The Sun Ra Centennial Arkestra to Release Babylon Live, Documenting 2014 Centennial Tour Recording Marks First Album Released in Eight Years

Forever alterable, young again and freshly strengthened, The Sun Ra Centennial Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen presents itself on Babylon Live, the only live recording from the Centennial Arkestra tour. Recorded at Istanbul's Babylon music club, marking the hundredth birthday of it's founder, Sun Ra, the tour kicked off in 2014 and lead the band around the globe. The ensemble sparked with a briskness that is a testimony to the timelessness and infinity of their mission.

Babylon Live is an aural illustration of the enthusiasm of the brothers Mehmet and Ahmet Uluğ. The tenacious Sun Ra fans indeed made it happen. They wanted to bring the Sun Ra Arkestra to Istanbul for the first time since 1990. Both, however, were inexperienced promoters. They drove the band on a flat bed trailer down the arterial road to Taksim-Square and the nearby concert hall they had booked. The unusual promotion campaign drew thousands of curious spectators. Sun Ra's blessing turned out to be fruitful with the concert being a great success. In consequence, the Uluğ brothers founded the music promotion enterprise Pozitif and later on the Babylon. An Istanbul myth had come to life. Therefore, this CD/DVD special edition is dedicated to the late Mehmet Uluğ, whose untimely death occurred in 2012.

Terrific talents grew up in the well-kept house of 91-year-old Maestro Allen in Philadelphia, including piano player Farid Barron, Ra's current representative on planet Earth. Barron's exceptional sense of timing, phrasing and timbre puts him on the same level as piano players such as Art Tatum. Before he started to travel to the opposite side of the jazz continuum, Barron had contributed to the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra under the direction of Wynton Marsalis. It was Allen who also discovered violin player and highly gifted vocalist Tara Middleton, whose vibrant and velvet, impressive alto voice is capable of claiming the chairs of two Arkestra legends; June Tyson and Art Jenkins. Within the sequence of brilliant solos, James Stuart convinces with a mighty overblown, circular-breathing stream of strength on tenor saxophone. Band veteran Vincent Chancey, Sun Ra's favorite on the French horn, displays archaic charisma in sounding like a siren's singing or conch shell trumpet. With Wayne Anthony Smith Jr. on the drums, Allen took in a young and versatile timekeeper, who is potent to act as the kicking and the supporting leg while also simultaneously providing a confident rhythm base for the music spectacle. The entire rhythm section dives deep into the band's history, which has always closely tied together place and time to gain singularity.

Attracted by rhythm layers which reach into each other, the listener gets into the musical cosmos in a quite gentle way, as if sleepwalking. The pieces build upon each other and grow into each other. Microtonal sequences oscillate across the entire interplay of compositions, they emerge and dive, change perpetually, as if the tones were alchemical ingredients of a lively and ever more self-generating primeval soup. The merit goes to Allen, who is tirelessly evaluating and interpreting the immeasurable treasure of the tone-documents Sun Ra left behind. These recordings stem from the never-ending rehearsals in Sun Ra's headquarters, and their musical treasure has never before been unveiled in front of an audience. Being reconstructed from the original compositions such as "Ra #2" and "Carefree #2," the Arkestra is an experience of splendid resurrection whether it is the live concert or on the recording Babylon Live. It is a sensation. It is Sun Ra rediscovered.

JEFF LORBER FUSION TO RELEASE “STEP IT UP” / FEATURES 11 NEW TRACKS CO-PRODUCED BY JIMMY HASLIP

Jeff Lorber Fusion, whose previous release Hacienda was praised for its “impeccable musicianship and deep grooves” by JazzTimes and its “funky, rollicking jams” by All About Jazz, returns on September 25, 2015, with Step It Up on Heads Up, a division of Concord Music Group. The fourth consecutive collaboration between GRAMMY®-nominated keyboardist, composer, and producer Jeff Lorber and GRAMMY®-winning bassist, composer and producer Jimmy Haslip since the two virtuosos reactivated Jeff Lorber Fusion five years ago, Step It Up features 11 new Lorber compositions, several co-written with Haslip. The longtime colleagues also co-produced the recording.

The title Step It Up, says Lorber, “reflects the music: optimistic, energetic and an attempt to ‘step up’ our game—our compositions, production and improvisation—to the next level. This record puts us back in a more familiar Jeff Lorber Fusion groove while we explore some new uncharted areas.”

“We were motivated to find a new direction following Hacienda,” adds Haslip. “That one was a full-on experimental recording. Step It Up is more inside the Jeff Lorber Fusion box but has some new and interesting twists.”

Assisting the pair in creating those twists is a team of world-class musicians, including two former bandmates of Haslip’s in the award-winning fusion band Yellowjackets: saxophonist Bob Mintzer and guitarist Robben Ford. Also lending a hand are drummers Ash Soan, Gary Novak and Vinnie Colaiuta; saxophonist Gary Meek and guitarists Michael Thompson and Paul Jackson Jr. David Mann provides horn arrangements and Lenny Castro percussion. The album was recorded primarily at JHL Sound in Pacific Palisades, California, with additional recording done at other studios in the U.S. and Europe.

As on all past Jeff Lorber Fusion releases, dating back to its 1977 self-titled debut, Step It Up effortlessly mines and merges elements from multiple genres, including jazz, funk, rock and R&B. The original Jeff Lorber Fusion took an extended hiatus in the early ’80s, reemerging and recharging in 2010 with an updated approach that incorporates contemporary rhythms, technology and instrumentation. Prior to Step It Up and Hacienda, Jeff Lorber Fusion released Now Is the Time (2010) and Galaxy (2012), both also via Heads Up. But as they began working on what ultimately became Step It Up, Lorber and Haslip realized they were heading to some new places in their music.

“I’m always writing new stuff and I got together with Jimmy to play him some of the music I was working on,” says Lorber. “My compositions were a bit diverse and Jim suggested focusing more. We came up with the idea of ’70s modal jazz.” Inspired by the classic recordings of such greats as Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson and Weather Report, Lorber and Haslip followed their collective muse, drawing conceptually from the influential output of those legends but filtering it all through their own sensibilities—several of the co-written tunes developed directly out of bass parts Haslip had created.

“We eventually put a list of original tunes together that we thought made a statement and had this modal thread running through it,” says Haslip. “We also have a modern approach to this and we wanted to make sure that there would be strong elements of excitement and uplifting melodic motifs.”

