NEW RELEASES: GROOVALLEGIENCE - 10 SUPER RARE ORIGINAL FUNKY TRACKS FROM THE LATE 60s TO THE EARLY 70s; THE SURE FIRE SOUL ENSEMBLE; BARTON RAGE / BILL LASWELL - REALM

GROOVALLEGIENCE - 10 SUPER RARE ORIGINAL FUNKY TRACKS FROM THE LATE 60s TO THE EARLY 70s

The title's a reference to a Funkadelic song, but the set's a much deeper batch of grooves – really rare tracks from the funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – pulled together in one massively groovy piece of wax! There's a lot of hip twists and turns in the music – not just the usual funky offshoots of James Brown and Stax, but some plenty creative instrumentation that brings in some jazzy flourishes, unusual time changes, and raw production styles to really make the music sparkle! Titles include "I Don't Know Nothing Else To Tell You But I Love You" by Monica, "Trolly" by New Directions, "Introduction" by the Concepts, "And I Love You" by Darling Dears, "JB's Latin" by Spitting Image, "Blues For The Bs" by TJ & The Group, "Foxy" by Sam Jacobs, and "Nighttime On The Beach Island" by Cool Creations Of St Maarten. ~ Dusty Groove.

THE SURE FIRE SOUL ENSEMBLE

A mighty full length debut from the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble – a group we've really been digging on funky 45s, and who seem to serve up even more great work in the space of an album! The sound here is deeper than the usual funky combo – with some of the more complicated lines and colors that have shown up in only a few of the best second generation deep funk combos – like El Michels or Menahen Street Band – and these guys really change things up nicely by bringing in some slight global funk elements, while still keeping their core groove in a style that's firmly rooted in the good ol' US of A! The Fender Rhodes and organ lines are especially nice – and titles include "Layin Low", "The Hunt", "City Heights", "Sweltering Heights", "Passing Clouds", and "Sander's Lament".  ~ Dusty Groove.

BARTON RAGE / BILL LASWELL - REALM

The "Realm" project is a concept series of albums aimed at connecting ideas that revolutionized popular music from the 80s and 90s onward - involving genres such as Hip Hop, Ambient and Drum & Bass, coupled with contemporary extensions expressed in styles such as Future Jazz, Electronica, Dub Step, etc.The primary philosophy driving this series is to create singular identities within each album. Each work is crafted with the unique sound and style of artists who have created shape-shifting music, as well as partnerships with modern contributors. The first album, "Realm I," was made in collaboration with renowned producer and musician Bill Laswell, whose groundbreaking work can be heard across music's conventional stylistic boundaries. Barton Rage is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer/arranger & producer. His music draws upon many different genres, mainly avant-garde and future jazz, but also funk, fusion, metal, world, classical, reggae, drum 'n' bass, dub, and ambient music. He incorporates diverse styles to explore open minded ways of expression in harmonic, melodic and rhythmic development. His composing methods focus on intuitive approach to sound and dynamics in music as a whole, aiming at creating a self existing esthetic sound flow experience in each work. Rage's music can be characterized as morphing sounds and melodic noises of not clearly distinguishable electronic and acoustic instruments. Gradual transformation of textures into clear melodies, "alien" sounding improvisation or rich spheric background sounds, play a big role in an emotional development of each song. Also rhythmic grooves in melodic instruments as well as drum and percussive instruments undergo a metric mutation between chaotic and steady beats - chaos within order, and order within chaos.

Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet Celebrates 10th Anniversary With 5th CD "10"

Gabriel Alegria 10 A decade of musical innovation by Gabriel Alegría's Afro-Peruvian Sextet is something to celebrate, and the ensemble marks this anniversary in glorious style with the release of 10, due for release August 7 by ZOHO Music. The program on the band's 5th CD is richly infused with Alegría's trademark synthesis of folkloric Afro-Peruvian rhythms, jazz, and other musical strains. 

"It's a concept album," Alegría says. "For our 10th anniversary, we wanted to give special care to American and Peruvian standards. It all comes together in the arrangements in the Afro-Peruvian style. We've incorporated many guest artists, people who have helped us along the way. Most importantly, we've brought together jazz musicians with eminent Peruvian musicians, and we're the glue that holds it together."

The band's unique blend of deep scholarship and playfulness is evident throughout, with each piece serving as a statement about the delicate balance required to keep one foot in New York and one in Lima: "My Favorite Things," Juan Tizol's "Caravan," and Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" set to a sensuous festejo rhythm; Joe Zawinul's "Birdland" performed as a tribute to the great Peruvian percussionist Alex Acuña, formerly of Weather Report; ingenious renditions of the American and Peruvian national anthems. 

Guests including bass legend Ron Carter, Grammy Award-winning pianist Arturo O'Farrill, Yellowjackets keyboardist Russell Ferrante, and tabla expert and Miles Davis alumnus Badal Roy augment the sextet, half of whose players are based in Alegría's native Lima and half in New York City, where he is a Professor of Jazz Studies at New York University.

Freddy "Huevito" Lobatón, a founding member of the sextet, is a master of Afro-Peruvian percussion who grounds the band in the folkloric textures of the box-like cajón, the cajita, and the quijada (made from the jaw bone of an ass). Drummer Hugo Alcázar, also a founding member, incorporates the cajón into his drum kit's polyrhythmic feel, while American-born drummer Shirazette Tinnin gracefully navigates the predominantly 12/8 beats. Alegría shares the front line with tenor saxophonist Laura Andrea Leguía, a tremendously expressive player who helped found the band. Peruvian criollo guitarist Yuri Juárez provides expertly calibrated rhythmic support and telegraphic solos. In New York, bass duties are shared by two veteran masters, Puerto Rican-born John Benitez and Nigerian-American Essiet Essiet. 

Gabriel Alegria Born (1970) and raised in Lima, Perú, Gabriel Alegría has divided his time between Perú and the United States throughout his life. He attended high school in Gambier, Ohio, where his famous playwright father, Alonso Alegría, was a visiting professor at Kenyon College at the time. Playing an arrangement of "'Round Midnight" in his high school band led him to purchase a Miles Davis recording of the tune. The difference between the chart he was playing and the way Davis played it was a revelation to the 16-year-old trumpeter. The realization that "You can do your own thing with something and create your own ideas and identity" would help him years later in merging the Afro-Peruvian sounds of his homeland with American jazz music. 

