconic music figure.

Bear, who plays all of her music from memory, including 45-page classical concertos, started to show extraordinary musical talent practically from the cradle. As a baby, she would sing back lullabies to her mother in perfect pitch. By 18 months, she was experimenting constantly at the piano. She was composing tangible pieces at age 3. By the time Bear was 4, she was having pieces published and distributed by Hal Leonard.

She made her concert debut at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago at age 5, playing a 40-minute solo program performing classical pieces side-by-side with jazz numbers, and her own compositions. She was invited to perform at the White House at age 6, and opened for the Ramsey Lewis Trio with a 30-minute set of her own. Her orchestral debut came at age 7, playing Mozart Piano Concerto no. 23, K488 and by age 8, she was playing concerts abroad in Italy and China. At age 9, she made her Carnegie Hall debut with a 110-piece orchestra, a 220-voice choir, and R&B soloists performing one of her compositions, “Peace – We Are The Future.”

In 2011, Bear had yet another big year when she made her debut at the Hollywood Bowl, performing a medley of her own compositions with singers Gloria Estefan, Patti Austin, Siedah Garrett and Nikki Yanofsky. That summer, Jones also presented her at the 45th Montreux Jazz Festival and the Festival Castell in Peralada, Spain.

Bear has since been featured on several major news programs, including Good Morning America, ABC World News Report with Diane Sawyer, ABC Nightline, and the Katie Couric Show. Internationally, she has been featured in stories on Swiss, German, Australian, Italian and Chinese television.

“I’m a regular kid who was lucky enough to find something I really love to do at a very young age,” says Bear. “Concord has a lot of musicians I look up to so I’m really excited about the opportunity and look forward to sharing my music.”

TAJ MAHAL / COREY HARRIS / SHEMEKIA COPELAND / GUY DAVIS / PHIL WIGGINS / ALVIN YOUNGBLOOD HART - TRUE BLUES

When guitarist/singer/composer Corey Harris calls the blues “the foundation of all contemporary music,” he’s not overstating the case. “Funk music, rock and roll, jazz, hip-hop – all of that didn’t generate by itself,” says Harris, the recipient of the 2007 MacArthur Genius Grant who has committed much of his career to exploring the connections between gospel, early jazz, reggae and West African music. “It came from somewhere. The reason that the blues is important today is because it connects us to where these different musics came from – and who they came from.”

Harris is just one of a team of premier blues artists who appear on True Blues, a 13-song live CD set for release May 28, 2013 (international release dates may vary) on Telarc, a division of Concord Music Group. Recorded at various venues throughout the United States including Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, True Blues explores and celebrates the genre and follows its rich history from the Mississippi delta of the early 1900s to the present day. The album includes stellar and authentic performances by Harris, Taj Mahal, Shemekia Copeland, Guy Davis, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Phil Wiggins. A companion DVD, produced by Harris and Daniel Patinkin, will be released worldwide in summer 2013.

“I think the blues is about telling your story,” says Copeland, an acclaimed GRAMMY®-nominated vocalist in her own right and the daughter of legendary Texas blues guitarist Johnny Copeland, who carried the torch for five decades until his death in the late 1990s. “It’s been part of my life for my entire life. It’s what put food on our table. My father supported our family by making this music. That’s why it’s important for me to let people know that it’s constantly growing and evolving.”

The set opens with the classic “Hoochie Coochie Man,” one of the most recognized and oft-covered songs in the vast blues canon. Recorded live at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, this grinding version is a collaborative effort, with Guy Davis, Corey Harris and Alvin Youngblood Hart trading off verses, punctuated by Phil Wiggins’ clean and warbling harp riffs.

Harris proves that he’s a genius with a deep groove as he offers up a brilliant solo version of Sleepy John Estes’ “Everybody Got To Change Sometime.” Captured live at House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA, he sings the track in a way that connotes both passion for life and a higher purpose.

Willie Johnson’s “Motherless Children Have a Hard Time,” recorded at Howard Theatre in Washington, DC, features a hypnotic solo guitar and vocal performance superbly executed by Alvin Youngblood Hart, who evokes the old masters of the Mississippi delta in the days before electric guitar pickups and high-tech recording technology. Equally chilling is Hart’s galloping “Gallows Pole,” also recorded at Jazz at Lincoln Center, later in the set.

Taj Mahal serves up his churning “Done Changed My Way of Living” with the help of his Taj Mahal Trio. Recorded at Ram’s Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD, this elder statesman of the blues takes the recording’s bravado quotient to an entirely new level with his trademark growl that’s reminiscent (either by design or by accident) of the great Howlin’ Wolf. Deeper into the set, the trio remerges for a rendition of “Mailbox Blues” that hints at the mid-20th century swing music that would eventually evolve from the blues tradition.

Shemekia Copeland – with help from Hart, Harris and Wiggins – softens things up and turns up the heat at the same time with the sultry “Bring Your Fine Self Home,” a slow and simmering track whose urgent lyrics leave little question about what the singer is after: “What I need I can’t get on no telephone.”

Copeland, Hart, Harris and Wiggins trade vocals again on the closer, “Ramblin’ On My Mind,” but it’s Wiggins and his harp who steal the show with a seemingly limitless array of textures and riffs inserted between each verse.

True Blues – like the music and the tradition that it celebrates – runs the gamut of human emotion and worldly experience. When the voices and the songs and the stories are true, the blues offers something for every listener at every possible step on his or her journey.

“You have some sadness, or you have some trouble in your life sometimes,” says Wiggins. “And then sometimes you have joy. The blues is really about all that. It’s not just about one emotion or one part of life. It’s about all of your life.”

But performing remains a blues artist’s first love. With a string of upcoming tour dates, look for Corey Harris, Taj Mahal, Shemekia Copeland, Guy Davis, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Phil Wiggins to share the magic of True Blues onstage.

LORENZO FELICIATI & LORENZO ESPOSITO FORNASARI - BERSERK!

The first-ever collaboration between Italian bassist-composer Lorenzo Feliciati and Italian vocalist-multi-instrumentalist-sonic provocateur Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari (aka LEF) defies easy categorization as it awakens the senses. At times darker than the Grim Reaper and heavier than the soundtrack for the Apocalypse, it can turn on a dime and swing insistently, or wail mournfully, or float mysteriously. Is it rock? Is it jazz? Is it ambient, avant garde, opera or something else? Regardless of tags, the music that Feliciati and Fornasari make together as Berserk! on their self-titled debut stands an imposing manifesto. It is an iron fist upside the head of complacency.


Says Fornasari, "I have never been able to listen to the same style of music all the time so what I prefer is being free to play different things, going back and forth from opera to rock or jazz. That kind of insanity is probably the glue that put me and Feliciati together and actually makes Berserk! possible. And we should also thank Rare Noise Records, which has become a place where a pack of wild fellows, professionals from all over, can meet and do creative things together."

"We exchanged mutual admiration for our music through email," says Feliciati in explaining how the two formidable figures behind Berserk! finally hooked up, "and from there the next step was to get together and play. For me, it is natural to shout, 'Let's do some music together!' when you discover an artist that hits you so powerfully with his talent. And when we finally decided to collaborate, we liked the idea of giving the band a name that immediately gives a sense of power and dedication and brutal resolution."

With the two Lorenzos at the core of this formidable collective, they brought in such potent and provocative voices as guitarist Eivind Aarset, trombonist Gianluca Petrella, alto saxophonist Sandro Satta, keyboardist Jamie Saft, and drummers Cristiano Calcagnile and Pat Mastelotto (Feliciati's bandmate in Naked Truth) to enhance the proceedings. Fornasari, also a member of the bands Owls and Obake, described their unconventional method of music-making: "We defined some generic guidelines, though not necessarily in musical terms. The jumping off point for a particular track could have been a color or a landscape or even a word. The resulting product, then, sounds more like a soundtrack CD than a jazz or rock LP."

