JOHNNY MATHIS - LIFE IS A SONG WORTH SINGING: THE COMPLETE THOM BELL SESSIONS

In 1973, Johnny Mathis boarded the love train with the destination of Philadelphia.  The velvet-voiced vocalist was already a music legend when he teamed with Thom Bell, architect of the Philadelphia soul sound via his groundbreaking work with The Delfonics, The Stylistics and The Spinners. The pairing of the smooth balladeer with the chart-topping R&B quadruple threat (producer-songwriter-arranger-conductor) might have seemed unlikely at first, but Mathis and Bell shared an elegant, sophisticated and romantic sensibility built on pop melodies and heartfelt soul.  

Now, for the very first time, the complete collaborations of Johnny Mathis and Thom Bell are being collected on one 2-CD set.  Life Is a Song Worth Singing—The Complete Thom Bell Sessions, from Real Gone Music and its newly christened Second Disc Records imprint, celebrates one of the most fruitful partnerships in modern soul music by presenting both 1973’s I’m Coming Home album (featuring the No. 1 AC hit title track, the Top 10 AC hit “Life Is a Song Worth Singing” and Mathis’ own versions of The Stylistics’ favorites “I’m Stone in Love with You” and “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)”) and the worldwide CD premiere of 1977’s Mathis Is release (with the original version of “Loving You – Losing You,” a Top 30 AC hit for Mathis and later a Top 40 R&B hit for Phyllis Hyman).  

This comprehensive collection of sweet Philly soul also adds a number of rare, never-on-CD single versions, two previously unreleased instrumental tracks showcasing Bell’s orchestral splendor, and five more silky Mathis renditions of Bell classics recorded between 1972 and 2008 including “Betcha by Golly Wow” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New.”  The Second Disc’s Joe Marchese has penned the liner notes for this collection, which has been freshly remastered by Sean Brennan at Sony’s Battery Studios.  Life Is a Song Worth Singing—The Complete Thom Bell Sessions sheds new light on an oft-overlooked collaboration between two of American popular song’s towering talents.  The collection will be released on March 10, 2015.

SONGS:

Disc One

I’m Coming Home

1. I’m Coming Home

2. I’d Rather Be Here with You

3. Foolish

4. I’m Stone in Love with You

5. And I Think That’s What I’ll Do

6. Life Is a Song Worth Singing

7. A Baby’s Born

8. Sweet Child

9. Stop, Look, Listen (to Your Heart)

10. I Just Wanted to Be Me

Bonus Tracks

11. I’m Coming Home (Stereo Single Version)

12. I’m Stone in Love with You (Unreleased Instrumental Version)

13. And I Think That’s What I’ll Do (Unreleased Instrumental Version)

14. Life Is a Song Worth Singing (Mono Single Edit)

Disc Two:

Mathis Is

1. As Long As We’re Together

2. Lullaby of Love

3. Loving You—Losing You

4. I’ll Make You Happy

5. Heaven Must Have Made You Just for Me

6. Hung Up in the Middle of Love

7. World of Laughter

8. I Don’t Want to Say No

9. Sweet Love of Mine

Bonus Tracks

10. Betcha by Golly Wow

11. Break Up to Make Up

12. You’re As Right As Rain

13. You Brought Me Love

14. You Make Me Feel Brand New

15. Loving You—Losing You (Mono Single Version)

January 21 all-star concert planned to memorialize Jeff Golub and benefit his family sells out

When the newly blind guitarist Jeff Golub stumbled and fell onto New York City subway tracks where he was clipped and dragged by a train in 2012, New Yorkers came to his aid. When word spread throughout the New York City music community last month that Golub was on his death bed, New Yorkers bought concert tickets to the January 21 all-star benefit concert put together by Marquee Concerts and Smooth Jazz New York in order to raise money for Golub’s family. Although Golub succumbed to complications from a rare degenerative brain disease on New Year’s Day turning next week’s event at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill in Times Square into a memorial show, New Yorkers scooped up the remaining tickets to make sure the concert that will feature performances by more than two dozen luminaries sold-out to provide maximum assistance to Golub’s family. 

At the time of the subway scare, which was chronicled extensively in the New York media, Golub dismissed the incident that he was lucky to escape with only minor scrapes and bruises as “stupid blind guy stuff.” However, losing his vision the year before due to collapsed optic nerves turned out to be a harbinger of a far more serious problem for the Akron, Ohio-born musician who has called New York City home since the 1970s. Golub began struggling with his balance and speech during a 2013 national concert tour in support of his final album, the playfully titled “Train Keeps A Rolling,” that adversely impacted his ability to perform. It got to the point that management had to pull Golub off the road. The guitarist’s motor skills continued to deteriorate, but it wasn’t until last November that he was finally diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), an incurable and aggressive brain disease.  

Known for playing with soulful intensity and a bluesy touch, Golub’s diverse resume boasts longtime stints as a sideman to Rod Stewart, Billy Squier, Peter Wolf and Tina Turner as well as a 20-year solo recording career as a chart-topping contemporary jazz artist thus the lineup for the memorial benefit concert will present a multi-genre lineup of Grammy winners, nominees and hit-makers. Slated to take the stage are (in alphabetical order) Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Randy Brecker, Henry Butler, Christopher Cross, Mark Egan, Richard Elliot, Bill Evans, Steve Ferrone, Euge Groove, Dave Koz, Chuck Loeb, Chieli Minucci, Philippe Saisse, Kirk Whalum and over a dozen more musicians.    

