NEW RELEASES: LENNY WILLIAMS – CHOOSING YOU; RUDY ROYSTON – 303; RICHARD BONNET / TONY MALABY / ANTONIN RAYON / TOM RAINEY - WARRIOR

LENNY WILLIAMS – CHOOSING YOU

A killer set from Lenny Williams – done in a smoothly jazzy mode that echoes with a real Fantasy Records groove! Lenny's clearly drawing some great inspiration here from the East Bay scene – working with older Motown producer Frank Wilson on a set of warmly modern numbers that really help him state a strong voice as a solo act. The grooves are all just perfect for Lenny's vocals – funky, but never too much so – and smooth without being slick – a rare balance, but one that comes off perfectly here, and makes the set a great one! Essential mellow soul throughout – with tracks that include "Look Up With Your Mind", "Riding The High Wire", "Choosing You", "Shoo Doo Fu Fu Ooh", "Please Don't Tempt Me", "Trust In Me", and "I've Been Away From Love For Too Long". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "Choosing You (12" single)", "Choosing You (7" single)", "Shoo Doo Fu Fu Ooh (7" single)", and "Look Up Your Mind (7" single)". ~ Dusty Groove

RUDY ROYSTON – 303

The first album as a leader from drummer Rudy Royston – a player we've enjoyed for years in the company of others, and one who emerges here with a really fresh voice of his own! Rudy's drums are bold, but also have this way of opening up and allowing magical interplay between all the other members of the group – a warm combo that features Jon Irabagon on saxes, Nadja Noordhuis on trumpet, Nir Felder on guitar, Sam Harris on piano, and either Mimi Jones or Yasushi Nakamura on bass. The guitar and piano combo is wonderful – ringing with these compelling chromes, especially on the tracks that feature Jones' wonderfully soulful work on bass. Most tracks are originals by Rudy – furthering the personal voice of the record – and titles include "Mimi Sunrise", "Play On Words", "Miles To Go", "Gangs Of New York", "High & Dry", and "Bownze". ~ Dusty Groove

RICHARD BONNET / TONY MALABY / ANTONIN RAYON / TOM RAINEY - WARRIOR

Post-musical tones from a very powerful lineup – a quartet who make some really amazing sounds from very familiar instruments – all used at levels that are quite different than you'd hear in standard jazz, or even most avant work as well! The group features Richard Bonnet on guitar, Tony Malaby on tenor and soprano sax, Antonin Rayon on Hammond, and Tom Rainey on drums – but the overall sound is way different than any tenor/organ/guitar combo we've ever heard! The Hammond is especially amazing – used to generate these offbeat sounds, which are then echoed by Bonnet's guitar – and laced with reed lines that are sometimes melodic, sometimes more textural – on titles that include "Warrior", "Bonne Resolution", "World Of Signs", "Kala", and "Coney Island Line". ~ Dusty Groove

BETH HART & JOE BONAMASSA - LIVE BLU-RAY/2DVD/ 2CD "BETH HART & JOE BONAMASSA - LIVE IN AMSTERDAM" - OUT MARCH 25

On March 25, hot on the heels of their GRAMMY nomination, force-of-nature blues-rock vocalist Beth Hart and guitar hero Joe Bonamassa will deliver Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa – Live In Amsterdam (2DVD/Blu-ray/2CD) – the very first live experience from one of music's most powerful female voices and one of the world's greatest guitar players. Against the backdrop of the beautiful, historic Koninklijk Theater Carre in Amsterdam, the performance wows with scorching soul covers from the duo's 2011 debut album Don't Explain and 2013 follow-up Seesaw, originally made famous by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Billie Holiday, Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Donnie Hathaway, Lucinda Williams, Bill Withers, Delaney & Bonnie, Buddy Miles, Tina Turner, Slackwax, Melody Gardot, Nina Simone, and more.

This project was born from what Hart, Bonamassa, and Bonamassa's long-time producer Kevin Shirley call a "crazy idea" to record a catalog of songs in a way that recalls the days when a band recorded live in the studio with little or no overdubs; the days when the vocalist was happy when a take was done regardless of personal performance.