After receiving his bachelor's degree at Kenyon, Alegría enrolled at City College of New York and earned an M.A. under the tutelage of Ron Carter. He then returned to Perú for seven years, five of them spent in the trumpet section of the Lima Philharmonic while moonlighting as a jazz and rock musician around the capital city. He relocated to Los Angeles and spent four and a half years at the University of Southern California, where the Afro-Peruvian Sextet first came together in 2005. While at USC (he earned his doctorate in 2007), Alegría studied, worked, toured, and recorded with his mentor Bobby Shew, vocalist Tierney Sutton, trombonist Bill Watrous, and keyboardist/composer Russell Ferrante -- all of whom contributed to the sextet's debut CD, Nuevo Mundo (Saponegro Records, 2008). 

The band released three more albums on Saponegro -- Pucusana (2010), El Secreto del Jazz Afroperuano (2012), and Ciudad de Los Reyes (2013) -- in its crusade "to spread Afro-Peruvian jazz music to the world," says the trumpeter. 

"New York is a place that's almost an orgy of people mixing things," Alegría says. "You have to be careful to present things on their own terms. We work very hard to make sure each of the traditions is employed correctly, really knowing the background before we use it. That helped set the band apart and get attention."

  

As part of their anniversary festivities, Gabriel Alegría and his Afro-Peruvian Sextet will be in residence at New York's Zinc Bar this fall, performing on two Thursday nights each month beginning in August, through December (8/17, 8/20; 9/10, 9/17; 10/8, 10/15; 11/12, 11/19; 12/10, 12/17). Additional appearances -- in New York, Lima, and beyond -- will be announced soon.

Saxophonist KENYON CARTER releases GAME ON

A pivotal album inspired by a pivotal, life-changing experience, “Game On” is the apropos title of Kenyon Carter’s forthcoming album, a ten-song set of originals that the saxophonist wrote and produced in this “Go for it!” moment in his career. Due August 14, his third disc knocks it out of the park with an MVP assist from guitar great Chuck Loeb (Fourplay), a contemporary jazz heavyweight who trades ferocious licks with Carter’s spirited tenor horn. There’s a sense of urgency to the cut that can be directly attributed to an incident in Carter’s not too distant past that informs everything the Atlanta-based artist does in life and career. 

Carter’s arm was mangled in a car crash resulting in severe radial nerve damage. Doctors didn’t know if the appendage would ever function normally again thus putting the musician’s career choice in peril. Undeterred, Carter utilized a specially-designed therapy glove, spending countless hours daily for eight months trying to relearn how to play sax. Since he couldn’t perform at the time, he taught others to play and in time, with hard work, full use of the arm returned. Realizing how close he was to losing his dream, Carter recommitted himself towards achieving his career goals in music.   

Earlier albums introduced Carter to the masses, charted and collected national airplay. The third album seemed like a milestone thus Carter focused on elevating his game feeling like the time to breakthrough in a big way is now. Hitting full stride artistically, he ably demonstrates his proficiency as a player on tenor, soprano and baritone sax while constructing layers of rhythmic grooves that buttress sweet melodies and lush harmonies. Whether serenely serenading, dexterously exploring the outer limits on a meandering run or uncorking fiery wails as if his life depended upon it, Carter’s saxplay serves in the best interest of the ensnaring melodies and gripping rhythms without overstepping or over dramatizing.  

While the record was being recorded, Carter issued a single to radio to stir up an appetite for the full session. The head-bopping funkster “Jammin’ On Jupiter” was one of the most added singles on the Billboard chart in its debut week. The title track opens the proceedings and is the second single heading to radio ahead of the album’s street date. Starting coyly, a knowing glance breaks into the charming “Just A Smile.” The heart-tugging “Going Home” is warmly moving and beautiful amidst a stripped down acoustic setting. “Sea Of Abaco” floats upon a soothing soprano sax wave of tranquility. The album was recorded using Carter’s well-rehearsed live band, who challenge with complex time changes and a brisk vacillating pace on “Moving Forward,” a number that the soprano-yielding Carter describes as navigating “a bridge between straight-ahead and contemporary jazz.” Cool jazz illuminates “Wine On Eight,” a seductive happy hour social invitation while the mellow vibes continue on “Lights Down Low.” Intimacy pervades the poignant “In This Moment” before Carter & Company close the album with the rousing “Here We Go,” concluding with some of the saxman’s most feverish play on the recording.                         

  

Carter has a pair of Atlanta-area album launch concert dates booked for mid-August (Aug. 15 at Marietta Jazz & Jokes at Historic Marietta Square and Aug. 22 in Alpharetta at The Velvet Note) to help parlay the hometown momentum into national prominence.

DONALD VEGA Celebrates Monty Alexander on WITH RESPECT TO MONTY

In celebration of the Jamaican jazz icon, Monty Alexander, pianist Donald Vega puts together a hard-swinging compilation of Monty's great, early compositions. With Respect To Monty features an all-star lineup of Anthony Wilson (guitar), Hassan Shakur (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums).

Since his debut on Resonance Records, Spiritual Nature (2012), Vega is entirely his own man, completely in command of his material. As the late, great Mulgrew Miller's replacement in the Ron Carter Trio, Vega has big shoes to fill and does so admirably. His wide appreciation of piano maestros is spotlighted with this new release that includes seven original Monty Alexander masterpieces.

Much like Monty, Donald approaches the piano with technical prowess, yet with a sense of playfulness and light spirit. Both men share a warm touch to the instrument - melodic and free. The trio of Vega, Shakur and Nash has an intimate working relationship. Shakur's bass is a solid anchor, while Nash's colorful, rhythmic drumming is chameleon-like, adapting effortlessly to each piece. Add to that the imagination, depth and precision playing of guitar virtuoso Anthony Wilson - and you have a winning combination. From thoughtful, slow ballads to bouncy uptempo originals, they cover the bases. Vega smiles, "My heart is in the swing, no matter what style I play. The goal is always to make it feel good."

