BEBEL GILBERTO TO RELEASE "TUDO" FIRST NEW STUDIO ALBUM IN FIVE YEARS

World renowned, multi-Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Bebel Gilberto will heat up the summer season with her trademark blend of warm Brazilian rhythms and ethereal vocals when her first new studio album in five years, Tudo, is released August 19 on Portrait/Sony Music Masterworks.  The intoxicating new 12-track collection celebrates Gilberto's penchant for sonically transporting listeners to Brazil, with bright, incandescent bossa nova-infused melodies, lyrics about love, and a lilting performance style that has earned her a devoted fanbase worldwide. 

"For me, this album came straight from the heart, and the recording process was one of the most intense I have ever been through," said Gilberto.  "A good part of the album was recorded in LA, and you really feel that lighter, brighter west coast vibe in the music, mixed in with my darker 'New Yorker' feelings.  Tudo means 'everything' and as a Brazilian, I feel everything and live every moment deeply, and wanted to sing about each little moment, emotion, idea, melody that has been part of my life over the past year. I am loving life and living more passionately than ever and wanted to share all that!"

Recorded in Brazil, New York and Los Angeles this past winter, and produced and mixed by Mario Caldato Jr., Tudo features six new original tracks including the captivating standout English language track "Somewhere Else,"  the soft "Nada Nao," filled with hypnotic percussion touches including wood bongos, shakers and even bottle caps; "Tom de Voz," which features Gilberto teaming up with acclaimed songwriter and guitarist Cesar Mendez from Bahia, who Gilberto met through mutual friend Caetano Veloso and who penned the track; and the delightful  duet "Novas Ideias," which Gilberto co-wrote and performed with her longtime friend Seu Jorge.

Gilberto also masterfully reinterprets the Antonio Carlos Jobim classic "Vivo Sonhando," and pays homage to one of her personal favorites, Neil Young, with a beautiful cover of "Harvest Moon," which Gilberto originally sang - and debuted her guitar skills on - at the "Music of Neil Young at Carnegie Hall" tribute in NYC in 2011.  Jon Pareles of The New York Times praised the performance saying, "Ms. Gilberto turned 'Harvest Moon' into a whispery bossa nova that savored every bit of its romance."

An outstanding band of assorted longtime musical friends and collaborators joined Gilberto in the studio to lend their talents to Tudo  including Masa Shimizu on assorted guitars, Didi Gutman (of Brazilian Girls fame) on piano, percussionist Mauro Refosco, Kassin on electric and acoustic bass and guitars, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, who helmed the wonderful string arrangements.

Gilberto captured fans and media acclaim worldwide with her hit breakout album Tanto Tempo in 2000, which featured her trademark electronic bossa nova, taking over clubs around the world and positioning Bebel as one of the top-selling Brazilian artists in the U.S. since the '60s. Critically-acclaimed albums to follow included Bebel Gilberto (2004), on which she refined her sound to create an acoustic lounge style that showcased her strengths as a Brazilian composer, and Momento (2007), which masterfully showcased her skills at fusing all her musical styles, and the Grammy-nominated All in One (2009), which brought to forefront more of Bebel's personality and love for organic rhythms.  Bebel Gilberto also recently released a beautiful concert DVD called Bebel Gilberto in Rio in Brazil in 2013.

Sony Music Masterworks comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait, Masterworks Broadway and Flying Buddha imprints. For email updates and information please visit www.SonyMasterworks.com.

Tudo Tracklisting: 

1.Somewhere Else   

2.Nada Nao   

3.Tom De Voz   

4.Novas Ideias   

5.Harvest Moon   

6.Tudo   

7.Saudade Vem Correndo   

8.Areia    

9.Tout Est Bleu   

10.Lonely in My Heart   

11.Vivo Sonhando   

12.Inspiracao   

www.bebelgilberto.com

NEW RELEASES: UNDERGROUND SYSTEM - BELLA CIAO; BIXIGA 70 - OCUPAI; STOLEN IDOLS - MOONLIGHT OFFERINGS

UNDERGROUND SYSTEM - BELLA CIAO

An Afro Funk combo, but with a difference! The group's got a strong female vocal presence upfront, and also really knows how to build a tune – mixing together classic rhythms with some inventive keyboard and horn solos – surging strongly forward on "Bella Ciao", a 21st Century version of the kind of longform jam you'd hear on a vintage Fela album! "DON" is moodier and dubbier – almost a post-punk kind of take on Afro Funk – with dark elements in the background at many points, as if Martin Hannett was production! ~ Dusty Groove

BIXIGA 70 - OCUPAI

An Afro Funk combo from Brazil, but one who bring in a huge amount of different influences to their music as well – expanding their sound with a range of soulful colors that make this set even more compelling than their debut! In addition to some expected Brazilian elements, there's also strong flavors from different African and Caribbean scenes as well – often explored with the guitar lines and percussion – while the core tenor, trumpet, baritone, and trombone line forge out with a strong sense of pride. Flute comes into the mix at a few points, creating some slight lyrical interplay – and the whole album is instrumental, with titles that include "Tigre", "Ocupai", "5 Esquinas", Kriptonita", "Retirantes", and "Tangara". ~ Dusty Groove

STOLEN IDOLS - MOONLIGHT OFFERINGS

A contemporary exotica combo – but one who've really found their own sense of identity, and don't just replicate styles from the old days! The music here is wonderfully moody – forged with classic exotica instrumentation that's heavy on vibes and percussion, as well as piano from arranger Drew Farmer – and the tracks spin out with a deep understanding of later 20th century modes – not just in jazz, but other instrumental worlds – such as post-punk or post-rock – all of which seem to shimmer in the depths of the record somewhere. Way more compelling than just another retro rehash – especially if you like vibes as much as us – and titles include "The Kyoto Protocol", "Tonga Sunset", "Sao Paulo 64", "On Togna Shores", "Monkey Mayhem", and "Okavango". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: SHAOLIN AFRONAUTS - OJO ABAMETA; DIRTWIRE - ONDAR; SONZEIRA - AQUARELA DO BRASIL MARK E REMIX

SHAOLIN AFRONAUTS - OJO ABAMETA

As the band prepare to tour Japan & Europe (including 2 prestigious shows at The Glastonbury Festival) Freestyle Records is proud to present the brand new 5 track single - Ojo Abameta, a percussive & frenetic number, built on a bed of amazing percussion and topped off with some deeply sweet ensemble horns, the end result is reminiscent of African hi life sounds, which acts as a curtain raiser for forthcoming album Follow The Path. The single also contains 2 100% exclusive tracks that do not appear on the album - All Who Pass By and Fe which are both prime examples of the totally original Shaolin Afronauts approach to their craft.

