NEW RELEASES - SAM SMITH - IN THE LONELY HOUR; QUANTIC - MAGNETICA; ZIGGY MARLEY - FLY RASTA

SAM SMITH - IN THE LONELY HOUR

Between smashing it on guest vocal performances, Sam was crafting his own unique songs. 'I said to myself, I don't want to have a genre. I wanted to take a risk.' In the course of putting it together, Sam has worked with so many blue chip collaborative names: Fraser T Smith, Two Inch Punch, Eg White. But he has retained his sense of self. After his sublime debut EP entitled Nirvana , his first full release will be the albums big pop moment, 'Do It For The Love', a song that sounds like an instant, out of the box smash. But there is melancholia within. Centering on the subject on an unrequited love, it is duty bound to make the listener a little teary as it uplifts. I think so. I've been talking about album titles and people are saying oh but it s too sad but that s what it s about. I was sad and I wrote about being sad. Hopefully I ll be happier soon and I'll write about that. His musical purity is starting to ring the right bells. Adele has tweeted her support. After one single show in New York he has become something of a cause celebre for global soulman, Maxwell. 'He's a great friend to have. He ties to Jessie Ware, Naughty Boy and that whole scene of London underground talent that is taking their new soul to the mainstream.' Sam Smith might yet be at the vanguard of a wave of British talent schooled through the verbal brilliance of Jill Scott, India Arie and Angie Stone in the States a decade ago. Why does he believe stardom beckons? 'When it came to writing and delivering I'd worked out that it was all about truth. When you listen to my album, the songs I love and my label love, it s all the personal things. That are relatable to other people.' ~ Amazon.com

QUANTIC - MAGNETICA

‘Magnetica’ sees Quantic revisiting his electronic roots, blending cutting-edge and distinctive production with elements of folk, reggae, soul, highlife, cumbia and more. Other featured guests on the album include Alice Russell, Shinehead, Nidia Gongora, Dereb The Ambassador, Thalma De Freitas and Anibal Velásquez; illuminating the sounds, styles and languages of Ethiopia, Jamaica, Brazil, the UK and beyond. ‘Magnetica’ is the first studio album from Quantic under his main solo moniker since ‘An Announcement To Answer’ in 2006 so the anticipation is running high. He has, of course, been far from quiet in that time, with releases from many significant side-projects including The Quantic Soul Orchestra, Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro, Flowering Inferno, Quantic & Alice Russell, and Ondatrópica, and a host of thrilling live bands to match.  The ‘Magnetica’ album is a truly exciting listen, taking in all the influences that trailblazing troubadour Will “Quantic” Holland has soaked up from his travels – including the last seven years spent living in Colombia – and collaborations with musicians from Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean and beyond; blended with the innate talent for trend-setting electronic club music that has always made him one to watch. The array of guests to appear on the ‘Magnetica’ album also includes Alice Russell, Shinehead, Nidia Góngora, Dereb The Ambassador, Thalma De Freitas and Anibal Velásquez. ~ www.tru-thoughts.co.uk / grooveattack.com.

ZIGGY MARLEY - FLY RASTA 

The 5th solo studio album from 5 time Grammy winning artist Ziggy Marley, Life on Mars explores crisis on a deteriorating earth and the ultimate migration of the human race. This conceptual album is a cry for humans to come together and make our planet a better place before there is no point of return. Many goodwill partnerships will be created out of this project, all in an effort for people to connect with one another in a positive way and give back to their fellow humans. Marley serves as the album s producer, Dave Cooley (J Dilla, Silversun Pickups) was tapped for the additional production on song structure and the album s audio profile. The record features a collection of talented musicians, including Sly and Robbie, James Gadson (Bill Withers, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney), Lyle Workman (Sting, Beck), Brian MacLeod (Sheryl Crow), Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty) and Zac Rae (Lana Del Ray, Brett Dennenwith guest vocal appearances from the Melody Makers (Cedella and Sharon Marley, Erica Newall). The album is mixed by Andrew Schepes (Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Jay Z, Justin Timberlake) and mastered by Dave Cooley (M83, Neon Trees). Life on Mars marks some of Marley s most forward thinking and accessible songs in the past decade. ~ Amazon.com

NEW RELEASES: ETHNIC HERITAGE ENSEMBLE - BLACK IS BACK; YUSEF LATEEF - VOICE PRINTS; RED GARLAND TRIO - MOODSVILLE 6

ETHNIC HERITAGE ENSEMBLE - BLACK IS BACK: 40TH ANNIVERSARY PROJECT

The 40th Anniversary of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble – but celebrated by a wonderfully fresh version of the group! The lineup here features the solid, soulful percussion of Kahil El Zabar – who also wrote and arranged all the music too – plus the great Ernest Dawkins on reeds and the bold Corey Wilkes on trumpet! The mixture of trumpet and saxophone is sublime – stretching out over Kahil's spacious percussion at a level that unlocks a spiritual sound that the AACM never even expressed this strongly back in the 70s – a nicely open vibe that stretches out, but still hangs inside at most moments too – a bit like some of El Zabar's famous collaborations with David Murray, but with the addition of trumpet in the mix. Titles include "The Awakening Of 2012", "Creole Peppa Stew", "Walk The Talk", "Can You Find A Place", "Black Is Back", and "Be Bop". ~ Dusty Groove

