NEW RELEASES - SHEREE BROWN, HOT 8 BRASS BAND, JAGA JAZZIST

SHEREE BROWN - MESSAGES FROM THE HEART...AN EXTENSION OF LOVE

A positive, powerful set from the always-great Sheree Brown – a new recording, but one that sparkles just as much as her rare classics for Capitol Records at the start of the 80s! Like those gems, there's a blend of jazz and soul here that's really wonderful – a special sound that puts Sheree in the rare company of artists like Minnie Riperton or Patrice Rushen – able to embrace so many ideas at once, and turn them into a rich new groove of her own! Rushen actually helps out a bit on the record, as does Leon Ware – although the main production credits go to Brown herself, who only seems to have stepped up her game in these recent years. Great proof that the great ones still keep on keepin on, if given the chance – with titles that include "Messages From The Heart", "Time For The Party", "Just A Simple Love", "I Think I'm Gonna Pray", "Getting Started", "We Can Chance The World", and a bonus version of Minnie Riperton's "Inside My Love". ~ Dusty Groove

HOT 8 BRASS BAND - TOMBSTONE

These guys just keep getting better and better with each new record – really transforming the older sound of New Orleans into a rich new groove – one that's not just jazz, street music, or conventional brass band – but a really unique hybrid of all those modes and more! The album begins with a great intro piece, spoken by Big Al over grooves from the group – who then really let loose on the album's instrumental tracks that follow – mixing melody and rhythm effortlessly with their work on horns and percussion, and coming across with a style that's even funkier than before – further proof that their placement on the Tru Thoughts album is a mighty good thing! Titles include "Shot Gun Joe", "Tombstone Intro", "We Goin Make It", "Big Girl", "Take It To The House", and "Milwaukee Fat". ~ Dusty Groove

JAGA JAZZIST - JAGA JAZZIST LIVE WITH BRITTEN SINFONIA

The often cinematic sounds of Jaga Jazzist, given an extra orchestral sweep – working beautifully well with the Britten Sinfonia chamber orchestra! It's a match made in jazzy, proggy, soundtracky heaven. Jaga Jazzist has a sprawling sound even at their core – with soul jazz, prog and contemporary club sounds delivered in a way that's brilliantly unique to the group – so surely stands to reason that they could adapt quite brilliantly in a grander concert environment. Well, it's even greater than you'd expect! The guitar, vibes, percussion, horns, synth and piano of Jaga Jazzist is complemented beautifully by Britten Sinfonia's strings, flutes, clarinets, bassoon and additional horns and percussion. Includes the slow-building, epic 15+ minute opener "One-Armed Bandit", plus sweet symphonic takes on "Kitty Wu", "Prungen", "For All You Happy People", "Toccata", "Bananfluer Overalt", "Music! Dance! Drama!" and "Oslo Skyline". Recorded at Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo and at the Baribican in London in fall and summer 2012. ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - MILTON NASCIMENTO, NARA LEAO, MATUTO

MILTON NASCIMENTO - COLECAO MILTON NASCIMENTO (20 CD BOX SET)

Every great album from Milton Nascimento – packaged here together in one sweet little set – and all done as cool special sets that contain individual book-style jackets too! The style is amazing – better than any other Brazilian box set like this we've seen – with each individual album done like one of the Abril Cultural book and CD sets – a hardcover case, lots of pages inside, with a wealth of notes and photos – plus all the essential music that makes these records so wonderful! The set begins with Nascimento's earliest albums – and runs through his excellent work for EMI/Odeon in the 70s – and even includes some great 80s albums too. Includes the full albums Milton Nascimento (1967), "Milton Nascimento (1969), Milton (1970), Courage, Clube Da Esquina, Milagre Dos Peixes, Milagre Dos Piexes Ao Vivo, Minas, Geraes, Cacador De Mim, Journey To Dawn, Milton (1976), Sentinela, Milton Nascimento Ao Vivo, Missa Dos Quilombos, A Barca Dos Amantes, Encontros E Espedidas, Anima, and Clube Da Esquina 2. (PLEASE NOTE: These outer boxes have split seams on one end. Easily fixable with glue, but the price has been reduced to account for this. CDs inside are in perfect shape!!) ~ Dusty Groove

NARA LEAO - SAMBA, FESTIVAL & TROPICALIA (14 CD BOX SET)

Amazing music from Nara Leao – all of her classic albums for Philips from the 60s, packaged together in one sweet set – along with a bonus 2CD set of rare material, a booklet, and lots of bonus tracks as well! Nara during this time was a completely unique singer – an artist with roots in bossa, but inflected with a folksy depth, and more than enough sophistication to help make her a key figure in the Tropicalia movement as well! This package brings together everything that makes Leao so wonderful – dark albums from the mid 60s that really set a whole new tone for MPB – a few live performances that show Nara's collaborative and spontaneous side, and some important late 60s material that already show a tremendous evolution as an artist. Each album is in its original artwork, with bonus tracks on individual CDs – and albums include Nara (1964), Opiniao De Nara, O Canto Livre De Nara, Show Opiniao, 5 Na Bossa, Liberdade Liberdade, Nara Pede Passagem, Manha de Liberdade, Vento De Maio, Nara (1967), Nara Leao (1968), and Coisas Do Mundo. Plus, the bonus 2CD set features lots of obscure cuts from singles and other unusual sources – 33 more numbers that include duets with Maria Bethania, Chico Buarque, Quinteto Violado, and Fagner – and lots of other solo tracks too. ~ Dusty Groove

MATUTO - THE DEVIL & THE DIAMOND

A compelling combination of Brazilian forro and jazz, with a touch of American roots thrown in for good measure – all served up in a style that's pretty darn unique! Bold accordion lines are at the lead on most numbers – much more Brazilian than any sort of US or European use of the instrument, and peppered with a nice degree of percussion to create snapping rhythms that move things forward nicely. Yet there's also a bit of fiddle too, mixed with some of the vocals that underscore a much more American approach to songwriting – partly from the themes, and partly from the English language of the tracks. A few of the tunes definitely push this roots agenda a bit more strongly, and emphasize guitar more as well – yet there's also some great cavaquinho work on the album to balance out the Brazilian elements. Titles include "Toco O Sino", "Demon Chopper", "Sun Song", "Drag Me Down", "Horse Eat Corn", and "The Way I Love You". ~ Dusty Groove

NATALIE COLE'S 25TH ALBUM - NATALIE COLE EN ESPANOL FEATURING SPECIAL GUESTS JUAN LUIS GUERRA & ANDREA BOCELLI

Multiple GRAMMY Award-winner Natalie Cole 's first Spanish-language album, " Natalie Cole en Espanol" will be released June 25 on Verve/Universal. The album finds Natalie personally inspired by both the bilingual recording legacy of her father Nat King Cole , and a growing passion for the timeless romanticism of the great Latin music composers. Produced by Rudy Perez ("Latin Music Producer Of The Decade" – Billboard), " Natalie Cole en Espanol" will reintroduce a new generation of fans to many of Latin Music's most romantic standards – with both new interpretations of Spanish-language classics previously recorded by Nat King Cole , and Natalie's own personal selections of songs that have touched her heart and make this album truly her own. This wonderful balance of both old and new classics is perfectly illustrated by the special vocal collaborations that highlight the album, with Natalie joining Juan Luis Guerra on the Dominican Maestro's own "Bachata Rosa," while looking further back with Andrea Bocelli on the eternal "Besame Mucho." But without question, the most emotional pairing of the album finds Natalie joining her father in a heartfelt duet of "Acercate Mas" (Come Closer to Me) - utilizing the same technique as their Grammy winning, globally multi-platinum recording of "Unforgettable."

From a historical perspective, it is difficult to overstate Nat King Cole 's cultural importance, not only as a world-class singer, multi-million selling recording artist and extraordinary pianist, but also as a pioneer for racial equality. Nat was the era's most successful recording artist on Capitol Records, which became known throughout the music industry as "The House That Nat Built." Through the sheer understated elegance of his music, he gained acceptance in all strata of society. In the 1940's, Cole became the first black performer to have his own regular radio show, and that pioneering role as host expanded to television when "The Nat King Cole Show " made its debut on NBC in 1956. But even with such success, the battle for equality continued both in the United States and abroad, which Cole discovered that same year when he was contracted for an appearance in Cuba - only to be told he could perform at, but not stay overnight, in the famed Hotel Nacional.

