DAVE BENNETT'S DON'T BE THAT WAY, AVAILABLE OCT. 15, 2013

In the early days of jazz, the clarinet joined with trumpet and trombone to create the music's signature sound, and it ruled the roost in the Swing Era, when jazz was America's popular music and dance-party soundtrack. If anyone can return the clarinet to its heyday, it's Dave Bennett, who fuses serious jazz improvisation with a host of modern pop influences.

On his Mack Avenue Records debut Don't Be That Way, he shows that his skills and interests make him perfectly suited for the job. 

He stays within the mainstream repertoire, and even covers several of the most famous hit records of the 1930s (by Goodman and such contemporaneous clarinetists as Woody Herman and Artie Shaw). But Bennett updates these songs with up-to-date twists and surprising new arrangements. The result is an album that blazes his own path while still acknowledging his predecessors, and spotlights the jazz clarinet for a new generation.

"St. James Infirmary," the ancient New Orleans blues tune, offers one example of Bennett's tasteful revisionism. "I took some ideas from listening to pianist Bob James, and to some smooth jazz and funk, to come up with those voicings," says the 29-year-old prodigy, referring to the contemporary harmonies that underlie both the clarinet's theme statement and his own laconic, sweet-tobacco vocal. On the title track, Bennett and company apply a lightly bossa-inspired beat, stretching the melody here and there to create a contemporary rendition that's more relaxed than the original 1938 recording but equally memorable.

The most striking evidence of Bennett's approach comes on the classic "Sing, Sing, Sing." Goodman's 1937 recording was an extended-length barnburner, in which Gene Krupa essentially "invented" the drum solo with his simmering and then explosive trap-set improvisation. Bennett's version stays close to the original in tempo and mood. But when it comes time for the solo with which Krupa galvanized the jazz world of the 1930s, it's Bennett who steps to the fore, with an improvisation just as exotic, mysterious, and ultimately exuberant as the that long-ago drum break - and with an even greater degree of nuance, variety, and virtuosity.

By turning the song into a modernist showcase for his clarinet, Bennett turns the song on its ear, yet retains its design as an exhilarating showstopper. This is no longer your grandfather's "Sing Sing Sing;" now it's Bennett's.

"Since my early teens," says the Michigan-based clarinetist, "I've been influenced by many other genres besides jazz. My clarinet solo on that tune keeps the same outline, but it's different every time we play it; it's based on chord progressions I hear in movie soundtracks, and I even stole some licks from some Alice Cooper tunes and from some solos by Stevie Ray Vaughan and other blues guitarists, just to get that kind of intensity. I think I'm finally finding my own voice, and I wanted to make that solo as dramatic as possible, so people wouldn't say I was just copying Benny."

Bennett hastens to share credit for the reconceptualization of this music with the album's arranger, Shelly Berger, whom he met through Tad Weed, the pianist in Bennett's group. "I had told Tad that I was really frustrated with where I was musically, and he said, 'I know this arranger in Toronto who seems to think the same way you do, in terms of blending pop with classic jazz.' So I listened to some of his music and then sent an e-mail, out of the blue, to introduce myself; I just told him 'I really like your stuff, and would you like to do this project with me?'

"When he said yes, I drove up to Toronto and we spent a few days brainstorming - and I was on Cloud 9. I thought, 'This cat gets it.' I would tell him the ideas I had for each song, and write out the chords, and ask him to come up with a creative way of pulling that together. My musical knowledge is limited; I can't write out arrangements, and I couldn't have put together the charts for this album. I think this project would not be what it is without Shelly. And I can learn so much from studying his arrangements that I hope it will increase my own knowledge as well."

Bennett is not being modest when he calls his training "limited": almost entirely self-taught, he received his only formal instruction in the school band. And in terms of playing jazz, he had no formal lessons whatsoever while he was developing into one of the most lionized and accomplished young artists on today's scene. Born in 1984 in Pontiac, Michigan, the pre-teen Bennett didn't see himself as a musician. As he recalls, "In fifth grade, when the option to join the school band came along, I didn't think I would be any good at an instrument. But the idea of playing intrigued me. And then my grandfather said, in a sort of 'Holy Spirit' moment, 'I think you'd enjoy playing the clarinet.' He just came out with it, and then he and Grandma went down to the local pawn shop and bought me a plastic Conn clarinet to try out."

Even though he was growing up in a time far removed from the Swing Era and the technology (AM radio, 78 RPM records) that produced it, Bennett already had an appreciation for the era's music from the soundtracks of the old Abbott & Costello movies he watched at home. "And then about a month later, Grandpa bought me a cassette tape of Benny Goodman - and that's what did it. I completely flipped out: it hit me square between the eyes, and I knew at that moment that this is what I wanted to do with my life." He set out to model his clarinet playing after that of Goodman, as well as that of Pete Fountain, the New Orleans clarinetist who kept the trad-jazz sound vital throughout the 1960s and '70s.

"Prior to music, my main interest was drawing and artwork, and I wasn't listening to a lot of the music the other kids were into. When everyone heard I liked this music from my grandparents, they looked at me like I had three heads. But once I played it for them, they really liked it."

By the time he turned 14, Bennett's prowess had come to the attention of various Michigan-based trad-jazz bands, and he began to taste the life of a touring musician. At 17 he was chosen as one of two guest soloists (from a national field of 600) to perform with the Count Basie Orchestra; a couple years later he spent a brief time as part of the renowned Hot Club of Detroit. In 2005, at the ripe old age of 21, he created his own combo to perform his Tribute To Benny Goodman, which has performed throughout the U.S. and Canada. He has also appeared as guest soloist with more than 30 classical "pops" orchestras (including eight such concerts with the Detroit Symphony), and will make his debut with the famed New York Pops Orchestra in the fall of 2013, in a tribute celebrating Goodman's original Carnegie Hall concert.

Address this juncture of his life and career, Bennett says now, "I was trying to 'break free' [from the restraints of past styles] and couldn't quite get there. But Shelly [Berger] was able to make it very coherent, and in the studio he kept everything moving along." So in one sense, Don't Be That Way is more than the title for a collection of freshly imagined Swing Era classics. It could just as well be Bennett's admonition to himself on his Mack Avenue debut - to step out as a fully independent artist, steeped in but not beholden to the way things were done in the past.

Upcoming Dave Bennett Performances:

August 14 / Nardin Park Methodist Church / Farmington Hills, MI

August 30 - September 1 / Jockey Club, Labor Day Jazz Festival / Mackinac Island, MI

November 1 / Carnegie Hall (w/ New York Pops) / New York, NY

November 2 / Suffolk Theatre / Riverhead, NY

November 27 - 30 / San Diego Jazz Festival / San Diego, CA

NEW RELEASES - JOHN FUNKHOUSER, NICKY SCHRIRE, PIERS FACCINI

JOHN FUNKHOUSER - STILL

Pianist John Funkhouser's fourth album Still, ranges from progressive originals to inspired Monk and a reinvented "House of the Rising Sun."  To be released September 12, the CD features Funkhouser's Trio with with bassist Greg Loughman and drummer Mike Connors, plus two kindred-spirit guests: guitarist Phil Sargent and vocalist Aubrey Johnson. A native of the Boston area currently living in Needham, MA, multi-instrumentalist and composer John Funkhouser was educated at Cornell University and New England Conservatory. After living in New York, he returned to Boston in 2001 to teach at the Berklee College of Music. Besides leading his trio, Funkhouser is in demand as both a pianist and a bassist, having shared the stage with luminaries from Grammy-nominated vocalists Luciana Souza and Tierney Sutton to piano icon Ran Blake and Afro-Cuban drummer Francisco Mela to South Indian percussionist Trichy Sankaran and the world-jazz group Natraj. He has been featured as a bass soloist with New England Philharmonic Orchestra and with the MIT Wind Ensemble. Along with participating in the recording of more than 60 albums, Funkhouser has performed in venues from New York's Blue Note, Birdland and Dizzy's to the New Orleans Jazz Festival and Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center. International tours have taken him to Paris, Singapore, Aruba, Zurich, South Africa and Montreal. He has appeared on Lifetime Television, ABC's 20/20, NBC's Today Show and NPR. He is currently an associate professor at Berklee, teaching bass, piano, ear training, and ensembles.