YUSEF LATEEF / ROSCOE MITCHELL / DOUGLAS EWART / ADAM RUDOLPH / VOICE PRINTS

Some of the most spiritual work we've heard from Yusef Lateef in years – a set cut with AACM legends Roscoe Mitchell and Douglas Ewart, and done with a sound that takes us back to the legendary sounds of both players in the 70s! Adam Rudolph also joins the quartet, bringing in some great percussion – and the album's a really collaborative affair, with all the musicians shifting through a wide range of instrumentation in their own spheres of expertise – at a level that recalls the work of the Art Ensemble of Chicago at their best. Lateef plays tenor, flutes, oboe, and even vocalizes a bit – as does Ewart, who along with Roscoe Mitchell plays a range of reeds and percussion instruments. Titles include "Voice Prints", "Sound Search", "Harpers Ferry", and "Morning Moves".~ Dusty Groove

RED GARLAND TRIO - MOODSVILLE 6

Red Garland's sound was already often mellow and laidback in the late 50s, but it takes on a whole new sense of that style here in a rare session for Prestige's Moodsville label! As with others on the imprint, the focus here is on the gentler sounds of the late nite scene – more ballads and easygoing numbers, but still played with a strong degree of jazz – and not the kind of cocktail modes that other labels would use when putting "moods" on the front of a record! Red's trio here is the familiar one from other Prestige albums – Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums – and the only change, really, is that the tracks are all mellower ones, but still done with plenty of bluesy inflections on the keys from Red! Titles include "I Love You Yes I Do", "And The Angels Sing", "Blues For Ann", "I'll Never Stop Loving You", and "Bass-ment Blues". ~ Dusty Groove 

NEW RELEASES: GAROTAS SUECAS - FERAS MITICAS; DAVE SPECTER - MESSAGE IN BLUE; BARRY GUY NEW ORCHESTRA - AMPHI: RADIO RONDO

GAROTAS SUECAS - FERAS MITICAS

A contemporary group from Brazil, but one who've got a quirky ear for song styles that takes us back to some of our favorite artists of the 70s! Garotas Suecas work in a style that's a bit post-Tropicalia – almost like some of Tom Ze's music of those years, but maybe not as all-out wild – fused perhaps with a sense of the songwriting strengths of Caetano Veloso in his later years. Yet the work also has a contemporary vibe that's definitely the group's own, too – a sense of spirit that really marks these guys as a group to watch, already even more exciting on this second album than their first. Titles include "New Country", "Bucolismo", "Manchetes Da Solidao", "A Nuvem", "Bicho", and "Charles Chacal". ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE SPECTER - MESSAGE IN BLUE

Dave Specter is a blues guitarist with a long legacy on the Chicago scene – but on this album he also gets some help from windy city soul legend Otis Clay! Otis only sings on three of the album's thirteen tracks – but the setting with Specter really helps Clay find one of his strongest showcases in years – a tight, punched-up groove that brings us back to some of his overlooked work from the 80s – great sounds in a mix of deep soul and blues. Other tracks feature a mostly instrumental mode – save for a few vocals from Brother John Kattke, who also plays organ and Fender Rhodes on the record – and titles include "I Found A Love", "Chicago Style", "New West Side Stroll", "Got To Find A Way", "This Time I'm Gone For Good", "Opus De Swamp", and "The Spectifyin Samba".  © 1996-2014, Dusty Groove, Inc.

BARRY GUY NEW ORCHESTRA - AMPHI: RADIO RONDO

ATwo great large group works from bassist Barry Guy – both with the sort of individual qualities we love in his music with the London Jazz Composers Orchestra! The players here are from a wider range of European sources, and all work together as a whole, but get plenty of space for personal expression – tones and voices that are initially most strong from the bass of Guy and violin of Maya Homburger – but which evolve to include Evan Parker and Mats Gustafsson on saxes, Hans Koch on bass clarinet, Johannes Bauer on trombone, and Paul Lytton and Raymond Strid on percussion. "Amphi" is a long work that begins with a more careful sense of presence – but "Radio Rondo" rolls in with much greater group force, and continues boldly for nearly 30 minutes. ~ Dusty Groove

JOHN CHIN - UNDERCOVER

Pianist/composer John Chin's sophomore album, Undercover, boasts a unique approach to music that his working band, with Orlando le Fleming (bass) and Dan Rieser (drums), has cultivated over many years of gigs. Recorded live in one room in Brooklyn, with no preconceived arrangements and no edits, Undercover features original compositions from Chin, plus rhythmic, elastic, and ultimately singular takes on music from Ellington ("Caravan"), Shorter ("Edda" & "Fall"), Chaplin ("Smile") and Coltrane ("Countdown"). Chin explains, "All of the tunes began with some kernel that one of us came up with and we would just run with it. It really is a snapshot of the continuing evolution of the arrangements of songs that we had been playing over several years, and it struck me as being important to document what the trio had been working on. Undercover is all about instinct, the moment, just like our live performances. Every tune, even the original compositions are treated as frameworks for improvisation.

Pianistically, Chin has been working on polyphonic improvisation of late, broadening his technique in order to improvise several lines at the same time. Chin explains, "when I was a teenager, I got to hang out with the late, great Dorothy Donegan and she would show me what she was doing in spectacular fashion. I've also read about Keith Jarrett talking about this approach, and have heard Brad Mehldau execute it as well. You hear it all over the place in jazz and classical music actually. Art Tatum and Erroll Garner would pull it off all the time with a counter line in the middle of all this other activity and it would always floor me! In Bach, it's built in. And, some of my favorite moments in music have been found in the works of Rachmaninoff and Ravel. I'd been checking out all this stuff trying to soak it in and wanted to integrate it into my own playing. My approach to it is something relatively new and is something that I explore on Undercover."

