New Elvis Presley Album If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra To Be Released October 30

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, has announced the release of If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, worldwide on October 30, 2015.  The remarkable new album features classic Elvis vocal performances with brand-new orchestral accompaniment, along with a duet with Michael Buble, and appearances by Il Volo and Duane Eddy.

An exciting revisit of Elvis' work, If I Can Dream focuses on the iconic artist's unmistakable voice, emphasizing the pure power of The King of Rock and Roll. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London with acclaimed producers Don Reedman and Nick Patrick, the 14-track album features Elvis' most dramatic original performances augmented with lush new arrangements by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.  "This would be a dream come true for Elvis," Priscilla Presley says of the project. "He would have loved to play with such a prestigious symphony orchestra. The music…the force that you feel with his voice and the orchestra is exactly what he would have done."  Don Reedman also commented, "Abbey Road Studios and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra are as good as it gets and Elvis deserves as good as it gets."

The album features a scintillating duet with best-selling jazz-pop singer Michael Buble on "Fever." The album also includes additional contributions by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Duane Eddy adding his signature sound to "An American Trilogy" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and Italian operatic pop trio Il Volo lending their outstanding vocals to "It's Now or Never."  As arranger Nick Patrick said, "This is the record he would have loved to make."  If I Can Dream also highlights Elvis Presley's diverse musical tastes and appreciation for great vocalists spanning a variety of genres from standards to opera.

If I Can Dream is part of the ongoing ELVIS 80th Birthday Celebration in 2015, which has been commemorated with a newly-redesigned website, www.ElvisTheMusic.com, the release of The Complete '60s Albums Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 on iTunes (August 7), and the launch of "Direct From Graceland: Elvis at the O2," the largest Elvis retrospective ever mounted in Europe.

If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Track listing

Burning Love

It's Now Or Never

Love Me Tender

Fever (feat. Michael Buble)

Bridge Over Troubled Water

And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind

You've Lost That Loving Feeling

There's Always Me

Can't Help Falling In Love

In The Ghetto

 How Great Thou Art

Steamroller Blues

An American Trilogy

If I Can Dream

THREE CLASSIC LEE RITENOUR ALBUMS DIGITALLY RE-MASTERED IN ONE COLLECTION

Sweet fusion from the great Lee Ritenour – three classic albums on two CDs! First up is Captain's Journey – a masterful fusion set from guitarist Lee Ritenour – one that expands his sound a bit more than usual by adding in vocals on a number of tracks – but in a way that really gets at the mainstream soul influences that bubble through his jazz work! The set features key vocal appearances from Patti Austin, Tom Baylor, and Bill Champlin – all singers who really know how to respect the instrumental side of a tune, too – which is great, given that the record also features keyboards from Dave Grusin and Patrice Rushen too. Titles include "That's Enough For Me", "Sugarloaf Express", "What Do You Want", "Matchmakers", "Morning Glory", and "The Storm". 

Feel The Night is a key album from a time when Lee was still very much at the top of his game! Although tight overall, the album's never too commercial to be cloying – and Lee's approach here is a great example of the way that mainstream 70s fusion managed to balance all its best elements nicely – from soulful rhythms on the bottom, to sharp-edged solos on the top, to some of the smoother studio glue that holds the whole thing together in the middle! Ritenour plays a range of different guitars – and other players include Don and Dave Grusin on keyboards, plus keys from David Foster as well – plus saxes from Ernie Watts, piano from Joe Sample, and drums from Steve Gadd. Patti Austin sings a bit on the set, but the album's a mostly-instrumental affair overall – and titles include "Feel The Night", "Market Place", "Wicked Wine", "French Roast", and "Midnight Lady". 

Rio is smooth jazzy fusion from Lee Ritenour – a classic set that was originally only released in Japan, part of the underground Japanese Fusion movement of the late 70s, famous for groove hounds for that added level of soul that often wasn't showing up in American releases at the time! The album was recorded in both Rio and LA – with work by a mixture of Brazilian and American fusion players, including Chico Batera, Oscar Castro Neves, Alex Acuna, Don Grusin, Dave Grusin, Steve Forman, and Marcus Miller. Includes the smooth funk classic "A Little Bit Of This & A Little Bit Of That", plus the cuts "Simplicidad", "Rainbow", "Rio Funk", "San Juan Sunset", and "Ipanema Sol".  ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: SYL JOHNSON – COMPLETE TWINIGHT SINGLES; BILLY WOOTEN - WOO HOO BIBI; FEELIN’ JAZZY (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

SYL JOHNSON – COMPLETE TWINIGHT SINGLES

All the incredible Syl Johnson cuts released as Twinight 45s back in the day – nicely assembled as an excellent 2LP compilation by the gentlemen of The Numero Group! If you have yet to take a dip into the Syl Johnson oeuvre, let us just say this is gritty, powerful vintage Chicago soul of the finest caliber, and would be a terrific first step into his kingdom. All cut over a 4 year period, written and produced by the man himself. Simply a stellar batch of one time overlooked, now justifiably revered Twinight gems – including the the sample classic "Different Strokes," strident soul gems "Is It Because I'm Black" and "Concrete Reservation" and many more – including "Going To The Shack", "Ode To Soul Man", "Sorry 'Bout That!", "Come On Sock It To Me", "Take Me Back", "Let Them Hang High", "Thank You Baby", "We Do It Together", "Kiss By Kiss", "Everybody Needs Love", "Same Kind Of Thing", "I'll Take Those Skinny Legs" and more. 29 tracks in all! ~ Dusty Groove