DIRTWIRE - ONDAR

The Bay Area meets Tuva on electro-acoustic tribute to throat-singing legend. Unlikely worlds harmoniously intersect on the Ondar EP, the newest release by Bay Area-based electro-acoustic duo Dirtwire. The EP honors the musical legacy of Tuvan throat-singing master Kongar-ol Ondar (1962–2013), with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit Ondar's legacy in Tuva. The Ondar EP originated from a chance encounter in 2013 when Dirtwire's Evan Fraser (Hamsa Lila and Stellamara) was invited to play mouth harp with Ondar -- the “Groovin' Tuvan” -- during a private performance in Marin, CA. Ondar's vocals were recorded by David Satori (Beats Antique) in a home studio later that night. "Taiga," the EP's key track, is an ode to Bai-laa Taigam, an expansive steppeland in the singer's home region of Tuva, Russia. Throughout the EP, the mellifluous interplay of acoustic and electronic often makes it difficult to tell where Ondar's otherworldly voice leaves off and Dirtwire's ambient textures begin. “It was a great honor and a privilege to get to collaborate with such a musical legend of the Earth,” says Fraser of his experience working with Ondar. “You can picture the natural beauty of his native Tuva as you hear him sing. Ondar will be missed and remembered forever.”

SONZEIRA - AQUARELA DO BRASIL MARK E REMIX

It would have been a daunting task for anyone to attempt a remix of the beautifully twisted Sonzeira version of Brasilian classic "Aquarela do Brasil" - but Gilles knew instinctively that one man would deliver. Mark E - the Wolverhampton raised Birmingham based DJ and producer and founder of MERC records has done just that. He somehow manages to bring a further layer of warmth and melancholy to the track - but leaves Elza Soares' haunting vocal in the spotlight. It's framed by new orchestrations on keys, piercing strings and punctuated by subtle bossa drum references. This is 7 and a half minutes of cinematic build and wonder.

FREEDOWNLOAD

MARCEL CAMARGO - THE BRAZIL YOU NEVER HEARD: BEHIND JOBIM FEATURING GRETCHEN PARLATO

Marcel Camargo has made his living as a professional musician in different locations all over the world, working as a sideman to legendary Brazilian, jazz, and pop musicians such as Michael Bublé, Sérgio Mendes, Bebel Gilberto, and Gretchen Parlato. Stepping into the spotlight as a leader with The Brazil You Never Heard, Camargo has created a project to showcase his many musical facets - guitarist, vocalist, composer, arranger and producer.

  

The São Paulo musician set out to produce an ongoing series of live concerts with companion studio records that feature his arrangements and compositions in the context of a chamber orchestra. While the focus is on Brazilian music, the repertoire embraces music from all over the world, illustrating how Brazil is both influenced by and influential to the international music scene.

  

Behind Jobim, the first in the series of EPs, aims to take an abridged look into the mind of Antônio Carlos Jobim, arguably Brazil's most internationally renowned composer/songwriter. "When I put together the repertoire, I designed it to mostly feature music that I knew was influential to Jobim," says Camargo. "When I did include his compositions in the set, the idea was to tie those to other pieces by composers that were his heroes." The result is a historical narrative, pointing back to Jobim's favorite classical composers - Debussy, Chopin and Villa Lobos - as well as his predecessors in the legacy of great Brazilian composers - Pixinguinha, Garoto and Radamés Gnattali.

When it came to recording the album, producing duties were split between drummer Leo Costa and Camargo. "For this EP, we chose to record pieces from the Behind Jobim concert that we felt made the biggest statements about what we wanted to accomplish musically and in terms of creating narratives," reflects Camargo. Those narratives are reinforced by the presence of vocalist Gretchen Parlato, who is no stranger to collaborations with Camargo. "Marcel Camargo is one of my favorite musicians, I love singing with him. He beautifully honors the classic sound we all adore in Brazilian music, but also allows his own voice to shine through...he's doing something very special and necessary with this project," says Parlato.

The first historical connection is presented on "Lamentos do Morro," which Camargo imagined had a strong connection to Jobim's "Samba do Avião." The composition was re-orchestrated from a solo guitar arrangement by Brazilian guitarist Garoto to bring it closer to the hearts of non-guitar players. "I know Jobim loved Garoto as well and thought perhaps the song might have been of special importance to Jobim," reflects Camargo.

On "Lamento," Camargo incorporates a modern take on the Choro written by one of the genre's most influential composers, Pixinguinha. Originally released in 1928, the tune was described by critic Cruz Cordero as an Americanization of the typical Brazilian style in both melody and rhythm. "We loved this piece and we think Jobim loved it too," states Camargo. "I thought I'd twist this Choro even further with some different harmonies and rhythms that, while still referencing the older style, make the tune seem modern."

Vocalist Gretchen Parlato is featured on three of the album's five songs. On "I Fall in Love Too Easily," Parlato sings a duet with Camargo on guitar in an intimate setting. "We thought this was a nice contrast to the other tunes because of the sparse instrumentation and the improvised interpretation of the composition, whereas the other pieces on this record are very planned out and arranged," notes Camargo.

"Prelude/How Insensitive" brings the classical connection to the forefront by using Chopin's "Prelude No. 4 in E minor (Opus 28)" as an introduction. It is transcribed for a string quartet and made to resolve into the arrangement of Jobim's "How Insensitive," which also features Parlato.

Behind Jobim concludes with "Imagina," reinforcing the inspiration of Jobim and his ever-evolving connection to classical music. The song is said to have been Jobim's first composition from 1947, originally as a homework assignment from his teacher written for solo piano. Although the string quartet is the main sonic force, the harp and celeste are brought in to emphasize the dreamy quality of the arrangement enforced by vocals from Parlato and Camargo.