NICKY SCHRIRE - SPACE AND TIME 

Born in London to South African parents and then raised in South Africa after age 5, the 27-year-old, New York-based Schrire grew up playing saxophone in big bands, and arranged the music for all of the songs on Space and Time, just as she did for her debut album, Freedom Flight - which All About Jazz called one of the best albums of 2012, saying: "In the crowded world of jazz vocals, it helps to have a distinctive voice or a distinctive repertoire. Schrire scores on both counts." Space and Time presents a unity in diversity: Schrire not only puts a fresh spin on standards by the Gershwins ("Someone to Watch Over Me") and Irving Berlin ("Say It Isn't So"); she reaches beyond the usual jazz songbook to reinterpret numbers by the Beatles ("Here Comes the Sun"), British trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack ("Teardrop) and French star Charles Trenet ("I Wish You Love").  Space and Time also includes her take on the late South African bassist-composer Victor Ntoni's "Seliyana." Then there are four of Schrire's own, touching original songs, which draw on a wide world of influences.

PIERS FACCINI - BETWEEN DOGS AND WOLVES

British-born singer-songwriter Piers Faccini's fifth solo studio album, Between Dogs and Wolves, is an intimate suite of songs focusing on the themes of love and desire, Between Dogs and Wolves depicts the unknowable and indefinable spaces between these themes, spirit and animal, between the wild and the tamed. With several albums already behind him, Faccini felt a strong calling to take his music to new places as yet unexplored. "I tried to work with several different aspects of the immense subject of love," he explains. "Some songs deal with the search for love or the quest for unity that we play out seeking a lover, other songs concern nostalgia and memory in the context of desire. I wanted to create a large, existential tableau around the subject of love, relationships, sexuality and desire." The journey is a reflective one, a collection of soulful meditations. Faccini's low-key vocal performances -- described as "a whisper of grand mysteries" by The New York Times -- are front and center in the mix, accompanied variously by double bass, guitar, cello, harmonium, dulcimer, kora and echoes of analog electronica -- all acoustic. Faccini played and recorded all of the instruments himself, except the bass, which was played by longtime collaborator Jules Bikoko, and the cello, contributed by Dom la Nena (Faccini co-produced la Nena's latest album Ela, now out on Six Degrees Records). Both musicians also supply harmony vocals.

SALSA DE LA BAHIA: A COLLECTION OF SF BAY AREA SALSA & LATIN JAZZ FEATURING GIANTS ORESTES VILATO, JOHN SANTOS, JESUS DIAZ, JOHN CALLOWAY & BENNY VELARDE

Rather than dwelling on the reasons why the San Francisco Bay Area's longtime role as a creative hothouse for Latin jazz and salsa has been overlooked and undervalued for half a century, trombonist/arranger Wayne Wallace and filmmaker Rita Hargraves decided to let the music speak for itself. Scheduled for release on Wallace's Patois label on August 13, Salsa De La Bahía is a two-CD companion piece to Hargraves' celebratory documentary The Last Mambo, which traces the evolution of the Bay Area's Latin music scene from Cal Tjader, Benny Velarde, and the Escovedo Brothers to present day masters such as John Santos, Jesus Diaz, and Anthony Blea. The Last Mambo DVD will be released on Patois in spring 2014.

More than a historical survey of the singular sounds that have emerged from the Bay Area, the album opens and closes with three thrilling pieces recorded especially for the project by Estrellas De La Bahia, an all-star orchestra encompassing many of the scene's key players. The package includes extensive liner notes by Jesse "Chuy" Varela, who has incisively chronicled the Bay Area scene for more than three decades as a journalist (JazzTimes, Latin Beat, The San Francisco Chronicle) and DJ and music director for KCSM.

"Rita was inspired to make The Last Mambo by the closing of Jelly's," Wallace says, referring to one of several popular San Francisco salsa spots that closed in rapid succession in 2010. "I suggested we do something that documented and captured the whole scene. We're calling this 'volume one' because we had to leave some bands out, like Conjunto Céspedes, but we were able to really capture what was a golden age, and to show what's going on in our scene today (which very well may look like a golden age in retrospect)."

The fact that all of the bands featured on the CD are active, save for the Machete Ensemble, speaks to the scene's vitality. At the same time, all the music, except for the three Estrellas De La Bahia tracks, was originally released on indie labels, which goes a long way toward explaining why so much of it stayed under the national media radar. The album opens with "Canto, Clave y Candela," a benediction by Edgardo Cambom that serves as a roll call for the album's guiding spirits. Wallace's "El Espirtu Del Mambo" provides a vital survey of the scene's essential voices, with brief, incisive solos by Bahia bandleaders (John Santos and Jesus Diaz) and invaluable sidemen (such as pianist Murray Low, bassist David Belove, and saxophonist Melecio Magdaluyo). The project closes with "Rumba Para Paul," a beautiful and soulful tribute to the beloved drummer Paul van Wageningen, an integral part of the Bay Area scene for more than three decades until his death in 2012.

Part of what makes the Bay Area's Latin music scene so distinct from New York or Miami is the lack of a Caribbean critical mass. The region received an infusion of Cuban rhythms in the early 1950s via vibraphonist/drummer Cal Tjader, who became fascinated with Cuban grooves as a member of the George Shearing Quintet. When Tjader launched his own Latin jazz band in the early 1950s he ensured a steady flow of top Cuban percussion talent to the Bay Area, most notably masters such as Armando Peraza, Mongo Santamaria, and Willie Bobo. The Panamanian-born percussionist Benny Velarde was present at the creation, recording with Tjader on his classic 1954 Mambo albums for Fantasy. He's represented here by two tracks with his Su Super Combo. The following generation, who came of age in the 1970s, is vividly captured via tracks by flutist/composer John Calloway and percussionist John Santos, whose improvisation-laced Machete Ensemble embodied the experimental edge of the Bay Area Latin music scene during its two-decade run.

As the name suggests, Salsa De La Bahía doesn't focus only on the Latin jazz side of the equation. The salseros share the spotlight, with hard-charging work by Santana timbalero Karl Perazzo's Avance, Cuban percussionist Carlos Caro's Vission Latina, Uruguyan percussionist Edgardo Cambon's Edgardo y Su Candela, and Louie Romero y Su Grupo Mazacote. "I was looking to showcase the diversity of the scene," Wallace says. "A central theme of the project is the synergy between the dance community and the musicians. I wanted to highlight all of the colors. Everyone who recorded salsa also plays Latin jazz. You can't disconnect the two things."