BILLY WOOTEN - WOO HOO BIBI

Heavy vibes from the great Billy Wooten – an album that's definitely right up there with the best work from this Indianapolis legend! Billy's vibes are out front in the mix, but they're also woven together with some sweet keyboards, tight guitar, and occasional reed parts too – most played by local contemporaries of Wooten on the Indy scene, and served up here with a nicely lean production style that keeps the whole thing sharp! All titles are originals, penned with that classic Wooten ear for a groove that's mellow, yet funky – and titles include "Oye Gina Este Son", "Jackson Melodia", "What A Day", "Squeeze Me Baby", "El Cayuco", "Light Of Mine", "Birth Of Pendanna Akina", and "Ooowee Baby Thinkin About You" – in both vocal and instrumental versions. ~ Dusty Groove

FEELIN’ JAZZY (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Feelin' jazzy, and feelin' pretty darn soulful too – as the set's a collection of excellent contemporary soul tracks from the global underground – including a fair bit of work by artists who've never issued a full CD! The set's very much ahead of the curve – and really does a wonderful job of bringing together work that definitely deserves bigger exposure – the next names in the Neo Soul underground, all linked together in a warmly flowing batch of grooves! The whole thing's great, and most of these names are new to our ears – titles include "Moonriver" by The Oldians, "I Recall" by Andre Solomo, "As Long As You're In Love" by Jasmine Nelson, "Breathless" by Gold Of My Own, "Colours" by Nia Andrews, "As One" by Low Leaf, "Trouble" by Daniel Crawford with Amp Fiddler & Monet, Guards Down" by Fridjolijn, "More Than A Million" by Paul Van Kessel, "Man In The Mirror" by Kasia Lins, and "Scary" by Alex Tait. ~ Dusty Groove

Boston-based funk and retro-soul musician Big Ben Hillman releases his debut full-length solo album, The Friday Night Consortium

After more than five years since his last release, Boston-based funk and retro-soul musician Big Ben Hillman is finally releasing his debut full-length solo album. The Friday Night Consortium, a collection of a dozen all new original Hillman compositions, runs the gamut of soulful grooves; from the up-tempo kick off number “Let’s Get Crazy” and the smooth dance-floor grinder “Friday Night,” to melodious ballads like “Beautiful Stranger” (a duet with Boston-based songstress Lydia Harrell) or feel-good disco romps like “It’s Too Easy,” The Friday Night Consortium has something for everyone.

“I’d been recording an album in New York before I got called to go on tour with the Greg Luttrell Band,” says Hillman, who was born and raised in the Boston area. “We spent four months in Shanghai, China. When I got back to the states I was going to pick up where I left off, but instead I ended up writing a whole new album with all new songs.” Big Ben Hillman, best known for hits like “It Must Have Been The Music” featuring Nephtaliem McCrary of The Nephrok! All-Stars and the blues-flavored hip-hop number “I’m Sorry” featuring Boston emcee Fee (One-Love, Ex-Cal) and Meyer Statham (Chucklehead, John Scofield) has spent most of his career as a hired freelance keyboardist, percussionist and background vocalist. He’s performed with local acts such as D-Tension, The Boston Horns and Michigan Blacksnake as well as major artists as diverse as hip-hoppers De La Soul and The Wu Tang Clan and rockers like Les Claypool and Jimmy Buffet, yet Hillman says that writing and producing music has long been his primary aim.

“I’ve always considered myself a songwriter first,” says the man known by many as The Professor of Funk. His first big break as a producer came in the form of “Lay ‘Em Down,” a heavy gangster rap cut featuring Krumb Snatcha that he co-wrote and co-produced with D-Tension on his Contacts and Contracts II album. “I was raised on hip-hop; it’s a part of my heritage,” Big Ben says of his past work with the Brick Records artist “but I always knew I had something else inside of me to share with the world.”

In 2010, the performer who had started his career as a session drummer in Lowell, MA would take his act on the road, performing in clubs in Philadelphia, Washington DC and New York City. “I got a whole lot of experience spending those days on the club circuit out there; I was really starting to find my voice as an artist,” Hillman says as he reflects on his days on the road. “Now that I am back in Boston I really feel like I have found my center and I am able make my visions come to life.” The Friday Night EP is a four song promotional release containing the singles released from the album, leading up to the release of the full-length album on Friday September 18th. A release event will be held that night at Toad in Porter Square, Cambridge, MA. The album will be available at CD Baby, Bandcamp and at Big Ben’s website (www.bigbenhillman.com) as well as all live events.

Delivering A Definitive Recital With Fred Hersch Solo, The State-Of-The-Art Pianist Sets the Scene For A Prolific And Celebratory 60th Birthday Year

Fred Hersch swoops and soars in his high-flying interactive trio. He sets a daunting standard as an exploratory duo partner and creates brilliantly detailed compositions and arrangements for variously configured chamber ensembles. But as an improviser of unsurpassed lyricism and technique he's at his most intimate and revealing in a solo setting. With Fred Hersch Solo, slated for worldwide release by Palmetto on September 4, 2015, the pianist kicks off a creatively fecund yearlong celebration of his 60th birthday with a definitive statement of his solo artistry.

In many ways, Solo distills the essence of Hersch's pianistic expression. Recorded in a jewel-like Catskills church at the 2014 Windham Chamber Music Festival, the set evolves with a compelling internal emotional logic all its own, flowing through Hersch's familiar solo touchstones (Jobim, Ellingtonia, Monk, originals) that turn into vessels for his supremely graceful invention. His 10th solo recording, Fred Hersch Solo joins an illustrious collection of albums that started with his riveting 1994 addition to Concord Jazz's Live at Maybeck series.

