SOUL/JAZZ/GOSPEL SINGER/SONGWRITER OLETA ADAMS SHARES HER BELIEF IN THE POWER OF MUSICAL PRAYER ON TWO NEW DIGITAL SINGLES, “LONG AND LONELY HOURS” AND “SAFE AND SOUND”

Twenty four years after Oleta Adams’ empowering version of the Brenda Russell-penned “Get Here” became a Top 5 Billboard 100 hit, earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was adopted as an anthem for the U.S. troops in the Gulf War, the veteran soul, jazz and gospel singer, songwriter and pianist continues to touch people around the world with comfort, compassion and a beautiful, much needed sense of catharsis.

Responding graciously to fan requests for recordings of two of her most requested songs of the past few years, Adams has simultaneously released “Long and Lonely Hours” and “Safe and Sound” digitally in a multitude of platforms – including iTunes, CD Baby and Amazon.com. More than simply lush, heartfelt ballads showcasing her trademark stunning vocals, these two tracks were written as musical prayers touching on important spiritual and societal issues.

Inspired in part by the last years of her mother’s life as she battled cancer, “Long and Lonely Hours” (subtitled “Prayer of the Afflicted”) touches upon the loneliness of a dying person and the questions, hopes, doubts and fears that go into a prayerful conversation with God during the struggle between life and death. It is a song for anyone who has ever suffered or known someone who has been through the experience. In the bridge section, Adams asks, “Lord, can’t you hear me in my suffering/Prayers of a sorrowful song/Father come near me, help me, love me/Don’t let me anguish too long.” Later she asks directly for healing, whether that may come physically in this life – or as a release into the next: “Father, hurry, don’t delay/Master, you’re the great physician/Could you please heal me today.”

On the soulful and lyrical, acoustic guitar driven “Safe and Sound,” Adams offers a heartfelt prayer of protection in response to recent events that have jarred our collective sense of security, and an increasingly troubled society that is often frightening for parents raising young children. Adams concludes each of the three verses describing different stages of a child’s life with a plea that resonates with all mother and fathers: “Keep him safe and sound/Keep him safe and holy/When I’m not around.” In the bridge, she reflects on the connection between earthly parents and our Heavenly Father: “What a mystical creation you’ve turned our lives into/From the love that we’ve been given/We’re living to give him right back to you.”

“Long and Lonely Hours” and “Safe and Sound” are the lead tracks of an upcoming album (release date TBA) of musical prayers that Adams is currently working on entitled A Place for Peace.

“My interest in writing songs as musical prayers stemmed from some observations I made after 9/11, when people were shaken and found themselves back in church, seeking comfort and healing, holding hands and lighting candles – yet not knowing quite how to articulate meaningful prayers that captured their emotions and needs,” says Adams, who released the gospel oriented album Come Walk With Me in 1997 – seven years after her breakthrough Circle of One.

“My journey into this type of songwriting has been about exploring what prayer means,” she adds “Over the years, fans who came to my shows told me they used my music to soothe them in their time of sorrow, and it came to my heart that perhaps I could help them learn the words to say. One of my favorite parts of being a performer is having the opportunity to bless people with my music, be part of their lives and write and sing songs that comfort them through difficult times.”

Adams has been in typical whirlwind touring and performing mode throughout 2015, having recently returned from South Africa (where she performed with singer/guitarist Jonathan Butler) and heading soon to the North Sea Jazz Festival and then Istanbul. In August, she will be performing in Chicago and San Jose, CA with drummer/composer Terri Lyne Carrington; Adams appears on Carrington’s upcoming The Mosaic Project: Love and Soul, which also features R&B and jazz greats Natalie Cole, Lalah Hathaway, Chaka Khan, Ledisi, Chante Moore, Valerie Simpson, Nancy Wilson and Lizz Wright.

TOUR DATES

July 10 – North Sea Jazz Festival – Holland

July 12 – Istanbul, Turkey

Aug 8 – San Jose, CA – San Jose Jazz Festiva

Aug 22 – Chicago, IL – LIttle Black Pearl

Aug 28 – Richmond, VA – PRIVATE EVENT

Aug 29 – NYC, NY – BB Kings Blues Club

Sept 11-12 – Boston, MA – Scullers Jazz Club

Sept 27 – Houston, TX – House of Blues – Fundraising Event

Oct 8 – Amsterdam, Holland – PRIVATE

Oct 13 – Houston, TX Zilkha Hall – PRIVATE

Nov 6 – Alexandria, VA –

Nov 7 – Annapolis, MD

Dec 12 – Cerritos, CA – Cerritos Performing Colors of Christmas

Dec 14-15 – San Francisco, CA – Symphony Hall  – Colors of Christmas

Brazilian group Bixiga 70s new album, III

Five years after their inception, the Sao Paulo based Brazilian group Bixiga 70 continues to travel musically forward, only to find themselves more and more at home.

The band’s aptly named third album, “III”, is a luminescent and energized admixture of Atlantic cultures. The album’s hyper-contemporary dialogue journeys between the sounds and rhythms of Brazil and Africa, and between the band’s ten musicians and their distinctive musical identities. Their collective influences include jazz, funk and Afro-Brazilian music, and stretch further afield into dub and reggae, electronics, cumbia and carimbó, ethio-jazz and samba.

Bixiga 70’s “III” is a breathtaking rhythmic storm where inspired solos, harmony and dynamics, beats and improvisation all mesh together in vital and unpredictable ways. Spanning between a joyous danceability, a sharp sense of humor and committed political reflections, the life-blood of this ten-piece unit is instrumental music, but it is an instrumental music that speaks profoundly.

Self-produced by the band in their own studio in Sao Paulo (and mixed by Victor Rice) all the compositions on “III” are written and arranged by the entire Bixiga 70 collective. There are no liner note details: the process of creation is decentralized and acknowledges the importance of each musician in the room. The album was recorded live in the studio to further assure the depth of this collaborative spirit and to accentuate the intensity of the band’s sonic experiments.