Vega continues, "The way that Monty plays and writes seems to come from a place of what feels good to him too. At least in the tunes we selected, he likes the lighter, happier keys. There's room to breathe on solos. He's got an incredible imagination; great ears, great chops; and a killer left hand."

Resonance Records' President George Klabin explains, "The whole challenge was to find a pianist who was willing to do this project and who would fit the style of Monty's music. Monty, I just want to say you've touched my life. You've given me a great deal of happiness. I hope that this music will give back what you've given to the world."

"I am greatly delighted that the fantastic, inventive pianist Donald Vega has applied his wonderful creativity to compositions of mine. I enjoyed his unique interpretations." - Monty Alexander

Donald Vega's personal heroes include Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Monty Alexander, Ahmad Jamal, Hank Jones, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Kenny Barron, and Mulgrew Miller, and he draws upon those influences, while developing his own sound. In the process, he establishes his pride of place in any informed conversation about the upper echelons of pianistic jazz expression.

Vega's fluent discourse in their various dialects masks his origins in Sandinista-era Nicaragua, where he spent the first fourteen years of his journey. His mother brought him to Los Angeles at age 14, where he would eventually meet drum icon Billy Higgins. 

Higgins nurtured Vega's will to swing, to play jazz without a "Latin accent." "I played with him, but also he gave me tapes of Bud Powell and Charlie Parker without telling me who they were," Vega says. "I didn't know Higgins was a star who had recorded with everyone, only that this nice man was taking me under his wing. So I made a conscious decision to go deeper."

In 2005, he received a scholarship to Manhattan School of Music. During his two years at MSM, where he received a Masters and for a subsequent two years at Juilliard, he studied with Kenny Barron. 

With his two releases on Resonance Records - Spiritual Nature (2012) and the brand new With Respect To Monty (2015) - Vega continues the forward momentum of his snowballing success. Vega proves once again that he is one of the finest pianists on the planet.    

TRACKS

1. Eleuthera (5:30)

2. 3000 Miles Ago (7:07)

3. Compassion (6:23)

4. Slippery (6:08)

5. Consider (6:11)

6. Mango Rengue (5:55)

7. Renewal (7:07)

8. You Can See (6:25)

9. Sweet Lady (5:00)

10. The Gathering (6:55)

NEW RELEASES: SEVEN DAVIS JR. - UNVERSES; JAGA JAZZIST – STARFIRE; PRAXIS - SOUND VIRUS

SEVEN DAVIS JR. - UNVERSES

Universes of sound within the mind of Seven Davis – a record that he dedicates both to those who've bullied him as well as supported him – with the idea that all of their input has made him stronger as an artist! You can definitely hear that strength on this overstuffed full length set – a record that has the cosmic bristle we first loved from London groups like 4Hero years ago, but mixed with the sort of more messed-up vibe that's come from the Detroit underground over the past decade or so – kind of an American reinterpretation of broken beats, after the overseas forces that created them forged their own vision of American house and electronica. Titles include "Imagination", "Freedom", "Everybody Too Cool", "Be A Man", "Fighters", "Sunday Morning", "Good Vibes", and "No Worries". 2CD package comes with the bonus Life In Deep Space set – with the cuts "Galaxy", "Stars", "Deep Space", and "Dimensions". ~ Dusty Groove

JAGA JAZZIST – STARFIRE

Some of the spaciest, most open-ended work we've heard so far from Jaga Jazzist – a record that has the group hitting new cosmic heights on these long tracks that step out with a fair bit of musical intensity! Keyboards are at the core – often with a very vintage feel, and mixed with acoustic instrumentation in a way that recalls fusion, but isn't exactly that at all – instead maybe a more contemporary mode inspired by the most striking electric jazz explorations of the 70s, but taken into very new territory of its own. Titles include "Starfire", "Big City Music", "Shinkansen", "Oban", and "Prungen". ~ Dusty Groove

PRAXIS - SOUND VIRUS 

Post modern super group with an ever changing line-up. Mutant Metal, Noise, Dub and beyond... The core group of virtuoso guitar shredder Buckethead, futurist bassist / producer Bill Laswell and drummer Brain (Guns N' Roses, Primus, Godflesh, Tom Waits) is joined here by legendary composer / saxophonist John Zorn, Mick Harris, (Napalm Death, Scorn, Painkiller) and Yamatsuka Eye (Boredoms). Restored, enhanced, edited and remastered from original recordings. Intense, dark, humorous and virtuosic. An uncompromising ride. Play it loud! Tracks: Suspension; Warcraft Triad; Skull Crack Cathedral; Inferno; Low Time Machine; Stronghold; Turbine; and Nine.

NEW RELEASES: MIKE LEDONNE - AWWRIGHT!; IRA COHEN / BILL LASWELL - ON BRION GYSIN; HIDEO YAMAKI / BILL LASWELL - UNTAKEN PATH

MIKE LEDONNE - AWWRIGHT!

Organist Mike LeDonne works here with his well-named Groover Quartet – a sweet combo that backs the leader on Hammond with Eric Alexander on tenor, Peter Bernstein on guitar, and Joe Farnsworth on drums! That rock-solid lineup brings plenty to bear on the record – and Alexander's tenor alone is worth the price of admission – very well-suited to the sound of the organ, given that Eric came up from the south side in the band of Charles Earland, and really knows how to blow alongside a Hammond. The set also features guest trumpet from Jeremy Pelt on a few cuts – whose tone here is crisper and more focused than usual – and the legendary Bob Cranshaw throws in a few Prestige Records-styled basslines on a few cuts, although Mike can more than handle the bass parts with the action of his foot on the pedals of the Hammond. Titles include "Love Don't Love Nobody", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "The Boss", "Mary Lou's Blues", "Hadley Joe", and "Awwlright".  ~ Dusty Groove

IRA COHEN / BILL LASWELL - ON BRION GYSIN

Ira Cohen - The original Majoun traveler. Poet, artist, mystic, pioneer of mylar photography. In collaboration with iconoclast musician / producer, Bill Laswell - presenting a tribute to avant-garde master Brion Gysin - visionary painter, writer - inventor, accomplished shaman and true voyager of the inner space age. On Ira Cohen: "Ira Cohen, the wizard of Tangier and the sage of Kathmandu." - William S. Burroughs;  "The man who lives in the Land of the Muezzin." - Jorge Luis Borges; "Ira Cohen is a real heavyweight." - Paul Bowles. Tracks: On Brion Gysin 1; On Brion Gysin 2; and Elegy.