He opens the set with a medley of Jobim's "Olha Maria" and "O Grande Amor," a seductive blast of shimmering saudade. His beautifully constructed homage to Robert Schumann, "Pastorale," evokes a country dance on a warm summer evening, while "Caravan" lopes "like camels very slowly crossing the desert," Hersch says. "I was really playing with the acoustic space on that one, hearing notes ricochet around the church." For his juicy standard ballad, he treats Jerome Kern's "The Song Is You" as a slow-blooming epiphany rather than a sprint, which leads to the broken-ground scramble of Monk's "In Walked Bud." He closes the album with a caressing rendition of "Both Sides Now," turning Joni Mitchell's lament for lost innocence into a kind of benediction.

"I firmly believe this may be the all-around best solo album I've ever done," Hersch says. "I liked the piano and the environment of playing in a small wooden church just big enough to get some reverberance. When I consider where I was in terms of the precarious state of my health in 2008 this feels like such a strong and focused statement. Everything has come together going into my 60th year."

Hersch celebrates his 60th birthday (Oct. 21) and the release of Fred Hersch Solo with a weeklong Village Vanguard engagement October 20 - 25 with his superlative trio featuring bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson (documented most recently on 2014's lavishly praised double Grammy®-nominated Palmetto release Floating). The week before he presents the world premiere of Rooms of Light, a new song cycle for the stage featuring words by acclaimed poet Mary Jo Salter. The show explores the many ways that photography has enriched, compromised, and complicated our lives since its invention. Commissioned by Peak Performances, the show takes place at Montclair State University's Kasser Theatre October 15-18, featuring five actor/vocalists, an instrumental octet, a set and lighting design.

Hersch is negotiating a new commission from the Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, and returns to the Jazz Standard in May for his ninth annual Duo Invitation Series with Brad Mehldau, Miguel Zenón, Kate McGarry, Ravi Coltrane, Kenny Barron, and Regina Carter. He makes his Newport Jazz Festival debut this summer and his Jazz at Lincoln Center debut in January in the Appel Room with the program Fred Hersch & Friends: Intimate Moments featuring encounters with Anat Cohen, Julian Lage, Sullivan Fortner, and Stefon Harris.

For so many things to come together, some commitments have to be set aside. Hersch ends his current teaching stint at New England Conservatory with an Oct. 29 solo concert at Jordan Hall. The recital concert celebrates both his birthday and the 40th anniversary of his arrival at NEC as a student (and the 35th anniversary of first joining the NEC faculty). He's also busy at work on a memoir (working title: Good Things Happen Slowly) for Crown/Random House due in stores Spring 2017.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Hersch studied music theory and composition as an elementary schooler and sang in high school theater productions. It wasn't until he started attending Grinnell College in Iowa that he turned on to real jazz when he was introduced to the music of John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Miles Davis and Chick Corea. But the jazz bug really bit him when he went home for the holidays and happened into a Cincinnati jazz spot. He ended up dropping out of school and earned his stripes on local bandstands, with veteran musicians serving as his professors. After honing his chops for 18 months he enrolled at New England Conservatory to work with jazz piano legend Jaki Byard and made the move to New York City in 1977 after earning a BM with Honors.

Hersch quickly gained recognition as a superlative band-mate, performing and recording with masters such as Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Billy Harper, Lee Konitz, Art Farmer, Gary Burton, Toots Thielemans, and many others. Since releasing his first album under his own name he's recorded in an array of settings, including a series of captivating solo recitals, duos with vocalists Janis Siegel and Norma Winstone, and ambitious projects. As an educator, Hersch has shepherded some of the finest young pianists in jazz through his teaching at NEC, Juilliard, Rutgers and the New School. A leading force in galvanizing the jazz community in the fights against HIV/AIDS, he produced 1994's Last Night When We Were Young for Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS, an album featuring the likes of Bobby Watson, Phil Woods, George Shearing, Mark Murphy and Gary Burton.

He's gained the most widespread visibility as the leader of a series of remarkable trios. From his first session with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron, he's pushed at the limits of lyricism and temporal fluidity with similarly searching improvisers. He has consistently drawn deeply from the music's most refined players while forging his own approach. He considers his current trio, with John Hébert and Eric McPherson, as his best to date.

"I always say that as a player there are three main threads that come to prominence at different times," Hersch says. "There's the trio, which is a constant, and I love the band I've had for the last six years. I've been doing duo encounters steadily going way back to Jane Ira Bloom in the early 1980s. But I think solo feels equal to the trio in terms of being the hub of my musical wheel. My solo playing feeds my trio and vice versa. In many way it's my most personal form of expression, and I feel like this record is both a summation and a looking forward."

www.fredhersch.com

New West Guitar Group Celebrates 10 Years with New Album Featuring Five of Today's Leading Jazz Vocalists

Over the last ten years, the New West Guitar Group (NWGG) has emerged as one of the premier guitar ensembles in the world. Their signature sound comes from an innovative style that highlights rhythm, beauty and virtuosity through combining acoustic and electric guitars. 