Following the global attention garnered by their previous album 2014’s “Ocupai” (Mais um Discos), Bixiga 70 headed out into the world. Their musical travels to Europe, the USA and Morocco, as well as the many varied regions of Brazil (including the streets of Bixiga) have all left a deep mark on the sounds and visions of the new album.

Throughout the nine tracks found on “III”, styles merge and original syncretisms come to life. The album shape shifts contemporary afro-funk, Moroccan cumbia, spiritual jazz, adapted afro-brazilian chants, Cuban blaxploitation, sounds from São Paulo’s Black Rio movement, Arabian dub, Malinké drumming, Angolan guitar music and traditional bamboo fife bands.

There is no doubt that Bixiga 70 is one of the guiding voices of Brazil’s contemporary instrumental music scene and their new album “III” clearly demonstrates why.They are a band that deftly searches for untracked and thrilling musical spaces to occupy. And most importantly, they are a band that succeeds in finding them.

NEW RELEASES: ZAC HARMON - RIGHT MAN, RIGHT NOW; JONI MITCHELL & HERBIE HANCOCK - BREAD & ROSES; INCOGNITO - LIVE IN LONDON 35TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

ZAC HARMON - RIGHT MAN, RIGHT NOW

Zac Harmon is an award-winning guitarist, organist, singer and songwriter whose distinctive style combines the best of old-school soul-blues artists with modern lyrics and themes that bring the blues into a new century. 'Right Man Right Now' is contemporary music that proves just how alive and relevant the blues is today. Addressing issues straight from today's headlines, Harmon presents them in a fresh original style built on the best blues tradition. And he has some incredibly talented musicians helping him, with guests including Bobby Rush, Lucky Peterson, Anson Funderburgh and Mike Finnegan. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Harmon played guitar for Z.Z. Hill, Dorothy Moore and Sam Myers before moving to L.A., where he established himself as a successful session musician, songwriter and producer, working with the likes of Evelyn 'Champagne' King, The Whispers, The O'Jays and Black Uhuru. Harmon won the Blues Foundation's prestigious International Blues Challenge (IBC) title of 'Best Unsigned Band' and two years later won the Blues Music Award for 'Best New Artist Debut'. Since then, he has become one of the strongest live performers in the genre, thrilling fans everywhere from Memphis to Mumbai, and with 'Right Man Right Now' he finally brings that excitement to a brand new album, his bluesiest ever. The album provides definitive proof that Zac Harmon is indeed the right man to firmly establish all that blues can and should be right now in the second decade of the new millennium. ~ Amazon

JONI MITCHELL & HERBIE HANCOCK - BREAD & ROSES: THE 1978 FOLK FESTIVAL BROADCAST

In the late 70s Mimi Fariña, the folk singer and younger sister of Joan Baez, established the annual Bread & Roses Festival of Music as a fundraiser for her co-operative social organisation of the same name. The event featured the music world s leading activists and politically engaged artists: Stephen Stills, Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton and Bonnie Raitt among them. The second Bread & Roses Festival took place over the Labor Day weekend in September 1978 at the Greek Theatre in Berkley and marked the stunning comeback of one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time: Joni Mitchell. Joni Mitchell had not performed live since her appearance at The Band s Last Waltz nearly two years earlier and had been undergoing a stylistic transformation, turning away from the acoustic folk of her early career to explore Jazz influenced work. Mitchell s appearance at Bread & Roses was the highlight of the festival, broadcast live by the radio station WBUR, she was joined on-stage by the jazz legend and pioneering fusion artist Herbie Hancock. The set correspondingly featured a full exposition of her new direction - material from Hejira as well as the first incarnations of songs from Mingus , the concept collaboration with Charles Mingus that would not surface until almost a year later. Bread & Roses is a rare and fascinating record of Joni Mitchell during one of her most artistically fertile, daring periods.; coming in advance of Mingus , there s also a loose, exploratory feel to the performance, as Mitchell tests her new work in public for the first time. This concert is quite simply essential listening both for Joni Mitchell fans and anyone wishing to acquaint themselves with one of the most iconic, innovative voices in music. ~ Amazon

INCOGNITO - LIVE IN LONDON 35TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

On July 12, 2014, Incognito threw a party that will surely be remembered for years to come. To celebrate the band's 35th anniversary in style, Incognito played a show at London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire and invited friends, family and fans to join them for a wild night out. With guest performances by genre and music companion Mario Biondi, American soul diva Carleen Anderson and friends and artists from former and current times like Mo Brandis and Imaani, Incognito dug up songs from now and then for an amazing performance, delivered in style, with passion, with soul, with heart. The band's greatest hits like their #6 UK single charts success “Always There”, their first single ever “Parisienne Girl” as well as recent songs like “Goodbye To Yesterday”, fan favourites and songs dear to the band are represented on this night to remember. The memorable gig brought the essentials of Incognito, the jazz, blues, funk, soul, latin and dance together for a perfect blend. The songs are just as surprising on the HD live video as on CD - a great emotional atmosphere where to feel that Incognito loves and lives the music. Embedded with funky grooves and huge soulful voices this music experience will definitely give you goose bumps in its quieter parts and animate you to lose control in the faster ones. So it's time now to turn up the volume control and dance! ~ Amazon

BUDDY RICH: THE CLASSIC ALBUMS 1957 - 1962

The five discs that make up this boxed set feature the man s complete recorded output across the period many fans consider to be Buddy Rich s most creative and inspired. Containing 11 remastered, original albums from the period 1957 - 1962, the music here contained illustrates perfectly this maverick musician s unrivalled talents which continue to delight jazz fans old and new.

