NEW RELEASES: IAN SHAW - DRAWN TO ALL THINGS: THE SONGS OF JONI MITCHELL; MARY STALLINGS - FEELIN' GOOD; GLENN ZALESKI - MY IDEAL

IAN SHAW - DRAWN TO ALL THINGS: THE SONGS OF JONI MITCHELL

Ian Shaw's debut album on Linn Records is a stunning collection of re-workings of classic and lesser-known songs by his personal heroine Joni Mitchell. Originally released in 2006 Drawn To All Things has been re-issued as part of Linn's ECHO series which offers a second chance to enjoy the best of the label's award-winning catalogue. Drawn To All Things includes three songs which had not previously been recorded by anyone other than Joni; Talk to Me, Love Or Money and Stay In Touch. Top jazz vocalists and musicians lend their support; Claire Martin and Lea de Laria on vocals, plus trumpeter Guy Barker and guitarist Jim Mullen. Twice named Best Vocalist at the BBC Jazz Awards, Ian Shaw is one of the UK's finest male jazz vocalists. His exciting, edgy and provocative style has made him a popular name both at home and in the States. Ian has performed with some of the UK's top jazz musicians, including Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor and Cleo Laine, as well as fellow Linn artist Barb Jungr. Shaw has toured extensively in the UK - regular venues include the Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Blackheath Concert Halls, Ronnie Scott's, Pizza Express Soho Jazz Club, The Vortex, the Jazz Café and The Barbican. Ian has played at all of the major jazz festivals in the UK including Brecon, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh (where he was nominated for a Perrier Award), Grimsby, Glasgow, Cheltenham, Scarborough, Swanage and St. Ives. Shaw's ongoing and highly popular collaboration is a celebrated duet show with Claire Martin. Together they have toured the world in an intimate duo setting with Shaw playing piano and with the BBC Big Band.

~ Amazon

MARY STALLINGS - FEELIN' GOOD

Writing about Mary Stallings The New York Times declared that perhaps the best jazz singer singing today is a woman almost everybody seems to have missed. Bay Area jazz lovers chuckled ruefully over yet another blast of East Coast parochialism, long recognizing Ms. Stallings as a singular jazz treasure. Her talents were also recognized by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine, Count Basie, Cal Tjader, Ben Webster and Wes Montgomery, who all went out of their way to showcase this supremely soulful singer. For her latest HighNote outing, Bruce Barth occupies the piano bench and handles the arranging duties with Peter Washington and Kenny Washington rounding out the rhythm section. Mary herself requested the added tone color of Steve Nelson's vibes, Freddie Hendrix's trumpet and the latin percussion of the irrepressible Ray Mantilla. So here again is Mary Stallings, enjoying her recording resurgence, singing with such confidence, poise and authority that every tune feels like a custom-tailored garment expertly made for her fine-grained tone, relaxed phrasing and supple sense of swing. ~ Amazon

GLENN ZALESKI - MY IDEAL

Pianist Glenn Zaleski's debut recording as a leader, My Ideal, is a tremendously varied and expertly wrought piano trio performance of compositions well-known in the genre and a couple that have the makings to be. To insure that the music was exploratory and new, Zaleski enlisted the talents of bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Craig Weinrib to assist in generating arrangements that avoid contrivance but are played both proficiently and naturally. After developing a solid musical foundation as a part of the Massachusetts jazz scene, Zaleski attended the Brubeck Institute in Stockton, California where he met numerous likeminded musicians, many of whom he still plays with today. On his twentieth birthday, Zaleski moved to New York City, where he studied at the New School and soon began his career as a professional musician. Ravi Coltrane nurtured the young talent, and contributes to the closing track here, Jerome Kern s 'I m Old Fashioned' which features a wonderful performance by Ravi on tenor sax on his own exquisitely expressive arrangement. ~ Amazon

NEW RELEASES: LARRY CORYELL - THE HEAVY FEEL; MELODY GARDOT – CURRENCY OF MAN; DAYME AROCENA – THE HAVANA CULTURA SESSIONS EP

LARRY CORYELL - THE HEAVY FEEL

Joining Larry are Saxophonist George Brooks, Drummer Mike Hughes, and Bassist Matt Montgomery. The album sounds like a collect of Larry's career. Big open sounding tracks like Ghost Note, Polished and Heavy Feel juxtapose tracks like River Crossing and Oasis Path showing Larry's acoustic side. 2011 East Sharing Air and The Way It Was are sure to be radio pleasers. The guitar virtuoso Larry Coryell has had and up and down career. And quite unjustified being overshadowed by others - be it Jimi Hendrix or John Mclaughlin - for most of his long time as a first class musician. Starting of as psychedelic pioneer with Free Spirits and then producing a string of fabuluos jazz/rock albums likeAt the Village Gate and Coryellbefore almost hitting the big time with the splendid Eleventh House. And performing and recording with the likes of Jack Bruce, John Mclaughlin, Carla Bley, Gary Burton. But after that he seemed to loose focus and producing a string of rather dissatisfactory albums - except for some forrays into world music, Larry like McLaughlin always been inspired by Indian music. As one of the pioneers of jazz-rock -- perhaps the pioneer in the ears of some -- Larry Coryell deserves a special place in the history books. He brought what amounted to a nearly alien sensibility to jazz electric guitar playing in the 1960s, a hard-edged, cutting tone, phrasing and note-bending that owed as much to blues, rock and even country as it did to earlier, smoother bop influences. Yet as a true eclectic, armed with a brilliant technique, he is comfortable in almost every style, covering almost every base from the most decibel-heavy, distortion-laden electric work to the most delicate, soothing, intricate lines on acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, a lot of his most crucial electric work from the '60s and '70s is missing on CD, tied up by the erratic reissue schemes of Vanguard, RCA and other labels, and by jazz-rock's myopically low level of status in the CD era (although that mindset is slowly changing). ~ Amazon 