HIDEO YAMAKI / BILL LASWELL - UNTAKEN PATH

A coded dialog between acoustic drums and electric bass. Master percussionist, Hideo Yamaki - Japan's premiere drummer, most respected, most recored, most in demand...without peer. From J-pop to free jazz, folkloric to metal... A true Kaijyu of universal rhythm... In duet here with American bassist Bill Laswell, presenting an intuitive duel of intense hypercussion vs fluid low end assault... overflowing, extending, colliding, unfolding... 2 voices, 2 directions. In search of the same mirage. Born in Kumamoto, Japan. In ʻ74, he moved to Tokyo, in ʼ78 he formed legendary experimental rock band MARIAH with leading sax player Yasuaki Shimizu, later joined jazz guitar master, Kazumi Watanabeʼs Band. He is also known for being the long time drummer for trumpet virtuoso, Toshinori Kondo & IMA. Yamaki has worked with numerous artists and musicians from all over the world: Arto Lindsay, John Zorn, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ginger Baker, Bernie Worrell, Hosono Haruomi, David Sylvian, SamulNori, Bill Bruford, Foday Musa Suso , Bill Laswell, to name a few. Reack: Untaken Path 15:32.

Allen Toussaint – The Real Thing 1970 to 1975, features a trio of albums

A trio of albums from this legendary New Orleans soul singer – all of them great! First up is Toussaint – a seminal album from Allen Toussaint – his first big move as a solo act, and the start of some great fame that would blossom even more strongly in the 70s! This indie effort has a rougher edge than Allen's later albums at Warner Brothers – a sly, wicked slow funk approach that's a real transformation of the older New Orleans groove for a hipper, more contemporary 70s audience. The instrumentation is relatively lean – with lots of nice organ and piano lines alongside slow-stepping and vamping rhythms – and the set was actually recorded in LA, but still has very strong roots in New Orleans! Titles include the classic "From A Whisper To A Scream", plus "Working In A Coal Mine", "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", "What Is Success", "Either", "Louie", and "Number Nine" – a few of which are hip piano instrumentals! 

Life, Love, & Faith is a set that may well be his funkiest album ever! The set features 12 tracks from the early 70s – a time when Toussaint was mixing a bit of funk into the heavy soul mix that he'd had from his early days in the Crescent City scene – coming up with a blend that's even darker, and more powerful than all his famous production and projects of the 60s! And while some of Allen's later work tended towards cliche, this record captures him right at that perfect point when all of this was totally fresh – delivered with a razor-sharp edge, and with great instrumental help from New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, Zig Modeliste, and George Porter Jr – all of whom make the album groove harder than most of the other soul albums on Warner at the time. Titles include "Soul Sister", "Victims Of The Darkness", "Am I Expecting Too Much", "Out Of The City", "Goin Down", "Electricity", "Fingers & Toes", and "On Your Way Down".

Southern Nights is damn great work from Allen Toussaint – a record that was cut at a time when he'd really made his way into the mainstream of American music, yet could still come across with a hard New Orleans groove! The title cut, "Southern Nights", is a perfect illustration of this fact – as it was written by Toussaint, but became a big hit for Glen Campbell, who recorded a very soppy version of the number. Yet here, Allen turns it into a weird trippy tune – produced with great Sansu production, and backing by New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, George Porter, and Art Neville – all of whom help the tune bristle with new energy, and a really sinister groove. The rest of the record continues in a similar vein – with a spacey LA mellow sound that actually works great for Toussaint's vocals, and gives them a wild flanged-out sound that's pretty amazing – and downright spooky at points! Titles include "Southern Nights", "Basic Lady", "Last Train", "Worldwide", "You Will Not Lose", "When The Party's Over", and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Number Nine" and "Poor Folks".  ~ Dusty Groove

 

NEW RELEASES: MAHAVRISHNU ORCHESTRA – BIRDS OF FIRE; LARRY CARLTON / DAVID T. WALKER @ BILLBOARD LIVE TOKYO; TRACY HAMLIN – NO LIMITS

MAHAVRISHNU ORCHESTRA – BIRDS OF FIRE (Limited Edition 4.0 Quad SACD)

Marshall Blonstein's Audio Fidelity is releasing the classic fusion album Birds of Fire by the Mahavishnu Orchestra as a limited edition Hybrid 4.0 Quad SACD. Birds of Fire is Mahavishnu Orchestra's second album. It was released in the first half of 1973 and is the last studio album released by the original Mahavishnu Orchestra line-up before the group dissolved. The album became a major crossover hit, rising to number 15 on the pop album charts, and it remains the key item in the slim discography of the first Mahavishnu Orchestra. Although it has much of the screaming rock energy of the band's first album, Inner Mounting Flame, Birds of Fire is audibly more varied in texture, even more tightly organized, and more musical in content. A remarkable example of precisely choreographed, high-speed solo trading - with John McLaughlin, Jerry Goodman, and Jan Hammer all of one mind, supported by Billy Cobham's machine-gun drumming and Rick Laird's dancing bass. Birds of Fire consists solely of compositions by John McLaughlin. This includes the track “Miles Beyond (Miles Davis)”, which McLaughlin dedicated to his friend and former bandleader. The SACD booklet features a poem entitled “Revelation” by Sri Chinmoy.

