92Y JAZZ IN JULY FESTIVAL FEATURING CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT, BILL CHARLAP, CHRISTIAN SANDS, DICK HYMAN AND MORE

92Y announces the 30th Annual 92Y Jazz in July Festival, curated by Bill Charlap, who celebrates his 10th anniversary as artistic director of the time-honored Festival. Jazz in July runs from Tuesday, July 21 through Thursday, July 31, bringing together some of the world's finest jazz players for once-in-a-lifetime performances. The Festival celebrates its 30th year with voices old and new: a return visit from 92Y Jazz in July founder Dick Hyman for a celebration of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz; and one of the jazz world's most exciting new voices, Cécile McLorin Salvant, who comes to the Festival for the first time in an evening devoted to Sarah Vaughan. 

92Y Jazz in July opens on July 21 with a salute to Hoagy Carmichael, composer of such iconic songs as "Stardust" and "Georgia on My Mind," in a concert featuring saxophonist Harry Allen, guitarist James Chirillo and vocalist Sandy Stewart. Jazz in July's first-ever look at the genius of Miles Davis concludes the first week of the festival on July 23; the concert looks at his pivotal position in defining the standard repertoire for jazz improvisers, and features trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. In between, on July 22, a tribute to Leonard Bernstein's musical theater contributions with the Bill Charlap Trio and returning favorites Brian Lynch (trumpet), Jimmy Greene (tenor sax) and Jon Gordon (alto sax).

Week two opens with a reunion of Charlap and his Jazz in July mentor and predecessor Dick Hyman, the festival's founder and artistic director for its first 20 years; joining them is pianist Christian Sands, as three generations pay homage to the legacy of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz. The young, GRAMMY® Award-nominated virtuoso vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant is in the spotlight the following night in her Jazz in July debut celebrating Sarah Vaughan. The festival closes with an evening of performances that explore Fred Astaire's contributions to the jazz songbook with vocalist Sachal Vasandani, who will return to the festival after appearances in 2011 and 2012.

One of the world's premier jazz pianists, Bill Charlap has performed and recorded with many of the leading jazz artists of our time. With his longtime trio of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, he has released seven highly-acclaimed albums for the Blue Note label, including the GRAMMY® Award-nominated albums The Bill Charlap Trio - Live at the Village Vanguard and Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein. In 2010, Charlap released Double Portrait, a collaboration with his wife, the renowned pianist Renee Rosnes, recorded at 92nd Street Y.

Charlap creates 92Y Jazz in July in collaboration with Hanna Arie-Gaifman, Director of 92Y Tisch Center for the Arts, which produces 92Y's concert series, including Jazz in July.

Tue, Jul 22, 8 pm

HOAGY CARMICHAEL: STARDUST 

Jazz in July kicks off as the songs of singular American composer Hoagy Carmichael are launched to new improvisatory heights, based on the influence of cornet geniuses Bix Beiderbecke and Louis Armstrong. Hear greats like "Skylark," "Georgia on my Mind," and "The Nearness of You."

Bill Charlap, piano / John Eric Kellso, trumpet / Harry Allen, tenor sax / James Chirillo, guitar / Sandy Stewart, vocals / Ted Rosenthal, piano / Todd Coolman, bass / Dennis Mackrell, drums

Wed, Jul 23, 8 pm

LEONARD BERNSTEIN'S NEW YORK

Be transported to the iconic Greenwich Village jazz clubs of Wonderful Town, 1950s street gangs of West Side Story and more New York landmarks from Leonard Bernstein. Hear how jazz influenced his musical songwriting, in "Something's Coming," to "Lucky to Be Me," to "The Wrong Note Rag."  

Brian Lynch, trumpet / Jimmy Greene, tenor sax / Jon Gordon, alto sax / Bill Charlap, piano / Peter Washington, bass / Kenny Washington, drums

Thu, Jul 24, 8 pm

THE MAN WITH THE HORN: MUSIC OF MILES DAVIS

Experience the essential, indubitably cool sounds of Miles Davis, the embodiment of jazz. Gold standard musicians highlight Davis's repertoire-"My Funny Valentine," "Autumn Leaves"- as well as the songs he wrote - such as "Donna Lee," "All Blues," and "Solar."

Jeremy Pelt, trumpet / Ralph Moore, tenor sax / Steve Wilson, alto sax / Renee Rosnes, piano / Bill Charlap, piano / Peter Washington, bass / Lewis Nash, drums

Tue, Jul 29, 8 pm

DICK HYMAN, BILL CHARLAP, CHRISTIAN SANDS: THREE GENERATIONS OF PIANO JAZZ   Three top jazz pianists on one stage - in a special evening of heart-racing virtuoso playing, and bonus conversations between Bill Charlap and featured artists.  Dick Hyman wrote the book on piano jazz. He is joined by Charlap and twice GRAMMY® Award-nominated Christian Sands. Expect piano solos and duos, and trios with the band as they perform repertoire from songwriters Duke Ellington to jazz piano giants Fats Waller and Bud Powell.

Dick Hyman, piano / Bill Charlap, piano / Christian Sands, piano / Sean Smith, bass / Willie Jones, drums

Wed, Jul 30, 8 pm

CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT w/ THE BILL CHARLAP TRIO: CELEBRATING SARAH VAUGHAN

Now is the time to hear singer Cécile McLorin Salvant, on fire with a 2014 Grammy® nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album, a Thelonious Monk Competition win and plaudits including two New York Times profiles. With Bill Charlap and his trio, she pays tribute to one of her primary influences, jazz great Sarah Vaughan, with American Songbook classics including "April in Paris," "Body & Soul," and "Lullaby of Birdland."

Cécile McLorin Salvant, vocals / Bill Charlap, piano / Peter Washington, bass / Kenny Washington, drums / Jessie Davis, alto sax

Thu, Jul 31, 8 pm

I WON'T DANCE: THE FRED ASTAIRE SONGBOOK  

Fred Astaire proved to be a jazz master, using his innate sense of rhythm and swing to collaborate with songwriting legends from Gershwin ("Nice Work if You Can Get It") to Berlin ("Puttin' on the Ritz") and others to introduce some of their biggest hits. I Won't Dance is back-to-back toe-tappers.