At the very first stage of recording, Feliciati made a demo of a song with bass guitar and keyboards, then sent it to Fornasari. "I recorded vocals and some orchestration," LEF explains, 'then handed it over to Pat who added drums. Then I sent Feliciati a couple of new tunes. We went on like this, producing a great amount of rough songs as a duo for the first six months of the 2012. Saft, Aarset, Puglisi, Satta and Cavina came in later. We thought something was missing though, thus we planned a 2/3 days of studio session with Petrella and Calcagnile in the fall, just a month before the mixing stage."

"Composing together for us means that we work in constant contact, sharing files and ideas and sending various versions of the song," adds Feliciati. "It must be a very well organized process but I believe it is a way of having a lot of freedom and responsibility on both sides of the creative process."

Berserk! opens with Feliciati's funky bass line fueling "Macabre Dance," which also introduces Fornasari's eerie, haunting vocals. Aarset contributes some jarring shriekback guitar work while Petrella offers some expressive electronic trombone work. Touches of funeral organ, subtle brushwork on the kit by Mastelotto and some allusions to composer Nino Rota in Fornasari's slyly whistled phrases add to the majesty of this mysterious opener. "Fetal Claustrophobia" opens with some ambient piano by Saft before settling into a spooky movie soundtrack vibe. Former King Crimson drummer Mastelotto then triggers a barrage of jungle beats matched by Petrella's elephantine blasts on trombone. Feliciati's grooving electric bass lines and Aarset's grinding fretboard flurries blend with Mastelotto's pounding Burundi beats to create a thunderous, kinetic undercurrent. And Petrella's electric trombone elevates the hybrid proceedings. This is provocative rock with a sprinkling of jazz on top.

"First" opens with a gentle piano into with little ambient ear cookies floating in and out of the mix. A sparse, melancholy, spacious ballad, it features some of Fornasari's most expressive singing juxtaposed by Aarset's thrashing power chords and wailing distortion-laced soloing. "Latent Prints" is a showcase for Sandro Satta's urgent alto sax work. This John Zorn-ish avantgarde free-for-all features some intense six-string eruptions by Aarset and an extended bass solo by Feliciati. Fornasari's fierce vocals are positively Satanic here, followed by more ironic whistling at the tag. "Dream Made of Water," fueled by Aarset's sonic six-string onslaught, is highlighted by Fornasari's intensely dramatic vocals which simultaneously border on heavy metal and opera.

A fresh-sounding reprise of "Macabre Dance" is followed by "Clairvoyance," a free jazz vehicle powered by Calcagnile's creative rubato playing on the kit. Feliciati anchors this piece with a bold ostinato on upright bass, recalling the memorizing mantra from John Coltrane's A Love Supreme. Petrella is showcased on some powerful harmonizer blowing on trombone and Calcagnile unleashes at the tag of this potent piece. "Dream Made of Wind," a peaceful meditation for trombone and electronics, recalls some of Brian Eno's ambient works. Petrella loops long tones and blows echo-laden statements on this electronic showcase. "Blow" is dark, conversational encounter between upright bass and alto sax while "Not Dead" is a slow grooving vehicle underscored by Feliciati's upright bass groove and featuring Fornasari's enigmatic vocals. The collection closes with the mysterious, ambient "Dream Made of Water," which culminates in a screaming crescendo of dark catharsis that showcases Fornasari's operatic vocals.

"I never worked with a voice like LEF's before," says Feliciati of his Berserk! partner. "I have done a lot of great pop albums with great singers, but LEF's voice is unique and we treated it more like an instrument in the creative process. So the musical territory we discovered with Berserk! Is something totally different and new." For Fornasari, the music on Berserk! is "the right soundtrack for a night trip through a psychedelic city."

While the dictionary definition of 'berserk' carries a whole string of negative connotations (listed at the top of this page) Feliciati is hoping that his band's self-titled debut will bring a new meaning to the term. "I'd like to think that Berserk! also means a very creative, powerful confusion that at the end becomes creative and powerful music without confusion." Fornasari had something else in mind. "I think the cover of this first album is pretty much self explanatory," he says. "We had that picture in mind when we named the band -- a double-headed monster in act of violently puking rage."

Berserk! will be released on May 6, 2013.

JOSHUA KWASSMAN - SONGS OF THE BROTHER SPIRIT

The journey from adolescence to adulthood can be a harrowing one. For composer and saxophonist Joshua Kwassman, that was true in a very literal sense, as a three-day bike trip, in August 2010, with an idolized childhood friend collapsed into chaos and shattered his youthful illusions.

While that trek itself found Kwassman growing up in a hurry, his musical recounting of the experience marks the debut of a remarkably mature young composer. Songs of the Brother Spirit, which will be released March 12 on Truth Revolution Records, spins the tale of that friendship into a moving, richly-hued collection of music influenced by composers from Ravel and Rachmaninoff to Maria Schneider and Vince Mendoza. The disc climaxes in the three-part suite "The Nowhere Trail," which follows Kwassman and his friend Justin through that ill-fated bike trip.

"I learned to be an adult through that experience," Kwassman says of the journey. "The essence of this album is about going through our relationship and how that has translated to my life."

Kwassman conveys this autobiographical account through lush, modernist arrangements that suggest an ensemble much larger and more varied than its six pieces. The group assembled for the project includes the composer himself on a variety of woodwinds, the ground-breaking guitarist Gilad Hekselman; guitarist Jeff Miles on "The Nowhere Trail Part I"; and the wordless vocals of Arielle Feinman, a classmate at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

The album is set at a time when Kwassman still looked up to his friend, when the two bonded over listening to jazz records for hours at a time. "We grew up together through music, listening to Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter and Coltrane," Kwassman recalls. "I bonded to him deeply through this music. So when I was writing the first piece on the album I was excited about sharing with him, thinking we'd be able to bond over something I had created in the same way we had with Miles."

Those early listening experiences decided Kwassman on a path to jazz composition. He studied at NYU, where he earned his Masters in the jazz program. He has since received two ASCAP Young Jazz Composer awards and performed with artists like Badal Roy, Ingrid Jensen, Mark Turner, and Geoffrey Keezer. But his main focus is on his own music, which reflects a wide range of influences from the innovative big band work of Maria Schneider and Darcy James Argue to forward-thinking composers like Pat Metheny and Brian Blade. Songs of the Brother Spirit evidences a gift for vivid communication and transporting emotional colors. As Kwassman succinctly says, "My goal is always to tell a story."

WILL DOWNING CELEBRATES 25 YEARS WITH THE RELEASE OF "SILVER"

Rewind to 1988, CDs outsold vinyl for the first time while a little known singer from Brooklyn released a self-titled debut on Island Records called Will Downing. Fast-forward to 2013, CDs have taken a backseat to MP3s but that singer from Brooklyn has withstood the test of time. Today, Will Downing, the Grammy® nominated reigning “Prince of Sophisticated Soul”, celebrates an incredible 25 years of recording excellence with his 16th album, “Silver”.

Silver is not a “Best of” or “Greatest Hits” collection. Silver is a personal invitation from Will Downing to his fans to jointly celebrate a quarter-century of giving his heart and soul through every song, concert and note. For loyalists that have been there from day one, it’s their Silver Anniversary.

Fittingly, Silver is a sweet combination of something “old”, something “new” and something “borrowed” - nothing “blue.” Starting with the “new,” this collection includes four fresh tracks, written by Downing and Chris “Big Dog” Davis with additional contributions from Tony Tolbert (Prof-T from LoKey?) and Gary Taylor (Anita Baker, The Whispers).

