SONY MUSIC SECURES GLOBAL RIGHTS TO ENTIRE PHILADELPHIA INT'L RECORDS CATALOG

NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Music Entertainment has completed a historic deal with Philadelphia International Records, securing global ownership of all recordings made for PIR, the groundbreaking hit-making label founded by music icons Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971.

The landmark deal adds all post-1975 PIR recordings to the PIR titles already owned by SME, reuniting the entirety of the Philadelphia International Recordings catalog under a single global licensing and reissue entity.

In late 2013, Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of SME, made a number of PIR titles available in the digital realm, including Essentials collections by The O'Jays, Teddy Pendergrass and Lou Rawls as well as various artists anthologies—Golden Gate Groove: The Sound of Philadelphia in San Francisco and The Sound of Philadelphia: Gamble & Huff's Greatest Hits—mapping the breadth of the Sound of Philadelphia, one of the most influential and abiding catalogs of soul/pop music ever recorded.

In 2014, Legacy will be offering a series of new physical and digital releases created from the PIR catalog including a definitive Philadelphia International Records box, budget single artist anthology titles, 12" and 7" vinyl replica collectibles and more.

The first round of these new PIR titles will be released in the UK on April 21, 2014 and will include single CD best-of collections from Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls, The Three Degrees, The Intruders, The O'Jays, Billy Paul and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes to be issued on the Camden line.

The UK PIR spring launch will center on the release of a 20 CD Philadelphia International Records box set containing:

1.Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

2.Back Stabbers – The O'Jays

3.360 Degrees of Billy Paul – Billy Paul

4.Save The Children – The Intruders

5.The Three Degrees - The Three Degrees

6.Ship Ahoy – The O'Jays

7.Love Is The Message – MFSB

8.Keep Smilin' - Bunny Sigler

9.Wake Up Everybody – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

10.All Things In Time – Lou Rawls

11.Life On Mars - Dexter Wansel

12.The Jacksons – the Jacksons

13.Teddy Pendergrass – Teddy Pendergrass

14.Jean Carn – Jean Carn

15.The Jones Girls - Jones Girls 

16.Edwin Birdsong - Edwin Birdsong 

17.McFadden and Whitehead – McFadden and Whitehead

18.When You Hear Lou You've Heard It All – Lou Rawls

19.I'm In Love Again – Patti LaBelle

20.Life is A Song Worth Singing – Teddy Pendergrass

Each title in the lift-top box comes in a sleeve replicating the original album artwork.

About Philadelphia International Records and Gamble and Huff:

Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International Records became birthplace, incubator and launching pad for the Philly Soul sound aka " The Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP)", which was a unique blend of R&B rhythms, sweet soul vocals, deep funk grooves, pulsing horn charts and lush string arrangements with melodic structures combining elements of pop, jazz and world music.

With a stable core of artists led by the O'Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, MFSB and the Three Degrees, Gamble & Huff co-founded Philadelphia International Records and began creating monster hits from nearly the first day of its inception in 1971 and continued to record,collaborate and produce major hits with a galaxy of stars from the pop, rock, soul and jazz universes, including Michael Jackson and the Jacksons, Elton John, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, the Spinners, the Stylistics, the Delfonics, Dusty Springfield, Jerry Butler, Wilson Pickett, LaBelle, Archie Bell & the Drells, the Soul Survivors, Laura Nyro, the Trammps, McFadden & Whitehead, Phyllis Hyman and Grover Washington Jr and many more.

The label produced some of the world's greatest hit songs such as " Love Train", "If You Don't Know Me by Now", "For The Love Of Money,""Don't Leave Me This Way," "Me and Mrs Jones", "Enjoy Yourself," "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," "Only the Strong Survive" "You'll Never Find a Love Like Mine" "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now" and "TSOP" (better known as the "Soul Train" theme) and many other Top ten Billboard hits over the past 50 years. The PIR Catalog has some of the most sampled R&B catalogue in the world, appearing on recordings by artists such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mary J Bli. Blige, Destiny Child, Usher, T.I., Chrisette Michele, Cam'ron, Ja Rule, Jaheim, Avant and many more.

Legendary producers and songwriters Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff (Gamble & Huff) are among the most prolific professional songwriters of all time, having written and produced over 3,500 songs within 50 years, an output rivaling such famed songwriting teams as Lennon-McCartney, Jagger-Richards and Holland-Dozier-Holland. They are enshrined in American "fabric of music" with a massive catalogue that includes numerous pop #1 hits, R&B #1 hits, 100 gold and platinum records that have resulted in Grammy and BMI Songwriter Awards.

As one of the most requested Sync Licensing Catalogues, the PIR/Gamble Huff recordings and songs have been featured prominently in television programs ("The Apprentice," "Cold Case"), films ("American Hustle," "The Nutty Professor") and advertising spots (Verizon, Chevrolet, Coors Light, Old Navy, The Gap, Office Max) for more than 30 years, Gamble & Huff's songs have entered the musical DNA of contemporary culture. In fact, one of their songs is played on the radio somewhere in the world every 13.5 minutes.

Gamble & Huff  have been prestigiously inducted and honored by several Music Halls of Fame including the Grammy-National Academy of  Recording Arts and Sciences Trustees, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Producers Hall of Fame, Dance Music Hall of Fame, R & B Hall of Fame, Dance Music Hall of Fame . In 2008, Gamble & Huff were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the first recipients of the newly created Ahmet Ertegun Award. These music icons are recognized around the world for their contribution to the entire fabric of popular music, joining luminaries like Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones, George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin, The Beatles, and Frank Sinatra.

In 2005, Gamble & Huff appeared on American Idol in a show devoted entirely to their music and in 2010 were presented honorary doctor of music degrees from Berklee College of Music.

Their songs also have been covered by a myriad of artists including Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Bette Midler, Michael Buble, Martina McBride, Seal, Simply Red, Johnny Mathis, Lesley Gore, Donny & Marie, Thelma Houston, the Brand New Heavies and recently, Rod Stewart, who sings four Gamble & Huff classics on his 2009 album, Soulbook.

Gamble & Huff  created and are credited for launching one of the most celebrated and historic songwriting partnerships that spawned into a sophisticated sound lovingly crafted in the studio by some of the 20th century's most influential producers and studio teams -- including Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, Thom Bell, Linda Creed, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead, Bunny Sigler, Dexter Wansel, Bobby Martin, MFSB Orchestra, Baker, Harris and Young, Joe Tarsia (Sigma Sound) and others -- Philly Soul set the stage for disco, smooth jazz, adult contemporary music and more.