Notwithstanding that initial reception, Nat became enamored of the musical spirit he discovered in Cuba while working with top-flight Latin artists like Bebo Valdes , and soon after - encouraged by his manager Carlos Gastel - Cole made the pioneering decision to become the first American superstar to record an entire album of Spanish standards. Recorded between Cuba and Los Angeles, and released in 1958, " Cole Espanol " was quickly embraced by Spanish speaking music fans across the world, who appreciated Cole's outreach in their own language while creating a fusion of Latin rhythm with the feel of the Great American Songbook. Global reaction to Cole's entry into Spanish-language recording was so strong, that additional recording sessions took place in Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City in ensuing years - resulting in the subsequent release of "A Mis Amigos" (1959) and "More Cole Espanol " (1962). Now, over 50 years later and counting, Nat King Cole is widely embraced across Latin America as an ahead-of-his time cultural ambassador, and a musical memorial to his legacy (consisting of a Jukebox of his music and bust of his likeness) now resides on that very same ground of initial adversity in the Hotel Nacional.

Growing up, Natalie Cole was well aware of this aspect of her father's career and now, as she returns with her first new album following her remarkable recovery from a kidney transplant (detailed in the heartfelt 2010 memoir "Love Brought Me Back: A Journey of Loss and Gain"), she has found a deeper appreciation of those groundbreaking recordings and a desire to further extend her family's commitment to bilingual music. Inspired by both a strong bond recently forged with the Latino family of her kidney donor, and the historical knowledge and passion of award-winning producer Rudy Perez , Natalie has meticulously crafted " Natalie Cole en Espanol" as a lush and captivating tribute to Latin Music's legendary composers and their most romantic songs.

"Natalie Cole en Espanol" - Track Listing
01. Frenesi
02. Voy a Apagar La Luz/Contigo Aprendi
03. Acercate Mas (w/Nat King Cole)
04. Manana De Carnaval
05. Besame Mucho (w/Andrea Bocelli)
06. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas
07. Solamente Una Vez
08. Oye Como Va (Medley)
09. Yo Lo Amo (And I Love Him)
10. El Dia Que Me Quieras
11. Bachata Rosa (w/ Juan Luis Guerra)
12. Amapola

~ Verve Music

LAWSON ROLLINS - FULL CIRCLE

Having traversed the world in search of intriguing sounds from virtually every corner of the globe with his beloved Spanish guitar en tow, Lawson Rollins has come full circle on his aptly titled fourth solo album, “Full Circle,” which will be released July 16th by his Infinita Records. Adopting a “less can be more” philosophy on the twelve new songs that he composed allows the focus to be on Rollins’ captivating melodies and dexterous fretwork that unfold over worldbeat rhythms and multicultural instrumentation. Radio listeners will be introduced to the collection Rollins produced with multi-platinum producer Dominic Camardella (Ottmar Liebert, Flora Purim, 3rd Force) when the first single, “Momentum,” is shipped to stations in June.

Just as he has on his previous releases, Rollins entered the recording studio with Camardella (keyboards, piano) and a gifted ensemble comprised of Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat, bassist Randy Tico, percussionist Dave Bryant and saxophonist/flutist Richard Hardy. Rollins plays classical, flamenco and electric guitars on “Full Circle” along with keyboards and drum programming. The multilingual etchings of the erudite guitarist fluctuate in tone and speed. Rooting the compositions in sparser settings than utilized on his earlier albums (“Elevation,” “Espirito” and “Infinita”), the storytelling guitarist spins enthralling escapades with his six-string that are the focal point of the sonicscapes. Rollins relishes the challenge of presenting material masterfully performed as audacious amalgams constructed of mesmerizing melodies and exotic rhythms mined from Afro-Cuban rumba, bossa nova, samba, mystical Middle Eastern, tango, reggae, rock, classical and jazz.

Each cut was thoughtfully crafted resulting in numerous highlights on the disc. “Momentum” rides a relentless rumba-flavored groove seasoned with a hint of Japanese folk music along a marching motion of melody. The rumba party continues on “Pursuit,” which incorporates an Appalachian fiddle motif to the thrilling chase. “Flight” and “Bloom” romance by way of sultry bossa nova ambiances and a pristine nylon guitar sound. The title cut recalls Rollins earlier work as a member of Young & Rollins (2000-2006) with an updated approach to the salsa stylings. “Gone From Here” is a sprawling rumba meets rock stroll on which Rollins makes a rare pronouncement on electric guitar. Another diverse number that Rollins refers to as a “journey piece” because of its deviation from the typical song structure, “Shifting Seasons” is like 4 songs in one song that melds folk, Asian elements, rumba and bolero rhythms.

“’Full Circle’ is somewhat of a return to my roots in a sense, with the focus shifting to a sound that is more centered and grounded in the instrument I know best - the nylon string Spanish guitar. I was determined and indeed excited to create a cohesive, guitar-focused album. I had to reign in my instinct to apply layer upon layer of sound to any given track. That's not to say that ‘Full Circle’ does not have some adventurous musical rides, but the heart of the album can be found in concise musical statements. Woven throughout the fabric of the recordings is the constant thread of the guitar. ‘Full Circle’ is perhaps the most accurate, pointed expression of my guitar style and approach to melody and songcraft to date,” said the San Francisco-based Rollins.

Rollins has generated over 7.5 million YouTube views, an extraordinarily high number for an instrumentalist in his genre. Over 6 million views came from the release of three astonishing performance clips – “The Fire Cadenza,” “Santa Ana Wind” and “Locomotion” – with the balance comprised of fans posting videos of their own attempts to replicate his astoundingly prodigious techniques. Rollins scored a #1 radio single at Billboard with “Moonlight Samba” from the “Espirito” album in addition to collecting several Top 30 contemporary jazz radio hits. Last year, he guest hosted a national radio program on Sirius XM and was profiled in Guitar Player magazine, which marveled “He possesses ungodly classical chops, with dazzling speed, uncanny accuracy, and a beautifully delicate touch.”

The songs contained on Rollins’ “Full Circle” album are:
“Momentum”
“Point of Attraction”
“Pursuit”
“Flight”
“Horizon”
“Bloom”
“Full Circle”
“Serpent’s Tale”
“The Offering”
“Gone From Here”
“Shifting Seasons”
“Promise”

NEW RELEASES - LALO SHIFRIN, WHEELHOUSE, DAVE REMPIS PERCUSSIVE QUARTET

LALO SHIFRIN - THERE'S A WHOLE LALO SHIFRIN GOIN' ON

A crazy album of funky tracks from Lalo Schifrin – very different than most of his other jazz and bossa work! This set's got some very tripped out styles that mix together funky backings, jazzy riffing, and even some nice electronics – a sweet little groove that's even more wild and hip than even the best of Schifrin's soundtrack work from the 60s! Some tunes certainly show the deft talent for arranging woodwinds and rhythms that first caught the ears of so many listeners on famous soundtracks – but in the setting of this record, away from any directorial needs, Lalo's also free to explore some groovier music ideas – and he really lets loose tremendously as the set rolls on! The titles alone should tell you the feel of the record – with names like "Secret Code", "Dissolving", "Vaccinated Mushrooms", "Wheat Germ Landscapes", and "How To Open at Will The Most Beautiful Window". CD also features four groovy bonus tracks by Schifrin – "Another Side Of Harry", "Blues A Go Go", "Lucille", and "Self Destruct". ~ Dusty Groove