"What we're trying to capture is an era of reaction and spontaneity – something that was a great inspiration for me as a budding musician," explained Bonamassa. "It's a bygone era in lieu of modern times and digital studio manipulation. We wanted to do the exact opposite of that for this live concert. There were no nets and what you hear is what was sung and played that night."

Both Hart and Bonamassa were heavily influenced by these songs and the artists who originally performed them. "We're doing these amazing cover songs and in doing them, and what's so great about doing them, is that it shows part of what excited us and made us want to become artists when we were young and just starting out," said Hart. "You can see that a lot of this was an influence with me, and Joe, and the other musicians, you can hear it in the way everyone plays and performs. This was music that they loved, that touched them. And when you do covers, you get to make them personal. That was part of the goal – to make it like it's your story too. Otherwise how does it come across sincere? I think that's one of the challenges and it's very fulfilling if we feel like we're doing that."

The one-two punch of Hart's powerhouse vocals and Bonamassa's blistering solos both honors and reinvents the original recordings. Featuring 22 songs and over two hours of bonus and behind-the-scenes footage, the sonic pairing that critics everywhere are calling a "match made in heaven" are backed by the same world class band that kept the grooves going on both albums:  Anton Fig (drums, percussion), Carmine Rojas (bass), Blondie Chaplin (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), Arlan Schierbaum (keyboards). This time out, their mighty sound is augmented by a horn section, with Lee Thornburg (trumpet and percussion), Ron Dziubla (saxophone and percussion), and Carlos Perez Alfonso (trombone and percussion).

TRACKLISTING

1. Amsterdam, Amsterdam!

2. Them There Eyes

3. Sinner's Prayer

4. Can't Let Go

5. For My Friends

6. Close To My Fire

7. Rhymes

8. Something's Got A Hold On Me

9. Your Heart Is As Black As Night

10. Chocolate Jesus

11. Baddest Blues

12. Someday After Awhile (You'll Be Sorry)

13. Beth introduces the band

14. Well, well

15. If I Tell You I Love You

16. See Saw

17. Strange Fruit

18. Miss Lady

19. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know

20. Nutbush City Limits

21. I'd Rather Go Blind

22. Antwerp Jam (Credits)

http://hartandbonamassa.com/    

http://jbonamassa.com/  

www.bethhart.com  

https://www.facebook.com/JoeBonamassa  

https://www.facebook.com/officialbethhart  

Twitter: @JBONAMASSA, @BethHart

MULTI-GRAMMY® NOMINATED DRUMMER HARVEY MASON RELEASES "CHAMELEON" CONCORD RECORDS DEBUT APRIL 29, 2014

Chameleon, the scintillating Concord Records debut from multi-GRAMMY® nominated Harvey Mason, finds him drawing upon the rich jazz-funk legacy of the 1970s and recasting seven of that era’s most enduring classics with an early 21st-century sheen. A legendary session drummer, producer, composer and recording artist, Mason is among the most recorded and in-demand musicians of all-time.

Co-produced by Chris Dunn, Sr. Director of A&R for Concord Music Group, Chameleon features some of the brightest young jazz talents on the scene today. NEXT Collective alumni such as trumpeter Christian Scott, bassist Ben Williams, pianist/keyboardist Kris Bowers, guitarist Matthew Stevens enliven Chameleon. Bringing more young firepower to the fore are trombonist/vocalist Corey “CK” King, saxophonist Kamasi Washington, vocalist Chris Turner, and keyboardist/electronica producer, Mark de Clive-Lowe.

Helping Mason steer this cooperative are some of his contemporaries – bassist and co-founder of the legendary Yellowjackets, Jimmy Haslip; percussionist and founder of Los Hombres El Caliente, Bill Summers; and bassist Paul Jackson. Summers and Jackson worked with Mason on Herbie Hancock’s 1973 landmark LP, Head Hunters. 

The lead composition, “Chameleon,” from Head Hunters serves, in part, as the signifying reference for Mason’s disc. Not only did Mason provide the rhythmic spank for the jazz-funk staple, he co-wrote it with Hancock along with several other bandmates – Jackson and reedist Bennie Maupin.