Last Thursday (January 8), Whalum presided over Golub’s funeral held at the New York Society for Ethical Culture where a throng of artists and the city’s busiest session players gathered to pay tribute to the late guitarist, his wife Audrey Stafford Golub, and sons Matthew (14) and Chris (12). Among the many performers filling the ceremony with heartfelt song were John Waite, Marc Cohn, Whalum and Cross. 

Although tickets to the memorial concert are gone, those who wish to contribute to Golub’s family can by sending a check made out to Jeff Golub Medical Expenses and mailed to:

Judy Miller

PO Box 115

Boxford, MA 01921

  

For more information about the memorial concert produced by Marquee Concerts, please visit http://marqueeconcerts.com/events/jazz and for additional information about Golub, go to http://jeffgolub.com

NEW RELEASES: LUCKY BROWN - MYSTERY ROAD; MIKKO INNANEN / WILLIAM PARKER / ANDREW CYRILLE – SONG FOR A NEW DECADE; CHRIS POTTER UNDERGROUND ORCHESTRA – IMAGINARY CITIES

LUCKY BROWN – MYSTERY ROAD

Mystery Road pays homage to the great unknown musicians throughout america who, with their self-produced singles, became local and regional hits just around the time that megacorporations began saturating the market and the radio with something that was less like music, and more like a product. They, with profit as their goal, turned the radio into a marketplace, and turned music lovers into consumers. In only a few generations, the violent severance of our ties to the traditions of our ancestors represents a loss of cultural heritage and has thrust us into uncharted waters - a Mystery Road. For the last 7 years, Lucky Brown has been working with a label in Germany called Tramp. Tramp Records specializes in uncovering some of this great lost music, finding and interviewing the last living founders, and licensing the music in reprints of the 45s or for full-length compilations of never-before-heard studio material. Every other 45 released is an existing band that works within that framework. We are proud to say that Lucky Brown has a reputation worldwide for being one of the roughest. Today, Lucky Brown, in this follow up to his first Tramp album: "Lucky Brown's Space Dream," is realizing another dream - [releasing an album in the form of a series of singles - each with it's own unique artwork, independent bands and writing and recording sessions.] {a 2 LP set} entitled Mystery Road. The different band names are not intended to mislead, different people play together in each different group. Sometimes Lucky comes in with an idea, other times the group invents the music on the spot to suit the mood. All of this, coupled with Lucky's experimental and vernacular approach toward sound recording and you start to catch the vibe of Mystery Road.

MIKKO INNANEN / WILLIAM PARKER / ANDREW CYRILLE – SONG FOR A NEW DECADE

Finnish reedman Mikko Innanen works here with American jazz giants William Parker on bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums – but in setting that definitely has Mikko holding his own! Innanen plays alto, baritone, and other reed instruments – often with a style that's surprisingly soulful, and very spiritual – stepping out over the work of Cyrille and Parker with a quality that almost takes us back to the New York loft jazz years of the 70s! Parker really adds a lot of depth to the record on the first CD – then steps out to allow for interplay between Cyrille and Innanen on the second CD, which is the longer "Songs For This Decade" suite. Other titles include "The End Is A Beginning", "See You At 103", "Blue In Nublu", "Small & Big Steps", and "A Morning A Day A Night". ~ Dusty Groove

CHRIS POTTER UNDERGROUND ORCHESTRA – IMAGINARY CITIES

Beautiful sounds from reedman Chris Potter – working here with an expanded string lineup, although one that's more of a string quartet added to the core combo – and maybe not the full orchestra you'd guess from the cover! Still, those subtle strings really add a lot to the record – creating this sonic balance that's really sublime, even before Potter comes into the mix on either tenor, soprano, or bass clarinet, depending on the track – and the quartet often shades in the tunes with a gentle introduction, before more familiar Potter associates come in and deepen the sound – including Craig Taborn on piano, Steve Nelson on vibes and marimba, and Adam Rogers on guitar. Titles include "Firefly", "Sky", "Shadow Self", "Lament", and the extended "Imaginary Cities" suite.  ~ Dusty Groove

 

NEW RELEASES: JEAN CARNE - GIVE IT UP; MILFORD GRAVES / BILL LASWELL - SPACE / TIME - REDEMPTION; TILL BRONNER - THE MOVIE ALBUM

JEAN CARNE – GIVE IT UP

The great Jean Carne, still very much at the top of her game – and going strong at a level that none of her contemporaries from the old days could ever hope to match! Carne's an artist that we've loved for decades, and one who's continued to keep the soul and sophistication in her music, no matter what the setting – evolving over the years, yet never selling out or going for any sort of easy roads ahead. Instead, she's stayed very much her own person – a marvelous talent that shines strongly here in the company of producer Butch Ingram – who brings just the right mix of old school and contemporary styles to bear on the record, at a level that's similar to some of his other excellent Society Hill productions in recent years. Carne's jazz roots are still strong – as you'll hear especially on the album's version of Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes" – and guests include Don Ward and David Simmons, on other titles that include "She's All Alone", "Give It Up", "Everybody Knows", "Life Keeps Going On", "Come Home To Me", and "One Night Stand".  ~ Dusty Groove