WHEELHOUSE - BOSS OF THE PLAINS

There's a very cool trio in the wheelhouse for this sweet little set – a combo that features alto and baritone sax from Dave Rempis, bass from Nate McBride, and vibes from the always-incredible Jason Adasiewicz! The players come together with a sound that's completely sublime – almost even more airy and hanging in space than any other effort – partly because of the lack of drums, partly because of the group's clear fascination with sound textures on the record – an approach that has the tones of the various players resonating strongly together, often with melodic undercurrents that really bring a sense of soul to their relatively free musicianship! A tremendous effort from the Chicago scene – with titles that include "Song Sex", "Song Heaven", "Song Fife", "Song Juan", "Song For Teens", and "Song Hate". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE REMPIS PERCUSSIVE QUARTET - PHALANX

Two different slices of this powerful group from reedman Dave Rempis – one live performance from Milwaukee, the other from Antwerp – each taking up a CD each! The group gets their percussive name from the dual drums of Tim Daisy and Frank Rosaly – players who bring a real intensity to the music at some moments, yet lie back and have very individual, subtle spirits at other points – often to let Rempis express some amazing tones and textures on alto, tenor, or baritone sax – given great shape and inspiration by Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass. All the tracks are long, and very improvised – and titles include "Algonquins", "Cream City Stomp", "Anti Goons", and "Croatalus Adamantooths". ~ Dusty Groove

KOOL & THE GANG ON TOUR THIS SUMMER

In keeping with the resurging popularity of 70s and 80s sounds, legendary groovemeisters of the period, Kool & The Gang (koolandthegang.com), are back in the arena limelight joining the first leg of Kid Rock's "Rebel Soul Tour". The tour kicks off in Washington, DC, June 28, at Jiffy Lube Live. In an unprecedented, fan-friendly move, Kid Rock announced a limited number of $20 tickets are being offered for the tour.

The Kool & The Gang-Kid Rock pairing follows on the heels of their wildly-successful 50-plus city tour in 2012 with Van Halen . Billboard reported: "One unqualified success was the experiment of Kool & The Gang's opening set. If some — actually many — wondered how the R&B group would fare in front of Van Halen 's hard rock crowd, doubts were dispelled quickly with the breezy lite funk of the 11-piece outfit's 50-minute set, which had the T-shirted, beer-drinking, fist-pumpers dancing exuberantly." Kool & The Gang also plan on joining the Dave Matthews Band in Hershey, PA, July 13 at Hershey Park Stadium.

Unique pairings for Kool & The Gang don't exist only on stage; their bulletproof funk and jazzy arrangements have also made them the most sampled band of all time. With the explosion of hip-hop in the '90s, Kool & The Gang's incredible catalog of grooves has made them DJ favorites, and they are second only to R&B icon James Brown as sources of rap-music samples. The Hits Reloaded album found the band collaborating with such acolytes as Lil' Kim, Sean Paul , Ashanti, and Blackstreet, among others.

Selling over 70 million albums worldwide the band influenced the music of three generations. Thanks to songs like Celebration, Cherish, Summer Madness and Open Sesame, Kool & The Gang has earned two Grammy® Awards and seven American Music Awards and amassed 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums. They have performed continuously longer than any R&B group in history.

"We are not over yet, we have other things we want to do—when my legs won't run to those airports anymore then I might give up," says band co-founder Ronald Khalis Bell .

As the purveyors of such booty-rocking standards as Jungle Boogie and Hollywood Swinging, the gang never fails to flex their funk – on both old-school workouts and hip-hop jams. Their music has been created by the same core of players for over four decades: Robert "Kool" Bell, his brother Ronald Khalis Bell , their longtime friends Dennis "DT" Thomas and George "Funky" Brown. Other band members include, Clifford Adams , Lavelle Evans , Larry Gittens , Timothy Horton , Shawn McQuiller , Michael Ray and Curtis "Fitz" Williams.

TOUR DATES
Friday, June 28 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
Saturday, June 29 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
Tuesday, July 2 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
Friday, July 5 - Darien, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Saturday, July 6 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion At Montage Mountain
Tuesday, July 9 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
Wednesday, July 10 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center
Saturday, July 13 - Hershey, PA - Hershey Park Stadium (Dave Matthews Band)
Tuesday, July 23 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater
Wednesday, July 24 - Phoenix, AZ - Desert Sky Pavilion
Friday, July 26 - Irvine, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

ELVIS PRESLEY - ELVIS AT STAX: DELUXE EDITION COMING IN AUGUST

The last major studio sessions in the career of Elvis Presley have finally been gathered together for the first time in one comprehensive package as ELVIS AT STAX: DELUXE EDITION. The deluxe 3-CD box set, a 40th anniversary chronicle of a dozen nights that Presley spent at Stax Recording Studios in his hometown of Memphis in July and December 1973, will be available everywhere August 6, 2013 through RCA/Legacy. The box set arrives in stores ten days before the anniversary of Presley's death on August 16, 1977. Released simultaneously will be a single CD of highlights from the box set simply titled ELVIS AT STAX, and a 180-gram, double-vinyl LP.

ELVIS AT STAX: DELUXE EDITION bristles with energy and dynamism. The proof is in the six consecutive singles that the Stax sessions produced, all of which skirted the Top 40 from 1973 to 1975. In effect, they rivaled some of the hottest streaks that Presley had charted a decade earlier. The Stax singles still resonate today:

“Raised On Rock” b/w “For Ol’ Time Sake” (Hot 100 #41, country #42);
"I’ve Got A Thing About You Baby” b/w “Take Good Care Of Her” (Hot 100 #39, country #4);
“Promised Land” b/w “It’s Midnight” (Hot 100 #14, country #9);
“If You Talk In Your Sleep” b/w “Help Me” (Hot 100 #17, country #6);
“My Boy” b/w “Thinking About You” (Hot 100 #20, country #14); and
“Mr. Songman” (B-side of “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” Hot 100 #35, country #11).
"I Got A Feelin' In My Body" (recorded at Stax, catalog RCA PB-11679), was reissued as a posthumous single by RCA Records in 1979.

The historical significance of Presley’s work at Stax is appreciated by such music scholars as Peter Guralnick, the award-winning author of Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley (1994) and Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (1999); and producer Ernst Mikael Jørgensen, respected director of RCA’s Presley catalog for over two decades, and author of the critical research guide, Elvis Presley: A Life In Music (St. Martin’s Press, 1998).

Jørgensen has long been concerned with doing justice to the Stax sessions, which were never acknowledged by the artist's record label RCA as a unified whole. Instead, as with most of Presley's studio work in his second decade as a recording artist, the tracks were scattered onto LPs and intermingled with material recorded in Nashville and Hollywood. The bulk of the Stax cuts showed up on Raised On Rock/For Ol’ Times Sake (1973), Good Times (1974), and Promised Land (1975). For ELVIS AT STAX, many of the outtakes originated on the CD-era reissues of those three albums on Jørgensen’s and co-director Roger Semon's own label, Follow That Dream (FTD) Records. ELVIS AT STAX was produced by Jørgensen, Semon, and Rob Santos of Legacy A&R.

Taking up the cause for ELVIS AT STAX is another scholar and aficionado of the artist, award-winning resident Memphis journalist Robert Gordon, who has written an in-depth, day-by-day (i.e. night-by-night) liner notes essay for the box set. Previously, Gordon and his wife Tara McAdams (author of The Elvis Handbook, 2004) co-wrote the liner notes essay for RCA/Legacy's From Elvis In Memphis: Legacy Edition (2009). In addition to major biographies of Muddy Waters and Jerry Lee Lewis, Gordon is the author of two important Elvis Presley studies, The King on the Road: Elvis Live on Tour 1954 to 1977 (St. Martin’s, 1996) and The Elvis Treasures (Random House, 2002). Gordon has also written two books on the Memphis music scene, the acclaimed It Came from Memphis (Faber & Faber, 1995, foreword penned by Peter Guralnick) and the upcoming Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion (Bloomsbury USA, set for publication in November 2013).