By the second half of 1950s, Buddy Rich was already an established figure in the world of jazz. Often credited as one of the finest drummers in the world due to his virtuoso technique, power, groove and speed, by 1957 Rich had a considerable number of critically acclaimed albums to his name, on which he featured as either sideman to some of the most highly-regarded musicians of the era, as bandleader or as co-leader. By this point he had shared the stage or recording studio with the likes of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Lester Young, Gene Krupa, Nat King Cole, Lionel Hampton and Harry Sweets Edison among others, with many more to follow in what would be a long and prestigious career. 

Rich began 1957 with one of the more unusual recordings in his catalogue; Buddy Rich Just Sings (Verve). The album was one of a few in his body of work for which he stepped away from the drums to take on his less familiar, but still notably skilled, roll as vocalist. With 1959 s The Voice Is Rich (Mercury, 1959) he went even further into similar territory, with drums now completely abandoned and orchestral backing replacing the more typical jazz set-up. This move however did not mark neither the end nor any kind of hiatus from his rhythmic leanings, as the era was indeed studded with classic LPs on which Buddy continued to provide the backbeat. 

From the early 1950s, Rich had performed regularly with trumpeter Harry James, a partnership that would continue intermittently until 1966. Echoing his drum battle with Gene Krupa, Rich teamed up with another of the day s most respected skin-thumpers, Max Roach, to record Rich Versus Roach (Mercury) in 1959. A truly inspired and unique recording, the album features the twin drummers augmented by the combined efforts of their respective bands. In 1966 Rich formed The Buddy Rich Big Band, achieving great success in an era where groups of said format were suffering a sharp decline in popularity. Their first album, Swingin New Big Band (Pacific Jazz, 1966), contained a highly regarded interpretation of Leonard Bernstein s West Side Story, which blended Rich s drumming into Bernstein s complex arrangement with such majesty it quickly became one of the group s signature pieces. In addition, the group backed legendary Rat-Pack performer Sammy Davis, Jr. on his The Sounds Of 66 (Reprise, 1966). 

The Big Band s 1969 album Mercy, Mercy (Pacific Jazz), recorded at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, would later be considered one of the group s greatest live recordings. Although officially disbanding in 1974, The Buddy Rich Big Band would continue to reunite and perform sporadically for the rest of Rich s career. Despite his age, Rich s drumming ability lost little of its pace or power towards the end of his life. The 1980s saw the emergence of a series of infamous bootlegs known as The Bus Tapes, a collection of rants and tantrums secretly recorded by pianist Lee Musiker. Among the cognoscenti Rich's short temper was almost as famous as his musical ability and it had allegedly resulted in his being slapped by Dusty Springfield and his threatening to fire trombonist Dave Panichi for wearing a beard. Despite this, composer, singer, producer and lifelong friend David Lucas insisted that "Rich had a soft heart underneath it all. His favourite song was 'It's Not Easy Being Green'." Sadly, Buddy Rich passed away following complications from surgery on 2nd April, 1987, at the age of 69. ~ Amazon

NEW RELEASES: BARRINGTON LEVY - ACOUSTICALEVY; BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS - BURNIN' UP BEANTOWN; LEVI ROOTS - RISE ABOVE

BARRINGTON LEVY - ACOUSTICALEVY

AcousticaLevy, represents the first studio album by the enigmatic singer since 1998's Living Dangerously. Levy burst upon the scene in the late 1970s, a diminutive youth with a signature golden voice who, along with producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes and the Roots Radics band, ushered in the early dancehall era of reggae, changing the sound and vibe of the music forever. Throughout the early 1980s, Levy was one of the most popular and prolific artists in the game before moving to the UK and teaming up with producer Jah Screw. With Screw, Barrington Levy would record many of the timeless hits that made him one of the most celebrated vocalists to ever emerge from the Jamaican music scene. Songs like "Murdera," "Under Me Sensi," "Prison Oval Rock," "Black Roses," and "Here I Come" are modern classics that are still highly regarded by fans today, allowing Levy to pack houses throughout the US and Europe. AcousticaLevy is produced by Barrington Levy and musician/producer Handel Tucker, and features "Bull" singing his most beloved hits acoustically. Tucker is a hitmaker's hitmaker whose credits include the platinim-selling Bonafide by Maxi Priest, The Score album by the Fugees, and Etana's brilliant 2014 album, I Rise. Tucker has worked with Levy previously, having played keys on Levy's 1993 debut album for MCA titled Barrington. The album, which will be released April 15, 2015 on Doctor Dread's DDP record label, includes tunes like "Murdera," "Under Me Sensi," "Prison Oval Rock," "Be Strong", "Teach The Youth," "Here I Come". Also included on the album are three new tracks: "Life is Great" (featuring Patrice), "Things Friends" and "Times Hard." ~ Amazon

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS - BURNIN' UP BEANTOWN: THE BOSTON BROADCAST - 1973

1973 was the pivotal year in the life of Bob Marley & The Wailers. Though a popular reggae act in their native Jamaica, as well as amongst the Caribbean diaspora in the UK, during the 60s and early 70s West Indian musical forms remained a marginal interest in the major music markets of the US and Europe. While in London in 1972, Marley came to the attention of Chris Blackwell, the young and enterprising founder of Island records who had started to harbour ambitions of bringing ska and reggae music to a mainstream audience. A shrewd marketer well attuned to the shifting notes of musical trend, Blackwell felt that the way to break reggae would be to hook onto the spirit of rebellion inherent to rock n roll. Key to Blackwell s project was the search for a charismatic personality, someone who could style themselves as an iconoclast and cross into the rock world as an insurgent, irresistible force; in Bob Marley, Blackwell recognised such a figure. Released in April 1973, the band s debut for Island, Catch a Fire , broke into the charts in both the US and UK and turned the ears of influential music critics everywhere. The subsequent North American tour saw The Wailers opening for the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Sly & The Family Stone, crucial milestones on the road to the international ascension of reggae music. Behind the scenes, however, all was not well. Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer were suspicious of Blackwell and felt that they were being presented as sidemen to Marley s star performer. By the end of the year, after disagreements around touring, both had quit the band to embark on solo careers. This performance captures the Waliers at their defining moment- the opening night of their North American Catch a Fire tour. Recorded at Paul s Mall in Boston on the 11th of July 1973 and broadcast live by local radio station WBCN, the gig is a fascinating document of an incredible band at the very moment that they broke through; it remains essential listening for Marley fans, reggae enthusiasts and music lovers in general.

