CONCORD RELEASES SWEETHEART 2014 - MUSIC FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes Sweetheart 2014, a collection of indelible, handpicked covers from a remarkable group of modern musical dreamers who artfully grapple, in one way or another, with that most vexing of subject to ever befall mankind, L.O.V.E.  Sweetheart 2014 (Hear Music/Concord Music Group) will be available on CD exclusively at Starbucks and all digital outlets beginning February 4th, 2014.

The fifth in a series created exclusively for Starbucks, Sweetheart 2014 features 13 all-new recordings by Jim James, Vampire Weekend, Fiona Apple, Phosphorescent, Brandi Carlile, Beck, The Head and the Heart, Ben Harper, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Valerie June, Blake Mills, Bahamas and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. The eclectic performances also serve as a love letter to the essential songwriters covered here.  Jim James’ soulful turn on Bob Marley’s “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” Beck’s mournful version of John Lennon’s “Love,” Fiona Apple and her sister, cabaret singer Maude Maggart’s imaginative rendering of Anton Karas’ “I’m in the Middle of a Riddle,” (a song from the landmark soundtrack to 1949’s “The Third Man”), Phosphorescent’s luminous cover of Bob Dylan’s “Tomorrow Is a Long Time” and Vampire Weekend’s superlative interpretation of “Time to Say Goodbye [Con te partirò]” made famous by Andrew Bocelli, are just a few examples. 

The absorbing performances also include Bahamas’ meditative version of Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind,” Thao & the Get Down Stay Down’s cover of Ray Charles’ “If You Were Mine,” Ben Harper’s intense translation of Mazzy Star’s “Fade into You,” Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ rave up of Stevie Wonder’s classic “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” Brandi Carlile’s paean to Fleetwood Mac with “The Chain,” Blake Mills’ singular stamp on Bobby Charles and Stanley Lewis’s “I Hope,” The Head and the Heart’s adaptation of Harry Nilsson’s “Don’t Forget Me” and Valerie June doing the Carter Family proud on “Happy or Lonesome.”

Its clear each performer brought something very personal to this project. “I chose this song from Nilsson ‘Don’t Forget Me’ because I had recently lost touch with a very important person in my life,” confides Head and the Heart singer Josiah Johnson, its swelling strings bringing to mind the music of a bygone time.

Phosphorescent mastermind, Alabama native Matthew Houk, reflected on Dylan’s “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” “It’s one of the most longing songs I’ve ever heard. It’s special that such a slight thing can carry so much emotion in just a few lines and chords.” Houk’s haunting version leaves a similarly wistful impression.

Ben Harper says of his minimalist piano reworking of Mazzy Star’s alt-rock classic “Fade Into You,” “My friend Jason Yates played piano on the original, so I always listened to that part closely. It’s one of my favorite songs and I’ve wanted to cover it forever.”

The charming Anton Karas waltz “I’m in the Middle of a Riddle” is another one of Sweetheart’s gems. Fiona Apple and Maude Maggart’s sibling harmonies transport the listener back in time.  Karas, who became a sensation thanks to his massive mid-century “The Third Man Theme,” was a zitherist and the reverberating, melancholy sound of the zither can also be heard in this duo’s tribute.

Vampire Weekend’s version of “Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò),” made famous by the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, is another grand eccentricity. Calling it “one of the greatest love songs of all time,” frontman Ezra Koenig attests, “Its beauty transcends language.” Vampire Weekend transform the “poperatic” mega-hit with a deft, old school electronic rhythm and ultra-romantic Italian vocals.

For his part, Jim James is unequivocal about the meaning of Bob Marley’s “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” stating simply, “This song is the sound of love.” He makes it his own with the signature resonance Rolling Stone once described as “echo-drenched spirituality.” Beck, meanwhile, sings and plays guitar, bass, drums and particularly affecting piano on the Plastic Ono Band-era Lennon classic “Love.” The outing recalls Beck’s own Sea Change.

It’s Valerie June, however, who may have the last word on love. The Memphis-born folk/blues/soul performer lends her supernatural presence to a rendition of the Carter Family’s 1934 classic “Happy or Lonesome.” “In every moment of true love, there are moments of parting,” she says. “The story of this song is sweetness and hopefulness even though we can’t hold on to those we love forever. Wild hearts must run free. But nothing of loving is ever lost – it only changes form.”  It’s the perfect distillation of Sweetheart 2014’s many splendored charms.

Sweetheart 2014 Track List:

1. Turn Your Lights Down Low – Jim James (5:00)

2. Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò) – Vampire Weekend (3:14)

3. Love – Beck (3:16)

4. Tomorrow Is a Long Time – Phosphorescent (4:19)

5. Don’t Forget Me – The Head and the Heart (4:08)

6. Happy Or Lonesome – Valerie June (1:53)

7. Always on My Mind – Bahamas (4:16)

8. If You Were Mine – Thao & the Get Down Stay Down (2:47)

9. Fade Into You – Ben Harper (4:30)

10. I’m In The Middle Of A Riddle – Fiona Apple featuring Maude Maggart (2:38)

11. The Chain – Brandi Carlile (4:17)

12. I Hope – Blake Mills (3:08)

13. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (2:36)

Executive Producers: Holly Hinton and Matt Marshall       

www.sweetheartalbum.com

htttps://twitter.com/sweetheartalbum

https://www.facebook.com/sweetheartalbum

JENNIE LAWS - LOVE EASILY

After several years of hibernating in the studio and working behind the scenes with some of the industry's heaviest songwriters and producers, Canadian singer/songwriter Jennie Laws re-emerges with her first release since her remix EP in 2010. The song is called "Love Easily" and it's a feel-good Motown-tinged jam co-written and produced with THX from the Bay area's Drop City Yacht Club and features The Regiment Horns of The Tennessee Kids (Justin Timberlake).

Also on her upcoming album will be a feature from Detroit Soul star Dwele, a song co-written with legendary songwriter Leon Ware, tracks produced by Jahi Sundance, Mateo Laboriel, Pascal Guyon, JL Brown, and Sebastian Rogers, more co-writes with songwriters Dayyon Alexander and Dylan Lloyd as well as a few performances by child prodigy drummer Tony Royster Jr. It promises to be entertaining, eclectic, musical, heartfelt and soulful from top to bottom just like her debut EP "Introducing Jennie Laws," except now Jennie has blossomed on a whole new level as a vocalist, songwriter, producer and arranger.