With less pressure to stay in fashion, older styles have flourished in the Bay Area. Orquesta la Moderna Tradición, an 11-piece charanga ensemble co-led by Cuban percussionist and dancer Roberto Borrell and violinist Tregar Otton, focuses on stately danzón, a 19th century style that has largely disappeared. But one shouldn't overstate the divide between the East and West Coast. Before he moved to the Bay Area in 1981 to join Santana, legendary Cuban timbalero Orestes Vilató helped found contemporary New York salsa through his seminal work with the Fania All Stars, Ray Barretto, Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz, and Johnny Pacheco. His piece "Toca Vilató" is a tour de force arranged by Rebeca Mauleón (who is a shoe-in for inclusion on volume 2).

A later wave of Latin American artists helped invigorate the Bay Area scene. Cuban percussionists Carlos Caro and Jesus Diaz both brought new rhythmic information directly from the source when the settled near San Francisco. But one vitally important facet that can't be covered by the CD also helps explain the high level of Latin jazz creativity in the Bay Area, namely a widespread commitment to passing on hard-won knowledge. Many of the players documented on Salsa De La Bahía are influential educators, particularly John Santos, John Calloway, Jesus Diaz, and Wayne Wallace.

Only a streak of modesty could have kept Wallace from featuring his own work more prominently, as he could have easily included numerous tracks from his own Grammy-nominated albums. Steeped in jazz and R&B, the trombonist followed his passion for Afro-Caribbean music to Cuba, where he made several trips to study with top players. Over the past three decades, he's been an essential force on the Bay Area's Latin music scene through his work as an improviser, arranger, producer, and music director of landmark bands such as Pete Escovedo Orchestra, the Machete Ensemble, and Conjunto Céspedes. His work as an arranger and player is well represented here, but he was determined to make a compelling case for the depth and breadth of creativity on the Bay Area's Latin music scene.

"These people are alive and the music is present," Wallace says. "John Santos and John Calloway are at the height of their careers. So much great music has come out of this funny little outpost for Cuban music, where so many of us have gone down there and brought back contemporary and archaic strains of the tradition. We don't have an overt Cuban population but the Bay Area really embraced the music, and Salsa De La Bahía offers a good place to start checking it out."

www.patoisrecords.com

70S SOUL & BOOGIE FROM THE SPANDETTES - SWEET & SACCHARINE

The Spandettes are a fiercely energetic 10-piece live disco outfit fronted by a standout vocal trio. Their original music combines a classic 70s soul/boogie approach with a fresh and contemporary edge, drawing inspiration from dance pop, reggae, and soul. Their songs come to life with 3-piece horn arrangements, and unique vocal harmonies crafted by the leading ladies of the band; Alex Tait, Maggie Hopkins, and Lizzy Clarke.

Sweet & Saccharine was originally recorded as a demo back in 2010. It's an irresistible blend of silky smooth vocals combined with upbeat, dynamic instrumentation and quirky lyrics. The result is music that's refreshingly honest and youthful, in every sense of both words. The flip side of the 7" single features a Whiskey Barons re-edit of Sweet & Saccharine which packs a bit more punch into the groove while keeping the vibrant quality of the original tune.

Inspired by the infectious sunshine melodies and slick 2-step boogie grooves of the likes of the Pointer Sisters, The Jones Girls, and Tavares, The Spandettes carry on the tradition of delivering soulful harmonies backed by a stellar powerhouse band. The talented ensemble features a killer horn section including flautist and alto saxophonist Allison Au, tenor saxophonist Chris Brophy and trumpeter Patrice Barbanchon. The back bone of the band comes from one of the tightest young rhythm sections in Toronto comprised of drummer Mackenzie Longpre, keyboardist Thomas Francis, bassist Mason Stoner, and guitarist Kevin Neal.

In a musical landscape where trends come and go like the wind, the timeless sound of The Spandettes truly stands out among the rest. Their music pays homage to the authentic live musical experience of disco at the height of its glory, and the scintillating musicality of their arrangements are a resounding testament to that fact. Their long anticipated debut album, Spandex Effect, is set for worldwide release in late 2013 on Do Right Music.

SIRIUSXM'S WATERCOLORS JAZZ HALL OF FAME TO RECOGNIZE DAVID SANBORN, EARL KLUGH, GROVER WASHINGTON JR.

SiriusXM has unveiled the Watercolors Jazz Hall of Fame and David Sanborn, Earl Klugh and Grover Washington Jr. are the first artists slated for induction during a ceremony aboard The Smooth Jazz Cruise on October 18th. Watercolors Jazz Hall of FameSiriusXM’s Vice President of Programming Trinity Colon believes that “The timing of the creation of a SiriusXM Watercolors Jazz Hall of Fame is perfect. This genre has been successful over many decades, long enough to establish a wonderful history and a clear past, present and future. Our goal is to make sure that the visionary artists who helped develop and further this music genre are honored and remembered. In so doing, it helps define our present and ensure the music’s future.”

“The Smooth Jazz Cruise is elated to work with SiriusXM’s Watercolors to honor the amazing musicians deserving of recognition for their seminal creative accomplishments. We have been blessed to partner with Watercolors over the years and hosting their Jazz Hall of Fame induction ceremony is very special,” said Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Smooth Jazz Cruise.

Saxophonist Sanborn and guitarist Klugh will perform during the induction ceremony that will air on SiriusXM’s Watercolors while Washington Jr.’s contributions will be recognized by an all-star salute featuring some of the artists aboard The Smooth Jazz Cruise, including fellow sax players Boney James,Richard Elliot, Candy Dulfer, Euge Groove and Jackiem Joyner. Cruise performers Brian Culbertson,Marcus Miller, Tower of Power, Jonathan Butler, Rick Braun, Norman Brown, Oleta Adams, Kenny Lattimore and Brian Simpson may also take part in the festivities aboard the 7-day cruise sailing this October 12-19 from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and the Baja Coast.

Future inductions will take place aboard The Smooth Jazz Cruise sailings January 12-19, 2014 and January 11-18, 2015, which will embark from Fort Lauderdale to Caribbean ports.

NEW RELEASES - DONE-E, DERRICK HODGE, DAVE MIHALY & THE SHIMMERING LEAVES ENSEMBLE

DONE-E - LITTLE STAR

Don-e is one of the leading lights of the UK underground soul scene – back again in very fine formation, and coming across with a style that's even deeper and more mature than before! Don-E wrote and performed most of the tracks on the set himself, and also produced – in an effort that's got him following strongly in the London legacy of Omar – another one word-named soul artist who might be a good comparison to Don-E here! The vibe is definitely different – maybe a bit smoother and warmer in the end – but Don-E's got this great sense of confidence and class that never pushes things too far – and which really avoids any of the pitfalls that might hold back some of his less careful contemporaries. Titles include "Spiritual" – which features guest work from an all-star UK lineup that includes Omar, Carl McIntosh, Noel McKoy, and Junior Giscombe – plus "BS", "Home", "Hold On", "Slave To The Rhythm", "Little Star", "It Just Don't Stop", and "Step In My Room".  ~ Dusty Groove

DERRICK HODGE - LIVE TODAY 

An amazing debut from bassist Derrick Hodge – an artist we've loved for his work in the Robert Glaper Experiment, and his previous performances with Terence Blanchard, Common, and Maxwell! Hodge has a deep, round sound that really bridges different worlds of jazz and soul – and while his resume of previous work is very impressive, his sound here is something new altogether – a spacious groove that often puts the bass right out in front, sometimes loping gently alongside keyboards, sometimes finding this special space that's airy, yet never too ethereal – a really fresh, soulful sort of style! Hod plays a bit of keyboards on the record too – and other musicians include both Robert Glasper and James Poyser on keyboards, Chris Dave on drums and percussion, Keyon Harold on trumpet, and Common on guest vocals on one track. Titles include "Live Today", "Dances With Ancestors", "Anthem In 7", "Still The One", "The Real", and "Table Jawn". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE MIHALY & THE SHIMMERING LEAVES ENSEMBLE - RIVERS