LARRY CARLTON / DAVID T. WALKER @ BILLBOARD LIVE TOKYO

For the first time, guitar greats Larry Carlton and David T. Walker share the stage. Recorded at the Billboard Live in Tokyo, Japan, this album features classics composed by Larry as well as David T. You will enjoy taking a step back in time with tracks like the Crusaders "The Well's Gone Dry" and the groovy blues tune "My Baby By My Side." Full tracklisting: Burnable; Nite Crawler; March Of The Jazz Angels; Soul Food Café; A Place For Skipper; 10 PM; The Well's Gone Dry; Feel Like Makin' Love; and My Baby By My Side.

TRACY HAMLIN – NO LIMITS

From the sound of this set, Tracy Hamlin's a singer with no limits at all – both in the sound of her music, and the joyous energy she brings to this album! The set's not Tracy's first, but it's got this bold power that makes us feel like we're discovering the singer all over again – as Hamlin emerges with this pride and positive sensibility that sets the record on fire from the very first note – and really keeps things burning strong all the way through. There's a slight touch of classic soul in the mix – echoes of some of the best 70s female soul singers – but there's nothing retro about the record at all, because the whole thing's clearly cast in Hamlin's own voice – which is very strong indeed. Frank McComb guests on the track "My Good Day" – and other titles include "Cover Me", "No Limits", "Givin Me Sumthin", "Forever With You", "One Day In Your Life", and "Plans For Two". CD also features four bonus remixes, too!  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: JASON ROEBKE – NO LIMITS; DWAYNE CLEMONS – LIVE AT SMALLS; JIMI TENOR & UMO - MYSTERIUM MAGNUM

JASON ROEBKE – NO LIMITS

One of the few dates as a leader we've ever seen from trumpeter Dwayne Clemons – a player who spent more than a few years on the New York scene, and is right at home here in the Live At Smalls series! The set's got a nice old fashioned live vibe to it – players opening up on a range of jazz classics – each taking their turn in the solo spotlight, getting plenty of space to perform, and matching Clemons' vibe as a leader – in ways that maybe take us back to similar live recordings from vintage years – such as sets at the Lighthouse or Birdland! In addition to Clemons on trumpet, other players include Josh Benko on alto and baritone, Sacha Perry on piano, Murray Wall and Jon Roche on bass, and Jimmy Wormworth on drums – on titles that include "Down With It", "Bean Soup", "Salute To Band In Box", "Roccus", and "Stoned".  ~ Dusty Groove

DWAYNE CLEMONS – LIVE AT SMALLS

One of the few dates as a leader we've ever seen from trumpeter Dwayne Clemons – a player who spent more than a few years on the New York scene, and is right at home here in the Live At Smalls series! The set's got a nice old fashioned live vibe to it – players opening up on a range of jazz classics – each taking their turn in the solo spotlight, getting plenty of space to perform, and matching Clemons' vibe as a leader – in ways that maybe take us back to similar live recordings from vintage years – such as sets at the Lighthouse or Birdland! In addition to Clemons on trumpet, other players include Josh Benko on alto and baritone, Sacha Perry on piano, Murray Wall and Jon Roche on bass, and Jimmy Wormworth on drums – on titles that include "Down With It", "Bean Soup", "Salute To Band In Box", "Roccus", and "Stoned".  ~ Dusty Groove

JIMI TENOR & UMO - MYSTERIUM MAGNUM

Heavenly sounds from the great Jimi Tenor – a Finnish talent who once specialized in cold, calculated sounds – but one who's really opened into some spiritual, soulful territory in the past decade or so! This album wonderfully continues Jimi's great shift – and features his own work on tenor and flute with this very cool larger group that moves with energy that's somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the hipper groups of the 70s Ethiopian scene – awash in all the exotic elements that you'd expect from both references, but also showing a real maturation in Tenor's musical vision too – so that some passages have these sublime soulful arrangements we never would have expected a few years before! Unlike other contemporary projects of this nature, the album's not just a rehash of older 70s spiritual jazz modes – and instead really reflects the continuing elevation of Tenor's talents as the years go on. Titles include "Ghost Warrior", "Blue Ural", "Koneen Sydan", "I Was Here", "Kratera", "Kollaasi", and "Naulamatto". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: MFSB – UNIVERSAL LOVE (INCLUDES BONUS TRACKS); THE SPIKE ORCHESTRA – GHETTO; SOUL SHINE - CONTEMPORARY SUMMER SOUL VIBES SAMPLER

MFSB – UNIVERSAL LOVE (INCLUDES BONUS TRACKS)

Killer stuff from this legendary Philly soul instrumental combo – with funky soul horns, unstoppable dancefloor ready rhythms and those soul-stirring strings – and right up there with their best ever! Bobby Martin arranged almost every track – and the record's a great example of the kind of lean and mean Philly groove that he had going at the time, a sound that was hard to beat, and hard to copy without sounding silly and overblown. Top shelf soul instrumentals from Philly International in the mid 70s – what more could we ask for? Includes classics like "K-Jee", "MFSB", "TLC" and "Let's Go Disco" – plus the equally great "Sexy", "Love Has No Time Or Place" and "My Mood". This great BBR CD includes 4 bonus tracks – single versions of "Sexy", "TLC", "Let's Go Disco" and "K-Jee". ~ Dusty Groove

THE SPIKE ORCHESTRA – GHETTO

A beautiful album from this hip, young, UK jazz ensemble – a set inspired by the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, and delivered in this sublime range of sounds and styles! The lineup shifts a bit from track to track – from the duo of leaders Sam Eastmond on trumpet and Nikki Franklin on voice – to a sextet, and a larger orchestra too – all in these richly expressive passages of sound that almost take us back to larger British experiments like this by artists like Mike Westbrook or Michael Gibbs – particularly the former, given Franklin's non-vocal style of singing! The music is brooding one minute, bold the next – often with exotic currents, especially in the vocals. Titles include "Trains", "Starvation", "Child Smugglers", "Construction", "Life Before", and "Pesach 1943". ~ Dusty Groove

