GRAMMY-NOMINATED PIANIST/COMPOSER DAVID LANZ RELEASES NEW CD - MOVEMENTS OF THE HEART

Some musicians have the ability to transform your very being with the gifts of their artistry. Master pianist and composer, David Lanz, is that kind of force.  A wizard at painting a lush tapestry of cascading melodies that simmer into graceful refrains, and meld rhythmically fueled dancing harmonies that climax into wistful variations, Lanz has made a career of permeating the hearts, minds and souls of audiences around the globe for over three decades.

Ahead of his time, the visionary Grammy-nominated and chart-topping pianist has remained a pioneer in the genre of New Age music. The witty pianist has coined his own phrase for his music, ‘Heavy Mellow,’ a cute play on the term Heavy Metal. “I always like to point out in my performances that the term New Age is not really a musical term so for fun I coined the term ‘Heavy Mellow.’ If you happen to like this style of music then I guess you would have to be referred to as a ‘Heavy Mellow-head!’” An all-around journeyman with roots in rock, jazz and classical, Lanz’s music is a delicate balance between technical prowess and passionate grace that serves a higher purpose. “My spiritual path is all about creating music, communicating with sound, and allowing beauty to be expressed in my work,” declared the pianist.

October 8, 2013, Shanachie Entertainment will release David Lanz’s 41st recording, Movements Of The Heart, a sublime collection of original compositions that transport you on a glorious and emotive journey. “I draw from my source, the same source we all have access to...God if you will...and this source has an inexhaustible supply of inspiration just waiting for each of us to tap into it. This and my life experience is where I go for my inspiration.” Shanachie Entertainment’s VP of Jazz A&R Danny Weiss states, “Though tranquil and restful on the surface, the spirituality that lies within is the reason that David Lanz’s music resonates worldwide. He’s the real thing.”

Movements Of the Heart is David Lanz’s first recording of all new original piano works since 2008’s Painting the Sun. Each note that emanates from Lanz’s majestic and commanding touch on Movements Of The Heart, marries thirteen sublime compositions that unfold like an epic romantic drama. This new recording beautifully captures the spontaneity of a live performance and the pristine polish of a studio session. “Most of the music was written and then recorded during a major change in my personal life and reflects the relationship and the new love I have found,” confides Lanz. “The title refers to the romantic notions of the heart as well as to the movements found in music.” David Lanz is a master at sculpting unforgettable melodies that etch themselves into one’s memory. His mission is simple, “I really try and focus on the melody as I develop each piece. The melody is the heart of the song and my goal is to connect with the listener heart to heart-so to speak.”

Highlights on Movements Of The Heart include the dreamy “Love’s Return,” which Lanz hails as the most romantic love song he has ever written. He was even inspired to pen lyrics for the song which he hopes to share in the future. His compositions “Midnight Adagio” and  “La Luna dell' Amante” (The Lover’s Moon) were both composed during a full moon either at or near midnight. He explains, “These pieces represent the passion and the spiritual feelings wrapped up in the reflections of love and longing felt when you are apart from your true love.”

Movements Of The Heart also showcases “In Moonlight,” which pays homage to Ludwig Van Beethoven and references his seminal work “Moonlight Sonata.” “I never studied classically, but have grown to appreciate the master’s work,” says Lanz. He continues with a smile, “When I wrote ‘In Moonlight,’ I imagine it were played by Ludwig himself as if he was very relaxed and meditating.”

David Lanz is a consummate artist, and the intention of his art and every aspect of how it is delivered to the listener is well thought out. In fact, the piano tuning heard on Movements Of The Heart has been slightly altered from the standard A-440 tuning. A-440 refers to the cycles per second of the note ‘A’ below middle ‘C’ on the piano and is the standard by which all western instruments are tuned. Lanz explains, “In a twist of psycho-acoustics, sacred geometry, and a quest for an enhanced sonic experience, the piano heard on the CD is tuned and recorded in A-444, just a little bit higher than the traditional  A-440.  A subtle difference, but none the less a positive result!” Lanz was encouraged to explore this idea by his brother and co-producer, Gary Lanz, and their friend, mathematician, New York Times best selling author, and an ex-monk, Gary Hardin. They looked at the numbers and came to the conclusion that A- 444 would have very positive effects on the listener. Lanz adds, "444 is sometimes referred to as an angelic number. I have to admit it does sound much better than in the original A-440 tuning."

Hailing from Seattle, WA, and recently relocated to the east coast, David Lanz has enjoyed a career longevity that is rare in the music business. For over thirty years, the visionary recordings and live performances of David Lanz have served to heal, to inspire, to provide spiritual nourishment to diverse audiences around the globe. “My music has been used for years by traditional and alternative healers,” states Lanz. “I would never claim that it had healing effects, however, I do believe that music can set the stage and create the atmosphere and the inner feeling and attitude needed for the listener to tap into their own healing abilities, which I believe we all possess.” Early on inspired by the roots of Rock and Roll, Lanz’s vast cauldron of musician influences include some of jazz’s most revered pianists like Dave Brubeck, Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner, as well as classical icons Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Debussy. 


Many have tried to define David Lanz style, but that would be too simple. David Lanz plays David Lanz music. As both composer and interpreter, his approach to music is often larger than life, breathtaking in its breadth, yet accessible and down-to-earth as well. Through his music, Lanz connects in an intimate manner with his audience by tapping into emotions, thoughts and dreams like an old friend.

Early in Lanz’s career, he took gigs playing rock, funk and disco. Then he had an epiphany: “I had been doing yoga and meditating and getting into Eastern philosophy,” says Lanz, “and slowly I started thinking about how music could help. With music, you could get people to dance or you could get people to meditate or to march off to war. I was aware of a few other musicians who were doing light, ambient music and I was always into what the classical East Indian musicians were doing, creating trance states. By the early ‘80s I was really into the idea that this kind of music would be an interesting path to take.”

In 1983, Lanz made his recording debut, Heartsounds, on Narada. It was received favorably and Lanz was off, pursuing his new direction and exploring the various ways he might touch an emerging listenership. During the next five years he released six new albums and landed a major commercial breakthough with 1988’s Cristofori’s Dream. The album consisted of six originals, including the opening title track, which has become a classic, and a cover of Procol Harum’s 1967 rock hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” Cristofori’s Dream topped Billboard Magazine’s first Adult Alternative/New Age chart and remained for an impressive 27 weeks.