Unusual sounds from drummer Dave Mihaly – a player who's well-schooled in jazz tradition, but also really opens himself up to more genre-crossing sounds on this set – a mode that partly echoes his participation in the group Mushroom, but which also shows a much more sensitive side too! Some tracks have a mixture of jazz and other guitar-based instrumentation – while others are more tune-based, and even feature Dave doing a bit of singing – in this folksy style that's really great, and very different than any too-arty jazz/rock or improv projects. Other instrumentation includes tenor and soprano sax from David Boyce and trumpet from Ara Anderson – and titles include "The Cat Tried To Catch A Hummingbird", "Mexican China", "Blue England", "Cherry Blossom Road", and "Chinese Mexico".  ~ Dusty Groove

GEORGE DUKE DIES IN L.A.: 1946-2013

Hot off the presses is sad news of George Duke's passing. The news came via notification from Ron Brewington, Motown Alumni Association (MAA). He was informed of George’s passing from former Supremes member Scherrie Payne. News of George Duke’s passing first appeared on social media, and so far the only statement to be found is from former Supremes member Scherrie Payne: "I just received the devastating and sad news that the great musician, George Duke, passed away this evening at St. John’s hospital in L.A.  It was just one year earlier, July 18th, that his beloved wife and my friend, Corine, went to be with the Lord. Please keep his sons, Rasheed and John, in your prayers.Funeral services will be private. Blessings, Scherrie." Unfortunately no details of George Duke’s death are available as of this posting.

The musician, singer, producer and composer leaves behind a stunning legacy that includes collaborations with the likes of Frank Zappa and albums such as the Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke Trio. Duke’s music has been sampled by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock and Madlib. He had worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music. He first made a name for himself with the album The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience With The George Duke Trio. He was primarily known for thirty-odd solo albums as well as for his collaborations with other musicians, including Frank Zappa.More recently, Duke worked with Jill Scott and Teena Marie. In the summer of 2011, he put together a trio with David Sanborn and Marcus Miller for a tour across the US and he was inducted into The SoulMusic Hall Of Fame at SoulMusic.com in December 2012.He had just released (on July 13) a new album called “Dreamweaver” which was a tribute to his dearly departed wife Corine, who passed away a year ago from cancer.

NEW RELEASES - TAYLOR KELLY, CLAUDETTE SIERRA, WANA HONG

TAYLOR KELLY - IN THE MEANTIME

Taylor Kelly has a voice that blends jazz, funk and soul. Her songwriting tells tales of triumph in hopes to inspire many to live, love and forgive. Also a trumpet player, she strives for an instrumental-vocal approach, a rhythmic phrasing and an improvisation that is reminiscent of many of her trumpet playing influences (Chet Baker, Roy Hargrove, Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong to name a few. Her biggest vocal influences are Stevie Wonder and Erykah Badu as they possess what she believes to be the true essence of music, a sense of time and feel and a complexity underneath catchy melodies that have something that never ceases to make her smile from ear to ear. Her band is comprised of 9 rhythm and horn players that have soul, groove and impeccable technique and talent bringing Taylor's music to life in its truest form. Includes: Foolish Plan; Dream State; Oh Boy; Where Is My Heart; In The Meantime; Better Notion; Let Love Live; and Outro (The Music). ~ cduniverse

CLAUDETTE SIERRA - ABOUT TIME

Claudette Sierra is a singular and versatile artist whose many gifts have been displayed on recordings and stage as a singer, songwriter and actor. Her credits read like a "Who's Who" of contemporary Latino culture - Claudette has recorded and performed with Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony, Tito Nieves, Ruben Blades and Jennifer Lopez to name a few. Armed with a rich background of musical skill and experience, Claudette has recorded her first solo album aptly titled "about time". On this intimate bilingual recording, Claudette's love of both her native languages, combined with her crystal clear and sensitive interpretations of old songs and new songs including her own compositions, treats listeners to a soul soothing experience. Includes: Perfect; Amor Ciego; Make Sure You're Sure; You're My Thrill, and Tres Palabras. ~ cduniverse

WANA HONG - FIRST IMPRESSION

Wana Hong's album leaves listeners with a lasting "First Impression" that kept this listener going back for more. She has a playful romance with her jazz violin. It's a wonderful combination of sophistication and sass. Her compositions inspire images of old smoke filled jazz clubs filled with well dressed patrons sipping on fancy twelve o'clock-tails. She incorporates a rainbow of rhythms. A jazzy rumba, a colorful samba, a modern twist on a classic bossa, waltz, swing, and funk. She even takes a child's song from despair to playtime and back again. Tracks include: First Impression; Colorful Pond; Black Flowers; Higher, Higher, Higher; Fried Eggs On A Yellow Plate; Black Orpheus; Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; and Waltz For Bach. ~ cduniverse

NEW RELEASES - SABER TOOTH, LOLA HAAG, MELISSA ELLIOT

SABER TOOTH - PRIMITIVE MAGIC

Saber Tooth Trio was born in the concrete suburban jungle of Nyack, NY. What began as simple jam sessions in a tiny bedroom has evolved into an exciting, intricate musical experience that pushes the boundaries of modern jazz fusion. After honing their original sound for several years, Saber Tooth Trio began recording "Primitive Magic" in January 2012. It's a full-length album showcasing their ferocious and lively playing on am 8-song journey through intense peaks and serene valleys, seamlessly interweaving jazz, funk, rock, latin, hip-hop, and avant-garde. The album also features Erik Lawrence on saxophone, Phil Selesnick on keyboards and Paul Hollands on percussion. It was recorded at the Tedesco Studio in Paramus, NJ and mixed/mastered by engineer John Guth. The band has proper reverance for the musical traditions established by the great jazz giants, but rather than simply play around with established conventions, they fearlessly forge ahead into strange and beautiful territory. Their music is a fresh blend of fusion jazz, rock/funk muscle, and delicate aural subtleties that satisfy both casual listeners and hardcore audiophiles. ~cduniverse

LOLA HAAG - HERE I GO AGAIN

Here I Go Again! is a collection of some of Lola's favorite songs. Coincidentally, they are also among the most requested songs that Lola performs in her live jazz shows. Carefully selected tunes transport the listener to a relaxed and romantic resort where they can completely unwind, sway and enjoy the lilt of the music, performed in Lola's inimitable style. Lola never sings a song the same way twice and this CD captures the spontaneity of that playfulness! She collects songs with wonderful lyrics like some women collect fine jewelry. Nothing thrills her more than to enter into a song's emotional message and present that to the listener as a personal, beautifully wrapped gift to enjoy time and time again. Songs include: The Way You Look Tonight; Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't My Baby?; I've Grown Accustomed To His Face; Let's Fall In Love; New York State Of Mind; Blame It On My Youth; Sway; Let There Be Love; You're Getting To Be A habit With Me; Why Don't You Dot Ir Right?; Taking A Chance On Love; Georgia On My Mind; Give Me The Simple Life; and Somewhere Over The Rainbiow. ~ cduniverse

