STEVIE WONDER ANNOUNCES "SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE PERFORMANCE" TOUR

Legendary singer, songwriter, musician and producer Stevie Wonder announced today the SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE PERFORMANCE, a 10+ city tour across North America this fall. Produced and promoted by Live Nation, the performances which are a live adaptation of the iconic Songs in the Key of Life album, will begin in New York City at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 6 then travel through cities such as Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta before wrapping at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Dec. 5.

Throughout his career, the celebrated singer has amassed 49 Top 40 singles, 32 #1 singles and worldwide album sales of more than 100 million units. He has received 25 Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and a Golden Globe; is an inductee into the Rock and Roll, Songwriters' and NAACP Halls of Fame; and is the youngest recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. Stevie is a designated U.N. Messenger of Peace with special focus on persons with disabilities. He continues to be pivotal in U.S. and world events, demonstrating the activism that has made him such a vital voice for social progress and world harmony.

As a live performance tour de force, Stevie continues to astound audiences around the world. This summer, he headlined and performed at iconic sold-out music festivals across Europe in nine countries, including London's Calling, Roskilde in Denmark and the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

2014 SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE PERFORMANCE TOUR DATES

Nov. 6 / New York, NY / Madison Square Garden

Nov. 9 / Washington, DC / Verizon Center

Nov. 11 / Boston, MA / TD Garden

Nov. 14 / Chicago, IL / United Center

Nov. 16 / Philadelphia, PA / Wells Fargo Center

Nov. 20 / Auburn Hills, MI / The Palace of Auburn Hills

Nov. 22 / Atlanta, GA / Philips Arena

Nov. 25 / Toronto, ON / Air Canada Centre

Nov. 29 / Las Vegas, NV / MGM Grand Garden Arena 

Dec. 3 / Seattle, WA / Key Arena

Dec. 5 / Oakland, CA / Oracle Arena

DEBUT ALBUM FROM THE EXCELSIORS - CONTROL THIS - REAL INSTRUMENTS AND A VARIETY OF STYLES AND MOODS...

Sounding quite like nothing you have heard before, The Excelsiors come correct with their debut album, Control This. The latest project from Shane ‘Sureshot’ Hunt, known for his Sharpshooters group, and for his highly-regarded Soundbwoy Reggae Breaks series wherein he has liberally dropped science, sharing his in-depth knowledge of ska, rock-steady, reggae and dancehall for the instruction of the hip-hop massive, The Excelsiors is the logical extension of Shane’s passion for classic Jamaican music (and more) of the ‘60s through ‘80s.

At a time when seemingly everything is made using the same software packages, Control This is a defiantly old-school, analogue record,dispensing with the uniform polish and sheen of contemporary production methods and instead showcasing an array of ‘real’ instruments and a variety of styles and moods. In the mix are not just bass, drums and guitars and some real antique keyboard sounds but percussion including steel pans, organ, horns, backing vocals, and even strings! All new music, cut live to tape and then seamlessly pieced together across an album of (mostly) cover versions, a living link with the music that was the inspiration for the project. Sounding like something that would be very expensive to produce in this day and age, the finished result nevertheless retains a rawness and gusto that virtually leaps out of the speakers.

Nor is this simply a reggae album –in fact, here we have Sureshot bringing together a whole array of cultural influences, in a lively mash-up style. Vocals come from northern soul/disco legend The Mighty Pope and Omega Rae of Blackalicious, coming from opposite ends of about four decades of black music styles. Mrs. Magic is the Grover Washington Jr. jazz-funk staplegiven a gender re-assignment, and an earthy reggae treatment: Esther Philips, Roberta Flack and even Amy Winehouse have previously recorded vocal versions atop this killer rhythm, this is how it might’ve sounded if Toots and The Maytals had done it at the time it came out, raucous and intense.

Carole King’s It’s Too Late has been covered notably by Dennis Brown in reggae and the Isley Brothers in soul. It’s given a reggae groove but its strings and deep backing vocals bring to mind classic ‘70s soul. It takes a particularly fertile imagination (and an extensive record collection) to think of versioning Debbie Deb’s freestyle classic Look Out Weekend as a sprawling, organic Afrobeat tune… Shane Hunt is clearly the man with that imagination! Check the fierce horns here.

Similarly, Barrington Levy’s Here I Come, the digital-dancehall tune to end them all, is here re-imagined as a hugely infectious ‘live’ jam …try listening to this without breaking into a grin, it’s so ‘wrong’ and yet so right! Thom Bell and Linda Creed’s People Make The World Go Round has been covered countless times since its original Stylistics version, and seems to have more resonance than most of the classic Philly era with contemporary listeners. The Excelsiors’ version might not even be the first version to use steel pans, but it definitely is the first to combine such instrumentation with a vaguely psychedelelic, eastern drone. Essential version! 

The version of Gene Rondo’s A Land Far Away acknowledges its debt to the greatest of all reggae anthems, the Abyssinians’ Satta Massagana … while This Is Sunshine Music is a funky-soul version of This Is Reggae Music by the under-rated Zap-Pow. The optimism and yearning of the former is tempered with dark psychedelic elements making it stand out dramatically from other versions. The great era of conscious roots reggae is brought back to life with a bang with these unexpected covers. The script is flipped with a cover of The Beat’s Mirror In The Bathroom, a classic from the two-tone era, given a digital rhythm.

Two-tone marked the definitive arrival of a new multicultural generation as a distinctively British creative force… a splash still rippling to this day, with projects like The Excelsiors. As well as Shane’s version of a traditional spiritual, named here Soon I Will Be Done, he also shows his own songwriting prowess with a couple of originals, In The Name Of The Father and Cold As Steel, demonstrating influences from gutbucket funk to island music.

This is an accomplished work, essentially the creative inspiration of one man, with some very talented musicians on board, and with its phenomenal ‘live’ sound definitely marks this producer out as an artist to watch in his own right.