"A big part of the success of the series lies in the caliber and uniqueness of the groups that I've been lucky to assemble to present the material," says Camargo. Often including string and horn sections with a core rhythm section as well as the harp and mandolin, these large chamber groups have the capability of bringing all the details of a given piece to life while opening the listener to musical moments that might have otherwise passed by unnoticed.

Since the music of Jobim draws from many sources - mainly classical music, Brazilian popular and folk music, and jazz - Camargo creates a set that is very eclectic, yet conceptually cohesive. 

Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil to a "musical extended family," Camargo learned to play guitar, percussion and sing with his uncle. At 16, he moved to the United States where he later earned his degree in Ethnomusicology from UCLA while studying under some of jazz' most significant musicians - Kenny Burrell, Billy Higgins, Harold Land, Gerald and Anthony Wilson as well as studying traditional Ghanaian music under master drummer Kobla Ladzekpo. His interests in school were varied but he was particularly attracted to folk music from different parts of the world. Taking full advantage of being in the United States, Camargo focused his studies on America's great folk idiom, jazz.

Currently residing in Los Angeles, working both as a sideman and leading his own group, his main gig has been playing guitar and singing back-up vocals for international pop star Michael Bublé. His other side work has been diverse, ranging from working with Sérgio Mendes, Bebel Gilberto, Tom Harrell and Gretchen Parlato - to performing with R&B/Hip-Hop icons such as Seu Jorge, Flying Lotus, Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch as well as touring and recording with artists like Macy Gray, Quadron, and Missy Higgins.

As an educator, Camargo has lectured on a variety of musical subjects while teaching at institutions such as the California State University Northridge, Shepherd University, the Larchmont Music Academy in New York, the French-American Lyceum Kennedy, and the South Pasadena Music Conservatory in California.

Marcel Camargo and The Brazil You Never Heard Behind Jobim is due for release on July 15, 2014.  

MarcelCamargo.com

ALAN CHAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - SHRIMP TALE

The Alan Chan Jazz Orchestra has emerged, since its formation in 2011, as one of the brightest lights on the Los Angeles jazz scene. Last year, Chan gathered a group of topnotch studio and jazz players -- 19 pieces in all, plus guest trumpeter Wayne Bergeron -- and produced a two-day session. First to be released, in the fall of 2013, was the EP Rancho Calaveras. Next month, on July 15, the orchestra's debut CD Shrimp Tale is due for release on Chan's imprint, Crown Heights Audio Network.

"The way I write, I want to tell a story in every composition," says Chan, 36, a classically trained pianist born and raised in Hong Kong. "My pieces tend to be open-ended. I go into different scenarios. They can read rough, jumping from one place to another, breaking grooves, but I like that kind of phrasing because in a way that's almost like talking, the way we phrase and rephrase things."

Most of his big band compositions reflect the modern world in affecting ways and, without explicitly incorporating ethnic forms, capture important aspects of the Asian-American experience. "Compositions that unfold and morph, challenging structures, inventive voicings and ever-changing orchestral colors set this group apart. Chan has given Los Angeles a jazz big band with an utterly unique tonal personality," wrote Kirk Silsbee in a Down Beat feature published last year.

When Chan was growing up in Hong Kong, the country was still under British rule. Chinese music was marginalized there, and little jazz was available, so he was exposed mainly to classical and Chinese folk music. Even when he later immersed himself in jazz studies, he says, he never lost his connection to traditional Asian forms.

Chan went on to study jazz arranging with Gary Lindsay as an undergraduate at the University of Miami in the late '90s (a time and place he nostalgically recalls on "Shrimp Tale"), but he never thought he'd lead a big band. As a doctoral student at the University of Southern California, he primarily studied classical composition. (He acquired his master's in composition at the University of Missouri-Kansas City after being part of an exchange program at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.)

But with the encouragement of two distinguished composer-arrangers at USC, Shelly Berg and Vince Mendoza, he became involved with jazz. And the more he listened to the work of artists including Thad Jones, Bob Mintzer, Uri Caine, Hermeto Pascoal, and the recently deceased Fred Ho, he says, "the more attractive jazz's harmonic language became to me. It felt like a bold new world."

In 2008, Chan became a member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop in New York City. Under the guidance of director Jim McNeely, he made significant advances as a composer and arranger, incorporating classical elements into the background of some of his pieces. That the musicians he worked with were so adept at performing his compositions from scratch gave him a major boost.

After receiving commissions from around the world and having his charts performed by such ensembles as the Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Chuck Owen & the Jazz Surge, and the Millennium Jazz Orchestra of the Netherlands, Chan formed his Jazz Orchestra in 2011 -- the year he won the Dutch ArtEZ Jazz Composition Contest. He was also a finalist in last year's Brussels Jazz Orchestra Composition Contest.

The Alan Chan Jazz Orchestra will be performing two CD release shows this summer, one on each coast. Their appearance at Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood is set for Tuesday 7/1 at 8:30 pm. A month later, Alan will debut his East Coast band at ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn, Monday 8/4 at 7:30 pm. Much of the new CD's material was composed nearby in his studio in Gowanus. He's especially excited to be performing this music in his beloved old Brooklyn neighborhood. 

alanchanjazzorchestra.com

KEYBOARDIST GREG MANNING RELEASES DANCE WITH YOU ON MAURICE WHITE'S RELAUNCHED KALIMBA MUSIC LABEL

Growing up in Switzerland, keyboardist Greg Manning (www.greg-manning.com) recalls sitting in his living room with his parents, grooving along to their classic Earth, Wind & Fire albums. Now an emerging jazz performer, he is part of the musical legacy of the group's legendary founder Maurice White, who has signed Manning as the first artist on his newly re-launched Kalimba Music label (http://kalimba-music.com/).

Previously best known for his nine year stint as touring keyboardist and musical director for South African-born, Grammy-nominated jazz/gospel singer/guitarist Jonathan Butler, Manning broke out in a big way last year with his debut instrumental single "Dance With You."

The track, featuring one of the genre's most popular saxophonists, Mindi Abair, was an across the board airplay smash, reaching #1 on the taste-making chart, The Smooth Jazz Top 20 with Allen Kepler. Kepler is the host of the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown on The Smooth Jazz Network, which designated "Dance With You" as Song of the Year for 2013.