The other part of the equalization for the disc’s title comes from “chameleon” being a nickname, given to Mason, because of his incredible versatility. As a first-rate session musician and live performer, his brilliance resides not only in jazz. He’s demonstrated musicianship in R&B, pop, country, Latin and European classical music; Mason also has played on an astounding number of recordings, movie and TV scores and commercial jingles.

After two decades of playing with the GRAMMY®-nominated ensemble Fourplay – with which he’s still a member – Mason decided to reignite his solo career by forming a band based on the first edition of Hancock’s Head Hunters ensemble. Mason took the combo to Japan and received rave reviews. That reception, along with serious encouragement from his manager, inspired him to record Chameleon. “I came back [from Japan] and my manager spoke with Chris Dunn, who was real excited about it. He championed the idea with Concord,” Mason recalls.

During the sessions, Mason was surprised about how strongly ’70s jazz-funk resonated with today’s more cutting-edge jazz artists. “It’s funny because a lot of those records, I may have listened to them maybe one time since I recorded them,” Mason explains. “As a musician, you’re always trying to evolve. When I listen to my drumming back then, it sounds dated. Now my sound is more opened.  Back then, I had only one head on the toms, so they didn’t ring as much. They had a darker sound. I’ve modernized my drumming to accommodate the music that’s happening now. So when I listen to the old stuff, I just say, ‘Wow! That’s really something. That’s what they want to hear now.’”

After witnessing Dunn’s passion for the project, Mason took his lead in terms of repertoire and sound quality.  “I said to myself that there might be something to this that I might not be seeing. So I trusted his instincts,” Mason says. “As we put it together, I saw where he was coming from.”

A tour-de-force destined become a new hallmark in Mason’s illustrious career, Chameleon begins with a smoldering rendition of Grover Washington, Jr.’s “Black Frost,” arranged by King. It features Kamasi Washington blasting a searing tenor sax solo across an evocative sonic terrain crafted by Bowers and Corey King keyboard and synth chords as Steven’s bluesy guitar accompaniment helps the rhythm section give it more funky momentum.

Like most of the songs on the disc, Mason participated in the recording sessions of the original version of “Black Forest.” That 1974 date was of his first opportunity working with CTI Records and Creed Taylor. He recalls that except for Bob James (who co-wrote and arranged the song), many of the other musicians initially gave him the cold shoulder. “I remember no one would speak to me except for Bob because I was this hotshot making all these hits in L.A.,” Mason says, “Bob was very welcoming to me. We instantly became friends. When we started playing, everything sort of opened up and things were cool after that. Those guys became some of my greatest friends.”

The disc continues with an imaginative take on Bobby Hutcherson’s “Montara,” which has become a hip-hop gem thanks to people like the Roots and Madlib sampling it. On Chameleon, Mason handles the vibraphone part but allows Stevens, who arranged the makeover, to emerge as the lead voice on the melody, before passing the baton to de Clive-Lowe on Fender Rhodes.

Mason wasn’t on the original version of “If I Ever Lose This Heaven,” a soul-jazz ballad classic on Quincy Jones’ 1974 LP, Body Heat. But Dunn insisted on including it on the disc; he suggested Turner, who croons a simmering rendition of the lyrics, originally sang by Minnie Riperton and the song’s co-writer, Leon Ware. Arranged by King with vocals produced by Mason’s son, the new version retains the sensual vibe of the original, yet it shimmers with a modern, after-hours appeal.

Chameleon then breaks into one of its three sensational interludes. The first one, “Going Back” provides an ideal vehicle for showcasing de Clive-Lowe’s arranging and instrumental prowess on the keyboard as he tickles a hypnotic groove alongside Mason and Jackson.

The disc then slides into Bowers’ stunning arrangement of Rushen’s jazz-funk gem, “Before the Dawn,” which is graced by impressionistic horn chords from Scott, Washington and King.

Donald Byrd’s classic “Places and Spaces” arrives next, first with a haunting prelude, before it launches into a swaggering groove, enlivened by Scott’s electrifying trumpet solo. King, who arranged the strutting down-tempo makeover, also lends his suave vocals on lead.

