DON ELLIS: THE NEW DON ELLIS BAND GOES UNDERGROUND / DON ELLIS AT FILLMORE

Pivotal electric work from Don Ellis – a pair of albums back to back! The New Don Ellis Band Goes Underground is a monumental jazz rock crossover album from Ellis – soaring along on a fuzzed-out big band groove! The set's got most of the elements of Ellis' other electric sets for Columbia – but also features a tighter, shorter approach to the tunes – plus some vocals by Patti Allen, which adds a nice soul component to the set. There's a lot of nice production touches on the set, making the instrumentation take on whole new sounds in an electro-acoustic way – and the best tracks get nice and funky! 

Titles include "Higher", "Bulgarian Bulge", "Eli's Comin", "Acoustical Lass", "House In The Country", "Gooood Feelin", "Send My Baby Back", and "Black Baby". Don Ellis At Fillmore features funky madness at the legendary Fillmore Auditorium – and a searing set of tracks that rivals the best studio work from trumpeter Don Ellis! The feel here is really open, spontaneous, and inventive – and tunes are a lot more extended than on most of Don's studio sides from the time – with not only more room for solos, but also a seemingly greater focus on rhythms, which are often upbeat, firey, and very grooving on most numbers. There's a really great mix of trumpet and electronics on the record – including ring modulator and Fender Rhodes – and possibly inspired by the Fillmore setting, Don really opens up on all burners, spacing out with a really hip little groove. Titles include "Pussy Wiggle Stomp", "Salvatore Sam", "Rock Odyssey", "Final Analysis", "Excursion II", and "Antea".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: MEREDITH MONK / URSULA OPPENS / BRUCE BRUBAKER - PIANO SONGS; ANUSHKA - DISTORTED AIR EP; CURTIS HARDING - SOUL POWER

MEREDITH MONK / URSULA OPPENS / BRUCE BRUBAKER - PIANO SONGS

Meredith Monk is best known as a composer for voice – and a performer as well – but this wonderful set focuses on her music for piano – an instrumental setting that's every bit as haunting as her singing! The songs are often built around two piano lines – played by Ursula Oppens and Bruce Brubaker – often with one line building a rhythmically melodic progression, similar to the minimalist instrumentation in Monk's vocal works – while the other piano takes off in a more expressive flight that recalls the sublime sound of Meredith when she vocalizes. The music is every bit as haunting as Monk's first few ECM records back in the 80s – albums we still treasure today – and titles include "Ellis Island", "Folkdance", "Urban March", "Window In 7s", "Totentaz", "Phantom Waltz", and "Obsolete Objects". ~ Dusty Groove

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ANUSHKA - DISTORTED AIR EP

A nice little spacey club soul EP on Brownswood – actually the duo of singer/songwriter Victoria Port and producer Max Wheeler – and it's very promising stuff! Brownswood has a been a vital source for burgeoning progressive dancefloor talent for years now, and the depth continues to impress! Speaking of depth, Anushka stands out here thanks to deeper song-based level. The bubbling electro soul vibe is easy enough to get lost on a club or headphones level, but there's just defter, song-based vibe here. It get over even better thanks to Victoria's beautiful voice. Titles include "Broken Circuit", "Atom Bombs", "World In This Room" and "Blessing". (Includes download card.) ~ Dusty Groove

CURTIS HARDING - SOUL POWER

A great debut from Curtis Harding – a singer who's definitely got the soul power promised in the title, but one with a much wider reach as well! The core approach is funky soul, but the music is often inflected with other touches too – putting Curtis in that unique space between styles and genres reserved for a rare few back in the 70s – those singers who could cross easily between rock and soul, and often had followers on both sides of the fence. Some tracks bring up the guitars at a level that's more rock-based, but still mixed with soulful crooning from Harding – and the overall production is a nice change from overdone indie funk styles, further supporting Curtis' unique sound as well. Titles include "Next Time", "Castaway", "Drive My Car", "I Need A Friend", "Cruel World", "Surf", and "I Don't Wanna Go Home". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE; BADBADNOTGOOD - III; PAUL BLEY - PLAY BLUE: OSLO CONCERT

IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE

A really fresh group with a very unique sound – a combo that's partly rooted in older Afro Funk modes, but who also deliver their groove with kind of a leaner, New York street soul vibe as well! The album's cover image really gets the groove right – as the vintage is more 70s through 80s – with some playful crisscrossing of modes that never hurt the core soul of the music, but which provide some really fresh touches throughout! Some rhythms are programmed, but in a spare old school mode – and then mixed with acoustic drums and percussion, warmed up with keyboards and horns – and carried off with some great vocals from Eno Williams Uffort in the lead! Imagine Fela recording for 99 Records – or ESG getting some time in Lagos – but that's only part of the album's appeal, which only broadens with repeat listens. Titles include "Voice Of The Bird", "Ibibo Spiritual", "Got To Move Got To Get Out", "Let's Dance", "The Tortoise", "Uwa The Peacock", and "The Talking Fish". ~ Dusty Groove.

BADBADNOTGOOD - III

The best work so far from this ultra-hip trio – an amazing combination of keyboards, bass, and drums – served up in styles that are rooted in funk and jazz, but go to so many other places as well! The drums crackle with a quality schooled in 70s breaks and beats, stripped down to their core – and the mix of keyboards echo a range of innovators from CTI to Money Mark, with a spacious flow that leaves plenty of room for the basslines to drive the tunes! Other instrumentation includes bits of guitar and percussion from the group, plus some guest tenor and strings as well. Titles include "Hedron", "Differently Still", "Confessions", "Triangle", "Can't Leave The Night", "CS60", and "Since You Asked So Kindly". ~ Dusty Groove

PAUL BLEY - PLAY BLUE: OSLO CONCERT

Some of the best material in years from pianist Paul Bley – a sublime solo set recorded live, and done with the warmth and personal expression of Bley's best albums from the 70s! The tunes have this balance between modern ideas and slightly more sentimental touches – the latter of which never overwhelm the freshness of Bley's piano, but definitely serve to humanize it a bit – such that the range of soul here is greater than we can remember in many years! It's great to hear Paul still find this sort of space – and it's even more captivating when he's out there on his own, which seems an even greater reminder of all the contributions he's made to jazz piano over the decades. Titles include "Far North", "Way Down South Suite", "Flame", "Longer", and "Pent-Up House". ~ Dusty Groove

ELENO RECORDS BOX SET: VINICIUS & ODETTE LARA / NARA / CAYMMI VISITA TOM / BOSSA NOVA YORK / VINICIUS & CAYMMI NO ZUM ZUM (5 ALBUM SET)

Amazing bossa nova from 60s Brazil – a limited box set that features five classic albums from the Elenco Records label, pressed up on very high quality vinyl! 