John Chin, born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Los Angeles, was introduced to the piano at age four. He began studying jazz at California State University, which he attended at the age of fourteen as part of the Early Entrance Program for Gifted Students. Upon receiving his B.A. in Music at nineteen, Chin continued his musical studies at the University of North Texas, before pursuing a Masters of Music degree from Rutgers University (under the tutelage of master pianist and composer Kenny Barron), and an Artist Diploma from the world-renowned Juilliard School. His extensive experience in the classroom would lay the foundation for his own pedagogy; his experience and reputation have led to teaching opportunities the world over, while helping to sustain a New York studio of his own, located in Brooklyn's history-rich Prospect Park. John has performed internationally as a leader and sideman, at many major festivals, as well as some of America's most important and storied jazz rooms. He has shared the stage with Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jaimeo Brown, Alan Ferber, Mark Turner, Marcus & E.J. Strickland, Dayna Stephens, Irvin Mayfield, Terrell Stafford, Donny McCaslin, Joel Frahm, John Ellis, Chris Cheek, Gregory Hutchinson, and Rudy Royston, among many others. Chin is a prolific composer, drawing inspiration from the jazz, pop, and western classical traditions, with two releases as a leader to-date: 2008's Blackout Conception, and his most recent project, 2014's Undercover.

www.Johnchin.com

NEW RELEASES: ART BLAKELY AND THE MESSENGERS - BUHAINA; LEON WARE - LEON WARE (1982); GIANNI GAGLIARDI - NOMADIC NATURE

ART BLAKELY AND THE MESSENGERS - BUHAINA 

An amazing album that has Art Blakey completely reinventing himself for the 70s! Blakey shifts from straight hardbop to kind of a modal soul jazz groove, touched with some of the electric playing of the younger jazz generation, but not enough to qualify as fusion or funk. Instead, he's working with some great younger players – like Carter Jefferson, Woody Shaw, and Michael Howell – hitting a groove that reminds us of some of the best underground soul jazz on labels like Muse or Strata East. Includes the amazing long groovers "Mission Eternal" and "Chant For Bu", a famous Tribe Called Quest sample – plus new electric piano versions of "Moanin" and "Along Came Betty", both of which feature vocals by Jon Hendricks. ~ Dusty Groove

LEON WARE - LEON WARE (1982)

Seminal modern soul from the great Leon Ware – an artist who had a great influence on the sound of mellow Motown in the 70s, but who's sounding even better here in an early 80s California groove! Leon's smooth, sophisticated, and very much his own man on the set – unabashedly upfront with his feeling and emotions, but never in the schmaltzy style of some of his chart-topping contemporaries. Many titles have a nice little bounce and a really compelling groove – and midtempo jazzy arrangements abound, touched by lots of Fender Rhodes from co-producer Marty Paich! Titles include the classic "Why I Came To California", plus "Can I Touch You There", "Where Are They Now", "Deeper Than Love", "Shelter", "Slippin Away", and "Lost In Love With You". ~ Dusty Groove

GIANNI GAGLIARDI - NOMADIC NATURE

Nomadic Nature, the debut CD from tenor saxophonist/composer Gianni Gagliardi, is comprised of original music charged with autobiographical stories of places and people that have impacted Gagliardi greatly. It is through his compositions that he reflects on the experience of being an artist with no fixed residence; a sojourner who roams the world with his horn in search of the next experience or encounter that will inform his art. Nomadic Nature features Gilad Hekselman (guitar), Luke Marantz (piano), Alexis Cuadrado (bass) and Mark Ferber (drums). Gagliardi was born in Barcelona in 1987, and is now based in Brooklyn, NY. He began to study violin and baroque/renaissance flute, switching to saxophone at 14. Gagliardi is the Director of the Barcelona Jazz Collective, a platform for rising musicians to produce and release albums, and has been invited to perform at prestigious international jazz festivals around the globe, such as The North Sea Jazz Festival, the Luxembourg Jazz Festival, Guatemala and Nicaragua Jazz Festivals and Eurojazz Festival (Mexico), as well as leading jazz venues, such as Bimhuis, Porgy & Bess Vienna, Jamboree. Gagliardi has also played in Europe, South America and USA with musicians such as John Clayton, Eric Alexander, Dick Oatts, Phillip Harper, Terell Stafford, Jorge Rossy and many others. Now, Gagliardi is determinedly making his mark on the Brooklyn/NYC scene with the release of his debut CD, Nomadic Nature. ~ www.Giannigagliardi.com