With five studio albums to their credit, this new release Send One Your Love features an incredible cast of guest jazz vocalists. Teaming up with Gretchen Parlato, Tierney Sutton, Sara Gazarek, Becca Stevens and Peter Eldridge, the album tells a story about the highs and lows of love. Each vocalist is featured on a traditional and contemporary standard with lyrics that portray themes of vulnerability, hope, pain and happiness. Seattle Times hails NWGG as "sharp and refined" while All Music Guide says the trio's expert arrangements "sometimes verge on the orchestral." The band lives up to their reputation on Send One Your Love showcasing their thoughtful arrangements specifically done for the sound and style of each vocalist. The project brings together timeless compositions from Cole Porter, Joni Mitchell, Kurt Weill, Randy Newman and others through the sophisticated New West style of arranging. The result is a beautifully crafted and cohesive album that expands the notion of what is a "standard" to tell a story about of love. 

For New West Guitar Group, this album was a unique chance for the members to collaborate with different vocalists in a reimagined setting rather than a sideman situation. Founding members Perry Smith and John Storie have had years of experience working as sidemen for jazz vocalists. Smith toured extensively with Canada's Sophie Milman and also worked for many years with LA vocalist Kathleen Grace. Storie has performed and recorded for many years with contemporary jazz vocalist Spencer Day and performs regularly with Hollywood's Jeff Goldblum. Drawing from their years of experience, they set forth to combine their signature style in New West Guitar Group with five of today's leading jazz vocalists. "This project was a great opportunity for us to focus around a concept driven by the lyrics" says Smith, "something we rarely get to do in an instrumental guitar group."

  

Gretchen Parlato opens the first track "Send One Your Love" and is certainly no stranger to New West Guitar Group. Smith and Storie founded NWGG at USC in 2005 and knew Parlato when she was a student there in Thelonious Monk Institute. In 2009, Parlato collaborated with NWGG on their all-acoustic album called Sleeping Lady produced by Traugott Guitars. In addition to the groovin' title track by Stevie Wonder, Parlato is also featured on the dreamy ballad "Like Someone in Love." Her subtle and innovative way of singing is a perfect fit with the sophisticated and genre-blending style of NWGG. 

The second track "Detour Ahead" showcases the amazing Becca Stevens (who also sings later in the album on an Elliott Smith composition "Waltz No. 1"). Stevens first heard about New West Guitar Group back in 2008 when she booked NWGG at the forward sounding New York club, Bella Sugardo. On this album she sings songs about the unpredictable nature of life and love. Stevens captures this emotion with her evocative voice and truly unique style combining jazz with folk inspired phrasing. 

Following Stevens is the incomparable Peter Eldridge who was new to working with NWGG. However, Smith and Eldridge had many mutual friends and NWGG thought his delicate and sophisticated style would fit perfectly on this album. "His contributions are an incredible lift to this album," says John Storie, who arranged "Black Crow" for Eldridge. Later in the album he puts forth a beautiful rendition of the timeless Kurt Weill composition "My Ship."

  

The rising west coast star Sara Gazarek follows Eldridge with a hauntingly gorgeous performance on the classic standard "I Fall in Love Too Easily." Gazarek attended USC with Perry and John and the three of them have worked together in various formats over the last 10 years. "I remember Sara singing 'I Fall in Love' when we were all freshman," says Smith. "No one does it better, it's so natural for her." Gazarek also sings the final track on the album, a moving rendition of James Taylor's "Secret o' Life."

Featured on the fifth and ninth track is the renowned Tierney Sutton. Sutton was introduced to NWGG at USC when she used to be on the vocal faculty. Smith used to work with her students and Sutton was always very complimentary of his arrangements. Together with Storie, they both performed with Sutton at various school events and 10 years later she was more than happy to record with them. Featured on "You Be So Nice to Come Home To" NWGG takes advantage of Sutton's expansive vocal technique. "She's so good at up-tempos" says Storie, "her time and phrasing is impeccable." In the second half of the album Sutton is featured on the poignant Randy Newman ballad "When She Loved Me" from Toy Story 2.

As the next chapter in their already 10 year recording career, Send One Your Love gives New West Guitar Group a concept album for the ages. This collaborative effort tells a story about the highs and lows of love through the timeless tradition of guitar and voice.

Upcoming New West Guitar Group Performances:

August 13 / Music on the Beach / South Lake Tahoe, CA

August 14 / Carson City Jazz and Beyond / Carson City, NV

August 15 / Occidental Center for the Arts / Occidental, CA

August 16 / Old Saint Hilary's / Tiburon, CA

August 19 / Aquarium of the Pacific / Long Beach, CA

August 20 / Martinis Above 4th / San Diego, CA

August 22 / Lotusland / Santa Barbara, CA

October 25 / Morris Museum / Morristown, NJ

November 6 & 7 / Cuesta Vocal Jazz Festival / San Luis Obispo, CA

November 11 / Jimmy Mak's / Portland, OR

November 21 / Lakeshore Jazz Series / Tempe, AZ

New West Guitar Group · Send One Your Love 

Summit Records · Release Dates: June 8 (iTunes), August 7 (physical), 2015

NewWestGuitarGroup.com

The Christian McBride Trio - Live At The Village Vanguard

When Philadelphia-born bassist/bandleader Christian McBride arrived in New York in 1989 as a Juilliard student, he was the "Godchild of the Groove" with unlimited potential. Today, with over 300 recordings as a sideman and 11 critically acclaimed albums as a leader, he now reigns supreme as the "Lord of the Lower Frequencies." He's the influential and ubiquitous bassist of his generation, as evidenced by his quintet Inside Straight, his big band, his trio and his work with everybody from James Brown, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea and Wynton Marsalis to Sting, The Roots, Bruce Hornsby and Paul McCartney. 