Album #1 – the Vinicius & Odette Lara album from 1963 – a dream of a bossa session! The lovely Odette Lara sings vocals – and the music was written by Baden Powell and Vinicius De Morais, with arrangements by the great Moacir Santos. The sound is perfect Elenco bossa – with lightly lilting orchestrations that still have a lot of soul, and perfectly produced vocals drifting over the top. Titles include "Astronauta", "Berimbau", "Seja Feliz", "Samba Preludio", and "Alem Do Amor". 

Album #2 – Nara Leao 1964 – Incredible early bossa material from one of Brazil's greatest singers! The record is lively, yet sophisticated – with strong arrangements by Gaya and Moacir Santos, and a vocal approach by Nana that really moves past the sweeter sound of other bossa singers – into a mode that's rich with feeling, without sounding too overwrought or overemotional – in sharp contrast to the style of Brazilian divas from a few years before. Includes a wonderful version of Santos' "Nana", plus the tracks "Cancao Da Terra", "Consolacao", "Maria Moita", and "Berimbau". 

Album #3 – Caymmi Visita Tom – A landmark meeting of two Brazilian generations! The older singer/songwriter Dorival Caymmi meets up with Tom Jobim in this moody session of stripped-down tracks recorded in the famous Elenco style – and the result is a classic album that spans two generations of Brazilian music. Dorival brought along children Nana, Danilo, and Dori Caymmi to the session, and the backing includes percussion by Edison Machando – an guitar by Dori, and flute by Danilo. Tracks include "Sem Voce", "Berimbau", "Tristeza De Nos Dois", "Vae De Vez", and "Das Rosas". 

Album #4 – Bossa Nova York – A rare early session from Sergio Mendes – one that was recorded in New York, during a pre-66 visit by his core trio – and augmented with guest horn work from Art Farmer, Phil Woods, and Hubert Laws! Antonio Carlos Jobim plays a bit of guitar on the album, and the set's a straighter set of jazz than you might expect – with Sergio grooving hard on piano, and throwing in some light bossa touches to tracks that include "Maria Moita", "Sambinha Bossa Nova", "The Dreamer", "Primavera", "Favela", and "Pau Brazil". 

Album #5 – Vinicius & Caymmi No Zum Zum – An amazingly beautiful album, recorded by Vinicius De Moraes, Dorival Caymmi, Oscar Castro-Neves, and The Quarteto Em Cy for some sort of a special show. Castro-Neves provides some excellent bossa backing, the Quarteto girls sing chorus and over the top, Vinicius does some recitations, and Caymmi sings lead vocals. If the whole thing sound's a bit heavy-handed, it's not – and instead is an amazing batch of heavenly bossa-tinged tracks, with all the intelligence and imagination of the best titles on the Elenco label. The whole thing's extremely lively, and has an other-worldly sound that matches Vinicius' classic Afro Sambas LP with Baden Powell. Tracks include "Bom Dia Amigo", "Berimbau", "Historia De Pescadores", "Formosa", "Broto Maroto", and "Aruanda". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: GIL SCOTTT-HERON - NOTHING NEW; SARAH MCLACHLAN - SHINE ON; JACO PASTORIUS - MODERN AMERICAN MUSIC...PERIOD!: THE CRITERIA SESSIONS

GIL SCOTTT-HERON - NOTHING NEW

Plenty new here – a wealth of unheard tracks by Gil Scott-Heron – and some of the best music he recorded late in his life! The sides are all remakes of tracks from older 70s albums by Gil – but they're done in these stripped-down styles that usually just feature voice and guitar – recorded as kind of a side project to the two late-life albums Scott-Heron did for XL, but with a real tie back to his roots as well! The tunes might be familiar, but the presentations here are very different – and really graced by Gil's rich life experience as well. Titles include "Pieces Of A Man", "Your Daddy Loves You", "Did You Hear What They Said", "Betty Days Ahead", "The Other Side", "Blue Collar", and "95 South". (Silkscreen cover.)  ~ Dusty Groove

SARAH MCLACHLAN - SHINE ON

Three Time Grammy Winner and legendary singer songwriter makes her Verve debut with her eighth studio album, Shine On. Sarah has sold over 40 million albums in her career and is one of the most respected female artists in music today. The new album was recorded in Vancouver with longtime collaborator/producer Pierre Marchand,along with contributions from producer/songwriter Bob Rock and keyboardist Vincent Jones. In a press release, McLachlan revealed that the album was inspired by her father's passing and her own appreciation of life: This album is about moving through the second half of my life in a more mindful and meaningful way, recognizing that every day, every moment is precious and though we all have our issues and problems, our damages, we all have the ability to continue to learn, grow from our experiences, thrive and shine on. Many of the songs are inspired at least partially or wholly by my father's passing three years ago and the profound effect losing him had on me. I had to find my footing again without the anchor of his unconditional love. ~ Amazon.com

JACO PASTORIUS - MODERN AMERICAN MUSIC...PERIOD!: THE CRITERIA SESSIONS

Some of the earliest work ever from Jaco Pastorius – rare demo recordings, issued in this format for the first time ever – filled to the brim with the kind of groundbreaking basswork that Jaco helped pioneer! Many tracks are relatively spare, and really give you a great chance to hear the special skills that Pastorius brought to his instrument – that level of soloing that was even more deft than most work on horns, and which pushed the instrument into really amazing territory. Other instrumentation includes Fender Rhodes, drums, steel drums, and some percussion from Don Alias – and titles include "Balloon Song", "Pans #1", "Kuru", "Havona / Continuum", "Time Lapse", and "Opus Pocus". (Includes download!) ~ Dusty Groove

ELIO VILLAFRANCA AND THE JAZZ SYNCOPATORS - CARIBBEAN TINGE

Pianist Elio Villafranca is much-in-demand these days with a new CD release (Caribbean Tinge-Motema Music) some special dates at Jazz at Lincoln Center and a performance at the annual Jazz Journalists Awards ceremony. With his all-star band, the Jass Syncopators, Villafranca is a breath of fresh air, or as Wynton Marsalis says "Pianist and composer Elio Villafranca is an inspired and visionary musician. With his band, The Jass Syncopators, Elio expands what Jelly Roll Morton called The Spanish Tinge to what Elio calls The Caribbean Tinge."

