FREDDIE BRYANT - DREAMSCAPE: SOLO-DUO-TRIO WITH CHRIS POTTER AND SCOTT COLLEY

Imbued with guitarist Freddie Bryant's inimitable touch, inherent soulfulness and the element of surprise, Dreamscape: Solo-Duo-Trio (available April 1 on GJKSounds) is also marked by the guitarist's ability to seamlessly traverse the classical-jazz divide on this collection of jazz standards and compelling originals. As a follow-up to his dynamic recording with his band Kaleidoscope (2012's Live Grooves...Epic Tales), Bryant gets intimate on his latest release, Dreamscape: Solo-Duo-Trio. 

Alternating between nylon string classic guitar, archtop jazz guitar, 12-string acoustic and electric guitar, Bryant does some skillful genre hopping on this emotionally charged outing. "This album is a highly personal portrait of my influences from straight-ahead to Brazilian and classical guitar but also the key factor of my parents who were consummate concert artists," notes Bryant.

Joining Bryant for duo and trio numbers on Dreamscape are two acclaimed musicians and bandleaders in their own right -- multi-reedist Chris Potter (performing on tenor and soprano saxophones as well as bass clarinet) and bassist Scott Colley. "I played with them back in the late '80s-early '90s," Bryant recalls, "and their playing was always exceptional. They can play anything, and they play it beautifully and interactively too."

Easily Bryant's most personal and revealing project to date, he performs several solo guitar pieces on Dreamscape, ranging from Thelonious Monk's lyrical "Ask Me Now" to a rich chord melody treatment of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Porkpie Hat." Bryant also includes a beautiful interpretation of Bruno Martino's melancholy ballad "Estate" along with a buoyant, bossa nova/samba take on "Secret Love." "I wanted to do a project that didn't have drums in it, principally because there's something that happens to the clarity of sound of the guitar when you have cymbals ringing and drums beating," says the guitarist. "Of course, I love drums, but there's an intimacy that you get when you have a microphone right in front of a guitar and nothing else. When I was a kid I used to sit under the piano and just listen to my father play. That's the setting I wanted to convey."

Bryant grew up in a musical household with his parents, who were both renowned performers on New York's classical and opera scene. In fact, he began turning pages for his concert pianist father at the age of six. Bryant has already dedicated an album to his father, who passed away when he was in college, but now decided it was time to honor his mother for such an important role in his musical development.

To that end, Bryant composed the piece "Songs," which is based on tunes he remembers hearing his mother sing. He closes out Dreamscape with a snippet of a 1974 recording from New York's Alice Tully Hall that has his mother, Beatrice Rippy, singing the uplifting spiritual, "I'm Going to Tell God All of My Troubles," accompanied by her husband, Carroll Hollister, on piano. Bryant also performs a new arrangement of that same powerful tune on classical guitar as a duo with Potter on bass clarinet. On the three other trio tracks on Dreamscape, Potter plays soprano sax on the bristling title track, switching to bass clarinet on the suite-like "Songs," which travels from work song form to hymn to gospel vibe, and rounding off on tenor saxophone for the aptly titled "Everyday is the End and the Beginning of Life Beautiful" which Bryant wrote on December 12, 2012, the date which marks the supposed end of the world from interpretations of the Mayan calendar.

Bassist Colley, a longtime duo partner with the late, great jazz guitar legend Jim Hall, makes an indelible connection with Bryant on two companion duo pieces -- the gentle, chamber-like "Vignette #1," which has Bryant on nylon string classical guitar, and the lively and contrapuntal "Vignette #2," which features Bryant on electric guitar. "Scott has a beautiful tone and great ears," says Bryant of the in-demand bassist. "I always thought of him as such a fluid player, and he's a very melodic improviser too. It was a joy to play with him."

In a bit of coming-full-circle synchronicity, the liner notes to Dreamscape were written by guitar great Gene Bertoncini, who along with Charlie Byrd, pioneered the merging of finger-style nylon string guitar and jazz repertoire. "Gene was one of my first jazz teachers," says Bryant. "He was creating these beautiful arrangements that were masterpieces of classical guitar but were still jazz. And I met him at a time when I kept my jazz playing completely separate from my classical playing. And that summer Gene taught me so much about jazz and musicality that I had enough to study for the next 10 years.'

Dreamscape: Solo-Duo-Trio will confound those looking to put guitarist Bryant in a stylistic box as it reaches out to those who simply enjoy good music. "I grew up with straight ahead jazz and I love swinging with great jazz musicians like Ben Riley and Tom Harrell," he says. "I love that and it's totally me. I still play straight ahead but I also play Brazilian music and classical music. And now this recording makes it a little bit harder to categorize me. For me, that's a positive thing. And that's why I'm rejoicing in being able to play all these different styles of music on these different instruments and have them recorded in such a beautiful way in this intimate setting."

Freddie Bryant Album Release Performance: March 31 / Smalls Jazz Club / New York, NY

Freddie Bryant · Dreamscape: Solo-Duo-Trio / GJKSounds · Release Date: April 1, 2014

FreddieBryant.com

LEON RUSSELL TO RELEASE NEW STUDIO ALBUM "LIFE JOURNEY" ON APRIL 1

Legendary American singer and pianist Leon Russell has entertained the world for five decades, getting his start as an in-demand Wrecking Crew session player and playing on hundreds of hit records before he began releasing his own albums in 1967. On April 1, the day before his 72nd birthday, Leon Russell will release a new studio album, titled Life Journey, via Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).