The lead single, “Stuff That I Like” - full of fun and flirty food metaphors and a beat that Steppers will find irresistible - has already been serviced to radio to great support and reviews. “What Would You Do?” rides a bouncy Caribbean feel to ask a pretty heavy question: “If you knew today was your last day...what would you do with it?” “You Were Meant Just For Me” is a sizzling duet of undeniably powerful musical chemistry with rising star Avery Sunshine, lamenting the mutual discovery of a perfect partner at a not so perfect time. “Never Find Another Love” has Downing singing through the footsteps of a man whose inner struggles forcehim to walk painfully yet mercifully away from an otherwise perfect relationship.

Unlike 1988, songs these days rarely come from such emotional places...

Something “borrowed” comes from Downing’s self-released trilogy of 4-song EPs Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Today’s challenge for classic artists releasing albums independently is employing a marketing and distribution strategy that keeps your message and product in front of fans. Will hand-picked seven of those songs for Silver including “The Michael Baisden Show“ - driven hit “One Step Closer” and “The Blessing” - voted Song of the Year in the Soul Tracks 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Something “old” (i.e. classic) on Silver is an exclusive “live” rehearsal recording of Will and his band performing a medley of his cover classic hits “I Go Crazy” / “Wishing on a Star” / “I Try”. Capriciously offering up playful banter and hidden flubs on this one, Will still audibly derives great pleasure from his craft.

Dreams have been fulfilled...so Happy Silver Anniversary to the “Prince of Sophisticated Soul” – WILL DOWNING!

Source: Visit THE JAZZ NETWORK WORLDWIDE "A GREAT PLACE TO HANG" at: http://www.thejazznetworkworldwide.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

JAN SHAPIRO - PIANO BAR AFTER HOURS

Jazz vocalist and longtime Berklee College vocal professor Jan Shapiro chose to focus on the challenging -- and revealing -- duo format for Piano Bar After Hours, her fourth CD and her first since 2007's Back to Basics. Shapiro tapped six of her favorite pianists, with whom she'd worked in various settings through the years, to accompany her on the new disc, which will be released by her Singing Empress label on April 9.

Before arriving at Berklee 28 years ago, Shapiro spent more than a decade on the road singing with bands five nights a week on the hotel circuit, from St. Louis and Chicago to such points east as Atlanta, New York City, and Washington, DC. By the early Eighties, however, changes in the economy had forced many of the venues at which she worked to employ her with a full band only on weekends. On weeknights, it was just Shapiro and a pianist.

That familiar setting is revisited on Piano Bar After Hours, with Shapiro applying her glowing, pitch-perfect three-octave soprano to a thoughtfully chosen program of jazz and American Songbook standards ("If I Were a Bell," "They Say It's Wonderful," Horace Silver's "Doodlin'," "Times Lie") and pop songs of more recent vintage ("Lost Up in Loving You," Rickie Lee Jones's "Company"). Ten of the 11 tracks are voice-and-piano collaborations, as pianists Daniela Schachter, Bob Winter, Tim Ray, Russell Hoffman, John Harrison III, and Adriana Balic take turns supporting Shapiro. For the 1984 Al Jarreau song "Tell Me," she and Balic were joined by Joey Blake on vocal bass and Bob Stoloff on vocal percussion. Both men have taught at Berklee and have worked with vocal innovator Bobby McFerrin.

Born in St. Louis and raised in tiny nearby Festus, Jan Shapiro attended the St. Louis Institute of Music and later enrolled at Howard University, earning a music degree cum laude. She completed her studies there while performing five nights a week at a Hyatt Hotel in Washington, DC.

"I was trained in traditional classical technique," Shapiro says of the influence of her classical music training at Howard. "It was invaluable, but since I'd always had classical training, I sometimes wondered if too much classical training would be difficult to transfer to pop and jazz styles. As it turned out, it was! If you have a Julie Andrews-type voice, as I do, how do you sing pop or jazz? It's a different aspect of your instrument, and the timbre and delivery of singing jazz is completely different."

"I don't know what category to put me in," she says of her unique style. "I'm not like the expected jazz singer, who would have a lower timbre and hold everything straight. I don't sound just like anyone."

After moving to Boston, Shapiro earned a master's in education at Cambridge College, and received an NEA grant, which she used to research early jazz singers and the Boswell Sisters. She became acting vocal chair at Berklee College of Music in the summer of 1996, and by January 1997 she was appointed head of the department -- the first female chairperson in Berklee's Performance Division. Shapiro served as chair until 2010 and remains a full professor at Berklee, currently teaching a class in vocal history; she also has 25 private students.

"As a teacher, my philosophy has been 'not everyone will be a star,'" says Jan, "'but there are practical things you can learn about your instrument.' I want to make sure that singers become empowered by good musicianship as well as excellent vocal craft."

On Piano Bar After Hours, Shapiro practices what she preaches through her breathtaking combination of flawless technique and depth of feeling.

www.janshapiro.com

YELLOWJACKETS - A RISE IN THE ROAD

A Rise In The Road, the Yellowjackets' second Mack Avenue Records offering, is indeed an appropriate title for a time-honored jazz ensemble that has never been fearful of facing newer musical horizons, not to mention the myriad challenges of life itself. Throughout their storied 32-year history, the Yellowjackets have undergone numerous lineup changes, never failing to rise to the inevitable challenges of adjustment. Keyboardist Russell Ferrante and bassist Jimmy Haslip, the dual cornerstones of the group's 21 previous recordings, were responsible for a sizable chunk of the Yellowjackets' catalogue. Yet despite those shifts, Ferrante and Haslip, along with saxophonist Bob Mintzer (23-year member) and drummer William Kennedy (14-year member, spread out between two different time periods), soldiered on with a professionalism that has resulted in 17 GRAMMY® nominations-with two wins-countless sold-out tours, and worldwide critical acclaim.


Last year Jimmy Haslip announced he was taking a hiatus to focus on other projects and spend more time with his family. Alas, all good things must come to an end, as he has decided to make his hiatus permanent. Although his leaving is seismic within the scope of the Yellowjackets' history-"A Rise In The Road," if you please-change is no stranger to this consistently innovative and adaptable collective. A Rise In The Road introduces a new member-bassist Felix Pastorius-to replace Haslip. Pastorius, whose last name is widely familiar to jazz aficionados, steps in to contribute his talents to the group's continuing sonic ventures (more on Felix Pastorius in a moment).

In 2010, the Yellowjackets signed to Mack Avenue Records and in 2011 released Timeline, which reached #5 on Billboard's jazz chart; the title cut received substantial national jazz radio airplay, making the song a staple on Billboard's "Smooth Jazz Songs" chart. Now the Yellowjackets unveil A Rise In The Road, a 10-track study that burnishes the group's sterling reputation for high quality tonal explorations and ensemble execution.

Produced by Ferrante, Mintzer and Kennedy, A Rise In The Road stands shoulder-to-shoulder with their 21 previous efforts. "It's about the challenges that people face in their lives and whatever path they are on: It's not always smooth sailing, it's not always a level road," explains Ferrante, with regards to the project's meaning. "Certainly, over the 32 years that we've been a band, we've had things come up, challenges such as musicians that have left the band, business people, relationships that you have built over the years. Things come to an end, and you have to meet the challenge and keep going forward."

Felix Pastorius is the newest Yellowjackets member. He is the son of legendary jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius, most known for his affiliation with jazz-fusion contemporaries, Weather Report. Prior to his death in 1986, Jaco had enlisted Mintzer to play saxophone in several of his post-Weather Report big band incarnations. Mintzer was familiar with Felix Pastorius as a top-flight musician, having sat in as a guest performer in the Jeff Coffin Mu' Tet where Felix was the bassist. "The music industry is a small place. We held auditions with a few bass players, and Felix's name came up," reflects Mintzer. "He was the one that rose to the top, really played well, and seemed like he had the personality that fit well. I believe we made the right choice." In a statement released upon officially joining the Yellowjackets in early 2012, Pastorius commented: "I am humbled by the opportunity to step in for Jimmy Haslip." A Rise In The Road also marks the first time in nearly 30-years that Jaco's bass was played on a new recording. The instrument can be heard on several tracks. Robert Trujillo (bassist for Metallica), who owns Jaco's bass, is a Pastorius family friend and generously loaned Felix the bass for the session.