Percussion, brass and ivory keys set the stage for folkloric dance, Caribbean rhythms and 21st century jazz. Together, the music and dance integrate a new body of movement and syncopation within the performance of the eight original Villafranca compositions.

The Caribbean Tinge CD celebration release is at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola on June 13-15. 

Elio Villafranca will be honored with the first-ever Jazz at Lincoln Center Millennium Swing! Award on June 23. Joining Villafranca at the 1st Annual Jazz at Lincoln Center Swing! Awards are recipients Jonathan Batiste and Cecile McLorin Salvant.

Tour Dates:

May 16-17 - Nuevo Jazz Latino - JALC - The Appel Room

June 11 - Jazz Journalists Assoc. Jazz Awards - The Blue Note

June 13-15 - CD Release Celebration - Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

June 23 - JALC Millennium Swing! Award

June 24 - CD Release - Caribbean Tinge (Motema Music)

August 10 - San Jose Jazz Festival (CA)

August 31 - Elio Villafranca Quartet feat. Eric Alexander - Detroit Jazz Festival

September 15 - Premiere of Mary Lou William's Zodiac Suite - Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, Bolivia

"The band swings hard and brings a traditional yet innovative style to the roots of jazz and Afro Caribbean music. I am profoundly moved by Elio's vision and musicianship. He is a treasured member of the family here at Jazz at Lincoln Center."

- Wynton Marsalis

"Elio's music is passionate. A brand new application of ancient ways."

- Chick Corea

There are good reasons why Wynton Marsalis and Chick Corea have taken a personal interest in Elio Villafranca. Hailing from Havana, Cuba, Elio is rooted in the tradition and rhythms of the Caribbean, yet fully embraces the elements of modern jazz. Caribbean Tinge is his 7th album as a leader, and was recorded during two live performances at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Since the beginning of jazz and Latin music, syncopation has been an important element in the rhythmic foundation and development of these musical genres. For Grammy nominee pianist and composer Elio Villafranca, the concept of syncopation is intrinsic to his music. Elio was deeply inspired by Duke Ellington's approach to music of the 1940's and is also proudly aware of his Cuban-Latin heritage. The Jass Syncopators is a performance ensemble that challenges the boundaries of jazz by fusing it with the syncopated nature of Afro-Caribbean music, rhythms and dance, thus creating authentic cultural experiences. With this exotic combination, Elio Villafranca and The Jass Syncopators strive to create a multi-layered musical dialogue where intellectual understanding of the music is secondary to its full experience.

www.motema.com / / www.eliovillafranca.net/

LEGENDARY DRUMMER GINGER BAKER’S FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 16 YEARS, WHY?, TO BE RELEASED JUNE 24

Ginger Baker was once considered the musician least likely to survive the ‘60s. And yet, in 2014, he finds himself on the ascent. The award-winning 2012 documentary Beware of Mr. Baker brought renewed attention to his singular music, fiery and self-destructive personality, and dramatic life story. Ironically, his extreme adventurousness and impulsivity—evidenced, for example, by his leaving England and moving to Nigeria in 1970 to play and record music—are the same qualities that helped make him such a versatile and continually evolving musician. Baker has long ranked among the world’s greatest drummers, and critics have deemed his recent live shows with his quartet, Jazz Confusion, some of the best work of his career. On June 24, Motéma Music releases Why?, his first new recording in 16 years, coinciding with a thirteen-date North American tour with Jazz Confusion June 14-30.

For his time with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band Cream, Baker is often credited with revolutionizing rock drumming and influencing countless other rock drummers. But he has always been, first and foremost, a jazz musician. What distinguished his playing in Cream, Blind Faith and other bands, aside from his stunning virtuosity and dramatic flair, was the fact that he was essentially the first “jazz-rock fusion” drummer. He brought to rock the jazz technique he learned from his deep study of music by the likes of Baby Dodds,Max Roach, Elvin Jones and Art Blakey. Baker’s setup (two bass drums instead of one) and style (improvised drum breaks and solos) made him unique amongst his peers.

Baker’s love of jazz also cannot be decoupled from his deep appreciation for African music, introduced to him in the early ‘60s by his idol and friend Phil Seamen, which Ginger manifested in own his playing through the heavy use of toms, introducing an oft-imitated tribal sound to rock. This influence has been an essential part of Baker’s style throughout his career. It is no surprise then that African rhythm is a key ingredient on Why?

The inclusion of Abass Dodoo in Jazz Confusion accentuates the African feel of the album and hearkens back to Baker’s friendship with another Ghanaian percussionist, the master drummer Guy Warren. While visiting Warren in 1970, Baker became fascinated with the music he heard on a Nigerian radio station, contacted his friend Fela Kuti, went to Lagos, and decided to build a recording studio, Batakota (ARC). During construction, Baker and Kuti recorded Fela Ransome-Kuti and Africa 70 with Ginger Baker: Live at Abbey Road and London. Baker still considers that album one of the high points of his career. (Once ARC opened, in 1973, Paul McCartney and Wings recorded part of Band on the Run there.)

Baker continued to reveal his jazz chops in the Ginger Baker Trio (with Charlie Haden and Bill Frisell) and DJQ20 (with Ron Miles, Artie Moore and others), with whom he recorded his last album, Coward of the County in 1998. Why? is the next step in Baker’s return to his jazz roots, a culmination of his storied career and an amalgamation of his jazz and African music influences.