Gamble and Huff will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary starting in the fall of 2014 with their projected release of their Autobiographical Book and the 2015 launch of their Theatrical Play on their historic Life Story and creation of one of America's great music catalogues  known as "The Sound of Philadelphia".

www.legacyrecordings.com

www.gamble-huffmusic.com

www.tsopsoulradio.com

 ~ Legacy Recordings

GUITARIST OSCAR PEÑAS DISPLAYS DIVERSE CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON NEW CD - MUSIC OF DEPARTURES AND RETURNS

Catalan guitarist, composer and bandleader Oscar Peñas´ fourth album and second release in the United States, Music of Departures and Returns, includes a Brazilian choro and a tribute to flamenco master Paco de Lucia; a jazz standard and a classic from the Cuban Nueva Trova songbook; and music by the great Catalonian composer Frederic Mompou. Yet this is neither a music sampler nor a showcase of Peñas´ talents in different settings and styles.

"This is more or less who I am. I'm not trying to push boundaries, prove anything or show off in any way," explains Peñas. "It's a collection of pieces, some mine, some by other composers that I have always admired, that I felt had a common mood, a certain sound that reflects my personality and where I come from."

  

Music of Departures and Returns features his quartet, comprised of his long-standing rhythm section featuring six-string electric bassist Moto Fukushima, drummer Richie Barshay, and violinist Sara Caswell. The band is augmented by special guests such as bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding, reedman Paquito D'Rivera and pianist, producer and arranger Gil Goldstein who appears on accordion.

  

Born in Barcelona, Peñas began his career in music studying classical guitar as a child. He graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music and later earned a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from New England Conservatory before settling Brooklyn. He arrived at his musical discoveries step by step.

"I started to explore jazz a bit out of boredom. As a teenager (and still is the case) it was more appealing to me to pick up my own melodies within a style and interact with other musicians than spend hours of solitude trying to perfect a technical dexterity and devote my youth to learn a repertoire by others. Discoveries and interests come sometimes erratically... listening to Pat Metheny's Letter from Home or Wayne Shorter's Native Dancer you end up coming across Toninho Horta, Gismonti or Milton [Nascimento] and their music opens doors to a sea of possibilities, that's how I learned about chore.

 "I didn't study choro, but listened to a lot of them and love Pixinguinha and Guinga. If you ask a purist, maybe he won't approve of the form or the harmonies of  'Paquito's Choro,' but this is my unpretentious take on it."

As for the recording of the track, which demands a virtuoso performance by the clarinetist, Peñas recalls that at the end of the recording, the irrepressible D´Rivera, a superior player and an excellent reader, quipped, "I don´t know if you wrote this for me or against me."

Being from Barcelona, many would expect a strong flamenco influence and some sort of flamenco-jazz fusion in Peñas' music. He did include a flamenco-tinged piece in his previous album, but he says, while he "grew up with the sound of flamenco around, I never sat down to analyze it or study it. Mine is not an academic approach. I'm no expert. I just let it seduce me and wash over me."

In "Paco," his tribute to guitarist Paco de Lucia, who has marked a before and after in modern flamenco, Peñas features violin and electric guitar, and the 6/8 rhythm evokes the feel of flamenco but again, from a personal perspective, never attempting to mimic or make an explicit reference to De Lucia´s playing. 

But in Music of Departures and Returns Peñas features other composer´s songs for the first time in his recorded work and the choices often speak to personal experiences. Such is the case for "Rabo de Nube," a standard from the Cuban Nueva Trova songbook. At home, as a child, Peñas remembers hearing singer/songwriters "more than anything else including classical music, jazz or pop -- and that's how I'm familiar with [Cuban singer songwriter] Silvio Rodríguez," he explains. "I love 'Rabo de Nube,' and it's a tune that has been played in jazz by Charles Lloyd, Charlie Haden and Danilo Pérez among others." Featuring Spalding's delicate but expressive singing, Peñas approaches the song with a driving energy and at a faster pace than usual.

"The Everyday Struggle," showcasing Caswell's violin and Goldstein's accordion, speaks to his fascination with tango, hinting at the genre´s Vieja Guardia (Old Guard) sound and the old European take, adding jazz-style improvisation, still something unusual in tango. Peñas knew the music of Argentine New Tango master Astor Piazzolla, but while at Berklee he met a bandoneón player who taught him a lot about the music's history and other players. 

As for "Canço No 6," by Frederic Mompou, a Catalonian 20th century composer, not only does Peñas know his music well but he remembers being a little kid and "hearing a bit of a piece by Mompou as a theme for the TV news." But approaching Mompou (1893-1987) was no easy decision. "I was a bit hesitant because not long ago there was big celebration of Mompou and there were a lot of things done with and about his music. But finally I decided to close the album with it -- but without any soloing. We discussed opening [the piece] up for improvisations and finally we decided it was just beautiful as is and we just had to play the melody as it's written. So we tweaked a few things but I believe we respected Mompou's spirit."

As for incorporating all these influences, "there was never a grand plan," he says. "I've been finding music and what I liked, I researched it and add it to my music. I was not born here and I did not grow up here. I like these different styles as much or more than bebop. Settling in NYC was a kind of wake-up call as I realized that in order to break through in the most vibrant scene on the planet I had to be honest and that meant digging into my own culture to find a personal voice."

Upcoming Oscar Peñas Tour Dates:

March 28 / The Side Door / Old Lyme, CT

April 18 / BAMcafé / Brooklyn, NY

November 7 / Strathmore / Bethesda, MD

Oscar Peñas ·  Music of Departures and Returns ·  Release Date: April 15, 2014

oscarpenas.com

NEW RELEASES: TARRUS RILEY - LOVE SITUATION; BOBBY WOMACK - FACTS OF LIFE; INTERNET - FEEL GOOD

TARRUS RILEY - LOVE SITUATION

Love Situation, the latest album from reggae superstar Tarrus Riley, has debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae chart this week. The album was released independently on February 4th in a partnership between JukeBoxx Records, Cannon Productions, BSMG and Zojak World Wide. Along with its debut on the #1 spot on Billboard's reggae chart, the album has also been steady at #1 on the iTunes reggae chart for the last week. Reviews of the album have been excellent, and Riley and his band are currently on tour in the United States performing to enthusiastic crowds in the western states. Pat Meschino of Billboard Magazine stated, "Tarrus Riley's Love Situation is a stunning tribute to Jamaican rock steady as well as a landmark career recording. The use of classic Jamaican rhythms, which are given renewed luster through the immaculate production of Dean Fraser and Shane Brown, as well as the artist's superb, deeply affecting singing and songwriting yields an irresistible album that may finally bring Tarrus and by extension, contemporary Jamaican reggae, a much deserved, widespread audience throughout North America." The overwhelming response to Love Situation is a testament to the power of high-quality, professionally produced reggae music.