Etched in music history, 1973 was a crucial watershed year for Presley, in the wake of his return to extended concert touring in 1972, after 12 years away from the stage and 27 movies in Hollywood. His New York City concert debut was emblematic of an exciting new chapter in his career. It was chronicled last year on the RCA/Legacy deluxe 2-CD+DVD box set, Prince From Another Planet: Elvis As Recorded Live At Madison Square Garden / 40th Anniversary Edition, which captured an afternoon and an evening concert staged on June 10, 1972. His manager, Colonel Tom Parker, sought a world-class mega-event to underscore the touring, which led to the one-hour global satellite broadcast from the Honolulu International Center Arena on January 14, 1973, viewed by over one billion people around the world. That, too, was recently chronicled on the RCA/Legacy double-disc set issued this past March, Aloha From Hawaii: Legacy Edition.

The highs of 1972-’73 led Presley and Colonel Parker to accept RCA’s $5.4 million offer for an outright transfer of Presley's complete back catalog. He wanted a new start, new control, and a new publishing company. But the RCA deal also called for his return to the studio and a promise for him to deliver 24 new masters, i.e. two new singles (four songs), a new pop LP (ten songs), and a new gospel LP (ten songs).

Four years earlier, in 1969, Presley had made his Memphis recording return (after a 13-year absence) at Chips Moman’s American Studios. These triumphantly successful sessions had yielded a year-long string of ‘comeback’ hit singles: “In the Ghetto” (#3), “Suspicious Minds” (#1), “Don’t Cry Daddy” (#6), and “Kentucky Rain” (#16), the last such string of major consecutive hits in his life. But by 1973, American had closed up shop, and most of its musicians had relocated to Nashville. However, Stax Studios, the launching pad of such greats as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Booker T. and The MGs, and Isaac Hayes was still thriving at its original 926 E. McLemore Avenue space. In fact, Isaac Hayes relinquished his studio time to accommodate Presley. Ironically, less than two years later in 1975, the Stax offices would also be closed.

Presley spent 12 days at Stax in 1973 (July 21-25 and December 10-16), and the rollercoaster ride of those sessions is meticulously detailed in Gordon’s liner notes. ELVIS AT STAX neatly compartmentalizes the results:

Disc 1: The R&B and Country Sessions – The Outtakes: 17 tracks
Disc 2: Part 1 – The Pop Sessions – The Outtakes: 10 tracks
Disc 2: Part 2 – The July 1973 Masters: four single sides and six album tracks, and
Disc 3: The December 1973 Masters: seven single sides and 11 album tracks.

ELVIS AT STAX: DELUXE EDITION by ELVIS PRESLEY
Disc 1: The R&B and Country Sessions – The Outtakes: Selections –
1. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body - take 1 (I)
2. Find Out What’s Happening - takes 8-7 (B)
3. Promised Land - take 4 (I)
4. For Ol’ Times Sake - take 4 (I)
5. I’ve Got A Thing About You, Babe - take 14 (I)
6. It’s Midnight - take 7 (F)
7. If You Talk In Your Sleep - take 5 (J)
8. Loving Arms - take 2 (I)
9. You Asked Me To - take 3A (F)
10. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues - take 8 (I)
11. Talk About The Good Times - take 3 (I)
12. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel - take 1 (I)
13. She Wears My Ring - take 8 (I)
14. Three Corn Patches - take 14 (I)
15. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body - take 4 (J)
16. If You Don’t Come Back - take 3 (I)
17. Promised Land - take 5 (H)

Disc 2: Part 1 – The Pop Sessions – The Outtakes: Selections –
1. Mr. Songman - take 2 (F)
2. Your Love’s Been A Long time Coming - take 4 (I)
3. Spanish Eyes - take 2 (I)
4. Take Good Care Of Her - takes 1,2,3 (D)
5. It’s Diff’rent Now (unfinished recording) (G)
6. Thinking About You - take 4 (I)
7. My Boy - take 1 (D)
8. Girl Of Mine - take 9 (I)
9. Love Song Of The Year - take 1 (F)
10. If That Isn’t Love - take 1 (I)

Part 2 – The July 1973 Masters:
11. Raised On Rock (Hot 100 #41, country #42) (A)
12. For Ol’ Time Sake (charts same as track 11) (A)
13. I’ve Got A Thing About You Baby (Hot 100 #39, country #4) (C)
14. Take Good Care Of Her (charts same as track 13) (C)
15. If You Don’t Come Back (A)
16. Three Corn Patches (A)
17. Girl Of Mine (A)
18. Just A Little Bit (A)
19. Find Out What’s Happening (A)
20. Sweet Angeline (A)

Disc 3: The December 1973 Masters: Selections –
1. Promised Land (Hot 100 #14, country #9) (E)
2. It’s Midnight (charts same as track 1) (E)
3. If You Talk In Your Sleep (Hot 100 #17, country #6) (E)
4. Help Me (charts same as track 3) (E)
5. My Boy (Hot 100 #20, country #14) (C)
6. Thinking About You (charts same as track 5) (E)
7. Mr. Songman (Hot 100 #35, country #11) (E)
8. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body (C)
9. Loving Arms (C)
10. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues (C)
11. You Asked Me To (E)
12. There’s A Honky Tonk Angel (Who Will Take Me Back In) (E)
13. Talk About The Good Times (C)
14. She Wears My Ring (C)
15. Your Love’s Been A Long Time Coming (E)
16. Love Song Of The Year (E)
17. Spanish Eyes (C)
18. If That Isn’t Love (C)

Album source index:
A – from Raised On Rock/For Ol’ Times Sake LP (RCA APL1-0388, released October 1973)
B – from Raised on Rock CD (FTD 86971 28432, released July 2007)
C – from Good Times LP (RCA CPL1-0475, released March 1974)
D – from Good Times CD (FTD 50602 09750 0 3, released December 2012)
E – from Promised Land LP (RCA APL1-0873, released January 1975)
F – from Promised Land CD (FTD 50602 09750 1 9, released December 2011)
G – from Walk a Mile in My Shoes – The Essential ’70s Masters 5-CD box set (RCA 7863-66670-2, released October 1995)
H – from Platinum - A Life In Music 4-CD box set (RCA 67469, released July 1997)
I – from Rhythm and Country CD (RCA 07863-67672-2, released August 1998)
J – from Today, Tomorrow and Forever 4-CD box set (RCA 07863-65115-2, released June 2002)

GENE PAGE - CLOSE ENCOUNTERS / LOVE STARTS AFTER DARK

A pair of great albums from one of the coolest soul arrangers of the 70s – back to back on a single CD! Close Encounters is a cool collection of space-themed club tracks from Gene Page – and possibly one of his greatest albums of the 70s – dispite a gimmicky approach! There's a tightly soaring feel to most of the cuts that's Page at his best – arranging fully with styles borrowed from Barry White, but also hitting with a bit of Philly inspiration too – never too over the top, and never too commercially driven as you might expect from the concept. There's some great moogy bits on the record – and plenty of great session players who include David T Walker and Wah Wah Watson on guitars, Jack Ashford on percussion, and Ernie Watts on alto sax. Great Phillinganes sings a bit on the record – and titles include "Star Trek", "Close Encounters", "Saturn", "Dancin In The Sky", "I Feel Like I've Been Livin", "Beyond The Hole Space", and "I Sho Like To Ride On Your Star". Love Starts After Dark is a wonderfully well-rounded set from superstar arranger Gene Page – quite possibly his most fully-formed album as a lead act on his own! The set's got some great standout groovers – the kind of club cuts that have the vibe that Gene was doing well for so many others – and it's also got some mellow moments served up with a depth that's almost unexpected – thanks partly to some great vocals from Merry Clayton, Phyllis St James, and Charmaine Sylvers – all of whom help the album shine. Tracks are penned by Leon Ware, Leon Sylvers, Ray Parker Jr, and Joe Sample – and titles include "With You In The Night", "Second Time Around", "Put A Little Love In Your Lovin", "Love Starts After Dark", "You Are The Meaning Of This Song", and "I Wanna Dance". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - GILBERTO GIL / VUSI MAHLASELA, ANDREA POZZA, OTIS CLAY

GILBERTO GIL / VUSI MAHLASELA - THE SOUTH AFRICAN MEETING OF VIRAMUNDO

This album was born from the meeting of Gilberto Gil and Vusi Mahlasela during the filming of the documentary filem entitled - Viramundo. Several of the selections are taken from two concerts that took place during the filming of the documentary in Johannesburg in May 2011, while other tracks were recorded a year later in Switzerland, in preparation for a concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Arrangements for strings and wind instruments, played by the Miagi Youth Orchestra (South Africa) and the Sinfonietta de Lausanne (Switzerland), is the work of South African pianist Paul Hanmer. In the end, the album stands out as the superb example of a plural and interconnected future, rich in hope, exchanges ... and of course music.