As one half of the Yellowjackets rhythm engine, Will Kennedy stood to feel the impact of Jimmy Haslip's departure and Pastorius' addition directly. "When we got word that Jimmy was moving on, it was a shock to all of us because he had such a big footprint in our band. We weren't quite sure what the possibilities were or what it would be like." The three eased Pastorius into the fold by gigging with him for eight months during 2012, a move that allayed fears as the band gradually became comfortable playing together. "That shined some light on the situation," Kennedy continues. "As opposed to a detriment, it was more of an opportunity for us to grow and expand with a different combination of voices within our group. It turned out to be a pleasant experience, and it continued on into the recording process."

Prior to the recording process, each member arrived armed with the knowledge that whatever composition one brings to the table will receive proper respect. "It's very democratic," Mintzer says, describing the song selection process. "Once a song is brought to the table, it's free rein, basically. It's a given that the composer relinquishes his initial take when a song is given to the committee. Everyone is welcome to make adjustments and suggestions."

Ferrante penned "An Informed Decision," "An Amber Shade of Blue," "You'll Know When It's Time" and "Longing;" Kennedy contributed the sensual "Madrugada;" while Mintzer penned "When the Lady Dances," "Civil War," "Thank You" and "I Knew His Father." Mintzer titled "I Knew His Father" as both a tribute to Jaco Pastorius and a warm welcome into the Yellowjackets for Felix.

Additionally, Ferrante composed "Can't We Elope," a play off Herbie Hancock's famed "Cantaloupe Island." Ferrante explains, "'Can't We Elope' is kind of a bad pun. I borrowed the bass line and the feeling of the song from the Herbie's tune; the title plays off that." "Can't We Elope" features rising star trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, who also contributes creative flows on "An Informed Decision" and "An Amber Shade of Blue." Akinmusire is a past winner of both the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and the Carmen Caruso International Trumpet Solo Competition. "He's a young trumpeter who's been making a lot of noise," Ferrante reveals. "It was a real honor to have him record with us; he's a super-talented musician." From a historical perspective, while the band has rarely incorporated the trumpet on their previous albums, Akinmusire's appearance marks the second consecutive Yellowjackets album to feature the instrument.

"The actual recording process went smoothly," Ferrante relates. "Felix did a lot of homework; he had charts and demos of the new music." Mintzer adds, "On several of our records there were extensive overdubs. But on A Rise In The Road, it was mainly just the four of us playing live. There were a couple of little overdubs, but not nearly as much as previous albums. We accomplished a big, big sound. It sounds pretty wide for just four guys!" Ferrante agrees: "The music changes to accommodate new people. We're really pleased with the way A Rise In The Road came out."

"We do miss Jim, without a doubt," concludes Mintzer. "Whenever you change personnel in a partnership band like this one, things change dramatically. But somehow, this core of what the Yellowjackets is about remains; it transforms in one direction or another. But there is this strong sense of collaboration and strength in numbers that I seldom find in groups where there typically is a leader. A Rise In The Road is the next chapter of the Yellowjackets. We welcome Felix Pastorius to the fray and are grateful to have the opportunity to express ourselves in a way that reflects where we are all at in this very moment."

Upcoming Yellowjackets Appearances
April 9 - 13 / Marian's Jazz Room / Bern, Switzerland
April 23 - 27 / Birdland / New York, NY
May 22 - 23 / Jazziz Nightlife / Boca Raton, FL
May 25 / Jacksonville Jazz Festival / Jacksonville, FL
June 25 / Rochester Jazz Festival / Rochester, NY
July 5 / Syracuse Jazz Festival / Syracuse, NY
July 6 / Windsor Jazz Jam / Windsor, CT
July 7 / Blue Mountain Jazz / Blue Mountain, Canada
July 19 / Highland Theater / Albuquerque, NM
July 20 / One World Theater / Austin, TX
July 21 / Dosey Doe / Woodlands, TX
August 4 / Hartwood Acres Amphitheater / Pittsburgh, PA
August 16 - 17 / Sculler's Jazz Club / Boston, MA
August 18 / Hollywood Bowl / Los Angeles, CA
August 31 / Tuscumbia Country Club Festival / Green Lake, WI
September 25 - 28 / Jazz at the Bistro / St. Louis, MO
October 3 / Kuumbwa / Santa Cruz, CA
October 4 / Gallo Center PAC / Modesto, CA
October 19 / Tversted Jazzy Days / Tversted, Denmark
October 27 / TBA / Katowice, Poland
November 9 / Lawrence University Jazz Series / Appleton, WI

A Rise In The Road - Track Listing & Personnel
1. What The Lady Dances (Bob Mintzer)
2. Civil War (Bob Mintzer)
3. Can't We Elope (Russell Ferrante)
4. An Informed Decision (Russell Ferrante)
5. Longing (Russell Ferrante)
6. Thank You (Bob Mintzer)
7. Madrugada (William Kennedy)
8. An Amber Shade (Russell Ferrante)
9. (You'll Know) When It's Time (Russell Ferrante)
10. I Knew His Father (Bob Mintzer)

Russell Ferrante - Piano, Keyboards
Bob Mintzer - Sax
William Kennedy - Drums, Keyboards
Felix Pastorius - Bass
Special Guest: Ambrose Akinmusire - Trumpet on 3,4,8

MIKE MACARTHUR - FEELS LIKE HOME

“When are you going to let me make a record with you?” For years, Grammy-nominated bassist Brian Bromberg posed this question to saxophonist Mike MacArthur. Finally the saxman acquiesced. He grabbed his tenor horn, hopped a jet and camped out in Bromberg’s Los Angeles-area home studio until the record was complete. The two musicians invited a handful of their high-profile friends over to play on the album, “Feels Like Home,” which will be released June 4th by Paradise Point Music. Bromberg produced and plays acoustic bass on the 10-song multihued mix of contemporary and straight-ahead jazz and blues that features contributions from trumpeter Rick Braun, keyboardist Jeff Lorber and guitarist Jeff Golub. The tabernacle temblor “Sanctified,” the disc’s gospel-inspired first single, is already gracing radio playlists and ascending the charts.

“’Sanctified’ is kind of the mack daddy track on the album because everyone is on it. It was the most labor-intensive tune to record,” said MacArthur, who will open for Grammy-winner Queen Latifah on Tuesday (March 26) at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL. “The whole album, which began with Brian (Bromberg), is simply friends making music because they want to. These guys are friends and family who I’ve worked with over the years and it felt like home hanging out playing what we wanted to play. Working with players like this just makes you a better player. It was a fun and enjoyable hang.”

The circle of friends was completed by noted percussionist Alex Acuna, Ron Reinhardt (piano/B3 organ), Gannin Arnold (guitar), Frank “Third” Richardson (drums), and vocalists Janelle Sadler and Alva Copeland.

With MacArthur’s impassioned and skilled sax anchoring the album along with plenty of walking bass deftly deployed by Bromberg, each guest is given ample room to dazzle on extended improvisational solos and generous track lengths. Bromberg’s productions sound live and as one would expect from this list of friends, the level of musicianship is scholarly.