BOBBY WOMACK - FACTS OF LIFE

Bobby Womack at the height of his powers – perfectly balancing southern soul roots and 70s soul polish – with an amazing sound that was unlike anyone else at the time! The set was recorded at Muscle Shoals, but has a quality that goes way beyond any of the standard modes from the studio – almost as if Bobby brought a special sort of magic to the sessions that made everyone rise above the sometimes too-familiar work they were giving to the bigger names who were traipsing through the studio. Of course, a big part of the success of the album comes from Womack's amazing vocal delivery – that style that's raspy, yet warm – and which is a perfect fit for the well-penned tunes on the set. Titles include "I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You", "Nobody", "If You Can't Give Her Love Give Her Up", and a very cool version of "The Look Of Love". ~, Dusty Groove

INTERNET - FEEL GOOD

Bubbling avant soul from The Internet – aka Syd The Kid & Matt Martian – who really step up their game on Feel Good! Syd has developed strongly as a singer – with a light, breathy touch that's a warmly welcoming foil to some of the more abstract production touches. That said, it's never too loose or abstract on the production tip– with a focus on tighter songcraft, and featuring solid guest appearances by singers Yuna Zanai, Tay Walker, Jesse Boykins III and more. They're now recording for Columbia, but The Internet is working in a very strong indie soul mode here – and like Frank Ocean, they're at the top of the line of Odd Future alums we feel best about. Includes "Sunset" feat Yuna Zarai, "Dontcha", "You Don't Even Know" with Tay Walker, "Pupil I The Patience", "Red Balloon", "Cloud Of Our Own", "Runnin'" feat Tay Walker, "Shadow Dance", "Wanders Of The Mind" feat Mac Miller, "Higher Times" with Jesse Boykins III and more. ~ Dusty Groove 

DOM LA NENA - ELA POR ELES REMIXES

Brazilian born cellist/vocalist Dom La Nena's diverse musical background comes in part from having roots in Brazil, Argentina and France. Her self-produced Golondrina EP, released last fall, featured an eclectic collection of cover songs from The National, Lhasa de Sela and Stephan Eicher, giving listeners a glimpse into the range of her musical influences.

Now, in the wake of Golondrina and her acclaimed debut album Ela, on February 11th Six Degrees Records will release a collection of remixes titled Ela por Eles ("Ela by them"), featuring 7 tracks from Ela remixed by Kassin, Arturo en el Barco, Jeremy Sole, Joey Altruda, Mario Caldato and more. 

Her latest project turned out to be a challenge in terms of letting go of artistic control and handing the reins to someone else. Dom says of the experience,  "The idea of having my songs remixed by other producers/musicians, playing them in their way, turned out to be quite an interesting excercise... to not have any control over the arrangements, to allow the songs to ‘live and grow' without me, this was something so unfamiliar to what I am accustomed to, it made me want to try it."

Inspired by Dom La Nena's creative curiosity, Ela por Eles is an exercise in seeing what would happen if her songs were remixed and approached from other artists' perspectives. The opening track, "Menina Dos Olhos Azuis" as remixed by Piers Faccini (who co-produced Dom's debut album Ela) is a perfect reflection of his own work as a singer songwriter who draws inspiration from West African and Mediterranean music. 

The EP also features remixes by fellow Brazilians Mario Caldato and Kassin. Kassin, who is best known for his groundbreaking trio, Kassin +2, re-imagines a darker, more electronic vision of "Ela", while producer and engineer Mario Caldato (known for his work engineering the Beastie Boys classic Pauls Boutique album, and co-producing Check Your Head, Ill Communication and Hello Nasty) brings a dreamy, rhythmic, pop sensibility to "No Meu Pais".

NEW RELEASES: FRANK LACY & THE SMALLS LEGACY BAND - LIVE AT SMALLS; GEORGIA SOUL COUNCIL - THICKENS UPON STANDING; RODNEY GREEN QUARTET - LIVE AT SMALLS

FRANK LACY & THE SMALLS LEGACY BAND - LIVE AT SMALLS

One of the greatest albums we've ever heard from trombonist Frank Lacy – an artist who hardly ever takes the spotlight as a leader, but who really shines at the helm of this amazing set! The group has a depth of feeling that takes us back to some of Lacy's more spiritual projects of previous years – but they also swing with the solid, soulful groove of the best of the Smalls Live series – a perfect balance between Frank's arrangements and larger musical ideas, and all the spontaneous energy of the musicians in the venue! Players include Josh Evans on trumpet, Stacy Dilalrd on tenor, Theo Hill on piano, Rashaan Carter on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums – and tracks are all nice and long, in the best Smalls spirit. Titles include the Lacy originals "Stranded", "Carolyn's Dance", and "The Spirit Monitor" – plus versions of Freddie Hubbard's "Intrepid Fox", Joe Bonner's "Sunbath", and George Cables' "Think On Me".  © 1996-2014, Dusty Groove, Inc.

GEORGIA SOUL COUNCIL - THICKENS UPON STANDING

A fierce funky combo from Georgia – as you might guess from their name – one of the hardest-hitting soul acts we've heard from the contemporary Atlanta scene, and a group with a razor-sharp approach to their music all the way through! These guys hit right on the money right from the start – monstrous drums mixed with bass, guitar, and lots of Hammond and Fender Rhodes – topped with tight horns, in a groove that's mostly instrumental, but features the occasional chorus vocal from time to time. The vibe runs from late 60s small combo funk to a bit of early 70s as well – and the record's a raw treat that serves as a perfect introduction to the group. Titles include "Dutch Oven", "Snaggletooth", "Gatur Bait", "Hutchins", "Hip Shot", "Sauce", and "Soul Syrum". ~ Dusty Groove.