1990 brought about the release of Skyline Firedance, which joined Lanz with an 80-piece orchestra. He continued to record for Narada, issuing several more titles including 1998’s Songs From an English Garden, his first to tap into the British Invasion repertoire of the ’60s. In 2000, he changed recording homes to Decca Records where he scored a Grammy nomination for East Of the Moon. Lanz continued to record and tour relentlessly, releasing eleven titles between 2001 and 2007. In 2008, he made his Shanachie debut, Painting In the Sun, and in 2012 he paid homage to The Beatles with Here Comes The Sun and Liverpool Re-Imagining The Beatles.

Beginning in 2012, David Lanz celebrated the 25th anniversary of his landmark release Cristofori's Dream Re-Envisioned, marking a return to the music that launched him as an international phenomenon a quarter-century ago. Cristofori’s Dream was a million-selling musical thank you note to Bartolomeo Cristofori, the man who invented the piano in the 18th century. The title track remains hugely popular today—countless piano students have purchased the sheet music to learn how to play the piece. In addition, Lanz’s interpretation of Procol Harum’s classic, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” on the original album is considered one of the most popular of the countless covers of the song.

Truly a renaissance man, David Lanz is always heading into the unknown in order to expand his artistry and share what he’s found with the world. His musical offering is a welcomed retreat back into music with heart, soul, courage, adventure, humanity and purpose. With the release of Movements Of The Heart, the journey continues and David Lanz concludes, “I always want my listeners to really enjoy the music, but if it connects to their deeper levels of emotion and allows them to really feel the stirrings in their own hearts...all the better!”

David Lanz Tour Dates

10/12 - Pittsford, NY (House Concert)

10/19 - Aranda de Duero, Spain @ Auditorio Caja Burgos

11/02 - Pittsford, NY (House Concert)

11/07-11/10 - East Vancouver, WA @ David Lanz Workshop

David Lanz - Movements of the Heart

1. Love's Return

2. La Luna dell' Amante

3. On Rainbow Way

4. To Touch The Sky

5. Rainlight

6. I Hear You In A Song

7. The Way Home

8. Movements of the Heart

9. White Horse

10. In Moonlight

11. Midnight Adagio

12. Here And Now

13. I See You In The Stars

http://www.davidlanz.com

http://twitter.com/TheDavidLanz

http://www.facebook.com/TheDavidLanz

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDavidLanz

 

NEW RELEASES - THE POETS OF RHYTHM, MAYLEE TODD, HELEN MERRILL / PIERO UMILIANI

THE POETS OF RHYTHM

Before Daptone, there was Desco. Before Desco, there were The Poets of Rhythm. Back in the ’90s, a time when most of our ears were filled with the alternating din of angsty grunge and synthesized pseudo-soul, a couple of German kids unearthed a raw sound from our own back yard that we hadn’t even remembered burying. Though for a time they reveled in the borrowed nostalgia of bell-bottoms and fur coats, their style was always in spite of fashion, not because of it. They drew from the sound of old funk records, not as a mold, but as inspiration, understanding that sound would always be an origin of their music, but unlike many ‘soul revivalists’ to follow, they never settled for it as a destination. As homage to the undeniably funky frontrunners of the modern soul movement, we are proud to present the definitive collection of Poets tunes, respectfully curated by Daptone staff and the band themselves. It’s been twenty years since their first recording session, and this anthology celebrates their decade-long journey from the raw exuberant rebellion of ‘Funky Train’, to the moody hypnotic explorations of ‘Discern and Define’, and for the first time EVER on wax, the eerie, relaxed groover ‘Path of Life’ – a journey that truly earns them their name: The Poets of Rhythm. ~ grooveattack

MAYLEE TODD - ESCAPOLOGY

The second set from Maylee Todd – and one that we like even better than the first! Maylee sounds even more soulful and focused than ever before – playing Fender Rhodes alongside her vocals, and really using the keys to shape the grooves in a great way – soulful and slinky, with these classic tones we never would have expected – and which make the album one of the best we've heard from the Do Right label in awhile! As with some of the company's great releases from a decade or so ago, there's an understanding of older soul modes fused with 21st Century freshness – all handled by Maylee with her own words and music, which really gives the set a strong personality of its own. Additional strings and horns slide in at just the right moments to flesh out the sound – and titles include "Baby's Got It", "Did Everything I Could", "First & Last", "Successive Mutations", "I Tried", and "I Can't Stand It". ~ Dusty Groove

HELEN MERRILL / PIERO UMILIANI - PAROLE E MUSICA

A strange and obscure session that has the cool jazz vocals of American singer Helen Merrill backed by a small Italian combo led by soundtrack composer Piero Umiliani – a wonderful mix that really makes the album an unusual one for Helen! The music was originally recorded for a TV program in Italy, and each track is preceded by an Italian voice, reciting Italian versions of the lyrics over spare musical backing – then Merrill's voice comes in with a bigger jazz group, singing each track in English – a very nice level of presentation! And although the whole thing sounds crazy, it actually works well – and gives the album a compelling edge and kind of a sexy late-night quality. Tracks include "Solitude", "Everything Happens To Me", "Night & Day", "Why Don't You Do Right", and "Willow Weep For Me". (Blue Spec CD.) ~ Dusty Groove

MATT WILSON TEAMS WITH JOHN MEDESKI TO DELIVER "GATHERING CALL"

Gathering Call - to be released Jan. 21, 2014, via Palmetto Records - is the follow-up to Wilson's widely acclaimed 2012 album Attitude for Gratitude with his band Arts & Crafts.

Matt Wilson is renowned for his virtuosic flair as a drummer and his good-vibes positivity as a bandleader, not to mention his facility for collaborating with top musicians across the spectrum of jazz - from the mainstream to the avant-garde and virtually everything in between. Wilson scored glowing reviews for last year's release with his band Arts & Crafts, Attitude for Gratitude, an album that DownBeat called "fun, thoughtful, beautiful" and Vanity Fair dubbed "the essence of jazz." 

For his next offering, the Matt Wilson Quartet is joined by a special guest - keyboard star John Medeski - for the album Gathering Call, to be released Jan. 21, 2014, via Palmetto Records. Wilson and company - with his Quartet featuring reedman Jeff Lederer, cornetist Kirk Knuffke and bassist Chris Lightcap, plus Medeski on piano - have created an irresistibly tune-rich, hard-grooving album steeped in the vintage virtues even as it sounds utterly fresh. Gathering Call rocks and it rolls, it sings and swings, brimming with brilliant musicianship and sly brio.