Why? features material Baker has explored while performing live over the last two years with Jazz Confusion. The music ranges from Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints” and Sonny Rollins’ “St. Thomas,” to “Aiko,” which adapts a Nigerian folk tune. The album’s title track echoes Baker’s early music with the Graham Bond Organisation, and represents Baker reflecting on his life: on the personal loss he’s experienced, the dreams he’s had fulfilled and destroyed, asking the question “why?” The tune starts with a prison work song about a man who killed his wife, and also includes “Wade in the Water” as a remembrance of Graham Bond, who died tragically in 1974.

Reviewing Baker and Jazz Confusion at Iridium last fall—Baker’s first New York City club gig since 1997—Ben Ratliff wrote in The New York Times that the band “comes to jazz sideways or through very old roots…Mr. Baker’s sound is so imposing and broad, slow and confident. It’s not loud with ambition, but with spirit and intent.”

Ginger Baker’s recognition as a drummer began during his time in the Graham Bond Organisation, a band that toured with The Who, The Troggs, The Moody Blues and Chuck Berry in the early 1960s, attracting press interest for their outrageous behavior and riotous fun. By 1964, Melody Maker journalist Chris Welch had deemed Baker “one of Britain’s great drummers.”

Baker met Eric Clapton in 1966. The two were mutually impressed with each other’s playing after jamming together,  leading to Baker inviting Clapton to join his band. They soon added bass player Jack Bruce to form Cream. In Baker’s own words, they created “instant magic” and as a touring act broke box office records previously held by The Beatles.

After Cream came Blind Faith, in which Steve Winwood and Rick Grech joined Baker and Clapton. The band made just one album. When Clapton and Winwood left to pursue their own projects, the remaining members went on to form the jazz-rock fusion group Ginger Baker’s Airforce, which added sax, flute, organ and extra percussion.

During a trip to Africa Baker found himself inspired by Nigerian radio. Although there was a war going on, he was adamant about visiting Nigeria, and pushed to set up Batakota Studios in Lagos. Music aside, Africa afforded Baker a wonderful climate and a healthier lifestyle than that of rock n’ roll and touring. He discovered his love for polo and rally driving there, too.

Baker’s work with Airforce and his friendship with Fela Kuti paved the way for Baker’s next musical project: to work with African musicians. With his friend Fela Kuti, at Abbey Road, he recorded the landmark Fela Ransome-Kuti and Africa 70 with Ginger Baker.

Baker then went on to form the British band The Baker Gurvitz Army. Baker provided “extra sounds” on the debut album, such as wheel spins from his Jensen FF on the song “Mad Jack.” He also rode a wheeled swivel chair backwards down a flight of stairs for the LP’s second track.

After setting up a second recording studio, in North London, Baker formed Energy. Since then he has performed at various live events, such as Verona’s Percussion Summit and his own 70th birthday party, with special guest Steve Winwood, at Camden’s Jazz Café.

Ginger Baker’s Jazz Confusion made a sold-out four-night debut in 2012 at Ronnie Scott’s Club in London.

~ Motema

NEW RELEASES: DUMPSTAPHUNK - DIRTY WORD; QUASIMODE - MY FAVORITE SONGS; BOSSA NOVA HAPPINESS

DUMPSTAPHUNK - DIRTY WORD

A decade into the formation of Dumpstaphunk, the New Orleans all-star collective Ivan Neville (vocals, B3 and Clav), the double bass attack and soulful voices of Tony Hall and Nick Daniels III, Ian Neville on guitar, and the monster addition of Nikki Glaspie (formerly with Beyonce s all-female band) on drums and vocals releases their third studio album, Dirty Word. Initially started as an impromptu line-up of some of New Orleans tightest players, hand-picked by Ivan Neville to accompany his 2003 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival performance, Dumpstaphunk has become a stalwart touring act, richly deserving the title 'Heavyweight Champions of Funk.' Press accolades for the band have ranged from the New York Times hailing, in 2007, 'Dumpstaphunk is the best funk band from New Orleans right now,' to Bass Player Magazine saying, 'The colossal low end and filthy grooves they threw down from the Gentilly Stage must have set a Jazz Fest record for baddest bass jams ever.' Dirty Word offers a fresh and varied take on funk, blues, gospel, second-line, R&B and rock n roll. The album features special guest appearances by Art Neville, Trombone Shorty, Rebirth Brass Band, Skerik, Ani DiFranco and Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers). ~ Amazon.com

QUASIMODE - MY FAVORITE SONGS

A great new groove from Quasimode – and a set that has the combo really coming across with a sound that's more sensitive than before! The quartet still have their great ear for a strong bottom on their jazz tunes, but most numbers here move in a midtempo speed, instead of their previous pounding jazz dance approach – and this change really allows for some greater warmth in the music, particularly on the round, soulful basslines – and the especially strong piano! A few cuts add in a bit of tenor and trumpet, but the main focus is on these wonderfuly flowing piano lines over nicely groovy rhythms – and as the title indicates, the set features favorite tunes, remade by Quasimode in their own style. Titles include "Love Theme From Sunflower", "Open Your Eyes", "High & Dry", "Overjoyed", "Cleopatra's Dream", "Day Dreaming", and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You".   Dusty Groove

BOSSA NOVA HAPPINESS - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Plenty to be happy about here – a sweet set of classic bossa tracks from the 60s, and one of the first to equally mix gems from the vaults of both Universal and EMI Records! The recent merger of the musical giants means that Blue Note tracks sit next to Verve numbers from the US, and older Brazilian recordings on labels like Odeon or Elenco – more than enough music to make a mighty great selection of music! The set also features a few numbers of more recent vintage – and titles include "The Dolphin" by Bill Evans, "Latona" by Big John Patton, "Sambou Sambou" by Doris Monteiro, "Monsieur Binot" by Joyce, "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones, "Chup Chup I Got Away" by Marcos Valle, "We & The Sea" by Tamba 4, "Dindi" by Sylvia Telles, "Summer Samba" by Walter Wanderley, "Upa Nequinho" by Duke Pearson, "Wave" by Ron Carter, and "Inutil Paisagem" by Milton Banana Trio. ~ Dusty Groove

THE NELS CLINE SINGERS - MACROSCOPE

"Nels Cline is one of a rare breed of guitarists who can move fluidly between jazz, improvised music and rock." - DownBeat

Taking in the full breadth of guitarist Nels Cline’s sonic sphere of influence has always required a particularly wide lens. Zoom out from his fret board-blistering mash-ups of abrasive rock and bleeding-edge jazz to encompass his decade-long role with inventive rock superstars Wilco, then pull back further to find space for his ventures into Brazilian rhythms, electronic drones, and all manner of madcap musical fusion. Macroscope, the fifth album and Mack Avenue debut by his adventurous trio The Nels Cline Singers, provides a measure of the long-running group’s staggering range.