Manning recently finished mastering his label debut, Dance With You, for a July 8, 2014 release. In addition to Manning's previous hit singles "Dance With You" and "Groove Me" (featuring saxman Elan Trotman), the 11-track collection will include the newly released track "Cruisin' Down The Road," which features the chart-topping saxophonist Vincent Ingala.

A native of Zurich, Switzerland, the multi-talented keyboardist studied piano and film scoring at Berklee College of Music in Boston before returning to his home country to establish himself as a composer and producer. He made his debut in the U.S. as the keyboardist for Brian McKnight's "Back At One" tour, then toured extensively with Butler.

Over the years, Manning has also performed with many top names in the genre, including Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright, Will Downing, Richard Elliot, Eric Marienthal, Chante Moore and Kirk Whalum, among others. As a producer in the genre, he recently produced and mixed a project for Italian saxophonist Gianni Vancini, who returned the favor with an appearance on the keyboardist's new song "Phoenix Rise!"

Kalimba Music's first release is a re-mastered collector's edition of the Earth, Wind & Fire hit album The Promise.

DEBUT ALBUM FROM VOCALIST FRANK SHINER - THE REAL ME

Frank Shiner is a unique new singer whose vocals evoke a certain sound associated with the old school American Songbook era.  But all comparisons end there, as is clearly evident on Shiner's debut album, The Real Me, set for release on Bakerson/Pyramid Records, Universal Music Group on June 24th 2014.  To celebrate the release of the CD, Shiner will perform at 54 Below in New York City on June 25th and at The Winery At St. George in Mohegan Lake, New York on July 8th.  He will also be signing albums and performing songs from the upcoming release at Barnes & Noble in his hometown of Wilkes-Barre, PA on June 27th. The debut single from the album entitled "Feels Like Home" is currently Top 5 on the AC Radio Charts. 

Many of the song selections on The Real Me have distinct blues overtones and are lyrically rooted in the generation that belongs to Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, and Randy Newman, just a few of the contemporary composers whose work is showcased on Shiner's album.  The finishing touch is the deft studio mastery of producer Gary Katz, best known for his tasty work on the classic series of albums by Steely Dan, as well as landmark albums from Donald Fagen (The Nightfly), Laura Nyro, Joe Cocker and others.

A number of tunes on the album are dedicated to Frank's longtime love affair with his wife Suzanne - a fearless cancer survivor. Her bravery and encouragement led Shiner to follow his muse and rekindle his calling as a singer and actor that he had put on the back burner many years before, when he set out to provide for his young family.  Recording these near-biographical songs was the realization of a dream that only resurfaced three years ago.

Shiner was recently introduced to audiences on the 2013 holiday single "Driving Home For Christmas" (also produced by Katz), a holiday evergreen from the pen of Chris Rea, the eclectic jazz and blues-influenced British singer-songwriter. The single hit Amazon's Top 50 Song Chart with proceeds from iTunes and Amazon sales of the single being donated to St. Jude Children's Hospital, the favorite charity of Shiner's late father.

Shiner's decision to chart a new course for the Standard Songbook follows through on The Real Me.  With Katz establishing the well-crafted moods for which he is known, Shiner has succeeded in establishing himself as a modern singer in the genre of the Grobans and Bubles of the world. "The idea," Shiner says, "was to combine the attitude and musical values of the music that inspired me – the era of Sinatra and Darin – with a more contemporary body of material."

The arc of Shiner's musical artistry swings in that special place where his lifetime of experiences in singing and acting are able to breathe together and tell a story.  Like the album's title tune, the Doc Pomus/Dr. John masterpiece "The Real Me," Shiner appreci­ates a story with a beginning, middle, and an end.  "As a student of Shakes­peare," Shiner explains, "as a student of language, the song is a play, and the lyric is the most important thing to me.  If a pretty sound comes out after that or along with that, it's a bonus, never the goal."

Yet it is a goal that Shiner accomplishes with an unexpected jazzy ease, from the deliciously simplicity of Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue," to his cool sexy rhythmical approach of Tom Waits' "Temptation".  Shiner takes a romantic vocal approach to Randy Newman's "Feels Like Home," Jimmy Webb's timeless "It's a Sin (When You Love Somebody)" and Van Morrison's overlooked song of eternal hope and yearning, "Brand New Day."  Shiner's interpretation of the Roxy Music rarity "To Turn You On" and his sexy swing approach to Leonard Cohen's "I'm Your Man" are two of the album's welcome surprises. A pair of tunes are drawn from Paul Simon's blues-drenched One Trick Pony movie soundtrack, "Nobody" and "Long Long Day," well-handled by Shiner and Katz.  The repertoire for The Real Me was developed by Shiner and A&R veteran Mitchell Cohen (Columbia, Arista and Verve Records) and will be available on June 24, 2014.

 

GEORGE PERRIS TO RELEASE ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEBUT ALBUM - PICTURE THIS

George Perris, exciting, young international crossover pop crooner will release his debut English language album, Picture This, in North America, on May 27, 2014, through Destin Productions and distributed by RED/Sony Entertainment. Recorded in Los Angeles, New York, London, Prague, Montreal and Athens, the album showcases some of the world’s best talents coming together for one of the year’s most anticipated releases.

Picture This represents Perris’ first collaboration with a host of global producers, writers, arrangers and mixers including Mark Portmann (Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera), Marco Marinangeli (Josh Groban, Il Divo), Simon Hale (Bjork, Tina Arena, Jamiroquai), and Michael “Smidi” Smith (Coldplay, Haim, Chris Young). This fresh approach to adult pop features the participation of The Prague Symphony Orchestra and includes 13 tracks, three of which are co-written by Perris. George’s uniquely powerful yet pure voice is the perfect instrument to interpret the genuine, emotion of his songs.

Perris was born in Athens to a Greek father and a French mother, and has performed around the world in some of the most prestigious concert halls. He previously released three albums in Greek (with Sony Music and Heaven Music) and one album in French (with Select Records), but the multi-lingual Perris believes music transcends all boundaries. “Music, for me, is like a beautiful rainbow with many colors…it knows no nationalities, no barriers, no frontiers. Because music has its own language, the language of love, of freedom, but above all, hope.”