Life Journey features newly written original songs and Russell’s turns on classics that resonate with the two-time GRAMMY® winner as important to his musical trajectory. Recorded and mixed by Al Schmitt at Capitol Studios, the album is produced by Tommy LiPuma and executive produced by Elton John, with whom Russell most recently collaborated for 2010’s critically acclaimed album, The Union.

“This is a record of my musical journey through life,” Russell writes in a package essay for Life Journey. “It reflects pieces of things that I have done and things I never did, for one reason or another.”

The Lawton, Oklahoma native’s new original songs on Life Journey are “Big Lips,” a boisterous romp built around his vocals and piano, with Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums, Willie Weeks on bass, and Chris Simmons on slide guitar, and “Down In Dixieland.” The album-closing ode to Louisiana Dixieland jazz features Russell’s vocals and piano leading a parade of horns arranged and conducted by John Clayton, including Ira Nepus on trombone, Darrell Leonard on trumpet and flugelhorn, and James Gordon on clarinet, as well as the aforementioned Laboriel Jr., Weeks, and Simmons on their respective instruments.

One of popular music’s most celebrated songwriters and performers, Russell’s songs have hit the charts across several genres and have been covered by a diverse range of artists. Ray Charles recorded “A Song For You,” B.B. King had a hit with “Hummingbird,” The Carpenters with “Superstar,” and Joe Cocker with “Delta Lady.” George Benson won 1976’s Record of the Year GRAMMY® Award for his cover of Russell’s "This Masquerade" and it became the first song in music history to hit No. 1 across the jazz, pop, and R&B charts. In 2011, Russell was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

On Life Journey, Russell celebrates the songs of 10 other writers, infusing them with the vibrant bounce and spirit that has long been his signature. Russell opens the album with Robert Johnson’s “Come On In My Kitchen,” leading a tour of his majestic musical house that continues with Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell’s “Georgia On My Mind,” Haven Gillespie and Beasley Smith’s “That Lucky Old Sun,” John Davenport and Eddie Cooley’s “Fever,” Mike Reid’s “Think Of Me,” Duke Ellington and Paul Francis Webster’s “I Got It Bad & That Ain’t Good,” Herb Magidson and Allie Wrubel’s “The Masquerade Is Over” (featuring a lush orchestral arrangement, a wistful glance back to Russell’s own “This Masquerade”), Paul Anka’s “I Really Miss You,” Billy Joel’s “New York State Of Mind,” and Johnny Fuller, Robert L. Geddins, and David Rosenbaum’s “Fool’s Paradise.”

Other musicians who joined Russell to record Life Journey include Robben Ford, who played guitar on “That Lucky Old Sun” and “Fool’s Paradise,” Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton, who played drums and bass on “The Masquerade Is Over,” “Think Of Me,” and “I Really Miss You,” respectively, with Anthony Wilson on guitar for “The Masquerade Is Over” and “I Really Miss You.” Greg Leisz played pedal steel guitar on “That Lucky Old Sun,” “Think Of Me,” and “I Really Miss You,” Larry Goldings played Hammond B3 organ on “That Lucky Old Sun,” “Fever,” “Think Of Me,” and “Fool’s Paradise,” and the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra played on “Georgia On My Mind,” “I Got It Bad & That Ain’t Good,” and “New York State Of Mind.”

With Life Journey, Leon Russell reminisces with some of the musical touchstones that have inspired him, while bringing forth new songs of his own for an album that looks back with the love, loss, joy, and peace that’s collected during a life well lived. How fortunate the world is for Leon Russell to share his life and time with us in song, all these years.

Leon Russell: Life Journey

1.     Come On In My Kitchen 

2.   Big Lips 

3.   Georgia On My Mind 

4.   That Lucky Old Sun 

5.   Fever 

6.   Think Of Me 

7.   I Got It Bad & That Ain’t Good 

8.   The Masquerade Is Over 

9.   I Really Miss You 

10.   New York State Of Mind 

11.   Fool’s Paradise 

12.   Down In Dixieland 

www.leonrussellrecords.com 

www.facebook.com/LeonRussellMusic

NEW RELEASES: NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS MYSTIC PRESTIGE – DEEP AFROCENTRIC MODAL JAZZ FROM PRESTIGE ARCHIVES; ISAAC HAYES - FOR THE SAKE OF LOVE; RORY PARTIN - EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMEBODY BUT ME