~ bbemusic.com

THE ART OF MCCARTNEY - THE SONGS OF PAUL MCCARTNEY SUNG BY THE WORLD'S GREATEST SINGERS

The Art of McCartney is a celebration of the music of Sir Paul McCartney performed by some of the world's greatest artists with Paul’s band, including: Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, The Cure, The Who’s Roger Daltrey, Brian Wilson, Alice Cooper, Dr. John, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Barry Gibb, Jamie Cullum, KISS, Chrissie Hynde and MANY more. All aspects of Paul’s catalogue have been explored from The Beatles to his early solo work, to Wings and his later solo career.

The Art Of McCartney is an audiophile’s dream – a triumphant coming together of extraordinary talent. 42 trackin total with a 12" bound book. The Art Of McCartney will be available in various formats including a 2-CD package and boxset.  Release is set for November 18.

THE ART OF MCCARTNEY TRACKLIST:

Maybe I'm Amazed - Billy Joel

Things We Said Today - Bob Dylan

Band On The Run - Heart

Junior's Farm - Steve Miller

The Long And Winding Road - Yusuf/Cat Stevens

My Love - Harry Connick, Jr

Wanderlust - Brian Wilson

Bluebird - Corinne Bailey Rae

Yesterday - Willie Nelson

Junk - Jeff Lynne

When I'm 64 - Barry Gibb

Every Night - Jamie Cullum

Venus And Mars/Rock Show - KISS

Let Me Roll It - Paul Rodgers

Helter Skelter - Roger Daltrey

Helen Wheels - Def Leppard

Hello Goodbye - The Cure Featuring James McCartney

Live And Let Die - Billy Joel

Let It Be - Chrissie Hynde

Jet - Robin Zander & Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick

Hi Hi Hi - Joe Elliot

Letting Go - Heart

Hey Jude - Steve Miller

Listen To What The Man Said - Owl City

Got To Get You Into My Life - Perry Farrell

Drive My Car - Dion

Lady Madonna - Allen Toussaint

Let ‘Em In - Dr. John

So Bad - Smokey Robinson

No More Lonely Nights - The Airborne Toxic Event

Eleanor Rigby - Alice Cooper

Come And Get It - Toots Hibbert with Sly & Robbie

On The Way - B.B. King

Birthday - Sammy Hagar

C Moon - Robert Smith

Can't Buy Me Love - Booker T. Jones

P.S. I Love You - Ronnie Spector

All My Loving - Darlene Love

For No One - Ian McCulloch

Put It There - Peter, Bjorn & John

Run Devil Run - Wanda Jackson

Smile Away - Alice Cooper

NEW RELEASES - KANDACE SPRINGS - EP; SOIL & PIMP SESSIONS - BROTHERS AND SISTERS; PETER HAND BIG BAND - OUT OF HAND

KANDACE SPRINGS - EP

One in a million musicians can say that they were invited by Prince to join him onstage. But it's even more impressive for an artist to receive that endorsement before officially releasing a note of music. Yet that's exactly what happened to singer-keyboardist Kandace Springs when Prince saw a YouTube clip of her performing Sam Smith's hit "Stay With Me," initiated a correspondence on Twitter, and asked Springs to fly to Minneapolis and perform at his legendary Paisley Park Studio. The four songs on the Kandace Springs EP release merge old-school values with fresh and innovative styles, drawing on R&B, hip-hop, jazz, pop, and Latin music. ~ Blue Note Records

SOIL & PIMP SESSIONS - BROTHERS & SISTERS

A cheesy cover, but one of the greatest albums we've heard so far from this jazzy Japanese combo – a set that has them sounding even more dynamic than ever – but with a slightly different vibe! The instrumentation somehow feels even leaner, but still has all that very bracing feel from before – fast-driving drops topped by even faster tenor, piano, and trumpet – all at a speed that's much more moving than even some of the other club jazz on the Japanese scene in recent years, with a boldly blasting energy that really re-imagines the power of these instruments! The focus of these guys is tremendous – really hard to believe at times – and after nearly 10 years on this planet, Soil & Pimp are still a group beyond compare. Titles include "Sonido Del Mar", "Roots Of Soil", "Love Immediately", "Apple Gravitate Toward Core Of Star", "Black Tie", "I Wanna Love You", and "Red Sky".  ~ Dusty Groove

PETER HAND BIG BAND - OUT OF HAND

The sound of a truly fine big band makes a lasting aural impression, combining sheer grandness with the finest, intimate improvisations. We now welcome back to the stage the Peter Hand Big Band. A native of New York City, Hand has been a guitarist in a wide variety of groups, has composed an impressive number of tunes, and has also studied big band arranging and composing with the legendary Herb Pomeroy. The Band, includes a stellar array of New York jazz players including Houston Person, Don Braden, Eddie Allen, Valery Ponomarev, Bruce Williams, James Weidman and Harvie S to name a few. ~ Amazon

Multi-Instrumentalist Gerald Wilson Passes Away - Monday, September 8, 2014‏

Gerald Wilson, beloved conductor, bandleader, composer, educator, and multi-instrumentalist, passed away in his Los Angeles home on Monday, September 8, 2014 after being diagnosed with pneumonia two weeks earlier. He was 96-years-old.

"Gerald Wilson, who I considered a good friend, was one of the most versatile of men," says Gretchen Valade, owner of Mack Avenue Records (Wilson's label since 2007). "He was a composer, had a wonderful band and still remained humble and gentle. The Mack Avenue family will miss him dearly."

Wilson's accomplishments and contributions to the current state of jazz are countless, however several awards support such a bold claim. Most notably, Wilson was an NEA Jazz Master (1990); recipient of a NARAS President's Merit Award; winner of multiple DownBeats's Critics Polls and Jazz Journalists Assocation Awards; a NAACP Image Award nominee; and an eight time Grammy® Award nominee. After a 30-year career in music education at UCLA, he was awarded a Teacher of the Year award in 2008 for his mentoring of countless young musicians. Washington's Smithsonian Institute also houses an archive of his life's work.