Sachal Vasandani, vocals / Ken Peplowski, clarinet & tenor sax / Michael Dease, trombone / Renee Rosnes, piano / Bill Charlap, piano / George Mraz, bass / Lewis Nash, drums

ABOUT JAZZ IN JULY

This annual summer jazz festival, directed by pianist and Blue Note recording artist Bill Charlap, brings together some of the world's best jazz musicians for once-in-a-lifetime performances at 92nd Street Y. Recent Festival shows have explored be-bop and Latin jazz; celebrated jazz legend Jimmy Heath and former artistic director Dick Hyman; and sampled the work of great composers, from Cole Porter to Thelonious Monk. Recent line-ups have featured jazz greats Ray Bryant, Barry Harris, Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Palmieri, Trio Da Paz, and Frank Wess.

92Y Jazz in July is partially endowed by Simona and Jerome A. Chazen.

ABOUT 92ND STREET Y

92nd Street Y's unique fusion of community and culture makes it the only place of its kind in the world. 92Y is a nonprofit community center, performance stage and lecture hall; a literary salon and home for artists; a school, outreach organization and summer camp; a gym, a residence and more. 92nd Street Y, a proudly Jewish institution since its inception in 1874, has become a community of communities, welcoming people of all ages, races, faiths and backgrounds. Now serving more than 300,000 people each year in its New York facilities, 92Y also reaches millions of "virtual" guests around the world through its website, satellite broadcasts and other electronic media. Committed to making its programs available to everyone, 92nd Street Y awards nearly $1 million in scholarships annually and reaches about 7500 public school children through subsidized arts and science education programs. 

DIONNE WARICK 4 ALBUMS IN ONE: WINDOWS OF THE WORLD / IN THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS / PROMISES, PROMISES / SOULFUL

Four albums on three CDs – with lots of bonus tracks as well! Windows Of The World is seminal later work from Dionne Warwick – an album that perfectly sums up her evolving genius at Scepter Records! Windows continues the very successful Bacharach-led arrangement scheme – but also features Dionne deepening things a bit more vocally, and also hitting some more personal notes on a few tunes arranged by Peter Matz. 11 titles in all – including "The Windows Of The World", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Love", "Taking A Chance On Love", "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me", "The Beginning Of Loneliness", "What's Good About goodbye", "Taking A Chance On Love", and "Somewhere". 

Valley Of The Dolls is not really the soundtrack for the movie – but a sweet batch of tracks that feature the lovely Dionne Warwick singing the title tune – and stretching out on a host of other great 60s numbers too! The album was recorded in two different sessions, mostly with backings by Burt Bacharach – who always makes his own music sound great – with a bit of extra help from Pat Williams, Manny Albam, and Garry Sherman – who each get a tune to work with. Gone is the dreamy optimism of some of Dionne's earlier albums – and in its place is a more mature, slightly sadder style that's really great. Titles include "Valley Of The Dolls", "For The Rest Of My Life", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", "Silent Voices", "Let Me Be Lonely", "You're My World", "Where Would I Go", and "Walking Backwards Down The Road". 

Promises Promises is filled with sublime sounds from Dionne Warwick – a classic Scepter Records set produced by Burt Bacharach, who also wrote a good number of the tunes too! Arrangements are by a few different top-shelf studio talents – Don Sebesky, Peter Matz, and Bacharach himself – all in that breathy gentle style that works so well with Dionne's vocals. Titles include "Promises Promises", "This Girl's In Love With You", "Where Is Love", "Who Is Gonna Love Me", "Where Am I Going", "Whoever You Are I Love You", and "Wanting Things". 

On Soulful, Dionne Warwick working with Memphis producer Chips Moman, in a mode that's clearly designed to give her more credibility with the hipper soul scene at the end of the 60s! Burt Bacharach's still in the shadows, but Moman's the real genius on this set – working with Dionne to create a style that's got some of the same touches as Aretha Franklin's work on Atlantic, but a bit smoother overall – in keeping with the Warwick vocal mode. Dionne opens up amazingly in the set – hitting notes never heard on the Bacharach sides, and going for an almost gospel-inspired approach on a few numbers. Tracks includes "I'm Your Puppet", "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", "You're All I Need To Get By", "Do Right Woman", "People Get Ready", "We Can Work It Out", and "People Got To Be Free". CD features 19 bonus tracks that include "Give A Damn", "To Be Young Gifted & Black", "Stand", "Hurt So Bad", "The Weight", "The Love Of My Man", "Slaves", "Odds & Ends", and "The April Fools".  

~ Dusty Groove

DIONNE WARWICK 4 ALBUMS IN ONE: HERE I AM / LIVE IN PARIS / HERE WHERE THERE IS LOVE / ON STAGE & IN THE MOVIES

Four Dionne Warwick classics – all wrapped up in a single set! On Here I Am, Dionne is still head and shoulders above most other female pop singers of her generation, with a style that really sets a whole new standard for the time! Burt Bacharach handled most of the arrangements here – with that heavenly sort of quality that he virtually invented for Dionne – a way of penning charts that are full, but never overbearing – and which have a subtle kind of softness, even though they also manage a sneaky sort of rhythm at the bottom. The balance is a beautiful one, and Dionne's vocals are the beneficiary here – on a batch of mostly Bacharach/David tunes that includes the sublime "Are You There With Another Girl", plus "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", "Window Wishing", "Long Day Short Night", "In Between The Heartaches", and "How Can I Hurt You" – as well as a version of "This Little Light", which features solo piano by Dionne! 

In Paris is a unique concert album from Dionne Warwick – proof that her talents weren't always restricted to Burt Bacharach arrangements in the studio! The setting is the classy Olympia Theater in Paris, and the style is a bit more open than on Dionne's studio albums – with less material by Bacharach & David than before, and a wider range of tunes that not only includes a few songs sung in French, but also a duet with Parisian popper Sacha Distel! Titles include "I Love Paris", "C'Est Si Bon", "Walk On By", "You'll Never Get To Heaven", "O Yeah Yeah Yeah", "The Good Life", "La Vie En Rose", and "What'd I Say". 

Here Where There Is Love is one of Dionne Warwick's biggest albums of the 60s – thanks to a near-classic selection of tunes, and sublime arrangements from the mighty Burt Bacharach! There's a confident, mature approach to the record that's arguably even better than Warwick's first few albums for Scepter – a kind of gelling of the genius she'd discovered with Bacharach & David – cast out over even more adult themes than before, with less of a need to focus on pop-oriented material. The album includes two of Dionne's most compelling cuts ever – "Alfie" and "Trains & Boats & Panes" – both sadder than the usual numbers, and with a good dose of remorseful soul – and other Bacharach numbers include "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "Go With Love", "Here Where There Is Love", and the seminal "What The World Needs Now Is Love". 