Captivating and continually surprising, the album finds the instrumental trio with the slyly deceptive name veering in one off-kilter direction only to suddenly be overwhelmed by another drastic stylistic shift, often within the space of a single tune. Serrated psychedelia becomes consumed by soulful Brasiliana, blissed-out electronica overwhelmed by garage-rock skronk. Then there’s the wholly unexpected “Red Before Orange,” where a howling Hendrix-inspired solo suddenly erupts in the middle of a slick lounge-jazz number, Cline unleashing the inner George Benson that few of us expected he even had.

“The title Macroscope speaks to the idea of the mutt within,” Cline says, “the fact that I’m not in any one genre, and never have been. I was a rock and roll kid, but after hearing Coltrane and Miles and Weather Report, then Indian music and Nigerian pop and that sort of thing, there was no turning back. From that point on, the idea of purism just was not possible.”

Throughout the album, Cline says, the intention is to “arrive at a place that could be surprising or unexpected or maybe inevitable, but that is so compelling or all-consuming that we’re absorbed and can forget about all kinds of minutiae. I would like us to arrive at a point that has no boundaries, that’s totally amorphous. It’s like sunshine or mist, it’s everywhere and nowhere.”

One of the most inventive and original guitarists across a wide range of genres, Nels Cline has worked with members of Sonic Youth and Deerhoof as well as artists including Tim Berne, Charlie Haden, Julius Hemphill, Carla Bozulich, Mike Watt and The Geraldine Fibbers, and is the lead guitarist of Wilco.

nelscline.com

~  Mack Avenue Records

NEW RELEASES: SALAMM REMI: ONE: IN THE CHAMBER; CINDY BRADLEY - BLISS; FELIX SCHLARMANN - COUNTERLIFE

SALAMM REMI: ONE: IN THE CHAMBER

The new album from the Grammy® nominated producer featuring new songs with Akon, Ne-Yo, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jordin Sparks and Stephen Marley.  Musical mastermind Salaam Remi has cultivated the sounds of countless Grammy®-winning artists including Amy Winehouse, Fugees, Nas, Alicia Keys and Miguel. Now he takes the role of artist himself on his new album, One: in the Chamber. The album features new songs with guest vocalists Akon, Ne-Yo, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jordin Sparks, Estelle, Stephen Marley, Lamar and CJ Hilton in addition to orchestral songs composed by Remi. One: in the Chamber demonstrates Remi's strong musical chops taking the listener from a cool bossa nova backbeat to a soulful Curtis Mayfield style-flow to elliptical reggae, accompanied by a host of talented vocalists. Listening to the album, one thing is for sure - Remi knows how to transform a moment in the studio into an indelible, classic song. "I'm a musician, composer and arranger that loves great music," says Remi. "This is my first expression as a body of work with all those things involved." Every song that Remi selected for the One: in the Chamber is personal and profound. The title track, "One in the Chamber" is the result of a conversation Remi had with Akon in the studio about someone who had received news of an unplanned pregnancy. On "Chocolate Brown Eyes" Remi captures the joyful spirit of vocalist Jordin Sparks. With Ne-Yo, a longtime collaborator, the intuitive process resulted in the infectious track "Everything I Need." The songs were recorded in studios all around the world supported by a live Prague-based orchestra that Remi assembled. ~ Amazon.com

CINDY BRADLEY - BLISS

It's always difficult when you have set the bar so high as Cindy did with her groundbreaking and highly heralded second recording 'Unscripted', voted 'Critic's Choice 2011' by Jazziz Magazine, and one that spawned back to back #1 Billboard singles, to not only follow but to continue to stretch higher. With the release of BLISS, Bradley's third she again finds Grammy award winning producer Michael Broening at the rudder steering the ship and together again they not only grab hold of the bar they set, but leap over it, carried forward by the current of her wave of popularity.Bliss is the apropos title for this set of musical sketches that continues to expose the many facets of this extraordinary artist who laid bare her emotions and challenges in 'Unscripted' and now finds a place in her life where she is finding great peace and joy through her perseverance and increase in capacity. These musical portraits painted with a variety of different brushes and strokes cover the gamut of moods and emotions, open, honest and revealing. From her trademark swing and sass to the beauty and sensitivity through which she caresses the muted Harman, it's all here. Her jazz chops are in full display on 'Squeeze Me' a wistful rendering chock full of artistic expression and interplay. Gospel, Funk, House and blues all find appearance in this new exploration of what is Cindy Bradley and the results are robust and satisfying. Radio is licking its collective chops and Bradley's legions of fans will line up and welcome with full embrace this long awaited expose. The sails are set and this ship is prepared to leave port for destinations unknown. Welcome aboard. ~ Amazon.com

FELIX SCHLARMANN - COUNTERLIFE

Over the past years, Felix focused on being a bandleader and composer, in addition to playing with numerous projects. This versatile drummer’s music consists of fragile melodies and energetic explosions; an emotional sound filled with contradiction. Schlarmann earned his reputation in the Dutch jazz scene as the drummer of the power jazz group BRUUT!, with which he has performed all over the globe, as well as with the famous Dutch saxophone player Jasper Blom, with whom he brings the music of Franz Schubert to the big stages with the group Mechanical Duck. The musicians in Schlarmann s group belong to the rising stars of the young Dutch scene: piano player Franz von Chossy created a name for himself all over Europe and beyond; saxophone player Lars Dietrich earned his stripes working with many great musicians such as John Escreet and David Binney; Floris van der Vlugt has worked with countless artists in the Netherlands and just started his own all-star septet Windkracht 7; and young British bass player Pat Cleaver has managed to become one the most-wanted players in the country, in just a few years! ~ Amazon.com