Despite earning such accolades throughout his career, Wilson's road to success wasn't always easy. He struggled through more than nine decades of opposition to contribute to the fight for civil rights and to share his passion for music with the world. Born in 1918 into a hotbed of racial tension in Shelby, Mississippi, Wilson was sent by his mother to live with family in Detroit where his musical talents afforded him the rare opportunity to attend the performing arts school, Cass Tech High School -- a high school that was second only to Julliard at the time. As Wilson would tell you, this is where his musical career truly began. After serving time in the Navy during World War II, reaching commercial success in the late 40's and marrying his soulmate, Wilson's passion for cultural immersion came to life both emotionally and creatively.

"It is almost impossible to overstate the importance and impact Gerald Wilson has had on Mack Avenue Records as an institution and on those of us who work for the label. Gerald is the embodiment of a legacy that stretches from Fletcher Henderson through the Miles Davis/Gil Evans collaborations and beyond," says Mack Avenue's Executive Vice President of A&R, Al Pryor. "One can hardly imagine the heyday of Central Avenue or the vaunted West Coast sound in jazz without his musical influence. But Gerald was not one to live in the past. His ear was constantly focused on new music and on his fellow musicians, an example of which is fellow trumpeter and Mack Avenue recording artist Sean Jones, who came to us through his association with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra. Gerald Wilson embraced each and every one of us here at Mack Avenue. Our task now is to try to live up to the extraordinarily high standards he set."

Wilson's prolific seven decade career is rich and varied and always infused by his endless appetite for life. In June of 2011, Wilson released his fifth Mack Avenue album, Legacy, a follow up piece to his 2008 release Chicago. Having been one of the first musicians to pioneer the use of eight-part harmonies in compositions, Wilson has contributed both compositions and arrangements to musical icons including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, and many more. Wilson was also honored to receive an invitation from Zubin Mehta to compose a number for the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra. This would be followed later in life by additional commissioned works from both the Monterey and Chicago Jazz Festivals.

Wilson's passion to incorporate his art into his selfless crusade for civil rights was paramount in his life and has touched the lives in countless cultures and countries around the world and yet when you asked this humble legend about his great successes, Wilson would respond with sincere humility, "I just try to be a person worthy of being a part of this great art form."

Wilson is survived by his wife Josefina; son Anthony; two daughters, Jeri and Nancy Jo; and four grandchildren. Funeral arrangements and a memorial service are pending.

LONDON BASED SOUL FROM THE EPHEMERALS - NOTHIN IS EASY

Ephemerals are a London based soul family featuring an allstar cast of musicians. Founded by Hillman Mondegreen, writer-producer and founder member for Hannah Williams and The Tastemakers, he felt instantly that Franglo-American singer Wolfgang Valbrun was the perfect voice to deliver a debut album that is fresh and soulful and will command some serious attention. Wolf, originally from New York but who has been living in Paris since the age of 14, only began singing in public three years ago, but has quickly established himself as a continental star with his band Marvellous. Next is Damian, who also plays trumpet for Kalakuta Millionaires and is in Hillman’s afrobeat supergroup Keke Mokoro. Then Char, who plays baritone sax for Dakhla, a band with a unique afrobeat/gypsy styling. Also James, who plays organ for Hannah Williams, and Jimi Needles, who has been Hillman’s drummer of choice since they met at university in 2008. Rob Jones was the final piece of the puzzle, recommended to Hillman by WahWah45′s boss Dom Servini. He played every instrument on the epic Gene Dudley Group album and was brought in to play bass with his trademark tone and casual style.

The first full band rehearsal was on the first day of recording. Hillman taught the band song by song and within three days, the 7-piece had recorded the album live to analogue tape at The Cowshed in North London. A short UK tour ensued in the following weeks and the live Ephemerals band was born from the same musicians who had recorded in that great session. It was as much their personality as their talent that allowed the band to rehearse and record in such swift fashion.

Almost as captivating as how the record was made, is the story of how it caught the attention of the Jalapeno label. A radical business strategy from Mondegreen Records, whose first solo release back in 2010 secured the signing of HWT to Record Kicks and then Sony, saw the company taking a free-to-download approach.

“The philosophy was that anyone who saw the video or visits our Facebook/ Bandcamp/ Soundcloud/ Twitter pages should be able to download the full album in three clicks or less,” says Mondegreen. “Another positive that comes from this method is that there is no worth in bootlegging the record, so we are denying the revenue that illegal download sites can make from hosting a copy. The idea is that there is little to be made from recorded music anyway, so the attempt is to broaden the fan base and tour relentlessly, making up for the loss of sales profit with the money gained from the larger fanbase. After all, you can’t bootleg a live performance. We also approached several vinyl only labels to release 7″‘s and put out two singles with Mocambo in Germany and Colemine in Ohio USA.”

The CD/digital edition of “Nothin Is Easy” will be available exclusively on Jalapeno Records in September 2014. The album features heavy grooves and slick production, with Wolf’s distinctive howl on top. ~ Groove Attack

NEW RELEASES: CHARLIE HUNTER & SCOTT AMENDOLA - THE CARS / HANK WILLIAMS / COLE PORTER / DUKE ELLINGTON; RICHARD SPAVEN – WHOLE OTHER; DAVE DOUGLAS / JIM DOXAS / STEVE SWALLOW / CHET DOXAS - RIVERSIDE

CHARLIE HUNTER & SCOTT AMENDOLA - THE CARS / HANK WILLIAMS / COLE PORTER / DUKE ELLINGTON

Country music and jazz are often cast as antithetical styles, but the truth is far more complicated. For Hunter and Amendola, a great song is simply a great song, and they find plenty of grist for improvisation in this set - originally released as 4 5-song EPs, which include Hank Williams classics like Cold Cold Heart, and Ramblin Man. They find fertile ground even further afield from typical jazz fare in the music of new wave rockers The Cars, digging into hits like Candy-O, and Let s Go. Also covered are Cole Porter and Duke Ellington classics interpreted only as Charlie and Scott can! "The idea is to do these four [EPs] and see how people respond," Hunter says. "We started thinking why do we keep making 10-song CDs. I don t necessarily want to do 10 Hank Williams songs, but five can work well. As long as the song is good we can put it through the mill, like what we did with T.J. Kirk and the Bob Marley album I made." ~ Amazon