NICOLA CONTE PRESENTS MYSTIC PRESTIGE – DEEP AFROCENTRIC MODAL JAZZ FROM PRESTIGE ARCHIVES

Nicola Conte digs deep into the catalog of Prestige Records – and comes up with a host of spiritual and modal jazz tunes in the process! Conte's ears are always wonderful – not just on his own albums, or his work with Schema Records – but also when he's given material like this – sounds that might seem familiar at the outset, but which really bristle with new energy in his hands! You'll recognize most of the artists here, but Nicola's done an excellent job of pulling out really special tracks – including some under-heard album gems that resonate with some of the earliest examples of spiritual undercurrents in jazz. Titles include "Taboo" by Yusef Lateef, "Poinciana" by Jerome Richardson, "Blues In Bloom" by Gigi Gryce, "Cubano Chant" by Art Taylor, "Talkin Bout JC" by Larry Young, "Barengo" by Barry Harris, "Quiet Dawn" by Cedar Walton, "Feeling Good" by Andy & The Bey Sisters, and "Stolen Moments" by Eddie Lockjaw Davis. (SHMCD pressing.) ~ Dusty Groove

ISAAC HAYES - FOR THE SAKE OF LOVE

One of our favorite Isaac Hayes albums from the post-Stax years – a wonderful late 70s set that has the man returning strongly to the mellow roots of his early solo years! Ike sounded great on his disco tracks at the time – but we really love his mature, laidback way of laying down a tune on this sweet set – mostly longer numbers that feature lots of the spoken, soulful passages that Hayes delivered on his first few albums of the 70s. The record does have two great groovers – a remake of "Shaft" – called "Shaft II" – one that really follows the format of the original, but extends the length of the tune significantly, throwing in lots of instrumental fills for the disco crowds – and the quirky "Zeke The Freak". But the mellower cuts are our favorites here – and include "Believe In Me", "Just The Way You Are", "If We Ever Needed Peace", and "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight". CD features bonus cuts – "Shaft II (12" disco)" and "Zeke The Freak (single version)".  ~ Dusty Groove.

RORY PARTIN - EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMEBODY BUT ME

Here's a new single from powerhouse of Blue-eyed Soul Rory Partin. A multi-instrumentalist, Partin has toured internationally with 5-time Grammy winner Larnelle Harris, Partin brings his signature heartfelt and powerful vocals to Hunter Hayes' modern day classic, "Everybody's Got Somebody But Me". The first taste of his 2014 fan-funded album due out this summer, the new single featuring Partin's 18-piece All Star Big Band, keeps the swing era alive while still sounding distinctly contemporary. "The grittiness and his beautiful upper register, coupled with the hard-swinging, popping big band arrangement gives you chills.” (Brent Music Reviews) / "Glass-smooth voice curled with a Louisiana accent." (Hollywood Progressive) ~ www.rorypartin.com

PATTI LABELLE AND THE BLUEBELLES - THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC SIDES PLUS (2-CD SET WITH UNRELEASED MASTERS)

Before Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash morphed into the futuristic soul trio known as Labelle and became one of the greatest girl groups of the 70s, all three women - along with Cindy Birdsong were members of one of the greatest girl groups of the 60s, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. 

Originally based in Philadelphia, the quartet enjoyed a modicum of chart recognition and sales during a two-year period (1962-64) with Newtown Records and then Parkway Records. After an appearance on a 1964 Atlantic LP, Saturday Night at the Uptown, the quartet signed with the label and recorded over thirty tracks for the label over a four-year period. 

Among the sides were two albums: Over the Rainbow (1965), a Top 20 R&B LP produced by Bert Berns, whose title track was also a Top 20 R&B hit single along with "All or Nothing," which also charted; and Dreamer (1967), which contained the R&B-charting singles "I'm Still Waiting" (produced by Curtis Mayfield) and "Take Me for a Little While." In 1967, with the departure of Cindy Birdsong (who joined the Supremes), the remaining trio recorded a number of singles between 1967 and 1969, with production by Jerry Williams Jr., Memphis songwriters Chips Moman & Dan Penn, Bob Gallo, Don Davis and others; however, none achieved any chart success and in 1969, the group left Atlantic. 

This 2-CD anthology from Real Gone Music, produced and annotated by soul music historian David Nathan/SoulMusic Records and remastered by Alan Wilson at Western Star Studio (and featuring some great photos), contains all 35 sides released by Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles on Atlantic along with four previously unissued tracks recorded in 1969. A treasure trove for any fan of 60s girl groups and soul!

Disc One:

1.Danny Boy 

2. That’s How Heartaches Are Made

3. Down the Aisle

4. One Phone Call

5. Where Are You

6. Patti’s Prayer

7. Groovy Kind of Love

8. All or Nothing

9. Who Can I Turn To

10. You Forgot How to Love

11. Unchained Melody

12. Ebb Tide

13. He

14. Try to Remember

15. People

16. Yesterday

17. More

18. Over the Rainbow

19. I’m Still Waiting

20. Family Man

Disc Two

1. Always Something There to Remind Me

2. I Don’t Want to Go On Without You

3. Take Me for a Little While

4. Tender Words

5. Dreamer

6. Oh My Love

7. I Need Your Love

8. He’s My Man

9. Wonderful

10. How You Can Throw My Love Away (Unreleased)

11. Dance to the Rhythm of Love

12. Pride’s No Match for Love

13. He’s Gone

14. (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count the Days

15. Forget It (Unreleased)

16. Never for Me (Unreleased)

17. Loving Rules

18. When Joe Touches Me (Unreleased)

19. Trustin’ in You

~ Real Gone

LENA BLOCH - FEATHERY

The acclaimed tenor saxophonist Lena Bloch, a Russian émigré who currently resides in Brooklyn, grounds her music in the fertile soil of the present, while honoring significant, left-of-center innovations of jazz past. Committed to the essentials of swing, post-bop exploration and collective improvisation, as well as an avid interest in the still-visionary music of cool-school titans, Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh, Bloch has created a distinctive instrumental and group approach that sets her apart from her peers.