For On Stage & In The Movies, Dionne Warwick's making a bit of a break from formula – by singing a batch of tunes from films and shows, none of which were written by Burt Bacharach & Hal David! Yet despite this change from earlier records, the album's still got a sound that's strongly in keeping with Warwick's 60s years at Scepter Records – thanks to arrangements by Burt that help transform these older tunes, and update them with a new sense of maturity for Dionne's singing style. The real appeal of the record is the way that Bacharach changes things up with some of these overdone numbers – finding new corners to explore, and creating a sense of surprise that's quite different than other albums of this nature. Titles include "Something Wonderful", "Summertime", "My Favorite Things", "I Believe In You", "My Ship", "Anything You Can Do", and "He Loves Me".  

~ Dusty Groove

DIONNE WARWICK 4 ALBUMS IN ONE: PRESENTING DIONNE WARWICK / ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART / MAKE WAY FOR DIONNE WARWICK / SENSITIVE SOUND OF DIONNE WARWICK

A quartet of Dionne Warwick albums – served up in one package! Presenting is the birth of a genius – and Dionne Warwick's first album in a mighty 60s run for Scepter Records! The album's the first full length collaboration between Warwick and the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David – but it's already the stuff of legend – an album that easily bridges the worlds of soul, vocal, and pop with its unique sense of poise and class – sung perfectly by Dionne throughout, and arranged with orchestral brilliance by the young Burt! Titles include "Don't Make Me Over", "Wishin & Hopin", "Make It Easy On Yourself", "The Love Of A Boy", "I Cry Alone", "Make The Music Play", "If You See Bill", "It's Love That Really Counts", and "This Empty Place". 

Anyone Who Had A Heart is the second in the career of Dionne Warwick, but she's already at the top of her game – singing with a sense of grace and poise that's simply tremendous, and getting some equally great backing from a young Burt Bacharach – who himself co-wrote most of the tunes here with Hal David. There's a sense of completeness to the record that few other pop albums of the time could boast – a mature, thoughtful presentation of the material that certainly set a new standard for many artists to come! Titles include "Anyone Who Had A Heart", "Don't Make Me Over", "Getting Ready For The Heartbreak", "Any Old Time Of Day", "Mr Heartbreak", "Put Yourself In My Place", and "Please Make Him Love Me". 

Make Way For Dionne Warwick is the kind of set that spawned countless imitators in later years, but which still sounds better than most of the rest! Hearing the record is almost like going back to the headwaters of 60s pop – especially the more mature version that started to take hold later in the decade at labels like A&M or Capitol. But here, recording for Scepter, Dionne's already got it all in place – thanks in large part to a young Burt Bacharach, who's set things up here with poise and perfection that match the vocals perfectly! Titles include "Get Rid of Him", "A House Is Not A Home", "They Long To Be Close To You", "You'll Never Get To Heaven", "Walk On By", and "Make The Night A Little Longer". 

Sensitive Sound Of Dionne Warwick is served up with masterful arrangements and production from Burt Bacharach! The album's an early treasure in Dionne's 60s run for Scepter Records – an album that features a bit less Bacharach/David tunes than some of the previous records, but which still has all of the best elements firmly in place – thanks to Burt's growing understanding of the studio, and his ability to create orchestrations that are filled with enough space for an artist like Dionne to really do her thing. Titles include "Wives & Lovers", "You Can Have Him", "That's Not The Answer", "Forget My Love", "Where Can I Go Without You", "How Many Days Of Sadness", and "Don't Say I Didn't Tell You So". 

~ Dusty Groove

DIONNE WARWICK 4 ALBUMS IN ONE: I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN / VERY DIONNE / DIONNE / JUST BEING MYSELF

Four full albums, plus bonus tracks too! First up is I'll Never Fall In Love Again – one of Dionne Warcwick's last few albums for the Scepter label,with a sense of maturity, poise, and grace that tops even Dionne's earliest classics for the label. She's still working heavily here with Burt Bacharach – who produced and arranged most of the songs – with some help from Hal David and Larry Wilcox. And in some way, it's almost like Bacharach's reinvigorated here – moving into a deeper mode that's quite similar to some of the more complicated tunes on his A&M recordings from the same period – almost unafraid of charting or not, and working instead in a completely adult mode that's beautifully constructed through webs of sound and sadness, loss and longing. Titles include "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", "My Way", "Knowing When To Leave", "Let Me Go To Him", and "Didn't We". 

Very Dionne is Dionne Warwick's last Bacharach album for Scepter Records – and really wonderful stuff! Burt's still very much at the helm on Very Dionne – working with Warwick in an ever-maturing mode that's expanded a bit with some help on arrangements from Marty Paich and Larry Wilcox. The mood is adult, but still has some of the dreamier touches of early pop days – and the Bacharach compositions are among some of the best of the bunch, and include "Walk The Way You Talk", "Check Out Time", "The Green Grass Starts To Grow", and "They Don't Give Medals To Yesterday's Heroes". 

Dionne is a great post-Scepter album by Dionne Warwick – one that still has her working with Burt Bacharach, but at a level that's somehow more mature, more adult than even before! There's a gentle quality here that gets beyond the straighter pop of Warwick's 60s hits, and moves into the realm inhabited by Bacharach's sublime solo sets for A&M – a style that still has the singer at the forefront, but which is equally concerned with the full spectrum of sound on the set, and which has the whole album flowing together beautifully. Burt and Hal David produced, and arrangements are by Bacharach, Don Sebesky, and Bob James. Titles include a great reading of "Hasbrook Heights", plus "Just Have To Breathe", "The Balance Of Nature", "If You Never Say Goodbye", "Be Aware", "If We Only Have Love", and "Love Song". 

Just Being Myself is a surprisingly great album that has the lady working with the post-Motown production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland! There's a quality here that resonates strongly from the very first note – a bold move away from Bacharach to some of the more adult soul modes explored in the 70s – handled by HDH with full-on backings on some numbers, but with a more gentle Warwick-styled groove on others. The album's got a depth we never would have expected – especially from the slightly-soppy cover – and Dionne's manage to bring in all the strengths from earlier years, yet also recast them a bit with a fuller soul-based groove on the set. The album features the surprisingly funky "I'm Just Being Myself", which has some great sinister flute over skittish drums – plus the tracks "You're Gonna Need Me", "Come Back", "Don't Burn The Bridge", "Don't Let My Teardrops Bother You", and "I Think You Need Love". CD features bonus tracks that include "They Don't Give Medals", "Make It Easy On Yourself", "Who Gets The Guy", "He's Moving On", "Amanda", and "California".  