RICHARD SPAVEN – WHOLE OTHER

Sublime spacey sounds from drummer Richard Spaven – a contemporary musician, but one who's got the same sort of an ear for a laidback groove that we love in electric jazz from the 70s! Most tracks here feature prominent Fender Rhodes or guitar – stepping out in this style that's slowly unfolding over Spaven's spacious rhythms – a groove that's funk, but never full-on – and which instead always realizes that space is as important as sound when it comes to making things sound mighty soulful! A few tracks feature vocals, but almost as a second thought – apart from the title track, which features The Hics – and production is ethereal enough to stretch out all the best elements, but without ever sounding sleepy at all. The overall sound is quite 21st Century, yet references great styles from the past – and titles include "Taj", "Whole Other", "Assemble", "The Look Out", "Tribute", "Bianca", "Closure", and "Speedbird".  ~ Dusty Groove

DAVE DOUGLAS / JIM DOXAS / STEVE SWALLOW / CHET DOXAS - RIVERSIDE

A really great project from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a group dedicated to the legacy of reedman Jimmy Giuffre, and which certainly follows the spirit of his smaller combos without any piano! Riverside featuers the trumpet of Douglas and saxes and clarinet of Chet Doxas – a player who's got a sharper edge than Jimmy, but who definitely shares his spirit of sound shaping and rhythmic construction. The quartet also features old Giuffre partner Steve Swallow on bass, plus Jim Doxas on drums – and the music, while in a mode that honors the legacy of Jimmy, also has some of that greater Americanist sensibility that Douglas has brought to his recordings over the years – in a way that does plenty to tie Giuffre's inventions back to a larger jazz tradition. Titles include "The Train & The River", "Thrush", "No Good Without You", "Big Shorty", and "Backyard".  ~ Dusty Groove

Gloria Loring at The Copa in Palm Springs, October 11, 2014

Gloria Loring is the recording artist of the #1 hit song Friends and Lovers; co-composer of television theme songs Diff’rent Strokes and Facts Of Life; an audience favorite as “Liz Chandler” on Days Of Our Lives; spokesperson for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; the author of five books benefitting people with diabetes; a keynote speaker for corporations and non-profits; and one of few artists to sing two nominated songs on the Academy Awards.

The depth and diversity of Gloria’s talents and skills are impressive. As a performer, she toggles from classic rock to standards, from Broadway to pop, in clubs, performing arts centers, symphonies, and casinos. She’s starred in movies of the week, television specials, and theatrical productions, including a national tour of Anything Goes. She is a certified yoga instructor and an articulate champion of biomedical research.

Gloria’s new musical show TV Tunez, a celebration of television’s best theme songs that earned standing ovations, is in development for a Las Vegas run. She is currently in the studio with producer Ted Perlman and songwriting legends Burt Bacharach and Desmond Child.

Standing ovations greeted Gloria’s recent concerts with The Palm Beach Pops Symphony in tribute to the Streisand Songbook. The Palm Beach Daily News raved, “Loring commanded the stage from Note One... First and foremost, the lady came to sing — and sing she did — bringing the right combination of pipes and acting chops to give the evening’s tall order its due.”

She has shared the stage with the Pointer Sisters, the Supremes, Billy Crystal, Bill Cosby, and Bob Hope, and performed on numerous award shows, including the Emmy Awards, Academy Awards, and Golden Globes. In the beginning of her career, Gloria was profiled in an hour-long documentary, "Two Singers," with the legendary Aretha Franklin.

Gloria is featured on saxophone hottie Jimmy Sommers’ CD, Time Stands Still, singing the Peggy Lee classic, Fever. In an intriguing twist, her newest CD, A Playlist, features her R&B sensation son, Robin Thicke, on two tracks, and days after its release, jazz guitarist Gil Parris invited her to record Robin’s mega-hit Lost Without You with him.

Gloria Loring is appearing at The Copa in Palm Springs on October 11, 2014.

Brazilian Music Icon Sergio Mendes Releases Eclectic OKeh Records Debut - Magic

In a career that spans more than half a century, Sergio Mendes is an old hand at creating a unique sonic blend that electrifies a mass global audience. His knack for delivering hit after hit has made him the most successful Brazilian musician of his time. A grand conceptualizer, his well-polished talents as a pianist, composer, bandleader, vocalist and producer make him a truly singular artist. With Magic, his debut recording for the storied OKeh label, he triumphs once again, delivering a timely update on the infectious mix of Brazilian rhythms and contemporary styles from his homeland, the U.S. and elsewhere that make the Mendes sound instantly recognizable.

"I like to do things that are kind of bold, fresh and unique. That gives me a lot of pleasure," Mendes says of the creative process that has been central to his success. "I'm very curious and intuitive, and I also love to learn new things – I have no formula. I believe in the magic of the encounter… and that is what my life has been about, and also this album. For me, the most important thing is the melody. Then the arrangement. It's all about how you present the song. That plays a big role in what I do."

Magic spotlights the distinct talents of a large cast of both emerging and established Brazilian and North American musicians, vocalists, composers and producers. The eclectic line-up of multi-faceted collaborators underscores how Mendes has been so successful at forging fruitful partnerships since he emerged as a young jazz pianist in Rio de Janeiro in the early 1960s. Present to help Magic radiate its special distinctive charm are such one-of-a-kind artists as will.i.am, putting his producer's genius to work on one track, Grammy® Award-nominated singer Janelle Monae and Grammy® Award-winning singer John Legend. Among Mendes' Brazilian guests are vocalists Milton Nascimento, Carlinhos Brown, Ana Carolina, Seu Jorge, Maria Gadu, and Gracinha Leporace, Mendes' lovely wife and a noted vocalist from the bossa nova days. Also on hand is guitarist Guinga, one of Brazil's most accomplished string masters and composers. Recording sessions in Los Angeles, Salvador, and Rio de Janeiro involved a host of top-flight musicians from both countries.