NEW RELEASES: ROB GARCIA - THE PASSION OF COLOR; KENTO MASUDA – LOVED ONE; JASON AJEMIAN - FOLKLORDS

ROB GARCIA - THE PASSION OF COLOR

Garcia has released four critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader, including Perennial (BJUR 012), voted one of the "10 Best Jazz Albums of 2009" by The New York Observer, and the critically acclaimed The Drop And The Ocean (BJUR 028). His group has performed at venues such as The Ottawa Jazz Festival, Iridium, Kitano, Smalls, The Rex, Cornelia Street Cafe and Firehouse 12. Garcia has also been the recipient of grants from Meet The Composer, DCA and NYSCA to support his performances. Now, on his brilliant fifth album, The Passion of Color, Garcia offers listeners yet another gem from his working group, The Rob Garcia 4 (formed in 2009), featuring Noah Preminger (tenor saxophone), Dan Tepfer (piano) and Joe Martin (bass). The Passion Of Color features music inspired by impressionist paintings & music (such as Van Gogh and Debussy), and the passion that is evoked from the vast variety of colors and flavors of life found in works such as Lines In Impressions, Purple Brush and the title track. The Garden's Poet was born out of a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago where, "I saw and fell in love with the Van Gogh painting 'The Poet's Garden', explained Garcia. The Painter is a drum solo piece dedicated to Max Roach. Garcia elaborates, "Max has always been a strong influence and a huge inspiration, and I once heard Dizzy Gillespie refer to Max as 'The Painter'". Also on the album is Roach's composition, It's Time. The album concludes with the band's take on the Jimi Hendrix's classic, Little Wing. The music on The Passion of Color is characterized by rhythms that create the illusion of a fluctuating tempo or no tempo, while tightly orchestrated musical events happen in tandem. Strong melodies supported by pastoral harmonies and flowing rhythm lead the listener through the music. ~ www.Robgarcia.com  

KENTO MASUDA – LOVED ONE

The long-awaited seventh CD of internationally acclaimed artist Kento Masuda, “Loved One”, was released on April 16, 2014. Produced by Kento Masuda and Gary Vandy, “Loved One” traces Kento’s musical journey while introducing a compelling spectrum of genres. Through the compositions featured in his new CD, Kento continues to define his individual and unique genre of music. These songs illuminate Kento’s versatility and his transition from solo piano compositions (featured on his last CD “All in the Silence”), towards a diverse sound which includes mixed musical styles and unique orchestrations. “Loved One” was recorded at Gary Vandy’s Studio Center in Miami, which has produced recordings that have won 8 Grammy awards along with multiple platinum albums. Gary Vandy’s expertise has been reflected in his successful career of working with top label artists and producers. After working on the production of Kento’s “Loved One,” Gary Vandy stated, “Kento Masuda is one of this world’s artistic treasures. His music is at once sonically spiritual and visually expressive. You can literally see his music. The blend of smooth melodies and rhythmic grooves transports the listener to an environment that allows them to participate in his sculpture of sound.” Stellar musicians Paul Messina (Flashpoint) and Kevin Marcus Sylvester (Black Violin) add their own brilliant renderings on selected songs. ~ kentomasuda.com 

JASON AJEMIAN - FOLKLORDS

One of the trippiest albums we've heard from Delmark in recent years – a really creative session from bassist Jason Ajemian, and one that links the label's avant jazz work to some of the deeper sides of Chicago's indie scene! Ajemian is free to work without any sense of genre or convention – in a mode that still hits plenty of jazz, with key use of work by Monk, Mingus, and Sun Ra – but which really abstracts things and takes them to a whole new level – opening up cosmic territory that lives up to the album's stated request to "Please Feel Yourselves". Ajemian plays bass and some electronics, in a quartet that also features Owen Stewart Robertson on guitar and electronics, Kid Bliss on alto sax and vibrolux, and Jason Nazary on drums – the last of which are played in a very slow, spacious style. All tracks are long – and titles include "Ask Mr Blunt Now" – which features extrapolations of "Satellites Are Spinning" and "Ask Me Now" – and "Orange Is The Color Of The Sun Then Blue Sky" – which is built upon some key Charles Mingus tunes. Other titles are originals, and include "Punk The Blues", "Material Girls", and "Freedom Is A Trail Of Tears". ~ Dusty Groove

FREDDIE HUBBARD - KEEP YOUR SOUL TOGETHER / POLAR AC / SKAGLY

A trio of 70s Freddie Hubbard – all packaged together in one sweet set! First up is Keep Your Soul Together – Freddie Hubbard at the peak of his 70s powers – and one of his finest albums of the decade! The record follows strongly in the tone that Freddie set at CTI on his mighty Red Clay set – long, drawn out tracks – done with lots of electricity in the rhythms, and a very cosmic approach to the solos! The groove is funky, yet easy – featuring playing that's very open and very soulful, by a group that includes Freddie, Ron Carter, George Benson, and Hubert Laws. Titles include "Keep Your Soul Together", "Spirits Of Trane", "Destiny's Children", and "Brigitte".

Polar AC is warm and wonderful work from Freddie Hubbard – a killer of a record recorded for CTI, and one of his most soulful efforts for the label! The album's got a bit more of a human heart than some of the more cosmic sessions Freddie cut at the time – a bit more contemplative and introspective, but no less open-minded and electrically charged. The assortment of players is all top-shelf – with Billy Cobham, Airto, Lennie White, George Cables, Hubert Laws, and George Benson all backing Freddie up on the set – and titles include a great take on "People Make the World Go Round", plus "Naturally", and "Son of Sky Dive", which grooves just like its papa!