MELODY GARDOT – CURRENCY OF MAN

The highly-anticipated ‘Currency of Man’ is an intensely creative milestone, transcending musical distinctions of jazz, blues and R&B, to offer a stirring social and musical statement. On the new album, Melody joins forces again with Grammy Award-winning producer Larry Klein. This striking musical partnership saw their last collaboration, 2009’s ‘My One and Only Thrill’, sell over 1.5 million copies, and produce songs that have become modern classics. ‘Currency of Man’ marks a substantial leap forward indeed, as we see Gardot take her gift for songwriting in a completely different direction to her last record, the critically acclaimed release ‘The Absence’. ~ Amazon

DAYME AROCENA – THE HAVANA CULTURA SESSIONS EP

Brownswood and Havana Cultura are delighted to announce this new EP from Cuban singer, composer, arranger, choir director, and band leader Daymé Arocena. At just 22 years old, Daymé is already a skillful, charismatic presence in Cuban music. Recorded in just a few days in London and Havana, The Havana Cultura Sessions EP is a great introduction to Daymé’s broad ranging musical talent. Drama showcases her trademark mix of jazz and Latin styles. El Ruso is what Dayme calls ‘a funny song.’ Its story covers her mother’s enforced study of Russian during the heyday of Cuba’s relationship with the Soviets. “Life never says it; does truth tell a lie?” she sings. On Sin Empezar Daymé glows with the range and use of tones in a superb song. Mellow and slow, its moving and stunning inclusion of the trumpet playing slowly with elongated notes. The sharp and crisp drumming and the piano’s impressively subtle phrases all work in harmony with the chorus and Dayme’s unusually delicate voice in response to some lyrics. A deep rumba re-imagining of the American torch song 'Cry Me a River' completes the package. ~ Six Degrees

PYHLISS HYMAN & TYRONE DAVIS CLASSIC ALBUMS EXPANDED EDITIONS

PHYLIIS HYMAN - YOU KNOW HOW TO LOVE ME (EXPANDED EDITIONS)

Phyllis Hyman's  You Know How To Love Me includes 8 Bonus Tracks Contains the Un-Released track, You re The One The album includes the chart hits "You Know How To Love Me and Under Your Spell Produced by James Mtume & Reggie Lucas. Liner Notes by Alex Henderson Re-Mastered from the Original Master Tapes by Sean Brennan, at Battery Studio s, New York. You Know How to Love Me is the fourth album by soul singer-songwriter Phyllis Hyman. It was released by Arista Records in 1979, and produced by James Mtume & Reggie Lucas. Writing in Smash Hits, Bev Hillier described You Know How to Love Me as a "great album" that was "relaxing, pleasant, easy listening and anything similar that you can think of". Hillier went on to describe Hyman's voice as "amazing and perfectly used". The release was Phyllis Hyman's most successful album and was carefully tailored to become the artist's crossover breakthrough. The end result became a carefully constructed blend of contemporary disco-styled songs and ballads, including the song that would become one of Hyman's signature tunes, "You Know How to Love Me." The song became a hit, growing into a classic, covered by artists such as Lisa Stansfield and Robin S. Other highlights include the excellent quiet storm of "Some Way," which allows Hyman's husky voice to shine; the somber, sublime piano ballad "But I Love You"; and the jazzy saxophone ballad "Complete Me." You Know How to Love Me is as close as Hyman truly came to becoming a force and is an important and essential chapter in this star's musical legacy. This release has grown into a classic whose importance will only increase with the passing of time. ~ Amazon 

PHYLLIS HYMAN (EXPANDED EDITION)

Phyllis Hyman's self-named album will be Expanded for the First Time Ever. Includes 6 Bonus Tracks The album includes the chart hits "Loving You, Losing You and No One Can Love You More Produced by Larry Alexander, John Davis, Jerry Peters, and Sandy Torano Liner Notes by Alex Henderson Re-Mastered from the Original Master Tapes by Sean Brennan, at Battery Studio s, New York. Phyllis Hyman is the self-titled solo debut studio album by soul singer-songwriter Phyllis Hyman. The album was released by Buddah Records in 1977 and charted on the Billboard 200 chart, with two singles released from the album: "No One Can Love You More" was the most successful, charting on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart. After recording a cover version of The Stylistics' 1971 hit "Betcha By Golly Wow" that appeared on Norman Connors' 1976 "You Are My Starship" album, Hyman was signed to Buddah and began work on her debut. The album featured the hits "Loving You - Losing You," and "I Don't Want To Lose You," a R&B ballad (originally recorded by The Spinners). This 1977 debut set from one of music's most emotional and loved singers including many songs she would be later identified with, like Skip Scarborough's "No One Can Love You More" which is indicative of her plentiful sensual charm and her rich vocal timbre. Hyman's vocal prowess is well known, as the album shows that she was gifted with an uncommon maturity. Hyman was only in her mid-20's when the album was recorded. That self-possession made her glide through the majority of the material, as on Thom Bell and Linda Creed's "I Don't Want To Lose You" which became a classic tearjerker. From singing the chorus in the intro, to doing a Sarah Vaughan-like scat in the middle, the song was hers. The debut also displays her skill on "Beautiful Man Of Mine" and Hubert Eaves' "Children of the World," as her vocals are undoubtedly the best thing about the release. Phyllis Hyman veers from instant melodic classics to unformed ideas, a mix that prevents it from being essential. ~ Amazon

TYRONE DAVIS - LET'S BE CLOSER TOGETHER!