~ Dusty Groove

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT OF BELGIAN SINGER/SONGWRITER/PIANIST SUSAN CLYNES 'LIFE IS' SET FOR RELEASE FEB 18, 2014

“Life Is...” marks the international debut of Belgian singer/pianist Susan Clynes, on New York based  MoonJune Records. This release was compiled from three live concerts done at two different locations, each one with a unique band configuration.

The Archiduc, an historic Art Deco bar in Brussels dating back to 1937, served as the backdrop for two of these performances. The first was done in trio format with Nico Chkifi on drums and Pierre Mottet on bass. The second was a more intimate solo performance at the Library of The Cultural Center of Bree. The third and final performance saw the return to the Archiduc, this time as a duet with Simon Lenski on cello. Each band configuration provided its own framework and pallet of tonal colors for these diverse sound portraits.

“A Good Man” and “Ileana’s Song” make playful use of the drumkit and bass. These clever songs lie somewhere between Slapp Happy-era Dagmar Krause, Elaine Di Falco’s work with Thinking Plague, Annette Peacock and early period Kristin Hersh in her band, Throwing Muses. The chiefly instrumental piece, “Les Larmes”, a composition about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is brimming with emotional expression making excellent use of the cello as a universal human voice.

The distilled and emotive songs for voice with piano accompaniment bring to mind such undervalued luminaries as Laura Nyro and Essra Mohawk. Susan’s piano work runs the gamut from such radio-friendly performers as Tori Amos and Fiona Apple, briefly dipping into Tony Banks-like arpeggiations and cascades, and arriving at the jazz-inflected polytonality of French composer, Darius Milhaud.

Tracks:

1. Life Is (4:21)

2. A Good Man (3:49)

3. Childhood Dreams (6:31)

4. Les Larmes (9:35)

5. Tuesday Rain (5:08)

6. Ileana’s Song (3:37)

7 .When You’re Dead (7:15)

8. Pigeon’s Intrusion (6:00)

9. Le Voyage (3:22)

10. Linear Blindness (4:12)

11. Butterflies (6:38)

SUSAN CLYNES, vocals, piano (all tracks)

SIMON LENSKI cello (tracks 3, 4, 7, 8 & 11)

PIERRE MOTTET bass (tracks 2 & 6)

NICO CHKIFI drums (tracks 2 & 6)

www.susanclynes.be

HALIFAX MEETS DETROIT ON SINGER & SONGWRITER CRISSI COCHRANE'S NEW ALBUM LITTLE SWAY

Windsor, Ontario, Canada - Windsor-based pop singer & songwriter Crissi Cochrane marries the heart of the East Coast with the soul of Detroit on Little Sway, a new 10-song album released worldwide today on iTunes and at CrissiCochrane.com.

Produced in Windsor with local engineers and musicians, Little Sway sees Crissi stepping into new creative territory. While the artist's previous release, the Pretty Alright EP (2011) reached #5 on the national campus radio Folk chart, this new album carries the influence of jazz, soul, bossa nova, Motown, and R&B. It is a spirited and charming album, with a modern pop sensibility, which pays homage to great swing & blues musicians of the past - such as mid-century sax players Stan Getz and Lester Young (whose styles influenced the sax arrangements on the record), and writers George & Ira Gershwin (whose 1924 song "The Man I Love", popularized by Billie Holiday, is reinterpreted by Crissi on this album). This warm, vintage spirit is painted anew with modern, crafted beats & programming from the creative genius of Windsor producer Adam Rideout-Arkell.

Crissi attributes the change in her musical style to the change in her environment. Born and raised on the East Coast of Canada, Crissi moved to Windsor from Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2010. Windsor/Detroit's dense radio airwaves, second-hand vinyl shops, and rich musical history sparked a creative revolution in the young writer.

The record received funding support from the Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), the Ontario Arts Council, and the Windsor Endowment for the Arts. It features bass & drums by Mike Hargreaves & Stefan Cvetkovic, both of local rock/soul trio The Walkervilles, and a sax section arranged and led by Drew Jurecka (who has arranged songs for internationally acclaimed artists Jill Barber, Raine Maida, and Jully Black).

Next week, Crissi returns to Halifax to perform at The Company House (2202 Gottingen St.) on Friday, February 7, with special guests Jon Samuel & Willie Stratton. For ticket sales and more info, please visit http://crissihfx.brownpapertickets.ca

In Windsor, Crissi will celebrate Little Sway with an album release show at The Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. W.) on Saturday, February 15, with special guests Sarah Hiltz & Mike Hargreaves. 

http://www.crissicochrane.com

JAMES BRANDON LEWIS - DIVINE TRAVELS

Even for an artist hailed by Ebony Magazine as one of "7 Young Players to Watch" who has studied with jazz heavyweights like Charlie Haden, Wadada Leo Smith, Dave Douglas, Joshua Redman, and Matthew Shipp, it takes considerable confidence and courage for a young musician to match wits with veteran improvisers like William Parker and Gerald Cleaver. But on his second release, Divine Travels, saxophonist James Brandon Lewis does just that, not only holding his own with that masterful rhythm section but leading them down fresh and unexpected pathways.

Divine Travels melds the holy spirit of a gospel service with the fiery expression of free jazz, the intuitive dialogue of skilled improvisers with the stunning invention of a first meeting. Lewis' music draws in equal parts on his considerable studies and his roots in the church, as well as his considerable curiosity to discover more and deeper connections within his music.

Lewis' unique stamp can be heard throughout Divine Travels, which results in Parker and Cleaver revealing new facets in their own strongly individual voices. Fragments of gospel melodies emerge and evoke starkly spiritual meditations in tunes like "Wading Child in the Motherless Water," which weaves together the familiar melodies of "Wade in the Water" and "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." But even when not explicitly referencing such traditional fare, Lewis shows a predilection for direct, memorable folk-like melodies that he can then develop, evolve and explore.

The album also contains two collaborations with poet Thomas Sayers Ellis, who Lewis has been working with since the two met at a residency in 2011. The Brooklyn-based poet recites works from two of his books, Skin, Inc., and The Maverick Room, which won the John C. Zacharis First Book Award in 2005.

The title Divine Travels pays homage to Lewis' belief that the music contained within is an expression of his own spiritual journey, marking both distance traveled and experiences yet to unfold.