Afterward, Mason’s wistful ballad, “Either Way” arrives. Originally appearing on Dave Grusin’s 1979 LP, Mountain Dance, the song became famous in hip-hop circles after being sampled on Biggie Small’s 1994 rap tune, “Everyday Struggle.” Bowers deftly taps into that hip-hop/jazz connection with a melancholy arrangement.

The title track comes as a grand finale with an imaginative arrangement from reedist (and Concord labelmate) Ben Wendel of Kneebody. For the new arrangement, Mason invited Summers to reprise his famous hinedewho intro to “Watermelon Man” from Hancock’s Head Hunters LP as a suspenseful teaser. It works like a charm as “Chameleon” moves into its trademarked stuttering melody and humpback groove.

The disc is a true testament to the enduring vitality of ’70s jazz-funk, and to Mason’s incredible musical flexibility. He’s a musician intent on constantly pressing forward. So Chameleon is hardly caught up in shallow nostalgia; it’s undeniably contemporary. “The music sounds different than it did back then,” Mason says. “But you get the same feeling and vibe. “

EARTH WIND & FIRE, TROMBONE SHORTY, TERENCE BLANCHARD, DAVE HOLLAND PRISM, PATTI AUSTIN, EDDIE PALMIERI SALSA ORCHESTRA, DR. LONNIE SMITH & OTHERS @ FREIHOFER'S SARATOGA JAZZ FESTIVAL

Earth Wind & Fire /  Photo Credit: Randee St. Nicolas

The 37th annual Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival, one of the most celebrated and longest running jazz events in the world, will be held on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. This year's festival headliners include Earth, Wind & Fire, Trombone Shorty, Terence Blanchard, Dave Holland Prism, Patti Austin, Jon Batiste & Stay Human, Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra, Quinn Sullivan, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Newport Jazz Festival®: Now 60, among others. Tickets for the festival will be available online beginning February 25 for Saratoga Performing Arts Center's highest level members and March 18 for the general public. 

Located in Saratoga Springs, New York at  Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the festival was founded in 1978 by jazz impresario George Wein and has hosted a who's who of jazz greats over the years including Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, B.B. King, Wayne Shorter and Ray Charles. With an inside seating capacity of 5,200, lawn seating of 20,000, world class jazz talent performing on two stages, and an idyllic state park setting located just three hours driving time from either Boston or New York City, the festival draws thousands of fans from across the Northeast and throughout North America.

"Over the last 37 years, the Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival has established its place as one of the premier summer music festivals in America," said Marcia J. White, SPAC's President and Executive Director. "In 2014, this event will mark a defining moment when we welcome Earth, Wind & Fire, one of the greatest bands of all time. With more than 90 million albums sold worldwide, this band's appeal is timeless and its spectacular live shows continue to draw sell-out crowds from coast to coast.

"Sharing the bill with Earth, Wind & Fire will be a star-studded lineup including the phenomenal Trombone Shorty who rocked the house during his 2012 festival appearance, Billboard chart-topper Patti Austin who makes her festival debut, rising star Jon Batiste and his Stay Human band, NEA Jazz Master Eddie Palmieri and his Salsa Orchestra, blues guitar prodigy and Buddy Guy protégé Quinn Sullivan and jazz giant Terence Blanchard, among many others. The Gazebo stage will feature some of the hottest rising stars on the jazz scene including Jaimeo Brown, Robin McKelle and the Flytones and the Sean Jones Quartet," she adds. "Special thanks go out to our title sponsor Freihofer's which helps us present fans with a spectacular event each and every year; the spirit of partnership they bring to this festival is truly one of the reasons for its success."

"The 37th jazz festival at SPAC will be one for the record books. The powerhouse and diverse line-up is certain to thrill our audience," said Danny Melnick, President of Absolutely Live Entertainment, which co-produces the festival with SPAC. "I have wanted to book Earth, Wind & Fire for years and we finally have them closing our Saturday program will a full-concert set!"