Among the 11 tracks featured on Step It Up, Lorber cites “Fire Spirit,” “Starfish,” “Tenth Victim” and the title track as “having that modal center/freedom, along with some powerful grooves like some of those tracks from the ’70s. Then along with those we have some cool blues tunes like ‘Arecibo’ and ‘Deep Green,’” the latter among three tracks featuring Robben Ford. Another highlight is “Get Up,” about which Lorber says, “Jimmy discovered this one while listening to some older demos on his computer. We had written the sketch a number of years ago and forgotten about it. We both thought it was great when we heard it and wanted to put it on the album, however we didn’t have a melody. I wrote a number of melodies for it but ended up trying to simplify and minimize it as much as possible to not take away from the funkiness of the basic track, which we liked so much. Ash played some really cool drums and David Mann came up with an outstanding horn arrangement.”

Lorber’s composition “Up on This” has its roots in what Jeff calls “a mean modern groove kind of reminiscent of Chaka Khan’s ‘Ain’t Nobody,’” while “Mustang” sports a syncopated melody and superb playing from Mintzer. “Right on Time” is a hard-hitting, fast but highly melodic swing tune with some Hammond B3 organ accents, topped off by a fiery Gary Meek sax solo at the end and sweet horn arrangements by Mann. The album is rounded out by the self-explanatory “Soul Party,” featuring Gary Novak’s solid drum groove and Michael Thompson’s greasy and inventive guitar accompaniment.

Both Lorber and Haslip are quick to heap praise upon the other for his vital contributions to the final product. With decades of expertise between them in every area of composing, playing and recording, they know each other’s strengths inside out. “I’m more of a detail guy and Jimmy is more of a big picture guy,” says Lorber, who plays Fender Rhodes, Moog, mini-Moog and piano on the album. “He helps a lot with figuring out which musicians we might call to complement and develop the songs (in this case Bob Mintzer and Robben Ford).”

Adds Haslip, “Jeff and I have really good chemistry and we have a lot in common with a love of many different styles of music. So together, we form a strong, positive union of ideas and creative energy.”

Never has that chemistry been more evident than on Step It Up. Where they will head next from here is anybody’s guess, but both Jeff and Jimmy are excited about the possibilities. Says Lorber, “I think the direction we’ve charted out from the last few records and this one is a creative, positive one. These records have been about combining the old and new, taking the original Jeff Lorber Fusion sound of funky fusion with bebop and R&B elements and reaching both forward and backward to explore new territory. There’s a renewed sense of exploration, harmonic and melodic adventure and jazziness. The idea of fusion seems fresh again.”

Jeff Lorber web: http://www.lorber.com/

Jeff Lorber Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeffLorberMusic

Jeff Lorber Twitter: https://twitter.com/jefflorber

NEW RELEASES: JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - BLACK LIGHT; HOMMAGE A EBERHARD WEBER; CHICK COREA / BELA FLECK - TWO

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - BLACK LIGHT

As a musician, composer, and bandleader, John McLaughlin's vast contributions to contemporary improvisational music are only just beginning to be fully understood, appreciated, and absorbed by artists and enthusiasts alike. From Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti and his collaboration with Paco De Lucia, to his current band the 4th Dimension, McLaughlin's music has extended across the boundaries dividing jazz, rock, and innumerable global traditions, encompassing a number of genres while emerging fully formed as his own, uniquely personal expressive medium. Now, McLaughlin is prepared to break through yet again, with what he feels is his most personal statement today: Black Light. Black Light includes 8 original McLaughlin compositions, including a heartfelt homage to his departed colleague, collaborator, and friend Paco De Lucia - with whom McLaughlin had intended to compose an album's worth of new material just before De Lucia's untimely passing. McLaughlin has returned to acoustic guitar for a tribute to his friend, entitled 'El Hombre Que Sabia' and brings forth from the instrument a depth of sadness and admiration beyond words. Mclaughlin adds, 'I have explored ways in music and recorded them with happiness. 'Black Light' has opened a portal that is neither Jazz nor Rock, nor Indian nor Blues, and yet all of these: it's an open door. Otherwise electric, Black Light features the 4th Dimension - 'my three favorite musicians,' in McLaughlin's word - in full flight, with their empathy and precision honed on stage and in the studio. The 4th Dimension is composed of the remarkable multi-instrumentalist Gary Husband on keyboards and drums, Etienne Mbappe's nimble, effervescent electric bass, and the powerhouse drumming of Ranjit Barot. ~ Amazon

PAT METHENY / JAN GARBAREK / GARY BURTON / SCOTT COLLEY / DANNY GOTTLIEB / PAUL MCCANDLESS / MICHAEL GIBBS / HELGE SUNDE / SWR BIG BAND - HOMMAGE A EBERHARD WEBER

In January 2015 musicians and listeners converged upon Stuttgarts Theaterhaus for two consecutive nights to celebrate the 75th birthday of Eberhard Weber. The concerts centered around a specially commissioned 35-minute suite by Pat Metheny, with whom Weber had played and recorded back in the 1970s. Featuring Metheny, the SWR Big Band conducted by Helge Sunde, Gary Burton, bassist Scott Colley and Danny Gottlieb on drums, the composition was arranged around recordings of solos by Weber. Other performers during the two nights playing selections from Webers vast body of work were Webers longtime companions Jan Garbarek, Paul McCandless, Manfred Schoof and arranger Michael Gibbs, all drawing ovations from the packed house. A truly special event, this. - Michael Tucker, Jazz Journal.