LEVI ROOTS – RISE ABOVE

THE album for this summer!! This is no ordinary album release from an ordinary artist. Levi Roots has a unique story which many already know. Levi has always wanted to release commercially accessible reggae, and many don’t know that he was actually a MOBO nominated musician. Music and food have always been his passion, and now finally the album has come. With the majority of the songs co-written and co-produced by Levi, as well as three fantastically different but well-known covers, this is an album of strength and depth, ranging from roots inspired reggae with beautifully crafted melodies, to a brilliant cover of the inimitably catchy “Don’t Worry Be Happy”. There is certainly something for everyone on this album and first single “Jam In The Streets” is an infectious summer song that you can’t help singing along to. ~ Amazon

Kirk Whalum's The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV; features 19 songs on 2-CD set

Many believe the gospel has always been played in jazz notes, whether in the agonizing lament of a Psalm, the improvisational expression of shape-note singing, the haunting strains of a Negro spiritual or the joyous celebration of a Dixieland band. Kirk Whalum and his company of translators is here to make sure that the intrinsic creativity, inspiration and skilled presentation that is part of both the gospel and the language of jazz is sounded clearly in the culture at large and the church in seasons of both triumph and tragedy. The award-winning series that launched with the initial The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter I in 1998 has transformed the concept of sharing the “gospel truth” through instrumental music. Each of the subsequent releases has garnered critical acclaim and award nominations, with “It’s What I Do” from GATJ III taking home the Grammy for Best Gospel Song in 2011.

NOW

After a six-year wait, the much anticipated The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV is here with a two-disc, 19-song CD (and a feature-length DVD) that sets a benchmark for live recording, nuanced performance and deep improvisation at the most profoundly felt, thoughtfully conceived and personal level. Kirk Whalum’s insightful and revelational narrative both in concert and post-production in the DVD version enriches the whole experience, with an up-close and personal look at the heart of the artist and his art. Once again, Whalum, shares the stage with members of his exceptionally gifted family, including brother Kevin (vocals) and nephews Kenneth III (saxophones) and Kortland (vocals). His cohorts in jazz super group BWB (both solo artists in their own right), Rick Braun (trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone) and Norman Brown (guitars, vocals) join an eminent ensemble comprised of legendary percussionist “Doc” Gibbs, renowned bassist Gerald Veasley, rising vocal star (and Stevie Wonder protégé) Sheléa, as well as returning co-producer John Stoddart who lends his eloquent and soulful keys and vocals to the mix.

VISION

GATJ IV is an invitation to pause, hear, and “see” in a fresh, prescient way; it is also a tribute album that is uniquely gospel-centric. Honored are heads of state (Mandela and Obama), departed and greatly respected and loved artists (George Duke, Wayman Tisdale, and John Coltrane), alongside mothers (Kirk’s… and yours if you like) and a homeless woman Whalum came to call friend (“Nannette”). In myriad ways, the gospel’s welcome is declared and displayed with eloquence and power.

GATJ always spotlights the God-given gifts of leading artists outside the “church” world. Says, Kirk, “We always try to reach out to the cadre beyond gospel artists, to a Norman Brown, a Rick Braun, or Doc Gibbs; that is a very crucial part of our approach. By their willingness to be part of it and by honoring them and their spiritual quest, what we are able to do is create a safe space, a sort of spiritual and musical “Switzerland.”

Additionally, Whalum wanted to amplify the direction taken on GATJ III: “One of the things on my mind was carving a deeper niche in the improvisation, longer, more in-depth solos, a little bit more avant garde.” This is front and center on songs like “Madiba,” Kirk’s elegant, polyrhythmic South African seasoned tribute to Nelson Mandela and “Triage,” an instrumental editorial-on-and-embodiment-of the mash-up of life and death in the world—dissonant, chaotic and composed, it’s an improvisational tour de force. His signature melodic and soulful fusion drawing from jazz idiom across generations and genres—contemporary jazz to Dixieland, Bebop, Big Band and beyond—as well as a strong identification with R&B, blues, world music, rock, Latin and pop hasn’t changed, but the balance has indisputably shifted.

MUSIC

Kirk’s intent on this record was to deliver for the listener a more pensive, meditative, contemplative, take your time with what you’re really feeling exploration. Along with the previously mentioned “Madiba” and “Triage,” Kirk’s tribute to Coltrane, “Un Amor Supremo” an original with a Cubano/Santana/Afro-Caribbean vibe and Doc Gibbs strongly featured—reflects that trend. Trane’s artistry is alluded to not only in the title but the extended solos and Whalum’s abandoned yet precision performance—Transcendent. Street. Smart. “Cain’t Stay Blue” is an infectious mood elevator, with a vocal and musical hook that won’t let go. The persistent hope, patience and resolve not to give up that captured the essence of the Civil Rights Movement and a nation in 1964 on Curtis Mayfield’s “Keep On Pushing” is a GATJIV highlight.

On the downside, it is the first GATJ without the inimitable keys of jazz giant George Duke. Kirk Whalum composed and takes the vocal lead on an evocative tribute and heartfelt requiem to his dear friend and fellow artist titled “There,” derived from Duke’s favorite saying “We were there!” Abounding with hopeful transparency and contemporary jazz opulence, underscored by Stoddart’s keys, it’s a fitting tribute to the Duke who is now “there” with his King. The late Wayman Tisdale’s song “Sunday’s Best” is both a tribute and a contemporary jazz triumph showcasing the prodigious talents of BWB and bassist Gerald Veasley. And on the vocal side of things, Kirk’s brother Kevin’s understated cool retools Paul and Linda McCartney’s “Let ’Em In’” (complete with an intricate scat). While Sheléa brings warmth, subtlety and soul to the Foo Fighters mega-hit “My Hero”; the Negro spiritual, “Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child”; and “I See You.” The latter was written by Kirk in response to and reflecting the customary greeting, “I see you” of the Na’vi tribe in the movie Avatar—another unexpected context for and allusion to gospel truth, so a perfect fit for a GATJ chapter.