Jennie has played many roles as a musician; string arranger for the likes of Ryan Beatty, Anjulie, Jenna Andrews and Saidah Baba-Talibah, background singer for Michael Buble, INXS and Omar Lyefook, or featured vocalist and writer on rapper Promise, producer Luca Dayz and DJ KickRaux' new projects, but never does she shine so brightly as when she's doing her own music. This one-of-a-kind blue-eyed soul sensation hailing from Toronto is about to take the world by storm, starting with the release of her new single; "Love Easily."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mFHezZqp9E

https://soundcloud.com/jennielaws/love-easily-snippet

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennie-Laws/113312995138S

NEW RELEASES - TOUCH OF CLASS - LOVE MEANS EVERYTHING; FREE SOUL - URBAN MELLOW; SARAH MANNING - HARMONIOUS CREATURE

TOUCH OF CLASS - LOVE MEANS EVERYTHING

A killer little soul group who recorded with John "Monster" Davis in the mid 70s – really soaring with a groove that rivals some of their bigger contemporaries on the east coast group scene! Touch Of Class sing in a style that's sometimes fragile, but often more suited to the soaring grooves that Davis gives them on the album – a mode that's partly disco, partly pop, and which should have been as huge as any of their Philly or New York contemporaries. There's a "slightly different" feel to the record that we really like – and tracks include "Love Means Everything", "Anything", "One Half As Much", "Love Me Tonight", "I'm In Heaven", and "You Got To Know Better". And just for the record, this appears to be the same record as I'm In Heaven, issued on the Midland label in 1976 – but it's presented here on another label with a date of 1981.~ Dusty Groove

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FREE SOUL - URBAN MELLOW

Free Soul music is alive and well into the 21st Century – a continuing evolution of a great genre that was first pegged by Japanese diggers in the 90s! "Free Soul" was a term first coined to refer to genre-crossing work from the 70s that was upbeat, joyous, and a very freewheeling approach to soul music – a mode that moved past easy cliches or genre conventions, and which often brought in bits of jazz, Latin, or other influences as well. This set of contemporary work really follows the same spirit of the classics – and shows a whole range of artists who've really been making some great music in recent years – the kind of cool cuts that we used to have to track down on older vinyl, but which have really been making our world bright in recent years. Titles include "Man In The Middle" by Roos Jonker, "Summer's Loss" by Ben Westbeech, "Get Lucky" by Hyleen Gil, "Neverland" by Quadron, "Game Over" by Daley, "Who's That Lady" by Lucas Arruda, "Trust" by Inc, and "All That I Can Say" by Gretchen Parlato. ~ Dusty Groove

SARAH MANNING - HARMONIOUS CREATURE

The title's a great one for this album by alto saxophonist Sarah Manning – as she's got a very strong sense of harmony on the record, and mixes her reed lines wonderfully with the guitar of Jonathan Goldberger and viola of Eyvind Kang! Both musicians have these tones that come into contact with the alto in ways that are rich and bright, yet always have a dark edge too – one that comes through even more strongly when Sarah really takes off on her solos! Other group members include Rene Hart on bass and Jerome Jennings on drums – and titles include "Tune Of Cats", "I Dream A Highway", "Copland On Cornelia Street", "On The Beach", and "Three Chords For Jessica". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS - GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT; DEROBERT AND THE HALF-TRUTHS - I'M TRYIN'; GRACINHA LEPORACE

SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS - GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT 

Tremendous work from Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings – a set that took a bit longer to hit the racks than expected, but which really shows a richness that more than makes up for the delay! Sharon's a singer who's always been great – but she steps out strongly here with a sense of maturity that seems to take her vocals even farther than before – and The Dap Kings are more than ready to match her energy with some funky work of their own! Jones has gone through a lot in recent years – both with the band and in her own personal life – and the record's a proud summation of life's challenges and triumphs, served up in the instant-classic style that has made Sharon one of the greatest living soul singers of the past few decades. Bosco Mann knocked things out of the park with his raw production – and also wrote a good number of tracks on the set too – and titles include "Making Up & Breaking Up", "Long Time Wrong Time", "People Don't Get What They Deserve", "Retreat", "Stranger To My Happiness", and "Now I See". (Includes bonus download code!) ~ Dusty Groove

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DEROBERT ADAMS AND THE HALF-TRUTHS - I'M TRYIN'

The greatest work we've heard so far from DeRobert Adams and the Half-Truths – a record that really pushes the singer into classic soul territory! DeRobert has always had a vintage approach to his music – but this full set plumbs a depth we never would have expected at the start – an extremely rich sense of delivery that's rooted in gospel, linked together with a range of southern soul and funk modes that really belie the Tennessee roots of the group, plus contemporary touches that really get past some of the more stock modes of the deep funk underground! All tracks are originals, but they're so good you'd swear you know them from older records – and by that, we don't mean that they're copies or cliches – just the kind of work that's so good, you're surprised you're hearing it for the first time. And if the strength of the record is any indication of justice in the mainstream, you'll be hearing lots more from the group in the near future – as this sweet set sounds like the start of a great career. Titles include "My Momma Told Me", "Goin Places", "Write A Letter", "Do It Alone", "I Don't Get Mad No Mo", "The Speech", "The Dole (part 2)", and "Ooo Wee". ~ Dusty Groove

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GRACINHA LEPORACE

Great early work from singer Gracinha Leporace – a vocalist you might know from her later work in Bossa Rio, or her recordings with husband Sergio Mendes! Even at the start, Gracinha's a hell of a singer – a vocalist who's capable of all the coolness of the bossa era, yet still richly expressive in all the right ways – with a jazzy flourish at times that's perfect for the album's lively backings from Oscar Castro Neves! Instrumentation includes some sweet organ lines with a Walter Wanderley sort of groove – plus other moments that use woodwinds in this really lovely way – almost echoing some of the early Deodato charts. The whole thing's wonderful – a real lost bossa treasure – and titles include "Prece", "Cancao Da Desesperanca", "Ultima Batucada", "Rancho De Ano Novo", "A Saudade Fez Um Samba", "Sem Saida", "Cantiga", and "Em Tempo". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - ARI BROWN - GROOVE AWAKENING; FUNKEE BOY - SOUL PURPOSE; STEVE DAVIS - FOR REAL

ARI BROWN – GROOVE AWAKENING

Chicago is known as a jazz city that carries on the tough tenor sax tradition. The blues feeling was always an important element for the great tenor sax players like Gene Ammons, Von Freeman, Eddie Johnson, Red Holloway and now that they are all gone it' Recording information: Riverside Studio, Chicago, IL (05/13/2013-05/15/2013). Album Personnel: Ari Brown (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kirk Brown (piano); Avreeayl Ra (drums); Dr. Cuz (percussion). Tracks include: One for Ken; Groove Awakening; Enka; Veda's Dance; Lonnie's Lament; In A Sentimental Mood; 3bop 4 Mal; Wayne's Trane; and Give Taanks (Song for Gerri). ~ cduniverse