  

RODNEY GREEN QUARTET - LIVE AT SMALLS

Drummer Rodney Green leads a super-sharp combo here – a crack quartet with bold tenor from Seamus Blake, sensitive piano from Luis Perdomo, and warm work on bass from Joe Sanders. Blake really gets plenty of room to roam around on the album's long tracks – which are a perfect showcase for his dark-toned solo lines – blown here in a very personal, spontaneous way, which often fits the energy of Green's drums. As with other Smalls Live sets, there's a quality here that goes way beyond studio recordings by the players – and titles include "The Citadel", "Believer", "Camden", "Percy's Delight", "Ludus Tonalis", and "Painting In The Dark". ~ Dusty Groove

LOVE SUPREME JAZZ FESTIVAL ADDS JAMIE CULLUM, GREGORY PORTER, SOUL II SOUL, LAURA MVULA, ALICE RUSSELL

There will be over 50 acts at Love Supreme from July 4 – 6, 2014. The first main stage headliner is Jamie Cullum. With a Grammy, two Golden Globe, two BRIT, GQ Music Man of the Year, Sony Radio Award and numerous other award nominations under his belt, Jamie Cullum is the most successful UK jazz artist ever.the most successful UK jazz artist ever.

Also appearing will be double Brit-nominated breakthrough star of 2013 Laura Mvula and the legendary Soul II Soul (featuring a full live band and original vocalist Caron Wheeler) who will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the legendary Club Classics Vol. 1.

Making his triumphant return to Love Supreme after his unforgettable set in 2013 is the magnificent Gregory Porter performing songs from his Grammy-winning Liquid Spirit album.

Making their Love Supreme debut are some of the finest players in modern Jazz. There‘s the new electric project Dave Holland’s Prism, from the award winning bass player. Plus the breath-taking Christian McBride Trio which sees McBride lead a trio for the first time. Joining these jazz heavyweights is Curtis Stigers who has transformed from a pop-rock arena headliner to full-blooded jazz singer.

Returning with his House of Legends tour, complete with a few surprises just for us, is the champion of UK Jazz, Courtney Pine and continuing their Grammy victory lap is the electrifying Brooklyn-based Snarky Puppy.

Also confirmed are some of the most exciting artists mixing up jazz with soul, R'n'B and hip hop. Brighton native Alice Russell has taken her staggering voice across the Atlantic and back with great success; Jose James has been blending jazz & hip-hop since his debut album in 2008 and Derrick Hodge has stepped out from his time in the Robert Glasper Experiment and forged his own path culminating in last year's 'Live Today' album.

Completing the line-up are the ambient Hidden Orchestra, the Mercury nominated Polar Bear, garage-soul types The Computers and the wonderful vocalists Cecilia Stalin and Chloe Charles. 

CURTIS STIGERS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM HOORAY FOR LOVE, APRIL 29, 2014, ON CONCORD RECORDS

Curtis Stigers is set to release his eleventh album “Hooray For Love,” April 29, 2014, his eighth for Concord Records. The album includes classics from the Great American Songbook including such gems from the repertoire as George and Ira Gershwin’s “Love is Here to Stay,” Jerome Kern’s “The Way You Look Tonight,” and “If I Were A Bell,” from Guys and Dolls, as well as three songs written or co-written by Stigers, including the title track, “Hooray For Love,” “Give Your Heart to Me,” and “A Matter of Time.” Of his new album, Stigers comments, “On almost all of my Concord records, I’ve done a standard or two and lot of songs by modern songwriters.  This time around, I’ve flipped it and recorded mostly standards with a few modern songs.”

A seamless combination of old and new songs, a classic pop album recorded with jazz musicians and a jazz sensibility, Hooray for Love is a celebration of this universal human condition. “I set out for this album to be like an old Nat King Cole record from the 50’s. I’ve had a lot of people ask me to do more standards, not critics or record companies, but friends. So, I had a running list of songs that I love and have always wanted to record. This time it really made sense.”

As with most of Stigers’ recordings, he is very comfortable juxtaposing standards with modern songs. In addition to the songs penned by Stigers, Hooray for Love also includes a Steve Earle song called “Valentine’s Day,” included because, as Stigers notes, “I like songs with stories that are told from a point of view of someone that is flawed, and this narrator is, although he ultimately redeems himself with some very romantic wordplay.  I think that, while it’s important to keep the Great American Songbook alive, it’s equally important to be open to adding to it.”

One of the tracks on the album, “You Make Me Feel So Young,” made famous by Frank Sinatra features the up and coming French chanteuse, Cyrille Aimée. “Cyrille is a wonderful singer who’s in her 20s and I’m in my late 40s so it really works – throughout the track she laughs and pokes fun of me for being old and it’s kind of like an old movie, like a Spencer Tracy / Kate Hepburn kind of thing.”  Another track on the album, “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” which Stigers learned from a recording by Tony Bennett and jazz pianist Bill Evans, reveals a different perspective on love.

“The guy in this song clearly has been in love and knows what love is, and perhaps he’s still in love, but he’s lost her. That’s what makes it so heartbreaking. My favorite line is: ‘You don’t know how hearts burn for love that cannot live but never dies.’ It takes my breath away.” 

Recorded at Brooklyn Recording studio Hooray for Love was produced by Stigers and John “Scrapper” Sneider, and features musicians Matthew Fries (piano), Keith Hall (drums), Cliff Schmitt (bass), Matt Munisteri (guitar), and Sneider (trumpet).

Hooray For Love Tracklisting:

Love Is Here to Stay (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin)

Valentine’s Day (Steve Earle)

You Make Me Feel So Young featuring Cyrille Aimée (Josef Myrow/Mack Gordon)

Hooray for Love (Curtis Stigers/John Sneider)

The Way You Look Tonight (Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields)

Give Your Heart to Me (Curtis Stigers)

That’s All (Alan Brandt/Bob Haymes)

A Matter of Time (Matthew Fries/Curtis Stigers/David Poe)

If I Were A Bell (Frank Loesser)

You Don’t Know What Love Is (Don Raye/Gene de Paul)

~ Concord Records 

2014 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL TO BE BROADCAST ON AXS TV

AXS TV continues its commitment to being TV's home for live music festivals, announcing today that it will be the official broadcaster of the 2014 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell. The network has acquired the rights to air the Festival live, for the second consecutive year with StubHub returning as the Official Broadcast Partner. The 2014 four-day live broadcast will feature performances from a Powerhouse Line Up of Musicians Including Christina Aguilera, Santana, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, The String Cheese Incident, John Fogerty and many more...

Presenting its 45th annual Festival, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival—or Jazz Fest—is a wildly popular event that attracts over 400,000 visitors each year, as some of music's biggest names come together to celebrate the culture and passion of the Big Easy. AXS TV will be on-site at Jazz Fest, with plans to telecast over 24 hours of live coverage from Thursday, May 1 through Sunday, May 4. This is an historic undertaking for both the network and the Festival, as it will be the first four-day live music broadcast in television history. The complete dates of the 2014 Jazz Fest are April 25 – May 4.