Lewis' own travels began in Buffalo, New York in 1983. Lewis was raised in the church, which formed the core of the saxophonist's spiritual outlook. While many musicians are inspired by the church, Lewis says that its most important impact was not musical but personal, laying the foundation for his creative approach.

After graduating from the Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts, Lewis attended Howard University, where he studied with Charlie Young, performed with the likes of Benny Golson, Geri Allen, and Wallace Roney, and backed John Legend, k.d. lang, and Vanessa Williams at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony with the Howard University Jazz Ensemble.

In 2006, Lewis moved to Colorado and pursued a career in gospel music, working with Grammy® Award-winning singer Dorinda Clark Cole and the late "Queen of Gospel Music," Albertina Walker. He relocated again to earn his Masters at CalArts, where he was mentored by Charlie Haden, Wadada Leo Smith, Vinny Golia, and Weather Report bassist Alphonso Johnson, who later hired Lewis to play in his ensemble.

Lewis released his debut album, Moments, in 2010, before moving to New York City in 2012. Since arriving in the city, he has performed with a wide range of artists, including Charles Gayle, Ed Shuller, Kirk Knuffke, Jason Hwang , Marilyn Crispell, Ken Filiano, Cooper Moore, Darius Jones, Eri Yamamoto, Federico Ughi, Kenny Wessel, Marvin "Bugalu" Smith, and Sabir Mateen, and has worked with the dance company CircuitDebris under the direction of Mersiha Mesihovic. He currently leads his own trio with Luke Stewart on bass and Dominic Fragman on drums.

James Brandon Lewis ·  Divine Travels / OKeh ·  Release Date: February 4, 2014

jblewis.com

JEFF BALLARD TRIO WITH LIONEL LOUEKE & MIGUEL ZENON - TIME'S TALES

Drummer and composer Jeff Ballard makes his long overdue, much anticipated debut as a leader with the diverse and wide-ranging Time's Tales. A master of the trio format who anchors the renowned Brad Mehldau trio and is one-third of the inventive collective group FLY with Larry Grenadier and Mark Turner, Ballard here documents his own longstanding trio with guitarist Lionel Loueke and saxophonist Miguel Zenón. 

With sounds ranging from forward-looking modern jazz to traditional African and Latin rhythms to heavy metal intensity, Time's Tales reflects the Jeff Ballard Trio's adventurous, multi-faceted identity, which has been honed on stages around the world since its formation in 2006. A landmark release in its own right, the album also arrives just as Ballard is celebrating an important benchmark in his own life, his 50th birthday.

  

"I'm getting into the middle of my years. So I think recording this project, with this band, makes a meaningful statement. It's a telling of my times up until this point."

  

A multi-faceted drummer with a keen interest in rhythms from Africa and Latin America, Ballard could have found no better partners for this endeavor than the Benin-born Loueke and Puerto Rico native Zenón. The two have imbibed the rhythms of their homelands and incorporated them into their own expansive sonic palettes, making them ideal foils for Ballard's polyrhythmic approach.

"It's where we meet, for sure," Ballard says. "Their sophistication and awareness of rhythm is so high. Lionel's listening to three different rhythms at the same time; Miguel can hear everything. I pick up something melodically from what they're playing and put it on the drums, and they do the reverse."

Both of Ballard's bandmates are among the most innovative and acclaimed musicians on the scene today. Loueke was mentored by Herbie Hancock and Terence Blanchard, and has worked with legends like Jack DeJohnette and Charlie Haden as well as peers such as Gretchen Parlato, Esperanza Spalding, and Robert Glasper. Zenón is a Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow who has forged a distinctive blend of jazz and Latin American folkloric music. He's also a founding member of the SFJAZZ Collective and has worked with the likes of Bobby Hutcherson, Fred Hersch, David Sánchez, and Steve Coleman.

Born in Newport Beach, California, Jeff Ballard moved to New York after a three-year stint with the legendary Ray Charles, where he immediately began building a diverse resume with artists including Lou Donaldson, Buddy Montgomery, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Mike Stern. In the late '90s he became a part of the Danilo Pérez Trio and Chick Corea's New Trio and Origin, and later joined Joshua Redman's groove-oriented Elastic Band. In 2003, Ballard formed the collective trio FLY with Larry Grenadier and Mark Turner, which has since released three critically acclaimed recordings.

Since 2005 he has been the drummer for the Brad Mehldau Trio, one of the most renowned groups in modern jazz. In addition to his trio, Ballard leads the ensemble Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds, which exists as a quintet featuring Eddie Henderson, Kevin Hays, Jeff Parker and Grenadier, and as a quartet with Loueke, pianist Tigran Hamasyan, and The Bad Plus bassist Reid Anderson on electronics.

JeffBallard.com

 

MIKE LONGO - STEP ON IT

In his distinguished and sometimes surprising career, pianist Mike Longo has established himself as an invaluable sideman, most notably with Dizzy Gillespie, and as a versatile leader of groups ranging from his 17-piece New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble to his six-man eponymous Funk Band. Longo is also a master of the trio format, and he dedicates his new CD, "Step On It," to explorations of jazz standards in the company of two favorite trio-mates, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Lewis Nash. Longo’s label, Consolidated Artists Productions, will release the disc on March 4.

“To the average listener he is playing great jazz,” says producer Bob Magnuson of Longo, “but anyone who has followed the curve of his career hears the highly refined development of a consummate artist.”

The trio had previously been heard on "Sting Like a Bee" (2009), a Top 5 jazz radio staple, and its follow-up "To My Surprise" (2011), which added guest soloists Jimmy Owens and Lance Bryant. “We seem to have an enormous amount of rapport as a unit once the downbeat hits,” understates Longo. For Step On It, he rehearsed with Cranshaw and Nash for two hours the day before the recording: “We just ran down the heads so we would know the direction each composition would take and the concept of performing them.” Almost everything at the session was nailed in one take.

Playing songs you’ve heard hundreds of times, Longo makes you think you’re hearing them for the first time. Wayne Shorter’s “Nefertiti,” a pensive modal classic by the Miles Davis Quintet, is transformed on Step On It into what Longo called “a real groove thing.” Joe Henderson's mini-tone poem, “Black Narcissus,” is pumped with energy. “We play it like a delicate waltz,” said the pianist. His polymetric threesome’s treatment of “Poinciana” was influenced not by Ahmad Jamal’s classic cocktail recording but the Four Freshmen’s textured, high-spirited rendition.