FUNKEE BOY - SOUL PURPOSE

Chart Topping/Award Winning Smooth Jazz recording artist Funkee Boy follows up his award winning/#1 selling CD "Philosouphy" with his 3rd CD "Soul Purpose". This stellar CD blends Funkee Boy's signature keyboard playing/songwriting/music production w/ A-List artists Warren Hill, Najee, Bob Baldwin, Cindy Bradley, Nick Colionne, LEILA, Surface, Lamone, Timmy Maia, Tevin Michael and more!!! Funkee Boy stays true to his "philosoulphy" of blending his roots RnB + Funk + Jazz = SOUL. If you like Smooth Jazz, RnB, Soul, Piano, Saxophone, Tasteful Vocals with meaningful lyrics then this CD is for you!! Tracks include: Bonafide; Let It Flow; Déjà vu; I Can't Tell You Why; Treasure; Step In The Name Of Love; Karma; Bring Back the Days; Keystroke; New Day; Satisfied; Escala; and Just the Way You Are. ~ cduniverse

STEVE DAVIS - FOR REAL

Beautifully-blown work from Steve Davis – one of our favorite contemporary talents on the trombone, and an artist who can really make the instrument swing in an old school sort of mode! This set may well be one of Steve's most soulful in years – a great date with Larry Willis on piano, who brings in this mix of groove and lyricism to his lines – and partners with Davis at a level that recalls vintage collaborations between Curtis Fuller and Cedar Walton! The Davis/Willis team is augmented beautifully by tenorist Abraham Burton, whose lines have a slightly deeper edge, and really add a great layer to the sound – and the rhythm swings strongly with Nat Reeves on bass and Billy Williams on drums. And once again, Davis is a fountain of great new material – a wealth of original songs that include "For Real", "Nicky D", "Days Gone By", "Big East", "Daylight", "I Found You", and "Tactics".  ~ Dusty Groove

BASSIST AND COMPOSER NEDDY SMITH RELEASES - MOOD SWING

Norwalk CT-based jazz bassist, composer, recording artist and producer, Neddy Smith, announces the release of his CD: Mood Swing. As with his prior recordings such as, Give It Up and Liberated Woman or leading his own groups such as TransWave, his Jazz Duo or Trio and his other ensembles or, the Neddy Smith and Friends group, or even performing/playing and recording on albums with the Eric Gail band and others, producing Jazz festivals where he led seminars while educating audiences on Jazz or, on to one of his performances in the US, Europe, or travelling extensively to other parts of the world doing what he loves, Neddy is all about the music.

  

For his newest CD effort, Neddy Smith’s, Mood Swing, gives voice to a new generation of music lovers. His up-lifting and subtle melodies filled with energy and power invigorates like the wind that flows musically through the air directed by the gravitational interest towards discriminating ears of music lovers from various cultures, class or creed. Thus keeping his fans reminded of his trademarks funky rhythmic and melodic style as an artist.

Neddy’s early approaches to musical innovation comes from influences deep within the cultures of his native Jamaica which he has entwined into his music development and compositions even now; some from folk and world-music, Afro-Caribbean, Latin, Asian, European, and American classical music from Blues to Jazz. Neddy’s inspiration for this new project is from a spiritual source and also from one of his favorite composers, Thelonious Monk and a simple poem he wrote called, The Little House. This CD strives on the dynamic rhythmic driving forces of Neddy’s ancestral roots known and/or unknown that helped to shape his cultural awareness and energized him to express what he feels so deeply rooted in his soul both poetic and musical as he composed freely.

Musicians on the CD with Connecticut connections are: Andrew DeNicola (Flute, Alto, Soprano, and Tenor Sax), Marcel Blanchet (drum kit on Mood Swing). Thomas Ice (keyboard: on Pretty Little Flower and The Little House), Michiro Nigishi (multi-Keyboards on Wildebeest and Mood Swing). From New Jersey, Willy Dalton (multi guitars played on ‘Am in Love with You) and from New York, Deborah Hawkins (keyboard on 'Am in Love with You").

The CD was recorded in Norwalk, CT at NedGJean International Inc., Studio. The mixing engineering was solely the work of Ben (Benjamin. J Arrindell) at Sound Clash Studios, New York City. The mastering by Sound Lab at Disc Makers, New Jersey.

Upcoming Performances:

January 12 - Barcelona, Norwalk CT

January 22 - The Quick Center, Fairfield CT

  

Clickhere to visit the official Neddy Smith website

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

MORE FUNK AND SOUL SOUNDS COMING FROM NICK PRIDE AND THE PIMP TONES - REJUICED PHAT SHAKE

Newcastle's finest funk and soul outfit Nick Pride & The Pimptones return with their second full length album "Rejuiced Phat Shake", a collection of 14 smart grooves and a fearless blend of soul, jazz & funk tinged with rhythm & blues, disco, Latin, New Orleans Brass and Northern Soul.

After the strong impact of their debut album "Midnight Feast Of Jazz" (released in 2011 on Record Kicks from Milan/Italy) guitarist, composer, arranger and producer Nick Pride was determined to take his vision a step further towards connecting the grit and power of original soul music with the immediacy and joy of a cool, modern pop song. "I was always a fan of amazing pop songwriters like Burt Bacharach and Holland-Dozier-Holland, but on the other hand, being a dedicated musician, I love the raw energy of being on stage with a funk band." With the Pimptones' regular rhythm combo, a tight horns section and the additional presence of a soaring string quartet, the new album "Rejuiced Phat Shake" is a well-crafted studio work, while Nick Pride was able to focus on his skills as a songwriter: "I am happy to have a rock solid foundation with my guys, it means we can try all this funky and diverse stuff in the studio, while also being a tight unit on stage."

"Rejuiced Phat Shake" presents a host of guest vocalists, each one chosen to bring in a different flavour. Like a Stax or Motown compilation of 7inch singles, the Pimptones "house band" remains the solid backbone while passing the microphone around in the studio. "Take Care Of My Love" with Susan Hamilton's voice and it's irresistible uptempo Northern meets Motown beat and a cool hook is backed by the soulful pop of "Everything's Better In The Summertime" sung by Karen Harding on the first single from the album.

With guests like Jess Roberts, one of the UK's upcoming R&B singers on "Second Hand Wife", the mighty blues voice and harmonica of Lyndon Anderson on "Walkin' Out The Door" or Sheffield big sounding 12-piece Renegade Brass Band, "Rejuiced Phat Shake" goes all the way when it comes down to diversity. "This is exactly where I see The Pimptones," Nick Pride explains. "I love to write songs with a certain voice or sound in mind. So it makes perfect sense that we record with many different singers. Rather than being limited to one style we love to explore the whole range our genre offers us and that is what keeps us buzzing."