CHICK COREA / BELA FLECK - TWO

Chick Corea & Béla Fleck, two master songwriters, musicians, and band leaders meet once again in a historic duet of piano and banjo. The Grammy-winning duet, combine Corea and Fleck s classic tunes with the music from their Grammy-winning album The Enchantment! With a mix of jazz and pop standards, crossing a myriad of genres, from jazz, bluegrass, rock, flamenco and gospel, this album captures the casual, intimate playing by both legends from different musical worlds. Fans of legendary jazz pianist Chick Corea and bebop and bluegrass banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck are well aware of the pair's previous collaborations (Corea guests on two Flecktones albums, and Fleck appears on Corea's Rendezvous in New York DVD), but on their full-length release in 2007, The Enchantment, the two went into the project with an intense seriousness of purpose. On Two, they continue to push each other in a live setting, adapting their instruments to genres (bluegrass, country, Latin, ragtime, classical, blues, and world) normally outside their idioms, Corea playing 'grassy banjo patterns on the piano on Fleck's mournful "Mountain" and Fleck stretching on Corea's suite-like "Joban Dna Nopia." With few exceptions, the compositions are only frameworks for vast improvisation, which might be expected. But instead of setting each other up for extended solos, Corea and Fleck join together with breathtaking precision and verve, weaving and intertwining through remarkable contrapuntal excursions, only to break and meet up again in perfect sync. ~ Amazon

NEW RELEASES: THE WRECKING CREW - THERE WAS ONLY ONE BAND BEHIND THEM ALL; CAECILIE NORBY / LARS DANIELSSON - JUST THE TWO OF US; CAROL WELSMAN - ALONE TOGETHER

THE WRECKING CREW - THERE WAS ONLY ONE BAND BEHIND THEM ALL

They were the studio musicians behind some of the biggest hits in the 1960s and 70s. From Be My Baby to California Girls Strangers in the Night to Mrs. Robinson You've Lost that Lovin Feelin to Up, Up and Away and from Viva Las Vegas to Mr. Tambourine Man the group dubbed The Wrecking Crew played on them all. Six years in a row in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Grammy for Record of the Year went to Wrecking Crew member recordings.

The talents of this group of first call players were used on almost every style of recording including television theme songs, film scores, advertising jingles and almost every genre of American popular music, from the Monkees to Bing Crosby. Notable artists employing the Wrecking Crew's talents included Nancy Sinatra, Bobby Vee, the Partridge Family, David Cassidy, Jan & Dean, the Mamas & the Papas, the 5th Dimension, the Association, the Carpenters, Glen Campbell, Cher, John Denver, the Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, the Grass Roots and Nat King Cole. The record producers most often associated with the Wrecking Crew are Phil Spector, who used the Crew to create his trademark Wall of Sound and Beach Boys member and songwriter Brian Wilson, who used the Crew's talents on many of his mid-1960s productions including the songs Good Vibrations, California Girls, Pet Sounds, and the original recordings for Smile. Members of the Wrecking Crew played on the first Byrds single recording, Mr. Tambourine Man, because Columbia Records, namely, producer Terry Melcher did not trust the skills of Byrd musicians except for Roger McGuinn. Spector used the Wrecking Crew on Leonard Cohen's fifth album, Death of a Ladies Man. Two of their members, drummers Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer, were among the inaugural Sidemen inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, while the entire Wrecking Crew was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007. According to Blaine, the name the Wrecking Crew was derived from the impression that he and the younger studio musicians made on the business older generation, who felt that they were going to wreck the music industry. ~ Amazon

CAECILIE NORBY / LARS DANIELSSON - JUST THE TWO OF US

Just the Two of Us is an intimate duo album by this husband and wife pairing. Apart from songs by Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Abbey Lincoln, the pair play their own compositions. The variety of expression that they achieve together, the sheer opulence of their musicality will amaze the listener. For many years Norby and Danielsson are a married couple but musically they went their separate paths for a long time: Norby was the pre-eminent funk and jazz singer in Denmark, until she took herself off to America, long before other Scandinavian singers followed her example. She became the first European female artist to be signed to the Blue Note label, a move which led to working with global stars such as Mike Stern and Chick Corea. Lars Danielsson, from Sweden, also has a major international career to his name, working alongside the likes of Charles Lloyd and the Brecker Brothers; but over and above that, he has developed as an artist (and also as a producer) through being a long-standing member of the ACT label family, and is now regarded as one of the most significant European jazz musicians. ~ Amazon

CAROL WELSMAN - ALONE TOGETHER

6-Time Juno (Canadian Grammy) Nominee, Carol Welsman launches Alone Together, showcasing the rhythmic swing of her piano playing, the warm, embracing sound of her voice, and her irresistible way with a lyrc. Early reviews have cited Alone Together as the album that will cement Welsman's ascendency to the upper levels of the contemporary jazz vocal world. Carol's voice and piano are backed by an assemblage of world class players that include trumpeter Wallace Roney, bassist Rufus Reid, drummer Lewis Nash and guitarist Jay Azzolina. Together, Carol and her musicians interact with the intuitive togetherness of jazz vocalizing at its finest. The songs sung and played by Carol Welsman are a thrill you can only feel and experience with awe but find hard to explain, like your first ride on a roller coaster. Blessed with so many musical gifts - taste, time, projection and a rhythmic sense of when to change chords - Carol's piano is beyond reproach, warm yet rhythmically sharp, giving her voice a perfect hammock of support to swing in. I'm not an easy pushover, but she's got what it takes to take me. - Don Heckman- International Review of Music

NEW RELEASES: DANILO PEREZ / JOHN PATITUCHI / BRIAN BLADE - CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT; NANCY WILSON / CANNONBALL ADDERLEY; NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN - THE DANCE OF LIFE / VICTORY / CONFIDENCE

DANILO PEREZ / JOHN PATITUCHI / BRIAN BLADE - CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci and Brian Blade have been three quarters of the extraordinary Wayne Shorter Quartet for more than a decade, whilst also leading their own projects and performing in various groups. Now, on 'Children of the Light', they step forward as a trio for the first time with an imagination and fearlessness in their approach that defies the roles and ways of a trio in both obvious and subtle ways. Daring and luminous, often an improbable mix of pointed, questioning turns and childlike joy, the music unfolds with mischievous unpredictability. The eleven tracks include original compositions by all three members of the trio and a fresh take on "Dolores", an old Shorter classic. It's a remarkable balancing act but even as they put their considerable talents to the service of the trio, each of the members maintains his distinct personality. "We can 'comprovise' (spontaneous composition) with dense harmonic and melodic forms, but we can also explore the beauty of a simple harmony," says Pérez. "And you can see the care each one of us put into the songs we brought in." ~ Amazon

  