NEW RELEASES: SONNY KNIGHT AND THE LAKERS - I'M STILL HERE; SUN RA & HIS ARKESTRA - LIVE AT MONTREUX; PAUL HARDCASTLE WITH JAZZMASTERS - VII

SONNY KNIGHT AND THE LAKERS - I'M STILL HERE

One of the best soul music comebacks we've ever heard – and one of the few contemporary records like this to have a really cohesive feel overall! This isn't just a new group working with an older singer – but a tremendous blending of the skilled soul vocals of Sonny Knight with just the kind of funky combo to make him come across just right – and probably even better than he ever sounded back in the day! The whole thing is perfect – from performance to production – and the record sparkles with an energy that we never heard before from Sonny Knight – with backing by the Fabulous Lakers that's right up there with best older combos from back in the day. This one may well nudge recent work from Lee Fields off the top spot on our list – and it's a real stunner from this overlooked singer! Titles include "Cave Man", "I'm Still Here (parts 1 & 2)", "Hey Girl", "When You're Gone", "Baby Baby Baby", "Get Up & Dance", and a great cover of Rodriguez's "Sugar Man". ~ Dusty Groove

SUN RA & HIS ARKESTRA - LIVE AT MONTREUX

One of Sun Ra's best non-Saturn live sets of the 70s – a nice little record that shows the group mixing it up with equal parts avant garde and straight ahead jazz, all handled in that ever-growing large group style that made them a real force to be reckoned with in a concert setting! The album was recorded during the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival, and has a bit more focus and polish than some of the other Arkestra live material from the time – a mature, coherent sound that almost points the way towards some of their work to come in the 80s – when Ra and the group were finally reaching the wider audience they deserved. The set's a double-length one, and features players who include John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen and Danny Davis on alto and flute, Pat Patrick on baritone, Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Craig Harris on trombone, and James Jackson on Ancient Egyptian Infinity drum – which is always a treat. Ra plays solar organ and moog, as well as piano – and titles include "Of The Other Tomorrow", "On Sound Infinity Spheres", "El Is The Sound Of Joy", "Gods Of The Thunder Realm", "The House Of Eternal Being", and "Lights On a Satellite". ~ Dusty Groove, Inc.

PAUL HARDCASTLE WITH JAZZMASTERS - VII

Well into his third decade crafting signature songs of our time churning out chart topping mega-hits with ease, Paul Hardcastle adds another branch to his musical tree, one that is again bearing delicious fruit. VII, while it carries all of the hallmarks that have come to define his unique style and sound, takes a decidedly different approach, with the focus on serving up compelling sonic instrumental soundscapes and less about vocals. This is Hardcastle's wheelhouse and nobody does it better. For those who use music as an escape from the day to day, these sides are the perfect transporting device, rich soulful atmospherics that lift you through space and time and carry you away to destinations of your choosing.  Urban substructures layered with sexy yet subtle grooves, punctuated with perfectly placed notes and vibrations create the perfect flow of ambience as you depart on this soothing musical journey, a one way ticket to pure pleasure. This is pure ear candy that will provide that rush of sweetness yet is high in nutritional content, satisfying and full flavored. The lead radio single 'Unlimited Love' a tip of the hat to one of Paul's biggest influences Barry White adds another first and features label mate and one of the genres brightest rising stars trumpeter Cindy Bradley. Daughter Maxine and son Paul Hardcastle Jr again make appearances on the record providing just the right accents in all the right places. Pull up under the Hardcastle tree, pick a side and savor the fruits of this fabulous labor. ~ Amazon.com

NEW STUDIO ALBUM BY INDONESIAN GUITAR MASTER TOHPATI - TRIBAL DANCE FEATURING JIMMY HASLIP AND CHAD WACKERMAN

With Tohpati’s 3rd release (2nd as a trio) on MoonJune, recorded in Los Angeles in September 2013, we see the Beckian progressive metal riffing of 2012’s Tohpati Bertiga 'Riot' supplanted by a pairing of compositional dexterity along with the unique guitar voice that is the essence of Tohpati, one of Indonesia's most famous guitar players.

Though there is no shortage of acrobatic axe-wielding on 'Tribal Dance', Tohpati’s democratic interplay with the formidable world class rhythm section of Jimmy Haslip and Chad Wackerman is the real star here – creating a powerful synergy that gives voice to the whole of the music over its parts and delivering a richly rewarding listening experience. 

Power chords, distorted spare note leads, chugging rhythmic grooves and nuanced jazz phrasings are all summoned up by Tohpati, as he locks in with Haslip’s dubmaster basslines and the rubber-limbed kitwork of Wackerman, creating tracks of infectious syncopation and of sufficient complexity to warrant a player recount. Aside from a few ambient vocal samples, 'Tribal Dance' is an instrumental album, though many of Tohpati’s melodic guitar lead lines feel “sung” in both song context and in the expressive way in which they are played. This diversity of guitar voicings and textures, along with the enthusiasm and chemistry between the players, will keep this disc in heavy rotation. Fans of Jeff Beck, Wayne Krantz, Allan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson, Oz Noy, and, of course, the Indonesian guitar icon Dewa Budjana, will surely want to pick this up.

moonjunerecords.bandcamp.com

Video clip of the opening track 'Rahwana': youtu.be/gKNCEQCp8EE

KINDRED THE FAMILY SOUL TO CELEBRATE "A COUPLE FRIENDS" WITH NEW ALBUM

There's a lot of talk about the lack of substance and positive values on the urban music scene today. Where are the positive images of men and women, particularly African-Americans? Where are the songs promoting romance and lasting love? There are such songs and images but somehow they get overshadowed by superficial sexuality and material celebration. No one has done more in the last decade to deliver great, down-to-earth songs about love, relationships and family and the struggles ordinary people face than Kindred The Family Soul, the Philadelphia-based hit-making husband-and-wife duo Fatin and Aja Dantzler. On such hits as "Far Away," “Magic Happen," "Stars" and "House Of Love," Kindred The Family Soul delivers soulful, honest portraits of love and family. They not only sing about this life, they live it! 