“Jazz is like a baseball game,” says Longo. “People say, oh man, I’ve seen all this before. But then you start playing, even with the least bit of preparation, and you find something new in the themes, the time conception, the band’s touch. The three of us all come from the same school of playing. We don’t know what’s gonna happen.”

Born in Cincinnati in 1939, Mike Longo was 8 when his family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he crossed paths with (and got some early breaks from) Cannonball Adderley. He got “hooked on” Oscar Peterson and, in the fall of 1961, spent six intensive months in Toronto taking private lessons from the keyboard virtuoso. “I had to practice 13 hours a day,” he says, “but it was worth it.”

Back in New York, he accompanied such singing greats as Jimmy Rushing, Nancy Wilson, and Joe Williams. Serendipity struck at the Metropole, where Longo was performing downstairs with trumpeter Red Allen at the same time Dizzy Gillespie was leading his band in the room upstairs. During a break, Gillespie saw Longo perform and was impressed enough to name him as one of the best young talents around in the union magazine, International Musician.

Two years later, Gillespie saw Longo perform at Embers East; some months after that, Gillespie asked him to become his pianist after seeing Longo’s trio (with bass great Paul Chambers) back Roy Eldridge, a hero of Dizzy’s, at Embers West. Longo held down the piano chair in Gillespie’s quintet from 1966 to 1973 (following Kenny Barron). He became Dizzy’s music director, composer, arranger, and devoted blood brother, and continued working with the man long after going out on his own.

“When I first heard Dizzy and Charlie Parker’s music in the eighth grade, it was like listening to tape running backwards,” says Longo. “But something I heard stuck in my head, a certain sound in Dizzy’s playing. I had this weird dream in which I went to the piano and played that sound like I knew it, the sound of that place in his playing that was falling in a strange place in the time. Everything seemed different to me after that.”

Longo’s 1962 debut album, "A Jazz Portrait of Funny Girl," was one of numerous jazz-goes-Broadway collections released during that era. In the intervening years, he has amassed a deep body of originals, including a wide assortment written for or about Dizzy (“Matrix,” “Soul Kiss,” “Samba,” “I Miss You John,” and the orchestral work, A World of Gillespie). He also has enjoyed a successful second career as an educator and creator of instructional books and videos.

“One of the most important things I learned was discovering the place inside you where real music comes from,” says Longo. “You don’t really compose something, you uncover it. Dizzy used to say music is out there, waiting for someone to come get it.”

THE DUKES OF SEPTEMBER: DONALD FAGEN, MICHAEL MCDONALD, BOZ SCAGGS LIVE AT LINCOLN CENTER

429 Records has announced the release of The Dukes of September Live on DVD and Blu Ray DVD on March 18th to coincide with its PBS debut airing on Great Performances in March and subsequent airings during PBS' March pledge drive (in New York, Thirteen will air the concert Thursday, March 13 at 9:30pm) .  The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue—a super group comprised of pop/rock/R&B icons Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers) and Boz Scaggs--formed in 2010 as a touring entity which evolved out of the New York Rock and Soul Revue which showcased the three musicians performing the R&B and soul music that inspired them as well as a selection of their respective hits.  Directed by David Horn, the concert was filmed in November of 2012.  The Dukes of September Live will be released worldwide by 429 Records March 18th.

The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue, a moniker hearkening back to the aristocratic names of doo wop groups from the '50s, features Fagan, McDonald and Scaggs and is rounded out by Jon Herrington (guitar), Freddie Washington (bass), Shannon Forrest (drums) Jim Beard (organ), the horn section consisting of Jay Collins, Michael Leonhart and Walt Weiskopf; and vocalists Carlyn Leonhart and Catherine Monet Owens;  has performed worldwide since its inception in 2010 and garnered rave reviews.  The super group is a touring act which resurrected the short lived 1990's New York Rock and Soul Revue which also included Phoebe Snow, Charles Brown, Chuck Jackson, the Brigati Brothers and Walter Becker.  Their concept of a rock and soul revue is a rollicking showcase that focuses not just on their well-known hits such as "Reelin' in the Years," "Lido Shuffle" and "Takin' it to the Streets", but also forays into rock and R&B gems such as "Sweet Soul Music" and "Love T.K.O."

Says Boz Scaggs in Huffington Post: "It's been a rare treat exploring the Great American Soul and R&B songbooks with aficionados, Fagen and McDonald and the Steely Dan Band. Great company indeed. We've covered Ray, Aretha, James, the Isleys, Chuck, Gladys, the Stones (that would be Sly and the family), Marvin, Muddy and more celebrating the Masters. And I feel like I've had the best seat in the house."

Says Donald Fagen: "I love revues like the Dukes. Different singers, all kinds of surprises.  If the listener's indifferent to one tune, they'll dig the next. Plus, we're a real band.  Mike, Boz, the musicians and singers are on stage all night."

Says Michael McDonald: "Having a history with Donald and Boz that has been so meaningful to me personally, makes the experience of stepping on stage with them both all these years later, an especially profound one. They were both a significant part of my musical education and two of the musician/composers I've held highest in regard over the years."

Songs performed include:

"People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul"

"Who's That Lady?"

"Sweet Soul Music"

"I Keep Forgettin'"

"Kid Charlegmagne"

"The Same Thing"

"Miss Sun"

"You Can Never Tell"

"What A Fool Believes"

"Hey Nineteen"

"Love T.K.O."

"Peg"

"Lowdown"

"Takin' It To The Streets"

"Reelin' In The Years"

"Lido Shuffle"

"Pretzel Logic"

"Them Changes"ber

Directed for television by David Horn, Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs: The Dukes of September, was produced by Mitch Owgang.  John Beug and David Horn are executive producers.  For Great Performances, Bill O'Donnell is series producer. David Horn is executive producer.

~ 429 Records

RONNIE BURRAGE - HEAL

Ronnie Burrage is considered one of the best jazz musicians on the world scene today. His latest release “Heal” with his “Band Burrage” is innovatively formed, rooted in jazz tradition, and evokes good vibes, with a sound quality of a multitude of creative influences.