Tyrone Davis Lets Be Closer Together will be Expanded and on CD for the First Time Ever. Includes 2 Bonus Tracks The album includes the chart hits "This I Swear and All You Got Liner Notes by Alex Henderson Re-Mastered from the Original Master Tapes by Sean Brennan, at Battery Studio s, New York. Tyrone Davis (born Tyrone Fettson; May 4, 1938 February 9, 2005) was a leading American blues and soul singer with a distinctive style, recording a long list of hit records over a period of more than 20 years. He had three no. 1 hits on the Billboard R&B chart: "Can I Change My Mind" (1968), "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" (1970), and "Turning Point" (1975). Davis released about 25 singles during his seven years with Dakar, most of them big R&B sellers produced by Willie Henderson. He finally returned to the top spot with "Turning Point" in 1975. Soon afterwards, Davis switched to the major Columbia record label and recorded seven albums over the next five years with producer Leo Graham and arranger James Mack who had collaborated with him for "Turning Point". Major hits with Columbia included "Give It Up" (#2), "This I Swear" (#6), and "In The Mood" (#6, 1979). Dubbed the "king of romantic Chicago soul" by MTV, Davis' perceived vulnerability and class endeared him to female soul fans through the 70's. ~ Amazon

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.

Que sonzeira!

~ Sex Degrees

Guitarist ISAAC DARCHE Releases TEAM & VARIATIONS Featuring Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Glenn Zaleski, Desmond White & E.J. Strickland

Isaac Darche Team & Variations In the nearly ten years that guitarist Isaac Darche has called New York home, the San Francisco Bay Area native has found opportunities to work with many rising jazz stars and to pursue his own muse. He's emerged as a rising star himself and is now following up on the 2012 release of his well-received debut Boom-Baptism with Team & Variations, to be released by the Dutch-based Challenge Records label on April 14. 

Darche's fluid, warm-toned style reflects the classic influence of Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino. But as indicated by the title of the album's opening track, "A 'Winkel in Time" -- a nod to influential guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel -- he is open to the innovations of all kinds of stylists. "Pushing the boundaries musically yet keeping a certain authentic 'jazz feeling' was very important to me on this project," says the leader. 

Darche's performances on the new CD with ace team members Chad Lefkowitz-Brown on tenor saxophone, pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Desmond White, and standout drummer E.J. Strickland confirm his status as one of the most impressive young guitarists on the scene. 

The playful titles of the originals are drawn from his life. "Sloped Perspective," a wry reference to Brooklyn's Park Slope community, where many jazz musicians live, strives for a combination of simplicity and complexity. "Arts of a Bachelor," an experiment in unusual intervals, reflects on his schooling. "Don't Run out of Money," a double time-exercise with a melody that evolved out of guitar voicings, is the ultimate advice for living in New York. 

Fresh readings of the standards "You Stepped Out of a Dream" and "Nobody Else But Me" are also in the mix, along with his take on Wayne Shorter's "Ana Maria." 

Born and raised in San Anselmo, California, just north of San Francisco, Isaac Darche, 32, started playing the clarinet at age 7, switched to the guitar at 10, and was also playing the saxophone a year or so later. It was the sound of the guitar -- specifically the pure, beautiful jazz sound of the Gibson L-5 models as played by Montgomery and Martino -- that hooked him. He played in various groups at Marin Academy, a San Rafael high school known for its strong arts program.

  

While attending the Stanford Jazz Workshop Jazz Camp as a young teenager, Darche was blown away by a performance featuring fellow students Ambrose Akinmusire, Jonathan Finlayson, Dayna Stephens, and Taylor Eigsti. "I kept thinking, oh my God, I'm so far behind, this is crazy," he recalls. 

Isaac Darche He went on to attend UCLA, studying with Billy Higgins, Anthony Wilson, and, primarily, the distinguished guitarist and composer Kenny Burrell, whose groundbreaking course on Duke Ellington was an essential part of the curriculum. Burrell was a stickler for good tone, good phrasing, and swing feel. "He would stop us and say, 'This is not swinging,'" said Darche. "But he was open to all kinds of music."

Darche was encouraged to go to New York by guitarist and "super sideman" Randy Napoleon. His "boom-baptism" there was eased by all the great music happening around him. He got hired by keyboardist Sean Wayland, and played with numerous other artists including Mark Shim, Jon Gordon, Randy Ingram, Henry Cole, Linda Oh, and his old campmate Ambrose Akinmusire.

"It's no easy accomplishment in a field packed with guitarists," wrote David Adler in NYC Jazz Record of Boom-Baptism, "but Darche has found a unique sound and technical approach on the instrument. His tone is bright, his articulation blindingly fast and flawless, his rhythm consistently in the pocket but full of breath, never stiff. ... Effortlessly forward thinking, free of idiomatic clichés."