MELISSA ELLIOT - SUNSHINE MOONLIGHT

At age 12, Melissa began her first important step in music by finding a professional voice instructor in the renowned Grace Buckley of New York City. Though always involved in music, Melissa continued her education and received a Masters in French while studying in France for several years. She moved to Ireland to work for an international business but continued to write songs on the side. In Ireland's musical culture of pub singsongs, Melissa flourished as more people commented to her "you're in the wrong business, give up the day job." With newly gained confidence, she took a week's holiday to record 6 of her songs in a studio in Galway. One of her songs, "No One Else," went on to be covered by the popular Irish singer Frances Black for her album "How High the Moon." After this recording experience, she was hooked and left her job 2 months later. Since then, Melissa has been fortunate enough to work with drummer/percussionist Ray Feane (U2, Sinead O'Connor, Elvis Costello, Crowded House), keyboardist Paul Trudeau (Meredith Brooks, Mandy Moore, Lifeline), fiddler Nollaig Casey (Mary Black, River Dance) plus Chris Hillman from the legendary band, the Byrds. She has been successfully performing in Ireland including support to Frances Black, Lloyd Cole and Mercury Award winner John Spillane and was featured on the UK gold compilation album, "Songbird." She also recently performed as a guest artist at the legendary Bohemian Caverns jazz club in Washington D.C. where the great Duke Ellington himself started! ~ cduniverse

NEW RELEASES - SARAH SILVERMAN, ANNA GIVENS, JASON BODLOVICH

SARAH SILVERMAN - SARAH

Inspired and mentored by two great contemporary jazz performers, singer Luciana Souza and pianist Bruce Barth, Sarah has emerged as an exciting new jazz vocalist. Drawn to intimate performances, Sarah often sings duo with Bruce, and their inspired collaborations naturally developed into the recording of  "Sarah'. The album marks a dramatic shift away from her background as a classical pianist, but it is also a natural evolution for a performer drawn to different musical styles, improvisation and the spirit of distinctive collaboration. Songs include: Take Love Easy; I'm Glad There Is You; Samba Em Preludio; Two Sleepy People; Waiting On The Weather; Once I Loved; Love Me Or Leave Me; Arietta; and Medley: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes/I Get Along Without You Very Well. ~ cduniverse

ANNA GIVENS - MIXED NUTS

Recorded on July 8, 2009 (7-8-9) at Galena St. Studios, Sandusky, Ohio. Anna and Johnny had met a few weeks earlier when Anna sat in on the last song in Johnny's set at Murphy's Place in Toledo. It was a moment for them both. Anna asked Johnny if he'd record with her; he said 'Yes'; and drove down from Detroit for the session. His car broke down just outside of Sandusky and so Anna had to go rescue him. They got acquainted nicely while sitting in the sun for a couple of hours waiting for the tow truck to show up. Got pretty loose. When they got in the studio, Anna just started naming tunes - a little of this, a little of that. An assortment of diverse and yet somehow complementary pieces... some salty, some sweet, like a box of mixed nuts. Johnny O'Neal is one of the world's best known jazz pianists. He played the part of Art Tatum in the movie 'Ray'. He's played all over the globe for the last thirty years with people like Art Blakey, Sarah Vaughn, Anita O'Day, B. B. King, and the list goes on. On this album, Anna and Johnny play together as if they'd known each other all their lives. No rehearsals, one or two takes and this is the mind blowing result. ~ cduiverse

JASON BODLOVICH - PENNGROVE SKYLINE

Recorded at Prarie Sun Studios in Sonoma County, "Penngrove Skyline ~ Solo" features North Bay Area guitarist Jason Bodlovich in a solo finger-style acoustic guitar setting. A Taylor Guitar artist, Jason plays his Taylor NS-72 nylon stringed guitar throughout the album. The album was named after the small country town of Penngrove in Northern California which inspired many of the compositions. Bodlovich pays homage to his first solo guitar influence Joe Pass in the swinging number "Mr. Pass" and master of suspense film director Alfred Hitchcock in the Argentinian flavored tango "Hitchcock". "Penngrove Skyline ~ Solo" takes the listener on a sonic journey packed with exciting peaks and serene valleys.All compositions are written by Bodlovich and feature eclectic styles of Jazz, Brazilian, Swing, Blues, Flamenco and Tango. ~ cduniverse

SCULLERS JAZZ CLUB PRESENTS TERENCE BLANCHARD, YELLOWJACKETS, OLETA ADAMS, PHIL PERRY, EUGE GROOVE AND OTHERS...

Scullers Jazz Club in Boston has announced their upcoming Sumemr and Fall lineups:

Terence Blanchard: Blanchard is an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, arranger, and film score composer. Since he emerged on the scene in 1980 with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and then shortly thereafter with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Blanchard has been a leading artist in jazz. He was an integral figure in the 1980s jazz resurgence, having recorded several award-winning albums and having performed with the jazz elite. http://www.terenceblanchard.com (Friday, August 2).

Tuck & Patti: Tuck & Patti have quietly changed the world. Through whispered ballads as well as playful swing, through a style that tempers simplicity with brisk flashes of virtuosity, Tuck Andress & Patti Cathcart have cast this magic for years to fans around the world. (Friday-Saturday, August 9-10).

Yellowjackets: Yellowjackets is an American jazz fusion/smooth jazz quartet. They are currently celebrating 30 years as one of the premiere jazz groups of our time with the release of Timeline on March 15. William Kennedy is back in the drum chair after a 10-year hiatus, and Felix Pastorius has joined Yellowjackets in the bass chair. (Friday-Saturday, August 16-17)

Oleta Adams: Adams is a spiritually uplifting soul/R&B vocalist who seamlessly blends jazz, gospel and pop influences into a union of its own. With seven CDs and an upcoming release, Let's Stay Here, Oleta has received worldwide acclaim and sold over two-and a-half million albums. Oleta's musical odyssey still continues both spiritually and creatively. For this consummate artist- composer-producer-musician, many goals remain on the horizon. (Friday-Saturday August 23-24).

Phil Perry: Phil Perry is an American R&B singer, songwriter, musician and a former member of the soul group The Montclairs from 1971 to 1975. (Friday August 30)

Euge Groove & Brian Simpson: The House of Groove, Euge Groove's newest album is now available. Smooth jazz saxophonist Euge Groove and celebrated keyboardist, composer and studio musician, Brian Simpson. (Thursday September 5).

Walter Beasley: Over the past two decades, saxophonist Walter Beasley has artfully and dynamically redefined the phrase "musical Renaissance Man" for the modern generation. http://walterbeasley.com/ (Friday/Saturday September 20-21).

Gary Burton 70th Birthday Tour with Julian Lage, Antonio Sanchez, Scott Colley: June 2011 saw the release of Common Ground, Gary's first release on Mack Avenue Records featuring the New Gary Burton Quartet. The new group reunites with guitar star Julian Lage, and the new additions of drummer Antonio Sanchez and bassist Scott Colley. Hot House (2012) won Gary his 7th Grammy Award in the Best Improvised Solo category. http://www.garyburton.com/ (Friday-Saturday September 27-28).

Steve Tyrell: Grammy Award winner Steve Tyrell reinvented and re-popularized classic pop standards for a modern-day audience. With the grit and soul of a lifetime of experiences, producing hits for Grammy-winning Artists ranging from Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville, to Rod Stewart and Diana Ross, Steve himself has sold hundreds of thousands of albums and gained a passionate following all over the world. (Friday-Saturday-Sunday October 4-5-6).