Ronnie’s latest recording “Heal” with ‘Band Burrage’ blends fusion, hard bop, rock and pop elements in a diverse, contemporary fashion. There are sections featuring unison playing and Afro-Latin rhythms, then periods with free, skittering passages as drummer/keyboardist Ronnie Burrage, EWI/saxophonist Rick Tate, guitarist Eric Slaughter, bassist Nimrod Speaks and vocalist Shenel Johns take turns offering frenetic, exuberant solos. Influenced by groups like Wayne Shorter, U.K., Milton Nascimento, Weather Report, Mile Davis, Radio Head, Yes, Tribe Called Quest, Funkadelics, Sly & The Family Stone, Alan Holdsworth, Stevie Wonder to name a few.

“I'm looking to reach as many people as possible, agents, bookings, CD sales, most importantly international and national music festivals. This band live is super hot and I need to be touring all the time like in my younger days” says Ronnie.

Burrage is considered a virtuoso, exceptionally skilled and regarded as one of the best in the business at his craft. He has toured all four continents from Siberia to South Africa to Japan and is a well respected educator who’s biography is vibrant and dynamically diverse. He has graced stages with the who’s who of jazz ie. Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Frank Morgan, Wallace Roney, Jackie & Rene McLean, James Moody, Gary Bartz, Archie Shepp, Reggie Workman, Joe Zawinul, Cedar Walton, Wood Shaw, McCoy Tyner, Pepper Adams and is featured on over 100 recordings throughout his career.

“The Jazz Network Worldwide is honored to be featuring such a legend in jazz. His musical offerings are well-suited for our jazz community where worldwide music festivals and booking agents can learn about his amazing musical history and latest release. Ronnie’s music is not only for the jazz aficionado to be fed but for the up-and-coming artists that need to open their ears to a historical thread of jazz history through his music” says Jaijai Jackson, creator of The Jazz Network Worldwide.

Music has healing properties, according to Burrage. “We have not yet begun to explore all that music can do for us, individually and on a global level,” he said. He believes music can provide one avenue to erase all the divisions and hate in the world. (Examiner.com)

"Prof Burrage is known not only for his virtuoso ability with all forms of percussion, but as an innovative composer and program designer who can put together dramatic musical programs which are deeply educational and altogether entertaining. I am writing these things because I think more people need to know Ronnie Burrage, who has been on the scene, like they say, and has been saying something musically, at a very high level." — Amiri Baraka

“Mr. Burrage is articulate and interesting in my opinion because of his ability to communicate and entertain large and diverse audiences and I have followed and witnessed his work for many years.” – Broadwayworld.com (2013)

Upcoming events:

February 11-13 ~ Penn State Music Festival 7:30 PM ~ 11:00 PM HUB Heritage Hall University Park, PA This festival will feature international artist, local bands and PSU student performers involved in courses taught by Ronnie Burrage.

February 23 ~ Tribute to Horace Silver. Ronnie Burrage w/Patience Higgins, Rick Germanson & Gerald Cannon The Bass Line 5 ~ 8PM  http://basslineclub.com.

March 21 ~ "Band Burrage" The Side Door CD release party

http://thesidedoorjazz.com Old Lyme, CT

March 27 ~"Band Burrage" The Gamble Mill, Bellefonte, PA

http://www.gamblemill.com

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

THE INCREDIBLE BONGO BAND - BONGO ROCK (40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

For the first time since its release in 1973: a genuine, bona fide reissue of the classic record, Bongo Rock, which became a foundation of rap and popular music, packaged as it would have been seen on the shelves in 1973. Reproduced on heavyweight 180g vinyl and in top-quality Japanese sleeves by Mr Bongo.

The Incredible Bongo Band inlcudes the following musicians: King Errisson (Percussion), Jim Gordon (Drums), Steve Douglas (Saxaphone), Jerry Scheff (Bass), Robbie King (Organs), Mike Deasy (Guitar), Kat Hendrikse (Drums), Perry Botkin Jr (Producer / Arranger)

“Bongo Rock is significant, for being one of the musical cornerstones of rap ... it is certainly one of the most sampled LP’s in history, if not the most sampled. Most every history-minded hip-hop DJ has a copy, and the first few bars of its signature number, a driving cover version of the 60’s instrumental number Apache, can send crowds into overdrive.” According to Kool Herc, the stylistic pioneer many people consider to be the father of hip-hop music, the Bongo’s “Apache” is “the national anthem of hip-hop.” - NY Times

They've been sampled by: Nas, Beastie Boys, Moby, Mick Jagger, Kanye West, Sugarhill Gang, Jay-Z, Aphex Twin, DJ Shadow, Goldie, Double Dee & Steinski, Faith Evans, Hijack, Ultramagnetic MC’s, Leaders of the New School, Unkle, IBM Nation, Katch 22, Rockwell Noel and The Poet, DJ Spinna, The Bizzie Boyz, Schoolly D, LL Cool J, 2 Live Crew, 4 Hero, Godfather Don, IAM, Diamond D, Luke Vibert, Sway & King Tech, Rebel MC, to name a few...

Mr Bongo have also reissued the follow up album, Return of The Incredible Bongo Band, re-released for the first time since 1974, this is the sequel to the classic 1973 Bongo Rock, which became a foundation of rap and popular music, up to the present day. This LP has been sampled by Bentley Rhythm Ace, Fatboy Slim, Macy Gray, Group Home and Koushik. Also reproduced on heavyweight 180g vinyl and in top-quality Japanese sleeves.

TOM GUARNA - RUSH

Brooklyn born and raised guitarist/composer Tom Guarna is a musician's musician, a stellar talent who can seemingly play anything, and play it brilliantly. His fluid lines, creative chord-voicings, captivating tone, and profound solos have made him a first-call musician for the likes of Manuel Valera and New Cuban Express (in the band nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award), Blood Sweat and Tears, Wallace Roney, Branford Marsalis, Randy Brecker, Lenny White, the late Mulgrew Miller, Billy Hart, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Greg Hutchinson, John Benitez, Joe Locke, E.J. Strickland and many, many others.

And yet, his prolific sideman work is only half of the story. After five acclaimed recordings under his own name, Guarna recently experienced yet another deluge of inspiration, and the result is his highly anticipated new recording, Rush, to be released on February 25, 2014, on the intrepid, indy-label, Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records. Guarna explains, "Rush was inspired by the sudden burst of creativity that can sometimes overtake you, inspiring you to seize the moment and engage in the creative process. I am always composing and conceptualizing new music, but the recording of this album followed a particularly inspired time when it seemed that I couldn't write the music fast enough. So 'rush' really best describes the excitement and joy I experienced when working on the music for this project."