Isaac Darche brings the exciting music of Team & Variations to Shapeshifter Lab, Brooklyn, NY on Wednesday 4/28 at 8:15 pm, appearing with the same quintet as on the new CD.

www.isaacdarche.com

Vocalist Joanna Pascale Embraces Deep Emotional Connections with Lesser Known Repertoire on Wildflower // Produced by Pianist Orrin Evans and Featuring Christian McBride, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gregoire Maret, Bilal, Cyrus Chestnut and more

Whether referring to the lesser-known repertoire to which she's drawn or to the singer herself, nurtured in the concrete jungle of her native Philadelphia, Wildflower is the ideal title for Pascale's captivating new album. Supported by an excellent band led by the session's producer, pianist Orrin Evans, and a host of special guests including Christian McBride, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Gregoire Maret, Bilal, and Cyrus Chestnut, Pascale finally comes into full bloom, a wildflower whose beauty is emerging into the sunlight. 

The recording of Wildflower coincided with the end of Pascale's decade-long engagement at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, which allowed her to hone her voice, style, and vast repertoire. But leaving that long-running engagement also provided a newfound freedom to follow a more personal path, which she embraces on her fourth album. Each song on Wildflower is one with which Pascale feels a deep emotional connection, which shines through in the passionate feeling she conveys to the listener. "If I don't connect with a lyric, I can't sing a song," she says. "I love to dig into the lyrics and find all the different shades, the stories within the story, and then try to interpret that." 

But equally important for her approach to breathing life into this material is Pascale's interaction with her musicians. "For me," she says, "it's the space between the words that tells the story. I love that these musicians allowed so much space for me to paint these pictures. It allowed me to get very intimate with the phrasing of the lyrics. The fun in storytelling is finding a way of phrasing so that the listener connects to your intention and all the ways you feel the subtle shades of the emotions in the story." 

Propelled by the deep, sinuous groove laid down by Evans, McBride, and drummer Donald Edwards, "Forget Me" immediately establishes that connection via Pascale's intimate, impassioned delivery. It's followed by the tender J.J. Johnson ballad "Lament," featuring an original lyric penned for Pascale by Tony Haywood, which features Edwards and bassist Luques Curtis. Most of the album features bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Obed Calvaire, who luxuriate in creating space while maintaining momentum on tracks like "I Remember You" and "Stay With Me." 

To find the ideal musicians to realize her vision for the album, Pascale worked closely with producer Orrin Evans. The two go back almost twenty years together, to her near-disastrous first experience on stage when she was 14-years-old at an Evans-led jam session. When the pianist finally called her to the stage, he waved off her offer of a songbook with the music for Billie Holiday's "Good Morning Heartache." 

"This was honestly the first time I'd ever sang when I wasn't singing along to a record," Pascale recalls. "Orrin starts playing and something wasn't right. I start singing and he's in a different key, and I'm horrified. So I turn around and the bassist and drummer are laughing hysterically to the point where tears were rolling down their faces and their shoulders were shaking trying to hold it in. Next thing I know, somebody grabs the songbook and puts it in front of Orrin. I still have a little bit of fear whenever I sit in on a jam session." 

Despite that shaky start, Pascale and Evans forged an ongoing friendship, to the point where they consider themselves virtually family. "Joanna's like a little sister to me," Evans has said. "I think we really see time and space and rhythm in the same way. So whatever we do, there's going to be space for us to grow and make something happen." 

As a producer, Pascale says, Evans "knew exactly what I wanted to get to and I really trusted that. There were times where it was hard for me to give up control, because I had total control of all the other records that I've done. But he really had the wider vision than I did at the moment, which helped to shape everything. We have a lot of mutual respect." 

Gregoire Maret's expressive harmonica highlights two rare excursions into the pop songbook for Pascale, Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed" and the Gerry Goffin/Carole King favorite "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" Maret also appears, along with Cyrus Chestnut's spirited organ, on Pascale's achingly slow rendition of Henry Glover's "Drown in My Own Tears," best known from Ray Charles' recording.

The title song, meanwhile, features two of Philadelphia's favorite six-string sons, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Tim Motzer, and vocals by neo-soul singer Bilal, Pascale's friend from Philly's renowned High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), which also boasts Rosenwinkel, McBride, Joey DeFrancesco, and members of The Roots as graduates. "We started discovering music together," Pascale recalls of Bilal. "We would make each other jazz vocal mix-tapes and trade them. So it was a very special, very magical moment for me to have him share his gift on the recording twenty years later." 

After graduating from CAPA, Pascale attended Temple University, where she is now a member of the faculty and has been featured on two of the university's releases, including the Temple University Jazz Band's Thad Jones tribute album, To Thad With Love. She is featured on Warfield's Jazzy Christmas album; Orrin Evans' Liberation Blues, recorded live at Smoke; on Philly sax legend Larry McKenna's From All Sides; and on That Music Always Round Me, a setting of Walt Whitman's poetry by Garry Dial and Dick Oatts. She made her leader debut with 2004's When Lights Are Low, followed by the 2008 release Through My Eyes and a 2010 duo recording with pianist Anthony Wonsey that focused on Songbook standards.

Joanna Pascale · Wildflower

Release Date: May 5, 2015 

www.JoannaPascale.com

Josh Groban to Release New Album STAGES Featuring Special Guests Audra McDonald and Chris Botti

Multi-platinum recording artist Josh Groban announced today on ABC's Good Morning America that he will release a new album, entitled Stages, on April 28th, 2015, via Reprise Records. The album is a collection of some of the greatest musical theater songs of all time, which Groban describes as "gorgeously arranged songs that have stood the test of time," and which he was drawn to because of their combination of "incredible melody with an incredible story." The album is available for pre-order at all participating retailers and JoshGroban.com. An exclusive edition of the album will be available at Target containing 2 extra tracks.

