NEW RELEASES - MOVEMENTS VOLUME 5, THE ROUGH GUIDE TO LATIN PSYCHEDELIA, THE SOUL OF MELBOURNE

MOVEMENTS VOLUME 5 COMPILED BY TOBIAS KIRMAYER (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Rare gems from the funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – and maybe the most smoking volume in this all-great series so far! The sound is hard and heavy right from the start – very much in the best mode of the funky 45 reissues we've been hearing from Tramp in recent years – right up there with the deepest funk you'd get from labels like Ace/Kent or Jazzman on their best compilations! And although other volumes have all been great, there's a special sort of magic this time around – an edge that really shows the evolution of Tramp's ear for picking a groove – and deep notes that also show their growing knowledge of the most obscure cuts from back in the day. We can guarantee there's plenty here you don't already have in your record collection – and titles include "Funky Screw" by Lee Fields, "Soul Chicken" by Bobby Allen & The Exceptions, "Ease It On In" by Sunrize, "Deepest Sympathy" by Theodis Ealey, "Tend To Your Business (parts 1 & 2)" by Wildfire, "Pat's Rubber Band" by Alley Pat, "Puttin It On Your Mind" by Jimmy Ellis, "Nobody Loves Me Like My Baby" by Jimmy Gilford, "99/44 100 Pure Love" by Al Reed, and "Monkey In A Sack" by Lil Buck & The Top Cats. ~ Dusty Groove

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO LATIN PSYCHEDLIA (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Tripped-out sounds from the 60s and 70s, plus a few key contemporary cuts too – all a great way of serving up the sound of Latin music at its trippiest! New York Latin acts borrowed plenty from psychedelia early on – and the groove kept growing and changing as it made its way down the South American scene – then back up to the US in recent years, where crate diggers and record collectors have come up with a whole new variant on the sound! This smoking selection of tracks is put together by Pablo Yglesias – who's given us some great sets in recent years – and titles include "Pastel En Descarga" by Juan Pablo Torres, "Piratas En El Titicaca" by Conjunto El Opio, "Drink Or Two" by Wild Wind, "Olivdalo" by Brownout, "Cloud Nine" by Johnny Rivera, "Tomalo O Dejalo" by Los Pakines, and "Psychedelic Baby" by Joe Cuba. Also features a bonus CD – rare work from Peruvian combo Los Destellos from the late 60s and early 70s – 13 more tracks that include "El Electrico", "El Campesino", "Noche De Garua", "Tu Jugaste", "La Cumbia Del Sol", and "Volando Alto". ~ Dusty Groove

CHRIS GILL & LANCE FERGUSON PRESENT THE SOUL OF MELBOURNE (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Heavy sounds from Melbourne, Australia – a really unlikely source for soul music a few decades back, but quite a hotbed of activity in recent years! The set's put together by Lance Ferguson of The Bamboos – whose funky work you'll know from a variety of different projects – and the artists here not only represent a few of his other projects, but also some of his best contemporaries on the funk scene down under – including a few that we'd never heard before! The collection's like finding a pile of deep funk 45s all stacked tight together – and this CD version also features four titles exclusive to this set – tracks that include "Waz That" by The Putbacks, "Baby Your Lovin" by The Electric Empire, "Love & Feeling" by Chet Faker, "Debris" by Axolotl, "Nakamurra" by Hiatus Kaiyote, "Is It Because I'm Black" by Syl Johnson with The Bamboos, "Skeletor" by Cookin On 3 Burners, "Stepping Stones" by Gypsy Brown, "Love Letter" by Clairy Brown & The Bangin Rackettes, and "Hippy Skippy Moonstrut" by The Mighty Show Stoppers. ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - MARTINHO DA VILA, JARDS MACALE, J'S BEE

MARTINHO DA VILA - NEM TODO CRIOULO E DOIDO

Early samba work from the mighty Martino Da Vila – music recorded with help from some key contemporaries in the underground scene, in the years before his big albums of the 70s! The sound here is nice and raw – and very spontaneous, too – as the artists come together in a very festive style that's often quite intimate, even when the sound is frenetic – a wonderful blend of voices, percussion, and other instrumentation – all recorded with a nice undercurrent of darkness amidst the joy. Guests include Antonio, Zuzuca, Cabana, Brasil Ritmo 67, and Mario – and titles include "Berco Do Samba", "Ritmo", "Sou De Opiniao", "Se Eu Errei", "Pra Que Dinheiro", "So Deus", and "Deixa Serenar". ~ Dusty Groove

JARDS MACALE - SO MORTO - BURNING NIGHT
A crucial set of work from the overlooked Jards Macale – one of the hippest cats in Brazilian music during the 70s, heard here on one of his best early albums! The music here is really at the crossroads – a combination of the folksy edge of the 60s work of Geraldo Vandre, mixed with some of the trippier elements of the generation that would be best represented by Lula Cortes, all set free by some of the rich waves of energy that sprung from Brazil in the wake of the Tropicalia movement! Macale's got a way of really personalizing the tunes with both his vocals and guitar work – and the overall presentation moves from intimate to expansive with effortless ease. Titles include "Sem Essa", "So Morto", "O Crime", and "Solucos". CD also features a huge amount of bonus tracks – 10 more numbers that include "Gotham City", "Let's Play That", "Poema Da Rosa", "Revendo Amigos", "Orora Analfabeta", and "Rua Real Grandeza". ~ Dusty Groove

J'S BEE - ISOTOPE

The first record we've heard from this Japanese collective in many years – and a set that definitely marks a real maturation in their music! The album was inspired by the tragic events of the 2011 nuclear catastrophe in Japan – and shows a decidedly deeper side of J's Bee's music – one that has a lot more jazz than before, and a strong ear for earthy soundscapes – almost an ECM-like quality that's mixed with a few of their more conventional groove! These guys aren't aiming for the dancefloor this time around – and instead, the whole album is woven together as a rich tapestry – with strong thought for the way the sounds and songs emerge, letting all the messages resonate strongly. The set features some especially great sax solos and Fender Rhodes – plus soulful vocals from Yuko Kawasaki – on titles that include "Lights", "Strange Supper", "Blind In The Rye", "Chuck It All", "Laika Blanca Music", "Angel Puke", and "Under The Sun". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE KOZ AND FRIENDS SUMMER HORNS FEATURES DAVE KOZ / GERALD ALBRIGHT / MINDI ABAIR / RICHARD ELLIOT PLUS AN ALL-STAR LINEUP

Eight-time GRAMMY® nominee Dave Koz remembers a time when the summers lasted forever, and the most popular rock, R&B, soul and funk bands of the day were propelled by high-octane, richly arranged horn sections. Indeed, from the late 1960s through the ‘70s, bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears and other brassy juggernauts of the era ruled the airwaves and opened his young ears to the saxophone’s limitless possibilities as a solo instrument as well as a collaborative voice with the trumpet and trombone.

Four decades later, Koz has assembled three of his most talented and trusted colleagues – Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot and Mindi Abair – to revisit this golden age with new arrangements of classic songs from this period in the history of popular music. Dave Koz and Friends Summer Horns, produced by Paul Brown (Al Jarreau, George Benson, June Tabor, Boney James), is a collaborative effort that throws the spotlight on four high-profile saxophonists, and augments the team with several other equally talented musicians and vocalists. Summer Horns, set for release on June 11, 2013, on Concord Records, turns up the heat just in time for the summer tour season.

“The first album I ever bought was Back To Oakland, the 1974 recording by Tower of Power,” says Koz. “I’ve always been fascinated with that sound. There are few things in music that are as exciting as the energy that comes from a really tight horn section. Over the years, that sound has graced some of the greatest records of all time by bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Earth Wind & Fire, and so many others. That’s what Gerald, Richard, Mindi and I are recreating on this recording.”

In addition to the four-member front line of saxophones, Summer Horns also includes guest appearances by trumpeter/flugelhornist Rick Braun, trombonist Brian Culbertson, and three seasoned vocalists: Michael McDonald, Jeffrey Osborne and Jonathan Butler.

But Summer Horns is just as much about the arrangers as it is about the musicians, says Koz. “We were very lucky to have horn arrangers on this project who wrote charts for a lot of those landmark records that I remember,” he says. “That includes Greg Adams, who was the chief horn arranger for Tower of Power during its heyday, and Tom Scott, who is not only a fantastic saxophonist in his own right, but also wrote charts for Michael Jackson, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, and so many others. We also had Gordon Goodwin, who is more of a modern-day horn arranger with his own Big Phat Band.”