ANDREA POZZA TRIO - A JELLYFISH FROM THE BOSPHORUS

The title and cover are a bit gimmicky, but the album's a wonderfully solid effort from Italian pianist Andrea Pozza – easily one of the most lyrical players we've heard in years! Pozza's got this way of mixing depth with lightness – a quality that sometimes evokes that special mysticism of Horace Silver, especially on Andrea's original tunes on the record – which really sparkle with a sort of exotic quality. There's nothing ever too over the top about the set – yet the group really have a way of putting over something special, and with a bit more subtlety than some of Pozza's recent outings with singers for other labels. Titles include "Il Primo Dei Sette", "As Usual", "Tuttavia E Cosi", "Love Is The Way", and "Get Happy". ~ Dusty Groove

OTIS CLAY - TRUTH IS

Otis Clay, still going strong – stepping out here on a sweet new recording from the Chicago scene – done with that warm mix of modern modes and deep soul roots we really love from his work of the late 70s! Clay's vocals have, if anything, only gotten better with age – really able to find the right notes and inflections to make the music sparkle – even more so than some of Otis records from back in the day! Instrumentation is relatively laidback – done in a mode that's a bit like some of the Jackson or Memphis styles at the start of the 80s, but without any of the bluesy inflections that might get in the way of the sort of solid soul performance that Clay delivers here. The legendary Tom Tom 84 handled many of the arrangements on the set – and although most of the material is new, Otis also tweaked a few older favorites for the set – to make for a nice long album, too. Titles include "Love's After Me", "All That's Missing Is You", "Walk A Mile In My Shoes", "Even Now", "I Thought You Knew", "Truth Is", "I Know I'm Over You", "Even When I Win", "I Keep Trying", "Steal Away To The Hideaway", and "The Only Way Is Up". ~ Dusty Groove

COMING UP AT THE CORNELIA STREET CAFE MAY 8 - 31, 2013

Wednesday, May 8, 8:30 PM
NATE RADLEY QUARTET
Nate Radley, guitar; Loren Stilman, alto sax; Matt Pavolka, bass; Ted Poor, drums

Friday, May 10, 9:00 PM
JACOB SACKS QUARTET
Jacob Sacks, piano; Ellery Eskelin, tenor sax; Michael Formanek, bass; Dan Weiss, drums

Saturday, May 11, 9:00 PM
BEN ALLISON PLAYS THE MUSIC OF JIM HALL
Ben Allison, bass; Steve Cardenas, guitar; Ted Nash, tenor sax

Sunday, May 12, 8:30 PM
GLOBAL LIVING ROOM: FERMAN-EDERY DUO "SEPHARTANGO"
Polly Ferman, piano; Gerard Edery, voice, guitar

Monday, May 13, 8:30 PM
CLASSICAL AT THE CORNELIA: "MAY MADNESS"
Ana Milosavljevic, violin, viper electric violin; Jed Distler, piano

Tuesday, May 14, 8:30 PM
VOXIFY: AUBREY JOHNSON
Aubrey Johnson, vocals; Tomoko Omura, violin; Michael Thomas, alto sax, bass clarinet; Chris Ziemba, piano; Matt Aronoff, bass; Jeremy Noller, drums

Tuesday, May 14, 10:30 PM
VOXIFY: TAMMY SCHEFFER
Tammy Scheffer, vocals; Tomoko Omura, violin; Davy Mooney, guitar, voice

Wednesday, May 15, 8:30 PM
NIKOLAJ HESS QUARTET, CD RELEASE: TRIO
Nikolaj Hess, piano; Marc Mommaas, tenor sax; Tony Scherr, bass; Kenny Wollesen, drums

Thursday, May 16, 8:30 PM
JON IRABAGON TRIO
Jon Irabagon, alto sax; Mark Helias, bass; Barry Altschul, drums

***Friday & Saturday, May 17 & 18, 9:00 PM***
HUSH POINT W. JOHN MCNEIL & JEREMY UDDEN, CD RELEASE PARTY
John McNeil, trumpet; Jeremy Udden, alto, c melody sax; Aryeh Kobrinski, bass; Vinnie Sperrazza, drums

Sunday, May 19, 8:30 PM
***STEVEN LUGERNER, CD RELEASE: FOR WE HAVE HEARD***
Steven Lugerner, Bb clarinet, bass Clarinet, saxophones; Stephanie Richards, trumpet; Glenn Zaleski, piano; Matt Wilson, drums

Tuesday, May 21, 8:30 PM
VOICE BOX: JO LAWRY
Jo Lawry, voice, piano, guitar; Matt Aronoff, bass

Tuesday, May 21, 10:00 PM
VOICE BOX: YOON SUN CHOI, JACOB SACKS DUO
Yoon Sun Choi, voice; Jacob Sacks, piano

Wednesday, May 22, 8:30 PM
MATT PARKER, CD RELEASE: WORLDS PUT TOGETHER
Matt Parker, tenor sax; Julio Monterrey, alto sax; Josh Mease, guitar; Jesse Elder, piano; Jimmy Sutherland, taps; Alan Hampton, bass; Reggie Quinerly, drums

Thursday, May 23, 8:30 PM
OPEN LOOSE
Mark Helias, bass; Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Tom Rainey, drums

Friday, May 24, 9:00 PM
MIKE REED'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS
Greg Ward, alto sax; Tim Haldeman, tenor sax; Jason Roebke, bass; Mike Reed, drums

Saturday, May 25, 9:00 PM
DAN WEISS TRIO
Dan Weiss, drums, compositions; Jacob Sacks, piano; Eivind Opsvik, bass

Sunday, May 26, 8:30 PM
NEW BRAZILIAN PERSPECTIVES: BENJAMIM TAUBKIN
Benjamim Taubkin, piano; Rogerio Boccato, drums, percussion

Monday, May 27, 8:30 PM
CLASSICAL AT THE CORNELIA: OLGA VINOKUR AND FRIENDS: DANCE AND SONG
Olga Vinokur, piano

Monday, May 27, 10:00 PM
CLASSICAL AT THE CORNELIA: STEVE HUDSON CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
Zach Brock, violin; Jody Redhage, cello/vocals; Michael Sarin, drums; Steve Hudson, piano

Tuesday, May 28, 8:30 PM
BOTH SIDES NOW: KRISTIN ANDREASSEN
Kristin Andreassen, guitar, voice, foot percussion; Stephanie Coleman, fiddle; Jacob Silver, bass; Robin MacMillan, drums

***Wednesday & Thursday, May 29 & 30, 8:30PM***
CHRIS LIGHTCAP - BIGMOUTH
Chris Lightcap, bass; Chris Cheek, tenor sax; Tony Malaby, tenor sax; Craig Taborn, piano; Ches Smith, drums

Friday, May 31, 9:00 PM
DAVE LIEBMAN QUINTET
Dave Liebman, saxophones; Matt Vashlishan, saxophones; Bobby Avey, piano; Tony Marino, bass; Alex Ritz, drums

The Cornelia Street Café
29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village, NYC
info@corneliastreetcafe.com

JAMES BROWN - THE BEST OF LIVE AT THE APOLLO: 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Two music icons, James Brown and the Apollo Theater, both steeped in rich history and community, bringing out the best in each other: That’s what you’ll hear on the brand-new collection, JAMES BROWN – Best Of Live At The Apollo: 50th Anniversary, to be released June 25, 2013 by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) – a unique album celebrating 50 years since the release of Brown’s 1963 classic album Live At The Apollo, and showcasing his many great performances recorded there. Brown, who would have turned 80 years old tomorrow, May 3rd, first arrived at the Apollo in April 1959 as an opening act for Little Willie John, one of his idols, though he wouldn’t be an opener for long. The Hardest Working Man In Show Business would play the Apollo Theater every year through 1974, and would return when the theater reopened its doors, with Brown ultimately playing there more than 600 times.