The first, official single from the album is the classic, ”I Will Wait For You,” taken from the French musical, “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”, and written by Michel Legrand with lyrics by Jacques Demy and Norman GimbelR.

Also, Perris is engaged to a cause that is very important to him personally, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, an organization that offers scholarships to young students facing adversity. Perris acts as an International Ambassador for the organization, and recently performed in a live concert event at New York’s Lincoln Center in support of the Association. That one-hour concert will be broadcast May 29th on the Ovation Channel and then for three months as a Comcast Video on Demand Event from July 1 – September 30th, 2014.

THE FRED HERSCH TRIO WITH JOHN HEBERT & ERIC MCPHERSON RELEASES "FLOATING" FIRST NEW STUDIO ALBUM ON FOUR YEARS

Floating, the remarkable new album by the Fred Hersch Trio, brings the pianist back into forbidding territory. After a run of lightning-in-a-bottle live albums, he returned to the studio to document the ongoing evolution of his primary ensemble featuring bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson. 

Slated for release by Palmetto on July 8, 2014, the album captures the trio in exceptional form, playing with nonpareil rhythmic resourcefulness, ravishing lyricism, and telepathic interplay.

"My last three albums have been live, and I was a little apprehensive about going in and putting on headphones," Hersch says. "But we played a week at the Vanguard just before recording so we went into the studio and let it fly. The album really captures the trio's energy, and I'm very pleased with the recording quality. You can really hear all the detail in what Eric and John are doing."

The trio's last release, 2012's Fred Hersch Trio - Alive at the Vanguard (Palmetto) was a critically hailed double album that earned the Grand Prix du Disque, France's top jazz award. With five years and numerous national and international tours under their belts, the group has continued to hone its rarified communion, a creative frission evident on Floating. Unfolding with much the same rhapsodic coherence of a trio concert, the new album ranks amongst Hersch's very best work, which is to say that it's one of the era's definitive trio recordings.

While the album focuses on Hersch's original compositions, two American Songbook standards serve as lyrical touchstones. Propelled by McPherson's clattering sticks, the trio opens the session with an intricately patterned sojourn through "You and the Night and the Music" that builds to a two-handed montuno. The trio closes with a sensuous caress of "If Ever I Would Leave You" and a measured but exacting investigation of "Let's Cool One," continuing Hersch's longstanding tradition of closing most performances with a Monk masterpiece. 

"I'm always searching for ballads that don't get played often, or tunes that don't get played as ballads," Hersch says. "I think most people know 'If Ever I Would Leave You' from Sonny Rollins' much more uptempo version. We decided to lay down this body of material like we would in performance, a nice tight set."

The zero-gravity feel of the title track flows from an impromptu exploration of a tune built out of gossamer melodic threads, a performance that beautifully illustrates the way the trio can dive into the unknown and let the space between the notes ring eloquently. In a sense the piece is a statement about the trust they've engendered as an ensemble, and the maturity and focus of their concept. Hersch's other originals speak to his abiding ties to family, friends and colleagues, as every piece besides the title track is an emotionally evocative dedication.

The delicately filigreed "West Virginia Rose" is a through composed "song" inspired by Hersch's mother and grandmother (already with words by Hersch's longtime lyricist, vocalist Norma Winstone), a brief beatific reflection that sets up the rolling Crescent City groove of "Home Fries," a piece dedicated to the trio's redoubtable bassist. A weeklong run with luminous bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding and drummer Richie Barshay at the Jazz Standard, Hersch's other home base in New York, inspired "Arcata," an insistently kinetic piece with a buoyantly ascending bass line that evokes Spalding's tireless energy. The impressionistic "Autumn Haze," a tune for the stellar pianist Kevin Hayes, hints at unplumbed depths with its moody feel and mysterious Shorterian harmonies.

"I don't know exactly how many dedications I've done, but it's well over 30 at this point," Hersch says. "As a composer it's a way into something. I'll start to work on a piece and something really reminds me of someone. 'Floating' is the only piece that's not a dedication, and after all the activity and seat-of-the-pants it settles the record down and opens the door to all these worlds inspired by these different people."

The album's sequential and emotional centerpiece is the strikingly constructed "Far Away," a tune Hersch wrote in memory of the rising Israeli pianist Shimrit Shoshan, who's shocking death in 2012 from cardiac arrest at the age of 29 hit far too close to home for the trio. Hébert and McPherson, her husband, played on her impressive 2011 debut album Keep It Movin', and she had taken several lessons from Hersch. Rather than riffing on her love of knotty compositions by Monk and Herbie Nichols, he offers an ethereal benediction.

"The tune sounds fairly simple, but it took a long time to write," Hersch says. "It's an example of the way we improvise, of feeling how the chords move together. It really shows what a great bassist John is, to be able to play changes and feel them in an emotional way without any pulse. I told Eric do whatever you want, this is your piece, and he came up with the percussion and the mallets."

Born in Cincinnati on Oct. 21, 1955, Hersch studied music theory and composition and sang in high school theater productions. It wasn't until he was attending Grinnell College in Iowa that he turned on to jazz when he started listening to John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Miles Davis and Chick Corea. But the jazz bug really bit him when he went home for the holidays and happened into a Cincinnati jazz spot. He ended up dropping out of school and earned his stripes on the bandstand, with veteran musicians serving as his professors. After honing his chops for 18 months he enrolled at New England Conservatory earning a Bachelor of Music degree before moving to New York City in 1977.

Hersch quickly gained recognition as a superlative band-mate, performing and recording with masters such as Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Billy Harper, Lee Konitz, Art Farmer, Gary Burton, Toots Thielemans, and Jane Ira Bloom. Since releasing his first album under his own name, he's recorded in an array of settings, including a series of captivating solo recitals, duos with vocalists Janis Siegel and Norma Winstone, and ambitious projects like his chamber jazz setting for Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, documented on his 2005 Sunnyside album of the same name.