Much like Jazz Fest itself, the 2014 AXS TV broadcast will feature performances by a wide array of the most popular names in music.  The schedule of the entire broadcast will be released in the coming weeks, but the musical stars already confirmed to take part in the TV telecast include: Christina Aguilera, Santana, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters,

The String Cheese Incident, John Fogerty, Alabama Shakes, Boz Scaggs, The Avett Brothers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, and John Hiatt

"At Jazz Fest 2013, we brought together a fantastic lineup of artists. Many of their memorable performances at the Festival live on even now through the AXS TV 'Best of the Fest' special," said Quint Davis, Jazz Fest producer and director. "This year, our 45th Anniversary Festival, the stars really aligned, and an historic moment awaits us all in presenting to the world, both live and over AXS TV, the deepest and most exciting Festival line up ever. Truly a wish list come true. Extending the unique Jazz Fest festival atmosphere to anyone who can't be there in person, makes all of us extremely proud that these once-in-a-lifetime performances, and the unique total experience of the Festival itself, will reach across the nation through AXS TV's 24 hours of live broadcasts."

"As the home for music festivals on TV, we are thrilled to be the official broadcaster of Jazz Fest for the second consecutive year. To be able to bring Jazz Fest's unbelievable musical performances into the homes of our 42 million TV household audience is truly an honor and exceptional experience," said Mark Cuban, AXS TV founder.

The 2013 Festival was a major success for AXS TV, with over five million households tuning in to the broadcast. The network delivered over 30 hours of live Jazz Fest coverage, giving viewers the best seat in the house for the groundbreaking event. AXS TV gives viewers the chance to relive the defining moments from the 44th Annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT when it airs BEST OF NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL 2013. The special features a diverse group of artists spanning a variety of musical genres and eras, boasting award-winning headliners such as Billy Joel, Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Maroon 5, Willie Nelson, Allen Toussaint, Cowboy Mouth, and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.

~ AXS TV

BLUES FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2014 BLUES HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

During the first 34 years of the Blues Hall of Fame balloting, only one saxophonist, Louis Jordan, was elected. The Year of the Saxophonist has come, however, in 2014, as three sax men--Big Jay McNeely, Eddie Shaw, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson--blow their way into the Blues Hall.  Two other performers--Mississippi hill country patriarch R.L. Burnside and the intense and inimitable Robert Pete Williams—will also be inducted in May.

Among the other individuals to be recognized by The Blues Foundation for their behind-the-scenes contributions: The Rosebud Agency's manager and booking agent par excellence Mike Kappus, Houston music mogul and label owner Don Robey, and prolific Chicago record producer and writer Dick Shurman.

The book Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke by Peter Guralnick is the literature entry into the Blues Hall of Fame this year. This is Peter's fourth book inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

These albums are being honored: Hawk Squat (Delmark, 1969) by J.B. Hutto and Moanin' in the Moonlight (Chess, 1959) by Howlin' Wolf.

The following singles will be inducted during the ceremony: "After Hours"  by Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra (Bluebird, 1940); "Catfish Blues" by Robert Petway (Bluebird, 1941); "High Water Everywhere, Parts I & II" by Charley Patton (Paramount, 1930); "It's Tight Like That" by Tampa Red & Georgia Tom (Vocalion, 1928); and "Milk Cow Blues" by Kokomo Arnold (Decca, 1934).

Inductees' official biographies and descriptions are available, as well as all Hall of Fame inductees, at http://www.blues.org/halloffame/index.php.

The induction ceremony will be held Wednesday, May 7, at the Sheraton Memphis Downtown in Memphis, Tennessee, the night before the 35th Blues Music Awards. With living musicians like B.B. King and Buddy Guy, and legends like Muddy Waters and Koko Taylor, the Blues Hall of Fame consists of blues music's best and brightest stars.

The Blues Foundation is now in the final stages of raising the capital needed to showcase these legendary performers and their work with Blues Hall of Fame exhibits at its 421 S. Main headquarters in downtown Memphis. The Blues Hall of Fame will honor inductees year round, provide interactive and educational exhibits, and create a place for serious blues fans, casual visitors, and students to congregate, celebrate and learn more about the Blues. The Raise the Roof! campaign hopes to raise the remaining funds necessary to commence construction in June of this year.

On May 9, the night after the Blues Hall of Fame inductions, The Blues Foundation will present the Blues Music Awards for the 35th time. Performers, industry representatives and fans from around the world will celebrate the best in Blues recording, songwriting and performance from the previous year at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis.

For tickets and more information, visit www.blues.org.

Major funding is provided by ArtsMemphis and the Tennessee Arts Commission. The 35th Blues Music Awards and Blues Hall of Fame events are also sponsored by BMI, Catfood Records, Eagle Rock Entertainment, First Tennessee Foundation, Jontaar Creative Studios, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Sony/Legacy Records.

The Blues Foundation is Memphis-based, but world-renown as THE organization dedicated to preserving our blues music history, celebrating recording and performance excellence, supporting blues education and ensuring the future of this uniquely American art form. Founded in 1980, The Blues Foundation has 4000 individual members and 200 affiliated local blues societies representing another 50,000 fans and professionals around the world. Its signature honors and events--the Blues Music Awards, Blues Hall of Fame, International Blues Challenge and Keeping the Blues Alive Awards--make it the international center of blues music. Its HART Fund provides the blues community with medical assistance while its Sound Healthcare program offers musicians health insurance access. Blues in the Schools programs and Generation Blues scholarships expose new generations to blues music. Throughout the year, the Foundation staff serves the worldwide Blues community with answers, contact information and news.

Source: The Blues Foundation

CHUCK LOEB SIGNS WITH ARTISTWORKS FOR ONLINE JAZZ GUITAR SCHOOL

ArtistWorks, the leading interactive lifestyle social learning platform, today announced the signing of world renowned guitarist Chuck Loeb to teach jazz guitar utilizing ArtistWorks’ patent-pending Video Exchange™ Feedback platform.

Set to launch Spring 2014, the new Online Jazz Guitar School with Chuck Loeb will crack the code of jazz improvisation, making it easy for anyone to become the jazz player they always wanted to be. The new school will also be the first ArtistWorks school to offer the next level of education game-ification, making the learning experience even more immersive by adding another level of interactivity. Participation is voluntary and each member who successfully completes the fun “Ear Loeb” ear training quizzes will receive a badge that will be displayed on their profile.