They balance a committed marriage and six children with a successful career as musical artists. Their website has become a focus for many people who are dealing with the same struggles or who simply see in Kindred The Family Soul inspiration to do the same. On June 10, 2014, Shanachie Entertainment will release a new album A Couple Friends, their latest installment in their ongoing love story.

Working with such front-line producers as Vidal Davis and Andre Harris (Jill Scott, Marsha Ambrosius), Anthony Bell (Jaheim, Estelle), James Poyser (John Legend, The Roots) and Steve McKie (Bilal, Jazmine Sullivan), Kindred wrote or co-wrote all the songs on the album.

While their critically-acclaimed last album, Love Has No Recession, was very oriented toward social commentary, A Couple Friends focuses more on the original Kindred themes of love and the joys and challenges of a committed relationship. A special 22-minute short film featuring material from the album is in production and will be released soon. The new album is one more affirmation that Kindred The Family Soul has created a unique style and approach to music-making that is a welcome dose of substance and "real life" on an all-too-often vapid music scene.

"Touching people with genuine emotion and true-to-life lyrical content has always been our mission, " Fatin says. "We want people to know that soul music has not left the building. We are here to stay and are carrying on the tradition!"

Listen to Kindred The Family Soul's new single "Everybody's Hustling" here

SOMI - THE LAGOS MUSIC SALON - NEW AFRICAN AND SOUL INSPIRED BY A JOURNEY TO LAGOS, NIGERIA

Few contemporary albums bare as particular a narrative as The Lagos Music Salon. The new album by the superb chanteuse Somi, finds her breaking new ground with a hybrid style of music that organically integrates the essence of jazz and soul with the musical depth of her African heritage. "It's the first time ever that I put all other pursuits on hold to focus solely on the creative process," says Somi, who decided to move to Lagos, Nigeria from her New York home base without a game plan but with a passionate desire to find a new direction for her vision and voice. 

The Lagos Music Salon marks Somi's major label debut for Sony's OKeh Records and features a range of originals that are sublimely melodic, percussively textured.  A socially informed and adventurous vocalist, Somi sings with a soulful beauty about her experiences in Lagos. While there, she kept a journal of her observations and collaborated with a community of musicians, writers and artists who helped her to envision what would become The Lagos Music Salon. 

The album covers a broad swath of styles and features a number of carefully matched guest performances. These include a fast-paced groove with Afro-pop sensibilities on the Fela Kuti-inspired "Lady Revisited" with Angelique Kidjo, and a rap-inflected cinematic reflection on Africa's pollution, "When Rivers Cry," that features Common. 

Also in the mix are field recording snippets, including an exchange at the Lagos airport with an immigration officer, heated rally cries from the Occupy Nigeria protests, and a parabolic story of an over-skilled monkey.

  

"I'm excited about this album," Somi says. "I allowed myself to abandon the boundaries of my comfort zone, but that gave me the room to explore and play with new ideas and inspiration. Some people see me as an African artist and not jazz, while others see me as a jazz artist influenced by Africa. But I'm not focused on genre. My intent is to be honest with the songs and where they take me."

  

Born in Illinois, the daughter of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda, Somi's dramatic Salon story started ironically and sadly on the release date of her 2009 album, If the Rains Come First, when her beloved father passed away.

"I had to weather the storm of his passing," Somi says. "The loss was so sobering that I began to question my own life's legacy and path. My dearest mentor Hugh Masekela knew about my personal loss and subsequent desire for change. He also knew that, more than ever, I wished I could move 'home' to Africa. Something about the idea seemed like it might be a way to get closer to my father's spirit and my own heart. It was Uncle Hugh that reminded me that to be a musician is to be a global citizen and that I should always listen to my heart should it long to travel. 'Stop thinking about it as a move,' he said, 'Think of it as an opportunity to spend time with another part of your global audience.' That's when I decided to make the bold choice of moving to Lagos. A true Africanist, I believe my father is proud of that choice."

  

While she spent part of her youth in Africa with her parents, Somi hadn't lived there since her first year out of college when she landed a medical anthropology research fellowship in Kenya and Tanzania. After frequent holiday visits and touring extensively on the continent (visiting over 12 countries with her band), Somi fell in love with Lagos, "where there's a huge volume of cultural production, including literature, film and fashion - let alone music," she says. "For an artist, it is a very exciting place. There's an energy there that reminds me of New York. Twenty million people live there-it's cosmopolitan, fast, hard and yet so inspiring."

   

While Somi's goal was to live in Lagos for 15 months she ended up being there for 18 months. She began her journey with an international teaching artist residency at a university in Ilorin, Nigeria while also doing occasional European shows to keep her career visible. After six months, Somi began to realize the impact of her choice to be in Lagos. "Initially I was a little panicked," she says. "Was I going to disappear? Would people forget about me? But after months of writing in my journal, I discovered a body of work was emerging."

   

Somi set out to work on her new material, but Lagos doesn't have the cultural infrastructure of small clubs like New York. "I needed to develop my work and test it on Nigerian audiences," says Somi. "So I started producing intimate salons at art galleries and other nontraditional venues in Lagos where I would perform my new music. It grew into a series where I'd invite local artists to perform as well. That work greatly enriched my experience, challenged me to think more about African notions of cultural intimacy, and gave birth to The Lagos Music Salon concept."

Somi accumulated a collection of music steeped in the culture of Lagos and collaborated with two colleagues who share co-producer credit with her on The Lagos Music Salon: Lagos musician Cobhams Asuquo (who happens to be blind and is impressively self-taught) and New York's Keith Witty. "Cobhams has a deep understanding of traditional African music as well as strong pop sensibilities," Somi says. "And Keith, the modern jazz head on the project, made sure the artful sense of the music was always privileged amidst the African pop influences."