Skagly has a title that reads like a typo, but the album's a great set of smooth fusion from Freddie Hubbard – self-produced, and almost a summation of all the styles he'd mastered in the 70s! The session's never too over the top or too ambitious – just features Freddie working with a hip group in a laidback setting – blowing lean and mellow lines that almost take him back to his best CTI funk. The group features Billy Childs on keyboards, Hadley Caliman on tenor and flute, and some guest work by George Duke and Paulinho Da Costa – on titles that include "Skagly", "Rustic Celebration", "Happiness Is Now", and "Cascais". ~ Dusty Groove

2014 BLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS, FINALIZES LINEUP

Blue Note Entertainment Group is proud to announce lineup additions for the 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival, scheduled to take place Sunday, June 1 through Monday, June 30, with over 150 performances at more than 15 venues throughout New York City. Lineup additions include an outdoor Ornette Coleman Celebration with various special guests, Jon Batiste and Stay Human, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Buika, Marques Toliver, Chrisette Michele, Lou Donaldson with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Fabrizio Sotti & Friends, Salt-N-Pepa, Maxi Priest, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Willie Nile, and George Porter Jr., among others. 

Reinforcing the festival's underlying theme of distinctive collaborations (with pairings such as Bobby McFerrin & Questlove, André Previn & Christian McBride, and Ramsey Lewis with Philip Bailey, among others), Blue Note Jazz Festival will present "Celebrate Ornette: The Music of Ornette Coleman Featuring Denardo Coleman Vibe" in partnership with Celebrate Brooklyn! on June 12 - a free outdoor concert at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Ornette Coleman's son Denardo Coleman, an outstanding drummer who debuted on record with his father at the age of 10, convenes a deep and surprising lineup of special guests for a long-overdue exploration and celebration of Ornette's music and spirit, with his own band (Al Macdowell, bass; Tony Falanga, bass; Charles Ellerbe, guitar; Antoine Roney, sax) at the core. Special guests include Afrika Bambaataa, Bill Laswell, Bruce Hornsby, Flea, Geri Allen, Henry Threadgill, James Blood Ulmer, Joe Lovano, and Patti Smith. Additional guests will be announced in the weeks leading up to the performance.

Adding to this year's outdoor component, Blue Note Jazz Festival will continue its longstanding relationship with City Parks Foundation's SummerStage program, presenting two double bills in Central Park. These free performances will spotlight four of the most exciting and progressive crossover talents on the scene today: Spanish vocalist Buika and acclaimed vocalist/violinist Marques Toliver on June 22, as well as pianist Jon Batiste and Stay Human and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble on June 29. This marks Buika's second consecutive year headlining Blue Note Jazz Festival (following her sold out performances at The Town Hall in June 2013 and April 2014 respectively, presented by Blue Note Entertainment Group).

Several prominent festival shows have been added to various Blue Note Entertainment Group venues. Recently confirmed collaborations include: jazz icons Lou Donaldson with Dr. Lonnie Smith (Blue Note Jazz Club, June 10-11); "Sly Reimagined" - a special project with Global Noize interpreting the music of Sly & The Family Stone, featuring Jason Miles, Nona Hendryx, Maya Azucena, Falu, and Cyro Baptista (Highline Ballroom, June 8); and guitarist Fabrizio Sotti & Friends, with Tony Grey, Mino Cinelu, Algebra Blessett, M1 of Dead Prez, and Claudia Acuña, among others (Highline Ballroom, June 4). Rounding out several R&B centric shows at the festival, such as Lalah Hathaway, Ruben Studdard and Oleta Adams, vocalist Chrisette Michel will perform at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill on June 27 (produced by Jill Newman Productions). Reggae icon Maxi Priest has been added to B.B. King Blues Club on June 11 (complementing other festival reggae artists such as Sly & Robbie, Monty Alexander, and Tarrus Riley). Additional shows include: Salt-N-Pepa (Highline Ballroom, June 6), Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band (B.B. King Blues Club, June 21), and Willie Nile (Highline Ballroom, June 18).

Other new partner events include two additional film screenings at IFC Center, featuring a director's cut of Nelson George's Finding the Funk  documentary on June 12 and The Pleasures of Being Out of Step, a documentary profile of legendary jazz writer and civil libertarian Nat Hentoff, June 25 through July 1; four performances at DROM, featuring AbrazOs OrchestrA (June 5), Florencia Gonzalez (June 11), Quantic (June 13), and Pacheco + Annie Chen (June 15); Rockwood Music Hall performances featuring Mark Guiliana's Beat Music on June 5 and a residency by Glen David Andrews spanning June 11, 18, and 25; George Porter, Jr. & The Runnin' Pardners at Brooklyn Bowl on June 20; and a performance by Sadao Watanabe at Asia Society on June 25.

Please visit www.BlueNoteJazzFestival.com for the most current public lineup and schedule (including various late night and brunch shows that have been added to Blue Note Jazz Club, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill and Lucille's Bar & Grill at B.B. King Blues Club schedules).

GEORGE BENSON: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY COMING SOON; US AND EUROPEAN SUMMER TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

This summer will see the release of Benson: The Autobiography. Benson: The Autobiography follows Lil' Georgie Benson from his remarkable rise from the ghettos of Pittsburgh to the stages of Dubai, and everywhere in between. George’s tales of scuffling on the road with jazz legend Brother Jack McDuff, navigating his way through the recording studio with Miles Davis, and emerging as the first true (and truly successful) jazz/soul crossover artist will enthrall devotees of both music history and pop culture. This long-awaited book allows readers to meet one of the most beloved, prolific, and bestselling musicians of any era.