On Magic, the three-time Grammy® Award-winner taps the entire range of music styles he has explored, from samba jazz to hip-hop. The session's focal point is the exuberant "One Nation." "When I began the album last year," Mendes notes, "I went to Salvador to work with Carlinhos Brown and write a song for the World Cup. It represents the joy, the rhythm and the excitement of futbol as seen through a Brazilian eye." "Atlantica," by one of Mendes' favorite composers, is an example of what the musician looks for to perform. "When Guinga played that song for me two years ago, I couldn't get the melody out of my head," he comments. "The harmonies and chord changes are incredible. The beautiful thing about the album is that I have songs from composers like Guinga and Toninho Horta and my friend Milton Nascimento, who wrote his tune just for this album."

"Sometimes you have no idea of how younger people really appreciate your work and how knowledgeable they are of what you've done," Mendes comments on his collaborations with will.i.am and John Legend, "I like those experiences very much. I love reaching out and ending up with something that's bold and different. That's why I called the album Magic. Everything on it is magical."

Maria Gadu, a young singer, guitarist and composer from Sao Paulo, is another Magic revelation. "I met her about three years ago and said 'let's do a song together!' What a wonderful experience it was working with her." And, although he included songs like "So Eu," a melodic beauty by the late maestro Moacir Santos, his theory teacher in Rio 50 years ago, Mendes also contributed more original works than on any previous album. "The songwriting aspect of this album gives me tremendous pleasure," he adds.

Born and raised in Niteroi, a city across Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro, young Mendes studied piano at a local conservatory. An interest in North American jazz led him to Copacabana's fabled clubs of the late 1950s, where he performed with his first trio. In 1961, he formed the Bossa Rio Sextet, a groundbreaking group that was his first of many artistic coups. "Those were the days of the bossa nova when it was mostly performed by a guitarist and a singer," he recalls today. "I came up with the idea of using two trombones and a tenor sax, and it was a revolution. People loved the sound because it was totally different." In the two years that followed, he took the group to New York City to perform at the historic bossa nova concert at Carnegie Hall in 1962. He recorded albums with such jazz greats as Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, Phil Woods and Hubert Laws, and continued to work closely with his mentor, famed composer Antonio Carlos Jobim.

By the mid 1960s, it was time for a totally new direction, and Mendes once again created a revolutionary sound that would prove to be pop culture phenomenon for the following three decades. His new creation, dubbed Brasil '66, used two female vocalists to shape ingenious bossa-spiced arrangements of a wide-ranging repertoire that included the latest fare from Brazil, rock and R&B hits, and carefully chosen gems from the Great American Songbook. Significantly, his debut album with the new group, Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, was recently inducted into the Grammy® Hall of Fame.

Throughout his career, Mendes has continued to recharge his passion for creating fresh and innovative music by seeking out challenging partnerships and novel sources of inspiration. Occasionally, the process has been as simple as returning to the elemental Brazilian sound, as he did on such albums as Primal Roots and Oceano. At other times, it has meant embracing the spirit of a universal theme. His album Confetti and its title tune became the anthem for the 1984 Olympic Games while Pele was the soundtrack for a motion picture about the world's greatest soccer player of all time. Within the past decade, Mendes has also successfully experimented with hip-hop and other of-the-moment styles.  For more information visit sergiomendesmusic.com.

Magic Tracklisting

1. Simbora (feat. Carlinhos Brown)

2. My My My My Love (feat. Cody Wise)

3. Don't Say Goodbye (feat. John Legend)

4. Sou Eu (feat. Seu Jorge)

5. When I Fell in Love (feat. Gracinha Leporace)

6. Meu Rio (feat. Maria Gadu)

7. Visions of You (feat. Janelle Monae)

8. Samba de Roda (feat. Aila Menezes & Gracinha Leporace)

9. Atlantica (feat. Ana Carolina)
10. Olha a Rua (feat. Milton Nascimento)

11. Hidden Waters (feat. Gracinha Leporace)

12. Magic (feat. Scott Mayo)

13. One Nation (feat. Carlinhos Brown)

Salsa De Bahia Volume 2 - A Collection of San Francisco Bay Area Salsa and Latin Jazz

Music that draws on its roots for nourishment is music that has the best chance to remain vital and strong.  Latin jazz has thrived in San Francisco since the late 1950s, and Salsa de la Bahia Vol. 2 Hoy y Ayer proves that it continues to evolve and flourish.  

The percolating rhythms, passionate improvisation and dynamic orchestration that characterize the best elements of the genre exemplified by such Bay Area legends as Cal Tjader, Armando Peraza, and Poncho Sanchez, can still be heard in noted artists and ensembles including Gladys 'Bobi" Cespedes, Roger Glenn, Kat Parra, the Pacific Mambo Orchestra and Rico Pabon.

Where the first volume of Salsa de la Bahia documented the recent era of 2000 to 2010, Volume 2 moves both backward and forward in time, covering the late 1980s up to 1999, and continuing on from 201o to 2013, making the case all the while that Latin jazz, SF-style, is alive and well because it grows in well-nourished soil. Artists featured on Volume 2 are the local legends, Orquesta Batachanga, Carlos Federico-Smart, Pete Excovedo and Orestes Vilato, heard with Los Kimbos 90.  These performers and ensembles provide  dazzling picture of San Francisco Latin jazz at its most encompassing, as Bay Area artists welcomed exciting musical influences from Cuba.  Other artist on the album include Wayne Wallace and his Latin Jazz Quintet; singers Cecilia Englehart and Kat Parra, heard with the band Tanaora; vocalist Gladys "Bobi" Cespedes; Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist Roger Glenn; La Mixta Criolla; Rico Pabo; Pacific Mambo Orchestra and the all-star unit Estrellas De La Bahia, led by Wallace and Edgardo Cambon.