With all of these talented collaborators at Koz’s disposal, a dream project like Summer Horns was inevitable. “In the back of my mind somewhere, I always knew that this record was waiting to come out,” he says. “It was just a matter of time until the right opportunity came along, and this was it – a chance to honor the great horn bands of the quintessential era of music that gave us so many great songs.”

The passion and enthusiasm that Koz demonstrates on all fronts of his diverse career are evident in every note of Summer Horns. The set opens with the upbeat and breezy “Always There,” a Ronnie Laws composition that introduces all four saxophone players and gives each plenty of room to establish his or her opening statement. “We chose to do it with a full sax section,” says Koz. “It was a way to broaden the song into something more expansive than the original.”

The follow up track is a rendition of Lennon and McCartney’s “Got To Get You Into My Life” that closely mirrors the arrangement laid down in the hit 1978 cover of the song by Earth Wind & Fire. The sharp ear will catch the four saxophonists swapping licks with each other as well as guitarist Paul Brown and keyboardist Tracy Carter.

Further in, Michael McDonald delivers the vocals on Tower of Power’s “So Very Hard To Go” with the soulful signature that has been his trademark for the better part of four decades. This first song to emerge from the sessions was perhaps the most important moment of all in the process of making the record, says Koz. “We were all there in a line – me, and then Mindi, Richard and Gerald,” he recalls. “We pressed record, and all of a sudden there was this sound. And if you listen closely, you can really hear the individual sound of each one of us. But as a unit playing together for the every first time, it had a unique sound. And that formed the basis – the elemental component – of what Summer Horns is.”

Trombonist Brian Culbertson makes a guest appearance on a lively cover of “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” the 1969 hit for Sly & the Family Stone. “I think the trombone is an incredible instrument, and the guy whom I love most whose playing it right now is Brian. Some people know him as a keyboard player, but he absolutely nails this song with an extended trombone solo. He just slays it, and it was so much fun to hear him do it.”

The cover of “Take Five,” the Paul Desmond jazz composition that eventually became the signature song of piano jazz icon Dave Brubeck, is perhaps the most intriguing track on the entire CD. In a sparse but carefully nuanced arrangement by Gordon Goodwin, the track includes four saxophones operating in seamless tandem, accompanied by nothing more than a single acoustic bass, courtesy of Roberto Vally.

“Gordon Goodwin did an absolutely brilliant job of taking the guts of such a seminal song and bringing it to a new and inspired place,” says Koz. “Each of the saxophonists gets to play the melody at one time, but we also had to write the accompaniment for the melody on saxophone. That was a very challenging day in the studio, but the results were worth it.”

The cover of “25 Or 6 To 4,” one of Chicago’s earliest hits, is one of Koz’s favorites. “It’s such an unusual, yet cool track. As with ‘Take Five,’ the challenge for us was to take an iconic song and not just copy it but do an inspired reworking that made sense with the instrumentation at hand. We wanted to push the boundaries a little bit and do things with these songs that would take them to a new place.”

Jonathan Butler steps up to the microphone for a funky rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’.” Although he scats his way through the song without delivering any actual lyrics, the track maintains an infectious vibe, especially when augmented by confident trumpet and flugelhorn solos from Rick Braun. “I like having Jonathan Butler around anytime,” says Koz. “His spirit is so big, and his musicality is so vast. Just having him in the room has an enormous impact. It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you’re around that guy. He just makes you feel good, and I knew I wanted that energy somewhere on this album.”

Jeffrey Osborne’s vocal contribution comes at the close of the set, with a soulful rendition of “God Bless the Child,” arranged in the spirit of the Blood Sweat & Tears version originally recorded in 1968. “Tom Scott wrote the horns on this song,” says Koz, “and we primarily did it as an organ-based quartet – organ, guitar, bass and drums, and the horns and Jeffrey. He sang it from start to finish in one take, and that first and only take is what you hear. It’s unbelievable. He’s just the consummate singer. He’d never sung it before, but to hear that voice with that music just sounded incredible.”

While Koz’s name may be featured most prominently on the cover of Summer Horns, his friends have found the project equally gratifying. “Musical collaborations have become quite common these days, but never before have I been involved in a project as unique as Summer Horns,” says Elliot. “For me, what made this project so special was the blending of four distinct saxophones styles into one unique sound while still maintaining the individuality of each artist. Working with Dave, Mindi and Gerald was truly a pleasure. The combination of focus, commitment, fun and camaraderie made this an experience I will cherish forever.”

Albright is already anxious to take the music on the road. “The idea of involving four different styles of playing into one blended unit was very intriguing to me, and the end result was wonderful!” he says. “The care, consideration and creativity employed in this effort was second to none. I’m looking forward to sharing the stage with Dave, Mindi and Richard this summer!”

For Abair, it’s all about the pride that comes with collaborating with talented peers. “Imagine standing at a microphone shoulder-to-shoulder with three of your favorite saxophonist every day in the studio,” she says. “It was such an inspiring way to make a record, playing off each other and pushing each other to take chances musically. It was amazing to see a record emerge that maintained all of our individuality as players, yet really blended into this cohesive section. I couldn’t be prouder of this collaboration with Dave, Gerald and Richard.”

In the end, blend and balance are what the project is all about. Whether you’re looking for sophisticated musical statements or just some fun grooves for those months when the mercury rises, you’ll find it all in the heat of Summer Horns. You’ll also find a new original composition – the bonus track “Summer Horns” closes out the collection.

“There are a lot of levels to this album,” says Koz. “There’s tremendous musicianship, and there’s a lot of thought that went into the arrangements. But by the same token, it’s primarily meant to make the listener feel good. These are songs of a certain era, and if you are of a certain age, you’re going to listen to them and immediately recognize them. It’s meant to remind you of a time when that sound was everywhere. This was our chance to honor that era of great horn sections with a big tip of our hat and say ‘thank you’ to those who were responsible for it. I hope people feel the reverence that we all have for this music and the great bands that made it.”

Dave Koz And Friends - Summer Horns – Track Listing
1. Always There
2. Got To Get You Into My Life
3. Rise
4. So Very Hard To Go featuring Michael McDonald
5. Hot Fun In The Summertime featuring Brian Culbertson
6. Take Five
7. 25 Or 6 To 4
8. Reasons
9. I Got You (I Feel Good)
10. You Haven’t Done Nothin’ featuring Rick Braun and Jonathan Butler
11. God Bless The Child featuring Jeffrey Osborne

BONUS TRACK
12. Summer Horns

Dave Koz And Friends Summer Horns Tour 2013
All dates are with Special Guests Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot
6/7 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
6/8 Columbia, MO 21st Annual Capital Jazz Fest
6/15 N. Las Vegas, NV Aliante Hotel and Casino
6/22 Temecula, CA Thornton Winery-Champagne Jazz Series
6/23 Temecula, CA Thornton Winery-Champagne Jazz Series
7/12 Moon Township, PA Robert Morris University-Sewall Center Arena
7/13 Easton, PA State Theatre Center for the Arts
7/19 Saratoga, CA Montalvo Arts Center
7/20 Sparks, NV John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel & Casino-Celebrity Showroom
7/21 Winter Park, CO Winter Park Jazz
7/26 Apple Valley, MN Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater
8/16 San Diego, CA Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay
8/17 Healdsburg, CA Rodney Strong Winery
8/18 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
8/24 Austin, TX One World Theatre
8/29 Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse
8/30 North Charleston, SC North Charleston Performing Arts Center
8/31 High Point, NC John Coltrane International Jazz Blues Festival

NEW RELEASES - JESSE FUTERMAN, SAMUEL JOHN SAMUELSSON, JOHNNY COPPOLA,

JESSE FUTERMAN - EXQUISITE BASEMENT

Just Like Music Records is presenting the third and final part of Jesse Futerman's free EP trilogy on the label in the form of; Exquisite Basement. Following on from Super Basement and Fuse The Witches, the new EP, Exquisite Basement exudes a grown sound from Jesse Futerman. Commencing with the house-like 'Trouble Man' - a glimpse into his more uptempo material - the EP showcases that typical Futerman dusty, jazz breaks soulful sound, but with more body and soul than ever before. In his own words; "Exquisite Basement marks the final chapter in my free EP trilogy on Jus Like Music Records. Everything you hear, with the exception of Jon Foster's drums on the last song, is 100% samples - whether it be film, music or even some clips from old sci fi radio shows. Exquisite Basement marks not only the end of my free EPs, but also the end of my '100% downtempo' output. Look out for 'The Love I Lost' EP on Jus Like Music Records late 2013 on vinyl as it will showcase my new more 'uptempo' productions, as well continuing a similar downtempo style which is present on this ep. I hope you enjoy it."