NANCY WILSON / CANNONBALL ADDERLEY

Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley had worked together on a number of live dates and had enjoyed the experience sufficiently well enough to agree to replicate it in the studio at a later point in time. That time came in 1961, when both were sharing the same manager and record label, thus making a recording collaboration so much easier to arrange. Recorded in New York City over the course of a four day session (vocals tracks were laid down on 27 and 29 of June, instrumental tracks on 23 and 24 August), the album was intended to feature Nancy as a sort of easy-going third horn. The vocal tracks (there are six vocal tracks) are the albums undoubted stand out tracks, with Nancys vocals floating on top of a wonderful musical bed provided by Cannonball and his excellent core musicians. Yet the five instrumentals are not to be overlooked either, with Joe Zawinuls expert piano playing a delightful bonus. The album was a major success when originally released in 1962, peaking at #30 on the Billboard chart, something of a breakthrough for both Nancy and Cannonball. Indeed the concept worked well enough for Nancy to record a further collaborative album with Ramsey Lewis more than twenty years later. ~ Amazon

NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN - THE DANCE OF LIFE / VICTORY / CONFIDENCE

Ex-Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jeff Beck and Tommy Bolin drummer and producer extraordinaire Walden’s fourth, fifth and sixth albums for Atlantic, released in 1979, 1980 and 1982 ‘I Shoulda Loved Ya’ from ‘The Dance Of Life’ was a UK Top 10 hit single All three albums made the Billboard Top 200 chart Walden’s production credits are impressive – he produced hits for Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey amongst many others Digitally remastered and slipcased Extensive new notes Also available on BGO Records: BGOCD1210 Garden Of Love Light/I Cry, I Smile/ Awakening. ~ Amazon

MARK GUILIANA FOLLOWS UP FAMILY FIRST with THE RELEASE OF FAMILY FIRST - THE ALTERNATE TAKES FEATURING FOUR ALTERNATE TAKES AND TWO NEW SONGS

With the June 4, 2015 release of Family First, drummer, composer, and bandleader Mark Guiliana and his Jazz Quartet featuring Jason Rigby (tenor saxophone), Shai Maestro (piano) and Chris Morrissey (bass), brilliantly created a melodic and rhthymic landscape that delighted audiences and provoked rave reviews from critics. Family First marked the third release in a year on his own Beat Music Productions (following up My Life Starts Now and Beat Music: The Los Angeles Improvisations), and Guiliana is now excited to announce the companion/follow-up release to Family First, Family First - The Alternate Takes. The Alternate Takes CD offers up a new listening experience, featuring alternate takes on "Long Branch", "ABED", "The Importance of Brothers" and Bob Marley's "Johnny Was", as well as two new tunes, Guiliana's "1980", and the Quartet's version of Rufus Wainwright's "Beautiful Child".

Guiliana's singular drumset and compositional artistry, once again setting the bar quite high, is on glorious display on Family First - The Alternate Takes, as is the playing of his collaborators. Once again Guiliana has used the freedom of running his own label to bring music to listeners that might never have been heard. "After two incredibly fun and productive days in the studio, I knew we had too much material to fit on one record, " said Guiliana. "Chris, Shai, and Jason consistently delivered inspired performances, making it difficult to choose 'the one,' and in several instances, I felt very connected to versions that didn't end up on the record. It's exciting to be able to share this material that would otherwise just be hiding on a hard drive somewhere in my apartment." 

The sound presented on Family First is quite different from Guiliana's 2014 releases, and Family First - The Alternate Takes presents yet another soundscape, giving the listener a different perspective on the music. This purely acoustic music is presented without edits or isolation, as captured in pristine detail by engineer John Davis at the Bunker Studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.While not a tribute recording in any way, this recording is another nod to the jazz drummers that have inspired and informed Guiliana's completely unique approach to the instrument. Guiliana elaborates, "the music that this Quartet plays embodies the deep inspiration I have taken over the years from my earliest drumming heroes, including Tony Williams, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, and Art Blakey, to name a few."   

Although this is a fairly new band, Guiliana shares a deep musical history with each musician. "These guys are some of my favorite musicians and I've been lucky to be building a musical bond with each of them over the past decade," he explains. "I've been playing with Chris in my electronic project Beat Music, with Jason in my first band Heernt, and I spent a handful of great years on the road with Shai in bassist Avishai Cohen's trio." Family First - The Alternate Takes encapsulates all the best that these musicians have to offer - abundant beauty, ardent propulsion and sheer love of improvisation.

Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet On Tour:

September 30 - The Jazz Gallery, NYC(last NYC date before the European tour!)

October 3 - Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

October 4 - Vrijstraat O, Ostend, Belgium

October 5 - Fasching, Stockholm, Sweden

October 6 - TBA

October 7 - Moods, Zurich, Switzerland

October 8 - Band on The Wall, Manchester, UK

October 9 - Bimhuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

October 10 - Paradox, Tiblurg, The Netherlands

October 11 & 12 - Duc Des Lombards, Paris, France

October 13 - Whelan's, Dublin, Ireland

October 14 - Ronnie Scott's, London, UK

Featuring:

Mark Guiliana (drums)

Fabian Almazan (piano)

Jason Rigby (tenor sax)

Chris Morrissey (bass)

 

www.MarkGuiliana.com

NEW RELEASES: MASTERPIECES OF MODERN SOUL VOLUME 4; KENYA – MY OWN SKIN; SOSPETTO – QUATTRO SPECCHI OPACHI

MASTERPIECES OF MODERN SOUL VOLUME 4

One of the most supremely soulful compilations we've heard in years – and easily the deepest in this series to date! From the start, Kent's Masterpieces Of Modern Soul collections have been all about bringing rare gems to fresh ears, and they've really outdone themselves here. A solid majority of the tunes have never been released before now, and even the tunes that were issued back in the day are pretty darn rare! Most of it was recorded in the 70s, when the more grandly arranged soul and R&B styles of the previous decade were being honed into a slightly stripped down, though still sophisticated modern soul sound. Fantastic stuff! Volume 4 takes a baby step or 2 into the 80s, without losing sight of the 70s-rooted groove – and the titles include "No Limit" by Darrow Fletcher, "It Takes Heart" by Greg Perry, "Baby You Got It All" by Street People, "Gotta Be Loved" by Herman Davis,"I'll Laugh Till I Cry" by Toussaint McCall, "Never Felt This Say Before" by The New Experience", "See Saw Affair" by Cesar, "I've Never Been In Love" by Alvin Robinson, "Don't Matter To Me" by Billy Cee & Freedom Express, "We Communicate" by Gail Anderson, "Midnight Affair" by George Soule, "Daddy Please Stay Home" by Obrey Wilson and more. 23 tracks in all! ~ Dusty Groove