Gathering Call - the Grammy-nominated drummer's 11th album as a leader - features a brace of Wilson originals that range from the raucous, drum-driven title track and Ornette-accented "How Ya Going?" to the atmospheric "Dancing Waters" and elliptically lyrical "Hope (for the Cause)." The interpretive numbers include versions of two Duke Ellington compositions ("Main Stem," the rarely covered "You Dirty Dog") and uncommon tunes by Charlie Rouse ("Pumpkin's Delight"), Butch Warren ("Barack Obama") and Hugh Lawson ("Get Over, Get Off and Get On"), plus the Beyoncé hit ("If I Were a Boy") and a folk traditional ("Juanita"). No matter the material, what DownBeat publisher Frank Alkyer said about the playing on Attitude for Gratitude holds fully true for Wilson and crew on Gathering Call: "You can hear them all smiling behind their instruments."

Wilson - a native of Knoxville, Illinois, born in 1964 - is famous for his big ears and big heart, a gregarious Midwesterner to his bones and never jaded even though he has played on hundreds of recording sessions and on top stages the world over, from historic jazz dives to the White House, from Lincoln Center to festivals and concerts around the globe. About the new album, Wilson enthuses: "The recording really swings-I love 4/4 time, the lift of the beat. But I also love open, atmospheric and expansive environments. My songs welcome collective interpretation, with a piece's character coming about naturally. In my world, there's no separation between swinging and free: no categories. The most important aspect of the music is the common ground, where the sounds and personalities of the cats merge."

The core "cats" on Gathering Call - longtime Wilson confreres Lederer and Lightcap joined by new Quartet member Knuffke - bring "a world of music to what they do," says Wilson. "When it comes to musicians, what I always look for are players who have a great sound and great feel to their playing, which all these guys have in abundance. But I also want players whose default setting is 'yes.' I like musicians who are game - and who bring out the same attitude in me. What makes this quartet special is the quality of trust - we can be game and open and adventurous with each other, so the music flows naturally. We recorded the whole album at Maggie's Farm in one seven-hour day, without much rehearsal, really - we just played the music. It was fun, and I think you can hear that on the record."

As for the Quartet's guest musical foil, the keyboardist of Medeski, Martin & Wood fame is an old friend of Wilson, the two having met in late-'80s Boston while playing in the ace Either/Orchestra. "We always had a nice feel together, John Medeski and I," Wilson explains. "But along with his feel, energy and deep roots in such a wide range of music, John has these incredible instincts that just blew the band away. The leader of the Either/Orchestra, Russ Gershon, used to say, 'Give Medeski a sheet of music, and he'll not only get the notes right away, he'll get the vibe, too.' It's more true than ever - he got the music immediately and played his ass off, really inspiring the band with his sound and spirit."

Reflecting on the chemistry that resulted in Gathering Call, Wilson adds: "It was a union and a reunion, a magical day, really. It's very mysterious how a band gels and how good music happens. The more I do this, the more I realize that you can't bottle the intangible, in-the-moment aspect of welcoming and allowing music. But that's why it's so cool. The mystery of it is the appeal of it for me."

The latest incarnation of the Matt Wilson Quartet joins Arts & Crafts, the Carl Sandberg Project, Trio M (with pianist Myra Melford and bassist Mark Dresser) and the new trio Sifter (with Knuffke and guitarist Mary Halvorson) as the drummer's prime group preoccupations, added to his myriad sideman gigs, education initiatives and broadcast projects. Wilson has been featured on the covers of both DownBeat and JazzTimes magazines. In 2003 and 2011, he was voted Drummer of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. Wilson has been an integral part of bands led by Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Bob Stewart, Denny Zeitlin, Ron Miles, Marty Ehrlich, Ted Nash, Jane Ira Bloom and Dena DeRose, among others. He has performed with legends of music, including Herbie Hancock, Dewey Redman, Andrew Hill, Bobby Hutcherson, Elvis Costello, Cedar Walton, Kenny Barron, John Zorn, Marshall Allen, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell and Hank Jones.

Popmatters observed about this very special drummer-leader: "Wilson sees his music as a way to reach out, to communicate. Uninterested in some kind of hip disdain for his audience, he reaches fully across the table to get this music heard by anyone who wants to enjoy it. This kind of playful seriousness about art is a perfect model for a modern mindset: informed but original, daring but joyous."

NICOLE HENRY NOMINATED FOR BEST TRADITIONAL JAZZ PERFORMANCE FOR BEAUTIFUL RENDITION OF BOB MARLEY'S "WAITING IN VAIN"

Fresh off a hugely successful, sold-out US summer tour, internationally-acclaimed jazz/soul chanteuse Nicole Henry has earned a 2013 Centric Soul Train Award nomination for Best Traditional Jazz Performance for her stellar performance of “Waiting in Vain,” off her latest album ‘So Good, So Right: Nicole Henry Live.’    Henry is the only solo female artist in a male-dominated category, placing her in great company with fellow nominees including George Benson (featuring Wynton Marsalis), Jeffrey Osborne (featuring Chaka Khan) and Tony Bennett (featuring Marc Anthony), and Terence Blanchard.  Tune in on Sunday Dec. 1 to watch the broadcast and fans can vote for their favorite online here:

http://www.centrictv.com/shows/soul-train-awards/soul-train-awards-2013-voting.html

The celebrated ‘So Good, So Right’ debuted at #16 on Billboard’s Current Traditional Jazz chart.  The album showcases her soulful, inspired interpretations of some of her favorite classic hits of the 1970s from iconic artists including Bill Withers, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, The Commodores and Gladys Knight.   Henry’s trademark dynamic live performances have earned her praise from the New York Times as “a jazz singer of pop instinct and cabaret sophistication.” (1/24/13)

Upcoming tour dates:

Oct 4 - Nicole Henry sings for S.T.E.P. - Kingston, Jamaica

Oct 8 - Private Event - New York, NY

Oct 11- Arts Garage - Delray Beach, FL

Oct 23- Vibrato Grill Jazz - Los Angeles, CA

Oct 23 -Vibrato Grill Jazz - Los Angeles, CA

Oct 25 - Spaghettini - Seal Beach, CA

Nov 1- Jazz Roots: Pink Panther 50: Tribute to Henry Mancini Show - Miami, FL

Nov 3 - Blue Note Sunday Brunch Residency - New York, NY

Nov 3 - Blue Note Sunday Brunch Residency - New York

Nov 10 - Blue Note Sunday Brunch Residency - New York

ART PEPPER - UNRELEASED ART VOL. VIII: LIVE AT THE WINERY SEPTEMBER 6, 1976

Art Pepper Vol. VIIILive at the Winery, the eighth consecutive release in a series of critically acclaimed, previously unheard Art Pepper recordings on the Widow's Taste label, will be released on November 5. Laurie Pepper began her company in 2006 in order, she said, to unearth previously unreleased Art and share it with his loyal and very grateful fans.