"Nothing has inspired me more in my life than the energy that is shared in a theater when great songs and great art are on the stage," he says. "I wanted this album to pay tribute to those inspirations and memories."

Recorded with producers Humberto Gatica and Bernie Herms in both Los Angeles and London's Abbey Road (with a 75-piece orchestra), Stages features songs from Les Misérables ("Bring Him Home"); Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel ("You'll Never Walk Alone"); Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George ("Finishing the Hat"), Sweeney Todd ("Not While I'm Around"), and Into the Woods ("Children Will Listen"); The Fantasticks ("Try to Remember"); A Chorus Line ("What I Did For Love"); Andrew Lloyd Weber's Phantom of the Opera ("All I Ask of You"), The Wizard of Oz ("Over the Rainbow"), and others.

Another highlight is "Pure Imagination," originally sung by Gene Wilder in the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, which though best known as a film, is also a West End musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. "It's a tiny bit of a cheat because it was from a film originally, but I really wanted to sing it," Groban says. "The fans wanted me to as well. It's one of my most requested songs to record ever. I am a huge fan of the original film, it was a part of my childhood. Gene Wilder will always be number one for me with this song. There's a tenderness to the way he sang it that is just the essence of Wilder. It's something in his soul that will never be duplicated."

"Stages is an album I've wanted to make since I signed to Reprise/Warner Bros. Records during my freshman year as a Musical Theater student at Carnegie Mellon," Groban says. "I knew in my heart that, at some point, I would visit the songs I love from that world as an album. Having lived in New York City the last few years, seeing as much theater as I could see, and having so many great friends in the theater community, it became really inspiring to take this on. It was time."

Groban says the title was inspired by his lifetime love for the musicals represented on the album, as well as "the countless stages, both physical and metaphorical, it has taken for me to get to a place where I have the opportunity to record an album like this in the way we did it, with the great orchestra at Abbey Road. It was an extraordinary 'pinch me' opportunity. There was a great freedom to go big with these songs because the world of musical theater welcomes that. It's all about big stories, big emotions, and big vocals. Every arrangement on this album is its own work of art. Standing in the room and listening to the orchestra was just breathtaking. And Both Humberto and Bernie are producers who think about the warmth and clarity and emotion of the voice. What I love about them is the vocal, the arrangement, the quality is key."

Stages features three duets: Kelly Clarkson is featured on "All I Ask of You" ("she can, quite simply, do anything"); Audra McDonald sings on "If I Loved You" ("in my head I heard her on this and to sing it in the room with her was a dream come true"); and trumpeter Chris Botti plays on "Old Devil Moon" ("he plays with such control and expressiveness"). "All of these duets have great meaning to me and I'm honored to have them on this album," Groban says.

  

The track-listing for Stages is as follows:

"Pure Imagination" (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

"What I Did For Love" (from A Chorus Line)

"Bring Him Home" (from Les Misérables)

"Le Temps Des Cathédrales" (from Notre Dame de Paris)

"All I Ask Of You" (from The Phantom of the Opera) (feat. Kelly Clarkson)

"Try To Remember" (from The Fantasticks)

"Over the Rainbow" (from The Wizard of Oz)

"Children Will Listen"/"Not While I'm Around" (from Sweeney Todd/Into the Woods)

"You'll Never Walk Alone" (from Carousel)

"Old Devil Moon" (from Finian's Rainbow) (feat. Chris Botti)

 "Finishing the Hat" (from Sunday in the Park with George)

"If I Loved You" (from Carousel) (feat. Audra McDonald)

"Anthem" (from Chess)

Boz Scaggs New Studio Album 'A Fool To Care' Features duets with Bonnie Raitt & Lucinda Williams; Released on 429 Records March 31, 2015

Boz Scaggs is gearing up for the release of his new studio album A Fool To Care on March 31, 2015, via 429 Records. A Fool To Care is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2013 album Memphis, which Rolling Stone described as 'sublime' and hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Blues Chart and the Top 20 on the Billboard 200.

A Fool To Care is a new collection of songs boasting Scaggs' pioneering blend of rock, soul, jazz and blues and features guest appearances by Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams. And fans will get the chance to see Boz perform the week the record is released as he has been confirmed as a guest on The Tonight Show w/ Jimmy Fallon on April 3rd. 

A special bonus CD version of A Fool To Care featuring three bonus tracks ("Gypsy Woman," "MPB," and "Talk to Me, Talk to Me") will be available exclusively at Best Buy and can be pre-ordered now. In addition, fans who pre-order the digital album on iTunes will now receive 3 Immediate Gratification tracks with every preorder.

A Fool To Care showcases the patchwork of influences and innovations that make up a Boz Scaggs album…and sees Scaggs letting loose and having some fun. You can hear that sense of fun, as well as his ability and willingness to wander in any musical direction throughout these twelve tracks. The inspirational heart of the album lies in the sounds of Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma that played such a vital role in shaping Scaggs' musical sensibility, but they venture forth boldly from there. Scaggs brings a sly drawl to a funky workout like Li'l Millet and the Creoles' "Rich Woman" and an elegant delicacy to the Impressions' "I'm So Proud." He easily negotiates the Latin flavoring of "Last Tango on 16th Street" and "I Want to See You," both written by San Francisco bluesman (and longtime Scaggs compatriot) Jack Walroth.