KENYA - MY OWN SKIN

Kenya's plenty warm in her own skin – coming on with this full, rich quality right from the very first note – the kind of indie soul power we haven't heard this well in a while! The album's very down-to-earth and unassuming – just wonderful vocals from the lady herself, well-penned songs, and this straightforward approach to the music that takes us back to classic mellow soul of decades back, but with a very fresh, contemporary vibe throughout. Kenya gets some great help on production and songwriting from equally excellent talents – including Khari Cabral Simmons, Daz I Kue, Brandon McKenzie, and Kendall Duffie of Kloud 9 – and titles include "Be Here", "Let Me", "Wednesday Girl", "My Heart", "Brown Soul", "Sleepless", "Take Me Away", "Makeusmile", "I Can't Help It (Sugaboom rmx)", and "Never Giving Up". ~ Dusty Groove

SOSPETTO - QUATTRO SPECCHI OPACHI

Totally great work from Sospetto – the group's third album, and their best so far! The approach here follows in Sospetto's previous mode of remaking older soundtrack styles – but the album's even more elaborate and involved, given that the group create four different mini film scores in the process – imagined soundtracks for "films" that include Intrappolati Nel Harem Di Satana, L'Exposition De Genevieve, Schwarzes Licht, and Devil's Cops In Angel County – each with a different variety of music! Keyboards figure heavily into the mix – used in the best early 70s Italian style – but there's also lots of nice guitar, earthier percussion, and a broad pastiche of cool effects – those kind of other-worldly elements that can really illuminate a classic soundtrack. Plus, there's also some wordless female vocal bits – which trip nicely through almost half the album, creating an especially moody vibe at times! Titles include "Sabba", "Law Viper", "Le Jardin", "Sans Peau", "Scaramanzia", "Deserto Emotivo", "Condanna A Morte", "Fattaccio", and "La Fille Dans La Milieu Du Lac". ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: SANTANA & MCLAUGHLIN - LIVE AT MONTREUX 2011: INVITATION TO ILLUMINATION; BOB BELDEN - ANIMATION; JOE MAGNARELLI – THREE ON TWO

SANTANA & MCLAUGHLIN - LIVE AT MONTREUX 2011: INVITATION TO ILLUMINATION

On September 18th, we'll see the release of the “Invitation To Illumination – Live At Montreux 2011”. This is the first ever release of the audio from this unique concert featuring the guitar talents of Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin and includes most of the tracks from their classic 1973 album “Love Devotion Surrender”. “Invitation To Illumination – Live At Montreux 2011” also features the late Claude Nobs, founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, playing harmonica on the final track. The evening was a showcase of supreme musical virtuosity and spirituality and typified the approach of these two great artists. “Invitation To Illumination – Live At Montreux 2011” captures an incredible night of live music and is certainly a performance not to be missed. Tracks include: Echoes of Angels / Introduction; Downstairs Blues; The Life Divine; Venus / Upper Egypt; Duende; Let Us Go Into The House of The Lord; Peace On Earth / Dear Lord; Black Satin; A Hard Rain Is Gonna Fall; Smooth Criminal; Stairway to Heaven; Land of 1000 Dances; Lord's Prayer; Cindy Blackman Santana Drum Solo; Free America / The 8th of January; A Love Supreme; La Marseillaise; Montreux Boogie (inc. La Grange); Right Off; A Love Supreme; Guitar Interlude; Shake It Up And Go; Right Off; Vuleta Abajo; Vashkar; The Creator Has A Master Plan; Guitar Interludes; Naima; and  Lotus Land Op.47 No.1.        

BOB BELDEN - ANIMATION

Features Bill Laswell on electric bass & Kurt Elling on spoken word. Recorded over three days in the autumn of 2014 at Bill Laswell's Orange Studios in New Jersey, mixed by James Dellatacoma and mastered by Mike Fossenkemper, Machine Language is the last and possibly most ambitious work by American composer, orchestrator, arranger, saxophonist and all-round conceptualizer Bob Belden with his historical group Animation. Belden died on May 20th this year. In order to realize his vision, Bob Belden enlisted Bill Laswell on electric bass and renowned jazz singer Kurt Elling, who acts as narrator. As for the previous album by Animation, Transparent Heart, also released on RareNoiseRecords in 2012, the lineup also comprises Peter Clagett on electrified trumpet, Roberto Verastegui on keyboards and Matt Young on drums. 

JOE MAGNARELLI – THREE ON TWO

A killer from trumpeter Joe Magnarelli – an artist we've already begun to appreciate a lot for his recent work on the Posi-tone label – but a player who really wins us over with this sweet little set! The record sparkles right from the start with contributions from key labelmates – the mighty Brian Charette on Hammond, Mike DiRubbo on alto, and the great Steve Davis on trombone – all players who leap into the fray with Magnarelli right from the start, and come up with these lines that are sophisticated, but always swinging too – stunningly soulful at all the best moments, with a nice sort of sparkle,b ut no too-commercial polish. Solos are great, and Magnarelli's writing is very nice on the album's original tracks – and titles include "Easy", "26 2", "Central Park West", "Paris", "Outlet Pass", "Clockwise", and "My Reverie". ~ Dusty Groove

Billy Cobham Spectrum 40 Headlines Inaugural Wobeon Jazz Fusion Festival in Austin TX

WOBEONFEST returns to Ironwood Hall in Downtown Austin, TX this September, marking the third year of the homegrown festival with a global reach. This year, the festival organizers have added a Jazz Fusion Festival to the 2-day gathering, which will feature a rare US performance by drum legend Billy Cobham (of Mahavishnu Orchestra fame) and guitar great Scott Henderson on Sunday, September 13th. 

Billy Cobham brings his Spectrum 40 quartet with jazz greats Dean Brown and Ric Fierabracci to the inaugural Jazz Fusion Festival. The Modern Drummer Hall of Fame inductee and his band celebrates the music of Cobham’s first album and performs in the spirit of the rich 1970s Fusion era.  Scott Henderson and his new trio with Travis Carlton and Alan Hertz will also be featured.  Henderson is best known for his innovative work with fusion band Tribal Tech, and for his role with Joe Zawinul and The Zawinul Syndicate.