In addition to festival headliners, Gazebo Stage programming will continue to feature an innovative mix of established and emerging artists in jazz. The lineup includes: Melissa Aldana Crash Trio, Marc Cary Focus Trio, Jaimeo Brown, Mary Halvorson Trio, Sean Jones Quartet, Warren Wolf & Wolfpack, and Tim Berne's Snakeoil, all of whom are making their festival debuts. The stage will also feature returning saxophonist Lew Tabackin with his trio.

While two-days and two-stages of live, world class jazz is the centerpiece of the weekend, fans can also enjoy a host of amenities including a fine arts and crafts fair, CD signings by artists, a full-service bar in the Hall of Springs, southern style barbeque and other food vendors, all presented by Stella Artois. Guests are welcome to bring in their own food and beverages, as well as blankets, tents and lawn umbrellas. Parking for the event is free.

"Last year we celebrated Freihofer's 100th anniversary with fireworks," Melnick adds. "Because of Freihofer's continued generous support, this year's festival will have musical fireworks all weekend long."

Stella Artois returns to the festival this year and is the lead sponsor of the lawn experience ("the hang"). The upscale Belgian beer company is no stranger to sponsoring high-profile arts and cultural events; they've been notably involved with the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Singapore Jazz Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival.

"Wrapped around these two glorious days of world-class music is SPAC's postcard-perfect setting in the majestic Saratoga Spa State Park - the perfect place to stretch out, relax and take in the music," reflects White. There is truly no better way to kick-off the summer."

2014 Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival Artists

Earth, Wind & Fire - One of the most popular funk and R&B bands of all-time -- selling over 90 million albums in their 44-year career, with countless hits and awards -- Earth, Wind & Fire will make their festival debut, performing a full-concert length set, including their complete light show. They'll appear in support of a new album, Now, Then & Forever. Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the most prestigious and popular headlining artists the festival has ever presented in its 37-year history.

Dr. Lonnie Smith Octet - Described by The New York Times as "a reliable captain of soul [who] can make almost any groove feel deep and inevitable," this Hammond B-3 organ master will make his festival debut, performing in support of his latest album, In The Beginning Vols. 1 & 2. The project spotlights a collection of Smith's original compositions from early in his career (most of which were initially documented on his classic mid-to-late 1960s Columbia Records and Blue Note Records albums).

Terence Blanchard - The multi-faceted trumpeter, bandleader, film-score and soundtrack composer returns to the festival for his fourth appearance as a leader and fifth overall. Terence Blanchard first played the festival with jazz legend Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers in 1985. Subsequently appearing at the festival with his own band in 1991, 1995, and more recently in 2008. This year, Blanchard will perform in support of his most recent Blue Note Records release, Magnetic, which was nominated for a GRAMMY® Award in December 2013.

Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band featuring Steve Smith & Tom Kennedy - The festival is proud to present the U.S. debut of a new "super band," led by virtuoso guitarist Mike Stern and renowned saxophonist Bill Evans (both sharing the common thread of having worked with Miles Davis in the 1980s). They are joined by an explosive rhythm section consisting of drummer Steve Smith and bassist Tom Kennedy, providing for a complete and vigorous set of jazz fusion at its best.

Jon Batiste & Stay Human - At 25, Jon Batiste is considered by many to be one of the most exciting and progressive new crossover talents on the scene today. A "Movado Future Legend" award recipient, and a "Steinway Performing Artist," Batiste has performed in innumerable prestigious events and venues across the world. His modern take on the American songbook, through the channels of a virtuosic pedigree in jazz and classical music, is attracting critical acclaim as well as audiences across all demographics. Together with his band Stay Human, Batiste is creating a unique grassroots movement that encourages accessibility and appreciation in the art of the live performance. Apart from his natural focus, Batiste is also a noted advocate for music education (Traveling Ambassador for Music Unites, Associate Artistic Director for the National Jazz Museum) and a regular figure in television and film (HBO's Treme, Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer). Batiste's appearance will be his first since 2008, the year he made his festival debut.

  

Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters - Appearing at the festival only once in 1997, guitarist Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters will make their long-awaited return in 2014. Earl is considered a New England blues guitar legend -- a staple on the local blues circuit for years (having received praise from blues masters such as B.B. King and Muddy Waters).