Produced by Steve Jordan (Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, John Mayer) and recorded over four days at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, A Fool To Care features two very special guests – Bonnie Raitt contributes slide guitar and sassy vocals on the original song "Hell To Pay" and Lucinda Williams trades vocal lines with Scaggs as a kind of prayer for deliverance on The Band's "Whispering Pines."

Raised in Texas with an abiding respect for a wide spectrum of American roots music, William Royce "Boz" Scaggs began a long and storied career in 1965 with the release of his first solo recording Boz. After cutting his teeth playing with Steve Miller and honing his rock and R&B chops with the likes of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Duane Allman, Scaggs achieved multi-platinum success with Silk Degrees in 1976. He has continued on a lauded and multi-genre musical journey to the present day. With a trademark voice, a rich catalogue and many accolades, Scaggs continues to establish himself as one of music's most creative and original artists.

A Fool To Care Tracklisting:

1.Rich Woman

2.I'm A Fool To Care

3.Hell To Pay

4.Small Town Talk

5.Last Tango on 16th Street

6.There's A Storm A' Comin'

7.I'm So Proud

8.I Want To See You

9.High Blood Pressure

10.Full Of Fire

11.Love Don't Love Nobody

12.Whispering Pines

JACKIE DESHANNON: All the Love—The Lost Atlantic Recordings CD, Includes Duets With Van Morrison

After a sterling 1960s stint recording for Liberty Records with such era-defining hits as “What The World Needs Now Is Love” and “Put A Little Love In Your Heart,” singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon was signed to Atlantic Records in 1972 by famed producer and DeShannon fan Jerry Wexler. That year, she recorded and released her first album (Jackie) for the label, and then cut sessions for a second album in early 1973 with producer Tom Dowd (Eric Clapton, Allman Bros., etc.). However, only one of the 14 tracks ("Speak Out To Me") she recorded with Dowd came out on a single in 1973; the other 13 tracks remained in the vaults until 2003, when seven of the tracks from the sessions were added as bonus tunes on a limited edition Rhino Handmade reissue of the Jackie album.

Later in 1973, DeShannon recorded four tracks for Atlantic that she wrote with Van Morrison. However, as was the case with the songs she recorded with Tom Dowd, only one of these tracks, “Sweet Sixteen,” was originally released as a single. Now, All the Love—The Lost Atlantic Recordings brings together  DeShannon's entire 1973 Atlantic Records material in one place for the first time, featuring seven previously unreleased tracks along with her rendition of “Drift Away” that was intended for a single before the Dobie Gray cover version. Liner notes by Joe Marchese feature quotes from Jackie, who is thrilled to have these songs finally heard together in full, proper context after forty years. Rare photos, too…a major addition to Grammy Award-winning, Songwriter Hall of Fame member Jackie DeShannon’s discography!

Songs:

1. When I'm Gone

2. Drift Away

3. All The Love That's In You

4. Speak Out To Me

5. Hydra

6. Your Old Lady's Leaving

7. Grand Canyon Blues

8. Sweet Soul Singer (Unreleased)

9. Good Old Song (Unreleased)

10. Easy Evil (Unreleased)

11. If You Like My Music (Unreleased)

12. Free The People (Unreleased)

13. Spare Me A Little of Your Love (Unreleased)

14. Don't Think Twice, It's Alright (Unreleased)

Bonus tracks with Van Morrison:

15. Sweet Sixteen

16. Flamingos Fly

17. Santa Fe

18. The Wonder Of You

GRACE JONES - HER FIRST THREE ALBUMS (PORTFOLIO, FAME & MUSE) RELEASED ON VINYL

Signed to Chris Blackwell’s Island Records, Jones’ three albums Portfolio, Fame and Muse were produced by none other than Tom Moulton, ‘the father of the disco mix,’ who earned his title by assembling the first continuous mix side of an album in 1974 with Gloria Gaynor’s Never Can Say Goodbye. After working with the Three Degrees, MFSB and Trammps, he was hot property, and Jones seemed a natural choice for him to work with.

‘The Disco Years’ is a beguiling time capsule, bringing together Ms Jones’s three pivotal, era-defining albums recorded for Island Records from the late-‘70s, Studio 54 disco epoch. Produced by Tom Moulton, the undisputed ‘father of the disco mix’, and recorded at Sigma Sound studios in Philadelphia, ‘Portfolio’, ‘Fame’ and ‘Muse’ are three of the most disco-sounding records of all time. Scarcely available on vinyl for many years, ‘The Disco Box’ re-presents the three albums as a single collection over four 180GM vinyl LPs, lovingly remastered and with a bonus LP containing the hard-to-find singles and B-sides from the era.

Tracklisting

VINYL ONE: PORTFOLIO, Island ILPS 9470, released December 9, 1977

Side A

1. Send In The Clowns

2. What I Did For Love

3. Tomorrow

Side B

1. La Vie En Rose

2. Sorry

3. That’s The Trouble

4. I Need A Man

VINYL TWO: FAME, Island ILPS 9525, released August 4, 1978.

Side A

1. Do Or Die

2. Pride

3. Fame

Side B

1. Autumn Leaves

2. All On A Summer’s Night

3. Am I Ever Gonna Fall In Love In New York City

4. Below The Belt

VINYL THREE: MUSE, Island ILPS 9538, released September 7, 1979.

Side A

1. Sinning

2. Suffer

3. Repentance (Forgive Me)

4. Saved

Side B

1. Atlantic City Gambler

2. I’ll Find My Way To You

3. Don’t Mess With The Messer

4. On Your Knees

VINYL LP FOUR: SINGLES

Side A

1. Sorry (Long Version)

Released as the a-side of Beam Junction 12” single 12-BJ 1001 (US).