SOUL SHINE - CONTEMPORARY SUMMER SOUL VIBES SAMPLER

A stunning selection of contemporary cuts from the global soul underground – tracks that definitely live up to the summer spinning promised in the title, but which we'll certainly be digging during all the other seasons of the year too! The groove here is positive and upbeat – not poppy or dancefloor-oriented, but the kind of ebullient work we love from the best of the best from the underground scene – proof that a soul singer can be confident without ever being commercial – and really rise to the top with righteous music like this! The collection's got a rock-solid, wonderfully unified feel throughout – and titles include "Lighthouse" by Tony Remy with Tony Momrelle, "Soul Town (Nigel Lowis rmx)" by Ola Onabule, "Since I Found You" by Crossroads with Natash Springer, "You're My Darling" by Leon Timbo, "What Am I Supposed To Do (Kaidi Tatham rmx)" by Ruth Koleva, "Beyond The Stage" by Carmen Rodgers, "All Your Love" by Sheree Brown, "Make You Mine (Nigel Lowis rmx)" by Samuel Sanders, and "My Good Day" by Tracy Hamlin with Frank McComb. ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: TIM RIES QUINTET - LIVE AT SMALLS VOL. 2; MARK SOSKIN QUARTER - LIVE AT SMALLS; JOEL PRESS - LIVE AT SMALLS

TIM RIES QUINTET - LIVE AT SMALLS VOL. 2

A stunning second set from Smalls from saxophonist Tim Ries – a wonderful showcase for both his talents as a writer and as a soloist – and also a surprisingly unified group effort too! Like most of the Smalls Live series, the sound here is hardly that of an old school live jazz album – no long riffing on familiar standards, and instead a very powerful presentation of new ideas before a rapt live audience – tracks that are clearly the result of careful focus and rehearsal, and very dynamic interplay between all the group members! In addition to Tim's work on tenor and sopranos ax, the album also features Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Kalman Olah on piano, Hans Glaswischnig on bass, and Terreon Gully on drums – and the last two players bring an especially strong energy to the record – almost a modal vibe on the long tracks. Titles include "After Talking", "Flying Dreams", "Follow Your Heart", "As I Am", and "6556". ~ Dusty Groove

MARK SOSKIN QUARTER - LIVE AT SMALLS

Pianist Mark Soskin's been making music for the past few decades, but emerges here with a wonderfully fresh sound in the setting of the Live At Smalls series – working in this open, unbridled way that seems to bring forth some of his best solos in years, and show off some wonderful group energy too! Mark balances between lyrical, introspective passages and some more dynamic flights on the piano – and works here with a combo that features Jay Anderson on bass and Anthony Pinciotti on drums, plus some bolder tenor from Rich Perry, whose presence really gives the album a deeper current of soul! The choice of material is compelling, too – tunes by Monk, Stanley Cowell, Wayne Shorter, and Miles Davis – often introduced by Soskin in this gentle way, then set fire by the rest of the group. Titles include "Lonely Town", "Cal Massey", "Blackberry Winter", "In A Silent Way", "Miyako", and "Think Of One". ~ Dusty Groove

JOEL PRESS - LIVE AT SMALLS

Very soulful work from te - tenorist Joel Press – blowing here as a real old school swinger, with an especially strong emphasis on ballads! Most tunes are standards, and given this gentle groove that really fits Joel's rich sound – a style that's easygoing, and never forced – with some slight sharp edges at times, but mostly a strong focus on tone and timing – in ways that take us back to some of Coleman Hawkins' great late small group sides, or maybe Sonny Rollins on ballads and standards. All the best qualities in Press' performance are brought out by the Live At Smalls approach – clear, clean, and nicely unfettered – and the tenorist works with two different groups – one with Michael Kanan on piano, Chris Haney on bass, and Fukushi Tainaka on drums – the other with Spike Wilner on piano, Boots Maleson on bass, and Steve Little on drums. Titles include "Lover Man", "All Of Me", "I Never Knew", "There Will Never Be Another You", "I Hear A Rhapsody", and "That Old Feeling". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: TEDDY PENDERGRASS – DUETS – LOVE & SOUL; NILS - ALLEY CAT; AMPLIFICADOR – NOVISSIMA MUSICA BRASILEIRA: THE BRAZILIAN 10s GENERATION

TEDDY PENDERGRASS – DUETS – LOVE & SOUL

12 new studio tracks recorded posthumous duet style with all-star appearances and Includes duet versions of Teddy's best-loved smash hits "Love TKO," "Close The Door," "It Don't Hurt Now" & more! Full track list: Love TKO with Angie Stone; It Don t Hurt Now with Shuggie Otis & The Stylistics; Can t We Try with Noora Noor; Close The Door with Eric Gales; Come Go With Me with Martha Reeves; Turn Off The Lights with Linda Clifford; When Somebody Loves You Back with Ohio Players; You re My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration with The Stylistics; The Whole Town s Laughing At Me with Maxi Priest; And If I Had with Rose Royce; Only You with Bonnie Pointer; and I Can t Live Without Your Love with Jody Watley & Tom Scott. ~ Amazoni

NILS - ALLEY CAT

Nils new album 'Alley Cat' has been a year in the making, not that Nils isn't very prolific and can write, produce, arrange and perform radio friendly hits at the drop of a guitar pick. It's just that he has been a man demand. Keeping busy with writing and performing on the current chart hit 'Harmony Park' by Nate Harrison which features Nils & Dave Koz or being featured on Brian Simpson's latest album or having produced three upcoming albums for various new artists. All this plus the release of his 'Best of Nils' album and numerous club and festival performances yet he has still managed to produce what should be another chart topper, 'Alley Cat'. Includes: Two of a Kind; Alley Cat; Don't Hold Back; Saturday Night; Call of the Sirens; In the Moment; Open Space; Malibu; Spin Cycle; Night Flyer; Milkshake; and Everything.