George Benson has announced a series of dates for his summer tour as follows:

5/9 Atlanta, GA - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center

5/10 Sewell, NJ - TD Bank Center for the Arts

6/14 Temecula, CA - Thornton Winery

6/15 Hollywood, CA - Playboy Jazz Festival

6/18 London, UK - Ronnie Scott's SOLD OUT

6/19 Glasgow, UK - Glasgow Royal Hall

6/20 Manchester, UK - Manchester Bridgewater Hall

6/22 Birmingham, UK - Birmingham Symphony Hall

6/23 London, UK - Hampton Court Palace Festival

6/25 London, UK - Royal Albert Hall SOLD OUT

6/26 Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth Int'l Centre

6/28 Paris, FR - L' Olympia

6/29 Paris, FR - Theatre du Casino Barriere

7/3 Mantauban, FR - Jardin des Plantes

7/4 Barcelona, ES - Palau Real Pedrables

7/11 Milan, IT - Villa Arconati Festival

7/12 Juan Les Pins, FR - Jazz a Juan

7/19 Winter Park, CO - Winter Park Jazz Festival

7/26 Lincoln, CA - Thunder Valley Casino Resort

8/30 High Point, NC - John Coltrane Int'l Jazz & Blues Festival

8/31 Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap Filene Center

9/18 Pomona, CA - Los Angeles County Fair

10/23 New York, NY - B.B. Kings Blues Club & Grill *2 shows!

10/24 New Brusnwick, NJ - State Theatre

10/26 Portsmouth, NH - Music Hall

11/9 Carmel, IN - The Palldium * Inspiration, A Tribute To Nat King Cole

PHILADELPHIA TO HOST OUTBEAT: AMERICA'S FIRST QUEER JAZZ FESTIVAL FEAT. ANDY BEY, BILL STEWART, FRED HERSH, PATRICIA BARBER & OTHERS

The William Way LGBT Community Center, with generous support from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, is proud to announce OutBeat: America's First Queer Jazz Festival, set to take place on the final days of summer - Thursday, September 18 to Sunday, September 21. Sure to be a groundbreaking event in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, Philadelphia will play host to a number of critically acclaimed jazz artists across a broad musical spectrum including: Andy Bey, Grammy® Award-winning pianist Fred Hersch, Patricia Barber Quartet and drummer Bill Stewart. Additional headliners and further details will be announced throughout the spring.

OutBeat, the first LGBT jazz festival ever produced in the United States, will include events ranging from public discussions hosted by JazzTimes to intimate performances, special receptions with the artists, and historic concerts in a variety of spaces. Festival sites will include lead venue partner, the William Way LGBT Community Center, The Painted Bride Art Center, and Chris' Jazz Café as well as participation in the Philadelphia Museum of Art's popular "Art After 5" series.

"Philadelphia has enjoyed a legacy of being a great music city. We're also a city that affirms the lives of LGBT people," says Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. "Hosting the first LGBT jazz festival in North America provides an opportunity to showcase the rich and vibrant culture of our city. We'll be celebrating all of this for 4 days in September with OutBeat. I hope to see you there!"

Additionally, Union Transfer - which Rolling Stone cited as one of the "Top 20 Venues in America" - will be the culminating site for the celebratory daylong closing event featuring numerous headliners. The popular Northern Liberties venue will be transformed into a festival setting with Spring Garden Street blocked off to host Philly's finest food carts, crafters, local musicians, and other merchants. Vendors, surprises and special guests performing in multiple spaces will make this closing day especially memorable.

The festival will serve as the finale for the William Way LGBT Community Center's annual music series and highlight the intersection between sexual orientation and gender identity within the jazz community. OutBeat will feature a vibrant and eclectic mix of world-renowned jazz musicians brought together for a series of once-in-a-lifetime performances and panel discussions.

States William Way LGBT Community Center Executive Director, Chris Bartlett, "We are thankful that the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage embraced this visionary initiative that we can now share with the world. It is an honor to serve as host for this historic occasion in Philadelphia."

The William Way LGBT Community Center provides life-saving and life-affirming services to more than 50,000 LGBTQ individuals and allies every year. With a diverse array of over seventy monthly programs and activities that serve Greater Philadelphia's vibrant and unique LGBTQ population, the Center is proud to be called the region's hub of LGBTQ community and culture. Programs offered by the Center include free peer counseling, senior programs, an art gallery, one of the largest LGBT archives in the western hemisphere, a public cyber center, hiking and tour groups, and other recreational, health, educational, arts, and cultural opportunities.

"Philadelphia was founded more than 300 years ago by Englishman William Penn on principles of equality and freedom of expression. Today, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection is a welcoming place for people from around the world, and a great destination for gay and lesbian travelers," states Tami Sortman, Vice President of the Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus. "While many other cities--New York, Chicago, New Orleans--may consider themselves 'jazz capitols', it's an incredible coup for the city of Philadelphia to be the home base of this landmark event."

Philadelphia has been at the forefront of supporting the LGBT community as the site of some of the nation's first gay rights pickets, and in 1982 it was one of the first cities in the country to pass anti-gay discrimination laws. With the launch of the groundbreaking Philadelphia - Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay® campaign in 2003, Philadelphia has since been ranked in the top 10 among destinations visited by LGBT travelers for the first time in 2010 as well as a top 10 leisure market for LGBT travelers aged 18-35.