 Festival Founder Jakes Srinivasan speaks on the event’s new extension: “We are always looking at breaking new ground with the kind of music we curate.  If you see the many, many shows and artists we’ve promoted and presented over the last 3 years, you’ll see that you can’t necessarily put these bands in neat boxes.” He elaborates, “All music is world music, as they say, and there’s a huge pool of great artists – even right here in our own backyard that are incredibly exciting to watch and hear, but for whatever reason don’t get the same share of voice or airplay as we think they deserve.  World Music falls in that category, so does Jazz Fusion.” Jazz fusion is a progressive amalgamation of Rock and Jazz that blossomed in the ’70s and ’80s, and continues to have a tremendous global, yet simultaneously niche, following. Fans of legendary artists like Chick Corea, Miles Davis, and Weather Report continue to harbor their passion for jazz fusion even today. Of late, bands like Grammy®-winning Snarky Puppy are bringing new fans to this exciting genre. In 2014, Wobeon introduced Dallas-based jazz fusion band Funky Knuckles to festival fans and received great feedback. Producing separately-programed days with single-day ticketing for each of the two genres allows both audience bases to get a full sampling of music closest to their interest. Local jazz guitarist Glenn Rexach, rising fusion stars Curious Android, and local group Collin Shook Quintet round out the lineup.

Wobeon has featured renowned artists from all corners of the world, from Angola to Morocco to Brooklyn, and from right here in Austin.  Afropop queen Angelique Kidjo, Bermuda reggae sensation Collie Buddz, Electro-cumbia party starters Bomba Estereo, and big beat bhangra juggernauts Red Baraat have all performed at the gathering, along with local favorites like Atash, Bramaya, and Maracatu Texas.

This festival is made possible in part by the generosity and support of organizations such as KUTX Radio Austin, the City of Austin Cultural Affairs Division of the Economic Development Department, Texas Folklife, Ironwood Hall and others.

SFJAZZ Announces New SFJAZZ Collective Member: Trumpeter Sean Jones Joins All-Star Octet

SFJAZZ announces a new lineup of its award-winning all-star octet, the SFJAZZ Collective -- trumpeter Sean Jones is replacing long-time member and trumpeter Avishai Cohen. The SFJAZZ Collective is an all-star award-winning jazz ensemble comprising eight of the finest performers and composers at work in jazz today. Launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ, the Collective has become one of the most exciting and acclaimed groups on the jazz scene. The SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco is the group's home base.

The current lineup now features founding member and alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón, tenor saxophonist David Sánchez, trombonist Robin Eubanks, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, pianist Edward Simon, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Obed Calvaire.

Jones joins the SFJAZZ Collective as the group prepares for its 2015 Fall Tour. The tour and a Spring Tour in 2016 are devoted to each member's arrangements of the music of Michael Jackson and new original compositions.

For the remarkable composer, trumpeter, educator, and activist Jones, the pursuit of jazz is a most serious endeavor. Deeply influenced by his immersion in Gospel music in the church as a youth, Jones had an epiphany at the age of 19 while he was a student at Youngstown State University. The awakening was his first hearing of the magnificent John Coltrane's masterpiece, A Love Supreme. After receiving his Master's Degree from Rutgers University, Jones performed a six-month stint with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Wynton Marsalis offered him a permanent position as lead trumpeter and Jones remained there until 2010, also participating in two recordings. During those years, Jones started touring and performing regularly with his own ensembles and began his longtime relationship with Mack Avenue Records, for whom he released his seventh recording last year.

Education is also a major element in the trumpeter's ongoing activities. Shortly after joining the JLCO, he began teaching at Duquesne University in his adopted hometown of Pittsburgh, where he served as Associate Professor of Jazz; Jones also served as Professor of Trumpet at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for some time. In addition, master classes and clinics are a regular part of his activities, providing more than a dozen annually around the world. He also serves as Artistic Director of both the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Jazz Orchestras. In 2014, Jones joined Berklee College of Music as Chair of the Brass Department and maintains the position as he tours year-round.

After exploring the work of Ornette Coleman (2004), John Coltrane (2005), Herbie Hancock (2006), Thelonious Monk (2007), Wayne Shorter (2008), McCoy Tyner (2009), Horace Silver (2010), Stevie Wonder (2011-2012), and Joe Henderson (2014), the SFJAZZ Collective now turns its sights on the "King of Pop," Michael Jackson. The arrangements of Michael Jackson's songs and the SFJAZZ Collective's original compositions will be recorded during their residency at the SFJAZZ Center from October 22-25 and released in March 2015.

In addition to its outstanding line-up, the SFJAZZ Collective has been praised for its innovative approach to repertoire. Each year, the ensemble performs a new list of compositions by a modern jazz master and new pieces by the Collective members (commissioned by SFJAZZ). Through this pioneering approach, simultaneously honoring jazz's recent history while championing the music's up-to-the-minute directions, the Collective embodies SFJAZZ's commitment to jazz as a living, ever-relevant art form.

To cultivate its distinctive sound, the SFJAZZ Collective each year convenes at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco for a multi-week residency. Throughout this extended rehearsal period--a rarity in today's jazz--the octet workshops the season's new repertoire and interacts with the Bay Area community through SFJAZZ's education programs for youth and adults. The Collective then takes to road.

SFJAZZ Collective 2015 Fall Tour Dates

October 9 / University of Colorado / Boulder, CO

October 10 / University of Wyoming / Laramie, WY

October 17 / Brubeck Festival / Stockton, CA

October 19 / Capital Theater / Salt Lake City, UT

October 20 / Musical Instrument Museum / Phoenix, AZ

October 22-25 / SFJAZZ Center / San Francisco, CA

SFJAZZ Collective 2016 Spring Tour Dates

March 30-April 2 / Jazz Bistro / St. Louis, MO

April 6 / The Clifton Center / Louisville, KY

April 7 / Purdue Convocations / West Lafayette, IN

April 8 / Carmel Center for the Performing Arts / Carmel, IN

April 9 / University of Dubuque / Dubuque, IA

April 13 / AT&T Performing Arts Center / Dallas, TX

April 16 / Cullen Theater, DaCamera of Houston / Houston, TX

April 19-21 / Jazz Standard / New York, NY

April 22 / Manchester Craftsman's Guild/MCG Jazz / Pittsburgh, PA

April 23 / Massey Hall / Toronto, ONT

April 24 / Berklee Performance Center / Boston, MA

April 27 / Music Center at Strathmore / Bethesda, MD

June 17 / Detroit Symphony Orchestra / Detroit, IL

Founded in 1983, SFJAZZ presents the greatest names in jazz, Latin and other global music and nurtures the art of improvisation through its year-round concert, commissioning and education programs. The West Coast's biggest jazz presenter serves about 200,000 fans and students every year from our SFJAZZ Annual Season, San Francisco Jazz Festival, SFJAZZ Summer Sessions, and SFJAZZ Collective. The extensive SFJAZZ Education programs include Family Matinees, Koret Discover Jazz Classes, Jazz in the Middle, and SFJAZZ High School All Stars.