Typical of when jazz musicians gather to jam, most of the songs on “Feels Like Home” are standards culled from legends and masters such as Miles Davis (“Jean Pierre”), Duke Ellington (“In A Sentimental Mood”), Sonny Rollins (“Blue Seven”), Joe Zawinul (“Birdland”) and Horace Silver (“Filthy McNasty”). MacArthur authored a trio of new compositions for the set, including the warm and cozy title track, “Around The Corner,” a shuffling blues cut penned with Golub’s gritty blues guitar chops in mind, and the swinging “Sydney Style.”

Raised in Rochester, NY and currently residing in Tampa, FL, MacArthur toured the U.S., Asia and Europe backing Maynard Ferguson followed by a road stint with Grammy-winner Diane Schuur. Over the years, he’s worked with Braun, Bromberg, Golub, Roger Waters, Franki Valli, Peter White, Craig Chaquico, Rick Derringer, Chieli Minucci and Jeff Kashiwa. MacArthur released his solo debut, “Paradise Point,” in 2000, which was followed by “Deal Me In” (2002), “That’s What I’m Talkin’ ‘Bout” (2006) and “Live ‘N Kickin’” (2009). “Feels Like Home” is his first collection backed by the muscle of radio promotions, marketing and publicity campaigns. For more information, please visit www.mikemacarthur.com.

The songs contained on MacArthur’s “Feels Like Home” album are:
“Filthy McNasty”
“Birdland”
“Sanctified”
"Feels Like Home”
“Around The Corner”
“Jean Pierre”
“Sydney Style”
“Blue Seven”
"In A Sentimental Mood”
“Mo Better Blues”

BOB JAMES & DAVID SANBORN - QUARTETTE HUMAINE

OKeh Records will release keyboardist-composer-arranger Bob James and alto saxophonist David Sanborn's new album, Quartette Humaine, on May 21, 2013. The project is the first collaboration between the two musicians since their 1986 Platinum-selling, GRAMMY® Award-winning album, Double Vision. An all-acoustic quartet offering, Quartette Humaine pays tribute to the late iconic pianist-composer Dave Brubeck, putting a prime spotlight on his work that featured alto saxophonist Paul Desmond.


"David and I realized long ago that Double Vision had become more successful than we originally imagined it could be," James says. "Ironically, although we've met in the studio, doing other people's projects, we've never toured, or performed together live as a band. The exception was a midnight jam session at the Tokyo Jazz Festival a few years ago. We played just a couple of tunes, but it engendered the feeling that a reunion was way overdue."

On their second go-round, the old masters eschew the pop and R&B production values that mark large chunks of their respective discographies, and offer instead an all-acoustic quartet recital consisting of four new compositions by James, three pieces by Sanborn, and two James-arranged covers ("My Old Flame," "Geste Humain"). Propelled by legendary drummer Steve Gadd and 21st century bass giant James Genus, the proceedings are reflective, swinging, chock-a-block with unfailingly melodic improvising and beautiful tonalities.

"At this stage of my life, I wanted more than anything to play music that's challenging and fun, outside the style we've been associated with," Sanborn says. "For various reasons, a lot of my records only reflected one side of the many kinds of music I was doing." Over the past decade, Sanborn adds, his records "reflect a side of my sensibility that I hadn't been expressing as much, paying respects to guys like Hank Crawford and David 'Fathead' Newman, who inspired me to start when I was a teenager in St. Louis."

"We felt it's far more exciting and adventurous to move forward," James says. "Times have changed. The music business has changed. We have changed."

It's a poignant coincidence that the recording sessions occurred in December 2012, a week after the death of Dave Brubeck, who the protagonists were thinking of as they gestated Quartette Humaine. "We talked about the interplay of Brubeck's quartet with Paul Desmond," Sanborn says. Coming from that, I assumed we'd make a quartet date. I like being able to really hear all the individual instruments. We had this beautiful 9-foot grand piano, and you can hear its sound ring out. You get more sonic purity without all those other elements."

Indeed, both the tunes and treatments channel Brubeck's gift for creating communicative music from highbrow raw materials. "Dave has a similar capability to Paul Desmond-though in a different way-in that the lyric quality of the way they play takes it into an emotional-romantic concept rather than an intellectual one," James says of Sanborn. "I felt-and I still do when I listen to the Brubeck quartet-that they were taking us on an adventure, and some of the adventure was challenging. Just when you thought you knew where you were going, they'd go somewhere different."

It's this adventurous, "in-the-moment" spirit that fuels Sanborn and James on Quartette Humaine. "It's so much fun to do it this way," Sanborn reflects. "I used to separate live playing from being in the studio, and got into a mindset of having to labor over a record and make it right. I want the studio to reflect that live experience-the fun of discovery, not knowing what's going to happen until it happens."

Upcoming Bob James & Bob James Appearances:
June 6 / Town Hall / New York, NY
June 8 / Fraze Pavillon/ Kettering, OH
June 9 / Capital Jazz Fest / Columbia, MD
June 14 / Rotary Amphitheatre / Fresno, CA
June 15 / Thornton Winery / Temecula, CA
June 16 / Playboy Jazz Festival/ Los Angeles, CA
June 17 / SFJAZZ Center / San Francisco, CA
June 19 / Schermerhorn Symphony Center / Nashville, TN
June 20 / Jazziz Night Life / Boca Raton, FL
June 21/ Plaza Live / Orlando, FL
June 22 / Palladium Theater / St. Petersburg, FL
June 24 / Ottawa Jazz Fest /Ottawa, ON
June 25 / Toronto Jazz Fest / Toronto, CA
June 26 / Chene Park / Detroit, MI
June 27 / Rochester Jazz Fest / Rochester, NY
June 28 / Keswick Theatre/ Glenside, PA
June 29 / Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Fest / Saratoga, NY
June 30 / Hampton Jazz Fest / Hampton, VA
July 9 / Istanbul Jazz Festival / Istanbul, Turkey
July 12 / North Sea Jazz Festival / Rotterdam, Netherlands
July 16 / Montreux Jazz Fest / Montreux, Switzerland
July 20 / TBA / St. Moritz, Switzerland
July 21 / Montreux Jazz Fest / Montreux, Switzerland
August 7 / TBA / Haugesund, Norway
August 23 / Back Bay Amphitheater / Newport Beach, CA
August 24 / Mountain View Plaza / Snoqualmie, WA
August 25 / Esther Short Park / Vancouver, WA
September 4 - 5 / Blue Note / Tokyo, Japan
September 9 / Tokyo Jazz Festival / Tokyo, Japan
October 24 / St. Cecilia Music Center / Grand Rapids, MI
October 25 / Manchester's Craftsman's Guild / Pittsburgh, PA
October 27 / The State Theater / New Brunswick, NJ
October 31 / TBA / Zurich, Switzerland
November 3 / TBA / Salzburg, Austria
November 5 / TBA / Lugano, Switzerland
November 8 / TBA / Vienna, Austria
November 9 / TBA / Horsens, Denmark
November 14 / Leverkusan Jazz Fest / Leverkusan, NJ

Quartette Humaine - Tracklisting:
1. You Better Not Go to College (Bob James)
2. Geste Humain (Alice Soyer)
3. Sofia (David Sanborn)
4. Follow Me (Bob James)
5. My Old Flame (Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow)
6. Another Time, Another Place (David Sanborn)
7. Montezuma (Bob James)
8. Genevieve (David Sanborn)
9. Deep in the Weeds (Bob James)

GEOF BRADFIELD - MELBA!

Saxophonist/composer Geof Bradfield's new CD Melba!, which Origin Records will release on April 16, has been a long time coming. Bradfield's suite for jazz septet, a tribute to the great yet underheralded arranger/trombonist Melba Liston (1926-1999), received its premiere performances last summer in Chicago and other Midwest cities. It was supported by a commission from Chamber Music America's 2011 New Jazz Works program (with funding by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation), allowing Bradfield to research the rich Liston trove at Columbia College Chicago's Center for Black Music Research.