SAMUEL JON SAMUELSSON BIG BAND - 4 HILDAR

The coolest music we've heard so far from this fantastic funky talent – served up here in an ultra-cool package that also offers up four different cover images over two separate pieces of music! Sammi's got a name that's a bit unwieldy, but he serves up the groove with a sound so tight, we almost feel like we're back in the glory days of a good Quincy Jones funky soundtrack – thanks to a tight punch that Samuelsson brings to his large lead ensemble, which often moves here with the sharper sound of a much smaller funky combo! The arrangements are amazing – and the grooves run between styles that include touches of 70s Afro Funk, European-styled MPS jazz funk, and the promised blacksploitation modes mentioned above. Instrumentation is wonderful throughout – and honestly, there's nobody out there making music like this at the moment – and certainly nobody who gets the sound so right, tight, and on the money as Sammi! Titles include "Afromars", "1st Man From Iceland", "Ethiopian", "Afrobit", "Fola", "Peace", "Dubnotic", and "Ekki Stela Afrika Folkinu". ~ Dusty Groove

JOHNNY COPPOLA - A SHOT TO THE KISSER

Great work from Johnny Coppola – a member of America's famous first family of film, and a hell of a crooner in his own right! Johnny lives in a world where the Rat Pack never ended – and he sings here with a style we haven't heard this well since the days of Frank Sinatra at Reprise – a tremendous old school approach to masculine jazz singing – served up with a hell of a lot more personality than just about any other Sinatra copycat in recent years! Johnny's definitely his own man on the set – partly because the tunes are almost all originals, with very cool lyrics by Coppola – and music penned by Bill Cunliffe, who handled all the instrumentation for the record – at a level that really keeps things top-shelf. Make no mistake, Johnny's vocals don't have the purity of Sinatra – but he does really evoke this world of second-string male singers of the 60s – guys like Bobby Cole, Frankie Randall, David Allen, and others – all equally swinging, and able to put a sense of male personality into a tune that other singers of the type could never touch. Titles include "Night Of Our Dreams", "A Long Love Affair", "Sandra", "Time To Run Son", "I'm Through With All Of These Dreams", "I'll Sleep Alone", and "Somebody's Got To Be That Guy". ~ Dusty Groove

LONDON IS THE PLACE FOR ME - AFRO-CUBISM, CALYPSO, HIGHLIFE, MENTO, JAZZ: THE MUSIC OF YOUNG BLACK LONDON, 5 & 6

London's always been one of the hippest cities in the world – but back during the postwar years, there was an especially wonderful outpouring of music on the scene – a rich array of new sounds and styles pulled from around the globe – as so many residents from crumbling British empire came to live in the UK! Musicians and listeners arrived in London with plenty of cultural baggage on hand – influences from the Caribbean, West Africa, and India too – plus other smaller scenes that once fell under the British banner, all now the fuel for the cultural fire that was happening in England! The title here tells plenty about the music being made in this newly-formed scene – bits of African highlife, Jamaican calypso, American jazz, Cuban Latin, and more – all filtered into the modernism of the 50s, and given a new twist that was decidedly urban as well. The package may well be the most impressive so far in this legendary series – and is certainly the one that moves the farthest past any sort of easy expectations or cultural conventions. Titles include "Women Police In England" by Mighty Terror, "My Sorrow" by West African Swing Stars, "Cricket Umpires" by Lord Kitchener, "Jordhu" by Caribbean Swing Band, "Trumpet Highlife" by Shake Keane, "Calypso Mambo" by George Browne, "Cuban Nightingale" by Buddy Pipp's Highlifers, "Kitch" by The Quavers, "Tabu" by Mona Baptiste, "King Jimmy Foo Foo" by Tejan Sie with The West African Rhythm Brothers, "The Escape" by Dizzy Reece, "Mambo Contempo" by Ginger Johnson, "Life In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Sway" by Buddy Pipp's Highlifers, "Song Of Joy" by Rupert Nurse's Calypso Band, "Joe Louis Calypso" by Lord Beginner, "Uncle Joe" by Fitzroy Coleman Quintet, "Me Donkey Want Water" by Tony Johnson, "Belly Lick" by Eric Hayden, "Nigeria Odowoyin" by West African Rhythm Brothers, and "Football Calypso" by King Timothy. ~ Dusty Groove

ROGER DAVIDSON - JOURNEY TO RIO

For Roger Davidson, music is a world without boundaries. Both as a composer and pianist, he has a fearless reach. Though often termed a classical artist, Davidson has explored tango, klezmer, Latin music, and jazz in recent years, however he has always held the multifaceted sounds of Brazil especially close to his heart. His long-standing passion for Brazilian music has resulted in several albums, including Bom Dia (2007) and Brazilian Love Song (2009). His latest, Journey to Rio (available June 11 on Soundbrush Records, cofounded by Davidson in 1998), is a double-disc release showcasing 28 original Brazilian compositions. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, the project features a wide range of top-flight Brazilian musicians as well as Pablo Aslan, the gifted Argentine bassist and producer/labelmate.

Having traveled the world to learn about all styles of music, international synergy is in Davidson's blood. Born in Paris to a French mother and American father, his family relocated to New York shortly after. Davidson began playing piano at the age of four, ultimately discovering the bossa nova recordings of Stan Getz at age 10 through his babysitter playing Getz' Big Band Bossa Nova. "That was the start of my lifelong love affair with Brazilian music. I thought it was beguiling, uplifting, sexy, relaxing, and very melodic. It made me want to go to Brazil to find out where the music came from." Nearly fifty years later, he found out.

In October 2011, accompanied by Aslan, Davidson took his first trip to Brazil with the intention recording this project. "I've been living with the music for forty years," he says, "so it was almost like a homecoming." Most of his eight days there, which he spent in Rio de Janeiro, were occupied by six recording sessions.

Journey to Rio features deeply emotional Brazilian love songs alongside Davidson's French inspired compositions. These compositions enforce a sense of rooted emotion that melds Davidson's vast life experiences of international culture with the modern expressions of Brazilian jazz. With Davidson melody always comes first. "Any music has to start with a strong melodic line," he asserts. Like Debussy with his Preludes, Davidson gives his compositions titles that evoke scenes suggested by the music. They focus largely on love and nature, the prevailing themes of the bossa nova. Meanwhile, he pays more than passing respect to the moody, pulsing sound he heard on those Getz bossa records.

The sessions include two respected bassists: bossa nova veteran and acoustic player Sérgio Barrozo and electric bassist Ney Conceição, who was a longtime collaborator of João Bosco. The resulting line-up of trombonist Gilmar Ferreira, soprano and tenor saxophonist Marcelo Martins, percussionist Marco Lobo, guitarist Leonardo Amuedo, and alternating drummers Paulo Braga and Rafael Barata showcases some of Rio's finest musician.

The tightness of the ensemble work and comfortable grooves belie the fact that the sessions began with no written arrangements and minimal rehearsal. "The music was worked out in the studio day by day," Davidson notes. "I didn't even know exactly what tunes I was going to record. I'm not obsessed with writing out every note. I'm an improviser. Playing with other good improvisers, you reach greater heights of inspiration and spontaneity. I want to leave open space for other musicians to find their own voice within my tunes."

You'll hear it in "Love Across Time", one of the album's most heartfelt compositions. Davidson wrote it as he and his wife were separating. The song, he says, expresses "a love that transcends unhappiness." "Onde Está o Amor?" explores the stated theme with the same sort of melodic improvising that make the Getz albums so appealing. Braga's playing is gentle as a whisper, yet carries the song forward with a sure touch. "O Unico Amor"is a richly melodic piece. "I was thinking about how it feels to have one love above all. It was a pretty deep feeling that inspired the tune," explains Davidson. This deep emotion translates to the dark, aching bossa nova "Memories of Deborah", written as a gift to a close friend of Davidson who lost his wife to cancer.

Amuedo is the star of "Sonho do Amor", a throbbing bossa with a touch of saudade, the Portuguese word for a sometimes-indefinable yearning. "I was definitely thinking intently of Brazil in this tune," says Davidson. The most intimate tracks are the duets: "Olhos de Ouro" teams Davidson with Amuedo for a spacious dialogue in which silence is the third partner, while "Amantes para Sempre" is a showcase for the expansive, lyrical trombone playing of Ferreira, who states the theme then takes it apart with some of his prettiest improvising.