Take 6: Take 6 is an American acappella gospel music sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group sings in a contemporary style, integrating R&B and jazz influences into their devotional songs and has ten Grammy wins, ten Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations. They've won Grammy Awards in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1997, and 2002. (Sunday, October 13).

Charo: The spotlight on Charo has been shining brighter than ever since her acceptance of the Female Pop Album of the Year Award. She received this accolade at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference for her flamenco inspired platinum album, Guitar Passion. (Friday-Saturday, October 25-26).

NEW RELEASES - CONJUNTO IMPACTO, PAOLO RECCHIA, LUIGI MARTINALE TRIO FEATURING REUBEN ROGERS

CONJUNTO IMPACTO - EL REGRESO

Miami's own Conjunto Impacto has delivered a great new set – working here in a classic style that really shows their roots! The album's no-nonsense salsa right from the start – great rhythms at the core of each tune, some soaring work on trumpets and trombone to really give the cuts a jazzy sparkle, and lyrics sung with plenty of soul – including a few numbers by a younger female vocalist who joins the group! The whole thing's a salsa dura gem from the underground – issued by the band on their own label, and with the feel of some rare indie set from the 70s. Titles include "Me Marcho", "Hoy Por Hoy", "Bala Perdida", "Negra Dura", "Para Cali Querida", and "Sorpresas De Amor".  ~ Dusty Groove

PAOLO RECCHIA - THREE FOR GETZ

From Paolo Recchia comes a wonderful blend of alto sax, guitar, and bass – served up at a level that reminds us of some of the Lee Konitz/Billy Bauer collaborations of the 50s – but with a sound that's a bit more soulful overall! Paolo Recchia handles the alto, and Enrico Bracco the guitar – and the only other instrumentation on the record is the bass of Nicola Borrelli – used to give the tunes a slight buoyant feel, and underscore the rhythmic playing of both musicians. The Stan Getz reference in the title is very well-placed – as Recchia's alto lines have that great sense of flow that Stan hit in the 60s – particularly the blend of lyricism and soul we love so much during his Sweet Rain period. Titles include "Grandfather's Waltz", "O Grande Amor", "Voyage", "The Peacocks", "First Song", and "Three Little Words".  ~ Dusty Groove

LUIGI MARTINALE TRIO FEATURING REUBEN ROGERS - STRANGE DAYS

This one's a great one from the trio of pianist Luigi Martinale – an Italian player who's got a really wonderful sound! Martinale can be lyrical and poetic one minute, yet also hit a groove the next – a very sort of old school approach to the keys that comes across here in a fresh way, thanks to the trio's rhythms from bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Paolo Franciscone! Both players never get in the way of the piano – and certainly let Luigi take the lead – yet they're always shaping the tunes in subtle ways, especially with Rogers' bass – so that there's a depth of tone and sense of soul that graces even the gentler moments on the record. Titles include "Strange Days", "Christmas Eve", "Opus A Pop One", "The Electric Blue Flight Case", and "Passagio Ad EST".  ~ Dusty Groove

THE CONCORD REMASTER SERIES FEATURING DUKE ELLINGTON, DIZZY GILLESPIE, JOE PASS, RAY BROWN, OSCAR PETERSON, ZOOT SIMS, ART TATUM & OTHERS...

Concord Records is set to release five new titles to commemorate the 40 year anniversary of Pablo Records. The story of Pablo records is a story of one veteran producer’s return to the music he loved best. Norman Granz, founder of Jazz at the Philharmonic, so missed the recording aspect of the music business — which he’d abandoned in 1962 when he sold his Clef, Norgran, and Verve labels to MGM — that a little more than a decade later he decided to take the plunge and start up yet another label. Based in Beverly Hills, California, at the time, Granz secured a distribution deal and launched Pablo Records in 1973, quickly building a world-class catalog of albums by legendary artists Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, and Oscar Peterson — all of whom Granz managed — as well as Count Basie, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Tatum, Sarah Vaughan, and many others. After releasing more than 350 albums in a span of less than 15 years, Granz sold Pablo to Fantasy in 1987, which in turn merged with Concord Records in 2004 to form Concord Music Group.

The five new titles are:

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: The Ellington Suites

The three Ellington Suites in this release were recorded at different times along Ellington’s legendary and prolific arc: The Queen’s Suite in February and April 1959 (written for and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II, but not widely released until 1970); the Goutelas Suite in April 1971; and the Uwis Suite in October 1972.

“Ellington would record his orchestra at his own expense, and then stockpile the recordings,” says Nick Phillips, Vice President, Catalog and Jazz A&R at Concord and producer of the Original Jazz Classics Remasters series. “These were recordings that were later sold to Norman Granz, who had the good sense in the ’70s to collect these then-unreleased suites on one album.”

Nearly 40 years after its first release, “this latest edition of The Ellington Suites adds a studio discovery: the never-before-released ‘The Kiss’ is a track recorded in 1972 at the same session that yielded the Uwis Suite,” says Ashley Kahn, author of the new liner notes for the reissue. “[It] is included herein as a reminder of how — all the way to the end of his timeline — Ellington was at work at new creations, ever intrepid and ever expansive. Today The Ellington Suites, music he produced to his specifications and at his expense, are as powerful a statement as any to the remarkable consistency that colored the entire, storied career.”

Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, Mickey Roker: Dizzy’s Big 4

Recorded in September 1974, Dizzy’s Big 4 provides a snapshot of the bebop pioneer still in superb form at age 57. “Joined by a rhythm section of fellow Pablo all-stars, Diz is heard at his bebopping best in a compelling mix of Gillespie classics (‘Be Bop’ and ‘Birks’ Works’), a then-new Gillespie composition (‘Frelimo’), and standards (‘September Song’ and ‘Jitterbug Waltz’),” says Phillips. “The sheer joy of four like-minded musicians spurring each other to new musical heights is palpable throughout this Pablo classic.”

Willard Jenkins, author of the new liner notes for the reissue, concurs. “Befitting a Pablo session, the four musicians comprising Dizzy Gillespie’s Big 4 have an obvious simpatico with each other’s artistry,” he says. “Despite the fact that this is an all-star assemblage, the parts are beautifully matched and throughout the session a keen sense of camaraderie prevails.”

The reissue includes two bonus tracks, previously unreleased alternate takes of “Russian Lullaby” and “Jitterbug Waltz” — both of which are significantly different versions of the same songs that appeared in the original release. “When you’re talking about master jazz improvisers like Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, and Mickey Roker, every single take of any given song is going to be fresh and different,” says Phillips. “These alternate takes are no exception.”

Oscar Peterson & Stephane Grappelli: Skol

Recorded live at Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark, on July 6, 1979, Skol features the six tracks from the album’s original LP release, plus three previously unreleased bonus tracks from the same performance: “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Solitude,” and “I Got Rhythm.”
“The title of the album, Skol, is of course a Scandinavian toast: ‘Cheers!’” says Tad Hershorn, archivist at the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University and author of the new liner notes for the reissue. “It exactly suits the spirit of this sparkling music reintroduced here in observation of Pablo’s fortieth anniversary.”

Hershorn adds: “Oscar Peterson was just over the halfway point of a career beginning in the mid-1940s up until just shortly before the time of his death in 2007 at age 82 . . . Stephane Grappelli catapulted to fame in the 1930s as part of the original Quintette du Hot Club de France led by legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt.” But the two co-leaders are just the beginning of this story, says Phillips. “Add Joe Pass, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and Mickey Roker, the end result is an impressive array of talent on a single album.”