And before that, there was a deep and long-standing personal connection with Melba's music. Bradfield had discovered her through such landmark Randy Weston recordings as Uhuru Afrika (1960) and The Spirits of Our Ancestors (1991). "When I came up in the 1980s and was learning to play, everything seemed to be about extreme instrumental virtuosity," he says. "The music of Randy and Melba was more complex. It had color and depth and a range of emotional expression. It had a real human element."

For the concert performances and recording of Melba!, Bradfield called on trumpeter Victor Garcia, trombonist Joel Adams, pianist Ryan Cohan, guitarist Jeff Parker, bassist Clark Sommers, and drummer George Fludas. This is the same group (minus Adams) that appeared on the saxophonist's acclaimed 2010 Origin Records release, African Flowers, which itself was influenced by the Weston/Liston recordings.

"I loved the way their music tied a lot of things together: African music and Duke Ellington and bebop harmony and the extreme use of dissonance, which in Liston's hands could suggest Stravinsky," says Bradfield. "Their music transcended craft. They created a path from one form of music, and one aspect of culture, to the other. They showed you how everything fit together."

The movements trace the musical arc of Liston's life, from "Kansas City Child" and "Central Avenue" to "Dizzy Gillespie," "Randy Weston," "Detroit/Kingston," and "Homecoming." Closing out the CD, vocalist Maggie Burrell delivers a majestic version of "Let me not lose this dream," with text by Harlem Renaissance poet Georgia Douglas Johnson and piano-bass accompaniment.

Perhaps in part because she was so private, Liston is not as familiar to average listeners as other great jazz arrangers of her era such as Gil Evans and Oliver Nelson. Bradfield hopes to help change that with Melba!, which illuminates what a remarkable individual she was in achieving such success as a woman in a man's world and as a bold innovator with her own style and methodology.

"Through the course of six carefully composed movements," wrote Howard Reich in his Chicago Tribune review of the septet's September 2012 Green Mill performance, "Melba! evoked the spirit of Liston's times but still carried the hallmarks of Bradfield's musical language. The long lines, complex themes and meticulous structuring of this score pointed to the high craft of Bradfield's writing."

The premiere of Melba! capped a banner year for Bradfield. One of a handful of saxophonists who brings the same intensity and edgy power to soprano as he does to tenor, he contributed memorable performances on both horns to standout albums by three of the Windy City's finest: bassist Marlene Rosenberg, trumpeter Tito Carrillo, and guitarist John Moulder. He also produced singer Rebecca Sullivan's well-received debut, This Way, This Time.

The 42-year-old Houston native, who last year was named an assistant professor of saxophone and jazz studies at Northern Illinois University, continues the pace in 2013 with several projects. A new recording by Ba(SH), Bradfield's collective trio with Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall, will be released by Origin this summer. He plays bass clarinet on the third album by bassist and rising star Matt Ulery's Loom, out on Dave Douglas's Greenleaf label in June. Bradfield also contributes to forthcoming releases by Ryan Cohan (Motéma) and Dana Hall (Origin).

With the CD release imminent, Melba! continues to occupy much of Bradfield's attention. He and his septet will perform the suite at the Green Mill 6/1 as well as later this summer at the Chicago Jazz Festival, which will present him at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park 8/30 as part of a triple bill (with Wadada Leo Smith and Charles Lloyd).

"I feel very fortunate to write for and perform with all of the musicians on this recording, each of whom brings a very personal voice to the group," Bradfield wrote in his CD notes. "Their creative input along the way transformed the dots and lines on the sterile page, "bringing Melba! to life" -- and Liston's soulful legacy to the fore.

www.geofbradfield.com

BOBBY MCFERRIN - SPIRITYOUALL

For decades, Bobby McFerrin has broken all the rules. The 10-time Grammy winner waged a quiet revolution, blurring the distinction between pop music and high art, goofing around barefoot in the world's finest concert halls, exploring uncharted vocal territory, inspiring a whole new generation of a cappella singers and the beatbox movement. Now he surprises us by bringing it all back home with his new album, spirityouall, available on May 14, 2013 from Sony Masterworks.

On spirityouall Bobby McFerrin invites us to sit on the stoop awhile and listen as he throws some unexpected new ingredients into the melting pot and reinvents Americana. He embraces it all - bluegrass and the baroque, heartfelt lyrics and wordless melodies, joy and sorrow - across genres, across boundaries, across generations. He invites us back to the great folk tradition of lifting our voices to sing together through life's trials and triumphs.

spirityouall features seven classic spirituals, an unexpected cover (Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released"), and five original tunes ranging from a celebratory hoedown ("Rest") to a polemic anthem ("Woe"), to a down and dirty blues setting of Psalm 25:15. The stellar band includes Esperanza Spalding , who sings with Bobby on three tracks, Larry Grenadier on bass, multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell , drummers Ali Jackson and Charley Drayton , and accordionist/keyboard wizard/arranger/musical director Gil Goldstein . spirityouall was recorded at Avatar Recording and Shelter Island Sound, both in New York City.

The bluesy, feel-good recording is an unexpected move from the music-industry rebel who singlehandedly redefined the role of the human voice with his a cappella hit "Don't Worry, Be Happy," his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma , Chick Corea and the Vienna Philharmonic, his improvising choir Voicestra, and his legendary solo vocal performances. spirityouall continues Bobby's lifelong quest to integrate all the influences of the musical universe. But as in so many great American tales, sometimes it turns out that everything one is searching for is in one's own backyard.

spirityouall honors the legacy of Bobby's father, the opera singer Robert McFerrin, Sr. , the first African-American to sign a contract with the Metropolitan Opera Company and a renowned interpreter of the American Negro spiritual. It was the elder McFerrin's 1957 recording, "Deep River" and Other Classic Negro Spirituals, that inspired Bobby to record his own set of devotional songs. He sat on the idea for some 20 years before deciding that the time was right. "I had the idea of taking some of my father's pieces and reinterpreting them. In the meantime, I had also been writing some pieces that had a spiritual bent, and so the album is a combination of originals, traditional spirituals and things I heard my father sing." Bobby grew up absorbing and singing these songs.

Three of the traditional numbers featured on spirityouall - the opening track "Every Time I Feel the Spirit," "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" and "Fix Me Jesus" - also appeared on Bobby's father's album, but any similarities end there. Bobby McFerrin 's wholly improvisational approach to vocalizing is markedly different than his dad's more formal operatic style, and the usage of rhythm instruments on spirityouall - the title a clever play on the word spiritual - as well as acoustic and pedal steel guitars, accordions, violin, mandolin and electronic keyboards, places Gil Goldstein 's elegant, rousing arrangements and McFerrin's uplifting vocals more in line with contemporary Americana than conventional gospel. What attracted McFerrin to delivering his own interpretations of these songs, and to write several new ones, was simply his lifelong belief in what they say. The spirituals are about liberation and courage, the human condition, the pioneering spirit, the search for strength in the face of adversity, and the journey toward a better place.

spirityouall is a deeply personal statement for Bobby McFerrin . "I couldn't do anything without faith," he says. "I couldn't open up my eyes, I couldn't walk, I couldn't speak, I couldn't sing. What I want everyone to experience at the end of my concerts is…this sense of rejoicing. I don't want the audience to be blown away by what I do, I want them to have this sense of real joy, from the depths of their being. Then you open up a place where grace can come in."

Bobby McFerrin 's spirityouall album will be available for pre-order beginning this month, March 2013. He is currently on tour with a new band in support of the release.