Bossa may be Brazil's most famous musical export, but it's not the only one that Davidson presents. "Sonho de Amanha" takes the album into the realm of modern Brazilian jazz, while "Bridge to Bahia" evokes the brighter side of a state in the northeast of Brazil, where African and Brazilian culture meet in the most soulfully percussive music to be found anywhere in the country. The title track, "Journey to Rio", keeps the party going. Ferreira and Martins (on soprano) state the rollicking tune in perfectly synchronized unison then Davidson and Martins solo at racing speed. Davidson wrote "To Brazil with Love" an hour before his show at Sala Baden Powell. This ruminative piano solo stands as his valentine to a place that instantly felt like home to him. "I felt that my internal rhythm slowed down in Rio," says Davidson.

With his work on the international front, it comes to no surprise that France, was also on his mind throughout these sessions. He brought the countries together musically on "Je m'en Souviens", which intertwine piano and soprano sax with utter simplicity. "Soir Brésilien" is a piano solo with a quiet grandeur and a French flavor. "It also has a Brazilian character in the harmony and melodic ideas," notes Davidson. "Embrasse-moi" showcases the French influence while featuring the delicate interplay of Davidson and Amuedo, whose playing breathes together.

Davidson's deep passion for all genres of music drove him to establish the Society for Universal Sacred Music, devoted to works that "have a message of unity and aspiration that included all humanity." The Society is now a worldwide organization, dedicated to commissioning new works and presenting performances all over the world.

Ultimately, Davidson's entire career and love of international jazz has led up to the release of Journey to Rio. "It's been a great blessing that I've been able to do so many things well, and that they feel natural, as part of the global musical vocabulary I've developed," he says. "I feel a lot of empathy for all kinds of good music - music that really comes from the heart and that seeks to communicate passion and positive feelings."

Roger Davidson· Journey To Rio / Soundbrush Records / Release Date: June 11, 2013

GAUDI - IN BETWEEN TIMES

GAUDI, as his tour schedule will attest to, is a man in demand. The last few years have seen him increasingly prove his credentials as a respected producer and live artist who can ensure a maximum capacity crowd. In the last year alone he has performed at over 60 venues and festivals across 10 different countries and to surprisingly diverse audiences- from roots reggae aficionados at "One Love", the UK's no.1 reggae festival to a once in a lifetime performance at the Pyramids in Egypt.


His previous releases have laid a strong, worldwide foundation for him. The internationally acclaimed album 'Dub Qawwali' (Six Degrees Records, 2007) earned him a nomination for a prestigious BBC World Music Award and his last album 'No Prisoners' (Six Degrees Records, 2010), firmly established his more up-tempo credentials amongst international audiences and on dance floors around the world.

His newest work, 'In between times' is a great listen from start to finish. It is a strong collection of 12 engaging tracks with a satisfying balance between vocal tracks and instrumentals that are brought artfully together to form a sonic journey greater than the sum of its parts.

The new album features a noteworthy collection of artists, many of them pioneers in their respective musical genres and all of them highly respected in their own right. Opening track "Put your guns down" features vocals by Black Uhuru frontman Michael Rose. "Life", features rising reggae star Jahmai and the atmospheric and ethereal electro-dub adventures of "Tamino and the temple of dub", feature one of the godfathers of psychedelic trance music Raja Ram (from electronic duo Shpongle) on flute. One of the album's stand-out tracks, "I start to pray" is a truly distinguished collaboration between legendary dub producer and vocalist Lee 'Scratch' Perry and UK electronic pioneers The Orb, with the inimitable Dennis 'Dubmaster' Bovell adding his characteristically uncompromising bass to the mix - it's a high risk strategy to put so many virtuoso artists in one song but one that pays off handsomely in the realization of this deep, elegant and very dubby track!

Other collaborators on the new record include, Hedflux (one of the UK's hottest breaks producers), dub maestro Twilight Circus, Moroccan artist Tahar (from the band Momo) & GAUDI's on-stage partner in rhyme, vocalist and prodigiously talented beatboxer, Danny Ladwa.

'In between times' more than justifies GAUDI's reputation as a musical frontiersman and "fearless music producer" (Billboard magazine) in its complete disregard for musical boundaries and stylistic separation... It is GAUDI style - the fusion of many genres into one distinct and characteristic sound.

~ Six Degrees Records

NEW RELEASES - LA BAND DEL BRASILIANO, DANIELE BALDELLI, J.P. ROBINSON

LA BAND DEL BRASILIANO - LA BAND DEL BRASILIANO VOL. 1

A sweet set of grooves from this cool Italian combo – served up with just the sort of retro style you'd guess from the cover! There's a strong influence here from older soundtrack modes – particularly Italian ones – no surprise, given that the album's on the film score reissue Cinedelic label, and really fits in with some of their classic work! The group take on a few older Italian soundtrack themes, and add in their own songs too – and they definitely have some of the Brazilian elements promised by their name, but in addition to bossa and samba, this also means some fuzzy psych as well – some of the heavier modes of the 70s generation, touched with a bit of cop/crime funk from the Italian scene of that era too. Vocals are in English and Italian – and titles include great remakes of "Metti Una Sera A Cena", "Femina Ridens", and "Goodby My Friend" – plus "Doping 2000", "La Donna Dei Miei Guai", "Gira Gira", "Clavinet Et Chase", "Drugs & Violence", and "Deep Throat". (Super-heavy vinyl pressing – with a great cover too!) ~ Dusty Groove

DANIELE BALDELLI - BACK TO MY FUNKY SIDE

Maybe the best record we've ever heard from Cosmic mainman Daniele Baldelli – and definitely a set that really lives up to the funky side promised in the title! Baldelli's got a much deeper groove here than ever before – a great ear for tight elements on the basslines, mixed with jazzy work on keyboards and guitar – all woven into a groove that's every bit as club-worth as his other music, yet a lot more warm and soulful overall! It's almost like Daniele's going back to discover a disco generation he might have missed the first time around – with a retro style that's hard to distinguish from the original, a lot like Joey Negro and some of his Sunshine Band work. Titles include "Mellow Game", "Good Day", "What Da Funk", "Voltage Groove", "Synthesized Honey", "Break Loose", "Drive Me Crazy", and "Fontainebleau". ~ Dusty Groove

J.P. ROBINSON - WHAT CAN I TELL HER

Wonderful work from the overlooked JP Robinson – a killer soul singer on the Miami scene at the end of the 60s – finally given his due in this overstuffed set! Robinson's got a voice that's quite compelling – still in the deep soul mode you might expect, but with this slightly fragile quality that comes through especially when he's trying to hold a note or emotion – a really great aspect that almost makes you feel like JP's going to break down right in the course of a tune, even when he's getting a bit of support from female backup singers! And speaking of backup, the rhythms here are all pretty great – as tunes were recorded at Muscle Shoals, Criteria, and the TK Studios – with the kind of top-shelf talent that really helped knock all these singles out of the park. Material was originally issued on the Atlantic and TK family of labels – and titles include "You Can Be A Lady", "Doggone It", "George Jackson", "Our Day Is Here", "Keep Me Satisfied", "Only Be True To Me", "Love Is Not A Stranger", "I've Got A Long Way To Go", "Say It", "Hot Love", "You Got Your Thing On A String", and "Wall To Wall Love". 20 tracks in all! ~ Dusty Groove

DANIEL BENNETT GROUP - CLOCKHEAD GOES TO CAMP

Critically-acclaimed Manhattan-based saxophonist Daniel Bennett has made waves as both a prolific composer and bandleader, and a very active woodwind doubler in the New York theater scene. The Daniel Bennett Group has recently shared concert billings with artists like Bill Frisell, Charlie Hunter, Greg Osby, James Carter, Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood), Steve Kuhn, Jerry Bergonzi, and David Fiuczynski. The Village Voice raves, "saxophonist Daniel Bennett makes hay with an airy approach that's buoyant enough to conjure notions of East African guitar riffs and Steve Reich's pastoral repetition." The Boston Herald described Bennett's music as "exploratory folk-jazz hybrid."