PROJECT GRAND SLAM TO RELEASE THEIR UNIQUE TAKE ON JIMI HENDRIX’S FIRE (SONG AND VIDEO) ON SEPTEMBER 18th

Robert Miller’s Project Grand Slam is gearing up for a busy fall with the September 18th release of their next single featuring their unique take on Jimi Hendrix’s Fire. The song showcases Guest Vocalist Kat Robichaud from NBC’s The Voice, who lends her rock n’ roll and glam roots to the song and the related video.  This cover of Fire is unlike any other.  It’s a sexy, smoldering version that captures the full emotion of the Hendrix classic.

On October 16th PGS will release their new full length album that includes the singles New York City Groove and Fire as well as two tracks recorded “live” at the world famous Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City.  All of the songs on the album (except for Fire) were composed by Robert and reflect the band’s distinctive trademark sound and feel.

The band’s most recent single, released on July 10th, is Robert’s catchy, snazzy New York City Groove, also featuring Kat Robichaud on vocals.  The song is “a love letter to my NYC home,” says Robert, leader/bassist/composer for PGS.  In the month since its release, the Groove video has been viewed over 85,000 times on YouTube, and the instrumental version of the song is moving up the charts on jazz radio.

The Groove video (http://smarturl.it/NYCGroove) contains Kat and others doing their own “Groove move”, which in turn has spawned a “Groove Movement” of people dancing their own “move” to the song.  PGS is inviting everyone to join the “Groove Movement” by creating their own individual “Groove Move” video and uploading the video to any of their social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) using the hashtag #GrooveMovement.

On September 9th PGS will be performing at The Cutting Room in NYC.  This comes on the heels of their highly regarded performance on August 5th at The Iridium in NYC.

The band has decided to donate 10% of the sales from New York City Groove to three New York City based art and culture non-profit organizations that benefit underprivileged and inner-city children.  “I thought it was appropriate for us to align the success of New York City Groove with our support for several NYC-based arts non-profits that provide great programs and services for children in need,” said Robert, adding: “It’s our way of ‘playing it forward’.”

http://www.projectgrandslam.com

Pianist Mose Allison in His Final Live Recording: Mose Allison American Legend, Live in California

Mose Allison is an icon. He is said to have been British rock's most influential jazz musician (Time Out London). He inspired Pete Townshend, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Tom Waits. His own songs have been covered by Diana Krall, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones, Van Morrison, John Mayall, The Who, The Clash, Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds, to name a few. He was honored as a NEA Jazz Master in 2013, which is the United States' highest honor in jazz as well as being honored by the National Endowment for the Arts. He has made more than 40 recordings and was nominated for Grammys® in 1983, 1988 and 2001.

On Mose Allison American Legend, Live in California, Allison teamed up with a veteran trio of longtime drummer Pete Magadini and bassist Bill Douglass. With this team of great musicians, Allison was able to recreate the intimate sessions that he had been renowned for throughout his entire career. Live in California captures the true atmosphere of what made Allison such an influential musician and performer. Even at 79, Allison is able to a give an inspired and enthralling performance that matches the energy of the audience at 19 Broadway. Magadini states, "You will hear that the audience in the room is totally into Mose and the trio. This phenomenon would almost always happen when we performed in clubs but the music never left the room. Now it has and it's been captured and perserved in this live recording."

Allison and his trio performs some of his most cherished works including "Everybody's Cryin' Mercy," "Your Mind is on Vacation," "I Don't Want Much," "Ever Since the World Ended," and "City Home." In all, there are 12 original classic Mose Allison songs as well as some of Allison's favorite standards including songs by Percy Mayfield, Duke Ellington, Big Joe Williams and John D. Loudermilk. All were played and recorded in the intimacy of a very soulful nightclub in front of an equally impassioned audience.

Mose toured jazz festivals and the most renowned stages throughout his life. For the most part Allison never recorded much while playing "live" in clubs. Many of his best performances stayed in those rooms and devoted audiences were left with preserving their experience to memory. This recording now brings the live aspect of Allison to the forefront and encapsulates his career and love of performing. Although Allison has since retired, this recording is a snapshot in history and is a rare gem for his fans and all blues-jazz lovers.

Mose Allison was born in 1927 in Tippo, part of the famous Mississippi Delta that has produced some of the best blues artists. His art has combined these deep blues roots with sophisticated jazz and inspired lyrics. This unique sound rooted in various styles has made Allison a versatile and inspiring performer and when he arrived in New York in 1956 he was able to play piano for significant artists including Al Cohn, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims and more.

MoseAllisonAmericanLegend.com

Pianist Yelena Eckemoff Reaches New Heights Working with Norwegian Dream Team of Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen, and Tore Brunborg on Everblue

When pianist Yelena Eckemoff released Cold Sun (L & H Production, 2010) - a trio date with drumming legend Peter Erskine and Danish bass whiz Mads Vinding - the jazz world was introduced to a startlingly fresh voice destined for great things.  Over the course of the six albums that followed, Eckemoff lived up to that promise, delivering organically crafted music reflective of her classical background, fascination with the natural world, poetic soul, communicative spirit, and overall open-mindedness.  Now, Eckemoff is poised to make even more waves with the spellbinding Everblue, her third in-studio encounter with Norwegian bass icon Arild Andersen and her first musical meeting with two other Norwegians of note - drummer Jon Christensen and saxophonist Tore Brunborg. 

Those familiar with the background of Eckemoff's musical partners will likely be aware of their shared history, as Andersen and Christensen were both key players in Jan Garbarek's groundbreaking musical odysseys in the early '70s and all three men were involved in the band called Masqualero.  But none of that has to do with Eckemoff's motives for joining forces with this Norwegian dream team.  Instead, she simply notes that she chose to work with these musicians because they "would be the best match to interpret the ideas for the Everblue project." 