JASON ANICK - TIPPING POINT

One of the youngest instructors at Boston's Berklee College of Music, Anick is rapidly making a name for himself in the world of jazz violin and mandolin. In addition to leading his own ensemble and performing with the Rhythm Future Quartet, Anick has been touring and recording with Grammy award-winning Nashville guitar virtuoso John Jorgenson since 2008 when he was recruited while still a senior at Hartt Conservatory

Talk to the abundantly gifted violinist and mandolin player Jason Anick and the phrase " jazz without borders" will invariably come up. What the axiom means to Anick is a contemporary jazz that is stylistically inclusive in nature, a jazz that brings whatever it can to the party, unwilling to cut something out of the mix for fear of it not fitting prescribed boundaries. An inviting demonstration of the maxim in action can be found on Anick's second album as a leader, Tipping Point (February 18, 2014). Utilizing both acoustic and electric mandolins in addition to his customary violin, Anick expands his musical horizons; those who associate his name with acoustic Gypsy jazz -- as heard so convincingly on his debut album, Sleepless, in his work with the Rhythm Future Quartet and with Grammy-award winning guitar virtuoso John Jorgenson -- will now find that pigeonholing Anick is fruitless. The album's title spells things out loud and clear: from this moment forward Anick's own music is rooted in the here and now, a time when possibilities reign.

Blending Anick originals that openly incorporate the influences of mainstream jazz, classical, new acoustic music, Gypsy jazz, swing, and hard bop with a wide-ranging swath of jazz classics from the likes of Django Reinhardt, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley and Ornette Coleman (along with a well-chosen standard, "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes"), Tipping Point declares that for open-eared members of the 27-year-old string master's generation, musical exclusion is a dead end. What tie together the various strains of Anick's vision are his extraordinary command of his chosen instruments and the spirited contributions of the like-minded players that accompany him on this musical journey.

To accommodate his concept, Anick uses two distinct ensembles throughout Tipping Point. For his five original compositions, Anick teams up with like-minded pianist Jason Yeager and pairs his violin and mandolins with the alto saxophone of Clay Lyons to achieve an atypical yet thoroughly appealing frontline sound. On the majority of the tunes by others, Anick sticks to violin and surrounds himself with a trio featuring the hard-swinging pianist Matt DeChamplain. (Coleman's blues "Turnaround" unites Anick's electric mandolin with the electric guitar of Lee Dynes.) The differing bands lend the album variety and suggest the unrestricted nature of Anick's current music making.

"There's a home in jazz for everything," Anick states. "I admire the embracing stance that contemporary musicians like Brad Mehldau and Joshua Redman take, allowing other musics to join with jazz. On Tipping Point I'm moving in new directions, trying different musical settings and types of composition. I wanted to show different sides of my playing and my writing. I see all the diverse musical influences as being interconnected.  And there's beauty in interconnections."

The album also points to the Anick's new interest in using imagery to paint his musical pictures. "I try to visualize different aspects of songs," he explains. "Songs can become like musical movies; stories can come from the music and take a listener on a journey."

To that end, Anick never allows his obvious virtuosity to overpower the music's intent. "It's not about displaying technique," he states. "It's about creating a soundscape, an atmosphere for listeners to enter into." The shifting landscapes of Anick's own "Maryandra" and "Inspiration Point" are convincing examples of the leader's ambitions in action.

One of the youngest instructors at Boston's Berklee College of Music, Anick is rapidly making a name for himself in the world of jazz violin and mandolin. In addition to leading his own ensemble and performing with the Rhythm Future Quartet, Anick has been touring and recording with Grammy award-winning Nashville guitar virtuoso John Jorgenson since 2008 when he was recruited while still a senior at Hartt Conservatory.

 Anick celebrates the CD with concerts in Boston, Portland, ME; Old Lyme, CT and NYC:

Thursday, February 6 - One Longfellow Square - Portland, ME

Saturday, February 22 - The Side Door- Old Lyme, CT

Tuesday, February 25 - Regattabar - Cambridge, MA

Tuesday, March 18 - Cornelia Street Café - New York, NY

http://www.jasonanick.com

NEW RELEASES: CHRIS STANDRING - DON'T TALK, DANCE!; DOMINIC MILLER - AD-HOC; TONY GREY - ELEVATION

CHRIS STANDRING - DON'T TALK, DANCE!

Chris Standring returns in 2014 with another musical left turn with Don't Talk, Dance!, a deep European progressive soul-jazz-dance influenced project featuring the best funk and soul studio musicians in Los Angeles. This 13-track set features Chris as arranger, orchestrator and producer, along with his signature solo jazz and fusion guitar sounds. Drawing on 70's style funk and soul inspiration, Chris raises the bar once again with an album that is impossible to sit still to. The first radio single "Sneakin' Out The Front Door," features Chris on guitar talkbox, and harks back to a time reminiscent of early Jeff Beck or Herbie Hancock, with a hook that is clearly all Chris Standring. . Sky High. Includes Inside Outside; Sneakin' Out The Front Door; Voices In My Head; Soul Symphony;  Another Fine Mess; Crazy Bom Baizy; Ride; Absolute Madness; Yesterday's Heaven; Imagine That; Scatterfunk; and Nothing Lasts Forever.  

DOMINIC MILLER - AD HOC

Ad Hoc is the new album by Sting s long time collaborator and guitarist Dominic Miller.A musician that Sting has long called his right and left hand. Dominic will be on tour with Sting & Paul Simon in February and March 2014.Ad Hoc , recorded in Germany and featuring special guest the inspirational Eda Zari, is Dominic Miller s most impressive work to date.Zari s contribution to the anthemic Exiting Purgatory is a perfect compliment to the searing cello solos by Sweden s Lars Daniellson and forms the climax sound to an album whose textures and ambiences are as eclectic as Miller s life itself. Miller, who is considered to one of the worlds most versatile and accomplished guitarists, has reached in deep and pulled out a gem of an album that will excite, please and intrigue new listeners and fans everywhere.

TONY GREY - ELEVATION

Besides being some of the greatest musicians ever known, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Hiromi, John McLaughlin, Branford Marsalis, Zakir Hussain, Mike Stern and Steve Lukather all have something else in common. At one time or another, these legendary artists have counted on the supportive, melodic and propulsive bass playing of the amazing Tony Grey. Artists of such stature and virtuosity do not trust just anybody to hold down the foundations of their music. They seek out the best for live performances and recordings. Time and time again they have turned toward the expertise and artistry of Tony Grey. Now, Tony Grey releases his fourth solo album, Elevation, through Abstract Logix Records. Elevation is a beautiful, multi-track showcase of collaboration with a who's who of guitar and musical greats; featuring the amazing Mike Stern, fretless guitar legend David Fiuczynski, Whitesnake's Reb Beach, Japanese star Hotei Tomoyasu, and finally, Tony's illustrious uncle and guitar legend John McLaughlin, who contributes a new and never-before-released composition that he penned for Chick Corea. Tony is responsible for all the music on Elevation, also arranging his own version of Some Day My Prince Will Come featuring Fabrizio Sotti, along with the funky Chick's Chums, the aforementioned song from Mahavishnu John McLaughlin. Nir Felder, Romain Collin, and Mino Cinelu all lend their musical mastery to Tony's tracks. Tony stands out as not only an immensely talented bassist, but one of most formidable writers of the next generation, whose music transcends genres, appealing not only to the attentive, longtime fan, but also creating a musical bridge for those new listeners about to enter the rhythmically-addictive world of Tony Grey.