2. That’s The Trouble (Long Version)

Released as the b-side of Beam Junction 12” single 12-BJ 1001 (US).

3. I Need A Man (Long Version)

Released as the a-side of Beam Junction 12” single 12-BJ 1004 (US).

4. La Vie En Rose (Short Version)

Released as the a-side of Island 7” single IS-098 (US) and WIP 6415 (UK).

Side B

1. Do Or Die (12” Disco Version)

Released as the a-side of Island 12” single IS 1008 (US) and 12 WIP 6450 (UK).

2. Comme Un Oiseau Qui S’Envole (Long Version)

Released as the b-side of Island 12” single IS 1008 (US) and 12 WIP 6450 (UK).

3. On Your Knees (12” Disco Version)

Released as the a-side of Island 12” single DISD 8869 (US) and 12X WIP 6511 (UK).

4. Don’t Mess With The Messer (Long Version)

Released as the b-side of Island 12” single DISD 8869 (US) and 12X WIP 6511 (UK).

JORGE BEN: BEN (EXPANDED EDITION)

If there was one thing that all the movements that swept Brazilian popular music during the ‘60s and ‘70s—bossa nova, Jovem Guarda, Tropicalia, Música Popular Brasileira, samba soul, Black Rio—had in common, it was that they all revered Jorge Ben. That’s because Ben incorporated aspects of all their styles without compromising his own; as Caetano Veloso put it, “Jorge Ben, without attempting an artificial or homogenizing ‘fusion,’ came through with a strong, original sound, confronting a body of issues from the opposite end, that of the finished treatment, while we were groping and coming up with varied and incomplete solutions.” Now, Real Gone Music and Dusty Groove are embarking on a long-awaited tour through Ben’s catalog, starting with his 1972 masterpiece, Ben. This is the album that made Jorge Ben a superstar in Brazil, a lean marvel of rhythmic and melodic concision that contains some of his most indelible, durable songs, like the first version of “Taj Mahal” and his ode to his favorite soccer player, “Fio Maravilha.” Even better, we’ve added seven rare bonus tracks, including a fast-paced 1972 version of his first big hit “Mas Que Nada” and a super rare single with Gilberto Gil, “Jazz Potatoes.” Peter Margasak’s notes place Ben’s career and album in historical context. Peerless Brazilian pop, out on CD for the first time outside of Brazil.

SONGS:

1.   Morre o Burro, Fica o Homem

2.   O Circo Chegou

3.   Paz e Arroz

4.   Moça

5.   Domingo 23

6,   Fio Maravilha

7.   Quem Cochicha o Rabo Espicha

8.   Caramba!...Galileu da Gaililéia

9.   Que Nega é Essa

10. As Rosas Eram Todas Amarelas

11. Taj Mahal

Bonus tracks

12. Caramba!... Galileu da Galiléia

13. Jazz Potatoes Jorge Ben & Gilberto Gil

14. Maria Luiza (em Castelhano)

15. Mas Que Nada (Com Mais Swing)

16. Sai de Mim Mulher” (Versão Mas Acelerada)

17. Sai de Mim Mulher (Versão Mais Suave)

18. Salve América  (Inédita)

~ Real Gone Music

THE MARVIN GAYE COLLECTION: 1961-1965

USM are pleased to announce the release of Marvin Gaye: 1961-1965, a collection of his first seven studio albums on 180g vinyl in one fantastic box. This includes the stereo mixes of The Soulful Moods Of Marvin Gaye, That Stubborn Kind Of Fellow and When I’m Alone I Cry released as LPs for the first time ever.

Marvin Gaye was originally a member of The Marquees, later known as The New Moonglows under co-founder Harvey Fuqua’s direction. The group recorded several sides for Chess in 1959, including the song "Mama Loocie", which was Marvin's first lead vocal recording. The group found work as session singers for established acts such as Chuck Berry, singing on the hits "Back in the U.S.A." and "Almost Grown". In 1960 the group disbanded and Marvin relocated to Detroit with Fuqua where he signed with Tri-Phi Records as a session musician. Impressed by the singer, Motown president Berry Gordy fought Fuqua on his contract with Marvin and shortly afterwards, Marvin signed with Motown subsidiary Tamla.

In 1962, he found success as co-writer of the Marvelettes hit, "Beechwood 4-5789". His first solo hit, "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", was later released that September, reaching number 8 on the R&B chart and number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100. He reached the top 50 with the dance song, "Hitch Hike", speaking at number 30 on the Hot 100. "Pride and Joy" became his first top ten single after its release in 1963.

In 1964, he recorded a successful duet album with singer Mary Wells titled Together, which reached 42 on the pop album chart. The album's two-sided single, including "Once Upon a Time" and "What's the Matter With You Baby", each reached the top 20. Marvin’s next solo hit, "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", written for him by Holland-Dozier-Holland, reached number 6 on the Hot 100 and reached the top 50 in the UK.

Commonly referred to as the ‘Prince of Soul’, Marvin Gaye helped to shape the sound of Motown Records during this period and was one of the greatest voices to emerge from the label. Here we celebrate his early years, the first of three vinyl boxed sets spanning his catalogue.