  

This 1976 concert dates from the exhilarating early days of the alto saxophonist's last comeback. "I thought it was time to focus on the music Art made with some of his alternate sidemen," says Laurie. "I also chose it because I listened to the first track, 'Caravan,' and it knocked me out. I knew it had to be heard."

Recorded (anonymously) from the soundboard during a Labor Day jazz festival at the Paul Masson Winery, in Saratoga, California, this set features Art's Northern California band. He'd first encountered them in 1974 at Pete Douglas's Beach House -- aka Bach Dancing and Dynamite -- up in Half Moon Bay. He fell in love at once with pianist Smith Dobson (pictured below), a jazz educator and local performer who had worked with almost every jazz star who came through The Reunion in San Francisco and other Northern California venues. Art worked with him quite a few times and talked about taking him on the road. (Listen to Art's heartfelt little speech right after they play "Rainy Day.") The other band members were regulars Smith worked with: Jim Nichols on bass and young Brad Bilhorn on drums.

Smith Dobson This recording was made on the last day of a three-day gig, so the band was tight and relaxed. Art began the set with the aforementioned "Caravan," which seems, despite its quaintly Oriental or Saharan references, absolutely hurtling through a Latin landscape. That's followed by one of Art's most beautiful and idiosyncratic originals, "Ophelia." Written for Art's drug addicted second wife, it's a tune that is, by turns, tender, swinging, wildly raging, and finally as fresh and pretty as the morning after a storm. The third tune, "Here's That Rainy Day," is a classic ballad Art played frequently in those days -- during which he was still earning part of his living working "casuals," Bar Mitzvahs, and weddings. It was a regularly included standard at those functions, and Art loved to play it. Ballads were his forte, after all, and this time it moves him more than usual. You can hear his voice break as he singles out Smith Dobson's solo.

If "Rainy Day" is heavenly, the next track is earthy. At casuals Art played "Ode to Billie Joe" and "Watermelon Man" for dancing and enjoyed that tremendously. "What Laurie Likes," his own original, reflects the joy he got from playing funk. But as his jazz comeback accelerated, he succumbed to his public's perception of "jazz rock" as too simple and passé and dropped that kind of thing from his repertoire, so we only get to hear this funky stuff in concerts like this one, from the '70s.

Art usually ended his sets with "Straight Life," his original, which had become his signature. This one is as breakneck and exciting as can be. And then, as an encore we get another Pepper signature, a slow, sweet blues ("Saratoga Blues").

Widow's Taste Records is doing well, and Laurie hasn't come to the end of what she thinks the public needs to hear. Her next CD release will not be entirely "unheard." She'll respond to the pressure of the fans and put out the complete blues and ballads set released in by Omnivore in 2011 on vinyl as "Neon Art." She says she also wants to release a DVD of a rare Pepper performance in Norway, but she'll have to go to a public funding source to pay for the expensive sync licensing she'd have to deal with. At that point, she threatens to also release on DVD her own Art Pepper Movie which, for the past eight years, has had to take a backseat to the record company.

Web Site: www.artpepper.net

Blog: www.artpeppermusic.blogspot.com

LAWSON ROLLINS COMES "FULL CIRCLE" ON NEW ALBUM

A culture-rich cornucopia of exotic global sounds and masterful guitarwork, Lawson Rollins’ (www.LawsonRollins.com) fourth album, “Full Circle,” continues to earn the favor of listeners, praise from reviewers and radio spins across the nation. Rollins and multi-platinum producer Dominic Camardella (Ottmar Liebert, Flora Purim, 3rd Force) composed and produced the 12-song set dispensing highbrow sonicscapes constructed of borderless world music, jazz, Latin, Middle Eastern, African and Japanese instrumentation counterbalanced with irresistibly inviting melodies for the masses.

Rollins travels lighter on “Full Circle” than on his past recordings. He puts his classical guitar melodies upfront backed with less layering although the tapestries do sound lush and textured. As on his previous releases, Rollins is surrounded by the same supporting musicians including Camardella (keyboards, piano), Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat, bassist Randy Tico, percussionist Dave Bryant and saxophonist/flutist Richard Hardy.

Respected national magazines Guitar Player and Jazziz have gushed about “Full Circle,” a record that reflects the artist’s return to the sound and style of recordings he made as a member of the eclectic Latin jazz duo Young & Rollins. Below is a sampling of the reviews:  

“On his latest, he (Rollins) still displays the lilting melodies, strong compositions, and otherworldly chops that characterize all of his work. He plays beautiful, hummable lines on “The Offering” and exotic, harmonized parts on “Serpent’s Tale.” Then there are the blazing solo flights he embarks on on every tune. These are simply dazzling—all played fingerstyle, with precision and passion.” – Guitar Player

“Rollins’ pristine and masterful picking on acoustic and electric guitars is the common thread running through all his work…Flamenco, Latin jazz and Middle Eastern music reverberate through the North Carolina native’s mesmerizing string work, as well as through the expert backing of a group of Rollins regulars.” - Jazziz

“While there is a delightful ebb and flow, it is the prodigious talent of Rollins’ guitar work that serves as the golden thread to bind this amazing sonic tapestry together…‘Full Circle’ cuts a wide path for world music fans, classical aficionados and jazz lovers of any genre. An amazing release and proof that when the stars are in perfect alignment, magic is indeed possible. 5 stars.” – Critical Jazz

“One of the most accomplished and creative World Fusion guitarists on the planet today…on ‘Full Circle’ Lawson arrives at something that borders on sublime, instrumental, pan-global guitar-centric jazz that is truly colorful and invigorating. Surely Lawson’s most well-rounded album yet.” – Music Web Express 3000