MILFORD GRAVES / BILL LASWELL - SPACE / TIME - REDEMPTION

Bill Laswell returns to his roots – working here in a setting that's loose, open, and relatively improvised – as Bill's electric bass carves out these wonderfully spacious, tuneful lines alongside the drums and percussion of Milford Graves! Given all of Laswell's higher-concept and heavily-processed work over the years, we sometimes forget that at his core, he can still be a sensitive jazz musician – especially when working in the right setting, which definitely seems to be the case here. The tracks are long, but never meandering – and Bill's basswork not only grounds the record and gives it structure, but also seems to really set Graves free to open up in nicely complex ways. Titles include "Another Space", "Sonny Sharrock", "Eternal Signs", "Another Time", and "Autopossession".  ~ Dusty Groove

TILL BRONNER – THE MOVIE ALBUM

A beautiful setting for trumpeter Till Bronner – a set that has the German musician stepping out on a host of famous film themes, with backing from a larger orchestra that creates a wonderful backdrop for his solos! The style's very different than some of Bronner's more groove-oriented sets, and is a great reminder that he's also got an ear for deeper sounds and more expansive modes – yet still in a way that holds onto all of the soul in his horn. Chuck Loeb put the set together with Till, and also helped with the arrangements – as did Chris Walden, Nan Schwartz, and Jeff Lorber. The album features some guest appearances – including Everett Harp on tenor, Gregory Porter on vocals, Chuck Loeb on guitar, Arturo Sandoval on trumpet, Lizzy Cuesta on vocals, Joy Denalane on vocals, and Rick Braun on flugelhorn. Titles include "Moon River", "Forbidden Colours", "Run To You", "Love Theme From Cinema Paradiso", "Il Postino", "Mulholland Falls", "Happy", and "The Godfather Waltz". Japanese CD features the bonus "Deborah's Theme". (Limited Japanese SHM-CD edition.)  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: CALVIN KEYS – CLOSE ENOUGH FOR LOVE; STEPHANIE NICOLE - SOULUTIONARY ONE; WADADA LEO SMITH – THE GREAT LAKES SUITE

CALVIN KEYS – CLOSE ENOUGH FOR LOVE

Never-heard music from guitarist Calvin Keys – recorded in a number of different settings over the past decade or two, and issued here together to make for one of his most satisfying records in years! While we've liked the Wide Hive material Keys has recorded during his comeback, we're even more stunned by these tracks – as they've got an even more solid jazz basis overall – as Calvin plays in modes that run from group performances with varied artists who include pianist Elmer Gibson, tenorist Dawan Muhammad, and flute player Art Maxwell – to one solo number that shows an especially beautiful side of Key's music! The whole thing's put together wonderfully – not a scattered batch of tracks, but a record with a surprisingly unified feel – in the manner of the other excellent work we love on this label – and titles include "Emily", "The Last One To Be Loved", "Seems To Be", "Dolphin Dance"," Blues For Ahmed", and "Satchmo's Song".  ~ Dusty Groove

STEPHANIE NICOLE - SOULUTIONARY ONE

Soulutionary One is the long-awaited new album from singer/songwriter Stephanie Nicole. Ever since she dropped her Voices EP back in the spring of 2013, excited ripples have been circulating among the neo-soul cognoscenti about this California-based songstress, and she doesn’t disappoint with this fine set, once again reuniting her with co-producer /co-writer and soulmate Craig Perkins, a.k.a. Classroom Craig. 

WADADA LEO SMITH – THE GREAT LAKES SUITE

Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith works here with a hell of a lineup – Henry Threadgill on alto and flutes, John Lindberg on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums – all soaring free on a double-length set of work dedicated to the great lakes! Despite the "suite" in the title, the work feels very loose and free – much more improvised than compositional – which is an especially nice setting for the reedwork of Threadgill, who somehow seems even more expressive than usual. DeJohnette is great too – and the album's a great reminder that he can still play with a hell of an edge, but in ways that also can have the soulfulness of his roots – and maybe not some of the more "arch" styles of some of his other recent work. Smith adds an extra lake to the lineup for the recording – and titles include "Lake Michigan", "Lake Ontario", "Lake Superior", "Lake Huron", "Lake Erie", and "Lake St Clair".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEU3, D'ANGELO, HEKSELMAN, YARD BYARD & Many Others, all COMING UP at The Cornelia Street Cafe!‏

The Cornelia Street Cafe has once again been  named one of "Jazz Venues of The Year 2014" by The New York City Jazz Record. The Corrnelia Street Cafe has The Cafe (in New York City), which opened almost 38 years ago on July 4, 1977, kicks off January 2015 by presenting some of the most revered musicians on the creative/improvised music scene, including Mary Halvorson, Tomas Fujiwara, Michael Blake, Andrew D'Angelo featuring Nasheet Waits, Yard Byard, David Cook and many others!