~ amazon 

 

ERNIE ISLEY (OF THE ISLEY BROTHERS) RECEIVES RECORDING ACADEMY 2014 SPECIAL MERIT AWARD

Legendary guitarist and Reunion Blues Artist Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers has been officially announced by The Recording Academy as a 2014 Special Merit Award recipient. In addition to the Isley Brothers, this year's recipients include The Beatles, Kraftwerk, Kris Kristofferson, and others. "This astoundingly unique and gifted group have created some of the most distinguished and influential work in our musical history,” says Recording Academy President/CEO about this year's recipients. “Their legacies are timeless and legendary, and their creativity will continue to influence and inspire future generations." A formal acknowledgment will be made during the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards® telecast, which will be held at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, and broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

The Isley Brothers have enjoyed one of the longest, most diverse, and most influential legacies in pop music. The group's esteemed history spans two generations of siblings and significant cultural shifts in music. Born and raised in Cincinnati, the brothers got their professional start in New York with their first hit single "Shout – Part 1," which has gone on to become a frequently covered classic. Throughout their career, they never stopped reinventing themselves, scoring hits in R&B, Motown soul, funk, disco, and rock. Their 1969 single, "It's Your Thing," earned a GRAMMY for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group, and in 1992 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Brothers Ronald and Ernie Isley have continued to perform together.

Founded in 1976, Reunion Blues is the music industry's premier gig bag and case company. Reunion Blues offers an extensive product selection including over 70 models of cases and bags for fretted, brass, woodwind, strings and percussion instruments. Reunion Blues is dedicated to maintaining exceptional quality, and is committed to product innovation, superior design and distinguished style.

ANGELIQUE KIDJO RELEASES EVE; SETS U.S TOUR DATES

Angelique Kidjo, the Benin born, Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter has signed with 429 Records and is gearing up for an incredible 2014. She's preparing for the release of Eve, a vibrant new collection of songs dedicated to the power of African womanhood, particularly those women she grew up with in her native Benin; as well as planning a tour of the United States and promoting the release of her autobiography, Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music. NPR will host a "First Listen" full album stream of "Eve" beginning January 20th until the release date, January 28th. In addition, CBC Radio Canada and The Daily Telegraph sites will simultaneously stream the album. The singer is releasing Eve in conjunction with the release January 7th of Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music, an autobiography written with Rachel Wenrick and published by Harper Collins. Angelique Kidjo's Eve will be released on 429 Records January 28th. Kidjo will embark on a U.S. tour in February—dates below.

Produced by Patrick Dillett (David Byrne, Fatboy Slim), Eve, named after her mother, is a joyous musical ode to the pride, beauty and strength of African women and their worldwide socio-cultural influence.  The recording showcases Kidjo's extraordinary musical vision as realized by remarkable players as well as women's choirs from several African villages in Benin and Kenya singing in a wide array of native Beninese languages including Fon, Yoruba, Goun and Mina.  Joining Kidjo is an exciting mix of new and well-known musicians including Dr. John, Rostamm Btmanglij (Vampire Weekend), The Kronos Quartet and the Orchestra Philharmonique du Luxumbourg.  Anchoring the album are guitarist Lionel Loueke, drummer Steve Jordan, bass great Christian McBride and Senegalese percussionist Magatte Sow.  Kidjo's accolades include a 20 year discography, thousands of concerts around the world and being named "Africa's premier diva" (Time Magazine) and "the undisputed Queen of African Music" (Daily Telegraph). Kidjo's 2008 recording Djin Djin won a Grammy for Best Contemporary World Music Album and her last studio recording Oyo was nominated in the same category.  She has enjoyed a long history of notable collaborations with greats from the jazz and pop worlds—including Carlos Santana, Bono, John Legend, Josh Groban, Peter Gabriel, Branford Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Roy Hargrove and Alicia Keys. In an expansive career marked as much by extraordinary musical achievement as passionate advocacy and philanthropy for her homeland of Africa, Angelique Kidjo has found many ways to celebrate the rich, enlightening truth about the continent's women beyond the media spotlight.

Eve track listing:

1.M'Baamba (Kenyan Song)

2.Shango Wa

3.Eva (featuring ASA)

4.Interlude: Agbade

5.Bomba (featuring Rostam Batmanglij)

6.Hello (featuring Trio Teriba)

7.Blewu

8.Kamoushou

9.Kulumbu (featuring Dr. John)

10.Interlude: Kletedjan

11.Ebile (featuring Kronos Quartet)

12.Awalole (featuring the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg)

13.Bana (featuring Yvonne Kidjo)

14.Orisha

15.Interlude: Wayi

16.Coari

U.S. Tour Dates:

Feb 5 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theater

Feb 7 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

Feb 8 - Louisville, KY - Bomhard Theater

Feb 9 - Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage

Feb 11 - Evanston, IL - Space

Feb 13 - Oberlin, OH - Oberlin College-Finney Chapel

Feb 14 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo State College PAC

Feb 15 - New York, NY - Town Hall

Feb 16 - Washington, DC - GWU Lisner Auditorium

Feb 18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls Theater

Feb 19 - Bethlehem, PA - Arts Quest Café

Feb 20 - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse

Feb 21 - Philadelphia, PA - The Prince Theatre

Feb 23 -  Boston, MA - Somerville Theater

LIVE FROM DARYL'S HOUSE RETURNS AFTER YEAR-LONG HIATUS

Live from Daryl's House is back from a year-long hiatus and better than ever! The first new episode begins the new year with a meeting of two genuine legends and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, as newly inducted member Daryl Hall joins iconic ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons for the 63rd and latest edition of the critically acclaimed, award-winning, web-to-cable series. The opening episode of what promises to be a jam-packed 2014 premieres on Daryl's dedicated LFDH.com website on Wednesday, January 15, followed by its cable debut on Viacom's high-definition music channel Palladia on Thursday, February 6 at 11 PM ET.

Billy Gibbons is a founding member and guitarist for the famed Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top with bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. The band, formed in Houston in 1969, boasts seven platinum and 11 gold records, selling more than 25 million in U.S. album sales alone.

Daryl and Billy launch into a remarkably diverse seven-song set of Daryl Hall and John Oates and ZZ Top chestnuts along with a vintage cover of Hammond B-3 jazz-blues organist Jimmy McGriff's 1963 instrumental, "Kiko."  The pair also perform such deep Daryl Hall tunes as "Bank on Your Love," a song from Daryl Hall and John Oates' hit album, Big Bam Boom and "Love You Like a Brother," recorded in 1973, but unreleased until 1977's Atlantic Records hits compilation, No Goodbyes. The twosome lean into four ZZ Top nuggets, the band's cover of Sam & Dave's "I Thank You," from the 1979 album Deguello; the classic "La Grange," included on 1973's Tres Hombres; "Sharp Dressed Man" from 1983's 10-million-selling Eliminator, and the group's version of the Nightcaps' '50s rave-up, "Thunderbird."