As an educator, Hersch has shepherded some of the finest young pianists in jazz through his teaching at Rutgers and New England Conservatory, where he is currently on faculty, as well as Juilliard and the New School. A leading force in galvanizing the jazz community in the fights against HIV/AIDS, he produced 1994's Last Night When We Were Young for Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS, an album featuring the likes of Bobby Watson, Phil Woods, George Shearing, Mark Murphy and Gary Burton.

If there's one thread running through Hersch's recording career it's the trio. From his first session with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron, he's pushed at the limits of lyricism and temporal fluidity with similarly searching improvisers. It's telling that his triomates include musicians from jazz's left wing, such as his group with

Michael Formanek and Jeff Hirschfield, and his long-running ensemble with Drew Gress and Tom Rainey. Inspired by disparate trio maestros such as Ahmad Jamal, Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson, he's drawn deeply from the music's most refined players while forging his own approach.

"I have great admiration for Tommy Flanagan and Cedar Walton, and the early Ahmad Jamal trio with Crosby and Fournier is the pinnacle of trio playing," Hersch says. "I like looking at the tradition through my own lens. I like writing and discovering interesting things to play. Every record I make I want the next one to be better. I think this one is a step forward for me."

Hersch spent much of the last decade performing with Gress and drummer Nasheet Waits, a prodigious trio that gently transitioned into his current combo. As best friends, Waits started recommending McPherson for gigs he couldn't make, and eventually turned over the drum chair to him. And when Gress's schedule became too thick with other engagements, Hébert was a natural replacement, as he and McPherson had anchored Andrew Hill's last rhythm section.

"It evolved really organically. It wasn't like I fired anybody," Hersch says. "John sort of stepped in, and I've always loved his playing. Like Drew, I was attracted to him by his sound. He's from Baton Rouge, and his playing has a looseness that's great for me. He's also done his homework in the tradition. And Eric is incredible at what we call the transition game, going from brushes to sticks and other implements. He knows the tradition in and out. He came up as a sideman with some great musicians, but he's definitely got some things that are hidden."

Hersch introduced the trio with Hébert and McPherson on the acclaimed 2010 album Whirl (Palmetto), a session that arrived with the freighted back story of his miraculous recovery from a two-month coma so deep that his doctors feared he'd never regain consciousness (he turned the near-death experience into the wildly imaginative jazz/theater production My Coma Dreams, a collaboration with librettist Herschel Garfein). He continues to perform and record with an array of fascinating musicians, like on last year's Free Flying, a breathtaking duo encounter with 25-year-old guitarist Julian Lage recorded live at the Kitano - as well as a duo project with trumpeter Ralph Alessi and a rare "double trio" with French pianist Benoit Delbecq.  But he's always drawn back to the precariously high-wire trio.

"When the trio is right it's transcendent, and if anything is off the whole thing crumbles," Hersch says. "There just aren't that many trios among the players my age or younger that have a really distinct sound. John and Eric are both incredibly alert. I don't feel like there's any ego. We're all trying to serve whatever is going on."

Upcoming concerts:

June 28-29 - Montreal Int'l Jazz Festival - Upstairs Jazz Bar, Montreal (w/FH Trio)

July 15-20 - Village Vanguard, NYC (w/FH Trio)

Aug 2 - Maverick Concerts, Woodstock, NY (duo w/Julian Lage)

Aug 3-9 - Stanford Jazz Workshop - Performance Sunday, August 3, (w/FH Trio)

Aug 23-28 - Red Sea Jazz Festival, Israel (w/FH Trio)

Aug 30 - Solo Concert:  Windham Chamber Music Festival: Windham, NY

Sept 18 - Panel Discussion: Outbeat Jazz Festival (LGBT)

Sept 19 - Outbeat Jazz Festival (LGBT), Philadelphia (w/FH Trio)

Sept 23-28 - The Jazz Standard (w/Esperanza Spalding & Richie Barshay)

Oct 2 - Concert:  Grinnell College, Grinnell IA (w/FH Trio)

Oct 4 - Folly Theater, Kansas City, MO (w/FH Trio)

Oct 13 - University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (w/FH Trio)

Oct 17 - Solo Concert: Arts Garage, Delray Beach, FL

Oct 18 - South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center, Cutler, FL (w/FH Trio)

Nov 2 - William Paterson University, NJ (w/FH Trio)

Nov 16 - Greenwich Library (w/FH Trio)

Nov 23 - Chester, CT (w/FH Trio)

Nov 29 - McCarter Theater, Princeton, NJ (duo with Julian Lage)

2015:

Feb. 20-21 - The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT (w/FH Trio)

Feb 25 - Scullers, Boston, MA (w/FH Trio)

Feb 26 - U Mass Amherst, MA (w/FH Trio)

Feb 27 - Flynn Space, Burlington, VT (w/FH Trio)

Feb 28 - College of St. Rose, Albany, NY (w/FH Trio)

Mar 3 - Private Concert: Richmond, VA (w/FH Trio)

Mar 6 - Flushing Town Hall, NYC (w/FH Trio)

April 2 - Bimhuis, Amsterdam (w/FH Trio)

April 3 or 4 - Rotterdam, Holland (w/FH Trio)

April 5 - Middelburg, Holland (w/FH Trio)

April 11 - Cité de la Musique, Paris (w/FH Trio)

April 14- Solo Concert: Konzerthaus, Vienna

April 22- Solo Concert:  Bozar, Brussels

April - Solo Concert: SOKA Performing Arts Center, Alisa Viejo CA

www.fredhersch.com

THE DEASE & REESE PROJECT INJECT JAZZ, FUNK & R&B ON NEW ALBUM - LIFE IN 20

This new album ‘Life In 20’ by The Dease & Reese Project teams singer Elisa Fiorillo Dease, a member of Prince's NPG (New Power Generation), with guitar virtuoso Tyler Reese. A the Dease & Reese Project they have created a Jazz/Funk/R&B album, comprised of 12 songs about love, loss, motherhood and faith. The album is Dease's most personal project to date, and one of Reese's most innovative. "Life can be sometimes comical, sometimes harsh and sometimes very beautiful. I try to always speak in truth." - Elisa Fiorillo Dease Las Vegas, NV. 