  

COMING UP AT THE CAFE

January 13-20: 

TONIGHT - Tue  Jan 13,  8:30PM 

NEU3

Michael Blake, tenor sax; Mark Helias, bass; Scott Neumann, drums

TOMORROW NIGHT - Wed  Jan 14,  8:30PM 

ANDREW D'ANGELO TRIO

Andrew D'Angelo, alto sax, bass clarinet; Ingebrigt Håken Flaten, bass; Nasheet Waits, drums

Thu  Jan 15,  8:30PM 

TOM CHANG QUARTET

Tom Chang, guitar; Quinsin Nachoff, tenor sax; Sam Minaie, bass; Nate Wood, drums 

Sat  Jan 17,  9:00PM & 10:30PM 

GILAD HEKSELMAN + SZR

Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Glenn Zaleski, piano; Rick Roasto, bass; Colin Stranahan, drums 

Sun  Jan 18,  8:30PM 

YARD BYARD: THE JAKI BYARD PROJECT

Jamie Baum, flute, alto flute; Adam Kolker, tenor sax, clarinet; Jerome Harris, guitar; Essiet Okon Essiet, bass; George Schuller, drums

Mon  Jan 19,  8:30PM 

THE HERRERA GONÇALVES BOCCATO TRIO

Magos Herrera, voice; Vitor Gonçalves, accordion; Rogerio Boccato, percussion; Special Guest, Edmar Castañeda, harp

Tue  Jan 20,  8:00PM 

JOHN RAYMOND'S "ROOTS" TRIO

John Raymond, flugelhorn; Gilad Hekselman, guitar; Colin Stranahan, drums

Tue  Jan 20,  9:30PM 

PABLO MASIS QUARTET

Pablo Masis, trumpet; Andrew Gould, alto sax; Or Bareket, bass; Austin Walker, drums 

UPCOMING EVENTS:  

Wed  Jan 21,  8:00PM 

DAVID COOK QUINTET

Dave Smith, trumpet; John Ellis, tenor sax; David Cook, piano; Matt Clohesy, bass; Ross Pederson, drums 

Wed  Jan 21,  9:30PM 

GREG DIAMOND QUINTET

Greg Diamond, guitar; Stacy Dillard, sax; Mike Eckroth, piano; Peter Slavov, bass; Henry Cole, drums

Thu  Jan 22,  8:30PM 

CHES SMITH QUARTET

Jonathan Finlayson, trumpet; Mat Maneri, viola; Stephan Crump, bass; Ches Smith, drums

Fri  Jan 23,  9:00PM & 10:30PM 

PACEMAKER

Colin Stranahan, drums, comp.; Mark Turner, tenor sax; Andre Matos, guitar; Pete Rende, piano; Joe Martin, bass

Sat  Jan 24,  9:00PM & 10:30PM 

DAN WEISS TRIO

Dan Weiss, drums, comp.; Jacob Sacks, piano; Michael Formanek, bass

Wed  Jan 28,  8:30PM 

MOSTLY OTHER PEOPLE DO THE KILLING

Jon Irabagon, sax; Ron Stabinsky, piano; Moppa Elliott, bass; Kevin Shea, drums

Sun  Feb 01,  8:30PM 

SPERRAZZA/SACKS/KAMAGUCHI

Jacob Sacks, piano; Masa Kamaguchi, bass; Vinnie Sperrazza, drums

Mon  Feb 02,  8:30PM 

AMRAM & CO

David Amram, piano, french horn, flutes, composition & surprises; Kevin Twigg, drums, glockenspiel; Rene Hart, bass; Elliot Peper, bongos

Tue  Feb 03,  8:30PM 

TRAVIS REUTER QUINTET

Travis Reuter, guitar; Adam O'Farrill, trumpet; John O'Gallagher, alto sax; Rajna Swaminathan, mrudangam; Chris Tordini, bass

Wed  Feb 04,  8:30PM 

BOB GINGERY GROUP, CD RELEASE: TRAVELER

Bob Gingery, bass; Jon Irabagon, sax; Mike Baggetta, guitar; Mark Ferber, drums

Wed  Feb 04,  10:00PM 

JON LUNDBOM & BIG FIVE CHORD

Jon Lundbom, guitar; Jon Irabagon, soprano sax; Bryan Murray, tenor sax; Justin Wood, alto sax, flute; Sam Kulik, trombone; Moppa Elliott, bass; Dan Monaghan, drums

Sat  Feb 07,  9:00PM & 10:30PM 

JOHN HEBERT'S BRIDGE AND TUNNEL

John Hebert, bass; Peter Bernstein, guitar; Dayna Stephens, tenor sax; Eric McPherson, drums

Sun  Feb 08,  8:30PM 

JANE IRA BLOOM TRIO SINGING THE TRIANGLE

Jane Ira Bloom, soprano sax; Mark Helias, bass; Bobby Previte, drums

Wed  Feb 11,  8:30PM 

LL3

Lage Lund, guitar; Matt Brewer, bass; Tyshawn Sorey, drums

Sun  Feb 15,  6:00PM 

BOB GLUCK & ARUAN ORTIZ: TEXTURES AND PULSATIONS

Bob Gluck, piano; Aruán Ortiz, piano

2015 Newport Jazz Festival® Lineup Announced

After producing a successful and exciting 60th anniversary celebration last year, George Wein today announced that the 2015 Newport Jazz Festival® presented by Natixis Global Asset Management will return to the City-by-the-Sea July 31 - August 2 with three full days of music at Fort Adams State Park, plus the popular Friday night concert at the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino and a festive Gala at the historic Breakers on Saturday evening. 