Her debut album Feathery, to be released March 18, 2014 on Thirteenth Note Records, is a fitting testimony to Bloch's brisk musical evolution and her commitment to productive freedom. Although contributing players Cameron Brown on bass, Billy Mintz on drums and Dave Miller on guitar were not a working unit, under Bloch's supportive direction they melded indivisibly as a resourceful and consistently inspiring ensemble. Each member of the quartet contributed at least one piece to the album. In addition, the group recorded rarely performed pieces by two of the foremost of Lennie Tristano's acolytes: "Marshmallow" by Warne Marsh and "Featherbed" by Ted Brown. Lena's own "Hi Lee" is a tribute to her own mentor from the Tristano camp, Lee Konitz.

Veteran bassist Cameron Brown, a former member of the now legendary Don Pullen-George Adams Quartet and a current associate of Joe Lovano, brings his clear sonic presence, swinging lines, and melodic inventiveness to the group. Drummer Billy Mintz, a colleague of Brown's for over 30 years, is a master of texture and dynamics whose orchestrations and subtle swing feel significantly contribute to the continuity of the project's challenging material. Dave Miller, a guitarist from Chicago currently living in New York, combines intuition and precision at a level rarely heard among young players today.

"When I decided to record my first album, I had in mind a recording in which the focus would be on collective improvising, group interplay, spontaneity and unexpected turns rather than the usual 'head - solo - head' format," Bloch has said,  "The rapport and understanding among the four musicians was remarkable. We recorded in one day, in one room, without headphones, the album consists almost entirely of first takes. There were no pre-set arrangements."

The result is a recording that reflects an effortlessness, lightness and elegance as aptly described by the title Feathery.

Lena Bloch was born in Moscow and studied music in Israel, Germany and the United States, where she earned a Master's of Music degree in composition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Since moving to the United States in 2003, Bloch has been a soloist with the Vermont Jazz Big Band, the Ambassadors of Light, the Vishnu Wood Quartet, and the Northampton Jazz Workshop. In 2008 she moved to Brooklyn and has since performed with, among others, Dan Tepfer, Roberta Piket, George Schuller, Frank Carlberg, Putter Smith, Mark Ferber, Sumi Tonooka, Kim Clarke, Vishnu Wood and Vladimir Shafranov as well as several musicians associated with the Lennie Tristano school (Ted Brown, Connie Crothers, Joe Solomon, Bob Arthurs). Bloch has also gained significant recognition in Europe, performing with such diverse musicians as "Embryo", Keith Copeland, Alvin Queen, and Steve Reid.

http://www.lenabloch.com/about/

THE NORTH - SLOW DOWN (THIS ISN'T THE MAINLAND)

Set for release on April 15, 2014 via Dowsett Records, Slow Down showcases a finely meshed unit committed to an organic group sound that incorporates elements of pop, world and classical music, among other sources. As Conley states, "The North is a band, not just a piano trio. And our love of music from a wide variety of genres binds us. We are trying to make music that's as engaging and fun to listen to as it is for us to create."

The North formed when French-born Collin, who earned wide acclaim for his 2012 CD The Calling, teamed up with Hawaiian natives Conley and Lagrimas, Jr. for a ten-day series of public performances in Hawaii during which the three musicians developed, in Collin's words, a "musical sympathy." The chemistry they formed during that initial tour led to a three week Hawaiian visit in 2012 when the band worked on material for Slow Down (This Isn't the Mainland). As Conley reminisces in the album's notes: "In a world where albums are often recorded in a couple of hectic studio days, three weeks devoted to this creative collaboration among friends was the ultimate dream."

Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland) showcases The North, a masterful and inspiring new, melody-infused trio featuring pianist Romain Collin, bassist Shawn Conley and drummer Abe Lagrimas Jr.

Collin's 2012 CD The Calling Earned Wide Acclaim as "a work of art that is worthy of being held onto for generations to come" (Eric Sandler, The Revivalist), and "achingly beautifulŠElegiac, almost hymnalŠ" (Ian Patterson, All About Jazz)

Bristling with moving melodies, fierce group interaction and virtuosic playing, Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland) - the debut album from the cooperative trio, The North - is Hawaiian-grown; a brilliant musical reflection of the celebrated sun, surf and soil of the Pacific paradise. Drawing a band name from their shared love of Oahu's North Shore, home to many of the greatest surf spots in the world, The North - featuring pianist Romain Collin, bassist Shawn Conley, and drummer Abe Lagrimas Jr. - is riding a new wave. Eager to blend elements of pop, world and classical music - among other sources - into the improvisational mix, the band is also utterly enamored of songful melody. Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland) - released on April 15, 2014 on Dowsett Records - showcases a finely meshed unit committed to a cohesive and organic group sound. As Conley states, "The North is a band, not just a piano trio. And our love of music from a wide variety of genres binds us. We are trying to make music that's as engaging and fun to listen to as it is for us to create."