U.S. Tour Dates
March 25, 2013 - Ogden, Utah, Peery's Egyptian Theatre
March 26, 2013 - Logan, Utah, Ellen Eccles Theatre
March 27, 2013 - Logan, Utah, Ellen Eccles Theatre
March 28, 2013 - Idaho Falls, ID, Civic Auditorium
March 30, 2013 - San Francisco, CA, Davies Symphony Hall
April 2, 2013 - Santa Barbara, CA, The Granada Theatre
April 3, 2013 - Los Angeles, CA, Disney Hall
April 5, 2013 - Davis, CA, Mondavi Center
April 6, 2013 - Reno, NV, Grand Theater at the Grand Sierra Resort
April 7, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV, The Smith Center
April 9, 2013 - Greenville, NC, East Carolina University/Wright Auditorium
April 11, 2013 - Greenville, SC, Peace Center Hall
April 12, 2013 - Roanoke, VA, Shaftman Performance Hall
April 14, 2013 - Boston, MA, Symphony Hall
April 16, 2013 - Garden City, NY, Adelphi U Long Island
April 18, 2013 - Ann Arbor, MI, Hill Auditorium
April 19, 2013 - Grand Rapids, MI, Forest Hills Fine Arts Center
April 20, 2013 - Chicago, IL, Symphony Center
April 23, 2013 - Akron, OH, The University of Akron E. J. Thomas Hall
April 25, 2013 - St. Louis, MO, Sheldon Concert Hall
April 26, 2013 -  Kansas City, MO, Helzberg Hall
April 27, 2013 - Minneapolis, MN, Orchestra Hall
May 13, 2013 - Washington, D.C., Kennedy Center

SMOKEY ROBINSON SIGNS WITH VERVE RECORDS; SET TO RELEASE DUETS ALBUM

Legendary Motown icon and Grammy® award-winning songwriter, Smokey Robinson , has signed a record deal with Verve Music Group. Robinson was signed to the label by its Chairman, David Foster , to release his 29th career LP, a special duets album, due out this coming fall. The album will also be guided by highly regarded A&R executive, Jay Landers . In addition, Robinson made a surprise appearance on last night's American Idol where he served as a mentor to the show's contestants. During the broadcast, Idol host Ryan Seacrest brought attention to Robinson's forthcoming album and spotlighted the artist's new project.


"I'm really excited about signing with Verve Music Group to release this upcoming album," said Smokey Robinson . "Not only do I have a musical history with the guys involved, but a longstanding friendship as well. I'm looking forward to bringing our talents to the table as we collaborate on this project."

"From the early 60's to this very day, you can turn on a radio anywhere in the world and hear his music," said David Foster , Verve Music Group Chairman. " Smokey Robinson 's contributions to the world of music as a performer, producer and songwriter are nothing short of a 'miracle'. I'm so pleased to welcome Smokey to the Verve Music Group family. We're looking forward to a great collaboration worthy of the legacy of this great label."

The album, which is due out in the fourth quarter of 2013, features Robinson performing his greatest hits alongside a celebrated roster of contemporary and classic artists whose influence will span the depth of Robinson's stellar 50 plus year career. Unlike any other duet-themed project produced to date, this unique album will include hits all written by Robinson, such as all-time favorites: "My Girl," "Cruisin," and "The Tears of a Clown," to name a few.

Once pronounced by Bob Dylan as America's "greatest living poet," acclaimed singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson 's career spans over four decades of hits. He has received numerous awards including two Grammy's, the Grammy Living Legend Award, NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award, Honorary Doctorate (Howard University), Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts Award from the President of the United States. He has also been inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters' Hall of Fame.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Robinson founded The Miracles while still in high school. The group was Berry Gordy 's first vocal group, and it was at Robinson's suggestion that Gordy started the Motown Records dynasty. Their single of Robinson's "Shop Around" became Motown's first #1 hit on the R&B singles chart. In the years following, Robinson continued to pen hits for the group, including "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," "Ooh Baby Baby," "The Tracks of My Tears," "Going to a Go-Go," "More Love," "The Tears of a Clown" (co-written with Stevie Wonder ), and "I Second That Emotion."

The Miracles dominated the R&B scene throughout the 1960's and early 70's and Robinson became Vice President of Motown Records serving as in-house producer, talent scout and songwriter.

In addition to writing hits for The Miracles, Robinson wrote and produced hits for other Motown greats including The Temptations, Mary Wells , Brenda Holloway , Marvin Gaye and others. "The Way You Do the Things You Do," "My Girl," "Get Ready," "You Beat Me to the Punch," "Don't Mess with Bill," "Ain't That Peculiar," and " My Guy " are just a few of his songwriting triumphs during those years.

John Lennon of The Beatles made countless remarks regarding Robinson's influence on his music. The Beatles had recorded Robinson and The Miracles' "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" in 1963 and in 1982 another popular British group, The Rolling Stones, covered the Robinson and the Miracles' hit, "Going To A Go-Go."

He later turned to a solo career where he continued his tradition of hit making with "Just to See Her ," "Quiet Storm," "Cruisin'," and "Being with You," among others.

He remained Vice President of Motown records until the sale of the company, shaping the label's success with friend and mentor Berry Gordy . Following his tenure at Motown, Robinson has released several successful solo albums and continues his impressive touring career to date.

During the course of his 50 plus year career in music, Robinson has accumulated more than 4,000 songs to his credit and continues to thrill sold-out audiences around the world with his high tenor voice, impeccable timing, and profound sense of lyric. Never resting on his laurels, Smokey Robinson remains a beloved icon in our musical heritage.

www.smokeyrobinson.com

THE GREG HOPKINS QUINTET + ONE - REALITY CHECK

Reality Check on Un-Gyve Records features ten original tracks by superlative composer, arranger, and trumpeter Greg Hopkins plus a new take on the Rodgers and Hart "Spring is Here". Hear the humility and generosity of these master musicians performing these brilliant compositions, a musical dialogue born of a long-working band that has paid its dues, Reality Check is the real deal. Six of our premiere jazz players offer up a Reality Check with the unparalleled compositions and arrangements of the great Greg Hopkins "the sound and spirit of a real working band."

An ensemble of the highest order — musicians' musicians — led by trumpeter Greg Hopkins , featuring tenor man Billy Pierce , veteran of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and the Tony Williams Quintet; guitar guru Mick Goodrick , acclaimed for his harmonically intricate accompaniments; drum icon Gary Chaffee whose influence on the contemporary drum scene is told with an excerpt of his student roster, from Vinnie Colaiuta to Joey Kramer ; Lyle Lovett 's long-time pianist Tim Ray ; and the powerful bassist Dave Zinno .

Greg Hopkins started in Detroit, making his way around the globe, arranging and performing for our most celebrated musicians from Gillespie and Sinatra to the Supremes; Motown to Symphony Hall. On composing and performing Hopkins says, "After years of doing this, I know what works and what doesn't, but I still experiment. Every piece is a nail biter."

He was writer and arranger for Buddy Rich and Herb Pomeroy , and more recently for Grammy® winner Esperanza Spalding , and her "Radio Music Society" tour.