The 2015 edition of America's first annual jazz festival will feature Chris Botti, Cassandra Wilson, Jamie Cullum, Snarky Puppy, Maria Schneider, Arturo Sandoval, Kenny Garrett, Billy Childs, Arturo O'Farrill, Fred Hersch, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Jon Batiste, Kneebody, Hiromi with her trio and piano duets with Michel Camilo, Jon Faddis, James Carter, Christian McBride, Bill Frisell, Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band, Ambrose Akinmusire, Tom Harrell, Pat Martino, Matana Roberts, John Hollenbeck and the much-anticipated return of  Dr. John, who had to bow out last year due to illness. 

"No one was more excited by last year's anniversary than I," said George Wein, who has produced the Festival since its beginning in 1954. "We set out to present some of the most outstanding established and emerging artists with distinctive musical stories who not only represented the past and the present, but also the future of jazz. Based on the great response from the audience and critics alike, we believe we achieved our goal while fulfilling the mission of the Newport Festivals Foundation™. With the full day of emerging artists on Friday followed by two jam-packed days of amazing talent, we are looking forward to many more memorable moments in jazz history." 

Of the more than 40 bands performing on three stages at Fort Adams, 19 are making their Newport debut. Among the first-timers are Kneebody, Childs, Hersch, Roberts and Harrell as well as Steve Lehman, Gerald Clayton, Bria Skonberg, Wycliffe Gordon, José James, Lucky Peterson, Johnathan Blake and the 11-year old Indonesian piano prodigy Joey Alexander. 

The Newport Festivals Foundation will again host THE Jazz Club, a special experience offered on Saturday and Sunday at Fort Adams. The option includes special seating, reserved parking, tented lounge access, upgraded restroom facilities and a Festival poster. 

The lineup for the Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Global Asset Management is as follows: 

Friday, July 31, 2015, 11:00 am - 6:30 pm

Snarky Puppy, Christian McBride Trio: Christian McBride, Christian Sands, Ulysses Owens

John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet: Ambrose Akinmusire, Sam Harris, Harish Raghavan, Justin Brown, Steve Lehman Octet*: Steve Lehman, Chris Dingman, Mark Shim, Jonathan Finlayson, José Davila, Tim  Albright, Drew Gress, Kneebody:  Adam Benjamin, Shane Endsley, Kaveh Rastegar, Ben Wendel, Nate Wood, Gerald Clayton Quintet: Gerald Clayton, Ambrose Akinmusire, Ben Wendel, Joe Sanders, Justin Brown, Bria Skonberg Quintet: Bria Skonberg, Evan Arntzen, Dalton Ridenhour, Sean Cronin, Darrian Douglas, Herlin Riley Quintet*: Herlin Riley, Godwin Louis, Bruce Harris, Emmet Cohen, Russell Hall, Lucky Peterson - Singin' the Blues: Lucky Peterson, Shawn Kellerman, Timothy Waites,  Raul Valdés, Matana Roberts' Coin Coin, Johnathan Blake Quartet: Johnathan Blake, Mark Turner, Ben Street, Peter Evans Quintet: Peter Evans, Sam Pluta, Ron Stabinsky, Tom Blancarte, Jim Black, The Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra with special guest soloist Sean Jones, URI Newport Big Band: Dr. Jared Sims, Director

Friday, July 31, 2015, 8:00 pm

Chris Botti, Jon Batiste & Stay Human

Saturday, August 1, 2015, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm 

Cassandra Wilson celebrates Billie Holiday, Jon Batiste & Stay Human, Maria Schneider Orchestra, Irvin Mayfield & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Cécile McLorin Salvant: Cecile McLorin Salvant, Aaron Diehl, Paul Sikivie, Lawrence Leathers, José James, Pat Martino Organ Trio: Pat Martino, Pat Bianchi, Carmen Intorre, Jr., Conrad Herwig's Latin Side of Horace Silver featuring guest Michel Camilo:, Conrad Herwig, Michel Camilo, Craig Handy, Igor Butman, Alex Sipiagin, Bill O'Connell, Ruben Rodriguez, Robby Ameen, Richie Flores,

Hiromi: The Trio Project: Hiromi, Anthony Jackson, Simon Phillips, Kenny Garrett Quintet: Kenny Garrett, Rudy Bird, Vernell Brown, Corcoran Holt, McClenty Hunter, Wycliffe Gordon & Friends, Tom Harrell Quintet: Tom Harrell, Wayne Escoffery, Danny Grissett, Ugonna Okegwo, Johnathan Blake, Introducing Joey Alexander: Joey Alexander, Russell Hall, Sammy Miller, RI Music Educators Association Sr. All-State Jazz Ensemble conducted by Willie Hill

  

Saturday, August 1, 2015, 7:30 pm

Newport Festivals Foundation Gala (Artists To Be Announced)

Sunday, August 2, 2015, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

Jamie Cullum, Arturo Sandoval, Dr. John & The Nite Trippers, Michel Camilo/Hiromi Piano Duets: Michel Camilo, Hiromi Uehara, Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band: Mike Stern, Bill Evans, Tom Kennedy, Steve Smith, Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with special guest Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bill Frisell Trio: Bill Frisell, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen, Billy Childs Sextet with Strings*: Billy Childs, Steve Wilson, Carol Robbins, Larry Koonse, Hans Glawischnig, Ari Hoenig, String Quartet, Jon Faddis: Triumph of Trumpets: Jon Faddis, MarquisHill, Sean Jones, David Hazeltine, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Dion Parsons, James Carter Sextet - Living My Life: The Music of Don Byas, Fred Hersch Trio: Fred Hersch, John Hebert, Eric McPherson, Lou Donaldson Quartet: Lou Donaldson, Randy Johnston, Akiko Tsuruga,

Fukushi Tainaka, Scott Robinson's Doctette: Scott Robinson, Randy Sandke, Ted Rosenthal, Pat O'Leary, Dennis Mackrel. Jason Lindner Now vs. Now. MA Music Educators Association All-State Jazz Band conducted by Julius Tolentino.