CORE

The heart of The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV is an invitation to see…and to hear in fresh and expansive ways. To see God and to see people, to experience the Creator’s radical welcome, and then to throw the doors of your heart wide open with welcome to those he loves and created. The message of the final track, originally penned by Todd Rundgren and popularized by England Dan and John Ford Coley not only completes the album, but sums it up and describes the raison d’etre for The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV (and all the previous and subsequent chapters to come)—simply, and profoundly: “Love Is The Answer.”

Mack Avenue SuperBand Returns with New Release, Live From the Detroit Jazz Festival - 2014

Live From the Detroit Jazz Festival - 2014 documents the third incarnation of the Mack Avenue SuperBand, an all-star ensemble of bandleaders from the superb roster of the Motor City jazz label. Once again, this powerhouse congregation joined forces under the leadership of bassist Rodney Whitaker to dazzle a hometown crowd in picturesque Hart Plaza, with the results captured for another knockout live recording.

Joining Whitaker as three-time veterans are his longtime rhythm section partner, drummer Carl Allen; pianist Aaron Diehl; and guitarist Evan Perri of Hot Club Of Detroit. Alto saxophonist Tia Fuller returns from the SuperBand's debut outing after taking the second year off, while vibraphonist Warren Wolf and tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum make it two in a row after joining the band for the first time in 2013. 

The SuperBand comprises a distinctive blend of generations and styles, which Mack Avenue Records President Denny Stilwell says captures the diversity of the label itself. "The SuperBand has always been and will always be a mix of veteran players and top younger talent, which really represents the Mack Avenue roster. When you look at this particular line-up, there are a wide range of styles represented: from the Django-influenced guitar approach of Evan Perri to the soulful/gospel leanings of tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum, and when you consider the other players, you can find just about everything in between. And each of them are bringing performing and writing chops that are top shelf." 

The final - and perhaps most important - member of the ensemble is the enthusiastic Labor Day weekend crowd. "The Detroit Jazz Festival is one of the best live festivals on Earth to play," Whitaker says. "That audience is pushing you to play and encouraging you. Then you're on the bandstand with a lot of cats that really admire each other, so the combination of having a good time and an excited and lively audience makes for a great recording." 

Or, as Diehl adds succinctly, "Quite simply: Detroit knows jazz. They'll let you know when you're on the right track, and certainly when you're not." 

Whitaker sees the gospel roots of most of Mack Avenue's artists as the common thread that binds them together and allows a once-a-year gathering like the SuperBand to be so successful. Even guitarist Perri, who would seem to be an outlier with his gypsy jazz influences, is a Detroit native in whom the bassist recognizes the influences of Motown, funk, and soul. The SuperBand helps to lend a distinctive identity to a label whose artists spans multiple generations, styles, and hometowns. 

"These days, not everyone who plays jazz necessarily lives in New York," Whitaker points out. The Detroit Jazz Festival is the culminating place where we all get together every year and talk about music and career development - and form a mutual admiration society. It makes the label more of a family. The hang is part of the music, and the hang happens every Labor Day weekend." 

For Whitaker as music director, the hang begins several months earlier, as he reaches out to each musician to solicit their contributions to the year's repertoire. Of the half-dozen tunes on this year's release, all but one were written by members of the SuperBand. The exception is Herbie Hancock's "Riot," which kicks off the album in combustible fashion with fiery solos from Wolf, Perri, Diehl, Whitaker, and Allen. 

Wolf's soulful, plaintive "The Struggle" follows, with the composer, both of whose impressive albums were Mack Avenue releases, building a solo of great craft and intensity. He wrote the tune with Whalum in mind, and this performance shows off the saxophonist's deeply felt blues roots. "Being able to share Mack Avenue with these artists is truly wonderful," Wolf says. "There's just so much history on the label it's hard to beat or compete. Playing with my label mates is a lot of fun. Everyone is a band leader in their own right, it's not often that we get to play together." 

The music director, who has two co-led albums with Carl Allen on the label along with his own 2014 release When We Find Ourselves Alone, contributes "A Mother's Cry," the theme song from his score to the PBS documentary "Malawi & Malaria: Fighting to Save the Children." Despite the darkness of the theme, the song retains a hopeful melodicism and is highlighted by Whitaker's meditative solo bass intro and a solo that passes among most of the band members, with a keening sense provided by Fuller on soprano and Whalum on flute. 

Opening with a tour de force piano intro, Diehl's "Santa Maria" is a showstopper that reveals traces of the composer's jazz, swing, blues, and classical influences all in one package. The pianist recently released Space, Time, Continuum, his sophomore Mack Avenue album. He calls the yearly get-together with the SuperBand "an incredible experience because we typically have our own separate projects. Mack Avenue has an exemplary roster with a variety of artistic approaches. I'm just honored to be a part of it all." 

Perri and the Hot Club of Detroit have released four albums of Djangology on the label, and "For Stephane" is prime evidence of his ability to take his gypsy jazz influences and transform them into his own distinctive take on modern jazz. The tune's shifting time signature spurs intricate playing from Wolf and Perri. 

The set draws to a close with Kirk Whalum's "Bipolar Blues Blues," which may come as a surprise to those who know the saxophonist only in his smooth jazz guise. Whalum's Mack Avenue discography includes homages to soul icons Babyface and Donny Hathaway, the collaboration of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, and the conjunction of gospel and jazz. Here, his tenor duels with Fuller's soprano on a down-home blues that feels right at home on the streets of Detroit. 