Daniel Bennett graduated from the prestigious New England Conservatory in 2004 with a Masters Degree in saxophone performance. The Daniel Bennett Group released The Legend of Bear Thompson in the spring of 2008. Metronome Magazine ranked the album in their top five picks of the month, declaring, "the trio is so in sync with each other that it's downright mystical." In 2009, the Daniel Bennett Group released Live at the Theatre, a groundbreaking album that was recorded live during a double bill performance with the Charlie Hunter Trio. The Daniel Bennett Group has been featured on popular radio programs like Harvard University’s Jazz Spectrum (WHRB 95.3FM), WICN's Jazz Matinee (NPR in southern New England), and the very popular Dreamfarm Cafe radio show, hosted by Julie Lavender. The group has also made television appearances on Bandwidth TV, The Music Closet, and Style Boston.

Daniel Bennett’s quirky music has found a broad fan base that is unusual for a modern jazz outfit. Insite Magazine called Daniel Bennett’s music, “refreshingly capricious and trippy.” Time Out New York described the music as, "hypnotic." In January of 2011, the Daniel Bennett Group released their latest album, Peace and Stability Among Bears. The disc was recently voted as a "Top Album Pick" for 2011 by writers at All About Jazz and theJazz Police. The Daniel Bennett Group is currently the weekly house band at the four diamond Liberty Hotel. The band also has regular performance "residencies" at Tomi Jazz in midtown Manhattan, Cellar 58 in the East Village, and the New Leaf Restaurant in Upper Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park.

Daniel Bennett is also known as an innovative producer and promoter in New York. The Daniel Bennett Group hosts and currates the ongoing "Jazz at the Triad" concert series at the Triad Theatre on Manhattan's upper west side. The series features the Daniel Bennett Group performing double bill concerts with fellow artists. Recent guests have included guitarist Charlie Hunter, pianist Steve Kuhn, and saxophonist Greg Osby. Prior to this endeavor, Bennett produced a similar concert series in Boston at the Cambridge YMCA Theatre. Prominent guests on the Boston series included guitarist Bill Frisell, saxophonist James Carter, and drummer Billy Martin (of Medeski, Martin, and Wood).

In addition to a rigorous performing schedule as a bandleader, Daniel Bennett also performs a wide array of concerts as a sideman and woodwind doubler. He recently toured Italy and Switzerland with renowned world music ensemble, Musaner. Daniel Bennett recently performed in concert with the classic Billboard chart-topping Doo-wop group, the Duprees. Bennett also performs regularly as a woodwind doubler with dozens of musical theater companies in New York. Recent New York City performances include the Theater for the New City, Hudson Guild Theatre, People's Improv Theater, Westchester Sandbox Theatre, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, and the Secret Theatre. Bennett recently completed a very succesful performance run with the off-Broadway musical, Crab House (www.crabhousethemusical.com).

MATT HOLMAN'S DIVERSION ENSEMBLE - WHEN FLOODED

The title track of Matt Holman's debut recording, "When Flooded", is a nod to Holman's home state of Arizona, and a common road sign there that warns, "Do Not Enter When Flooded". He explains, "it refers to the summer flash floods so common in the area. The first three words had faded on this particular sign, leaving open a world of interpretive possibility. I thought of what a flood can mean in a desert landscape like Arizona, and how much this idea is reflective of the creative process. I also thought about how the effects of a flood can be felt for so long after the waters have receded, something which became painfully affirmed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. For this piece, I had a great flowing of counterpoint ideas. It is highly organized with short bursts of intense improvisation that reflects the desire we all have at times to break out from systemization into a world of free expression."

The Brooklyn, New York based trumpeter/composer/educator Matt Holman is an artist that has found his world of free expression and creativity, and has been recognized by his peers by being a prized sideman for the likes of Fred Hersch, Kurt Elling, Darcy James Argue (featured on Argue's most recent recording, Brooklyn Babylon), Jon Gordon, Kate McGarry, Matt Ulery, Bob Newhart, Los Amigos Invisibles and The Gregory Brothers. He has also earned national and international performance awards from DownBeat Magazine, the International Trumpet Guild's Jazz Improvisation Competition, the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition and the National Trumpet Competition. As a member of The BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, Holman most recently won the 13th annual BMI Foundation's Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize, and will compose a new work for the Manny Albam Commission in June 2013. Taking inspiration from such diverse influences as Wayne Shorter, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Sigur Ros, Holman has composed works for Marvin Stamm, Ed Soph, David Baker, Marie Speziale, and The National Conservatory of Costa Rica, and was a 2009 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer's Competition winner.

In addition to Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Holman is an integral part of many of NYC's finest large ensembles/big bands, a genre that is seeing a strong resurgence of late. He is featured on composer Asuka Kakitani's new recording, Bloom (19/8 Records), and also performs with Andrew Rathburn's Large Ensemble, JC Sanford Orchestra, Nathan Parker Smith Large Ensemble and the Noriko Ueda Jazz Orchestra (coincidentally, Darcy, Asuka, Nathan, and Noriko are all previous winners of the BMI Composer's Award). Holman is the artistic director of the New York Youth Symphony Jazz Band.

While Holman performs and records with plenty of small groups, his new album, When Flooded (available on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records on March 19), showcases the trumpeter/composer utilizing the compositional influence and instrumental colors from his large ensemble experience, tailor-made and fine-tuned for his spry and nimble chamber-jazz group, featuring Mike McGinnis on clarinet & bass clarinet (The Four Bags, Anthony Braxton, Steve Coleman, Lonnie Plaxico), Christopher Hoffman on cello (Marc Ribot,Henry Threadgill, John Ellis, Harry Eisenstadt, Devotchka), Nate Radley on guitar (Loren Stillman, Alan Ferber, Ted Poor, Adam Nussbaum) and Ziv Ravitz on drums and percussion (Lee Konitz, Shai Maestro, Omer Avital, Avishai Cohen). One may take notice that each of the instrument families is represented on this recording: brass, strings, percussion, woodwinds and electronics.

Although Matt Holman is well versed in the standard jazz repertoire, most of his creative endeavors revolve around his original music and music composed by his peers. When Flooded features nine of Holman's gems that are overflowing with harmonic/melodic sophistication and beauty, abundant rhythmic variety, collective improvisation, and a high level of imaginative extemporization from all of the musicians. When Flooded is an auspicious debut, it is an album of such depth that it warrants numerous listens, and it brings to our attention an artist that has all of the attributes of a musician destined for an illustrious career.

www.mattholman.com

DARRYL WILLIAMS - THAT WAS THEN

A naturally gifted musician, San Diego born bassist Darryl Williams began playing bass at the young age of 13. Within two years he was playing at local clubs and events around the San Diego area, which includes opening up for smash RnB group Lakeside. He also played with Gospel Legend Shirley Caesar at age 16. After graduating from high school, Williams did a four-month tour of Japan with other young talented musicians, which he states as being "unforgettable". Upon returning to the States, that same band did a three-month tour opening for soul legend Al Green. After that tour, Darryl enrolled in the Jazz Program at San Diego State University and studied with San Diego legends Gunner Biggs and Rick Helzer. With a hunger to grow musically, he sought out other teachers as well which includes former Miles Davis and John Coltrane bassist Marshall Hawkins, Sarah Vaughn bassist Bob Magnusson, great San Diego bassist Cecil Mcbee Jr. and San Diego sax icon Hollis Gentry III.

By age 21, Williams was a regular on the San Diego music scene performing regularly with artist like Hollis Gentry, Evan Marks and Patrick Yandall to name a few. In 1997, Williams moved to Las Vegas and performed regularly at all the prestigious Hotels and Casinos working with headliners and recording artist. One of the artist Williams performed regularly with was Las Vegas Hall Fame inductee Clint Holmes. Williams has performed or toured with several of the top Contemporary Jazz Artist of today. Some notable names include Euge Groove, Mindi Abair, Jeff Lorber, Peter White, Brenda Russell, Jeff Golub, Paul Brown, Darren Rahn, Jessy J, EveretteHarp, Jeff Kashiwa, Eric Darius, "Queen Of Disco" Gloria Gaynor and many more. Williams continues to record today with several artists and can be heard on Jonathan Fritzen's upcoming release "Magical" as well as working on his second release, which he intends to release in January 2013. He is also the current touring bassist for the "White Hot Summer Groove Tour" which features artists Peter White and Euge Groove as well as Euge Groove’s regular touring bassist.