Pianist LISA HILTON Explores Evolution of Nature Through Sound, Melody and Improvisation on HORIZONS

The view of any singular horizon changes with each movement one makes, no matter how small. With every step forward, backward, or side-to-side, a horizon evolves into a new and unique view. On her upcoming release, Horizons, pianist and composer Lisa Hilton aims to show that, much like a picturesque landscape, music is meant to evolve in the same fashion. Following last years Kaleidoscope, Horizons marks the seventeenth stateside album from the pianist/composer and is a continuation of Hilton's exploration through sound, melody and improvisation. With Hilton behind the piano, the record features exceptional performances by trumpeter Sean Jones, tenor saxophonist J.D. Allen, drummer Rudy Royston, and bassist Gregg August. 

Hilton writes in her liner notes, "I see so much beauty and truth in nature..." and that has led her to be informed and inspired on these 12 tracks - nine that are composed by Hilton.  From the classic straight ahead "Nocturnal" and Basie inspired, "Surfer Blues" to the intrigue of "Vapors and Shadows" or the playfulness of "Dolphins" and "Perfect Day," Hilton and her well - honed band bring a playlist of jazz styles.  It is the playful recast of the melody though that enlightens "The Sky and the Ocean" and "Lazy Moon" as well as Hilton's elegant arrangements of Duke Ellington's gem, "Sunset and the Mockingbird" and the Mercer/Mancini classic, "Moon River." These pieces really shine with Jones' clarion flugelhorn and Allen's seductive tenor.  Royston and August contribute well throughout especially on The Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling" and the thoughtful, "Currents".  Horizons includes the impressionistic, "When It Rains" as a solo piano soundscape.

  

"I like to let what I see in nature inform and inspire my life," Hilton muses. "We see the extremes of weather, as well as a myriad of variations, but nature goes through severe change or challenge and then recovers.  If you take the time to look, there's always something positive to be found - a sunrise or a sunset to lift your spirits every day, so I like look at out to our horizon.  What happens outdoors is often a metaphor for what we're doing musically and compositionally - hopefully a sense of expansiveness, depth and beauty along with improvisations on life." 

A a distinctive and thought provoking composer and pianist, Hilton creates compositions that draw on classical traditions, twentieth century modernists, and the avant-garde as much as they look back to icons of American jazz and blues. Hilton's post bop style influences extend beyond jazz legends Thelonious Monk, Count Basie and Duke Ellington, to include bluesman Muddy Waters, minimalists like Steve Reich, current rockers Green Day and The Black Keys or modernists Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Bartok.

Originally from a small town on California's central coast, Hilton studied classical and twentieth century piano formally from the age of eight, but in college, switched majors and received a degree in art.  "I approach music as my art now," Hilton explains; "I build the composition with the musical elements - melody, rhythm, form, then 'paint' texture and color through harmony, improvisation, density and other concepts".

Hilton has produced a total of 17 albums, representing over 200 compositions to her name.  She has worked with many of this era's jazz luminaries, notably Christian McBride, Nasheet Waits, Steve Wilson, Jeremy Pelt, Lewis Nash, Billy Hart, Bobby Militello, Larry Grenadier, and Marcus Gilmore among others.  Her releases regularly appear on radio charts. 

Committed to helping students who are often overlooked, Hilton regularly spends time to help young blind musicians at the historic Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired, The Junior Blind of America in Los Angeles, Camp Bloomfield for the Blind in Malibu, California, or with The Berklee College of Music in Boston and their adaptive music lab for visually impaired musicians.  "I enjoy extending help to those with physical disabilities - music should be for everyone," Hilton explains.

Gilles Peterson presents Sonzeira Brasil Bam Bam Bass - The Out Takes and Remakes: Curated with Love

In the middle of 2014, with all roads leading to Brazil, DJ, tastemaker and cultural curator Gilles Peterson embarked on the project of a lifetime, his most ambitious to date: setting up camp in a recording studio in Rio to record a sort of love letter to the nation under the artist name “Sonzeira” (meaning a joyful / killer sound). The resulting album “Brasil Bam Bam Bam” was a deeply personal work, bringing together the many authentic sounds and traditions but always through the eyes of an enthusiast inspired by 30 years of DJIng and record collecting. 

As Gilles said at the time: ‘Brazil’s music culture is massive..There’s the North – Bahia, Recife, the afro-brazilian sound. There’s batucada, the heavy sambas. Then bossa nova - Tom Jobim and all that history. There’s baile funk. There’s Tropicalia and the more soulful, funky scene championed by groups like Banda Black Rio, Trio Mocoto and icons like Gilberto Gil. Such a huge amount of stuff to fit in. I wanted to try and cover it all – to make a kind of Buena Vista meets club culture, but to keep it sonically very modern.’ The album included star turns from Brazilian superstars young and old, including ‘City of God’ actor and singer Seu Jorge, the grande dame of samba, 76-year-old powerhouse Elza Soares, and world-renowned percussionist Nana Vasconcelos. Of course, this was a Gilles Peterson record and so there was also many left turns -  who else would come up with Emanuelle Araujo’s bossa nova take on the 80s UK jazz-funk hit Southern Freeez, or draft in Seun Kuti (youngest son of Fela) to join the dots between modern day Brazil and the slave ships that bought poly-rhythms from Africa 400 years ago.