By the time this set draws to a close, listeners at home may feel transported to the city, or at the very least feel some of the excitement that the Hart Plaza crowds were swept up in last August.

 

NEW RELEASES: MATT PANAYIDES – CONDUITS; CESAR OROZCO & KAMARATA JAZZ – NO LIMITS FOR TUMBAO; CHARLIE DENNARD – 5 O’CLOCK CHARLIE

MATT PANAYIDES – CONDUITS

‘Conduits” is guitarist Matt Panayides second album as a leader.  The album was recorded live at Bunker Studios in June of 2013 with saxophonist Rich Perry, bassist Thompson Kneeland and drummer Mark Ferber.  The album was funded through the successful completion of a Kickstarter campaign.  The album features original compositions by Matt Panayides who has been busy leading groups both in New York and around the world for the past 15 years.  The compositions seek to demonstrate the freedom and present-ness that can be found in deep musical structures.  The music also reflects the underlying order that can be found in even the most complex appearing natural objects.  The musicians are given space to let their individuality shine through while also playing energetically with a sympathetic group, dynamically navigating intricate passages with a relaxed, fluid feel.  Great sounding album featuring top NYC musicians. 

CESAR OROZCO & KAMARATA JAZZ – NO LIMITS FOR TUMBAO

César Orozco is a prolific Cuban and Venezuelan pianist, composer, music producer, and arranger with an innovative approach of fusion between Venezuelan and Cuban traditional music with jazz. After fourteen years living in Venezuela, Mr. Orozco moved to the US in 2012. While in the States, in addition to his studies he has become a very in-demand pianist in both jazz and Latin-American music. Besides the United States, he has toured in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Scotland, The Netherlands, Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico. He has been part of more than 50 recordings as a guest artist and three solo albums with his project César Orozco & Kamarata Jazz: Son con pajarillo (2007), Orozcojam (2010), which besides receive four nominations, was awarded Best Vocal-Instrumental Album at Cubadisco 2012, the most important event of the Cuban recording industry, and the latest one No limits for tumbao (2015), which features Paquito dRivera and Yosvany Terry. ~ Amazon

CHARLIE DENNARD – 5 O’CLOCK CHARLIE

New Orleans based keyboardist Charlie Dennard announces the latest release of his superb jazz organ trio, 5 O’Clock Charlie. On this recording, Dennard showcases seven original compositions and three cover tunes that capture the simple, organic quality of musicians playing together in the moment. In the late 1990’s, Charlie had a standing gig at New Orleans’ famous Funky Butt with his band, then called 5 O’Clock Charlie. Dennard is a master of the Hammond B3, utilizing every nuance of its texture, tone, depth and feel, walking the bass to support the trio’s rhythm, and driving the melodies home with enthusiasm and heart. This project marks a return to his roots, just as Charlie has returned to New Orleans after touring the world for the past decade. The recording is groove-based, funky and fun.

NEW RELEASES: ARTURO O'FARRILL & THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - CUBA: THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES; KARRIN ALLYSON - MANY A DAY: KARRIN ALLYSON SINGS RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN; GRACE - MEMO

ARTURO O'FARRILL & THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - CUBA: THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

Recorded in Havana 48 hours after President Obama announced his plan to normalize relations between the U.S. and Cuba, Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's "Cuba: The Conversation Continues" is a powerful statement, a juxtaposition of music and current events. A follow up to the Grammy-winning "The Offense of the Drum," the new album builds upon the conversation started by Dizzy Gillespie and Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo - a musical dialogue that bridged the gap between jazz and Afro-Cuban music. O'Farrill brings top composers from both the U.S. and Cuba to create a dazzling musical tapestry, successfully fulfilling Dizzy s dream of creating 'universal music' .

KARRIN ALLYSON - MANY A DAY: KARRIN ALLYSON SINGS RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN

Four-time ‘Best Vocal Jazz Album ‘Grammy nominee Karrin Allyson's ‘Many A New Day (Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)’ is a 14-song collection featuring Allyson’s romantic, sly and swinging take on songs that have become part of our cultural fabric, from ‘Oh, What a Beautiful Morning’ to ‘Happy Talk’ to ‘I Cain’t Say No’ and numerous others. The collection, which marks the singer’s debut on the Motéma label, features the distinctive pairing of Kenny Barron on piano and John Patitucci on bass (only the second time the two have recorded together). Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s legendary musical partnership is among the greatest of the 20th century, resulting in such seminal Broadway productions as The King and I, South Pacific, Sound of Music, Oklahoma and Carousel. With her distinctive vocals, Allyson takes an array of these beloved songs on an elegant, intimate and joyful ride. Her arrangements, impeccably performed by Barron and Patitucci, manage to infuse these musical theater gems with a spare, sophisticated and intimate vibe that recalls the wee-hours in a late night Paris jazz club.

GRACE – MEMO (EP)

“[Grace] has the toughness of Janis Joplin and the sultry moodiness of Joss Stone…” — Billboard // “We hope you get the Memo. Grace is one of the year's most important new voices that needs to be heard. Meet soul music's 21st century superstar." — ArtistDirect. Australian vocal powerhouse Grace recently released her debut EP, Memo, via Regime Music Societe/RCA Records, and the eighteen-year-old is one of the hottest pop-soul prospects this year. Memo is filled with original songs that highlight her influences, which range from Gladys Knight to Amy Winehouse. Grace co-wrote all of the EP’s five songs, including the title track when she was only 16 and recording it on her iPhone. Grace’s first single is a cover of Lesley Gore’s 1963 anthem “You Don’t Own Me,” featuring new verses rapped by G-Eazy. It was produced by its original producer, the legendary Quincy Jones and Parker Ighile (Nicki Minaj).