In many ways, Hawaii itself willed both the group and the album into being. Conley and Lagrimas Jr., longtime friends and Hawaii natives, met the French-born Collin on the U.S. mainland, where each was establishing a growing reputation as a resourceful instrumentalist. The pull of the islands was strong though, and the three friends, who were only playing together informally at the time, were invited to visit Hawaii for a ten-day series of public performances. The effect was as immediate as it was unexpected. "The chemistry between the three of us was striking," says Collin, "and the audience felt it. By the time the tour was over, investors who heard us live and were moved by the music arranged for us to return the next year to play more shows and make an album. It was as much the overwhelming reaction of those who heard us play as it was our own musical empathy that made the band happen." The North was born.

Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland) came to fruition during a three week Hawaiian visit in 2012 when the band worked on the album's repertoire and prepared to record. They tracked in the sonically accommodating living room of the house that had been made available for the trio in order to perfect their ensemble sound away from urban distractions. Joined for little over a week by the celebrated engineer Jeremy Loucas, The North cut the recording live with a minimum of takes. As Conley reminisces in the album's notes: "In a world where albums are often recorded in a couple of hectic studio days, three weeks devoted to this creative collaboration among friends was the ultimate dream."

The bulk of the compositions on Slow Down (This Isn't The Mainland) are by Collin and Conley, sturdy pieces that balance accessibility and invention. "We all listen to so many types of music," Conley says, "and we want all of our influences to come out in our collective sound. But what is most important to us as a group is melody." This adoration for clearly stated, embracing compositional form defines such persuasive performances as the undulating "Great Ocean Road," the Iberian-tinged "Yann's Flight" and the minimalist ballad, "Northern Dreams." Interspersed among the originals are inspired group interpretations of Chick Corea's "Humpty Dumpty," Thelonious Monk's classic, "Light Blue," the singer-songwriter Christina Courtin's "Join Us Jackson" and Bob Dylan's anthemic "Blowin' In the Wind," each ingeniously reworked to capture both the singular flavor of the composition and the imaginative nature of the group. Instrumental prowess, while seamlessly interwoven into each piece, is never obscured. Collin's fluidity, Conley's supportive lines and impressive solo work and Lagrimas Jr.'s perfectly calibrated percussion skills lend the recording a vivacity that compliments its sparkling sheen.

Every member of The North is classically trained, and has amassed impressive credits.  French-born pianist Collin, whom Jon Weber, the host of NPR's Piano Jazz, calls, "A visionary composer, an extraordinary jazz pianist and a very bright young rising star in the jazz world," attended the Berklee School of Music and later graduated from the Thelonious Monk Institute (where he held a full scholarship) in 2007. He has appeared with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, and Terence Blanchard, among others, and has recorded two albums as a leader, The Rise and Fall of Pipokuhn and the 2012 release, The Calling, of which All About Jazz said, "compositional flair and technique all seduce, but are trumped by the emotional strength in Collin's writing and playing."  Tom Conrad wrote in the New York City Jazz Record: "Collin is different.  He is not interested in showing off his chops, but rather in telling stories, portraying moods and developing a disciplined, personal ensemble concept." And Patrick Jarenwattananon wrote on NPR's A Blog Supreme that Collin is an artist with "a highly personal, contemporary vision."

Raised in Hawaii, bassist Conley won a position with the Honolulu Symphony while still in high school. The winner of a Wagoner fellowship, he studied with the renowned bassist François Rabbath in Paris. Conley, who has since settled in Brooklyn, New York, has worked with many prestigious jazz and classical artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Arturo O'Farrill, Mark Turner, and James Carter, as well as the notable chamber ensembles, The Knights and Brooklyn Rider.  He can also be heard on numerous soundtracks including "Moonrise Kingdom,"  "True Grit," and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."

A Hawaiian native as well, drummer Lagrimas Jr. participated in celebrated music programs including Betty Carter's Jazz Residency in Washington D.C., where he made his debut performance at the Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts. He later attended the Berklee College of Music. In addition to The North, he is also a member of the popular South Korean jazz group, Prelude, and has collaborated with a host of other musical artists including Eric Marienthal, Eric Reed, Bill Mays and Lalo Schifrin. Lagrimas Jr.is also a skilled vibraphonist and ukulele player with five solo albums and is an active educator with noted musical instruction books to his name.

SONY MUSIC ACQUIRES DEAN MARTIN REPRISE RECORDS CATALOG

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, in partnership with the Dean Martin Family Trust, has acquired the singer's legendary Reprise Records catalog and begun remastering titles for a major ongoing reissue project.

The Dean Martin Reprise catalog acquisition includes all the recordings Dino made during his extraordinary creative tenure (1962-1974) at Rat Pack chairman Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records label. The Nashville Sessions, the album Martin cut for Warner Bros in 1983, is also included.

The Dean Martin reissue project began with the first digital releases of The Dean Martin Christmas Album, 1966's #1 Christmas album and perennial holiday classic, and Dean Martin: The Reprise Years, a 2-disc anthology of the crooner's high points at the label.