JAMES BROWN – Best Of Live At The Apollo: 50th Anniversary showcases 12 tracks from Brown’s three landmark albums recorded at the historic building: Live At The Apollo (recorded 1962, released 1963), Live At The Apollo Vol. II (recorded 1967, released 1968), and Revolution Of The Mind: Recorded Live At The Apollo Vol. III (recorded and released 1971), and includes two unreleased tracks taken from the live album Get Down At The Apollo with The J.B.’s: Live At The Apollo Vol. IV. The latter was recorded September 1972, but was ultimately never released.

Personally funded by James Brown, the original, critically acclaimed Live At The Apollo, featuring the Famous Flames and the James Brown Orchestra, was first released in 1963 and became a cultural phenomenon, reaching No. 2 on The Billboard 200 album chart. In 2003 it was listed at No. 24 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time and in 2004, Live At The Apollo was added to the Library Of Congress’ National Recording Registry. Three tracks from this landmark recording, “I’ll Go Crazy,” “Try Me” and “Night Train,” plus the famous show introduction, are featured on Best Of Live At The Apollo.

Recorded in June 1967, Live At The Apollo Vol. II was released in 1968 and ushered in Brown’s new funky style with a larger, more sophisticated iteration of the James Brown Orchestra, featuring Maceo Parker and led by Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis. This was Brown’s first live, double-LP set and charted at No. 2 on the R&B Album chart and Top 40 on The Billboard 200. Three tracks featured on Best Of Live At The Apollo from this recording are the live hit single “There Was A Time,” “Cold Sweat” and “Please, Please, Please,” showing the constant evolution of Soul Brother No. 1.

Revolution Of The Mind: Recorded Live At The Apollo Vol. III, a double-LP from 1971, is Brown’s third official live album recorded at the Apollo Theater and features the backing band Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s. Revolution Of The Mind went to No. 7 on the R&B Albums chart and No. 39 on The Billboard 200. Three tracks from the album, the super-hot “Sex Machine,” “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved” and “Soul Power” are featured on Best Of Live At The Apollo.

Get Down At The Apollo with The J.B.’s was recorded for a potential double-album and was to feature the J.B.’s as well as James Brown Revue singer Lyn Collins. It was mixed for LP but its release canceled. Best Of Live At The Apollo includes two songs from the album, the instrumental “Hot Pants Road” and “There It Is,” in new mixes exclusive to this collection. (An alternate take of “There It Is” was included on a previous JB collection.)

Best Of Live At The Apollo includes James Brown’s legendary hits, all recorded where the Godfather made history: Live at the Apollo!

JAMES BROWN – Best Of Live At The Apollo: 50th Anniversary
1. Introduction to James Brown
2.I’ll Go Crazy
3.Try Me
4.Night Train
5.There Was A Time
6.Cold Sweat
7.Please, Please, Please
8.Sex Machine
9.Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved
10.Soul Power
11.Hot Pants Road *
12.There It Is *

Produced by James Brown  / * Previously Unreleased

BURT BACHARACH - THE ART OF THE SONGWRITER: ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART

Burt Bacharach, one of the world’s most acclaimed, award-winning composer/songwriters, is celebrating his 85th birthday (May 12) with today’s publication of his new autobiography from HarperCollins and Universal Music Enterprises’ May 28 release of a career-spanning 2-CD collection of his best songwriting collaborations. The Art Of The Songwriter: Anyone Who Had A Heart – The Best Of Burt Bacharach collects 40 of Bacharach’s timeless songs, performed by music’s most influential artists of the twentieth century, including “I Say A Little Prayer” (Aretha Franklin), “Alfie” (Barbra Streisand), “Wishin’ And Hopin’” (Brenda Lee), “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (Christopher Cross), “Let The Music Play” (Diana Ross & The Supremes), “Any Day Now” (Elvis Presley), “Overnight Success” (Gladys Knight & The Pips), “Walk On By” (Gloria Gaynor), “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” (Isaac Hayes), “That’s What Friends Are For” (Kevin Eubanks), “Heartlight” (Neil Diamond), “On My Own” (Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald), “What’s New Pussycat” (Tom Jones), and many more.

For the past six decades, Burt Bacharach's songwriting has touched millions of devoted listeners all over the world. He has written more than seventy Top 40 hits and he has earned GRAMMY®, OSCAR®, and EMMY® Awards for his work. From his first pop hit on the charts, 1957’s “The Story of My Life” recorded by Marty Robbins, to his hit-making collaborations with longtime writing partner and lyricist Hal David, including “Alfie,” “A House Is Not A Home,” “Wishin’ And Hopin’,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” and “This Guy’s in Love with You,” to more recent songs co-written with Carole Bayer Sager, Elvis Costello and others, The Art Of The Songwriter: Anyone Who Had A Heart – The Best Of Burt Bacharach is a career-spanning overview of Bacharach’s creative best.

The Art Of The Songwriter: Anyone Who Had A Heart – The Best Of Burt Bacharach invites the listener to delve into many of Bacharach’s most legendary, career-defining songs, while his new autobiography (written with Robert Greenfield), Anyone Who Had A Heart: My Life and Music, offers a frank and riveting account of his life and the stories behind the hits.

The Art Of The Songwriter: Anyone Who Had A Heart – The Best Of Burt Bacharach

DISC 1
01. ARETHA FRANKLIN I Say A Little Prayer
02. B. J. THOMAS Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head
03. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself
04. ETTA JAMES Waiting For Charlie To Come Home
05. MARTY ROBBINS The Story Of My Life
06. SERGIO MENDES & BRASIL ‘66 The Look Of Love
07. BROOK BENTON A House Is Not A Home
08. CHRISTOPHER CROSS Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)
09. SMITH Baby It’s You
10. GENE MCDANIELS Tower Of Strength
11. PERRY COMO Magic Moments
12. RICK NELSON Take A Broken Heart
13. BRENDA LEE Wishin’ And Hopin’
14. SYBIL Don’t Make Me Over
15. ELVIS PRESLEY Any Day Now
16. GENE PITNEY Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa
17. ISAAC HAYES I’ll Never Fall In Love Again
18. RONALD ISLEY Love’s (Still) The Answer
19. DIONNE WARWICK Anyone Who Had A Heart
20. JACKIE DESHANNON What The World Needs Now

DISC 2
01. TOM JONES What’s New Pussycat?
02. BARBRA STREISAND Alfie
03. THE WALKER BROTHERS Make It Easy On Yourself
04. HERB ALPERT This Guy’s In Love With You
05. THE MARVELETTES Message To Michael
06. THE FIFTH DIMENSION One Less Bell To Answer
07. GLORIA GAYNOR Walk On By
08. ASTRUD GILBERTO Trains And Boats And Planes
09. DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES Let The Music Play
10. THE STYLISTICS You’ll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart)
11. JACK JONES Wives And Lovers
12. CHRIS DE BURGH Love Is My Decision
13. PATTI PAGE Keep Me In Mind
14. PATTI LABELLE and MICHAEL MCDONALD On My Own
15. BURT BACHARACH Nikki
16. MANFRED MANN My Little Red Book
17. GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS Overnight Success
18. ELVIS COSTELLO and BURT BACHARACH Toledo
19. KEVIN EUBANKS That’s What Friends Are For
20. NEIL DIAMOND Heartlight 

LA TV STATION KLCS TO AIR THE FRANK SINATRA SHOW

Sinatra lovers of all ages will get a special treat in May as KLCS presents the “Frank Sinatra Show” featuring some of America’s premier music icons like Elvis Presley, Sammy Davis Jr., Nancy Sinatra, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. The shows, hosted by Sinatra aficionado Jerry Sharell, will air on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, at 9 a.m. and Tuesday’s in May at 8 p.m. on KLCS, Channel 58 (L.A.’s own PBS station), DirecTV, Dish network and most cable systems.