Elisa Fiorillo Dease, one of the pop star’s backup singers, teamed up with rising guitar virtuoso Tyler Reese to create “Life In 20,” an album that is easy on the ears but defies simple categorization. Indeed, the 12-song LP contains elements of pop, jazz, rock, funk and R&B, as exemplified by the song “All Over the World,” a musical fantasy that evokes images of guardian angels spreading love.

“I hate flying,” Dease said. “I was on my way to a concert in Europe with Prince when we ran into some pretty bad turbulence. I looked out the window and imagined angels holding the plane up and keeping us safe. That’s when I started thinking of the melody and lyrics.”

As if flying into a storm, “All Over the World” begins smoothly with a soft acoustic guitar motif and Dease’s sultry vocals, then builds to Reese’s piercing electric-guitar crescendo. The growing intensity of the music is offset by the gentleness of Dease’s lyrics:

"Look around, tell me everything you cannot see     

Far beyond space and time.     

Something’s there and it’s watching out for you and me.     

Don’t be blinded by the simple minds.     

Angels within, lifting us up, making us fly     

All over the world.

Keeping us young, waking up free, spreading our love

All over the world.")

Dease, who has worked with Prince since 1990, has also recorded many of her own projects dating back to 1987, including the worldwide hit “Who Found Who” with producer John “Jellybean” Benitez and her successful album “I Am,” a collaboration between Dease (Fiorillo) and Prince.   

Record producer Jeff Silverman, rock icon Rick Springfield’s former lead guitarist, co-producer and co-writer, introduced Dease to Tyler Reese, a former Berklee College of Music guitar major now based in Nashville.

“Jeff suggested I write something with Elisa,” Reese said. “I sent her an idea that I had for a guitar riff. She replied back and wrote lyrics over my idea, and it turned out to be really cool, so we decided to do a whole album together.”

Reese, who soon will turn 21, won the National Guitar Workshop competition in 2011. He has studied with acclaimed Jazz guitarist Pat Metheny and has opened for Scotty McCreery, Martin Sexton, Ron Holloway and Linwood Taylor. He describes The Dease & Reese Project as having a different range of styles and influences, from smooth jazz to pop, R&B, funk and rock. It is an example of how he is evolving musically.

"I have always been interested in all kinds of music,” Reese said. "What this project has done is help bring out the writer in me. Writing music with Elisa has not only been an amazing experience, but has also helped me develop and gain inspiration more and more in that aspect."

The title of the album, “Life in 20,” refers to life experiences that span 20 years. The songs touch on such diverse themes as romance (“Share It With You”), lost love (“How Did it Happen?”), procrastination (“Let it In”), food addiction (“Lollypop Ice Cream”), courage (“Little Flower”), self-discovery (“Storybook”), abusive relationships (“What Good is Love?”), staying true to yourself (“East Coast Kind of Girl”), encouragement (“It’s All Okay”), and the joys and challenges of motherhood (“A Momma Who Knows How to Funk”). The only instrumental track, “Going Home,” is an ambient guitar solo by Reese. Each selection is thematically different, yet shares a similar stylistic mix.

“Even though you'll hear many different influences in these songs, the common glue is an R&B/soul feel that the three of us have in common,” producer Silverman said. “Having been a Motown writer for several years with roots ranging from R&B, rock, pop, country and fusion, Elisa's diverse musical background, and Tyler's Jazz, funk, rock, metal, country and fusion styles, I feel this is Elisa's best release to date.”

“It’s a gift to be able to channel thoughts into songs,” Dease added. “Writing about the experiences I’ve had in my life, I feel I can connect with my audience in a positive way. Life can be sometimes comical, sometimes harsh and sometimes very beautiful. I try to always speak in truth. Lyrically you will be able to see that I wear my heart on my sleeve.”

www.DeaseAndReese.com 

NEW RELEASES: THE 5TH DIMENSION - EARTHBOUND; MINNIE RIPERTON ANTHOLOGY- LES FLEURS; ARTHUR PRYSOCK - TOO LATE BABY

THE 5TH DIMENSION - EARTHBOUND 

The Soul City and Bell recordings of the original line-up of the 5th Dimension—Billy Davis, Jr., Marilyn McCoo, Florence LaRue (Gordon), Lamonte McLemore and Ron Townson—have been amply reissued in the digital age, with reissues of all their albums and collections too numerous to name. But Earthbound, the final album they recorded together after moving to the ABC label in 1975, has, due to some contractual confusion, been lost in limbo for almost four decades. Now, after years of persistent efforts, the legal logjam has come unstuck and Earthbound has been “unearthed” for this CD debut! This album’s use of synthesizers marked a real departure for the band and moved them in a new, funky direction; it also marked a highly anticipated reunion and final collaboration with legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb (“Up, Up and Away”), as Webb produced and arranged the record and wrote half of its songs. Remastered by Mike Milchner at SonicVision, with liner notes by Joe Marchese featuring extensive, exclusive quotes from Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., and added photos and memorabilia—this Real Gone reissue fills a major gap in the discography of one of the greatest pop-soul groups of all time! Songs: Earthbound/Prologue—Be Here Now; Don’t Stop for Nothing; I’ve Got a Feeling; Magic in My Life;Walk Your Feet in the Sunshine; When Did I Lose Your Love; Lean on Me Always; Speaking with My Heart; Moonlight Mile; and Earthbound/Epilogue. ~ Real Gone Music

MINNIE RIPERTON - LES FLEURS: THE MINNIE RIPERTON ANTHOLOGY

All the best Minnie Riperton tracks on one set – a beautiful double-length package of tunes, hand-picked because of their lasting importance to Minnie's fans in recent generations! The tracks on the set span the gamut of Minnie's recording career, and have a focus on the kinds of righteous and cosmically-grooving tracks that Minnie could do better than anyone else. We couldn't have picked a better track list ourselves – and titles include "Reasons", "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun", "You Take My Breath Away", "Strange Affair", "Take A Little Trip", "I'm A Woman", "Lovin You", "Les Fleur (remake from 1979)", "Light My Fire (with Jose Feliciano)", "Love Hurts", "Memory Lane", "Inside My Love", "Every Time He Comes Around", "Young Willing & Able", and "Here We Go (w/ Peabo Bryson)". ~ Dusty Groove