Zoot Sims: Zoot Sims and the Gershwin Brothers

Recorded in June 1975, Zoot Sims and the Gershwin Brothers is a set of ten well-known Gershwin classics executed by Sims on saxophone, backed by Oscar Peterson on piano, George Mraz on bass, Joe Pass on guitar, and Grady Tate on drums. “It’s arguably the best album Zoot Sims ever made,” says Phillips, “not just on Pablo but in his entire career. It’s that good. He sounds absolutely amazing on this album.”

In addition to the ten tracks from the original release, the reissue includes three bonus tracks: “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” and previously unreleased alternate takes of “Oh, Lady, Be Good!” and “I’ve Got a Crush on You.”

“Zoot brought to the formal business of studio recording the same unflagging spirit of swing that motivated him in casual settings like the Paris boîte and the Mississippi steamer,” says Doug Ramsey, author of the new liner notes to the reissue. “For this music by the Gershwins, he had at his disposal a dream rhythm section of four peers who shared his dedication to the propositions that jazz must swing and must pursue the ideal of beauty.”

Ramsey adds: “Let your ears be your guide and let Zoot, Oscar, Joe, George, and Grady guide your ears. It is good that this music has new life and is again available as an essential installment of the Zoot Sims legacy.”

Art Tatum: The Art Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol. 1

The Art Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol. 1 got under way with an evening session in December 1953 where Tatum walked into the studios of Radio Recorders in Hollywood with a portable radio. He sat down at the piano bench, opened the first of many bottles of Pabst Blue Ribbon (provided by Granz), listened to about a half hour of UCLA basketball and said, “Let’s go.”

“From there, the music poured forth to produce 69 masters over two days, nearly all on first takes with no playbacks,” says Herschorn in his new liner notes to the reissue. “It was an auspicious beginning for a peak moment in the histories of Granz and Tatum. Picking up again in April 1954 and concluding in January 1955, the series came in at over 125 songs . . . The endurance of the Tatum recordings, celebrated with this reissue of Volume 1 in recognition of the fortieth anniversary of Pablo Records, proves that the highest ambitions of both men continue to be revered in the 60 years since Tatum, a man of few words and a daredevil on the keyboard, first uttered, ‘Let’s go.’”

ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT TO RELEASE BLACK RADIO 2 ON OCTOBER 29

Robert Glasper has revealed the details on his next release - Black Radio 2.On Black Radio 2, the emphasis is on songwriting with 11 of the 12 tracks new originals, from the soaring lead track "I Stand Alone" featuring rapper Common and vocalist Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy through Jill Scott’s sensual ode to connection “Calls” to the reinvention fantasy “Somebody Else” featuring BRIT Award winner Emeli Sandé. The lone cover is the album closer, a spine-tingling version of Stevie Wonder’s “Jesus Children of America” by vocalist Lalah Hathaway that also features a poignant spoken word tribute to the 20 young victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting by poet Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The album was produced by Glasper along with executive producers Nicole Hegeman and Eli Wolf.

Other artists to appear on the album include the Experiment, featuring Robert Glasper on keyboards, Derrick Hodge on bass, Mark Colenburg on drums, and Casey Benjamin on vocoder and saxophone. Providing the vocals throughout are vocalists including Common, Patrick Stump, Brandy, Jill Scott, Dwele, Marsha Ambrosius, Anthony Hamilton, Faith Evans, Norah Jones, Snoop Dogg, Lupe Fiasco, Emeli Sandé, Lalah Hathaway, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.

On their 2012 breakout Black Radio, Robert Glasper Experiment laid out a new paradigm for creative music, reaching beyond entrenched genre boundaries to create a singular vision that drew from all reaches of contemporary black music and beyond. Black Radio drew unanimous praise from critics across the board and earned Glasper the highest chart positions of his career when the album debuted at #10 on Billboard's Top Current Albums chart, also claiming the #1 spot on both the Billboard Jazz chart and the iTunes R&B chart. The album kept earning accolades all the way to the 2013 GRAMMY Awards where Black Radio was awarded Best R&B Album.

Black Radio 2 will be released on October 29 on the Blue Note label. Check out the complete tracklisting:
1. Baby Tonight (Black Radio Intro)
2. I Stand Alone featuring Common and Patrick Stump
3. What Are We Doing featuring Brandy
4. Calls featuring Jill Scott
5. No Worries featuring Dwele
6. Trust featuring Marsha Ambrosius
7. Yet To Find featuring Anthony Hamilton
8. You Own Me featuring Faith Evans
9. Let It Ride featuring Norah Jones
10. Persevere featuring Snoop Dogg and  Lupe Fiasco
11. Somebody Else featuring Emeli Sandé
12. Jesus Children of America featuring Lalah Hathaway and Malcolm-Jamal Warner

NEW RELEASES - KEIKO MATSUI, GIL-SCOTT HERON, ALEX PUDDU

KEIKO MATSUI - SOUL QUEST

Keiko Matsui’s new recording Soul Quest, is a riveting new collection of songs that unfold like an epic journey. With an all-star cast that includes such heavyweights as producer and drummer Narada Michael Walden, guitarist Chuck Loeb, saxophonist Kirk Whalum and bassist Marcus Miller, among others, Keiko explores themes of love, loss, spirituality and environmental consciousness.oul Quest finds Keiko Matsui doing several firsts, including recording with Chart-topping producers Chuck Loeb and Narada Michael Walden. She recorded with Loeb at his home studio outside of New York. The guitarist produced five of the album’s tracks and together with Keiko he co-wrote three songs. “Chuck is a great producer and such a sweet human being. I got to spend time with his family and they are all beautiful, including his dog Annie and cat, Kit Kat,” recalls Keiko laughing. “I never had that kind of peaceful environment during a recording.” Keiko and Chuck join forces on the catchy “Top Secret,” with its bluesy undercurrent, percolating rhythmic pulse and the muted trumpet of Giulio Carmassi. The two also collaborate on the Keiko written “A Night With Cha Cha” and Loeb’s Quiet Storm inspired “Proof.” The duo also penned together the tunes “Two Hearts” and “Dream Seeker.”

GIL-SCOT HERON - THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED (REISSUE)

The revolutionary soul classic – a benchmark set that that brings together the most essential cuts from Gil Scott-Heron's first 3 albums on Flying Dutchman! The Revolution Will Not Be Televised was originally a song and a poem composed by Heron.  He first recorded it for his 1970 album Small Talk At 125th And Lenox, on which he recited the lyrics accompanied by only congas and bongo drums.The stuff on here is legendary – and is a great mixture of jazzy soul songs and righteous political poetry and protest. Gil's never been better than on these recordings – and the track list on the set is a great introduction to his work. Nearly all the great tracks are here, and the titles include some of Gil's best jazz funk groovers, including "Pieces Of A Man", "Lady Day & John Coltrane", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "Save The Children", and "No Knock".  

ALEX PUDDU - REGISTRAZIONI AL BUIO

If you enjoy the music of film soundtracks and library music of the 1970s, then you will definately like this release from Alex Puddu. The album entitled, Registrazioni Al Buio is what is described as being a fresh and charming recording by a talented and gifted musician who brings new life to old sounds, and he does this by restyling, merging, and mixing the old and new musical intuitions.  If you enjoy the works of Lesiman, Bacalove, Pisano, as well as Ennio Morricone, then you will like this as well. The album also features vocals by Edda Dell'Orso. Songs include: Il Canto Delle Orchidee; Il Seme Della Violenza; Il Deserto Sotto La Pelle; Alta Tension 3 am' Mirror Madness; Incontri Nel Parco; Anna Il Desiderio Chiuso Nella Stanza; Angeli Della Morte; Magia Nera, Rituali Inferno; Nuove Sezioni Ritmiche; and La Paura E'Una Lama Di Ghiaccio.