Legacy Recordings is remastering all the tracks in Dean Martin's Reprise catalog with an eye toward releasing the catalog digitally and physically over the course of the next year.

On January 20, Legacy released The Very Best of Dean Martin as part of the label's popular Playlist series.  The Dean Martin Playlist contains:

1.Everybody Loves Somebody

2.Every Minute, Every Hour

3.The Door Is Still Open to My Heart

4.You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You

5.Send Me the Pillow You Dream On

6.In the Chapel in the Moonlight

7.I Can't Help Remembering You

8.Houston

9.Bumming Around

10.I Will

11.Little Ole Wine Drinker, Me

12.Ain't Gonna Try Anymore

13.Kiss the World Goodbye

14.Drinking Champagne

 The next wave of titles in the Dean Martin Reprise Records reissue project, coming February 4, will include digital releases of ten albums:

1.The Door Is Still Open To My Heart

2.Everybody Loves Somebody

3.Dream With Dean

4.Dean Martin Hits Again

5.Welcome To My World

6.(Remember Me) I'm The One That Loves You

7.Dino Latino

8.French Style

9.The Dean Martin TV Show

10.Houston

 "We're so pleased to be working with the Dean Martin Family Trust in bringing Dean's Reprise Records legacy to new generations," said Adam Block, President, Legacy Recordings.  "Dean's music and style embody the very essence of 'cool' and now is the perfect time to introduce this timeless pop music to future fans."

One of the great lounge singers of the pre-rock era, Dean Martin hit his stride as a cultural icon during his years with Reprise, knocking the Beatles off the top of the charts in August 1964 with a dreamy contemporary take on "Everybody Loves Somebody (Sometime)," a standard he'd sung on Bob Hope's radio show in 1948 that became one of his theme songs, a sentiment so universal it's on his gravestone.

A multi-faceted artist whose talents crossed media boundaries, Dean Martin has three stars on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame: one for recording, one for movies, and one for television, where he introduced Americans to Celebrity Roasts in the 1970s.

The genius of Dean Martin is that he made everything sound easy and classy and fun. Relaxed and comfortable, with a beatific self-assurance that transcended confidence, Dino's one of the greatest singers who ever cut records. On his Reprise Recordings, the King of Cool is also his most soulful.

THE DEAN MARTIN CHRISTMAS ALBUM

1.White Christmas

2.Jingle Bells

3.I'll Be Home For Christmas

4.Blue Christmas

5.Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

6.A Marshmallow World

7.Silver Bells

8.Winter Wonderland

9.The Things We Did Last Summer

10.Silent Night

DEAN MARTIN: THE REPRISE YEARS

Disc One: The Greatest Hits

1.Everybody Loves Somebody

2.The Door Is Still Open To My Heart

3.You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You

4.You'll Always Be The One I Love

5.Send Me The Pillow You Dream On

6.(Remember Me) I'm The One Who Loves You

7.Houston

8.I Will

9.Somewhere There's A Someone

10.Come Running Back

11.A Million And One

12.Nobody's Baby Again

13.(Open Up The Door) Let The Good Times In

14.Lay Some Happiness On Me

15.In The Chapel In The Moonlight

16.Little Ole Wine Drinker, Me

17.In The Misty Moonlight

18.You've Still Got A Place In My Heart

19.Not Enough Indians

20.I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am

Disc Two: The Best Of The Rest

1.Who's Got The Action

2.The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else

3.I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face

4.Baby-O

5.Things

6.Corrine Corrina

7.Bumming Around

8.Welcome To My World

9.My Heart Cries For You

10.Gentle On My Mind

11.Tik-A-Tee, Tik-A-Tay

12.Senza Fine

13.Tangerine

14.Besame Mucho

15.Blue Moon

16.I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)

17.Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup

18.C'est Si Bon

19.My Melancholy Baby

20.Everybody Loves Somebody (original version)

DEAN MARTIN: REPRISE ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

French Style (1962)

Dino Latino (1962; #99)

Country Style (1963; #109)

Dean Tex Martin Rides Again (1963)

Dream With Dean (1964; #15*)

Everybody Loves Somebody (1964; #2*)

The Door Is Still Open To My Heart (1964)

Dean Martin Hits Again (1965; #13*)

(Remember Me) I'm The One Who Loves You (1965; #12*)

Houston (1965; #11*)

Somewhere There's Someone (1966; 40*)

Dean Martin Sings Songs From "The Silencers" (1966; #108)

The Hit Sound Of Dean Martin (1966; #50)

The Dean Martin Christmas Album (1966; #1 Xmas*)

The Dean Martin TV Show (1966; #34)

Happiness Is Dean Martin (1967; #46)

Welcome To My World (1967; #20*)

Dean Martin's Greatest Hits! (1968; #26*)

Dean Martin's Greatest Hits! Vol. 2 (1968; #83*)

Gentle On My Mind (1968; #14*)

I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am (1969; #90)

My Woman, My Woman, My Wife (1970; #97)

For The Good Times (1971; #113, #41 Country)

Dino (1972; #117)

Sittin' On Top Of The World (1973)

You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me (1973)