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

BOOKER T. JONES RETURN TO THE STAX LABEL TO RELEASE SOUND THE ALARM

Booker T. Jones will follow back-to-back GRAMMY wins for his previous two albums with ‘Sound The Alarm’ out June 25th on Stax/Concord Music Group. This marks Booker’s return to Stax, a label revered for the gritty soul sound he helped create with Memphis’ first integrated band in the early ‘60s, and features collaborations with some of the finest talents in modern soul and R&B including Mayer Hawthorne, Anthony Hamilton, Vintage Trouble, Estelle, Gary Clark, Jr., Luke James and more.


‘Sound The Alarm’ is a celebration of the past, present and future of R&B with flares of hip-hop bravado on the title track with Mayer Hawthorne and “Gently” with Anthony Hamilton, plus an explosive performance from Vintage Trouble’s Ty Taylor on “Your Love Is No Love.” Booker’s B3 is front and center, especially on instrumentals “Feel Good,” “Austin City Blues” with Gary Clark, Jr. and “Fun,” a joyous, pulsing jam. “Watch You Sleeping” features Bill Withers’ daughter Kori on a vocal duet with Booker, and an instrumental with his son Ted on guitar on “Father Son Blues” closes the album.

Booker T wrote or co-wrote all twelve songs on ‘Sound The Alarm.’ He co-produced the album with brothers Bobby Ross and Issiah “IZ” Avila, who have worked with Usher and Mary J. Blige. The Avila brothers also play in the rhythm section on most of the tracks.

Booker T has won 4 GRAMMY Awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a producer, he has helmed sessions for million sellers including Bill Withers’ debut album ‘Just As I Am,’ and Willie Nelson’s ‘Stardust.’ He’s written and/or played on some of the most enduring songs of all time including “Green Onions,” “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay” and “Born Under A Bad Sign.”

‘Sound The Alarm’ tracklist:
1. Sound The Alarm – featuring Mayer Hawthorne
2. All Over The Place – featuring Luke James
3. Fun
4. Broken Heart – featuring Jay James
5. Feel Good
6. Gently – featuring Anthony Hamilton
7. Austin City Blues – featuring Gary Clark, Jr.
8. Can't Wait - featuring Estelle
9. 66 Impala - featuring Poncho Sanchez and Sheila E.
10. Watch You Sleeping - featuring Kori Withers
11. Your Love Is No Love - featuring Vintage Trouble
12. Father Son Blues - featuring Ted Jones

http://www.facebook.com/bookertjones
http://twitter.com/BookerTJones

GEORGE BENSON RELEASES HOMAGE TO NAT KING COLE TITLED INSPIRATION: A TRIBUTE TO NAT KING COLE

After four years of touring and developing “An Unforgettable Tribute to Nat King Cole,” the legendary George Benson makes his most inspired album: Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole. Set for release June 4, 2013, this recording is one of the most meaningful of Benson’s career and is a testament to the spirit of Cole’s timeless body of work. Benson’s heartfelt renditions of some of Cole’s greatest songs with Nelson Riddle arrangements and the 42-piece Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra are complemented by duets with Tony Award winner Idina Menzel and rising star Judith Hill, along with a special collaboration with multi-GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.

Speaking on recording the album Benson says, “I felt every moment of it. You can’t put together a record like this without putting your heart into it. I got that from Nat King Cole. He put his heart into everything he did.”

The careers of Benson and Cole share a similar arc, both establishing themselves first as highly respected instrumentalists before skyrocketing to crossover success once they began sharing their unforgettable voices with the world. Better known as a jazz pianist first, Nat King Cole’s major breakthrough came in 1943 when he added his melting baritone voice to “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” coincidentally the same year of George Benson’s birth. Benson, who had a well-established career as one of the world’s top jazz guitarists, made his major break in the pop world by singing “This Masquerade” and subsequently had the first jazz album to go platinum with Breezin. Yet, both of these remarkable artists remained true to their jazz roots as this album revels with 12 covers of Cole’s most endearing repertoire.

As a dream project for Benson, this album is a love letter to Cole and a tribute in gratitude for his deep musical inspiration. It also demonstrates how uniquely suited Benson is to recreate and interpret these timeless treasures. Highlights on the album include an adaptation of Nelson Riddle’s arrangement of “Just One of Those Things,” with a signature Benson vocal/guitar scat solo, and Benson’s reading of the original chart of “Nature Boy,” which he previously interpreted and made and a pop hit in the late 70’s. The album also contains stunning duets with Idina Menzel on “When I Fall In Love,” and Judith Hill on “Too Young,” as well the incomparable trumpet work of Wynton Marsalis on a fresh new arrangement of “Unforgettable.”

The album begins with a rare recording of “Little Georgie Benson” (age 8) singing “Mona Lisa” which stemmed from a singing contest Benson won and the award was the opportunity to record a song at a recording studio. Benson began singing Nat King Cole songs as a child in Pittsburgh and this recording not only shows his incredible range and musicality at the time but also the depth of admiration Benson has had for Cole from such a young age.

Perhaps best know for his contemporary popular music – in multiple genres, Benson has become as iconic in music history as his musical hero Nat King Cole. Creating more than 30 recordings as a leader, winning ten10 Grammy Awards as well as becoming a NEA Jazz Master, George Benson has used his jazz roots as the foundation for an engaging mix of pop, R&B and other shades that add up to a style that appeals to a broad mainstream audience. Along the way, he has also established himself as a formidable singer – one whose biggest career hits have showcased his vocals as well as his guitar chops. Benson continues to astound and engage audiences taking his creative expression to new heights. A soulful interpretation, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole is an exemplary work of art, giving reverence to the legacy of jazz and a fitting tribute to an American icon.

Complete Track Listing:
1. Mona Lisa (Little GB)
2. Just One of Those Things
3. Unforgettable
4. Walkin’ My Baby
5. When I Fall In Love
6. Route 66
7. Nature Boy
8. Ballerina
9. Smile
10. Straighten Up and Fly Right
11. Too Young
12. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
13. Mona Lisa

TAKE 6 CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH WORLD TOUR

The most awarded a capella vocal group in history, Take 6, are celebrating their 25th Anniversary! The multi-platinum recording group, made up of Claude McKnight , Mark Kibble , Joel Kibble , Dave Thomas , Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley , have thus far earned 10 Grammy Awards with 24 nominations, 10 Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award, 2 NAACP Image Awards, and more. They are kicking off their 25th year of recording and performing on May 6 in New York, where they will be performing at the Blue Note from May 7-12. This is the beginning of the American leg of a year-long world tour that takes them to Germany, England, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Japan, Australia, Norway, eastern Europe and South America.

With recognition in musical genres from gospel, jazz and R&B to pop, the sextet is recognized as the pre-eminent a capella group in the world, and have earned praise from such luminaries as Stevie Wonder , Brian Wilson , and Quincy Jones , who calls them the "baddest vocal cats on the planet!'.

A group that knows no musical bounds, Take 6 has come a long way from their days at Huntsville, Alabama's Oakwood College where McKnight formed the group as The Gentleman's Estate Quartet in 1980. When they signed their first record deal eight years later, with Reprise Records/Warner Bros., they became Take 6. Their self-titled debut CD won over jazz and pop critics and the public alike, scored two 1988 Grammy Awards, landed in the Top 10 Billboard Contemporary Jazz and Contemporary Christian Charts, and they've never slowed down. Their 15 subsequent albums received the same warm reception and sales success.

The members of Take 6 are not only men whose tenets include faith, friendship, respect, and love of music, they put their support and energy behind their beliefs. They are advocates for music education, supporting the efforts of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and others on that mission.

JOHN MORALES PRESENTS THE M+M MIXES VOLUME 3

This compilation is John Morales third for BBE. Few can match his contributions to the world of Dance Music be it soul, funk, disco to today’s house music.

John Morales is considered one of the true legends of the mix. And his work some thirty years later continues to be cutting edge and inspiring. Although familiar with John’s work – his epic mix of Universal Robot Bands boogie anthem “Barely Breakin Even” is the source from which BBE Records got its name.

No attempt had ever been made to summarise the pinnacle of Johns work. This third release on BBE continues that history lesson that John has forged in dance music. He formed The M+M Mix with his late partner Sergio Munzibai, in 1982 till 1990 whose output of over 650 mixes will be unmatched today. John continues The M+M legacy.

From the Rolling Stones to Gloria Estefan, The Temptations, Barry White, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Hall & Oates, Teena Marie, Aretha Franklin to BBE – we have all been molded by Johns everlasting mix influence, love for his work and his Music..