FIVE ROBERTA FLACK ALBUMS REISSUED - CHAPTER TWO, QUIET FIRE, KILLING ME SOFTLY, PLUS COLLABORATIONS WITH DONNY HATHAWAY AND PEABO BRYSON

ROBERTA FLACK - CHAPTER TWO

Beautiful work from Roberta Flack – an album that should be in the collection of any fan of righteous soul music! Forget all the wimpier modes of Flack's later years – because here, the young Roberta is a vision of positive power and spiritual soul – a singer with roots in jazz, which helps to transform some of the album's very surprising song choices – and a depth and sensitivity that goes way past the usual female soul modes of the time. Donny Hathaway handled half the arrangements for the record – a perfect choice for Flack – and Deodato handles the other, with some large arrangements that still have just the right sort of gentleness to go with her voice. Titles include a version of "Reverend Lee", penned by Eugene Daniels – and the great "Gone Away", written by Curtis Mayfield, Leroy Hutson, and Hathaway – plus the tracks "Just Like A Woman", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Business Goes On As Usual", and "Until It's Time For You To Go".  

ROBERT FLACK AND PEABO BRYSON - LIVE & MORE

This one is a double album from Roberta & Peabo – with some nicely recorded tracks from a gig at The Holiday Star Theater in Merrillville, IN (not too far south of Chicago) in the dawn of the 1980s – and some tight studio material, too! It's got a some terrific live versions of some of the biggest hits from both singers – plus their great duets. Titles include "Don't Make Me Wait Too Long", a nice version of "Back Together Again" – which was originally done by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, "Killing Me Softly", "God Don't Like Ugly", "Feel The Fire", and "Only Heaven Can Wait/You Are My Heaven". 14 tracks on 2CDs! (SHMCD pressing). 

ROBERTA FLACK & DONNY HATHAWAY

An amazing record from the team of Flack & Hathaway – one of the hippest duos in soul! Individually, each had taken the music to new heights and new audiences, through the use of jazzy phrasing and sophisticated lyrics, while never selling out in the way that earlier pop soul acts had been reduced to. Flack's somber folksy style is a perfect match for the warm spirituality of Hathaway – and the pair work beautifully in counterpoint on hits like "You've Got A Friend" and "Where Is The Love", as well as on more obscure numbers like "Be Real Black For Me", "When Love Has Grown", and "For All We Know". The album also features a 7 minute spare acoustic/electric piano instrumental called "Mood". (SHMCD pressing).  

ROBERT FLACK - QUIET FIRE

Great small combo work by Roberta Flack, recorded early in her career, when she was still one of the hippest things around – and it's among her best records! Roberta's really come into her own as vocalist at this point and solidifying here personal style – with that clear tone and perfectly controlled style and phrasing – balancing a jazzy sensibility with the emotions of her gospel roots. A few tracks have some large arrangements by Arif Mardin, William Eaton, or Deodato – but most tracks feature a core group of studio jazz players that includes players like Joe Farrell, Richard Tee, Chuck Rainey, Hubert Laws, and Bernard Purdie. Includes a version of Eugene McDaniels' "Sunday & Sister Jones", plus "Go Up Moses", "To Love Somebody", "Let Them Talk", and "Sweet Bitter Love". (SHMCD pressing).

ROBERTA FLACK - KILLING ME SOFTLY

Roberta Flack at her most masterful – balancing righteous soul at it's most spiritually resonant and more mainstream accessible melodies – from her classic years at Atlantic when she was forging a whole new sound that was a unique blend of soul, jazz, and spiritualism. Each of Roberta's preceding albums on Atlantic were increasingly incredible – and this one caps of a pretty incredible late 60s to early 70s run of top quality work. Includes the ever-fresh title cut, remade later by The Fugees in a version that cemented it's status with the next generation – plus a great version Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne", "River", "No Tears (In The End)", "I'm The Girl", "When You Smile" and "Conversation Love". (SHMCD pressing. Nice replication of the original die-cut sleeve, too!) ~ Dusty Groove

THREE CLASSIC RONNIE VON ALBUMS REISSUED - RONNIE VON, A MAQUINA VOADOR, A MISTERIOSA LUTA DO REINO DE PARASSEMPRE CONTRO O IMPERIO DE NUNCAMAIS

RONNIE VON - RONNIE VON

Some groovy psychedelic rock from Brazil – the self-titled effort from Ronnie Von – a Brazilian television personality and musician who stayed incredibly busy from late 60s through the 70s – but recorded few albums as sublime as this album from 1968! The set's really a near-perfect batch of sunshine rock – sung in Portuguese and featuring some of the similar freeform sounds of his Brazilian contemporaries of the time – with groovy western touches in the instrumentation. Ronnie's vocals are backed up by organ washes and piano, buzzing guitars and walloping drums – but the overall feel is quite melodic – wonderful blend of California sunshine and Brazilian rock grooves! Tracks include "Meu Novo Cantar", "Chega De Tudo", "Espelhos Quebrados", Anarquia", "Esperahca De Cantar", "Contudo, Todavia", "Anarquia", "Mil Novecentos E Alem", and "Canto De Despedida". ~ Dusty Groove

RONNIE VON - A MAQUINA VOADOR

A really standout set from Brazilian rocker Ronnie Von – easily one of his greatest records ever, and a set that shows some wonderful steps forward in production and arrangements!  Great credit should certainly go to arrangers Francisco De Moraes and Djama Mellin as Ronnie's still got a rock approach at his core, but he's often working here with fuller backings that include strings and large orchestrations – all blended with key psychedelic elements of the time, in ways that are a fair bit like some of the best productions from the Cadet Concept series – especially the work of Rotary Connection! Like that group, Ronnie's music here draws from the familiar, then pushes its boundaries – taking the music into unexpectedly majestic territory, but still making it groove in the end. Songs include "Enseada", "Imagem", "Seu Olhar No Meu", "Verao Nos Chama", "A Maquina Voadora", "Cidade", and "Voce De Azul".  ~ Dusty Groove

RONNIE VON - A MISTERIOSA LUTA DO REINO DE PARASSEMPRE CONTRO O IMPERIO DE NUNCAMAIS 

Great late 60s work from Ronnie Von – an under-appreciated Brazilian rocker, and one with a sound that sits nicely between the Jovem Guarda generation and some of the headier groups to come in the 70s! There's a nice array of psychedelic influences at play here – strong echoes of British work of the time, but used in much more sophisticated ways than any Jovem Guarda acts – never a simple copycat approach, but also never as arty as some of the Tropicalia recordings of the time either. Ronnie's voice has a depth that allows some nice changes in mood from track to track – lightly lyrical one moment, a bit darker and more tripped-out the next – bringing a sense of variety to the record that almost recalls Caetano Veloso during the time, but a bit more rockish overall. Titles include "Atlantica", "Dindi", "De Como Meu Heroi Flash Gordon", "Foi Bom", "Rose Ann", "Comeci Uma Brincadeira", and "Mares De Areia".  ~ Dusty Groove