ABC and CBS aired The Frank Sinatra Show from 1958 to 1960. Relive the Rat Pack’s day along with their very special friends…Watch, Elvis Presley’s first network appearance after returning from his service in the Army. The Frank Sinatra Show takes place at the famous Miami Beach Fontainebleau Hotel with guests including Sammy Davis Dr., Peter Lawford, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Eleanor Roosevelt, Lena Horne and more.

“The Frank Sinatra Show on KLCS creates an opportunity for our Station to reach viewers who believe in the arts, culture, education and excellence. We know that our City has a huge Sinatra fan base, and we want to bring these viewers a special treat for their enjoyment,” said Sabrina Thomas, KLCS General Manager. “KLCS is also honored to have Mr. Sharell join us to share his great Sinatra stories, his insights and to support KLCS,” added Thomas.

The Sinatra series provides a rare opportunity to take a glimpse back in time, and savor the essence of Sinatra, while observing the nuances of a bygone era and the subtleties of this great man and entertainer, who changed the world with his conscience, character and talents. 

MOPPA ELLIOT'S MOSTLY OTHER PEOPLE DO THE KILLING TO RELEASE SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM - RED HOT

On its newest album Red Hot, to be released on Hot Cup Records on September 24, 2013, Mostly Other People Do the Killing (MOPDtK) - a fearless ensemble that is one of the most acclaimed jazz groups working today - draws on the melodies and forms of late 1920s and early 1930s jazz and blues artists in music composed by bassist/bandleader Moppa Elliott.

For this project, MOPDtK has expanded its lineup to a 7-piece version which adds veteran New York journeyman Dave Taylor on bass trombone, Brandon Seabrook on banjo, and Ron Stabinsky on piano, each of whom has a lengthy history with MOPDtK.Their inclusion amplifies and clarifies the already well-known and acclaimed approach of the band. They fit seamlessly with the band's eclectic aesthetic, as each soloist demonstrates a deep understanding of music history, the ability to seamlessly incorporate extended techniques, and a propensity to juxtapose disparate musical styles.

Despite sounding wildly different, Red Hot follows the same conceptual approach as MOPDtK's previous Hot Cup release, Slippery Rock. For both projects, Elliott immersed himself in the music of a specific time period and searched for musical elements that were unique to each genre. In the case of Slippery Rock, the source material in question was classic smooth jazz of the mid 1970s to 1980s. For Red Hot, Elliott investigated the formal structures of jazz and blues recordings of the late 1920s and early 1930s. He highlighted the frequent use of modulations, stop-time sections, alternating solos and tutti passages, uneven phrase lengths and shifts in meter as essential elements to that time period's music that are underutilized by early 21st century jazz composers.

Yet rather than attempting to simply recreate the music of 80 years ago, Elliott incorporated these idiomatic structural elements into his own unmistakable compositional style. Anachronistic juxtapositions occur frequently but are somehow unified, as music spanning all of the last 80 years is shaped into a decidedly contemporary composite sound. Of particular note is Elliott's use of unaccompanied solos in the form of introductions, cadenzas and stop-time passages to allow the compositions to be partially defined by the whims of his band members. Elliott's Ellingtonian arrangements make full use of the orchestral palate the expanded ensemble offers him while highlighting the specific talents of each musician.

The opening track, "The Shickshinny Shimmy," utilizes an idiomatic double-time feel while the saxophone intones the melody before settling into the slower tempo. Relaxed swing alternating with hard rock power chords serves as the accompaniment for a trombone melody before transitioning to a shout chorus. The soloists first improvise over a modal vamp before moving on to the coda, a constantly rising vamp based on the idea of the Shepard tone.

"Zelienople" is introduced by drummer Kevin Shea after a lengthy drum solo in which he explores the large, 1930s vintage Slingerland drum set he plays throughout the album. The jaunty opening melody stated by Peter Evans on trumpet is surrounded by collective improvisation and wild shifts in tempo and style by Shea's drums. The second theme, a unison banjo and bass trombone melody, is played at a half-time tempo before the trombone returns to the opening phrase punctuated by stop-time figures in the ensemble. Dave Taylor's bass trombone solo continues over a stride piano accompaniment before the rhythm section re-enters and this solo form is repeated for Evans' trumpet.

The title cut opens with a banjo and electronics solo in which Brandon Seabrook manipulates sine waves while interjecting acoustic banjo phrases. The composition itself is a mash-up of at least five different songs by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, a band that profoundly influenced composer Elliott during his formative years in the early 1990s. Other compositional elements such as the double-time piano solos and some formal elements were derived from the Jelly Roll Morton compositions for his band, The Red Hot Peppers. Most of the expropriated melodic material has been adapted to blues harmonies and each member of the ensemble is given ample solo space.

After a masterful opening solo by Ron Stabinsky that contains more quotations and references than this space allows, "King of Prussia" begins with a series of piano cadenzas before being joined by the C melody saxophone to intone the slow swing theme. The second statement of the theme by Seabrook's bowed banjo segues into an improvised trio with piano and drums that veers into radically different musical territory. Seabrook brings the ensemble back in for a stop-time trumpet solo in which each solo break is of a different duration. Trumpeter Peter Evans explores a wide variety of sounds before the coda brings the tune to a close with erie electronic effects by Seabrook.

Bandleader Elliott opens "Turkey Foot Corner" with an unaccompanied bass solo interweaving gilssondi, double-stops, triads and large intervalic leaps. Once a steady pulse is stated, the rest of the band enters, improvising around the steady quarter note tempo. The harmonized melody seems to get stuck like a skipping CD for a different number of beats on each chord before it is clearly stated. The opening quarter note motif briefly recurs as a lead-in to an unaccompanied bass trombone solo by Dave Taylor in which he makes use of his collection of personally modified mutes. After the original tempo returns, a trumpet solo leads the ensemble to the coda.

"Seabrook, Power, Plank" is a three-Pennsylvania-town named adaptation of the name of Brandon Seabrook's power trio, "Seabrook Power Plant." This composition seems to set up a stop-time solo which abruptly cuts out, leaving the soloists, in this case Jon Irabagon on C melody saxophone and Brandon Seabrook on banjo, to their own devices. These cadenzas are interrupted by a deliberately awkward Latin jazz motif that bridges the divide between the two stop-time sections.

With a title that adapts a Pennsylvania town name to reference a Charles Mingus title, "Orange is the Name of the Town" is a waltz modeled after Paul Whiteman and other "sweet" dance orchestras of the late 1920s. After the Whiteman-esque opening melody, a bridge culled from the wreckage of Disney soundtracks leads to a 3/4 vamp reminiscent of the Africa Brass sessions by John Coltrane. Pianist Ron Stabinsky is then charged with transitioning from a McCoy Tyner-esque foray into the world of pentatonics and fourths to a Vienese waltz, a feat managed with great aplomb. Seabrook's banjo, in the role of descant soloist, swirls around the tutti ensemble shout chorus and continues after all the other members have packed up and gone home.

The 12/8 blues, "Gum Stump," opens with a duet between Evans' trumpet and Irabagon's soprano saxophone. The tempo is introduced by one of many adaptations of guitarist Robert Johnson's idiomatic interjections. Johnson's country blues style is often characterized by the addition of beats to certain measures to conform to his fills and interjections. This idea serves as the basis for Elliott's composition which regularly adds beats to certain measures in which sax and trumpet imitate Johnson's guitar behind a melody stated emphatically by bass trombonist Dave Taylor. Taylor continues as soloist over several choruses to invoke the history of the blues from Johnson to André 3000 before restating the melody.

If any Pennsylvania town name begged to be adapted into a jazz composition title, it is the village of "Bird-in-Hand." This up-tempo composition features two main themes, one major and one minor, and explores the pre-bebop jazz vocabulary as well as elements of Gershwin's "An American in Paris" and "Rhapsody in Blue." Irabagon's soprano saxophone is the lone soloist on this closing number which brings the proceedings to an abrupt and emphatic end.