Robin McKelle & The Flytones - Hailing from Rochester, New York, vocalist Robin McKelle placed third in the 2004 Thelonious Monk Vocal Jazz Competition. However in recent years, McKelle's music has been beyond generic classification as a jazz vocalist. Alternatively, she has fully embraced classic rhythm & blues, traditional pop music, and soul styles. Her latest album, Soul Flower, released on Sony Music's recently re-launched OKeh Records, showcases her passion for classic American R&B. Her second, forthcoming OKeh album, titled Heart of Memphis, strikes a chord with a more roots-centric sound. McKelle will make her festival debut.

Marc Cary Focus Trio featuring Rashaan Carter & Sameer Gupta - Multi-dimensional keyboardist Marc Cary, who will make his festival debut as a leader, has credits ranging from Abbey Lincoln and Dizzy Gillespie to Erykah Badu and Q-Tip. A four-time GRAMMY® Award nominee (through collaborations), Cary successfully released his first solo piano record in mid-2013 on Motéma Music, titled For The Love Of Abbey (a tribute to his mentor and collaborator Abbey Lincoln). The festival will spotlight Cary in a different format, with his Focus Trio (featuring Rashaan Carter & Sameer Gupta). Fusing East Asian, Indian, African, and Native American influences within the African-American blues and jazz traditions, Focus Trio recently released their second Motéma album, titled Four Directions.

Lew Tabackin Trio - A favorite at the Saratoga Jazz Festival since debuting in 1980 with the award winning Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band (a group that he formed with Akiyoshi, his wife), this year marks acclaimed flutist and tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin's ninth overall festival appearance and second as a leader (first appearing with his own group in 2000). Performing with his Trio, Tabackin will break tradition and appear on the intimate Gazebo Stage (having always performed on the Amphitheatre stage in previous festival editions). His accolades and awards include a 2012 nomination for the JJA Jazz Awards; winning the Downbeat 2010 critics poll in the Flute category, and winning his 4th consecutive Swing Journal Reader's poll.

Jaimeo Brown with JD Allen & Chris Sholar - Renowned drummer, composer and conceptualist Jaimeo Brown's haunting debut as a leader, Transcendence (Motéma Music, 2013), brilliantly taps the root soul connections between African-American spirituals, transcendental East Indian music, Coltrane-esque improvisation and 21st century electronic music. Joined by guitarist/producer Chris Sholar (Q-Tip, Kanye West, Jay Z) and saxophonist JD Allen, Brown will make his festival debut.

Mary Halvorson Trio with John Hebert & Ches Smith - Guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson has been called "NYC's least-predictable improviser" (City Arts), "the most forward-thinking guitarist working right now" (NPR) and "one of today's most formidable bandleaders" (The Village Voice). Halvorson will make her festival debut, appearing with her longstanding trio - her flagship ensemble - featuring bassist John Hebert and drummer Ches Smith. In addition to the trio, Halvorson leads a quintet, a chamber-jazz duo and is also an active member of bands led by Tim Berne, Anthony Braxton, Myra Melford, Marc Ribot, and Tom Rainey, among others.

  

Trombone Shorty - Called the "Jimi Hendrix of the Trombone" in a recent profile by Rhythms' magazine, trombone/trumpet phenomenon Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews returns for his second festival appearance (debuting in 2012), with his signature "Supafunkrock" sound -- a combination of New Orleans' funk, rock, R&B and hip-hop. The New Orleans born and bred musician has had a meteoric rise since the release of his GRAMMY® nominated 2010 debut album, Backatown and released a follow up album, For True, in 2011.

Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra - A nine-time GRAMMY® Award-winner and 2013 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master (the highest honor bestowed by the United States), pianist and bandleader Eddie Palmieri returns to the festival for the first time since 1990 (marking his second overall appearance). Performing with his Salsa Orchestra, Palmieri is known as one of the finest Latin jazz pianists of the past 50 years. His music is renowned for its infectious sound, distinctive orchestrations and trailblazing style (the first to incorporate elements of salsa, funk, soul, jazz, and a band comprised of Latin and African-American musicians).