The musical affinity that exists between Eckemoff and Andersen is already abundantly clear, having been demonstrated on two beautifully rendered trio outings-Glass Song (L & H Production, 2013), with Peter Erskine on drums, and Lions (L & H Production, 2015), with Billy Hart on drums. On Everblue, their rapport is deepened and broadened, as both players seem to resonate sympathetically throughout.  While Eckemoff has worked with a number of fine bassists in the past, including Vinding and George Mraz, her relationship with Andersen helps to take her work to another level; it's a relationship that, she notes, plays out like "an interactive conversation." 

In summing up her reasoning for choosing to bring Christensen and Brunborg into her musical orbit on Everblue, Eckemoff cites both players' elemental qualities:  she likens Christensen to "an ocean" and she views Brunborg as "the voice of nature: animals, birds, winds, and ghosts."  When merged with her own "wondering and contemplative spirit" and Andersen's deeply resonating bass work-"a bridge between all of us," according to the architect herself-the results are mesmerizing.

With Everblue, Eckemoff doesn't simply present a set of tunes: she presents an overarching musical concept that guides this voyage.  "Part of our human consciousness constantly searches and yearns for the divine, unspeakably beautiful, eternal," she notes.  "In my world, I call this place Everblue."  It's a concept and a world that's plainly laid out in her poetry and music, as everything is drawn around beaches and oceans.   And it's a concept within that concept-the search for beauty-that informs this journey of faith and discovery.

 

Cole Porter Fellow and Pianist Sullivan Fortner Makes Major Label Debut with Aria

After gaining international acclaim for his piano playing in ensembles led by Roy Hargrove, Etienne Charles, Christian Scott, and Stefon Harris, 28-year-old New Orleans native Sullivan Fortner announces his emergence as a solo recording artist with Aria, a remarkable debut for impulse! Records. Produced by Jean-Philippe Allard and Brian Bacchus, Aria showcases Fortner's mastery at both rendering well-chosen standards and composing memorable melodies.

On Aria, Fortner leads a splendid ensemble, comprised of drummer Joe Dyson, Jr., bassist Aidan Carroll, and tenor and soprano saxophonist Tivon Pennicott. Together they forge a warm, bracing sound that suggests an accord that has developed over several years. "I didn't want it to sound like a leader's record. I wanted it sound like a band's record," Sullivan explains.

The album begins with the title-track - a percussive original - on which Sullivan initially tickles a repetitive dance-like rhythm that hints at the music of modern classical composer Steve Reich and Latin jazz, thanks to the buoying rhythm section. After Pennicott's soaring soprano solo, Fortner quickly displays his formidable skills as an improviser with passages that are as sophisticated harmonically as they are rhythmically. Interestingly enough, "Aria" is part of a six-movement suite, "Expansions: Suite in 'B' for Jazz Quintet," which was commissioned by New York City's Jazz Gallery.

Fortner, in fact, uses three other compositions from "Expansions" on the album - the capricious "Parade," which is distinguished by a jaunty melody and a tugging rhythmic undertow, betraying his fondness for Thelonious Monk; the prancing "Passepied," a tune inspired by Fortner's exploration in Baroque classical music, particularly Johann Sebastian Bach's French dance suites; and the spry "Finale," which bounces to a lithe rhythm that implies the second-line drumming of Fortner's Crescent City hometown.

The other original on Aria is "Ballade," a gentle sauntering ballad, written in dedicated to the pianist's mother, Cynthia Fortner, which affords listeners to gleam Sullivan's crisp, impeccable touch and cogent, modest melodic sense in addition to Pennicott's billowing tenor saxophone asides.

As for the covers, Fortner offers a glimpse into his intriguing influences. His love for Monk rears it's head again on his take on

"I Mean You," on which the intricate rhythms and melodies are wonderfully articulated by Dyson and Carroll, which gives Fortner ample support to demonstrate inventive improvisations.

Fortner reflects on his childhood with a gleeful reading of Fred Rogers's "You Are Special," a song that the composer sang regularly on his acclaimed PBS children's TV show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.  "As a little kid, I grew up watching that show and being in awe with the music, especially the piano player," Fortner recalls. The pianist got the idea to give the song a modern jazz makeover after saxophonist John Ellis brought it in at the Lafayette Summer Music Jazz Workshop at the Stanley Middle School in Lafayette, California.

Fortner's take of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's classic, "All The Things You Are," is a subtle tribute to the late pianist Cedar Walton. The fanciful modern arrangement with its tricky interplay and Latin feel is reminiscent of the one Walton performed with pianist Barry Harris, with whom Fortner studied, at the Lincoln Center in June 2013 - just months before Walton passed away.  Similarly, Fortner's amorous interpretation of Duke Pearson's 1966 ballad, "You Know I Care" pays tribute to trumpeter Roy Hargrove with whom Fortner has performed with as a sideman.

When Fortner was pondering the auspicious occasion of making his debut on the legendary imprint - impulse! Records - it lead to him delivering a flickering solo piano reading of J. Fred Coots and Sam M Lewis' 1934 ballad, "For All We Know." "I was thinking that I might not get a chance to record for impulse! again, so let me make the best of it," Fortner explains with a robust laugh.

But based upon Fortner's consummate musicianship as a pianist, improviser, composer and arrangement, its doubtful that Aria will be just a one-off. Instead, it promises to be a winning marriage between a venerable label and a gifted pianist who can surely extend its jazz legacy into the 21st century.

Sullivan Fortner is a 28-year-old New Orleans-based jazz pianist, composer and arranger who's already demonstrated prodigious talents. He began playing the piano at age seven and subsequently won the Cable Cox's "Amazing Kid" award at age 11. Two years later, he enrolled at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, where he became Valedictorian of his high school graduating class. He continued his formal music studies at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in jazz performance, and at the Manhattan School of Music, where he earned a Master's degree in jazz performance. Fortner complemented that experience by studying under such jazz piano masters as Peter Martin, Fred Hersch, Jason Moran, and Phil Markowitz, and playing in bands led by Stefon Harris, Etienne Charles, Roy Hargrove, and Christian Scott.  Fortner is also the recipient of the 2015 American Pianists Association's prestigious 2015 Cole Porter Fellow Award.