It is fitting that the four-time Grammy® Award-winning McBride would eventually record at the Village Vanguard, the most hallowed and historical nightclub in jazz: an underground Mount Olympus where the gods and titans of the music - from John Coltrane to Bill Evans - have cast their syncopated spells.

"You can literally feel the ghosts of all of the legends that played there," McBride says. "You feel Coltrane hovering in the vortex. You feel Monk hovering in the vortex. Miles Davis, Mingus... you feel all of that in the air." 

And with his new Mack Avenue Records album, Live at the Village Vanguard, you can feel and hear McBride in the same air, along with his magnificent trio, which features drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. and pianist Christian Sands. They swing and swoon on nine tracks of originals, jazz standards and some surprise R&B/pop selections. 

This record is the fruit of McBride's long association with the Vanguard, where his first appearance as a leader for the historic club was in 1995. In 2007, the bassist and charismatic club owner Lorraine Gordon started an annual one-week residency, which featured McBride's quintet, Inside Straight. "Lorraine enjoyed my trio and my quintet, Inside Straight. We had such large crowds, so after a few years with such supportive audiences, we added an extra week. Instead of doing the same band for two weeks, I just started bringing in a different band. This has been an ongoing relationship that I look forward to maintaining as long as I can."

  

As encouraging as this association was, McBride's fear of being typecast as a Ray Brown clone almost caused this trio to not be. "I thought the very last thing I wanted to do was to put myself in a trio, because then I'll never be able to shed the Ray Brown comparison," he says. "And then one day I decided that that's sort of a silly reason not to start a trio, if musically that's what makes sense. There were a few gigs that [saxophonist] Steve Wilson and [vibraphonist] Warren Wolf were unavailable for, so I decided to play with the rhythm section. Peter Martin was playing piano and Ulysses was playing drums. In 2010, Christian Sands started subbing for Peter in Inside Straight. So we started doing trio gigs and that's how the group was born. 

"In trying to find repertoire for the trio in our early stages, I tried to come up with songs that were easy to learn and that you can put your own spin on them," he says. The opening track, Wes Montgomery's "Fried Pies," originally released on the guitarist's 1963 LP, Boss Guitar, burns with a quicksilver, straight-ahead groove, as does the trio's torrid take on J.J. Johnson's "Interlude" from Cannonball Adderley's 1965 Domination album. 

Sands' lilting composition "Sand Dune" would make a perfect companion to Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" on any playlist, while the well-worn standard "Cherokee" is rendered at a blistering, swing-at-the-speed-of-sound. In contrast, the trio's take on the spiritual "Down By The Riverside" grooves in a medium tempo buoyed by Owens' expert and inspired drumming. Billie Holiday's "Good Morning Heartache" is reborn by the trio with a ghostly, rubato intro, which evolves into a soulful, sonic séance. 

Two selections from the album aurally illustrate how McBride's outward embrace of non-jazz material harkens back to a time when jazz had a long-standing engagement with pop music. The trio's treatment of the Rod Temperton-composed ballad "The Lady In My Life," (from Michael Jackson's uber-LP Thriller) resonates with the same kind of noir nuance Bill Evans was known for. "If anyone can get over the fact that it's not 'a jazz tune,' they'd be able to notice that it's got one of the most gorgeous melodies," McBride says. The album concludes with a spirited take on the funky title theme song the 1977 movie "Car Wash." "This was one tune where even my band members looked at me side-eyes [laughs]," McBride says. "Even my wife said, 'so what's next? 'I Will Survive'?" 

McBride's inspirations Ray Brown and James Brown, his respect for non-jazz genres and his outgoing personality account for this sensational recording and for his growing stature as a jazz spokesperson and ambassador. 

McBride hosts and produces "The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian," on SiriusXM satellite radio and National Public Radio's weekly show, "Jazz Night In America." He also serves as Artistic Advisor for Jazz Programming at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), and he works with Jazz House Kids, a nationally recognized community arts organization founded by his wife, vocalist Melissa Walker, dedicated to educating children through jazz. 

"I'm glad to have these vehicles, like the NPR show, like the SiriusXM show," he says, "where I can tell people who may, or may not be into jazz, 'hey, come on over and play with us'." Live at the Village Vanguard is the titan bassist's infectious invitation to come swing with him. 

"When I first met Ulysses, he was a student at my summer camp in Aspen, CO. He had a lot of maturity in his playing, particularly the way he played brushes," says McBride. "I could tell he spent a lot of time with Lewis Nash and Kenny Washington and really studied the legendary drummers. And it was a relief to hear a young drummer who wasn't coming out of the same bag as other drummers.

"When I first met Christian, I was told he was a protégé of Dr. Billy Taylor, Hank Jones and Oscar Peterson, all of those legendary elder statesmen of the piano," McBride says. "But then, I heard him playing all of this esoteric, angular music coming out of an Andrew Hill/Paul Bley bag. And then, I found out he'd been studying with Vijay Iyer, Jason Moran and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. I thought man; this cat knows the whole language. 

"I realized that with guys like Ulysses and Christian, we can go anywhere we want to go: angular, swinging, esoteric, blues, impressionistic and funk." 

Christian McBride Trio · Live at the Village Vanguard 

Mack Avenue Records · Release Date: September 18, 2015

ChristianMcBride.com

Daniel Pemberton's The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Daniel Pemberton created an exciting soundtrack for The Man From U.N.C.L.E. with relaxing lounge instrumentals full of jazz and swing elements. Moreover the soundtrack contains seven licensed original classics as “Compared To What” by Roberta Flack or “Take Care Of Business” by Nina Simone.   