  

Rush features Danny Grissett on piano & Fender Rhodes; "I first played with Danny in bassist Richie Goods group. We did a European tour and also played some gigs in the states. I had been a fan of his playing prior to working with him. Danny has a beautiful touch that creates a beautiful tone. That combined with his great feel and harmonic sense made him the first person I thought of when I decided to record. Joel Frahm on soprano & tenor saxophones; Joel recorded on my third Steeplechase recording titled Wingspan. He has a great sound and beautiful harmonic concept. Orlando Le Fleming on bass; I first met Orlando while I was at The New School. We played together in various groups over the years, and I always loved his sound and feel. And, Johnathan Blake on drums; Johnathan and I first played together in George Colligan's group. I love the way Johnathan can shape a song. His use of colors and how loose his feel can be while still achieving accuracy.

Highlights on Rush include the title track, which opens with Guarna instantly building up anticipation with a propulsive riff before the band dives in with the soaring melody. This tune is about experiencing a burst of creativity and the "rush" to seize the moment before it passes. Up next is the driving rhythm and serpentine melody of "Beringia", named after the land bridge that once connected Siberia to Alaska. It is believed that this bridge may have allowed ancient people to migrate to America. "The song is inspired by the feeling these travelers may have felt", said Guarna. "Dreamland", which finds the band taking Guarna's counterpoint melody and running with it, creating an emotive ballad, with a swinging section in three, evokes the feeling of being partially asleep but still somewhat awake at the same time. The song captures the peaceful feeling that can be experienced while in this state. "'Shambleau' is the name of a short story written by C.L. Moore in the 1930's. Shambleau is a medusa like creature that drains the life force of men. This song was written immediately after I finished this story", explained Guarna. "Elegy for Etan" is in memory of Etan Kalil Patz, who was six years old when he disappeared while walking to catch his school bus two blocks from his New York City home in 1979. "If you grew up in NYC around the time this happened, you saw his picture everywhere. He was the first person to have his photo on milk cartons, and there was an enormous search for him. Heartbreaking", Guarna reminisced. Guarna explains the tune "Movement and Repose", "While writing this song, those two words seemed to best describe the architecture of the composition. The song moves through many tonal centers before arriving at the middle section, which evokes a brief sense of rest. Then it quickly returns to that driving sense of urgency, hopefully creating a nice ebb and flow to the song." "Forgiveness", is a burning tune (Guarna's solo here is an album highlight) that was inspired by the process of forgiving that leads you through a series of emotions, enabling one to eventually let go of any hurt and negative energy. "This song was written while going through this process", said the guitarist. The band truly shines, and shows how big their ears are, on the album's closer, "High Plains" written by Guarna with the state of Montana in mind. He explains, "having spent some time hiking there, the beauty of the varying landscapes was quite overwhelming to me. It reminds me of the importance to preserve nature."

"Although the music was not written for anyone specific, they all played the music as if I had written it with them in mind, they definitely took ownership of the music as musicians of this caliber always do! I knew that if I had all of these guys together, that we would create a really nice group sound. I am very pleased with the result, to say the least!", said Guarna.

DANILO PEREZ - PANAMA 500

In 1513, Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama, becoming the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean and founding the first permanent European settlement in the Americas. Those events continue to resonate five centuries later as Panama celebrates the landmark anniversary. On his new Mack Avenue release Panama 500, favorite son Danilo Pérez adds his voice to the tributes with a stunning portrait of his native land, its storied history, rich culture and fierce struggles.

  

Panama 500 is Pérez' most ambitious project to date, the furthest evolution yet of what the pianist/composer calls "three-dimensional music." His blend of influences makes him the ideal musical chronicler of his country's history: already a land bridge between the Americas with a vibrant indigenous culture, Panama also began to absorb European culture into its own following Balboa's arrival. Pérez similarly weaves together jazz and Pan-American folkloric traditions with influences from European classical music.

  

"I have been working for years to make music that has an identity very similar to the role that Panama plays in the world," Pérez says. "It's a place where a lot of influences from all over the world come together."

  

Pérez refers to Balboa's arrival as a "rediscovery," a word that succinctly encapsulates both the importance of his accomplishment and the controversy inherent in European colonization. As he traces Panama's evolution over the 12 tracks on Panama 500, he gives literal voice to the indigenous Guna Indians of Panama, who provide intermittent narration to lend their own perspective on that history.

As Harvard professor Davíd Carrasco writes in his liner notes, "The magical performances in this album emerge from the encounters of indigenous shamans, Spanish migrants of desire, the human agony of African slaves, multicultural love, and transcendent improvisations on agony and love."

  

To realize his expansive vision for this music, Pérez pulled together a host of musicians from his various endeavors. The album features both of his longest-running rhythm sections-trio mates Ben Street and Adam Cruz; as well as bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade, with whom Pérez works in the acclaimed Wayne Shorter Quartet. "There's a specific spectrum of language that I've developed with both trios," Pérez says. "With Ben and Adam, we use Latin American vocabularies to connect closer with jazz and to expand on the idea of clave. And with John and Brian, it's that language that we've developed playing with Wayne over the years that is indescribable. There's a zero-gravity component to it, where things come out of nowhere."

The rhythmic density is compounded throughout Panama 500 by percussionists from three different countries: Roman Díaz from Cuba, Rogério Boccato from Brazil; and Milagros Blades and Ricaurte Villarreal from Panama. The classical influence, as well as evidence of Pérez' commitment to education, arrives in the form of violinist Alex Hargreaves, a former student of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, the globally-minded program for which Pérez serves as artistic director. Additionally, the album features guest cellist Sachi Patitucci on one track.

"More than focusing on rediscovery we should focus on celebrating our histories, our stories, our music, our culture," Pérez concludes. "My vision is to create music that serves as a cultural passport, hopefully with Panama as the bridge of the world."

Upcoming Danilo Pérez Tour Dates:

** February 6-9 / Jazz Standard / New York, NY

** February 11-12 / Blues Alley / Washington, DC

** February 15-16 / Scullers Jazz Club / Boston, MA

** March 9-23 / European Tour / TBA

*** May 9 / Miami International Jazz Festival / Miami, FL

May 22 / SFJAZZ (special guest w/ Miguel Zenon) / San Francisco, CA

*** August 1 / Deer Isle Jazz Festival / Stonington, ME

August 3 / Newport Jazz Festival (w/ Ben Street, Adam Cruz & Roman Diaz) / Newport, RI

  

** = w/ Ben Street, Adam Cruz, Roman Diaz and Alex Hargreaves / *** = w/ Ben Street & Adam Cruz

daniloperez.com