In New York, they assembled Somi's core band: drummer Otis Brown III, pianist Toru Dodo, guitarist Liberty Ellman, background vocalist Alicia Olatuja, and bassist Michael Olatuja. Guests to the ensemble include acclaimed Nigerian-American trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire who blows a moving, melancholic solo through "Brown Round Things," an original lamenting the prostitutes Somi observed in Lagos; and rising-star trumpeter, Etienne Charles, who arranged the horn section for the celebratory, pop-tinged "Akobi: First Born S(u)n."

Somi weaves through the collection of captivating songs with a socio/cultural poignancy. The R&B-vibed "Two Dollar Day" tells the story of a domestic worker Somi met during the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests and who struggles because of the oil-rich government's decision to hike fuel prices 200 percent. While the provocative "Four. One. Nine." takes its name from the police criminal code for the Nigerian email swindles, Somi likens the scam to fraudulent love affairs, while a friend offers her a tongue-in-cheek reprimand about unsavory men. The most dynamic piece is the bass line-driven "Four African Women," inspired by a Nina Simone original. It's a sketch of four African women who each experienced a different hardship-genocide, skin bleaching, circumcision, prostitution. 

Other highlights include the percussive, string quartet-colored tune "Ankara Sundays," the sobering "Last Song" and the gently swinging love song "Ginger Me Slowly" about playfully telling forthright men how to romantically treat their woman. There are also two versions of the upbeat original "Love Juju." 

"Juju is African magic," Somi explains. "Throughout the album, I'm singing about the magic of Lagos and the spell it cast on my heart." 

A TED Global Fellow and also founder of the New Africa Live nonprofit that champions African artists, Somi has for the last decade carved out a career of singing and being an activist. On The Lagos Music Salon, the best album of her young career, she magically combines the two facets of her life. As for her adopted city, she says, "It was a euphoric new place for me, an important journey. I wanted to tell honest stories in the spirit of gratitude."

Upcoming Appearances:
September 16 / Blue Whale / Los Angeles, CA
September 17 / UCLA Center for Art of Performance/ Los Angeles, CA
September 18 / L.A.N.D. Salon / Los Angeles, CA
September 19 & 20 / Red Poppy Art House / San Francisco, CA
September 21 / Lucid Lounge / Seattle, WA
September 27 / University of Chicago Arts Incubator Panel / Chicago, IL
September 27 / The Listening House / Chicago, IL
October 4 / Southwest Arts Center / Atlanta, GA
October 12 / Bowery Arts & Science / New York, NY
October 16 / Brooklyn Public Library / Brooklyn, NY

NEW RELEASES: DOWN TO THE BONE- DIG IT; THIRD COAST KINGS – JUST MOVE / ICE CREAM MEAN; NICK COLIONNE - INFLUENCES

DOWN TO THE BONE- DIG IT

With millions of records sold worldwide the purveyors of sides steeped in funk and groove, DTTB, the brainchild of producer Stuart Wade swings for the fences once again with this assemblage of fresh new cuts that accentuate the fat and funky, with grooves so thick that you fall right into them. Trademark tight rhythm and horn sections provide the underbelly of all of the compositions, woven tightly with the right solos in the right places.

This franchise outfit born on the streets and in clubs of London has truly established a sound all their own and 'Dig it' again does not disappoint. It's all about the groove and nobody does it better than Wade as he takes you through this scintillating set that never lets down and will keep your head bobbin' and feet tappin'. Enlisting the help of label mate and genre star in his own right Oli Silk, the tunes take on another dimension with Silk's dynamic flair and smart solos. 'Dig it' keeps the DDTB momentum rolling right along and fans worldwide will rejoice at the thought of ten new sides to carry them and their need to move and groove into the new year and beyond. The hit radio single 'The Sweetness' hits the airwaves in February and the title suggests it all. 'Dig it' is all about the flavor, sweet to the ears, and will put a swing in your step and a stir in your soul. ~ Amazon

THIRD COAST KINGS – JUST MOVE / ICE CREAM MEAN

Limited edition Transparent 45 (500 copies worldwide). A succulent appetizer of the much awaited new album by Michigan's finest deep funk combo Third Coast Kings titled "West Grand Boulevard" coming out next 19 May. On the A side, party starter Just Move featuring the sultry Michelle "The Belle" Camilleri, calls all to the dancefloor. On the B side an exclusive 45 version of Ice Cream Man, an irresistible deep funk instrumental able to set every dancefloor on fire. Recorded in Detroit with the full band in one room, a minimum amount of effects, processing, microphones and mixed by much respected Australian funk producer Nate Goldentone (The Liberators / Dojo Cuts), West Grand Boulevard is TCK second studio album. Their 2012 self titled debut album made a global impression upon its release, the Kings were invited to Japan to perform at Fuji Rock Festival and gained fans all over the world such as Craig Charles (BBC2), Kenny Dope and Dj Muro. Now the guys are back with a mission: to carry the torch of Deep Funk heritage across the planet. Get on this 45 fast cause it's limited to 500 copies worldwide. The Kings are back!

NICK COLIONNE - INFLUENCES

Well into his third decade of making the strings sing with his very own sweet Chicago soul, guitarist Nick Colionne digs deep as he takes musical stock of the people and things that helped propel his career and fully establish his place as one of the real cats, a cat that finds connection with his audience in a way that not many can. Influences is a musical journey of self re-discovery, offering a palate of moods and flavors born of life experiences, challenges and the effect of the people past and present that have helped shape and mold his sound. Music can be the ultimate healer not only for the creator but also those of us who seek the escapism. Nick gets this and you immediately feel him from the opening strains as he provides lift with this feel good collection of new sides. His chops have never been more exacting, his melodies more exhilarating, his hooks more infectious.

Collaborating again with the great James Lloyd on 'Pieces Of A Dream' and inviting Maysa on the journey gives 'Influences' just the right amount of spice and pop, but in the end it is all about Nick as he bears his soul though this collection of musical chapters in this his latest book, one written with his strings and sings of the places he s been and the places he still has to go. The lead single Got To Keep It Moving is certain to fire up his legions of fans and find its rightful place atop the radio charts. Never one to take what he has for granted, Colionne knows he has been blessed with a great gift and he will continue to share it as he connects with his fans through live performance in 2014 and share Influences in a way that only he can.~ Amazon