AMPLIFICADOR – NOVISSIMA MUSICA BRASILEIRA: THE BRAZILIAN 10s GENERATION

A wonderful overview of contemporary sounds from the Brazilian underground – artists all marked by the "10s" in the title, as they've just begun to blossom in the current decade! The set's one of the freshest we've heard in years – and really gives us a great opportunity to sample music we might have missed otherwise – as recent years haven't seen the influx of Brazilian acts to the global market that we've known in decades past – which has kept so much recent music hidden from our ears! The range of styles is wonderful – still plenty of older roots, but often inflected with lots of new ideas, in a manner that's maybe a bit like some of the Cuban experiments that Gilles Peterson has been promoting on his own label – yet maybe even stronger, as these cuts have sprung from the underground on their own. Titles include "Obatala" by Abayomy, "Zulumbi" by Zulumbi, "O Rei De Tupanga" by Iconili, "Cervejas Populares" by Ive Seixas, "Lucifer Colombia" by Burro Morto, "Zebrabeat" by Zebrabeat Afro-Amazonia Orquestra, "Ecos De Niafunke" by Andre Sampaio E Os Afromandinga, "Faria Lima Pra Ca" by Passo Torto, and "Feito Tamborim Para Ceu" by Fabricio. - Dusty Groove

FORRO IN THE DARK ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM FORRO ZINHO - Forró in the Dark plays John Zorn

One of the most exciting bands to come out of the wild late night Nublu scene in the East Village, Forró in the Dark combines the driving dance rhythms of forró from Northeastern Brazil with rock, jazz, psychedelia, folk and more.  Together since 2002, the collective of New York based Brazilian ex-pats Mauro Refosco (zabumba, percussion), Guilherme Monteiro (guitar) and Jorge Continentino (pífanos, flutes, saxophones) have collaborated and performed with a wide variety of artists including David Byrne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Thom Yorke’s Atoms for Peace, Bebel Gilberto, Gal Costa and many others.

After releasing two albums of original material, Bonfires of Sao Joao (2006) and Light A Candle (2009), the time was ripe for Forró in the Dark to reconvene and try something out of the box; a cover record of the famous American avant-garde composer, arranger, producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist John Zorn.  Zorn worked with the band to hand pick the material, composed two new pieces for inclusion on the album, and will release it on his cutting edge record label TZADIK in July 2015.  Producer Jesse Harris utilized Refosco’s Bushwick, Brooklyn studio for the majority of the recording, and special guests include Brazilian piano legend Marcos Valle (a dream come true for longtime fan Zorn), bassist Rea Mochiach, accordionist Vitor Gonçalvez, and vocalist Sofia Rei.

On this exciting new project Forró in the Dark takes on some of John Zorn’s most lyrical and grooving compositions to create a charming album of Brazilian-tinged dance music.  Endlessly listenable, this is a record filled with catchy hooks, burning solos, driving rhythms and infectious Zorn melodies, new and old.  The band has also finalized an album of original material, recorded in Rio de Janeiro, slated for release in 2016. 

US Tour Dates:

July 29th NYC @ Joes Pub 

July 30th NYC @ Lincoln Center Out of Doors

July 31 Boston @ Regatta Bar 

Aug 1 Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace

Jazz Guitar Icon Larry Coryell Shows His Multifaceted Talents On A New 3CD Box Of Live Recordings

One of the most respected and celebrated jazz fusion guitarists of his generation, Larry Coryell presents a brand new triple disc box set of unreleased live performances. Titled Aurora Coryellis, this captivating collection highlights Coryell’s prodigious talents in a multitude of settings, from a full band performance in 1972 at the Jazz Wokshop in Boston to a solo acoustic show in 1976 at Clark University (Worchester, MA) plus a more recent appearance in 2002 at the San Jose Jazz Fest with his talented trio featuring award winning drummer Paul Wertico and bassist Jeff Chambers! Each of these performances come on separate CDs in their own sleeves housed in a deluxe box with a lavish, full color booklet featuring extensive liner notes based on a new interview with Mr. Coryell himself. The box will be released July 24 from Purple Pyramid Records.

Reflecting on this collection, Coryell states, “I have fond memories of the high integrity of the students in Worcester, MA; it was always a special place. Of course, The Jazz Workshop Boston was kind of a ‘home base’ from where we developed our music in the ‘70s, when we were trying to create something that respected the basics of jazz but was still a new form of music. Club manager, Freddie Taylor, was our number one booster as we ventured into uncharted territory. And what can I say about beautiful San Jose! A great city with great people and an absolutely beautiful outdoor park in the center of town. Playing with Jeff Chambers and Paul Wertico was an exhilarating journey into the essence of jazz!”

Born in Texas, Larry Coryell began his ascent to the upper echelons of jazz virtuosos in the mid ‘60s when he joined the quintet of famed drummer Chico Hamilton in New York. That gig led to several other stints as a sideman for Gary Burton, Herbie Mann, and Randy Brecker among others. In 1968, he released his debut album Lady Coryell at the young age of 25, which then lead to subsequent solo album and the formation of his own group The Eleventh House. Through these releases, Coryell earned international acclaim for his daring compositions and interpretations as well as his inspired improvisations. He continues to perform shows and release new albums regularly. For those unfamiliar with this living legend, Aurora Coryellis is the perfect place to start!

DISC 1: Jazz Workshop, Boston, MA - September 13, 1972
1. Offering
2. Ruminations
3. Hen-Hopper
4. Scotland Part One
5. Offering (Reprise)

DISC 2: Clark University (Little Center) Worcester, MA - June 23, 1976
1. Julie La Belle
2. Juju
3. Rodrigo Reflections
4. Eyes of Love
5. Improvisations on Sarabande
6. The Restful Mind
7. Gratitude
8. Bouquet
9. Rene’s Theme
10. Ain’t It Is
11. St. Gallen
12. Spain

DISC 3: San Jose Jazz Festival, San Jose, CA - August 11, 2002
1. Trinkle Tinkle
2. In A Sentimental Mood
3. Bumpin’ On Sunset
4. Manha de Carnaval (Theme to Black Orpheus)
5. Spaces Revisited Part One
6. Spaces Revisited Part Two
7. The Dragon Gate (Excerpt)

"Quarter Street", the debut album of Australian salsa group Quarter Street

From the first few notes, it sounds like the real thing. Piano and bass riff hard. Percussion enters. ¡Oiga Papa! Listen up! The trombones come in thick and strong. Fantasia, the first song on Quarter Street’s self-titled LP is authentic ‘salsa dura’ from the old school. Hard salsa. It’s not shiny, it’s not clean and poppy or unduly jazzy. It’s tough, it’s gritty and ballsy, and in terms of musicianship, writing and production, it straight up cooks.