The new online venture combines hundreds of high definition video lessons from all star guitarist Chuck Loeb with a thriving community of guitar players. Each player can submit their own practice videos and get personalized video feedback from Loeb. These Video Exchange interactions are paired together on the site and become new lessons unto themselves. All students can learn from these lessons as they form a constantly growing and evolving curriculum reflecting the interests of the community.

The combination of step-by-step lesson videos, Video Exchange feedback from Loeb himself and an ever growing library of Video Exchange lessons from the community is a remarkable new way to learn. Loeb’s approach to teaching jazz improvisation cuts through the complexity and breaks it down for players of all levels and experience to comprehend.

Chuck Loeb is one of the most musical guitarists in jazz. He studied early on with the legendary Jim Hall and graduated from the Berklee School of Music. Loeb boasts an impressive discography of solo releases, including six weeks at number one with his song “The Music Inside.” He spent time as the musical director for the Stan Getz group and toured with Metro featuring Michael Brecker Michael Mainieri, Peter Erskine and Victor Bailey. He is currently a member of Fourplay with Nathan East, Bob James, and Harvey Mason.

The new Online Jazz Guitar School with Chuck Loeb will cost $90 for three months, $150 for six months or $240 for six months unlimited access. For more information, visit ChuckLoebGuitar.com.

ArtistWorks currently offers schools from such world-class artists as: Paul Gilbert (rock guitar lessons), Martin Taylor (fingerstyle guitar lessons), Jason Vieaux (classical guitar lessons), Nathan East (electric bass lessons), John Patitucci (jazz bass lessons), Andreas Oberg (jazz guitar lessons), Jeannie Deva (singing lessons), Nathan Cole (violin lessons), Jeffrey Khaner (flute lessons), William Caballero (French horn lessons), David Bilger (trumpet lessons), Ricardo Morales (clarinet lessons), Howard Levy (harmonica lessons), DJ Qbert (DJ lessons), Christie Peery (piano lessons), Luis Conte (percussion lessons), as well as the ArtistWorks Academy of Bluegrass with Tony Trischka (banjo lessons), Missy Raines (double bass lessons), Bryan Sutton (flatpick guitar lessons), Andy Hall (Dobro lessons), Mike Marshall (mandolin lessons), Darol Anger (fiddle lessons), Free Acoustic Guitar Lessons with Scott Law, and Justin BUA (art lessons). For more information, visit ArtistWorks.com.

 

ERIC CARMEN - "THE ESSENTIAL ERIC CARMEN" FEATURES 30 TRACKS PLUS NEW MUSIC

Arista/Legacy Recordings has announced the release of The Essential Eric Carmen , a 30-track retrospective of the legendary singer/songwriter's four-and-a-half decade career. The two-disc set arrives in stores on March 25th and is available now for pre-order on iTunes (iTunes.com/EricCarmen). By pre-ordering you will receive the new track "Brand New Year" instantly. 

Remastered carefully from the original analog recordings by Grammy Award®-winning engineer Mark Wilder at New York City's Battery Studios, The Essential Eric Carmen reaches back to the Cleveland-based artist's first recordings out of the teenage garage and then travels through his unforgettable catalogue of hits, both with power pop icons Raspberries ("Go All The Way," "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)," "I Wanna Be With You") and as chart-dominating solo superstar ("All By Myself," "Never Gonna Fall In Love
," "She Did It," "Hungry Eyes," "Make Me Lose Control").

The Essential Eric Carmen also includes the sonically inspired and lyrically optimistic "Brand New Year," Carmen's first new recording in more than 15 years.  The track, which has received over 35K plays to date since its initial offering as a free download this past Christmas Eve, is streaming now at Legacy Recordings' official SoundCloud,

"It would be a mistake to think of this release as just another compilation," Carmen recently noted. "I can tell you that you have never really heard most of these songs until you've heard them on this package. It is the closest to what I envisioned for most of these 30 tracks that I have ever experienced."

The Essential Eric Carmen contemplates and highlights, for the first time in an engaging musically linear narrative, Carmen's entire recorded anthology, all marked by his oft-lauded pop craftsmanship as well as an instantly identifiable voice, equally capable of intimate crooning and raw-throated power. The collection gets off to an electrifying start with 1969's "Get The Message," making its very first digital debut in 45 years, one of the original three sides cut by Carmen's first signed band, Cyrus Erie, for Epic Records. Raspberries came together soon thereafter and immediately made an indelible and undoubtedly influential mark on rock 'n' roll. With Carmen at the helm, the band virtually invented the quintessentially American brand of power pop – big melodies, bounteous harmonies, and riff-driven crunch, all played with the amps turned up as far as they can go. The Essential Eric Carmen gathers some of the band's finest moments, from their million-selling debut, "Go All The Way," to a stellar take on "Ecstasy," recorded live at Los Angeles' House of Blues during 2005's sold out Raspberries Reunion Tour.

Carmen set off on his solo course upon Raspberries' 1975 demise, releasing Eric Carmen the same year to both critical acclaim and massive popular success. Highlighted by the chart-topping "All By Myself," the album bore witness to the scope of the classically-trained Carmen's talent, showcasing his gift for sophisticated ballads, literary lyricism, and immense vocal arrangements. Each record that followed – 1977's self-produced and intensely autobiographical Boats Against The Current, 1978's Change of Heart, 1980's Tonight You're Mine – offered new facets, touching on soul, classical, and the great American songbook. Melancholic and romantic, songs like "Nowhere To Hide" and "Desperate Fools" lay the foundation for the only now fully appreciated genre of soft rock.

Though his symphonic ballads define mid-70's pop, Carmen remained, at his core, a true rocker through and through. This fact is clearly demonstrated here by such high-energy tracks as "It Hurts Too Much," "Hey Deanie," and "Tonight You're Mine." This collection also features two previously unreleased, electric readings of  "That's Rock N' Roll" and Raspberries' "Starting Over," recorded in 1976 with his touring band at New York City's world-renowned Bottom Line.

Carmen continued to sculpt his ambitious pop-rock well into the next decade. 1984's second self-titled solo collection saw him team with Bob Gaudio, best known as the genius singer/songwriter/producer behind Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, while his recording of "Hungry Eyes" – featured on 1987's Dirty Dancing soundtrack – returned Carmen to his rightful place on the charts, reaching the top 5 on Billboard's "Hot 100," while helping propel the album to sales currently in excess of 32 million, one of the 10 biggest selling albums of all time.