Daniel Pemberton is an Ivor Novello winning and multi-BAFTA nominated composer who works predominantly in film, television and videogames. His credits include everything from feature films such as “The Awakening” and the Sundance Jury winning “Enemies Of The People” to cult British television shows such as “Peep Show”, “Hells Kitchen” and “Great British Menu”. He has written the score for the second best selling Xbox 360 game of all time (“Kinect Adventures”) as well as creating the iconic theme for Sony’s “LittleBIGPlanet”. He has created the soundtracks for countless award winning drama series – from the BBC’s highly anticipated revival of “Upstairs Downstairs” to the multi award winning Iraq war series “Occupation”; adaptations of Martin Amis’ “Money” to Douglas Adams’ “Dirk Gently”. He has also scored countless Emmy, BAFTA, Grierson and RTS winning comedies, documentaries and lifestyle shows and worked with Oscar winning directors and editors.

Full tracklisting:

1.     Compared To What (Roberta Flack)    

2.     Out Of The Garage*                                                

3.     His Name Is Napoleon Solo*                                   

4.     Escape From East Berlin*                                       

5.     Jimmy, Renda se (Tom Zé)     

6.     Mission: Rome*                                                      

7.     The Vinciguerra Affair*                                            

8.     Bugs, Beats and Bowties*                                       

9.     Cry To Me (Solomon Burke)     

10.   Five Months, Two Weeks, Two Days (Remastered) (Louis Prima)     

11.   Signori Toileto Italiano*                                            

12.   Breaking In (Searching The Factory*                         

13.   Breaking Out (The Cowboy Escapes)*                      

14.   Che Vuole Questa Musica Stasera (Peppino Gagliardi)     

15.   Into The Lair (Betrayal, Pt. I)*                                    

16.   Laced Drinks (Betrayal, Pt. II)*                                  

17.   Il Mio Regno (Luigi Tenco)     

18.   Circular Story*                                                          

19.   The Drums Of War*                                                  

20.   Take You Down*                                                      

21.   We Have Location*                                                  

22.   A Last Drink*                                                   

23.   Take Care Of Business (Nina Simone)     

24.   The Unfinished Kiss*

25.   The Red Mist (Digital Bonus Track)*

26.   The Switch (Digital Bonus Track)*

27.   Warhead (Digital Bonus Track)*

28.   Fists (Digital Bonus Track)*

* Score tracks by Daniel Pemberton

Urban-jazz harpist Mariea Antoinette will release a special edition of her Billboard Top 5 album “Straight from the Harp”

To infiltrate the upper echelon of the Billboard album charts with an ancient instrument while cross-pollinating musical genres certainly has taken the imaginative vision and inspired creativity of a trailblazing entrepreneur. On September 26, urban-jazz harpist Mariea Antoinette will receive a Phenomenal Women in Entrepreneurship Award from the National Council of Negro Women, the 49th annual community event in San Diego, California at which she will perform. Tied to the honor, an enhanced version of her sophomore album, “Straight from the Harp: Special Edition,” will be released September 25 by MAH Productions featuring two bonus tracks and an entirely new cover. One of the new cuts, “Walk the Walk,” a uniquely sprawling hybrid of ethereal harp harmonies and impassioned soloing, EDM-hip hop beats, gauzy rock guitar and dramatic violin underscoring from Karen Briggs, will be serviced to radio as a single ahead of the bolstered collection’s issuance. 

The Allan Phillips-produced disc that peaked in the Billboard smooth jazz albums Top 5, “Straight from the Harp,” connects with a balanced set list of soul-infused originals and R&B classics. Showcasing Antoinette’s gorgeous, graceful and sensual harp theatrics amidst downhome funk grooves, ebullient pop harmonies and spacious jazz improvisations, the record was purposely crafted to fulfill the artist’s mission to smash limiting preconceptions, banish borders and offer adventurous new possibilities for her celestial stringed instrument.        

“The concept of ‘Straight from the Harp’ is to show people that the harp is not a quiet, dreamy, boring instrument, but that it can be funky like you’ve never heard it before. I wanted to take it to a new dimension, and I knew that (producer) Allan (Phillips) would bring an exciting palette of rhythmic possibilities to the table,” said Antoinette. “The CD has launched an exciting new phase in my career, but I’ve had this in my spirit a long time. I loved playing beautiful classical music, but my heart was telling me I’ve also got to do something different. I wanted to play the music that I grew up with. I wanted to make the harp a funky and sexy instrument. For those who have yet to discover ‘Straight from the Harp,’ I hope new listeners will open their ears and their minds to the ‘Special Edition.’” 

Tapping Phillips, an Emmy-winning, two-time Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist from Venezuela with an adventurous flair for surrounding lush melodies and percussive rhythms with textured world music trappings, was a deliberate choice for Antoinette. He penned four cuts for the genre-blurring session, including a pair of tunes with emerging saxophonist Reggie Codrington, while Antoinette composed a couple of stunning instrumental interludes.    

The San Diego-based Antoinette (yes, Mariea Antoinette is the name that appears on her birth certificate) debuted with “Sexy Paradise” (2003) produced by fellow San Diegan Carl Evans Jr. of the jazz fusion outfit Fattburger. Her striking appearance and artfully elegant sound and technique has led to high-profile gigs around the world such as performing for President Barak Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, backing Ne-Yo at the BET Awards and playing Grammy soirees for Vanity Fair magazine and Mary J. Blige and Jamie Foxx. Antoinette and Briggs have been collaborating since 2007 in the all-female ensemble Jazz in Pink. Their organic synchronicity forged through years of live shows at premier jazz festivals is clearly in evidence on “Walk the Walk.”