This superb triple CD presents some of John's finest works, and takes the M+M Mix legacy to yet a higher level. CD1 & 2 feature some of the greatest tracks of all time from the Start of CD 1 and Barry White’s “Never, Never Gonna Give You Up” , to the classic rework of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You” which closes out CD2, there are no sleepers here. CD3 also features some of the best from the vaults of the Salsoul and West End labels, anthems like Loleatta Holloway’s – “Hit & Run” to legendary Paradise Garage favorite Loose Joints “Is It All Over My Face?”.

This is the legacy of the M+M mixes.

~ bbemusic.com

NEW RELEASES - JAMES BROWN, VERDELLE SMITH, STANLEY COWELL

JAMES BROWN - DIGGIN' JAMES BROWN - MIXED BY DJ MURO

DJ Muro's digging James Brown – and we're digging the massive way he mixes together the music! The set's way more than another James Brown compilation – and instead, it feels more like a love letter to The Godfather – served up in music made by James himself, and some of his key sidemen too – all mixed together by Muro in these short blasts of funk and soul that bristle with energy throughout! The whole thing's got way more care than the usual mixtape – as Muro's been training his ears on JB nuggets for years, so knows just the right makes to cut and make a change – managing to get through bits of 43 tracks in just the course of 73 minutes. Includes work from "The Boss", "Down & Out In New York City", "Baby Here I Come", "Blues & Pants", "Nose Job", "A Talk With The News", "Funky Drummer", "Hot Pants Road", "Can Mind", "I Got Ants In My Pants", "The Drunk", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", and "Funky President". ~ Dusty Groove

VERDELLE SMITH - TAR & CEMENT: THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS 1965 - 1967

A beautiful album of baroque soul from Verdelle Smith – a singer who was destined to score big in the mid 60s, but somehow only managed to cut a handful of records before dropping out of secular music forever! Verdelle's got an unusual style that's halfway between Dionne Warwick and Nancy Wilson – sharing the sophistication of both, but also coming across with a fragile quality at times – one that's almost a maturation of the girl group ethos, turned onto a more adult world of pop. The approach is a bit similar to the changes going on in the Walker Brothers near the end of the trio's time together – and it's no surprise that Scott Walker did a tremendous version of the tune "Alone In My Room" himself. But we love Verdelle's original take on the track – a sad and dreamy little tune that makes wonderful use of organ and creates one of the saddest moments in 60s pop that we can think of! This beautiful CD features that great cut, plus 21 more numbers that represent everything that Verdelle recorded apart from gospel – mostly titles done for Capitol, plus a few Columbia singles as well. Titles include "Walk Tall", "Sexy", "A Piece Of The Sky", "Catch A Falling Star", "In My Room", "Autumn Leaves", "Carnaby's Gone Away", "Baby Baby", "There Is So Much Love Around Me", "Juanito", and "You Only See Her". ~ Dusty Groove

STANLEY COWELL -  EQUIPOSE

A sublime trio set from Strata East mainman Stanley Cowell – a set cut later than his run at that famous label, and in a mode that's a bit more straightforward too – but still equally soulful, and handled with a conception that's far above most of his contemporaries! The group is perfectly balanced – Cowell on acoustic piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – all players that have strong melodic impulses, which really bring a sense of lyricality to the music. There's a majestic flow to most numbers – different than the modal impulses of Stanley's music a decade before, but still quite powerful, even at mellow moments. The set features a great remake of "Equipoise", plus the tracks "Lady Blue", "Musa & Maimoun", "Dr Jackle", "November Mood", and "Dave's Chant". ~ Dusty Groove

VALERIE JUNE - PUSHIN' AGAINST A STONE

If Valerie June had been a roots artist in America 80 years ago, and she often sings as if she was, she might have been a principle influence on today’s myriad retro troubadours, hers a stunningly emotive amalgamation of blues, folk, gospel, soul, Appalachian and bluegrass (including irresistible banjo). She exists, however, today, an artist as modern as an iPod Shuffle, a musician for the generation which carries the entire history of recorded music so casually inside its phone.


Like a potent distillation bubbling on a Prohibition-era porch, Valerie June makes self-styled “organic moonshine roots music”, music for the porch parties of today, a party where she strums her guitar, plucks her banjo, opens her mouth and delta-blues-country stridently sashays out, a stunning peal somewhere between Dolly Parton and Billie Holiday. Or is it more Wanda Jackson and Shirley Goodman, you know, from Shirley & Co, who sang Shame Shame Shame so disco friskily in 1974? Valerie June does this to you: reaches inside your musical brain and shakes it, unleashing ghosts, emotions and memories, all fluttering like countless musical flakes inside the snowglobe of your mind.

A self-taught musician, singer and song-writer from small-town Humboldt, Tennessee (population 8,000), she honed her astonishing sound in the vibrant Memphis atmosphere, her spectrum of influences the history of music itself: Elizabeth Cotten, Leadbelly, The Carter Family, Whitney Houston, Van Morrison, Dolly Parton, Roscoe Holcomb, Woody Guthrie, Nico, Junior Kimbrough, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Tracey Chapman, Billie Holiday, The Rolling Stones, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Mississippi John Hurt, Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, Elmore James, Skip James, Blind Willie McTell, Memphis Minnie…

“Being from Jackson and Humboldt, Tennessee, I was raised one hour from Memphis and two hours from Nashville,” lilts Valerie June, in her sing-song, southern belle way. “It was and still is hard to go anywhere without hearing

country and blues music. It always reminds me of home. It’s the place in art where the colour lines of the South seem to blend.”Her debut album, though, is that most rare of contemporary concepts: unique.

Pushin’ Against A Stone, released on Rob da Bank’s stellar boutique label Sunday Best, was mostly recorded at The Black Key’s Easy Eye studio in Nashville. Produced by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) and Kevin Augunas (Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Florence & The Machine) it’s a sonic postcard from the universe, where the atoms of history live.

“I just love old records,” she smiles, a beautiful woman with old-school dreadlocks spiraling out towards freedom. “I like the crackle, the gritty sound. So do a lotta other people! I think we just wanna hear real music. Alongside the modern beat-machine music. For a while it was only moving in a new direction and people started missing the old stuff. I think it’s something people long for.”

The debut single, Workin’ Woman Blues, is a riot, a brand new bona-fide blues-pop anthem, as if Bobbie Gentry fronted a Stax soul-revue, those mesmerising vocals telling it how it is: “I ain’t fit to be no mother, I ain’t fit to be no wife, yeah, I been workin’ like a man, y’all, I’ve been working all my life.” Elsewhere, there’s the delicate yet rousing triumph of Somebody To Love (featuring the iconic Booker T. Jones), the traditional folk-gospel charm of Trials, Troubles, Tribulations, the spectral, swampy wooziness of Pushin’ Against A Stone (The Specials meets Phil Spector) and the dizzy, harmonised, Shangri-La sashay of Wanna Be On Your Mind, Valerie June’s voice sounding, somehow, both as old and wise as mother nature and as playfully naïve as a schoolgirl skipping home. Staggeringly, she’d never worked with a producer before, the experience opening her up to infinite new atmospheric possibilities.

“It was different,” she says. “ I’d been holding on to a particular image of what I wanted to be as a folk musician, a country musician, a southern roots musician. But when I heard the producers’ ideas I thought, ‘think bigger’. I looked at the careers of Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Joan Baez and they’ve put out all kinds of

music over the course of their careers so far. If I wanna put out a punk rock record next week, that’s me. It’s all coming from me. Even if I have to continue juggling jobs, I am a career artist.”

We don’t hear so much, these days, from the old-school working class girls, the ones who can’t afford the freedom to pursue their most daring dreams. Valerie June, the eldest girl of five kids (who’d often pretend to be the Jackson Five), first learned to sing in church, both a black church and later, a white church, when her family moved to the country. People sang in church, “even when they couldn’t sing” and she’d mimic them all, “from homeless people to wealthy people until my own voice just started coming out, a mixture of everyone”. She had her first jobs as a teen, helping her dad, both a promoter for local gospel singers and in the construction business (she’d hang posters in town and then head to the demolition sites). Soon she was constantly singing, writing songs, a freedom-seeking spirit who went travelling as a wandering songbird up and down the American west coast, then the east coast, a gypsy nightingale and holistic craftswoman who’d sing for tips in subway stations and sell her own handmade soap. By the time she moved back to Memphis in 2000, she had a plethora of songs written and finally taught herself guitar and banjo, as neighbourhood eyes were raised. “Black people aren’t supposed to play the banjo,” she laughs, “it’s seen as country and bluegrass but it’s an African instrument. I love it.” Soon, she was testing out her tentative musical skills in Memphis bars and restaurants, “which was more teaching myself in front of people,” she notes. “Memphis is a good town for being born as an artist. If you make a mistake people are like, ‘we heard the good part’. They nurture you. You can take your time.”