“…one of the most creative world music fusion guitarists in the world.” – Keys & Chords

“…this may be Lawson Rollins’ finest creation to date…you are in for one incredible audio delight.” – Mainly Piano

“…music created with passion and talent…an even dozen high-spirited tunes full of soul & groove that will haunt your playlists for a long time to come.” – Improvijazzation Nation

“Expect the unexpected as Rollins mixes Middle Eastern exotica, tango, reggae, classical, world beats and more with his trademark Latin flavours.” – Soul and Jazz and Funk

“Nimble-fingered with lightning speed and possessing a full grasp of the cultures of the world as voiced through his guitar, Lawson Rollins wears his captivating music like a second skin.” – The Smooth Jazz Ride

“The scintillating melodies are timeless and free-flowing. Anyone with an interest in acoustic guitars and instrumental music will find happiness in Lawson's latest release.” - Inside World Music

“…what you get here are twelve originals that have cooking little Mediterranean and Iberian moods, and his chops are as good as you can find on anything by (Larry) Coryell.” – Jazz Weekly

“His sound is clear, his fingerstyle is precise and his runs are dizzying.” – Smooth Jazz Daily

“…a tour around the globe with stops in Brazil, Europe and the US reaching out to contemporary world jazz lovers with a pleasant sound.” – O’s Place Jazz

Rollins’ dazzling videos on YouTube showcasing his extraordinary speed and precision are closing in on 8 million views, an impressive number for an independent instrumentalist.

STEVE COLE'S "PULSE" CONTINUES TO RISE ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS

“Pulse” is Cole’s seventh album, this one produced and written by the artist with fellow saxman David Mann. Cole spent the summer playing concerts in the U.S. and Germany to set the stage for the disc’s American and European release while introducing his fan base to the new tunes that come equipped with strapping horns. The promotional push continues with album release gigs lined up in the coming months in New York City (October 12), South Florida (November 2), Southern California (November 8 & 9) and Minneapolis, Minnesota (November 16), the Chicago native’s adopted hometown. This October 17-20, Cole will be featured as the Artist of the Year at the 24th Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival taking place in Delaware.       

Cole's “Pulse” beats to soul-singed contemporary jazz, R&B, gospel, blues and hip hop grooves. Cole’s creative muse has come full circle in the fifteen years since the release of his award-winning debut disc that delivered a pair of radio hits. “With You All The Way,” the first single from “Pulse,” which was released last week, is already #7 on Billboard’s chart and ticketed for the top. 

Here is a snapshot of what several of your colleagues had to write about “Pulse”:

“A dynamic package that keeps Steve Cole at the very top of the food chain when it comes to contemporary instrumental music…It doesn’t get much better than this.” – Critical Jazz

“Filled with the sounds of blues, funk, soul, gospel, R&B, and hip hop jams...Cole has generously ‘returned to the basics’ on his new 10-song album with renewed vigor and creative force.” – Hill Rag

“With yet another smooth and dead-on album, saxman Steve Cole gives it his all on Pulse, a truly satisfying endeavor pulsating with lots of soul and appeal.” – The Smooth Jazz Ride

“A ten track set that’s heavy on infectious melodies and soulful grooves.” – Soul and Jazz and Funk

“This is really an album with a muscular horn section and with soul-powered grooves. Honest, natural and with a quick pulse!” – Smooth Jazz Europe

“It will get your head nodding and your feet tapping” – Smooth Jazz Daily

MICHEL CAMILO'S "WHAT'S UP?" EARNS 2013 BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM NOMINATION

What's Up? marks Camilo's third Latin Grammy® Award nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album

"I am thrilled to be nominated for the Latin Grammy® for Best Latin Jazz Album for What's Up?," says Camilo. "It truly feels like a dream come true since it was my wish to perform and record an album full of contrasts of color and rhythm as a contribution to the rich tradition of Solo Piano styles. I had lots of fun making this one. I am grateful to Wulf Müller and Chuck Mitchell at OKeh for supporting me in this very special project."

  

Produced by Camilo and recorded by Grammy® Award winning engineer Phil Magnotti, the 11 tracks on What's Up? provide a stunning demonstration of the pianist's originality, spotlighting seven original compositions and four uniquely re-arranged jazz and Latin standards. While What's Up? is Camilo's first OKeh release, it does signify his return to the Sony Music Entertainment family, having recorded for Portrait, Epic and Columbia at various points throughout his career that has spanned over three decades (including his 1988 self-titled project on Portrait, which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart).

Camilo will also be performing two solo piano engagements at the SFJazz Center in San Francisco on Saturday, October 19, at 7:30PM and Sunday, October 20, at 4:00PM. The Michel Camilo Big Band is set to perform at The Blue Note in New York from Tuesday, November 5 through Sunday, November 10, with sets at 8:00PM and 10:30PM. 

NEW RELEASES - KING FLOYD, JULIE LONDON, THE FOUR MINTS

KING FLOYD – I FEEL LIKE DYANMITE: THE EARLY CHIMNEYVILLE SINGLES AND MORE 1970 TO 1974

A dynamite collection of southern soul singer King Floyd's early-to-mid 70s recordings for Chimneyville – and a badly needed one, too – shining a light on so many funk-steeped southern soul treasures! King Floyd is one of those great musical figures whose name isn't nearly as famous as his most popular song – which in his case, is the all time classic "Groove Me" – but the thing is, most of the contemporaneous cuts are just as amazing as that one! "Groove Me" appears early in this set, and a good deal of the tunes have a similar edge, balancing gritty backdrops with some sweeter moments where strings stand out a bit more. Recorded at Malaco with arrangements by Wardell Quezergue – with "What Our Love Needs", "Groove Me", "Baby Let Me Kiss You", "Let Us Be", "It's Wonderful", "Woman Don't Go Astray", "Here It Is", "Messin' Up My Mind", "Do Your Feeling", "Thank You", "I Feel Like Dynamite", "Handle With Care" and many more. 24 tracks in all! ~ Dusty Groove