  

Songs contained on “Straight from the Harp: Special Edition” are:

“Fly Away”

“Rock Wit’cha”

“Special Treasure”

“Give Me Your Love”

“A Single Dance”

“Spend Some Time (With You)”

“Boogie Nights”

“Journey”

“I’m Gonna Love You (Just A Little More Baby)”

“Waiting In Vain”

“Human”

“Straight from the Harp”

“Walk the Walk”

www.MarieaAntoinette.com

NEW RELEASES: HERB ALPERT - COME FLY WITH ME; AYSHA - TAKE ME HIGHER; MARDIE MILLIT & MICHAEL GARIN - HEY, LOOK! IT'S MICHAEL & MARDIE!

HERB ALPERT - COME FLY WITH ME

Herb Alpert returns with his 2015 album, Come Fly With Me, a mix of new Alpert originals and classic American tunes ("Come Fly With Me", "Blue Skies", and "Take The A Train" are just a few that are featured), performed as only the beloved trumpeter can. Full tracklisting: Come Fly With Me; Blue Skies; Got A Lot Of Livin’ To Do; Cheeky; Take The “A” Train; Love Affair; Windy City; Sweet And Lovely; Walkin’ Tall; Night Ride; Something; One The Sunny Side Of The Street; and Danny Boy. Come Fly With Me is set for release on September 25. 

AYSHA - TAKE ME HIGHER

Vocalist and songwriter Aysha takes her sexy, sensual style, which she dubs "smooth R&B with a jazzy edge" - to the next level, vibing in the studio with a dynamic mix of some of the top artists and producers in contemporary urban jazz, to ensure the perfect flow and expression of where she is an artist and performer in 2015. The soulful, easy-grooving side track was co-written, produced by, and features saxophonist Darren Rahn. Includes: Up So High; Take Me Higher; Send For Me; You’re The Only One; Sailing; Undeniable; The Right Thinig; All I Want; Release Me; and Let’s Get It On. ~ Amazon

MARDIE MILLIT & MICHAEL GARIN - HEY, LOOK! IT'S MICHAEL & MARDIE!

Chock full of ballads, peppy stuff, and their signature goofball original material, "Hey, Look! It's Michael & Mardie!", the debut CD of Manhattan cabaret duo Michael Garin and Mardie Millit, is sure you get your toes tapping. Featuring guest turns by Billy Stritch, Steve Doyle and Maitreya Padukone, this eclectic mix of songs old and new will have you chortling, humming along and even wiping away a tear or two. They met each other in the nick of time at Jim Caruso's Cast Party, where they were both regular entertainers, in 2005 and began performing together soon after -- most notably on Sunday nights at Elaine's from 2008 until its closing in 2011. They have appeared together at 54 Below, Birdland, the Village Underground, the Metropolitan Room, Iridium, the Rum House, and Bill's Food and Drink, to name but a few. They married each other in 2012 and live in Central Harlem. Includes: Jump, Jive & Wail; It's Diwali! (feat. Maitreya Padunkone); Little Girl Blue (feat. Billy Stritch); Surf Carmen; Some Enchanted Evening; My Cherie Amour; On the Sunny Side of the Street; Sorry-Grateful; It Doesn't Happen Twice; Douchebag At the Bar (feat. Billy Stritch); I'll Take Romance (feat. Steve Doyle); Route 66; Historia de un Amor/Volver; and Grandma Midnight. 

PETE MCCANN EXPLORES THE BREADTH OF HIS FORMIDABLE ARTISTRY AS A GUITARIST, COMPOSER & BANDLEADER ON HIS FIFTH RECORDING, RANGE

Range, available September 18, 2015 on Whirlwind Recordings, marks jazz guitarist Pete McCann's fifth release as a leader. Range, which finds McCann exploring the breadth and depth of his formidable artistry as a guitarist, composer and bandleader, features an incomparable cast of some of New York City's finest musicians; John O'Gallagher-alto sax, Henry Hey-piano, Rhodes and organ, Matt Clohesy-acoustic & electric bass and Mark Ferber-drums. 

The music on Range encompasses a wide variety of musical styles and genres, showcasing McCann's and the ensemble's "range" as they expertly and delightfully delve into straight-ahead, post-bop, avant garde, Latin, and jazz-rock fusion. Range is the follow up to McCann's previous critically-acclaimed releases, Extra Mile (Nineteen-Eight), Most Folks (Omnitone), Parable and You Remind Me of Someone (both on Palmetto). Range opens with the driving, melodious, Kenny, an homage to the late, great, Kenny Wheeler, with whom McCann had the good fortune to study with in 1988 at the Banff Summer Jazz Workshop. He later performed and recorded with Wheeler in a large ensemble led by the Belgian saxophonist, Erwin Vann in 1997. Wheeler's unique sound on the trumpet and flugelhorn, and his beautiful 

Compositional style, resonates with McCann on a very personal level, as reflected in this composition. Seventh Jar was inspired by the Indian spiritual tale in which a man finds six and a half jars filled with gold. He becomes obsessed with filling the seventh jar never realizing that he should stop and have gratitude for what he already has. McCann and the ensemble perfectly capture the mystery of this ancient story with a contemplative, searching melody. Realm "was written with the great pianist Richie Beirach in mind.  I am a longtime fan of 

Richie's playing and his dark harmonic sensibility," explained McCann. Like most musicians of McCann's caliber, he is an avid listener, and To the Mountains was inspired by a melodic fragment he heard on God Bless America. It is the guitarist's tribute to the true sonic genius of guitarist Bill Frisell, and will stand as a testament to McCann's talent in taking a small melodic fragment and crafting a beautiful, contemplative ballad from it. Mustard is a lively tune with an interesting set of odd meters at the end of the A section: 7/8, 6/8 and 7/8. The bass riff centers around the major 3rd axis split, Ab/C/E.