NEW RELEASES - RONNIE FOSTER, BOSSA NOVA BABY, BLUEY

RONNIE FOSTER - SWEET REVIVAL

 

A funky keyboard treasure – a smoking organ and Fender Rhodes session that is one of the greatest Blue Note albums by Ronnie Foster! Foster plays organ on the set, next to electric piano by Ernie Hayes – and the pair stir up the sound wonderfully as they glide over grooves, soaring on twin keyboard lines that really make for a magical sound! A few tracks get hard and funky, and others have that superdope laidback feel that made all of Foster's early work so great – especially for the Quest-era sample crowd. The album's got some really great 70s soul covers, mixed with a few tasty originals – and titles include "Backstabbers", "Lisa's Love", "Superwoman", "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Sweet Revival", "Some Neck", "Inot", and "It's Just Gotta Be That Way". ~ Dusty Groove

 

BOSSA NOVA BABY - A SULTRY GROOVE (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

 

A sweet little collection that goes way beyond basic bossa nova – as it offers up tunes from a host of different vintages, in different styles of the genre – including some surprising gems from recent years too! Vintage material is blended nicely with cuts from Far Out and a few other current labels – and together, the tracks show the strong evolution of bossa nova into the 21st Century – way past the basic sounds at the start. There's a number of tracks on here we've never heard before – and titles include "The Girl From Ipanema" by Paula Santoro, "O Nosso Amor" by Vanja Orico, "Agua De Beber" by Xavier Osmir, "Meu Samba Torto" by Clara Moreno, "How Insensitive" by Simao Morto, "Rio Bahia" by Joyce, "Wave" by Victor Assis Brasil, "Mas Que Nada" by Rio Combo, "Dindi" by Paula Santoro with Hugh Burns, "So Danco Samba" by Gustavo Marques, and "Salve Dom" by Armando Marcal. 32 tracks on 2CDs – quite a deal! ~ Dusty Groove

 

BLUEY - LEAP OF FAITH

 

No need for a leap of faith where Bluey's concerned – as we've been loving his music with Incognito for many many years, and we're more than happy to hear the man on his own! The vibe here is every bit as soulful and righteous as the best Incognito work – but there's also a more personal sound, too – especially since Bluey's on lead vocals on every track – quite a change from before, as he often lets other singers take the lead! Turns out, Bluey's a hell of a lead singer on his own – with this warm and slightly raspy style that really fits in wonderfully with the grooves – which are heavy on Bluey's own guitar, plus keyboards and other instrumentation from Ski Oakenfull and Richard Bull. If you like Incognito as much as us, there's plenty to love here – and titles include "Stronger", "Leap Of Faith", "Sky", "Keep Myself Together", "Ain't Nobody's Business", "Got To Let My Feelings Show", and "Live Like A Millionaire".  ~ Dusty Groove

YOUN SUN NAH - LENTO

Female singers who manage to stir a whole genre are seldom found. Diana Krall and Norah Jones are such outstanding talents who gave vocal jazz a whole new colour, and Korean singer Youn Sun Nah has been equally phenomenal. In the last few years she has conquered the music world with her albums Voyage (2009) and Same Girl (2010) released on ACT Music."

A miracle," "a great piece of art," "enchanting," "a world-class singer" - just some of the overwhelmingly positive responses from the press to these albums. Within two years Nah had received her fourth "Korean Music Award," the BMW World Jazz Award and the ECHO Jazz Award for best international female singer whilst in France, her second home, Same Girl was the best-selling jazz album of the year in 2011, Nah received the "Prix Mimi Perrin du Jazz Vocal" as female vocalist of the year, the leading magazine "Jazzman" awarded her with "Choc de l'annee 2012" as artist of the year and she was granted the title of nobility "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the culture secretary, putting her in the prominent company of such stars as David Bowie, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Dustin Hoffman.

 

What is the secret of her remarkable success? Her new album Lento gives an explanation by combining Nah's unique qualities. One of them is the blending of different cultural and musical sources, in a respectful yet unconventional manner. Besides jazz and related styles, she draws on chanson, pop and folk music, and in addition to compositions by herself and her band members, there is the extremely light version of the Korean folk song "Arirang" as well as "Hurt" by the alternative rock band Nine Inch Nails, and Stan Jones' "Ghost Riders In The Sky," a classic country song made famous by Johnny Cash.

 

For the first time Nah also calls upon European classical music: Alexander Scriabin's "Prelude op. 16 No. 4 in E minor" with its tempo indication "Lento" was a source of inspiration for the album's title, and it also sets up an intimate, atmospheric and harmonious musical world. Nah unfolds her expressive power especially in the peaceful and slow-paced moments - on the fragile chanson "Full Circle," with heartbreaking grievance on "Lament" or artistic unison singing on "Momento Magico."

 

On Lento it becomes more apparent that Nah's voice ties the songs together. It is the precision of her intonation and phrasing, great timing and crystal voice that enable her to turn minimalistic forms into powerful emotions, pure elegance and magic. All this requires extremely subtle and considerate co-musicians, therefore the successful lineup from Same Girl was the first choice for Lento as well: Nah's longstanding duet partner Ulf Wakenius on guitar, Lars Danielsson on bass and Xavier Desandre-Navarre on percussion. The fourth member of the band is new - the French accordion magician Vincent Peirani. Two pieces on "Lento" were written by him and, similarly to Youn Sun Nah, his variations and ideas seem to emerge from an inner voice, which is one of the reasons why there is perfect interaction between the two musicians.

With her universal yet individual style Youn Sun Nah gives traditional vocal jazz a new flavor, while unconventionally and effortlessly exploring new exciting spaces. She is one of the most outstanding representatives of vocal jazz that includes the whole spectrum of contemporary music.

BILLY STEWART - UNBELIEVABLE / CROSS MY HEART

Billy Stewart's second album, 1966's Unbelievable, and the posthumous, 1974 odds-and-ends collection Cross My Heart are combined onto one CD for this 79-minute compilation. It's not apt to satisfy non-completists as it's not a best-of, missing the majority of his chart hits and including just one big smash, "Summertime." For those looking for supplements to his most popular songs, however, it's not a bad deal, and includes quite a few tracks not likely to be found on other compilations.

The centerpiece is the Unbelievable album which, in keeping with his unexpectedly successful, exuberantly stuttering update of "Summertime," is comprised entirely of pop standards given a soul treatment. "Summertime" is still far and away the standout of that LP's dozen tracks, in part because some of the others have more middle of the road, pop-jazz-oriented arrangements. Nonetheless, if you want to hear him tackle like-minded material like "Moon River," "My Funny Valentine," "Over the Rainbow," "That Old Black Magic," "Misty," and a couple more by "Summertime" composers George & Ira Gershwin, this is your chance. The most liberal interpretations that make the most of his freewheeling trademark scat-stutter style, like "Moon River," "That Old Black Magic," and "Canadian Sunset," are more enjoyable by far than his more straightforward ballad readings.

The 12 tracks from Cross My Heart were taken from various 1964-1969 singles, with the exception of one of the better cuts, "Fat Boy's Boogaloo," a 1967 James Brown-flavored Stewart original that made its first appearance on that 1974 LP. Generally, these aren't as striking as his best hits, with some exceptions like 1964's "Tell It Like It Is," which puts his fully developed, odd vocalizations to infectious, upbeat, mid-'60s soul without a hint of influence from the pop standards. The rest is good to acceptable '60s Chess soul fare, though, Stewart proving himself capable of writing a good straightforward soul-pop ballad on "How Nice It Is" and "Why Am I Lonely." Some of the late-'60s tracks get slicker and more faceless from both the production and songwriting viewpoints, though the cover of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" works better than you might expect. The Shout label does a good job with the packaging of this rather awkward match of vintage albums, adding historical liner notes and sequencing the Cross My Heart tracks so they're heard in chronological order rather than the scattershot sequencing used on the original LP. ~ Richie Unterberger

Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of albums from the R&B vocalist on one disc. Billy Stewart is best known for his distinctive and iconic version of 'Summertime', George Gershwin's standard from Porgy & Bess. 'Summertime', a U.S. Top 10 Pop and R&B hit in the summer of 1966 was the lead track on Billy's Unbelievable' album on Chess, and it is fascinating to hear 'Summertime' in context. ... Full Description Stewart developed his own idiosyncratic 'word-doubling' vocal delivery, and was supported by brassy arrangements combining the best elements of Soul and Big Band Jazz. Also included as bonus tracks are a collection of Billy's Chess recordings from across the 1960s; once released by Chess in 1974 as a compilation called Cross My Heart, which features many Northern Soul favorites. Shout.2011. Audio Remasterer: Simon Murphy. Liner Note Author: Clive Robertson. ~ CD Universe