JULIE LONDON – SILK AND SATIN: THE RARE SONGBOOK

Rare work from Julie London – a batch of 20 tracks that were originally issued as singles, and never appeared on LP – which makes the package a great complement to Julie's famous run of albums for Liberty Records! The sound here is right up there with more famous music from London – those trademark breathy vocals, set to instrumentation that's often nice and spare – so that her words seem to float effortlessly on air, with a sexy undercurrent that few other singers could ever hope to match! The set's short on notes – we could have used more information on the cuts – but we're more than happy with the music itself – a set of 20 titles that includes "My Love My Love", "It's Easy", "Must Be Catchin", "My Strange Affair", "Man Of The West", "I'll Cry Tomorrow", "Tall Boy", "Voice In The Mirror", and "The Freshman". ~ Dusty Groove

THE FOUR MINTS – GENTLY DOWN YOUR STREAM

An incredible album of harmony soul – easily one of the best you could ever hope to find! The Four Mints were an obscure group, but they sound really wonderful here – just as great as some of the bigger proponents of the genre in the early 70s – with an especially great talent for heartbreaking ballads! The album was the only one ever issued by the tiny Capsoul label – probably best known for their volume in Numero's Eccentric Soul series – and it features all of the group's singles for the label, plus one rare track – all wrapped up in a beautiful little cover. The sound is wonderful – a must-have set for any fan of group soul from the 70s – and titles include "You're My Desire", "In A Rut", "Row My Boat", "Why Did I Go", "Do You Really Love Me", and "Keep On Loving You". Plus, the CD also features 3 bonus tracks – rehearsal takes of "Too Far Gone" and "In A Rut", plus an instrumental of "In A Rut". ~ Dusty Groove

LIONEL HAAS TRIO - GOING AND GOING

Continuity, energy, flow, relentlesness ... such are the things that the title track stands for. Keep the music ‘Going and Going’, that is the motto that pianist Lionel Haas went by as he compiled this selection of originals and standards, diverse in style, feel and tempo. It's not always about reinventing the wheel, it's also about keeping the wheel rolling and in order to do that, you need an engine strong enough for that task, one that is efficient, yet not intrusive.

Drummer Tomas Hobzek and bass player Giuseppe Bottiglieri posess exactly those attributes by doing their parts in making each track a unique listening experience - whether it is the straight forward swing of the above-mentioned title track, the serenity of the classic piece, "Like Someone in Love", the passionate rhythms of "Cubano Chant" and "Magreb" or the soulful sounds of "Day of Reckoning".

Not to forget the virtuoso vocal sounds of Kgomotso Tsatsi, giving a certain Cole Porter classic an entirely new touch and together with Lionel Haas, creating something as compelling as "Unchartered".

This CD may not be completely Unchartered territory, but it keeps the music Going and Going that's what jazz is all about.

Born in Bonn and based in Berlin since 1999, Lioneh Haas has made a name for himself as an established artist. He has been involved in a vocal jazz sextet formation with singer Yamil Borges since May, 2000, performing in some of the finest Berlin jazz clubs as well as in venues nationwide. The group released its debut CD in the fall of 2002. Since 2001, Lionel has toured with various projects in places like China, Ireland and Switzerland. Recently he has toured in Spain, France and Italy with the renowned blues artist, Big Joe Turner. Since 2006, Lionel Haas has been hosting the successful weekly New Standard Jam Session. He formed the Lionel Haas Quintet in the spring of 2002. In 2007 that band evolved into the powerful sextet formation Blowing Front which won the Jazz and Blues Awards in Berlin that year. The Lionel Haas Trio is his most recent project.

Guiseppe Bottiglieri graduated in Salerno’s conservatory (IT). He started to play the double bass at the age of 22 and has performed and toured in Poland, Netherland, Virgin islands, Germany, Italy, Spain, taking part in international festivals like Giffoni, Martucci jazz fest(it) and studying with Stefan Lievestro and Hein Van De Geyn with masterclasses by Barry Harris and Dave Liebman. He lives in Berlin as an active musician and has played with Bill Sum- mers, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Anders Mogensen and Sandro Deidda.

Tomas Hobzek began drumming sessions at Pilsen Conservatory. During his studies he started as a percussionist in opera and symphony orchestras. After few years in the classical field, he developed a passion for Jazz. He moved to Prague where he graduated at post secondary college of Jaroslav Jezek and soon began working with many bands. He has also founded his own quartet with which he recorded a CD consisting of his original compositions.

Kileza (Kgomotso Tsatsi) (formerly “KG”) is a South African born singer and songwriter who calls the world home. Having lived and performed in Argentina, Canada, South Africa and now Germany, she is a musical nomad. She now also performs working extensively with some of Berlin’s finest bands including Andrej Hermlin’s Swing Dance Orchestra and Marcia Barrett of Boney M fame. Kileza continues to write and perform with her own band in Berlin.

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

NEW RELEASES - DAVE DOUGLAS, STEVE ARRINGTON & DAM-FUNK, STUDIO ONE SKA FEVER!

DAVE DOUGLAS – DD / 50

Dave Douglas is fifty – and he's celebrating with this very cool limited package of music and image! The set features three different albums, plus a bonus DVD – all in a sweet box, too! First up is Be Still – quite a compelling project from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a record that has him working strongly with singer/guitarist Aoife O'Donovan, whose presence really helps transform the sound of the set! Aoife's got a folksy touch on her vocals, and colors things in with some great earthy tones that are a surprisingly good fit for Douglas' lines on trumpet – sometimes jazzy, sometimes sparkling with a rich sense of American history – yet delivered in a subtle, linear way. Next is Time Travel – a really in the pocket session that's filled with rhythmic intensity, and some of the boldest music we've heard from Dave in years! There's plenty of edges to the set – especially the trumpet of Douglas and tenor of Jon Irabgon – but there's also a groove to many numbers too – a kind of forward-rolling energy that really takes the whole thing to great points throughout the set, and which makes a great progression from the somber tone of Dave's last album – almost a musical rebirth of sorts! The third album in the set is Pathways – beautiful tones and colors from a sextet that also features Greg Tardy on tenor and clarinet, Joshua Roseman on trombone, Uri Caine on piano, Linda Oh on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums – all players who are nicely sensitive to Douglas' ideas here, and bring together a fresh wave of ideas from previous records. DVD features both Quintet performances (with Jon Irabgon and Matt Mitchell) and Sextet material (with Greg Tardy, Joshua Roseman, and Uri Caine) – recorded in studio performances and music videos too! (Also features a bonus download too!) ~ Dusty Groove