From L to R: Pete McCann, Henry Hey, Matt Clohesy, John O'Gallagher, Mark Ferber

Other highlights on Range include Dyad Changes, written with Anton Webern in mind. A few years ago John O'Gallagher invited McCann to perform and record with the Anton Webern Project. "Studying O'Gallagher's take on Webern gave me the idea to write in that style over rhythm changes", said McCann; Numinous is based on a 12 tone row. Each of the 12 tones provides the roots for the underlying harmony of the A section, then the tone row comes back on its own in the B section as a backdrop for improvisation; Bridge Scandal, inspired by "Bridgegate" an unfortunate event that many suspect Chris Christie (governor of New Jersey), to have orchestrated. The underlying harmony of the A section is very similar to the middle section or 'bridge' of Bill Evans' Time Remembered; Rumble is an homage to the remarkable saxophonist, Lee Konitz. "I was very fortunate to work with Lee in the Lee Konitz Nonet, led by saxophonist Ohad Talmor, and also recently with saxophonist Grace Kelly," said McCann; Mine Is Yours is a composition that simply, but captivatingly, delves into McCann's fascination with harmony.

A native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, McCann has been an integral part of the New York City jazz scene for more than twenty-five years, during which time he has been a first-call sideman, and an indispensable part of over eighty CDs. He has performed throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe from the most prestigious clubs and jazz festivals, to musicals, award shows, and even an opera. McCann regularly works with Grace Kelly, Chris Tarry, Melissa Stylianou, Dan Willis, Ben Kono, Asuka Kakitani and Alison Wedding, and has performed with some of the greatest in jazz, including Kenny Wheeler, Dave Liebman, Lee Konitz, Patti Austin, Bobby Previte, Brian Blade, and the Maria Schneider Orchestra. He received his Bachelors of Music degree from the University of North Texas, has studied at the Banff School of the Arts, and currently teaches at City College of New York and the New School in New York City.

 CD RELEASE CELEBRATION TOUR!:

September 27, 2015, 9:30 PM - The 55 Bar, NYC

November 3 - Marshall University, WV

November 4 - Denison University, OH

November 5 - BluJazz, Akron, OH

November 6 - Clinic at Kent State University, OH

November 7 - Natalie's, Columbus, OH

November 8 - Bungalo Jazz, Columbus, OH

December 9 & 10 - The Rex, Toronto, Canada

December 11 - The Jazz Room, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (tent.)

Brian Auger - Back to the Beginning: The Brian Auger Anthology

Brian Auger - lauded and loved by everybody from Herbie Hancock to Mose Allison, from the Brand New Heavies to The Beastie Boys, his tracks have been sampled by Mos Def, Common, Air and Kid Loco, his original compositions covered by Sarah Vaughan, Richard 'Groove' Holmes and The Main Ingredient.

Taking the path less traveled, indeed, forging a new path guided by one's own individual musical instincts certainly would not be the most obvious and easiest route to creative and commercial success. However, Brian Auger has always displayed a fiercely independent and single minded approach to his music - and after over 50 years of doing just that, has firmly secured his reputation as an award winning and much loved musical innovator, award winning jazz piano prodigy, a Swinging 60's London scenester, early jazz fusion protagonist, the godfather of acid jazz, a 2014 Hammond Organ Hall of Fame Inductee, as well as being known as a generous, hilarious and warm hearted human being.

This 24 track, career spanning anthology covers over 50 years of Brian Auger's music - from his poll winning jazz piano trio, classic and slept on tracks by Julie Driscoll & The Trinity, his pioneering 70's jazz fusion outfit The Oblivion Express and includes rare tracks and new material from his Grammy Nominated, award winning life in music - as well as material from his forthcoming brand new live album Live In Los Angeles with original Oblivion Express vocalist Alex Ligertwood back on vocal duties

Back To The Beginning is a celebration of one of music's great innovators, a musician's musician who's playing also speaks directly to the heart of whoever is listening. After over 50 years as a ground breaking professional player, his skills and spirit remain undiminished, one who still promotes a simple and always relevant message - Peace Through Music.

Tracklisting:

          Blues Three Four

          There Is No Greater Love

          Broadway

          Shake (feat. Rod Stewart)

          That Driving Beat (feat. Julie Driscoll)

          Save Me (feat. Julie Driscoll)

          Black Cat

          I've Gotta Go Now

          Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In) [feat. Julie Driscoll]

          Ellis Island

          Finally Found You Out

          Indian Rope Man (feat. Julie Driscoll)

          Red Beans & Rice, Pt. 1 (Big Band Version)

          Fire in the Mind

          Listen Here

          Freedom Jazz Dance

          Whenever You're Ready

          Beginning Again (Live at the Whisky a Go Go)

          Somebody Help Us

          No Time to Live (feat. Julie Tippetts)

          Git Up (feat. Julie Tippetts)

          Freddie'€™s Flight

          Butterfly (feat. Savannah Auger)

          Future Pilot (Live in Los Angeles) [feat. Alex Ligertwood]