NEW RELEASES: HENRY MANCINI – MUSIC FOR PETER GUNN; MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO W/JOAKIM MILDER - SPARK OF LIFE; COOLIN’ SYSTEM – REFRIGERATE AFTER OPENING

HENRY MANCINI – MUSIC FOR PETER GUNN

The classic TV detective series Peter Gunn, which ran from 1958 to 1961, is probably best remembered today due to the show's trendsetting score written by Henry Mancini and inspired by the West Coast Cool jazz style. On Music for Peter Gunn, GRAMMY-nominated conductor Steven Richman and the sensational Harmonie Ensemble/New York (joined by ace old-school improvisers Lew Soloff and Lew Tabackin), place their own stamp on Mancini's iconic orchestrations. It follows in the footsteps of Richman's and Harmonie Ensemble's previous bestselling releases Gershwin by Grofe (which landed on the Billboard charts in the top ten) and Ellington/Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suites. ~ Amazon

MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO W/JOAKIM MILDER - SPARK OF LIFE

The fourth ECM album for the Wasilewski Trio adds a special guest, the lyrical Swedish saxophonist Joakim Milder, whom the Poles came to know through performances with Tomasz Stankos Litania project. Amongst other affinities, the players share a love of Krzyzstof Komedas music, and Komedas Sleep Safe and Warm theme, written for Polanskis Rosemarys Baby make a reappearance here. As ever, the Wasilewski group balances original material - intensely melodic new tunes by Marcin (including two variations of the beautiful title track) - with a daring range of covers, embracing Herbie Hancock, the Polices Message In A Bottle and Slawomir Kurkiewiczs arrangement of a composition by Grazyna Bacewicz, and reinforces its status as one of the most resourceful groups around. This is the trios second ECM appearance this year, following on from sterling work as Jacob Youngs rhythm section on Forever Young.  Spark of Life was recorded in Lugano in March 2014, and produced by Manfred Eicher. ~ Amazon

COOLIN’ SYSTEM – REFRIGERATE AFTER OPENING

No need to refrigerate this great little set – as room temperature's only going to make the whole thing even funkier over time! The Coolin System are hotter than ever here – not only tighter on the instrumental tip than we remember, but also picking up some much deeper influences from the 60s – including a touch of trumpet inspiration from Blue Mitchell, killer keyboards from Cedar Walton, and a blast of Brazilian funk from Som Tres! These guys use all the best elements to rework a small combo funky sound way past the usual – and the all-instrumental set unfurls some sweet lines on Fender Rhodes, Hammond, trumpet, tenor, and flute – on cuts that include "Beyond Mobius", "Homenagem A Mongo", "Blue Juice", "Soul Village", "Funky Mule", "Soul Thing", and "Jungle Juice". (Includes digital copy.)  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: FARMERS BY NATURE - COVE AND GHOSTS; DAVE DOUGLAS / URI CAINE - PRESENT JOYS; WILLIAM ONYEABOR & OTHERS – WHAT?: WILLIAM ONYEABOR REMIXED

FARMERS BY NATURE - COVE AND GHOSTS

Farmers By Nature is the phenomenal trio of drummer Gerald Cleaver, bassist William Parker, and pianist Craig Taborn, each an internationally renowned master musician-improviser-composer-bandleader. When they work together as FBN, it is as a complete musical collective; every communion is an auspicious and deeply rewarding event. They are without question one of the finest improvising units in the world today. Love and Ghosts is their long-awaited third release, following 2011 s Out of This World s Distortions, and was recorded during their inaugural tour of Europe that same year. The rapidly varying landscapes they traveled through, and the blessed ability to freely cross borders as citizen musicians, inform the two extraordinarily fertile nights of sound fluency and invention captured in highest fidelity and presented here. ~ Amazon

DAVE DOUGLAS / URI CAINE - PRESENT JOYS

Dave Douglas may well be one of the most collaborative musicians in jazz working today – yet even in a catalog rife with interesting combinations, this sweet little set really stands out – as it presents the trumpeter in one of the most intimate, lyrical settings we've heard in years! The record has a surprisingly poetic feel, even for Douglas – and all instrumentation comes from just his trumpet and the piano of Uri Caine – who plays in a style that's every bit as dynamic as his own recordings, but given a really special sort of focus here. Some of the music has spiritual overtones, but in a more ancient American way – and Douglas chose some of the tunes for their link to the tradition of shape-note singing. There's a gentle beauty to the record that's undeniable, and which has us appreciating Douglas all over again – and titles include "Old Putt", "Zero Hour", "Soar Away", "Ham Fist", "Bethel", and "Supplication". ~ Dusty Groove

WILLIAM ONYEABOR & OTHERS – WHAT?: WILLIAM ONYEABOR REMIXED

The mad music of William Onyeabor has gained many admirers over the years – a diverse array of artists from a diverse array of scenes – some of whom have come together in this mighty hip tribute to the master! The tunes here are either remixes, reworks, or complete covers of Onyeabor's incredible electric grooves from the late 70s and early 80s – and the project's so special, Luaka Bop even called in the help of Moog to put it together – no surprise, given how moogy some of William's music could be! The remixes are all very faithful, as are the reworks – and even the covers aren't the sort of cloyingly selfish sort you usually get on tribute albums – but instead feel like some great later iteration of Onyeabor's genius. Titles include Hot Chip's cover of "Atomic Bomb", Joakim & Akwetey's cover of "Good Name", David Terranova's remix of "Body & Soul", The Vaccines' remix of "Do You Want A Man", JD Twitch's (Optimo) cover of "Why Go To War?", Javelin's remix of "Heaven & Hell", Scientist's remix of "Body & Soul", and the track "Ye Ye", which is Daphni's rework of "When The Going Is Smooth & Good".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: JHENE AIKO - SOULED OUT; ORLANDO JULIUS WITH THE HELIOCENTRICS - JAIYEDE AFRO; THE SHAOLIN AFRONAUTS – FOLLOW THE PATH / OUTSIDE BEYOND

JHENE AIKO - SOULED OUT

Jhené Aiko’s much-anticipated debut album, Souled Out, is now available and features the singles "The Pressure" and "To Love & Die" (feat. Cocaine 80s).