"Playing Live from Daryl's House is a regular, down-to-earth, big bash," said Gibbons about the experience. "Good groovin' to the core."

"Being in a room with Billy Gibbons is like dipping your toe into the deep wellspring of Texas rock, blues and soul," says Daryl.

The past seven years have marked a steady stream of superlatives and recognition for Live from Daryl's House, with Hall receiving a Webby Award for Best Variety series from more than 10,000 entries at the 14th annual ceremony at N.Y.'s Cipriani Wall Street before garnering an O Music Award from MTV.

Live from Daryl's House is executive produced Hall and his manager, Jonathan Wolfson.

The 62 previous episodes of Live From Daryl's House have featured a mix of well-known performers like Jason Mraz, Cee Lo Green, Shelby Lynne, Joe Walsh, Booker T and the MGs, Blind Boys of Alabama, Rob Thomas, Train, Smokey Robinson, The Doors' Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, Toots Hibbert, Nick Lowe, K.T. Tunstall, Todd Rundgren, Keb Mo, Dave Stewart, Goo Goo Dolls' John Rzeznik and Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump along with newcomers such as Minus The Bear, Rumer, Chiddy Bang, Allen Stone, Nikki Jean, The Dirty Heads, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Mayer Hawthorne, Eric Hutchinson, Chromeo, Matt Nathanson, Parachute, Plain White T's, soul diva Sharon Jones, Diane Birch, Fitz & the Tantrums, Neon Trees and Guster.

Palladia, Viacom Media Networks' high-definition music channel, launched in January 2006 and features original music-based programming for a variety of music genres, including hip hop, rock, country, pop, contemporary, classic rock, alternative rock, soul and more, as well as HDTV acquisitions and original content from Viacom Music Group's MTV, VH1, and CMT family of services. The channel has grown to 32 million households and is available on major U.S. carriers including Comcast, Cox, Verizon FiOS, Time Warner, Dish, DIRECTV, Charter, AT&T u-Verse, Cablevision and Insight.

 

LUXURY SOUL 2014 FEATURES 35 TRACKS ON 3-CDs

Richly soulful sounds for a mighty nice price – with a lot of great tunes by soul legends and contemporary torch carriers alike – in a nicely paced 3CD set! A good deal of the tracks here put a contemporary twist on the sophisticated soul sounds of the later 70s and into the 80s – the kind that eschewed trends for an easygoing, timeless vibe – and still sounds fresh, as practiced by long-time faves such as Bluey from Incognito, Adriana Evans, Maysa and many more current acts, legends like The Jones Girls, Keni Burke and Leon Ware, and many more. It's got some nice little smooth soul tunes, too, with 35 tracks on 3CDs: Get 2 Know U (Tyrone Lee); Baby All I Want Is You (Carmichael Musiclover); This Thing Called Love (Lori Elise / Darryl Miller); Is It Me You're Thinking Of (Soul Talk); Loves Master Plan (Lady L); Spotlight (Tony Momrelle); It Had To Be You (ReGrooved); Take A Chance On Me (Bluey); One Shot at Love (Bashiyra); On My Way To Harlem [Jazz & Cole Edit](Gregory Porter); Change (Natasha Watts); Another Lover Down (Chidi Benz / Joshua Charles / Zed Soul);  Jukebox (Muzart); R.S.V.P (James Day / Donnie); Tomorrow's Here (Real); 1978 (Leave The Radio On) (Ed Motta); Since You Came My Way (Jean Carne / Randy Choice); Distance Can Be Sweet (Personal Life); Diamond Child (Watergates); He Ain't Got My Style (Don-E & Lornette Ford); Brighter Than The Sun (Incognito / Kellie Sae); To The Sky (Heston); Inside My Love (Sheree Brown); Open Sesame (Beggar & Co); All I Want (The Jones Girls); More Than You Know (Re-Edit) (Dunn & Bruce Street); Never Thought (Adriana Evans); Do It Baby Vocal (Byron Woods); For Love (Marcia Mitchell); It's You (Keni Burke); Work Me (Original Mix)(Leon Ware); How Was It For You (Robert Walker); Love Has No Recession (Kindred the Family Soul); She's Got That Kinda (Kloud 9); and Walk Away (Maysa).

PIANIST/COMPOSER LESLIE PINTCHIK RELEASES FOURTH CD IN THE NATURE OF THINGS

In a personal note that follows the liner notes of her impressive new CD In The Nature Of Things (Pintch Hard Records), pianist and composer Leslie Pintchik cites the "extraordinary warmth and generosity (not to mention the superb musicianship) of all of the band members.  With that in mind," she continues, "I settled on the name In The Nature Of Things to reflect the feeling I had that all of the musicians on this date honored the fundamental intent and 'nature' of the music, as I had conceived it."

Pintchik's new recording features eight of her original tunes and one standard.

A marvelously gifted and imaginative composer, Pintchik has imbued each track on her new CD with a strong character and flavor of its own.  The wide range of grooves - swing, New Orleans second-line, samba and various Latin-based rhythms - and the equally wide range of feeling inherent in the tunes inspired her well-seasoned band members to take this material, run with it, and then some.

About her band-mates, Pintchik writes "What great good luck to live in a city where I've been able to meet and play with such creative, responsive musicians, who consistently bring so much to the table."  For this outing, Pintchik returns with two of her treasured long-time cohorts, bassist Scott Hardy and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi.  Michael Sarin, the extraordinary drummer with whom she's been playing for the past three years rounds out the rhythm section.  All three track this multi-layered music beautifully, and always give it what it asks for.  The superb saxophonist Steve Wilson (with whom she recorded on an earlier CD, Quartets) and the wonderfully resourceful trumpeter Ron Horton complete the band.

As a player, Pintchik's strong suit is an emotional directness and integrity that allows her to conjure a wide range of moment-to-moment, unmediated feeling.   And with a beautifully nuanced tone on her instrument, she evinces, by turns, the quiet delicacy and tenderness of power in reserve, a very playful extroverted humor, and a sense of urgency and play in her up-tempo pieces.

"I've always loved pianist Herbie Hancock's tune 'Speak Like A Child' on his classic CD with the same name," says Pintchik.  "And I was especially drawn," she continues, "to the way he used the horns, to color, but not state the melody.  With that as inspiration, Scott has written some wonderfully inventive counter-melodies for the horns, on the six tunes that feature Ron and Steve."

About the music:

In The Nature Of Things begins with the quietly seductive opening phrase of Pintchik's "With You In Mind."  A haunting melody with a sense of yin and yang, it is both quiet and turbulent, tender and urgent, and features strong feelingful solos from Pintchik, Wilson and Hardy.