Once In Awhile (1978)

The Nashville Sessions (1983; #49 Country)

* certified gold album (most of which sold over 1,000,000 units--there was no platinum certification at the time)

~ Legacy Recordings

  

NEW RELEASES: SHARKY'S MACHINE - THE SOUNDTRACK MUSIC; EDDIE KENDRICKS - LOVE KEYS; PETER BERNSTEIN - SOLO GUITAR: LIVE AT SMALLS

SHARKY'S MACHINE - THE SOUNDTRACK MUSIC

One of the coolest soundtracks ever for a Burt Reynolds film – an a hip mix of soul and jazz tracks that's gone onto become a classic over the years! The album's a compilation of sorts, but most of the material was recorded fresh for the film – and the different artists really work together here to forge some great backdrops for the action on the screen! Al Capps handled the larger charts, but most numbers really spotlight an individual artist – and highlights include Randy Crawford singing a new version of "Street Life" – different than the one with The Crusaders – Sarah Vaughan singing "Love Theme From Sharky's Machine", Peggy Lee vocals on "Let's Keep Dancing", and Julie London singing "My Funny Valentine" – as one of the first recordings after many years of retirement. Other great numbers include "Dope Bust" by Flora Purim & Buddy DeFranco, "Sharky's Theme" by Eddie Harris, "Before You" by Sarah Vaughan & Joe Williams, "8 To 5 I Lose" by Joe Williams, and the instrumental cuts "Sexercise" and "High Energy" by Doc Severinsen. ~ Dusty Groove

EDDIE KENDRICKS - LOVE KEYS

Having recently released a quartet of albums by David Ruffin, Real Gone Music now turns its attention to Ruffin’s former running mate in the Temptations, Eddie Kendricks, whose mellifluous tenor and falsetto were such an integral part of the group’s sound. Kendricks began his solo journey in 1971, leaving Motown in 1977 for a two-album, two-year stint at Arista Records.  In 1981, Eddie signed with Atlantic Records for the one-off LP, Love Keys, which would be his last major label album (aside from a 1987 collaboration with fellow ex-Temptation, David Ruffin). Produced in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama by the team of Johnny Sandlin (best known for his work with Southern rock artists like the Allman Brothers, Bonnie Bramlett, Elvin Bishop, and Wet Willie) and Randy Roberts, Love Keys featured backing from the Muscle Shoals Horns and the Southern soul group the Controllers on songs written by Lou Courtney ("I'm In Need Of Love"), David Pomeranz ("Old Home Town") and Eddie's former Motown colleagues, Brian & Eddie Holland (for the track, "(Oh I) Need Your Lovin,'" a Billboard Top 50 R&B single). The album represented Eddie Kendricks’ first venture into Southern soul, and was the last charting solo set for the great soul singer, who passed away in 1992. It makes its worldwide CD debut here, with notes and added photos. A must for fans of Kendricks and the Temps, brought to you by Real Gone and SoulMusic Records! Tracks: (Oh I) Need Your Lovin’; I’m in Need of Love; I Don’t Need Nobody Else; Bernadette; You Can’t Stop My Loving; Never Alone; Hot; Looking for Love; and In Love We’re the One. ~ Real Gone

PETER BERNSTEIN - SOLO GUITAR: LIVE AT SMALLS

Sublime solo guitar from Peter Bernstein – an artist who's already had a group outing in the Smalls Live series, but who sounds completely different here on his own! Bernstein's always got these chromatic qualities that make his work with other players so wonderful – and that aspect of his music comes even more to the forefront in this stripped-down setting – an amazing ear for tones and colors that easily mark him as one of the most compelling guitarists in mainstream jazz – with a style that's sensitive, yet quite strong too – but never overdone. Most tunes are familiar numbers, really recast anew in the hands of Bernstein – and tracks include "Pannonica", "Django", "Crepuscule With Nellie", "Giant Steps", "The Tender Trap", "Wise One", "Yesterdays", and "Put Your Dreams Away".~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: BERNIE WORRELL - ELEVATION: THE UPPER AIR; NOEL GOURDIN - CITY HEART, SOUTHERN SOUL; DAVID BERKMAN - LIVE AT SMALLS

BERNIE WORRELL - ELEVATION: THE UPPER AIR

Bernie Worrell, keyboard legend, founding member and essential collaborator, composer, and arranger in George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic, has worked with an extremely diverse array of artists - Talking Heads, Bootsy Collins, The Rolling Stones, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Black Uhuru, Fela Kuti, Burning Spear, Pharoah Sanders, Buddy Guy, Sly & The Family Stone, Mos Def, Albert King, Sly & Robbie, etc. He is among the most influential and emulated electronic keyboardists in modern music. His synthesizer work defined 80's and 90's West Coast Hip Hop and is still recognized in the pop hits of today. Elevation is his first solo acoustic creation. Intimate, personal, atmospheric and touching, a humble statement which is both vulnerable and child-like. Songs and themes appear as flashbacks and memories, some accessible, some subconscious; they are based on motifs by John Coltrane, Joe Zawinul, Bob Marley, Carlos Santana, Charles Mingus and others. Featured are delicate impressions of classic soul music from his own history and three original ambient soundscapes - all delivered with his signature hand. Produced by legendary iconoclast, Bill Laswell, with original artwork by Japan's modern master Shinro Ohtake.Tracks include: In a Silent Way; I'd Rather Be With You; Alabama; Goodbye Pork Pie Hat; Light On Water; Ooh Child; Samba Pa Ti; Realm of Site; I Wanna Go Outside In the Rain; Wings; and Redemption Song