The Los Angeles Times has crowned her hip-hop’s “new ‘it girl’,” while SPIN simply declares, “It’s Aiko’s moment.” And CNN echoes the sentiment: “the singer is serious about her craft and lays bare her soul with her lyrics. Her willingness to ‘go there’ is part of what is drawing in new fans.” Rolling Stone like-wise predicted great things for Souled Out: “Aiko's full-length debut will set the spotlight squarely on her powerhouse voice.” The 26-year old Los Angeles native is over a decade deep in the music game, having been featured on singles, albums and mixtapes by Urban A-listers Kendrick Lamar, Wale, Big Sean, Logic, J. Cole, Drake, and many more. Her debut EP, Sail Out, entered the charts in November 2013 and hit #1 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart, Top 3 iTunes and Top 10 Pop. To date, Sail Out has tallied over 300,000 sales, making it the biggest-selling EP in Def Jam history. Catch Jhené Aiko on the road for The Weeknd Tour starting September 19th at Barclays Center in Brooklyn with additional dates in Toronto, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. ~ Giant Step

ORLANDO JULIUS WITH THE HELIOCENTRICS - JAIYEDE AFRO

The first new music we've heard in years from Afro Funk giant Orlando Julius – wonderfully paired here with the always-great Heliocentrics! Orlando's definitely in the lead here – singing, playing tenor, and contributing percussion to the overall groove of the group – which leans a bit more towards a 70s African vibe than some of their other releases, yet still retains all their wonderful style of psychedelic funk! Some of the rhythms have an Ethiopian sense of slinkiness, while others hit more of a full-on Nigerian groove – and the whole thing's never forced, never gimmicky, and instead just the right sort of setting for Julius to re-emerge as a true giant of his generation. Titles include "Buje Buje", "Love Thy Neighbor", "Aseni", "Sangodele", "Jaiyede Afro", "Omo Oba Blues", "In The Middle", and "Be Counted".  ~ Dusty Groove

THE SHAOLIN AFRONAUTS – FOLLOW THE PATH / OUTSIDE BEYOND

The Shaolin Afronauts have definitely followed their own path in recent years – a musical journey that's taken them way past their Afro Funk roots, into rich, complicated territory that seems to span the globe with its sound! Core elements here echo classic Nigerian, Ethiopian, and West African modes – but there's also a very inventive approach to the way the instruments are inflected – especially the keyboards and guitars, which often develop these spacey chromes and tones that really make for some musical magic. There's no vocals at all – which means that the horns and other instruments really get to voice their presence strongly – and the 2CD version features even more haunting music on the Outside Beyond CD, appended to the main album in this package. Core titles include "Sissoko", "To The Water", "At The Shrine", "Lagos Chase", "Baie De Sangareya", "Ojo Abameta", and "Boogie Back Accra" – and Outside Beyond material includes "Interstellar Griot (parts 1 & 2)", "Abyssinian Suite", "Caravao To Tao Ceti", and "Outside Beyond/Three Ways Back (parts 1, 2, & 3)". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: STEFANO BOLLANI - JOY IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING; BOBBY MOORE AND THE RHYTHM ACES - SEARCHING FOR MY LOVE; WILSON PICKETT – I WANT YOU

STEFANO BOLLANI - JOY IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING

Stefano Bollani is an artist of ebullient virtuosity, with uncommon sensitivity and range. The Italian pianist has proved to be at home on ECM improvising solo or leading a trio, as well as engaging in duos with Enrico Rava, Chick Corea and Brazilian bandolim player Hamilton de Holanda. With Joy in Spite of Everything an album of new compositions by the pianist for a trans-Atlantic quintet Bollani has made his most beautifully textured and infectiously lyrical statement yet. He recorded these nine pieces at New York Citys Avatar Studios with the Danish rhythm section from his Stone in the Water trio bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Morten Lund plus two prominent American players and ECM intimates: guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Mark Turner.  As its title reflects, Joy in Spite of Everything brims with an indefatigable lightness of spirit despite the inevitable shadows of life. ~ Amazon

BOBBY MOORE AND THE RHYTHM ACES - SEARCHING FOR MY LOVE

A wonderful album of southern soul – and the only full-length LP cut by Bobby Moore and his long-lived Rhythm Aces combo! The group's the sort that slaved away endlessly in live shows all over the south – playing on their own, or providing extra backup for countless big stars touring through the area. Bobby's on tenor, and the group has some incredibly rich vocal talents – unnamed, but with a group harmony style that's equally at home with sweet ballads or hard stompin party numbers. The latter style is the band's strongest suit, though – with an approach that's somewhere between the hard soul of Sam & Dave and the party grooves of Doug Clark & The Hot Nuts – and like that group, Moore's style was probably forged out of years of playing at beach dances, frat parties, and bar gigs, the real proving ground for a tight combo like this! A great little LP, with a fresh sound throughout – and tracks include "The Hamburger Song", "Follow Me", "Searching For My Love", "Hey, Mr. DJ", "Searching For My Love", "Jenny, Jenny", "Come Back Baby", and "We've Got That". Recorded at Fame in 1966 with Rick Hall, too!  ~ Dusty Groove

WILSON PICKETT – I WANT YOU

Later work from soul pioneer Wilson Pickett – working at EMI here, and in an updated style – on a record that would be better remembered, if not for the trailblazing importance of Pickett's earlier career. Having previously helped define raw southern soul and deliver it to the masses, it's easy to see why later, less revolutionary recordings in an more modern/contemporary vein would fail to catch the zeitgeist. But the grit and emotional intensity that Wilson delivers over some straighter, laidback 70s soul arrangements is still pretty special! Produced by Andre Perry – with cuts that include "I Want You", "Love Of My Life", "Shameless", "Live With Me", "Groove City", "Superstar", and "Granny".  ~  Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: GERRY GIBBS / RON CARTER / KENNY BARON - WE'RE BACK; MORENO VELOSO - COISA BOA; DARIUS JONES / MATTHEW SHIPP - COSMIC LEIDER: THE DARKSEID RECITAL