ARTHUR PRYSOCK - TOO LATE BABY: THE OLD TOWN SINGLES 1958-66

A great run of music from the mighty Arthur Prysock – an incredibly soulful singer who was at the top of the heap in the early 60s, but who's largely forgotten all these many years later! Prysock had a really unique approach – and one that really paved the way for some of the bigger male ballad soul singers in the late 60s and 70s – a bit of jazz, with a definite influence from Billy Eckstine – mixed with a deep range that's a lot bluesier than his classy look might make you think – often set to backings that open up a new sort of sophisticated territory. Without Prysock, it's hard to imagine Walter Jackson, Lou Rawls, Jerry Butler, and many others – and this sweet batch of singles really sums up the power of the man at his height. The CD features 24 tracks in all – many on CD for the first time – and titles include "Come & See This Old Fool", "Worry Bout You", "Again", "House By The Side Of The Road", "It's Too Late Baby Too Late", "Our Love Will Last", "One More Time", "If Ever I Should Fall In Love", and "Keep A Light In The Window For Me". ~ Dusty Groove

SAM RUCKER'S "TELL YOU SOMETHING" EARNS PRAISE AS THE SINGLE "BE TRUE 2 WHO U R" GAINS RADIO PLAY

Hip hop producer turned contemporary jazz sax evangelist Sam Rucker stands out from the bunch by preaching melodic messages of hope and inspiration on “Tell You Something,” his sophomore set that was released today by Favor Productions featuring contributions from R&B and contemporary jazz veterans Norman Connors, Bobby Lyle, Tom Browne and Alyson Williams on the disc mixed and mastered by Euge Groove.

Rucker’s street cred on the gritty urban set chock full of meaty hip hop beats is never in question. Author of the album’s eight originals, he produced nine tunes and shared the helm with Connors on three classic R&B covers: “Before I Let Go,” “Footsteps in the Dark” and a version of Connors’ signature romancer “You Are My Starship” that is ignited by star turns from Browne’s gregarious trumpet and Lyle’s nuanced keyboards. The tracks throughout the session strike a deft balance between soul grooves and improvisational jazz. Rucker’s horn work is organic played passionately through soprano, tenor and alto sax. Lilting harmonies as well as a few cuts that include a vocal chorus uplift like powerful affirmations revealing the artist’s innate ability to connect and communicate with or without words. The first single, “Be True 2 Who U R” eases into the service before shaking the walls with a thundering soprano sax sermon presently finding favor with radio programmers.

A fistful of promotional events in Virginia this week will help launch “Tell You Something.” Tonight Rucker will be in Norfolk for an album listening event held by the Hampton Roads Jazz Lovers Group followed by a live interview at 10pm ET/7pm PT on internet radio program CoffeeTalk Jazz Radio. On Thursday, Rucker will make a live appearance in Hampton at The World Famous Lessons In Jazz Series and Friday finds him performing at the Portsmouth Seawall Music Festival.

Below is a sampling of some of the early album reviews heralding Rucker’s refreshing sound and approach:

“Sam Rucker has mad skills and unlimited potential!...After listening to ‘Tell You Something,’ the emotional quality of his music leaves little doubt that Sam Rucker is as sincere as he is talented.” – Critical Jazz

“Artists like Sam Rucker are more than a breath of fresh air – they represent such incredible promise to this genre because they bring understanding, energy, a  genuine love for the music, and, of course, an abundance of soul.” – The Smooth Jazz Ride

“For lovers of soul-jazz.“ – Sonic Soul

"This is smooth jazz as it was in its heyday.” – Soul and Jazz and Funk

“Tell You Something offers good beginnings, a professional musicianship and exquisite arrangements.” – Smooth Jazz Daily

“Excellent return of Mr Rucker.” – No Solo Smooth Jazz

www.SamRucker.com

NEW RELEASES: ENNIO MORRICONE - LE PROFESSIONEL & LE MARGINAL; LALO SHIFRIN - GOLDEN NEEDLES

ENNIO MORRICONE - LE PROFESSIONEL

A great little Morricone soundtrack – later than most of the classic work, but done for a French thriller that starred Jean-Paul Belmondo, with some great spare compositions that have slight romantic French soundtrack touches! There's some great numbers that feature Morricone's style of drifting solo instruments over strings – including some cool piano with a very offbeat feel – and others that have a wonderfully sweeping full and majestic feel! But given the action in the narrative, there's also a nice undercurrent of darkness too – which keeps things interesting and powerful throughout – in the best manner of a Morricone cop/crime film of the 70s. Titles include "D'Afrique", "Chi Mai", "Le Retour", "Le Vent Le Cri", and "Decision Finale". CD features 25 tracks in all – way more than the original album! (Limited edition of 500.)  ~ Dusty Groove

LALO SHIFRIN - GOLDEN NEEDLES

One of the most obscure Lalo Schifrin soundtracks of the 70s – a really weird, spooky little record that's filled with moody touches! Schifrin's not in all-out action mode here – and instead experiments with a range of styles – including some warm, jazzy elements that are especially nice – mixed with larger passages that are more powerful, and blend together tense orchestrations with some of the exotic touches you might guess from the story! Some of the best selections feature scene shifting passages that really illuminate Lalo's ability to tell a story with sound – and titles include "Heavies Approach/Harbor Sequence", "Chinese Street Source", "Finzie's Piano #1", "Felicity", "Mongolian Stripper", "Harbor Chase/Crowds/Conclusion", "Taxi", "Winters Mansion/Winters/It's Time", and "Airports/Street Fight". (Limited edition of 1000.) ~ Dusty Groove

ENNIO MORRICONE - LE MARGINAL

Ennio Morricone's score for the second Jean-Paul Belmondo "Professionel" police film – written 2 years after the first soundtrack, and with a feel that's a bit more electric and cop show-oriented! There's still plenty of great Morricone touches on the set – including his strong penchant for using space to really heighten the tension of a theme – but the instrumentation also features some electric bass undercurrents that are a bit stronger than usual, making for more of a cop funk groove than you'd expect from Morricone! This expanded CD edition features a total of 25 tracks – far more than the original album – and titles include "Le Marginal", "HSM", "Hypertension", "Theme Classique", "Don't Think Twice", and "Dreamer". (Limited edition of 500.)  ~ Dusty Groove