Patti Austin - A GRAMMY® Award-winner who crosses all musical genres, has made 17 solo albums, and has performed her award-nominated hit songs on the GRAMMYS® and the Oscars, acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Patti Austin will make her festival debut. Austin has had a star-studded career that began at the age of four, making her one of the most beloved artists in the world and a mainstay on the Billboard Jazz Albums charts. Her 2007 release, Avant-Gershwin (Rendezvous), was awarded a GRAMMY® for "Best Jazz Vocal Performance."

Dave Holland Prism with Kevin Eubanks, Craig Taborn & Eric Harland - Bassist, composer, and bandleader Dave Holland has a rich history with the festival. He appeared with his own band in 2002, performed with Jack DeJohnette's Parallel Realities tour in 1990, and in a quartet format with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Brian Blade in 2004. He returns to the festival with his new band, Prism - an electrifying project that is equally groove-oriented as it is avant-garde. The project features guitarist Kevin Eubanks (who appeared at the festival with his own group in 2013), keyboard specialist Craig Taborn, and drummer Eric Harland. Holland recently released Prism's debut album (of the same name), marking 40 years since his first recording as a leader, Conference of the Birds (ECM).

Newport Jazz Festival®: Now 60 - Anat Cohen, Karrin Allyson, Randy Brecker, Mark Whitfield, Peter Martin, Larry Grenadier & Clarence Penn Newport Jazz Festival® - Now 60 celebrates both the great history of the Newport Jazz Festival® and its current role as one of the most active presenters of contemporary jazz artists in the world. This celebration holds special meaning to the Saratoga Jazz Festival, as the project is presented to honor George Wein (the legendary impresario who founded both the Newport and Saratoga Jazz Festivals). Concert repertoire spans the ages--from Louis, Duke, and Miles to Latin, Brazilian, and fusion--making the leader of this international touring group, clarinetist Anat Cohen, a perfect ambassador for the Newport Jazz Festival. The ensemble features vocalist Karrin Allyson, trumpeter Randy Brecker, guitarist Mark Whitfield, pianist Peter Martin, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Clarence Penn.

Quinn Sullivan - Blues guitar prodigy Quinn Sullivan will make his festival debut as a leader, after a rousing surprise guest appearance with legendary bluesman Buddy Guy last year. Currently 14 years old (soon to be 15 in March 2014), Sullivan was given a toy guitar for Christmas at age three, and it quickly became apparent he had a gift. By age eight, Buddy Guy discovered Sullivan and became a mentor, fostering Sullivan's development. Sullivan has since gone on to appear on national television shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Ellen, Oprah, The Today Show, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, as well as performing at iconic venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, the Apollo Theater and the Beacon Theater. He appeared on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden in April 2013.

Melissa Aldana Crash Trio with Pablo Menares and Francisco Mela - Chilean-born/New York City-based saxophonist Melissa Aldana recently won the 2013 Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz saxophone competition, judged by a panel of saxophonists that included Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, Bobby Watson, Branford Marsalis and Jane Ira Bloom. As the first female instrumentalist to take first prize in this event since its inception in 1987, the 24-year-old Aldana was awarded $25,000 in scholarship money and a recording contract with the Concord Music Group. Aldana debuts at the festival with her Crash Trio, featuring bassist Pablo Menares and drummer Francisco Mela.

  

Tim Berne's Snakeoil with Oscar Noriega, Matt Mitchell & Ches Smith Saxophonist - Tim Berne will make his festival debut, performing with his working ensemble, Snakeoil. The New York Times describes the band as "an investigative chamber-improv group," having released two critically acclaimed albums on ECM Records, titled Snakeoil and Shadow Man, respectively. Byrne will be joined by clarinetist Oscar Noriega, pianist Matt Mitchell, and drummer/percussionist Ches Smith.