With a dream to make a studio album and no cash to fund it, “it’s hard to think about making a record when you’ve gotta pay rent”, she went to work full-time, now tunneling her way to freedom like Andy Dufresne in the Shawshank Redemption through daily, determined graft. She took on numerous service jobs: housekeeper, dog-walker, babysitter, vegetarian meal cooker, house sitter and personal assistant to the wealthy. And that was just the morning. “In the

afternoon, I’d work in a herb shop, Maggie’s Pharm. Then I would go play a gig, just me and my guitar.”

She began to musically emerge, playing the Memphis Music & Heritage Festival, the International Folk Alliance Conference, the Cooper-Young Festival, the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, AR, finally making enough money for three lo-fi recordings which she sold as CDs on tour: the raw, acoustic The Way Of The Weeping Willow (recorded in an 1800s farmhouse), the vocally mesmerising Mountain Of Rose Quartz and the haunting Valerie June And The Tennessee Express, a collaboration with Nashville bluegrass troupe The Old Crow Medicine Show (who’ve toured with Mumford & Sons). “They’re very successful at what they do, they loved my music and said ‘hey, don’t worry about money just come and record a few songs with us’.”

In 2009 she was a featured artist on MTV’s online series $5 Cover (following the lives of Memphis musicians attempting to make ends meet) and eventually raised $15,000 through crowd-funding website Kickstarter to record a debut album proper. Then, the universe intervened: through word-of-mouth, the manager for producer Kevin Augunas heard Valerie’s music, sent it to Augunas, who loved it so much he flew into Memphis the following day. He asked who she’d like to write with and she suggested Dan Auerbach, whose solo work she’d loved (and who had recently moved to Nashville). Valerie, deliberately, had never signed to a record label before, although there had been no shortage of offers from both major and independent US-based labels, and was spotted playing in France by Sunday Best’s label partner Sarah Bolshi. “I never signed a label deal because it didn’t feel right,” she says. “I need to be with people who not only like this record but my stripped down stuff too. People will tell you, ‘you can do whatever you wanna do with our label’. I didn’t trust anybody telling me that until I met Sarah! And it’s more me, a speciality label.”

Pushin’ Against A Stone is so-called because that’s the story of her life – and the story of her forebears, too. “I feel I’ve spent my life pushing against a stone,” she says. “And the jobs I’ve had have been fitting for getting a true feel for how

the traditional artists I loved came home after a hard day to sit on the porch and play tunes until bedtime. That’s one reason why they were older before anybody cared. When I first started playing instruments I thought, OK, I’m probably not gonna be the next Beyonce, this is not gonna happen for me until I’m very very old. Like…Seasick Steve! Who I love. And then maybe somebody will come see me play in my shack in Mississippi. That’s kinda how it is for many artists who make roots music. So I’m just really happy it’s happening now and I’m not up there with my cane.”

Good things come to those who wait and Valerie June’s time is now, the last year bringing rave reviews at SXSW, a collaboration with Grammy-nominated Fugees producer John Forte (on the hip-hop-blues song Give Me Water) as the word-of-mouth whisper has gradually grown into a collective global holler. This September, one of her friends sent her a Facebook message saying she’d seen a video of her glorious Bestival Performance. “And she said, ‘you’re gonna be a huge star’,” smiles the captivating Valerie June. “A while ago I would’ve been like, I dunno about being a huge star. But now I’m like, you know what? If I can get a break? I will take it. I deserve it. I have paid my dues! I can’t work on Maggie’s Pharm no more. If you wanna bring me a coffee, yeah, I’ll let you bring it. Because I have been the person bringing the coffee. I don’t need any more experience in that. Now, being a queen? M’Kay! I think I can use a little spoiling. Bring it on.”

~ Concord Music

BETH HART & JOE BONAMASSA TEAM UP FOR SECOND SET OF SOUL COVERS - SEESAW

Much buzzed about singer-songwriter Beth Hart , known for her raw and powerful blues-rock sound, and guitarist Joe Bonamassa , one of the best guitarists of his generation, will release their sophomore album of classic soul covers Seesaw on May 21, 2013 via J&R Adventures (and May 20 in Europe). Produced by Kevin Shirley ( Joe Bonamassa , Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes), the album features Hart's scorching interpretations of eleven songs, with Bonamassa on guitar and an all-star band filling out the tracks. It was recorded in January 2013 at Revolver Studios in Thousand Oaks, CA and The Cave in Malibu, CA. The duo will play a select run of live shows in Europe in June, with two Amsterdam dates at Carre Theatre being filmed for a future DVD release.

A force of nature with powerhouse vocals, Hart has been in the spotlight since her show-stopping set with Jeff Beck on the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors to pay tribute to blues legend Buddy Guy . The duo received a rare, non-honoree standing ovation when they played "I'd Rather Go Blind" – a song she and Bonamassa originally covered together on Don't Explain – which the Baltimore Sun called a "soul-searing performance." Hart reunited with Beck onstage at last week's Eric Clapton 's Crossroads Guitar Festival, which featured blues and guitar greats like Albert Lee , Taj Mahal , B.B. King , Sonny Landreth , Keith Urban , Keb' Mo', and John Mayer . Together they performed Howlin' Wolf's "I Ain't Superstitious" and the Beck/Stevie Ray Vaughan-penned "Goin' Down."

Seesaw is the follow up to 2011's Don't Explain, on which Slant called Hart "a simply peerless frontwoman;" AllMusic.com said "Bonamassa and band accent her every phrase with requisite rowdiness, sting and grit." About.com called the duo "a match made in heaven" and MOJO praised their "potent musical chemistry." The album was nominated for a 2012 Blues Music Award.

Seesaw opens with a joyous horn reveille to kick off "Them There Eyes," made famous in 1939 by Billie Holiday —one of Hart's biggest inspirations. "My mother turned me on to this song when I was a kid," says Beth. "I love the bubbliness. It's sexy, it's fun, and it has a great swing to it." On the track "Nutbush City Limits," Hart wails with an intensity that would make Tina Turner proud, and her slow and soulful burn on "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" pairs dramatically with Bonamassa's smoking guitar. The tempo kicks up several notches with Hart's tight, rocking vocals on "Can't Let Go," from Lucinda Williams ' Grammy-winning 1998 album Car Wheels On A Gravel Road. It's followed by her fierce cover of " Miss Lady ," the Buddy Miles song that was originally produced by Jimi Hendrix . Hart revisits Melody Gardot's songbook to deliver a sultry, jazzy rendition of "If I Tell You I Love You." "See Saw," is a Don Covay / Steve Cropper composition from Aretha Franklin 's 1968 album Aretha Now. The album closes with Hart's haunting and atmospheric version of "Strange Fruit," a song that began as a poem about American racism—and lynching—by Abel Meeropol .

To back Hart up, Bonamassa assembled the band that was heard on his #1 Blues album The Ballad of John Henry (2009) and on Don't Explain: Anton Fig (drums, percussion), Blondie Chaplin (guitar), and Carmine Rojas (bass), as well as Arlan Schierbaum (keyboards). Lenny Castro plays percussion and Michael Rhodes plays bass on the track "I'll Love You More Than You'll Ever Know." Collectively, they have performed with hundreds of artists including The Beach Boys, David Bowie , Elton John , Stevie Wonder , Rod Stewart , Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kiss, and the CBS Orchestra on Late Night with David Letterman .

On April 2, Hart released her first U.S. album in a decade, Bang Bang Boom Boom, to stellar reviews. Bonamassa released his first live acoustic CD/DVD/Blu-ray, An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House, on March 26 to enthusiastic reviews. With Vienna, Bonamassa became the first artist to tally 10 No. 1s on Billboard's Blues Albums chart, passing B.B. King (nine) for the most No. 1s. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble have seven, followed by Eric Clapton with six.

Seesaw Track Listing:
1. Them There Eyes 2:31
2. Close To My Fire 5:12
3. Nutbush City Limits 3:34
4. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know 7:03
5. Can't Let Go 4:00
6. Miss Lady 4:54
7. If I Tell You I Love You 3:36
8. Rhymes 5:03
9. Sunday Kind Of Love 3:55
10. See Saw 3:25
11. Strange Fruit 5:45

http://www.hartandbonamassa.com/