Of course, with roots so deep in the interesting edges of club culture it was natural for Gilles to continue this journey into new sonic territories. As such he has spent the last 6 months curating this new album “Brasil Bam Bam Bass” drafting in some of his favourite producers, friends, and associates to reimagine tracks from the album, with all the taste and good judgement you would expect. Much like the original record this is a very personal curation, a considered work that saw Gilles hand pick producers to re-imagine the album track by track - these include At Jazz, FaltyDL, DJ Oil, Kyodai, Max Graef and many more. Also included on this double CD are some wonderful outtakes (including the sublime reworking of Yusef lateef’s Plum Blossom previously only on the vinyl box set of the album), and dubbed out alternative versions of several tracks by Gilles’ Sonzeira co-producer Dillip Harris.        

If the original record was about examining Gilles own history and love for every quarter of Brasil’s sound, this provides a further glimpse into Gilles’ creative mind, ever serching for connections between rhythms; exciting, imaginative and original productions. Most of all this is a record where respect for the source material continues to shine through.

Gilles Peterson presents Sonzeira Brasil Bam Bam Bass - The Out Takes and Remakes: Curated with Love will be released on double CD on Brownswood Recordings on the 9th February.

~ Brownswood Recordings

Drummer/Composer ERNESTO CERVINI Flies High With His New CD TURBOPROP

On February 3, 2015, Anzic Records proudly releases the much-anticipated fourth recording from drummer/composer Ernesto Cervini, titled Turboprop. On the heels of his third album, There, which featured his quartet recorded live at the Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver, BC, Cervini added two incredible musicians to the fold to create an exciting new sextet he calls Turboprop. The band is comprised of his working quartet with Joel Frahm (tenor saxophone), Adrean Farrugia (piano), Dan Loomis (bass) & Ernesto Cervini (drums), plus Tara Davidson (alto & soprano saxophone) and William Carn (trombone). The sound of Turboprop, produced by Oded Lev-Ari, is sophisticated and soaring, reminiscent of the hard swinging Jazz Messenger bands of Art Blakey, and able to offer an extraordinarily wide range of repertoire; from Charlie Parker to Claude Debussy, plus originals from all the band members. Turboprop has already toured Canada to rave reviews, and will be celebrating the release with concerts across Canada and the U.S. (see below for dates).

Cervini, who Hank Shteamer of Time Out New York called, "a tastefully buoyant drummer as well as a sharp composer and bandleader", conceived of Turboprop as blades of a propeller that work together in synergy, moving an aircraft powerfully through the sky. Cervini elaborates, "by combining the experience and artistry of these musicians, the music takes flight with a force and energy that only a sextet can bring. This band has been a wonderful conduit for my compositions and arrangements and all of the members have taken a very personal approach to the pieces, embracing the emotion and sentiment that this group brings to every note we play." Producer Lev-Ari added that, "I was really excited to produce this album, as I love a 3-piece front line, and it's a sound that is rarely heard anymore. I knew it would be a strong vehicle for Ernesto's writing and arranging. Since the band had just gotten back from a tour days before getting into the studio, the music was well-rehearsed and had this unmistakable 'live' feeling. We captured great performances, and could easily fill two albums with strong music. Ernesto is simply an incredible musician and bandleader and this recording really captures his essence as a multifaceted creative force."

Highlights on Turboprop include, "Cheer Up Charlie", a lovely ballad from the film Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, that Cervini and his wife sing to their baby boy; "Three Angels", another very special piece for Cervini, composed for his three nieces who passed away unexpectedly; and the third ballad on the album called "Marion Theresa", which was written for Cervini's grandmother. 

Turboprop however is anything but an all ballads album, and, "Cervini exemplifies 'float like a butterfly, sting like a bee' . . . turning drums into a rainforest symphony"- Ken Micallef, DownBeat Magazine. Sprinkled around these emotional compositions are upbeat, anthemic tunes including, "Unnecessary Mountain", which was named after a mountain in the Rockies; "Bindi Bop", inspired by Cervini's trip to Australia; "Fear of Flying", which Cervini wrote for all those with Pteromerhanophobia; and "De Molen", a great burner by saxophonist Joel Frahm. 

In addition to the compelling originals, Turboprop also sunk their teeth into some "standard" tunes that they love to play, including "Red Cross" by Charlie Parker, and "The Windup" by Keith Jarrett, and Cervini's arrangement of the gorgeous Claude Debussy piano etude, "The Engulfed Cathedral". 

There's an old saying in aviation; "Accidents happen when you run out of experience." In the case of Turboprop, the music is clearly in good hands. 