Sergio Botero’s voice is pure street Salsero, a worthy inheritor of the tradition defined by Hector Lavoe and Rubén Blades. Conguero Luis Poblete, and brothers Cesar and Cristian Saavedra on baby bass and timbales round out the core group of Quarter Street. Like many Latinoamerican migrants to Australia, their parents fled the various coups and revolutions of the 70s and 80s, raising their children to the sounds of the Spanish language superstars of the era. Cuban brass virtuoso Lazaro Numa, recently arrived in Melbourne, adds a taste of Havana to the underlying mix of classic Puerto Rico / New York styles. The boys grew up salsa and now they’ve brought together an impressive unit of Melbourne’s finest Latin and Jazz musicians together to light up turntables and dancefloors worldwide.

There’s been a lot of rough and real analog funk, soul and Afro vinyl material released in the last couple of decades, from the Dap-Kings and Antibalas in New York to the Poets of Rhythm in Germany. So far, few have flown the flag for the revival of hard-out analog era Latin music. Quarter Street are doing it. Salsa dura was born on the mean streets of New York in the 1970s, now it’s back. Quarter street take their cues from the giants: Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barreto and Willie Colon and the seminal record labels Fania and Tico records and charge straight ahead at the 21st century. The time is right.

Quarter Street’s self-titled LP will be available worldwide on HopeStreet Recordings distributed through FatBeats, Kudos, and Rocket on Friday 14th August 2015.

New Book On Elusive Jazz Composer, Pianist and Co-Songwriter for Cream, Mike Taylor - Now Available!

Jazz buffs worldwide are excited about the new book documenting the life of elusive British jazz composer, pianist and co-songwriter for classic rock legends Cream, Mike Taylor. Titled “Out Of Nowhere”, the biography was written by Italian underground author Luca Ferrari and published by UK's Gonzo Multimedia.

Having rehearsed and written extensively throughout the early 1960s, Mike Taylor recorded two albums for the Lansdowne series produced by Denis Preston: “Pendulum” (1966) with drummer Jon Hiseman, bassist Tony Reeves and saxophonist Dave Tomlin) and “Trio” (1967) with Hiseman and bassists Jack Bruce and Ron Rubin. They were released on Columbia Records UK.

During his brief recording career, several of Taylor's pieces were played and recorded by his contemporaries. Three Taylor compositions were recorded by Cream, with lyrics by drummer Ginger Baker (“Passing the Time”, “Pressed Rat and Warthog” and “Those Were the Days”), all of which appeared on the band's August 1968 album “Wheels Of Fire”. Neil Ardley's New Jazz Orchestra's September 1968 recording “Le Déjeuner Sur L'Herbe” features one original Taylor composition “Ballad” and an arrangement by him of a Segovia piece “Study”.

Mike Taylor drowned in the River Thames near Leigh-on-Sea, Essex in January 1969, following years of reported heavy drug use. He had been homeless for two years, and his death was almost entirely unremarked.

In 2007, the independent record label, Dusk Fire Records, released for the first time “Mike Taylor Remembered”, a 1973 tribute to the musician recorded by Neil Ardley, Jon Hiseman, Ian Carr, Barbara Thompson, and other major modern British jazz players.

And now in 2015, Gonzo Multimedia has published “Out of Nowhere”, the first biography on Mike Taylor written by Italian author Luca Ferrari.

Says Luca, “My book was a real challenge because apart two good articles nothing was known about Mike Taylor, just some dates from his past, often fakes, never verified. Listening his few records (thanks my friend Dave Tomlin) I discovered this wonderful obscure world of sounds, a very rare dimension of intimacy, made of experimentations and great sensibility... In his short artistic life there's a surprising rapid progression (evolution) from standard hard-bop (Horace Silver) style to a temperate free-jazz (with "Trio"), very exclusive and original (personal) also in that greatly original English scene gravitating around the Old Place and the Little Theatre, after that it seems as all the things was told and nothing is left to tell: his personal life, with the painful collapse of his marriage, through the experience of acid (LSD) explodes his middle-class culture and defined a new freaked personality, without roots, personal relations, homes... Last two years was a tragic painful wandering around London, often near Kew and Richmond Park, until his sudden death in the water of Thames... Anyway, thanks to some very good journalists (Richard Morton Jack and Duncan Heining) and a sensitive label owner (Peter Muir) the memory of him is not lost. This book is a sort of reparative way to celebrate his musical genius and to recollect his life.”

Luca Ferrari is an Italian underground writer. He has written several books about folk and rock musicians including Third Ear Band, Pink Floyd, Robyn Hitchcock, Captain Beefheart, Tim Buckley, and Syd Barrett for the main Italian publishers. He has written several articles and reviews for Italian magazines such as Ciao 2001, Vinile, Buscadero, and Rockerilla. He met Syd Barrett in 1986 and contributed to the reunion of the Third Ear Band during the 1980s.

Having run Italian fanzines about Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett since 1979, he worked together with Ivor Trueman (who was running the fanzines The Amazing Pudding and Opel) about a petition in order to allow the release of the album “Opel”. His book “Tatuato sul Muro: L'enigma di Syd Barrett”, published in January 1986, sold well in Italy and was worldwide the first biographical book about the controversial, and at the time even more enigmatic, figure of Syd Barrett.

In 1993 he contributed an essay to the Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) book titled “Stand Up To Be Discontinued. The art of Don Van Vliet” (Cantz edition) and in 2011 he provided expert advice to the book titled “Barrett” (Essential Works Limited, London 2012), edited by Russell Beecher and Will Shutes.

His book about Italian folk music titled “Folk Geneticamente Modificato” (2003) is one of the few contributions ever published in Italy.

And now, Luca Ferrari's new book on Mike Taylor “Out Of Nowhere” is available!