"I'd Turn Back if I Were You" takes its name verbatim from a sign at the entrance to the Haunted Forest in the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz."  Set to a New Orleans second-line rhythm, the tune's strong groove and sense of humor is enhanced by the sassy James Brown influenced jabs from the horns.  This humorous take on the dangerous Haunted Forest is punctuated by the very loud repeated low note on the piano that serves as a quirky, ominous turn-around at the end of the tune.  Pintchik shines on an extroverted, enormously playful solo.

On the Lerner and Loewe standard "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," the poignant melody, arranged by Pintchik and Hardy in an extended form with a repeated ostinato rhythm, is set like a jewel.  Both the arrangement and the soloing showcase the especially sensitive interplay between Pintchik and Hardy: a subtle knockout.

Inspired by the color palette of her friend Peter Greene's paintings, the unusual flavor of Pintchik's tune "Luscious" showcases a lyricism within a bright straight-eighths tempo.  All three soloists (Pintchik, Wilson and Hardy) complete the picture with their vibrant solos.

With its happy, optimistic vibe, "Sparkle" is an appealing mid-tempo swinger written, says Pintchik, "to reflect the warmth of our listeners over a ten-year span of gigs at the recently closed Watercolor Café."  Pintchik sets the tone with a joyful, melodic, in-the-pocket solo.  Next up is Horton, who has a wonderfully uncommon mix of sweetness and excitement in his solo, followed by Wilson who plays with a powerful and very deep swing.

A minor blues that spans two twelve-bar choruses, "Terse Tune" has a very spare melody, hence its name.  Pintchik describes it as "a brief tune with astringent harmonies that ends not with a bang but a whimper."  This vibey romp with round-robin soloing, builds momentum throughout the track, and climaxes with an exciting flag-waving section with "dueling" horns trading choruses with "dueling" drums and percussion.

"Ripe" is a short volatile piece, with rich harmonies and dynamic contrasts, set to a loosely Latin-based groove.  "With his wonderful singing quality on flugelhorn, this is a beautiful feature for Ron" says Pintchik.  "Over the years, I've heard both his drive and beautiful tone in many bands and many contexts, and thought this tune would be a terrific fit for him."  Although Horton's solo is both active and intense, he still maintains the character of the tune, with its dark spacious beauty.  After a strong solo from Wilson, Pintchik's solo builds slowly and crests beautifully on her third chorus, before the return of the misterioso melody.

A samba with a rich feeling of anticipation, "Ready" has a sparkly energy in its groove, and a narrative with an attractive crescendo.  This quartet piece features Pintchik, Hardy, Sarin and Takeishi, in a beautiful dance, attuned to each other's every move.

The opening three-note phrase of Pintchik's wonderfully playful up-tempo swing tune "There You Go" is built around its three-word title, and the phrase continues in different permutations throughout the piece.  Performed live at a concert presented by the Shandelee Music Festival as part of its New York City Showcase Series, this trio track (with Pintchik, Hardy and Sarin) has an electric energy; the time just sails.  Pintchik and Hardy weigh in with powerfully swinging solos, and Sarin wows the crowd with his closing accompanied drum solo.

A richly textured reading of Pintchik's imaginative original material, In The Nature Of Things is a recording to savor.

www.lesliepintchik.com

www.pintchhard.com

SAXOPHONIST-COMPOSER ELI DEGIBRI DELIVERS "TWELVE"

The internationally recognized saxophonist-composer, Eli Degibri, possesses many gifts as a musician. He boasts a seemingly bottomless fount of artistry as a composer, and was a recipient of the honorary Israeli "Prime Minister Award for Jazz Composition", recognizing his great talent as a melodic composer and songwriter. He has been called, "an exceptionally melodic improviser with a big, bold tenor tone" (Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes), and the thirty-five year-old artist is simply, "a bewitching fellow who shows impressive chops, as both a player and a composer." (Karl Stark, The Philadelphia Inquirer). Herbie Hancock added that Degibri is, "a very talented composer, arranger, and performer", one who's music, "treads uncharted waters", and that the saxophonist-composer, "has the potential to be a formidable force in the evolution of jazz." Substantiating these accolades, in April of 2012, Degibri was invited to be a part of UNESCO's first International Jazz Day at the UN General Assembly in New York, alongside many of the finest jazz musicians in the world. Degibri is perpetually invited to perform at the world's most prestigious venues and festivals, and in 2011, was chosen as the successor to bassist Avishai Cohen as the Co-Artistic Director of The Red Sea Jazz Festival.

Degibri's gifts, his immense talents, were earned, molded and burnished from, not only his highly productive early days as one of the top young musicians in Israel, his time at Berklee (on a full scholarship) and The Monk Institute, but also from more than sixteen years of sharing stages with the likes of Herbie Hancock (1999-2002), Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch and Al Foster (2002-2011), and leading bands consisting of musicians such as Aaron Goldberg, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ben Street, Jeff Ballard, Kevin Hays, Gary Versace, Obed Calvaire and many others, resulting in five critically-acclaimed recordings under his name.

Degibri now presents his vibrant new album, Twelve, the follow up recording to Israeli Song (which featured Brad Mehldau, Ron Carter and Al Foster), recorded in Tel Aviv, Israel on December 12, 2012, and scheduled for release in the U.S. on January 28, 2013. Twelve is simultaneously reflective and pioneering, as the album represents two significant elements in Degibri's life today, youth and age. He explains, "joining me on this recording are two very young and astonishingly talented musicians: pianist Gadi Lehavi (16 years old), and drummer Ofri Nehemya (18 years old), as well as my best friend, the extraordinary bassist Barak Mori. When you listen to Gadi and Ofri, can you really tell their age? Watching and hearing Mori's playfulness and enthusiasm, can you really tell that he is the 'grownup' of the rhythm section? And yet, Mori's 'established' beat glues the band together because of his experience and maturity, while Gadi's and Ofri's fresh angle on music makes both Barak and me take more risks and strive for something new. We have the best of both worlds in this band!", explained Degibri.

As an established and prominent musician on the international jazz scene, and by employing these talented, emerging musicians featured on Twelve, Degibri is now engaged in the long-standing tradition of mentorship in the jazz world; in essence he is now the teacher, and no longer the pupil, and takes the transference of love, respect and dedication to this music very seriously. However, when Degibri puts horn to mouth in the studio or on stages around the globe, part of him becomes that kid back in Israel completely fascinated and elated by the saxophone and all things jazz. Degibri explains, "when I go on stage I try to enter a creative world where I find, and I hope that my audience finds, waterfalls full of harmony, thick forests pulsing with notes of all shapes and sizes, and many unique animals full of rhythm. In a way, for me, music is like a fairytale: ageless, immortal. And we musicians are eternally 'Peter Pan', no matter if we are 16, 18, 35, or 80 years old. I hope that the music we created together on this album will remain both young and old forever."