STEVE ARRINGTON & DAM-FUNK – HIGHER

An incredible collaboration from former Slave mainman Steve Arrington and contemporary beat wizard Dam Funk – a record that has all the bassy, funky sounds we've loved from Arrington over the years – but which also gets a definite 21st Century twist in the production! Steve handles all the vocals and lyrics – and Dam Funk wrote and arranged all the music – but always with a bassy bottom that's almost an homage to Arrington's work with Slave and later projects in the 80s – crisped up a bit by the production, with some slight cosmic touches that really sends the whole thing into the heavens! The album's way more than just a meeting of two big names – as the sounds are really special and unique – with a quality that goes even beyond any expectations we might have had. Titles include "I Love This Music", "Higher", "Do You Feel Me", "Blow Your Mind", "Galactic Funtionals", "For The Homes", and "I Be Goin Hard". (Includes download!)  ~ Dusty Groove

STUDIO ONE SKA FEVER! – MORE SKA SOUNDS FROM SIR COXONE’S SOUNDBEAT (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Forget everything you know about ska music from recent years – no Mighty Mighty cliches, no retro-styled clunkers, no two-toned sounds at all – just the real deal, the roots of the style, served up here in classic recordings that go right to the source! These are the cuts that started it all – and which still sound way better to our ears than any of the countless imitations that have been crafted over the years – played with a freshness and a sharp edge that recent recordings can never hope to touch! The music here is the roots of reggae crafted in the soil of Kingston – recorded by the legendary Studio One Records, with all the soulful undercurrents you'd find in the rocksteady generation as well. It's been a few years since Soul Jazz have served up a set of Jamaican grooves this tight – but it's been well worth the wait, given the track selection and always-stellar level of presentation from the label. Titles include "Live Good" by The Ethiopians, "Mr Talkative" by The Wailers, "There's A Reward" by Joe Higgs & Roy Wilson, "Ska La Parisienne" by The Skatalites, "Don't Try To Reach Me" by The Gaylads, "Gumma" by Lee Perry, "Freedom Sounds" by Soul Brothers, "You Won't See Me" by The Clarendonians, and "Old Rocking Chair" by Jakie Opel. ~ Dusty Groove 

NEW RELEASES - GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS, DEE DANIELS, GLORIA JONES

GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS - IMAGINATION

A pivotal album for Gladys Knight and group – as the record features their super-huge hit "The Midnight Train To Georgia", a landmark track that not only had a catchy pop hook, but which spoke volumes about African-American migration in the postwar years. The track's one of those you've heard a million times, but it's got a strength that still holds up tremendously. Part of this is due to great production work by Tony Camillo – who handled arrangements and studio work on about half the tracks – and part is due to Jim Weatherly, who wrote the song, and about half the others on the album. The whole album's great – one of the best Buddah Records moments for the group – and titles include "I've Got To Use My Imagination", "Window Raising Granny", "Where Peaceful Waters Flow", "Once In A Lifetime Thing", "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me", and "Storms Of Trouble Times". Includes four bonus tracks – "Midnight Train To Georgia (single)", "Midnight Train To Georgia (inst)", "Midnight Train To Georgia (short version)", and "Window Raisin Granny (single)".~ Dusty Groove

DEE DANIELS – STATE OF THE ART

Excellent work from Dee Daniels – a singer who's been on the scene for more than a few years, but who really seems to be hitting her stride these days! The set's got Daniels sounding tighter and more focused than ever – working with an excellent small combo that features Eric Alexander on tenor and Cyrus Chestnut on piano – both players who help bring a bite to the music that really seems to pull a lot out of Dee's vocals! The set is actually the first-ever vocal session for the Criss Cross label – but feels like some lost set of soulful jazz from years back – the kind of set that some of the better indies used to give us back in the 80s and 90s, but which so few seem to be able to deliver these days. Dee's great throughout – on the money, and really able to bring new life out of familiar tunes that include "Summer Wind", "He Was Too Good To Me", "Almost Like Being In Love", "Lover Man", and "Why Did I Choose You". ~ Dusty Groove

GLORIA JONES – VIXEN / WINDSTORM

A pair of overlooked albums from Gloria Jones – the woman who's probably best known for her original version of "Tainted Love", or for her relationship with Marc Bolan – but who's a heck of a great talent on these 70s albums too! Vixen has Jones working with Bolan in the studio, but has a feel that's nicely old school, especially for the time – a vibe that almost hearkens back to 60s Motown with its arrangements and overall presentation, but with some slight 70s touches too. Gloria's vocals really come out strongly with this approach – on titles that include "Stage Coach", "I Ain't Going Nowhere", "High", "Tell Me Now", "Cry Baby", "Get It On (parts 1 & 2)", and a remake of "Tainted Love". Windsong is an excellent set, too – more contemporary, but still mighty nice! Arrangements are by producer Richard Jones, as well as dancefloor maestro Paul Riser – who helps give the record a similar groove to some of his other great 70s work from earlier years – that great soaring vibe that can really push a singer like Gloria forward! The style's not really disco or club – just a fuller, more upbeat approach to soul music that shows Jones stepping nicely into adult modes. The album carries a dedication to her late paramour Marc Boland – and titles include "Hooked On You Baby", "Woman Is A Woman", "Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me", "Windstorm", "Bring On The Love", and "Blue Light Microphone". CD also features a bonus track – "Simplicity Blues". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - CALIBRO 35, MOSTLY OTHER PEOPLE DO THE KILLING, TIM BERNE'S SNAKEOIL

CALIBRO 35 – TRADITORI DI TUTTI

"Italian soundtrack funk that sounds like Goblin recording at Stax!" Wax Poetics. // "Calibro 35 are the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing, that happened to Italy in the last years" Rolling Stone Magazine. The new Calibro 35 album entitled “Traditori di tutti " is scheduled for release on October 21. Put together by Grammy Award candidate, producer Tommaso Colliva (The Muse), CALIBRO 35 has establish as one of the coolest alternative band on the international scene, releasing 3 full length albums and gained a bunch of enthusiast followers worldwide.