NOEL GOURDIN - CITY HEART, SOUTHERN SOUL

They definitely got the title right on this one –as Noel Gourdin sings in a contemporary urban mode, but with lots of the deeper inflections we remember from classic southern soul – a wonderful blend that really makes the record his best so far! Production is nice and lean – stripped-down, and with a good focus on the kind of slightly snapping rhythms that really help deliver the edge in Noel's lyrics – an approach that's right on the money, and really lets Gourdin stretch out and inflect the tunes with plenty of his own personal warmth. Production is by Marcellus Dawson, and the team of Ty Macklin and Taylor Pace – and titles include "No Worries", "Heaven Knows", "Foxxxy", "Spotlight Lovin", "Come Over", "Patience", "Photography", and "I Want You". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVID BERKMAN - LIVE AT SMALLS

A great live date in the excellent Smalls series – and a wonderful group outing not just for pianist David Berkman, but for trumpeter Tom Harrell as well! Tom gets a lot of room to really open up and solo beautifully on the record – in ways that are quite different than his own studio work in recent years, and which really take us back to the qualities in Harrell's music we first fell in love with years ago! Berkman's got an inventive touch on the piano – sometimes angular but tight, sometimes more spacious – and the group also features Ed Howard on bass and Jonathan Blake on drums. All tracks are nice and long, and the Berkman originals are especially great for both his piano and Harrell's trumpet – titles that include "Ghost Wife", "Small Wooden Housekeeper", and "For Kenny" – nestled alongside versions of "Body & Soul" and "Sweet & Lovely". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA - INNER FIRE; SHIRLEY NANETTE - NEVER COMING BACK; AFRO CUBAN BLUE: BLUE NOTE PERCUSSION COMPILATION

THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA - INNER FIRE

Inner Fire continues the Souljazz Orchestra's expansive musical journey as the group fuses intricate Eastern influences, Afro beats, Latin styles and Spiritual Jazz elements into a unique melting pot, creating a fiery soundscape, both far-reaching and highly rhythmic, for the body, the mind and the spirit. The Souljazz Orchestra are one of the tightest outfits on the planet and are proficient in just about any style of roots music imaginable. The new album, Inner Fire, is due out on February 24 and it's a scorcher all the way through. Upcoming tour dates include: Feb 21 - Québec, QC - Le Cercle; Feb 22 - Montréal, QC - La Sala Rossa; Mar 01 - Kingston, ON - The Mansion; Mar 07 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison; Mar 08 - Hamilton, ON - This Ain't Hollywood; and Mar 15 - Ottawa, ON - Babylon NightclubS

SHIRLEY NANETTE - NEVER COMING BACK

A gem of a female soul album from the 70s – recorded in Texas by singer Shirley Nanette, but issued on a tiny label and never circulated at the time! The music here is all handled by guitarist Hanc Swarn – who'd worked with Earl Grant, and helped create that cool syncopated groove that made Grant a favorite with the steppers – a style that's expanded here into some funkier 70s modes, which really let's Nanette's vocals soar! Shirley's hardly the rootsy singer you'd expect from the Texas scene – as she's sometimes got this poise and class that almost rivals Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw, but can also hit these badass modes when the tunes get funkier too. The set's great – way more than just another rarity, and the kind of overlooked 70s gem we'd rank right up there with lost indie soul treasures by Mike James Kirkland or Penny Goodwin. Titles include "Give & Take", "Limelight", "Tropic Of Love", "I'm So Glad", "Heaven On Earth", "People Are Thinking", and "Yours Truly Love". ~ Dusty Groove

AFRO CUBAN BLUE: BLUE NOTE PERCUSSION COMPILATION

Heavy percussion on Blue Note Records – but a set that moves way past the familiar modes of the genre! The styles here are a mix of early hardbop, electric funk, and later fusion – all of which feature lots of raw, live percussion added to the usual rhythmic elements of bass and drums – to really help create some complexity in the grooves! Previous Blue Note sets of this nature have only focused on Latin-tinged jazz from the acoustic years, but this one does a great job of showing the strength of the styles well through Blue Note in the electric 70s – as you'll hear on the cool range of cuts that include "Amanda" by John Patton, "Montara" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Traveling To Get To Doc" by Grant Green, "Tom's Thumb" by Reuben Wilson, "Big Farm Boy Goes To A Latin City" by Ronnie Foster, "Cookoo & Fungi" by Art Taylor, "Sweet Dreams" by Chico Hamilton, "Dracula" by Grant Green, "Suitcase Full Of Dreams" by Willie Bobo, "Funky Business" by Gene Harris, "RK Bossa" by Dom Minasi, and "Herman's Mambo" by Lou Donaldson. 17 tracks, and almost 80 minutes of music!  ~ Dusty Groove

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