Warren Wolf & Wolfpack - One of the most important young jazz stars today, vibraphonist Warren Wolf makes his festival debut as a leader, following an appearance with his longstanding mentor Christian McBride in 2012. A multi-instrumentalist who has also honed his chops on drums and piano since age three, Wolf is quickly following in the footsteps of vibes masters such as Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton, as a "keeper of the flame." He became a member of the SFJAZZ Collective in 2013 (a post that Hutcherson inaugurated in 2004). Additionally, he recently performed at the Detroit Jazz Festival in duo with Gary Burton, whom is Wolf's labelmate on Mack Avenue Records. Wolf released his sophomore Mack Avenue effort, Wolfgang, in 2013. He performs at the festival with his group, Wolfpack.

Sean Jones Quartet with Orrin Evans, Luques Curtis & Obed Calvaire - Trumpeter, composer, bandleader, and educator Sean Jones will make his festival debut, performing with his working Quartet that features pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Luques Curtis, and drummer Obed Calvaire. In addition to releasing six albums as a leader on the Mack Avenue Records label over the past 10 years, Jones is the former lead trumpeter for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Additionally, Jones toured extensively with Marcus Miller in 2010, followed by a special European tour project with Miller, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter during the summer of 2011 (a direct nod to the Miles Davis legacy).

BRIAN CULBERTSON, LEE RITENOUR, ERIC BENET, AVERAGE WHITE BAND, OHIO PLAYERS & OTHERS @ THE NAPA VALLEY JAZZ GETAWAY

Single-day tickets went on sale today for the star-studded concerts taking place June 12-15, 2014 as part of the third annual Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, a wine and jazz festival set in scenic California Wine Country. Available at TicketFly (www.TicketFly.com), tickets are priced at $99 apiece except for the June 13 show, which cost $129 each and includes entry to an exclusive The GRAMMY® Foundation benefit wine reception and silent auction. A limited number of discount tickets for each concert are available to Napa residents.

Multiday ticket sales for the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway founded and directed by contemporary jazz-R&B instrumentalist Brian Culbertson have been robust with the five-day VIP Package selling out in one week when they went on sale last October. Until now, tickets for the 2014 festival have only been available in four-day Gold Packages and two-day Silver Packages, which are being scooped up voraciously by fans from all over the world that will gather in Napa to enjoy the full schedule of concerts starring A-list contemporary jazz, funk and R&B artists; daily Wine Down at The Westin wine tastings held at the official Getaway host hotel, The Westin Napa Verasa; a Cigar Event offering cigars and a performance by saxophonist Michael Lington; and “Another Long Night Out” Late Night Hangs. Single-day tickets are popular with nearby Bay Area residents as well as Napa locals, the latter of which are eligible to receive a $20 discount per ticket by using an access code provided to local businesses and via a targeted email sent by the Napa/Yountville Chamber of Commerce.

After a pair of sold-out opening night dinner concerts happening simultaneously on June 11, Napa Valley Jazz Getaway will stage four days of concerts with the June 12 & 13 shows taking place at The Lincoln Theater and the June 14 & 15 shows to be held on the majestic grounds of the Jamieson Ranch Vineyards. The Thursday night lineup showcases the Legends of Jazz featuring Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour and Earl Klugh with special guest Eric Marienthal and more. Friday Night Funk Night headlines The Ohio Players and special guest comedian Keenen Ivory Wayans. The weekend concerts move outdoors with Saturday spotlighting Brian Culbertson & Friends, Morris Day & The Time, Average White Band and Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Eric Benét, Mavis Staples, Eric Darius and Jazz in Pink featuring Gail Jhonson, Althea Rene and Karen Briggs fill the marquee on the final day of the 2014 Getaway.

A boundless creative force, showman, multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter responsible for 26 No. 1 hits, Culbertson will release his 14th album, “Another Long Night Out,” on February 25. He will be in Napa on February 27 to perform a short set at a private event for invited tastemakers to celebrate the release of the contemporary jazz record featuring an all-star cast and uncork his new custom-crafted wine, Culbertson Pinot Noir, which he personally blended with Jamieson Ranch Vineyards’ winemaker Nori Nakamura.  

Four-day Gold Packages ($499) and two-day Silver Packages ($229) remain available through the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway website (www.NapaValleyJazzGetaway.me).

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.