AMY WINEHOUSE'S FIRST TWO ALBUMS, FRANK AND BACK TO BLACK, GET DIGITALLY REMASTERED + RARE REMIXES

Amy Winehouse's career, though meteoric, was unfortunately cut short by tragedy, but the multi-GRAMMY® Award winner's musical legacy can now be appreciated anew with Island Records/Universal Music Enterprises' digital re-mastering of her first two albums. The sultry jazz-and-soul-tinged 2003 debut Frank, a testament to her love of singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and Nina Simone, led to her commercial breakthrough, Back To Black, issued in 2006, which earned her a Best new Artist award at the Grammys the following years, as well as Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and the ultimate prizes, Record and Song of the Year for "Rehab." With five GRAMMY® Awards, she was the first British female performer ever to win that many. Both Frank and Back To Black have been re-released in digital form to online retail partners June 30 on the heels of the critically acclaimed documentary Amy.

Additionally, rare remixes issued for singles from the Back To Black album – "Back To Black," "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good" and "Tears Dry On Their Own" – released July 17 as digital e-singles; many of the remixes have been unavailable for several years.

Born in North London, Winehouse's vocal abilities were apparent from an early age, and she began writing after picking up a guitar at 14. After writing for the World Entertainment News Network as a music journalist and singing for a local group, Amy was the featured vocalist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra when she was 16 in 2000. By 2003, she was signed to Simon Fuller's 19 Management, which developed her while she sang jazz standards at clubs in and around London.

Frank: Winehouse's debut album, released October 20, 2003, was named after her father Mitch's favorite singer – Sinatra, the Chairman of the Board – as well as the honest nature of the lyrics. Produced mainly by Salaam Remi, Frank featured songs co-written by Amy as well as three covers, one of them a "hidden" track, "Mr. Magic (Through The Smoke)," a masterful reinterpretation of the Grover Washington Jr. hit "Mister Magic." Amy's composition "Stronger Than Me" received the U.K.'s prestigious Ivor Novello Prize for Best Contemporary Song, while the album earned her two BRIT Awards nominations and was short-listed for the Mercury Prize; it went on to sell more than one million albums in the U.K. The Washington Post noted, "Her attitude and command were already there… and then some."

Track listing for Frank digital album:

1.    Intro/Stronger Than Me

2.    You Sent Me Flying/Cherry

3.    Know You Now

4.    F*** Me Pumps

5.    I Heard Love Is Blind

6.    Moody's Mood/Teo Licks

7.    (There Is) No Greater Love

8.    In My Bed

9.    Take the Box

10.  October Song

11.  What Is It About Men

12.  Amy Amy Amy

13.  Outro

14.  Brother

15.  Mr. Magic (Through the Smoke)

Back To Black: Released October 27, 2006, Winehouse's multi-GRAMMY®-winning masterpiece reflected her growing interest in the girl groups sound of the '50s and '60s. A "21st century soul classic" (The Guardian), the album topped the U.K. chart, selling more than 3.6 million in the U.K., where it is the second best-selling album since 2000 after Adele's 21. In the U.S. Back to Black peaked at No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Alternative Albums chart, and sold three million copies; it has been certified multi-platinum in 16 countries worldwide. Co-produced by Remi and Mark Ronson, the album was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize while Amy picked up a Brit Award for Best British Female Artist and Ronson won a GRAMMY® for Producer of the Year. Of its five singles, "Rehab" and "Love Is A Losing Game" earned Amy her second and third Ivor Novello Awards. The U.S. will see a digital release of the U.K. version of the album for the first time, which adds the track "Addicted," which had been previously unavailable in the States. The original U.S. bonus tracks, "You Know I'm No Good" featuring Ghostface Killer and "Rehab (Hot Chip Remix)" will be available in the newly compiled digital e-singles.

Track listing for Back To Black digital album:

1.    Rehab

2.    You Know I'm No Good

3.    Me & Mr. Jones

4.    Just Friends

5.    Back To Black

6.    Love Is A Losing Game

7.    Tears Dry On Their Own

8.    Wake Up Alone

9.    Some Unholy War

10.  We Can Only Hold Her

11.  Addicted

Back To Black Remixes: Four separate digital singles including rare remixes of each track, as below:

"Back To Black"

1. Back To Black - The Rumble Strips Remix

2. Back To Black - Mushtaq Vocal Remix

3. Back To Black - Original Demo

4. Back To Black - Vodafone Live At TBA

5. Back To Black - Steve Mac Vocal

"Rehab"

1.  Rehab - Demo Version

2.  Rehab - Vodafone Live At TBA

3.  Rehab - Hot Chip Remix

4.  Rehab - Pharoahe Monch Remix

5.  Rehab - Remix Featuring JAY-Z

"Tears Dry On Their Own"

1.  Tears Dry On Their Own - Vodafone Live At TBA

2.  Tears Dry On Their Own - Alix Alvarez Sole Channel Mix

3.  Tears Dry On Their Own - NYPC's F***ed Mix

4.  Tears Dry On Their Own - Al Usher Remix

5.  Tears Dry On Their Own - Kardinal Beats Remix

"You Know I'm No Good"

1.  You Know I'm No Good - Ghostface UK Version

2.  You Know I'm No Good - Skeewiff Mix

3.  You Know I'm No Good - Demo Version

4.  You Know I'm No Good - Vodafone Live At TBA

5.  You Know I'm No Good - Fettes Brot Remix

Johnny Mathis: The Singles, a definitive four disc anthology to be released on September 25, 2015

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, and Columbia Records will celebrate the 80th birthday of legendary crooner Johnny Mathis with the release of Johnny Mathis: The Singles, a definitive four disc anthology, on September 25, 2015. 

Born September 30, 1935, a then-teenaged Johnny Mathis signed with Columbia Records in 1956, first entering the Pop charts with his inaugural Columbia single, "Wonderful! Wonderful!" the following year.  Peaking at #14, "Wonderful! Wonderful!" laid the foundation, and predicted the future, for one of the most remarkable careers in pop music history, leading to a string of singles successes which includes perennials like "It's Not For Me To Say," "Chances Are," "The Twelfth Of Never" and many others.