About the music on Twelve, featuring:Eli Degibri, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, mandolin; Gadi Lehavi, piano; Barak Mori bass; Ofri Nehemya drums; Shlomo Ydov, vocal on "Liora Mi Amor"; Eli Degibri, Gadi Lehavi, Barak Mori, Yaron Mohar, Yael Shapira, Pini Shavit, choir on "The Cave"

Twelve opens with the gentle intensity, and the soaring melody of the title track, complete with an immensely satisfying chord resolution! "Twelve" is the product of a melody and a set of chords growing in the musically fertile mind of Degibri. He explains, "many times I find myself composing, laying a melody over chords without knowing why, or what I am trying to express with this composition? 'Twelve' was just like that. Sometimes I find an answer and sometimes I won't! When we recorded the album on 12/12/12, I found the answer for this composition on that day!"

The lightning quick, odd-metered tune, "The Spider," is up next, showcasing the dexterity of the quartet, with a spotlight on the maturity of the young drummer, Ofri Nehemya. "I can hear the spider conspiring to catch its prey at the intro of the composition, then right to business and back to work to build those webs fast and elegant," said Degibri.

 "Roaming Fantasy" is an optimistic, hopeful song about musicians creating new fantastical worlds for their audiences around the globe. This composition and notion from Degibri relates to the famous quote from drummer Art Blakey, "jazz washes away the dust of every day life."

Degibri's swinging "Mambo" is the first mambo that the composer ever crafted, "I just had to call it MAMBO!," Degibri stated.

"Autumn In New York" is not only beautiful for it's wonderful melody, but also for the immediate feel of New York City that it gives the listener. It is a deeply meaningful standard for Degibri, "this song helped me imagine NYC before I even set foot on its streets, and this is my heartfelt version after living there for fifteen amazing years of my life."

"New Waltz" was new, and a waltz when Degibri composed it; now, it's just a waltz . . .

"Liora Mi Amor," featuring Shlomo Ydov on vocals, and Degibri on soprano saxophone, is a song for Lior (Liora is her nickname); a sensual tango dedicated to her.

The lovely "rock" ballad, "Old Seven," tells the story of a young individual of seven years old, with an old soul, while highlighting the wonderfully sensitive playing of sixteen-year-old pianist Gadi Lehavi.

Twelve closes with the contemplative, entrancing, "The Cave," featuring Degibri on mandolin, and providing an opportunity to fully appreciate bassist Mori's colossal, enveloping sound. The composition also features the wordless vocals of the quartet, with special guests. "'The Cave' is about my imaginary place where I can hide from all that's wicked and evil in the world," said Degibri.

On Twelve Eli Degibri speaks and sings through his horn eloquently, powerfully, and in a sophisticated, urbane manner, back by a group of musicians utterly committed to every note. This stellar album finds Degibri clearly an artist completely at home, physically, emotionally, and certainly musically.

www.Degibri.com

LEDISI - THE TRUTH

You can tell when a woman has finally come into her own. It's in the swivel of her hips, the growl in her voice and the joy that brightens her face when she smiles. A woman filled with confidence is a force to be reckoned with. For singer songwriter Ledisi, that exuberance rings through on every track of her new album The Truth. "I changed my life!" Ledisi says with a laugh. "With every album I grow, and with The Truth I am really starting to accept myself fully. I mean, I've always felt great about myself, but this time I've gone to a new level." The result is an album filled not only with Ledisi's trademark soaring ballads but also something unexpected: a generous collection of up-tempo, beat-driven celebrations of love and lust. Ledisi describes the effort as "vibrant, sensual and fun. Of all of my recordings, this is definitely my favorite album ever."

Her first single, I Blame You, is a joyful reflection on that new-found love. "This other person made me feel beautiful," she says. "And that made me look at myself and see myself in a different light." Her friend and collaborator, Claude Kelly (Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera) came up with title. "I came into the studio and Claude asked me how I was feeling and I said, 'I feel excited about myself,'" she recalls. "I told him someone was making me smile and he thought of the idea of blaming the other person for building me up. But of course, that only works if you are open to it." "That song was the beginning of me letting go," she continues. "I realized, it's okay for you to leave something that's not working. Of course, it's scary to realize the truth and then go ahead and make a move. But that's what you have to do. Basically it comes down to, are you going to stay here and be miserable or are you going to leap and go for what you want?"

Ledisi says while creating Lose Control, which she co-wrote with long-time producer Rex Rideout (Luther Vandross, Angie Stone, Will Downing), she drew on the experiences of people around her. "I asked Rex, how does it feel to feel to be married?" she recalls. "And I asked another producer, how does it feel to be single? And I thought to myself, wouldn't it be nice if people started getting excited about getting intimate? We don't have enough songs like that, songs that describe romance. Wouldn't it be good to describe what we are going to do in a classy intimate and aggressive way? Why can't women lead?"

  

Ledisi explains that her new music is a reflection of her journey of self-discovery. "There was a time when I felt like I had to please everybody," she says. "Now I'm like 'I don't care anymore,' I just want to be fully out there and be the person I really am, which is someone who loves being open and fun." But all this self love didn't enter Ledisi's life without her shedding some baggage. In 88 Boxes, Ledisi tells an intimate tale of a failed relationship. "If you would have said 'I loved you,' I would have turned around and stayed. But you said nothing. Did you really love me?" Ledisi sings on the hauntingly beautiful track that is as mournful as it is memorable.

  

"88 Boxes is about me letting go," she explains. "I was moving out and had to count how many boxes I had for the moving truck. For women, it's hard for us to leave things and people that we love. We stay in situations almost like martyrs to ourselves. At the same time I was leaving, I am recognizing that the other person didn't want me to leave but didn't know how to say the words, 'Don't go.' In 88 Boxes, I am being somewhat sympathetic to that...but I am also focusing on the reality of what is...the end of a love affair."

The track, which Ledisi had originally penned as a poem, was recorded in a single take. "I laid it down in the dark," she remembers. "Everyone had been telling me how I should record the song, but my vocal producer, Roland Jack, who is like a brother to me, said, "Led I want you to do what you wrote. Forget all these people. Get your butt in that booth and sing the truth. When I came out the room everybody had their mouths open like, "Oh my God!" It was one of the hardest songs to record and it's honest."

  

Ledisi's courage to be so vulnerable isn't the only positive byproduct of her transformation. "Over the past few years, I've really had to ask myself, 'Who are you and what do you want to be,'" she reflects. "I did some mediation and I started working out hard. Not like how I used to where I would do a couple of crunches and then drink a soda! Now I'm really challenging myself. And I love this girl! She's free and uninhibited and having fun with life. I've learned that when you really love who you are, it radiates! It all starts from the within. It all starts from accepting The Truth."

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