In 2010, trumpeter Peter Evans was named as one of the 5 "Musicians of the Year" for the second year in a row by All About Jazz New York. Evans performs with two collaborative trios (Mary Halvorson and Weasel Walter, and Tim Dahl and Mike Pride), his own quartet and quintet, and a variety of other ensembles in addition to releasing music on his own label, More is More Records.

Ubiquitous saxophonist Jon Irabagon, winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, recently launched Irabagast Records, his own label. Irabagon continues to perform with legendary drummer Barry Altschul in duo and trio settings and recently became part of trumpeter and composer Dave Douglass' new quintet.

Dave Taylor is one of the most prolific and sought-after bass trombonists in history. Over the course of his forty year career he has performed or recorded with everyone from Duke Ellington to Pierre Boulez to the Rolling Stones to Jay-Z. Recently he has performed Daniel Schnyder's bass trombone concerto and toured with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and Brad Mehldau.

Brandon Seabrook was chosen by the Village Voice Best of NYC issue as the city's top guitarist, but he is best known for his banjo playing. As the leader of his own ensemble "Seabrook Power Plant," he has recorded two albums for Loyal Label, the most recent of which was called "a manic clusterfuck of merciless banjo torture" by the Village Voice.

Ron Stabinsky is a mercenary pianist based in northeastern Pennsylvania. When not crisscrossing the northeast from gig to gig in his Prius, Ron presents concerts at St. Stephen's Church in downtown WIlkes-Barre and performs with a variety of improvising ensembles including the Peter Evans Quartet.

Bandleader, bassist, and composer Moppa Elliott spends most of his time educating and coaching his students at St. Mary's High School. His Hot Cup Records label has released Jonathan Moritz Secret Tempo and MOPDtK's Slippery Rock this year. He has appeared in the Downbeat Critics' poll several times as a "Rising Star Composer".

Drummer Kevin Shea has been a mainstay on the experimental music scene since the mid 1990s. His duo Talibam! with Matt Mottel has released two recent albums: Atlantass, a theatrical piece featuring Sam Kulik, and Puff Up the Volume, a foray into the world of rap and hip-hop. Shea was recently named "Best Drummer" in the Village Voice's Best of NYC issue for 2012, a title he has deserved for over a decade.

http://www.moppaelliott.com/

NEW RELEASES - PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND, JOHNNY COPELAND, CHARLES WALKER & THE DYNAMITES

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND - THAT'S IT!

Preservation Hall Jazz Band have announced the release of their new album That's It! on July 9th, the band's first album of original music in its entire 50-year history! That's It! was produced by My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Ben Jaffe and recorded at The Preservation Hall. That's It! is an eclectic album that draws on the collective experience of players nurtured in the New Orleans tradition but determined to build something fresh and exciting on that foundation. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band derives its name from Preservation Hall, the venerable music venue located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe. The band has traveled worldwide spreading their mission to nurture and perpetuate the art form of New Orleans Jazz.

JOHNNY COPELAND - IT'S ME: CLASSIC TEXAS SOUL 1955-72

An incredible collection of work from the great Johnny Copeland – way way way more stuff from the early years than we ever knew he recorded! Johnny's one of the few Texas singers of his generation who kept the flame burning brightly over the decades – but it's this stuff that's still his best work – amazing southern soul tracks handled in a mode that's unlike anything else – no Memphis or Muscle Shoals cliches here, and instead a really deep, personal approach to the music that makes tremendous use of Copeland's vocals! There's some slight undercurrents of blues at points, but the music is definitely soul – sometimes inflected with jazz on the mellower cuts, ala a Duke/Peacock recording – although the tracks here were for the Jet Stream, Wet Soul, and Wand labels – mixed here with a number of previously unreleased tracks. The 2CD package really hones in on Johnny's greatness – and serves up a whopping 43 tracks recorded between 1965 and 1971 – titles that include "The Invitation", "Why Don't You Make Up Your Mind", "Somebody's Been Scratchin", "Every Dog's Got His Day", "Wizard Of Art", "I Waited Too Long", "The Hip Hop", "Four Dried Beans", "Mother Nature", "You're Gonna Reap Just What You Sow", "Dedicated To The Greatest", "I Wish I Was Single", "Danger Zone", and "Slow Walk You Down".  ~ Dusty Groove

CHARLES WALKER & THE DYNAMITES - LOVE IS ONLY EVERYTHING

Maybe the most smoking collaboration so far between The Dynamites and vocalist Charles Walker – a singer who only seems to sound younger and younger with each new record – driven on by the sharp funky sounds of the group! Walker's got a way of stretching out a note that's rooted in 60s deep soul styles – yet also has a compactness that fits in well with The Dynamites' hip blend of Hammond, trumpet, guitar, and saxes – all stepping out with a beautifully soulful vibe on the album's host of original tracks! Titles include "Wakie Wakie", "I Just Want To Know", "Love Is Only Everything", "Please Open Up The Door", "So Much More To Do", and "Yours & Mine", which features a guest appearance from Bettye Lavette! ~ Dusty Groove

EUGENIE JONES - BLACK LACE BLUE TEARS

With the release of her debut album Black Lace Blue Tears, Seattle-based Eugenie Jones emerges as a rising jazz vocal star with a deep-rooted sense of where she's headed as an artist. Jones's repertoire is based primarily on her own striking originals, and she also had a hand in all of the arrangements. The disc is due from Jones's Open Mic Records on May 28.

Throughout Black Lace Blue Tears Jones receives first-rate support from three of Seattle's most gifted and sought-after jazz instrumentalists: pianist Bill Anschell, bassist Clipper Anderson, and drummer Mark Ivester. Guitarist Michael Powers joins them on three numbers.

Jones reveals herself to be a remarkably mature, refreshingly different artist, both as a song stylist and as a songwriter. Nine of the album's 11 selections are original compositions that offer new insights into a variety of emotions and situations, from the joyous opener "A Good Day" to the heartbreaking ballad "All the King's Men," the gently swinging "Perfect," and "I Want One," a song about looking for Mister Right that has been a favorite of women in her audiences. Jones also puts her stamp on "My Funny Valentine" and the Paul Desmond classic "Take Five" (with lyrics by Dave and Iola Brubeck).

Surprisingly, Jones never planned for a career in singing. Growing up in Morgantown, West Virginia, Eugenie (pronounced "u-gee-nee") had sung with the Baptist church choir directed by her father, but at home she left the singing to her mother, the late Tommie Parker. "She had an incredibly beautiful voice," Jones says. "Even when she wasn't in church and she was cooking and doing things around the house, she was always singing."

Eugenie went on to earn degrees in business and marketing, working as a business owner, consultant, and marketing specialist. When her mother took ill, she invited her to move west to spend her final years living with Jones and her two sons in Bremerton, Washington. It wasn't until her mother's death five years ago that Eugenie decided to take up singing herself. "I missed hearing her voice around the house," says Jones. "I think that was what drove me to pursue it."

Jones made her professional debut as a jazz singer only two years ago and has since drawn a devoted following to her unique musical artistry at venues throughout the Seattle area and as far south as Portland. One critic has likened her to Nina Simone, as has Greta Matassa, the noted Seattle jazz vocalist with whom Jones studied.

Although Jones has been writing poetry since she was in high school, and for 19 years wrote a weekly wellness column for a Washington paper that was often picked up by the national Scripps-Howard newspaper chain, she didn't try her hand at writing songs until just a year before Black Lace Blue Tears was recorded.

"I kind of felt my way through a paradigm that seemed to work for me," she says of her songwriting process. "I'm really just trying to capture an emotion when I'm writing."

Upcoming performances by the singer include Seattle's Lakeside Bistro 5/25, the Collective Visions Gallery in Bremerton 6/22, the Sorrento Hotel in Seattle 6/29, and the Music in the Park Concert Series in Everett 6/30. "I absolutely love jazz," states Jones. "Some people speak of dreaming in color. I'd say I dream in jazz and wake the next morning with lyrics and arrangements in my head. This -- in front of the microphone, sharing my dreams with others -- is where I belong and where I feel so at home."