Having spent much of the past two decades out of the spotlight, opting instead to comfortably 'retire' and focus on raising his children, Eric Carmen's musical return is perhaps most remarkable for its timelessness. "Brand New Year" ranks among the singer/songwriter's optimistic and insightful best, backed by longtime Beach Boys guitarist Jeffrey Foskett and members of the revered L.A. pop combo, The Wondermints.

Indeed, Carmen has surrounded himself with brilliant collaborators throughout his career, notably a long, prolific association with Raspberries producer Jimmy Ienner that continued through 1988's top 3 smash, "Make Me Lose Control." As solo singer/songwriter, Carmen was backed by a veritable who's-who of the era's premium players, including guitarists Andrew Gold, Danny Kortchmar, Richie Zito, Steve Lukather, Davey Johnstone; bassists Leland Sklar, Bob Glaub, and Dave Wintour, drummers Jeff Porcaro, Carmine Appice, Nigel Olsson, and Russ Kunkel; keyboardists Craig Doerge and Jai Winding, saxophonists Tom Scott and Bobby Keys, percussionist Paulinho diCosta; and the legendary conductor/arranger Paul Buckminster, not to mention harmonies and backing vocals from such friends as Burton Cummings, Curt Boettcher, and The Beach Boys' Bruce Johnston.

The Essential Eric Carmen compilation was produced by Legacy Recordings' Timothy J. Smith and overseen and advised by Eric Carmen, who also contributed original liner notes.

Legacy Recordings' critically acclaimed and globally successful Essential Series has set a worldwide standard with its vast catalog of career-spanning, chronologically sequenced, fully annotated collections, available as double-CD packages or digital downloads.

Disc One

1.Get The Message (w/ Cyrus Erie)+

2.Go All The Way (w/Raspberries)

3.I Wanna Be With You (w/Raspberries)

4.Let's Pretend (w/Raspberries)

5.Tonight (w/Raspberries)

6.Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) (w/Raspberries)

7.Sunrise

8.My Girl

9.All By Myself

10.Never Gonna Fall In Love Again

11.Last Night

12.Starting Over (Live 1976) *

13.That's Rock N' Roll (Live 1976) *

14.Run Away

15.Love Is All That Matters

Disc Two

1.Boats Against The Current

2.Marathon Man

3.She Did It

4.Nowhere To Hide

5.Change Of Heart

6.Hey Deanie

7.Desperate Fools

8.Someday

9.It Hurts Too Much

10.Tonight You're Mine

11.The Way We Used To Be

12.Hungry Eyes

13.Make Me Lose Control

14.Ecstasy (Live 2005) (w/Raspberries)

15.Brand New Year **

+ Previously Unreleased Digitally

* Previously Unreleased

** Previously Unreleased New Recording

http://www.legacyrecordings.com

CHRISTINE JENSEN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - HABITAT

Saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen's second album with her Jazz Orchestra marks a significant growth in her writing for large ensemble. Habitat (available March 11 on Justin Time Records) features six compositions, all with a deeply ingrained sense of place. "I always search for a theme in my writing," Jensen explains. "The only question is whether the theme comes out of the music or vice versa. This time, the music came from places, or the feelings and imagination of place."

For Jensen, the process of writing for large ensemble is a time-consuming one. "I average about two pieces a year," she admits, from the initial sketch to orchestration to revision after reading it through with the band. The compositions have now grown to be explicitly for the orchestra. Jensen achieves the fine balance of small group improvisation with large ensemble orchestration and melodic development, in the vein of her inspiration Bob Brookmeyer and her contemporary (and fellow McGill alumnus) Darcy James Argue.

  

Much of the band remains intact from the Juno award-winning Treelines, including featured trumpet soloist Ingrid Jensen, with a few key personnel changes. Rich Irwin assumes the drum chair here - "he's a studio drummer with a great sense of time, and he listens to every detail of the music," Jensen enthuses. The foundation of the band is in good hands with Irwin, returning bassist Fraser Hollins, low brass specialist David Martin, and Samuel Blais on baritone saxophone. "If the low end of the band is solid, the rest of the band shines." This mix of accuracy and familiarity with Jensen's music allowed Habitat to unfurl more quickly. "We only did two takes of almost everything," Jensen says, still in awe that a recording of this grandeur only took a day-and-a-half of studio time with the full orchestra.

  

The rapport between Christine and Ingrid Jensen is in full evidence on "Treelines," a 2010 commission from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. An episodic piece that seamlessly weaves its way from open improvisation to straight ahead swing, Ingrid serves as the pivot for each new section. "It's reflective of how we hang out together," Jensen says with a laugh. "In two hours we can cover a lot of ground, from serious music analysis to philosophy to goofing off with our kids." Given the sisters' busy schedule, Jensen has presented large ensemble concerts without Ingrid, allowing her to showcase more of the other impeccable soloists in the band, notably Chet Doxas' tenor feature on "Nishiyuu." "I consciously wanted to feature Chet, and I tried to capture the spirit of his playing within the piece," explains Christine. Other band members, including alto saxophonist Erik Hove and pianist John Roney, take the spotlight on "Intersection," a piece that predates Treelines.

One of Jensen's strengths as a large ensemble jazz composer is her ability to link contemporary harmonic language, as evidenced in the beautiful chorale writing on "Blue Yonder," with traditional big band structures and swing. "I grew up playing dance band music, and I'm probably the last generation to get to do that, where I sat in a section with people that taught me to play music from their era," Jensen recalls. "I've played the Basie and Glenn Miller books to death as a student. That music is in me." However, Jensen is also marked by a boundless curiosity, and her fascination with the brilliant forward motion Afro-Peruvian festejo rhythm is the basis for "Blue Yonder," a piece commissioned by UMass-Amherst. "My brother-in-law [drummer/percussionist] Jon Wikan likes to share his enthusiasm about certain rhythms that he studies, so we worked - a lot - on the festejo together." Jensen also cites Maria Schneider's "Bulería, Solea y Rumba" as an influential piece, for its use of Latin rhythms that are neither Cuban nor Brazilian in heritage.

Jensen features herself on soprano saxophone on the final track, "Sweet Adelphi," the lone piece on this album that has its roots as a small group tune that she and Ingrid have frequently performed. "Initially, I thought the Jazz Orchestra was just a project, but the band has taken on a life of its own. I now compose with the large ensemble in mind."

Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra - Habitat  - Release Date: March 11, 2014

ChristineJensenMusic.com

Justin-Time.com

    

NEW RELEASES: ZARA MCFARLANE - IF YOU KNEW HER; ISLAND RECORDS PRESENTS ROOTS: 37 ESSENTIAL ROOTS ANTHEMS; CATHERINE RUSSELL - BRING IT BACK

ZARA MCFARLANE - IF YOU KNEW HER

If You Knew Her is Zara McFarlane's follow-up album on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings. This new, emotionally charged body of work sees her blossoming as a lyrically conscious songwriter, cementing what her debut album Until Tomorrow revealed - an artist composing original songs, telling her own stories (a rarity among jazz singers), demanding attention for their daring brilliance. Over half the tracks are stripped bare, revealing Zara's voice in all its variety and subtlety. Leaving her full trio behind, she performs in different settings, most poignantly with just understated accompaniment from the dazzling pianist Peter Edwards or, as on the album's opening masterpiece, "Open Heart," with just bass and hang. Yet when she employs her full impressive band, magic is made. "Woman in the Olive Groves," one of the album's stand-out tracks, is a spellbinding thought-provoking song and a standard in the making. The albuma also includes some unexpected covers including a wonderful jazz reworking of "Police and Thieves," the Junior Murvin classic. ~ Giant Step

ISLAND RECORDS PRESENTS ROOTS: 37 ESSENTIAL ROOTS ANTHEMS

Righteous roots music from the vaults of Island Records – a host of mid 70s killers that were arguably the style of reggae that the label did best! The vibe here is positive and progressive all the way through – and the set list mixes classics with some lesser-known gems, including a number of tracks appearing here on CD for the first time ever! The music is some of the most spiritual to ever come from the Kingston scene - and titles include "Kude A Bamba" by Ras Midas, "Congo Man" by The Congos, "Africa" by Rico, "Freedom Song" by Third World, "Going Back To Ethiopia" by The Righteous Foundation, "Police & Thieves" by Junior Murvin, "Soul Fire" by Lee Scratch Perry, "Gold Spoon" by Hosbah Lawrence, "Dubbing Is A Must" by Pablo Moses, "Roots Man Reggae" by Zap Pow, "Jah Heavy Load" by Ijahman Levi, "Sons Of Garvey" by Joe Higgs, "Feel The Spirit" by The Wailing Souls, and "Real Ranking" by Trinity. ~ Dusty Groove

CATHERINE RUSSELL - BRING IT BACK

With Bring It Back, vocalist Catherine Russell digs deeper into a rich vein of musical treasures. Mining legendary collaborations between her father, Luis Russell and the great Louis Armstrong, Russell brings along her team from two previous chart-topping albums, the latest of which won the Prix du Jazz Vocal from L'academie du Jazz and Grand Prix du Hot Club de France. Gems from the jazz age and swing era, performed with new arrangements for ten-piece orchestra blend seamlessly with reinventions sourced from Blues icons Esther Phillips, Al Hibbler, Wynonie Harris and Little Willie John. Russell personifies the living heart and proud history of each song. ~ Amazon

JAZZ MEETS SPORTS WITH CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, BERNIE WILLIAMS, KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR AND OTHERS

Bernie Williams / Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center is proud to present Jazz Meets Sports, a special event connecting jazz artistry and athletic performance created by Artistic Advisor and GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist Christian McBride. This special one night only program will take place on Sunday, March 2 at 7:00PM in NJPAC's Victoria Theater.

McBride is set to perform with his trio, featuring pianist Christian Sands and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr., with baseball legend and Latin GRAMMY® nominated guitarist Bernie Williams. McBride will also moderate a conversation featuring Williams and NBA icon and ultimate jazz connoisseur, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Joining the bassist as a co-host of this Jazz Meets Sports conversation is CBS sportscaster Lesley Visser, the first and only woman enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"I wanted to find a way to combine my two passions in life. A lot of people aren't quite sure how the two relate, but the fact is when you have a group coming together trying to make something happen, it's all about teamwork. It's all about trusting one another. It's all about telepathy," explains McBride, who has also written for The Bleacher Report. "In that sense, sports and music are the exact same thing. Obviously, music doesn't rely on points to decide a victor, but the process is very much the same." McBride has served as artistic director to NJPAC's TD James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival for the last two years, and joined the arts center as a Jazz Advisor for the entire 2013-14 concert season and as curator for his own series of concerts.

The bassist isn't alone in recognizing the similarities between jazz and sports. Bernie Williams, co-author of Rhythms of the Game: The Link Between Music and Athletic Performance, had a celebrated 16-year career with the New York Yankees as a four-time World Series Champion and five-time All Star.

The MLB center fielder continued to pursue his passion for music with his debut album in 2003, The Journey Within, featuring fusions of jazz, rock, and tropical rhythms. His follow up album, Moving Forward, includes guest appearances by heavyweights including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Secada, Dave Koz, Wayman Tisdale, and more.

Six-time NBA Champion and 19-time NBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a "no-brainer," says McBride. "I met Kareem back in 1991, everyone knows what a jazz connoisseur he is and how much he's really gone out on a limb to listen to jazz and promote jazz and champion jazz."

The New York Times best-selling author has written six books, including his autobiography, Giant Steps, where the title pays homage to the legendary John Coltrane. Abdul-Jabbar is also a pop-culture columnist for Esquire.com and just launched his own sports memorabilia company, StarGuardCollectibles.com. Abdul-Jabbar also did a piece for JazzTimes.com on the connection between jazz and basketball.

Joining McBride as co-host is CBS Sports broadcaster Lesley Visser. "I met Lesley about 12 years ago at the Super Bowl. I was performing there with Sting and her dressing room was next to ours," recalls McBride. "She just has the greatest personality in the whole world. I'm very proud to know the only woman in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for her broadcasting legend."

In addition to his virtuosity as a bass player, Christian McBride is an educator, curator and composer-arranger. The Philadelphia-born musician has performed alongside a diverse set of luminaries including Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Natalie Cole, Pat Metheny, James Brown, Sting, Bruce Hornsby and Queen Latifah, among others.

"I have been the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's artistic advisor for their Jazz Series now for the last year, and as part of it's first season you want to do something unusual because at some point when your putting on concerts your going to start to get into the same routine, the same people are going to come up, the same process is going to come up, the same ideas are going to come up," explains McBride. "This is why it was important to me to think outside of the box and to see if I can do something with my two passions, jazz and sports."

Tickets may be purchased by telephone at 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1-888-466-5722), at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark (open Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 6:00pm; and Sunday, noon to 5:00pm), or online at www.njpac.org.