More on Ernesto Cervini: Innovative and electrifying, Toronto jazz drummer Ernesto Cervini, who has shared the stage with many legendary musicians such as Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Cleo Laine, Pat LaBarbera, Dick Oatts, Buddy DeFranco, Eddie Daniels, Scott Robinson, Dave Binney, Jim McNeely, and many others, has energy to burn, whether radiating it from behind his drums or working on any number of musical and educational projects. Cervini's diversity as a musician (he is also an excellent pianist and clarinetist) has allowed him to travel throughout the world, performing in some of the world's greatest jazz venues such as Smalls, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, The 55 Bar, The Montreal Bistro, The Top Of the Senator, The Rex Jazz and Blues Club, and also many of the world's most prestigious concert halls, such as Massey Hall, The Glen Gould Theatre, The St. Lawrence Center for the Arts and the Sugita Theatre in Yokohama, Japan. His second album, Little Black Bird, recorded with his quartet was celebrated loudly by DownBeat Magazine with a four-star review. His joyous and engaging third recording, There, released in 2011, is now followed up on with the artist's most irresistible work to date, Turboprop (Anzic Records, February 3, 2015).

Ernesto Cervini - Turboprop - CD Release Celebrations:

February 19th - 21st - The Jazz Bistro, Toronto, ON

February 28th - The Jazz Room, Kitchener, ON

March 13 - The Yardbird Suite, Edmonton, AB

March 14 - The Bassment, Saskatoon, SK

March 17 - The Arts Station, Fernie, BC

March 19 - The Avalanche Bar & Grill - Georgia Straight Jazz Society, Courtenay, BC March 20 - Hermann's - Victoria Jazz Society, Victoria, BC

March 21 - Pat's Pub, Vancouver, BC

BRIAN CULBERTSON CELEBRATES A MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY "LIVE"

Years ago, a young ambitious musician-songwriter-producer emerged from Chicago who went on to architect 27 No. 1 Billboard singles along with a half-dozen albums that debuted at No.1 that changed the status quo with a creative and fresh alchemy of astutely performed contemporary jazz, soulful R&B and horn-powered funk. Decades later, his ability to achieve and balance commercial success and the respect of his peers is perhaps as admirable as his hit-making consistency and the meticulous approach he uses to craft infectious melodies and compelling rhythms. The above description could easily apply to the works of his role models, Maurice White and Quincy Jones, but here we refer to Brian Culbertson.  

From the 1994 debut of “Long Night Out,” released while the keyboardist-trombonist was a DePaul University music major recording demos in the bedroom of his crowded apartment that landed him a six-album record deal, right up through his 14th album, 2014’s “Another Long Night Out,” Culbertson has injected a much needed jolt of lyrical harmony and deft musicianship along with a flair for lively showmanship that meshes to form an aesthetic that raises the bar on a musical genre. To commemorate his 20th anniversary as a recording artist, Culbertson marched his well-drilled band out on a coast-to-coast concert mission last year that was preserved for posterity on his first live album recorded during a sold-out, eight-show stand at the famed Yoshi’s nightclub in Oakland, California last September.  The resulting double CD set, “Live - 20th Anniversary Tour,” was released Monday - Culbertson’s 42nd birthday - on his own BCM Entertainment label. 

Featuring a crack eight-piece band, many of whom are musicians out of Chicago and have been playing with Culbertson for years, “Live” is a spirited and at times sweaty celebration of jazz, fusion, R&B, romantic piano pop and deep funk grooves that barely let up for air bolstered by crisp horn section arrangements reminiscent of the mighty Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power. 

One could say that “Live” is a statement album. Forget what you thought you knew about so called “smooth jazz.” Seldom does a contemporary jazz artist dare to release a live record these days making it even more of a treat that Culbertson & Company was able to bottle the magic, charismatic energy and excitement of their live show on this recording. The 21-song session - 22 songs if you include the CD exclusive bonus track, “Forever” - rifles through Culbertson’s chart-topping original compositions and introduces a vibrant new number, “Think Free,” the album’s initial radio single written by Culbertson and Sheldon Reynolds especially for the occasion. Culbertson’s set list also pays tribute to his influences – White’s Earth, Wind & Fire (“Serpentine Fire”) and Jones (“Secret Garden”) – along with the rump-shaking party starter “Hollywood Swingin’,” a Kool & The Gang classic. 

“I just wanted to capture the raw dynamic energy of our live show. My band members are each incredible talents in their own right and I’m happy to be able to showcase them, which in turn makes the entire project more exciting and daring,” said Culbertson, who is also a lifestyle curator who founded and serves as artistic director of the starry Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, the fourth annual wine and music festival presented by Lexus in the heart of California’s stunning wine country slated for June 10-14, 2015. 

Culbertson’s touring band consists of Marqueal Jordan (vocals, tenor sax & percussion), Eddie Miller (keyboards, Hammond B3 organ & vocals), Michael Stever (trumpet & keyboards), Adam Hawley (guitar & background vocals), Rodney Jones Jr. (bass) and Chris Miskel (drums). For the “Live” recording, they were supplemented by the firepower of Doug Beavers (trombone & additional percussion) and Doug Rowan (Bari sax). 

“Live” contains the following songs:

Disc 1

“City Lights Intro”

“Always Remember”

“Hollywood Swingin’”

“Do You Really Love Me”

“Come To Me”

“All About You”

“Let’s Get Started”

“Fullerton Ave.”

“Beautiful Liar”

“Get It On”

“Skies Wide Open”

“Another Love”

“Horizon”

Disc 2

“Think Free”

“Dreams”

“On My Mind”

“Secret Garden”

“Serpentine Fire”

“Funkin’ Like My Father”

“City Lights Outro”

“Our Love”

“Forever” (CD bonus track only)

www.BrianCulbertson.com