OutBeatJazzFest.com

GINO VANNELLI LIVE IN LA (CD/DVD)

"Gino Vannelli Live in LA" is an exciting CD/DVD package being released by Sono Recording Group on May 13, 2014. This incredible performance features Gino Vannelli performing his memorable hit songs "I Just Wanna Stop," "Living Inside Myself," "Black Cars," "People Gotta Move," along with other great songs such as "Appaloosa," "Nightwalker," "Brother to Brother," and "Wild Horses." 

This concert also features a special guest appearance by New York Yankee All-Star and Latin Grammy-nominated guitarist Bernie Williams. Behind the scene footage includes two beautiful bonus-videos of Gino performing “None So Beautiful As The Brave” and a re-make of “Canto." Recorded live onstage at the historic Saban Theater in Los Angeles, California on November 8, 2013, this package is available for online purchase from Sono Recording Group.

The DVD includes interesting and honest perspectives from insiders that will take you through rehearsals in the Vannelli's “famous garage” to the recording sessions at Davlin Recording Studios in Burbank, California that ultimately brought A&M’s last release “Brother to Brother” to great success. You will be privy to exclusive eye-opening interviews with Geoff Emerik, who engineered most of the Beatles albums as well as Vannelli's “Gist Of The Gemini," Herb Alpert, co-founder of A&M Records and the driving force that signed Gino Vannelli to his first U.S. recording contract in 1972, engineer Norm Kinney, bassist Jimmy Haslip, and guitarist Carlos Rios. Joe Vannelli, co-producer and keyboard player on multiple Gino Vannelli albums, discusses the journey that finally brought them through the gates of A&M Records for the audition that started their musical career. Finally, Harold Chiles, head of A&M Promotions, reveals the "most unconventional" methods A&M used to bring Vannelli to the music forefront.

Gino Vannelli is the recipient of multiple Juno awards and Grammy nominations, and he has sold more than 10 Million records world-wide. More info at ginov.com.

"Gino Vannelli Live in LA" shows Vannelli and his band performing at their very best--every note faithfully captured and richly recorded. Altogether, this album package offers a "fascinating, entertaining, intriguing, funny, and captivating" glimpse at a man whose voice and songs are loved by fans all over the world.

LOUIS ARMSTRONG - THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA AND RCA VICTOR LIVE RECORDINGS OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND THE ALL STARS

There has never been a more globally beloved figure from the world of jazz than Louis "Pops/Satchmo" Armstrong. His influence on the development of both jazz and American popular music is indisputably unparalleled. A lesser-known and disturbing fact is that for the last 30 years of his life he was under attack by many critics and musicians as irrelevant, under-achieving and too heavily focused on commercial success. Now, Mosaic Records offers clear testimony to the inaccuracy and injustice of those characterizations with its spectacular Columbia and RCA Victor Live Recordings of Louis Armstrong and The All Stars. A nine-disc set covering the years 1947-1958, these wonderful recordings provide crystal-clear evidence of Louis' profound artistry and majestic audience appeal from the most meaningful platform of musical scrutiny - the bandstand.

"This LP sets focuses on the complete performances by Louis Armstrong and his All Stars at the third and fifth Newport Jazz Festivals, which are two of the linchpins from our larger CD edition," says Mosaic Records co-founder, Michael Cuscuna. "Although tracks have been parceled out over the years, this 2014 set will finally present these excellent performances in the entirety and in performance order, giving us a healthy portion of previously unissued music by Louis with Trummty Young, Edmond Hall, Peanuts Hucko, Jack Teagarden, Bobby Hackett and Billy Kyle."

Mosaic is not only known for assembling collections of vitally important music by many of jazz' most immortal and influential figures, but also of establishing historical accuracy and edification of the true import of America's only indigenous art form. This set - a 12-year slice of his creative output on the worldwide stage - shows the peerless Pops to be fully in the forefront of jazz at its jubilant, transcendent and irresistible best on nearly 163 tracks of both his most popular songs along with many that are far less familiar.

Performing over 300 shows a year throughout these years (and most of his life), it's very fortunate that the performances offered here were recorded for posterity. Most of this can be attributed to the legendary producer George Avakian - to whom this set has been dedicated - who is responsible for nearly 70% of the material contained here. As his exclusive producer at Columbia from when Louis joined the label in 1955, George implemented the latest technological advances, which enhanced the material for both artist and label. But that sometimes demanded editing and altering the music for best commercial appeal. Mosaic has restored all of the concert recordings to their purest essence, demonstrating all of the fire and raw creativity of the music exactly as the screaming and stomping audiences heard it over 50 years ago. And as a gigantic bonus, there are 75 tracks being released for the very first time.

The set begins with the scintillating 1947 concert at New York's Town Hall, which dramatically altered Louis' live performance format to the one that would remain intact for the rest of his life. Eschewing his 16-piece big band for a smaller, more au courant ensemble, The All Stars were born. In this incarnation it was the remarkable assemblage of Jack Teagarden on trombone, clarinetist Peanuts Hucko, pianist Dick Cary, bassist Bob Haggart and two alternating drummers - George Wettling and "Big" Sid Catlett - on 20 tracks of pure joy.

A newfound gem is the 1947 Carnegie Hall concert, which sat improperly labeled in RCA's vaults for over half a century, is issued here for the very first time. Some 90 minutes of material was preserved - 18 brilliant tracks, also featuring Teagarden, Cary and Catlett, but this time with the eminent Barney Bigard on clarinet, the big bass sound of Arvell Shaw and the addition of vocalist Velma Middleton.