MOSTLY OTHER PEOPLE DO THE KILLING – RED HOT

Incredible sounds from this ultra-hip group – a jazz combo who blow us away again again with each new recording! This time around, Mostly Other People Do The Killing take on the sounds of trad jazz – but in a way that gives the whole thing a very avant spin, and pushes the music far past any expectations you might have! True, the lineup features the kind instrumentation you'd hear in a New Orleans combo – soprano sax, trombone, and even some banjo – but there's also some electronics in the mix, and some very free, loose rhythms from bassist Moppa Elliott and drummer Kevin Shea – and excellent piano from Ron Stabinsky – which makes the whole thing really take off. Plus, you've got Jon Irabagon on both soprano and c melody sax – played with a very offbeat edge – alongside trumpet from Peter Evans and bass trombone from David Taylor – a lineup that's full of surprise throughout. Titles include "The Shickshinny Shimmy", "Zelienople", "Red Hot", "King Of Prussia", "Gum Stump", and "Turkey Foot Corner". ~ Dusty Groove

TIM BERNE’S SNAKEOIL - SHADOW MAN

A great mix of shadow and noise from Tim Berne's Snakeoil group – one of the best projects he's created in recent years, and a group who really set a new sort of fire to Berne's imagination! There's a wonderful blend of texture, tension, and individual expression going on here – modes that are initially familiar to an ECM setting, but which often break free with the sort of energy that Tim brought to his music years back – especially when his alto sax takes off in some searing solo moments. The group features Matt Mitchell on some especially great piano – very spaced, but very powerful – plus Oscar Noriega on clarinet and bass clarinet, and Ches Smith on drums, vibes, and percussion. Titles include "Static", "Psalm", "OC/DC", "Socket", "Cornered Duck", and "Son Of Not So Sure". ~ Dusty Groove

BRAZILIAN GUITARIST OSCAR CASTRO-NEVES HAS DIED

Photo: Curtis McElhinney

Oscar Castro-Neves, the celebrated Brazilian guitarist, arranger, and composer, died from complications of gastric cancer on Friday, September 27 in Los Angeles, California. He was 73-years-old.

Six decades of accomplishment and musical acclaim have demonstrated an inherent musical genius that has made Castro-Neves one of the world's most complete musicians of his generation. His native country, Brazil, honored him with title of "Officer of the Order of Rio Branco" in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the dissemination of Brazilian culture and music around the world.

The guitarist (born on May 15, 1940 in Rio de Janeiro) emerged in the early 1960s alongside Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto and a handful of other young composers, as one of the founding figures of the musical movement that became known worldwide as bossa nova. At the age of 16, Castro-Neves' first recorded song, "Chora Tua Tristeza," became a national hit in Brazil, and generated over fifty recordings by various artists. In 1962, a year before "The Girl From Ipanema" became a Top 10 hit, 22-year-old Castro-Neves' spearheaded the bossa nova invasion in the U.S., playing a central role as a performer at the historic debut bossa bova concert at Carnegie Hall.

Castro-Neves' quartet then toured in the company of the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, the Stan Getz Quartet, and the Lalo Schifrin Trio, and in 1971 joined Sergio Mendes' Brazil '66 group as the featured guitarist, musical director and vocal coach. When he left the group in 1981, he had recorded more than 15 albums with Mendes, several of which he co-produced.

Castro-Neves performed as a guitarist on countless jazz and pop albums, including records from Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Barbara Streisand, Stevie Wonder, Barry Manilow, and Quincy Jones. His greatest commercial success came as a producer, with credits including: Grammy® winning cross-over album Soul of the Tango by Yo-Yo Ma; Color and Light: Jazz Sketches on Sondheim, a Top Jazz Album of the Year by Billboard Magazine and among the 10 Best Albums of the Year by Time Magazine; Joe Henderson's Grammy® nominated Double Rainbow: The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim; Harry Belafonte's platinum-selling album The Tradition of Christmas; as well as records by Toots Thielemans, Stan Getz and Paul Winter.

His film score credits include arrangements and orchestrations for Blame it on Rio, featuring Michael Caine and Demi Moore; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; L.A. Story; Sister Act II; House Sitter; Dunston Checks In; He Said, She Said; Getting Even with Dad; and Gabriella; along with numerous television credits. Castro-Neves recorded as a Mack Avenue Records artist from 2003 until 2006, releasing All One and Playful Heart on the label.

Castro-Neves is remembered for his indefatigable enthusiasm, an infectious charm, and a passion for humanity that touched many. He is survived by his wife Lorraine, and two daughters, Felicia and Bianca.

oscarcastroneves.com

NEW RELEASES - HIROSHIMA, MUSIQ SOULCHILD / SYLEENA JOHNSON, JOHN KLEMMER

HIROSHIMA – J-TOWN BEAT

Hiroshima’s latest is their 19^th album release – entitled “J-Town Beat”. The 11 track album was released on Sept. 26th, 2013, and comes right off the heels of their successful recording from 2011, "Departure." The group, led by Dan Kuramoto, has been on the urban music scene for well over 30 plus years, and still counting. Tracks include Red Buddha, Lost In Provence, State Of Mind, Da Kitchen, and Lady Of Mystery. Upcoming concerts include the Denver Jazz Festival on Oct. 5; the Summer Concert series at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach on Oct. 11; and Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival on Oct. 12.

MUSIQ SOULCHILD / SYLEENA JOHNSON – 9INE

The first ever full length collaboration from contemporary soul veterans Musiq Soulchild and Syleena Johnson – and it's by no means a predictable male/female joint R&B record – they're rolling with a sound enriched by their mutual love of reggae! Musiq and Syleena both went through the major label ringer of the 2000s, and have emerged with more creative control in the indie realm – and you gotta love that they're doing just what they want to do at this stage in the game. There's a reggae inflected vibe throughout, but it's still in their modern soul wheelhouse at the same time. Bottom line: it works! Includes "Alright", "Feel The Fire", "The Hunger", "Slow Love", "So Big", "Never Had", "Pieces Of You", "Bring Me Down", "Promise", "Feel The Fire (Reggae Style)" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

JOHN KLEMMER – FINESSE

A smooth set from reedman John Klemmer, but a pretty darn soulful one too – and a great illustration of the way that Klemmer could still hold onto his roots a lot more strongly than some of his contemporaries! The backings are gentle and fusiony – often with some great keyboard work from Russell Ferrante – and Klemmer soars out wonderfully in the lead – with a depth of tone and creativity of solos that goes far beyond anything that might have been needed for the date – a real "something extra" that shows that John's still got all the deep elements of his Impulse years in place. Tracks include "Finesse", "Man & Woman", "Sometimes", "Heart", "Sun, Moon And The Stars", and "Beloved". ~ Dusty Groove