GERRY GIBBS / RON CARTER / KENNY BARON - WE'RE BACK

Jazz Interpretations of R&B classics. On their second album, the fiery and inventive jazz performances of Gerry Gibbs, Ron Carter, and Kenny Barron flow beautifully through a prism of material by Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, and Marvin Gaye. ""We're Back""-which also features red hot, world-class guests Warren Wolf (vibraphone), Larry Goldings (B-3), and Steve Wilson (woodwinds)-takes familiar tunes and turns them into jazz standards that stretch the skills of even these consummate musicians. ""Gerry Gibbs has put together another fun and swinging session with a new spin on some of the best loved R&B classics of the day...This recording will capture you from start to finish! Enjoy!"" - Blue Note Grammy winner Joe Lovano. ~ Amazon 

MORENO VELOSO - COISA BOA

A rich new chapter in the career of Moreno Veloso – a set that steps off strongly from his work with the +2 trio, but in ways that are even more personal and poetic than before! The shift is a bit like that time when Caetano Veloso took all his previous experiments and found a more intimate style in his music during the 70s – although Moreno is always very much his own man here, and manages to work with a range of elements, yet still never lose a focus in his musical vision. Domenico and Kassin are still along for some tracks, but the record also brings in diverse production help from Daniel Jobim, Melvin Gibbs, and even Gal Costa – who are among the many partners working here with Moreno and core producer Pedro Sa to shape the rich sound of the record. Instrumentation is a warm mix of acoustic with electric undertones – and titles include "La E Ca", "Um Passo A Frente", "Coisa Boa", "Jacare Coruja", "Hoje", "Nao Acorde O Nenem", "De Tentar Voltar", and "Num Galho De Acaias". ~ Dusty Groove

DARIUS JONES / MATTHEW SHIPP - COSMIC LEIDER: THE DARKSEID RECITAL

The inter-generational partnership of alto saxophonist Darius Jones and pianist Matthew Shipp seamlessly meshes the talents of two of the most restlessly inventive and deeply gifted instrumentalist-composer-improviser-leaders working today. This singular duo project was first revealed in 2011 on the 13-part song cycle Cosmic Lieder, widely hailed as a wholly original and deeply compelling work of great emotional and intellectual heft, and seemingly arriving from the future. Since then, Jones and Shipp have continued to develop and broaden their exclusive language live in performance. The Darkseid Recital is their brand-new album of cosmic lieder, triple distilled from NYC engagements at Jazz Standard and The Stone. It is yet another unimpeachably potent work, devoid of cliché. The approaches here range widely, from entrancingly lyrical and gentle ear candy to liquid flows of notes designed to caress to a shredding intensity that can potentially be quite frightening. All of them are rendered with laser-sharp focus with intent toward catharsis, resulting in a whole that is both warmly accessible and uncompromisingly inventive. ~ Amazon

LONGTIME MICHAEL BUBLE TRUMPETER AND VOCALIST JUMAANE SMITH MAKES HIS METROPOLITAN ROOM DEBUT OCTOBER 1, CELEBRATING THE RELEASE OF HIS CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DEBUT ALBUM ‘I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU’

Best known to audiences throughout the world as the lead trumpeter for international superstar Michael Buble for the past decade, multi-faceted singer, entertainer and musician Jumaane Smith is set to make his highly anticipated debut at the legendary Metropolitan Room October 1 at 9:30 p.m.

Celebrating the release of his critically acclaimed independent standards-filled debut album I Only Have Eyes For You, Smith’s dynamic 75 minute set will feature material from the recording in addition to new arrangements of classics by Buble, Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima, Joe Williams/Count Basie, adult contemporary hits like “You Are So Beautiful” and R&B tunes like “Just The Way You Are.” The trumpeter’s seven piece band incorporates elements of traditional Dixieland jazz, swing, blues, contemporary jazz, adult contemporary and soul. 

“I’m very much looking forward to joining these great musicians for my first solo show in Manhattan,” says Smith, whose collaborations range from pop idols to jazz legends, including Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Alicia Keys, The Jonas Brothers, Wyclef Jean, Diddy, Natalie Cole, James Ingram, Wynton Marsalis Ravi Coltrane, Chris Botti and others.

“The Metropolitan Room is a prestigious, intimate venue which is perfect for my show and its focus on the sentiment of love and romance. I am most excited to finally be making my debut in 

NYC after so many years of being a featured guest artist and sideman.”

Executive produced by Smith and produced by Dave Pierce, I Only Have Eyes For You is a lush celebration of the Great American Songbook featuring interpretations of classics full of personal emotion. The collection includes vocal performances by Smith, Buble (the opening track, “Come Rain or Come Shine”), a capella group Naturally 7 (“I Only Have Eyes For You”) and young pop classical sensation Jackie Evancho (“La Vie En Rose”). 

Sandy Shore, president of SmoothJazz.com global radio, says of the collection that it’s “an instant essential album, one that is definitive and timeless, a jazz recording appealing to a wide audience of music enthusiast with cool, classic sensibilities…This is a must have…delightfully pleasing to the ears!”

Will Friedwald of the Wall Street Journal echoes these words, calling Smith a “terrific trumpeter.”

One of only 17 musicians (including only four trumpeters) invited to join the inaugural class of Jazz Studies at the Julliard School in 2001, Smith – who trained there for four years on a full scholarship – has appeared on numerous Grammy winning recordings. His musical accomplishments include playing the Grammy Awards show with Stevie Wonder and the Jonas Brothers; recording “As I Am” with Alicia Keys; appearing on the “American Idol” soundtrack, and scoring and performing music for the film “Handsome Harry.”