The Avakian sessions comprise the rest of the set. Adding a new nickname to Louis' already impressive array of monikers, Ambassador Satch was bestowed - a fitting name for the man who had become the world's foremost representative of American jazz and music in the 1950s. Performances from Amsterdam and Milan featured the new All Stars of Trummy Young on trombone, Edmond Hall on clarinet, pianist Billy Kyle and drummer Barrett Deems, along with Shaw and Middleton. The Milan performance was recorded in a theater in front of a small invited audience. The original release included fake applause, which has been removed so that only the wild response of the actual audience is heard, genuinely enhancing the immediacy of the live concert.

Three U.S. concerts are also included. The Great Chicago Concert from 1956 has been out of print for a long time, but is available again here - with additional material, fully restored and unedited (Dale Jones replaces Arvell Shaw). Two Newport Jazz Festival performances from 1956 and 1958 are here, uncut and including 28 tracks that have never been released. The 1958 concert reunited Louis with Teagarden, Hucko and cornetist Bobby Hackett, plus a most interesting item of Louis fronting The International Youth Band.

A Los Angeles studio date is included here because it was originally released as a live concert. It's a fascinating set of unedited versions of popular songs that provides an unusual and intimate glimpse of how Louis and The All Stars developed and refined their material.

There are other very special and inclusions - two never-before released tracks recorded in Ghana, one with local musicians, singers and dancers; an unreleased track from a London concert; a great version of Mack the Knife from Carnegie Hall; an interview of Louis by Edward R. Murrow that aired on the television show See It Now; another interview by Avakian, and a most remarkable item featuring Leonard Bernstein in rehearsal and performance at a 1956 Lewisohn Stadium concert with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic - including three passes at St. Louis Blues, Bernstein chatting up the audience and Pops playing encore after encore to keep the fans happy - a real treasure that adds special luster to this wonderful collection.

But above all else, Louis' consummate artistry on his horn, the brilliance of his most singular sound, the unique infectiousness and impeccable phrasing of his luminous vocal style and the utterly irresistible appeal of one of the most delightful human beings to ever walk the earth is brought to the listener with the clarity and depth that is the hallmark of Mosaic Records. There is nothing like undiluted live performance to truly convey the heart and soul of the jazz artist, succinctly stated by Louis himself: "So, whatever they're going to say about Louis Armstrong, all they say is, 'He blows like hell every time he hits that stand.'"

As always, the striking Mosaic black and white packaging further enhances the total experience. Ricky Riccardi, the archivist for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and one of the world's foremost Armstrong experts has written an extremely enlightening and comprehensive essay. A precisely researched new discography finally clears up the confusion and inaccuracy about these dates. And in the classic Mosaic tradition, there are many outstanding vintage photographs from Louis' exalted career.

Of course, Mosaic's commitment to provide the finest audio quality is front and center on every track, under the guidance of co-producer Scott Wenzel, who summarizes this set most aptly: "The Armstrong magnetism hardly ever wavered through the years and these live performances that had him back in the driver's seat with a small group bear out the verve and genius of this great man."

TRIO VALORE - #LIARS AND CHEATERS

Steve White (The Style Council) and Damon Minchella (Ocean Colour Scene / Paul Weller) Mod funk Supergroup Trio Valore is back!

Featuring two of the best musicians that the UK has to offer Steve White on drums (The Style Council, Paul Weller, Ian Dury , Jon Lord , The Who at Live Aid) Steve was also recently voted no 2 of the UKs greatest drummers by the influential Rhyhm magazine and original Ocean Colour Scene founder Damon Minchella on bass (Paul Weller, The Who at Live Aid, Richard Ashcroft) TRIO VALORE are back with the new heavily awaited EP #LiarsAndCheaters. With two brand new songs and two very special covers and special guests such as Jan Van Duikeren and Jacko Peake (Paul Weller band and Push), Guido Nijs and Paolo Fuschi #LiarsAndCheaters features classic mod jazz and funk grooves and some fantastic playing.

Trio Valore released the widely acclaimed album "Return of the Iron Monkey" in 2008. Now after a musical sabbatical, the guys are back having gained a new member, Manchester based Keyboard ace Justin Shearn (Sam Gray). The band reformed after they've been asked to play at Record Kicks 10th Anniversary at 100 club in London last November and since then the Trio went from strength to strength playing shows throughout 2013 and beginning of 2014. After such a great response it was only a matter of time before some new music was recorded. #LiarsAndCheaters is the result.

The EP kicks off with Crazy - the Trio's take on a Modern Club Classic, very much in the Style of a Booker T cover, an of the day pop smash, soaring organ and tasteful brass make this destined for clubs globally . Then the title tracks #LiarsandCheaters, a full on funk blaster, break beats galore and thunderous bass underpin some truly fantastic soloing, an instant club floor filler , written by the Trio and produced by the band and Gaz Vaughn Hadfield in Manchester . Spanish Blues is dedicated to the great Jon Lord who the Trio played with at a tribute to Ginger Baker in London. This was favorite of the keyboard legends and the Trio dedicate it to his memory , it was originally written by the great Graham Bond. And last but not least Back to the Reel - pushing the boat out with some studio experimentation the Trio are Joined by Louk Boudesteijn and Benjamin Herman to produce a quirky groover with shades of late era Miles Davis. Welcome back Trio Valore! ~ Record Kicks

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