Tracklisting

THE SOULFUL MOODS OF MARVIN GAYE

SIDE A

1. MASQUERADE

2. FUNNY VALENTINE

3. WITCHCRAFT

4. EASY LIVING

5. HOW DEEP THE OCEAN

SIDE B

1. LOVE FOR SALE

2. ALWAYS

3. HOW HIGH THE MOON

4. LET YOUR CONSCIENCE BE YOUR GUIDE

5. NEVER LET YOU GO

6. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS

THAT STUBBORN KIND OF FELLOW

SIDE A

1. STUBBORN KIND OF FELLOW

2. PRIDE & JOY

3. HITCH HIKE

4. GET MY HANDS ON SOME LOVIN’

5. WHEREVER I LAY MY HAT

SIDE B

1. SOLDIER’S PLEA

2. IT HURT ME TOO

3. TAKING MY TIME

4. HELLO THERE ANGEL

5. I’M YOURS, YOU’RE MINE

WHEN I’M ALONE I CRY

SIDE A

1. YOU’VE CHANGED

2. I WAS TELLING HER ABOUT YOU

3. I WONDER

4. I’LL BE AROUND

5. BECAUSE OF YOU

SIDE B

1. I DON’T KNOW WHY

2. I’VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO HER FACE

3. WHEN YOUR LOVER HAS GONE

4. WHEN I’M ALONE I CRY

5. IF MY HEART COULD SING

HELLO BROADWAY....THIS IS MARVIN!

SIDE A

1. HELLO BROADWAY

2. PEOPLE

3. THE PARTY’S OVER

4. ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE

5. WHAT KIND OF FOOL I AM

6. MY KIND OF TOWN

SIDE B

1. THE DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES

2. THIS IS THE LIFE

3. MY WAY

4. HELLO DOLLY

5. WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

TOGETHER with Mary Wells

SIDE A

1. ONCE UPON A TIME

2. DEED I DO

3. UNTIL I MET YOU

4. TOGETHER

5. (I love you) FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS

SIDE B

1. THE LATE LATE SHOW

2. AFTER THE LIGHTS GO DOWN LOW

3. SQUEEZE ME

4. WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU BABY

5. YOU CAME A LONG WAY FROM ST.LOUIS

HOW SWEAT IT IS TO BE LOVED BY YOU

SIDE A

1. YOU’RE A WONDERFUL ONE

2. HOW SWEET IT IS (TO BE LOVED BY YOU)

3. TRY IT BABY

4. BABY DON’T YOU DO IT

5. NEED YOUR LOVIN’ (WANT YOU BACK)

6. ONE OF THESE DAYS

SIDE B

1. NO GOOD WITHOUT YOU

2. STEPPING CLOSER TO YOUR HEART

3. NEED SOMEBODY

4. ME AND MY LONELY ROOM

5. NOW THAT YOU’VE WON ME

6. FOREVER

A TRIBUTE TO NAT KING COLE

SIDE A

1. NATURE BOY

2. RAMBLIN’ ROSE

3. TOO YOUNG

4. PRETEND

5. STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT

6. MONA LISA

SIDE B

1. UNFORGETTABLE

2. TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

3. SWEET LORRAINE

4. IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON

5. SEND FOR ME

6. CALYPSO BLUES

MAXWELL, ERYKAH BADU, R. KELLY, TONI BRAXTON, RUN-D.M.C., SHEILA E., JEFFREY OSBORNE, PEABO BRYSON, FREDDY JACKSON, BRIAN CULBERTSON & THE JAZZ IN THE GARDENS ALLSTARS HEADLINE THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS' 10TH ANNUAL JAZZ IN THE GARDENS MUSIC FESTIVAL

The City of Miami Gardens is proud to present the 10th Annual Jazz in the Gardens (JITG) music festival at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. The two-day music festival from March 21-22, 2015, will feature: Maxwell, Toni Braxton, R. Kelly, Erykah Badu, Run-D.M.C., Sheila E., Brian Culbertson, Men of Soul's Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson, and Freddie Jackson, and Jazz in the Gardens All Stars Ronnie Laws, Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, and Tom Browne. Comedians and nationally-syndicated radio personalities D.L. Hughley and Rickey Smiley will co-host the festival.

Jazz in the Gardens will also feature local artists Valerie Tyson and Karina Iglesias of "The Voice" along with more than 40 exotic food vendors, an action-packed Vendor Marketplace, and the most anticipated lineup for the City's milestone 10th year of its signature event. On Saturday and Sunday, doors to the festival will open at 3 p.m. and the show will start at 4 p.m. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster or http://www.jazzinthegardens.com.

The Women's Impact Conference and Luncheon (WICL) will kick off the Jazz in the Gardens Weekend on Friday, March 20, at the Miramar Cultural Center with the theme "THERE'S NO 'S' ON MY CHEST BUT A HERO LIVES WITHIN." The event will feature keynote speaker reality show personality Omarosa Manigault and R&B vocalist Howard Hewett. Friday night Rickey Smiley and a few special guests from his morning show will host the Official Jazz in the Gardens Pre-Party featuring The D.M.C. Band, a comedy show, live entertainment and dancing.

"Without a doubt, this is our most exciting lineup yet," said City of Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert. "And by the reports on ticket sales, there's no denying it. There is no sunnier, breezier, or better place to enjoy your favorite exotic food, good friends and amazing live performances than in the Gardens in springtime. We welcome our guests who travel from all over the world to celebrate our milestone 10th year of the fastest growing jazz and R&B festival in America."

Predicted early on to break last year's record of 68,000 tickets sold, tracking a 15% increase in ticket sales, JITG '10 is well on its way to breaking its record for an anticipated 71,000 tickets sold.