Johnny Mathis: The Singles brings together, for the first time in one anthology, every Johnny Mathis recording which was first issued for the singles market, as well as tracks released exclusively on compilations (1958's Johnny's Greatest Hits, considered the first "greatest hits" collection ever created by the music industry, 1959's More Johnny's Greatest Hits and 1981's The First 25 Years--The Silver Anniversary Album).

31 of the 87 tracks on Johnny Mathis: The Singles, are being released on CD for the very first time.  The four-disc anthology compiles, for the very first time, every non-LP single side released for the label between 1956 and 1981.

"When over the course of a career you record as many songs as I have recorded, you tend to forget a few," said Johnny Mathis. "Revisiting this music was a complete surprise. I was thrilled beyond belief that some of the songs that I recorded specifically for single records, some of which had simply disappeared once they had been released, are now going to be heard again. Listening to this collection, not only was I amazed at how great it sounds, but I was being reminded of some songs I had totally forgotten. It is my greatest hope that my fans will share my enthusiasm."

Johnny Mathis is one of the longest-running artists on the Columbia Records label, with 17 million RIAA certified album and singles sales in the US alone.  A sublime vocalist whose approach to pop music transcends passing fads and trends, Johnny Mathis has performed songs in an incredible variety of styles and categories -- from music composed for stage and film to golden era jazz standards, contemporary pop hits, and holiday music both sacred and secular -- assuring his reputation as one of the most enduring traditional pop vocalists in music history.

Perhaps best-known for his landmark singles (three of his recordings--"Chances Are," "It's Not For Me To Say," and "Misty"--have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame) Mathis was one of the very first musical artists to embrace the album concept and record fully-realized thematically and sonically coherent collections of songs.  His 1958 release, Johnny's Greatest Hits inaugurated the ongoing "greatest hits" anthology phenomenon becoming one of the most popular albums of all time after spending an unprecedented 490 continuous weeks (almost ten years) on the BILLBOARD Top Albums Chart; 1959's Heavenly spent 295 consecutive weeks on the same chart.  Johnny Mathis was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2003.

Mathis had 18 Top 40 hits between 1957 and 1963 and 19 Top 40 albums between 1957 and 1978.  He has earned 10 gold, 4 platinum and 2 multi-platinum awards from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)

Mathis was a star student athlete in San Francisco who sang weekends at a local jazz club. Columbia Records' George Avakian was in attendance during one performance, and famously wired back to the label office: "Have found phenomenal 19-year old boy who could go all the way. Send blank contracts." After his jazzy debut LP was largely ignored upon its release in 1956, Mathis began working closely with Columbia's vice-president and producer Mitch Miller to develop an unbeatable lush pop style, picking romantic ballads that made extensive use of his recognizable, vibrato-heavy croon.

During his time on Columbia, Mathis was essentially recording for two markets: the singles market and the albums market. While he would enjoy success in both realms, it was his non-LP singles that first introduced the world to his distinct gifts: in 1957, his first Columbia single "Wonderful! Wonderful!" peaked at No. 14; follow-up "It's Not For Me To Say" rose to No. 5, and "Chances Are" topped the charts.

Altogether, Mathis logged 18 singles on Billboard's Top 40 between 1957 and 1963 (and has seen 43 of his singles chart on Billboard Hot 100 from 1957 to 1981). After a tenure on his own Global label from 1963 to 1967 (initially distributed by Mercury and chronicled by Legacy in The Complete Global Albums Collection box set), Johnny returned to Columbia, where he records to this day.

Johnny Mathis: The Singles

Disc 1

When Sunny Gets Blue

Wonderful! Wonderful! (#14)

It's Not For Me To Say (#5)

Warm And Tender

Chances Are (#1)

The Twelfth Of Never (#9)

Wild Is The Wind (#22)

No Love (But Your Love) (#21)

When I Am With You

Come To Me

All The Time

Teacher, Teacher (#21)

Let It Rain

A Certain Smile (#14)

Call Me

Stairway To The Sea

You Are Beautiful

Let's Love

Someone (#35)

Very Much In Love

I Look At You (bonus track)

The Flame Of Love (bonus track)

Disc 2

Small World (#20)

You Are Everything To Me

The Story Of Our Love

The Best Of Everything (#62)

Cherie

Starbright

All Is Well

Hey Love

My Love For You (#47)

Oh That Feeling

How To Handle A Woman

While You're Young

Jenny

You Set My Heart To Music

Should I Wait

Laurie, My Love

Wasn't The Summer Short?

There You Are

Christmas Eve

My Kind Of Christmas

Sweet Thursday

One Look

Unaccustomed As I Am

Marianna

I'll Never Be Lonely Again

Disc 3

That's The Way It Is

Gina (#6)

I Love Her That's Why

What Will My Mary Say (#9)

Quiet Girl

Every Step Of The Way

Sooner Or Later

All The Sad Young Men

I'll Search My Heart

Don't Talk To Me

Long Winter Nights

Among The First To Know

Night Dreams

Whoever You Are, I Love You

For All We Know

The Last Time I Saw Her

Wherefore And Why

Darling Lili

Sign Of The Dove

Christmas Is…

I Was There

Disc 4

Ten Times Forever More

Evie

Think About Things

If We Only Have Love

This Way Mary

Sometimes

I

Take Good Care Of Her

Walking Tall

Turn The Lights Down

The Very First Christmas Day

Christmas In The City Of The Angels

The Lord's Prayer

When A Child Is Born

Nothing Between Us But Love

It Doesn't Have To Hurt Every Time (bonus track)

There! I've Said It Again (bonus track)

Three Times A Lady (bonus track)

The Way You Look Tonight (bonus track)